#{ depending on what we want for the plot; she could either be The Worst or potentially redeemable and just very fucked up and sad KJSHDKJS

[gravesung]

» LAYLA, the burned portrait.

@ruinswandered ( lachlan fletcher. )

SHE'S STARING. IT TAKES HER A MOMENT TO REALIZE THIS. layla sits alone at a windowside table, late afternoon light threading through the loose red waves around her head and shoulders. THE OWLERY is a relatively new coffee shop, so the business has been fast and steady in its first month. she has made it a frequent haunt for the thrill of observing an ever-shifting tide of new faces. this is always how it starts: she skims the periphery, searching for interesting faces and the promise of layered hearts to intercept, pick apart, and ultimately break.

one among the bustling crowd stands out from the droll and predictable rest. calloused hands, a half-hidden scar upon the skull, and perhaps most interestingly, the body language of a warrior. in all of her decades—running on one hundred and fifty years now, though her appearance and mental maturity barely crest twenty-five—layla has not seen someone carry themselves like that in a very long time. consequently, she catches herself staring.

when the stranger's eyes find hers, she holds his gaze for a very long moment. steam rises from her untouched coffee cup. if lachlan's ability to sense supernatural creatures extends as far as her table, then he may be able to pick up on the presence of a selkie.

[jadeazora]

I feel like some of us have that region that isn't "for them", and Galar was DEFINITELY that region to me:

Like, the story was pretty boring thanks to the hyperfixation it had on Gyms. And then when something interesting would happen, Leon would show up and redirect you. I get what they're going for, he's their unbeatable Champion and it's nice he's getting involved with the affairs of his region, but it came at a downside. (I feel like Alder was better since the player still felt relevant to the plot, even tho he was pretty active and involved too.)

Most of the major characters just weren't utilized well, fell flat, or annoyed me (tho there's some I liked, like Sonia, Piers, and Raihan) Like, we FINALLY have a jerk rival after two decades, and he's forced out of the plot midway in (due to his own decisions, but still wanted more with Bede), and I think Marnie only really got as popular as she did because of her design, because she's kinda forgettable personality-wise. 🤷‍♀️ There's way more going on with Piers imo. Hop was ok, but I think they could have done a bit more with him. (Maybe if they had explored him growing up in Leon's shadow more?)

I feel like this is gonna be an unpopular opinion, but I just never vibed with Leon and the way the games and anime shilled him just always rubbed me the wrong way. He's not the worst Champion, that still goes to Diantha, but between how the games just use him to redirect the player and the character-shilling, I just kinda found him annoying. 😔 (I tend to not really like showboaty characters most of the time, tho there's a few exceptions like Alastor. I feel like if they got the charisma to back it up, I might end up liking them, but sometimes, it just comes off as kinda lame instead. Imo, the charisma is there more for anime Leon over the games version.)

The idea of minor League Gyms was neat, but we never really got anything with them until Klara and Avery. Like, we can assume Allister/Melony and Bea/Gordie were minor League depending on what game you play, but in the games they're not Gym Leaders, they don't even appear.

I also hated them forcing me into a Gym Uniform in-game for those battles/League fights. (Let me keep my drip, dammit.)

The villain plots ticked me off. I've already gone after Rose a couple times in this blog, but if the energy crisis had been a few decades away, I could understand the rush and frustration with Leon, but 1000yrs was way too big a window. The Royal Brothers are meant to be annoying and ridiculous, and they definitely hit their mark there.

The box Legendaries were the most boring duo for me (They're not Pokemon I dislike, they're fine. The other box Legends were just cooler. I like the more eldritch Mons tho, so I really loved Eternatus.)

The base game's wild area felt really limited and small once you find your way around. The Crown Tundra's was way better, not to mention Paldea's.

I didn't really care for the Dynamax gimmick. (I've always been a Mega Evolution guy tho. Gigantamax could be cool, I think I just like the alternate forms.)

I will say that the DLC improved quite a bit imo. I liked characters like Peony and Mustard, the exploration was an improvement and the quests were fun, and it was cool seeing the interactions between Gym Leaders and such in the Galarian Star tournament. They also get bonus points for bringing back two of my favorite Pokemon, Volcarona and Magnezone. (I also feel like the Galar-original Mons were pretty good overall, and same with the clothing options.)

But like, by the time we got out of Gen8 and into Paldea for everything (well, the games and the anime anyway, wasn't the biggest JN fan either, I still have to catch up on Adventures), I was so happy. Technical issues with SV aside, I've enjoyed Gen9 a lot more overall.

[ride-thedragon]

A lack of Nuance for Rhaenyra and Criston.

I don't know when this fandom came together for the group agreement that anything that occurred between these two should not be viewed past superficial lenses that draw to the worst possible conclusions for them both, but I didn't sign it.

This fallout is so emotional, bitter, and unfortunate that to only see it within the views of making these characters, the worst versions of themselves is a disservice to one of the better plots the writers wrote.

Their Society

Rhaenyra and Criston exist in the intersections of women and men and princess/heir and knight. The assumption that any necessary conclusion about their dynamic can happen outside of either one of these dynamics leads to really reductive takes. For example, everyone's favorite misinterpretation, their sex scene.

Rhaenyra is a woman. She is the property of her dad and then her husband. She doesn't escape that as heir to the realm. Had Rhaenyra married anyone who didn't care about her or put their explicit permission with her about her virtue, she would've been devalued in that relationship.

Screwing a princess, the heir, especially, is crazy. He put his life at risk doing that. Not to mention him being a Dornish King's Guard. Not only is he expected to be a sexual deviant, but he's sworn an oath to be celibate. So when they do sleep together, he's breaking a sacred oath with the underlying stereotype that he would.

Because he is a man, his consequence would lie solely on him breaking his vow, not with sleeping with Rhaenyra. In one of the craziest hypotheticals I've seen with y'all come up with, if Rhaenyra said Criston assaulted her, he's an oath breaker who deflied a princess and a rapist. She is still viewed as less of a prized bride without her virtue.

Like book Lancel, who says,

"A Frey girl, and not of my choosing, she is not even a maiden."

There is a stigma that virtue makes a girl more or less desirable.

The risk for each of them would never be equal for many reasons, but the risk is still there and does involve consequences. It holds as much risk for each character as it could given their positions.

Our Society

Power imbalance

He knew her at 14, and she chose him to be her protector at 15, and he's been that for her about 4/ 5 years when we see them consumate their relationship. He's older than her and more experienced.

Rhaenyra holds a lot of power as well. As a princess who appointed him to his position, there could have been a sense of obligation or coercing purely based on the what-if consequences if he had said no.

The back and forth in our world is the ability for either party to truly consent, a debate that, although it holds a lot of nuance, y'all can't seem to process past each other. These ideas co exist and make the dynamic interesting.

Emotion

These two are each other's closest companions at this time. Rhaenyra has been formal and frigid towards Alicent, and Criston is her constant company. She's also been on tour to find her husband, with him being her closest confidant.

The escalation of their relationship and denial or regret for either of them after sleeping together has them losing that relationship.

It's an extremely delicate boundary they both risk when they start to sleep together, one that is eventually lost.

The SA Part

I just wanna talk.

Coercing, as I understand it, is the most extreme thing you can say happened between them. You'd still be wrong.

The risk I mentioned earlier applies to both of them. If Criston had turned her away, which he could've done after she kissed him, she would've lost that same emotional dependence.

A breakdown of what happened:

She starts to open her top, he says stop, and she does.

She then starts to take off his glove cuff thing.

She looks at him, raises his head, and kisses him again, something to which he fully responds to and they start doing what they do.

At no point is there a lack of understanding that they could stop. Neither of them want to stop.

Then you say the helmet and door thing before so I'll allow it.

If he took up his helmet and walked out, she wouldn't restrain him. She'd be hurt and rejected, but she would not force him.

He literally takes his cloak from her, contemplates his movement, and lets it go to remove his shoulder pads. The visual language plays into him, choosing desire over honor, not him being forced into something he doesn't want to do.

At no point are the visual, audio, or character actions indicating assault or coercion.

Let it die here, please.

The Incel Accusations

I'm gonna be disrespectful before I'm serious again.

Fabien's mug? Involuntary Celibate? There is no correlation between those two questions.

Stop it. Let's be serious and say it, 5 minutes in a room with Criston, any 1 out of 3, would put an end to those accusations, and I'm tired of y'all acting like it wouldn't.

Words lose meaning all the time, but incel would mean he's a violent misogynist who takes his inability to have sex out on women.

He's might be homophobic (a joke) but he's not a woman abuser. His closest relationship in the show is Alicent, and it was a mutually beneficial decision they came to that to maintain his deeply respected position as a King's Guard, with which he returns to his vow of chosen celibacy.

The one time he uses a slur against a woman, he's trash-talking Rhaenyra with Alicent, saying it and immediately corrects himself with a pause in the conversation, saying it's beneath him.

They are both angry, but he corrects himself for going to a place beneath their conversation, showing that he respects her contribution and their discussions enough to be weary of vulgarity.

Criston, as a character.

Criston, as a character, is loyal, loving, and emotional. We see this with the way Alicent speaks to him, the way he speaks to Rhaenyra, even the conversation with him and Daemon. He's a reactive and emotional man.

We see the darkness in that with Ser Joffrey and Lord Beesburry. With the way we see him holding that grudge against Rhaenyra. We see it with the way he interacts with Rhaenyra's kids through Alicent’s.

Him wanting to run away with her isn't him desperately trying to seek comfort with his abuser.

It's him trying to come to terms with the fact that he's made a big, emotional sacrifice, and he can't justify it within himself.

His proposal doesn't align with her wants, and they fall apart. He's reactive and emotional and blames her. It's still his conflicting beliefs and actions.

He attacks Joffrey because of that. He tries to kill himself because of that. When Alicent finds him, she becomes a beacon in which he can earn forgiveness, away from Rhaenyra and can set the conflict to rest within himself. He chooses the King's Guard.

And he's loyal to that forgiveness to a fault, something Alicent knows, which is why she can vouch on, "with everything you feel for me,".

Is he wrong? Yes, on multiple occasions, but he's allowed to be. He's a flawed character in a flawed society.

Rhaenyra, as a character

I've never seen a character so consciously misrepresented by her fans and detractors. She's either Satan herself or the mother Mary reinvisioned. Let's go over this.

She is entitled. She uses that entitlement to her benefit. She is emotional but logical and plays to her strengths. She also has a dimension of naiveté all throughout her life. She's living to a fault.

Step by step for everything.

She sleeps with Daemon at his wife's funeral

She gains her father's favor in a fight against her maimed brother and disrespected son where she openly acknowledged it.

She let's Rhaenys think that she killed her son to marry Daemon and let him buy into the fire and blood sentiment because she knows him.

She leaves King's Landing for six years and expects her highly contested crown.

Her weakness is always the people she loves. From episode one to episode ten, it is her way. With Alicent, the best example, she always forgives her and always pushes past any ill intent to gain her favor back.

Their Interactions

So we have a spoiled naive princess who loves people entirely, and her companion, whose loyalty she comes to rely on, so much that she risks her reputation with him and who becomes her closest confidante.

She names him a King's Guard and her guard, and they get closer. He's attentive and caring to her, and she's loving and naive.

When they fall apart, he views her for reasons said above as a representation of his temptation and straying from his current path. She used him for her own gain and didn't want their relationship to progress past what he was deeply ashamed and conflicted over.

When they drift apart, he causes a highly dangerous event, killing her husband's lover, creating a bridge in their early marriage that she can't afford to mend with the expectations of her as heir. He abandons her and becomes close to her friend, who even though she reached out to her, still not trusting her. He then completely gave Alicent that loyalty, leaving Rhaenyra alone at a tumultuous and anticipated time in her life, isolated.

Love and Loss

They loved each other. Argue with your family members, and maybe they'll care about your rebuttal, but I don't. They love each other in very similar ways they go on to love the people they truly love.

It was young and emotional and naive, and when it was over, in its place, grows confusion and bitter resentment.

Rhaenyra has to move on for the sake of her kids and new life, but Criston can't because his life now is in opposition to who he used to be, which is symbolized by Rhaenyra.

A fair conclusion

They are characters. Stop being weirdos about them. They are both deeper than y'all, allowing them to be and had a really dynamic place in each other's lives. They are both greatly misrepresented by their sides and foes. And y'all would have a lot more fun if you didn't do that.

[requiemforthestars]

I have so little faith in Bioware that in that paragraph when Epler was talking about the treatment of mages in southern Thedas, my first happy takeaway was being like "oh wow he acknowledged that mages are oppressed!?" That is how dire the situation is.

Anyway, I'm not surprised that Bioware considers that the Circles still exist because I'm 100% sure that Cassandra is the Divine for their canon worldstate, so that tracks (they made it their canon that Alistair was king and then made a whole comic with him in it, not surprising). What I want to know is if there'll be at least mention of her making any of the reforms she talked about provided the players chose her.

In choice-based games with sequels the devs always have to play with the illusion of choice, i.e, making it seem like the player has a choice to do something but then going back to a specific status quo to build from for the next game because not doing that would be too complicated to consider all the potential ramifications. Hence why our choices in the previous games most often show up in the form of ambient dialogue and Codex entries instead of real tangible change in the state of the world.

So, for the mage-templar war, based on the DA:I epilogue slides, if you make Cassandra and Vivienne divines there is always a mention of the mages starting a new College of Enchanters (aka the self-ruled organization for free mages that shows up if you choose Leliana as your Divine), so I always thought they did that so that, in future games, both organizations could exist, a traditional Circle an a free mage-run College of Enchanters, how aligned each are aligned with the Chantry depends on who is the Divine.

I am curious about how this would work if Leliana is the Divine because she (girlboss that she is) disbands the Templar Order and gives the mages autonomy, so how would a 'rebel' traditional Circle and Templars spring from that? No idea, maybe they're traditionalists that band together like that and she has to allow it because she's all for freedom of expression.

Of course, there is also the possibility that Epler's comment was based on Bioware's canon world state, and it's not the first time they've used that for reference without taking other worldstates into account. It's bad marketing because it is breaking the illusion of choice they provide their players with, but they've done it in the past.

I don't know, all I know is that I either want them NOT to comment on that situation in DA:V so I can close my eyes and pretend my worldstate is true, or that they go with the other scenario described in a Codex entry (both institutions exists, that way we, the player, are left with the impression that that whole revolution plot did lead to at least some change). I do not want them to show us the situation in game at all, or to act as if none of it mattered and the old Circles still exist because ultimately everything failed. That would be the worst-case scenario for me in terms of investment.

I know that there are very bare mentions to the mage rebellion in non-game media. But I can ignore those and what they mean because that follows Bioware’s canon, I'm interested in what the game with my choices has to say.

I still think letting go of the Keep was a horrible horrible idea, and I can't see a reason why, unless they couldn't figure out a way to make it compatible? But I hope of the limited choices given to us in game, there can at least be one for "who was Divine/who did the Inquisition side with" that, an acting consequential with that, not in any big way but in having some characters and Codex entries comment on it, seems like the bare minimum.

[onceuponastory]

letting you down - rockstar!bucky x reader

Don't you get sick of only hearing your own voice? Talk like you're so damn tough, but you're just a little boy You like to think you've broke the mould, but now I'm sure, You'll crack just like the rest when I break your fucking jaw! - the best thing (that never happened) by we are the in crowd

Edit: Although the girl I used in the original moodboard was meant to be Natasha, I want my fics to be inclusive for all, so have updated the moodboard to reflect this. Plot: Tour romances mean nothing serious...right?

Or, fresh out of a breakup and deciding to focus on her music, Y/N jumps at the chance to go on tour with one of her favourite bands to take her mind off of things. Especially romance. Unfortunately for her, their drummer just can't keep his eyes off of her. Pairing: Rockstar!Bucky Barnes x Female!Reader Warnings: Emotional abuse and manipulation (not from Bucky), reader’s ex being a dick, self doubt, a tiny mention of violence and anxiety. As always, if I miss any triggers, please let me know. Notes: Another rockstar Bucky fic, because I do love him so. Also, this was inspired by song above, so I recommend you listen to it (also because it’s a great song). Again, thanks to @staticscreenwriting / @astartothemoon for my dividers. Not beta’d, so any mistakes are my own.

Taking a seat on the cold wooden chair in her agent’s office, Y/N anxiously nibbles on the skin of her lip, almost tearing it off with how nervous she is. Only an hour ago, she was told to come to the office urgently because her agent had news for her, too important to share over the phone. The whole time, she’s been wracking her brain to figure out what she could want to tell her. And each time, her mind has come up with the worst potential outcomes. And after just being dumped, that’s the last thing she needs right now. “So, we have some news.” Helen, her agent, announces, peering at her over the frame of her glasses. Y/N gulps. It’s the sort of look a mother gives her child when they’re caught sneaking cookies out of the jar, or when she knows that they’re the one who broke her vase. Either way, it’s not a good sign. She’s definitely about to be dropped. Maybe Dylan's right. Maybe she’s not cut out for this. Her stomach churns, and she warily eyes the exit, just in case.

“Good news, I hope…?” She chuckles awkwardly, starting to hope the ground will swallow her whole.

“It depends on whether you have any plans in September.” Frowning, Y/N raises a brow. However, before she can even ask why, Helen continues. “Because The End of The Line wants you to open for them on their US Tour that month.” She states casually. Y/N’s mouth drops open.

“WHAT?!” she squeals. “Are you serious?!” The End of The Line is a band she knows very well. Okay, she knows their music. Yet, considering how they’ve got multiple number ones and album nominations under their belts, practically everyone knows who they are. They’re one of the most successful bands going in the scene right now. But she had no idea they knew who she was. What feels like only a few months ago, Y/N was posting her own original songs on her YouTube and performing in her local bar…and now, she’s going on tour with one of her favourite bands. Not even that. Imagine the exposure this could bring. All the new fans and support. She doesn’t even realise how much her heart is beating or how close she is to hyperventilating until Helen passes over a glass of water.

“Don’t be so modest.” She tuts. “The first single you released has been in the Top 10 for weeks, and your album is selling incredibly well. You’re in high demand, and people know it.” Y/N gulps down the water almost in one go, still shaking. “Are you okay? I don’t want you passing out on my floor.”

“No, no. I’m okay! I’m good.” Y/N lies. Helen raises a brow.

“Okay, well I need to confirm your attendance with their team so they can schedule a meeting with them and the band to go over venues. And then there’s merchandising, transport arrangements….” Helen’s voice fades into static as Y/N grapples with the situation. She’s going on tour with one of her favourite bands. They know who she is, and they like her. She pinches her skin a few times, wondering if she’s still dreaming. That she’ll open her eyes and she’ll be a nobody again, her perfect Cinderella story over. 

However, the repeated pinching doesn’t work, meaning that this is real. That revelation somehow both makes her relieved and absolutely terrified. Sure, she’s going on her first tour…but that means there’s more people to disappoint. The band, for a start. But then again, going on tour means meeting one of her favourite bands ever. Not to mention that by getting herself out there, more and more people can discover her music, and she can hopefully do what she loves for a living, rather than waiting tables for the rest of her life. Which means potentially more tours and new albums. And she won’t have to spend as much time in her practically empty apartment now that Dylan’s left. “So? What should I say?” Helen asks, peering over the rim of her glasses again.

Taking a breath, Y/N answers: “Tell them I’d love to tour with them.”

A few weeks later, Y/N and Helen enter the building where she’s about to meet The End of the Line and their agent. Glancing around the vast building, Y/N’s heart rate picks up. A year ago, she could only dream of going to a place like this for a visit, let alone to meet one of the biggest bands in the scene to plan a tour with them. As they enter the elevator, Y/N fiddles with the waistband of her trousers, suddenly feeling more and more constricted. 

“Maybe this was the wrong outfit choice. Maybe I should’ve been more casual?” She wonders. “Actually, maybe I should just go. I definitely do not fit in here. Sure, I’ll be getting out of the house, but is it really worth all this?” Y/N bounces anxiously on her heels, waiting for the elevator to reach the floor they need so she can make a break for it. 

“Y/N, please calm down before you stress me out. That’s the last thing either of us needs.” Helen sighs.

“Sorry. I’m just nervous.” Yet she can tell Helen’s words are not malicious. Helen really does care for her. She just has a funny way of showing it sometimes.

“I know. Trust me, though, they don’t bite. And I made Tony promise that he’d play nice, too.” She chuckles. Y/N doesn’t laugh. The elevator dings, and Helen announces that they’ve made it. Y/N’s heart drops. Although she considered running, she now can’t move. “Come on.” Helen orders, beckoning her to follow. Y/N does as she asks, as if on autopilot.

“That woman must have magic powers.” She thinks to herself.

When they reach the meeting room, to Y/N’s surprise, Helen simply walks in without knocking, giving her no time to prepare. 

“Well, look who finally arrived! It’s wonderful to see you again, Helen.” A man grins, shaking Helen’s hand. He’s dressed in a crisp black suit, one that Y/N recognises absolutely costs more than her rent for a year. Presumably that’s Tony. Y/N steps forward, ready to introduce herself. Until-

“Hey! You must be Y/N!” Before she can even react, Natasha Romanoff is standing in front of her. Y/N gulps. 

“Yeah, that’s me. It’s nice to meet you!” She holds out a hand for her to shake, but Natasha pulls her into a hug instead. 

“There’s one thing you gotta know about Nat. She’s a hugger.” She recognises Steve’s voice, but suddenly realising Natasha Romanoff is a real person to then being hugged by her in such a short space of time is a lot for Y/N to cope with.

“You’re gorgeous! I can’t wait to go on tour with you!” Nat squeals, and Y/N mutters something in reply, still in shock. 

“Nat, let the poor girl breathe and let the rest of us say hi!” a voice speaks, and Y/N is soon released from Nat’s grasp. Then, she meets the rest of the band, starting with Steve and Sam. “And over there is…” 

But the man on the couch needs no introduction. Bucky Barnes leans against the back of the couch, twirling a drumstick between his tattooed fingers. In fact, tattoos cover both of his arms and most of his hands, little of his actual skin showing. He cocks his head, looking over her body with a smile. This man just oozes confidence…and he’s fucking gorgeous.

“Bucky.” She whispers, although not quietly enough, as Bucky laughs.

“Yup, that’s me.” Y/N blushes. Bucky gets up and shakes her hand. Her fingers brush over the calluses dotted around his fingers, and a shiver reverberates through her body. “Nice to meet you.” He smiles, and Y/N gulps. Fuck, this man is attractive, and he knows it. And he probably knows that she knows it too, given how he’s looking at her. Nothing can come of this, though. She’s here to do a job and for her music, not to fall in love. Especially after everything that’s happened in her love life, and especially not with a band guy like Bucky Barnes. 

“Come on, let’s start planning.” Tony orders. As the group takes their seats, Bucky sits right across from her, still smiling. Still staring at her. Y/N’s breath hitches in her throat.

She can already tell…he’s got trouble written all over him.

The next few months of interviews, photoshoots and practice sessions whizz by in a blur. In seemingly no time at all, it’s time for Y/N to go on tour. She looks up at the tour buses, her stomach churning with both excitement and her nerves. 

Is it too early to go home?

“Hey! You made it!” a voice calls. And there go her escape plans.

“Hey Eddie. Do you know where I’m supposed to be staying? Am I with you guys on your bus?" she asks. Eddie is one of the band’s merch guys, and since meeting, the pair gelled right away, something which Y/N is immensely grateful for. Of course, she’s glad she and the band are getting on so well, but it’s nice to have a friend who isn’t in a band, someone she can just talk to about anything. In all honesty, Y/N’s still nervous around the band. They’re lovely, but she’s star-struck and hopelessly awkward whenever she’s with them, which isn’t a good thing when you’re trying to make friends. 

To her confusion, though, Eddie chuckles. “Sorry Y/N, but you’re not with us.” He gestures his head to the other bus. “The musicians are all in there.” Y/N gulps. This isn’t what she expected. She feels like a fish out of water, even now. Like she doesn’t belong. She’s just an opener, a nobody.

“But-” 

“Yes, that means you too.” Eddie cuts her off. “And we’re full.” He continues before she can say anything more. “On you go.” When she doesn’t move, he gently nudges her forward, towards the door of the bus. “You better be fast and get a good bunk!” He calls after her as she nervously steps on board. 

As she makes her way to the bunk area, clutching her bag close to her chest, Y/N looks around the bus, her home for the next few weeks. Its kitchenette is even bigger than her kitchen at home. Actually, this whole bus is bigger than her apartment. Earlier this year, she could only dream of standing on a bus like this, yet alone living here. This is definitely going to take some getting used to. 

“Hey guys.” She smiles when she reaches the bunks. They all smile when they see her, each welcoming her to her new home, which makes her feel a little less nervous. “So, which bunk is mine?” 

“You’re up here, above me.” Bucky answers. Y/N’s eyes widen, and immediately, her nervousness is back. Bucky? She’s sleeping in close proximity to Bucky? The same drummer who’s been on her mind ever since she met him, despite her attempts to block him out? How can this possibly go wrong? “I hope that’s okay. If you’d rather have the bottom one, just say.” He reassures her. Despite her nerves, Bucky’s commitment to making sure she’s okay and comfortable makes her smile. 

“No, the top one is totally fine. Thanks Bucky.” She nods, trying to throw her bag onto the bed, but unable to reach.

“Let me help you with that.” Bucky chuckles. 

“Are you sure? I’m okay Bucky, it’s-” But the bag falls to the floor before she can finish her sentence. Bucky laughs again. Yet it’s not a mocking laugh. It’s a friendly laugh, actually. “Okay, maybe I do need help.” Bucky picks up her bag, lifting it over her head and onto the bunk with ease. As he does, she immediately notices his proximity to her. He’s so close that he’s almost trapping her between the bunks. So close she could reach out and run her finger along every single outline of each of Bucky’s tattoos, touch every freckle and birthmark dotting his skin. Y/N gasps. She never realised how muscular he was at first. “Thanks.” She smiles.

“You’re welcome.” He nods. For a moment, it’s as if it’s just them two on the bus, in their own little universe, each staring into the other’s eyes. But then, a little voice sounds in Y/N’s head.

“Don’t get with band dudes. They’re no good. And they’re the last thing you need, especially now.” And so, she pulls away. As she does, she registers Bucky’s smile faltering slightly. “So, what are the beds like? Are they comfy?” She asks, climbing up to her bunk, hoping to change the subject. 

“Yeah, they’re alright.” Bucky replies, his voice mumbled slightly. As she lays down, Bucky’s smile fading and his slight disappointment replays in her mind. His disappointment confuses her.

This is for her own good.

For both of their own good.

So why does she feel so bad about it?

Early the next morning, Y/N sits alone at the small table in the bus’ kitchenette, staring out at the window and watching the world go by. A steaming mug of coffee sits opposite her. Unsurprisingly, her nerves meant she didn’t sleep well the night before. Especially since tomorrow marks the first night of the tour, and her first time performing for people who aren’t the regulars at her local bar.

“Hey.” A familiar voice speaks, pulling her out of her thoughts as Bucky sits opposite her. Y/N rubs her eyes, mumbling a good morning. “You good? Wasn’t expecting anyone else to be up so early.” He remarks. She waits, a part of her expecting a cheeky or sarcastic comment to follow. However, there’s no malice in Bucky’s comment. In fact, it’s far from cruel. It’s from a place of concern, making sure she’s alright after having her world changed practically overnight. And Y/N appreciates it more than he’ll ever know.

“Yeah, I’m okay.” Y/N murmurs, wiping at her eyes. “Just homesick, that’s all. I’m not used to being away from home on tour yet. I mostly just stick to playing local bars.” It’s not exactly a lie. Sure, it’s not the main reason she’s sitting here teary eyed at not even 8.30am, but it’s still part of it. Bucky’s brow furrows. A part of her expects him to judge her, or to laugh at her for being so inexperienced. Like she’s used to people doing. Well…like she’s used to Dylan doing. Or worse, he’ll start prying. Something she absolutely isn’t ready for. However, Bucky simply nods. 

“Yeah, I get that. It took us all a while to get used to it, too. But don’t worry, you’re doing great, and you’re definitely good enough to be on tour.” And for the first time that morning, Y/N finds herself smiling. 

“So, now we’ve established why I’m here so early in the morning, can I ask why you are?” 

“Well, I’ve always been a bit of an early bird, and when you share a bus with three other people, some of whom snore….” He trails off, and he and Y/N laugh. “I usually take this time to write some music, but it’s nice to have some new company for once.”

“Have you been working on anything special?” Bucky shrugs.

“Just some things here and there. Maybe we could plan a writing session.” 

“Just us?” Y/N regrets the question almost immediately. Because who does that? Who asks a cute guy who talks about hanging out with you if his friends will tag along too?

“If you want.” Bucky smiles, and something in Y/N’s stomach flutters. “Okay, I’m gonna get some breakfast.” Bucky announces, getting up. “Do you want some?”

“Sure, what have you got?”

“We have…cereal or cereal.” He offers, holding up two boxes. Y/N laughs.

“Wow, what varied choices. I think I’ll have cereal, please.” Y/N points out the box she wants, and Bucky nods.

“A wise choice.” Y/N giggles again, and he grins. He passes over a bowl and sits back down. The pair chat as they eat their breakfast, laughing at each other’s jokes. Y/N can feel her heart beating like crazy. She never imagined she would be here, doing simple things like eating breakfast with a rockstar, or that they’d get along so well. Especially so soon after having her heart broken. It’s an unfamiliar experience…but it’s a nice, comfortable one all the same. 

As the morning goes on, the rest of the band slowly make their way towards them, and the bus fills with laughter and chatter. Bucky drums a rhythm on the table, and once again Y/N finds herself smiling as she watches him play, and as the others all sing along. Yet, despite how much fun she’s having at that moment, all she can think about is when this tour will be over, and how, when it ends, she’s going to be heartbroken and alone all over again. And she can’t handle that pain. Not again.

She has to limit the risk of heartbreak, wherever possible. 

The next night, Y/N paces around the green room, nervously murmuring to herself. “I can’t do this. I can’t do this. Oh god, they’re gonna hate me.” She wrings her hands together. “Is it too late to go home?”

“Hey, it’s alright Y/N. Calm down. Take deep breaths.” Sam encourages. 

“Yeah, you’ll be fine! You’ve practised more than enough for this. We were nervous our first time too.” Natasha continues, and the others nod. Yet, Y/N shakes her head.

“No. I won’t. It’s a huge crowd, and I’m not good enough.” A figure stands in front of her, gently taking her arms.

“Y/N.” Bucky. “I promise you, you are good enough for this. After all, that’s why we brought you on tour with us, right, guys?” A chorus of agreement fills the room, alleviating her worry slightly. 

“What if they hate me, though?”

“Nobody’s going to hate you. Did you see the reaction we got when we announced you? Everyone is so excited, and you’re going to go out there and kill it, just like you did in rehearsal.” Seeing that she’s still nervous, Bucky leans in slightly closer. “When you’re out there, imagine you’re performing just for us, like before. Think you can do that?” He asks.

“I guess….” She murmurs, and Bucky smiles. 

“Good girl. Want us to walk down to the stage with you?” He asks, and she nods. When the time comes, the band does exactly that, reassuring her the whole way there. As she waits for the song before she goes out to finish, Y/N takes deep breaths. She registers someone squeezing her hand, and Bucky whispers in her ear. “Don’t worry. Just like you practised. We’ll be right here, watching.” Y/N nods.

And then, it’s time, and Y/N steps onto the stage. Immediately, she launches into her first song. To her surprise, most of the crowd seems to know it, and she can see the people in the first few rows singing along and dancing. Even those who don’t know her look like they’re having a good time. And the same things happen with the second song. And the next song. The crowd seems to love her. 

After a few songs, Y/N takes a minute to have a drink.

“Hey guys! I’m Y/N.” The crowd cheers, and she can’t help but smile. “Some of you may know this, but this is my first actual show on an actual tour, and what a fucking amazing crowd and band to start my tour life with!” More cheers. “So thank you all, but especially thank you to The End of the Line!” She glances to the side of the stage, catching the eyes of the band. All four grin, giving her a thumbs up. Y/N smiles proudly. “This next song is called Crimson. Sing along if you know it.”

Y/N’s set goes by both quicker and better than she expected. As she gets closer to the end of her set, the band leaves to finish getting ready for their own set. However, Y/N doesn’t mind. She already feels more confident than she did at the beginning. As she finishes up her last song, she calls out: “Thank you all so fucking much! I’m gonna be hanging out at the merch table over there for a bit if you wanna come say hi or tell me I was shit. Fuck it, you guys bought the tickets.” She giggles. “Goodnight!”

When she makes it to the merch stand, Eddie hands her a beer, which she almost downs. “Damn girl.” Eddie praises. “That was fucking awesome!”

“You think?”

“Uh, yeah! The crowd loved you. We’ve sold a bunch of your merch already.” She gasps.

“You’re kidding.” He shakes his head, gesturing to something behind her. Y/N turns around to see some girls standing there, staring at her all wide eyed. “Oh sorry. Am I in your way for merch? Just tell me to move. It’s okay.”

“You were amazing! I love your music so much.” One of them grins, holding out her ticket and a sharpie. “Can you sign my ticket, please?” Y/N’s mouth drops open. She wasn’t actually expecting people to want to meet her.

“And mine!” The others chorus.

“T-Thanks!” Still slightly in shock, Y/N nods, signing each ticket and taking pictures with each of them. Soon, a few more fans come to see her, and still amazed, Y/N repeats the cycle. This is her first ever meet and greet, the first time people actually like her.

“Have a good night!” She calls as they go back towards the crowd. “Did that just happen, or am I fucking dreaming?!” she asks Eddie, who laughs.

“I told you. They love you.”

During The End Of The Line’s set, Y/N stands side stage watching them, smiling and singing along to every song as the crowd laps it up, screaming every word back to them. They’re such incredible performers. Maybe one day, that’ll be her, selling out venues across the country. She glances out on the stage, watching as the band plays. Natasha jumps around, her red hair swinging around wildly. Sam and Steve lean against each other as they play their guitars, smiling and joking with each other. And then, she sees Bucky, drumming furiously, his arms moving rapidly. He throws his hands up into the air, twirling his drumsticks between his fingers. Once the song ends, he runs his hand through his hair, strands sticking to his sweaty forehead. Breathlessly, he smiles, mouthing a thank you to the crowd. Y/N feels her breath hitching in her throat. He looks so gorgeous, a true rockstar. 

In an ideal world, one where she and her love life aren’t so broken, they’d probably be together. But there’s no way that can happen. She can see how the girls in the crowd look at him and the others. If he has the pick of any girl he wants, why would he ever go for her?

After all, she’s just an opener. Feeling her heart sinking, Y/N sighs sadly. With one last look at Bucky, she turns and walks back to the green room.

After their set, the band comes back to the green room. To her surprise, though, they’re not talking about their set…they’re talking about hers. “I knew it! You were perfect!” Natasha squeals. “We’re so proud of you!”

“And Eddie told us about your meet and greet. The fans love you.” Sam praises. Before Y/N can say anything, the band envelopes her in a group hug. The overwhelming love and support shown to her throughout the night suddenly reaches a head. Immediately, tears come to her eyes, and soon, Y/N begins crying.

“Oh god, sorry was it too much? We can be a lot, so if you’re uncomfortable, just tell us, sweetheart.”

“No! I’m just…not used to all this, to being shown so much support all at once.” She murmurs, and a chorus of “awww!” fills the room.

“Trust us.” Natasha smiles. “You deserve it.”

“Welcome to touring life Y/N! As a celebration, I say we go get food. My treat.” Steve grins.

“Wow, you’re paying? That’s new. You should savour this experience Y/N.” Sam teases, and the group dissolves into laughter. As she looks around at the band, her new friends who changed her life, Y/N smiles, already feeling her anxieties beginning to melt away slightly.

“Come on then. Let’s go.”

“That was so good. And it tasted even better since I didn’t pay.” Sam grins, and Y/N laughs. 

“Shove off. It’s your turn next time.” Steve replies. As Sam, Steve and Natasha walk on ahead, Bucky falls into step beside her. Right away, she can feel her heart rate beginning to increase.

“I’ve eaten so much, I’m surprised I’m still able to walk.” She murmurs, and Bucky laughs. 

“Yeah, I feel that. We go there every time we’re here, and every time I eat too much too. Join the club.” Y/N looks up, glancing at the stars. She used to wish on them every night, hoping someone would discover her, and that she might actually have a shot at making music, the thing she loves, her job. And now, here she is. Maybe dreams come true after all. “So.” Bucky begins, drawing her focus back to him. “Is there anywhere on this tour you’re most excited to go to?” 

“I don’t really know. In all honesty, this whole thing and getting to tour the country is still mind blowing to me. I’m happy to go anywhere.” Smiling, Bucky nods. 

“Yeah, I was the same when we first started out. You’ll still pinch yourself, even when you get as famous as us. And I have every faith you’ll get there.” Y/N gasps. It’s strange, how he’s so much more famous than her, and yet he still talks to her and treats her like he’s his equal. He really is one of the kindest people she knows. Her stomach twists in knots. And that’s going to make leaving him even more difficult. “I’m most excited to be back in New York, though. Even though I moved away, hometown shows are always the best.”

“You’re from New York too? Same!” Bucky smiles. Her eyes trace along Bucky’s jawline, illuminated by the streetlights. He looks so beautiful. She feels Bucky’s hand brushing against hers, and her heart rate increases.

If dreams do come true...she has an idea for a new one.

“Really? That’s awesome. You know, there’s a really great Italian restaurant I go to all the time whenever I’m there. Maybe we could go.” Y/N suppresses a laugh. She’d love that more than anything, but deep down, she knows he doesn’t really mean it. It’s just him trying to be nice. He’ll forget about her when all of this is over. They all will. And she can’t even blame them for it. Sighing, she nods.

“Yeah. That’d be nice.” 

As the tour continues, Y/N’s confidence continues to grow. Each night, she becomes more and more excited to go on stage. And in turn, she becomes more confident around the band, and spends more time with them, whether it’s writing songs together, shopping with Natasha, or hanging out with Sam and Steve. Basically, her touring life is perfect…aside from one little thorn in her side.

Bucky Barnes.

It’s not that Bucky has been horrible to her, not at all. In fact, he’s been the same kind and welcoming person he’s always been. That’s the problem. He’s so kind that it’s hard to not get close to him, or to want to spend time with him. Especially since she can already feel herself falling deeper in love with him with every passing day. Each time she has to pull away, Y/N feels terrible. 

“So.” Natasha smirks one day whilst they’re out shopping. “When are you gonna put that poor boy out of his misery?” When Y/N raises a brow, Natasha rolls her eyes. “Don’t pretend like you don’t know what I mean! Bucky is so clearly whipped for you, and you’re obviously into him. I can see it all over you.” She grins. Y/N gulps. Despite how happy she is to know that Bucky might feel the same way about her, this is the last thing she wanted to happen. 

“Nothing is going to happen Nat. And you don’t even know if that’s true.” She points out. Natasha says something in reply, but Y/N doesn’t hear it. All she can think about is how big of a problem this is, and how she’s going to have to break Bucky’s heart even more. Of course, the idea of just telling him the truth and admitting her feelings has crossed her mind a few times. Yet, despite how much she wants to do that, and to stop letting her fear and Dylan ruin her new chance at happiness…she’s too afraid to admit the truth, and to drag Bucky into her mess. Or to lose him, and be heartbroken all over again. And this time, it’ll hurt even more than it did with Dylan.

As soon as they get back, Y/N enters the bus, shutting the door behind them. She climbs into her bunk. Angrily throwing the pillow across her bunk, Y/N grabs her phone. Hopefully, scrolling through social media will make her feel better. And at first, it works as posts from her fans fill her feed. She likes and comments on a few, continuing to scroll. As Y/N reads their words, a smile grows on her face. She’s so lucky to have her fans and their support. But then, another post appears. One of her ex and her ex-best friend. Immediately, her heart sinks. They’re still together, smiling like nothing happened, acting like they haven’t left a trail of destruction in their wake and ruined her life. She’s sitting here, terrified of getting too close to Bucky and the others in case she gets hurt like that again. And the people who did it to her in the first place don't even care. They never did.

Angrily, Y/N grips her blanket, grabbing her songwriting notebook and opening it.

It’s about time she lets out her emotions.

“Is Y/N okay?” Sam asks the next morning, after they arrive in New York. “I didn’t see much of her last night, and she shut herself away as soon as we got to the venue.” Bucky furrows his brow, concern flooding his features. Y/N barely spoke to anyone, only a few words here and there. Natasha shrugs.

“She said she’s busy writing, and she doesn’t want to be disturbed. I guess we’ll find out when her new song comes out.” That makes Bucky even more concerned. He knows all about being in a deeply focused, creative headspace, and how you don’t want to speak to anyone until it’s done. But he also knows how bad it can be when you shut yourself away for so long, especially when she already looks so upset. He’ll have to check on her when he gets the chance.

Yet, the next time he sees Y/N is when she’s getting ready to go on and is in a rush. 

“Are you sure you’re alright? We were worried about you.” He asks, watching as she runs around the room, spraying hairspray and perfume everywhere. 

“Yeah, I’m good. Much better.” She insists, reapplying her lipstick in the mirror and giving herself one last check over. “Right, I gotta go. Talk soon, yeah?”

“But-” Bucky begins, cut off by Y/N placing her hand on his arm.

“Bucky, trust me. I’m okay. Bye!” And then she’s gone, leaving the scent of perfume in her wake. Despite his concern, Bucky chuckles. She sure is something. Tonight, she looks like an angel, glitter covering her lids and outfit. She looks beautiful. But she always does. This entire tour, he’s been trying to find the guts to tell her the truth about how he feels, with no luck. And the way she always turns him down or pulls away at the last second makes him think she doesn’t feel the same. Turning, Bucky follows her down towards the stage. 

Although, if she doesn’t feel the same way, he’d understand. When he gets to the side stage, Y/N is already on, in the middle of her first song. Bucky watches her as she works through her first few songs, smiling. The way she controls and interacts with the crowd is incredible, much better than he could ever do.

“Well, hello New York!” Y/N shouts into the mic, the ending of her sentence being drowned out by screams and cheers. “You guys are fucking awesome. Thank you so much!” Another round of cheering sounds, and Y/N grins, the lighting illuminating her teeth and the glitter she’s wearing. Bucky watches, smiling. “Are you guys excited for The End of The Line?” The crowd goes wild again, and Y/N laughs. “That was probably a stupid question.”

“I wanna try something new with you guys, if that’s okay.” She continues, and Bucky raises a brow. “But it means I have to tell you a story too…. Oh, I can see complete excitement on your faces, so I won’t talk too long then.” She jokes, laughing. And then, Bucky realises he’s laughing too. “So a few months ago, just before The End of The Line invited me on their tour, my boyfriend dumped me over text.” The crowd immediately starts booing, whilst Bucky raises an eyebrow. She never mentioned this. “I know! But unfortunately, it’s not just that, New York. He told me he was dumping me for one of my best friends. The same friend he was cheating on me with for the last few months of our relationship. Apparently, me playing shows was too much for him to handle, and I’d never be famous, so he had to think of his future with a girl who ‘knows what she’s doing, instead of just a bar singer’ like me.” The boos intensify, and Y/N nods, clutching a hand to her chest. “I know! At first, I let his words get to me. Look at me now, though!” The crowd cheers, and Y/N grins. “So, I put all my pain and anger into a song, and I’d like to perform it for the first time for you guys. Is that cool with you?!” The crowd goes wild, and Y/N grins, tuning her guitar. “Okay, okay! I hear you loud and clear. If you’ve ever had to deal with a shitty person in your life, I hope this song speaks to you as much as it does to me…and that you tell them to go fuck themselves.” She smirks, and Bucky laughs. “This song is called Letting You Down.” 

As the song plays, Y/N sings with more passion and fury than Bucky has ever seen. She controls the crowd masterfully, having them hanging onto every word she sings. For only just starting out, she really is a natural. Yet, her admission replays through his mind. Hearing how poorly she was treated infuriates him. Y/N’s such a talented and good-hearted person, and she doesn’t deserve that. Her ex obviously has no idea what he’s talking about. Although going through all that may explain why she’s been pulling away from him so much, and so nervous about being on tour. Y/N needs to know how talented and loved she is. And if she doesn’t, he’ll tell her every day.  

After Y/N’s set, Bucky waits in the green room for her. When she walks in and sees Bucky sitting there, her eyes widen. “Aren’t you meant to be on stage in like five minutes?” She frowns. Bucky shakes his head.

“That’s not important right now. I need to talk to you.” Her face falls.

“You heard, didn’t you?” He hates how small and ashamed her voice sounds, like he’d be mad at her for admitting the truth. Bucky nods, stepping closer.

“I did, listen Y/N, I-”

“Buck, come on, we have to go!” Steve calls, poking his head through the door. Bucky doesn’t even care. He just wants to be with Y/N. “Buck!” Steve repeats.

“You need to go!” Y/N insists.

“But-”

“Bucky. Go. I’ll talk to you later, okay?” She promises, gently pushing him towards the door.

Throughout the entirety of their set, all Bucky can do is think of Y/N, and the things he needs to say to her. Things he’s wanted to say to her from the beginning. The second their set is finished, Bucky runs backstage. Y/N sits in the green room, anxiously fiddling with her thumbs. 

“Y/N.” He smiles, breathless. She looks up at him, her face falling. Bucky’s heart sinks. He hates seeing her so upset. “Can I sit?” She nods. “Y/N, I-”

“Look Bucky.” She sighs, finally cutting him off. “You’re incredibly sweet and all, but I just can’t commit to a relationship right now.” She sighs. “You heard the story about my heartbreak, right?” He nods. “Well, I can’t put myself through that pain again. I can’t give my all to somebody and receive nothing in return, I’m sorry.”

“Y/N, he sounds like a dick. And I promise you, not everyone is like that.” 

“It’s not just that.” She murmurs, staring down at the ground. “I know you’re a good person, Bucky. Fuck, I see it in you every day. You’re one of the sweetest guys I know, and I don’t want to think you’d ever hurt me like that. That’s why I’ve been pulling away from you, so neither of us get hurt. Yet, I hurt us both. Honestly, I think I’ve been in love with you ever since we met, and I do want to be with you. But what happens when this tour is over? When the fairytale is over, and we go back to our normal lives, whatever they are now? Sure, we’re musicians, but we come from two totally different worlds. And I don’t fit into your world.” She sighs. Bucky raises a brow, shuffling closer towards her. “Maybe Dylan’s right. Maybe I am just a bar singer.” Bucky gets up from his seat, kneeling in front of her. He takes her hands in his, rubbing his thumbs along her knuckles.

“Y/N. You are one of the most beautiful and talented people I’ve ever met. We could only dream of being able to control and entertain a crowd like you can. Especially tonight!” He insists. “And besides, there’s nothing wrong with being a bar singer, especially when they’re as good as you. Your ex has no idea what the fuck he’s talking about.” As she gazes into Bucky’s eyes, Y/N feels tears building in her own. 

“I want to be with you more than anything. I just can’t. I can’t risk being hurt again.” She whispers. Bucky feels his heart breaking, but he knows he can’t force her to do anything. And so, he nods.

Suddenly, the door opens, and Natasha pops her head in. At first, Bucky expects her to say something about how they’re going out for dinner or something. Yet, as soon as she sees the serious look on Natasha’s face, Y/N frowns. “Nat? What’s going on?”

“Y/N, there’s someone here to see you. He insists he knows you, and even tried to bribe our door staff to let him into the venue. Says he won’t go until you hear him out.” Immediately, Bucky tenses from beside her, and Y/N’s stomach drops. 

“Did he leave a name?” But she knows who it is before Natasha even confirms it.

“It’s Dylan.” Her entire body goes stiff. It feels like someone dumped a whole bucket of ice cold water all over her, plunging her into a horrible nightmare. 

“Wait, Dylan as in ‘Letting You Down’ Dylan? Your ex who treated you like shit?” Bucky asks, and Y/N nods, still numb. “Where is he?”

“He’s in the dressing room. The guys just shoved him in there.” 

“Oh, fuck.” Y/N hisses, already beginning to feel herself hyperventilate. 

“Y/N, we can tell him to go.” Bucky offers. To his surprise, Y/N shakes her head.

“No. I need to do this. I need to tell him myself.” She gulps. Bucky can tell she’s absolutely terrified. “I might need some moral support, though.” She admits, her eyes glancing down at the floor. Bucky finds her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

“Of course.” He whispers.

When Y/N and the rest of the band enter the room, Dylan turns around. As soon as he sees Y/N, he grins. Immediately, Bucky hates him. His grin looks smug, and the way he looks at Y/N makes him feel sick. If he could, he’d punch that asshole right in his smug fucking face.

“What the hell are you doing here?” She gasps.

“Wow, I just didn’t realise you were serious about this whole thing!” Dylan muses, looking around the room. “When I saw you online and on TV, I knew I had to come see you…and talk about what happened. Tell you what, why don’t we go get some drinks or some dinner, and we can just…talk it out?” Dylan whispers, reaching out to stroke her arm. The same way he used to when he was trying to get back on her good side, hoping she’d ignore all the cruel things he’d say about her and her career. Reflexively, Y/N steps back, away from him.

“Oh, so you only care about her once she’s getting more attention?” Bucky demands, earning a sharp jab in the ribs from Natasha.

“Bucky.” she hisses.

“What? He doesn’t give a shit about her or her career at first, but when he sees how popular she is and how he’s probably being blasted all over social media for rightfully being called out, he suddenly cares?” Dylan scoffs, rolling his eyes. 

“Buddy, this doesn’t concern you.” Y/N’s heart sinks. Bucky’s right. Dylan doesn’t care about her at all. He’s only here to save his ass.

“Actually, it concerns all of us, buddy. We’re her friends, and we actually give a shit about her, unlike you.” Bucky snaps back.

“Can we have some alone time now?” Dylan asks, his eyes narrowing as he looks at Bucky. For a moment, Y/N almost says yes, wanting to just get rid of him as soon as possible with no further trouble. That is, however, until she glances back, ready to tell the band to do as he asks. The entire band looks pissed off, but Bucky is seething. He stands with his arms folded as he glares at Dylan. They’re the ones who care about her and her career. Not Dylan. And then, Y/N realises what she has to do. 

“No. They stay.” She states. Dylan’s brows furrow. 

“But Y/N, sweetie-”

“Don’t call me that. You lost the right to call me that a long time ago. And you have no right to come here unannounced and start making demands, especially after what you did. I want them here, so they’re staying.” She folds her arms. “Now. What do you want?” When he sees he isn’t getting his way, Dylan splutters.

“I just don’t see why you had to make such a big deal out of it, that’s all! And besides, I was just thinking about calling you before I heard the song, anyway. It would be nice to talk again.”

“Oh, you were, were you? Well, you sure have impeccable timing, don’t you? And besides, I know that’s a lie because as far as I know, you were with your girlfriend last night. Have you told her you want to start talking to me again?” 

“Y/N, come on, don’t be like that. I’m trying to apologise. You always were so dramatic. It’s obvious I didn’t mean everything I said.”

“And yet ‘sorry’ isn’t the first word that came out of your mouth.” She hears sniggering in the background, which only spurs her on further. “And it’s not being dramatic. It’s called standing up for yourself and realising that you’ve treated me like shit for as long as I can remember, and I’m tired of it. If you think I’m coming back to you so you can do it again, you’re dumber than I thought you were. So, you can take your apology and shove it up your ass.” Dylan’s eyes widen, and he splutters again. In a way, it’s funny seeing the man who treated her like shit be unable to handle her sticking up for herself. “Now, go.”

“I’d advise you listen to her and fuck off before we call security. Trust us, you don’t want that.” Sam warns. Dylan tries to argue back, but when he sees he isn’t getting anywhere, he groans, beginning to leave.

“Bitch.” He murmurs as he walks by. Bucky, Sam and Steve follow him out, making sure he leaves while Natasha stays with Y/N. 

“That was incredible! You really gave that asshole what he deserved.” She grins. Y/N doesn’t feel incredible though. In fact, she feels like shit. After being on such a high from the concert and finally letting her emotions out in song, suddenly being confronted with Dylan and being reminded of just how little he cares about her is breaking her all over again. Her bottom lip trembles and her vision blurs. Shit.

“I’m sorry Nat, I-I have to go. I’ll be on the bus if you need me. I just. I need to be alone.” She stammers, her words coming out in a rush. She doesn’t even give Natasha time to reply before she hurriedly leaves the venue and climbs back onto the bus, crawling into her bunk and huddling into the corner. As soon as she knows it’s safe, her tears are unleashed, and she shakes as tears stream down her cheeks. She wraps her blanket around her, hoping it hides her from the world.

Y/N lays there for what feels like hours until the door to the bus opens again. “Who is it?” She calls, her voice croaky. 

“It’s just me.” Bucky replies. As soon as she hears his voice, it feels like a weight has been lifted off of Y/N’s shoulders, and she lets out a breath of relief. “I know you said you want to be alone, but we just want to make sure that you’re okay.” She turns around, looking into the pair of blue eyes she knows so well. The pair belonging to the man she loves. When he sees her tear-stained face, Bucky sighs. “Oh, Y/N.” She holds out her arms, and without another word, Bucky climbs in beside her, wrapping his tattooed arms around her still shaking form. 

He lets her cry into his chest for as long as she needs, rubbing her back and whispering comforting words into her ear. “It’s okay. He’s gone. We got rid of him.”

“I’m sorry.” She hiccups. Bucky looks down at her, frowning.

“Y/N, you have nothing to be sorry for.” Yet, she sniffles, nodding.

“I do. I care about you so much. You’re so kind to me, and I’d love to be with you. In all honesty, it’s all I’ve ever wanted. But I ruined everything between us because of him.”

“You haven’t ruined anything, sweetheart.” Bucky soothes. “You’ve been through a lot, and nobody would judge you for being wary about dating again.” He kisses her head, his stubble lightly grazing her skin. Y/N feels that same flutter in her stomach again, this time amplified. He finds her hand again, intertwining his calloused fingers with hers once more. He brings her hand to his lips, kissing it softly. “It’s going to be big and scary, but we can take things as slow as you want. All I want is for you to be happy and comfortable.” And as she looks back up at him, Y/N realises that he’s right. Maybe she shouldn’t be scared, and actually let herself be happy again, with someone like Bucky.

“Okay.” She nods. Bucky smiles, softly kissing her on the lips. 

“How about I take you out tomorrow? Properly.”

“Where do you wanna go?” Bucky smiles, chuckling slightly.

“Well, we’re in New York, aren’t we? Like I said…I know a restaurant.”

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[genericpuff]

Okay I need someone to know there is an equally bad Hades x Persephone story (it might've been self published? But I'm not sure. I read it years ago as a gift from a friend).

But the basic premise of the story is very similar to a touch of darkness and lore Olympus. The names are changed slightly - Persephone is now Persy or something and hades is Hayden.

Persephone works at an accounting firm or something as a new hire and guess who the new business partner is that her company is trying to strike a deal with? Hades who's Uber rich and handsome. Only difference is for some reason Persephone has the power to make people tell her their deepest secrets so like for example when she was a kid people would confess creepy things to her - like her middle school teacher blatantly admitting to being a pedophile and she does nothing about it. (Granted it's like what would she do even magic powers aren't admissible in court but still). And there's a love triangle with some random human guy? Who is immune to her powers through sheer will power (and masturbation. Yes this is a plot point).

At some point Persephone travels Hayden's domain (which is somewhere in Asia like Shanghai for some reason and not Greece). I gave up at that point. There was lots of creepy things going on in the story a la "young new girl Persephone is constantly almost assaulted at every turn due to her irresistible beauty and people's need to tell her their secrets").

Worst book I've ever read. It's so bad I cannot for the life of me remember the title but it fashioned itself as a modern retelling of Hades and Persephone.

Could it have been The Cursed God? That's what I pulled up from a google search at least LMAO

Here's the summary:

"Hades is coming for me. But that doesn't mean he can have me . . . He says he knows me. Who I am. What I am. I'm pretty sure my boss Hayden is on some sort of weird power trip. He's sexy as hell, but has an arrogance that spells danger. I'm only serving drinks in his seedy strip club until I can afford my own flower shop. I just have to avoid the inexplicable pull between us in the meantime. Then he claims I'm Persephone and he's Hades, the God of the Underworld. He says I was taken from him and now he's here to awaken my spirit so he can take me back to the underworld. That his position in the underworld depends on it. Either he's crazy . . . or I'm a mythical goddess. A queen of the underworld. His Queen."

There was another one I found called Descent. And its summary is equally crazy:

"He was my savior once. Twice. Now he’s become my tormentor.

Hayden Montgomery was my best friend’s big brother. The last time I saw him was that Halloween night. The night he found me in the ruin of the chapel. The night he carried me home through a storm that was the omen warning us all of what would come.

That was five years ago. Now, he’s back. But he’s not the same man he was.

Once upon a time, I’d fantasized about our happily-ever-after. Once upon a time, I think I loved him.

But that was before he stood in the wreckage that is now my life and offered me the solution to my problems. And the cost? My body and my soul.

There’s something dark between Hayden and me. It binds us for better or for worse. Mostly worse. Like the moth to the flame, we can’t seem to resist the draw.

I just don’t know which of us is the moth and which the flame, but either way, we’re both going to get burned."

That last bit about the moth and flame is just- it's so delightfully Twilight "the lion fell in love with the lamb" vibes.

Anyways. Those are the two closest ones I could find that matched your description, but this has me learning that there are ... a LOT of 'modern' retellings of H x P that involve Persephone being an uwu babygirl and Hades being some wet rag abusive dickhead named Hayden. This is a sub-genre I didn't know existed and now I'm wishing I could just scrub my brain of it LOL

On the one hand, part of me now wants to believe that this issue goes deeper than Rachel, that Rachel is just yet another side effect of a bigger problem... but then I spot all the publication dates on these H x P "dark romance" books are from 2019 onwards. Obviously LO doesn't exist in a vacuum either, it's clear it took influences from works that existed before it, it's not the first "modern" retelling of Greek myth. But I can't help but feel a sense of dread that really makes me wonder just how much LO's existence has subsequently oversaturated the market with these "retellings" of a story that was originally a tragedy and meant to sympathize with the mothers whose daughters were forced into marriage, the same way 50 Shades and Twilight oversaturated the market with the "dark romance" genre itself, which is really just a dog whistle for abusive relationships at this point.

Don't really have anything else to say to close out this post. It's just depressing and I desperately want us all to hurry the fuck up and outgrow it instead of dressing up the same abusive "relationships" with a new coat of paint every 5-10 years.

[markantonys]

I'm at the end of TFOH and something else I noticed. The nobles do fear Rand cause of his anger and him making them less powerful cause he makes it so the laws apply to them now but it's a plot point that Rand consistently has to remind them that he can channel and that he will go mad. Cause they're actively trying to ignore that. It isn't until the docks when two Tairen lords see him channeling against Lanfear that they start to fear him cause he can channel. Knowing it is one thing, seeing it is something else. So like people complaining about the show not addressing this yet... it's not relevant til the end of book 5!

another very interesting observation!! i remember a scene in cairhien in TFOH when a noblewoman is trying to hit on him for personal gain and he (intentionally) freaks her out by reminding her that he can channel, and we saw something similar with berelain in TSR too, where she was all hellbent on seducing him but then got freaked out by the the whole bubble of evil incident and switched her sights to perrin instead. it definitely makes sense for people to view him almost as more of a regular warlord until they actually see concrete evidence of his channeling abilities. like you say, watching him channel is different from just knowing that (he says) he can!

so there really is 0 need for the show to have shown people being scared of rand's channeling abilities in only the first 2 seasons. even so, they did show it with "selene's" reaction! obviously it was all an act, but it was still a good representation of how the average person would react to watching rand channel right in front of them and it gives the audience a good sense of what's to come once rand becomes a notable public figure and has to face an increasing number of reactions to his abilities. but he isn't there yet.

as far as i can remember, the only significant negative reaction from books 1-3 that's missing from the show is mat's, but i am far from displeased with the show softening mat's attitudes towards channelers, not least because of the romance coming his way. Channeler Hater who has many channeler besties falling in love with Channeler Enslaver who reinforces all his worst prejudices just feels very..........malicious, and putting mat on better footing with channelers to start with definitely eases some of that nastiness, not to mention sets up for a more interesting dynamic where he actually challenges tuon on her views rather than becoming her yes-man. like, a non-channeler main good guy having some anti-channeler prejudice issues could have been an interesting storyline, but i would have preferred it if it wasn't the same non-channeler main good guy who was going to have the romance with the head channeler enslaver villain lmao that's just not a great combination unless you're TRYING to tell a cynical depressing tale of radicalization into a hate group, which i do not think RJ was trying to do with mat.

(it's possible show!mat may still develop some kind of anxiety/animosity around the power, depending on if his medallion is still framed as him wanting protection from channelers. but even if that does happen, show!mat would still never start turning a blind eye to channeler enslavement! granted, early book!mat would never have done that either, even early early "rand channeling is like him eating babies" mat would never have done that.)

[de-fright-ful]

✔

A QUICK AND EASY PLOTTING GUIDE ! | OOC MEME | ACCEPTING

My muse(s): Amity De Claire - Joy + Her Pokemon Team & the Coven (Noriko Joy, Orin Fournier, Yuhuza Sataoi, Yvita & Yvona Joy + close family friends like Mako) the whole song and dance of everyone on the property! + Vespodoza because I could see interactions, and they would be interesting.

Imagine meeting with an alternate universe's version of yourself? Wild! I love the prompt, ESPECIALLY for Giratina and Vespo! Even more so given that Vespodoza is the ONLY remaining Pokemon from the world of its origin left alive - the Dialga and Palkia of their world represented the two extremes of existence, the absence and the presence of Vespodoza SUPPOSED to be the in-between to mediate - unlike the present world - but Vespodoza is evil, it didn't mediate, it stoked both flames on either side with its swarm until both deities turned to war, and by then the swarms and Vespodoza had grown so strong that it devoured them both. Leaving the God of their universe to destroy the whole universe as a failed experiment to try and contain Vespodoza... only for him to wiggle out like a cockroach and move onto the next one, and the next one, until eventually, his hubris ends him when HE'S consumed (in spirit) by the little girl who he murdered and stole the body of (while on the flip side, as he's using her body as a sentient cocoon and drug to feel emotions and experiences, it's not capable of understanding on his own : she's consuming his mind and turning the parts of him into her until only one remains: Amity)

Do I know your muse(s):  yes | no | a little | tell me about your muse

( OKAY OKAY—I will out myself here. After you responded to my tags on the 'what made you name your blog' reblog chain meme, I HAD to check out your full blog and the lore. Nico and Amity are brothers in misfortune (on paper, at least!) AND possessed by Giritina adjacent entities. How could I not immediately latch on like Velcro?! But like, oh my god, when I say, when I SAY I love them both!! I love Giritina having a little vacation and watching through the eyes of a vessel about what it means to experience an existence that's so small but not insignificant and having that unseen escape from the clashing status quo of him, Dialga and Palkia with Arceus out here both instigating and being the worlds worst referee. BUT ALSO NICO, MY CRYPTID BELOVED, he is so so welcome in Saijikara; I love that he's coasting on the nature of the assumption and truly living like a spectre in the best way. Everyone assumes one part or the other and fills in the gaps they want about him - like who he must be affiliated with - and how he started. meanwhile, he can live his best life, poking and prodding, not needing to be grounded to any one human institution and sort of remaining as that perfect in between of both Giritina, with his godly perspective, and a normal ass bro! )

Setting: our verse | my verse | your verse | modern | alternate universe | other*

(Given the nature of both of our characters, there are SO MANY interesting possible verses and point-in-time interactions that could take place, and I'd love any of them! So, like, DM me so we can get started and plot something because I am OVERFLOWING with ideas!)

Pre-established relationships? yes | no | depends on the relationship

Note: The crossed-off ones are the only ones I can't really see happening. The bold ones are the 'OH YEAH PROBABLY' quick and easy roles I can see Ami slotting into, and everything else is a possibility! If you see something you want to proceed with, then let's plot!!

Possible relationships: friends | classmate | co-worker | roommate | family, real or adopted | dating or blind date | married | friends with benefits | unrequited love | lending a hand | teacher - student | rivals | allies | partner-in-crime | enemies | protecter - guarded | business partners | spy - infiltrated | manipulator - manipulated | star-crossed | first meeting | other 

I’m in the mood for: fluff | angst | horror | romance | humor | crime | hurt / comfort | action | supernatural | slice of life | crack | dark threads | light threads | any genre | multi-para | shorter para | one-line | any length | plotted threads | unplotted threads | other (alternate answer: YES)

Feel free to: message me ooc | message me ic | tell me your ideas | write a starter | answer one of my opens | send a meme | reblog this with your preferences - let’s find common interests! (ALL OF THE ABOVE ON GOD)

[agentrouka-blog]

What if before the events of the first book Ned had betrothed Robb to a daughter of a Northern house (Like say a Mormont, Umber or Glover) and before marching south Robb marries her and they end up conceiving a child during the war of the five kings? What would happen? How would negotiations at the twins change with Robb already married? Would the red wedding still happen? What about the whole Sansa as the key to the north thing? If Robb had a child would she still be that important?

Hi there!

That's difficult to answer because it changes SO MUCH.

(Long-winded speculation.)

In this scenario, a fourteen/fifteen-year-old heir to the lordship Robb (not yet king!) has a dark sense of foreboding and doesn't want to a) be pressured into breaking his betrothal in negotiations or b) leave his crippled brother the only available heir, and makes sure to impregnate his (hopefully older) wife before setting off to pressure the Lannisters into releasing his father and sisters.

Negotiations at the Twins definitely become harder. What does Robb offer Walder now to convince him to rebel against the crown? Arya is part of it, wards and squires are part of it, doubtlessly the hand of his future heir and maybe Rickon's, and whatever other promises Catelyn is free to make.

If Walder declines, their rebellion is unlikely to succeed as it originally did. Without the Whispering Wood, Robb neither has Jaime for a hostage nor a legendary win to inspire his followers, and Riverrun would remain besieged while Tywin's henchmen continue to burn the Riverlands. It's bad. He would likely not be raised to kingship, and either bends the knee or is defeated in battle or retreats North to regroup and plan some form of vengeance.

If Walder accepts, the alliance is more fragile, and Roose Bolton is already plotting against him, Robb likely makes the same mistakes. We don't have a broken betrothal as the pretext for the Freys to break their support and then force the match between Roslin and Edmure, which change or delay Roose's plans to betray and destroy Robb. But all of this could have still happend another way if Robb had blundered elsewhere.

(The only upside here would be if the wife is Alys Karstark because Rickard would have been less inclined to betray his son-in-law with his daughter being queen and thus dependent on Robb's success, though she would have been 14 at marriage. Yikes.)

There is no way of knowing what would have happened with Theon's attack on Winterfell. In the worst case scenario, that newborn dies at Ramsay's hands, or with his mother, depending on the timing. While it would free up Robb for a new alliance, it is unlikely he would consider it an option in his grief. That option disappears if the wife is kept alive, which would be the smart move for his enemies.

This turns everything back to canon levels for Sansa's claim.

If Theon's attack and Ramsay's follow-up do NOT happen as in canon because Robb left a larger force to defend his wife and she made different decisions as Lady of Winterfell/Queen, the entire war changes because the loss of his homebase was a huge gamechanger, triggering botz Cat and Robb to make rash, destabilising decisions.

If the heir AND Bran and Rickon are widely known to be safe and alive, it would make Sansa's claim much less important. The Lannisters might still try to secure it, simply to deprive Robb of the option of a marital alliance through her. That's not counting what Littlefinger himself may plot in his unhealthy fixation.

Another factor would be Robb's will. Would he legitimize his bastard half-brother if he had three living heirs outside Sansa? No.

I surmise: it mostly depends on how Theon's plot changes and the resulting state of the North itself. Either a LOT changes, or nothing all that much.

[aetheternity]

One thing I’ve found interesting about people who criticize Venti for “not caring about his people” by not solving every single one of Mondstadt’s problems himself and only stepping in when he absolutely needs to- is that this is a principle that applies to all the archons and something that all of them have displayed. What I mean by that is Venti is the way he is because he prioritizes freedom above all else because he’s the archon of freedom. He wants his people to not be dependent on him and to do as much as they can without him so he’s almost never there. The thing is… all the other archons also prioritize the concept that they’re the god of above all else. It’s pretty much typical archon behavior that they take their values to the extreme. What Venti does is completely normal for an archon. And the things the other archons did had bigger stakes/consequences so I don’t understand how it makes since to only criticize Venti specifically.

Zhongli would do anything else before he would break a contract. He put his people in danger so he could step down and willingly gave up his gnosis to the enemy. His entire second story quest he put a contract above his friendship with Azhdaha.

We all know about Ei and her quest for eternity driving her to turn against her people, causing a civil war.

And then there’s Nahida. I’ll admit that in addition to Venti, people often criticize Ei and Zhongli for their actions, but people infantilize Nahida so much that I’ve never seen anyone talk about what she did and the horrifying implications of it. She gambled with Dottore of all people over the safety of Teyvat. She threatened to unleash the wrath of the heavenly principles. She gave away two gnosis, one of which wasn’t even her own, to the fatui. While the traveler was unconscious and didn’t get a say in anything. All for some secret knowledge.

I don’t like Nahida in general, but more than that I think she’s really suspicious. She can be so subtly sinister and ominous at times with everything I just mentioned. She’s admitted she hides things from us on purpose. And she’s constantly watching the traveler, getting in their head, even possessing them without their consent twice- which in addition to being very annoying, is also just straight up creepy. She’s actually possessed multiple people. Why is she so okay with repeatedly forcibly taking other people’s autonomy? I mean I know some of that was necessary to move the plot foreword, but she didn’t have any reservations about it at all, weird.

I didn’t mean for this to become about Nahida, so anyway yeah Venti’s just doing the same thing that all the other archons do, but it’s not even as bad as when they do it because he knows when to draw the line. He’s still saved his nation plenty of times. I’ll never understand why people hate him for it.

At this point in time I've completely stopped listening to Venti haters they never have a good reason for hating him because there is no good reason to hate him. Not liking him would be slightly different as his screen time is a lot compared to other characters who get either none or very little and I guess I can finally understand the whole "these stans have ruined x character for me" *cough cough stupid Lumine stans* and I know a lot of people view Venti stans negatively I mean the Twitter Venti stans are the worst people I've ever had the displeasure of seeing takes from.

But yeah asking Venti to do for his people what they explicitly don't want (to be ruled over by a God/to have Barbatos solve all their problems) always reminds me that this fandom is full of people with Paimon brain. Which means having no brain at all.

[jesterkindreview]

Pokemon Violet - Review

I WANNA BE, THE VERY BEST--

What makes a Pokemon game good? I bring that question up not to provide a clear answer for it, but to highlight that there kind of isn’t one. It’s always going to be a little subjective, and your answer is going to depend on what it is you value in a Pokemon game- and in that vein, Pokemon Violet may be either the platonic ideal of a Pokemon game for you, or the worst of the new bunch by a wide margin. For me, it’s the former.

In recent instalments, the Pokemon franchise has been taking a few swings at shaking things up and presenting different ideas for the universe, as well as bringing new and revised mechanics to the table. Alola, for instance, was a very intriguing look at a region without a gym challenge at all and our first look at what other forms the until-then ubiquitous “evil team” could take with the legendary and iconic Team Skull. Then we move to Galar, and the pendulum swings again; this time, the gym challenge is emphasised even more, televised and celebrated like some kind of team sports, with stadiums and hooligans and everything. The mechanics shift and change as well. In Sun/Moon we were introduced to a lot of little quality of life changes- no longer requiring HMs to traverse the world, and a few smaller things like your Pokedex telling the effectiveness of any move against a Pokemon you’ve fought before mid-battle, bringing a little less memory strain to the poor kids who suddenly have to remember a lot more than 151 type matchups.

Scarlet/Violet does a little with the former concept. Paldea has no evil team, instead having an organised group of school bullies (of a sort), and it puts a more freeform emphasis on the gym challenge than before. The Professor, normally a personal, direct presence to usher your character along their journey, is instead an absent hotshot celebrity who only talks to your character briefly and over the phone before the climax of the game. This game does bring back a genuine rival for your character, but instead of the jeering assholes of the series’ roots, Nemona is instead the best girl and everyone should love her; earnestly, enthusiastically, autistically interested in battling for the sake of battling and overjoyed that someone else in the region can finally step up and challenge her without giving her odd looks or trying to avoid her. Nemona ties in to another small difference this game puts forward; in Paldea, “Champion” is a rank that trainers can earn, rather than a single role held by one individual until they’re beaten. We learn this because Nemona’s the youngest to achieve it, because she’s basically just a protagonist made into an NPC.

It’s in the mechanics that this game takes its biggest swings, though, and in my opinion it’s for the better. The sense that I got while playing Violet and steadily uncovering more and more things I could just do that previously required specific NPCs being given specific items or hauling my ass over to a specific point on the map is that someone looked at all the restrictions placed on a trainer going on their journey and said “Mmh, let’s just not with those this time”.

Want to change your active party of Pokemon? Well, not only can you still choose to add newly caught Pokemon directly to your party if you want, but you access your Boxes from the same menu you’d access your Bag or your active party; no PC required. Want to change what moves a Pokemon knows? Well, if it could have learned it by levelling up already, you can just swap to that move whenever, no NPC required. Want to change your Pokemon’s nickname? Just a button press, the Name Rater is out of a job in Paldea. Want to get around the map to overcome environmental barriers? There’s no HMs in this game (as a gating mechanic, they do still exist by name), you just upgrade your faithful bike Pokemon with sidequests.

This commitment to just taking away all the limiting factors seems, in my view, to extend out towards the plot construction as well- in that, there kind of isn’t any until the very end. Rather, your character is introduced to the Pokemon Academy at the heart of the region, and after settling in, is told about a free-form self-directed study concept they employ affectionately named ‘The Treasure Hunt’. Immediately after being told that you can go do whatever the hell you want, the game applies the very lightest of brakes and, rather than plan your route for you, hands you three options to steer you, presented diagetically by three people asking you to do things if you want to.

Nemona approaches you and asks you to do the Gym Challenge, because she’s certain you’ve got what it takes to be a Champion just like her. This is an easy sell; we’re playing Pokemon, of course I want to go do the Gyms. Arven, a very angsty lad you meet out on your trip to the school, has a request too. He’s searching for rare and powerful ingredients for his culinary arts named Herba Mystica, but they’re guarded by particularly powerful Titan Pokemon. He explains that since he’s kind of not very good at battling and you’re The Protagonist, he’d appreciate your help. You’re quickly given a hook to care about this subplot if you choose to help Arven the first time; he needs these rare and powerful ingredients for their healing capability, because his big dog-like Pokemon was badly injured and never fully recovered, a fact that stresses Arven out immensely. The Herba Mystica seem to work, too-- but if you’re a heartless monster and don’t care about a sweet puppy, you also get upgrades for your faithful steed after it takes a bite of the sandwiches too. Finally, a mysterious figure named Cassiopeia contacts you via the phone, and it’s definitely not the literal only other named character you’ve met so far that isn’t accounted for, don’t worry about it. This figure wants you to tackle the Team Star bases on the logic that their leaders will step down if they’re challenged and beaten, which will help stop Team Star from being kind of annoying to people just trying to go about their school day. There’s a mechanical reason to do this too, but it’s the story hook that’s more likely to motivate- that, or completionism, since you do need to do these three subplots to their culmination before you can finish the game and actually experience its main narrative content.

Thankfully, it’s a good and fun game so that isn’t too tall a task.

Those three subplots serve as the core gameplay loop, as you catch and train Pokemon to be strong enough to tackle the next item on your self-organised list; or, in my case, stubbornly doing all the Titan Pokemon straight away to unlock the ability to drive straight up sheer cliffs like a Skyrim horse. The open world format of the game supports this pretty nicely, providing a little pacing by way of certain areas being harder to access without traversal upgrades and by simply being higher levelled, but otherwise letting you tackle things in pretty much any order you want. There’s only one place that’s off limits to you for the majority of the game: The Great Crater, covered by fog and a giant mountain range in the very centre of the map. You’re not allowed there mechanically, and multiple authority figures tell you point blank that you’re not allowed there narratively, either. It’s an intriguing question mark on an otherwise open book, and if you take the optional History lessons with Ms. Raifort, you’ll learn a little more about it; supposedly there’s a treasure of some kind at its centre, but nobody knows what it is, because no expedition ever returns. Only one man, from one expedition, ever made it back out- and his tales of what he saw were so fantastical that people came to regard him as a liar.

The Great Crater is something that the game shows you last, more or less, so I won’t focus on it and its narrative content until later. For now, we’ll take a look at how the game’s freeform concept works in its favour. This is where I expect the game is the most mixed among those who played it. I can imagine those who’ve never truly cared about the characters of previous games on any level beyond passing appreciation may struggle to find themselves invested, especially if the Herba Mystica and Team Star subplots don’t provide them much to anchor onto. Those who need a story to happen alongside their journey may find this game lacking, whereas those who find themselves irked whenever a Pokemon game tells them that they need to go do story stuff before they can proceed may find it far more of a refreshing change of pace. The Gyms are all pleasantly themed and have enjoyable characters staffing them, even if the omission of Gym Leaders using potions to heal their Pokemon was a bit odd, and the towns you wander through (+ the routes between them) all look about as good as one can expect of a Switch game.

It’s in the core gameplay loops that you’ll notice the most of this game’s unavoidable performance issues. In the course of my playthrough, I never noticed anything totally gamebreaking; the worst of it was getting somewhat trapped in terrain while attempting an off angle route over a mountain, and the game accounted for that well enough by just teleporting me out of the terrain and onto terra firma a little way away. A bit clumsy, but better than requiring a restart of the game, so... it is what it is. What’s far more noticeable is just the occasional graphical glitch. Shadows that forget to work, clipping for various objects attempting to exist together... the upside is that there’s not much in the way of framerate issues (outside of a few animations in cutscenes, which looks hilarious) with the tradeoff that there’s a pretty low render distance for things like wild Pokemon spawning in. It’s noticeable, there’s no getting around that, but it’s at least relatively easy to ignore.

(It should be noted, perhaps with an air of pointed frostiness, that perhaps these games should get a longer development cycle and bigger budget to prevent this kind of thing. Hm.)

Narratively speaking, what you’ll find during these sections is pretty light and simple. Arven’s story is compelling enough, especially with the way the Professor absolutely blanks him during video calls where he’s in the same room as you to drive home his general situation, and I’d go so far as to say that while Team Star’s narrative content is lighter than it should be, what’s there is nice. The four leaders are all compelling enough in their own right, and the steadily revealed backstory linking them all is about as straightforward and charming as you’d expect from a kid’s game. Their overall leader is a weird curveball of a character, but I can’t say I am anything but enamoured with her, so that’s hardly a complaint. Nemona may not have a story, but through her you learn a little more about how the Pokemon League and the Gyms function, and meet the game’s analogue of the Champion - Chairwoman Geeta - a few times, on top of the Elite Four members filtering in and out to observe your progress with interest. The Elite Four themselves were, for me, a mixed bag. I do not go into any Pokemon game expecting challenge, because I am easily twice the age of the game’s intended audience, but I was still a little taken aback that one member of the supposedly strongest trainers in the entire region utilised Ground type Pokemon. As excellent as Rika’s design is and as much as I may adore Clodsire, that’s an odd choice. Thankfully, the other three Elite Four are all enjoyable characters and had some slightly more robust typings, on top of the good Chairwoman using Pokemon you’ve yet to have a chance to even encounter yet to add in a little bit of extra challenge, so I come away feeling relatively positive- if a little baffled.

Briefly, while we’re on the topic of battling and its intricacies, I’d like to touch on the game’s new mechanic. Each of the more recent games, starting from X/Y, have had their own battle mechanic that hasn’t come back for future games- excepting for the sequels/remakes within their respective generations, anyway. X/Y (and by extension, Alpha Sapphire/Omega Ruby) had Mega Evolution, Sun/Moon (and by extension, their Ultra sequels) had Z-Moves, and Sword/Shield had Gigantamaxing. Each has their own upsides and downsides, but it is my opinion that the new mechanic, Terastallising, has the most mechanical merit. The way it functions is simple: Somewhat like Mega Evolution, your Pokemon can go through a transformation that can be used a single time per battle (or between party restores, more accurately). This transformation boosts the attack damage of its associated type by a certain amount, that stacks with Same Attack Type Bonus that Pokemon get by default- but there’s a catch. A Pokemon’s Tera Type does not have to match its main type; you may catch a Pikachu, naturally an Electric type, who would become a Water type when Terastallised. A Tera Type is always singular, too; my Skeledirge, the evolved fire starter, is dual type Fire/Ghost, but only Fire type when Terastallised, thus removing some weaknesses while at the same time removing some resistances. The game never really pushes you in a position where that matters tremendously outside of higher-level raid battles (which are, somewhat surprisingly, a thing now), but it’s a neat gimmick all the same and I like it quite a bit.

One of the game’s lesser-sung but extremely welcome changes, in my opinion, revolves around the Pokedex; on top of the actual Pokedex having some extremely charming visuals that I’d absolutely download as a real app onto my phone if offered, the fact that you can ‘lock on’ to Pokemon in the overworld proves to be a boon for those wanting to fill the pages. On top of showing you the Pokemon’s name (if you’ve encountered it before) and its level, it’ll also have a little icon next to its name if you’ve already caught it, meaning that you won’t catch two of the same thing accidentally. It’s little touches like these that elevate Pokemon Violet far above where the performance issues may have otherwise left it languishing; a lot of care and attention went into how a player would engage with a freeform Pokemon experience, removing the limitations that have become extremely arbitrary with age and trusting that the core experience of playing a Pokemon game is itself enjoyable enough to carry one’s experience without plot-gating the next Gym or pushing you towards doing something arbitrary. It’s the first game where I actually made an attempt towards completing the Pokedex in its entirety, and that is due in large part to how accessible that’s been made. Hints for where to find the missing Pokemon are found in the Pokedex itself, for instance, and you’ll know at a glance if you’ve already come across something that may seem unfamiliar in the moment, so... why not give it a try, the game asks? You’re here, we’re not making you do anything else, and we’ve given you all the tools you need... wanna catch ‘em all?

In my opinion, it works, quite nicely. The game doesn’t suffer for its lack of narrative content before the end- and when you do get to that narrative content, the game goes out with the most satisfying and compelling bang of the entire franchise. I won’t go into too deep detail to avoid spoilers, but I have not seen Pokemon take this much of a stylistic swing outside of the climax of Sun/Moon, and it works as well here as Mother Beast Lusamine did there; perhaps even better. There’s a plot twist of the earned variety, where previous clues are recontextualised, and some extremely enjoyable visual language accompanying a pretty reasonably interesting story concept. It may be brief, but the time it spends with you is easily one of the most memorable Pokemon plot climaxes I’ve personally ever seen. Suffice to say, what lurks deep in the Great Crater is worth the anticipation it builds, both in the sense that it’s compelling plot and in the sense that the character interactions that happen immediately prior to it are extremely entertaining.

All in all, the complaints I have about this game seem shockingly minor in contrast to the things I’d want to celebrate about it. This is not going to be the Pokemon game for everyone, but I personally think it does a magnificent job at filling the niche it’s actually aiming for. That is to say, it’s relaxing. Calm. Explore Paldea, take some optional tutorial classes and talk to the teachers between lessons to get a better understanding of their character, catch some Pokemon. Do some gyms, help out with the bullying problem, help a guy with his dog because he asked you to. For once, the protagonist of the game isn’t being saddled with expectations and region-threatening nightmares, or hostile Teams with ill intent... you’re just at school in a utopia, and when threat comes, you’ve had plenty of time to relax, enjoy yourself, and prepare. This was an extremely welcome breath of fresh air for this franchise... though I’m not sure they should do it more than a few times. It, too, might get stale with repetition.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some more Pokemon to catch. I’m almost at 400, and that’s a full Pokedex- if only I could find this damn Barboach...

[findyourrp]

Looking for fandomless roleplays, please.

Hello! ❄

22 Year old Female looking for an 18+ male Rp partner for a f×m romantic roleplay.

I'd love some drama, fluff, angst, etc. Dark themes are okay, but I draw the line at very dark themes, such as gore, noncon etc and I don't do NSFW at all. It makes me uncomfortable...

I write novel style rp and can write 2 paragraphs or more depending on the detail, but if you can only write one; that's fine, as long as it's not a one liner.

I want modern fantasy with the male being your choise; he can have powers of his own ir be completely human, I don't mind.

My female oc is based on the Ghost Rider and a Siren, so her powers tend to unknowingly lure in the worst men so that she can "take care of them". But again, she doesn't know that. It's not necessary for the plot, but those are just her powers. This has led to traumatic experiences for her, such as close calls and being injured, so she is very wary of men.

Dynamics: It could be him being super protective and gentle with her, which she isn't used to. Or he'd be so inlove with her that he can't understand why she struggles to trust him so much. She'll sometimes refuse to go anywhere alone with him until they eventually become friends and later fall inlove. She wouldn't tell him about her past either, in fear of being judged.

Plot: I want to go for a scenario where she managed to escape from her adoptive parents and start an entirely new life. By this I mean that she used her powers to make people see ger the way she wants them to. As a human. During this time she meets a man who she ends up falling for, so they start dating. But rather far into the relationship, her past starts catching up to her and the man ends up learning about how she stole from people, learns what her powers are, etc, but doesn't learn the full truth of course, so he thinks she has just been lying to him.

We can discuss the plot in further detail, decide on tropes, etc, because I'm open for almost anything.

Setting: It can be high school, university, working together, etc. They can start out as friends and then turn to lovers or whatever.

I am open to ideas; tropes, other dynamics etc, so let's have a bit of fun with this. I'm up for almost anything.

She does have a bio that I will send you, but I CAN make some changes if you'd like. It's not set in stone, so I don't mind changing her a bit sometimes because it can make a very fun rp most of the time.

Anyway; I'd love a long term partner to write with. I adore world or story building, sharing ideas for the plot, hopefully befriending eavh other along the way, etc. So if you're upnfor that, awesome! If not, that's fine too. I just want communication; like I don't mind slow-ish replies, but I don't want to wonder if you're still interested a week or two later, because I already have two of those going on and it's not fun.

Atleast tell me if you're going to be gone for like more than three days or a week or if I'm doing something that you don't like, if you're not interested anymore, etc. I myself reply relitavely fast unless I'm busy, or asleep, obviously. But I'll let you know if anything comes up; I please ask that you do the same.

I write mostly on Discord at the moment, so you can find me at Akkin#3052 or interact with this post and I'll send you the link to her bio.

Akkin#3052

[writingwithfolklore]

Outlining (part 2/2)

This is the part two of yesterday’s post, so if you missed that one read it first here! We’re picking up right where we left off--after fun and games, where your MC finds small success with a growing problem, we get right into Midpoint.

Midpoint: Oh no. This is the false victory—the character thinks they’ve reached their objective, but it’s quickly followed by a reversal, the objective is snatched away, or they lose something essential. It typically surprises the audience/readers, sends the plot in a new direction (while still being relevant to the beginning obviously), raises the stakes, strips away support the protagonist was relying on, and often starts a ticking clock (time pressure). Ever heard of the advice “what does your character take for granted? Take it away from them.” This is the part to do that.

In Moana, they get the hook back during fun and games, Maui finds success in using it again, and Moana leads them right to Te ka. So the midpoint is this moment, when they’re trying to restore the heart and fail. They get there (victory) but can’t restore the heart (reversal) and Maui has left (strips away support).

(It’s relevant here to note that I find from this point to the resolution to be shorter than it took to get to this point from the intro in novel writing. There’s no reason each major point needs to be the same length, follow what your story demands, you’ll likely have more to set up than you do to wrap up, it’s all cool.)

Things get Worse: This is a bit like fun and games in that it’s almost a transition stage between major points, but like so much sadder. Essentially it finishes what the midpoint started, removing allies, raising stakes. Our protagonist is still using their same strategy they chose at their first act turn.

In Moana this point is pretty short, I tend to like books that don’t simmer too long around here, but depending on your tone we could hang around here or move on quickly. Just be careful about pacing, the midpoint is where I usually fall into full stops, so don’t kill your momentum! Moana’s boat is damaged and Maui is gone, she talks to her grandma and discovers what she needed to realize (unconscious need) that the ocean is part of her identity, she can’t force herself to be anything else “the call isn’t out there at all it’s inside me.”

So we move right on into our Second act turn: It’s another large choice the protagonist makes that responds directly to what happened in the midpoint. We’ve now changed strategies to getting what we want, but the goal/objective remains the same. It should feel desperate, but of course a slim amount of hope is necessary.

Moana decides to take the heart back herself. It’s a change of strategy. Before, she was relying on Maui, but she still has the same objective: to return the heart.

Crisis: This is the consequence from your character’s choice (all choices have consequences). It typically puts your character in a dangerous or unstable situation where the stakes are high, they’re in jeopardy, but they’re so close to achieving their objective/goal even if the probability that they fail Is high. This is the “all hope is lost” moment, your protagonist has lost and knows they have. They’re facing their worst fear.

Your character probably realizes now they have to make another choice, they understand their need, and they can either adhere to it (positive arc) or ignore it (tragic arc). In Moana, this is the moment she discovers that Te Fiti is gone, all hope is lost because how can she return a heart to someone that’s not there? She’s in danger from the fury of Te ka, and her probability of failure is high. This is typically a pretty short plot point to keep the momentum moving towards the resolution.

Climax: This is the choice your character makes. They’ve realized their need, and now they’re choosing what to do with that information. It should be a difficult choice, maybe even requiring a sacrifice to do what the story considers to be the right thing and reveals who the protagonist is/who they’ve become over the course of the story.

Moana needed to realize her own identity (there’s that motif again!) and that ‘call inside us’. She gambles that Te ka will be good once she gets the heart back, so she offers Te ka the heart. It’s a sacrifice, she’s practically giving away her objective if it doesn’t go well, so it’s a difficult choice—but we know that Moana understands who she is, and how she now believes the world to be. That’s another important part of the climax, is that it essentially reveals your theme—it contains an implicit statement about the world, such as “we cannot deny our own identity” or “all people are inherently good when they have the right support” we talked more about theme a couple months ago here.

Resolution: Remember consequences? We have more! The resolution is what happens because of the protagonist’s choice, and depending on what happens, you either reveal to the audience it was the right choice (happy ending) or the wrong one (tragic ending). It draws any remaining questions brought up by the story to a close and demonstrates the “new normal” of the world. Where the character set out to put their world back into order, they grew as a person to create instead a new normal. If the world is the exact same as how it started, it will feel as though there was no point to the story, so character and world must change.

In Moana, Te Ka turns back into Te Fiti, Maui gets his hook back, and Moana goes back home to restart her people’s tradition of travelling the ocean. That’s the most important part! If Moana went back to her island for her dad to say, “thank goodness you’re back, now you’re never leaving again!” we’d wonder why we had wasted however many hours watching her overcome struggles and achieve her objective. Instead, Moana’s world is changed, her people leave the island, and that leadership strength we see at the beginning alongside how she grew as a person throughout (having the confidence in her identity to take lead in returning to an older tradition) leads us to our happy ending.

It’ll help to understand this structure better by doing what I did to Moana. Pick your favourite movie, watch it through, and try to outline it as accurately as you can (tip, the midpoint happens at the middle, but feels like the start of the end).

Moana’s arc is the entirety of the plot. We don’t start with the island’s problems, we start with Moana’s dream/conflict, in wanting to be on the ocean but not being allowed to leave her island. Moana is inspired to finally take that step by an external influence, but the rest of how she grows is through facing this conflict and trying to achieve her objective. That’s why we start with character first! There is no story without Moana, but there is no growth without that conflict, so we need a balance of both.

New post on Wednesday like usual!

[angry-slytherin]

We Really Like Fluff

a totally incomplete guide to dousy fan fictions that are a must:

according to me, anyway

no idea where to start? looking for a fic you read a year ago? I’ve got you.

help me find the tumblrs of those not tagged (if they have one)!

all we do is drive. (romantashas) @romantashas

Daisy has missed the open road. She used to always love taking her van out and just driving. Los Angeles was where she liked to stick around, but she would always go on these road trips just because she wanted to explore somewhere new.

She's always liked running away from things.

It was different, having someone with her.

In which Daisy Johnson helps Daniel Sousa explore the modern world by taking him on a cross-country road trip in a van. Post-Finale road trip AU with MCU tie-ins.

the first beloved fic by this fandom. completed in august 2020, it strays from canon somewhat at S7E11, but the characterization makes you forget that anything is different at all. truly a masterpiece, and definitely a must-read.

6/17/55 (lazyfish)

6/17/55.

She never thought it would mean 1955.

(Spoilers up to 7.06.)

one shot. soulmate au. beautifully written. it’s only just under 2k words but one of the most popular fan fictions under the tag on ao3. absolutely adorable and you’ll feel your heart flutter for them.

One Year Later (marvelsquake) @marvelsquake

Set right after the series finale's 'one year later' part where Daisy stares into space with Sousa and Kora.

Inspired by the 'anatomy analysis' bit Jemma says to Daisy.

there are so many amazing “anatomy analysis” fics out there. that is one of those “if you know, you know” things;) this one is really thoroughly written, and marvelsquake took their time to make every detail perfect. really, just excellent.

Stay (SteeleHoltingOn) @steeleholtingon

Not everyone knew she could feel heartbeats. Sousa’s sped up every time he looked her way.

His reaction wasn’t particularly unusual, and Daisy was an expert at fending off unwanted advances. But that was just it: Sousa hadn’t actually made any advances, and if he did, Daisy wasn’t sure she’d ward them off.

Her heartbeat, it seemed, liked to match tempo with his.

this one needs little introduction. it has been recced(??) to death, and rightfully so!!! the author is this incredible genius and I love them for giving this to us. it’s over 150k words, so be ready to commit some much deserved time to this excellent character study on both Daisy and Daniel.

Feel Good(I Like It) (enigmaforum)

It's not the the first time she’s felt something for someone since Lincoln but it’s the first time she felt like it had the possibility to actually turn into something. Something Good.

I’ve always loved the title of this fic, but that’s besides the point. enigmaforum is a very talented writer who does plot AND characterization like a pro. definitely an A+ in terms of quality. also part of a series with some other excellent works!

Exposure (agentquakingskye) @blcssqvake on instagram

Dying in a half-second blast of radiation wasn’t as bad as she thought it would be.

Dying all over again, slowly, because of that half-second of radiation?

That was worse.

okay I lied. we also love angst and this work is angst central. it’s a cancer AU following the finale, but it’s just as happy as it as sad. prepare your tissues, but also prepare for some seriously good writing.

A Week After Death (manoutoftimeandquake) @puddle-of-awesomeness

An explosion in an alien junkyard sends Daisy, Sousa and Kora back in time to meet some people from Sousa's past.

the astro ambassadors sent back in time to meet the AC cast(essentially). such a fun, action-packed, hilarious work. such a classic. go read it now!!

Where I Need To Be (JennaPotter)

This is set from Episode 7x03 onwards and follows the story of Daisy Johnson and Daniel Sousa, and how their relationship has been developing throughout this amazing season of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.! This story mostly follows canon but is interspersed with missing moments between Daisy and Sousa that I imagine could have happened off-screen.

almost 200k words of absolute beauty. it’s incredibly detailed and excellently written. it’s like reading a published novel!! but with dousy!!

you’ve got that power(over me) (romantashas) @romantashas

"It's you," Daniel whispers. He's in awe, looking at Quake. She steps back away from him. "Let me help you," he says, reaching out toward her injured arm slowly.

Daniel only gets a moment more to admire her glowing eyes and her purple hair before she turns and runs away, her hand slipping out of his.

In which the superheroes of the Marvelverse actually try to keep their identities a secret and Daniel Sousa is determined to figure out who is behind the mysterious Quake mask. Superhero AU with MCU tie-ins.

yet another classic(I’m definitely misusing that word… it’s deserved by these authors) work by romantashas. the description gives the gist of it, but it’s one of the best dousy AUs out there.

get ready for the shameless self promo…

Your Heartbeat On The Highline(Once In Twenty Lifetimes) (doctorsimmonswilson) @angry-slytherin

He’s a man out of time and she’s an orphaned superhero. They’ve just got to figure out what to do next, after the mission is over.

[aka Daisy and Daniel’s story post finale]

welp… I included my own story. honestly it’s because it is one of the most popular in the tag(I’m sifting through too kudos and top hits). I’m really super proud of it, so read it if you’d like. it’s canon compliant (and extremely fluffy for the most part:)

somebody hurt you(but you’re here by my side) (agentmmayy) @agentmmayy

Daniel doesn't leave Daisy's side, even when she's out of the healing chamber.

very popular, and for good reason. such a sweet, nice fic. I very much enjoyed it and it’s a quicker read than most on this list!

and here’s to the question marks

aka: unfinished works that are beautiful and deserve your attention

want you(to unravel me) (IzzieBee)

Daisy never wanted to be rescued, by anyone. She never wanted to owe someone that debt, but especially not to a handsome WWII Vet, traveling through time. Daniel, who was brave and decent, and kind of funny, and who she could easily depend on, which was way too dangerous to consider.

OR

Daisy really wasn't ready for Daniel Sousa.

sexy, fun, well-written… what more could we ask for? it’s missing the last chapter, but the brunt of the story is there, and it’s satisfying either way.

A Truth Stranger Than Fiction (wordsmithraven)

Daniel Sousa was having the worst day of his life...and he’d lived through a war. Service had always been something he’d understood. Honor. Sacrifice. Duty. He’d just never thought his journey would mean leaving everything he loved behind.

a lot of daisy and daniel getting to know one another… a little bit of season 7 adventure… a whole bunch of fun.

Loving The Journey Together (manoutoftimeandquake) @puddle-of-awesomeness

Moments in the lives of Daisy and Sousa (and Kora) after the end of the team's final mission.

this one is a WIP(being updated currently). manoutoftimeandquake has some amazing snippets/slices of life waiting for you in that work!

it’s in the subtext (eggsaladstain)

Snippets of the relationship between Daisy Johnson and Daniel Sousa through the words they said and the ones they didn’t.

SO. FREAKING. GOOD. just go read it, okay?

and finally, some links to some authors who’ve written a bunch of amazing stuff.

romantashas

manoutoftimeandquake

enigmaforum

@hecckyeah

lazyfish

hereforthephilindafics

dearemma

seriously, there’s so many more amazing fics in this tag. I didn’t have the energy to include all 800+. these are just some that are most popular and/or deserve your attention.

thank you for taking the time to read through all of this! I hope you’ve found some things to bookmark(or binge-read;)

[hehosts-moved]

so idk if you have ever talked about this before but do yori and ren's lives ever intersect with each other , like do they feel each other's actions or memories ever ? do people ever mix them up , do they have similar haunts or other such things ? and if so how do they deal with it and how much do they actually know of each other?

this is an amazing question, you're getting me back into the thick of things! so i'll refer to the overall person / character of "ren" as hatanaka to make it a little easier while "ren" and "yori" are basically like characters that hatanaka is playing, but it's hard to say that "ren" or "yori" individually are more "close to" who hatanaka is — they are intentionally kept very separate, but both are very much part of who "hatanaka" is as a person.

ren is the person that hatanaka wishes he could be — not without kyosuke, but having the confidence, being sexy and desirable, flirty, the appeal to others, being "free" with "no strings attached", expressive, even a bit immature at times, yet still "has it all together" ... but being "ren" allows hatanaka to also be the worst parts of himself or indulge in the more flawed characteristics he has such as overindulgence, pride, lust, greed, envy (this trait he shares with "yori" for different reasons, they are insatiably envious), etc.

yori is who hatanaka is in that he is the "father" that hatanaka naturally is. he is very good with children, calm, patient, he's very family oriented, very almost "plain" i would say. but being yori allows hatanaka to not only be the person he was "born as", but also it embodies all of his fears, anxieties, stresses, his complexes and hangups. "yori" will always be attached to "ren" for several main reasons, primarily kyosuke.

while ren doesn't advertise that he is a "hosting father" (he doesn't want to use kyosuke to his advantage, it feels wrong), he still sees "ren" or "himself" as kyosuke's father. it's just that he doesn't want kyosuke to come across this life at all, as a child or adult, and he tells his family that he is a bartender (not the most far-off lie, there is a bar in shining! but ... well, we know better as the audience than that).

their lives begin to intersect generally when a third party member is involved such as hina, for example. she is one of the "first" to start seeing ren as "ren" before their relationship progressed into "yori" territory. she often calls him by either name depending on how she feels. after all, her last name was very briefly hatanaka. other characters do this, too, such as sho (genkigang, the canonical second host to ren and his love interest). sho is what i call a "plot pusher", but that's not all he is. he just has the personality to carry a story forward, whereas yori / ren are keener to "stay the same" in stagnancy. sho is the one that reveals that ren is a father in the MDIAH comic, for example. ren has been hiding his identity as a father for a long time, but it is sho that continues to push the narrative. sho is nosy, but it's very good for a character like ren, thus they do very well together.

sometimes hatanaka has been caught out-and-about by a client from either his time hosting, his escorting, or later (in rp) his time as a rental bf, which is usually a bit jarring as he dresses and looks pretty different in comparison. ren is a suited man, gloves, a tie, slicked-back hair that's styled to the side, nice shoes, a watch, etc. yori is more plain, casual, and fatherly. he often has to "get back in" to his character as "ren", basically saving face, or he'll outright pretend it isn't him if able.

they share all the same memories as ren is not supernaturally endowed in any shape or form, there are a few "things" about him but nothing so substantial it's noticeable if that makes sense? between goro, ji-hun, deng, and ren? ren is the weakest, normal human figure in this unholy square. he is an "investment", he is not necessarily a "player", but he has "player actions" or a "main character" kind of syndrome going on. he is the "main character", after all, but even that? it's more tongue-in-cheek. this is ren / yori's story that is being highlighted, but it's not all about him.

for similar haunts, hatanaka tends to keep his "ren" business to certain locations — snack bars, love hotels, their place, etc. yori does not go to those places, at least not often, and he tries to not cross the same streets so to speak.

hatanaka is basically living almost a "triple" life, but it's primarily a dual-identity thing. day as dad, night as host. but at the end of the day, "ren" and even "yori" as just extensions of a singular man, and that man doesn't really know himself.

if we're going way off into like my twin au for rp, there's a whole lot of its own drama in that regard ddfasgdg but i hope this clears things up !!

[pennylaneforthoughts]

All right the English major in me is coming out to bat, and I can hold it in no longer because my whole darn Honors thesis is on Shakespeare.

So while acknowledging that this is all speculation bc we can't actually know unless Tom and Owen tell us what's up, here's my two cents on the weird Two Gentlemen of Verona thing Tom and Owen evidently have going on.

First of all, y'all should know that it's Hella Weird that this is the play that Owen can quote the first line of. And the reason is that it's Shakespeare's literal worst play. Like not even kidding it's so bad. It's an important play for Shakespeare scholars bc it's his first play, and in it you can see the precursors to his later, much better works like Romeo and Juliet. A sandbox of sorts. But especially in comparison to the rest of his work, it's Really Bad. And because of this, it's not very well known at all, and my Shakespeare professor actively recommended that we not read it for our optional comedy to study.

Let me break it down for y'all.

Basic plot is you've got Valentine and Proteus who have a very homoerotic relationship (if you recall Owen quoting the first line, it's literally Valentine saying "cease to persuade, loving Proteus") but one which is Toxic As Hell, for which Proteus is at fault, stemming from some intense internalized homophobia imo. Valentine leaves Verona, inviting Proteus to come with him, but Proteus is too busy with his fiancée Julia and says no. So off Valentine goes, and he meets the beautiful Silvia and falls in love with her instantly, as you do, but her dad doesn't like it much. Proteus decides he misses his Bro and ditches Julia to go after him. Upon finding Valentine with Silvia, he gets pissed and decides he wants Silvia for himself (tho you could argue this is out of internalized homophobia fueled jealousy) and purposefully gets Silvia's dad to banish Valentine. Sucks to be Proteus tho bc Silvia is Not into him and says as much to a disguised Julia who's followed her deadbeat fiancé and found him with this other girl. Silvia loves Valentine tho so she goes off with Proteus and disguised Julia to go find him where he was banished. Proteus doesn't like this tho and right before they find Valentine, he tries to force himself on her. Thankfully he's stopped by Valentine, but there's a really weird line where Valentine either says "whatever if you want her that bad take her" or "all the love I have for her is yours" depending on how you read it. Either way, it's not great bc it glosses over the whole non-con issue from like 2 minutes ago, Julia also reveals herself and then they go "oh yay we're all here now let's get married" and then Valentine ends up with Silvia and Proteus ends up with Julia.

And like, people have mentioned before that you could technically draw a parallel with Sylvie and Silvia bc their names are similar, and that it's kinda like Loki and Mobius bc Valentine leaves Proteus to go after Silvia, and there's the homoerotic implications for Lokius, but really that's where the similarities stop, and comparing Mobius to Proteus is just an insult to Mobius' character tbh.

If we're gonna draw Shakespeare parallels, we could make a much more compelling argument with Twelfth Night (the m/f twin connection is right there) or even Hamlet or Much Ado About Nothing than with Two Gentlemen, so it doesn't make much sense for Tom and Owen to have this inside joke directly related to the Loki series.

And not only is the play deeply problematic as I've illustrated above, it's also poorly written. It's a bad play y'all. That's why nobody knows it. So there is No Way that of all the Shakespeare plays to want to do, Owen Wilson, who has himself said that he has no real familiarity with the Bard other than a college Shakespeare class, would pick Two Gentlemen as his dream Shakespeare production. It makes exactly zero sense whatsoever. (He'd be much, much more suited for a role like Benedick in Much Ado imo)

We do know, however, that Owen is excellent at improvising and likes joking around and messing with people. So I imagine that rather than being a secret lokius joke, it came into being by way of an interaction along these lines:

Tom: So have you ever played Hamlet?

Owen, shook and kinda laughing: Nah, it's not really my typecast so I've never had the opportunity.

Tom, wanting to be encouraging: Aw I'm sure you'd be great in the role! Though I am curious, if you were to be in any Shakespeare play, what would it be?

Owen, wracking his brain for buried play titles from college like thirty years ago: uhhh Two Gentlemen of Verona, maybe???????

Tom, a Shakespeare nerd who knows the play, suddenly Very concerned but polite: oh,,,, is that so?

Owen, noticing the confusion but deciding it'll be funnier to roll with it: yeah I think it's a really compelling story. One of Shakespeare's finest works if you ask me.

Tom, visibly shaking and in a cold sweat: r-really?,,,??,

Owen, busting up laughing: sskdjskksk no not at all! I know like nothing about Shakespeare, cmon. I was Lightning McQueen! I just vaguely remember reading that play in college.

Tom, sighing in relief: oh thank God I was so worried. That's the worst one!

Owen, amused: is it?

Tom, going into professor mode: well you see--

And so it probably became like a "I'm pretending to be pretentious and cultured" sort of inside joke that played a part in their bonding as coworkers and snuck its way into the documentary bc they thought it'd be funny, and they were right. Tbh the way they talked about it sounded a lot like my and my friends riffing on plays in my Shakespeare class, so I'm inclined to believe that that's what they're doing here.