#(also learning about history and how people lived way back when is fun :>)

[deathbydarkelves]

Anyone happen to know of any good books in the same vein as The Age of the Vikings by Anders Winroth, but about ancient/traditional Chinese history and culture? I realize that's an INCREDIBLY broad topic, the history of that area stretches way longer than that of the vikings ever did. But I'm in that "I don't know what I don't know" stage of learning about the area and its history.

I'm not looking for anything that focuses on modern/recent China, I'm looking for something that covers the mythologies, philosophies, and nitty-gritty culture details of the area's ancient history in as much depth as possible. It doesn't have to cover the ENTIRE history (I doubt a book like that even exists), even just something about one or two dynasties works. In fact that's probably better, because you can get more in-depth if you focus on one era.

And when I say "nitty-gritty culture details", I mean it. Nothing is off the table. I want to know how clothing was made and cleaned, what city sanitation looked like, how illnesses were treated, and all that stuff.

If the book(s) also happen(s) to touch on the mythology/philosophy/culture of nearby areas as well, that's just a bonus.

...also it/they would have to be in English </3

EDIT: I'll also take documentaries and, like, youtube recommendations if there are any historians online who've made videos like what I'm describing.

[followerofmercy]

Networking/Knowing A Guy: A Guide

This is the autism website. Now, as an extension of the power of love and friendship, there are few things more useful than Knowing A Guy. Knowing A Guy means you have a support network. Knowing a plumber, or a tax accountant, or just that one dude that's really fucking good at finding the information you need when you're really overwhelmed, can be the difference between being able to pay rent and having a fun party with friends to fix your shit.

How does one end up Knowing A Guy? It's a skill you can develop called Networking and it is one of the foundations of society. Unfortunately making those connections with people is fucking hard and nobody makes a tutorial for it. So, here you go:

The golden rule is you scratch my back and I scratch yours

It is necessary for survival to seek out useful people

Great news! Everyone is useful in some form or fashion - including you! When given the opportunity to learn about someone, do it! Extroversion does not come naturally to some people and that's okay. Just take whatever falls in your lap.

Types of usefulness: trade skills, connections of their own, personality you jive with, pleasant to talk to, niche interest in shared hobby, security - the list is pretty much endless. I know a guy that lives in the metro area - no job, no major hobbies, inoffensively annoying to me personally, kinda ignorant, not attractive to me, but you know what? He knows how the fuck to get around the city by foot. My rural-raised ass APPRECIATES the guide.

Remember important information: general personality, background, skillset, likes and dislikes. You can find this information by making smalltalk about their life. There is no such thing as pointless conversation. (Yes, even the annoying smalltalk)

The more people you know, the higher the likelihood that one of them will be useful in a given situation - or will know someone who is.

It is overwhelming. In a given clique/community/workspace/whatever, there is A Guy Who Knows The Other Guys. This Guy is a shortcut. Find them. They're often elderly, extroverted, a little bit annoying, a secretary or in some otherwise forward-facing position. Look for people that are gossipy/talk about other people a lot but not in negative ways. If they constantly talk shit, they'll talk shit about you too. They're still useful but be careful with the information you share

You do not have to like someone for them to be useful.

You do not have to like someone for them to be useful.*

If you have low self esteem, you're going to feel like you're using people. You're not. That's the devil talking. People like feeling valued and the connections you are making are the threads holding community together. Recognize people for their talents. It's only a problem when you're taking advantage of people

So: don't feel scummy about it. You're an animal. You have to claw out your right to survive and people will respect you more for it.

Luckily mutualism is the name of the game in the animal kingdom. Offer something back. The foundation of a Know A Guy relationship is Mutual Benefit

Sometimes that Mutual Benefit is just spreading news of the The Guy far and wide. My plumber friend is my actual friend and I love her to death, but I'm maintaining our backscratch relationship by pimping out her plumbing business to anyone that'll listen

Food is a good Mutual Benefit. People across cultures for all of human history have bonded over food. I have good success asking people for a favor and then offering to buy them lunch in return **

General compensation is also good. Offer a service in return and always do your best to offer financial compensation as appropriate. Having your plumber friend take a look at your drain: doable with a case of beer. Having your plumber friend redo the pipes in your entire house? You need to pay for that.

Being transactional is not necessarily a bad thing. I would advise against keeping an itemized list of things owed, but fish don't seek out cleaner shrimp just because they enjoy their company. Everyone gets something

Unfortunately being extroverted and generally personable is a huge benefit here, but that's the value of the Guy That Knows A Guy. There's someone out there that has consolidated All The Guys so you don't have to be the local expert. Always remember nobody can do everything and you don't need to master every skill

* This is the foundation of a functioning community. I have many acquaintances that I find incredibly annoying. They include doctors, welders, artists, social workers, lawyers, construction crew and random fuckers at the grocery store. I do not hang out with them. I do not have to in order to maintain a civil Know A Guy relationship. I can drop them useful tidbits and fuck right off so I don't have to spend any more time than necessary with them

** People may assume romantic intent. Be prepared for that. I generally denote that it's a friendly/work lunch by calling them bro at some point if they're my age. Otherwise my general demeanor is sufficient to show that I do this with everyone

Source: personal experience, mother's teachings of crime, booth vending and poverty

[adamsrcnan]

honestly i think it's a little redundant to write any think pieces on what jean's endgame ship will be. it's going to be jerejean whether you like it or not. that's the story nora is writing. she said it herself when she announced it. this story is a love story but it's also a story about jean and his journey to recovery (and just because jeremy is the future love interest that doesn't diminish the importance kevin has on jean's life either. jean's feelings for kevin are very much still there but so is the betrayal and hurt of him leaving him in the nest. it's a very convoluted relationship of which we still don't know much about. only what jean has told us, so far. as the man who believes his feelings have not been reciprocated to the same degree, mind you. like, we still have two more books to go, one with more scenes with kevin in them where we will learn more.).

as for jeremy...lmao. have we not been talking about how little we know of him since the book dropped? and now all of a sudden people are claiming to know everything about him and decided he's no good? based on one book? and for some reason because he isn't handling his new traumatised teammate perfectly like a professional with a psychology degree he's somehow not right for jean? since when has anyone in this universe been perfect? or dealt with trauma professionally and perfectly?

do i think it's right that jeremy crossed some boundaries to get some answers about jean's past? no. do i think it's right that he overshared jean's truths to his friends without his permission? fuck no. but we're dealing with a whole different group of people here, most of which have not been traumatised to the level the foxes had been. who are not used to dealing with people like jean. jeremy has his own issues yet to be revealed, he clearly has problems standing up to his family (as seen with his sister), though he has no issue captaining his team (as seen with lucas) and it's suspect that he also doesn't think himself to be as great of a person as everyone else does given the sad look on his face when jean tells him he could never be anyone's villain. so idk why anyone thinks they know anything about him when he's so cagey in his own pov. and nowhere in that, may i add, has he ever implied he wants to "fix" jean. he wants to help him. he wants to give him reasons to enjoy his life now that he can i.e making him take that silly ceramics class for Fun. and given jean has had his whole life centred around exy (which he doesn't even enjoy anymore) i think it's actually very smart and helpful to get him doing things that "don't matter" so that he can learn from it and learn that he can actually live outside exy. that he can make mistakes and be imperfect at something and that's Okay.

at this moment in time in canon, kevin doesn't have that kind of mindset and it's probably because he was allowed the freedom to already pursue an interest outside of exy - his love of history. like are we missing the detail that he begged tetsuji to let him take that as his major and he actually allowed it? kevin, though still has a long way to go, still has something outside of exy he can hold onto and switch off from. jean doesn't have that and jeremy just so happens to come along and give him the option and for some reason that seems to get ignored. i think it's actually one of the most important things about their relationship so far. jeremy still makes all the accommodations jean needs - setting him up with class partners, taking him for a run when he needs to get out of his head, buying a bed to sleep in the room with him. but he also pushes back and insists jean try something to break him out of his unhealthy relationship with exy.

also, hello, jean literally admits to himself it's a Lie when he tells jeremy he doesn't want him to look if it's too much for him to deal with when jean is attacked by grayson. and jeremy refuses to look away. something everyone around jean has done since he was born, probably.

"Jeremy’s response was low but unhesitating: “I will not look away.” “I do not want you to look.” It frightened him how much it sounded like a lie, but he didn’t have time to dwell on it..."

jean appreciates when jeremy is so very obviously attracted to jean and openly staring, but doesn't press and removes himself from the situation if he thinks he may come on too strong.

"Threat assessment, he told himself, and it was almost the truth. He needed to see the easy way Jeremy ceded Jean’s space to him. Jean couldn’t remember the last time someone allowed him any boundaries, and the feeling was as novel as it was addicting."

hello???? that is literally jean himself telling us jeremy just allowed him a boundary. how does that get looked over?

also he's content enough with jeremy in his space that he feels safe enough to almost drift off

"In the quiet he could hear Jeremy breathing, and it was almost as comforting as the heat of another body this close to his. It thawed the parts of him the sun hadn’t reached despite soaking up its glare all day. Jean closed his eyes and let his thoughts drift far away. [...] This was the first time his room truly felt safe and right, and he was content to hold onto it for as long as he could."

mind you right after this jeremy presses that jean should have his own space and jean insists jeremy share with him and get his own bed. and let's not forget the obvious flirting that has jeremy immediately backtracking and telling jean to let him know if he ever makes him uncomfortable.

ALSO THIS

“Stop asking,” Jean said. “You only think you want these answers.”

jean may find it annoying and unfavourable that jeremy keeps pressing but idk i infer this to be more of jean not knowing how to handle someone actually giving a fuck about what was done to him when he was so used to everyone turning a blind eye.

finally (bc this is getting long) jeremy pushes himself into jean's space when he hugs him, and jean doesn't hug him back but he doesn't push him away either and jeremy is the one who has to wait for jean to let go of his shirt so he can move away.

"Jeremy heard the dismissal in it, but he waited for Jean to let go of his shirt before leaving the room."

i have made a post about this before but jean craves attention and affection, he wants to be loved and to be frank he fucking deserves it more than anyone else does.

i'll finish the post with one last line from jeremy's pov...

"...it wasn't his place to interfere with Jean's trauma or his healing."

jeremy isn't perfect, he's not meant to be.

[the-cookie-of-doom]

Cookie's Fic Recs

I feel like no one really does rec lists anymore! But last night I was feeling and sappy and mushy and decide to put together my own little list of fics I love. These are in no particular order, and they don't follow any real theme/tropes other than I dearly love them all, and you should definitely give them a read!

*I tried to tag everyone I could find a blog for, but if I missed anyone, please let me know I can tag them!

The Instinctual Gravitation Towards Warmth by kimkhimhant (@kimkhimhant)

This is my comfort fic. No joke, this is what I read when I want to die. It’s angsty as all hell, it’s made me cry, but it is so indescribably good. Kim is an addict going through recovery, finding love and family along the way. He hits rock bottom—arguably multiple times—but always claws his way back, always with the support of the people that love him. It’s such a beautifully written and cathartic story, I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve read it. But it’s almost certainly the fic I’ve reread the most. 

Error in the Code by BlackwaterVial (@blackwatervial)

Sneaking this VegasPete onto my otherwise KimChay list bc it altered me. I think most people already know what it is, but jic: it’s a sci-fi/cyberpunk/android AU, and it’s one of the best things I’ve ever read. I go feral for androids and this fic delivers in all the best ways. The world building alone makes me weep. But all of the characters interactions, the way we get such an in depth feel for everyone despite the limited PoV, and the most satisfying take I’ve seen on android artificial intelligence ever—I can’t recommend this story enough. 

Idiots & Idioms by snickerdoodlles (@snickerdoodlles)

This one is actually a series, and it's genuinely so much fun to read. For the most part it's a SocMed fic with Chay taking over Wik's twitter and making it everyone's problem, and it's fkn hysterical. This one is actually a series, and it's genuinely so much fun to read. For the most part it's a SocMed fic with Chay taking over Wik's twitter and making it everyone's problem, and it's fkn hysterical.

Silver for Truth by snickerdoodlles (@snickerdoodlles)

This fic is the Kim & Khun vs. Tawan team-up we deserve. Kim is a ruthless, demented bitch, that's too cool to beat Tawan to death bc what if he messes up his wrists right before a show?? Big, get 'im. Kim is the feral-est cat ever, leaving behind evidence and bodies for Kinn bc saying "hey bro, I still love you/look out for you" is too much emotion for him. The fic is also from Tawan's PoV which also makes it the funniest thing ever, for reason that I won't spoil <3

The Wiked Lies We Live by shubaka (@shubaka)

Oh my god, this fic. Canon divergence (technically??) where most things happen as normal... except KimChay have been bodyswaped at the start of it. The little twists Shu puts on the events of canon, given it isn't the correct characters experiencing them (such as Big being very confused about why Kim is suddenly nice to him??) are so much fun.

A Portrait of Affection by froginthesun (@froginthesun)

Kim is an artist and Chay is the part time nude model he hires. ‘Nuff said right there, except no it isn’t, this fic is beautiful. Kim’s frustration with his craft is palpable, and so is the way he rediscovers his passion through Chay. The writing is wonderfully detailed, every chapter felt like walking through a museum. And tension slowly building between them—unf. 

Sunshine in My Closet by moneskin 

This is an A/B/O AU that is so satisfying to read. Typical hilarious boundary violations (Chay stealing Kim’s clothes, a bewildered Kim handing over a freshly worn outfit, having barely any idea who this strange kid is) characteristic of the AU, but then the story also delves deeper into more serious topics. Chay has a history of abuse from a past alpha that he has to learn how to navigate with Kim, who is incredibly patient and works hard to make Chay feel safe and loved. Overall a very sweet and comforting read. Seriously, this fic makes me melt.

Your Body Feels Like Disrespect by Blue_Jay (@bluejayfiction)

This fic is so funny because it begins with Kim blurting out, in the middle of an Important Mafia MeetingTM, that he and Chay aren’t having sex, and then wanting to die about it. Followed by Kim’s family trying very hard to both support and terrorize him. It’s hilarious, sexy, and one of my favorite reads when I need a pick me up. (Bless Kinn’s determination to be a Good and Supportive Brother, and Vegas for being the Worst Person Ever.) 

In Silent Screams (In Wildest Dreams) by BelladonnaWyck and StratsWrites 

This is definitely a darker fic. There’s DubCon, Kim is generally Sketchy, but it’s very hot. And I love explorations of his character where he isn’t just outwardly psychotic and cruel. This fic shows the kind of dark that I think Kim could have been, if you just tilted his character a little to the left. He still seems very much the way he is in canon, but he’s also… a lot more calculating and cold, sometimes. I love it. 

Forget-me-always by bisexualbard (@bisexualbard-writes)

I cannot sing the praises of this fic enough. I think it’s probably tied for IGTW for my most-read fics. I’ve probably read this one more often in reality, but only bc it’s shorter. But oh my god, does it hurt. Kim gets struck with amnesia post-break up, does a little light stalking, and gets Chay to help him learn/remember who he is. In the process realizes that wow his life sucks, and there’s no way he wants to go back to it. Especially if he’s the kind of person that hurt Chay. He would rather start over. (Ofc, he doesn’t get to). This fic makes me cry, it’s so good 

Coffeehouse Play by AirgodSLV

This is a canon divergence AU that I adore. The KimChay characterization is on point. I love that despite everything going on around them, they also get to be two boys that hang out and play videogames and try to shove each other off the couch while Porsche makes dinner. Given the age difference it’s so easy to make Kim Older and MatureTM, but he’s still a kid, and this story never once forgets that. It felt so honest and true to his character that Kim does have a lot of plans, and he’s very smart, but he’s also still so young, and sometimes shit just goes wrong. 

Want and Need by bisexualbard (@bisexualbard-writes)

God, this fic. T h i s f i c. Post-canon Chay goes to therapy and becomes a camboy (in that order) and it’s delicious. Watching the steady breakdown of his and Porsche’s relationship is so satisfying. Everything one of them does to make things worse feels awful, but is so in character that it’s hard to be mad at them for their decisions. Kim readily giving up control if it means he can be with Chay, and Chay getting a crash course in how to dom. All of it is just. So good. This is such a good fic

Your Look, Through This Lens by WildelyDawn (@wildelydawn)

AU where Chay becomes Kim’s photographer. This fic emotionally hobbled me. Just a fair warning. You will cry. But that said, the ending isn’t nearly as sad as the tags would have you believe! At least in my opinion. I think it’s fairly open/hopeful, and beautiful either way. I love the way this fic shows how Kim balances being Wik while also being part of the mafia. And I love how temperamental he is; always hot and cold, while remaining pretty even as far as how he expresses himself. Always very aloof/detached, just out of reach, with Chay never really sure where he stands/what Kim wants. But at the same time the fic happens just before Kim gets a big break, and the subtle ways he shows his excitement and nerves as things start coming together—it’s wonderful. 

Love’s a Two-Way Dream by giraffeter (@giraffeter)

This fic is dark. Kim atticwife’s Chay and it’s not a good time. But!! It’s not just dark for the sake of it; Kim is a genuine sociopath, yes, but it unfolds slowly. You get a sense of creeping dread as he does things that are just a little bit off, until finally the Big Bad Thing happens. At first he seems normal, playing the part of good and respectful boyfriend. But it just goes downhill from there, and I love every word of it. The ending especially is very satisfying. 

In the Dark of the Night by bisexualbard (@bisexualbard-writes)

Not to recc everything Bard writes, but… This is a rape recovery fic that I feel handles the subject matter incredibly well. There’s no gratuitous rape scenes, and even with the flashbacks, I don’t remember any of them being incredibly detailed. I think Bard handled the fic with incredible respect and grace. This is another one that’ll make you cry. The way Chay handles his past trauma while trying to have a relationship with Kim is so painfully real. And so is the way Kim wants to help him, but doesn’t really know how. But they figure it out together, and it’s amazing. (Also Kim acquires a stabby child in the form of an OC that I adore.) I just love the path Chay's recovery takes in this fic, it's so visceral and relatable. It's all around just. So good. I love this fic for the same reason I love IGTW and it's because both fics show an excellent depiction of recovery.

Chains and Crowns, A Flower Can Both Make by Sweet_William (@sweet-william-writes)

Incredibly Regency AU. Historical AUs are some of my all time favorites, and this is everything I didn’t know I needed. Sweet_William captures the essence of an Austen-esque style while still making this feel like the KinnPorsche characters. Chay is wonderfully feisty, Kim is delightfully complex, and the various family interactions always had me cackling. 

Simple Little Secrets by CorvusCloudburst (@cloudburst-ink)

Chay sees the future when he touches people. Kim thinks he’s either insane, a spy, or a conman. Oh, and Chay’s visions of Kim? Always sex-related. The shenanigans are endless. What more do you need?? They’re both crazy4crazy and it’s my favorite thing ever. Their banter is snappy and fun, the writing is sexy, and it never once gave me second-hand embarrassment despite Chay’s horrible situations. 

[shnoob]

Kurapika Kurta HC’s:

A/N: FINALLY ONTO HXH!! I have been wanting to do this for a LONG time but life got in the way, which it will again this week but I'm very excited to get this out there!  

C/W: Has both fluff and angst!

Leave any suggestions if you want to see something specific!  

Fluff:

Is one of THE best people to ask about making bracelets or anything crafty related. Due to his exterior, he seems like somebody who wouldn't care about it (in for his goals he doesn’t do them often) but back at the village, he would teach all the little kids how.  

Speaking of the village he also is probably really good about braiding hair or doing other people's hair. I can see him back then being an older figure to all the kids in the village so being that figure comes with responsibilities!! 

If you need to know any definition or any historical facts, he is your man. You’ve seen him read those books, he’s educated!! Not only does he do it for fun (and probably used those skills for the Spiders-), but for the exam to go out into the real world he found some research on the history of the outside world to get him at least some sort of idea what he was stepping into. 

Would 100% correct you if you spelled/or pronounced something wrong. If that ends up being verbal or just in his head? Depends on his mood. 9/10 it's in his head but catch him in a bad mood and he won't hesitate to mummer it under his breath.  

Yes, he is very stand-offish due to his life/profession BUT I like to believe that deep down he is a really good listener and will pay attention. I mean we can see it first season!! Sure he may not say anything once it gets to the point where he’s in York New but he does retain the information said to him and just leaves it on the back burner. 

Back on the crafty gig, he knows how to crochet and knit. Instead of buying bookmarkers to not lose his place in his book, he makes his own (when he has the time anyway). 

One of the neatest people known to mankind. Although he doesn't get the time to do it, having a clean environment makes him happy and makes him focus better. If not in a clean environment such as his room, I feel like it stresses him out to where he needs to get up and put some stuff away before he can lay down and then stress about the Spiders. 

Tea drinker!! Drinks coffee but doesn't like the taste of it. LOVESS a tea that tastes more fruity <3.  

LOVES nicknames. Giving or receiving them deep down means something to him. Especially after you give one to him, if you don't use it he’ll wonder why and get a bit disheartened :(.   

The biggest gentlemen around! Holds doors for people, always says thank you and excuse me when moving around, biggest tipper etc. An “angel from above” is the words you’d hear people using for him from strangers. It has come to the point where if he enters a coffee shop he often goes to they already know and get in such a good mood. 

Loves birds!! As a side hobby he has a collection of pictures of birds he’s taken over the years. With that, he has definitely learned some bird calls and will not hesitate to show somebody the difference between them.

(is in love with Leorio I swear!!)  

Angst: 

When he was younger, the color red was something that was noted as a good thing, and due to his clan he was so confident in his eyes. Now he cant bare to look into the mirror somedays just because of his eyes. 

With the color red, he cant stand the thought of it being his favorite color. He probably doesn't even have one after everything due to how attached he was to red and now that attachment is unhealthy. 

Seriously doesn't take care of himself. Like at all. As much as I love the fluff he wouldn't know what a healthy life looks like anymore.  

Has so much survivor's guilt (which this one is obvious but to the point where it hurts). 

A lot of people say that he doesnt care about his friends bu he definitely does. In fact I say that he lives in a detachment type style. Due to his deep rage and focus it makes him feel that being away from everybody he cares about is the right thing to do because he cant let anybody else get hurt and theres no time to be doing things he enjoys most. By this though, he feels those surges of guilt by not keeping in touch; but now its been so long without talking to them the guilt of going back is so deep he cant bare to face them. 

When he cries most of the time he doesnt even realize. His brain just shuts down to where it doesnt register that he is upset and needs to take a minute. It doesnt help that half of the time tears dont even fall, so its just a emotional block. 

Will never be able to commit to a romantic situation but still dreams of it :(.

[maleyanderecafe]

Courtin' Cowboys (Visual Novel)

Created by: Mr Fishess, jd

Genre: Horror

I know this game came out a while ago, but I finally was able to play it and man is it fun. It reminds me of a smaller scale DOL or even something like The Snake's Taken a Spouse. There are three yanders that are in this game, though it definitely follows more of a porn game logic for yanderes. I will explain that in a bit. This game has a lot of violence and sex, and is r18, so please be wary if you do play it.

The MC basically starts out staying at a town in Summerfield. They rent a motel there. The game allows you to meet people at the saloon, the store, the sheriff's office, out in the pastures and in the woods. You can also decide to leave at any point as well. There are a lot of things you can do in the game besides interact with other characters, including buying and cooking food, going fishing, foraging and catching snakes for money. You can also buy different outfits and customize your looks.

While there are many characters, we will be going over the three yanderes in the game, Dijon, Jak and Will. I'm not sure if I was able to get everything for them, but I was able to at least get all of the endings, so we'll start with that. A lot of the endings usually involve them competing with other yandere characters so we'll cover those as well.

Dijon is the farmer that lives in the pasture. When first meeting him, he will talk about how he can't tell if he's missing sheep because he can't count higher than 10. After helping him, we go hunt for his lost sheep, which has run off into the woods and then go into the farm to have sex with him (I finally get to be the dom in one of these games, heck yes). Most of his endings generally involve sleeping with another character, only for Dijon to kidnap you and bring you back to his farm, where I guess you can just leave afterwards. Each time, it seems like he believes you are like a sheep, having strayed too far from home, getting a bit more paranoid every time that you leave. He can do this upwards of about three times. After sleeping with the fourth person, Dijon will get angry and chain the MC up in the barn, before the MC is able to escape. Dijon runs after them only to hear a loud noise. Afterwards it seems Dijon kind of just continues what he's doing as if nothing has happened.

Jak is the drunk that hangs out in the bar. If you flirt with him before buying him a drink, the two of you can have sex outside in a camp. If you sleep with enough other characters, Jak will actually kill the last person you slept with before being sent to jail. From what I remember, he is also one of the main characters in the creator's other game, Lover's Trophy, though I have yet to play that game.

Will is a clown man that is found in the woods. The MC will end up trying to chase after him finding a bunch of bones set up in a way that resembles a tea party. Depending on options, Will can either end up killing the MC or growing obsessed when the two talk. We learn that he lives in the woods and wears clown makeup because he's afraid of social interactions and wants to make it easier to approach people (thus the clown makeup). We also see he's sort of the groundskeeper of the woods, burying bodies to let them be eaten clean to the bone. After talking to him and not dying, he ends up stalking the MC. During one of the other interactions when the MC is investigating a robbery, they talk to the dancer, Magnolia. If the MC brings up Will as the possible thief, Magnolia will defend Will, stating their history together as childhood friends before drifting apart. In another ending, Will is able to save the MC from the beast in the woods called the Bastard, a man who basically acts like an unkillable animal and wanders the woods. There is also an event where Will sneaks into the MC's room at night and kind of noncons them. This is a random event.

There are two competitions that occur with the yanderes in the game, one being Jak vs Dijon and the other being Dijon vs Will.

When sleeping with both Jak and Dijon, the two of them will end up attempting to kidnap the MC during the night. Upon waking up, the two will end up forcing the MC to choose one of them. Choosing Dijon ends with Jak attempting to shoot him, with the MC having the choice to push him out of the way, thus getting themselves killed. Otherwise, Dijon will be shot and Jak kidnaps the MC into the forest to noncon them. The MC can run away, causing the Bastard to come and kill Jak. Choosing Jak will cause Dijon to sadly walk away, allowing Jak to take care of the MC. Jak will end up shooting Dijon regardless and once again drag them back to camp to noncon them. Through gun play, I believe the MC can still be shot and killed, and the same bastard ending will still apply.

When interacting with both Dijon and Will, the two of them will end up the MC's room at night. The MC will wake up to the two of them talking at the end of the bed. At first it seems to be some sort of banter, the two insulting each other's ages and their weaknesses before Dijon attempts to take out a gun and kill Will. If the MC warns Will and then takes the gun, they can attempt to shoot as a warning, to which the bullet will miss and end up killing the MC instead, or they will simply threaten them and they will leave. If they don't warn Will, Dijon will end up shooting Will and dragging his dead body out, whereas if you do, Will can end up stabbing and killing Dijon.

As a whole, the game is very well put together and has a lot of features. You can basically date every character except three of them (that being the innkeeper, Mortom and the Bastard), each with it's own CGs and endings, along with various mini games, and an entire cooking and inventory system. On a technical basis, this game is done very well and it is pretty fun running around and doing a lot of these tasks. Still, as much as the individual components are very fun, I feel like there's not really any reason to do any of the mini games for the plot. You can basically ignore the entire portion of it if you are simply just seeing what the character plots would be like, which is kind of unfortunate. The cooking system is supposed to tie in with the stamina system, which is a good idea, but talking to people doesn't deplete stamina, only gathering items. In this way, it feels very disjointed from the rest of the game, as not even stuff like money is really needed to play. I think at least an easy fix for the money system would be similar to how DOL forces the player to pay Bailey, so in this game, you would be forced to pay the innkeeper money for every day that you stay there (which, you know, does make sense if you want to stay at the inn) thereby forcing you to spend time getting money and having to cook food to be able to get energy to make money. Unfortunately with the implementation that I see at least, it seems to be lacking in attempting to make a game play loop with these cool mini games. While it's not the worst thing in the world, I think it does make these minigames kind of pointless since you can basically completely ignore them.

Storywise, while I do think it's very nice that you are able to get more of a solid look at a lot of characters, I do feel like there isn't really anything satisfying for the end of a lot of them. When they are killed, there is no reaction for most of the other characters (with the exception of a handful of them). It's hard to say where certain events will happen unless you have a guide and while there is one on the fandom page, there is none on the itchio or steam page that helps you (which is unfortunate for people like me who generally rely on a walkthrough to try to get everything). I think that was the point of having a lot of characters all with their own story, but I feel like there could have been more to place more of an arc for each them.

Dijion as a yandere is mostly pretty light. He actually is probably the most harmless out of all of them considering that he only really kidnaps the player when sleeping with another character (unless it's with Jak or Will). He seems to delusionally believe that the MC is a sort of "lost sheep", which is why he keeps bringing them back to the barn. It is unfortunate that he doesn't actually end up trying to harm or even properly trap the MC (well, he tries, but they run away again, with seemingly no consequence). He does manage to kill Will in one of the endings, however, it's strange to me that he wasn't able to do so with other characters such as Jak or even any of the other characters that the MC might end up sleeping with. Still, I think I do quite like Dijion as a character, he's very puppy like, similar to a dog herder who is trying to get his sheep back. His running gag of not being able to count (especially when Will calls him out on it) is pretty funny, though I wish it was brought up more.

Jak is probably the most extreme out of the yandere characters considering that he is the most violent and most forceful of the three. When choosing between Jak and Dijon, Jak will outright shoot Dijon if the MC doesn't protect him and he can kill either Magnolia or Jade as well, sending him straight to jail as well as fighting and possibly killing the Bastard in one of the endings. I'm not sure how close he is to his counterpart in Lover's Trophy, but he is very violent in this version, with it often leading to his own detriment, like when he is killed by the Bastard after being taken when choosing between Dijon and him, or when he is jailed for killing either of the girls. He also definitely has a very intimidating presence with the game emphasizing just how tall he is and how generally strong he is. He definitely feels like he fits very well in this type of murder horror type game given his general behavior and intimidating presence.

Will as a yandere generally just stalks the player, and doesn't have nearly as many endings as Jak or Dijion. Still, I do think the scenes we do get give a bigger impression of what he's actually like. From what I've seen, although we generally don't see him in the game, it is implied that he stalks the player quite often, as we see him save the MC from the bastard and sneak into the MC's place at night. Given that he's rather aloof and is uncomfortable with most human interactions, it does make sense that we barely ever see him, only really gaining more insight from Magnolia as the two seem to be friends. I kind of wish that we had more personal encounters with him like maybe hanging out with him with his bone collection (thing), but I do think even with the little information that we do learn about him he's a pretty solid character. Plus if you talk to him wrong, he straight up kills you which is kind of entertaining.

In terms of what I mean by porn game yandere, I basically have to turn again to DOL for this. While I get it's not really fair comparing two of these games as they are going for different things, what I mean in this case is that in general, yanderes are not usually okay with their love interests sleeping with other characters. This usually results in murder of some sort or at least some sort of separation of their lover with the person that they're sleeping with. However, in games like DOL, while Kylar and Eden can get jealous or otherwise kidnap the MC, they aren't allowed to kill the other characters that they sleep with and in essence, the MC can just kind of have a poly relationship with all of the love interests if they want. While I'm not saying poly yanderes can't exist, they generally have certain specifications on how they act (at least in my opinion). Obviously for gameplay wise, if the player is not into any of the yandere characters and ends up sleeping with with by accident or on purpose, it would be a big pain if they ended up murdering or getting rid of the other characters gameplay wise, and considering both of the characters, it also doesn't seem fair to also just exclude them just because you are allowed to sleep with other characters, which is why I kind of call it porn game logic since for the sake of not making the gameplay bad for the player, I will make an exception for it in this context. Anyways, going back to Courtin' Cowboys, while unlike DOL you can have characters killed, they don't usually get that far. A good example is with Jak who is able to kill one of the characters (either Magnolia or Jade if you sleep with them) before getting captured (which is fine). Meanwhile a character like Dijon seems pretty light, having the player sleep with three different characters only leads to Dijon basically telling the player not to get lost again after being kidnapped and Dijon just...letting them go. Will also doesn't have that much yandere actions either considering that outside of the versus, protecting the MC from the bastard and the random encounter of him breaking into the inn and sleeping with you.

Still despite what kind of possible tweaks and missing things I have for Courtin' Cowboys, it is undoubtedly a fun game. There is so much in it that I probably didn't even get to see, plus every time you play you can have a different experience. The customization and general aesthetic of being a cowboy is really nice and the fact that you have all these minigames in the first place is very impressive along with the sheer amount of characters that you can date/interact with is very cool. It's a great entry into the murder sim type genre with a bunch of fun yanderes to boot. If you haven't played it yet, I would highly recommend it.

[natsaffection]

hi 👋 how are you??

im having stressful exams this month, a lot of tough subjects, and i'm so frustrated with it all. could you please share your thoughts on how natty would handle r in a situation like this? maybe in the "my sweet baby" universe??

if you can, thank you so much, my love 💖

Together. | N. Romanoff

Sugar Mommy!Natasha x Sugar Baby!Reader

warnings: Just fluff🍀🍀

words: 947

A/n: Please take care of yourself if it gets too much, drink cocoa, and do other fun and relaxing things!!☕️

-

Now you're sitting in front of it again. One stack after the other, and it just didn't stop?

Why did you decide to do it again? Ah...Right...Future...

You were a bit frustrated, you had imagined your days to be different from sitting in Natasha's living room and cramming for hours. Natasha was also busy with herself in a meeting, and you couldn't help but take a leaf out of her book. Maybe one day you will be as successful as her..Run your own business someday.

CEO Of the L/N Company..Sounds good already....

"What are you thinking about?" As if she knew you were thinking about her right now, Natasha stands in the room and looks at you smiling, you sigh and put the stapler you had in your hand on the table, "Can't I just start with you?" Natasha could hear the frustration in your voice, and when she saw all the paper stuff she knew exactly what you meant. You see her looking at you with an unfamiliar look and suddenly she’s leaving.

She just left, Damn, you did something wrong..Before you could dive further into negative scenarios, she came back and sits down right next to you, "Alright, what are we looking at here?" You looked at her in confusion, "What about your meeting?"

Natasha reached for a stapler that was on the table, "Finished it, you are more important to me than listening to some people who think they can do something better," She looks back at you, "Now let's talk about you. So, what's it about?"

You couldn't help but smile softly. You can already feel the pressure easing a bit, ,,Aspects of human history and experience.“ Natasha flipped through the sheets a bit and as you did, she asked, „What can you think of already?“

Okay, how do you tell her you've just been staring at it so far? „Uhm..“ Natasha put the folder on her knees and this time looks directly at you, „You haven't looked at it yet, have you?“

You sigh again and lean against the couch, „I wonder how you managed to make everything look so easy, Nat. You're rich, you have your own company, and it seems like you don't have to worry about anything..“

Natasha's eyes softened, and she put a hand on your thighs, her voice soft and soothing. „Y/n, it may seem that way from the outside, but I promise you, success did not come on its own. I, too, sat on the floor and studied for hours. I had to deal with countless obstacles, setbacks, and doubts. Getting to where I am now took hard work and determination.“

You continue to look at her, „I know it won't be easy, but sometimes it just feels overwhelming. I want to achieve great things, but the road ahead seems so long..“

Natasha smiled and squeezed your thigh, „I believe in you, Y/n. You have the intelligence, the drive, and the passion. Remember that every little step brings you closer to your goals. Rome wasn't built in a day, nor were successful businesses or successful careers.“ Natasha realized that she was playing to your motivation with her speech, so she took the chance and went right on, „So, can you tell me anything interesting about any of these civilizations yet? Which ones are there, for example?“

Your eyes lit up as you begin to share your knowledge. „Well, the Egyptians, for example, were known for their impressive pyramids, and they believed in the afterlife.. They had intricate burial practices to prepare for the journey to the afterlife.“

Natasha nodded, acknowledging your answer, „That's right. It's fascinating how different societies view life and death. What are the challenges you find in learning about this topic?“

You sighed for the third time now, your frustration evident. „I get overwhelmed by all the dates and names. I feel like there's so much to remember.“

Natasha's voice sounded reassuring. „It's normal for you to feel this way. Let's try to break it down. We'll focus on one civilization at a time and create a timeline. That way it won't feel so scary. Also, I'm here to help you with the names and dates, understand?“

That sounds like a lot of work, you thought to yourself, but not for you, for Natasha, „Nat..Is this really okay that I'm keeping you here like this? you must have-" she interrupted you directly, „Quit that.“ She leans toward you, " „What good does it do me to have you sinking here in front of me, hm? I'd hire someone for you to make your tables and everything you need, so. Carry on.“

You had to smile again and nodded your agreement. At some point you reached a point where Natasha asked, „Let's talk about the ancient Mesopotamian civilizations. What else do you know about them?“

You think for a moment before answering, „They were known for their sophisticated writing system and the Code of Hammurabi, which was one of the earliest law codes.“ Natasha nodded in agreement. ���That's right. And what do you know about the Indus Valley civilization?“

You hesitated, struggling to remember the details. „I'm not sure about that.. I think it was an ancient civilization on the Indian subcontinent, but I don't remember much else.“

Natasha smiled, without a hint of frustration in her voice. „ And that's all right, Y/n. The Indus Valley Civilization was actually on the Indian subcontinent, and they had advanced city planning with well-organized cities.“ Natasha notices you drifting off again, and she puts the things aside, „It's normal to forget some details. We'll work on it together.“

You appreciate her patience and support. „Thank you for your understanding, Natasha. Sometimes it's frustrating when I can't remember everything.“ Natasha reassured you, „It's all part of the learning process. We'll take another look at Indus Valley Civilization and make sure you understand it thoroughly.“

-

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I need a Natasha. 🥲

[crystal-moon-101]

A while ago I had made up a Zak for each day of the week to match Zak Saturday and Monday for fun, and because I wanted to give Zak some more AU similar to how Ben gets a lot of them. So not only do they all have different last names, but each have their own backstories and colour theming! So I hope you enjoy my little AU concepts.

-Zak Saturday-

Classic original Zak. I decided to draw them all when they're 11, start of the series vibes. So that's why he doesn't look like the ways I normally draw him currently, since those are when he's 14. Nothing different with his design here, beyond still giving him those vivid orange eyes.

-Zak Sunday-

Also known as Zak Argost, having been taken in by the man after he had a certain encounter with Zak's parents, resulting in their deaths. When Argost found the young toddler, seeing the start of Zak's power, he was happy enough to take the child with him and use his powers to his benefit. Due to being taken when he was very young, Zak doesn't remember his parents at all, fully believing in anything Argost tells him, the only family he has. So he happily helps his guardian in keeping cryptids tamed during Weird World shows, or during trips to learn about them, even if Argost puts Zak in more danger than he should. Due to his appearances on Weird World, Zak is a celebrity of sorts, even if he doesn't get to go out often. Argost also gives him a lot of gifts, keeping the child in a positive mood to keep him under his thumb. So Zak truly believes that Argost cares about him.

Though things start to turn when Argost finally decides it's time to hunt down Kur and take his powers, hiring Van Rook and Doyle on the mission. This leads to Zak and Doyle getting to know each other, with Doyle feeling protective over this random kid for some reason. Eventually this leads to him taking Zak away when this whole Kur business gets out of hand. While Doyle can't seem to convince Zak that Argost doesn't care about him, the pair do at least agree to try and find Kur first, Zak worried that even Argost shouldn't handle such powers. However, only time will tell if the pair discover the truth behind their unknown family history.

-Zak Monday-

The good old twisted gremlin of a child, Zak Monday and his family were a result of the smoke mirror. They come from a world that twists the very nature of people, a poor reflection of their negative aspects. If you're naive, then your mirror self is incredible dumb. If you're a bit of a perfectionist, then your mirror self is a control freak. And Zak Monday represents the twisted doubts of Zak feeling like a monster, so why have any doubts when you can be the monster?

I decided to change Zak Monday a bit to have the green eyes and green shirt with his own logo, cause I liked the idea that after his first appearance, they switch back to what they're suppose to look like. But other than that I kept the concept of him looking just like Zak, minus the inverted hair colour.

-Zak Tuesday-

The young naga is the son of Rani Nagi. Born solely to have Kur's soul enter and be a host, but whoops! Looks like Kur's memories aren't there, but that wasn't going to stop Rani Nagi, who thinks if she keeps at her plans, eventually her son will become the old cryptid king she once knew. Even going as far as to solely call her child Kur, who secretly calls himself Zak due to him often watching humans in the shadow, curious about them and wanting a name for himself. Zak Tuesday has a lot of identity issues, not helped by his mother's teachings towards him, ignoring all his dreams and personal thoughts. Eventually he just got really good at lying rather than convincing Rani Nagi.

However, the young cryptid prince is suddenly kidnapped by Argost one day, as he figured out where Kur's soul was currently living. Zak knew he would have died that day if not for Drew and Doc recusing him, having been chasing Argost over this Kur situation. Though they're a little surprise that upon meeting the new Kur, they find it's just a young naga who really doesn't know who he is. At first Doc and Drew didn't know what to do with him, but Zak begged them to not send him back home, and let him stay at their place until he could figure things out. He wasn't foolish, he knew the nagas were planning a war, and he wasn't keen on being the face of it all. So now the Tuesdays just have a snake living around the house, but they can't exactly complain as he is a well mannered guest at least. And perhaps the house doesn't feel so lonely with him around either.

-Zak Wednesday-

Some of you might recognize this one, but this Zak is from my old Zur AU, where Kur was reborn via the Kur Stone due to it being an egg, and Zak is a dragon that shapes between human form and dragon form. I decided to update him, making him Zak Wednesday now, with a pink theme! I also decided that instead of Kur being reborn, I wanted to shake things up a bit and have it that Zak was directly Kur's son. His mother is unknown, and as Kur saw how the world was at the time, he put Zak's egg into a stasis situation until it was discovered again. After saving it from Argost, the egg hatched among the secret scientist, leading to them chasing the child of Kur. But upon using his shapeshifting abilities to look like a child of Drew and Doc, they just couldn't help but adopt him on the spot, siting there was no sense in blaming Kur's son over what happened years ago.

The growing dragon is very playful with a cheeky personality. He exhibits a lot of draconic behaviors, with a wild and free spirit. He is aware of his family history, but he doesn't like to think about it, unsure in how to view his father based on the stories he's heard. Besides, Doc and Drew are his parents, and that's all that matter to him. Though perhaps this sudden appearance by Argost, claiming he was going to far Zak's father, has been a bit rattling to deal with.

-Zak Thursday-

When Kur knew he was going to die, and also knew his soul wasn't able to live the mortal realm, he made plans to make it so his reborn self would both be born in hopefully a better time, and be without his memories. It was better that way, so that his new self could live a lovely life without the sins from his past. But that didn't exactly pan out properly, as Kur was reborn and sadly remembers everything. It took him a while to understand this growing up, his young human mind not processing it until he was roughly 7-8, and even then he needed time to think about it. And now he's a depressed 11 year old who now has to be stuck with the fact his plan didn't work, unable to run away from the person he once was. Doc and Drew found out the truth when Zak tried running away one day, their son sitting them down and telling them the truth in hopes they'd just leave him, it would be better that way. But to his surprise they disagreed, as he was still their son, Kur or Zak, and it would be too dangerous to leave him alone.

So now Zak lives with his parents? Are they really his parents? The family keeping this dark secret to themself, even from the other scientists. Doc and Drew still reach out to their son, doing their best to connect with him, but he can't help but push them away. He doesn't deserve this, and they deserve better. However, their secret might come out after Argost stole the Kur Stone and now hunts for Kur, not realizing the truth right in front of him. So now the family tries to get the stones back, wanting to protecting Zak/Kur from others finding out. Doesn't help that he has to go through being a child again with such dark memories lingering in his head, feeling tired and overwhelmed with the world. Hasn't he suffered enough?

-Zak Friday -

In a world where Kur and cryptids successfully wiped out humans, the king ruled the lands for a while after, before one day he mysteriously vanished. Many concluded that he had died somehow, the details unknown, but this lead to a prophecy that one day their king would return, leading to many claiming to be him, or praying that they will be him for the power and wealth. In this universe, Zak and his family are all cryptids, with Zak being a a Chuvash Dragon, Drew and Doyle are Epimeliads, and Doc is a Gargoyle (Other characters are also cryptids in this timeline). Zak is a serpent like dragon that breathes fire, as a very twistable body, and can freely shapeshift. He's heard about the legend of Kur returning, but frankly he thinks they don't need him, even if the cryptid world has been shattered without a king for years now.

But when a yeti named Argost claims that Kur is back, being backed up by the Nagas, everyone starts to gossip and run around trying to figure out who the new Kur is. So maybe it's best that Zak doesn't tell the whole world about his sudden new powers to control and communicate any fellow cryptid is walks by.

[the-monkey-ruler]

The more I read about the JTTW Conspiracy Theory, the less I like it, and the more disappointed I am that BMW followed it.

I have found that it has turned into a unique taste at least for a more modern audience that really enjoys the thematic meanings of Journey to the West. Xiyouji at its core is one that says that anyone can change and that people can take a hold of their lives and start changing themselves for the better. I found the book uplifting how between the humor and the allegories we see the pilgrims really come together in each new demon fight and rely on each other. That no matter what you've done there can be hope that you can find people like you and you're not alone on any journey.

That is how I always connected with Xiyouji, as a journey to hope, not to save the world per se, but one that you are not you're worst self and that you can learn and grow as a person. This is journey about learning how to save yourself for your own sake. That anyone (even a monkey) can find themselves, know who they are to the point of enlightenment and become one with the universe essentially becaming a Buddha.

The JTTW Conspiracy Theory does take that message and make it more that "enlightenment is a lie" and "changing is just conforming to be more submission to your masters." It frames Wukong's person growth into something of him just becoming a mindless tool of heaven. That all his hard work and travels were really for nothing and just that he is seen as nothing more as a yao and that he will always be seen as a yao to be used.

Don't get me wrong, Xiyouji does poke fun at itself. While yes they do make Arhats taking bribes and do make Daoist yao master eat babies it is in the tone of satire and to make the scene more humorous with the absurdity of it all. Xiyouji is about to poke fun at religion while still being sincere in the religious messages found within the book. It makes fun of the gods but it also makes fun of humans and yao and anyone who can be criticized. But just because it is able to make light of the gods in both Eastern and Weatern Heaven doesn't make it an anti-religious work but rather I see it as an attempt to make the gods more human to the audiences. Humor has been used for centuries as a way to show the absurdity of life and make characters more relatable, and I really think that Xiyouji is still so popular after nearly 400 with such great movies/shows/games because it is FUNNY and their characters are still able to crack a smile even in the more dire of situations.

I have said that the Chinese Odyssey and Bio of Wukong really make the JTTW Conspiracy Theory popular, and it has, but it could be traced back to the Havoc in Heaven 1961 Movie with how it was framed that Wukong was a freedom fighter. The 1961 Movie has a long and rich history about its creation and its political meaning. But in short, it was seen as a symbolic meaning of class warfare between Wukong (the freedom fighter) and Heaven (the oppressive authoritarian government). This was taking Wukong's original meaning being of an arrogant and selfish warlord who uses his power for his own desires and transforming it into a Wukong who is now the common man who is meant to relate to the average worker fighting for his rights and the rights of others. Hence why in the 1961 Wukong WINS in the end! He BEATS the Jade Emperor! He WON! No Buddha, not mountain, he goes home, he DID IT. Because he is the HERO.

This was an understandable change as this was in the mind of inspiring people to stay hopeful in the face of opposition.

"When the first half of the film was released in 1961, state and public reception was glowing, but by 1965, when the second half was completed, it became impossible not to recognize in it revolutionary undercurrents. At first, Mao was compared favorably to the mischievous Sun Wukong, wreaking havoc in “Heaven,” overturning the Chinese bourgeoisie. But by the same metaphor Mao had also plucked away the country’s “stabilizing pillar” with his disastrous Great Leap Forward. By the start of the Cultural Revolution, Mao’s China could be seen as “Heaven,” Mao himself its stuffy Jade Emperor, and the disenfranchised groups living under his regime, the monkeys."

This is still self-contained as it was only Eastern Heaven that was shown to be overthrown. Guanyin and the Buddha were never shown and thus never perceived in a negative light, thus not suggesting that enlightenment is a lie or anything like that. Also Wukong wasn't fighting for Yaoguai but rather his own monkeys, another difference, as this has no connection with "yao are an opposed group" that is seen within the JTTW Theory. Wukong shows no issues in later movies fighting Yao. And the biggest difference is that Wukong WINS in the end, he goes home and the heavens are defeated. We never see any repercussions for that because there are none, the movie is over and the audience is meant to leave with the feeling of hope and optimism that Wukong has given them.

The reason I always connect the JTTW Conspiracy Theory to Bio of Wukong is that it brought in the pessimism that rechanged the whole story. Wukong DOESN'T win. Wukong ISN'T able to change anything. He dies a martyr who rather loses his life against an impossible battle rather than live a life of servitude and while he is gone he will never be forgotten. He is a TRAGIC hero. It embraces the beauty of rebellion even in the face of resistance and the death of blind idealism.

And that IS a beautiful story. I can see why this story got so popular with young adults in the early 2000s, as they are facing a changing economy and starting to feel how hard work and everything they have been studying for feels like it was all for nothing in the workplace. This was a story that resonated with an entire generation and it can show the struggle of trying to cling to individualism in the face of conformity in order to integrate better into social pressures. I think that there can be a lot to be explored and so much that can be take from this kind of take.

But I think the real issue is while Bio of Wukong is a light novel inspired by a movie that is more of a Time Travel Movie reimagining of Journey to the West, the JTTW Conspiracy Theory tries to apply to the actual book. The JTTW Conspiracy Theory takes it a step further and claims that enlightenment is a lie, and the whole Journey is orchestrated by the Buddha to promote his “corrupt” religion while crushing SWK's spirit and making him into a tool for the Heavens. This kind of stance can come from a general anti-religion stance or a nationalist position to base Buddhism.

I could understand how modern authors compare heaven to current authority, creating a hero of rebellion who fights against oppressors but still never wins in a way to connects to audiences through gaining sympathy. By now it feels overplayed but when it first came out the 'dark version' was very appealing to young adults esp when it comes to feeling limited when facing new experiences. While it isn't accurate to JTTW and what the message is, it is more like JTTW can be used as a medium for that kind of storytelling.

JTTW Conspiracy Theory takes what could have been solid symbolism of using JTTW as a medium for modern issues in a way that is able to relate and connect with its audience, and rather turns it around as a critic of JTTW's original narrative and tries to push it as a stance against religion. This uproots Xiyouji's original messaging and its deep connection to established folklore, Buddhism, and Daoism. While I do believe that directors try to capture the impact that Bio of Wukong had, it falls short as it just isn't a FEESABLE story within Xiyouji's own verse. If you view the entire premise of Buddhism and all religions as false, then whatever answers they give to important questions can be nothing but lies and falsehoods, to maintain their own power and deceive worshippers. It takes away the foundations of Xiyouji to the point that it is no longer even the same story.

In the end, I do believe that this Conspiracy Theory has run its course and that it would be better to be shelved as more of a 'horror' genre of the book rather than to be seen as a proper adaption. It might be my own personal old age but I have been through the early 2000 'angst' era and while it was fun while it lasted I do believe that this was a needed step into a new evolution of where Xiyouji interpretations can go. I would love personally to see more interpretations of Wukong as a ruthless warlord rather than a freedom fighter. To see Wukong as a near irredeemable monster and throughout the journey becoming someone more of an anti-hero who learns more about empathy and kindness through each trial. And I do think we are heading in this direction. The most prime example I believe would be Monkey King Hero is Back which shows a reluctant Wukong slowly realizing what it means to be a hero, not his power, but what you are willing to fight for. A more interpretational battle rather than Wukong fighting demons or even fighting an oppressive regime he starts to fight himself. Another layer of Wukong's identity being explored but his own pride and ego being his enemies rather than an external force.

We see more modern movies trying to move past Wukong being just a hero or a martyr but truly being dedicated to making him the complex individual that he could always be. I hope that we do see more directors taking this stance as Journey to the West is a beautiful story with the unique and rare gift that it allows all characters, gods, demons, and humans to be seen on an equal footing. Gods are allowed to be funny and flawed, demons are clever and can be redeemed, and humans can be both good or bad depending on their actions. While Xiyouji is lighthearted I do think that interpersonal struggle aligns more with its messaging. It's complex with it's allegories but there isn't a sense of hopelessness as the one thing in life that you can control is yourself at least.

I think that Black Myth Wukong has a lot to offer, especially in terms of bringing new fans into the series. While I am a lil saddened that the story is inspired by a theory 20 years ago, I can see why as it was quite popular. I will say though it has been done to death, and while I'm sure it was a 'safe' bet it is something that is unoriginal and that does leave me disappointed (please note nearly all web-movie jttw have come out in the past ten years have a similar premise). I can only hope that with future DLC or in future JTTW adaptions they take that as a sign to grow from the premise gathering rather than repeating the same old thing.

[yelenaslyubov]

A New Frontier: Part 2

𓃗𐚁🏜𖤓⋆｡° ✮ // a new frontier // part 1 // part 2 // part 3

main masterlist || yelena belova || requests

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ pairing: yelena belova x reader

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ warnings: little language, and mentions of nudity? (also i did not read this over again after i finished, so possible spelling errors🙈)

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ description: after finding out the challenge that you and the Avengers are up against, you become increasingly nervous. not only are you up against Hydra, but learning new things takes you to new heights.

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ word count: 4.1k

“Hydra! But I thought Hydra was destroyed?”

Yelena shhhed you. “Why are you acting surprised about this?”

You didn’t want to admit that you had fallen asleep during Tony’s announcement but you were not sure how to explain your screw up.

“Uhm, I may have possibly fallen asleep when Tony was giving the briefing…”

She looked at you for a moment and then chuckled to herself. “So you’re telling me that you had no idea where we were going, who we were up against, or what we’re here to do?”

You nodded your head embarrassingly.

“Why didn’t you ask?” she said blatantly.

“I didn’t want to look weak or for people to think I don’t take this seriously.”

Yelena looked almost sad for a moment, but it quickly passed. “Well now you know.”

You looked longingly at the facility down below. You couldn’t believe what you were up against now, but then again, you weren’t sure exactly what you were planning on facing in the beginning. Space people? Again?

“Come on,” Yelena said, “we should probably head back before anyone decides to lose their marbles.”

You reluctantly followed Yelena back to the truck and sat down in the passenger’s seat. You looked at the GPS and it said it would take you both about 20 minutes to find base camp. Once you buckled up you looked over to Yelena while she was driving.

“So…what’s Hydra up to now? Why are they back?”

“Apparently there were undercover Hydra agents that lived in the shadows and built this. They’ve been researching and studying new ways to build weapons and other destructive materials. Fun right?” Yelena said in a monotone voice.

“It’s kind of like the nuclear race all over again, except it’s one sided… so I guess it is nothing like that.”

The conversation faded after your words were exchanged. You hadn’t fully processed the fact that you were up against Hydra. You almost wished that there was some sort of alien mutant you were fighting against because it sounded better. This was serious shit.

You tried to take your mind off the anxiety that was suddenly weighing down on your chest. It was amazing how clear the sky was away from light. The stars seemed to shine brighter than ever, and the moon illuminated the vast land that looked as if it extended forever into the long nothingness.

The trees were vessels for your imagination. You imagined running your fingers through their thin bristles and getting lost in their scent. The trees were different out west. They had a way of holding their secrets, almost as if they had seen the history of the world and new places unfold in front of them.

You were too busy daydreaming of other worlds to notice the building way out in front of you with a few warm lights shining from it. The closer you came you could see the log house that sat bundled by trees, and a barn almost bigger to the right of it. It looked cozy enough for what you needed it for, but this was all unfamiliar territory for you, as you had always lived in the city.

Yelena pulled the truck next to the other two. The first two trucks still felt warm so you knew you hadn’t been gone very long. A chill crawled up your spine and made you shiver. I guess everyone was right; the scorching desert finds a way to tame itself at night.

You unloaded your belongings from the truck and headed inside to find everyone crowded in the living room.

“Oh god, here comes the welcoming committee,”

Yelena groaned.

They were all crammed on the two small couches and all along the floor. Some had their arms crossed and others were sound asleep.

“Steve said ‘no one gets left behind,’ so here we are waiting for the two of you to roll in. I hope you’re all safe and sound after your detour,” Natasha said with sarcasm dripping from her tongue

“Listen-” Yelena started.

“It was my fault,” you interrupted. Yelena looked at you with her eyebrows furrowed. “I got car sick so we had to pull off to the side of the road.”

“I’m glad you both are alright,” Steve said. “Let’s wrap it up and get some shut eye. We have a big day in store tomorrow.”

You looked over at Kamala and Kate with worried expressions. A big day could mean anything, but now you knew what was at stake and you didn’t want to find out what it meant.

Everyone split up amongst each other and found their rooms. There were four small bedrooms to choose from with limited space. You carefully inspected where everyone was going to ensure you got the room you wanted. You followed Kate and Kamala to the back bedroom which held three twin beds.

As you looked back, you noticed that Yelena had joined Natasha and Wanda despite her frustrations with them. You had a small pit in your stomach for some odd reason you couldn’t figure out. You watched as she walked inside without a glance. You scurried inside your room promptly so you didn’t draw attention to your staring.

“I call the bed by the window!” Kamala chanted. Kate took the bed in the middle and you settled for the bed closest to the door. The first person to be attacked if anything ever happened while at base.

“This room looks almost like John Wayne decorated it himself. What is that?” Kate looked at a small brass handle that held a glass sort of lamp shade on it.

“It’s an oil lamp,” you responded. “That in itself should tell you how long ago this was decorated.”

The three of you began unloading your belongings into the rustic chests that lived at the end of each of the beds. Space was limited so a closet wasn’t an option this time around. You giggled to yourself at the sheer amount of items Kamala had brought with her.

“So…car sick huh?” Kate asked you in a mischievous tone.

“Yeah uhm, ever since I was little I’ve gotten car sick,” you chuckled.

“But being in the jet doesn’t bother you?”

You were silent for a moment. “I guess so.”

Kate didn’t seem satisfied with the conversation, but you didn’t feel the need to dive into the subject anymore. You were afraid that they would ask too many questions and become curious about you Yelena. If there was nothing going on between you and Yelena, there would be no reason to question it…right?

You finished unpacking your things in silence while the other two girls got ready for bed. You weren’t fully comfortable around everyone yet so you felt it would be better if you got prepared for bed in the bathroom.

When you left the bedroom to find the bathroom, you almost ran straight into Yelena once again.

“We have to stop meeting like this,” you laughed. You soon turned red when you looked down to find Yelena in pants and only a sports bra.

“There are worse things, y/n y/l/n” she said with the slightest of smirks. “See you in the morning for a ‘big day’”

You couldn’t remember in that moment if you had said anything back, as the memory of her frame had burned into your memory. You walked into the bathroom and let out the breath you had apparently been holding in. Muscle memory was in overdrive as you got ready for bed. Your mind was too preoccupied for simple things such as a night routine.

When you entered your bedroom again, Kate and Kamala had already fallen asleep and the room was dark. There was nothing left awake but your mind and soul, and they were both screaming.

You crawled into your cold bed and you winced at the material of the bedding. It was a mixture of the age old fabric and the temperature that it created. You got used to it quickly and found that the bed itself was more comfortable than expected.

Once you had settled, the only thing left to quiet was your head. The image of Yelena hadn’t left since it had arrived. Did she possibly know what she was doing to you, or was she oblivious to the feelings she created within you? You wished now that you had found a way to room with her, but it was better this way. There’s enough trouble between Natasha and Wanda for everyone, the Avengers don’t need another relationship on their hands.

You flipped in bed to get comfortable and you were facing the window. You could see the twinkle of the stars that were peeking through the bristles of the trees outside. The light from the moon usually would have been distracting, but this time it was your guiding light to sleep.

Your eyelids became heavy and fluttered as you admired the moon hung in the sky, and you couldn’t help but wonder what tomorrow held.

.

.

.

Your body jumped and you were awake when a loud knock sounded against the door.

“Up and at ‘em!” Clint yelled outside. All three of you groaned. You could tell by the color of the sky that it was entirely too early to be awake.

As you looked through your trunk for something to wear, you realized the lack of specification in your wardrobe due to your lack of information. You decided on something easy that you could move in, while also trying to fit the form of an Avenger.

The three of you got ready to leave and you already regretted your clothing decision, but you had no choice. Walking down the hallway you noticed everyone in jeans, boots, and their own choice of a shirt. You suddenly became very aware of your separation from the rest of the crowd.

The groggy faces that passed down the hallway all filed outside where Steve and a few others were waiting. They were standing near the mysterious barn that you had seen last night with Yelena.

“Nice of y’all to join us,” Sam said with a smile.

“Like we had a choice, man,” Peter whined.

“Alright,” Steve clapped his hands, “since we’re all here, we can get started. Who has ridden horses before?”

“Oh god,” you mumbled quietly.

You looked around and found that Clint, Bucky, Sam, and Nat were nodding. As for the rest of the group, they looked around awkwardly.

“When have you ever ridden a horse?” Wanda whispered to Nat.

“There’s a lot of things you still need to learn about me,” Nat winked.

While you were worried, Kamala had the biggest grin on her face as she was trying to keep her excitement level to a minimum. You and Kate on the other hand were feeding off of the other’s anxiety. You looked at Yelena and she looked cool as a cucumber. Nothing could ever shake her and that’s what made her so intimidating.

“Well today is your lucky day,” Steve said. “We’ve been provided with a whole herd as you could say. In the barn are an assortment of different horses to choose from, and you will also be learning to ride with them so you feel comfortable with one another before putting yourself in a dangerous situation.”

There was a moment of silence before Yelena spoke up. “So, I get the whole western cowboy bit, it’s funny it really is, but why are we doing it? We have perfectly good trucks and our strength.”

“Great question,” Clint piped up. “Even though those are more efficient methods, in this situation, we are trying to be as stealthy as possible. Any attraction to the abnormal will draw attention, such as an excessive amount of dust being caused by the vehicles or for instance, the power of Avengers.”

‘The power of Avengers’ you thought. You thought long and hard. Hydra was in the process of making weapons of mass destruction, and what would those weapons need? It all starts with a flame.

“What about me?” you asked. “When there does come a time where we need to use powers, what about me?”

You were discovered by the Avengers after a faulty incident involving a fire. You were studying at NYU when a science experiment in your chemistry lab went horribly wrong. The concoction caught fire and you were trapped in the building along with other students. By some miracle, you survived it, but the others perished. Some say that you emerged made of fire yourself, but either way, you remained unscathed after the accident. Ever since then, you’ve been able to harness the power of fire and use it to your advantage. You found that this may be hard in the current situation.

“Uhm,” Steve said hesitantly, “we’ve all briefly discussed that, and for the safety of us here, we’d like to feel the fire to a minimum is possible. Of course there will be circumstances that require you to use them, but keep it tamed for now.” You nodded in agreement.

You felt a bit defeated. Why were you invited on this mission if you weren’t even able to use your powers to your advantage? You understood that you were new, but that seemed even more reason to leave you behind.

“Getting back on track,” Clint clapped his hands together.

“Right, right,” Steve awkwardly laughed. “Today we’re going to pick our steeds for the time being. They’re fully trained and broken, it’s just your job as a rider to become comfortable around your horse so you’re able to have a successful time together. But first, you have to find a horse that you click with.”

You all started to walk off before Bucky called back out to you. “And another thing…with the help of the Wakandans, we’ve been able to provide a vibranium shield around the property that disguises our location. That means it’s important to learn your surroundings and pay attention to your tracker because this shield will be enabled at all times. When outside the shield, the house and the barn, along with everything beside it will disappear and it’ll look as if it’s a normal forest. This is for your safety and ours while completing this mission, so be smart.”

“Everyone convene in the barn to choose your pick of the bunch and we’ll go from there,” Steve announced.

“Woah,” Peter and Kamala said in unison.

“We’re like real superheroes!” Kamala exclaimed and you smiled back. You weren’t as vocal about your opportunity as an Avenger, but this was just as surreal for you as it was for her. You were more reserved about it but it was hard for you to contain yourself once you were fully immersed in the full top secret mission.

Kamala opened the barn door first since she found it so hard to wait. You were greeted with an unpleasant smell that infiltrated your nose, but you tried to ignore it since you figured you would have to get used to the stench. Something brushed against your leg and you looked down to see a banged up barn cat that was rubbing itself all over your legs.

“Oh god, cats,” Kate groaned.

“What, not a cat person?” you asked, surprised.

“No, Lucky is my one and only, he’s all I need,” she said.

You looked around the barn briefly where you found a small workshop that was crowded by old, rusted tools, fine leathers, and other farm gear. There were also black and white photos that were hanging upon the wall of people who meant nothing to you. Though they meant nothing to you, they looked as if they were special to someone else.

Beyond the front wall were the rows of stalls that held the horses you were to choose from. For some reason you felt yourself become very nervous. Of course you hadn’t ridden a horse before, but that didn’t seem to be the cause of your anxiety.

You wanted to be able to pick the right horse that would help you be the most successful. That is, a companion that would keep you safe and listen to you throughout this mission. You didn’t want to make any mistake that would give the impression you didn’t take this position seriously.

You strolled down the soft bedded ground littered with hay and observed all the horses to choose from. There were a couple tan ones, black, and brown. You didn’t feel like any of them were speaking to you, so you kept walking.

Down at the very end of the stall lived one horse. It caught your eye so you decided to take a peek. When you looked inside the dark stall there was a built stallion standing in the middle. His black hair was disheveled and long, but it contrasted well against his tan midsection.

You didn’t know how, but you felt like this was the one. Something about the energy between the two of you was electric and you didn’t want that to slip away. You looked down at his nameplate and gasped. His name was Ember and it was almost as if it was written in the sand long before you had walked upon it. It was fate.

The heavy barn door opened with a long clang and you walked inside slowly. You held your hand out hoping that he could muster up the courage to form a connection.

“Here, boy,” you encouraged him. “I don’t wanna hurt you, I just wanna be friends.”

He walked over slowly and sniffed your palm to gain comfortability, then he nibbled at your hand. It tickled your hand and made you laugh. You rubbed the side of his face and scratched his fur. You were satisfied with your match.

You walked out of the stall and looked around at everyone else. Based on the look of it, it seemed like everyone had made their pick. Without thinking, you found yourself looking for Yelena. You spotted her off to the far right with another horse that was tan and had light hair. The horse looked as if it was licking her face which made Yelena laugh like you had never heard before. Suddenly, you had discovered your favorite sound.

Before you got too sucked in, you looked at the others and could tell by the smile on their faces that they had all matched.

Steve then began coming around to each of it to teach us how to place the halters and saddles on each of the horses. Each of us had to know how to do it on our own in order to even ride the horses. The process was straightforward and before you knew it you were leading each of your horses outside for your next mission.

You joined Kate and Kamala where they stood with their new companions and you were surprised to find Yelena standing by them as well, conversing with Kate. “Hey!” you smiled and they all greeted you.

“Did you see how pretty my horse is?!” Kamala asked you. “Her name is Pumpkin.”

“Mine is Ember.”

“Aw, that’s so cool!”

“What about you, Kate?”

Kate patted her horse on the side. “This is my boy Angus.”

“What happened to Lucky being your one and only?” you sarcastically asked.

“Oh hush. What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him.”

“What about you, Yelena?” you daringly asked. “What about your horse?”

She smiled from ear to ear. “This is Jackie and we match! Look at our hair.” She held up a strand of hair to her horse and the blonde matched the other. “Plus, she’s short like me!”

You had never seen Yelena this excited about something. Granted, you had not spent much time around her, but she seemed like a generally dissatisfied person about things. You were happy to see her so thrilled over something. Your heart seemed to be skipping a beat more than it usually does.

“Now that we’re all here together again, we’ve made it past the easy part. It’s time to connect and ride with your new horse so you’re more prepared to fight out there. We’re going to take turns in the arena so each of you have time to feel them out,” Steve explained.

You took a deep breath and tried to calm your nerves for what was to come. You didn’t know what to expect out of this but you tried to keep an open mind.

People went before you and you watched a couple fall, but more often than not, everyone succeeded. Kate went in pretty neutral and she only seemed to falter once, but she looked as confident as ever; no surprise there. Kamala went in too strong and it paid off for her. She rode around as fast as the wind, only riding with her heart and not her head. It always somehow worked for her.

Then came Yelena. Due to her previous reaction over her new match, you expected her to do decently. When she stepped out on the dirt, she thrived. She looked as if she had ridden every moment of her life. She looked like she belonged out there. It made your whole body seem to relax and prepare for your turn. Her radiance made your sense of self skyrocket.

It was now your turn and you entered the arena with Ember to guide you. Once you jumped on, you slowly tried your hand at guiding him around the fence.

“Nice job, boy. You got it.” You were really feeding the compliments to yourself so you wouldn’t chicken out. It was the only thing taking your mind off of your possible failure. That, and the fact that Yelena was staring at you from behind the fence. It was something you couldn’t get out of your head, but it was also clouding your judgment. You needed to focus on what was in front of you.

You tapped your foot against Ember’s side to signal he could speed up. You seemed to get a hang of it fairly quickly and you were proud. He kept his pace at a stride but you wanted to push it farther.

“Come on, boy. Let’s pick it up a bit,” you instructed him. He started lightly running so that you could test out the water.

You smiled as he galloped around the arena. You were ecstatic that it was going so well. You looked over by the fence to see Kate and Kamala clapping and cheering you on. To the right of them at the edge of the fence stood Yelena who was smiling directly at you. She had her arms leaning over the front of the fence with her flannel buttons opened slightly, causing your arms to turn into jelly. Her braided blonde hair was enchanting, so much so that you didn’t realize you were about to crash into the fence in front of you.

“Y/n, watch out!” Yelena screamed, but it was too late.

Ember had stopped right in his place, sending you soaring over the top of him and over the fence. You landed on the ground outside the fence and you could already feel your back throbbing.

“Shit,” you groaned, trying to pick yourself up off the ground.

You were surprised to find that Yelena was the first person to reach you. “Are you alright?” she asked you.

“Ask me in about 20 minutes,” you mustered a laugh.

“Let me help you up.” Yelena extended her hand out to you. You grabbed it and she helped hoist you up off the ground. Kate and Kamala soon ran after you.

“Are you hurt?” Kate asked quickly.

“I don’t think so.” You dusted yourself off the best you could and you watched your friend’s faces fall down to stare below your waist.

“Uhm, y/n, you might wanna look down,” Kamala whispered.

You looked down at yourself to find that your shorts had ripped up the side. You gasped and tried to hold the fabric together. Yelena saw your concerned face and, without thinking, she took her flannel off to wrap it around your waist.

Kate and Kamala looked between each other and smirked. The situation was made worse when you tried everything inside of you to keep your cheeks from turning red. Yelena was touching you and she gave you her jacket.

“Clearly I was underprepared,” you chuckled.

“I have just the idea,” Kate said. “Shopping trip!”

“Where in the world are we going to go shopping over here, Kate?” you asked. “I don’t really think there will be a mall chilling in the desert somewhere.”

“Unfortunately, we’re going to have to think smaller. Are you ready for another adventure?”

You sighed. “I guess as ready as I will ever be.”

You kept Yelena’s jacket awkwardly wrapped around your waist as you walked across the grass and into the house to accompany Kate on the shopping trip that you never dreamed of.

.

.

.

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[auguryofjellyfish]

‎‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎Everything felt fine, when I was half of a pair.

speculative character study on Hasegawa, his inner life, mentality, social issues, and connections.

applicable as of day 24, 2nd day of Chapter 4.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎[The World]

Hasegawa Ken is in love with the World.

His entire being is of service to appreciating every single detail of it.

It's a complex sort of love. A calm and quiet constant, but also energizing and jittery at times. It thrums beneath his skin, to the rhythm of his heart. It makes him want to know everything. Absorbing as much knowledge as he can- that is what he lives for.

He adores some topics more than others, of course. He has a particularly soft spot for marine life. But he loves, most of all, to look back. Who, how, where, when, why? How did we get here? Where did that come from? Everything has a history. And “history” is about as dense a field as you can get- It's practically endless, and endlessly fascinating. Countless events led us to our current moment in time. Everything that exists came from somewhere. Isn't it just so interesting, to know about the origins of even the most mundane of matters, things people just accept as given without a second thought? Well, he wants to know. Besides...the past is safe. The future is a dangerous unknown, but the past is done, he can learn about it all he wants, and it can't hurt him, and anyone else, anymore. It's already happened, and so, he doesn't have to be scared of it. Helps that he's so good at dealing with it, too.

He loves the World. As for the people in it...well...

It's complicated.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎[The People]

Hasegawa is not very fond of interacting with people.

If he has to, he can do it. He doesn't hate others nor especially minds them, he can be polite and respectful! Even then, he'd still rather be doing anything else...When most interactions make you feel uncomfortable, who could blame you for your lack of enthusiasm? He can have small talk, or a light conversation sometimes, it's not that big of a deal. He just won't really go out of his way to have them.

But in truth, Hasegawa loves to talk. Especially when he gets to share his knowledge, his passion, about the World that delights him so. When he immerses himself in it, his nervousness disappears. Hasegawa is oriented more conceptually than socially. That is his way of connecting. Whether it's about something that interests him, or a thing that exists in the same vicinity as him and the other person- when he talks about it, it's like he's saying “Hey, look! You and I, we're both here, in the World.” They are not just random fun facts, or unrelated anectodes- it's him. His passion is him, and when he's sharing it, he's sharing himself. It's as natural as breathing.

Or, was. It's just. He knows better now.

Kids can be cruel. To kids who prefer to stay in and read instead of play. To kids who can ramble endlessly about things that are completely irrelevant to people's everyday lives. Starting every other sentence with “Did you know...?” To kids who seem much more invested in random concepts, instead of their actual conversation partners as people. But he's not- he isn't-

He is interested. He'd love to learn about them, too. To know them as deeply as he could.

How many times did he get called annoying? A know-it-all? How many times was he shut down when he was only getting started? How many times was he told to be quiet? How many times did he see people grow bored and tired of him? He doesn't want to be irritating, he just wants to share himself with people. Is that so wrong...? Over time, his eyes lowered more and more, his shoulders hunched as he got taller, his voice grew softer as it turned deeper. He knows better now. He grew up, and he learned how to do this whole social thing better. Don't be overzealous. He still can't help himself sometimes....But he also remembers...and is always ready to apologize. Every conversation is a potential minefield. Arms in front of himself, always. Bracing for impact.

It's okay. He still has about everything else.

Now, he just prefers to keep himself on the down-low. Quiet, subdued, just in case. It's not ideal, to constrict himself to this degree, and it makes interactions more of a chore, to suppress his instincts, but... well. It's safer. It's less painful. He's already too sensitive either way. And he really, really doesn't like confrontation.

He doesn't really like going to school. He studies for hours everyday as a passion, so- definitely people related. He's not outright bullied, per se. People might be trying to buddy up to him now, because of his wealth, and it's clear that's the only reason they want to befriend him. Maybe he gets too much attention. Or, on the contrary, he has no one to talk to. He doesn't reach out, others don't reach out to him, he doesn't mesh with anyone, he doesn't even get the chance to grow comfortable... and that's that. It just has to suck to be amongst big groups of people and be constantly reminded of how you're lacking, of how alone you are. You can't learn about people like you'd learn from a book.

He has his issues, but, it's not like he's particularly unhappy...

Well...He might be a little lonely...

...

B-but...He still has his family! They're always there for him.

They love him and accepts him for who he is, he gets to utilize his passion in the most lucrative way possible, and he wants for nothing. He couldn't be more fortunate. He's still so worried about everything, about his family, about what's going to happen in the future, but what he has now...It has to be enough.

For a time. Because family is not supposed to be everything you have, forever. In Hasegawa's student log, there's a lot of emphasis put on his future. He himself is worried about it. As people grow up, they're supposed to go out into the world, to branch out, have their own place, have a job, get married. His family wondered whether the last one was in the cards for him. It might not be up in the air only because he's gay, though it's a big factor, but also because it's so hard for him to build connections in the first place. He...maybe he'd also like to have that last one too, one day-

Then again... this difficulty makes the times when he does find a connection all the more special.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ [Kamimura Kazutoshi]

It's very late. Hasegawa's sitting in the dining hall, barely able to keep his eyes open. And then, look at that. Kamimura is out too, in the dead of night. Their previous interaction was pleasant enough. Good, even. And, Hasegawa's so tired and sleepy it makes him relaxed, more than he would be otherwise. His defences are down.

They're in a “game of life and death”. He's supposed to feel paranoid about everyone and everything, he should to be wary of his own shadow, but...right now, he just isn't. Kamimura is so nice and friendly.

This conversation is going well, too. It's flowing steadily. Calm. Comfortable. Easy. Easy smiles, easy laughter, easy lightness.

Then, Kamimura says that he's glad Hasegawa's there.

And he tells him he can call him by his first name.

And that was that.

Since then, they were inseparable. Still practically strangers, but they were already...of, each other. Their beings tied together. It was an almost insant connection. And all it took was Kamimura reaching his hand out to him. Kamimura trusted him in some way from the get go, didn't include him in “I don't know any of these people, and I don't want them to know me”, and clearly enjoyed talking and being with him. Hasegawa was very fond of Kamimura as well. He was definitely comfortable around him, enough that it automatically improved his social skills tenfold. He wasn't a perfect friend, but he always, always tried to be there for him. To help him in any way he could. Taking on his punishment in the Decision Game wasn't even a choice, it would be unthinkable for him not to take it. He comforted him during a breakdown. When he betrayed Kamimura's trust, he didn't skulk off with his tail between his legs, he'd tried his hardest to make it right. He revealed his vulnerabilities in turn. And he never made the same mistake again.

He wanted to keep him safe and protected, to look after his well-being, to be kind to him, because he truly cared.

They didn't make each other perfectly happy always, that's not what it was about. They bickered, teased each other, miscommunicated, fought, made up. But the mere fact of just existing in the other's presence- talking, exploring, or doing their own separate activities together in silence, was much more important. If they were suddenly rescued, there would be no question of whether they'd want to stay in each other's lives.

We know that Kamimura was completely alone for years. And yet, it still felt natural and easy for him to be in Ken's presence. He trusted him. He felt safe with him. Always.

And Hasegawa only thought of him.

He was invested in his problems and feelings only. Always worried, about nobody else, nobody but him.

Hasegawa wasn't especially obsessed with Kamimura, or incapable of functioning without him, or any other extremes like that. He was his own person outside of the relationship, and they weren't unhealthily codependent. They sometimes separated, to have their alone time, apart from each other. Ken just made that “time alone” more literal.

With 100% certainty, they grew to love each other as close friends, at least. They were both quite lonely individuals who generally don't have an easy time of connecting with others, so when they encountered a connection that felt so easy, it only makes sense to hold onto it. They could show each other the sides of themselves that are normally hidden from the world. Honest. Vulnerable. Real.

Their relationship wasn't a problem. When they were together, it was good....Whatever Hasegawa had with Kamimura, it was more than enough for him. Enough to not try and seek “more”, to actually make an effort and cultivate other relationships on his own. That's not the sort of thing he normally does, anyway. He likes to keep his friend group small, after all.

In this short period of 21 days, Kamimura became the best friend he's ever had. Maybe even something else.

And that's when it ended.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎[The End]

it was beautiful, until it wasn't.

Kamimura is gone.

And Hasegawa was left with zero meaningful relationships and social ties besides him. Whenever he interacted with others, it was always either forced by circumstance, or he was with Kamimura - conversing with people from the place of being as a unit. It was easier, because with someone, he was never the sole focus. On his own, he had never initiated a conversation, not once.

There's a reason that when you're, for example, married, your spouse shouldn't be the only person you have. Even if it's a great relationship, things happen, people leave, people die, and when you put all your eggs in one basket, you are left with nothing.

No one even knows how to approach him. Some people try, but their attempts fall flat. The person who would be the most qualified to try and reach him is gone too. He doesn't seek out anyone nor accept their support, just...retreats. He was barely even a part of the wider group, and now he's barely anything at all.

Hasegawa didn't “just” lose a loved one, his best friend, someone he cared about a lot, someone he was with always. He also lost the only regular source of social interaction, good feelings, engaging conversation, laughter, care, warmth, and belonging he's had for almost a month.

Kamimura didn't “just” die. He was tortured. Desecrated. His life and being were treated like worthless trash specifically to fuck with him.

And Hasegawa was left behind with all of this, things that are beyond traumatizing, with no one whose support he wants, with no one he trusts, with no one he's very comfortable with, or especially likes. No one who brings him joy.

Ken has never been on his own to this degree. He has no one.

He somewhat blamed himself for Isono's death and he had nothing to do with it. He had made no promises to her.

But Kamimura was his to protect.

He's normally so anxious, but with him, he was strong. Because he had someone to be strong for.

“They were always together” rings in his ear. If that's true, then why not then? Why? How could he have let him down like that? Why? Why did he leave him alone?

Why didn't he think of what a hazard it is, for someone to have a completely separate and unattended food supply?

He was in a room right across the hall. He was so close, and he didn't hear a thing. He just sat there, blissfully unaware, while Kamimura was being tortured not even 30ft away.

He died in horrible pain, choking on his own blood, just because he was close to him.

Because of him.

He had so many chances to save him, and he lost each and every one.

It's all his fault.

Kidnapped, ripped away from his family, in an uncertain and stressful environment, he's had the security of being with someone, with Kamimura, since the very beginning.

He had considered the possibility that either of them might die. But it was never more than a vague sort of anxiety, brought by the logic of their environment. He was more scared for Kamimura because of his health problems. Still, if he'd died, Hasegawa knew that he would be devastated.

He never could have imagined that it would happen like that.

What is he supposed to do now?

Hasegawa Ken still has the World, like he's always had.

But, what is the World worth now?

Everything felt fine, when he was half of a pair.

Now through the fault of his, there's no other half there.

He just wants to go home.

‎

[demigodsanswer]

I know it's kind of an stretch since they're royals and have their babysitter, but maybe Percy and Annabeth being interrupted during their alone time because their child keeps demanding their attention?

This for the modern royals au btw

Might write this as an actual fic later, but if I write it now, I'll stay up all night. but I could not get this idea out of my head. It's just royal Percy and Annabeth discovering what parenting must be like for people who aren't born into birthright monarchies

Percy and Annabeth are way more hands-on parents than most people in their position, but because of this, they have a tendency to underestimate how much they do rely on their nannies for. When Sofia is about five and Ingrid (Gigi) is about three, they take a family vacation to New York for about a week to visit grandma. It's the kids' first time in New York (they've met Sally of course, she's just traveled to them). Percy and Annabeth decide they want to go just the four of them, because they love New York and want special time alone with their girls. They're also trying now for the third baby, so they know it's going to be the last vacation for a while.

They have a house in New York that Annabeth's family uses whenever they're in the city, but the little girls have never been there before. During the day, it's tons of fun, they like to explore it (when they aren't out and about), but the first night there, Gigi gets scared and runs to her parents.

Percy and Annabeth were just getting started on baby three, so to speak, when they hear Gigi. Gigi ends up spending the night in their room. No luck that night.

The next night, Gigi doesn't interrupt, just prevents anything entirely by asking to stay with them. They say "okay, but just one more night."

Well, the next night, Sofie learns that Gigi has been doing this, and asks to stay too. Now they have both girls in bed (and I don't know if you've ever slept next to a young child, but it's chaos. This is not a restful night of sleep).

The next night, Percy and Annabeth suggest the girls just have a sleepover together. The girls love this plan. They build a fort over the bed they're going to sleep it, and it's great. Percy and Annabeth are getting it on. And then Gigi wets the bed, which she hasn't done since she finished potty training, so it's a completely new phenomenon no one is expecting. Gigi is upset, Sofie is upset she's been peed on, and Percy and Annabeth have two messy girls, two messy sets of clothes, and a messy bed. And these are two people who haven't done a load of laundry in minimum six years. So Percy takes care of the wash (he's more used to the practice, as he actually did his own laundry when he lived in New York and through college), while Annabeth gets them in the bath. Very little sleep is had that night.

Percy and Annabeth have literally never been more tired. This is the first time they're really feeling the weight of parenthood as regular people must. But thankfully, Sally an Paul are taking the girls to the Museum of Natural History the next day, so Annabeth and Percy have the day to themselves. Originally they had planned to visit old haunts, maybe get a cocktail together. They spend the first half of the day asleep, and the second in sexual positions they haven't found themselves in in six years. They are in a revitalized, amazing mood by the time they meet Sally and the girls for dinner.

The last night in New York, they just decide to have a big family sleep over, forgoing any attempts at baby making in favor of movies, popcorn, and snuggles with the kids they do have.

Also all the nannies are getting raises when they get back.

[ivyblossom]

Lessons in Story: Editing

I was a pantser for a very long time. I lived in the writing of a story, and couldn't be bothered planning it. Or editing it, frankly. I was just a drafter. The writing of it is glorious, and then it's over, and I'm done. Is that a best practice? Definitely not. But that's what so great about fanfiction. I can do that. It might not make for the best fics, and they would be full of typos, but the whole point of fanwork doing what you want the way you want to do it, right? So I did the part I understood and loved, and nothing else.

Why did I do that? Because I'm a brat, probably? I mentioned already that my maturity level has always been low.

But I think there's more to it than that. I think I worked that way because it was fun and it produced stories that weren't bad, they were sometimes pretty good, but I had no idea how they functioned. If you don't know how a story works, how do you edit or tweak it? I think I was afraid to look back at it most of the time. The only way I knew how to fix a story was to start over and write another one. That's the only thing I knew how to do. The experience of the story was living the story. How do you edit that? I always felt like restructuring the beginning of a story would mean a new branch had started, the rest of the story wouldn't match anymore. It would be a new story, I would be throwing this one way. You see what I mean?

I learned to be a slightly better editor over time (but not really). At least I fixed dropped words and typos (mostly). But even then could say to me, "Hey, this could be good if you edited it and expanded on X and got rid of Y." I'm sure people tried. But I didn't know how to do that. (Okay: I technically knew how to do that, but this basic misunderstanding made that really difficult.) It would probably freak me out a bit. I would have understood what you meant, but the only way I knew who to do that is to delete the whole thing and start over. Because I didn't really understand the pieces that make up a story. It was all one piece to me. You could cut it up, sure, but it wouldn't be one piece any more. It would be broken.

I'm not suggesting this make sense, that's what I'm learning about my own history of process.

I wouldn't have said any of this at the time because I really didn't understand that that's how it was. I could (and did) talk until I was blue in the face about narrative, but I really didn't understand how it was working from a writing perspective. If I had understood it and said it out loud, it would have been easier to fix, but I didn't realize this was my obstacle. Now I'm learning about it, and repairing it. Because of course a story isn't one piece. It's many pieces, and they fit together and look like one piece when you're done.

This is also connected to planning, which I can (and will) go on about at great length.

How did I come to have this completely bonkers belief system about how creative writing works? Who can say. It might have something to do with learning to read by myself at a very young age (2). Stories were always whole pieces that I fell into face first. I don't even exist when I read, I just experience a story whole and then return to myself. I was writing the way I was reading.

So that's an obstacle I've deconstructed, and let me tell you: it's a lot easier when you know that's behind your own process and thinking.

[tommykinard6]

current top ten favorite bucktommy hcs - GO!

~ Between-two-fandoms

@between-two-fandoms HI 👋 HI 👋 HI 👋 HI💃🏻HI 🕺🏻HI 🥰🏳️‍🌈

Let’s see if I come up with this off the top of my head! Top ten BuckTommy headcanons (in o particular order)

~ Buck and Tommy establish themselves as each other’s emergency contact.

~ Little more Tommy centric and def for fanfics not canon, but Tommy and Sal have a complicated history (not in a relationship way) and Sal saved his life, but they don’t talk anymore. Buck knows the whole history, both from the 118 and Tommy himself.

~ Buck dated a massage therapist once upon a time and definitely learned some tips and tricks. Tommy enjoys the benefits of this, after a long shift where his shoulders are sore and locked up.

~ Tommy and Buck switch, but I think there’s definitely not as much of a dom/sub dynamic as people think.

~ Both of them have trauma rooted in rejection and loneliness. It manifests differently. Buck gets anxious and spirals. It grows in him being a self sabotaging disaster. Tommy shuts down. He withdraws into himself and throws himself into either work or fixing his car or hours of working out. For him, it doesn’t spiral as much anymore, but when it does, it’s a full blown panic attack.

~ Tommy encourages Buck to go back to therapy. They also sometimes do a couples session.

~ Cliche and cheesy, but they never go to bed angry. And if they leave the house to cool down after a fight, they still have their locations available to each other and will check in after an hour or more. They know what can happen.

~ They will happily babysit Jee-Yun and Christopher and Denny come over to their house/apartment often.

~ Sometimes they lay in bed and just talk about whatever is on their mind. Buck will talk about how the idea that the moon is made of cheese started. Tommy will talk about the shapes of the clouds he saw that day. They talk about near misses and past lives and if they had to do a job switch, what would they do?

~ and my final one for this ask, very basic, but they both have a massive, massive praise kink.

Ok have fun!

[dizgreen]

HEY

HERE’S A FUN THEORY ABOUT METAPHOR THAT IM BASING ON ABSOLUTELY NOTHING BUT MY OWN OBSERVATIONS

I have no proof of this at all, but this is just something I think is fun

Warning spoilers for Metaphor: ReFantazio

I love this game don’t get me wrong, but I think we’re looking at a vastly different game than was originally written in concept. I also believe that a lot of what was cut was due to wanting to avoid any kind of LGBT theming from making it to the final product, in a fairly last minute kind of way that would indicate like two guys in the higher ups that didn’t want it and stood in front of everyone else to remove it.

First off, I think Junah and Rella were not originally adopted sisters. I believe they were lovers.

Now what we know about these two characters is that they’re adopted sisters who both went to the Magic Academy and refer to it as “the place of their fondest memories” with absolutely no elaboration on that. However them being adopted sisters makes no sense. Junah was a slave as a child and Rella was born into an VERY prominent noble family who are established to exclusively value political power over everything else, particularly through the church.

There’s no reason Rella’s family would adopt some random Nidia slave and then allow her to live her life however she wanted, it doesn’t benefit them in any way. Even as a performative act it wouldn’t make that much sense, since the church does not explicitly condemn slavery as a practice. If anything, it would make the church look bad if you did anything to publicly denounce it.

However, we DO know that the Mage Academy was founded by the King during his Utopia days, and that means it’s ENTIRELY reasonable to assume that entrance into the academy was free of any racial or class bias. Meaning that it’s WAY more likely these two met DURING their Academy days.

In fact, I personally like to think that what happened was the King came across Junah while she was singing in the field she was abandoned in and freed her, then brought her to the Academy himself. After all, as everyone in the game keeps telling us over and over, Music was the first form of Magic.

The king was also heavily involved in Archetype research, and it’s likely that it was through him that she learned about them. Heck, she might’ve even met Grius while she was there and that’s how she joined the resistance, since he’s also HEAVILY implied to have studied Archetype magic at the Mage Academy.

So, we have a timeline of them knowing each other when Rella was 12 years old and she attempted the assassination of The Prince. An act which she committed for Junah’s sake. However, Will is explicitly stated to be the youngest party member of the team at 18 years old. So assuming The Prince was about 10 or 11 at the time of being cursed, it’s much more likely that she was closer to 14 at the time, considering their age difference now. Then we have at least a few more years before Forden presumably raids the place and shuts it all down. So, assuming she WAS aged down for the sake of them being siblings, that has them having pretty much spent all their teen years together at the academy, from like 12 to 18 at least. That’s…roughly around the time puberty hits and people start realizing that their feelings might be more complex than a close friendship…

Most people tend to believe that The Mage Academy was a dungeon that was flat out cut from the game, and I’m wont to believe that, as well. In fact, I think that The Mage Academy dungeon was going to reveal all of this, and have Junah delving back into her history there, living alongside Rella and learning about Musical Magic. As well as what likely happened that forced them to split up. I think it was cut, partially for time, and partially because that aspect was so baked into the story of the dungeon that there was just no way to cut it out without leaving an unsatisfying half of a story dungeon.

We don’t have any canon homophobia coming from the church, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility that they were forced to break up due to it being a massive scandal for someone in Rella’s family.

I mean even without homophobic church doctrine (which is entirely likely considering how unabashedly evil the church is portrayed) we still have the prevailing hatred of interracial couples, which could have easily been just as much of a scandal.

Either way, again, I’m not really basing this on anything but wild speculation and fun headcanon. Still, just to see, go ahead and play through the game again, but this time remove the word “sister” from their dialogue and view their interactions as two girls that dated back in summer camp and were forced to break up due to one of them having a strict Christian family.

It weirdly works.

I mean Rella states that Junah is someone more important to her than even her own life, and Junah flat out says “I loved you” after Rella sacrifices herself.

Like siblings can be close, but…that’s not quite “very close adopted siblings” dialogue, to me.

But hey, that’s just a theory.

A GAAAAAME THEORYYYYY

A gay theory?

A gayme theory.

A GAAAAAAAAYYYYME THEEEEORYYYYYYYYYYYYY

[j-partneringrime]

Bubbline made the show so much better when they started getting a bigger part, it gave not only amazing development to the overall story and Marcy and Bonnie but also Finn and Jake. When they started interacting with them after Bonnie and Marcy got an established dynamic and history, even if the actual details weren’t known at the time, it made it so much more interesting and gave especially Finn so much more potential for development with PB instead of his relationship with her mainly being the princess he helps out and kinda has a crush on, which was still a good dynamic and had good moments but after Finn moved on and it became clear that Marcy was Bonnie’s main relationship and who she was closest to in the show, Finn’s dynamic with PB became so much better and it really let Finn grow as a character after showing him have a better and more real friendship with this person who at the start of the show he had a very different and more pre established type of dynamic with, that was seen in other stuff before. And I feel like that change really helped Finns development in the show and made the later seasons a lot better because of Finns clear growth as a character emotionally and obviously physically with him getting older, which isn’t very common in the type of show adventure time is, or started off as.

And Bubbline’s relationship starting as a history that they had between them, which we didn’t know about then but was clearly there and was very impactful on both of them, really made it one of the best relationships and parts of the show, with them starting to connect again slowly in a very real way, without a big thing happening to start it again, because it didn’t need to, they were clearly two people who were once very close and them rekindling their friendship and relationship was a very real thing of them slowing just getting closer and kind of just getting back into what they used to be like, which neither of them really questioned or hesitated about because they both missed each other, but after splitting up, they eventually kinda got forced to just move on and keep living despite their regrets and feelings, so Finn and Jake re-introducing them and basically making them face their issues and start hanging out again since they both hung out around Finn and Jake so much, worked because neither of them had much actual dislike towards each other so when they started hanging out again through Finn and Jake and obviously had a very friendly relationship with them, it very easily spread to them slowly starting to have that friendly relationship with each other again. Without a big apology and confrontation about their break up because they’ve both had MANY years to think about it and learn from and they definitely crossed paths a few times between then and reconnecting so them being made to be in each others company again through Finn and Jake basically solved their problem of this mistake in both their lives of losing each other that both of them wanted to solve but neither of them knew how to or was brave enough to bring it up to each other. So the four of them being in a lot more episodes together made a really fun to watch and interesting dynamic of Finn and Jake obviously being brothers and super close, Bonnie and Marcy both having a close, but each different, friendship with Finn and Jake and then Bonnie and Marcy’s complicated relationship to each other, which when all combined made a super interesting and fun group to watch.

Bubbline’s dynamic added to much to the story without making a big deal about it to the audience, it was always there and added so much but the fact it wasn’t more than little bits of subtext at the beginning which gradually grew and became more obvious as their relationship grew again, and that it wasn’t just plainly stated added so much because it wasn’t just telling you what their relationship was and how it was developing, it was telling you to watch it happen instead.

I could go on about them forever, Bubbline is amazing and added so much to the story and to the show in general and everyone should realise that!

Bubbline also showed that even though Marcy and Bonnie are both very independent people, they still need each other. When we see their break up, Bonnie is getting annoyed at Marcy because she’s trying to work on something and Marcy is getting in the way and then they break up and Bonnie, now without Marcy, goes EVEN MORE into her work and ruling the candy kingdom. Even though we see her try to relax throughout the series, it isn’t until she gets closer to Marcy again and starts rekindling that relationship that she opens up more and finally says to Marcy that she’s needs to stop and take a break because she’s tired and she has been for a very long time, which is a big moment for her because we have seen her open up a bit before this, but this moment is clearly different, this was Bonnie actually truly opening up and saying something that even she had been ignoring for a long time and even though she is close to Finn and Jake, her opening up like this wouldn’t of happened like this with them, it had to be Marcy. Because that entire episode was Bonnie and Marcy properly talking again after their breakup and moving from that awkward stage of them being friendly again thanks to Finn and Jake and to actually trying to be in a relationship again. There is obviously a chance they started to try their relationship again before this or after this, since we don’t know their full conversations between episodes, but I think it’s pretty clear that this is the moment it properly happened, and it ending with Bonnie opening up to Marcy about something she has felt for a long time, which because of her age was probably 100s years, really showed to both us and to each other that they’re going into this relationship again.

And after learning more about Marcy we see that between the breakup and the start of series, she really hasn’t had many people she’s been close to, shes had a few friends but no one who she actually got close to. Even Finn and Jake aren’t that close to her early on in the series, they were definitely friends but not to the extent they are later on in the show, so that gap between their breakup and when she starts getting close to Finn, Jake and Bonnie again, it would’ve probably been very lonely, which to someone like Marcy who is very independent and stubborn, would’ve tried to view it as a good thing, especially after what we seen her like during the breakup. Imagine what it must be like to not only have no one close enough to talk and open up to but also the two people who you used to be able to do that with, the two people who you were closest to, the two people you love more than anything, you still see often but you can’t talk to either of them like you used to be able to, one of them doesn’t even remember you. Both Bonnie and Simon are still around and she probably spoke to both of them quite a bit over the 100+ years since they were close (1000+ in Simon’s case) but now they’re not close to her, but they’re still there, still constant reminders of what she’s lost, both because of her actions and because of cruel fate. She probably had a million things she wanted to say, especially to Bonnie since she’s the only one who she actually could say it to since Simon wasn’t himself during all that time. But she never did, until Finn and Jake got them to reconnect, after all that time, she finally got Bonnie back and she finally started to open up again which then helped her open up to Finn and Jake about her past and about Simon. All that time of her being independent and not letting anyone get too close to her, and the one time she did, he betrayed her and sold her most prized possession, Hambo.

Then after all that time apart with neither her or Bonnie being brave enough to go talk to the other during it, once they’re were literally forced to connect again through their mutual friends, Finn and Jake, they were… fine, great even, no massive fights or refusing to talk to each other, the only things we saw was Marcy pranking Finn to annoy her and even that before they started reconnecting and then “I’m Just Your Problem” which wasn’t really an argument at all, more just Marcy venting some of her frustrations about their past relationship, and more specifically, how and why it ended. The fact that there wasn’t a big thing about them becoming friends again, really shows how much they missed each other and probably how much they blamed themselves for their separation. After all time, where Marcy was alone again, she could of completely forgot about Bonnie and moved on, she could’ve cursed her out and left being near her altogether, but really she couldn’t of done that, she could never have done anything like that, because as much as she was hurt being alone again, and as much as she could think in her head how horrible Bonnie was anyway and how she’s better off without her. She knew she loved Bonnie and she always would love Bonnie, if she could still love Simon hundreds of years later while he is completely unrecognisable to who he used to be, she could hold on to Bonnie for a while longer, because Bonnie was still there and one day, if the day ever came to try their relationship again, she would be there. And it did come, and they got closer, helped each other out, talked again, until it was like nothing ever happened and they were closer than ever.

Both of them tried so hard to move forward after their break up but after all that time apart, all it took was them to getting close again to realise how much they need each other and how important they are to each other.

Bubbline is so good and I love it so much, I wrote this months ago and it is nowhere near my full thoughts on them, I could write so much more and go so much more in depth on them throughout the show, and I probably will next time I rewatch the show, but for now, this is it!