#I would like an entirely new VA…

[lpsgirl109]

Im actually never forgiving Descendants: The Royal Wedding for being all silly goofy happy cartoon and then out of fucking NOWHERE just dropping "I really miss Carlos guys" HEY DISNEY WHAT THE FUCK IS YOUR PROBLEM

[trans-leek-cookie]

I think the Kirby series deserves another anime, but I struggle to identify what exactly I'd want from a new adaptation. The original is what it is, y'know, I don't feel too strongly like it committed any egregious sins against the franchise. Dedede's characterization... I get the need for a Typical Villain and I don't think there were many good characters (then or now) to get for the mix of Comical and Reliable you need for a serialized show (the way Bowser, Eggman, or Team Rocket worked for their series). It's definitely sad to see him have such a wildly different character that weighs him down the way it does, but I can't think of an Easy Fix. And that doesn't even touch on the way Game Dream/Pupupuland and Anime Dream/Pupupuland differ in their setting, or the way any dub would have to find a way to Exist when people are gonna compare it to the 4Kids dub. Love it or hate it, it was Something, and any dub would have to choose if it wanted to take inspiration or go its own way (both with their own risks). And then you contend with the existence of the anime original characters.

Honestly, I'd probably say my ideal pick would be a Remake (I guess in the vein of Adventure/Nightmare in Dreamland or Return To Dreamland/Deluxe type of update?) Keep the basic characters and story roughly the same, probably tweak the setting so it's a bit more game like, and focus on something that feels similar but takes account of the general series progression and works with that (even if not everything in the game gets adapted, at least picking and choosing from what the games offer)

[shikan0in-heizou]

i finally made it to the sumeru archon quests and i!!! am excited!!!

[ironunderstands]

The way some of yall mischaracterize Ratio as being stoic in chill when in reality he is 24/7 resisting the urge to rip everyone around him a new one is crazy to me like. He cares so much, so much. It’s unhealthy, he loses the idgaf war every time because Ratio is the least nonchalant person ever like

He was this close to breaking character and throttling Sunday like you cannot tell me he wasn’t planning a murder in this scene. Ratio straight up calls Sunday a crazy bitch but everyone brushed it aside 😭

Honestly his entire conversation with Screwllum is just him tweaking, watch it on YouTube the VAs performance is amazing, you can here just how much He Cares

Genuinely, Aventurine is way better at concealing his true feelings that Ratio. Ratio may be acting for the sake of the plan but the way he truly feels about anything he’s doing always seeps through, it’s why he apologizes to Aventurine in 2.0 in their staged argument scene. It’s why he is as mean to Sunday as he can be. It’s why him pretending that he “hates” Aventurine makes him act so silly. Ratio can’t fully commit to the bit, he can’t force himself to not care or to be someone he isn’t, because fundamentally Ratio CARES and that is something he is incapable of hiding, alabaster bust or not.

The problem is that him expressing his care is often done in a rude and/or blunt manner which people tend to interpret as stoicism or apathy when it’s anything but. Ratio’s vial that he gives to Aventurine is short, sweet and gets straight to the point, because that’s the easiest way for Ratio to express his emotions, even if it’s often detrimental for him and anyone else around him. However Aventurine understands him quite well, and knows that although brief, Ratio telling him to “stay alive, survive this and keep on living” is how he truly feels towards Aventurine, and that’s enough to keep him going.

Underneath Ratios carefully crafted marble facade is a man who cares so much and is so bad at expressing it and I wish the community in general, especially Aventio shippers would acknowledge that more. Ratios true moments of sincerity are brief, but they are anything but stoic. Let the man be soft, it’s in character.

[midnightostara]

As patch 8 is going to be released, we are going to see new features and changes.

The declaration of an end of an era.

But Larian Studios still won’t give Wyll any content.

Larian knows people want Wyll to have more content they have seen comments from them but they’re actively ignoring them while liking people’s demands of having a Gortash romance.

Before anyone says “complaining won’t do anything”, it does anything.

For examples:

• Ascended!Astarion fans complaining about their Tav being afraid when Astarion kisses them. Larian changed Ascended!Astarion’s kiss to have Tav smiling after being treated like they were nothing.

Basically Larian threw out the whole entire point that Astarion is continuing the cycle of abuse that Cazador placed him through. Because they wanted to placate the Ascended!Astarion fans.

• Fans complaining about how Lae’zel is “too mean” when you first meet her after escaping the ship. Larian changed that to have her a bit nicer.

If there’s more let me know.

Larian has shown time and time again how little they care about Wyll and his story, heck! He’s the most integral piece of the story since he’s literally the son of Uldr Ravenguard, the grand Duke of Baldur’s Gate, but they don’t bother to give him content or fix the bugs that he has.

They don’t even bother to give Wyll a page that talks about him only without putting Mizora in it. Just put his enslaver with him instead of giving him his own page.

Larian can do better and they should be actively better but they chose not to do better since they would rather listen to other fans instead of Wyll fans that want him to have more content.

I honestly feel bad for Theo Solomon, Wyll’s VA, for getting the short hand of not getting anymore voice lines or content for Wyll, because Larian gave up on Wyll. He does an amazing job as Wyll and he’s entirely a sweet guy.

[ronearoundblindly]

Lease

best-friend!roommate!reader x Steve Rogers

*This was a totally random and spontaneous idea. Not edited. Light language (so we can get *the joke*), pining, light angst, hurt/comfort, and fluff. This work is for all ages! WC ~2k

Sam Wilson introduces you. Both your parents were veterans and active at the VA, so you practically grew up there.

At first, you’re reserved, a little formal, but very nice. Oddly enough, Steve just likes that you don’t hound him with questions about his military service and how it was different based on the decade, etc. You are just…around to listen.

He finds himself filling any (comfortable) silence between you with stories. Stupid things. Things that don’t have to do with the VA or his past or even his present, which is entirely work as Captain America.

Steve gets to a point where he is itching to live off of Avengers Campus, but he doesn’t want to live alone.

One day he finds you hunched over a laptop and grumbling, “why is everything so fucking expensive?”

A sentiment which, of course, he frowns at.

“Sorry,” you shrug, a look of sincere apology on your distraught face. “I didn’t realize it, but apparently, I’m poor with my measly three-thousand-dollar-a-month budget for an apartment. Now I have to find a roommate, and—“ you start wagging a finger at him sarcastically “—I don’t know if you’ve noticed there’re some real weirdos out there. It’ll take me longer to find a safe, stable roomie than it takes to—“

“I can move in with you.”

Steve almost gasps at how fast the words fly out of his mouth.

“Well, not ‘move in’ to your current place. I mean. I can—I would be willing to live with you. Sorry! That sounds bad. You’re not bad. I meant…you know, anytime you want to chime in and stop me would be helpful.”

You remain silent and smirking.

“Right. Okay. So…think about it? Or not, that’s fine.”

“Let’s talk figures, Rogers. The square-footage just doubled, and I need to rework the budget.”

Moving in is shockingly uneventful. You’re easy to get along with, when not suddenly up on your high horse about something, and Steve is easy to get along with under the same circumstances. You push his militant rigidity to the brink on purpose, but never too far.

Things sit out in the wrong place, but it’s never dirty. Stuff doesn’t always get returned promptly, but if he asks, you’re on it.

There are two bathrooms, thank mercy.

He has random and odd hours. You work nine to five, mostly. It’s the perfect level of independence without loneliness for Steve.

Sam and Natasha stop by regularly or ask you both out for drinks or to fun, new places.

One time, when Nat is ribbing Steve to go talk to a cute girl ordering at the bar, he panics and takes your hand in his on the tabletop.

“How can I do that when my date is right here?” he grits playfully through his pearly white teeth. “Leave it alone.”

Each word is punctuated by a shift forward and a slight tilt of his head.

Natasha is unamused and instantly grabs your other hand (which was holding your drink) to pull you toward the dance floor.

It’s awkward for multiple reasons. You’d pay a whole month’s rent to know what Sam and Steve talked about after you left.

Sam takes a different approach, luring—or attempting to lure—Steve into setting up just one dating profile online.

“You don’t have to put photos,” Sam assures, “and you can stick with your first name only. I swear to you, man, this’ll be good for you. Get you out there more. Help me out here, Tagalong!”

He turns to you for support. To be fair, you did quite literally tag along with your parents for years to the VA, and it stuck. Why it sticks as a grown-ass adult? You’ll never know. You just don’t mind Sam Wilson saying it because he means well and never uses it in public.

“Uh, nooooo.”

Sam’s face falls. “What?”

You look at Steve and grimace, clicking your tongue. “He’s not ready for that,” you conclude.

Steve jumps out of the chair, arms wide with victory.

“THAT’S WHAT I’VE BEEN SAYING!”

“I know you told her to say that,” Sam shouts back.

“Did not,” Steve barks.

“He did not.” You lean against your bedroom doorframe. “I just think it’s obvious.”

That makes Steve deflate a little. “Wait, but…I’m not that bad.”

“Oh gosh,” you fake with a huge smile, “look at the time! Gotta be off to bed…”

The men keep fighting albeit muffled from your side of the wall. The only part you can make out before giving them privacy is Sam, whining, “but you actually like bubble baths and walks on the beach, dude. You’re gonna be money on there.”

“Hey, why do you not, ya know, date?”

You look up from your breakfast, stunned because that came out of nowhere. You’ve lived together over six months now, and Steve hasn’t asked for one iota of personal—well, romantically personal—information.

Twiddling your fork around, you think.

“I always imagine what my parents would think of him, any guy I’ve ever considered being with longterm, and…I was just never proud to say ‘here, here’s the one,’ I guess.”

Your parents have been gone for years. You value their opinion anyway.

“Mhm,” Steve hums, “the one?”

You take a bite of food, straightening your back, tossing a dismissive hand in the air. “Yeah, if you believe in that sort of thing.”

He’s quiet for a while.

“So you’re waiting for the right partner?” Steve finally mutters, and he watches your noncommittal gesturing intently.

That was a ‘yes.’

Natasha knows. Sam knows. Steve suspects but won’t admit to anything. You are kind and unreadable.

You’ve always been kind, so there’s no discernible difference to signal you have feelings for him in return. He can’t bring himself to be anything less than a gentleman at home and makes absolutely no moves to find out.

He stays out in the living room a lot more, all hours, hoping you’ll mention staying in for a movie, praying you’ll be tired enough to fall asleep on his lap on the couch.

He’s in way too deep.

What Steve suspects is that it would be too awkward to start anything while living together, but he doesn’t want to leave you in the lurch for rent or a roommate. He also desperately doesn’t want to move out. The status quo is comfortable.

He loves being comfortable with you.

The stress of not telling you, while needing to make some sort of arrangements should telling you blow up in his face, starts to wear on him.

Steve is a pro at compartmentalizing his life, so it’s when he’s stuck at the apartment without any missions, a handful of meetings, and a team that all have lives for two long months that he cracks…in the least attractive way.

He’s messed up his sleep schedule with worry and playing innocent, and out of the not-so-blue, a horrible, vivid nightmare hits him. Steve isn’t even on the mattress anymore by the time he figures out there wasn’t carpet like this in Germany and the desk chair he grips is not a motorcycle.

“Rogers,” he hears. “Rogers, can you look at me?”

The dark room is somehow hollow and stifling all at once. His head turns slower than his brain tells it to.

Steve blinks.

“Do you know where you are?”

“Hey, sweets,” he husks from a dry throat. “What…”

“Can you tell me where this is?” You step closer and pry one of his hands off the mesh to cradle in yours. “Where are we, Rogers?”

“Home.” He swallows. “Our home.”

Your smile doesn’t reach your eyes, but you nod like he’s done well.

“Okay, Steve, I’m going to get you some water. If you want—“ your fingers smooth over the back of his hand, nudging the other to release the chair “—you can sit on the bed.”

You don’t leave. You don’t even get up from the floor.

He doesn’t notice he’s clutching your hands, shaking slightly until long seconds go by.

“Yeah. Okay.” Steve lets go, otherwise unmoving, contemplating how he ever thought the semi-rough industrial carpet felt the same as mud.

You carefully hand him the water and rub his back, using your nails to trace invisible patterns. He can’t remember what he was so scared of a minute ago. He only knows he’s sweating that empty kind of confused.

“What’s that supposed to do?” he asks absently.

You shrug. “Eh. Back scratches just feel good.”

Steve’s mind remains blank as he sips his water.

: We need to renew the lease soon. Like this week.

Steve has stalled as long as humanly possible; he is officially not being a gentleman now. He is a coward.

: Talk about it when I get home?

: Could you at least tell me if this is a hard NO on staying here or just some concerns/questions? : I don’t get why you’re being like this.

Steve gets it, but he hates it.

: I’ll be back tonight. Should I pick up food?

: ffs : Fine. Whatever you want.

Steve also hates when you’re mad at him…which has been happening more and more.

He’s been distant, he refuses to let Sam or Nat come around for fear they’ll play match-maker and ruin the whole thing, and he is about to ruin the whole thing anyway.

Because he is not smooth. Because he is not prepared. Because he’s built up this perfect and amazing, sweep-you-off-your-feet moment.

And he bungles it.

“Out with it,” you command, haughtily yanking your portion of food from the countertop beside him, heading for the dinette.

“I want to be with you,” he blurts.

“Thank god,” you sigh, settling in your spot. “So we’ll go down to the office and sign in the morning. I don’t want there to be an issue if you’re off to wherever for who-the-hell-knows how long on the date the thing expires.”

“No, I…” but Steve’s voice is too quiet.

“There’s only a tiny window where they’re open before I have to head to work, so let me physically sign first, right? Then I gotta go.”

“Sure,” he slurs.

“Steve?” You turn to see him staring down at his food. He’s still across the room. “Are you okay?”

“I said I—I meant that—“ he huffs out his breath and taps his fist on the counter “—I meant that I’m an idiot,” he finishes softly.

Approaching with that beautiful, open-hearted kindness that haunts his days and soothes his night, you cross to him, scratching his back just the way he’s grown to crave.

“Think you might be hangry,” you chuckle.

He cannot do this. Steve is hanging on by a thread until the graze of your hand slides down his forearm to take his plate, and he spins.

He’s thought about kissing you so many times, he mapped out the angles he’d have to hold himself at, how far he needs to lean to get to you, the care to take wrangling in his strength and sheer excitement.

Steve Rogers is good at planning, at least, this part.

Gentle pecks of his plush lips to yours leave gaps in contact that let you whimper, and he fears you stopping him. He presses, wrapping his arms around you and molding your bodies together. The linoleum of the kitchen floor makes sticky sounds beneath your shuffling feet, squeaking once you hit the adjacent wall.

The force of that knocks your frozen arms into his chest, and painfully, Steve relents to step away, but not far. He bites his bottom lip and tastes the balm from yours, his head tilted in shame but fiery eyes watching you from beneath long lashes.

“Oh,” you breathe out. “Oh…you meant…”

Steve’s tongue darts out hungrily.

“Yeah.”

[Main Masterlist; Light Masterlist; Ko-Fi]

They're soooo cute!!!!!!

[unsolicited-opinions]

I'm starting to think that a whole lot of US Jews don't understand why a crowd of tiki torch Nazis chanted "Jews will not replace us" in Charlottesville. It seems like a lot of US Jews don't yet understand how the anti-immigrant sentiment Trump used to recapture the presidency is a direct threat to US Jews.

If you don't know this yet, please read the broad strokes below:

1. Like a certain Austrian in the 20th century, Trump saw both a disgruntled part of the electorate and their antipathy for non-white, non-Christian, foreign-born people. He capitalized on their xenophobia and feelings of abandonment by blaming foreigners, LGBTQ+ folks, and DEI for all the US's challenges.

He's used and amplified bigotry against already-marginalized people in order to ride his base's bigotry to power. All comparisons people make between this and how Hitler amplified and harnessed the power of antisemitism are entirely appropriate. It's demagoguery.

2. One of the existing, popular, xenophobic ideas on which Trump capitalized is a right-wing conspiracy theory usually called The Great Replacement.

It seems as though many US Jews do not realize that Jews are a huge part of this conspiracy theory.

Great Replacement, also known as white replacement theory or white genocide theory, claims there is an intentional effort, led by Jews, to promote mass non-white immigration, inter-racial marriage, and other efforts that would lead to the “extinction of whites.”

This conspiracy theory was famously promoted at the 2017 “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, VA, when white supremacists chanted, “Jews will not replace us.”

Right wing commentators have invoked the Great Replacement theory to say Democrats are “replacing” American citizens with illegal immigrants. Belief in the Great Replacement theory has been cited as motivation for recent terror attacks, including the 2018 Pittsburgh, PA, synagogue shooting at the Tree of Life, the 2019 El Paso, TX, and Christchurch, New Zealand, shootings, and the 2022 shooting in Buffalo, NY.

4. This isn't a theory limited to the far-right fringe. About half of US Republicans believe it.

It's been actively promoted on Fox "News" by Tucker Carlson and others.

This was the theory Elon Musk agreed with in a tweet, causing a mass exodus of advertisers from Twitter and prompting Musk's apology tour to Auschwitz with Ben Shapiro.

5. The anti-immigrant fervor, the mass deportation plans...? They're all tied up with Jews in the minds of the far-right base to whom Trump and his henchmen keep winking and dogwhistling. Trump has openly endorsed this conspiracy theory.

I see a lot of Jews online deciding to keep their heads down because they think Jews aren't the immediate target of this authoritarian and I'm gobsmacked by their ignorance of history and failure to pay attention to the rapid and violent increase in far-right antisemitic violence in recent years, driven by the very same Trump who they mistakenly believe is "good for the Jews."

Jews are being set up as scapegoats.

----

The irony is amazing, too. If you ask believers in the Great Replacement conspiracy theory for evidence of the Jewish plot to replace white people, they'll produce headlines about Jewish charitable organizations which seek to aid refugees:

The fact that Jews...care about refugees...is the proof of our sinister plot against white people.

[batmanisagatewaydrug]

no cause sorry for the rant but you're right it's such a pervasive sentiment not just with music but anything involving Black people and other poc that even around the time Batman: Unburied first came out when I looked at the tag one time I saw some apparently popular riddlebat fanartist's reply to an anon asking them if they'd draw fan art of the podcast's versions of Bruce and Ed and they seriously said they wouldn't ever do that because they never drew poc before and won't ever start to because they "wouldn't want to draw something racist". and it's baffling to me because they literally could just have googled photos of the VAs as reference for this. that's literally not even hard. but instead they just proudly declared they'd never draw poc ever and got support for this from multiple people in their notes...

they did say they'd use Hasan Minhaj's voice clips from the podcast for their own (white, ginger) version of the character though which congrats on making that even worse

no lichrally I've had it up to HERE with my fellow whites using their fear of being perceived as racist as a justification to??? just actually BE racist??? by refusing to engage meaningfully with the writing or art or critical thought of people of color, or even just doing something as harmless as drawing a Black Batman or Indian Riddler. like these clowns would really rather put their entire asses out there and admit they can't learn how to draw a person of color and don't want to and then pretend that's an act of allyship? shut your hell mouth. how the fuck is it that hard for you to draw a Black person without it being racist.

and it all like fundamentally boils down to this deeply held white refusal to engage even a little bit with our own discomfort; this avoidance was identified as a crucial tenant of white supremacy in a very cool workshop I participated in last year. we don't like having to think about things that make us uncomfortable! the idea of, say, having to potentially learn a few new skills to draw a wider variety of people or of potentially receiving negative feedback, maybe even being accused of being unintentionally racist—that makes a lot of us curl up in a miserable little ball and preemptively disengage, which is why you have people coming up with these elaborate hoops justify their choices. a lot of us might believe racism is wrong but still be too afraid of confronting or being confronted with their own biases to actually push our boundaries re: engaging with things outside our white experiences, so then because we're Definitely Not Racist we have to come up with justifications for why our refusal to engage is actually woke rather than just prioritizing our own white fragility.

anyway @ all my fellow white people get a grip and learn to be okay with the possibility of being told you fucked up.

[thesiltverses]

A very big thank you

I posted this on Patreon, but really wanted to share it here as well:

Post-show life begins

For a long while now I’ve been getting up at 4.30 or 5am, grabbing myself the first coffee of four, and then coming to sit at my desk.

I open up the assembly cut of the newest TSV episode.

I listen to it, I try and pin down which scenes I need to be going back over today. I try and push through the entire morning without a break because when the momentum stalls, that’s what kills your release schedule. (I also worry endlessly about just how much of my hair is falling out, and how spending 12 hours a day wearing headphones could be contributing to that.)

Today was different. I still woke up early - it’s a hard habit to shake off, and probably a useful one going forward. But I didn’t go to my desk, and I didn’t put my headphones on.

I went to the rocking chair we bought for our son when he comes, and I sat there - gently swaying and trying not to spill my coffee all over it, because for some reason it’s fucking beige - and looked out over the city skyline. 

I slugged back my coffee surrounded by all the stuff we’ve panic-bought for the baby, and I got to take all of it in - washcloths and the changing table and romper suits - with a sudden focus and a clarity and a rising excitement that I really hadn’t allowed myself to feel until today, because until today the work was still unfinished and there was still much left to be done.

All at once I felt very free, and fully sated, and happy and proud for everything that’s coming next.

There’s so much to feel grateful for from the past three years of working on this show. But what’s probably going to sit with me the most is being able to arrive at that moment and those feelings today, - and we have all of you incredible people to thank for that.

Not just in terms of listenership or financial support, although that’s been truly invaluable and a lifeline for us that’s enabled us to actually make the show - but also your enthusiasm, your passion, your jokes and comments and everything that’s helped to keep us motivated and working on it.

So - with as much feeling as words can convey, thank you so, so much for everything.

What’s coming next, in rough order

#1: Parentdom is going to take over our lives for a while! I also want to write the final Patreon episode commentaries in the next few days, while I have the time and the clear memories. #2: The next thing we’ll organise will be the post-season Q&A (we’d also like to do some kind of off-camera cast party if we can make schedules work, just to say thank you to our amazing VAs and celebrate with them). Please do ask us questions! #3: We have long-unfinished commitments to the Patreon which I need to complete: the last two episodes of So Long, Good Luck, and rounding off Sid Wright’s story. As ever, huge thank-yous for your patience with these; they’ve just been impossible to polish off while also working on the main show so much. #4: Something I’ve been thinking about for a long time is the possibility of going back to Season 1 and redesigning it from scratch to try and bring it closer in style to S2 and S3. We have the raw audio files - some of the mic quality will just be rough no matter what, but we can certainly try.  This is something I want to be conscientious and careful about; I very much want to respect the sound design work that’s already taken place, and ensure we’re not overriding anything. But I do know that the initial quality still sometimes puts new listeners off; we were learning a lot about direction and mastering from scratch, and our designers were working with limited budget and a total lack of plugins, so there’s simply a lot more we can achieve now. (This would also be a good opportunity for me to finally rework the transcripts, another fallen hurdle). #5: A few months back, we were contacted by a literary agent in NYC who was interested in us adapting the show into a series of novels. There’s a long road ahead to actually get published, but I'm thrilled to say that I have signed with them and I’m really excited to hopefully start work on the first book once I’ve settled into dad-dom. I’ll need to check what’s possible, but if it doesn’t interfere with any contract condition I’d obviously love to share excerpts on here as it’s written. #6: Then there’ll also be another larger audiodrama project - we’ve spoken about the different possibilities before! Excited to get started on our final choice.

Just one last word about endings

God, endings are scary. Because endings are impossible.

How many serialised stories actually end in a way that’s received unequivocally well?  People yelled at The Sopranos for its ambiguity and open-endedness. People criticised Breaking Bad for treating Walt too sympathetically at the end and relying on a generic mob of snarling Nazis to act as his final foe.

Endings are either too pat and neat, or too inconclusive to be satisfying, or too surreal and dreamlike, or they simply make what feels like the wrong choices for the characters we care about. We’re all caught in that barbed wire, creators and audience alike, weighed down by the baggage of what’s come before and we've already spent so much time anticipating the infinite possibilities of how it could all turn out - it’s like we can’t get free of the story that’s trying to end. 

And the beautiful thing about these longform, iterative works is that they insist upon becoming completely ungovernable. No matter how much of a planner the creator claims to be, how much prepwork they carry out - they were never really in control. There’s spontaneity and surprises and dead ends and beautiful distractions that come spilling out along the way (I was baffled and delighted to learn that people really - at the end of the show, with such limited time to spare - wanted to find out what had happened to Eddie*). 

So they can’t end. Not really. There’s too much wonderful mess in them to ever be reasonably disentangled.

And, of course, for every ending people remember with frustration or dissatisfaction, there’s another hundred endings that nobody remembers at all, because we lost our enthusiasm along the way and it feels better to keep going back to the start and avoiding the slow decline. (Who the fuck remembers how the umpteenth X-Files reboot ended? What increasingly tired post-modern antics was Alan Moore getting up to in the final League of Extraordinary Gentlemen books?). I really just didn’t want the show to end up in that latter category.

All of that probably sounds like I’m warding off criticism about the show's ending, but for me it’s actually been the opposite. 

For an ending which is all about narrative dissatisfaction, and failed potential and missed opportunities, and how we need to come to terms with the lack of existential fairness and certainty and narrative control in our lives and keep ploughing forward all the same for as long as we possibly can, I’m massively stunned at just how positive the reception has been on here and elsewhere, and that’s something I’m actively having to process, because I think I was fearfully anticipating much more pushback.

But, look - the Eskew finale was originally quite poorly-received and then people came back around to it over time. So I’m not going to pat myself on the back too hard, because maybe it’ll ultimately be the opposite with this show, and that’s OK. For 200 years everyone was convinced King Lear was improved by having everyone survive at the end and get married. Endings take time to settle into their final condition.

For now, I am incredibly relieved that the ending we chose seems to have landed for most people, and I’m incredibly grateful for the lovely messages we’ve got about it and for the trust in us that you’ve all shown throughout the story.

So, yeah, let’s end with another thank you, because that’s what I feel so deeply and so forcefully at this point.

Thank you so much again, and speak soon.

Jon

*My take? We’ve established that the guy is in some kind of blue-collar job and has been pushed into constant overtime due to the reduced workforce. We’ve seen that the so-called ‘national holiday’ doesn’t actually rescue workers from their commitments. So I personally imagine that Eddie was working during the parade somewhere on the city outskirts, and is alive and well.

[mrscarpenter]

“We were always meant to burn together.” 2

Summary: cant think of one without spoiling everything 🥲

Includes/warnings: hightower!reader, aegons twin. Y/N has been used on multiple occasions. There is an age gap in this (whatever daemons canon age is). Some high valyrian with translations, i am not fluent so ignore if it sucks.

🪐notes: its been a while since i’ve seen season 1 so please ignore any timeline mistakes. Daemyra does not exist in this. :)

Biggest thank you to my lovely hannah ( @just-some-random-blogger ) for beta-reading this <33

« “I am not going back to Oldtown with you, uncle.” »

« “Then where will you go?” »

« “i’ll be with rhaenyra.” »

Dragonstone ― Near the beaches...

Less than six months later, after the incident at Driftmark, a new act would rattle the court.

As per the ancient customs of House Targaryen, Daemon and his niece, you, had arranged a ceremony on the beaches of Dragonstone to perform a Valyrian rite, which was attended by Rhaenyra, her children, Jace, Luke, Joffrey, and Daemon’s children, Baela, and Rhaena, along with Rhaenyra's maester, Gerardys. 

The wedding ceremony was to be solemnized by a High Priest, who worshipped the Old Gods of Valyria, and was brought in by both Targaryen royals. However, due to the tragic event of the Doom that destroyed the Valyrian Freehold and their civilization, very little information or records remained about the long-forgotten religion, except that the Targaryen dragons were named after gods from the ancient pantheon worshipped throughout Old Valyria's vast empire. 

Their faith was practiced for thousands of years before being greatly diminished. It was a momentous occasion for the family, steeped in tradition and history, as they honored their heritage and celebrated the union of two of its members.

You, dressed in the traditional garments, looked back at everyone. This marriage was performed suddenly without the knowledge of your father, mother or siblings. They were not in attendance— a deep shame. You had hoped that they would be there to support you. 

You never wanted to be wed, you linked it with childbirth and after the late queen Aemma, and Daemon’s late wife, Laena; it scared you to no end. Your thoughts drift back to the day you and Daemon arrived at Dragonstone, and he had made the proposal. 

« “If you don't want Alicent to have any control over you anymore, you must wed me. A woman’s place is beside her husband. She couldn’t deny that.” »

« “I do not wish to be wed, Daemon— to sit around as a broodmare, my only purpose to produce heirs until I end like...” »

« " I know you are frightened, but I won't let anything happen to you.” »

Proceeding with the wedding, you and Daemon cut your hands and lips with dragonglass, mixed your blood in a ceremonial chalice, and marked Valyrian glyphs in blood on your foreheads.

"Hen lantoti ānogar. Va sȳndroti vāedroma.” Blood of two. Joined as one. the High Priest prayed in High Valyrian. "Mēro perzot gīhoti. Elēdroma iārza sīr. Izulī ampā perzī. Prūmī lanti sēteksi. Hen jenȳ māzīlarion. Qēlossa ozūndesi. Sȳndroro ōñō jēdo. Rȳ kīvia mazvestraksi.” Ghostly flame. And song of shadows. Two hearts as embers. Forged in fourteen fires. A future promised in glass. The stars stand witness. The vow spoken through time. Of darkness and light.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Red Keep ― Maegor's Holdfast...

"A perversion of justice," Larys commented. "The young Prince Aemond... defiled. An outrage."

"Indeed," Alicent replied. Since her father took control of her influence, the instructions were left relatively straightforward. Her position as Queen Consort was in dire jeopardy.

"If it's an eye you want to balance the scales, I am your servant."

"Don't bother. Even if Rhaenyra's bastards are mere pushovers, she and daemon are another matter entirely. So even if I wanted to, such actions would only bring further unnecessary trouble. But your devotion has not gone unnoticed."

"These are dangerous times."

"The day will doubtless come when House Hightower will require such a friend. With not only skill but discretion as well."

"I shall await your call, my queen. However..." Larys passed on a note. "It's come to my attention that a certain young princess has done the unthinkable, Your Grace."

Alicent raised a curious eyebrow and examined the note. Her eyes traced the handwriting intricately. When she finally realized what Larys's spies had uncovered, the queen couldn't help but gulp. "My sweet girl.." She turned to Larys. "Thank you for letting me know."

––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Dragonstone

After the wedding, there was no bedding ceremony. As much as daemon had wanted to bed you, he knew it was not something you wanted yet, still far to scared of your duties as wife. Only you two would know that secret, to anyone else you had consummated.

You had avoided daemon after that night, trying your hardest to not speak to him, or to avoid his presence altogether. Having never been close with him beforehand, you didn’t know what to talk to him about. If you weren’t being a wife, what else should you be doing? You did not know.

The small folk and the fishermen looked up in confusion as you passed them, it wasnt a usual occurrence that a Targaryen princess such as yourself, walked along the dusty beach of dragonstone, in a fancy dress no less. You had wanted to clear your mind, you told yourself. But subconsciously, it might have had something to do with the sightings of a dragon near the beach the past few days.

Daemon had assigned a personal guard to you, to keep you safe. If the guard reported back to him on your doings, you did not know. But if he did, it wasn’t obvious. “Princess, maybe we should turn back.” Ser Steffon spoke, gulping as he hears the screams of terror as a dragon is sighted flying towards the beach.

“If you want to return, you are welcome to do so Ser. I am staying.” Claiming a dragon wasnt the first thing that crossed your mind, you simply wanted to stay at the beach. And unlike the small folk, you were not terrified of dragons. But yet as the dragon flew over you, and the thought of claiming it did cross your mind, a small tingle of terror did run over your spine before you shook it off. You are a targaryen, this is your birthright. You tell yourself. Don’t be scared of what is owed to you.

You speed up to the flat lands where you saw the dragon land. You hadn’t seen what dragon it was, you had only hoped it was seasmoke, or any other dragon that wasn’t as scary, in your mind, as the wild ones.

After Aemond claimed vhagar, you were left the only Targaryen without a mount. It broke your heart when your dragon didn’t hatch in OldTown. Now that you had this opportunity in front of you, you weren’t gonna let it go to waste.

Ser Steffon, however scared, did not turn away, and instead followed you. Ofcourse his pleadings to turn back never stopped, and neither did his murmurs: “Prince Daemon is going to kill me.”

Now that you have the dragon in your full sight, you can finally see which one it is. You audibly gulp. “grey ghost.”, you whisper to yourself. It just had to be a wild dragon didn’t it?

You don’t let it deter you, slowly stepping closer. you were never taught High Valyrian in OldTown, you had only started learning with Rhaenyra when you first came to dragonstone. You hadn’t progressed far, so you tried your hardest to remember dragon commands. Lykirī, dohaerās, sōvēs, you recited over and over in your head as you stopped in front of Grey Ghost. He is a beautiful pale grey-white dragon, and if the stories were true, he blended in beautifully with the clouds.

It made sense that he was near the beach these past few days, according to the stories you had heard, Grey Ghost preferred fish.

“Beautiful”, you mumble to yourself, you were mesmerised.

“Princess! Please get away from that beast!”

You clench your jaw, “Dragons are not beasts, Ser Steffon, they are beautiful creatures. If you do not wish to be here, you are free to leave!” You yell at him over the wind.

You take small steps towards Grey Ghost, and he growls at you. “Lykirī, Grey Ghost, Dohaerās!”

You chant those two words over and over towards him, your hand held out as you step closer to his head. This is it, you think, this is the part where i get burned alive.

Eventually you step so close, your hand lands on his snout. “Kostilus” you whisper, please.

Grey Ghost turns his head away. You move towards the length of his body, praying to the seven you won’t get burned, or eaten.

You hear Ser Steffon running away, probably to fetch Daemon, or other guards. You dont know why, if this is when Grey Ghost decides to kill you, nobody would be able to stop it.

You slowly climb up, somewhat clumsily seeing as Grey Ghost has no saddle for you to climb up on, and you’re wearing a dress instead of the usual riding wear.

As you manoeuvre yourself on top, you settle down and let out a sigh of relief, It doesnt last long because you’re forced to lean forward and grab onto something, anything, as grey ghost moves. “Lykirī, Grey Ghost, sōvēs.”

With that, Grey Ghost takes off. Once in the sky, its hard for you to not panic. Not only is Grey Ghost very fast and very excited, you are also flying at a great height without a saddle, or reigns to hold onto.

You hear a loud roar and suddenly a red dragon flies beside you, caraxes. A smile blossoms onto your face as you follow the length of the blood wyrms body til your eyes land on your husband.

Daemon smiles at you, as he leans back in his saddle and spreads his arm wide. You’d do the same, but you are nowhere near as skilled at riding a dragon as he is.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Dragonstone —— DragonMont

Your feet touch the ground as you dismount Grey Ghost. You spent an hour in the sky, flying around with Daemon, before he led you to the dragonmont.

In the sky it was fun, but you knew that now you’re on the ground, you were in for a scolding. And as you approach Daemon, the stern look on his face proves you right.

He meets you halfway, stands impossibly close to you, puts his hand on your waist to lock you in and places his head right beside yours. “Do you know how reckless and dangerous that was?”

You sigh, but dont say anything to excuse yourself, because nothing will excuse it.

“I’m sorry.”

“Are you happy now? Did you get what you so desperately needed? you were even willing to risk your own life for it.”

You say nothing, you dont move and you dont speak, you only avert your eyes downwards. Daemon notices and pulls back slightly. He puts his fingers under your chin and forces you to make eye contact with him again. He leans slightly forward, and presses his forehead against yours for nothing more of a nanosecond before pulling away again and walking off, leaving you standing there.

Part 3, anyone?

explore post, masterlist

please comment & reblog if you enjoyed. <3

© mrscarpenter, 2025

[warblogs17282]

Sinsmas is coming out today! So let's quickly discuss what we know about the episode right now.

Vivzie's Bluesky Thread:

Things we learn from this thread:

There will be quite a long wait until the start of season three, but we will have closer releases of episodes, considering that the team wants to commit to a more traditional release. This also has double confirmed that season three has 15 episodes. Season three will also be 'bigger and better'.

We will be getting shorts during the wait until season three, I assume it'll be like last time where we get a short every single month.

And of course, we gotta prepare ourselves to go out with a BANG!

Sam Haft calls the episode 'PACKED!', meaning yet again we're in for a ride and a half, that's for sure.

Yea, all the confirmation I need that Octavia's song is going to absolutely destroy us all emotionally when we hear it, SAM HAFT WHAT DOES THIS MEAN, WHAT DOES THIS MEA-

Brandon's Instagram Story:

Transcript:

"I'm so anxious for the new helluva boss episode to drop. I went back and I've been rereading the script over and over and over and I don't read."

So we also have Brandon fanning the flames of our anxious waiting as well.

Right as I was in the middle of writing this post Vivzie said that she was doing the final checks on the episode, and that she's in constant awe of what the artists at Spindlehorse are capable of.

The sneak peek gif:

We see a sinner at the I.M.P office, and it looks like the entire I.M.P crew is going on a mission somewhere where it appears to be snowing and naturally has all of the Christmas decorations up as well.

Although I will admit, it kinda strikes me as weird that they'd just leave a sinner completely alone within the building, unless, of course, that there is someone else within the building, with the most likely candidate for that being Stolas, but that's just a theory I'm spitballing here. It does also raise the question of 'where the hell is Stolas during this scene anyways?'

Onto the other not-so-new things, it was confirmed by Sallie May's VA that she is appearing this episode. (The 'next month' is supposed to be 'this month', I think she said at a panel after the first short that she'd be appearing again before this year ends.)

The trailer scenes:

This scene where Stolas appears to be getting attacked by someone while Blitz protects him with some kind of sword, with the floor appearing to suggest that this takes place outside of formerly Stolas' palace, said attacker has been commonly theorized to either be Andrealphus or Paimon.

We see a frozen over version of formerly Stolas' palace in the background, considering the events of Mastermind it now appears like Andrealphus is defending the palace against whatever it is that he's looking at, not a hostile takeover that we assumed it would be initially.

We see Octavia during this scene, everything about this shot seems to suggest that Octavia is getting a song of her own this episode, with this further getting backed up by Sam Haft's response to "Sam what heartbreaking song did you write this time."

It's also very likely that the conflict between Stolas and Octavia reaches it's boiling point this episode, considering that Octavia says "You never loved mother and you don't love me. You love him!" at some point during the episode.

Finally, in the helluva 2022 trailer, we see a shot of Andrealphus (I think this is a beta design of him or something), standing in front of what looks like formerly Stolas' palace, with a bunch of what looks like ice in the background, placing this shot after Mastermind, meaning that this shot also takes place sometime during Sinsmas, if this scene wasn't scrapped.

[nushkiespeaks]

"SHE SAVES HERSELF, IT'S HER DHARMA THAT SAVES HER"

I always wanted to say so about Draupadi and the episode of Vastraharan. Before reading BORI CE, I had seen many versions of Vastraharan on TV serials. But after reading the original version, I realized how the serials had either overdone it or underdone it, snatching the actual essence of what the Vastraharan was for.

First of all, there was no instance in Mahabharat which claims Draupadi had insulted Duryodhan/Karn to make them go mad over the fact that they were made fun of by her.

No, there was no such instance.

Duryodhan was very jealous of the wealth and property that the Pandavas had obtained, it's clearly written in the texts how he was literally shivering in jealousy witnessing the glory of Pandavas. He wanted to snatch it all, and hence the plan.

Now comes the actual Vastraharan episode.

I know, many of you guys are extremely angry on Yudhishthir for what he does and the anger is justified enough. I am NOT justifying Yudhishthir or his actions, but actually asking you guys to think, think what would've you done in his place? This man was repeatedly scammed at first thinking that it would be a FRIENDLY MATCH between Duryodhan and himself. And Yudhishthir was a poor player of dice, Krishna himself confirms in the text. Also, Yudhishthir had always said how competing on dice would leave to grave consequences. But it's Duryodhan who persuades him to play. Now, it would really be cowardly for the Samrat to reject a game of dice like that.

Honestly speaking anyone could've said he could've denied it, but he cannot! He cannot because Kings when invited for Dyut had to play, or otherwise they would be tagged as cowards or insults! So at the most what Yudhishthir could do was to try and persuade the Kauravas to drop the idea, which he actually did in the texts, but they didn't give a damn about it.

The game begins, and what Yudhishthir had feared initially happens. He starts losing bouts of wealth, his army, and then the Kingdom he made out of sweat and blood. At this point, the elders, specially Vidur intervenes.

He asks Yudhishthir to stop, but he's at such a position that he cannot. Imagine your entire kingdom is lost, and now you have a bit of hope that you can win it back at the next game, will you actually play or let it go?

Like, don't sugarcoat yourself guys, think about the possibility! It's like you're drowning and playing next is like the branch that would save you, won't your mind flicker? Won't you take a chance to save yourself?

This is what exactly Yudhishthir does, and again he loses his youngest brother Sahadev. Still he hopes he would get everything back, because he had no option. Ofcourse he could've refused playing by now, technically yes. But deep down Yudhishthir knew what calamities can happen if he would try to win everything back by force, so he takes the chance again- and loses Nakul, Bheem and Arjun.

And at last, he loses himself as well.

Now Duryodhan plays the last and crucial move with Shakuni. He asks Draupadi to be staked, and this stuns the Pandavas.

Their KINGDOM is gone, their WEAPONS are gone, and now they're practically the slaves of the Kauravas, and at this time Duryodhan asks Draupadi to be staked. Duryodhan always knew what could break the Pandavas to the core- and that was seeing Draupadi in tatters. So this guy practically renders the Pandavas helpless, and then takes his dig on Draupadi.

And boom! Yudhishthir loses Draupadi too! This is the point where the elders lose their temper, mostly Vidur, and asks Yudhishthir to do something and stop this nonsense, but everything was already done.

Duryodhan sends his own messenger to Draupadi's chamber and tells him to get her.

Now comes the very interesting part.

The ground slips from under Draupadi when she hears the news, but instead of accompanying the messenger, she asks him to question the Sabha that how can Yudhishthir stake her when he already loses himself in the game?

Very valid question by her.

The messenger comes back, and it's clearly written in the texts that he was scared of Draupadi. (Take a note, those who call her "scaredy cat" ). Duryodhan gets angry now, and sends Dushassan behind Draupadi.

Draupadi pleads Dushassan at first, for she was bleeding that time, but when he refuses to listen, she warns him about the consequences. Even that doesn't work, and Dushassan starts dragging a single-garment clad Draupadi to the court. Draupadi is angered, but never scared. Yes, as per the texts she wasn't scared, she was trying her best to SAVE herself from his grip, but Dushassan was obviously proving stronger than her.

Draupadi gets dragged to the court, in a really bad state and is hurled. In the texts, she was said to be hurled like a tree is done by the strong winds, so mucg that she faints for sometime.( My heart starts wrenching while writing.) But Draupadi being Draupadi ( I don't know how this woman had so much self restrain even at this situation), you won't believe this woman actually pleads the court to forgive her them to see her in that state, means she had not washed her hairs since she was in her menses and it wasn't appropriate for someone to appear in a court in such a dishevelled state. Can you imagine the precision of this woman? The mental power, the collectiveness she had?

The story isn't done. Draupadi is taken aback seeing her husbands in that condition. She constantly shoots painful glances at them, and the Pandavas are broken. Bheem yells in anger, warns Dusshasan and Duryodhan but nothing works. Now Draupadi, again stabilizing herself, holding herself questions the Sabha what right Yudhishthir had on her since he himself was lost in the game? How could the Sabha stoop this low to let it happen?

This is when the wretched Karn steps out and says how Draupadi has now been won, she's their slave. He calls her whore and laughs loudly, and orders Dushassan to disrobe her. That man stoops so low, that he asks Draupadi to "serve" the Kauravad sexually, and choose a husband from the Kauravas because her husbands are of no use ( Atp, I wanted to kill him, strangle him).

Vidur intervenes, but even Vikarn too. But Vikarn is again shut up by Karn who calls him a coward and asks him to mind his own business.

Bheeshm is shaken, but he couldn't do anything. He says it was the decision of the Pandavas, and that Draupadi has no choice here. Either she becomes a slave with Yudhishthir, accepting the status of a wife with a husband, or separates herself from the Pandavas. If she choses to separate from the Pandavas, she has no option but to go to the Kaurava's side technically since they won her. So all and all, Draupadi was put in a helpless spot by Dharma ( Bheeshm calls it the subtle nuance of Dharma in text).

That's when Draupadi feels that none of them could resolve the situation and she also knows what was going to follow. This woman finally resorts or rather surrenders to the power of Dharma, which is Krishna ( BORI doesn't mention Krishna explicitly, but calls it the force of Dharma. But for me, Dharma is Krishna.) This woman surrenders her entire self whole heartedly to the supreme Lord. She knows only Dharma is the one that would save her, she knows she HAS DONE NO WRONG, AND THAT DHARMA WAS IN HER SIDE.

At this moment, for anyone the situation is so traumatic that you can end up passing out, but this woman, my God, this woman just KNOWS what is meant for her. Her righteousness shall save her, her purity shall save her. Draupadi knows who she is, Draupadi knows she has done no wrong, Draupadi knows she's innocent, Draupadi knows that it's Dharma who wins at last.

Such was her faith, her stance. If this isn't boldness, then what is? If this isn't her strength then what is? Imagine her situation that moment, she was moments close of getting disrobed and in an inappropriate situation, that moment too she is in her entire consciousness. She knows what would help her.

And that's what happens.

Dushassan tries to disrobe Draupadi, much to the cries of the Pandavas, and that wretched guy feels like he has touched something he shouldn't touch. Yards of cloth extends and covers Draupadi, and yes, Draupadi's righteousness saves herself.

I want to draw your attention how Draupadi was strong till the last end, neither did she BEGGED anyone to save herself, nor did she herself PITY her own condition. Nor she was whimpering or crying, like how people like to show her or something. She BEGGED none, she RELIED on none but her own self. She relied on her strong belief in Krishna, her righteousness and Dharma. At that moment, it was the fight of Draupadi and Dharma against Kauravas.

Righteousness was such that if it didn't save Draupadi, it would've put itself to shame that day.

The story isn't over yet...

Dhritarashtra gets extremely scared now, for he senses the power which Draupadi had. The old King who was enjoying everything, suddenly shudders. He pleads Draupadi to forgive his sons, and asks Draupadi to ask for 3 boons.

Draupadi accedes. She saw her husbands. The helplessness of fate that had rendered them so. And even after so much, she had utter and immense faith in the five of them. She had the belief that the five would rise this time, and shall avenge her. The five of them were enough for it. (And that's why I say why Pandavas and Draupadi were one of the most ideal couples in Mahabharat. There is no concept of Draupadi throwing her chudamani away, or showing pure anger that time. Yes, she was upset and angry, but not so much that she wouldn't understand 5their situation too! She knows what they were going through at that time, it was as traumatic for them as it was for her!)

Draupadi asks Dhritarashtra to free her husbands, that was her first boon. Dhritarashtra agrees immediately. In the next boon, she asks the weapons of Pandavas to be returned. Dhritarashtra agrees to even that, and asks Draupadi to ask for the third boon.

But Draupadi being Draupadi STOPS right there. Yes, she explicitly claims how it is inappropriate for a Kshatrani to be greedy and ask for a third boon, and she has complete faith that her husbands, now free, shall win over and avenge her insult. (ATP, I was literally 🛐🛐🛐🛐🛐 her.)

This woman...this woman, I now realize why Pandavas literally kissed the path she walked upon, for real. This woman knows what she wants, this woman is fearless, this woman is bold, this woman knows exactly what is right and wrong, and this woman SHINES brilliantly, surpassing even the glow of diamonds! This woman is the true example of what true feminism looks like! Believing in herself and her partner without tarnishing the equality of it! She bows to righteousness and chooses the ones who do the same!

She surrenders to Krishna, righteousness and Dharma, in short SHE SAVES HERSELF.

People always pity Draupadi for her Vastraharan, but they don't see how she fights it. They don't understand the power of righteousness at all, but see her as a woman who had no power to fight. Often her surrender to Krishna is looked down upon, like seriously? Surrendering to the Supreme is also a sign of weakness?

Draupadi literally, LITERALLY pulls out the boat which had her and her husbands from drowning from amidst the tempest! She had no weapons, no fighting skills, yet she was able to rescue everyone from the clutches of Duryodhan!

Roughly putting, isn't such a skill more powerful than one having the weapons?

Yet you guys label her as "scaredy cat" and not a Mary Sue, and all?

For me, "shastra ke prayog ke bina hi tumne khudko bacha liya, ye asadharan nahi hai to aur kya?"

In Krishna's words, "Swayam vichar kijiye."

Let others say anything, Draupadi is THE HEROINE of Mahabharat, and in the episode of Vastraharan!

[bigmamaelli]

Hamzah x Mexican!Reader

(request! Not proof read)

꧁ After two years together, you take your boyfriend to your home country— to meet your family and help him get to know the culture that made you.

You tugged your suitcase behind you, stepping further into the airport. The air was thicker here—more humid—a sharp contrast to the crisp chill you’d left behind in Canada. Sunlight spilled across the tiled floor of the Mexico City airport, casting long shadows as people hurried past. Your eyes flicked toward the wide windows, soaking in the colors, the movement, the familiar sounds of Spanish crackling through the overhead announcements.

Behind you, Hamzah trailed lazily, half-awake. He’d slept through the entire flight, and his hair was still a little messy—not that anyone but you would notice. He squinted up at the sun beaming through the windows, then looked back at you, catching your eye just as you turned. You reached for his hand without thinking, fingers intertwining with his.

“You better wake up,” you warned with a teasing smile, voice light but serious underneath. “You know my family doesn’t play when it comes to parties.”

Hamzah chuckled, his thumb brushing over yours. “Baby, I just woke up.”

You gave his hand a small tug, already steering him toward baggage claim.

“We landed like twenty minutes ago. You did not just wake up,” you said, smiling at his excuse.

He let out a soft groan but kept that sleepy smile on his face. “Is there an option where I just sit in the corner and look pretty?”

“No chance,” you shake your head, squeezing his hand leading him further through the airport.

—

“So Hamzah, this is my cousin, C/N,” you say, nodding toward him as you settle into the backseat of his car, buckling your seatbelt without giving them much more than a glance.

“Ey, what’s up, homie?” your cousin says, leaning back between the front seats to give Hamzah a half-dap, half-handshake.

Hamzah chuckles softly and nods, returning it without skipping a beat. “Nice to meet you, man.”

You glance at him, catching the little smile he gives your cousin, and for some reason it makes you smile too. It felt good—seeing him getting along with your people like it was nothing.

“Ay, C/N,” you call out, leaning a little closer so he hears you over the music. “Sabes si Lilly va a estar ahí?”

He shakes his head. “Nah, I don’t think so.”

“Ugh, fuck” you mutter, slumping back against the seat with a little groan of disappointment.

Hamzah glances at you in the rearview, amused. “You wanted her there that bad?”

You shrug. “She’s funny and i miss her”

“Funnier than me?” he teases.

You roll your eyes, smirking. “maybe a little” you smile at him with your squinty smile pinching your fingers together teasingly.

—

By the time you pull up to your abuela’s house, the sun’s already dipped low—painting the sky with streaks of orange and pink. The street’s lined with cars, a few kids running up and down the sidewalk barefoot, and the familiar buzz of your family’s voices carries all the way to the curb. The smell of nostalgia hits the second you open the door.

Your cousin jumps out first, already yelling greetings in Spanish as he heads toward the backyard gate, but you take your time unbuckling your seatbelt, fixing your hair in the mirror.

Hamzah lingers by the front of the car, waiting for you. He doesn’t rush you. Just leans against the hood of the car, watching the way the sky shifts colors like he’s used to waiting on you—and doesn’t mind.

When you finally join him, you hesitate before taking a step. “You good?” you ask, glancing up at him.

He nods. “You sure they’re good with me being here?”

“Yeah of course i know they’re gonna love you,” you say softly smiling, bumping your shoulder into his. “They don’t bite.”

Hamzah grins. “That’s not what you said about your tía last time.”

You laugh, shaking your head. “Okay yeah—her maybe. She just got new dentures as well so steer clear”

You reach for his wrist without thinking, lightly tugging him toward the house. His fingers curl into yours naturally.

Inside, it’s chaos in the best way—cousins running around, someone yelling about tortillas being burnt, and your abuela at the stove pretending not to hear everyone calling her name.

“¡Mira quién llegó!” someone shouts as you walk in, and instantly you’re pulled into a whirlwind of hugs, kisses on the cheek, and overlapping questions.

“¿Dónde andabas?”

“¡Mira nomás, tan bonita!”

“¿Y este quién es?”

Hamzah stands just behind you, trying to smile politely while your tía sizes him up like he’s a stray cat you brought home. You glance back and grab his hand again, squeezing it before answering.

“Si si, this is my boyfriend” you say simply, and that’s enough to make a few eyebrows raise—and your cousin in the kitchen grin like he already knew.

You feel Hamzah shift behind you, leaning in slightly to speak near your ear. “theyre alot”

You smile without turning around. “Told you they dont play.”

But you don’t let go of his hand.

—

It’s later now. The music’s still going in the background, softer than before, and most of your family has moved toward the front of the house or settled around the table playing lotería. The grill’s gone cold, and the fairy lights overhead cast a warm golden hue across the patio.

You tug gently at Hamzah’s sleeve. “Come with me real quick.”

He follows without question as you guide him toward the side of the house, past the overgrown rose bush and the dusty lawn chairs nobody’s used in years. It’s quieter here—just the muffled laughter from inside and the soft chirp of crickets.

You sit on the low concrete ledge next to the little garden your abuela still tries to keep alive, brushing some dry leaves aside so you have space. Hamzah sits beside you, elbows on his knees, close enough that your legs touch.

“I used to come sit here when I was little,” you say quietly, looking at the cracked tiles beneath your feet. “When it got too loud.”

Hamzah nods like he gets it. “Still kinda loud.”

You smile. “Yeah, but different now.”

He glances at you, his voice low. “You okay?”

You hesitate for half a second, then nod. “Yeah. Just… I dunno. I was thinking earlier—like when we first got here—I used to always picture stuff like this with you. You coming to family stuff, us being together for it. Dumb little things.”

His expression softens. He leans back slightly, looking at you with this steady, quiet kind of warmth that makes your heart flutter. “It’s not dumb.”

You shrug, suddenly shy. “Felt like it was for a while.”

There’s a pause, but not a heavy one. Just still.

“I pictured it too,” he says, finally. “I think I always did. You just… fit.”

Your breath catches a little at that. It’s not even the words—it’s the way he says them. Like it’s obvious. Like it’s not even a question.

You leaned in, your face close to his, lips just barely brushing before he slipped a hand around your waist and kissed you—slow and warm. The hum of music and chatter around you faded into the background as the kiss deepened, just for a second, just enough to make your stomach flip.

Then—

“Ewwww!!”

You both flinched, immediately pulling apart as your little cousin stood frozen in the doorway, wide-eyed and pointing like he’d just witnessed a crime.

You clapped a hand over your mouth to hold in a laugh, your face heating up as you looked at him. “Dios mío,” you mumbled under your breath, grinning. The poor kid looked genuinely traumatized.

Hamzah blinked a few times, then let out a low chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck with one hand. “If i get banned from your abuelas house after this just know it was worth it,” he whispered, leaning closer to you with a crooked grin.

You snorted, trying not to laugh too loud as your cousin still stared at you both like he was about to tell your mom.

“¡Ey! ¡Volver al interior!” you called after him in a playful tone, waving your hand dismissively. “Vete, chismoso.”

Your cousin narrowed his eyes suspiciously before slowly backing away, still looking horrified.

As soon as he disappeared, you turned to Hamzah, shaking your head.

“He’s gonna tell everyone, huh?”

“Oh, for sure,” Hamzah said, grinning. “We’re about to be the main topic at the snack table.”

A/N: Im still trying to get used to writing his character so ntm but lmk how you feel about this because i kind of hate it. 🧎🏽‍♀️‍➡️

[redfinnbluefinn]

Hello throwing all my thoughts on the update at the wall and under the cut.

I am not loving and yet super into how creepy Wally sounds in the /ringring audio. It’s like he’s relearning how to speak?? Like a mimic taking sound bites to create his own sentences. Very very fascinating. Like when he was “in the dark” he forgot how to speak? Or function in a way where he can communicate with us. (I literally was so freaked out when he first started speaking. His VA is PHENOMENAL.)

He also is aware that someone knows he’s been tampering with the site (ie, him saying he “got in trouble”) which is interesting. And him mentioning sending gifts, so we seem to have confirmation now he’s sending them.

And him not being present in the opening page and the image with Barnaby is very creepy and also super cool! It evokes the idea that he’s on the move. Or if not on the move, he is notably separate from the entire cast now. Locked up inside of home for how long.

Actually - if he is the cause of the ‘rot’ or mess or however theyve spoken about the website issues, then it would make sense that he was locked away inside of home if all they did was cover the ink up. (If you delete the home element on the neighborhood page, where the ink used to be is covered up by paint marks. Which is interesting as generally we only associate Wally with painting - why would he paint himself inside home? If the flowers coming in is whats hiding or locking the issues away on the website, why wouldn’t flowers be the ones locking the ink away?)

As for Julie - STRESS! IM SO STRESSED FOR HER.

The note about how she and Frank arrived at the same time and her memory problems(I have Thoughts on potentially ppl not knowing how they came to Home but that’s for another time)? And the fact that she’s obviously grappling with some sort of - idk? Identity crisis? She has a role in Home and she seems terrified at the idea of her not having this role anymore because of the failure of the flower not blooming. Also her “finally be free” sentence was worrying to say the least. Free of what? The pressure to make the flower bloom? Or something else?

Also, why does she seem so reluctant to join her family’s band? Does she not feel like she’s good enough for it? She seems confident in her own powers but with the audios we got she def puts on a mask around others. She seems very dependent on the idea of being this cheerful, unbothered individual (also, as an autistic person hits home p close).

Also also - last note maybe - does she feel so close with Frank simply because he was the first person to find her? Does she feel like she has to be this person with him so he doesn’t leave her alone? She was obviously making connections between herself and the flower waking up alone in a new place, so it would make sense that she would latch on to the first person who was nice to her. And then resulting in feeling like perhaps he’s the only one she’s truly safe with? Idk I’m just typing out loud here at this point.

There’s so much to think about with this update! Wow! I’m gonna need to ruminate for a while. If anyone wants to talk in circles about theories my dms/asks are open🫡

[beau-bunny]

I’m so happy to see Laurance get a new voice actor, welcome DJ Hansen to the team!! I was SO worried that Laurance would get cut from Mystreet Season 7 and never feature in Aphmau content again, or at least not in a large role, now that Sebastian’s………nnnnot part of the picture anymore, to put it politely. I have no idea how much losing his original VA could have affected Mystreet Season 7’s production, but I imagine his voice actor stirring up such an ugly mess could’ve caused quite a disaster behind the scenes. I wouldn’t have been surprised if they just cut Laurance entirely.

But this is great news!! He has a new voice actor now!! I’m so relieved and happy and very excited to see what DJ Hansen does for Laurance’s character in the future, he sounds extremely similar to the original voice of Laurance, which is awesome, but I also hope he incorporates a new flair to his character that’s unique to his portrayal, something that could make him even better than Sebastian was. We’ve only seen such a tiny snippet of his work so far, so means there isn’t much I can go off of to judge what he’ll be like for Laurance just yet. So I look forward to seeing how he grows into the character over the course of Mystreet season 7 (and if any future cocomau videos feature Laurance again)! I’m so excited!!! I can die happy now.

I loved loved loved seeing the anniversary video, it’s so sweet to see a blast to the past with all these references honoring the original series. I fully expected Aphmau to not do anything for the anniversary at all, not even a post acknowledging its existence. But it’s so nice to see that she still hasn’t forgotten about mcd and instead sent out a love letter for the series saying “thank you for everything, thank you for all the memories, for the years we spent, the time we had, and all that came from it.” A big message about change, comparing the drastic differences in tone, speed, age rating, and production quality between MCD and Aphmau’s newer content. Aphmau’s come so far and changed so much in these last ten years, there’s a night and day difference between the old, MCD days, with its more mature, slower, serious tone, and the new cocomau content, with all its high-speed, brightly colored, whimsical, “audhd if it was an acid trip” glory. And honestly, it was pretty fun to see how MCD would translate into the newer cocomau style, and how batshit insane the contrasting combination turned out to be lol. Fast-paced MCD is one hell of a whiplash.

But the references!!! Reference heaven!! Each a shocking and wonderful homage to the original series!! The golden wyverns!! Malachi’s castle!! The font!! The music!!! Gene and Ivan!! Donna and Vylad!! They even included Kawaii~Chan’s maids!!!!! The maids!! How awesome is that?!?! I literally never thought I’d see those again in my life! Plus, from a lore standpoint, between the two new “evil Irenes” discussing “the void” sending people to other worlds, and all the new lore introduced in her Silent Hill video, it looks like Jess is returning to focusing a bit more on not only Mystreet, but the greater Aphverse as a whole (and how the Cocomau universe might connect to it all…). And that is a huge relief too, considering I was expecting her to just kinda leave all of her old roleplays behind in favor of this new setup and the main cast she’s focusing on now. But no, she’s not leaving it behind! She’s throwing new lore to the pot and stirring it up!! She even referenced/mentioned Void Paradox in the anniversary video!! Void paradox is becoming crucially relevant again!! Void Paradox!!

So that’s pretty cool, I’m excited to see where all this new Aphlore goes. Right now it looks like we’re just being fed highly mysterious, vague breadcrumbs, with none of the exposition to make sense of them yet, so I’m excited to see the eventual payoff that does explain the breadcrumbs. Maybe we might be getting more than just Mystreet Season 7 in the future…? Something about the larger Aphmau multiverse…? Even if it’s all done in the cocomau style, I don’t care, Aphmau is Aphmau and I am more than happy with that. I can’t wait to be fed more content like this in the future.

Hooray to 10 years of Aphmau!!! Happy anniversary Minecraft Diaries!!