#I haven't read twisted hate or twisted games

[daybrightsims]

***SPOILERS (AGAIN) FOR TWISTED LIES BY ANA HUANG*** I am surprised Ava is as shocked that Christian did what he did with Stella's dossier or was as mistrusting of Christian. Girl, your fiancé had a whole motive behind befriending your brother to get closer to your not actual dad. Then lied to your face that he didn't love you then FOLLOWED YOU to London until you took him back.

Is what Christian did okay? No, but... Ava, girl, your man and Stella's man are the same man in different fonts. Alex is Times New Roman and Christian is Helvetica. Be so for real.

[theonottsbxtch]

CHICAGO PT.4 | OP81

an: OKAY SO FINAL PART IM DONE NOW AND IM SO SORRY TO EVERYONE FOR WHAT IVE DONE I HOPE YOU CAN FORGIVE ME PLEASE. if you feel like the writing quality has decreased im sorry lol im tired and haven't proof read it.

wc: 2.1k

part one | part two | part three |

On Monday, Oscar stood outside her hotel door, heart pounding in his chest. He had rehearsed this confrontation over and over in his mind, but now that he was here, the weight of it felt unbearable. Every instinct told him to walk away, to leave this mess behind, but he couldn’t—not yet. He needed to see her, to hear it from her lips. He needed answers. Closure.

With a shaky breath, he knocked.

There was a long pause, and then the door creaked open. She stood there, looking as effortlessly composed as ever. Her dark eyes gleamed in the low light of the hallway, her lips curling into that soft, practised smile he knew too well. She was dressed casually, her hair falling loosely around her shoulders, but even now, even after everything, she looked like she had stepped out of a dream.

“Oscar?” Her voice was soft, almost surprised, though something flickered behind her gaze—a quick flash of recognition, of something calculating. “What are you doing here?”

He swallowed hard, trying to keep his composure. "We need to talk."

She hesitated, but then she stepped aside, gesturing for him to come in. The hotel room was immaculate, a polished, sterile space that felt more like a set than a home. Oscar walked in, the air heavy between them, his pulse racing as the door clicked shut behind him.

"What's going on?" SHe asked, her voice gentle, almost soothing, as she moved closer to him. She tilted her head, that familiar gesture that had once made him feel like he was the centre of her world. "You seem upset. Is everything okay?"

Oscar's jaw tightened. He had to focus. He couldn't let her pull him back into her orbit, not again. He turned to face her, his hands balled into fists at his sides. "I know everything."

Her expression didn’t change, but there was a flicker in her eyes—a brief shift, barely noticeable, but Oscar saw it. She took a step back, her brow furrowing in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"Lando," Oscar said, the name like a rock in his throat. "I know you're with him. I know you’ve been with him this whole time."

For a moment, there was silence. Oscar could hear the blood rushing in his ears, his heart hammering in his chest as he waited for her response.

She blinked, and then, to his astonishment, she let out a soft, almost amused laugh. "Oh, Oscar... is that what this is about?"

His stomach twisted. The way she dismissed it, the way she said his name—it sent a chill down his spine. He clenched his jaw, trying to hold on to his anger, to the clarity he had felt just minutes ago. "Don't play games with me. You’ve been lying to me. To both of us."

Her expression softened, her eyes widening as she reached out to touch his arm. Her fingers were warm, familiar, and he hated how much his body responded to her touch, how a part of him still craved that connection. "Oscar," she whispered, her voice like honey, "I never lied to you. I care about you, I really do. But things... things are complicated."

He pulled away from her, his skin burning where her hand had been. "Complicated?" he repeated, his voice harsher than he intended. "You made me believe you were a single mum. You made me think you were raising Lea on your own while you were playing both of us!"

Her expression faltered, and for the first time, she looked genuinely uncomfortable. But it was fleeting. She quickly replaced it with a look of soft concern, stepping closer to him again. "Oscar, you're misunderstanding this. Yes, I’m with Lando, but you and I... what we have is different. I never intended for this to get so messy."

"Messy?" Oscar felt his pulse quicken with a new surge of anger. "You manipulated both of us! You used us! This wasn’t some accident—this was calculated!"

Her face hardened, her eyes sharpening as she took a step back. "Calculated?" she echoed, her voice cool now, losing that tender edge. "You think I planned this? That I sat there and schemed to ruin your lives? You’re overreacting, Oscar."

The shift in her tone was like a slap in the face, but Oscar refused to let her twist this around. He took a step forward, closing the space between them. "Don't try to gaslight me," he said, his voice low, trembling with the effort to stay in control. "You knew exactly what you were doing. You knew who I was before you even sat down next to me in that bar in Chicago. You knew everything about me because Lando told you about me. And you used that."

Her eyes flashed, but then, just as quickly, she softened again, her lips curling into that same seductive smile that had once unravelled him. She stepped closer, so close he could feel her breath against his skin. "Oscar," she whispered, her hand brushing against his chest. "I didn’t plan this. I didn’t mean to hurt you. You and I… we have something special, don't we? You felt it, didn’t you?"

His breath hitched. The closeness of her, the way her voice wove around him, made it hard to think. For a moment, the anger inside him wavered, like a candle flickering in a gust of wind. He could feel the pull of her, the way she knew exactly how to make him weak, how to make him question everything.

But this time—this time he couldn’t let her win.

Oscar clenched his fists, stepping back from her, putting distance between them. His voice trembled, but he forced the words out, each one like tearing away a piece of himself. "No. We don’t have anything. You don’t care about me. You never did."

Her eyes narrowed, the smile fading. There was a flash of frustration in her expression, a quick flicker of anger, but she quickly masked it. "Oscar, you're being dramatic. I never lied about my feelings for you."

"Then why didn’t you tell me about Lando?" he demanded, his voice rising. "Why didn’t you tell him about me?"

She hesitated, her gaze shifting just slightly, and for the first time, Oscar saw something—guilt—flicker across her face. But it was gone as quickly as it came. She straightened, her chin lifting defiantly. "You don’t understand what it’s like, Oscar. It wasn’t as simple as choosing between the two of you. I have responsibilities—Leo, my career. I couldn’t just… I couldn’t just drop everything for you."

Oscar felt his heart drop at the mention of Leo, the boy she had lied about so easily. "Don’t bring your son into this to justify your lies."

Her eyes darkened, and for the first time, her voice hardened. "You don’t get it, do you? You never really did. You think this is black and white, that I was just stringing you along for fun. But life isn’t that simple."

Oscar shook his head, stepping back even farther. "You’re right. Life isn’t simple. But you made the choice to lie. And you made the choice to hurt the people who cared about you."

For the first time, She properly faltered. Her shoulders sagged slightly, and she let out a long, shaky breath. But Oscar didn’t let it sway him. He knew better now.

“I’m done,” Oscar said, his voice firm, final. “I’m done letting you twist everything around, making me doubt myself. You can’t have it both ways. You can’t keep playing with people like this.”

She stared at him for a long moment, her eyes searching his face for any sign of weakness, any opening she could exploit. But this time, Oscar didn’t waver. He stood his ground.

Finally, she let out a soft, almost imperceptible sigh. She crossed her arms, her expression hardening into something cold, distant. "Fine," she said, her voice clipped, devoid of the warmth she had used to manipulate him for so long. "If that’s how you want it."

Oscar nodded, feeling the weight of the moment settle over him. "That’s how it has to be."

For a moment, they stood in silence, the air between them thick with tension. Then, without another word, Oscar turned and walked out the door, closing it behind him.

And for the first time in months, he felt free.

A few weeks passed, and the bruises she had left on Oscar’s soul slowly began to fade. The races rolled on, and life at the paddock resumed its relentless pace. After everything, Oscar had managed to distance himself from the chaos she'd stirred within him. Lando, too, had cut her out. They’d had one more awkward conversation, full of unspoken regrets, but in the end, it was clear—they had both been played. She had woven her lies so intricately that they'd been trapped before they even knew there was a game.

She had vanished from their lives as swiftly as she had entered, severing ties as though they had never mattered. No apologies, no lingering farewells. Just a cold, calculated exit.

At first, Oscar couldn't shake the remnants of her presence. The memories would sneak up on him, whispering doubts and ghosts of feelings he wished would disappear. But as the weeks went by, he felt a shift, the grip of her seduction loosening its hold. He worked. He drove. He focused. Lando did the same, both of them rebuilding in their own way.

There were moments when they crossed paths at the paddock, moments when an awkward silence hung in the air, a quiet understanding between two men who had fallen into the same trap. But they never spoke of her again. The chapter was closed, the storm that was her had passed.

Or so they thought.

It was just another race weekend. The paddock buzzed with the usual excitement, the hum of engines and anticipation swirling through the air. Oscar walked toward the garages, the sun casting sharp shadows on the tarmac. He felt lighter now, the weight of the past weeks slowly lifting, the sting of her betrayal a fading memory.

He glanced toward the familiar motorhomes, watching the familiar faces of drivers, engineers, and media moving like clockwork. Just another race day.

Logan strolled up beside him, looking far more relaxed than usual. “You ready for this weekend?” he asked casually, but there was an edge to his tone, something that made Oscar glance sideways.

“What’s up?” Oscar asked, slowing his pace. Logan’s nonchalance always had a purpose.

Logan hesitated, then rubbed the back of his neck with a sigh. “Look, I wasn’t going to say anything, but... have you seen the news?”

Oscar raised an eyebrow. “News?”

“About the grid,” Logan continued. “New couple spotted. Not that it’s really our business, but I figured… after everything… you should know.”

Oscar’s stomach sank. He hadn’t been paying attention to gossip, deliberately keeping his head down, but now a flicker of dread curled in his chest.

“Who?” Oscar asked, his voice tighter than he intended.

Logan pulled out his phone, scrolling before handing it to Oscar. “You’re not going to like this.”

The headline flashed across the screen: New F1 Couple Alert—Charles Leclerc Caught in Steamy Romance With Mysterious Brunette.

Oscar’s heart pounded in his ears as he scrolled through the article. His breath caught in his throat as he saw the photos. They were grainy, taken from a distance, but unmistakable. A man—one of the newer drivers, Charles—with his arm around a woman. A woman with long, dark hair and sharp, seductive features.

It was her.

Oscar’s grip tightened on the phone, the image burning itself into his mind. There she was, smiling that same smile, her lips curled in the same way that had once left him breathless. The same way she had smiled at him, at Lando, before turning their worlds upside down.

“I can’t believe it,” he muttered, handing the phone back to Logan. “She’s doing it again.”

Logan exhaled sharply. “Yeah, looks like it. It’s like she’s got a thing for drivers, mate. I didn’t want to bring it up, but... you needed to know.”

Oscar’s mind raced. She had moved on, effortlessly sliding into another life, another story, as though the chaos she’d caused had never even happened. And Charles—he had no idea. Oscar could see it in the photos, the way Charles was looking at her, the way his hand rested protectively on her waist. It was the same way Oscar had once looked at her. The same way Lando had.

She was doing it again. The same seduction, the same lies, the same calculated dance.

“She knew exactly what she was doing all along,” Oscar said, more to himself than to Logan. The realisation hit him hard. She hadn’t just stumbled into his life. She had planned it. She’d known exactly who he was. Lando had mentioned him, and talked about his teammate from time to time. She had heard his name, known his world, and positioned herself perfectly to take advantage of it.

The night at the bar in Chicago wasn’t a coincidence. She hadn’t randomly chosen the seat next to him. She had orchestrated it all.

Logan sighed. “She’s good at what she does, I’ll give her that. But Charles… he’s got no clue what’s coming.”

For a moment, Oscar felt a wave of helplessness wash over him. He thought he had escaped her, thought they had finally closed the book on her manipulations. But here she was, sinking her claws into someone new, dragging another man into her web.

“What do I do?” Oscar asked quietly, feeling the weight of it all.

Logan shrugged, giving him a sympathetic look. “There’s nothing you can do. Not really. It’s his choice, his life. You can’t save him if he doesn’t know he needs saving.”

Oscar nodded, though the pit in his stomach twisted tighter. He watched as the world around him carried on, oblivious to the storm brewing in the distance.

The image of her with her lips on Charles, just like she had done to him.

And as Oscar turned away, walking toward the garage, he couldn’t shake the feeling that the storm wasn’t over. Not yet.

the end.

tag list: @iimplicitt @hearts4acemyluv @a-beaverhausen

[shinidamachu]

Sid, why do you think people think Kagome is “so annoying” and “whiny?” How exactly did she earn this reputation among her (rather dumb) haters.

The world is not kind to 15 years old girls, and what is Kagome, if not the perfect representation of one?

People forgot they can dislike a character just because and then move on. They'd rather grasp at straws to try and justify themselves, that way they can pretend they're being rational about the constant hate they're spreading when, truthfully, they're just being miserable.

Kagome specifically is in even greater disadvantage because her critics are, mostly, people who haven't read the source material and are instead basing their takes on a biased adaptation – which they probably watched ages before developping any critical skills – or people who see her as a threat to their ship and therefore are already prone to hate her.

The first group won't ever bother going out of their way to try and get a better grasp of her character by reading a 558 chapters long manga and the second group won't change their minds either way.

That's why they call her out for using the beads of subjugation even if: it wasn't her idea in the first place, it served to balance her relationship with Inuyasha at the beginning – since he was powerful and violent while she wasn't –, the rosary became a symbol of their bond, it saved Inuyasha a couple of times and he was always more annoyed than hurt by it, not to mention Sunrise blowing it out of proportion compared to the manga.

You never see Inuyasha getting bashed for hitting Shippo every other episode or Sango getting any heat for constantly slapping Miroku, because funnily enough people seem to understand it was just dumb, outdated, slapstick comedy, a courtesy they refuse to extend to Kagome.

That's also the reason they call her “annoying” and “whiny”: Kagome’s most important lesson was that it's okay to have feelings, so naturally they twisted that into a bad thing in order to keep hating on her. It's not about how her character was written, it's about people using of bad faith and deliberately mischaracterizing Kagome to pass their internalized misogyny as valid criticism.

I know part of the issue is that audiences nowadays are under the impression that for a female character to be strong, she can't cry or be feminine, but you don't see anyone hating on Sango even though she does cry and she can be as feminine as Kagome depending on the circunstances and on her mood.

The truth is that Kagome is playing a game she can never win, because the refs have decided they want her to lose before the match even starts.

If she stands up and sets boundaries for herself, she's annoying. If she doesn't, she's a doormat. If she feels jealousy, she's a bitch. If she shows kindness, she's boring. If she fights, she's overpowered. If she doesn't, she's useless. If any other character cries, it's heartbreaking. If she cries, she's whiny.

If she goes back to her own world, she's selfish. If she leaves that world behind to live the life she wants for herself, she's a stupid girl who left her family for a boy. If she does something grand, that's only because she's someone else's reincarnation. If she messes something up, the fault is hers and hers alone. She is, somehow, simultaneously a Mary Sue and a toxic abuser.

I've personally seen people slut shaming her because she got hitted on by Koga. I've personally seen people call her a "pick me" girl. Kagome. A pick me girl. Kagome.

And none of this is fair, because she is the kind of character who does her best to see the good in others, to understand the reasons why they act the way they do and to offer them some grace, but she gets very little of that in return, be it in canon, be it in fandom.

They always hold her up to such an impossible standard, but they completely forget to ask themselves: would the characters I stan be able to match the expectations I set for Kagome? Scratch that: would the characters I stan even be able to deal with things the way Kagome managed to do? Would I? The answer is most likely no, so how about cutting her a slack?

You ask me how did she earn this reputation among her rather dumb haters, my answer is: she didn't. They're just incapable of understanding that if a particular nuanced, well written, female character is not their cup of tea, they can simply ignore her and focus their attention on the characters they do like instead of spreading their baseless, misogynistic takes on the internet.

[openphrase123]

i just finished this fic! it's good!

and because it's all done i want to like... be a LITTLE self indulgent and talk under the cut about some miscellaneous things that i ran into while writing it. don't click the readmore if you're interested in the fic and haven't read it yet i'm about to spoil the Whole thing.

also there is an epilogue to this fic now - go read that before this post if you're getting to this before the update!!

so!! i haven't written fanfiction in like FIVE YEARS. it's been a while! part of that is because i was doing original stuff and part of it was i was in a creative slump. so isat kind of dug me out of that and i owe it my thanks. i've been able to do a crazy amount of original work since starting this fic, it's brought back my creative discipline. in like seven years when my video game comes out you can thank isat for that probably

i originally set out thinking this was the only fic for isat i was going to write. and then as i was writing this i fell deeper into it. i kind of got out of isat a little disappointed in how it ended?? but now that i'm here i'm like ah it's fine. just cause i would have done something different in dev's position doesn't mean it's bad. it does mean i can write a bunch of fanfiction exploring things i wish had been tackled more in the game though LOL

i said this in one of the chapter authors notes but i DID start out curtain call hating loop with every fiber of my being. (as in i liked them as a character UNTIL the act 6 reveal which i thought was lame) and then i played through the game a second time knowing the loop twist and went "oh nvm this makes sense" so a lot of the loop stuff in this fic was actually written twice. originally i was just gonna have them soulmerge with siffrin and not be present at all but then i was like. no. i do want to keep this lighthearted and that's too depressing of an end for loop. i do have a loop postcanon doc so i'll go repay them for their slapdashed involvement in curtain call someday

i'm in a weird position with curtain call in that i wrote the themes and major conflicts Directly After playing through isat the first time. before i could really marinate and analyze the characters fully. so there are a lot of scenes and points where i think i wouldn't characterize certain people like that if i were to rewrite this from scratch? however i don't disagree with what i've written either - it's just an interpretation that i don't necessarily think is my favorite anymore.

neither is any of the worldbuilding i did for any of this - it works for curtain call and i think it was nice but i don't necessarily think it's my current interpretation of what the culture and people were like? i like the wishes being permanent thing, i like the language stuff, but i'd probably go in a different direction if i went through this again

i do actually still think "the forgotten island was destroyed by a volcano" is my solid headcanon explanation of what happened to it. in my heart. i think like - with siffrin as a character especially it's very important that he's always missing something, that it's not idyllically happy for them at the end of everything. so even if he can remember more from their own past, it's - you know - there's no way to go back. only forward.

in the vein of this i probably could have killed siffrin/loop's entire childhood family but i did not. mostly because i did think it was fun for him to have to explain all of those cultural taboos they broke to survive. which, of course, was not a big deal - any good parent would rather their kid be alive than lawful - but what is isat other than a vehicle to make siffrin work through every moral compulsion and spiral they experience

i had a thought halfway through writing the fic that i was stepping on the very good and beautiful odile friendquest by making the island real and having a lot of siffrin's personality dictate how it went. but i ultimately decided on keeping siffrin very close to their country, more than odile is to vaugarde, because siffrin actually DID live on the island when he was a kid and that i think is a Different type of "longing for your country" trauma than odile's. i think they can still drink over the feelings together though

writing bonnie is very fun but very emotional for me. the bonnie&siffrin age gap (preteen to late-20s) is the exact age gap between me and my niece so every time i need to sit down and write something for them i think about her and how much she's a little baby growing up. this has nothing to do with bonnie it just makes writing bonnie really hard for me

if the entire history of my ao3 account was not an indicator, i'm a very big fan of writing romance, but i did not want it to take over curtain call at all. i also could have left out sloopis entirely and almost did, but thought "you know. with the way loop functions in this fic. i should at least let that be open ended" cause sharing a body with a version of you who is dating some other guy is gonna get messy no matter what. it's just not necessarily something i had time to or the urge to explore here. think of it as a fun spiritual nod to the fact that isafrin is technically open ended in isat (<- cop out answer)

i think i'm pretty vocal in how much i am absolutely insane for the flashback "happiest i can remember being" conversation. who let them do that. i think a lot of how i worked with mirabelle and siffrin's relationship in this fic kind of revolved around that. important to me that it ends with mira checking in on him and getting the answer she was looking for all along <3

overall i'm happy with curtain call. glad i am done with it though. there's so much that's running in with it at once. i'll probably wait a month and reread the whole thing to myself front to back before i start having fond memories of this. i mean it's always gonna be the fic my nephew was born during and i'll always remember having a panic attack in the airport right after posting chapter 7 but it's gonna be weird letting this one sail off into the ocean of the internet. however feel free to ask anything about the fic, i wrote this in a lil hurry on a bad day and probably didn't cover everything

goodbye, curtain call!! i love you!!!!! i'll miss you!!!!

[looks both ways, waiting for most people to leave]

also. if you've read this far. i hope it's not too gauche of me to link my personal project. if you've read over 100k words of this you might enjoy the game i'm developing? i've been working on it for almost a year but i just started the devlog last month. it's still in early baby stages as far as a full video game goes but if you liked this you'll like the game when it comes out (similar nickname culture, timeloop trauma, petty interpersonal drama, very stupid jokes, natural disaster angst)

also there isn't a lot on the devblog yet, i've mostly been doing programming on it, i JUST started visdev i'm sorry if it's uglyyyyy (FOR NOW)

anyway i'm trusting you with that link. i'm going to use my professional name on that project when it airs don't cross the wires pretty please just pretend that's a butch-y cis woman's game <3 guard the closet door babeyyyyy

[jq37]

Over the summer I was the artist in residence at a summer camp and every night we had a big night game. Wizard capture the flag or Vampires vs. Werewolves--Whatever the activities director came up with that day.

One day the activity was Greek Mythology murder mystery. All the counselors were gods or heroes and Achilles was the victim, killed by an arrow to the chest. The cause of death hadn't been announced for 2 seconds before kids started yelling, "That's wrong! Achilles can only be killed by his heel!" Not just the teens. Elementary school kids too. I'd read the game doc before and knew that was supposed to be the mid-game twist and they got there in seconds.

These kids were exactly the target audience for the Percy Jackson show and so tapped into all the lore. Like, I saw a ten year old walk by me and say to her friends, "OK, if Achilles is here, where's Patroclus?" I was a total Greek Mythology nerd at that age pre the series existing and I don't even think I knew who Patroclus was.

Anyway, my point to all this is there are several moments in this new adaptation where a character calls out a trap before they walk into it (like the Medusa's lair or the Lotus Casino) whereas in the book they just kinda walk in even though it seems like they should be a little more genre savvy. I don't think any of these characters are infallible/impossible to trick (even ones like Annabeth who are super smart) but I really get the sense that Rick and the writers were writing with kids like the ones at that camp in mind. Kids who would watch kids walk into an obvious Greek Mythology trap and think ok well I've read the Oddesey, so why haven't they? When Rick wrote the books it was a pre Percy Jackson world. But even my brother who hates to read at least read The Lightning Thief. I feel like they felt that if my brother was savvy to Medusa, they couldn't credibly claim that Annabeth who's been immersed in the culture since she was in single digits wouldn't also be on top of things. There's a sense of almost...audience management if that makes sense.

[possessedopossum]

The Veilguard: my full review [positive, long post, less about game mechanics and more about meta, spoilers]

The thing that makes Veilguard special to me is how self aware the game is. In every dialogue, plot twist or quest I can feel the presence of somebody who wanted to share something with me. Be it personal experience, message, pain or joy. As of 2024, many games have lost their creative spark. Video game industry is no longer a nerd only zone, it's a business no different than others. Many studios utilize AI to write their plots, chase after current trends or simply make decisions that would create the biggest audience possible at the expense of something people love the franchise for. Veilguard did well, because it showed me something I haven't seen in a very long time: the human soul.

Perhaps you have noticed it on your own. The world has gone completely nuts after the covid. Or maybe it has always been this way and I only noticed it now. It is not a surprise to me that players want their game to be darker, to have more aggressive dialogue and to have a morally grey or even evil protagonist. For the past few years I've been feeling like someone had turned the lights off. And the game gave me an impression that someone at bioware feels this way too.

Only negativity gives content creators views and money these days. Open any social media, read any post or watch any video. If something is on top, it's almost always a hate post. What was the last movie most reviewers enjoyed? The last game? Perhaps the one that was released 10 years ago? What was the last time, you, my dear reader, have smiled? Not bitterly or sardonically, but out of genuine joy?

It is extremely fitting that Rook's mentor figure is Varric. Varric is somebody who always sees the best in people. He grew up in one hell of a city but he still loves it. He can find something to laugh about no matter how dire the situation is. He is a people person who can build friendship with anybody. Varric is very charismatic and tends to avoid conflict. He is a chronic liar but that doesn't make him bad because he never lies with malicious intentions. And in some ways, Rook is similar to him.

Yes, Rook can't be a complete asshole. Because the game is not about being an asshole. One of our antagonists, Solas, considers the world to be sick. Modern Thedas is a grave mistake that haunts him. He can't forget and move on because even the elves themselves wear his mistakes on their faces. Many things that are normal to the player character aren't normal to Solas. The world is so wrong and disgusting to Solas that he is willing to sacrifice things and people who are dear to him just to make the twisted world better.

Rook is nice because they are supposed to represent what is good in modern Thedas. They are supposed to be somebody who thinks the world is worth fighting for. And to a certain extent, their factions as well. The crows are contract killers and the lords of fortune are thiefs. Grey wardens are very concerned with politics and all the secrets they refuse to share constantly get people killed. Mourn watch has their immoral power hungry politicians as well and veil jumpers are sometimes willing to trade people for ancient secrets. They all aren't without sin but that's not the point. The point is, even with all the ugliness and darkness, there is still a place for light. And the light in the darkness is the exact message bioware tried to convey. The crows not being comically evil is not bad writing. It is a conscious writing choice to give us a human face for something we consider ugly and not worth fighting for. The player is metaphorically Solas, who needs to be persuaded that the world is worth at least something. The writers didn't need to bare the souls of player factions in all their mistakes, imperfections and cruelty. Because they showed us the factions' humanity. Some cruelty is still there, on the background, but it doesn't overshadow what is good. The crows, no matter how terrible, are a family. Viago may call Rook an idiot and while Rook considers their training literal torture, they sure love Viago back.

In fact, familial love is one of the core themes of the Veilguard. We have Emmrich and Manfred, Davrin and Assan and uncle Endrin, Lucanis and Caterina and Illario, Taash and Shathann, Bellara and Cyrian. It's a bit less direct with Neve and Harding. Neve has a lot of love for her city which is almost like a person to her, and Harding...I'll explain with a quote. "You're Lace Harding! You're more than this rage! You believe that the world is beautiful! That people are good! Hold onto it, hold on to who you are!".

Even the evanuris share the theme of family. Rook can compare Elgar'nan and Solas to relatives who can't get along. Elgar'nan calls Ghilan'nain his sister. Both shards of Mythal consider modern elves her children. Different but no less beloved, as Morrigan puts it.

Veilguard shows family without rose-tinted glasses. It shows that sometimes to love your children is to sacrifice something else you love (Lichdom for Emmrich), that parents have their own problems that may harm their children no matter how much parents wish to protect them (Shathann understands she is not the best mother and has complicated relationships with the Qun that harmed Taash), that sometimes parents do not understand their children at all and it's only up to children themselves to close the gap in understanding (Mythal, Solas and Rook), that familial love and desire to protect your family may turn into something ugly (Caterina being cruel to her grandchildren to prepare them for harsh realities of the antivan crows).

There is conflict in Veilguard, of intergenerational nature. Companions and their families, Rook and their faction leader, elves ancient and modern. It's up to the player how to deal with the last one. Humans, dwarves and qunari may not share blood ties with ancient elves but they still live in the world ancient elves created. As Rook, you're allowed to lash out in anger at Mythal and Solas. You can call Mythal guilty of all modern problems and fight her. You can bind Solas to the veil by force, call him asshole and express your frustrations with him multiple times throughout the game. You can also express sympathy and forgive them both. Because forgiving is neither condoning nor condemning, it's understanding and letting go. Being understood and allowed to peacefully let go of his mistakes is the exact thing that Solas needs to change his mind.

I believe that the Veilguard companions are one of the very best I've ever seen in a video game. They may not have as many different fates as for example Alistair has but is goodness measured with the amount of ways a character can be killed? I love the Veilguard crew because they all feel very real. Their personal problems are universal and very close to the player. Taash's story is not about being non-binary. It's about growing up, finding your place in the world, separating from your family and learning to appreciate it despite the mistakes your parents did while parenting you.

It's hard to decide who is my favorite. Taash's story made me cry but so did Harding's and Bellara's. The last scenes of Lucanis romance made me feral. I can't stomach the scene where Davrin and Assan die. The consequences of destruction of Minrathous/Treviso were hard to look at. I felt guilt, and if a game makes me feel something, it's a good game. I laughed, I cried, I was afraid and I felt joy, I was angry, I felt shame, I felt love. The game made me feel alive, I played through Rook's story like it was my own, what not to love about it?

The double blight wreaking havoc in Southern Thedas is sad but beautifully symbolic. Almost like a love letter from a long lost lover, It felt like bioware's meta commentary to me. "Yes, a whole lot of time has passed. We are no longer as young as we used to be, and so are you, not only the player, but our treasured friend as well. We have changed, you have changed and so did the world around us. Gaming and the video game industry are not what they used to be. We will never be able to go back no matter how much we want it because the only path that is left is the path forward. It doesn't mean that we no longer remember our shared past, no. We may not be able to go back but we promise to remember it fondly. We are still capable of creating beauty and the past will serve as a foundation for something new. We still have hope, and so should you".

The Veilguard to me is about nostalgia as well. I don't want to feed my inner Solas who sees the current world as sick. I want to make space for my inner Rook who is hopeful about the world just enought to fight for its future.

[thefiery-phoenix]

YANDERE KENMA KOZUME HEADCANONS

Kenma is an obsessive yandere and he's also self aware 

You are in Kenma's math class and you were the only one who managed to catch his eye because of your shining personality. He really admired you, like alot

Even though this boi is OBSESSED with you, poor bby's really nervous about approaching you and blowing his first impression with you. So, he'll watch and admire you from far. And THAT means, he's basically like your secret admirer 

Though he might not seem like it, Kenma is a VERY perceptive person. He knows and understands what exactly a person is going through and their feelings. He cares for his friends a lot and YES, that ALSO includes a certain raven haired rooster ;) But these feelings are a bit.... different when it comes to you. He's never experienced love before and he has trouble understand these new feelings. He just can't understand HOW in the HECK you can make his heart flutter with your smile and his tummy become a zoo when you laugh. Sure, he's played games on love and all that before but he didn't bother going in depth about it but after he saw you, he made it like his mission to learn and know EACH and EVERY single thing about it

His confusion towards his feelings will most likely be manifested in dark, sinister and twisted feelings of love and obsession towards you. He's content with just watching you from far and if you speak to him, he'll be a stuttering mess. Poor bby

Doesn't like it when you hang around other people, ESPECIALLY Oikawa. He really hates how close you are with him. And he really wishes he could do something to get rid of those annoying little gnats you call 'friends'. Can't you see? They'll desert you one day and they'll NEVER love you like how Kenma does 

Luckily, Kuroo is Kenma's wingman and helps him get to you when he learns about his crush. I have a feeling Kuroo's also gonna help Kenma when it comes to kidnapping you and keeping you 'safe'

Sure, Kenma will collect little trinkets from you and have a collection of your items but he won't go as far as to collecting your clothes since he KNOWS that's just creepy as hell and he ain't that much of a creep

He will find out EVERYTHING about you and YES, that also includes that Wattpad and Tumblr account you haven't told anyone about. If you're an author on any of these sites, he'll find a way to login with your username and password after he reads them off from your secret diary, and he'll LOVE every word you've written. He'll also have access to your mails and everything since he wants to keep you safe from danger and he wants to know more about you 

As much as he creepily stalks the HELL out of you, he will respect your privacy and your personal space. He isn't a pervert to watch you take your showers and he drinks and DROWNS in his respect women juice like Kuroo 

He only stalks you since he just wants to make sure you get to places safely, like an escort mission in a game where you're the princess and he's your knight in shining armor or your prince charming 

Kenma won't go TOO far with his obsession. It'll take A LOT to make HIM snap and when he does snap, oh boy.... you better have your running shoes in handy since he is literally going to make Satan and Lucifer look like the Bubble Guppies, no joke

If he kidnaps you, it's going to be because he's scared and insecure that you'll like someone else and he doesn't blame you for that. But, he wants to make sure that you fall in love with him and if you don't, well... he'll make you fall in love with him

Don't EVER try escaping from him. Many bones WILL be broken and NONE of them are going to be HIS

When it comes to rivals and enemies, he'll let them off with a dire warning but if they are stupid enough to go near you again, he will literally kill them in the most painful way imaginable till that person is going to be BEGGING for death 

If you drive him stir crazy and over the edge, he'll just lock you in a dark room till you're ready to say sorry. He NEEDS you behave no matter WHAT he should do. He is rather strict when it comes to discipline and YES, he'll even take away the cat

After you're done with your punishment, he'll make you sit on his lap and wipe your tears while he cuddles with you and lets you play his video games or he'll let you watch your favorite movie on Netflix

Apart from this, he likes giving you little gifts from time to time like bracelets or if you like books, he'll get you books. If you're a gamer like him, he'll get you your own playstation and a nintendo switch or if you like drawing, expect a whole bunch of art supplies and sketch books sitting on the dining table wrapped neatly for you 

Would LOVE to have a family with you though he'll be nervous as hell. What if he won't be a good father? And he'll not force you till you're ready to have a family with him by having a bunch of crazy little toddlers running around here and there 

Manipulation will NEVER work on this dude so don't even try. He can easily tell when you're trying to manipulate him. He can calculate your every move and your thought since he studied you really well and you're easy to read like an open book. If you think you're 2 steps ahead of him, he's always 10 steps ahead of you 

Will never make you do things you're uncomfortable with. He gets shy sometimes when he shows you affection and if you reciprocate his feelings back, Tsundere mode activated. But, he'll cuddle you and hug and kiss you whenever you want

Nicknames include: Pudding (Why am I getting reminded of Harley Quinn calling Joker that?!), Kitty cat, Sweetheart, Darling, Kitten

Once you get Stockholm Syndrome, things will get easier for you and expect a neatly wrapped from Kenma's best man Kuroo who's happy for you both and is even MORE happy that he doesn't have to go chasing you around here and there anymore when you're trying to escape

[plutoleah]

Twisted Devotion

[Male reader-insert, amab, Yandere/Obsessive! Gojo x Male reader. Toxic Relationships, NSFW, Sub!Gojo x Male Reader, Stalking, Cameras] 2000 words

A/N: Sorry, this is my first time really writing smut (except on janitor) So it might be little awkward reading it.

You were always jealous of him. Everything he did seemed perfect. He always got better grades than you, even when you studied really hard, while he just goofed off and didn’t even try. “Ugh, I fucking hate that worthless nobody; he thinks he’s so much better than everyone else, doesn’t he?” Y/N yells at his friends while throwing shoes around in his closet, hoping to take out some anger.

“Well, you know, Y/N, he’s having a party this weekend. We were planning to go,” one of your friends says, flinching when there’s a sudden tumble of shoe boxes. Y/N pops his head out of the closet.

“You know damn well I don’t do parties, and I hate him,” Y/N glares at his friends, making them flinch. “But if I were to go to the party, of course, to crash it, when would that be?” Y/N smiles expectantly.

“This Saturday."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You promised yourself a million times that you would never go to this party. You HATE Gojo. Then why did you find yourself drowning in alcohol at this damn party?

“Yo, Y/N, I thought you said you’d never come to one of my parties again.” Gojo slowly walks towards you with his hands in his pockets.

“Don’t talk to me.” Y/N turns away from Gojo, but he just leans on your shoulder.

“Aw, you’re so mean to me.” Gojo coos at you and gives you puppy dog eyes, but you push him off your shoulder.

“God, why did I ever come to this party? I only wanted to crash it.” Y/N groans as he shakes his head.

“That’s what you said last time, but we ended up in the same bed together.” Gojo giggles as he grabs a nearby drink.

“I’m leaving,” Y/N throws his drink away.

“Already? Please, there are tons of games to play, and I missed you.” Gojo grabs your hand and pleads with his eyes, begging you not to leave. He did this last time when you tried leaving, but you always fell for his charms and stayed. But not this time.

“I mean, I could stay.” Y/N looks away, blushing a little. “But only for a little.”

As soon as Y/N says that, Gojo lets go of him and hugs him. “Yay!” Gojo says happily.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Damnit, how the hell did you even end up like this? It was a few hours after the party. Every time you would try leaving this trap, Gojo would give you puppy eyes and beg you to stay. You agreed, but how the hell did you end up inside him? "Yes! Fuck, yes, Y/N, Y/N, oh god, right there!" He shoves his head into the pillow as you pound into him. "I hate you so much." Y/N groans, holds his hips, and thrusts deeper into him, hopping to vent out all his frustrations. "Right there! Hah~ cumming," Gojo cried out as he came all over the sheets, his body convulsing with pleasure.

You roll your eyes at him, irritated, and pull out immediately. "W-where are you going?" Gojo rolled over onto his back, disappointed that you wanted to leave already. "This is so fucked." Y/N groans as he grabs his shirt off the ground. "Wait, don't leave; haven't you missed me?" Gojo crawls over to Y/N. "And why would I ever miss you? We've gone through this tons of times, and it's always the same thing," Y/N huffs as he pulls on his shirt. "Please just," Gojo says, wrapping his hands around Y/N's waist and pulling him in closer. "I want you." Gojo then takes Y/N's dick into his mouth.

"Shit Gojo, stop fuck," Y/N groans, throws his head back, and places his hand on his head to pull him off. Gojo pulls off Y/N's dick and licks the tip. "Do you actually want me to stop?" Gojo smiles as he sucks on the tip. "No, don't." Y/N looks away as Gojo goes back to bobbing his head.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Ugh, what the hell? Huh, Gojo, why the hell am I-?” Y/N looks at his right hand, handcuffed to the bedpost.

“Oh, I didn’t know you were awake already.” Gojo looks disappointed. “We had a crazy night,” Gojo giggles as he walks over to Y/N.

“Well, could you let me out of the handcuffs now? I think I’m gonna take my leave.” Y/N pulls on the handcuff on his wrist.

“But if you leave, I’d probably never get to see you again.” Gojo pouts, “We have classes together; you know where I live. God, you stalk me every day. Gojo, I noticed you, okay? Is that what you want?”

Y/N sighs, hoping to just get out of the handcuffs. “Really, then promise you’ll see me at least.”

Gojo smiled as he unlocked the handcuffs, knowing he wouldn’t see you for a while, but he didn’t mind because you always came back to him. After grabbing all your stuff and putting on your clothes, you awkwardly put on your shoes as he leans on a nearby wall.

“I love you.” Gojo waves at you as you open the door.

“Ok,” Y/N walks out of the house without another word.

A few months later.

It’s been a while since that party, and you haven’t seen Gojo in a while. You haven’t seen him in any of the classes you had with him. He wasn’t behind a nearby tree stalking you. He was nowhere to be found, so you went to your last resort.

“Please leave your message at…”

“Fucking Christ, why the hell isn’t he answering me?” Y/N yells out and shoves his phone into his pocket. Your friends giggle at your behavior.

“It doesn’t matter how fucking busy that idiot is; he’d answer my calls.” Y/N groans and puts his head on the desk.

“Maybe he’s finally gotten tired of you.” One of your friends giggles, “Isn’t that what you always wanted?”

Y/N raises up again, looking at his phone rather than looking at his friends. Has Gojo really gotten tired of you?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After school, you ran all the way to Gojo’s house and banged on the door, but nobody answered. Y/N groans, pulls out a spare key from his backpack, and unlocks the front door. When he walks in, it’s pitch dark. He places his bag by the door and begins to walk to Gojo’s room. When he reaches the room, Gojo is lying on his bed peacefully, without a care in the world.

“You fucking asshole, I was worried sick,” Y/N yells. Gojo turns around, surprised he didn’t hear you come in, but then smiles when he realizes what you said.

“Oh my, you missed me. I was only gone for a month.” Gojo spins around on his bed and lies on his stomach as he smiles at you. Is this another trap he planned?

“It’s surprising you said you missed me when I was watching you; all you did was pace.” Gojo then grabs his phone and shows you several videos of you pacing up and down and then a video of you jerking off on your bed. He quickly turns off his phone.

"Opps, how'd that get in there?" He giggles as you glare at him. When the hell did, he replace the cameras? "Why weren't you at school?" Y/N stops glaring and sits on the bed besides Gojo. "Just a little sick. Nothing major." Gojo slowly lays his head on your lap. "I... missed you." Y/N slowly leans down towards Gojo and kisses him. Gojo kissing him back. "Hehe, I know." Gojo giggles as he sits up and sits on Y/N's lap. 

Oh God, Y/N, were you really going to fall into this trap again? You've done this multiple times, yet you always run to him whenever you're worried about him. He knew what he was doing, making you so dependent on needing him just so you could lash out at him, and he loved the attention you gave him; it felt exhilarating. "What the hell is wrong with me?" Y/N frantically rubbed his head. "I don't love you; I don't want you." Y/N shoved Gojo off of his lap. "But you always come back. I've seen you try to get rid of me by hooking up with someone, but as soon as you 'finish' you come straight to my house." Gojo sighed, "You're different." Y/N looked off to the side as Gojo crawled over to him and pulled down Y/N's pants.

'I hate him. But his affection is all I want; I don't care how much I push him away'. Y/N finally looked back at Gojo to see him straddling his lap. He cupped Y/N's cheek. "It's okay, don't think about it right now." Gojo then sank down on Y/N's cock. 'When the hell did he take off his clothes?' "I love you. Even if you don't know how you feel about me, you could hate me, and I would still love you" Gojo grabbed Y/N's shoulder and began to bounce himself up and down. 'Is he smiling?' Y/N looked up at Gojo and saw that he wasn't smiling. 'Does he not love me anymore? Wait, I'm not scared.' "Hah, are you scared? I don't usually smile like that." Gojo flashed a fake smile.

"I love you." Y/N teared up as he looked away. "I mean it, actually, I don't want to lose you, please." Y/N gripped Gojo's hips tight, so he stopped, "I want you so much; please don't tell me you're leaving me now; you've stayed with me forever." Y/N couldn't stop the tears from flowing; he must have looked ridiculous and felt ridiculous. Gojo brought a hand to Y/N's face and wiped the tears away. "Stupid, I'm not leaving you; I was just tired of pretending." He was grinning. Why the hell was he grinning now after making Y/N feel so terrible?

Y/N flipped him over on his back and wiped away his own tears. "You're so mean." Y/N pulled his cock out a little and then pushed back in and began thrusting into him. "You're so tight," Y/N groaned as he grabbed Gojo's hips. "Would it be too cheesy of me to say?" Gojo cleared his throat. "Only for you." He smiled, then his eyes rolled slightly at a particularly hard thrust. "Yeah, it would," Y/N smirked as he tilted his hips up and hit Gojo's prostate.

"Hic~ fuck ahh hah." His eyes closed as Y/N hit that spot. "Already?" Y/N tilted his head as he began moving his hips faster. "You fucking playing with me shit." Gojo gripped the bedsheets as he felt Y/N speed up. It felt too good, shit, were his eyes rolling back. "Hah, that's so cute." Y/N cupped Gojo's chin. "Cumming~" Gojo tensed as his cum splattered all over his stomach. "Hic—just fucking cum, please." Gojo whimpered as he felt the overstimulation settling in. "Mhm, don't worry, I'm close." Y/N picked up the speed as he held Gojo's body close. When he was close to his climax, he buried himself as deep as he could and came. "Fuck" Y/N and Gojo groaned as Y/N pulled out a little just to thrust back in again. "Hah, stop," Gojo grabbed one of Y/N's arms. "But I still gotta punish you for ignoring me." Y/N smirked, "Eek, just go easy." Gojo's eyes widened as Y/N sped back up

At school the next day.

“Hey, your ‘boyfriend’ is watching us again.” One of your friends points to a nearby tree where Gojo is hiding. You turn around and see him; he’s walking over here. “Hey, Y/N, you forgot this yesterday at my house.” Gojo hands you your school bag. “Oh, thanks.” Y/N takes his bag from Gojo’s hand. Gojo begins walking away, but you stop him. “Wait.” Y/N pulls Gojo and fixes his collar. “You can’t just be showing these people; they’re going to ask questions.” Y/N covers up the hickeys on Gojo’s neck, his own marks showing. “Ok… I love you.” Y/N says quietly, then pushes him away. “Now go away before I hurt you.” You yell as a blush appears on your cheeks, and Gojo smiles and walks away. “I thought you said you’d never love him.” One of your friends' chuckles. “I don’t I hate him.” Y/N huffs.

[yanderes-galore]

aw shit- I have to send my request early cuz i'll be very busy T.T

Uhm,, can I request a yandere concept for my girl Marina from Fear & Hunger 2: Termina?

I love Marina sm... Here you go :)

Yandere! Marina Domek Concept

Pairing: Platonic -> Romantic

Possible Trigger Warnings: Gender-Neutral Darling, Obsession, Stalking, Mind reading, Manipulation, Overprotective/Possessive behavior, Violence, Blood, Religion, Dark themes, Murder, Dubious companionship/relationship.

Marina was born in the Church of All-Mer.

Since birth she was connected to Prehevil, even if her mother tried to hide her away from the duties of becoming a Dark Priest.

Marina was often taught to camouflage and act around others.

She can read their mind and is capable of magic due to being an occultist.

She originally left Prehevil to flee from her father.

She was not welcome there... Yet years later she's called back for an event beyond her control.

Marina is described as curious and informal when speaking.

She freely speaks her mind and is very knowledgeable about Prehevil, more so than most of the other contestants.

She hates this place... But finds something, or someone, interesting within it.

Marina meets you during the twisted Termina festival.

Soon afterwards she begins to see you as an ally when you reach out to speak with her outside of the train.

You're curious of this place but Marina can also see the fear in your eyes.

You need guidance... Guidance she can provide.

Marina doesn't formally join your party until later.

However, she does speak with you outside of the train.

You intrigue her... The fact you're so curious about her is cute.

You want to know about Prehevil and Marina's knowledge in blood magic.

Marina does her best to indulge you, even smiling and giggling a couple times as you talk.

She really wants to consider you a friend.

I imagine you don't see Marina again until you either save her from the Mayor's House or meet her at the Bookstore.

I like to imagine your party members are Levi and O'saa, although you could have anyone.

Marina just has the most dialogue with those two I think.

Marina is thankful if you save her, in fact her obsession may be faster after this.

Even though you don't see her until later, Marina isn't actually that far from you.

I think (haven't actually played the game) she has Mind Read similar to Samarie, if not... disregard the next few sentences.

Marina may secretly use Mind Read while stalking you.

She's curious and wants to know your thoughts on this place.

Not only that... but how are you getting along with the others?

Eventually she'll meet you again at the Book Store, pretending she wasn't snooping.

The Book Store becomes a pleasant place to meet, Marina perking up when she sees you again.

She knew you'd come here... but still...

Upon meeting her again you offer her to join your party.

Theoretically you should have a slot by this point... which allows Marina to become a valuable part of your team.

Marina, as an occultist, is skilled in many different types of magic.

Be it Pyromancy Trick or creating Ritual Circles... she's skilled in her craft.

Plus, Marina often makes conversation with you about Prehevil.

If you have Levi too, the two most likely join in with one another.

Marina isn't very physically strong but she makes up for it with magic.

Her basic weapon is a knife and she admits she's used to utilizing magic more than anything.

Marina would want to be open with her darling eventually.

Especially if you heard her father... misgender her.

Yes, Marina would only ever want to tell her darling the truth of her childhood.

She wants to create a bond between you where you can be honest with one another.

No lies.

Marina is no doubt affected by the festival like the rest, yet she manages to keep her head most of the time.

This is because she is already skilled in the occult.

As a result, I feel she'd be able to handle herself more, even on Day 3.

Which means she'd be less volatile than most other contestants.

Even when she notices your mind wander or your thoughts corrupt... Marina pulls you back into reality.

She'd be less tempted to outright kill other contestants unless she feels it's necessary.

For example, if the felt she had to kill others to guarantee you both live and make it out of here?

She will.

Marina may start platonic with you, seeing you as an intriguing ally who always just seems to have a way with talking to people.

Yet as the countdown ticks on... it becomes known she feels romantically for you.

Now here's an idea...

Samarie, already a canonical yandere, would view you as a rival.

She notices Marina get close to you, clearly head over heels for you.

After all... Samarie feels a similar way with Marina.

Imagine if Marina's first kill as a yandere was Samarie?

She knows the other girl is obsessed with her... yet Marina isn't interested.

Imagine Marina's panic if you were attacked by Samarie, the other crazed girl ranting and raving about being together forever.

Marina is forced to fight back despite Samarie's protests.

Marina's gaze is dark... enraged.

How dare she make you bleed.

While you're tended to by another party member, Marina deals with Samarie.

Most likely by killing her... as if Marina didn't stop her, you'd be dead too.

By the end of it she returns to you smelling if ash and blood.

You give her a concerned look but Marina pushes your other party member away to tend to you.

It's from this point on Marina realizes she must be careful with you.

Which leads down the route you're thinking of.

I think introducing Marina and Samarie's dynamic is a nice way to make Marina different from other yandere contestants.

When she realizes how easy it is for other contestants to target you, she begins to grow distrust.

As the festival trucks on, you two will be forced to make a choice.

Kill or be killed.

Your fate with Marina could go one of two ways.

You two Moonscorch together like most other contestants, usually due to Marina snapping.

Or... you two manage to live through the festival and Marina tries to settle down with you.

Both outcomes are twisted.

While the Ending A outcome sounds nice... Marina's no doubt changed due to the festival.

Especially if you've witnessed her killing other contestants for you.

After all, if Samarie tried it... who's to say the others won't?

Marina is soon used to the blood on her blouse, even if you look at her in concern.

No need for you to be fearful... she's doing this all for you.

She can read your mind and notices your discomfort.

She ignores it, promising herself that this is how you two will survive.

One way or another you'll be together, monsters or not.

Somewhere on the third day, due to Rher's influence, she is open about how she feels.

"I've fallen for you... I can't get the thought of you out of my mind. Everything I do is for you. Maybe Samarie is right... killing to protect the one you love is invigorating. Don't be scared... I just want us to be together... forever... doesn't it sound nice?"

Marina preaches about settling down with you, forgetting what happens in Prehevil and focusing on one another.

It's ironic that she's just become like Samarie.

She doesn't care if every contestant here dies as long as she gets to live beside you in the end.

As Day 3 approaches it's end, it's soon time to flip a coin and decide your fate once and for all.

Marina waits eagerly for the outcome.

At this point, she doesn't care how it happens...

One way or another you'll be together... and she'll be happy since you're the one she loves the most.

[wayfayrr]

This fic was originally inspired by the song Kerosene by tart, as it fits got the strong vibe of a yandere needing more in my opinion and I would recommend listening to it while reading <3 but eventually it spiralled into a full on self-aware sky x reader

And with that tone, they ask me 'If I'm ready…'  

Impatiently asking me to throw away my entire life for them, to cast aside everything I've ever known for the chance, the meagre chance, to stay in Hyrule. To join their duet of death, a fight that seems never-ending.

With only Sky offering me an alternate way, offering instead something more valuable than his own life to me. The offer to follow me, of his own regard instead of a twisted love demanding it of me. 

Yet, still sitting here with Sky has its own charm to it. I don't feel pressured to talk or do anything unlike how it can get with the others at times.

"You know my dove, with a touch of your life I was filled with envy… The fact that I haven't been able to live with you, know you longer than I have. I scare myself sometimes."

His chuckle wasn't as reassuring as he would thought it should be if he were trying to be reassuring to me. He could just be nervous after what he simply just admitted to. I know I would be.

"How would you scare yourself with that Sky..?"

"..."

"... I don't - It's just - I… Sometimes I uh- have thoughts. This really isn't easy to say."

Why is he looking at me like I should already know what he’s talking about like he’s going on about an inside joke? 

“It was a catastrophe, as a result of your sanguine vanity. Your confidence that everything was just a game, when you really knew better didn’t you?”

“...Knew better? What do you mean?”

“That I could see you… that from the moment outside the academy when I was told what buttons you would need to press to control me I started to connect everything, that I was alright with you being the one who had this ability to puppet me? You knew, didn’t you? You fell in love with me at the same time didn’t you?”

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

Is he - No he can’t be. He couldn’t have known he was in a game. He can’t have been in love with me since then… even if he did know… He should hate me. At best, this is some broken-down mechanical love, some remnant of stray code… Oh what am I doing lying to myself, nintendo made Link as a blank slate, there would never have been any failsafe like that. Because it shouldn’t be possible for him to become self-aware.

“When I first woke up that day it was like there was this other part of me, you it was you, but it didn’t take me long to realise that you weren’t a part of me. You were you and you could control my every single action.”

“My world at that point was a plaything for you but I wouldn’t have had it any other way.  I didn’t need to eat nor sleep when you were there for me, it was like I was complete. I was blinded by looking for Zelda for so long that I wasted the time I could’ve spent just basking in you.”

“I love you more than I need to breathe because you complete me… but you don’t feel the same.”

“Because I’m just a toy to you aren’t I? Be-because you left me. You just left, you left me behind and didn’t come back.”

Everything, he knows everything. Where do I start, how do I handle this? I can’t leave him spiralling like this, it’s not fair to him. Would he even believe what I’ll tell him? Do I want to tell him? 

“Sky I’m not going to lie to you. I did see you as just a game, I didn’t know that you were a person that you were alive. But I know better now. You’re not just a toy.”

“But I was just that to you…  you - you were just like a god that was sent from above to help me in my darkest moments. I didn’t- I mean I know, I shouldn’t have been able to have known any of that but I just - I don’t - I- I don-”

Tapering off into the most heartwrenching sobs after all of that isn’t something I could ever have imagined coming from the hero of the skies. I can’t comfort him. I’m not a monster.But I’m not a god either. Even if that’s what he saw me as, even though that’s what he wants me to be.  

“Sky I’m not a god. I never was, but I do care about you, I’ve said it before and seeing as you need to hear it now more than ever. I love you Sky. The you, I’ve gotten to know over this whole thing with the shadow.”

“But I - [Name] I just -”

“I know this is a lot to go through. It must’ve been absolute torture going through all of that. Can you breathe for me? I’m here to listen to you but I can’t if you’re too stressed to speak properly.”

“I - Thank you.”

The tears staining his face are starting to dry now, leaving streaks as proof of his own sadness, ones that have too much emotion behind to have been faked. All of this has to be true, there’s too much detail on things I’ve never mentioned to him for him to be lying to me based on one thing he’s heard about my own world. Which means he’s been aware of me for so much longer than he’s let on. That he might have known me for far longer than he’s let on. There’s no safe way to ask this now though so I’ll just have to hope he brings it up on his own. 

“I first figured out that I was this character after the dream I had about demise, after I woke up, when Horwell was talking to me about the lost remlit and how he told me to press z to target him, not even calling me by my name he called me Sky. But what made it even worse is I could remember fighting demise, making up with Groose and getting the triforce yet I was back to the start and being called something different.”

“That’s when you knew? Did you realise it was me immediately or did that take longer? You don’t have to answer of course, just talk about what you’re comfortable with Link.”

His breathing is slowly evening out now, clearly his earlier panic is starting to subside. Although now I don’t have my past option of being able to move away from him anymore, not with how he’s leaned all his weight against my side in, if he wasn’t so deeply upset about all of this, what I could call a desperate attempt to keep me by him. With all of this only seemingly proved more by how he’s tangling his fingers in mine to hold my hand tightly against his chest. 

“I first knew it was you when Zelda pushed me off that landing again. Your disgust at her doing that, at her not trusting me even though you already knew it was going to happen at that point. It wasn’t until I was first in the temple with Fi that I saw you properly though. I couldn’t even spare more than a second to bask in your beauty because, well I was scared that if I acted too differently from what you expected then you would just abandon me, but I wanted too more badly than anything. What I wouldn’t have given at that time to just have been able to spare more than a simple glance at you. Who I wouldn’t have killed to get the faintest chance to simply hold you.”

“...What was that last thing you said?”

“What do you mean my dove? The fact I would’ve given anything to spare a glance at you?”

“No that other thing you said.”

“That I couldn’t act differently out of fear that you would abandon me to a lifeless world where everyone was acting like soulless husks only repeating the same line over and over and over.”

“No that very- you know what, don't worry about it.”

The last remains of his tears finally fade away now as he nuzzles himself further into my shoulder and brings up our intertwined hands to kiss my own. Drawing out the moment as long as he can, fitting as he’s spent so long pining for this very touch. What’s going unsaid here is more than enough to be unsettling now, with how overbearing his feelings are getting and how desperate and cheery he’s sounding now. It’s a terrifying combination.

“I realised pretty quickly that it was your second playthrough. That I’d missed out on basking in you because I was too focused on saving Zelda,  but now I’m done with saving. I don’t want to go back to my own world, I don’t want to go back to her with how she’s always asking for more. I wish I could’ve just crawled through the screen and into your arms instead; burn away my past but I never could. I was stuck in that damned game, watching as you were so happy with me even though I wasn’t a person to you - just a toy. I could hear all the things you were saying from you complaining about your day, to how you kept calling me your precious baby girl.”

“Oh so… you heard everything… everything I was saying?”

“Everything. From the sweeter things like when you would apologize for me getting hurt even though I would never have held it against you, to how you thought I looked good in 'that green', how you'd let me do that to you as I finished off a skulltula, even how you thought ghirahim was fatherless. By far the best things to hear were you just talking about your own life, hearing you going on about your day made me feel more real than anything else did. I could imagine myself there with you, as a real part of your life.”

The chill down my spine at that admission didn’t go unnoticed by him as he coiled tighter into my side as if he was attempting for my touch to consume him fully. Like he’s gotten a taste of this touch and he’s wanting some more, like a hit of kerosene or something sweeter. 

"I don't want to go back to how it was before [name], I can't go back to Skyloft. I don't ever want to be pulled apart from you again, because when you finished the game? it felt like nothing was worth anything any more. I'm convinced I would have been better off dead than how I was without you."

He seemed not to be fond of my stunned silence, even still he respected it, letting me have precious moments to gather my thoughts. To say what? Where would I begin with handling this? I can’t question him, he’s so fragile right now and I’m too scared to break him. Maybe just…

“I’m sorry, Sky I’m so sorry. I’m sorry that I didn’t know earlier… that I couldn't help you through all of that, that I didn't treat you like an actual person. Is there any way I could possibly make it up to you?"

If that wasn't the best worst thing to say then, I don't know what I could have said instead. Luckily he seemed to like it if how he’s burning himself further into my side is anything to go off of, proven more by the contented hum he’s let out. 

“Please, just don’t leave me again - I- I won’t hold it against you if it's not your own choice, like how the shadow brought you here to me, but I never want to have to be apart from you again. I want to go back to your own world with you, a brand new life with you is all I need.”

“I promise link, I won’t leave you of my own choice from now.”

“If anything happens so that you get torn away from me - can you start a new save on your switch?”

“What..?”

What good could that be - what if it only made things worse? What if that got rid of his memories? No. [name] you have to trust him on this. He knows so much more about it, he’s the one who’s lived this. If that’s what he thinks the right option is. Then it’s the best option.

“If you make a new save then this time - this time I won’t have to be worried about you overreacting and deleting me - I don’t know if I’ll be able to talk to you -  There has to be some way I can get out of that game and into your arms again my dove. I just know it.”

[bettydice]

I have finished Veilguard. A bunch of thoughts under the cut!

The Companions: Loved all of them and all the banter and their interactions. I thought the companion quests were fantastic and there was a lot of content there and I enjoyed it all. Voice acting was fantastic and some line deliveries made me tear up. And while it was honestly nice to have everyone get along well and be respectful with each other, I did miss some... bite and conflict. Like you get all those delicious conversations with Solas and questioning of motives and I wanted more of that sort of thing. Also I'd die for Assan and Manfred. The Environments: This is definitely one of the strongest parts of the game for me. Everything is gorgeous and I loved just walking around, exploring. I thought they found a great balance of streamlined and exploration! Puzzles were at a difficulty that I can still enjoy (thus very simple, I'm sure other people are annoyed by that) and it made exploring satisfying and relaxing instead of a chore. And I loved seeing changes in the environments after certain events or NPCs moving into places that I'd cleared. I rarely fast travelled because I loved walking through the Crossroads so much.

Rook: Overall, I enjoyed Rook. I chose Erika Ishii's voice for my first playthrough and thought it was fantastic. Also loved every Mourn Watch dialogue option. However... Rook has a loooot of auto dialogue and the dialogue options feel quite limited, so I'm worried about replays and being able to make different Rooks actually feel different. Also hate to say this, but Rook could smile a little less in cutscenes... I also don't think you can play a Rook that antagonizes any companions or is just plain shit at conflict resolution.

Combat: Even though I never felt like I fully mastered it, I enjoyed it. And especially after recently replaying all the other games - the dragon fights were so much cooler (though as a mage, they were also 80% running around screaming). I didn't miss being able to control my companions, except for taking screenshots. Romance: I romanced Bellara and I love her, she is my beautiful wife. I do wish there'd been more romance specific content, especially because you get to see soo much of your companions getting together and being together and you're just there like... what about me? Spare romance banter for Rook pls? I didn't even get a romance specific greeting! Though ultimately, I'm really happy with the romance and the ending added some welcome drama, because Bellara was the one that got abducted by the blight/Elgarnan and yesss! The drama! The fade statues guilt trip! She's so smart and fierce when she returns! And the last scene was super sweet. <3

Story: Overall I'd say... Yay? Loved all the Lore drops and actual answers. Thought the side quests were well done and interesting. Another shout out to the companion quests! All in all, I'm satisfied with the ending, I think. HOWEVER! You can feel the Things We Didn't Import all over the game. There were so many moments where I was like, okay they COULD have mentioned xyz here easily, but no, they have to go out of their way to be vague or not let you talk to this character much. I don't need actual cameos (Isabela you deserve better) but there's so many missed opportunities for simple mentions or codex entries and it's such a shame. Because this IS the culmination of the story and why can't we see that reflected in little moments, so that we can truly feel the depth of the story once more? But I do love the Codex! There's so much good stuff in there! I might even go back and read all the Codex entries I haven't yet. Oh, why do we see no Elves working for Solas? Did he manage to get his entire spy network killed before the game? Classic Solas. Music: Soundtrack was fine, better than I expected tbh though a few scenes had some really awkward whimsical music that made me go ?????????? The Varric thing is dumb. The 'twist' only works because I guess nobody ever mentioned his death ever again. I hate sacrificing character development or People Behaving Normally for twists.

Why is the Inquisitor still wearing FUCKING PYJAMAS. Really wish there was an option to dye armour. The decision between Minrathous and Treviso is a cool concept and loved (though hated) seeing the fallout but what.... Rook and their two buddies are the only thing standing between a city and complete ruin???? I do not think so.

That's all for now.

[cierraonline]

Masterlist Makeover

If you haven't noticed by now, I gave my Masterlists a makeover so it's more pretty looking. Now lets go over the weekly news.

Yes! I brought back the my Billie Eilish - Podcast book because all of you hated me when I took it down so...thank you for bullying me enough to bring it back. With that being said it's not how you remembered it if you read it and it involves the Kardashians. But the twist is I gave my OC the skims company as it's her own. And yes I will be bringing back the pregnancy scandal. Also submit your favorite AITA link or conspiracy theory so you just are also part of the creative process.

For my Paige Bueckers and UCONN fans and die hards, where can I watch the games in real time because the UCONN+ app thought they were funny and made it audio only....and I don't have cable to watch it on SNY. Love you guys!

If you are horny freaky fuck (no shade) and you liked the last chapter of Elementary Love because it was freaky you can go back and re-read that section if you want as I had twitter links...don't judge

Am I doing the tallest correctly because for some reason some usernames are underlined and others aren't? If not please help.

I just wanted to say that I love you guys and want to thank you guys for reading my work even it's more structured for wattpad rather than Tumblr. I still appreciate that you guys show love to to it. I also love when you guys submit submissions it makes my day each time and I love putting them in the beginning of each chapter

[twig-tea]

Love For Love's Sake Marketing vs Reality

I cannot get over how misleading the description of this show was compared to its actual execution of the first two episodes. This will be pretty spoiler-free if you are reading to decide whether to give the show a try!

The summary: "Twenty-nine-year-old Tae Myung Ha experiences a bewildering twist of fate when suddenly finds himself transported into a fictional online game where he inhabits the body of a ninteen-year-old character. Soon, Tae Myung Ha embarks on a quest within the virtual world to bring happiness to a character named Cha Yeo Woon. Despite his humble upbringing, Cha Yeo Woon has managed to excel in the national track and field championships, maintaining a remarkable reputation among his peers due to his handsome looks and athletic physique."

What I had taken away from that description that had made me wary: The importance of the age gap; lying to a character to fake affection in order to win a game.

None of the original description is a lie, but the emphasis is all wrong and it excludes some key details that make this show so good.

First: The character MyungHa is tasked to make happy is not just any character; he's the character in a novel MyungHa has just read, and he's the character that he says he identified with most (and who he was rooting for and was annnoyed got a sad storyline and ending). So when he's going up to YeoWoon expressing affection, it's genuine. He really does already know and like this guy. That's a HUGE difference for me, and it changes his mission from a Big Lie into a personal mission. The thing I like most about this show is the heart. The fact that MyungHa genuinely wanting YeoWoon to be happy is (it seems) the triggering event that transports him into the game, not a bewildering twist of fate but a direct response to his articulated wish, is a key part of that heart!

Second: Myung Ha is not out here as a 19-year-old trying to seduce YeoWoon, he wants him to be happy because he sees in YeoWoon similarities to who he was in his teens. The thing that has MyungHa most excited about being 19 again is his grandmother still being alive. The age gap is only a thing in how MyungHa is treating YeoWoon like he's a little kid, which annoys the hell out of YeoWoon because his character is only 1 year older.

Finally: YeoWoon has no friends. It seems true that he's famous on campus and that he has fans (e.g. KyungHoon's sister) but they don't approach him and it doesn't prevent people from hating him. This description makes him sound like a popular guy.

The description on MDL also includes this paragraph: "Cheon Sang Won hails from an affluent family and becomes emotionally entangled with Tae Myung Ha. His involvement adds complexity to the developing relationship between Tae Myung Ha and Cha Yeo Woon. Ahn Kyung Hoon, introverted and reserved, supports and assists Tae Myung Ha on his mission within the virtual world."

We haven't enough of SangWon to draw conclusions yet, but based on the failures of the original description to capture any of the the things I love about the show while highlighting issues that don't (to date) actually exist in the show, I'm going to reserve judgment and assume this is also misleading. It would be pretty antithetical to the very heart of the show that's being set up if Myung Ha, through his actions, caused a different character (SangWon) to become the sad second lead. I'll be really interested to see how this goes and how/if this show will address this issue.

TL;DR: The marketing material: Age gap romance with a Big Lie The actual show: video game isekai granting an earnest protagonist a chance to create a fix-it AU for his favourite sad side character.

Anyway. Glad the show turned out to be so off from the marketing material because this is way better!

[nopanamaman]

So, it's interesting, which underground(relatively unpopular) projects have you also checked, like other 07th Expansion novels aside from Higu(When They Cry Umineko and Ciconia, Rose Guns Days, Higanbana etc.), maybe some denpa like Subahibi or Saya no Uta, perhaps games like Lobotomy Corporation, Library of Ruina? Ofc you may name other projects that you would consider underground and checked/interested in.

Those are all super popular though, no?😭

Katya's concept was in part inspired by Saya no Uta, and I've had Subahibi on my to read list for a while! I've read Higanbana and I really want to finally sit down and read Umineko, but it's a big time investment and I haven't had a lot of that in recent years... Though I already got spoiled on most of the major twists in there hahah

Lobotomy Corp and Library of Ruina look lovely, but again, I don't feel like I have the time to really get into big franchises like that or games that continue to release story content. So I stick to self contained stories.

I remember finding Ever 17: Escape From Infinity pretty fun. I also finally played Eternal Summer a couple years back and while the atmosphere is amazing, the writing SUCKS BALLS, it has so many plot holes and threads that go absolutely nowhere. Peak OST and backgrounds tho👍

I played a lot of little VNs as a kid, stuff like Tokyo Alice and Narcissu. But I haven't read any new ones in a long time.

Actually, I think the last ones I checked out were Milk Inside/Outside a Bag of Milk and i absolutely hated the writing there lmao, so there's that

[juvnvalen]

a yandere profile for dikke maybe? i think it would be interesting! :)

Fixiating on my silly gacha games again. Adding some of the new characters to my list :3 It's been a while since i've written, spoiler alert I haven't gotten better. This is a super ooc but we ball. (Not proof read) Pairing: Dikke x Gender Neutral S/O TW: Noncon, Yandere Themes, Kidnapping, physical abuse, NSFW, and unhealthy behavior.

♡What are they generally like? Lucid, aware? Obsessive? How do they behave? Dikke has never been the romantic type, nor been one to express herself gently. Once she's realized her feelings for you, which takes her time, Dikke is swift to take action. While she isn’t secretive about her interest in you, she never directly confesses to you, instead expecting you to pick up on her feelings and reciprocate. In Dikke’s mind her constant vying for your attention and her eagerness to grace your skin with her touch should be enough for you to pick up on her adoration for you.

♡How likely are they to kidnap their darling? How quickly will they do so? She’s eager to hide you away, Dikke has seen how cruel the world and the people in it can be. She won’t let you end up the victim of some criminal scum. Dikke’s time consuming work makes it hard to get time alone with you, though she won’t admit it, it’s a large factor into why she takes you. 

♡How difficult is it to escape from them? How do they keep you restrained? How do they deal with attempted escape? The chance of escaping Dikke is miniscule, she keeps you locked away and your limbs shackled. She won’t risk you getting away while she’s busy with work, and she’s learned not to be lenient with imprisonment. You may not be a criminal, but the way you’re locked away makes it feel like you’re being punished for something. Escape attempts are treated with violent harshness, she’ll let the wounds she inflicts scar. Dikke wants her punishments to be memorable, of course she hates marking your pretty skin up with bruises and scars, she needs to make sure the punishment has an impact. 

♡How easy are they to trick, deceive, or manipulate? Dikke can read you like a book, she sees through lies for a living. Any attempts at twisting the trust to Dikke’s face are swiftly met with punishment. She won’t fall for lies, but she can sometimes be swayed by pitiful whimpers and tears during punishments, of course she won’t forgo them all together but she might go a little easier on you. 

♡How lenient are they? What privileges can you have, and what will you be denied? Dikke? Lenient? What a joke. Dikke is strict, controlling, and unrelenting. If she decides you can’t have something, you won’t. No amount of pleading will get through to her, while it may persuade her to be a bit more gentle it won’t get you very far. Requests like access to the outside world, or space from her is harshly rejected, but she’s not against providing you with meaningless leasures like books or clothing you fancy.

♡What kind of rules do they have? What kind of punishment would they use? Her rules are relatively simple, and she keeps them easy to follow. You’re forbidden from any contact with the outside world, she says it’s for your own safety but you both know she has her own selfish reasons. Any affections she has to give are to be received with no rough play or backtalk, you can weep and whine as much as you’d like but anything more than that will be met with punishment. Dikke’s punishments are violent and cruel, she’ll beat you until she’s sure you won’t forget. Almost no method of punishment is off the table for her, it’s whatever gets her point across best. 

♡How do they deal with rivals, or perceived rivals? Will they get rid of them? Will they kill them themselves, or find another way? Rivals are easily and quickly done away with, she won’t stand for anyone showing interest in her darling. It’s simple work to make sure any individuals interested in you just so happen to end up accused of crime with Dikke as their judge. 

♡How easy is it to make them mad? What does their anger look like? Dikke’s wrath is easily evoked, but not outwardly shown. She’s good at keeping her cool in front of people, and this includes you. The closest she gets to outwardly showing her anger is her touches growing rougher, and her tone wavering on harshness. 

♡Do they see you as above them, beneath them, or equal to them? You may not be treated like it, but Dikke sees you as an equal. Of course her treatment may be harsh, but she deems it necessary to keep you safe and inline. 

♡How determined are they for you to love them? How hard will they try to make it happen? Or are they content just having you? She does yearn for her love to be reciprocated, and she hopes for the day when it will be, but until then she’s content on playing pretend. ♡!NSFW!♡

♡General perverseness: how sexual of a person are they? What’s their drive like? How touchy do they get? Do they have any reservations about sexuality? Dikke hasn’t considered sex much, she’d been far too consumed by her work to think about it until you. She knows how intimacy can help couples bond, and it’s never off the table for her. At first she may be hesitant to touch you, but as time goes on she gets more confident in her skinship. Dikke will be allowed her fill of hand holding and cuddling, whether you like it or not, and overtime it may progress to her desire more. 

♡How forceful are they? Do they care about your willingness? Your willingness is desired, but not necessary. She decides it to be a required experience for your bonding as a couple, she dislikes the whining in struggling but won’t be deterred by it. Any struggling is shut down with undeterred roughness, she has no issue with binding your limbs if it gets to be too much. Dikke knows this must be tough, but she is desperate for closeness to you. ♡What sort of kinks or fetishes do they have, or would they fill? She loves to hear you plead, it gives her a sense of superiority over you, whether it be in a sexual context or something mundane it affects her all the same.  ♡♡

[dee-writes-anime]

Hi! I love your works so far, I haven’t been following your blog for long but I am already sucked in😭 I thought I may as well request. Would you be open to writing a slowburn or semi-slowburn bkdk fic? You can choose if you would like to add smut and age-up, but I’d love to see you write their characters.🤍

THE STRIKE ZONE

FEATURING Katsuki Bakugo x Izuku Midoriya

SUMMARY Katsuki Bakugo is a world renowned picture at the top of his game. Izuku Midoriya is an up-and-coming sports analyst who got lucky enough to find himself in a long-term position analyzing and interviewing Bakugo. The two of them have unresolved history from their childhood and Izuku could have never expected that the spark was still just as fierce as the last time they talked.

CONTENT WARNINGS slight angst, slow burn, no romance just yet, Bakugo being Bakugo

AUTHORS NOTE this is not the beast I promised because I decided I hated how I wrote it originally. I still haven't decided whether or not I even like what I wrote for the second time, but if you like it and maybe want to see this become a series, let me know! Hope you enjoy! <3

The afternoon sun hung low over the stadium, casting long shadows across the diamond as Katsuki Bakugo stepped onto the mound. His presence was a force of nature—a sharp contrast to the chatter and chaos of the crowd. His signature glare was locked in, focusing on the batter standing in his way. Everything else faded into the background. The only thing that mattered was the ball in his hand and the next strike. 

From the press box, Izuku Midoriya could see the tension in Bakugo's shoulders, the fierce determination burning behind his eyes. It was unmistakable. He had seen it before, during countless games growing up, but now, this close to the action, it felt different. Personal. 

“Bakugo’s been on fire this season,” he muttered, typing furiously on his tablet, his thoughts spinning into a series of detailed notes for his upcoming article. "Fastest recorded pitch in the league, unpredictable breaking balls... He's impossible to read.” 

A flash of movement caught his eye as Bakugo reared back and fired another fastball. The sound of the bat slicing through the air echoed around the stadium—a clean miss. A strike. 

Midoriya's heart raced. 

This was his first live game as an official sports analyst, and of all the players, it had to be Bakugo Katsuki—the same Bakugo he’d known for years, ever since they were kids. They had grown apart after high school, their paths diverging sharply, but somehow, they were always drawn back into each other’s orbit. Like now. 

Bakugo had made it to the top of the league, his explosive talent making him one of the most feared pitchers in Major League Baseball. Meanwhile, Midoriya had worked his way up through the ranks of sports journalism, his obsessive attention to detail and deep understanding of the game earning him respect as an analyst. Today was his debut covering the league’s biggest star, and he wasn’t sure if that was a coincidence—or a twist of fate. 

As the game progressed, Midoriya found himself watching more than just the stats. He noticed the way Bakugo moved, the precision in his throws, the way his expression never wavered. Yet, there was something else beneath the surface—a crack in the mask that Bakugo wore so well. Maybe it was the exhaustion from a long season or the pressure of the spotlight, but Midoriya saw it. He always did. 

Bakugo struck out another batter, ending the inning with a triumphant snarl, and as he walked off the mound, his eyes flickered briefly toward the press box. Their gazes met for a split second, and Midoriya froze. Did Bakugo recognize him? It had been years since they last spoke, but that brief connection sent a jolt through him, stirring memories of a rivalry long left behind. 

Midoriya shook his head, pushing the thought away. He had a job to do, and he wasn’t here to dredge up the past. Yet, as Bakugo disappeared into the dugout, that old feeling of competition—of something unresolved—lingered in the back of his mind. 

The rest of the game blurred by in a flurry of fastballs, curves, and strikeouts, with Bakugo dominating the mound like he always did. Midoriya couldn’t help but admire his former classmate’s skill—even if Bakugo had been insufferable back in the day. There was something mesmerizing about the way he commanded the game. Every move was calculated, every pitch perfectly placed, as if he had memorized every weak spot of every batter he faced. 

Yet, as Bakugo continued to dominate, Midoriya’s mind wandered back to the years they spent growing up together—well, more like growing up beside each other. Their rivalry had been anything but friendly, always one-upping each other in everything from schoolwork to sports. And now, even though they hadn’t spoken in years, that tension was still there. Bakugo had made it to the top, and Midoriya couldn’t shake the feeling that he was still trying to catch up, even as a reporter. 

The post-game buzz hummed through the stadium, and Midoriya gathered his notes, preparing for the real challenge: the locker room interview. He had to face Bakugo. Professionally, of course. They weren’t kids anymore, and Midoriya wasn’t about to let the past cloud his judgment. He took a steadying breath as he made his way to the locker room. 

The atmosphere inside was intense, the heat of the game still palpable in the air. Players moved about, their voices low as they cooled down from the adrenaline rush. Midoriya scanned the room, catching sight of Bakugo in the back, sitting alone, as usual. His head was down, towel draped over his neck, muscles tense with post-game strain. 

This was it. 

Midoriya approached, his footsteps echoing louder than they should have in the silence between them. He hesitated for a split second before standing a few feet away from Bakugo. The air between them felt thick, charged with something unsaid. 

“Bakugo,” Midoriya started, keeping his tone neutral, professional, though his voice felt a little too small for the moment. “Can I ask you a few questions?” 

Bakugo didn’t look up at first. He wiped the sweat from his face, then slowly lifted his eyes to meet Midoriya’s. And there it was—that flash of recognition. Sharp and unyielding, like a gust of wind hitting a flame. 

“Deku?” Bakugo’s voice was low, rough from the game, but the familiar edge was still there, as if he hadn’t forgotten their history. “What the hell are you doing here?” 

Midoriya straightened, doing his best to ignore the nickname. He wasn’t the same kid who used to cower under Bakugo’s sharp tongue. “I’m here as a reporter,” he replied evenly, holding his ground. “I wanted to talk about your game today.” 

Bakugo let out a short, humorless laugh, tossing the towel aside. “Of course you are.” He leaned back against the locker, arms crossed over his chest, eyes narrowing in that calculating way that always made Midoriya feel like he was being sized up. “Go ahead. Ask your damn questions.” 

Midoriya steadied himself, forcing the tension out of his voice. “Your curveball was nearly untouchable today. What’s been your approach this season to refining your pitch? It seems like you’ve found new ways to stay unpredictable on the mound.” 

For a moment, Bakugo didn’t respond. He just stared, as if debating whether to give a serious answer or brush Midoriya off like he used to. But then something shifted in his gaze, and he shrugged. 

“Gotta stay ahead of the game,” Bakugo said, his voice casual, but there was an edge beneath it. “Everyone’s always watching, waiting for you to slip up. I don’t give them the chance.” 

Midoriya nodded, scribbling down the response, though his focus wasn’t entirely on the words. There was something more going on here, something that went beyond the standard post-game interview. It wasn’t just the tension between them; it was the way Bakugo answered, like there was a wall between them that had only gotten thicker with time. 

“And your fastball,” Midoriya continued, his tone carefully measured. “It’s faster than it’s ever been. What’s changed?” 

Bakugo snorted, leaning forward slightly, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. “None of your business, Deku.” 

The name stung, as it always did, but Midoriya swallowed it down. He was here to do his job. “It’s my job to ask, Bakugo. You know that.” 

Bakugo’s eyes flickered with something—maybe frustration, maybe something deeper that Midoriya couldn’t quite place. “Yeah, I know,” Bakugo muttered, his voice softer now, almost resigned. He ran a hand through his hair, still damp from the game. “Look, you wanna know why I’m pitching better? Fine. It’s because I’m not thinking about anyone else but myself. That’s what it takes.” 

Midoriya frowned slightly. “No one else? Not even your team?” 

Bakugo’s jaw clenched, and for a moment, Midoriya thought he had gone too far. But then Bakugo stood, his posture towering and tense, the fire in his eyes blazing hotter than before. 

“I don’t need anyone slowing me down,” Bakugo shot back, his voice rising just enough to make the rest of the locker room glance their way. “I’m the best, and I don’t need to prove it to anyone—not to you, not to them. Got it?” 

The intensity in the air was unmistakable, crackling between them as if the years apart hadn’t dulled their connection at all. Midoriya was no longer the boy who would shrink beneath Bakugo’s glare, but that fire was still there, burning just as fiercely in the spaces between words. 

Bakugo stood in front of him, arms crossed, muscles taut with frustration, his expression daring Midoriya to keep pressing, to say something that would make him lose control. But Midoriya knew better now. He’d learned to handle the sharp edges of Bakugo’s personality—he had to, if he was going to make it through this interview unscathed. 

“Is that why you’ve been isolating yourself lately?” Midoriya asked, his voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through him. “I’ve noticed you’re not interacting with your teammates as much. Is this part of your strategy too?” 

Bakugo’s eyes narrowed, and for a moment, the room felt too small, too confined for the tension building between them. Midoriya could feel the weight of Bakugo’s stare, like a storm gathering on the horizon, ready to break at any moment. 

“You’re really digging, huh, Deku?” Bakugo muttered, voice low, dangerous. He stepped closer, and Midoriya had to resist the urge to step back. “You think you know everything about me just because we used to go to the same school? Because we grew up in the same shitty town?” 

Midoriya’s breath hitched, but he didn’t flinch. He met Bakugo’s stare head-on, refusing to let him push him away. “I’m not trying to dig up the past, Bakugo. I’m just asking about your approach. You’ve always played with that chip on your shoulder, but now it seems like it’s weighing you down more than ever.” 

The locker room had gone quiet, the tension thick enough to suffocate. Bakugo’s fists clenched at his sides, and for a second, Midoriya wondered if this was it—if Bakugo was finally going to snap. But instead, Bakugo’s lips twisted into a tight, bitter smile. 

“You think you know me, Deku?” Bakugo said, his voice soft but cutting. “You don’t know a damn thing. You never did.” 

Midoriya’s heart pounded in his chest, a mixture of frustration and something deeper—something he wasn’t sure he could name yet—building inside him. This wasn’t how he expected the interview to go, but it was Bakugo. He should have known better than to think it would be simple. 

“Then tell me,” Midoriya said quietly. “Tell me what I don’t know.” 

For a moment, the challenge hung in the air between them, neither one willing to back down. Bakugo’s eyes blazed, his jaw tight, but just as quickly, the fire in his gaze dimmed, replaced by something Midoriya hadn’t seen before—something that looked a lot like weariness. 

“I don’t owe you an explanation,” Bakugo muttered, turning away. “This interview’s over.” 

Before Midoriya could respond, Bakugo stormed past him, his shoulder brushing against Midoriya’s just hard enough to send a jolt through him. Midoriya stood frozen for a moment, watching Bakugo’s retreating form, the locker room door slamming shut behind him. 

Midoriya’s fingers tightened around his tablet. He had gotten the bare minimum out of Bakugo—certainly not the in-depth analysis he had hoped for. But even more frustrating was the way that familiar, unresolved feeling gnawed at him. There was still something there, something unfinished between them, and it was bigger than just an interview or a rivalry. 

It was personal. 

As Midoriya packed up his things, he couldn’t shake the sense that this was far from over. Bakugo wasn’t the type to let things lie, and now that they had crossed paths again, that old fire was burning brighter than ever.