#I want them to be unhealthily obsessed but not in a way where anyone feels threatened by their family

[hererafjastori]

The bats having no concept of healthy boundaries in a relationship and using concerned tracking and stalking as their primary love language is something that can be so personal

Love the idea of the batfam all being equally unhinged like Tim calls dick every two days with “why’d you take the cameras I use to stalk you down :(“ Dick is always placing trackers on everyone, Bruce just fucking shows up and watches his kids go about their daily lives, Jason’s got eyes all over the city to ping him if someone matching his families description pops up, Barbra is always listening and watching like love that shit

[violetasteracademic]

The bonus chapter that ended Nessian

This is honestly really surprising to me. Apparently there are people out there that think Nesta and Cassian are going to end up together. Have they not read their bonus chapter? SJM effectively ended them.

First of all, the way they think about each other is not romantic at all:

Cassian has no idea where he stands with her, and as you can see, he is so unhealthily obsessed with Nesta that he can't stop thinking about her and literally rushed to interact with her even though she doesn't even like him and is mean to him! If Sarah wanted this be be romantic, she could have made totally different choices. We could have learned they shared secret touches or looks, have their fingers trembling or breath catching around each other. But no, just confusion and unhealthy obsession on Cassian's part. Honestly, he kinda seems like an incel here.

Worse than that, it's clear he obviously only lusts after her:

He literally has not said one thing about her personality! He's just weirdly obsessed with her boobs and her scent and is just thinking about her stroking him. If we were supposed to have gleaned he has real feelings for her, and not just lust, couldn't Sarah have added something more sweet and personal here? I don't know. Maybe he could have brought her a thoughtful present that shows how much he sees and understands her when no one else does. But no. He just wants to get laid and touch her boobs. Honestly, ugh.

And let's not even get started about the Mor thing!

Cassian slept with Mor because he was jealous of Azriel! And if you recall, in ACOMAF Morrigan said Cassian just wants what he can't have and it has driven Cassian crazy for centuries that Mor never wanted him again after they slept together once. Rhys confirms this too.

Nesta clearly is not interested in Cassian. In fact, she knees him in the balls right after this. Honestly? This actually seems like a really toxic perpetuation of the Mor situation. Cassian yet again wants what he can't have, and it is actually in the canon text that he has this problem. Also, notice that he's ashamed of this situation and embarrassed to tell Mor about it? That's not a very good setup for a romance. He should have the full support of his friends and family in order for Nessian to work.

He calls himself stupid, he knows it's wrong, he just doesn't care for a moment because of the lust. Again, Nesta knees him in the balls. Not interested. Take a hint you creepy incel! And even though he was fully planning on devouring her lips, he is clearly not anymore!

But here's the real nail in the coffin:

Nesta forbids him from coming back. She threatens that she'll scream if he does and she is only willing to work with and talk to anyone but him. How is he supposed to get around that? How is their relationship supposed to develop if he is forbidden from talking to her and seeing her? I just don't understand how this is supposed to resolve in the books. At least hundreds, if not a few thousand of the tens or hundreds of thousands of SJM readers have read this bonus chapter. There's no way to come back from this.

Also- did you notice in ACOFAS Nessian's same drama is still playing out, but SJM interestingly enough introduces a character named Emerie and they have a scene together? Seems like SJM is clearly telling us Nessian isn't happening and setting up a new love interest for Cassian. Based on their limited interactions, it's actually really obvious to me that they are a much better fit and there is already a ton of foreshadowing that they are endgame. In fact, I think they are mates!

I swear this has nothing to do with the fact that I dislike Nesta. I mean, do I dislike her, and do I think Cassian deserves better? Yeah. But that's not relevant here. What's relevant is text and foreshadowing and the fact that I don't like Nesta and think Cassian deserves better because I've self inserted myself into Sarah's writing and want her to do what I want and I don't want Archeron sisters I don't like winding up with a bat boy I love.

Wait no... Ignore that second part I didn't mean to type that out.

[cringecannon]

I’m obsessed with the idea of there being some Normal Person ™️ who was kind to Astarion when he was a vampire spawn that maybe he’s a little unhealthily obsessed with. Maybe they’re a bartender at one of the establishments where he picked up victims for Cazador, maybe a seamstress who gave him thread for his embroidery or to patch up his clothing, maybe just someone who had kind words for him and didn’t try to hit on him, who knows? But it would be verrrrrry interesting to see an Ascendant Astarion encountering that Normal Person again, maybe deciding to “reward” them for being kind to him when he was nothing. Though I’m not sure if his idea of a reward would be what they would consider a reward….

(Also as an aside, I love your writing! I check your blog daily and my friends and I are constantly sending each other your Gortash and Astarion posts like “wake up, babe, new cringecannon dropped”)

He wasn't entirely sure why he was so enamored with you. To put it bluntly, you were just so... plain. Unassuming. Normal. Sure, you were nice. Plenty of people were nice to him though, and he didn't spare them a second thought. He watches you over the chalice of wine in his hand, seated in a dark corner of the bar.

Dark eyes follow the movement of your fingers as you carefully flip the page of whatever book you're reading. He glances up to your mouth, memorizing the twitch of your lip as you half-smile at some thought. Vanity rears it's head. You must be thinking of him. You had spoken to him for maybe a minute, one transaction out of hundreds, but how often did you get to see a face as pretty as his?

Not often, he hopes. A bolt of insecurity cuts through him. He feels pathetic, desperate. It sickens him. He could take anyone in this tavern home with him, and he's not going to sit around and let you make him feel inferior. His eyes settle on some pretty thing sitting alone at the bar and takes his wine with him, swaying over to his mark. Out of the corner of his eye, he tries to see if you're watching. You're not, staring down at your book like it's the most important thing in the room. He refuses to let you deflate his ego. His master wouldn't want you anyway. He'll waste no more time obsessing over some boring nobody.

He does, though. Watching you becomes a treat for him. Speaking with you when he shops becomes a whole event. The last time he saw you, you'd finally started to recognize him. A warm smile lit up your face as you reached for the exact kind of thread he always comes in for. It was fate, of course, that he'd be abducted the next day.

That first night in camp he wonders if you'll miss him. If you'd think about him as fondly as he thinks of you. Reality crashes in, and the fact that you probably won't is bittersweet. He had been playing a dangerous game with you. Any closer, and Cazador probably would have found out. You'd have been just another thing to take away from him. It was safer this way.

He doesn't think about you much after that. Facing death everyday tends to do that.

It's not until Cazador's blood has long since dried on his hands that he thinks of you. He washes his skin absentmindedly, trying to remember all that he could about you. It wasn't much, honestly. He didn't know your name, but he knew the kind of books you liked to read and the way your eyes shined when your hand touched his when he paid for his thread. It was a start. No one else in camp had kept his attention long. He needs someone to sit by his side and look good for all eternity, and you'd do just fine.

That settles it, in his mind. When the elder brain business is over, he'll start courting you. He thinks he should start by buying the shop you work in. Get rid of the owner somehow, and then he'll give it to you. Once you fall for him (and you will, because you're just too perfect to be so ungrateful after receiving such a thoughtful gift), he'll invite you to live in his new manor. If you're a bit more stubborn, it won't matter. He's not yet sure what hovel you live in, but he's sure you'll appreciate the upgrade.

He sits up a little taller, a small smile on his face as he dries his hands. Should he make you his spawn before he marries you, or after? On one hand, it'd be the perfect way to start the honeymoon. On the other, if he turns you early your cooperation would be guaranteed. He hums to himself. Decisions, decisions. Honestly, it's too soon to worry about it. He has the rest of his everlasting life to woo you. No point stressing over it now.

[cringelordofchaos]

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- NAMES × PRØNOUNS = IT / SHE / HE / THEY ×××❤️‍🔥🎸🐍

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--im; 🇷🇸 - serbian × 🏳️‍🌈 - queer × ✝️ - (culturally)orthodox(+witchy ;))×××

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biggest obsession lately: BRAWL STARS (all fandoms)

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• other blogs - pronouns.page - music i listen to - tagging system - characters I relate to

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нЕмА сПаСа Ни ТеБи нИ мЕнИ сВе Је ЛаЖ и рАј сЕ ПеНи (/Ј)

MY FAVORITEST POST OF ALL TIME /hj... (unless...)

I forget to update my pronouns page frequently so it's not really worth checking out.

{o.we,o,qw,qw.qq,o,qw,qw.qe,wt,qo,t,y×one^day.q,qr.wp,i,t,qr.t,ww,t,qi,wt,qt,qr,t.t,qw,qo,t-as.well (wq,qr,qw,t,qo.o.r,qt,qr,wp.e,qt,qe,qw,t,wp,t.qe,wt.journey.w,t,y,qt,qi,t.i,q,qr,r)}

DRAWING REQUESTS R ALWAYS OPEN! though my art skills r not up to everyone's standards, it's like free anyway so

(TMF Sean userboxes made by @speedydestinydream)

Uhm ok nobody's seeing this? Good. Rhea Ripley's hot AS FUCKKKK dude

Uhm and also. Random facts about me

I'm not autistic

I once hit my head so hard it was bleeding (and never got treated for it lmao)

Aaron Mitchell is just like me fr

By blood im actually more aromanian + Slovenian + ashkenazi Jewish + other shit than Serbian but by culture im Serbian (and Americanized... (Spend too much time on the net))

I love opposites attract trope because 100% of the time I relate to both the characters involved

I used to have an identity crisis over what kind of caricature I wanted to be but now I just let myself exist in peace without putting an active effort into just existing

I'm more culturally orthodox christian and tbh I don't really believe in that stuff but I won't give up the holidays and traditions. As for witchcraft it's fun and you can't exactly disprove the existence of spirituality so I am interested but again when I practice witchcraft it more feels like roleplaying so uhm. Not sure if I can call myself s true withx or a christian but who gives a shit.

Potentially alter human but I realized my obsession with alter human labels in the last might've been caused by the fact that I wasn't fully happy with who I was. still act like a creature at times though.

I have been called "fascinating" 6 times, once by a licensed psychiatrist.

I tend to overshare and also I was extremely scared of sharing the fact that I'm mostly aromanian because I thought it would reveal where I hid the money or some shit. I still am scared but oh well

Don't have ADHD either fuck that

I am at risk of a spine deformation. Lmao

I get extremely obsessive over fiction and it tends to last for... Idk? I don't count.

I'm picky yet indecisive as hell

Selfish and extremely lazy

So sarcastic all the time to the point of some people thinking I'm being genuine and then getting mad at me. I mean I dug my own grave there so.

I accidentally ghost people, respond really late to texts, if at all. I am trying to work on this because I have been made aware that this type of behaviour can genuinely hurt people and I don't want to hurt anyone

Had self diagnosed depression in the past

Cisginger

Autistic Craig Tucker real

Heavily heavily HEAVILY relate to Aaron Mitchell from the Mitchells Vs the machines (he is literally me in every way possible)

Unhealthily addicted to my phone

Sometimes draw but I'm horrible at it

My head hurts

Freakblr OG 💪

Suck at sports but like them but I hate working in teams because I'm afraid I'll disappoint everyone. Yaknow???

Experience self suspected social gender dysphoria (recovering)

Otherlink, mild specie dysphoria, possibly therian

Self suspected low object permanence

[yandere-sins]

i’m just gonna say this here because you’re super sweet to asks, and i was just thinking of this, but this is more as a personal preference kind of thing. was thinking how much i would actually hate a manipulative type yan, but they’re one of my favourites, because i think the appeal to yandere is almost the horror element, and that’s rarely pleasant, though maybe i’m just a masochist. i’m very authentic (i’ve tried a few times in my life to appear more appealing but the truth is i just don’t have that skill), i pretty much wear my heart on my sleeve, and that naturally puts most people off, actually, because i am pretty intense, for lack of a better term. due to this intensity, i like reading about someone who is potentially darker than me. but here, i think the worst type of person to be with would be someone who tries to ‘condition’ me, in some way—i’d hate that to my core, yet that’s very appealing to me in this genre. i read them because it makes me grit my teeth and want to scream and sometimes i actually, literally thrash around on my bed from frustration, and from the outside, if i were to describe how it makes me feel, it would sound like i don’t enjoy what i read, and… i almost don’t? i mean, i do, but it’s kind of like going on a rollercoaster, where the appeal is how scary it’s gonna be; the appeal is how much i dislike it on principle. for me, the genre kind of goes beyond “i’d love a person who would kill for me and love me obsessively” because that i feel like i’m just totally fine with, but that real fight against something i know is so deeply against who i am coming from someone who supposedly loves me entirely and unhealthily, that’s just thrilling to me, and upsetting, actually. it’s like oh, i want to fucking kill this guy right now, but it’s also this weird thing of, someone loves me in such a deep way, but also kind of wants to change me? lot of words here to not say much, forgive me, but the most fun i have with the genre is when it’s not fun. i don’t think any of this made sense, but while i’m here i want to ask, what do you think about what i said about a manipulative yan wanting to “change” their darling? as in, do you think that’s an accurate description? because how can someone love you if they want to change you? curious on your general opinion on that. i literally go feral over this shit, take tumblr away from me. i seek this stuff out and then get so angry and to anyone else it must seem like i’m torturing myself, and in a way, i kind of am. but it’s good. you’re very good at what you do here, really gets me immersed. this is a weird point but anger tends to exhaust me, so when i’m having trouble sleeping, sometimes i’ll read some of your stuff like that, and i’ll sleep like a fucking baby. woooo, we really don’t deserve you.

Not sure if you ever heard about it, but I've read before that the reason why many people, who are anxious or suffering with mental health problems, like True Crime so much is because the scenarios in our heads are oftentimes so frightening, that hearing about real, scary stories is actually helping us calm down.

If that is true, and I lean toward it being true, then that sounds like what you are doing reading yandere stories! Of course there is also the whole "being loved without restrictions" and "being chosen" aspect to it that many point out when talking about why they like yandere, but yeah.

No matter in which way, I am glad my stories help you understand yourself better and cope with stuff! Please be mindful about your consumption and take a breather when you feel like it's too much, but thanks for reading my stuff! ^^ ♥

[brucewaynehater101]

Hey I'm gonna write something about Tim x male Oc but I don't know if it's good enough so I have this idea:

One, the Oc is actually someone in the past that got dragged to the present where Tim is and started to get closer to him but it's going to be revealed that Tim also from the past but in the past they weren't meant to be together.

Two, what if, from the first idea. My oc and Tim actually MEANT to be together like the Andromeda and Milky way Galaxy but it's gonna take a long time for them to realize that, they're in love with each other from the moment both save the other and be there for the other from the very start until the end.

Three, Tim was killed but regressed where he almost got killed by Jason at the Titans Tower and was saved by someone mysterious that led him to feel some sort of grateful to his savior. Meanwhile that savior is actually stalking him and that is My oc, he's gonna be there whenever Tim is and cut down any foe in Tim's way. So basically the Savior x Salvation (bcs Tim sees him as his Savior and my oc sees Tim as his Salvation that needs to be protected from anyone or anything.)

Anyway that's all, I just need to hear from someone about my idea :3 (it's just for silly things :P)

No worries! Glad to chat about it ^^ I'm not really one for romance, but it's still really fun to explore ideas.

Both being from the past in intriguing. I'm curious from what era they both come from (or maybe even separate time eras) and what their past was like.

Hmm... If you're doing fated lovers (that's what I'm assuming the reference means), there's a few ways to represent that. There are classic soulmate marks/indications. If they don't realize it at first, perhaps they either are both secretive about their marks or marks can be either platonic or romantic (with no obvious indication of which is which).

If not soulmarks, you could mess around with the canon gods, magic, etc. Perhaps someone sees their souls are intertwined or a god tells them or even a god curses them to make their path to romance harder.

As far as the savior one... That one is tricky. How consensual and non-toxic are we talking?

Don't get me wrong. I crave the dynamic of people who are consensually unhealthily mutually obsessed with each other. It's so fucking compelling. Various types of relationships can be super fun to play around with in fiction (although, to not trigger myself, they both or all of them have to want to be in that type of relationship with each other).

Anyways, what levels are we chatting about here?

For the OC, their perspective of Tim kind of reminds me of the song "My Way of Life" by Frank Sinatra. I absolutely love that song. The lyrics kind of match the vibe of the OC seeing Tim as his salvation ("Gotta have you near all the time with your dreams wrapped in mine. Gotta be part of your soul and your heart all the time. Nothing in the world that I do means a thing without you. I'm just half alive in my struggle to survive without you. You are my way of life. The only way I know. You are my way of life. I'll never let you go").

Just OC seeing Tim, his salvation, and doing everything he can and must for him.

Tim seeing the OC as his savior can be tricky. I think it's called the hero effect? Something something adrenaline, being protected, etc. causes someone to fall in love with their savior. However, this can cause a power imbalance.

You've managed to negate that a bit with the OC seeing Tim as their salvation. Despite that, there would need to be seriously work on communication, getting to know each other, building trust, and commitment before the relationship would work.

If you want them to be mutually unhealthily obsessed with each other (and a stalking each other vibes), Tim becomes consumed by the mystery of this person.

If Tim regressed, then who is this? Who is this person who never showed up in the first timeline?

Lots of exciting ways to take it ^^

[felassan]

its that time again! 🍵 

Thoughts/wonderings on Dragon Age: The Missing #4, under a cut due to spoilers for The Missing -

I'm probably becoming a lil unhealthily obsessed with this building. what do we think it is? the Archon's Palace is the highest building in Minrathous (tho I guess not, as it has sewers and this is floating). A Circle? it has a similar shape to the logo for the Circle of Magi. the meeting place for the Magisterium senate, lording over everyone below from high above? whatever it is it looks cool and it must be important to be featured on the map. I wanna go there (๑*ᗜ*)

I love Neve Gallus' design. it's fresh and cool, and she just looks so cute and neat okay. also full of detail - the snake pattern on the headpiece, shoulder 'scales' and scales elsewhere, collar & jacket like one of those hooded snakes, snake-'tailcapped' footwear (rather than steel toe-capped), the serpent belt and of course most of all the beautiful snake design of her prosthetic limb. 10/10 character/costume design

this page had me on my knees basically. my heart.

surely this panel is a new meme format hh? same goes for the one where Varric is saying "Then perhaps all this is linked" and Harding says "And we've led them here"

you walked into the wrong neighborhood bro

I also liked this pair of illustrations, they had a nice 'bookend' feel and reminded me a lot of Lord of the Rings.

Other thoughts:

Minrathous looks kinda cyberpunk and (despite what Harding says in the opening panels) feels quite clean in this comic

Is that the person tailing them lurking in the doorway that Harding is catching sight of here?

These holes in Varric's ear seem to be new. What happened? Injury from the leopard attack?

confused a bit by the perspective flip in this issue. In issue 1, Varric was more like 'stop', and Harding was more like 'talk to him'. it's flipped around a bit here.

Varric smiled when he thought about Neve and then lit up when he saw her. she calls him an "old friend". I wonder how they met and how long they've known each other. something to do with varric's spy network?

This panel felt a bit meta hh.

When Neve says "Your friend is quite intense" is she referring to Solas or Harding?

Then we come to the two main things we learn in this issue:

We learn that Solas has been in Minrathous causing trouble. He's been attacking Venatori locations in the city, stealing artifacts from them and freeing elven slaves in the process, which has greatly angered the Venatori. The Venatori now want revenge and a "bunch of rebellious elves" are "causing trouble throughout the city, presumably in the name of the one who freed them". I wonder if the artifacts weaken the Veil, are connected to the idol somehow, or are simply sources of great power that Solas either needs for himself/his plans or that he simply thinks should be taken away from the Venatori so that they don't cause harm using them? Tevinter Nights showed agents of Fen'Harel seeking artifacts and referenced rumors of elven artifacts that strengthen the Veil, like the ones from DA:I. freeing folks also makes sense, "I am not a monster" and it's something he has a history of doing

In this issue we also learn that Neve works with a group called the Shadow Dragons, who have been trying to help the former slaves. indeed they're trying to help anyone who is held as slaves in Minrathous. this is our first time hearing about this new group. they make it their business to help those in need and Neve makes it her business to help them. I'm a bit ¿ about their name, just due to how it sounds, but it's exciting to learn about a new group/faction. Each issue of this DA:D prequel comic has shone a spotlight on a faction - Grey Wardens, Antivan Crows, the Veil Jumpers and the Shadow Dragons. two new, two old. it's a nice balance. and it brings to mind the common fan theory/speculation about the PC of DA:D having a different faction background depending on the player's choice. at the very least it feels like a way of saying 'these four groups [or characters from them] will feature in a significant way/be 'players on the board' in DA:D".

thinking about the Shadow Dragons' name in an in-world context, like thinking about why they may have chosen their name: dragons are emblematic of Tevinter. dragon imagery is everywhere there, dragons are a symbol of power and Tevinter heraldry shows a dragon. the Tevinter Imperium is a 'dragon', or several (metaphorically) - Magisters, ruling over the classes below. the "shadow dragons" feel like "the other side" of Tevinter, the side in shadow, the underside, the 'anti-Tevinter'. I'd guess that they are the "Tevinter you forgot", i.e. the Viper's faction. (and if you look at Tevinter heraldry, there is also a snake 'in opposition' to the dragon.) before Missing #4 I wondered if “the Tevinter you forgot” "means they are a group of folks who have fallen through the cracks in Tevinter society or who are the downtrodden in Tevinter society. is it some sort of uprising or anti-Magisterium movement?" - here we learn they're trying to help people Tevinter 'forgot' like slaves and former slaves. I also commented "from the story it sounds like the dark-clad card dealer is the Viper. the magister in the story is afraid of him and tries to claim that the Viper is just a tale, implying that the Viper’s name has become known as a sort of shadowy, stealthy urban legend in Minrathous and that it has a sort of bogeyman effect on magisters." Shadow indeed. Neve later comments that the Shadow Dragons are trying to "help anyone held as slaves in Minrathous". I think it was in the Dorian short story in Tevinter Nights that there's a reference to how there's now an anti-slavery movement in Tevinter. Is that the Shadow Dragons? you can see possible echoes of "the Tevinter you forgot" in later comic dialogue "The Shadow Dragons have vowed to help us restore our dignity. To get back the lives that were stolen from us by the Venatori. To make sure we don't have to scrabble in the dirt for food and warm", imo.

I wonder if Dorian, Mae and the Lucerni know anything about the Shadow Dragons? maybe they've done some work together?

and while the Viper/Viper's faction/the Shadow Dragons themselves didn't appear in issue 4, issue 4 still highlighted them, continuing the pattern I speculated about, of the DA Day short stories (Evka/Antoine/Wardens, Teia/Viago/Crows, Strife/Irelin/Veil Jumpers and Viper's faction/Shadow Dragons), one from each of those short stories per issue.

Varric is still having a bad time. also he was born in 9:1, and so if DA:D is set in 9:52, he's now over 50. from these comics, he's feeling old and tired. I don't expect that he'll be a companion in DA:D. more like an advisor (off-field), a contact or quest-giver, or the person that recruits us.

"But why? What did he get out of it? Surely, he wanted something in return" was an interesting line. because like on one hand "I am not a monster", he has a history of freeing people who were enslaved and he's shown as valuing freedom and not enjoying needless suffering. setting people free definitely is the only decent thing. but he's also smart and does things with purpose, always playing 4-D chess, and has been outwitting Varric and Harding at every turn throughout these comic issues, always one step ahead. it seems like a 'it's both' situation. like two birds, one stone. he would free people and it's the right thing to do, and he also gains from it strategically. Varric lampshades this in the final page: and it's three stones, actually. Solas freed people, dealt with the Venatori on his tail and slowed Varric/Harding down long enough to escape all in one move.

Also, at first I wondered if the brown-haired elf was sort've projecting his own perceptions on Solas (with the "his kin" lines). but look here. the leader of these Venatori has a pouch round their neck. the others don't, it's prominently placed and it's consistent on this Venatori in every panel they're in here. and where have we seen that before? around the neck of the Venatori stalker that saved Varric from the leopard in Issue 3. I think we're supposed to conclude that the ringleader of the Venatori that attack the elves in this issue is the Venatori person that's been tailing Varric and Harding all throughout these comic issues. the Venatori ringleader seems to recognize Varric in a later panel, with the "You!". They fight and Varric starts demanding answers from the Venatori leader. but then, just as he's about to get answers, the brown-haired elf intervenes and kills them at that very moment. they won't hurt their people anymore, and conveniently also (more than one purpose to things again..), now Varric and Harding won't get any answers. and also this:

another - not two, but - three stones. when the brown-haired elf kills the Venatori ringleader, A) preventing them from further harming his people and B) preventing them from giving any answers to Varric and Harding, C) the killing blow also cuts that pouch from their neck. a very specific thing to depict. presumably in the chaos of the Venatori leader's death (you can't see the elf's hands in the very next panel) the brown-haired elf has grabbed the pouch, and part of his goal all along was to take it. I think we're supposed to conclude that the pouch contained the crucious stone and that the brown-haired elf works for Solas. so the "You're too late, I already have the crucious stone" letter from issue 3 was a Solas fakeout, the Venatori at that point in time did in fact have the stone (having beaten Solas to the vault, and as-shown by the Venatori who saved Varric from the leopard having the pouch around their neck), and the events of issue 4 were part of Solas' plan to steal it/steal it back from them (and going by Neve's earlier dialogue, it's not the first artifact he's stolen from them). so two things here: one, Solas' 'three stones' are actually-actually four (free the slaves, deal with the Venatori on his tail, delay Varric/Harding long enough to escape, and steal the crucious stone artifact from the Venatori [my head hurts]). and two, the brown-haired elf was working for Solas after all. he'll give the pouch (and the contents, the stone) to Solas, "he set us, his kin, free" wasn't projection considering that he does work for him, and him being there in the alleyway when he was, with the information that he had, was part of Solas' plan to escape and get the stone. otherwise, it's pretty convenient that one of the former slaves at the place Neve's aware of where former slaves have been eating scraps, at the time when she takes Varric/Harding there, just happened to have helpful info about the meeting that Varric/Harding needed and also happened to kill the Venatori leader and in the process cut the pouch from their neck. idk if it means all the elves here were working for Solas or just the brownhaired one or the brownhaired one & the blond one, but yea. definitely the brownhaired elf is I think.

Neve fighting was cool: staff-less magic and then as a mage using a dagger or shortsword.

party combo-kill! ice spell + finishing blow - a comic depiction of Shattering :)

Brown-haired elf missing his elven ear here.

A cool panel. Also, you can't see his other hand..

just really liked these two panels :) also, they missed their chance, they missed this chance, in this, a comic called The Missing... is that why it's called that?

[clenches fist] vowing to protect Neve and her good heart at all costs

and he stole the crucious stone artifact from the Venatori.

I am not sure that I agree with the premise of this article that BioWare retweeted, that The Missing is required reading before DA:D. I enjoyed issues 2 & 3 a lot! I was hoping for a bit more from the end of issue 4, perhaps a small Solas appearance like at the end of Dark Fortress or just a bit more insight into his plans or things in/the setup for DA:D. finishing on the Dread Wolf mural from the DA:D TGA 2020 trailer as a reminder was neat but the highlight reveal from these comics as a whole was definitely the new mural depicted in issue 3.

"He knows us too well, we need to find/use people he doesn't know" is the same conclusion that was reached at the end of Trespasser (and Harding was present for that conversation). I guess the meta irl reasons for The Missing are: A] since it'll be almost 10 years irl between games, to refresh folks about that conclusion and the fact that it will be a new PC and why it has to be 'someone he doesn't know', since most new players to the franchise at DA:D aren't going to buy years old DA:I and DLC and play til it the end of Trespasser B] fill some irl time C] do some marketing/advertizing and D] highlight these four groups/factions and introduce the two new ones (Veil Jumpers and Shadow Dragons) in advance of DA:D, and possibly highlight these specific characters (Strife, Teia, Evka etc) the same way (though I speculate those characters are more like DA:D 'contact' cameos rather than that they will be companions themselves). Certainly if I was Varric at the moment when Harding asks "So who are you thinking?" at the end here, after the events I had experienced and people & groups I had met in recent weeks, with those being fresh in my mind, I would be thinking about the Grey Wardens, the Antivan Crows, the Veil Jumpers and the Shadow Dragons, both as groups and terms of the mental list of people that I had recently met who Solas doesn't know. again it makes you think about the popular speculation that the DA:D PC will have the background of being from one of these groups. also, those 4 groups aren't ones which were referenced in Tevinter Nights as keeping an eye on Solas/as Solas having some info on them in turn (unlike some other groups like the Mortalitasi, the Executors, the Ben-Hassrath etc).

[deludedfantasy]

Trimax Vol 10 Ch 1-4

Hey guys, how are we doing with volume 10? I had to go lie down on my bed face down multiple times while reading this so....that's how we're doing over here. A good chunk of this is me screaming incoherently. Apologies for the overuse of exclamation points and all caps. I'm deeply unwell about all of this.

Ch 1

Wolfwood's never ending belief in Vash just!!! Wolfwood is a man without faith. But not anymore; now he has faith in Vash.

As he reaffirms his beliefs, he remembers Vash telling him that he gives up hope too easily. Suddenly, now that I know a whole lot more about Wolfwood, that line hits differently. People have said it before but until now I didn’t get how cruel of a thing that was for Vash to say to Wolfwood. He couldn’t know the thing Wolfwood did out of a desperate hope to protect the orphanage. And look at him now, not sure if Vash can defeat Knives, but he has enough hope that he might be able to that he won’t stop fighting. 

Wolfwood won’t give up because Vash has never given up!!! He’s taken on so many of Vash’s ideals, I can’t deal with this. 

Razlo tries to stop Chapel from killing Wolfwood because of how Livio cares about him and I think it’s an interesting moment. It shows us that for all of Razlo’s insatiable bloodlust, he’s concerned with what Livio thinks. He’s certainly not eager to kill Wolfwood and that’s an interesting chink in his armor, since he’s never hesitated to kill anyone before, even if it’s just because he’s suggesting they drag out Wolfwood’s final moments longer. 

Sidenote: oh my fucking god, I’m an idiot. I’ve been making jokes about Wolfwood’s magically appearing handguns for volumes. He’s not pulling them out of his tits, he just has a shoulder holster, like a proper gunman. 

I wanna kill Chapel with my bare hands!!! He’s taking way too much pleasure from shooting Wolfwood over and over again. 

So, Wolfwood hasn’t used his vials because he doesn’t think he’s going to die yet. That’s…yeah, that’s making me feel some things alright. First of all, I’ll say it again, Wolfwood is an incredibly smart fighter. He knows how to fight even while injured and in immense amounts of pain. He couldn’t stand up against Razlo at first, but he took it as an opportunity to learn how Razlo fights and find his weakness, so he could use it against him later. Chapel tells Razlo to stop underestimating him, but I think up until now, Chapel has been doing the same damn thing. 

Second of all, I know where this is going and I :) don’t :) like :) it :) 

Ch 2

Sworn friend? I sure hope that’s Vash because that cover image is going to kill me. Wolfwood’s been STABBED. By a GUN. 

Oh, cool, so Razlo confirms that Chapel is unhealthily obsessed with his students and making them into the perfect weapons for the Eye—morally and physically. He’s truly the abusive father figure of this story.

Well, that explains why Razlo’s been kicked out of the Eye. Killing nine other members in a murder spree will do that.

You know what? Chapel begging for Razlo’s life to be spared might honestly be the kindest thing anyone has ever done for him. It’s no wonder he’s so devoted to Chapel. When everyone else treats you like shit, the guy who shoots himself and begs the council to take mercy on you becomes someone incredibly special, even if he is absolutely insane otherwise.

Huh? When did Ms. Melanie and the kids get outside? I thought they were locked in a cellar. Did some of the other mercenaries bring them up on Chapel’s signal so he could torment Wolfwood more.

Awww, the kids don’t want to leave Ms. Melanie by herself! They care about her and each other so much. This is where Wolfwood gets all his love and caring from. 

Chapel is an evil, evil motherfucker. We know that already, but this moment? Oh, the rage I’m experiencing. He’s playing on Wolfwood's worst nightmare, going all the way back to that dream he had where he tried to hold the kids but couldn’t because there was so much blood on his hands. Chapel went and made that real. He shows Wolfwood’s face to Ms. Melanie, while he’s covered in blood, and lets them know all the terrible things he’s done. Ms. Melanie doesn’t need to say anything. The guilt Wolfwood carries will be enough to bring him low. Chapel knows his student and his weakness so well, and he twists until it hurts. 

ARGH MS. MELANIE DON’T MAKE ME CRY. 

This is Wolfwood’s worst nightmare, but she’s not reacting with disgust or hatred! She isn’t looking away from him! The way she says, “You foolish boy, you tried doing everything on your own again.” It’s so sad, but it’s so fond. She still loves him! She wishes he’d come home earlier! It’s still a painful realization for Wolfwood to have, that he would’ve been welcomed back, but it’s also, maybe, a shock and a relief. 

Also, “You’ve always had so many stubborn ideals and were never one to compromise.” NICHOLAS D. WOLFWOOD THESIS STATEMENT RIGHT HERE. It’s what got him into this mess after all! 

Oh my god Wolfwood! No!!!! Don’t look down on yourself now!!! Ms. Melanie’s right! You  came when you were needed!

AND HE’S THINKING ABOUT VASH AGAIN.

When he’s losing hope, he always thinks of Vash. And he realizes that maybe he should’ve asked him here. Because they work so well together, they could’ve taken out Chapel and Livio and saved everyone! IF ONLY HE HADN’T INSISTED ON DOING EVERYTHING ON HIS OWN. 

“I made a friend. He ain’t as dumb as I am.” Wolfwood, I appreciate your whole-hearted belief in Vash but that man is just as stupid as you are and probably would’ve also run straight into danger without asking for help. You two are just peas in a pod. 

“We could’ve done this as a team.” Yes!!!! Because everything’s different when you’re back to back with him!!! Vash and Wolfwood are a battle couple and when they are together, they’re unstoppable. Wish you’d realized this sooner!!!!

Hey, did Wolfwood just grab all of Chapel’s vials with his mouth? Wolfwood is the king of making batshit insane moves in the span of like three seconds because that was a small opening he had before Chapel shot him or the kids.

A mysterious shuttle appears at the eleventh hour?

IT’S VASH!!! VASH CAME TO HELP HIM!!!

And look at Vash, using his powers to protect people! Not only that, to protect the people Wolfwood cares about!

Ch 3

Wolfwood, come on. You were just thinking about how you and Vash could’ve easily handled this as a team. 

Wolfwood’s self-hatred is blinding him so much he can’t even figure out why Vash would come. Just as Wolfwood considers Vash his friend, Vash thinks the same of him. He’s shown time and time again that he’ll help people in a tough spot. Why not you, Wolfwood? Why don’t you deserve that same kind of care? 

This battle is important to Wolfwood and that’s why it matters to Vash. But of course, the tragedy of it all is that Wolfwood can’t see how much Vash cares about him and admires him because he hates himself too much to even allow love in from someone else. 

And with that thought, it’s time to break out the tissues. 

Razlo’s like, “Ooooh, a worthy opponent? Time to absolutely lose my shit!” 

So, on my first read, I somehow didn’t catch that Wolfwood drank two vials at once when he stole Chapel’s pouch and I was VERY confused for the rest of this volume. Now, however, I’m rolling on the floor sobbing. 

He knows how dangerous this is and how it’ll probably end. But he does it because he thinks he’s going to die anyway. He’s come to the point where he’s not scared of death, and he’d rather go down protecting what he loves than live to see it ruined. 

“If we survive this, drinks are on me.” This line is some horrible foreshadowing, okay. I’m just…I think I need to go take some deep breaths. 

Did Wolfwood just toss Chapel like a log? That’s WILD. Razlo actually gets distracted by it! Then again, he’s so devoted to Chapel that the idea of him dying or being defeated must be pretty tough to deal with.

Wolfwood grabs Punisher again but also, he stops just long enough in the middle of battle to put his glasses back on. He’s hiding. From himself, from everyone at the orphanage, maybe even a little from Vash. He doesn’t want anyone to see what he’s about to become, what he’s about to do. 

There’s been a couple times where I’ve wondered if Vash could read Wolfwood’s mind a little with his telepathic Plant powers and this is another moment. But I actually like to read this as Vash knows him so well that he realizes this himself, because that just hits harder. 

OH. I missed that. Wolfwood killed Chapel. Snapped him like a twig even. 

Razlo is actually so…lonely. The only person who’s ever been kind to him was an equally unhinged cult leader and now he’s dead. And all Razlo knows is violence, so that’s how he responds. As always, Nightow makes me feel so much sympathy for what should be the most villainous of characters. (Except Chapel, that’s the exception that proves the rule here)

Vash and Wolfwood executing insane maneuvers when they fight together because they’re so synced up!!! Certified battle couple. 

Wolfwood lighting a cigarette in the middle of a fight after performing some insane moves is so on brand for him. 

This last interaction is so funny and so them. They don’t know how to use their words! They slap at each other like five year olds and Vash can’t even tell Wolfwood he’s here because he cares about him and wants to help. WHY ARE THEY SO STUPID.

Ch 4

Wolfwood is starting to talk like Vash. The reminiscing about times past, pushing away the help people are offering him—it reminds me of Vash right before he got on the Ark. 

It’s so not like him that it even scares Vash, who tries to remind him that has to live. He’s always wanted to live, right?

Well, except, Wolfwood has finally found what he’s willing to die for. He’s already made the decision. Vash just doesn’t know that yet, and that makes what would usually be a light, bantery scene between them incredibly heavy and so hard to read. 

And Vash, goddammit, he still thinks this is Wolfwood giving up! It’s not, at least not in the way he thinks. Wolfwood is more determined than ever. He hasn’t given up hope. He’s taken all his hope and placed it on Vash, and left none of it for himself. 

“What is important? What are you willing to do to protect it?” → Trigun thesis statement. That’s what the story is all about! The worst part is Vash realizing too late what he would do to protect Wolfwood. 

When Vash really, truly fears that he might lose Wolfwood, that’s the first time he realizes how much he needs and wants him. How badly he wants to survive and see a tomorrow with him. Except, it’s heart-wrenching, because it’s already too late by the time he finally realizes this. Vash has finally found something worth living for and Wolfwood has finally found something worth dying for. How ironic that it’s each other. They’re like ships passing in the night, their lives and wants intersecting for only the briefest of moments before being torn apart.

Just as Vash thinks all of this, he catches Wolfwood. Look how tightly he holds on to him, his fingers pressing into Wolfwood’s skin. He uses his body to shield him, barely noticing the blades in his shoulder. He’s so overcome by what he’s realized, but also that he’s about to lose it all.

Look at the reluctance when he lets go of him. He doesn’t want to, he wants to hold on to him. But Vash would never disrespect Wolfwood’s choices. He knows how much it means to him to be able to do this on his own terms. So no matter how much it hurts him, he lets go. But there is rage in his eyes, an expression that is so alien on Vash, who has always been so in control of his anger. He hates that he has to do this and he hates that it’s this that’s causing it, and he won’t hold back anymore. 

Not the bird symbolism. Because Wolfwood has finally found his freedom in his willingness to accept death.

And Vash beneath it, with his face obscured looking up into the sky, but hunched over beneath the weight of his grief and anguish as he walks away from Wolfwood. God, this image is so powerful. 

[nightwingshero]

Ships as Tarot Cards

I was tagged by @alexxmason @sstewyhosseini @simonxriley @jillvalentinesday @marivenah to take this uquiz for my ships. Thank you lovelies!

Tagging: @ghastlyrider @pen-in-hand @oathofoaksart @water-writings @voidika @inafieldofdaisies @madparadoxum @shegetsburned @chazz-anova @marivenah @glowwormsmith @playstationmademe @deputyash @poisonedtruth @aceghosts @braveonionknight @jinfromyarikawa @anonymousmalkavian @pheedraws and anyone else who wishes to participate. I apologize if you've already been tagged, I'm a little late to the game.

Wren x Leon

the two of cups + the star

your romance is a wish granted. finally, finally, they're here. finally, *it's* here! the time where you don't have to feel lonely anymore - you'll never feel that way ever again. laughter, joy, sweetness, kisses - be at ease. all of these are things you have found someone to share with. your love is a dreamy fantasy of love and devotion and miracles. at first, your chest gets too tight when they're around - until they become as natural as the air in your lungs. deck: ethereal visions tarot.

Athera x Solas

knight of pentacles + the magician

if there's something you want, you will GET IT. nothing escapes your fingertips. after all, you're the power couple. your pairing sparks pure cosmic energy. you're fiercely driven to your goals - whether that be status, fortune, or power. you're also fiercely protective of one another. with the knight's earthy energy, you both prefer to purposefully make your way towards your ambitions, rather than playing cards too early or acting too loosely. meanwhile, the magician's half makes gives you a little fire. if they get too close, onlookers and threats to your relationship may get burned. deck: modern witch tarot.

Evune x Cullen

the tower + the lovers

meeting this person shook your whole world. crumbling down is everything you thought you knew about life and love. their warmth, their generosity, their naivete, their knowing...! you don't know how anything made sense before them. all you know is that nothing will make sense afterwards. deck: the tarot of the divine by yoshi yoshitani.

Imogen x Chris

the tower + the lovers

meeting this person shook your whole world. crumbling down is everything you thought you knew about life and love. their warmth, their generosity, their naivete, their knowing...! you don't know how anything made sense before them. all you know is that nothing will make sense afterwards. deck: the tarot of the divine by yoshi yoshitani.

Adrasteia x Bayek

the devil + the emperor

there's only one religion for the two of you, and that religion is the other. you two are very nearly unhealthily obsessed with one another, and that's just how you like it. when they touch you, they can feel the blood pumping under the surface of your skin. your hearts beat for one another. when the day comes that one stops, the other will soon after. until then, you both will live out your lives in perfect, gothy paradise. deck: the tarot of vampyres.

Alessandra and Ezio

ace of cups + ten of cups

your romance is the love story that seems only possible in movies. it starts from a youthful first meeting, innocent. and from what may seem like a lifetime later, you both end up happily in union, perhaps even married! your coupling is the epitome of emotional fulfillment and devotion. neither of you thought you'd end up here, but damn if you aren't glad you did. deck: thelema tarot.

Wren x John

the devil + the emperor

there's only one religion for the two of you, and that religion is the other. you two are very nearly unhealthily obsessed with one another, and that's just how you like it. when they touch you, they can feel the blood pumping under the surface of your skin. your hearts beat for one another. when the day comes that one stops, the other will soon after. until then, you both will live out your lives in perfect, gothy paradise. deck: the tarot of vampyres.

[shmowder]

I really appreciate you writing all that out! Your replies are always so thoughtful <33 Thank you for sharing.

I knew being aro was a spectrum, but wow, there are so many different flavors. It's fascinating, really. As for me, I could do without the flowers and poetry, the grand dramatic gestures; romantic gestures in public? - gtfo of here. But I get crushes, the whole butterflies in my stomach deal, daydreaming to a detrimental degree.

I want tenderness! Soul crushing devotion! For, like you said, "my favorite person to stay with me only." But as you also pointed out, you can have all of that without romance. I've never really had a best friend that I would drop everything for, and for me the tenderness and devotion is itself romantic? I'm also quite touch-averse, so if I actually want to cuddle, etc. with someone, that pretty much automatically means I see them in a way that goes beyond platonic.

Tbh I'm not sure I'll ever be able to define it, but that's okay ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ It is funny how we share the same taste in characters and x reader stories though! Smut with feelings is probably my favorite as far as x reader fic goes. Even if those feelings are unhealthily obsessive; I'll eat up yandere fic too.

I love what you said about Daniil. I'm gonna cave one day and buy P1 aren't I 😮‍💨 He loves her essence and soul!

That's something I never picked up about Vlad Jr. before. Interesting. I see what you're saying about Capella. And you're so right about the "robotic" character = aro stereotype!! I can't wait to meet Aglaya again during this playthrough (just started day 6).

I'm glad you think romance is fun to write!

🐿️ anon

Yandere pathologic omfg I would love to talk and write about that actually. My take on Yandere is exactly the helplessly in love an extremely devoted to that person. I write them less murder and kidnapping crazy because eh I don't really like that aspect, however the unconditional love and soul crushing devotion? Their love suffocating them with every breath they take not by your side? the paranoia and extremely jealousy? Yeah I ADORE these aspects

Maria Kaina and Andrey Stamatin feel like the most yandere-ish out of the bunch by nature tbh.

Eva has potential too! but she'll be more of a sweet guilt tripping toxic gf than a yandere. Like a puppy love crush yandere? Sickingly sweet.

Yulia and Vlad the younger are more on the chill side. The loose leash side where you think you can roam free but how come everyone around you is pulling away? They don't try to control you or be toxic to you in any way, instead it's others they intimidate into submission or trick into backing off. If there is no competition then you'll definitely run into their arms. It's them or absolute loneliness you see.

The more unstable Yanderes who need constant reassurance and are suffocatingly clingy and overprotective are Anna, Rubin and Oyun probably. Rubin will set himself on fire just to keep you warm and is the biggest drama king when it comes to seeing you get close to anyone else, he gets all mopy and extremely sad until you have no choice but to leave the person and comfort him.

Alexander Saburov and Alexander Block are both on the self-aware type. They're very aware of how wrong their feelings and extreme urges are. How you don't belong to them and they try desperately to resist the temptation but god you're just so sweet what if something bad happens to you? what if someone else whisks you away? They can't have that. They control themselves 90% of the time and are the best at keeping their real intentions hidden while they show you a calm facade.

Katerina feels the most prone to jealousy and spite.

Daniil the most passive aggressive. He tries to stick to his morality compass and have plausible deniability. Like he justifies his actions and urges by any means necessary to prove he is in the right and you're overreacting actually.

Artemy would start as self-aware but slowly give in to his heart's desire because it feels right so it must be right.

Do tell me your thoughts and ideas about yandere pathologic 👀 I'm curious and dying to talk about the great potential oh my god Yandere Aspity my beloved

-

If you ever get P1, wait until it's on sale. I got it for like 2$ from fanatical during a random sale? It's so much easier than P2 and the writing is funnier and less serious at a lot of times.

I do enjoy our talks <3 I'm happy whenever you're here.

[livebloggingmydescentintomadness]

(ask from an anon who requested that their full message about an elderly man who has repeatedly broken their boundaries not be published. before anyone worries too much, anon is middle-aged, not a minor.)

hi there, sweetie, please don’t worry about making me uncomfortable, it’s totally fine. i have given a lot of advice in the past, and it’s not that i don’t anymore, i just haven’t had the mental energy in the last year or two that i used to have, so i’ve fallen behind in most of my asks. so this probably won’t be as long a reply as i would have given a few years ago, but that’s due solely to my available spoons and not because of you at all.

in short, i don’t think you’ve done anything wrong at all, hon. you’ve been remarkably polite and compassionate, in fact, while this man just keeps ignoring and willfully breaking your boundaries - quite frankly, i think he’s very nearly reached the point of stalking you.

it’s very kind of you to give him the benefit of the doubt, but your feelings and your comfort matters too, and this man is unhealthily fixated on you. he should be seeking this attention from peers his own age and/or his own family, not someone who has expressed discomfort at his behavior. maybe - and that’s a big maybe - his motives truly are innocent, but his behavior has 100% reached the level of “really fucking creepy”.

if he doesn’t stop and keeps trying to find ways to contact you, i think it’s reached the point where you need to tell your parents. i know you don’t want to worry them, but when he tried to use the post office to trick you into giving up your new address, he crossed a BIG line. like, that sounds illegal to me. that sounds like he’s obsessed with you, and i don’t know if he’s so elderly that he could actually be dangerous, but i think you should consider the possibility. that’s something your family deserves to be aware of.

it’s makes complete sense that you’re upset about this, sweetie. if he was a few decades younger, you wouldn’t hesitate to feel afraid of and creeped out by him, but his age makes you feel like you have to be respectful and compassionate towards him. those conflicting feelings make for a lot of anxiety.

if it helps, you have my permission to be creeped out, upset, even afraid. if he has the mental capacity to trick a postman into trying to get your address, he has the mental capacity to understand that you’ve said no. just because he’s old doesn’t mean he’s innocent, or incapable of knowing right from wrong. what he’s done is wrong, and being old doesn’t excuse that.

please consider talking to your parents, hon, and do whatever you need to do to protect yourself and your boundaries, take care of yourself, dear.

[applesandbannas747]

Wait, I'm confused... do you like the Fence novels or no? Because your first review sounded positive and happy with the fun humor, and then every other thing I've seen from you about them is most pointing out the (very prominent, very not-good) flaws with them.

fair question! I had a Journey with the Fence novels and it was hellish. First, please keep in mind that I am unhealthily fixated on Fence and that does impact things all along the way.

When Striking Distance was announced, I was as excited as anyone, though wary because Pacat was handing it off to someone else to write. Still, I was hopeful--and more hopeful after reading In Other Lands because, despite the disturbing sexism that squicked me tf out, I really enjoyed that book! And so I was very eager to get my hands on Striking Distance. So I went on an absolute quest to get an ARC...and I did! It took a lot of dead ends and desperate tries, but remember that I'm insane. So I got my hands on an advanced copy by emailing the editor assigned to the book (who has since left the position). And as is custom with ARCs, he asked me to send my review when it went live.

Reading Striking Distance was such an experience dude. I wanted to love it as much as I loved the comics--remember that at this point, we only had up to issue 12 and the characterization therein. I love the OG 12 issues, and they'll always hold more sway in my understanding of the characters, but when reading SD, it was very clear that I'd read the entire comic completely fucking wrong. Remember my unhealthy obsession? Yeah. Trying to come to terms with Fence being something so opposite of everything I really loved about it and the fact that my reading of it was so wrong was really hard--like mental breakdowns level of hard. I wish I was joking. But I tried to force myself to love the reality of Fence anyway, despite kind of hating the novel, which I absolutely would not admit to myself because disliking any part of Fence felt like SUCH a betrayal to it, and I really really really didn't want to hate the characters I'd spent so much time bringing to life in my mind, because selfishly I didn't want to have to divorce my idea of the characters from canon, I just wanted to be able to love the canon characters and add onto them a little the way I'd been able to with the comics up until that point. So especially right after reading Striking Distance, I was insistent on liking it, and even as I slowly started to acknowledge that there were parts of it that made me want to scratch off my skin they made me so uncomfortable (see: the steak scene), I was really hell-bent on understating my dislike/criticism of it.

So when I went to write my review for Striking Distance to send to the really nice editor who sent me the ARC, I didn't want to betray Fence, I hadn't really processed my issues with it (and was--and honestly still am to an extent--worried that I was just being an entitled baby because my stupid fanfictions/interpretations were so fucking wrong), I didn't want to upset or hurt the feelings of the man who did me this HUGE favor, and because I wanted a chance to get an early copy of a possible sequel (because hating the novels didn't lesson my Need for early access to them. i know I'm unwell about fence jdhfa), I pulled out all the nicest thoughts I had about Striking Distance, exaggerated them and stretched them and sugar-coated everything else to provide a review that was nice and non-hostile.

Obviously, the longer I sat with Striking Distance and processed some things about it and about me, the more I started picking apart all the aspects that I hated and found I was able to produce reasons for each piece I disliked and was also able to pinpoint in the OG comics where I got all the pieces of the stories and characters I loved. So I did have to divorce my idea of Fence from canon if I wanted to keep loving Fence. And when I decided to keep loving Fence for all the reasons I used to instead of feel sick looking at/thinking about the franchise and characters, I was sort of free of the things holding me back from speaking about the things I didn't like, and so I started to analyze and essay and post about the novels and my untangled, truthful thoughts about them.

So I don't like the novels--there are maybe 3-4 things total that passed the vibe-check for me in both novels. I never liked the novels, and I lied about liking Striking Distance...but I was lying to myself about that one as much as anyone. And I haven't changed that review because, at the time, that was where my feelings were about it. So up it stays.

Here’s my fun little list of some of the places I've explained my dislike of the novels if you're curious, but yeah these are the real thoughts, the SD review was a carefully crafted lie <3

My full review of Disarmed

Autism representation in Seiji

Seiji in general

Eugene

Eugesse as a concept in Disarmed

Eugesse interactions in Disarmed

Nick's bisexuality

Coach Williams and sexual harassment

[finalyaksha]

Xiaoqing Analysis - Xiao’s “Obsession” with Keqing

Lantern Rite will be upon us soon, meaning it’s also nearing the Official Unofficial Xiaoqing Holiday Season. Happy Lantern Rite, Xiaoqing Shippers! May we be blessed with something we can squint at and interpret as additional crumbs in the same vein that “You are fierce with your blade” gave us last year.

Even though I’m forever going to associate Xiaoqing as the Lantern Rite ship, it’s still a pretty rare pairing. So, since brain rot season is here, it’s inevitable that the question will be asked: “why do you ship them?”

So, I decided to start a series that no one asked for where I essentially address questions people may have about Xiaoqing as a ship. Or just talk a little bit about it if you’re new to the pairing, curious about the dynamics, or that I can honestly just link to every time I have to explain why I’m so unhealthily obsessed with them.

Disclaimer: This is just my view of certain aspects of the ship. Even though Xiaoqing shippers share 99% of the same braincells, we still have interpretations that differ, so just because I feel this way about it, doesn’t mean all shippers do.

~~~

I decided to start with something that happens to come up every so often when talking about Xiao ships, which is Xiao’s characterization in some pairings. Apparently, it’s very popular to portray him as being “obsessed with” or “yandere” for whoever he’s being shipped with, which most people would consider a pretty big mischaracterization.

In general, I don’t really like when characters feel uncharacteristically obsessed with another character. It usually feels out of place if that’s not a major or blatant trait of the character. But I can get behind it if there’s some basis behind it.

Bluntly put, in terms of Xiaoqing, I think Xiao would absolutely become obsessed with Keqing at the start of their relationship. Almost to an unhealthy degree, if not actually just flat out unhealthy.

The way I interpret him, Xiao is an emotionally deprived, touch-starved character, who has spent 2,000 years not interacting with almost anyone. Not humans, not his fellow Adepti, no one. He has never been able to love anyone, and he’s never been loved by anyone.  That all changes when he and Keqing get together and he realizes that he is capable of achieving what he previously thought he couldn’t.

Once he is not only accepted by Keqing, but he realizes his feeling for her are reciprocated, it’s completely believable that he would reorder his entire life around Keqing. It’s mentioned in the Developer Insights that Xiao is much gentler than he shows himself to be, and I would argue his birthday letters further show him as the romantic type. I believe that Xiao has always wanted to show this side of himself, but has never had the opportunity prior to his relationship with Keqing. She is the one who showed him that he could love someone, make someone happy, and have a purpose outside of dedicating his life to the slaughter. 

Most of all, she is a mortal. And a wealthy one at that. She should honestly want nothing to do with him, and yet returns his love for her and accepts him despite him lacking wealth, his karma, and the danger he presents to her. She gives him access to her home, which becomes their home. The first place he could ever truly call home. A bed where he’s allowed to hold her and she tells him it’s the safest she’s ever felt. For him to be told that he makes someone not feel threatened, but safe, is the pinnacle of the resulting infatuation. There is every reason in the world for him to become obsessed with her, and I think it aligns with his lore in a way that isn’t out of character. I can 100% see him pining for her when she’s away at work, spending every hour waiting for her to come home. Not wanted to let go of her when she does get home. Wanting her to feel as loved and safe as she makes him feel.

The thing with Xiaoqing is, Keqing is not in support of Xiao putting her on a pedestal in such a manner. She is outright against it, knowing that it is only going to result in Xiao falling into an irreversible depression once Keqing eventually dies. On top of that, Keqing is and has always been very independent and isn’t used to the idea that she should be given as much attention as Xiao wants to. She is almost unnerved by the fact that Xiao is so fixated on her. Xiao is obviously aware of this and even more at odds with himself because he wants her to have her “me time” while also struggling to be apart from her. Xiao’s obsession is constantly combated by the very person he is so obsessed with.

So, given that Xiao would never deny the fact that his life would essentially come to an end without her (regardless of how long he lives, he would never be the same after Keqing’s death), Keqing strives to get him to find hobbies and interests outside of her, like art. To form friendships with others that he can confide in when Keqing isn’t around, like Hu Tao and Kazuha (I’ll elaborate on Kazuha specifically if anyone wants me to). She works tirelessly to find things for Xiao to find joy in so he doesn’t become a mere shell of himself after her death.

With that all said, I don’t think it’s a mischaracterization to believe that Xiao would become obsessed with Keqing considering the fact that it would essentially be an entirely new world for him in realizing that he is finally able to be gentle with and to love someone who doesn’t push him away because of his past. He would do everything in his power to maintain that relationship with her. Even at the cost of his own happiness, he would do whatever he thinks he needs to in order to keep Keqing satisfied with him.

However, Xiao is not a yandere, and would not just go around slaughtering anyone who gets near Keqing out of jealousy or a desire to keep her to himself. On the contrary, Xiao thinks he’s so worthless compared to wealthy, mortal men that lack the emotional baggage that he carries, he is more than willing to give Keqing up the second he believes someone better for her comes along. He loves her to an unhealthy degree, but believes that she deserves the person who can provide the world for her. Knowing that he could never do such a thing, he is always prepared for the day she decides to part ways with him. He would be devastated to accept it, but would do it just because of how much he loves her and wants to see her happy.

In essence, Xiao would absolutely have an unhealthy obsession with Keqing at first, but with her determination to shake him out of that, they would eventually reach some level of understanding that Keqing should not be placed on a pedestal. Nor should Xiao sacrifice his own potential happiness to constantly try to satisfy her. Xiao behaves this way as a result of 2000 years of repressed emotional connections with other people. While Keqing has always been independent and isn’t used to the hyper-obsessive attention Xiao would want to give her. Still, she also doesn’t want to push him away, as she obviously loves him back just as much. They’d eventually reach a middle ground of sorts where Keqing is able to accept when Xiao wants to do things for her out of the love he’s never been able to share with anyone. While Xiao is not quite as dependent on Keqing for his personal happiness and learns that he is allowed to have his own life, dreams, and desires that are not limited to his relationship with Keqing.

They’re both very stubborn people and have trouble accepting care from others. Part of the Xiaoqing dynamic is moving towards that acceptance and learning how to let themselves be loved and cared for just as much as they desire to show love to each other, and finding a good balance between giving and receiving.

~~

Xiaoqing Analysis

Why Xiaoqing

Genus Invokation TCG

[totallyynotmxxa]

Lavender watched as her favorite yandere character, Ayano, was revealed to never be able to get her senpai-because he just didn't love her, and he never would-no matter what.

'WHAT??'

"That's so fucking stupid! That's always how these end!" Lavender yelled in outrage.

Lavender should have known better than to become unhealthily invested in this game/mini shorts series she found through youtube game creators. It always ended badly for her emotionally.

Lavender spent the next few hours scouring all of the internet websites she could find for Ayano x reciprocating reader. She even put in a wide variation of wording, like 'willing reader', 'yandere reader', 'loving reader', and even 'psychopathic reader'.

See, Lavender has a slight problem, really just a small little problem(barely even a problem!), where she needs to feel obsessively and possessively for someone(anyone worth feeling anything over), and once she starts to feel this way, she needs them to feel the same.

Of course, most of the time(all of the time, who was she kidding here?), people didn't reciprocate. Obviously she left them alone once it was made clear they didn't feel the same way, she was way too aware of others' feelings to try and force anything on someone. She knows that's shitty, and she would never do that to anyone.

Unfortunately, she had an obsession with being wanted and obsessed over in such a possessive way.

And the only way she was able to fulfill her needs(seeing as her step-mom had failed to get her a therapist and she could never go to anyone else for one), was through fictional characters.

And Ayano was her all time favorite right now.

"If only I could be Ayano's beloved..." Lavender was desperate, having failed at shifting to the more safe worlds she knew she could handle(or any place, really), and wasn't exactly attached to anything in her world.

And that was what allowed her to be chosen for the lottery done by the gods, when she prayed that night, to be given a chance to be with someone who would love her the way she loved and wanted to be loved.

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

*beep* *beep* *beeeep* *beee-* "ugh!" Her hand searched for the alarm and shut it off, seeing that it was on her clock on her dresser instead of on her phone.

'Weird' She thought, 'I haven't used that alarm since the first time, right after I got it.'

She looked around, noticing that her room was much cleaner than usual, but not any different aside from that. '...' She looked more closely at her walls and surroundings. 'Very weird.'

She got up to take a closer look at her room, inspecting the differences.

Now that she had gotten a closer look, the stains that she had gotten onto her walls were gone as well..

And the small holes and bumps and ridges that made her room feel more lived in.

She got goosebumps on the back of her neck and arms.

She made her way to her dressers, scared and excited and ready to pass out all at once.

Her clothes were the same.

Her closet.

Her closet had multiple copies of a uniform she certainly didn't own nor need, but that she recognized immediately.

'No way.'

She made her way to the nearest bathroom (her bathroom), and opened the door slowly, pace picking up (in fear or exhilaration, she had no clue.)

Looking back at her in the mirror, a face so familiar yet not, was a better looking version of her.

Her breath stopped, eyes widening.

The person in the mirror had no acne, her hair was pink (soft pink), and much longer.

Her lips were a rosy color, her cheeks similarly tinted.

Her eyes were still brown, but she had always loved how unapproachable they made her seem.

Everything else was how she had always pictured would make her much better looking.

Her tan skin contrasted nicely with her hair and lips, and her clear skin filled her with a rush of confidence.

She reached to feel her still curly hair, feeling that it was much more soft and smooth.

Looking in the mirror, she saw the Lavender she always wanted to be, and thanked whatever god or goddess did such a thing.

Lavender was herself, but now she was even more than that.

She was confident and scheming, and that was dangerous.

The poor souls who got mixed up in Lavender's schemes wailed and kicked and screamed from the afterlife, cursing Lavender and whatever higher being decided to let her live in this world, or any world.

[boypussydilf]

vague rambling abt alternate ideas, parts that weren’t bad but could’ve been better, stuff i was imagining would happen that didn’t, stuff that doesn’t necessarily need to happen it just makes me happy, etc. everyone come visualize a better finale with me

better resolution for fionna and cake both individually and as a unit… feels like there should’ve been more abt their conflict abt whether their universe should be magic again or not, but also i dont actually know what to do with that. i think a lot of stuff should be rearranged for the sake of giving them more of a Choice - like, i mean, like they say it’s not just their choice to decide what happens to their world for everyone, but what Does happen isn’t because of a decision anyone made. control gets handed over to them but just bc simon. got a way to do that dropped into his lap. it’s really not bad but it just could have been stronger. let fionna and cake (and probably their friends) DO something, take some sort of action or make some sort of choice, that contributes to control of their universe getting put into their hands, instead of it being related to circumstances that have nothing to do with them

addressing fionna’s discontent with her life and why she can be happier in her world now… like to some extent her acting like she hates everything in her city is just, exaggeration bc she’s irritated, but like. she was also depressed. and it’s weird to go. well she got the best of both worlds and now she is fine. what’s fionnaworld like now? what’s different? Like is she still living under capitalism or

jay and LD showing up and then just deciding to stay there is weird sorry. peppermint tank and baby finn can stay i guess, they have nowhere and no one else, but i’d rather see jay & LD like. staying with their families. and maybe trying to put some good into their own world. instead of just abandoning it

so much with simon needs to be different it was so so surface level. get into his feelings More but without it being so Blatant and Straightforward

like maybe instead of just bodysnatching shermy. simon gets sent to a bunch of different times in his own history. just watches them play out? actually interacts w them? idk not sure. but we could see and express a lot of different stuff. get some of the idea of “betty and simon weren’t giving things up equally” across with something like, a scene w betty and babette talking about bettys relationship w simon where babette is trying to be the voice of reason and bettys too busy being in love. show her giving up things she really wanted. show her relationship from her perspective, or from a more objective one.

and we could also see more of simon’s past. and Get Into His Issues Like That! maybe what he was like before he met betty, maybe something from while he was with little marceline, maybe something from after he left marceline but hadnt totally lost his mind yet… idk exactly but stuff that can point to things like. simon’s self worth has been going downhill since long before CAWM! express the actual deeper reasons why he felt like his life had no worth instead of just acknowledging that he felt like that! show more of simon & betty’s relationship in general and actually see how 1. they were genuinely happy and loved each other so much and at the same time 2. BOTH of them. were in their own unique ways. unhealthily obsessed and enabling each other’s flaws

make simon look at ice king in action to reinforce how terrible that was for him. and how he doesn’t want to see anything ice king does even though he’s still determined to become ice king again. this is what you want? you can’t even look at this and yet you want to become it?

make simon see ANY moment with marceline, probably marceline sometime within the events of AT idk, that shows how important he is to her as a person, how much she cares about him and how much she missed him

maybe other stuff too idk im just spitballing. he could see other people talking about him/being affected by him, he could see magic betty……

OR we could keep the casper & nova stuff and just rearrange it a little bit bc tbh i liked it in concept but its not quiiiite executed right. maybe getting the similarity to simon & betty across a little more subtly, definitely showing a lilllll more of the actual process of simon picking casper’s options every single time. just execute it a little differently and itd be Fine but i think i do like my idea of simon getting fucking, like, christmas carol’d better. yeah actually i take that back the casper & nova thing is neat but it only gives us an avenue to address One Specific Issue. cut that out and replace it with simon petrikov mind journey to figure out thinfs like “his relationship with betty was not really healthy” and “he is important and has worth” by Seeing Examples, either seeinf momenrs he didn’t witness himself or seeinf stuff that happened to him from a new perspective

once i have slept and my brain works and makes sense again i am so making a list of all the things the finale couldve done better and stuff i think wouldve worked better narratively. and turn it into a post. if we’re really lucky ill make a banger alternate ending fix it fic but either way. i need a different ending i can imagine happened bc that one. i dont think it worked.

[kuroshika]

the idea of hannibal continuing to cannibalize people after his younger sister is something i think about a lot. i like to think that it's out of honor - mischa was just a little girl. she was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, and she was such a sweetheart. and she was just taken from him, in front of his eyes. just think about it.

he was eight years old. his parents had just been killed, and he and his younger sister abducted. he watched his captors murder and eat his little sister, then feed some of her remains to him.

so why would he keep doing it? wouldn't that be a disgrace to her memory?

i think his way of honoring her memory is by doing it willingly. by killing and eating those he finds rude or unworthy of the life they'd been given, he's avenging mischa's death. taking from the people who don't deserve it to avenge someone who had their whole life ahead of them.

that's why, i think, he's torn between wanting will alive and wanting to eat him.

mischa was one of the few people in hannibal's life who knew him inside and out. he let her see him, know him, and she was lost to him. he'd honored her body, in the least, by eating her.

when bedelia says "could he daily feel a stab of hunger for you, and feel nourishment at the sight of you?" i think that ties in here.

he's fighting with himself. he wants to honor will the same way he honored mischa - not because he doesn't deserve the life he has, but because hannibal thinks the world isn't worthy of having him. he hungers for will because he wants to honor him - he wants to honor his god. he feels that hunger whenever he sees him, that's the "daily stab of hunger". but "having nourishment at the sight of you" means that hannibal is sated by seeing that he's still alive, still fighting - the visage he never got for his little sister. he aches to honor will, to protect him, but has his hunger curbed by the knowledge that will is still alive.

and when he realizes how attached he is to will, after bedelia tells him he's unhealthily obsessed, that's why his response is "i have to eat him". because he won't survive the loss of will, and being so close to him is already a strain on his self control. he let will see him, know him, and now that obsession comes with a certain sense of fear - what if he fails to keep will safe? what if his involvement in his life leads to his death? that's why he's so desperate to alienate him at first - remove any threats that will may surround himself with so that hannibal can keep him safe. and not even that works. so then he moves on to murder - bedelia, tobias, abigail - anyone who poses a threat to keeping will alive and safe. still doesn't work. when that doesn't work, he opts to get him arrested - to forcibly make sure that no harm can befall him. no result.

so then he turns to getting himself locked up. in removing himself from will's life, he assuages the chances of damage being done, and lessens the possibility of losing him. that's why he says "i wanted you to know where i was, and what i was doing", because he wanted will to understand that this decision was for will's sake, not his own.

and it doesn't work, because will comes back for him.

"can't live with him, can't live without him". can't live with him because there's always the underlying urge to devour him, to carve a place inside of hannibal for him. can't live without him, because will's loss would be the tipping point for hannibal's restraint.

"i feel like i've dragged you into my world" - "i got here on my own" can also be a pretty solid quote for hannibal accepting that he's let all of this madness into his carefully crafted life all for will. he let himself grow close to will, and is content in reaping the consequences of his actions.

@lesbian-hannibal @craqueluring