#(the way people seem to be able to do when it comes to her)

[fuckyeahisawthat]

What is Mage Viktor doing?

So it turns out I do have a take on what's going on with Mage Viktor, why he's messing with timelines in the way he is, and what he hoped to achieve by bringing Jayce to the torment nexus dimension and then sending him back to his own timeline armed with facial hair, trauma, and the ruthless determination to somehow stop his own Viktor.

Of course this is just my own reading; there are many ways you can interpret the reveals of the final episode. But it's become my preferred reading because it makes Mage Viktor come off as absolutely BATSHIT. The apotheosis of all Viktor's best and worst qualities. As he would be.

First we gotta lay out some fundamental principles about how I understand Viktor that will inform this reading.

Viktor was never being controlled by the Hexcore. This deserves its own whole meta, but tl;dr, I think it is directly antithetical to the core themes of the show to think that Viktor wasn't making his own decisions all through s2.

Over and over again in Arcane, we see characters become "monsters" and do monstrous things, and every time the thematic point is that this is still the person you love. When Vi says that her sister is dead because she is Jinx now and when Jayce says "my partner died in this room" THEY ARE BOTH WRONG. The person they love is different now but they're still in there and they can still be reached.

Viktor is transformed by something terrible happening to him (like many characters in the show!) but all his decisions are still his own and to me they seem like perfectly consistent--if extreme--extensions of what we know about him as a character before he gets a Hexcore heart.

So my analysis starts with the premise that Mage Viktor is not trying to free his past self from an outside influence. He's trying to hack his own character traits to make a different version of himself do what he wants.

Viktor is BOTH genuinely altruistic and compassionate AND deeply arrogant. This is such a banger combination and I think turning down the dial on either trait makes Viktor less interesting. I think Mage Viktor has genuine remorse about what he did in his timeline and he is, fundamentally, trying to find a way he could have stopped himself from killing everyone (within certain constraints; we'll get to that). When Jayce is able to show main timeline Herald Viktor his memories of what Viktor is about to do to their world, the first thing Viktor sees is not dead Jayce, or himself left alone in an empty world. It's all the ordinary people who are going to die terrified because of him.

I do not think any version of Viktor wanted this result. But Viktor is so convinced he is always right that his arrogance carries him right past the point of no return before he realizes oh actually I haven't freed everybody I have killed them.

So I do think Mage Viktor is trying to find a timeline where this doesn't happen, but he is not timeline-hopping in order to preemptively stop other versions of himself from making the same mistake. If he wanted to do that, he would just leave all the many many timelines where Jayce dies in a blizzard as a child alone. No Jayce who grows up obsessed with magic, goes around Academy rules to get the hex crystals, invents Hextech and gives Viktor the power to fuck everything up. Easy peasy.

But no. Instead, Viktor is actively going into other timelines and changing them at the point where Jayce would have died.

He is doing things that appear to make the sequence of events that leads to his world-ending magic blast WAY MORE LIKELY. And that's because...

Viktor is obsessively selfish when it comes to Jayce.

Mage Viktor wants to find a timeline where he doesn't doom the world but not at the expense of meeting Jayce and spending years doing science with him.

If the goal was only to prevent Jayce from dying in the blizzard, he could have done it quietly, waiting for Jayce to collapse in the snow and then transporting him to the base of the mountain, leaving before Jayce had any idea who saved him. Instead he makes SUCH A DRAMATIC PRODUCTION of it that Jayce remembers and can repeat the steps of the action years later, well enough that he actually produces a working spell from a barely-tested Hextech prototype. Mage Viktor wants that shit burned into baby Jayce's brain. He wants to make sure he fundamentally alters the arc of Jayce's life, bending it into a trajectory that collides with his own.

Viktor also (as far as we see) doesn't go the route of going back in time and killing his younger self, or steering the course of his own life along a path where he never meets Jayce. He doesn't even go for a timeline where he and Jayce meet each other but they don't invent Hextech. Now maybe it's the case that some time before our Jayce arrives in his timeline, Mage Viktor tried all that, and has figured out that none of those options work. (Maybe in some of those timelines Jayce is the one who goes Machine Herald, and there's no partner there to talk him off the ledge of ending the world.) But I think it's also possible that, now that he's gotten the experience in one timeline of spending years with Jayce making once-in-a-generation scientific breakthroughs together (which I truly believe is just as important a part of their relationship to Viktor as any romantic or sexual element might be)...he can't bear to deny any version of himself the chance of having that--even if the price is the rest of the world. Because a world where Jayce isn't his partner isn't a world worth saving.

So what I think Mage Viktor is doing is sitting there with his stubborn engineer brain and the husk of his dead soulmate, fiddling with the timelines like a Rubik's cube, going Not meeting Jayce CANNOT be the only option. There MUST be a timeline where Jayce and I meet each other and entangle our lives in an alarmingly codependent way AND we dodge the apocalypse at the last minute, I don't end up killing him, and we do not doom the world together. And I'm going to fucking find it.

So he's been hitting timeline after timeline, trying to find the combination of factors where everything works. He is not trying to preemptively save every timeline from himself, he is trying to prove to himself that meeting the love of his life doesn't doom the entire fucking world. It's devotion that is SO PROFOUNDLY SELFISH that he is willing to doom timeline after timeline, but driven by someone with enough compassion and pride that he doesn't want the guilt and shame of knowing he can only have this one life-changing thing if he ruins everything else for everyone, and enough arrogance to still look at this as a problem he must be smart enough to solve.

At some point in this process, I think he also figures out that Jayce is the only person who has any chance of reasoning with any version of himself. I think it's worth paying attention to the exact wording of his "in all timelines, in all possibilities" speech, because it's not just a love confession (although it is that).

"I thought I could bring an end to the world's suffering. But when every equation was solved, all that remained were fields of dreamless solitude. There is no prize to perfection. Only an end to pursuit. In all timelines, in all possibilities, only you can show me this."

And while this is some hella romantic cosmic soulmate level shit, it is also Viktor saying I need you, because you are the only person I have ever trusted enough to save me from myself.

It's the Hexcore promise all over again. Viktor knew he couldn't destroy his own creation. I read this not as Viktor being physically unable to destroy it because the Hexcore had some power over him, but not having the will to destroy it. Because this huge leap in Hextech technology was his big breakthrough and not (as I think he saw it) him supporting Jayce's dream. He knew he couldn't do it. So he asked Jayce to do it for him. Please, save me from my own pride, my desire to leave a legacy. I can't do it on my own.

It's a huge extension of trust, for Viktor to admit such a need. And now he's doing it again when the stakes are MUCH MUCH higher. I need you, because you are the only person who can show me the horror of what I am about to do and have me believe it.

Of course, the deep irony is that really the only person Viktor trusts to tell him he is wrong is HIMSELF FROM THE FUTURE. Astral plane Machine Herald Viktor is standing right behind Jayce, watching Jayce's memory of Mage Viktor telling him what the consequences of his actions will be, and that is the moment the horror sinks in and cracks him fully out of his machine shell.

But of course Jayce is the only person he would ever trust enough to carry such a message (from himself!!) to somewhere close enough to reach him.

It's not clear exactly how much of a detailed plan Mage Viktor has when he sends Jayce back to the main timeline, or how much of that plan he shares with Jayce. But I think he has figured out some broad strokes which affect how Jayce behaves.

(1) Jayce has to immediately go and kill commune Viktor. Squishing Salo is maybe a bonus side quest, but Jayce doesn't even take time to fucking shower before he heads for the commune. (I would love to see the part of the conversation where Mage Viktor is like yeah you know that pit you just climbed out of? Yeah the first thing you gotta do is go right back in there, all the way to the bottom, and find me looking like ethereal cyborg Jesus and blast a fucking hole through my chest.) Maybe this is because if Jayce waits around at all, commune Viktor finds a way to get to him and he folds and joins the cult. Maybe this is because there are just fewer variables involved in forcing Viktor to speedrun his own villain arc by Jayce repeatedly turning him down in one "perfect" form after another. Maybe Mage Viktor knows himself well enough to realize "yeah if you say no to me even ONE TIME but ESPECIALLY when you are HOT and SUFFERING I will go fucking apeshit and we can use that to our advantage."

(2) I think Mage Viktor has realized that he can only be stopped at the very very VERY last minute. He has to be able to see the direct line between what he is about to do right now and the arcane-blasted hell world he's about to create. Otherwise his ego will get in the way and tell him he is smart enough to figure out a way to somehow not kill everybody. Yeah Mage Viktor fucked that one up obviously, but I, main timeline Viktor, will be smart enough and well-intentioned enough when the time comes to simply not do that. I think this is why, for example, Jayce doesn't go to the commune trying to get Viktor to see the error of his ways. It won't work until it is allllmost too late.

Main timeline Viktor stops literally seconds before the point of no return. The arcane corruption spikes that we see everywhere in Mage Viktor's world are already starting to appear.

I think Mage Viktor knows that Jayce has to let him get right up to the edge, close enough to be looking over into the abyss, before he'll be able to pull him back.

But he knows Jayce can do that. That's what they do for each other, right?

This is why I think it was always the plan for Jayce to fight him all the way to the top of the Hexgate, and then surrender. Jayce has to survive until the end of the fight, and maybe for magical physics reasons he has to wait until Viktor sends the anomaly into the sky above the Hexgate. But once they get to the top of the Hexgate tower he stops trying to fight Viktor altogether. Maybe Mage Viktor told him exactly when it had to happen or maybe he just realizes this is the exact same place where he died in Mage Viktor's world; this is his last chance. But in any case, Jayce lands on the top of the Hexgate on his knees and he doesn't try to get up.

He waits, and when he senses Viktor behind him he doesn't try to fight or run away.

I think he knows, either because Mage Viktor told him or through his own intuition, that he has to let Viktor pull him into the astral plane if he wants a chance at reaching him.

How exactly he was going to get through to him and/or get close enough to share the memories before Viktor assimilated him...ehhhh I don't know if either of them had that figured out. The "you were never broken" part of Jayce's speech, while important from a character perspective...very crucially DOES NOT WORK. IT DOES NOT WORK AT ALL. Viktor is assimilating Jayce the whole time. You can see Jayce's astral body changing from the unique version that's still him (like his hands on the left, when he first enters the astral plane--which still look more or less human even though Viktor has already erased "imperfections" like the scrapes and cuts from his time in the pit and the arcane corruption that's spreading up and down his arm from where the rune is embedded) into a featureless gold blob like the other assimilated people.

You can watch the gold light creeping up his body steadily during those lines until it reaches his eyes.

The ONLY thing that stops this timeline from ending the same way Mage Viktor's does...is EKKO.

I think you can make the case that Mage Viktor sent Ekko to the no-Hextech timeline intentionally. But it is such a complex chain of causality for Ekko to get to the point where he's chucking a time machine at Herald Viktor's face that there is no way anyone--even a remorseful demigod with lots of time on his hands--could control every possible factor.

However elaborate Mage Viktor's plan was, and however determined Jayce was to keep his promise to him, it all would have failed if not for factors outside their control and random fucking chance.

Arcane is FULL of near-misses and what-could-have-beens and characters who are trying their best to do something getting knocked off course by consequences they never could have foreseen. Season 2 in particular introduces a persistent thread of chaos and the sense that even events that have understandable root causes are now spiraling out of characters' control. So it feels fitting that such a moment factors into the show's ending.

This is Jayce right before Ekko blasts through spacetime right above Viktor's head.

Yeah that guy was cooked.

The only thing that stops Jayce from being assimilated is Ekko breaking time to throw the Z drive at Viktor's face.

Which startles Viktor enough that he takes his hand off Jayce's head in the physical realm, and also breaks a piece of his machine mask off in the astral realm.

As he always does when one of his "perfect" bodies gets damaged, Viktor withdraws and tried to hide, enough that he lets go of the assimilation connection with Jayce.

Jayce starts to regain his own identity/autonomy.

And he gets a do-over. Exactly the same way Ekko used the Z drive to get a do-over with Jinx when he was trying to talk her out of suicide. Jayce gets another chance, and that's when he goes for "all I want is my partner back" and "because I promised you." Which works.

Mage Viktor's plan, I think, was for Jayce to help main timeline Viktor realize what he was doing before it was too late, and then give him the runestone, which allows him to release all the minds/souls that are connected to him before this becomes some runaway chain reaction of arcane power that swallows everything around him. (How the runestone does this exactly, and how the anomalies play into it, is stuff I am still thinking about. But tbh I am less concerned with the details of made-up magic physics than I am with the character beats.) Mage Viktor had accepted that main timeline Viktor was probably going to die in this process and he'd made peace with it. That's what "should" have happened anyway, if Viktor never found a way to forestall his illness, right? As long as this Viktor got to spend the best years of his life with his Jayce, it was okay.

I don't think Mage Viktor ever expected Jayce to stay there until the end. His goal was to save the world and spare Jayce from himself. And why would he plan otherwise? We know why Jayce stays, but Mage Viktor never got that part of the story. He schlorped up his own Jayce's consciousness with everyone else and maybe he only understood the depths of what Jayce felt for him in the moment that he was killing him. And main timeline Viktor certainly does not expect Jayce to stay. He's shocked when he realizes Jayce has no intention of leaving. No, that wasn't part of any master plan. That part was all Jayce.

[whywouldisayprinter]

It's thinking about reverse age Batfam kids/ Robins hours.

Like. It just. Shifts all of the dynamics and especially Bruce's character, but it still is so wonderfully cohesive!

Let's start with Damian.

Bruce is in his mid-twenties, going strong and building a rapport as Gotham's protector when, one day, Talia al Ghul rings on his doorbell with a tiny 7/8 yrs old shadow. It's their son she says. His heir and apprentice, the shadow, Damian, says.

Damian is well trained, as stubborn as his parents and determined to follow his father's footsteps, so Batman gains a Sidekick. A sneaky little thing that seems as much as a mythical creature as its mentor.

After some time, a new kid falls into Batman's path. Duke is bright and righteous, and if Batman didn't decide to train him, he would lead his tiny gang of determined children right into the thick of it without being able to make it through. So Batman trains him, even though Duke returns to his home at the end of the day.

There comes a time when Damian is restless. He wants to train with different masters, go on missions with his team, and make sure that one day he is worthy of being Batman's successor. So he leaves the cave and Batman without a sidekick.

That is until Bruce stumbles over a tiny stalker with absent Parents, who knows their identities. Tim is quick to learn and just as sneaky as Damian and while Damian is proud of his ability to match batman in a fight, he hates that this new kid seems to match Batman's abilities as a detective, even surpass them. Until Tim Drake, Heir to Drake Industries, gets an assassin send after him, and kills him in a frantic fight for survival. He crossed a line. The line. So Bruce sends him home.

Then the Joker decides that this little detective is just so fun, not as stuck up as old Batsy and wouldn't he like to be Jokers sidekick instead? No? What a shame. Especially as his parents just so happened to be in. A bit of a pickle. You see it was easy to kidnap them on their way back from the airport and are you sure you don't want to join the Joker? A well, have FUN at your little family reunion then.

Tim dies laughing against his will.

A few months later, Batman gets hit by a brick in the back while punching a purse snatcher black and blue. Steph is angry. Angry that her father rots in jail. That she wasn't fast enough to safe her mother. That Batman almost killed a guy who was just trying to survive. Angry that Batman is dishonoring Tim in such a way. Her friend would hate to see what his mentor - dad. Almost- became, so she decides that she will make sure Batman stays in line.

She is at his side for almost 4 months, bothering him with a sharp tongue and burning criticism, keeping him upright and most important, himself. Then Batman finds out she's pregnant. He benches her. Of course. She hates it. She hates that she can't argue against it. That it makes sense. That she can't help people anymore and be in the thick of it. Can't keep her Baby and her role as a protector of Gotham. Her family is understanding. They all know the itching under your skin. The burning need to go out at night. So they try to help her. Alfred is the one to suggest turning her focus to the Wayne side of their life's. To use her knowledge of the streets and poor parts of Gotham to help the money flow to where it's needed. She grumbles. But takes the opportunity.

Jason's story stays almost the same. What else is there to do than be a ballsy little kid in the face of Batman. Than to bare his teeth in the face of danger. He's only supposed to stay at the manor for a few days. Until the system could find a better, long term place for him. In the matter of hours Steph and Jason become inseparable. He looks at her like she hung the stars and she regales him with greatly exaggerated stories of her time as Batman's sidekick. They all know that Jason isn't going anywhere after that and Batman needed a new sidekick anyways. (Jason takes his, from Steph appointed, "Batman Wrangler" Job *very* seriously)

Several years later, there's a new player on the field. Cold calculated and able to stay three steps ahead of Batman. The Joker dies. The head is mailed to Wayne Enterprise. A gift, the card says, from Drake Industries. A promise, a threat, for flourishing business relationships. The Joker is dead. And Tim Drake has returned. (Deep deep down in the shadows of Gotham a court of Owls welcomes their newest member. They're like spun sugar, wrapped around his finger)

Darkseid happens. There's a letter addressed to Damian Wayne. A letter telling him that Bruce isn't dead. There's only one person who could have the resources to prove that claim. Prove that the research and theories are indeed fact. So Damian faces his heritage.

When he returns from the League, it's with Bruce Wayne and a shadow. A tiny girl named Cassandra. It takes some time for him to notice, but he wasn't raised by the Bat himself to be unaware of his surroundings. So Damian helps. He sees himself in Cass, a warped and distorted "what could have been". If he wasn't the heir to both the Demon and the Bat. If his parents were just a bit more cruel.

After everything it all ends how it originally began. A visit to the circus. A daring show of skills. A snapped line. And an orphan. Dick Grayson joins the Batfamily, the Waynes last. Hurt, angry and demanding revenge for his family. They all know what it feels like. They all know how to deal with a tiny child with big emotions. He stays. He is loved. And with some time he's no longer angry. You can't be angry when you're an uncle afterall.

[miwiheroes]

Dropping Byler Evidence Every Day Until Season 5

Day 1 - The M&Ms scene

So yeah, this scene is never really talked about that much as like actual proof, more like a funni little thing where Mike looks at Will for a moment when he walks away, but analysis of the cinematography, framing and narrative of this scene can be revealing.

First thing: as soon as El wipes her nose, revealing it was her that helped Mike and Lucas, the camera zooms in on Mike, as if to be like 'oooh wonder how he's going to react'! and the audience is then in suspense, because they're probably expecting him to smile or try to take this opportunity.

What does he do? He just says 'Thanks." And the moment of suspense is broken. It's almost like a record scratch. We will come back to this reaction later, basically because it shows that Mike really does not mind being on these terms with El.

Second thing: At first glance there seems to be 3 main characters of this scene: Mike, Lucas and El. However, Will also seems to be included in this scene unlike Max who is also there. There is no reason to have Will be in some of these shots that, I want you guys to understand, is intentional. The directors didn't just accidentally set up this frame:

They didn't just forget to move Will out the way. In this shot, the Rule of Thirds can be applied. While El and half of Mike are in the second third/ third third, both half of Mike and Will are in the same third. This is also the third on the left, which is where (in western cultures) people begin to look at images from (reading from left to right). The fact that Will looks at Mike when he says 'Thanks' is the first thing that the audience is intended to notice (because its on the left), even if it is very subtle.

It is also important to note that the writers of the show know, in this moment, that Will is in love with Mike, they've had that planned out from the start (this is undeniably canon, unlike Mike's feelings to Will). Therefore, it is interesting that they included him in this shot and the next part too:

Like?? what was the point of the directors putting him in this part? Placing him in an interactional role with Mike in a Mike and El scene is just interesting to me. Like,,,, also could Mike not have talked to El with Will there?

After Will gets up, there is this really awkwardly long part where Will goes from the left third to the right third of the screen and just stays there? Like he's still in the shot (which they can easily catch and retake if they needed to). Why do the writers/directors want you to take such notice of his presence?

Also, going back to the fact that Will has to leave for Mike to be able to talk to El. Again, the directors did not need to put Will in this scene, they could have had him doing something else. Instead, they had him there to subtly further his character arc of being selfless/being shoved away by Mike in favour of El. It's also maybe simply because Mike just can't handle having both Will and El in the same context without ignoring one for the other, because he holds them to the same romantic standard.

We see this mishandling of El and Will in the airport scene, the whole time Mike is with El in the beginning of S3, Rink o Mania, the dinner after Rink o Mania etc. Basically, when both El and Will are around, he feels like he has to get rid of Will to be able to be romantic towards El, despite being able to talk about it to Lucas. When it's just him and Will, he's pretty happy (we see this in the 'Cool. Cool.' scene and the 'Guess it's up to us again' scene which are the only two scenes in S4 where Mike believes he is no longer in a relationship with El and just thinks he needs to team up with Will and go back to Hawkins without El). Therefore, he needed Will out the way because he can't be romantic with his girlfriend with Will distracting him lmao <3

Third Thing: Lucas is the one to encourage Mike to make up with El.

To be honest, him encouraging him alone isn't really that convincing of the fact that Mike is queer coded blah blah, like, your friend is allowed to say 'That was the Olive branch! Your way in!' without it being queercoding. The queercoding however, comes with the reaction to that information.

First, I want to point to something I may bring up in the future of this series. In S1, Lucas is the first person to ever suggest that there might be something romantic going on between Mike and El. When he says "Why don't you just marry her?", Mike does not go all ooooh flustery and blushy, he does not go 'EW GROSS' like a lot of boys that age would, instead he just acts confused. Multiple times.

The first time is when he goes, "Lucas what are you talking about?" The second is in response to Lucas going "Mike, seriously?" saying "What?" again. When Lucas then teases him about caring about her, he just says "Shut up Lucas" in this really tired tone, rather than a flustered or angry one. He basically gets the idea that he probably should like El romantically, if he shows even any care towards her.

Now, throughout S3, Lucas is the one to constantly question Mike's actions towards El. He's confused on why he won't tell her the truth about Hopper, and everything else, which all culminates into this "Oh my god. You're hopeless," when referring to picking up signals about girls.

I must say this rn too: You don't pick up on signals you don't want to receive. You do pick up on signals you do want to receive. I think most of us know what it's like to have a crush. You constantly look out for little things and overanalyse their actions towards you. But Mike has no clue. Maybe because.... he just doesnt feel that way.

Okay going back to reactions. Basically, you would kind of expect Mike's reaction to hearing that his girlfriend, that he's sooooo sad about losing oh nooooo, has decided to reach out and say that she's okay with him would be excitement, right?

When Lucas is describing how he's going to let Mike talk to El, Mike looks extremely nervous, which I get. It's normal to feel nervous in this situation, but the thing is, El seems okay with him, surely he would at least have a little light in his eyes?

When Lucas has to say 'Talk to her, alright?' (as if Mike has no fucking clue) Mike nods and then there is a swell in the music, the camera zooms in on him, and instead of the music swelling to some nice, positive tones, it's almost foreboding, mimicking the mixed feelings swirling in Mike's brain. His face also kind of looks.... weird like he's unsure, or maybe he's disappointed? Nervous? idk

I would understand this to be a little romantic if he smiles, but jesus, he does not crack a single grin at this part.

It almost seems like he's deciding to do something he doesn't really want to. I think he was completely content with the fact that she helped them, but didn't want to do anything about it because he's totally fine being on good terms with her, obviously, but not necessarily on romantic terms with her. Maybe he's fine with the fact she doesn't really want to be with him.

However, after Lucas says this stuff, now he's looking over at her and thinking, wait, maybe she does want to be with me.

But instead of a:

Wow, maybe she does want to be with me! :D

It's a:

Oh, so she does want to be with me.

^basically this means Mike decides, based on his encouragement from Lucas rather than his own feelings, that he should talk to her. What can he say to Lucas here? That he doesn't want to? That isn't really an option for him.

Fourth Thing: Okay this is very small but for some reason this scene is interspersed with scenes of Jonathan and Nancy getting almost killed by the mindflayer army like???

Why would they cut from this very tense scene where these beloved characters are about to be killed to this scene between Mike and El where everything is fine!

It's like.,,,, they want the audience to be tense watching them, even if it's not directly for the right reasons. They want the audience to maybe feel the tension in the foreboding nature of the fact that the mindflayer is in the same building as them, meaning there is always some danger lurking in the background.

Okay hope you enjoyed today's byler evidence :) stay tuned for tomorrow's!

[icequeenlila]

Silco x Vander Part2

(Link to first part at the end)

“On second thought”, Silco muttered when he watched one of the girls get up as if to come over. Her fellow friends cheered her on. “Take me home.”

Vander raised his eyebrows. “Huh?”

Silco turned to face him, holding out one of his hands. “I’ve had enough drinks. Take me home.”

And there was something in his eyes; Vander couldn’t quite put a finger on it, but it was there. Something heavy, something … intense.

He swallowed and his throat felt like a dry wasteland. The world seemed to blur around him; the hustling masses turned into vague silhouettes, the music fading into one single tune, the dim light of the bar turning everything golden and warm and fuzzy.

And in the middle of this swimming sea stood Silco; his eyes blue and sharp and the very anker of Vander’s perception.

He looked up at his best friend, his partner in crime, and he felt his heart skip a beat, felt it pick back up its rhythm way too fast, too strong. Felt it force hot blood through his veins until he could hear it pumping inside his ears, until he could feel it burning on his face.

Silco quirked one brow at him and Vander was transfixed by it.

His whole attention, his whole mind was on Silco and nothing else. He didn’t notice the music turning louder around them, didn’t notice the people passing them to get to the dance floor.

There was just Silco and his piercing blue eyes. Only Silco and his cute little frown as he turned his head, glaring at – What was he glaring at?

Vander followed his gaze and found a woman smiling down at him. He blinked in confusion.

The woman was looking at him as if waiting for an answer. Had she asked him a question? Vander hadn’t even noticed her approaching.

“Huh?”, he asked, the world slowly shifting back into place, now that he wasn’t staring at Silco anymore.

The woman – blonde, tall, pretty – laughed as if he’d said something funny. Vander wished she would go away.

He looked back at Silco and found him staring daggers at her. He had redrawn the hand he’d held out for him. Vander didn’t like that.

“I asked if you would like to dance”, the woman called over the loud music.

But Vander wasn’t even looking at her anymore. His entire attention was on Silco and the way his lips formed into an angered pout. He watched Silco move as if to cross his arms, but before he could do so, Vander reached out to him, taking hold of his wrist.

Silco didn’t fight him, only looked at him with a perplexed expression.

They stared at each other, their eyes locked, and finally, it clicked.

“Sorry”, Vander said in the girl’s direction without really looking at her. “I’m here with him.”

Silco’s eyes widened, but not by much, his brows wandering up and a tiny smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.

‘So you do get what I meant’, his eyes seemed to say, and Vander could only smile back at him.

He really could be dense sometimes.

“Oh!”, the girl called, covering her mouth. “I’m so sorry, I should’ve known.” She gave them each an apologizing smile, tugging a strand of hair behind her ear. “Really guys, sorry. I hope you have a nice evening. Bye now!”

And then she turned to hurry back to her group of friends, who welcomed her back with nervous laughter and pitiful looks.

Silco and Vander both looked after her with irritated expressions on their faces.

“So”, Silco said after a while, turning back to face him. “You’re here with me?”

He gently tugged at Vander’s hand, urging him to stand, and Vander obliged with a low chuckle rumbling in his chest.

“I was here with you”, he teased, now looking down at Silco. “I was under the impression that we’re about to leave.”

Silco had to tip his head back to be able to look at him. He didn’t say anything, only studied Vander’s face, searching for something there. His pupils were wide and dark, indicating that his friend was still very drunk.

When Silco kept silently staring up at him, Vander began to doubt himself.

“Sorry, I thought I understood what you’d meant earlier, but if I’m wrong just tell- mmmhh.”

The alcohol also made him slow. One moment he’d been rambling, and in the other Silco had pulled him down by the neck, pressing their lips together in a quick kiss.

It was only a short moment of lips touching lips, but it was enough to get the point across.

When Silco pulled away, Vander had to blink against the dizziness inside his head. He found that he had his arms slung around Silco’s waist out of reflex. He felt him shift in his hold, a grin tugging at his lips, when he realized that Silco had been standing on his tippy-toes in order to reach up to him.

“I thought you’d never get it”, Silco said, a tipsy smile on his lips. “I swear I had to stop Felicia from screaming it into your face. Our girl was frustrated.”

Vander laughed at mental image.

“You should’ve let her”, he said, tightening his hold around Silco, pulling him closer. “Could’ve done this sooner.”

He touched his forehead to Silco’s, closing his eyes, happy to just hold him like this. Vander was still a bit drunk, his whole body buzzing with booze and butterflies, music thrumming in his ears.

He felt Silco’s huffed laugh on his lips from how close they were. Vander smiled when he felt Silco rub his nose against his, cuddling him without shame, like nobody was watching.

“Let’s get out of here”, Silco murmured, his warm breath hitting Vander’s lips, their mouths never quite touching. “Take me home, Vander.”

Vander dug his fingers into Silco’s hips, satisfied when he felt him flinch in his hold.

“Are you sure?”, he asked, his lips nibbling on Silco’s earlobe.

He couldn’t help the evil little grin spreading on his lips when he felt the man shiver against him.

“Very”, came Silco’s strangled response.

He pulled away from Vander’s embrace, instead entangling their fingers and tugging at him. Silco looked up at him with a promising smile on his lips, and Vander knew he’d follow him everywhere.

“Let’s find Felicia”, Silco said, his eyes never leaving Vander’s. “Tell her we’re leaving.”

Vander chuckled at that. “If she hasn’t left with someone else already.”

Silco shrugged his shoulders. “If she did, it means all three of us are getting lucky tonight.”

“Guess it does”, Vander replied with a grin.

They made their way through the masses with Silco leading the way. He was holding Vander’s hand as he navigated them towards the dance floor and Vander noticed that Silco was guiding his hand dangerously close to his lower back where his top was riding up, revealing a beautiful patch of smooth skin.

Silco moved so Vander’s knuckles would graze him there briefly, with every step he made.

Tease, Vander thought to himself, a knowing smirk on his lips.

Suddenly, Silco stopped and let go of Vander’s hand. Instead he reached up both his arms, waving them around.

“Felicia!”, he called with all his chest, still too drunk to worry about his appearance. “Felicia! Over here!”

“Wooooooooooh!”, a loud voice answered from the dancing crowd. “Silco! Vander! Heyyyyyyyy!”

Vander spotted her in the middle of the dance floor, one arm slung around someone’s neck and the other excessively waving back at them.

“Wait, we’ll come over!”, she called, dragging her flirt along.

“Guess, she’s found someone”, Vander chuckled. “Poor Connol.”

Silco shrugged his shoulders. “His fault for being so boring.”

Vander laughed. 

He felt so good! Silco had kissed him and they were going home together. Silco had kissed him! God, he felt like a girl with a crush.

Silco was still scanning the crowd for their friend, so Vander had the opportunity to stare at him unbothered. And by Janna, he was beautiful.

Vander could get lost in those blue eyes; which had happened many times before. His fingers tingled with the urge to run them along the sharp lines of Silco’s cheekbones, the edge of his nose, along his expressive eyebrows and over his soft, soft lips.

He knew for a fact that they were soft, because he’d felt them on his own only moments ago. Vander felt his heart pick up at the memory of it alone. God, he was lost.

“I think I lost her”, Silco said, stretching his neck to see better. He even got onto his tippy-toes, without much avail.

Vander smiled at the sight. He opened his mouth to say something when he was rudely interrupted.

“Hey, baby”, some guy slurred, throwing an arm around Silco’s shoulders. “Wanna come home with me?”

Vander saw red. His hands pulled into fists, adrenalin flooding his system. He moved almost instantly, ready to deck the man into the head, but Silco held him back with a hand to his chest.

Pulling free from the guy’s grasp Silco positioned himself between him and Vander, hands on his hips and looking up at the stranger unimpressed.

“Look at me”, he said, gesturing along his body. His voice sounded unbothered, bored even.

The guy let his eyes wander down Silco’s body with a disgusting smirk on his lips. “Oh, I’m looking, baby”, he said with a suggestive tone in his voice, stepping closer, invading Silco’s space.

Oh, Vander wanted to strangle him, wrap his fingers around his throat and smash him into the next best wall. But Silco wouldn’t let him.

“Now tell me”, Silco said. “In what kind of universe do you believe this is gonna happen?”

He stared the guy dead in the eyes, not blinking once, seemingly unbothered by the foul breath of the other.

Vander watched with delight as the rejection seemed to dawn on the man. The guy’s features went from perplexed to ashamed to angry really quickly.

“And who do you think you are, huh?”, the man slurred, moving as if to grab Silco by the collar. “You little bitch!”

Vander moved out of instinct, pulling Silco back by the shoulder and shielding him with his own body.

The guy looked up at him and immediately went white in the face, his mouth the shape of an ��o’.

“Touch him and I’ll rip off that hand of yours”, Vander growled.

The guy audibly gulped, nodding his head. Vander wouldn’t be surprised if the guy just pissed himself. 

The man pulled up his shoulders, about to flee the scene when Silco slipped past Vander, a vicious grin on his lips.

Vander watched with wide surprise as Silco grabbed the man by his crotch, grip so tight his knuckles turned white.

The man screamed in pure agony, trying to get away from Silco and only screaming louder when Silco twisted his hand on him.

“Call me bitch one more time, and it won’t just be your hand I’ll rip from your pathetic, disgusting body!”, Silco hissed into the guy’s face, a grimace of a grin on his lips and cold glee inside his eyes. “Got it?”

“Yes!”, the guy wailed, his eyes shining with tears.

Silco cocked his head at him, staring a little longer. “Good”, he said as he watched the first pained tear roll down the man’s cheek.

He let go.

The guy immediately stumbled backwards, body curled and bent over. He looked up at them one final time, a look of raw horror on his face, before fleeing into the crowd.

Vander stared at Silco in shocked awe.

Silco simply straightened his back, blowing a strand of hair out of his face.

“Told you”, he said, turning to face Vander. “Got the suitors lining up.”

+

First Part

Still not finished. I'll probably fix some things while editing. I'll let you know when it's up on ao3.✨

[gojoidyll]

There is No Law that Emperors Must be Fair

Emperor ! Jing Yuan x Princess ! Reader

Chapter 12 | Jing Yuan

Summary | You are set to marry the Emperor, Jing Yuan. In order to break the engagement, you stage an accident and fake having amnesia. But now, your own cruel, cold, and distant fiancé, who seemed to not want anything to do with you, is now acting all lovey dovey!

want to be a part of the taglist? then pls go to taglist ^-^

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“Good evening, princess.”

Without much time to relax or breathe when Blade left to go to the Emperor, another had entered the infirmary. You recognized him easily. He was the main physician that cared for people here. Luocha.

Bringing up the blankets close to your face as a sort of barrier between you and the man, you nodded to him, “h- hello… are you… that Emperor that that guard had mentioned?”

Luocha chuckled as he came to your bedside, “no, no. I’m a doctor, a healer of sorts. Now, princess, how are you feeling? Is there any pain anywhere?”

Taking a moment to think things over, you were glad that everything was working so well so far. Though, truthfully, you haven’t once talked to Luocha before, so you weren’t sure just how perceptive he was, so the amnesia act must go on.

“A little… mainly in my legs, back, and a dull throb in my head.”

Luocha nodded, “and can you remember anything?”

You shook your head, “I- I can’t,” for more of an effective you tried to think of something sad so your eyes could start watering, and just as the tears started to form Luocha was quick to try to comfort you which was surprising to say the least.

“Don’t cry, princess, we don’t have to talk about your lost memory, alright? Let’s focus on something else.”

You nodded and just as Luocha brought out a small handkerchief, probably to wipe your tears, but before he could hand it to you, the infirmary door opened again, and Blade stepped through… with the Emperor coming in right after.

“Why is she crying,” Blade asked.

Luocha bowed, “I’m afraid it’s my fault, I asked her if she could remember anything, and I guess all the stress has finally gotten to her. My apologies.”

Without a word, Jing Yuan stepped forward and took the handkerchief from Luocha’s hand, and when he walked over to you, you couldn’t deny the fear that strikes through your veins as you scooted away, your back hitting the headboard as Jing Yuan sat on the edge of the bed and reached for you.

But all you could see was the striking arch of his blade swinging down.

However, instead of feeling that cold, electrifying metal glide straight through your body like it was made of paper, you felt a warm, calloused hand gently cup your cheek. The handkerchief cloth then lightly being applied to your dampened skin.

You trembled within his hold as he wiped away your tears. A part of you still disbelieving as he gently cleaned you up. It was such a stark contrast to your other meetings with him.

Once your tears were dried, Jing Yuan tossed the handkerchief back to Luocha, “leave us.”

Bowing almost immediately, Luocha took his leave. Though, Blade hesitated for a moment.

“That goes for you as well, Blade.”

Blade only gave a stiff nod before leaving. Your mind was a bit confused at the interaction. Blade has never done that before. He was always quick to follow Jing Yuan’s orders after all.

When you and Jing Yuan were finally alone, you half expected him to tell you to drop the act, but the words never came. Instead, his steel-like focus was solely on you, and not once were you able to stop your shaking, trembling form because of it.

His hand that was cupping your cheek moved to gently caress your face before he let his palm fall away from you.

“Princess.”

“Y- yes,” your voice wobbled slightly.

“Do you know how I am?”

“The- the Emperor?”

He smiled at your answer, “and my name?”

You shook your head, “no,” that one word was a mere quiet whisper that fell from your lips. This was way different than before. Not once had Jing Yuan ever asked anyone to leave you two alone. There was always a third-party present.

“My name is Jing Yuan.”

You nodded.

“Do you know your name?”

“I don’t… everyone only calls me by that princess title.”

Jing Yuan chuckled softly at your response and told you what your name was, and before he could say anything else, you spoke first even though that same fear still coursed through you.

“Is it true?”

“What is?”

“That- that we’re supposed to be getting married to one another?”

He hummed at that question, “we are, yes. You’re my fiancé, in fact.”

His hands moved down to your own, his fingertips lightly brushing at your knuckles as he tried to coax you to let go of the blanket, and once you did, he let his fingers slip into your palm before intertwining both his and your fingers together.

“I- I’m sorry.”

“Why are you apologizing?”

“I don’t remember anything much less being your fiancé.”

“That’s alright, I’m sure your memory will come back in time.”

You panicked then, was he really dead set on this marriage then?! You didn’t let your inner turmoil show as you looked at your intertwined hands, “how did we end up together?”

“I met you at your father’s castle. The moment I saw you, I knew you were the one.”

You resisted the urge to pull your hand away from his.

“Did I tell you much about myself? Anything you can remember? I- I mean, if you want to tell me, of course. It’s just- it might help me remember,” you rambled a bit, your nerves quickly acting up, but Jing Yuan was quick to ease you, surprising as it sounds.

“I know that your favorite color is (color), and that you like to eat (favorite food),” he started to list off a few things, each detail surprising you more than before because… he was right on all of them, but you never told him any of this, so how-? How was it that he seemed to know you so well?!

And as your conversation with the Emperor continued, Luocha had returned at some point to prescribe you some sort of pain relief drink that you will need to take every morning and even said that you will be able to go back to your room. Which was a blessing, well, until Luocha left once more, and Jing Yuan stood up as well just as the infirmary door closed.

“Shall we?”

His hand was still intertwined with your own as you nodded. He was probably going to lead you back to your room, much to your relief. However, as you stood up the pain in your legs was way more than you previously thought as you left out a small cry of pain and stumbled forward.

Luckily, Jing Yuan had already caught you before you could fall face first to the floor, and before you could apologize, he had lifted you up causing a gasp to leave your lips as he moved to hold you in a bridal carry. Scrambling in his grasp, you hadn’t noticed that you had wrapped your arms around his neck until you turned your head to look at him, and not realizing that he was looking at you too, your lips had accidentally brushed against his own.

You reacted quickly as you pulled away, “I- I’m so sorry!”

And as you looked at him, it was like it took a moment for your words to register in his head as his eyes seemed to have a far away look in his eyes, but before you could say anything else, he smiled at you.

“You don’t need to apologize for something like that.”

You nodded as he fixed his hold on you and moved to exit the infirmary, and just as you were about to ask him if he wanted you to open the door for him, he had called out to Blade, and just as he did, the door opened. Blade seemingly had been guarding the infirmary this entire time.

“Come along.”

The walk to your room was silent and whatever you did, you just couldn’t get your body to relax within his hold. Your tension not going unnoticed by the Emperor, but luckily he didn’t say anything.

“Here we are.”

Looking towards the door and then back up at Jing Yuan’s face you asked, “do we… not sleep in the same room?”

The question seemed to catch him off guard, but he was quick to recover, “before we had agreed not to share a room until after we are married, however, maybe sleeping in the same room will hasten your memories to come back sooner rather than later.”

You were quick to shake your head as you ducked your chin down to avoid eye contact, “n- no, we can- we can wait until we’re married- if- if you still want to marry me.”

Having Blade open your bedroom door, Jing Yuan had walked in with you still in his arms. His steps easily carry you to your bed, but before he set you down, he had leaned into you. His lips pressing softly to your forehead causing you to freeze up again.

“Get some rest, I’ll see you at breakfast in the morning. Your maids will come assist you in getting ready tomorrow,” he said to you as he set you down.

“Al- alright, thank you Emper-,” before you could finish he had stopped you, his thumb pressing firmly against your lips.

“My name.”

Nodding to him, he had brought his hand away, “thank you…. Yuan.”

The shortening of his name seemed to catch him off guard again, but just as before his recovery was as swift as the wind, and he delivered his goodnight to you just as easily before leaving your room.

And once you were finally alone, you flopped back into your mattress. Jing Yuan was acting off, but you knew better. As long as you stayed on your toes and kept at it, you knew that you would be able to make it home.

“Blade.”

“Yes?”

“Has Dan Heng apprehended the maid responsible?”

“He has.”

“Good.”

“Do you want him to take care of her?”

“No, I’ll kill her myself.”

taglist pt 1

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[dearlot]

wait the thing you said about lottie walking in on u jerking off at the wellness centre & asking if you need help. 🤯. #needthat

a/n: didn't expect it to get this long but erm 🥸 reader is afab.

Your toes curl with excitement, and your belly flips as you prepare for the night, smiling to yourself as you plop your head against the soft pillows. God, you've been waiting for this all fuckin' day. All you could think about as you helped Lottie around the center was going back to your room and making yourself cum. But you haven't been able to touch yourself in a hot minute because of how busy you are as Lottie's new assistant. And when you do get the urge to masturbate after a stressful day, you're either too tired or too lazy. Today you were both, but you were able to go home earlier than usual and you knew that if you didn't take the opportunity to jerk off tonight, it'd be weeks until your clit was finally satisfied. It was hard to work sometimes because of the constant throbbing, and maybe you did excuse yourself to the bathroom a couple of times to try and relieve the aching but couldn't go through with it. It was like everyone knew you were trying to jerk off and decided to walk into the bathroom before you were able to cum.

It was pure torture.

And it certainly didn't help when Charlotte—Lottie— was one of those people who walked in. Honestly, you probably could have cum just from getting caught by her of all people (your crush on her is massive.), but you knew you'd let out a terribly loud moan and expose yourself. So you just warmed up your fingers while she did her business and left, thinking of how in the hell you could get through 5 more hours of this.

But you don't have to wonder anymore. You are going to lie here in bed for hours just cumming to make up for lost time. And, yes, you are a little disappointed you weren't able to bring your vibrator with you when you checked yourself into Lottie's center. You miss the powerful gal. It's a shame it won't be giving you your first orgasm in over a month, but your fingers are better than nothing.

You bite your lips softly as you trail your fingers down your chest, sighing softly at how you seem 10x more sensitive. Goosebumps form on your skin and cause you to shiver slightly, and you grin lazily as you think about what's next to come (Spoiler: it's gonna be you!).

Fingers touch the hair on your mound and you let out a louder-than-expected groan, peeking your eyes open like you've been caught. You flush with hot embarrassment but shake your head, continuing your movements downward and lightly touching your clit. Your hips jerk forward, desperate for more pressure. For a second you think about teasing yourself but you decide you're crazy. You need to cum now. You don't even care if you finish in seconds, you need it.

You gather your slick and rub it on your clit for a few seconds before plunging your fingers into your hole, eyes closing so hard you see moving stars. The lazy grin is back on your face as you move your fingers in and out, in and out, and you get off to the sound of your wetness echoing around the room. You grip the white bedsheets as you feel that familiar coil in your belly and sit up slightly, breathing heavily and moving your fingers even faster inside of you. The blankets are bothering you so you decide to kick them off with a huff and spread your legs further apart, hips chasing your fingers as they work inside of your cunt. The coil gets hotter but you can't seem to unleash it. You know you're so close but at the same time, it's miles away. You let out a frustrated grunt and tilt your head back in irritation, closing your eyes and trying to melt your brain into a puddle of nothing so you can relax.

It works too well apparently, because you can't even hear your bedroom door open and notice Lottie walk in with a stunned look on her face. She freezes, eyes glued to your sopping wet pussy and the way you move your fingers so roughly. Realization hits her when she feels a throb of her own down there, and she quietly closes the door. Lottie feels excitement surge through her as she watches like a voyeur, her fingers twitching as she imagines that they're her own instead of yours.

You still can't cum.

You whine in frustration and flop on your back, moving your fingers back to your clit and opening your eyes to stare at the popcorn ceiling.

"Do you need my help?"

You choke at the sound of the voice and sit up, eyes widening in horror when you see Lottie standing there. You fish for your blanket and attempt to cover yourself up but she raises her hand, signaling for you to stop. Lottie walks slowly and calmly over to your bed, and you feel your clit pulse uncontrollably as she sits down next to you.

"I-I'm sorry..." you mumble, not really knowing why you apologized. It was she who walked in without knocking...

Lottie shushes you and you clamp your mouth shut immediately. "I asked you a question."

To be completely honest, you can't remember what she even said.

"Do you need help touching yourself?" she raises her voice a little, making you flush at how assertive she sounds.

Once you let out a small and squeaky "yes", her hands rip the rest of the blanket off you and travel up your thighs. She pushes you back on the bed and looms over you, making your hips involuntarily thrust up into her. Her neck veins are so visible it makes you feel like a vampire ready to feed. All you wanna do is lick them.

"I'll take good care of you, don't you worry," she smiles a smile that teeters on the edge of predatory. Lottie scoots down your body until she's face to face with your wet heat. Her mouth waters at your scent. "You can't tell anyone about this though, you understand? What would everyone think if they knew I had my mouth on such a young member of this community?"

An open-mouthed kiss is placed on your clit.

You lurch forward and hover your hand over her head, feeling unsure if you should touch her. She smiles up at you, eyes bright and gleaming, and lifts her head until it touches your palm.

"Don't be so shy. You can touch me."

You push her back down toward your pussy and she gets to work, licking up to your clit and sucking it into her mouth.

Tonight is going to be one you won't forget for a long, long time.

[pompomchihuahua]

So, I've seen a Twitter thread making the rounds about Yuichirou being in the right for not trusting Amane which you can read here. Overall, I think it nicely covered why Yuichirou was so "mean" to her: a strange woman shows up at their home trying to recruit two vulnerable 11-year-old boys who just lost their parents. She starts talking about demons and them being descended from swordsmen and being able to save people and in Muichirou's hopeful little heart it strikes a chord.

But Yuichirou says that he's certain she's just going to use them, that she's plotting something, which, from a story telling perspective, is an interesting seed to plant in the viewers mind.

What I mainly want to focus on in this thread is Kagaya Ubuyashiki, as he is the one who ultimately sends Amane to recruit the Tokitou twins (though, yes, she is complicit in the recruitment of child soldiers. The average age of soldiers in 1912 Japan was 17-20 not 11).

Putting aside that he ends up recruiting Muichirou anyway after he's made almost impossibly more vulnerable (just lost his last remaining family, critically injured, just lost his memories and also, once again, an 11 year old CHILD being coerced by an adult into fighting mythical monsters) Kagaya has a way of appearing to the Hashira at their most vulnerable moments to recruit them (aside from Rengoku who was basically born and raised into the role which is a whole other can of worms).

Another thing I'd like to point out is the cruelty and impracticality of final selection, something that is exemplified perfectly with Sabito. How many slayers with the potential to do something great's lives were wasted in final selection? Considering the sheer amount that goes in and how few come out and the lack of any kind of age limit, I'm going to guess quite a few. Why exactly is the system set up like this?

They essentially set up a demon buffet featuring children as the main course. Did they know about the demon growing out of control on the final selection grounds? Most likely, and if not that's highly irresponsible to not at least monitor your supposed testing grounds.

Why not have them fight against other, higher-level slayers? If they fail the test, they'd be sent back into training or dismissed entirely instead of just... killed. And Ubuyashiki seems fine with this! And I'm truly curious- he mentions memorizing the names of every slayer that dies in the line of duty, but does that include the dozens of people that don't even get to become official slayers because they die in the very baffling final selection meat grinder?

I'm getting off track.

What I mean is that Ubuyashiki is shown to have questionable moral decision-making when it comes to the pursuit of defeating Muzan: it seems his goal is to kill Muzan at all costs.

Later, Muzan says this: "That schemer! Like a viper, his rage and hatred toward me... was coiling inside his pitch-black heart!"

As the viewer we're, of course, meant to take this with a grain of salt. We know Ubuyashiki didn't have a "pitch-black heart," but I think there's a grain of truth to be found in Ubuyashiki harboring rage and hatred toward Muzan.

We know the reason the Ubuyashiki clan started to hunt Muzan in the first place was to save themselves from the curse (and along the way I think they genuinely believed it was for the greater good as well).

But I think it sets Ubuyashiki up as the perfect morally ambiguous foil to Muzan. Yes, he is supposed to represent humanity, but what is more human than the endless moral struggle between the greater good and what's right for the individual? Ubuyashiki points out that in the thousands of years of Muzan's existence, the corps has never been wiped out but this is because the corps inherently preys on those who are at their most vulnerable. It is built on the back of tragedy.

Everything down to even just their life span is meant to be equal but opposite from Muzan's immortality to the Ubuyashiki's ephemeral life spans. Even their clothing choice, with Muzan picking darker colors and Ubuyashiki clad in white. Muzan is beautiful and unmarred while Kagaya is consumed by the curse of their bloodline yet their appearance is described as "twin-like" in the Kimetsu extras. Yet they are also equal, once again returning to their supposedly identical features, they both have a tendency to appear to those that serve them at their most vulnerable.

This is not a "Kagaya is evil" post at the end of the day. This is a "Kagaya is not a morally pure character and that's a good thing" post. And, I think, had the author had more time, they would have explored this fully. We all know the ending was a tad bit rushed due to the author having a family emergency and I will never blame them for that, but just looking at the story they built even on that time crunch I can only imagine they narrative they could have built given unlimited time.

I feel like they could have explored Kagaya's character more which they set up as being Muzan's equal but opposite: equally scheming but thankfully on humanity's side. He had empathy for the children, yes, but he still, at the end of the day, used people at their most vulnerable to do what he couldn't on his own.

And I didn't even get to START on the implications of his magical "voice" and foresight powers, but this post is already so long that I'm gonna end it here.

TLDR: Ubuyashiki is so much more complex than your stock "Greater good" character. He's Muzan's equal but opposite force, conniving but empathetic, morally ambiguous. Had the author had more time, I feel this would have been explored in more depth.

[linearao3]

I don’t have a new Publish or Perish chapter and probably won’t any time super soon because I am very tired and also I hate that I am being accidentally Relevant due to H-1B Discourse. So please accept this tiny little interstitial — probably the only Kaz POV I will provide for this fic. You could say there are spoilers but I think it’s more like foreshadowing? This might not even be canonical to the fic. Who can say. But please enjoy.

—

He reaches for the phone out of habit, because that’s what he does now at night, look and see if Inej has texted him. And yes, she did just leave, but you never know.

She hasn’t texted. She just left; of course she hasn’t.

He thinks vaguely that he might have read somewhere that you should ask people to text you when they get home safely. He can’t remember if this was etiquette advice, or a devious way of making sure they kept thinking about you.

He’d had some notion, in his head, that after he kissed her, she might turn in the doorway and close her hand around his jaw, pull him down to kiss her. She is so warm, and her mouth is warmer, and he imagines — imagines too much, with too much of his time and too much presumption that he’ll ever find out — that it’s even warmer than that in her cunt.

He’s jealous of the stupid toy. He’s so smug that she likes it.

He types

Sex is so strange. I had all these notions of what I wanted to do, and I didn’t do any of them, and what I did do feels like the only good thing that has ever happened to anyone ever. That’s how I felt when you came to my office, too.

He never texts her first. He likes knowing she chose to start it, that she wants it. That she’s lying in bed thinking about him. He keeps typing.

The thing is that my brother died. And that’s the only thing that ever happened to me, really.

He’s forty — okay, no, he’s not forty, but he feels like he ought to be forty — and he’s tried to have sex exactly twice before now, once with Jesper and once with Imogen and they were both so disastrous he tries not to think about it. But he’s forty or thirty or whatever and he’s coming to the end of his debt and he will take care of Rollins soon, soon, pull out the brick of Marya Van Eck and everything will crumble. And then he’ll just be — a professor, he supposes. A professor with a good salary who could get stupid nice small things and could have friends over for dinner and could have a girlfriend. Because why shouldn’t he? Except that there’s a gaping savage maw where his heart ought to be.

I do still want to fuck you. I bought some condoms. I imagined you putting one on me, like a horny sex ed class with Dr. Ghafa, and I’d be so hard in your hand.

He jerked off before she came, with the idea that he might last longer when she was actually there, and he doesn’t know if he can physically manage three in a night but his body seems interested in trying it.

He was never really a teenager, he thinks— he woke up in the hospital whatever thing he is now, which wasn’t a child and has maybe never been an adult — so maybe now he’s doing adolescence as a crash course, an intensive study in constant graceless horniness and short-sighted stupidity.

You’re never going to forgive me. I want you to. You shouldn’t. It’s just that I’m selfish. If you asked me I’ll say that it’s because I promised you but it’s really because I just want to be able to see you sometimes. I want to be able to give you things. I’m not going to send this. I just got so used to telling you things. You are so beautiful and I want you so much and I am so tired. I’m going to sleep. Sleep well, Inej. Come and talk to me.

He force-quits the chat application, drops the phone, and falls asleep. He dreams Inej smiles, bright and vicious and righteous, and tells him he did everything just right.

[themindcastlesystem]

Beyond the Veil of Hypocrisy... lies chapter 2 (theory)

(Sunny, they/she) okay so this might be my first proper post on this site but we all gotta start somewhere lol

BACKGROUND

In the book of Genesis, Eve was tempted by the serpent (Satan) into committing the first sin. Adam followed suit, and God punished both of them by expelling them from the Garden of Eden and revoking their immortality.

In Project: Eden's Garden, Eva was tempted by her distrust of others (encouraged by Damon, who wears a tie with a snake on it), and she committed the first murder. She was executed - leaving Eden's Garden Academy, so to speak.

So... what happens next?

THE KILLER

Well, Eve convinced Adam to join her in committing sin, right? She took the forbidden fruit from the serpent, ate it, and gave it to Adam. So Adam committed the second sin. But Adam - Damon - is our protagonist here. That can't be quite right.

But I don't think he's going to stay the protagonist much longer. He experienced a much more condensed version of the type of development arc experienced by a protagonist like Shuichi Saihara [v3] - and he rejected it at the end of the chapter. While it is possible that he might continue to resist his primal urges to distrust others, I don't think it's likely - he already had to be pushed out of his comfort zone so much just to consider that Diana might not be the killer in chapter 1, and now his only confidant - Eva - is dead, and on top of that, Diana is still trying to emulate Wolfgang, who both he and Eva firmly believe was leading the class to destruction. "I couldn't hold back my true feelings anymore"; "it pissed me off".

Unless a miracle happens in the midst of this murder game and Damon manages to find other people to trust (not excluding Diana, though it's not likely), I don't think he's going to keep going down the path he started on in chapter 1. The first murder happening means that the chapter 1 festivities (game tournament, co-op laundry, bunk buddies) won't happen in the same manner, and if they do, it'll be through bated breath. If he already had to be pushed so hard just to play some games with the group before anyone died, it'll be ten times harder afterwards. (Naturally, this isn't to say that I think Damon is incapable of trust or kindness - giving or receiving - and in fact, I heavily empathize with him in some ways. But old habits absolutely die hard.)

In essence: Damon is my prime suspect for the chapter 2 blackened, and I don't think he will be the protagonist any further.

THE DETECTIVE

What then? Well, we just heard a very protag-y speech from someone at the end of the chapter, didn't we? It's what pissed Damon off: Diana's "like a chameleon, I will adapt!"

Diana has already had a great spotlight within chapter 1, and she has shown the makings of a leader. She's bright, kind, and energetic; people tend to like her; she adapts to the various situations that come her way. She is trusting of others, arguably too much so, but yet she comes across as mostly level-headed. Her youth hinders her, as she struggles to read the room and is reprimanded for this, but she tries to show the same compassion than Wolfgang - much more organically than he did, in multiple situations. She is emotionally intelligent, able to perceive when others are unwell and offer them genuine care.

Yet, she isn't a natural in her role. When she was forced to bear witness to her friend's death, and everyone and the evidence are against her... much like any normal person, but unlike a protagonist, she breaks. She is traumatized, barely able to speak and holding back tears. She struggles to tell the others what happened to her, even as they seem ready to unanimously send her to her death. It is the kind deed of the actual protagonist that snaps her out of her catatonia enough to tell her side of the story and help lead everyone to the truth.

But I believe Diana has still yet to shine.

BIBLICAL CANON...

Diana is specifically very reminiscent of a Danganronpa protagonist, too. She has one of the most classic DR-esque designs of the cast with her school uniform, her faith in others resembles that of Makoto Naegi [THH], and her personality is reminiscent of Kaede Akamatsu [v3]. While the team behind Project: Eden's Garden has been clear that players should not expect DR tropes to take place in the game, and it can be argued that an early-game protagonist switch would essentially be a parallel to v3, I argue that it's more of a subversion of expectations.

In v3, we start off playing as a lively girl with a kind spirit and a good head on her shoulders, who becomes a natural leader for the cast. She resorts to murder to try and stop the mastermind, completely unexpectedly to everyone around her (including the player, if they don't pick up on the hints that she's up to something). Her death is treated as honorable by the rest of the cast, and she is replaced by more of a typical DR protagonist: a sullen boy with heavy emotions on his heart and a tendency to distance himself from others. His attachment to her helps him carry on her legacy by learning to believe in himself, working with others, and surviving the killing game.

...VS. INTERPRETATION

In my prediction of P:EG chapters 1-2, we start off playing as a sullen boy with distrust on his heart and a tendency to distance himself from others. He is pushed out of his comfort zone quite a lot by the rest of the cast, and he ends up exploring, doing chores, and playing games together with the rest of them... but someone is killed anyway. Then, when another student he doesn't care for comes under fire for the murder, he challenges his base instinct to assume her guilt, instead figuring out an argument that there's more to the story and it can't be her. (Whether it's a logical or emotional argument doesn't matter as much as it seems, as he initially doesn't realize the logical issue and just feels something is wrong; that said, I do like the pathos route much more for this reason.) He is beginning to learn to trust people... until it turns out that his only friend was the killer, and she not only took advantage of him and emotionally manipulated him, but ends up trying to frame him and get him killed. All the while, the person who she initially framed was a lively girl with a kind spirit and a good head on her shoulders, trying to be a leader for her classmates in spite of everything, but being completely shut down by everyone else.

I think that unlike Shuichi, Damon's development is temporary and about to fully regress, and Diana may be a very good friend, but she isn't a universally loved natural leader like Kaede. So, similarly, I think their character arcs will be reversed entirely: Damon will stop trying to trust people and resort to murder, and Diana will have to prove herself as a leader and source of encouragement over an extended period of time. At the same time, where Shuichi retained his affection for Kaede after her death, even knowing she had killed someone, Diana will have to let go of her feelings of affection for Damon to see that he has given up on her (and the others) and become a killer. And yet, she will have to fight on - she has no choice but to live. She won't give up on her friends like Damon and Eva did, and she won't excommunicate them like Wolfgang did. And, even after realizing that her friend not only never trusted her but is a murderer, she will reconcile that with her positive memories of him - accepting that Damon was a complex human being that was put in a despicable situation... and, much like Eva before him, even though he committed one of the worst sins imaginable, he didn't deserve to die at the hands of this killing game's "God".

MARGINALIA

Imagine how much of an uphill battle Diana would be up against Damon if she had to prove he was the killer. He's hand-cranked to be good at debating people, even if he doesn't have the upper hand logically. While Damon has been rigidly logical so far, as is typical of a murder mystery detective, debaters also have tactics like "spreading" - talking so fast the opponent can't process their argument or get a word in - up their sleeves. This tactic is especially useful when the facts aren't on your side and you need to regain control of the room without resorting to obvious ad-hominem and losing favor. (Like Eva did when cornered in chapter 1: "he does want bloodshed!")

Also, this has nothing to do with the theory proper, but I want to give an honorable mention to Grace Madison for making for a good chapter 2 suspect as well. She became friends with Wolfgang, slept with him, and then he fucking died the next morning and she had to guard his dorm room so no one would disturb his belongings. God forbid Tozu cleans out his dorm in chapter 2 to boot. Girl is GRIEVING, and I think people will suspect her out of pure emotion even if she ends up nowhere near the next crime scene.

Anyway, who knows if I'm ever gonna post again on this site. But to anyone reading, I hope you enjoyed this theory, and give me your brain thoughts! Hyperfixation go brrrr

[signedurnamemarjorie]

How the different Taylor Swift eras would act if they had a crush on you <3

A/N: this is just a cute, hypothetical "what if"! Obviously I'm well aware that the different eras aren't their own people but I think it's fun to imagine that they're each different characters <3

°♡°

Debut~

She may act shy around you but she secretly actually really enjoys being around you. She just wishes she had the confidence to tell you how she feels, but for now she'll settle for sitting alone in her room in longing while she strums her guitar

Fearless~

She would be more open about her feelings towards you, but much like Debut I think she may wait for you to make a move before she does. She probably will say something though if you take too long to catch on

Speak Now~

She strikes me as the kind of person to secretly pine for someone for so long before just blurting out her feelings for them one day randomly (I mean she literally crashed a wedding to do just that so it makes sense for her to bottle everything up until she finally explodes)

Red~

Tries to act like she sees you as "just a friend" but no one is buying it. She's still getting over being so badly hurt the last time, so it may take a while for her to act on her feelings and pursue a relationship, even if she's already confessed to liking you

1989~

Although she's greatly obvious with her affections, she will deny just how much she really likes you while simultaneously not being able to shut up about you, much to everyone's exasperation. Her words and actions are contradictory in every possible way

Reputation~

After everything she's been through, it would take her a little bit to truly accept the fact that she has feelings for you. I think she's secretly insecure and can't seem to wrap her head around you viewing her as anything other than a "snake", much less as you actually liking her back

Lover~

Very much in love with you and literally everybody knows. She honest to God won't shut up when it comes to rambling about how amazing you are, and that includes when it comes to talking to you in person. Seriously, it's so hard to get a word in sometimes

Folklore~

More reserved with her feelings of infatuation, but doesn't try to hide her crush on you, she just doesn't announce it like others may do (cough, Lover, cough). She would however happily talk about her crush on you if asked, but she won't be the first one to bring it up

Evermore~

Will literally never, ever say anything about it, preferring to silently pine over you and wallow in her tears when she dreams of you with someone else. Would probably pass out from disbelief if she discovered you liked her back

Midnights~

Even more contradictory than 1989. On the one hand, why should she worry about whether you like her or not? She's a literal goddess, basically a queen in her own right. Then again, the mere thought of you rejecting her sends her into a deep depression for days. It's confusing, to say the least

The Tortured Poets Department~

Avoids you completely. She can't run the risk of falling in love and getting hurt again. While she may fantasize about what life could possibly be like with you, that's all they are, fantasies. Maybe in another lifetime you're together...

°♡°

That's all! Thanks for reading <3

[wlfhardinc]

@akhillaous This is in response to your comment because it’s too long to say it in a reply. Plus this will explain my post for everyone else

Ok this is going to be long. I’m not great at explaining so this won’t be coherent plus this would have been way easier if I had visuals but alas The song of Achilles is a book so I’ll just have to try. In season 1 I think Jayce has more similarities with Achilles and Viktor has more similarities with Patroclus. Achilles and Patroclus were very innocent in their beliefs and whatnot in the beginning of the book. Jayce and V too in season 1. However that’s when Thetis/Mel come in. Yes I know this is kinda weird- I don’t want to compare Mel to Achilles’s mom either but hear me out. Mel sort of manipulated Jayce to do what he did for her benefits . Thetis did the same to Achilles to get what she wanted. Anyway, when Achilles and Patroclus end up going to Troy to fight, it all begins fine. Achilles protects Patroclus as much as possible because Patroclus has no fighters genes whatsoever. Jayce was also kind of protective to Viktor in some ways. My point is everything begins well. Both ships have the same principles. Achilles vows to not kill Hector (because of the prophecy that if he does, he will die) which is what Patroclus also wants, Jayce wants to make the world a better place which aligns with Viktor’s ideology. It is only later on when Achilles starts to get too prideful with all of the newfound fame as aristos aichon (best of all the Greeks) He makes dumbass decisions and Patroclus starts to get a little pissed. This is similar to season 1 Jayce and Viktor. Also I just want to quickly mention the women. Sky and Briseis both have a platonic but great relationship to Viktor and Patroclus. Mel and Deidama both had a romantic relationship with Jayce and Achilles where it is unclear whether they truly loved each other. In the Song of Achilles Achilles seems to have been forced to have sex with her while other perspectives on the Greek mythology says that they loved each other. In arcane everybody has different opinions and perspectives on Jayce and Mel’s relationship. I think those are all the parallels I could muster up for season 1. Next is season 2. In season 2 Jayce=Patroclus, Viktor=Achilles. There are definitely more evident similarities in season 2 I feel like. Viktor obviously leaves Jayce, ending their partnership. Whilst Achilles doesn’t exactly leave Patroclus, they do get into more and more arguments and differences. Viktor goes back to the undercity and becomes Jesus 2.0 or whatever. Achilles becomes prideful and starts getting high on all of the glory he’s receiving. Although both characters still have the same principles, they execute it terribly which leads to some problems with their partners as we know. Viktor goes crazy, Achilles goes crazy. At the end because of Achilles’s mess ups and arrogance, Patroclus basically sacrifices himself. Jayce did the same with Viktor. In the end, Jayce and Viktor sort of die and just become eternal beings or whatever. Patroclus and Achilles are also both dead in the end and also meet each other in the afterlife, becoming eternal beings in a way. However in the Song of Achilles, Patroclus was at first not buried properly which is why he was just a wandering ghost for some time. When Achilles died his situation worsened as literally the only person who would have buried him was dead. Achilles was buried because everyone loved him so there was no way he wasn’t buried. It was only when Thetis decided to let him go to the afterlife that he was able to meet Achilles. I thought that was pretty similar to the ending of Arcane when people would write the names of their loved ones who died during the war and no one wrote Viktor’s name because the only person who would’ve was with him. Also as I said in my post, ‘historians’/the general audience will know both relationships as close friends or brother. I’m sorry that this is so badly explained but I tried my best😭��

[mirkwoodshewolf]

It hurts....but we're here to hold you together; Weasley twins x reader

*Author's note*

So this is a surprise and a LOOONG time coming. I had been out of the HP fanfic game for awhile but with the Wizard's of Baking show that my dad and I had checked out, it reminded me of the magical world I once loved writing about. And four years ago I had hoped to continue one of my previous oneshots and make it blossom into something more and now I can safely say that I can do it.

For those who wish to read that fic first, click here to get more info that way no one's lost. Now I KNOW that Sirius dies after the twins leave the school during Umbridge's reign of terror but for the sake of this story, let's make it before.

Warnings: PURE ANGST (Sirius Black is dead), some fluff, Umbridge. Just get the tissues on hand cause this does get sad people.

Taglist:

@jd-johndeacon-or-jackdaniels

@waddles03

@plethora-of-things

@queen-paladin

@psychosupernatural

@remussl0vers

_____________________________________________________

I miss you dad.  Everything’s has felt pointless since you died.  Hogwarts is not the same, happy place it once was.  But leaving it doesn’t seem better either.  I’m just—sinking.  I think about the times we had together, and the short time of our reunion together.   If I had only just seen that bitch Bellatrix raise her wand and stopped her…..you’d perhaps would still be here…..with me.

I’ve felt nothing but unbearable rage since you died.  I’ve driven all my friends away.  No one dares to look me in the eye anymore.  The screams and shrieks of the Shrieking Shack are the only thing that settle my rattling mind and fast-paced heart nowadays.  And it doesn’t help ever since Umbridge took over as headmistress of Hogwarts.  She especially has had it out for me.

And for what? For being your daughter. She just loves to rub your death in my face.  Until one day I finally snapped and nearly clawed her eyes out. 

But when I had her pinned down at my mercy, I was brought back to that day.  The day I had Bellatrix Lestrange at my mercy when I was in my animagus form and how I could’ve killed her but something had stopped me.  Just like something was stopping me from maiming Umbridge’s face.

From that day I ran and isolated myself.  This anger that’s festered its way inside me but then something stops it—I’m so lost and confused of what’s happening to me.

I buried my face into my lap as I wept silently burying my head into my lap as I thought back on our final moments together that we had earlier this year.

*Flashback*

It was shortly after Harry had had his hearing with the Ministry of Magic for using Magic outside of school all to protect his abusive cousin Dudley.  Personally for me, I’d see no wrong with it and if I were Minister I’d let him off with a warning especially since this was his first offense.

But with Voldemort now fully returned, the Minister is doing everything he can to frame Harry as the ‘Boy who Lies’.  I growled as I tossed the paper aside only to jump once I saw the familiar figures of Fred and George sitting on either side of me.

“You know George, after all these years you think she’d be used to our sudden appearances.” Said Fred teasingly.

“Indeed Fred, and yet everytime she still jumps like a toad.” George mocked playfully.

“Would you rather me breathe fire like a dragon cause I know the spell to do it?” I threatened.

“Now, now you know we can’t help but mess with yah. Besides we’re finally able to use magic outside of school. You should be joining us!” Fred said as he wrapped an arm around my shoulders nudging me closer to him.

“Yeah c’mon Black have a little fun for once.”

“Fun? Okay.” I stood up and wrapped my arms around both their necks bringing them into me now.  “I’ll show you both fun.” As I spoke, I summoned out my puma tail and raised it up and had it tap Fred’s shoulder first.

He turned around and as he looked to his right, I snuck into his back pocket and snagged his wand.

“Fred she—” I then pulled on George’s ear to make him stop talking and yelp in pain, allowing me to quickly swipe his wand.  I ran towards the door with both their wands and they chased after me.

“You’ll pay for that Black!” Fred’s voice echoed from the hallway as I entered another one of the bedrooms.  I quickly hid behind the door and I saw the twins enter the room.  “You can’t hide from us (N/n).”

“We’ll find you one way or another.” I saw as the twins ducked under each bed thinking that I had gone under there.  But I silently sneaked out past them and went.

“Caw-caw stupid lions!” before racing off.  I knew they had popped up like hares in a burrow and I could hear them racing after me.  Now hiding in one of the old closets I heard George say.

“No wonder she’s Ravenclaw’s best Seeker.” George said.

“She can’t have gotten far this place isn’t that big. Let’s try upstairs in the attic.” I heard their footsteps trudge up the stairs so I came out from the closet just beneath the stairway when I heard George proclaim.

“SEEKER! SEEKER’S ON THE MOVE!!” I heard the two Beaters race back down the stairs tailing right after me.  I came into one last room and hid their wands in a cupboard before shutting it as the twins finally had me trapped in the room.

“Caught you.” They both panted.

“About time you Gryffindor Beaters finally caught up to me.” I mocked playfully.

“Ha, ha now give us our wands back.” Said Fred.

“Wands? Wands? Hmm-mmm…..” I trailed off.  “Sorry no wands except my own.” I said waving mine in front of them.

“(Y/n) where are they?” George in his serious tone.

“I really don’t know Georgie. Maybe next time you should keep a better watch on your things.” I said slowly moving around the room with my arms behind my back and having a light skip to my step.

I should’ve paid more attention cause I would’ve known that at that moment the twins were sneaking up behind me and the next thing I knew, both my arms were trapped within theirs as I was lifted up just a bit into the air (damn these twins and their growth spurt during our third year).

“Best be thankful that during our Quidditch games we don’t invoke the one secret the three of us know that the team doesn’t about you.” George said.

“And it would be a real shame if our own Seeker were to know how to throw you off your game.” Fred continued.

“You both wouldn’t.”

“Try us.” They both threatened with those devilish smirks of theirs and gleaming mischief in their eyes.

“What on earth is going on up here?” my dad’s voice soon spoke up.  I was dropped back to the ground (thankfully being a big cat animagus I was able to land on my feet).  “I swear the whole apartment shook more than the Shrieking Shack.”

“Nothing dad just a—bit of rough housing. Weren’t we boys?” I slapped their backs.  Both of them still being slightly intimated around my dad wordlessly nodded.

���Alright but not so much. Godric I had the half mind to think we were under attack by Death Eaters.”

“We’re sorry dad. We’ll try to be as quiet as possible.”

“And boys, your mother was wanting to see you both downstairs.” Dad told the twins.

“Yes sir.” They both said and walked out the door past my dad.  I snickered as I went to the cupboard and pulled out their wands.

“The old game of ‘Keep the wand away’ eh?”

“They needed to be taken down a peg or five. Now that we’re of legal age to use magic outside of school, Fred and George have taken every advantage to jump scare me whenever they please.” I explained.  Dad shook his head softly chuckling.

“You truly are my daughter. Your mother never enjoyed our pranks. Especially when it was just James and I.”

“Yeah, uncle Remus once told me the story of how you and uncle James had switched out my mother’s favorite tea for Veritaserum. Ended up spilling every secret she ever had, including her crush on you.”

“She vowed to never forgive me for it.”

“But you eventually wooed her over.” I held onto the locket he had given me shortly after his escape from the Dementors.  “I miss her so much.” I said sadly.  Dad placed a loving hand to my cheek and had me look up at him.

“I miss her too. But I know she’d be proud of the woman you’re growing up to be.”

“You really think so?”

“Trust me. The day you were born, she said to me that you were the most precious thing to her. That of all the stars that shined, you shined the brightest of them all. Her little starlight.”

“Is that why my middle name is Celeste?”

“The very reason.” We both smiled at each other.

“Hey dad?” he hummed acknowledging me.  “After the meeting, can—you tell me more stories about you and mom?”

“Of course my little kitten. But I suggest you give those boys back their wands. I believe they’ve learned their lesson now.” I groaned out exasperatedly.  “Go on. Besides Harry’s been asking about you.”

“I’ll go for Harry. But I swear if those twins spilled the beans about my secret…..oh there will be hell to pay.” Dad laughed softly and brought me into a hug before kissing my forehead and guided me out of the room.

*End of Flashback*

Yours and mom’s love story may not have started like the ones I’ve read in fairytales or legends as a child, but it held such a realistic beauty.  That through your time together, you both began to grow fond of one another.  A beautiful relationship blossoming until it came into full bloom.  Like watching a flower go from a bud to full bloom after caring for it and giving it all that it needed to grow.

In a way hearing your story made me began to think about something potential happening for me.  I didn’t want to admit it at the time but secretly it had been there since the Yule Ball the year prior.

*Flashback*

It was Christmas time and we had gathered at 12 Grimmauld Place once again.  This time it was a smaller gathering than last time with the Weasley’s, me, Hermione, dad and Harry.  We had also celebrated Arthur’s full recovery and discharge after being attacked my Voldemort’s snake.

Had it not been for Harry’s vision, Mr. Weasley surely would’ve died and I knew that every one of the Weasley’s would’ve been devastated.  But all ended up well and after being discharged from St. Mungo’s, he could come over and spend another Christmas and many more in the years to come.

I was sitting with George in one of the rooms after Fred said he needed to step out for something.  I began to notice the solemn look on George’s face.

“Georgie, what’s going on up there?” I asked him.

“Nothing I’m fine, I’m fine.” I raised my brow at his tone and I scooted closer to him.

“You sure about that?” I placed my hand over his and I saw as his resolve began to crumble.

“When mum told us of the attack, I—I lost my mind. Fred’s so much better at hiding it but we were frantic with worry. We thought about jumping on our brooms and flying off to save him ourselves. For a time I thought he was going to…..” he wiped away his tears trying to prevent them from falling.

“Hey, just let it out. Let yourself fall apart.” I hugged him as he sobbed into my neck.  I stroked through his soft ginger hair as I gave him the comfort he needed.

George Weasley was always the most empathetic of the pair of devilish twins.  While Fred can show his emotions, he prefers to always try and stay strong being the oldest of the pair.  George, however, whenever he needed to break down, he’d break down.  Usually in private or in some cases when it’s just the two of us.  He always has such a caring heart and that’s one of the things that I love about him.

Whoa wait a second love? Since when have I ever said George and love in that manner of statement? I mean I like him but—love? That’s a strong word.  Or was it?

“Thank you (Y/n), truly.” George said after his breakdown.  I patted his back and we separated from the hug.

“That’s what I’m here for. Besides, only one of us gets to call the dead-parent card.”

“You know mum thinks of you as her own.”

“Yeah I know.” I said playing with my locket.  “And believe me, your mum is a really nice woman but—”

“I get it. It’s not the same.” I nodded.  “May I?” he and Fred always liked to have a look at my mum’s picture in my locket ever since they started noticing me wearing it.  I unhooked it and handed it to him and he opened up the heart-shaped locket and saw the picture inside.  “Wow, I swear no matter how many times we look at it, you really do look like your mother.”

“Dad and uncle Remus have told me that constantly. But sometimes hearing that I can’t help but think I’m being compared to an unachievable woman that I never got to fully know.”

“Well from what I see your mum has green eyes, while yours shimmer and glisten like sapphires. Eyes that not only pierce your heart, but also reflect your soul right back at you. You see…..everything that you want to strive to be, and even when you fail. You still make it seem possible to achieve it. And it terrifies but at the same time empowers me.” As George explained all of this, his voice got softer and entranced as we stared into one another’s eyes.

My heart fluttered at his description and my mind raced with a thousand different thoughts and questions.  Did he—

“You really mean that George?”

“Well I—yeah.” He said softly.  As we stared at each other for a bit longer, we hesitantly pulled our faces closer together when a throat cleared breaking us out of our trance.

“Georgie, mum says it’s time to go.” Fred’s voice said.

“Right umm….here (Y/n).” he handed me my locket back and quickly left the room but not without bumping into Fred’s arm on purpose.  Fred softly exclaimed in pain before giving me a ‘sorry’ expression and then left.  I shook my head and placed the locket back around my neck.  My heart still racing and my lips tingling as I could swear I had felt George’s lips graze mine at that moment.

As I walked down the stairs getting ready to leave, I soon passed a room that seemed to pull me in.  I walked towards it and opened the door to reveal an empty room with no furniture.  But the wallpaper appeared to look like a family tree.

Most of them showed pictures of men and women while others had been burned out of existence.

“Half-blooded traitor child standing there.” A raspy voice soon spoke up.  I slightly jumped to see a grouchy house elf standing before me.  “(Y/n) Celeste Black, daughter of the last Master of the House of Black. If not for the blood running through your veins, my poor Mistress would…..”

“Kretcher! That’s enough of your bile! AWAY WITH YOU!!” my dad’s voice proclaimed from the staircase that stood right in front of the room.

“But of course Master. Kretcher lives to serve the noble House of Black.” Kretcher grumbled before sleeking away grumbling angrily to himself.

“Don’t mind him love. He never was very pleasant even when I was a boy. Not to me anyway.” He said coming up to me.  He looked inside the room and said, “I see you’ve discovered the Black family tree.”

“Sorry I didn’t mean to come in here.”

“Nonsense. Even though I never wanted you to be associated with this family, in a way you still deserve to know where it is you come from.” He placed his hands on my shoulders as he guided me inside.  “My deranged cousin, I hated the lot of them.” He said referring to the insane witch Bellatrix Lestrange.

“So that would make her my……”

“First cousin once removed. If it were up to me, you’d never be related to her at all. Especially your grandparents with their pure-blood mania.” He said as we now stood just beneath the pictures of my grandfather’s and grandmother’s names.  When I saw my dad’s branch I saw how his face had been burned away just like a few of the others scattered throughout the tree.

“What do the singed ones mean?” I asked.

“The few who broke away from the pure-blooded traditions of the Black family. Those that should be—forgotten in the family. Your grandmother did that after I ran away. Charming woman. I was 16.” So he was just a year younger than me when he was disowned by his own family.

“Where did you go?” I asked him.

“To your uncle James’. I was always welcomed at the Potter’s. And at that point your mother and I had already been together. She too offered her place, although her parents had strict supervision. Didn’t want no hanky-panky I believe her dad phrased it. He was a Muggle while you grandmother was a witch.”

“So mum was a half-blood?” he nodded.

“But that still didn’t deter my feelings for her.”

“Did…they know about me?”

“They did. I just wish they had lived long enough to meet you. They died shortly before you were born. Your mother was devastated, but I knew they would’ve loved you. Your gran was especially looking forward to spoiling you rotten.” I quirked a small smile as I continued to walk around the entire family tree room.

“Dad? When did you realize that you truly started falling in love with mum?” I fiddled with mum’s locket as I could feel George’s phantom touches on my skin.  My cheeks flushed as the mere thought of him was starting to make me feel this way.

“Though we were sorted into different houses, your mother held such a candle to my eye. We had a unique friendship even though she couldn’t stand our pranks, especially when they were directed at her. As the years went by, I felt like there was this—unspoken feeling between us. Guess that’s why I had decided to pull the Veritaserum tea gag on her. It was wrong of me so don’t ever try to find out that way.”

“Trust me, I don’t even try to mess with that potion. Or any love potions.” I said turning back to face him.

“Good. However secretly there’s a part of me that is glad that it did happen. Your mother once told me that she would’ve taken that secret to the grave with her. And end up regretting it the rest of her restless afterlife. After chiseling away at my walls, she eventually got to know the real me. And I the real her, and that was the moment I had truly seen such radiant beauty. Is…..there someone who you are starting to fancy after all this time?”

“Well I…..” I laughed nervously feeling my cheeks blush deeper.  I cleared my throat when I felt my dad’s touch on my shoulder.  I looked up at him and he gave me the warmest smile and the look of a Father’s love shined through his eyes.

“After all this time there are days when I hope to see you as that little girl that I had left behind. Hoping I could get a second chance to see you grow up but no. All I keep seeing is a fully grown young lady who has both her father’s spirit and her mother’s heart and mind. And any man should consider himself lucky to have you but if he mistreats you or takes you for granted, I’ll gladly accept a trip back to Azkaban after having words with him.”

“Dad he’s not bad he’s…..he’s a really great guy and I’m not just saying that. But…..I don’t think I should tell him.”

“And why not?”

“Must I spell it out dad? In the face of the world ending with You-know-who rising, the stakes of my love life feel spectacularly low.”

“That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t at least get to have one happy chapter in your life.”

“I’m not so sure. Lately I’ve been…..I’ve been having this sickening feeling that—it may not work out for us this time. With the Minister’s denial and Umbridge controlling the future generation of witches and wizards on what to do against the Dark Arts.” I held my left hand and rubbed it remembering the scars that were once there at the start of the year.

Dad took my hand and I felt his thumb stroke over the phantom scars.

“Even in the darkest of places, you can still find a glimmer of light.” He pressed his forehead against mine and I felt his love and strength pour through me.  “When all of this is over, we’ll be a proper family again. You, me and Harry. Keep that light shining in your dark tunnel my little kitten.”

“I’ll try dad.” I then embraced him and he rocked me back and forth.

*End of Flashback*

‘Be a proper family again’.  That’s what you had said to me.  Even as the returning spring semester got even harder especially once Dumbledore had left after fleeing from the Ministry and Umbridge now took over as Headmistress, I tried to keep that fate.

Assembling Dumbledore’s new army then getting punished for it by Umbridge. Then Harry began having those visions of you being tortured by the Dark Lord.  I warned him that it was Him that was playing with his mind just to lure him out but Harry wouldn’t listen.

Stubborn boy he is, even if he didn’t want it as his god-sister I couldn’t just sit by and let him get killed.  I only wish that I hadn’t have told you and the other Aurors where they had gone.  If I hadn’t you wouldn’t have been there, you wouldn’t have gotten……and she wouldn’t have…..

My blood began to boil as I thought about her again.  Dad was right, if only we weren’t family then I’d truly would’ve ripped her apart and have no qualms about it.  So why couldn’t I do it then? What stopped me from finishing off the most infamous and psychotic witches in all of history?

My puma fangs began to grow as my claws slowly began to grow out and I let out a roar as I fully turned into my full animagus form and started attacking and tearing apart anything in sight.  Old bed sheets, chairs, tables, window shudders, nothing was spared as I unleashed my full wrath upon everything.

After my cougar catitude meltdown, I once again sat in the middle of the now thoroughly destroyed room and just felt myself drifting once again.  It always seemed to be this endless, repetitive cycle.  Sinking, boiling rage, explosive anger, then drifting and disassociating myself before feeling myself sink once more.

However just as I could feel myself on the brink between disassociation and the reality of the world, I felt someone come up beside me on my right and gently kiss my temple before embracing me.  That embrace was immediately met with another embrace from behind as two arms wrapped around me and another body curled around my left side.

My head was shifted over until I heard a heartbeat against my right ear and the familiar scent of gunpowder, musk, apple, cinnamon and mint encompassing me.  Their scent and presence alone was what finally got me to finally shed the tears that I had been holding in since my dad’s death.

Choked sobs escaped my lips before I finally just let myself fall apart and wept as loud as the shrieks that could be heard in the shack.  And as I wept my grief for the first time, the twins embrace only grew tighter and more comforting.

With one last sniffle, my tears were finally spent.  But even with my crying finally over, Fred and George still kept me sandwiched between them as their embrace remained strong and true.

“(Y/n), what’s going on up there?” asked George.  What wasn’t going on in my head more like it? I had thousands of thoughts and feelings racing through my mind.  So many that I couldn’t possibly form a proper sentence to explain what I was really feeling without risking another breakdown or not being able to get them to understand.

“Hurts.” Was the only thing I could muster ever so softly.

“Come again?” asked Fred concerned.

“Hurts…..” I said a bit louder before choking out another sob.  I held my chest painfully as I could literally feel my heart breaking.  Fred’s face nuzzled into my shoulder as I felt him gently give my arm a comforting squeeze while George’s face settled close against mine.

“We know love, it’s okay. It’s okay to feel the hurt.” Fred started before George continued.

“Just let it all out, let yourself fall apart.”

“We’re here to hold you together. This we solemnly swear.” They both said together.

And they kept that vow.  Even as we left Hogwarts together in a blaze of glory, the twins remained at my side whenever my grief overcame me.

[cal-daisies-and-briars]

I'm having a truly terrible birthday trip and it's not even my birthday yet can I please have some angry blade 😭🙏

⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️

Jumping the queue <3 Hope it gets better and happy early birthday!

120 or 1k for ⚖️:

---

The rest is a history Buck already knows. The way Eddie and his parents have quietly battled over Christopher for years. But he sees more. Shitty interactions with Shannon. Digs that made her feel like a bad mother. Constant critiques of Eddie’s sisters. All careful. All so small that they can’t be a big deal, but sharp enough to hurt. To etch away at a person’s self-worth. 

He sees her accuse Eddie of dragging Christopher down. She sees her quiet delight when, years later, Christopher calls and asks to come to them. She thinks she can do a better job than Eddie. And if she does, she thinks she won’t have to feel bad about his childhood. Not anymore. 

Buck sees it all. He wishes he hadn’t. It seems like a violation. A glimpse into a wretched wound of Eddie’s. 

At least, Buck thinks, what Chris needs and Eddie wants might match what Helena deserves. And Ramon. Just because he’s only looking at Helena right now, doesn’t mean Ramon isn’t just as complicit. 

He’ll have to pick something that suits them both. 

And he thinks, in the end, he does. A future where they’ve lost Eddie. Where their relationship with Christopher fades to almost nothing, as he ages and learns more and more about his parents’ past. As their youngest daughter moves across the country. As their middle daughter becomes closer with her husband’s family than theirs. And as a grandchild is born, somewhere out there, that they don’t get to meet. Buck doesn’t know whose. He can only see their reaction to the news. But he wonders about Eddie. If he ever becomes a father again. If he gets to do that, knowing they won’t be around to interfere. 

He chooses the future, and he doesn’t feel any regret. Christopher is with Eddie. Christopher leaves them behind. And maybe that light, the one that faded from Eddie as a child, the one Buck thinks he’s always been able to see anyway, will come back in full force. 

Buck snaps back to reality and takes a large step away from Helena. Helena, who is seething, glaring at him. Fair enough. 

“We’re going,” Eddie says confidently. “Call whoever you want.”

Oof. Well, let’s not encourage them to call the cops. Hopefully they know they don’t have a leg to stand on. 

“Thank you for helping him when he asked for it,” Eddie continues. “I appreciate that. But it’ll be the last time.”

Eddie turns around and stomps towards the truck. Buck withholds a smirk, and turns to join him. 

⚖️

They drive until just outside Phoenix. No one pursues them. There is no Amber Alert. Obviously Eddie’s parents thought better than calling the police. They find a hotel, and by the time they arrive, Christopher is dead asleep in the back seat. Eddie carries him like he’s a little kid still, despite him being closer to the size of a man. Chris doesn’t wake the whole time, like the emotional exhaustion of the day has knocked him flat. Buck thinks Eddie looks like he’s almost at that point himself. 

The hotel room has two beds, just like the last. But now they have three people. Eddie lays Christopher on the bed farthest from the door. For a moment, he sits there, beside his sleeping son, just staring at him. He runs a featherlight hand through Christopher’s mussed curls before taking his glasses off and setting them on the nightstand. He bends to kiss his forehead, and murmurs a quick love you, before rising to look at Buck. 

“Can we share?” Eddie whispers. “I don’t want to wake him.”

“‘Course,” Buck mumbles back. 

They both strip down to tee shirts and boxers and move to their separate sides of the bed. Buck near the wall, Eddie on the side closer to Chris. After a second, Eddie reaches to turn off the lamp. 

“Night, Eddie,” Buck whispers. 

“Goodnight, Buck,” Eddie replies, just as soft. “Thank you. For everything today and… And Always.”

“You don’t need to thank me, Eddie,” Buck says. “You know I’d do anything for you two.”

“I know, but…” 

Eddie trails off. The room falls deadly silent, save for the sound of Christopher’s heavy breathing. 

“But what?” Buck prompts gently. 

Instead of answering, Eddie rolls over and, in a move Buck isn’t at all expecting, practically rolls onto him. For a minute, Buck doesn’t know what the hell is happening. But then, Eddie’s arms are awkwardly thrown around him, and his head falls onto the pillow, face down beside Buck, tucked into his neck. Thrown off, Buck moves nervous arms to hug Eddie back. To hold him in place. 

“You have no idea what you mean to me,” Eddie mumbles. 

Buck’s heart lurches. 

Then I’d probably kiss Buck, like, a lot. 

Buck has no idea what to say. It’s been an emotional fucking day. And he doesn’t want to read into anything says right now.

So, he can only find a simple response.

“Back at ya, Eddie.”

iii. 

Buck gives Chris and Eddie a few hours the next morning to talk. Just the two of them. He drives into a suburb of Phoenix and finds somewhere to grab coffee and breakfast for himself. It’s good to have a moment to himself. Not that he’s ever tired of Eddie or Chris. That’s impossible. But, it’s been a long two days. Emotionally charged and stressful. Even if things have turned out for the better. Buck could use the breather. 

He’s eating a breakfast sandwich at a cafe with, frankly, fantastic coffee, scrolling news on his phone, when he hears a chillingly familiar voice behind him. 

“I hope this seat isn’t taken?” 

It’s not asking for permission. Not really. 

Buck looks up to see her. Nemesis. Not in a dream. Not in his head. She’s real, she’s in front of him, and she’s smiling smugly, taking a seat across from him at his little two-seater table.

[mysticwolfshadows]

Taken - Zutara - Part 79

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Katara had been right. By the end of her first week back in the South, Northern boats appeared on the horizon. But it wasn't just women looking to learn combat bending. There were women escaping arranged marriages, men that wanted to be healers, and mothers helping their children escape the oppression and sexism of the North.

One had brought a letter from Yue, explaining that she had been finding anyone that was starting to question Agna Qel'a and it's leaderships choices, and helping them flee with directions to the South. She had been doing so in secret, ever since her wedding to Hahn.

"We're... gonna need more houses," Sokka said, as they realized that the chances of more arrivals were high.

The rebuilding effort of their village was coming along nicely.

The Wani had been loaded with materials before its departure, which had helped turn their little snow huts into little snow houses. Captain Jee hadn't been able to stay, bringing any of the Fire Nation refugees that wanted to leave back to the Fire Nation. A few had stayed, one man having found a woman that he was quite taken with, while others found the peace of the little village more appealing than the hustle of most Fire Nation cities.

And, of course, there was Rinzo and Taka. The two soldiers hovered and smiled, doing anything that she asked, save for leave her alone for five minutes. She supposed, if they already saw her as their Fire Lady, it would be good practice for when she took the position officially.

For the new benders, they decided to build an all in one school. One side for combat training, the other for healing. It would go where her healers hut had been. They were able to bend the snow into a rough thick shape of what they wanted. Sokka and a few of the more architecturally inclined would go in and smooth out their work to make it look nice.

With the Fire Nation citizens that stayed, and the Northern Tribesmen that joined them, almost the entirety of Wolf Cove had been rebuilt, in a more modern style. They had a longhouse again, next to the bending school. There was currently construction on a larger, more secure storehouse.

If Katara hadn't been there to see construction begin, she likely wouldn't recognize it.

It was at the end of the week that Aang finally arrived on Appa.

"Whoa," Aang said, as he dropped off of Appa and looked around. "This is... I know I only saw it for a minute, but it's way different!"

"With my dad and the warriors home, we need the extra space," Katara said. She shrugged, putting her hands in the sleeves of her red koala-sheep tunic. It was getting tight again. "How's Zuko?"

Immediately, Aang cringed. "He's... Fine. Juggling Azula, foreign affairs proposals, internal issues. He's got his hands full, that's for sure."

Her heart sank. "I wish I was there to help. Did he... decide what to do with Azula?"

Aang nodded. "I took her bending."

The confession was grim, and Katara felt the weight of it as heavily as Aang did. It was a terrible decision to have to make. Azula was only a few months older than Katara, and it was Ozai that really pushed Azula into what she became, but there really wasn't much else they could do. Azula needed help, but she was too dangerous to be given it without a safeguard in place.

There had been no other options.

"Come on," Katara said, redirecting the conversation. People were starting to gather around them. "My dad is in the long house. You have a plan for the peace summit?"

"I do," Aang said, though he didn't seem sure.

Deciding not to press him, especially since she'd be getting answers soon enough anyway, Katara led him into the long house. It was by far the largest building in the tribe, meant to be able to have standing room for every member, and they built it with their soon to be growing population in mind.

"Avatar Aang," her father called, from where he was going over maps of the surrounding area with Sokka.

Her mother looked up from where she was braiding cords nearby, frowning. "Aang? The boy that attacked Zuko?"

Aang sheepishly laughed. "Err... Yeah, sorry. Katara and Sokka had just told me about the war, and I kinda freaked out."

Her mother hummed.

"Whatcha got for us?" Sokka said, before they could get distracted. "Anything from Suki? Did they head back to Kyoshi yet?"

So much for not getting distracted.

"They're still in Caldera City," Aang explained, offhandedly as he reached into his robes to pull out a tightly rolled scroll. "Chief Hakoda, this is for you."

Her father frowned, taking the scroll and breaking an orange wax seal. Katara moved to her fathers side, looking over his shoulder to read, as Sokka did the same on the other side.

It was an invitation, written in a pristine script that Katara recognized as Aang's hand writing.

You are invited to the first ever Four Nations Peace Summit. This summit is meant to bridge the divide of nations, so we can all work together to find lasting peace and balance. The leaders of each nation will be discussing various topics, including but not limited to: assigning ambassadors, trade routes, goals for the coming year. This is planned to be a three day summit, with the opening ceremony happening on the night of the first day of the ninth month, in Ba Sing Se. We are looking forward to seeing you there! - Avatar Aang of the Air Nomands

Katara felt her eye twitch. "Aang..."

"Iroh gave me a few tips when I was drafting it," the young monk said, smiling oh so proudly.

"Why does the summit start the day of the comet?!"

First / Previous / Next / Masterpost

[stupidlittlespirit]

Can you give me more examples of Alex disliking Ford? I’ve always kinda felt it, but I never really had much of a real grasp on it.

Okay so this is the part where I look crazy because I can't give you specific examples LMAO but I'll try to explain what I mean. It's more in what he doesn't say than what he does.

Alex doesn't ever come right out and state 'I hate Ford', but he implies his distaste for him through his treatment of him. The way he hasn't gone harder/more explicit on drawing lines about Ford's abuse, or talking about how Ford suffered terribly during the time he was alone, for example. The way he blames Ford inherently for a lot of stuff that Ford, while not blameless, isn't fully at fault for. It's little things, and I'll detail them below.

TW below: Abuse, discussions of victimhood and irl consequences.

He extends more sympathy to other characters whereas Ford is sort of an afterthought. I don't actually think Alex has fleshed Ford out very well in his own head. Remember when he said that he didn't even know that Bill was going to be the main villain? They were flying by the seat of their pants for a lot of the series and it's quite clear in some elements. Obviously, the series is wonderful, I love it, it's one of my favourite shows of all time and Alex is a true talent, but it's obvious which characters are more important to him. He favours Bill a lot, too, so when his disliking of Ford/being ambivalent about him meets his enjoyment of Bill, only one of those dogs is coming out of the fight alive and it ain't Ford.

I think Alex is a genuine talent, I admire his work and his writing. He seems lovely. But I do also think he lacks in skill when it comes to complex abuse depictions.

I see a running theme that he isn't very good at portraying it specifically via 'unlikeable' characters. I mentioned on a previous post that he did this with Pacifica until people expressed empathy with her, and then he decided to round her out. He stated that himself during an old interview; I can't source it but I remember it vividly because it flagged red in my head that he couldn't see she was just a product of her environment. She's a twelve year old girl, for god's sake, she isn't 'just a horrible person', it makes a person sound like Bill when they beef with kids like that lol.

Another thing is in TBoB, there's a really horrendous page where Ford is tortured. It is visceral and awful, and tbh I wish I'd have been able to ask Alex what his top 5 horror movies were when I saw his talk because the scene is very reminiscent of a lot of my fav horrors.

But anyway, it is literal torture and it is also communicating about how helpless Ford is. He's a victim and a 'weak one' at that. Nothing he can do will stop Bill's abuse, he's stupid for trying, he's pathetic, he deserves it.

Now, that is a take I see with Ford a lot. He deserves it. He's asking for it. And it's a really upsetting one. It's also a common narrative told by people who blame victims for the abuse they suffered.

Not once have I ever seen Alex defend Ford. Not once have I ever heard him say 'Ford didn't deserve this', 'Ford suffered as much as Stan'. Not once.

Considering that he said he took 'inspiration' from his friend's 'toxic' relationships (I also think this is a strange and slightly perverse thing to do btw), I would have thought he might feel more strongly about pushing away this narrative about victims deserving their treatment.

I, obviously, also don't know for sure that he did take inspo from friends; he could well be describing his own experiences and just not feel comfortable saying so because men do suffer a different kind of stigma around being abused. That's fine, he doesn't have to out himself or anything, that would be horrible. But it's just the way he reacts to fans and speaks about the victim (Ford) that makes me think he's a bit more removed from this specific experience than it being personal.

There are many types of abuse. Ford's experience is familial, relationship-wise (platonic, because nothing about his relationship with Bill is romantic in the most basic sense of the term, if anything you can liken that side of things to sexual abuse) and personal. Ford then abuses himself as a reaction to outside abuse. Not his fault, again, but it does happen and it's a common thing for victims to do. I did.

Ford does nothing but suffer.

I truly don't believe that if you loved and cared for your character, you would be willing to watch your audience tear them apart like that after they had already been through so much and were not actually a villain themselves.

Especially if you had, or knew other people who had, experience with that kind of abuse. He doesn't let it happen to Stan, he came down hard on people when they did it to Dipper, and to Mabel, too.

It would kill me to let my OCs be bastardised like that by an audience and I'd be damned if I did a disservice to victims everywhere over something like this.

I think his lack of care is displayed in his treatment of Ford, as opposed to him outright saying he doesn't like him.

I also understand that this analysis also comes from a deeply personal point of view and my own experience with this topic, too.

This is a TV show, it isn't real and I don't need to take it so seriously, but what I do take seriously is seeing the real world reactions of other people. That does hurt. It hurts to see someone who is (very inelegantly and heavy-handedly, btw) depicted as a victim of abuse be laughed at and made into a joke, or flipped on their head and made to be romanticised with their abuser just to make a ship happen.

Fiction doesn't need to be taken seriously except when the lines begin to blur over into real life. We know people are cruel to irl victims and we can see where these lines blur quite obviously.

I think abuse and uncomfortable topics should be depicted, but I also think that as a creator, if you use them, you have a HUGE responsibility to teach and guide your audience into understanding why these things are bad/what makes them so. You shouldn't make jokes about the topic or encourage other people to go off the rails with it.

You can't control people, of course you can't, but you can hold their hand a bit and show them towards the light. If they choose not to follow it then they're probably not bright enough to pick up what you're putting down and that's on them, but you have to try.

Maybe if I hadn't (and my friends and other victims hadn't) been subjected to exactly the same reaction, we wouldn't feel so strongly about this, but it really does feel like a kick in the teeth to see a large number of people behave so grotesquely about abuse.

And just as an aside: I am a victim, I have been/am an unlikeable one, but it does not mean that I deserved what I got and that goes the same for every other 'unlikeable' victim out there.

*deep breath* but other than that I'm totally normal about Ford and not at all mentally ill :)

[sunmoontruth-stiles]

I need a completely rewritten teen wolf series with Derek Hale as the main character. I think it would heal me.