#I misinterpreted the scene and I'm so so sorry | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

buggachat · 1 year ago

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To be clear, I goddamn hated the finale on first watch. I was withering in my seat. My heart had dropped to my stomach. I had no fucking idea what I was watching in that final scene lmao

and then Adrien said "when Ladybug gave me the rings—" and I was like— wait. LADYBUG? LADYBUG STILL EXISTS?

I THOUGHT THE ENTIRE TIMELINE HAD BEEN REWRITTEN 😭😭😭😭 I THOUGHT LADYBUG AND CHATN OIR DIDNT UFCKING EXIST uNTIL ADRIEN SAID THAT I WAS SO SO SO SCARED

and then I realized, oh wait. This isn't a complete utopian timeline rewrite. This is just a timeskip of a few months and Mme Bustier is just a kickass mayor. In fact, she's only mayor BECAUSE it's still the same timeline. And then I realized, hey, wait, if they didn't rewrite the timeline, then how tf is Emilie casually there with no questions?

And then I realized she was wearing black. And Félix was there. And I remembered Amelie exists.

Basically, I went into the finale chanting to myself "it's okay, it's okay... they probably wont bring Emilie back... they probably won't rewrite the entire timeline permanently.... right? please....", even though I didn't actually expect it to happen, but just because I was terrified that it could. And apparently that fear actually got to me so much that I misinterpreted the episode as being everything I didn't want it to be... when... it actually wasn't that at all

anyway, all of this is to say, everything in the episode happens so fast that it confused and terrified me at first. And when I realized what had happened, my opinion went from "my year is ruined" to "oh. well. okay. kind of disappointing, I guess". And then I kept thinking about it, and the ending, and all that is set up and rewatching the scenes and all the loose ends still in place and.... i realized I loved it?

like, every time I think about this finale, I love it more. every time i rewatch a scene, I get a little obsessed. this episode went from my nightmare to actually really really cool to me, and I'm still kind of reeling from it

Basically, this is why I've been kind of passionately defending the finale— not because I think people who don't like it are """dumb""" or anything, I don't blame people at all for that, and I totally get the confusion. I was confused too. And I know I'm not the only one who went in preparing themselves for the worst, or went in with very specific expectation on what will happen, because this finale has been long awaited for so long. I think everyone was shocked with how it ended. I think most people probably startled at Amelie's face (it's so easy to forget she exists....)

Anyways, I started this post basically as an apology for if I seem too aggressive or defensive about the finale. Because I get it! I get hating it! I get being disappointed or frustrated or confused! Part of why I'm so defensive is because I have all the arguments so ready on the tip of my tongue because I had the very same argument with myself already 😭 So I'm sorry if any of my posts came off as too aggressive and in advance for any future posts that might. I promise promise promise I'm not trying to make anyone feel bad for having bad opinions on the finale! I just think this episode is really cool and the fact I related to a lot of the nay-sayers makes it easy to feel so impassioned about it.

But this post is getting off the rails and I'm just gonna let it, because some of my regrets w my participation in fandom is that I find myself chickening out of actually talking about my thoughts on episodes a lot. I get kind of overwhelmed and overthink everything after I've posted it and I'm a shy person. But my inbox is closed and this is the season 5 finale and I want to ramble and ramble so I will allow myself this

Basically, I went in with some very specific expectations for this episode. We all know about the Hawkmoth defeat story. Many of us have read it in fics over and over again, it was teased in Chat Blanc, we all know what we expect, we all know our favorite beats from it.

And what actually happened....... met virtually none of those beats. (For me, at least).

Like, Adrien wasn't there for the final episode. At all. He was completely absent from the confrontation. He never found out his father was Hawkmoth. He got his rings, but he never found out he was a sentimonster. He is living in the dark.

Ladybug confronted Monarch... alone. Which is sad, when so much of the series is dedicated to the partnership of her and Chat Noir. Them against the world....... and Monarch was "defeated" with nary a Chat Noir in sight.

The whole entire "Gabriel is known as a hero" thing. I don't think anybody was expecting that. Absolutely shocking.

The fact Marinette would lie to Adrien like that. The fact she's keeping so much from him. The fact everyone is. SO MANY people in Adrien's life (Marinette, Plagg, Nathalie, Felix, Amelie, Kagami, probably Alya, maybe more I'm not thinking of....) are just... lying to him, now. He is so in the dark. He knows nothing.

But.........

I kind of like that I didn't predict nearly any of this. I like that it caught me off guard. I love how this show just completely baffles me at every turn, how it will present concepts and ideas to me that I've never read a fic about.

In retrospect, Chat Noir being absent from the final battle... makes sense. It actually makes a lot of sense, if I think about it, because... there is only one possible way that could've gone, right? Chat Noir would not be allowed to have the emotional implosion that he would have to have. This is devastating. This is SO devastating. This is the entire shattering of Adrien's entire world we're talking about, and Chat Blanc is the only real way for that to end. Adrien has an emotional implosion in front of Monarch, he gets akumatized, it turns into an emotion explosion, extinction event. The end. We've already seen it.

And........ even if it didn't end that way, even if he managed to avoid akumatization...... how could the finale satisfyingly end on that note? How could it end in any semblance of a "wrapped up" way, at the very start of Adrien's emotional breakdown? It couldn't. I wouldn't WANT it to. In retrospect, Adrien finding out his dad is Monarch and then.... what? The season ends on a close-up of him crying? The season ends with a time-skip to the new school year where they skipped his entire grieving period!? I would HATE that, actually. I would hate that. I thought I wanted it, but I would hate it. I would hate it so so so much.

What's kind of amazing is that the finale ended with Monarch being defeated.... but Adrien still has those realizations to make. He still has those betrayals to come to terms with. There is time for him to make these realizations, for him to come to these conclusions, perhaps one at a time, perhaps in a more controlled environment.... and that gets me far, far more excited for the seasons to come than an episode that tried to wrap it all up in the last 5 minutes.

Also, the reason Adrien didn't go to the final battle was because he feared becoming Chat Blanc. He didn't know the truth to it, didn't understand that literally, yes, that's what would have happened if he was there, even if he hadn't been under a nightmare curse. But he still knew. He still expected it. He willingly chose to sit it out, no matter how much he hated it, because he knew. And there's something kind of powerful to that, I think, of Adrien making a choice that is so unequivocally the Correct choice, even more than he realized. And the strength it took for him to make that decision...... damn.

As for the lies and the Gabriel statue? I... it's upsetting, but it's supposed to be. And I believe it. I absolutely believe it. I 10000% believe Marinette would keep the secret of Monarch's identity to herself to try to save Adrien the pain. I 10000% believe that the population could easily be led to believe a famous billionaire is a hero. I 10000% believe that Adrien would WANT to believe it. I 10000% believe Tomoe would take advantage of it.

And I can't wait to see that illusion crumble.

Also.... this is the beginning of The Lila arc.

And the Lila arc begins on........ Marinette telling the biggest, boldest face lie she ever told. The Lila arc begins on the most extreme city-wide illusion we've ever seen. It begins on such a huge fabrication and....

..... it's Marinette's lie.

............ and Lila knows that it's a lie.

I'm

!!?!?!?!

This is so fucking cool???? The irony here??? the deceit???? All these loose ends, all the possible confrontations, all the ways this could GO. I don't know where the show is taking this, obviously, because nobody ever can predict where this show is going apparently (and I love it for that), but oh my god. I'm imagining all the fics I could read about this. all the fics I could write. all the thoughts and scenarios that this finale has provided me with to daydream about as I go to sleep.

Adrien, going through the motions of life. Looking up to his father as a hero, despite the fact the last time he saw him, Adrien was sobbing, in tears, and cursing his name. Adrien, after all the abuse he was subject to, having to look up at a statue of his father and...... be forced to think that maybe he was wrong about his father. But he's not wrong. He WASN'T wrong. He just THINKS that he is. His father is going to continue to loom over his life in ways I never expected post-hawkmoth. Adrien's relationship with Gabriel has not ended, a new and terrifying and horrible new chapter of it has simply begun, and Adrien is still as manipulated by his father's ghost as he was by his father himself.

THAT'S. WILD!!!

also, Adrien now believes that MONARCH MURDERED HIS FATHER. Chat Noir now believes that his greatest nemesis KILLED HIS FATHER. CHAT NOIR, resident self-sacrificer, believes that HIS FATHER was a HERO who DIED FIGHTING MONARCH. Adrien thinks that maybe he should be more like his father— more like his father who died in battle. This is. Not Good. For Adrien.

And it's Marinette that started this. Well intentioned Marinette, who doesn't really understand the extent of the horrors. Marinette, Adrien's girlfriend, the person he trusts most. She did this.

And, I mean.... god. I totally get how this sucks for a lot of people, because it's objectively upsetting.... but I LOVE lovesquare tension. Season 4 is probably my favorite season for that reason alone (still mulling over if season 5 beat it for me). I love the relationship drama, I love that it's in character drama, I love how it fits everything we know about them sososo well, I love that it's horrible and it's terrible and it's awful and it's all because Marinette loved Adrien too much to want to hurt him.

I was worried no reveal would mean that season 6 would just be... what? adrienette fluff? not that I don't love that, but where's the drama? well. there it is. that's the drama.

I need to stop typing this. I know this is abysmally long and ranty and if you read all of this then I'm sorry. But I wanted to get some of my thoughts out.

But basically, I was expecting a lot of things for the finale.

In my best case scenario, it would somehow, miraculously tie up and address all the loose ends with Adrien's angst and character arc in two episodes.... and then end with me totally satisfied, ready to only half-heartedly watch season 6 like it was just a small dessert after the main course.

And I already described my worst case scenario (my first impression of the episode lmao)

But it wasn't that. I was expecting a series finale, but I got a season finale. And I love season finales. I love how they keep me wanting more. I love how excited I am for season 6, because in both my best and worst case scenarios, I honestly didn't expect to be. I love all the new ideas and thoughts and scenarios swirling around in my brain. And even if season 6 doesn't address some of the things I want addressed, I'm so excited to see the creative content in this fandom that DOES

#ml spoilers #ml s5 spoilers #ml s5 finale spoilers #ml re-creation #ml recreation #recreation spoilers #re-creation spoilers #I am SO SO SO SORRY that htis rant went OFF and I just rambled and rambled and I'm sure nobody will read this. however #sometimes I want to be silly. and my silly moment is rambling about my favorite show into the void on my tumblr #im not proof reading this so im so sorry if it's. um. all over the place and riddled w typos 😭 im vibing im vibing

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pancake-breakfast · 4 months ago

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Sorry it took me so long to get these notes up. Between internet issues and pure busy-ness, it's been rough. But here they are! The notes from AX Day 1's Trigun Stampede panel! Now with images! (Sorry for Chilchuck's head in most of them. He's awfully tall for a half-foot.)

Trigun Stampede presented by Toho Animation, Studio Orange, and Crunchyroll

The guests for this panel were Yoshihiro Watanabe (producer at Orange) and Katsuhiro Takei (producer at Toho animation), with Steve Liu from Crunchyroll hosting. (They had a translator as well, but Watanabe promptly stole her job.)

One other thing I'm going to note before we get started is that this was Takei's first time talking about all this in front of an audience since Episode 12 aired. He kept looking out at the practically full auditorium (the panel was held in one of the ballrooms, so easily one of the biggest rooms at the venue) and seeing all the fans and cosplayers and just grinning from ear to ear. He was clearly very exited.

Introduction

They started off by playing a quick video recapping Season 1. (It really made me want to watch the show on a big screen. It looks great even on a projector!) After the video, Liu started in on the interview questions. Please don't take anything below as a direct quote unless it's in quotation marks; I'm not that fast with my notes, so I'm mostly paraphrasing and relying on my memory, either of which could include my own misinterpretation or just be flat-out wrong.

The first question was, how do you feel about the future of the series?

Watanabe said their passion (for creating more of the series) was burning within them.

Takei noted that when the show was initially announced at AX some years back, they were very nervous about it since they were remaking a well-known and well-loved title, but today, looking out at all the fans, he felt a lot more confident.

Behind the Scenes of Trigun Stampede

They then showed some concept art from the famed Trigun Bible. This included what Watanabe called "Vash's projection of Rem." Seems like they came up with this design before coming up with Vash's dark design.

They also shared some concept art of what most people assume to be spiky-haired Vash...

...but which Watanabe quickly noted is actually Vash in Episode 1. You know, when he's hanging upside-down. Takei added that Muto, the director, was a bit mischievous and had a tendency to lie to the staff about when certain designs would appear in the series. He apparently hid a handful of Easter eggs and foreshadowing (like Vash having spikier hair) throughout the series.

They also had some concept art of Knives and of Vash's wing.

They then showed some concept art for some friends all y'all might recognize if you read the manga....

...but in case you didn't, I'll identify the characters below:

Top Row: Vash the Stampede, Millions Knives, Meryl Stryfe, Roberto Deniro (the blank one), Legato Bluesummers

Bottom Row: Monev the Gale, Dominique the Cyclops, Leonof the Puppet-Master, E.G. the Mine, Nicholas the Punisher, Midvalley the Hornfreak, Hoppered the Gauntlet, Rai-Dei the Blade (his name doesn't actually look like Rai-Dei here, though, so they may be calling him something different or they may just be subbing in kanji; it's too small for me to tell), Grey the Ninelives, Livio the Double Fang, Zazie the Beast, Elendira the Crimsonnail

If you're sitting there thinking, "Aww, they came up with all these designs but we saw so few of them!" then I have news for you! Watanabe said we should be keeping an eye out for more of these folks in the next part.

Favorite Scenes

Next, Liu asked both of the guests about their favorite scenes, and before they got into talking about them, we were shown a video not just of the final scene, but the storyboard, the rough cut version, and the version used for dubbing, all on one screen.

Takei answered first, and he chose the scene from episode 1 where Vash goes up against Chuck Lee, a.k.a. the military policeman from July.

(The audience kept laughing at Vash's wonderfully goofy face in the storyboard.)

When asked why he loved that scene, Takei noted that everything they wanted to accomplish in Trigun Stampede was encapsulated in it. In the manga and '98, Vash is more funny and tough (although "a good-looking guy"), and here in Stampede, he's rather more wimpy (although "still a good-looking guy"). This scene is a good blend of both sides of Vash.

It also showcases a "good action scene," which he clarified by noting there aren't many anime where so much drama and emotion is centered around one bullet. Takei also noted (though it's hard to convey to you all via still images) that Muto trusted his animators to improve on the storyboards. He's not as strict as some other directors and didn't want them to feel confined to stick to it too closely, but rather wanted them to enhance what was storyboarded out as they felt was appropriate.

Which leads to Watanabe's choice for favorite scene: the one where Vash is running through his shattered memories toward Rem and finally breaks free of Knives' prison and yeets Knives himself out. (Alas, Watanabe did not, in fact, use the word "yeet.")

Watanabe said he chose this scene because he loved the details that the team added to it after the storyboarding. The storyboard just had Vash running, but they added all these subtle movements and emotion that created a much stronger impact. When the completed scene was presented in Studio Orange, all who saw it were in awe.

Upcoming Trigun Stampede Merch

First up, as many of you already know, we have the Special Edition DVD/Blu-Ray set, which is currently available via preorder on Crunchyroll.

Second up is a new Vash figure! So new they haven't finished coloring it yet, BUT they did note this will be Black Vash (a.k.a. Grape Juice Vash) from Ep. 12. Takei is particularly excited about this because he always wanted to get the Black Vash figure from back in the day, but wasn't able to, and now he's gonna be able to get his own Stampede version. This figure is actually designed by the same person who designed the Vash figures for the manga back in the day. Interestingly, after they picked him but before they met to collaborate on designs, he came up with the current design for the figure. This worked out exceedingly well, since the design Orange wanted for the figure was basically the same thing.

Also, this Vash figure will soon have a Wolfwood companion figure. Because you can't have just one of them. The Wolfwood figure is still being designed, so alas, no images of it yet.

There's also been a restock of the orders for the clothes collaboration they had with SuperGroupies before, so a bunch of that stuff will be available again soon. They're also adding a new item to the lineup, and that's a black version of the Vash jacket. (I checked their website and it looks like they might also be adding a Livio EoM jacket. Hot.)

Preview Stuff for the Next Season

Ok, first and foremost, I'm gonna note there was NO TRAILER SHOWN, so let's crush those hopes now lest they linger and lead to disappointment. What they DID show was this:

First, a preview image of the characters for the upcoming season....

TBH, the only difference I really noticed is Knives' hair seems fluffier, but new art is always nice! Also, this one looks like a win for foot, ankle, and/or hand fetishists.

Second, we got a lovely video thanks from Nightow himself!

(He said he wanted to be there, but unfortunately there wasn't a strong enough headwind for him to run to the con. And for the curious, he's wearing a Guillermo del Toro shirt.)

Nightow being a fan of Stampede and overjoyed that so many people love his story isn't new. (Wonderful, but not new.) What IS new is he drew this nice little piece of art for us all.

He said this was his first time drawing Stampede Wolfwood. He had to get them to send him 3D images of the Punisher to be able to get it right, but he enjoyed making it! He said "it felt old and new at the same time." He can't believe next year will be the series' 30th anniversary. (Congrats, OG fans. Now we can all feel old together.)

The third thing they released was this.

Given the amount of trouble I've had posting this, I'm sure plenty of you already know that the next season/final chapter is going to be called Trigun Stargaze. Liu asked Takei about this title, and Takei said something like, "I don't know what this is about. Trigun Stargaze? What's that? This is news to me." He then (after noting he had just been joking) launched into what little he could tell us about the upcoming season.

He said he can't talk about the reason for the specific title, but that manga readers can probably make some good guesses.

Trigun Stargaze will take place 2 1/2 years after Stampede. They want to keep in mind the original concept behind Stampede, that being that because the previous Trigun stories have been so amazing, what they create needs to be amazing, too. He said they're proud of what they've made so far. It went beyond your imagination. He hopes Stargaze will go beyond your imagination, too.

Cosplayer Highlight

They decided to call all the cosplayers up to the space in front of the stage next. There were SO MANY COSPLAYERS!! Foolishly, I didn't take a panorama.

Costumes included '98 and Stampede versions of Vash, Wolfwood, and Meryl, as well as a handful of Millys (Millies?), not one but TWO groups doing Barbie & Ken-styled Vash and Wolfwood (the Barbie Vashes shouted, "Hi, Barbie!" at each other when everyone went to sit back down), an old-school Legato, a Zazie, and a group fully cross-playing the characters (with Meryl and Milly being male while Vash and Wolfwood were female; they did NOT change the costumes for any of the characters).

Liu handed out prizes to a few of them (they didn't have nearly enough prizes for all of them), and then they had all the cosplayers bunch up and face the stage and the guests turn around and took a picture of everyone. (If anyone has a link to the picture anywhere, let me know and I'll add it here. No, you can't see me in it; I'm much too far over to the side.)

Guests' Closing Thoughts

They were actually running early on the panel, so Liu opened it up to any additional comments either of the guests would like to make.

Takei still seemed overwhelmed by all the cosplayers (like I said, he spent the whole panel grinning from ear to ear at the audience), and he noted he had been worried about the Stampede characters being accepted by the fans. This was his first time seeing all the cosplayers, and he said that made him "feel safe."

Watanabe said he loved looking at the "multiverse" of Trigun. It had these previous iterations, and now it has Stampede, and the fans have both adopted it and adapted it, blending the different versions together and even adding their own things, and he really appreciates that. Takei added that while they created Trigun Stampede, if in 50 or 100 years, a new Trigun series is made, that would be great.

The animation for Stargaze is in process. Watanabe said he just recently saw some of it (a clip of only a few seconds that he, of course, couldn't show us) and it blew him away.

Both Watanabe and Takei are fans of the manga and the original series, and Takei said he's really wanted this series to happen, so he hopes we all look forward to it, too.

#orange does have one more panel on saturday but it probably won't be very trigun related #i'm gonna sleep nao #yoshihiro watanabe #katsuhiro takei #trigun #trigun stampede #studio orange #toho studios #crunchyroll #vash the stampede #nicholas d. wolfwood #meryl stryfe #millions knives #anime expo #ax 2024 #anime expo 2024 #trigun stargaze

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bucksboobs · 4 months ago

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i was told to come ask you, and i will repeat this part, please treat this ask with kindness because i feel so dumb, i don't really understand why people are saying not liking tommy is homophobic. i'm only on tumblr, and i follow a very select few ppl, but every criticism i've seen of tommy has been bc of his past actions (which does feel like a major overreaction bc clearly the characters moved past it) the writing and acting choices, or a combo based fully on the fact that he's not who they wanted to be with buck. i just haven't seen anything that says they are hating him specifically for being a gay man, and i was wondering if i was missing something. sorry if this wasn't a good place to ask this!

So it’s never as blatant as “we hate him for being a gay man” it’s the language used. Calling him creepy, or gross, or a predator, or a groomer, or poisonous, or insisting that he’s sexually harassing Buck when he’s literally just flirting. The way they misinterpret every scene to say that Tommy doesn’t ACTUALLY have feelings for Buck and that he’s just a pervert in it for the sex. The way they gleefully imagine killing him in the most violent ways possible for the sole reason that he is dating Buck. Saying any gay man that is like Tommy sucks. It all adds up to this overwhelming feeling for myself and other gay men that we are not welcome in this space.

And the idea that we as mlm aren’t welcome is bad, but what hurts the most? The fact that we are so quickly swept aside by the people doing it as irrelevant to the conversation. “It’s just a joke, lighten up!” “It’s no different than what Taylor Kelly went through but suddenly you care because he’s a man?” There was a person in my notes just the other day telling me fandom “isn’t primarily about men” so my experiences don’t matter.

What hurts even more is the passivity that many people in the fandom seem to have towards the rising tide of ridiculous nonsense leveled at Tommy as just “fandom shipping tradition” people I used to follow and admire as Buddie shippers turned out to not fucking care about how they and their friends were harming the gay men in their fandom, when it’s based on a m/m ship. I’ve said this many different ways but the fact that gay men are only relevant when we’re fictional (and only if the fictional ones behave correctly and do nothing remotely problematic) feels a lot like fetishization… but you can’t say that because these people take that as an attack on fandom as a whole and they close ranks and accuse you of being a spoilsport.

So the homophobia is in the reckless use of language that evokes homophobic tropes, yes, but it’s also in the way its allow to fester and it’s more unacceptable to many people to call it out than it is to do it in the first place. And THAT creates a hostile environment for gay men, which is homophobia.

#fandom homophobia #911 on abc #disk horse

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hanasnx · 10 months ago

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that girl

PART ONE ✩ PART TWO WORD COUNT: 0.9k WARNINGS: f!reader | suggestive | fake relationship | love triangle

Ever since you'd first started hanging around JJ MAYBANK the other Kooks of Figure Eight have voiced their concern. Every word and every insult has been thrown around to describe him so as to convince you not to "waste your time with him." The mouth of RAFE CAMERON is especially foul. "I'm jus' looking out for you, that's all." he'd insist, and he's shown his concern by towing you along with a harsh grip on your upper arm.

It's no secret that Rafe's interest in you is selfish. He's told you in many ways that you belong with someone from your side of the island, not a delinquent who'll end up just like his slum father. Of course, he hasn't explicitly specified who exactly you should have you eyes on in Figure Eight.

There's something about the way Ward pushes you together, as if you're good for Rafe. Not just Ward, but Sarah and Wheezie love you. They cling onto your arms and tell you about how they wish you were part of the family already, grossly misinterpreting your relationship with their brother. Sarah rolls her eyes at how Rafe talks when he's around you, how he's on edge and slightly more neurotic because he "likes you so much it's embarrassing." Playful and innocent, yet they put you at unease, teaching you to suspect Rafe's oncoming confession.

It's gotten to the point where you're afraid to be alone with him. That he'll confess his feelings for you, or respond poorly when you reject him. Actively avoiding him whenever you're in the same vicinity because the pressure is just too much. However, he's determined, and when he corners you inside at the Midsummer's, you run through a list of excuses at a record pace.

"... and I just think it's time we go out—"

You interrupt him with possibly the worst option on the wheel your brain had spun. "Rafe, I have a boyfriend." Blurting it out in a flinch, readying for his inevitable meltdown. He's not known for being stable. An indignant, knowing glint flashes in his eyes as he refocuses on you, taken aback at the prospect of you belonging to someone else.

"Well, who?"

You're reminded of the back of JJ's head when you'd spotted him sneaking in earlier. "C'mon, you should know already." In an attempt to be lighthearted, you push at his arm but he's immovable and unresponsive, glancing at your contact as if it's unwanted. Embarrassed, you drop your arm, and give him a shrug, "It's JJ." you say in a forced laugh. The silence is killing you as he processes your words, lips pressed into a thin line. Tentatively, you crawl across the wall, inching out of the space he caged you in. "I should... get back to him. Excuse me." your tone feathers out, and you escape, power-walking back to the outside where people are. You leave him staring at the wall with his knuckle to his mouth in thought.

You crane your neck, searching bobbing heads for the one of familiar blonde hair. Miraculously, you spot him on the dancefloor, rounding Sarah. Hiking up your dress, you hurry to his location, and usher him aside. "Sorry, Sarah, be right back." you assure her.

"Hey, easy, you'll get it crinkled." JJ scolds you, straightening out his waiter get-up indignantly. Without thinking, you hand claps over his mouth and he furrows his brows at you, scanning your figure.

"I don't have time to explain, but I need you to be my fake boyfriend—"

The crease in his brows deepen at the notion, minutely shaking his head under the pressure of your palm. "Uh-uh!"

"Please, JJ, I need your help—"

He smacks your hand off, "Are you kidding me?" he questions, too loud for comfort, and to evade making a scene you drag him further away while shushing him.

"You don't understand, just for a little bit!" you beg, clutching onto his clothes as he continuously pushes you off, intent to back up and away. You chase him.

"No, no way, princess. You know what the white knights of Figure Eight'll do to me if they find out a dick from the Cut is your sweetheart? I've got enough heat on me as is." If it were under different circumstances, maybe, but his friends have assured him the less attention on him the better. Not while they're in the middle of a treasure hunt, and less eyes means less competition. Certainly not something he can disclose with you, and you hound after him as he furthers from the centroid of the party. A door opens, and Rafe comes into your view. You jump into overdrive, diving onto JJ to pull him out of Rafe's peripheral. "The hell—?"

"That's Rafe, that's Rafe. God, please, JJ. If you just pretend you're my boyfriend in front of Rafe maybe he'll leave me alone?" You upturn your brows, begging him while his back is to the wall. Bewildered, he stares at you a second before looking around the corner. He licks his lips. The chance to get back at Rafe psychologically sounds pretty good right now, and the way you throw yourself at him ain't bad either. He locks eyes with you again, giving you a once-over in your pretty Midsummer dress. "Please?" you sigh. "JJ. Please?"

His nostrils flare when he sucks in a breath, pursing his lips. "Damnit. Damnit, alright. Enough with those eyes, are you kidding me? I'll do it."

You expel a breath in relief, tossing yourself at him to wind your arms around his neck. "Thank you! Thank you, thank you,"

"Alright, alright." He peels you off of him. "Don't get all happy with me, you've gotta remember I make the rules here."

You shouldn't have agreed to his rules so readily. Like an idiot, you had told him you're down for whatever it takes and he took that seriously. Now you're subjected to his every whim. A small part of you deems it's worth it, especially seeing Rafe's face after JJ made out with you and grabbed your ass for the first time in front of him.

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bethecliche · 7 months ago

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my love mine all mine l vincent renzi x f!original character

summary: after seeing her for the first time, he just fell (deeply) in love word count: 3.7k content: female reader (no description of genitalia), mention of sex, mention of stretch marks, description of hair and eye color (but not texture or skin color), french laws and locations being misinterpreted, use of tv shows and books I didn't watch or read, non canon note: english is not my first langague! I wrote this in portuguese and then translated to english myself, there's a chance you'll find an error or something. I'm sorry sorry! I highly recommend you to listen to the song while reading.

you can check the aesthetic references for this oneshot here but take note that none of the people actual faces on this reflects on the character identity that I wrote, so don't base all of the details on the references for the characters in story.

The first time he noticed her, she was sitting on one of the wooden benches outside the courtrooms. She seemed nervous, shaking her legs and glancing restlessly between the watch on her wrist and the clock on the hallway wall, as if it made much difference. Regardless of her worried expression and furrowed brow, Vincent felt that he had never seen such an attractive woman in his life. From her brown hair to her brown boots, looked like she stepped out of one of those '70s fashion advertisements he'd seen in vintage magazines as a kid. He didn't had time to notice much more than that, as he crossed the hallway and headed to his session. At the end of the day, of course, she was no longer there.

What seemed to have been one of those street crushes that you see when crossing an avenue and never think about again, stayed in Vincent's head for a few days. Every time he passed by the corridor, he waited to see if the brunette would be there. He tried to guess what she was doing there that day and whether there was a possibility of bumping into her again, a question to which the universe answered “yes”.

Two weeks later, this time leaving work, he looked down buttoning his blue coat, distracted in his thoughts when he noticed the same brown boots a few steps in front of him. The stranger held a cigarette between her fingers and had her arms pressed against her body. Although it was snowing lightly, it was extremely cold for an autumn day. Her look was different, probably due to the weather, with a coat with a puffed collar and puffed sleeves, once again looking like she belonged to a previous decade. The wind ruffled her hair a little and the moonlight illuminated her posture, a scene Vincent believed could have come from a movie.

All his past relationships were comfortable. Someone he knew in high school, someone he knew in college, someone who was introduced by friends or someone his friends encouraged him to talk during an outing. He didn't consider himself an introvert, but he never needed to pursue someone who was interested. Things just happened for him. It wasn't his comfort zone just to approach a stranger like that, much less at the door of his work, but something that day said it was the right thing to do.

He took a cigarette out of his pocket and approached the girl asking to borrow a lighter. His sudden plan only went so far.

As soon as she turned to face him, she gave a friendly and inviting smile, taking the object out of her pocket and activating the flame in front of his face. Vincent stood still, staring into her eyes throughout the action, mesmerized by her and her sparkling brown eyes.

“Will I ever meet a lawyer who doesn’t smoke?” She asked as she extinguished the flame, placing the lighter and her free hand back in her pocket. Too cold to let it out.

His response took a few agonizing seconds, as his mind was far away and still lost in her gaze. He composed himself, running a hand through his hair and looking away.

“The day this happens, let me know. I want to be there.” Vincent laughed awkwardly, causing the girl to laugh as well. At that moment, he felt that he wanted to provoke more of this reaction, he wanted to see more of her smile and so the conversation flowed.

His first question was how she guessed he was a lawyer and not a passerby to which she replied, "You stand like a lawyer." He shared how being a lawyer was boring and tedious, but it did have its dramatic moments in court when she asked if the career was challenging like its portrait on TV. He also discovered that she was there to pay a car ticket caused by her younger brother, hence the great nervousness when he first saw her a few weeks ago.

“When my parents told me that my 20th birthday present was a baby brother, I already felt within myself that I would be the best sister in the world. That I would try to make his life as easy as possible. 18 years later, he asks to borrow my car to visit his girlfriend - which I don't hesitate to do, after all I support young love. And the little shit-head makes sure on parking in front of a fire hydrant.” The girl blew smoke to her right side, not taking her eyes off him. “Would you be my lawyer if I try to choke him?”

Vincent could only laugh at her spontaneity, easy way of talking about life and easy way of making conversation.

“Just threaten him, it will be an easier case for me to win.”

They talked about Metz and how her family decided to move to Paris when she was a teenager because they knew the city needed more beautiful people, a fact Vincent agreed with. In order not to dismiss him, in a very charming way, she praised his Parisian accent and said that such a comment did not apply to him and only God knows how Vincent felt inside after that.

The two shared their tastes, such as reading romances and watching Dix pour cent every night before bed. It was as if they knew each other much more than the 1 hour they spent together under the snow. They shared maybe two more cigarettes before realizing it was getting a little too late to chat like that on the street.

He doesn't even know how he got out of that situation alive and managed to get home with her number.

Their first date was at a local cinema on a Friday night for a re-showing of Buffet Froid, a film Anne had never seen.

He didn't remember the last time he felt butterflies in his stomach, although it was guaranteed that nothing could compare to this time. As he got ready and tried to match his best t-shirts with his beige pants (which he eventually changed out of, finding them too tacky), Vincent remained nervous thinking that she might not show up or that this would be the first and last time they would meet in this circumstance.

In the end, all the “first time” flutter went out the window when he saw her smiling and waving on the other side of the street, already with the tickets in her hand. “I'm glad you came.” She said, holding his arm as they walked through the door of the establishment.

“I wouldn't miss it.” he replied.

The two took watching films very seriously, so it was only during the ending credits, after a lot of laughter, small comments and bumping hands on the popcorn bucket, that the two kissed.

He felt the softness of her skin on his hand and her sweet scent of perfume, in addition, of course, to the hot and saccharine kiss. It was slow, serene, just as they both wanted, being able to feel each other in that moment. It was also Anne's desire to slowly run her fingers through his hair and she didn't hesitate to take advantage of the opportunity.

After throwing their trash away, the two walked out of the cinema, now closer to each other, hand in hand. The weather wasn't as cold as when they first met and they were free to enjoy the warmth of their bodies without so many layers covering them.

“For a great 70's mind, you never having watched Buffet Froid is an insult.” He pointed at her with his free hand, wanting to tease her.

Anne rolled her eyes. Even though she liked the film, she didn't want to give a taste. “Obviously you would like action movies like that. It suits you.”

“I’ll make you like it too.” He stated, trying to imply that he wanted them to meet again, to which she responded by kissing his cheek and saying, “Next time, let's watch a romcom.”

Once, twice, three, four and a few more times, all being unusual dates. Sometimes she would call during his workday and say she would pick him up for an adventure. She drove aimlessly, just the two of them talking about their days and observing the city lights. These were Vincent's favorite “dates”, as they all ended with the two of them making out like two teenagers parked in the driveway of his apartment.

The more he got to know about her, the more he wanted to constantly be a part of her life. Anne owned a clothing store downtown, something he never tired of saying was the “most suitable job her”. On the last date they had, she took him to the closed store and put on a fashion montage for him, with improvised note cards on paper left on the counter and all. But she knew that the judge had been bought when he only gave her 10s. She also took the opportunity to get Vincent to do the same, putting him once again out of his comfort zone to find out that bell bottom jeans don't really suit him.

They even got to watch a car race - something that not even Anne had done, she had just decided that it was an experience they needed to have. They both entended up hating it, but the important thing was that the company was great.

That was one of the nights Anne slept at his house.

They ate some junk food from the fridge and watched a silly but captivating show on TV while they chatted more. When she realized she could sleep at any moment, Anne got up to brush her teeth and change her clothes, putting on her uniform for whenever she was there: a Vincent t-shirt.

Vincent found it charming how she captivated his gaze regardless of what she was doing. He loved her unique and sophisticated style, but he also loved seeing her like this, casually wearing his clothes, in his home, as if she were his. And lastly, he loved seeing her with nothing on.

Every detail of her body, her birthmarks on her shoulder and that one next to her beautiful eyes or her stretch marks on her back, everything about her seemed to have been chosen down to the millimeter. When they made love, his hands went everywhere, trying to reach as much of her as he could, to feel the warmth she exuded.

And the best way to love her was by looking into her eyes, admiring her beauty, running his lips up and down her body, being grateful for the privileged position it was to be able to love her.

Mornings were like nights, with him waking up earlier and being able, once again, to admire the woman beside her.

“You are even more beautiful in the morning.”

The two walked through the streets of Paris, both tipsy, looking for an available taxi in the dead of night. With their relationship now more established and their schedules aligned, they made it a challenge to come up with these unusual date only once a month so it wouldn't lose its fun. Today had been the day to go to the opera and due to their lack of sobriety, they didn't seem to have left anywhere other than the shabbiest bar on the corner.

The event was boring as fuck and they left halfway through to drink somewhere more enjoyable. They found an open bar showing a PSG versus Marseille match. Neither of them supported the teams or understood about football rules, but this seemed like a new opportunity for them to have another different experience that day.

One laughter after another, some passionate kisses between drinks and the two were celebrating PSG's victory at the bar with some strangers whom they befriended.

“My mother wants to meet you. My brother too. I said I might have a lawyer for the next time he's up to no good. Do you think it’s too early?”

When drunk, Anne tended to speak fast and slurred, but Vincent understood perfectly. He smiled, wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing the tip of her nose. “I will love meeting your family.”

They never actually asked each other to go steady, but it was clear that they already belonged to each other at that point.

Vincent was on his cell phone writing a text to his mother about the shopping list for Christmas dinner and their desire to participate in decorating the tree (Anne's request to spend more time with her mother-in-law) while his girlfriend was lying on his lap reading his copy of Around the World in 80 Days (and she was loving it, for sure).

It was a lazy day for both of them at Vincent's place. A year into their relationship, the two of them loved sharing these moments together doing different activities.

“She said she misses you a lot and looks forward to seeing you on Christmas, but that you're banned from being near the kitchen when it is time to prepare desserts. Everything you touch that’s sweet ends up burning for some reason.”

Her smile, excited by her mother-in-law's affection, turned into a face indignant at the rule she imposed. "What?" She looked up from the book and pulled Vincent's hand to check if the message was real and it was. “This is so unfair!”

“Sorry, Anne, you’re just really bad at this.”

She lightly pushed his arm and pretended to be uncomfortable, although she knew it was true and wasn't really upset. Before she could return to her book, Vincent placed his cell phone on the table and began talking.

“One more thing, huh,” he cleared his throat, “I made one more space on the rack for you. I don't want certain clothes to get wrinkled in the drawer. I’ll make room in one more drawer too.”

Anne put the book aside and knelt on the sofa, facing her boyfriend. “Won’t it bother you? I already have space in my bedroom drawer, bathroom… In fact, there are a lot of my things scattered around the house. I don’t want to impose my space here.”

This was a subject that she had also been waiting to comment on for some time. By working her own hours at the store and having an employee to take her place wherever needed, Anne had a more flexible schedule than Vincent and it was easier to stay at his house, helping to keep everything on track and cooking for both of them. He would arrive just before dinner time and they could enjoy together without rushing to do the chores.

Because of this, the few clothes she wore just to sleep there became a drawer full, her makeup in the bathroom sink and her shoes near the door.

The gray-haired man hugged her around the waist, kissing her forehead and assuring her of his action. “You are not imposing anything, mon chéri. I want you to use this space. I want to have more and more of you here.”

For him, having her scent permeate the rooms was a gift wrapped in the best bow. Knowing that every day he would come home to see her welcoming smile and welcome kiss was the biggest work incentive.

“It feels like my home.” She whined.

“It’s your home. Our home.” He insisted.

In his favorite action, he cupped her face and looked warmly into her eyes, admiring her features trying to associate with what he was trying to say. They both smiled at each other realizing where the topic was going.

“Are you…”

“I want you to move in with me.”

The beautiful smile that filled his heart appeared on her face and Vincent, who was sure of her choice, but a little afraid of her accepting it, smiled too at her positive reaction.

In conclusion, he ended up needing to make more closet space for her countless boots, but he was happy that she could call the space her own (and she looks great in those boots, he would never complain about making room for them).

The snack table was almost empty and that made Anne happy. She might not be good at desserts, but her food was always praised and she almost never had leftovers when she cooked for her friends.

“This sandwich is delicious, aunt Anne!” Daniel stated, taking another one from the table and sitting on the sofa next to her. “Can I take some home?”

“Of course you can! There’s more stored in the kitchen, I’ll put it on the side for you to take.” She continued, now coming closer to whisper. “You can give Snoop a bite, I won’t tell your mom.”

“Hey, I’m watching you two!” Sandra said towards the back of the sofa, pointing at the two jokingly. She was talking to Vincent leaning against the wall in the hallway, looking anxious.

There was approximately 10 people spread throughout the room at this gathering. The couple chose to host a celebration for the launch of Sandra's new book, a dear friend of both, and tried to make room for everyone present. She was very delighted with the honor, although unaccustomed to the positive attention she was receiving.

Even though they weren't glued to each other at the party, Anne and Vincent always stopped for a moment to exchange a kiss and ask if everything was okay. He, even more so, couldn't stop admiring his girlfriend from afar. Parties like this always made him happy to be able to share the love he had for her and also show others that this was his girl.

It was around 6pm that they said their goodbyes and thanked their friends for being there. After closing the door, Anne took a deep breath and leaned against it with Vincent kissing her neck and hugging her waist.

“Had fun today?” He asked against her neck, kissing slowly until he reached her face. Hugging him back, she just nodded yes, pulling him into a longing and passionate kiss.

Vincent pressed his body against hers and tightened his grip, placing his free hand against the wall for support. Everything was going well, until Vincent suddenly stopped, as if he couldn't give in to temptation yet.

He also took a deep breath, with a shy smile as he looked at her.

“Is something wrong?” She asked, still leaning against the door and resting her hands on his shoulder.

"What?" He retorted.

“During the party, you kept looking at me like that, with those heart-eyes, that fool in love face of yours. And now you're doing it again. It seems... different.”

Vincent laughed awkwardly, as if he was unprepared to respond that quickly. “In my defense, I always look like a fool in love when I’m with you.”

Before anything else, Vincent took a red velvet box out of his pocket and opened it, showing a silver ring made especially for her. With the hand that was on her waist, he slipped into her hand and intertwined their fingers.

“Kneeling isn’t your style, nor are long speeches in front of our friends, but I can’t just leave the ring in your hand without saying anything. The day I saw you for the first time, I was intrigued. The second time, that feeling I had of needing to talk to you urgently, of not letting the opportunity pass, I think, somehow, I knew we were going to get to this moment right now. By the third time - I was already in love. Head over heels, worshiping the ground you pass, heart-eyes, whatever you want to call it. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't feel those butterflies in my stomach before seeing you, that I don't feel the eager to be by your side. If you do me the honor of marrying me, I can promise that you will have a man who wakes up in love with you every day. Forever.”

Anne's eyes were already full of tears as soon as she saw the box and she couldn't help but shed them when she heard the proposal.

The last 4 years of their lives were instinctive, passionate, in a way she never thought she would experience. All her last lovers didn't last long, they couldn't handle her personality or couldn't love her right, so she was left with no hope that it would change. But Vincent's speech was something that she not only believed, she felt. Every day, she felt his love, his affection and his care. Wave of action speaks louder than words and she trusted her man.

There was no other answer than yes.

The same word was repeated by the two of them at the registry office a few months later. The idea was never a big party, it didn't suit either of their personalities, but Anne always wanted a dress and a veil, so they were both there, in their wedding clothes just before lunch time in the registry office next to Vincent's work place.

“I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride!”

With that sentence, the two shared a classic wedding kiss, with Vincent holding her around the waist and Anne throwing her leg up. They could live that moment over and over again, but they needed to go out for a little celebration party with their friends before they left for their honeymoon (and Anne was more than eager to have her friends around so she could toss the bouquet).

Outside, in another snowy day, Anne reached through the car window and took a black bag from the glove compartment, handing it to her now husband.

“What is it?” He held on, swinging by the loop to feel the weight so he could find out what it could be.

“It's your wedding gift.” She cheerfully replied.

He stole one more kiss from his wife before opening the bag, already imagining what could be inside.

“It has our initials and today’s date on it,” she pointed to the bottom where the details were, “so no other girl coming out of court will need to offer you the lighter.”

Vincent took a cigarette out of his jacket pocket and lit it with his newest gift, but without inhaling, just lighting it for the sake of it.

“No one will have my love. Only you, mon chéri."

#vincent renzi #swann arlaud #anatomy of a fall #fluff #i scrobbled this song 102 times to write this #my love mine all mine #vincent renzi fanfiction #vincent renzi x original character

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rey-jake-therapist · 18 days ago

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I was sent an ask related to the armor that Sauron *apparently* gifted Galadriel with, in Numenor. Apparently, some people believe that this gift was Sauron love bombing Galadriel. We all have our analyses, I just think this one's wrong.

Proof 1 : we didn't see Sauron give her the armor. We don't even know if it's him who gave her that. I don't know why it suddenly became "canon" that he did. Because Charlie nodded after a producer said the armor was a gift ? That's not how it works, sorry. I like to believe that the armor was a gift from Saurbrand, but what's show!canon is what we see in the show. Nothing more, nothing less.

So why is it a proof ? Because the writers would have wanted us to see him gift her with the armor, and see it as manipulation after the Sauron's reveal. Heck, maybe that's why this scene didn't made the final cut at the end, because they knew that this would be misinterpreted ?

And seriously, I can't see Sauron believe that Galadriel would become codependant of him because he forged her an armor lol This is giving Haladriel a dynamics it doesn't have.

Proof 2: I know what love bombing is, for I had my share of it and the odious behavior that inevitably follows love bombing. Sauron never love bombed Galadriel. He never flattered her, never gave her gifts (except, perhaps, this armor), never promised her anything, never had any "we will do this or that, you'll see it will be fantastic" bs talk. He compared her to a HORSE for god's sake. Galadriel of the Noldor, a horse ! lmao We as the audience saw he couldn't keep his eyes off her, but he never told her she was beautiful (except when he proposes to her, indirectly, when he told her she was "fair as the sea and the sun"). if he ever did love bomb her, it was during his proposal. Before that ? Never.

It's an entire different tactic that Saurbrand uses with Galadriel: "chase me and I flee". From the beginning he shows her he doesn't give a shit about what she wants ("I have other plans, Elf"), and keeps asking her to leave him alone, not very nicely. He also gently lectures her about how she should behave in public ("kneel", "try not to make new enemies"), criticizes her methods and gives her advice... Something that constantly unsettles her because she's not used to that. She's a Elf princess, a commander ! And here goes this little man, this mortal ! who forces her to calm down and listen to something else than her own voice, for once.

THIS is not love bombing by any means. I can tell you who he loved bombed though : Celebrimbor. This relationship was abuse 101 : love bombing, isolating the person from their friends, antagonizing him then saying "I'm sorrryyyyy", another love bombing, gaslighting, emotional violence followed in the end with physical violence... Except for the violence part that I have never been subjected to, I recognized all the patterns. It was quite unsettling, let me tell you, to witness this abuse unfold and think each time, "wow, I've been through that too, but I didn't realize until I got out of it".

Personally, I feel like he made that armor out of a possessive desire to see her wearing something that HE made, so that he can feel validated, but as a manipulation tactic to guilt her into staying by his side? Idk...

I don't think that as arrogant as he is, Sauron believed he could make Galadriel dependant of him just because he offered her an armor 😂 If he did forge this armor, I think he made it as a reconciliation gift of sort. The last scene they shared on screen before the departure to Numenor, they didn't leave on good terms... This gift could be his way to tell her, "Okay, let's do it, let's lead this army together". Of course it wasn't a wedding dress... Strange idea, people think that ?

She obviously lied to Adar about what Sauron promised her. The only thing that Sauron promised Galadriel was to make her a QUEEN, which involves much more than an army. Of course she wouldn't say that to Adar, while she didn't even tell Elrond, her best friend... She is the one who promised Sauron an army, and she indeed, gave him one. I mean at some point people can twist the narrative as much as they want to make it look like she was entirely manipulated by Sauron into giving him an army, it will still be wrong lol Not to mention that it takes away Galadriel's agency.

Did he provoke her, by reminding her constantly that she was "short of an army"? Yep. Did he learn her a few tricks for her to use against Miriel, knowing he would profit from it eventually ? That too. Is he the one who convinced her to recruit an army so they could fight their mutual enemy together? NOPE. She did that on her own.

And the funniest, it's that Galadriel convinced herself that Halbrand was the one who convinced Miriel to send an army in the Southlands. No wonder why she's in such denial in season 2. She's not much different from Sauron in that they both refuse any responsability in their wrongdoing: "He deceived me !" "You chose it, not I !" "I was played like a harp !".

I don't think I ever saw this parallel pointed out...

Source

See these two liars being called out by the people who know better...

It's about time we stop treating Galadriel as an innocent victim who was targeted by the evil villain who played 4D chess with her. She's just not that. Celebrimbor was Sauron's victim, because he had little to no control over what was happening. Sauron did everything to blindsight him, and used all the tactics of the abuser book to get what he wanted from him. And when Celebrimbor resisted, he threatened him, tortured him and murdered him.

He didn't do any of that with Galadriel, who wanted an army to hunt Sauron wayyyyyy before she found him on the raft, or do we forget that too ?

#haladriel #saurondriel #galadriel #sauron #ask answered #annatar #celebrimbor #galadriel x halbrand #sauron x galadriel #the rings of power #trop meta #tw abuse

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dustyrkives · 10 months ago

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Satisfied with your care // A. Wong.

I know I might misinterpret things because I'm new to the fandom, but please, hear me out on this one🫣

Notes: Physician reader, hierarchy of doctors, !njuries, age-gap between the reader and Ada (7 years), female reader, Ada finding you amusing and interesting, size difference (my jaw dropped when I found out she's 5'7), Ada might develop an obsession for you and your notes but I think it's cute - *train passes by*. That's pretty much it, I think.

Not proofread, sorry :D

And feedback is appreciated <3

Thinking about Ada visiting the organization's medcenter to tend to her serious injuries before she either takes her leave or prepares for another mission.

That's when she set her eyes on you, the young mentee of her organization's physician.

At first, she finds you insignificant, always by your mentor's beck and call, standing behind the scenes while the doctor tends to her wounds before dismissing her with painkillers and reminders for her to change her bandages to avoid irritation and infection until several months later after returning from another mission, and it just so happens that the attending physician is busy with the other injured agents - which leaves her with you: a Fellow.

Ada kept a sharp eye on you while you tend to her injuries. Nothing serious - just a few cuts, bruises and some broken bones, ribs and fractures. But Ada's too tired to tend them herself so she leaves that job to you. You examine her injuries, surprised that she doesn't show any signs of pain in her cold, sharp countenance - countless missions must've hardened her edges, you thought.

"Are you just going to stare at me all day?" Her cutting tone snaps you out of your train of thought.

Embarrassed, a practiced smile plays on your lips, "My apologies," and began tending to her wounds.

The first thing Ada notices is the way you touched her: soft, gentle. Then again, so is any other physician while they treat their patients. But what makes yours...different?

Perhaps she was touch-starved.

You graciously ignored Ada's gaze as you tend to her injuries, something she finds interesting considering her gaze was enough to make some...targets fumble, but not you. But oh, she thought wrong. Ada saw the way your well-manicured hands twitch at her proximity - you were tending to the gash on the side of her waist. You were close enough to smell her scent: woody, warm spicy, vanilla...cherries.

The older woman's lips curl to a ghost of a smirk as she witnessed how you momentarily froze before tending to her wound before calmly leaning away from her and smiling rather nervously at the Asian woman before giving Ada her doctor's note and sending her off. Ada just stood there, outside the door as she looks at your note. Nothing significant, just some painkillers, antibiotics, reminders to change her bandages and, oh? A medical certificate for her injuries and a note acknowledging the state of her injuries. Contrary to your mentor, he would just tend to her wounds and give her some aspirin and send her off. Her lips curl upward. Interesting, Ada would thought before keeping your note.

Ada then discovers that she finds you amusing. Which also leads her to another discovery about herself: that she's a creature of habit, and that visiting the medcenter will be the first thing she does after returning from her missions. And so she did, every after her missions, you'd notice that she would prefer you over the attending physician. You find it flattering because it means one thing: she trusts you with her wounds. The Asian woman would always come back with her wounds slightly detrimental than the last - but no worries, you're capable of treating them. While you find it concerning, Ada sees it as a valid reason to feel the pads of your fingers against her skin.

And she loves it.

She loves the way you'd wipe the blood on her face and body away like a demented blush, or the way your fingers would delicately examine her bruises to the point that she finds herself fantasizing how your lips would feel all over her scars and bruises instead of your fingers. Every touch from you would figuratively bring the older woman to her knees; Ada has to admit, you have that kind of power over her.

You on the other hand, well, developed a certain liking for the older woman. Calm, verbally well-articulated and devastatingly gorgeous - you have no doubt that anyone who comes across her would be intrigued. But as a professional and an aspiring attendee, you had to bury that attraction, and you thought it was simple.

You were wrong, utterly wrong.

With every visit from Ada, there would be hushed greetings, piercing stares, low praises from her - it makes your spine tingle with glee and bliss.

"You'd get wrinkles if you do that." The older woman mused as she sits on the edge of the examining table. You shoot her a pointed look - you were comfortable to show your displeasure when it comes to her serious injuries. "How could I not when you look like 'that'?" You counter as you gesture at her state. The latter raises a brow as she looks down at herself. Her shirt is soaked with blood, she swore she had just changed before coming to see you but the blood from her poorly bandaged shoulder wound seeped into the fabric of the material, not to mention her small cuts and bruises. She quirked a brow, "You do realize that you treated far more serious injuries from me?"

"Yes, but-" You stop yourself before inhaling slowly to better articulate your words. "It's concerning-"

"Are you worried?"

A pause, "Of course," You sigh quietly before approaching her. "Are you able to remove your shirt?"

The latter raise a brow and you flushed. "I need to examine the wound-"

"Easy, pretty girl," She grins and the red on your cheeks darkened. "And I can't," She palms the bloody bandage. "I think I need new bandages and maybe some muscle tape."

You can't help but return her grin, "Stitches, probably."

The latter nods as you prepare the surgical scissors and begin cutting through her shirt. While doing so, Ada watches you intently as the cloth loosens, and cuts in half, revealing her scarred, lithe torso. You inhale slowly before gently removing the soaked cloth and tending to her injury.

"At this point, I think you allow yourself to get hurt." You stammered as you patched her up in a quick yet efficient fashion, "Well, I mean - I'm not saying it to undermine your capabilities as an asset or anything - what I'm saying is-" Ada merely chuckles when you're done. "I mean," The former slowly stands up. "Ada," You warned, "You shouldn't-" But the Asian doesn't listen as she gracefully steps toward you, you did the opposite.

"You really shouldn't," Your words die in your throat as her figure towers over you. Damn, was Ada this tall before? How come you didn't notice?

Reality sets in when your back presses against the counter. "Ada, your injuries-" Your pleas fall on deaf ears as the older woman traps you against the counter - she didn't even cage you in yet before she takes another step closer to you - uncomfortably close that she can take your fleeting scent: comforting, with the right amount of sweet, and mingling notes of Jasmine.

Ada's eyes dilated.

"For the last time, Ada," The former was brought back to her senses when your hand pressed against the base of her neck, your fingers are pressed against the muscle between her neck, and right collarbone. "Sit down, please - do you feel anything at all?"

The older woman slowly blinks before finally, trapping you with her arms blocking your sides as she looks down at you through her lashes.

You feel her pulse quicken beneath her cool, pale skin.

"I do now," Ada whispers.

#ada wong x reader #resident evil x reader #ada wong #rambling because my brain is full of Ada #This one's kind of messy but bear with me pls #resident evil #re4 remake #re4 ada

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clarisse0o · 2 months ago

Text

Camp Wiegman-Part 68

Lucy Bronze x Ona Batlle

Alternative Universe : Military School

Words: 6K

Masterlist

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Sunday, March 6th; 10:30 AM - At Ona's place.

- "We have something to tell you."

That was the sentence that greeted Lucy and me after breakfast this morning. It was just the two of us, and I think my mother took advantage of the moment. Knowing the girls, they must have come home late last night. As for us, we walked through the front door at 2 AM, and from what we saw, Ingrid and Mapi's bedroom door was still open. Our evening had been magical, full of joy and emotions. I wish I could relive it over and over again. I was happy. It was a feeling I hadn't experienced in a long time. Unfortunately, I sensed it would fade given the situation we were in.

We were seated on the couch with my mother and Marcus in front of us, both looking very nervous. Joan had stayed upstairs to play. I suspect my mother sent her up there.

- "So? Are you going to tell us what's going on?" I asked after two minutes of silence.

- "First of all," my mother began, "we're very happy to welcome you into our family, Lucy. We appreciate you a lot, and it's not just because you make my daughter happy."

I glanced at my girlfriend, who smiled and nodded gratefully. I could tell she appreciated being accepted. Still, she would always respect my decisions if something were to happen, knowing that I had been estranged from them for a long time. Things were beginning to change. My mother was making efforts toward both my brother and me. She had acknowledged her mistakes. Unfortunately, it wouldn't erase all the months and years of suffering I had endured with her in the blink of an eye. We would have to work hard on our relationship, and I knew I had work to do on myself as well.

- "I hope your love lasts in happiness, just like Marcus and I are experiencing..."

I stared at her intently. I often wondered if my father had meant anything to her when I saw her with Marcus. I would say yes, but did she love him as much as this man sitting across from us? Neither of them ever spoke to me about their relationship. It was as if they tried to forget it, and in the end, I was the one who had forgotten what they were like together.

- "Is something bothering you, Ona?"

I realized I had drifted into my thoughts, staring at them as if they were a point of focus. I shook my head.

- "No, no. Sorry. I was just thinking."

Lucy placed her hand on my thigh, giving me a supportive smile. I knew she could tell I was unsettled.

- "Maybe we can talk about it?"

- "No, it's fine. I don't particularly want things to escalate."

Whenever we talked, it always ended that way. I didn't need Lucy to witness another scene like that. They were often intense, and I didn't want her to see me in a rage. It's not like she had never seen me like that before, but she didn't need to see it again.

- "Come on, we can talk about it, I'm sure."

I sighed deeply. She wouldn't let it go. She never does. I looked her straight in the eyes and stayed honest.

- "I know you're going to announce your wedding. I thought about Dad, that's all. No one has ever talked to me about your relationship, so hearing you say that makes me feel like he never existed."

I could tell my words hit home. She probably hadn't expected such a candid response.

- "I..."

She was at a loss for words. I had managed to leave her speechless. That didn't happen often.

- "Y-you're right. We were going to announce our wedding, but that doesn't mean I've forgotten your father. Don't get me wrong, Ona, I loved him deeply. We just had some differences that ended our marriage."

- "I know. I was just thinking that I barely remember you two together because no one ever talks to me about it."

My response created an awkward silence, and I realized it had been misinterpreted. They probably thought I would react badly. That was often the case when it came to my father. Lucy knew that all too well, having already been the victim of one of my anger episodes at school.

- "It's fine, really. I didn't mean anything by it. You can continue," I encouraged them with a wave of my hand.

- "No, you're right. I shouldn't announce our news without talking about your father first. We intentionally never brought up our relationship with him to avoid hurting you or making the situation worse at the time, but I see now that it's bothering you."

I wasn't expecting that response. My surprise must have shown on my face. My mouth went dry. I wasn't sure if I was ready to hear this story, but she was right. It was bothering me. I had matured, so maybe I was finally capable of hearing it. I was certain of it when Lucy squeezed my thigh. There was no better time. She would support me if I needed it, and she was already doing so with her touch.

- "Alright," my mother began with a nervous cough, "what exactly do you want to know?"

- "Everything. If we're going to talk about it, let's lay it all out now."

In reality, I wasn't sure I could handle multiple conversations about this. I had a feeling none of this would be pleasant, so I figured I might as well hear everything at once, to swallow the pill in one go instead of several. There were so many unanswered questions in my life. It was time for answers. It was what I needed to move on and mend my relationship with my mother. She shifted uneasily in her seat. She was uncomfortable. Marcus had been silent until now, but he offered support by holding my mother's hand. It was clear he knew what was going on, which drove me crazy.

- "It's a long story, but I think it's time you heard it," she began.

I agreed. My progress in self-control was evident. I just hoped I wouldn't explode in the end. My mother took a deep breath before starting.

- "We didn't agree on my career choices. I was young when I had you. You weren't planned... At least, not so soon. Back then, I had big dreams. I wanted to become one of the best surgeons."

A lump was already forming in my throat. I could feel that I wasn't going to like much of what I was about to hear.

- "And I did become one. By the time I finished my internship, people were fighting to hire me. It took a lot of time and perseverance... to the point where I neglected our family at home."

I don't remember that. I don't know how old I was, but I must have been very young, maybe even a baby.

- "I had many opportunities to leave, but I couldn't do that to your father. He supported me from the start, took care of you... And I loved him. Leaving would have been a total disaster. I couldn't do that to him. So I stayed in Portugal for our family."

I knew my mother had lived in Barcelona before meeting my father. My father used to tell me that story when I was young. They met by chance in Portugal while my mother was on vacation there. It was love at first sight. She left home at a young age to live her life with him. I had long wondered if my mother had any regrets. I knew my father didn't. He always wanted me to believe that love could happen in a single glance. For a long time, I didn't believe him. The way he described love, I had never felt it... until the person sitting next to me now. It was no coincidence that I told her last night that she was my soulmate. I didn't believe in such things before I met her.

- "But," my mother continued, "there came a time when love wasn't enough anymore. I wasn't happy, and the situation was getting worse."

The fights between my parents came flooding back to me. If there's one thing I remember about them being together, it's that. It's rather sad that their only child, the product of their love, only remembers that.

- "In the meantime, I was in frequent contact with Marcus... He was an old friend of your father's from the army. He visited often when you were younger, with Sarina. Sarina had left the army after a mission where she almost lost her life. Your father saved her. She later opened Camp Wiegman in Manchester, so she stopped visiting."

My thoughts were starting to come together. Everything was beginning to make sense. I couldn't believe what she was telling me. So, I had already met Wiegman when I was little. She had hinted at it, but I didn't believe her. Once again, I must have been young because I didn't remember her. But Marcus, I remembered clearly. I still picture him sipping coffee with my father during his visits. They were close.

- "Do you remember?" she asked, noticing that I was drifting off.

- "Vaguely," I admitted softly.

- "Maybe you remember Lotte? Sarina always came with her husband and daughter. You spent a lot of time with her when you were younger."

I widened my eyes. Lotte? Really? She quickly realized that I didn't remember. I clearly remember meeting her for the first time when I arrived. She had tried to be nice to me, and I had rudely brushed her off.

- I-I don’t remember.

- Your grandparents often looked after you together during your vacations. You were inseparable until Sarina couldn't come anymore.

I feel guilty. Poor Lotte. No wonder she feels uncomfortable around me. I’ll go talk to her when I return to clear things up and apologize.

- Anyway, she says, getting back to the main topic. Regarding your father and me, he understood that I had become close to Marcus. We were like best friends, confidants. That’s what we were, at first, of course.

It's strange how the images come back to me. The laughter between them, the conversations, and even the little gestures. They seemed so close. I find it hard to believe her words at that moment. A small rage fills me. However, I hold back, determined not to let anything show. I promised myself not to overreact.

- Nothing was happening at that time, Ona. I was always faithful to your father.

She noticed I was skeptical. Maybe it's true, but I have this relentless need to defend my father.

- Your father never blamed me for anything… except when it came to you. He resented me for not taking care of you. You were his only daughter, and he always saw you unhappy because you lacked the love of your mother.

Tears well up in my eyes. At least now I know why I feel the need to defend him. He had always done the same for me. I owe him that much now.

- He was right. I couldn't bond with you because of how little time I spent at home.

- And what did you think? That those yearly vacations would change anything? I snap despite myself.

Those are still my best memories. The only ones where I remember being with both of my parents at the same time. It’s crazy that I can’t recall anything else of the three of us. Maybe that’s why I have this need to travel…

- No... By the time I wanted to do something about it, it was too late. You already hated me. I didn’t know you. Then came the job offer in Barcelona. It wasn’t just anything. It was my city. We had just had a huge fight over you when the offer came in. Your father wanted me to take it, without following me...

The news hits me like a punch. I expected the decision to be made by both of them.

- He had kept too much inside and couldn’t take it anymore. He knew I wasn’t as happy, and it was the opportunity of a lifetime. He let me go out of love. He wanted me to become an exceptional surgeon, and that’s what this hospital in my hometown offered...

My throat tightens. My father is an honorable man. There’s nothing else to say.

- So, we decided to divorce and then figure out custody. Of course, his condition was to keep you… Unfortunately, what he didn’t foresee was that the law would refuse it because of his job, and also because mothers take precedence in these situations.

I blink several times. He had asked for my custody. I can’t believe it. I thought he knew all along that he wouldn’t be able to keep me because of the army. I didn’t know he had asked for custody during the divorce. I feel like crumbling. I could have avoided so much by staying with him, especially the deterioration of my relationship with my mother. Tears stream down my face, and I can’t stop them.

- So, I took you with me. I saw it as a new chance. I was starting the job of my dreams and bringing you along at the same time. I wanted to make up for lost time, take care of you, get to know you. Of course, you never let me, and on top of that, I had a ton of work to prove myself.

My mother also starts to cry. I’ve never seen her like this, so vulnerable. She’s opening up her heart, her true thoughts. Her voice breaks more and more as she speaks.

- All those school summons I received when you were younger… The fights and the false accusations you’ve thrown at me recently... I acted that way because I expected it to be provocation from you. I thought you were trying to defy me because you were a young teenager...

I swallow my tears. I want to yell at her. It’s torture, but I’ll stay silent until the end.

- And what about Marcus coming into our lives? That was less than a year after we moved here. And what about my studies? Why did you force me to take something I didn’t like just to please you?

It’s stronger than me. I had to know everything, and anger helped me let it all out. I did my best to hold it in.

- I had only moved here a few years before you, Marcus explains himself. I came first to support your mother. The breakup with your father affected her, and she couldn’t manage you... The time you caught us was an accident. We weren’t together, and it wasn’t supposed to happen.

- An accident? I scoff.

- Ona! my mother scolds. What Marcus says is true...

- Well, sorry, but I find it hard to believe. I may have been young, but you should have talked to me. Instead, you stayed silent all the time. I have every right to be angry at you! I thought something had been going on for a long time, that you betrayed Dad even before you left!

- That wasn’t the case. I promise, sweetheart...

- Don’t call me that! Everything between you happened way too fast! After catching you, how long? Eight months before you moved in together? Excuse me, but I had every reason to be angry. I had just left my country, left my father, and then I saw you with one of his best friends! You should have known it would affect me, that I wouldn’t accept the situation! And did you even think about Dad? What he must have felt when you told him!?

She’s devastated, really devastated by my words, but it’s only the truth. They handled everything so poorly. Communication is important. It’s not like I wouldn’t have understood at twelve years old.

- We weren’t together, insists Marcus in the face of my anger. I was only supporting your mother through this, and we eventually developed feelings for each other. Your father knew. I asked for his blessing before anything happened.

- You two are such idiots, I snap. If he gave you his blessing, it’s only because he was still crazy about Mom and wanted her to be happy!

My rage grows despite myself. I remember how betrayed I felt on my father's behalf. I can't even imagine the state he must have been in.

- You should be ashamed of what you did to him!

- He knew, my mother sighs.

- And I assure you, he accepted our relationship, Marcus continues. He wanted your mother to have someone by her side.

- Sure, I scoff. You weren’t the one seeing him so depressed when I visited. He wasn’t the same. Even though we still had good times together, I could tell he wasn’t well, and it’s all because—

- He had someone else!

My mother had to raise her voice to be heard over my outburst. Everything inside me deflates. What do you mean, he had someone else? How come I didn’t know? My father told me everything!

- He had someone else, she repeats in the face of my stunned silence. A colleague. Leila. He must have introduced her to you once, back when they were just friends. He was seeing her even before we signed the divorce papers.

Leila... I remember her. She’s right. I only saw her once when I was thirteen, yet that woman left an impression on me. She was beautiful, with almond-shaped blue eyes as lively as life itself. I can picture her perfectly with my father.

- He never had the chance to introduce her to you officially. If he was so unwell, it’s because he didn’t have you with him.

- Why didn’t he introduce her to me?

- He wanted to, but he didn’t know how you would react after how you responded to us. I told him you would react well and that it could even fix things, but he wouldn’t listen. He was afraid you wouldn’t want to see him anymore. He thought deep down, you still hoped we’d get back together...

It’s my fault. I had confided too much in him, and he got scared. I did say those things. I wanted to go back to Portugal at that time.

- Besides, their relationship wasn’t stable. They broke up often. Leila had family far away, so she visited them a lot and wasn’t around much. I think her father was very ill. If not that, she was often on missions at different times from your father. You didn’t go there much... It was hard to find the right time for you to meet her.

I hold back my words. She’s trying to soothe me, but all I can think about is how my father didn’t want me to know about his relationship... I would have accepted it... For once, my mother is right in saying it could have fixed things. I would have felt less betrayed for him. Even if I didn’t accept my mother’s relationship, it was a different story. As if she knew what I was thinking, she continues:

- He didn’t want you to resent him, like with Marcus and me. You rarely visited, so he just wanted to enjoy your company and make you understand that you were the only woman in his life.

I lower my head. Lucy's hand has been resting on my thigh since the beginning. I dare not look at her. I’m afraid I’ll disappoint her with my reaction. I feel guilty. I feel guilty for not being able to hold myself together. I feel guilty that my father might have thought I would resent him. If there’s anyone I would never resent, it’s him.

- He loved you so much, Ona. It’s clear he would always side with you and put you before anyone else. His greatest regret was letting you leave with me.

I can’t hold back my tears any longer. My greatest regret has been losing the greatest man I’ve ever known. It’s always the best ones who leave first.

- I regret it too.

- Ona... Lucy murmurs with sorrow.

I shake my head and wipe my eyes with my arm.

- I’ve lived with misunderstandings that have caused chaos throughout my life. Come on. I promised to listen to everything until the end, so why don’t you explain to me why you forced me to study what you did? To make me better, perhaps?

I’m at my limit. I can’t control myself as I’d like. In the end, learning everything at once has been harder than I thought. It’s hard to believe I was the happiest just a few minutes ago.

- I... she begins, very disturbed by my reaction.

I urge her to continue. I need to finish this. It was the last question I had to feel at peace with my mother.

- I wasn’t on good terms with your father either. Medicine helped me move forward as it required a lot of work. I thought those studies would have the same benefit for you and, on top of that, you’d have a good job... I wanted to act as a good mother, but I was wrong. You simply needed freedom, and I clearly didn’t give you enough of it.

I get up from my seat. I have all the answers I wanted. Lucy tried to pull me back into her arms, but I push her away in the heat of the moment. I don’t want her to see me like this. I leave the living room to go upstairs. On the way, I cross paths with our friends. From the looks on their faces, especially Mapi’s, I guess they must have overheard part of our conversation. It’s the least of my concerns right now. I reach my room and slam the door behind me. I’m simply a bundle of nerves about to burst. I clutch at my hair, looking around. I need to calm down; otherwise, I’m going to wreck this room.

- Ona, Lucy sighs, as she arrives.

- Leave, please. I don’t want you to see me like this.

- Don’t say that.

I clench my fists. Others in her place might have done everything to avoid me right now, but she isn’t afraid to face me. She approaches gently, giving me the chance to retract, but I don’t. I know she’s the person I need to calm me down. She wraps her arms around me delicately and then holds me tightly as I start sobbing again.

- Shh, it’ll be okay. It’s painful, I know, but you needed to know everything.

- They’ve ruined my life. They’ve... I don’t even know what I should be angry about!

I’m gasping. It’s hard to breathe against her neck, but I don’t want to pull away. She caresses my hair and kisses me tenderly.

- Don’t say that. Look how far you’ve come thanks to them... They might have made life difficult for you, but without them, you wouldn’t be as strong.

- Strong? D-do you think I’m strong right now?

- Crying isn’t a sign of weakness, baby... Everyone reacts differently. Right now, it’s a sign of accumulation.

- S-stop, please. D-don’t think I’m an idiot. And don’t defend them. I feel like I’m worthless. Like a damned kid who...

- You’re none of that, my love. Without them, you wouldn’t be the woman you are today. You’d never have learned to fend for yourself. You wouldn’t understand how essential moral values are, how to communicate, or how important family is... Just look at your sister.

I continue to cry, but I listen to her carefully. I can only find some truth in her words. My sister has always been an exception. She’s innocent. I will always put her before the rest of my family.

- You wouldn’t be as smart, as good at mediating with your loved ones...

I start to calm down, recognizing all the qualities I possess that I hadn’t realized before. It’s so much easier to see them in others.

- Without them, we’d never have met. Without them, I wouldn’t have fallen in love with such a wonderful woman... And I could go on and on about all the reasons they made their daughter so fantastic, despite their questionable choices.

I’ve stopped crying since she told me she loves me. I still have trouble breathing, but I’m starting to regain my composure and my senses.

- Without them, you wouldn’t be who you are now, darling...

- Y-you can never help yourself, can you?

She laughs softly. She knows she’s managed to calm me down. I’ll never understand how she does it. She knows me so well. I would have turned this room upside down if she hadn’t followed me. I let go as she kisses my forehead. I’m simply exhausted.

- No, she whispers. I don’t like seeing you like this, and it’s my duty to remind you how fantastic you are. You tend to forget it...

- And what about this wedding? I don’t even want to go after all this.

She sighs softly, brushing away a few hairs that had stuck to my tears on my cheeks.

- Don’t say that now. You’re speaking out of anger. Come on, lie down.

I let her guide me as she pleases. I no longer feel capable of thinking or acting. I lie down first, and she slides in behind me, wrapping me in her arms. My body relaxes completely with this contact. It’s hard to believe I pushed her away when she arrived. Now, I wouldn’t want her to leave for anything.

- I’m sorry, I murmur.

- For what reason?

I shrug as she kisses my collarbone while stroking my stomach. Her touch makes me feel safe. She makes me forget everything.

- For not being able to control myself.

She chuckles softly as she slides her hand under my shirt. It seems I’m not the only one who enjoys our skin-to-skin contact.

- No one would be able to control themselves in these circumstances. You handled it very well, my love. We don’t have to come down before we leave. You need to calm down; your heart is still racing.

As if to show me, she places her hand flat just above my chest. A shiver runs through me as this gesture lifts my shirt, but I don’t complain.

- Rest. We’ll grab something to eat on the way to the airport.

I nod and eventually turn to face her. I definitely wouldn’t be anything without her. My eyes are growing heavy. I’m not sure I’ll be able to sleep well if I try now. My mind will be too busy.

- Why do I feel like the world is against me? I murmur, idly playing with a strand of her hair. Do I never get a bit of happiness?

- Am I not your happiness?

She has a hint of amusement. She managed to make me laugh. I lift my head towards her. She smiles at me, running her fingers through my hair in return. I must look awful, but I don’t have time to think as I’m enveloped by her soft lips. She’s definitely my happiness.

- Your mother just answered all the questions you had. Don’t be angry with her again. You were starting to move forward.

- You know, sometimes I think that without me on this earth, everything could have been different between them.

- Don’t say that. I think their story would have ended the same way regardless.

- You think...?

- I do, yes. Your mom may have had you sooner than she wanted, which complicated your relationship... But her professional passion wouldn’t have changed their relationship.

- Do you understand why I don’t want to accept this offer in Portland?

- Given the environment you grew up in, yes. I’m sorry I encouraged you to go there when you didn’t want to. I’m glad you decided to prioritize our relationship, but I hope it won’t be detrimental to you.

- I don’t care, I murmur, resting my head against her chest. I’m not going to abandon the only person who loves me.

- Your parents love you too, Ona.

- Yeah, right, I scoff. Neither of them knew how to trust me.

Your mom has acknowledged her mistake, and I think even before that, she cared a lot about you.

- You’re the only one who thinks that...

- She took care of you when you came back, after Feli. I know, because we talked a bit about it yesterday, before you went downstairs... She cared a lot about you, and she thanked me for finally getting you out of there...

- She cares a lot about you, I murmured.

- And it’s only because I bring you good. She’s happy there’s finally someone who values you for who you are. She regrets never taking the time to get to know you. She’s trying to make up for it now.

- I know, I sighed. It’s hard for me to accept.

- But you want to, don’t you? I know you would have loved to have a connection with her. That’s why you care so much about her taking care of Joan. You don’t want your sister to go through the same thing you did.

- Why are you asking me? You know me better than I know myself. It’s just complicated.

- You appreciated that she took care of you, but you started hating her again when she forced you to go to school...

She understood what was wrong without me needing to say anything. She really knows me better than I know myself. It’s frustrating sometimes. She understood that it was the first time my mother really cared about me and that everything fell apart when I had to leave. I didn’t understand why she had distanced herself from me by sending me to Camp Wiegman. I thought she wanted to get rid of me like a pesky stone in her shoe. It hit me hard. I felt worthless and became resentful towards her, even though I was already very resentful towards the whole world. I even sent Mapi back to her apartment a few days before I left. I felt pushed away when I needed support the most. This decision further strained our relationship. All this was before I discovered the effects of that school.

- She cares about you, Ona. You might not have agreed with all her choices, but she’s done everything she can to make up for it by helping you these past few years. Here you are, getting back on track with a chance for the future, thanks to her.

- Do you really think she cares about me?

- Of course. The first time I saw her, she was all flustered because you were disfigured... Then she seemed happy when she figured us out... I think she was glad to finally discover something about you for herself. She must have felt like she finally knew you.

- Do you think I caused all these problems?

She sighs softly. Her fingers, which had been playing with my hair, stopped for a fraction of a second.

- No, she whispers. Don’t feel guilty, baby. There’s no blame. It’s just a series of situations that brought you to this point. It’s unfortunate, but you were certainly right when you mentioned “misunderstandings” earlier. There was no communication between you.

I prop myself up on my elbows to see her.

- Promise me that our life won’t be like this.

- It won’t be.

- You sound way too confident...

- It’s because I am. You won’t make the same mistakes. Do you think it’s trivial that I’m forcing you to talk to me? You’ve too often kept things inside. It’s time for you to learn to open up. You don’t always have to keep everything to yourself.

- You’re right... So... There will never be any secrets between us. Is that okay?

- That’s okay, she giggles.

- What? Why are you laughing?

- Nothing. There have simply never been any...

I laugh as well, lying back down on her. She’s right. It’s the first time I feel so understood, and it feels good.

- Do you think we should go to this wedding?

A small mocking breath makes her chest vibrate. I lift my head to try to see her, but it’s difficult in this position.

- It would be silly not to go, wouldn’t it...? If she wanted to talk to you, it’s because she wanted you there.

- I didn’t even give them a chance to speak...

- Don’t worry. She should understand. Rest now. We’ll have plenty of time to ask her about the details of the event.

I sigh softly and close my eyes easily. It was emotionally intense, but in a way, I now feel at peace.

#woso #lucy bronze #woso community #ona batlle #barca femeni #woso soccer #lionesses #sefutbol fem #ona batlle x lucy bronze #woso fanfics

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genericpuff · 10 months ago

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I really enjoyed seeing your last post!!! It reminded me of something else that I noticed when I was younger and not really seeing LO through the eyes I am now- even when I lived LO, I noticed that Minthe’s bust size.. Might’ve changed? (I could be remembering wrong, and I’m sorry if I am!) I didn’t think on it too much back then, but it felt a lot like the “she could never measure up to Persephone”, or the “she’s nothing to worry about when it comes to Persephone”!!

But then, when Minthe was supposed to be more of a “problem,” I noticed she’d get drawn with a larger bust- or at least larger than it had been back in the earliest episodes!

This could all make absolutely no sense, (and I apologize for just rambling in your askbox!), but I watching a character’s “worthiness” be portrayed through something as simple and neutral as their chest size stuck out to me then, and sticks out to me now!! 😓)

Oh don't apologize, you're literally pointing out exactly the things we've even talked about in the ULO community !

Literally here she is in S1:

And we even get a scene of her smooshing her boobs together in Episode 35 in an effort to make them seem bigger because she legit feels like Hades is pursuing the "new hotness" in the office based around their physical appearances:

But then she conveniently goes up like 3 cup sizes when it's time for her to be cemented as the villain and suffer her fate by getting turned into a plant?

I've literally seen fans grasp at straws to explain that maybe she got a boob job but then they don't realize that the story at this point has only been going on for like, 3-4 weeks at most. At best you shouldn't have to make those massive leaps to explain the inconsistent character body types. If Minthe really did get a boob job, don't you think that's something that should have been explained in the comic?

And let's be real, we all know what it's really about because it's just more of Rachel pitting women against women:

What's wild though is that Rachel is vastly misinterpreting a classic image here:

A lot of people look at that image of Jayne Mansfield and Sophia Loren and just immediately assume that Sophia is giving Jayne the stink eye over her outfit. And of course, we see this misinterpretation in Rachel's drawing that swaps Sophia and Jayne with Minthe and Persephone.

When in FACT what was actually going on was that Sophia spotted Jayne getting dangerously close to a wardrobe malfunction / nip slip and the camera just happened to catch her making a face that could be misinterpreted as slut-shaming.

"Yes, Paramount had organized a party for me. All of cinema was there, it was incredible. And then comes in Jayne Mansfield, the last one to come. For me, that was when it got amazing. She came right for my table. She knew everyone was watching. She sat down. And now, she was barely… Listen. Look at the picture. Where are my eyes? I'm staring at her nipples because I am afraid they are about to come onto my plate. In my face you can see the fear. I'm so frightened that everything in her dress is going to blow—BOOM!—and spill all over the table."

Ans Sophia has actually stated that she doesn't like those misinterpretations and is trying to actively distance herself from it.

"Actually, many, many times I am given this photo to autograph it. And I never do. I don't want to have anything to do with that. And also out of respect for Jayne Mansfield because she's not with us anymore."

Jayne died in 1967, only living for about 30 years, and Sophia herself is actually still around. I can imagine how disheartening it is to see people still misinterpreting a photo of two friends and colleagues especially when it's through the lens of slut-shaming an accomplished actress who is unfortunately no longer with us.

Sooo yeah all that said, I'm less inclined to believe it was Minthe getting a boob job and more inclined to believe it was more of Rachel's weird internalized misogyny picking and choosing which women are "sluts" and which ones are "victims" for dressing or being built a certain way. It's really gross when you start to notice it.

People have also pointed out how odd it is that every single character who gets into a relationship or is in a relationship by S3 seemingly morphs into copies of Hades and Persephone, which is really just more of a testament to how lazy Rachel is in her character designs. In her head she's just trying Hades and Persephone all the time but different colors, I imagine at this point the H x P relationship is the only thing that she's interested in writing/drawing about (and even that's arguably hanging on by a thread because she couldn't even let their long-awaited wedding scene have real room to breathe) so it's almost like she's defaulting to just zoning out and drawing nothing but H x P and then having her assistants color them differently based on who it's actually supposed to be.

But I digress. The body shaming and slut shaming is definitely hard-baked into LO and how it portrays its characters. Despite Rachel having written an actual comic portraying sexism in the past, she still can't seem to express her ideas around sexism, to the point of, again, saying she "didn't know sexism was that bad" until she worked on LO. Like, girl... you drew a comic about sexism before LO, what are you talking about? Is this more of you not wanting to acknowledge ANY of the work you did prior to LO, or are you telling me you didn't intend for those older works to be interpreted as sexism???

"I feel like female characters in general, people will be a little harsher on them and sometimes way harsher on them, and I used to be like.. before I started writing the story and like making a story I was like yeah, sexism is not that bad, and [now] I was like oh it's bad. It's quite bad [laughs], so like, I don't know, I feel like the female characters in the story don't get so much of a pass. But this isn't consistent across the board, it's not all the time." - Rachel Smythe, Girl Wonder Podcast circa 2022

#WHICH IS IT RACHEL #DO YOU THINK SEXISM WASN'T THAT BAD OR DO YOU BLAME THE PATRIARCHY FOR EVERYTHING #DO YOU THINK PEOPLE ARE TOO HARSH ON YOUR FEMALE CHARACTERS OR DO YOU MEAN JUST PERSEPHONE-#lore olympus critical #anti lore olympus #lo critical #ama #ask me anything #anon ama #anon ask me anything

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lemotmo · 5 months ago

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Okay I'm going to partially tell on myself. I am new, as in the Buck/T kiss showed up all over my dash, as did all of Oliver's interviews and I just thought he was the yummiest most delightful human being I had ever seen and heard (my god is accent is heaven) new. And I thought that first kiss was really well done. It was a great scene. Now, that being said, I didn'twant to jump into a show that was seven seasons into the story with zero context, except the stuff I had been seeing on my dash for years. So I started from the beginning, with the full intent and excitement of getting to T in season 7. Imagine my surprise when he popped up occasionally in earlier seasons. His only good part was when we were supposed to believe that Chim could lift him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, haha. That was great.

Anyway by the time I made it to season 7, it was too late. I had just watched 5 seasons of Buck and Eddie. There was zero room for T to compete on any level. Which is why the behavior of some is so confusing to me. Let me say first that I do not think the show always intended to put Buck and Eddie together, I don't think that's been the intention since the beginning. There is however a very good case to make that Eddie's introduction was Buck's actual Bi bell ringing moment though (*what a man plays in the background*). I do however agree that the writing has trended, increasingly so, in that direction. The writers do not hold all the blame however, Oliver and Ryan have kind of acted them into a corner. There are several scenes, multiple scenes, where the acting choices the two of them made were interesting, to say the least (looking at you 'go for the title' kitchen scene I love. Buck was flirting on every possible level in that scene).

Sorry, I got off track, back to my point. The people like me, who came in after the kiss popped up everywhere, being all in on T is somewhat fine. The problem would be the ones who are deliberately refusing to go back and watch the entire series before pontificating on B/T being destiny and all that other nonsense. There is an argument to be made that they're avoiding it because they know most of the history dismantles their current ship fixation. So as a result those people can be easily dismissed because they have zero context to any of their opinions. The ones who were with you all for 5 seasons though, yes I've seen their posts, who lost their shit over 2 pairs of lips touching, is what I cannot wrap my brain around. I completely understand the excitement behind that first kiss. It was a much anticipated moment for BUCK. He was the important person in that scene.

But confusing, or deliberately misinterpreting, Buck's revelation and sigh of relief at finally figuring out something pretty significant about himself, as being about him finding T is a gymnastics act I did not expect to see from so many long haulers. I mean, it should be obvious but T wasn't important in that scene. His gender was what was important. Which is why they have barely bothered to show him since that episode. And the interactions they have shown, minus the hospital kiss, that they made sure to show Eddie's reaction to btw, have all been red flag scenes. Little things that show this relationship isn't really that different from his previous relationships. Buck may have figured out the gender part but he's still making the same relationship mistakes. It's why the few scenes they've had together, and it's the bare minimum of effort, have been about Buck trying to initiate some level of communication and emotional connection and him being dismissed or having it turned into a daddy kink joke. I also think Oliver's enthusiasm dipped drastically by the end and it showed.

Which brings me to Eddie. The show, and more so, Oliver and Ryan have already done the hard part. The emotional connection, which is way more difficult to pull off than a physical connection, is already there. Their chemistry is already established.They're partners in every way but physically. As a result it is not a huge character leap to eventually bring a physical relationship into it as well. That will not be a shocking character development for either character. It goes back to the way the two have been written and they way Oliver and Ryan have interrupted those scenes. I won't touch their interviews because I think it's pretty clear, at this point, they seem to agree it's the way to go. There's more story to explore with them learning how to navigate an actual relationship than there is in bringing in other, lesser characters, to firstly try to compete with that connection, and then try to establish endgame status. I don't know. It's not about any two pairs of lips touching it's about the right two pairs of lips touching. Because when it's the right couple the characters get that sigh and exhale of finally! But the audience gets their sigh and exhale of finally as well. That is the point.

Sorry this got looooong 🤣

Ooooh Nonny, you speak right to my heart.

First of all, thank you for going back all the way to season 1 to actually sit down and watch the show. We aren't just making up Buddie. It has been there since the beginning. I'm so glad you got to witness their beautiful history together and that you realised just how right they are for each other.

I can't speak for the people who suddenly turned 180° and dropped Buddie for BT. I have been shipping Buddie from season 2, so I don't understand their reasoning or motivation either. It like you said so beautifully:

"It's not about any two pairs of lips touching. It's about the right two pairs of lips touching."

And that is what it comes down to. We can be content with a lackluster, meaningless relationship for queer rep. Or we can be exhilerated with an amazingly complex and years in the making relationship, which will be so much better for queer rep. It will be revolutionary in so many ways to make a slow burn queer ship canon.

(Before anyone comes at me for talking about queer rep. I have slowly been figuring myself out over the last couple of years and, looking back at my life and relationships, I've come to realise that I definitely belong somewhere on the ace spectrum. Not sure where exactly, I'm still searching for the right label, but it feels right to me. This is actually the first time I said this on a public forum for people to read. Kinda scary to be honest.)

I know what I would choose for myself if I was faced with these two options. Why wouldn't we automatically choose this for Buck and Eddie as well? It's mind-boggling really.

So yeah: queer Eddie and Buddie canon in season 8! All the way!

Don't apologise for your great post. I loved reading it. Feel welcome to drop in whenever you want. :)

#buddie #eddie diaz #evan buckley #nonnies galore #Funny thing that... finally speaking my truth after so many years feels kind of amazing... scary... but amazing.

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