#FFS ITS JUST WRESTLING

[teh-inggris]

Sir Javier Asrahan helping Master Lloyd Frontera survey the new area for construction. Nothing more nothing less. how noble of him!🤗

i got inspired with the j1njae pose and wanted to draw something similar mb fellas

[the-kipsabian]

i think i need a sideblog

hear me out. not only do i want to gif all these episodes of aew with kip in them, but i know im going to have so many thoughts and things to say about this as i go through everything thats its going to get lost in translation in the tags, and i dont want to flood every gifset with silly convoluted potentially very long essays of analysis

i feel like a better option would potentially be to locate everything, or at least half of this, on a sideblog instead. be it the whole project (cause fuck if i know how long this is gonna take to do, i barely have the first three ppvs covered today in terms of clips lol) or just the analysis side of it

is this anything orrrrrr

[somebodys-nightmare]

Understanding the Romantic Narrative Arcs in Final Fantasy VII

There has been no shortage of discourse surrounding the “Love Triangle Debate”, (a fan-constructed term, I must inform you) of FFVII for a very long time. Most recently, with the release of FFVII Rebirth, this discourse has intensified and led to a wide spectrum of fan conclusions that range from grounded in narrative sense to completely baseless or delusional. Some takes are attached to contemporary relationship issues, personal experience, comparisons to other media or works of fiction, social constructs or societal issues, personal preference, or a lack of full context.

While any piece of media or fiction is subject to some level of interpretation (this is the very nature of humans consuming works of art), most works are created with intentional narrative direction. In fact, many works are formulaic, especially in genres such as fantasy, romance, mystery, etc. While of course there are always exceptions and deviations, as a writer and former English literature teacher I can say that most stories follow a general narrative structure or arc that makes them digestible and satisfying to readers/audiences. Such arcs impact the main, external, internal, and subplots of a story, as well as individual character arcs and character relationship arcs.

Final Fantasy is no different. While there are other cultural influences as FFs are Japanese stories, my experience with the series is the writing generally follows most storytelling conventions that can be found in all forms of archetypal writing, cross-culturally and generationally. FFVII is often accused of being ambiguous or open-ended in many aspects of its story. I tend to disagree with this idea and think that its storytelling is subversive rather than ambiguous, meaning that it requires players to work harder and use more critical thinking in order to reach the author’s intended conclusions. It also relies on false or misleading narratives for a good part of the story (such as red herrings, illusions, or unreliable narrators) as storytelling devices that help the truth in the story unfold in later parts of the narrative arc(s). Like any piece of media using these storytelling methods, this means that there will be controversy or debate as audiences contend with the author’s messages or intentions. However, that does not mean that the intentions are not there and that there is not an intentional outcome on the part of the writers.

Personally, I believe that FFVII has a very clear narrative structure for all of its main plot, sub plots, and character arcs, but that its approach is challenging to many players who have to wrestle with the story as it unfolds to understand it. It is not spoon-fed, and some revelations may betray player attachments that were originally formed. However, in my view, this is what makes FFVII such an exceptional story when compared to many others. That being said, the lack (or refusal) of understanding of FFVII’s narrative arcs has led to discourse that unfortunately mischaracterizes many of the characters and pushes inappropriate perspectives onto the storytelling, mostly surrounding the romantic arcs of the main characters and the so-called “LTD” (the fan construction, remember?). I strongly believe that the best way to understand any story is to follow the narrative arcs in order to arrive at the author’s intended conclusions.

I’m going to attempt to do that for the romantic subplots in FFVII in hopes of bringing some clarity to this issue. This analysis is based on a standard Three-Act Romance narrative writing structure (which aligns with the Hero's Journey structure), as well common romantic archetypes and tropes, both for characters and plot, but applied to the specific context of the story, world, and characters of FFVII. Please note that this is my personal analysis and it is by no means perfect, nor am I saying this is the bible of how FFVII has been written. I just hope it gives some insight into why some storytelling interpretations of FFVII should make more sense than… others. This analysis will draw from bits of the entire compilation, but the primary focus of the structure will be looking at FF7R with the OG as a baseline.

This is a long thread, so please see the outline for discussion below.

Romantic Structure/Trope Analysis

Cloud/Tifa: The Slow Burn/Childhood Friends to Lovers Romance

Aerith/Cloud: The Unrequited Love/Not Meant to Be Romance

Zack/Aerith: The Long Lost Love Romance

Final Thoughts: The "Love Triangle" is a Narrative Illusion

Cloud/Tifa: The Slow Burn/Childhood Friends to Lovers Romance

Act 1: The Beginning

The Hook (Childhood Connection Revealed)

Romance Structure: Introduction / Setup

Purpose: Establish the protagonists in their everyday lives, showing what emotional or psychological issues are holding them back from love. Readers should get a sense of their internal conflicts and motivations, along with the external situations that will challenge them later.

Childhood Friends Layer: Introduce the deep connection between the two characters, showing them as lifelong friends with an established bond. There could be hints of one or both characters secretly harboring feelings for the other, but they haven't acted on it due to fear of losing the friendship.

Example: Cloud and Tifa are childhood friends with a complicated history. Although they were close when they were little, they drifted apart but secretly longed for one another. They shared a romantic promise and then separated for seven years. At the beginning of FFVII, they are reunited, but both characters are contending with serious internal and external conflicts - Cloud’s identity crisis and the Shinra Company’s greed and abuse of the planet.

The Inciting Incident / Call to Adventure / Meet-Cute

Romance Structure: Inciting Incident / The Meet-Cute

Purpose: The main characters meet or are pushed together by external circumstances. This encounter introduces the romantic conflict—whether it’s instant attraction or tension between them.

Childhood Friends Layer: Since they’ve already known each other for years, the “meet-cute” here is more about seeing each other in a new light. Maybe one of them returns to town after time away, or an external event shifts their dynamic, making one or both start to view the other differently.

Example: Cloud and Tifa reunite in Midgar and Tifa recruits Cloud to work for AVALANCHE. She does this primarily to keep him close so she can keep an eye on him as she is worried about him and his mental state. During this time, we see an instant chemistry between Cloud and Tifa as they reconnect after years apart. When conflicts are introduced, we see the strain that it puts on them, but we also see how there’s a lingering desire for closeness, whether it be in their discussion/memory of the promise, their mutual flirting, their skinship, etc.

First Plot Point / Refusal of the Call

Romance Structure: Rejection of the Relationship

Purpose: The characters resist the idea of a romantic relationship, often due to internal or external obstacles. There’s a clear push-pull dynamic as they fight their growing attraction, often rejecting the possibility of being together.

Childhood Friends Layer: The hesitation here comes from their shared history. Both characters are afraid to risk their close friendship for something as uncertain as a romance. This dynamic creates tension as they begin to realize how much they depend on each other emotionally.

Example: This isn’t directly addressed, but the narrative deflects from intentional romantic confrontations at this point because of Cloud’s identity crisis and the pressing issues of the external conflict. Neither character is outwardly pursuing a relationship, but they don’t exactly deny their desire for closeness. We consistently see the push/pull between Cloud and Tifa throughout the early part of their arc. It's also further complicated when Sephiroth starts to sabotage their relationship.

Act 2: The Middle

First Pinch Point / Acceptance of the Quest

Romance Structure: Giving the Relationship a Chance

Purpose: External circumstances push them together, forcing them to interact and face their growing connection. Even if they resist the idea of love, the bond between them deepens as they spend more time together.

Childhood Friends Layer: Their shared history becomes an advantage and a source of conflict. The deeper they dive into new romantic feelings, the more they rely on the comfort of their friendship, but they’re also terrified of crossing the line and ruining everything.

Example: Cloud and Tifa work together both with AVALANCHE and the party at large to combat the threats present in the external conflict. Additionally, they share deep trauma from the Nibelheim Incident that brings them closer together as sources of comfort. They become one another’s rocks, and though they still do not move toward any explicit romantic confirmation, it is clear from their behavior that they both hold deep feelings for each other and care for each other greatly. Cloud in particular holds on to his promise to Tifa, making it a cornerstone of his strength moving forward.

Midpoint Crisis / Trials and Temptations

Romance Structure: Midpoint / I-Need-You-But-Can’t-Have-You

Purpose: This is a major turning point where the characters either experience a "false high" (where they feel like things are going well but something still isn’t quite right) or a "false low" (where they feel like things are falling apart). There’s often a pivotal moment of intimacy that deepens their bond but also introduces new fears.

Childhood Friends Layer: The fear of losing the friendship intensifies. They might experience their first kiss or confession of deeper feelings, but the risk of ruining their long-established bond makes the situation more fraught with anxiety.

Example: This particular point in the arc gets a little tricky for Cloud and Tifa because of Cloud’s identity crisis and Tifa’s reticence around their mismatched issues. However, Rebirth has made it clear that before the end of disc 1, Cloud and Tifa are aware of their feelings for each other and that the narrative is still in the way of it. This arc intersects events that transpire from Kalm to Gongaga, and we see the build-up of tension due to the internal conflict between Cloud and Sephiroth.

Second Pinch Point / The Road Back

Romance Structure: Pulling Back Together

Purpose: The characters are drawn back together by external events, but their internal fears and conflicts still loom large. The romance starts to deepen, but both are still fighting their feelings in some way.

Childhood Friends Layer: They try to go back to being "just friends," but it’s clear that things have changed between them. The emotional and romantic tension keeps building, and they can’t ignore how much they need each other.

Example: We see this dynamic between Cloud and Tifa continue to build throughout disc 1, particularly in Rebirth. We are consistently reminded of the tension between them and the importance of their relationship, regardless of romantic intent. Gongaga and Nibelheim are great examples of this.

Second Plot Point / The Fall

Romance Structure: The Fall

Purpose: The characters are now falling in love, even if they haven’t fully admitted it to each other. There’s often a deeper moment of intimacy—physical or emotional—that makes them realize just how much they mean to each other.

Childhood Friends Layer: One or both characters realize they’ve fallen hard for their best friend, but they are still careful or hold back from telling the other, afraid it might ruin everything. Nonetheless, they give in to their feelings in some capacity, which marks a turning point.

Example: The Gold Saucer date would be the best parallel for this point in the arc for Cloud and Tifa. In the OG Tifa almost confesses to a very interested Cloud, in Rebirth, they confirm feelings and kiss. Either way, it’s clearly meant to signal at this point, the fall has happened.

Act 3: The End

The Crisis / Dark Moment

Romance Structure: Dark Moment / The Break-Up

Purpose: This is the point where everything falls apart. The characters break up or distance themselves, either because of internal or external forces.

Childhood Friends Layer: The weight of their shared history makes this moment even more devastating. The fear of losing the friendship forever becomes real.

Example: For Cloud and Tifa, this moment is really hinged on Cloud’s mental breakdown. After the Gold Saucer Date, Cloud’s mental state progressively worsens due to events that occur within both the internal and external conflicts, and his bond with Tifa is severed completely at the Northern Crater. Cloud and Tifa are separated when Cloud falls into the Lifestream.

The Sacrifice / The Crisis Resolution

Romance Structure: The Sacrifice

Purpose: One or both characters must confront their fears and make a choice. This moment often involves a grand gesture or a realization that love is worth the risk.

Childhood Friends Layer: The realization comes that their friendship has always been the foundation of something more. They understand that risking the friendship for love is not only worth it but that the friendship can only deepen through their romantic connection.

Example: This point comes in Mideel and the Lifestream Scene. Tifa reaches her own realization about her relationship with Cloud and how her reticence has impacted things, and her conviction to save him and be with him is both profound and clearly romantic. Inside the Lifestream, Tifa helps Cloud to find himself, and many revelations about his true feelings for her are brought to light. Of course, we have not reached this point of the story in FF7R, so it will be intriguing to see how it unfolds, given all of the additional context the remake series and ToTP have provided.

The Climax / Declaration

Romance Structure: Declaration

Purpose: The characters finally confess their love for each other, making the leap from friends to lovers. This is the emotional high point where the relationship is solidified.

Childhood Friends Layer: The confession of love is tied to their long history, as they realize that their deep emotional connection as friends is the foundation for a strong romantic relationship.

Example: This moment for Cloud and Tifa is the Highwind Scene in the OG, where they confirm, without words, that their feelings match. Once again, we will see how this event unfolds in Part 3 with all the new and deepened context of Cloud and Tifa’s relationship in 7R.

The Resolution / Denouement

Romance Structure: Denouement / HEA

Purpose: The characters are together and happy, giving the reader a sense of closure.

Childhood Friends Layer: The resolution emphasizes how their strong friendship has transitioned seamlessly into a romantic relationship, giving the sense that they’ll continue to support each other as both friends and lovers.

Example: In the OG, this is seen in the FMV of the game where Cloud and Tifa are together, leading to the resolution of the entire story as Holy and the Lifestream are released. While this scene isn’t particularly direct, it’s enough to show that Cloud and Tifa are together, which leads to ACC where they live and raise a family together. This entire ending segment will likely be greatly expanded in FF7R, and so it'll be interesting to see how these moments are handled, given all of the new context.

Aerith/Cloud: Unrequited Love/Not Meant to Be Arc

Act 1: The Beginning

The Hook (Unrequited Feelings Introduced)

Romance Structure: Introduction / Setup

Purpose: Introduce the protagonist, who falls for the other character. Set up their emotional and psychological conflict, showing how these unrequited feelings shape their interactions with the other character.

Unrequited Love Layer: The character’s love is clearly unreturned, but they hold on to hope. There is a mix of admiration, longing, and pain as they watch the love interest live their life without ever seeing them as a romantic partner.

Example: Aerith’s feelings for Cloud, who she meets first on the streets of Midgar and later inside her church, are inspired by her long-lost love, Zack, whom he reminds her of. We don’t know this immediately, but we find out soon enough, and the story, especially 7R, is full of visual and symbolic cues.

The Inciting Incident / Call to Adventure / Meet-Cute

Romance Structure: Inciting Incident / The Meet-Cute

Purpose: The characters are pushed together by external circumstances, giving the protagonist more time with the love interest. The character sees this as an opportunity to grow closer, but the other character remains unaware or indifferent to their romantic feelings.

Unrequited Love Layer: The character is thrilled to spend more time with the other character and hopes this will bring them closer. However, the love interest still sees the relationship as platonic, creating tension.

Example: While their interaction on Loveless Street is the fated moment for Cloud and Aerith, the meet-cute is their meeting in the church. This is the inciting incident that not only truly triggers Aerith’s latent Zack-longing, but also begins Cloud and Aerith’s friendship as they work together for a common cause. Aerith flirts with Cloud quite a bit at this point, displaying her interest, but Cloud does not reciprocate in any romantic sense. She also refuses to let him leave and follows him around, essentially solidifying Aerith’s place in the player party and cementing her role as the heroine driving the external conflict. From here on out, we are consistently reminded that Cloud reminds Aerith of Zack, the deeper reason for her interest in him.

First Plot Point / Refusal of the Call

Romance Structure: Rejection of the Relationship

Purpose: The protagonist’s feelings remain unrequited. The other character might express interest in someone else or explicitly state that they don’t see the protagonist in a romantic light. This deepens the emotional conflict for the protagonist, who struggles with unspoken feelings.

Unrequited Love Layer: The protagonist is heartbroken but holds onto hope. They keep pushing their emotions down, unwilling to let go just yet.

Example: Aerith meets Tifa and quickly realizes that she is someone deeply important to Cloud. In Remake, she realizes this even before meeting her when Cloud has a headache and calls out Tifa’s name. Her awareness changes her behavior somewhat, but internally, she still is still conflicted because of her internal conflict over Zack.

Act 2: The Middle

First Pinch Point / Acceptance of the Quest

Romance Structure: Giving the Relationship a Chance

Purpose: External circumstances continue to push the characters together, and the protagonist’s feelings deepen. They begin to cling to small moments, hoping that their love might one day be reciprocated.

Unrequited Love Layer: The protagonist interprets friendly gestures as signs of romantic potential. They invest emotionally in every small interaction, hoping it means more than it does. However, deep down, they start to feel the weight of their unreturned affection.

Example: The journey continues with the party leaving Midgar, and Aerith’s feelings for Cloud grow despite her knowledge of his bond with Tifa as the party travels together. In Rebirth this is further complicated by Aerith’s loss of foresight/memories to the Whispers. We are also constantly reminded of Aerith’s lingering feelings for Zack and her grief and sadness over his loss/disappearance. Throughout the journey, she seeks out opportunities to spend time with Cloud - “dates” even though these moments are not reciprocated romantically. A notable example of this is her date with him on the clock tower in Kalm, where she speaks to him about his relationship with Tifa (hinting at her knowledge of their bond and her jealousy over it) and then her public declaration that they were on a date (in front of Tifa). Cloud's reaction to moments like these continue to inform the audience he does not return romantic affections for Aerith.

Midpoint Crisis / Trials and Temptations

Romance Structure: Midpoint / I-Need-You-But-Can’t-Have-You

Purpose: A major turning point occurs where the protagonist either faces the possibility that their love will never be returned or sees a fleeting moment where they think it might be. The emotional stakes are higher, as the protagonist grapples with whether to continue holding on.

Unrequited Love Layer: The character might attempt to make their feelings known, either explicitly or through subtle gestures, but the love interest doesn’t reciprocate. The character is left feeling exposed and vulnerable, yet still holding on to hope that things might change.

Example: For Cloud and Aerith, this continues to be the nature of their relational development throughout most of disc 1, but their interaction on the water tower in Nibelheim is probably the best example of this. Aerith has to grapple with her jealousy over Cloud and Tifa’s bond, which she has been observing for the entire game. Her acknowledgment of her feelings over it is a major turning point as a character. Additionally, this moment really cements that Cloud views his relationship with Aerith as a cherished friendship, as we see the way that he cares about her angry reaction.

Second Pinch Point / The Road Back

Romance Structure: Pulling Back Together

Purpose: Circumstances force the characters to spend more time together, even though the character is starting to feel the emotional strain of unrequited love. There may be a moment of temporary hope, but it’s tinged with the growing realization that their feelings might never be returned.

Unrequited Love Layer: The character becomes more emotionally drained as they begin to sense that their love will remain one-sided. They might try one last time to be closer to the love interest, but the gap between them is becoming clearer.

Example: This moment could best be viewed through Cloud and Aerith’s Gold Saucer date. There, Aerith not only tries to get closer to Cloud but she opens up emotionally and gives Cloud insight into the root of her feelings, which is Zack. Cloud does not reciprocate any of Aerith’s romantic overtures in this date and rather displays discomfort or awkwardness throughout most of it. However, he does allow her a moment of emotional vulnerability, which he has not been willing to do previously. This is further contextualized by how, In Rebirth, Cloud has remembered Zack by this point (albeit incorrectly). Cloud, who cherishes and cares for Aerith greatly as a friend, is considerate of this connection and offers her comfort for the grief and loss she has just admitted to feeling and seeking consolation in him from. Hence "just until the ride's over"; "I didn't do anything" etc...

Second Plot Point / The Fall

Romance Structure: The Fall

Purpose: The character finally realizes that their love will never be returned. This is an emotionally intense moment where they are forced to confront the truth—they will never be more than a friend or confidant to the love interest.

Unrequited Love Layer: The protagonist may be devastated by the final confirmation that their feelings will never be returned. The emotional weight of unrequited love becomes too much, and they start to realize they need to let go, or come to other realizations about their feelings.

Example: The moment that most closely matches with this point in the arc is the dream stroll through Sector 5. Not only does Aerith accept that Cloud doesn’t return her feelings romantically, but she comes to a realization of her own feelings and questions them. This is clearly a reference to Zack, whose internal conflict has been consistently foreshadowed. Aerith also seems to recognize that she can’t help Cloud with his internal conflict - that is Tifa's role.

Act 3: The End

The Crisis / Dark Moment

Romance Structure: Dark Moment / The Break-Up

Purpose: This is the point of emotional reckoning, where they face the reality of unrequited love and move on in their arc.

Unrequited Love Layer: The character experiences grief over their unreturned feelings. They might decide to pull away from the love interest entirely, or they may try to come to terms with remaining friends while letting go of their romantic hopes and moving on.

Example: For Aerith, this moment is marked by her complete transition to her role in the external conflict. At this point, she has let go of her romantic fancy for Cloud and has committed herself to the bigger picture. It is at this point that she leaves the party, and leaves Cloud in the Sleeping Forest, to fulfill her role as a Cetra.

The Sacrifice / The Crisis Resolution

Romance Structure: The Sacrifice

Purpose: The protagonist sacrifices their unrequited love, realizing they need to move on for the sake of their own emotional well-being or greater purposes. This is a bittersweet moment of acceptance and self-growth, where they let go of the hope that kept them holding on for so long.

Unrequited Love Layer: The protagonist may realize that holding on to unrequited love is only hurting them or preventing them from reaching a greater purpose.

Example: For Aerith, this point in the arc is less about Cloud and more about her role in the external conflict. This is the point in which she travels to the Forgotten City, prays, and ultimately is killed. However, it is bittersweet and tragic for her, ultimately, because she dies with unrequited love from Cloud and without ever getting closure on her true love, Zack.

The Climax / Declaration

Romance Structure: Declaration

Purpose: Instead of a declaration of mutual love, this is the protagonist’s internal declaration of acceptance. They start the process of moving on.

Unrequited Love Layer: The protagonist lets go of the love interest in their heart, realizing that they need to focus on their own future. The love interest is likely unaware of this internal shift, but it’s a powerful moment of growth for the protagonist.

Example: For Aerith, this is perhaps best viewed in her complete transition after death to the larger role she plays as the heroine of the planet from within the Lifestream. Her arc has fully transitioned away from her feelings for Cloud into her greater purpose. In FF7R, we can hope to see how Zack, who has been trying to find her, begins to impact this next phase of her arc.

The Resolution / Denouement

Romance Structure: Denouement / HEA

Purpose: Instead of a traditional happy ending, this is a reflective, bittersweet resolution. The character has grown emotionally. There is a sense of closure, though it may come with lingering heartache.

Unrequited Love Layer: The character has let go of the hope that their love would ever be returned. They are stronger for it and have moved on.

Example: For Aerith and Cloud, this moment is best summed up by their brief Lifestream reunion at the end of the game. It will be intriguing to see how this moment is expanded and provides closure for Cloud and Aerith’s relationship, as well as Zack’s role in both.

Zack/Aerith: Long Lost Love/Tragic Love Arc

This arc is a little more complicated to map out since it is not only incomplete but riddled with mysteries at this point. However, I’m going to do my best to make the connections based on the information we have and where we can theorize things may be going.

Act 1: The Beginning

The Hook

Romance Structure: Introduction / Setup

Purpose: Establish the protagonist’s life after the estrangement, showing how unresolved feelings for their lost lover impact their emotional world. There’s a sense of longing and unfinished business that propels the protagonist’s actions.

Long Lost Lovers Layer: The protagonist is haunted by memories of their estranged lover and driven by a deep desire to find them again. This longing is fueled by unresolved emotional wounds, and the protagonist clings to the hope of a reunion.

Example: In Rebirth, from the beginning, Zack is singularly focused on reuniting with Aerith. After his escape from Nibelheim, even as he carries the wounded Cloud, Zack’s thoughts are consumed by Aerith. His love for her pushes him forward despite the dangerous and confusing circumstances he finds himself in. Zack’s motivation intensifies when he discovers, through a newscast, that Aerith is in danger. This revelation shifts Zack from hopeful longing to immediate action, driving home the urgency of his quest. His decision to prioritize Aerith’s safety over everything else, including Cloud, underscores how central Aerith is to his purpose, raising the stakes for his emotional journey.

The Inciting Incident

Romance Structure: The Call to Adventure

Purpose: The inciting incident transitions the protagonist from passive longing to active pursuit of reunion. Some event or revelation forces the protagonist to act, prompting them to seek out their estranged lover. Often, this is triggered by the discovery that the lover may be in danger.

Long Lost Lovers Layer: The protagonist realizes that simply hoping for a reunion isn’t enough—there’s now a tangible reason for urgency. This event serves as a catalyst for the protagonist to fully commit to the journey of reconnecting with their lover, increasing the stakes as they shift from passive longing to active pursuit.

Example: After mysteriously "surviving" his last stand against Shinra (as seen at the end of Crisis Core), Zack rescues Aerith from Shinra’s grasp in Rebirth. However, instead of a triumphant reunion, the moment is clouded with confusion and tragedy. This rescue scene signals Zack’s deep emotions for Aerith and heightens the sense of foreboding in their relationship arc. The player quickly realizes that the reunion isn’t straightforward and that darker forces are at play, casting a shadow over Zack’s determined rescue.

First Plot Point

Romance Structure: Refusal of the Call / First Obstacle

Purpose: The first major obstacle or refusal of the call introduces the initial challenges the protagonist faces in their pursuit of the lost lover. Despite their determination, external forces or internal doubts surface, complicating the journey.

Long Lost Lovers Layer: The protagonist’s optimism about reuniting with their estranged lover is challenged by harsh realities—whether through physical danger, supernatural elements, or emotional barriers. This moment introduces doubts about whether a reunion is possible, raising tension and uncertainty.

Example: Zack eventually brings a comatose Aerith and Cloud to Elmyra’s house. Zack’s devotion to them is evident as he cares for them despite their unresponsive states, but the world around him behaves in strange ways. The eerie sense of something deeply wrong in Sector 5 hints that Zack’s reality—and Aerith’s fate—are far from certain. He’s not just fighting to reunite with Aerith; he’s battling a reality that is becoming increasingly unstable. The player shares in Zack’s growing sense of anxiety and confusion, setting the tone for the more tragic layers of their arc to come.

First Pinch Point / Acceptance of the Quest

Romance Structure: Giving the Relationship a Chance

Purpose: The protagonist resolves to pursue their lost lover, hoping to rekindle what they once had. However, unresolved issues and emotional scars from the past begin to surface, complicating their journey.

Long Lost Lovers Layer: Time and distance have changed both characters, making reconnection difficult. The focus is on how time has altered both individuals and the lingering emotional weight of their separation.

Example: Zack’s attempt to reunite with Aerith is complicated by the metaphysical separation created by the Lifestream. Aerith remains comatose, as does Cloud, and Zack has to contend with both his own internal conflict as he tries to help them as well as the external conflict of his strange and mysterious circumstances within "Sector 5".

Midpoint Crisis / Trials and Temptations

Romance Structure: Midpoint / I-Need-You-But-Can’t-Have-You

Purpose: The protagonist’s need for their lost lover intensifies, but the relationship is far more complicated than expected. Old wounds and emotional or external barriers resurface, making reunion seem out of reach. Despite their determination, the protagonist begins to doubt whether they can ever restore what they once had.

Long Lost Lovers Layer: Time and emotional distance have changed the dynamics of their relationship. While both may care for each other, the past cannot easily be erased, and their attempts to reconnect are fraught with tension.

Example: External forces such as Sephiroth’s manipulations, and Aerith’s internal conflict over Cloud create an emotional barrier between her and Zack. Aerith, “asleep” in Zack’s world, remains unaware of his presence. As Zack learns from Marlene that Aerith’ "likes" Cloud, more tension and conflict is added. Despite these challenges, Zack remains unwavering in his commitment to reconnect with Aerith, determined to overcome the growing emotional distance.

Second Pinch Point / The Road Back

Romance Structure: Pulling Back Together

Purpose: The protagonist makes another push to reconnect with their lost lover despite significant setbacks. Faced with the reality that time is running out, the protagonist must act decisively to restore the relationship. While emotional connections may deepen, unresolved challenges threaten the outcome, leaving uncertainty in the air.

Long Lost Lovers Layer: Despite growing obstacles, the protagonist remains committed to rekindling the relationship. The emotional and physical distance between the lovers may still seem insurmountable, but the protagonist refuses to give up, holding onto the hope that they can salvage what they once had.

Example: Even as Zack’s hope begins to wane, he remains steadfast in his desire to reunite with Aerith. Zack finds himself pulled in multiple directions, creating additional conflicts. External forces and emotional entanglements continue to complicate their relationship, but Zack’s determination to bridge the emotional gap keeps pushing him forward. This section of Rebirth continues to heavily foreshadow both the truth about Zack as well as the future of Zack and Aerith's relationship, despite the conflicts.

Act 3: The End

The Crisis / Dark Moment

Romance Structure: The Break-Up / Darkest Hour

Purpose: The protagonist faces their darkest moment, where it seems that the reunion will never happen. Emotional scars or external forces tear the lovers apart, and the protagonist believes they’ve lost their final chance to reconnect. The relationship nears failure as the protagonist faces the harsh reality of their situation.

Long Lost Lovers Layer: The conflict grows to the point of no return. Previous mistakes or external conflicts surface, causing the relationship to fall apart, and the protagonist is left devastated, feeling that the reunion may never come.

Example: In Rebirth, this moment comes near the ending of the game when Sephiroth's confluence of worlds plays a role in role in further uprooting Zack's existence in the Lifestream. We also know that this is the time that Aerith dies in the real world, further complicating matters and adding new layers of conflict.

The Sacrifice / The Crisis Resolution

Romance Structure: The Sacrifice

Purpose: The protagonist realizes that to win back their lost lover, they must sacrifice their pride, fear, or ego. This emotional climax reflects their willingness to make a grand gesture or display vulnerability, showing they’ll do whatever it takes for a second chance.

Long Lost Lovers Layer: The protagonist makes a final, heartfelt plea to the estranged lover, acknowledging their mistakes and baring their soul. The lover, moved by the sincerity, must decide whether or not to take the risk of rekindling the relationship.

Example: Although we don’t yet know how this will play out in the Remake series, it’s likely that Part 3 will feature a reunion between Zack and Aerith. The conflicts that have built up—including Aerith’s internal struggle regarding Cloud—will need resolution. Advent Children (ACC) shows Zack and Aerith together in the Lifestream, setting the stage for a reunion in the Remake. The exact nature of this reunion remains speculative, but it’s likely Zack will make a significant sacrifice or grand gesture to resolve the emotional conflicts that have kept them apart.

The Climax / Declaration

Romance Structure: Declaration

Purpose: The estranged lover finally decides to take the risk and give the relationship another chance. After much internal struggle, they admit they’ve never stopped loving the protagonist, and they’re ready to move forward together. This is the emotional peak where both characters commit to each other.

Long Lost Lovers Layer: The reconciliation finally happens. After everything they’ve endured, the estranged lover acknowledges their lingering feelings and agrees to rebuild the relationship. Both characters take a leap of faith, trusting that they can overcome the past and move forward.

Example: Though speculative, if the arc follows the long lost lovers trope, Zack and Aerith will likely experience a heartfelt reunion in Part 3. Their lingering feelings would finally be acknowledged, clearing up Aerith’s complicated feelings for Cloud while reaffirming her bond with Zack. This declaration of love would also tie into the larger narrative arc, offering emotional resolution for both characters and allowing their story to move forward, especially in support of Aerith's role in the external conflict of the Planet.

The Resolution / Denouement

Romance Structure: Denouement / HEA

Purpose: The story concludes with a glimpse of the couple in their newly rekindled relationship. The emotional weight of their past has been lifted, and they are now ready to face the future together. Even if circumstances prevent a traditional “happy ending,” there is emotional closure and a sense of peace.

Long Lost Lovers Layer: After the pain, separation, and emotional struggle, the couple is finally together. The audience is left with a sense that their love will endure this time, offering a bittersweet but satisfying conclusion to their long journey.

Example: In Advent Children (ACC), we see Zack and Aerith reunited in the Lifestream, helping Cloud in his final battle. Their reunion suggests that, while they may no longer live in the physical world, their connection endures beyond death. Though bittersweet, their reunion offers emotional closure. The final installment of the Remake series will likely bring full resolution to Zack and Aerith’s arc, providing a satisfying conclusion, even if there are tragic elements along the way.

Final Thoughts: The Love Triangle is a Narrative Illusion

Cloud and Tifa’s Slow-Burn Childhood Friends to Lovers (Canon)

Cloud and Tifa’s relationship in Final Fantasy VII is a carefully crafted slow burn, rooted in a deep bond that extends back to their childhood in Nibelheim. Their connection is not built on superficial or flimsy romantic interactions but on a shared past and the quiet intimacy that grows from years of unspoken longing but is complicated by trauma.

Cloud and Tifa’s natural chemistry is driven by their subconscious desires and the deep, unspoken feelings they have for one another. For Cloud, his buried emotions instinctively reach out to Tifa, even though he isn’t fully aware of them. The narrative hides these true feelings, but subtle moments of affection and protectiveness reveal that, deep down, Cloud’s heart is already tied to hers, laying the groundwork for their eventual emotional connection.

The game’s emotional climax in the Lifestream, where Tifa helps Cloud piece together his shattered memories, is a pivotal moment in which both characters finally confront the depth of their feelings for each other. Their journey isn’t one of dramatic declarations, but rather a gradual, emotional reconnection that allows deeply held, mutual love and longing to blossom—a love that is grounded in shared history, healing, and mutual understanding and compassion.

This slow-burn romance stands as the true heart of Cloud’s emotional journey, dispelling the illusion of a love triangle and making it clear that Cloud’s deepest emotional ties are with Tifa.

Aerith and Cloud’s Unrequited Love / Not Meant to Be Semi-Canon/One-sided) (Fanon - mutual)

The dynamic between Aerith and Cloud, while often misinterpreted as romantic, is better understood through the lens of unrequited love and fate’s intervention. Aerith’s initial attraction to Cloud is undeniably influenced by his resemblance to her first love, Zack Fair.

As time goes on, Aerith tries to see Cloud for who he is, but tragically, this is not possible before her death, and her feelings remain complicated and unreciprocated. Their bond, while significant as friendship, never goes beyond that, reinforcing the fact that Aerith’s feelings for Cloud are more of an echo of her past with Zack.

Cloud's true self being in love with Tifa and Aerith’s tragic death seal the fate of their relationship as one that was never meant to be—a fleeting connection, shaped by circumstance rather than true compatibility.

The tragedy of this unfulfilled arc serves as a powerful narrative device, but it is clear that Cloud and Aerith were never destined to end up together, further dispelling the notion of a love triangle.

Zack and Aerith’s Long Lost Love / Tragic Love (Canon)

Zack and Aerith’s relationship is the quintessential tragic love story in Final Fantasy VII, defined by separation, longing, and loss. Aerith’s first love, Zack, vanishes from her life without explanation, leaving her with unanswered questions and unresolved feelings. Even as she begins to move forward, her heart never fully lets go of Zack, who is revealed to have fought valiantly to return to her—only to tragically lose his life in the process.

The tragedy of their love lies in the fact that both characters hold onto each other, but fate conspires to keep them apart, making their love story one of the most emotionally poignant elements in the game. Even in death, their connection endures, with Zack and Aerith appearing together in the Lifestream in ACC, symbolizing a love that transcends life itself. This arc, while bittersweet, resolves the narrative of Aerith’s romantic life—Zack was her true love, and Cloud was a reflection of the man she had lost, not a new love interest.

Their tragic love story dispels the myth of a love triangle in Final Fantasy VII, emphasizing that Aerith’s heart always belonged to Zack, even as she developed a bond with Cloud during her journey.

All of the relationships in the game are important. However, Cloud/Tifa & Zack/Aerith are the canon, mutual romantic relationships of Final Fantasy VII. Cloud/Aerith have a cherished friendship, but any romantic subtext of their relationship in the game is used as a vehicle to drive the conflicts and truths of the canon relationships forward. This is accomplished through illusions and subversions in storytelling, as well as creating internal conflict for the characters and canon relationships.

FFVII’s storytelling is deliberately designed to mislead the player through incomplete truths and emotional misdirection, including the use of red herrings, illusions, unreliable narration, and the omission of critical information or context. Cloud’s confused memories and persona, coupled with Aerith’s initial attraction to him based on his similarities to Zack, create the illusion of a romantic triangle, but the deeper truths—Cloud’s unresolved trauma and false identity, Tifa’s role as the keeper of Cloud’s real past and his true feelings, and Aerith’s ultimate fate as the Planet’s protector and her true love being Zack—gradually dismantle this illusionary love triangle.

I cannot stress enough that FFVII is not a love drama or soap opera where the game’s conflict centers on romantic rivalries, betrayal, deception, or morally questionable behaviors.. It’s a complex story that focuses on themes of life, loss, identity, self-discovery, legacy, and on and on.

Love - all kinds of love, including romantic, platonic, and familial - is a theme of FFVII, but truly and holistically, not for the sake of creating meaningless drama between the characters. The relationship dynamics appear messy at times in the earlier parts of the story, but these dynamics are designed to help us reach the proper conclusions about the story and the characters’ arcs, and how true love is a vehicle for reaching resolution for both.

Player’s choice is irrelevant to the plot. You cannot decide or alter the story structure or direction or individual character arcs or relationships. The most you can do is view the game through a slightly different lens by gaining an expanded understanding of character arcs and motivation with new replays.

Shipping is a fandom construct. It’s meant to be fun, and you can ship whatever you like. But shipping doesn’t intersect with the facts of a story or its narrative. Lying about any piece of media to convince yourself or others of its canonicity is bizarre behavior.

Respect the work and its intention, while having your shipping fun within your fandom. Don't embarrass yourself by saying an FF protagonist kissing the girl he’s loved since childhood and joined the army to impress means nothing, or worse, proves he the opposite of a hero.

You can ship your fanon without doing all that.

Last thing: Reunion is a primary theme of Final Fantasy VII. You may have noticed that it is also a primary theme for both of the canon romantic relationships. Personally, I believe that Part Three is going to drive this message home in a way that is unmistakable. I also believe that both lovers' reunions will be instrumental in resolving all of the conflicts of FFVII in the final game.

It’s not a coincidence that both reunions will take place in the Lifestream, or that they've been foreshadowed by the presence of the yellow flower.

I also believe that the dual Rebirth cover arts, described by Tetsuya Nomura as Sephiroth "tearing Cloud and Zack's worlds apart" are heavily foreshadowing the resolution of these relationships along with their connection to the the larger story structures of FFVII/FFVIIR.

Let's wait and see when Part 3 comes along.

[losergendered]

listen im antirq but i kind of feel like a lot of the antirq community is not interested in the root reasons that people join these communities or in any sort of understanding or rehabilitation. it kind of seems like yall just wanna mock people. screenshotting people talking about how they wanna “transition to be transraped/transkidnapped” and going “whoaaaa what the fuck 😨” literally just alienates people struggling with intrusive thoughts/selfharm urges. and it makes it more likely that people who experience these things are gonna align themselves with rqs because they think that everyone else finds them gross or weird. honestly (and no one jump down my throat or misinterpret what im saying ffs think) i find transharmful/transharmed to be one of the most *understandable* parts of the rq community. misguided and ultimately harmful, yes, but understandable.

because of my npd, low empathy, and intrusive thoughts, i do often think of myself as a neutrally bad person. in my head, im an immoral person cosplaying as well-adjusted, and while, for the most part, thats the personality disorder talking, its often hard for me to divorce that way of thinking from my actual Self, because, uh, i live in my head. so i can see how seeing something like transabuser or transshooter might be a way for someone to try and wrestle with that kind of internal struggle (granted, a way that’ll most likely make that struggle worse but i digress). and im sure i dont have to explain why someone wishing they had certain forms of trauma isnt a spectacle and is rather, in itself, indicative of mental health struggles that aren’t to be mocked.

it’s just frustrating to see people i largely agree with doing nothing but look down their nose at people. dangerous and bigoted communities are not owed overly tender pussyfooting or whatever but like also its crazy to screenshot 15 year olds just to tongue wag. harm reduction starts with understanding and parading around (mostly teenagers) who are coping poorly is literally just gonna push them further into whatever community theyre in. like ffs just ignore them. especially if youre an adult. thats why i never talk abt this discourse on here. it doesnt fucking help if youre just gonna be an overly righteous asshole.

last time i made a post like this i got a whole buncha rqs in my notes telling me to “stop talking down to them” and that they’ll “do what they want.” okay man. im not your dad. this post isnt even aimed at yall anyway

tldr making a spectacle out of and constantly performing bewilderment at rqs literally only makes the issue worse and alienates those who experience unconventional mental problems. ex. me. cool thanks

[harleehazbinfics]

Home is where my Heart is.

Chapter 3: The First Time Table of Contents | Profile

Word Count: 1100+ Warning: implied rape and abuse A/N: idk i feel weird that he's kinda ooc; tbf he is very different here in this ff BUT LISTEN crazy meets sweet, ITS KINDA CUTE also also, imma take a break and continue my devout!reader ff, you can check it out here. thanky!

mmmmm i changed so much dialogue i wonder how this'll go. (edited as of Feb 20)

It had been quite a few months after Alastor and I have started going out. Nothing drastically different happened when we were still friends then transitioning to lovers.

Both of us would mind our own business, however, that didn’t really mean that we weren’t thinking about each other. If Alastor went on radio, I would listen to him while doing mundane chores, listening to his voice through the vintage filter of the stereo, I'd even retort to his witty commentary as if he was in the room with me. While, I would be out doing shows across the city, ranging from clubs and cafes to the early television programs.

Today was one of those days, where I would be waiting for Alastor to pick me up after performing a show, as he promised to bring me out to drink for our date. I stood at a lamp post waiting for him, looking down at my shadow.

“Well, look who it is. Lil’ Mel out in town?” a raspy voice said to me, “Must be nice to finally get out of that orphanage, huh? How’ve you been liking it so far? Missed me?”

Hearing this familiar insistent voice sent shivers down my spine, having flashbacks of my days in the orphanage. I wrapped my arms around myself.

“Go away, Aidan. I don’t want to talk to you,” I announced, fear creeping up on me.

“Oh, don’t be like that, babe!” he said putting his hand on my shoulder, “Don’t you remember all our fun times?”

I wriggled out of his grasp and angrily answered, “Fun? Hah, you’re insane. And never call me babe! Goodbye.”

I tightened my grasp on my sling bag and briskly walked away, looking for a more crowded area. But I never got too far when he suddenly had my arm in a tight grip making me squeal in pain. He covered my mouth with his other hand hushing me, and placing his knee between my legs. This scenario was all too familiar that tears welled up in my eyes automatically, but I gathered all my courage tensing my body and biting his hand, frustration clear on my face.

Meanwhile, Alastor was already a few buildings close to your arranged meeting place when he stopped when he heard a familiar voice.

“I told you to let go of me!”

This shout reaches his ears following a thud, fearing the worst he then bolts toward Miledy’s direction.

“Miledy!” he yells however freezes when he sees a man looming over her with a metal pipe in his hands.

“AL!” she screamed scared out of her wits.

Without a second thought, he lunges at the man throwing the both of them to the side leaving me on the floor. I looked at Alastor in fear for him when I saw him struggling to wrestle the larger man off of him.

“STOP! GET OFF HIM!”

Aidan seemed to falter when he heard me, creating an opening for Alastor and managing to stab him through his chest. Aidan gathered the last of his strength to wrap his hand around Alastor’s neck. I panicked and grabbed the forgotten pipe and bashed him over the head, making him go limp on top of Al.

Alastor moved the body to the side and with a relieved look on his face, he moves forwards and pulls me in a tight hug.

“I was so scared. Did you get hurt?” he frets over me.

“You’re not scared of me? I just killed a-a person, Al,” I asked afraid of his reaction.

“Heavens no! I’m more relieved you’re not hurt,” he replied letting go of the hug and placing his hand to the side of my face.

Relieved that Alastor didn’t leave her despite her sins, she finally broke down as she recounted the traumatic events that had happened, including the times where she comforted herself to sleep crying after Aidan was done playing with her, causing all these bottled up grievances to burst out. While Alastor did his best to comfort her in an embrace.

“We should probably leave now. It won’t take long before someone calls the police,” he explained holding on to her shoulder. I only nodded my head shakily still rattled and followed his lead.

He covered the body and lifted it over his shoulder keeping it steady while his free grabbed my hand and ran far far away. We eventually ended in a forest where we buried the body. I wiped the sweat off my brow breathing deeply from all the extraneous activities. After that was all done, Alastor led me to a cabin outside the hunting grounds.

“Where are we?” I asked while looking at the old furniture and the floorboards that creaked.

“My house,” he stated simply offering me a glass of water. I took and drank all of it without a second thought making Alastor tug a very subtle smile on his lips at how she completely trusted him.

“Al, we just killed a man and buried him. What if they figure out that we did it? What will happen to us?” I ramble, face going pale from different scenarios going through my mind.

He kneels in front of me a frown adorning his face when he saw how distraught I was and replied, “I’ll never let them hurt you. I promise, they will never know.”

“What about you, Al! What if they take you away from me. I don’t want to be separated from you!” I yelled hoping he’d care about his own well-being.

“Oh, sweetheart,” he said reading through me and holding my face in his hands, “I’ll never ever leave you, not if I can’t help it.”

My eyebrows furrowed still unconvinced, “How can you be so sure?”

His eyebrows drooped and a wry smile takes place while putting his hands on my knees obediently, “I’ve been hiding from them for years now. They haven’t had any idea that it was me. Knowing a lot of people surely has its perks.” I looked at him confused. “The first person killed was when I was 16, on the day that my mother died, and I’ve been running ever since.”

“I’m sorry I lied to you. But I never wanted you to be involved in this dirty past of mine,” he apologizes. “But I swear on my life that I never had any bad intention towards you. All I want is for you to be safe and free from worry.”

It took a very long time before one of us did or said anything. I took his hand, stood up and walked him towards the balcony that we walked past getting here. And just watched as the sun slowly rose hand in hand.

“I guess this is how we live for the rest of our lives now,” I uttered just above a whisper to the wind.

“I’ll protect you. No matter what.”

“Me too. You can depend on me… I love you, Al.”

“Thank you, Miledy.”

[nightghoul381]

Hello,May I request Victor fanfiction ? I read the william ff you write it's so nice and also thank you translate event story.Sorry my English so bad.Have a nice day🌹

Thank you so much nonnie! I ended up leaning into silly Victor, so if that's not what you were looking for let me know and I can make something a little more romantic. ^w^

Pairing: Victor x Reader Genre: Silly Goose / Fluff

“Nonsense, clearly we ought to go this way.” Victor states cheerily, heading down a very thin dirt path that was more likely an animal trail than an actual path.

Shrugging, you decide to follow him as he continued traipsing around these woods that the two of you had been wandering for what felt like hours. This wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. Anytime you accompanied Victor on a mission outside of the city, he had an uncanny tendency to get lost. He would never admit it though.

“Oh dear.”

Lost in thought, you nearly collide with Victor. His arms seemed to be wrestling something and a quick peek around his side allows you to see that his hair has become entangled with the low hanging branch of a nearby tree.

Somehow, his attempts to free himself just result in more hair getting caught up in the tangled mass.

“Victor, may I please help you?” You ask, trying your hardest to stifle the laughter bubbling inside you.

Your lover casts his pale gaze over his shoulder. Meeting your eyes, his cheeks flush to a vibrant pink and he lets out a disgruntled huff.

Taking that as a yes, you begin to untangle your poor stuck lover. Despite how silky and smooth his hair is, it does not seem to want to release its hold on this tree. In the end, the sun had begun its descent when the last strands finally let go.

“I’m terribly sorry.  I don’t really know how that happened.” Victor mutters apologizing for what must have been the fifteenth time.

“It’s fine, it’s not like you did it on purpose.” You laugh, smoothing down a few flyaway hairs. Suddenly an idea comes to mind. Without hesitation you pull Victor’s hair back and get to work.

“O-Oh my. What are you doing now?” He sputters at the unexpected yanking of his locks.

“Preventing your hair from getting caught.” You mutter, twisting sections of thick black hair over itself. You pull a small piece of ribbon from your dress and fasten it to his head.

“Voila!” You proclaim, a satisfied grin spreading over your face.

“This feels quite strange.” Victor notes, turning his head this way and that, with no movement following along. You had expertly plaited his hair, tucking it into a tight bun.

“Now we can continue without worrying about you catching any more trees with your mane,” You giggle, patting the back of his head gently.

After a long moment, Victor comes to terms with the fact that his hair is no longer flowing freely and he ambles his way along the path.

Traipsing behind him you feel a slight blush creeping up your face. You had never seen Victor’s slender neck so exposed, it almost felt indecent to be looking at it. Yet somehow you couldn’t seem to avert your gaze as you followed him out of the thick underbrush and into a field, a well-worn dirt path leading away toward the town on the horizon.

“Haha we’ve made it! I told you it was this way!” Victor cheers excitedly, whirling around to face you.

“My, my what has you so flustered darling?” He asks, taking in your further reddening face.

“I… um… nothing….” Your stumbling words clearly have no impact on Victor, who begins to caress your cheek.

“You’re making such a lovely face, dear. I can tell what you’re thinking about.” He purrs, tracing his thumb over your lips before letting his hand drop.

“You’re so proud of me for guiding us out of those woods!” He shouts, startling your brain back to reality. “You must be simply full to burst with praise and commendation for me. You truly are such a sweetheart.”

Bonus content:

Later that week…

Like a dejected puppy, Victor admits that he had “absolutely no idea that trail would lead out of the woods, and therefore any and all praise received regarding genius navigational skills or exceptional sense of direction was rendered null.”

[thewatcher727]

Sonic X: Gotta Go Fast Again - Chapter 17: Metal Madness

Sonic X: Gotta Go Fast again is a thrilling continuation of the beloved anime, promising action-packed escapades and heartwarming moments as our heroes embark on their next chapter! Available for Reading on AO3 & FF!

FanFiction: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14344080/17/Sonic-X-Gotta-Go-Fast-Again

Archive of Our Own: https://archiveofourown.org/works/54991219/chapters/146853664

Preview:

The workshop thrummed with a lively blend of excitement and trepidation as Sonic and his unlikely entourage returned, their presence igniting a sense of eager anticipation in the air.

As Sonic presented the seventh Chaos Emerald, a collective sigh of relief rippled through the group. The Chaotix, an unexpected addition to the team, stood somewhat awkwardly to the side.

However, the joy of reuniting the Chaos Emeralds was tempered by the somber news of Metal Sonic's rampage through Harmony Hill. As Sonic recounted the destruction, the mood in the workshop shifted.

Despite the gravity of the situation, an undercurrent of excitement ran through the group. The knowledge that they now possessed all seven Chaos Emeralds, the key to finally defeating Metal Sonic, brought a renewed sense of hope.

As the afternoon wore on and strategies were discussed in hushed, urgent tones, Sonic found himself seeking solitude. He slipped away from the group, scaling the workshop with practiced ease until he reached the roof. The corrugated metal was warm beneath him, still holding the heat of the day as he settled into a lounging position.

From his perch, Sonic had an unobstructed view of the sky above. A gentle breeze ruffled his quills, carrying with it the scent of distant pine forests and the promise of adventure.

Yet, as Sonic gazed up at the endless expanse of blue, his thoughts were far from peaceful. The events at Harmony Hill played on repeat in his mind, a haunting reminder of how close he had come to losing control. The memory of that dark power coursing through him, the raw energy that had both exhilarated and terrified him, lingered like a shadow at the edge of his consciousness.

His gloved hands clenched involuntarily as he recalled the moment he had almost given in to that darker side of himself. It was a part of him he had hoped to never see again, a manifestation of anger and pain that threatened to overshadow everything he stood for. The fact that Metal Sonic had been able to provoke such a reaction troubled him deeply.

His mind was a battlefield of its own as he wrestled with his inner demons. The upcoming battle with Metal Sonic loomed large in his mind, not just as a physical challenge, but as a test of his very identity. Could he defeat his robotic doppelgänger without succumbing to the darkness within?

[cwarscars]

Can I just... -slam dunks my URL in here-

Send me a url and I'll write some positivity for it.

"AY yoooooooooooooooo, ITS Ya boi - the gay bard" - gen, probably???

REALLY tho, maxie. friend~

i wrote a similar thing for moogs when i was sperging all over the place about taking unloved / underrated characters and shaping them / loving them in a way that made them you're own / did them justice and hot damn, you're a good example of this with genesis. NOW, i don't know if i've said to you before BUT like -

i was never a genesis fan, dont get me wrong - i was never an active hater or anything but like, his character just wasn't someone i was super into. you know how i am with the pretty boys, lol. but the way that you write him makes him interesting for me - like, you don't divert from canon or anything, you do his canon a lot of justice and in my opinion, improve upon it. like, you make me interested in a character i wasn't otherwise super into. but i see your portrayal and i wanna know more, i wanna delve deeper, i wanna have him socialise with my boys and see what happens between all of them. i love that you have him be all theatrical and fun and charming but also you give him a little foreboding, like, enough angst for us to know that this a guy kinda wrestling with his mortality / humanity. i love that.

and in terms of you, max - when have you not been chill a/f and cool as hell to chat with. your puns are fire, your personality is fire, your muse is like, literally pretty much fire ( think the lil fire from howls moving castle lol ). all in all, you're very rad, very fun to talk to and i'd always point people in your direction if they want a fun ff rper / amazing gen to follow and write with !

[youdontjustgiveup]

August: Chapter 4

( ao3 | ff )

Previous Chapters: [link]

Summary: The morning light reveals the aftermath of the party, leaving Chuck to wrestle with the consequences of his actions. Georgina's presence raises tensions and unearths unspoken truths. Just when secrets are supposed to stay hidden, Dan unexpectedly reveals them.

Pairing: Chuck x Blair

Word Count: 3.3k

Rating: General Audiences

Warnings: None

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

The warm, inviting rays of the early morning sunbathed the beach house in a golden glow. On the kitchen island, a crystal glass clinked softly against the cool marble countertop as Chuck poured himself a generous amount of amber liquid. The clock on the wall displayed a time that would have raised the eyebrows of even the most committed partygoer. Yet, here he was, enduring this ungodly hour, unable to close his eyes for more than a mere ten minutes. 

The remnants of last night’s party clung stubbornly to the pristine surfaces. Champagne flutes lay scattered about, mingling with half-empty glasses of dubious contents—none of which Chuck hadn’t tasted before. Spilled liquids marred the otherwise immaculate countertops, and a few forgotten pills beckoned from a nearby corner. A surge of temptation to put one in his mouth coursed through him.

As the mess unfolded before him, the tardiness of the cleaners gnawed at him. Chuck raised the glass to his lips and took a sip. The alcohol no longer burned; it flowed smoothly, like water. How stupid had he been to invest his heart and time in his dear best friend’s surprise? And for what? For Nathaniel to completely forget. For Blair to endure a night of misery.

One of his cardinal rules was to stay out of everybody’s business and only worry about himself. But that one rule consistently found its way into the trash can when it came to Nate. Their bond ran deep, a connection forged in childhood that made Chuck willing to go to inexplicable lengths for Nate’s happiness. So, when Nate asked Chuck to prepare a life-changing surprise for his girlfriend, Chuck complied, even if it meant digging up emotions he wasn’t remotely ready to confront.

Thankfully, Bart Bass wasn’t around to witness his son’s pathetic life. 

How pathetic and pitiful it was to still yearn for Blair Waldorf. How, after all these years of watching her play the role of the future Mrs. Archibald, he couldn’t rid himself of the desire that engulfed him entirely in her presence—a desire that lurked in the shadows, unspoken even to himself. It was a chapter he preferred to keep closed. 

In the recesses of Chuck’s mind, he could almost hear his father’s mocking voice, the taunts that had haunted him for years. The voice that accused him of being soft, of losing the cold, calculated edge that had defined the Bass men for generations. The key to their success. 

You don’t keep friends, Chuck. You form alliances. You don’t waste your time on girlfriends or women. They’re nothing more than fleeting distractions, easily discarded. Emotions are a weakness, a cancer that eats away at a man’s strength.

Chuck had striven his entire life to meet his father’s expectations but had consistently fallen short. He lacked everything his father valued in a man. 

Perhaps it was time to find Georgina and escape this place—to distance himself from Nate, Blair, and the emotions that threatened to consume him like an insidious infection. Only then would his father be proud.

“Isn’t it a tad early to be surveying the depths of the bottle?” Georgina’s voice cut through his thoughts, her presence materializing out of thin air. 

Would she ever stop talking? Chuck reconsidered his decision to leave with her, but at the moment, he didn’t see many other options. 

“Need me to arrange a visit to the rehab center?” Georgina persisted.

“Everybody knows you’re quite familiar with that place, right, Georgie?” Chuck retorted with a knowing smirk. He was teetering on the edge of alcoholism, but that woman wasn’t far behind. Back when she was a part of their tight-knit circle thanks to her friendship with Serena, no one could outdrink them. Look where that had led. 

“Don’t be so irritable in the morning. It’s a beautiful day,” she remarked, closing the gap between them. She rested her elbows on the kitchen island, her eyes exuding provocation. “Did your best friend’s girlfriend let you down again last night? Just as I told you.” 

“You didn’t tell me shit. All you did was offer yourself up, which I declined.” 

“Because you preferred to play the role of the gallant knight, wiping away her tears like a complete fool.” 

Chuck’s grip on his glass tightened. “Precisely.” 

“Leave that to Nate. You’re wasting your time with someone like her.”

“And who should I waste my time with? You?”

Georgina raised an eyebrow, her sardonic smile never faltering. “Chuck, darling, I’ve seen enough of her type. Rich girls masquerading as paragons of perfection while hiding all their dirty little secrets.”

If only she knew that Chuck didn’t give a damn about whatever secrets Blair may or may not have. In this world, nobody was without secrets, including himself. 

“Trust me,” she continued, her voice filled with mystery. What did she know that he didn’t? “Besides, you lack everything she desires in a man. You’ll never be enough for her.”

Chuck was acutely aware of that fact.

In that moment, the subject of their conversation entered the kitchen, her footsteps barely making a sound. A sinister gleam shone in Georgina’s eyes as Blair headed straight for the fridge, without casting so much as a glance in their direction. Blair started rummaging through the contents for a box of cherries. With her prize in hand, she closed the door and began to nibble on the fruit, each bite deliberate and slow. 

Chuck released his grip on the glass and stood upright. 

“Come on,” he urged, his voice low and insistent. “Let’s get out of here.”

However, Georgina remained rooted to the spot, a knowing smile playing on her lips. Chuck let out a heavy sigh.

“Feeling hungry?” Georgina’s voice dripped with suggestive intent; her words laced with an undercurrent of something darker. The room seemed to constrict, the air growing thick with unsaid words. 

Leaning slightly on the kitchen island, her smile never wavered as her eyes locked onto Blair’s.

“I asked if you were hungry. You know, considering…” she let the word hang in the air, deliberately vague. 

Blair froze mid-bite. Her eyes widened in alarm as she swallowed hard, the color draining from her face. Chuck’s brows furrowed. What was Georgina referring to, and why did her expression hold such a wicked, knowing edge? Whatever it was, it affected Blair deeply, sending shivers down Chuck’s spine. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” 

“Are you sure? Why don’t you enlighten our dear friend here about those late-night snacks you’ve been enjoying?”

Blair’s distress was evident, and Chuck remained in silence, torn between wanting to shield her from her own truth and the knowledge that trying to stop the train wreck that was Georgina Sparks might only make things worse. It was like pouring gasoline on an already blazing fire. 

Georgina’s voice dropped to a whisper. “Maybe it’s not just snacks that keep you occupied during those late nights.”

“What’s your problem, Georgina?” Blair’s patience snapped like a taut wire as she turned to Georgina, her eyes ablaze with anger. “Why can’t you just mind your own business for once?”

“Easy. Or I start singing.”

“You think you’re so clever, don’t you? Go ahead, sing your little heart out. It won’t change the fact that you’re still the same meddling, attention-seeking whore you’ve always been.”

“I know what I am. It’s time you accept who you are, too.” Georgina remained unfazed. 

“Acceptance is for those with a conscience, something you clearly lack.”

“Did your little conscience feel good after—”

“Shut up!”

Like a lighthouse cutting through the darkness of unspoken words, fragments of memories from the past clawed their way into Chuck’s mind. He was no fool, so why hadn’t he seen it sooner, pushed through the shadows of her secrets when he had the chance? He knew why, but wasn’t ready to face the truth about himself—a coward, a coward unwilling to confront the harsh reality, unable to peer closely at the illness without turning away. 

Could he ever truly grasp the severity of the situation? What drove her to such extremes? It didn’t matter. 

“Care to tell him, dear?” Georgina taunted.

Georgina Sparks sounded like Eleanor Waldorf’s best impressionist, and Blair shivered. That was too much. He couldn’t stand it one minute longer. 

Chuck moved closer to Blair, each step a wordless reassurance that he was there for her. However, as he drew near, Blair’s body tensed, her eyes a battleground of emotions. He extended a trembling hand, but before he could make contact, Blair’s reaction was swift. With a forceful push against his chest, she backed away, the impact jolting him back a step. 

The intensity of her reaction caught Chuck off guard, and yet it didn’t surprise him at all. She was pushing him away, desperately trying to keep the gap open between them, perhaps to shield her vulnerability or to maintain a façade of strength.

“Go ahead. Go with her. You two belong together,” Blair spat. 

“Let’s go, Chuck. There’s an exclusive morning party at the beach club, and you can be my plus one. You know, it’s strictly adult-only.” Georgina signaled to the door, shooting one last sardonic look at Blair. “Next time, leave the games to the professionals, Blair, and don’t play with fire unless you’re ready to get burned.”  

Both girls anticipated his next move, but he remained rooted to his spot. 

“Coming?”

“No.”

“What?” Georgina raised an eyebrow, taken aback. 

“I said no. Enjoy your party, Georgina.” 

Georgina’s lips curled into a wicked smile. “As for you, we all know your endless pursuit of approval will never fill the void inside you. You’re nothing but an empty shell trying to outrun your own demons.”

With her parting insult hanging in the air like a venomous echo, Georgina turned around, her heels clicking on the kitchen floor as she made her way to the exit. Her steps were confident, her posture erect, as if she had relished every moment of the tension she had sown.

Chuck returned to the kitchen island, refilling the abandoned glass to its brim. He downed the contents in the blink of an eye, seeking a brief respite from the intensity of it all. Blair’s presence was a silent weight behind him. Did she expect him to say something? Hopefully not. As Chuck closed his eyes, her delicate hand came to rest gently atop his on the marble surface. It felt wrong, a painful reminder of Bart Bass’ cutting words that resonated like the rhythmic beat of drums, relentless and unforgiving. 

“Don’t say anything,” he muttered under his breath, more to himself than to Blair. There was nothing left to be said. It was absurd to fight the truth. 

Blair’s hand remained unwavering on his, a steadfast promise that she was also there for him, even in his darkest moments. Against his father’s wishes, Georgina’s cruel words, the world itself, and his own inner demons, he could only hope he was the same source of support for her. 

After the intense confrontation in the kitchen, Chuck left the room with a heavy sigh, yearning for a bit of solitude. He made his way to the poolside and sank into one of the loungers, glass in hand, trying to block out the external noise. However, he couldn’t escape the conversation between Blair and Serena, drifting over to him like an unwelcome wave. 

His stepsister’s carefree and lovely self had made her presence known after Georgina’s departure. Serena was undeniably beautiful—tall, with golden blonde hair that could leave any man mesmerized. Yet, Serena had never been it for him. He could endlessly tease her, amuse himself with puns that got under her skin, indulge in lewd humor, mock her for her knack for trusting every stranger who crossed her path, or taunt her for her unwavering dedication to charity cases like Humphrey. Despite it all, he liked her very much. 

“So, tell me! How was Nate’s surprise? You didn’t tell me anything last night,” Serena exclaimed, her voice pitching high in excitement, as Chuck could sense her bouncing with enthusiasm in front of Blair. 

That pitch made his head hurt more than seven bottles of scotch. Her unrestrained happiness, even in the most ordinary moments, grated on his nerves. She and Nate were undoubtedly two peas in a pod.   

“Oh, S, it was wonderful,” Blair responded in her best dreamy voice. 

Liar. 

Why did Blair insist on pretending that everything was fine? Why didn’t Serena just come clean with the truth? The whole truth. As much as he enjoyed chaos, lies, and watching the world burn, the growing web of secrets among his best friends was becoming increasingly tangled. It was a noose slowly tightening around all their necks, and Chuck found himself at the center of it all. He was tired—tired of carrying secrets that weren’t his, tired of watching Blair chase an impossible dream, tired of the oncoming disaster that no one seemed willing to prevent.  

Perhaps he should take matters into his own hands. What harm would one more evil but necessary thing do to his already tarnished reputation? Not much. The world would continue to spin, and people would continue to loathe him, as they always had. 

In the garden to the left of the pool, Nate was deep into what seemed like an intense workout session. Shirtless and clad in sweatpants, he jogged and repeated exercises that looked exhausting just to watch. It baffled Chuck how, after everything that had transpired the previous night, Nate seemed to start his day without a care in the world. He ran around like a man possessed, as if he were immune to hangovers, while Chuck could only marvel at his resilience. 

God truly had their favorites. 

Nate eventually paused, resting his hands on his knees to catch his breath. He wiped sweat from his forehead. Nate’s commitment to his fitness routine bordered on the fanatical, unlike Chuck, who preferred to spend time and effort in more traditional cardio. 

Meanwhile, Serena, now without Blair by her side, emerged from the house and joined him by the loungers. Both were observing Nate with keen interest, though for entirely different reasons. 

“Don’t be so obvious, sis.” 

His stepsister furrowed her brows, her gaze still fixed on Nate’s workout. “Em, what?”

“Stop staring.” 

“I was not.” Serena’s cheeks flushed slightly. 

“You were, and if you don’t want Blair to find out about that secret of yours, it’s best if you keep your eyes to yourself.” Chuck leaned back, crossing his arms. “I know your boyfriend is not exactly the best in the bunch, but surely he has at least one redeeming quality that can keep you enchanted, even if it escapes my mind.”

“Shush.” 

“Honestly, I’m getting tired of this charade. You should tell her the truth, once and for all.”

Serena shook her head adamantly.

“Delaying the inevitable will only make things worse.” Chuck’s tone grew more serious.

“She won’t find out.”

“With the way you two are acting, especially dear Nathaniel, she will. She’s not stupid, you know. In fact, she’s actually smarter than the three of us combined.” 

“I already told you, I’m over Nate.” 

“Then, even though I find this situation highly amusing, stop with the lecherous looks. Weren’t you determined to mend things with the proletarian?”

Serena looked away, her tone hesitant. “I was! I am. It’s just complicated.”

“Did he do something? You know my trusted hitman is just a phone call away.” 

Chuck’s remark hung in the air for a moment as Serena’s expression shifted from surprise to amusement.

“I’m serious.”

Serena sighed, her eyes darting to where Nate was working out. “It’s not about something he did. It’s just… We’re different, Chuck.”

“You can’t possibly tell me you didn’t anticipate such disparities when you embarked yourself on a romantic journey with an individual hailing from the depths of Brooklyn, of all places.” 

“I thought he was different.”

As Chuck was about to respond, their attention was drawn away by the shattering sound of breaking glass. 

Startled, Serena shot a quick glance at Chuck, her eyebrows raised, before she swiftly made her way toward the source of the commotion. He followed suit, knowing that what they were about to discover would shatter the calm atmosphere that had reigned since Georgina’s exit. And there she was, back in their lives, with Dan Humphrey in tow. 

Blair, who had stayed in the kitchen, stood there in a storm of emotions, her eyes flashing with pure hatred. 

“Haven’t you done enough?” she spat at Georgina.

Behind them, Nate appeared, having followed Chuck and Serena moments earlier. His head was tilted to the side. 

“What the fuck are you still doing here?” Chuck crossed his arms, his gaze fixed in Georgina. 

“Where are your manners? First, a glass hurled at me, and now the whole cavalry has come to the rescue.” 

“I’m not going to repeat myself twice.”

“Look who I found on my way out,” Georgina said, placing a possessive hand on Dan’s shoulder. 

“Sure it was a coincidence.”

“How skeptical.”

“Of you? Always.”

“I need to speak to Serena,” Dan intervened. 

Serena’s body was rigid as she remained still, not saying a word. 

“I think you’ve done enough already,” Blair retorted. 

Dan pointed an accusing finger at Blair. “Stay out of things that aren’t your damn business, Blair,” he asserted aggressively.

“Hey,” Nate chimed in.

“You’re not welcomed here, Humphrey,” Chuck added.

“Serena, please.” Dan began, locking eyes with her. “Give me five minutes.”

“I thought you said everything you needed to say last night.”

“Five minutes, that’s all I’m asking.”

“Start talking.”

“Alone.”

“You can say it in front of them.”

Chuck wasn’t entirely sure that being dragged in Serena’s romantic mess was wise, but given her lack of willpower when it came to Dan, maybe it was for the best. 

Dan took a moment to collect himself. With a carefully calculated tone that attempted to soothe rather than confront, he began, “Serena, I get that things have been tough between us. But you’ve got to know, I’ve always believed in you, in what we could be together. I’m not claiming I’ve always made the right decisions, but everything I’ve done was because I thought it was the best for us, for you. I never wanted to change who you are, but I also couldn’t just stand by and watch you make choices that would hurt you in the long run.” 

Serena’s lips tightened slightly, but she didn’t interrupt him. 

“I guess what I’m trying to say is that I’ve always cared about you. You must know that.”

“What choices? Because I didn’t choose where I was born or who I am.” 

“But you do choose to stay, to be a part of this world every day.”

“So?” Serena scoffed. “Dan, caring about someone isn’t enough. It’s about trust, respect, and acceptance, and I won’t apologize for being myself. I won’t apologize for my friends, and I sure as hell won’t apologize for not living up to your impossible standards.”

Dan’s façade cracked for a moment, and a flash of anger crossed his face. “You know, Serena, you’ve always had this habit of making everything about you. You can’t just see how much I’ve tried to help you, to make you better. Maybe you’re just not capable of appreciating everything that I’ve done. Maybe you’re too self-absorbed to see it.”

“You’re so wrapped up in your own ego that you can’t even hear what I’m saying.”

“Maybe you’re just not cut out for a real relationship. Every time it gets real, you run away,” Dan pushed further. “Or you just fuck your best friend’s boyfriend.” 

The entire world seemed to freeze. 

“What?” Blair’s voice sliced through the abrupt silence.

[sheepdog-and-fakegoldenretriever]

Ffs just saw a couple wrestling their terrier the size of a beagle to get something out of its mouth. I was going to help them and say stop and use a fucking treat but it turns out all the commotion as just for PAPER. The dog had fucking paper in its mouth....

Public holidays bring out the best people 😳

[malakaie]

berry anon back again holy shit a lot has been happening (in wrestling, and just to get it out of the way: julia!!! :)))) my love!! i'm so excited for the House to be a Home again with all the members returned and ready to do fucked up shit while still being so wholesome. and yet more fucked up under that.)

back to our prior convo and your recent posts, i love the idea of malakai's dogs having dates with beautiful powerful women. brody can go be a horrible sweet puppy with willow as they lick each other's faces off, and buddy can go get stepped on by rhea, but you just know mal gets all the details. julia's there too, listening and learning.

i was kinda disappointed with the length of the women's matches though. it's not even my favorite storyline for all its queer fucked upness, but mina and mariah deserved so much more time, they were putting on such a good match. that said, i'm loving the vignettes. you know how i feel about julia's, and bandido's?? be still my beating heart, i'm already bisexual ffs

hello again!! :>

same, i am so excited for the band to get back together, especially since julia is arriving in the middle of things seeming to change in such interesting directions for the rest of the house. so excited to see what the plans are and how she's going to fit into that.

i don't personally tend to mix kayfabes - rhea is doing her own thing and i don't personally love dragging her away from that to insert her into HoB - but no judgment on people who do! it's just not really my cup of tea personally. but yeah, mal and julia definitely get all the details if they let the boys go play with someone else nsdlgjs. (julia is also still playing with skye sometimes, i'm convinced.)

huge agree - i think there are a number of areas in which aew can continue building on and tightening up their ship as it were, but one of the big ones is balancing out the time they give to the women's matches vs. other things. it's very frustrating that mariah/mina had so much build, had an overrun, and was still only 11 minutes, where we've seen longer men's matches on a regular basis that have no narrative importance whatsoever.

that said, i am deeply enjoying the way that aew is experimenting with different ways to tell stories - the vignettes are a great outlet for the wrestlers' creativity, and a really fun way to use the other creative staff they have on hand. (i have to bite bandido. i don't make the rules.)

[lillyspeakz]

sorryanon: have you ever realized we dont really get a lot of clips of wilbur speaking softly? hes always in that joking, performance type voice you get me? so when there exists clips of it it just feels so personal. cant think of anything ff the top of my head but i know its out there somewhere. soft and genuinebur :(

also fuck i cant stop repeating argbur's little chuckle in the video with the great wave background

also fuck can you imagine zombiebur in a more serious tone? the boys wrestling with him but not having the heart to kill him, especially when he has a speck of recognition so close and so far in his glazed-over eyes?

Yes !!!! I need more soft Wilbur-

Arg in general is so precious

No zombur begging for them to kill him while your denying him that satisfaction

[love-killed-the-superstar]

I was a bit worried I came off too harsh I am dealing with a Leo at the moment so it struck a nerve. Yeah I agree and about FF I also agree. I felt Raph was vocal about hating the future was treated as a joke in fact a lot of times he was the joke and it was uncomfortable to watch. So understandable where you’re coming from with mikey. The way he was treated in that season was just in poor taste. they both deserved better.

Yeah I have a lot of issues with how they handled Raph too. The fact that he was so frustrated and upset with their circumstances and no one took it seriously was hard to watch. The episode when he was like "hey guys we can go outside and do normal stuff now without being screamed at!!" and was met with confusion because why would they, who have lived in the sewers hiding their whole lives, want to go outside? THAT PISSED ME OFF AND THEY ALL DESERVED BETTER.

I fully stand by the notion that way more interesting stories could have been told if the turtles had been allowed to get mad at the source of their predicament (Cody) rather than just the situation itself. That bottled up frustration fizzled out into nothing and they became shells of themselves, I said what I said. Just saying "I hate the future" without being able to say WHY you hate the future (you were put there by someone with good intentions but terrible judgement and no idea how to reverse things) only makes them sound like a broken record so then they stopped that - but then what's left? They gave Leo zero stories of his own. Raph got an episode about wrestling and an episode about bikes. Don and Mikey had a bit more to do but it's still not much. Of course its fine for it to be an ensemble show but there are very few character standouts in these episodes, they're all just kind of... There, and that's it. Don't even get me started on Splinter. this man went to the future and all he did was watch soaps for a year and occasionally yell at Mikey.

So yeah. They dropped the ball on all of them, but Raph in particular hurts because everyone treated his very real complaints like he's completely nuts.

[lutoogyan]

With ‘Final Fantasy XVI’, the series tries a new direction

Square Enix wants a hit Final Fantasy game that’s just as popular as any game in the storied history. It’s taken seven years to get from the tepidly-received Final Fantasy XV to Final Fantasy XVI, and the company continues to wrestle with what a FF game is in 2023. The company courted nostalgia with FF7 Remake (and the Pixel Remaster series). At the same time, its MMORPG, Final Fantasy XIV,…

[the-kipsabian]

DONT WORRY FAM I GOTCHU

(i would have more recs but unfortunately most chris stuff is behind a paywall but there are some bangers on youtube tho so lemme see)

for cdk cause they are cute. and also chie is there and shes cute. chocopro as a concept is a little more odd than what the western/americanized wrestling is, but thats the fun of japan - so many weird little things lol (like they dont have a proper ring, its all done in a little classroom (i believe?) on a padded mat they call the "chocolate square" instead <3 its so cute tho and you can just see how much fun they are having doing all of this)

this is one of my favorites, yes its fucking odd (i mean hes wrestling a lifesized otter mascot ffs) but thats the charm of it. and its just a really good showcase of his characteristics and how he just in general handles himself in the ring. he is a bastard after all <3 and he hates mascots <33

anddd baka gaijin, cause this match is a legitimate BANGER. also a great showcase of his skills in intergender wrestling. once again, odd arena, but the whole idea of baka gaijin is that a small group of friends gets together to wrestle a small show in a local bar cause why not lol. thats the charm of it

so thats like. a few? from the top of my head that are like more or less legitimate just wrestling matches (with a few fun added gimmicks, admittedly but yeah) cause theres a lot of. just odd shit he does out there lol. thats just the kind of a worker he is, he just does shit if he can be an asshole and/or have fun mostly. i honestly admire him for that so much, like everyone should aspire for that oof

PSSST MICA what would it take to get you to watch one (1) chris brookes match tho? 👀👀👀

(as in i see you reblogging that cdk post and yeah ough my heart)

TBH NOT MUCH 👀👀

i think i just need to be pointed where to watch and what match and have some extra time on my hands

[haloreigns]

Some people on this app are annoying as fuck🙄🙄