#Missing our glorious ramblings.

[lordofthestrix]

-drops in to remind Tristan that she loves him and she’s very excited to give him his Christmas present-

[risestarkiss]

"This Whole Situation"

Rise Ramblings #1

So as you guys know, one occurring phrase in the show between the boys and April is “This whole situation.” Although vague, and used in many other contexts, sometimes the family uses the phrase to refer to their mutations.  

However, once finishing the series it’s hard to miss that Donnie never says the phrase. Now, I could be wrong (and If I am, just comment and let me know!) but I have a theory as to why Donnie doesn’t say it… Donnie never says “this whole situation” because in his mind, there IS no situation.

The Evidence:

I started noticing something interesting about Donnie’s state of mind about himself.

He never really expresses that he’s different from other people, he’s just…him. Obviously, he knows that he’s a mutant, but it’s not something at the front of his mind. I associate it to if someone has a certain attribute, that person is just that, a person first. I believe it’s the same for Donnie. He’s a person, that just so happens to be a mutant turtle, and I live for it.

What made me solidify my theory was the use of disguises in Rise, specifically the use of disguises in April’s school.

All of the boys have visited April’s school, and all of them decided to wear disguises, except Donnie.

He just shows up in his regular clothing. One could argue that the hoodie is his disguise, but then why did the rest of the boys wear actual (silly) disguises while our boy Donnie is just like, “Hoodie? Check.” And not only that, but for the whole episode, all eyes are on him, and he just. Doesn’t. Care. It’s glorious!

Later, in the episode Donnie vs. Witch Town, we see that Donnie showing up all willy-nilly pell-mell at April’s school was not a one-time thing. It’s literally been happening for years!

Therefore, I believe that canonically Donnie doesn’t care about “this whole situation.” And if someone does, as far as he’s concerned that’s their problem, not his.

○○○○

Part Two: On His Own Terms

[astrumamasia]

like and subscribe if you want to click that Learn More button so hard and fast

(i have no explanation for this post besides a desire to demonstrate more evidence that Tumblr proudly partners with actual malware)

[the-moon-files]

Wait, quick idea! Twilight looks like the only hylian in his village because everyone else has round ears, so what if he wasn’t as surprised as the others to see their human companion so resilient, but still fairly impressed because of the fact that most if not all people in his village don’t put themselves in as drastic situations as the reader? Or is this just humans from our world?

get out of my head lmao /lh - you, me, and wayfayrr are actually the same person on diff accounts LMAO

im of the belief that (blame @wayfayrr, my beloved) that he knows of humans bc of some in his village but yeah, just not the type of human in drastic situations

(ALSO they wrote me a fun, long, glorious, male reader human space orc au fic for winning their raffle a bit ago, and it brings up their headcanon abt this and i Adore It actually, check it out here pls if u wanna know🤲)

(also if u see this wayfayrr, sorry for the ping, also should i be calling u moss? or wayfayrr?? idk which, i hope thats even ok to ask 😭 i assumed u would call my ass Moon)

Moon: Male-Masc Reader (he/him)

Orbit: short headcanons-ish, rambling mostly

Stars: Twilight Princess Link (Twi/Twilight), mentions of other Links

Comets & Meteors: CWs: none known, & TWs: none known.

Please comment if I missed any. /gen

to reiterate what i said up there, in case u skipped it for the bullet points,

i like the headcanon he knows humans, knows some of their quirks, and how they were the first ppl the other hylian villagers called on to help stuck cows or downed wagons, lots of heavy lifting stuff

but he really hasnt seen the extent of real humans, bc the humans who were in Ordon, well, they lived in hylian society,

why would they need the adrenaline to lift a car when hylians have set up whole tools and systems in all their towns to help lift just a full bucket of water out of the well??

not to mention, i think all the humans in his village were older adults? like at least not the age theyd be doing things like parkour or going to any trampoline parks type of age,

id imagine its more like stories talked about amongst hylians how hard humans can go, and even the humans themselves talked abt things like,

“well compared to u hylians, we have stomachs made of molten lava to you guys really, but we never have to use it, bc u know hylian food works just fine”

when Twi asked they would say stuff like that, but as soon as he saw ur human ass just picking wildflowers and berries off the side of the road to snack on? even random grasses/vines at some point (kudzu)?? easily eating Wild’s Dubious Food that's DEFINITELY got monster parts in it???! gnawing on the bone of a cucco and it just breaks??!!! and you look surprised too, thank fuck finally a normal reaction from u- oh my goddesses u were just curious (damn the elders were right abt human curiosity too) **and are now sucking out the marrow and eating the bone-!!!!!!!!!!!!

Twilight’s perspective of you is actually the equivalent of like, reading stories about vampires all ur life, then this new friend you made starts to get allergic to garlic, crave blood, has crazy strength and advanced senses, etc

and he’s just watching those honest-to-Hylia human mythological feats play out in real time in front of him, like he’s the only self-aware character in the story that immediately clocks the really obvious vampire as a vampire lmao

is the first to either 1. start choking on his laugh as he theoretically knows ur about to jump on the back of a lynel/hinox to ride it around and watch as the others come to the same conclusion OR 2. try to Stop you from jumping on said big monster in an attempt to ride it around bc he gets used to ur human BS quicker than the others and can see it coming a mile away now lol

very much so this meme:

(ur welcome i made it myself <3)

anyway id love to rant abt this dynamic

abt both Twi’s shock at you eating peppers like a god has come down from the sky to prove their immortality,

but also poor rancher esstientally humansitting you too lmao

the Chain/Time/Wars absolutely put him down as the resident human expert like: “ok he just drank like, 5? No- Four stop him from drinking more at least- (dual sighs). okay, 6 stamina potions, will that kill him??”

Twilight, saviour of Hyrule, of the Twili, Link from Twilight Princess himself,

has to keep a record book of all the new shit he’s heard/learned about humans in Ordon, what he has actively learned abt ur ass just fucking around and finding out, and the few bread crumbs of information u give him abt ur species

(that rlly just come off as kind of cryptid statements abt u/humanity, or don't apply in this scenario bc ur only comparison is Earth Rules, which honestly scare every single fucking one of them in the same way as walking on Ganon’s lawn or something, like straight up view ur home planet as enemy territory, the Amazon jungle, the Hyrule wilds if you will-)

Twilight also gets involuntarily volunteered for human-sitting duty too

tbh the only person Not allowed on human-sitting duty, when u guys go new areas esp, is Wild/Hyrule

you’d tell him you wanna get inside the guardian robot to operate it and ride it around and he’d probably be in shock you even fathomed something like that, yet also now EXTREMELY intrigued to watch it play out

(they’re both more of a “u wanna jump off a cliff?? that's actually crazy, wait for me please.” he seems to think he can somehow protect you if he joins you? its worked sometimes to be fair to him ¯\_ (ツ)_/¯ just not really conveniently when the rest of the Chain are around lmao)

☆

i live btw, ive been writing/updating fics along with life updates (moving states/new job/online class) so a few asks will hopefully be answered over here in the next 2ish weeks

no promises, my life is kinda girlbossing at the moment too close to the sun and i am Nervous abt disappointing u guys

i already feel like im disappointing my other blog bc i haven't posted in forever bc im writing a fic instead of asks during any free time i dedicate to writing for it so :/

pls excuse my super slowness like a package ur waiting for in the mail or smth type of slow

AGAIN thanks for the ask!! i hope this was at least entertaining to read as some addon to what u said, you guys have gotta check out some of wayfayrr’s stuff if ur into this, bc they're the only other place i can think of that's talked abt humans not just being the same as hylians

have a great week!!

Peace out hugs and chaos,

🌙

[seeminglyseph]

I really appreciate that Eurylochus in Epic I am pretty sure is adapted from a character in the original who is at the very least somewhat antagonistic and cowardly in characterization and has spun him into a compelling and interesting character who has genuinely caused the fandom to basically to be like “but was he wrong though?”

Because like, the fact that at multiple points both Odysseus and Eurylochus have been right at different points of their adventure and just too fucked up emotionally or too “we can’t talk about things” to like. Clear up the issues they were having, means that they just. Became a tragedy.

And it is especially beautiful because Eurylochus and Polites bring this weight of friendship and loss to Odysseus in Epic, despite their existence in the Odyssey fully lacking that characterization. Though I think it is part of the miscommunication at times because like. Perspective. And if you try to look up extra information from the source text to give more context, Eurylochus is so different in that source text that like… it will back up arguments in favour of Odysseus more easily. But modern sensibilities side with Eurylochus more easily due to monarchs and tyrants like… heavily falling out of favour. So things like kings, gods, princes, captains, status, and rank are like… they exist but they aren’t seen the same.

Like the Odyssey is set in the Mycenaean age, late Bronze Age. This was a tale of ancient times when Homer was telling it. So by modern standards things can’t help but be archaic in ways. Especially given that The Iliad and Odyssey have so much to do with colonization and war and just like. Contemplating it. Existing in it and the aftermaths of it, and being conscious that it is being told to a world of people who are still acting and living in a unifying country due to colonization, that is expanding and growing its power with war and language and colonization. And the stories of the past wars are both glorious and tragic because of the necessity for glory to the heroes of the past but caution and understanding that…

Like Troy was once favoured by Zeus, that favour can be lost or swayed. Only the gods can count on their power lasting for eternity, men must know that a grudge can bloom anywhere and topple the mightiest kingdom if he does not mind his actions carefully.

The Aeneid, by Virgil which is written much later and I admit I have only read a summary, refers to Odysseus (through his Roman name Ulysses) really negatively, but that’s partially because the Romans kinda saw themselves as refugees and survivors of Troy. So like. By the time the Aeneid was being written, it was kinda the story of “those bastards who burnt our home down” from what I understand.

“Who lives, who dies, who tells your story?” For realsies. Looking things up apparently the Aeneid was the most popular version of both the Odyssey and the Iliad for a while and it wasn’t until the World Wars that Homer’s versions came back into fashion. Part of that was translation issues but still, damn.

This has become the most unhinged ramble, I’m sorry. I don’t know what any of this is even about. Translation? Perspective? Adaptation? The power of storytelling? All of it? Honestly the fact of the matter is that Eurylochus has been adapted to a new character for Epic, but he fits the narrative of the Odyssey especially as far as we need it to be told today because of how power structures work, but it’s been executed extremely well.

It keeps the technicalities of the traits of the poem “cowardice” and “mutiny” and creates a character with insecurity and missing sense of self who is afraid in a reasonable way and in order to overcome that fear reacts with aggression or violence. But in a way that is encouraged, acceptable or rewarded for a soldier. However, as a second in command, he is accustomed to having a role where he checks Odysseus’ plans for flaws. This is a good position to have him in when you’re plotting a battle action, it’s a bad position to have him in when you need him to provide a united front to keep the crew from panicking.

His position as both one of the crew and Odysseus’ Right Hand Man puts him in a position where he gets part of Odysseus’ picture, and is used to a relationship where he can be comfortable and doubtful and easy with Odysseus, however Odysseus as the Captain and the King cannot be fallible in the eyes of his men, because his men need to be able to follow his orders without question in the case of a crisis or it will be a serious issue.

Honestly the whole “I need you to be able to trust me and follow my orders in a crisis” is… part of general insubordination going on into modern day practice in crisis response and military as far as I understand it so like. I do get that. Though like. They are… two deeply damaged and traumatized men who just… cannot have a proper conversation with each other.

And also I am of the opinion that Odysseus in Puppeteer, when he brushes off Eurylochys’ attempted confession with his

“There's only so much left we can endure”

I am pretty sure that is not just brushing off, that is fully Odysseus admitting to Eurylochus like “I can’t handle anything else, please.” Like. My brain is making parallels to FMA “terrible day for rain” and Eurylochus drops it because he’s looking at a man on the verge of breaking down, and grants him some dignity or peace.

I mean Mutiny calls back to Puppeteer when Odysseus calls Eurylochus out, he would have done the same. Eurylochus wanted to cut and run on Circe’s island, leaving the men she had to their fate. But since Odysseus has all the power he carries all the blame, which makes it easier when any of the others make a mistake or something goes wrong. And it’s part of the reason Ody goes back to being Captain as soon as the crew is in trouble again. If they’ve angered a god, it’s better and easier to have Odysseus deal with it.

Unfortunately for everyone Odysseus has now crossed the Despair Event Horizon and all that matters is Penelope, Telemachus, and Ithaca. Everyone else can go fuck themselves.

Which, you know. Bodes well for all the fucked up dweebs who’ve been harassing his family for years. That’s probably gonna go great for them considering all the last shreds of his humanity he sacrificed to get home and see them safe.

[starlightsuffered]

I Miss You

Info - shy reader, praise, oral (male receiving), a bit of face fucking, masturbating while giving oral, cupping pussy, cum swallowing

"I miss you," I whined. I wasn't usually this way, but I did. I decided to bare my feelings and tell him how I was feeling.

"Well finally," Timothée chuckled.

"What?" I asked.

"You're so, I don't even know the word for it. Perhaps polite would be the right one?"

"Still don't know what you mean," | said slowly. He had a smile in his voice which quieted my anxiety.

"Well, you're always so benevolent, and sweet. You don't whine because you think it would make me think negatively. Hearing you miss me is..... nice. Am I making sense?"

"I think so," I said with a small grin.

"Like, you're selfless, you always want to focus on me. I like you being needy and desperate-"

"I'm always desperate for you," | interrupted him.

"You know what I mean y/n," he said smugly.

"Yeah I do. I just can't help it! It's only been a couple weeks but fuck I miss your touch and your body and laugh and personality and... was that too much," I ended nervously.

"Not at all. You know I love when you get like that, all rambly and sweet," Timothée swooned.

"Well, I'm glad you like it," I said shyly.

"You really miss me?" Timothée asked quietly after a silence.

"So much," I whispered.

"I miss you too, I'll be back before you know it. Maybe next time I'll take you," he said.

"Maybe," I said gently. He knew so much attention and people would be hard for me. However, being without him was also hard for me.

"I have to go my princess," Timmy said lightly. He didn't know how hard that hit, romantically and sexually.

"Okay baby, please be gentle with yourself and sleep well."

"Yeah," Timothée said. I didn't know if I quite believed him, but I was so tired

"Alright my love," | said. We said our goodbyes and I fell into a restless sleep. I missed his warmth next to me. I wanted to feel his body.

I was awoken by large soft hands. My eyes opened groggily. I didn't believe what I was seeing. I'd never been one for sleep paralysis, but it couldn't be.

"Hello darling," Timothée said with cheer.

"Baby?" | asked with teary eyes.

"My girl finally said he missed me, I had to come home for my weekend," Timothée said and nuzzled his mouth against my neck.

"Ohhhh," I gasped.

"Let me take care of you," he offered.

"No!" I said immediately. I sat up and we almost knocked heads.

"What angel?" He asked. I melted.

"My little princess. My girl, my sweetheart," he swooned.

"I want to take care of you. You've been working so hard," I frowned.

"Well so have you, plus-"

"Please, I need to," | pleaded.

"Okay," Timothée nodded.

I shakily tried to undo the button on his pants. I couldn't believe I was nervous. He was my boyfriend, and yet I was.

"It's okay, I can-"

"N-no," I responded. I wanted my beautiful boyfriend to do nothing. I wanted him to be completely and totally serviced.

I pulled down his pants finally. I slid them down his legs. I was breathing hard. I couldn't believe I got to touch him again.

"Your cock is so beautiful," I said, looking up at him adoringly. He smiled and leaned down to kiss me. I did so longingly.

"You're so beautiful."

"I try to be," I half laughed.

I took his glorious cock in my mouth. The soft velvet covering the ram rod hardness was perfect. I let my tongue flatten as my lips suctioned him. He was moaning.

His long fingers threaded through my hair. He ran them throughout my locks. He finally gripped. I bobbed my head. I was trained by now not to gag on his thick length.

"Good girl," Timothée sighed.

I sucked and sucked desperately. I wanted him to collapse afterward, fully satisfied and ready to cuddle me back to a blissful sleep.

"Oh y/n, oh fuck!" Timothée moaned. He was started to force his dick a little deeper now. I whined around him.

He was used to face fucking me usually, but right now I wanted love and pleasure and romance.

"Sorry," he said. "You're just so good."

I had to stop myself from smiling around him. I moved closer. I was soaked in my panties. I rubbed my clit slightly as I serviced him.

"Oh you're so beautiful, you're so fucking pretty it drives me wild," Timothée said as he watched me.

"Mm, mm, mmm," I gasped around his dick. I couldn't keep quiet with his cock in my mouth.

"You do this so well. You're the best l've ever had. Suck that cock baby," he urged me.

"Mmmmmm," | groaned.

"You're a fucking great dick sucker," Timothée said. I let my hands fondle his ass. I rubbed all over it. He let one of his hands run down and feel my body as well. He finally, cupped my jaw and aided me in suckling.

"Good girl, perfect girl, you're the best girlfriend in the world," he cooed. He was tracing my features and I nearly teared up.

I sucked harder now. I was giving it my all. I smacked and licked and swirled my tongue. I was completely in love.

"Oh, oh, I think I'm going to cum y/n, fuck you're amazing!" He cried. He shoved his dick deeper and his hot semen spurted down my throat. He poured his gift down. I swallowed over and over again. I wanted it all in my stomach.

"Goooood," moaned Timothée. His balls rested on my chest as I gulped all he had.

"You do that like a fucking porn star," Timothée sighed as he pulled his cock out of my needy mouth.

"Because I love you," | replied.

"And I love you," he answered.

He dropped down. He held me close and rubbed my cum filled tummy. He was so possessive when it came to me swallowing his load, he kissed my neck. I felt his softening cock between my cheeks. I was still slick and wet.

As though he read my mind, he stuffed his hand down my underwear and cupped my pussy. His warm hand kept me secure. I could deal with being wet as long as he held my cunt. I fell asleep peacefully. I was so happy.

[not-ur-boy-toy]

Hartbreak Ranch Chapter 1

AN: FINALLY Chapter 1 of Hartbreak Ranch, I really hope you enjoy it! (btw I'm bad at explaining plots so apologies :,) )

Plot: Shawn is a famous model on his way to a new photoshoot. However, he finds himself getting stuck in the middle of nowhere. Luck just has it though as he finds himself staying with the Hart family, finding himself being drawn to a certain Bret Hart.

TW: Foul language, Alcohol mentioned

Word count: 3.6K

Next >>>

───────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────────

Blond hair flowed freely through the wind as the bright, cherry-red Ferrari 308 drove down the desolate Arizona road. Music blared from the car as it raced through the empty route. The driver of it didn’t have a care in the world as he held a phone to his ear, his free hand on the steering wheel.

“Diesel! Trust me here, I’m doin’ fine, I know where I’m going!”, a laugh rang through the car, as the man spoke, his grin large as he kept his eyes on the road. 

“I know you know where you’re going, Shawn... But you’re in the middle of nowhere” the other voice rang through the phone before continuing, “You’ve already said you’re taking a ’shortcut’ but I just don’t think It’s a good idea!” the voice argued back, trying to reason with the stubborn man.

Shawn rolled his eyes before a soft huff left his lips, he was used to his bodyguard being overprotective, they always traveled together! Wherever Shawn went, a 6’10, hunk-of-a-man followed him. But not this time. The young 30-year-old man wanted to travel by himself! He knew the area reasonably well… maybe just enough to get him to the closest town and ask for directions. But Diesel didn’t have to know! 

“Diesel, Hun, Big Daddy Coolio, I’ll be fine, I’ll be there for Ramon’s photoshoot with what's-his-face…” Shawn hummed to himself, rambling softly to himself as he tried to figure out who he was working with again. Before he could even figure out the guy’s name, Diesel’s deep voice rang through his phone again.

“You’re working with Kid, Ramon’s toyboy or whatever.”

“Riight… That guy, yeah, I won't miss it, anyway, gotta go, phone is gonna die, Byyee!” And just like that, with a small click, Shawn hung up the phone before Diesel could say goodbye. He carefully tossed his phone to the empty passenger seat before adjusting the thick, black sunglasses on his face, humming along to the music on the radio. It had been a glorious drive so far. No traffic, the sun was hot, there were no clouds in the sky… and there was nobody to annoy him- other than Diesel every 15 minutes. 

It was definitely a perfect drive, yet there was one small problem. Fuel. Shawn’s trusty lady was running low, and the next gas station was a good 50 miles out, but there was a small town coming up in a few miles. It was a risk to turn off into the town. There was the chance there was no gas station in the town in the middle of nowhere. But there was just a nagging feeling, something that just drew Shawn’s attention to this town. It just seemed to call his name, and who was he to ignore that feeling? Shawn stepped on the gas, dust blowing behind the wheels as he sped up, going way past the speed limit before he reached the town that seemed to hypnotize him.

Shawn wasn’t sure what he was expecting when he drove through the town. He was used to the luxurious life, like main cities from New York to Los Angeles… but this was beyond different. It was small, tiny, barely anything compared to what he was accustomed to. There wasn’t anything branded, no hotels with infinity pools, no Prada stores, nothing! There was barely anything in this town other than small boutiques, a few restaurants and a few small businesses, as well as a few houses.

“There has to be a gas station in this place…” Shawn mumbled to himself, trying to distract himself away from the feeling he had awhile ago.

Driving around aimlessly didn’t seem to get Shawn anywhere, there wasn’t a gas station in sight, and his car didn’t have enough fuel by the sounds of it as it seemed to hiss and moaning from his beloved Ferrari. However, what Shawn didn’t expect though was the sight of smoke appearing from underneath the hood of his car. He hadn’t realized how hot it was in this place. 

“Shit, Shit, SHIT!” Shawn gasped out, quickly pulling up to the side, and turning off his car. He scrambled to get out of his car with urgency, slamming the door shut. Shawn quickly moved to the front of the car, lifting the hood with a slight hiss of pain from how hot the metal was and how smokey the engine was. He drafted away most of the dark smoke with a small cough before moving back.

“Son of a bitch!” he hissed out in anger, kicking his car slightly with his black leather boot. Oh, how Diesel was right about taking this shitty shortcut. He could see Diesel’s smug face in his mind, which pissed him off more. He hated being wrong. He couldn’t stand it. Rubbing the stubble on his face in frustration, Shawn paced in circles in front of his car, kicking slightly at the dirt on the floor. What the fuck was he supposed to do? Shawn’s blue eyes glanced around, looking at the almost empty street, seeing a few people staring his way before looking away as he looked at them. They weren’t gonna help, clearly. Shawn grunted slightly before slamming the hood down. He had to figure something out, but calling Diesel was not one of them. He could try to find a mechanic, but it meant he had to leave his sweet, beloved Ferrari behind for now… with a reluctant, annoyed huff, Shawn grabbed what he needed from his car, his phone, wallet and keys, before starting his walk to find a mechanic.

Instantly, Shawn knew he was out of place as he walked down the street. He was dolled up in his finest clothes, that being a white, open-shirt bought from Polo Ralph Lauren, khaki brown pants from the same place, his favorite Gucci belt in black and gold and finally his favorite pair of black leather boots, ones with a small heel. Of course, he had a few accessories, like a gold watch and matching earrings. He wouldn’t leave the house without them! This was one of his more ‘casual’ outfits, something he would wear to go shopping in New York. But being in this town? It looked like he was overdressed and everyone walking by gave him a second look. Now, Shawn loved the attention. He loved having people’s eyes on him. People would even say he craved it, but the looks he was being given now, it was more looks of judgment. Shawn mindlessly messed with his shirt, trying to flatten down invisible creases, trying to distract himself from the looks. A mechanic couldn’t be too far away.

A few minutes' walk eventually turned into a 15-minute walk into the town. He had passed more small shops including a bakery (which looked heavenly, from the strawberry cakes that looked freshly made to the croissants that Shawn would have loved to buy), a few cafes, a general store and even a liquor store which he kept in mind. Luckily, he had eventually found the town's repair shop. It looked like an older building, the corners of the building being rusted, yet a new sign in black and neon pink stood out on the building, reading out ‘Hart & Co. Auto Repair’. Loud country music was blasting, and the smell of oil and rubber burnt Shawn’s nose slightly, something he definitely wasn’t used to. As he entered the small shop, he noticed a pair of blue overall cover legs underneath a truck and humming coming from the person. He glanced around the shop, trying to spot anyone else in there, but no one else was in the small space, not even a customer. Shawn cleared his throat, trying to get the person’s attention, but it didn’t seem to catch the guy's attention.

“Excuse me? Hey” Shawn spoke up, moving closer, yet there was still no response. “Hey!” he continued in a louder tone, which seemed to catch the person’s attention.

“Shoot, hold on!” The mechanic yelled out from under the truck, finally rolling out from under the truck. The man who rolled out was quite young-looking, younger than Shawn, and had a baby face. He had blonde hair up to his shoulders and bright blue eyes. Of course, his sun-kissed skin was dotted with some splotches of oil and some sort of grime, and the blue jumpsuit he wore was covered in oil and dirt. Shawn looked at the name tag the other wore, barely seeing the name ‘Owen’ under an oil splotch.

Owen carefully stood up, wiping his hands on a cloth he had in his pocket before smiling at the man in his shop and holding a hand to him.

“Hi! Sorry about that. I hope you haven’t been waiting too long. I’m Owen. What can I help you with?” Owen asked, his voice surprisingly soft and surprisingly, not an Arizona accent either.

Shawn eyed up Owen’s hand beneath his sunglasses before looking back at the man’s face before taking off the shades. He gave Owen one of his charming smiles before speaking.

“No, not at all, just got here actually,” he began, licking his lips slightly before continuing, “I need help with my car- Obviously-, It broke down a few streets back, smokin’ and all… and no fuel” Shawn explained as he watched Owen lower his hand.

Owen looked slightly hurt about the man not shaking his hand, a pout on his face slightly. He hummed slightly before grinning and nodding.

“Should be easy! Luckily, it’s been a slow day, so let me put my truck down and we can go grab your car and tow it with the truck,” the mechanic agreed eagerly after his slow day.

By the time Owen and Shawn had towed the cherry-red car back to the shop, Owen had realized it wasn’t exactly the easiest job… It was a newer car, one he had seen no one in the town drive before… but he wasn’t gonna let this new customer down! Owen had lifted the hood of the car, already knowing it would take a few days to fix from the parts he could see, knowing it would take a few days to order parts… and then a few additional days to actually fix it. 

“So… How long are you here for, Mr?...” 

“Michaels, Shawn Michaels… and I was only coming here to fuel up. "

Now that was an issue. Owen pulled a face, wincing at the thought that he’d have to give this guy bad news.

“Well, Mr. Michaels, I… I uh, suggest you plan your stay here for a few days, I don’t have parts for a car like this,” the mechanic explained, as he glanced over to Shawn who stood nearby with his arms crossed.

“A few days? You have to be kidding me, right? Fuck… Diesel is gonna kill me!” Shawn groaned out, pacing around. “Shit, there’s a decent hotel nearby… right?” he asked, raising a brow as he looked over to Owen. 

Owen winced again. Even more bad news to give the guy…

“Well… There’s a motel nearby… but it is a good 45-minute drive from town.”

Shawn ran a hand through his long, wavy locks in frustration. His day couldn’t get any worse. First, his car breaks, and now the closest place to stay is too far away for him! Diesel appeared in his mind again. That annoying, smug face. Shit, he needed a drink… or something stronger.

Owen could see the annoyance on the guy's face. He truly felt for him. He had a soft heart and couldn’t stand to see a customer disappointed.

“But! If it helps, you could stay at my family ranch for a few days? I can keep you updated on your car and you won’t need to worry about how you’d get back to my shop!” Owen offered. The family ranch had enough space to help the guy out for a few days.

At the sound of the ranch, Shawn instantly hated the idea. He imagined the place being muddy and just plain dirty! However, it meant he would have somewhere to sleep, and he wouldn’t have to worry about trying to get back to this hellhole, which was now his nightmare. He took in a deep breath, trying to calm his annoyance.

“I… I suppose it isn’t a bad idea…” He muttered, rubbing the back of his neck, “... Yeah, fine. I’ll stay at this ranch of yours.”

“Let me close up and we can be on our way then!”.

It was common sense to not take a stranger's offer to stay at their house, but what was there for Shawn to lose? He could simply tell a small lie to Diesel, just saying that he’s spending the night at a hotel… And the day after say he was stuck in traffic and then tell him his car has broken down, just to calm the man's nerves. That and Owen just seemed so… sweet. His personality was so genuine and that was so rare to see in Shawn’s life. Yeah, he had a social life as a model, but most of the people he had met never seemed genuine. The only ones he got that feeling from were Hunter, Chyna and Diesel. Shawn truly felt as if Owen did want to help him out. 

Owen hadn’t taken too long to finish locking up. It did leave plenty of time for Shawn to have a quick look around the place. He quickly noticed that Owen was clearly a family kind of guy. There were plenty of pictures scattered around the workroom of Owen with different people, some he assumed to be his parents, others he assumed were probably his brothers and sisters, and maybe even some aunts and uncles. There were even a few pictures of a few kids- one that looked like a younger version of Owen- In some snow. But either way, it was a big family. 

The ride to this ranch was rather quiet. Yeah, there was some small talk, such as where they were both from which Shawn found out that the man was actually from Canada, which was ironic. Another question had arisen as well, the question of Shawn’s job.

“So… You’re a model? I would have thought you were an actor or something,” Owen chuckled.

“That’s sweet of you, I did want to be one, but modeling? Being all dolled up, partying… It’s the life!” Shawn grinned out, not mentioning the bad side of the job. 

“Ah, so you get paid to be pretty and to party… I wish life was that easy” Owen joked. He knew his older brother, Bret, hated that lifestyle. He was always talking about working hard for a good life, which Owen had to agree with. But the thought of partying every so often sounded like a great time. When was the last time he, Jeff Jarrett, Davey and Brian went out for drinks… It had been too long.

“I wish it was that easy,” the model started, “Strict diets, working with people you might not like with… The list is long, but the positives do outdo the negatives in my eyes”. The downfalls of being a model were clearly a touchy subject as Shawn’s grin seemed to disappear. The excited glint in his eyes after the compliment disappeared. Owen knew not to push further on that.

Owen hummed in response, nodding his head slightly, “Well, we’re almost here”.

Seeing a rather rustic house in the distance after seeing cactus after cactus was rather refreshing. The place looked rather peaceful in Shawn’s eyes. It had its own charm to it. The wooden fences that seemed to carry on for ages were cared for, the wood seemed almost new, even if grass tangled and vined itself around the posts. A sign soon came up as they drove along the side of the property. Shawn eyed it up, raising a brow as he saw the name ‘Hart Ranch’. Very creative. 

Entering the beginning of the ranch, Shawn could already see a few animals around in different pastures. There were a few horses, even cows… It reminded Shawn of an old photoshoot he did, one which he enjoyed a lot. He got to dress up like he was a cowboy, the hat, boots and even chaps, the whole shebang! Hunter and Chyna were there as well and they looked amazing in their getup… even if Hunter’s horse he had to ride kept stealing his hat. A small, reminiscent smile graced his face.

The house seemed to grow as they traveled down the long, dirt road. From a while back it looked tiny, something that an old couple would live in. Yet now being so close to it, he noticed how huge it was. It must have been handbuilt, there were uneven grooves in the woods of the walls and fences in front of the house, something that showed how much hard work was put into it. There were even some stone bricks that decorated the oak wood. Bright, fresh vines climbed through the maze of bricks in the house, adding more color to the home. This must have been built years ago, even before Shawn was born. 

Owen and Shawn exited the truck. Owen helped his guest by grabbing the large bag that they had lugged into the truck before they left.

“I’m not too sure who will be in… I know my Ma will be in, my dad will probably be working with Bret, my older brother, somewhere on the ranch… probably fixing something” Owen laughed, “and my sister Diana will be probably looking after the horses… So it should be luckily quiet for you, just for now at least”.

Quietly, Shawn followed Owen up the steps to the patio before opening the screen door, which had a beautiful panel at the bottom that had been engraved by hand into a tree, and entering the rather cool home, the door closing with a soft bang. The home was decorated with even more pictures than what was at the auto repair home, some that were in black and gray, their corners torn and frayed from age which confirmed Shawn’s thought of the place being handbuilt, while others were newer and fresher. There were a few shoes scattered around by the front door being in different sizes and styles, some being boots, some were flats and even a few heels. Owen placed down Shawn’s bag by the oak stairs that stood in front of them before moving into the large, spacious room to the right of them which Shawn slowly followed after.

“Ma! I’m home! I have a guest!” Owen hollered out into the rather silent home, the only noise he could hear after was the sound of the cicadas that buzzed louder. Owen continued to walk towards the kitchen, which Shawn assumed it was. 

Instead of following the young man, Shawn looked around the cozy looking living room. There were a few brown leather couches that surrounded a fireplace, a few blankets were carefully and almost lovingly lined up over the top. Handmade throw pillows laid untouched in the corners by the arms of the couches, embroidery were neatly laced throughout the rather soft looking material which had quotes such as ‘Home Sweet Home’ and ‘Welcome to our happy place’. It was rather sickeningly sweet to see, yet it seemed to suit the home rather well. A large, thick cow rug of brown, black and white laid underneath an oak table, a mug left on a coaster, clearly left and forgotten by accident in the clean house. Bookcases lined the back walls of the living room, full of leather bound books of different colors and sizes before more newer kids books littered between well used and loved books. Finally, Shawn noticed more family pictures, one of a whole family that was framed above the fireplace in front of a different house. 

Shawn wasn’t the type to get homesick. He had a pretty close relationship with his mom, but that was it. He’d phone her every so often. But even in his parents home, there were barely any photos of them as a family, as Shawn grew up, the pictures dwindled down until there was nothing new. Seeing these pictures though, it tugged at Shawn’s heart, the feeling of homesickness being more apparent. He quickly shook his head, trying not to get sentimental.

The perfect distraction eventually came, pulling Shawn out of his thoughts as he heard the front door open again. Shawn glanced over his shoulder, his eyes landing on a taller man. Now, Shawn may not have been the type to be homesick, but he was the type to be a hopeless romantic, and when this guy walked into the house? Shawn could feel blood rush to his cheeks.

The guy had curly, deep brown hair that reached his shoulders. His skin was tanned much like a god, the sheen of sweat clung to the man's brows and neck. His eyes were a dark, melted chocolate color that held warmth in them. And his outfit? Shawn was loving it. A black cowboy hat sat upon his head like a halo, his blue, checkered shirt hugged around his strong, muscular chest perfectly, his jeans hugged oh-so-perfectly around his legs. This man was something Shawn wanted and needed.

Silence filled the room as the man stared down Shawn, staring down his outfit before looking around the living room. It was an awkward silence, one that Shawn could tell that this guy was trying to figure out who Shawn was and why he was just standing there. 

Before Shawn could even speak, the mans low voice filled the room, “Who the hell are you? What are you doing in my home?”.

[celli-ohs]

awooga!

part one of accidentally in love! series shy!soobin x popular!reader; college!au, strangers to friends to lovers! fluff, comedy, angst (possible smut in the future, idk yet)

2. beautiful glorious blue-eyed king (written portion included 1.9k)

Soobin is starving. It’s 8:47 pm, and they don’t close until 9. Not only that, he agreed to take Jaemin’s shift when he had an assignment due at 10 pm. Apparently, Jaemin’s friends were all at some club, and of course he could not miss out. If he were being honest, Soobin really didn’t mind staying, especially since Jaemin said he’d cover for him whenever he needed next time. But as his stomach grumbled from the lack of food, he was beginning to regret his choices. He’s idly cleaning the counters while daydreaming about dinner when the door chimes. A customer? At nearly 9pm? Soobin takes his time as he turns around to greet them. “Welcome in-” He suddenly chokes, coughing over his words. He quickly tries to gulp down some water. “Woah, are you okay?” Your sweet voice causes him to cough again.

What were you doing here?!? Why did you come so late, where there’s no one else but you and him!? No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no! Oh god, as if he hadn’t embarrassed himself enough with the last time you’d come in. “Hey, you good?” You call out from the other side of the counter. Soobin’s coughing has subsided, but he still can’t look at you, he sends you an awkward thumbs up. He hears you shuffle behind him as he drinks a bit more water. Eventually he’s going to have to turn around, he can’t have you waiting there forever. So with a brave face, he spins around and gives you the most happy smile he could manage. “W-What can I get you?” He stutters, mentally kicking himself. You look up at him curiously, before your expression changes to concern. 

“Are you sure you’re okay? You seem kinda pale.” You comment. He shakes his head, a bit too aggressively. “Yes, I’m fine! Sorry, I- Uh did you want to order anything?” He fidgets and gestures to the menu. Your attention moves to the list of various drinks. As you’re scanning for your choice, Soobin is busy trying to calm down. God you were so pretty, even prettier up close! Even when you’re dressed so casually, you’re so cute. Was he staring too much? It’s rude to stare, but he can’t help it, you’re stunning- “Can I get a hot chocolate, extra syrup please?” You ask, finally looking back up at him. “Yeah,” He nods, not even bothering to ring you up as he makes your drink quickly. “Thanks,” You take the hot to-go cup from his hand. “How much do I owe you?” You ask. Soobin only shakes his head, causing you to look at him confused.

“You’re Arin’s friend right? It’s fine, it’s only hot chocolate.” He insists, hoping that by giving you a free drink you’d feel his sincere apology from your last visit. But you stare at the cup, then at him, and then back at the cup. “You guys take tips, right?” You ask, gesturing to the jar. Before he can answer, you fish out a couple of bucks, tossing them in. “You don’t have to do that.” He feels embarrassed. You ignore him and ask him another question instead. “Have we met? Before the whole spilling-coffee-on-me thing happened.” He wants to burn that memory from his brain. You take a sip of your hot chocolate as you wait for him to respond.  “N-No, not really.” He shrugs. “But I know who you are, Y/n.” There’s a shift in your eyes and he’s suddenly backtracking, trying to defend himself. 

“I mean! Not because I’m weird or anything! Arin and Chaeryeong sometimes mention you. Sunghoon says you’re best friends with one of his friends, and actually my best friend Yeonjun, his frat throws parties a lot and you always beat him in beer pong. And I remember you dropped by our apartment once to give some things to Taehyun and- uh yeah, I guess I know you.” He rambles, though he can’t even look in your general direction as he does so. You probably think he’s a stalker, or some kind of weirdo fan. He hopes you just walk out the door so he can close up and quit his job so he never has to see you again. Why did you have to come in tonight?! “Well,” You sigh, signaling to Soobin that you haven’t left like he wished. “That makes me feel bad cause we’ve obviously met, but I don’t even know your name.” 

Oh. Soobin stands up straighter, finally making eye contact with you. “I-It’s Soobin- My name is Soobin.” He tells you, almost excitedly. You smile at him and his heart is pounding so loud he almost can’t hear you speak. “Nice to officially meet you Soobin.” He loves the way his name sounds coming from your tongue. It’s so smooth and sweet, like frosting. He wants to hear you say it again and again and again. But he doesn’t, because the next thing the both of you hear is the loud growling of his stomach. Soobin is frozen as you stifle a giggle. “Are you hungry? You guys close soon right? Wanna grab some food?” You suggest. “Uh- sure. Yeah, I’d love to!” Soobin fumbles, looking at his watch for the time. It’s 9:02. “Let me just close up real quick, I can meet you outside.” He promises, and watches you head out. You can’t tell when he’s walking to the back room, but he’s grinning from ear to ear. 

You’d be lying if you said you didn't ask Soobin out to eat because of how sad he looked. Because he admittedly looked really sad. With his flitting eyes, mumbling and shaky hands, you felt so bad when his poor stomach began to growl. But now you find yourself sitting side by side with him, eating spicy rice cakes under a tent. “Here,” You pour him some beer, as he shoves food into his mouth. “Oh, thank you,” He mumbles, covering his mouth as he chews. The air is stiff and awkward, you two have been eating in nearly complete silence since you came ten minutes ago. Feeling the need, you clear your throat. “So,” You swallow your food. “You said you’re friends with Yeonjun?” You try to start a conversation. Soobin sits up, eyes never meeting yours. “Yeah, we- we’ve known each other since we were kids.” You look up a bit surprised. “I’m also roommates with Taehyun, that’s why I said that earlier,” He references himself moments ago back at the cafe. 

“Besties with a frat boy, roomies with an athlete, and working with the campus heartthrobs,” You tease, laughing to yourself. “You’re popular.” The word popular has Soobin’s eyes popping out of his head. “Oh no! No, no, no, no, no, no, no!” He shakes his head and hands simultaneously, a gesture you find cute. “I’m not popular at all, I just, you know, know them.” He shrugs. “You’re way more popular than me,” He points out. For some reason that makes you frown. Soobin notices and begins to fret again, obviously thinking he’d upset you. “That’s not a bad thing! It’s nice to be popular.” He tries to defend. You blink and revert back to your smiley self, shaking your head as you wave him off. “Sorry, you don’t have to do that,” You go back to eating. The two of you fall back into silence, though this time the atmosphere is thicker than before. 

With a brave face, Soobin asks the question that’s been bugging you. “Do you not like being popular?” You pout, deep in thought as you place your chopsticks down. “I mean it’s not a bad thing like you said.” You sigh, leaning back into your chair. “But it’s weird.” You finally look up, meeting Soobin’s eyes. “It’s almost as if so many people know me, but no one knows me.” As the words slip from your mouth, you instantly regret them. Why were you getting so sappy with a guy who was practically a stranger to you? You begin to internally panic, Soobin probably wasn’t expecting a therapy session with you when you offered to pay for his dinner. “Well, I’m kinda the same way, right? You said so yourself, I'm friends with so many people others know, but no one really knows me.” Soobin offers, just as he shoves a bunch of rice cakes into his mouth. You watch him silently as he eats awkwardly under your gaze. 

Somehow, your situations were a lot more similar than they seemed. It was pathetic, in its own way. You sigh and nod, taking a sip of the warm fish cake broth. “I guess we are,” You mumble. The tension doesn’t seem to be relieved, but rather thicker. You feel as if you can’t even move, the sticky rice cakes stuck against the roof of your mouth. “I-Is that Gojo?” Soobin stutters, and at the sound of your fictional husband’s name has you wide awake. “Huh?” You sit up and finally realize what he’s talking about. He’s pointing to the little keychain you had attached to your bag. You’re surprised he recognized it, as it was technically a Gojo Cat charm, the white cat skipping happily with a smile and his iconic glasses. “You know Jujutsu Kaisen?” You ask, a bit surprised. “Yeah, I'm almost done with season 1.” Soobin answered confidently. You’re stunned as he begins to ramble. “Is Gojo your favorite? He’s mine too. Did you hear about the movie coming out soon? I want to go see it so bad! It takes place before Yuuji, it’s about Yuta Okkotsu, right? The trailer looked so sick, I can’t wait!”

You finally end up laughing so hard you almost knock over your soup. Soobin chuckles alongside you as you regain your composure. “To answer your question, yes Gojo Satoru is my favorite. I did hear about the movie, and yeah it’s about Yuta.” You answer all of his little questions with a smile. “It comes out next month I think.” You hum, beginning to eat again. “Do you read the manga?” Soobin asks. “Yeah, but I prefer to watch, I like to hear their voices.” You admit, and he nods along. “Especially Gojo’s, his voice is so sexy,” You exaggerate a sigh, and smirk at Soobin. He sits there in shock, cheeks reddening just a bit, before he scoffs. He sets down his chopsticks, and suddenly cups his own cheeks in the palms of his hands. “I know, isn’t he so dreamy? I could listen to him all day.” Soobin instantly begins to mock you. In playful defense, you gasp loudly, glaring at him jokingly. “Are you making fun of me?” Soobin ignores you as he continues. “And he’s so strong! The strongest! I just want him to rescue me like a damsel in distress!” Soobin clasps his hands together as he pretends to daydream. 

You, on the other hand, are fighting for your life not to laugh, you're physically vibrating as you try to contain yourself. Seeing this, Soobin pulls all the stops as he pouts. “He’s so tall too! I want to climb him like a tree!” He practically shouts for all the strangers around you to hear. You can’t help but break character, snorting all over your food as your gut begins to cramp from all your laughter. “Stop it! Oh my God everyone can hear you!” You wheeze. “Okay, I’ll stop,” He chuckles, calming down. You’re wiping tears away just as he gives one last shout. “I just love my beautiful glorious blue-eyed king!” “

“Shut up!”

Bonus:

Y/n 100% forgot she came to the cafe to return Arin's hoodie the second Soobin offered her a drink

Soobin actually noticed the Gojo Cat charm on Y/n's bag on their walk to the tteokbokki tent but didn't know how to bring it up subtly

Someone DID in fact record Soobin spilling coffee all over Y/n and that someone was Jaemin (he decided to go on break right at rush hour and was recording snaps for his streaks, the incident just happened to be in the background of his selfie)

Y/n had to temporarily mute the gc because Jen exploded after Keeho's comment

Sunghoon actually has no idea if Soobin's gonna get fired or not, he just didn't want his friend to feel bad

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[thymeclangen]

May StarClan Smile Upon You

We are a friendly group, simply living upon the humble whims of our glorious ancestors. Settle down, and allow us to explain.

Alternative site for just reading in-order moons:

https://thymeclangen.thecomicseries.com/comics/1#content-start

POTENTIAL TRIGGER WARNINGS

These are not guarantees for the story, but things that may pop up. Not all warnings I may end up using will be here, but these are some general ones:

#tw blood #tw gore #tw heavy gore #tw abuse #tw ritual #tw sacrifice #tw death #tw murder #tw drowning #tw child death #tw war #tw illness #tw death in childbirth #tw violence #tw cheating #tw injury

There will also most likely be swearing scattered throughout the blog. If I missed anything, please let me know! Most importantly, stay safe.

Tags:

#thymoons - For moon updates

#thymews - For in-character ask responses

#thymessages - For out-of-character ask responses

#thymore - For reblogging other clangen blogs

#thymaunder - For other posts related to ThymeClan such as lore or references

#thymumble - For random posts not covered by any of the other tags

Inspirations:

@aphidclan-clangen

@loudclan-clangen

@sporeclan

@fallenclan

@gray-thistleclan

@littlebloomclan

@moons-of-dewclan

@mourningsbane

@in-memoriam-tgwk

@the-inky-waters

@rise-of-thornclan

@circus-clangen

@juniper-clan

GO CHECK THEM OUT!! PLEASE!! ALL OF THEIR WORK IS SO LOVELY!!!

Notes:

I will probably only be posting single pages as I finish them to keep up my motivation, with moons being split up into multiple sections which will be multiple pages. Generally, It should go like this: Moon 1 part 1.1, Moon 1 part 1.2, Moon 1 part 2.1, you get the jist. 1._ would be the pages of plot line 1 for the moon and so on. All in the hopes of keeping up motivation while also being able to really dig into the story and characters.

You are more than welcome to ask questions to any character!

This blog and the designs for the cats are all based on the game Clangen! Go check out the game!

About The Artist:

Hello! You can call me Quail or Dawn! I go by They/Them/She and a whole shebang of neos. I have adhd and anxiety, so I will be trying my hardest to not freak out or lose motivation <3. My main blog is @quail-dawn, although I don't really do anything there but reblog shit. Anyhoo I should probably end this ramble before I lose the whole omniscient ominous vibe thingy I'm going for haha. Hope you enjoy!

[sumtheamazinglysickauthor]

A Work Call - A Xyx Fanfic

-----

Part 2

Part 3

-----

It was just a boring day at home. You were sitting on your desk, typing away on your computer. You were working from home, and tried your best to remain focus. You needed to finish what you started, especially before Cat gets up and you get too distracted by their cuteness. Focus, girl, focus.

Alas, a notification from a certain app got your attention. You were being pinged and by Xyx. It was a bit unusual, considering the fact that he’s not usually active while working. Your husband definitely wasn’t a workaholic, but he was concentrated when he had work. Something that you seemed to not be able to do because you clicked on the notification, ignoring any voice in your head that would dare tell you it was a bad decision. It’s called taking a break you thought, arguing with that voice.

You clicked the app and went to the private channel you and Xyx usually talked in. You looked at the message.

xyx:  bzzzzt 

xyx: come in doll come in doll

You chuckle at the it, reminded of the time he first said something similar

You: bbzzzt reporting in!

xyx: bzzt I can’t hear you

Xyx: might need to switch to another method of communication

You: What did you have in mind?

xyx: well, since you’re my wife…

xyx: I could gift you my glorious face on your screen for a few minutes

xyx: what do ya say?

The stupid voice in your head wanted you to say no. Another one started fighting with it. Your husband wanted to call on this app while he was at work. You needed the break. Why would you not do so?

You: Hmmm

You: Sure!

xyx: enthusiastic, are we?

xyx: that excited to see me?

You couldn’t even deny it. You were. You really, really needed it.

You: Maybe

You saw xyx entering the RING RING RING voice channel and quickly clicked on it. His face was now on your screen. The man was wearing a black suit with a yellow tie. His emerald eyes were on yours and he looked so… gorgeous.

“Hey there, doll. You seem eager today.” Xyx spoke, a cheeky smile on his face, “Missing me, are ya?”

You rolled your eyes, not hiding your smile, “As if. I have better things to do than think of our tongue twister matches.”

“Oh is that so?” Xyx leaned back in his office chair, “I never said anything about tongue twisters, love.”

You blushed a bit, “Why’d you call?”

“Am I not allowed to call my wife for no reason?” he raised a brow.

“You usually don’t do video calls in the server at work.”

“Keeping track of me, are we?”

“No, I’m just observant.”

Xyx let out a small laugh. A laugh that you’d call one of your favorite sounds in the world. “Well, maybe you’re just special, or maybe I’ve got a break and I decided to see if I could call to test out how this works and needed my test bunny to help me out. Maybe it’s both. We’ll never know.”

“What’s Xyx without a little mystery.”

“You got it, babe.”

This time, it’s you laughing, “How’s work?

“Oh you know. Another meeting with a client, boring emails, documents, this and that.”

“Sounds like a lot.”

“Hmm… Maybe. Since my work’ll probably put you to sleep, what’ve you been up to?”

You raise a brow, “How curious. Thought you’d never ask about me. I just did some work.” work that I was meant to finish hours ago.

“Oh how specific. Very detailed, love.”

“Shut up. It’s even more boring than yours. At least you met a client.”

Xyx smiles, “I’d rather meet you, which reminds me… We both seem to need a little break from work.”

You wait for him to continue, “And?”

“And there’s a restaurant that opened up. It has some of our favorites and I’ve heard it’s got a good rating.”

You listen to his rambling, your smile only growing.

“So what do ya say we go check it out?” he finally asks.

You feel butterflies in your stomach at the question. You may have been married, but that doesn’t mean the butterflies would ever leave. There must be more of them now.

It wasn’t like you and Xyx don’t go out, you guys did go on dates. I mean– why wouldn’t you? It was usually on days he didn’t have work though. When he did, you guys just spent the night watching a movie or trying to make a heart shaped pizza only to start a food fight with eachother, or just doing something that involved the two of you. It was the best moments of your life. It was rare of him to ask you out during a call at work, but you were not complaining.

“Would this be a date?”

“Hmm… A date? I don’t know… I’d only go on dates with you if you were my wife.”

You play with the engagement ring on your finger right as he says that, “Hmm… Good, because I happen to be married.”

“Oh really now? Is he handsome?” Xyx gives you a smirk.

“Very. You could mistake him for a model, honestly.”

“Oh? Is that so? Where is this husband of yours.”

“At work, unfortunately.”

“How disappointing…”

“Truly...”

The two of you look at eachother, before laughing a bit. The antics you had would never fade, nor would your love for eachother.

“You better not come home late tonight” You clear your throat, “Or I may change my mind and not go.”

“Love, when have I ever been late?”

You look at him. Though it wasn’t often, there were times where he was late. You knew sometimes things got stressful, so you never got upset about it. Plus, he always found a way to make it up. You would, however, joke about it.

“Hmm. Don’t know, but I did need to warn you.”

He chuckles, smirking, “Doll, if it’s for you, I’ll always come home.”

 You blush at the confession, “I- I suppose I should get ready then. I’ll see you soon?”

“See you in a bit, love. Try not too miss me too much.”

“How could I not?”

“True, it’s impossible.”

You snicker, “Yeah, it is.”

You blow him a kiss and he blushes a bit more.

“Don’t think you won’t pay for that later, doll.”

Now you’re red, “I- uhm… Can’t wait, love. Bye!”

He gives a mischievous grin, “Bye, love”.

You end the call, getting all flustered. You were so excited. You really did hit the jackpot with him, didn’t you? He was so perfect. All it took was a call– All it could’ve taken was just a text– for you to turn into a smiling tomato. This man had made you the happiest woman that probably ever existed, and you would love to return the favor. Why? Because you certainly loved him and he definitely loved you.

[ratcandy]

hi im here to ramble speculative nonsense in your askbox again do you ever wonder about how long sozonius must have been missing? we have little frame of reference for just how long he was sozo for. several months? a year? several years? ..a decade? several decades? considering the mushroom somehow was able to,, negate his age. (...somehow.) and sozonius just shrivels up like a raisin when the mushroom pops off his head. so i guess it can just do that idk.

i'd imagine he was gone at least long enough for his family to presume him dead. he did just up and go to do research in a bizarre fungus forest full of violent cultists after all. probably had their grief and then eventually moved on from it. and yet. he's alive.

YES I DO WONDER THIS... Because yeah we have No frame of reference whatsoever. He could've entered that forest as an old man already (my headcanon just because I Can) or he could've been a young and spritely thing before the Horrors happened. We have no idea. And we have no way of knowing.

All we do know is that he's been there long enough to get the Mushroomos to do his bidding and somewhat revere him (considering they refer to him as "glorious Sozo" and "our great leader;" even when not around him for him to hear them they call him "great Sozo," so I don't know how much of that fronted . "worship?" is actually fear. because a sizable amount of it does seem to be fear ("Sozo grows cruel and unpredictable, I fear for our fate here!") but to what extent? I dunno).

He could've gone into that forest at age 65 and came out 100. We don't know and it's FUCKED UP

And what's worse is I'm sure this bothers the hell out of HIM, too. He feels older, even if the time difference isn't as dramatic as a decade. He can feel the weight of months or years bearing down on him, but he has no idea how long it's been. For all he knows, he might have outlived his family.

(And he most certainly will regardless under the Lamb's care)

And he's just left with that forever unanswered question for the rest of time. How long did they mourn him? Did they search for him? Are they even still alive? Did they have children, grandchildren, great grandchildren,,, that maybe, just maybe, he could still meet someday?

Just. Oug. All around

[psychopomp-recital]

hi I just wanted to ask: what drew you to death magic specifically? and, if your comfortable, how do you deal with grief (both yours and others) by being a death witch? (plz don't feel obligated to answer if it's too invasive /gen)

Oh not too invasive at all! Thank you for being so polite, this response is very long I’m sorry you asked a rather deep question 🩵 CONTENT WARNING IN TAGS

What drew me onto this path?

TLDR; I have always been surrounded death and it has been an ever present part of my life. I hated the idea that when someone died they were gone forever that’s it. Because regardless if you believe in spirits, I hope we can all agree that we’re all collections of the ancestors who make up our bodies & the ancestors who make up our personalities, we are who we are because of those passed on. And I can all but hope that someday someone will remember me and my stories the same way I remember these folks.

I want to be a good ancestor someday.

THE LONG ANSWER

I was raised in the Southern United States. The culture of this area is that surrounded in death. Everywhere you go there is haunted places and cemeteries. There’s also a strong sense of family there, this feeling that everyone is woven and interconnected.

I was raised Mormon and by a folk magical family who taught me the importance of ancestor work. I understood that these folks are part of me, by blood or otherwise they have made me who I am.

I was raised holding hands with my ancestors chronic illness. I looked it in the face everyday. Haunted by the idea that someday my body would rot away the same way I saw theirs rot, reminded everyday that illness could rip my mother from me without warning.

I eventually realized I could continue to ignore death, pray I have time on this earth to do what I want to do and run from it. Or I could embrace its role in my life and welcome it like an old friend.

I found comfort in the idea that I could help those who have passed on. The families who never got to say goodbye now had an opportunity to at least send the message. I could do my part to calm the fear these folks feel when they slip further into deaths grasp. I found a purpose for the pain I was experiencing.

If I could learn all I can while I’m alive, perhaps when I die I’ll be able to leave behind my knowledge and someone can keep this practice going. In that way, they keep me alive too.

I heard you die twice, once when they bury you in the grave And the second time is the last time that somebody mentions your name.

How do I handle the grief of others and the personal grief I experience?

I think I actually made a post on this! I’ll link it below!

But honestly it just comes down to boundaries, and being kind to yourself. It’s okay to cry and be upset and miss those lost to us. It’s okay to mourn for the dead you work with. YOU ARE STILL HUMAN. Don’t loose sight of that.

Also if you check out #MyPsychopompJournal you’ll see some entries on grief and my raw experiences with it. The one below in particular is a pretty good example;

Let me know if you are interested in a more in depth post about how I handle grief personally because I don’t want to ramble more than I already have!

ASK MY ANYTHING ASKS ARE OPEN!

[blackhakumen]

Mini Fanfic #1194: The Adorable Lovebirds of Darkness! (SSBU X Fire Emblem)

10:42 a.m. atthe Smash Mansion's Dining Hall...........

Marth: And that, my friends, is the story of how I, Caeda and many other brave men and women of the army risked our lives to protect and fight for the honor and safety of our homelands from the overflowing forces of darkness and evil, until the very ends of the Earth.

Chrom: (Smiles Proudly) And it's a story that continues to be told by many countless generations ever since.....(Turns his Attention Lucina and Owain) So whatcha kids think? Still holds up?

Lucina: (Happily Nodded) It does, father. Very much so.

Owain: Yes. ('Sniff') (Wipes Away a Single Tear From his Eyes) It was perfect. Beautiful. Everything straight to last, critical detail. (Smiles Brightly) Encore please!~

Lucina: (Turns to her Cousin) Owain, he told us this story five times already. Aren't you tired of it being told over and over again yet?

Owain: (Happily Shakes his Head at Lucina) Never of the sort, cousin. It's not everyday you get to hear a tale as so heartfelt and inspirational from the legendary hero and prince himself!

Marth: (Smiles Sheepishly to Owain's Praise) I-I wouldn't exactly call myself a legend in any capacity, but I thank you both for taking the time to hear me ramble on about my many misadventures.

Owain: Oh think nothing of the sort, you majesty.(Happily Bows His Head Down to Marth) And I thank you for joining us on this glorious morning. (Chuckles Lightly) Which is absolutely perfect because.....(Smiles More Sheepishly Himself) I may need to ask you all something....

Chrom: Sure. What's up?

Owain: You have crushes before, right? (Turns Away a Bit While Twiddling his Fingers Around) What was it like to fall for them from afar?

Marth: ('Sighs Dreamingly') The best feeling in the world~ I remember the days when Caeda and I first worked together. Her kind heart, fierce determination, and grateful beauty has always managed to capture both my heart and mind to tis very day~

Chrom: (Smiles Fondy About his Significant Other) The same goes for me with Olivia. She's more on the shy and adorable side, brave whenever she needs to be, and her dancing..... (Let's Out a Whistle Before Daydreaming About Olivia Inviting Him into Many of Their "Private" Dance Lessons) The way she moves to the music rhythm with such class and rhythm is always a sight to behold~ And her hips-

'Clears Throat'

Chrom immediately comes back to reality as he turns to see his daughter staring at him, raising an eyebrow in silence.

Chrom: I-I-I mean, uh- (Clears his Throat Before Putting onnan Awkward Smile) Her dancing! Is.....truly amazing over. (Chuckles Awkwardly)

Lucina: ('Sigh') Whatever you say, father. (Crosses her Arms With Proud Smile on her Face) Meanwhile, I can safely say that I have never encountered a crush of any kind.

Owain: (Covers his Mouth While Purposely Letting Out a Cough)

Lucina: (Turns Back to Owain with Suspicion in her Eyes) What was that just now?

Owain: (Casually Shrugs) Oh no, don't mind me. Just calling out blasphemy when I clearly hear it right next to me.

Lucina: (Eyes Widened in Complete Shock) Blasphemy!? (Pouts at her Cousin) Owain Everfield Yliston, I am telling the honest truth here! I never have a crush on anyone!

Owain: (Playfully Raises an Eyebrow at Lucina) Really? Cause I seemed to remember how pretty bashful and jumpy you easily get whenever Gerome catches your much needed attention~

Lucina: That was a long time ago, Owain! You know that!! (Turns Away While Twirling her Hair Around and Blushing at the Thought of the Masked Young Man) Besides, I'm certain he has a million other things to do right now in our world than to ever think about me.....

Owain. (Gives Lucina a Reassuring Smile) Oh don't fret, Lucina. I'm sure he misses you just as much as you miss him right now.

Lucina: ('Sigh') I suppose. But wait. (Turns Back to Owain) What makes you want to ask us this kind of question in the first place? Unless- ('Gasps') Owain! Do you have a crush on someone yourself?

Owain: W-Who? Me? ('Scoffs') Please! (Chuckles Very Awkwardly) Of course not!! There's no way that, I, Odin the Dark, would ever fall for something as trivial as LOVE before! That's crazy.

Chrom: (Gives Owain the Mild Fatherly Glare) Owain, what did your father and mother tell you about being more honest with your feelings?

Owain: ('Sighs in Defeat') Never hesitate while doing so. I remember.....

Marth: (Gives Owain a Reassuring Smile on his Face) There's really no need for you to feel shy about this, Owain. This tends to happen to the most of us at times.

Lucina: (Nodded in Agreement) That's right. (Places her Hand on Top of Owain's Hand Woth a Smile of her Own) And you know as well as I do that I will not let anyone judge and make fun of you for it. (Smirks a Bit) Less they are brave enough to answer to me, of course~

Owain: (Snickers a Bit) Right. Thank you, cousin.

Lucina: You're always welcome. Now quit stalling tell us the identity of your crush already.

Owain: Don't rush me, woman, I was gonna! ('Sigh') But if you really must know that badly, then-

?????: U-Um

The soft, but shy spoken voice was more than enough for Owain get startled and jolt himself up from his seat as he turns to see the source of the voice talking to him was none than the Princess of Hyrule, Zelda.

Owain: Oh. (Sheepishly Greets the Princess) A-Ahoy there, my fair maiden!

Zelda: (Giggles a Bit With a Shy, But Bright Smile on her Face) Good morning, Owain!~ Or was it Odin? I....still couldn't decide what to call you, they both sound great.

Owain: (Forms a Jojo Darkened Pose) will forever be known as Odin the Wicked Darkness of Solitary!- (Winces a Bit as He Felt Lucina's Shoulder Bumping his Leg Before Smiling at Zelda Again) B-But I mostly prefer that you call me Owain instead. It is my true birth name after all.

Zelda: Owain it is then..

Marth: (Whispers to Chrom) So it was Zelda this entire time.

Chrom: Not what I expected, but I welcome it.

Lucina: (Shushes Both of the Men in Frint of Her)

Owain/Zelda: (Turbs Away Bashfully) So I was wondering- (Eyes Widened) Oh! (Laughs a Bit Before Turning Back to One Another)

Zelda: Do you wanna tell me first or......

Owain: (Politely Bows to Zelda) After you, milady~

Zelda: (Giggles Some More) Aw~ You are such a gentleman for a Wicked Darkness of Solitary!~

Owain: (Chuckles Lightly) Hey-ey now! My heart may have engulfed in darkness, but I was still raised right! For the most part.

Zelda: Sure, sure, I believe you~ But um- ('Clears Throat') No seriously, I....wanna ask you if....(Turns Away While Twirling her Hair Around a Bit) You want and .....if you're not super busy, that...I can....show you more around town sometime this week? Y-You know, given that you're still new here and all.....Just the two of us?

Owain: (Smiles Brightly) Why, Yes! I'd love that. How's later today sounds?

Zelda: Again, it's perfectly fine if you don't- (Turns Back to Owain) Wait, really? Are you sure?

Owain: (Chuckles Lightly) Positive! I never really have that busy of a schedule as of right now and I do always yearn for more adventures, especially in a place as big and more expressive as this. (Smiles Sheepishly Again While Rubbing the Back of his Head Back and Forth) Then again, I do that fear that my inexperience and cluelessness could potentially lead the both of us into trouble.

Zelda: (Giggles Once More) Relax, I know this town like the back side of my necklace. I got this. I hope

Owain: If you insist- (Politely Bows to Zelda Again) Then I am more than willing to put my trust in you to take the lead, your highness.

Zelda: (Happily Clap her Hands Together) Great!~ We meet up at 5:30ish to leave here?

Owain: (Smiles Brightly) Sounds reasonable to me. I'm feeling excited already.

Zelda: You and me both! We're gonna have ourselves a good time out there. B-But one more than first!

Owain: Hm?- (Eyes Widened as He Suddenly Felt Zelda's Lips Pressing on his Cheek a Bit)

Zelda: (Leans Back From Her Kiss Before Turning Away Again) I know this world is still a lot for you to get used you, but please don't worry. (Turns Back to Owain with a Bright, More Sincere Smile on her Face) Cause me and everyone else here in this nutty family are gonna give you the best time and experience here of your entire life going forward, that's a promise!~ (Slowly Starts Blushing as She Realizes What She Just Did a Brief Second Ago) A-A-Anyways! I have somewhere to be right now! Love yo- I-I mean, BYEEEE!~ (Quickly Teleports Her Way Out of the Room)

Owain: (Slowly Place his Hand Onto the Kissed Cheek as He Blushes and is Now Surprisedby What Just Happened) (What's this? A Kiss? From a the fairest of all maidens? I knew my charms were going to catch up to me eventually, but I have not the slightest clue that this eventuality would be-)

Lucina: (Sighs and Facepalms Herself as She and the Others are Watching Owain Standing There Still Surprised and Motionless) Oh no.....He's inner monlogging again, isn't he?

Chrom: Looks like it. Been a while since I've seen him done that.

Marth: (Smiles Sheepishly) I can't say I blame him for feeling this way though. It kind of reminds me of the way I acted when Caeda kissed me for the first time.

Chrom: (Grabs his Chin While Thinking) You know, now that you mention it, I do remember making that kind of face when Olivia-

Lucina: Father!

Chrom: R-Right! Right. ('Clears Throat') S-Sorry, dear.

Lucina: ('Sighs Once More')

Meanwhile at the Other Room......

Zelda: (Covering her Face Up in Basfulness While in Mewtwo's Arms) MEWWY, I KISSED THE BOY OF MY DREAMS AND LOVE ITTTTTT!~

Mewtwo: (Gently Rubs his Best Friend's Back) A surprising bold move on your part, but you did well nonetheless.

Toon: (Happily Pumps his Fist Up in the Air) YES! Finally! Every kid in this house I'd gonna owe so much money now-

Zelda: (Immediately Glares at Toon Link) WHAT!?

Toon: (Quickly Sweating Bullets in Fear) Uh.....D-Did I say money! (Chuckles Very Awkwardly) W-What I meant to say was...h-honey! Cause...you know....Bee Movie!.....

Mewtwo: (Already Giving Toon the Deadpinned Look) That has to be worse cover up lie you made yet.

Toon: ('Sighs in Utter Defeat') I'm young and greedy, sue me!

@cyber-wildcat

@caleb13frede

@albion-93

@ma-lemons

[flowertab]

How about that new NWoS trailer?!

The following will consist of an overly long series of disjointed fangirl thoughts/ramblings.

First of all this game is beautiful. And it looks and feels like a true Layton game, which is the most we can possibly ask for! That feeling of curious surroundings, weird and wonderful buildings, a town where you want to explore every cranny…the developers had previously expressed doubt about creating a Laytonesque setting in America, but they succeeded.

I was so pleased to see that the classic screen by screen, ‘point and click’ dynamic is still in place! It looks like they’re embracing what makes Layton distinct without feeling the need to shake everything up. Bonus points for including the hint coin in the lamppost; sure to make any Layton fan feel right at home! Even Luke’s comment about the gears making him dizzy brings back memories of Unwound Future. One of my favorite new touches is how Layton and Luke are visible in the foreground as the scene is examined, it looks so dynamic and expresses the scale of their surroundings! It reminds me of the rare occasions in the games that you would actually see them outside of dialogue/events (like when they’re standing by the canal outside of town in Curious Village).

Speaking of Layton and Luke, they’re both looking great!! It just tickles me to see them in a fresh look but still very much themselves. Luke has definitely grown up, and his face shape is less round, but eyes are bigger/more animesque? It just gives him this very eager, bright-eyed look, and he does seem ready to take on anything! Since our only look at him so far from the previous teaser was more of an intense moment, it’s great to see his cheerful personality shining through. Even Layton comments that he seems to be having a splendid time, and who can blame him? He’s just having the time of his life to be at the professor’s side again! (On a random side note, Luke’s satchel seems to be missing. Does he not carry it anymore? Will he be taking on more action and it would’ve gotten in the way?)

Not only are Layton and Luke voiced throughout the trailer, but even the NPC guy is! This is pretty unusual. I wonder if there will be a lot more voicing in this game compared to the others, or if it’s just for the sake of the trailer’s flow. I also wonder if we’ll have a lot of little cutscenes like when the duo is approaching the correct door. The 3D animation looks much smoother (and less unintentionally humorous/distracting) than it did on the 3ds! That being said, I’m still holding out for the iconic 2D scenes to come back!!

The music is pleasant, and definitely reminiscent of Torrido, which makes sense as it’s also a Western American town (I think). And is that our new puzzle theme? I quite like it; the “music box” backdrop reminds me of Last Specter, while the rich instrumentation makes it stand out compared to the others. (I’ve heard it compared to PL vs AA multiple times though, so while I don’t remember that theme enough to say, I’m assuming that’s true!) I really like when that lilting harmonica (?) kicks in. I do, however, await the return of the iconic chunky accordion. The puzzle itself seems like exactly my favorite type, deduction/process of elimination. How cool to see the memo and everything being utilized right on top of the scene! It reminds you that the two are really solving a puzzle right in front of them. I wonder how this puzzle might change in the final game, as they’ve already shown the answer…oh, and let’s take a moment to appreciate that glorious solving animation! I recall two-person animations being a feature of the crossover that I really liked, and it only makes sense when the puzzle was solved by working together. Just seeing those two as a team again makes me so happy!!

This is more on the random side but…Eggmuffin? I mean, Eggmuffin? Is that really his name?? I had a hard time taking it seriously every time they said it. It sounds like one of those names that would be changed in localization—but then, if any series can get away with using something so silly until we just accept it and stop finding it weird, it’s probably this one. I have also heard it speculated that it may be an alias, though why he would want to be called this is beyond me.

All that aside, there’s just something about this game that already feels nostalgic to me, even while being so fresh and unexplored. I can only think that’s simply because it is a Layton game in every sense of the word. For a longtime fan who hasn’t experienced that anew in roughly ten years, it’s like coming home.

…and that is the only reason I can stand waiting until 2025! Oh dear, I hope they overestimated to play it safe, especially since reportedly the puzzles are all finished and production is moving smoothly. But, in the end, if it is truly the Laytonesque adventure it looks to be, it will be worth the wait—and I thank the development team for caring enough to not to rush it. I’ve waited this long.

(looks like I’ll be playing through the series again to help hold me over throughout next year! Layton fans, let’s hold fast! We’re in this together!)

[sally-mun]

OKAY GUYS I NEED TO RAMBLE ABOUT LOKI FOR A MINUTE BEFORE I CUT MY FUCKING HEAD OFF

Okay I've been losing my mind about this since last week, and with the new episode coming out tonight and SOMEONE still not up to date on episodes so I can have a proper nerd session (YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE YOU FUCKER), I'm just going to explode here if y'all don't mind. I probably shouldn't have to say this, but obviously, SPOILERS AHEAD WATCH THE DAMN SERIES FIRST JUST DO IT

So I've had a lot to go off the deep end about now that this show is FINALLY fucking back, but the last episode ended on an extremely gnarly cliffhanger. To be specific, now that Miss Minutes is jilted and has decided to flip on He Who Remains, she cryptically mentions to Renslayer that she knows a pretty big secret about her, but if she tells her, it's going to make her really mad. Honestly, the main reason I find this so intriguing isn't just the inherent mystery of wanting to know what Miss Minutes is going to say; it's moreso just me wondering, what could POSSIBLY upset Renslayer any more than she already has been since the Time Keepers were outed as fakes? The stakes are already pretty fucking high, and from her POV she's got to forge ahead alone because no one else gets it and thus they won't help her. It'd have to be something MAJOR on a scale we haven't even approached yet to derail her from all that. So I brainstormed it in the shower a few days ago, because I get bored while having to wash my hair 82 times, and I had a VERY INTERESTING THOUGHT:

What if Renslayer is ALSO a Loki?

BECAUSE I MEAN... YEAH THAT'D MAKE HER PRETTY FUCKING MAD. RENSLAYER HATES LOKIS. SHE HATES THAT MOBIUS KEEPS CHOOSING TO TRUST AND WORK WITH OUR LOKI INSTEAD OF HER. SHE HATES THAT SYLVIE'S BEEN RUNNING AMOK AND CAUSING HER PROBLEMS FOR ALL THESE YEARS. RENSLAYER ABSOLUTELY CAN'T STAND LOKIS.

And unfortunately I IMMEDIATELY ruined this idea for myself because we know that Renslayer isn't a Loki. At the very end of season 1, B-15 lured some of the other hunters to Renslayer's place on the timeline to prove to them that they're all variants. We got to see for ourselves that Renslayer's just a normal person like the rest of us. She works in a school, and if I'm not mistaken she's the principal. Unless she lived in a VERY different version of Asgard, she's not a Loki.

BUT THAT'S WHY I FEEL LIKE I'M ABOUT TO COME APART AT THE SEAMS. At this point I don't care WHAT the new ep tonight is about to reveal, because I feel like finding out that Renslayer is also a Loki is SO MUCH BETTER than anything else they could possibly say at this point. Honestly, it would explain just about EVERYTHING we've seen so far -- about both Renslayer herself, and about the TVA in general. In her case, revealing that she's actually a Loki would go hand-in-hand with her attitude and habits. She enjoys her position of power and authority, even keeping trophies of her victories, and makes no secret about looking down on those she feels are beneath her. She unshakably believes that she NEEDS to be in charge in order for things to run properly, and that things fall apart without her. You might even say that Renslayer ruling the TVA makes life easier on everyone else... aka, EXACTLY the reason Loki's always given for wanting to rule Earth.

As for the TVA itself, I would've loved the idea that Lokis are just especially well-suited to work there, and that the majority of the staff there are Loki variants. That would explain why our Loki was so easy to recruit, and why he's been doing such a good job despite knowing the least of the main cast! What if Loki was right all along, and he IS "burdened with glorious purpose" -- and this is it? What if Loki has always been uniquely qualified to take on this responsibility? It's definitely a burden, it's definitely a purpose, and depending on his arrogance level he could definitely find glory in it. Lokis being the best candidates to handle this kind of burden could very well be WHY our Loki and Sylvie were chosen for the mantle by He Who Remains. As he pointed out during their discussion in S1E6, he paved the road for them. He made sure they'd make it to his citadel, because he wanted them.

Besides, it would make SO much sense for the majority of TVA employees to be Lokis because Mobius specifically points out that they pick up WAY more Loki variants than almost anyone else. That means they'd have a VERY, VERY LARGE POOL of potential recruits at any given time! It's also been proven that the staff's memories have been manipulated at least twice, so there's no reason for anyone to notice that they've accumulated so many Lokis over the years. There also wouldn't be much opportunity for them to accidentally find out, either, because we know that Loki's magic DOES NOT WORK AT THE TVA. The vast majority of TVA workers never leave there, so they'd have no chance of accidentally awakening any of their magic -- and those that do leave, such as the hunters, spend very little time actually down on the timeline. They show up, arrest the variant, set a reset charge, and get out. Even though they'd have the opportunity to accidentally perform some magic, it's very unlikely that it would've ever come up.

What makes me like the idea even more is that EVERY variant of Loki we've ever seen so far (minus Gator Loki, I suppose) has had black hair. That's one thing that has NEVER changed despite the circumstances; we haven't seen a ginger Loki, for example. All the Lokis we saw during the briefing in S1E2, and all the variants we saw in S1E5, have had black hair to the extent that we could actually see it. (Yes, this includes Sylvie, because we know her hair is dyed. In her flashback to when she was first arrested, she had long black hair.) You know who else has black hair? Almost ALL of the main characters that we know at the TVA! Renslayer, B-15, Casey, and OB all have black hair. Mobius' hair is white, but might it have been black back in the day? Who knows! It could have been! We don't know that it wasn't! And guess who else also has black hair? He Who Remains. Was he a Loki too? No idea! Maybe it's just a coincidence. Maybe it wasn't!

I don't know, I guess I'm just so stuck on this idea because it would just be SO frickin on-point with the very premise of the series. The idea of "what makes a Loki a Loki?" has already been explored a bit in S1E3, and this would be a great way to dial that discussion up to 11. If everyone turns out to be a Loki variant, well, now we have TONS of data on what it means to be a Loki! Plus, imagine the implications that has just for the TITLE of the show! We all thought it was called "Loki" because we're following the story of the Loki we've always known, but it'd have been an amazing reveal to show that it's moreso about Loki as a concept. The twist that the series name itself isn't necessarily about the protagonist would've been a pretty serious mindfuck to me!

I also like this idea because I've heard the complaint about the show that it, allegedly, really has very little to do with Loki in particular and is moreso about the TVA, with the argument that it could've been ANY Marvel character used as the protagonist. The complaint is that it only stars Loki because he has such a strong fan following and it's all just, effectively, fan service. Let me just say right now that I was never much of a fan of Loki as a character until this series, so I'm not campaigning for it out of personal preference. I've always genuinely believed that this show could only have worked with Loki as the protagonist, for reasons I'm not going to rant about in this post. My greater point is, revealing that the TVA is crawling with Lokis BECAUSE Lokis are the best ones for the job would just go to show that this series WAS always about him, and could ONLY have been about him. It would've been a great rebuttal to what Renslayer said to him in court in the first episode, when she told him "It's not your story, Mr. Laufeyson. It never was." Plot twist, it IS his story, and it ALWAYS was!

And it's KILLING ME that the series is undoubtedly NOT going in this direction and now I feel like I'm grieving the episodes we'll never have alskdjFLKSJE;KesKSJFDLSLEi I'm just imagining Renslayer finding out she's a Loki, being VERY UPSET ABOUT IT but eventually getting past it, and then rediscovering her skills with magic. How fucking cool would it have been to see Renslayer going full Norse God against our team?? What if she was especially proficient, to the extent that our Loki realizes he's outmatched? What if the other TVA characters had to rediscover their own lost magic skills, and the only way to succeed was to be their true selves -- to be Lokis -- so they could work together with their different magic specialties? What if that was how they got Sylvie to work with them again, because realizing that they're the same might instill a little bit of trust -- especially since learning to trust and see herself in others would be a step in fulfilling her character arc?

Siiiiggggghhhhh. One day in fanfiction, maybe.

[saltwaterbells]

WIP Introduction - Bathtub Gods

In the isolated swamp town of Sithau, yet another girl goes missing. But this time, the effects ripple: the two remnants of a brittle, broken friendship return, still stained in grief. Delilah, the glittering, intoxicating beauty, the universal object of desire. Eleanor, the one with a future, who left it all behind them. And Irene, ever a ghost between them.

But it is not just the cruelty of men who consume in this town sick with verdancy and poverty, but the holy things lurking beneath the dark water, and the holier things these once-friends have brought with them.

Aesthetic: overgrowth lush with rot, dark stagnant water, elk trussed up by their antlers, crushed beer cans underfoot, the smell of damp growth and lavender and gasoline, the smell of alcohol and teenage desperation, birds calling and then going quiet all at once, jagged fingernails and scratches in bedroom walls, light reflecting off glossy hair like an oil spill, pinkies hooked into each other, scuffed sneakers, pockmarked asphalt and beat up pickup trucks, cigarette smoke unfurling from bloody red lipsticked lips, runes carved into the bark of ancient trees, rusted iron and old woods

POV: second person, present tense

Themes: gender, violence, gendered violence, generational trauma, religion, what does it mean to be holy, how do monstrosity and girlhood entangle, what does it mean to be a girl in a place where girlhood is suffering, what simmers beneath the all too practiced artifices of gender, memory

Jude Rambles: the love of my life, the bane of my existence, this wip and these characters live in my mind rent free but simply refuse to be written. yes, i can slip into the character voice without a second thought, but no, i can’t write this project. what the fuck is the plot? you tell me. i can ramble for eight hours on the character dynamics and relationships though! this is a litfic novel masquerading as a fantasy novel but also a fantasy novel masquerading as a litfic novel, so who’s to say.

Characters: Delilah Holloway: 20 | she/her | You dream of dead girls and dead gods, and wished you could count yourself among them. But girls like you are begging for tragedy, so a final silence might still be the first to embrace you without the lustful expectation you can’t help but provoke. Our protagonist, a girl who has collected all the festering hurt in the town of Sithau and stores it underneath her skin. Delilah refracts cruelties, reflects only the things you want to see and the things you want to condemn her for.

Eleanor “Ellie” Sinclair: 21 | they/them | They talked of escape, as if it would be easy to leave you behind. But perhaps you’ve simply forgotten how many times they begged you to join them. The one who got away. Ellie is the smart one, the responsible one, the one who had a chance to get out and took it with both hands. They’re less kind than they think they are, and care far too much about anyone’s opinion.

Irene Bishop: deceased | she/her | Irene blazed and blistered, was the red-hot end of a cigarette illuminating the panels of your face. How do you describe her outside of that? Irene exists only in your memory now, but she’s as abrasive and affectionate as ever. Irene is dead, and she’ll stay that way.

Caroline Sinclair: 18 | she/her | Before you’d left, Caroline had started to unspool into an imitation of your masquerade, and you hadn’t cared enough to ask her to emulate someone actually worthy of love. But you care enough to come back for her. Caroline is missing. Who will you pray to to find her?

Josephine “Josie” Perez: 25 | she/they | (Josie) evaded definition by refusing to exceed or disguise any part of herself, glorious in all her imperfection. But you hate her for that, don’t you? You hate that she gave up and you can’t. Josie has finally decided to hold onto life with both hands, but they’re very much aware that they’re a substitute in Delilah’s life. But Delilah’s a substitute for them too, so in some ways it’s symbiosis.

Romeo “Beau” Beauregarde: 25 | he/they | Romeo Beauregarde is bred from old money and older gods, money dripping from his fingers and mouth and pooling at his feet. Rich boys can always afford to wield nothing but the heavy request that everyone love them. He’s a pretty boy, a holy boy, not a boy, all broad shoulders and narrow hips and golden, golden, golden. Delilah has taken their heartstrings and spiderwebbed him into fawning, full-hearted and empty-headed devotion.

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