#I mean now it is a problem because people do sorta live there

[ixtaek]

Null hilariously is the most sympathetic Zelda big bad to me. Like could you imagine if you keep sweeping your house, because dust keeps getting in and you’re not sure how, then one day out of nowhere they build a cement plant directly on top of you to stop you from cleaning up?

[lexirosewrites]

I just had a sudden need to combine a classic overheard misunderstanding trope, and smash it into omegaverse.

So Steve hid the fact he was an omega after he presented, was just a normal beta man, exactly what society liked best. His parents didn’t force him, but they immediately dropped the cash to get the meds/whatever so no one would know. Eddie is an alpha, and has always been loud af about it.

Beta is the ideal, calm, reliable. Alphas are seen as sorta feral and dangerous. Omegas are just thought of as animalistic sluts, and heats are sorta disgusting. Alphas are split on the topic, it’s hot af or vile.

Steve keeps his secret (except from Robin) until after the UD is defeated in s4, but with the earthquake, he doesn’t have a refill of his suppressants. People find out. Gossip goes crazy. A lot of awful things get said to him, but pretends he’s not about to cry. The meds caused health problems, so now that the cats out of the bag, he doesn’t restart.

A few weeks later, Steve gets a call from Dustin that Eddie woke up and he needs a ride immediately to see him. Dustin forgets the flowers he was bringing, has to run back to the car. Steve decides not to wait, heads down the hall, and overhears Eddie and his band guys when he gets close.

“— god, that’s disgusting.”

“Right? All those years and nobody knew.”

“An omega though? Harrington?”

“It’s so messed up.”

“Shit. Fuck, what a nightmare.”

“It’s just gross. I mean can you imagine —“

Steve keeps walking, a little bit devastated that even Eddie Munson who always shouted about gender equality and stereotypes, thinks he’s disgusting. A couple days later, Steve has pummeled his nascent crush on Eddie into submission, and decided the best course is to not be around him alone. Ever. Because his stupid hormones would run into his stupid memory of those words and he’d start crying.

Meanwhile, back in a hospital room, Jeff and Eddie were putting together some long standing mysteries about Steve, bringing them to the only logical conclusion: that Steve’s parents forced him to live as a beta even though Steve was so obviously miserable. Eddie admits that this revelation is only going to make his crush worse, and they agree they need to help him. Obviously. Because they think his parents forced him to be more normal.

And obviously,

“Forcing your kid to do that? God, that’s disgusting.”

oh nooooooo😢😭😭😭 poor steve thinks eddie is disgusted by him when it’s the opposite!!! what a mess💔

[toon-tales]

Hiya! Ok, so, I'm here to analyze, again. But! Not a scene. I'm here to analyze the evolution of the one and only #Broppy, from the first movie. I've been planning to include the three movies and the holiday specials, but I figured I can't add that many pics in one post. I can only add ten, soooo-

Let's take it from the beginning: the first appearance for Branch.

If you ask me, he was being rude, maybe even embarrassed Poppy in front of everyone. Yeah, I love Branch, and he's my baby and all, but dude, you shouldn't have done that, especially not in front of everyone. Like, yeah, we later know his backstory and his grandma and his brothers, but still, it's not Poppy's fault, he shouldn't have treated her like this. Sure, her believing life was all cupcakes and rainbows might have been provoking to Branch, but he's still at fault, and I think more people need to make peace with that.

Also, something I noticed, is that Branch and Poppy were close even before the events of the first movie, cause, literally everyone calls her 'Princess Poppy', except the snack pack. They just call her Poppy, and the fact that Branch also calls her Poppy just proves they were close.

Now, later, we see Branch holding Poppy's scrapbook, then staring at even more scrapbooks on the shelves. Like, cute, sure, but it's not what you feel, it's what you show, Branch.

Okay, now, this scene:

The fact that Poppy was knocking on the rock just means she never got into Branch's bunker before. But she knows the address, so that counts. Maybe he had given it to her when they first met in case she needed something after he'd found her hurt with a broken arm or something then they became friends- I'm totally drifting from the post. Sorry about that.

Now, there are two theories:

Annnywayyyy, let's focus on the scene after:

"Which is why I have to ask you..." she hesitated, before continuing, "will you go to Bergen town with me and save everyone?"

She hesitated! She freaking hesitated! Meaning? She probably never asked Branch to help her before. She surely had problems in her life, but she also had her friends, so I belive she always went to them whenever she was in trouble. But now those friends aren't here, which forces her to ask the person who she trusts the most after them. Branch. And, disappointedly, he refuses, because of the fear he's living in.

Moments later, Poppy surprisingly invites the entire village to Branch's bunker to keep them safe. Which was wrong of her. True, she was trying to protect everyone, but using Branch's house without his consent was wrong. Sorry. Sure, it was the safest place for now, but that still doesn't justify it. You can see he was clearly annoyed (which she loved). But I don't really blame her, just like I don't really blame Branch. They both did wrong.

Skip, skip, skip, skip, skip- hold... rightttt here:

Ah, yes. That scene. Now, look. He showed up, because he knew there was no way Poppy could do this by herself, and he wasn't wrong. Poppy, in return, also knew he would come, because it was the third hug time by then.

"I guess we were both right." That line. It speaks volumes for their relationship, yet no one talks about it! They both look at things from different perspectives, BUT, it doesn't mean either of them is wrong.

Like when they arrived at the troll tree: "The troll tree." "Bergen town."

Or when they found out the others were still alive: "They're alive?" "And on a silver platter too. We were both right."

Please writers and artists, we need more content with this line. Add it to your fanfics/art!

Skip, skip, another skip (yes, I skipped the part where Branch tries to avoid talking about his feelings cause it's kinda... i don't know, i just don't know what to say about it. It's sorta obvious), skiiiiiip, annnndddd, right here:

THEIR. FIRST. HUG.

My babies, oh my sweet precious babies. They've been through so much together, and finally, Branch has found it in himself to actually open up about his past (mostly).

I've spoken about this scene in more details in this post.

Now, we're going to talk about one of the most important scenes in the history of Broppy. This:

Branch is talking. He's always used to being in the shadows, never helping anyone, and here he was, helping a Bergen. If that's not a big change, I don't know what is.

And let me tell you, not only Branch was changing in this scene. See Poppy?

She's learning to look deeper into things, even persons. She's finally realizing that Branch, the grumpy, sarcastic troll, might not be as bad as she thought. They're both developing.

Until the rules are swapped.

Branch is the one to find the bright side, and Poppy is the one to cover it. And you can see how disappointed he is.

"I can't wait to see the look on your face when you realize the world isn't all cupcakes and rainbows." But when it happened, Branch realized that this wasn't what he wanted. He didn't want her to be like him, because this was him - a person who doesn't see the cupcakes and rainbows in life, not even in the slightest.

The way he was trying to cheer her up

And the way she actually smiled. Poppy was still there, her happiness was inside, not gone but hidden, and Branch was trying to find it again.

Yet she didn't even notice her own colors returning. Maybe because she was focused on the change in Branch? She wasn't startled when he sang at first, she wasn't happy, just like he used to be. He didn't use to care, until later, when his feelings began to resurface again, because Poppy helped him. Just like he was doing now. Neither did he notice his colors coming back

Aaaaaand, I think the rest doesn't really need analyzing.

Feel free to add or comment on anything.

Part two

Part three

[raspberryberyl]

not to like vague post, i just don't really feel like reblogging, adding my comment, and disrupting the og post. let people feel how they want to feel, and not start any arguments sorta.

but i just saw this post that was like "if you're thinking about getting into dsmp, don't" and lots of people always talking about how they're embarrassed, or regret it, or want to forget that part of their life. and i just can't help but think about how thats the farthest from the truth for me. i don't think I'll ever regret it :-)

and i know that we all have different experiences, people were going through different things and might want to move on and forget, and that's all valid.

the dsmp fandom is just such an experience. and yeah its become soured by cc turning out to be bad people, by bad writing, and by disappointing endings.

yeah it would be hard to get into now, lots of vods and its just not the same experience as watching and experiencing it all live. what made the fandom was the fans, but you can still find fics, go listen to songs, dig up analysis, find art and animatics.

I just feel like there's nowhere where i discovered more about myself, felt heard, found connection, and felt at home more than the dsmp fandom. It's my chosen home. It's my safe place. and when you feel that way about something, why would you not recommend it? share it with others :-)

so because of my bias and own personal experiences, if you were thinking about getting into the dsmp fandom I'd say go for it, I'd totally recommend it! its not the same as it used to be, it'll be a different experience, and we are a small few left but we are mighty.

just be aware of the problems within the source and within the fandom, and you should be good. know that it does have a disappointing end, but you can make up your own ending, or search, find, and connect with others through the ending they came up with.

being in the fandom doesn't mean you're supporting anyone. don't feel bad or embarrassed about liking the dsmp.

to the people who have and do feel like they've been hurt by it, and to the people that feel like they wasted their childhood, time, snd energy on it, I'm sorry, and you're valid to feel how you feel. I hope you've been able to move on to better and happier things.

I love the dsmp, and I don't see that changing, or me regretting it. If i could share my love of it with you i would. So don't be afraid to give it a chance, hey, you can always change your mind.

[iluvzaddies]

soft yandere!wanderer headcannons

warnings: none

the wanderer had many names: kabukimono, kunikuzushi, scaramouche, the balladeer.

after he lost a battle with the well-known traveler, he became the wanderer, a puppet with no strings. a puppet with a different style and his very own anemo vision.

he changed for the better and it was all thanks to nahida, the traveler, and you.

you helped him retrieve his memories along with nahida and the traveler.

you helped out only a bit, but still, he was grateful.

he would feel indescribable emotions whenever you were around. at first, he thought there was something wrong with him, but discovered what he was feeling was in fact love.

“love” was a foreign word to him. ever since his birth, he never once experienced love. his creator, the almighty shogun or the god of eternity, saw no worth in him and discarded him like trash.

sure, he had met a few friends, but neither of them filled the void of loneliness in his heart because they either died or abandoned him.

he wanted to forget his past and focus on the present, so he tried his best not to act in a way he would back when he was a harbinger.

he wanted to shower you in gifts as thanks, but that would be a problem since he wasn’t acquainted with the fatui anymore, meaning he had no mora and would have to make mora independently somewhere.

“sc– i mean, wanderer, what are you doing?” you asked, furrowing your brows, as you saw the ex-harbinger behind a fruit stand.

“oh… i’m just trying out a new job... figured i’d have to do something to make a living since i’m not in the fatui anymore.” he felt his face heat up at the sight of you. just one look at you was enough to make him flustered. “so, this is what sumerians do to make mora? sell pieces of fruit?”

”yeah, i guess. you can try selling jewelry too or make mora off of dancing.” you imagined him, an ex-harbinger, dancing for mora. the thought made you chuckle.

“dancing? for mora? how would that benefit anyone?”

“benefit? people just like that sorta stuff. it’s entertaining for them.”

“i see. do you like that sort of stuff?”

the way he asked that question was adorable.

oh no, did you just find him adorable? he literally tried to kill you, nahida and the traveler not too long ago. how could you find him adorable?

“i– i do like watching dances. nilou’s my favorite dancer. i make sure not to miss out on any sabzeruz festivals or just any sumerian festivals.” you rubbed the back of your neck.

“hm.” he looked like he was actually considering it.

“hey, wanderer, (y/n).” nahida greeted, approaching the both of you.

“oh, nahida! it’s nice to see you again.”

“it’s nice to see you too, (y/n). i’d like to thank you once more for your help back then. traveler and i really appreciated the gesture.” nahida smiled at you then turned to wanderer. “how have you been faring, wanderer?”

“tch, it’s you again–“ he stopped, remembering he wasn’t supposed to act like his arrogant, aggressive self before (at least in front of you). “i mean i’m fine. selling fruit isn’t too hard.” it wasn’t as hard as shedding blood every single day.

“i’m glad you’re doing well.” nahida put a hand on her chest.

“well, i got to go now. you guys continue talking. goodluck with your new job, wanderer. see you around, nahida.” you said, giving them a wave, and left before wanderer could say anything else.

“you have feelings for her, don’t you?” nahida noticed his expression turn from soft to irritated. “i can see the longing look in your eyes.”

“shut up. you ruined everything with your presence.” he grumbled.

he watched as you were getting further and further away from him.

you would be his someday. he’d make sure of that. and once you were his, he wouldn’t ever spend a day apart from you. he would treat you so well. he would shower you in gifts (using his self-earned mora), take you out on “dates” (a human activity where you bring your partner to eat somewhere beautiful, he learned) and eventually confess his feelings to you.

if you return his feelings, oh that would make him the happiest puppet alive. he would happily sweep you off your feet and start a brand new life together with you.

[msmpictures]

[☬ Ramshackle O.C ☬]

•{☬Basic Data☬}•

[ Name ]

Astrid Voldemort

Storm > Work's Pseudonym

[ Age | Birthday ]

23 - 27 | October 1st

[ Family ]

Robert Voldemort - Father

??? - Step Mother

[ Job ]

Hired murderer.

[ S.O ]

???

[ More detail of the wound ]

Second degree burn | Cuts = Enucleation (Eye removal).

•{☬ Likes - Dis. ☬}•

[ Likes ]

• To sleep [her only one 'escape']

• To draw [In her days of rest, she draws her father to remember him, even if she is not a very good artist] Although she doesn't show anyone her drawings.

• To smoke

• 💐 [She can describe them as the rainbow of her grey, so that relaxes her a bit]

• ☕ [She is addict at the coffe]

• To stare at the stars [ that makes her forget her shit of job for a while ]

• Children [Doesn't show it, but she really likes children.]

• Rural spaces [That relaxes her]

• 'Acid Candies' [I hope you understand what I mean] Although, she doesn't eat them often.

• Boxing [Is not really something that she likes, but she practices boxing often]

• Agriculture (frustrated dream)

[ Dislikes - Hates ]

• [H] HeR bOsS

• [D] To socialize [She can't actually do it, Astrid just talks with the people when it's about the business and when it's her next victim, so it's kinda awkward for her to get a conversation for more than 30 minutes]

• [H] Her own job [ She is forced to do it, she has no other choice. ]

• [D] Alcoholic drinks [ She says that tastes horrible ]

• [D] Her work partners

• [H] Did I say her Boss?

• [H] Her step mother [She is the reason why Astrid is here]

•{☬ Origins ☬}•

Warning: so long xd

( I don't wanna write a shit but this is how u could sorta understand x,d )

- Astrid Lived with her father in the Ramshackle Streets. Robert was a miner, so they were low class, despite that, they always had enough to survive without ever starving.

- She didn't care about her economic status, since she was working by selling lemonade (as a lil child) and saving her cash to buy a little house In the countryside. Besides, her father always loved her, there was nothing that someone could consider a problem between them.

- Although, Robert couldn't help but feel lonely, so he decided to look for a new lover. A woman who appeared in their life, when Astrid was about to 14.

- The woman was an alcoholic one, always spending the cash into whims and useless things, she was kinda aggressive alone and because of that never had a good relationship with Astrid, but Robert never knew about the circumstances, so he didn't do anything.

- Since the woman appeared, The small family began to have debts, so both Robert and Astrid had to work twice as hard, which did not prevent the debts from increasing drastically, in just two years. For this reason Robert decided to go with a 'friend' (who was a member of a criminal association), to request loans with the condition of paying later, but it never happened.

- This 'friend' He decided to collect everything Robert owed, and as a result of having empty pockets, he kidnapped Astrid (she was 16).

- At first they planned to use her as bait to get the money and then kill her, But after pleas from the minor, they decided to recruit her at a low level, as a kind of servant for anything basic, even burying corpses that they eliminated.

- All this in order to be the one to pay Robert's debts. But it would take a long period of time until now.

- As she grew older, the members began to promote Astrid's position, from making her infiltrate meetings to extract information to turning her into a hitman, having to sell this service to others, In order to recover the lost money.

- The rest, is History..

[⛈️] = Sometimes, she pretends to be mute, so she doesn't need to talk with anyone [That's until she finally she likes u]

•{☬Additional Data☬}•

[🌪️] = The grey hairs are sign of her stress x,d

[🌪️] = She could know everything about weapons and how to play them, but she doesn't know how to cook.

[⛈️] = I don't know what to add about her biological mother.. I'll say she divorced Robert and he won the custody of Astrid 👌.

[🌪️] = Astrid just knows Vinnie, and that because she tried to steal her and found a gun in her purse. (In that moment, Astrid was infiltrated, Vinnie too)

[⛈️] = They're not so close friends, but they help each other sometimes. Either to get information or to get beans.

[🌪️] = Once she finished paying the debts, she will go away from Ramshackle, and live her dreamed life in a house in a rural space.

[⛈️] = Astrid doesn't tell her affection with words. She does it with flowers. If she gives you a daisy, she considers you as her family. If she gives you a rose, she loves you <3.

[🌪️] = She is the kind of person who doesn't understand the jokes. She doesn't have a sense of humour. (She tries man, she tries 😞)

[⛈️] = In an attempt to kill A drunk scammer, this one stroke her with a vodka bottle in her face, and as she failed on the floor, he tried to let her blind, burning her face with a lighter.

[🌪️] = Robert doesn't know if Astrid is still alive, but he is still trying to report her missing, no matter what.

[⛈️] = I could tell she is depressed, and because of that she eats the acid candies. I thought, as Stone with Pebble, she could have an 'interior Demon', with a similar appearance to her 14-year-old self. Despite that, I can't find a name for her..

The whole pic

THREE DAYS DOING THIS SHIT I GIVE UP

[suninyourmoon]

ASTROLOGY OBSERVATIONS (2)

🗣 Not professional astrologer! It’s only based on my own experience, people that i know, and self-observation. So please take with grain of salt! :D

Venus in Libra peeps could be those who keep nagging about how they want a relationship so bad. (i know a few people in my life with this placement and they can't stop complaining about how single they are help)

Leo moon are lying to themselves if they say they don't like attention. (perhaps don't realize it yet?)

A lot of Venus in Virgo people that i know at some point in their life will questioning whether they really want a marriage or not. (yeah me too)

Someone said "i can't see myself getting married. I don't know, it seems unrealistic to me" yeah you are Virgo Venus in 12th house retrograde.

I mean, Venus in Virgo itself already make this person picky when it comes to love, and then the confusion and unrealistic idea they had because of the neptune influence. And in retrograde? jeez. i believe they have been in a relationship but then the relationship they had never meet their expentation because this people have a hopeless romantic idea of what romance is.

Venus in Sagittarius / 9th need a lot of freedom. Have a special place for foreigner in ther heart. Love someone who can keep up with their wild energy. Love people who is aware of society problem. Might also into smart people. Probably like to joke around with people close to their heart as well. (or people in general)

Moon in 7th house / Moon in Libra find comfort from being around people.

or they might feel the need to be in a relationship so that they won't feel lonely. Might dealing with co-dependency. (i know it's not your fault but please seek theraphy)

Friend of mine have 7th stellium (5 planet) and i swear to god, the attachment issues they have with is not a joke. They struggle with being on their own and need someone approval in every aspect of their life. Feel like they are incomplete if they're single. Too selfless, too giving. Later in life, people with this placement might have to realize that they should learn to stand on their on feet.

Neptune in 3rd house might having a hard time to communicate what they want to say. They also might say something they don't mean.

Uranus in 3rd house saying something in such a random way. i can't understand you sometimes,,,,,,

Chiron in 2nd house peeps could deal with feeling unworthy and feel unsave. They could feel guilty if they spend money on themselves. My Friend with this placement struggle with fear of end up lacking money all the time.

TW : ED!

i've met a few people with Chiron in 1st house, all of them stuggle with self-image and body dysmorphia, and also struggling with Eating Disorder. :(

END OF WARNING

Those with Jupiter and Saturn together in 8th House will likely to be extremely wealthy. They are hardworking and blessed with money.

They might also are curious about the deeper things in live, spirituality and the theme around 8th house but at the same times fear of the unknown and uncertainty. They might be those people who want to dive deeper into sex (or just have high energy on that) and desire devoted relatonship but hold themselves back and blocking themself from intimate relationship because a deep fear of commitment. It's very frustasing when jupiter and saturn are in the same house.

this is actually synasty thingy but i felt like i need to mention this, DO NOT MESS AROUND WITH SOMEONE YOU HAVE 8TH HOUSE SYNASTRY WITH WHEN YOU’RE NOT READY AT ALL🩸👄🩸 i have my experience with someone who my planets fall into their 8th house (stellium), and they are OBSESSES. I help bring their true and darker side of them so now they’re attach on me, it’s sorta my fault for trying to fix them tho that’s why i’m telling you stop messing around with this synastry if you’re not ready.

8th house placement… did astrology became your free therapy because they can validate ur emotion and understand you so damn well? Same👍🏻

Mercury-Saturn aspect, i know it’s a good thing to be careful with ur words but please say something if you really want to say it. You literally limiting ur self sometimes and overthinks a lot

There someone i know said that they don't know how to get mad and have Mars-Saturn aspect. These people (Could be Saturn in 8th house as well) might been told during their childhood that it's wrong let their temper loose so then growing up they feel guilty to express their anger and try to burry those temper.

They also could be those who struggle with supressed sexuality.

idk but my mom have Scorpio Mars and used to make a lot of sexual jokes during my childhood. (please don't do that)

Sagittarius Asc peeps i knew in the first impression look so innocently religious and calm, and they always turns out to be not. Like, literally

Thats it✨ thankyou sm and you can give me a feedback 💥 cheers peeps🫶

[chevvy-yates]

Sending out kudos to everyone who has shown their love towards Ryder for the past two years.

I love u all very much and every engagement, be it even just a like, means a lot to me.

I've intended to sorta make a cool post of some older vp of him as of today, September 17th, exactly 2 years ago I have created Ryder,— back then as a supposed supportive character for Vijay, very unsure if I would like him as Ry didn't visually turn out as I wanted him to be in the first place and he never went that way either afterwards — yet I find myself writing those lines instead.

I've accepted his look and his imperfection started to grow on me with each picture I took of him. Unlike my other ocs he went his own way leading me along to discover his personality. That's what makes him so different compared to my other blorbos and has me so attached to him.

I did not plan to make him a raver (he was supposed to become an 80s goth punk, a total different style than he's got now) neither that he would end up with a rogue AI controlling him. Only his name, basic info and the toxic family story was planned right from the beginning but that's pretty much it – Ryder showed me the rest of it.

Within the year 2023 I noticed more and more that Ryder has slowly but surly turned out to be my main character.

He turned out to be the most expressive and photogenic one of them all. I don't see him as the prettiest looking either yet he's my most precious and I love every pixel about him.

He's the one thing in my life I am actually truly 100% proud of.

Almost all my ocs exist because of him. They are his support characters. Without him half of them would not even exist. There would be no Thyjs. Even Garnet exists so Ry can live out his passion (that was not really put into the game but exists as lore: Technoise).

I am beyond happy to have created him.

He helps me in a lot of rather personal ways too I do not need to address here.

I got so much to tell about him (also about my other ocs) yet idk if I should continue or not as I find myself stuck with overthinking about it bc of lack of public response literally everywhere (this excludes private chat talks with close friends). Maybe Ryder's too intimidating (not the first time I would read that), his lore gets overlooked easily, or it's to much (confusing) text.

I cannot make anyone force-like him. Tastes are different. Minority is into others oc lore. Less time to read it all. The list is long. I'm aware of it all.

But I cannot underline it enough: do never hesitate to ask me questions about him. He's on my mind 24/7 and my biggest wish is to get this story out and done some day (whenever it will be) and receive some actual feedback on it what was liked.

Just a tiny detail is enough. <3

Another wish I have ever since I joined the CP77 fandom: that people would go back to comment each other more. We all do have little time for it, we all think "oh no so much text to read", we all are in our own bubbles rarley coming out to explore another bubble within this universe. It takes a lot of effort to do. people do seem scared on top to write anything at all for numerous reasons. I have all those problems as well. But I try to sit down and read the one or other lore chunk others wrote down and give a tiny comment as best as I can to make the creator have a smile on their lips. I truly wish we all would do this at least once a week to one person. once a month would be also fine. But if we don't this fandom will be dead soon enough and all thats left is just liking vp with characters on it we know almost nothing about. And maybe even those characters won't have lore anymore bc people stop creating it.

[misc-obeyme]

Tbh CC, I don't think MC is still in love with the brothers after everything that's happened,,, thinking about it, it feels more and more like MC is just putting up with the brothers and taking care of them rather than loving them

Imagine MC admitting their love for the brothers died a long time ago and now they're just here to keep things in check, what do you think would happen?

Oh hey Lucifer, bringing me the angst today I see! Ouchies!

I think it probably depends on the MC involved. Generic OM MC is highly tolerant, slightly crazy, and somehow insanely resilient. They've definitely been through a lot and I think it's interesting to note that they have never once had any kind of emotional breakdown. They've had little outbursts here and there, but that's about it.

I think part of this is due to the story format. We've got a situation where MC is a character that doesn't say or do much. They're very reactionary in general.

But if we consider how this same story might go if it was a specific MC, one who was a fully fleshed out character, things can change dramatically. And there is absolutely a chance that MC could fall out of love with the brothers or even not fall in love with them to begin with.

It's kinda funny because I have a preference for the side characters in general and I think it's because they don't need MC to take care of them. The brothers are all very demanding and don't like when MC isn't with them all the time. But the side characters have their own stuff going on and are independent. They're all still hopelessly in love with MC, but they don't rely on MC the same way the brothers do.

But let's consider the scenario where one day MC has reached their limit. They don't explode or anything, but they quietly admit that their love has died and they only stick around out of obligation.

The thing about this is that I think all the brothers would have picked up on it before this moment, but some of them wouldn't know what was happening and others would. For instance, I see Lucifer and Asmo just sorta being like yeah we expected this. Whereas Mammon and Levi would be like okay we knew something was up, but we didn't think it was this!

I think at that point, the brothers would do all they could to change things. They can all be idiots and they get carried away and often cause MC more stress than anything. But I think if they knew how MC felt, that they were feeling this way, they would try to change.

It might not work. These demons are old and old people are often set in their ways. It might be hard for them to change. Then again, they were also created to live as long as they do, so perhaps they're better at adapting than humans are. Maybe they would find it isn't so hard for them to make the changes they need to in order to have MC be more comfortable again.

The problem is that even if they succeed in changing their behaviors, that doesn't mean MC will love them again. No matter what the brothers do, MC won't be able to make themselves love again. It's not impossible, but it's not something that's predictable, either.

I think part of the solution would be MC spending time away from them. Whether that's staying in the Devildom, but living somewhere else such as the castle or Purgatory Hall or going back to the human world, I think it would require some time apart.

I think a lot of times people fall out of love because they change in different directions. So if MC has changed, but the brothers haven't, that could be the cause. It could be that MC and the brothers have both changed, but differently enough that they no longer have that same chemistry from before. And sometimes you just can't fix it.

MC would have to make their choice at that point. If they all spent some time apart, then the brothers actively tried to change, but MC still finds that they aren't in love with them anymore, then MC has to decide. They have to decide if it's worth spending the rest of their life taking care of a bunch of demons who have already managed to survive a long time without them and who will likely live on far after they're gone. If MC is still mortal, they may decide they don't have time for that. Maybe they'll permanently move in to the castle or Purgatory Hall. I think that has a lot of angst potential because they'd still see the brothers a lot, but it'd be like there go my seven exes lol.

Ahhh it's such a sad scenario! And there are a lot of ways it could go, depending on the MC involved. My MC is more likely to lose their shit way before it ever got to this point so I can't even imagine it with them lol. But a quieter MC who feels the responsibility of being everything the demons expect them to be might certainly stick around long enough.

Anyway, this is getting lengthy, but I think it'd be a difficult time for all if this happened. The brothers might try to fix things, but I think in the end everybody would want MC to make the right choice for themselves.

[babybluebex]

please share with the class your thoughts on best friend's dad cillian? the world deserves to know what goes down in our DMs

oh my god where to start

ok so like you've known his daughter since you were in diapers, you've been best friends for probably like 18 years, grew up together, all that mess, and you live together once you go to college

and her dad has always been super cool with you, and you've always liked mr murphy, he's super nerdy and cool, one of those dads that wears suits to the office but lounges around the house in old band tees and sweatpants (with reading glasses), has his little Man Cave mojo dojo casa house in the basement with his small collection of favorite books and vintage records, tousled salt and pepper hair, scruffy facial hair, like he is the textbook definition of a dilf

and you come home from college for like a long weekend or something and Daughter Murphy (name pending) sees her dad's car in the garage and is like "oh shit, i thought dad went with mom out of town, you'll be fine with him for the week, right? he'll probably just stay in the basement and read his stupid world war II books all day anyway"

and you come in the house and there he is at the island in the kitchen, drinking black coffee and thumbing through a thick as hell book, and he brightens when he sees you two "oh my days, you two didn't say you'd be coming home" and he hugs you extra tight and ruffles your hair and he generally seems excited to see you two, "how's university?" and you smile "we call it college in america, mr murphy" and his eyes soften as he says "now, i thought i told you to call me cillian"

takes you both out to dinner that night to celebrate, and its when you're in the bathroom at the restaurant, fixing your lipstick, that Daughter Murphy is like "i figured dad would go with mom and try to fix their relationship or whatever" and you're like "Say More Right Now??" "yeah, they're getting divorced and it's really bad, i think they're separated"

and that night, you can't sleep and you wander down to the Man Cave mojo dojo casa house and you're skimming through all the books and the records that mr murphy has, and the light flicks on and he looks SO good, ratty old shirt and plaid pajama pants that are hanging so low on his slutty hips, glasses and extra messy hair and he's like "what're you doing, love, it's past two"

and you can't say anything other than "i'm sorry to hear about you and mrs murphy..."

and he's sorta like "eh it's ok, it was bound to happen, we've been having problems for years"

"doesn't mean it doesn't still suck" and you thumb out a yoko ono record and look at it for a minute before looking back up at him, and he's leaned up against the wall, watching you

"it does" he sighs "she has a boyfriend, i guess you can call it... it just reminds me of how people don't like me"

"i like you" you shrugged "will you play this for me?"

"that's not what i meant, love," he says, but he steps forward and takes the record from you and sets it up and you're like. mhm. ok.

"i know what you meant" you tell him boldly "and i like you a lot"

and he sorta laughs "you're doing something dangerous here, love"

"what if i like that?" and he turns to you and carefully steps up in front of you, resting warm hands on your waist as he tilts his head to examine you

"well" he says, measured "we certainly can't do anything when [Daughter] is in the house" and then, because he knows that you'll whine and complain, presses his soft lips to your neck and draws you into him, he can feel your rapid pulse under his lips, and he whispers "as much as i want to, i can't. not now, at least"

you reach down and cup him through his pants, your breath catching in your throat "you're so hard, mr murphy"

"you know what i'd do to be buried in your little cunt right now?" he asks on gritted teeth "but we just can't. you have to wait"

"mr murphy—"

"i've told you for years to call me cillian" he says "why won't you?"

"b-because..." you start "because i don't want to a cross a line i can't go back on"

and he separates himself from you, going back to his record player like nothing ever happened "which is why we can't do anything" he says evenly. "i think fucking my daughter's best friend is a line that's a little dubious to cross. go upstairs, go to bed... i'll see you in the morning"

[darkwing-katy]

I…can live with that, I guess? Thoughts on Evil’s final episode under the cut (aka SPOILERS)

-I’m sad in general that this show is ending and it will take me forever to recover from this show in the best way

-I guess my dream where I shoved Leland into a bathroom to keep him alive kinda worked???

-the main trio reliving their cases as they burn them was fucking adorable

-I’m gonna miss those girls so much

-the fuck are we gonna do about Lexis???? She seemed normal this season but, like, she had fangs and a tail and was born from a place tainted with demonic stuff. I wanna know how that resolves.

-okay so I guess since Timmy was baptized he can’t be the Antichrist? They were just gonna pivot and make another one? That’s fun.

-the sheer bureaucracy of the online meeting of the 60 had me cackling. “Norm. You’re muted.”

-NORM. IT’S THE BUTTON SHAPED LOKE A LOZENGE poor Leland has to deal with so much shit with these incompetent demons

-“you’ve protected Kristen for four years, Leland.” Uhm. What? He’s been protecting her? Why????? I NEED MORE OF THIS EXPLAINED TO ME????? It can’t just be the whole mother of the Antichrist thing, right???? THERE’S MORE TO IT.

-all things considered, I firmly believe Leland would not have actually killed Timothy. I dunno why; I can’t explain it. But I don’t think he’d do it. Not after that nice little drop of David’s goodness in him.

-Leland putting in earphones while creeping into the house to murder Kristen?? And singing and bopping along in the basement? Iconic. Iconic and adorable. I love him. I have a problem, I know.

-I WAS TRYING NOT TO FREAK OUT WHEN SHE CAME AT HIM WITH THE CORD (“oh shit, guess the bathroom didn’t work after all” was what I told my husband)

-but also the hilarious irony of Kristen strangling him with a red cord like that when that’s how Michael Emerson’s character kills John Locke in LOST???? Like I was stressing but also giggling like a psycho

-the reveal of the meaning behind the countdown was so on point for this show. This fucking show. (What about the bricks, though? Why did they want people to remove the bricks in Kristen’s basement?????)

-DAVID I DON’T THINK LOCKING HIM IN A CABINET IS ANY BETTER THAN STRANGULATION WITH A CORD???? IS HE JUST GONNA ROT IN THERE????

-(okay but all things aside, Leland technically didn’t die on screen and I love to imagine that he was released somehow) (o shit did I just come up with another fic idea????)

-FENNA!!!!!! FENNAAAAAAA!!!! THAT LIL SHOULDER BUMP!!!!!!!

-Kristen’s Dutch counterpart convincing her to move???? Wonderful

-Kristen and David in Rome??? With the girls and Timmy? And cool Italian sunglasses? Wonderful. 10/10. They get to be together but David doesn’t have to choose between her and God. Sure, there’s still sexual tension, but, they’re TOGETHER and not all meaningful relationships have sex as an active component

-BEN SHOULD HAVE GONE WITH THEM AND I STAND BY THIS

-THAT ENDING???? And the fact that Katja decided that was how Kristen should react on the fucking day of filming???? 10/10 no notes, only undeniable curiosity as to what would happen if we miraculously got a season 5

-that cliffhanger is satisfying but also I need a season five. And six. And seven eight nine.

Anywho. That’s, uh, about where I am right now. I’m extremely sad. I ate sushi and ice cream and it helped until it didn’t. I’m gonna continue rewatching the whole dang thing. I’m gonna finish rewriting my Leland fic. I might actually make the shirt I was joking about in an earlier post. Hell, I think the idea of a circle skirt with the map of the different demonic sigils would be amazing. And then I’m probably gonna wanna write more fanfic because I’m still in denial that it’s actually over.

But hey! In my head, Leland is not dead! That’s a win!!! Good job, Dream Kate! You sorta succeeded in protecting your favorite character!

[hollowed-theory-hall]

Imho people put too much in the houses. Like they're basically just social cliques, and the sorting hat was definitely taking into account what would or wouldn't destroy their social lives.

I mean, people put as much into houses as the characters seem to put into houses.

For the characters houses are meaningful, they are social cliques and I'm sure the Sorting Hat pays attention to the social situation the student would be in, but there is an element to these traits, to the values a student has when sorted. But more importantly, wizards think about them as so much more. They are a sign of status, legacy, and worth. Like, little 11-year-old Draco says he'd just leave if he was sorted into Hufflepuff because, in his mind, it would mean he isn't worthy of the other "better" houses.

And Draco isn't the only one. Hagrid calls all of Slytherin Evil, practically all the professors play favorites, Ron is worried over not being in Gryffindor because all his family is in Gryffindor, Neville worries about being in Gryffindor because he doesn't think he is worthy of the house reputation because of what his grandmother told him, and students repeatedly fall into the trap of "Wait, why aren't you at X house?" When someone's behavior deviates slightly from the stereotype of their own house. Like, Terry Boot, when told Hermione cast a NEWT Gemino charm, asks her: "How come you aren't in Ravenclaw?" Because they're supposed to be the smart guys.

Basically, the Wizarding World treats houses like a Big Deal. Even adults who graduated decades ago still have pride in their own house. Actually, there are real-world examples of things like that.

I mean, school houses are a British commonwealth thing that exists in public boarding schools. In these irl houses, students take pride in their house, wear their house colors, and are incredibly competitive with other houses. There are schools that apparently have family houses, an in, if a student's sibling/child arrives at the school, they'd go to the same house as their family member.

(I got this from reading online, as I never encountered a school like this irl, but the internet tells me they exist)

But if we talk about something I'm more familiar with, I taught in a sorta summer course thing for teenagers, and we divided the students there into classes since there were over a hundred of them. There wasn't really a difference between the classes, but each class had its name, symbol, and colors (and different staff members), and the students' tribal instincts kicked in. They got super competitive with the other classes and had their closest friends basically exclusively within their own class. We often caught them making fun of other students for being in another class (something that meant literally nothing). So the staff put a lot of effort into creating activities for the entire group without class separation to try and fight that.

Humans are tribal creatures, we have a built-in mechanism that tells us to come together in groups and think our group is the best. A house system just happens to kick that instinct into gear, but it's always there.

So, it's not that weird that that's how Hogwarts houses are treated in universe, and the fandom gives them the same importance characters in universe seem to give them. Because to them they are that important.

(Of course, not all characters have the exact same opinion about the house system. There are adults in the Wizarding World that don't actually care, but then there are many who do)

Now, houses aren't necessarily a bad thing, humans have this tribal instinct for a reason. We need to feel like we're part of a community, a sense of belonging is something most people seek be it subconsciously or consciously. And there is joy in being part of something that has a long history and that you can be proud of. The problem is when these groups start to define people more than their own person as an individual does. And, shockingly, I don't think the Wizarding World has that problem on a cultural level.

Like Scabior says:

“So you aren’t wanted, then, Vernon? Or are you on that list under a different name? What house were you in at Hogwarts?” “Slytherin,” said Harry automatically. “Funny ’ow they all think we want to ’ear that.” leered Scabior out of the shadows.

(DH, 386)

Houses aren't everything. Even a Slytherin who knows where the common room is but has a suspicious name and says Voldemort's name is cause for suspicion. Being a proven Slytherin doesn't necessarily save you because they don't expect all Slytherins to back them. Because there are those who don't and they seem very aware of it. We also don't really see jobs that are reserved for certain houses.

I think some wizards do generalize more based on houses, but I think the majority of their adult population is aware that people are individuals outside of their houses.

Basically, I think the wizarding world's treatment of houses could definitely be way way better, it isn't as bad as it could be (which isn't a high bar since I expect the worst from the Wizarding World).

[nero-vanderwolf]

this inbox fic was originally meant for akechi's birthday. happy late birthday you fool

Goro Akechi remembers dying. 

He remembers being shot by his cognitive self, he remembers bleeding out in Shido’s ship, he remembers that inky darkness that swallowed him up. 

He remembers being so, so cold. 

So why is he suddenly warm? Why can he hear a heartbeat that isn’t his own? Why does he feel so safe? 

“Is he okay?” A voice asks. 

Whoever is with him responds, their voice rumbling in their chest. They sound sleepy. “Yeah. He should be. ‘Doc said to give him a few more days, though. To be safe, or some shit like that.” 

Someone else laughs, short and brief. Goro swears he’s heard it somewhere before. 

“Yeah, because everything we do is so safe,” they say. There’s a smacking sound, and they curse. 

“You didn’t have to be so harsh, Makoto...” They mutter. 

Makoto... Nijima? 

“Ah... Sorry, Akira. I didn’t mean to hit you that hard.” 

Kurusu. Nijima. Is anyone else there? Where even is he? 

The bed beneath him is oddly soft, so he certainly can’t in the hospital in Tokyo- but that’s where the Diet Building, and consequently Shido’s Palace, was. He couldn’t be anywhere else. 

There’s silence for a moment, then someone approaches them. 

“Man... I can’t believe Ryuji of all people fell asleep beside him,” someone says. 

Sakamoto? Is that who the heartbeat he hears belongs to? 

“I can’t believe Ryuji of all people was so kind to him in the Palace! ‘You’re more than special’? Where the hell did that come from?” 

More footsteps approach, and the bed by Goro’s legs sinks beneath someone’s weight. A hand is placed on his knee. He hates how comforting the gesture is. 

“Ryuji has always been a kind person. He isn’t one to judge, unless you obviously deserve it,” Kurusu says. It’s his hand on Goro’s knee. 

Someone scoffs. “I’d say Akechi deserves it.” 

Kurusu’s hand twitches where it sits. “He’s been through more than any of the Palace rulers we’ve faced. I happen to agree with Ryuji- we should try to be at least a little kinder to him.” 

“After what he did!? No way. I can excuse saving his life or whatever, but I refuse to make friends with him.” 

That voice was definitely Sakura-san’s daughter. Goro can’t blame her for her stance. 

“I’m not trying to force any of you to be friends with him. I’m just asking you not to treat him with cruelty or malice. Be friendly with him,” Kurusu says, his thumb rubbing circles into Goro's leg. 

Beside him, Sakamoto stirs. The heartbeat, now a comforting sound, stutters for a moment, then disappears entirely. 

“Dude... Did I fall asleep? That’s so embarrasin’...” 

Kurusu laughs again. “What, comforted by Akechi’s presence?” 

There’s some flustered spluttering, before Sakamoto settles for a solid, squeaked,“ Dude!!” 

The door opens. Someone in heels comes in, and Sakamoto moves. Someone takes his place. 

“...He’s concious,” a woman’s voice declares after a moment of silence. Immediately, the room errupts into various cries of shock. He picks out more than a few ��for real’s. 

“He should be fully awake in a few minutes. Especially if you all keep shouting like this,” the woman continues, but her tone isn’t rude at all. 

“Thanks, Takemi. We really appreciate your work,” Kurusu says, and the woman named Takemi rests her hand on Goro’s chest, over his heart. She has rings on. 

“No problem, kid. It’s my job, after all. Back-alley doctor or no, I’m still responsible for the lives of my patients. I just want to know how you got here so quickly, and without major bloodloss on his end.” 

Kurusu goes silent, but Sakamoto picks up the conversation. 

“He got shot not too far from here. We sorta booked it after it happened, since Akira told us you were a doctor and could probably help him more than them at the hospital.” 

That’s not what happened. He didn’t get shot in Yongen. Nowhere close to it. How did they get him here, to this place? 

Takemi doesn’t reply. She just rises to her feet, takes her hand off his chest. He misses the weight. 

“...Take care of him, okay? If he can’t stay with family in the area, let him stay with one of you. I don’t want him travelling around any more than necessary.” 

“Aye aye, Takemi. We’ll keep him safe and sound,” Kurusu says, and Takemi leaves. 

Someone’s breathing in his face. He continues to lay there, unmoving. Playing dead, his brain supplies. A terrible attempt at comedy. 

“I know you’re awake, jackass. Open your eyes and face us.” 

“Futaba, lay off. Just because Doc said he’d wake up soon doesn’t mean he already is,” Sakamoto says. The breathing in his face ceases. 

“Look at him! He’s obviously faking it!” Futaba says. 

Goro stirs, forcing his eyes open. The light overhead has been turned down, at least, and the blanket over him is fluffy and warm. If not for the presence of everyone, he might roll over and go back to sleep. 

He’s so, so tired. 

“Akechi! You’re awake. How are you feeling?” Kurusu asks, at his side in a blur. Goro fights back the urge to laugh. Even after trying to kill him two separate times, Akira Kurusu can’t find it in himself to hate him. 

“Other than everything hurting... And the insatiable urge to sleep for another week... I feel fine.” 

Sakamoto appears behind Kurusu like an eclipse. The sun behind the moon, Goro thinks almost bitterly. 

“Dude! Glad to see you’re okay. You had us worried,” he says with a smile bright as ever. Goro makes a point to ignore that ‘us’ likely does not include the Thieves that aren’t currently at his bedside. 

Speaking of... Everyone else seems to be almost avoiding him, as though he holds some terrible illness. Perhaps he does. 

“Yes, well... Death cannot claim me so easily, it seems. Alas for that,” Goro replies easily, slowly swinging his legs over the edge of the bed. He isn’t wearing a hospital gown- rather a pair of grey sweatpants and a white shirt. When did he change? How did he change? 

Perhaps Kurusu can tell where his gaze lies, because he offers an explaination. 

“Oh, yeah. Takemi had some spare clothes in here for patients that had to stay longer term... We got lucky that they fit you,” he says. Goro is getting extremely good at ignoring certain aspects of what people say to him. 

“...Give her my thanks. Did I have any belongings when we left the Metaverse?” Goro asks, rising to his feet. He’s less graceful than he would hope; his legs are shaky, and he stumbles a bit at first- ending up grasping Sakamoto’s shoulder in an attempt to steady himself. 

Sakamoto, thankfully, keeps his mouth firmly shut about it. Instead he says,“ Nope. Just yourself and a model gun. We couldn’t bring that here, obviously. So we sorta... left it. Sorry, man.” 

“No, don’t apologise,” he says. Sakamoto looks mildly surprised. Goro says nothing about it. 

“...We should figure out a place for Akechi to stay. I think we can rule out Boss’s house, my own, and Haru’s,” Nijima says, her voice gentle but firm. 

“I live in the dorms, so I will not be able to take him in,” Kitagawa chimes in. 

Ann shifts uncomfortably from foot to foot. “I would love to, but... I don’t think I could explain it to my parents. It’d be too risky.” 

Goro has all but resigned himself to trying to get back into his apartment when Sakamoto speaks up. 

“Ah, hell. I’ll take ‘im. Ma won’t care- I think she’d actually be happy. It’d mean I’m ‘makin’ new friends’ or whatever. You know.” 

He shrugs as though what he said wasn’t horrifically depressing, and everyone else seems perfectly content with this outcome. 

Goro ignores the relief on their faces. He ignores the way Sakamoto shifts their position so his arm is slung around Sakamoto’s shoulder- essentially using him as a human crutch. He ignores the way Futaba looks at Sakamoto like he’s lost his mind. 

He ignores the way he agrees with her. 

“Ma! I’m home!” Sakamoto shouts into the apartment. 

It is considerably less lavish than Goro’s own, but it’s far more homey. There are pictures of Sakamoto at various stages in his life hanging on the wall- Goro sees him elementary age, hair dark and wild, a yellow shirt on his back and a gap-toothed grin on his face. He sees middle school Sakamoto, likely around first year, running in a race. He’s the one crossing the finish line. 

The kitchen/dining room/living room are all in various states of disarray, but for some reason none of it seems ‘messy’. The kitchen has clean dishes placed in a rack by the sink (accompanied by a few dirty ones in the sink). 

The dining table has magazines and papers and books strewn across its surface, along with a very healthy looking flower in a vase. 

The living room sofa has blankets and pillows tossed haphazardly on it, and Goro even spots a plushie or two. There’s no coffee table, but if there was Goro suspects there would be all sorts of eclectic messiness there. 

“Oh, uh... Sorry for the mess. Everything is kinda shitty right now...” 

Sakamoto trails off, his ears red from embarassment. Goro shrugs. 

“So long as I have a bed to sleep in, I’m not about to look a gift horse in the mouth,” he says, and Sakamoto visibly perks up. 

“Oh, yeah. We got a guest bedroom, so you don’t even hafta worry about sharin’ my room. Uh- I don’t know if you were worried about that or not...” 

Sakamoto (Goro suspects he should start getting into the habit of calling him Ryuji at least around his mother) shifts uncomfortably again, before once again picking the conversation back up. It’s a gift that leaves Goro feeling a little windswept, like he’s found himself in the path of a storm that can’t decide which way it wants to blow. 

“We got food! Plenty of homecooked shit, my ma prefers it over buyin’ stuff from the store. Anything sound good? We probably have it.” 

Goro can’t bring himself to speak for a few seconds. Sakamoto is looking at him with such bright earnesty that it leaves him breathless. 

Wait. Sakamoto, of all people, leaving him winded? He would expect near anyone else. Kurusu, perhaps. He’s the first one to come to mind. Sakamoto is the last. 

“...Do you have any tonkatsu?” He finally forces words out of his too-dry mouth, oddly timid about requesting food at someone’s house. Goro Akechi has never been timid before. 

... 

“It was reheated, so it won’t taste as good as it did when it was freshly made, but...” 

Goro took the plate and placed it on his lap. “Food is food. I don’t have much right to be a picky eater. Thank you for the food.” 

Sakamoto- No, Ryuji, he reminds himself- doesn’t respond. He has his own dish of food- fried rice and noodles, it seems- but seems more keen on observing Goro eat his first. 

“Are you often in the habit of watching others eat before your own meal?” He can’t help but ask. Ryuji just shrugs, as though Goro asked him about a question a teacher had that day. 

“Eh. Not often, but...” 

“But?” 

Ryuji seems uncomfortable with the conversation. Goro doesn’t care. 

“Well, it sorta depends on the circumstances. Whenever one of my friends aren’t feelin’ good, I sorta watch ‘em to make sure they’re okay. Even if it’s somethin’ as dumb as eating.” 

Ryuji’s word choice rattled around in Goro’s ears. One of his friends, he had said. Goro was likely reading far too deeply into it, but... 

“Dude, if you stare at me any longer I think I might explode. You look like you’re imagining my head as a giant lemon or somethin’.” 

Goro blinks himself back into reality, caught off-guard by Ryuji’s example. 

“A what-?” 

Ryuji looks away, ears flaming red. “When I first dyed my hair, I got told by some girl that I looked like a giant lemon. Ann only made that worse by callin’ me a lemonhead in middle school. Just- a joke between us now, I guess.” 

Goro nods once, unsure how else to respond. So he asks another question. 

“Why did you dye it?” 

Ryuii perks up at that. Bingo, Goro thinks. 

“It was actually because Ann kept gettin’ a bunch of shit from people because she was blonde, so I decided to dye my hair. Solidarity, y’know? She got called a whole bunch of names. People were callin’ her an attention whore when she was thirteen, dude! I couldn’t just let those bastards get away with that!” 

Goro nods once again, this time completely comprehending. “So you decided to take the target off of her back and place it onto your own with the delinquent shtick.” 

Ryuji nods in agreement. “Yeah, pretty much. That’s... Sorta why I keep up the act. It’s hard to keep your tracks completely covered as a Phantom Thief, especially when there are so many of us. But they’re all friends with me, the ‘school delinquent’, so...” 

“So you hope that them being friends with a punk will keep others from badgering them about things they don’t wish to discuss, such as the Phantom Thieves.” 

Goro has to conclude, it’s a brilliant ploy. Acting tough and scary to ward off anyone who might wish to pester those you love... A clever act unexpected from Ryuji. 

“Yeah, that’s basically it. I just wanna give ‘em a little bit of protection if I can. Even if if ain’t for very long.” 

Goro tilts his head. What on earth is he on about? 

“What on earth are you on about?” He asks. It comes out harsher than he meant it to. 

Ryuji scoffs. “C’mon, man. You’re a damn detective and you worked with us. You know what I mean.” 

“No, I can’t say that I do.” 

Ryuji groans, abandoning his plate on the table beside him. The question of why they’re eating on the sofa and not at the table suddenly hits Goro. He pushes it down and out of sight. 

“Dude! Pretty much the only thing I’m good for on the team is givin’ and takin’ hits. I wanna- I wanna help them more. Even if all I can do is take even more hits in the real world, too. I mean- the most useful thing I’ve ever done for the team was almost die, so.” 

Goro freezes. Ryuji... Almost died? After he risked his own life in an attempt to keep the others safe?

“What-?” 

Now it’s Ryuji’s turn to freeze up. “Oh, uh... Did Aki not tell you? Man... Well, um. When Shido’s Palace went down, two things happened. One, was Futaba pickin’ up your signal again and Aki rushin’ to save you. Apparently he used his MetaNav to get the both of ya outta there. The second thing was me runnin’ to the lifeboats to trigger them in time. I blew up, but I managed to use my Nav to get out right before I hit the water.” 

“...Why... The hell would you describe me being saved first-!? I don’t give a shit about me, I asked about you!” 

Ryuji reels back like Goro just slapped him, hands up as though to protect himself from the ex-detective’s odd burst of wrath. 

“Dude! Akechi, quit yellin’! The neighbours’ll call the police, and that’ll be a whole new world of shit for us.” 

Goro takes a breath, sinking back into the cushions of the sofa. He glares at Ryuji, but the Zio user doesn’t quail. Rather, they meet each other’s gaze- and Goro fights a shiver that threatens to run down his spine. 

As far as Goro knows, no one can use their Persona’s power outside of the Metaverse. So why the hell does the air seem so electrified all of a sudden? 

“Secondly, I don’t give a shit about me neither, so we’re in the same boat on that one. Whatever shit happened, or happens, to me is nothin’ compared to what you all have been through. I mean- you especially.” 

“You almost died, Sakamoto. How is that nothing?” Goro hopes Ryuji doesn’t point out that- 

“You did too, asshole. Don’t gimme that shit,” Ryuji grumbles. 

Damn him. 

“Yes, well-” 

Goro sighs. He hates the Phantom Thieves. Half of them hate his guts (rightfully so). Kurusu is the only one he feels he can carry a conversation with, because Ryuji often leaves him without the proper words unless they were having an argument. 

“Dude, I swear. If you pull the ‘you’re a better person than me’ card I will actually throw rice at you,” Ryuji threatens, and he sounds so sincere it startles a laugh out of Goro. 

“I beg your pardon?” He asked, covering his mouth with his hand. Second nature from so many years in the detective scene, hiding his mirth behind a mask of polite indifference. 

“...You’re pardoned, or whatever,” Ryuji grumbles, and Goro resists the urge to laugh more. What in the hell was wrong with him? Ryuji Sakamoto, drawing genuine laughs out of him? 

He needs to get a grip. 

Goro insists on doing the dishes after they eat, if not for any other reason than to be left with his thoughts. Ryuji protests, as expected, but eventually (after a long bickering session) lets him do the chore. 

Ryuji putters around the living-dining areas, putting the papers into stacks and putting the throw pillows back where they belong. 

Goro watches him with a keen eye, taking in every little detail. The gentle way Ryuji handles the papers, the care in his hands as he prunes the flower on the table. 

The little smile that graces his lips as the theme song for Featherman NEO plays on the TV, the way he nods his head to the beat long after it’s disappeared from the screen. 

The way he spikes his hair with his hands sometimes, the way he holds himself off of his left leg. 

The way he seems to keep glancing at Goro, only to hurriedly look away again with red ears. Perhaps shame at being caught gaping. 

It’s maddening, trying to decipher the meaning behind his glances. There seems to be no malice, or even remorse at taking him in. But there’s no warm smile or radiant grin to give away the meaning either. 

So Goro remains silent, bordering sullen, at the enigma that is Ryuji Sakamoto. 

For the time being, at least. 

OH MY GOODNESS!!!!! THE LONG AWAITED GORO AKECHI BIRTHDAY FIC!!!!! WITH RYUGORO ADDED!!!!!

aghhhahahgghhhhh.... ryuji sleeping next to akechi and getting embarassed by akira saying he's comforted by akechi's presence. love the way akira doesnt force futaba or anyone to forgive him but just not to absolutely despise him. hehe akechi forcing himself to call him ryuji "because of his mom" yeah i know what you are. and the fact that he cares for ryuji. he yells at him for risking his life and prioritizing akechi's. gahh they love each other and cover it up with hate. they're like two sides of the same coin GHHHSGSGGVVB speaking of which they should have given akechi more showtimes with other PTs for example: ryuji. akechi x ryuji showtime would go insane.

anyway HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THAT BASTARD AKECHI!!!!!

[sea-owl]

I'm rewatching the first How to Train your Dragon movie for the first time in years and rewatching with adult eyes I can kinda see Stoick's side with his strained relationship with Hiccup.

Now, before I get into this, I do want to say that I do not agree with Stoick's actions and words during the whole 'you're not my son' fight. Nor do I agree with how he allowed the village's treatment of Hiccup. I can see where he was coming from, but I do not agree with it. I just kinda want to explore his side of the relationship since we have the whole movie for Hiccup's pov and his side has been discussed multiple times over the years.

Now I'm going off the movie itself first without the extra info the other movies, shows, and the deleted scenes give us.

We actually get a lot of Stoick's perspective from the first 10-30 minutes of the movie, we learn Stoick is the leader of his people, meaning their tribe's wellbeing rests on his shoulders. We know the island they live on has a problem with dragons. The vikings and dragons are in competition with one another over food and livestock. Plus, the village has been burned down so many times because of this competition, the vikings are constantly repairing and rebuilding. It is also hinted at that there is a food shortage which endangers the village with the upcoming winter where food would be even more scarce.

Being a leader is tough, and adding all that on Stoick's plate as well I'm not surprised he has this no nonsense attitude.

Then we add in Hiccup, Stoick's son and future chief of the tribe. Stock loves his son, you can see it even in the first movie, but Hiccup is also unintentionally a problem viking. Don't get me wrong, Hiccup is well meaning in his inventive way, but he still has caused issues for the tribe. Now this is inferred from a spefic scene. When Hiccup is trying to convince Stoick he shot down a night fury he tells Stoick "This isn't like the other times," and when Stoick is sending Hiccup back to their house he says in a sorta frustrated tone, "I have to clean up his mess again." This tells me a few things. One Hiccup's past actions has led Stoick to seeing Hiccup as childish and tells stories leading to goose chases. The second thing is Hiccup either does not take responsibility for the messes he has created in the past, not helping with the clean up of those messes, or if he has it has just led to, in Stoick's eyes at least, more problems.

Now let's add in Gobber, who is the middle man between father and son. We see him trying to reassure both of them. He takes in Hiccup like an uncle figure and teacher in the forge. He talks to Stoick like a brother and confidant, giving him advice. These talks with Gobber also highlight the communication issues and how little Stoick and Hiccup have been listening to one another.

Stoick's conversation with Gobber also has this one line that most would think is a throw away or an opening for a joke but I think actually is an example of why Stoick and Hiccup's relationship is strained at least from Stoick's perspective.

"I take him fishing and he goes hunting for trolls!"

Fishing is an act that can help provide. Bring food home to a family and a job basically. Hunting for trolls is seen as child's game, by the village at large, they don't believe they exist.

Stoick's main problem with his strained relationship with Hiccup is that in his eyes that Hiccup is not meeting or not taking seriously the duties he should have already started at least training for as heir to the tribe. This is further reinforced by how proud Stoick is by Hiccup's success in dragon training because in Stoick's point of view, Hiccup was finally growing up and taking his responsibilities seriously. This is also reinforced again during the battle with the Red Death when Stoick's pride seeing Hiccup lead the other riders.

Now, add deleted scenes and information we have learned throughout the series. We know Stoick and Hiccup had a better relationship when Hiccup was younger. They were more loving and soft with one another. This leads one to believe that their issues are a more recent development in the last 3 years at the earliest is my guess.

Now you might be thinking, but Hiccup is only 15! We gotta think back on viking times and culture. Hiccup is old enough to get married. I believe I remember reading most vikings, which were considered adults by 16. Not to mention, with the constant attacks, Stoick could unexpectedly die at any moment. Hiccup needs to know this information, and needs to take it seriously.

I think another big strain in their relationship is what the two represent. Stoick is old school, follows the traditional viking way. While Hiccup is the younger generation moving forward and adapting. It is gonna cause conflict, but as we see later on, when these two learn to communicate, talk and listen to one another, there is room for both.

Now Stoick is not without his faults and definitely has shares his portion of blame, but it is unfair to lay all the blame on him. He was trying with Hiccup and he did love his son. But he also did have responsibilities to the tribe as a whole that sadly was a higher priority to him.

[wardencommanderrodimiss]

So, remember when I asked you about social media in the Pokemon universe?

I've sorta gotten wrapped up in a giant RP community here on tumblr based around that concept, where we all make in-univese tumblr posts from characters in the Pokemon world, whether that be canon characters, OCs, Fallers from non-Pokemon media, and so on.

It's called Pokemon IRL, and it runs on a multiverse system. Essentially, the in-universe website connects across the multiverse, allowing people to have different canons without it conflicting.

I run a bunch of blogs for it, including one for the Tropius that I mentioned to you back in that original ask. I also write blogs for Kay Faraday, an Arceus who prefers to be in the form of a shiny Sentret, someone who got sent to the PMD world and really didn't like it, a Herlock Sholmes-inspired detective from a steampunk PMD world, a gym inspector, a Mew who got tired of being a legendary and just wants to live among humans now, a Zorua who's going through the plot of every single mainline Pokemon game, and the Ninetales from PMD Rescue Team.

It's really fun! I wrote a guide to it here, if you're interested!

I had to do a triple take at just regular ol' Kay Faraday in that list. (And was also having some trouble just with my brain and parsing commas, so I was like "Kay Faraday is an Arceus???" and. no.) But that sounds like fun! I feel particularly bad for that poor Zorua - that's a lot of plot to live through.

"Multiverse social media" is such a funny concept. I mean, it obviously solves the ""canon"" problem. But imagine, like, you share a news bulletin about missing person Subway Master Ingo and then you find like thirteen different Ingos and you can't even be sure if any of them are actually the guy from your world because seven of them have amnesia and are blogging from the year 1800.

[kneecapandribcageinverter]

Complicated feelings about new COTL update. The one where you get to heal the Bishops.

I'll admit, I had complicated feelings about the Bishops being resurrected in the first place. See, Narinder has this whole questline about him grieving, but now it's kinda been rendered moot? But not really, because now he has to actually CONFRONT his siblings after... well, everything, and there was a lot that was lost and will never be the same even if they ARE back, so it's not like there's nothing to mourn.

Then there's the bishop regeneration quests in the new update, where you heal their maimed bodies, restoring their eyes, ears, throat, skull, whatever. Leshy can see, Heket can speak, Kallamar can hear, and Shamura can think straight again.

Somehow, this feels like it cheapens the experience. Part of the reason it was such a big deal was because it was irreversible. This family did things to each other that couldn't be undone or taken back. But now that it HAS been fixed, it makes the problem seem trivial, which in turn makes the solution seem trivial.

But I don't think this is necessarily a bad thing. I don't think it's a bad thing at all, when I think about it some more.

You hear a lot of people talking about how sad they get after losing their favorite followers, and I experienced something similar during my playthrough, but... I noticed something interesting. Once I got the resurrection ritual, I sorta stopped caring when my followers died. Before, I'd think "just you wait, I'm gonna bring you back as soon as I can." but now that I CAN, it doesn't seem important to do anymore. I just love that psychological effect, how godlike power makes mortality seem so trivial and inconsequential.

See, the Lamb is a god. Doing things like this is a godly thing to do, and this casual mindset about it is... divine. This game has gods coming to grips with newfound mortality, sure, but that's not what it's about. It's about the Lamb losing their mortality. Seeing these once profound moments rendered hollow by their own power is the POINT. This is a game where mortal limitations and restrictions are meant to be overcome. Time and time again, the Lamb overreaches what was allotted to them, and time and time again, they find that what seemed so high above them is not only within their reach, but right in front of their face. Like the opposite of Tantalus, the highest boughs bend down to allow them to harvest whatever fruit they crave, and the tide rises to quench their thirst.

Another thing I have a love-hate relationship with is the comparison between the questlines that you've got. You bring the bishops low, sure, that's your job now. But then, you're charged with saving your mortal enemies, offering your own followers lives as payment to do so.

Now, I liked the variable nature of most sidequests. You can be the salvation or doom of... basically anyone. You can help Sozo poison himself to death and then rehabilitate him. You can protect Plimbo's ship from the angry Witnesses. You can reunite Forneus with her kids. You can reignite a lighthouse, preventing people from being lost at sea. On the other hand, you could offer your followers to Midas, or become a cannibalistic slave trader's favorite customer. There is the infamous Fox questline, in which you sacrifice your followers and Ratau.

What I have complicated feelings about is that... we have the option to save our foes, and we have the option to betray our faithful. If we choose to be vindictive to our foes or loyal to our flock, that's not a quest option, that's just non-progression.

What I mean is, we can't choose to protect our flock, or the lands of the old faith, from these other threats, we can only choose to either do business with them at the expense of our allies or other innocents, or simply ignore them. Likewise, we can't hurt the bishops in a way that isn't DIY follower interactions. Sure, we can keep them in a pillory forever, or permakill them in a horrid way, but that feels more like torturing a Minecraft villager than actually taking revenge against the character.

What's more is, to fulfill the "good" sidequests, we have to betray our followers by feeding them to doors, or sacrificing them to resurrect Aym and Baal.

It's like... I'm oversimplifying, but the choices we have are: Being good to our enemies, being bad to our allies, or just choosing not to do those things. (Sure, there are follower quests, but I'm not putting "pick ten flowers for me" on par with "end a life to get me out of hell.") This peeves me off a bit. But I understand this too.

Remember what I said earlier about the Lamb going through an arc about not being mortal anymore? This is another result of that. These quests represent that, even with the "you can't turn it down, you can only decide not to do it yet" thing. See, you might decide not to betray your followers now, but... time will pass. With infinite time, infinite things will happen. You will outlive your own willpower, and eventually cave in even to the least appealing temptation.

The Lamb values saving the bishops for the same reason the player does: Because they're actual characters with significance to the player. To us, the followers are random NPCs, and to the Lamb, they'll eventually wind up feeling the same way. After so much time, their faces blend together, their voices fade to unintelligible babble, etc. But the Bishops were a Big Deal to the Lamb once upon a time. Even if it was because they were enemies, they were IMPORTANT. It's someone that still means something. I figure it's sorta like how AM in I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream keeps a handful of humans alive so that it still has something to do stuff to, and freaks out when they die. It's not about mercy, it's not about forgiveness, it's not about affection, it's about having something around that can make you feel something after all this time.

Complicated feelings, but it's a good game.