#This just shows that nothing is black and white

[curtins]

going to a cafe with the jujutsu kaisen men a/n: (based on irl experience with a wide variety of subpar men) 😭 gojo's order being my order...aurkay!

gojo — def the type to walk in and push his sunglasses down to check out the place. his order def goes something like a venti caramel macchiato with almond milk, two pumps of vanilla and two pumps of hazelnut, and a little caramel swirl at the top. smiles and is friendly to all the baristas, he's never rude to workers. tells the barista is gojo, with an o. whoever's unfortunate enough to be stuck next to him is doomed to hear him wax poetic about how coffee beans are the soul of the earth, and its 'really deep, you wouldn't get it lol'. if you order a black coffee, he'll ask if everything is okay at home. can't leave the cafe without ordering a $8.00 sweet treat and then wondering why all his purchases are adding up

geto — walks in as if he's a regular and tells the barista that he'll have his 'regular'. the barista has never seen him before. probably orders a flat white, double shot of espresso, no foam. he always says he doesn't have to pretend to like foam because he's chill like that. he'll ask for the wifi password, but only so he can show off how good he is at working in a cafe, but his ass is on coolmathsgames. will nod and pretend to care about whatever you're saying but he's still thinking about coolmathsgames. will also drop random metaphors like 'life is just like coffee. you either take it strong or with sugar.' you tell him to save the bad metaphors for his cult.

nanami — doesn't wander or hesitate when he enters the cafe. checks his watch every five minute. orders a black coffe, medium, and adds one packet of sugar. he's pretty good at ordering what he wants efficiently, and it leaves even the barista worried. he's here to relax so don't ask him any unnecessary question because this man needs a break. actually enjoys eavesdropping on people's conversations, and ends up tilting his angle to snoop on gossip better. avoids small talk like its another curse. you can't really make him react too much in a cafe, unless you spill coffee on his freshly pressed suit. will be passive aggressive and suggest that the cafe chooses better music. likes a good, dependable pastry. apple danishes are a favourite.

sukuna — prefers tea, without debate. but still orders relatively normal things. likes a good latte with chocolate syrup. but the king of curses kinda has to look cool, so he powers his way through a black coffee, with no sugar or milk. you swear his eyes are tearing up as he pretends to like it. after every sip of coffee, he sighs really loudly and it gets a bit annoying. even after you ask what's wrong, he says its nothing and continues to sigh loudly. nanami may be the one who eavesdrops, but sukuna is the one who interferes. will turn around in his chair to give unsolicited advice, but he genuinely thinks he's being helpful by telling schoolgirls to buy cleavers to chop their friends' hands off. is mildly offended when they move tables and give him weird looks. passes loud comments on other people and tells couples when he thinks they will breakup. attempts to connect to the wifi three times before threatening to burn the router.

toji — the barista asks if he wants a pastry with his drink and he asks 'do i look like the type of man to eat a muffin?' but if they're free, he'll take two. sits with his back to the wall like he's in a mob movie. god help anyone who sits too close to him, he really just doesn't trust anyone in his personal space. doesn't even acknowledge the existence of others until he's had at least three sips of his coffee. you could tell him his house is on fire, and he’d just mutter that he can't do anything about it now. types the wifi password on his phone with one finger like a caveman. tells parents to 'control their spawn' but entertains kids with coin tricks when no-one is looking. sometimes struggles to fit the lid on his go-to cup, and refuses to asks for help. wrestles with it for five minutes, getting increasingly annoyed before rushing out the door.

choso (this one is dedicated to pookie @creamflix) — frowns at the menu like it's written in an ancient language, like wtf is affogato. if someone behinds him coughs, he scolds them and says he's going as fast as he cans. spends 10 minutes deciding and then panics at the last second, tells the barista to give him whatever. if the barista asks any follow up questions (like milk preferences) he genuinely short circuits, "what kinds of milk are there?" he's genuinely baffled that there are options beyond 'cow.' he'll point at a pastry and ask what's in it. the barista explains and he replies with 'okay i trust you.' always ends up picking a wobbly table by accident and spends 15 minutes trying to fix it with folded napkins. if someone asks to share his table, he'll look like they just asked for his kidneys. if someone asks for his opinion on his pastry, its always a dumbass cryptic answer like 'its interesting.' uses his phone on full brightness and everyone can see him look up 'how to pronounce cafe au lait.' cleans up after himself because he's nice like that. if the staff get his order wrong, he never says anything even if it tastes like dirt.

[majestyeverlasting]

𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 | 𝐞.𝐦.

This piece contains brief allusions to smut.

Pairing Eddie Munson x Female Reader [friends -> lovers] 

Summary It’s the morning after your first time with Eddie, and the two of you navigate the quiet intimacy of it all [fluff, 1.4k]. 

A/N This is the third installment to the little friends to lovers universe I created. They all work as standalone fics, but I clearly can’t get enough and keep adding onto their story. 

PART ONE | PART TWO 

∘°∘♡∘°∘

Eddie wakes up alone. It's a reality not unlike every other day of his life. Except, the sheets gathered at his waist aren’t black and no heavy metal posters adorn the walls. Everything is neat and airy and bright, softly screaming of you. The only anomaly in the room is his leather jacket hanging on the back of your desk chair. When he reaches out to run his hand over the empty space on the bed beside him, he’s unsure if it’s warm from your body heat or the pale streaks of sunlight streaming in through the flowy white curtains. 

After rolling onto his back, he stretches his arms with a satisfied groan as his muscles pull. That’s when the sound of your footsteps emerge from the hallway, growing closer and closer. As you push your bedroom door open, you catch him quickly shutting his eyes as if getting caught. The faint smile that pulls on his lips exposes his wakefulness. 

He’d been asleep when you first stirred. After a few minutes of combing through his hair and relishing the steady sound of his breaths, you’d slipped out of bed to check the voicemail box. But not before padding to your dresser to put on some clothes. There was a pleasant ache in the muscles of your thighs as you moved, your whole body alight with the memory of him. 

Last night, you’d been too preoccupied with the dizzying proximity of Eddie hovering over you to answer the phone when it rang. 

As you press the playback button, it comes as no surprise when your dad’s voice crackles to life to bid you goodnight and remind you to make sure the front door is locked. For their own sanity, you call your parents back to apologize and assure them that everything had been okay the previous night. 

Back in your room, the mattress dips as you crawl into bed, forcing Eddie to fight a smile. He continues to feign sleep as you settle beside him with a content sigh. Once you’re tucked beneath the sheets, you place your hand on his chest as if swearing an oath to a truth larger than yourselves. 

The tattoos on his skin are so bold and intricate that you can’t help but trace over them. Your featherlight touch makes him open his eyes and turn his head to look at you, blinking slowly. His hair is roused and his eyes are a little puffy and red from sleep. 

There’s a flutter in your stomach upon noticing the faint lines on his cheek. In the few years of your friendship, you’d never had the pleasure of waking up to each other. The intimacy of it all makes it feel like you're buzzing. 

“Sorry for leaving,” you murmur. “You didn’t feel any of that earlier?” 

“Any of what?” His brows furrow, voice a little rough from sleep. 

Before getting out of bed, you’d kissed him as well. Not once, but three times over his face. Admitting to such a tender thing feels harder than just having done it. 

Instead, you shake your head in a shy dismissal. Not the kind of shyness that’s brutal and consuming, but the type that cradles vulnerability gently. After baring yourselves to each other last night, you suppose there's nothing more to be shy about. It’s just that the way Eddie looks at you makes it seem like you’re worth being figured out. Like it’s worth knowing about all the little things you do. 

Everybody talks about the pain of being overlooked, but few consider how terrifying and wonderful it feels to be seen. 

He’s quiet for a moment, searching your eyes. “Tell me what I missed, angel.” It’d probably be better to show him.

When you scoot closer, he instinctively turns to face you, placing a gentle hand on your hip. The fabric of your pajama shorts is too soft to be straight-up cotton, he thinks to himself. Before he knows it, warmth blooms beneath his skin as you lean in to kiss his forehead, the tip of his nose, then the corner of his mouth. 

A hum vibrates in his throat as he runs his hand further down your leg, stopping as his palm reaches the bare skin of your thigh. All of this—your nearness, being kissed, touching you—seems like a luxury that should’ve expired after last night. At the risk of seeming pessimist, he isn’t unaware of how many good things in his life are fleeting. Except this. Except you. What the two have found feels more set in stone than anything else ever has. 

As you pull away, he smiles at you as easily as breathing. 

“How’d you sleep?” he asks. 

“Good. Really good,” you say. 

He begins to stroke your thigh. “Me too. I think you have that effect.” Even now, his body is pleasantly heavy with a bone-deep sense of refreshment. Like he was bearing the weight of being a new person in this morning light, with you. 

You open your mouth to say something, but stop yourself. 

“What’s up?” he insists because he somehow catches everything. 

“Nothing,” you huff a weak laugh. “I just feel…” you trail off, and Eddie keeps looking at you with those Bambi eyes. 

His chest shakes with a chuckle when you whine and tuck your face into your pillow. Even though you can’t see it, his gaze turns painfully soft. You peek at him just as he’s reaching out to touch your cheek. 

“You make me nervous.” It’s a quiet admission. “In the best possible way.”

Eddie doesn’t frown or insist you shouldn’t be, he just offers a small smile and strokes his thumb across the apple of your cheek. You press into his touch like you need it to survive. One thing he’ll never get over is how eternally fortunate you make him feel. He’ll spend the rest of his life either relishing the fact that you chose him or forever remembering these small moments. 

Your nerves don’t worry him and neither do his own. It’s how he knew all this meant something. The longer he thinks about it, the more he realizes “nervous” might not even be the right word. Surely, there was another way to describe the feeling of caring about someone and their thoughts so deeply that you didn’t want to risk disrupting a single thing. A care so great it rang true within the innermost parts of you. 

“We should probably get the day started before we end up stuck here,” he says. “I don’t know if you had any plans, but I can go if you want me out of your hair—” 

You take his hand from where he’s still stroking your cheek, and kiss over his knuckles. “Absolutely not,” you say into his skin. 

Eddie waits for you to continue. 

“Will you stay for breakfast?” you ask. “I make really good scrambled eggs.” He’d stay for breakfast even if you couldn’t. 

His eyes sparkle in amusement. “I’ll be the judge of that.” You can’t help the laughter that rises up your throat when he pushes you onto your back and props himself over you. 

Your attempts to stop him from nibbling down your neck are all in vain, and you halfheartedly push at his shoulders as your chest squeezes and flutters. When he pulls away, you’re still hiccuping over your giggles, and you pray you don’t look as silly as you feel. Eddie, however, gazes down at you with the most tender depth in his eyes.

“You’ve got the most killer smile ever, you know that?” he asks. 

You reach up to tuck his hair behind his ears, trying to distract yourself from the warmth rising to your cheeks. 

“Evidently not. It hasn’t killed you.”

With a dramatic inhale, Eddie grips his chest, rolling over to fall onto his back, feigning death. 

You prop your forearms on his chest. “Please don’t die, I need you around.” 

That makes him grin and tap your chin with a gentle knuckle. “Say that again, I didn’t quite hear you.” 

You roll your eyes with a shake of your head. “I need you around, Eddie Munson.” 

He grows a bit more sober. “I think I need you more.” 

You could get used to this feeling of needing and being needed. 

-

Thank you so much for reading! Likes, comments, and reblogs are always appreciated. I promise I see and appreciate them all. 

PART ONE | PART TWO 

MORE

[jifloulette]

it was foolish enough that you fell for his trap, but now you know how to play the game — no way were you going to let him win.

what ? . . . hcs of blue lock men reacting to what you did the second you found out about their hidden affairs. who ? . . . shidou ryusei, reo mikage, itoshi sae warnings ? . . . swear words, reader is a diva, toxic men, cheating

SHIDOU RYUSEI !

The second you found out he cheated on you through a call he had with his so called “manager” when he was stepping out of your shared house, saying things like “don’t worry, babe.. y/n’s dumb as fuck. they’ll never know.” — you really didn’t mean to eavesdrop but when you heard him mentioning your name it got you curious. And like what they say, curiosity killed the cat.

It was safe to say you had your fair share of cries and screaming that night. Not because you were sad — well you might’ve been but it was mostly due to anger. Why couldn't you stop the tears flowing down your face and your eyes from going blurry when you knew this was always going to happen? He just dated you for clout. Swarms and swarms of fans came flocking to him so in order for them to stop, he chose to love one of them. You were just an easy victim.

You were oblivious to his plan to keep you with him for his own good at first but his actions inside and outside of the home you two shared showed that he really couldn’t care less about you.

You went from always asking him if he ate, packing him lunch, “i love you” messages daily to barely doing the bare minimum in a relationship.

You weren’t lying if you said that you did want Ryusei to notice about the change in your behavior recently — to reassure you that he genuinely loved you. Adding that it was a honest mistake and he’d try to change.

It was a stupid thought really. How delusional did you have to be to think that? Looking at the man who you once loved so sickly makes your blood boil knowing about his true intention about being with you was.

So when an article blows up about Ryusei getting caught by paparazzi making out another with another woman in a soccer event of his, you could only laugh bitterly.

You immediately packed your things, a medium-sized white luggage and a black duffel bag ready to go. You didn’t pack all of them, some of your trinkets and clothes were things he gave to you because of how “special” you were to him. It irked you knowing that he only gave it to you out in public, never in private.

So imagine his surprise when he sees you with your things on the way to your car, immediately running towards you so he could stop you.

He hugged you tightly, it really disgusted you knowing that this man who was holding you in his arms like his life depended on it had touched countless of women too. 

You could only do so much to push the behemoth of a man off you before laughing hysterically at how he looked so pathetic.

You told him to drop the act because you already knew what you meant to him. You were nothing more than someone who he used for his own comfort and privileges. You were a backburner, a rebound, a temporary person in his life full of fame and soccer.

He pleaded for you to hear him out so you let him, at least wanting to hear what this pitiful excuse the man in front of you had.

“Please don’t leave, y/n..! It was just a small mistake, she came onto me! I was drunk, I couldn’t do anything.. please I can’t live without you. You know everything I need, you know what to say and what to do. You’re everything I have besides soccer, I’ll be damned if you leave me.” 

You could almost feel like cussing the man out in front of you. I mean, the audacity? Saying that you were the love of his life, that he can’t live without you? It’s almost as if he never did anything to you, he was making you seem like the culprit!

You applaud his acting before giving him a nice, good slap to bring him back to his senses. You weren’t stupid, you know more than this feeble man could ever know in his entire life. 

Before leaving, you say something that leaves him speechless. 

“You know? Be glad you chose soccer as your career because you could never cut out for acting. Plus, shouldn’t you be happy that I’m leaving you? You can fuck around all the girls and guys you’d like! Don’t worry, it’s not like I’ll expose you or anything, oh wait! The public already knows.. boohoo”

REO MIKAGE !

You and Reo loved each other more than the two of you could ever know. Everyone knew that. You, Reo, and Nagi were the dynamic trio in your school, everyone saw that. You loved Reo because you just did, not for his popularity, his looks, and his money. 

Well maybe you were considering that last part ever since you discovered that he was fucking around some random girl in your class.

You really only found out when Nagi told you about it after 2 weeks of your boyfriend’s secret affair. Nagi really only knew after he eavesdropped the conversation the girl Reo was cheating on you with, saying that the girl said she was using him for clout and for his money. Something you’d never do to him.

To say you were angry was an understatement, you were fuming. The audacity of this man who you considered to be your first and last to do something as cruel and shitty as this?

So, you did what you had to do. Use his own fears and insecurities against him, being used. You knew it was brutal doing something like this, but was it really that bad compared to what he did to you?

You started off slow, asking him for a few hundred bucks before spending it on your heart’s desires. Reo noticed how most of your conversations was just you blatantly asking him for money before kissing him goodbye. To be honest, he was scared. Not because there was a chance of you using him but because you might’ve known about what he was doing behind your back and you were doing this as revenge.

Then, you started doing something bigger. He gave you free will of his credit card, saying that you deserved to treat yourself because you were his so called “love of his life”. You bought designer brands, buying jewelry that god knows you can’t afford, treating your friends for days and days. You had no thought behind your eyes but to just hurt the taro-haired boy for whatever he's worth.

And when he noticed the fatal drop in his savings, he finally confronted you. You could only really laugh at him for now only noticing your intentions recently.

He became disheartened — but really, who has he to be disappointed in what you did when he had done something much more evil? So when you told him that you knew about his little act, he could feel his heart drop.

He tried telling you that the girl who he supposedly “fucked” was just a bitch who could only create fake rumors but you’re not dumb, he knows that.

Shortly after, he became mad. He was screaming at you as if you started all of this. Victimizing himself, saying that if you really loved him, you would confront and talk to him about it like a normal person.

“You know what y/n?! Fuck you and your shit! If you really loved me, you would’ve done everything you could to keep me by your side! But not, you had to be a cunt about it and hit me with this mess! You know how insecure I am about all of this so w-why..?”

You were flabbergasted at his sudden breakdown — to be honest, you had more right to be mad at him than he was to you! I mean, who cheated in the first place? His father was a billionaire, so why did he care so much?

Likewise, you screamed at him. Telling the teared up boy in front of you that no one could ever love him like you did, adding that everyone who has ever had a crush on him were only after his status and fame.

“Okay, who the fuck are you to talk about shit like this again? The last time I checked, I wasn’t the one who cheated, huh?! So why do you care so much about what I do with your money? You did say that I deserved to treat myself so here I am! Go fuck that litte cunt all your life because all she’ll really love is your money, nothing else. Can you really call yourself a man? It’s funny how you make yourself the victim when I have more right to be mad at you?!”

Not to mention, you and Nagi also had something going on the second you found out about what he did. You told that to him as well, saying that even if Nagi was sloth-like, he took much more care of you than he ever could.

Oh and, the girl he was cheating with you on left him shortly after, her reason being that she had enough money to leave him, lol.

ITOSHI SAE !

People would view your relationship with Sae as destiny, i mean it certainly had to be fate, right? The light pink-haired man really didn’t let anyone in his life except for you. The two of you were happy in the world that you had created for yourselves! Or so you thought.

It turns out that Sae actually never loved you that much, you were just a replacement for his ex. You knew how harsh his past relationship with this girl was and boy, it frustrated you because how did he manage to play with your heart for two whole years?

Your efforts to make him love you didn’t go to waste, right? He did say he “loved” kissing you,  making sure to cuddle you every now and then. But who were you kidding, you could see right through his ice cold heart.

He never loved you for you, you were just an easy target, prey in other words. He knew you couldn’t deny his irresistible charms and fuck, was he right.

You fell for him the second he held your hand that one night in the club. It was a dangerous game to play, the relationship you two had was like russian roulette, except Sae knew where the bullet was. He made sure to let the bullet hit you.

How did you found out a bit, you ask? Well, when the two of you were on the couch, cuddling. He was whispering sweet nothings in your ear. unbeknownst to him, he had accidentally said the name of his ex. He didn’t notice he said it and as the lovestruck person you are, you didn’t say anything. You couldn't afford to confront him and have the possibility of him leaving you.

It happened a little 5-6 times before you really knew that it wasn’t you that was on his mind whenever he was with you, it was his ex. It was always going to be his ex. 

You’ve had cries and screams the moment you created that conclusion. It seemed as if you were pierced through the heart yet you still remained alive.

So, what better way to get revenge than letting him get a taste of his own medicine? Let him think you were cheating on him? Why not make him think you had something going on with his brother?

You had met up with Rin a few times before, but was only usually because he wanted help with something outside of soccer. Sae had seen you with his little brother enough times to know that your intentions to him were good. Even if they aren’t in good terms, he still has to care about him.

You started doing in minimally — only doing it every now and then. But now, it seemed as if you couldn't stop saying his little brother's name, it was like the man holding you as he was caressing your hair was no other than Rin. You wanted him to get hurt, it was the only reason you could think of as why you were still with him.

It's only when Sae had enough that he blew up on you, for the first time in years has he showed true emotions and anger. He was scary when mad, but you were terrifying. How dare he say that you were a bitch for supposedly cheating on him with his little brother?!

But really, you were just giving him a taste of his own medicine. A spoonful of what he was doing to you. If he's doing it to you, it's okay — but when it's you doing the same, you're suddenly the antagonist, the villain?! How narcissistic can someone be?

He was screaming all sorts of swears at you, adding that the only reason he was with you this long was only because you were a mere duplicate of his ex. A mirrored version of her, except you already knew that. It was a useless attack in order for you to get hurt.

"What the actual fuck, y/n? How the hell are you here cuddled up with me when the only person you could think of is my little fucking brother? What?! Did that bastard treat you as good as I did? You know, be glad I'm still here with you because you're nothing more than an exact replica of my ex. Yeah! That's the only reason I'm with you! You're just nothing but a gullible bitch!

To say you were revolted was an understatement, no words could describe the burning hatred you felt towards the pathetic excuse of a man in front of you.

You obviously would never back down from an argument. I mean, you had more reasons to be mad at him than he was to you. As much as you wanted to scream at him back, shout words that would be too harsh to say again, you just stayed quiet. He was throwing whatever was on the bed at you — blankets, pillows, even his own jacket.

You waited for him to cool down before saying your own side of the story. You were never the villain after all, he had to know that.

"I didn't even do shit with Rin, I was only doing the same thing you were doing to me! You think I don't know that your ex was on your mind just right now as we were cuddling? You think I don't know the reason why you're still with me?! I knew at least 2 months ago, the audacity you have to say all sorts of words at me as if I did something wrong? It's no wonder your ex was such a bitch to you!"

Then, you left his house shortly after. but of course, you wanted the public to know as well. Your ig bio had Sae's username tagged in it, which you removed. As well as any posts you had with him on all of your socials.

Let him clean up this mess he had created, let him put the fire he started out. Let the public and paparazzi attack him, asking for questions as to why you did all those actions which seemed as if the two of you were over. You were done with him after all, everyone clearly knew. You had made him do all the 'clearing up', it was his fault after all — why should you have to clean up after him?

©🇯​​🇮​​🇫​​🇱​​🇴​​🇺​​🇱​​🇪​​🇹​​🇹​​🇪​, do not steal, translate, or repost any of my writings anywhere else.

[littleredwing89]

FAMOUS [PART NINE]

Bodyguard!Jason Todd x Singer!Reader

Summary: Your mind replayed the attack over and over—those moments when the knife was so close, and Jason’s intervention saved your life. A second later, and everything could have been different.

Warnings: Suggestive content. Mild violence / attacking. Nothing too graphic or disturbing.

A/N: Sending all my love to you wonderful readers & please enjoy the next chapter - I think this is what you have all been waiting for 👀👀👀 - Elle xoxo ❤️❤️

———

CLOSE CONTACT

———

The roaring crowd pulsed through the concert hall, the lights dimming as the final note of the night echoed out. You smiled, breathless and exhilarated, revelling in the energy that the fans always gave you. It was the perfect end to the show, and as you headed backstage, you barely registered the footsteps behind you amidst the bustle of crew members packing up. But then, a strange prickling unease settled over you, and you slowed, glancing over your shoulder.

Before you could react, a man appeared out of nowhere, blocking your path. His eyes were wild—almost black, fixated on you in a way that sent ice shooting down your spine. He mumbled something incoherent, stepping closer, his hand slipping into his jacket. Alarm bells blared in your head, but you barely had time to process them before he lunged, his arm flashing forward with something sharp clutched in his hand.

You stumbled back, your heart slamming against your ribs, paralyzed for a heartbeat too long. But then, just as the glint of the blade closed in, a dark figure hurtled into your attacker, slamming him into the wall with brutal force. Jason. He twisted the man’s wrist, the knife clattering to the floor, and restrained him with practised ease. Jason’s eyes burned with fury as he pinned the man, his voice low and threatening, a side of him you’d rarely seen.

The would-be assailant struggled, but Jason held him firm, not wavering for a second. His focus shifted to you, his expression softening just slightly. “You okay?” he asked, his voice rough with barely restrained anger.

You nodded, shaken but grateful beyond words. The weight of what could have happened pressed on you, lingering long after Jason had led you to the safety of your dressing room, whispering reassurances. And even now, sitting alone on the edge of your hotel bed, the memory of those tense, adrenaline-soaked moments hadn’t faded.

——

The chaos of the night was still fresh in your mind, the adrenaline slowly ebbing away as you sat on the edge of your hotel bed. The room was quiet, the hum of the AC the only sound filling the space. Wrapped in a soft, white towel, your skin prickled against the cool air, a stark contrast to the heat of everything that had just happened. Your mind replayed the attack over and over—those moments when the knife was so close, and Jason’s intervention saved your life. A second later, and everything could have been different.

The knock on the door startled you. Your head snapped up, eyes wide.

“Hey.”

Jason stood in the doorway, his figure filling the space. The sight of him sent a warmth through your veins, a contrast to the cold fear that had gripped you earlier. You gave him a shaky smile, curling your toes into the soft pile of the carpet beneath you.

“I, uh…” He rubbed the back of his neck, clearly uncomfortable, his other hand gripping the door handle as if he wasn’t sure whether to stay or go. “I just wanted to check on you, see how you’re doing.”

You hadn’t bothered to dry your hair, and water dripped down your back in slow, cold rivulets. “I’m fine,” you lied, your voice unconvincing even to yourself. “I needed a shower to clear my head.”

Jason’s eyes narrowed, clearly not buying your attempt at nonchalance. He stepped further into the room, his face etched with worry and guilt. “I’m sorry.”

You frowned. “Why?” It made no sense. He had saved your life tonight—if he hadn’t been there, you didn’t even want to think about what would’ve happened. The thought made your stomach churn, and you shuddered involuntarily at the memory.

Jason’s face twisted in frustration. “You nearly died, Y/N… that was on me. That lunatic shouldn’t have been able to get that close to you. I’m your bodyguard, and I failed you.” He tugged his hair harshly, his fists clenching in anger. “Fuck.”

Your heart softened as you saw the weight of guilt he was carrying, the disbelief on his face, the anger at himself. “Jay—” you started gently, but he cut you off.

“No! Don’t.” He shook his head, scrunching his eyes shut as if he couldn’t bear to look at you. “I’ll resign in the morning. I’ll send the letter to Sionis, make sure they replace me with someone better—someone who can actually protect you.”

Before you could think, before the weight of his words could sink in, you acted on pure instinct, leaning forward and pressing your lips to his in a delicate kiss. You’d wanted this for months—wanted to pull him close, to feel his warmth against you, to kiss him like this.

Jason froze. Your heart skipped a beat, panic rising. Had you misread everything? The teasing remarks, the lingering glances, the late-night fast food runs—had it all just been friendly? Oh God, you thought, anxiety clawing at your chest. But then, just as the doubt began to overwhelm you, you felt his arms wrap around you, pulling you against his solid chest.

His response was electric. Jason kissed you back with a depth you hadn’t expected, his lips moving hungrily against yours. One of his hands tangled in your wet hair, fingers gripping your scalp as he deepened the kiss, his other arm holding you tightly, as if he never wanted to let go. The heat of his body against yours was intoxicating, and you melted into him, your own arms wrapping around his neck, drawing yourself closer until there was no space left between you.

Every kiss felt like a spark, every touch like gasoline on a fire, and it wasn’t long before the passion between you both grew fevered. His hands slid down your back, pressing you into him, his warmth spreading over your skin. The towel around your body began to feel like too much fabric, a barrier you didn’t want anymore. You wanted him—every part of him, here, now.

But Jason pulled back, breathless, his lips swollen from the kiss. “Wait—” he whispered, his forehead resting against yours. His breathing was ragged, his voice low and thick with desire. “I want you, Y/N… I really do, but… I want to take you out first. A real date.”

You blinked at him, the haze of the moment lifting slightly. “A real date?” you repeated, your heart fluttering. The tenderness in his voice, in his request, was enough to make you want him even more.

He nodded, pressing a soft kiss to your forehead. “Yeah. I want to do this right. Treat you how you deserve.”

A small laugh escaped your lips, the playful side of you resurfacing despite the heat still lingering between you. “You’re such a gentleman, Jason. How old-fashioned of you.”

He chuckled, his eyes soft as he looked at you. “Just don’t make it easy for me, okay? I like a challenge.”

Your teasing smile faltered slightly, replaced by something deeper, something touched by the gesture. “I’m not going to make it easy at all,” you whispered back, and you meant it in more ways than one.

Jason sighed, glancing at the bed before looking back at you. “I’ll stay with you tonight if you want… just to make sure you’re safe.” He paused, and you knew he was trying to temper the fire between you both. “But I’ll crash on the couch. I think we both need some space to—breathe.”

The tension between you was palpable, but you nodded, understanding. “Yeah… okay. I’d like that.”

With one last lingering look, Jason grabbed a pillow from the bed and headed for the couch in the corner of your suite. As he settled in, you couldn’t help but smile at his restraint, at how much he cared. Even though the unspoken tension hung in the air, you felt safer, knowing he was here with you.

Tomorrow, there would be more to talk about. There would be questions to answer, feelings to sort through. But tonight, you allowed yourself to relax into the bed, knowing Jason was there to watch over you. And even though he was on the couch, the bond between you felt stronger than ever, the promise of something more waiting just beneath the surface.

***

[cursedextrovert]

People comparing CaitVi dynamic season 1 and 2, are we watching two different shows or y'all just forgot what happened in the middle. There was literally a war going on, Cait's mom fucking died like are they just gonna be lovey dovey with all these politics going on? And then one moment they leave everything to just be with each other in that jail cell you are also mad like wdyw?

Also people who say their sex scene is not necessary and/or a bad representation.

Firstly, JayceMel also got a sex scene in season 1 so its not like they invented sex just for these two lesbians.

Secondly, they didnt just fuck. Vi was beating herself up thinking she made the wrong decision and fucking things up like always and Cait told her that she actually let the guards go so Vi can do that exact thing she wanted. Ultimately saying a) she trusted Vi when she said Jinx has changed and wanted Vi to let the girl out b) she wanted Vi to be happy more than she wanted revenge even tho just some months ago she was the opposite.

Thirdly, we see the detail, Cait hesitates when she sees the bandage where she used to hit Vi. We see Cait taking off her clothes and showing her all, being vulnerable because Vi deserves that much from her.

Fuck. I get it, ok? This is a rare time we got a wlw relationship where both are main characters, and in a big show like this so you want it to be perfect and deprive of all flaws. But wouldnt you rather have two well-written characters where they relationship is tangled with the core of who they are than just a wlw couple with no conflict, no personal development no nothing? Hows that a good representation? Their relationship doesnt solve the conflict between them and their politics but is the reason why they were intertwined in the first place.

And dont come at me about systematic problems as well like Im a poc myself living in a white country and a sociology graduate. I understand Caitlyn did terrible things and is a war criminal herself with how she stands aside letting Ambessa did the thing she did and for gasing Zaun just to seek revenge. But she, just like everyone is a product of her sociocultural surroundings, shes a human affected by their beliefs and emotions. Isnt that the point of the show?

I dont think she got her happy ending just because she lives, I think being alive is her purnishment. She has her whole life to make up for what she did and I believe she will. What other fate you think she deserves? Her death will not undo her crimes, so is prison, they will also prevent her from actually fixing what she caused and ultimately using her priviledge for good(which shes doing, you can read my post about it). And Im not about to start the whole ethic debate on prison. How does one define a purnishment worthy? How do one define what a person deserves?

Finally, you know who else was a war criminal and walked away with what he wanted? Singed. Reality is like that, not black and white. People dont get what we think they deserve, ever.

[visexualcupcake]

I just finished Arcane...

It was so beautifully tragic, so heartbreaking yet significant, so devastating but beautiful, and I'm left having no idea how to feel. And I think that's the entire point of Arcane - Nothing is ever black and white. Each and every little thing has so much depth to it, an entire story written beneath. Each character a motivation, a reason, a heartbreak; Each relationship a development, an overcoming, a challenge. This entire story has been written so beautifully in the way that there is no right answer. There is no yes or no, good or evil, right or wrong. Everything is written with so much depth and power, and I truly applaud and admire the writers for creating something that I never imagined to be possible. This was truly a work of art, and it was and will always be more than just a TV show to me. Arcane, I cannot believe you're over, but I know that you'll never truly be. 💔❤️‍🩹

[charyou-tree]

Paint is pigment based. The pigment particles (usually solid pieces of something ground into a powder) directly reflect colored light off of them. If a paint looks cyan, its because it has pigments in it that are reflecting both blue and green light back at you.

Printer ink is dye based. Dyes don't look like much on their own, they need to be dissolved in a solution and applied to something light colored to show their colors. Printer ink doesn't reflect much light itself, what it relies on is sitting on white paper that reflects all light pretty much equally, so the ink is essentially backlighted by the white reflection. So, when an image printed on paper appears cyan, its because the ink is absorbing every color of the white light except green and blue.

That's the key difference: pigments reflect the color you want, dyes absorb the colors you don't, but need a light backing. That's why you can paint on black paper but you can't print on black paper, the opaque pigments in the paint still reflect light, but without the white backing the dyes absorbing extra light does basically nothing.

So, when you mix multiple pigments together the result is that more different colors of light gets reflected, but mixing multiple dyes together means that more different colors of light gets absorbed.

Ideally, mixing cyan, magenta, and yellow inks should result in black, but with real dyes their absorption spectra don't match exactly, so you just get a muddy dark color. Its like applying multiple different color filters over the same image. Printers add real black ink to make up for it, and so you don't have to use every color ink to print a black and white document, which is the most common type.

Mixing multiple pigments together tends to result in a muddy brown/grey color, because that's what our eyes see when all of our color receptors are being stimulated approximately equally, but not that much. Each pigment reflects a particular color while absorbing the others, resulting in an overall effect that's like a mix of different colored powders averaged together (because that's essentially what it is).

[dumpsterfire-daydreams]

Dominant Ghost, Submissive König, Submissive Reader, Sexual situations, Oral sex, Fingering, Car sex, Hand jobs, Blow jobs, TW: BDSM elements, TW: Dominant/Submissive(s), TW: Threesomes/Throuple, TW: Exhibitionism, TW: Voyeurism, TW: Groping, TW: Orgasm Denial

I had a TON of fun writing this scene. The idea of a car ride where you have to sit in Ghost's lap has been on my mind for a hot minute lol. I need this in my life immediatelyyyy

Reader POV:

You hurriedly rushed across the hall to your room, and König disappeared in pursuit of his. There were only about forty-five minutes or so left for you to get ready, and you didn't want to waste a single minute. You wanted to look absolutely perfect tonight! So that would mean hair, makeup, and the whole nine yards.

Upon your return, you found a full outfit set out for you just as Ghost had said. There was a short black club dress, a pair of matching heels, and a little clutch. And they were all brand new! Though he'd carefully removed any tags that would give away just how much he'd spent on you, the remaining ones were evidence enough. All of them were luxury brands. And upon closer inspection, they were exactly the right sizes. Beside them was a small bottle of perfume and a set of gold earrings.

The dress had an angular look to it. There was a triangular cut-out that connected the bodice to the right sleeve. But the left side tapered to a thinner strap that would lie over your shoulder. The fabric was embroidered with gold detailing. Nothing excessive or gaudy, though. It was minimal and tasteful, trailing diagonally across the stomach before parting high on the waist and framing a daring side slit.

At first glance, you never would have suspected Ghost was loaded. The man wore the same old clothes every day without fail! But regardless of where the money had come from, it felt really good to be spoiled silly. And knowing he spent a ton on you made you curious what he'd picked out for König.

Fueled by adrenaline and anticipation, you threw yourself into getting ready. A majority of your time went towards your hair, as always. You still needed to moisturize, detangle, and blow it out. But once you had finished, you still had just enough time to whip up a classy makeup look that complimented your new outfit. Then, all that was left was the task of getting dressed. You did so as quickly as you could while still being careful. You'd be mortified if you tore or damaged a single thing!

Once the dress was in place, you yanked open your duffel bag and started digging for any thong that wouldn’t show too much on the dress’ open side. But mid-search, you recalled Ghost's previous warning. Wear what's on the bed. Nothing more, nothing less. A flurry of butterflies erupted in your stomach when it finally hit you. He hadn't set those things out because he specifically didn't want you to wear them. He wanted you completely naked and accessible under the dress. And though the thought was a bit scary, it made you feel a naughty thrill, too. With a knowing smirk, you shoved the duffel bag away and followed his instructions to the letter.

A few minutes later, there was a knock at your door.

"You about ready in there?" Price called out.

You hopped around trying to get your last shoe on before rushing to the door. "Coming!"

When you entered the hallway, the whole team was there waiting for you and dressed their very best.

The first person you saw was König. He was still wearing his hood, but that was pretty much the only recognizable thing about him. Fortunately for him, the hood kept his new collar fully concealed. He was wearing a fitted white button-down that hugged his body in all the right places. Just seeing the buttons strain ever so slightly whenever he moved his arms made you salivate and hope they'd give way. A black, leather belt was slung low on his hips and accented with a small, golden buckle that contrasted nicely with his black slacks. And beneath them, he wore a pair of shiny black dress shoes accented with gold toe boxes.

"Bloody hell, König," Soap whistled, looking him up and down. "You got a rich daddy back in Austria you forgot to tell us about? I hope you’re buying tonight."

“No,” König laughed, nervously rubbing the back of his neck and briefly meeting your eyes. “It was a gift.”

“Everyone’s gonna be staring,” Soap teased, admiring your dress.

"Both of em look good enough to eat," Ghost chuckled from somewhere to your right. "Let 'em stare, I ain't complaining."

When you turned towards his voice, Ghost stepped into the group from behind Price. And he looked just as delicious himself. He was basically wearing the same outfit as König, just without the hints of gold. The sleeves of his shirt were rolled up on his arms, revealing a host of tattoos trailing around his muscular arms. And, as was the norm, he still wore his usual mask. But such formal attire paired with the foreboding skull just made him look that much more appealing. It screamed dangerous bad boy and you loved it.

He was practically devouring you with his eyes, enjoying the way your outfit hugged your body like a glove. You surreptitiously turned a bit to give him a sneaky view of every angle. König didn’t escape his ravenous attention either. It was a moment others would miss if they blinked. But you saw Ghost’s eyes flit down to the seat of König’s pants. They weren’t exactly fitted, but the fabric still clung to the contours of his ass in the most sinful way.

“I think everyone cleaned up quite well,” Price chuckled.

And he was right. Price had opted for a more formal look. You could tell he’d taken the time to pamper his beard and mustache as they now bore a healthy sheen. The arms of his blazer bulged around his biceps, and he’d left the first few buttons of his shirt undone. He was bound to get plenty of attention tonight for those details alone. The only thing that gave him away as military were his shoes. They were polished to a glossy perfection!

Alejandro had chosen a muted color palette. He had opted for a slim-fit black V-neck and a pair of gray jeans. The only one who had gone full-on casual was Soap. He’d gelled his signature mohawk, but otherwise had just grabbed a white short sleeved shirt and a pair of khaki joggers. Comfortable and casual, as always.

"We ready to go?" Ghost said, fiddling with his sleeve and tilting his head towards Price.

"Yep," Price smiled wide, heading for the door. "Let's roll out!"

--------------------

The ride to the club was its own party of sorts. Everyone else hurried off to their respective vehicles. But the six of you chose to ride with Soap. By some miracle, everyone had somehow piled into Soap’s car. And though Price was usually a stickler for rules, he was willing to make tonight an exception. So he had no qualms with there being more passengers than there were available seats. Soap happily took the wheel, kicking off the jovial mood with some car karaoke while Price relaxed in the passenger seat. In the back, you were packed in like a sardine with Ghost, Alejandro, and König.

“Scoot over, hermano!” Alejandro had teased, giving König a light shove. “I need some room to breathe!”

König had been about to protest that he couldn’t, but Ghost was quick to create some by tugging you onto his lap. As the car began to move, you shifted a bit and tried to tug your dress down before resting your full weight on his thighs. But before you could, his hands clamped down on your waist as he tugged you flush against his body.

“Sit still,” he hummed. “You ain’t got a seatbelt and I don’t want you flying through the windshield just because Soap can’t drive.”

"You're one to talk!" Soap balked, pausing mid-lyric to clap back. “Would anyone like Ghost to drive instead?”

The car immediately erupted in resounding protests that quickly devolved into friendly laughter. Ghost rolled his eyes and laughed along with them, shaking his head.

As the car bumped along the roads across town, Alejandro chatted with König about that day's target practice. And sitting there on Ghost’s lap, you felt like you owed it to him to attempt the same. You really hated small talk and habitually avoided it at all costs. But you still tried to think of something to say that would keep him occupied for the short trip. Before you had settled on anything, Ghost demonstrated an ability to occupy himself just fine. His hands slowly began to wander from your waist to your hips, moving furtively in the shadows so as not to raise attention. You were thankful the car was as dark as it was and your companions were well distracted. Because you knew a heated blush was quickly spreading across your face.

His fingertips kneaded the supple skin, rubbing slow circles like an expert masseuse. There was no way to stop the small shiver you felt when his fingers trailed across the wide slit of your dress, toying with the fabric before slowly slipping beneath it. You bit your lip hard, surprised you didn’t draw blood as you stifled a gasp. And you did it again when his bare knuckles slid across your exposed sex. Just then, the car bounced over a particularly deep pothole. The unexpected impact caused his hand to graze your clit as you jostled in his lap. Ghost grunted when you did, the added pressure betraying a firm protrusion pressing against your ass.

“Sorry about that!” Soap yelled, swerving to dodge another section of deformed gravel. “We got time for one more song! Alejandro, any requests?”

Alejandro leaned forward to talk with Soap, rattling off a long list of Latin ballads. So far, Soap didn’t have any of them in his collection. But he kept trying anyway, confident something would land eventually. While he was otherwise occupied, König turned and quickly realized what was going on beside him. And when he did, he eagerly added his own participation to the mix. He kept his eyes forward in case his conversation with Alejandro continued. But his hand slowly joined Ghost’s beneath your dress. At first, it just sat there on your waist. But Ghost quickly signaled his permission by nudging your knees further apart and tugging his hand between your legs. Ghost’s fingers lazily circled your clit, his other hand clutching your hip to keep you in place. As he did, you could feel König’s fingers carefully prod your entrance.

Your lip quivered as you fought every sound of pleasure that tempted to fly free. And from a glance at König’s lap, you weren’t the only one struggling to conceal excitement. The fly of his slacks bulged outwards, straining over an obvious erection. He squirmed in his seat, inconspicuously crossing his legs in an attempt to conceal it. But he didn’t stop. His fingers slowly thrusted in and out of you as the car sped through the dark streets.

A little while later, the car slowed as it pulled into the club parking lot. Both men withdrew as silently as they had advanced, leaving you a flushed and breathless mess in the back seat. You knew tonight was going to be fun. But you had no idea it was going to be this fun.

“Alright, boys,” Price bellowed, hopping out of the car and opening the back door. “And lady, of course. Let’s go have some fun!”

The rest of the men were quick to follow. A bustling crowd of excited personnel filled the small area and both Soap and Alejandro joined them. Everyone was eager to follow the sounds of music trailing out of the nightclub. But as Price held the door open for you, Ghost waved him along.

“We’ll be right behind you.” he chuckled. “Just get us a table.”

Price gave him a nod, no doubt pleased to see you suddenly enjoying each other’s company of your own choosing. And with that, he took off and led the excited group into the establishment.

As soon as you were alone, König pulled the door shut as Ghost hoisted your dress up higher. The fabric bunched around your midsection as he pulled your legs apart, putting you on full display.

"You see this, König?" He murmured, gazing down at your glistening folds. "See what a good girl she is for me?"

"Yes, sir," König gasped, eyes locked between your legs as Ghost spread your lips open with his fingers.

You moaned, your head falling back against his shoulder as he continued toying with you, flicking his fingertips against your clit before resorting to firm strokes. The bundle of nerves swollen, throbbing, and increasingly sensitive. And Ghost knew this all too well.

He kept you well occupied with his hand as his eyes shifted to König's lap.

"Let's see how well you followed instructions, too."

König whimpered, his whole body going rigid as Ghost parted his thighs. He gave the zipper of his fly a firm tug and moaned in pleasure when König's erection fell into his waiting hand. Ghost wrapped his fingers around his length, slowly dragging his grip up and down.

He let out a choked sound of pleasure. König didn’t know where to look - over at Ghost stroking your sex or at the hand beginning to jerk him off. His own hand rested against Ghost’s forearm, but he didn’t push him away. It lay there trembling as he resisted the urge to increase the pace.

"What a good boy," Ghost growled, not giving you a moment's rest either.

König gasped again, pressing his hips into Ghost's hand. "I wore-fuck! I wore exactly what you told me to.”

“Wise choice. See what rewards you can earn when you obey?”

Ragged pants filled the car as König succumbed to the intense pleasure. His half-lidded eyes met yours, bonding over the shared experience. But you were the first to break eye contact. You groaned into your release, tensing and squeezing your eyes shut when Ghost gave your clit a brutal pinch. And just the sight of your response made König moan right along with you.

“Bitte,” he whimpered pitifully, a liberal amount of pre-cum beginning to trickle down his length. “Please. I'll ruin my pants."

"You won't if you have some self-control," Ghost hissed, tightening his hold. He reacted instantly, using the warm liquid to coat his cock and allow his fist to glide smoothly over his member.

Ghost guided you off his lap with one hand, shifting to position himself between you and König. After fumbling with the crotch of his pants, he sighed with relief as his own erection sprang free. He then gripped the back of your neck, pulling your face towards his groin and issuing a single command.

"Suck."

As he watched the lieutenant’s cock slowly disappear into your mouth, König moaned loudly. And he continued to do so as Ghost gradually increased his pace.

"You like that?" Ghost taunted, one hand fisted in your hair and the other driving König wild with pleasure. "You like seeing your girl sucking me off while I play with you?"

"Mein Gott, yes! Yes, sir."

"Good. Take notes. One day, that might be you with my cock shoved down your throat."

König cursed under his breath, a needy slave to Ghost��s ministrations. He arched against the seat, chest heaving as sinful images of him on his knees and pleasuring Ghost flickered through his mind.

Ghost let out a low moan, mesmerized by the delicious suction your lips maintained on his body.

"That's it," he gasped. "Show em how it's done. How that pretty mouth milks me dry. Fuck!"

With a hissed groan, Ghost buried your face in his lap and came to a shuddering orgasm. You hummed out a moan as he erupted, obediently swallowing everything he gave you and not allowing a single drop to escape your mouth. He relaxed his hold with a breathy sigh, twitching occasionally as you cleaned him off. When you finished, he released his grip on König to neatly put himself away.

"Finish him off," Ghost panted, nodding towards König as he caught his breath.

You crawled over and eagerly took König's member into your mouth, pressing down until your nose nestled against his pubic hair.

"Oh fuck," he hissed through gritted teeth, feeling his cock push deep into your throat. "Scheiße. Maus!"

You didn't hold back and immediately began bobbing your head up and down. You'd occasionally pause to swirl your tongue around his sensitive head. But you never stopped for long. His fingers tangled in your hair, whimpering each time he hit the back of your throat.

"Please," he whimpered, his breath hitching. "Please may I come?"

“Hmm,” Ghost smirked, cleaning his hands on a handkerchief. "I don't know. Aren't focus and patience supposed to be a sniper’s greatest strengths? Looks like you need more training. Go ahead and speed up, Princess. I want to hear him beg for it."

König let out a strangled whine and gripped the edge of the seat, throwing his head back as he tried to fight his impending release. "Ich kann nicht! Bitte, I can't take much more!"

Ghost settled back in his seat, fully entertained by the man’s desperate struggle for control. He let the moment linger agonizingly long, unwilling to relent until he saw him on the razor’s edge of breaking. And when König let out a soft sob, he knew he’d reached that point.

"I think,” he drawled, sitting back to watch his beautiful undoing. “I think you’ve earned it. I'll let you finish."

Quickly throwing a hand over his mouth, König climaxed with a muffled cry. His hips raised off the seat as he shuddered, quickly filling your mouth with his warmth. Every heated grunt brought forth a fresh wave of liquid on your tongue, and you hurriedly swallowed to make room for more. Once he was spent, he collapsed back onto the cushion with a blissful sigh. He squirmed, overly sensitive as you licked him clean before tucking his cock back into his trousers.

König sat limply on the seat, dazed and exhausted. You ran the back of your hand over your lips, making sure your face was clean as you panted for breath. Ghost just chuckled and calmly climbed out of the car, lighting a cigarette before beckoning both of you to follow.

"Alright, don't go getting sleepy on me now. We still have a party to get to."

[le-fruit-de-la-passion]

Does a bad ending ruin a good story? A comprehensive guide to my feelings on the Arcane finale

*Spoilers for Arcane season 2*

So. You just finished the show, and you're staring at the screen in bewilderment. Perhaps you’re even with some friends, shouting words of confusion to the rolling credits. Try as you might, you can barely hear them, because a single thought echoes in your mind and pushes away any other:

“What the fuck just happened?”

If this happened to you, then boy oh boy, we're on the same boat. If it didn't, well, I'm glad for you friend! We might not have been looking for the same things from this story. But this is my post, meaning I will give my opinions (which are objectively correct because this is my blog and I'm the mayor here) on everything that Arcane broke and failed to deliver in its last 2 episodes.

Let's start with characters, and why none of it mattered.

Jinx symbolized the fear we all have of not belonging somewhere, of not having anything to call home or anyone to call a family. Her anger stemmed from wanting to carve a place in a society and a world that had so harshly rejected her (i.e., Vi leaving her). Her existence was a huge middle finger to all that refused to let her live, a fight to build herself something wholeheartedly hers (hence her being an inventor). It was proof that despite the world telling her she was better off dead, she would never stop fighting to prove it wrong.

… and she died.

She died, and that means all the suffering she went through to exist simply amounted to nothing. She left nothing behind either, no trace of a legacy, something that would have left her mark on that world. Isha, the child she raised as a daughter, died. Silco, who she taught love and care to, died. Vander, who she brought back from years of trauma and torture, died. Jinx fought so hard to live, and in the end, it was as if she hadn't lived at all.

Viktor is most certainly the character that made me the angriest, because of how attached I am to the person he is in season 1 (and even the first two acts of season 2 to an extent). Everything that made him so beautifully complex… gone, in about 10 minutes. There was NO reason to make him the surprise ultimate villain. Viktor had always, always been a pacificist. That's why he was so adamant Hextech not be used as a weapon. That's why every time there were chances to test hextech to hurt, he tried to learn how it could heal. Yes, his fusion with the hexcore had changed him; but NOT into a man who didn't care for human life. He wanted to help all the hurt done to his people. People like him, living day to day in the undercity, but who had never gotten a chance to crawl out of their hell. His community was about HEALING, not controlling. The very IDEA that he would accept killing innocents and ally with Noxus, the warmongers, is so ridiculous I could genuinely laugh if it didn't make me so angry. The show needed an easy, black-and-white showdown to conclude a story that would have needed so much more time to tell. And they chose Viktor. Because it was the easy way out. It was the perfect foil to the return of the Golden Boy. And that PISSES me off.

There is this really shitty concept in popular media that the handicapped/chronically ill character is always in the pursuit of being “cured” and that they need outside help to realize “that their imperfections make them perfect”. Fuck. You. As someone with chronic illness and who just finished beating blood cancer, fuck you. That realization, that you're you with every part of your being, even the ‘bad’ ones, cannot come from outside. It's YOU who needs to learn it. It's you who needs to discover how your body and your mind are so much stronger than you previously thought them to be. Not your lover, your family, your friends, or God forbid your able-bodied lab partner. You. Others may tell you as many times as they want your illness doesn't define you; it won't matter until you, yourself, have understood why and have accepted it. Having someone swoop in and “fix” Viktor with a “you don't have to change uwu” is just….. so reductive I can barely find the words for it. That was VIKTOR’S path to find, and not Jayce’s role to find it for him.

Also… Viktor wasn't trying to ‘fix’ his leg; he was trying to find a cure to a deadly illness ravaging his body and no doubt the bodies of many in Zaun. The HELL is the message here??? That he should have just rolled with it because the deadly illness was part of him??? Again, as a cancer survivor. Fuck right off.

Of course, I can't just ignore the hideous get-up they put him in at the end. The man who laughed at Jayce's narcissism….you want me to believe… he would put on that fucking edge lord costume and not DIE of embarrassment??? The design makes no sense from a narrative standpoint either: if his cane has become the sceptre, why is he still keeping it? He doesn't need it anymore to walk, and it's a reminder of his weaknesses as a human that he apparently hated so much. Why the hell does he keep it then? And the hexclaw. Where did that bad boy come out from?? Did you all see a secret extra bonus scene where he steals it from the lab, because I sure didn't. It doesn't add anything to his sets of powers either it’s… it's a fucking laser gun. WHY. And oh sweet god that mask… there would have been so many ways of designing a mask more meaningful than the one from LoL. This one is just. A piece of metal he spawned in embryo. Get it? Because he's made of metal now and also hiding his face means no more humanity? Get it?? Of fucking course you do, because this was the easiest and worst possible way they could have integrated the mask.

Viktor and Jayce had a fantastic dynamic in that Viktor had started out as the loner, the underdog scientist from the slums; while Jayce was the leader figure, living in comfort that made him attachingly naive, his face plastered on posters stroking his ego. The shift is delightfully slow, as Viktor gains in confidence and determination to see his invention through no matter what, while Jayce is confronted with harsher and harsher truths about the world he so blissfully ignored. By Act 2, they have fully switched roles: Viktor is now the leader figure, a symbol of the future for the people, while Jayce is desperately alone, both physically in the hexcore anomaly, and mentally in being the only one who has seen the devastating future. Excellent stuff. What would be a great way to push these parallels further and to show the complexity of these characters, and perhaps how they can balance each other out? Well, Fortiche sure didn't know, now Viktor is the bad bad guy and Jayce is mister hero. Zaun bad, Piltover good. All nuance, gone. Proving that indeed, the man from poverty and inequality turns out evil, while the one from comfort and wealth turns out to be the hero of the story. The whole “giving a warm speech to the bad villain about how you care for them, somehow immediately changing their ways, and dying together to save the world” can work well in shounen anime where friendship is magic, or in the Ben 10 live-action movie (yes, that's the plot, I thought that wasn't deep when I was like 7 years old so imagine now), but not in a show like Arcane. Not with the ethical and moral nuances they have accustomed us to.

And now, let's explore...

Plotholes and incomplete storylines galore.

Ekko’s tree and the contamination of Zaun from Piltover? Fuck that. The huge showdown between the two opposite yet sister cities, like Jinx and Vi, that has been built up for two seasons? Fuck that. And for what?

For the Noxus sequel teaser.

Mel’s plotline about finding her mage origins had NOTHING to do with the main plot. Absolutely nothing. It added 0 twists or intrigues to the story, and served no purpose except making her a deus ex machina for a broken ending. All it was there for was to lay the base for a following show on Noxus and the Black Rose. Time that could have been spent either giving Mel a proper arc related to the plot, or giving all the other rushed character arcs more development.

Finally, and I deeply regret having to say this, but… the end of Vi and Cait's relationship was majorly disappointing to me. As an LGBTQ+ person myself, who feels attraction to women, it was a delight to have such a realistically portrayed w/w relationship on screen. Popular media tends to portray m/m relationships as these doomed, sinful feelings between two repressed guys, while w/w relationships are shown to just be all sunshine and rainbows and teddy bears, because two women together are a cute little accessory to have on screen. It’s non-threatening. But not Cait and Vi; their bond was raw, and rocky, with violent lows and passionate highs in a world that seemed to want to keep them apart. Their separation and the introduction of Maddie showed the reality of a w/w relationship, where fights and cheating ARE things that happen, because they're two adult women with different beliefs, objectives, an trauma. Putting them back together, as if nothing had happened, without giving us anything about how their relationship would have evolved from the breakup? I'd never thought I'd say this, but it's too easy. How about Caitlyn's literal descent into fascism??? We’ll just ignore that? Vi will just ignore that?

As with everything else, this last part of Arcane destroys all the complex emotions that exist between these characters, the resentment, the anger, the frustration, built upon years of different social conditioning… gone. Because they had 2 episodes left to wrap it up, and there was no way to make a coherent and natural transition to them getting back together with that kind of time. And can I just say. The decision to have Vi, symbol of Zaun, go down on Caitlyn, symbol of Piltover and enforcers, in a prison cell that has held innocent Zaunites and represents their complete lack of freedom as individuals by a cop state that oppresses them….. yeah, bad. So bad.

And… the multiverse. Yup, they went the multiverse route. Now, that's not necessarily a bad thing: the concept of multiverses itself is interesting in a vacuum, and quite a few properties have managed to make it work coherently. But it has been terribly overused and bastardized in serialized content in the last few years, for the simple reason that it's extremely practical. Why make a new, original series when you already have worlds and characters that are developed, and come with built-in fans? It's a money-saving hack! Why dedicate yourself to an ending that is meaningful in its finality and wraps the story properly when you can just say “It's just one ending in the multiverse!”. It takes away any accountability to the fans, and leaves the door open to a potential other version of the story! The perfect combo!

…except in practice, it comes off as lazy in a medium where that trope is overly saturated (don't start me on Marvel), and like a cowardly way of escaping from the responsibility of really taking the time to craft a good, solid ending to end your story.

So, with all that said: does it ruin Arcane for me? No, absolutely not, and I don’t think it should be for you either. The intricate artistry and raw talent that went into making the first season (and I would say a majority of the two first acts of season 2) is undeniable, and will stay undeniable. Nothing can touch that story. It will forever be one of my favourite pieces of animated media, which is saying a lot because I'm currently getting my master's degree on that topic.

However, it does give Arcane, as a whole rather than two separate seasons/entities, a very bittersweet feeling that is hard to forget. Thinking of what could have been, just if a little more time had been given to the minds behind the masterpiece you so loved… it's its own form of heartbreak. Academics have even compared it to experiencing a form of death of a loved one, before they ever got to reach their fullest potential and live the life they deserved. It may sound dramatic, but the feelings you feel in this moment, watching the horrible end of a fiction you have so much love for, are real. No one can take those away from you. You're allowed to grieve the loss of something that meant a lot to you.

Tldr; No, Arcane is not a bad series because of its rushed and incomprehensible ending. As they say, it's all about the journey, not the destination, even if that's one of the parts we tend to remember the most. And I don't know about you, but this was one of the best journeys I've ever been on.

[witchofhistory]

They couldn't survive this.

All around him, his teammates were dropping like flies while the rest tried to get them to safety or hold off the enemy with their last dredges of strength. There was nothing to do but hold him off as long as they could.

And then came the howl. It was a hunting call, one a dog might make when charging after it's masters prey.

The portal that opened over the battlefield was a swirling pit of green that leeched into the world around it, clawing at the red sky and pulling itself open further.

Darkseid simply laughed. "Have you called for aid, little heros? Who do you believe can best me?"

His answer was something small, green, and glowing. It floated in front of the portal, maybe a few yards away, and waited.

He laughed. "A puppy! Your trump card is a mutt, how foolish of you."

And then came the others. The heroes held their breath as they watched, unbelieving, as seven more animals charged out of the portal and joined their friend.

"Krypto!" The Superboys called in unison, the youngest excited while the oldest sounded like he was going to cry.

Nightwing tripped as he stared at a black masked hound, his head swiveling between him and Batman. "Dad, is that?"

It had been months since the last time Nightwing had called him dad. "Bat-hound."

A sea horse, a kangaroo, a horse, a monkey and a cat all joined the dogs, charging darksied.

As they moved, their bodies grew and grew until each was half the size of Darkseid, snarling and angry and protective, guarding their humans.

The green dog howls again and the dogs attack as one, while the rest start grabbing the heroes and moving them to safety as the fight rages in front of them.

Wonder Woman hugged Jumpa as best she could with her arm dislocated, tears in her eyes as she said hello to a long lost friend.

Beppo patted Superman on the head while he held Jon in his arms, the young boy ecstatic to finally meet the monkey.

Comet barely even slowed down as Supergirl reached up to swing herself onto the horse's back, the duo back again for one more day. Tears, both happy, sad, and pained, streamed down her cheeks.

Streaky launched herself at Darkseid with the force of a wrecking ball, knocking him back, before diving behind the dogs and going back to taking the injured away like nothing happened.

As the heroes start working to heal each other, Batman notices a figure by the portal. A young boy with white hair and impish features, just watching. "Who are you?"

The boy looks at them with a sad smile, and despite the distance, his voice could be heard by all. "You try saying no to their collective sad eyes. How could I say no?"

There is a crash as Darkseid falls, and it is clear within moments he is not getting up again. The animals all shrink to their normal sizes, running for their people with the force of a long separation. Ace bowls over Nightwing as he squeezes his dog tight, his siblings joining in the pile to meet the infamous hound.

The green dog, however, stands over the enemy with a growl building in his throat.

"Cujo," the white haired boy says, "fetch."

With a harsh bite to his arm, the now named Cujo dragged him to the portal. His tail wagged as he showed off his catch, nudging his masters side.

The boy didn't even move. "Good boy. Bring him to Walker." He watched the dog disappear into the portal, before looking over the field. He sighed. "You have an hour before the Observants are on my ass. Make the most of it." He disappeared through the portal, taking the green with him.

DPxDC #9

The world is ending. All junior and regular league members are down or exhausted. When all of a sudden a glowing green portal opens up over the battlefield.

Darkseid: And just what last-ditch effort is this?

A tiny green flying dog comes through the portal.

Darkseid: This is your trump card? A mutt how cute.

Following behind Cujo are several glowing animals, with costumes on.

Krypto (Dog), Ace (Dog), Storm (Seahorse), Jumpa (Kanga), Comet (Horse), Beppo (Monkey), and Streaky (Cat) all fly out through the portal. The gone but never-forgotten animal sidekicks of several heroes are here to help.

Comet along with Jumpa, Beppo, Comet, and a now big Cujo start grabbing and bringing the heroes away from the fight. While the rest start to beat the living tar out of Darkseid.

[ruthariandbluecookies]

CLAUDIA when I- oh wait, she was being manipulated by her father and now Aaravos and just wants her family back together and is a child

...

VIREN when I catch yo- oh wait, he's dead

...

AaRAVOS when I cat- oh wait, he's a father grieving his daughter who was unjustly killed

...

THE COSMIC ORDER WHEN I CATCH YOU!!!

[throwawayasoiafaccount]

‘the black bastard of the wall’ moniker is the exact opposite of the ‘white wolf’ moniker and this perfectly highlights the irreconcilable differences between book Jon and show Jon

[skippingthroughfields]

one thing that's missing from these convos about amc not submitting assad zaman for a golden globes nom that makes it 10x more malicious on amc's part is that a nomination isn't just like oh... ~simple appreciation for an actor's performance. even if there's no win, it results in a profile boost for these actors & them being able to command a higher salary when it comes to future projects. it's something that gets notice on their CV. these studios and networks love being able to market their shit with things like "starring golden globe nominee john doe" or "emmy winner jane doe." the emmys are more prestigious than the golden globes which are more prestigious than the critics choice awards (the one they submitted him for with two other actors lol). actors get nominated and have the opportunity to get attention from social media posts, article mentions, attending the red carpet, having their name announced and a little clip of their acting shown. that's not nothing! attention from possible new fans, publications, execs, peers, producers, directors, fashion houses & other industries which could lead to $$$ and sponsorships. I won't make any presumptions about the cast's finances but I do know amc is probably not paying them their worth, least of all the bangladeshi muslim who barely had any major roles in tv/film prior to the show.

there are fees and costs associated with submitting for awards consideration and FYC ads. the network basically took a look at assad's brown skin and name and said they don't think he's worth the money over the white actor who had less screentime and narrative importance (to the season ig) which is absolutely crazy lmao. it shouldn't be controversial to say that and you can't not discuss this without bringing up sam's name. this has nothing to do with whether he "deserved" to be submitted (and even if I said he doesn't deserve it over assad who's gonna beat my ass?). this white man isn't being persecuted by conversations about blatant racism. but I'd expect nothing less from this fanbase x.

[luck-of-the-drawings]

OOH YEAH BABY ITS THE SURGERY EPISODE BABY!!! ME AND THE HOMIES NEED SOME NEW FACES FOR OUR NEW PLAN, AND WHO BETTER TO GET THE JOB DONE THAN THE TWO MOST EVIL PEOPLE WE'VE EVER HAD THE MISFORTUNE OF HAVING OUR LIVES VIOLATED BY? I MEAN IT WOULD BE FUNNY. IT WOULD BE FUNNY.

[xaviers-school-dropout]

I think the ideas that

“Raven is a bad parent”

And

“Raven loves their children”

Can and should co exist. I will never sit here and say Mystique is a good parent, but I think acting like they don’t love their children is just being willfully ignorant of their characterization since the 80s.

I see a lot of people try to claim Raven doesn’t care about their kids. I actually think they care a LOT, it just, doesn’t deter their actions. And they’re not a good parent, don’t get me wrong, but that doesn’t mean they don’t love Kurt and Rogue and I think trying to claim they don’t actually does away with a lot of Raven’s character nuance.

A lot of the tragedy and depth of their relationships come from the fact that Raven DOES love their children, but it’s not enough. And Kurt and Anna Marie know that, and that’s part of the tragedy of it too.

I’m not a Mystique defender, but I am a Raven Darkhölme characterization realist. A lot of people flatten their character to add more sympathy to Kurt’s story especially, which feels kinda iffy to me. But that’s for another post.

From a storytelling perspective, it adds so much more depth and tragedy to all characters involved to not make the relationship so shallow and one sided as “Oh Mystique doesn’t love them”, and even to juxtapose Raven’s relationship to them with Irene’s is a whole other thing I may talk about one day. But like, you do the story injustice to flatten it down to just “Oh Mystique sucks”

Tl;dr - Raven Darkhölme is a shitty parent but they do love their kids. And that’s the whole tragedy of the thing

[animucrystal]

thinking about arthur and gwen and i think the best part about their relationship for me is the Choice. theyre two people with not alot of agency in their lives, for varying reasons. arthur obviously has a lot more privilege, but has to play a part in order to rule his kingdom properly lest he be seen weak to others and put his people in jeopardy. hes born and raised in one role, to be a prince then a king. he takes it on with pride, but you Know he feels stifled. gwen, on the other hand, is a black servant girl born in a lower class family. she may not have a certain “role” shes required to fill but she still has to work hard to provide for her family and for herself. she has to look and act like a proper lady lest people think shes unfit for her job, she has to be subservient in order to keep her already fragile status. the agency they do have is very limited, not just by society but by their own morals and beliefs. however, despite all of that, they both choose to take a risk with this one thing. they decide to take a risk Together, and they do it for Years!! they wait for YEARS!!! they work hard to be together, to Stay together, and while they may not have been eachothers first loves - they make it last because they Choose to make it last.

personally, thats way more romantic that being destined for eachother. they chose eachother and kept choosing eachother everyday, what else is there to say?