#a character who chooses to believe in himself and not run away while also protecting those around him when he used to stick to the rules

[dceasesd]

why juni ba’s the boy wonder has my favorite jason characterization of any contemporary comic run: a needlessly in-depth analysis (pt.3)

go check out part 1 and part 2 if you'd like! this is a long one, sorry guys.

if you haven't already i'd recommend you check out pt. 1 & pt. 2 (linked above), but if you haven't checked them out i've been going over some of the main things people have been criticizing ba's characterization for: 1. the typical boiling down of jason's character to "the angry one" 2. his lack of strategy going into the fight with the demon is out-of-character 3. the neighbor's kid interaction

alright, so this last point is purely based off of one page of the entire comic: the one where the child of one of jason's neighbors is dragged inside his home when his mother see's jason coming.

first off, i love this page. it might be my favorite page in the entire issue. everything about it is great. just thought i needed to say that.

anyway, there's some people who are seeing this page and reading it as "jason protects kids! that's one of his big things! why are they scared of him?"

here's the thing, though: the kid isn't scared of jason, the mom is. the kid is literally playing dress up as the red hood-- he's not scared of jason, if anything he's trying to replicate him. little kids dress up as their heroes all the time; why is this kid any different? it doesn't really make sense for the kid to dress up of something he's scared of (not everyone is as weird bruce wayne), especially a real person that could be a real threat rather than a concept. i doubt you see many kids in gotham dressing up as the joker or something, because that's just asking for trouble.

the dress-up honestly seems like a ploy for attention to me. the kid clearly knows that red hood lives in his building (which is honestly so funny. take off the mask jason you're giving you're position away (actually this is a really good instance for analysis but i'm determined to not go on a tangent)). if the kid knows red hood lives in his building, what better way to get his attention that dressing up as him and playing pretend? if the kid was scared of him, he wouldn't want to draw that sort of attention to himself. if he had a sort of hero-worshippy thing going on like i suspect, then he would want to get jason's attention. to sum it up,

it's the mom who pulls him away when jason nears, because she either a) perceives him as a threat, b) doesn't want her kid to try and replicate him even more, or, the most likely option, both! the kid isn't scared of him, but the mother believes they should be.

once again, we come back to the whole perception vs. reality theme i talked about in part one! we've come full circle, everyone!

when looking at the neighborhood's perspective of the red hood, ba gives us a few contradictory examples. there's the kid and the mother, obviously, but there's also a slew of other citizens who interact with him at the beginning of the issue, both in fear and camaraderie.

the unhoused man and the people outside of his building clearly have a familiarity and are comfortable with him, while the shopkeeper is terrified and literally has a banned poster on his wall featuring jason (i am so curious what he did to deserve that, if he even did anything at all). from this, it appears that jason's reputation teeters between fearful and familiar-- a sentiment that also colors jason's relationship with his family.

furthermore, this concept underscores just how lonely jason is-- one of the only good relationships he had in his current life was his fucking landlord, for gods sake, and he's dead.

i think it's important to note that jason doesn't respond to the friendly greetings from the men-- he could attempt to build camaraderie, the roots are there, but he chooses not to. he could work to try and show the mother that her son is safe with him, but he chooses not to. why? jason is obviously lonely (as ba states in the panel below) and he caves pretty easily when damian asks him for help (both of them are so desperate for human interaction its tragic). so why does he distant himself from the community?

obviously it is in part due to the vigilante lifestyle, but it is also jason's perception of himself and how he believes others perceive him, especially in regards to his family (ba is literally hitting readers in the head with that theme baseball bat).

he doesn't see that the kid with the mask looks up to him, all he sees is the mother pulling him away. he sees the banned poster in the store. and, as ba narrates, "he was sure he'd been forgotten about" by his family. utrh is jason's twisted way of attempting to reach out and connect with bruce, and obviously that doesn't work-- so he chooses loneliness over rejection.

like in part one, though, damian refutes this idea by describing bruce's perspective, showing how what jason believes differs from actuality. bruce hasn't forgotten about him and doesn't hate him, as he suspected, but instead harbors guilt over the situation and desires to make it better, which jason must come to understand to be able to open the locked door and begin to move past his trauma.

so, that's what the little kid in the red hood outfit looks like to me. i actually have a lot more i'd like to say about the boy wonder, especially in regards to the whole "door to my past life" thing and what ba does with lighting and blocking in his artwork, so i may do a little post on that as well! i was gonna try and shove it into this one, but i've run out of room! i hope you guys liked my analysis, if you'd like to chat about the boy wonder or any other comics, my dms, asks, and reblogs are happily open! thanks for reading! :)) <3

pt. 1 / pt. 2

[holy-amelie]

'NSFW Alphabet' NSFW (Sunday)

·.༄࿔ characters: Sunday, you

·.༄࿔ pairing: Sunday x g/n!reader

·.༄࿔ cw: MDNI! NSFW content under the cut, non-native english author, written before 2.7. Can be ooc but this is how I see him at the moment.

·.༄࿔ a/n: i would love to write SFW version of the alphabet later as well

❥ A = Aftercare Sunday is always very caring towards you, so even after making love, he tries to make sure everything is okay. Doesn't it hurt anywhere? Do you want some water? How about a hot bath? Just tell him what you want and he will try to do it. But Sunday also appreciates you taking care of him in return. Especially after a hard day and a busy night.

❥ B = Body part He's actually quite self-conscious about his body. Sunday is used to wearing closed clothes, even hiding his palms under gloves. So it's hard to say which part of his own body he likes best. Probably his chest. In the sense that he likes it when you put your head there and listen to his heartbeat. Who says the former head of the Clan can't be a hopeless romantic? But he adores you whole, head to toe. You're beautiful in his eyes, it would be hard for him to choose one. But if he had to choose, it would be your hands. The way you cup his face with your soft palms before kissing him, or the way you run your thumb over his bottom lip. Your hands can bring not only intimate satisfaction, but also the comfort he needs when you stroke his hair, playing with the silky strands.

❥ C = Cum Sunday is always trying not to create a complete mess. Of course if you ask him to finish on your stomach or something like this, he will agree. But then he will gently wipe away all traces of your intimacy. He doesn't want to leave you or himself dirty. Protection is a must have as long as you don't want to have kids. He's a gentleman and won't do anything against your will.

❥ D = Dirty secret This poor soul has had some intimate dreams about you, but will never admit it out loud. He's too shy to talk about it, even if you've been dating for a while.

❥ E = Experience Sunday is completely inexperienced in intimacy, so he often doubts whether he is doing everything right. He had so much responsibility on his shoulders that he simply didn't care about the whole thing. So you have to teach him a few things. If you don't have any experience either.... Well, then you both have a lot to learn.

❥ F = Favorite position Sunday is pretty vanilla. His favorite is certainly missionary. He can see your face this way and make sure you get as much pleasure as he does, leaning to kiss you from time to time. But he also loves it when you take control and move on top of him. It doesn't matter in what exact position, just dominate him until he can't form a proper sentence. Of course it's better to see your expression no matter what, but he'll take whatever works for you.

❥ G = Goofy He is serious during and after the act. Sunday believes that lovemaking is an important part of expressing his feelings for you, there is no room for jokes and fooling around. He worships you, praises your body.

❥ H = Hair Sunday (given his OCD) is very clean-cut, so he's got everything trimmed and tidy there.

❥ I = Intimacy Sunday is very gentle and careful. It is hard to get him to be rough, his brain will not be able to generate something like that towards you, the person he loves with all his heart. Dirty talk isn't really his thing either. Instead, he'll whisper to you how beautiful and ethereal you are, how much he loves you, and how well you're doing.

❥ J = Jack off Sunday has never done it before, and after starting a relationship with you, he basically sees no point in satisfying himself like this. While the act of lovemaking itself is okay with Sunday, masturbation makes him feel a little dirty just thinking about it.

❥ K = Kink Sunday is used to keep everything and everyone under his control, he was a leader. But it turns out that he likes to be dominated by you in bed. You can do whatever you want to him (within reason and not crossing the line of doing something he won't be comfortable with) and he will accept it. Actually loves leaving lovebites and hickeys on your skin, and would like to recieve some as well. Praising is definitely his thing. Both ways.

❥ L = Location Sunday prefers not to leave his or your room to make love. First of all, it's more comfortable. And second, behind a closed door, no one can interrupt you (and he would really hate to have to face other people after being caught in the act). He also prefers to stay in an inn rather than some dark corners and hallways during missions on other planets. In that way, Sunday is pretty simple. A couple of times you made love in the shower, but Sunday still realized that the bed was much better suited for that. He wouldn't mind if you decided to do something like that again, though.

❥ M = Motivation If you want to turn Sunday on, just touch his wings, massage them, maybe even nibble on them (though be gentle, they are sensitive). Your own pleasure and happiness is also a pretty good motivation for him.

❥ N = No He will never hurt you. Even if you're asking for it yourself. Just no, Sunday can't do it. Spare his fragile heart, please. He's already terrified of accidentally doing something wrong and causing you discomfort. And sharing is a big no for him as well. You belong to him and only him.

❥ O = Oral Sunday is more giver than receiver. He puts you first and himself second. In a way, it's embarrassing for him to see you choke on him, and even more embarrassing for him to finish like this. Give him some time to adjust to being intimate.

❥ P = Pace It's usually slow and sensual. Sunday wants to make sure that you are making love and not mating like two wild animals. Towards the end, Sunday's pace can pick up and become more erratic, but he usually tries his best to keep the rhythm until the end. If you're dominating, you usually set the pace. He may only embarrassingly ask you to "slow down" or vice versa when he's nearing his peak.

❥ Q = Quickie At first, Sunday didn't understand why anyone was even interested in quickies. For him, making love is a sensual process that takes some time, without unnecessary hurry and fuss. But if there's an important mission at hand and you're inexorably attracted to each other (especially if you decided to tease him not sso long ago or he's just emotionally stressed), he doesn't mind doing things quickly and going back to the team as if nothing had happened. He doesn't like to do it often, but if the circumstances are right, he won't mind.

❥ R = Risk It's up to you. Sunday himself is not very eager to experiment or take risks and will not push you to do such things. But he will not give in to you completely if the offer turns out to be uncomfortable for him. Something light and harmless would suit him just fine.

❥ S = Stamina Poor thing has spent most of his life in the Dreamscape, so he can't boast of excellent physical form. And his inexperience is also showing. I'd say no more than two rounds in a row. If you are the one who's in charge, it'll make things a little bit easier but also faster, he just can't control himself in this submissive position.

❥ T = Toys Nope, no toys. That doesn't mean you won't talk him into trying them in the future, it's just that Sunday generally prefers everything in its vanilla form without any add-ons. He's unlikely to take the initiative to try them himself, but if you feel like it, fine. He also wants to believe that he is good enough to bring pleasure to both of you without any toys.

❥ U = Unfair No teasing at all. At least not on his part. But that doesn't mean you don't tease him from time to time. It's hard not to, knowing how red his cheeks become and how he will try to hide them behind his wings.

❥ V = Volume He's not exactly loud, to be honest, but it depends on your position. When Sunday dominates, it's mostly grunts and quiet moans mixed with praises and love confessions again and again. But if it's you who dominate him... Let's just say, this man whimpers. A lot. And he becomes louder than before, barely able to hold himself back from letting the whole Express Crew hear exactly what's going on behind closed doors.

❥ W = Wild card Sunday cried the first time you made love. Not because it made him feel uncomfortable or anything like that. Quite the opposite. An excess of emotion caused him to cry as soon as you both reached your climax. Sunday had never experienced such intimacy and love before, and after all the things he went through back on Penacony, it felt like a blessing. Did that scare you? A little bit. But knowing Sunday's very sensitive nature, it wasn't surprising. He apologized for a long time afterwards because he was worried that he had ruined the experience for both of you. But really, that moment only made it more memorable. In a good way.

❥ X = X-ray A little above average and more on the thick side. Sunday is quite insecure about himself for some reason, but with your reassurance he has gained some confidence.

❥ Y = Yearning Before he got intimate with you, he didn't even think about any of this. But once he tasted the forbidden fruit, his need to be close to you in every possible way increased dramatically. Not to the point where he turns into a lustful animal, of course. His drive is at a normal level, he has pretty good self-control and won't push if you don't want to, or you're busy, or the situation simply doesn't allow it.

❥ Z = Zzz He can't sleep until he's sure you're comfortable. You have a much better chance of falling asleep sooner. He'll keep whispering sweet nothings to you and showering your face and shoulders with kisses. You are loved, and it goes beyond passion in bed, that's what he wants to say with his actions. Sunday will stay awake for a while after you have fallen asleep in his arms.

NSFW alphabet template by @ the-coldest-goodbye. please, do not rewrite/copy/repost/translate my work without me knowing, you can always ask first, thanks

[bubbleddisasters]

Bored SO

What Genshin Vision and Weapon I think Each TWST Character would have!

(I’m going solely off Vision Requirements/Traits (Ex: Anemo = Desire for Freedom) so some may seem different then expected)

Reminders:

Anemo= Desire for Freedom, often but not always accompanied with the loss of a loved one.

Geo = Strong and Unwavering in pursuing their ideals, beliefs and goals.

Electro : Eternal Determination/ Those who may be seen as strange, but will not change themselves for others.

Dendro: The Desire for Knowledge, (Plus Human Connections.)

Hydro: A strong sense of Justice and Protection/Care of others.

Pyro : Dedicating their life to their Passion.

Cryo : Resolution in moment of conflict.

—————

Riddle: Pyro or Anemo, Sword: I believe that as his mom wanted him to be a healer, which is usually Dendro or Hydro, and Riddles Passion for Order and/or Desire for Freedom and loosing his friends granting him the opposite, could be very good additional angst material. Also Swords are elegant, and the Original Beheading weapon.. Hehe.

Ace : Geo, Hydro or Electro, Bow: I think Ace fits both Unwavering Beliefs and Not changing themselves for others very well, but also Justice and Care extremely well in Book 1.

I think it would be also amazing for him to get his vision right as he gave his speech after punching Riddle. Hydro could also be very interesting and seeing Riddle be Jealous of it, as it Represents Justice and Care, and its what his mother wanted him to get, adding another layer of rage to it all, plus aiding in dowsing Riddles Flames.

Bow wise, I think the term an “Ace Shooter” was fun irony, as well as “Trick shot”

Deuce: Cryo, Claymore: You all should have seen this coming. Got it when he decided to better himself for his mother’s sake. Geo also works I suppose. Claymore because duh. Plus it would be a fun comparison to Ace having the most lightweight physical weapon.

(Chongyun 🤝 Deuce

Cryo Claymores with Hydro Boyfriends who like to prank them)

Cater: Anemo, Spear: I won’t go into full detail, but if you know Caters backstory, you know damn well why I chose Desire for Freedom. Spear doubles as a Selfie stick, would have atleast one attack similar to Charlotte’s.

Trey: Dendro, Cataylst: Trey mentions wanting to learn all kinds of desserts, and as the mediator, fits the human connections piece well. Catalyst either paints the enemy or throws baking materials / Bakes the Enemy/Decorates them.

Leona: Dendro, Spear: I can’t explain it, but Dendro just fits him very well, specifically the knowledge piece. Also Spear because its lighter weight and has range + if you’re especially good at it could probably be used while lying down. Lazy ass Lion.

Ruggie: Geo, Bow : When I tell you he was extremely pissed upon receiving his—Anyway, this man perfectly embodies unwavering determination for their goals.

Like pre-mentioned, was extremely pissed because he originally thought it was useless compared to Hydro or Dendro, but that changed when he realized he could make shelter for the people on his street and also get alot of high paying construction jobs easier.

Bow is lightweight, and easier to use while running away aslong as you have good aim.

Jack : Hydro, Claymore: Justice and Care is literally half or more of his Savanaclaw ark. It fits Jack so insanely well (or Geo but shhh). I think Hydro would be sweet because everyone expects him to have Geo because it’s tough and strong, but sike. He uses it to water his cactuses and to cool off / Hydrate during workouts. Claymore because the guy is a walking gunshow he can lift that thing with one hand.

Floyd : Electro, Catalyst: So far the hardest to choose, but also being considered strange yet refusing to change for others is very Floyd. Physical DMG Catalyst like Wrio or Heizou, I pray for the enemy. Like:

Floyd : “I’m as cold as a lion with no hair: If you ever see me fighting in the forest with a Mitichurl, HELP THE CHURL. Cause that b*tch gon need it-“

Jade: Dendro, Sword: Knowledge and Jade go hand in hand. Also his plant obsession makes this funnier. Sword is very elegant but deadly, that also fits Jade. Electro is also an option, but considering the OG Flotsam and Jetsam died via Electrocution—Oh the Irony if both of them were Electro

Azul : Anemo, Geo or Cryo, Catalyst: Desired freedom from bulling and torment? , Unwavering Determination to reach goals? Conflict and Resolution? Yea. I would go with Dendro cause knowledge, but didn’t feel as fitting. Catalyst because obviously.

Anemo could help him in the water to swim faster, and blow away Jade and Floyd as kids, but they kept coming back so he gave up. Cryo or Geo to make a octopus pot but they blew it open.

Kalim: Pyro, Dendro or Hydro, Catalyst or Spear: Passion suits Kalim incredibly, but so does Human Connections and the desire for knowledge to help others. Hydro fits in the care department, but not as much in justice.

Alot of his attacks would be similar to Yun Jin or Nilou, (based in Traditional dance from the Middle East obviously) and adding some jumpiness to it, but I imagine his skill or run is just running people over with the magic carpet and you get to fly without stamina issues (5 star type perks lmao)

Jamil : Anemo, Spear or Sword: Desire for Freedom?!?! Thats Jamils Ark in a nutshell. Friend loss? Kalim when they were kids. (Because his parents made him stop being friends with Kalim and focus on his duties as a servant to him). I think Jamil having a Scimitar like the ones in the original Aladdin movie or a spear similar to Jafars staff would be a fun reference.

Epel : Anemo or Dendro, Claymore: Desire for Freedom coming from his own insecurities on his appearance or Desiring the Knowledge to Change it. Literally hated his vision for a long time, thought wind/nature powers were kinda stupid, useless in a fight and girly until Vil rocked his shit with Dendro in the OB fight.

Can barely lift the Claymore but by god will he try. (Similar to Razors attacks like the guy is trying his best but the claymore literally almost sends him flying)

(A bow is also a fun option and he would definitely pull a Childe and just hit the enemy with the bow itself.

Catalyst he just throws rotten / poison apples at the enemy. )

Rook: Electro, or Pyro, Bow: Strange but would never change for someone else? Rook. Passion? Also kinda Rook. I could see him receiving his vision at his first play, and using his hat to dim the light so it didn’t affect the actors and other watchers. Bow was also an obvious choice.

Has a skill that reveals all hidden quests available and how to access them.

Vil : Dendro, Catalyst : The Desire for Knowledge to attain Beauty. Saw Epel hating on Dendro Visions and took it personally. Catalyst because he can’t bother to get his hands dirty.

Idia: Anemo, Catalyst or Claymore: Desire for Freedom and Dead person you cared for? Check. Found it on his bedside when he woke up after Orthos death and called it “a Pity Prize” for him surviving. Completely pulling a Silver Wolf with the Digital / Glitch like attacks and if he has a Claymore, a Kaveh, although his little skull thing would be his Merhak.

Ortho: Non Specific (until after book 6, then Dendro), Catalyst or Bow: Kinda Similar to the Traveler, but you’d have to get into Ignihyde and use a disc drive to change his. If after Ignihyde chaps, Dendro. Similar to Nahida, Desiring Knowledge of Humans. Shoots literal laser beams at enemies.

Malleus: Dendro, Catalyst: Like Ortho, Desiring Knowledge of Humans, and from Human (I guess in this case just emotional) Connections. Specifically one day after building up the courage to hug Lilia after he helped him find Gargoyles around a town. (Accidentally called him Father in that moment, and then the Vision Appeared)

Catalyst….duh. I can see the attacks either being fireflies or mini Dragons (like how Baizhus is snakes)

Lilia: Cryo or Anemo, Bow, Claymore, Sword or Catalyst (I don’t have a bias to Catalysts I swear) : Got his after Melanors Death (F) or Malleus Hatching, and like how its mentioned Venti was once a Catalyst user in lore, and puts his bow away like one, Lilia does pretty much the same, but puts it away like a Sword.

Catalyst wise, definitely physical, bro is bouncing off the enemy and teleporting around them, same if sword. Claymore would be fucking hilarious because this tiny man having a fast attack speed while using a weapon almost the size of him is just generally hilarious. Has an attack similar to Fischls Oz , except it is instead a Bat, and yes you can fly / teleport with him.

Also like Raiden, the game prevents you from cooking as him / all the meals you make will be suspicious ones.

Silver: Hydro, Sword: Justice and Care? Silver. Definitely. Sword also seems pretty obvious, and definitely has an ability that not only has wild animals not running from you, but will come closer to you if in the area.

Sebek: Electro or Geo , Sword or Claymore: Eternal Determination and not changing for others is very Sebek, but so is Unwavering Determination to reach goals, and I think Sword and Claymore are both Obvious.

Che’nya : Electro, Catalyst: Not Changing for Others fits this wacko so well. Catalyst because obviously. His E skill makes you invisible to the enemy and wild creatures. Enemy wise, scares the shit out of them and does 80% extra damage if you hit them from behind with it.

———-

OK BYEEEE

[xelasrecords]

Hi, I was reading your works and think you have a really good understanding of characters so I wanted to ask. Do you see any scenario in which Jumin would push MC away for her own sake? Extreme cases like if his father embezzled from the company but Jumin took the fall and had to go to prison for the maximum amount of years. Or if he lost all his wealth and couldn’t afford security anymore, but still had people after him. Would he want MC to stay with him even though he wouldn't be able to protect her/give her a "normal" life?

Your marvellous mind! This makes my brain tingle. If you see from the times he's faced with threats and his bad ends, there aren't any scenarios where he pushes his loved ones away for their protection. That's more Saeyoung. Jumin is like a dragon that hoards his precious things. The more he's threatened, the tighter his grip on his loved ones would be. His biggest fear is to lose everything he holds dear, so he builds up his security to be impenetrable.

If Jumin had to take the fall for his father's embezzlement, I think he'd set up emergency funds and security for MC and hide them away from the media before he goes to prison. He has a private island where MC can stay. These plans may even have been set up way before as a precaution. He'd try to make MC's life as comfortable as he can and hope she would wait for him to come back.

If Jumin became poor and had bad guys coming after him, it's possible that he'd go to Saeyoung for help. He's not above pleading for his lover's safety and be indebted to someone when he can't hold up a fair bargain. I'm also thinking about when he tries to give Elizabeth the Third to V because he doesn't think he's a good owner, so I'm tempted to say he could push MC away if he thought she deserved better. But even then, he can only part with his cat because he knows she'd be with someone he trusts. He is still in control.

More importantly, Elizabeth is a cat who can't choose him back on an equal stance. MC can. You know how pliant Jumin is over MC's words. If MC told him they wanted to stay with him despite everything, how long do you think it'd take before Jumin's resolve broke? Maybe they could run away and start afresh where nobody knew them. It wouldn't be surprising seeing that he takes this route in his BE2 DLC. Maybe MC could protect him instead. Maybe they could work together to protect their relationship and future.

When faced with imminent danger, Jumin snaps into ultra logical mode. So if he actually pushed MC away for their safety, it wouldn't be due to pure angst. It'd be a calculated act where he had some control over.

Also, during the RAE crisis, Jumin's confidence never falters. He still believes there's something he can do to protect the RFA and he toils away endlessly for solutions. All the while losing his job and friends and half his assets. It's this that makes me think when everything goes to hell, the only person he can trust is himself and therefore MC is the safest with him.

Jumin's selflessness isn't by giving up his lover. It's by giving everything he has to protect them even at the cost of himself.

[sevenyeargap]

welcome to my very own analysis of edgeworths character and insane rambling on why i write him Like That. first of all i want to rec one of my favorite essay on political theory/legal philosophy of possibly all time aka the discourse on voluntary servitude by la boétie (which you can read here, its also a fantastic text to read in these coronation/anti-monarchy times)

anyway, if you don't want to read it (although it is quite a short and clear read), the main thesis of this essay is that basically a corrupt political system/dictatorship (here called a tyranny) doesn't stay in place because people are afraid of change and rebellion, but because people don't want anything to change, and they're satisfied with their condition, therefore complicit with the system (see also MLK's quote on white moderates "but the white moderate who is more devoted to 'order' than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says 'I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I can't agree with your methods of direct action'")

the tl;dr here is that a system stays in place because no one does anything to change it, and people prefer turning a blind eye to the situation but its not because they're afraid of a new system, it's because they're scared of what it will take to get this new system.

with that being said i think that edgeworths anger and resentment at the legal system post turnabout goodbyes wouldn't be directed at the system right away because he upheld the system. he loved it! (which btw is so so much worse than killing his father. he didn't kill his father but he's complicit in enforcing a terrible legal system!!!!!!!! awful)

and miles loved this system!! i think that even at the worst point of his bratworth era he still believed he was Bringing Fair And Real Justice and was doing The Right Thing. but what happens when you realize this system is deeply, incredibly flawed? when you've spent your whole life fighting for it? deliberately ignoring the ugly parts of it in favor of maintaining a perfect win record?

that's when you choose death!!!! (literally or figuratively depending on how you analyze it.)

i looooove edgeworth celebrating his not guilty verdict but he would start thinking about what he's done. which again is so much worse than simply killing his dad. like he literally says that in rfta

and thats so??? fucking sad!?!!! because how is he supposed to trust in himself now??? phoenix (no matter how good his intentions were) HAS entirely destroyed his whole worldview!!!!!!!! and thus the unnecessary feelings line but you can read more about my thoughts about that line here (tl;dr this line for me a) challenges his views (see supra) b) didn't phoenix "steal" his dream of becoming a defense attorney, in a way? phoenix had the chance to move on and change things for the better but miles... didn't.

ANYWAY edgeworth gets angry at individuals, after turnabout goodbyes, because he hasn't realized how deep the corruption runs yet - he's angry at phoenix, at misty, at everyone who either failed to protect him (misty, mvk, the mvk household, maybe even his own dad for """leaving him behind"""???) OR tried to protect him from this system (phoenix, maya - because how dare they challenge his views on this system he has oh so loved?) also you can read this post here because it really summarizes my feelings about his aa1 arc

every day there is a new media where two people are fighting together for a system. they both come to realise the system is flawed, and while one of them tries to take the system down, the other decides it is still necessary and must be protected at all costs. why is it always the first one who becomes the villain? who is deeply sympathetic but goes too far in their quest for justice? i think for once it should be the second one who is trying so hard to protect the system they believe in that they slowly slip into tyranny

i dont really have a conclusion here but i will say that i think The Note and edgeworths year off were necessary (as tragic as it was) for both edgeworth & phoenix because theyre insane they need some time to think about how much they don't know nor understand each other anymore at this point in time. anyway. thanks for reading?!! i hope this made sense. mwah!

[lynnaredfield3383]

Not my characters. Swearing, insecurity mentioned, pushing & arguing. (My 1st KNB short, so be nice.) Fem reader has known GoM since middle school. (Now they're all at the same university.) Aomine her crush started dating her cousin Keiko & now they're at odds.

"Enough!" Aomine roared, pushing you back against the wall.

It didn't hurt, but you had never seen him like this, so maybe your fear overrode the pain. You were effectively caged in, his muscular arms blocking your view and any path of escape.

"I..."

"Shut up! You've said plenty. You're an idiot! You dislike me because I'm an athlete and you have this fucking stereotypical view of us. Get over yourself! The reason no guy in "our league" would give you the time of day is because you're too damn busy insulting us. Making us feel like absolute shit about who we are and choose to be. If you're too damn insecure to be around us, then get lost."

Your nails were sunk deep into the palms of your hands. You bit your lip hard so you wouldn't cry. The severity with which he looked at you made you realize this bridge was burned.

Clearing your throat, you stood straight and held his hard stare.

"You're right. I'm sorry for everything I've said. I hate that I mistreated all of you and rejected friendships due to my insecurities. I hope you can forgive me."

Your voice was surprisingly strong and clear.

Aomine was caught off guard by the apology. He'd expected you to run off. Probably crying, but no, you were holding his stare and not the least bit intimidated.

You took Aomine's moment of surprise as your chance to escape. Ducking beneath his arm, you walked stiffly, but at your normal pace, which could be considered sprinting even on a normal day.

"Hey, wait!" Kise caught your arm.

You wanted to get home, transfer universities, and never see any of them again.

"Please let me go, Kise. Aomine is right, and we both know it."

Kise sighed, releasing your arm and falling instep beside you.

"Yeah, but why? I've never seen you insecure, and I can't believe that's why you tore Aomine up like that. There has to be another reason."

"Why are you even talking to me? I insulted all of you."

"You apologized. I guarantee Kuroko, Akashi, and Mura already forgave you. You never apologize, so we all know it's sincere."

"Thanks."

"So, spill it. What set you off on him like that?"

"I'm an idiot. When I like a guy, I ignore them or treat them like shit to keep them away."

Kise smiled.

"Ahh, so I was right. Mura and I had a little wager going that you were crazy for Aomine."

"Not crazy, but yeah. I liked him a lot. I was hoping he'd fall for me even if I treated him like shit. There were times when we actually joked around or teased each other. When I saw him with Keiko of all people, I lost it. Part of me did it out of wanting to protect her and the other part because... I wanted to be her. Thing is, she doesn't need protection. She'll end up cheating on Aomine like she does every guy and girl she dates. I feel bad for him."

"Yeah, well, he'll figure it out. Look, I think you should talk to Akashi."

"I'd like that."

You and Kise jumped when you heard Akashi's voice. You both turned to see him smiling.

"How long have you been following us?" Kise asked.

"Long enough," Akashi smirked.

"Well, I'll see you later. We're still friends, so don't you dare blow me off," Kise warned.

You felt better with Kise's warm smile and kind words. You turned to Akashi, wondering what he could possibly want.

"I meant what I said..."

"I know. Let me walk you back to your dorm. If you don't mind my company," Akashi offered.

"Sure."

"I've known for a while you liked Aomine. I also know about the kiss. He hates himself for misleading you."

"Wow. You, uh, know quite a bit."

Akashi chuckled lowly, his hand brushing against yours.

"Would you come and cheer for me at the next game?" Akashi asked after a few moments of silence.

"For you?" You asked confused.

"Yes. I'd like to take you out afterward as well."

You stopped and turned to face him, wondering if he was messing with you. Akashi was as stoic as usual, fully focused on you with his intense eyes.

"Is this some kind of revenge thing? Like you get me to fall for you and humiliate me a few months down the line?"

Akashi laughed freely, surprising you since he always seemed a bit uptight.

"I know that I am not your first choice, but unless we're living in some kind of American soap opera, I'm not out for revenge."

Akashi chuckled softly shaking his head.

"It's a nice day out. Do you wanna go for a walk? Or do you already have plans?"

"No plans. No practice, either," Akashi responded.

You were nervous because you never considered Akashi more than a friend. Testing your luck, you brushed your hand against his again.

Akashi smiled before catching your fingers with his and slowly intertwining them. The tension from your shoulders seemed to melt away, and that made him happy.

[lyledebeast]

Since rewatching Gladiator the other day for the first time in many years, I've been thinking how oddly similar the fight between Maximus and Commodus is to the fight between Benjamin Martin and William Tavington in The Patriot, with one jarring difference. In Gladiator, it is the villain who wounds the hero prior to their fight to give himself an advantage and yet loses the fight anyway. In The Patriot, the hero does exactly the same thing. I am by no means an expert on fight choreography, but I believe a good fight scene, like a good sex scene, is one that provides the audience with greater understanding of the characters involved. Gladiator's fight scene does that. I'm not sure The Patriot's does, or at least not in the way the filmmakers intended.

Maximus and Commodus's fight is a piece of theatre orchestrated by Commodus to help him win the affections of Rome's citizens away from Maximus. He doubts that he can defeat Maximus purely based on skill, so he stabs him in the shoulder blade while Maximus is bound just prior to their appearance before the crowd in the Colosseum. Even gravely injured, Maximus is able to get the upper hand through his superior skill as a fighter and force Commodus to drop his sword. Commodus immediately demands another sword from the soldiers surrounding them, expecting another chance at victory to be literally handed to him. While this demand is made and refused, Maximus watches. He does not take the opportunity to kill Commodus while he is unarmed; he even drops his own sword. When Commodus pulls a surprise dagger out of his armor sleeve, Maximus again outfights him, getting control of the blade and stabbing Commodus in the throat.

Commodus's plan drives home what we've already seen of him in his relationships with his father and sister. He expects love purely on the basis of who he is, just as he expects the Roman people to transfer their affection to him for no other reason than that he has killed their hero. He fails to realize that the people do not love Maximus only because he wins. They love him because he wins against overwhelming odds, he's a good leader, he's resourceful, he's fair and even merciful. And he is a hell of a fighter. Most of these qualities are also on display in his fight with Commodus even as he is seeking vengeance for the wife and son Commodus murdered. Even though Maximus is as dead as Commodus at the end of the scene, finally having bled to death from his shoulder wound, it is his body that is carried from the arena with honor.

Martin and Tavington are more fairly matched than Maximus and Commodus; scenes prior to the film's climax show that they are both skilled fighters. But it is quite clear from the beginning that Martin has no interest in a fair fight. When they meet on the battlefield, they charge, Tavington on his horse and Martin on foot, holding the American flag repaired by the son Tavington killed like a spear. Just before they come into contact, Martin drops to his knee and stabs Tavington's horse in the chest. Horse falls, Tavington flies through the air and into the oncoming line of British soldiers. Once the fight is in progress, Tavington's bleeding from the mouth is better accounted for by this fall than any of the other injuries he recives. When he gets up Martin is waiting to shoot him with a ball made from a boiled down toy soldier belonging to his other son that Tavington killed while Tavington is disoriented from his fall and his hands are empty. Fortunately for Tavington, a cannonball hits just behind Martin and causes him to hit Tavington in the bicep, not the chest. And then it's on.

In addition to being absolutely awash in kitsch and sentimentality, there is something going on with Martin's development here. Throughout the film, he has been torn between two roles: the father and the fighter. For most of the run time, it is the role of fighter that he chooses. His choice to stay out of the war and protect his children is met with revulsion by his peers and oldest son, and later Martin himself regrets it. "I have done nothing, and for that I am ashamed," he says. But when he gets his ass whooped by a wounded British officer he had hoped to shoot while unarmed, his being a father becomes very important again. Tavington, having knocked Martin's weapons out of his hands and beaten him to his knees, takes a moment to gloat: a long one. Then two things happen almost simultaneously. An American flag drifts into Martin's field of vision, reminding him of the son he is meant to be avenging--the flag son, not the toy soldier one--and Tavington, theatre queen that he is, announces his next move: "Kill me before the war is over will you? It seems you are not the better man." He swings his sword, Martin ducks, swings around, and stabs him through the torso with a bayonet. "You're right," Martin growls. "My sons were better men." The he stabs Tavington through the throat because that was all the rage in 2000.

Up until that sudden turn of events, the clearest understanding the fight gives us of Martin's character is that when he made his promise to kill Tavington his mouth wrote a check his hands couldn't cash. Tavinton may be a child-killer and a woman-burner and executor of surrendering/wounded soldiers, but the only thing this fight tells us about him is that he is a Bad Bitch on the battlefield. His gloating is consistent with earlier behavior--the man does love to make a speech--but Martin's response is consistent only in the narrative handing him triumphs he has done nothing to earn.

In Gladiator, the fight itself is important. The way the men fight tells us important things about them. In The Patriot, it does not really matter who fights well, or fairly, or even who wins the fight. The only thing that matters is that the hero lives and the villain dies, which makes the fight between them feel a bit gratuitous. I find it satisfying to watch, though, if only for the look of shock and anguish on Mel Gibson's face when he realizes he is losing. Joaquin Phoenix's expression at the same point in his fight with Russell Crowe is quite familar: This can't be happening. Doesn't he know? I am Too Special To Lose This Fight!! The difference is that in Benjamin Martin's case, the story agrees. He is too special to lose this fight.

[arkhamasyl-m]

Superman and the Authority

Really this entire comic can be labelled as “Boomer VS Gen Z.” Not really “VS” as in they are fighting each other, but more that they are challenging each others views.

This comic is about an older Superman, this Superman is still strong but can’t fly properly and is slowly losing his powers. Because of this he decides to enlist the help of some younger “heroes” to protect humanity while he cannot. The Justice League are mentioned, but only in the past tense so it’s unclear if they are still running.

Now Superman’s new team of younger heroes isn’t just younger heroes, but rather anti-heroes with his first recruit being Manchester Black. Now, Black originated from a comic about anti-heroes, comparing them to Superman and ending with Superman villainising the whole idea and defeating Black. That comic was about traditional heroes vs anti-heroes. One was a group of colourful heroes, fighting crime but never killing unless they had to, and protecting the world, the other was a group of edgy youngsters who believed some villains didn’t deserve second chances and needed to be put down. That comic was great but the main issue with the story was that Black and his Elite were partially right, and instead of hearing him out and making a compromise, Superman went straight to fighting.

Now, this comic brings that up. Black is the first person Superman recruits, personally choosing him as he reflects on his past, when he was in his prime and heroes were saving the day. He laments that they could’ve and should’ve done more, and he wants to listen to the younger generation now instead of turning away from him. That is, of course as long as Black doesn’t kill anyone.

Black initially disagrees to help. He hates Superman for their fight years ago and he doesn’t want anything to do with it… but… that’s a lie. He does want something to do with it. Despite still being edgy and all, he still wants to be a hero just like he did on his first outing. He still wants to save the day, and he still idolises Superman even if Superman blatantly disagreed with “his way.” So he turns around and agrees to help.

Now this is his chance to prove himself. There is no trickery, no betrayal, just an edgy, punk British dude and an aged superhero genuinely trying to save the day.

Now we get to the rest of the team. Now I’m going to use a word I hate, but I promise it’ll make sense and isn’t derogatory… this new Authority that Superman builds… it’s woke.

I believe this was intentional, again the story is about Boomers VS Gen Z, so it only makes sense that the group representing Gen Z also represents most of Gen Z’s stereotypes too. Manchester is bisexual, Midnighter & Apollo are gay, Steel is a black woman, Lightray is queer and Omac is genderfluid. Superman is the “boomer” in this situation, however he is also “woke.” He completely understands all of them, is completely okay with it and respects pronouns and such. He is an understanding person.

Half of this comic is just introducing the Authority and again, I believe that was the point. Superman mentions a threat he needs them all to deal with, but the threat itself is rather minuscule and doesn’t really matter because the focus is on the characters. You might think having your story be 90% introducing characters and 10% fighting is dumb, but the story is about the characters.

It’s about Superman’s lack of understanding on anti-heroes and his desire to learn from the younger generation. If the story was about Superman fighting Braniac for the 50th time, it could’ve just been a Justice League story. No, it’s about the characters, it’s about Manchester Black, and Enchantress’ desire to do good in a world that villainises them for their methods or just because of who they are and Superman is giving them an opportunity to prove themselves without worrying about any… *ahem* authority brushing them off. And y’know what? They all passed. Black, Enchantress, Midnighter, Apollo… They all succeeded in doing their assigned roles and proved to Superman that they truly wanted to do good.

One thing I should mention before ending this is there are some minor villains that are AI’s fed by the internet. These AI villains however, were fed by internet trolls and thus are racist, transphobic and homophobic and spend their minimal screen time shitting on “wokeness” in superhero content. Considering this is again, a story heavily focused on the passing of the torch down to Gen Z, having a villain be Redditors that hate wokeness and the younger generation is a nice touch.

[fllagellant]

For the companion tav ask game:

Gen 7

Story 11 and 12 :))

< 33 THANK YOU MY FRIEND

questions here !

7) Do they have their own personal quest that spans the course of the game? Can it take different branching paths depending on the choices the Player Character makes?

Yes !!!!! I’ ve mentioned it before but his first love / childhood sweetheart made a deal with a Hag that went very poorly . In an attempt to keep them both safe , he begged the Hag to give him a way to take Giilvas out of harms way . She gave him a twine bracelet he had to cut when he believed Giilvas was in life threatening danger . What she did not tell him was this breaking of the bracelet would simply cause him and Giilvas to trade places .

His personal quest is triggered by killing Auntie Ethel . Giilvas has believed that he was not controlled by the terms of the hag pact , only to fall frighteningly ill after killing Ethel . This is the proof that Giilvas is still connected to the old Hag who first cursed his sweetheart , and that he is not safe from her .

Act two would involve him requesting to go to Last Nights Inn or Moonrise Towers ( depending on where the player goes first / chooses to take him ) to ask if anyone had possibly seen a Hag or signs of a Hag in the area . While this quest happens , he opens up a bit about the circumstances of his sweetheart’ s death and who he is ( if the player knows about him being the Golden Rose / Thorn of the Plains , he get’ s far more into the incident since it has been dramatized and retold over and over and he would like to set the record straight )

These leads are a dead end , since he cannot find the hag no matter how sure he was that she’ d be there .

Then you get to baldur’ s gate .

You have two long rests before he falls ill again . The exact same sickness he experienced after breaking one of the Hag’ s rules . This time , the sickness stays with him and will not go .

The players options are as follows ;

1) Don’ t help . You can tell him to leave your camp and figure this out alone . No more sticking your neck out for him . He curses you , in a semi delirious state , and is permanently kicked from your team . Ambiance dialogue in the refugee camps after kicking him out talk about hearing these pained screams coming from the distance, somewhere in the woods , and how no one saw anyone leave after that .

2) Find the Hag and enter the pact . You go one a little quest to find the Hag’ s lair . Giilvas will be present either in your party, or he will follow the player and reveal himself when you confront the Hag . When the player realizes the Hag will just kill Giilvas if she’ s attacked ( and if the player did not go through the effort of learning how to kill her without it killing her puppet ) the player can either leave ( leading to the first option again pretty much rip giilvas ) Or they can enter the pact themself .

The player will gain a twine bracelet , and it is explained that if it is broken , Giilvas will be right back where he started , and she won’ t play with him as long the next time the bracelet is broken . Giilvas will thank the player for taking this burden , and trusting that they will never break it . ( this could be the bittersweet option for a romance tbh ) Since he is an Elf , if he has a lifespan longer then the player’ s , he will make a comment about protecting their grave so that it never snaps

Secret 3) You enter the pact , then break the bracelet . Betrayal ending . Giilvas will flee the moment this occurs . If it happens while on the road , he will leave the party and run away . No cutscene , no nothing . If it happens in camp , he will have a small cutscene with him demanding answers as to why , and no matter what , he will leave . He is in danger again

4) Kill ! That ! Hag ! Like killing Ethel but you gotta do some research first and also you have to know Giilvas’ background as well . If the player can manage to make sure that Giilvas will be safe when they attack the Hag and that he will survive and that this will , indeed , break the pact , then … welll … You Know What Must Be Done

11) What do they say if the PC tries to force them to go up on stage with Dribbles the Clown?

He completely down , actually . When you first select him , he’ ll mention how he’ s had some material he’ s been wanting to show a real crowd . And that he can do better than Dribbles . When you commit to sending him up , he bows before he walks out of the crowd and onto the stage . He completely thinks he’ s gonna steal the show out from under Dribbles’ feet . Can we call this a himbo moment ?

12) Is it possible for your Tav to be kidnapped and replaced by Orin? How is Orin's deception revealed? How do they react to the PC rescuing them in the Temple of Bhaal?

Yes . As long as he is not sick , he can be kidnapped !

He tries to kill you . Smiles . ‘ Giilvas ‘ will sneak up on you as you sleep then , when you wake up , will talk about how he was a fool for following you . How he’ s neglected everything he’ s stood for to follow you , how he’ s becoming more and more like just a follower with no mind of his own . How he should kill you and be rid of a budding corruption . How everyone can succeed without you .

At that point , you either Pass Those Checks, Boy . Or you attempt to fight him off . Either way , Orin will laugh at you and reveal herself ( either saying that you caught her too late if you pass a check or that you never trusted him in the first place if you fail or if you go right into attacking him )

When he’ s rescued , he nearly catatonic . He utters a few ‘ thank you ‘ s and asks if he can go home yet . Once at camp , he’ ll try to laugh off what happened and will say that he was just a bit delirious . The player can push a bit at this and he’ ll open up a bit more about the sorts of horrors he saw . If he was romanced , he probably wouldn’ t try to joke about this and would play it waaay more straight about why he was in that state and would talk about what he was comfortable with talking about

[addictedtostorytelling]

Thanks for all your metas! They have helped me to understand GSR so much better. I wanted to ask you about a scene in Strip Strangler (Season 1 finale). In it Grissom runs out with a gun to protect Sara. Was that intentional or just the writers/producers not figuring out the “Grissom” character, as there are other things in season 1 that we can also be explained by them still figuring him out. Thanks so much!!!

hi, anon!

thank you for your kind words! i'm glad you enjoy my stuff.

re: your question:

i tend to think that grissom pulling a gun to protect sara is a deliberate characterization choice for two reasons, and both of them are based on the fact that while he does pull a gun to protect sara at the grocery store about midway through the episode, he notably doesn’t pull a gun to protect himself at the end of the episode (hence why catherine has to be the one to save him/kill the bad guy, when all is said and done).

first, just on a purely technical level, given that he very notably isn’t carrying a gun later in the episode, the fact that he has one at the store has to be a purposeful thing.

like.

you can’t very well have him handling a gun in one scene only to later have him fail to defend himself with a gun because he doesn’t have one on him in a later scene and not have it mean something™.

and i tend to believe that the absence of the gun in the latter scene is not just something that tptb would have somehow failed to notice: the prop master would have had to have talked to the director about it, and if there were any question about the lack of the gun, then the director would have consulted the writers. billy himself might have even noted the discrepancy, just as a matter of process. on set, people would have certainly asked the question, “if grissom typically carries a gun, then why doesn’t he have one on him when he’s confronting syd goggle?” because it identifies a potential plot hole. (the reason why it doesn’t ultimately turn out to be a plot hole is because grissom carrying the gun in the grocery store is actually the exception to his rule, in terms of behavior, instead of things being the other way around; more on this point below.) the difference between “gun” and “no gun” in scenes where a character is in mortal peril and could potentially save himself by shooting is significant enough to be discussed multiple times from multiple different angles. so, to my mind, this choice most likely had to be an intentional one. the gun isn’t just something the crew would have forgotten about.

there’s gotta be an in-world reason for the discrepancy, and even if said reason isn’t explicitly articulated, it has to be implied enough that the audience can pick up on it.

which, in this case, i think it is, and i think that they can.

and, so, the second reason i believe the choice to have grissom carry a gun in the store was a deliberate one:

because if you look at grissom having the gun at the store but not at the apartment complex from a character perspective, the discrepancy does tell us something about him.

and, in this case, what it tells us is something that is consistent for him across the series.

it isn’t just “s1 weirdness” that later goes away once the writing of him evens out but rather something that is in keeping with his core behavior patterns.

while grissom’s gun habits themselves don't actually crystallize until later in the series (in s1, he is much more likely to carry one than he is at any later point) and aren’t then fully articulated until around s4 with the fromansky storyline—when we learn that despite being licensed to carry and something of a dead-eye shot, he typically chooses not to be armed in the field as a matter of personal preference—the way he both uses and fails to use a gun in this episode gives us a lot of insight into who and what he cares about and how he conducts himself as a “protector.”

his behavior is also internally consistent, both within the frame of s1 (which is, of course, kind of its own weird microcosm) and later on in the show.

in other words: unlike a lot of grissom's s1 characterization otherwise, this particular beat doesn't end up being ooc for him in the long run.

that grissom doesn't carry a gun while himself confronting dangerous serial killer syd booth goggle at the end of the episode but does carry one earlier on during the sting operation at the grocery store while he is very much in “protect sara” mode reveals so much about where his priorities lie.

of course, grissom is typically a pacifist who prefers to use his brain rather than bullets and work things out with his words rather than with any kind of show of force. of all of the members of team graveyard, he is the one who is perhaps least likely to physically escalate a situation with a suspect or person of interest.

however, when it comes to “his people,” he is nevertheless willing to “go to bat” for them in a way he doesn't usually do with himself.

we see this trait already in play with him earlier in s1, when he pulls a gun on amy hendler when she has her gun pulled on nick in episode 01x06 “who are you?”, as well as when he bodily tosses eddie willows off of catherine and orders him out of the lab in episode 01x16 “too tough to die.”

but while he would defend and protect anyone on his team who needed him to, he feels especially protective of sara.

she’s special to him, and the fact that she is is already an established point on the show even by this early date; what we observe here only further drives this notion home.

earlier in s1, the show depicts him as being protective of sara emotionally in episodes like 01x10 “sex, lies, & larvae” and 01x16 “too tough to die,” where he notices her getting overly invested in certain outcomes for her cases and tries (oftentimes unsuccessfully) to talk her down before she gets her heart broken, also sometimes going out of his way—and outside of his usual code of personal conduct—to do whatever it is he thinks might give her peace of mind.    

but in episode 01x23 “the strip strangler,” we for the first time are shown how physically protective he can be of her, as well—the man of thought transforming into a man of action the second he believes she needs him to.

one of the main themes of episode 01x23 “the strip strangler” is a theme that repeats with grissom and sara many times over the seasons before they become an official couple: that of grissom feeling helpless to intervene with sara as much as he wants to because he can’t do so without “tipping his hand” and showing her (and everyone else) just how helplessly in love with her he is.

when he first learns that agent culpepper wants to use her as serial killer bait, his heart just about drops out of his chest. when he later learns that sara has opted to go ahead taking part in the sting anyhow despite his resistance, his heart just about drops out of his chest again.

though he couches his objections to this plan to both culpepper and sara in terms of logistical considerations—and, of course, it is his genuine professional opinion that the sting is bad criminalistics praxis—the truth is that so much of his reaction is visceral, personal, and emotional, having little to do with the investigation but everything to do with the girl at the middle of it.

he is scared to death that the love of his life is going to get hurt or killed, and he’s desperate to avoid that outcome.

to this end, he tries to put his foot down, refusing point-blank to give his okay on the operation as sara’s supervisor. and when that tactic fails, he then attempts to argue culpepper and sara down using logic—expounding to them why their idea is a poor one, more likely to backfire than to legitimately help the investigation. then when sara still stubbornly insists that she wants to help, he harangues her in the hopes that she’ll back off if maybe he just scares her enough, pointing out to her how vulnerable she is and how dangerous this undertaking will be, painting a gory picture of what the stakes are.

but, ultimately, because he always has to frame the issue in solely professional terms, both culpepper and sara are able to dismiss him, shrugging him off and saying, “well, it comes down to a difference in professional opinion.”

and the fact that they can do so is a galling thing for grissom, because while culpepper still wouldn’t give a damn even if he knew the underlying reason why grissom so vehemently opposed the sting, maybe sara would.

if he could just grab her by the shoulders, look her in the eyes, and plead, “please don’t do this. you’re my whole world, and i couldn’t stand it if you got hurt. there are other, better ways to do this. please don’t put yourself in harm’s way. i love you,” then maybe she might listen to him.

and the thing is, he knows as much.

but the thing is, he can’t.

he isn’t ready to admit to himself, to her, or to the world just how much he loves her—not yet, not in so many words, and not out loud; not when doing so would irrevocably change the nature of his existence.

and because he isn’t ready to, all he can do at this point, once she decides that she is indeed going to offer herself up as bait, is to try his best to protect her as much as he can from afar.

so.

for as much as he hates the sting in both principle and practice, he shows up to it—and he does so packing heat, even though nine times out of ten otherwise, he doesn’t typically carry a sidearm. 

he sits in the surveillance van in the parking lot, brooding and stewing, watching her feed like a hawk. 

and the second dwight schrute the suspected perp starts chatting her up, he’s already halfway out he door, barreling toward the store entrance.

by the time the guy has his hand on sara’s wallet, he’s rounding the endcap on that aisle, charging out ahead of all of the cops and fbi agents and goddamned culpepper with his gun drawn and his finger on the trigger, because no way is he letting anything happen to her.

thankfully, it turns out to be a false alarm, and sara is—though disappointed by the failure of the sting and maybe a bit embarrassed to have let herself get caught up in the fbi circus show—otherwise fine.

but the fact remains: grissom was ready to kill for her, if he needed to.

the question then becomes why he isn’t ready to kill to defend himself later on during the course of the same investigation.

and you know that old tumblr-favorite poem? the one that goes

you’re in love with him, here’s the best part: he loves you more than his own life... so, here’s the worst part: he loves you so much more than his own life.

well, the answer to that question is essentially those two stanzas.

grissom is the epitome of that notion, because for as quick as he is to defend sara, later on in the same episode, he thoughtlessly approaches a suspect by himself, completely unarmed, and ends up face-to-face with a serial killer, who might kill him except that catherine—bless her—shows up to save his ass.

because she always carries a gun, no matter what the investigation, and no matter who is involved in it.

on the surface, it may look like a discrepancy: why does he have a gun at the grocery store but not at the apartment complex, you know?

but it all comes down to what really scares him.

by no means is he suicidal, and he isn’t even habitually careless with his own safety in the same way sara oftentimes is with hers, but he can sometimes be heedless of certain risks because he trusts so much in his own intelligence, believing that he will always be able to think his way out of any tight spot.

sometimes he is less scared than he should be of the sheer brutality and unpredictability and irrationality of the criminals he faces down, relying on his own cleverness to save him even in situations where it doesn’t factor in and can’t save him because scissors beats paper, you know?

with goggle, you can almost see grissom thinking that if he can just keep goggle talking, he can trick him into making a mistake. he thinks they’re playing mental chess. that’s why it takes him so completely by surprise when goggle “flips the board” and clocks him with the wrench. for him, it was a purely intellectual exercise, but goggle “broke the rules” and turned it physical.

that tendency in him comes from his cerebral nature—from the fact that his obsessions so enrapture him that sometimes that he thinks of nothing outside of them, including his own safety.

it’s like his self-preservation instincts and even his sense of himself as a living creature with a body (as opposed to just a brain having thoughts) take a backseat to his compulsion to solve the puzzle. he can almost forget himself if he thinks he’s on the verge of cracking a case.

but that’s never the case with sara.

he can never forget her.

if she’s in danger, he can think of nothing else.

and he would sooner himself die than allow her to come to harm.

his pacifism, his aloofness, his commonsense—it all goes out the window when she is in trouble; even his ability to keep his emotions in check (which he usually retains in almost all situations otherwise) is just gone.

we see this trait in him in play later on, when adam trent is holding a shiv to sara’s neck (see episode 05x21 “committed”) and he literally starts begging the hospital employee to unlock the door, unconscious of his blatant show of emotion.

we also see it in episode 07x24 “living doll,” when he shakes natalie davis during the interrogation, getting physical with her in a way that he might otherwise never do with a suspect, except that he is desperate to save sara.

so though the episode doesn’t explicitly remark on it, the fact that grissom both has a gun on him to draw and draws it during the sting, obviously in protection of sara, feeds into the gsr themes of the episode and grissom’s overall characterization.

here we see this man who is at times so dispassionate that he is accused of being a robot but who is so passionately in love with a girl that he breaks all of his rules for her.

the consummate professional becomes unprofessional where it concerns her.

he lets his personal feelings run away with him.

and when it comes to her, everything ceases to be hypothetical, cerebral, intellectual; it is no longer a thought exercise.

everything gets really real, and his behavior changes.

just the thought of some serial rapist killer whose “type” is tall brunette girls getting anywhere near sara is enough to make grissom go home, take his gun out of its case, and load it, and then only once he knows for certain that she is safe does he put it away again, because she is such a different kind of priority for him than anything else.

the choice to have him draw a gun in the one scene but not even have one on his person in the other tells us so much, and what it says is something that remains a through-line for the entirety of the show.

so for as much as the s1 writers didn’t have a good grasp on grissom as a character, to my mind, that particular choice is one they got right.

thanks for the question! please feel welcome to send another any time.

[lastthroes]

and now that i'm actually on (o)shi no k(o)

read more for spoilers for the latest chapter, aka 165. it's been leaked: officially it's not released yet. warning for extra salt if you don't want to read that

if it wasn't because there is only a chapter left (i've been running on the sunk-cost fallacy for a while now), i would have dropped this. if i knew beforehand that i would be sitting through several chapters of the mc's senseless and agonizing death, i'd have never picked it up for starters

not only aqua's death solves nothing, and if anything feels conflicting with how the manga wanted him to live instead of giving in into his suicidality (which apparently it's okay now if it's an "heroic sacrifice"). but jesus. was it really necessary to drag it on like this?

i don't even understand what's the point. it would be fine if this was that kind of manga, but it never was, so it comes really out of left field. ai's death shaped this manga entirely, and it never treated her death like this. whatever self-awareness that there was in aqua wanting to keep ruby from seeing ai's corpse? yeah, that's gone now

everything in these last chapters is morbid in the exact way a fourteen years old being edgy would make it and think it's deep. this conclusion in itself feels like nothing but bland shock value, throwing away any semblance of tying hanging plot threads together or keep any theme consistence (i'm forever mourning how much the manga said that ruby shouldn't just be ai's copy, just to make her become exactly that. she's even the focus of her former band now. give me a damn break). i know it went off the rails long before the ending, i actually found it a chore and stopped reading for a good while since the point about finding ai's killer and the revenge, and even the critique on the idol industry, became secondary at best. when it became some harem-lite amalgamation, slowly killing whatever interest i had. can't even blame the fandom for being nothing but ship/waifu warring when it feels that's what the manga most cared about through a good chunk of it

and then coming up with these "twists" that are impossible to believe, like ruby's fake death plan somehow being a success, or aqua's supposed master plan… he's a doctor. are you really going to tell me he doesn't know that forensic agents can tell what's a self-inflicted wound from one that isn't? what about the fingerprints? and why does this manga pretend he's right? am i supposed to feel sad at kana slapping aqua's corpse? because i don't. it's pathetic, and not in a good way. i don't even think drown people will look as nice as aqua does

this made me dislike aqua in the end, as well as probably the manga as a whole; my favorite character, that also happens to be one of the most underutilized parts in this story, also becomes a complete shut-in surrounded by trash bags after deluding herself with talking to goro by putting his glasses on a ball. what's this, the 'cast away' movie?

i know the manga implies ruby eventually picks herself up so aqua still "saved" her future as an idol (another excuse for drama that really did not make sense, but regardless, i'm sure what ruby's choice would've been if she had to choose between being an idol or having her twin brother), but i honestly really do not care anymore. fifty pages are not going to make justice to ruby recovering from all of this, and even if it did, everything's already too wrecked as an ending. and, as i said in the previous post, aqua's whole reason to exist and die being "protecting ruby" simply doesn't land in the same way it would have had they actually build up on this bond as twins instead of wasting pages into turning aqua into an attempt of an oblivious harem protagonist and then forgetting about said bond

and of course a certain subset of shippers are treating aqua killing himself for ruby as some kind of win, for "being who aqua loved most". what kind of win is this? that ruby had to stare at aqua's corpse (and apparently his family learned of his death once he was identified on the damn news of all ways? really, where was the realism left in this story?) when she had already lost goro and ai, not to mention the familial abandonment she suffered as sarina (which is probably the reason she latched so hard on goro for starters) and her own life and death? when the story has confirmed her fears about causing misfortune to anyone who gets close to her?

[wyvernwriterarchive]

Major Characters in my W.I.Ps as Tarot Cards (P1?)

Dalgari, Thrones of Legend

Formula:

Character:Tarot

Explanation of their arc and why I picked the card. May include mine or spoilers.

Enid: The Chariot

Enid is filled with the courage and determination to keep moving forward, for a better world, that her mother wishes to see for the world. She will not passively sit down and wait for things to get better and doesn't allow any of the other party members to wollow in sadness for too long.

Though they sometimes struggle internally to believe they are capable of living up to their ancestors, Enid knows they cannot stop and let obstacles stop them.

Taurn:Strength

Taurn's story is all about his strength. His physical strength allows him to protect his friends, and he takes extreme pride in it. Though because of his heart condition, he often believes this isn't enough for him to be strong, and often hides his weaknes

In order to become the hero he want to be, he must also improve his mental emotional strength, choosing to become more vulnerable and open, as this will allow him to be free of his mental shackles, and possibly fre others too.

Leon:Justice

A just, honorable knight of high status and nobility, Leon considers himself an arbiter of the law. Though his ideals are not as just as he believes they are. As they are continously challenged, they begin to think about how unfair their society is.

When he realizes how unjust his society is, he wishes to change it, and becomes more honest with himself. His noble birth has been shielding him from the truth of the world for long enough, and now he is ready to face it and reshape it.

Sophia: The Tower

Sophia was safe and felt comfortable with her life. But with her mother's disappearance and the time of her coronation coming really soon, Sophia feels as if she is falling into a fate where she dooms her country.

She desperately tries to search for her mother; to rebuild the tower as quickly as possible. But eventually she will have to admit that it just isn't possible, and that she will have to be ready to leave it behind and walk towards a better future.

Angeline:The High Priestess

Angeline is convinced that she is just as weak as her family had been telling her. And yet, she believes she must use her life to help others, often ignoring her own needs and belittling herself.

When she begins to grow and learn about her strengths and the world, she realizes that she does have the right to stand strong and be proud. She decides never to let herself be misguided by those who mean to belitte her, even if they are loved ones.

Noah:The Hermit

Noah's thirst for knowledge and wisdom has gone on for a very long time. He's always wanted to share the things he's learned with others, but he is often unable. Sometimes he is ignored and shooed off. Other times he simply doesn't get the chance.

His knowledge is invaluable to the Gilded Guardians, and he knows that he can not simply sit back and hide away. He must reflect on his knowledge, but he also needs to show it, and become a competent leader and tutor.

Wulf: The Hanged Man

Wulf, while charismatic and skilled enough to lead a band of mercs and rebels, is nowhere near ready to run a country. He often worries how he will be able to run the land he spent so long trying to liberate.

With the help of his friends, he realizes that he must take the time to learn, and even if it is difficult, he can't simply do nothing. He must act, and act with wisdom.

Shahriyar: The Magician

In order to prevent a disaster for his country, Shahriyar does whatever he can to act and face the trials of a deadly night. He's been training his skills to help protect his brother.

Willing to learn and do anything if it means achieving his goals, he oftentimes let's his ambition and willingness to do awful things get the best of him, dulling his empathy. Shahriyar will need to learn to temper his will, and still use his resources wisely.

Leilana: The Sun

Despite all of the tragedy she has faced, Leilana always seems to carry herself with a positive, almost childish attitude. She wants to make those around her feel safe and happy.

As things grow dire and negative, she will do whatever it takes to keep the peace and keep everyone positive. But it is unclear at first whether or not she is truly doing as well as she says or believes she is. She may need some assistance as well.

Amethyst: Death

After the death of her brother, Amethyst has grown distant. Hateful, even. She doesn't trust anyone except those truly close to her, and even then, not by much.

In order for her to heal, trust others, and defend her ideals and home, she needs to let go of her grief and anger and move forward. It will not be easy, especially with her enemies still alive and well, but it is necessary.

Wilhelmina: The Star

Not much is known about the Ollphéist of her lands. And in turn, Wyla does not know much about them, other than her history. But in hopes of growing and help her country, she decided to explore the mainland.

There are many dangers she and the world faces. But she can't shy away or lose faith. She follows the Gilded Guardians with hope in her heart and bravely faces off against those who try to oppress her people.

Viria: Temperance

Viria has taken in eleven young, powerful people, and is nurturing them to be the best they can be in order to protect their world. It is a very heavy burden. Even heavier considering new threats arise every day.

The duchess must keep balanced if she hopes to achieve her goals, but she also needs to realize that she does not need to go through this alone. Just as the descendants rely on her patience and love, she can rely on them to keep her focused and balanced.

[pinepickled]

Back at it again to talk about just how much I hate the very concept of Jason 'giving up' on the Joker to return to the batfam.

Like, I see so many people who write meta and fics that claim that the one true solution to the current conflict between Bruce and Jason is for Jason to have a come to Jesus moment about why killing is wrong and to just accept that the Joker will continue to live, doing so for the sole reason of reconciling with Bruce. To me, it just reeks.

I cannot say this enough, but their conflict is not about whether killing is moral or not!!! That is not why Jason just cannot make up with Bruce as things are! Jason was considered one of the only comic book characters to be permanently dead for a reason, his death continues to mean something even after his resurrection for a reason!! The conflict starts in that the man who was supposed to protect him failed to and Jason DIED! The conflict continues because Jason was not avenged at all! His death was meaningless! Completely, utterly, meaningless!

The whole reason Jason goes on his murderquest in Gotham is because he saw newspaper clippings of the Joker, still alive and well, escaping Arkham! He must have thought of all the times Joker escaped while he was just a little kid, how they were constantly rounding the guy up and putting him back, watching the body count that this man has personally caused go up and up and up while they were functionally powerless to stop it. Jason himself says so, directly asking Bruce why he's let the Joker fill entire graveyards with innocent lives!

Under the Red Hood is a well thought out story. It never meant to make the case for whether murder is morally justifiable or not, that was Batman's trauma filled excuse. The reality, as outlined in samiralula01's post, is that Jason's death killed Bruce. He lost his ability to be compassionate, loving, merciful, and more. His little boy was dead. Clinging onto his belief that murder is wrong was just a means to justify to himself why Jason's death would have to go unavenged, and as a direct consequence of this delusion and trauma, which is explicitly said in UTRH, most of Batman's sidekicks have left him! Oracle, Tim, Steph, Cass, everyone except Dick! He's pushed them all away because of this crippling fear of losing them like how he lost Jason, this fear that has made him a colder, less loving man. The fear that turned him from a bringer of justice and hope into a dark shadow.

Jason is right, at the end of the day. He knows the Joker cannot be rehabilitated nor contained, he knows that Bats is just making excuses for himself, and his point of view is further justified by two events: 1, the fact that Barbara was brutalized by the Joker even after Jason died, and 2, that Bludhaven and supposedly Dick was literally NUKED right before Jason went to kill the Joker and instead of running to see if his son was okay, Batman went after Jason.

Batman chose the Joker over his kids not once, not twice, not thrice, but four times.

Jason dying and the Joker living on was the first.

Barbara being tortured to the point of disability was the second.

Dick being nuked and Bats not running to save him was the third.

and Jason having his throat slit by a batarang so Bats could save Joker was the fourth.

UTRH is the story of how Batman does not actually have a solid moral ground to stand on anymore. It displays not only what a broken and defeated man Bruce is, but also implies several times, most notably through the coffin maker's story, that even Bruce believes that Jason is right. He believes that his precious second son deserved to be avenged, not even through bureaucratic or judicial means, but through death. UTRH is a story about Batman, all alone, making huge mistake after huge mistake.

Jason asks Batman to choose: him or me. The Joker or Jason. Your kids or a villain.

Batman chooses.

The Joker puts it the best, after Batman upholds his no-killing rule for the Joker by killing Jason.

"You managed to find a way to win... and everybody still loses!"

[our-neighbours-cat-is-a-menace]

Can you do yandere jjk characters x witch reader headcanon separately pls

Ooh i like this, I'm also lowkey into yanderes ehem*, so for this fic, i choose daddy materials men who are dominant as hell

Boys included : Sukuna, Satoru, Toji, Suguru

You belong in a race where mankind has no idea of. Witches. Yes they make stories out of witches which can only be labelled as fiction and someone's fantasy or imagination. But it's different when it comes to sorcerers and curses, they know your kind exists

You were a witch, a real one but you were not the violent or wild type, you enjoy just living peacefully, brewing medicines and playing with your cat. Your battle prowess is equivalent to a child, you only learned healing involved witchcraft. If there's something you're good at, it's teleporting and concocting medicine.

But what will happen if someone who desires peace and quiet accidentally caught the interest of borderline psychotic men

Sukuna

Now, how did you manage to caught his interest

Oh i don't know, you just so happen to see him fucking the life out of a woman against a tree

Your cat was being a menace and decided to play your wand, biting it and running off to the woods

With every step you take into the woods where your cat was already nowhere in sight, incoherent noises can be heard

The more you step forward, the more the noises became clear

Not really thinking of the consequences, you revealed yourself to the people fucking in front of you

You jumped to the conclusion that the guy was forcing himself on the girl

You were about to reach out to the girl when she suddenly said "more, harder, fck me harder"

You were quick to retract your hand but was stopped when the curse caught you in a grip

"What are you doing? Let go" you demanded

"Hmmm, how about no" he cheekily responded

"you don't get to decide that, and can you stop talking to me, while your railing your lover"

"she isn't my lover tho, hmm do you wanna join"

"hmmm, how about no" you also cheekily responded, feeling victorious for imitating his words

Contrast to your expectation of him becoming irritated with your behaviour, the curse was now fully intrigued

He stopped thrusting, and pulled out completely and sweeped you off your feet

"Hey, let go, you are so rude, you know that"

"hmm, no one actually said that to me before"

"oh so that's why, you became like THIS" you said while eyeing him up and down, scrutinizing his being

"keep that up and you're gonna be sorry"

And now For the million dollar question, why aren't you scared or hastily running away from this maniac

Here's the answer

You fully believe that as long as you can get your wand back, you can easily escape

What you didn't know is that, the curse carrying you already smashed your poor little cat, completely flat to the ground and hidden your wand, with no plan on returning it

You don't need that wand, after all you are not going anywhere forever

Satoru

"Don't kill it"

"It's a curse"

"It's my friend"

You are currently sheilding a 2nd grade curse behind you from a white haired masked guy

You met the curse a month ago, it helped you locate your cat and for some odd reason, you guys became friends

"Why is even a witch protecting a curse, Look here, i was tasked to get rid of that curse and you, a little witch can't stop me" he threateningly said

You felt yourself back away and that's when your cat lunged at the man, but completely turned to smithereens in front of your eyes

You froze and the man in front of you took the chance to kill the curse behind you

Oh how you regretted not learning attack spells cause now your only choice was to run away, you were still thankful you excelled in teleporting since he didn't get a hold of you in time

But that relief soon vanished when he teleported moments after you

You teleported again and again, he follows you everytime you teleport but makes no effort on actually catching you

For your last option, you teleported to the farthest location you can come up with

That took a lot of mana, and you feel like your gonna faint the moment you landed that last teleportation

Your knees were ready to give up and yours eyes slowly came to a shut but not before seeing the silhouette of a grinning man

Satoru caught you the moment you started falling, took the wand that fell out of your hand and completely destroying it

"i hope that was enough teleportation to last you a lifetime" he sickeningly whispered to your ears

The moment you woke up, you knew it was over, walls and floor painted with blood, a pile of bones, torture devices decorating every part of the room and in the middle of them all sitting in a chair is your soon to be psychotic boyfriend

Toji

How did your act of kindness turn to this

You did nothing but help him so why

Why are you chained to a bed with no possibility of escaping

2 days ago, you went to one of the humans convenience store and bought some stuff but on your way back, you encountered someone in the alleyway bleeding

Thinking it was no big deal, you gave him a healing potion and instructed him to drink it but unfortunately he wasn't well enough to drink it on his own

Your cat also urged you to do the method you were thinking of by meowing nonstop

Already worked up your courage, you open the lid and drank the potion yourself before giving it to him through mouth to mouth

The man gladly gulped down the liquid, his wounds were starting to heal up

"You suck at kissing" he blurted

"SHUT UP"

"Don't tell me, you've never kised someone" he jokingly said

With no meaning to it, you became embarrassed and turned red from his statement

"so what if i never kissed someone" you grumbled

If you're seducing him then you are doing a very good job right now, cause he can't take his eyes off your form. You might be bad at kissing but you certainly have a knack for seduction

You saw how his wounds are almost all closed up so you quickly stood up, said your goodbyes without looking back

You slept and the next day everything was normal and went to sleep again, so how did you become chained to his bed now

"your way of saying thank you sucks too" you spit to the man in font of you, seeming amused of your defiance

"if this is your way of saying thank you, i don't want it" you added

"It's not a matter where you like it or not cause either way, you're staying here with me" he stated as a matter of fact

"also, we might as well improve your kissing skills" he simply added before tightening the chain in your ankle

Suguru

Mahito is the root of all this

He somehow mentioned that there was a witch lurking around the area

This of course made suguru want to go hunting

And tha target is

You✨

While you were just enjoying the view in Tokyo, you failed to notice someone following you

Though the moment you used a road where not a lot of people go by, suguru decided to come face to face with you

You were quick to realize that he was up to no good so you whipped out your wand and was about to teleport when he took hold of your cat

He saw how you treasured the cat after following you so he was sure you are not going anywhere as long as the cats in his hold

Though a sudden thought came to mind, what would your expression be if the cat died im front of you? Will you attack him? Or will you break down

He threw the cat upwards and sent a slash moments after

He was so sure the cat would die and you'll fall into despair

But the situations different, you teleported to your cat cradling it, taking the hit, you were so sure you could save your furry friend but alas your cat also got hit

With the intensity of the attack, you were quick to fall down but suguru caught you

You are now bleeding out in the arns of your murderer, slowly dying

You could see despair painted all over his face that clearly says, this isn't what should've happened

With each second, life was slowly being sucked out of you

Until you became fully limp in the hands of your killer

A/N: Bless the cat ❤️

Masterlist🌻

[yahoodarling]

Small answers for my SAGAU question. 

General warnings: abandonment, manipulation, death, sacrifice, yandereish themes.

Would characters give up their family/siblings in your name if you, their God, asked?

Childe and Albedo(unedited)

"Would childe be willing to let his family die if only to choose his savior, his god's side?"

Childe had to choose. It ripped him down his core but he had to. He knew you were his god, the one that gave him such love and protection in his times of the abyss, a deep darkness even the Tsaritsa was not even able to touch, yet you guided him and loved him for even the changed man he became. There were still those hesitant if you were the true God or not, one being the Tsaritsa herself, she couldn't believe such a great being such as her God would take the form you had, it was blasphemy and she stated any who took your side were traitors. Childe had to choose. It ripped him down his core but he had to. And he chose you. Unable to do anything about his family still in shneznayan, he stuck to your side. Had the fatui killed them for his traitorous acts? Were they still allowed to live? The questions assaulted him but all that worry cleared as he felt a pressure on his shoulder, he turned to see you, a brilliant smile on your face to shine away the sadness. "I appreciate all that you have done for me, Ajax." 

He falls to his knees to your feet, oh so tempted to reach out and hold himself to your legs but he stops himself from acting out of line. This is all he needs, his god's love. How could he even brew on the idea of choosing his family over you? The choice was so simple. If only his family were also willing to believe in you, you would have saved them, but they don't, they believe the Tsaritsa and so really it's their own fault, right? Whether they live or die is up to them, for once he can focus on himself and he chooses to focus on you. His body, mind and time are yours to take, to be used by you is proof his existence truly has worth.

"Would albedo leave Klee to fall to prey of life, to no longer support and protect her all to join you? How would he feel?"

"Brother Albedo, where are you going?" Klee asks, confused as to why Albedo was packing away only his most valuable resources. "Klee we have spoken about this, you don't want to come with so i can't tell you." He was on edge, she didn't know anything, she hadn't felt your grace and acceptance yet she was still so young, she didn't understand, maybe when he joins you he can ask you to take pity on Klee and show her why she should accept you as Teyvats god. True your rising was only recently and many were confused or angry believing you to be fake but he'd much rather follow a god that welcomed him into their arms like you had to him then a land that saw him as a threat. "Why would you want to leave? I still don't understand? Will you be back?" Albedo slammed his filled box on the table, he was getting tired of having his emotions pulled like this. "I'm taking you to stay with Jean, maybe in the future we will meet again but for now… my dedication is better valued elsewhere."

Klee cried as they walked down Dragonspine to Mondstat. A deep dark part of him hoped she would die, she was going to be surrounded by people feeding her lies to hate you, to believe you are fake, and there is no way you would accept her then and since she can't come with him since she isn't a believer… maybe death would treat her better than your wrath. He let go of Klee's hand while they were in the middle of Dragonspines trails and walked away from her. He couldn't do it himself, and by leaving her there may be a chance she survives, a small hope in him but it dimmed in comparison to the feeling he had of being with you.

"Albedo, you are always welcome in my arms. You belong somewhere that values you, I am that place." He could feel the soft strokes of your hand still running through his hair. "Come, accept me as I have accepted you." At the end of the day he is not human, he will never truly be accepted by Mondstadt but that doesn't matter now, he has you and you do. You love him and guide him in ways none ever have, you set a feeling in him that makes him feel warm but dangerous. He was actually scared of what this feeling you were awakening in him was, it felt like the fibers of his being were being pulled apart and rearranged but it was also a nice feeling, he could feel your hands rip him apart by each thread and knit them back together into a new him, a better him as he is remade into your perfect way, and that warmth covered him completely. This is his Grace, this is the true God of Teyvat. Maybe Klee will realize this in time, when she is alone and in danger if she comes to accept you she will be saved and welcomed in by you. He did a good thing today, by abandoning Klee in the harsh land of Dragonspine he created the chance for her to meet you.

[chaoticdelinqueerwithglitter]

Okay, I'm so sorry bc I'm about to ramble a lot about Sanzu, but I HAD TO! (well, I don't had to but I feel the urge to do it, some tomato tomato 😌 )

I'm going to try to put some order on it, but no guarantees bc there is a lot to say about the gremlin, he's a complicated character with a very twisted brain who never did anything wrong and is totally not his fault, not at all.

(Attempt of vehicular manslaughter with a katana just in case? He had a silly day, poor him )

Basically, I need to talk about this: "i must remain with those who damaged me so they never grow bored and find another victim"

(please, don't take it wrong, I just spent too many hours of my life thinking about him but I can totally understand how this can be a possible read! 🙏🏻)

First of all: Haru doesn't stay with those who damaged him and (here comes the tricky part) when he's actually aware they damaged him. Wakui told us he used to ran away from home as a kid, in plural. You know, typical 8 yo who slashes his big brother face and runs away (Takeomi, when I catch you for this one... Argh, not going there bc he was also a neglected kid but ugh). We also known that around the time he got both timelines in his brain, he ran away for good and probably was homeless for months until Mucho. Typical 13 yo experience too, but all good, the character book says abandoned cold warehouses is one of his fav places. (Wakui wtf for real 💀)

So yeah, Haru preferred to sleep on warehouses for months before staying one more day with his family. Took a knife against his brother before allowing whatever shit was going on (not a conscious decision probably bc he was just a kid and I'm 100% it was an instinctive reaction due to being triggered af). I genuinely think he's not the type who would remind quite and compliant in a place where he gets constantly hurt.

Except when it comes to the Sanos. Yups, Sanos, not just Mikey.

Here we start with delulu going strong, bc first of all, as obvious as it seems for the rest of the world: Haru is not aware of how much the Sanos damaged him. Bc of trauma (I'll go there in a while, wait for it) but also, bc he copes with huge amounts of denial, repress and delusions. If he admits this to himself, he'd break in thousand pieces. So he can't. 🙃

(besides the fact his mind is totally broken and reality can be hard to grasp, obv)

(always glad to recover this meme, it fits him too damn well xD)

Also, he's selfish in the most weird way ever. He wouldn't care about random hypothetical victims, not even the slightest. He gives up his own self for Mikey, but is his terribly wrong choice. He's doing it bc is what he believes, what he wants. What he promised too. But he doesn't give a shit who gets caught up in the middle. The king comes first, always.

A few exceptions where it actually hurts him if these people are in the middle of Mikey's way to... To keep living, I guess? But Mucho proved to us who would Haru choose. It will be painful, but his choice is clear. And yeah, it's a choice rooted in severe trauma, obviously. But still, a willing choice. He had months to plan Mucho's murder + how to convince Mikey of his loyalty and found a new gang together. It was a premeditated and wrong so so wrong choice. C'mon, he even pulled the whole speech of "I'm your one and only friend" to Mikey! 🌈coughcoughgaysogaycoughcough 🌈

And just bc I like sharing the hidden pain in the details Wakui left for us... Go to check on this funny (no) parallels!

But yups, is a willing decision where he's pretty much aware how this is going to end. He'll follow Mikey no matter the price, so he's fully delusional but at the same time, knows this is not going to end well for himself and accepts it. The delusion goes more in the sense of believing he can protect Mikey and keep him alive (again, he needs to believe that bc he'll fall right after his king, we all know it, he won't last one day bearing with another timeline with Mikey being dead 🥲 ).

Here, we also have a more accurate translation of this panel on the right side! IT CHANGES A LOT! Sanzu wasn't in a trance, he chose to follow Mikey bc he was infatuated and he needed to declare his love in front of 500 delinquents or something. Biggest simp ever! 🔥

Sorry, I'm doing a long ass chaotic post, argh! (I shouldn't be allowed to talk about him, I have too much to say that probably no one cares or the people who cares are equally obsessive for Sanzu and already knows, oopsie? 😅)

But yeah, my point here is mostly that Haru doesn't see himself as a victim and he'd actually be pretty much jealous if Mikey got another dog to mistreat and give for granted. As we can see in the way he insults Michi, actually. "I didn't spend the last twelve years as a willing slave for the stinky to come here and steal Mikey from me, wtf" 😑

The other important point: Sanzu is not protecting the world from Mikey, he is protecting Mikey. Period. (well, trying his best but protecting someone from themselves is hard)

Now I'm gonna sound like him, but bear with me here for a moment. Sanzu is not Mikey's victim. For one simple reason: He is Shinichiro's victim. Tl0 Shinchiro created Sanzu, that's it. (this is me rambling about Shinichiro's dubious educational methods, big part of it is related to Haruchiyo)

And yeah, Mikey was a shitty friend who gave him away like a stray cat, ignored him for years, gave him for granted and the list keeps on and on. But Sanzu stayed with this level of blind loyalty and obsession bc he remembered Mikey dying in a hospital bed for four years and that wired him forever.

Who told him to keep being Mikey's friend, who made him promised it when he just got scarred for life, was Shinichiro. Mikey wasn't in control when he did that, we all know at this point it was the consequences of Shin's timeleaping (bc yes, Shin, consequences exists honey 🙄). And yeah, 8 yo Haruchiyo without more than one timeline accepted forgiving Mikey, that's totally there and already concerning. But at the same time, for a or b, he kept some distances from him and Baji, to the point he wasn't there when Toman was founded (probably bc Mikey pushed him away too). To the point Draken wasn't aware that Haru was also Mikey's childhood friend.

But the moment he gets tl0 memories back? Then everything changes and he goes totally bananas stalking following Mikey around. I'm not saying the root for him being a simp with zero self-respect wasn't there, bc ofc it was.

Mikey was his first friend, one that probably didn't have any problem standing against Takeomi (as we saw with Kazutora's dad). Haru was a weird kid with a a traumatic childhood, ofc he clung onto his first friend (and probably only until Baji joined). Mikey was a mostly happy an energetic kid, spoiled even if he also lived some tragedies. Ofc the shy and traumatized kid admired him and got blinded by how bright he was. But it didn't go that hard until tl0 imploded.

What happens when you take a traumatized kid who was willing to forgive his friend for scarring him for life and add the memories of how that same friend spent 4 years in a coma to end up dying? Oh, and it turns out the accident didn't happen in exchange of his scars? The ones he was willing to forgive and now he's suddenly too damn aware were the price to pay for Mikey's life? Oh, and he was totally not-okay and slashing people for defending Mikey's honor bc trauma of having his friend in a vegetative state? Oh, he also got told by an adult he admired that it was fine to kill some random for saving Mikey? Oh well. Hi, Sanzu.✨ (I love you baby, but you need therapy and to stay the fuck away from the Sanos, thanks )

I hope this makes some sense, bc I'm fully aware my thoughts about Sanzu are too intertwined and is difficult af to organize them in a way that makes sense from the outside. Tbh, Sanzu mind doesn't makes that much sense either in general. But I felt it was important to explain more about what moves him and why he acts like that. He's in an emotional and insane gremlin who is also good at plotting and deceiving. But the reasons why he does it? Yeah, half of the time he's triggered and trying to not confuse timelines, sounds emotional to me.

I guess my point is mostly this: Sanzu Haruchiyo earnestly believes everything he does is to keep his promise of being Mikey's friend for life, no matter what. That's his goal. He's following Shinichiro steps and he'll sacrifice himself and everyone else for it bc that's also what Shin did. In a really twisted way, he sees it as an honor. Only he knows the truth, only he can be there for Mikey. Only he can be the knight his king needs.

(When I say Takuya should get the fuck away from there I mean it 😭)

thinking (again) about @chaoticdelinqueerwithglitter 's harutaku headcanons. oog.