#Don't let it wait long

[sunderwight]

Bingqiu AU where Luo Binghe's the chosen village sacrifice to the evil deity who lives up the mountain.

Normally the village sends maidens, but they've more or less run out of expendable girls of the right age and, ahem, "virtues". So of course Luo Binghe's early life bad luck kicks in. In the wake of his mother's death there's no one to really care about what happens to him, he's fairly pretty, and the village leaders decide that if they dress him up like a girl the teenaged homeless kid should pass well enough. And hey, y'know, he's probably got a hard life ahead for him anyway -- dying in a brothel of some venereal disease or on the streets of exposure or starvation. At least as a sacrifice, everyone else gets to benefit from his loss! And the kid will get added to a shrine and be remembered as a hero! If anything, he should be happy about this!

Binghe is not happy about this.

But he's also a skinny underfed nobody who is easily overpowered, dressed up like a bride, and tied to a post. So. Not much he can do but wait for the evil deity to come and do whatever horrible thing he's gonna do to him.

Meanwhile, Shen Yuan is pretty sure he's been isekai'd into the over-powered hero of some kind of supernatural adventure story? He's not totally sure because he doesn't recognize the setting, but the signs are there. He's got a shrine-like base of operations (though it seems to have become corrupted/ruined, probably he has to restore it somehow), he has a very resilient and handsome new body with spiritual energy of some kind flowing through him, and a very clearly magical sword. Plus lots of neat starter powers! Though it feels like he has other abilities that have been blocked somehow? Probably he has to level up in order to access them.

When he treks out of his "base" and finds what seems to be a distressed maiden, he takes it for his beginner hero mission. The girl claims that she's been doomed to be sacrificed to an evil god. That sounds a little above Shen Yuan's pay grade for dealing with, so he unties her and decides that they had better just get out of the whole region altogether. He already packed up anything useful from his base, anticipating he might get caught up in an adventure once he left, so they follow the river away from the settlement until they reach another one.

While they travel, Luo Binghe tells Shen Yuan about the cursed deity, Shen Qingqiu, who was cast out of the heavens for slaughtering one of his brethren and has apparently being do-who-knows what to maidens from the local village in exchange for his "protection" ever since. Sounds like a real asshole! And also mid-level boss type bad guy at least. Shen Yuan hopes he doesn't have to fight him, but he probably will.

Thank goodness he found Binghe, though! Clearly the helpful little sister type! He's definitely going to require her assistance if he's going to figure out how to navigate this world and level up his skills enough to take on a god.

[zuzu-draws]

So after the spoilers for Chap 257 dropped, I saw some tweets clarifying the meaning of the Kanji Sukuna used in the chapter when referring to his mother, and the overall reveals in the chapter got me thinking.

I’m making this post as a way of gathering my thoughts, personal speculations and where I think all of this connects to Sukuna’s character and the information Gege has given us over the years. Nothing I say is by any means new information, but like I said, I’m just collecting my thoughts here. By the way, just a warning, this post contains SPOILERS for the JJK Manga! If you don’t like that, please don’t read this!

Something I’ve noticed is that the theme of “Hunger” and symbolism of “Cooking/Food” is heavily referenced with Sukuna throughout the Manga. Gege in a previous Fanbook has disclosed Sukuna’s favorite Hobby to be “Eating”.

This theme is again very much ingrained within Sukuna’s cursed techniques and even his Domain Expansion, the “Malevolent Shrine”. With his two main techniques being “Dismantle” and “Cleave” are cutting-type attacks. He is also able to use a Flame-Arrow, and Fire is essential for making Food. The Shrine in his Domain Expansion literally has mouths on all sides, looking eager to chew down anything in-front of them!

This symbolism also heavily influences Sukuna’s own manner of speech, and the way he speaks to other characters in the series as well. With his post-fight chat with Jogo before his death, Sukuna mentions Jogo lacking the “Hunger” to take control of his desires, preventing him from reaching the heights of Gojo Satoru. Before the Start of their fight in Shinjuku, Sukuna called Gojo a “Nameless Fish on top of his cutting board”, and that he was going to start by “Peeling off the scales”(refering to Gojo’s infinity). There’s also further symbolism that supports this by analyzing the Kanji and meaning of Sukuna’s “Malevolent Shrine” but I’m not very educated on that so I won’t be opening that point here.

What all of this points to is that Eating and Food……is extremely important to Sukuna, to the point that it literally affects him in manners innumerable.

Eating is an instinct, a necessity for the survival of every single living being.

And In the face of extreme Hunger and starvation, even those with the strongest will could lose their Humanity and revert to the basic animalistic side of their existence. (The Heian Period also had a Famine, although I believe the timing to be a bit off, but do with this info as you see fit)

In JJK Chapter 257, it is revealed to us that Sukuna and his Twin were most likely starving in the womb of their starving mother.

On the brink of starvation, Sukuna had to consume his “other self”(his twin), so that he could survive.

Btw, this tweet and this thread gives additional characterisation to Sukuna:

Link to the original thread: Link.

More context (and reactions :P):

Link to original thread: Here

This reveals to us that indeed, Sukuna was born a twin. And as we all know, “Twins” are seen with extreme scrutiny in Jujutsu Society, they’re not well liked. This too in a period where Cursed Spirits and Jujutsu Sorcery was at its peak, it is not far-fetched to assume that his Mother may not have been treated very well by the people in her surroundings, especially as she bore twins.

When Kashimo asks if Sukuna was born the Strongest or if he made himself the Strongest, this is the response Sukuna gave to him:

When you think about it, how do you think the people around them would have reacted when the woman: who was supposed to birth two twins, gave birth to a single child instead? and that child had consumed his other twin in the womb itself?

No doubt people would’ve been horrified, disgusted and even revulsed. With the woman and her newborn child.

This would’ve led to their further ostracisation in the already very close-minded society. Unable to fend for herself and her newborn child, it must’ve been difficult for Sukuna’s mother to survive. I feel like somewhere along the line, Sukuna was left alone to fend for himself at an extremely young age. To protect himself from both Curses and Society alike.

This is why I believe Sukuna knows what true starvation, weakness and hunger feels like. Both in the emotional and literal sense. He was left without another person caring about him or his well-being, in a cut-throat period where it was “Fight or be killed”.

Powerful curses roamed all across Japan, nowhere was safe. Simply be strong, or you'll die. There's no room for weakness. And initially, a kid!Sukuna was weak, as anyone would be in the beginning when they're just starting out in this world. (and maybe, he didn't have much to eat, leading to long periods of starvation? :') )

I believe it is this debilitating hunger, and feeling of weakness that eventually led to Sukuna’s current Hedonistic mindset.

He’s essentially traumatised by it, and believes that it was his own weakness that led him to experience this sheer starvation. That he deserved to feel this way because he was weak then. Perhaps, the people around him were right, that as long as they have the power and strength to overcome anything, they’re free to do as they please; And there is nothing anyone else could do about it.

I feel like the irony here is that Sukuna himself, must’ve been a “weakling” before eventually rising the ranks to become History’s Strongest Sorcerer. This is also why he values Strength so much.

Ultimately, Sukuna has decided that there was nothing more important than being strong enough to fulfill your own desires. And “eating” is one of his most important desires. It’s his favourite thing to do, the one he derives the most pleasure out of. And like an animal, whose main focus is to consume, consume and consume. He too, simply consumes.

Most morals likely have no meaning to him. He doesn’t care who he hurts, what he does, as long as he’s able to get what he wants. And this isn’t limited to eating.

This is why people referring to Sukuna as a “Natural Disaster” is so befitting of him. Because Natural Disasters also don’t care about what or who they’re destroying, they just come and go, wreaking havoc appropriate for their nature and magnitude.

I believe Sukuna himself has said lines similar in nature, when talking to Kashimo:

Now I’m not sure how Sukuna perceives or even experiences this “Love”, because I think he has a rather very warped idea of it. I do think that this definition of love is similar to the one that Gojo also understands, but I don’t think he knows what “love” truly is. I’m not sure how I could comment on this, but I do think that Sukuna’s emotionally starved, whether he realises that or not.

Because, like Kashimo himself asked Sukuna “What is the point of dividing your soul into 20 different parts and then traversing across time if you’re satisfied with this?” we do not know the answer to that yet.

But many people have speculated that “Black Box” panels in JJK manga represent a curse (either self-inflicted or put by someone) on the speaker. Like, take a look over here where Sukuna reiterates the same dialogue, except it looks like he’s trying to reassure himself:

This once again shows that Sukuna has only ever strived for himself, in the same hedonistic fashion, to a very very extreme degree. It is possible that he's been lacking something, and he himself does not realise that he’s lacking it. Maybe it was this subconscious feeling, that led to Sukuna agreeing to Kenjaku’s plan of dividing his soul into 20 different parts, and to traverse across time as a Cursed Object.

Sukuna’s an incredibly complex character, and I’m excited to see where this goes. Gege has put extra care in the way he characterizes and depicts Sukuna, and again, I’m really sad that a lot of that characterization gets lost in translation. Still, I’m going to try my best to understand and get the most accurate feel of his character as I possibly can.

If you made it this far, Thank you for reading! And if you would like, please do leave a comment in the tags or replies because I would love to read what other people think of this and just Sukuna in general. I do not see a lot of people doing critical analysis of him, and a lot of his actions are seemingly swept under the rug. I don’t like that, so hopefully this contributes to people focusing more on Sukuna and his character. (/^v^)/ <3

[just-null]

Wowie rly digging the yandere clone headcanons… how would each react if their darling tried to run away from them?!

You said tried so I assume this was a failed attempt!

Short answer: they get really upset and try making it your fault (shocker.) Ain't no way any of these mfs think they're the problem. Good news! you're mostly unharmed and alive.

This will just be purely writing bc i mostly had thoughts! sorry no drawing this time!!

[cw! mentions of potential harm to reader (no actual harm done), manipulation, toxic relationship dynamics (yandere flavor), obsessive behavior]

Sekido

You're always being hunted the moment the sun comes down and you don't return home in time. Reasons like that are exactly why he hates it when you part from him. 

This time is different.. he can't find you in your usual spots. There's no fucking way, right?

How could you.. No, how DARE you? Do you think that he's some joke? That his feelings for you are something that you can run away from like it's nothing? 

The second he's sure the sun won't harm him, he's already white knuckling his khakkhara, swinging at anything and everything in his path until he gets to you.

They know how to sense if you're near or not, hell, they probably know how your specific blood type smells like. 

Did you think cuddling up to you and memorizing every detail about you was for nothing? Don't be stupid. All he needs is a trace of you and he's gone in the blink of an eye.

You better enjoy running while you can because when he catches you, and he will, those legs of yours won't have much use after he's done with them. 

Sekido doesn't WANT to do this, but you honestly give him no choice. After he trusted you enough to stop looking over his shoulder, you do this? How can he ever put any faith in you again!?

On the bright(?) side, Sekido's rage wouldn't be solely on you, it'll ricochet onto everyone, especially the other clones and himself. 

They were supposed to be looking after you! But they can't do anything right, even a task as simple as this. 

And why did he think it was a good idea to trust them with something of big importance when all they do is fuck everything up!? Everyone's idiocy is rubbing off on him!

The entire time on his search for you, he's cursing and wanting to crush anything he can get his hands on, especially your bones. 

He doesn't even bother with speaking to the others, too busy spewing out all sorts of hurtful and frustrated comments about everything. 

The brutal thought that you’d rather run away than be with him isn't one he wants to entertain, but it's echoing in his head.

At least, once the other clones get there, Karaku and Aizetsu brawl with Sekido so you're unharmed while Urogi carries you overhead. 

Sekido's jealousy flares up when he sees you in Urogi's arms, making him even more pissed if that's even possible. Great, now he looks like the bad guy and the other three, the saviors. Fucking perfect.

There's a lot of yelling and a lot of blood, especially with Urogi making things so much more annoyingly difficult in the air. Karaku and Aizetsu aren't helping. Why is Sekido suddenly the problem?! You ran away!! 

But when he calms down enough, he's cursing at everyone through clenched teeth. Sometimes trying to convince the others that you don't even need your legs anyway!!

Once you get back home (or temporary prison until you somehow regain favor), Sekido will eye your legs while gripping his staff from time to time. 

Exactly why he's forbidden to be in a room alone with you for a while until he settles down..

He glares at you more often and grows colder than before. Arguments are more common where he twists your words just to have you talk with him and be angry within reason. 

Any other type of conversation makes him so irrationally upset that the others need to step in so that he doesn't lose his temper again.

Karaku

The calmest out of the group. He brushes it off as “you're playing hard to get” again, and if he makes a ruckus, you'll scamper back and beg him to stop like always!

Then it gets darker out.. and when Sekido left, he seemed pretty pissed. Like more than usual..... shit.

Karaku sprints after Sekido when it clicks that he's found you. His mind starts reeling, unsure whether he should laugh at the absurdity of your decisions or get pissed off because you didn't even bother to give a hint! 

Not like that would do anything aside from give you away but regardless!

Everyone needs to relax, this is obviously something they can sweep under the rug. This isn't that big of a deal and you're just having a fit, but things like these can get you hurt, y'know? 

They're fun and all, sure, just maybe give him a heads up next time, yeah? Sekido can't take a joke, you know this!!! Still.. There's a way Karaku can work with this.

He'll be able to swoop in, save you, be your hero, and remind you why staying with him is kinda important. Just in case you forgot~ 

You don't wanna be out and about without his charming grin and protective hold would you? Don't answer that right now, he has a feeling you'll say something wrong!

Yet.. what if you need a firmer hand to remind you of what Karaku provides? What if you got a little too comfortable being protected so you thought you'd be alright leaving them? Man, who knew you could be spoiled!

Because of this, he would purposely fumble, letting Sekido get near you just so he can stop him at the perfect moment. He purposely gets hit too and makes sure some blood gets near you. To remind you how that could've been yours.

When Sekido calms down, Karaku laughs in your face and would pinch your cheeks if you weren't up in the air with Urogi on the way home.

You should've seen your face! It was really cute~! Maybe getting scared is your thing? He'll note that for later.

He offhandedly advises you not to do things like that all the time, fighting Sekido always kinda sucks, but it's not like you actually had a chance of successfully running away so he won't chastise you too much for it. 

That's not his job, and his heart hasn’t pumped that fast in a long time.. not even in a fight! You're so amazing~~

And delusional if you think he's not going to milk this “heroism” thing back there for some extra affection points with you. 

Don't be so mean. he got his head blown off twice and jaw dislocated thrice, not to mention everywhere else on his body. Don't you think those parts of him need some extra loving? more than usual?

There's not that much Karaku can say after that aside from reminiscing like it was a funny story. He's not upset about it, mostly a little miffed you got kinda far without him noticing, but he gets over it. 

The usual routine starts back up for him when you're back home. It's like nothing happened, but he keeps a closer eye on you since everyone's so tense.

Urogi

If you're not home before the sun sets, Urogi's clawing at the walls with stress. He usually accompanies Sekido to go find you, but this time is different. Urogi could just barely tell you were around.. When Sekido bolts, Urogi's flying as fast as he can, trying to find you first. 

You're so far.. you must've gotten kidnapped!!!!!

The stress from before burns into anger, expecting to see someone having their hands on you while you're calling out in vain. How could he let this happen?! Damn sun! 

He darts through the skies even faster imagining it, and when he finally reaches you, you look.. fine? and alone. and looking at him like he's the danger. He's here to save you, dummy..

Urogi falls to his knees, burying his face against your stomach and finally wrapping his arms around you again. Your fists violently hit his head and yank fistfuls of hair back, but it doesn't phase him. 

Your comforting warmth is back, that's all that matters. And god, your smell.. it's almost making him dizzy. He missed you so much.

There's many holes to the story in Urogi's head as to why you're so far from home, but he fills them in with more convoluted delusions. It's just a peaceful reunion right now.. 

That is until Sekido finally arrives and starts swinging his khakkhara way too close to your fragile bones. 

Now he's back in defense mode where he scoops you up and tries flying out of reach. This is so stressful!!! There's lightning everywhere and he keeps having to dodge the multiple staffs thrown his way. 

He shields you with his wings as best he can while trying to stay in the air, so you don't get hurt during Sekido's outburst.

In the skies, it's much clearer to see the hurt behind the haunting glow of Urogi's eyes. Did you care about how he might feel? Did you miss him at all? Did you not feel loved enough? Did someone say something to you? 

As he maneuvers the sky, he holds you as tightly as possible, lightly digging his talons into your skin.

Being without you for a couple hours is agonizing enough on its own. If you HAD left him, abandoned, cold, alone.. he doesn't want to think about it. All that matters is that your kidnappers or liars or whatever influenced you are gone, and you're back safe with them!!! 

You.. you still like him, right? Of course you do, fate wouldn't force your paths together if it wasn't for a reason!

Coming back home is uncomfortably tense, especially with how violently Aizetsu kicked Urogi across the room, nearly through the wall, when he tried to lick your wounds clean. It really hurt! 

When you're patched up, Urogi is ten times as clingy if that's possible. He has his arms looped around you constantly so you can't stray too far, and if his hands are busy, he always has his wings!

As happy as he is that you're back, he can't help but cry into your chest sometimes. Everything is so tense nowadays, he hates it! How could you go and do something like that? Apologize immediately! Or at least hold him too? Doubt creeps in a lot, and your attitude isn't helping.. 

His mood swings are stronger. From sobbing uncontrollably into your clothes to being all smiles and radiating with joy the next just because you said something vaguely decent.

Aizetsu

The demotivation started to creep in the second you left. During the day, Aizetsu sits by the door, wanting to be the first one you properly greet. Sekido and Urogi usually bring you back and he'll be the one in your good graces without lifting a finger. That sounds nice.. 

But as the footsteps fade and the silence lingers, Aizetsu feels miserable the longer he waits... Hold on, silence?

Before he realizes what's happening, he's already dashing to where the familiar commotion is coming from. Dread sets in as his legs take him as fast as they can whilst being the slowest of the four. This doesn't feel like they're rushing over to you after a long day, it feels.. dangerous?

What did you get yourself into..? Why do you insist on going to places Aizetsu can't follow? Are you safe? He hates not knowing.

Usually you're the one who's fine. You deal with four demons almost daily! Please please please be okay. He can't fathom it if you were hurt. 

When he gets there, the puzzle pieces fall into place and Aizetsu gets even more depressed, but at least you're not hurt. Well, not if he interferes. His movements are sluggish, a perpetual frown plastered on his face as he tries holding Sekido down. 

Aizetsu wants to dissolve into the floor, and he does sometimes. Not wanting to fight Sekido off anymore, he slumps over. 

This could've been a regular day where you came home.. Are you serious? Leaving? How pitiful could you be to actually think you could get away? Or was it that you wanted to play some sick joke on them? Well, it's not very funny... It's terrible actually.

Aizetsu stays silent on the way home, walking with a bit more energy knowing you're near despite his heart ache.

You can feel the harrowing disappointment radiating off of him the moment you all go back home.

He's tired, annoyed, and so unbelievably upset. Aizetsu grimaced when Urogi got near your scratches with his tongue, so he “politely” ushered him away. 

Knowing a human's weak points is good in battle, but he started trying to learn how to heal them, specifically because he knew these types of things might happen.

As he cleans your scratches, he's actively scolding you for leaving in a cold emotionless tone. And by scolding, he's using manipulative language, trying to make you guilty for everything you did. 

He barely has the energy to live, but now that he finally found his light in the darkness, you want to leave? Is it so wrong he wants to hold onto what makes him even a smidgen happier than usual? He reminds you that he'll wither away without you, but he's not really too keen on dying just yet.

When he tries to get back into a routine, he just can't. He knows why you left, but he doesn't want to hear it. Even if you're sweet to him or not, he'll hold you from behind when you rest.

Looking at you is too much, but being away from you is even worse. Aizetsu compromises this way, but gets quieter, occasionally sniffling when he hides his face behind you.

There's too much going on and he's so tired.. If it weren't for the others, he probably would've held you so tight for so long so that you both would perish together.

Maybe that’s why he's only allowed to hold you when you're asleep. Just please don't do that again.. He NEEDS you. Please, please, please.

Safe to say you gave them a scare. When they double down on the protectiveness, living is ten times more difficult for EVERYBODY. when you lose their trust, it's pretty difficult to gain it back, but not impossible!!

Sekido and Urogi will always assume the worst if you're gone for too long while Karaku and Aizetsu give you a little more freedom until the others drag them along into their worries.

[star--bird]

What I think the favorite candy of each batfam member is:

Alfred: Turkish Delight (makes his own)

Bruce: Good and Plenty (only candy his kids won't steal)

Kate: Swedish Fish (specifically the green, red, orange, and yellow mix)

Dick: Classic M&M's (every time he eats them around his younger siblings he talks about how there used to be a light brown one)

Jason: Hot Tamales (just makes sense)

Tim: Hi-Chews (buys them at Costco in the big bag)

Steph: Sour Patch Kids (responds to Dick by telling him she remembers when there wasn't a blue sour patch kid)

Cass: Jolly Ranchers (the watermelon ones are her favorite, she keeps them in her pocket and eats them while working. Yes it is a choking hazard, no she doesn't care)

Damian: Peach Ring (Jon's favorite candy is watermelon rings and it annoys Damian)

Duke: Life Saver Gummies (the red berry mix)

Feel free to agree or disagree in the tags. I could use some silly discourse in my life but please be nice.

[fcaruana]

I'm kinda sad he has 3 more races left :(

ahh don't be sad anon he'll get a seat next year TRUST 🕯🕯🕯🕯🕯 (that's what i tell myself every night)

and if he doesn't, reserve driver franco is so funny imagine someone in williams makes a mistake so the camera dramatically pans to him and this is what we see

[aihaloos]

Tempted to write a replaced au twst fic where Yuu (or alternatively, I'll use my Yuu, Riyuu, who is basically who I'm writing this for) used to be the cutest girl around, the cheery one who's always around everyone, the one you can't seem to dislike even if your crush falls for her because she earnestly says sorry (even though it's not her fault) and will always help you out if you need her back in her old school. But one day, a new girl comes around and her whole reputation got destroyed. She helps the new girl adjust, tells her all the rumours and introduces her to all the popular kids. But the girl ends up backstabbing her, telling the popular girls rumours about how she intentionally plays up the act to steal their crushes to her, and lies to the boys, telling them she's just playing with their hearts and that she's a horrible person.

Yuu ends up alone and excluded, being seen as "annoying" and only having a few close friends who doesn't really interact with her in public in fear of their reputation being ruined. She ends up miserable at school, and wishes to not go anymore. But one day comes a saving grace, she gets whisked by a mysterious black carriage into Twisted Wonderland, or more specifically, Night Raven College. She doesn't mind working if it meant she doesn't have to deal with her old school, there was still 1 and a half years left of school and she doesn't want to deal with all ghe group projects to be assigned that will inevitably end with everyone not wanting to team up with her. Plus, as annoying Grim is, he's like the animal friend all of the anime and storybook protagonists she knows has, and she doesn't mind him too much.

Some things did change after she and Grim got officially enrolled, but she had no problem adapting to the social expectations of the world, part time jobs with Sam -- and occasionally the canteen -- paid enough to get her tools for cooking basic but delicious food, and new friends without the weight of her past helped her get settled comfortably.

The existence of Overblots stunned her for a bit, but a peek into Riddle and Leona's memories helped her understand the concept, even if just a little. However, things began to change eerily simlarly to her old school when a new girl comes, also in a similar position to her, getting transported to a new, unfamilliar world, and seemingly hailing from a similar world to the Earth she knows. She warmly welcomes her, eager to finally befriend another girl, but it seems that the girl does not share the same enthusiasm.

The girl only barely responds to Yuu's attempts at forming a friendship, and always seems to talk her in a condescending way, and often dismisses her, and especially so whenever there are any boys around.

Yuu will not deny any statements claiming she's an attention seeker or that she plays up her sweet innocent girl act, but she knows to never, ever sacrifice a bystander for it. But if someone insists on war with her... well that's another, different story. She's learnt her lesson of being overly optimistic, and she will not make the same mistake twice. She will not let her make her life a living hell more than it already is with Crowley's irresponsibleness.

Aaand thus begins the story. Or well, however you wanna continue it. I'm honestly in favour of most Housewardens (Kalim, Vil, and Idia in particular. I'll put my reasoning in a few paragraphs down) Adeuce, Tweels, and Ortho for team Yuu. Why?

Well, first of all, Adeuce. This is mostly because the duo is like. with Yuu since Day 1, as much of a bitch as Ace is, I think those two are the most likely to trust and know Yuu well enough to not believe the lies R (< Replacer) tells. Especially Deuce, he doesn't want to betray a friend he knew for quite a while, that would not be very honor student-like of him!! And she helped him out in a lot of situations too! He doesn't want to hurt you after all the trouble you go through to help him, and also knowing how horrible your living conditions are. Ace would most likely give in to peer pressure if the student body is overwhelmingly in favour of R, but as of now, he maybe enjoys your company just a bit more than R. Just a bit, promise.

Tweels I feel like is self-explanatory. Those two are perceptive as fuck istg it scares me. Jade especially. I feel like the two would just toy with R for a bit despite her facade and lies before dropping her after she bothers them for attention and favours one too many times.

(Ortho ties in with Idia so I'll explain him in Idia's paragraph)

Kalim is actually very emotionally intelligent. He can come off annoying and stupid, but from all the scenes I see of him, he's actually really good at dealing with people. Have you seen how he deals with the Scarabia residents after Jamil's OB??? The way he phrases his sentences?? He didn't force or even plead with them to forgive Jamil, he simply asks them to wait before making permanent judgements, and I think he's gonna be uncomfy with how condescendingly R talks to Yuu, and even if he's used to people going after him for money, I feel like R mostly eyeing him for money and how she "secretly" sighs in annoyance everytime she goes out of the party for a "bathroom break" will only solidify his dislike/discomfort, even if he doesn't show it.

Vil is also kind of self-explanatory if you read into his character and not just the shell the official English localization makes for him. (I could rant for hours about how the official tl portrays his character istg. He's hardworking and he actually didn't attempt to poison Neige out of pure jealousy, he did it because he felt like all his efforts to be beautiful will never be able to surpass Neige, who, in his eyes, always seemed to be innocent and naturally beautiful. He feels like the villain in Neige's story. He feels like he is reduced to what he often plays as, a snobbish, overconfident villain obsessed with overthrowing the hero. And because of it, it became a twisted self-fulfilling prophecy, pushing him to, in a fit of despair, be that same villain everyone sees him as.) I really don't think he will take well to R's condescension to Yuu, who genuinely wants to befriend R. (I actually have a whole thing in my head where Yuu and Vil occasionally have sleepovers where they do skincare together after the whole VDC thing happened. I feel like this is also a "vent sesh" of sorts for the both of them, just to air out their grievances without much seriousness, and I think Yuu would admit to wanting a fellow girl in the school that she could befriend, since no matter what, being the only girl can be exhausting.) Ik Vil's not a girl but he is such a girls' girl istg.

Idia... this mostly ties into Ortho and The STYX Incident, but like,, I think we can all agree on this one,, Idia is smart and capital V Very pessimistic. Would you rather trust the girl you've known for a while, who saw your memories, who helped you in awkward social situations when she can and is besties with your brother or some random new girl who trash talks said girl behind her back? The former, right? Plus, even if Yuu did only hang out with him and his brother because she likes to secretly laugh at him behind his back, there's mo guarantee R wouldn't do the same, given his experience. And he would rather have someone who actively helps him and his brother out than someone who wouldn't.

I didn't put Malleus in because of how canon him actually treats Yuu. I feel like the fandom kind of put on rose-tinted glasses on with his character, and kind of ignored some things like, idk... him just leaving them to fend for themselves homeless during Octavinelle... maybe he thought Crowley would offer them a place to stay but like... I'm still bothered by how didn't atleast offer a spare room in Diasomnia. He's a housewarden goddamnit. He's not as distant or scary as the rumours say but like. still rubbed me the wrong way.

Anyways I don't think my attention span will let me write it to completion so if anyone likes this and wants to write it feel free. Pls tag me if you do tho. I would love to read it :3

[crybaby-bkg]

Trainer Bakugou who you're a little terrified of the first day you're paired with him. when asking for a trainer at the gym, you had expected the friendly redhead who always looked so sweet and encouraging and cut as hell. you weren't expecting his grumpy looking blond counterpart, who was all glares and shouts for his clients to keep pushing themselves.

you were hesitant at first, before you quickly realized that it was all a ruse, for the most part. he pushed those who needed that extra encouragement, but was more lenient to people like you who simply wanted a professionals guidance. so, after a few weeks, you liked him for the most part, and his looks damn sure made it easier to cozy up to the big guy.

the only issue you've been having with Bakugou though are the...coregasms, as you've seen them been named on social media, that you keep experiencing. the first time, you weren't sure what it was, why your stomach and pelvis kept tightening up. you couldn't have...climaxed, or anything. you hadn't even been touched!

but, as the weeks go by, and the workouts get more strenuous, they've become harder and harder to subside and ignore, and so had Bakugou's commands to keep going when you suddenly stopped. you can only lie and say its cramps so many times before he realizes that something is up.

you're midway through a good morning, when that familiar feeling starts tightening in the pit of your gut. you clench your eyes shut, shaking your head a little, as if you could ward off the impending feeling. bakugou notices though, frowning at your almost pained expression in the mirror, walking up behind you to stop you as you pull yourself back up. his hands are on your waist, and as you come up, you feel his bulge glide over the curve of your ass, and something in you snaps.

you gasp, buckling over, one hand on your knee as the other reaches back for bakugou's hand to keep you up as your thighs shake. you can feel yourself spasming, clenching and unclenching around nothing, secretly wishing you had something that could fill you up, something that you felt throb against you as bakugou leaned over your form.

"Another coregasm, huh?" he asks you lowly, his lips brushing your ear as you bite your bottom lip to hold back your moan. your eyes buck open though, when his words sink in, head tipping back to look at him in the mirror, only to find his gaze already on you.

"You knew every time?" you ask quietly, panting now that its finally starting to pass over you. but bakugou doesn't let you up from this position, especially since the area you're in seems to be desolate for now.

"It's hard to ignore how pretty you look when you cum, sweetheart." Bakugou seals his words with a firm press to your ass, his cock rubbing the seam, and you can practically feel the heat and veins of it through your thin bottoms. you groan under your breath, getting lost in the feeling of him grinding against you, when he suddenly speaks again.

"You still feel it?" he asks, voice low as he looks at you through his lashes. you nod, biting at your bottom lip as you meet the steady rock of his hips, watching how he smiles before slotting his lips against your ear.

"Want me to help make it go away?" and he does, in the employee locker room after hours. he makes it go away, and rebuild, and go away again and again until you're hoarse and your legs are weaker than they typically are on leg day. bakugou helps the ache go away, but not for that sweet redheaded coworker of his, whose fists have fucked his cock the entire time of watching bakugou rail you over the locker room bench again and again.

[zeta-in-de-walls]

Tommy's original DSMP ending was absolutely terrible for fans of his character. Partly because so much of it was done just because they felt they had to destroy it all in order to lead into a new server. It's far from the only thing wrong with it but yeah.

Like I think? the intended read of that end was hopeful because look TOmmy and Dream have a fresh start maybe they can be friends this time. Also Tubbo's here, what will their relationship be like. It all hinges on what comes next making it worth saying goodbye to what is.

...

So naturally with that sequel scrapped it just leaves our characters all dead and the server gone.

This light retcon isn't really a conclusion, it's more saying we remember the server. It's gone but we're not and we remember it.

Cause yeah. You can't go back to the server anymore. It's dead. But the server was only ever about the people on it, and the friendships and conflicts they had. Other than a few cool builds, what made it special was always the history. Like the most iconic parts of the server were Tommy's bench, his constantly rebuilding house and the path. Techno's house and the prison and the main community house were also all up there. These are special because things happened there.

Hearing therefore that Tommy and Tubbo and Jack are all alive and have mostly moved on is all we really need to hear. We can imagine that some of the others are doing their own thing too.

[musicandotherstuff]

Exactly 6 months have passed since the end of The Car tour. A 119 date long tour. Missing them all so badly 💔

[olessan]

Made a full compilation with every scene. Timestamps below 😘

00:00 (1x03) Whomst? 00:15 (1x03) One who loves the Stars 02:34 (1x04) Just a Petty Lord Actually™ 02:49 (1x04) White leaves 04:06 (1x05) Tactics/Faith 05:21 (1x05) [majestic parade music, Bear McCreary you're a blessing] 05:53 (1x06) Ship's cabin 06:16 (1x07) THE QUEEN!!!! 06:36 (1x07) "I see." "Do you?" 08:33 (1x07) Cliffside chat 10:21 (1x08) "I have you." 14:30 (2x03) Mourning 16:33 (2x03) Coronation 19:04 (2x05) Night discussion in Miriel's quarters 21:27 (2x06) "What of my heart? 🥺" 23:11 (2x06) The parts of the trial where they're behaving like THAT in front of everyone's salad 25:49 (2x08) "My place is here" Then where is mine if not with you?", AKA Narsil 27:37 (2x08) In the ending montage

[fluffypotatey]

The thing with shadowpeach that makes me sad sometimes is that it can feel one sided …

I’m pretty sure it isn’t, but we don’t have a confirmation

not verbally, no

[renatogpadilla]

Bright and Early

Jinx didn't know how long she'd been out.

She just knew that she felt like a squeaky door with broken hinges when she came to.

She didn't open her eyes at first. She noticed she was in a bed, soft and large. For a moment she thought it might have been her own, but then she felt all the planks actually hold its weight and quickly put that thought out of her head.

She felt the sun on her face... Okay, so it was morning. So at least one night. Damn. She hoped someone had watered her plants.

When she finally decided to open her eyes, heavy and weary though they were, she thought she might have been dreaming.

The walls of the room were white, with a texture like brick and wood mixed together. The sunlight was coming from a window with bright, soft yellow curtains covering the glass, staining the room with an amber glow. It was a pretty empty room besides that, though. A little nightstand at the side of her bed filled with dirty bandages and wet rags told her she hadn't exactly been sleeping gracefully...

On the other side of the room, there was a little couch-bench-thing made of wood, and on it, sat a middle-aged man with what looked like a clipboard. He looked up as he saw her react.

"Oh, my. You're awake." He said, and he got up immediately. "Miss Isha, I must ask you that you don't strain yourself. Your wounds were quite severe, but you are expected to make a full recovery. As long as you don't strain yourself, of course."

Fat chance of that, knowing her luck...

She barely managed the word. She didn't know her throat would be that sore...

"...Lux?"

The man gave her a smile. "Yes, the Lady was also hurt, but nowhere near your degree of severity. She recovered in a few hours and has hardly left your side since. I'll go tell her you've woken up."

He didn't have to. As it turned out, she was here already. The door swung open and Lux came in carrying a tray with rags and a glass of water.

"How's she doing, do-"

She almost dropped the tray. Instead she practically flung it at the doctor's arms and knelt down next to Jinx's bed.

"You're awake!" She beamed, holding her hand with one of her own and flinging the other around her neck for a hug. Jinx was happy to reciprocate. "Of course you wake up in the two minutes I'm not in the room!"

"Well, I wouldn't want to get predictable now, would I...?" She buried her face in Lux's hair. Like a big, bright pillow made of straw... "Are you alright?"

"Oh, I'm fine, Firework, don't mind me..." She'd been hurting for a different reason. "I'm just glad you're alright."

"Her and I both." Came the voice of Garen from the door, and Jinx almost didn't recognize him out of his armor. He looked a full foot shorter without it! "That was a nasty beating you took, friend. The Dauntless Vanguard thanks you for your bravery. And I thank you as a brother who gets to see his sister safe."

Lux knew Garen being polite to strangers was a rare treat, so she was enjoying every second of this while smooshed against her friend.

"Couldn't help it, sir. She saved me first anyhow."

Garen dismissed the doctor. "I don't doubt it." He said, coming closer to her bed. Yeah, no. He was still huge. "Oh, before I forget... You said a few things while you were asleep."

Jinx was suddenly very self conscious.

"What sort of things...?"

"Not many that made sense to me." He answered. "But we did manage to understand something, so we got you one of these..."

Lux made space for her brother and he opened a little drawer on the nightstand, stuck his hand in and pulled out...

Oh.

Oh, Gods.

That Mage should have killed her. She wanted to die.

He pulled out a flashlight.

Lux immediately let go of her hand, looking away. She was so red Jinx could have boiled an egg on her face.

"We don't have many of these here in Demacia, but you clearly aren't Demacian, and judging by those contraptions in your bag, you seem like the tinkering kind. You also clearly wanted one with how much you kept moaning about it, so we managed to find one in an old curiosity shop." He placed the scrappy thing on the nightstand and walked past his sister to lean on the door. "But let's face it..."

Jinx heard the door's lock click.

"That's not the brightest light you saw yesterday, was it?"

Ah. So that hidden steel in the voice runs in the family. Good to know. She wondered how high up this room was and if the fall out the window would be enough to kill her...

Lux stepped up before Jinx could say something out of pocket.

"She knows, brother." Lux turned on some steel of her own. "And that will not be a problem."

"Right, because if she tells, you will too? You said yourself she's not really a Witch."

"So she should have nothing to fear from you."

"Lux, you know what happens if anyone talks."

"And she won't." Her accent came out a bit. Lux was getting angry. "She's my friend and she has shown me how to be more like myself than anyone I've ever met."

"Right, cause that turned out so great last time."

That shut her up. She was never going to live that down, but she would not let her past mistake shape her whole future.

The room was quiet for a moment that felt way too long.

"I love you brother, but if I must fight you so you see reason, on the Spirits I will beat you so hard you'll need your armor to hold you to walk."

Garen didn't respond. He could have. He had the ammo for it. He just didn't want to hurt his baby sister anymore. Her friend was alive. He'd let her have that for now.

"Fine. But if something happens, I can't save you."

"I don't think she needs you to save her anymore, G." Jinx said, finally sitting up. "You know, I have a big sister myself. You remind me of her."

"Do I?"

"Yes, quite a bit, actually. She also made decisions for others that she thought were for the best and ended up destroying the things she loved." She wasn't trying to sound menacing, but with how sore her throat was the catscratch was in full effect and she was well aware how unsettling she could be when she got serious. "No harm will come to your sister from me. You have my Word, for whatever it's worth, and the solace of knowing that I am infinitely more terrified of her than you."

"Then at least I know you are wiser than most." He was still weary, obviously, but he couldn't say he wasn't starting to like this stray her sister had brought home. "Fine. I won't interfere. Goddesses know I've dealt with enough bullshit today."

He backed away from the door as he unlocked it to leave.

"Recover your strength. Lux can take the day off, given yesterday's events, so if you feel like walking about the complex, you're more than welcome to ask my sister for the tour." He seemed to relax a bit as he stepped out. He turned with a soft look at his sister. "Just don't knock on my door? I'd like to enjoy my sleep while I have it."

"Alors tu as encore envie de ta rousse?" Teased Lux with a smirk. Jinx didn't have to speak Demacian to recognize sibling banter.

"Tout va bien, ma sœur." He replied, with an aura of smugness. "Je sais que tu les aimes bleus."

"Tu es le pire!" Lux shouted, red in the face, as her brother chuckled and left the room.

And then they were alone, and they hugged again.

"Sorry lunch got cut short."

"You kidding? Food, fighting and a light show. What more could a girl want?"

Yeah... What more...?

It wasn't like Lux was thinking about that moment in the alleyway every single second of the last day since getting Jinx to safety, but... Gods, it had been so... so... What even was the word? Was there a word? 'Tender' might have been it...

It was a perfectly normal, entirely necessary and just coincidentally intimate strategy at the time, and it had paid off!

But... Jinx would know that there was a moment there, right? A small one?

Spirits, Lux was a mess inside right now.

She brought up the courage to say something. "Hey, Jinx?"

"Yes, Lux?"

"Did you..." Okay, here we go. "Yesterday, in the alley..."

"Oh, listen, I didn't mean to make it... weird, it just kinda happened..."

Oh, so she knew. And thought it had been weird, huh?

"Kissing my hand didn't just happen, Firework..." She was almost shaking, but she had to ask. "Is there... Is there something you want to say?"

Jinx had to think about it for a second. When they were invisible, alone with their pursuer, she'd seen a hurt in Lux's eyes she hadn't seen in another face often, because it was usually in her own face... The pain of knowing you were about to lose someone close to you.

"The truth? I saw you were hurting.... And I wanted to comfort you. I never really got to do that with Vi, or Isha or even Ekko... I wanted to be the one that said 'everything will be fine' and mean it. You needed something to numb the pain, so.... you know... smooch." She was pretty sure that's why she'd done it, at least.

Lux nodded her head. "I see... Well, for what it's worth, it worked. I was panicking pretty bad." Just for comfort... That's all. She wasn't sure if that was such a good thing anymore...

"Sorry... I guess my intrusive thoughts won at the moment.

Well, that opening was too good to pass up.

"You get a lot of those...?" Lux couldn't even look at her. She just asked like she wasn't interested at all.

Jinx sat cross-legged. Staring at her with those big violet eyes...

"Every now and again... Not all of them positive... But I'm getting better at keeping them in check, so don't worry. No more unexpected smooches! I'm sorry if I crossed a line."

"You didn't. And I'll admit, I thought it was really sweet. So thank you..." It was taking all of Lux's willpower to play this cool... But you know what? See how she likes it! "And here..."

She finally made eye contact, and it was her turn to scramble Jinx's brain for once. She leaned in and placed a hand on her cheek, brushed her hair out of the way with the other and pressed her lips against her cheek as softly as she could, squeezing her face with her hand, and pulling away with an exaggerated 'mwuah!' for comedic effect, leaving a warm, glowing lip mark on her witch's cheek where her mouth had been.

Lux contained her smile and pretended to be as proper as she could. "There. That's for saving my life. And now you can say you got kissed by a princess!" She was technically the princess of Knight's Rock, when she really thought about it...

Jinx beamed a big smile. She hoped the lip mark would stop glowing soon, or Garen would probably jump her as soon as she was out the door. "Well, now who's having intrusive thoughts? Thank you, Flashlight. You're wonderful."

Jinx also hoped Lux didn't notice how her brain did a full factory reset right there and then.

They giggled together and Jinx asked her glowy friend for something to eat. Lux nodded and left the room to get her some food. As soon as she was out of the room, her cheek stopped glowing.

Jinx ran a hand where the mark had been. Now that she was alone with her thoughts (which was never a good place for her to be) she had to ask herself something: What the hell was she feeling about Lux? Yeah, the girl was sweet and cute and beautiful, but that wasn't it... She had checked out plenty of girls in Zaun during her time as Silco's closer and none of them had felt like this. It was a mix of the friendship she'd built with Lux and how she wasn't afraid to reciprocate in kind. How she, despite being much better raised and educated, was fully willing to match her crazy when it came down to it.

She guessed the mutual life-saving had something to do with it, too. And she admitted it, to herself at least: The moment in the alleyway had been hot as all hell! She could admit to feeling that! She hadn't intended it to be, but looking back, she had really liked just being held... No, that wasn't it. It wasn't just being held.

Jinx, for once, noticed she liked being protected. She felt a bit wrong for that, but maybe she was being too tough on herself. Too tough... That's right. She'd had to be tough her entire life in Zaun. If anything happened, she'd only had herself to count on. Sure, occasionally, there had been Sevika, but come on, that was Sevika! She could understand how some people might find her hot (everyone had their own issues over there) but at most she'd been more like another big sister to pester...

But Lux...? Damn it all...

Jinx liked Lux. (She grabbed the little flashlight on the nightstand and played with it a bit.)

And a part of her felt guilty... This was different than the love she felt for Ekko. She knew that was real. Was this real too...? She'd hallucinated people and voices before... Was hallucinating feelings that far-fetched?

And speaking of Ekko, none of this was fair for the guy! What the hell would she even say when she saw him again? 'Hey, love! Surprise! I'm not dead! I just fucked off to another city so I wouldn't curse everyone that loves me and then fell for someone else! I know, crazy right?'

How fucked up would that be?!

And 'fell for'...? Would she go as far as to say that's what she felt? Between fighting Fiddlesticks and this moment, there had been a full 2 days, and she had been unconscious for most of day 2... This could be just a crush! Or maybe it was a spur-of-the-moment thing... Either way, she saw Lux as someone who radiated joy and comfort, and she had needed those in spades when she first faked her death... She was so bright and sunny aside from her powers that Jinx thought she could take on the world if she was there! Like there was nothing wrong in the world... She wanted to feel that more. She wanted to forgive herself, but how can you when you're literally a jinx to everyone you know?

And suddenly, here comes Lux. No 'I wish you were still Powder!'. No 'I can't love a criminal, Jinx!'. None of that... And then it clicked. Something so obvious that she couldn't believe she hadn't thought about it before!

Lux was the first person in her life, more than Ekko or Vi or even (and this thought made her recoil) more than little Isha, that had seen Jinx for who she was, as she was. Without Silco. Without the accusations and the terrorism. Without the drama of who she had been and where and how she had been raised...

Lux wasn't just a loving friend.

She was a clean slate.

And she could be anyone, and figure out who she was now without fearing breaking the illusions of whoever knew her before...

Lux was safety in a bright, glowing, admittedly gorgeous package. (Jinx had caught her staring a lot... She was glad Lux hadn't caught her. Teasing her was fun, but damn, she had to keep her cool sometimes!) And now that she accepted that...

Jinx didn't know what the fuck to do...

She slumped on the bed and swore under her breath staring at the ceiling in frustration.

She wouldn't push it, she decided. She was still into Ekko, and she wasn't ready to love like that again. She wondered if she'd ever been ready for that... If she had would be when she went home...

Would she go home...?

Too much to think about at once. Put it out of your head.

She resigned herself to just be the raggedy witch friend. She would not hurt Lux on a fling. She would not break her heart like that. Gods know that girl had been through enough on that front!

Yes. This was what she wanted...

She thought.

*****

Lux was coming back with a hot cup of coffee and a croissant when she walked into an empty room. A little note on the nightstand explaining her missing friend.

'Went out for air. Be right back!' it said. It had a little Jinx face drawn on the side with a big smile.

Well, that was rude... But Lux guessed she had the right to some alone time. After all, they'd been practically glued together since their big hug and after yesterday...

Gods, yesterday.

Lux now had some time to think about something other than her friend's safety, and her mind just kept replaying the look she'd given her in the alleyway...

Lux knew she liked Jinx now. She wasn't fooling herself anymore. That moment while invisible had opened her eyes. And it wasn't lust, or just temporary crushing, either. She'd known those before. This was different. This was more honest than any love Lux had felt before.

Because here were two people that were hated by their own societies, who had had to hide or run away from themselves and the people they cherish to be accepted, and in each other they had found a solace and a homelyness that neither could have gotten from the places that birthed and raised them...

Thing is, she knew Jinx's story now. And she would never judge her for it, but she did have a boy back home... And Lux genuinely admired the guy! Plus, she'd heard how Jinx had deflected the whole hand kiss thing earlier...

She didn't want to get in the way of anything that she might be saving herself for. 'Hah! Add that to her list of titles!' she thought to herself. 'Lady Luxanna Crownguard: Illuminator! Mage! Homewrecker!'

Part of her wanted to be selfish. She deserved love, dammit! But not at the expense of joy for her friend.

...

Fine then... She wouldn't push.

But she felt like she should let her know... It would feel wrong if she didn't say anything.

But how to say that? Would it be mean? 'Hey, friend! I know you're going to go home to the hottest guy known to man and your amazing punk sister and her mega rich dictator girlfriend to make up and live adventures beyond my wildest dreams, but can I tell you how I'm in love with you and how your loss would break my heart...?'

To be fair, that's probably how Jinx would put it...

Lux slumped on the bed. She brightened the blues in her vision and sure enough, scattered on the pillow were a few strands of hair...

She felt like she was twisting the knife on herself.

"You have a type, Lux..." She told herself. And that type is 'unhinged criminal'. She noticed she may have some issues to work out.

She also noticed that the flashlight was gone.

Well... That was slightly comforting.

...

That coffee's gonna get cold.

******

Jinx was pacing through the bastion halls, smacking the flashlight on her palm to stim until she found somewhere nice to stop. She was wearing her dress... guess someone must have put it back on her as she slept... Had it been Lux?

She kinda hoped it had been... Her face had probably been priceless, the prude!

She chuckled to herself. She kinda enjoyed not having her braids for once. With her hair down she looked like a ghost, roaming the halls of some ancient castle, haunting the poor knights stationed here for a crime they didn't commit... She made sure a couple of the knights that passed her in the halls were properly unsettled. For the vibe.

Eventually, she came across a small balcony overlooking the city. 'Lots of overlooking over here.' she mused. 'That is a Piltie-ass view!'

She was slumping on the brick railing when she heard familiar footsteps behind her.

"Weren't you going to sleep?" She called out to Garen, who was seemingly making his way back to the room she'd stayed in. He was carrying her rucksack.

"Forgot to get these back to you, now that you're awake." He said, leaving the bag at her feet. "My sister not with you?"

She didn't answer that. She looked at the massive man. Same eyes as his sister. She figured she'd ask, if only to get it off her chest.

"About that..." She'd never been nervous around a soldier before, so what was it about talking to her friend's brother that made her watch her tone...?

Oh, right. He's Lux's brother.

"Can I talk to you...?" She patted the railing next to her and Garen leaned on it as much as he could without going over. (Have I mentioned he's HUGE yet?)

"What ails you?" He asked more out of genuine curiosity than concern. "And does it have to do with my sister...?"

"Nothing gets by you, huh?"

"You don't make Lord Commander by looking without seeing, friend."

Oh, great. Whole family had jokes...

"I'm going to feel incredibly weird asking this, but... Lux. Does she... I mean, has she..." She just kept stammering, but Garen was patient. "I'm sorry, I'm trying to find the words."

"She cares for you." He said. Well, his sister glows. Jinx thought. Maybe he reads minds and just doesn't know it! "Deeply, as a matter of fact. She's been happier than I've ever seen her since coming across you, if the way she ran out of my office yesterday when I caught her with a strand of blue in her hair was any indication."

Oh, fuck. She HAD to clean her pillows better.

"Well, that's... I'm flattered, but I don't think I'm doing that much." She was trying not to look as red as she felt and failing miserably.

"Two of my men died. And she showed up the next morning damn near skipping down the halls, like she hadn't just witnessed it. Whatever you think you're doing? It's more."

"Right... No pressure then." She was all the more terrified for what she wanted to say, but better Garen hear it than Lux... "Listen, G."

"Oh, we are not there yet."

"Listen, Garen. To make a tremendously long story short, I left my home because I brought some terribly bad luck to the people I loved." She might as well just give him bullet points. Context was important! "But I still adore them... And I know at some point I'm going to be ready to go back... To the people I left behind. The people I... the man I..."

Garen visibly cringed. Don't talk about love to me! I suck at it! "Ah. I see... Does Lux know that?"

"Well, yeah, I kinda told her everything..."

"Then she knows it'll happen. But a part of you feels like that would be hurting her."

"And it would be, wouldn't it? And I care for her a lot... She's... Heh. She's made my life brighter. I don't think I even thought about going home before she showed up... I didn't know how much I missed..." She was going to say 'how much I missed being loved', but it just got caught in her throat.

Garen seemed to catch on.

"When you left... Were you hurt?" He hadn't been the most gentle person for most of his life. This was weird for him, but he tried to sound sympathetic. A skill he'd found himself training more since his sister came out as a Mage to him. "Not your body, but your heart?"

"I... Yes. I was a bad luck charm to everyone that knew me and I'd just lost a few people I cared about in disgustingly quick succession..." She said it and her heart squeezed a bit harder than usual. "So yes. I was hurting. Bad."

"And had you been alone the whole time until my sister showed up? Had anyone or anything made you smile or laugh?"

"I..." Nothing. The occasional chuckle when talking to herself, or a performative cackle when scaring villagers that came too close, but never something real. "I had been... And no. No laughter. She changed that."

"Then you're still healing." He said it so matter-of-factly that Jinx got a little angry. It's not obvious when you're the one going through it! "And it's because you're still healing that you need to tell her how you feel. Don't push her away, Isha. Just be honest. I may be overstepping by saying this but, my sister is healing too... The last man she loved betrayed her and everything she believed in. And you got to be someone different for her. Someone she could be herself with for herself. Even I..." He caught himself. He was ashamed of admitting this to himself, and saying it out loud didn't help much on that front. "Even I tried to ignore who she was for the longest time. I tried to ignore and hide from my sister's... uniqueness because I'd been raised to hate it. Her own brother didn't love her for who she was. And then she found you. And I can't say she feels like herself, because the young woman wearing my baby sister's face is infinitely happier, infinitely brighter, than my Lux ever was. And that's because of you."

Jinx felt her tears finally reload from last night. She didn't shed any, of course. He's the fucking Lord Commander! Have a spine! But they were there, waiting.

And then something else inside her clicked.

"I guess you don't make Lord Commander by not knowing how to give a speech, huh?" She allowed herself a smile.

Garen returned it. "I've been told I have my moments. And for the record, I like you far more than her ex."

"The revolutionary mass murderer? Gee, high bar." Oh, he would TWEAK OUT if he knew!

"Well, you haven't tried to kill me, so that's already a better start."

And she actually laughed at that.

They stared out over the city together for a while. So they were both healing, huh? Well... maybe there wasn't a reason why they couldn't heal together... For a while, at least.

"Thanks for that, sir. I really needed to hear it." That might've been the very first time she called somebody 'sir' unironicaly. "I think I've figured something out."

"Glad to be of service." He turned to leave, feeling pretty good about himself. "And if there is love waiting for you back home, make sure Lux knows that the love here isn't any less real because of it, alright?"

"I will." She picked up her rucksack and put the flashlight inside with her Chompers... Huh. A flashlight... "Hey, Garen?"

The walking wall that was the Lord Commander turned on his heel. "Yes?"

"How do you say 'Flashlight' in Demacian...?"

*****

When Jinx made it back to the room she was staying in, she found Lux fast asleep on her bed. Not tucked in or anything, just laying sideways over the sheets, like she'd been waiting sitting up and then dropped.

Yeah, you kinda stood her up for a while there. That's on you.

She was really cute when asleep, Jinx thought.

She saw her and Garen's words swam to the front of her mind. 'Had you been alone the whole time?'

She had been. But she didn't have to be. And she wasn't anymore.

"Lux...?" She whispered. She put a finger out and prodded her friend's face. Nothing. Heavy sleeper!

She supposed she'd earned the rest. Come to think of it, Jinx had earned the rest too.

She laid down next to her friend... Her Lux. Her Lux. And she held her hand as she let sleep take her.

And they both dreamt of flashlights and fireworks...

[garlicboyart]

dont knock people i admire you.. your minds are so huge…

[valiant-portabella-pirkko]

alright, just going to throw this out there for anyone else who, like me, has been waiting 10,000 years for it to go on sale:

Guild Wars: Eye of the North is currently $4.99 on Steam. I repeat, Guild Wars: Eye of the North is currently $4.99 on Steam.

[spittingspite]

I'm still shaking I can't believe this I just can't believe it. God after all these years. I've been watching people's reactions on YouTube for at least an hour I'm so jealous of everyone who got to see the reveal live on stream. I cannot believe my eyes I keep expecting to wake up because this is a dream come true for me. I've told just about everyone I know. Everyone who definitely does not give a shit. And it's not enough it's not enough I need to tell the whole world about it I need one million videos of people whose reaction to the trailer is just screams. God I have stuff to do but all I want is to go home right now and play okami I want to watch one thousand streamers and let's players play okami I need an okami drug injected directly into my bloodstream no one will ever know how much this means to me I'm sick I'm hysterical I'm going to dig to the centre of the earth I will never be normal again knowing a sequel for okami is in the works

[ancha-aus]

With the big news regarding UTMV I want to take a moment to say something.

Fandom is suposed to be a place where you have fun. It is playing wiht fictional characters like they are dolls.

It is fine. It is harmless.

People may not agree with your views/headcanons/or ships and that is fine. As long as everyone is nice to each other and remain chill.

Remember. We are playing with dolls. The dolls don't have any feelings and what you like in art/fiction does not reflect in real life. (because if it did a LOT of action/horror/thriller movies would be forbidden. remember that.)

Now. What to do if someone is mean?

You get anon hate?

Turn off anons. Just turn it off.

"but OP! How will others interact then?"

They make an account. Look. It is NOT your resposibility to cater to others or to make content for them. Fandom is a community. We have fun together. We relax together. We interact and talk together. We aren't making content. we are trying to have fun together!

As soon as someone is being rude/mean/entitled? You report them. After that? You block them and keep yourself safe.

Don't. Feed. The. Troll.

Don't. Feed. The. Hater.

They WANT attention. Nothing you say will get through to them. They will see it as winning because you gave them attention and that is all they want.

It isn't rude to block someone. It is how you keep your online enviroment happy and hate free. It is one of the ways to protect yourself online.

Report the trolls and haters and then Block the Trolls and Haters.

Don't interact with them directly.

Interact with the people who see the fandom for what it is.

A place where we enjoy making things that make us happy and are happy to interact. Let people make what they make and let people play with the dolls they way they like. Keep in mind no character has true feelings and so they can not be hurt. Mind your tags and mind your own space.

It is your own responsibility to keep your fandom experience nice.

Don't engage with tags you don't like but don't spread hate. You can always block tags and put a filter to not see them.

Don't interact with haters or trolls and just block those.

Don't expect others to always agree with what you think or your headcanons. Everyone has a different view on the characters and that is fine.

Stay safe. Be nice. Have fun.

Don't feed the trolls or haters.