#“That he forgives me. And that I deserve it.��� is an INCREDIBLE moment that NEEDS its context

[wardensantoineandevka]

I will admit I'm a little salty that people, in an effort to prove that there is no good dialogue in Veilguard at all, keep comparing mission exposition to the high point narrative set pieces of prior games. I agree that some of the writing related to plot mechanics and mission exposition in Veilguard is a little too utilitarian, but that doesn't mean none of the dialogue is good or that prior games didn't also sometimes have this issue here and there.

I also generally dislike when people put the bar for good writing — and all writing too, not even just dialogue writing, ALL writing — at mic-drop sentences that still sound good completely divorced from context, because that really just reduces "good writing" down to like fake-deep philosophizing or witty quips exclusively. sometimes, a really good bit of dialogue sounds like a completely normal sentence out of context.

[dalliancekay]

Aziraphale does NOT need to suffer MORE

Can't believe I have to say this. TW: grief, mourning, death (sorry) I have, since falling into the fandom 6 months ago to escape real life, seen many takes on how Aziraphale needs to (or at least should) suffer in S3 to match Crowley's suffering. As the counterpart to the moment Crowley thinks he lost Aziraphale as he's looking for him desperately in the burning bookshop....

...after this he drinks, we suppose, to dull his pain, waiting for the Armageddon. Or, for the way Crowley suffers at the bandstand argument, the 'I Forgive You' moments, which many people find utterly devastating and incredibly heartless from Aziraphale. Not to mention when he doesn't react in the 'right way' to Crowley's confession in the Final 15. And then on top of that, 'abandons' Crowley. For Heaven. Oh and also for, and I quote: "The smug and entitled way Aziraphale went around in S2 assuming Crowley would love and follow him everywhere." And so for all this pain that Crowley endured for him, Aziraphale should suffer in S3 (to I assume) even out the scores. Or... to deserve Crowley. Some people also want to see him lose it, show his emotions, to cry or beg or otherwise show how much he misses Crowley and how very sorry he is for what he has (so thoughtlessly) done.

Now for the TW grief content I motioned above. You can skip to the next sentence in bold.

I was on holiday late September last year, visiting my mum, stepfather and my two younger brothers. We went to a cousin's wedding. It was great. The day after, as I was hanging out reading a book, my mum got a call. The kind of call every mother fears. My youngest brother (he was 27) died in an accident. We needed to speak to police and the coroner. She cried and cried. She's still crying. She asks questions. She gets no answers. I...did not cry. I talked to the police. I googled a funeral home. I bought my brother his last set of clothes. He lived in a hoodie and torn black jeans. Mum wanted a suit. I texted a lot of people. I bought snacks for the many friends who came to the funeral and wanted to speak to us after. My grief feels like a vice. I am not sad. I do not appear sad. Contrary to what people expect. But I am ANGRY. I am furious. But nobody can see this. I am not fine and I wish no one would ever* ask how I was again. TW/Personal content over. WE ALL SUFFER DIFFERENTLY Since I was small (because I am weird like that) I genuinely wondered if, finding myself in danger, I could scream like people in films do. I don't think I could. I cope with hard situations, fear and stress and anxiety by shutting down, sometimes by retreating as well, and by furiously (but quietly) trying to find a way out. And I think Aziraphale does the same. And that's why I love him so much. And why I feel I get him and understand that people sometimes can't tell how much he's actually feeling. I also express love the way Aziraphale does - by organising things for people, inviting them places, making plans. When Crowley said you call me for three things (and it's basically any old reason) I felt SO SEEN. This is what I would do with a friend who I know is feeling unmoored, sad, stuck (Crowley's 'What's the point of it all' at the beginning of S2). I'd text them with any old thing. I'd never actually say I love you, but I would try to get them to talk, meet me, go somewhere. Aziraphale does not express emotions the same way as Crowley.

But his emotions are valid nonetheless. He is worried for Crowley from around 3 minutes into their acquaintanceship. And he NEVER stops worrying from then on.

And are we quite sure he has never lost Crowley?

How many times did Aziraphale's heart freeze in horror when he realised Hell has taken Crowley and he had no idea if he'll ever come back and what is happening to him?

How did Aziraphale spend the night after vanquishing the demons and starting a war? He had no idea where Crowley was. What happened to him. He was probably sick with worry that Hell just took him away. We didn't see him drink and cry, but surely, the worry must have been overwhelming. The wait for what will happen now.

ALL his worries over the Arrangement. Was he worried for himself? Do we really think that?

Crowley thought he lost Aziraphale in S1, yes, we saw that. And what happened to the angel then?

He got blown into atoms which I bet wasn't pleasant and when he arrives in Heaven he limps. Why is he hurt? And why is he quickly pretending he isn't? Why is he always hiding how he feels? Also, he immediately deserts, wants no part in the Holy War and quickly finds an extremely unconventional way to get back. It's not a grand gesture, he doesn't deliberate, doesn't worry that he will Fall (although surely that must have been what he thought will happen if he survives this), there's no pomp around it, he thinks it and then does it. No hesitation.

Is this coming from an angel who just can't leave Heaven behind and longs to be a part of it? Who loves to follow rules? And let's not forget in those moments Aziraphale thought Crowley was most likely gone. That he probably left for Alpha Centauri. Last he heard from him he was told he was talking to an old friend and had no time for him. Why we NEVER talk about how that might have felt for Aziraphale? About his sadness?

Things are not as simple as Aziraphale has been supressing his emotions and lying to himself about how he feels and he should get over it and become free. That's not how this works. First of all, he was suppressing his emotions OUT OF LOVE. His main goal was always to keep Crowley safe. They simply couldn't run away or hoodwink Heaven and Hell. They had nowhere to go. They had no hope and yet they kept loving each other. That's courage. I know we all grew up with Romeo and Juliet and Heathcliff and Cathy and we FORGOT that those were CAUTIONARY tales. And this is not what Aziraphale wants for them. He would never allow himself to go so fast he would hurt Crowley. He feels guilty enough for agreeing to the Arrangement and for meeting Crowley at all when he knows they can be discovered and punished at any point. And Crowley knows it and RESPECTS it. He does not tolerate Aziraphale's decision to not go on a date and to hell with circumstances. He understands Aziraphale's reasoning and he respects Aziraphale's decision. Don't forget, they have NO POWER. They can't change Heaven and Hell. They can't stop believing in God and work on their religious trauma. Their Heaven and Hell are real places with real power and they both BELONG to them. Aziraphale's trauma and his personality are deeply intertwined and he'd probably never be the kind of person who is open in showing their grief or stress like Crowley does. He will learn to be more open, I'm sure. With his love especially, we see him reaching for and touching his demon in S2. Openly being with him, looking at him without guarding himself. They got a little bit of freedom for themselves despite ALL odds. So. Just because Aziraphale is not crying and screaming and I dunno, tearing his hair out or whatever some people would have him do, does not mean he isn't overflowing with pain, fear, uncertainty, doubts, worries, and so much anxiety that if he let it all out, half of the solar system would turn to ashes.

Aziraphale does not need to suffer in S3 to level out Crowley's suffering. They are, unfortunately, equal in their pain as they are in love. If there is one thing Crowley would never abide, it'd be this take from the fandom. * One more note on grief: (obviously from my personal experience) As initiated by @anthony-crowleys-left-nut in a comment

It's not that I mind to know people care and worry etc, not at all. But asking how I am can only end up in me lying (fine, thank you) and both of us knowing it's not really true and feeling awkward or not lying (I feel like shit, mostly cos I can't sleep and think the world is a stupid, unfair place) and both of us feeling awkward anyway. Does that make sense? I wish I could tell friends/colleagues to ask what I've been up to or something similar instead. What I've been reading (um, AO3, but I'll make something up), watching, do I want to go see some spring flowers bloom (I do). I think...this would probably work not just for someone who is grieving but also for someone who you know is dealing with depression for example or a serious illness etc. Edit 2. It's now almost (in 15 days) a year since my brother died. The random attacks of pain and grief have lessened and I have started to do more of the things I enjoyed before... and I am able to answer how are you questions without feeling like they are trying to mock me (the questions, not the people). So I suppose things do get ... lighter? More diffused? I'm not sure. Because it's still exactly as unfair that my brother has not lived this past year as it will be however many years I will be here without him I expect.

[babyangelsky]

Best QL Parental Figures of 2024 💖✨

Welcome to Babyangelsky's 2024 Wrap Up! To commemorate my second year of watching QL dramas, and my first year of actually talking on my blog, I've compiled a series of lists to celebrate all the QL things I loved this year!

Please feel free to take my categories and make lists of your own and tag me in them if you do!

💜 All the lists can be found here! 💜

I decided I was the mother of several QL characters this year who happened to have shitty parents but it's always worth remembering that not all QL parents and parental figures are shitty. Some of them are decent and they deserve to be recognized.

Not my favorites, the best. Because if they're the best, they're already my favorites because the bar is in hell.

♡ Jack's Grandma (Jack & Joker)

What would Jack and Joke do without grandma? What would any of us do without grandma? She's the heart of their little family, full of love and forgiveness and protectiveness.

♡ Pop's Dad (Addicted Heroin)

What a genuinely lovely man. Always trying his best to care for his family and guide his son. They may not have had a lot of money but he still provided a loving environment for his child after he and his wife separated.

♡ Tiger's Mom (Addicted Heroin)

It was at this moment that this woman became my favorite character in this show. Your son's friends can't have their moms come to this school event for one reason for another? No problem, she's everyone's mom now.

♡ Ai's Parents (I Saw You in My Dream)

Ai may have been their only biological child, but they had four children. They loved and supported Yu, Yo, and Ing like they were their own without hesitation. Not to mention the fact that they accepted all their gay sons while being very Catholic.

♡ Natsume's Mom (Cosmetic Playlover)

It's so nice to see a BL mom be excited to discover her son has a boyfriend and immediately and enthusiastically accept said boyfriend into the family. We need more of that.

♡ Prince Anan (The Loyal Pin)

In all the ways that matter, Anan is Anin's father. She may be his little sister but she's his kid. He loves her above all else. He never hesitated to defend her. Truly the only man in that palace worth a damn.

♡ Almond's Mom (Knock Knock Boys)

Was she a little overprotective in the beginning? Absolutely. Did she come around when Almond finally took the time to talk to her and respect the boundaries that he set and help the boys help Peak? Also absolutely.

♡ Takara's Grandpa (Takara's Treasure)

This man took a very unloved little boy and made him feel loved and at peace and gave him a hobby that would eventually lead him to finding the love of his life. Incredible work from an amazing grandpa.

♡ Dee's Grandma (Wandee Goodday)

Khun Mon is the kind of grandma we all wish we had. That woman is so cool. She made Dee feel so loved and safe that he was comfortable talking to her about everything. She was his rock to lean on and I'm so glad he had her.

♡ Taichi's Grandpa (I Hear the Sunspot)

This man made his grandbaby a birthday meal and it was in that moment that I decided that he deserves the world. Doesn't matter if it was burnt; it was made with all the love and care Taichi never got from his parents and for that it was the best meal ever.

♡ Hill's Grandma (Fourever You)

Considering how awful Hill's grandpa is, it's especially important to me that his grandma is loving and wonderful and accepting of him. I need her to be okay again so he can have her presence in his life.

♡ Zen's Grandma (The Rebound)

Zen's grandma wasn't just an amazing parental figure to him, but also to Ryu and to Atom, neither of whom had parents who deserved the title. She gave them a home and a safe harbor and she deserves to be happy and comfortable always.

♡ Peak's Dad (Knock Knock Boys)

A lack of communication can seem like a lack of love and acceptance if its left to stretch too long but thankfully, that wasn't the case here. Peak's dad wanted him to be happy more than anything. He loved his child. He wanted a family for his child. And most importantly, he got the opportunity to really talk to Peak and make sure Peak knew all those things.

♡ Princess Alisa (The Loyal Pin)

Now here is a mother who understood the assignment. Was she confused and shocked to learn that her daughter was gay? Quite. But then she immediately turned around and decided to be loving and supportive of Anin's choices and that is what we like to see.

♡ Oyei and Cher (Wandee Goodday)

Listen, they're Yak's parents. Yak is their child. He's their pride and joy and they want to see him thrive and be happy. Yei stepped up when their father peaced out of their lives and became the father that Yak deserved and when Cher came into the picture, he did the exact same thing.

♡ Joe's Mom (My Stand-In)

It wasn't just Joe that got a second chance when he woke up in a new body, it was the second Joe's mom, too. It wasn't quite the second chance she thought it was, but she still got a version of her son back and got the chance to make amends. She recognized her mistakes, learned from them, and repaired a relationship she thought she'd lost.

♡ Kram's Parents (Two Worlds)

Parallel universe shenanigans aside, Kram always had wonderful parents who adored him. Dilok, his father, may be one of my favorite characters ever and it's a real shame that he didn't get to shine as much in the show as he did in the novel.

♡ Saint's Dad (High School Frenemy)

Saint's dad has got to be my favorite example of how a parent can be imperfect and be battling their own demons but still genuinely care for their child. The man had his problems but he never took them out on Saint. He made sure his child was fed and cared for and wanted a good future for him and really, that's exactly what a good parent is supposed to do.

♡ Shao Peng's Parents (See Your Love)

These two people adore their son. It's easy to fall into the belief that the only kind of good parent is a perfect parent but that's just not the case. Even the very best parents will make missteps, although only a fraction of them will take the time to reflect on those missteps and how they've affected their child. Not only did Shao Peng's parents do that, they apologized to him for it and made sure he knew they loved him exactly as he was.

♡ Style's Dad (The Heart Killers)

He knows exactly what kind of person his son is and lovingly roasts him for it. Emphasis on the lovingly. Style's dad not only accepts that his son is gay, Style feels comfortable enough to talk about his boy problems with him. That tells me all I need to know about the solid relationship they have as father and son.

♡ Diew's Grandpa (Monster Next Door)

Grandparents who are a safe haven for their grandchildren will always have my eternal love and respect. When Diew couldn't talk to his mom, he had his grandpa. He felt safe with his grandpa. He knew his grandpa would always be there to listen and support him and advise him in a way his mother couldn't. And not only was grandpa that steady rock for Diew, but also for Diew's mom, and he was ultimately the reason she could come around and recognize her mistakes.

[butlervibesonly]

𝑆𝑤𝑒𝑒𝑡 ℎ𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑔 || Austin Butler

• Summary : Austin had a rough day filming, and Y/n wants him to feel better as he comes home. Dinner, and, welp, a hot bath that isn't just a hot bath...

• Pairing : Austin Butler x female! reader

• Warnings : fluff, kisses and little bit of spiciness by the end...

• Note : I wish, and I'm repeating, I wish, I could write spicy scenes and the more I wish is to be able to finish them (forgive me) 😭🥲

Being an actor is surely amazing thing. Although it could be also very exhausting, and it can be rough. And that's Austin's case. He texted you more than once saying how much he was looking forward to going home, that he had had a hard day and was tired.

After a grueling day on set, he finally steps through the door, exhaustion visible in his eyes and in the heavy slump of his shoulders. The moment Austin walks in, though, he’s greeted by the warm, savory aroma of his favorite food drifting from the kitchen.

“Hey, babe, I'm home,” he calls out softly, and you peek around the corner, giving him a warm smile. You can see just how drained he is, and without a word, you walk over and wrap your arms around him, pulling him into a tight hug. Austin lets out a sigh, resting his head against yours, clinging to you as if you’re the only thing keeping him grounded.

“I made your favorite,” you say softly, giving him a little smile. “I thought you might need a good meal after today.” His eyes soften, and he leans down to press a grateful kiss against your lips. And woah, how much he missed those lips. “You have no idea how much I needed this.”

You guide him to the table, where you’ve already set up everything—candles, his favorite dish, and even a little dessert. As Austin sits down, he looks around, visibly touched by the thought and care you’ve put into making this night special. You serve him, and as he takes his first bite, he lets out a satisfied hum, his eyes meeting yours with a grateful, softened expression.

"This. Is. Frickin'. Delicious." Austin said every word in the way to make you know this was what he craved for. "You're the best cook I know," he says, continuing to eat his food. "Well, thank you, dreamboat." you chuckle.

After dinner, you reach for Austin's hand, pulling him gently toward the bathroom. “I have one more surprise,” you say with a playful smile. He raises an eyebrow, curious, but lets you lead him inside, where you’ve already prepared a warm bubble bath. The room is softly lit with candles, the bath filled with bubbles and infused with his favorite soothing scents. He stares in awe for a second, then looks at you, clearly moved.

“I can’t believe you did all this…for me,” he says, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips as he pulls you in for another hug. “Of course I did,” you murmur, brushing a hand through his hair. “You do so much every day, and I just want you to relax tonight.”

He squeezes your hand and when he noticed that you actually also added rose petals, he can't help but laugh. "Do you know you should be the one who deserves such a romantic bath?" Austin jokes, making you smile. "You mean a rough man like you doesn't deserve a little tenderness?"

Austin laughs back at your humor, and starts to take off his clothes. As much as you fight the urge, you still watch his muscular body. He gets in, comfortable in the warm water, closes his eyes, the tension in his shoulders finally easing. "Wait a second," you managed to speak again, leaving him in the bathroom.

As you come back, you carry a glass of champagne with a strawberry in it. "There you go," you say, handing him the glass. Austin's smile widen, making him smirk. "You haven't forgotten anything, have you?" he said and took a sip. You follow him with your eyes, every move, every sigh he lets out. Even though he is tired, he is incredibly hot.

"Are you just going to stand there and watch?" Austin lets out, when he notices you standing there like a fool. "Join me, the tub is big enough." he smirks. How is even possible he can make you feel butterflies like some teenage girl?

After doubting for a moment, he nodded his head towards the bath to signal that there was plenty of room beside him. Finally, you agreed, taking your clothes off, too. His eyes don't leave you, capturing your every move. He holds out his hand, which is wet, covered in bubbles, to help you get inside.

You lay beside him, his arm around your shoulders as he press a kiss into your hair. You can feel the way his body reacts to your touch, making him hum. You then felt Austin kissing your neck, more intensively every time.

"I thought you were tired?" You smirked, looking at him. "I'm never too tired for you, doll," he says, his voice deep. Doll. That nickname is stuck with him since he played Elvis and you absolutely loved it. His hands started to roam around your body, and eventually flipped you, so you lay on the top of him.

You heard the water splash out when he did so. Gasping a little, he pressed his lips against yours. "You're so, so amazing. I can't get enough of you." Austin breathes fast as he continues pressing a small kisses all around your neck.

The original plan was for you to watch a movie together, but now it's clear that Mr. Butler has something much different planned...

[sooslick]

Part Two

Il Capitano X Reader

Theme: SAGAU

‹Part one›

"Forgive us for such an attitude, Your Grace." His rough male voice rang out. He wouldn't dare look at you unless you let him. The Fatui agents were shocked and this realization came to them too. They also fell to their knees before you, cursing themselves for daring to attack their Creator.

You stood there in absolute shock. "What the hell..?" Just a few hours ago you were a normal person, just living your normal daily routine, and now you are HERE and they call you.. "Your Grace..? What?" You said out loud, barely having spoken it out, looking dumbfounded at the man’s lowered head.

The man still dared to look up in your direction, "Please, your highness, these soldiers should not have attacked you, I—we thought it was someone else, considering that they were just wandering around the snowy forest 2 kilometers from the Fatui base."

His explanation, if you can say so, didn't make you feel any better or understand it any more. One thing was clear. They wouldn't kill you. You mentally breathed a sigh of relief, At least you'll be able to wake up whole. Although you already doubted that this was just a dream. Everything was eerily realistic, especially the cold wind that made your bones tremble under the thin fabric of your pajamas.

Noticing this, the Harbinger frowned under his helmet. He couldn't let their Creator freeze to death in the cold of Snezhnaya. With a quick movement, he took off his fur coat and wrapped it around your small (compared to him) body.

You immediately felt the warm fur of his coat and it felt incredibly good when your body finally started to warm up— wait, you were still barefoot. But Capitano had almost figured this out as well, looking towards one of the agents, the poor guy had to take off his shoes, at least that was the only thing he could do at the moment, to deserve your mercy and the mercy of the First Harbinger.

"Will you allow me, Your Grace?" Captaino asked, still avoiding your direct eye contact, but standing with a pair of warm shoes. Unable to find better words, you had to just throw it out, it all still seemed so surreal and so strange, that it even made you think that it was better to agree than to go on their bad side if something happened because of your refusal.

With a deft movement, the Harbinger knelt in front of you, offering you to lean on him for balance. He lifted your ankle and wiped your foot of the dampness with the edge of your fur coat that you wore, because of the snow and to avoid the risk of your illness, although he did not think that their Creator was even familiar with such mortal things. He put the boot on you, they were certainly too big for you, at least a couple of sizes too big, if not bigger, but something was better than nothing, right? He did the same with your other leg so that your legs would warm up faster.

And only then did he stand up, looking over your figure to make sure that you were at least a little protected from the cold of this snowy region of Teyvat. He understood that your head was not protected from the cold, and I swear, if he could, he would wrap you in a scarf, put on a hat and throw a couple of fur coats on top so that you would not freeze, after all, perhaps it was unusual for you to deal with such a temperature. All you could do was just stand there, afraid to ask or say anything, lest things turn against you.

He looked you over again before speaking again.: "Your Grace, if you don't mind, let me take you to a warmer place. This is the Fatui base, but I will guarantee your safety, although no one will dare to lay a finger on you, let alone harm you in any way."

It made you think. It made sense that you needed warmth and a place to stay and find a way to get back, because with such care, this tall man didn't seem like any kind of suspicious or having something against you. But at the same time, something inside you told you to refuse, it was unwise to go with a stranger, and his hidden face under the helmet did not give you any hint about this man's intentions. In any case, you had to agree, hearing the howl of a wild wolf in the distance, it was better to go with him than to stay overnight in the forest among wild animals.

You nodded, and the man, with a respectful nod, led you to his horse, keeping a respectful distance between you.

[whateverisbeautiful]

♥️Reveling in Richonne - TOWL

#35: The Buildup (1.04)

gif cred: @perryabbott

This moment. This moment. This moment. Where to even begin? Let's just start by saying - hottest scene ever. 🔥❤️‍🔥🔥 When Richonne get back to that apartment there’s a whole stretch where they don’t do any talking...but yet they still have some very riveting communication 👌🏽...

They seriously tried to send me up into the afterlife with this whole moment, but it’s okay, I forgive them and thank them profusely. 😋

Y'all, I adore the way this pivotal, palpable, and incredible depiction of intimacy plays out. And the mind of Danai to turn both this buildup moment here and the love-making scene into something so deep and layered. Genius. 👏🏽👑

Rick and Michonne returning to this level of intimacy with each other for the first time in almost eight years was already going to make it pertinent to the plot and a purposeful development in the story - but for Danai to be of the mindset that she didn’t just want to stop at pertinent but instead communicate something profound and emotionally complex with Richonne's lovemaking moment. She deserves every flower for the thoughtfulness put into this. 💐

And TOWL in general was Andy and Danai getting to display their talent and chemistry to the max but from this moment on they broke the damn dial with the way they turned the volume all the way up on their talent and chemistry. 🙌🏽 🔉

source: @ririchonne

Genuinely, not even being hyperbolic, what was captured in the following passionate events feels out of this world and so of course when reveling over it I have to be...

This whole buildup moment in the apartment before Richonne heads to the bed is the hottest part for me. 🔥 The amount of tension and desire that they convey is crazy good. Richonne's hunger for each other is just visceral and it's like you can almost tangibly feel the way they're burning up for each other. ❤️‍🔥

So Rick and Michonne make it back to the apartment and we know adrenaline rushes really help set the mood for Richonne so the sexual tension in the air is thick immediately.

They’re both just breathing hard and then the temp controller chimes in to welcome them home again which I love. 😊 And this time they really are about to come home to each other in a sense.

gif cred: @nat111love

Like Michonne came really close to leaving but now that events have led them right back to each other in this apartment I feel like the thermostat is trying to get Richonne's attention like ‘hello, y’all are home to each other.’

Michonne is standing a bit ahead of Rick and looking around...and Rick ain’t looking anywhere but at her. Like homeboy is fixated. I feel like even if a dang meteor could be seen plummeting from that big window Rick wouldn’t peel his eyes off Michonne in this moment. 😋

I think after coming close to losing her several times in the last hour he’s a bit more aware of how much he needs to appreciate that she’s here with him. 

Michonne lifts up her sleeve a little because I think she can fully sense this hungry man behind her and what's on his mind (and her mind too.👌🏽)

gif cred: @nat111love

And the temp controller says, “Temperature control malfunction” and that’s probably because the temperature is already record levels of hot with Richonne's sexual tension permeating the air like this lol. 🥵

Rick slowly approaches her and Michonne slowly turns to him as they get up close and personal. The way Richonne can communicate without words, I feel like a whole lot gets said in their eye contact and kisses during this wordless sequence. 

gif cred: @nat111love

Also, I like how this scene parallels when Rick and Michonne were first in front of each other with the PRB earlier in this episode.

During that PRB moment, Rick was looking at Michonne like 'I know what we want to do but we can’t. ' And then now here when they've returned to the apartment he’s looking at her like 'I know what we want to do and we must.' They're starving and they can’t resist anymore.

Honestly, whenever Rick is within kissing distance from Michonne he looks like her presence consumes his mind and those inner magnets make it near impossible to not just lean in every time.

Also, I always get reflective of Richonne's overall journey and I just love how Rick and Michonne really went from this to this.

A love story for the ages. 🤩

So Rick looks down, mouth all open, and just again transfixed as he slowly reaches out his hand to touch her. One thing I love about this buildup moment is the slowness of everything. 😊 Like every movement takes its time.

And it makes sense that Rick is moving at a slower pace here because he’s trying to see if it’s okay to initiate all this after everything they just went through. But while the movement is slow, his heart looks like it's racing rapidly as he becomes pretty much intoxicated by her.

gif cred: @nat111love

...And Michonne can’t resist, y’all. 🤭 Like she knows she’s technically supposed to still be mad at Rick after the awful things he’s said but it quickly becomes clear that she misses him even more than she’s mad at him. 🥲

gif cred: @nat111love

And she misses all of him, including the parts she has yet to reunite with…but that’s soon about to change.

gif cred: @nat111love

Rick slowly puts his hand on her arm and she doesn’t pull away. And then Rick looks in her eyes like he hasn’t had a good glass of water in 1000 years and Michonne is the only woman that can quench him. Like the yearning in his look was really something.

gif cred: @nat111love

And then, y’all I thought it was laundry day the way our girl Michonne proceeds to fold. 😋 And of course, she folds. That's her baby and the love of her life and she hasn’t been able to be with him like this in years so...

Before Rick leans in for the first kiss, he’s already in the process of winning her over cuz she leans in a little first basically letting him know she does want this. It was giving magnets when she did that. 🧲👌🏽 

And her super subtle lean-in is all Rick needs to finally fully lean in and kiss her and I love Richonne’s slow single kisses. 😊 So far in TOWL they’ve been understandably ravenously making out and so this moment stands out for how much they let each kiss breathe a little. It’s so good.

gif cred: @nat111love

But also y’all, when I first watched this, knowing this is def building up to their first TOWL sex scene, I was sounding a lot like Nat. Cuz I was looking at Michonne like, “Sis...

I just wanted to be sure Michonne was going to be making love with her Rick and not the Sergeant Major who's been saying hurtful things and still hasn't asked anything about RJ.

Plus, I had a feeling Rick still had a little audacity left in his system and wasn’t yet going to agree to go home with her. (And that ended up being correct 🙃)…But look, it’s been a long time and so Michonne was like we’ll address all that later. 😅

gif cred: @kimwexlersponytail

So Rick kisses her once and then leans to the other side as Michonne puts her hand on his face, letting Rick know she doesn't want him to stop. They kiss a second time with a little more lingering on that kiss as things slowly but surely ramp up.

When they pull away Michonne looks at him like she maybe has 1% left in her that remembers she’s still supposed to be mad. The other 99% of her just longs for him.

gif cred: @msanonships

And then that 1% disappears into thin air during this next kiss and it’s my favorite part. 😊

Cuz Rick proves that it may have been some years but he still knows his wife and knows what gets her going because, while they don’t fully show it, you can tell that he definitely seems to have reached down to her derrière and that’ll do it for her, honey. 😋

gif cred: @fishalthor

Cuz when he does that and pulls her in closer to him, he has Michonne inhaling hard and fully leaning into that third hungry kiss. At that moment I was like...annnnd he got her. He got her and she ain’t mad no more. It worked like he knew it would. 😊

It’s also probably his first time even really being able to touch her like that since again those layers of clothing in previous eps were sort of a barrier.

There seems to be a consistent thing set up that her grabbing his hair gets him activated and as her husband, he definitely knows that grabbing her backside gets her activated...and him too lol. I think Michonne’s presence in general just gets Rick activated. Every part of her is a feast to him. 👌🏽

gif cred: @msanonships

And that last kiss just felt like they were about as ready to be intimate as they've ever been. After all that pulling each other closer in the previous kisses of this miniseries, this was the moment of them wanting to be as physically connected as possible and now they finally had the space to be.

Interestingly, they film a lot of this kissing moment where you mostly see Michonne’s response to Rick. I think that’s because she’s the one having to make the decision right now on whether she’ll let him in after everything he's said and done. And um I think her decision is clear.

gif cred: @msanonships

It's great how Rick is the one person who can make Michonne let go and get fully lost in the moment no matter what else is going on. And you know she has that same effect on Rick too. 👌🏽

I love how locked in they both get with that third kiss and how they turn things up a notch with it.

Those three kisses were communication. And, on top of them both communicating 'I need you and want you bad' in each kiss, the way I interpret the wordless conversation is that the first kiss was like Rick expressing, “I’m glad you’re okay and that you’re back” after the whole Michonne walking out and then later getting trapped by that chandelier stuff.

gif cred: @nat111love

Then that second kiss felt like Rick expressing, "I'm sorry" and Michonne receives that unspoken apology even tho when she looks at him there's a part of her that feels like there's still a lot for them to address and resolve.

gif cred: @lousolversons

And then y'all, to me Rick's little reach down with the third kiss was him saying, “Can I make it up to you?” And honey, Michonne's response said she'll definitely let him.

gif cred: @lousolversons

So then they really want to turn it up a notch when Rick proceeds to pick Michonne up. And clearly he’s done this before because Michonne is ready for it, and I love the way they just seamlessly transition into this. 😍

One thing I never questioned is if Rick would feel anxious about loving on Michonne with one hand. I knew that man would be like as long as I’m breathing that’s all I need to find a way.

gif cred: @nat111love

So Rick picks her up with ease and he’s basically just like 'alright you’re coming with me' and Michonne is like yes I am lol. And I also adore how even once he picks her up they immediately go right back to passionately kissing. The way these two fervidly desire each other is always 👩🏽‍🍳💋.

And I, of course, have to reflect on the overall journey once more because I just love that we went from Rick picking Michonne up on Day One of meeting each other as strangers, to now Rick picking Michonne up as husband and wife ready and eager to express their love in a way they haven't been able to in a long time.

gif cred: thewalkingdeadgifs/@msanonships

Seeing Rick and Michonne just get to operate fully in their husband and wife energy here was great to see. 👏🏽 They crave each other deeply and this scene captured that perfectly. ❤️‍🔥

The way their electrifying kisses slowly ramped up, it was clear that now that Rick and Michonne finally had the chance to reconnect in a way that they hadn't been able to with each other, nor allowed themselves to with anyone else, for several years, there was no way they were gonna just stop at these kisses here.

gif cred: @lousolversons

So y’all, this scene alone was already so hot it could break a temperature controller...but then the steamy sensual vibes continue. And as Richonne is finally intimate for the first time in years, the deep, passionate, and emotional moment is, in every way, a roller coaster ride. 🎢 😌👌🏽

[greml1nb0i]

Why is it when Loona beats up her dad a lot the fandom doesn't bat an eye, yet when Via decides to cut off her dad she's branded for life?

simple, Loona can be and is sexualized and she has no character. While Octavia has gotten more depth that Loona. Loona and Octavia have 1 interaction and its the "yea dads suck sometimes" speech.

From there we barely get any Loona besides some fan service moments in the couple last episodes of s2. Octavia was boiled down to "my dad hates/loves X more than he loves me," character.

Which is understandable considering what Via has gone through, but the way it was executed was like the writers, Viv, and even Brandon WANTED the fans to hate her. that's just my theory.

stans already have mixed feelings about Blitz since the the Full Moon ep, i think that hurt Octavia as well as a character, even if she wasnt there, she was far from Stolas' mind and the fans. No one cares for Octavia like they do Loona.

Loona, to stans, has a "sadder" backstory, which isnt even a backstory its a memory from Blitz perspective so technically we never get to see Loona's side. On top of that, with Octavia being an heir, i think to stans that automatically gets her labeled like Stella, Spoiled rich bitch. Which is incredibly unfair.

Via's backstory is also just as terrible as Loona's.

She was born into a family where her parents were forced to like each other for HER SAKE. On top of that Stella was neglectful, she didn't seem to care much for Via besides her being an heir and her daughter. Whereas thats exactly why Stolas loves her, She is the next in line and His Daughter. Throughout the years her mother got distant and grumpier with the family, and then one morning she hears her parents are getting divorced. Her father begin promising her things that never end up happening. But she forgives him every time. Until the last time. She's sees her neglectful lying father, break ANOTHER promise, so she says basically "fuck you, i don't need you". Which is the appropriate response.

Loona kicks Blitz in the nuts after he has a weird mental breakdown over her. Loona is constantly berating Blitz; Calling Moxxie fat and even called Millie "old lady", even tho they aren't even that far apart in age. rude af.

Loona fucking sucks as a character.

Blitz deserves a better daughter, Via deserves a better Father.

sorry for ramling hope this make sense and thanks for the ask Anon.

[astroboots]

period sex with soft marc☹️☹️🥺🥺 him being so sweet n praising you😭😭😭😭 hed take such good care of you<3 i need him

Take Care of Me

CO-WRITTEN WITH @THIRSTWORLDPROBLEMSS

Content: explicit as fuck. Period sex, Marc's competence in overdrive.

Word count: 3k words

ASTROBOOT’S MASTERLIST | THIRSTWORLDPROBLEMS' MASTERLIST |MOON KNIGHT MASTERLIST

Painful is an understatement.

If you had to describe what your period felt like to an alien who had no understanding of human biology this is how you might describe it:

Imagine a battalion of tiny sumo wrestlers duking it out inside your uterus.

Imagine a never-ending game of tag between a horde of stomp-happy elephants using your stomach as the running ground.

Imagine the two allegories combined, but multiple it with three, and imagine having it every month from the time you're a young adolescent until (if you're lucky and god is merciful) it will end when you're in your fifties.

As you lie in your bed, curled up with a hot water bottle tucked to your lower belly, and whine into your pillow, you are convinced that this is some kind of divine punishment. You must have been bathing in virgin's blood to retain youth in a past life. Because you don't know what else you could've done to deserve this. And if you weren't, then if there is a god in heaven, they had better beg for your forgiveness when you get there.

"Want me to make you a cuppa love?"

You drag your face from where it's buried in the pillow to peek up at Steven's worried face.

Big brown eyes gaze down at you with so much concern, he must think you are on your death bed. He's been taking care of you all day. Pampering, coddling, and fussing over you.

He's been refilling your tea before you have time to even empty the cup. Reheating the hot water bottle every twenty minutes before it even has a chance to drop in temperature.

It's incredibly sweet. But you're so tea-ed out at the moment, you think 90% of your body composition is tea at this point.

"'m good."

He frowns, biting down on his lip, and you can sense his worry from bed. "If you don't want tea maybe some hot chocolate? I can even toast some marshmallows on top and I have a packet of biscuits."

You consider his generous proposal for a second or two.

In all honesty, you feel too sick even for chocolate, but you have a feeling that turning down chocolate will truly make Steven think you're dying and try to call the ambulance. So instead you answer, "that sounds lovely Steven."

His whole face brightens up, and he leaps to his feet and darts towards the kitchen.

You close your eyes to the raucous sound of pots and pans being pulled out. In the background, the sound of something crashing clanks out from the direction of the kitchen. It's followed by Steven's familiar comforting voice cursing "bugger" and "oh no," but you're too tired to check for yourself what's going on, as you drift off to sleep.

In your dream, you're wrapped in a comforting warmth. There's a gentle pressure on your stomach and limbs that takes all the pain away. Strong and tender, all at once, you want to linger in this sensation forever.

It's not forever, of course. But your nap lasts long enough that you get a bit of respite from the pain. When you wake again, it's to the distinct smell of burnt sugar lingering in the air.

Strong hands traverse over your hips and stomach, kneading at your sore and aching muscles with a perfect pressure that feels like heaven.

He's sitting at the foot of your bed, with a posture so upright, it's almost militant. The man doesn't need to open his mouth with his Chicagoan accent for you to know it's Marc who's sitting next to you right now.

"Where's Steven?" you ask.

"Put him on a time out. Nearly burnt down the place, trying to torch some marshmallows."

You smile at the image Marc is painting for you. That explains the burnt smell.

"How are you feeling," Marc asks. His hand roams from your stomach to the plane of your thighs. It has everything tingle pleasantly inside of you.

"Better," you tell him. "It feels really good when you do that."

His hand stills for a second, eyes drifting to his own hands. "Want me to keep going?"

You barely have to nod before he starts up again. Large hands covering the insides of your thighs as he presses down with just the right amount of strength.

The sensation spikes across your nerves and rides up your spine until the tense knot in your stomach that has been terrorizing you all day unfurls.

You gasp at the sensation, back arching into his touch for more. "There, there, don't stop."

It's maddening how good it feels. Marc knows your body like a map of a continent that he's explored every corner of. His hand drifts ever so slightly, fine-tuning his touch that has your eyes rolling to the back of your head.

It's the relief you've been begging for all day. Each press of his hand erasing the blunt ache that's been digging into your flesh since you woke up this morning.

That large hand of his, smooths over your bare stomach. The sweet warmth of it soothing any leftover pain that is still there until he cups over the soft fabric of your underwear and replaces it with an altogether different ache that has you squirming and squeezing your legs together.

His hand stills. "You want me to stop?"

"No!" you shout, louder than you intended or expected.

You clutch at his wrists to keep them on you. You're pretty sure that if Marc stopped touching you, you'd combust and die from frustration on the spot. Pretty sure that whatever the equivalent of blue balls is for ovaries is about to descend upon you.

"No, I just..." you flounder for a minute, not entirely sure what to say. Face warm as you say try to find the words. You don't know why the thought is so mortifying to you.

"I'm on my period." You manage to mutter out.

Marc cocks his head to the side, one eyebrow raised. He looks genuinely puzzled at what you've just told him. "I know...so?"

"It'll make a mess," you tell him, and you don't know how he's so casual about this. God knows your neat-freak of a boyfriend hates a mess. "I don't want to ick you out".

Ick him out? Why do you sound like a kid on the playground talking about cooties?

There's no worry in Marc's eyes as he observes you. None of the big round doe-like eyes of Steven. His eyes are narrowed, honed in on your face.

"Fuck the mess," he says.

There's a simmering heat in his voice as he says it that makes everything between your legs slick and achy as he leans even closer to you. "I want to make you feel better. You okay with that?"

You nod and the tip of his fingers skirts the edge of your panties before slipping inside. Despite your earlier embarrassment at the idea, your breath stutters with anticipation.

You're so fucking wet. Slick and hot, as his thumb presses down and has sharp electricity crackle down your spine. You find yourself spreading your legs wider for him, and Marc is more than happy to take it as an invitation.

Two fingers slide inside you, filling you perfectly, until you realize you feel a slickness trickle down the heel of Marc's hand.

"Fuck, Marc-- wait, it's--" you squeak in alarm as you feel it drip between your legs. "It's gonna get on the bed."

He doesn't stop, fingers continuing its languid pace on your clit, as he keeps stroking it to the pace of his liking. His mouth is on your neck, hot and humid as he murmurs into your skin.

"You really think a little blood is gonna keep me out of that pretty little pussy? Open up for me baby, let me take care of you."

And god...

You do. Of course you do, you'd do anything Marc asks and wants from you when he speaks to you in that tone and register. Your legs spread even further, tilting into his doting touch as he slides his fingers deeper.

Heat simmer all along the length of your spine, brandishing it with pleasure that has you struggling for breath.

His other hand comes to cup your face, while his fingers are still busy circling and gently strumming at your clit. He makes it seem so effortless as he does it.

There's no hesitation in his movements, two fingers bracketing your clit and he gently slides and teases you there that has that all familiar warmth already furling in your lower abdomen. Insistent and never rushed, you feel his fingers everywhere, until he brushes over something devastatingly good that has your vision go white for a brief moment.

"That's it baby, you're alright. So good for me, you don't have to think about anything else. All I need is for you to feel good. Come on my hand," his voice rasps in your ear.

Smooth and calming. Loving and commanding.

You don't stand a chance.

It's all it takes.

You drown in it, your climax claiming your limbs as the sensation streaks down your legs and wraps around your bones. You shake and jolt in his arms but he holds you there to him, not letting you pull away as you squirm away from the overstimulation and makes you ride the high against the palm of his reassuring hand.

He comforts you through it. All gentle caresses and soothing hushes as he presses his soft lips on your forehead.

"That's my good fucking girl."

Through the haze of your bliss, you reach for him. One finger hooking onto his belt to drag him closer.

You're too out of it to fully register what you're doing or properly express what you want. All you know is you want more of him. More of Marc. More of his sturdy firm weight on you. The warmth of his skin pressed against you. Of him, inside you.

"Want my cock baby?"

You nod, and much like before, Marc immediately complies.

He always does. Never does deny you of anything.

One hand comes to the front of his jeans, and you don't have to wait long for him as he pulls himself free of his jeans. Cock hard, and jutting up proudly that has you salivating at the sight of it.

Gripping his cock in one hand, Marc kneels over you, notching the fat tip against your entrance. The moment you feel him, you forget about any shred of hesitation you had just moments earlier about making a mess.

Because right now you don't care if you ruin Steven's sheets and leave a crime scene behind you. Every single thought in your mind has been replaced by the overarching need to have this man inside you.

He leans over, arms bracketing you in as he presses into you, stretching you, inch by perfect, beautiful, fucking, inch that has you seeing stars even in the daylight.

You feel him everywhere, every slow thrust and cant of his hips pressed so deeply into you, you're not sure you can breathe. You cling to every inch of him, legs wrapped around his waist, not wanting to let go but not sure you can take more of him either.

Full, you feel so fucking full.

"Too much?" Marc asks, eyes examining you, making sure you're alright.

You don't know how to answer him. It is a lot. So much, with all of him, every perfect inch of him filling you to capacity. It's too much and yet you want all of it and more. Want more and want him to never stop. So you tell him exactly that.

"No. Don't stop, don't stop," you beg. "Keep fucking me, please."

One big, warm hand settles low on your stomach, before it wanders, brushing teasingly through your folds and oh-so-gently over and around your clit until you think you might scream.

You bite down on your lip, worried that if you actually do scream, he'll stop out of worry. You squeeze your eyes tightly shut, trying to calm yourself but it only makes it all the more intense.

Behind closed eyes, the pleasure surges through your chest, and you can feel every careful and calculated movement that Marc makes as he slowly drags his cock out of you, until only the fat head rests inside you. Then he pushes back inside again, just as slow and it has tears stinging your eyes.

Slow and thorough. Deep and controlled. He's murmuring in your ear the whole time, his voice low and rough.

"Relax for me baby," he tells you, "I'm gonna take care of you like I always do. Fill your pretty pussy with my cock until you feel all better, okay?"

Better doesn't begin to describe it. You feel good. Feel so good you're overripe with pleasure that seems to be bursting along the seam of your skin.

The hand on your stomach, presses and holds you in place as you start to squirm against him to goad his fingers to where you need them.

But even when he complies, giving you what you like he always does, zeroing in on your clit, his caresses stay light and gentle. His thumb barely brushes over you, as he keeps the pace agonizingly slow and soft that have you shivering and shaking in his arms.

The taunting pleasure builds ever so slowly in your core. The light and teasing touches too much and not enough all at once, and your oversensitive, overwrought cunt clenches and flex endlessly, squeezing down around the thickness Marc’s cock.

You can feel his body jerk over yours each time, and you revel in the soft grunts and gasps you’re driving from him, because surely, surely now he’ll let go and fuck you fast and hard until you're crying.

But he still doesn’t. Doesn't lose control. Just presses gentle kisses to your shoulder, murmuring over and over again. "It’s okay, I got you, Going to make you feel so good".

He says it like a promise. As if he isn't already doing exactly that. He's making you feel so fucking good. So good that you can hardly stand it. So good that you're writhing in his arms, clutching and clawing at his arm and hand and wrist, not sure if you're trying to push him away or pull him closer. But it doesn't matter, he might as well be a stone statue for all the hope you have of moving him anywhere he doesn't want to you be yet.

You can feel the all too familiar tension in his body. Those strong thick thighs as hard as iron between yours. You swear you can feel the furious pounding of his heart where you're pressed back against his chest. Or maybe that's your own pulse pounding loud and frantic in your ears, but it doesn't matter, because you know he's close too.

"Fuck you feel so good," he murmurs into your skin and if you didn't know better you'd think he sounded shaky.

The pleasure builds, streaking up your torso in little lightning bolt pulses that tighten your nipples to achingly hard little points and steal the breath from your lungs.

The heat of Marc's body against you is unbearable, his hot breath and lips sliding over your shoulder, your neck, the curve of your jaw, and all the while, his fingers, those clever, competent fingers keep up their slow, ruinous circling, driving you higher inch by devastating inch.

You can't breathe anymore, can't see, can't think to the point you're pretty sure you can't feel your feet. Do you even have feet anymore? The only thing that's grounding you is the security of Marc's arms wrapped around you, the quiet cadence of his voice, whispering low and soft and still oh so sweet in your ear.

It's too much. Everything in you winding higher and tighter, filling you so full of pleasure that you swear you'll burst, but somehow still you don't. Can't. You need–

You clutch at Marc, gasp out a garbled sound that might be his name. You want to tell him that you can't stand it, that you need more, need all of him, everything that he has to give, but you've lost the ability to speak.

Instead, your body tells him for you, your cunt squeezing down around him, and refusing to let go. All of you drawn tight, tighter, tightest.

There's a breathless, "Oh. Baby. Fuck." in your ear, and Marc's hips jerk against you. Just once, the tiniest upward hitch. But it's enough. It's more than enough.

The unbearable, blissful tension holding your body hostage shatters, and wave after wave of unparalleled rapture roll though you, sharp and sweet and endless. The breath you didn't think you had left leaves you in a loud keening cry, that's echoed by a low, pained groan, and you can feel Marc's cock swell and pulse as he spills inside you, unable to resist the calling of your body's climax.

You ride out your orgasms together, your hips grinding needily into his, his fingers gripped harshly into your flesh, until the seemingly endless pleasure finally releases you both from its grip and you collapse back against Marc's solid bulk.

The arms around you relax, his clean hand smoothing over your belly and thighs. His voice hoarse and low, but still so, so syrupy sweet and gentle as he reassures you that you're okay, that he's got you, that he'll always be there when you need him.

You're boneless against him. Arms lying limply by your side on the damp mattress. Every bit of tension wrung out of you, like an old flannel that been wetted and twisted dry one too may times; worn out, but warm and cozy and relaxed.

"Feeling any better?" Marc asks eventually, arms tightening ever-so-subtly around you.

You don't have it in you to answer him with words, but you manage a small, contented giggle, snuggling back further into his embrace and tilting your head back to nuzzle his jaw.

That seems to be enough for him. He cranes his neck to press a soft kiss to your lips, then settles back, and the two of you stay there, cuddled together, warm and content and sated.

Content... just so fucking content, except...

Content is an understatement to what you're feeling wrapped in Marc's arms like this.

If you had to describe what this moment felt like to an alien who had no understanding of human emotions this is how you might describe it:

Imagine snow falling outside and you are wrapped up safely in a heavy blanket around your tired limbs.

Imagine the smell of freshly made pancakes and coffee brewing (just the way you like it) in the morning after a hangover.

Imagine all of that combined and it still wouldn't even begin to do it any justice.

A/N: Thank you nonny for this ask, literally when you sent it I was having the period from actual hell and was in tears and wailing and crying in bed. This was a really nice escape to write this oneshot with TWP.

[heyclickadee]

So, here’s the thing. The finale is weird. Yes, I’m hurt by the fact that Tech didn’t come back and that a character that’s very near and dear to my heart was badly handled, and that will never sit right with me. But even apart from that, the finale fundamentally does not function as a piece of storytelling or as the end to this story. I’m glad that people are enjoying it, and I will never tell anyone not to. But I don’t think it works. (I get very negative about the TBB finale under the cut.)

It’s not just the Tech stuff or the CX-2 stuff (which may very well have been the same stuff) that got dropped. It’s *everything*. Every theme, Every narrative thread besides retrieving Omega, every character arc except marginally Omega’s, Echo’s (also marginal), and Emerie’s, which was the shortest and gets wrapped up by her deciding to help Echo rescue the kids. It all stops. It makes everything that came before seem cheap and pointless if you take it into account. And this is so, so frustrating for me, because the entire show was driving towards this incredibly rich payoff, it could have been immaculate, and then it whiffed the ball so bad in the last episode that it didn’t just miss, it managed to knock over the bleachers and set the entire court on fire.

Some examples:

1. This season had a really interesting exploration of Crosshair’s PTSD via his hand tremor and how it was something he can learn to manage, but not something that would ever fully go away. Aaaaand then his hand gets chopped off. One, that was stupid. I’ve seen some excellent posts (here’s one by @the-bi-space-ace) detailing why that was a terrible way to handle Crosshair’s lingering trauma, and others talking about how the idea there was that Crosshair needed to move on and it was severing his last ties with the empire. The former, I agree with; the latter, I don’t, because not only—not only!—does this episode stop dealing with Crosshair’s trauma, it doesn’t even deal with having cut off his hand! It just sort of occurs. No one reacts to it, no one says anything about it, there’s no follow up or commentary, nothing happens as a result—it’s an event which occurs with no results coming after it. It may as well be an animation error. You can say it was about Crosshair needing to let go and move on, but that’s something you have to project on to the text, not something that’s actually offered by it. It’s empty.

2. Crosshair again: We also have the lingering issue of Crosshair’s guilt and the fact that he never seems to get to a point where it’s resolved. There’s set up for a resolution. We have that, “Sure you have,” like about Crosshair from Rampart. We also have Crosshair saying he deserves whatever happens to him in Tantiss. And then…no pushback. No resolution. No moment of Crosshair realizing that he doesn’t need to carry that burden. Nothing that says he didn’t deserve what happened to him. He had all this character development this season, but he needed - last little push to forgive himself—and we never get any indication that he does. It, like his trauma, gets dropped like a rock.

3. Hey! More Crosshair! A good chunk of Crosshair’s arc this season was about learning that anyone can change, first, and that no one is beyond saving. Eeexcept that goes no where.

4. Which brings me to my next point: There is set up for the CXs to be saved. Even if we’re laboring under the conclusion that CX-2 was never intended to be Tech at any point in the writing process (I have. Doubts. Yes, I’m calling the creative team liars, here, but with the understanding that they have contracts that may require them to lie), we do have the set up where we learn the electrocyanide zappers can be removed, and with Rex offering forgiveness to CX-1. “Whatever they did to you, whatever you’ve done, you’re still one of us.” CX-Tech or no, Crosshair’s arc was tied up with the CX plot, and because he’s the one the CXs tend to react to—or, at least, understands what was done to them—the set up was there for him to help save and maybe rehab the CXs. At the least, there was an indication that they could be saved. Eeexcept nope! That gets dropped like a rock, too, and they’re not going to deal with it. Time for maximum carnage.

5. Hunter’s arc actually takes a step backwards. Sure, he gets a technically happy ending, but because the squad is basically in the same place they were in “Pabu” back in season two (down a member but successfully hiding from the Empire in a safe place), it negates Hunter’s development towards actually taking action—and actually hurts Echo’s arc, too.

There’s been this tension all through the show between just sitting things out on the one hand (Hunter’s way) and taking direct action despite the futility on the other (Echo’s way), but instead of finding some kind of middle ground or third road, it sort of comes back around to saying that, actually, Hunter was right, they should have just gone to Idaflor back in episode three and never left even though the Pabu invasion said that no, you can’t just hide, and even Hunter’s development was moving in the opposite direction. And this also means that Echo never reaches a point where he feels like he can walk away and that he doesn’t have to get himself killed doing this. Despite development otherwise they both end up back at that conversation in “Tipping Point” without any move in either direction or resolution of that tension.

6. Omega. Okay, Omega probably comes out the best after the finale, and, conceptually, I actually love the idea of Omega becoming a pilot even if the epilogue falls a little flat for me. But stuff with Omega still got dropped, including:

- The force stuff. We have two episodes dealing with m-count (after learning in episode three what Omega was created to do). We also have Ventress telling Omega that she doesn’t have a high m-count as far as she can see, Crosshair immediately calling Ventress out for lying, and then Ventress basically saying, “Yeah, no shit, but if she has force potential she’d have to leave you behind, and it doesn’t matter what your opinion on that is, so I’m not dealing with that.” Aaaand then,m. That. Goes nowhere. Despite a bit of set up for Omega connecting to the force as early as episode one, and some more set up in Tribe, and that whole subplot of her learning how to meditate, and so on.

Now, I don’t think that it was ever going to turn out that Omega did actually have a high m-count or that she had a particularly powerful natural connection to the force. I think she’s probably got a low or baseline m-count. What I do think, however, is that we were going to see Omega connect anyway as a refutation of Palpatine’s and Hemlock’s entire scheme. Their goal (based off of the ST) was to create extremely force sensitive clones as a way for Palpatine to jump bodies without having to waste time re-learning how to connect to the force. You know—dark side, quick and easy path, focus on eugenics and raw power, etc. Had Omega connected anyway because of her big heart and desire to protect, it would have not only paid off that set up, it would have also refuted Palpatine’s and Hemlock’s entire goal. It would have worked so well thematically and the set up was THERE.

- branching off of that, I think the Omega force stuff was probably tied to the Zillo beast. We also had a through-line of Omega being good with animals and taking the time to calm them instead of responding with violence. The first time we see this is in “Replacements,” where she realizes that the ordo moon dragon (also an electrophage—I don’t know what to call these things—like the zillo beast) is just scared and hungry. This is all conjectural, but it still fits with what was set up.

- Moving on from the force stuff, we also had a through-line that started way back in episode two of the series, but which was really emphasized this season, about Omega feeling like she’s the cause of the bad things that happen to the people she loves. This is why she gives herself up during the Pabu invasion in the first place. This is never resolved! We get Omega’s confidence boost when she realizes she has the force kids to take care of, but we never get a moment where Omega realizes that she has no reason to feel guilty. She’s the glue that holds the family together! But nope! Also dropped!

- But wait! There’s more! The first two season finales have Omega watching someone she loves fall away while she’s helpless to do anything to save them. That’s perfect set up to put Omega in the same situation, but be able to save them, because she’s finally come into her own. Instead we just end up with her needing to be rescued again.

- Omega has this big speech in Shadows of Tantiss about spending her life stuck in one place or another against her will, and how she refuses to be confined like that. I don’t think Omega would have been happy just staying on Pabu for the entire rest of her childhood and young adult life, even if I think she’d want to use it on a home base. But! Dropped!

7. I still can’t get over the fact that the zillo beast is on screen for about two minutes and then just. Walks away. It’s a large beastie that’s been locked in confinement for a while and is probably hungry. And somehow it didn’t go straight to the reactors for some delicious energy smoothies. Like. It. Did. The. Last. Time. Someone. Let. It. Out. But no, that would have required it sticking around for something that was probably dropped sooooo ZILLO BEAST EXIT STAGE RIGHT I GUESS. (Edit: I have been reminded that Hemlock does say to turn off the generators once the zillo beast is out, so that at least makes sense. I still think the zillo beast should have stuck around to do something.)

8. You notice how there are a ton of commandos around Tantiss, even up through “Flash Strike?” And how they kind of largely cease to exist? And how Echo says that there are far more clones imprisoned in Tantiss than anyone thought? And then how they rescue, like, a dozen guys? Because we never find our way back to those cells Crosshair was held in during season two? And how Tarkin does mention not wanting to allow clone dissidence to turn into an uprising back in “The Summit?” Because I did. This show was never going to be about a clone rebellion, that wasn’t the point, buuut I do think the set up was there for an uprising at Tantiss itself. Begin the series with clones losing their agency en masse, end the series with some of the most subdued clones taking it back. Except nope, dropped, soooo we gotta pretend the commandos don’t exist and murder the hell out of poor Scorch.

9. SPEAKING OF. The batch does kill clones sometimes, that does happen, but they do at least usually make some kind of effort to be non-lethal even when they’re not using stun, and times when they do resort to lethal tactics are usually born out of extreme circumstances. Not here, though!! NO HESITATION MAXIMUM CARNAGE. For. Reasons I guess.

10. There’s one point IN THE FINALE where Echo mentions signaling for Rex. This never comes up again. Rex does not show up. In fact, despite being called, “The Cavalry Has Arrived,” the cavalry does not in fact arrive. There is no cavalry. Yes, I know it’s a reference to Wrecker’s first line. But I’m sorry if you call an episode that YOU HAD BETTER HAVE A CAVALRY SHOW UP. Especially when you have a one about calling them in! But that also!! Got dropped like a rock!!

11. One positive: the moment Crosshair and Hunter leaning on each other to make that shot was nice.

12. Sorry, but Hemlock’s death was deeply unsatisfying. Let’s do something more than just shoot him multiple times, okay?

13. Rampart’s death, on the other hand, was incredibly satisfying. That said, the conversation about project necromancer? I’m dying. It’s actually hilarious, because it basically goes like:

“Tell me about project necromancer.”

“Wow! How interesting!”

I’m.

Are you serious?

I’m going to become the Joker.

Yes, I know we know what project necromancer is because of a different show. That’s not the point, the POINT. Is that any pay off for project necromancer in this show got dropped. And that’s deeply frustrating from a narrative perspective.

14. Speaking of, we never find out anything more regarding that partially successful m-count transfer from episode three.

15. We also never do anything with those medical records!

16. And Omega has a whole crossbow she never actually shoots despite the fact that her role on the team was as a sharpshooter after Crosshair left, and despite her getting advice from Crosshair on how to be a sniper. The literal chekov’s gun never goes off. I’m going to go eat gravel.

17. AZI, likewise, got toted around for three seasons for no reason. Probably could have helped with the medical records. Given that he was a Kaminoan medical droid. Oh, and that Omega was Nala Se’s medical assistant. So. Hmm.

18. You can cut everything in the season past episode five and skip straight to the epilogue and end up in the same place. This is not because the other episodes are filler. Far from it! The other episodes are great and deliver some amazing set up. But, because the finale does nothing with that set up, it doesn’t go anywhere.

19. And you know what else? From a narrative perspective, there’s no reason for Hunter, Wrecker, and Crosshair to be in these episodes at all. They don’t accomplish anything and make everyone else’s job harder. Omega was doing fine, she would have gotten out with the kids with just Echo and Emerie, and Tarkin was coming to cut off Hemlock’s funding and shut everything down once Hemlock lost control of the facility anyway. I can only suppose that the whole reason they were in this episode ended up getting dropped, too.

20. CX-2. Listen, the answer we get about CX-2 isn’t that he’s not Tech. It’s, “Maybe, maybe not—you don’t get to know.” Because. He’s the only CX whose mask never comes off. After a season and a half worth of buildup of unmasking CXs and people pressing them to learn their names. It’s not a no, it’s a non-answer, which is far less satisfying.

And finally:

21: CX-Tech. I’ve seen some people speculating that there was a planned CX-Tech reveal that got scrapped at the last minute—dropped, along with the other points I’ve already laid out. And, honestly? I have to agree. Despite what the creative team says, because even their denials kind of come out weird (like the Kiners saying that the large brass chord in “Battle of the Snipers” was just a nice sounding brass chord and not a reference to “Plan 99.” They also basically say that the sacrifice theme from “Plan 99” is Tech’s leitmotif. Which. Is all over “Battle of the Snipers.” That theme. Not Crosshair’s. In a scene. Where he’s supposed to be fighting a shadow of himself who Totally Isn’t Tech but we put Tech’s leitmotif here and layered it in Techno music but nooo that was never supposed to be him. Nope. I mean, come on. I’m not stupid).This post is already long enough, so here are some posts by @apocalyp-tech-a pointing out the reasons why I think this was the case, and one by @eriexplosion pointing out why CX-2 as Crosshair’s shadow and only that doesn’t quite work. I don’t need to go over the trail that was laid out again. Up to the finale this was a character that had more screen time—and far more solo screen time—than Echo. Some people will not stop yelling that there was no evidence, and. No. I’m sorry, there was. I can’t agree.

And some people might say, well, okay, the show misdirected you guys and pulled off a twist by having CX-2 be no one, and well, I can’t agree with that either. Twists only function if the twist is more satisfying than the conclusion to which the story seems to be leading. And I’m sorry, you can’t tell me that a season and a half of CX building and three seasons (because I can find set up all the way back in episode one of the show) for Tech survival culminating in what amounts to a boss fight is more satisfying than getting to see Omega have her big brother back. You can’t.

The reason I bring this up last is because, yes, I think CX-Tech was a plot dropped at the last minute, but because I also think that it’s the dropped plot that ripped everything else apart. CX-Tech was an incredibly efficient way to tie up most of the lingering plot threads and dropped character development.

-Crosshair’s guilt? Okay, he faces down the end result of his decision to stay with the empire and possibly something he knew about (Tech would be in this situation because of Crosshair, and were given hints that Crosshair knew) and is finally able to forgive himself because they’re able to save him.

- Hunter’s decision to finally take action and be proactive rather than reactive is validated, because it’s the thing that finally gets him his entire family back.

- Echo saves someone the same way he was saved, and maybe he realizes that it is enough and that he doesn’t have to be a soldier forever.

- Wrecker’s efforts to keep the family together and keep Hunter sane finally pay off.

- Omega is able to protect the people she charges about and finally, finally has all of her brothers.

- Thematically, it rounds off each member of the batch (Omega included) traumatically losing and then taking back their agency in a way that correlates directly to who and how they are as people.

- It also rounds out the OG batchers each being haunted by a failure that has to do with the thing that makes them special.

- You get pushback against “Clone Force 99 died with Tech! We’re not that squad anymore!” because no, it didn’t, and they’re more than a squad, they’re a family.

- It comes around and closes the wound opened in Aftermath and ripped back open by Return to Kamino: they go in for Omega and lose someone, but here, they go in for Omega and get someone back.

- Would allow Tech to close off his lingering threads and finish his character development BECAUSE THOSE REMAINED UNFINISHED.

- Completely subverts the “bury your disabled” trope by making sure we know the character whose disability was explored the most’s life is more important than his death. Seems like an important thing to do in a show that is kind of about disability. Just saying.

- Makes the lack of closure and little mentions of Tech make sense from a storytelling POV because the necessarily catharsis would come from his return.

- And it would actually add some triumph to the ending. Yes, this little family survived. They outlived the war. They’re together, despite every effort to rip them apart. They made it, despite the dark times, despite the Empire, despite what they were made to do and be. They defied all of that. That would have been so, so satisfying.

As is, without Tech, without that CX-Tech reveal, we sort of end up in this weird place where all the themes are half-baked. They are more than soldiers…except Tech, who had to fall out of the story as a soldier (despite us getting the clearest glimpse of what his life outside of soldiering could have been). They get to live how they want…except Tech. They don’t leave their own behind, except Tech that one time. They should value their own lives a little…except Tech. They’re more than a squad, they’re a family…except Tech, the only one besides Omega to say that’s what they are, doesn’t get to see it, and they don’t get to have him around. We begin the series with a broken family and end it with a family broken differently. That’s not dynamic.

So there’s no really punch to the ending. It’s sort of…well, okay, we tortured a family for three seasons I guess. Relieved that the survivors are doing okay, but that’s kind of it.

22. The finale in general is just sort of a bunch of events which happen, but which don’t lead into one other. It’s weird. It’s not that too much happens, it’s that almost nothing happens. Nothing of substance, in a way. The finale is, in a word, the only true filler episode in the entire show.

TL;DR: I think a lot of stuff got dropped from the finale. I don’t know why. I suspect that it might have to do with the strikes—basically, the script was done, most everything was recorded and boarded, and then when the finale was in production they got sudden drastic budget cuts (this was during a time when the studios were disappearing entire completed shows and movies as tax write-offs), had to gut what they had planned, and couldn’t bring the writers or even showrunners in to smooth over what was gutted or to even pick what got taken out. They wouldn’t have gotten to choose or compress things. They were on strike (because the studios wouldn’t negotiate), and whoever did choose ended up just ripping out the stuff that would actually take any time or budget to deal with (so, basically everything I laid out), killing it (literally), and using the remains of what they already had recorded. And who knows how they had to fill in gaps.

But I don’t know for sure. Maybe it was that. Maybe it was a last minute decision to take certain plot points and put them in a different show. Maybe it was executive mandate. Maybe the creative team just sucked the whole time (that’s one I have a hard time buying—we have four other shows and most of this one that tell me that they’re better at their jobs than this). Maybe everyone said screw it, who even cares anymore at the same time.

Maybe nothing happened. Who knows? I strongly suspect something bad did happen behind the scenes that was out of the creative team’s hands—I really do, because that’s the only way I can make sense of this—but until we can get someone talking without six layers of PR and NDAs, we won’t know for sure. All I know is that The Bad Batch is an amazing show with 46 episodes that range from “fine-but-clunky” to “IMMACULATE,” with more leaning towards immaculate than not, and some incredible set up, and one episode so nonsensically bad it makes me want to eat drywall.

It’s just that the one terrible episode comes right at the end.

I love The Bad Batch. I love every single episode and all the things that were set up, but…eh, I think I’ll be ignoring the finale until further notice.

[justwinginglife]

Part 2 of Three's A Crowd: Soshiro Hoshina Ending

I felt bad making just a Hoshina Edition so I will also be releasing a Gen Narumi Edition, and you can read both or you can pick whichever one you want to get with and just read that one- a lil choose your own adventure action, if you will.

And sorry in advance, both posts will be a lil angsty in the beginning. I mean you do have to break someone's heart, after all.

"Was I not... vocal enough about my feelings for you? Cuz I'll try again, I'll do it again, I'll do better." Gen says finally, after moments of silence.

You shake your head quickly, wincing at his words. "No, baby, no. That's not it. You were wonderful. You were amazing. I just don't want to string you along, and I've realized I have a stronger connection with Soshiro. It's nothing to do with you."

He bites his lip bitterly as his hands start to shake. "So he wins again, huh? That damn Hoshina."

You want to hug him but you know you have no right to touch him anymore. You knew it would end badly but you didn't know just how much it would hurt to see him so torn up like this. You had grown so very fond of him, but it didn't change the fact that you loved Soshiro deeper, more fiercely. It was better that it ended sooner rather than later.

"Gen, I had the most incredible time with you. I'll never forget it. And if I'd never met Soshiro, I know I would've married you. But as much as I don't want to hurt you, I can't ignore how I feel about him. If you ever find it in your heart to forgive me, I will be eternally grateful, but if you don't, I will understand." You say it so simply even though it's anything but simple.

He nods to himself, looking down at the ground as he fidgets with the zipper on his jacket. "I know, love, I know. I signed up for this, I knew what I was getting myself into. I just really thought I'd win. Hurts. Well, I suppose I'll see myself out then." He gets up quickly and moves towards the door. Then he turns back to you, looking you over one more time, savoring every inch and every curve of you before finally sighing.

"I... I would've made you my whole world." The words come out so softly you think you might've imagined them, and then before you know it, he's gone.

You wonder if you'll ever see him again and if the next time you do see him, if maybe you could be friends. You hope he'll be happy, whatever he does from here on. Maybe in another lifetime you could've been the one to make him happy. But not in this one. In this one, you belong to Soshiro Hoshina and you intend to make good on that.

You greet Soshiro at his apartment, causing him to be pleasantly surprised at your visit. He always comes to you, you've only been to his apartment once before. But he welcomes you with a smile, stepping aside to let you in.

"To what do I owe the lovely pleasure, darling?"

Before he's even locked the door all the way, you wrap your arms around him, burying yourself deep into his chest. He lets out a content sigh and pulls you in closer to him.

"Someone's feeling clingy today." He teases. "But I love it."

You pull away just slightly so you can look him in the eye, though still holding onto him tightly. "I'm all yours baby."

He raises an eyebrow at you, trying to piece together what that means but then his eyes widen. "You... you dumped Narumi? You're all mine?"

You nod and he lets out the biggest sigh of relief.

"I don't know what I did today to deserve the best news of my entire life, but I'm so happy." With that, he lifts you up and carries you bridal style to his couch so he can cuddle you some more.

For a moment, he just sits there, tracing up and down your arm, and playing with your hair as he peppers you with random kisses here and there. But he can't sit still for long, he's like a giddy little schoolboy. He stands up suddenly and announces, "Alright we need to celebrate, you're coming with me, and we're going on the best date of your ENTIRE LIFE."

You giggle like you're a schoolgirl now and you watch as he grabs his car keys eagerly. He tosses them to you.

"Meet you at the car in five minutes, let me just throw something nicer on."

He kisses you deeply and then releases you, waving you off.

You wait at the car and sure enough, he's done in five minutes, having thrown together an outfit with significant speed so as to not keep you waiting long.

He opens the passenger door for you and helps you inside, kissing your hand several times before releasing it and shutting the door gently. Then he hops in the driver seat and, with the biggest goofiest grin on his face, exclaims "And we're off!"

He takes you for lunch at the first restaurant you ever went to with him and you appreciate his sense of nostalgia. He even buys you your favorite dessert afterwards.

Then he lets you roam free in a bookstore with a wad of cash to spend and while he did spend the first 10-15 minutes just gazing at you with pure love and affection as you excitedly perused the shelves, at some point he disappeared. You were at the check out stand, purchasing your stack of books when he arrived with a bouquet of flowers in hand, he'd seen someone selling them across the street and thought of you. Of course they were your favorite- white lilies.

"You know, the lady at the counter told me something." He said, pointing towards the flowers in your hand.

You inhaled deeply, breathing in the sweet scent. "What did she say, baby?"

He wraps his arm around your waist, carrying your bag of books for you as he walks you back to his car. "She said white lilies symbolize pure love. And I thought it was just perfect for you."

You lean into him as you walk. "You're such a romantic. It's adorable."

He laughs. "Only when I'm around you, love. You make me want to do the cheesiest shit, I can't help it."

He takes you to a festival next, he knows you've always wanted to go to one of these things. Though his combat power is low with a gun, he can still shoot one, and he wins you a stuffed animal at a game booth. It's got cute fluffy black hair and you name it Soshiro and give it a kiss on top of its head.

"Hey, me next!" He pulls you in for a kiss and you oblige.

Then, as you watch the sunset together, he snuggles up next to you and feeds you snacks he bought, saying it's so cute how much you can eat.

Darkness falls and fireworks start to paint the sky. You watch them in awe, transfixed by all the colors and patterns that are now dotting the night sky. He doesn't watch a single one, he's too busy looking at you. He smiles, brushing a strand of hair from your face and tucking it behind your ear before giving you a kiss on the cheek. When the fireworks finally quiet down, he rises from the bench and you think it might be time to go home but then he gets down on one knee and pulls out a ring box that he's been hiding all day.

"My love. Darling. Light of my life. I cannot tell you just how happy you have made me by being mine but I promise I will spend the rest of my life trying to. It is the greatest joy to be by your side and I don't want to waste a single second, will you please marry me and let me stay by your side?"

You lean forward and kiss his forehead. "Until death do us part?"

He shakes his head. "No baby, even death couldn't keep me from you. I'd find you in the afterlife, in another reincarnation, in whatever awaits, I'd find you and make you mine. Please say you'll allow me this great pleasure."

You smile warmly at him. "Of course I will."

He eagerly slips the ring on your finger and you laugh as he almost drops it trying to get it on quickly.

"Someone's in a hurry." You tease.

"Of course I am. I've been waiting my entire life for you."

[theramblingsofadork]

“Easy there, I’ve got you. Just take it slow.”

🎵 Accompanying Music: Sonic Frontiers - Kronos Island (1st Movement)

—

Recovery was hard.

Over the next few weeks, Starline had to lean on Rivet for a lot of his basic needs. Eating, walking, even putting on his bathrobe, as one of his arms had been paralyzed in the fall and was now useless to him. He was also suffering from newfound, dizzying headaches, which only added to his low spirits.

It was humiliating and humbling to have to accept her help, especially considering the guilt over all he had done. He kept expecting at any moment for her to pack up and leave him to his own devices.

But she didn’t. Throughout it all, Rivet was kind and patient with him. She helped soothe his pains, gave him space when he needed it, and didn’t disparage or poke fun at him in his lowest moments.

Before this, Starline would have never believed that anyone could forgive him for what he had done. That the fate that had been delved out for him at his and Eggman’s final confrontation, was one that he deserved.

But as time continued to pass, he began to see that, even at rock bottom, in his least flattering moments, someone still valued him as a person. That, despite his egregious mistakes, Rivet was still willing to help support him. To work with him to try and make things right.

And where pain, guilt, and emptiness had once filled his entire being… now Starline was slowly beginning to see light.

The light of hope, love, and acceptance.

A/N: RAAAGH I am so incredibly in love with my Redemption AU and Starline’s recovery throughout the final arc. He goes through such lows after being defeated by Eggman, but he’s still able to be forgiven and built up again by someone who cares and believes in second chances.

This trope has always been a weakness of mine, and I melt every time I think about it. ;w; Don’t mind me being sappy in the corner here fjdhfdh— This entire arc is filled with just wholesome. 😭

[spooklies]

# Resident Evil - Yandere Chris Redfield (PROFILE)

Type of Yandere: Chris is someone who cares a whole lot about those he loves while pretending that that side of him doesn’t exist. He’ll show he cares for you in every way but verbally at first, but in moments where you two are intimate he’s not against confessing just how much he loves everything about you. And Chris also happens to be overly stubborn once he’s set in his ways, and that in turn will make it difficult to try and reason with the man when he’s decided over something. Control, a position he’s been given since he could remember, and one he’ll hold over you whenever possible. Wearing something he doesn’t like? He’ll all but demand you take it off and change out of it. And if you refuse? Then he isn’t against using other means to get his way. He’s never physical, not unless you want him to be. He’s a man of discipline and understands the importance of boundaries. No, he’ll tap into a side of him that was trained to be a negotiator. Or in simpler terms, he’ll manipulate his darling when they do or say something he disapproves of. Sometimes he’ll even do this without realizing it. Chris has an overwhelmingly dominant air to him that calls for attention and he’s well aware of it. 

Love Language: Chris can’t help but want to do everything for his darling, not wanting them to lift a single finger if it could be helped. He’ll treat you like royalty because in his eyes you deserve nothing but the best. He’s very big on touch and will often than not seek out your presence and find an excuse to put his hands on you. “Your shoulders look tense, allow me?” And without waiting for your permission will start massaging your shoulders with the skills of a certified masseuse. He’ll then playfully scold you for exerting yourself, explaining to you why it’s important to rest. “If you don’t keep taking care of yourself then I have no choice but to do it for you.”

Their Biggest Fear: Chris has seen a lot of shit, like shit people never come back from. But when he’s with his darling then it’s as if none of the traumatic events he’s experienced happened in the first place. He’ll often think to himself, “What’ll I ever do without you?” Because in his eyes a life without you isn’t one worth living. And that thought process alone is terrifying to Chris. He’s experienced what it’s like to lose people dear to him, but imagining his darling being the person he loses? Not a chance.

Kidnapping: If his darling ever tried to leave him then he’d definitely panic and jump to the worst conclusions about why you’d ever want to leave him. Those conclusions would then escalate into Chris convincing himself that someone is manipulating you and causing you to have these ‘intrusive’ thoughts. So what better way to keep his darling safe than to keep them at home – a sanctuary he’s created to be in your liking. He’s sure that with time his darling will come to understand why he needs to keep them home and the types of danger that lurks outside waiting to take them away from him.

How Easy is it to Escape?: Near impossible. Chris is an incredibly talented man with all the training a soldier could possibly need to bring an entire government to its knees. There will be locks on every door, safes containing possible escape tools, and even people Chris could rely on to have his back no matter the circumstances. Just hope that things don’t ever escalate that badly.

Punishments (SLIGHT NSFW BUT NOTHING GRAPHIC): “You just can’t help yourself, can you?” After one too many instances of his darling going against his direct orders – house rules, as he prefers to call them – he’ll see no other choice but to teach you the importance of listening to him through more intimate means. Your hands can sometimes end up cuffed to the bedpost, lovebites littering your skin as if you’d just been splashed with paint, and tears running down your face as you squirm and whine for his forgiveness through half-lidded eyes. “Oh I’ve already forgiven you, it’s about proving a point.” And he doesn’t stop until he’s done just that.

Difference to Other Yanderes: Despite how intimidating Chris can get, on the inside he’s a giant sap that often gets compared to a teddy bear more than the fierce grizzly bear the stuffed animal is based off of. He has a lot of powerful connections which also means he’ll be able to provide more than most partners. Ever been to the Grand Canyon? Sure, why not head there first thing Monday? And then right after that how about a trip to the Himalayas for the sake of going there? He’s so used to using these connections for the sake of humanity so it’s a nice change of pace to use them to prevent non-world ending threats from coming into fruition.

[leonawriter]

Talking about Makoto earlier had me thinking about the things I do like about makoharu as a ship.

Because thing is, to me they read as foils.

In their situations, the way they react to things, not to mention their elements, they contrast each other in a way that doesn't stop them from also complimenting each other - and also that encourages me to feel that they'd also improve each other, too.

Where Makoto's act of rebellion was to decide she didn't want to do what everyone says anymore, it was against a socially acceptable target - a man, sure, but a wanted criminal.

Haru's was against her father, a man who society does not want girls to rebel against. She was expected to just obey him, and be pretty arm candy for the man he chose for her in a business tradition that is still ongoing.

Makoto's tendency to stay playing by the rules is almost a natural trait. She's does everything by the book. Logic A is logic A. Things are how they're supposed to be. A confusion and also a fair bit of kickback when they aren't.

Haru's habit of being a "good girl" is because she was pushed into a small box from a young age, and constantly feels as though she has to behave in a certain way in order to get the slightest bit of respect and affection from her father, let alone those in the business that she wants to have listen to her.

Makoto had a good relationship with her father - or at least, what she remembers of him - and aspires to be more like him, where Haru is struggling to recognise that hers was abusive, and that he wasn't going to become a better person for her even if he'd survived.

Makoto wants to become a cop, and Haru hates cops.

So, even from here, there are a lot of things where they aren't the same at all! Places where they'll not understand each other!

But Makoto was, (not counting Joker) Haru's first friend. Someone her age, who she could talk to, who wasn't a delinquent in the year below like Ann or Ryuji.

They understand each other because no matter where those stresses are coming from, they both know what it's like to have the adults in their lives put pressure on them to act a certain way, and to feel grateful when they aren't being given what they need - the love and support of a family member.

Both of them know what it feels like to be pushed down and to know they deserve more but also know that they won't be getting that, to try in small ways to fight back against the injustice of it all (Haru, chopping wood, Makoto, with her probing questions to the headmaster and to her sister), and for it to not work.

Both of them wanted and/or needed the help of the Phantom Thieves, to the point that they effectively forced their hand - Makoto's blackmail in the Student Council room is a memorable moment, but let's not forget that Haru refused to join the Phantom Thieves until she could see they were working as a coherent unit again. That was her father's palace they were scouting, and she could have veto'd the whole thing.

They're both incredibly reckless. Makoto going straight to Kaneshiro, and Haru trying to take on her father's palace with only Mona, having only just awakened (and even then, not fully)!

Makoto is logic, and Haru is emotion, and where Makoto might fly into a rage because she can't understand the reasoning behind someone's actions, Haru will take the time to understand and to empathise, even if she doesn't find their actions forgivable.

When Makoto brings up the whole "I want to be a cop" thing around Haru, I can see Haru not just staying quiet about it, and telling her exactly what she feels, but not in a harsh or cruel way.

I don't know if this is exactly a ship manifesto, but the ways they contrast and improve each other are really interesting to me, and on top of that, I can see them working as friends, as a romantic pair, and just... it's compelling chemistry.

Because sometimes (as seen with shuake), when someone's your foil, they're the one who knows you best. And when something goes wrong, that's the person you go to.

[ginxyy]

Die for you

It's hard for me to communicate the thoughts that I hold But tonight, I'm gon' let you know

The glow from your phone screen felt warm against your fingertips, each notification pulsing with a mixture of anticipation and trepidation. You had been scrolling through the endless cycle of images and stories, your heart feeling heavier with each swipe. The shadows of your past relationships loomed large, whispering insidious doubts into your mind, robbing you of the confidence you so desperately sought.

This was Joshua, after all an incredible man with an infectious smile and a heart so expansive it felt like it could cradle your insecurities and still hold space for more light. But the more you thought about it, the more convinced you became that you didn’t deserve him. The way his laughter echoed in shared moments haunted you when you were alone, forcing you to confront the stark contrast of your fluttering heart against the rigid walls you had built over the years. Each laugh reminded you of a warmth you craved yet believed to be unattainable.

It had been six months since you both had decided to embrace this beautiful, chaotic thing called love. Six months of late-night talks, stolen kisses, and promises whispered in the comforting dark. Yet, beneath those golden moments, the shadows of doubt were sneaking through the barricades you had put in place. You fought with him, convinced that self-sabotage was your only instinct. Each fight left you feeling smaller, like a flower crushed by the weight of an unyielding storm.

But tonight, after yet another storm had passed and left you drenched in guilt, your heart swelled with a different kind of urgency. You had snapped at Joshua over something trivialanother moment where insecurity festered and erupted. The memory of his disappointed frown etched into your mind like a permanent bruise. He was too good for you, you thought, and in those moments of rage, you pushed him away. Now, in the reflection of your own fragmented emotions, you could see the damage your fears had wrought.

You sank into the solitude of your room, inhaling deeply while your heart fluttered in desperation. You couldn’t let this be the end of your story with him. Not when you felt the waves of love pulsating just beneath your skin. You needed him to know the truth how completely, undeniably, and fervently you loved him. It was a longing that seeped through your soul, battling against the tide of your insecurities.

With a determined flick of your fingers, you opened your music app and searched for that song that always resonated with the depths of your emotions The Weeknd's “Die For You.” In the depths of your heart, you felt compelled to cover it, to pour all the conflicting feelings that lived within you into that melody. So, in your softest voice, you sang. Each lyric became a confession, each note a promise of change. You wrapped your sorrow around the chords, weaving your narrative into the fabric of the song, channeling your hope for redemption through every breath.

You hesitated just a moment before posting the video, your heart racing as you pressed "send." These feelings were raw, unfiltered, and vulnerable, but you believed Joshua deserved to see the real you flaws and all. After you shared it, you waited, suspended in time while your heartbeat drummed a frantic rhythm. Would he understand? Would he forgive you for the fight?

Before long, the familiar vibration of your phone broke through the silence. Joshua had seen your video, and the world outside your window suddenly felt a little less daunting. A text popped up, the words vibrating with his unmistakable energy, “I’ll be there in 10.” Hope flickered, igniting a fire within you.

By the time he arrived, your heart was hammering wildly against your chest. You opened the door to his familiar presence, and the tension in the air felt tangible, like an unfinished sentence begging for completion. The moment he stepped in, his expression was a mix of concern and a hint of hurt your heart shattered and mended all at once.

“Hey,” you said softly, the sound of your voice barely able to mask the turmoil within. As he stepped inside and closed the door behind him, the warmth of his being enveloped you instantaneously, igniting a flicker of hope in your chest.

“Hey,” he replied, his voice cautious, as if he were stepping delicately through an atmosphere thick with unsaid words. “I saw your video… you didn’t have to do that.”

You felt tears prick the back of your eyes. “But I needed to,” you whispered, taking a step closer. “I’m sorry for how I acted, for the fighting. I've been struggling with feelings I can’t seem to shake, but I can’t let them push you away.”

He sighed as if carrying the weight of the world, running a hand through his hair. “You know I care about you, right?”

“I know,” you said, feeling the rush of emotions welling up inside you. “But I can’t help but feel like I’m not enough. I don’t want to ruin this.”

“Oh, please listen to me,” he said, stepping forward, his gaze piercing through your insecurities. “You are more than enough. You are everything to me. You don’t have to change who you are. I just want you to share those fears with me instead of fighting against them.”

In that moment, all the doubt you harbored began to dissipate, the air around you charged with the warmth of his words. “I promise,” you breathed out, the weight lifting little by little. “I will work on my insecurities. I won’t let them take control anymore.”

He took your hands in his, grounding you with his touch. “We’ll get through this together. Just remember to talk to me. That’s all I ask.”

You nodded, the breath you had been holding finally escaping your lips, mingling with the hope that floated between you. In that small, intimate space, you knew this moment wouldn’t define you; it was merely a step in your journey together a promise of love, understanding, and healing, vibrant and alive as the flickering flame kindled in your hearts.

[seoheesoo]

AU! Words

Kakashi landed silently on the windowsill and jumped to the floor. The bedroom was dark and quiet. The moonlight reflected from the framed photographs hanging on the wall. A tall guy stood in the middle of the room. Hearing extraneous sounds in the room, he tensed, but did not turn around. Kakashi tiredly leaned back against the wall and took off his mask. The heavy metallic smell of blood filled the room. 

“Why did you come?” - the guy’s voice was hoarse and muffled.

“I returned from a mission,” - Kakashi answered, carefully examining the guy’s tense figure.

“I heard about it, there was no need to come to me in person.”

Kakashi frowned. There was something wrong in his voice. 

“Guy...”

“Thank you for notifying me, you can leave now.”

Kakashi raised his eyebrows in surprise. 

“Guy...”

“Go away,” - the guy interrupted him in a sharp voice.

“Look at me.”

The jounin did not respond to the request. Kakashi covered the distance and sharply turned the guy to face him. Hatake let out a silent gasp of astonishment. Kakashi had never seen such an expression on Guy's face. He wasn't like that even after his father's death. Guy's face was never like this; there was always some kind of emotion on it. Kakashi liked to look at him and read him like an open book. Damn it, Guy was more interesting than all of Jiraiya's books. But now Guy's face expressed absolutely nothing. And that really scared Kakashi.

“Forgive me,” - Kakashi said.

Guy shuddered and a slight look of surprise flashed across his face. 

“Forgive you?” - Guy asked with sincere bewilderment. - “You have nothing to apologize to me for. It’s obvious that I’m a complete stranger to you.”

Kakashi felt his heart stop for a few seconds. And then it began to beat in his chest with incredible speed. He nervously squeezed Guy's shoulder with his fingers. 

“No, Guy...” - Hatake began.

“Go away,” - Guy interrupted him in a firmer voice. - “I know that all my life I’ve always pestered you and asked you for something, but this time this request will be my last. Go away, Kakashi.”

Kakashi's hand fell limply from the guy’s shoulder. Hatake tried to catch his eyes, but Guy never looked at him during this entire conversation. Kakashi silently turned around and also silently left the jounin's apartment. Frozen in one place, Guy lowered his head and fell to his knees, pressing his palm to his chest. A quiet cry was heard in the silence of the room. 

Kakashi jerked sharply, but quickly stopped himself. Seeing Guy like this was physically painful. But it was even harder to realize that it was he who caused him this pain. Hatake immediately understood the reason for Guy's behavior and could not blame him for it. Kakashi himself was to blame for everything. But even now, at this very moment, Hatake was going to disobey Guy and act like the ultimate egoist. 

“Why?” - a hoarse voice rang out.

Kakashi flinched in surprise. Of course, Guy felt that Hatake had not gone anywhere, but was sitting on a tree branch opposite the window. 

“Why?” - Guy repeated in a completely broken voice.

Kakashi clenched his hands tightly into fists, digging his nails into his skin until it hurt.

“Everyone received your farewell letters. Even Genma. Everyone but me!” - Guy shouted, undisguised anger and resentment could be heard in his voice. 

“Guy, I...”

“I always knew you were an asshole, Kakashi,” - Guy turned to face him, furiously wiping away the tear tracks on his cheeks and grinning darkly. - “But I didn’t think you were so cruel.”

Hatake closed his eyes. He deserved it. However, Guy was still here. He has always been there, throughout all these years. And Kakashi couldn't lose him because of his stupid mistake.

“I was scared,” - Kakashi whispered quietly.

Guy raised his head. 

“When they told me about the mission, about the likely death, and told me to write letters, I chickened out.”

Guy listened to him carefully, Kakashi felt his gaze on him, and nervously moved his shoulder. 

“I wrote letters to Asuma, Kurenai and Genma. To all the few friends I have left, but when I took out a blank piece of paper and started writing your name, I just couldn’t continue,” - Kakashi shook his head. - “I... was afraid that if I wrote a letter, my supposed death would definitely occur. I didn't want to say goodbye to you in a letter. I... I don't want to say goodbye to you, Guy. I don't even want to think about saying goodbye to you. The thought of you experiencing my death horrified me. I was never able to write anything, so you never received the letter. Perhaps it was even worse, perhaps I should have written at least something, perhaps...”

“Kakashi,” - Guy interrupted him once again that night. - “Shut up and come here.”

Hatake obediently entered the room through the window and within a second found himself in a tight embrace. He felt Guy tremble, felt his warm breath on his neck, and timidly hugged him back. 

“I almost went crazy with worry,” - Guy admitted. - “You disappeared for three months, and then Kurenai, Asuma and Genma were given letters. But I didn't receive anything. At first I thought the letter just got lost, then I got angry with you. And then…”

“Sorry,” - Kakashi said quickly, gently running his hand along Guy’s back.

“I haven’t been myself the last two weeks. I was removed from missions,” - a trace of resentment was heard in Guy’s voice. - “The most terrible thing was the realization that I had nothing left of you to say goodbye. I tried to remember our last conversation, to cling to at least something real, but everything slipped away.”

“We were arguing about ducks.”

“M?” - Guy looked at Kakashi in bewilderment.

“Our last conversation,” - Hatake explained. - “We sat on the river bank and argued about ducks.”

Guy's lips twitched into a slight smile. A light lit up in his brown eyes. Kakashi absorbed every emotion that flashed across Guy's face. 

“Now I remember,” - Guy gently ran his hand over the back of Kakashi’s head, gently massaging his head. - “Thank you.”

“For what?” - Kakashi asked in a hoarse voice, drowning in deep brown eyes.

“For returning to me alive,” - Guy answered, smiling at the corner of his lips. 

Kakashi pulled off his black mask and covered his lips with his own. 

“I will leave ANBU,” - Kakashi whispered.

Guy's eyes widened. 

“After Itachi left the village, things got much worse. And this mission... I don’t want to lose you.”

Guy gently cupped Kakashi's face in his hands. 

“I love you more than I hate myself,” - Kakashi said. 

“Oh, Kashi,” - Guy gently ran his thumb over his cheek. - “I will always be with you. I love you.”

Hatake breathed out a sigh of relief and leaned in for a kiss.

[rwby-encrusted-blog]

Snowleapord blake and the schnee siblings watch kali and ghira hit on willow till willow goes to there hotel room.

Willow: *Enjoying a nice meal with the Belladonnas*

Ghira: *Flirting with kindness*

Kali: *Flirting with promiscuity*

Blake: *Hiding in Bushes* Oh they Fuckin'

Winter: *Also hiding in Bushes* Please don't speak about our mother so crassly!

Weiss: *Also hiding in Bushes* Indeed, we just keeping an Eye on her. Even if your Parents are forgiving many other may not be.

Whitley: *Sitting at a nearby table, not hiding in the slightest* I think Mother deserves it.

Weiss: HUH?

Winter: What! Whitley!

Whitley: She was with father for your entire life Winter, much like myself. The heavens know I'd take a new dad the moment he presented himself a worthy candidate. The few folk I could imagine being worthy are your teammate's families Weiss.

Winter: That's incredibly-

Weiss: No no, he has a point.

Blake: My parent's will treat her right.

Winter: *Sigh* Fine.

Whitley: Ope. They're moving. Check please!

Blake: Alright! Let's follow them!

~The Quartet move through shadows (Except Whitley, who just walks normally) trailing their parents - to a hotel~

Winter: Alright, And now they break apart and mother- Mother's going in with them.

Blake: Like I said, they're fucking.

Weiss: I mean not necessarily. she could just be visiting-

Whitley: *On his scroll* It's a love hotel.

Winter: How do you-

Whitley: *Showing his scroll to her* It's a love hotel.

Winter: ...

Winter: *Clicks tongue* Well, I hope she's alright.

Blake: Oh she'll be alright~

Weiss: Okay, YOU REALIZE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT YOUR PARENTS TOO?

Blake: Menagerie's a lot less uptight about sexual relations - we have the lowest "Messy" divorce and STD Transfer rates in all of Remnant. I don't think about what parents do, but I am cognizant of it.

Whitley: She's right.

Weiss: How do you know that-

Whitley: Looked it up. I decided to look over all public knowledge of the Belladonna family, and Menagerian cultures and beliefs. Mother just wanted me nearby in case something went wrong so I could support her. She'll be fine.

Winter: Why you? Me and Weiss are strong-

Whitley: Yes, you r both strong, while *I* have nothing but my charisma. You'd both make a scene, while I can calm them down - better than either of you, at least.

Winter: Well-

Weiss: No, no, he has a point.

Winter: *Disgruntled Huff*

~~~~~

Willow: They're still out there ...

Kali: Well, if they want to walk in on something~

Ghira: We'd be more than happy to teach them not to pry into 'Private' Matters~

Willow: O-oh! You've been serious?

Kali: Well, Yes. If that makes you uncomfortable, We understand but ...

Ghira: You are very stunning Willow. We don't need to do anything immediately if you don't want to, we don't need to do anything at all. Just know the offer is there.

Willow: *Blushing* W-Well it has been a while since I slept in a warm bed ...

Kali: *Grinning like that cat that caught the mouse, grabbing onto Willow's hips* Perfect~

Ghira: *Gently Pinning Willow to the wall* We'll be as gentle as you'd like

Willow: (OH SWEET MERCIFUL HEAVENS~)