#[ spoilers: that isn't how you make rice ]

[reddawnmultimuse]

@nnandmm-archived-hard said: "Itachi: …Do you know how to cook rice?"

"Of course, I know how to cook rice, Uchiha! You just throw it in a pot to heat it up, hn!"

Deidara wasn't as dumb as Itachi thought he was.

[brucewaynehater101]

Have you ever read a fic called A Medication On Railroading? Because I think you'll like it. Basic summery with no spoilers: Jack takes Tim on a trip to Atlanta and then leaves him in Atlanta so he goes train hopping to get home. Very hurt/comfort.

But it also gives me an idea that I'm not sure where to share. What if that wasn't Tim's first time getting home like that? Maybe the first time was just New York when he was say... 9 years old? His parents took him with them to a Gala and Jack thought Janet called him a car home and Janet thought Jack took care of it. Neither one did and Tiny Tim figured out how to get home on his own. It happens again when he's 11 so he already knows what to do, he studied up in case it happened again.

After the second time, anytime Tim is with his parents he keeps his camera bag on him at all times which has 300 dollars in it that he can use on getting home. Tim also discovers during the second one that trains are *way* better than busses and cabs. He's all alone, just him and the scenery and whatever cargo his car holds. He can Fully Relax. He doesn't have to be the perfect heir, he doesn't have to smile for the cameras, he doesn't have to be quiet or good or perfectly polite. He can scream and laugh and cry if he wants to and no one will ever know! He can sing and curse and throw rocks at things! He can be a *kid*.

After Tim becomes Robin, he never calls Batman for a pick up if he's abandoned somewhere and instead will make his own way home. Heck, after some missions with Young Justice he will turn off his trackers and ride trains home so that he can loudly vent about them without having to worry about anyone ever knowing what he said!

This does become a slight problem when he's 17 and Bruce needs him for something and finds out from Bart that their mission ended a day and a half ago. But Tim never called for pick up. And his trackers are all offline. And he never hit his emergency beacon and *no one can find him*. Bruce totally isn't freaking out. The other Bats totally aren't freaking out. Young Justice totally isn't freaking out. There totally isn't a panic spreading through the super hero community about Red Robin maybe being dead I a ditch somewhere and how both Batman and his team will react.

Tim meanwhile is straight vibing as he reclines on a stack of bags of rice like they're pillows, singing along to some sound track he downloaded onto his MP3 player, having turned the volume to max and nearly screaming the lyrics because it's the one time he feels like he can.

Yes! I love that fic you mentioned. It's really really good. Perhaps I should re read it since it's been a minute.

Also, I absolutely adore the little tidbit you've added. A few things to note that I love about it:

No one else knows/finds out until he's Red Robin

It's a semi-decent coping mechanism. He gets to chill out, vibe, and process. He's also in touch with nature and music during this.

Tim drops his various masks to simply exist for a bit

Tim chilling on some rice bags in a train cart with an MP3 player (not even his phone. This indicates he's fully offline during these trips)

A few additional notes to add. One, this could buff up the canon notion that pre-Robin Tim traveled far to go see Dick at the circus and convince him to become Robin again. If Tim had already done that twice unexpectedly, he'd do swell when he actually plans to do it.

Two, Tim probably created a white noise generator or something to give him totally privacy on his "me trips." This is why Kon and Superman freak out. They can't hear him.

Three, he probably gets covered in grime, dust, and dirt. He's no longer in the pristine environment he grew up in.

Gods. That sounds so nice and relaxing. I'm actually kind of jealous. Just the wind, music, and the slowly changing scenery? Fuuuck.

[cbrownjc]

My thoughts about Devil's Minion right now after Rolin Jones' comments (spoilers):

A meta so thorough, that I first wrote in a post/reply elsewhere, I'm putting it into a separate post, (with some more added to it), just because. And especially since I know I've gotten a lot of followers over the course of Season 2 because of my Devil's Minion posts as well, and I want this all in a separate, individual post for quick reference, just in case.

Fair warning: if you are totally happy and fine about what happened -- i.e. how Armand turned Daniel -- then yeah, what I am going to say here isn't for you. I'm not trying to harsh anyone's vibe, especially if you are just happy that Daniel is a vampire now, okay? This is just about how I feel and see things about it at the moment (particularly regarding RJs comments about it). So if you're not up for criticism, critique, as well as speculation about Devil's Minion right now, then yeah. IMO, just skip this post, please.

Okay. So. Rolin Jones just gave an interview with The Hollywood Reporter and this is what he said about Daniel's turning by Armand:

Jones confirms that, just like in Rice’s books, Armand is the one who turns Daniel into a vampire. “Will we see that moment of turning? No, but Armand finally made a vampire and clearly made him out of spite,��� he says with a laugh. “It looks like it was really not a great moment [between him and Daniel], but that connects those two characters. They will have scenes going forward, obviously.”

-- Rolin Jones, Hollywood Reporter, 06/30/24

Okay so, to start. For me, someone who has been waiting since 1995 (when I was 17) for Devil's Minion, for Armand and Daniel's relationship to finally be adapted in some way, I'll be honest. There are only two ways this can go now that I can see at the moment: either Rolin is lying/trolling to hide the truth about all of this, or he is telling the truth and this is truly the way they are going with this.

If Rolin is lying/trolling to hide something about all of this, then I'll forgive that lying/trolling instantly once it's revealed that he was. (Put a pin in this.) Having to flat-out lie or troll is sometimes par for the course when it comes to running a show and not wanting to spoil anything about what might be coming up in it. So honestly, if that's what's going on with what he said here? Meh. No skin off my nose.

If he is telling the truth, however? Then I'll have zero desire to watch the show anymore, once I see it 100% confirmed in some way with my own two eyes in some way on screen somehow. (Again, pin in this.) Because I have very much learned my lesson when it comes to TV shows and lazy writing/bad adaptations after Game of Thrones.

Because Armand turning Daniel out of spite is the antithesis of what Devil's Minion is supposed to be for both characters. It is an utter and complete misunderstanding of both characters and their relationship together. It's an utter downgrade of their relationship from the books, and I am not here for it. I literally do not care what "romance" they might later have planned for them if this is how Daniel was turned.

Look. If you are someone who only ever cared about Daniel just being a vampire, then this is all likely fine for you, and that's okay. But not me. Because Daniel being a vampire never was, or has been, the important part of Armand and Daniel's relationship. Not in my eyes and, frankly, not when it comes to the original story. Daniel becoming a vampire is not the important part of the Devil's Minion story. The actual love and romance before Daniel is turned is because it is during that part of it that the actual character development and growth both of them go through from it takes place. Especially for Armand's character.

And that only has any depth when Daniel is human and Armand is forever refusing to turn him because of his hangups about making another vampire.

And Armand finally turning Daniel out of love was a huge step that showed Armand beginning to move forward and heal -- from not only his time in the Children of Darkness cult, but begin his healing when it comes to his Marius issues as well.

Armand turning Daniel out of spite undercuts all of that. It undercuts the whole story. And flat-out guts some of the major depth of the relationship and Armand's character development overall.

Not to mention it makes Daniel no better than someone like Claudia wrt Armand turning him now. Maybe even less than her since at least Claudia got turned out of Lestat's love for someone else. Daniel doesn't even get that? The person who is supposed to be his eternal companion doesn't even get turned by him out of love, an important point to the bond between such Maker and Fledgling eternal companions, but out of hate and spite instead?

Yeah, no thank you.

This is not what I've waited since 1995 to see with these two and the fact their relationship may have gotten treated like this -- if this is true -- utterly astounds me how this show could get Loustat so right (and even upgrade them so beautifully in so many ways such as with Louis' turning) and utterly fail Devil's Minion so badly. Because yes, it's failing them. It's a terrible and, moreover, just a shallow adaptation of Devil's Minion if this is how it really all goes down.

Because there is way more to Armand and Daniel than them just Daniel being a vampire and them finally "getting together." Or at least there is supposed to be. And this ain't it.

(Pin!) Now, with that all said? The fact that Rolin flat out says that we'll never see Armand turning Daniel? Yeah okay, I'm sus on that one. Because really. The only reason not to show Armand turning Daniel next season -- and visually confirm that Armand did it -- is if because . . . Armand never actually turned Daniel in the first damn place.

Or, if he did, it maybe was not fully Daniel.

I mean, you're not going to ever actually show Armand turning his first-ever fledgling (who he's supposed to go on to have a romantic relationship with at some point) after making a big ass deal out of the fact that Armand has never turned anyone before? Ever?

See I know damn well that Armand is being framed as a villain right now. He very much has to be given how the end of the book IWTV and how the upcoming book The Vampire Lestat, goes. Armand is the main villain/antagonist in it. Even in the present day, it is clear Armand hasn't gone yet gone through all of the growth that he does from Queen of the Damned on. So he's still back in his villain-era mode right now. And his post-breakup with Louis mode in the present day. Which is fine, it's how his story -- and the story where it is right now -- goes. I am thoroughly okay with that.

And the very idea that Armand turned Daniel out of spite? Very much plays into that framing-him-as-a-villian state where Armand's character is right now. And will be for the majority of Season 3, which I've already before now suspected and said.

So here is where the speculation on my end of things comes in. Because yeah, not only can I not help myself but because -- until I see this play out with my own eyes -- I'm willing to be reasonable and look at the various ways this all could still play out that doesn't completely gut out the very heart of Armand and Daniel -- as characters and their relationship together. (Or at least not have it be so damn shallow by the end when they inevitably get and stay together.)

So as @nalyra-dreaming can confirm, I gave her a few scenarios that could be behind Daniel's turning weeks ago, when I first suspected it was going to happen (before the screener leaks about it started). In one of the scenarios, I said that if Daniel's vampire eyes are any color other than violet, then that is NOT Daniel's spirit/soul/consciousness in Daniel's body that has been made a vampire.

As the saying goes, "The eyes are the window into the soul." And am I really supposed to think this show got Lestat and Louis' eye color dead on correct but just missed Daniel's iconic eye color? Really? (Because no, I do not find it romantic that Daniel has his Maker's eye color, or whatever. Besides, vampire eye color doesn't even work like that -- the show didn't even do that with Louis and Lestat who are the main, grand romantic couple of the damn show.)

As I said here in this reblog, I stand by my opinion/theory that no way this show gets Daniel's iconic violet eye color wrong, even on accident. I said so weeks ago, before even seeing Daniel's eyes in that final shot in the season finale, and just predicting that he was going to get turned.

No way this show got Daniel's iconic eye color wrong when he became a vampire, not when they went to all the damn trouble creating those vampire contacts and gave Jacob's Louis green eyes to match book-Louis.

And yes I damn well know they could just have Daniel pop up with violet vampire eyes in the Season 3 premiere and there goes all of that, and it really was all just laziness, incompetence, and a mistake when it came to the color of Daniel's eyes in the finale. But right now? I'm treating Daniel's eye color as the equivalent of Rolin saying "Lelio is so boring!" as to the question of why Sam's Lestat was playing Harlequin and not Lelio in the Season 2 theater flashbacks. Something the show changed on purpose and for a reason.

Because we all damn well know that we are going to see Sam's Lestat as Lelio in Season 3, correct? Because we are.

And yes. I know some people really hate the idea of a body swap scenario regarding Daniel, but I'm sorry. At this point, it really is the only scenario out of this whole storyline that I can see right now, that will keep it anywhere close to retaining the heart of the Devil's Minion storyline, especially if Armand really did turn Daniel out of spite here (even though, again, we'll apparently never see that turning to confirm that in full. Uh-huh, okay.).

And two things that I think do set up the possibility are:

1.) Louis says Daniel was turned after he left Armand alone with him. But Louis actually wouldn't know something like that unless he was told since he wasn't there. All we can really assume at the moment is that Daniel told Louis what happened after Louis left the room. And as RJ and Assad said, we'll never see the actual turning. So who knows when the hell it happened.

2.) Raglan James, via those direct messages asking Daniel for "reciprocation" for getting him a copy of the script, with Armand's handwritten notes, of the trial-play. Between that request and the Talamasca publishing Daniel's book, that loops Daniel into the James orbit very much. And ties Daniel very close to any Talamasca going on even more.

And, quite frankly, I've thought since Season 1 that David Talbot's character was out and would be merged with both Louis and Daniel on the show. And Sam pretty much confirmed in his interview with Autumn Brown that some characters from the books will be merged together with others in the show. So, yeah. David's character is very much a character I always thought they were doing that with, and I know I'm not the only one who's thought it before now as well.

And honestly, I can much better deal with some type of scenario in which Armand maybe ends up turning two versions of "Daniel" -- and therefore technically having two fledglings, even though they are kind of the same person -- over what is being put forth about this right now. One turning -- in spite -- of Daniel's body without his true spirit/soul/consciousness in it, and the other turning -- out of love -- of Daniel's spirit/soul/consciousness inside a different body of some kind. (Which I won't go into now, as that is a whole separate long meta if I did.)

Because at least with that scenario then, in a weird way, Daniel being Armand's only fledgling would still hold. 🤷🏾‍♀️ Along with a few other things that can happen regarding Armand's character growth in between each turning.

But that is it. Because there is no way they can have Armand turn Daniel (as fully Daniel) out of spite -- as Rolin directly says he does in this interview -- and actually keep the heart of the Devil's Minion story and romance now. Not even if the Devil's Minion chase and parts of the relationship happened in the past IMO . . . another thing they are clearly avoiding talking about, btw. Which, at least right now, just tells me that, if we're lucky, we'll only -- once again -- get one episode that flashes back to that time in Season 3. Can't really be helped, since Season 3's primary focus will be regarding Lestat and Lestat's backstory. (As I've said before Daniel isn't even in that book. So whatever we get with him in Season 3 really will just be extra, added stuff.)

Oh, and something else I very much recognize is that Loustat shippers -- particularly book ones -- have gone through it these past two seasons, but now seem to be coming out of that darkness. Maybe now it's time for Devil's Minion shippers like me and others to face the same damn thing now. Because of something Assad let slip a few weeks ago about not getting Armand's full story until Season 4, I think that is how long we're going to have to wait to see the full of this play out.

But I advise right now that if some of you think you can't handle that and would just rather quit the show and binge things later, I totally get it. Waiting two seasons -- basically 4 years minimum -- is going to be a pain in the ass. I already know right now that there are some things I'm not going to have the patience for during the hiatus times in between, particularly this one. (One thing I can already say, at least right now, is that I'm not inspired to write any show-based Devil's Minion fanfic this hiatus like I did during the last hiatus).

But quitting the show altogether? No, I'm not there yet. Because yes Rolin does like to troll. Plus Hannah's tweet. Plus what was said about Devil's Minion at ATX Festival. Plus my thinking, long before now, that David Talbot was always out wrt the show, and the fact that Raglan James is here and Daniel's character has been heavily tied into The Talamasca plotline of the show.

And given everything I've seen this show do wrt it's writing up until now, I just can't fully believe they would really make Devil's Minion this damn shallow and devoid of its depth and heart. And just have Armand turn his one and only canon fledgling and immortal companion out of nothing but spite. When Armand loving Daniel and finally having to trust in Daniel's love for him, as well as his own love for Daniel over his own fear was a major point and culmination of the Devil's Minion storyline.

After everything I've seen these first two seasons wrt this show, I can't think these writers would miss such an important heart and point of the Devil's Minion storyline and romance so completely.

Not yet at any rate.

[kitorin]

journal.

in which, itoshi rin's midnight writing exposes what he's kept concealed from you.

contents. itoshi rin x reader, 2.878 k words, fluff, angst (in the past), itoshi backstory spoilers (mixed with a few headcanons), 1st person rin pov for a bit (journal entry), regular highschool au

a/n. is this my best? no. but is it the best i have for today? yes. happy birthday to rin <3 after assignments are done i'll definitely rewrite this (i gave up on proofreading)

10 / 09 / 2023 : SUNDAY, 12:04 am - 3:21 am

Solitude has never been a foreigner.

In fact, he's quite a familiar individual, an old companion that never seems to leave.

Even before Nii chan left for Spain, solitude was still there for me. During class I wouldn't utter a word to anyone else unless necessary, and contrariwise for said classmates. People still spoke to me; just not to the extent that they'd know what my favourite foods were, or what I liked to watch in my free time, not even bothering with it. I've never been invited to hang out with anyone after school, or been to someone else's house (not that I particularly cared, I was just sure that I was the only one).

But I was okay with it. I didn't want, or need anyone else when Nii chan bought me ice blocks, giving me the bigger piece as we'd watch the sun's warm hues bleed into the sky; the saccharine iciness contrasting how warm is was to be swallowed by sunlight together. Dad took us fishing a lot, he's always been well acquainted with the sea, taking us to locations well populated by bream; my favourite. On our way home we'd harvest kelp (Nii chan likes it in rice, salted) and take photos together on our yacht, admiring how the sun greets the world farewell, sinking into the aquamarine. Mum makes amazing food, I'm constantly astonished at how she manages to memorise every preference, from my love for ochazuke to being able to pour the perfect amount of tea; the rice never becomes too soggy (even I can't pour the exact amount I like). Solitude was close to me, but my family were closer.

There's a lot I could say about them, they've done more than remember what I love and ensuring I was happy; I'm thankful they've delivered the right for me to be comforted, to have a shoulder to cry on, to be able to freely ramble on about whatever fascinated me.

I've always been happy, even if I'm alone outside of the walls I call home. Because whether I laughed my heart out or sobbed to the point I couldn't form a coherent sentence, I'd always come home running to my family. Nothing can beat dinner; where we all relish mum's food, ask each other about our days' and offer solace or advice when necessary.

I miss that. Terribly, to the point my heart aches.

I knew that Nii chan's departure to Europe (Spain, to be exact) would change a lot. I'd have to score without his guidance, walk home alone and buy my own popsicles. Dinner time would have one less soul to laugh with, and home would have one less to embrace.

I just never expected it to be painful change. I never predicted that his return would result in losing us entirely. I didn't think his homecoming would cause my immortal resentment towards the snow, or how my eyes prickle a bit at the mere thought of an ice block. I'd say it was the worst thing that had ever happened to me, separation from him following it on the list of my worst experiences.

Solitude avoided me at home, but wasn't enough.

One time on the way home, I was overhearing the team's conversations (nothing particularly new really) and it was a discussion about the future. It was honestly surprising to find out only some of us intended to become soccer players; Nagi would rather stream or compete in professional gaming, Kurona wants to study marine biology in uni, and Yukimiya wants to give acting a go along with his modelling career. Even Isagi has a plan for if professional soccer isn't an option. He said he wanted to help others achieve their dreams if he fails to do so himself.

I remained silent as always, but had a lot more thoughts racing through my mind. Retreating to my room immediately that night, my first thought was to lie in bed, to neglect the clips I planned to analyse, to ignore muscle training for today and to slack off a bit. That's when I realized how sad the life I was living. I was sad because I was reminded of my reality.

I'm a mere myriad of distinguished achievements, though a hideous attempt of replicating genius Itoshi Sae. I'm a collection of formidable accomplishments, basking in the spotlight of glory and honour. The trophies and awards adorning my room prove it, standing tall with pride and flaunting my hard work.

That didn't mean anything. I had remained in a constant cycle of training, eating, and sleeping. My teammates were just as ambitious yet still worked hard on other things; Yukimiya enjoys modelling and Reo has a passion for economics, That must've been where I was lacking.

That's how I ended up writing again. It was an attempt to break out of this cyclical torture of constant training and sports.

I don't know how I remembered it, but I found my notebook from primary, all the stories messily scrawled yet legible. Scarlet adorned narratives birthed from child-like imagination, eulogising the prose, even though I almost flinched out of embarrassment.

Flipping through the pages, I had found the paragraph my teacher left me, insisting that I keep writing. Obviously, I never did. After getting into soccer I ignored everything school related, and would've found words on a page foolish anyways.

Many years later, I finally followed that advice.

The end result wasn't pretty. I paused a lot, struggled a lot, and almost gave up, a lot. It may have been hideous, but it was mine. A piece birthed from curiosity and memories from the past turned into another attempt. Another attempt morphed into extensive reading, I wanted to observe what was considered worthwhile or meaningless.

Writing rewove the early nights into late night reading, fully immersed in the author's thoughts translated into prose. Reading was the push to giving academics a go. Academics pulled me out of the endless cycle of soccer, there was more to life than training and diet regulation.

Books I can read. Words I can write. Exams I can study for and sports I can practice. Weights I can lift and competitions I can train for.

But to be loved, is so difficult.

It's not like an exam that you can study for and simply memorise the answers to. Or a match that has the security of a referee and reinforced rules. It's not something that can be guaranteed with a mentor.

People treat Isagi to his favourite whenever he has a bad day (he likes kintsuba). People advocate their favourite novels to Yukimiya and Chigiri, even going as far as memorising their preferences to curate their recommendations flawlessly. It must be nice, for someone to invest that sort of effort in you, even if it's simply remembering a hobby.

As my peers savoured the allure of love, estrangement and desolation constantly haunted me; a pest habituating the sleepless nights where I try to escape with a cup of coffee that's long gone cold.

It's lukewarm, praying for another's attention, care and love, to be hungry for one's time. I pathetically plead whoever manipulating my fate to provide me some sort of human connection. I shouldn't be so hopeful of others, yet I find myself dying of curiosity; what would it be like for someone to remember my birthday? Or tell me about the horror movie they adored?

I despise solitude's clinginess. But I hate how it makes me sob endlessly when no one watches.

I have myself. I have my thoughts which I've transcribed to oeuvre. I have the pile of books resting on my bedside table which sleep alongside with me. I have the trophies and awards I've won, I'll always appreciate my own talent and diligence, even if playing soccer brought me so much pain.

I think I'm somewhat pretty. I find my prominent eyelashes special to me, it's something unique to both me and Nii chan. My physique isn't too bad, either. I like the way my legs look, and my shoulders as I dry my hair.

I've always been proud of myself. I've always been enough and I always will be. Just not for others.

That's why I never expected my bond with solitude to be severed so easily. Especially because of y/n out of all people.

I still don't get how it happened. The oblivion to their presence became a peculiar first impression. An odd first meeting turned into abrupt yet regular greetings amidst hallways. Soon, I was sitting with them in every class, passing notes during tedious lessons and discussing our favourite media on the bus ride home.

Before I knew it, passionate rambles about books turned into watching movies together in my room. Whenever they greeted me their friendly wave was replaced with a tight hug, passing notes in class were accompanied with subtle kisses on the cheek.

Our relationship as friends was reimagined to lovers.

Something must've possessed me to blurt out the stupid crush I had on them, and I thank whatever drove me to do that. As awkward as I was it doesn't compare to the skip of my heartbeat when they accepted my feelings.

It's been almost a year since I met them, yet I still feel hot whenever they hold my hand, and flush red at every compliment they whisper. I still find myself stuttering sometimes whenever they're showing me a new outfit they've styled.

I love the way they smile, the creases of joy that adorn the outer corner of their eyes, and how they squint with glee and the sweet, melodious laughter that accompanies it; how breathless they sound whilst laughing. The expression they wear when deep in thought fascinates me, even if it's midway through an exam or them simply observing a video Bachira sent them. I adore their late night thoughts they text me at 3 am, the fatigue itching my eyes seem to evaporate when I notice their name on the notification. I treasure the notes we've scrawled on spare sheets of paper, they're still in between the pages of my books.

Even now, they're sleeping soundly in my bed, arms wrapped around the plush I bought them; I keep getting distracted by the sight of them so relaxed, chest rising up and down with each breath.

I would die for them. Because now I don't need to pretend to be invested on my phone to look less lonely. Now, I don't need to put my bag on the seat next to me to make it look like I sit alone by choice. I don't have to persuade the teacher to let me do group projects alone, or have to observe others with jealousy. Someone defends me from disparaging comments.

Because now, I'm not alone.

7:15 am

THE ENTRY COMES TO AN END, AND EMBARASSMENT DUSTS Rin's face a faint tint of pink. His eyes avoid contact with yours— as he waits for your input his latest piece.

"Well? What do you think?"

You're not sure where to start. You've always known about his strained relationship with his older brother, and how his friendship with his teammates wasn't the same in the beginning. But he never explained it in detail; you wouldn't've guessed that he had some sort of chionophobia, or even cried because he felt so secluded from others. The thought of him concealing his tears and pain from the rest of the world made your eyes prickle and sends your heart racing miserably.

"Doesn't matter—" He reaches for the notebook, closing it and tossing it onto his desk. "Forget it, you didn't see anything." He plops backwards again, head hitting the pillow and groaning as he covers his face with his forearm. "It was shit anyways, I'll rip it out and toss it later."

"It wasn't."

Rin stays silent.

You lie down, mimicking his current position and cup his cheeks with your hand. "You'll never be alone again—, I promise you that." Your voice falters ever so slightly, the thought of his pain makes you feel weak in the knees and sick to the stomach. "You're more than enough, you always have and always will be. You don't need anyone's validation to be beautiful, you never did."

Rin sighs, "I'm only like that because of you." Yet something seems to throb in his heart, the small but overpowering part of him that insists he requires another's approval to be important— someone finally proving that wrong.

"That's not true."

"Yes it is, our classmates still loathe me, so do people who barely see or speak to me." There was no lie in that; but it wasn't Rin's fault. "Yoichi and the others only spend time with me because of you."

"I was only the push for them to speak to you, you know they've always cared, they were just too nervous to speak to you. As competitive as he gets, Yoichi really admires you, to the point he gets so heated and ends up rambling about your skills." That's a secret that was supposed to remain in your private messages, but Yoichi doesn't need to know.

Satisfaction momentarily appears on Rin's face at the thought of his rival's great respect, though it doesn't last very long.

"He's my teammate so it's expected... everyone I speak to at school seems to have something against me, even our English teacher." The mistreatment at school is undeniable, it's not exactly bullying but there's no respect or human decency in how people behave towards him.

"Rin, love, you've done nothing wrong, hate isn't always rational. There will always be people who can't stand seeing others more successful, and that's not your fault."

"Really?" His eyes light up; despite having a sophisticated and cold demeanour all the time, he looks like a child again, hope dances in his wide eyes.

"Really." Your fingers take advantage of the opportunity and pinch his cheeks gently. "Don't listen to all those stupid rumours and assumptions, idiot. I'd fight anyone who tries to hurt you and win every time."

When your fingers let go he immediately kisses you, and it leaves you breathless; the way he pulls you in flexes his well toned biceps and his hand supports your head.

"Thank you." Rin whispers, pulling away a bit. "Thank you for appreciating me. Thank you for everything." It's a rare occurrence for him to sound so frail, same goes for the tremble of his bottom lip.

"Of course, I love you more than anything."

"I love you too." It's escorted by a peck on your nose, and a soft expression sculpted on his face.

Before Rin can throw a blanket over the two of you again, you interrupt.

"You shouldn't throw that entry away." You still haven't forgotten his initial intention with it. "I don't get why you think it's shit."

"It's rushed. And it's just me waffling on about my feelings and the past. There's no proofreading, and it's rushed. It's not even complete either."

"That's the whole point of writing, no? It's the expression of our words and thoughts." You reach towards his desk to pick up the notebook. "Not everything has to be written in one sitting, too."

Rin doesn't bother stopping you from looking through the notebook at this point. "It's still stupid. It's just that I had the urge and motivation to write in the dead of night."

"Well. I like it."

Rin's stoic expression crumbles, revealing the bashful side he keeps concealed from the world. "Then that's good enough for me." The red on his cheeks tell you that you've won the argument.

You turn back to the entry page, impressed with his barely legible yet pretty handwriting. "You should've slept instead."

"I don't get tired anyways." He's quickly betrayed by the yawn clawing out of his throat.

"Liar. Why would you stay up writing so late... your sleep is important you know?"

"Because you are love itself. I won't get a wink of sleep if it means I can think and write about you instead." Rin's pulls you in again, tossing his notebook elsewhere as he leans in. "I promise I'll finish that entry, no— I'll write a book about you one day."

"Writing this, writing that, sleep first dumbass." A smile tugs at your lips as you pull Rin back into the position you were cuddling in a few hours ago. Even though you were the one who slept a lot more, fatigue itched your eyes, and a yawn spilled out too.

In response, Rin tosses a blanket over the two of you, whispering good night as you begin to nod off a bit. He should rest too, he has training tomorrow and has to go to the gym as well.

The Itoshi Rin from before would've slept immediately. In fact, he wouldn't've stayed up in the first place, let alone date someone. But the Itoshi Rin now instead stares at you, admiring each and every feature of yours. You're his savior, the luminescent moon irradiating his world, guiding him away from the grasps of solitude and embracing him with love instead.

Tagging: @yuzurins (yumi you inspired this fic btw lol)

© kitorin : do not repost, plagiarize, change, or translate

[palmettoshenanigans]

Aftg is really a Shakespearean tragedy. I’m learning about Titus right now and just.. Nora really checked all the boxes for a Shakespearean tragedy

Hello Anon Bestie, I've returned from war with my essay as promised! Okay, quick and dirty Betty Crocker Box recipe for a Shakespearean Tragedy (nuance and academic rigor not included):

A person with a flaw that can get em killed - spoiler: it gets em killed. (Tragic Hero + Hamartia)

Ghosts, witches, gods, oh my! (Supernatural Elements)

Good deeds go unnoticed and bad deeds go unpunished and everyone dies, hero included (Tragic Waste + Lack of Poetic Justice)

Look Anon Bestie, I took pages of notes, and I was almost going to talk about how everyone's Hamartia (Ambition, Devotion/Loyalty, Power, etc) were just functions of Love where Exy was the conduit everyone had in common. I even almost talked about the importance of how everyone's Deep Wounds had their origins in Parents (sins of the father, parental neglect and attachment, parents as one's first lesson on love). And THEN I almost talked about how neither villains nor heroes are born, they're made and the personal decision to remake one's self in the aftermath of the forge that shaped you-

But fuck all that honestly. All I care about here is the classic Tragic Hero and Tragic Waste hooplah. "The hero dies in the end" and all that.

I know what you're probably thinking, "But Tragic Waste doesn't apply to AFTG because the Tragic Hero doesn't die in the end! Neil is alive and so are all the Foxes!" I get it, I do, but here's my take. The Tragic Hero isn't Neil.

It's Nathaniel.

Which immediately brings me to my opinion on how AFTG manages to have a Supernatural Element as well. "But AFTG takes place in the real world!" stop interrupting me- listen- Neil isn't fucking real. He is not a real boy. Pinocchio in his wood state is more real than Neil is. Andrew knew Neil wasn't real from the fucking jump and was on that boy like white on rice. Nathaniel knew Neil wasn't real - how many times did he try to hold back his home grown Smart Mouth A La Attitude Problem for the sake of his store bought Meek and Mild disposition? AKA how many times did he suppress his Material because it would ruin the integrity of his Form? From page one our Tragic Hero was Nathaniel Wesninski trying to survive blah blah blah pretend to be Neil blah blah blah leave Nathaniel buried in Baltimore with his father yadda yadda roll credits- Throughout the entire first three books Neil Josten starts basically obtaining Life and haunting the narrative. He was a painting that triggered the uncanny valley, he was a statue that seemed like it was gonna reach out and touch you, he was a mask that accidentally welded itself to your face like that one movie from the mid-90s. Nathaniel is trying to beat this fake-boy back with a stick while also keeping his name but it doesn't fucking work that way. Neil wanted friends. Neil wanted Exy. Neil wanted a home. Neil wanted to stay. Nathaniel? He could have had friends and a home and Exy in another life. But Mary rewrote history and said "Put on these masks. Hide, Nathaniel. These masks will help keep you safe." And it was working tbh. But then one of them came to life. And our Tragic Hero died to make room for him.

Whoops.

There's nothing fancy about my arguement here, only that AFTG really does fulfill the Shakespearean Tragedy format, Supernatural Elements and Hero Dies and all. Anyway, here's a couple excerpts from my notes that didn't make the cut in my final essay: "The tragedy? All the villans are dead. Drake, Riko, Nathan, etc. But the ghost will forever haunt the house (flashbacks, nightmares, triggers, scars) and those who remain inheret the ruins they didn't raze (Ichiro, Exy)." "The hero dies and the villain dies but both good and evil still prevail so catharsis is bittersweet and yet that's what makes it the most realistic."

[murfpersonalblog]

IWTV S2 Ep7 Musings - Loustat Ep5 Revisited (Spoilers)

I decided to do this one first, cuz I have the least to say about it.

It was pretty clear cut and showed exactly what I expected/hoped it would: CONFIRMATION ON EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED IN S1--

THE FIGHT WASN'T RETCONNED AT ALL. 😤👏

Diabolical frame, cuz it's pretty much like, Welp, you're here in Europe, after I distinctly told y'all the European vampires were vicious and not to come here! VOILA! 😬

And I love how his back is to the audience, cuz this bit REALLY isn't about the performance--this is Lestat venting, talking right to Louis, even though he's clearly having difficulty meeting his gaze.

Mild way to put it, but wtvr.

There's that word again: "compromise," which Lestat blamed Louis for leading to "spite--" both Claudia's, AND Lestat's own spite towards THEM. Cuz Lestat was constantly holding back; "fought my nature, controlled my temper."

TOO EFFING BAD, you woke the sleeping effing DRAGON!

Backflip into the coffinroom, omg, I accidentally cackled. 😅

Amen! Lestat put his hands on Claudia first, now you gotta PAY!

"It will end in your death"--excuse me, Lestat?! DEATH THREATS!?

That's right, bash his head into the effing coffin! Now we know what the dent was from! Look at that blood stream! Yeah, you BETTER hold back, Lestat; take this arse whoopin!

I like how S1 focused on the blows Lestat dealt to Louis, as it was from his & Claudia's perspective; but now we're seeing more of the blows Louis dealt to Lestat as he gives his perspective. But it still shows that although Louis' fighting, he's still on the defense, cuz Lestat is often just LETTING Louis hit him--LOUIS can't AFFORD to just LET Lestat hit him, cuz "mighty...most ancient blood...godlike strength" Les will REALLY injure him whenever he does! This is NOT an even fight, even if the perspectives are now more evenly shown.

Exactly! You wanna KILL Louis!? But Lou, don't get cocky now; Les is LETTING you do all this to him, cuz he knows if he gets serious that's your behind. 😬

Bites all over Lou's jaw & neck, gosh--look at YOUR face, Louis. U_U

(I can't WAIT to read the fanfics that come out of this; they're gonna make me cry.) No, unfortunately. I don't think Louis had any intention of going anywhere, even after all that (LOUIS GOT THE DEED, that's HIS house--YOU leave!). And congratulations; thanks to you, Les, Lou wasn't even able to WALK for three effing years afterwards.

Claudia calling for her Daddy Lou, I can't. 😭 This poor baby girl has regressed to her inner child--she's so dang scared.

JUST LIKE YOU DID OUR DAUGHTER--PAPA BEAR LOUIS STOOD UP! 😤👏

I've been in this exact situation IRL, and y'all want me to feel sorry FOR LESTAT!? AFTER HE CHOKED "built-like-a-bird" Claudia and beat the mess out of her Daddy Lou right in front of her!?

Chile, the sword-cane's right there; let's get to choppin! 😤🔪🔪🔪

Apropos for Lioncourt, but that's way too good for him--take him to the EFFING SWAMP and let the GATORS feed on him! I want SWAMP KING LESTAT. 😭🐊

I'm gonna LAAAAAAAUGH, oh he's cracked and I love it! You KNOW they talked to a woman who's been in this EXACT situation.

Oh, this is every woman who talks big to her abusive husband right b4 he lands her in the effing hospital (or the morgue); we all saw the Ray Rice footage when he knocked her TF out WITH EASE when she got up in his face talking smack in that elevator. 💀

Your FATHERS temper, but this is the coven writing his lines "teased until you toppled;" they don't know about the Marquis vs Gabrielle.

THE DROP REALLY HAPPENED, THANK YOU, AMC.

It wasn't cuz Lestat was tryna spare Louis or save him from himself or protect him or whatever--LES WANTED TO BREAK LOU.

It could've been 2 effing FEET. "A hard fall, nothing more;" eff you Santiago!

Yeah, gaslight us some more whydontcha; half the fandom LOVES using that reasoning to handwave aside "abuse" when it's done to the character they DON'T like. 🙄😒 Then it's just awful takes about how Louis & Claudia deserved what happened to them and it's "karma" and it's not Les' fault cuz they're monsters & Lou bloodied Les' face.

And biting w/out consent is RAPE, clown! AR said it over & over that it's a violation of the most intimate act b/t vamps who share emotions, memories & sexual pleasure thru the blood! But watch some braindead takes use Santiago's words as gospel just to Gotcha! anyone who says anything against Louis for Ep5. 🙄😒

CRICKETS. Cuz LESTAT TRIED TO KILL LOU, just like Claudia said! "A wolf congratulated for not killing her pups"--that was scripted. But "you can't script a hurricane!" NO! That's right; set the story straight!

Look at him crying, I love how they do the blood tears effect, as their eyes get redder & redder. The sound of Sam's voice as he's crying is just making me wanna yeet myself into the sun--but it's the middle of the night, alas. U_U "I couldn't force him to love me so I broke him. What is worse than that? Crushing what you cannot own." But I thought Louis was saying "Come to me" and luring you with his wicked vixen ways~! The math ain't mathin, Santiago! 🤭

FINALLY AN APOLOGY OMFG

Claudia said it best: "Let's meet vampires WORTHY of your love!" Unworthy in NOLA, unworthy in Paris--cuz he's STILL gonna throw CLAUDIA under the bus to save Louis, and she KNOWS this.

WAY too effing late--Les had his chance to apologize sincerely the night he dropped Louis 20000 leagues from the frikkin stratosphere! Claudia DGAF, LOL. And Louis looks away from Lestat; bye Felicia!

CONTINUE.

Chile, I need SLEEP! I been up all dang day rewatching this episode & screaming at the ether!

[canirove]

Rice, Rice, baby | Chapter 19

Author's note: Btw, do you get the title of the story now? Big spoiler 😅

Previous chapter | Next chapter

Masterlist

"Liv, congratulations!" Harry Kane says when he sees me.

"What?"

"The baby!"

"Oh, that" I chuckle. 

"Come here, let me give you a hug. You are already showing!"

"Yeah, a bit" I say with a shy smile.

"When Kate told me I couldn't believe it. Our little Liv is having a baby! I'm sure your dad is over the moon. His first grandchild!"

"He…"

"And Alex? How is he?"

"Declan."

"What?" Kane says with a confused look.

"I must go, I'm sorry" I say, starting to run. "Dec! Declan! Declan, stop!"

He had heard Kane. He had shown up behind him out of nowhere and he had heard everything. Fuck.

"Declan, please!"

"What" he says, abruptly stopping and making me clash against his back, catching me before I end up on the floor. "Shit, Liv. Are you ok?" 

"Yeah, yeah." 

"Are you sure?" he asks.

"I'm fine, thank you."

"Ok" he says, still holding me. "Congratulations, by the way."

"Declan…"

"You didn't waste your time."

"Declan, listen…"

"I'm sure Alex is over the moon.”

“Dec…”

“He's always been in love with you and now he finally gets to be with you and even start a family.”

"Declan, can you please shut up!" I say, raising my voice. "We need to talk. But not here, come" I say, grabbing his hand and taking him to one of the offices.

"So? What did you want to talk about?" he says, leaning against the desk in the middle of the room while I do the same against the door. Though I'm pretty sure his heart isn't beating as fast as mine is. And not only because of how nervous I am. How can he look even more handsome than the last time I saw him? 

"It's yours."

"Uh?"

"The baby, Declan. It's yours."

"What?" he says, standing up so fast that he makes the desk tremble, some of the things on it falling to the floor. "What do you mean it is mine?"

"Yeah" I shrug, biting my lip and trying not to cry.

"Liv… How… This… I…" he says, running a hand through his hair and starting to pace around the office. "Last camp? It had to be then, we didn't… Shit."

"Yes" I nod.

"Why didn't you tell me, Liv? Why does everyone know but me? And why do they think Alex is the father?"

"It's complicated."

"Is it?" he scoffs.

"Yes, it is."

"Then please explain" Declan says, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning against the desk once again.

“At first I was feeling very tired and thought it was stress because… you know. The previous months hadn't been the best. When I told Kennedy about it she said she had felt the same when she was pregnant with Leo and the thought crossed my mind, but I brushed it off. After that I started to get nauseous and my period wasn't coming, but I kept telling myself it was just stress. Then after Christmas one of the team's doctors ran some tests because I had promised Madders that if I kept feeling unwell I would do it, and…”

"And you found out you were pregnant."

"Yes."

"Did you know it was mine back then?"

"Of course I did" I say. "I haven't been with anyone else since I met you, Declan."

"Then why didn't you tell me?"

"Because�� Because…"

"C'mon, Liv."

"Because I was scared, ok?" I say, not able to contain my tears anymore. "This wasn't part of my plan. Being a mum was something I always dreamt of, yes. But not now and not like this, not alone."

"You are not alone, Liv."

"I know. But you have moved on. You have a girlfriend now, a serious one, you are happy together. I didn't want to ruin that for you." 

"So you thought that not telling me and saying that Alex is the father was the best choice?" he laughs.

"No, I… I was going to tell you."

"When? When the kid turned 18?"

"No! I just… I'm sorry, ok?" I sob. "I'm sorry if I've done everything wrong, this isn't easy!"

"Liv… Liv, hey. Liv" Declan says, walking towards me and hugging me. "It's ok, Liv."

"No, it isn't! This is a mess!"

"It's ok, Liv" he says again, kissing my head.

"Alex found out because he heard me talking with Madders about it here at work, but he didn't tell me that he knew. And then at my father's birthday party he… he…" 

"It's ok, Liv" Declan repeats while caressing my hair, his touch making me relax a bit and stopping my body from shaking like crazy with every sob. “Tell me what happened.”

“His mum always makes lasagna for big events and I love it, it is one of my favourite dishes. But the moment I smelled it, I threw up. It was so bad that everyone showed up at the kitchen, asking what was going on. My dad said that I should go to the hospital so they could run more tests, I refused to do it, and that's when Alex threatened me and dropped the bomb.”

“He did what?” Declan says, moving me so I am looking at him. 

“He said he was doing what was best for me” I snort.

“For you? How is sharing something so personal and without your permission what is best for you? I’m fucking killing him the moment I cross paths with him.”

“There is no need. I punched him.”

“You what?”

“Yeah” I shrug. “I've been boxing with Micky to let go of everything I have been feeling and…”

“Wow” Declan chuckles. “So Alex told everyone you were pregnant and that he was the father?”

"He did. And suddenly everyone was cheering and congratulating us while I was trying really hard to not punch him again and to process what was going on."

"And you've kept lying about it."

"I've wanted to explain everything, to tell the truth. But he keeps telling me that it will only break everyone's hearts, that this is for the best, that you've moved on, and I…"

"You've let him manipulate you."

"I… I have, yes" I say, starting to cry again. "But I just… You should see how happy my dad is, Declan. Like, he told me he had always hoped that Alex and I would end up together. And even though I keep telling him and everyone else that we aren't and that it was just a one time thing… I don't know. It is too much. And I've been feeling so many things, both physically and emotionally that I… It hasn't been easy."

"I can only imagine… But things are about to change" Declan says, cupping my face and wiping away my tears. "Because that is my child, and I'm gonna take care of them."

"What?"

"If you let me and are ok with it, I want to be there for you, Liv. For both of you" he says. "I know I probably don't deserve it after the way I hurt you, but… I want to go to the doctor appointments with you, and be there when you buy their first outfit, and their car seat, and read all the books, and attend as many classes as I can to learn how this works and how I can help you and just… be there for you."

"What about your girlfriend? What will she say?"

"Don't worry about her. You are what matters now, Liv. You and the baby. Let me be there for you" he repeats, resting his forehead on mine. "Please."

"Yes" I hear myself saying.

"Yes?"

"Yes" I repeat. "I want to do this with you. Together."

"Together" he smiles, making the butterflies in my stomach wake up again after a long time. “May I?” 

“Uh?”

“Your bump. May I touch it?”

“Oh… Yes, of course.”

“Hello, little one” Declan whispers, they way he is smiling while caressing my belly making me cry again. But this time, they are happy tears. Probably the happiest since I found out I was pregnant. 

[the-last-f2p]

May I request yandere hunting dogs (bsd buts without the captain and the captain obsessed Girl)

With a readers who cooks ( and is pretty darn good at it) for them because they probably only eat the military food

You may also while writing this the only thing I could think of is 'Teruko and Fukichi are to alpha to have normal food keep that SHIT away from them' I tried my best annon but writers block hit hard :'< TW: BSD spoilers, Yandere behaivour, stalking, implied kidnapping and threats

When you first saw what the hunting dogs ate you were both appalled and suprised how could they eat something that looks so.. So.. So disgusting yes you were somewhat of a chef so you had a higher standard of cooking but dammit is military food disgusting. So you took it in your own hands.

You started cooking for each of them well the one's that would let you those being Jouno , Tachihara and Tecchou. Yes it was slightly awkward having to make sugar and white rice and whatever the other two wanted to eat that day but food shopping was now always an experience.

But the boys were always happy about it they apprecite your hard work and it does taste absouletly amazing but they'd never tell you that what if you think that they're weird or something??

Of course ever since you started cooking for them they each realised one thing. You must be protected at all costs. So for once Jouno and Tecchou got along so they can follow you! With Jouno's amazing sense of hearing and Tecchou's physical prowess in case someone dared to look at you funny they were covered.

This didn't mean that Tachihara wasn't doing anything in the Y/N protection squad though he had some restraint left and decided to follow you with you knowing like a guard dog isn't he so cute?

But let's say for some reason you stopped making them food and started avoiding them. The first few thoughts that went through Tecchou and Tachihara's head was that you got into trouble and needed help but Jouno was a little more self aware so he realised you were avoiding him and the others but he can understand why you'd want to avoid Tecchou. But he thinks you'll need 'a time out' just you, him, Tachihara and sadly Tecchou in a prison cell don't worry though once you've learned your lesson you'll be let out! But if you continue being a brat then Jouno will have to take more extreme measures...

And you wouldn't want that would you now?

[knightotoc]

Just finished IWTV book, so now I can say the differences between the book, movie, and show. The movie is quite accurate to the book, while the show is more original. I love them all quite a lot, but I think the show is my favorite since it's the most romantic. Long post with spoilers below the cut.

book:

The depth of Louis' interiority, especially his thoughts about religion, can only be found in the book. I am also ex-Catholic so this is high-key my shit. Especially knowing Anne Rice went back and forth later in life. I can relate. Louis wants to talk about his feelings with other vampires, but Lestat and Claudia aren't interested, which is the main reason Louis is attracted to Armand. Where is the Brideshead Revisited crossover?? Louis get in a bisexual love triangle with the Flytes for me🙏

I learned in the Matt Baume video on Anne Rice that she wrote IWTV while grieving her daughter, who died of leukemia just before her sixth birthday. This feeling of grief, reflected so clearly in Claudia, is the most moving and unique aspect of the book, far more than anything between the adult characters.

One reason this feeling is watered-down in both adaptations is that in the book, Claudia is only 5/6, the age of Anne's real daughter. In the movie she is 10 and in the show 14. Of course it would be impossible to find a 6 year old actress who could act with the maturity of an 80-year-old woman. But the character is even more pitiful and bizarre as a little child than as one nearing puberty.

In the book, Lestat is shown to have survived the murder attempt pretty early on, and he keeps jump-scaring Louis and Claudia on their adventures. I prefer the movie's version where they hold off on this reveal. Though of course I always love to see him, lol

In the book, I got the impression that Lestat and Louis are both bi, but Lestat prefers men and Louis prefers women. Still, their motivations aren't driven by sexuality in a straightforward way. For example, Lestat's ideal prey is a young man, because he loves to destroy their potential. Louis feels something like love for a few women characters, because he feels empathy for their misfortunes.

The adaptations soften/change Louis' status as a slave-owner; in the movie, he frees his slaves, and in the book he just flees. As much as Louis is a soft-hearted quasi-feminist, defined by his guilt and regret, he is still racist and close-minded in most ways. This seems realistic to me.

I did think it was interesting and cool that the enslaved people can tell Louis and Lestat aren't human, while the other plantation owners and even Lestat's dad have no idea. But we don't get their perspective, just Louis' racist assumptions.

Yeah in the book Lestat has a dad! It is rather confusing since Lestat explains nothing, but it creates some great melodrama. I guess I have to read the next one and hope for a backstory reveal.

Fun spooky detour into Eastern Europe! I hope the show goes there in season 2.

Louis and Armand's discussions are really cool. I especially loved Louis' monologues after Claudia's death. There wasn't room for these discussions in the movie, but I feel like it'll be a main focus in season 2 of the show.

movie:

Like I said, the movie is impressively accurate, and a beautiful work of art on its own. The best innovation is holding off on the Lestat reveal until almost the very end. This makes it look like their murder attempt really did a number on him, and it took decades and decades of rat-eating to even drag himself out of the swamp. I like that.

The movie also has a more exciting and ridiculous ending, in which Lestat attacks the reporter in his car and drives away to Guns N' Roses. The book ends with the reporter hurrying off to find Lestat himself. It's funnier and more awesome if Lestat is the one driving the plot and the car. Pleased to meet you :D

"How avant-garde." Best line in the movie, and it's not from the book!

Since the movie cut out most of the minor characters, there isn't as much evidence for Louis' bisexuality. Louis seems more like, gay but closeted. And Lestat seems more like, gay but misogynist, so he'll prey on women just for sport lol.

I'm a Fight Club guy so I love that this is, like, a reverse companion movie (this time, Brad Pitt is the pushover in a dangerous gay duo)

show:

This is the only version that is clearly gay. But this dynamic is the same: Louis wants to talk about things, and Lestat does not. In this case, the focus of these discussions is not vampirism or religion but their relationship. Louis points out that he is gay and Lestat is bi. Perhaps it's just because I saw this version first, but this is my favorite version of their sexualities. The show simply spends more time with this dynamic, and how it affects everything, including their interracial relationship and openness in society.

In the book, Lestat is a talented but soulless musician. He can play anything, but without heart. In the show, music is Lestat's one genuine connection to humanity (even if this connection just leads him to kill musicians who don't impress him). I believe later books go more into Lestat as a musician, so I'll have more thoughts on this later.

Since the reporter is cynical, old, and dying, this creates a much more compelling conversation within the framing device. He holds Louis to task with a forcefulness that rivals Lestat. It is a clever way of modernizing the story, since Daniel references their last interview in the 70s (when the book was published), and you are meant to wonder which version is more truthful.

Since Claudia is 14, she can pass as an adult, and she is able to go on her own rather disastrous adventure. It is exciting, terrifying, and sad, and a welcome addition for this character, though it is much different than the book's helpless, heartless Claudia.

The Catholicism in the show is flashier, but not as interesting as the book. For example, in the book, Louis is haunted not just by Paul's death, but Louis' failure to meet Paul's faith-driven monetary demands. In the show, Paul's ideas seem like more of an annoyance. Maybe there will be more religious doubt in season 2, but I don't really expect it.

In the book, it seems like Louis and Claudia throw Lestat in the swamp since it's faster and more thorough than fire. In the show, the oven they use is a major plot point, and Louis can't bear to put Lestat's body in it because he still loves him. Instead they throw Lestat in the trash, which is one of my favorite tropes (see: Maul in The Clone Wars, Soldier 1998). This is just one of the many ways the show complicates and deepens Louis and Lestat's bond.

I feel like the show is more believable and has more deepness in general, since it's a smart retrospective on an old franchise and a response to decades of vampire fun in pop culture. For example, in the show Louis has volunteer humans to feast upon, and it's very "safe, sane, and consensual," versus the universally predatory relationships in the book and movie. Because we all know now that if vampires were real, and they were hot and rich, they could get all the blood they want without hurting anyone. An ethical vampire like Louis isn't impossible anymore. Compared to other billionaires, he's a pretty decent guy.

So, I'd say the book has the most profound perspective on grief, the movie has better structure, and the show has the most complex romance.

[berriblossom]

Ad astra abyssoque! stumbled across your blog just a couple of days ago, and I really enjoyed your writings, especially the last couple of Papa Zhongli things. They were super wholesome, especially the second part with with the reader being an Illuminated beast, and I was hoping to make a request relating to that little series actually.

Basically, Zhongli has to go out and assist the Traveler on a quest. And because no self-respecting father would take his into such a potentially dangerous situation, he elects to enlist big sis Ganyu or big bro Xiao to babysit the reader while he's away. Imagine Xiao teaching the reader to fly in their swan-form? Aaaah, it'd be so cute!

Zhongli x Gn Child! Reader | Zhongli is an anxious parent + Xiao and Ganyu bonding moments and Zhongli story quest spoilers.

[ Ahhhh!!! Another request!! Thank you so much for the greeting! Please keep these coming. I love Papa Zhongli!]

✄---------------------------------

It was a relaxing morning, as it began. Zhongli made a fresh cup of tea, and he made you breakfast. You ate your porridge at the dining room table, humming to a little song you heard in the harbor. Today was going to be peaceful and relaxing. Today was Zhongli's day off from the funeral parlor. He sat down beside you, humming your tune too, while drinking his tea.

Ah yes, a splendid day indeed. Maybe you two could go to the park? Or maybe go for a nice walk around Liyue Harbor for a stroll. However, Zhongli was happy he had a day to spend with you, his sweet adorable child-

That was until the traveler and Paimon practically broke down his door about needing him for a hidden and old domain they needed him for. Zhongli spat out his tea once he heard something about missing miners from the chasm. Although Zhongli was going to tell the traveler to speak with the Millelith around the chasm, however seeing them beg him for his aid like last time, he couldn't really argue. Especially about situations as weird as such.

As Zhongli was thinking about his options, your little hand tugged on his pinkie finger. Zhongli glanced down and met your gaze. You have grains of sticky rice stuck to your face, and held your little rubber ducky plush. But your eyes looked a little sad. "I thought today we would spend it together Papa...are you going to be busy again?" You looked down in your chair, Zhongli felt his heart crack. You'd been waiting for a day to spend with him. A whole day with your Papa, he had been busy with the parlor and the recent events of the Rite of Descension for Rex Lapis. Zhongli didn't notice how busy he was now that he was a full-time parent.

Zhongli gestured at the traveler for a moment alone with you. Dragging Paimon off and away for his privacy while Paimon was talking about your rice porridge. Zhongli brought you into his lap as he apologized to you, your little tears and sniffles broke his heart. He kissed them away while hugging you close. "Papa is so sorry my sweet swan. I didn't want to ruin our day, Papa will make it up to you, he promises." You nodded and wiped your tears saying you were a big kid and shouldn't cry. Zhongli could see right through the statement but didn't say anything. When he agreed to help the traveler, Paimon suggested something.

"Why not get someone to watch them? Paimon thinks you could as Hu Tao?" Zhongli almost had a heart attack at the statement. "I respect Ms. Hu Tao a lot but not enough to let her handle my child for a day."

"What about Baizhu?"

"He has QiQi I believe to take care of and it would be too sudden to ask him."

"Madam Ping?"

"She had YaoYao and Xiangling along with Yanfei, plus Ping isn't as lively as she wants to be for [name]."

"What about Childe?"

"No."

The sound of the word could shake anyone to the core. The amount of rage and fury within a single word was enough to convince Paimon to stop suggesting people. Finally, the traveler spoke for a good person.

"What about Xiao and Ganyu? You mention before [name] has met them, plus they are Adepti. Who better to watch them?" At the mere mention of Ganyu's name, you started kicking your feet in Zhongli's arms. He could tell you wanted to see her more. It had been a while since you two saw each other. Plus Xiao was a yakasha, he was agile enough to watch you and protect you. Cloud Retainer did mention you needed more time with your Adepti counterparts. Who better than those two?

Zhongli continued thinking before coming to a point.

"Fine, Ganyu and Xiao will work."

Traveler and Paimon cheered at finally they could get Zhongli to help them in their little mystery mission. But Zhongli continued. "But, let me take [Name] to Jueyun Karst and speak with those two first. If they are busy then I must decline the offer and stay home with [name]." The pair nodded.

Zhongli placed you down as you asked if Paimon was a rubber ducky too or a pretty birdy like your aunt Cloud Retainer as Zhongli went to get you a little baggie for your hangout with Ganyu and Xiao. After a few more minutes he packed your little bag.

It had a change of clothes, some snacks, water, and juice. A bedtime book, in case he can't get home in time. And a little Geo pin. The Geo symbol was an idea made by my Cloud Retainer, she gave you and Zhongli the pin after your last visit. A little item similar to Cor Lapis, that doubled as jewelry to security. It was able to find your location easily since it was pure Geo energy embedded into it from Zhongli's fingertips. He approved of such in case you got hurt while he was at work.

He placed the pin onto your shirt gently, with a little snap! It was done. You held your bag while you and your Papa walked out the door to head to Liyue's mountains in search of the two Adepti. The traveler waited back at the harbor for Zhongli to return back instead. By late morning, Zhongli was able to pinpoint Ganyu and Xiao. Luckily, they weren't too far away.

Getting into the circle of Jueyun Karst, Ganyu felt the ex-Geo archon within a few feet. Zhongli held your hand all the way up the mountains before you ran off to hug Ganyu. She accepted your hug happily while laughing with you about the sudden surprise.

"WoW! What a surprise, hello little swan! How are you [name]?"

"Papa said I get to spend the day with you! He said he needed to do something super empor....important!" You smiled as you tried to pronounce it correctly, Zhongli held your bag as he apologized to ganyu about the surprise visit.

"Sorry, something came up, and I was out of options around the harbor. Could you and Xiao watch [Name] for a day? Hopefully, this won't last all day. They have a set of clothes, snacks, juice, and water inside the bag." He handed the bag off to Ganyu as she took a peak inside. Your blanket was inside it, too.

"It's alright, Mr. Zhongli! Me and Xiao can watch them, matter of fact, he was just here... Oh! I know, [name] why don't you call big brother Xiao, huh?" Ganyu leaned down with you to cup your hands around your mouth to help you be louder. Of course, Xiao wasn't that far away. He dashed as soon as he knew Zhongli was around Minlin.

You cupped your hands and started shouting.

Within seconds, the Yakasha stood before you, his menacing aura disappearing as you clung onto his leg while rambling about duck racing, shopping, and story time. Xiao confused as he saw Ganyu smirk at him, Zhongli greeted and wished them luck as he walked down the path toward the rope bridges waving goodbye to them. You said goodbye to your Papa, not crying because strong big kids don't cry. Ganyu laughed as you clung to Xiao. Rather than a scowl of scuff, he just patted your head while mumbling something under his breath.

"XIAO! BIG BROTHER XIAO! XIAO, BIG BROTHER WHERE ARE YOU! DO YOU WANT TO PLAY? YOU CAN HAVE MY RUBBER DUCKY BLANKIE!"

"We should get heading to the harbor first, I need to drop off some documents and some deliveries before taking a day off. Is that okay? [name]? Xiao?" As much as Xiao hated the idea of walking into the harbor, he saw your eyes light up about exploring. Without a second thought, he agreed.

The journey to the harbor was fun enough. You held hands with both Ganyu and Xiao while singing little nursery rhymes. You told me about how your Papa had to fish out your rubber ducky out of the jaws of oblivion(the toilet). For the walk down towards the bustling harbor, Xiao became worried if you were fighting demons along with your father. If so, he needs to drop by your house on his patrols more often. When you reached the harbor, Ganyu let go of your hand to go off with a purple lady.

"Hold onto Big Brother Xiao's hand, okay? Don't let go, and don't run off, okay? We'd hate for you to get lost." She smiled and pinched your cheeks while hurrying off with the purple lady quickly. Xiao felt tense as he held your hand.

Looking around, you saw familiar faces, like YaoYao, Madam Ping, Ms. Yanfei, and big sister Xiangling. You wanted to run and call for them, but Xiao's strength beat you to it. He held your hand tightly.

"No running off.." He repeated Ganyu's statement. You felt a little sad as his tone seemed angry but stayed silent. Xiao stuck near the railing of the wooden ramp, when entering the harbor like glue.

His eyes kept scanning the area. Luckily, not too many mortals were around the both of you. Quietly, Xiao lifted you up and started swaying you, mainly to keep you quiet and also to make sure you weren't bored with him. He wasn't naturally good with kids, unlike Ganyu, who could just find ways to keep you entertained like it was normal. He had to really think. Xiao knew you liked ducks... maybe he could capture one and give it to you?

By the time Ganyu got back, she had brought some little ice cream cones for everyone. [Favorite Flavor] for you, some almond vanilla for Xiao, and a regular vanilla and strawberry swirl for herself. You all sat near the commerce guild before going back to Mount. Hulao.

The walk back was quick, Gabyu helped you climb the peaks, and Xiao made sure you both didn't fall.

"Wow, I'm on top of the world!" You shouted, Xiao couldn't help but pat your head and offer a small smile. The peaks of Liyue mountains were one of a kind.

While enjoying the serenity of the moment, you turn and look at Ganyu.

"Big sister Ganyu?"

"Hm? Yes? What is it [name]?"

"I wanna fly like Aunty Cloudy!" You puffed out your cheeks while demanding to learn to fly.

"HUH??? Who is Aunty Cloudy??" Ganyu leaned down while trying to keep her composure. Flying??? At your age?? You can't even pronounce certain names yet or even certain regions of Liyue.

"They mean Cloud Retainer. They want to fly like an Adeptus." Xiao stated blanky. You were jumping all around repeating, and you wanted to learn how to fly.

However, Xiao kept your hand tight in his, his grip strong but not too tight. After a while, you tired yourself out and were promised to be taught how to fly another day. Ganyu helped you back to Jueyun Karst and set the picnic blanket up along with some simple snacks from your bag Papa Zhongli gave you and some little tea cups she picked up in Liyue Harbor.

Xiao is holding his cup by your orders, with the pinkie finger out too! You all enjoyed your tea party and then played knights and dragons. Ganyu is running after you while Xiao was trying to catch you.

You also did some painting, you painted a flower, Ganyu a mountain, Xiao some rice fields of Qingce.

By the time Zhongli came to get you, you weren't holding your ducky plushie. You were holding onto the hands of your Adepti siblings. While you all were napping away the time. He saw Cloud Retainer in the distance and decided to sit at the table with her and enjoy some tea.

He'll take you home when you want to wake up, for now he had to catch up with anither old friend too. This time, his life and the traveler's isn't in immediate danger.

[number1rizgukgakstan]

FHJY EPISODE 17 LIVEBLOG

Spoilers under the cut

Adaine trying to relax for her friends is so sweet I love her so much

ANKARNA FACE REVEAL??? ANKARNA FACE REVEAL!!!

Fig wrote a song so banging she managed to reach out to and touch her God. I love her so much.

The way she's trying to reach out to Ankarna is so sweet to her. The fact they're bonding over their girlfriends being out of town is insane.

"You have always known" GOES SO FUCKING HARD. BRENNAN LEE MULLIGAN YOU HAVE DONE IT AGAIN!

What Fig does to Ruben is lowkey wild when you think about it. What are you doing to that poor guy. What did he do to deserve this.

BRITISH KRISTEN FUCKING GOT ME AGAIN holy shit. K2 you are in my head what is up with you???

WHY IS EVERYONE HELPING HER DO THIS? They're all absolutely deranged I love it.

EMILY AXFORD'S LUCK IS FUCKING WILD. I LOVE IT.

This whole scene is so crazy what the hell is happening

Jawbone is so fucking sweet I love that man so much. He's so great. I love how much Kristen is concerned for him and how close they are. Jawbone's amazing <3

Murph's face while Kristen talks to Bobby Dawn is SO FUNNY. They're great.

Brennan Lee Mulligan how dare you make me cry about Bucky Applebees right now.

AYDA LEFT FIG A TON OF ANCIENT MUSICS I'M CRYING SO HARD. INCREDIBLY SICK BASS FROM YOUR GIRLFRIEND MY BELOVED

Fig talking about her future made me so happy,,, the kids are alright.

DID AYDA LEAVE HER A METEOR SHOWER??? OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GOD HOLY FUCKING SHIT I LOVE LOVE. BRENNAN LEE MULLIGAN I OWE YOU MY LIFE. I have NEVER in my ENTIRE LIFE HEARD ANYTHING AS ROMANTIC AS THAT MESSAGE. I AM OVERWHELMED WITH EMOTION. And the ending was just fucking great. "You are not going to believe how much my dad spent on this jet ski" absolute peak comedy.

The foreshadowing of Fig leaving the group is a little sad, but like. You know what? Fig's great. And wherever she goes I know the Bad Kids have her back :)

SHE WRITES AYDA A LETTER [sobs] These two ARE true love!

"A DOG RIDING A HORSE, CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?" destroyed me.

PORTER IS EVIL!!! FIG IS VINDICATED!!!!!! FUCK YEAHHHH!

Ankarna and Cassandra's fascinating relationship will haunt me forever. And the fact that Ankarna fell before Cassandra also haunts me. holy hell

AHHHH THEY WANT TO KILL ANKARNA :(

FUCK. YES! Is coming back to fucking bite the party in the ass. Kristen Applebees you have to pull a nat 20 out of your fucking ass

Kristen's bid for president being the key to stopping the big bad evil guy is absurd to me. I love her so much

I love Emily Axford so much. She always swings to the fucking fences with her acting and I love her so much.

GOD I LOVE PORTER he's so fucking evil he's great.

Riz is so smart and Murph's luck has been INSANE. That whole scene had me WRACKED with emotion. His insane spy shit fucks so hard this is so cool.

"AYDA, AYDA MARRY YOU" FUCKING. I LOVE HER SO MUCH

BOBBY DAWN IS IN ON IT, FUCK YEAH

HOLY SHIT. HOLY SHIT! GOD OF WAR ANKARNA??? INSANE

BAKLAVA IS REAL??? BAKLAVA IS REAL!!!!!

PORTER WANTS TO BECOME GOD??? DUDE. THE FUCKING HUBRIS.

The final battle's going to be at Fabian's party isn't it??? I'm so excited

This group has such good chemistry and they're such good friends and I love them SO MUCH

Riz's ability to case a fucking joint is ABSURD. This man is BUILT for this shit and it's great to see him do the shit he's best at.

The RatGrinder's Plan as its laid out now is so scary, and I CANNOT WAIT to see how this all plays out. Aguefort picked the WORST time to go on fucking vacation.

FUCK SHE WROTE PORTER'S NAME ON THE TEACHER EVALUATION. FiG NOOOOO

THEY HAVE TO KILL THOSE FUCKERS. Maybe the RG's just need therapy but you just need to KILL THOSE FUCKING TEACHERS.

"WAIT, NON-STUDENTS CAN'T VOTE?" KRISTENNNNNNN

Fried Rice Dimension in the Garage, losing it.

"this is too easy" god Murph you're so right this is too fucking easy

FUCK THEY PUT THE CLOUDRIDER IN FABIAN'S FUCKING HOUSE.

THE BEER PONG GAME WAS A RITUAL? FUCK! OISIIN GOD DAMN IT I WANTED TO ROOT FOR YOUUUUUU

"Oh, My Mom's Gonna Kill Me" FABIAAAAAAAN THATS SO FUNNY.

[frickingnerd]

dating jake marshall

pairing: jake marshall x gn!reader

tags: spoilers for jake's backstory, wholesome fluff, established romantic relationship, angst (jake worrying about reader's safety)

jake seems like a laid back guy, who doesn't care about much, but this is just how he presents himself

he actually cares a lot, about the people he loves and especially you!

he's a very determined and caring person, but you're one of the few people who actually gets to see this side of him

after the loss of his brother, he doesn't want to lose anyone else, which leads to him being a overprotective of you, always having an eye on you, just to be sure

while jake seems very calm, he can get really upset, if you put yourself in danger. he lashes out at you, for being so reckless and careless, only to quickly feel bad for yelling at you

he doesn't want to lose you! he's so desperate to keep you safe, that sometimes his emotions just get the better of him

he always apologizes right after and you can always see he's genuine! he's been through a lot and those wounds just haven't properly healed yet…

jake isn't a good cook, so he can only really make rice and pasta, with some premade sauces. so most of the time, the two of you get take out for lunch and dinner!

you occasionally visit jake at work, bringing along some sandwiches or a bento box you made!

while at work, he always shows you around and he'll let you wear his cowboy hat, as he just loves how it looks on you!

[alteregomp4]

Lets talk about Lestat and Gabrielle relationship...

HUGE TRIGGER WARNING: for talks of incest. and spoilers for The Vampire Lestat I guess, but once again... talks of incest.

FYI: In no way am I trying to villainize Gabrielle and if it comes off that way that is not my attention as she is also clearly a victim, I view her as such and her story is an interesting one to also dive into especially with the aspects of gender and how society sees gender identity. But we should also acknowledge that victims can sometimes become perpetrators unknowingly sadly, especially due to external factors and deep seated trauma stemming from childhood or events that have happened to that person that are clearly established in the book The Vampire Lestat and throughout the whole series even if unintentional on Anne Rice part. And once again, this is just my point of view and how I interpreted it. I truly just wish people would approach a topic like this with nuance, seriousness, and finally respect as most of the time in the books these subjects are not.

Possible controversial opinion since people love joking about it and even want it in the show which I think that's rather odd to do or want since like you guys do know that victims of this actual stuff exist as well as the fact they could be consuming said media for multiple reasons but I think people in the interview with the vampire/the vampire chronicles fandom especially book readers and ESPECIALLY those that are also Anne Rice d riders should realize that the relationship between Lestat and his mother was and is emotional incest... something that is not often talked but just as harmful as overt incest. It is also very codependent but I will just be high-lighting the convert incest here, though the two overlap a ton in these types of relationships.

This is something that affects someone for life and isn't really that funny and something that shouldn't be seen as sexy like it has been in media recently due to House Of The Dragon plus some other things that's came out in recent years, it's quite gross how normalized it's getting to find it hot because incest of any kind affects not only the development of the child but how they handle their personal relationships after they've grown. Something that is very clear in Lestat's character throughout the whole series.

I do not think me picking up on this is far fetched since the term was coined in the 1980s by psychologist Kenneth Adamswhen (I will be pulling stuff from a interview he did about the subject which I will link as it's a interesting reading) when people first started looking into the subject and the book came out in 1985, though knowing Anne Rice she just probably had a fetish for this thing as it often appears in her books which is whole another thing on it's own. It appears a lot doesn't excuse btw since the topic of abuse of any kind is not handled well. (also before people start saying that these books are gothic fiction and that incest is a staple of the genre still doesn't excuse it in my opinion since there is better ways to handle the topic than make it obvious fetish work. Yes, art is supposed to make you uncomfortable and I actively consume art that does exactly that to the consumer but there is the line that can be easily crossed when dealing with certain subjects if you at least don't treat them seriously and with care like they need to be.)

Their relationship is not enmeshment, something people confuse emotional incest to be and often mix the two up. But their relationship fits so many boxes of emotional incest that it is maddening I have seen no one else bring up the subject and just chalk it up to plan ole incest because of the kissing as well as blood sharing symbolizing sex for vampires in these works. (Which I have huge criticisms on how vampires are in the series plus I may be biased to not see kissing as inherently sexual due to being aroace and by the time the kisses happen Lestat has already faced stalking, literally being kidnapped by a strange man who had been watching him as well as talking to him through his mind referencing the fact he was known as wolf-killer plus having corpses that looked just like Lestat in a tower that Lestat had to stay in, turned Lestat against his will then watched said man kill himself after becoming a vampire, and sexual trauma from said man as well. So it is not surprising to me that Lestat would seek out some sort of affection from an older trusted figure in his life, even if it is negative and harmful. Most victims do this unconsciously or because the trauma makes them feel like this is the only way they feel like they can seek out validation and affection from others.)

"Any time there is physical sexual contact, and that includes things like inappropriate kissing or touching, we’re talking about overt incest. Basically, you’ve moved past playing a role and into being an object. It can be both, of course. When that happens, usually the overt incest lasts a much shorter time than the longer-term surrogate partner role. I should also state that in cases of overt and covert combined, it isn’t uncommon to see the victims involved as adults with incestuous fantasies – mother and son or father and daughter stuff online, or power differential relationships where a boundary is crossed. Or their lovers tend to be much older or younger, so much so that the age difference raises some people’s eyebrows. So, the incestuous dynamic is played out in some way."

"Frankly, I try not to draw too fine a distinction here because there is definitely a blurry line between things like sitting too close and making a child uncomfortable vs. kissing that child on the lips too long. Either way it feels icky. And the result might be that even though nobody touched my penis or breasts or vagina, when my lover tries to kiss me, I withdraw. That withdrawal is your evidence that something happened that was inappropriate and not welcome."

In the book we are shown things that check off boxes on known clear signs of emotional incest, and this is the first few pages of the book when Lestat first starts talking about his up-brining. Before I list five signs that I think fit and how I see Lestat and Gabrielle relationship as well as explain why I feel that way but let us learn what emotional incest aka also known as convert incest is.

"Covert incest describes a relationship between a parent and child in which the child feels more like a romantic partner. Typically the parent is motivated by the loneliness and emptiness of a troubled marriage, so he or she turns the child into a surrogate partner. There is not necessarily any kind of overt sexual touching, but the relationship feels too close for comfort to the child. The boundaries are such that there is an incestuous feeling. The child feels used and trapped, the same as with overt incest."

"Later on, covert incest victims tend to continue functioning in the role of a surrogate partner where they’re overly enmeshed with the parent [or] over-involved as a caretaker, even though they may have long forgotten the icky part that was present early on — usually during adolescence. As adults, instead of feeling icky, they might just feel frustrated, angry, obligated, and way too involved. This type of enmeshment is very common in terms of the adult-life characteristics. Basically, enmeshment describes the nature of the ongoing relationship; covert incest defines the earlier sexual inappropriateness."

In the first few pages after the opening of The Vampire Lestat once he begins to work on his novel we learn that his home life as a child and upbringing was not great to say the least. An abusive father, living clearly in poverty, brothers who couldn't care less if Lestat lived or died, and finally a mother who was often emotionally absent, avoided showing physical affection towards her children, and that also hindered her children's skills of being able to read as well as write out of spite because of the unfilling marriage she was forced into as well as life that she had to have because of being a woman in 1700s society.  Also I feel the disconnect she has from motherhood and being a mother affects her relationship with Lestat from the start as it is clear that she lives vicariously through him due to him having gotten most of her features and traits unlike his brothers, also because of her own struggles with womanhood as well as how society sees has always seen women and what it is to be a woman.

This situation is just brewing for a codependent relationship to happen, especially between mother and child as it's clear they both hold resentment towards the father. A simple codependent relationship can quickly turn abusive especially in a household like this and most of any kind of abuse that children can face is commonly more likely to be from family or people they know than strangers.

The five signs I wanted to point out that really struck me of fitting the two (only doing five as this post is already so long and I do not feel comfortable on trying to score points on it like how psychologists do for cases like these as I am clearly not one.):

Talking about sexual encounters or even dreams of one with your child: Gabrielle in page 39 of the book shares a dream she has of basically having a train run on her by the whole town, this is just after Lestat has opened up about his fears and nightmares he has of killing his brothers and father like he did to the wolves earlier in the forest. That he isn't the same Lestat he was and has come back as a killer instead of her son. He is still in the bloody clothes that he killed the wolves in when she shares this.

"'You know I imagine,'' she said, looking towards me again. ''Not so much the murdering of them as an abandon which disregards them completely. I imagine drinking wine until I'm so drunk I strip off my clothes and bathe in the mountain streams naked.'' I almost laughed. But it was a sublime amusement. I looked up at her, uncertain for a moment that I was hearing her cor-rectly. But she had said these words and she wasn't finished. ''And then I imagine going into the village," she said, ''and up into the inn and taking any men that come there-crude men, big men, old men, boys. Just lying there and taking them one after another, and feeling some magnificent triumph in it, some absolute release without a thought of what happens to your father or your brothers, whether they are alive or dead. In that moment that I am purely myself. I belong to no one." - Page 39, The Vampire Lestat

This is something really weird to just open up about with your child, especially after they open up about their fear of harming others and feeling like they aren't the same person they were after a traumatizing experience. I understand that she was trying to relate in a way about how she also feels these types of feelings towards Lestat's father and brothers but I full on had to put the book down out of pure shock that this was written right after a character was talking clearly about intrusive thoughts with your own ones that inherently sexual in nature, especially to your own child for that matter.

Sharing responsibility for adult decisions such as finances, employment, or where to live: Lestat and Gabrielle are the sole providers for the household. Lestat being the one that often brought in food due to finding comfort in hunting after being taken out of church as Gabrielle provided him the tools like his pet mastiffs, guns, and horse while Gabrielle was the sole reason they had any sort of money in the first place due to coming from a rich family, often selling her own jewelry to help get gifts for Lestat and just have money for the family. With this she also helped him run away to Paris with Nicki.

Because of this Lestat and Gabrielle have been sharing sole responsibility for adult decisions in the household and especially financial ones, which no child should be or feel responsible for.

Missing out on child-appropriate activities such as extracurriculars or time with friends: Lestat life was sheltered. To the point he didn't know how to write or read till he went to the church to study under the priest. The only friends he has had outside of his family up to this point are the people at the church, his dogs, the traveling theater company, and soon Nicki.

"I loved the monastery school. I loved the chapel and the hymns, the library with its thousands of old books, the bells that divided the day, the ever repeated rituals. I loved the cleanliness of the place, the overwhelming fact that all things here were well kept and in good repair, that work never ceased throughout the great house and the gardens. When I was corrected, which wasn't often, I knew an intense happiness because someone for the first time in my life was trying to make me into a good person, one who could learn things. Within a month I declared my vocation. I wanted to enter the order. I wanted to spend my life in those immaculate cloisters, in the library writing on parchment and learning to read the ancient books. I wanted to be enclosed forever with people who believed I could be good if I wanted to be. I was liked there. And that was a most unusual thing. I didn't make other people there unhappy or angry. The Father Superior wrote immediately to ask my father's permission. And frankly I thought my father would be glad to be rid of me. But three days later my brothers arrived to take me home with them. I cried and begged to stay, but there was nothing the Father Superior could do. And as soon as we reached the castle, my brothers took away my books and locked me up. I didn't understand why they were so angry. There was the hint that I had behaved like a fool for some reason. I couldn't stop crying. I was walking round and round and smashing my fist into things and kicking the door. Then my brother Augustin started coming in and talking to me. He'd circle the point at first, but what came clear finally was that no member of a great French family was going to be a poor teaching brother. How could I have misunderstood everything so completely? I was sent there to learn to read and write. Why did I always have to go to extremes? Why did I behave habitually like a wild creature? As for becoming a priest with real prospects within the Church, well, I was the youngest son of this family, now, wasn't I? I ought to think of my duties to my nieces and nephews. Translate all that to mean this: We have no money to launch a real ecclesiastical career for you, to make you a bishop or cardinal as befits our rank, so you have to live out your life here as an illiterate and a beggar. Come in the great hall and play chess with your father." - Pages 20 and 21, The Vampire Lestat

"When I woke up the next morning, she was gone and so were all the players, and my brothers were there. I never knew if my friends had been bribed to give me over, or just frightened off. More likely the latter. Whatever the case, I was taken back home again. Of course my family was perfectly horrified at what I'd done. Wanting to be a monk when you are twelve is excusable. But the theater had the taint of the devil. Even the great Moliere had not been given a Christian burial. And I'd run off with a troupe of ragged vagabond Italians, painted my face white, and acted with them in a town square for money. I was beaten severely, and when I cursed everyone, I was beaten again. The worst punishment, however, was seeing the look on my mother's face. I hadn't even told her I was going. And I had wounded her, a thing that had never really happened before. But she never said anything about it. When she came to me, she listened to me cry. I saw tears in her eyes. And she laid her hand on my shoulder, which for her was something a little remarkable. I didn't tell her what it had been like, those few days. But I think she knew. Something magical had been lost utterly. And once again, she defied my father. She put an end to the condemnations, the beatings, the restrictions. She had me sit beside her at the table. She deferred to me, actually talked to me in conversation that was perfectly unnatural to her, until she had subdued and dissolved the rancor of the family. Finally, as she had in the past, she produced another of her jewels and she bought the fine hunting rifle that I had taken with me when I killed the wolves." - Pages 34 and 35, The Vampire Lestat

Alternating feelings of love and hatred for your parent(s): This is shown in the first book as well as in this one, but now we get to see these feelings he has towards his mother rather than his father as well as brothers.

"She was silent for a while. And as I sat there, looking past her at the fire, I wanted to tell her a lot of things, how much I loved her particularly. But I was cautious. She had a way of cutting me off when I spoke to her, and mingled with my love was a powerful resentment of her. All my life I'd watched her read her Italian books and scribble letters to people in Naples, where she had grown up, yet she had no patience even to teach me or my brothers the alphabet. And nothing had changed after I came back from the monastery. I was twenty and I couldn't read or write more than a few prayers and my name. I hated the sight of her books; I hated her absorption in them. And in some vague way, I hated the fact that only extreme pain in me could ever wring from her the slightest warmth or interest. Yet she'd been my savior. And there was no one but her. And I was as tired of being alone, perhaps, as a young person can be. She was here now, out of the confines of her library, and she was attentive to me. Finally I was convinced that she wouldn't get up and go away, and I found myself speaking to her." Page 25, The Vampire Lestat

"And she almost laughed herself. Maybe in her own quiet way she was laughing. Curious moment. Some almost brutal sense of her as a human being quite removed from all that surrounded her. We did understand each other, and all my resentment of her didn't matter too much." - Page 27, The Vampire Lestat

Your parent(s) turned to you, instead of their partner or another adult, to unburden any feelings of emotional distress they experienced: Gabrielle is only open and shows any emotional towards her children if it is Lestat that she is talking to, she is closed off to everyone else in the household but him due to own her contempt and feelings around of being a wife and a mother. He is the first and only person to be told that she is sick and dying, that she doesn't expect to make it through another winter at best. This is a lot to put on anyone at any age, especially someone who is your child and after they have opened up a bit as well as their own traumatizing event.

"I made some little anguished sound. I think I leaned forward and said, "Mother! " "Don't say any more," she answered. I think she hated to be called mother, but I hadn't been able to help it." - Page 27, The Vampire Lestat

"I just wanted to speak it to another soul, " she said. "To hear it out loud. I'm perfectly horrified by it. I'm afraid of it. " I wanted to take her hands, but I knew she'd never allow it. She disliked to be touched. She never put her arms around anyone. And so it was in our glances that we held each other. My eyes filled with tears looking at her. She patted my hand. "Don't think on it much, " she said. "I don't. Just only now and then. But you must be ready to live on without me when the time comes. That may be harder for you than you realize. " I tried to say something; I couldn't make the words come. She left me just as she'd come in, silently. And though she'd never said anything about my clothes or my beard or how dreadful I looked, she sent the servants in with clean clothes for me, and the razor and warm water, and silently I let myself be taken care of by them." - Page 27, The Vampire Lestat

"I began to feel a little stronger. I stopped thinking about what happened with the wolves and I thought about her. I thought about the words "perfectly horrified, " and I didn't know what to make of them except they sounded exactly true. I'd feel that way if I were dying slowly. It would have been better on the mountain with the wolves. But there was more to it than that. She had always been silently unhappy. She hated the inertia and the hopelessness of our life here as much as I did. And now, after eight children, three living, five dead, she was dying. This was the end for her. I determined to get up if it would make her feel better, but when I tried I couldn't. The thought of her dying was unbearable. I paced the floor of my room a lot, ate the food brought to me, but still I wouldn't go to her. But by the end of the month, visitors came to draw me out." - Page 27 and 28, The Vampire Lestat

"She did not laugh often. She could look profoundly cold. Yet she had always a little girl sweetness. Well, I looked at her as she sat on my bed-I even stared at her, I suppose-and immediately she started to talk to me. "I know how it is, " she said to me. "You hate them. Because of what you've endured and what they don't know. They haven't the imagination to know what happened to you out there on the mountain. " I felt a cold delight in these words. I gave her the silent acknowledgment that she understood it perfectly. "It was the same the first time I bore a child, " she said. "I was in agony for twelve hours, and I felt trapped in the pain, knowing the only release was the birth or my own death. When it was over, I had your brother Augustin in my arms, but I didn't want anyone else near me. And it wasn't because I blamed them. It was only that I'd suffered like that, hour after hour, that I'd gone into the circle of hell and come back out. They hadn't been in the circle of hell. And I felt quiet all over. In this common occurrence, this vulgar act of giving birth, I understood the meaning of utter loneliness." - Page 24 and 25, The Vampire Lestat

Finally to conclude this post, this is just my point of view on their relationship and how I interpreted it but I really hope the show handles something like this with care instead of making a joke out of it or making it seem like a normal vampire thing since that's what Anne Rice did. I would love if they went at with this angle of emotional incest or even just a strong codependent relationship between mother and son as I feel like it could open a lot of great conversations on the topic as bring it more into the spotlight which could lead to others realizing their not alone. But we'll see when season three is released.

Important links:

Kenneth Adamswhen interview

RAINN

[highfiveheroes]

HELLO HELLO HELLO! some ch2 spoilers in here, so answer at any pace you choose, but: the entire buddy-with-a-knife scene (starting with "ee're out of rice") for the fic commentary ask. that WILL be living in my head and heart and soul forever, and it's CHILLING. please tell me all about it.

I LOVE THIS SCENEEEEEE this is going under the cut because it's gonna be LONG but!!! could not be more pleased to yell about this whole interaction

"We’re out of rice," Oisin announces. Ivy, who’s sitting at the bar sketching out their map, sighs.

"I thought Jace was getting us some?"

"Nope," Ruben says. He’s on the windowsill, his guitar draped across his lap as he picks a few chords over and over. "I didn’t tell him to. Nobody told me we were out."

this little intro scene is just. i LOVE writing everyone as a crew. they could all be somewhere else, if they really wanted, but why would they? i've talked before (and plenty of other people have made posts about it as well) regarding the sunk-cost fallacy of "we're in this together, we might as well stick around and see it through, we can't get away from it even if we wanted". ruben doesn't NEED to be playing his guitar around everyone, but he does, because he likes the company. oisin and ivy are always together. mary ann just likes having a place to sit. buddy and oisin are cooking together—they're probably the competent ones, the ones that have family recipes, etc. so it's like no, they don't NEED to all be together, but they do it anyway—and kipperlilly specifically needs to feel important, so she hangs around them, "supervising". also of note—ruben has to be Very Responsible. at this point porter and jace have pseudo-moved in, but the entire rest of the year there's been NO adult supervision, so he's had to be in charge of groceries and maintenance which is,,,, an issue. now that he has someone else he gives them all the things to worry about and takes a backseat, so he's missed way more. (plus, with him and buddy...yeah <3)

Buddy is by the stove, chopping meat or something. Kipperlilly happens to notice him stiffening, but she doesn’t think much of it for a moment.

"I didn’t even think we went through that much rice," Ivy mumbles, going back to her map.

"I made soup yesterday," Mary Ann reminds them, her game making a little cheering noise. "I told Oisin."

Kipperlilly doesn’t know where Jace is. She doesn’t think it’s important. It’s not. Right?

the little bits interspersed are so important to me as one of those "build the tension" choices. tell the action, have mundane thoughts, but the thoughts CANNOT give into the concern. if you don't think about it, it isn't happening! buddy's starting to look angry—i wonder where jace is. we're out of rice—buddy is just cutting meat. that's all. y'know? LOVED this trick it was very fun to write

"Well, fuck that, then. I guess we’re having pizza or something if there’s any in the fridge," Oisin mumbles.

Nobody’s left the house in days. Kipperlilly is standing by the doorway to the living room, surveying everyone like she always does. There’s something in the air, and it starts to get thicker when she sees Buddy slowly turn to Oisin.

another foreshadowing moment right? kipperlilly sees the writing on the wall, and she could probably say something, but she chooses not to. why would she? it's not going to affect her really. right? they're all in this together whether they want to be or not. but also, her judgement is so skewed now that there's a genuine chance that she doesn't see how severe the issue is until it's too late.

(and then maybe there's a sick part of her that likes seeing someone else's perfect façade crack. but that's subject to analysis at a different time. in fact, i could write a whole essay about my takes on buddy and kipperlilly as foils and why they'd be the perfect partners for ruben in a different life i mean what)

"No rice?" he asks. His voice is tight.

Oisin doesn’t turn around. He doesn’t seem worried. Kipperlilly wonders if he’s just stupid to have not felt the energy change.

"No rice," he confirms, shutting the cabinet. "So no fried rice for dinner."

"And no one thought to check for the ingredients beforehand?" Buddy asks. His voice is too calm. Kipperlilly’s hackles are raised.

He hasn’t put the knife down. It’s shaking in Buddy’s grip.

"Didn’t think we had to. My bad." Oisin raises his hands sarcastically, shaking them, and he doesn’t turn fast enough to see Buddy lunge at him, taking the knife, plunging it into his heart, dragging it down so that the fabric of his shirt and the scales of his chest rip with a sickening sound. Oisin chokes, gurgling, but it’s too late. He goes down before anyone else can react.

Kipperlilly saw all of it. She feels sick.

"Next time," Buddy announces, throwing the knife down, "we ought to check for ingredients before you make me start cutting up one of our Lord’s great creatures. Someone get started on that pizza." He looks down, sneering. "Otherwise, I might get a little hungry for something with scales."

THIS. so like. the take i have taken with the rage gems is that they slowly start to deteriorate the body they're in the longer they're in there. in the jace fics, you can see it REALLY evidently in how fast he spirals—like a parasite, right? and the more angry he gets, the more anger it wants the next time. it's like those little toys you get that are packed sand that you're supposed to chip away at. even saturated with water they're very hard to chip apart, until it All Crumbles At Once. goes to follow > kipperlilly had it first, but she accepted it, so her rate is slightly altered. jace had it the next longest, he starts losing it first. nobody else has the anger issues they have, but the catharsis of killing again and again is starting to accelerate it.

but buddy? who's only had the gem for a few days? he was so angry it happened in the first place, that his spiral has...well, he's much further along than kipperlilly at this point, let's say that. and it's only been a few days.

but he's got to act on it, right? he's spent so long without getting angry at all, and then he was so furious that when he finally was taken inventory of, his base rate was NOWHERE where it normally is. so his spiral takes him So Far Away from who he normally is. his personality does a complete 180.

but he's also spent so long working with the passive aggressive niceties of the church of helio (read: that sweet and southern "bless your heart" attitude, obfuscating what you really want to say and how you feel, etc) that he's brilliant at it with everyone else. but he's spent a year watching these fuckers kill each other in cold blood for things like cereal milk. he can let go with them. and let go he does!!!

Ivy, who also had a front-row seat to her best friend’s murder, looks deathly pale as she gags, then runs out of the room. She’s never seen Oisin murdered like that before, Kipperlilly remembers. Her own lips shake as she licks them.

"He’s gonna stain the floor," Mary Ann says. She didn’t look up.

this is another one of those moments that is just. they're kids, being kids. hanging out. right? and there's a LOT happening behind the scenes that kipperlilly hasn't been privy to of her own accord (ie. too dialed into her own shit...like a certain wannabe god.)

kipperlilly doesn't bother herself with details like who cleans up all the blood and violence. ruben probably has cleaners, right? but even if he doesn't, it genuinely doesn't have any affect on her if mary ann is the one on her knees scrubbing the blood out of the carpet and the tile and the walls. it started when she was the one causing the biggest messes, and it ended when oisin landed on the floor in this scene. she can mop it up, but there's no point in stopping it from staining. (to be fair, mary ann would never TELL kipperlilly or anyone this, so kip may not have even known even if she showed signs of empathy.)

and then...ivy. sweet ivy, who has been crushing on oisin since they were thirteen and is properly in love with him now and pissed that he won't notice her because he's so obsessed with adaine abernant. and she knew they wouldn't make it out of here alive, but when someone like ruben kills oisin, it's not quite so...vicious. there's a layer of respect still, one of those "i respect you still, you can kill me this way later, we'll be okay, this isn't personal." but with buddy there's none of that. this is his first murder (yay!) and he just fucking BODIES oisin for something that wasn't even really his fault, and the fact that they HEAR it? and it brings up a second point she hasn't been aware of—that she may have to watch oisin die. there's SO MUCH MORE with oisin and ivy that i'm getting into when i get to writing their aside for this universe but like...guys. this was brutal for more reasons than just what it appears. and kipperlilly misses ALL OF IT.

"You’re the cleric," Kipperlilly reminds Buddy, her voice surprisingly steady. "You have to revive him."

Buddy glares at her with such vitrol that she physically steps away. "I’m aware. I will do it when I’m ready. I have ten minutes, don’t I?"

Kipperlilly almost argues, but it’s easier to just nod. Buddy takes the meat he was cutting and dumps it in the sink, turning on the disposal and leaving it running as he pushes past Kipperlilly into the rest of the house. She doesn’t look at Oisin; Mary Ann is probably right, and the tile is probably going to be stained worse than it was before, but she doesn’t look to see how much blood there is. For the first time, she doesn’t think she can stomach it.

She decides to give it eight minutes before she bothers Buddy about it again, so she starts counting.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen…

okay this!!! i am not the most familiar with dnd mechanics, but (as you and i have discussed previously jade LOL) this is definitely a moment of the cleric realizing he can play god. he's in control of life or death in a way he hasn't been before, and he's spent all year watching these fuckers turn on each other, and he's taking the chance of "oisin is probably going to stabilize, and if he doesn't, i'll deal with it later." i think they have a 10 minute rule amongst the group because after that it can verge into actual feelings of mourning, and that's not fun for anyone involved. (yes, it's usually an immediate revive, but the ten minute thing is something they've all had discussions about when it's brought up, so like. it's still a fact, even if they've never used the full ten minutes before.)

and the counting...i've noticed that i have a habit of incorporating some of those "calming yourself down" tricks into characters who are vaguely unstable. i think it makes sense for kipperlilly though, that when she's scared or upset, jawbone had tried to encourage her to take that moment of "try counting, get your mind onto something steady with an end goal, see if that doesn't help" sort of thing. so she gives herself a set time limit and starts counting, and that way she doesn't have to worry about the body on the floor.

(another note though: kipperlilly is for sure also haunted by what the hell just happened, because she came to the same conclusion that ivy did, that rage-starred buddy is a completely different beast than regular buddy and it probably shook her down to her core. just a fun little thing <3)

so!! i intentionally didn't include a lot in this scene, but it's also SO FUCKING MUCH to me. personally. there's a lot happening behind the scenes that's going to come out in later chapters and asides, but. god i love this. thank you for asking and letting me ramble LMAO

[snoopledrooplecheesedoodle]

Just some incorrect quotes about my little pookies

Warnings: Swearing, Spoilers (maybe), Désirée swearing (he doesn't swear)

Cain: Can we get a birthday cake? Avaris: It’s not your birthday. Cain: The cake won’t know!

Désirée, washing the dishes: Who the fuck used this pan?? Désirée: Wait. I the fuck used this pan… Duke: It was you the fuck. Désirée: It was I the fuck… Cain: Who cooks rice in a pan? Duke: They the fuck.

Kali and (Y/N) are texting Kali: Who are you? Someone changed the names in my phone. (Y/N): What did they change my name to? Kali: Chosen One. (Y/N): Don’t change it back. Kali: BUT WHO ARE YOU?!?! (Y/N): I’m the chosen one.

Désirée: Cain, I rebuke thee! I rebuke thee! Cain: Rebuke? Is that a word? Désirée: You have all invoked my fury! You will all pay recompense for your transgressions! Cain: What, you got like a word-a-day calendar or something?

Gwyn: If I see a bug, I simply leave the room elegantly and require someone else do something about it. Gwyn: If no one fulfills my wish, I simply never go back in there.

Cain: Tell (Y/N) off, Nalani! Assert yourself! Nalani: That's my ice cream! Cain: Good! Now let them have it!! Nalani, handing (Y/N) the ice cream: Here, you can have it!

Nalani: So you're looking for information on this thing, huh? Well, I feel like it must be from far away. Cain: What makes you say that? Nalani: If it's something even I don't know about, then I'm sure nobody else must have a clue. So it's gotta be from some faraway place. Impeccable reasoning, isn't it? Cain: Nalani… You don't have a clue about this thing, do you? Nalani: screams in anger

Désirée: How do you know how to kiss? Like who teaches you? (Y/N): Well it’s actually a class, but unfortunately it’s full right now. (Y/N): Would you like me to tutor you? Gwyn: That was smooth.

Duke (@ (Y/N)): So, I heard you like bad girls… I time travel in Animal Crossing.

[bluepeachstudios]

GitS Asks!

Ohhh yeah you KNOW that man is panicking and his boys are trying their best to calm him down and force him to relax.

I cannot answer this because spoilers, but my god I want to. I want to gush about the movie stuff so badly. I can say that Ghost would definitely prefer to be taken instead of Raph. He thinks the boys should stick together.

Oh boy, yeah it do! (:

Oof you're torturing my boy here, I see. I think after very emotional words and feelings turmoil he would stay. He feels like the boys need protecting at this moment. He wants to keep them safe, and... Well. He just doesn't know what's happening with his brothers.

Ghost likes that when Splinter spends time with the kids, the kids are super happy about it. He likes watching them watch Lou Jitsu movies. He likes that Splinter uses nicknames instead of their full names all the time. He likes that Splinter makes them soup when they feel bad. He likes that when the kids talk about their childhood, Splinter is a constant. He likes that the boys love him, and he loves the boys.

Ghost doesn't hate Splinter. He just hates that he's not his dad.

I won't give spoilers if it's something that hasn't already been covered. Sometimes I'll go off about what's going on in Ghost's head, but that's because that's already going on. ;)

Ough Ghost would hate that. He doesn't want them to see that.

Yes to both! Meditating is something that's been ingrained into him since he was little, so he hasn't stopped now. From best to worst, Raph is the best. Mikey is second best, if he's moving while he meditates. Donnie's... Decent. Leo's horrible at it. He can't stay focused.

Ghost did find that directing them through certain katas and letting them do those motions on repeat is a good way to let them meditate. They do a much better job when they're moving.

Ghost does seem to be getting hurt a lot....... Wonder what that's about. (:

It's a little of both! Ghost wasn't mutated on purpose, and the mutagen itself wasn't meant to make soldiers of any kind, so his mutation doesn't make him as sturdy as genetically engineered weapons of war. On the other hand, Ghost also is still working off the physics of his universe, at least somewhat. It means getting hit hurts. there's no "comedic effect" going on with Ghost. He gets hit, he gets hit.

Yup! Ghost can cook! He especially likes baking. Ell and Mike can as well. Spirit... Eugh... Let's just say he survived with a rice cooker, takeout, and a healthy fear of anything that produces heat.

Ghost has already fought these particular Foot, when they first showed up in the Rise series! He asked Splinter about them, and he confirmed they were in fact THE Foot. Ghost has them burned into his mind now.

He also has no idea they run a shoe shop. He will eventually find out, yes, and the story is about Ghost, so also yes!

Yes. It worked very well.

There was a stray cat he fed when he went to the surface to get food. He looked like Klunk. Donnie thought about taking him back to the hideaway, but started thinking about having to clean out the litter box, worrying about the cat knocking things over or chewing on wires, feeding him every day, giving him attention, and he just... Couldn't handle all of that at the time.

Nothing that I can think of off the top of my head? Ghost was building trucks with dozens of missiles in it by the time he was 15. He likes to encourage Donnie's creativity.

Uranium is just a no-go because they don't have a way to safely contain it and use it. And Donnie's 14.

Donnie has theories. This is actually a spoiler, because Donnie's whole theory is a spoiler! Don't worry, we'll see Donnie's theory soon (;

Honestly, Ghost is a little worried about that. He's hoping that the kid won't turn out like the fucked up man that's in his universe. Like, he's still a kid! If Splinter can be how he is, and Leo can be so different from his Leonardo, what's to say that this kid isn't also different?

First round, babey!! It's my headcanon that 03 Donnie was subconsciously more interested in watching than he was in participating. It wasn't a life-threatening event or anything, it was a fun warrior vs warrior, honorable battle. He was in another dimension, of course he was excited and wanted to see things!!

In Big Mama's Battle Nexus, things were to the death. Nothing to poof you away if it would hurt you too much. He had to take every hit and feel it. He won out of necessity. He didn't enjoy a second of it.

Ghost probably would get further than he did in the last one, but I don't think he'd win. For him, fun fighting is sparring with the kids. His heart wouldn't be in it.