Madamejamariqui - Biggie Smalls ❤️‍🔥🏳️‍🌈

the turning gyre. the whirling log. the cross, standing, inverted, sideways. all spinning, until they're not. every six hours a pulse. the alignment of frequencies like dialing in to a specific station. like a train station, or an airport terminal with its constant incoming and outgoing arrivals and departures. a continuous pathway, always in motion. a revolving door

"no spinning? (ava spins in place and laughs)"

the arq is a threshold to other dimensions. sometimes it is active and sometimes its not. it takes much preparation for adriel to attune it to reya's realm, to her narthex, the chamber and throughway that connects the thresholds between worlds and allows communion between those who enter from the outside. like a funnel it tapers to a door of an inner realm like the tapering of a black slab. parishes have them

adriel used his machine to open the way to reya's realm and force her into this one. he did this without the power of the halo, but would still require it to complete his plan. it's one thing to usher beasts into an open trap. it's quite another to have the ability to close the trap behind them. this is why he needed the power of the halo in addition to everything else. he had his transmuter and amplifiers to send out energy waves to track reya's location like underwater sonar in deep water, or echolocation in the dark. it required picking up her frequency, and using the arq to search for a ping in the interdimensional whirlpool

just as an object in motion stays in motion, the motion on the other side of the arc never stops turning. the gyre is the revolving door that leads to other dimensions. the cross is the compass that tells us which door leads where when the gyre is stopped, frozen in time. and the halo, connected to all things and a map of the cosmos, is one means to switch the railways to redirect your journey and select your stop. it's a dial of the universe, to choose what frequency you use to travel to the other side

with enough energy, the right combination of transmuter and amplifiers, and the halo acting as a valve to close the door off, the arq can also be used to halt travel between realms. to turn one realm into a trap, the only open entrance from the revolving door, and no exit back out. newton, too, was an alchemist. friction is what the frozen cross represents in adriel's plan. he tried halting the turning gyre and creating a dam, forcing earth to be where the tide flows to, where it would wash the world away in chaos from a daintily contained divine war. but such a broad operation requires the energy to power the transmuter and amplify the signal to locate gods, to summon and bait them as well. this is why adriel required "prayers" and why the arq in the depths of his cathedral took the form of the "squared circle," a legendary coveted transmutation apparatus of the alchemists

speaking of amplified frequencies and the halted motion of the whirlpool, have you ever seen what happens when you skip a rock on water? the echoes it creates as it goes. have you ever heard the sound of a rock skipped on ice? it sounds like a cacophony of otherworldly birds chirping. it sounds like the pulse of the halo

just as adriel pulled reya into this realm, he planned to pull other impossibly powerful figures in as well. all "gods" enter, no "god" leaves. turning our world into an arena of the gods. it's worth noting that "sand" and "arena" share the same symbol in alchemy. strange at first, until you realize that pulling a warring god from a whirlpool and trapping them there means beaching them on land. ava would love that pun if she knew. in adriel's plan, our world would serve as a beach to stage the destruction that constitutes war and its weapons, like what happens to countless places that the powerful and sadistic colonize and use for their own means. to those from the other side, the earth is an outpost for interdimensional travelers who see it as a "plaything." but as any good general knows, outposts make for tactical far-off points to stage battle in order to protect the main stronghold. adriel wanted to turn earth into a roach motel for the great devourer and all other comers so that they could arrive, destroy everything and remain trapped here forever

what it all means now on the other side for the valve, the map, the world soul, the halo, and for ava who still bears it, could be anything. maybe reya decides that it's safer for the linchpin of a cosmic trap for the gods to remain in a small outpost, some primitive dimension where no one will look or care to utilize it. but the other side of the coin (and there's always another side in warrior nun), is that those other powerful beings know exactly where earth is thanks to adriel's failed plan. tarasques and wraiths seeking the halo are one thing. but even our isolated world has imagined enough horror (and been home to those very horror imaginers who would inflict it on others) to know to be wary of some creatures who can be awoken by loud noises and come slouching onto the beach sand from deep, unknowable waters

"you see, ava, if i am to become god, i first must imprison god"

LOVE AS VIOLENCE VS LOVE AS SOFTNESS

Ada Limon, The Good Fight // Mary Oliver, West Wind // Danez Smith, Bare // Sappho, Fragment 58.25-26 // Mitski, I Don’t Smoke // Ashe Vernon // Hozier, Cherry Wine // Shauna Barbosa, GPS // Richard Siken, Little Beast // Chen Chen, Summer [The sunflowers fall…] // Warsan Shire // Ocean Vuong, On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous

I love capturing that roadtrip feeling on film from the sunny backseats of my friends cars

and i oop- 👀

Ava mimicking Bea’s fight style because she was trained by her

THIS ✨🥹

Why Dina and Ellie’s Relationship in The Last of Us Feels So Real

One of the things that makes Dina and Ellie’s relationship stand out is how it feels so genuine, like we’ve known these characters for years, even though their journey together spans only a handful of episodes. The chemistry between them isn’t just about attraction, it’s about the deep understanding and respect they have for each other. It’s that respect that often feels so vital in queer relationships. There’s an unspoken recognition of each other’s experiences and vulnerabilities that really makes their bond shine.

Both Bella and Isabella bring a level of authenticity to these roles that can only come from lived experience. Dina and Ellie aren’t just two characters in a story, they feel like people we could know, and the chemistry between the actors is so palpable because they’re able to tap into something real.

There’s no faking that rawness and depth of connection when both actors understand the nuances of being queer, especially in a relationship between two women. It’s not something you can replicate with straight actors. It’s the kind of unspoken emotional understanding that comes from truly knowing what it’s like to be in that kind of relationship.

What makes this relationship so impactful isn’t just their romantic attraction, it’s the layers of emotional connection that build over time. There’s this inevitable feeling that these two were always meant to be in each other’s lives, even if they hadn’t realized it until now.

Their connection is built on comfort, familiarity, and the way they complement each other despite being opposites. They balance each other out in ways that feel right, and that’s part of what makes them so magnetic together.

At its core, Dina and Ellie’s relationship is about emotional intimacy. It’s not rushed it’s earned through shared experiences, subtle moments, and those little exchanges that communicate so much without saying anything at all. These are the kinds of relationships that feel real and not just for queer viewers, but for anyone who’s ever known what it’s like to find someone who truly gets you.

In a world where queer stories are often rushed or sidelined, Dina and Ellie’s bond feels like it’s been lived in, making every moment with them feel like part of something bigger. It’s the authenticity, respect, and deep emotional connection that makes their relationship resonate long after the screen fades.

Ultimately, this is what’s going to make things so difficult and soul wrenchingly crushing when things play out like they do in the game and Ellie starts to lose herself.

PSA Regarding Hateful Anons

Tumblr recently made it a requirement for you to be logged in to send asks anonymously. If you receive a hateful ask, don’t publish it - report it to Tumblr. It can be traced back to the user that sent it and with enough reports that person’s account will be suspended.

Share to raise awareness but also to make the clowns who think this behaviour is acceptable think twice before acting brave behind the guise of invisibility.

How To Draw A Horse - a comic by Emma Hunsinger