#(a show i never watched. she just wanted more tumblr followers lol)

[existencebringsonlypain]

hey. Hey you

your writing is fucken amazing

thank you????? what prompted this?????

[randomfoggytiger]

React: A Late-Canon Reviler Gives the Revival a Try (My Struggle I), Part I

For David Duchovny’s birthday, I put out a poll asking Tumblr which of his projects I should watch for the first time. 

The Revival won. Welp. 

I then, fool that I am, put up another poll wherein I doomed myself by including an option to watch the whole thing. 

And here we are. 

My Struggle I. 

Oh, boy. 

This post will be long because I'm laying the groundwork for the rest of the series.

MY MODUS OPERANDI

I don’t care how cute or cuddly or happy or heartfelt individual MSR moments are, popcorn will be thrown if those scenes are achieved through incomplete, inane, or nonsensical plot points. Give me 1+1=2 or give me death.

The Revival is part of a whole that includes all of Seasons 1-9 and Fight the Future and I Want to Believe. As much as I prefer to distance this series from canon, the reality that it functions as a direct follow-up remains; and it needs to be judged accordingly.

And, as always, I separate the art from the artist~.

...WELP. It’s time to face my doom. 

Let's go!

MY STRUGGLE IV

The intro’s… fine. Engaging, even. 

I did notice, though: the last series and Fight the Future and I Want to Believe began with the same formula: glimpses from what will be an x-files case, then straight to Scully’s perspective. Usually Mulder’s narration and POV didn’t feature until the tail-end of a two or three parter, i.e. Redux or Amor Fati or… well, even then, it was juxtaposed against Scully’s. 

Scully was the voice of The X-Files-- even Chris Carter noted that her report of each episode’s casefile became a motif of the show. Mulder’s narration was rare, very rare, even in episodes that were written to focus on him. 

A definite and purposed choice, to be sure. Mulder as an active agent in his own story. …OR a story that focuses on Mulder’s voice instead of Scully’s. 

We shall see. 

The intro continues; and it’s still engaging, possibly gripping (too bad I know where this leads)... but the music got a bit LOTR there. Is that just me? Seems… mellow, orchestral, a little more fantasy than sci-fi. Am I nitpicking? Maybe. 

The BIBLE references UFOs?? Lol, no. (Unless you count the objects described in Revelations-- the book, not the episode-- but even then, those are largely considered to be drones, not UFOs.)

Chris Carter, I see you. 

(Note from the future: NOW I see why the Bible bit was included-- lots of heavy-handed "God means this, Scully" in order to get her on-board to join the files. Ugh.)

…They’re really doubling down on the UFO lore, huh. All of which evaporated because of global warming, I guess. 

GUYS, why couldn’t this have been about life on Earth after Colonization?????

It fits with the disaster footage, it fits with Mulder’s voiceover, it fits with the character progression from Season 9 (I GUESS), it fits with a whooooooooooole ton of other factors. 

I’ve never been one for wanting Colonization in canon, but it literally would have worked for this series. There wouldn't need to be a complete wipeout of humanity, maybe just a “disaster happened, but the humans are fighting back” scenario. 

And that would fit with Mulder and Scully’s "breakup", PERHAPS-- they spent so much time working, trying to save the world (she in science, he on the ground or with untainted factions who coalitioned post-Colonization) that their relationship cracks would need to be actively worked through. Not broken up so much as together and repairing.

It would also help CC and co. to avoid the tempest of modern US politics and the more mainstream conspiracies that were taking hold at that time-- a broader reach to all audiences, a "bigger picture" for everyone to unite under.

(Guys, they should have let me write for this show. …I take it back, I’d have quit after three days.) 

Also: The show writers spent all their brain power on this sequence and this sequence alone, didn’t they? 

Obiwan Kenobi and Military Man are going on a bus somewhere.  

...On closer inspection, neither man looks like anything like Obiwan Kenobi, but the nickname is staying.

We’re back to Scully at a hospital-- not unlike I Want to Believe’s opening.

Skinner called? Oh. Didn’t know he was “here” this early. 

WAIT. 

Wait, wait, wait. 

Scully just called up Mulder like nothing’s a big deal? He answered like nothing’s a big deal? She’s smiling over his joke from the get-go?

…And we’re supposed to believe they’re seriously broken up. Which the show will insist is the case. 

David and Gillian really said, “Script? What script?” and did what they wanted. I salute them. 

Also, “What’s happening out there, Scully?” is a great line to point to Mulder’s continued isolation… which the series will IMMEDIATELY toss aside because he’s, apparently, not been as much of a hermit lately? (Granted, this could be a joke at his own expense because he’s no longer claimed by ~the darkness~, but…. I don’t think the writing’s gonna be that clever, I’ll be honest.)  

Siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh. 

Fine, I admit it. 

I’m loving this so far. 

And that’s gonna make me even angrier later on. 

“Why doesn’t he [Skinner] just call me?”

“He doesn’t know how to reach you, Mulder. I barely know myself.”

Mulder is baffled and a tinge annoyed, Scully is amused and straight shooting. 

THERE IS NO HINT, BEHAVIOR, OR MANNERISM SUGGESTING THEY’VE BROKEN UP. None. At all. He’s isn’t reluctant to answer her call, isn’t sad or withdrawn, isn’t affected by anything she’s saying other than to be teasy or poky. She isn’t hesitant to call, isn’t sad or depressed, isn’t anything other than a little pleased to dangle a juicy tidbit in front of Mulder’s face. 

This is gonna follow IWTB’s ping-pong writing-- they’re fun and in-character, they’re suddenly out-of-character, they’re fun and in-character, they’re suddenly out-of-character, etc. etc. etc.-- isn’t it?

(Mulder taping over his laptop’s webcam is a great touch and not something at all that I’ve done before. At all.) 

“I thought you were done with UFOs-- the ‘stranglehold they put on your very existence’, I believe you put it.” 

“I’m just the messenger, Mulder.”

That’s GOOD, that’s necessary writing. That’s planting the seeds of what happened between them, what led to a cooldown or a breakup or a whathaveyou. AND STILL neither character acts as if they’ve broken up: no melancholy, no sadness, no nothing. 

Mulder’s timbre became a little sardonic while quoting back her words, but that doesn’t mean they’ve broken up. If anything, that points to a bicker and line-in-the-sand between them-- him bringing up UFOs at the dinner table and her reminding him to talk to someone else about it before turning the topic to how the lettuce is growing or something.

Neither actor is performing like one would if pain and trauma and heartbreak and distance were placed between them; and that really complicates things because the breakup is built on top of the aforementioned list of struggles. 

Would Mulder have dug his heels in post 2012, seeing it as a sign that “the aliens” just changed their plans? Yes. 

Would Scully have seen a pursuit down that rabbit hole as a waste of time? Debatable. The Truth S9 Scully wouldn’t have-- the aliens are still out there; and they cost her months of her life, months of Mulder’s abduction, months of Mulder’s death, months of Mulder’s separation, and the ultimate cost: William’s adoption and their life on the run. Post The Truth Scully would have seen this as her quest, too: she won’t give up, she says in the finale, because he won’t. 

IWTB Scully, however, would- and that's a problem. 

I’ve already discussed, at length, how out-of-character Scully was in I Want to Believe (posts here.) Although Mulder doesn’t escape from the same writing blunders, she is really, really scalped: of her courage, of her will, of her determination. 

Whenever Scully gave up, in canon, it was only because she thought she was holding Mulder back, or when she felt Mulder had lost his faith and trust in her. That held true in Season 9-- despite the appalling writing choices there, too-- but didn’t in IWTB. 

The Revival had the perfect opportunity to factory reset the writers' mistakes: portray a wiser duo who continue to fight the fight according to their strengths, like they always have before Mulder ever met Scully. (When Mulder tells Scully to set up a meeting with Skinner, he adds, “Don’t pretend I’m going alone”-- which reinforces my point.) 

But I know that's not going to happen.  

Scully goes without argument-- THAT’S GOOD, THAT’S GOOD CHARACTER WRITING. At this point in the game, of course she would-- they trust each other, they have for years, they’d have reached even deeper levels after going on the run for [insert math] years. All good things! 

The problem: this will create a huge conflict with her actions later.

(I’m already so disappointed.) 

“Uber?”/”Hitchhiking. Relax, Scully, I’m kidding” was a fun modernization of their humor, I’ll take it. 

This scene is starting to highlight the distance between them, which is all well-and-good, but feels tonally different from the previous scene. As in, their two scenes were definitely filmed on different days, in different moods, and with different intents. 

She’s worried about him, with tears in her eyes; he has his walls up; there’s distance, as previously noted. 

“Good for you to get out of that little house every once in a while”/”Certainly was good for you” is followed up with knowing, indulgent, pleased smiles and you expect me to believe these two are seriously broken up. Nope. I’ve seen Scully sad but amused, I’ve seen Scully too sad to be amused, but these two? This moment? Nah.

Tonally dissonant-- the IWTB problem: at-ease and close one minute, at-odds and distant the next. Hoorayyyyyy....

None of this makes sense for a long-term, permanent (as Scully infers later to someone else) breakup. Nor for a short-term, semi-permanent one. Math doesn’t math. 

“I’m always happy to see you,” she says, implying he's the one who permanently pulled away… which will be contradicted later this very episode. 

“I’m always happy to find a reason [to leave the house],” he says, somberly. 

Both of which are odd lines. 

If he’s happy to leave the house to see her… why hasn’t he? 

If she’s happy to see him, always, but says a relationship between them was "impossible" (which she will later), why is Scully staring at him with heart eyes, hoping he gets better so they can continue their relationship? (And mark my words, this tone underscores her interactions with him the rest of this series.) 

Tad’s here. He’s... fine. He represents the overly cautious very well. At least he hasn’t gone full Alex Jones mockumentary (...yet.) 

I’ve heard criticisms that Mulder and Scully don’t act like themselves in this series, but based off the few minutes I’ve seen here… I don’t agree. 

The essence is the same. Truly. Scully’s got the same face that lights up the same way, Mulder’s got the same expressions and young-at-heart humor. Neither are really melancholic. Neither are David or Gillian esque. 

Perhaps that will change. 

(Note from the future: OH BOY. Which Mulder and Scully are we talking here-- OG Mulder and Scully? Nope. IWTB Mulder and Scully? Yep. David and Gillian? Once or twice.)

But, again, their interactions feel… wasted. Hollow. They’re supposed to be broken up, but their breakup doesn’t contribute to their interactions or the plot. They’re supposed to have suffered and are working back to each other… but they aren’t really separated, haven’t seemed to suffer (note from future: except for one scene which comes outta nowhere), and won’t collapse back together on-screen.

They’re supposed to be wiser and more mature, but they’ll still engage in a silly will-they-won’t-they while Mulder eats up the latest UFO or conspiracy slop he’s either already engaged in or debunked [insert math] years ago and Scully clings to her cowardice like a leech. 

First nagging problem: Scully smiling at Tad, Scully excusing Mulder’s mannerisms when he becomes briefly jealous, Scully making nice with a conspiracy nut. 

…Isn’t that Mulder’s job? Didn't she leave because conspiracies were consuming her life? Does this mean she actually does want this life back but is she playing coy or elusive because...?

Furthermore, when Mulder popped a comment off to a witness or informant in the past, Scully never excused him-- just breezed over it professionally with another question. She’s only saying “excuse him” here because she’s taken a shine to Tad. WHY, on this post-2012 global warming green Earth, WOULD SHE?

Tad says Mulder is the X-Files, Mulder says that “book is closed”... WAIT. Wait, hold up--

Pause. Stop. Rewind. 

Mulder wants to believe. Actual proof is hard to come by. 

Tad thinks Mulder is the X-Files. 

MULDER SAYS… *ahem*... Mulder says, “I’m afraid that book is closed.” …Which means he’s no longer into UFOs or aliens, too. SO. why did Scully LEAVE.

If that’s behind him, why aren’t they together again???? Mulder didn’t know who Tad O’Malley was a minute or so ago, meaning he’s been outta the conspiracy scene for a bit. That MEANS his departure from Conspiracyville's been long enough to patch-up his obsession and ensuing depression, I guess.

But then... what about Scully??

Because Mulder wants her to come back (already subtly established in each scene), and Scully is concerned for his welfare; but Scully thinks he’s still into UFO conspiracy and hasn’t come back because of it? BUT SHE ISN’T SHOCKED WHEN HE SAYS “I’m afraid that book is closed” MEANING SHE KNOWS HE’S PUT THAT BEHIND HIM... BUT STILL HASN’T RETURNED?

And both of them aren’t acting as if they’ve broken up, anyway, except for a pointed line of dialogue here and a brief reaction there before they yeet back to the status quo.

They’ve left that behind them, Scully says, for better or worse. And Mulder latches onto that better or worse, making a pointed barb at their breakup, but…. There’s no writing glue, just suggestion and inference; and the suggestions themselves don’t add up. 

Here come the bullet points. 

Season 10 posits Mulder became depressed after the aliens didn’t invade in 2012-- that’s reasonable and logical, his nature is depressive when his expectations are subverted or smashed or etc. 

Season 10 also posits Scully left because Mulder became too much to deal with. That’s… not logical, since her nature is to rescue and nurture, even when Mulder’s being an actual boil on her sittin’ cheeks (ala Demons, etc., etc.) 

Season 10 posits Mulder’s hard to get a hold of-- despite being in the same house the FBI helicoptered to in IWTB-- and posits it might be hard for Scully to get a hold of him-- despite the fact both characters easily got in contact, knew it was each other, and even joked about the fact it’s hard to get in contact with Mulder… which means it really isn't. (The script doesn’t catch these discrepancies, of course, pretending Mulder is very hidden away at the same ol' house he'd been discovered at in 2008.) 

Season 10 says Scully doesn’t want UFOs to be part of her life anymore, that it was a stranglehold… yet she came along on a conspiracy gig without question to… what? Be around Mulder? But then, why warm up to the conspiracy guy-- an embodiment of what drove her and her partner apart?

Season 10 posits Mulder chased Scully off with his conspiracy spiraling YET ALSO states he’s put that part of his life-- conspiracies, UFOs, the X-Files-- behind him. Which implies: A. Mulder’s aaaaaaall better now and B. he put that all behind him but Scully never came home and C. Scully shouldn’t know he put that all behind him if that’s what’s keeping her away; but she does know because his declaration doesn’t take her by surprise, which means she’s still driven away and concerned for him for no discernable reason.  

Season 11 posits Scully didn’t leave because Mulder became too much to deal with but because she, too, had issues to deal with. This point wasn't mentioned or hinted at in the episode that introduces their breakup, which makes that line of reasoning a complete rewrite. (Whatever. I’ll judge how well that’s executed when I get there.)

It doesn’t add up. 

Are we surprised. 

Five seconds after this, I had to listen to a back-and-forth between Tad O’Malley and Mulder on conspiracies and Conservatives and alien beliefs and the O’Reilly Factor and….

This seems out of touch, I’m not sorry. 

When this show aired, Conservatives already had their miles-long conspiracy theories. For Mulder to be ignorant of that fact while allegedly knowing exactly who and what Tad believes while also alleging….

More bullet points!

Fox “I’m afraid that book is closed” Mulder has, supposedly, been out of the conspiracy scene. 

Fox “I’m afraid that book is closed” Mulder isn’t aware that not only did 2015 Conservatives believe in aliens-- despite the fact Tad is a watered-down copy-paste of Alex Jones-- but that there were also Conservative believers in the 90s (who were a fringe in their own group, but.) This was Mulder’s expertise; and his eidetic memory isn’t likely to have tossed that info because it was no longer relevant to his life. 

Fox “I’m afraid that book is closed” Mulder has supposedly not been out of the conspiracy scene-- despite saying he is-- because he does know who Tad O’Malley is-- despite not knowing who he was two minutes ago. 

Mulder is assuming that Conservatives “of your credentials” don’t believe in UFOs or “9/11 false-flag conspiracies” despite people from the Left, Center, and Right publicly believing those conspiracies in 2015. 

Fox “I’m afraid that book is closed” Mulder is supposed to be dismantling Tad’s grift; but he (and the writers) sound uneducated and incredibly out-of-touch during this dialogue-- as if all Conservatives were still Bush-era believers. Most were suspicious of the government by this time (they helped elect a man who ran on a “drain the swamp” campaign, after all.) Mulder’s bewilderment here is old and tired, even by 2015 standards. 

This writing is flashy-- long sentences, quick back-and-forths-- but poorly constructed and badly executed. 

This is also the first segment where David Duchovny is peeking through Fox Mulder; where Scully is swinging wildly between absolutely-fine-with-Mulder and we’re-no-longer-together; and where we, the audience, are being force-fed that only one side of the political aisle believes in aliens-- or the Bigger Question or whatever-- on a show that wants to poke at unfounded conspiracy beliefs.

Oh, look! Scully made a Scully-face, so everything’s good now! 

(UuuuuuuuUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGH--)

Sveta. Aww, I like her--

“You don’t remember me.”

“No, I think I’d remember.”

WHAT WAS THAT. 

Show writers, STOP with the romantic triangulation, it’s NOT. GONNA. HAPPEN. David doesn’t even TRY to make that romantic-ish. Yet you angle on Scully’s face as if she’s supposed to be out-of-the-loop and a tinge jealous. 

WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, hoooooooooooooooooooold up. 

Svetta was a dark-haired little girl Mulder interviewed after her first abduction, meaning she’s set up to be another Samantha. 

So…………………. What’s with the murky jealousy issue, CHRIS. You wedged it in solely so Scully would feel jealous over Mulder? Y’know. Like I Want to Believe? 

And I say Chris Carter because he wanted to play the breakup angle:

"We do it in an interesting way," Carter told The Hollywood Reporter. "We put some of the tension back in that was relieved by them being together. It added to the storytelling opportunities. It's something that I came up with; I had been thinking about it. There was always talk of [breaking them up] if we did another movie."

The first shot canon takes right between the eyes:

Scully being “familiar” with the “screen memories” abductees are given was a cool touch… except she’s never been given “screen memories.” The abductees in Jose Chung’s From Outer Space were given screen memories-- she was returned a blank slate. (Even Mulder didn’t have “screen memories” after his abduction.) 

Scully poking Sveta about aliens taking her unborn fetuses seems a tad (heh) strong except all the alien-related pregnancies have been the result of government testing, not alien probes. So. If this scene followed canon's rules, her skepticism would be warranted.

But this skepticism is still odd. 

Two seconds ago, she was making nice to Tad O’Malley in the car, and now she’s leading the questioning for Sveta. The odd icing on top of this odd cake is that Scully left because she didn’t want UFOs to have a stranglehold on her life, yet here she is leading an interview with an abductee.

Sveta: “I have alien DNA, for sure.”

Scully: “Have you had a doctor confirm that?”

Sveta: “No.”

Me, too, Mulder. Me, too. 

Scully doesn’t question the alien DNA bit, so that’s good. 

��I’ll bet everyone forgets she and Mulder have a bit lingering in their systems from the black oil and his brain thingy and residue from when she touched the ship and and and. 

“Something you can test. Dana.” 

What… what was that. 

Honestly, what was that. Whatever mood David was conveying through Mulder, it didn’t match anything from any previous scenes, let alone this one.

Is he poking at Scully? Why? He’s not jealous anymore (if he even was.) The way he says it and her expression in response implies they have a tense back-and-forth going on, but they don’t. THEY DON’T. 

We’re 13 minutes in and I could make another numerical list. But I won’t. Yet.  

Back to not-Obiwan Kenobi and Military Man. 

That alien’s stupid bad-looking. 

Wait. 

That’s not how canon said Roswell unfolded. 

And the first alien shot on Earth was by Deep Throat’s hands-- that was his whole turning-point backstory. 

CURSE YOU, LACK OF A SHOW BIBLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

(Note from the future: All of that past canon? Fake. Faked. All lies. None of that happened.)

“What have you done??” Not-Obiwan Kenobi yells… and what have they done? 

Back to Scully and Sveta. 

Sveta can move things with her mind-- not all the time-- but at least Scully is listening to her claims without automatically shutting them down. 

But also…

“I can move things. With my mind,” should have IMMEDIATELY had a greater impact on Scully, up-close-and-personal as she was to her son’s abilities. But nope! No reaction! Of course! 

Sveta “You were together but now you’re not” is asking the right questions. I don’t even mind Sveta. I’ll bet this episode’s the last time we see her, though. 

Does she contribute to anything? No. But she’s nice, so. 

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIT, WAIT, WAIT. 

Scully diagnosed-- wait, hold up, list time. 

Scully diagnosed Mulder with depression. 

That killed their relationship. 

…THAT killed their relationship? After everything? 

The writers are going to have to explain, in detail, why that killed it. 

Why does canon need to explain? Because we have a history of Scully sticking by Mulder during the worst periods of both their lives-- leaving him would have to require a very, very good reason.

And there is no indication, thus far, that Mulder’s depression drove a humungous wedge between them, forcing her to walk away. In fact, there is no indication a wedge exists between them, AT ALL-- only the odd, inconsistent word or phrase here or there that bears no weight on the plot or their ultimate decisions.

Whenever Scully left in canon, it was because she could no longer help Mulder. Season 11 will rewrite Season 10’s initial explanation but setting that aside: we’re not given any indication that she did try to help him; or that his depression was so deep and so dangerous that it drove her away.

And if it were that deep or that dangerous enough to drive her away, Scully leaving would have been the last and worst possible action she could have taken. If Mulder's mental state was in such a massive nose-dive that she couldn’t handle what he was going through, Scully-- a medical professional-- would have had him hospitalized, even temporarily against his will, because she would know (per Demons or Gethsemane or Amor Fati) that this level of depression always manifested in suicidal tendencies for her partner.

But Mulder, as per the rules laid out in this episode, never went that far in his deterioration. (Note from the future: We'll get to that.)

If he had, Skinner would have been aware of his hospitalization and wouldn’t have asked for his help; Scully would have been aware and wouldn’t have passed on the information; and Scully wouldn’t have called from the hospital with a degree of buoyancy when relaying Skinner's request to Mulder. 

In short: Scully leaving = very big, very drastic measure. Mulder suffering from depression = very big, very bad consequences. Scully's nature and past actions = getting Mulder help, even if he resists at first (i.e. shooting him in the shoulder to save his life.) Mulder and Scully's partnership = unbroken, except through distrust or botched writing.

“And you have a child together.”

Wow, that wasn’t clunky at all. 

SCULLY STICKS SVETA HARD WITH A NEEDLE BECAUSE SVETA MENTIONS WILLIAM, darkly saying "That's enough", SO SVETA WOULD KNOW SHE DID IT ON PURPOSE.

I’m… so disgusted. Like, eck. Urk. Awful. 

Telling Sveta to back off, strongly, would be in-character; USING PAIN TO DO SO is…. So wrong on so many levels. Scully never utilized medicine to inflict pain or injury on her enemies.

Wow, this grossed me out. You know why?

Scully diagnosed Mulder with depression and left. At first glance, that seem like an out-of-character action that the writing can salvage later by this or that means.

BUT THEN, Scully inflicts pain on Sveta for mentioning William, leaving the audience with the impression that she’s vindictive. 

Which then connects the dots between “vindictive” and “left Mulder when he was diagnosed with depression.”

And since we, the audience, haven’t been given a stronger reason for how Mulder’s depression got that bad or why she didn’t help him through it, we’re then left with a sour impression of Scully’s character. 

The writers then try to imply Sveta was spilling out Scully’s personal secrets to prove that her powers were real, but that still doesn’t give Scully the right to abuse her power. Especially because a traumatized woman was trying any method possible to be believed.

And the fact that Sveta is also victim of the government weaponizing science and medicine makes me even angrier at Scully.

Ohhhhhhhhhhhh, BOY, another helicopter outside the Unremarkable House, my favorite part of IWTB....

Mulder’s never seen… an alien replica vehicle. 

Oh, my mistake: “No. Never. Not like that.” Covering all the bases, I see. Y’know, in case the writers FORGOT MULDER SAW ONE in SEASON 1, EPISODE 2. 

OH, LOOK, he’s got his wonder face back, everything’s aaaaaaaaaaaaall better now!

Running on free energy they’ve had since the 40s, sure Jan. Whatever you say. 

This just feels so old. Like. Tech we haven’t had since the 40S, GUYS, GET IT, BIG MONEY CORPOS KEPT IT FROM US. Yeah, we got it. 

And the flashbacks to Not-Obiwan Kenobi just walking off with an alien corpse because Military Man didn’t… see… value in studying… it. I guess. 

Scully doing “God’s work” giving kids ears because their biology neglected it.

I admit, that’s an intriguing window into her perspective of God vs. science, and how she sees a person’s biology separate from God messing them over or messing them up just because. I dig it.

(Note from the future: This will be used as a plotline club rather than a nuanced discussion of her faith.)

Mulder being the most challenging relationship she’s ever had-- “and the most impossible”-- is a weird line. Because yes, it’s true that their relationship is challenging; but her fervor at impossible is the only time in this episode we see an adversarial tendency, DESPITE My Struggle I trying to drum up moments to prove TENSIONS still LINGER (they don't.) 

It’s IWTB all over again. Siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh. 

“Yeah. I got that impression.” Tad says, and Scully’s hurt because she thinks Mulder gave Tad that impression of her. 

So. So. Wait. 

Scully lied when she stated “It’s impossible” because she didn't like Tad poking into her private affairs?

But she sounded truly convinced their relationship was "impossible" while saying it.

So, she was either angry or still confused about her emotions-- which is fine, Scully's not always in-tune with her inner workings-- when Tad replied, "I got that impression."

Which explains why she was so hurt at Mulder's seeming rejection.

Because she thinks Mulder’s behavior led Tad to that conviction.

Which means CC just wants Mulder and Scully to be caught in a miscommunication fic.

Also, why is Tad so sad about this? Were they his OTP, or is he pretending to sympathize to get in Scully’s pants? Because that’d be crummy, Chris, to have her be overly nice to Tad only for him to try to twist that into an opening as the new conspiracy guy on the block. 

On a lighter note, Chris Carter said Mulder and Scully could still get it in their 50s, so there’s that.

HE DID, HE DID SET SCULLY UP TO BE PURSUED BY TAD--

WHAT. WHAT. WHAT WHAT WHAT--

KNOCK IT OFF, CHRIS. 

Poor Sveta. She’s gonna be butchered in this script, isn’t she?

The series is EATING up vast amounts of time with very little scale or grounding. For all I know, a day or a week could have passed. 

It’s so, so badly paced. 

Mulder’s investigating now, without Scully, because he noticed Sveta had a tell during the interview. 

Um. 

Sure, that’s a Mulder thing to do.

Oh, wait. This is the “work of men” realization.   

The dialogue between Mulder’s questions and Sveta’s answers are really disjointed, as if they’re mildly talking past each other-- another aspect of IWTB I couldn’t stand. 

Welp, at least it’s easy to prove they were both written by the same people. 

The second shot-in-the-head for canon: 

“Sveta, who took your babies?” 

“Men.”

“Men? Humans? You saw their faces.” 

Also, Sveta’s babies are referred to as her babies, but William-Jackson isn’t Scully’s baby despite sharing half her DNA but Emily Sim was Scully’s baby despite also only sharing half her DNA.

It’s a mess. 

Well… Mulder doesn’t seem too surprised here that men were involved in her abductions (I mean, he's long since been aware the government was involved from day one, so.) It’d be really stupid if the writing made him surprised about this later, wouldn’t it?

…Wouldn’t it?

Another poorly constructed set of lines:

“I haven’t worked for them [the government] in years.” 

“But you always wondered… if they were lying to you, too.” 

No, he didn’t wonder-- he believed it.

A wonky way to address his old skepticisms, for sure. 

JUST AFTER I NOTED THAT MULDER DIDN’T LOOK SURPRISED AT SVETA'S REVELATION, HE CALLS UP SCULLY AND MAKES A BIG DEAL ABOUT IT BEING A CONSPIRACY OF MEN. 

I knew this was coming, but maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan that was so, so poorly handled.

SCULLY WAS GETTING (sort of) WINED AND DINED BY TAD O’MALLEY??????????????

I HATE IT HERE, WHAT ARE YOU DOING, WHAT IS HAPPENING, WHAT IN THE WORLD AND WHY, HOW COULD YOU BE SO EASILY FLEECED, DANA, THIS ISN’T AN ED JERSE PARALLEL BECAUSE YOU THINK MULDER DOESN’T WANT YOU, THIS IS STUPID, THIS IS THIS IS THIS IS

WHAT. 

I thought Scully had dated Tad O’Malley in the past (sometime after the breakup) but this is worsefarworse. 

SVETA IS THE KEY TO EVERYTHING, I’M SO TIRED. 

“Mulder, where are you going?” sounds exactly like Scully, and now I’m mad Gillian didn’t use that voice for the rest of the show (voice recovery aside....)

I KNEW SKINNER WAS BEHIND GETTING THEM BACK. He just calls up Scully to call Mulder up, then just unlocks the old office when Mulder wants to get back in. 110% Skinner thought this would help his buddy Mulder. And he’s not wrong. 

Wait. 

Did Skinner put in more effort to save Mulder from his mental health struggles (per this My Struggle I episode) than Scully??????

Iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii-- my brain is broken. 

The hold on Skinner’s face while he says “Can you tell me what this is about” was way too long. 

Also, don’t try to play coy with me, Skinman. 

Now the camera’s zooming around and losing its “X-Files” feel by being too… modern. 

Skinner telling Mulder to calm down is the only time in canon where I agree with him. Mulder’s just spouting and demanding and not really making clear sense and this is why you don't let Mulder back into his basement without Scully by his side, Skinner-- don’t you remember that lesson?

Skinner telling Mulder to calm down then saying he doesn’t take orders from him only for Mulder to say “Who do you take orders from?”, ugh.

GUYS, THIS WAS RESOLVED IN SEASON. 2. BECAUSE MULDER KNEW MEN WERE BEHIND THE CONSPIRACY SINCE SEASON 1, EPISODE 2; AND SKINNER SINCE SEASON 2, EPISODE ASCENSION.

BECAUSE SKINNER’S ALREADY HAD HIS LOYALTY TESTED AND THIS IS HURTING MY BRAIN MAKE IT END.

I’m not even 25 minutes into this, help. 

“Why do you think I called you? Because I was looking out for you, because I’ve always looked out for you.” Is… is Skinner the only character who’s progressed? That’s exactly what he would do-- he’s acting sensibly, rationally, and in-character... and more mature, more veteran, than his agents.

I know the Revival is supposed to be “Mulder and Scully all grown-up” but none of their actions have been intelligent, measured, or informed by their age or life experience. It’s a farce that I hope future episodes will rectify. 

“A decade of my life--” Mulder rants and kicks his poster like a toddler AND YOU KNEW ALL THIS INFORMATION FROM SEASON 1, MULDER. NONE OF THIS IS NEW. WWWWWWWWWWWWWWHAT IS THIS. 

I can’t imagine how disappointed philes were when they tuned into this episode. Well... I can because of how I feel; but at least I knew, roughly, how bad it would be going in. 

This is worse. 

Skinner: “You’re blaming me for that?”

Mulder: “No, I’m blaming myself. I’m sure they lied to you, too.” 

This isn’t a revelation, chump. 

At least Skinner confirms my theory: “There hasn’t been a day since you’ve left that I haven’t reached for my phone to call you, Mulder, wishing you were still down here.” 

Feral Mulder is touched. 

“Since 9/11--” OH NO, WHY ARE WE GOING THERE “--this country’s taken a big turn and in a very strange direction.”

Guys. Guys. This isn’t… this… what. 

“Now they police us, spy on us, and tell us that makes it safer--” CAN THE WRITERS GET OFF A SOAP BOX FOR FIVE SECONDS. Of course it isn’t safer to be unnecessarily policed or spied on, but the answer isn't just "boo, the government!" What… why… my brain’s melting, I feel it deteriorating. 

This, again, feels so Bush-era. Like, whoever wrote this didn’t update their mentality. 

Also, the camera shots and cuts are weird. Holding too long, zooming out at “pause and take THAT in” moments, focusing on Mulder’s phone while he silently calls up Skinner to prove a point… it’s supremely unsubtle.

Back to Tad, I don’t care. You did this to yourself, Scully, cozying up only to be used as a name drop on his show. Stupid. 

Is Scully gonna be shocked she has alien DNA? She shouldn’t be. 

But then again, Mulder shouldn’t be shocked this has all been a work of men, so. 

She’s expecting-- no, hoping-- for a call from somebody named Mulder. 

Sure, they’re broken up with hard feelings. Sure. Absolutely. 

Is this old man Not-Obiwan Kenobi?  

Of course.

At least Mulder seems old hat at this informant business. 

But of course, he’s “not even close” to putting it all together. 

Stupid. 

WAIT.

The countdown was WRONG-- Mulder states it began, not ended in 2012, meaning he's believed this theory for some time. Meaning... why was he so depressed after 2012? Why are there still depression concerns in 2015?? Seriously, what's with his depression if the 2012 Colonization was allegedly the cause of it but there is no Colonization and the clock's simply been reset????

WHY WAS HE DEPRESSED IF HE RECONFIGURED THE COUNTDOWN. WHAT.

Mulder: "Not by aliens, not with aliens, but by a conspiracy of men--"

“You’re wasting my time.” Tell him, old man Not-Obiwan Kenobi!

“Ten years ago, you came to me--”

Wait, ten years ago? What, 2005? The guy showed up while Mulder was on the run? And Scully never… knew about this?

There were no aliens lighting each other on fire??????????????????? WAIT, I NEVER HEARD THIS INFORMATION. 

THERE WERE NEVER ALIENS, AT ALL???????????????????? Like, AT ALL????? 

The writers are saying that Scully's experience on Ruskin Dam in Season 5 was not two warring alien factions BUT TWO GROUPS OF MEN LIGHTING EACH OTHER ON FIRE, OR GIVING EVERYONE FALSE MEMORIES OF ALIENS LIGHTING EACH OTHER ON FIRE, OR...??????

hONESTLY. 

Let's be real specific for a second: Chris Carter expects us to believe that the ENTIRE mytharc from the original show was ALL faked; that there were no aliens, ZERO, ZILCH; and that CSM and Deep Throat and all the others created elaborate schemes JUST to manipulate MULDER because the aliens weren't a threat from the start????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? DON’T BELIEVE YOUR LYING EYES. THEY WERE ALL MEN IN SUITS.

Like… do you realize how stupid that is? How actually, unfathomably stupid that is? It’s not just “the aliens didn’t invade because of global warming,” no, it’s “they were never a problem to begin with, we just manipulated Mulder into believing they were because… because he’s so important, I GUESS.”

Roswell’s also a smokescreen, of course. 

Y’know how, during the 90s, DD thought The X-Files was a stupid sci-fi show? If he thought each mytharc plot was as bad as this one, no wonder he wanted to bail. 

Oh, by the way, the global warming explanation is part of a theory: the fascist elites will dominate the world and escape from consequences into space, leading the rest of humanity to die by a globally warmed planet. The aliens weren't chased off by global warming because they were never a factor to begin with.

Wow.

I CAUGHT A CONTINUITY ERROR!

Scully shows up at his place in her uniform from yesterday, panicked, like she’d just run from Tad’s side to see what happened despite her saying over a day has passed.

Going to ignore his “What are you doing here, Scully?” because we’ve ping-ponged back to the out-of-character Mulder that the writers use when it’s time to remind everyone he and Scully are broken up. 

It’s IWTB all over again, I’m so tired. 

They’re talking past each other and he’s touching her shoulders now because he needs her to trust him and yadda yadda yadda. 

It’s soooo, sooooo, soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo highschool, I’m sorry. This is Riverdale. This is [insert whatever teen series you want to watch.] These are teenagers masquerading as adults, for the angst.

None of this holds up, their emotions shift left and right without provocation, things just happen, and there is no strand of continuity stringing anything together.

Scully trying to talk Mulder down from further pursuit doesn’t make sense because, AGAIN, she’s the one who's always gone back to the files even when he walks away; and every time he’s given up, or wanted to, SHE'S called him back and held him accountable and kept him going. 

This is the Scully from IWTB with no gumption of her own, who denies her leaps forward because of plot, plot, plot. 

Guys, I’ve been religiously dosing myself with caffeine (via chocolate), but my body keeps trying to make me go to sleep because it’s so uninvested. I don't even need sleep.

“This is my life, this is, this is everything I believe in--” HOW. MANY. TIMES. Has he said this before. WHEN HAS THAT LINE EVER WORKED ON SCULLY.

But that's beside the point: "this" was no longer his life after Amor Fati, by his own choice. Closure brought him closure, but he was already spittin' walk-away talk by Requiem, chose to leave in Vienen, and insisted Scully stay gone in Alone. In Season 9, it was Scully who had to beg him into hiding to pursue the Truth or whatever; and it was Scully who brought him the case in IWTB and Scully who relayed Skinner's request and tagged along both times until she got uncomfy and decided never mind, too hard.

Y’know? This claim gets to me because it’s a lie. A lie so blatant that 90s Mulder would have thrown hands over it, a lie so baseless that it erases his declaration in the hallway:

“I don’t know if I want to do this alone. I don’t even know if I can.” And every time Mulder yells his “THIS IS MY LIFE”, he erases that part of his past, the part that willingly left the files or the big Truth or the next chase to save Scully’s life or to keep her by his side. 

Chris Carter said Mulder and Scully were The X-Files post The Truth… but I guess he keeps conveniently forgetting that. More accurately, he keeps making MULDER forget that, in spite of all evidence in Mulder’s history and personality to the contrary. 

It infuriates me. 

“Tad O’Malley is a charming man--” get outta here. 

Now Scully’s been played the fool so she’s going to think Mulder’s being toyed around with by a social media sociopath. You’re an idiot, Scully. 

You’re an idiot, Mulder. 

You expect us to be idiots, writers. 

Here’s some ham-fisted “Fate” dialogue for you, *ahem*:

Scully: “How do you know he’s not playing you, he’s a player!” (You would know, Scully.) 

Mulder: “He’s a Godsend!”

Mulder’s not a believer in God, BUT this is also supposed to refer to the God conversation Scully and Tad had in the hospital, which will inadvertently make Scully ~believe~ again.

“What are you talking about?” I’m with ya there, Scully. I’m with ya, there. 

Scully’s trying to insist Mulder's on a verge of a breakdown, which… UGH. 

This scene implies Mulder hasn’t had a breakdown or a break from reality YET-- Scully spends the episode constantly concerned for his health and begging him, here, to watch what where he's stepping because he’s on the verge of spiraling. 

Which means he hasn't spiraled, because she's afraid of what would happen to him IF he did.

MEANING that there wasn’t an inciting factor that made her leave: no alcoholism, no outbursts, no nothing. He just became depressed, probably withdrawn, and wouldn’t change; so, she left. 

Do you realize what that means, per this episode? It means Scully ANTICIPATED a breakdown and left BEFORE it happened. Then hoped he’d get better before it did. 

Which breaks the established morals of her character. If she had been able to help, she would have stayed. If she hadn’t been able to help, she would have found another way to help him, even if it involved calling in a third party against his will. Instead, she withdrew and hoped he would get better BEFORE he reached a breaking point-- essentially, leaving him to an impending breakdown while hoping and praying against it.

This makes her decision to leave a mark of weak character-- not because she was a woman who left her depressed husband, but because Dana Scully, whose character we amply know, left. It checks none of the boxes she'd have to clear first before choosing to take one step out the door.

All the fic I’ve read to justify their breakup-- and make no mistake, CC wrote her to say “as your friend” intentionally--  or time apart or whathaveyou had Scully reach a breaking point. Because, of course! That's logical. But here, in canon-- in black and white-- that didn’t happen. 

We, the audience, have to create a plausible scenario in our minds to justify the steps she took. Because. it. Is. not. In. canon (as per this episode.) 

Now Scully’s gonna get jealous of Sveta, I’m so done. Riverdale, uuuuuuuuugh. 

Mulder just lets Scully walk away because Scully thinks he wants Sveta but “Sveta is the key to everything” and if Scully wants to misunderstand that she should have more trust in him, I guess, and I NEED A RESPIRATOR.

He just says “Scully” once  and lets her huff off.  

TAD’S BACK, GO AWAY. 

WAIT, TAD STOPS HER BEFORE SHE LEAVES. 

Mulder: “I would have invited you, Scully, but I didn’t think you would come.” 

That’s…

That’s….

Let’s break down this stupidity: 

Scully shows up. 

Mulder had Sveta in the house because he was calling her and O'Malley for a group meeting. 

When Scully becomes nearly hysterical over his safety, he doesn’t reason with her, just spouts like a lunatic. 

When she misreads the Sveta situation and stomps off, he lets her go with a weak, “Scully"--

--because he knew Tad was right behind her and was pulling in to stop her from leaving. 

Because Tad and Sveta were invited but Scully was not. 

And Scully was not invited because.  

Because she might not show up. 

I’m just preaching to the choir at this point, continuing on. 

Scully gave in, just like that. Guess she’s not leaving, anymore. 

She’s so, so… spineless. Has been since Season 9, has been a BIT since Season 8 (though that was at least justified and kept to a bare minimum.) 

I’m just. So sick of passive Scully. 

I HATE THOSE STINGER NOISES NOW. 

It’s always, “You can't let this information out because these men work in secrecy”/”What is it?”/”You’ll see”; then stinger; then we, the audience, are immediately shown what it is.

No suspenseful build-up.

Tad: “Then why are you [Scully] here?”/”Scully: “Mulder, what are you up to?”/Mulder: *knowing look*/stinger/next scene.

KNOCK IT OFF ALREADY.

“Implanting of alien embryos”-- so Sveta’s babies weren’t her babies. 

So Scully’s baby wasn’t her baby. 

But Emily was her baby but William isn’t. 

Sure, Jan. 

In spite of this information, the Revival will paint William as their son until it doesn’t; despite, again, stating from day one that the alien babies are implanted embryos and not biological babies.

So, these two boneheads should have suspected that William wasn’t theirs, anyway. 

Even though William is theirs because the CSM timeline doesn’t add up, which they would have mathed in their heads by the time little William was snuggled in their arms. 

It’s all so stupid. 

Why does this feel so fearmongery about the government? And I’m not going to sit here and say the government should be trusted-- it has a VERY bad history, I'm aware. But this is “my first conspiracy” level of worldbuilding.  

Did the writers think it was clever to set O’Malley up as a bad actor then reveal he was a good actor, modeling him after the notorious Alex Jones only to point and jeer, “HAH, you assumed! He’s actually on Mulder’s side!” 

Because that’s not genius, that’s laziness. 

Scully only now decides to inform everyone Sveta has no evidence of alien DNA? So, what, she was never going to tell them unless Mulder kept being, what, crazy? 

“They got to her” says Mulder about Sveta, but Scully LITERALLY SAID she had no alien DNA, so what was Sveta supposed to believe???????? That Tad O'Malley wasn't using her for as a hoax???

Mulder ran all the way to her house, or ubered then ran, or whatever… and she’s gone, of course. 

Poor Sveta. 

Tad O’Malley’s Truth Site is gone, oh, noooooo. 

Look, I’ll always be against censorship. But this is sending so many odd and mixed signals that it’s creating craaaaaaaaaaaaazy levels of dissonance. 

Mulder wrote “Don’t Give Up” in Scully's car dust…. 

Riverdale. 

Mulder presents the global warming = no aliens theory? 

I’m so tired. 

WAIT, SCULLY BELIEVES MULDER'S THEORY NOW THAT HER BOY TAD’S BEEN PULLED OFF THE NETWORK. 

“We need to find her [Sveta], Mulder,” Scully insists. 

Hold on, prediction time: Scully only changed her mind because this case now involves her-- i.e. only extending empathy to Christian (a boy that reminded her of William) and not to the string of missing, possibly murdered, women in IWTB.

OF COURSE. Her results for Sveta ended up being wrong AND HER OWN GENOME HAS ALIEN DNA IN IT, TOO. 

You selfish, self-centered clone of Dana Scully. 

Scully truly hasn’t recovered since… Season 9, let’s be real, where she told Mulder to leave then spent the whole year crying over his absence. In IWTB, she brought Mulder a case then left him when he wouldn’t stop his pursuit (to SAVE. LIVES.) And in the Revival, she called Mulder and the gang crazy until her own genome showed alien DNA. 

Hate this, hate this, HATE this. 

Also, yeah, she already knew she had alien DNA in the OG series, moving on.

Oh, and now they get a call from Skinner just when Scully says someone has to stop the bad guys. 

OF COURSE. 

Remember the God convo from earlier, guys???? GOD. FATE. SOMETHINGSOMETHINGSOMETHING. 

You had ONE good idea to explore-- how Scully views God vs. the aberrations of biology-- and then just... used it as a convenient club to beat in the “God/Fate means for us to do this” instead. 

“Scully, are you ready for this?”

“I don’t know there’s a choice.” 

Can’t someone PLEASE just explore her faith with nuance? PLEASE? 

Sveta's DEAD???????? I’M SO MAD, I liked her!

YOU FAILED HER, SCULLY. 

YOU FAILED MULDER, SCULLY. 

WHY DOES SCULLY HAVE TO KEEP FAILING PEOPLE???????????? 

Skipping the CSM scene because I don’t care, the END. 

CONCLUSION

How does Scully’s mischaracterization keep reaching new lows? 

How does Mulder become less wise with age? 

How is Skinner the only mentally mature character here?

I’m so tired.

[ghostlynachopanda]

Envy

a/n: it got seriously cold again for no reason. this one was actually kind of fun to write lol. I tried to figure out something for Tumblr and it didn't work out. enjoy this one pals

Pairing: Wednesday Addams x reader

words: 1.5k

~~~

You and Wednesday decided to hang out after classes today. You both agreed to meet at her dorm since Enid was out having a girls' night. Wednesday wouldn't tell you the amount of cleaning she did when she knew you were coming. Her side of the room was never messy, but she couldn't help but make sure everything was spotless spick, and span. Nonetheless, she was excited to see you again — even if it had only been a couple of hours since she last saw you.

Of course, you were excited too. The prospect of hanging out with Wednesday always makes your heart sing. You learned early she didn't like your attention elsewhere unless you were doing an activity together. That's why you hazardously rushed through all your homework. There was just one issue, doing that made you tired.

The walk to Wednesday's room was a familiar one, something you could do with your eyes closed. The echoes of your footsteps were unnaturally loud in the empty hallways. The particularly loud creak of that one step made you jolt. Either everything was super loud tonight or you were more tired than you thought.

Wednesday could hear you approaching the door. She had grown accustomed to the sounds of your footsteps long ago. Trying not to seem overexcited, she waited for your knock — a rhythm that was unique only to you. When the sound came she stood from her seat, taking a breath to calm her heart before walking to greet you.

Wednesday opened the door to find you slightly slouched and your eyelids drooped more than normal. Both of those things were quickly wiped away, and your facial expression showed one of joy when you caught sight of her. She'd never admit it, but seeing you so happy to see her made her heart beat a little faster.

She silently opened the door wider and stepped aside to let you in. If you noticed how clean her side of the room was you didn’t comment. You just stepped to the side and followed her to her desk and watched as she sit down on her chair. You eyed her for a moment before speaking,

"Have you started your writing time yet?"  

She watched as you took a seat on top of the desk, "No, I was planning on doing that once you left."

You nonchalantly hummed in response, eyeing her bed. The bed looked unnaturally comfortable so you ask, "What if you did your writing time now? I'm kind of tired so I could take a nap while you write?"

Wednesday took a moment to look at you before responding. Everything about your body language indicated you were tired. She thought for a moment — as long as you were in the same room it wouldn't matter.

"Sure, that's alright. Would you like different clothes to change into?"

"No, I should be alright. Thank you, though," you said, unintentionally disappointing her. She wanted to see you in her clothes, but she wouldn't ever say that.

You stood up from the desk and started walking towards the bed before you abruptly turned around, "I'm sorry, I forgot to ask if you wanted anything before I took a nap." you said quickly, walking back towards her.

She sent you a look before responding, "If I had wanted anything I would have said something. Now, go take your nap before I change my mind."

With that you slowly nodded, watching her start to pull out her typewriter and set everything up. When her movements are confined to doing things on top of the desk, you swoop down and place a quick kiss on the top of her head. You move back to the bed quickly, already out of arms reach when she whips her head up to face you.

"Why did you-"

"Goodnight, Wednesday!"

She watched you recklessly kick off your shoes, practically jump into her bed and make yourself comfortable. She watched as you wiggle around before finding a comfortable position before looking at her and sending her a sleepy smile. She thought you looked adorable curled up in her black comforter like that.

Wednesday shook her head slightly, wanting to get rid of any thoughts that contained you. It worked for a little bit, her writing went smoothly as you slept soundly on her bed. However, she couldn't stop herself from glancing at you periodically. Every time she looked at you she found it harder to get back to writing. She huffed and shook her head more aggressively this time.

 It lasted only a couple of minutes before she looked at you again. This time, you were curled around her pillow. You looked utterly content like that and Wednesday tried to shake the growing resentment towards the pillow. She couldn’t help but push the keys of her typewriter just a little harder when she looked away.

She glanced back at you one more time, hoping to see you pushed the pillow away. No such luck graced her, you were still curled around her pillow looking more peaceful than she's ever seen you. The bottom half of your face was hidden by the pillow held between your arms. Wednesday felt the desire to discard that pillow immediately. As much as she wanted to yank the pillow from your grasp, she was determined to finish her writing time.

Wednesday was hardly able to focus on her writing after that. Her thoughts are consumed by either yanking the pillow away or somehow making it suffer for being comfortable next to you. She moved her hands away from her typewriter once again and clenched her hands into fists. Mentally scolding herself for feeling envious of an inanimate object and for how childish the whole situation is.

When she looked at you again and decided enough was enough. She quickly stood and stomped over to you, who was blissfully unaware of the feelings festering within Wednesday. She stood by the bedside, giving you one more chance to relinquish hold of the pillow. Unfortunately, for the pair of you, you were still asleep. Your hold on the pillow didn’t loosen, forcing Wednesday into action.

Her eyes landed on your face; noticing the crease of your eyebrows was gone and watching your eyes move around behind your eyelids. You looked calm, tranquil even. She felt slightly guilty about what she was about to do until her eyes landed on the pillow. She reached out and yanked the pillow out of your grasp, waking you up in the process.

"Wha-" you started but got cut off.

"I'm throwing this away," Wednesday exclaimed, evidently angry about something.

"What? Why? What happened?" you asked quickly, alarmed by being jolted awake and still half asleep.

"This," she said, waving the pillow in front of your face, "is going in the garbage."

"Wait, Wednesday slow down," you said sleepily, sitting up to rub the sleep from your eyes, trying to wake yourself up faster. "Why are throwing the pillow away? It works fine,"

"It works a little too good," she mumbled looking at the pillow before tossing the offending object somewhere behind her.

"Why did you-"

"Shut up," she said while leaning down to take off her shoes, "if you are to hold anything while sleeping it will be me."

"huh"

"I will not repeat myself" she voiced, climbing into bed next to you — forcing you to make room for her on the bed. She laid down on her back, stiff as a board, and you waited for instructions on what to do next.

Wednesday realized then she hadn't had a plan, she just wanted that godforsaken pillow away from you. She glanced at you in her peripheral and mentally cursed herself — she needs to scold you for making her act so irrationally. She signals for you to move closer, feeling the bed dip slowly then feels your arms wrap around her arm.

The feeling of your arms wrapped around hers made her feel even more resentful toward the pillow. You could feel the anger rolling off of her in waves, so you maneuvered yourself to be able to wrap your arms around her torso.

Wednesday stiffened, "What are you doing?"

"Trying to calm you down," you replied sleepily, wanting to let Wednesday's warmth lull you back to sleep.

It went quiet after that. Both of you are seemingly content with the current situation. Wednesday was pleased you had your arms wrapped around her. You were almost asleep when she spoke up, "I am calm,"

"Liar," you whispered letting the sound of her heartbeat and warmth pull you to sleep.

She took you in, watching as your eyes closed and felt your breaths even out; signaling you were asleep for the night.

Her eyes made their way to the pillow on the floor, she scowled at it and unintentionally pulled you closer to her body. She let the feeling of your arms wrapped around her and your steady breaths lull her to sleep.

tags: @alexkolax @rainbow-love4ever @o638 @tundra1029 @greyscxle-is-taken

[strawberrychampayne]

hi guys!! so back in March I got super into The Hunger Games. So much so that I started writing a Finnick fic. I was going to post here but got scared and posted on Wattpad at the time. I wanted to post something that I wrote here! I haven't updated that fic in forever I couldn't watch the movies anymore lol! Anyways let me know what you guys think!!

word count: 1183

this was originally an oc but I changed it just for Tumblr!

Y/N was working with the rope, trying to tie the perfect knot. It was something she struggled with. At home, she would have to triple check the knots she tied so a boat didn't float away. It had happened before.

She was playing with a new knot technique when Finnick came up behind her. His breath fanning across the back of her neck. His arms encasing her as he took hold of her hands.

"Here." He said, grabbing her waist when she jumped. A small laugh left his body. Slowly, he dragged his hands back to the rope. Y/N's face burned.

"I'm sorry, really sorry." He said though no remorse was present on his face. "Let me show you the best knot to know in the arena."

He was leaning his back against the table, looking at her with a glimmer in his eyes she'd never seen before. A feeling she hadn't felt in a while creeping up on her, making her body warm. Her eyes focused on his face.

"Don't look at me, look at the knot." He said, laughing. "Alright, this is the bit where it get complicated."

His hands moved with ease. Moving to tie the knot like he'd done it a million times. Maybe he had.

What he did next caught her off guard. Bringing the knot up she realized he had tied a noose. Pulling it over his head, he tightened it pretending it was choking him.

"Funny." she said, giving him a look.

"Do you want to take me for a walk?" He asked, moving to give her the rope.

Grabbing it she pulled him in. Her lips almost touching his, and finally she saw him crack. A blush was appearing on his face. She had the upper hand. Taking one hand she dragged it down his torso, nails scratching him.

"Maybe some other time, Finn. You know, when nobody else is around?" She said smirking before pulling away. Subconsciously his face tried to follow hers. Almost like a magnet, but she turned away.

"I've got work to do Finnick and so do you." She said, smirking over her shoulder.

"Yeah Y/N." He replied, slightly breathless. His head was a daze as he watched the sway of her hips as she left.

She felt eyes on her as she walked. Maybe it was because they had witnessed that whole thing, or maybe it was because they knew what she was capable of.

Y/N examined the other Victors. Watching to see what they all were talented in and where they lacked some.

Cashmere and Gloss were throwing knives at holograms. Johanna was swinging an axe around like a mad woman. Everyone was doing their own thing.

Y/N had found a spot near the tridents and spears. They had updated the training center a lot. There was now a simulator that allowed for different levels to be tried.

She set it to as high as it could go. She needed a challenge. Walking in with a spear in hand she took her place in the center. The first two came running at her from different sides. Leaning down she allowed one to take the other out and then she stabbed the second in the back.

Another came running from above her. Leaping in the air to land on top of her. She was quicker and launched the spear into the head of the hologram "killing it." Then she ran to grab it.

Two more came, one from above her and one on the same ground as her. She acted quickly as a holographic spear came at her. She dodged it by throwing her head back and then she launched her spear. Not having time to go grab it, she evaded the second holograms punches before grabbing it's head and snapping its neck.

With a few more holograms being taken out she had beaten it. Sweat was collecting on her brow and she knew she'd have to take a long shower after this.

Turning around she noticed a crowd had formed. Katniss and Finnick being the ones in front. She walked out with her head held high and stood next to Finnick, infront of Katniss.

"You should try it Katniss. It's honestly kind of fun." Y/N said, smiling softly at her. She didn't know why she was so soft with the young girl, maybe it's something she saw in her.

Katniss stared at her for a moment. Before walking in. Y/N watched as she set it 2 below what she had chosen. The girl on fire wanted a challenge.

Y/N noted how the girl skillfully took down her first few with her arrows. Her focus was lost however when she heard a whisper next to her.

"Del, I didn't think you could get more attractive then you already were. You proved me wrong, that might have been the sexiest thing I have ever seen." Finnick quietly said to her. The crowd was still around. Prying eyes were watching Katniss as she killed more and more with ease.

Y/N turned towards him slightly, giving him a look. A smile crept its way onto her face and her cheeks heated up. She didn't (couldn't) form a sentence after that. Why was he being so flirty all of a sudden? It was in his nature to flirt with people even those he was friends with but this felt different.

Turning back she saw Katniss beat the final hologram and successfully complete the level. Y/N felt proud of the girl. She knew she could hold her own, people just didn't seem to understand her yet.

As Katniss walked out, Y/N left Finnicks side. Rubbing her hand on his forearm as a way to say goodbye and make her way to the girl.

"That was amazing. You're so skilled." Y/N said.

She had finally gotten a genuine smile out of the girl, "Thank you."

A beat of silence had passed and then Katniss spoke up again. "I saw you volunteer for that young girl. That was really brave."

"Annie is one of my best friends back home. She deserves nothing but good things. It was the least I could do."

"Prim was my sister. If you teach me how to make a fish hook like the ones from your district I could teach you how to hunt." Katniss said throwing the girl another smile.

"Sure, thank you." Y/N began to explain how to make the fish hook. Katniss caught on quickly and learned within 20 minutes. Then they moved on to hunting.

"You want to try with me?" Katniss questioned her.

"I'd rather watch first."

"Okay, I'll go first."

She watched as the girl reentered the simulation. Y/N could pay attention better now. Katniss moved with grace.

Y/N had her second turn, this time with a bow. She wasn't as skilled with this weapon but she ended up beating the level switfly.

Before she and Finnick left the center she thanked Katniss for everything. She could feel a friendship blossoming.

[chloe-skywalker]

Really? - Kai Parker

Kai x Fem!reader (Eventually)

Warnings: none

Word count: 1,996

Summary: They call in Y/n to babysit Kai

Authors Note: I used the name Hope as a nickname. Also like shes hundreds of years old. Used Twitter in this because Kai had a twitter in the show. This is REALLY old my writing has improved SO much since I wrote this. I wrote for english class in highschool as a sophomore. The date on the paper that I turned it in on was 5/26/16. This was never typed and honestly I completely forgot about it. But I found the 9 page story in my closest. Hope you all enjoy it. This is probably one of the very first times I every wrote a piece of fanfiction. I never posted it on tumblr, I’m pretty sure. I did rewrite some parts cause like I said my writing has very much improved since this lol.

Masterlist

TVD Masterlist

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“Ok, I did not come back to Mystic Falls to babysit some sociopath that I don’t even know!” Y/n said standing in the doorway to the livingroom. Y/n had her left hand on her hip with it pushed out to the side, and her right hand flat out pointing towards Alaric and Jo sitting on the couch together. It had been awhile since she had been in the Salvatore boarding house. “This was your idea, wasn’t it?”

“Relax, Hope. It was mine and Stefans idea. We figured you're a Hybrid plus a witch. Also you're not easily persuaded. Your best option.” Damon said, pouring himself some bourbon.

“Ha,ha,ah, NO!” Y/n said with anger filled eyes. “I don’t want to babysit the newest town problem.”

Y/n turned on her heels towards the front door, once she got there when she started to open the door Stefan appeared right in front of her. He closed the door before slinging his arm around her shoulders, walking her back to where everyone else was.

“Please do this Hope, if not for me or Damon do it for Jo, Liv and Luke. Please.” Stefan pleaded.

Considering that Kai was trying to kill his siblings, the Salvatore brothers being allies with them and not Kai, makes it more understandable why they were keeping him in their cellar or as Y/n liked to call it a dungeon.

Even though Y/n didn’t plan on coming back to Mystic Falls from New Orleans to help in their latest crisis, she would. Her father, the original Hybrid, wouldn't like it. He couldn’t bare to lose her, not his hope. That was her nickname and it stuck. Everyone calls her Hope because of it.

“Fine.” Y/n gave in, although a bit annoyed.

Y/n didn’t have anything else to do and hey, maybe this sociopath wouldn’t be that bad. She had never been one to judge without knowing the person. Her father just because his mother was unfaithful to a werewolf was judged for her actions. Y/n found that unfair.

Damon opened his mouth to speak, bringing Y/n out of her thoughts. “Ok its settled then you watch the little weasel.”

Soon enough they all left to go do what they needed to do, so Y/n  headed down to the cellar and sat against the wall. Having been told to stay close to the cellar because Kai was tricky.

Y/n went on her phone and got on twitter, not long after her phone went off with a notification for the social media app. And apparently Kai had heard it.

“You should follow me on twitter, cobrakai1972.” He said from inside the dungeon cell.

Y/n thought about it for a moment and she didn’t see anything wrong with friending him on twitter. “Ok, that was corbakai1972. Right?”

Once she heard that Y/n heard him get up and suddenly his face was behind the bars on the door. Y/n lifted her head to look at him, he looked surprised. “Wait, are you serious?”

“Yeah, why not?” she shrugged.

Kai raised his eyebrows in shock. So he decided to explain who exactly he was. “Well, I assume they told you exactly why you're babysitting me. Right? I’m the new big bad in Mystic Falls. In the prison world I kidded BonBon, multiple times. I assume she’s your friend since you are obviously friends with Damon, Stefan, Alaric, and the rest of them. Probably friends with Jo, Live and Luke as well if you're willing to protect them. They trust you enough to watch me.”

Y/n didn’t miss the way he said his sister's name with disgust, he must really want to kill her like they said. Considering he look’s 22 and Jo looks 44, Y/n took it as in prison worlds you don’t age. Also he killed Bonnie in one so you can’t die either. Damn witches are assholes.

“Well for one thing they told me their side of the story of what happened. Second thing, me and Bonnie are not friends so whatever kill her I don’t care. And yes, they are my friends I guess you could say. Third thing, trust me now that is a kinda long story. They do trust me but that took a very long time, being the daughter of the original Hybrid Klaus Mikaelson whom they trust as far as they can throw. Trust wasn’t an easy thing to earn, Especially since I’m alot like my father. They have me babysitting you because I’m a Hybrid like him as well, and a witch.” Y/n smirked at him which made him smile widely.

“So I guess that means I can’t convince you to let me out?” He asked with a cheeky grin. Y/n shook her head ‘no’ and they both laughed.

Y/n realized she liked his laugh, she didn’t think he laughs often. After a while their laughter died down they started talking about everything and nothing all at the same time. They talked for hours and at some point they had both started leaning against the cellar door. Then the object of ‘pasts’ came up.

“Kai we don’t have to. We don’t have to talk about the past or family if you don’t want to. I get it’s a touchy subject.” Y/n told him sincerely.

Kai nodded even though she couldn’t see him. “You're right we don’t, but I want to know yours and I take it that if I don’t tell you anything then you won’t tell me anything. Am I correct?”

He was right, she wouldn’t tell him if he didn’t share his. “Yes, you're right.”

Kai nodded. “Fine. My family called me an abomination and they physically and mentally abused me with magic and, not because I’m a siphoner. I can’t and couldn’t fight back. Since I couldn’t generate my own magic. My parents didn’t want me to possibly rule the coven, so they kept having kids till another set of twins was born. When twins turn 22 in our coven they merge and the winner takes both powers and becomes the leader of the coven. The other dies. When me and Jo were supose to merge they said no, I went on a rampage. They decided to let us merge but it was all a set up to send me to the prison world. One of my very own, like hell.”

Y/n felt sad for him, his parents turned him into what he was today. They made him into the sociopath, from how they treated him. It wasn’t his fault he was born a siphoner. Called an abomination in his own home growing up by the people who should’ve loved him. It was so wrong in so many ways.

Y/n wanted to lighten the mood a bit. “Wow. That's some history. Am I supposed to top that?”

“There’s more things to me than just that but some things stay secret.” Kai winked, obviously teasing her.

Y/n bit her lip and rolled her eyes at his coolness.

“Okay! Your turn.” He said excitedly through the door.

Y/n laughed before thinking where to start. “Ok, ok lets see, before and after my birth my fathers parents have been trying to kill me. And they're dead now and still try. So my father sent me away for a while. When he brought me back to live with him and our family, his siblings in New Orleans. Its not the only time I've been sent away, my father has a lot of enemies. He sent for me back when he came here and undaggered his siblings. We even have a house here. We caught up and that's when I met everyone. Lots of saving, lots of killing. But I think everything that me and my dad have been through made our bond stronger. There's more to me but you know some things stay secrets.”

Y/n heard him laugh at her copying of his words from before.

“Well I think we are pretty much tied on the who’s worse considering my parents beat me and your dad's enemies and parents keep trying to kill you. I mean at least mine let me live.” Kai let out an amused breath.

“OK well this is getting depressing.” She sighed

“Agreed.” He said

Then suddenly Damon’s name lit up Y/n’s phone with a text.

[ Hey won’t be back for a couple more hours. Please keep watching him.]

Y/n scoffed, fully annoyed she’d already been here for 5 hours.

“What?” Kai asked, having heard her scoff and seen the annoyance on her face.

“Damon’s going to be even longer.” Y/n was officially pissed. Y/n thought for a moment and then a brilliant idea popped into her head. “You know if I have to watch you why does it have to be here?” She smirked michevously up at the breunette.

“What do you have in mind?” He questioned.

“If I have to watch you I’m not going to do it here.” Y/n stated.

“Wasn’t that the point?” Kai questioned.

“So?” She shrugged. “His text didn’t say it had to continue here.”

“I’m pretty sure that’s not what he meant but I won’t stop you.” Kai smirked at her idea, completely ready to be free from his cell.

Y/n didn’t need a key since she was hundreds of years old witch.

 “They're gonna be pissed when they find out.” He told her as he stepped out the doorway.

“They can’t and don’t know how to kill me. And my father plus Aunts and Uncles wouldn’t let them lay a finger on me.” She rolled her eyes.

So the two of them walked upstairs when Kai spoke up. “So you really want to hang out with me?”

“Of course.” she nodded but when she looked over at Kai he seemed relieved. “Did you think I would say no?”

He scratched the back of his head looking to the floor.

“Kai” Y/n looked at him and stepped in front of him reaching up to hold his face in her hands. “After everything we just talked about, and me letting you out, why would I not want to hangout with you?”

Y/n leaned up and kissed him on the cheek. Kai couldn’t believe he might’ve actually found a friend.

“You mentioned your name when we talked. How if they named you Mlachia then they must have expected you to be evil. When I look in your eyes I don’t see evil, I see a boy that doesn’t know what love is.” Y/n looked into his eyes. Kai saw no malice, no hatred. She cared about him.

“You don’t know me. Not really.” He shook his head not believing that she could care about him.

“I don’t. But I’d like to.” She smiled warmly at him. Y/n lifted her shoulders smiling looking into his eyes. “Who knows, maybe you can change. I’m not saying to stop killing, I’m just saying maybe not kill everyone. People might see you differently.”

Kai laughed at the last part, it was probably true. “No one’s gonna ever see me differently. No one will ever see me as redeemed.”

Kai looked down actually feeling sad about that. No one would ever give him a chance. He’d never be forgiven.

“Hey, you want to know why my dad and everyone calls me Hope?” Y/n asked, she was gonna tell him anyway but luckily he nodded so she continued. He didn’t just nod though he also raised an eyebrow and made a look that made Y/n laugh. “He calls me Hope, because I’m his hope. His hope to be better, his hope of redemption. Maybe I can be your hope to.”

Kai smiled nodding along. “Maybe.”

With that they officially left the Salvatore boarding house to go have some freedom and fun.

Taglist: @padawancat97

[kpopsexstories]

Kissing Booth Ep. 2 – Jisung jealously watches Chenle have sex with a girl

‘Kissing Booth’ is a fictional podcast hosted by boyfriends Chenle and Jisung. In it they discuss love, sex and relationships. This Kissing Booth Tumblr series is excerpts from the couple's most sexual conversations on the show.

EPISODE 2: JEALOUS

Chenle: Have you ever been jealous of me?

Jisung: Never. You're not that big of a deal.

Chenle: *Pfft* I got more Instagram followers than you.

Jisung: Do you? Are you sure?

Chenle: Yeah! Of course I'm sure. Why do you never believe me?

Jisung: You're not the most reliable person…

Chenle: Let me rephrase. Have I ever made you jealous?

Jisung: Yeah. Lots of times. There was a period when I couldn't even stand another person looking at you. You're mine!

Chenle: So possessive. That's usually my style.

Jisung: You like it though. I don't know, you're a possessive boyfriend that's for sure, but I think in the right circumstances I'm even worse.

Chenle: Like when?

Jisung: Remember Lea?

Chenle: Ah, Lea! Now that was good sex!

Jisung: Fuck you! It was average at best.

Chenle: How would you know?

Jisung: …

Chenle: What?

Jisung: *Smirks*

Chenle: Whaat?

Jisung: I was jealous, okay! We should never have been on that stupid break. You made my heart ache.

Chenle: I love it when you're jealous.

Jisung: I was sooo jealous, I'm not ashamed to admit it. I know she was your childhood love but you were mine and I hated her.

Chenle: You don't hate her. Besides you she's still my best friend.

Jisung: I know, I don't hate her now. But back then I did.

Chenle: So… How would you know if our sex was good? What haven't you told me?

Jisung: Don't kill me okay?

Chenle: What? Just tell me!

Jisung: I heard you. I got curious. So I snuck in.

Chenle: Lol, what the hell?

Jisung: Hey, it's not my fault you didn't lock the freakin’ door! And I can't believe you didn't notice me. I snuck in and hid in the closet. I saw the whole thing. No way some girl was gonna take my baby from me and violate him without my consent.

Chenle: I can't believe you're telling me this now, live on air. I had no idea!

Jisung: Yeah, you didn't. Because I'm awesome.

Chenle: And jealous?

Jisung: So jealous! When I first heard you guys it felt like I was gonna die. When I saw your cute little but on top of her I wanted to scream. But then it got kinda exciting.

Chenle: Please don't tell me you…

Jisung: I did.

Chenle: IN MY CLOSET?

Jisung: In your underwear actually. I didn't have any tissues.

Chenle: WHILE WATCHING MY GIRLFRIEND?

Jisung: She wasn't your girlfriend.

Chenle: But we were on a break!

Jisung: Worst time of my life.

Chenle: I fucking love you.

Jisung: …

Chenle: Lol, I can't believe you did that!

Jisung: And I'm telling you, you weren't that great.

Chenle: Oh shut up.

Jisung: You sort of just lay there…

Chenle: I was enjoying it. It was nice to be the top for once.

Jisung: I don't think you call it that when it's with a girl.

Chenle: Whatever. But was I really that bad?

Jisung: No, you were freakin’ hot baby. The way your little ass moved up and down. It made me so hard.

Chenle: Thank you. That's what I want to hear.

Jisung: …but I don't think Lea would agree. She didn't seem that into it.

Chenle: Oh fuck you.

Jisung: *Winks* Any time.

Chenle: Well at least you were jealous. That's all that matters to me.

Jisung: So jealous babe. Promise me you'll never do that to me again.

Chenle: Promise me you won't sneak into my room when I'm having sex.

Jisung: I don't need to.

Chenle: Yes you do or we're over.

Jisung: No, because I'm already in the room with you, stupid.

Chenle: Right. I didn't like that break either. Promise we'll never break up again?

Jisung: Why should I?

Chenle: The only one you can have sex with ever again is me okay?

Jisung: Hmm, I'm not sure I can promise that. What if I have a Lea in my life too?

Chenle: Jisung Park! Promise me!

Jisung: Why? Jealous much?

Chenle: Whatever dude. I didn't sneak into your room.

Jisung: Ehm, that's not true!

Chenle: When?

Jisung: Like all the time when we were trainees.

Chenle: Oh, right. Yeeah, I did do that a lot didn't I?

Jisung: All the freakin’ time.

Chenle: And I was great wasn't I?

Jisung: The best! So horny. We were so inexperienced back then but laying there secretly touching each other felt really good. Makes my heart flutter just thinking about it.

Chenle: I guess it was always better with you.

Jisung: Because I'm jealous and possessive?

Chenle: Because I love you. I don't actually want you to ever feel jealous. I love you too much to want to hurt you like that. I'm sorry.

Jisung: It's alright. Like I said, Lea didn't think you were that good anyway so I'm not worried.

Chenle: Whatever dude.

[unknownpisces002]

Bleed me dry, Make me blue

" She was born in limbo, with the, need to be as simple. As her, makers and the made up things she dreamed."

Shuri Udaku x Reader.

Summary

Fairly different from your peers around you? You're labeled as an outcast. For being far too incompetent to complete certain task and request from your leader, K'uk'ulkan.

As well as from your sister, Namora. Who doesn't make it easy, or let you go without knowing that you'll never be as dexterous, predominant, or treasured as she is.

Which you learned how to accept and live with after while. Because being reminded that you're nothing but a powerless individual everyday, who'll never be anything more except the useless being that you are? Tends to brainwash you and cause you to start believing that those assumptions might be true. Until you find yourself being intrigued by a prisoner, that is. And one of royalty from the surface world, who's encounter will leave you questioning everything you believe in–as well as yourself.

Word count: 6.7K

Themes: friends to lovers to enemies, and then lovers again, angst, eventual sexual content later in the series, slight violence, verbal abuse, reader just wants to be accepted and seen for who she is, forbidden romance i guess you could say?, reader is Talokanil, but we can pretend that she's black, because i wasn't 100% sure if they had any black Talokanil people during the movie?, eventual fluff, and etc.

Tag list: @inmyheadimobsessed @vixentheplanet @shurismainbxtch @pinkwright ( this is my first story ever on tumblr so as we grow together and embark on shuri and the readers journey? just let me know if you'd like to be tagged, and i'll be glad to put more names here in the future ❤️ )

Divider by: @firefly-graphics

Author's note

hi, i'm niy! and i'm a new writer who's decided to branch out from wattpad even though i love writing on there? to tap into something new and write about what i've been interested in lately? which is shuri/letitia. this story will be a series with idk how many parts yet? but i've been putting some thought into this for a while before actually typing anything out? so most likely? there will be a decent amount of parts lol. i don't really know if i have anything more to say, except that i hope you all enjoy part one, and if so? please feel free to follow me and things of that nature. as we proceed to experience this journey of shuri and our kind hearted reader together. 🥹

inspiration for this story period, came from jhenè aiko's souled out deluxe album. which you all probably would've noticed had i not said anything? because majority of the upcoming chapters? will feature a song from there and possibly her other albums she has. but this song specifically? really helped me piece everything together and it got my inspiration and ideas flowing.

but now with further ado? let's get onto the story!

There was an uproar occurring within the city of Talokan, as you paced around nervously in a circle, with knitted eyebrows and an accelerated heartbeat. Outside the front of Namor's cave, where you were being watched like a hawk by the guards who blocked the entrance. As you awaited for him to send some kind of message or bless you with his presence himself.

After Namora had showed up into your quarters unannounced, looking highly displeased and angry, like she always does. Whenever she's forced to take time away from her second in command duties? To be a sister to you–which she hates. And you know that she hates it.

Because she reminds you of it every single time, when the two of you are alone. And far away from other ears to hear, like they've done in the past. Which you were honest to God? Quite a bit thankful for. Knowing that she finally decided to belittle and tear down your demeanor in private? Rather than carelessly doing it around others, and ruining your chances at forming normal friendships or acquaintances with other Talokanil people, who were close around your age.

" Y/N?" Your breathing stilled along with your heart, at the sound of your name rolling off Namor's tongue. " K'uk'uklan." You kneeled before him, holding out both your hands in front of you, as you paid him your respects.

" Ba'ax ts'o'ok in meentik ba'al k'aas?" Rising to your feet slowly after he returned the hand gesture, you tried to steady out your ragged breathing. Seeing that your question had gone unanswered, and that Namor's eyes were boring into yours, with a glint of what looked like disappointment in them?

Translation: Have I done something wrong?

" In ch'ujuk ch'ùupalo' yéetel talamilo' ob?" Namor's eyebrow raised slightly, as he tilted his head to the side. Continuing to stare at you intently, as if he could see straight through you. " Are you unhappy here?"

Translation: My sweet troubled child.

" Because if you are unhappy, and not completely satisfied with the way that things are here? You know there are ways, for me to put you out of your misery and discomfort, Indefinidamente."

Translation: Indefinitely.

A tremor of fear rushed throughout your entire body, once the realization of him threatening to kill you? Had settled inside of your crowded up brain, that was full of thoughts and many different scenarios. As you found yourself trying to imagine what he would do to you, and how he would do it? If you were to continue being the failure that Namora had cursed you to be.

" I am not unhappy, K'uk'ulkan." You responded to his question with a shaky tone, after standing and being silent for what felt like forever.

" Bey u, much sa'asik in." Translation: So please forgive me.

" Much sa'asik in tumen decepcionar, in Ajaw." It didn't take long for the warm feel of tears to come rolling down your face. As you fought to maintain eye contact with Namor, despite it being very intense. As he circled around your small body, as if he was a lion stalking his prey, preparing to pounce.

Translation: Please forgive me for disappointing you, my king.

" Shh, shh, it's alright." His hands came in contact with your skin, as he cradled the bottom part of your chin. Using the pads of his thumbs to dry your face free of the tears. That kept spewing down your face uncontrollably-nonstop, like a waterfall. Or a dam that had been broken and left unfixed.

But at a time like this? You couldn't keep your emotions in tact and prevent your evident occurring sadness from showing, like you'd normally do? Whenever you'd failed at completing a special task that Namor requested. After he'd given you a warning not to screw up or disappoint him. 

Which for some odd reason you blamed the God's and Namora for? Seeing that whenever you attempted to try and redeem yourself for all the fuck ups and mistakes you'd make, while trying to be as great and respected as your dear loving and kind big sister? That you always ended up failing.

And digging yourself into an even bigger hole, that not even Namora couldn't save you from, after you had messed up and displeased the king. " Y/N?" Namor called out to you once more. Allowing you to be snapped out of the small trance you were in, as you continued to weep in front of him softly. Hoping that he'd forgive you for what felt like the hundred millionth time.

And spare your life, instead of putting you out of your misery. Despite your small disliking for your home and some of the people who lived here. Who'd make existing and trying to find your place and what was meant for you? So much harder than it already was. When you had an unsupportive and callous older sister. Who already did that regularly, as if she got some sort of satisfaction, out of making you feel like you were nothing more than an ungifted and worthless individual.

That would never amount to anything or ever be anything. Except for the person that you were right now. Which hurt a lot at times, if you were being completely honest? But over time you grew accustomed and numb to her vile words, and derogatory attitude that she'd show towards you.

And despite how deeply it made you want to put yourself out of your own misery, with the way that her and others had treated you? You refused to let her or anyone else who'd defied and depreciated you in the past, and even still now in the present? Push you to the point of no return.

" Y/N, I need you to take the initiative that I know you have? And that I've distilled inside of you? To be more like Namora. And try harder, way more harder than you do now? So you can be prepared and take charge, like everyone else. So when I call out to you in a time of need or if we're at war?"

" That you'll be ready to stand beside me, Attuma and your sister. And assist us in fighting for our people."

Hearing the word try come out of Namor's mouth, caused your tears to come to an abrupt stop. As you struggled to mask away your apparent frustration and anger, that was slowly beginning to settle over your features. Try, you thought to yourself.

He wants you to try, and be more like Namora? When you've given and lost almost all sense, as well as your peace of mind, trying to force yourself to be a person that the universe and God's above? Clearly didn't want you to be. Seeing that whenever you did attempt to follow up with Namor's commands, as a way to try and regain his trust and respect? That you failed.

Every single time.

No matter how hard you pushed yourself, to be more like your sister or Attuma? 

You've always failed nevertheless. But with a forced smile and eyes full of determination? You nodded and told him you would. Which made him release the hold he had on your face, and smile back at you warmly.

After detaching his lips from the top of your forehead. " In wa'alike' u meent nukuch ba'alo'ob, waal mía." He stepped away from you, inching back near the entrance of his cave.

Translation: I believe you will do great things, my child.

" Kux betpajal ichil le ba'ax yaan Máax ku ya'alik yóok'ol a Buka'aj u ba'al tu beel nojoch? Chúuns tu intentndo yéetel Ma'atech a desanimes, tuméen kolnáalen le k'áate' u páajtal juzgar máak waye'."

Translation: And despite what anyone says about your capability of being great? Keep trying and never get discouraged, for I am the only being allowed to judge anyone here."

" Yes, K'uk'ulkan." Kneeling a second time, you repeated the hand gesture from earlier. Bowing your head down slightly before him, as he did the same. Before disappearing back into the entrance of his cave, where he probably was finishing up a wall mural or painting a new one, as he normally would.

But as quickly as the assumption came? It had faltered away much faster. When the special guest, who you're assuming was the one of royalty, from the surface world. That had the entire Talokan city, as well as the people murmuring and gossiping about? Came walking out of the entrance way of the cave, shortly after Namor had entered back inside of it.

As she was followed behind closely by the guards, who shot you a look of distaste, that clearly meant get lost. And not to watch where they were going, which of course? You ignored and instead went with your instincts, that always led you to get into trouble at times.

But how could you not? After being blessed by the sight of an actual being from the surface. Who was cloaked and wearing a white gown, which you recognized from seeing earlier. When Namora had came into your quarters, and stated that Namor had wanted to see you. After you failed to complete your mission he'd sent you out on.

When a U.S ship had came and tried to steal away vibranium, that was detected outside of the Talokan city walls. And had it not been for Namora coming to save you in time, after a bullet had wounded your side? While you were attempting to fight off one of the U.S agents, who had caught you off guard and snuck up behind you? When you were attempting to fight off another one?

Then maybe you wouldn't have been alive. And of course? Namora wasn't going to let you live without knowing that she'd been the one to save your life. But her doing that and holding it over your head? Was already something you expected she'd do. And despite how annoying it was that she felt the need to bring it up, whenever the two of you talked since the situation occurred?

Apart of you felt grateful to her nonetheless, that she had saved your life. Instead of leaving you to die, like you assumed she would? With how mean and unloving she always acts towards you.

The walk down the hall of the cave was quiet and a bit nerve wracking. As you crept slowly and stealthily, trying your hardest not to look too suspicious if you were caught. Or seen by anyone who'd realize you were somewhere you weren't supposed to be during the moment.

As you approached one of the cells, that had a guard on the outside. Who held onto a staff tightly, as she stood up straight. With her shoulders upright, facing her head forward. In the direction of the entrance, which had allowed you to catch a quick glimpse of the well familiar slightly curled hair, from the female you had seen earlier.

Along with the shaved sides she had, as well as the white gown that was embroidered with teal colored beads. That Namor had made specifically for her, as you watched her from the shadows in awe, from where you were currently standing, with your body slightly crouched as a way to hide yourself from being seen.

Which let you know right away that you were in the correct place.

Seeing how many guards were on patrol. And standing on the outside and inside, which also confirmed that she must've been from a line of great royalty. With how closely her and the other individual, who she was standing beside. And having what looked like an intense or secretive discussion? Were being watched.

" Ba'ax juntéen! Ba'ax ka beetik husmeando ti' le nu'ukulil le áaktuno'? Xeen tu xíik, Wa informaré k'uj. uk' ulkan." One of the guards who stood outside the entrance shouted at you, with her hand pointed in your direction.

Translation: Hey! What are you doing snooping around this part of the cave? Leave at once, or I'll report to K'uk'ulkan.

" I-i was sent down here by my sister, Namora." You spit out quickly, with your hands raised in the air in surrender.

" Yaanten permiso utia'al u yaantal waye'." Taking small steps forward you inched closer towards the guard.

Keeping your eyes locked on hers, as a way to show that you were being honest. Despite the fact that in actuality? You weren't. But of course she'd never know that. And you prayed to the God's up above? That she'd never find out either, once she stepped aside and granted you full access to enter inside of the cell.

Translation: I have permission to be here.

That honestly in your opinion? Wasn't really like one. Nor did it give off an imprisonment vibe, with how the other guards that were located inside? Were offering fruit to both the Princess and the smaller female beside her. While being kind and doing small gestures that you would have never expected them to do, being that they were supposed to be prisoners after all.

But due to the Princess's status of royalty? You assumed that Namor had ordered the guards to treat them both with kindness. And not to bring any harm unto either one of them. Which still felt quite odd and unusual? Especially for him to do? With all the rumors you'd heard about the person standing to the left of the Princess.

Who'd apparently created the machine, that had detected the vibranium, that was located outside the Talokan city walls. " Oh shit, behind you!" The smaller girl shouted frantically.

Alerting the Princess of your presence, as you approached the both of them slowly. With wide eyes full of curiosity and astonishment. And a bit of amusement, as well? At the sight of how afraid the girl who shouted had looked, once you made your way directly in front of both of them.

With a blank expression settled over your features, and crossed arms. That soon unfolded and went down by your sides. As you extended out your right arm, with your hand held out.

" Hi." You said slowly, gazing upwards at the Princess. " I'm, Y/N."

" And you must be the scientist, who created the machine that detected our vibranium?" You turned your head in her direction next, feeling a small smile tug at the corners of your lips. At the sight of how much more afraid she looked now? Than she did just a moment ago. When you were beginning to approach them, after entering inside the cell.

" I made that machine for class man, and I had no idea that the U.S were going to use it to detect vibranium." She held her hands up in surrender, stepping behind the Princess shortly after making that statement.

" I-it was just a class project–"

" And I didn't mean to upset anybody." Continuing to blabber on about her innocence and not knowing that the machine she built, was to detect vibranium? You found yourself letting out a light chuckle at how frantic she'd gotten.

Before extending your hand out to the both of them once more. " I'm not angry." You told her, speaking in a light voice.

" Namor might be angry? But I'm not angry at you."

" And I'm sorry that you're in this situation. Because it's fairly obvious that you're innocent and knew nothing about the machine, being used by the U.S? But I'm not here to bring any harm unto either of you."

" Then why are you here?" The princess muttered out questioningly, raising her eyebrows at you in suspicion.

" To meet and greet you properly." You answered quickly, halting in your footsteps when she stepped back away from you, when she had felt that you were getting far too close.

" Meet me?" She let out a chuckle next, tilting her head towards the side.

" Yes." You nodded your head up and down, continuing to keep your eyes locked with hers.

" I've never met anyone from the surface world before, well? I have actually. But it was a U.S soldier who almost killed me. So, I guess that doesn't really count as actually meeting one and greeting them properly? Like how I'm trying to greet the two of you."

" But if my presence is making the two of you uncomfortable? I can leave." Turning on your heels, you let out a deep sigh. Feeling foolish all of a sudden for coming down here, and thinking that the two of them would be delighted to see you?

When you were nothing but a stranger, who lived in a place that neither of them would be able to survive in. With a completely different appearance than they had as well, but even still? You had hoped that they'd be a bit more welcoming.

Seeing how they weren't so uptight, with the guards who were currently still inside, before you approached them. " No..wait." You paused immediately upon hearing that, with your backside still facing the two of them.

" I am, Princess Shuri. Of Wakanda." She spoke aloud. " Daughter of Queen Ramonda, and King T'Chaka."

" It's a pleasure to meet you, your highness." You turned back around facing her, proceeding to bow and greet her properly, like you were taught to do by Namor. When being in front of the presence of royalty.

" And it's also a pleasure to meet you too." You glanced over at the scientist next, hoping that she'd tell you her name. And quit being so afraid as if you'd hurt her? When in reality? All that you wanted to do was get to know them.

And possibly learn more about their life on the surface world? Before Namor decided to do whatever it was that he'd do with them. " I'm, Riri." She finally revealed her name, after a long awkward moment of silence.

" Riri Williams."

" Nice to meet you, Miss.Williams." Another smile settled over your face, as you clasped your hands together nervously, and averted your focus back towards the Princess. Who was already eyeing you intently, as if she was in deep thought about something.

" So.." You trailed off, taking a seat against the floor. " What's Wakanda like?"

" Because I've heard Namor mention, that the air there? Is pristine. And how the water is nothing compared to the water, here in our ocean."

" It's beautiful." The princess spoke quietly, smiling a bit to herself. At the thought of her homeland and the people who lived there. " Beautiful and peaceful."

" But your home here in Talokan? Is quite beautiful too." Her gaze returned to your face, when a small, cheerful laugh–had erupted from the back part of your throat. Which puzzled her and Riri for a moment? As they wondered what is was, that you found so funny.

When Talokan, was just as beautiful and full of joyful individuals? Like Wakanda.

" Have I said something that's amused you?" Shuri questioned, with confusion settled across her features. " No, and yes." You answered, taking this time to pick with the bottom part of your mouth mask, that had covered up your mouth and nose.

With water being on the inside, that allowed you to breathe properly. 

" You don't think that Talokan is beautiful?" There was a hint of amusement and disbelief in Shuri's tone. As she watched you closely, looking as if she were trying to read you. And figure out why you had given the response you did.

" I do." You nodded. " But some of the people here? Aren't quite as joyous and kind as you think." Mumbling the last part of your words so lowly, that both the Princess and scientists had glanced at one another afterwards. As a way to see if either of them had heard what you said.

Made you laugh for what felt like the thousandth time, as you rose to your feet again slowly. And smiled cheekily at the both of them, before repeating yourself. Once you saw how stressed they both had looked, while trying to decipher what you had muttered out moments ago.

" I love being from Talokan, and living underwater. With the fish and whales, and all other beings that exists here. But..sometimes? It gets a bit overwhelming. Trying to exist inside a place, where you'll never be able to fit in or be accepted? Regardless of how much you try to make other's, see you as an equal."

Opening up about your troubles to strangers? Had never been something you'd think you'd ever do. With how much other Talokanil people your age? Had judged you off the mistakes you've made. While trying to be as great as Namora, who never had to try too hard, to be respected or treated fairly.

Unlike you, on the other hand? Who went through hell and back, just to have someone smile at you. Or acknowledge your existence, on the days that you walked alongside of your sister, with eyes full of hope and admiration? That you could be as gifted as she was some day.

And be the one that Namor called out to, for help and to be a listening ear. But of course? You knew that those dreams of being as great as Namora, Attuma, or any other guard here? Would never be an actual reality.

Because you were ungifted. And far too incompetent, to be as great as any of them were.

" I know how that feels." Riri glanced up at you, with eyes full of sincerity. " To want to be accepted and fit in with others? To the point that you work yourself to death and jump over mountains, just to please them? When all they'll do is reject you and laugh in the end."

" But you wanna know what helped me get through that?"

" Yes, please." You nodded eagerly, with eyes full of desperation.

" I said fuck them, and chose to do what it was that I wanted. Because I realized that being like others? Was lame as hell and unoriginal. When I could just be in my own lane. While doing something that made me genuinely happy? Instead of forcing myself to be someone? I knew that I wasn't."

Her words of advice were kind, as she flashed you a warm smile. Before placing her hand atop your shoulder hesitantly. Causing fresh tears to rush to the brim of your eyelids. As you threw your arms around her tightly. Which had caught both her and the Princess completely off guard.

But she returned the gesture despite that, making your heart pump with happiness. For what felt like the first time in forever. Being that for once in such a long time? You had been seen and understood for who you were, without having to do anything to show them that you were worthy of receiving their kindness and respect.

" Thank you." You sniffled, stepping back from the hug after a while. With your hands wiping away at the tears, that were falling continuously down your cheeks. 

" So, so much."

" No problem." She patted your shoulder once more, offering you the sleeve of the robe she wore, to clean your face. Causing you to smile and shake your head, declining. Before you shifted your focus back towards the Princess.

Feeling your stomach go into knots, when the corners of her lips curved upwards. And she smiled at you. Allowing her perfect, pearly white teeth to be seen. And the sharpness of her jaw to pop out, and catch your attention. Sending you shying away from her gaze and inching near the exit of the cave, so you could leave.

And be gone, before Namora or even worse? Namor showed up unexpectedly.

" It was a pleasure meeting the two of you." Turning around a final time, to face them and wave goodbye. You couldn't help but avert your gaze back to Shuri. Who had already been watching you as you were proceeding to leave.

With an unreadable look in her eyes, that had left you wondering what she might've been thinking about? But you figured that there was a possibility she could be homesick? Since she had been taken and brought into a place, full of people and things, that she wasn't so familiar with.

" Same to you, entle." Shuri was the first to speak back, a surge of confidence and amusement filling her body. As she watched your brows knit together in confusion, while you tried to figure out what it was, that she had said to you meant.

Translation: Beautiful.

" And perhaps maybe one day, if you're allowed and granted access to leave? Then you can come to Wakanda and visit. So I can show you just how beautiful and pristine, the air is there."

Nodding on that note, you said a quick 'yes', with a voice full of excitement. Hoping and praying to the God's, that Namor would allow you to visit her? And experience being in another place, that was far more different and clearly advanced than here? Seeing how the black beads on the bracelet, that was wrapped around the Princess's wrist? Began to glow a light blue color.

Which you're assuming she hadn't noticed? With how closely she was eyeing you while smiling uncontrollably, with a smile so infectious and warm? That you found yourself returning the expression. And soon your cheeks began to grow sore, with how widely you had spread your lips, to mirror her exact grin.

" The two of you, might as well go ahead and fuck each other. Instead of doing the shit with your eyes." Riri let out an exasperated sigh, plopping down to take a seat against the cot that was behind her.

Fuck? You thought to yourself with a frown. Growing confused at what the smaller girl had meant. As you wondered why the Princess had began shooting her a glare, with a face full of what looked like embarrassment?

" Please excuse Miss.Williams, vulgar language." Shuri turned back around to face you, speaking in an apologetic tone. " She has a tendency of being very..blunt? And talking without thinking about what comes out of her mouth."

" If I'm being honest? I have no idea what she said even means, but I have to get going now. And I hope to see the two of you again soon? If Namor grants me access to leave, that is. Oh, and Riri?"

Your eyes glanced over your shoulder, watching as she sat up from her slouched position and raised an eyebrow questioningly. " I hope Namor forgives you, and allows you to go home."

" I hope he allows the both of you, to be reunited with your families. Because the two of you are far too kind, to be held here? When neither of you have done anything wrong."

And with that, you walked away. After waving goodbye a final time. Feeling much more lighter and happy? After being in their presence and experiencing their kindhearted energy. Which was something you were going to miss, very much.

Had Namor decided to get rid of them, like he'd been telling Namora he would do? If the Princess hadn't complied with whatever wishes he had. For Riri, the scientist.

You're awoken out of your slumber, by a rough hand being pushed against your shoulder. Which causes your body to shoot up, and your eyes to open on automatic. As you rubbed your hands against them lightly, trying to get used to the bright lighting that was now on in your quarters. Causing you to squint slightly, and rise your body upwards from it's curled position.

When you made out Namora and Namor's faces, being not too far away from your bed. As looks of anger and dissatisfaction? Were evident in their intense gaze upon you.

" Jump'éel guardia kíinsa'abij le áak'aba' tuméen juntúul intruso." Namora approached the side of your bed, urging you to stand. Without caring about how rough she was handling you. As you struggled to catch your balance, after she'd shoved you onto your knees. Allowing you to be directly in front of Namor.

Translation: A guard was killed this evening by an intruder.

Who had stooped down to meet your level, as he cupped your chin tightly. And gave it a light squeeze, making you squeeze your eyes shut in fear of what he'd do to you? After he opened his mouth and spoke the next words.

" Ba'ax seguramente k'a'abéet a yaantal jump'éel extraña inclinación? Ka lela' p'u'ujul, in waal."

 Translation: You surely must have a strange penchant? When it comes to upsetting me, my child."

" And before you deny being anywhere near the caves where the cells are, this evening? It has already been told to me? That you were there. So please, Y/N? Make this easy for all of us. And most importantly? Yourself. And tell me exactly why, you were seen conversing with the Princess and the scientist? In the first place."

Each of his words hit you like a bullet, with how harshly he was speaking. All while keeping a neutral like facial expression present, which honestly? Had to be one of the things that you feared about him the most. The way he could be threatening your life? And not look angry or frustrated.

Unlike Namora? Who allowed all of her rage she felt right now? To be showcased off. So you'd be able to know that she was pissed at you, and of course? Disappointed–as always.

" In ajawo', Sa'asik in, Béet." You pleaded, turning your head away in discomfort, when his grip on your chin had tightened.

" I was only curious and I wanted to meet them." You added.

Translation: My king, please forgive me.

" I knew nothing about the Wakandan's plan, to come and retrieve them. In ts'aiktech in jach t'aan, I knew nothing about it!"

Translation: I swear to you.

" I see." Namor finally spoke, as he released the grip he had on your chin. Which made you collapse backwards and fall against the cool floor. As you scooted away from him near your bedside. With hot tears rolling down your cheeks, and ragged, labored breathing. 

" And the air in Wakanda? Was very pristine." Pausing in his footsteps, he snapped his finger loudly. Making Namora rush towards his side, eager to comply with whatever task, he was proceeding to ask of her.

" Beetik a querida kiik utia'al sáamal." Namor's eyes peered down at you from the side, as you continued to cry uncontrollably. Cradling the bottom part of your chin, as your heart rate began to accelerate, upon hearing his words.

Translation: Prepare your loving sister for tomorrow.

The demanding request left both you and Namora, staring up at him in confusion. While he on the other hand, kept his same neutral like expression present. Pointing over at you as he eyed Namora closely, and waited for her to come to your side like he'd requested.

" Beetik u ba'ax, in Ajaw?" The confusion in Namora's voice was evident, as she approached your side slowly. Despite the fact that you could tell, she wanted nothing but to grab you up by the chin herself? And scold you for being so foolish and careless, as if you sneaking down to the caves, to talk to the prisoners? Wouldn't have been discovered.

Translation: Prepare her for what, my king?

" Y/N, mentioned her distaste for living in Talokan to the Princess." Namor announced what you had mentioned to Shuri and Riri aloud, the statement making Namora crane her neck. And snap her head down in your direction, which allowed you to almost feel how much her anger was beginning to radiate from off of her body.

" I-i never said I hated it? I-i just said th–"

" Chan tonta, Bix a atreves t'aan k'aas u k wotoch!" Namora raised her voice, as she gripped the bottom of your chin, forcing you to face her. Without caring about the fact that the gesture was starting to hurt you.

Translation: You foolish little girl, how dare you speak badly of our home!

" Teech jump'éel su'utalil!" Her shouting continued, and her choice of words had caused your chest to ache. As you widened your eyes and stilled your breathing. At the sound of a choked out sob erupting from your mouth, following light sniffing.

Translation: You are a disgrace!

" N-namora, please." Seeing your sister this angry with you? Was a sight you hadn't witnessed in a while. But just hearing her say that you were a disgrace? While looking at you as if she was ashamed to even be related to you? Had caused what little bit of hope you had of the two of you rekindling your bond? Shatter into millions of pieces, like broken glass from a mirror that had been cracked.

" Enough!" Finally speaking again, after allowing Namora to tear you apart with her words? Namor had motioned her back beside him, causing her to let go of your chin, all while adding a bit of force as she did so. Which made your head fly back and bump into the edge of your bed, leaving a throbbing sensation present on the left side of your head.

" Y/N?" 

" Y-yes, K'uk'ulkan?" You stammered out nervously, rising up to your feet with your chest puffed out. As you awaited for him to say what he wanted from you. " Come." He curved his index finger, beckoning for you to walk towards him.

And you did so slowly, with your hands clasped together tightly, as they shook and began sweating a bit? After you finally made your way in front of him, and his intense, intimidating eyes? Were now gazing down at you.

" Tomorrow? We will be going to Wakanda for revenge." He started off slowly, causing you to swallow hardly, and just nod. " And the Queen and scientist? Will be killed."

" Which will leave the Princess, with no choice but to be crowned Queen. And that will put us one step closer? To getting Wakanda to form an alliance with us, so we can go to war with the surface world."

" And I know what you're thinking, my child." A deep chuckle left his lips, as he began circling you like he'd done earlier. " You're thinking that the Princess won't comply?"

" And that she'll refuse my offer? Because the death of her sweet, loving Mother. Am I correct, Y/N?"

Shrugging your shoulders, you muttered out ' I'm not sure' incoherently. Feeling what little of a heart you had left? Break for Shuri. At the mention of Namor, admitting that he was preparing to murder her Mother on tomorrow, after they had just been reunited this evening.

" Ah, I see." His circling around you stopped abruptly, making you glance up at him with glossy eyes and raised brows. While Namora stood off towards the side, continuing to stare at you with nothing but disgust and disappointment, and if you weren't mistaken?

A look of hate.

" I can sense your pity for the Princess, Y/N. And I know that this is a lot of information to take in? And that you're probably angry with me, for preparing our soldiers to tear down the home, in which your new found friend lives? But I warned her Mother, before their people came and killed one of ours."

" So whatever pity or sadness you feel for them? Lose it!" Flinching from his tone as he shouted at you? You dropped your head in shame, struggling to keep back your sobs when he opened his mouth and spoke his last words, before proceeding to leave from out of your quarters.

" People from the surface world? Only care about themselves, Y/N. And as pure hearted as you are? I apologize in advance for what I'm about to request of you. But just know? That you refusing my command? Will leave me with no choice but to kill you."

There it was again, you thought to yourself. As you reflected on how your body had felt? When he had threatened to kill you earlier today, with no hint of remorse in his tone as he did it. And as you looked over at Namora, she didn't seem the slightest bit phased about Namor's threat to end your life either.

And that there? Had stung, and before you knew it? You were crumbling right in front of both of them. Not caring about how weak you may have looked, as you wept uncontrollably. With loud, painful, sobs escaping from out your mouth.

" Tomorrow when we go to Wakanda? You will be accompanying us. And when we get there? Your job is to find the Princess, and convince her to accept my offer to form an alliance with our people. So that Wakanda and us Talokanils, can go to war with the surface world together."

" And I'm also aware, that after I kill her Mother and the scientist? That she will not be too elated to have you in her presence. And maybe? She'll have you thrown into a cell where you'll be held as a prisoner? But despite that possibility? Your job is to convince her to join me."

" Ka wa leti' u niega?" You choked on your words, staring up at him with anger. That you weren't afraid to mask away, like you'd normally do. When he had taken it upon himself to make you feel in the exact same way, that Namora would make you feel.

Which was worthless. And like your feelings about things? Didn't matter.

Translation: And if she refuses?

" Then you sing to her, and you make her agree." He stated sternly, referring to your siren abilities, that helped you perform hypnosis. And place someone under a trance, that would beckon them to you, and allow you to be in complete control of them.

" Do I make myself clear?" Inching near the exit of your room, he paused in his footsteps. Refusing to leave, to go and alert the soldiers of their task for tomorrow. Until you spoke up and answered him.

" Yes, K'uk'ulkan." You said quietly, drying at your eyes with the palm of your hands.

" I understand."

Inching back towards your bed, when he remained silent. And continued to stand in your doorway, you shot Namora a look of hurt. Hoping that she'd feel guilty for not having your back, in the way that you tried to have hers–despite your lack to be as dexterous as she was?

But you knew that deep down? She didn't care. And that she'd rather watch you fail and be punished, than to assist you in being better at the things you weren't as good at.

" Oh, and Y/N?" Namor said your name lowly, as he was halfway out of your quarters.

" Yes, K'uk'ulkan?"

" You mentioned that you wished to be granted access to visit Wakanda? So despite your mission? I hope you take the initiative to enjoy your time away from Talokan. Because after one week time has passes, and I return ready to conquer the surface world? You'll never be able to leave these waters again."

" So enjoy your stay, In ch'ujuk ch'úupalo' yéetel talamilo'ob." He laughed menacingly, turning around to face you fully with a look of amusement present.

Translation: My sweet troubled child.

" And please do not fail to disappoint me, Y/N. Because if you do? Then you'll leave me with no choice, but to put you out of your misery. Like you've so desperately been wanting for the past year."

[wolvertooth]

Did u see the news that sabretooth is confirmed to show up in xmen97 season 2? I'm extremely excited and giddy yet mortified bc of the whole useless [mag/rogue) "romance" 97 adapted/retconned into existence,

even if they had the whole ballroom dance together it was still very obvious they were showing both the implied grooming and the power imbalance mags had over her and seeing as 92 did adapt the whole silverfox flashback+ her death and the team X EP I'm really paranoid that the writers will suddenly tack on unnecessary SA implications both to torture logan and as a way to make sabes cruel and sadistic in a lazy ass way..

*sighing loudly* sorry for the long ask, I'm just really passionate about both their characters as a longtime fan boy and knowing the insane positive reception 97 got I'm just terrified that IF they do add on that implication ppl who like his character will never hear the end of it, or how he should be killed off forever bc he's a mindless murdering cannibalistic booty warrior who stomps on babies and makes kitten tacos on Wednesdays or WHATEVER lame shit they mame him do avoid writing a character that's both evil and terrifying yet charming and a lil sympathetic, God forbid we have complex characters that can still be villians and not cardboard training dummys for the heros to attack 🙄

dunno about the grooming thing, considering rogues in her 20s(possibly even late 20s). i think shes just a grown woman with a case of Wanting That Old Man Carnally. confession -> i havent actually watched past episode 3, cuz tbh i. dont care much for the xmen aside from wolverine. and he barely got to do anything. so all my context is just from tumblr posts.

also i genuinely thought u meant like. sabretooth SAing wolverine in the past. and i was like bro theres no way disney would allow that dw about it👍 then after rereading it a couple times i was like OH U MEANT THE 2003 COMIC THING LMAO. first of all, with the current rating they got, theres No chance they'd go that far. besides, shes alive, and logan knows all that was just implants anyway(i reallyyyy hope they dont forget about the whole implants thing...). second, i dont think morph would transform into sabretooth as a joke if he was really someone who fucked up logan That Bad.

anyway i literally forget that people like him as a Villain cuz im just over here seeing him as the rich merc whos an occasional annoying bastard with a heart of gold and a history of mental breakdowns.. like hes got a bit of a The Mask situation going on with his costume tbh, he'll just get written way more cartoonishly evil whenever hes got that thing on lol

anddd if they do decide to follow the previously established canon(and they likely wont do too much due to him still being on the villains side in the intro, just lemme dream for a sec here), i think him and logan are on somewhat good terms now! last time they hungout he only fought him for like 2 seconds cuz he thought wolverine was picking a fight, then dropped it pretty quick(it was also the episode that revealed any of the bad memories they had of eachother in the past were all just implants). after that, he was last seen without the costume, which is kind of a big thing for his character? i think?

..ok i just remembered the recent 97 prequel comics where hes just...#normal villain sabretooth working for sinister and the marauders. 😦😧chat......this better not mean what i think it means..........(CLONE PLOT PART 4?). but theyre also both on a last name basis with eachother so. ❓ progress?

at least the comics didnt forget about team x. so maybe we got a chance at something good

[rebrandedbard]

So what's in the drawer? Asking for a friend ofc

Here's a picture of the collection for your "friend" lol. It's not really anything too questionable, but my dad also likes the Witcher and glances at my merch occasionally and ... well, I don't want to think how uncomfortable he'd be if he knew I shipped Geralt and Jaskier.

Small rant under the cut. Not exactly tw homophobia, but mildly, I guess. And religious stuff mentioned. Ignore if you just want to admire my sweet merch collection.

On my dad: he's already grumbled about how many gay people there are in the witcher show(s). He's not homophobic; like he's fine with my whole deal and his best friend is gay and married, but he doesn't engage in queer media, really. I think he's of the opinion that having more than one gay pairing in a piece of media is political or pandering. His parents are pretty conservative and religious and he's LEAGUES better than them, but it gives you an idea of how he started out. They weren't so much the "gay people are sinners and doomed to hell" flavor of homophobic so much as the "marriage is between a man and a woman, so gay people should call their thing something else" kind. I just try to stay as visibly neutral as possible so I'm not really forcing them to think about it too much.

Ironically, despite being thoroughly out (and recently outed) to my whole extended family, I keep my pride flags folded up in a drawer in a dresser in my closet. I'm accepted, but I worry about expressing it more than just by existing.

All that aside, my mother has a history of teasing me for my interests, so now nobody knows what I like best in regards to ANYTHING. It's taken me six years to even start decorating my room with little things, like my bard pin board, and that's just because she moved out. My dad doesn't judge as much, and he never teases. My mom cyber stalked me--downloaded Tumblr just to follow my blog once when I was 17. I deleted everything and built from the ground up. She sent terrible teenage fanfic to family friends without telling me. I've been very quiet about how I spend my free time since. Watching shows with my dad is one of the few ways I can really connect with the one parent I like. I don't want to jeopardize that in any way.

I almost bolted from the room when Jaskier and Radovid kissed. The room was very very quiet.

[flying-kanery]

Storytime

Hey guys! So apparently having a job is a lot harder than I thought it would be lol😂but I was able to finally squeeze in some time to write and post this very late submission for Jacen Syndulla week following the prompt father/family. I'll put the link for it on my ao3 right here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/48378895. But I wanted to post the whole fic here too to sTaY tRuE tO mY tUmBlR rOoTs lol. I hope you enjoy!<3

Also, quick shoutout to to @jacensyndullaweek for organizing this whole thing and for the amazing prompts! You slayed!<3

Fic rating: G

~

“And that’s how your mom defeated an entire Imperial fleet!”

Jacen looked up at his father with wide, awe-struck eyes and his mouth agape. Hera couldn’t help but laugh internally. It definitely wasn’t an entire Imperial fleet.

She watched in the doorway, not yet noticed by either of them. She loved the way Kanan placed his arm around Jacen, how sitting down he was barely taller than Kanan’s forearm, the way he sat so comfortable, so small, chubby little limbs relaxed on the bed.

“Wowaw,” Jacen said, “Den what happen, Daddy?” Hera couldn’t hold back a laugh this time.

At that, Kanan glanced up at the doorway knowingly, a grin spreading across his face. Jacen still didn’t see her, completely encapsulated by his dad’s story.

Well then, your mom met with some of the biggest leaders of the rebellion—well, she technically wasn’t invited to the meeting,” another mischievous glance at the doorway, “but she knew she should’ve been in the meeting because it involved someone in her family. Can you guess who?”

“Uuuuuuhhhhhh…ou,’ Daddy!”

“No,” he shook his head and laughed.

“Uuuuuuhhhhh,” he tapped his little finger on his dimpled chin, as if deep in thought. Her boy was so beautiful, both of her boys were. Her smile widened at the thought.

“Ahbine!” he said. Kanan chuckled.

“Sah-bine buddy, there’s an s, ssss,” he pointed to his mouth and then Jacen’s, trying to show him how to make the sound.

“Thhhhhhh,” Jacen tried to imitate his father, “Thahbine!” he exclaimed.

“Close enough,” Kanan shot a quick look back up at Hera, silent laughter exchanged between them. “But that’s still not who it is.”

Jacen was growing more frustrated, “Den who is it?” he said, throwing out his arms in exasperation.

Kanan smiled down at him. “Ezra.”

Jacen gasped in excitement. “Ezzy!” he squealed.

“Yes,” Kanan laughed.

“So did mommy get dem to help wit Ezah?”

“Yes,” Kanan replied, gazing into Hera’s eyes, “she did. Because she never backs down when it comes to the people she loves.”

“What ou’ wookin’ at, Daddy?” Jacen turned around to face the door frame. “MOMMY!” he squealed with joy.

“Jacen, sweetheart,” she laughed, “I was only gone for about twenty minutes and I was right in the other room.”

“I know dat. But I stiww miss ou’!” He began trying to get his tiny body off of his bed in order to run to her.

“No baby, it’s okay. I’ll come to you.” she said, walking towards him and scooping him up in her arms. She sat on the bed and leaned up against Kanan with Jacen snuggled to her chest.

“Did you get the stain out?” Kanan asked.

“Yep,” she held up Jacen’s tiny onesie with little tookas all over it.

“Yay!” Jacen clapped and took the onesie from his mom.

“Now Jacen, the next time you want to paint something, just let us know so that we can keep this from happening again, okay?”

“Okay, mommy,” he said, giving her a big hug. Hera ran her hand over his emerald hair and kissed his forehead. Kanan held her closer.

“Mommy?” Jacen asked.

“Yes, baby?”

“Do you have any stories about Daddy?”

She immediately looked up at Kanan who wore an amused and slightly scared expression.

“Oh boy, do I,” she laughed, “but that’ll be for another night.”

“Awwww,” Jacen whined.

“Your mom’s right, kiddo. You need to get some sleep.”

“But I not tieword.”

“Good, that means my story wasn’t boring,” Kanan replied.

Jacen paused for a moment, considering his father’s words, “I guess dat’s twue. Buh can I wear da tooka jammies pweeeease?”

Hera smiled, “Of course, sweetheart.” They got Jacen dressed for bed and tucked him in, pulling the covers all the way up to his chin.

They knelt down beside Jacen’s bed, preparing to wish him their nightly “I love yous.” Hera placed a kiss on Jacen's forehead, “Goodnight, baby.”

“Nigh nigh, Mama. I wuv ou.’”

She cupped his tiny face, “I love you too, little tooka.” After giving him one last kiss on his nose, she stood up and returned to the doorway, watching Kanan say his goodnight.

Kanan hugged his son and gently kissed his cheek, “Good night, kiddo. I love you so much.”

“I wud ou’ too, Daddy,” Jacen’s eyelids were growing heavy and by the time Kanan joined Hera in the doorway, he had completely nodded off to sleep.

She leaned up against him as he wrapped his arms around her, “He’s perfect,” she sighed.

“He is,” he whispered against her temple. Pulling away to look at her he shrugged, “But I mean, he’s our kid so, makes sense.”

She laughed. “C’mon, we should probably get some sleep too. We have to cut a bunch of orange slices and get Jacen new shin guards tomorrow morning before his soccer game.” She grabbed his hand and turned to start pulling him towards their bedroom, but he stopped her before she could.

“Woah, hold on there, Captain. First, you need to tell me what ‘crazy stories’ about me you were referring to earlier,” he said with an amused grin.

Hera turned back around to face him, wearing a similar grin of her own, “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe the time you fell off a building?”

“I did not fall. I used the force to land safely.”

“I literally caught you.”

“Yes, but…I used the force to make sure I landed safely in your arms,” he smiled.

She moved closer to him and placed her hands on his arms, “Okay, well then it was my speed plus the force, since I had to run over there in time to catch you.”

He laughed, “You really are the hero of my story.”

A quiet moment passed. Then Hera replied, “You’ve always been my hero. Even when you couldn’t see it in yourself, I always could…Jacen sees it too,” she pushed a lock of hair behind his ear, “He looks up to you so much, love. I know we joke that I’m his favorite, but I think it’s more like I’m his comfort and you’re everything he aspires to be. That’s why the real story I had in mind was when you saved me from Pryce on Lothal.”

Kanan’s eyes were alight with awe—awe of how much she loved him, how much she trusted and believed in him, how she saw him worthy of being the father of her child and raising him alongside her. When he kissed her, deep and sweet, it told her how grateful he was to be that person for her, how grateful he was that the beautiful life he was living now had all stemmed from the amazing woman standing before him.

He broke away only enough to whisper, “I love you,” and place his forehead against hers. “And you’re right. That would explain why he’s always trying to copy whatever I’m doing.” He smiled fondly, “Like in the morning, when I drink my mug of caf and he’ll ask me to put his orange juice in a mug too. And then he’ll try to hold the mug the same way as me–”

“And when you scroll through your datapad, he’ll get out his little chalkboard and start ‘scrolling through it’ too,” Hera laughed and Kanan joined her, loving how they could just stand there and marvel at their son’s cuteness together.

She let out a yawn, “Let’s go to bed now, love. I’m starting to doze off.” She tried pulling him back towards their room, but he stopped her again, realization hitting him. 

“Kanan, what is with your aversion to me getting any sleep tonight?” she rolled her eyes as her hands came to rest on her hips, a hint of a smile still in her expression.

Hesitantly, he said, “Is Jacen ready for that story?”

Hera remained quiet for a moment, thinking over his question. “I think he is. We don’t have to get into too much detail, but I think he deserves to know how we ended up where we are today and everything you’ve sacrificed for me and for him.”

“Everything we’ve sacrificed, my love,” he cupped her face, “You’ve given up so much too.”

“Well, it’s like you said. I never back down when it comes to the people I love—and neither do you. If Jacen’s going to keep trying to be just like you, I want him to know that you’re selfless and compassionate,” she smiled. “Plus, that story did have a happy ending, right?”

“The absolute best of happy endings,” he said, moving closer to her.

“Agreed,” she took his hands in hers. “Now, c’mon,” she said with an overexaggerated pull of his hands, “I have to appease 15 pretentious soccer moms tomorrow. I need sleep.”

“Okay,” he laughed, finally following her to their room. “I understand, even though you’re technically a soccer mom yourself,” he added with a smirk.

“Watch it,” she poked his side, “I meant those kind of soccer moms.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know,” he laughed.

Once they got into bed, Kanan pulled her to his chest and she snuggled against him.

“Kanan?” she looked up at him.

“Yes, Hera,” he smiled down at her.

“I hope Jacen grows up to be as exceptional of a man as you are,” she mumbled sleepily.

“He will be. He has you for a mom,” he replied, warmth in his eyes as he looked down at her. And with that, her head returned to his chest and they drifted off to sleep together, forever happy in the new life of peace they created for themselves and their son.

Thank you so much for reading! Let me know what you thought of it! All the love to my mutuals<3

(I also might be posting another Jacen week fic sometime soon hehe;))

[5eraphim]

eras of tumblr i could give hour-long Ted Talks about

(only including eras i participated in, not what i’ve lived through second-handedly. these are what i personally remember seeing on my dash, i’m sure there’s plenty i missed. This is an ongoing list/not fixed/subject to future edits.)

2015 gravity falls 

the rise of sexyman bill cipher 

depravity falls and putting 12 yr old characters in violent guro situations 

alex hirsch worship

billdip discourse

the diehard thirst for Gruncle Ford 

“i want to fuck that dorito”

2015/16 Black Butler

SebaCiel discourse

Grelle discourse (like, i don’t even know how to elaborate, but if you were there you would remember how people were fighting over her characterization in all different directions. Which is funny because, love her or hate her, she is barely even in the show lol)

The needlessly intense sjw vs anti-sjw/ fiction doesn’t effect reality/ shipping fighting

can’t quantify this, but i swear 80% of the fans were ex-hetalia fans 

Black butler 2 being either loved or hated, while book of circus was almost unanimously loved

the Scott Freeman incident...

no one giving a fuck about the female characters

Yana/Jay Michael Tatum worship

2016 Undertale

Sans undertale sexyman rise

the most raw video game soundtrack of all time

papyton

no one agrees how to draw undyne, but we all agree that she’s gay as fuck

(This is a personal anecdote, but i actually made a friend in highschool bc i drew undertale fanart on the board at latin class nd she added to it the next day, i added to it the next day and eventually we met up and it was so adorable)

“get dunked on”

2016-17 hamilton, heathers, great comet, dear evan hansen, be more chill musical theater insanity

rip tumblr user galactibun

The Hamilton craze breathing new life into the 1776 musical fandom

Most bizarre fanfic aus seen on tumblr thus far (hamilton)

The great comet Tony snubs

BMC and DEH blowing up, despite most fans only caring about the characters, totally ignoring the plot.

“Miku binder Thomas Jefferson”

No one giving a fuck about “The Hamilton Mixtape”

Gatekeeping fans who didn’t read war and peace or the ron chernow biography (i don’t think anyone ever gave a shit about the BMC orginal book which is SO FUNNY)

lin manuel miranda worship

real people fanfictions of actors/shipping them (especially hamilton!)

Key Figures include: Lin Manuel Miranda, Ron Chernow, Philipa Soo, Daveed Diggs, Ben Platt, George Salazar, Barette Wilbert Weed, and Mike Faist

2016-2017 the yuri on ice, killing stalking, kaikyu yaoi trifecta 

Yaoi take over

The anime fans collective salt over YOI winning anime of the year 2016

Not in this time period, but the Killing Stalking fans despising the ending en mass several years later.

Free! was also huge as the second season concluded not long before, but wasn’t receiving new updated in Realtime like the other three.

honestly? i mostly just remember people drawing some of the most beautiful fan art of the characters and not bothering to follow the plots

2015-2016 steven universe discourse peak craziness 

There are no words, looking back this all feels like a fever dream

Insane fan-theories (as in- even for Tumblr, these theories were very out there)

Pink diamond character derailment

“watching steven universe is the opposite of eating pussy” 

Gemosonas

fusion = sex???

“it’s over isn’t it” single-handedly inspiring some of the most beautiful fan art to come out of the show; "Stronger than you” def inspired much more fan-creations, but they were nowhere near as good imo

That terrible lily peet video that sent a tidal wave of fandom-fighting 

Concrete

Nicki Minaj guest appearance 

the porn avalanche predating the 2018 nsfw ban

My OG account got banned >:( (i never posted porn, tried to email support to no avail, I DID NOT DEVERVE THIS YOU NARCS)

50-50 mix of people posting lewd art and people posting links to find them as they migrated to twitter

“Female presenting nipples”

The return of the citrus scale (orange: PG/G, Lime: PG-13, Lemon: R, Grapefruit: X)

“Too Spicy for Tumblr”

Didn’t even stop the porn bots, mostly just screwed over artists and writers

IMO the peak of user v staff animosity

2020 hannibal

The small but loyal anthony hopkins defenders

Some of the most beautiful creative gore art

The moodboard to web-weaving pipeline

People being surprisingly respectful of fans who only watched the show, or who didn’t read Red Dragon/Silence of the Lambs, or where otherwise not invested in the greater overall Hannibal canon.

Manipulate, mansplain, malewife

Key Figures Include: Madds Mikkelson, Hugh Dancy, Anthony Hopkins

november 5, 2020

You just had to be there man, i don’t know what to tell you.

Key Figures include: Donald Trump, Castiel, Dean Winchester, Joe Biden, Vladimir Putin, Nevada, Georgia, Wisconsin and debatably Sherlock season 5

the 2021 coquette girl blogger era

Lana del rey worship

The ungodly amount of softcore porn

Gaslight, gatekeep, girlboss

Glorification of eating disorders, benzos, trailer parks, predatory men, age gap relationships, and so much more!

Teenagers blogging about Russian lit you know they never read

Waifblr

Still not sure to this day how much of this was ironic and how much wasn’t?? Or if any of this was self-aware???

Yes babe you’re so bambi, kate moss, diet coke, wellbutrin, dasha nekrosova, ballet, klonopin, trad cath, fawn, dior, sofia coppela, can you please shut the fuck up now?

key figures include: Lana del Rey, Daisy Randone, Dasha Nekrosova, Nina Sayers, Fiona Apple, Anya Taylor Joy, Sylvia Plath, Kate Moss, Kirsten Dunst (probably so many more, but this is just off the top of my head)

(bonus)

2015/16- My personal earliest memories of really getting into tumblr, and witnessing the tail-end of the Hetalia reign

2016- the end of Homestuck

2016- the epidemic of overwatch porn

2016- Does Jumin Han is gay?

2017- RWBY’s nosedive in quality from season 3 to 4, losing the majority of the fanbase

2018 Boyfriend to Death civil war (Gatobob v ElectricPuke)

2018- Detroit become Human drops and the robot-fucking gatekeeping 

2018- the Game of thrones/Endgame joint disaster ending melt down

2019- Sub-par Omens

2020- the Dead by Daylight community rioting when Pyramid Head’s ass got nerfed

2020- Cyberpunk 2077 is released and is torn apart almost instantly. Looking back by my approximations post were made up of- 10% people who were actually playing the games and enjoying themselves, 20% people who were playing the game and WEREN’T having fun, 55% People who never bought/played the game who were making up crazy glitches for clout, 15% hardcore pornography of characters you’d never seen before. (I’m quite salty about this bc I worked at GameStop at this time and had people constantly talking about glitches in casual conversation and I just know most of these bitches were LYING.)

20??- don’t remember the exact dates, but phase 3 marvel was un-escapable at this time

2020/21- Succession blows up

2022 Ghost bc blows up on tiktok, the fandom already sizable on tumblr only goes up from here

[praline-elegy]

✿ This looks like fun! ✿

[Fandom game post here]

A - Ships that you currently like a lot. (They don’t have to be OTPs because not everyone has OTPs.) Friendships, pairings, threesomes, etc. are allowed.

Seiji Katayama x Nicholas Cox (Fence)

Draco Malfoy x Harry Potter (HP)

If you want to read my Fence related answers, jump to letters: M N O R S T V or Z

B - A pairing–platonic, romantic or sexual–that you initially didn’t consider, but someone changed your mind.

Nastu Dragoneel x Gray Fullblaster (Fairytail) - I’m mainly a gruvia shipper BUT I came across this brilliantly written gratsu fic a few years back and it rewrote my brain chemistry entirely.

C - A ship you have never liked and probably never will.

I don’t like saying mean things.

D - A pairing you wish you liked but just can’t.

Shinsou Hitoshi x Kaminari Denki (MHA) - Monoshin has my heart <3

E - Have you added anything cracky/hilarious to your fandom? If so, what?

I wrote about an established relationship where character A wanted to give character B a gift. A asks B’s bff what to give him. Bff tells A to give B a rock. A proceeds to spend the day meticulously picking out a rock to give to B. A later presents this perfectly picked out rock to B, and B loves this little gift. This story oddly resonated with a lot of people in my old fandom lol. Moral of the story? People love rocks. Give your friends rocks. They will love you.

F - What’s the longest you’ve ever been in a fandom?

About a decade? I started watching Pokémon for as long as I can remember (still love it!), but I fell out of the fandom when my parents stopped paying for cable.

G - Have you ever had an OTP? If so, do you remember your first one? Who was in it?

Zutara. Zuko and Katara were everything to me. Fire and water? Their antagonistic relationship? There was so much tension there. It just made sense to me.

H - What is your favorite source text for fandom stuff (e.g., TV shows, movies, books, anime, Western animation, etc.)?

The first half of my life was dedicated to TV shows (when I had cable). The rest of my life is dedicated to printed material (books, manga, comics, etc).

I - Has Tumblr caused you to stop liking any fandoms, if so, which and why?

No. I only joined this platform about two months ago. I haven’t come across any negativity on this side of tumblr.

J - Name a fandom you didn’t think about until you saw it all over Tumblr. (You don’t have to care about it or follow it; it just has to be something that Tumblr made you aware of.)

Little Goody Two Shoes (indie game)

Temeraire (book? I think?)

K - What character has your favorite development arc/the best development arc?

Juvia Lockster or Flare Corona (both Fairytail)

L - Say something genuinely nice about a character who isn’t one of your faves. (Characters you’re neutral about are fair game, as are characters you merely dislike. Characters that you absolutely loathe with the fire of ten thousand suns are exempt, as there is no point in giving yourself an aneurysm over a character that you hate.)

Can’t think of a character I actively loathe or dislike at the top of my head.

M - Name a character that you’d like to have for a friend.

Sungchul Park (Fence) - He seems cocky and I like that.

Luna Lovegood (HP) - She’s just got the VibesTM you know?

N - Name three things you wish you saw more of in your main fandom (or a fandom of choice).

Nicholas coming over to visit the Katayamas for winter (or summer!) break.

I want to get severe secondhand embarrassment from something that Nicholas does in front of Seiji. I want to fluster that boy so bad. I want him to feel so embarrassed he could melt into a puddle of liquified Cox. And after all of the chaos I want Seiji to find that Nicholas actually looks rather cute when he’s blushing and flustered :) I’m evil.

‼️ MORE ‼️ BLUSHING ‼️ NICHOLAS‼️

I also want to explore more of Nicholas’ (fandom assumed) fear of the dark.

Would love to see more of Nicholas being vulnerable around Seiji.

I want to see more of the Leventis/Levantis twins (I’m writing something myself, but still. Would love to see others interpretation of the boys)!

Nsfw-wise… I’d like to see more bottom or submissive Nicholas. I think fandom has mostly pegged him for a dominant top lol.

O - Choose a song at random. Which ship or character does it remind you of?

Kiss Me - Sixpence None the Richer is how I envision Robert Coste and Nicholas’ mother’s relationship to be like in one of my unfinished pieces. An au where Nicholas doesn’t know who his father is and has a loving relationship with his mom.

P - Invent a random AU for any fandom (we always need more ideas).

Needing to make dinner but the jar of sauce won’t open so character A visits their neighbor character B and asks for help in opening the jar.

Character A is staring at character B while walking down the sidewalk and accidentally walks into a light pole. A scurries away in embarrassment while B finds that kinda cute.

Accidentally blurting out a romantic confession whilst in the middle of an argument.

Q - A fandom you’ve abandoned and why.

I wouldn’t necessarily say that I’ve abandoned any fandoms, just outgrew them (show finished), left due to circumstances (no more cable or show on hiatus), or lack of inspiration to continue writing. It feels wrong to say “abandoned” because I still love these fandoms and would still go back to consume their content. I’m just not actively involved anymore.

Kuroko no Basuke. Miraculous Ladybug. Fairytail.

R - Which friendship/platonic relationship is your favorite in fandom?

The Leventis/Levantis twins (in my own personal interpretation of them). I have a sibling so I’ve mostly based their interactions on my own. The kind of relationship where you annoy each other but love each other fiercely.

S - Show us an example of your personal headcanon (prompts optional but encouraged)

I think that Seiji would own a dog.

Also!! Headcanon that Seiji runs warm and Nicholas has wonky blood circulation which leads to wearing tank tops and shorts in the winter but hoodies and sweatpants in the summer.

T - Do you have any hard and fast headcanons that you will die defending? 

Seiji is a dog person.

U - Three favorite characters from three different fandoms, and why they’re your favorites.

Reese from Scarlet Hollow - I yearn for starving artists. And he likes horror movies? Score! He’s also a little shy but also very cute. 10/10 would romance again.

Sebastian from Stardew Valley - Quiet loner that enjoys tabletop games similar to D&D? And he rides a motorcycle? Brb swooning at his feet.

I can’t pick a favorite from Fence ;v; I love Nicholas but I also love Scott and Thomas and Sungchul and Nate aaaaaaaaa

V - Which character do you relate to most?

In Fence? Nate Spencer. I was originally going to say Nicholas but after further evaluation I realize that I am in fact Nate. The kind of person that brightens up the room but also tends to gravitate to one person in particular despite getting constantly ignored (Aiden sksks).

W - A trope which you are virtually certain to hate in any fandom.

No happy ending. Hurt no comfort. Break-up fics.

X - A trope which you are almost certain to love in any fandom.

Enemies to lovers. Rivals to lovers. Sickfics. Inexperience (first kiss, first times). Not actually unrequited love. Secondhand embarrassment. Sex pollen/lust potion. Truth serum. Party games (i.e. truth or dare). Time travel.

Y - What are your secondhand fandoms (i.e., fandoms you aren’t in personally but are tangentially familiar with because your friends/people on your dash are in them)?

Call of Duty.

Z - Just ramble about something fan-related, go go go! (Prompts optional but encouraged.)

I’m surprised by the lack of rarepairs in Fence. There’s so much potential with the amount of characters that have been introduced so far, but I guess I can see why. Nichoji are just so throughly entwined with each other it’s almost impossible to envision them with anybody else. Other than that, I would gander that there’s more interest in the main ships than exploring newer characters and even newer relationships. (I aim to change that though, a new rarepair is on the horizon!! Hopefully by Valentine’s day 👀💘)

I’m also rather surprised by how active this fandom is despite the small size of it. It’s nice and cozy here though and I like that.

This fandom is actually making me want to try drawing again. Just speaking out to the void here lol. I was pretty decent at drawing chibis when I was younger. Blushing Nicholas here I come… ✍️♥️✨

[servin-up-surveys]

survey #221

Have you ever hit an animal with your car? No, but in the last year, my mom hit a squirrel for the first time in her life while I was in the passenger's seat. I was fucking devastated, and so was Mom. It was either hit the squirrel or the car in the other lane, and the squirrel was panicking going back and forth so it just stayed in the road longer than if it had just run across.

Favorite ride at the amusement park? I don't go to enough of these to really know. I know I enjoyed the Ferris wheel the last time I went to one.

Do you have many followers on your Tumblr? On my main one I have *checks* 142. It's a rather small community (on Tumblr, anyway, they're one of the biggest international bands in the world) that I post about. On this survey blog, it's 21.

Do you tan easily? Absolutely not, I just burn.

Are you expecting something in the mail? No.

Do you inspire others? I cannot imagine others being inspired by me.

Are you healthy? No, I'm not.

Three things you try to avoid as much as possible: Confrontation, gaining more weight, and situations that give me anxiety.

Number of jeans in your closet: I haven't worn jeans since high school.

Do you follow fashion? Nope.

Do you have a big butt? No, I got that Hank Hill ass & I hate it

Do you count how long you and your gf/bf have been together? I do. I like celebrating anniversaries, so. I don't think time together matters much, but. I keep track anyway.

Rihanna or Lady GaGa? Gagaaaaaa

What's your worst interior design nightmare: Um... probably overcrowding. I've never thought of this. Or just REALLY obnoxious colors.

Are you one of those people that often feel sorry for yourself? Meh, not often. I think it's okay to sometimes, like sometimes you just get a really unfair deck to play and I think it's okay to be upset about it, but I think obsessing over it is a very negative move as far as self-care and acceptance of life goes.

Three persons you would like to thank: My mom, Girt, and the psychiatrist who really helped me get my life back after Jason.

Is your closet disorganized? No.

Do you like to cuddle with your S.O. or do you prefer your space? I am a massive cuddler with him unless I'm hot.

What TV shows do you watch on a regular basis? Literally only Naked and Afraid with my mom. It's our dinner thing if an episode is out, lol. I have no real idea how that became "our show" but it did.

Does it make someone a racist if they’re not attracted to a specific race? "That is not how I understand racism. Attraction can indeed be informed by one's prejudices, but on the flip side, there are plenty of bigots who are also very into the idea of fucking the people they're bigoted towards. Who someone wants to fuck is not at all a reliable litmus test for whether they respect those same people and the cultures they belong to." <<< I fully agree with this.

Are you happy with the size of your bedroom? It does the job for me, sure.

Do you add people you don’t actually know on Facebook? No, you have to be at the bare minimum an acquaintance that actually interests me as an individual.

What’s the longest you’ve liked someone without doing anything about it? Idr.

What’s the relationship status of the last person you talked to? My mom is single.

Think of the person from your past that hurt you the most. Is there anything you would like to say to that person? That I'm sorry for how I acted after we broke up.

Does your mom like the last person you kissed? She loves him.

Are you a forgiving person? I'm too forgiving and I know that for fact.

Who did you last have a heart-to-heart conversation with? Girt, I think.

Do you believe that there’s good in everybody? I don't think so. At least, I think people can become to where there's no longer good in them. I don't think people are born that way or something.

Do you use reusable shopping bags to reduce waste? No, admittedly. Granted, we always get our groceries picked up (employees bring our order to the car), so they're already all in plastic bags.

Where were you going the last time you were a passenger in a car? Girt was bringing me home from his house.

Do your parents have a strong relationship together? Hell fucking no.

When was the last time you attended a religious service of any sort? Many years ago when Colleen was going through an extreme devout Christian phase and I happened to be living with her at the time.

Do you think there are more dimensions than what we’re able to perceive? Meh, I don't think so. I don't completely reject the possibility, though. What do I know, if I can't perceive it?

Do any of your neighbors have loud children? I don't hear them, anyway.

What is the hardest part of your life right now, and what is the easiest? I think the hardest part is not having any sort of employment. I think I make it pretty clear I want to be a self-employed photographer, but that's not easy to achieve, at all. Not having a job plays a massive role in my depression, and for just being insanely fucking bored nearly all the time. Which further feeds my depression, and lately has been causing my anxiety to ramp up, too, because I'm so bored and understimulated that anxiety can just bulldoze its way into focus. Then there's the obvious factor to not having a job: I don't have my own money (I don't receive help from the government), which in our society, feels fuckin' bad. I can't help my mom (who I live with) financially, and she's deep in the fucking hole with money right now. We don't even have a working car right now. If our landlord wasn't who it is, I can assure you we wouldn't have a home right now. I kinda wish for my own sake Mom wouldn't even talk to me about this stuff because I can't fucking help. Uh. For the easiest part of my life... I'm sure SOME people would argue being unemployed, I don't have a lot of responsibility, but it's fucking hell and I promise you there's not a damn thing to envy. I'd rather be DOING shit and supporting myself instead of having to rely on my mommy for everything like a newborn. I guess in MY opinion... it'd be having a house at all? Mom and I hate it here, like a lot, but at least we're not sleeping in the cold or fighting for shelter from the rain. I don't even like talking about this, living on the streets is my biggest fear and it's just more terrifying knowing how easily that could be us. We were already homeless once, but at least we had people to house us. I'm in a bad mood after this question lmfao

If you are struggling with chronic illness right now, what are five of your worst symptoms? Anhedonia, negative self-image and thoughts, general sadness, lack of motivation, and existing in a haze sometimes/feeling like a zombie.

What is your favorite social media platform at the moment? Tumblr. I love the people I associate with there and I feel like it's a much more politically left place (yes I'm full aware not everyone is and dark corners exist) than the shit I see on Facebook and stuff. I USE Facebook more, but it's so easy to get pissed off there at the shit you see. I think Tumblr is definitely better at catering towards your interests and stuff. Like no, Facebook, I had no interest in seeing a proud-as-hell father and his son posing with bloody wolves they'd shot to look as if their corpses were smiling at the camera. (I might be banned from that page <333333)

Do you have trouble forgiving people who hurt you? I've always been too forgiving, but I've definitely gotten better at protecting myself and knowing letting people back in is not always a healthy choice.

What is something that is hard for most people but is easy for you? uh idk

What is something that is easy for most people but is hard for you? The most basic of social interactions. Being open about things I like, if it's not online (like I feel like that's a super exciting topic for most people irl???? meanwhile I wanna throw up).

What is your favorite color, and do you own a lot of things in that color? Pink. Uh... not really, I think.

List three things you have survived. A suicide attempt to be literal, asthma attacks, and homelessness.

When was the last time you had someone pray with you? hell if i know

List five of your favorite female singers. Sharon den Adel, Angela Gossow, Amy Lee, Alissa White-Gluz, and Maria Brink.

When was the last time you got ice cream from an ice cream truck? oh I have zero idea

Do you celebrate the 4th of July, and if so, how did you celebrate it this year? lol no, the U.S.A. can burn for all I care. Mom just made burgers and s'mores so I ate those and that's it.

Who was the last of your friends to have a baby? That I know of, Bethany.

Have you ever been pregnant? No, let's keep it that way.

What color was the last pair of flip-flops you wore? Mine are black.

Are you happy at the moment? Why or why not? No. I just haven't been lately.

What is one thing about your life you hope will never change? I hope I always absolutely adore and aim to educate on and protect animals.

How would you describe your journey so far in your 20s? Shit's sucked. Shit's been a rollercoaster. Shit's been frustrating as hell. Shit's been confusing.

What role does music play in your life, and are there any songs or artists that have had a significant impact on you? I fucking love music. Ozzy Osbourne and Rammstein are the only two I consider having had "significant" impacts on me.

What are some activities or hobbies that bring you joy and help you relax? Creating through writing, photography, or drawing, reading, playing video games, hanging out with my boyfriend, sitting on the porch swing at my sister's house with Mom and watching the kids play, watching a variety of YouTube videos, scrolling the Internet...

What are your thoughts on marriage and starting a family? Is it something you envision for yourself? I want to get married, but I don't want kids. I feel ready to move in together by now, but that's a very unfair thing to want, because then I'd be his financial responsibility instead of only Mom's. We've seriously talked about me and working and Girt really doesn't care if I never do (he's pretty fortunate with his job and he's probably going to keep climbing the ladder there), even though it's anxiety-inducing to him because he worries about what happens to me if he dies or something. But ultimately, he's fine if I'm a stay-at-home wife, which he knows I don't WANT to be and he very much encourages me to keep pursuing photography or art in general, but if that's how it happens, well. My point is though, I should really be patient.

Are there any specific skills or areas of knowledge you would like to develop or improve upon? I would like to become certified to handle venomous snakes, solely for the purpose of relocation if I know someone who needs to get rid of one. I'm very protective of all snakes, but I have a soft spot for venomous species since they're so quickly killed by people, even if they just SUSPECT it's venomous. Or if it's just a snake at all... I've taught myself to be able to identify all my local snakes (although I can't differentiate species of Nerodia, I just know a water snake when I see one), so I can guarantee I'd be able to recognize the venomous species that live in my area, and with certification, I could safely transport them away from where they could be harmed. I wanna point out that I would NEVER handle a venomous species with my bare hands; that ain't my jam. I would never go beyond a snake hook.

How do you navigate and make decisions about your career path and professional growth? lol I am not the person to ask this. I barely know what I'm doing. YouTube channels by self-made artists sharing their experiences save me

[outrunningthedark]

I don't know why people are blaming Oliver? Whatever the man has said has ALWAYS been so vague. The buddie shippers as cool as most of them are were looking at his words & evweyone elses words through their Buddie glasses.

I didn't start using tumblr for 911 until literally last year. I didn't watch interviews, look at edits. None of it. So for me all I saw was 2 dudes on my screen that were best friends and sometimes yes I'd joke they'd be a fun couple. But nothing ever screamed at me that they were in fact secretly in love. Nothing screams queerbaiting.

I hate to be rude but it's the shippers own fault for being upset. They're the ones claiming the show baited them when THEYRE the ones who took the words and twisted it into buddie, they take every scene, every interview and every word someone says and twists it into a buddie narrative. This isn't fanfic lol

Ask the general viewer who doesn't really use social media or follow the show online not one of them would say "oh yeah I'm upset those 2 didn't end up together after the show basically hinted at it" if I didn't use tumblr I'd have ZERO clue this whole couch theory even existed

Idk where I'm even going with this anymore, I just think it's unfair to hate on the show, the actors and the shownrunners for an idea they conjured up in their heads

(First of all, I get your points and I agree!) My biggest thing about the criticism after that episode is that the show runner and Oliver did what they could to NOT suggest Buddie canon this season and the fandom's response was to say "They're not gonna give it away before the episodes!" Even when Kristen takes a question and uses the opportunity to stress the platonic bond or did exactly like Oliver re: Eddie reacting to the lightning strike by explaining that Eddie was always meant to be the one standing the closest to Buck, the fandom can't help but recycle the "Sure, Jan" mockery. Like, no. She told you you're free to headcanon them however you want, she's a supporter of a fanfic and shipping, but how she saw them this season was never going to end up coming close to what the fandom anticipated. And in Oliver's case, he literally said nothing of substance, I'm sorry. The couch theory would be at play right until his final scene. Okay. That told us nothing about who he'd be with in that moment. (Natalia wasn't on my radar, but I thought it could have been a firefam gathering.) Ftr, Oliver made that comment after 6x11, not 6x12, so the fandom couldn't connect any dots about what he was suggesting when it hadn't happened yet. AND, you know what, the fact that he specifically referenced the end of the season was the best thing he could have done. Had he said "You might even see more developments with the couch in the coming weeks *wink wink*" then, YEAH. That'd be fucked up. But he bypassed all of that to emphasize the scene at the very end being the most important. What was he gonna do? Say it was about Buck's new gf when we hadn't even met her yet? And still had a month to go?

[ralexsol]

I have decided to keep Tumblr updated as I re-watch... The Adventures of Puss in Boots! A glorious return to a show that cemented itself as the most controversial love in my history of loved media. Do I even love it? I'm pretty sure I skipped an entire season and a half in the middle because none of the episodes looked interesting! The show's last-second ending is permanently marked in my mind as the worst ending ever written! So we shall see. I'll be tagging these posts with "#rrays taopib thoughts" from here on out, so my followers can block it in advance lol.

As of right now, I've gotten through the first 3 episodes. I'll go over them:

S1E1 - Great start, I think one of the most memorable running gags of the whole show for me was always Raúl from the Thieves Market. There have got to be countless fics I've written that have a Raúl in it SPECIFICALLY reffing him.

Also, nobody recognizing the name Puss in Boots really cements this happening in his 1st/early 2nd life. He's not yet the legend, but he's getting there.

After the Thieves Market, the rest of this episode is why every time I've tried rewatching it in the past, I never made it last episode 1. It's just... not very good. Toby is THE most annoying character ever created. The animation really, really takes some time adjusting (it is. Bad.). The jokes aren't really funny.

There were a few good things, though. Dulcinea roasting Puss to kingdom come, Puss realizing he just fucking Doomed The Town ("...souvenir?"), and the fight scene is okay.

S1E2 - Dude the Sphinx is awesome, I LOVE her. An absolute queen. Also, it made me soft when Puss told Dulcinea about how his mama used to make those crunchy almond candies for him and the other orphans, how he now wants to make them for the kids here. And Dulcinea is like "bro you SUCK at baking wtf are you talkin bout" and yet he literally makes them and they're AMAZING?? I'm emotional everyone.

I also forgot that the fucking jail is in the bar... Another incredible running bit of the show.

The quality of humor also immediately rose in this episode from the first one. Good to see! Puss sucks at riddles and also cannot catch a fucking break <3

S1E3 - This episode would've been a lot better if Toby wasn't the main focus, but if it weren't for that, it'd be the best one so far! Puss is acting his usual, arrogant, "I work alone" self. He also gets Fucking Drunk at one point, so it's great.

"She has lots of rules, like we're not allowed to ask why she's crying!" paraphrasing but HOLY FUCK that made me doubletake. Humor is on the next level, let's hope it stays that way. Same point, Puss putting up missing posters in the same spot and me thinking, "man do the animators just not want to do a wide shot or smth?" but no, wide shot shows that he has to put them in the same section of wall now because Every Other Surface is Covered With Them.

Anyways, that's it for now! Might watch some more tomorrow while I finish my pib:tlw traditional piece :)

[blueiight]

noble fujoshi paladin... choose violence!!! for Utena (3, 9, 13, 19, 24, ik it's a lot so pick whatever u want)

3.) screenshot or description of the worst take u seen on tumblr

okay yk how tumblr will like throw random posts from ppl u dont follow on ur dash just cuz u post about a topic a lot? before i (somewhat) figured out how this app worked that feature tormented me. n i seen someone frame juri& shiori’s ending as if juri was being freed from some evil controlling abusive fake gay bitch when if anything, following the show’s ending juriori ends on somewhat of an optimistic note? u literally have ruka’s episode end with ‘wish as hard as u can, and they may know ur feelings’ with shiori walking behind juri and juri slowing down to let her catch up & shiori end up w/ a locket of her own in the badminton scene watching juri and utena play the game w/ envy. this isnt so much what that person thought so much as (read to me as) shiori coming to terms with her love for juri w/o wanting to ‘beat’ her at the game of vulnerability or ‘destroy the me in her glare’, and juri being open with herself in a way she before this never allowed herself to be. the juri we were introduced to dont wanna be saved, shes stewing in her own misery & simultaneously lords her own misery over other’s heads. she thinks shes better than the other duelists bc she has no immediate evident need for anthy, but believed her own feelings for shiori were so impossible to realize that a miracle (& anthy as the object of such, the facilitator of this ‘ miracle ‘) was needed to realize such. and that makes juri an amazing character. i find with juri especially that people tend to project their own pasts onto her which is fair but it dissuades them from analyzing her as a character in a narrative which is so sad cuz her arc w shiori (& ruka even) is so fascinating… the girls may have more in common w blueberry touga than they think in wanting to ‘save’ juri here lolol

13.) worst blorboficiation

i had to look up what that word meant LOL but i feel like fans dont talk about utena’s own arc w/ the same sophistication that they do the other characters which is crazy cuz its literally a show about her. its part of my own motivation for an eventual rewatch , bc her arc is so amazing but ppl just think shes a complete dumbass & a jock when shes really a teenage girl whos trapped n is the victor of all of the duelists bc she grows to become aware. of where she failed and is unafraid to face her flaws in a way very few characters r able to become cognizant toward. imo nanami was the closest to ‘revolution’ outside of utenanthy bc she was the closest to realizing her flaw but couldnt accept being ‘ordinary’ in a way utena did. and utena’s victory, their destruction of the castle + self deigned exit from the narrative in the finale spawns everyone else’s eventual path to liberation. shes just my little boy 🥲🥲🥲also everybody wants to be an anthy or utena girl but theyre more like juri or blueberry touga than they think. soz!

24.) topic that brings up the most rancid discourse

sexuality HCs + in a similar vein, racialization of these characters… also ppl who think bc their fav cartoon derived some aesthetic inspo from rgu or general shoujo looks that rgu is just a cute kid’s show lol. also also ppl who completely shit on the rgu manga& chiho saito like. do they know she worked on the anime??