#` * ✧. out of character — interaction call.

[sylusvrse]

IMAGINE . . . the lads LIs playing an otome game ?!

what would it be like if the love and deepspace love interests played an otome game in which YOU were the love interest instead? ⸺ heavily HEAVILY inspired by a thread on twt by @/Myaurxra_ on the same prompt!!

zayne who is strictly f2p. i cannot imagine this man spending money on the game. he occasionally plays during his breaks. he listens to the tender moments as background noise while he works. he has your affinity level at about 68 which is the culmination of many months checking in and mostly doing his dailies.

zayne who actually uses the ‘remind me’ feature to help him get some rest. nothing beats your sweet voice telling him he’s working too hard and that he needs to go to bed!!

zayne who seems like he’d be a very casual player who enjoys the sweet, soft cards. however, tomorrow’s catch-22 drops and he is a changed man!! <3

xavier who is somehow incredibly lucky without even trying?? he’s pulling your 5 star memories left and right, early pity. definitely posts his pulls on social media, which is the envy of everyone else.

xavier who enjoys the combat system the most. he clears abyssal chaos and the hunter contest with ease. it comes quite easy to him, the protocores, the substats, the playstyles.

xavier who only pays for the aurum pass, but that’s about it when it comes to his spending. he’s living off a hunter’s salary and can only offer so much to his virtual wife…

rafayel who is glint photobooth’s greatest enemy. he has all of your outfits and accessories unlocked. he didn’t buy those all for nothing. he’s spending hours on glint photobooth and snapshot, capturing your beauty just right. he’d post it on social media like the masterpiece you are <3

rafayel who actually takes the time to play the stories and read the lore. his assistant is calling him, but he couldn’t care less. he needs to know what happens next. he’s laying in bed, kicking around like a schoolgirl with a crush. he’s currently sobbing over your backstory and getting pissed off on your behalf when another character wrongs you.

rafayel who has your affinity level already maxed out. he’s flexing the ring on every outfit he dresses you up in. he’s cleared out all the story content there is to offer, besides the combat levels. he rarely plays the hunter contest, but he occasionally does abyssal chaos to read the stories and interactions.

sylus who is an absolute whale. we all know it. he is R3’ing all of your memories. lost a 50/50? doesn’t matter, his card is already out and ready to be used.

sylus who finds the game to be a rather endearing past time. you’re a welcome break in his busy day. luke and kieran will find him at his desk, looking rather amused as he pokes his phone for maybe the hundredth time tonight.

sylus who sends luke and kieran out to buy merch for him when he’s busy, sending them in his stead to fan events. he advises them to stop at nothing. online bid? he’s already won. limited edition merch item? he got it three weeks before it was even announced with his connections. on his desk, you’ll probably find a small acrylic stand of you by his computer.

caleb who actually has horrible luck. he has most of your standard 5 star memories maxed out, mostly due to losing so many 50/50s. at first he was like “psh. it’s just a game. i won’t have to spend any money.” but, then he lost the 50/50 on the anniversary banner and the flood gates opened. now, he’s willing to drop large amounts of money at a time if it means getting your precious memories.

caleb who takes full advantage of the ‘quality time’ feature. mostly to unlock your workout outfit, but he likes to have you cheering him on by the side while he completes his regimen.

caleb who gets oddly competitive during kitty cards? like he’s about to crash out the moment you cancel out one of his assist cards. his hands are gripping the phone, his palms are sweating, his breath is hitching, he’s grunting in frustration. someone looks over his shoulder to see what the hell is stressing him out so much… you just changed his teacup color from red to blue…

[yandere-sins]

Bathhouse Service

[My Commission Info] | [My Ao3] | [Ko-Fi]

a/n: Here we gooo, the first commission of this year for a super sweet anon ♥

Characters: Phainon (HSR) x Male!Reader Warnings: Yandere, Sexual Content (Non-Con/Dub-Con, Pec job, Anal, Fingering, Hand job, Musk Kink), Domination, Obsessiveness, Stalking, Abuse of Power, Long Post Words: 6647

Taking a deep breath, you waded through the bathwater, happy to finally put down your golden tray for the day.

You'd been working hard, serving food and drinks to the guests of the bathhouse, constantly forcing a smile on your face even though it was hard to stand in the water, people sloshing it against your body and soaking your clothes. This job wouldn't have been your first pick if you had a choice. Being out in public and in constant contact with people was nerve-wracking on the good days, and the feeling of being constantly exposed by the bare minimum of coverage your clothes provided only added to your discomfort. 

Something more private, away from the prying eyes, would have been nice. But being a bathhouse attendant was what paid the bills. Rolling your shoulder, you breathed into the tension that had built all over your body. Ironic since the baths were the most relaxing place in all of Okhema, but all they did was add stress to your nervous system. It wasn't easy not being as socially adapt as the other attendants and more introverted when having to talk and attend to countless people every day, their prying eyes prickling like needles on your skin, and their hands were sometimes a bit too adventurous to be well-mannered. But you kept telling yourself you were merely too shy for your own good, misinterpreting everyone's intentions. 

After all, you also felt like you were being watched when there was no one around you at all.

Turning around, you looked over at the few people still lingering in the baths. It was almost closing time. Finally, you thought, your shift having taken its toll, and you desperately needed a good night's sleep. Tomorrow would be your day off work, and it was exactly what you needed to recoup and gather your strength to survive the following shifts ahead of you. Especially the busy rush hours after people finished their work were exhausting, the crowded baths being treacherous to navigate and the demands of people even harder to fulfill. You didn't have the gift of being born exceptionally tall and strong like your peers, so you often found yourself in trouble with the guests who looked down on you. Everything about you was average enough to escape trouble, but trouble seemed to try and find you wherever you went. Not everything about the job was terrible, but you were reminded every day why it simply wasn't suitable for you. 

"Hey!" someone called out, and you jerked out of your daydreams where you imagined having a nice dinner before slipping into your warm bed, already waiting for you.

"Y-Yes?" you stammered, turning towards the voice, expecting a visitor trying to get your attention. However, instead, the face was familiar, the big smile curling your boss's mouth making you dread the interaction even more. You two had very different opinions on what made you happy, and seeing him excited, almost skipping steps to get to you faster, wasn't a good sign for you at all. 

"I need you to go upstairs to the upper baths and serve some food and drinks before you leave for today. Can you do that?"

"What, me?" you asked, flabbergasted. Usually, there were special attendants for these baths. People who underwent specific training and had to sign confidentiality contracts. It was for the good of all the people to pick the very best attendants for the Chrysos Heirs, and you weren't one of them. "That's… Isn't there someone better suited for this task? I- I mean, going there is such a big honor. I'm not sure if I am worthy of it…"

"You're too modest! You're doing a great job!" your boss laughed out loud, the praise feeling undeserved, as if he was doing it just to encourage you. Still, you fumbled with the hem of your tunic, feeling flattered. Giving you a strong pat on the back that almost toppled you over, he leaned over the counter, grabbing and piling some fresh fruit and a bottle of the best drink money could buy in all of Okhema with two glasses on top of your tray before turning back to you. You got nervous just seeing the bottle that cost more than all you had ever earned, hoping you'd not be the reason it would fall and shatter along with your savings.

"Besides, it was specifically asked for you, so it's not like we can send anyone else."

Giving your boss a questioning look, he merely slipped the tray from the counter, holding it up to you. Afraid he might drop it and blame the loss of merchandise on you, you caught it, sealing your fate effectively. The bottle and glasses swayed, and so did you, trying to adjust to the weight of the tray despite your exhausted muscles. You really didn't want to do it, but when you looked up, your boss was already a few steps away from you, waving as he yelled back. 

"Amazing! See you for your next shift, then! Take good care of our customer!"

With that, he was gone, leaving you behind to figure everything else out on your own. Still a little unsteady, you bit your lip as you balanced the tray while putting one foot in front of the other. Freedom was so close, even if the way to it was anxiety-inducing and exhausting. What could your boss have possibly meant when he said someone specifically asked for you? You weren't acquainted with the heroes at all, so it seemed unlikely that they'd ask for you by name. It all sounded like manipulation at its finest when he phrased it like that, and you felt even more uncomfortable with the task than you already were. 

Nonetheless, it had to be done. The quicker you were, the faster it would be over, too, and you'd probably not have to interact much with the Heir who was expecting your service. Stepping onto the elevator platform, you kept reassuring yourself that everything was fine and you could do this. However, a knot formed in your stomach, making you wish the elevator would never stop. 

The temperature wasn't much different from the lower baths, yet you felt yourself breaking out in beads of sweat, your body heating up with every second spent in agonizing anticipation. Who was going to wait for you up there? What did they want? Would you be able to hold the ever so slightly shaking tray until you reached their table? What if all of the Heirs were there, watching and judging your service? What if you lost your job?

You walked off the platform with unsteady steps, nervously scanning the area. You had been up here before, of course. But only to clean when there was no one around. Now, even without seeing it, you immediately felt the presence lingering in one of the baths. Eyes of striking blue fixated on you, raking down your body and leaving only goosebumps in their wake as they scanned over you. Halting your breath, you heard the water swaying to your left before you saw the body moving it. Casual, relaxed, but focused—on you.

Phainon.

Barely anyone was as well-known as he was around Okhema. Naturally, every Chrysos Heir was revered, but no one was as loved as Phainon. With his cheerful nature and helpful spirit, many people looked up to him as their savior and hero. They felt safe and comfortable around him, no less because he showed everyone kindness, his smile more dazzling than most could stand without fainting. The same smile he was showing you, now that he had your attention on him.

"There you are!" he greeted you, waving from his bath as if you two were lifelong friends. You had never met him privately before, only ever watched from the masses when he returned after a mission. The two of you lived in entirely different worlds, yet it made your face heat up to be greeted by him like a friend. 

Quickly but while carefully balancing the expensive bottle on your tray, you made your way over to Phainon, his smile growing bigger as you approached. As if he was about to jump up, he leaned forward, shifting to the side on the bench closest to you and sending waves your way as you stepped into the water. With the waves crashing into you, you had to fight with your balance, the fluid soaking your clothes again, making them cling to your body uncomfortably.

There was something special about the Hero's baths; their effects were even more soothing and healing than those below. You were immediately confronted with these effects as you felt your body relax. That was one of the reasons why it took special training to serve the upper floor, and you struggled with not just giving in to the relaxing effects. You barely reached the table before letting the tray down. Accidentally, a soft groan escaped you as the strain disappeared, immediately causing you to feel ashamed as you realized how unbecoming such a sound was in front of a hero who fought for the people all day. The least you could do was serve him properly, without complaints, yet here you were.

"A- Apologies for the delay, Sir…" you mumbled, giving a small bow while averting your eyes. Your heart was pounding increasingly fast, but you tried your best to simply get the task over with, not wanting to raise more attention on yourself.

"No need, you are right on time!" Phainon replied chipperly, another large wave crashing into you, almost knocking you over. Immediately, you looked up, seeing him standing right before you, his hand reaching out. "I was looking forward to seeing you again."

Fingertips ghosted over your cheek, and your body did the most logical yet stupidly over-the-top reaction and jumped away. You were so surprised by his sudden touch that you didn't consider your surroundings, the water reaching up to your hips tripping you over as you crashed backward, barely cushioned as you landed on one of the stairs leading into the bath. Bewildered and surprised, you looked up to see Phainon slowly close the distance, his expression a mix of concern and something softer, perhaps pity… or maybe not.

"Sorry, I just couldn't help myself. The last mission took so long, I really missed you."

"N-No, I'm so sorry! I was just surprised, forgive me…" you quickly tried to wave off the embarrassment. Your eyes darted from side to side, trying to be polite but also not stare. From your position, it was hard not to look anywhere indecent, but you also didn't want to be rude and just bolt. Still, you couldn't help but see a few glimpses of his body, water dripping down the lines of his muscles, making him glisten in the moody lightening of the bathhouse. The towel around his hips was one of the regular ones, yet, on Phainon, it looked almost too small as it hung low on his body, leaving neither his defined thighs nor the bulge between his legs to your imagination.

It was massive. 

Gulping, you felt the heat rise dangerously hot into your face, shaming you for having even a tiny indecent thought about the Heir. Someone like you could barely stand in his presence, let alone think about what his cock must be like. You watched in a mix of embarrassment and surprise as Phainon reached out again, certainly to lend you a hand. He was that kind of man, a true hero. Selfless and kind. That's why it surprised you even more when his arms landed on either side of you, your legs opening without thinking to welcome his body between them. 

For a moment, you merely stared at him, his face so close now that you felt his breath tingling on your damp skin. Seeing every eyelash on his gorgeous eyes and the small dimples as he smiled felt utterly unreal. The next thing you knew, one hand was on your thigh, massaging your muscles as it slowly moved upwards. 

"I missed you so much," he murmured. "I kept thinking of returning to you. Guess it's too much to ask if you missed me, too?"

For the first time, you listened to his words more closely. It was easy, really, with his mouth so close that you watched his lips move. "Do we… know each other?" you asked, confused. You didn't remember ever interacting with Phainon before, much less having a relationship close enough to miss each other. The crack in his smile was noticeable, the disappointment reaching even his mesmerizing blue eyes. But as fast as it had appeared, it was gone again. Instead, you were confronted with the feeling of his hand beneath your clothes, dangerously near to your privates.

Letting out a small gasp, you looked down at it, reacting instinctively as you gripped his wrist, barely able to wrap your fingers all the way around it. The differences between you two were much more significant than you first expected, his body able to shield you from anything and all while he could break you like a twig at the same time. You never felt as weak as you did now when you were in Phainon's presence, his touch creeping higher and higher. 

"Ouch," he laughed, faking his hurt before quickly returning to his confident and sweet smile. "You know how to break hearts, don't you? And here I am, so happy to see you…"

"S-Sorry!" you immediately apologized, although you didn't know if it was necessary. 

However, your words were cut off as you suddenly felt Phainon's hand placed on top of your lower stomach, playing with the rim of your underwear. "W-Wait!" you stuttered, and his grin widened more as he dragged the fabric down. 

"I've waited a long time, don't take this from me now, please."

You could barely believe what was happening as the Phainon lowered himself before you, never breaking eye contact as he freed your cock from the clothes holding it back, the traitor jumping up and brushing against Phainon's chest with gentle arousal. It was all too much as realization finally dawned on you about what was happening, and you still found it hard to believe. But with a long sigh, Phainon's expression softened as he briefly looked down at your member, swaying his chest to move it around until it was situated right between his pecs, his eyes returning to yours with a flush of adoration in them.

And then, with more vigor than anyone had ever touched you with before, Phainon began rubbing your length up and down between his pecs. Water was sloshing all around you two as he moved up and down your cock, slowly picking up the speed. Your hands reached for his shoulders, trying to push him away, embarrassment burning in your cheeks. Instead, they only found hold there as Phainon pressed against you harder, mistaking your resistance for an invitation.

"W-Wait!" you stammered, but your words were followed by a stifled moan as you bit your lip hard. With the water acting as a rough lubricant, the friction between your skins wrapped deliciously around your cock. His tough muscles seemed to soften, adjusting so they could pleasure you better, and you heard him chuckle as your legs pressed into his sides. At this point, you didn't even know if you wanted to push him away or draw him closer while he turned you into a gasping mess. 

"This is like a dream come true," Phainon sighed blissfully as he worked your shaft between his pecs. "I've always wanted to be alone with you like this! You have no idea how long I've been trying to get closer to you."

His words reached your ears but couldn't settle your raging thoughts. Nothing about this made sense! Why would the Chrysos Heir want someone ordinary and unremarkable like you? All of Okhema laid at his feet, yet he wanted you of all people? It didn't feel right, and neither did what he was doing to you without your consent. And yet, against all reason, your head fell back just as you felt your body tensing. 

"That's right," he mumbled, his weight bearing down on you as he buried your cock between his pecs." Be a good boy and come for me. Let me have a taste, I've been starving."

All you could do was obey, your toes curling as you tried biting back the moan that finally broke free. It felt incredibly wrong, but as you watched your cum splash and spread across Phainon's chest, you couldn't help but stare in stunned silence. Both of you were breathing heavily, the motion continuing to tease your cock, which still throbbed between Phainon's pecs. Only now did you realize what you had done—and to be fair, it was his fault as well—the shame burning through your whole body as you whimpered fearfully. 

What if he'd tell everyone that you had forced yourself on him? What if he blackmailed you? No… Phainon wasn't that kind of person. You had always known him to be noble and kindhearted, your mind was merely playing tricks on you out of your own anxiety. And besides, he had attacked you first… even if you ended up being on the receiving end of the pleasure. 

At this point, you didn't know if it was merely the heat of the baths getting to your head or if you were about to pass out from exhaustion. Yet, you managed to pull yourself a few inches away, your cock slipping out from between Phainon's pecs with a nasty squishy sound, reminding you too much of sex. Well, technically, this was a form of it. Still, it made you nervous to consider this an act of intimacy. You two still barely knew each other, even though Phainon kept claiming he did. 

Stealing another glance at him, you watched him lean back, dragging his fingers through the spilled cum as if drawing patterns on himself. He searched for your eyes again, satisfied as he met your gaze. Phainon grinned, bringing his palm in front of his mouth and giving it a good lick, slurping up some of the jizz as if it was the drink of the Titans itself. Wide-eyed, you watched in horror, but as Phainon made one more step out of the bath, your gaze was drawn away, the towel around his hips loosening up before dropping to the ground. Not without getting stuck on his erection, though, and you gulped as you watched his cock bounce free the second the fabric slipped off. 

He was massive. You had suspected as much from the bulge you had noticed before, but seeing his cock fully erect, ran goosebumps all over your body. Something like that was what every man wished for. It probably made anyone faint the moment it slipped in, but it would be so worth it just to be fucked by it. Getting down on his hands and knees, Phainon crawled after you, a sight to behold, the great hero on his fours, preying on you like an animal. Now that he had a taste, his eyes had darkened with an unfamiliar desire. It made you gulp hard as you realized you were the object of lust reflected in them. 

"I- I'm so sorry! I can't tell you how sorry I am, this is unforgivable—I should leave!" was all you could come up with before quickly twisting your hips around and trying to stand up. You were already on your knees when one strong arm wrapped around your neck, and you clawed at it, fearing the enormous strength Phainon seemed to wield with ease. You had no question that he could suffocate you just like that, and the anxiety raised some panic inside you. 

Soft lips fell at the spot behind your ear, slowly kissing down your neck and making you gasp and shudder. His other hand dropped to your right pec, squeezing at it despite your body being less refined than his. Compared to your average size and looks, Phainon was like a god. Perhaps that's why he thought it was okay to play with your nipple, flicking it with his pointer while you felt the lips at your neck suck your skin into his mouth.

"Don't leave just yet," Phainon muttered against your body. "I finally got you right where I want you."

"I- I'm just an employee, Sir! I can't possibly be what you want!"

"Mhm," a long, thoughtful hum escaped Phainon before you heard his lips smack as they were pulled from your body. "And yet, you are. Always been," he confessed, and you weren't sure if this was a lie like your boss had told you or if you should have felt flattered to be confessed to by the Heir. However, your cock jerked as you listened to him, no less because of all the stimulation you were receiving. 

"And tonight, I finally have you all to myself."

Hand falling from your chest, it drove lower over your stomach. You inhaled sharply at the sensation of his fingers parting so they could wrap around the base of your dick. Jerking your hips back, you felt his length press between your ass cheeks, his hot and eager cock twitching as it was greeted by softness. Phainon let out an audible breath before he chuckled, allowing you to feel every inch of him by rubbing his cock against your butt. Simultaneously, his pointer and thumb created a circle around your own sex, stroking it up and down slowly. 

You two fell into a rhythm of stroking and rubbing, Phainon's kisses returning to the nape of your neck, together with his hot breath and wet tongue. The arm around your neck kept holding you up, choking you a little every time he pressed you forward with a push of his hips, and you gasped, making Phainon's breath shudder every time as if your voice aroused him. Soon enough, your cock was up and ready again, although you felt exhausted after all the work that day and having already spent yourself all over the hero. 

But when you felt the next orgasm built, making you snap your own hips forward into Phainon's hand, he suddenly let go of your cock, leaving it to pound helplessly into the air. "You're already ready again," Phainon teased, and you bit your lip, holding back the frustration. Suddenly, he let go of you, pulling away and leaving you to catch your balance until you found yourself on all fours this time. Your dick was twitching between your legs, upset about not finishing what Phainon had started.

But before you could come to your senses and use the chance to leave, Phainon was back, his legs on either side of your body as he got down on your level. Next thing you knew, something slimy dripped onto your butt, running off the curve and into your crack. Alarmed, you looked back, watching as a focused Phainon poured some liquid out of a golden pitcher, letting it run over his hand and thoroughly coating it in the thick substances. When he looked up again, he smiled again, assuring you, "No worries, I prepared for this."

Then, he slipped his hand between your cheeks, his middle finger pushing against your hole. Realizing that he was preparing you for penetration, you gasped, immediately trying to crawl away, but Phainon was quicker. He laughed as you squirmed, calling out, "Not so fast!" as he grabbed your ankle with his free hand, pulling you back on the first step and into the bath. The water was a treacherous accomplice, trying to soothe you with its warmth and calming effects, but as his finger slipped inside you, there was no calm to be found in you. 

"Wait!" you yelled, pushing back against the arm whose finger penetrated you with your own hand, but you didn't have the strength to fight him. The lube he used had some form of relaxant in it, making it easier to stretch you. You mewled up as he pushed another and a third finger into you, undoubtedly preparing you for his cock's girth. 

"You're ready," Phainon let you know as you breathed heavily, his fingers stirring up your insides mercilessly. When you came to serve him food and drinks, you didn't think you'd end up being assaulted. Yet here you were, at his mercy, as he placed the tip of his cock against your hole, pressing against it over and over until he was frotting the lotion and coating himself in it. You opened your mouth to protest one more time when he finally decided to go for it, his entire tip slipping inside you, spreading you to a never-before achieved level of width. No scream escaped you as he pushed himself further into you, the only sounds around being the bubbling of water and Phainon's groans. 

"That's it," Phainon purred. "Take it like you were made for me."

Even without looking back, you knew he had managed to lodge his entire shaft inside. Your cheeks were spread, and his balls pressed against your ass. You could barely endure it, your vision blurry with a mix of tears and seeing stars. Phainon had yet to move, but there was no guarantee he wouldn't knock the breath from your lungs with one deep pound, making you faint like you had anticipated his cock would. 

Grunting, Phainon slowly pulled back out of your hole that clung to him tightly, all the lube being absorbed to ease your pain. However, instead of knocking you out cold, your whole body sprung to life as he pushed into you. In an instant, you were overcome by fear, panic, pain, and the desire to get away, but with the next push, you were left a moaning mess, rolling your hips in an attempt to adjust to his thickness penetrating you. 

Steadily, the pace increased, and your body took every push with delightful pleasure that made you almost forget that you didn't want any of this. Phainon's arms soon snaked around your torso, helping you back on your knees and pressing your back against his chest, your body molding into his. You listened to his grunts, trying not to admit your own sounds of pleasure as he plowed into you, hugging you tighter and tighter.

You could feel his cock swell inside you, the signs of arousal all there, even on your own body. This was not how you imagined your first private meeting with the Chrysos Heir to go. This wasn't the kind and heroic person he had been made out to be by everyone. If anything, he was an animal in heat, forcing your head back and to the side. 

"Look at me," he murmured while continuing to fuck his shaft into you mercilessly. Licking his tongue over your lips, you sighed as his dick pressed against your sensitive spot once again, giving Phainon enough time to capture your mouth with his, kissing you deeply while holding you painfully close against him. Not even a piece of paper could have fit between you two. You could feel gravity pulling you down on his cock even when he stopped moving, accommodating your second orgasm and allowing it to spill on the pristine floors of the bath freely. You not only had disgraced the Chrysos Heir now with your juices, but also your workplace. Even wiped up, you'd never forget your cum glistening on the stone. 

Phainon sighed as your body spasmed, wrapping tightly around his cock in waves of pleasure. Your brain felt muddy, the orgasms in quick successions taking their toll on you as you allowed your body to be laid back down on the ground next to your spurts of jizz that seemed to taunt you for your easily influenceable mind. Deep inside, you knew this was wrong, but after two ejaculations, you didn't have the strength to resist him anymore. 

Instead, you mewled, feeling Phainon's cock twitch inside you, still ready and eager to come himself. You met his eyes, a victorious grin on his lips as he watched you. Your reflection looked well-fucked and dazed, and you were, moaning softly as Phainon pressed down on you, imprisoning you between the ground and him. His hands fell to your thighs, picking them up and pressing them forward, and you whimpered as it allowed his cock to bury even deeper. You knew instinctively that when Phainon undoubtedly filled you with all his cum, he wanted it to be at the deepest point, the one that would drive you absolutely insane. And it was, every roll of his hips making you shudder and cry out from the overstimulation. 

His mouth found yours once more in a mix of hot breath and drool, the kiss so intense it felt like you were melting. Both of you had worked up quite a bit of sweat, too, your bodies slipping against each other as your ass was fucked raw. "Mhm, S-Sir…" you moaned, his body threatening to bury you beneath it as he kept pressing himself against you more and more. 

"P-Phainon. My name is Phainon," he replied, grasping for breath himself but smiling from ear to ear as if telling you that made him extremely happy. As if you didn't already know his name. Then again, he seemed disappointed when you asked him if you two knew each other, so introducing himself felt like a step forward in your non-existent relationship. 

"Phainon…" you called out to him awkwardly, intending to tell him to stop as you simply couldn't take it anymore. However, it had the opposite effect, his cock twitching inside you, causing you to clamp up. Both of you turned into a mess of gasps and moans, and instead of stopping, Phainon picked up the pace. You could tell he was close, and he placed his arms on either side of your head, plowing into you thoughtlessly. His whole body enveloped you, chest now closer to your face than his head as Phainon readied himself to fill you with his cum. Salty skin rubbed against your lips, and you caught a whiff of his natural scent mixed with the gentle aroma of the baths. 

He smelled almost like metal, which wasn't surprising for a trained warrior like him. The sharp iron mixed with the salt of his sweat, and there was a faint trace of your cum left, everything about Phainon smelling so manly. His smell was everywhere, on his arms to your sides and chest above you. Perhaps with his scent points on his neck and wrists so close, it was unavoidable for you to inhale it deeply. He was all around you, there was no escaping this man.

After tasting it for the first time, you found yourself craving more of this strange combo. Without thinking, you let your tongue out of your mouth, dragging it over his pecs until you hit his nipples. Unexpectedly, it was the straw that broke the camel's neck for Phainon, the sensation of you licking him making his eyes go wide as his voice got caught in his throat, a strained groan all that he could produce. Next thing you felt was the hot spill of his seed inside you, the fluids sloshing against the walls of your bowels.

Moaning loudly, your body forced itself against Phainon's. Even in the state of pure bliss, he managed to catch you with one arm, supporting you like a true gentleman as you grew slack, while he filled you up with his jizz. You two ended up in a messy tangle, and you couldn't think straight as he hugged you, cock still balls-deep inside your hole, kissing the side of your face. 

"You did great," he praised you. "I knew it was going to be good, but I could have never expected it to be this amazing."

When Phainon finally lifted himself off you, air stormed back into your lungs, clearing your head somewhat. Your feet curled up, legs trying to close, and you whimpered as his cock slowly pulled out, unplugging you so that spurts of white jizz left you violently. You felt utterly disgusted, semen, sweat, and lube clinging to you, but at least it was over. Tears rose in your eyes as you realized what Phainon had done. You wouldn't even be able to tell anyone, as no one would believe you that he had assaulted you.

Everything hurt as you forced yourself to move. Cum kept dripping down your legs as you stood up, taking a few weak steps and picking up your discarded underwear. All you wanted was to get away and never come back. Try to forget what happened and wash yourself until you were rid of the memories Phainon had left on your body. You'd need time to heal from all of this and especially to come to terms with the fact that your body obeyed and accepted his malice so easily. Everything from your body to the image you had of the hero was utterly defiled, and you felt so, so dirty. 

"Where are you going?" Phainon asked chipperly, and before you knew it, he had picked you up from behind. In all your self-pity, you had totally forgotten about him still being here. About the weird behavior he displayed and how strangely he spoke to you. This time, you used your nails to cling to him, wanting to give him just a little bit of the pain he had caused you. 

"Let me down!" you protested, your voice hoarse after all the moaning, but Phainon didn't listen. Instead, he carried you back into the bath, sitting down on the bench with you on his lap. You could feel his cock still hard and twitching between your legs, especially when Phainon moved forward, reaching for something behind you. You managed to stifle a moan, barely. It only needed a brief rub against his length for your body to shudder, remembering all of the abuse you had suffered. And yet, sitting in the warm, soothing bath made your body tingle in anticipation, almost as if you wanted more.

"Here, drink," Phainon chimed, pushing one of the glasses into your hands. It was filled to the brim with a liquid, and with horror, you realized it was the expensive beverage you had brought up here. Hesitating, you held it in your hands, glancing sideways towards your escape route, the elevator still waiting there for you like you had left it. 

Taking a swig of his own cup, Phainon tipped against yours, urging you silently. You hated the authority he had over you, but spilling the drink could give him more reason to blackmail you if he told everyone you poured some of it into the baths. Not risking it, you took a quick sip of it into your mouth, swallowing it eagerly as your body demanded more hydration. It tasted sweet and delicious and felt so good after what you had endured. 

"Want some fruit, too?" Phainon asked as he watched you drink. His free hand had found its way to your thigh again, kneading it softly. When you finally put your cup down, you noticed the fond sparkle in his eyes, his muscles completely relaxed. Part of you had assumed he'd treat you like a quick stress relief and throw you out the second he was done with his fun. However, he seemed content taking care of you after fucking you against your will. Unconcerned, that's what he was—the complete opposite of you.

"Why?" you whispered, still so many questions on your mind.

"Well, fruits have vitamins and are very good to regain some energy–"

"Why did you do this to me?"

Phainon shut up the second you interrupted him. Placing his cup down, he took a deep breath before facing you with a smile again, wrapping his arms around your waist leisurely. "I'm a warrior, I can't afford to have everything I want. So I had to choose, and I want you. I've wanted you ever since I first came to this place. It has always been you that I looked for in the crowds, and still, I can't take my eyes off you. I want you. I need you. And now, I don't think I can part with you ever again."

"That's… But I–"

Reaching behind you, Phainon picked an apple from the platter you had served him, biting into it as he listened to your stutter. That guy had no worries, it seemed, casually dropping a confession as if it was the easiest thing to say. Maybe after already making you familiar with his massive cock, he got a bit ahead of himself, thinking that everything had a price. 

"I am not a whore," you protested firmly, standing up for yourself for probably the first time that night. "You can't just ask for me and then force me to have sex with you! We don't even know each other!"

The sound of apple crunching began to annoy you as he kept eating while you spoke your mind. Only when you tried to get up and away from him did you get resistance, his hands grabbing your sides, pressing you back down on top of his lap. 

"You're not my whore," he relented, and you thought you saw a splash of disappointment in his eyes, only angering you further. "I was hoping you'd be my lover."

"I'll never be with someone who treats people like he wants, not even caring about their feelings."

"That's fine."

Phainon's gaze was focused as he said that, his voice unwavering. The response was too quick, too calculated. His fingers gripped tighter into your flesh, and you took a sharp breath to suppress the pain. Something about him had shifted; he felt… cold. Undeterred. As if he was about to make a necessary sacrifice.

But just as quickly, his smile returned, and he pushed the apple into your mouth, muffling your complaints. 

"Eat it. You'll need the strength for the next round," he announced, setting you down beside him before getting up and stepping in front of you. His cock bopped right in your line of sight, a clear indication of what he wanted next, considering he was ready to go again. 

"What?! No!" you yelled, throwing the apple away. Despite the awkward position, you moved to slip past Phainon, but he gripped you by the hair, pulling you back. You hissed in pain, only distracted when you felt his glans poke against your cheek, his entire length sliding up your face. 

"If I'm not the one you want to be with, I just have to become someone you won't want to leave, right? I can do that," Phainon announced, appearing to be proud of his deduction. You felt a shiver run through your body as you realized you were utterly overpowered. Before you stood a Chrysos Heir, known for his strength, stamina, and aptitude. And apparently, you were the enemy he needed to subdue, no matter how long it would take. 

The sweet, kind Phainon was actually… a psycho. 

"Please…" you whimpered softly, tears filling your eyes. "I don't want that."

"You'll get used to it. "We have all night, just us two. It's a dream come true, isn't it?"

Phainon smiled at you, gently cupping your face with his other hand, rubbing his thumb over your cheek comfortingly. But before you could even utter a reply, he rested his hand beneath your jaw, pinching into both your cheeks and forcing you to open wide. 

"Don't worry, sweetheart. I'll do everything in my power to make you love me."

[paradoxcase]

There's no problem whatsoever with someone calling something a "holy grail" in a spec-fic story unless you insist on claiming that everyone in the spec-fic story is speaking modern English. Otherwise, it's just a translation from whatever they really said. Making a specific reference to None Pizza With Left Beef could technically be a translation, but it would have to be something really involved, and honestly it's just much more interesting worldbuilding to make up an in-universe reference and use that instead. (This paragraph isn't about the Locked Tomb specifically, I'm just spelling out here what the fundamental difference is between referencing the holy grail versus referencing None Pizza With Left Beef.)

But when we look at the Locked Tomb specifically, your point about the holy grail also reveals that assuming the characters are speaking modern English introduces a lot of issues that other spec-fic doesn't have to deal with. Sure, we can say that all of these phrases came from John. But Abigail never knew John, nor did many of the other characters in this story. A major theme of Gideon the Ninth is that almost no one has ever seen him or interacted with him. Sure, I guess you could say that Augustine somehow passed this down to the Fifth House, but like exactly how much time did Augustine spend teaching his House about English figures of speech and the whole Western Canon, and does it actually make character sense for that to have happened? This is even setting aside the whole idea that John has somehow stopped language from changing for ten thousand years during which he only interacted with a handful of other people.

Look, I love this series, but please let's stop pretending that its linguistic worldbuilding is somehow secretly brilliant for whatever reason. It is demonstratively the weakest thing about the series. The series does not have to be perfect to be enjoyable, or even to be really deep in certain respects, which it is. Let's appreciate it for the things it does really well, instead of writing posts praising it for things it does really badly.

I keep seeing people complaining about the memes in TLT as some kind of crappy authorial impingement on the narrative.

And I do get why they might feel like that when you're suddenly getting nerfed by 'none Houses, left grief' in the middle of John being Awful.

But I've yet to see anyone complain about Abigail calling something unique "a holy grail", despite the fact that surely this is also a jarring thing for an evil space necromancer to be casually using as a reference point.

Obviously the inclusion of the memes is a choice on Tamsyn Muir's part. But they very much have meaning in universe: the thing about every single person in this society casually referencing Tumblr memes from the 20-teens is that can only come from one place: the man who ended the world those memes came from, but hangs onto them as a little esoteric connection. And 10,000 years of his shitty little jokes and unexplained references filtering out into the society he created mean that Harrow can sarcastically talk about how Gideon "studied the blade" or Ianthe can reference SNL as easily as Abigail can name check the holy grail.

In retrospect, "none Houses, left grief" sits alongside "how many babies died in the bomb, Gaius?" as part of the chilling trail of breadcrumbs towards the realisation of what John Gaius is, what he did, and just how awfully casual he is about it.

[glitter-stained]

The thing you need to remember about comics ages and timelines is that yeah it's messy there are retcons at stuff and it will never be clear and perfect. But also, DC has an interest portraying age the way they do. They have an interest in aging Barbara down so she can be Dick's pretty girlfriend with whom he raises a cute dog (and maybe a cute little family next perhaps?). They have an interest in trying to keep Tim young and draw him younger than he looks so they can milk his Robin's popularity for as long as possible. They have an interest in drawing Jason to make him look 40 when Bruce slits his throat, to make him look like a grown man fighting a teenager when fighting Mia even though they're the same age (though i mantain that mia is a little bit older), in having him call Tim kid even though they're the same age, in having him offer Tim a drink and Tim pointing out he's not legal when Jason isn't either. They have an interest in Jason looking older in Jim Aparo's art style in ADITF than he looked in precrisis or in 308. They have an interest in Steph magically looking older in War Games, where she gets tortured and brutally murdered, than the fun colourful round and much more youthful art from her Robin run. There are probably many more examples but bottom line it's not fucking innocent. DC knows how to hire artists that know how to draw children it's really not that hard. Characters who look young, characters who remind you that they are young, create more empathy; which is good when you want the public to continue to root for them, and bad when those characters challenge the status quo or that excess of empathy might create pushback after you decide to have them brutally murdered. DC can't have Batman grievously wounding and causing the death of his underage son, but if he looks as old as Batman? DC can't have Jason making a valid point about vigilantism being unsafe for Mia and relating with her with childhood sexual abuse subtext because it makes the heroes (and especially Batman) look bad, but if it looks like this is a grown ass man harassing a teenage girl, then it's clear who is the villain, it's okay, no problem. DC needs Barbara to be younger so the power dynamic between her and Dick fits their idea of a perfect little nuclear family much better and they can shove Barbara back into the role of Batgirl even though she is very much a girl rather than a woman. DC needs Steph to look older when she's tortured so they can be edgy without people being too horrified at them doing something horrifying, DC needs Jason and Steph to look older on the day they die because young looking= innocent which makes it so much harder to victim-blame. DC needs Mia to look younger than Jason so they can make it look like the good old "good victim/bad victim" dichotomy and even though that's not what the story is actually about, regardless of how much it disrespects Mia's character to do so. DC needs Jason to look ugly because it's harder to empathize with ugly people and it makes it so much clearer who is the bad guy and who is the good one, and it's a much easier dichotomy, so much more comfortable than challenging the whole mythos around which Batman is built. DC needs Barbara to be sexy in their traditional male-gaze way, because this is the audience they're trying to appeal to.

So like, I know that I'm nit-picking when I say "actually according to any and all logic Jason is younger than Tim by a couple of months and than Mia by around three years". Or when I say "they should bring back Dickbabs' old age difference" or even interact with Dickbabs as if they still have that difference and refuse to interact with Tom Taylor's version of the ship. I know comics are incoherent and the timeline is messy; but just because it's messy, just because it's always been, doesn't mean it's innocent. So I'm gonna keep nitpicking, and I'm gonna stay an annoying bitch, because I refuse to allow comics to manipulate me out of my empathy. And because I don't see everything and am very aware of how easy it is to be manipulated even when you're careful, I encourage you to add to this with things you've noticed whether it's in portrayal or in art about character age, appearance, or any other device they might use to manipulate our perception of the characters -and what narrative these resorts serve.

[elainsgirl]

For so long, antis have had the confidence of believing that they were the loudest and most popular side of this ship war. They were the majority therefore had influence on the fandom, sharing their takes and interpretations which have led to lots of misinformation and misunderstandings within. Simply put, they were confident. And it was easy to amplify this confidence as for 3 years the acotar fandom has been given close to nothing by Mass, therefore no one to challenge their takes and opinions.

yet 4 years later its changing.

You have Sjm in the Today show talking about the idea of rejected mates and the agency surrounding that concept which only applies to elucien, the mating bond questioned twice within acotar. Not a good look for eluciens as they’ve been claiming that Sjm is a “fated” mates author and wouldn’t consider a rejected mates trope. You have multiple, credible articles such as E! coming out with the idea of Elains book being next, Sjm’s ACOTAR special editions reprinting the Feysand bonus which talked & focused on Elain partially - none of that supports what Gwynriel have been claiming for years. That Azriels book is next. Sjm posting “guilty as sin” on her story - a song that describes elriel perfectly. And what did gwynriels do? Try to twist the song for their own ship but it failed to happen bcs everyone knows the concept of guilty as sin doesnt suit gwynriel at all. Azriel questioning the cauldron…him in HOFAS being right there when it was confirmed the cauldron had in fact been corrupted.

Gwynriel and Elucien are so popular yet…companies don’t acknowledge them. They interact with elriels. Comment under elriel videos. Support elriel. Yet not their ships and whilst they can swear up and down how it doesn’t matter to them and means nothing - it says so much that the loudest part of this fandom is being ignored by those on the outside.

We are close to an announcement. Whether that happens next month, 3 months or even 7 months from now yet nothing has reinforced the idea of elucien/gwynriel. No credible announcements. Nothing Sjm has wrote, posted or talked about. In fact, now more then ever - antis are constantly being challenged more boldly for their takes. Being called out on how illogical and flawed their arguements are, even by casual readers.

Antis rlly placed their faith in those who allowed their biased opinions to influence the text and what they took from it. They placed their faith in a ship where the two characters are not canon LIs, how crazy is that? They placed their faith in a ship where the bond has been questioned. Where the author has done nothing to develop them.

instead of placing their faith in two characters who want each other and follow the same pattern/parallel as other canon couples.

[ooooo-mcyt]

I have also been thinking a lot about DDVAU Scar's general perception of mutants.

We see in the most recent chapter that Hot Guy is willing to weaponize mutant discrimination if it's beneficial to his job in some way, but we don't get much indication of how he personally thinks of mutants- of course, I'd ague that the distinction between "willing to utilize prejudice for personal benefit" and "actually holds prejudiced sentiments as an individual" is functionally pedantic when it comes to interpreting actual harm. But from a character analysis perspective, I'm still very much interested in what DDVAU Scar's actual thought processes and internal biases are.

And I think our biggest indication of how Scar thinks of mutants comes from how he interacts with Tango in the Mother Spore chapters, specifically this scene;

Scar is outwardly friendly with Tango during this chapter. He's respectful enough toward him and even calls his powers "cool" in the beginning of the chapter and thanks Tango profusely in the end, telling him he's an amazing person.

But.

Scar also immediately assumes that Tango's dangerous, on some level. Not necessarily that Tango has ill intentions, but that Tango must be capable of harm, at least, because he's a mutant, and because he "looks dangerous" to Scar. Scar doesn't ask about Tango's powers beforehand, he doesn't feel the need to, Scar assumes a threat automatically (or asset, in this situation, but the potential for a threat)

"Why did they take you out of labs?"

When we saw this from Grian and Jimmy's perspective, it was viewed as inherently unfair. Grian and Jimmy are both disturbed by the decision to take Tango out of labs- Jimmy views it as a reason to work harder to deal with mutant discrimination in their workplace, Grian views it as more evidence it's dangerous to tell anyone about their mutant identities. Tango is unfairly punished because of the perception that he might be inherently dangerous somehow. When we see this from the perspective of other characters who are mutants, this is a disturbing thing.

But Scar, at the very least, seems to see some validity in it. We don't know how Scar actually feels about Tango being limited to theoretical classes, but whether he supports the decision or not, I think it's telling that Scar didn't even feel the need to question the baseline assumption involved that Tango could, at least theoretically, be dangerous. This wasn't an assumption Scar felt the need to question, he took at face value that what happened to Tango was a matter of safety rather than solely prejudice.

Which..of course he does. DDVAU Scar may not be overtly hostile toward mutants (..usually..), but he's part of the Emerald Soldiers, he's probably been fed enough propaganda to last a lifetime. As friendly as he acts, he has internalized the idea that mutants are a potential (albeit not always active) threat, and that measures to control them are to some extent justifiable, or at least understandable.

(which very much may have influenced how he treated grian in the most recent chapter too- how scar could stand to blackmail the victim of a recent attack in their hospital room. because grian's not just his friendly coworker anymore, now grian's a mutant, one who illegally lied about this fact, which scar is likely very much primed to view uncharitably because he's a cop and is actively responsible for enforcing these laws which are in fact very harmful to mutants.)

[mikuchan]

Notes and thoughts on my Araj Oblodra tag dive. This one is long.

Everyone loves an evil woman (unless she's mean, and a woman).

Oh boy! I started Araj because I'm too busy lately to keep tackling Orin or any of the DA tags, so I thought I'd bang out some ~100-tag characters. With only 122 English language works, Araj has a pretty small tag that manages to be an unsurprising but illuminating facet of the BG3 fandom experience.

Like I said on the infographic, 85% of works tagging Araj also tag Astarion; going further with that, in over half (59%) of works tagging Araj Oblodra, she is only in the story to act antagonististically towards Astarion. The criteria for this was: Araj seeking Astarion's blood in an impolite/creepy/pushy way, hurting people close to Astarion, or treating him in any kind of rude, demeaning, or abusive manner; and she has no separate interactions or plot points.

This number jumps to 71% when mistags are removed.

Over a third of her works total specifically follow her exact canonical in-game role.

I divided her tag presence into 5 roles because of this: Main, Side, Minor, Mistag, and Canon Antagonist. In Canon Antag works, whether she appears for a single scene or an entire fic, Araj does not deviate from canon. She says her game lines verbatim, and if/when Tav attacks her later, she does not have any further unique dialogue or actions except for like, dying on the ground. If she deviates from canon in any way, this shifts her role into main, side, or minor. (Here is a deeper explanation of how I sort roles.)

Of all the fics tagging Araj, an alarming amount go on to have her screamed at and assaulted. She's choked, stabbed, sliced, beheaded, dismembered, grabbed by the collar and spat at, called a bitch in all caps. I get it, kind of -- it's fun to imagine how you or your Tav would confront a bully, and Araj is distinctly a bully. But it's a little jarring when we consider how few other characters receive this treatment.

Lady Esther, for comparison, is a nearly identical character: a selfish merchant who profiles and belittles a companion while making a dehumanizing request. There are four works total tagging Esther on AO3. One of these involves her crimes against Lae'zel. (so for Lae'zel, that's 1 anti-merchant fic per ~6k works)

Lann Tarv, the bugbear merchant found in Moonrise Towers, is also similar: offering a material deal in exchange for triggering a companion's past traumas. There are two fics tagging Lann Tarv on AO3; one of these is about him and Karlach. (so for Karlach, that's 1 per ~8k works)

For Astarion, who is tagged in 21,817 English language works, there's 1 anti-Araj fic per ~300 works -- over twenty times the rate of those mentioned above.

So what makes Araj so different? Why do Astarion fans care so deeply about her?

This is rhetorical. We know why Araj receives this kind of hate and backlash while others go ignored or enjoyed. She's not a woman hurting other women like Esther, Viconia, or Orin do; and she's not an abusive man, like Cazador, Raphael, Gortash, Ketheric, Lann Tarv. Instead she's committed the cardinal sin of being a woman who is mean to a hot white guy, so she deserves to be called a bitch and kicked until she spits up blood and dies -- or at the least, used as a mean little stage-prop for someone else's growth. No further character exploration needed.

I'm not arguing that Araj Oblodra is this misunderstood character who deserves only love and cinnamon buns. I'm also not saying we need to coddle her because she's ~just a girl~ or something. She's a self-serving merchant who dehumanizes and triggers Astarion, and isn't apologetic about it. She'll give you a potion to make you explosive. She's got some sketchy experiments going on.

But she's also like...not that worse than a lot of other characters in the game. She's not even really worse than Astarion himself, who is also nasty to a lot of people (he's funny, but he's an asshole); also iffy about consent (just bites you in the night); is not apologetic about chunks of his past (the Gur, their kids); and is equally self-serving at times (wanting to ascend despite the blood toll).

I'm not saying Astarion is some awful, irredeemable character, either. Both he and Araj are complex characters operating within their own unique set of morals, seeking personal power to right past wrongs and traumas.

Together they paint a good picture of the problems in the BG3 fandom, and really, fandom as a whole. The martyrdom of a hot white blorbo guy; the demonization of a woman; the often-female OC swooping in to uphold this status quo; the relative fixation on the whole melodramatic scenario.

I'm sure some people will disagree. Before you do, stop!

Do not tell me about how your Tav is super deep and well-written and so it's actually really feminist of her to kill Araj for her vampire lover. Awesome for you. Take that energy and write something about Lady Esther, and then we'll talk.

The rest of Araj's stats were pretty predictable. She leans hard towards Explicit and Mature ratings, which isn't surprising. I like the ones where she and Minthara interact, always fun to see drow from different Houses working together (or against each other!). I also like the idea of Araj x Aurelia, the tiefling vampire spawn.

[wakayrd]

Question for your Theater AU!

How do you think an ecounter between canon Sif and you AU Sif would go.

By Acts for clarification.

I feel like Canon Sif MAY have a disaociative episode during later Acts if they were suddenly droped into a theater that confirms his growing detatchment towards his family, but what about you?

This was an interesting ask that immediately had my thoughts racing. I was thinking about where in the timeline was Curtain Call Siffrin when this sort of interaction was happening? And then on top of that how would it be different if it was multiple interactions each act? How would it be better / worse if it was not just Curtain Call Siffrin but the rest of the crew? Curtain Call Siffrin spends a lot of time at the theatre “alone”, once they got his own code into the theatre. Luckily the theatre owner Euphrasie is very kind about wandering souls like that, and doesn’t mind as long as Siffrin isn’t bringing in others from outside the company into the theatre (for insurance reasons) or using any power tools / doing activities that you shouldn’t be alone for. Euphrasie isn’t at the theatre often anyhow, so it’s a lovely quiet place to do whatever. It’d be so funny to have Siffrin show up then, but also just as fun if it was during a rehearsal. In terms of when in my timeline, it’s going to be exactly where I’ve been sitting so… in certain ways, Curtain Call Siffrin is going to seem a bit clueless. But isn’t it nice to be that way? It all makes me go teehee… I’ve written out my thoughts of what I would think would happen depending on the Act if Siffrin showed up at the theatre. Spoilers for the whole game ahead- and 2hats! This is a long post btw but there's art too so I hope it's all worth it? I tried my best to capture what I thought would happen but I am still trying to understand the characters and how they'd react so if you have different ideas about how certain things would happen feel free to let me know!

CC Siffrin = Curtain Call Siffrin Spirit = Spirit Of The Theatre (aka Loop in the theatre)

ACT 1

Siffrin isn’t that perturbed being there other than a typical “why am I here? Why is there another Siffrin here? What is all of this?” I imagine. It’s one of the lightest interactions compared to the other acts. It’s just a nice bonding moment between Siffrins- especially if this is before the crunch of the rock there isn’t much reason for there to be an issue or any worries other than "well I need to go back to fight the king with my friends" but Siffrin likely assumes this is a dream. Assuming that there isn’t hostility when they’re both like “??? hello?” I imagine they would talk about plays that have happened, where they are in their lives and the people that they know- allies, friends, whatever-you-want-to-call-them. A good time. We all know Siffrins need a good time and that’s this.

ACT 2

Siffrin is a bit thrown off by the fact that they’re in a theatre. From my memory Siffrin hasn’t really slipped that much into referring to their timeloops as a stage / theatre in Act 2, so it feels calming to be somewhere that they kinda enjoy- it’s a time to think about “huh, maybe I can see a play eventually after we defeat the king”. Meeting CC Siffrin is quite a shock. They exchange a bit of their stories. Siffrin tells CC Siffrin about the time loops and while CC Siffrin cannot relate, they do kinda offer his support to them. Siffrin asks to hear about the next play they’re putting on. If they see the rest of the crew, I imagine it’s bittersweet. It’s nice to know they’re happy and don’t have to deal with the King in another universe. … If they see Spirit, they call out to them. Spirit is a bit shocked, and obviously isn’t Siffrin’s Loop. They quickly dismiss the new Siffrin and tell them that they’re not who Siffrin thinks they are!

No art for Act 2... I just couldn't come up with anything. SORRY!

ACT 3 + 4

… Teehee. I’m only combining 3 and 4 because my brain is always foggy on where exactly it switches but I am pretty sure it’s after Bonnie… yeah. Still! They’re both pretty similar.

Act 3 and 4 Siffrin is where we start to see the dread and panic. At first, Siffrin thinks that the stage before them is a dream. When they see…. Themselves come onto the stage (because CC Siffrin was working on something backstage when he heard someone out there), reasonably Siffrin felt nauseous. It takes a long while for the air to clear between the two- if the others are there I can imagine it’s worse because Siffrin could have very well walked into a rehearsal. It’s kinda funny, in an awful way- walking into carbon copies of people you love, you love them so so so much- reciting lines knowingly and laughing as they flub up or accidentally go a bit off script. Siffrin hates it.

Either way, Act 3 and 4 Siffrin is not mentally okay enough for all this. It feels good to not be in the presence of the group- if anything, hanging out on the catwalks and pretending they’re a distant observer of this group of people makes it easier but also way way too familiar. Siffrin and CC Siffrin probably talk a bit- I can imagine it’s not easy for Siffrin, so CC Siffrin tries to fill the space with some things. Siffrin often zones out on him. If it’s intentional or not, CC Siffrin doesn’t know. Siffrin interacting with Spirit comes off a bit more desperate. Maybe this version of Loop can help them surely, surely the situation isn’t as impossible as it feels- but Spirit is uncomfortable. They kinda hate that this Siffrin knows that their existence is tied to the idea of time loops in some way! They’re quick to inform Siffrin that they’re not whomever he thinks they are- they cannot help.

ACT 5

Uh oh. Siffrin hates it. Hates every second of it. The only reason they vaguely keep up pleasantries with CC Siffrin is because maybe then they can get back to where they were away from these fakes, if they’re nice. He doesn't even want to think about why they're in this theatre or what happened for him to end up here. It’s so awkward because everything that rolls off of Siffrin’s tongue feels wrong. CC Siffrin quickly realizes that Siffrin really isn’t doing good, but thinks anything that he tries to do won’t help. It's kinda this internal "oh this guy is not okay" for CC Siffrin.

Siffrin just wants to get back. So they can defeat the King and get out of here. They hate the theatre. They HATE it. They want out. They probably dissociate for a majority of the time they’re at the theatre. Get them out of this blinding play! It’s worse if the others are there- there’s a longing there, a want to get to talk to them even if they’re not their family but they feel absolutely vile seeing them in this setting. It’s very much a “don’t look at me ever but also hug me so tight you crush me” I imagine. They need to get back, they're so close to getting out of these time loops! They don’t want to talk to Spirit. Can’t trust them.

ACT 6 

Still the same feeling of apprehension. When they see another version of themselves, it’s a bit of confusion but also the shock of seeing another him throws them back into reality. The two Siffrins talk for a bit about what's going on, which definitely tells Siffrin that the theatre is an OKAY place to be right now, and that everything is fine. He’s still a bit shaky about it, and is trying not to think too hard about it.

Siffrin retelling the story of where they’re from to CC Siffrin would be fun- CC Siffrin just sits there with wide eyes, it does feel like something out of one of the plays they know. Siffrin brings up nothing about the wishes. They exchange little stories, tell Siffrin about how they’ve been helping out with the theatre and that it’s been very nice to get to know everyone. Siffrin finds CC Siffrin a bit endearing, in the way that they clearly enjoy working with everyone and haven’t been tortured by their own wish like they have. It’s honestly fun and really cute to hear about how Odile is a stage manager, Isabeau and Mirabelle act most of the plays and how Bonnie helps out with snacks. If Siffrin does happen to bring up wishes, they get interrupted by someone clearing their (nonexistent) throat- Spirit.

The moment they spot Spirit they’re hit with another wave of confusion- I imagine the Siffrins are sitting on the stage, and Spirit is above on the catwalk. It's this long moment of silence- to break it, CC Siffrin explains that Spirit is the Spirit of the Theatre, and that nobody else knows they’re there. Siffrin and Spirit lock eyes, and Spirit shakes their head slightly at them. No. Don’t talk about it.

Siffrin requests to speak to Spirit alone. CC Siffrin is a bit confused by it, but obliges. Maybe this person means a lot to Siffrin. He goes off- they’re actually going to grab something for the two of them to eat because Siffrin looks like they should eat.

The conversation between Spirit and Siffrin is tense and awkward. I wrote an approximation of what I think would happen here (pardon my writing I haven't written fanfiction in years. I'm still trying to get a grasp on the characters personally... but I am trying my best). Siffrin probably comes clean right away about- “I know who you are, Spirit. At least, I do if you’re the same as the version from my world.” “...” “Do I need to say it?” “... No.” “...Is this er, this version of Siffrin” with a gesture below to the stage “aware of the time loops? They certainly don’t act like he is.”

“They haven’t started yet.”

“.... oh. How long, until…?”

“I have 10 more months to figure out how to stop him from ever suggesting that play, making that blinding wish and hurting everyone.”

“Stars…Well, we have some time to think about it. Maybe I was sent here to… help?” They spend a bit talking about Siffrin’s experience and how his wish was what caused this time loop to happen, and how they got out of the loops by talking to their friends- their family. Spirit can’t hide the anger they have. Clearly, this was a solution they never thought of.

Siffrin is a bit understanding. They explain what Loop was to them, and how he was saved by them and their help. That they can’t release the burden that Spirit is under and can’t relieve the pain they’ll go through, but they understand vaguely what Spirit may be feeling now that they know the truth about their Loop.

Siffrin does wonder why Spirit doesn't want to tell CC Siffrin about wishes at all, but if Spirit is trying to prevent him from making a wish in the first place, perhaps telling them about it isn't a good idea. “Thank you for being here, Spirit.”

“Well I don’t believe I can actually leave the theatre, so the thanks is mute-”

“Still, you may not hear it properly from your Siffrin, but I see what you’re doing and I want to say thank you.”

"I haven't done anything yet." "But you will, so thank you."

“...”

“...”

“...You know, my understudy believes I’m actually a spirit. They think I have no physical form at all. It’s kind of amusing.” “But then how do you keep the hat on?” “I guess he hasn’t thought that far.” They laugh about it. Some tension has been relieved. They talk a bit more about how the loops happen in the theatre (Spoilers! teehee.) Honestly it’s the most seen and real Spirit has ever felt. There doesn’t need to be a justification or explanation for their existence, and they’re with someone who understands as much as they need to without having to do the icky vulnerable part of it all. They're ignoring the jealousy for now that's rooted in them over the sheer bliss of being seen. Teehee. ACT 6 Siffrin is the most cathartic of them all to me. Plus, Spirit deserves it! I also tried using a new pen for the art and while i miss my bold lines, i think I really like this one more... I may experiment more with it all :)

[caligvlasaqvarivm]

if youre still doing classpect discussion im curious as to what you think a Rogue of Rage would do { i have some ideas already but wanna hear from more people }

class = character arc and starting circumstances, aspect = base personality traits and what's considered heroic/unheroic for this character

Rogues are rebels - they feel injustice deep in their bones, and start the game with a sense of discomfort towards the status quo, an innate understanding of the flaws in the system. Nepeta is the only troll to outright say that blood color shouldn't matter, and Roxy is the most vengeful towards the batterwitch, and characterized by going out of her way to support her community of oppressed carapacians. Rufioh, too, was motivated to defect from society entirely, taking up with the Lost Weeaboos out in the woods.

However, this rebelliousness is unfocused. The Rogue knows that something must be changed, but not specifically what; they know they must rebel, but not specifically how. This is reflected in their abilities: while Rogues do have generic abilities from their aspect, like Nepeta's ability to sniff out motivations and romantic feelings amongst her team, or Roxy's ability to turn invisible and wink out of existence, they have difficulty understanding how to tap into even that much, not to mention the greater abilities of their classpect. Rogues often suffer from failure to start, as Nepeta never really got to learn about Heart, Rufioh never really seemed to figure out Breath, and Roxy's arc featured a very long struggle to make Void usable.

Worse than that, however, is that Rogues often become rebels without a cause - they'll break taboos and stick it to "the man" in ways that become actively detrimental to themselves and the team, purely because their sheer rebellious energy must find some sort of outlet. Rufioh cheated on his girlfriend for an extended period of time, Nepeta refusing to listen to Equius's orders to stay hidden and safe leads directly to her death, and Roxy nearly blows Jane up with a fake copy of SBURB in an attempt to make her not play the game, and stick it to the Condy.

However, if their team is able to provide them with direction and clarity, Rogues become a powerful tool in their arsenal. The passive counterpart to Thieves, they excel at allowing others to utilize their aspect, and the specific way they interact with their aspect is to "steal" it. Where a Thief's theft leaves its target debuffed in that aspect - Vriska stealing luck from an underling makes it fall off a cliff to its presumable death - a Rogue's theft actually leaves its target buffed - Roxy stealing the nonexistence from things allows them to spontaneously come into existence.

This powerset is complicated and subversive, just like the Rogue's natural tendency toward rebellion, and requires a helpful party to guide the Rogue's intentions. If they're able to master their abilities, and gain clarity on how to change the systems they know are injust, they become incomparably flexible - possessing an infinite toolbox at their disposal, capable of cracking any lock, solving any puzzle, fixing any problem.

Rage, meanwhile, is perhaps the most enigmatic ability, with secrets and riddles literally being a part of its domain. Void is something of a red herring, in that regard; though the comic often calls it difficult to understand, we see it in use quite often, and can pretty easily derive the shared traits among its players. Void's domain, then, is actually simplicity, pleasure, vice, and sexuality - it deals with many taboos and unspoken things, like substance use and abuse, fetishes, so on and so on - but not really with secrets.

No, secrets are the domain of Rage, as they're practically Kurloz's whole schtick. Moreover, Rage is the opposite of Hope, something a little more well-explored, and between the heroes of all three, and Hussie's words from the book commentary, an understanding of Rage can emerge from the ether.

Something interesting to note about aspect is that the character being at a low point in their character arc practically always concides with them exhibiting inverted aspect character traits. Rose at her lowest is a dumb, sloppy drunk - with intellect being associated with Light, and vice being associated with Void. It isn't that their aspect flips, but that the aspects are set up to be yin and yang, equals and opposites along the same axis, and the dereliction of one comes to resemble the other at its worst. Thus, you can derive some understanding of Rage by knowing that its opposite is Hope, and also, by knowing that Hope players at their worst will often resemble Rage players and its worst traits.

Hope players are, as a rule, shameless. Eridan literally seems incapable of noticing how stupid and embarrassing he comes across as, and phrases his requests as demands, including, at times, to date him. Eridan's our most Hope-y Hope player, being a Prince, and therefore running at an overabundance of his aspect. Cronus is more lowkey, but he's shameless too, hitting on Mituna and Meenah without an iota of self-respect. Jake is a Page, and therefore running at a deficit of some of his aspect's better traits (he's wishy-washy, compared to Hope's usual focus on conviction and faith), but one of its worse traits that he has in excess is shamelessness - shamelessly ghosting Dirk, asking Erisolsprite for advice, whining at Jane over and over, on her damn birthday.

This naked and shameless sincerity - often to the point of embarrassment, and paired with unwavering faith and conviction - suits Hope very well, as Hope is described by Hussie in the book commentary as "a force that defines reality, used to snatch personal meaning from the jaws of a cynical reality". Hope, he explains, literally makes fake things real; Eridan's "white science" is literally just magic given a name he's more comfortable with, and his belief in it turns it into something very real, and very deadly, and Jake makes Brain Ghost Dirk real, which baffles Aranea - a Light player. According to Hussie, it's also "framed as the most fundamentally powerful aspect", and it's consistently seen in the comic as being able to completely no-sell any greater forces of reality - Eridan overcoming Sollux's eye beams, which even the Ahab's Crosshairs, described as the strongest weapon his specibus will allow, couldn't do, or Jake's turbohealed Hope field completely no-selling Jade's Green Sun powers and later, really fucking up a god tiered Caliborn.

Thus, it stands to reason that Rage players are secretive and self-conscious, and this holds true for both of them. Kurloz is noted multiple times to have a deep fondness for riddles and secrets, and Gamzee, too, has a penchant for being sneaky. Gamzee has always been more lucid than he lets on, his internal narration during his introduction showcasing an awareness that his friends don't really like him much, and he lies twice about being "scared" of someone in order to suit his own purposes - one time to keep Eridan from providing Karkat with emotional support after Sollux dies, because it's implied that Gamzee has a palecrush on Karkat, and one time to keep Vriska out of his horn pile, because he doesn't like her.

Shame, in fact, seems to be a defining attribute of Rage - the main thing we get to hear about Kurloz before his Prince meltdown - so, presumably, while he's at an overabundance of Rage - is being so ashamed of deafening Meulin that he takes the drastic action of sewing his own mouth shut and taking a vow of silence. Moreover, Gamzee's crisis of faith is ultimately shadowed by the emotion of shame, as Hussie explains in the book commentary that the reason he reacted so poorly to the ICP Miracles video was that it confronted him with the realization that his entire existence and religion were basically one big joke, an embarrassing parody, and he couldn't deal with the shame. Ultimately, his way of taking revenge is also via totems of fear and shame, with the jester plush in John's dreams causing him to scribble self-loathing, self-shaming comments across his walls. Thus we can derive that Rage encompasses not just shame, but that which is shameful - fear, loathing, embarrassment, and, of course, rage itself. If Void is the domain of that which can't be seen, of taboos and nonexistence, then Rage is the aspect governing that which we don't want others to know about - our fears, our insecurities, our anxieties, our embarrassment.

Both Kurloz and Gamzee later come to be defined by their religious faith and conviction, with Karkat claiming their breakup was due to how unbelievably pious Gamzee became, and Kurloz's faith being paired with shamelessly mind-controlling his girlfriend (and it's implied he's doing the same to Mituna). As characters at their lowest come to resemble the opposite aspect, we can assume that this is a reflection of how they've Raged so hard that they've wrapped around.

In fact, Hussie describes Gamzee's ability to always show up at the right (wrong) time to do the right (wrong) thing in the plot and enforce the worst outcome, "bespoiling" every part of the narrative he touches, as a dark mastery over Rage, the same way that Eridan's fall into hopelessness and his white science is a dark mastery of Hope. He describes Gamzee after his crisis of faith as "taking revenge against the narrative itself". Therefore, we can assume that Rage is an aspect that similarly works directly on the narrative, a force that shapes reality.

Therefore, let me posit that Hope is a transformative ability - it pens in something new, it makes fake things real, it imposes an impossible new status quo over the old. Rage, then, is an interpretive ability - it acts on existing reality, picking out what to emphasize and what to deemphasize, what to bring to the forefront, and what options to close out forever.

These kinds of far-reaching abilities imposed directly on reality itself are not unheard of. The ultimate expression of John's Breath abilities - Breath being the aspect governing freedom and indepenence - is his retcon powers, allowing him to unstick from the control of the alpha timeline, and grant that boon to others. Mages, as a class, act directly on causality itself, predetermining which futures will definitely come to pass.

Rage is a force that defines reality by defining which parts of it we keep, by deciding which parts are "true," by deciding what the past means to us. Both Cronus and Gamzee are bards, meaning they have arcs of religious belief and crises of faiths (with Cronus's Harry Potter prophecy being framed as a religious belief while Meenah and Aranea discuss it). Cronus's faith is some bogus story about an evil wizard he's destined to defeat. Knowing what we do about Hope, it stands to reason that his arc, had he properly completed it, would've ultimately been about using Hope to make the bogus prophecy true.

Gamzee's religious belief, meanwhile, is incredibly open to interpretation - and this is by design. Hussie outright says that who the mirthful messiahs are, and what Gamzee's beliefs correspond to, change over the course of the story, to reflect whatever's convenient for both him and Gamzee. Its initial description in Gamzee's introduction makes it sound like a factual description of SBURB: a band of rowdy minstrels (the players) will usher in an apocalyptic vast honk (the reckoning meteor shower), but will then give rise to a paradise planet that doesn't yet exist (the Ultimate Reward). When Gamzee raps about it to Tavros, which is the first chronological time he ever talks about it, there's an aspect to it that's quite hopeful, specifically that he believes it will equalize the blood castes, as he says "I peeped six trillion hemos, bleeding as equals".

However, after his turn, he describes the mirthful messiahs as "me" and "me," and fully embraces his heritage as a casteist highblood, spewing slurs and casteism as he commands Equius to kneel and calls Karkat a "punchline blooded motherfucker". Later on, it seems the mirthful messiahs become Caliborn and Calliope.

This is, I believe, a reflection of how Rage is interpretive. If Hope can be described as the power of fanfiction - of imposing something fake and new onto reality - then Rage is the power of literary criticism - choosing which version of existing reality you want to be real, and closing out other options.

Thus, to pull it all together, Rage governs shame and shameful things: anger, embarrassment, loathing, hatred, and fear. Its players tend to be secretive and self-conscious, prone to feeling ashamed and embarrassed of themselves, hiding who they really are. They possess an innate, instinctive understanding of how to bend reality to their whims, and their powers work by closing off possibilities, bringing forth a single "true" version of existence. This sounds volatile and dangerous, and it is - Rage players are prone to hopelessness, cynicism, and an overpowering belief that everything must burn. We see this in both Gamzee and Kurloz, who begin to campaign for oblivion, destruction, and death. This utter despair can come with it a faith-like zen, a Hope-esque religious conviction - Rage at its nadir.

It stands to reason, then, that our Hope players at their worst are similarly displaying Rage-esque traits. Jake, I think, makes his the most obvious - after having his self-esteem shattered by Dirk's Prince tirade, Jake takes a very firm stance of "I don't want to do that". He becomes so ashamed of himself and his actions that he can't even bring himself to talk to Jane or Dirk, and his following conversations with Jane and Aranea basically consist of him saying he doesn't WANT to do any of the things they're trying to make him do. Rage and shame, closing possibilities.

Eridan, meanwhile, becomes an angry, vengeful, destructive force of hopelessness, killing Feferi and destroying the matriorb - Rage, hatred, and closing possibilities. Cronus becomes self-conscious, seeking some personal to fill the void left behind by the "massive disappointing fraud" that magic turned out to be - Rage, shame, self-consciousness.

But we must also remember that these emotions are vital sources of energy, wellsprings of power from which revolutions are born. When Princes have their meltdowns, they take their aspect down with them, rendering it inaccessible for the rest of the team; Kurloz nuking rage from his team is likely why they've stagnated, become fixed in place, unable to access hatred (notice how they have no blackroms?), or even be shamed out of bad behavior.

Thus, Rage at its best is revolution. If Rage can pick out a shitty version of reality to endorse, it can pick out a beautiful and kind one. If it can decide that misery, pain, and suffering are deserved and all we're allowed to have, it can also decide that they're injust, and we must fight for a world where they no longer exist. If Rage can perpetuate harm, then it can also safeguard kindness.

And so, a Rogue of Rage takes shape. Between the Rogue's rebelliousness and Rage's dynamic upturning of reality, this is going to be an incredibly volatile individual. This character is likely going to be A Problem for their team. Rogues start out unfocused, and Rage players inflict massive, far-reaching consequences when they act; a Rogue of Rage is going to lash out at the oppressive forces they see - whether those forces deserve it or not - and give them all a Very Bad Time.

However, the balance for this is the Rage player's natural tendency for self-consciousness. While this does get overridden to some extent by the Rogue's rebellious energy, they'll likely be very aware that they don't have all the answers, and don't know what to do, who to fight, how to go about their revolution. What happens from here will depend greatly on if the team is able to offer proper advice.

A Rogue of Rage who receives no guidance will never unlock the greater abilities of their Rogue powerset, and eventually, their natural penchant for rebellion will leave a trail of destruction and closed possibilities in their wake. Again, this character has a high chance of being A Problem for their team.

However, if the Rogue of Rage IS able to get their shit together, then they're going to be one of the greatest classpect combinations at putting a finger on the scales of causality. Possessing Rage abilities by default, they'll be able to steal Rage from others in a manner that buffs them - for example, removing fear, shame, or hesitation from a teammate that needs a forward push, or removing a narrative blockage of some sort. The soft magic system of Homestuck, and especially the way Hope/Rage work directly on the narrative, makes specific expressions of these abilities difficult to describe, but that should give you an idea of what a Rogue of Rage can do.

[your-unfriendlyghost]

I dunno when you're gonna see this but take your time. I just wanted to know your opinion on the musical and if you had to pick a favorite NEW character, who would it be?

Ohhh lord. I’m preemptively sorry for all this. 

  So I haven’t seen the musical, and honestly I don’t plan to. I’m not much of a musical person in general. There’s definitely a place for them, but yk, I’m just not that into theatrical, over the top, song-filled ways of tellin stories…I may be in the school play now, but I’m a movie guy not a theater kid 🥲

  Aside from that (probably small-minded) preference, according to what I’ve picked up from y’all, the musical apparently has done a lotta things with the plot/characters that I’m just not into. I guess I just am not a big fan of the musical’s changes. I understand that it's a different medium, and lets be real I know nothing about musicals, so I’m sure the changes make sense in context, but I dunno…it just feels so different to me, enough so that I’m just not interested in it. Plus I’ve tried listening to the music n I just don’t vibe w/ most of it. 

  >>BUT I did hear the Little Brother song (Daryl Tofa cover I think) tho and that one went pretty damn hard ngl. I do not like the Johnny/Dally lil brother thing, but BOY that song was AMAZING. Really dug it. Very emotional, in a way where I could really feel it. That doesn’t happen to me very often lol.

  Idk tho aside from that I tend to refrain from commenting on the musical because I don’t have a lotta good to say about it, and I just don’t feel like it’s necessary for me to talk about something a bunch of folks like if I’m just gonna be bitchy lol. (Which is why I’m gonna tag this post very minimally lol 😭) Gah idk. Steve Randle and Randy Adderson deserved better. 

More bitchin under the cut, because I have some very silly nitpicks that I know aren’t a big deal, but I keep seeing these things around and they irritate me personally. For stupid personal reasons. It’s totally ok to dig these things/characters I’m just a hater at heart lol. So yk don’t hit the read more if ya don’t wanna see me bein a whiny, petty jerk abt things ya probably like 😭😭

  BEFORE that tho, some things I do like about the musical:

-Marcia looks perfect, no notes. Musical Marcia rocks

-Musical Cherry is also cool, n I dig her fit

-Daryl Tofa seems awesome. I like his Two-Bit, I like his Dally, I like him. I know next to nothing about him, but he was a fantastic casting choice imo. Two-Bit is still Emilio Estevez to me, but Daryl Tofa’s Two-Bit is pretty much perfect too

-Johnny’s fit is cool

-I like that the cast seems to like Marbit :)) 

-The way the cast posts things/interacts w/ the fandom is very endearing :)) I may not give a damn abt any of them really, but it’s fun seein’ y’all freak out abt it. Feels like watching a party from the sidelines in a good way- like I may not understand, but it’s charming and fun to see y’all happy ‘bout it 

-Soda’s actor quoted the “People who stay and people who leave” thing, so I don’t even care much that he’s not how I picture Soda- like he clearly gets Soda n that’s pretty cool

Ok time for the whining

-“Chet” is the name my folks used to say they were naming me before I was born, because they thought it was an awful name and they thought it was funny seeing folks’ reactions. So I’m pretty primed to dislike him by name alone.

-Chet/Soda annoys me, Soda has Steve he doesn’t need some Soc jerk. Y’all have Parry for ur homoerotic Soc x greaser stuff, don’t kill Stevepop man

-Cherrycola is just Marbit but blander 😭

-I also am not fond of cutting Randy?? Like why tf did they cut Randy Adderson?? I liked him a lot in the book/movie, and he really added a lot to the plot in my opinion…But idk, whatever…

-“Trip”- shut up, just LET HIM BE RANDY, HOLY HELL! he could be played COMPLETELY THE SAME just CALL HIM RANDY and I’ll stop being mad about it :,)

-the Dally/Johnny little brother thing…it’s a take, but it’s the most boring take for their characters ever, and I just despise that view of Johnny. Idk if I were him I’d be so pissed, having a friend who’s just a year older than me callin’ me “little brother”. But that’s just me! I definitely see why folks dig it, it’s just not my thing.

-I am probably also personally resentful towards the musical because I couldn’t afford to see it this summer, which just felt very ironic considering the themes about class divide and all. Like great, y’all have fun spending a crap ton of money on a musical about greasers. I’ll spend mine on gas for my car. And food. Whatever. I was in NY this summer too, so Broadway Outsiders straight up haunted me. There were brochures for it in the hotel. We walked past the Jacobs Theater a bunch on the way to restaurants and stuff. The ad for it is in the background of all my selfies in Times Square… Aughhhh I’m bein such a bitch about it ik ik it’s so unfair and so stupidly petty for me to be so irritated about it. I know. I can’t help it. Sue me, I’m not a logical man.

-I do NOT care about Paul. But there’s more like…tension w/ Paul in the musical, so obviously everyone’s latched onto him + Darry. Fine. I just really really don’t care about him, and seeing something I don’t care about constantly is turning neutrality into disdain…which is again such a me problem n I needa just get over it lol. I won’t though. I wish I could.

-Not into the way Dally dies in the musical. It is cool, don’t get me wrong, I love me a good train, but something about the way he died in the book/movie felt more like Dally to me. Idk. There was more plausible deniability or something, like Dally could convince himself he was going down fighting instead of “giving up”. (Kinda crass ik but…so is Dally, man)

-The Socs annoy me. That is so hypocritical since one of my favorite characters is Steve Randle. I know it. I swear I do. But ughhhh I just don’t like hearing about them…I’m so sorry

-Soda shouldn’t be that buff man he really shouldn’t. Also feel like he should be prettier. Jason’s good looking, but not in a very “sensitive” way…TO ME! And that is ridiculously unfair of me lol. Idk Rob Lowe’s Soda is irreplaceable to me I think (I can’t help it he’s my gay awakening) (/J/J/J ISTG)

-I miss Steve’s vest man, it was so tuff. The way it’s cropped in the movie to meet the waistband of his jeans?? The way the collar’s popped?? The fit w/ the tank top underneath?? Genuinely the height of coolness to me. I had a denim vest before watching Outsiders, but after watching it I bought one in the same brand as Steve’s because the fit was so fire man (n it does fit better than my old one lol. IDK what it is abt Lee’s denim, but their jacket makes my shoulders + waist look so much better than my old jacket it’s great) tl;dr I miss Steve’s vest it was my fav Outsiders character

-I don’t r e a l l y care much about Ace…I mean she’s ok, and she does look very cool, but I just wish we were clearer on her…role in the gang, I guess? I dunno (maybe if she was Two’s lil sister it wouldn’t bug me? Like cos he canonically has a little sister?? Or if she was like…Sylvia or smth… but nah she occupies an entirely different role so idk how to feel abt that)

-I don’t like that Steve “travelled here w/ Dally”. Steve is SODA’S BEST FRIEND! THAT’S HIS WHOLE ROLE!

-They shoulda casted me. Look I may not like musicals but I can sing GREAT and it’s frankly appalling that there’s a modern Outsiders adaptation and I don’t get to be part of it. Smh. I’d be a great Steve. I coulda been Steve. Plus I’m Asian so yk. Diversity. (I’m a minor they could not and would not cast me lol this one’s a joke)

-I don’t love the Pony n Johnny as best friends take. I think they became close because of Windrixville, which is just another thing that adds to the tragedy of Johnny dying. That’s a nitpick tho again. It’s not that big a deal :,)

Augh so ik I needa just cope with all of this but y’know…you asked… :,)

Sorry again for all this lol 😭

[insanityclause]

“It’s the fifth play I’ve rehearsed here,” says Tom Hiddleston, looking round a bare, bleak room at a studio space in Southeast London with a broad smile and a surprising amount of pleasure. Hayley Atwell peers past an office desk and a stack of plastic chairs to look out of the window.

“And have you worked over there?” she asks, pointing at the building opposite. “That’s where Cate Blanchett and Tom Burke are doing The Seagull? And next door here, Jonathan Bailey is working on Richard II. That to me is so indicative of the romance of the theatre community. Everyone is doing their thing, but all together in a shared space. I find it so exciting.”

The pair’s enthusiasm is infectious. Both are movie stars who command cinematic franchises. Hiddleston is Loki, the trickster of the Marvel universe. Atwell plays Grace in the two most recent Mission: Impossible films. Yet both seem genuinely excited to be back on stage for the first time since 2019 in a new production of Much Ado About Nothing directed by Jamie Lloyd.

“I feel like I won the lottery,” says Hiddleston. “I absolutely love Loki. I got cast as this extraordinary character, this ancient archetype who represents mischief and chaos and then I get to do this too. What my whole journey through being an actor has taught me is I love it when it’s honest – it’s thrilling to watch and it’s thrilling to play when there is deep commitment in the work.”

He pauses a little. He has already made his mark in Shakespeare, notably as a memorable Coriolanus on stage at the Donmar in 2014, and as Prince Hal in the BBC’s adaptation of the history plays, The Hollow Crown. “If I had good fortune, I’d love to play Shakespeare for the rest of my life. I really love doing it. The plays are so deep, and they contain such wisdom about being alive.”

Atwell is also a fine classical actress, most recently in a devastating production of Ibsen’s Rosmersholm (costarring Burke). But Mission: Impossible has dominated her life for the past five and a half years: she has been combining rehearsals with shooting additional scenes for The Final Reckoning, which comes out in May. As the mercurial Grace – “she’s her own version of an agent of chaos” – she has, like the rest of the Mission: Impossible cast, signed up to do her own stunts. “I’ve brought quite a strong plank into rehearsal,” she laughs.

The actors met in 2002, on their final audition for RADA. “He did this improvised thing called the status game, and I was so impressed by it,” Atwell says, laughing. “And then he got in and I went to Guildhall instead, but because we were peers, there was always this social crossover.”

They stayed in touch, but even though they both appeared in Avengers: Endgame – Atwell as Peggy Carter and Hiddleston as Loki – they have never been on set together or interacted as characters. Planned joint projects have also fallen through. Playing Shakespeare’s warring lovers Benedick and Beatrice in one of his greatest comedies is their first experience of actually sharing a space.

Much Ado About Nothing is one of Shakespeare’s funniest and most resonant comedies. Its story of a group of men returning from war to sunny Messina to party and adapt to civilian life has just about everything: old lovers meeting and rekindling desire; new lovers being torn apart by suspicion and doubt. It is full of great comic set pieces and marked by near tragedy. Hiddleston and Atwell are the latest couple to take on Benedick and Beatrice, following in the footsteps of actors as various as Mark Rylance and Janet McTeer, David Tennant and Catherine Tate and Simon Russell Beale and Zoë Wanamaker.

They are having a good time. “It’s so lovely,” says Atwell, sitting back in her plastic chair. “It’s easy because there’s a lot of trust and a natural shorthand between us. The ice is already broken and so we can just try different things, and I know that if I try something Tom’s going to respond and give me something back.”

“You just dive in,” says Tom, smiling as he interrupts. This is the nature of their conversation; they spill over one another’s words, finishing sentences. It bodes well for their performances as a couple whose surface banter disguises a deep love for one another. “So much of what Benedick and Beatrice do is listen to each other and then use one aspect of what they’ve said and weaponise it. It means as actors we have to be very active in our listening. Every time Tom bats something to me, I have to keep the ball in the air. It’s so exhilarating.”

Atwell rattles on. She is a great and articulate talker. “They are bound by this chemistry that they don’t fully control and are keeping each other at arm’s length because of their fear of being vulnerable with each other.” Hiddleston smiles again before continuing the thought. “It’s genuine magnetism, a very intense attraction. And they think they are the smartest people in the room, until they’re not.”

Rehearsals have been marked by a lot of dancing. Much Ado is set at a family gathering during which a wedding is arranged. “And when old friends get together, people dance,” says Hiddleston. “’90s house music,” chips in Atwell with a grin. “It’s a very different kind of show.”

It sounds like a very Jamie Lloyd style of show. The director is famous for his stripped-back, direct style which is introducing classic plays to new and younger audiences. “The thing I love about him is his courage in honouring the plays. He asks us to engage very deeply and very personally with the material,” says Hiddleston.

The last time Hiddleston worked with Lloyd was in 2019 on a production of Harold Pinter’s Betrayal in London and on Broadway, where he met his now wife Zawe Ashton. “It was an extraordinary life-changing time,” he says. “Hugely resonant. I talk about it every day. There is so much fondness in that experience and we all really enjoyed the work as well.”

Ashton has worked repeatedly with Lloyd down the years. “It feels like family,” Hiddleston adds. “I think really good work can come from this deep friendship. We hold each other to account and keep each other honest in the work. I love it.”

Atwell, who is married to the music producer Ned Wolfgang Kelly, has also collaborated with Lloyd three times. “I think he likes actors as a species,” she says, thoughtfully. “Not every director particularly does. We might be an odd kind of bunch, and we are slippery, mercurial things, playing like children do. He loves that. He wants rehearsals to feel like a playground.”

With that, the couple smile warmly and leave the room. Ready for another day of dancing.

[immi-immi]

The show blatantly favours Team Green, and strips the original Team Black characters of their personality, actions and autonomy.

Other changes:

In the book, Rhaenyra moves to Dragonstone at 16, and fulfils her role as heir by ruling over the island. Rhaenyra conducts affairs over the people that live in the city on Dragonstone, and builds experience that help her once she becomes Queen. Viserys even considers naming her Hand after Lord Lyonel Strong.

In the show, Rhaenyra for some reason stays in Kingslanding despite Alicent abusing her and putting her children in active danger through court gossip. She's afraid of being supplanted as heir despite shirking her main duty as Princess of Dragonstone. Additionally, there seems to be no people on Dragonstone outside those in the castle, so Rhaenyra essentially rules over nothing.

In the book, young Rhaenyra is ''the realm's delight'' and beloved at court. She had many suitors, and was not only present beside Viserys, but was a charming girl. She had many friends of nobility and handmaidens, and was doted on as the King's only child.

In the show, Rhaenyra is frequently isolated from court life, wants to run away from her duties, and is fricative with other nobility. She wants to be a knight and ride into battle, and is hardly with Viserys outside of being his cupbearer. During the hunt during Aegon's second name day, she runs off into the woods after insulting Lady Redwyne.

In the book, Rhaenys is one of Rhaenyra's biggest supporters and helps lead the small council to ensure the Black's win. She has no sympathy for the Greens, and patrols the Gullet with Meleys to ensure the blockade. Rhaenys aligns with Rhaenyra because she knows how it feels to be supplanted on the basis of her gender, and because she made an oath. She additionally was willing to put herself on the front lines and die for the cause.

In the show, Rhaenys not only blames Rhaenyra for the effect of Jaehaerys' death on their cause, but pushes Rhaenyra to forgive Alicent and make peace. She sympathises with Alicent, who started the war, and urges Rhaenyra to sue for peace rather than war - despite being robbed viciously of her right to rule. Rhaenys sympathises with Alicent for being a 'victim' of the patriarchy despite upholding the same system that robbed Rhaenys of her birthright.

In the book, Daemon is fighting completely for Rhaenyra. He went to Harrenhal to get the Riverlands to declare for Rhaenyra and start amassing men to fight for her. It was organised and discussed that he'd go to Harrenhal while Jacaerys and Lucerys went on dragonback carrying Rhaenyra's messages. Daemon leads an assault on Harrenhal and claims it on Caraxes. Daemon has military experience from leading war campaigns, and does not act rashly but calculated.

In the show, Daemon frequently undermines Rhaenyra's power on the Small Council, insults her and chokes her out. He then runs away to Harrenhal in a tantrum as he felt restless being controlled by Rhaenyra. There is no assault, he just walks in and is granted the castle without putting any work. There, he is manipulated by Alys Rivers despite him being immune in the book. He fumbles across making alliances in the Riverlands, and is costing the Blacks valuable time in gaining men.

---------

Additionally, we didn't get even one scene of Jacaerys interacting with Aegon III and Viserys II, whom he sacrificed his life for. Jacaerys fought to save his little brothers, but instead Season 2 decided to drone on and on about the toxic family dynamic of the Greens to invoke sympathy. Giving countless scenes of Alicent and Aegon talking, or Alicent and Otto discussing.

The show emphasises the impact of Jaehaerys on the Blacks and how deeply the Greens are grieving. But only 2 mentions of Lucerys. The boy whose death kickstarted the war. The show calls Rhaenyra the Kinslayer, when it is Aemond who is called that for murdering Lucerys.

The show-runners make the Black council look disorganised and ill prepared for war as they are inactive. The Blacks are making themselves easy targets, while the Greens are portrayed as politically savvy with well-placed attacks and strategies.

Rhaenyra is just a figure head in her council where they don't respect her. While Rhaenyra is portrayed as stunting her own success, Aegon is meant to be empathised with his want for action. It's hypocritical. They continuously emphasise that Rhaenyra is seen as weak while Aegon is simply too enthusiastic.

They removed Jacaerys' efforts in aiding his mother's cause with relatively useless scenes. Making us watch Alicent feeling.... guilty, over her own actions??? Drinking Moon Tea?? Fucking Cole like 3 times?? RHAENYRA SNEAKING INTO THE CAPITOL TO SEE ALICENT?? It was unnecessary.

I'm gonna be so serious right now, every time I see someone from Team Green say that the show- "favors team black" -I just wanna ask what fucking show they're watching and if they can send it to me.

This ridiculous show has taken like 75% of the shit that happens in the books and either changed it or completely omitted it, all to either make TG seem more sympathetic or TB look bad.

Want some examples?

----------

In the books, Rhaenyra's sons' legitimacy was questioned, but in all likelihood they were 100% legitimate and the "bastard" rumors were mainly spread/believed by TG and their supporters---Rhaenys even had "dark" hair just like Rhaenyra's sons and, if I remember correctly, Aemma's appearance wasn't described but she had Arryn blood which would lend to the boys' dark hair as well.

In the show, they made her sons definitively bastards (at least by blood) and took away how Rhaenys looked in the book, making her have the stereotypical Targaryen features just to make Rhaenyra look stupid I guess.

In the books, Alicent Hightower was 18 years old and willingly went after Viserys because she---like her father---wanted power and wanted her blood on the throne. Viserys, at the time, was like 27 if I remember correctly.

In the show, Alicent is about 15 and is forced by her father to go after Viserys, who seems to be of about 40-50 years of age.

In the books, Alicent Hightower---a grown woman---had beef with an 8 year old little girl for no reason other than the fact that Viserys wouldn't write her off as heir in order to favor her son.

In the show, Alicent hates Rhaenyra because of childhood best friend drama---they made her and Rhaenyra the same age---and the fact that Rhaenyra didn't tell her about having a one night stand, betrayal yada yada, plus jealousy because Rhaenyra is "free" and Alicent "isn't" (even though they have similar power at the time as queen and princess, Rhaenyra just actually utilizes it).

In the books, Alicent has 0 remorse for Rhaenyra's sons dying and TG quite literally throws a party after Aemond kills Lucerys.

In the show, Alicent sends letters to Rhaenyra apologizing for his death and Aemond killing Luce was apparently an "accident" that he kinda feels bad for.

In the books, Alicent Hightower 100% supported usurping Rhaenyra and did it knowingly---she didn't give a fuck about Viserys wishes, her father didn't do jack shit, she just wanted her son on the throne and put him there.

In the show, apparently Alicent was "manipulated" into the usurpation by her father and really thought that Viserys wanted Aegon as heir---his dying wish or whatever---and she thought all the usurpation talk was just...idk a joke or something- (even though this retcon literally goes against what was established in S1).

In the books, Rhaenyra was said to always be dressed in jewels and fine fabrics, remembered for her beauty and how she adorned herself. Rhaenyra was also said to have had multiple ladies in waiting that she was close friends with, including Laena Velaryon and Harwin Strong's sisters.

In the show, Rhaenyra tends to be dressed in plainer or just downright ugly clothes and her femininity is stripped away, meanwhile Alicent Hightower is the one the showrunners decided to give the beautiful detailed gowns to and they allowed her to be feminine. Also all of Rhaenyra's female friendships were removed and tossed in the trashcan so that Alicent was her only friend.

In the books, Daemon really did love Laena as well as Baela and Rhaena. Daemon fought for Laena's hand and literally begged Viserys to let him present his daughters at court.

In the show, Daemon doesn't give a fuck about Laena or his daughters and the few scenes that were filmed that show Daemon being a loving husband/father got cut.

In the books, Rhaenyra, Daemon, and Laena were basically a throuple---they were said to visit each other often, fly their dragons together, and as soon as Rhaenyra heard that Laena was in childbirth she flew all the way to Driftmark to attend to her. After Laena's death both Daemon and Rhaenyra were heartbroken, with Rhaenyra even sitting vigil at Laena's bedside.

In the show, Rhaenyra's relationship with Laena is completely erased. Daemon and Rhaenyra fuck at her funeral.

In the books, Rhaenys is Rhaenyra's number 1 defender and is immediately ready to go to war for her birthright because she understands how she feels and still feels robbed of her own birthright.

In the show, Rhaenys has beef with Rhaenyra when she's a child, criticizes her for going to war when she's older, and only seems like mildly annoyed about not being queen.

In the books, Jeyne Arryn 100% supports Rhaenyra because 1. Arryn on her mothers side and 2. because women need to stick together in this "world of men." Rhaenyra also has support from the majority of the houses and the smallfolk, all said to have marched even after her death to "fight for Viserys' little girl."

In the show, Jeyne Arryn doesn't give a fuck about Rhaenyra and the other houses don't seem to either, Rhaenyra's title as the "Realm's Delight" is apparently just bullshit I guess.

----------

I could go on, but y'all get the point.

The idea that this bullshit "favors Team Black" is ridiculous, and do you wanna know the worst part? They're not even writing the changes well. I think I'd take the changes better if the show were actually written well and fully leaned into them, but instead they're just throwing around half-baked ideas and even going back on things that they already established in their own show!

I mean Alicent was 100% down with usurpation in S1, but in S2 apparently she didn't know? Be so fucking serious 💀

This show is just trying to make money off of some stupid- "choose your side" -marketing scheme and the writing is suffering for it, plus it's just changing the story into something completely different. If they wanted to change it this much then they should've just made an original show or something, because this is getting ridiculous.

[acmeangel]

I’ll say it with my full chest: Bertholdt is equally as complex—if not more—as any other character in AoT and people only see him as ‘boring’ or ‘just there’ because he is quiet.

In a show full of natural born leaders, those who act without hesitation, who speak their minds loudly and impassioned, it’s easy for a quiet character to be seen as unimportant. But this couldn’t be further from the truth.

Bertholdt’s quiet demeanor is not to be mistaken with simplicity—to me, he is a textbook overthinker, riddled with conflicting thoughts, growing fears, and guilt that remains firmly planted in his mind, taking root there and growing out of control.

As someone who is quiet and meek by nature, it’s not surprising that Bertholdt grows into this nervous, indecisive person—he’s been a warrior since he was a child, an immense weight placed on his shoulders, the burden of being someone able to cause mass destruction with ease.

He’s been used as a weapon, constantly told what to do by others; he can master any skill better than most others, but lacks the power to do anything with those skills until he’s told.

He knows that if he is obedient, if he does what he is told is right, that he will be able to save his sick father, become an honorary Marleyan, and have some semblance of peace and safety. To him, at this point, he can be someone who defeats evil if he stays on the right path.

But, this becomes less simple as Bertholdt becomes wracked with guilt as he grows more and more aware of the truths of the world and the war he’s been forced to fight in; one that is not against evil, but driven by fear and hate.

We see it from one of his first ever interactions—when he uses the hanged man’s story as his own cover story when he speaks to Eren and Armin for the first time. Sure, he was trying to blend in, but he could’ve just as easily made something up.

That story had actually been weighing heavily on him, when he reveals that he’d been having recurring nightmares about it and asks Reiner in private why that man would bother telling that story just to later hang himself.

The thought is brushed aside rather quickly, but this gives us a look into Bertholdt’s mind and personality; someone battling inner turmoil, someone who contemplates what it means to have agency over life and death, someone who grapples with guilt.

He likely believed that the man wanted to be judged for his actions, to feel the weight of his guilt, before taking his own life; just as Bertholdt already felt the guilt of his actions in destroying Shiganshina and subconsciously was likely seeking out judgment and consequence. His sleeping position even matches The Hanged Man tarot card.

Later, we see Bertholdt’s guilt, emotions, and inactions reach a boiling point that compromises the warriors’ mission. He lets Armin use his feelings toward Annie as leverage to distract him, and he has a breakdown as he confesses to his friends in the Scouts that he hates what he’s done, that he genuinely does consider them friends, and that he wants to pay for what he’s done.

He knows that it was because of him that Eren ended up getting away, that he’d be the reason that Reiner and Annie would continue being in danger in Paradis, their mission now prolonged—his guilt only continues to build.

Moments before the return to Shiganshina, Zeke and Reiner had both told him that he needs to begin acting on his own, Reiner even going so far as to call him unreliable.

As someone who relies on the people he cares about and seeks direction from them, hearing that his own friends and comrades actually doubt his abilities and reliability would shake him to his core.

This interaction surely made him steel himself, made him push down his emotions, made him act. It made him put on a mask of apathy toward the Scouts, his friends, and nihilism toward the world around him, and play a role.

(Not to mention, Bertholdt has now seen Reiner—this person who was seen as weak, who was never even meant to be a warrior in the first place—grow into an actionable leader, and I can only imagine that would make his own self-doubts grow.)

I think when he transformed into the Colossal, part of him also genuinely did want it all to end, there, no matter the consequences. Reiner was too injured at that point to be the leader; it was his one, final chance to prove himself, to show that he is capable of doing something.

And I believe, too, that he was a terrified kid who just wanted the fighting to end—knowing that if it didn’t happen there, it would happen eventually, after more and more death and destruction.

He knows these people, his so-called enemies aren’t devils, aren’t evil, and don’t deserve death simply for being born on the opposite side of a war, but they have to die to prevent further bloodshed and catastrophe.

He knows the world is a cruel place, and there’s no changing it. He’s one of the first people to acknowledge that both sides are just doing what they think is the right thing, and if that’s the case, then the “right thing” ceases to exist. There are no devils; there are simply two sides and the hatred that fuels them.

There was no other way out this time—he couldn’t crumble under the weight of his guilt and risk compromising their mission again, for the sake of Reiner, for the sake of Annie, for the sake of his father, for the sake of everyone. He’d already done that before, and he couldn’t do it again—his true nature, to him, was nothing but a weakness.

He’d been fighting for his whole life, had seen and done unimaginable things that tormented him, had learned truths about the world that shattered what he’d been taught since childhood, and he knew that one way or another, things were going to play out in a horrific, gruesome way.

And at that moment, he accepted it because he had no other choice.

You could see his behavior in his last moments as true apathy—but I don’t. I see it as a terrified, exhausted, guilt-riddled kid living in a painfully cruel world, wanting to make it all stop and knowing that a peaceful outcome was never going to happen, that the cycles of hatred never cease.

I see it as him putting on a metaphorical armor to push past his own fears, guilts, and powerlessness.

And in his death, you see him return to his true self, his true nature—a timid, scared, lost and lonely boy, reaching out for the help of his friends…

[lets-try-some-writing]

I am GENUINELY gobsmacked that you 1. Reblogged that post about femininity being butchered in Transformers and 2. AGREED WITH A DECENT CHUNK OF IT???? That lady is a fucking tradcath, and her VERY misogynistic views are in blatant display? Like this line here?

Women naturally desire to be caretakers and mothers?? Are you KIDDING ME? This isn't even getting to her weird disgust at Arachnid looking "nonbinary" which is frankly a whole can of worms I don't want to get too into. But that does lead into my next point that the op of post is also a proud "pro anti-lgbt". they're catholic so like. Not surprised. And puts their comments on "looking nonbinary" in a different light

I'm frankly disappointed you would entertain this post at all, let alone reblog it and spread it.

I totally understand where you are coming from, but I think you are being excessively hostile. You can disagree and do this lovely thing called scrolling or blocking if you don't like what someone has to say. You define your online experience.

That said, I enjoy seeing different perspectives on things and looking into those views when I can. That doesn't mean I have to completely agree with what someone says to find value in the discussion they are trying to have. As I have previously stated, the OP's post was shared with me through messages. I read it and found there to be value in the analysis of Elita-One and Airachnid's changes in character over the years. That doesn’t mean I support the OP’s broader beliefs and ideas/statements. I reblogged the OP's analysis because I saw something of worth in the comparisons between G1, TFP, and TF1.

As a side note: if we refuse to consider ideas just because of who said them, we miss out on chances to learn or otherwise solidify our stances. Growth requires exposure to different perspectives, even uncomfortable ones.

This is my blog. I'll look into and engage with posts that interest me and I don't need yours or anyone else's permission to do so. If you believe that interacting with and considering something from someone you disapprove of is inherently wrong, that can read a lot like you being pro-censorship. And even if I did agree with OP on certain things, that still wouldn’t affect whether or not the analysis itself had some merit. The idea that someone’s thoughts and opinions should be totally disregarded because of their personal beliefs is a very shallow way to engage with media.

I'm sure you meant all this in good faith, but I would encourage you to take time to rationalize before resorting to outrage. I see a thousand posts on here daily that I disagree with on a spiritual level. But I am not going after those who reblog them just because I personally find it to be wrong in some capacity. This is the internet. People will have things to say that you don't like and that's fine. It's part of the experience.

Still, I appreciate you taking the time to share your perspective, and I hope you take care of yourself as well.

[wyfy-meltdown]

LORE

LORE PLASE PLEASE LORE

PLEASE LORE ON UR FAN UNITS PLEASE

BEGGING SCREAMING CRYING SHAKING PLEASE LORE

IT CAN BE THE MOST SMALLEST CRUMB EVER BUT PLS PJSK FAN UNIT LORE PLEASE

WHAT ARE THE THEMES (like idols, band, etc.??)

I NEED NAMES AND ARE ANY OF THEM HEAVILY AFFILIATED WITH PJSK OG CHARACTERS?!?!

PLEASEPLEASEPLEASEPLEASEPLEASEPLEASEPLEASEPLEASEPLEASEPLEASEPLEASEPLEASE

OKOKOK. PREPARE YOURSELF.

So the three fanunits are CR×SS COUNTDOWN, Syndr∞memime, and HOLOMAGORIA. C×C and S∞M were made at the same time so they have the same level of development, but HMGR was made a couple months after so it doesn't have as much work!!!

I'm always too shy to do canon character interactions so there are no og character affiliations!!! All of the characters go to an oc school called "Asakura Highschool" so I can have more freedom with the way the school works >:DD!!!

ALSO, the way SEKAI's work in this is that the SEKAI is formed from the unit leader's feelings and other people can enter and exit the SEKAI at will (so long as they "belong" in the eyes of the unit leader).

OK NOW THE UIITS AND CHARACTERS!!!

CR×SS COUNTDOWN

C×C as a whole is meant to be a band (except only one of them has any experience in the performance department), but it's mainly just a friend group most of the time. Their SEKAI is Junkyard SEKAI, which was made from the unit leader's (Towa's) desire to be free and rebel (and also his self loathing caused by years of people calling him "trash" and other variations of that)

The unit leader is Towa Miura, an aspiring rapper and rockstar! He's somewhat of a mix between Tsukasa Tenma and An Shirashi (but with none of the talent) personality wise, as he's very... He's got a bad case of "main character syndrome". He's very obsessed with becoming popular and unique and paving his own way in life, which is influenced by the bullying he's been through and his parents' nastiness (although he very much denies having any trauma or problems whatsoever and insists he's not been affected by this stuff at all). As previously mentioned, he actually really sucks and has no skill when it comes to actually being a rockstar (singing, dancing, rapping, writing lyrics, ect) but he's trying really hard and having a very fun time! His skill lies in his determination and his belief in other people; C×C getting together story is the dumbest thing I've ever written(/pos), and C×C was assembled through sheer force of will on his part. Boyfailure. Emoji: 🔥

The second person to join is Kotora Sasaya, whose only here because Towa stalked him for a week and then did a really shitty rap outside his house at 3am. Kotora is very much an introvert who doesn't really care about other people and things like success, he just kinda does his own thing. Towa recruited him because quote "he's a cool aloof guy! That's exactly what a band needs!", and he prefers to work on background things (audio mixing, mv creation, ect). He means well but he also has a really terrible way of showing people he cares and trying to help people (which has caused several problems but also works sometimes); he unfortunately learned how to make friends from Towa which means he just pissed people off until they try to kill him, which shockingly worked twice. He's very deadpan and doesn't show his emotions much but he's also a major prankster who likes to say confusing things just to catch people off guard. He's very smart but plays dumb just for funsies. Emoji: 🐅

The third member is Ayataka Daimon, who just got out of juvie and who just wants to have fun with friends! He's a very intimidating and scary looking guy despite his best efforts not to be, as he's very physically imposing and also has really bad social skills. He tends to yell all the time and also his love language is fighting (bad combo) and also he's like 6'5 (makes things worse for him). He's actually a very friendly and social person with a very big heart, but all his attempts to make friends come off as bullying (like what happened with Takane). Due to his time in juvie, he's dedicated himself to having as much fun as possible now that he's out: he's enjoying learning new skills, making friends, and decorating things (dying his hair, painting his room, ect). Emoji: 🍰

The final member to join is Takane Sunagawa (rip yellow text), who is kinda like a second unit leader (like An or Mafuyu). Takane's the only one with any experience (he's a major weeb hikikomori who spent his year in isolation learning how to sing and dance to Hatsune Miku music) in performance, so he's the one who teaches the others how to actually achieve their dream of becoming a proper band. Takane is the most troubled of the members at the start of their story (and also technically the reason that C×C was properly formed), as he went back to school after self-isolating for a year due to an incident that happened at the end of grade nine that he felt responsible for (it's major for three characters so I'm going to talk about it separately and later) and then immediately paniced upon seeing both Ayataka and Shiki (the two others involved in the incident) and tries to drop out again, prompting Towa to try and smooth things over so that Takane can come to school and join his band. He's very anxious and quite shy, but he gets better with help! Emoji: 🍋

The story of C×C is that all the members lowkey hate themselves and help eachother to get more confident and to make their own place in life. After the initial awkwardness between Takane's whole everything, Kotora hating everyone, and Ayataka and Towa lacking any skills, they become a very tightnit group of friends with the best relationship with eachother amoung the fan units! Unit emoji: ❌

Syndr∞memime

S∞M is a support group except none of these people are qualified to give support to eachother because they can't even support themselves (they try though!). The best way to describe the feeling that created the Manor SEKAI is "hatred" and boy do these kids have a lot of hatred! The unit leader (Shiki) initially has the most hatred in the group, but comes to have basically no hatred which is what made him realise that he has a lot more problems than he thought.

Shiki Kikumori is the unit leader, and the best way to describe him is "a weird guy". He enjoys coming off as "mysterious" and "unnapproachably cool" except nobody approaches him because they think he's a major weirdo and also he won't stop cryptically talking about revenge. He pretends to be secretive, except he's very much an open book and it's quite easy to tell what he's feeling and thinking (if he doesn't outright go into a monologue about it). The target of his hatred is Ayataka, because Ayataka stabbed out his eye and got him sent to boarding school around a year ago. He spends the first half of his story scheming to destroy Ayataka after finding out he's at Asakura too, only to discover the whole thing was a major misunderstanding on literally everyone's part, and then having a small emo crisis. He acts a lot smarter and cooler than he is, but he's not really fooling anyone. He's also really bad at posing and always stands like a jojo character. Emoji: 🦋/👁️

Ikuro Suzui is the second member and the most put together at the start, worst put together as time goes on. He presents himself as a "non-person" where he doesn't have any strong opinions or emotions (other than joy) and mirrors how other people think and feel (he gets better though!). He's generally very friendly and outgoing (to a somewhat unnatural extent), and always surrounds himself with other people and tries to make friends. He's very much a romantic at heart and the type of person to fall in love with anyone whose remotely nice to him. He seems quite confident but he's actually very insecure (especially when it comes to relationships), so he tries really hard to people-please. He somewhat micromanages S∞M's support group idea because he sincerely wants to make the other members happy, but Meguru especially supports him and makes sure he doesn't take on too much. Emoji: 🐳

Member three is Momoka Nomura, who is quite complicated. She's similar to Takane in the sense that she's the most troubled of the S∞M members. Momoka has a bad reputation for having an explosive temper and being very difficult to get along with, so she didn't have any friends before S∞M and struggles a lot to maintain relationships. She sincerely WANTS to have friends and to connect with others, but she tends to explode over minor things too often and self sabotage all her relationships (and self sabotage in general). Aside from her loneliness, she also has very bad depression and often has suicidal thoughts: she finds it nearly impossible to look on the bright side of things and is prone to excessive worrying. With the help of her friends in S∞M she's able to better manage her emotions and thoughts, and she's able to make friends outside of S∞M (Ayataka, Rikoto, Anzu). She enjoys costume design and sewing, so she makes lots of outfits for S∞M and her other friends. Emoji: 🌸

The final member of S∞M is Meguru Tsuchiko, student council president and top student of Asakura Highschool whose using S∞M to help let out her emotions and stress. In public she's very well-put together: a model student whose kind and helpful, excelling in her studies and in extracurriculars, and beloved and praised by teachers. However, underneath that perfect persona is a regular highschooler who just wants to express herself and relax a bit. She has a good understanding of "what's healthy and what's not", so she's the most professional when it comes to helping the other S∞M members. She's a lot more serious and downbeat than her public persona, but she tends to express her emotions more freely that way. She's a huge fan of metal music and music in general, so she was the one that suggested the group take advantage of SEKAI to let out their feelings through music. Emoji: 🎩/🪄

As what I'm pretty sure you could tell, all of S∞M's members have a lot of emotional problems. They all help eachother work through their respective issuses and to become happier with life. They're the most... Tumultuous, group relationship wise (following Ikuro3 and Shiki2/3 especially), but nonetheless they stick together and grow from eachother. Unit emoji: ♾️

HOLOMAGORIA

(No unit logo yet sadly)

HMGR as mentioned previously has the least amount of development. The theme of the unit is "fairytales", and their SEKAI is Storybook SEKAI (it would've been more fitting to call it "Wonderland SEKAI" because of the unit leader's Alice In Wonderland theme but that's already taken), which is basically a big mystical library! Much like C×C, the unit leader's goal is to become a famous music star and the group is focused on music production. Where they differ is that HMGR is more similar to Nightcord where the members post music anonymously online.

Tokino Amanai is the unit leader. She's very passionate about music and has a very idealistic view on life; she very much believes in "happy endings" and that all villains are friends you don't understand yet. That being said, she is absolutely and utterly terrified by people and the world in general, and can hardly manage to speak let alone sing. She mapped out the entire school year of days that she'd need to go in order to pass so that she can spend as little time at school as she can. Her ultimate goal is to become an idol, but her lack of confidence holds her back alot so she formed HMGR with Rikoto to gain confidence and experience. Emoji: 🐇/♣️

Rikoto Matsunari is almost a secondary unit leader, and very important to the story of HMGR. She's the leader of the Asakura cooking club, and a very kind and energetic girl who takes 0 shit from anyone. She vowes to help Tokino achieve her dream of becoming an idol at any cost, suggested the two form HMGR (so Tokino wasn't publishing music alone), and suggested anonymously posting music online under a fake name. She's somewhat of the "face" of the group, as she's the one who does most of the management and networking work. She's very dependable and well-liked amoung her fellow students and has a lot of friends. She is the lesbian of all time. Emoji: 🍫

Anzu Kuboniwa is the third member and also very... If she were an official character in Proseka she'd be widely hated and demonized is how I'd describe it. To rip off the bandaid, she's the main cause for Ikuro's issues. She joined HMGR because she thought it'd be a good way to get attention/to be loved, but gradually comes to genuinely enjoy making music and love the other HMGR members. She's a very confident and a strong willed person who gets into arguments often: she doesn't tolerate anyone speaking ill and isn't afraid to voice her opinions at all. She's generally very playful and somewhat mischievous. Emoji: [none yet]

Here's where things get complicated. You remember how I said earlier that HMGR isn't very developed? Yeah so the fourth member is the biggest issue when it comes to that. And by that I mean the fourth member has maybe a name, the color green, and absolutely nothing else. I've been tossing around concepts in my head but unfortunately I haven't landed on something I like, so for now, we're just going to have to skip over her :(.

The story of HMGR is (so far) Tokino working on becoming an idol and the group as a whole making music. Unit emoji: 📖

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And so yeah! That covers it! There's still a lot of story to share and also a lot to work on, but I'm happy with what I've done so far :D!

[verafranks]

Relationships I would’ve preferred to see in Veilguard; {warning, there will be spoilers for the game} [also note that I haven’t finished veilguard yet, Elgar’nan just resurrected his dragon in my playthrough] <also, also note that I don’t necessarily think there should be non-rook relationships for all of these characters, but these are the ones I like better than what we got> {also, also, also note that as I play more of the game, I’m starting to prefer the idea that the Veilguard companions are just one big polycule with Rook in the center and their own complex interactions around that primary relationship}

Bellara and Neve; (I only just got to the funeral part, so Bellara calling them sisters might make this weird, but meh, it’s been in my brain for more than 80 hours, so one line isn’t going to change it any time soon). I think Bellara’s happy go lucky and optimistic personality would be good for Neve, while Neve’s more down to earth and realistic personality would help keep Bellara grounded. I also think it would be easier for Bellara to relocate to Minrathous and still be able to do the things she loves because we all know Neve can’t be pried out of that city for anything short of the end of the world (and even that won’t be enough to impress her a second time).

Lucanis and Emmrich; I love their banter and I hate who they end up with in game if not with Rook. I think Lucanis would do a great job helping Emmrich come to terms with his fear of death and Emmrich is already doing, but could do so much more, with helping Lucanis come to terms with his feelings and what happened to him. Plus, they’d both romance the hell out of each other, and that’s what they both need. Their in game partners are the easy way out for both of them. Neve and Lucanis would never truly open up to each other and neither could leave their city, so their relationship would fizzle out from too much time away and not enough connection (lovers to roommates to nothing). Strife is too hard for Emmrich and wouldn’t be able to be the emotional safe space he needs.

Taash and Davrin (or Lace and Taash and Davrin); I know I’m going to get a lot of heat for this one (no pun intended), but I’m kind of sick of every AFAB non binary or FTM person ending up with a woman because it all boils down to the idea that masculine energy needs feminine energy, which is bullshit. (I also get that someone who is AFAB ending up with a man doesn’t feel like good representation) Don’t get me wrong, Lace and Taash’s relationship is growing on me, but I kind of love Taash and Davrin’s dynamic more. He’s always treated Taash as capable and equal and, as far as I’ve seen, hasn’t had any hang ups about their gender expression. I like that they have monster/dragon hunting in common. I like that they’re similar in personality but different in how the express themselves. I always feel like Taash and Lace are one argument away from crashing out, while I think Davrin would take Taash’s anger in stride, be there while they feel their feelings, and then help them through the other side. NGL though, I’m starting to think the three of them together might be a pretty good relationship dynamic too.

Lace and someone from the Inquisition; I don’t actually have anyone in mind here, but our poor girl Lace misses home. I think she would do well with someone from the Inquisition who can commiserate with her about what happened but still have her experiences be unique. Maybe they came up with the Inquisitor and that’s how it all starts.

Lace and Stalgard; she wants a deeper connection with the dwarves…need I say more? They’d also make the cutest ginger babies!