#Ashely said herself he's a true romantic at heart

[adviserbylove]

So what I got from playing tcoaal is that if there was an incest is not wincest au, Andrew Graves would be the perfect boyfriend :)

He's so datable, help

[queenofbaws]

There's been a drought of non-poly Chrashley-focused content for quite a while now (apart from the occasional story on Ao3), and I'm starved for ANYTHING featuring the nerds and their schmaltzy escapades. I've considered remedying this situation by making my own food (read: trying to write my own fanfiction), but I fear I wouldn't do the characters justice. You've proven to be a talented author from what I've read of your works, so would you be willing to write a soft, sweet snippet in my stead?

catch me catching up on some not-quite-six sentence sat(or)sunday!

"So...is it that you think glaring it down is somehow going to magically make it safer, or...?" He couldn't mark it down as a full victory, not with the way her mouth was twisted up like that, but there was juuust enough laughter in her eyes for Chris to pat himself on the back. Not that he ever needed much of an excuse to do that.

After another moment of heavy, heavy consideration, Ashley sighed, then groaned, then forced herself to take a single lurching step over the threshold and into the cable car. She mumbled something as she shrugged her bag off and plunked it down on the same bench where he'd ditched his, and while he couldn't make most of it out, he for sure caught "death trap" and "tin can" thrown around in there.

"That'd be a 'yes' on the glaring question, then?" he teased, pretending not to follow her with his eyes as she sat beside him. She folded her arms and sighed again, and he nudged her shoulder with his own. "Think about it this way," he tried instead, "maybe it's Peter Pan rules - if you believe we're going to drop about a million feet and plunge to our icy deaths, then we will, and if you don't, we won't!"

"Chris! Oh my God." Ashley dropped her head into her hands, laughing tensely. Very, very tensely. "Do you seriously think that's helping?"

"Nah. I just didn't want to go full bad movie cliche and say, y'know...c'mon, Ash, what's the worst that could happen?"

The cable car's door clicked shut, the mechanism began to hum, and Ashley's laughter took on a desperate note. "Oooh but you said it anywayyy!"

She scooted another few inches away from the window, and just like that they were flush against each other, her arm pressing into his...from between, like, twelve layers of jacket, anyway. They hadn't even chugged a single inch up the mountain yet and whoop, yeah, uh huh, now Chris was all aboard the Anxiety Express too, his ticket paid for, processed, and punched in not by heights or the decidedly out-of-date maintenance sticker on the back window but Ashley herself. As was so often the case.

What was his move here? Did he have a move here? And, maybe more importantly, since when did he think about his life in terms of moves?

Okay, that last one was actually easy enough to answer: Since he'd hung up with Josh all of three minutes ago. It had been a thirty second call, if that, just enough to let him know they were heading up and he should expect them at the summit's station in the next ten minutes or so...but in true Josh fashion, he'd managed to pack that thirty seconds with as much psychic damage as humanly possible.

"Hope you two have a nice ride up," he'd said cheerfully enough, which had tripped at least five different warning alarms in Chris's brain. "See the sights, revel in the atmosphere, engage in a much-needed heart-to-heart...you know, just...really enjoy each other's company."

Good ol' Josh. Always knowing the exact thing to say to leave a guy completely unarmed.

Armed! Was that the answer? He could, in theory, sort of stretch his arm around her shoulders. People did that, didn't they? If someone they were with was freaked out? It...it didn't have to be seen as a romantic gesture, not if all he was doing was comforting her, but...but would she see it like that?

The cable car crept a foot off the ground, two, three, four, five...and right as they crested the roof of the station, it...well, it stopped. Completely.

"What's going on?" All it took was the cable car rocking once as it came to a halt and Ashley was on him, her face buried in the fur lining of his parka and her arms wrapped so tightly around his middle he could feel her fingers knotting at his side, Princess and the Pea style. "I can't look! How high up are we? I - wait, no, I don't want to know! Don't tell me!"

"I...we're like seven feet up, Ash. Like, maybe eight. Nine?"

"Make up your miiiiiiiind!" she groaned into his coat, her shoulders shaking as he did, in fact, scrounge up courage enough to wrap his arm around them. "I knew this was a bad idea...God, I hate these stupid things!"

"They've never stalled like this before. It's probably just, uh, a glitch or something. The system needs to warm up a little bit." He tried to sound confident as he said it, even as he glanced out the window and started running the numbers in his head. Could they jump out if they needed to? Maybe. It'd probably hurt, though, and he was prone to getting hurt on leisurely walks around the block, to say nothing of sick, snowy stunts. Plus, it'd taken a hell of a lot of convincing to get Ashley into the cable car in the first place; convincing her out of it...

"Yeah," she agreed, poking her head out from his coat only long enough to shoot a worried glance out the window on her side, "they've never stalled like this before, that's the problem, Chris! Maybe this is it! This is the time they break down for good! We're going to be stuck up here and - "

Before she could get another word out, the lights in the car flickered. And dimmed.

They turned to each other, eyes wide as panic began to really set in, and...and then...wait.

Now wait one fucking second.

The car suddenly filled with music. Music of the low and slow variety, that was, music the likes of which you only ever heard during the swelling denouement of a cheesy Hallmark romance movie, and Jesus Christ, he was going to kill Josh when they got to the summit. If they got to the summit.

Chris's head fell back against the glass panel behind him with a dull thunk. He squeezed his eyes shut as tight as they went. "Well," he said, feeling his adrenaline begin to flag, "looks like someone installed speakers in this bad boy since our last visit."

"Oh my God. Oh my...God." Beside him, Ashley slumped. Up until that moment, she'd been a spring wound tight against his side; now she felt more like a ragdoll folded up under his arm, her heartbeat still frantic enough that he could feel it through their layers upon layers of winterwear.

A moment later the cable car chugged back to life, rising up, up, up into the sky and towards the lodge, its lights low and its jams smooth. Chris waited for the moment Ashley straightened again, prepared himself for their inevitable separation...and even as the lights of the summit slowly came into view, it did not come.

"You just had to say it, didn't you?" Ashley asked after awhile, her arms still tight around him, her head still nestled in his parka's lining. "Just had to go and jinx us, huh?"

It took him a second, but when it clicked, it was all he could do not to laugh outright. Instead, he pressed his luck a liiittle more, tightening the arm around her shoulders to pull her closer before setting his chin atop her head. "Ash, uh, if this right here is the worst that could happen, I gotta be honest, I would love to know what your idea of the best-case scenario would've been."

[carewyncromwell]

“Tangled up and tongue-tied...what have I become? Always got you on my mind -- you got me feeling dumb... And I’m tripping over my own feet, And I’m mad you got the best of me, Falling for you slowly...from a distance... I’m in love with someone who doesn’t know I exist -- I stare from afar -- in my hand, broken heart -- While I play pretend... I’m in love with someone who doesn’t know I exist, And it’s you -- yes, it’s true -- You don't even know it -- I can’t ever win...”

~“Invisible,” by Anna Clendening

x~x~x~x

“Thank you, Carewyn. You’re a credit to your house. …You know…I never really believed all those things people said, about your brother. He was a really good guy, from what I could see.”

“You knew Jacob?”

“Not very well…but he spoke very highly of you. I thought it was really sweet.”

~snippet of Carewyn’s Beginnings Act II, Part 2: The Black Quill in Gryffindor Tower

x~x~x~x

@ariparri​’s meme charts post reminded me that I really haven’t done much content about Jacob and the girl who canonically crushed on him even in game, future Gryffindor Prefect Angelica Cole...so here we are! Angelica in her first year, sighing dreamily after the completely oblivious, way-more-focused-on-the-Cursed-Vaults sixth year Ravenclaw named Jacob Cromwell. 

Although all three of the “Cursed Trio” -- Jacob Cromwell, Duncan Ashe, and Olivia Green -- ended up having their fair share of admirers, Jacob just as frequently intimidated his classmates as attracted them -- not because of his hot temper (which admittedly could get violent, if you threatened or hurt his loved ones), but because of his genius intellect and eccentric, hard-to-pin-down personality. For however passionate and brilliant Jacob is, he’s not a people person -- he lacks a lot of the insight toward human behavior that his boy best friend Duncan and younger sister Carewyn have, making it so Jacob can accidentally offend or upset people just by not properly reading their social cues. There have even been times where Jacob has completely missed someone’s sincerest attempt to flirt or ask him out altogether, leaving them feeling completely humiliated for their trouble. Combine this with Jacob’s frequent misbehavior and lack of interest in attending parties or in socializing at all aside from going out and doing off-the-wall things with his friends and the glaringly obvious sexual and romantic tension between Jacob and Duncan, and a lot of those people who did harbor any fond feelings for Jacob ultimately decided it was smarter to accept it was hopeless and try to get over him. It made it so many ultimately shifted their focus onto Jacob’s much more traditionally handsome, charming, and fashionable roommate, Gilderoy Lockhart. Hey, Lockhart might have been a complete tool and idiot compared to Jacob, but at least he wouldn’t make them feel quite so stupid for expressing their admiration for him. 

One of those people who crushed hardest on Jacob, though -- as this picture demonstrates -- was Angelica.

Our future Gryffindor Prefect first collided with Jacob when she sat in at the Hogwarts Dueling Club’s first meeting that year, to watch her own older sister duel. Jacob wandered on in half-way through the meeting, only to thoroughly trounce everyone else there without breaking a sweat and then departing with an offhand “thanks!” for the fun he had. 

Although the vast majority of the Dueling Club looked sour, Angelica was impressed, despite herself. Jacob hadn’t even used one traditional Dueling spell the entire time, instead using Switching Spells to quasi-“Apparate” around his opponents and melting the rubber in their shoes to stick them to the floor. It was then that her older sister told Angelica about Jacob and his pursuit of the Cursed Vaults with his friends, one of whom disappeared mysteriously the previous year. Intrigued, Angelica decided to tail Jacob and Duncan after spotting them sneaking around an abandoned hallway and ended up overhearing part of their conversation. Duncan’s voice had been very low, as if he’d been worried about being overheard, but Jacob at one point couldn’t stop his volume from rising out of pure emotion.

“They can’t get at me here, Ashe! Hogwarts is so well-protected, even old Moldyshorts hasn’t managed to get in yet. That’s the only reason they’re threatening Carewyn -- because she isn’t here, and because Mum can’t always be there...”

“Jacob -- ” Duncan started, but Jacob railroaded him. 

"But I swear -- if they make one move toward my little sister, I won’t hesitate. I will kill every last ONE of those creeps before I let them touch Pip!”

Jacob stormed off down the hall, his fists clenched, and Duncan quickly pursued, still trying to talk him down. Angelica had had to hide behind a suit of armor in order to avoid them. Her racing heart was not just due to the rush of nearly being caught, though -- it was also a kind of girly admiration. 

The “they” Jacob was talking about...could it be the Death Eaters? It had to be, right? The Death Eaters were the only people she knew of that could possibly be so dangerous, that they’d even possibly go after a child...and they were now threatening Jacob and his family? Was it because he’d been helping the teachers deal with the Cursed Vaults? Angelica had overheard Professor McGonagall wondering if the opening of the Cursed Vaults could be connected to You-Know-Who, somehow. And yet even with how terrifying the Death Eaters were, and how scared Jacob must’ve been for his sister’s safety...he spoke with such conviction, such fire. As if he would walk through the pits of Hell himself, just to keep his little sister from harm...

Angelica had never heard anyone speak so bravely about anything in her life. 

From then on, Angelica found her heart skipping a beat every time she noticed Jacob in the halls. He’d frequently be with Duncan Ashe -- who definitely had spotted her eyeing his boy best friend a few times, to her utter chagrin -- but there were a few times Angelica caught sight of Jacob without Duncan in tow. Usually it was on his way to the Owlery -- Jacob both received and sent many letters, most of which seemed to be both from and to his mother. Angelica couldn’t help but swoon that bit more, seeing how warmly Jacob smiled while reading his mother’s letters. He clearly loved his mother very much too. 

It was also clear how much Jacob loved his friends. Although Jacob had trouble discussing Olivia Green, the friend who’d mysteriously disappeared the previous year, with anybody, he was so open with his fondness of Duncan Ashe that it was hard to miss. Angelica tried to wean herself off of her crush by telling herself that Jacob probably had more romantic feelings for Duncan, however oblivious he clearly was both to it and to Duncan’s even more obvious affections for him. But the first year Gryffindor got the feeling that Jacob was so oblivious about how he felt about Duncan partially because of how deeply he loved everyone in his life. Jacob already seemed like the kind of person who threw his whole heart into everything he did -- would it really be that surprising if he likewise threw his whole heart into loving his friends and family? And that thought only made Angelica’s heart flutter more -- as well as prompted several fanciful daydreams about what it might be like, if he ever saw her that way. Then maybe he’d serenade her the way she’d once heard him sing for Duncan just before Christmas break that year, after gifting him a Muggle record by someone he called Barbra Streisand -- 

“Love...soft as an easy chair... Love...fresh as the morning air... One love that is shared by two  I have found with you...”

Jacob had only sung one of the songs from the record because Duncan wouldn’t be able to play it at Hogwarts -- but Duncan’s face seemed to relax noticeably, listening to his boy best friend sing. Angelica lamented afterward that Jacob wasn’t in the Frog Choir -- then maybe she’d have more chances to hear him sing like that again. 

Much like many of the other people who nurtured crushes on Jacob, Angelica remained a silent observer, too apprehensive to approach. She did, though, finally muster up enough courage to at least send Jacob a Valentine that February. Unfortunately, that day Jacob had arrived at breakfast very late, making it so that the note ended up getting intercepted by Duncan instead, when the owl went searching for Jacob at the Ravenclaw table. Angelica felt like she wanted to melt away into the table when the sixth year Slytherin boy’s eyes swiveled over to her at the Gryffindor table nearby. They then hardened significantly with both reproach and something oddly territorial as he approached the much younger girl. 

“Angelica, is it?” he said. 

Angelica’s shoulders came up beside her head as she looked up at the older boy standing on the other side of the table. Duncan was taller than Jacob, and his gaze and posture were both rather intimidating. She opened her mouth, ready to stammer out a response, but Duncan cut her off.

“I’m sure you don’t mean any harm,” he said lowly, “but Jacob’s got a lot to deal with right now, and he really doesn’t have time to think about dating or romance...”

“I didn’t want that, I -- ” stammered Angelica desperately. Her voice then instantly seemed to trail off self-consciously. “I -- I just...wanted to let him know...how I feel...that’s all...”

Duncan gave her a bewildered look. “‘How you feel?’ What, that you love him or something?”

Angelica felt her cheeks burning as she looked down at her feet. Duncan brought a hand over his eyes and shook his head. 

“Merlin’s pants...” he muttered to himself, before bending down over the table and speaking a bit more quietly. “Angelica -- if I may be frank -- Jacob doesn’t know who you are. You’re not in the same house -- you don’t share classes. You haven’t even spoken to him. How could anyone react to a confession based on that? Other than with discomfort? You don’t know him, aside from what you’ve seen as an observer. You don’t know his bad habits, his flaws, his pet peeves -- you’ve never once made him lose his temper, nor make him smile -- you’ve never known his protection, his loyalty, or his friendship. You’ve never dealt with him when he’s violent, nor supported him when he’s in trouble, nor comforted him when he’s cried. You don’t know his family or his past -- how could you, if he hasn’t told you about them himself? You don’t know his dreams -- his motivations -- his fears or his demons -- his greatest insecurities. His heroes, his idols -- the celebrities he’s fancied -- the people he hates more than anything. What he wants to do with his life, after graduation. You don’t know why he wears ripped jeans, or why he’s grown out his hair -- why he hasn’t joined the Frog Choir or the Slug Club or the Dueling Club, even after being invited multiple times. You don’t even know why he’s going after the Cursed Vaults at all! You don’t know his heart, nor his mind...let alone the soul that somehow surpasses them both.”

Despite both his harsh affect and his own pride, sincere pain and adoration for Jacob seemed to leak out from the corners of Duncan’s eyes and voice as he spoke. Angelica felt her heart crumple up like wet paper at the bottom of her chest, just listening to him. 

“You don’t know him, Angelica. However strong your feelings might feel to you, they’re not even half so strong as they should be, to be called love. It’s hardly even ‘liking,’ considering you've only done it based on just what you can see from the outside. And sadly...for however brilliant his mind is and however unconditional his love for his family is...Jacob is not someone who would be able to articulate that to you.”

Duncan’s dark eyes became a little smaller upon Angelica’s face. 

“Again...I’m sure you don’t mean any harm, and that you did this purely on some romantic whim. But please, for your sake and Jacob’s...just don’t.” 

At that moment, Jacob finally stumbled into the Great Hall. His robes were even messier than usual and his face seemed very haggard and exhausted -- almost as if he hadn’t slept all night. 

With a quick look toward the door, Duncan pocketed Angelica’s note in his robes and then immediately swept over to Jacob, bringing both of his hands onto his friend’s shoulders to help support him as Jacob forced on a smile and the two headed over to their table. Angelica herself watched the two boys leave, feeling rather nauseous with the effort of biting back her tears, before she grabbed her bag and ran out of the Great Hall altogether.

However mean Duncan had been, Angelica did come to see after a good cry that he was right. She’d never been brave enough to even approach Jacob, let alone talk to him, so of course she couldn’t really know him, aside from what he let people see. Of course Jacob wouldn’t know how to react to her blaring out a love confession seemingly out of nowhere -- Angelica hadn’t really stopped to think about that at the time, but as she got older, she would cringe, thinking about how such a socially inept, and yet still sincerely good-hearted person would react, to a love confession from a girl five years younger than him. Why, Angelica was closer in age to Jacob’s little sister than she was to him. And well, as much as Angelica hated thinking about it, she’d always known that her crush was doomed to be unrequited. She’d started fancying Jacob in the first place because of how courageous he’d sounded, talking about protecting his sister, Carewyn -- and yet the entire time she’d sighed after him, Angelica hadn’t ever felt enough courage to go up to Jacob and just say “hello.” And no lasting relationship could be built on that unstable of a foundation. 

Following Duncan’s death and Jacob’s mysterious disappearance, most of Hogwarts found themselves thinking the worst of Jacob. It was kind of hard not to, considering just how many seemingly normal and innocent people around that time had been exposed as Voldemort supporters...and well, with Jacob’s suspicious appearances in Knockturn Alley and expulsion, it was widely theorized that he had to have been involved in something incredibly Dark. Many surmised Dumbledore wouldn’t have expelled such an academically brilliant student if he hadn’t. 

As Angelica later told Carewyn, though, she had a lot of trouble agreeing with any of this. Even as she grew older and she took off the rose-colored glasses she wore while crushing on Jacob, Angelica still had the nagging feeling that Jacob was a sincerely good person, deep down. And a good person like that would never become a Dark wizard, Angelica thought to herself -- a belief that turned out to be well-founded, as it turned out, when Jacob miraculously reappeared two years after Angelica’s graduation, somehow looking just the same as when he’d disappeared. Even if Angelica knows she really didn’t know Jacob that well back then and her feelings for Jacob have since mellowed out to simple admiration rather than anything romantic, she definitely took some comfort, knowing that her old schoolgirl crush was truly as noble and brave of a person as she’d thought he was. 

[wormholxtreme]

@soullesstrouble said: ' i just think you formed a bad relationship. ' // from magus when we are here simping and all 🤣

That was the understatement of the century. But how could things with Adam be bad when everything felt right with him every time they were together. Yeah, there was something profoundly depressing that her love life now was subjected to the whims of one Adam Warlock but at least she knew where she stood with him. All the guesswork of what he was planning, plotting, of his true feelings for her never entered her mind. When he was home he was hers and hers alone and when he wasn't she had a slew of other people in her life to keep her content. It may not have been the romantic storybook ending one read as a little girl, but most of the world's thoughts on love were unattainable to begin with. This system worked for her and Adam. It could keep working until the end of time.

That is until Adam sat across from her now. The plush setting area in his space craft was homey, no doubt to help Kaylee feel at ease. He’d set the drinks on the table in front of them, watching her every move as she sat, one leg bent under her comfortably. She probably should have felt nervous, knowing how dangerous he was, knowing that she had made the deal to accompany him for the safety of the other and all of Earth. She couldn’t help but feel at ease in his presence though, he was Adam. No, not Adam. Adam…adjacent? Though Kaylee had a feeling if she said that Magus would not have appreciated it. It was a struggle to keep all of his words straight in her head. The problem with a Warlock was time was not linear, and neither was his other half's storytelling.

“So you are Adam but from the future come back to stop me from doing something heroically stupid?” Kay was trying to put the pieces together, it didn't all make the most sense to her yet. But the moment the sperm donor's name for her child left Magus's mouth Kaylee nodded in agreement. “I would burn that mother fucker down to ash if I could.” She said darkly. The years removed from the incident at least eased some of her pain but her bitterness remained intact much like the scars across her abdomen. She felt the surge of power rush through her veins, the lightning marks flashing on her skin in a faint glow. The mere mention of him sent a dark purple hue in her eyes. She shook her head, that glow fading from her skin, her eyes clearing out to a sky blue after a storm. It’d been eight years. Eight years of waiting for the Titan to dare to make a move. Eight years of living her life between Adam’s visits. Eight years of feeling like the storm of losing Sophie would drown her. Eight years of healing.

Kaylee's head tilted curiously. “I don’t think it’s bad. We have a system.” she tried to explain as matter-of-factly as possible. The truth was, as much as their system worked, it was only an appeasement. Kaylee had all but given up on her life being anything more than it was. She was a mother, a hero, a friend, a daughter, a sister. All of these labels and they each brought with them a certain joy and contentment but that storybook love? The kind that people watched movies and read poetry for? Kaylee learned long ago the closest thing she would get to that were the small moments of reprieve with Adam when he graced her with his presence. Even then she had to keep herself in check. It was far too easy to give herself over to him fully, to give him every ounce of her love and soul. She didn’t know how to love any other way. So she chose to love him in whatever capacity he could accept. And it worked. She knew there was no one in the universe that would care for her heart the way Adam would. If she was going to be blemished by love regardless, at least this way, she knew the only person that might get hurt in the process was herself. And Adam…Adam was worth the pain.

She sighed, propping her elbow up on the back of the couch, resting her chin in her hand. “You know, as cordial as we’re being now, I’m not going to help you with universal domination right? Been there. Done that. It’s not my cup of tea.”

[semimedieval]

the 1.0 gang reacts to: ghost tozi

aka: the sequence so drawn-out and dramatic that even at the time we called it a soap opera

this went so long that i have to put it under a cut for my own sanity

Spark reached out and tried to touch his hand, but it fell through the ash like it was water. Tears stung her eyes. Some sad bitter anger stung her heart. She had loved Tozi and Chuji had stolen him all to herself.

certified freak behavior. the man is still dead.

Obsidian nodded, but he was less certain inside. Did he want Tozi back? What if Chuji would love Tozi now? He pushed his selfishness aside; he would go along with what made Chuji happy.

FURTHER freak behavior. but at least coming from what is a fairly realistic if deeply selfish concern. Then he hits us with this.

Obsidian nodded, then took a deep breath. Approaching Tozi, he forced a smile. "I'm truly happy you're back, and I'm sorry for being so shallow when it came to you. I was jealous but now I see that there was no reason to be. And now I hope we can be... friends." Part of him wanted to mention Chuji, but he would say that later, he told himself.

I honestly think now that the move is HE WOULD NOT FUCKING SAY THAT in the sense that like, he would not Directly Acknowledge his dislike of tozi in that he would (correctly) assume everyone has bigger things to worry about. in 2.0 i have him say

Obsidian, who had been standing a few feet back, stepped forward. “Tozi, there is not a time in my life where I would have said no,” he said quietly. “We love you - all of us, unquestioningly, unconditionally. Of course we want you back.”  Tozi’s mouth twitched up in a small, hesitant smile. “I have a feeling you and I could get along better this time,” he said cheerily,

which is a much more true and accurate reflection of the way i picture obsidian's attitude towards tozi. he is sOOO catholically repentant about ever thinking a single negative thought toward the man. but the good news is that now THIS happens -

Spark felt anger consume her heart. Tozi should love HER. No! Chuji was her friend. "Spark?" Quartz asked gently. She looked from Spark to Obsidian, confused. Spark quickly looked away from the two. "What? Oh, sorry. Just thinking about.....dinner! Yes, thats it" she said unconvincingly. "Okay..." Quartz muttered in confusion. She felt a sudden urge to punch something, and ran outside. What was going on? Why did she feel like of her brother and her best friend she was the only person truly happy?! This wasn't fair! What was going on?! Spark felt like a complete idiot, only caring for her own emotions. She sprinted out of the cave. "Quartz?" Guilt gnawed at her stomach. Quartz sat down. Her mind was changed forever -- she did NOT want to fall in love. Look at Obsidian. Spark found Quartz at the base of her favorite tree, and wrapped her arm around her. "Nothing's right," Quartz whispered.

This is probably the strongest fucking case for QUARTZ IS GAY in the entire original text. You cannot honestly tell me that quartz is "feeling a sudden urge to punch something" and running outside because she feels confused about why spark is unhappy. She can tell spark's feelings for tozi are resurfacing and she feels ~THREATENED~ by a dead man. Tozi Allpine: Romantically menacing the greythorne siblings, even from beyond the grave, since 1202. reallymakesyouthink.com. also this is the first time quartz gets to be upset about something interpersonal that isn't obsidian being a dick to her in the entire roleplay. growth!

but speaking of romantically menacing the greythorne siblings beyond the grave -

Tozi............... walked\floated into the boys corridor and while doing so asked Obsidian to join him in a conversation. Obsidian nodded. They had things to discuss, for sure. "Obsidian, Tell me. Why was Chuji so upset after your little spy trip?"* he narrowed his eyes "If you have mistreated her..." "I have not!" he exclaimed indignantly. He hadn't expected this. "I don't know why Chuji was upset. I had no right to be spying, but I would never dream of harming her." "I guess she was upset because she trusted me not to do anything like that, and I betrayed that trust," he added after thinking for a while. Tozi's silence was worrying. Tozi put a hand on his forehead "I'm sorry." he muttered. He inhaled deeply "I got overwhelmed. I love Chuji very much, I don't want her broken in front of me." "I can see that," Obsidian forced himself to say. "And you have a right to do so, as I see now. She will be happy.... with... you." Awkward silence passed. "So, I'll see you around..." Obsidian muttered and ran from the room. As he reached the stream where he had talked to Chuji that day, he lay down in the grass and the forest went dark... One thing for sure -- Tozi was not going to be his rival anymore. He would talk, he would eat, he wouldn't be distant, he wouldn't be cold, and Tozi could love Chuji and Chuji could love Tozi and she would be happy and so would everyone else. He hoped. And then maybe he'd get over Chuji and he'd be happy too. If he had this time of reflection in the woods.

*[i can only assume he means three pages in the roleplay where obsidian tries to listen in on what chuji and tozi are talking about in the woods and fails because crystal is preventing a small flood]

First of all: Obsidian is just like me for real. "I am going to go in the woods and stare at a river until I feel better about this lifechanging loss that I have decided is happening in my head without consulting anyone first." Second of all: Augustine should really have found a more materially real thing for Tozi to confront Obsidian over but what do you know. Thirdly: ough. Obsidian's "Oh! I guess I get to self-sacrifice about this!!!" instinct still kind of hits. The fucking Greythorne Family Self-Sacrifice Disease. Themes and narratives! I know i'm reading too deeply into this source material but god the fucking DYNAMICS it spawned.... the gang and i were so smart.

and meanwhile, at quartz and spark and obsidian city:

"Hey there. I'm sorry....about everything. You're my best friend Quartz." she spoke. "No problem," she smiled. "I like Tozi....but I let that get in the way of my friends." she put her head in her hands "Thanks for forgiving me." A small smile escaped from her lips. "If only Charlie were here, he would be heartbroken." Quartz laughed. Obsidian came out of the building and sat behind them. "And I love Chuji, but I won't let it get into the way of their happiness. Not this time. Not ever. I've gotten a second chance, and I'm making use of it." Spark whipped around and started blushing heavily. "Don't tell anyone I like Tozi...." she pushed a stubborn piece of hair behind her ear awkwardly. "I would hate it if he or Chuji found out." Obsidian smiled. "Don't worry, you're safe. We live together, it's time to trust each other." Spark took a thankful breath. "Thanks. I owe you one." She looked at Obsidian "Maybe you should talk to Chuji. You can't assume she's given up on you just because she's glad Tozi's back. Maybe it's all a big misunderstanding, y'know?" He raised his eyebrows. "I want both to be happy, and they seem happy enough. Besides... I'm scared."

i really do like the richer and more complicated character dynamics that we're developing as we grow as writers over the course of Extranei Summer, and specifically the less expected interactions people are having. my thoughts on this are

a) spark apologizes to quartz without specifying what she's apologizing for, indicating this subtextual understanding that something about her feelings for tozi "gets in the way" of her friendship with quartz. the heterosexual explanation i guess is that her jealousy of chuji gets in the way of the group dynamic and that makes quartz sad. but while that is a heterosexual explanation, it is not a particularly good or compelling one

b) spark and obsidian are friends :)

c) chuji and obsidian have a mutual complete absence of emotional intelligence or knowledge of how to behave in relationships. i don't know if this should be as much the case because while chuji and tozi had a complicated ~best friends since the womb~ "hes my one true love hes my brother hes my best friend" type relationship where normal dating rules didn't apply AT ALL, the same was not exactly true for obsidian and silva - at least was shaping into something not true, the transition from 'best friends running around together' to 'i will bring her flowers at the midsummer dance.' what i'm saying is that, despite all evidence to the contrary, obsidian has more game than chuji. but it's still a race to the bottom don’t get me wrong.

d) obsidian is a profound reflection of my fears about relationships at the time. just check this out:

Obsidian laid back and stared at the sky, which had cleared rather quickly after the storm. Glancing over at Chuji, he knew he couldn't do it. There were no consequences to fighting battles except death or injury. Unlike talking to Chuji.

king, death and injury are ALSO bad. death is worse, one would argue, than having a difficult conversation with your partner. but i realize this takes not being 14 to realize.

i also realize now that while in 2.0 i had chuji and obsidian resolve this question at the stream, thus imbuing obsidian with more emotional intelligence and maturity than i had at the beginning -

Chuji smiled her soft, private smile and turned to Obsidian; her white shoes squelched slightly in the rain-wet earth as she made her way toward him. “Obsidian,” she asked softly. “Do you want Tozi reborn?”  “Of course I do,” he replied. “I was telling nothing but the truth back there.” He looked down at the ground, but then glanced back up to meet her eyes. “I regret our rivalry every day; when he talked to me, I thought I would get the chance to say that. Instead, well -”  “Did he say something to you?”  “He only - he didn’t say anything mean, I think it was a misunderstanding. I’ll talk to him later, when he has more strength. But what I mean is that - if you’d be happier with him, now that he’s back -”  “Obsidian,” said Chuji with a startled laugh. “That wasn’t even - please don’t worry about that. I love you for you and as you and always - will have always, Tozi or not.”  “And - you’re happy with me?” 

- and it is not a BAD SCENE necessarily, just a scene that suffers from the disease of "quartz has to witness every important conversation between chuji and obsidian so that we the audience understand it's happening - this isn't actually true to 1.0, where obsidian stays guessing about What He And Chuji Are until fuucking uh. their date at the gulf. which...... i am actually adding to the list of things i like better in 1.0 than in 2.0. for all that obsidian DOES need to develop a sense of risktaking and emotional resilience if his and chuji's relationship lasting into marriage is to hold ANY believability, it makes perfect sense that "so are we breaking up now that your dead boyfriend is getting resurrected?" would be a weird and difficult question to ask!!

meanwhile, quartz and spark's resolution is as follows:

Spark stretched and glanced at Tozi. He was a kind and amazing friend, so what if he didn't like her? He'd always have a place in her heart no matter what happened. If he wanted to be with Chuji she was fine with that. His happiness was her happiness. Her lips curled into smile. Quartz took Spark's hand, enjoying the sunlight.

look at these kids and everything they're not talking about. you love to see it, or possibly hate to see it.

and let it be remarked that quartz is so fucking gay.

enough so that when i reread the rps in 20 fucking 13 i saw as much. reallymakesyouthink.com

[hockeyboysimagines]

Ashes and Wine

Chapter 9

Warnings: This one gets a little angsty with a cliffhanger at the end, sorry babes. Some fluff and some tears. Language.

Hopefully you guys enjoyed that little bombshell during the wedding. I’ve gotten some great feedback and I’m glad you guys are enjoying this series! Please feel free to send me some asks or messages! I love hearing from you all. I have some requests sitting in my inbox still that I promise I will get to, just haven’t had time to sit down and actually write. This chapter was pre written and in my drafts. One more after this!Enjoy loves!

The next few days into weeks we’re painful for everyone.

Mat was riddled with guilt, and Kaitlin wouldn’t answer his messages. He wanted to apologize, to explain himself but she wanted no part of it. He really didn’t blame her, it was his fault. The whole thing. But it hurt him to know he hurt her.

Leighton was heartbroken, not only for him but over him. He hated her, and he had every right to. She had come back into his life to hurt him again, after she had hurt him for years ago. Although neither had been intentional, it was still painful.

Ginny had known something was up when she came home, crying and still in her dress.

“He hates me Ginny.”

“No he doesn’t-“

“He said so.”

Ginny raised her eyebrows “He said that? Those words?”

She nodded sadly. Mat was a good person, one of the best Ginny had even known. But this had changed everything. Leighton wouldn’t exaggerate those words, and she could see the pain on her face.

“Leighton are you sure he said he hated you.”

“He told Beau ‘I hate her. She ruined my life’ so yes. I’m sure.”

“Leighton. I’m so sorry. You know he doesn’t mean that.”

“Why wouldn’t he? It’s true. I ruined his life. I ruined it four years ago and I ruined it now. He should hate me.”

*********

Mat and Beau jumped when the front door of his apartment banged open loudly. Ginny stormed in loudly, stopping when she turned the corner. She looked angry, a look Mat had never been on the receiving end of. She was holding a picture frame in one hand.

“Ginny what are-“

“Did you say you hated Leighton?”

Mat and Beau looked at eachother for a moment, when Mats heart sank. He had been so angry that night of his wedding. He had said a lot of stuff he didn’t mean, and that was at the top of his list.

“She-she heard that?” He asked quietly.

“She did. She was coming over here to check on you and instead she heard you say you hated her and she ruined your life.”

Mat closed his eyes and put his hand over them. He felt like such a dick.

“Leighton didn’t come here to disrupt your life. She didn’t come here to end your engagement-“

“I know-“

“And!” Ginny said loudly cutting him off “She didn’t make you say her name on that altar. You did that all on your own. So don’t blame her for this. This is not her fault. She had been torturing herself for the last four years and she was willing to sit there and watch you marry someone else because she loves you. Can you not see that?” She held up the frame. It was the picture that Leighton kept on her nightstand “See this? If she wanted to hurt you she wouldn’t keep this damn picture all these years. But she does. Because she loves you, and she is hurting for YOU.”

“Ginny I didn’t mean it. It was just something I said. I was angry.”

“And how do you think she felt? How do you think we all felt?”

“I for one felt relieved.” Beau spoke for the first time “I mean, look. I know you keep insisting you love Kaitlin and maybe that’s true. But if you really did, with all your heart, you would have said her name. And you know it.”

They were right. About all of it. He did love Kaitlin. But it was more complicated than that. Society had this idea that monogamy was the only answer when it came to relationships. You had to choose. In most cases he had found, it was unacceptable to love more than one person in a romantic way. Giving up Leighton felt like he was cutting off his own arm, but hurting Kaitlin was equally as painful. He did love her, but it just wasn’t enough.

“You need to talk to her Mat. You need to make things right. With Leighton, with Kaitlin.”

“She knows I didn’t mean it. She’s being dramatic.”

“Dramatic? Who even are you right now? This is not the Mathew I know.”

“No the Mathew you know was left at the altar by one girl, because another girl keeps messing things up!”

In a moment of anger, Ginny pulled her arm back and threw the picture frame at him. It bounced off his knee and hit the floor shattering, sending tiny shards of glass skittering across the floor. Beau was staring wide eyed between them.

“Kind of like Leighton’s heart. Don’t you think?” Ginny sent him one last look before she turned and left. Mat stared at the photo for a moment, unmoving.

“Barz? You okay?”

He shook his head, eyes never moving from the picture on the floor. He would give anything to go back to that day and stay there. There was no pain, no heartbreak, no anger.

“You gotta talk to her. Ginny is right. You have to fix all this. Do you hate her?”

“I couldn’t hate her. No matter what. I was so angry.”

“Then tell her that.”

**********

Leighton had taken the day off, and Ginny had decided to stay late to give her some space. They had talked a little, mostly because Leighton questioned where her picture frame had gone. To her knowledge Mat and Ginny had never argued about anything, so to hear about it escalating that way, was startling.

“Ginny I don’t wanna come between you guys.”

“Don’t. You are my best friend Leighton Adler. And I am gonna be here for you no matter what.”

Leighton was sitting at her kitchen counter, mindlessly scrolling through her email, laptop set up in the counter when she heard the door open. She looked up and stopped breathing.

Mat was standing in the doorway of the kitchen. He looked tired, his hair was a mess and he had a weeks worth of stubble across his face. She closed the laptop as he walked forward and sat down heavily at her kitchen island with a sigh. She was looking warily at him, arms folded defensively across her chest as if he was going to spew more hatred at her. He hated that those words had even come out of his mouth, and he hated it even more that she heard him say it.

“I don’t hate you. I don’t think I could ever hate you even if I tried.” Her shoulders relaxed and she had a ghost of a smile on her face. While things weren’t ideal, at least he didn’t hate her.

He smiled finger tracing the patterns on the counter “You know I still remember the first time I ever saw you. In Math class on the first day of school. I think I knew right then, that you were gonna be it for me.” He finally looked up, something unreadable behind his eyes.

“It was so hard losing you Leighton. Letting you go like that. And it was hard having you show up here, after all that time and all that heartbreak, and all those nights I laid awake missing you. And still…It’s just really hard.” He said softly. His eyes were sad, as he stared at her.

She wiped at a stray tear and nodded, getting up off her stool, and leaned on the counter behind her, folding her arms across her midsection.

“I know.” She closed her eyes and chuckled “ You know, over the years I keep having this dream. That were 18 again, and were back in your bedroom and you propose to me the way you did before.” She smiled fondly remembering it like it had happened yesterday before looking at him “But I always say yes.”

Mat blinked several times before smiling sadly at her “Wouldn’t that be something? It’s just a dream yeah?”

She nodded and smiled, a tear rolling down her cheek “ It’s my dream.”

*********

Ginny felt bad about the argument with Mat. Though what she said had been true, it was still harsh. She sat down on a barstool and ordered a drink, when she felt a presence next to her.

“Rough night huh?”

She turned to find Beau on his own barstool, eyeing her.

“Rough few weeks. Is Mat with you?”

“No. He said he was gonna go talk to her.”

Ginny nodded “I feel really bad for yelling at him-“

“Don’t.” Beau’s said shaking his head “He needed it. He kind of shuts down about things like this. It took me a long time to even get him to tell me about Leighton. But I knew.”

“Knew what?”

“Just the way he talked about her, even though it hurt him, he just spoke about her in a way that I’ve never felt.”

“I’ve never felt it either.” Ginny admitted with a sigh before she cleared her throat. Her lower lip trembled for a minute before spoke again “I wasn’t really too sure about you in the beginning, but I just want to say thank you. For everything. But mostly for being there for my best friend. I love her ya know?”

“Well your welcome, and hopefully your opinion of me has changed.”

“A little. Do you think things are going to be okay?”

“Only time will tell Gin.”

*********

Kaitlin scrolled through apartments on her phone. She had gone to stay in a friends who was away for work for the week. She had been ignoring Mat for the week but eventually she would have to talk to him. She needed to get the rest of her things and begin the process of moving into a new place. At this point she was all cried out, and while she still loved him there was no coming back from this.

In the forefront of her mind she hated him and Leighton and blamed them for everything. But I’m the back of her mind she was only blaming herself. In the year she had known Mat, she’d listened to him talk about her. Their relationship was about destiny, and fate, longing and heartbreak. It was an epic love story.

But it just wasn’t theirs.

She thought that if she made herself available to listen, to be there for him that maybe he could love her like that someday. But she knew that was wrong. They had built a good life together, and had a good relationship. But it would never be equal to what he had with Leighton. She filled a part of his heart that she would never be able to enter. And Kaitlin knew their days were numbered the minute she stepped foot on Long Island.

She had seen the look on her face as she ran out of the church. She didn’t look superior, or happy or smug. She looked sad. Kaitlin wiped at a tear.

She knew they didn’t mean to hurt her, but there was no keeping them apart. Leighton had fit so seamlessly back into his life in a way she hadn’t. She’d never made that much of an effort. His parents liked her, but they didn’t love her. And she wasn’t oblivious to the pictures that hung on the walls. In more than a few Ginny and Leighton could be seen. She had never made a conscious effort to fit in with the other Wags or his teammates. She was so consumed with trying to get him to love her more than he loved Leighton, that she forgot that his life was about more than just her. It was hard sometimes to remember he had a life before her, but it had really been hard to see him so rattled by the ghost of a past love.

She sighed and sent out several emails to realtors to schedule a few tours. She would talk to Mat. He had reached out a few times but she hadn’t answered. She was afraid of what he had to say. Had he ever loved her at all?

*********

Leighton dried under her eyes, and sniffled. Mat had left hours ago, and she’d been in tears since. He didn’t hate her, but he was hurting. She loved him so much, and to see him so sad hurt her soul.

“I never wanted this for you Mat. I just wanted you to be happy.”

“I was. Once upon a time. But I don’t think I’ve been since then really. Hockey, money, fame. I got everything I ever wanted and it still wasn’t really enough to replace you. Not even my own fiancé was.”

She sank deeper into her blankets and rested her head on a pillow closing her eyes. She had changed the course of many lives with the word no. More than she had ever realized. She wasn’t sure what was going to happen from here on out, but if he wanted her to disappear and never return she would do that for him.

Because she loved him.

********

Mat had no games or practice for the next 4 days. He had to get away from Long Island for a while. He needed to clear his head and his heart of all the turmoil he was feeling, and the guilt that weighed heavily on him. He absently threw shirts, pants, and other items in a bag, and moved to get socks when the picture on his nightstand aught his eye. He picked it up.

It was the picture that Ginny had thrown at him, which he deserved. He traced a finger over their faces. He’d known then, and maybe even before that she was special. She had been the only girl who ever really took his breath away, and she didn’t even know it. In the months after the photo had been taken he felt like he was living in a movie.

Things were so smooth, so blissful. If he had been paying closer attention he would have realized it was all too perfect. His life had really been a mess since then.

He thought about what Ginny said to him earlier in the day.

He had never considered anyone else as his wife except Leighton, and if he was honest he couldn’t really figure out why he had proposed to Kaitlin in the first place. Sure he had feelings for her but not love. Not real love. Even after all these years the love he had for Leighton burned deep down, scorching the very depths of his being. But Kaitlin had pulled him out of his sorrow and showed him that he was able to move on. Maybe not completely but enough to be okay. And for that, he would always be thankful. If she hadn’t come around he would still be wallowing in post Leighton sadness. And he had hurt her. He had hurt both of them. He loved them both in his mind, and in his heart. But looking at the photo, he knew what he had to do. He zipped up his suitcase and pulled out his phone, scrolling through his contacts and hitting the call button. It rang several times before someone picked up.

“Hello?”

“Hey it’s me. I’m getting out of here for a few days and I’m calling to ask….Do you wanna get married tonight?”

[tavvattales]

Hello! ❤️ Ok, since the limit is 3 characters per ask could I ask for the Handsome-Tall-Men-Gang aka Kaeya, Childe, Zhongli (minus Diluc 😢 sorry little wine maker) coming home to their s/o from a normal day at work? The reader gently leads them to a chair, sits down on their lap and gently holds their face in their (reader's) hands and then soflty showering their face with kisses and pecks (Kaeya's eyepatch!!!!! 🥺) while telling them in the softest and most loving voice that they love them????

Meanwhile the Handsome-Tall-Men-Gang is freaking out internally wondering if they missed a special date but reader just wanted to show them their affection???

I'm so sorry if this is too specific but I'm dying for reverse comfort 😢 why is there so little reverse comfort????? I just wanna shower my men with love and affection😭

Anyway sorry for this obnoxiously long ask😅

Hope you have a great day! ❤️

Oh gosh, bless this request. Please no need to apologize. If anything, I should be the one to apologize for taking so long to write this absolute GEM. I really wanted to take my time with this one.

So I only wrote for Childe and Kaeya for this one only because I do want to write a Diluc one and I wanna do it as two and two, if that makes sense. So part 2 will include Diluc and Zhongli, I hope this is okay!

This definitely holds a special place in my heart because I do this with my own s/o. And I love how confused he gets ughh. Always asking me, "What's wrong?" and I'm like just lemme shower you with 💕💕💕. I will definitely make a Diluc and Zhongli one for you at some point so we can have all the Handsome-Tall-Men-Gang here. There needs to be more reverse comfort 100%

----------------------------‐--------------------

GENSHIN IMPACT Character x gn reader fluff stories~♡♡

Scenario: Reverse Comfort part 1

Characters: Childe/Tartaglia, Kaeya

Pairings: Childe/Tartaglia x gn reader, Kaeya x gn reader

Warning: None

SFW----> Pure 100% fluff down below. Only click if you're prepared for a sweet tooth. ;)

Childe:

● He thinks about you, constantly. His mind always lingers to you while out on missions, praying to the Tsaritsa to bring him home safely to you. Sometimes he's gone for weeks, missing every single second of you. When he finally comes home, he always showers you with affection, thankful you're back in his arms again. 

Counting the days the love of your life would arrive home, you prepare yourself and the home you share by keeping busy. Cleaning every nook and cranny, and once more for good measure. It kept you distracted from the painstaking wait, so you didn't mind. You sigh to yourself as you dust off a shelf that was already dusted three times today. You were anxiously waiting for Childe to come back from one of his lengthy missions. He sent word that he would be coming back soon, but you still worried nonetheless.

You desperately wanted him in your arms, safe and sound. Folding a pile of clothes and placing them in the drawers in front of you, you heard the front door open. This made you bolt up and your heart race, "He's home!" You say excitedly to yourself as you run towards the front door, flinging your arms around a very surprised Childe.

A small chuckle tickled your ear, "Did you miss me, darling?" He said softly, his voice like velvet against your ear.

You pull away and nodded, taking his hand in yours, "I missed you so much, that I-" You place a gentle kiss on his lips, "Just couldn't wait to do that." You flash him a brilliant smile, causing him to smile back at you as you tug him along. 

Childe tilts his head to the side, studying you as you lead him to the kitchen, sitting him softly on one of the chairs. You're still holding onto one of his hands as you sit in his lap. Gently you lift his chin with your other hand, his deep blue eyes gazing at you lovingly, "Is something the matter?" he asks quizzically, the messy locks of his soft orange hair falling over his eyes.

You gently brush his bangs away before placing a sweet kiss upon his forehead, "Mmm. . .nope. I'm just glad you're back home," you place another kiss to both sides of his cheek, your warm lips causing his heart to flutter and his face grow warm. You continue placing gentle kisses to his nose and hands. You feel him suck in his breath each time, relishing each kiss, melting with each gentle placement. 

You place one final kiss to his lips, he takes you in wholly, wrapping his arms around your waist bringing the two of you closer. The two of you break away, both panting you say, "I love you."

"I love you too, Y/N," he whispers breathless before you crash your lips down on his once more.

Childe is usually the one pulling you in for kisses and leaving you breathless. He never imagined you would turn the tide on him, but he isn't complaining.

Childe/Tartaglia x gn reader END

-----------------------------------------------------

Kaeya:

● Kaeya is always playful with you. He's always planning the best dates when the two of you have time between work. He always surprises you with flowers, or a picnic. He's a true romantic. He also always knows what to do when you've had a bad day. He's one for spontaneous outings, though he'll never be opposed to a night indoors, sharing a bottle of cider as the two of you talk about your day.

You had just gotten home from a mission. Exhaustion was setting in, but you knew Kaeya would be home late. On days like this Kaeya would always remark how he didn't have time to eat dinner and would even be too tired to eat when he got home. You pushed past your exhausted state, determined to stop by the Knights Hall to drop him off dinner, ensuring he takes a break to himself.

Wrapping up the meal you had prepared for him, you smile to yourself, "This came out pretty well!" you had gotten together his favorites, made with the freshest ingredients, a delicious fruity skewer being one of the items you carefully made. 

You made your way through the streets of Mondstadt, waving at passerbys and greeting them with a small bow. You were well known in the city and people looked up to you as much as they did with the Honorary Knight. As an adventurer, you always took pride in helping the citizens of Mondstadt no matter what the problem was. 

As you neared the Knights hall you heard your name being called, "Y/N! It's good to see you! I'm assuming you're here to pay Kaeya a visit?" You turn around to be met with a beautiful, tall, ash blonde woman. She carried herself with confidence and grace.

"Hi Master Jean! Yeah, I'm here to drop off some dinner for him," You smile brightly.

"He's going to love it. I'll take you to him," She responded escorting you to his office. 

As you approached his office door, your heart started to pound. He still made your heart race even thinking about him. Jean placed a gentle hand on your shoulder and gave you a knowing look before nodding and turning away to get back to her duties. Reaching upwards you gentle knocked on the door in front of you, the only barrier in your way.

A quiet, tired voice responded, "Come in if you must. . ." you heard rustling of papers before walking in. You frowned, hoping that seeing you would brighten his day. Softly opening the door you stepped in, his dinner clutched to your chest. His tired eye lit up at the sight of you and he smiled in surprise.

"Seeing you was just what I needed, Y/N," His voice rang in your ears like silk, soft and gentle. 

You fidget slightly in embarrassment, you cheeks turning pink before responding, "I-I missed you, so I brought you some dinner," you place the neatly wrapped box on his desk. Deciding he needed a break, you took a seat on his lap, "Plus you need to take a break sometimes"

"Oh?" He raised an eyebrow at you playfully, fully accepting the fact you're sitting in his lap.

"Yes!" You exclaim, placing both of your hands softly on each side of his cheeks. You press your forehead against his, "You need to take care of you sometimes too. . ." You whisper, placing a soft kiss to the tip of his nose.

Kaeya was taken aback, though his eye softened, "I was afraid I missed an important date, but knowing now I didn't and you came to visit me because you were worried. . .makes me happy," you quiet him down another kiss.

You start showering him with small little pecks, along his jaw line, his forehead, cheeks. He embraces each and every gentle kiss, never wanting this moment to end. Leaning down again you place a warm kiss to his eyepatch and murmur, "I love you Kaeya. ." 

Not expecting that he pulls away for a brief moment, stunned. Your kiss was so gentle. . .no one but you could show him that amount of love and care that you do, "I love you too, Y/N. . .so much." He snakes his hands into your hair, pulling you against his lips.

It was his turn now to show you how much he loves you.

Kaeya x gn reader END

I hope you enjoy <3 

[dawnsedits]

From the Ashes of Secrets - Chapter 1

Shang-Chi spoilers!

Katy didn’t love Shaun. Not romantically, anyway. But Shangqi?

Yeah. She loves Shangqi.

Shangqi/Katy ~ 1k ~ AO3 ~ Chapter 2

Katy didn’t fall in love with Shaun.

Oh, he was cute, don’t get her wrong. The dorky, lonely boy she grew up with, who tried to hide how somber and broody he got sometimes, who went out and sang karaoke with her until way too late at night. He had brightened her life from the moment he had very confusedly thanked her for jumping in front of that bully, from the first time he had screamed at her to slow down because it wasn’t their car, and she had never regretted barreling into his life for a moment.

Despite that, though, the simple fact remained that he was hiding from her.

She knew it wasn’t anything personal – she saw that look in his eye when the conversation steered too close to his past, that weight that settled over him that he tried to pretend he wasn’t carrying. Whatever had gone down in his life before they met, it was dark, and he didn’t want to talk about it, and she could understand that.

But she couldn’t fall in love with that.

He was her best friend, no doubt about that. She would do anything for him. She trusted him. He was part of her family. And she couldn’t – wouldn’t – imagine life without him. But if he couldn’t give all of himself to her, then she wouldn’t give that one last part of herself to him.

So they were best friends, and it was amazing. They worked together, played together, ate together, complained together, did stupid stuff together, went through every day together. They were inseparable, and she loved their life, and she wouldn’t change a thing.

Until that day on the bus.

Until suddenly he was fighting like he’d been doing it all his life, because apparently he had been, and, oh yeah, his name wasn’t actually Shaun. Until suddenly he was telling her that his dad was an ancient warlord, that his own family was trying to kill him, that he had been trained and raised to be an assassin, and that he had to drop everything and run off to protect the sister she’d never known he had, and suddenly, she was agreeing to go do that with him.

And things only got crazier from there.

She learned all about the weight that lonely boy carried. She learned about the mother he lost, about the sister he abandoned, about the man he killed, about all the pain his father inflicted in the name of revenge. She learned about everything he had never wanted to tell her, everything that had built that one last wall that still stood between them.

And the bombshells kept coming.

Together, they learned that magic was real. Well, duh, it always had been, because the Avengers were a thing, but like, now it was in their lives, which was totally different. His mother was from another dimension that wasn’t a fairytale, and it was full of beauty and wonder, and they met his aunt for the first time, who was apparently a kickass Airbender lady, and also, soul-sucking monsters and dragons were real, and they fought the monsters with a dragon and won, and in doing so, lost every last shred of naivety they’d had left and discovered parts of themselves that had long been buried by that comfortable, secret-cushioned life back in San Francisco.

When she limped out of the ashes of her first battle, when he came running to her from the back of the dragon that had saved his life, they were different people. When they hugged, when they dove into each other’s arms and didn’t let go, it was a goodbye to their old selves as much as it was a reunion with each other.

They were adults now. She was an archer. He was a superhero.

Together, they saved the world.

Together, they learned who they really were.

And that was when she started falling in love.

He still had her best friend’s smile, her best friend’s laugh. He still sang karaoke with her. He still screamed at her to slow down when she drove too fast. He was still everything that had become familiar and beloved during their decade together, everything that had cheered her up on the worst days, everything that the best days would’ve been empty without. He was still everything she remembered from before their lives changed forever.

But now he showed her all his scars, holding her with calloused hands. Now he told her all the stories he had hidden, stories of joy and love, stories of pain and sorrow. When the conversations steered towards his past, when she saw the weight in his eyes, she reached for him now, and he trusted her to hold him, trusted her to share that weight. And in return, when her own newfound pain came for her, when she missed the simple days or woke screaming with Guang Bo’s death burned into her memory, he was at her side, helping her through it, comforting her in all the ways that had been impossible when he had kept that wall between them.

It was on one of those nights – well, more like the morning after one of those nights – that she said it for the first time.

They lay curled up in each other’s arms, drifting awake as morning sunlight slanted through the windows to coat them in a soft golden glow. His heart beat beneath her hand, his bruised chest and her scraped knuckles stark reminders of the struggle that had filled the day before and stalked their dreams that night, but with his warmth and quiet strength wrapped around her, she felt safer than anywhere else in the world.

Yeah, it was sappy and cliché, but it was true.

And it was all possible because he had learned to trust her as much as she trusted him.

How could she not love that?

How could she not love him?

“Hey.” He smiled at her, sleepy and reassuring, taking her hand into his, twining their fingers together over his heart. “Feeling better?”

In response, she leaned over and kissed him, whispering those words against his lips.

“I love you, Shangqi.”

[sorryimanon]

Character: Katsuki Bakugou

Warnings/tags: heart warming fluff, language, and suggestive themes

Word count: 2.5k

In which your boyfriend takes it upon himself to pamper you on his day off.

Author’s note: some self indulgent fluff. this is a continuation of dad!bakugou and torch daughter. there will be more. enjoy :)

D/N= daughters name

-

Katsuki heavily relied on you to babysit your rambunctious four year old daughter during the days when he'd be on patrol from dusk till dawn. Very rarely would he be home before the two of you tucked yourselves in for the night, leaving him to eat the leftovers from dinner alone at the table. As sad as it is, it didn't bother you in the slightest. In fact, knowing Katsuki was keeping the crime rate of Japan low, you were more than happy to become a stay at home mom. Most of your friends tried to talk you out of it, but you were already settled after giving your two weeks notice at your low paying job. Waking up and seeing your daughter first thing in the morning is better than staring blankly at a bright screen all day behind a musty wall, running on nothing but decaf coffee, and sluggishly going to and fro like a zombie.

Ever since your daughter manifested her quirk, you’ve been trying your best to maintain her sudden outbursts while at home. The doctor prescribed it as Torch: the ability to become a human torch and ignite flames throughout your body and fingertips. For now d/n is only capable of setting herself on fire, using the flames as a barrier to protect her from any harm instead of combating. However, sometimes she'll forget to extinguish herself, having you to manually use an actual fire extinguisher on her. Burn marks would litter the outskirts of your shirts, the aftermath ash smudged on your face, and the tiny hairs on your forearms long gone after handling d/n.

Your boyfriend appreciates the way how you compose yourself around d/n, not allowing the temptation to fling the little gremlin out the window prevail, because if the roles were reversed it'd be a whole different story. Sometimes he sits back in his desk chair, after a long night of meandering around the city, and tries to remember the last time you were properly treated. Of course, Katsuki never fails to remind you day and night he loves you through his actions, some including selfish indulgence late at nights, but all in all he didn't lack being the hopeless romantic counterpart for you. He wanted you to take a break from it all, have him handle the at home duties and the slimy daughter. Leaning back against the chair with his brows furrowed slightly, he began to mentally plan out your day already.

It was a Friday when Katsuki forced himself out of the comfortable security that is your arms and walked with light feet to his daughters bedroom. Today is his day off, so he has to make sure everything goes smoothly or else he's going to have more burn marks on his office desk.

He didn't bother knocking first and saunters in the familiar space, the faint snores from d/n somehow relaxing him. Her walls were freshly painted a light shade of blue, the contrast not too saturated to peel the attention away from her posters that covered every inch of her room, all of which were pictures of his prohero colleagues. D/N had to beg for her father to purchase a Deku poster, one of which she saw don display when the both of you brought her to the mall for a quick trip. He internally cringes every time he makes eye contact with the lifeless eyes of Deku when he enters her room.

Katsuki neared his daughter and kneeled down to where his head was leveled with hers, chuckling lightly when finding a small pool of drool collecting on her cheek.

"Wake up little shit," he whispers, nudging her uncovered shoulder with his knuckles, startling her eyes to flutter open. D/n nearly gasped at the sight of her father. The covers that were wrapped snuggly around her fell at the foot of her bed when she jolted up in surprise, eyes brimming with excitement.

"It's today right? Mommy's day!" Katsuki covered her mouth with his abnormally large hand, not wanting her obnoxious voice to blow their cover.

"Yes, but you're gonna have to be quiet for daddy. Don't want to spoil the surprise for mommy, you understand ya little brat?"

Hand still attached to her mouth, d/n nodded her head feverishly, hands clenched into tiny fits. Once he thinks she's shimmered down a little, he finally removes his hand and motions her to follow him.

Meanwhile in the other room, you were still fast asleep, limbs not once switching from their position over the cozy blanket. The chill breeze from the propped window regulated your body temperature nicely, along with the beautiful songs sung by the birds that reside in the trees close by. You stirred awake momentarily, feeling the loss of a presence that's usually laying beside you during these times of slumber. Katsuki's side was empty, the indent from his body molded onto the foam mattress, leaving you to believe he woke up not that long ago.

After convincing yourself to leave the comfort of your bed, you decided to search for the missing blonde. You crack open the door to a weird combination of radio music blaring throughout the house, and the delicious smell of something cooking in grease. It's no doubt your boyfriends doing. He always likes to impress you with how skillful he is in the kitchen. He hasn't made a dish you disliked yet nor will he allow himself to do so.

Standing side by side, minus the height difference, d/n and Katsuki both were too immersed in their cooking to notice you leaning against the island counter, trying very hard to not cry instantly at the sight in front of you. Watching them interact together was definitely something you'd be treasuring for the years to come.

A rush of savory and sweetness infiltrated your senses, the scent strong enough to knock you back to sleep. As if he read your mind overnight, Katsuki took it upon himself to prepare your favorite breakfast dishes. The dinner table made for three already set by none other than d/n, who currently looked proud at her work and craftsmanship. A large vase was propped in the center, a collection of vibrant flowers stuffed to the brim, the water inside almost overflowing. Attached to one of the stems of the flowers was a tag, the handwriting sloppy and hard to decipher.

To my dumbass, love ya - K.B

You felt the delicate touch of your daughter wrapping her hand around yours, giving it a slight tug before pulling you into the kitchen again. Katsuki flicked his gaze to you now, flashing the same mischievous grin you grew to love. his hands simultaneously worked on the food while taming the animal, that is indeed your daughter, from bumping into the pan handles.

"What's all this for?" You asked, the question directly appointed to both your boyfriend and daughter.

"Oh, so I can't treat my sexy girlfriend to a good meal?" he teased while setting the burners to low, letting the food cool off before plating it. Your daughter audibly gagged at the comment and swatted Katsuki's arm.

D/N's tiny legs were faster than yours and reached the cabinet where the plates and cutlery were stored at. To her dismay, the cabinet was higher than she anticipated. trying her best to waiver down the disappointment as she climbed on the sleek marble counter top, losing her footing here and there. Katsuki caught her in time before she misplaced her footing and almost toppled onto the floor.

"May I need to remind you not to climb on the damn counter tops anymore d/n?" he scolded as he put her down before grabbing enough plates for everyone.

Pursing her lips tightly, she crossed her arms and said, "But if I'm going to be a future hero then I have to battle my way through tough obstacles!"

U.A's immense training and work studies came in handy when dealing with d/n's hard headed ideologies. It's been a stressful reoccurrence, having to constantly teach her the importance of being a hero at such a young age. Her impulsive tendencies mirrored the blondes old habit of taking action before thinking. But there was always a saying when storing away your fear and facing danger head on.

"That's true, but sometimes a little teamwork wouldn't hurt. Your father should know a thing or two about that when he was a young U.A student," you said as you patted her head.

"What'd you say shitty woman? Talking crap so early in the morning already?" a strange popping sound alerted you to turn around, only to find Katsuki flaring his flashy quirk with a glare that could splice you open.

But his alarming gaze wasn't the thing that was scaring you at the moment.

"WHAT DID I TELL YOU ABOUT USING YOUR QUIRK IN THE HOUSE! YOU'RE GONNA SET OFF THE FIRE ALARM AGAIN, IDIOT!"

-

You thought the smorgasbord of a breakfast was the last of your boyfriends romantic gestures, but you should've known better once he demanded you to change out of your sleep attire and into something to  wear outside. Not thinking twice about where he was dragging you to, including daughter, you decided to play it safe. He approved on your choice of ripped jeans, synthetic tank top, and thrown on cardigan once heading off to the car.

The car ride to the mysterious destination was short lived as your boyfriend pulled up into the driveway of his old house. Mitsuki stood waiting by the threshold of the doorway, waving her fingers sweetly to whom you can only assume was you and not her only son. She stepped off the porch once Katsuki shifted the car in park, unlocking the doors as well. His mother reached the side where d/n stayed strapped in her seat and yanked the door open.

"Ah my little princess! How have you been? I missed you so much!" She unbuckled d/n's seat belt and flattened her in a tight hug, squeezing till her eyes popped out. "I can't wait to spend the weekend with you baby girl! Are you excited to have a little fun with grandma?!"

"Calm the fuck down, you're gonna kill her if you keep squeezing!" Katsuki's voice boomed out of the window.

"Oh pipe down you little shit I'm not harming her! Also don't talk to me like that! You're old enough to treat me with some respect by now!"

"SHUT UP YOU OLD HAG! JUST TAKE THE LITTLE GREMLIN AND GO!"

After the heated exchange, Katsuki eventually calmed down and drove the two of you back to the house in complete silence. It was quite a shift in a sense of environment wise. By now d/n would be begging you to make her some pudding or pour her a cup of lemonade, then place yourselves in front of the tv watching a random kids program till evening. Tonight you lend the torch to your boyfriend, allowing whatever devious plan he conjured up to unfold.

Before you could shuffle into your shared bedroom, Katsuki placed his calloused hands onto your cramped shoulders. Merely centimeters from your ear, he laid a chaste kiss on the area beneath it, smiling at your innocent reaction to his sudden actions and nuzzled into the crook of your neck. You smelt the familiar scent of caramel and men’s soap, both of which you undoubtably loved when combined.

“Suki?” Upon hearing his nickname, Katsuki quirked an eyebrow at you. “What’s with all the romantic gestures lately? Cooking my favorite breakfast, the flowers, and our daughter. Don’t get me wrong, I love her! It’s just nice not to worry about if she’ll set the curtains on fire again.”

You felt the vibrations of him chuckling behind you.

“Isn’t it obvious? I just want to fuck the shit out of you,” you sat paralyzed by his bluntness. his tuft hair tickled the underside of your chin, earning him an acute giggle from you. “I’m just kidding, pretty face. I figured you needed a weekend where you just relax and did nothing. Let me do all the work. That’s including getting rid of the brat.”

Shifting in his arms to where you can face him, you can now see the adoration oozing from usual heated glare of his vermillion eyes, the scowl long gone and replaced with a soften feature not so many from the outside can witness. To think this was the man you devoted yourself and love for, to allow him to bare witness anything and everything you endure. He’s a man of showing his compassion through his actions, not lousy words of affirmations that anyone could sputter out and proclaim its love. No, he reflects back everything right with the world, even when you felt the weight of it searing through your system, dragging it down with you. The same explosive blonde awaits patiently by the opening for you to enter, no matter how long it’ll take for you to accept his love. Because he’ll be there. Waiting.

And here he is waiting. In your arms to repeat those three words you made out from watching the movement of his lips.

The words leave your mouth effortlessly, the proclamation hanging in the air between you two.

“I love you too, Katsuki. Thank you so much, for everything.” Like so, you kiss the plump flesh of his lips, the same inflammation of your heart burning as before. The strong muscle of his tongue prods your entrance, practically begging by licking your bottom lip. Katsuki grabbed your chin as gentle as he could muster, titling it for a better leverage to explore your mouth in return. Your hands trailed across the defining shape of his collarbones, rubbing any part of his body so that your fingers remained busy. Both of you hum in satisfaction, relishing in the feeling of the intimate moment. To your disliking, he removes his lips from yours and hovers instead, panting from the mini-make out session seconds ago.

“I’m going to marry you some day, mark my words. So don’t act fucking stupid when I pop the question,” he hotly proclaims, not once removing those piercing red eyes from yours. That’s when you knew he wasn’t bullshitting. If there’s one thing you learned about Katsuki over the years of dating, is that he doesn’t throw out promises in the air nonchalantly without keeping them. You can vaguely hear the ominous sound of wedding bells in your ears.

“Sounds intriguing. I always wanted to see you in a suit and tie.”

“Ya know, maybe someday might be tomorrow-.”

You cut him off with a scorching peck, making his eyes widen and dilate with every given second you laid your lips onto his. “Shut up babe and ravish me already.”

A mischievous grin forms on his mouth as he links his arms around the back of your knees and hoists you over his shoulder. He erupted into fits of laughter after hearing you squeak from the abruptness. The door to your shared bedroom came into view, your boyfriend kicking it with his free foot before entering through the threshold.

“You’re in for a long night sweetheart. Now that our daughter isn’t here, I’m not holding back on anything,” he threatens as he lays you down on the comforter.

Another thing you learned from your relationship. Katsuki is always true to his word.

-

[ginanosakka]

The Scars You Hide

Masterlist

We Meet Again | Next

Summary: After your meeting with Bakugou, you get an unexpected call to meet with someone else from your past. Is it possible to mend a relationship you weren’t sure was even there?

“Hey Mina, does Bakugou ever talk about me?” You asked, skimming through the clothing rack next to her with that wide smile you always seemed to have.

Her hands were filled with clothing items, and at your question she seemed to almost drop them. Her pink skin seemed to pale slightly as you watched a small sweat begin to breakout on your face, and in your heart you knew the truth. You couldn’t help but let your smile drop ever so slightly, but you gave a light laugh to calm her down and bring the mood back up.

“It’s okay, I know he probably doesn’t talk about me. . It was just worth a shot to ask.” You giggle falsely, feeling not a trace of humor in the feeling you got in the pit of your stomach. “Let’s go pay, my treat!” You repeated the words you said every time you went out with any one of your friends, the return for spending some time with you.

It was weird with Mina though, whenever you offered to pay it looked like she was conflicted. Her yellow eyes would soften like you spilled some said truth, but you never questioned it. That look scared you with the fear that she might be tired of you, so you’d ignore it for as long as you could. . .

“Ryu, how many times do I have to tell you not to use your quirk in the house!” You yelled to what seemed like thin air as your son clapped once again with another crayon in his hand.

When his little hands met, a small explosion went off that burned the crayon to ash and he sheepishly looked up at you from his spot next to the coffee table. Ryu was so much like his father that it bewildered you, he managed to be a carbon copy of someone he never even met. Not only did he steal most of Katsuki’s physical genetics, he acted nearly identical and had a variation of his quirk. You wondered if being quirkless was the reason all your genes seemed to fail to make the cut, but how could you be mad at that when you loved everything about the blonde little boy?

It would have been nice if he had a little less of Katsuki’s temper, though.

“Honestly, it’s like you want to see me go gray early,” you huffed and continued on your way to the laundry room with your basket full of clothes.

Seven years ago, doing laundry would have been a funny joke to you. There were maids that were perfectly capable and paid to do it for you, so there was virtually no point in learning. The only time you lifted a finger was for makeup and eating, that’s how your father preferred you to live. It was a big contrast to now, where you stood in leggings and an oversized band t-shirt doing every bit of the cleaning and laundry, for not only yourself, but also the six year old son that was never in the plans for your future. In fact, no part of the life you created for yourself was apart of the original plan.

Your phone rang as you finished putting in your first load into the washer, and you answered it without looking, propping the phone between your shoulder and your ear as you put on the proper settings. The unfamiliar voice you heard nearly made you jump since only a handful of people had your number.

“Hey,” the woman said with uncertainty clear in her tone.

“Hello. Who is this?” You asked straight to the point, still continuing your chores as you went from the laundry room to the living room where Ryu was now coloring peacefully and began picking up his mid placed toys.

“Oh it’s Mina. . Sorry for calling you out of the blue, but I was just wondering if you’d like to talk?”

You froze in place, immediately going into mental hyperdrive over all the things she could want to talk about, but none of them seemed reasonable. Neither of you had any contact after Katsuki told you the truth about everyone, you completely went off the grid and she went on with her life like everyone. It would make sense to come up with a bullshit excuse to get out of it. . . but then again it would be much easier to clean with someone entertaining Ryu.

“I’ll send you my address, we can talk here.”

“So. . he really is Bakugou’s kid.” Mina sweat dropped as you both watched him stand on top of the couch with two hero action figures in hand, one of them being Bakugou, yelling nonsense about how he can’t be beaten.

“HAHA! Not even Dynamight and Ignenium can stop this villain, but I will be victorious!”

‘Honestly, that whole strive for victory mindset could be Katsuki or my dad’s genetics.’

“Carbon copy with some tweaks,” you shrugged and continued on your way to your bedroom with your basket full of laundry.

Mina followed you through your small — but well decorated due to your mother — home looking as troubled as she was hesitant as she always did around you. It still bothered you like when you were just a dumb rich girl, and you were must less keen on ignoring it to keep the peace. You were strangers now, after all, not friends due to business.

“So,” you started as you dropped the basket on the ground in front of your queen with a loud ‘plop’. “I know you didn’t come here to just get a peek at the bastard child of your friend, and you certainly aren’t here to rekindle our fake friendship, Ashido. . Spill it.”

You stared at her with accusation, stance showing that this easily could shift from a friendly encounter to a hostile environment depending on her next choice of words. Mina was a hero now, she most definitely could tell that this wasn’t the time to play pretend and get straight to the point like she would in the face of a real villain. She may be more of a commercial hero, enjoying the occasional spotlight and taking down many villains for a camera, but you remember that she looked death in the face the moment she got on the hero track.

The atmosphere in the room became tense as Mina was taken back by your commanding attitude, one that showed that what she suspected about you was true; this wasn’t the same Y/N she met as a kid. Your eyes were colder, uninviting and daring her to take a step too close into your world. Your posture even deterred her from thinking she was anything more than a stranger you invited into your home. Everything about the way you acted was a clear indication that the worst case scenario she had thought of after you contacted her had most likely come to fruition.

“What. . happened to you, Y/N?” Mina asked hesitantly, and you blinked at the question with your arms unconsciously reaching for your right side, something that didn’t go unnoticed by Mina.

After a moment of silence you explained, “I had him. My father didn’t like that. . and he told me not to go through with it, that it would be a shameful mistake. When I refused, he kicked me out onto the streets saying I wasn’t his daughter. I had nothing and no one, my pregnancy was high risk, and I had just been told that everything I knew wasn’t real, but we made it just fine.”

The answer was so vague beyond being disowned that it didn’t take a genius to figure out what happened between being on the street and now wasn't something you’d be willing to tell just anybody. Especially not the girl who was only her friend in hopes of getting an up on life in her future. The fact that you told her that much was a privilege she should never expect to receive again. Mina could only frown and think of how lost and heartbroken you must have been, all because she couldn’t bring herself to stand without the herd and tell you the truth. You probably didn’t trust anyone now, and the fact that Katsuki probably thought you were living an easy life on your father’s money didn’t sit right with her when you did everything for yourself now, and obviously lived a modest life with his son.

This was her chance to redeem herself for her first failure as a hero, and she wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.

Mina looked you dead in the eyes with determination that you’d never seen before and said, “I want to help you take care of Ryu.”

Your brows furrowed at her declaration, “I don’t need help-“

“You do, and I’m going to be here for you. I don’t care if you hate me now, but I’m going to make it up to you for being selfish.” Mina pressed, her bouncy pink hair jumping as she bounded closer to you with a grin that used to always make a smile come on your own face. Her smile widened and her eyes closed as she made her words sink in with you. “I want to get to know the real you, Y/N, and I’m not going to miss the opportunity of seeing how you managed to keep a little Bakugou alive.”

You didn’t know what to say, no words were good enough to express every emotion she made you feel after six years of doing everything on your own. There probably weren't any words that could sum up the feeling of someone wanting to see who you really were after being someone else your whole life. You werent fully convinced — you couldn’t be, this not only affected you, but your son too — but there was a simple statement that would let her know that this meant something.

“Thank you.”

A/N: I hope you like this Mina x reader moment! I know there wasn’t much Bakugou and Ryu action, but more to come soon. Also, Ryu’s quirk is explosions that are activated by contact with his hands, meaning that he has to touch something to let out an explosion unlike Katsuki who can just let them rip at any time!

Taglist <3 : @fandomgirllover @cloudsgathering @that-bipolar-renegade-romantic @jazzylove @that-chick212 @bonbonthedragon @hawksnugget @misssugarless @insomniac-nerd-posts-things @bakugous-bakahoe @pinkykookie17 @byakuyaswifee @animexholic @arielting @samkysnks @simpforeveryone @saucey-kneecapzz42020 @liznoonz427 @damnirina @fireworkemoji102 @deneuves @tsumuuumiyaaaa

[queenofbaws]

I know I said my previous request would be my last one for the cable car series, but with each prompt fill being better than the last, I can't help but come back for more. I've been eatin' good so far, so I'm gonna double down and ask for dessert - a fifth and final part to the saga! I'd love to see a post-kiss heart-to-heart/true confession from Chris and Ashley. Something that dialogue-heavy might be a bit much for six sentences, though, so maybe save it for one of those long prompt weekends?

not-quite-six sentence weekend :P

(once upon a time, in a cable car not so far away...)

"So," they somehow managed to say at precisely the same time - Chris and Ashley, Ashley and Chris - neither the cold nor the heights nor the earth-shattering reality of what had just happened in the dimly lit cable car proving enough to override the wavelength they so often shared. The moment led to another (both telling the other to go ahead), led to another (both saying no, no, no, you first), led to another still (averted eyes and vague hand gestures, half-formed words that all sounded suspiciously like giggles). Then the cable car was quiet.

For a moment, anyway.

"So," Chris tried again, "how about this weather we're having?"

Ashley groaned, or sighed, or did both at the same time, it was hard to parse. Still, she found it within herself to sit up straight, all her earlier worries about this trip long forgotten. "Really, Chris?" she asked, keeping her voice playfully flat. "Really?"

"Really! I mean, check it. It's really, uh, weathering out there. As far as the eye can see."

"Sure is."

"I mean, someone should call the news. This weather? This right here? I mean...someone's gotta report on this stuff, Ash. It's not every day you see something like this." It took him longer than he would've liked, but he scrounged up courage enough to glance her way, feeling his insides do the usual flip-flop as he watched her shake her head, roll her eyes, laugh. It bolstered him enough to swallow that last bit of anxiety down, and that, along with the memory of her lips warm against his, ended the crummy joke. "Also? That was, uh, nice."

Ashley nodded slowly, waging a very similar war inside herself. "Yeah. Yeah, it was."

"The kind of nice," he continued, feeling a little bit like one of those bomb defusers crime shows loved using for some reason, "thaaat I could...get used to. I-If you also could...get used to...it, I mean."

She dropped her face into her hands for an instant, still laughing, still nodding, and when she sat back up, she forced herself to meet his eyes. "I could also get used to it, yeah. Super used to it, in fact."

"I - oh! Well. Neat! I guess - "

Which was of course when the slow jams Josh had been piping in over the hidden speakers suddenly cut out, giving way to the evil emcee himself. Whatever he'd used to hook the things up, the connection wasn't great, so there was a staticy, old-timey radio quality to his teasing that only made the situation feel that much more surreal.

"Heeello again, ladies and gents. This is your captain speaking, informing you that you will be reaching the summit - and the scenic Blackwood Pines estate - in about three minutes. Please be sure to dispose of all garbage in the designated receptacles, keep your hands and feet inside the ride and all times, and for the love of Christ, if you haven't already had some gross Hallmark movie moment in there, you better get that shit out of your combined systems NOW, before I have to deal with you for the whole weekend.

"Quick notes to help that process along: Ashley, I'm sure you're wondering whether I found all those darling love poems in the notebook you accidentally left at my place last week. Yes. I did. You're probably also wondering if I have the balls to read them out loud. Yes. I do. And Cochise. Sweet, precious Cochise. This is my reminder to you, my man, that there are appropriate and inappropriate things to say to a lady before, after, and during a romantic embrace. Appropriate things include but are not limited to - wow, you're gorgeous; I've wanted to do this for such a long time; and it's you and me against the world, baby. Inappropriate things, as we've been over many, many times, include - but again, ARE NOT LIMITED TO - hubba hubba awooga; aw geez; and neato!"

Ashley snorted so hard she startled herself, jumping in her seat.

Chris, on the other hand, was less amused. "...I mean technically 'neat' isn't the same as 'neato,' sooo..."

"Now, I didn't think to rig this shit up to be two-way, so I can only assume you're both saying 'Okay Josh, that makes sense Josh, you got it, Josh,' over and over again in there. When you get to this station, God as my witness, there better not be one iota of romantic tension left between you, or - "

The speakers squawked once and died out as they hit a slight bump in the line, but where there had been panic the last time that happened, now there was only relief. Chris turned to Ashley, Ashley turned to Chris, and while their faces were still much too red for how cold it was inside the cable car, things felt absolutely, undoubtedly, utterly perfect.

...for a moment, anyway.

"So...love poems, huh?"

[megan-is-mia]

Yandere vil or jamil forgets to book a date for the darling on Valentine's day?

(Hey man what about both? Double neglectful boyfriends) 112. “It’s not stalking if both parties agree, now is it?” (Yandere! Vil Schoenheit x Fem! S/o x Yandere! Jamil Viper)

(Y/n) was on the best date she’d even been on in recent memory. Her date was funny and an attentive listener not like her two ex-boyfriends. Looking back the girl couldn’t figure out why she’d even liked Jamil or Vil in the first place. They were both textbook narcissists using her to boost their own image and she was glad she’d finally had the good sense to break up with them. Though if she was being honest it had taken her a long time to wake up and face the reality that she’d never be happy with them.  

The wake-up call had been on Valentine’s day the previous year, a morning where she’d woken up with hope in her heart that maybe her day would be full of tender romantic antics only to find herself deeply disappointed that her boyfriends seemed to forget what day it was entirely! Even after (Y/n)’d reminded them of the date they’d only shrugged and told her to go away. With tears in her eyes and cheeks red as an apple, she’d gone away alright. She’d packed her bags and gone away to another city altogether.

The first few months had been hard, they’d been together for so long now. Having started dating back in high-school and all the way through college. It had taken the young woman a lot of time to find herself again and regain the self-confidence she’d once had. After rebuilding herself from the ashes of her last relationship she opened her heart to love again and started dating. (Y/n) hadn’t found the one yet, but that didn’t matter to her anymore. She just wanted to meet new people and make connections. Which is what this date was looking like it might end up being, just a friendly connection between two people. Eventually, her date had to excuse himself to go use the restroom and she pulled out her phone to browse the web while she waited. With her mind distracted two figures sank into the seats next to her: her exes Jamil and Vil. When (Y/n) realized that she wasn’t just imagining them and that they were actually sitting beside her she let out a startled gasp almost dropping her phone in surprise. 

“V-v-vil! J-j-jamil! What a surprise to see you” (Y/n) stuttered out blinking rapidly with her mouth agape. “Cut the pleasantries (Y/n) we know you’ve been seeing other men behind our backs” Vil said in a cold tone narrowing his eyes at the girl as he spoke. “That was a very childish move to try and run away from your boyfriends. Very childish indeed” Vil said shaking his head and looking more like a disapproving mother than her emotionally detached ex-boyfriend of five years.

“I wanted to bring you back right away but Vil said we should wait and see if you realized what you did wrong and came back of your own volition” Jamil said with a sigh rolling his eyes. “It was annoying watching all those bozos flirt with you and touch you like they had any right to” he added irritably. “You’ve… you’ve been stalking me?!” (Y/n) said in a squeaky voice at this shocking revelation. She’d been getting the feeling that she was being followed for months but to find out it was true… it chilled her to the bone.

“Oh (Y/n) it’s not stalking if both parties agree, now is it?” Vil said in a sickly sweet tone. “Now what you’re going to do when that little fucktart of a date of yours returns is tell him you’re already taken and that he should leave. If you don't I’ll poison his drink and you’ll be responsible for his death darling” he continued still speaking in that disgustingly sweet tone of his. “And if you even think about screaming I’ll use Snake Whisper on you so think carefully baby” Jamil chimed in with a smirk. (Y/n)’s eyes fell to her lap and she squeezed her hands into fists as she thought it all over. She knew she was no match for her exes, and that was when they weren’t working together to ruin her life. If she wanted this evening to end in the least amount of bloodshed then she had to make a sacrifice. Taking a deep breath she unclenched her fists and sat up straight her decision on the matter clear even though she had not spoken a word. Jamil and Vil smiled, they knew she’d make the right choice… THE END

[purrincess-chat]

Marinette Dupain-Cheng’s Spite Playlist: Remix CH20

The battle in this chapter has a lot of references. Can you name all of them? ;) You can see our new heroine’s design here!

Previous     First     Next    AO3

-------------------------

Chapter 20: my tears ricochet

“Is everything okay, Marinette?” Tikki poked her head out of Marinette’s shirt collar.

The subway station was quiet save for a few other waiting passengers, too absorbed in their phones to notice the girl talking to her small magical friend. Marinette took a deep breath and nodded.

“Yeah,” she said, “I just can’t believe it’s finally over.”

“Don’t you think it’s wrong to seek revenge? What if Lila gets akumatized again because Ladybug exposed her?” Tikki asked with a worried frown.

“Normally, I’d say yes, but it’s about time someone set the record straight,” Marinette said as the subway car pulled up. “Look, I won’t talk about it ever again as Ladybug or Marinette. It’s over now. We’ll just stay on the lookout for the next few days.”

Tikki sank back into Marinette’s shirt without another word, though her frown persisted. Taking a seat on the train, Marinette leaned her head back with a sigh. It had been nearly a month since Marinette changed schools, and she’d done her best to put the past behind her. From the moment she left, she didn’t want anything to do with Lila, but it was too late to take back the interview now. The truth was finally out there, and it was unlikely that Lila would be able to lie her way out of this one. Everyone was free.

When the train arrived at her stop, Marinette followed the crowd of people and pushed the whole ordeal from her mind. What was done was done, and Lila had no power over her anymore. Marinette had often wondered what this day would feel like. Truthfully, it wasn’t as relieving as she thought it would be. Maybe removing herself from the situation lessened the impact, but Marinette felt nothing but apathy. A small part of her was glad to be done with it, but the majority of her just didn’t care about Lila anymore. She’d made new friends, and she was in the process of making one more.

Gabrielle averted her gaze when Marinette entered the café, just like she always did. Marinette had programmed Gabrielle’s work schedule into her calendar, and she’d been making it a point to stop by when she could. Although Gabrielle tried to hide it, Marinette could tell that she was happy to see her.

“Does this count as harassment?” Gabrielle asked, setting Marinette’s usual order on the table.

“Only if you want me to stop,” Marinette said.

Gabrielle rolled her eyes and smiled. “You’re such a dork. No wonder I used to pick on you.”

“That’s not a no,” Marinette said pointedly.

“You’re so annoying,” Gabrielle sighed, stalking back to the counter.

Marinette bit back a smile, retrieving her sketchbook from her bag while Gabrielle tended to other customers. The café was cozy and secluded enough that Marinette could work freely while also keeping an eye on Gabrielle. Her deadline was only a few days away, and she’d already taken time out to help Adrien.

Adrien…

He went behind her back to stop Lila. She’d been so touched in the moment, that she agreed to help without really thinking. But he’d gone against everything he believed in for her. Not Ladybug, not Chloe, not even his best friend. For Marinette. How could she resist? The moment Adrien said he needed Ladybug, she couldn’t help herself. It was selfish, but if he called, she’d always come running. And as it turned out, Adrien was quietly doing the same for her all along. It was kind of romantic in a way.

But what did that make them? Were they dating? Neither one of them had confessed their true feelings, but it was obvious they both really cared for one another. Adrien wouldn’t have teamed up with Chloe if he didn’t feel something for Marinette. Being mean wasn’t in Adrien’s nature—it was one of the many things she loved about him. He had to be in love with her now. There was no other explanation.

Marinette pressed her lips together, tracing hearts along the edges of her sketch. She would tell Adrien how she felt after her presentation with Clara. No chickening out this time. Just her honest feelings and hopefully Adrien’s soft lips and silky golden hair, the intoxicating scent of his cologne, and those strong arms wrapping around her-

“What’s that for?” Gabrielle snapped Marinette from her trance, replacing the cold cup Marinette had long forgotten about with a fresh one.

“Oh, uh, just some designs I’ve been playing with,” Marinette said. “Actually, will you tell me what you think?”

Gabrielle quirked a brow, spinning the sketchbook around to get a better look while Marinette sipped her coffee. She’d narrowed it down to three sketches, and Gabrielle studied them thoughtfully.

“I think the skirt on this one could puff out more, and I think this one would look better if you made it slouch off the shoulder,” Gabrielle said, “but that’s just my opinion.”

“No, that’s really helpful. Thank you.” Marinette smiled.  

Gabrielle shifted her weight and mumbled, “Your designs are really good.”

Marinette beamed, but before she could reply, a loud boom shook the café, knocking over cabinets and cups. Gabrielle and Marinette rushed outside to find the source as several passing people ran away from the scene.

“Lila,” Marinette murmured under her breath.

“What?” Gabrielle turned to her.

“I said it must be an akuma,” she said quickly. “We should probably evacuate.”

“As if my boss will let me leave. This place could burn down, and he’d still expect me to show up and sweep the ashes.” Gabrielle rolled her eyes. “You go.”

Another crash rattled the street, shattering the windows of every parked car along the block. Marinette shielded her face from the debris, Gabrielle taking a defensive stance in front of her. Locking eyes with the villain, Marinette’s blood ran cold.

Lila hadn’t been the one to get akumatized, but the girl staring back at her was all too familiar. Her suit was red and black with spots resembling Ladybug’s on the bodice. Long red hair was tied back into a ponytail, once hazel eyes now scarlet. Her ex-best friend looked at her with utter disdain.

“You…” Her eyes narrowed.

“Alya?” Marinette gasped.

“You two know each other?” Gabrielle quirked a brow.

“She and I used to be…” Marinette lowered her gaze.

“Used to be what, Marinette? Bffs?” The akuma snarled. “Or maybe you’d like to forget that!”

With a swipe of her phone, a purple beam shot toward them. Gabrielle tackled Marinette to the ground, avoiding the blast by an inch. Gabrielle’s manager came out to see what the fuss was about, and the beam engulfed him. He blinked a few times, looking around at the café in confusion.

“Where am I? Better yet, who am I?” he groaned.

Gabrielle pushed Marinette away, eyes wide. “Run!”

“What about yo-”

“Just go!” Gabrielle shouted.

“Oh, she’s not going anywhere.” The akuma swiped her phone screen again, pointing it up to the sky. Storm clouds materialized, and large chunks of hail rained down. “I’m not your bff anymore, Marinette. My name is Ladyblogger, and I can use any power I want! I’m going to expose the truth to everyone once and for all!”

Gabrielle grabbed the coffee pot from her manager and hurled it at Ladyblogger. She took Marinette’s hand, and the two raced up the street.

“This way!” Gabrielle ducked into an alley. She lead Marinette through a private courtyard, down another side street, and across to another alley before stopping. “Take this street, and you should be able to make it home from there.”

“Where will you go?” Marinette asked.

“I should get back to the café. I doubt my manager’s amnesia will last long. You should get somewhere safe.” She shoved Marinette on, heading back in the direction they came.

“Gabrielle?” Marinette called, and she turned over her shoulder. “Thanks. You saved me.”

“Yeah, yeah, don’t mention it.” Gabrielle rolled her eyes. “Now go!”

Marinette bit back a smile as she raced up the alley. Her suit materialized before she made it to the other end, and she tossed her yoyo into the rooftops. Any warmth she’d felt from Gabrielle’s selflessness faded the moment Ladybug touched down on the scene. Chat Noir arrived at the same time she did.

“Looks like the ‘heroes’ decided to show up,” Ladyblogger said with air quotes. “Or should I even call you that anymore? The only people you seem to protect these days are ones with egos the size of monuments!”

“Alya, listen to me! Lila is manipulating you,” Ladybug said.

“You’re one to talk about manipulation. How’s your bff Chloe these days? Or is it actually Marinette?” Ladyblogger shot another beam from her phone, but Chat Noir and Ladybug dodged. The attack hit Gabrielle’s manager again, snapping out of his confusion only to be transformed into a Ladyblogger look alike.

“Wow, for a journalist, you seem to have a hard time swallowing the truth,” Chat Noir said.  

Ladyblogger swiped blasts from her screen, and Ladybug and Chat Noir dodged between them, charging in to strike. Chat Noir’s staff phased through Ladyblogger, and he stumbled several paces before regaining his balance. She smirked at him, lifting her finger from the screen and regaining tangibility just in time for Ladybug to land a hit.

The two grappled, dodging each other’s swipes and jabs. Ladyblogger phased in and out of tangibility, striking Ladybug with purposeful blows. When Ladybug finally landed a hit, Ladyblogger simply smiled. Her aura glowed, and she took Ladybug’s wrist, tossing her effortlessly into her partner across the street.

They rolled across the pavement, limbs tangling around each other. Chat Noir immediately helped her to her feet, dusting himself off. “Okay, is it just me, or are her powers super random?”

“I don’t think they are,” Ladybug said. “She’s using abilities we’ve fought before. I think she’s using powers from old akumas.”

“Not just akumas.” Ladyblogger corrected, tapping her screen. “Cataclysm!”

She charged at them, fist glowing with black energy. Ladybug and Chat Noir jumped out of the way, and Ladyblogger swiped the streetlamp, reducing it to a pile of ash.

“Okay, so you can copy our powers too,” Chat Noir said.

Ladybug’s eyes narrowed on Ladyblogger’s screen, an inverted version of her blog theme with icons for each power available to her. “Her blog!” she gasped. “She can use powers of anyone—hero or villain—that she’s reported about on her blog!”

“You always were a smart one,” Ladyblogger said. “So, how come you can’t see through all of the lies people keep feeding you?”

“She’s not the one that needs to open her eyes.” Chat Noir shot back.

Ladyblogger summoned another Cataclysm, punching the ground and sending a shockwave rippling up the street. Ladybug and Chat Noir jumped up to the roof to avoid it.

“Got a plan?” Chat Noir asked.

“Lucky Charm!” Ladybug summoned, and a deck of playing cards materialized.

“Up for a riveting game of poker? We can wager our Miraculouses for her akuma,” Chat smarmed.

“No…” Ladybug studied the logo on the box. “I have to go. Maybe you can annoy her to death with your jokes before I get back.”

“Purrhaps she’ll be a better sport than you.” Chat Noir winked. “Just don’t keep me waiting too long. Even this cat will run out of jokes eventually.”

Ladybug flicked his bell before racing off. Ladyblogger could mimic the power of anyone so long as she’d written about them on her blog, so Ladybug needed a power she hadn’t seen before.

“Master!” Marinette burst through the door. “Chat Noir and I are fighting an akuma, and I need to borrow a Miraculous.”

Master Fu set aside his book. “Then let’s not waste any time.”

He retrieved the Miracle Box from its hiding place and presented it to her. Marinette surveyed her options carefully. The mouse could work, but she wasn’t sure it was the one they needed. Then there was the monkey, but that could confuse things even more. She needed something stealthy. Something like…

“Do you have someone in mind?” Master Fu asked as she grabbed the tiger gauntlet.

“I think I just might.”

♪♫♪ Bad Blood ♪♫♪

Ladybug found Gabrielle sweeping broken glass outside the café. The street was quiet and long since evacuated. Chat Noir and Ladyblogger relocated to the Trocadero, but Gabrielle stayed behind, waiting for everything to go back to normal. She quirked a brow when Ladybug approached.

“I’m going to assume since I’m still here sweeping glass that you haven’t defeated the akuma?” she asked.

“Not yet.” Ladybug admitted. “I need a little help. Think you’re up for it?”

“Why do you need my help? Don’t you have a passel of super-freaks on speed dial?” Gabrielle grunted, returning to her sweeping.

“I do, but… how would you like to be one of them?” Ladybug offered, and Gabrielle froze.

“For real?” she asked, eyes glinting with intrigue that extinguished just as quickly as it lit. “Why me?”

“Didn’t you watch my interview earlier?” Ladybug cocked a hip. “I’m always looking for new partners, and I saw how you helped your friend earlier.”

“We’re not really friends,” Gabrielle said, but when Ladybug gave her a disbelieving smirk, she sighed. “Okay, fine. She’s annoying, but whatever, I guess she’s my friend. I just don’t see how that has anything to do with me becoming a superhero. You obviously don’t know me very well, but let’s just say I’m not exactly the hero type.”

“Don’t you want to be?” Ladybug asked, and when Gabrielle averted her gaze, she added, “Look, I didn’t think I was superhero material at first either, but being Ladybug helped me realize I’m more capable than I think. You have an opportunity to do something good. Isn’t that what you want?”

Gabrielle lowered her gaze, tapping her nails against the wooden handle. Pressing her lips together, she squared her shoulders and let the broom fall to the ground.

“Gabrielle Burton, this is the Miraculous of the Tiger, which grants you the power of invisibility. You will use it to fight for the greater good.” Ladybug recited, presenting her with a small box. “Once the battle is over, you will return it to me. Can I trust you?”

“Yeah, I guess.” Gabrielle rolled her eyes and took the box, barely flinching when Roarr manifested.

“Hello there! My name is Roarr, and I’m a-”

“We don’t have time for that. My job doesn’t pay me enough to fight supervillains, so let’s just get this over with.” Gabrielle cut him off. “Now, how does this thing work?”

Ladybug flashed him an apologetic grin, and he flicked his tail. “To transform, all you have to do is say ‘Roarr, transform me,’” he said without any fanfare.

“Cool.” Gabrielle slipped on the gauntlet. “Roarr, transform me!”

Gabrielle caught on quick, following behind Ladybug without need for explanation. If Marinette had learned anything about Gabrielle, it was that she was straightforward and to the point. It shouldn’t have come as a surprise that she was guarded around Ladybug. Marinette was still breaking through some of those walls herself, but she truly believed that Gabrielle could be a good hero if she tried.

When they arrived at the Trocadero, Gabrielle cracked her whip before Ladyblogger could ready another attack. Seeing Ladybug with a new ally must have struck a nerve because Ladyblogger let out a frustrated growl. Chat Noir rushed in but slammed into an invisible wall. Ladyblogger tugged an invisible cell door shut with a smile, but Gabrielle didn’t leave her much time to gloat.

“Who’s the new pet?” Ladyblogger called. She and Gabrielle sparred while Ladybug checked on Chat Noir.

“Obviously, someone she trusts more than you.” Gabrielle retorted. They locked hands, glaring each other down.

“It seems that Ladybug is employing a lot of mean girls, these days. Falling on hard times?” Ladyblogger grunted, hiking a leg to knee Gabrielle in the gut. “You must really be scraping the bottom of the barrel. Looks like your little tigress needs some more training.”

Ladyblogger struck again, but Gabrielle caught her wrist, redirecting her down the stairs. As Ladyblogger stumbled to the bottom, Gabrielle cocked a hip.

“Tigress, I kind of like that. I think I’ll keep it,” she said.

Ladyblogger scrambled to her feet as Ladybug and Chat Noir flanked Tigress. Her attention turned to the news station helicopter hovering over the Trocadero to catch all of the action.

“Let’s see if the rookie is really up to snuff,” Ladyblogger said, tapping her screen again. “Venom!”

“No!” Ladybug shouted.

Ladyblogger jumped, clearing the distance to the helicopter easily. With a light tap, the pilot froze in place, and Ladyblogger hopped out the other side as the plane spiraled into a tailspin.

“Chat Noir, Tigress, get everyone out!” Ladybug ordered.

Her partners sprang into action while Ladybug hooked her yoyo around the streetlamps. Tigress took care of Nadja while Chat Noir carried the pilot and cameraman. They got out just as the helicopter landed in Ladybug’s net. Her feet skidded against the concrete, bearing the weight of the aircraft as she gently lowered it to the ground.

“Hey, Bugheads! Ladyblogger here, and do I have the scoop for you!” A large camera broadcast their efforts to every screen in Paris, and Ladyblogger watched in amusement. “Always playing the hero, but only for those she deems worthy of saving. Hasn’t anyone ever wondered if the girl under the mask is really as nice as we all think?”

“Thanks, Ladybug,” Nadja said as Tigress set her down.

“Get somewhere safe,” Ladybug ordered.

The pilot groaned and rubbed his head, free from Venom’s sting. Ladybug eyed him with a pensive frown as the reporting crew scrambled to safety.

“Any ideas?” Chat Noir asked.

“Forming one,” Ladybug replied. “It looks like she can only use one power at a time, so when she switches to a new one, the effects of the old one wear off—like closing an app on a phone.”

“Okay, so what does that mean for us?” Tigress crossed her arms over her chest.

“It means we have to keep her moving,” Ladybug said, palming her yoyo. “Lucky charm!”

A catcher’s mitt landed in her hands, and Chat Noir quirked a brow.

“Great, so we can invite her to play catch,” he said.

Ladybug glanced around singling in on Tigress, Chat Noir’s staff, and her glove. A smile broke over her lips. “That’s exactly what we’re going to do, but we’re going to do it my way. Chat Noir, you and I are going to keep Ladyblogger busy while Tigress sneaks in.”

Chat Noir nodded without a second thought, but Tigress shot Ladybug a skeptical look. “Are you sure this is gonna work?”

“This isn’t even her most convoluted plan.” Chat Noir shrugged.

“And now the superheroine has summoned her last resort. I think it’s time everyone learned the truth about Paris’s savior. Coming up next, we’re going to take her Miraculous and find out what kind of person is hiding behind the mask! Stay connected, Bugheads.” Ladyblogger ended her broadcast and swiped to a new power. “Let’s see which one of us has more luck, Ladybug. Lucky Charm!”

Ladyblogger caught the rocket launcher with a sinister laugh, taking aim at the band of heroes. When she pulled the trigger, they dispersed, splitting up in three different directions.

“Camouflage!” Tigress whispered.

Ladybug and Chat Noir wasted no time drawing Ladyblogger’s attention, dodging past missiles as they closed in. They took turns taking jabs and kicks, and with closer proximity, Ladyblogger abandoned her weapon in favor of a different power. Light beams shot from her screen with each swipe of her fingers, transforming streetlamps and benches into hard black lumps.

“Coal? But I’ve been so good this year!” Chat Noir taunted.

“I used to think you two were so great, but now I see you for who you really are! You’re not heroes, you’re just two little kids playing dress-up for attention,” Ladyblogger said.

“You know what? You’re right,” Ladybug said. “Just keep all of your attention on us.”

“It shouldn’t be hard. I am pretty good-looking.” Chat Noir flexed his biceps.

Ladyblogger’s eyes narrowed, but before she could make her next move, her arms pinned to her sides. An invisible force wrestled her to the ground, kicking her phone from her grasp in a direct pitch to Chat Noir.

Tigress materialized on top of her, pulling her whip tight. “Looks like Hawkmoth should have trained you a little more,” she said.

“Batter up!” Chat Noir called, swinging his baton.

Ladybug caught the phone in her mitt easily and stomped it under her foot, releasing the black butterfly from inside.

“No more evil-doing for you, little akuma. Looks like she struck out.”

Tigress stood up as Ladybug’s magic healed the city. When Alya came to, Ladybug crouched beside her, presenting her repaired phone.

“I know you’re hurt and confused, but I promise that everything I said earlier is true,” Ladybug said. “You’re a smart girl, Alya. The truth is right in front of you if you look for it.”

Alya searched her expression, lips pressing into a firm line. “Why should I believe you?”

“Seriously? After everything Ladybug has done for this city, you’re going to blow her off just like that? Some journalist you are,” Tigress grunted, flipping her braid over one shoulder.

“Tigress-”

Alya’s jaw clenched. She snatched her phone from Ladybug’s grasp and stood up. “So these are the kind of people you replace real heroes with? I thought one drama queen was a coincidence, but I’m starting to think you just have a type,” she said. “You’re right. I am smart—smart enough to see when someone isn’t who they say they are. So from now on, I’m no longer your fan, Ladybug, and I’m going to expose the truth to everyone!”

Tigress averted her gaze as Alya stormed off. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.”

“It’s okay,” Ladybug said. Her heart sank watching Alya walk away from her for the second time. “She already made up her mind.”

♪♫♪ Far From Heaven ♪♫♪

“You okay, Al?”

Alya peeked at her boyfriend over the pillow she was hugging to her face, tears streaking her cheeks. Nino sat on the bed beside her, pulling her into his arms. Alya nestled into his neck and allowed his warmth to thaw the cold ache in her chest.

“I saw your blog post. Are you really done with Ladybug?” Nino asked.

Alya flicked her gaze to her phone resting on the bed, her latest post on the Ladyblog displayed on the screen. She might have gone too far with it, but she didn’t care. Ladybug wasn’t who Alya thought, and the world needed to know that their beloved heroine wasn’t so loving.

“After everything I’ve done for her, all the time I spent proving to her how trustworthy I was, and she just replaced me without even saying anything. Then she’s out there being best buddies with Chloe?” Alya’s voice cracked. “How could she do that?”

Nino pursed his lips, and Alya leaned her cheek against his chest, breathing him in. She didn’t blame him for not having an answer because neither did she. In only a few weeks, her entire world had been flipped on its head. Losing Marinette had hurt enough, but now she couldn’t even believe in the people she revered most. Were all superheroes just pretending to be nice? Or did they all have a Chloe Bourgeois behind the scenes pulling the strings? And what was Marinette’s role in all of this? Was all of it really her fault? Alya didn’t know what to believe now.

“Maybe you should take some time away from your blog. I think it might be good to put some distance between you for a while.” Nino suggested, kissing her temple. “At least while you’re hurting, I don’t think it’s healthy for you to be around all that. Take some time to clear your head.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right…” Alya picked up her phone, thumb lingering over the home button, but she couldn’t bring herself to press it.

Nino was right. Her obsession with heroes wasn’t healthy. How many times had she put herself in danger capturing footage for her blog, and for what? Ladybug clearly didn’t care, so why should Alya? A break wasn’t what she needed. If she came back, it would just be more of the same. What Alya truly needed was to walk away. To shut the door and never look back. Maybe then she could find something worth believing in.

“Al?”

Alya bit her lip, thoughts racing. Before she could change her mind, she hit delete, erasing months of hard work in an instant. Countless late nights, dangerous battles collecting footage, all of her hopes and dreams and theories gone at the touch of a button. Ladybug didn’t trust her anymore, and now the feeling was mutual.

[skullsandwineglasses]

Love and Redemption Review

Overall, I have to say that the story was really good, maybe even better than the popular xianxia romances that came before it like Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms, Love and Destiny, and Ashes of Love. The romance may be comparable to AOL, but as a whole, the plot in L&R was more interesting and cohesive.

****SPOILERS AHEAD FOR LOVE AND REDEMPTION AND OTHER XIANXIA DRAMAS****

Plot

What sets Love and Redemption apart from the other 3 xianxia romances is that Love and Redemption also feels like a quest/adventure story, while also delivering a gut-wrenching, star-crossed romance plot. What’s interesting about L&R is that the main focus is on the mortal realm and the FL and ML’s current mortal incarnation, as opposed to the heavenly realm and their immortal identities.

The actions of the mortals have consequences across the 3 realms, as opposed to other xianxia romances that only use the mortal realm as a temporary stage for the leads to fall in love. The other 3 xianxias that I mentioned all opened up in the heavenly/celestial realm first, while the mortal realm was just a brief trial that the leads have to endure before returning to the immortal realm. The moral realm in L&R therefore feels livelier and more eventful, and the mortals have more agency and are not easily influenced by celestial beings. Whenever a celestial being does come down to the mortal realm, their powers are limited and are they are bound by the rules and restrictions of the mortal realm (which means that celestial beings can’t use their powers to mess with the emotions and decisions of mortals). 

The drama opens up with a tournament being held at the FL’s sect and members from all the other sects are arriving for the tournament. When the FL and ML meet, they are on equal footing (well, equal in terms of status as disciples, but not so much in terms of magical prowess). It’s like when you were in high school and you meet the visiting basketball team from a rival school, and then end up becoming friends with them.

Love and Redemption also takes the audience through a mystery. What is the true immortal identity of the FL? What’s her relationship to the Star of Mosha? Is she the saviour or the doomsday harbinger? Does the ML have an immortal identity too? Why do they have the same birthday? The drama keeps us on our toes because we learn about the truth and the history of the characters as they’re discovering it, as opposed to the other xianxia dramas where there is very little mystery and few plot twists.

Because of this mystery, the drama is tight and well-paced, since a new piece of the puzzle is always being revealed. Just when you thought that the mystery is solved, there’s a twist, and you realized that the twist was set up from the very beginning of the story, but you just missed it. 

The story also doesn’t stray from the main leads. Yes, there are subplots (as all dramas do), but the subplots here are brief, and they usually relate back to the main leads. Unlike in AOL where the later half of the drama derails and focuses on the two other supporting couples, while the main leads only get about 10 minutes of screen time. 

The Male Lead - Yu Si Feng

Before starting the drama, I read a lot of comments about how much whump and emotional torture the ML goes through and how much he sacrifices for the FL. I thought this was an exaggeration. I mean, Xufeng in AOL went through a lot of Jin Mi too, (and you could make the same argument for Ye Hua in TMOPB, or Bai Zi Hua in Journey of Flower), so I was a little hesitant about the premise since it’s such an old trope, and I was doubtful that it could top the sacrifice that other MLs have done in other dramas. 

But reader, boy was I wrong. Yu Si feng is the definition of limitless, unconditional love. I lost count of how many times he almost died for the FL (not including the 9 times she killed him in their previous 9 lives). He’s spitting up blood and stabbed in nearly every episode. Episodes 37-47 were the hardest to watch because of the escalating chronic angst and misunderstandings between him and Xuan ji that caused irreversible damage to their relationship. Even when she tries to kill him and tells him she regrets having ever known him, he still drags himself back to rescue her. To quote Si feng himself, it’s not a question of whether or not it’s worth it, but it’s a question of whether you are willing to do it. And Si feng is as eager and willing as ever to sacrifice everything for Xuan ji. 

I mean, even Xufeng in AOL and Ye Hua in TMOPB snapped at the FL’s cruelty and aloofness at one point, but Si feng seems incapable of ever being angry with Xuan ji. Even when Si feng purposely tries to avoid her, it’s out of protection for her, not out of anger for everything she’s done. Like??? Si feng is impossibly perfect, even by the impossible standards of xianxia. 

Cheng Yi plays Si feng to a T. He conveys a different type of pain in every crying scene, and so Si feng basically experiences like 59 different types of crushing pain, and you feel it in your bones every time you watch it. The man’s eyes speak volumes.

While it would be easy to say that Cheng Yi carries the drama with his portrayal of Si Feng, the actions of the ML would be meaningless if there were no romantic interest that he was doing this all for.  

The Female Lead - Chu Xuan Ji

Some people may feel that Xuan ji isn’t worth Si feng’s devotion. But, I would argue that the first 37 episodes shows us that she is definitely worth it. 

Xuan Ji is similar to Jin Mi from AOL in that she is incapable of feeling or understanding love. Because Xuan Ji was born without her 6 senses (and also without a real heart, unbeknownst to the other characters), she’s naive and juvenile. But despite not having feelings, she’s still able to care completely about others. She cares about her sister, her father, her sect brothers, and Si Feng. She’s fiercely protective of them as they are of her. To the best of her limited abilities, she is devoted to people as much as she can be. 

Because of her sensory deprivation, Xuan Ji is really curious about the world. She wants to be like everyone else, to feel like everyone else, in hopes of being able to properly reciprocate people’s love for her. She envies people who are able to cry because she thinks that’s an unhindered way of showing love. She regrets not being able to cry when her mother died. Xuan Ji is therefore a self-aware character, unlike Jin Mi, because she knows her shortcomings. She wants to be able to feel, understand, and share pain. 

As such, she’s quite an active character because she has this goal of reviving her senses, which has ripple effects for the other characters in the story since they become a part of her journey, whether by choice or by force. 

Why Si Feng fell for Xuan Ji

Xuan Ji and Si Feng are very opposite characters, and not just because of the obvious difference in their personalities. Si Feng is a boy who feels too much (we later see that he gets his persistent sentimentality from his father), but was taught his whole life to suppress his emotions (I mean, the mask both literally and figuratively prevents him from emoting). Si Feng wants to express his feelings, but cannot. 

On the other hand, Xuan Ji is allowed to be as expressive as she wants, but she is empty on the inside. Xuan Ji represents everything Si Feng wants to be and is expected to be: free and emotionless. 

In this mortal incarnation, SF has responsibilities to everyone, from his spirit beast to his sect. Xuan Ji is the only one who doesn't ask or expect anything of him and yet, for someone who can't feel, she's always thinking of him. she stands up for him, she brings him snacks to comfort him when he’s being punished, she helps steal back his mother's hairpin. These are very simple gestures, but they mean the world to him (no one else has done these things for him before, and he doesn’t understand why she would unconditionally do these things for him), and that's why he's so quick to risk everything for her. Thus ironically, Si Feng actually learned about unconditional love from Xuan Ji. 

He’s never known love, warmth, or friendship in his lonely years growing up in the Lize Palace. And so, when you’re just a 16 year old awkward, hormonal, and introverted teenage boy, it’s easy to fall for a selfless girl who invades your personal space and has no sense of propriety. 

Why Xuan Ji fell for Si Feng

We see that her love is gradual. She falls in love with him without even realizing she’s fallen in love. She cares for him as a friend at first. After all, like she said, Si Feng is the first friend she’s made from outside her sect. But soon, her caring for him surpasses that of what she feels for her sect brothers. Si Feng teaches her about the world, from what different food tastes like, to naming colours. Si Feng doesn’t infantilize her like her sect brothers do. Her sect brothers are either dismissive or protective, like Ming yan, but she is able to find a proper confidant in Si Feng who is willing to be patient with her and listen to her. 

Their 4-year separation when they each undergo training and achieve a boost in their abilities, only made Xuan Ji’s heart grow fonder. She misses Si Feng, and is frustrated to see that things are different between them when they meet again. She doesn’t understand why he’s so cold and distant, and all she wants to do is close the distance between them. 

It’s a meme that Xuan Ji is the one who wears the pants in the relationship. She’s assertive and bold, and I think part of the reason why she fell for Si Feng is because he gives her that space to be best and biggest version of herself, whether in the heavenly realm or in the mortal realm. She’s also fascinated by him. A person outside of her sect who has an endearing personality unlike anyone else she’s seen. He piques her curiosity, and so she’s drawn to him. He’s as much as her romantic and sexual awakening as she is his. 

It’s apt that their ship name is the combination of their last names “Chu Yu”, which sounds similar to the words 初遇, which means “first encounter”. Not only is this drama about capturing the feelings of first love, but Si Feng and Xuan Ji have also had 10 different first encounters because of their 10 reincarnation tribulations. 

The Romance

It’s actually quite fun and endearing to watch because both Xuan Ji and Si Feng are playing hard to get, which frustrates the hell out of both of them. Xuan Ji is trying to win back Si Feng and convince him to stay, while Si Feng himself is trying to win Xuan Ji’s heart, and she doesn’t even realize it. They’re both trying to woo each other, but they’re both being resistant, intentionally and unintentionally. 

I have to admit, though, that the first few episodes were slow. 

There aren’t major sparks during the first meeting between the leads. She just falls out of the sky into his arms, and he’s flustered by her sudden appearance and clinginess. The love story didn’t feel “epic” during the the first 4 episodes because it didn’t feel like there were any stakes. These were just 2 young disciples from different sects who had a stereotypical meet-cute. It was like watching a high school coming-of-age romcom. 

Things start to get serious when Si feng is forced to wear the lover’s curse mask, meaning that he cannot love, or else every time he’s hurt by the one he loves, that mask will release a feather to his heart and he’ll feel unbearable pain. When all the feathers are released, he’ll die. This means that he has to stay away from Xuan Ji, but obviously, the drama can’t let that happen, so he’s constantly thrown into situations with her, he can’t stay away from her, and he ends up falling for her harder and harder against his will. 

Xuan Ji trusts Si Feng completely and unconditionally (until episodes 37-47 that is). She is willing to go against her father and sect in order to protect him. She’s willing to sacrifice herself to save him. She’s willing to go rogue with her powers for him. When no one else trusts him, she does. 

This makes Xuan Ji a very cathartic character to watch because she isn’t frustrating at all. She isn’t easily influenced and has her own views. She doesn’t share the same prejudiced views as the elder sect leaders. She is willing to disobey if it’s the right thing to do. She immediately clears up misunderstandings, like the one between her and Ming yan. We see her gradually become more mature through her increasing protectiveness over Si Feng. 

I think because we see this rational and loyal side of Xuan Ji, we’re able to have a higher tolerance for her ignorance and mistakes later in the drama (but only barely). 

The Reincarnations - What Does it Mean to Love a Soul?

Si Feng fell for Xuan Ji 10 times in the mortal world, not including the very first time he falls for her when they were immortals in the heavenly realm. 

I explained why I think Si Feng fell for Xuan Ji is this 10th reincarnation, but why did he fall for her in the past 9 lives? In the flashbacks, we see that in each life, Xuan Ji is cruel and heartless, and she still had the same unforgiving and ruthless demeanor as when she was the god of war. Is it because Si Feng’s soul is always going to be automatically attracted to Xuan Ji’s soul?

Because we only see brief glimpses of the past 9 lives (more specifically, we only see the ending of these lives), we don’t really know how they met or how Si Feng came to love her in each life. But, I would assume that there was something about Xuan Ji in each of her reincarnations that attracted her to Si Feng and completed him. Also, we know that Xuan Ji is capable of tenderness. As the god of war, she disliked fighting. As Mosha, she cared about Bailing. So, while Xuan Ji’s nature might be violent and cruel, I think that with each life, she learns about love and sincerity. If we assume that the flashbacks of the 9 lives are in order, then it would seem like Xuan Ji becomes more and more affected by Si Feng’s death with each successive lifetime. In the first life, she is completely indifferent to his beheading. but we see that she begins to become affected in the later lives, but tries to shove those emotions aside because they’re foreign and unfamiliar to her. 

We get even less context for how Si Feng might have fallen for the god of war in the heavenly realm. We only know that Si Feng was the Jade Emperor’s son, and only gained a celestial anamorphic form after 10, 000 years. His true form is the Golden-feathered bird. He’s always appearing by the god of war’s side to listen to her vent, but the god of war only sees him as a stray bird who comes by to visit occasionally. Why did he fall for her? Did he empathize with her loneliness? Maybe she was his only friend, like he was her only friend, but she didn’t even realize it. 

We also see that Si feng loves Xuan ji no matter who she is or what form she takes. Her gender doesn’t matter to him, and gender was never even an issue in the drama. The drama doesn’t give an explanation for why Bailing created a female body for the god of war (besides that he wanted to disguise Mosha’s appearance), but it also doesn’t matter. It’s a non-issue, and I love it. We just need to accept it, because the “why” isn’t important.

Xuan Ji has 3 different identities: The Star of Mosha (Luo Hou Ji Do), the god of war, and Xuan Ji the mortal. The god of war and Xuan Ji have the same “soul”, and that soul came from the glass of Mosha’s imprisonment lamp, and also from Mosha’s altered corporeal body. So, she is a part of Mosha, but has also become her own entity. 

To Si Feng, all 3 identities are Xuan Ji. The memories, emotions, and experiences of all the identities are what made Xuan Ji Xuan Ji, and so he loves all of them. 

But what made Xuan Ji finally crack so that she’s now able to love Si Feng in this 10th reincarnation? I think it has to do with her upbringing. We see in her previous 9 lives that she had a troubled upbringing filled with scheming and violence. So she was consumed by the darkest side of humanity and Si Feng couldn’t pull her out. But in this life, she grew up with an abundance of love, which made her want to learn how to love, which allowed her to open up to Si Feng. In this way, the drama shows that Si Feng alone isn’t enough to redeem her, but it took the love of her friends and family to help her grow a heart. 

The Angst

Okay. So. Si Feng has probably suffered more than any male lead in xianxia history. I think someone said that he has a martyr complex. But, I’d like to break down the type of angst that are present in dramas. 

There is angst that is harmless, and there is angst that is damaging to the relationship. 

Harmless angst is usually angst by external forces. Like parents who don’t allow their kids to be together. Like in AOL when Xufeng mistakenly thinks that Jin Mi might be his sister so he can’t be with her. In L&R, this kind of external angst happens when Si Feng mistakenly thinks that Xuan Ji likes her 6th sect brother Ming yan. Xuan Ji isn’t purposely hurting Si Feng, but it’s an unintentional misunderstanding. 

Damaging angst is when the couple turns against each other and become enemies. This happened when Jin Mi kills Xufeng and says she never loved him (which technically is true since her heart was re-sealed so she didn’t even understand what love was when she said it). In L&R, this happens Xuan Ji sides with her sect and attacks Si Feng when he reveals his demon form. This happens again when they confront each other outside the Lize Palace and she announces that she’s done with him and breaks ties with him. This happens again when she stabs him, says she regrets having ever known and loved him, and proceeds to try to stab him again. In Love and Redemption, Xuan Ji keeps saying hurtful things to him. There’s not just one moment of betrayal, but a constant onslaught of betrayals over 10 episodes that make the relationship feel like it’s entered a point of no return. 

The masochistic side of me likes love/hate relationships and damaging angst. I grew up with it. TVB dramas have a lot of it. My favourite is the angst in Raymond Lam and Charmain Sheh dramas like Drive of Life and Lethal Weapons of Love and Passion. But despite over 20 years of watching dramas, I was still not prepared for the pain and suffering in Love and Redemption. 

The good news is that they make up fairly quickly, though some may argue too quickly and easily. 

What I Enjoyed

Other xianxia romances usually only have 1 mortal reincarnation. This has 10 reincarnations (even if only shown briefly), and I love that. The leads have already had such a rich history together, but they don’t remember, and so the romance is about them falling in love all over again in this life, while also slowly remembering the love they had in their previous lifetimes. 

The world-building was also compelling, and the supporting characters were great. They were the voice of reason and talked sense into the main leads to help move the plot forward. I also liked how the ML and FL each had their own personal relationship with the supporting characters separate from each other. For instance, Ming yan has a childhood friendship with Xuan Ji, but he also develops his own friendship with Si Feng. Wu Ziqi was once Mosha’s helper, and also knew the god of war, but also forms his own friendship with Si Feng. Zi Hu is also friends with both Xuan Ji and Si Feng. Having separate friendships with the leads means that the supporting characters are unbiased. They’re not likely to help the ML more than the FL or vice versa, but they’re able to see both sides of things. They help the leads, but they’re also critical of them, and is therefore able to help the leads make rational decisions. It reminds me of the friendship dynamics in Avatar where the characters have unique relationships with each other. Like Toph has her own relationship dynamic with Sokka and Katara, which is different from Aang’s relationship dynamic with them. 

It goes without saying that Si Feng is the best part of the drama. He plays an emotionally repressed character, so it always feels like the heavens opened up when he smiles, and Xuan Ji seems to be the only one who can make him smile. SF's best moments are when he shows moments of vulnerability, like when he begs Xuan Ji not to cut ties with him, or when he's so happy to the point of disbelief and he's afraid of it being true that he begins to slightly quiver, like when he kept asking XJ if she was really the one who took off his mask. You can see him break down and not being able to contain his emotions and how much he’s desperately yearning for his love to be reciprocated. 

I like that the FL has the same personality throughout the drama. I'm always annoyed when the FL's personality takes a 360-degree turn when she has a sudden "awakening" when her past life memories come flooding back and she instantly matures and becomes jaded. In Love and Redemption, Xuan Ji stays her bubbly self, even when she’s burdened with responsibilities. Hell, even when she becomes a mother, she’s still aloof and playful. In episode 52 or so when she burns her leg and refuses to leave Si Feng’s house, she acts like a helpless little girl again. Si Feng tells her that such a small injury wouldn’t even faze someone as powerful as she is, but she reminds him that he once told her that even if she didn’t feel pain, her body would know the pain, and so she should always tell him when she’s hurt. I just like this throwback to the earlier episodes to show that while Xuan Ji has grown and matured, she’s still the same person who wants to be loved and pampered. 

Weaknesses of the Drama

Xuan Ji is a really multi-faceted and complex character (because of her villainous tendencies), but Crystal Yuan doesn’t completely deliver in all of her performances of the character. Crystal Yuan is great when she’s acting cute (though it reminds me a lot of Zhao Liying’s acting in Journey of Flower, even the voice actress is the same actress), but I feel like Crystal Yuan’s crying scenes are a little lacking. Also, Xuan Ji is a character who is often in moral and emotional conflict because she starts to feel emotions that she doesn’t understand since she’s never felt them before, but sometimes Crystal isn’t very convincing when trying to convey this internal conflict. For instance, in the scene when she thought Si Feng was getting married to Ah Lan, I thought that her devastation at seeing that should have been a bit more palpable. I mean, you finally found the love of your life after searching him for over a year and now he’s in front of you, about to get married to another woman. There should be more pain, anger, regret, disbelief, a battle of emotions unfolding on the face. There should have been more deflation, more staggering. I think back to when Tang Yan was watching Luo Jin get married to someone else in Princess Weiyoung, or when Jin Mi was watching Xufeng propose to Sui He in AOL, and the desperation and shock was subtle, but still so strong. You could feel the drop in your own stomach when sympathizing with the female character. 

I also obviously disliked how Xuan Ji didn’t believe Si Feng. But I would have understood why she didn’t believe him (even when he logically explained his innocence) since there are so many people pressuring her judgment, but what I can’t get over is how she had it in herself to physically hurt him. And she already hurt him before too, so she knows how much it pains her to hurt him. She already regretted the act before. But because she mistakenly thinks that he killed Hao Chen, she decides that she needs to kill him? Does Hao Chen mean that much to you that you’d be willing to sacrifice Si Feng in order to avenge him? That was my breaking point for her character. 

I didn’t like how Hao Chen’s arc was resolved. For 1000 years, he thought he was right and never had any regrets. He was obsessed with controlling his friend Mosha to the point of killing him and sealing his soul away. He then created another being, became possessive over that being to the point of falling in love with it (without admitting it), and then follows his creation down to the mortal world, and wrecks havoc on the mortals, especially Si Feng. And when Hao Chen learns that he can no longer control or redeem Xuan Ji, he decides that he needs to kill her in order to prevent Mosha from coming back. But then suddenly, because of a few words and visions from the Jade Emperor, he immediately has a change of heart and sees the error of his ways. It’s just so anti-climactic. Yuan Long’s ending was also underwhelming. I just wanted the good guys and bad guys to fight it out without divine intervention. 

While I sympathize with Si Feng and agree that it's like watching a puppy get kicked over and over again, he honestly gets jealous way too easily and is too insecure. He also keeps everything to himself and sucks at communicating. We blame Xuan Ji for being too quick at jumping to conclusions, but Si Feng also jumps to conclusions too and causes unnecessary pain for himself. 

Overall Impression

Overall, despite the frustrations, I really liked the consistency of the drama. It flows as one complete narrative and all the subplots are well intertwined with the main plot. With other reincarnation xianxia dramas, you could divide the story into distinct arcs, but it’s harder to do with this one since you have arcs that overlap and transcend other arcs. There’s the mask arc, the god of war arc, the reincarnation arc, the demon identity arc, the Mosha arc, etc. Before one arc is completed, another arc is introduced.

If you’re looking for a be-all-end-all, til the end of time and end of the world romance, this is it. While it has many similar tropes to other xianxias like AOL, I think this executes the tropes better. Although if you’ve already watched AOL or other xianxias, you might be more immune to the angst (even though this drama is angstier). But if you watch this drama first, I think it sets the bar pretty high for other xianxia dramas.

The chemistry and sexually tension is also through the roof (and the BTS will have you raising your eyebrows - are costars normally that flirty and touchy feely on set?)

So yes, this drama does live up to the hype. More meta posts to come because I’m still going through withdrawal. 

(Just checked the word count on this review, and it’s over 4700 words. I’m clearly an obsessed mess). 

Other meta posts:

Recurring details and motifs in Love and Redemption

Similarities to other stories in movies and literature

[gwynrielendgame]

Nyx x Tamlin’s daughter part 3

Y’all cannot stop me from writing this series 😭😭I want to write more gwynriel, but the thought of a love triangle has angered me once again, so my hyper fixation has transferred elsewhere.

If you have any suggestion for future fics leave a comment below.

"Do you think mates are as rare as the Fae say? Everyone in my life seems to have a mate, yet lore claims it to be rare." Nyx turned his head from his spot next to Isa in the meadow. They laid right next to each other as they stared up at the sky. Close enough to touch, yet not feeling it necessary in the moment.

"That iz odd that your entire family iz mated." She laughed. "Your family are the only mates I have ever met, so I would say it iz rare for everyone except them." He sighed deeply.

"What troubles you?" Isa turned her head away from the sky to look at Nyx.

"What if I never get a mate?"

"Then you never get a mate."

"Isa, I am being serious right now." He groaned as he lifted himself up onto his elbows, so that he could look at her without the grass getting in the way.

"I am too. It will happen or it will not happen. No point in fretting over it." She shrugged as if it truly did not bother her. Nyx did not understand her.

"You really do not care if you ever find a mate?"

"I do not need a mate to find love or pleasure."

"But what if you find your mate while with someone else?" He felt the need to point out. He could not love someone while his mate was still out there. Nyx thought it selfish to love someone with the knowledge they were not his mate. What would they do once he did find his mate? What would he do?

"Like my father and your mother?" Isa raised an eyebrow at this.

"Well not exactly like that, but yes I suppose." Nyx laid himself back on the grass and looked back up at the sky. Isa turned her head away after a minute as well.

"Well if they were truly my mate, then they would wait for me. And if the person I was with is not my mate, then fate has us ending at some point, no? I would let everything occur naturally I suppose."

"If you were my mom, would you have left Tamlin for my father if he had not been awful?" Nyx had always been curious about Isa's opinion on the matter. She always seemed so spiteful of Feyre that perhaps she had heard a different story than what Nyx knew to be true.

"Yes. I would have found myself unhappy with life as a wife. I was made for so much more than that." She let out a deep sigh. Nyx contemplated her answer. He supposed that to be true. He could not imagine Isa playing house wife to anyone, but especially one that expected her to pop out babies and display herself only when beneficial to them.

"Would you ever marry?" He asked. She seemed quick to offer a marriage proposal to Nyx when they first met, but that had obviously been a joke.

"For love?" She shrugged. "I am far more likely to marry for political power than I am for love. I am strides behind with alliances among the seven high lords. When I take power the Spring Court will be weak simply because I am unknown of. Other courts will test my strength and intelligence."

"That is strategic." He also felt it was sad. She clearly was not a romantic at heart like he was. "I want more from life than power. I want what my parents have. Is that too much to ask for?" Nyx found himself frustrated with the fact that he had not found his mate yet. He had to keep reminding himself that it took his father five hundred years and his grandfather nine hundred years. It might make him mad if he had to wait that long though.

"I shall pray to the spirits about it."

"About what?"

A noise interrupted them before she could respond. Both of them stood quickly to surveil their surroundings. They saw nothing, but moved to put their backs to each other so that they could not be blindsided. Isa pulled her two short swords from their sheaths as Nyx prepared his ax and shield.

"What was that?" He whispered to her. She shushed him as they turned simultaneously with their backs still firmly placed together.

"Let's get out of here." She finally responded back but before he could respond a figured winnowed right in front of each of them and blew a powdery substance onto them. They winnowed away again just as Isa lifted one sword.

"Shit." She muttered. Nyx tried to winnow only to discover that he could not. Fucking faebane he thought. Nyx's hand went slack around his ax, and then a group of six males approached them. They came at them from Isa's side so Nyx turned to face the males. He stumbled a bit. The line of Fae males stopped about twenty paces away. Nyx did not recognize them. It was possible that Isa did, but she did not say otherwise as they stood across from them. Each male was armed with a weapon and a shield.

"I will take the three on the left. You got the other three?" She asked. He did not respond as she ran towards them. He wanted to wait to let them make the first move, but after she started running, the assailants came forward as well.

He seemed caught in a trance, watching Isa fight. One of her swords clashed with the tallest male while she simultaneously swiped at another one of the fighters. The tallest one swung his arm out, almost decapitating Isa, but she bent backward at the last second. She sliced an artery in one of their legs before checking her surroundings. Nyx assumed she was looking for him, but he had not yet moved for some reason. The second of distraction allowed for the tall one to cut her arm. It was so deep that Nyx swore he could see the bone all the way from here. The only acknowledgment of pain from Isa was a grunt, and then she ran her sword right through him. Nyx was jostled from his trance by an approaching fighter. Surprisingly, he walked up to him at a leisurely pace. Isa, once again, glanced back.

"Nyx!" She shouted as the male lifted his weapon. Isa tried to run back towards Nyx, but was tackled to the ground as she started to flee. Right before the male delivered the killing blow, his face started to droop. Nyx stared in horror as his face appeared to be melting off. The assailant went to grab at his face as he stumbled away from Nyx. His screams would haunt Nyx's nightmares for a very long time after this. He looked for Isa again. She was slicing the neck of one of the males on his knees. To his surprise though, her tattoos were glowing. She used witch magic, he realized.

"Move your ass, Nyx." She shouted from where she engaged all three males.

He continued to find himself surprised that they focused all their attention on her. He was not proving to be much of a threat, he supposed. He willed himself to move towards Isa, but something stopped him. He wanted to help his friend, he truly did. Her use of blood magic made things complicated. He did not want to be associated with the mayhem that was bound to be the consequences of it. As she took out her fourth male, the last two winnowed away. He watched her take a deep breathe of relief. Their eyes made contact, but before she could start berating him, the males reappeared right in front of Nyx.

"Fight!" Isa shouted. Nyx assumed his reflexes were worse than he originally thought because he did not move a muscle. The males smiled at each other and then they burst in flames. It horrified Nyx to watch them burn, to hear their pleas and screams. He could do nothing to stop it. He flicked his eyes to Isa as she intently watched the burning men. Her tattoos were glowing still, and she was reciting something. He could not hear her, but watched as her lips moved. After what felt like an eternity, the males were nothing but ash. He could hear their screams echoing in his ears though.

"Vat da fook vaz dat?"

It was the thickest he had ever heard her accent which meant she was spitting mad. He could not necessarily fault her for her anger, but he was in shock. Even in war, he had not quite seen brutality to that extent in a fight. Nyx continued to stare at the body with the face that Isa melted off. His eyes flickered back to her. She was breathing heavily and had a deep cut on her arm that she was now trying to twist around with a ripped piece of cloth from her dress. Her tattoos were no longer glowing, but several new ones appeared on her hands and fingers. They looked similar to her others, but now they were bright red and irritated as if someone had scratched them into her skin instead of tattooing ink. She wiped sweat and dirt away from her forehead and roughly pulled her hair away from her bruised face in a messy updo.

"Are you actually insane?" Isa asked.

She was more composed now as she slipped into strategic mode. She was planning on what to do now since Nyx was obviously going to be of no assistance and they could not winnow for probably a few more hours. He continued to stare at the bodies, thinking of how easy it seemed for her to do this. Even now, she seemed unbothered.

"I mean when Lucien said you were a mediocre fighter, I assumed that meant you vould at least fight. Not just stand there as I did all the work."

She was digging through all their pockets rather roughly. She was looking for any identifying information from their attackers, but it only managed to annoy Nyx. She did not have any respect for the dead if this was how she handled their bodies.

"You melted his face off." Was all he could say. Her head snapped up to glare at him harder than she ever had anyone else. She was upon him in an instant, shoving him by his shoulders.

"To save your unhelpful ass!" She screeched.

"You set these two on fire!"

"Well I apologize that in the heat of battle I did not consider more humane methods of death." She turned to walk away.

"My father was right." He muttered to himself. Isa stopped cold in her tracks, slowly turning around. Her face was void of emotion.

"Say that again." Her voice was deathly calm. It unnerved Nyx after what he had just witnessed.

"You have claimed that witch magic is not malevolent. Clearly, your definition is a bit skewed."

"I make no apologies for how I save the people I love. And you have no right to pass judgement when you just stood there and watched! You vould have let them butcher me, yet I am the immoral one?"

They both recognized what she accidentally admitted but neither of them was willing to call attention to it or address it.

"Why did it have to be like that though? You could have used any method."

"That iz not how it works." She grabbed at her hair, clearly frustrated. "I request the help from the spirits and they oblige. I do not get a choice in the manner of their help. But trust me, it iz not without a price."

"What is the price for this?"

She pursed her lips. She would not tell him what she must give for saving both of their lives.

"You have been waiting to throw this back in my face, no? Waiting for one moment where you could prove your parents were not in the wrong?" Isa was pacing back and forth at this point, but her tattoos had finally stopped glowing.

"Trust me, I never expected something like this from you." Nyx spat at her. He wanted to reel in his anger. However, he found it almost impossible.

"Do not zit on your high horse and pretend your father would not have done the exact same thing for your mother."

"We are not my parents." He reminded her. She tried to compose herself before Nyx could see her reaction. Unfortunately for her, she was not fast enough. Nyx watched her flinch at his vehement response.

"Vell you are certainly right about that. Neither of your parents would have stood and vatched as the other risked their life."

He had no excuse for why he stood there. Normally, he would have fought side by side with her. He had fought in battles before and he thought he had seen all the evils war had to offer. This was a completely different level. While they had been outnumbered, the males were unskilled and untrained. Isa could have held them off alone with no magic. It may have required more effort, but Nyx believed any magic was unnecessary. As much as he wanted to help, for some reason his body refused to move. The faebane the attackers used did not allow for them to winnow away, but Nyx had never heard of it impacting the body physically.

"You could have shape shifted." She laughed almost hysterically at that.

"If you knew what my other form vaz, you vould realize that death by it vould not be lezz brutal."

He shook his head and finally moved from his position. He started scouting the area to make sure there were no more assailants hiding anywhere.

"Oh, zo now you are helpful?" It was full of sarcasm as she rolled her eyes. She plopped herself down on the ground and closed her eyes.

Nyx was not exactly sure why he was so angry. Perhaps it was because he felt embarrassed that she saved both of them while he stood there like a statue. Perhaps he felt lied to like everything she had ever defended was really just a scheme to win over the Night Court. But truly? It had more to do with the fact that if he had aided Isa, she would not have felt the need to use her witch magic.

"Damn-ti your parents to come retrieve us." She demanded after laying down on the grass and covering her eyes with the crook of her arm to block out the sun.

Now why could he not think of that before? Just another thought to make him feel guilty. He almost corrected her enunciation like he normally did, but he stopped himself in the last second.

"Oh and next time, a zimple thank you vould suvice."

                                           ***

"What the hell happened?" Tamlin shouted as Feyre and Rhysand winnowed in Isa and Nyx. Isa was looking worse for wear, but since neither of the children were talking, the high lord and lady did not have an answer. Tamlin zeroed in on Isa's hands and the new tattoos that were present.

"Oh Isa," his voice changed and was suddenly much graver than it had been. "What have you done?"

"Vat I had to." She snapped as she dropped herself down on the couch in Tamlin's study. She was exhausted after the fight and just wanted to sleep.

"Well you look fucking fine." Tamlin turned his glare to Nyx from where he stood in front of his desk. "Care to explain why you leave with my daughter in perfect condition, and return her home on the brink of collapse?"

Nyx clenched his jaw. He did not want to say anything in front of Tamlin or his daughter. He wanted to go home and talk to his parents. Though, his parents kept giving him nervous glances, so he was unsure if they would be willing to do that right about now.

"Just leave it." Isa muttered. Her eyes were closed with her good arm thrown over her face. Rhysand scanned Isa's entire body. His eyes rested on her hands like Tamlin's had.

"What did you give? To protect our son?" His voice was soft and his eyes were sad. He must have known more than Nyx about potential consequences of witch magic. Feyre sat next to Isa on the couch to grab her hand. Nyx was confused by his parents change of heart where Isa was concerned. Previously, they had always been antagonistic towards her, but now they were being...soft.

"My first born." She muttered. Feyre sucked in a harsh breath as Tamlin closed his eyes in frustration. Nyx did not know how to feel. She was willing to give up her first child for him? He felt that only proved his point further. What kind of female was willing to give up a future child for a male she barely knew just three months ago? And one that was not even her mate? Nyx furrowed his brow.

"I never asked you to do that." He defended, but he was only met with three pairs of glaring eyes that told him to remain quiet. Isa must have been exhausted though because her response was understanding.

"I know."

Tamlin did not understand, however. He pounded his fist on the desk.

"Isabelle, you are my only offspring. It is your responsibility to continue the family line. There will be no one to succeed after you die, if you do not conceive multiple children. You know how difficult this is for the fae." Something he said ignited a fire in Isa. She immediately sat up from the couch to glare at her father.

"That iz not a fair responsibility to put on me! You could have more children! All you would have to do iz stick it in a different woman everyday until one stuck."

"Isabelle, watch your mouth." He scolded her as though she were a child. Tamlin walked back around the desk and took a seat. Isa took a long, deep breath before speaking again.

"I do not," she paused nervously, looking around. "Think I vant children." She finished. Isa rubbed her hands together in a way that she normally did when she felt anxious. Suddenly, Nyx felt his parents and him should not be here for this conversation. It felt private. Nyx never knew Isa may not want children. They had never really discussed it, but had assumed- as much as Tamlin did, apparently- that she would have at least one to continue the line.

"Oh." Tamlin awkwardly shifted in his chair. He made eye contact with Feyre and tried to motion to her to say some words of comfort. Feyre patted Isa's arm gently.

"You might change your mind once you find your mate?" Feyre offered unhelpfully. Tamlin put her on the spot and she was unsure what words of comfort Isa may be seeking. Those were not it if her reaction was anything to go by. She huffed loudly.

"Does not matter now, no? I cannot have children without sacrificing the first one which I vill not do. Besides, I am no mare meant for breeding. I vas meant for something more than being stuck at home caring for and nurturing a child."

"That is hardly a fair assessment of motherhood Isa." Feyre shook her head as she said this. "You can still do great things and be a mother."

"Are you to tell me that you took trips to the Court of nightmares to handle izzues while Rhysand stayed home and breastfed Nyx?" Isa raised her eyebrows at his mother. "That you vere able train amongst Rhysand, Cassian, and Azriel while pregnant? Vould you have ever earned the title 'cursebreaker' if you had been a mother at the time?"

"Motherhood is not without challenge." Feyre once again defended.

"And that is what I speak of. I do not want challenge. I have too many obstacles to overcome as it is. I do not want to add the obligation of a child to that." Isa pulled at her hair. Nyx felt it best that he stay quiet. There were too many emotions flying as it was, no need to add fuel to the fire.

"Enough." Tamlin declared. "Isa, you are right. I should never have put that responsibility on you. I could just as easily have another child."

Isa let out a breathe in relief. Nyx could see that she feared disappointing her father. He wondered if she would have had multiple children if Tamlin had insisted on it. Luckily for Isa, Tamlin seemed to have changed his ways from when his mother and him were together.

"I think it is best if you were to leave." Tamlin suggested as he stared at Nyx's parents. "I need to check on Isa's wounds and continue this conversation...privately." Feyre nodded before walking over to where Rhysand stood.

"Thank you again, Isa." Rhys murmured before grabbing both wife and son and winnowing away.

"Thank fuck." Is all Isa managed to say.

[ask-whitepearl-and-steven]

Alright alright alright

You’ve all been asking for it, so here it is! 

This will be (edit: HELLA) long and obviously spoiler-y, so everything is under a cut. 

Are you ready?

Before we get to it, I want to mention that for the sake of keeping things organized, I will NOT be talking about my AU (@ask-whitepearl-and-steven​) in this post. I want to just analyze the show as a viewer and a fan first. I’ll make a seperate post for AU-thoughts a bit later.

Without further ado:

EP 1: LITTLE HOMESCHOOL

This is a great way to open up the episode and show the changes through the lens of someone who has been a bit out of it for a while (we are all Cherry Quartz, fresh from the hiatus, aren’t we?) but I’m sorry, this post still takes the cake:

Okay, okay, back to the program.

“That used to be a loaded question...“

Right off the bat, Steven is SO much more confident about saying that he’s... HIMSELF! What a good feeling. I’m very proud of our boy. 

I love the name “Gemglyph” for the gem language! I’ll need to know who wrote these, though. And who the heck drew the diamonds? Hopefully it was BP. 

And I’m not the first one to point this out, but MORE ANIME REFERENCES!

Which can be seen as either a reference to the Chill Low-Fi Hiphop Beats to Study To OR Whisper of the Heart. 

And absolutely no one cares but something that caught my eye is the fact that they have an EARTH FLAG at Little Homeschool! How cool is that!

Earth 4ever!!! 

Off-note - I love how INVESTED they are in this conversation Pearl is having with Holo-Pearl.

Peak entertainment. 

I love Professor Amethyst and I love the random human who snuck in to apparently take lessons on Not Giving A Single Shit About Anything, Ever. 

And here we FINALLY are in the FUTURE

Where we FINALLY get Jasper as a functioning character

And 

She’s

SO DRAMATIC, I LOVE HER.

This is literally SO funny like she... she was just... laying on top of her house... under a blanket..... FOr WHAT? To stand up dramatically and throw it off when Steven inevitably paid a visit? 

Is that just what she dOES? 

“It’s FINE I don’t need any HELP, I’m FUNCTIONING, I’m just having a SELF CARE DAY OK”

Also I’m sorry but

Jasper: “It took forever to yank those puny green earthlings out of the ground.”

Steven: “You mean grass...?“

THIS. RIGHT HERE. is peak Jasper. 

It’s also curious how INVESTED Steven is in this:

“I’m TRYING to give you [a purpose]!“

Why are you... trying to do that, though? Isn’t the whole idea for gems to surpass their ‘purpose’ and just kinda... do whatever? Isn’t Jasper just kinda... doing whatever? 

I mean, sure, it’s not useful to anyone, but she seems relatively happy. Aside from. You know. The whole laying on rocks under blankets until she’s disturbed thing and-- okay, you’re right, maybe an intervention would be healthy. 

I’m not gonna talk at length about the rest of the episode - although I think it’s really good, I don’t know what I can say about it that hasn’t already been said. Jasper is definitely poking Steven’s buttons and rephrasing a LOT of what WHITE has said to Pink: “You surround yourself with inferior gems because it makes you feel better.”

And Steven REACTS to this. The taunt WORKS.

And yes, he gains some extra powers for it, but something tells me this AIN’T the only thing he will get. It feels like a two-edged sword. Like it’ll be his own downfall somehow....... maybe at the end of the series. 

Ashes to ashes.... hole to hole.

And oh wow I thought they were gonna bond but LMAO

“Consider your fight back there your first and ONLY lesson.“

Basically:

I love you Jasper.

EP 2: GUIDANCE

I LOVE YOU AMETHYST.

sHE’S doing SO much and she’s SO good at it!! Look at her!! Organizing stuff!!!! 

RUBIES IN SUNGLASSES. IN SQUARE SUNGLASSES. 

I need 20. 

And I also need 20 of Larimar because holy shit that’s hilarious. 

Larimar: “I want to hear the human screams forever.”

Steven: “Okay that’s kinda troubling.”

I love the reference to Monsters Inc here and I love the callback at the end of the episode when Larimar switches to Human Laughter to get her fill of that particular erm... need. 

And honestly the ensuing chaos is equally predictable and entertaining. 

I’m SO glad to know that Rubies are just... Like That and that actually Navy is not a deviation from the norm but rather a different flavor of the chaotic energy all Rubies naturally seem to possess. 

Amethyst is also super relatable:

“Ah yes, the fool comes crawling back. Come to beg for forgiveness, have you?”

In fact, the episode’s WHOLe HUMOUR is just very much My Brand

“Sometimes you save all the people but the rollercoaster still crashes into the ocean...... and that’s okay.”

Including the Running Gag that is Onion. Who... does not appear to have aged. At all. And that’s okay.

EP 3: ROSE BUDS

Okay where do I even begin with this one. Um.

I have to openly admit that I spent the majority of this episode wheezing with laughter. Let’s start with the Zoomans:

Who are CLEARLY STILL SUPER SALTY AT GREG ABOUT REJECTING THEM??? Which is hilarious. 

And also this paradise is fascinating in and of itself. 

But the next scene is basically where I started losing my shit.

Okay, okay, alright so. Uh. I have... a few questions.

Like Why. WHY. Does she look. SO MUCH like Rose? 

Clearly Rose Quartz differ in coloring and etc. But She literally looks. Like THE Rose. VERY explicitly. 

So here’s several options here:

1) Pink made Rose Quartz way before any of the Rebellion happened and Pearl just basically pigeonholed her into THIS specific Rose Quartz appearance because she (???) had a crush? Or somehow saw this specific Rose, thought ‘hot, i can make my sympathetic Diamond wear this exact costume and that would be EXCELLENT fanservice for ME’

2) Pink didn’t have any Rose Quartz until the Rebellion, and thereafter quickly decided ‘I need these gems as an alibi, so we’re just gonna make them” and she and Pearl basically inclubated Rose Quartz like a pokemon trainer hatching for a Shiny until they got one that looked Exactly Like That. 

3) There was no Thinking involved because this is Pink we’re talking about, and it was all just a huge coincidence for the sake of this Very Hilariously Uncomfortable Episode. 

While we ruminate on that, let’s look at some Relatable Reactions.

And here we have the holy trinity of “I have just seen the clone of my deceased parent/parental figure/lover.”

Featuring: Bonus ‘I’m Almost Over It’ Pearl

Also, I need y’all to make this into a meme:

For example:

Anyway, alright, alright. 

That relatable feel when your (hot) dead lesbian lover’s clone asks you if you’re okay after another one of the (less hot?) clones offers you a whole ass stick of butter to eat. 

And then you and your friends all hide in the bathroom to talk about your feelings:

Okay, the rest of the episode gives me FEELINGS and I love how hard Steven is trying, so I’ll just close it off with:

I LOVE THEM. Unironically, they are EVERYTHING I had hoped Rose Quartz would be. They’re SO MUCH like Rose herself - did she model her personality after them? Or are they just like her because she WAS like that, and they’re made from her essence? WHO KNOWS?! They’re adorable!

And the conflict between them and Steven is honestly so gooD! I don’t know if it’s completely relatable but I’m glad they ended up talking it out.

I wonder if we’ll ever see Her again... you know who I’m talkin’ about. 

Her....

I’m madly in love with Rose, ok, I don’t need a callout post. Just leave me be.

EP 4:  VOLLEYBALL

Alright, alright, alright.

OKAy,.... It’s fine. It’s FINE. I’m fINE. 

Confirmed: 8000 years. That’s. UH. A LOT? That puts our timelines quite a ways back. We kind of estimated as much, but still, it’s so jarring to think about. And PP is VERY casual about it. 

She’s also VERY casual about the injury.

“This is all Pink Diamond!”

It doesn’t seem like it bothers her to talk about it at all. She’s not even trying to keep it a secret. So I’m almost wondering - was there a connection to her being taken by White and the injury at all or not? 

She came to Steven to get healed - she clearly wants it gone. At the time she was injured, did Pink not even attempt to heal the injury? 

Follow up question: If she DID care, why didn’t she try to heal it?

Follow up to the follow up: Was it because she didn’t know she could? Or did she simply not have the time to (White removed her before she could)? 

When Steven goes pink, she gasps - but makes no further comment. It’s presumably because she’s seen this happen before. She doesn’t try to move away, weirdly enough - she asks him if everything is alright. Perhaps the context is too different for it to be triggering for her. Perhaps there’s more layers to it? HMMM. 

What follows is, perhaps, the SALTIEST we’ve seen Pearl since Greg rolled around.

“Did you come to compete?”

This is doubly curious to me because Crewniverse has previously explicitly stated that Pearl was NOT in love with Pink Diamond. She was in love with Rose. So if this is true, why would Pearl care about her place as Pink’s Pearl? She is supposed to be past all that, isn’t she? 

And yet as time goes on, the salinity grows exponentially. Alright, you two, I know you’re Pearls but tone it down with the sass. 

(Also, I’m sorry but I will NEVER call her Volleyball. That’s all. Bye.)

Also it’s worth noting that... PP is clearly VERY much in love with Pink.

This is, perhaps, where the lack of a grudge plays into it. She’s completely enamoured.

Moreover, she’s VERY casual about how she talks here. This isn’t exactly how one talks of their Diamond. This is how people talk about their romantic partners. She calls Pink silly, calls her ‘funny’. That’s not exactly a term of respect - it’s way more intimate than that. 

Also, did anyone else notice how, although CG Pearl’s gem is usually shaded in teal, it’s in Pink in this episode? VEEEERY subtle, Crew.

Also, we can’t quite see Pink Pearl’s expression fully here because her working eye isn’t visible, which makes it hard to get a read on things like

“I’m older than you.“ Is she just saying it casually? Or is she fully aware that she’s poking fun at CG Pearl? 

HI SHELL. ISN’T IT FUNNY HOW YOUR VOICE AND YOUR NAME ARE A SUBTLE NOD TO PORTAL, WHICH IS FORESHADOWING HOW BADLY THIS IS GONNA END. 

Meanwhile, Pearl continues to be in character.

“No need to be overly... attached.”

And this has nothing to do with anything but

she cute

Aaaand now it’s creepy again.

The rest of this is super important so let’s get to it:

“Oh, no. Pink did this.”

“What did you say?”

“It’s a funny story, really. Once, Pink got tired of asking Yellow and Blue for her own colony, so she went straight to White. Of course, White told her she wasn’t fit to run one... and well! That set her off.”

“Set her off? What are you talking about?”

“You remember how she was! With her destructive powers, throwing tantrums left and right! She had a scream that could crack the walls. She didn’t mean to hurt me! (giggle) I just happened to be standing too close to her that time and--”

And then Steven interrupts. 

We get more CG Pearl arguing for how wrong this image of Pink is to her. What CG Pearl knew was a totally different (or, well, same, but VERY changed) Pink. 

But what we have to prove our point is Steven himself. He rolls into the EXACT same state as Pink presumably did - and begins to over-use his powers. 

(This isn’t the first time we have seen him use this attack.)

The reactions from the Pearls are telling - this is clearly not Pink Pearl’s first rodeo with this type of Mood. 

And it’s important to note that Steven clearly didn’t direct any attack AT them. He simply yelled - and the whole dang place literally started to crack. There’s weight to the argument that possibly, Pink really DIDN’T mean to hurt her Pearl - that she was just collateral damage. 

Which doesn’t make it any better, obviously. Even if Pink had no direct intention of hurting her Pearl (and there are theories that Pink purposefully hit or threw Pink Pearl or somehow physically acted directly to damage her, which I was skeptical of) the result of it is still the same.

If you raise your voice and yell, even if you’re just yelling because YOU are hurt/have feelings, you might still hurt the people around you. If you throw a tantrum, even if your direct goal was just to let off some steam without aiming to harm anyone, whoever gets in your way is still the victim. 

And this is all very much On Brand for Pink’s timeline as we know it. We already knew this about her - we KNEW she tended to throw tantrums (like in the flashback on Jungle Moon) and that she was childish. The fact that she accidentally hurt her Pearl in the process because she had no self-control at that period in her life comes as no surprise. 

(Although it’s important to mention that perhaps hurting her own Pearl WAS the breaking point during which she finally realized how her emotional outbursts could have negative consequences on those around her.)

And this is a very beautiful message - even if Pink Pearl still doesn’t want to blame Pink for what was done to her (”But... she didn’t mean to!”) Pearl brings the point of it back around to her (”But you were still hurt!”) The point isn’t the person who did the hurting - the focus is on the victim and how they were affected. 

And the rest, I daresay, is history. 

I like the fact that they managed to still bring it back around to the main message: 

It isn’t about just “Pink was bad”. It’s about how she did bad things. And there were multiple sides to her - multiple stages. And the Pearls who knew her knew different sides of her - the side that didn’t know how to be a good person, who was selfish and childish and unrestrained... and  the side that was, arguable, too restrained. Who hated her own past, her own character and her own mistakes so much that she would rather bury them and keep secrets from everyone. 

And neither of those things were good, and neither were healthy, but they are a GREAT contrast to a GREAT character arc that is, arguably, still being unearthed. And we have so much more context for it all now. 

I, for one, can’t wait to see and discover more of Pink through Pink Pearl - no matter how ugly that side of her might be. I think it gives great perspective to her later growth. 

And if you ship the Pearls.. .well, I get why. 

Personally I’m not interested in it that way. Call me unromantic - I don’t think their relationship NEEDS to be shippy in order to be satisfyingly deep. I love the idea of them having a deep bond over this - a shared past, a shared experience, and gaining confidence through one another. 

Cheers and thanks for listening!