#I am both and neither of these characters

[cybrasigilism]

could u maybe do like mutual virginity loss with player 125? like both of them r so shy and awkward,, i think it would be adorable.,.

So Anxious (Park Min-su/Player 125 X F! Reader SMUT)

warning: smut, no way | not proofread | lowercase intended | sub x sub | virginity loss | riding | this is my interpretation of this character, please be respectful even if my opinions of the character differ from your own

character: park min-su (player 125)

A/N: decided to make this one an out of the games kinda post! i absolutely adore the idea of the reader being just as shy and nervous about the whole ordeal as min-su, thank you for the cute request! hope you enjoy :)

MDNI! 18+ content beneath the cut, reader’s discretion is advised

➤ since you were both serious about having you first be with someone special, you guys definitely tried to talk it out beforehand. but you both ended up becoming too flustered to really continue.

“how are we gonna be able to do it if we can’t even talk about it?”

“i don’t know…i still want to though..”

➤ when you guys eventually decided to get to it, you initiated the kiss but pulled away almost immediately, covering your face sheepishly.

“sorry! am i moving too fast?”

“n-not at all!” (he was definitely blushing himself, conflicted whether or not to hide the tent in his pants considering what you two were trying to do here)

➤ at first, you guys tried making out in the typical position— you being underneath him. but, you could tell min-su wasn’t exactly confident like this, so you guys switched up to where you would be straddling him. this drove him nuts of course

➤ once you guys got into the groove of things, your nerves began to calm. sure you were both shaking, but it had a bit more to do with the sheer anticipation now coursing through your bodies each time your lips met. it wasn’t made any better when min-su eventually snuck his hands up your shirt, caressing your bare back with his cold palms. the noise you made startled him, which you felt bad for

“oh, i’m sorry.. was that too much?”

“no! no, your hands are just c-cold.. that’s all..”

“ah, did you want me to stop or-“

you shake your head “feels nice, don’t stop on my account.”

➤ you’re unsure if you should at first, but you start to grind on him, drawing a unexpected moan from beneath the kiss you were currently sharing. you broke the kiss as you started to subconsciously grind harder, avoiding eye contact out of embarrassment at the expression that must have been painting your face just then. you could tell min-su was repressing his voice just as much as you were your own— you were both positively petrified to make any sound at all, in fact. but, some stifled moans made their way past as he shifted his grasp from your back to your hips.

➤ when you guys actually ended up having sex, it was a swift matter for both parties. i mean, let’s be real here. you were both completely inexperienced virgins, you couldn’t be surprised that you guys both wound up cumming fast. however swift it may have been, you enjoyed it nonetheless. he wasn’t too big, so it didn’t hurt too badly, but it was enough to make you feel better than your fingers ever could.

➤ oh yeah, and you guys could forget about masking those moans of yours any longer. the moment you sank down onto his dick, min-su was a goner. you had never heard him make such a sound in all your life, and you even asked him if he was alright initially. sure, you may not have been so vocal at first contact, but as soon as you started moving that completely turned on its head.

➤ after the fact, you both just kind of laid there next to one another. silent. come on, you had just changed the trajectory of your friendship forever, that was a lot to process. after a moment though, you both found that neither of you could wipe those stupid grins off your faces. you had just changed the entire path of your friendship, forever. and you were both okay with that

AAAA thank you so much for this adorable request! i absolutely loved writing some soft smut, however short it may have been :) thanks for reading again, and i’ll see you on the next one!

as always, any advice/constructive criticism on how to improve my writing is appreciated and requested! have a fantastic day/night lovelies 💋💋

tags: @gongyoosgf @strangelife122 @agorsnotworld @luvlyfandoms @putrescentpoet

[iguessitsjustme]

When It Rains It Pours Ep 3 & 4 Thoughts

Listen. I am currently at work and not about to watch this show (for at least a few more hours) but I after deciding to wait to watch the next episode and sleeping on it, my little brain wheels started turning and I have some thoughts to get out about the first two episodes before I start the next one. So this time there is more than just a liveblog under the cut:

I wrote that and then immediately had to actually do work. Alas. Anygay

So I was thinking about why the relationship between our boy and his girlfriend felt off to me and I think I puzzled it out. She takes immaculate care of his nails. To the point that other people notice. But his nails are where her care starts and ends. He is initiating all of their conversations basically. She will engage with him but she won't start anything. Except the nail thing. It's why he wants her to be jealous. Because then he will have some sort of proof that she cares. Cause at this point it doesn't feel like she cares about him as a person. She cares about his nails and their appearance because if they look bad that is a poor reflection on her as a girlfriend. But his actual well being and how he feels? She's not present for it. Sure, she'll turn around before she leaves and asks for a hug, but it's so out of character and out of place that our boy doesn't even realize that's what she's asking for at first. He needs to communicate his needs with words, but he has definitely been indirectly communicating his needs and she's not paying attention. Or she is and she doesn't care. And she is not communicating anything either. Their beds have separated to the point there is a table between them. A clear indicator that what they had before is changed. It can easily be moved back to how it was but neither one of them is doing it. No one is even making an attempt. Who put that bedside table there? Because my bet is that it was her. A signal to him that something had changed, but she doesn't have the guts to actually say it. Or even to admit it to herself probably. Anyway I still think she's cheating.

And now I want to talk about Sei and his boyfriend (?). It seems like Sei has made an awful lot of compromises. Does Sei have any say in anything to do with that relationship? How much of himself has he given? Way too much. And I'm not saying his boyfriend (?) needs to compromise on having sex with him if that's not something he wants. But he can compromise on other things. That's what a relationship is. He gets jealous of Sei having someone else to talk to. But Sei can't be in the apartment because of an interviewer coming over. Sei is obviously a homebody but his boyfriend (?) seems to go out a lot. Does he ever make the time to stay home with Sei. Sei has proven he is willing to leave the apartment for his boyfriend (?). So why not invite him to something. Even if it's just the two of them. Why is Sei supposed to give up all of himself and have no control over anything at all?

Okay. That's a lot of words and I haven't even started episode 3. I didn't even mention the plastic umbrellas. Lord jesus.

OKAY. The fact that she TOLD him he has rice on his face instead of removing it for him. Something is not right. She doesn't love him. At least not any more. They don't have any sense of domesticity.

Oh so not boyfriends. Best friends. Okay that tracks. Except the jealousy thing. Also Sei has still given waaaayyyy too much of himself to this dude. He needs to be free to be himself. There's something there about being closeted.

I am watching. I am listening. I am learning. *hyper focuses on arms full of umbrellas*

Man I really wish I had the spoons to talk about the music in this show cause it is phenomenal. Someone remind me this weekend. That is if anyone wants that.

Something something framing. My brain is currently hibernating.

They are about to find out aren't they? God bless.

THEY BOTH EMAILED ABOUT THE STATUE. ARE THEY NOW GONNA LOOK AT EACH OTHER?

God bless.

Episode 4 time? Episode 4 time. (but only if this truck goes away it's shaking my whole apartment.)

Truck is gone. I am free. Episode 4 let me look at ya with my eyeballs

…have I mentioned that I haven't been getting much sleep lately?

Something something going down an escalator. He's going down. Towards hell? Making poor decisions cause he's gonna cheat on his girlfriend? Going to hell because he's going to learn about his attraction to men? And obviously gay people go to hell? I need a shot of those two together going up the escalator or I'm gonna scream.

Oh he's me. This is the literal exact thing I would say to my friend in this situation.

Okay I get it. I get it. I'm gonna be thinking about this scene for a while. The way Sei thought the messages as knew them were over. The way instead he was asked out to dinner. Because both of them need each other. They understand each other in a way no one has understood them before. They see themselves in each other. I'm fine. I'm totally and completely fine. Where are the umbrellas.

Oh the toe.

DID HIS FRIEND DESIGN THE CARD HOLDER? IS THAT WHAT THE SOMETHING IS. Or one of the somethings. Everything is connected.

"When he shows his masculine side it kills the mood" girl WHAT. Are you even attracted to him? Do you even like men? Girl. Be so fucking for real right now.

So I hate both of their partners. The girlfriend and the best friend. They are both keeping these two trapped and I HATE it.

Should I watch episode 5? *looks at the time*

[reveriebae]

No friendship

pairing(s) : Jung Wooyoung x reader

word count : 3353

summary : Wooyoung and you share a complicated connection, caught between desire and reluctance to start something serious. After a night of tension and flirty moments, things heat up between you and him, pushing your boundaries and complicating the friendship you two don't want to risk. The chemistry between you and him is undeniable, but both are hesitant to cross that line.

genre : slight smut

warning(s) : includes moments of intense physical attraction, sexual tension, and consensual encounters. There are elements of emotional conflict surrounding the characters’ hesitation to enter a relationship, mixed with steamy moments and explicit language. The narrative also explores the blurred line between friendship and desire, as well as the complications that arise from it. Let me know if I missed anything!

part of Songfic

Minors do not interact, 21+ only!!

🪐smut under the cut 🪐

The night was still young when you found yourself in the club, music thumping in the air, heavy with bass that vibrated through your bones. You weren’t looking for anything, not really. You came for the freedom that the lights, the noise, the crowd gave you. A temporary escape from the mundane.

But then you saw him.

Wooyoung. His smile wide, his eyes gleaming with that playful mischief. The guy you knew but didn’t know. He wasn’t a stranger; you’d shared too many late-night conversations, too many moments that bordered on something more, but neither of you had ever crossed that line.

You thought maybe it was for the best. No complications. No messy feelings. Just… friendship. The type of bond that meant you could laugh about anything, but never get too close.

But tonight? The way he was looking at you, leaning casually against the bar, something felt different.

He locked eyes with you, a flicker of something undeniable passing between you. Your heart skipped a beat.

You didn’t know why you’d let it get this far. Why you were letting yourself want more. You didn’t want a relationship. You couldn’t. You weren’t built for it. But there was something about him, the way he moved, the way his confidence and charm clung to him, that made it hard to ignore.

You pushed through the crowd, making your way over to him. Wooyoung’s smirk was quick as he saw you, as if he’d been expecting this. He was never one to shy away from a challenge.

“You look like you’re up to something,” he teased, his voice light, but the way his gaze lingered made it clear there was something beneath the surface.

You leaned against the bar next to him, not quite touching but close enough for the heat between you two to crackle. “I’m not sure if I am. But you definitely seem like you are.”

His laugh was low, almost dangerous, as he turned to face you fully, his shoulder brushing against yours. “Maybe I’m just enjoying the show,” he murmured, eyes flicking to your lips for just a second before he pulled away.

The words hung between you, heavy with unspoken meaning. There was that line again, that line neither of you wanted to cross. The one that could make everything too complicated.

“Or maybe you’re waiting for me to make the first move,” you shot back, unable to hide the edge in your voice.

He paused, his expression flickering for a brief moment before he grinned, that devilish charm back in full force. “Maybe. But I wouldn’t want to mess up what we have.”

You weren’t sure what you were trying to prove. Maybe it was the alcohol in your system, the way the music pulsed in your veins, or maybe it was just the sheer attraction you couldn’t deny. Whatever it was, you weren’t about to back down.

You moved closer, your breath brushing against his neck as you whispered in his ear, “We’ve crossed plenty of lines already, haven’t we?”

Wooyoung’s breath hitched slightly, but he didn’t move. Instead, he shifted, his body pressing just a fraction closer, enough that you could feel the heat radiating off him.

“You think so?” His voice was a whisper, barely audible over the pounding music. “Maybe. But I don’t think you want to get caught in this with me.”

His words were heavy with something that could have been a warning, but you weren’t backing off. Not now. Not when the pull between you two was so damn strong.

“I don’t know what I want,” you admitted, your voice low and shaky as you looked up at him. “But I know I’m not afraid of this.”

For a moment, there was nothing but silence. Then Wooyoung’s hand slid onto your waist, pulling you just a fraction closer until you could feel the tension between you two becoming unbearable.

“I can’t do this, you know,” he said suddenly, eyes darkening as he looked down at you. “I can’t be the guy who ruins what we have. I don’t want to mess this up.”

The weight of his words hit you, and a mix of frustration and desire swirled inside you. He was right, in a way. Neither of you wanted anything to change, yet there you were, caught in the middle of something that felt too real to ignore.

But there was no turning back now. The pull, the heat—it was too much.

“You won’t ruin anything,” you said, your voice barely more than a breath. “You want this just as much as I do.”

Wooyoung’s grip tightened, his eyes dark and intense as he leaned in, his lips brushing against your ear. “You’re sure about that?”

You didn’t answer. You couldn’t. Because you didn’t know. You didn’t know if this was a mistake or if it was the beginning of something neither of you were ready to face. All you knew was that you wanted him.

And when his lips finally met yours, there was no hesitation. No holding back. It was a kiss full of need and something darker, something you couldn’t define.

You both pulled away after a few moments, breathless, your chest rising and falling in sync. Neither of you said anything, but the silence spoke louder than words.

Neither of you was ready for what this might mean, but you both knew there was no turning back.

You weren’t sure what this was going to be, but you weren’t going to let it go either. You weren’t the kind of people who played it safe.

“You don’t have to do this,” he whispered, his voice rough, the tension thick between you two.

“I know,” you replied softly, but the smile on your face was almost predatory. “But I want to.”

Wooyoung’s eyes flashed, and he closed the space between you again, pressing his lips to yours with an urgency that told you both that no matter how hard you tried to deny it, there was no escaping what you were about to step into.

The kiss broke, but neither of you moved away. The space between you was charged with an intensity that neither of you had expected. Wooyoung’s breath was quick against your lips, but his eyes didn’t leave yours. There was a quiet battle in his gaze—want versus restraint. He wasn’t the type to fall into anything without thinking it through. But here you were, tangled up in something neither of you could deny.

“You don’t have to be so serious about it,” you teased, pushing back the wave of emotions crashing in your chest. “It’s just one night.”

But even as you said it, you could feel the weight of your own words. One night? That wasn’t all this was.

He raised an eyebrow, his lips curling into that devilish smirk you had come to know too well. “Just one night, huh?”

You nodded, trying to make it sound casual, but your voice betrayed you. There was a crack in it, a hesitation that made Wooyoung pause. He didn’t take his eyes off you, as if trying to read you, to figure out if you really meant it or if this was just the heat of the moment.

“I don’t want to mess things up between us,” he murmured, his fingers gently tracing the edge of your jaw, making the heat between you two even more unbearable. “But that doesn’t mean I don’t want you.”

His words sent a shiver down your spine. He wasn’t wrong—neither of you were looking for anything serious, but there was no denying the chemistry. And the way he was touching you now, the way his fingers lingered on your skin, made it impossible to ignore how badly you both wanted this, wanted each other.

“You think this will ruin everything?” you asked, your voice soft, a little unsure, but filled with that same pull that had led you here in the first place.

Wooyoung stepped back slightly, looking you over carefully. He was fighting himself—fighting what you both knew was right there. The desire was there, raw and undeniable. But the question was: what would happen when the morning came? When the high of the night wore off and reality set in?

“Maybe,” he said with a shrug, though his voice held a bite to it, like he was trying to convince himself. “But maybe I’ll regret it. Or maybe you will.”

His words hit differently, sharp and full of uncertainty. You understood the risk. You both did. Neither of you wanted to open the door to something that would only make things messy. But here you were, standing on the edge, staring into the unknown.

“You’re scared,” you whispered, leaning in again, your lips grazing his, just barely enough to feel the heat of his breath.

“Maybe I am,” he admitted. But then his lips curved up into that signature smirk, the one that told you he was done fighting it. “But maybe I don’t care right now.”

With that, Wooyoung pulled you into another kiss. This time, it was more urgent, deeper, his hands moving to your waist, pulling you closer until you could feel the heat of his body pressing against yours. There was no more talking, no more questions. It was just the two of you, caught up in the pull of the moment.

But even as his hands roamed, as he kissed you with a hunger that made everything else disappear, there was still a flicker of doubt in the back of your mind. Neither of you had said it out loud, but the thought was there—what happens after this?

When he pulled away, breathless and panting, he didn’t say anything. His eyes locked onto yours, dark and unreadable. The same questions were floating between you two, unanswered. You weren’t sure if you were ready to face them.

“So, what now?” you asked, your voice low and teasing, but the uncertainty was there.

Wooyoung didn’t answer immediately. He took a step back, his gaze lingering on your lips for a second before he looked you in the eye, his expression still tight, as if he was trying to keep control of the situation.

“Now,” he said slowly, a crooked grin playing at the corner of his lips, “we figure out what the hell we’re doing.”

You felt your heart race again, the tension building up between you two. You weren’t sure what was happening, or what would happen next, but there was one thing you both knew: neither of you could turn back.

“You sure you want this?” he asked, his voice soft, yet laced with that same dangerous desire that was starting to consume you both.

You didn’t hesitate this time. “I don’t want anything else.”

And with that, the game changed. Wooyoung stepped closer again, his lips finding yours once more, but this time, it was different. No more words. Just the two of you, lost in something neither of you were prepared for but both of you wanted.

The tension in the room was unbearable, and it only grew when Wooyoung’s lips trailed down your neck, sending sparks through your body. His hands were everywhere—gripping your hips, your back, pulling you impossibly closer until there was no space left between you. You could feel the hard length of him pressed against your thigh, and you couldn’t deny the heat pooling between your legs. The craving was undeniable now.

“Tell me you want it,” Wooyoung breathed, his lips brushing your ear. His voice was husky, thick with desire, and you could hear the challenge in his words. He wasn’t going to just give it to you; you had to want it, prove it.

You slid your hands over his chest, feeling the warmth of his skin, the hardness of his muscles. His body was pressed so tightly to yours that every little movement sent waves of electricity through you. Your breath hitched as his lips found your jawline, nibbling and kissing his way down until they hovered just above your chest.

“Say it,” he urged, his voice almost a growl now, sending shivers down your spine. “Tell me you need it, that you need me.”

Your hands fisted into the fabric of his shirt, tugging him closer, desperate. You wanted him so badly, wanted to feel him fill you, take you like you both had been aching for. “I want you,” you whispered, barely able to breathe as your heart raced. “I need you, Wooyoung.”

A feral smile curled at the edges of his lips, and in one swift motion, he undid your pants, pulling them down along with your underwear, leaving you bare before him. The cool air hit your skin, but it was nothing compared to the heat that surged through you the moment his fingertips ghosted over your thighs, tracing patterns that made your entire body tense.

He leaned in, his breath hot against the sensitive skin of your inner thigh, teasing you. His lips brushed over your skin so lightly it almost felt like a promise of something far more intense. “You’ve got no idea what you’re doing to me,” Wooyoung muttered, his voice thick with need. “But you’re about to find out.”

Before you could respond, he pulled you toward him, his lips crashing into yours with a hungry force that left no room for hesitation. His hands gripped the back of your thighs, lifting you as he pushed you against the wall. You moaned into his mouth, feeling how his body pressed against yours, the hard outline of his cock straining against his pants. The friction made you ache.

Without breaking the kiss, Wooyoung’s hands slid between you two, and you felt his fingers against your most sensitive spot, teasing and stroking with expert precision. You gasped, your hips jerking instinctively into his touch, craving more, needing more.

“God,” you moaned, unable to control the sound of pleasure that spilled from your lips. Wooyoung smirked, clearly enjoying the effect he had on you. His fingers worked you expertly, making you dizzy with the mix of pleasure and anticipation.

“You’re so wet for me,” he whispered, his lips brushing your ear as his fingers pushed deeper. You gasped at the sensation, your body arching into his hand. “Let go, baby. Let me take care of you.”

The way his voice dropped made you shiver, the heat inside you building as he worked you closer to the edge. Your hands slid down to undo his pants, the need to feel him inside you overwhelming. When you finally freed him, he was already hard, his cock standing at attention, dripping with desire.

With no more words needed, Wooyoung positioned you, one hand gripping your hip, the other guiding himself to your entrance. His eyes met yours, searching for hesitation, but there was none. The need between you two was too strong.

Slowly, he slid into you, the initial stretch leaving you breathless as he filled you completely. You gasped, your nails digging into his back as the pressure inside you built, every inch of him sending waves of sensation through your body. He stilled for a moment, both of you gasping for air as the intensity of the moment settled over you.

“You feel so good,” Wooyoung groaned, his voice raw with pleasure. Then, without warning, he started moving, slowly at first, building a rhythm that had you gasping and gripping him even tighter. Each thrust was deliberate, pushing deeper, harder, until your body was trembling under the force of his movements.

His lips were on your neck again, biting, sucking, marking you as his as his hips slammed into yours. Every sound, every sensation was amplified by the intensity of it all. You couldn’t think anymore, couldn’t process anything except the feeling of him, the heat, the desperate need to keep going.

“You’re so tight,” Wooyoung murmured against your skin, his hands gripping your waist as he pushed into you harder, faster. You moaned in response, your body moving with his, matching the rhythm, chasing the high that was just within reach.

The way he fucked you—raw, primal—pushed you over the edge. You felt the coil inside you tighten until it snapped, your orgasm crashing through you like a wave. You cried out, your body shaking with the intensity of it, and Wooyoung followed right behind, his grip tightening on you as he came with a low groan, his thrusts stuttering as he filled you completely.

You both stood there for a moment, breathless, the world around you nothing but the sound of your heartbeats and the occasional whispered curse. You were both tangled in each other, skin flushed, and the space between you two thick with unsaid things.

As Wooyoung pulled out, he kissed you softly, almost tenderly, as if to erase the fire that had burned between you moments ago. “You know this... this can’t happen again, right?” His voice was quieter now, softer, but the edge of caution was unmistakable. You swallowed, your chest rising and falling in uneven breaths as you tried to process his words.

“I know,” you whispered, looking into his eyes, the heat between you still smoldering despite the air cooling. “But it just did.”

His lips quirked in a bittersweet smile, one that didn’t quite reach his eyes. He pulled you back in, his hand cupping your cheek as he kissed you again, but it was slower this time, more lingering, like he was trying to figure out where the lines between you had blurred. When he pulled back, he kept his forehead pressed against yours, the intensity of his stare leaving you a little breathless again.

“You know what I want,” he murmured, his lips grazing yours as he spoke, teasing with the closeness. “But I don’t know if I can give you what you need. I don’t know if I can be what you need.”

You closed your eyes, your fingers tracing the outline of his jaw, feeling the stubble under your fingertips. It felt familiar now, comfortable, despite everything. Despite the mess you both had just made.

“I don’t need anything, Wooyoung,” you said softly. “Except for this, right now. What we just did.”

He exhaled deeply, almost like a quiet laugh, but it held no joy—just frustration. “That’s the thing. This moment? I can’t stop thinking about it. And that scares me.” His hands moved to your waist again, his thumbs brushing over your skin in absent motions. “I don’t want to mess up everything we’ve got. This... us. I can’t.”

You lifted a hand to his chest, pressing lightly, feeling the steady beat of his heart under your palm. It was as though he was trying to hold onto something more than just the physical right now—something deeper, maybe even more fragile than what he’d let himself believe.

“It’s not about messing things up,” you said quietly, locking your gaze with his. “We’re not crossing lines we can’t uncross. We’re just... figuring it out. Whatever this is, whatever we are.”

Wooyoung’s eyes softened at your words, and for a split second, you saw a flash of vulnerability—something he rarely allowed anyone to see. His usual confident demeanor flickered, replaced by a quiet longing that made your heart skip.

“You’re right,” he whispered, and then his lips were on yours again, this time softer, more like a promise than an act of passion. He was still figuring things out, just as you were. But this... this wasn’t over.

[freewilllife]

Viktor’s commune always gave off creepy vibes, but for me, the path it was taking became crystal clear at the start of ep6. That first scene basically spells out the extent of Viktor’s corruption and how far his actions and mindset are from any kind of altruism.

@jaybejaybeyes Personally, I interpret this after having some conversations as "Victor´s dream come true".

Indeed, it is a sort of corruption, but it seems Victor is actually well-meaning here.

And look at Viktor's face when it happens. That’s not horror. That’s not astonishment. That’s not grief. It’s… mild annoyance, I'd say?

Why should he grieve Salo´s death? I am just curious. They are neither friends, nor related. Victor "healed" them, but that doesn´t make him Jesus.

He may consider himself responsible in a way, but I doubt, that he became suddenly all-loving.

And that’s the thing about Viktor’s commune — it was never about the people who joined it. It was never about understanding them, helping them, or connecting with them. It was all about Viktor’s desperate need to be in control, about his refusal to confront suffering, pain, and all the messy, complicated parts of being human. From the very beginning, it was about Viktor going, “well, the end justifies the means”, but there’s nothing kind or humanistic about that philosophy, because it always comes at the expense of people’s lives. The end never justifies the means.

Nope, you are definitely wrong. Victor indeed has wished to make the lives of the people better with "hextech" , was even more outspoken, that he did not wish to create weapons and I guess that this commune is literally, how he envishioned it. There is corruption...but it is the arcane at work here. And maybe even in Jayce case.

There can be a conversation to be had, if the people are already dead or are still alive...but what is undoubtly true...The whole commune is dependant on Victor.

People can be both...Yes, Victor wanted to stay alive, but he is not a control-freak...And surely not a guy, who thinks that the "the end justifies the means". I mean, isn´t it funny, that the solution Victor is conviced of, plays in the hands of the arcane, which obviously has a will of its own?

It is literally right there...that the arcane heavily influenced and manipulated Victor, and most likely also Jayce.

The end never justifies the means.

That is an oversimplification. There are cases, where the end literally justifies the means.

And honestly, I was surprised to see how many people were mad at Jayce for blasting Viktor at the end of that episode. In my opinion, by then, it was quite clear that Viktor didn’t care much about his Arcane-modified toys. He wasn’t even pretending he did. Salo wasn’t a person to him. None of them were. They were just tools, stepping stones for his glorious evolution. And all of that was right there in the first scene of ep6.

Oh, that is interesting. Did suddenly "the end justify the means" or becomes murder a great deed, if the right character is killed?

In contrast, Victor tried to be responsible for his commune and tried to protect them, literally dying. I am sorry, but I am not sure, why you suddenly jump to such conclusions?

I still feel like we were ROBBED of that whole arc, watching Viktor descend to this. Because he gives a shit about Vander, so it's not like he's totally unempathetic--like he's still Viktor. It's just that from the start of the commune up to this point, Viktor has been going through a slow descent into madness from not having a single actual person to talk to who isn't completely bound to him in some way. There is nobody to question him and everyone is relying on him constantly.

@straysparks Yes, the influence of the arcane gets stronger.

Viktor is deeply empathetic but also vulnerable to megalomania, and having a whole group of people worship you for months on end is gonna get to your head eventually even if you really really really hate the idea. Which I think we can be pretty certain he does at first, unless you subscribe to the idea that the Hexcore is really majorly influential to his personality change.

Both, but why should this not be the case? The arcane has a will of its own and can be vicious if challenged. Victor was literally drowned in it and hears a voice the moment he wakes up...Of course, he is being changed/manipulated to a certain degree. When Ekko literally broke the armour, Victor woke up and realized, what he had done...This moment of "waking up" does not make much sense, if the arcane has not played a major role in the corruption process.

Because people being wrong are rarely persuaded by violence alone.

I think his disconnection from his empathy is driven by a need to get away from the closeness of the commune members. He's an extremely private person and he gets virtually no space or time to himself for months on end. Seeing the commune members as cogs in a machine is a coping strategy and I must stress that there is NO ONE to check him on this.

Or he already knows deep down , that they are already dead? He does care for them, but I mean, he is literally not Jesus, has hardly any personal attachment to them. In fact, Victor had always difficulties in that area.

Hexcore influence is convenient to the narrative, but Viktor's character is set up in such a way that his behavior here isn't even out of character given a particular series of events which we KNOW happen, we just don't see them on screen. It's ooc if you assume Viktor doesn't change between the times we see him on screen, but that's the thing, he DOES.

The hexcore influence is not just convenient, it literally explains so much...Look here:1,2

I saw the light after reading those posts. Nope, Victor does not suddenly become mad or cold for no reason, he literally is partly mind-controlled.

Viktor’s commune always gave off creepy vibes, but for me, the path it was taking became crystal clear at the start of ep6. That first scene basically spells out the extent of Viktor’s corruption and how far his actions and mindset are from any kind of altruism.

Think about it: Viktor sees Jayce kill Salo through Salo’s eyes. He’s connected to Salo but doesn’t even try to comfort him, verbally or mentally, or ease his pain with magic in his final moments. He just stands there, watching. Waiting for Salo to die, staring at Jayce. The only time he flinches is when Jayce lunges forward, and Salo dies abruptly — his vision cuts to black.

And look at Viktor's face when it happens. That’s not horror. That’s not astonishment. That’s not grief. It’s… mild annoyance, I'd say?

Like, ugh. Jayce didn’t get it. He didn’t appreciate my work. And now he’s also destroyed one of my puppets. Sounds pretty frustrating, doesn't it, Viktor?

Then Sky says, “poor Salo”, and Viktor? Immediately pivots to, “That’s not Jayce. It’s another will at work within him”. And a moment later, he’s fascinated by the Anomaly. Salo’s gone, and no one spares him an extra thought.

And that’s the thing about Viktor’s commune — it was never about the people who joined it. It was never about understanding them, helping them, or connecting with them. It was all about Viktor’s desperate need to be in control, about his refusal to confront suffering, pain, and all the messy, complicated parts of being human. From the very beginning, it was about Viktor going, “well, the end justifies the means”, but there’s nothing kind or humanistic about that philosophy, because it always comes at the expense of people’s lives. The end never justifies the means.

And honestly, I was surprised to see how many people were mad at Jayce for blasting Viktor at the end of that episode. In my opinion, by then, it was quite clear that Viktor didn’t care much about his Arcane-modified toys. He wasn’t even pretending he did. Salo wasn’t a person to him. None of them were. They were just tools, stepping stones for his glorious evolution.

And all of that was right there in the first scene of ep6.

[tammyhybrid21]

I’m going to put these on their own post just so I can get my thoughts in order first. Starting of course with the Siblings and their Slugcats... if the heights are inconsistent, please I’m aware... One of the curses I think... Anyway so what can I say-- A lot actually, but I don’t want to say everything.

So I’ll just kind of, list it as I take it.

I am a firm believer in short Pebbles, short all of the iterators actually. Which speaking of, they are child sized. Going by that one theory that Slugcats are around 3’-ish. Which I do adore, I love it so much because I-- I like characters who’re small and thus have to deal with the issues that comes from been smol, as well the blessings of that shorter height. I mean seriously, look back at my roleplaying days-- my Main Muse was a 3’1/95cm tall child who got into EVERYTHING, but that’s not the point of this.

This was initially a picture I was drawing just as a reference, but I think I’m just going to use whatever height charts I make for those in the end... so instead this is more like a sheet of Misc headcanons/thoughts.

Straight up at the front, listing off heights. Artificer shares the same thing that sends me about NSH with LTTM’s height difference, 1cm turns into a whole inch of difference. And then Ruffles/Rivulet is smaller and faster. Pebbles meanwhile just smol-- ALSO THE MARKINGS. I have come to a conclusion and Pebbles and Moon’s markings and how they go together and that conclusion is phases of the Moon. I also love the idea that they match clothing wise... and the deeper issues with Pebbles basically only been given hand me downs.

Hand me down citizens, hand me down clothes... Vague ideas he’s built to the west of Moon, so also literally in her shadow when the sun rises...

BUT also on that, I suppose lets go to those little picture snippets huh. So first off, I love the idea of iterators giving out marks/gifts to Slugcats they claim. Artificer is Pebbles’ citizen as much as he’s her “angry pink baby”. With one extra headcanon--

When I first fell into drawing Rain World fanart I also done up this quick sheet. Nothing here is really relevant because it was mostly me just getting some thoughts in order. BUT-- I have a half joking headcanon that Pebbles is colourblind thanks to a mod with unfixed dialogue. Which you can see in my timeline/headcanon scribbles as well. SPECIFICALLY. I play around as if Pebbles has protanopia.

Which ye, he has even more strive for independence from Moon as result. ALSO, As a funny thing, this will be used as an excuse for a fic at some point for him to send Artificer off to NSH and go “You’ll know her when you see her, she’s you coloured!”-- she is empathetically not. Same as her Scarf is not the same colour as Pebbles like he thinks it is in that first picture.

I have... a lot to say regarding that one spoiler picture with Ruffles and campaign specific event. But the issue with that is it would take a lot of words and some explanations that even likely go cross-fandom. I just have one thing I will say right here.

People need to learn how to hear/see unspoken apologies. Apologies through actions and not words... But I’ll save that for when I actually get my thoughts together for all the fandoms it’s relevant to. So maybe... hopefully one day I’ll get to that.

Kind of wish I had more to say about the Slugcats here, but uhhh-- don't really have much, at least not this second. Not beyond the obvious... Although I do have a WIP time-travel fic with Riv and Moon that goes with another half-joke headcanon... will I explain that, no, because that's currently one paragraph of a story that I don't even know will be written more or not.

[bixels]

I'm not explaining why re-imagining characters as POC is not the same as white-washing, here of all places should fucking understand.

[cinnamonsikwate]

"why couldn't shuro have just been honest about what he felt with laios and falin it's not that hard" are you. are you White

[briar--rising]

It is so funny to me when people try to argue about who's 'worse', Lestat or Armand. First of all, worse by what metric? By the way they treat humans? The way they treat Claudia? Or (as it seems most people are focused on) only the way they treat Louis? And if it's by the way they treat Louis, are you judging based on what you would find worse in a partner, or by what Louis does (bc I would argue he pretty clearly has an opinion on that based on the end of season 2).

And most importantly of all, who cares??? They are both TERRIBLE. Everyone in this show is terrible! You can like morally reprehensible characters. Armand is my personal blorbo, and what he does is horrific. I can feel bad for him, and enjoy watching him, and think that his actions are heinous, and reblog art and read fanfiction of him, and analyze him without excusing him, all at the same time! And so can you with whoever you like!

Pitting these characters against one another is absurd. "Which one is less abusive" is a question I guess you can ask, but it's not a very interesting one. Much more interesting is "Why are they abusive in these specific ways? What about their trauma and personality informs their actions? Why does Louis react the way he does to each of them? What does that say about Louis? What does this show say about domestic violence in general? Are the rules different for vampires? Or is abuse abuse? Do the victims determine who should get forgiveness? Or are certain actions inherently unforgivable? Can you forgive someone when their victim hasn't? Is any of this different in fiction rather than reality? etc etc etc." There are so many interesting questions posed by the juxtaposition between Lestat and Armand and the way they treat Louis, and none of them are "but which one is worse so I can forever villify that one and hold up the other one as the paragon of what's good and right and perfect for Louis"

[hexados-on-a-string]

me: teehee yay gus is in mechtanium surge with spectra yippee

my brain, being nice to me for once: hey isnt it cool how gus has been by spectra's side this whole time? through the entirety of new vestroia, and in those 2 years since, he's never left his side. despite how much has changed, they haven't left each other's side, isnt that nice?

me:

[thatswhatsushesaid]

Honestly the empathy sequence makes NMJ kinda strike me as an entitled/abusive parental figure. Maybe I'm just drawing paralels that aren't there, but:

Feeling entitled to JGY's time and attention? He interrupts his conversations with LXC (twice, I think), one of said times because he was eavesdropping on them AND got angry about JGY expressing fear to LXC IN PRIVATE

Not letting JGY explain himself/ not listening when he tries. At the point of the staircase scene NMJ has been poisoned to hell and back by baxia, but I do believe it's not just that. He sees his moral code as absolute certainty and his inflexible nature makes it that he doesn't take well to deviance from that. Aka has to get his way or gets Angry

I think NMJ was an absolute idiot to let JGY ppay clarity for hin after the staircase thing! That draws more into the paralel because abusive people often hurt others and then act like nothing happened, as if their target doesn't have the right to be upset (see again: qi deviating over JGY expressing fear to LXC). NMJ does this to a degree that paints him as almost oblivious imo

I actually do quite like NMJ but he's. So many shades of fucked up, Christ alive

i am going to proceed cautiously here for several reasons, but primarily because:

i have been drawn into the "is nmj an evil abuser" discourse once before on discord (in defence of da-ge, believe it or not) and i Did Not Enjoy It At All, Actually, and

while i think the behaviour described above absolutely qualifies as abusive, nmj's intentions also matter, and i don't think what nmj is trying to do can be boiled down to simply exerting coercive control over jgy. initially on the hejian front when he eavesdrops on meng yao and lan xichen, he wants to help him; the second time he eavesdrops, it's because he straight up views jgy as a threat, and decides to kill him because of it.

imo their dynamic is dysfunctional and toxic and is a powder keg set to explode essentially from the moment nmj sees meng yao killing the jin commander on the langya front, but i think calling it abusive is an over-simplification of what is going on between them.

that said, i do think there is a character in the novel canon who nmj repeatedly tries to exert coercive control over, who is fully and unquestionably under his authority and influence, and who he treats with wildly vacillating levels of either patience or explosive anger depending on the canon point, and that character is nie huaisang.

---

this post has been added to my dreamwidth meta archive here: https://thatswhatsushewrote.dreamwidth.org/7080.html

[king-spite]

genuinely believe that the only correct way to approach the whole marecal vs mareven deal is to adore all three of them with your whole heart. and see them as a trio rather than a love triangle. like sorry but if you don't lowkey fw all of them and like each of them as a character on their own AND accept the many layers of the relationship they have with one another you're not getting things right :/

[iguessitsjustme]

When It Rains It Pours Ep 5 Thoughts

I looked at the time and decided that not only was it not too late for me to watch the next episode, but it is in fact time to keep watching. I don't know how long this one will be but my god I hope those two escape their relationships/situationships soon. I can't keep watching my boys get hurt like this. Under the cut:

Okay I looked at the episode summary simply to learn his name. Kazuaki. I got it. And if I don't got it, that's fine. Because I just wrote it and I can always look. Perfect. Go me.

The fact that they are meeting halfway. That is a compromise. That is how relationships work. The fact that they cared to listen to the other and then decided on the compromise. My god these two are already so much better together than they are with their partners (I know he's not really Sei's partner but you know what I mean) and they haven't even gotten together yet.

Are these two gonna fuck?

Currently the opening song which slaps, but if you stick around to the end of the liveblog, I will share extra thoughts tonight. Cause I am pissed at certain characters and their fuckery and I gotta get my rants out of my system.

The TOE.

The gentle caress vs the man that pushed on it to see if it would hurt. The man that was so gentle and held it like it was a fragile thing in case it caused pain vs the man that tried to cause pain. So I'm killing the best friend, yeah?

There is a whole discussion before they actually have sex. Kazuaki is asking if it's okay to do things or not say certain things before actually getting started? He might be cheating right now but honestly, green flag. And also she deserves it. Not that anyone deserves it. But she's fictional and a bastard so she deserves it.

Telling him that he's not bad or dirty? Oh my heart. Oh my HEART.

I'm FINE.

I'm looking you dead in the eye and telling you I'm fine. It's not my fault if you don't believe me.

I NEED to talk about the music in this scene but I cannot because work has smoothed out all the wrinkles from my brain and I need to wrinkle it up again but I NEED to talk about it.

I think that's the first time I've seen Sei smile.

But also these two. They found themselves in each other. They found a piece of themselves in each other. They both knew they were missing sex but I don't think they knew how miserable they were having no one to talk to. Not truly talk to. The deep meaningful talks that connect us and bond us. Neither one of them had that with their partners. They had superficial conversations. Moments of wanting to say something but not being able to. But they found the connection they were missing in each other and I am FINE don't LOOK at me like that.

God I need to talk about the music when Sei goes home too cause my god talk about tone shift. When that bastard is on the screen the dissonance in the music is actually difficult for me to listen to. Oh it hurts my poor little fragile ears.

Do these two need to hurt me like this? Do I not suffer enough already?

Oh she looked at his phone. Good riddance. She doesn't deserve him anyway.

WHY IS THAT BASTARD ANSWERING NOT HIS PHONE. BITE BITE CHOMP CHOMP KILLING HIM WITH LASER BEAMS.

Oh so you all made me watch this and now I have to WAIT. You all wanted me to SUFFER. Biting you all too (but affectionately).

Anyway rant time.

I hate the girlfriend because was she expecting to keep our boy in limbo for the rest of all time? She wants a marriage and kids but she doesn't want to actually ever talk to her partner? She sees him as future husband and future sperm bank. But she doesn't see him.

And don't even get me started on the rat bastard "best friend." Does Sei not have a Line because he doesn't want a Line or because his friend doesn't want him to have one. How alienated is Sei from the world and from others? He doesn't really talk to anyone at work which would be his one place he can talk to people. What would have happened if that wrong email address thing hadn't happened? Why does Sei feel like a parasite in a place that should feel like his home? I have lived with my best friend before and I can tell you one thing for sure. I never felt like a parasite. The reason that place felt like home was because it was both of us. Everywhere. WHERE is Sei in that apartment? Where is he? What are his interests? What are his aesthetics? Where is my boy????

And most importantly. WHERE IS THAT GORGEOUS UMBRELLA THEY USE AS THE THUMBNAIL AND WHERE CAN I GET ONE.

I have thoughts. Many thoughts. It will take me roughly two business days to process those thoughts. Just in time for the next episode I'm told. Which will then mean that it will take me another two business days. What did they put in this show for it to do this to my brain?

I should go to bed. Maybe I will wake up with coherent thoughts. Who knows.

Also this may or may not be the last liveblog I do now that I'm caught up. We'll see how I'm feeling on..Thursday? That's the next episode right? If I don't do another liveblog, then thank y'all for reading my silly little brain thoughts. And if I do keep liveblogging then I'll see you on Thursday.

[scuorge10]

Y’all can like Eurylochus without dragging Polites down by the way, in case y’all need a reminder.

I genuinely don’t understand why a lot of y’all are dead set on dragging Polites through the mud just to try and make Eurylochus look like a better character. Just say that you like Eurylochus’ character better and that you wish he was appreciated more by the fandom as a whole.

[deathnguts]

Sirius and Severus’ hate for each other is personal because Severus is what Walburga wanted Sirius to be and Sirius is what Tobias wanted Severus to be

[galacticlamps]

not sure i've seen anyone mention it yet but also i havent looked - but the bit at the beginning of episode 5 where edwin's reading up on astrological compatibilities just before brad & hunter show up - is there a prevailing theory about a specific taurus and aires he might be referring to?

he did just leave charles and crystal together to settle their relationship status (not that he's aware that's what they're discussing at the time), so i'm kind of inclined to assume it was them, but as far as I can recall he & niko are the only people whose signs we're told outright (and frankly, just removing his from the equation does rule out about half the potential ships in the show)

but if crystal is one of the parties involved, that just raises more questions

Like does that mean she remembers when her birthday is? I wouldn't have thought so, since even with only a partial name, a specific DOB might make her significantly easier to look up, particularly if her parents are kind of famous (i've been assuming all along that her name being a noun effectively made her google-proof). Or is it more likely monty just declared her something & they all accepted that as fact because he was noticeably right about everyone else so far? But if that's the case, how much has he been talking to/getting to know the rest of them, because she would press him on that, right? like it's one thing to make quips about people who are capable of confirming their own birthdays being typical of their signs - but since crystal's actively on the lookout for chances to learn more about herself, you'd think someone being confident he can just tell certain things about her like that would be of particular interest to her. And alternatively if monty hasn't spent too much time with her & is still responsible for assigning her a horoscope anyway, does that mean he's been like. displaying a certain amount of supernatural knowledge all along without anyone getting suspicious of him? and where does astrology fall on that scale anyway, in their world? edwin's skepticism at first would imply it's not considered a normal science to them, even in the context of ghosts and spells and witches - unless that's just meant to read as him being especially hypocritical?

Do any of these things have clearly implied answers to people who do know about astrology? Or have I missed canonical birth dates given for anybody anywhere? I feel like they'd shed some light on an unusually large number of questions for me at the moment

[garvalhaminho]

i think the part i like the most about jem, tessa and will as characters is that they show love is what makes them human, what keeps them grounded. jem, throughout tid, has to live with the knowledge he will die soon, but the love he feels for the people around him, specifically tessa and will, is what keeps him sane. we see that even more with him as a silent brother, when silent brothers block their emotions and become almost robots, the thing that keeps jem human is remembering the people he once loved and still does. remembering tessa, will, their children, the people he cared for and the people that cared for him. it is what keeps him grounded, what makes him feel human again. and with tessa, tessa who is immortal and outlives everyone she loves, and has and will have to watch them die again and again, she continues to love. she chooses to do so. it is what makes her human, and it is rare for a warlock to continue being attached to and loving mortals. and will who believed himself to be cursed so that everyone who loves him back would die, he shut off a part of him to the rest of the world, the part that loved freely. but he didn't do it to jem. he allowed jem to love him, as much as will loved jem. their unconditional love for each other was what kept will sane. it was what kept him human, and not the emotionless farse he had around everyone else.