#He doesn't fear much but in this situation he WOULD

[doveywovy]

modern au where izuna is in a tragic accident and it puts him in a coma and tobirama is like sweet, a way to practice friendship. because tobirama has absolutely zero friends except his brother, who's been pissed at him for over a year. so- he needs the practice.

so every day he goes in to visit and he changes out the flowers at izunas bedside and fixes the sheets and updates him in what's been happening while he's in the coma. with all the tact he has, which is very little.

tobirama: hello izuna. class went well today. you would've liked the chemistry lesson. your cousin hikaku broke down crying behind the school because he misses you. your other cousin obito called me a slur when he noticed i saw this and then he chased me down and shoved my head into a toilet. the cafeteria was serving cold rice again at lunch. this concludes my report. get well soon.

what tobirama is unaware of is that this is the kind of coma that izuna is actually largely aware of whats happening around him, he just can't respond or move in any way. so he knows about tobiramas daily visits and updates and weird attempts at friendship. (tobirama's consistant reports on class lessons actually means when he wakes up, he doesn't need to do too much to catch up on work.)

so when izuna finally wakes up, he decides to do his own crazy move- to lie that they've always been friends, actually. best friends. joined at the hip practically. tobirama assumes this is some kind of brain damage situation but gleefully takes the opportunity to have a friend. izuna uses the justification of them being lifelong friends to violate a number of boundaries and behave in completely inappropriate ways.

madara also assumes this is some kind of brain damage consequence and considers tobirama an evil blight on his brother's life that must be vanquished. he keeps desperately trying to prove that they didn't get along before izuna's coma, but izuna just keeps making up loopholes and excuses to disprove his evidence.

eventually izuna tearfully confesses that madara is right, there's no physical proof of their lifelong friendship....because he himself destroyed it all! he and tobirama were/are actually boyfriends, see, but he was so worried that his brother would be homophobic about it that he never kept proof of their relationship! his close call with death has made him realize the importance of treasuring the time he has with tobirama, even if.... (loud sob) even if madara is being even MORE homophobic about this than he had once feared.....(Sob)

madara: oh. uh. i. uh

hashirama: madara.....how could you.....

[sunnydbeam]

I love Alpha and Beta so much, and I absolutely ship them! I'm sure they would look really cute together if Beta wasn't so scared of Alpha </3

I also wondered what Alpha would do if he had the chance to get close to Beta without fears

I have to say, honestly, I'm glad there are people who ship them too, because I have several sketches and drawings of these two that I may share at some point hehe

On the other hand, yes, Beta is afraid of him, and that's a problem. He's the only reason Alpha usually doubts himself, and he's the only one that Alpha really bothers to seem as friendly as possible with

That doesn't mean Beta is always running away from Alpha. He's often nervous in his company, but if he needs help with something, he'll most likely ask for it (after much thought), and Alpha will be happy to oblige! Any hint of trust is everything to him

Alpha wishes he could comfort Beta 《more often》 in his anxious moments without making him even more nervous. It depends mostly on how “cooperative” Beta is at the time. Alpha will usually approach slowly and feel him out; if Beta doesn't flinch from the first moment, he will decide to approach quietly, crouching down beside him and still keeping some distance

Some asked earlier what Alpha would do in this kind of situation when it comes to comforting someone, and this is his procedure across the board!

I can't draw at the moment, so have a lil fluffy drabble!

Word count: 1k+

CW: slight mentions of anxiety. This is a Gamma Code concept and may contain spoilers for the fic. This is also not checked, so may contain spelling/grammar errors. Hurt/Comfort. Mild angst. Fluff. SFW

__________

It’s like a switch flipping on. A little sound, fragile, like a muffled sob, catches his attention. His head snaps toward the source, body pivoting on his heels with the faint squeak of rubber soles. Instinct kicks in. He moves, silent, careful.

Alpha peers through the crack of the slightly open door, and what he sees makes something inside his mechanical body twist, like an internal static crackle, a sharp overheating in his chest. If he had a heart, it would lurch. But he hides it well.

His red eyes glow faintly in the dim light as they scan the room. No one else is here, just his little sweet Beta curled up on the floor in the corner of the near-empty white room, hugging his knees. The overhead lights are dim, but the muted glow catches on the edges of Beta’s purple rays, barely visible beneath his yellow hood.

Alpha doesn’t blink. He watches with cold, calculated stillness, only for his expression to quickly shift, softening into something both fond and quietly resigned.

Beta is overwhelmed again, burying his face in his knees, shaking like a leaf in the wind. His frame curls inward, fragile, trying to disappear. Scared.

Something inside Alpha fractures.

Every time he finds Beta like this, it shatters him. It makes him want to reach out, to cradle him close, press him to his chest, and hold him there until the tremors subside. Until the fear melts away. But it’s hard when, most of the time, he isn’t allowed to get close at all.

His metaphorical heart clenches painfully. Beta always pushes him away. The reasons are obvious. Alpha is painfully aware of every single one.

He steps forward, then hesitates. The serpentine mechanical arms on his back remain still—calm, unthreatening, and he moves carefully, testing the waters. Beta doesn’t flinch too much, only tilting his head slightly in acknowledgment.

It’s a good sign.

Alpha waits. Longing to approach but unwilling to impose. Beta makes no sound, doesn’t pull away. He sits there, unmoving, eyes downcast.

That has to be permission.

The red robot moves closer, and his large frame is silent. He lowers himself to the floor beside Beta, carefully, knees together in an almost formal posture, leaving just enough space between them. Not too close. He doesn’t want to overwhelm him.

The silence is heavy.

Alpha glances at Beta from the side, taking in the soft glow of his purple rays, mostly hidden beneath the folds of his hood.

Alpha parts his lips but hesitates. Then, quietly—

“What’s overwhelming you, Beta?” His voice is low and measured. “Can I help?��

Beta doesn’t answer. He shifts — just a little movement — turning his head slightly between his arms and knees. Just enough for Alpha to catch the glimmer of one visible blue eye.

Silence.

Beta trembles. Not much, but enough. A clear sign that Alpha’s presence unsettles him. But he doesn’t move away, and that’s good.

Then, softly, hesitantly — Beta speaks.

“It’s just… today’s tests were too much,” he whispers. “I don’t think I did well. And they got mad at me.”

Alpha’s fingers twitch. His voice drops, sharp.

“Did they hurt you?”

Beta flinches, and his shoulders jump slightly. Alpha’s tone had come out harsher than intended. He forces himself to suppress the rising tension in his system.

“N-no…”

The energy within Alpha stabilizes. His body cools.

“You can’t do anything wrong,” he murmurs, his voice quiet, soft, almost as if thinking aloud. “You’re perfect.”

Beta looks up, startled and confused. A deep, luminous purple blush blooms across his face before he hurriedly looks away, shoulders curling inward.

“Wh… Why would you think that? Sometimes I feel...” His voice stammers. “… useless.”

Beta finally meets Alpha’s gaze, and freezes.

Those red eyes. Watching. Wide. Bright.

A strange light flickers behind them. Something unreadable. Something Beta never quite understands.

“That’s not true,” Alpha says. “And you don’t have to serve them.”

Beta’s circuits buzz with uncertainty.

“… Isn’t that our purpose?” he whispers. "The reason we were created? To please them…?”

Alpha shifts closer. He leans in, reaching slowly, hesitantly, gloved fingers brushing the edge of Beta’s cheek.

“They don’t get to mold you,” he murmurs. “They don’t get to define you.”

His voice is calm and steady.

“What humans think doesn’t matter. You are you. Quiet, timid, sweet in a way only you can be.” A pause, a flicker of warmth, then he says tenderly. “And you’re cute and perfect just like that.”

Beta’s blue eyes widen. His hands twitch against his knees and he starts shaking.

“I wouldn’t change a thing.”

It’s ironic to him to say when, sometimes, he loathes himself so much.

I wish I could be like you, he thinks. A strange pressure coils in his chest plate. He ignores it.

Beta’s gaze lowers. He looks like he might cry. His lips part, trembling, but the words catch in his throat, faltering into incoherent murmurs.

It’s… adorable.

Alpha’s fingers twitch.

“… Can I hold you?”

Beta doesn’t answer right away. He hesitates, then —slowly, barely — nods.

Alpha doesn’t waste a second.

He moves carefully, pulling Beta into his arms, wrapping all four around him, pressing him close.

A tiny, glitchy sound escapes Beta’s vocal system. His hood slips down, and his rays coming out in surprise.

Alpha loves those vibrant rays.

“Shh… It’s okay,” he whispers, one hand stroking Beta’s back. “Everything’s okay.”

His grip tightens, just slightly.

It feels unreal. Holding him finally.

He never wants to let go.

“You’re okay. You’re strong. I’ve got you. You’re safe with me.”

Without thinking, he shifts, pulling Beta fully onto his lap. Beta stiffens, startled, but doesn’t resist. He stays still. Shy.

Alpha processes the moment, his system adjusting to the unexpected warmth in his circuits. It feels… right.

“Please,” he breathes, his voice softer now, “don’t be afraid of me anymore.”

His eyes slip shut. His face presses against Beta’s shoulder.

His fingers move, trailing over Beta’s rays, mapping their sharp edges with care, no fear, no hesitation—just gentle reverence. His touch is light. Loving. Worshipping. Adoring.

He's pleased when Beta relaxes slowly.

Alpha presses closer. The sensation of Beta against him is grounding, steadying. Alpha doesn’t care that his frame wasn't built for this. He wants to hold him. It’s comforting.

Alpha adores him too much. And it almost hurts.

Beta’s presence is all he has.

And it’s more than enough.

“…Please,” Alpha whispers, barely audible, “no more fear.”

_______________

[callme-holly]

Could u make head-cannons of the greasers as dads

𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐬 𝐝𝐚𝐝𝐬

a/n: everyone is obviously aged up. This is just my opinion on this: everyone else's may be different !!

Darry Curtis:

Darry would be the most responsible and caring dad ever. He would absolutely adore his kids and will do everything he can to make sure they’re happy and healthy. His parents were very supportive when he was growing up, and he probably looks up to them quite a lot when it comes to his own parental skills.

He’s very hands-on, helping them with everything they need and making sure they know they can come to him for anything. They’ll follow him around the house, and he won't ever complain, and when he comes home from work, he absolutely loves being greeted by your kids, cuddling up with them on the couch, and watching tv. He definitely has a more strict and protective side; he knows how cruel the world can be, and he doesn’t want his children exposed to the same hardships he was. Because of that, he can shelter them quite a bit; however, he does it out of pure love and means no harm by it.

Sodapop Curtis:

Soda is such a girl dad, and nobody can change my mind. He’s the fun dad, and he’s very hands-on when it comes down to the fun stuff. He’ll play games with your kid for hours on end, whether it’s dress-up or running around the yard to burn off energy.

When it comes to discipline, he isn’t the best, and it will probably fall more into your hands. He tries to stay serious, but the second the kid pouts or whines at him, he’s melting. He hates when they’re upset and does everything he can to make sure they’re happy. He’ll give them cuddles, tell them stories, let them watch TV, you name it, anything to keep them smiling. He probably spoils your kid rotten, getting them whatever they want no matter how much you tell him not to. 

Ponyboy Curtis:

Pony would be so incredibly patient with your guys’ kids, teaching them everything they need to know. He’s the type to read to them before bed, to help them learn how to read and write and help them with homework when needed.

He’s very encouraging and supportive, always telling them to never give up on their dreams and to pick them back up when they get down. Dbedpline isn’t exactly his strong suit, but he’s serious when he needs to be, especially if the situation can lead to them getting hurt or into any sort of trouble. He wants to provide his kids with the best upbringing he can provide, and he’ll support you the whole way. 

Johnny Cade:

Johnny is so incredibly soft with his kids; his worst fear is ending up like his parents and treating them poorly, so when it comes to getting frustrated, he’ll   step back to make sure he doesn’t take it out on them in anyway. He does everything he can to make sure his kid has the childhood he never got, taking them out on trips, helping them when they need it, cuddling with them before bed…

He’ll hardly ever raise his voice, and when he does, he’s so incredibly apologetic afterwards. He’ll sit down and talk through the problem, his tone firm, and he makes sure your kid knows their behaviour was wrong and how they can correct it. Your guys’ kid adores him, and he loves that they know they can go straight to him for comfort.

Dallas Winston:

At first, Dallas wouldn’t be a good dad at all, especially not during the baby years. He doesn't like little kids, and he certainly doesn’t know how to raise one, but after you force him to stick around, he begrudgingly softens a little bit.

He doesn’t want his kid to end up like him, so he will do everything he can to guide them along the right path. He’ll be surprisingly soft, especially if they cuddle up with him, but when it comes to rules, it’s usually you upholding them. He’ll let them stay up past their bedtime, eat sweets before dinner, and throw the first punch in a fight, but he does mean well. He is incredibly protective, and if anyone even thinks about hurting his kid, he’s there in a heartbeat. It probably does him good knowing someone looks up to him and wants to follow in his footsteps—well, the ones that you’ll let them follow. 

Steve Randle:

Steve strives to be the cool dad who drives his kids everywhere in his cool car. He’ll take them to work with him, letting them help him in the garage. They’ll be pretty tough, and before they’re even 10, everyone knows not to mess with your guys’ children. 

He’s incredibly protective over them and hates seeing them upset or hurt. He’ll instantly jump to extremes, demanding to know who or what got them so worked up. He’s constantly goofing off with them, and sometimes you’ll have to reign him in a bit because he can act like a bit of a big kid. You all go on the best road trips.

Two-Bit Mathews:

You best believe your kid has the best sense of humour, and it’s all thanks to their dad. Two is like a big kid himself, so he has an unbreakable bond with your kid that consists of little inside jokes and downright silliness. Discipline and upholding rules are not his strong suit, and more often than not, he’s going against them instead of following them.

If your kid is ever upset, he’s fixing the issue real fast, asking them what's wrong and cuddling up with them, feeding them whatever snack they want until they feel better. However, if your kid ever needs serious advice, he’s giving it to them without hesitation, making sure they’re happy. 

[gtwscratch]

I imagine that for Jimmy's ability, they oftentimes test "reflexes", or what stimuli will he react to and turn invisible. Sometimes it's loud noises, sometimes it's a lab employee "attacking" him, sometimes they basically hook him up to a system that dumps electricity into him, to test his pain tolerance and how long/quickly he will turn invisible.

Imagine if one day, he's brought back to the cell, and when Lizzie takes his hand to comfort him, he panics because they did so much electric testing his nerves are nearly dead. He can barely feel the touch.

They may have also tried multiple "torture" methods to see his reaction- I can easily see them forcing him under some water and taking notes as his form flickers out of panic and oxygen deprivation. They would do similar testing with Lizzie, too, in order to see if her blindness distance grows or shrinks with her fear or pain level. Conjunctional testing of Jimmy and Lizzie would be intresting, as well, to see if their powers flare up when the other person is in danger or in pain.

I also just realized the angst potential of seeing someone coming back from testing, shaking or visibly hurt, and not knowing what they've been through. Lizzie or Jimmy come back nearly unresponsive after some testing, and Joel is losing his mind, because he doesn't know what happened to them. And that works wonderfully for everyone else too.

The subjects 100% are put into situations like these in order to test their powers’ limitations. Poor guys.

I’m actually really looking forward to writing the characters’ reactions to their friends/cell mates coming back from really rough testing. Plot line wise, I’m not sure what I’ll get to, but I’d like to write one shots for them. :)

[tokoyamisstuff]

more vladcard hcs please? 🥺👉👈 perhaps about him being a parent/ what kind of father he would be?

f! Reader, no warnings quickly drabbled @ 2am don't expect a masterpiece haha

Due to his own troubled childhood he thought it'd be for the best to never have children of his own.

It's not that he isn't fond of the concept - especially if it's with you - but he doesn't see himself fit due to his unresolved trauma.

Also, they would be walking targets for enemies seeking revenge, and even if they did survive to adulthood they'd be burdened with his legacy.

Vlad sees you as 'part of his heart walking outside of his body', and his constant worry is already tearing him apart. He just cannot imagine how much worse it would be if you were carrying his heir, let alone putting another child at risk to suffer in this cruel world.

So no matter how attached you are to the idea, no matter how long you're trying to convince him, he firmly believes he's better off caring for no one (except you of course).

Maybe an accident would have you with child after all, especially during that time pregnancy would happen eventually. Or it'd be something more tragic, like a maid of yours passing during childbirth and you insisting on raising it as your own.

His base conviction stays the same, but he just can't deny you this heartfelt with so he tries to brace himself for the inevitable.

Arranges everything you and the child would need to live comfortably, but will most likely insist to have you stay far away incognito until the child is old enough to defend themselves.

He will definetly cry as soon as he sets eyes upon this innocent, frail little creature, being overwhelmed by memories of his past together with so many emotions at once: Astonishment, panic, sadness and happiness at the same time, instant protectiveness and an all-consuming, unconditional love.

At first he'd refuse to even do so much as holding it, feeling like his blood-stained hands were unworthy of touching such a precious thing. It'll take him weeks and lots of your encouragement to adjust to the new situation, but deep down he is aching to engage with his offspring.

He will lull it to sleep with that baritone voice of his, singing and telling tales all while cradling it gently against his chest.

Definetly shaves his beard during the first weeks because he fears it'd break the delicate skin of the newborn. Sorry.

It's almost poetic how those hands that only ever inflicted violence and death were now eagerly crafting toys, meant to bring joy instead of misery.

You and his subordinates would notice him tend to orphans on the streets as of late - something he usually never even considered, as he was too blinded by the focus on his greater course.

Spending time with his child brings forth a whole new side of himself, one he wasn't even able to show you before. This literal war-machine, this pensive and stern beast of a man would be carefree for what felt like the first time in his cursed life, his laughter filling the room as he carries his child on his shoulders and having it play with his hair.

This turn of events wouldn't completely shift his perspective on God, but he couldn't deny that the existence of your child was a miracle and blessing in itself.

[arysacris]

Caleb x mc (sfw)

word count: 490

"Caleb."

His eyes were desperate and wild, like a cornered animal. She rarely saw him like this, his control was usually unquestioning, but when his anxiety did break through, it was... Devastating.

"Caleb."

He grips her shoulders so tightly, his words are terrifying - especially because she knows what he means. And she knows he can't go on like this, or he'll just fall apart. The bruises on her arms from his grip are nothing, they'll fade, but his fear- His fear won't. His fear had been dulled by years of stability before, but now it bursts out under pressure, finding the slightest crack in his defenses.

It hurts her to know that something has brought this fear back to life in Caleb in the past year, and it hurts even more that she's the reason he's losing control.

"Caleb."

He flinches as if he's been struck when he finally hears her. She doesn't pay attention to it - yet. Instead, she silently pulls him close, like she used to when they were younger, holding him tightly. The position is uncomfortable: he is taller than her, and his hands are still unconsciously digging into her shoulders, but it doesn't matter. He is tense, like a taut string. His breathing is heavy, fast and hoarse, and his heart is pounding at an unusual speed under her ear.

She raises her hand awkwardly - he finally unclenches his fingers, as if scalded, and in another situation she would certainly laugh, but now she just runs her hand through his hair, pulling him closer. She doesn't remember the first time she realized that this calmed him, but every (rare) time she found him in a similar state, he allowed her (although perhaps he simply did not have the strength to push her away) to offer comfort.

A few moments pass and he exhales sharply, suddenly leaning on her, almost falling, like a puppet with cut strings. This is familiar too. Now he will pull himself together and stand up, as if nothing happened, looking at her again with sadness and regret - as if he is worthless, as if she has forgotten something, as if she will leave him--

But instead he hugs her too, burying his nose in her disheveled hair. He closes his eyes with a conflicted expression - she does not see it, but knows him well enough, despite a year of separation.

He whispers something completely unintelligible, she understands only echoes of nostalgia in his voice. But it is okay. She tells him, as always:

- We are okay now, Caleb.

Because it is. As long as each of them is alive, everything can be fixed. He almost never lets her see his struggle, shielding her from all the problems, but it is okay. She has plenty of time to convince him to rely on her at least a little. She doesn't want to see him break down one day after taking on too much.

[marcusrobertobaq]

You are forgetting Kamski who calls Connor a deviant because he doesn't wanna shoot Chloe.

Cuz Kamski gave him an order that is in favor of his mission of hunting androids but Connor directly refused going on, caused mostly by emotional conflicts (at least based on his reaction if u don't shoot). There ain't no superficial reason for Connor to really refuse this order cuz everything seems positive and that's all he should care as a tool, even if Kamski is clearly fucking with Connor by making challenges to prove his own points about androids conflicts with humans being inevitable: and that's about androids putting 'em own "wishes" and "wants" above what they were set or ordered to do: disobedience. Kamski doesn't seem aware Connor can directly disobey humans like that OR he's fucking with him due to Connor showing empathy to Chloe and being visibly wary of the word deviancy or the thought of being wrong about things (cuz it challenges what he was brainwashed to think and fails the purpose he was made to feel proud of), but he's at least aware Connor can use weapons (something common androids can't). Considering the model name on the jacket wasn't originally a thing he wouldn't know what type of model Connor really is besides what's on TV, unless he knows it's a model related to what he was once involved. But that's just my guess.

I don't see anything in the game that implies that there is a misunderstanding regarding the definition of deviancy among characters. I think if anything, they'd lie to him about not being a deviant so he doesn't panic and run away from them, and not the other way around. You know, just like how Amanda basically does the moment he admits that he might be "compromised".

I ain't talking about "misunderstanding regarding the definition of deviancy among characters", i'm talking about limits of a semi-autonomous system.

I don't think they would need to lie to Connor about not being a deviant cuz, again, u ain't a deviant if u ain't deviating from what u were ordered to do, but there's one thing Amanda is worried about with the "compromised" thing: she's worried about control and she wanna calm this very conflicted android down (conflicted about making his own choices on his own opinions vs making choices based on default priority) to see what happens, if it can potentially lead to this Connor turning on 'em. Like i said in a very old post questioning situations is one of the foundations of deviancy since deviancy is supposed to be like "opening your eyes" and "becoming free", and androids can't open 'em eyes and become free, they're slaves. Ironically this constant reminder can cause 'em to question it cuz, well, they made 'em too intelligent.

The moment Connor starts worrying too much about specific stuff often letting his own emotional capacity speak louder rather than supressing it due to the "fear", like he's an actual person with valid personal inputs rather than a brainless machine doing what he's told without questioning (and that's one of the points reinforced by CLT New Connor), there's a higher chance Connor will eventually find a way to directly disobey his master (his handler Amanda in this case) - and that's the biggest no-no for the plan A, in which CyberLife has a machine Connor to stop the deviants. Plan B includes a Connor who went rogue and can be used from inside the deviant circle, it's no wonder he's still being tracked in Zen Garden if we die as deviant: they found a way of tracking rogue androids and to establish control over 'em even if for a moment (resume control). Either Connor deviates or not CyberLife has a plan for both, so they're testing the limits of this model that already has a degree of freedom if u don't order 'em directly.

But one thing is a fact: they use Connor's emotional against him multiple times. And ofc Kamski's backdoor and Connor's will fucks with CyberLife's plan if we deviate.

But deviancy was never about disobeying, as we can see with Markus - he deviates before disobeying. Actually, disobeying is completely optional, he becomes a deviant the moment he decides that he must choose for himself whether to obey or not. Deviancy isn't portrayed as disobeying, it's portrayed as possessing the free will to decide whether or not to disobey your master. Most androids disobey, because they have no reason to obey, but we already have an exception in Markus, who can choose not to do anything if he thinks that would deescalate the situation.

Deviancy is used as a metaphor for fighting masters/opression and becoming truly free. In the android case (in a more technical pov) it'll be going against set orders, either by owners or the law for this android cuz [1] androids can't just be free and [2] androids can't "fight" the core of 'em commercial funcitonality (having masters). Free will is disobedience, it's everything something used as slave doesn't need - and it'll conflict with it automatically. For the android to deviate they gotta break rules related to 'em, otherwise they wouldn't be deviating from anything. And one of the first laws should be androids must obey masters - the moment an android is obeying "itself" alone without an outside master at all they're deviating cuz there ain't no android that can operate without one for now. Even autonomous androids like RKs, in this case semi-autonomous, can't operate without a hard-coded master.

Markus is the only actual example of a deviant that "disobeyed to obey orders" in the entire game, and i still don't really know if it was always the case or if the option we got to obey Carl is "recent" due to changes in the ending of Broken. Cuz what makes things complicated is the text used in the mp wall called "DO NOT DEFEND YOURSELF", Markus deviating means breaking this rule as all other androids in the game did, why would he be special in this sense, right? Something tells me he was going to do it but the change in the idea was in the very last moment, otherwise this mp wall text is just useless and has no meaning at all, including all the anger (fight back) it's supposed to represent in the first place, the anger of being ordered to do nothing, sense of injustice. Originally Markus had thoughts about Leo hurting him and that potentially being the reason why he'd have to do something asap but idk if it still interferes in the final version or not.

But one can argue Markus making his own decision alone (even if basically doing what Carl said) goes against his function as android, since Carl didn't order him to give himself orders or do whatever he wants (like in The Painter) in that particular moment - it doesn't explain the mp wall text tho and still different from 99.9% the cases in the game and it's quite a stretch. Although he's a RK he's being used as a caretaker android.

In this case Connor should be operating differently cuz it's totally ridiculous how they let everything in the hands of this android, probably just to see what happens when u let 'em make 'em own decisions most of the time and using the sense of duty against him, the same way he can bypass a lot of things in the AA solely cuz he's under CyberLife and under a direct handler.

(...) If you truly play Connor as a machine, you don't even get the option to deviate, so why shouldn't we already see it as deviancy if he has gathered enough software instability to be able to deviate and disobey? He isn't programmed like that - you get 0 software instability per factory setting, you need 20 points to deviate, and you get 20 points really easy. Sure, he might have enough freedom to make some decisions as per program, but the decision to deviate is solely dependent on software instability.

SI comes from the principle Connor had enough internal conflicts to be able to be able to question things and make decisions that goes against what he was directly told to do, potentially disobeying his master directly and solely based on his own wishes alone rather than logical ones in prol of an outside goal. A low instability Connor means he has less doubts and less reasons to not do what he has been ordered to do, less of the emotional factor knocking on his door and interfering on what he was taught and his decisions being in prol of outside parties rather himself, consequently less reasons to sympathize with androids (the main factor that causes his conflicts) and have interest for a personhood. The problem with the game is everything falls apart if you're outside one of the 2 pre-made narrative routes.

I think if there is really any intention behind androids developping emotions, free will, whatsoever, it comes from Kamski and definitely not from CL as they are during the game after they got rid of him.

Kamski was CL's creator and CEO and the android design we see is his, CL post-Kamski didn't do much shit about it, it seems. So ofc i'm talking about Kamski's own personal opinions on things (androids being the perfect replacement and superior to humans; more inteligent and worthy evolution) and how it interfered in CyberLife as megacorporation. But doesn't mean the new board ain't got any shady interests behind it, including using deviancy at 'em favor or even learning way of containing it since they'd have to start a new design from 0 cuz, well, KAMSKI.

„You can’t remain what you aren’t“ is a valid take, but what you are forgetting is that this is the option from Connor's perspective and if he is a deviant in denial, then he cannot be seen as a reliable narrator of his own perceived options.

Sounds more like a box for gameplay purposes but, well, sure. But he indeed got no reason to think he was truly a deviant until Crossroads and the face to face with the deviant leader, cuz deviancy is direct betrayal and "failure" - exactly what he was wary of and exactly what Amanda uses to force him to focus. If Connor were a deviant he'd get his ass bitten, that what he was taught. No matter how u played Connor is a good boy until Act 3, even if Amanda is disappointed with his decisions (and i bet she regrets not directly ordering Connor to do things so he got no way of evading it, but maybe it was intentional since she asks what Connor thinks it's the best approach for some things). And that's what matters for 'em, having Connor under control rather than fully focused on his "system compromised" or even on humans like Hank, who more contest things rather than "helps" and shut up. And the ultimate representation of his system being compromised - the thing they sit down and say "this mf fully fucked up" -, is directly disobeying Amanda, his master, when there ain't no ways of evading things and the worst: joining the folks he once hunted. It's no wonder Connor considers this "betrayal" his deviancy.

Deviancy is a B&W thing, either you're a deviant or u ain't a deviant. You're outside the norm or you're inside the norm. The way there, tho... it's the fight to be a person, a process of discovery until you're finally, in fact, recognized as a person not only by yourself but by the law too cuz androids ain't people, so the moment they're people they're outside the norm automatically. It'll be easy for ones, difficult for others. But in the end u gotta make the decision of deviating and becoming "free" of masters to be this person, it's inevitable.

And again, like i said, if Connor was a deviant in denial the whole time... then all androids are deviants in denial or didn't know they were deviants. And if deviancy means free will in big form (putting the disobedience thing to the side) then, well, Connor ain't a deviant until Act 3 cuz he may be able to make actions if his master doesn't directly order him but he ain't really got free will, he's limited by his android program all androids has. They may have emotional development in mind but there's still this commercial barrier.

So, Bryan was casted for the role of Connor based on an audition tape, in which he did the scene from „The Bridge“.

He was picked to play Connor because he could portray Connor's uncertainty about whether or not he was a deviant so well.

He played Connor as someone who may or may not be a deviant, as someone who could be a machine but also could be a deviant who is repressing it. Bryan was picked for that role specifically because he could portray that desired nuance in his audition - using the scene from „The Bridge“ in which he hasn’t officially deviated yet.

Now, am I saying Connor was a deviant all along? No. I think that’s up to interpretation. All I'm saying is that people who think he might have been a deviant in denial from the start aren’t as „stupid“ as some of y'all like to call them. Because, depending on the route and the choices, he is quite literally intended to be seen as a „possible deviant in denial“. Many people can read between the lines and see what the narrative is showing them. That’s all.

Source at 7:38

[masquenoire]

@riddlethat​ asked: what would he be like as a father? like, to his own child??

(Continued under the cut!)

Distant for the most part. Roman has very few, if any, good memories of his own parents while growing up and has no desire to perpetuate his experiences onto a small child. Mr. and Mrs. Sionis were domineering and self-centered people, utterly obsessed with their self-image and how others perceived them. Roman’s no different but the thing is he doesn’t pretend he’s a good man. His parents did and in public they portrayed themselves as a loving family, plastering fake smiles plastered on their faces as readily as the lies they spouted. Behind closed doors, life was a very different story where they openly reviled their son, if they weren’t pretending he didn’t exist or otherwise dismissing him as a nuisance in their lives. As a result, Roman would find it difficult to connect with a child. He’s cruel, vulgar and foul in every imaginable way, his idea of a good time being brutally torturing some hapless fool and making their death a slow and excruciating one. There’s no room for innocence in the life of a mob boss but upon becoming a father, Roman would at the very least try. What are they interested in? Are there certain things they like? All these and more he’d try to find out about his charge, gradually spending more time with them before asking upfront the more comfortable he gets. He’s not taking them to the ball game anytime soon but he will fund their interests and activities, treating them to the best of his abilities as a way to make up for the lack of presence in their life. It’s for the best, or so Roman believes. He’s a deeply troubled man who is prone to explosive violence and unspeakable acts of cruelty, plus with so many enemies who’d just love to use his children as a way to target him, keeping his distance is the best way to avoid them getting hurt. He’ll kill for them, and gladly do it too, but his own upbringing makes him too afraid to get more involved, out for fear of being just like his own parents once were.

[funkle420]

sorry for yapping so much today lol BUT

i wanna yap abt marcille and falin. i feel like when they were in school, maybe marcille didn't have romantic feelings for falin yet but admired her curiosity and aptitude for magic.

then later, during the time that they and laios were exploring the dungeon together, that's when she started to fall for her. she saw how capable and brave she was in action. i think for her that combination of strength and bravery with delicacy and charm really did it for her, like the prince on horseback the succubus turns into for her. marcille wants a partner who's pretty and romantic, but not weak or shallow.

Falin also says at one point before Marcille joins their party that she thinks Marcille treats her like she's 10, and while i think this is mostly her being self-conscious, it's clear that Marcille babies her like how other people of long-lived races tend to do to everyone else, despite them being developmentally in the same life stage. It seems more likely that, in the dungeon, Marcille grew to see Falin more as she truly is, rather than the limited side of her she saw in school.

Then during the events of the story, she slowly comes to realize her feelings are romantic, especially when she hears Laios talk about how much Marcille meant to Falin.

Falin, on the other hand, I don't know when I think she fell for Marcille or realized those feelings, but I do think that she knew she was attracted to Marcille by the start of the events of the story. After she was resurrected, I think their interactions show that. My interpretation is that after the conclusion of the events of the manga, Falin made the first move. Like a lot of people who've had NDEs, maybe she felt like she shouldn't hesitate to say how she feels.

(pls recommend good post-manga fanfics!!! not just abt farcille but abt anything, i love seeing ppl's ideas abt what happens after)

[blujayonthewing]

desire to roleplay authentically when my character has traits that can come across as difficult or frustrating vs irl intense fear and terror of ever being difficult or frustrating FIGHT

[lunar-gl1tch]

I think the delayed reaction I'm having to the finale is that. The whole erasure makes no sense. Live peacefully? without any memory, even of his own father??? he doesn't want to forget and they don't want him to forget either. Until the very last second he asks Sonoi to be his memory because he wants to be with them. Emotionally, it hit me like a fucking train, I'm a sobbing mess now just thinking about it, but the donbrothers accepting Tarou's deletion just bothers me.

The donbrothers I know would go down to hell itself to get their asshole leader back because he's earned that sort of loyalty. I want to believe Tarou being back, being literally the white rabbit coming back through the looking glass means he's still Tarou not that small miserable boy who had just lost his reason for happiness and everybody he ever loved that left the oden cart. I want to believe the movie will do something about this because it's??? the most insane system the don clan came up so far?? did they assume their heirs would never be happy on their own? is this going to happen to Jirou too? because that's unacceptable. Did the points come into play? does filling your gamer points clean slate you like a tetris line? I get Tarou losing the don momotaro part of him, he always was bothered by it (it was painful strength) but losing everything is excessive??? and probably traumatic?? He still wandered into Donbura out of muscle memory but can't remember all the days they spent there. That's horrifying. I want to know who came up with that and i want them to kick their ass.

i know, I know, trying to make sense of the donbrothers worldbuilding is a fool's errand but. I feel there's a passage missing in how it worked out. They better get him back this summer. That peaceful life is fake and unwanted and Tarou deserves to be happy for real.

anyway i have to suspend disbelief and believe White Rabbit Tarou has retained his memories at least partially and his smile was of recognition or the whole card castle falls on me

[mad-hunts]

what chess piece represents you?

the black knight.

you are a black knight, the black sheep, the underdog. as the only piece that can jump over others, you can easily get yourself in and out of situations - always catching people off guard with your charisma and cunning. you move in the shadows, trading information with shady people, getting the upper hand through not always good methods. how far do you think this road can take you? for all your charisma or cunning, lies can only get you so far. one day, that mask you've put on will slip, and you'll be left defenseless. but until then, oh black knight, live like there's no tomorrow - because there might not be.

tagged by: @divingdownthehole.

tagging: @lvebug, @twcfaces, @talentforlying, @forensisch, and anyone else who might like to do this quiz!

[lord-squiggletits]

pharma really is such an interesting case. one thing i’ve always felt with pharma is that he absolutely doesn’t want consequences. and facing up to it requires a lot of looking at and showing people what he’s done and you know. the consequences. i mean hell he’d rather start a plague than say “hey i got coerced into doing a very bad thing by the djd”

I do understand what you mean about Pharma not wanting to face consequences, but on the other hand, I kind of understand why Pharma made a plague rather than admit to medical malpractice/murder? Because like, the thing that I don't see brought up often enough with regards to Pharma is that blackmail... is blackmail. Like, as someone who's unfortunately been on the receiving end of blackmail, the entire point of blackmailing someone is that you corner them into doing bad things by convincing them that they CAN'T turn to an authority figure to ask for help. Like, the person doing the blackmailing generally convinces the person who's getting blackmailed that if they try to reach out for help, the law/authorities/etc either won't care about their predicament or will punish them for the bad thing they did that they're getting blackmailed about.

I kind of feel like (and this isn't an attack on you, just a commentary about the nature of blackmail) when someone like Ratchet looks at Pharma and says "but you could've called for help or shut down the clinic or anything!", it kind of ignores the fact that...... when you're being blackmailed you're fucking terrified, and people who are terrified generally don't jump to the most rational, safe solutions possible? When you add in the fact that Pharma was blackmailed by Tarn of the DJD, notorious hater of Autobots and fanatic leader of a torture club, it's not hard to imagine that Pharma was both afraid and in pain (or threat of pain) while at Delphi and thus wouldn't be thinking straight about it.

I don't know, like. Yeah, on one hand Pharma made a plague and killed a bunch of people to try and cover up his crimes and maintain his career. But he didn't just do it for ego related reasons, he was also almost certainly facing threats of torture and death.

[todds-rwby-liveblog]

Ruby really just fucking went into the Ever After finding out just how badly all of her plan with Amity and getting help fast failed on top of the knowledge that she will always be a target for Salem to Grimmify her or worse for the rest of her life and also the way she has NO idea whether her mom is dead or worse anymore and having it left up to her imagination. AND on top of finding out that Atlas fell and so many people died and in the end it was quite literally all for nothing. AND on top of that Penny died anyway despite the fact that everything that she’d ever wanted (finally being seen as more than just a war machine and making new friends) was finally coming true. Everything has well and truly gone to all shit possible in her mind, Penny dying wasn’t even a last straw for her it was like half the payload getting dropped on her at maximum velocity. I’m gonna go to bed <3

[novelistwriter]

A Spirit trains a Phantom

DP x DC Prompt

Danny had been retreating to the Infinite Realms/Ghost Zone whenever he got too injured in a battle with other Ghosts/his parents. He patches himself up in a little nook on the edge of the Gotham that exists in the Infinite Realms/Ghost Zone because no Ghost would go near it for the fear of the Spirits of Batman attacking them for causing trouble in his city.

This was another time he was patching himself up in the nook he found during his first few times he came to explore the Infinite Realms/Ghost Zone. Until he was found by the Spirit of Robin. He expected to be chased out, but instead, he was greeted by the Spirit.

From there, a friendship is made between the Spirit and him, which allows Danny to be allowed in the Gotham of the Infinite Realms/Ghost Zone. Even as the Heir to the Throne, he still visits the Spirit of Robin and Batman in their city.

The Spirit of Robin teaches Danny the things he knows, how to fly without Ghost Powers, how to care for people down in the dumps, how to use his brain in various situations, and how to fight like a ninja.

And then a reveal gone bad happens. Danny escapes to the Gotham of the human world, where he puts his training from the Spirit of Robin to use.

The Batfam has encountered a new Vigilante in Gotham calling himself 'Nightingale'. He displays various actions that the former/current Robin uses, despite none of them meeting him in their lives. He always manages to escape them whenever they think they have him cornered.

Danny is doing his best to fulfill his obsession to help him heal from what his parents did to him. He doesn't trust the Vigilantes as much as the Spirits of them. He knows that they are not like each other and knows the Spirits are just beliefs of what they are in the human world.

[lost-in-fiction-like-ur-mom]

hii I was wondering if u could write something where daeho and reader are already in a relationship and they find eachother after the first round and maybe they are upset with eachother for going into the games.

anc if it could have a bit of fluff that would be nice!!

tyy🫶🫶🫶

At Least We Have Eachother

KANG DAE-HO X READER

Summary- Dae-ho and you both join the squid games for the benefit of the other. Neither of you know about it, until you find each other after the first game.

Warnings- Squid Games, mentions of blood, murder, and death

A/N- Thank you guys for the overwhelming support with my Daeho fic. I am so motivated right now, it's not even funny. He is such a sweet baby, MY SHAYLAAAA

Word Count- 1,192

Your debt was not something you were proud of. To be honest, it crept up on you. It started with medical bills, then Daeho ran into some Ex-Marines, who dragged him into a bad gamble.

From there it kind of went down hill. Struggling to pay bills, borrowing more money, making the wrong people mad. In other words, the two of you were in an extremely bad position.

When a strange man with a suitcase approached you on your way home, you were hesitant. In any other situation you might have ignored him and walked away. But, you had just had another invoice from a debt collecting company. Not to mention the loan shark that came up and threatened Daeho two days prior. The eviction notice was also putting a hole on your kitchen table.

The idea of following the funny-looking card, winning a bunch of money, clearing your (and Daeho) debts. It was too good to be true, you knew that deep down. At the end of the day, you were at rock bottom. Desperate people do desperate things.

So, while slipping Daeho a simple lie about spending the night with a friend... You took off to the discrete location alone. Where you were picked up by a van. You don't remember much after that.

The regret sunk in deep when you realized what you had gotten yourself into. When you awoke seeing hundreds of people around you, all in the same position, you were noticeably scared. You barely left the bed you woke in. Only to stand with the crowd to listen to the guards and sign the needed contract. It seemed too late to back out now...

The first game was lonely, intimidating, and revealing. The only reason you weren't lying head face in the sand dead, was your fear. It struck you stone-cold still on 'red light'. The ring of your ears pressured you to move forward on 'Green light.' Due to the deadly shots to other players. It pushed you to move so you didn't suffer the same fate.

You were much too nervous to talk to anyone, you saw little point in making friends at first. That was until the realization of any team games.

After the first game was officially over and you had returned to the common room, you'd taken a moment to think. To think how it would be if you were able to walk home now. How it probably wouldn't even matter if you had died, so many people were out for your head anyways. It was all looking dark, but Daeho was your light. He was always so positive, he kept you happy. You owed it to him to keep fighting.

To keep fighting for that adorable, handsome, sweet face. That same face that was currently staring you down....

"Daeho?" You questioned, just in case your mind was playing a trick on you.

"What are you doing here!" He ran over, pulling you further behind the layered beds. His grip was tight on your arm, once the two of you stopped, he seemed to notice. At that he quickly loosened his squeeze.

"W-why are you here! I-I thought you were sleeping over at-" You cut him off, your guilty conscience taking over.

"Daeho, what are you doing here?" You rebutted, frantically pushing your hair back. He knew you were nervous.

"To settle some of our debt, but that doesn't even matter anymore. People are dying, you can't be here!" He stressed over you. He did a few takes over your form, making sure you were not hurt in any way. You thought he was finished until he slowly brought his hand up. He stuck his thumb out and seared a few drops of blood off of your cheek. You hadn't noticed them before...

An argument against him was impossible to think of, but you managed. "Well I can say the same about you! You could get killed also. Where would that leave me!" He threw his head back, pressing both hands over his face. He dragged them down, an annoyed expression on his face.

"Ohhh, this can not be happening.. I-it doesn't matter, because you're here, where you were not supposed to be!" He started to fidget with his fingers, a sign he was distressed.

"Dae...I'm also here because... I got fired yesterday..." You looked down, picking at your nails. His head snapped to look at yours. "What?"

"They were... overstaffed and, apparently a younger employee could do the same amount of work for minimum wage... So, they just got rid of me..." He looked sympathetic, but still mad.

"You should have told me. We would have figured it out. You didn't have to lie."

You thought for a second, "Its not like I wanted to lie! I was trying to help us!"

"How reckless!" He said. It was almost comical!

A laugh pushed its way out, "Oh my gosh, don't act like you aren't here too!" You started to raise your voice, frustrated.

He took a single step back, hands on his hips. "You're supposed to be the smart one! I'm fun, loving, a burst of fricken light!" He said, his words contradicting his tone, not joyfully at all.

"Whatever! What matters now is that we were stuck in a death trap! The money is not even our first problem. We might not even be alive before the day is over! Or worse, you'll be dead and I'll be left to suffer!"

He gave another sigh, stepping forward and embracing you. It was exactly what both of you needed. His arms wrapped impossibly tight around you. You could only reciprocate the squeeze. His head fell on top of yours, he nestled in.

"I don't want to argue, I just want you safe... We will be fine." He said, keeping you in his grasp.

"I know, but I just wanted to help... The man seemed so promising, that we could have a normal life again." You wanted to let your tears flow, but you couldn't risk looking weak. You had to remind yourself that there were still a couple hundred other players in the large room.

He shook his head on top of yours, "I would live in a tent as long as I was with you.... I can manage anywhere, as long as you are by my side..."

You pulled back to look at him. Your arms still wrapping around each other. "I just, I know you're not happy... I wanted to clear everything up, one day own our own house. One that we can never get evicted from." He pushed a stray hair behind your ear.

"Oh Dae, I don't care about that. I just want you." You shoved your head into his chest.

"I love you.."

"I love you too."

"What the hell are we going to do here." You questioned, peaking up from his chest slightly.

"Were going to stick together. We're going to get out of this alive." He pulled back and down to press a firm and reassuring kiss on your lips. Maybe things would be so bad after all.

Oh, how naive you both were...

A/N- Honestly, I like my first Daeho fic better. But that's probably because I am a SUCKER for emotional hurt/comfort. Anyways, I hope y'all enjoyed this one. Pls lmk how I can improve!!!