#SO IDK GUYS PERHAPS I DO HAVE HIGH HOPES……

[bilestat]

LIVE ACTION ZELDA MOVIE????????

[taniushka12]

i know its ridiculous of me to say this in this site but i think people here should be more aggressive (AND definitely more nuanced)

[cinnamostar]

blind date

pairing : changbin x gn!reader

summary : when you’re set up on a blind date and it turns out to be your ex boyfriend from two years ago

wc : 1.6k

cw : nonidol!au, they’re exes your honor, fluffy, cutesy, not proof read that much idk what else

a/n : wrote this on my phone again so sorry for any mistakes! i don’t really know how to feeeel abt this fic, not my best work but i hope you like it!

you let out a nervous sigh as you enter the restaurant, a cold shiver traveling down your spine as the hostess leads you to your table, one your friends reserved on your behalf. you were starting to regret agreeing to this blind date your friends, hyunjin and felix, set you up on, but they were so insistent on it and said they found the ‘perfect’ match for you. you weren’t sure if you could trust them that much, but you knew at the very least, whoever it was wouldn’t be some creep like your other unfortunate dates.

hyunjin and felix were some of your best friends, ones you made in the last two years since you moved to the city due to a new position you got in your company. you met them by chance through a few coworkers, and since then, the three of you have been inseparable. they were incredibly supportive people, but they were tired of hearing you complain about shitty dates every weekend, so they decided to take matters in their own hands, stating they know this really cool guy through some other friends who was ‘totally’ your type. and apparently this new guy just moved to the city a few months ago too, so you would be the perfect tour guide for him too.

regardless of your nerves, you decide to put your trust in your friends as you patiently wait for this mystery man to arrive. you were curious to know what those two boys believed your type was and what made them so hellbent on making you go on this date, but perhaps curiosity killed the cat.

“hey, sorry im late!” a voice you were all too familiar with rings in your ears, the man before you rushing into his seat across from you with an apologetic smile as your mouth hangs open in utter shock and surprise, goosebumps making themselves known all over your body.

once he sits down, he looks up to meet your flabbergasted expression, the smile on his face falling once the realization hits him. his faces pales, almost as if he just saw a ghost appear right before his very eyes.

“changbin?” you ask incredulously, still not able to accept the ridiculousness of the situation.

“y/n?!” he mirrors your tone, except he was far more boisterous than you, causing a few heads to turn as he flashes a sheepish and apologetic grin to the other patrons around you two.

“i… uh, you’re my blind date?” he questions in a lower volume with raised eyebrows.

you sigh, an astounded chuckle escaping you, “i guess so…”

“i see… since when did you move here?”

“uhm, a little bit over two years ago. i ended up taking that promotion my company offered me,” you respond, a hint of anxiousness trembling through your words.

“oh, so, basically after we broke up..?”

“mhm,” you hum in confirmation, your body feeling tense due to the awkwardness that hung in the air between you two. “felix and hyunjin told me you just moved here, right?”

changbin nods, “yeah, one of my old friends needed a roommate and i just kinda wanted a fresh start, so i took my chances. how do you know hyunjin and felix?”

“coworkers,” you reply shortly, not really sure what to do in this situation.

“oh, cool! they’re old high school friends of mine, we only reconnected recently,” he smiles gently, biting his lips due to his nervousness, “i’m sorry if this is awkward.”

“ah, no, it’s okay. it’s no one’s fault, this is just some crazy coincidence,” you reassure him, “we don’t have to go through with the rest of the date, it’s okay to end it he-“

“no, no!” he interrupts, a dusting of pink appearing on his cheeks, “if you’re okay with it, we can just use this to catch up, no? it’s been awhile since we last spoke.”

you let out an uncertain sigh, “i’m fine with it, it’s just that we really didn’t end on the greatest of terms, did we?”

changbin’s face grimaces as he reflects back on the last months of your relationship, ones that were filled with constant fighting and disagreements over the littlest of things, which ultimately led to a very over dramatic break up since you both had become sick of each other over time. “no, definitely not,” he chuckles, “but we can catch up like old friends, no? unless, you wanna miss out on a lovely time with me, then that’s your decision,” he teases, the old changbin you once fell in love with slowly peaking through.

you roll your eyes playfully, “right, it would be a shame if i missed out on something like that,” a smile breaks out onto your face, a sudden wave of butterflies and shyness overtaking you. “sure, let’s catch up. i don’t mind.”

“great,” he clasps his hand almost as if he was celebrating this small victory, an embarrassed smile taking over his features, “well, i guess hyunjin and felix weren’t lying when they said this ‘mystery date,’” he lifts his hands to do air quotes, “would be my ideal type.”

you shake your head, laughing at his statement, “right, they weren’t wrong at all. maybe they were a little too spot on.”

somehow, those two hit the nail on the head and somehow paired up two former lovers through some miraculous twist of fate. there was no denying that your heart still had room for changbin, a piece of it feeling empty since your relationship with him ended. at the end of it, you had chalked it up to right person, but bad timing, as each of you were far too engrossed in each other’s career goals that inevitably took time away from the other. it wasn’t the right set of circumstances for either of you, as nether of you were at a stage of life where you could nourish a healthy relationship. he was once the person you imagined to spend the rest of your life with, but at that time, you thought if you weren’t able to bear hardships with him, then maybe he wasn’t meant to be that person. it was easier to accept you two were never meant to be, but your heart knew better than that. your heart knew he was the one, but that life just cruelly got in the way of your relationship with him.

eventually, the waiter came around to take down your orders, briefly interrupting the flow of conversation you and changbin were having. in some strange way, talking to changbin against was incredibly refreshing, as you missed the sense of safety and familiarity he brought with him. he was still the same sweet and endearing changbin you once fell in love with all those years ago, and maybe those feelings of love never truly left your heart as each time he would giggle, your heart would thump out your chest. you found yourself having to resist the natural urge to hold his hand, or to reach over and pinch his cheeks like you use to do back when you were together.

you missed this, and you missed changbin more than you could’ve ever imagined. his very appearance was enough to rekindle old flames of affection you once held for him, ones you never thought you’d be able to experience again. you both were enjoying every moment together, laughing and poking fun at each other as if nothing had ever changed, and before you knew it, two hours had gone by in the blink of an eye.

changbin insisted on walking you to your car, matter-of-factly informing you it’s what chivalrous men like himself do, which sent you into a small fit of giggles.

a gentle breeze bellows through you both, a comfortable silence filling the air, the awkwardness from earlier no longer to be found. you look up to the night sky, taking a chance to admire the full moon that glistens above you.

“you know, whenever i look at the moon, i still think of you,” changbin confesses in a hushed whisper, a longing look in his eyes as if he was looking off into some distant memory. you turn to him with a quizzical expression, urging him to go on. “you use to always tell me to look how pretty the moon was nearly every night. even if we weren’t together, you would text me to go outside and look at it,” he reminisced fondly.

“you always looked too,” you smile.

“honestly, i didn’t really get it at first,” he laughs, “but i loved you and it always made you happy whenever we looked at it together, so i made sure to look at it every night. even if we were fighting and weren’t with each other. even now, i still look up and think of you.”

your face grows hot as his words fluster you, the unexpected vulnerability catching you off guard, “thank you,” you respond gently, “for doing that for me. it always made me feel very loved.”

“i still do it. i think part of me will always love you no matter what.”

your breath hitches, your eyes widening as he looks away bashfully, not expecting or planning for those words to ever leave his mind. you let out a soft exhale through your nose, a shaken smile taking over your features, “i feel the same way too.”

quietness returns, neither of you sure how to continue the conversation as you reach your car, “well, this is me,” you break the silence, pointing to the car next to you, “thank you for today, it was… fun. i had a lot of fun.”

he nods, “me too,” taking in a deep breath, “do you… do you want to do this sometime again?” he asks meekly, fearing your response.

“yeah, i’d really like that, changbin.”

“okay, great. it’s… it’s a date?”

“it’s a date.”

[stuffeddeer]

Hello deer!! I wholeheartedly hope you are feeling better day after day! Here a bit of a thought about Dazai that could cheer you up.

I was thinking about Pm! Dazai (like always).

People always says "he listens to this, he listens to that", I think he didn't listen to any music honestly.

So imagine if you are the one who makes him listen to songs for the first time, and you help him build up his own tastes making him listen to any genre, some you like some maybe you don't like just to help him.

It would be so wholesome idk I love this idea😭

- ⏳️

hi ⏳ anon!!! youre so real 🙂‍↕️ i did this more as hcs :)

"Why are you playing me songs you don't like?"

"..? Because what if you like them?"

"I'm not going to just out of spite now."

and he doesn't

if you go out of your way to show dazai songs and help him build his taste he's just gonna fall in love with you agree with what you like

i think honestly it'd be hell to make him sit down and listen, follow along with the lyrics, etc - so please have something else nearby for him to stimulate his brain or hands or anything!!!!

like puzzles or something! fidget toys idk! maybe he doesn't care for music because he doesn't understand sitting there silently and doing nothing

listen. drop a bin of legos on him or something you know what i mean?

but you teach him well 🙂‍↕️ you don't have to just sit around and focus solely on the music! you can dance and have fun or just put it in the background!!!!

and now he gets it. now he's into it.

i think he'd love all music! isn't the type to make specific playlists just has every song he likes in one big pile

he doesn't gaf when some high beat song comes on full blast after the saddest tune yk. doesn't bat an eye

perhaps a given but he loves songs about dark topics that have cheerful beats 😭 have any of you heard bullet by hollywood undead? bro blasts that song all the time just to frustrate mori people

i think his emo ass would love mcr i'm sorry lmao

him rocking out and going crazy to all of their discography... it was meant for him

he hates whatever music you hate in solidarity btw. YOU showed him music so you clearly are the end all be all on decisions here

if someone recommends him a song he asks you if you've heard it. if not: you can listen together! if so:

"Do you like it? Are we gatekeeping this artist? Or is the song bad and I should I tell this guy to fuck off?"

"Dazai, just listen to it! Maybe you'll like it!"

"? That's what I'm trying to figure out. So answer my question, do you like it?"

and he says that all on the phone with you across from the person lmao

i just think he doesn't care enough to find his own taste if he never cared enough to listen on his own

so while he Says that your music taste is objectively correct (to which he stands by fully) he also just doesn't mind never listening to anything else

he doesn't care to branch out! dazai just likes you

and by extension, your music

piggybacking off of what i said earlier, he is not a playlist guy

BUT. however.

dazai will never sit down and forge his own playlist

unless it's a joke. "songs to make chuuya mad" and it's like. nyan cat 10 hour version idfk

okay back to the point

dazai will never forge his own playlists HOWEVER. if you're a playlist enjoyer and make tons and tons, spanning across different moods and different times and everything -

he listens to Every Single One

dazai will pick favorites from the playlists, but each one is meticulously worked through and studied, making sure to give you specific compliments on each one

okay. pm!dazai is so emo i need you all to understand while he does just shuffle every song you've ever liked, he is partial to more of that standard tumblr-emo shit yk

bro queues up mcr fall out boy and pierce the veil

every middle school emo kid's playlist is what dazai listens to

[via-l0ve]

Hello! I've been binging your fics/imagines lately and I just can't get enough! I don't know if this was ever done before, but--

Could you do a general, platonic (perhaps mildly romantic, like how I see Dean kinda gushing over Y/N idk, your choice!) imagine on how the men (Sam, Dean, Castiel, maybe Crowley [which would be funny]) would react to Y/N being some kind of powerful angel, like that sits at a pretty high rank and has the power to do all sorts of stuff? Healing, destroying, anger being so destructive it could kill a human (but albeit a peaceful being). This angel would probably serve as a guardian to the Winchesters, or a superior to Cass or a complete surprise and maybe unlikely companion for Crowley? I imagine it'd be a scenario where they're saved last second during a massive fight, probably get to know er type deal. This sounds kind of cheesy as I ask someone else to write this but I hope it doesn't sound too weird, I almost wanna go anonymous HAHA. I know this is VERY specific but I don't wanna confuse you! It's something I wanna write out into a fic myself but the way you write would make it super interesting! :)

So sorry if this was too much, I'm very descriptive!

Angel. (SPN pref!) 🩷

a/n: stop omg. this idea is so cool! also - thank you for the kind words!! i appreciate you so much!! i hope you enjoy this!

warnings: slightly romantic!!

Dean:

Dean met you on a hunt

he was being himself and basically bleeding out, but he was still fighting

you, being in charge of the dink, had to come down and help out

when you appear, a bolt of white light strikes the ground and your voice projects through the atmosphere

“you will not hurt this man.” you say, hair blowing in the wind and eyes glowing

dean was flabbergasted, also a little scared, but also a little bit in love

eventually you just kill the entire vampire nest because they’re stupid and you turn to dean.

“are you okay?”

he’s even more confused because this angel just came down and slaughtered the threats to him and now they’re talking so.. nice.

you heal his wounds and boom. now he’s your friend

he follows you around like a lost puppy and also brags that he’s friends with not one, but two angels, and one is even more powerful and higher up than fucking CASTIEL.

as he gets to know you he knows how sweet you are and it inteigues him even more because - as i said, you’re a powerful angel who can kill anyone but you’re so nice to him, Sam, Bobby and Cas.

the first time he sees you angry he literally gets all red and falls for you

—

Sam:

You first met sam when he was basically bleeding out in a motel room

Dean had gone to get food and sam had been hiding a pretty nasty gash from him

so now he was sitting alone trying to patch himself up (and being unsuccessful)

so, you made your appearance and tried to keep him calm

you appeared and he saw you and went 👁️👄👁️

“it’s okay. i’m an angel. i will not hurt you.” you say softly, stepping towards him

sam is still a little wary but he lets you heal him

you press your fingers to his forehead and he’s all good (albeit a little scared hahah)

he always has the smuggest little smirk on his face when you get angry on his behalf

he likes the feeling of having such a powerful being watching over him all the time but it also makes him nervous because of… his past💀

addicts recover

—

Castiel:

When you came down from heaven to help the Winchesters and Castiel, he was happy to see you

he knew, despite rebelling from heaven, you wouldn’t judge him

he spends a lot of time near you

like, standing right next to you

i like to think that you have better “people skills” than him for whatever reason (it’s just funny) and he just kind of sticks to you ykwim

he thinks you’re so cool

he dosent step in to help you in fights because he knows you can handle it and kill anyone you want

he’s blushing and kicking his feet when he sees you🤭🤭🤭

absolute power couple if you guys got together like omg

but yeah

he always defends you if anyone says shit

he’s just such a cutie pie

—

Crowley:

you popped in when crowley was holding dean and sam hostage

you came into the room, eyes rolling already.

“let them go.” you said, voice sounding bored as you’d done this multiple times already.

crowley looks at you

“oh god, you again.” he scoffs

BUT he dosent even bother to argue and lets them go

which shocks the boys because that’s not like crowley

but he’s smitten for you

it’s giving enemies to lovers

but anyways

you guys have many encounters and end up talking a lot

crowley talks about hell and you talk about heaven

and he finds himself not hating you

and suddenly he wants to be around you more and learn about you and watch you be a badass angel

[impactedfates]

Helo helo hi I've been uuuh reading your HSR stuff and I lov all of them!! Aozjebeusnsjs

Aneeway!! Feel free to discard this request if it makes you uncomfortable in any way

Dan Heng + Vidyadhara! Sibling! Reader [purely platonic] where he just got news that another Vidyadhara is now like, being released from the shackling prison [Idk if you can even be released from there] and Reader is basically suffering the consequences from the isolation for so many rebirths and all that stuff [lets say he's been Dan Heng's sibling for all rebirths so it hurts more.. But hurt/comfort hshsb]

I'm sorry if the request is too specific because I haven't really been seeing like platonic sibling stuff with characters

I hope you have a great day!! Remember to hydrate and eat if you haven't already!! Stay safe!! o(>∀<*)o

A/N: Hello hello!! I've only written 1 HSR thing so far (by the time I got this, I hadn't posted the previous Blade fic), but I'm glad to see you seemingly like it! I'm a bit confused on the premise/prompt you've given me but I tried my best to try and write it anyways, hopefully this is somewhat what you asked for, and apologies if it's not o(TヘTo) And don't worry, I'll remember to hydrate, eat and stay safe! Make sure you do as well now :)

W.C: 919

Warnings: Hints of torture/abuse but not actually said (if I missed any pls say!!)

Extra: Dan Heng is in his Vidyadhara form + Reader is his younger sibling + The Shackling Prison description may not be accurate honestly.

The chains around your wrists still strained you. They still hurt. You didn’t even know why you were there, well, you couldn’t remember why you were there. Every reincarnation, you would find yourself being taken away and into the Shaking Prison. Quickly chained up and suffering the consequences of a guy you can’t seem to remember, but all you knew was that he was your brother and his name was Dan Feng?...Or did he go by a different name now?

Whatever the case, you started growing resentful of him, although you couldn’t remember. You knew that you were paying the price for what he did, and you’d be stuck in the loop of getting reincarnated and spending you 700 years in the Shackling Prison.

.

.

.

Dan Heng stood idly in Scalegorge Waterscape looking at the parted seas. Breathing in and out the tranquil air…until a yell alerted him, he turned around and saw the current High Elder, Bailu running to him with her maids in tow.

“Dan Heng!!”

“Bailu? Is something wrong?”

He asked, turning around fully and crouching down to be on level with the smaller Vidyadhara. She took a bit to catch her breath, the maid with her smiling apologetically at him. She stood up straight and began speaking, although rather quickly.

“There’s a Vidyadhara who recently got permission to leave the Shackling Prison because now you got your banishment lifted, people thought it was fair if they got released too and they’re asking me to meet and release them as well as help them settle back in b-because I’m the High Elder but I can’t…can you do it?”

Dan Heng blinked a bit, he understood what she was saying but he was rather confused. A Vidyadhara released because he was able to walk around the Loufu freely? Although perhaps the maid didn’t realise this was the case as she tried to explain what Bailu said in simpler terms.

“Bailu wanted to ask if you could take her place at releasing and showing this Vidyadhara around to get them settled in. The Loufu has changed a bit ever since they well…were sent to the Shackling Prison”

She explained, Dan Heng slowly stood up and considered it before nodding. It wouldn’t hurt right? Just to help them settle back in and then he can go back on the express.

.

.

.

Footsteps can be heard echoing the halls, your head darted to the door as your eyes narrowed. Feeding time won’t be till much later, you knew that due to how long you stayed in the prison. It was practically muscle memory at that point. But what entered wasn’t a cloud knight but…another Vidyadhara?

“...So…you’re [Name]”

He called out softly, walking towards you slowly. Your eyes widen a bit, you recognize him. You’ve seen his pictures a few times when people tried to jog your memory of who your brother was. You quickly tried launching for him, you were mad. He had made you suffer for so long and yet he acted so calm?

He didn’t flinch at all or move back. It wasn’t as if you were able to actually get to him anyways. You were still in chains and could only go so far.

“[Name]…”

He slowly started, it seems he was told about the situation in more detail.

“Go away Dan Feng, you did this to me! Y-you…why do I have to suffer because of your mistakes…why did I have to suffer your punishment”

Tears welled up in your eyes, as the chains slowly shook alongside your body. You sniffed a bit.

“N-now look…I-I’m crying…I shouldn’t b-be crying…I-it’s been so long s-since this started…I-I should be used t-to this by n-now…right?”

Your lips quiver, looking away from him. 

“You have every right to cry…it’s just you showing emotions…it’s healthy to cry…so…please, don’t hold it in”

Your eyes slowly wandered to the taller Vidyadhara man. Before giving in to his words and letting the tears fall.

“D-Dan Feng…y-you’re such a scoundrel…I-I”

“I’m not Dan Feng…I’m just…a reincarnation of him…maybe that does make me him but…I won’t let my past leak into my future…please…call me Dan Heng…I want to fix the mistakes of my previous incarnation”

He speaks, slowly walking over and sitting next to you. Your eyes followed his figure slowly. You stayed silent, Dan Heng took this chance to continue a bit.

“I understand it’ll be hard to forgive me…even if I may not remember what happened…I just know you’re suffering due to the actions Dan Feng made…and because…we’re apparently siblings”

“Is…that why I’ve always been placed here…?”

“Correct…according to Jing Yuan who gave me more details…we’re related…in every reincarnation we face, no matter how many times we do so…we’re always siblings”

He paused for a bit, letting the silence set in before standing up, you heard the jangle of keys and the straining feeling of your wrists gone. You quickly stood up, nearly tripping over.

“I…thank you”

You nod a bit, slowly looking up at him. You were confused, the stories you were told, the things you heard about Dan Feng…and yet when he stood in front of you and how he spoke, how he acted, didn’t stay true to what you heard.

Then again, according to him, he isn’t Dan Feng, but Dan Heng…

“You know…’Dan Heng’…that isn’t far off of Dan Feng…like a letter off”

“Ha…yeah I notice that”

He nods, silence overtakes the two of you again before he extends his hand out to you.

“Come on…I’ll get you an Immortals Delight”

Hopefully I managed to make a good-ish hurt/comfort thing! 😥 Thank you for the request!! There’s currently 3 more in the line that I’ll be working on the coming days :) Feel free to leave more requests!!

[dreams-and-drabbles]

hi can u do cyno with hate/jealous smut? ( like theyre rivals and cyno sees some guy flirting with reader so he puts her in her place…idk 😭

-xoxo, 🥟

[🥟] Welcome back, anon!! I’d be more than happy to write this for you!!! The jealous trope is always a fun one, hehe! Sorry for the late answer, and I hope you have a lovely week!!

((Minors DO NOT INTERACT!!! ))

Cyno wasn’t particularly interested in many things. He did enjoy Genius Invokation TCG, and perhaps the occasional blend of yogurt, rice, meat, and dried nuts, all roasted up into something delectable…

In fact, the thought of food was what had brought Cyno to his current location in the first place. He’d been hungry and had planned to eat—

What he hadn’t planned on, was the sight of [F/N] —

She was as annoyingly bright as always, and it seemed as though she’d brought company—

Now, Cyno had no problem with bright people. [F/N], however—

Well, she was the type to use that brightness to deflect. That was what irritated Cyno when it came to her...

Throughout all the time he had spent with her in past, [F/N] had never once been honest with him. She’d never once voiced her opinion, instead opting to follow the lead of whatever he chose to do— She’d always said ‘you choose’ whenever he asked her for her input, and that—

That had annoyed him to no end…

More so, the way she seemed to draw others in.

She was bright, so of course there would be those that flocked towards her—

“What would you prefer, [F/N]~? “

.

.

.

“I think I’d like some curry—“

.

.

Cyno’s eyes narrowed, and he exhaled sharply.

Was it just a him thing, then?

She was perfectly capable of making her own decisions with others, so why wasn’t she in his company?

‘I’m not intimidated by you.’

She’d said that, before her first assignment with the Matra. He’d had high hopes, then—

[F/N] proved to be incredibly skilled, and for a time—

Cyno was sure she’d come close to his position, but she’d suddenly stopped training as hard as she’d been.

She fell behind, and Cyno…?

He’d earned his title.

Still, the interaction between the two was grating on him in a way he hadn’t expected..

Against all logical reason, he wanted it to stop.

Really, all he needed to do was show himself…

That was generally all it took for someone to back off.

…General-ly…

He’d have to keep that one in mind.

Cyno’s eyes narrowed on the two, before finally he made his decision.

“[F/N],” he greeted, his gaze taking in her surprised expression.

The man beside her stiffened, awkwardly smiling at her, before scurrying off.

Cyno withheld the urge to smile as the man left—

What was wrong with him today?

[F/N] always had a knack for getting under his skin…

[F/N] huffed, her gaze trailing to the man’s retreating figure.

“No fun. He was actually kind of cute, you know?” She muttered, her gaze petulant.

Cyno scowled, “Is that so? By what definition ?”

[F/N] blinked up at him, her lips parted in shock.

“Huh..?” She muttered, her response unintelligible.

Cyno stepped a bit closer, leaning slightly over the table.

“For example, if he’s cute— How would you classify me?” He asked, his tone holding a slight edge.

[F/N]’s eyes widened, and to his surprise her cheeks flared with color.

“You…? You’re asking me? Gosh…You’re…you’re untouchable. Most everyone thinks you’re attractive, but no one can touch you. It’s like you live in a different world.”

Cyno’s eyes narrowed at [F/N]’s response and he extended his hand.

[F/N]’s eyes widened, and she grabbed his palm, studying it with her hands.

Cyno withheld the urge to chuckle at her response.

“Your theory was wrong. Well, partially. I only let a particular few touch me…”

[F/N] withdrew her hand, her cheeks tinged pink. “Oh…? I’m one of those few? Then does tha mean you…want to…?”

Cyno’s lips quirked upwards, “I want to teach you a lesson. You’re horrible at communication.”

[F/N] scowled, her cheeks tinged pink.

“That’s rude..! You’re the one who’s horrible at communicating… Plus, we’re in public!!”

Cyno raised a brow, “You’re the one shouting and insinuating things…”

[F/N] scowled, averting her gaze.

Cyno offered her a small nod, heading back towards the front of the line to order. He paused, briefly, glancing back at her with a small smile.

“If you are interested in that lesson, however… I’ll be staying at the base this evening.”

With that, Cyno ordered his food and returned to the base. He finished his meal, before looking over the newest list of marks. He’d finally gotten an idea of the next potential site when a knock resounded on his door.

His brow twitched and he swung the door open with a sigh.

[F/N] stood at the door, her cheeks tinged pink. Cyno examined her face closely, noticing the slight sheen to her lips.

She’d fixed herself up…

That was actually rather cute.

“So…That lesson…?” She mumbled, her gaze downcast.

That wouldn’t do…

Cyno cupped her cheek in his palm, bringing her face closer to his.

“Lesson one… Make eye contact when you’re speaking to others.”

Cyno spoke, noticing with satisfaction the way her cheeks flared at their proximity.

“That’s-! You’re-!”

She exclaimed, and Cyno smirked, before pressing his lips against her’s. He pulled her inside the room, breaking the kiss and closing the door. He glanced at her, a small smile on his face.

“Lesson two… Don’t interrupt a conversation, especially if you’re speaking to a superior…”

[F/N]’s cheeks burned and she looked down.

Cyno closed the distance between them, his eyes narrowed. “What was lesson one again?”

[F/N]’s gaze trailed to his, and crimson hues met [e/c].

“Eye contact…” She mumbled, her lips pursed into a small pout.

Cyno nodded, a smirk slipping onto his face.

“Good. Now, for lesson three… Honesty is a virtue. Will you trust me?”

[F/N]’s cheeks burned, “Yes. I’ll trust you, Cyno.”

Cyno smiled, leaning over [F/N] and pressing his lips to her cheek. His breath fanned out against her cheek as he spoke.

“Lesson four… The ability to complete a task. Strip.”

[F/N]’s eyes widened and she chuckled a bit breathlessly, before pulling off her top and unfastening her bra. She slipped off her bottoms soon after, her gaze trailing to Cyno. She was about to ask him what he was going to do, when she processed the fact that he was already naked, a familiar container in his hand.

“How on Tevyat…?”

Cyno chuckled, “It’s a bit easier when you don’t typically wear a top.”

[F/N] nodded, biting her lip.

That was fair, she supposed.

“What’s lesson number five..?”

She asked, her tone soft.

Cyno’s eyes narrowed and he caught her wrist, pulling her close to him.

“Tone control…” He responded, his tone less harsh than it had been.

[F/N]’s eyes widened and she nodded, a bit of excitement coursing through her—

Cyno wrapped a hand around her waist, pulling her towards him, before coming down on her hard—

[F/N] let out a light whimper at the force of which Cyno was pressing up against her.

She knew he was strong, but this was—!!

“Ah… Shit…” She huffed, digging her nails into Cyno’s skin. The General Mahamatra jerked forwards, his thighs pressing against her—

Shit. She could barely manage to process.

They were toned—

“Do we need a lesson on language..?”

Cyno asked, his tone raspy as he pushed himself even closer, his hips thrusting lightly against her form.

[F/N] gasped, biting back the foul word that came to mine.

“No…Keep teaching me…this one…”

She huffed, her tone higher than before.

“Manners first. Say please.” Cyno rasped, his thrusts quickening.

[F/N] keened, her cheeks flaring with warmth.

“Please…” She muttered, her voice shaky.

Cyno pushed further, adjusting his position slightly, before slowing to a more rhythmic pace.

“Good girl.” He praised, his voice deep, before thrusting harshly against her form.

[F/N] gasped, her eyes widening as a flush of heat spread throughout her form—

Cyno continued to thrust against her, and she bit her lip trying to hold in a moan—

They were still at the base.

Holy shit. They were still at the base—

“C-Cyno what if someone hears…?”

[F/N] huffed out, and the thrusts paused momentarily.

“There is a reason I said tone control…”

[utilitycaster]

Hey, so can you explain to me the difference between the gods taking down Aeor and Ludinus destroying Molaesmyr? I’ve read some pro-Ludinus takes and, at least the ones I’ve read, seem to forget Molaesmyr. I feel like Ludinus and the gods did the same thing but for different reasons. The gods wanted to save themselves and at the same time (maybe I read it wrong) tried to find other ways to take down The Factorum Malleus with minimal casualties. Ludinus, according to his notes in episode 58 of c3 hoped “a channel of consciousness could be opened and perhaps whatever is seeking his attention from the red moon can bring clarity and purpose.” But that didn’t happen. He caused poisonous fumes, miasma, to happen and it killed a lot of people. A lot of people who are pro-Ludinus (at least the ones I’ve read) always bring up the innocents of Aeor and how awful it it that they died because of the gods actions, but what about the innocents in Molaesmyr? The ones Ludinus killed? They both brought down citys. So, what’s the difference? I could totally be wrong, but every time I read Ludinus lovers takes I feel like I lose brain cells.

Hi anon,

I can't say I've avoided ascribing intent to other fans in the past, nor that I don't at times speculate (see: the Laudna ask from last night) but I cannot answer the question of why other people might gloss over Ludinus's destruction of Molaesmyr. I think it's fair to say these are very different situations in terms of intent of the destroyers, number of survivors, innocence and intent of the city itself, and lasting effects; I personally would say "Ludinus Da'leth has no moral high ground re: destroying a city," but some people wouldn't. You would have to ask them.

I did want to use this opportunity, however, to sort of explore my sticking point re: people in favor of Ludinus because what gets me in the end is I can't find any like...narrative or moral throughline. I don't think I've seen anyone at this point say that he's right, is the problem; the people who are in his favor still have him joining Bells Hells as a redemption arc.

I find a lot of the fans of Ludinus believe that the gods should leave. They downplay the threat of Predathos and the vast harm Ludinus himself has done; wildly overstate the harm done to Ruidusborn (and ignore that a lot of the contemporaneous harm towards Ruidusborn is specifically directed at the Vanguard, a cultish army), and make unsupported assumptions regarding the positions of the gods re: Laudna; they overstate the power of Vasselheim; and generally have either a tenuous grasp on the lore or a shameless willingness to fabricate support for their claims. However, outside of the occasional banal "idk maybe it would be interesting if a god got eaten!" post, pretty much everyone stops short of actually fully siding with him.

This, to be clear, is good, because he really has been an architect of such war and destruction and abuses of power within Exandria over the past several centuries that it's fairly unconscionable to do so. The thing is, this leaves us with an interesting conundrum: how does the campaign end? Does Ludinus just. step down? Does he start killing the Vanguard? Does he undo the harm he's done to the weave of magic? What happens to the Weave Mind? Do they become the enemy? If your clear and present BBEG just flips sides, and his larger goal is one you think is kind of okay...where does that leave us? What does this look like? What happens to the gods then when the guy trying to kill them just gives up? Is there any resolution to any of the story beats? Like, what is the ending of this story when Ludinus is on Bells Hells' side?

It's honestly the eternal fix-it fic/What if the Villain could be GOOD problem. I'm not saying there can't be compelling stories about redemption and healing - obviously there can be - but sometimes a fictional character really isn't built to make sense of a narrative of redemption and healing. I don't think Ludinus is built like that. The story kind of unravels around him if he does not see his purpose of a thousand years through to the bitter end. I'm not saying it's impossible; a simultaneous strength and weakness of actual play is that the unexpected can happen because of player choice and particular dice rolls, and sometimes the unexpected is brilliant and sometimes it really isn't.

I find myself with the following two hypotheses. They are only educated guesses; they are not confirmed in any way.

Ludinus Da'leth is, in a way, Matt exploring the terrifying question "what if someone who subscribes to the politics of bitterness and revenge happened to also be intelligent and competent." I hesitate to draw direct comparisons to such figures as, say, Trump, or Elon Musk, but there is something in how Ludinus is played that evokes that base desire to destroy something because you found it insulted you (especially if it wasn't even after you personally), and dedicating your power and resources to taking it over, even if that is a joyless endeavor that destroys you in the process.

I think a lot of fans of Ludinus Da'leth are terrified of being wrong, either morally or in terms of their predictions; ironically this leads to a tendency to hedge to the point of incoherence as seen above such that I think it's impossible for them to ever be correct in their predictions other than in the most tangential or obvious (ie, everyone is predicting this) ways.

Anyway: this didn't really answer your question for the reasons given but I hope this explores why, in my mind, it kind of doesn't matter.

[kiriwiwii]

hihi hello!! i just found ur blog and i really enjoy your writing <3 can i request kaoru and rei with an s/o who's scared of thunder and lightning? tysm!! pls take your time and have a good day/night ^^

a/n: im sorry this took so long🥲 i literally started this the next day you sent the request but i got sick and i was so busy all week i couldn't finish it. this is kind of a scenerio?? but also headcanons? idk but i hope you enjoy it 😭❤️

|| Kaoru and Rei With a S/O Who's Scared of Thunder ⋆ ★

► Rei Sakuma

now, imagine: you're in rei's house, in a dark gothic room. it's filled with big bookshelves, and ornate chandeliers are hanging from the high ceiling. you're sitting on the dark-coloured couch, trying to warm yourself in front of the large fireplace with a cozy fire crackling in the hearth.

as you're sitting there alone, waiting for your claimed-to-be-a-vampire boyfriend to come and bring you a cup of coffee, you see a lightning strike through the window, followed by a big loud thunder.

a little scream comes out of your mouth, while the rain starts to pour heavily. you call out rei's name, but can't hear his answer because of the storm that just started.

you try to comfort yourself by wrapping your body with a blanket, but as the thunder gets louder and the rain gets heavier, the lights in the room start flickering.

with the fear surrounding your body, you feel a hand reaching to your shoulder, just about to touch you.

right before you let out yet another scream, you turn your face around just to see your dear boyfriend, smiling at you.

"oh my dear, are you afraid? sorry to keep you waiting, but i am here now. there is nothing to be scared of."

seeing rei's face already gives you comfort. he slowly sits near you, wrapping his arms around your body. you put your head on his chest, letting him gently stroke your head.

feeling his touch gives you a sense of warmth and protection. rei feels so safe to be around. you feel like the storm outside can't reach you, can't hurt you.

whenever a situation like this happens, rei usually prefers cuddling with you until the storm ends. while he hugs you tightly, he likes to chat. perhaps about your fear, so he can help you overcome it but if his beloved one doesn't want to talk about it, then that's fine. he still finds a way to make you feel comfortable.

no matter what he talks about or what he says, hearing his beautiful, soothing voice is enough for your fears to vanish away.

► Kaoru Hakaze

this time, you are both going on a walk outside, having a date. kaoru kindly holds your hand and listens to you telling him all about your day. the way he looks at you... the warmth of his gaze is enough to see how much he is in love with you.

in fact, he is so in love that he didn't even see the dark clouds coming your way in the sky.

while you guys keep walking, you feel your hair getting wet. you look at kaoru, he looks at you.

and you hear a big loud thunder.

you frightenedly jump at kaoru, hugging him so tightly that he doesn't know if he got scared because of the thunder or you.

he quickly takes off his jacket, holding it up above your head so the rain won't affect you. you both run to the nearest indoor area and start waiting for the thunderstorm to cease.

while kaoru apologises countless times for his mistake, -not checking the weather before taking you out on a date- you look at him, very disappointedly, and start to walk away. leaving him just standing there 🧍

and thaaaaaat's what kaoru was afraid you would do, but of course you didn't ^^

whenever you both run into a storm, kaoru knows you're afraid so he tries to distract you in the best way possible. he takes out his headphones so maybe you can calm down listening to music. or he sings to you, a calming melody or a song you enjoy. anything to make you feel okay.

he holds you close, giving you a gentle kiss on the lips. "don't worry" he says, "i am here with you."

kaoru is a loving, affectionate boyfriend. he wants you to feel safe with him, he wants you to know that you're loved and he won't ever leave your side.

[bomberqueen17]

adderall day 1

I'm not going to have any particular deep thoughts about this, but I feel like I should write stuff down. Several people have advised that.

I still don't know how much this is going to cost me, as my insurance couldn't be verified and I'm going to have to do messy things probably to find out. But I've got the pills in my hot little hand, 16 of them, and a follow-up appointment, and perhaps by then I'll know what this is actually costing.

It seems that it varies wildly how people manage to get ADHD dx's. Many many PCPs will not diagnose it or prescribe for it. It seems extremely gatekeepy to me, and not in a helpful way. my own PCP, as I describe more and more of my struggles to get healthcare in general, is being revealed to me to be less and less of any kind of a good fit-- she just seems baffled by everything I say. She asked if I have heartburn, for example, and I said, truthfully, oh yes, if I don't eat regularly, one of the ways I realize I've gone too long is that I start to have heartburn. So I've learned to be conscientious about my eating schedule, and eat small meals and snacks at regular intervals throughout the day, and that has cleared up the problem. And this actively baffled her, she was like "i've never heard of anything like this", and I can't imagine what she thought I was saying. Does no one else in the human race ever get queasy/stomach-acidy from going too long without food? Especially eating heavily and then not eating for a long time afterward? That's the worst for me, so I avoid that. I highly doubt I am the only person ever to experience this. But she seemed convinced that I must not know what heartburn is.

That's just one example. So. If I can get my head on straight at all, I am going to start looking for a new primary care physician. I'm sure this doctor is fine, just not for me.

(She is obsessed that my fasting blood glucose levels are too high. I read an article about it, in the 2010s sometime the CDC decided that 5.7 was a new worrying number (I don't know what the units are, but 7 is what people with well-managed diabetes shoot for), and now they were going to declare this new number "pre-diabetes" and start medicating it. The WHO has refused the concept of "pre-diabetes", pointing out that about 2% of people with this number wind up developing full-blown diabetes whether medicated or not, and that's about the same number of people who develop diabetes without having had this diagnosis, so it is in fact not any kind of reliable indicator of looming diabetes, so it should be referred to as "elevated fasting blood glucose levels" and not the new fictional "pre-diabetes". But there's money in selling that medicine, so American doctors are encouraged to make this diagnosis. And my doctor has put it into my chart that she plans to start me on Metformin if this number does not go down.

I'm refusing that. Medicate me for diabetes if I develop diabetes. I can be annually screened for it just like anyone. Sure, keep an eye on it! I take this seriously. But i am not getting medicated for a condition the WHO thinks is fictional. Thanks.)

Anyway that was a digression.

I'm hoping to at least make a start on dialing in my meds with this online guy, so that when I switch PCPs I can show up with the ADHD treatment as a fait accomplit and not have the new PCP throw a fit. I might try it with the current one too-- "Idk you told me it was incredibly complicated and insurance doesn't cover it so I went to my insurance company and they sent me to this guy and it wasn't complicated at all and I'm responding super well to the treatment so I guess this is what I do now?" but I am just anticipating her throwing a fit of some kind, since she is absolutely convinced I have major depressive disorder and has been trying to get me to go back on Celexa, which did me so much no good that I cold-turkeyed off it and gave myself horrible brain zaps. Don't fucking do that guys.

(It was with this same practice! It's on there, I no-showed to an appointment because I had so little executive function I wasn't even able to keep track of it! And she's still like yah medicating u for depression is super what's going to work. ma'am i have never been suicidal but I remember being on Celexa and most of it was my shitty life situation at the time but mostly it is a gray expanse of despair and ineffectualness, and getting inexorably fatter whilst starting to develop an eating disorder about it, and getting benched by my roller derby coach despite exercising myself to constant exhaustion and performing better than I ever had on the track because she saw my spreading waistline and assumed I was slacking off, and anyway. Yeah no.)

So anyway. I'm letting myself be stream of consciousnessy because it seems right. I had a reasonable breakfast, a lot of water, some coffee, a multivitamin, and my first pill about an hour ago, and am now ensconced in the recliner with the cat because the cat insists. I have started to feel.... kind of... like my throat feels kind of dry so I'm drinking more water, and I just got a little bit not quite dizzy and am acutely aware of all my eye movements, so I guess that's notable.

OK the plan. I would like to someday be able to make to-do lists, that's a medium-term goal. Meanwhile I'm still doing narratives of how i'd like a day to go. I have fallen off that a bit; I've been trying to do not a bullet journal but a just regular day planner in this new year (i got something on clearance off amazon lol) and mostly what I've used it for is as a diary post-hoc, writing down what i got done, and making little notes of what I want to get done, because otherwise my memory wipes itself and I don't know what I did all last week either. I fell off it this week because Dude was out of town and I was off kilter. But I'm going to fill back in what I can remember-- I'm keeping track of what meals I cook, what exercise I do, things like that-- and hope to keep it up going forward.

Routine, I hope, is what will help me.

Today. It is rainy today. I didn't get some of my stuff done while Dude was gone because of course the list I made would have taken six weeks of work, that's how my lists go. But I did get a lot done, so I'm going to write all that down. And today it is rainy, so I can spend time in the basement. What I want to do is empty out all my nice baskets I use to tote craft things around, and re-fill them with more curated selections. I think one basket for like, all the sewing tools, just all of them, in one place, and then another basket that is like, all of the embroidery supplies, and then a container that is An Adequate Selection Of Thread and also machine-sewing supplies? maybe? and then Active Projects can go into a third container that may or may not travel with me. Anyway, thinking about that is a work in progress.

I need to pack for my first trip of the season to the farm. I need to put away all the supplies from painting the kitchen, because I am finally officially totally completely done with that. I need to then tidy the kitchen counter and there's a little wooden cart that used to have our coffee stuff on it and I've been using it to dump all the shit and assorted project detritus from the ongoing painting on, and I need to then move that cart somewhere once I've put away all the things on it.

That seems like a reasonable amount of things to expect to complete today. OK I need to get out from under this cat because I have to pee now. All right. She'll be fine she just wants the chair really.

Yah ok i really gotta pee and dude is in the shower so i'm going to go get dressed and dance around a little lolsob. wish me luck.

[acewithobsessions]

Headcanon ask game yayyy I love it!

I’m thinking what if Thomas went back to his parents’ house to tell his dad and mom he was leaving Britain forever to live with his partner in America. Because he knew he would never see them alive again. Although he very much knew his father would deny him once more, he just hoped maybe in his father’s twilight years, he would finally accept who his son was.

In my mind, Thomas really craved his father’s approval more than anything. That was projected to Carson since Downton became his home. But all was rooted in his father. So he wanted to have this one last chance to turn things around. Because Thomas knew that this was the only way he could truly accept himself, no matter what others think of him now.

I think when you watch Thomas’ expressions, even when he was invited back to be the butler, or when he smiled at Guy after he resigned, you can still see there was a glimpse of sadness behind his eyes. Maybe that was why.

So, do you think Thomas and his father could be reconciled with each other? And how about his mother? I think she would be more accepting (or perhaps she didn’t really care much idk)? Somehow I got the idea that Thomas was the only boy in the Barrow family so it mattered more to his father. Anyway, please tell me what you think <3

Oh man YES!!!!! (For some reason, as soon as you said it, I pictured the scene from les mis where Marius asks his dad for permission to marry Cosette??)

That part about Carson? Yes, PREACH. I love love love it when people pick up on this. It's one of the most fascinating bits of his character, imo.

Ok so in my personal headcanon, the reason he started work a bit later than was typical (he did this right??) is because his mother died, meaning there was no longer any sense of security at home. (Also because from what I remember, he talks about her in the past tense.) But if she were still alive, that adds even more layers to the whole thing. I'll have to set aside half an hour of my usual pacing to think about this lol

I'd imagine he shows up to their house kind of stiff, with a sort of "f*ck it" attitude. Guy's not there. He understands that this is something Thomas has to do by himself, and Thomas wasn't exactly eager to let him meet his parents, either.

There's no small talk -- he barely even comes inside. He just finds his parents and deadpans, "I'm leaving."

"What?" his mother asks, a little bit breathless.

"I'm leaving," he repeats. "I've got a beau and I'm going to America with him."

There's a familiar flash of anger across his father's face, but he looks so tired that it swallows it right up. He stands up and leaves. For a second, Thomas wonders if he's found ways to keep his thunderstorm inside, to stop it from raging and having the lightning strike others. He wonders if it makes a difference. It doesn't, he decides, but all the same, it's good to know.

(He wonders if he knows just how much the storm can hurt you when it is stuck inside.)

His mother asks him questions until she is satisfied. She doesn't approve, he knows that. But she knows her son is happy, and maybe enough of her cares that her disapproval isn't the most important thing to her anymore.

He finds his father leaning over the table, staring into space. He starts into his pre-prepared spiel - I'm sorry if I've disappointed you, this is who I am, blah blah etc - but his father cuts him off.

"I'm not happy for you." He still won't look up. "But truth be told, I don't think I'd have been happy for you if you'd settled down like the rest of us. I don't think I'd have been happy with anyone." Finally, finally, he looks up. They have the same eyes. How has Thomas never noticed this before? "You survived me. I guess that's as close to close as we're going to get."

Is he high? Maybe he's drunk. He looks sober enough, but Thomas can't connect this person with the image of his father he has in his mind.

Thomas leaves without feeling as though anything's been accomplished, but nothing got worse. Pick your battles and all that. Just as he's leaving, he thinks that maybe, maybe, his father's storm has blown itself out.

Ough, sorry, I wasn't actually trying to write anything. Anyways, all in all, I'd absolutely love to see this kinda thing, whether it goes horribly or not. (Tbh, I think his dad being so articulate in this iteration points to how he's been thinking about this for a while. Which is probably optimistic. So this is one of the better situations...)

Tysm for the ask!! Wonderful idea :D

[nowoyas]

Koi no Yokan 1: the first impression matters most (Nishinoya Yuu/Reader)

Next - M.list - Ao3

A/N: so this has technically been up on ao3 for a month or so but I decided I'm simply going to post it on tumblr and live with less control over the formatting over here. for a more fun way to read, I highly recommend hopping over to the ao3 link above.

EDIT 9/20: DUE TO A URL CHANGE LINKS ARE CURRENTLY BROKEN. FOR EASE OF READING PLEASE PROCEED TO AO3. I HAVE NINETY FOUR FIC LINKS TO UPDATE SO IDK WHEN THIS WILL BE FIXED BUT SOON.

taglist is open!

Summary: Love at first sight isn't real. Whatever this Nishinoya guy was feeling when he proposed to you on sight, it wasn't love. And if you're wrong? All he has to do is propose another nine hundred and ninety-nine times to prove it. (nishinoya x fem!reader)

Warnings and Tags: fem, non gender-neutral reader, mental health + family issues, implied child neglect, hurt/comfort, coming of age, slow burn but like in a weird nontraditional way, gratuitous usage of footnotes

Word count: ~2800

p1. Love is real.

This one's simple enough. You grew up around your parents—hopelessly in love with one another, the romantic types put on this planet specifically to make their kids' life hell in a non-traumatizing, wholesome way, all sweet kisses and gross, get a room! to fill your childhood home. You've seen love. During at least one point of your life, there was love.

p2. Love takes work.

Also simple enough. Again we'll point to your parents—long nights worked by one or the other, working too hard, coming home to find you asleep on the couch with whichever parent was home for you. Bruised egos and hearts, fights that didn't need to happen but always would have, heated discussions whispered in the kitchen when you should have been in bed, but always always always coming back to each other. Separating from one another whenever there was yelling—keep the peace, come back when we can have a discussion. Trying to love you even when your grades fell too hard to overlook, but disappointed all the same, until you're yelling, until you don't fall asleep on the couch waiting for your mom to come home anymore, until you fall asleep studying at your desk listening out for your father, hoping tonight he'll be home before you finish your homework.

p3. Love must be earned.

—or at least, it can be lost. It'd explain the past two years. You lost his love, and you'll earn it back.

p4. If love must be earned and love takes work, then love at first sight does not exist.

Of course, none of this explains anything about what's taking place now, your utterly petrified classmate (one Yachi Hitoka, sits two seats in front of you, never interacted with) darting her eyes back and forth between you and the offender who could perhaps use a reality check against your worldview. For your part, the—question? demand? statement?—had the fun side effect of pitching your voice in embarrassment and disbelief, not to mention totally ruining the vaguely detached image of yourself you've very carefully cultivated over the years.

"I—uh—I'm sorry, what did you just say to me?"

p5. Love at first sight does not exist.

Although the other members of the Karasuno High School Volleyball Club wear expressions currently ranging from disbelief to exasperation, you're not entirely convinced you've heard the offender correctly until he steps forward, chest puffed out without a hint of self-doubt in his eyes.

Point of interest: as far as you were aware, volleyball is a sport about really tall guys yelling a lot and hitting a ball just real hard, and this one doesn't seem to have the height or the shoulder muscles for that. If your first impression is anything to go by, at least he has the volume. He's got a small build—lithe, even, and it's hard to tell with most of his teammates dropping their heads into their hands, but you'd say nearly everyone else here is a good head taller than him at least. It'd explain the hair: save for a little bleached tuft hanging down over his forehead, he's gone to the trouble to spike it, adding a few centimeters to his height total. All in all: confusing, but not unattractive.

c. Therefore, this is not love at first sight.

"Sorry," he says, tilting his head with a wide smile that doesn't look very sorry. "That might've been a bit rude. Please marry me?"

Yeah, that's what you'd thought he'd said, alright.

Shimizu, the gorgeous third-year who'd brought you into this line of fire, lets out a long-suffering sigh. One of the other guys is now on the floor, both hands threaded through his hair.

Point of disinterest: this behavior is clearly the offender's usual.

"Are you stupid or something?" the silver-haired guy on the floor finally manages to say, stage-whispering in utter disbelief. "Seriously, are you just a complete—"

Impulse: Have fun with this.

It's not that you really intended to cut the guy off—honestly, for all you care, he can yell at his teammate or anyone else all he wants. Hardly your problem. But—

I mean, how are you not supposed to laugh?

This is who you are: logic and impulse at war. Doubled over laughter, immediate stock taken of the situation, and, just because you appreciate his initiative, you let yourself speak without thinking too hard about it, full-body laughter subsiding to giggles as you meet his eyes. "You know what? How about you let me finish introducing myself and ask me that… oh, I dunno, we'll say a thousand times or so, and then I'll think about it. 'Kay?"

The offender—your suitor, you suppose—gains an extra centimeter of height at the words, eyes lighting up his face in a way that might actually be dangerous to someone with a few less brain cells to spare. He looks ready to say something, but stops himself. Nods firmly, mimes zipping his lips as though to let you know you can continue.

You stifle a lingering giggle, take a deep breath, and smooth out your uniform skirt carefully. You know how to smile and know how to charm and now you've got a reason to be just interested enough to bother with either. "O-kay. Um, I'm [full name]. Like Yachi-san here, I'm in class 1-5. It's a pleasure to meet all of you!"

"Nice to meet you!" they shout in eerie, overly-loud unison, bowing to the both of you. Beside you, Yachi nearly shrieks, hiding behind you a little as Shimizu steps forward to ask them not to scare the shit out of you both. To their credit, everyone seems genuinely confused as to what could possibly be startling about suddenly being yelled at by twelve or so guys standing around you in a semi-circle.

As for you?

You adjust your uniform bow carefully, suppressing a smile.

Maybe this "managing a club" idea won't be as bad as you thought.

~

Okay, point of order: it's not that you thought managing a club would be bad, necessarily. It's more that, well—look, pretty third-year approaches you in the hall while you're barely paying attention, assumes you're walking with some other random girl in your class, and you're looking for any excuse to stay out of the house as much as you can, anyway, so why not waste a few minutes this afternoon and some more tomorrow? It's not like you're agreeing fully to join or anything. And Yachi, at least, seems nice, though you're a little sorry she's been lumped with you.

You'd decided to make it up to her with a tepid offer of friendship, if for no reason other than to reassure her you don't want her dead (which appears to be a serious concern of hers?), but in the three minutes it took you to draw this conclusion and walk up to her desk, you'd been absolutely steamrolled by two of the club's first years from yesterday (Hinata: short, loud, springy, insists that you drop all honorifics for him. Kageyama: tall, quiet, blunt. Appears to just be along for the ride.) and somehow ended up jointly tutoring the two in English.

The days that follow give you no opportunities to learn any further names—your attention splits neatly between trying to figure out how volleyball even works and not fucking dying whenever a hit or whatever goes out-of-bounds. You'd been right about the yelling, mostly right about hitting the ball really hard (the really tall first-year sometimes hits the ball Not Hard, and your suitor doesn't seem to hit the ball at all?), and wrong about the guys needing to be tall (Hinata, for one, and most of the other guys are only tall in direct contrast to you).

That's about the extent of what you've gotten so far, beyond a bruise or two in preventing Yachi's soul from leaving her body. The guys seem to want to prevent those, but they're certainly not perfect. As for your co-trial manager, she is the very definition of skittish, and thus far has confided in you the following:

someone may want to kill her for standing next to Shimizu for several uninterrupted minutes (fair, Shimizu is extremely pretty)

the coach is going to kill her (maybe a bit narrow-minded—the Sakanoshita cashier is plenty nice, even if he does look a bit scary)

someone here is going to break a finger or perhaps an arm (yeah, no way to counter that one. It's athletics.)

someone here is going to unintentionally break her face with a stray volleyball (perfectly reasonable. You keep an eye out on her behalf.)

Despite this, she connects to the others far better than you ever could. When Hinata's study session with the three of you results in a boosted quiz score, he notices her before you and drags her into the hype session, allowing you to sneak on by while they cheer together. That's fine. You can't really match their energy, anyhow. Every now and then, though, she gets this look or makes some offhanded comment that makes you think she probably won't stick with managing.

For your part, you aren't really decided either way. The Karasuno High School Volleyball Club is full of… well, people. They're all different, you can't keep anyone straight, and while they're certainly polite enough in small doses, as a group, they overwhelm you with an energy that reminds you why you've never really gotten into sports before.

Your suitor is perhaps the worst offender of this—everyone gets louder around him, either out of necessity to be heard or simply because he seems to raise the energy levels of whoever's standing closest to him. He seems to be the root of about thirty percent of the volleyball club's total volume, and his boundless energy is extended your way whenever possible. Without fail, sometime between your feet crossing the threshold of the volleyball gym and getting your shoes on each day, he'll shout your name, followed by a full-chested compliment about how great you look today. It was unsettling for two minutes until you saw him take a flying leap at Shimizu in hopes of hugging her and end up getting slapped instead. For now, you'll take it as a relief that no additional marriage proposals have come your way.

You don't know whether to be disappointed that your suitor apparently is just your average horny teenager and you're not exactly special or relieved that, at least, you're not ugly enough for him to discredit you as an option entirely. If nothing else, it's hard to sense any sort of real threat from someone so openly and earnestly interested in anyone who breathes.

This is what you tell Shimizu as the three of you walk home after practice, the third time in a week she's apologized to you for his behavior. She's not the only one who has—the captain, a taller, average-looking third year, and the vice captain, the pretty third year with the silvery hair, have both gone out of their way to apologize on his behalf, as well as one of the more responsible-seeming second years. Each one has offered, repeatedly, that they can make him shut up if you want them to, but you've staunchly refused.

"I mean," you tell them each time, "he's harmless. All he's doing is complimenting me and like, little helpful things like helping me up. But I'll take you guys up on that if he actually crosses a line."

What you don't—won't—admit to Shimizu or Yachi, and will never admit to any of these guys, is simple enough: you like the attention. You like having a reason for your cheeks to feel a little hot. You like feeling like someone wants you here, like someone's not just being polite because they haven't yet found a reason to be rude.

The morning of the first day of your second week of this little trial membership, and like clockwork, your suitor is already in the gym, already fully awake like he actually rests when he sleeps or some completely batshit concept to that tune. It's six-something in the fucking AM. Normal people should at least be a little groggy right now, but here he is, running right up to you with a brilliant smile that makes you feel like squinting.

Then again, you suppose normal people aren't the type to propose marriage before you even get your name out.

"Good morning! You're looking lovely as usual today!"

You huff softly, open your mouth to mumble in some sleep-deprived reply, and end up cutting off in the sort of yawn that hijacks your full body to make its point. When you've recovered, you nod to him, rubbing the corner of your eye. "Sorry. I don't think I'm real for another twenty minutes or so. Mornin', Senpai."

Your suitor goes uncharacteristically still, jaw dropping as he stares at you. Suddenly self-conscious, you run through your memory of the past week. You'd assumed he was an upperclassman, not having seen him on the first-year's floor at all and having noticed that he seemed to be one of the more solid members of the team. Were you wrong? "Um… did I say something wrong?" you ask at last, hoping on hope he doesn't detect the nerves in your voice.

At your words, he seems to snap out of whatever stupor he'd suddenly gone into, shaking his head furiously. Unless you're mistaken, his face is turning a lovely shade of red, though you can't fathom why. "Uh—no! No, nothing's wrong. I mean, you didn't say anything wrong! You're—perfect, you're perfect, sorry, I—" He clears his throat, clutches a fist at his chest. You're starting to think he's having some kind of medical issue. "I'm not entirely sure you've ever done anything wrong in your life, actually."

You stifle a nervous laugh, tilt your head a little. "Um…?"

"Okay, sorry—I'm good. Perfect. Fine. Please marry me."

Ah. Alright, then.

A bit more laughter bubbles out of you, less nervous this time. "How about this: you tell me what your name is, because we still haven't been introduced properly, and ask me that nine hundred and ninety-seven more times, and I'll think about it."

The star-struck look on his face gives way to the brightest smile known to the human race. He holds out a hand for you to shake. On the record: your stomach does not flutter in reply.

"Nishinoya Yuu, at your service. Will you really marry me if I ask you a thousand times?"

You take his hand. Shake it carefully. Wonder if this is what dying feels like: no struggle, just letting happen what will happen, feeling strangely overwhelmed for no reason at all. "Hey, I said I'd think about it."

His hand's warm. It lingers in yours for just a moment before he drops the hold. "Challenge accepted, then. I hope you're ready."

You snort, wave him off as you head over to greet Shimizu. "Sure, sure. We'll see how long it takes for you to give up, yeah?"

"If that's what you're holding out for, you're gonna be waiting a while," he calls after you.

You toss your head back with a laugh. "We'll see about that!"

Koi no Yokan¹ (恋の予感): "premonition of love" or "love at second sight". in contrast to love at first sight, koi no yokan refers to the sense when meeting someone that falling in love with them is inevitable.

Footnotes

1. I spent a lot of time digging for the origin of this phrase and it appears to be attributed to a quote from one Nicola Yoon. I'm not certain that 恋の予感 is actually a Japanese concept the way that "love at first sight" is a concept in certain English-speaking cultures, and my research into this only turned up, like, BBC articles and an album by the American alternative metal band Deftones, so it's possible that this phrase is more of an Orientalist hallucination of Japanese culture more than it is a real thing.² Regardless, I truly love the concept, and I could not think of a more fitting title for this fic, so I am proceeding with the given interpretation.

2. For what it's worth, the BBC article I found does ask actual Japanese speakers about the phrase and claims it's common nowadays in shoujo manga circles. One of my good friends reads mostly shoujo manga and is more fluent in Japanese than I am, and I had to explain the concept to her, and also, no one can point me to any specific examples, so I don't really have any strong evidence that this is actually true. (Any examples of this out in the wild are more than welcome in the comments; I'm genuinely curious about this.)

Tags: @deeplightgarden @idonthaveanameideayet @dusstory

[myouicieloz]

Do you have any thoughts on the rest of the girls’ trailers?

i do!! they’re not exactly theories, though… just scenarios who could possibly match that vibe.

like, for winter:

- something like jennifer’s body, yk?

- small town, nothing ever happens, everyone hates their lives, always cloudy and rainy.

- everyone’s just eager to get out

- she’s the quiet kid, always walking with her gaze glued to the ground, not caring if she’s bumping into like half the students on her way to her locker.

- and she’s got that weird aura around her, too. perhaps it's the flannel jackets, or the way her hair is constantly disheveled, or the bags under her eyes… anyway, everyone’s always weary of her.

- And they’re right

- Idk if you know jinx, but just like her, winter’s always seeing stuff, too. Like you’ll always catch her muttering to herself or shaking her head as if to discharge all the ideas off. She always seems busy, too.

- whenever she’s asked something, she’ll simply stare at whoever’s asked and huff before getting back to whatever it is that she’s doing (which is usually writing aggressively in her worn out journal).

- Her mind’s always clouded with thoughts that bother her with their intensity, clogging her brain as they confront each other constantly. it leaves her restless, hyperactive. winter wishes she’d get a single moment of pure silence.

- she has plenty of hobbies (obsessions): like mangas, science, zombies… her bedroom is full of posters and miniatures. also, there are clothes and stuff everywhere. her mother has given up on telling her to tidy it up.

- she’s never around, either. winter’s mother. being a nurse in one of the 2 hospitals in town, she takes too many shifts for the sake of her health. Winter had told her to slow down countless times until she understood: her mother loved her job. It was what fullfilled her; being with her coworkers and helping others made her life meaningful.

- so winter let her be. seeing her at least a bit less miserable made the girl feel less like she ruined her mom’s life by being born when she was still so young; barely leaving high school.

- winter’s always biting her nails, moving her legs frantically or hitting her pen on the table.

- no one ever asks her to stop, though. no one has the guts to do so.

- the first time you properly talk to her is when you get assigned to a big project together. winter would usually do those projects by herself, but the new teacher insisted no one was left without a pair. the poor woman was new to the school and still so full of life and hopes...

- she was young and naive, clearly thinking she could help with whatever it was that was wrong with winter.

- she didn’t think you’d actually accept to work at her house, truth be told, specially since it was an unspoken rule to not be at least an arm’s length near her at all times. at least it was what it seemed like, at school.

- “have you guys ever actually taken a look at her?” you answered when your friends warned you about it, “she’s so tiny and frail. anyone could win her in a fight. she’s harmless, guys.” you all laughed, as your eyes were glued on hers, in the cafeteria. she was already staring, but you didn’t mind. you just smiled back, making her blush and look away.

- you found her house too cold and gloomy, even more than the city itself. it lacked light, and you shivered as you went up the stairs. the deep shade of red of the walls reminded you of blood, and you were relieved to see the ones in her bedroom were painted a different color; surprisingly, they were purple, which made you giggle.

- you two start working, and you’re not at all surprised to find out how smart she is. she talked effortlessly about the project, being patient to answer your questions as she explained what had to be done and what you’d be doing. the work was basically all done, and she’d gladly do it all by herself, but you insisted on helping. you just hated the idea of being useless, even if it was just in a stupid lesson. you two get the work done quickly, and winter found herself enjoying her evening: you were kind, and didn’t treat her as if she were the most despicable thing on earth like people would do, at school. your sweet smiles and calm nature made her relaxed, almost as if the voices in her mind finally agreed on something: how peaceful you were.

- she caught herself staring at you again, suddenly a little at ease.

- you got comfortable around her, too. which was why you had come to her again, days later you’d turned in the assignment.

- “would you help me, please? you’re like, super smart, and i don’t really want people to know i’m failing.” you asked her for some tutoring over that same class, and she reluctantly agreed to it.

- you stared going to her house everyday after classes and winter was growing fond of you, loving to have your full attention. you even took her to the local fun fair, which was one of the best nights she’d ever had since she could remember.

- you two were somewhat friends, even though your friends always would always send you weird looks once you started defending winter whenever they talked shit about her in your presence. she kept your secret—about the grades, and you were truly grateful for her help. you found her sweet, funny and very observant. which she was, indeed.

- in fact, winter was so observant she was the only one to notice the bruises on your arms and shoulders, even thought they were well hidden in the thick hoodies you never took off, not even inside.

- she didn’t say anything at first, thinking the things you did were none of her business. but as the days went by, and you were still trying to hide them, she started to wonder.

- “did you do those to yourself?” she asked, one day, while you were focused on doing a few exercises your fucking teacher had said were worth some extra points, ones you needed badly. her words, though carefully elaborated, made your eyes widen, as you shook your head furiously.

- “n-no, of course not.” you’d told her, toying with her hands as you decided wether or not to tell her. but it was just winter, right? there wasn’t anyone she couldn’t possibly tell, and she had kept your secret, once.

- with that in mind, you took a deep breath before explaining about how your uncle had been living with you, your siblings and your parents ever since he lost his job. all he does is spend the whole day drinking and watching tv, but sometimes, he gets frustrated with his own stupid ass and with the miserable life he has in this fateful city. in one of those days, he was specially mad, and threw you against the wall right after you had arrived home and stopped by the living room before going upstairs.

- you assure her it’s ok—he’s getting a job and moving out soon, but winter’s grip on her pencil was proof enough of her rage.

- she made you promise you’d tell her if it ever happened again. and, as much as she wanted to call the authorities immediately, you forced her to sit back down, begging her not to. you didn’t want to cause any trouble, specifically since he’d soon be gone, you reiterated.

- “yes, he’ll be gone.” was all she answered, her gazed fixed on your face. you shivered at her cold tone, but forced yourself to shrug it off.

- once you were gone, all winter could think about was your beautiful skin, all marked because of that fucker. this wasn’t how it was supposed to be: not to you, the dearest person she’d ever known. you were so sweet, empathic, and nonjudgmental… the thought of someone making you suffer was enough for her to nearly destroy her room, trowing things in the air to try to rub off the anger. however, it did nothing to ease her restless mind; the thoughts were back, now as loud screams in her head, agreeing on something for the first time: that winter had to make your uncle pay for hitting you.

- she forced herself back into her desk as she planned her future actions. it took her days, but she managed to finally come up with a perfect plan.

- winter waited patiently for you to leave home as she sneaked into your place, dragging her feet through the carpet. she took her time observing the fucker, hammer throbbing in her hands as she watched him get himself even more waisted, dropping a beer after the other.

- she finally decided to put her plans into action as he went into the guest room, probably to do one of the 2 things he knew: drink and sleep.

- her favorite part was tearing the door open, she thinks. to get rid of the wooden chips as she delighted herself with your uncle’s screams, pleading for mercy that wouldn’t be granted to him, not after what he had done. no... no one gets to hurt you and live.

- It’s what she kept repeating to him, ducking quickly to get his pleading hands off her as she saw his movements stop, slowly.

- she cleans up after that and, when morning comes, she offers you her condolences, as soon as she spots you, in class. your eyes are red and swollen and winter hates to be the reason of your sadness, but it was necessary, after all.

- you let yourself cry in her arms, hiccups leaving your chest as you get all the stress you self out of your system. winter tried to be as empathic as she could, patting your back as she assured you that you were all safe; no one would hurt you anymore— there was no reason to be sad or scared. you nod, clinging to her as the words get etched onto your brain.

- you only realize your uncle’s murder hadn’t been shared with people from outside your family circle weeks later. as if you’ve been woken up from a trance, you shift uncomfortably besides your friends as your eyes found hers, once again. your body trembled with fear as you refused to acknowledge all the patterns launched right into your face.

- immediately, winter smiled, with all the feigned innocence she’d been showing you all those months. it didn’t matter what you thought: you were safe, and you were hers. forever.

this is too messy sorry ^^ i wrote it in the middle of my lecture lol

[vagabond-umlaut]

KIT 🤍🤍 I just caught up on your self-ship posts and all your answers are very cute!! I wanted to ask what was meeting each other’s family like for Kitoru and Kitkuna? (well for Sukuna you meeting Uraume perhaps hah)

AAAHHHH!! I'M SO SORRY FOR ANSWERING THIS ASK SO LATE, HAZEL MY LOVE 😭😭😭 I HAD TOTALLY FORGOTTEN THIS WAS THERE IN MY DRAFTS— I AM SO SO SO SORRY 😖😖 @cloudwisp

okay so---

kitoru

my parents hate him. no like fr, they HATE him. idk if it's their way-too-high hopes and expectations for their daughter, or if it's satoru's behaviour and guts, or wht– i seriously have no idea. but they DO NOT LIKE him---they do warm up to him with time, though... seeing how much in love we two are and how much SERIOUS he is about our relationship... satoru's sincere and devoted love towards me is wht wins them over eventually, convincing my mom and dad that yeah, okay, fine. they can trust this guy to keep their daughter happy and away from harm :)) satoru's parents, on the other hand... satoru doesn't really want me to meet them, but ultimately does take me to the gojo clan estate to meet his mom and dad--- it doesn't go as bad as i expected it to go. it goes well, in fact---his parents are quite decent folks. a little too formal, yes, but they're very courteous and once i become a little acquainted with them, they're surprisingly easy to chat with!! but yes, there exists a chasm between satoru and his parents and idk why but it feels as if they... are not my future in-laws but my significant other's distant relatives or smthng... i like them, tho. they're good-hearted people, i can tell you this fs :))

kitkuna

my family and sukuna never really meet each other, and i believe that's for the best of everyone involved. idk wht's gonna happen if they do ever meet... o_o [me taking aspirin tablets for headaches is what will happen, i am DAMN SURE of this *SIGH*] the first time i meet uraume is the day sukuna abducts me from my home [i was honestly willing to go with him so idk how much of an abduction it is], and i'm so so so much in awe of their beauty, elegance, sense of duty---they're actually the 1st and only well-meaning friend i make in sukuna's place [yeah, i do regard us to be friends despite uraume saying they can't disrespect me by calling themselves friends with their queen; pls don't listen to them!!!] [they are also the wingperson 'kuna and i DON'T DESERVE but DESPERATELY NEED---i'm very thankful that i have someone like uraume to guide and support me in my life ^_____^]

[practically-an-x-man]

What would your ocs do in Arcane? How well would they fit into the universe/stand out? Would they be from Piltover or Zaun? Somewhere else?

Ooooooh good question, thank you!! I added Indie and Prometheus to the usual lineup since I know you know them better than some of the others.

Rae: Zaun. She'd be a similar character to Vi I think, the same sort of scrappy type always getting into fights. Eventually she runs into some upscale-looking guy, who's quite literally fallen from Piltover into Zaun at the hands of his father, and she helps him put things back together.

Robin: Piltover. She'd be from family wealth that gradually trickled away, and now she and her siblings are all packed into the same house, trying to hold onto the home before it gets repossessed by the city. They work together to design sound-based and communications tech, hoping one of their inventions will make it big and generate the money to keep their house.

Madison: Born in Piltover, but having fled to Zaun after things spiraled out of hand. Since then, she's developed a sort of cloaking tech, allowing her to sneak around near-invisibly, and plans to use it to get revenge on the ones who chased her away from her old life.

Ophelia: Piltover, and would be a very similar character to Viktor with his tech. Her father's inventions have them sitting reasonably comfortably in Piltover, though they're not rich by any means, but after his death it falls to Ophelia to innovate on his ideas and complete what he started.

Gia: The middle-class outskirts of Piltover, where she retains her flower shop and does her best to keep herself afloat so she doesn't have to relocate to Zaun. She's convinced that if she had to move, her prosthetic leg would be scrapped for parts and she'd be left on the streets (whether or not that's true, it motivates her to stay strictly in Piltover)

Jasper: Is a professional sci-fi derbyist à la Alita: Battle Angel (idk if there's something like that in Arcane but we're gonna pretend there is), having been born in Zaun but using their career to drive them up into Piltover.

Kestrel: Flips between Piltover and Zaun, often seen flying atop a wing-shaped glider that from high above looks like a small, soaring falcon. Nobody's quite sure who they are, where they came from, or which city they really belong to, but they're occasionally seen consorting with an adventurer on his rare visits to the two cities.

Katherine: Born in the outskirts of Piltover but later sent to the central laboratories as a historical research intern, she's devoted to understanding the history between the two cities and what divides them. Perhaps in time her research will drive her to a successful, steady life, but for now she's tethered to the boots of tenured professors.

Quinn: Works as a thief and pickpocket down in Zaun, and has lived their her whole life. Once, she and her crew risked a venture up to Piltover for a more valuable gig, but she fell from one of the stacks and broke her back in the escape. After recovery, she kept working, and built hidden compartments into her hollow crutches to hide the best of her haul. (It's very similar to her actual story, lol)

Eris: Nobody knows quite what they are. A fighter enhanced by years of shimmer usage, an immigrant from a far-off land where war brings endless accolades, a high-tech cyborg with sophisticated and near-indestructible prosthetics... nobody really knows, and rumors fly. All anyone knows is that they're dangerous, they've been around for a very long time, and it's best not to get on their bad side.

Nikoletta: Born in the deepest underbelly of Zaun, she functions as a crime lord. Nobody on Piltover knows she exists, but everyone in Zaun is quick to learn and bend to her rules. She's the queen of the shadows, the queen of the criminals, and she only ever meets in darkness. Nobody's seen her face in years, she's only known as the commander of the shadows.

Jimmy: He's an information broker known as The Ghost (yes, pulling this idea from that ask I just answered for him about a sci-fi AU lol). Outfitted with plasma-charged tech that allows him to slip through walls, he knows every single thing that goes on in both cities. And he's hard to track down - some say he's got a place in some hidden corner of Piltover, with a gentleman who supplies him with his tech, but that's all just another rumor.

Indigo: Born in Zaun, but conscripted into mechanics for military weapons in Piltover almost as soon as she was old enough to legally work. She tends to keep to herself, despite her striking appearance, but... one day a Piltovian general walks in on her sabotaging one of the weapons, and things quickly spiral out of hand.

Prometheus: Little more than a legend, at this point. In Zaun, they're known as the guardian of sleep, a good-luck charm to let children sleep in peace. It's said that a hungry child will dream of food and wake with a full belly, under their watch, and problems seem to dissolve in sleep for those who deserve to have their burdens eased. In Piltover, however, they're known as more of a horror story: once a scientist, who dove too deep into their experiments with arcanite and somehow became a coalesced form of pure, sentient energy. Maybe it's all just a folk tale, maybe they never existed at all, but the stories infiltrate the minds of everyone in the two cities... in some form or another.

[accirax]

initial thoughts on DCAS episode 21

AKA, the finale :O this will be a doozy...

for Going Through It as frequently and as strongly as Jake does, i find it hilarious that all of his promotional material always looks like it was ripped straight from a dorky high school girl's instagram feed. also, go Ashley, roast that clown (/lh)

that's such a cute drawing omg!!! i always have fun thinking about how good the drawing is in the context of the universe it was drawn in. like, to us, his proportions look kinda off, but in their universe, the giant heads and tiny waists are actually really accurate. Hunter is going to be the next great artist fr.

... i thought that the point was supposed to be that Jake grew more than anyone here, which is why he was facing down Riya. i mean, i guess you could say that Ally had to grow a new personality for the beginning of the season, and then have that character develop. she is more changed from s2 Ally than Jake is from s1 Jake because Jake had more of a character in s1.

and boy, would it suck if that promise was left unfulfilled! (/s)

it is true that this (if she actually remained on Riya's team the whole time) is kind of a win-win for Ellie. either Riya loses, or she gets $100K. both are acceptable.

this was such a cute/fitting response for Jake to have. it's a really great button on their relationship.

i love how smug they look at no one wanting to help Riya.

WHEN THE FUCK WERE YOU WATERBOARDED???

actually, we know that Tom is a terrible liar, so maybe he got waterboarded by the mob boss after they figured out he was lying in the interrogation.

w... what...?

dare i say iconic

i know that they didn't really have time, but with Alec and Ellie working together (and Alec protecting Ellie, as he did here), i had kind of hoped that we'd get a bit more closure on their relationship. like, does Ellie still hate Alec for betraying her? or is the fact that they were going to be in the villains alliance together mean that they'd cross that bridge? maybe i'm just forgetting, but their relationship feels somewhat unresolved. (i mean relationship platonically btw; no hate to people who ship them but i don't need to know if they're a couple or not because the canon answer is obviously no)

i don't know if this was really necessarily but good for you girl

this is like the first time Fiore has cared about anyone ever :,D Fiore and Alec the duo ever!!!

A GENUINE SMILE????????

why are you preventing this from happening? you know Gabby, so you should know that this would absolutely work.

rewatching the beginning of the episode after knowing the end, i sorta wanted to question whether Ashley abstaining from helping could have accidentally lost Jake the win. however, Tom is just so doggedly determined to cover his man that i think he probably was the best guy for the job. like, would Ashley dive for him? idk.

okay, 1) WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU THINK THAT WAS GOING TO DO, RIYA?!?!, and 2) HOW THE FUCK DID GABBY NOT LOSE HER ARM FROM THIS. IMAGINE IF SHE DID. THIS WAS WILD.

... does Riya understand how pain works? or the American healthcare system? Ellie surely wanted to use that money for something else, dude.

so they are kinda sweeping Tom's wrongdoings under the rug, huh? sigh. hopefully it's just a "for now" thing to be further explored in the miniseries.

i love Trevor's little :3 face

and boy, would it suck if this favor was left unfulfilled! (/s)

i watched a compilation of each Disventure Camp character's first and last lines, and let me just say, it's really weird that "Go, Jake!" (said with Aiden) is James' last line ever.

GIVE UP ON HERRRRRRRRR

(also, glad his foot seems to be doing better)

i know i probably would have made fun of this scene for being super corny/moving too fast if Tom had said "i love you," but it's perhaps equally funny that he didn't. like, c'mon bro, you can't even muster the L word in this incredibly dramatic and heroic moment?

COPE

oh boy...

y'know, beyond just not having a good time slot in which to do so, i also kinda put off writing these initial thoughts because i just really didn't feel like having to write anything about ONC's choice regarding the winner of the season. everyone online seems to have these really radical opinions-- either saying that this was a brilliantly subversive and poetic choice, or that the entire season (and perhaps even s2 before it) are ruined by the choice to let Riya in. the truth is, i'm incredibly neutral.

on one hand, i'm incredibly disappointed. if you've been keeping up with these initial thoughts throughout the season, or especially my episode-by-episode power rankings, you'll know that i've very firmly believed that Jake was going to be the winner of this season since the beginning of the merge. and it's not because he's my favorite character and i really wanted him to win or anything-- i have a generally favorable opinion on Jake, but it was mostly because i thought that the arcs and messages of the season would be best capped off with a Jake win. therefore, it's saddening to believe that they didn't capitalize on all that potential just for the sake of shock value.

then again, i really appreciate what ONC was trying to do with Riya. i can tell that they must have felt like they had a lot to prove with Riya in DCAS given how mixed her reception was in s2. so, they put in a lot of work to "fix" her character in DCAS, and, on the whole, i think they got a lot better! as much as i was predicting the Jake win, i was also kind of dreading it, just because it was the sort of cheesy, fanservicey ending that could be predicted from a mile away. so i appreciate the boldness to go for an unexpected ending, and the refusal to stagnate in cookie cutter fan-pleasing storylines when your artistic heart is driving you in another direction.

which is why, in the end, i have no strong opinions. i think that the character writing absolutely could have been set up to establish viewer expectations better, but i also don't think that the entire season is unwatchable because Riya wins. the truth of the matter is still that all of the other contestants besides Yul are the real winners of the season, because they made friends and grew as people. if you rewatch the season, you can still see the gang do just that. but the equal truth is that all of the promises those friends made and the goal that drove them to improve might all feel a bit more hopeless with the knowledge that Connor never did get to one-up Riya. People who needed the money more, like Ashley, Alec, or Ellie didn't get a cent of it. and unlike it would be for Jake, who had a lot of connections with a lot of people, many contestants had pretty much no bearing on the winner of the season at all.

i want to believe that the Disventure Camp writing can and will continue to overall get better, but i also can't ignore the obvious signs of growing pains. can't bring myself to get all too mad at them either, though. mostly, i just want to stay out of any drama.

it really shows that Jake hasn't been able to look at social media since the beginning of the show. trust me, buddy, not everyone was rooting for you.

unsurprising that tomjake gets the last kiss of the season/era.

cite your sources, please (/j)

i guess the real person Riya was lying to all along... was herself. *vine boom* because, seriously, how the fuck did she not realize that it wasn't just acting anymore? when she double-broke Connor's foot and tried to make Ally think that Jake lied about being suicidal???