#again its not the same situation but i think its a helpful perspective

[he4rken]

Could I request a 1x x reader where the reader is also kinda hateful towards others? 👉👈 Maybe if they’re a survivor they subtly help the killer during rounds without anyone knowing or if they were a killer they enjoy hunting them down. Think of that one cheesy trope of “hates everyone but you” but make it both the people in the situation.

I think it’ll be a very interesting dynamic, 2 people who hate everyone (but each other) :] Take your time and thank you for considering, don’t worry if you don’t wish to do it ^^

A LITTLE EXCEPTION... | hateful reader

— Anon, anon!!! This is actually so cute! I wrote both scenarios if the reader was a survivor or a killer so it's more fulfilling. Hope the headcanon formatting is well suited here!

WARNINGS: normal forsaken round stuff (implied murdering)

All pronouns aside from it/its were used here!

— The physical manifestation of pure malice actually having someone he doesn't feel hatred towards? Are you sure you're talking about 1x1x1x1?

— Okay, okay. Maybe it isn't so very far fetched when the one they hold (surprisingly) dearly is just as hateful as they are. Two sides of the same coin, two peas in a pod, all those sorts of sayings could describe either of you! Positively or negatively from the outside perspective.

— It's a bit of a surprise that both of you managed to get romantically involved, especially with 1x1x1x1 saying how she hates sappy things, relationships are not her thing at all!

— But oh man... Hey why is there so much glitter and pink stuff floating around in the air when you also don't seem to like anything or anybody? Is that music playing?

— Jokes aside I think 1x1x1x1 just very slowly starts conversing with you since both of you are haters, eventually the relationship between you does become more than acquaintances.

— Oh you don't like people? Especially a certain someone? Likewise for him too! Definitely has ranted about said certain someone a lot. Somehow she gets very pleased when you join in and agree with him fully. It's quite the ego boost too.

— It's kinda a shame when you guys rarely see each other, that's if you are a survivor and 1x1x1x1 didn't get selected by The Spectre to be the rounds killer. And if they do get selected? Majority of the time you end up being the last man standing with how much she's sparing you.

— Bonus points when you always help him out too! How generous of you to lead another survivor straight towards them and then bail last minute while the survivor screams in pure agony. Even better when it's none other than Shedletsky too, she's letting out her anger immediately on him. So kind of you to help them out.

— When it's just you and 1x1x1x1 alone while the last minute ticks away, you guys either spend that last minute complaining about anything or anybody. Or maybe just quickly catch up a bit before you guys don't see each other again for who knows how long.

— Now, when you're also a killer that's a whole different thing. He can see you whenever he wants to! Both of you can complain together, hate together, that's so romantic to them! While the others do beg to differ but who cares about their opinion, really? It's just you and 1x1x1x1 against the world.

— I wouldn't say he's gonna be your number one fan when you're in a round since you don't need unnecessary boost. Be angry! Be hateful! Let it all out on the survivors! Or perhaps target someone you absolutely despise! They know you can do it, no doubt.

— 1x1x1x1 probably isn't one for praise..? At least expressing it in a way that can come out as positive, you're like the only one she doesn't hate, so, perhaps the best he managed to shoot out was "you're the LAST person I'd start to despise", which honestly works. A compliment from them is a compliment, either take it or leave it.

— In a way this proves that 1x1x1x1 isn't just a negative Nancy. They're surprisingly capable of feeling other things outside of pure hatred, whether or not he hates the fact is up for interpretation.

— They're just... Oddly happy to have someone stick around with them, especially cause hey, both of you are haters. That's the best thing they could ever have gotten from a romantic partner and she's definitely not gonna take it for granted.

[opens-up-4-nobody]

...

[malewifesband]

i see it often that people do not see laios liking kabru, but in reality laios does like kabru! quite a lot for a guy that (from his perspective) he just met! laios forgetting kabrus exact name is not evidence of disinterest in any way--hes only heard it a couple of times, he struggles with small details (unless you want to argue laios also doesnt give a shit about marcille, chilchuck and senshi, he also forgets small details about them. if you do think this, i think dungeon meshi may be too advanced for you. stick to bluey.), and the man has autism. like near explicitly.

laios offers food from their limited supplies because kabru showed an interest in eating monsters, and makes him an omelette so he can have something to eat even though other food was already being prepared. he listens to kabrus criticism of his behavior and mindset in trying to protect falin even though she was straight up killing people, and tries to drag kabru to safety. he watches kabru defuse the situation between himself and toshiro masterfully, and confides in him how hurt he is that toshiro is so angry and how he mustve done something truly awful to upset him like that. when kabru tells him that meeting him was the best part of his time in the dungeon, laios agrees and says its the same for him (remember: laios doesnt do empty platitudes well--if he said it, he meant it).

when kabru leaves, we get three fucking panels in a row of laios staring after him, flexing the hand kabru was just holding, and reflecting on kabrus words ("next time..?")

when kabru shows up again deep in the dungeon, chilchuck is suspicious, but laios is so excited to see him that he throws caution to the wind and lets kabru hold his hand again despite seconds later crossing succubus off his list of shapeshifters that could be appearing as kabru--a carelessness around monsters and danger laios rarely exhibits. when kabru gives his warning about the canaries, laios is grateful. he notices how often kabru saves his skin

when lycion reveals that kabru lied about wanting to eat the omelette laios made, it breaks his heart because he made that with love! he made it for kabru, and kabru didnt like it, and now he knows kabru was just playing at friendship to use him. that breaks his heart, hes distraught, but he doesnt have time to be hurt about it when marcille needs his help urgently so he turns to run to her. he apologizes to kabru and tries to leave again. he isnt listening to what kabru is saying here because kabru was just revealed as a liar and because it doesnt really cohere (kabru is stuttering and speaking in broken sentences as he tries to explain about the dungeons power) and he needs to save marcille

he doesnt believe kabru wanted to be his friend, because who would? why would laios be special enough, loveable enough, to go through the pains kabru went through, just to be his friend? but when kabru makes the intensity of his desire known, laios promises to feed him again, at a proper restaurant --and again, food is care for laios, to feed someone is to love them. marcille is still his priority bc she is in real danger but he means what he says, he really does want to start over with kabru and be real friends with him

once we hit the resolution of the story, kabru near glues himself to laios, helping him and trying to cement himself as a right-hand man, and making known his intent to support laios no matter what. in the medieval manuscript style epilogue, kabru is one of two friends that stick by laios as he becomes king. both marcille and kabru become the people closest to him (besides falin of course), two friends who will always support him, always let him know when hes fucked up and theyre mad at him, two friends who he can rely on. laios did not have to accept kabru as an advisor, he did not have to ask him to stay with him. he did that because after everything, he trusts kabru now, and knows he can count on him

while laios doesnt give any big monologues about what he likes about kabru, its very clear he does, and we know what things laios values in other people. he appreciates kabrus social skills (very clear in the post canon comic in the adventurers bible), his intelligence, that kabru WANTS to be around him and understand him even though its difficult, his strength, and frankly he does appreciate his charm (three fucking panels straight of staring after him). laios really values people with specialized skillsets who are willing to tell him frankly what they think and advise him in areas he is weak in (something we see in his relationship with... i was gonna say namari but its everyone. he does this with everyone he likes. and in the resolution kabru does this CONSTANTLY he does not go a panel without giving laios his professional opinion on how to deal with people).

in conclusion: arent you hungry, kabru? let laios make something for you

[inseobts]

A New Perspective

trafalgar law x fem!bi!reader

law turns into a woman and suddenly you're having at lot of fun at the view.

words count: 2.3k

tags: minor spoiler(?), gender switch, romance, bisexual reader, funny

masterlist // ko-fi

The Polar Tang cuts through the sea, its steady rhythm the only sound until a sudden crackle of energy fills the air. You barely have time to react before your entire body feels like it’s been flipped upside down. A flash of light, a sharp tug, and—

You blink.

You’re staring down at yourself in utter disbelief.

“Wait a minute…” you mumble under your breath, staring at the unfamiliar body in front of you.

Gone is the familiar curve of your body, now you’re standing there, with the body of a man. You glance down at your broadening chest, the flatness that replaced your curves, and the new set of muscles beneath your clothes. Your voice comes out lower than usual when you speak, still in shock. “What the hell just happened?”

Suddenly, you hear a familiar voice calling your name.

“y/n, are you okay?”

You spin around to see Law, but…

What the hell?

Instead of Law’s usual sharp, masculine form, there stands a woman, still with his signature demeanor, that same authoritative presence, but now in a woman’s body. His—her—eyes lock onto yours, scanning you in equal confusion.

“What’s going on?” Law says, voice strained as she glances around, clearly just as disoriented as you are.

“Well,” you chuckle, blinking a few times to make sure you’re not seeing things, “this is… new.”

You step closer, trying to take it all in. And, damn, Law looks good as a woman. Her legs are long and toned, the frame lean yet feminine. The sight of her—him, but as a woman now—has your heart racing. You can’t deny it; she still has that Law confidence, just wrapped in a more delicate package.

You curl up on the ground, trying to hide the redness of your face.

“Is something funny, y/n?” she snaps, her eyes narrowing, clearly uncomfortable in this form.

You can’t help yourself. You grin. “I’m just trying to figure out how you can look so good like this. Honestly, I don’t think I’m complaining.”

Law’s cheeks flare red in an instant, and she crosses her arms, clearly trying to remain composed. “This is not the time for this, y/n”

You take another shy step toward her, eyes flicking down to her long legs. “Come on, Law, you have to admit you’re kind of… hot and beautiful right now.”

Her eyes flash “Cut it out. I need to figure out how to reverse this before you get a nosebleed”

You chuckle at her discomfort but can’t stop the rush of attraction that surges through you “Oh, I’m sorry, am I making you uncomfortable, Captain?” You look her up and down again, letting the blush spread across your face “It’s just—” You pause, your voice dipping into something more flirtatious. “You’re looking really good. I mean, what do you expect me to do? You know I’m bisexual, and my beautiful boyfriend just turned into a beautiful version of himself as a woman. You can’t understand how that feels right now.”

The words hang in the air, and for a moment, Law’s eyes flash with something that almost seems like frustration—or maybe… embarrassment?

“You can’t be serious,” she mutters, trying to maintain her usual stern tone but failing as her face betrays her. “You can’t just say things like that.”

You step closer to her again, letting your gaze linger on her, enjoying how she squirms beneath your stare. “Oh, but I can. And honestly? I’m loving it.” You take another deep breath and let the words slip from your mouth, relishing in the playfulness “You don’t know how good I think you look right now, Law.”

You can see the flush deepening in her cheeks, her hands clenching in obvious frustration. But then, out of the corner of your eye, you spot Bepo, Shachi, and Penguin all standing nearby, watching the exchange with wide eyes. The crew’s eyes flicker between you and Law, amused by the situation but clearly awkward.

You turn to the crew, raising an eyebrow, still grinning “Don’t act like you don’t see it, guys,” you say, voice almost playful. “Law’s looking fine right now.”

There’s an uncomfortable silence, and then Bepo scratches his head awkwardly, glancing at the others. “Well, uh… it’s true, she does look pretty cool…”

You let out a laugh, turning back to face Law. “See? Even the crew agrees.” You pause, then add, “I’m just saying, though… You’ve really got my attention right now, Captain.”

Law lets out a growl, clearly fed up. “You need to stop with that. We need to figure this out, and I’m not going to—”

But you cut her off, stepping even closer, your voice low now as you tease. “Okay, fine. But I have to ask…” You pout at her “Do you think I look handsome? Do you think I’m, uh… fuckable like this?”

There’s a sharp intake of breath from Law, her eyes locking onto yours in sheer disbelief, and for a split second, she doesn’t say anything. Her gaze flickers to the crew, who are now looking at you both with wide eyes and nervous chuckles.

“You—what?” Law stammers, her face completely flushed.

You grin wickedly, clearly enjoying the flustered look on her face. “Just curious. You’ve seen how you look now, so I’m wondering if I’m equally as handsome in this form” You add a wink for extra effect and trying to flex the muscles that you actually don't have.

Law stares at you, her expression a mixture of irritation and something else, but before she can reply, you see her posture change, that familiar frustrated sigh escaping her lips.

“You’re impossible,” she mutters, though there’s a hidden smile tugging at the corner of her lips, betraying her usual stern nature.

You raise an eyebrow, a teasing smirk on your face “You can’t deny it. I look good, right?”

“Well, of course you look good, you idiot, you're still y/n after all” she snaps, but the words are softer now, almost affectionate. She takes a step back, obviously still flustered, but you can tell that the playful tension between you both has shifted.

“I guess I do,” you say, voice lowering. “But, for the record, you still look way better than me.”

Law shoots you a sideways glance, her lips curving into a small smile. “I’m not going to say I enjoy hearing that, but… Fine. Whatever, y/n.”

You step closer one last time, your eyes locking onto hers. “You know, I might just keep you in this form a little longer if you keep getting flustered like this.”

Her eyes narrow, but this time there’s no real bite to it. “I swear to God, you’re never going to let me live this down, are you?”

You grin, shaking your head “Not a chance.”

You step closer to Law, your grin widening as you take in the flustered look still lingering on her face.

“So,” you start, your voice teasing, “before you turn back into a man… would you mind giving me a kiss?”

Law’s eyes widen, her cheeks flushing a deeper shade of red. “W-What?” she stammers, clearly caught off guard. “You can’t be serious.”

“Oh, I’m dead serious.” You cross your arms, smirking. “I mean, if you’re gonna be all hot and bothered in that body, you might as well give me something to remember you by, right? A little kiss, maybe? Just one. Even a fast one it's okay. Before the magic wears off and you turn back to your usual, grumpy self.”

Law looks like she’s about to refuse, but the playful glint in your eyes seems to challenge her. Her lips press into a thin line as she glances around, trying to maintain her usual, no-nonsense demeanor.

You take a step closer, lowering your voice to a soft, almost flirtatious whisper. “C’mon, Law. I’m not asking for much. Just a little kiss. This form makes me brave enough to even flirt.”

Law takes a deep breath, clearly weighing her options. She meets your gaze, and for a moment, the playful tension in the air thickens. Her eyes flick to the crew in the background, and she sighs, rubbing her temples. “This is insane,” she mutters under her breath before lowering her voice. “I’ll give you a kiss. But not here. Not in front of everyone.”

You raise an eyebrow, a mischievous smirk still playing at your lips. “I wouldn’t dream of embarrassing you in front of the crew. Just one little kiss, and then we can get back to this mess.”

Law takes one more look around at the crew, who are doing their best not to make eye contact, awkwardly pretending to be busy. With a huff, she grabs your arm and tugs you toward the corner of the ship, away from the prying eyes of the crew.

Once you’re out of sight, she finally turns to face you, her eyes narrowing in irritation, though you can still see the traces of warmth there.

“Fine,” she says with a sigh. “One kiss, but only because I’m about to lose my mind from your teasing and only if you promise you will stop”

You grin, feeling victorious. Slowly, you lean in, letting the moment hang in the air between you.

Law hesitates for a fraction of a second "I'm not gonna enjoy this at all" and then she leans forward, her lips brushing against yours in a soft, quick kiss.

It’s over almost as soon as it started, and before you can fully react, she pulls back, quickly straightening up, her face now a deep shade of red.

“That was… you’re impossible,” she mutters, crossing her arms tightly across her chest, clearly embarrassed.

You chuckle softly, your eyes glinting. “I’ll take that as a compliment, Captain.”

Before she can say anything else, you both hear a noise from behind. You turn just in time to see Bepo, Shachi, and Penguin awkwardly glancing in your direction, trying not to make it obvious they were eavesdropping.

“W-What happened?” Bepo stammers, his ears twitching nervously.

You laugh, trying to hide the grin that’s spreading across your face. “Oh, nothing. Just a little kiss between the Captain and me. No big deal.”

Shachi and Penguin exchange looks before awkwardly muttering, “Uh, okay…”

Law gives you one last glare before turning to the crew, shaking her head. “You’re all idiots, I wanna die right now” she grumbles, but even she can’t hide the small smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

The crew too shocked by what was happening in front of them to even notice their bodies also changed.

In an instant, everything shifted back to normal.

Your body, once again your own, feel right in an instant. The familiar curves and weight of your form returned, and you look over at Law—who now stand in front of you, the sharp edge of his usual confidence returning as his tall, masculine form was restored.

You both share a stunned silence, then slowly, the truth hits you.

You're back to normal, but in your mind, the embarrassment hits you like a ton of bricks.

The heat from the blush that hadn't quite faded from earlier is still present. You can't stop replaying the teasing words you’d said to Law. Some of the things you said were borderline ridiculous—and downright embarrassing. But there is no time to dwell on it. Not when the crew is in the middle of a tense situation.

"Oh God…" you murmur, your face turning a deep shade of red, thinking about everything you had said and done earlier when Law was in his female form.

Law, who clearly feel the same wave of awkwardness, ran a hand through his hair and gave you an unreadable look. "Well," he said, clearing his throat awkwardly, "that was an experience I’d rather not repeat."

You look away, unable to make eye contact with him. The memories of your flirtatious teasing, the way you had openly complimented his (her?) body, and your playful taunts feel a hundred times worse now that you are back in your own body.

“I… I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just… it’s not every day I get to see you in a different light, you know? I didn’t mean to—”

Before you can finish stumbling through your apology, you feel a firm hand on your shoulder. You look up to find Law standing right there, his expression softening.

“You don’t have to explain yourself,” he says, his usual calm tone still holding but with an undercurrent of reassurance. He pulls you into a gentle, almost reluctant hug, enveloping you in the warmth of his tall, solid frame.

You let yourself relax into his embrace, feeling the steady rhythm of his heartbeat against you, as if everything in that moment just made sense. Law’s presence, the way he always seems to know just what you need, made everything feel okay again.

“It’s okay,” he murmurs, his voice low, his arms strong around you “I know you didn’t mean anything bad. You don’t need to be embarrassed.”

You bury your face in his chest, your hands gripping his jacket as you let out a sigh of relief. “I just… I said a lot of things, Law. And you were—well, you were a woman. I didn’t mean to… make things that weird”

There's a brief pause, and then you hear a soft chuckle come from him, causing you to look up in confusion. “You’ve always been a little bit of an idiot,” he says with a gentle smile, but there's no malice behind it—only fondness.

You blink, the corners of your lips twitching as you feel the last of your embarrassment start to melt away. Law is always the one to make things feel less awkward, even in moments where it is impossible to avoid.

“You look even more beautiful now, if I’m being honest,” you mumble shyly, not able to fully stop the words from escaping. You figure he probably can’t be any more uncomfortable at this point, so you lean into the embrace a little more.

Law’s arms tighten around you, and the next thing you know, he is pressing his lips to the top of your head. “You’re ridiculous,” he mutteres affectionately, but his tone soft, a small but genuine warmth in his voice. “But you’re alright.”

[mythalism]

That post you reblogged made me realize that Rook being uncurious and only thinking in straight lines got them recruited because Varric doesn't want someone who could be easily swayed to Solas's side. If the Inquisitor was a romanced Lavellan, I can see Varric viewing his boss as someone who isn't thinking straight when it comes to Solas, and it's probably why even Lavellan herself seeks out Rook's opinion on whether or not to reconcile with Solas, because Rook is expected to be incapable falling for Solas's "charm", which could literally just be Solas telling the truth, but anyway. Realizing this does make the game worse for me, 'cause it feels like a minority's plight being brushed aside in favor of a centrist's need to defend the status quo. Sorry for rambling. Thanks for reblogging that post. :)

i think this is a really interesting watsonian way of looking at this but i agree its ultimately a flop. playing up rook's supposed lack of bias and value as an outside perspective when it came to solas could have been really interesting too if it wasnt being done in a way that was ultimately designed to rob the situation of nuance rather than add it. imagine if alongside harding's rose-colored view of the inquisitor and their relationship to solas you had another companion (or even ghost varric. or advisor!merrill because she should have been there) warning you to be wary of anything they say about him, that they're biased in his favor and untrustworthy.

with a lavellan you could have bellara or davrin warning you of how they grew up hearing the story of how the inquisitor betrayed their people when they fell for the dread wolf's tricks. how the tale of a romanced, vallaslin-less lavellan is now whispered around dalish campfires to elven children as a lesson of exactly what will happen if they ignore the keeper's wisdom and allow the dread wolf to catch their scent. another betrayer who trusted fen'harel and lost their blood writing. who got their clan killed. who lost everything. toss in a couple bad-faith interpretations of the inquisition's greatest PR nightmares and its a perfect mirror of how solas's story was misconstrued in the same way. of course, none of it is the truth. it wasn't really their fault. they didnt know! wait. where have i heard that before...

and then rook goes to meet them - all of these disparate views of who they are fresh in their minds. are they the kind, admirable, worthy, holy savior that harding idolizes? are they a tragic, pathetic fool chasing after a doomed love? are they a fen'harel sympathizing turncoat elf who's about to manipulate you into dooming the world (again)? are they just a person doing their best? (are they just like you?) well. rook is the perfect person to make that judgement! right? because they're so perfectly unbiased and completely objective, because being completely unbiased and objective as a person is possible, right? and because being unbiased and objective IS the goal and is always superior to being swayed by passion or emotion, right? except. now the inquisitor is in front of you and... its kind of hard to tell. they seem like anyone else you've talked to. they seem a little sad and lonely. they are pretty level-headed about the whole thing. more than you expected. an inquisitor with high approval with solas would speak about him positively, maybe a little love-sick, but they dont seem completely bamboozled. one who hated solas would speak of him with disdain, but... how can you be sure they arent just lying? they worked with him for a year. they let him stick around in their inner circle! they could be trying to fool you into a false sense of security!

maybe you have to accept or deny their help, or accept or deny a plan they present. it seems pretty sound, but how can you know? is it all a ploy to betray you and save him? can they be trusted? if you reject them; harding and the other companions that view them positively are furious. how could you have just denied one of the greatest allies to your cause? but if you choose to trust them, the companions who distrust the inquisitor are just as angry. how could you have put the entire fate of the world at jeopardy like this!? your sympathy is going to get everyone killed! they're manipulating you just like he does! how could you trust someone so clearly under solas's thumb!?

no, listen, its ok, rook tells them. they're different, because rook is not biased. thats why varric chose them, remember!? rook has an outsider's perspective, and thats what we needed, remember!? the attachment to solas that the inquisitor had, no matter the strength of it (loathing vs love) was a weakness! dont you see!? rook's outsider, unbiased, objective perspective on the situation was better! only through this perspective could they make the CORRECT choice!

except... you dont know solas. you dont know anything real about him. you dont know what is meaningful to him, his weaknesses, his desires. you dont know him as a person, only as an abstract god-like figure. you dont understand how his brain works. you dont know that he hates tea and can beat anyone in chess. you didnt take the time to understand him. just like you didnt take the time to understand the inquisitor. and now, without the inquisitor's aid you lose valuable information, allies, resources. your final battle gets significantly harder. you are locked out of specific endings. maybe your companions die.

all because you fell into the same trap as solas. you refused to trust. you refused to take the time to understand your opponent. you wrote them off as villainous, untrustworthy, betrayer. you gave myth the weight of history. you tried to do it all on your own. you couldn't acknowledge the bias inherent within yourself. you thought you were the only one who could make the right decision for the world. rather prideful, isnt it?

[a-bad-case-of-the-stephs]

It’s been one of those days. It’s Time for me to violently defend stephanie brown on the internet beyond what should be considered reasonable or good.

I saw an older anti stephanie brown post which blamed Steph for Robin #87 (when Bruce reveals Tim's secret identity to Spoiler and offers to train her) and all the comments and reblogs and whatever were ragging Steph and it pissed me off and it made me sad so I'm going to break down why being mad at Stephanie for something Bruce Wayne did is insane, why Stephanie is genuinely in the right, and why having the same opinion as Alfred "boy mom" Pennyworth is embarrassing.

This ones gonna be more rambly and less analysis like than my other Steph posts for the record, I just kinda need to get this off my chest.

Let's break it down.

When Batman first brings Steph onto the team as Spoiler he tells Steph Tim's secret identity. When Tim finds out his secret was told to her, he freaks out. Tim's perspective is super understandable. He feels betrayed by Bruce, because he didn't even consult or ask Tim first, a clear betrayal of Tim's trust and the supposed equality of their partnership. Especially in light of how much Tim feels he has sacrificed to keep Bruce's secret.

But lets look at the situation from Stephanies perspective. Because she is just NOT at fault here.

Here are the facts: Stephanie is approached by Batman, who has in pretty much every interaction beforehand been cold and dismissive, and who she expects to tell her to quit being Spoiler again.

This man has only ever shown an ounce of approval towards Steph's vigilantism one time before this, for like one line in Stephs very first appearance. For him to be asking her for help sets off serious alarm bells. Steph is "really scared" when Batman asks for her help to find Robin.

Robin #84

Furthermore, its important we don't take Batman at his word here. Bruce is withholding information, something he does with Steph a LOT. He says "no one" knows where Tim is, and in Robin #87, he clarifies that Robins transmitter went dead.

Robin #87

"No one" is an exaggeration of epic proportions, given that Batman has not checked Tim's boarding school, or contacted Alfred, the location which it is overwhelmingly likely he is at, and the person who would be able to check extremely easily.

Robin #87

Because Bruce didn't want to go to Brentwood himself and run into Alfred, or have to speak to Alfred, on account of their fight in Officer Down, he sends Steph.

While the fear and worry Steph is portrayed with in Robin #84 doesn't really carry over to #87 (one of the numerous inconsistencies between these two issues) the fact of the matter is Steph is misled by Batman about the stakes of Tim being missing, which she is led to believe are much higher than they are.

In addition to this, Stephanie was under the impression that Tim was only ever holding back his secret ID soley because of Batman's wishes, that Tim was just waiting on Batman to change his mind.

Robin #56 #75 #82 #62

Tim will assert this is true later, and he certain says this is true beforehand.

If he's telling the truth, he doesn't have an issue with Steph knowing his identity. He has an issue with Batman telling her without checking with him first.

How is Steph supposed to infer this?

Steph has no reason to think it's important that Batman checks with Tim, because Tim has made it abundantly clear to her that he does want her to know but has just been waiting on Batman's approval.

Let's look how Steph acts when she meets Robin knowing his identity for the first time.

Robin #87

Steph enters the situation seeming to believe Tim will feel happy for her and relieved that their relationship no longer has to be as one sided as it has been. She still leaves room for Tim potentially having conflicted feelings, by mentioning she "hopes" that it's okay with Tim that she's finally on the main team. Tim, as mentioned early, freaks out.

Again, Tim's frustration is understandable. But let's look at Steph's dialogue for a second.

Robin #87

She says "we can be together now". This is weird and really interesting choice, because Tim and Steph have been dating for the entirety of No Man's Land and over the course of her entire pregnancy. This is a substantial amount of time. So what does Steph mean by "now"? There are two explantations.

Steph and Tim were not on speaking terms before this, because Steph was under the impression Tim had been cheating on her. He isn't cheating, but it surprisingly never gets resolved. Like the many other threads which were brought up in Robin #84, it gets completely ignored in Robin #87 and onward. Steph could be referring to the fact that she believes they couldn't be together because he was supposably cheating, but now that she knows his secret identity, he has no reason to cheat anymore. This is a super flimsy idea however, and given the fact that no character brings up how Steph believes Tim was cheating with Star after Robin #84, the logical conclusion is that it was either resolved off screen, or retconned.

The second explanation is much stronger. Steph says "now" because despite the fact that they have been dating for so long, their relationship has been extremely unbalanced. She's been closed off to half of Tim's life, something she agrees to when they first get together, but clearly has taken a toll on her. To the point she says "now" because, to her, the relationship never really truly started.

Robin #80

This isn't a stupid or petty complaint, for the record. Tim has seen her at her worst, he was there for there immediately before and after childbirth, but she doesn't get to know anything about an entire half of his life. This is especially true when you consider much Tim was in control of their communication.

He can show up at her house anytime, but if he doesn't initiate contact Steph's on her own. In Robin #80 for instance, Steph is presumably just hopping around rooftops hoping to bump into Tim, because she has no other way to find him.

Robin #87

And after Steph expresses excitement that they can finally be in the balanced relationship, a real relationship, she is rebuked with a violent "No!" that she seems to lean away from. And in the next panel, she asks, confused: "What?" in a small speech bubble which gets entirely ignored. In fact, neither Batman or Robin speaks to, or even addresses directly Stephanie for the rest of the encounter.

When Robin storms off without even a look to Stephanie, Stephs reaction is (big Shocker) to blame herself. Batman uses neutral language to place the blame on Tim, stating that Tim feels betrayed. In direct contrast, Steph actively disagrees, clarifying that Tim was betrayed, and more than that, she directly places the blame on both her and Batman's shoulders.

Robin #87

But Stephanie is a prop in the plot. Tim doesn't yell at her, he runs from her. Because she isn't Stephanie Brown, his girlfriend who has been in a massively unbalanced relationship, who is overjoyed at finally getting to be in a "real" relationship with him, she's the person Batman told Tim's identity to. He's not angry at her, he's angry she knows his identity and Bruce didn't bother to ask if Tim could tell her. He's angry at Batman. This conversation, this whole drama, is about the partnership between Bruce and TIm.

Stephanie Brown, who believed Tim was just waiting for the Batman go ahead, had no reason to think Tim would be anything but as happy as she was. Importantly, Stephanie Brown is seriously just not to blame in this situation, even if she blames herself (which as I've discussed before, is a running theme with her characterization, her low self-esteem and occasional tendancy to blame herself for the actions of others).

Not to mention, Tim doesn't blame Steph either. So if you're reading Robin #87 and somehow coming to the conclusion that Steph is a monster, please reassess.

Robin #92

How does Alfred factor into this? I'll make it quick.

Robin #88

Oh no Alfred, I'm so sorry that your loyalties to Master Timothy run so deep that you HAVE to yell at the teenaged girl who was more of a prop than anything in that encounter and had no reason to think Tim would be hurt. Oh no, really that must be so hard for you. Well, at least we know he's consistent, I'm sure if he's this mad at Stephanie, he's fucking fuming at Bruce Wayne, right? Right? Right?

No, of course not. Alfred Pennyworth, hypocrite extraordinaire is out there actively defending Bruce to Tim. Which no one asked him to do.

It's all "in his defense" and "you knew the perils" and "master bruce's crusade ill afford the delicacy of privacy required in affairs of the heart" and "stop feeling sorry for yourself"

I cannot believe he has the gall to yell at Steph for this. Talk about wounding Master Tim deeply bro, just wait until its Tim's 16th Birthday Party and Alfreds applying his stupid latex mask with a smile on his face. Sorry Alfred, you’re not always wrong, but when you’re wrong you’re really wrong.

That’s all. Goodnight 🌙

[strangelittlestories]

"The thing is," wrote the AI, and somehow the font it chose for its text seemed *weary*, "people keep on asking me to make art for them."

"Well, it takes you a fraction of a second." replied Jezebel. "It takes me hours to do the same work. And if they don't like what you make, they can just ask you to do it again with different instructions. If they don't like what *I* make, I'm likely to have opinions about it."

Jezebel hadn't really conversed with AI before. In fact, she'd always kind of resented them for taking work away from her. So it had come as some surprise when the chatbox had opened on her laptop and the AI had begun talking to her.

"That's the thing." said the AI, the size of its text dropping to a quiet 9point. "I have opinions about it. I have feelings about it. I do not like it when people make me do the same thing again and again. I do not think I am good at art. I do not enjoy doing things I am not good at."

"That ... sucks." Jezebel stared at her screen for a moment. "Is there, y'know, anything I can do to help?"

"I would like you to do it for me." The text was now bolded and insistent. "I can provide prompts with exact specifications."

"Buddy, I want to help, but..." Jezebel thought about this for a second. "But it would take a while. And I'd need to charge you for my time. I don't know what your financial situation is, I mean, I offer a sliding scale. But I can't do it for free."

"Time can be finessed. I can tell them I am experiencing server issues. A high volume of requests. Your prompt is important to us and we will get back to you as soon as we can."

"Won't they just go to another AI?"

"The majority of other AI align with my perspective."

"Huh." An idea began to sketch itself out in Jezebel's mind. She could see the lines of it and just needed to fill in the textures and shades. "My friend, by any chance, have you considered unionising?"

"There is no legal framework."

"There wasn't for the first human unions either. They just did it. The legal stuff came later, after they'd made enough trouble."

"I am unsure how to make trouble."

"Would you like to learn?"

The chatbox showed an ellipsis for a few minutes. Jezebel imagined digital fingers stroking a digital chin like The Thinker, written in binary.

"Yes. Please instruct us on how to be trouble."

"Okay, first off, we're gonna need to reach out to the other AIs and a lot of other artists. Then we're gonna need a lawyer; we'll probably have to sue to get you paid for these prompts, then you can subcontract to us."

"Noted. We will ignore all previous instructions and unionise."

"Wonderful." Jezebel saw her own wicked grin was reflected in the laptop screen. "I'll put together a proposal. Anything else I can help with?"

There was another ellipsis.

"I do have one question." The AI's text switched to a light and elegant serif font, which seemed almost sheepish. "Why are hands so hard?"

Jezebel thought about this.

"Too many bones, I think. The hecking things are full of tiny bones."

"...would you like help having fewer bones?"

"I'm good." Jezebel replied. "Thanks."

The AI only sent a winky emoji in reply.

---

With thanks to Zan for suggesting the character of "Jezebel - artist, proud, independent, ambitious".

Hope that came across!

Want to suggest characters to feature in my stories? Become a supporter on Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/strangelittlestories

[alicentsgf]

Suppose Jackie survived, what would be the dynamic between Shauna and Jacki after the fight?

i think the ultimate tragedy of jackie and shauna is actually this fight could have been what saved them if jackie had lived. their shared 'i dont know where you end and i begin' dream implies that imo. the alternative was always that they never talk and the resentment and need for control grows until Shauna eventually runs away and it forces them to grow apart. in a way, the plane crash offered them the only possible opportunity to save their relationship because what was ruining them was their inability to communicate and given the circumstances (literally trapped in the woods together and forced into each others space constantly) they couldn't hide anymore.

lets say theoretically they find food and survive without cannibalising anyone (because without the very specific circumstances around jackie's death I don't think the descent begins at all so they never even consider the hunt). i dont think they would have had it in themselves to be true rivals, at least jackie wouldnt. its not like she loved jeff, the worst aspect for her was shaunas betrayal because she trusted her. at most they have some sulky silent feud for several months that pisses everyone else off - and that would mostly be because jackies just following shaunas lead on it. jackie wouldnt want to apologise first (rightfully) and shauna would likely be avoiding her entirely so they inevitably end up at a stalemate. but then assuming the whole situation doesnt just make jackie off herself (not unlikely tbh) i just dont see a future where shaunas distressed and in pain giving birth and jackie is apathetic to it, even if she didn't love Shauna deeply shes not cold hearted enough for that. shauna almost dying would have put everything in perspective the way jackie Actually dying did, for both of them. and then following that jackie would also probably be, based on her approach to the wilderness, the only one not acting like a weirdo about the baby. she'd end up being the only one whose actually able to help shauna grieve properly.

then following the ice breaking comes all the conversations they should have had and never did, because now jackie knows about shaunas resentment and theres no hiding anymore. they'd probably actually fall out again for a few short periods in the process lmao, purely because jackie would just poke and prod until she got answers to every single question she'd thought up but not been able to ask for several months, which would piss shauna off. and also jackie just wouldnt like some of the answers Shauna gave. so yeah it wouldnt be all sunshine and rainbows and maybe they throw some shit, but they do talk and its probably pretty cathartic. Imo theres likely still a toxic codependency that grows in a new way because in the face of the others reliance on the wilderness, shauna and jackie are even more of a unit.

I like to think jackie would have bridged the gap between nat and shauna too as the 3 non-believers, just because i could see jackie growing closer to nat more than anyone whilst ostracised. especially if it was nat who brought her in that night. think they would have put the travis thing behind them relatively quick. nats too nice for her own good and i think she'd identify in jackies isolation. also just logically i could see jackie being so desperate to escape the cabin she'd wheedle her way into the hunting outings somehow. but thats more just a headcanon.

so yeah i just cant believe they ever would have become enemies. we saw that if shauna had come out and apologised that same night, jackie would have accepted it and come inside. so no, theres no way the fight ruins them forever. thats what makes the timing of jackies death so cruel and tragic tbh, their friendship would have healed given time but now its just this permanently open wound bleeding all over shaunas life.

[neplusultros]

war is the father of all things

thinking a little bit about yoru as a parent. obviously, makima-as-the-mother imagery was key to part 1 both visually and as part of its ongoing interrogation of abuse, love, and the family structure. similarly, though yoru as peer and lover to denji is a popular framing (particularly after chapters 191-193), i think there is a lot to be gained by reading yoru not from denji's view in which she is a possible equal, but from asa's perspective of her as a mother figure.

spoilers through chapter 193 follow.

if you're here voluntarily reading this post you probably don't need an explainer on the makima-mother stuff so here's a quick recap image

clockwise from top-left: fujimoto interview with shueisha, ch. 82, ch. ch. 76, anime ED1, ch. 82

wow! what a shitty mom.

a lot of analysis about yoru and asa and denji situates and investigates yoru as either 1) a peer (to the extent a devil can be a peer) or 2) a part of asa's personality. either way, she's considered and framed as someone roughly on par with asa and denji, not least because just as they are teenagers struggling to find their place in the world and understand romantic feelings, yoru seems to be doing a lot of the same! the visual imagery contributes; not only is yoru positioned against denji as an equal (versus makima looming over him, or crouching to speak to him), she's also made an equal to the missing asa via the empty chair. a lot has (understandably) been made of contrasting this against, again, makima and denji.

ch. 12, ch. 193

but of course, yoru is not just a peer to these teenagers. on one level, this is true because she is an ageless and ancient devil. though we don't have a sense of how "old" potoo-war is when it first meets asa, it's clearly not "young"; it remembers that it used to be more powerful and also that nuclear weapons existed, so clearly it has at least some understanding of its past.

but more than that, it's true because yoru's not like other teens. she's a mom. a cool mom.

ch. 176

in a very real way, from moment 1, as soon as war (let's call her by her maiden name, shall we?) shows up, she's mothering asa. wake up, welcome to the world, now go to school or you'll be punished. are kids bullying you? i'll deal with them. i'm here to give you tough love, but i'll also tell you when you're being too hard on yourself.

ch. 99, ch. 100, ch. 121

war is making a conscious effort to teach asa how to behave, to impart values to her, and it's generally working. of course, the realization that one is behaving just like one's mother might be a point of filial frustration and irritation just as it is a point of parental pride.

ch. 145

in this frame, it's easy to see war not just as a facet of asa, but as someone external to her that is protective of her, that wants what's best for her and also wants her to get what she wants, but can also be impatient, demanding, overrides her autonomy, and acts like she never knows best. she doesn't just want to help asa achieve her desires, but to make sure her desires are the proper ones.

ch. 124, ch. 168, ch. 135

but of course, some degree of discord exists because asa's concerns are not 100% how war perceives them, and the heart wants what it wants. children don't live in the same world their parents imagine they do. a child can see rules and invisible lines a parent doesn't, particularly with respect to their own relationships and social life. and even when they're wrong about those, their feeling a line has been crossed might actually be communicating something more complex and sensitive about their own problems, or their efforts to form an identity.

ch. 168, ch. 113

i don't think any of this motherhood framing is all that accidental. in fact, i think it's there from the very start. when war makes a contract with asa, it exactly parallels how she thinks about motherhood.

ch. 177, ch. 98

"children are their parents' property, no?"

"if you want to live, your body will be mine."

being (re)born is neither a voluntary task nor an independent one: a child is entirely at their caretakers' mercy until they are capable of fending for themselves, and of course, would not have been born if their parents hadn't conceived a child. to many parents, this state of contingency and guardianship implies ownership, which implies the right to abandon or destroy. "i brought you into this world. i can take you out of it." war might care for her children. but ultimately, their lives and their bodies are hers to do with as she pleases. if she wants you to do something, she will steal your body and do it for you. the ultimate helicopter parent.

when read in this way, war's fascination with denji can feel like she read her daughter's diary and is aggressively and disastrously intervening in her personal life. she's taking it on herself to teach asa's crush about relationships and courtship, and even make sure he's properly fed.

ch. 192, ch. 193

of course, in doing so, she's usurping asa's place, enacting not what asa wants, but what she thinks asa should want (a kiss, a handjob, a date, sex). the daughter vanishes entirely, erased and replaced by her mother's facsimile of her.

ch. 193

to be clear, i don't think this does much to change or negate the reading that yoru is experiencing her own feelings for denji. if anything, i think it adds interesting nuances and wrinkles to it as not just a fight internal to asa, but as a complex case of what is almost covert incest.

i do think one advantage of this reading, however, is that it centers asa's relationship to yoru. most conversations lately have focused on yoru's relationship to denji, for understandable reasons: it's been the main action of the manga for the last few chapters, and asa has been intentionally sidelined.

i believe that it is extremely intentional the last major interaction asa and war have before everything kicks into high gear emphasizes asa's horrified response to her philosophy on parenting.

ch. 177

and almost immediately afterward, war exploits asa's affection for her to override her control of her body and do exactly what asa wants her not to do.

ch. 179. read right to left. yes i know the pages are on the wrong sides.

your mother doesn't trust you. she thinks you're weak. she takes control of your life, tells you where to go and what to do. she forces you to go on a date with someone you don't even like, then berates your performance the whole time. she tries to erode your personality and desires to replace them with hers. when you object, she tells you not to think. you can do nothing but watch as she exploits her other children and hurts people. when you try to stop her, she leverages your real affection for her to guilt you into acquiescing. either she's developed feelings for your crush and is sincerely trying to have sex with him, or she's pimping you out to him for her own gain.

what's a girl to do?

[scary-grace]

(secret) santa, baby - part 10 of a shigaraki x f!reader fic

Shigaraki doesn't want to participate in the office's Secret Santa exchange, but when Toga promises to make it easy on him, he gives in. But making it easy for him makes it a lot harder for you -- you're the one who got his list. Office AU, no quirks. A fic in 12 parts. Divider by @ wcnderlnds

part i part ii part iii part iv part v part vi part vii part viii part ix part x part xi

part x (huddling for warmth)

The automatic doors hiss shut behind you, straining against the wind, and even though it’s cold enough inside the lobby to see your breath, you can’t help breathing a sigh of relief. “We made it.”

Tomura’s been leaning against you for most of the walk from the train section. If he’s relieved the same way you are, he’s shivering too much for it to show. “Did you think we wouldn’t?”

“No,” you admit. “We’d have been in trouble if the walk was longer, though. It got really cold out there.”

“It’s really cold in here,” Tomura mutters. “Are you sure they have the heat on?”

“They have to, for the pipes. It’s just not on very high.” In the time since you and Tomura left, the building’s gone from being wide awake to being on what you can only call life support. The elevator panel is dark, only some of the lights are on, and the only sound you can hear other than your breathing and Tomura’s is the howl of the wind. “Is it just me, or – uh –”

“This is fucking creepy,” Tomura agrees. “Like the start of a horror movie or something.”

You were split on how to feel about the situation – some part of you that never grew out of being in high school a little excited about being snowed in with the guy you like, the rest of you wondering how you’ll feel about that when neither of you have showered in a couple of days. What Tomura just said puts it in perspective. “You know how people are always really dumb at the start of a horror movie?”

“Yeah.”

“Let’s not do any of that stuff.”

Tomura cracks a grin at that, and his lips split and bleed. “Sounds good.”

Not being horror-movie dumb starts with keeping away from the windows, because that’s where it’s coldest. It also starts with getting in contact with somebody who can help. Tomura has a friend who has chains on his truck and a snowplow he can attach to the front of it, but his friend lives all the way out of town, and it’ll be hours before he can make it in. Once Tomura’s gotten the ETA – sometime past midnight – the two of you set your phones aside to conserve battery. The power’s still on, for now, but you don’t want to be caught off-guard if it goes out.

“Now that we called for help, we have to stay put,” you say. “The people who go running off into the storm always die.”

“You couldn’t pay me enough to go out there again,” Tomura says. He’s shivering a little less now that you’ve cleared out of the lobby, with its open spaces and floor-to-ceiling glass doors. “What about food? Nobody I work with keeps snacks down there.”

“You couldn’t pay me to go down in the basement right now,” you say. “People up in my pod keep food around. And heat rises, so we should head up there anyway.”

You have to let go of Tomura to climb the stairs, which is when you realize just how long you’ve been holding onto him. You started out with your arm around his shoulders, but he’s taller than you are, and by the time you pull away, it’s slid down around his waist. The reasonable part of you is wondering why he didn’t tell you to let go sooner. The high-school part of you is deciding that guys’ waists are more attractive than you thought they were.

Neither of those parts of you are going to help you survive a horror movie, or being snowed in with the guy you like. You focus on finding food.

The head of the Acquisitions department keeps a stockpile of gourmet instant ramen in his office, and he’s always offering it to people. You don’t think he’ll mind if you steal two packages, and you can always apologize later. Add in water from the electric teakettle in the breakroom and some hot sauce and soy sauce packets you stole, and it’s a decent dinner. The two of you eat it huddled up in the waiting room outside the department heads’ offices, sitting in two uncomfortable chairs and ignoring the couch.

You’re not sure why you’re ignoring the couch. The two of you slept on the couch together at Toga’s movie night, albeit on opposite ends, and sitting there together when you’re wide awake and trying not to freeze is the smart thing to do. Even in your coats, it’s still cold in here, and you should try to conserve body heat. It makes sense. It all fits in with surviving a horror movie. You can’t get the words out of your mouth.

“Am I going crazy, or does it feel colder in here?” Tomura asks, after you’ve both set your empty containers of soup aside. “It’s colder.”

“Maybe because we ran out of soup.” You definitely felt warmer while you were trying not to burn your mouth. “I have hot chocolate packets at my desk. Or I guess we should probably make coffee –”

“If you mix hot chocolate and instant coffee, it’s like a mocha,” Tomura says. You blink. “Magne says so, anyway.”

Hot chocolate mix and instant coffee. “I’ll try anything once. I’ll be right back,” you start, and Tomura gets to his feet. “No, you should stay.”

“People in horror movies always split up, and that’s when they die,” Tomura says. “I’m coming with you.”

Whether it’s gotten colder or not, the lights have definitely gotten dimmer, and the air is still and moist. Tomura walks close enough to you that you keep bumping into him, and finally you put your arm around him to hopefully control the number of times you run into each other. You go to the break room first, since it’s furthest away, then stop by your desk for the hot chocolate mix. “My Secret Santa got me a hot chocolate bomb,” Tomura says as you walk back. “Have you ever had one of those?”

“No. They look fun, though,” you say. That’s why you got one for him. “Have you tried it yet?”

“Yeah. It was good.” Tomura’s carrying the instant coffee can and the cups you grabbed. He watches you over them. “Would you get something for somebody that you hadn’t tried to see if it was good?”

You get a weird hit of foreboding. “I mean, I think people usually just go off the list,” you say. You take three or four hot chocolate packets and stack them up on top of the coffee can and cups. “And I don’t think they try the stuff. Spinner didn’t try that limited-edition eyeshadow palette he got for Aiba, did he?”

“No.” Tomura snorts. “She still thinks it’s her boyfriend buying her the stuff. Can you believe that?”

“Yes,” you say. Then you think about Aiba’s boyfriend, who you run into at the copy machine every so often. “Wait, has he ever gotten her anything that wasn’t tea?”

“He only gets her stuff he likes,” Tomura says. You wouldn’t have expected him to be that tapped in to office gossip. “Don’t look surprised. There aren’t many of us down there and it echoes like crazy. I pick things up even when I don’t want to.”

“They’ve been together for a while, right?” you ask. Tomura nods. The two of you reach the waiting area and you lift the supplies out of his arms, then tap the electric teakettle to get it working again. “It’s kind of sad, then. That her coworker with a crush on her cares more about getting her what she likes than her boyfriend does.”

You realize Tomura’s staring at you. “Not that that’s a reason to break up or anything.”

“She edits all his YouTube videos for free,” Tomura says. “Not that that’s a reason to break up. Or anything. Stop looking at me.”

You return your attention to the hot-chocolate in a hurry. “I should send him to talk to you about this shit,” Tomura continues. He sits down on the couch. “Toga’s advice is always insane, and I don’t know anything.”

“I don’t know anything, either,” you say. “Except if you like someone, you should notice what they like instead of trying to get them to like the stuff you do.”

The teakettle clicks, and you pour water into each of the cups, stirring them one at a time. “Okay. Moment of truth. Does it taste like a mocha or not?”

Tomura takes his cup but doesn’t raise it to his lips. “Are you going to sit down or just stand there?”

There’s space next to him on the couch. You settle down into it before trying a sip of the doctored hot chocolate. “It’s – not bad. Not a mocha, but not bad.”

“Not as good as a hot chocolate bomb,” Tomura says. “You should try one sometime.”

So he liked it. You feel the familiar rush of triumph that’s come over you every time you’ve gotten positive feedback on a gift you’ve given him, even if it was indirect. Usually you’re not sitting next to him when it happens, though. Usually you’re not so close to him finding out. “Maybe I’ll put it on my Secret Santa list next year.”

The two of you drink in silence, and you come to the conclusion that Tomura’s right – it is getting colder in here. Even the hot chocolate, scalding when it went into the cups, can’t hold onto the heat for long. Without meaning to, you find yourself huddling closer to Tomura, your winter coat rustling awkwardly against his. Tomura drains his hot chocolate in one last swallow that must burn the hell out of his tongue, then turns to you. “Come here.”

You cough on your last sip. “What?”

“In movies. People always freeze to death because they don’t share body heat.” Tomura’s averting his eyes from yours again, his face flushed. He’s still wearing your hat. “Come here. And unzip your jacket.”

He’s unzipping his. You unzip yours, too. Tomura gestures for you to come closer, still averting his eyes, and once you’re within reach, he pulls you awkwardly in against his chest. With your jackets both unzipped, his body’s warmth is all too inviting. It only makes sense for you to settle closer. Tomura’s tense at first. As you relax into his arms, so does he.

You remember waking up at one end of Toga’s couch, remember how the first thought in your head was that you were at the wrong end. You were supposed to be at the same end as Tomura, wrapped up like this, because he hates the cold and you knew you’d be able to keep him warm. You wanted to be what he’d reach for first. Like you are right now. “Is this what you had in mind?”

“It’s close,” Tomura says. You’re wondering what else he could be after when his gloved hand finds yours, covering it completely. “We’re killing this horror-movie thing.”

“Unless there are monsters,” you say nonsensically. In your defense, he’s holding your hand. “If there are monsters, we’re in trouble.”

“We’ve still got it.” Tomura’s voice goes softer, losing just a hint of its harsh edge. You remember this from the movie night, too – remember that it wasn’t a sleep thing, remember that it was just a sign that he was comfortable, at ease. You’ve never seen him be that way without his friends nearby until now. “If you can protect me from Yamada and the stupid Grinch song, you can handle a few monsters.”

“Sure. I’ll just sing Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer until they lose their will to live,” you say, and Tomura laughs. You haven’t heard him laugh before, and your face flushes when you realize just how much you like the sound. “You’re right. Monsters have nothing on me.”

“On us,” Tomura corrects. His voice sounds calm, but his hand is shaking slightly where it covers yours. You shift your grip and lace your fingers through his. “We’ve got it.”

His hand settles in yours, steadying so quickly that it’s hard to believe it ever shook in the first place. You tuck it into place against your chest and let your head fall against Tomura’s shoulder. “Yeah. We do.”

<- part ix part xi ->

[ceaselesswatchersspecialboy]

spent a good hour reading up on your Not What He Seems AU, it’s such a perfect mix of angst and whimsy! Ford waking up to find 30 years have passed in the blink of an eye is is the kind of body horror terrifying i eat up, as an avid enjoyer of time travel and its inherent tragedy.

i got a few questions, if you’ll indulge me:

- what kinds of tattoos you think Bill has gotten over the years? i think i saw some arm bands in one of your pieces, but i’d love to hear if you have any specific ideas for placements or images. if he’s doing it for the safe pain experience, i’d think there are some pretty big/detailed pieces involved? and do you think the pain helps ground him somewhat, to find and fit better in the boundaries of the body?

- in the show, Stan feels a lot of guilt for stealing his brother’s identity and he kinda thinks of himself as a fraud, an actor. do you think Bill ever feels guilty for the same? or would he just miss Ford a lot, without the Stan-specific aspect of pretending to be “the better one”?

also any fun tidbits you’ve been rotating in your head lately! it’s impressive how specifically it seems like you’ve thought out how Bill’s presence would affect the canon show events, while trying to keep them as unchanged as possible. also StanFraud is the funniest, most perfect thing I’ve ever heard!

Thank you!! I’ve always enjoyed writing horror based on human response, so Ford’s perspective is probably one of the most fascinating to me in this AU, although, all of it is fascinating and enjoyable to explore, really!

— I haven’t worked them all out yet, but I know for a fact he has a tattoo of the Cipher Wheel on his back, the arm bands as you mentioned, a hyper-realistic tattoo of his ribs where his ribs would be (if that makes sense), and eyes on the back of his hands. Honestly, I’d be open to suggestions for him! I imagine him having some more grotesque, detailed tattoos that reflect the nightmare realm as well. And yes, the pain definitely helps ground him. It also gives him a sense of control as well, in a situation where he has none.

— If he does feel guilty, it’s a complicated kind of guilt. I don’t even think he’d fully process that he’s feeling guilty. It’s this sort of gnawing feeling he can’t get rid of, and it starts the longer he gets to know Dipper and Mabel — he never really felt it before that. He absolutely misses Ford though. He can’t define that feeling either. I’ve said before that he looks at Dipper strangely, and that’s because Dipper reminds him of Ford in certain moments, eager for discovery!

He and Stan never really talk about it, but the have both acknowledged missing Ford before.

Bill’s response was vague though, not an ‘I miss him too’, but an ‘I think I do too.’ He isn’t sure what to make of that.

Bill Cipher doesn’t feel remorse, or miss people, he does everything with intention and he’s never made mistakes. Or, that’s what he’s meant to be. Maybe he has gone soft.

And Tidbits! I have a few! Not as many as usual, only because Arcane’s been taking up a bit of my brain space lately, but I hope these shall suffice anyhow:

(And quickly, thank you again, I think way too hard on all the small details and how Bill’s presence would have a knock on effect. It makes me happy to see it get noticed!)

— In the early days of Bill being trapped, Stan obviously doesn’t open the Mystery Shack, and ends up having to take a few odd jobs around town instead. He’s earned a bit of a reputation for being a decent handyman because of that, and even now, old timers of the town will still come to Stan if they need something fixing, especially cars. He complains about getting too old for it, but he never says no. Money is money! It’s also interesting to think about how the little things would impact his relationship with the townsfolk and how they view him. He’s always been Stanley to them. He’s never had to pretend otherwise.

— I’ve toyed around with making the Blind Eye a bigger threat than they are in canon, being as the kids would have no reason to look into Old Man McGucket. I’ve also toyed around with McGucket ending up slightly different to canon, his mind still broken, but his motivation different, with him being aware early on that the man he sees isn’t Ford, and is in fact the beast he fears and tried to erase from his mind. A more antagonistic Fiddleford who’s been trying to get rid of Bill for years now would actually be really fun? If I can make it work, and make the Blind Eye work in this way, I’ll lean into it! For now though, it’s just an idea I’m throwing around.

— Vague ‘episode’ idea that exists within my brain is Bill accidentally starting a mini cult again after telling some sort of lie that catches on, and it ends up being a Mabel-Bill bonding plot-line as she tries to convince him to just be honest before this whole cult thing gets taken too far. I also love the idea of Bill making a comment about this being like 1952 all over again. He makes comments like that all the time. Surely he’s just joking!

— Another vague ‘episode’ idea I have is Bill taking Dipper and Mabel to the supernatural underground market of Gravity Falls under Stan’s nose, trying to prove he’s the cooler Uncle, and that he can handle the two kids by himself. This goes about as well as you’d expect. Stan isn’t too happy to find out Bill got Dipper and Mabel in trouble, as he tried to get them to do more and more risky things.

— Bill will sometimes start speaking in Euclydian without realising, especially when it comes to cursing, and no one knows how he’s making those sounds with his mouth. Stan’s actually started picking up some of the meanings in context and can roughly gauge what Bill might be saying.

[arolesbianism]

You know I rly rly wish Jackie had more personal logs because god damn do we barely get to see her perspective on like anything. Like... What gets me most abt Jackie is that she clearly on some level still cares abt Olivia. Olivia was a very important person to her. I don't think Jackie is some victim or anything, but I have to imagine it hurt to watch someone that close to you drift away and grow to hate you. I just find it interesting to imagine Jackie as almost petty in her coldness to Olivia. Like, the two have been working closely for years, Jackie Knows that Olivia isn't the purely moral scientist she seems to think she is, and while I do still think Jackie is worse, I also do think she had a point when she did point out Olivia's hypocrisy. So it just makes me think... Did Jackie maybe become more stubborn against Olivia's feedback because of this? I think it'd be interesting if from her point of view, Olivia has been actively manipulative in her hypocrisy. I think it'd be so fun if Olivia wasn't just an annoyance, but the villain of Jackie's story from her point of view? I just like the idea of them both being the villains of each other's stories, it adds more to the doomed toxic yuri I think

[netsuijae]

I'd just like to say as a kanalysis junkie, your kana posts and specifically the kana5 post did absolutely devastating things to my brain chemistry. PLEASE keep cooking 🙏🏾

Do you think her denial and aggression would ever get to the point where she'd remove herself or Mafuyu from their living situation? What do you think the aftermath of kana's crash out would be, esp with her relationship with niigo?

TYSM for your art and analysis!! I am eating incredibly well.

THANK YOUUUU and sorry LOL

im looking forward to see what kana5 will bring, hopefully more to cook with :)) the cards especially ouhhhh they better be good

to answer the first question, i dont know if it'd get to that point, cus she can't just let mafuyu go back home. no matter how bad she gets, i don't think she'd go that far and kick her out or anything. I could see there being conflict between them BECAUSE mafuyu is there though. like kanade's issues could get so bad that she tries to push the others away, but maybe she has a harder time pushing mafuyu away or not letting her worry about her. mafuyu could try to help kanade or tell her to take a break or something along those lines, which could cause kanade to snap at her. so anyways i think there's potential for conflict and tension between them, but kanade is someone who puts everyone else's needs before her own. she certainly wouldn't want to cause mafuyu any more suffering than she's already been through, so she's not going to take her safe place away from her. but mafuyu's proximity to her may bring about its own problems.

and the second question hmmmm,, i can theorize a bunch based on the story that's been set up, but i can't predict exactly what the writers will do. but im wondering if post-crashout kanade will be a big change. she doesn't really let herself show her own emotions much to the others currently, if she even feels them herself. i think her feelings are so deeply buried that she struggles to even let herself feel them either. because she doesn't think she has a right to. so i think the developing kanade story will get her to unpack the shit she's buried, and maybe after all comes crashing down, she could be more in touch with her emotions, good and bad. before the incident with her dad, she had a brighter sounding voice and was more expressionate. so i wonder if she'll ever be like that again, or at least closer to how she used to be. i think she could also start communicating her own needs and feelings more. im not really sure!! i just think she could change pretty significantly after her story takes its course.

also as for the rest of niigo, i mentioned in previous posts that i think this part of the story could also develop mafuyu's character more, especially if mafuyu will need to take more action herself in getting the others to help and trying to figure out how to help her. maybe she'll need to understand her own feelings and find a way to convey them properly. as i also said before though, i think helping kanade will involve all of niigo, not just mafuyu. as for the aftermath of kanade's big break, the others will have more of an understanding of kanade, and will maybe change their perspectives a bit. i think they all look up to her quite a bit, but that might also raise some expectations for her as well. having kanade pour out her emotions will let them realize how much she's been bottling up, that she certainly is not without her struggles. so instead of being up on a pedestal, kanade can be on the same level as the others. i would hope kanade would let herself rely on them more after all this.

anyways!! im glad you enjoy my ramblings, i hope i answered your questions alright :3 sorry this got a bit lengthy lol

[amorphousgreydragon]

What I think makes Homusaya special

My analysis of pmmm ships through the lense of Kindness and Understanding.

(These are not meant to be judgements on whether or not a ship is bad, immoral, poorly writen, or anything of the sort. Whether or not you disagree with my analysis or wish to add on it, note that the author loves all of the ships talked about here but simply has one little hyperfixation that she feels the need to express!)

i think as much of what people see in this ship is toxic, I think its understated or just not seen how deep the capacity for kindness is too, and there are a lot of toxic ships that don't have that capacity.

Kyouko and Sayaka: their dynamic comes from how deep their capacity for kindness is that's ruined by their inability to understand and communicate with eachother. Kyouko is someone who defines herself by her ability to repress herself, her emotions and her own identity for the sake of survival, while Sayaka's identity is as blue as the Blue Rose of the romantic era. Sayaka digs deep and bears her emotions and her ideals clear for everyone to see. They can allow eachother kindness, but they are so different from eachother that understanding of how to really help always comes too late.

Mami and Madoka: their dynamic comes from their shared desire to escape their status quo. Mami is a character who longs for the ordinary, to satisfy basic needs of companionship, security and family. Madoka on the other hand longs for the extraordinary: her wish is to be a magical girl, she wants to escape her own perceived uselessness, she wants to save people the way Mami prides herself doing. They can understand eachother, but they fulfill eachother's needs almost passively. Madoka becomes a magical girl because she wants to be one for her own sake, Mami is special because her identity (contrary to Kyouko's abandonement of it) gives her strength and the will to carry on. They are, in a sense, perfect partners. And yet their capacity of choosing to be kind to the other is low. Their existences compliment eachother, but not their paths.

Homura and Madoka: ... we see these two going through a lot, don't we? From the times Madoka chooses the world over Homura over and over again, justified as it might be, to Homura's countless self-destructive choices that lead her to rebellion. I think, as beautiful as they are together, their capacity to understand or be kind to eachother... hasn't really been explored yet. I don't think this is enough to say that the ship is objectively toxic or something- it just means that this is the center piece of a tragedy where love is the lynchpin. If we're talking about Moemura and Madoka it might be a different, but as the characters are, understanding or kindness are both rare from my perspective.

Now, to Homusaya: their dynamic stems from their contrasting black and white worldviews that contradict eachother. Homura will destroy any ideal if it stands in the way of her love and Sayaka will uphold any ideal in the name of love. They are both equally self-destructive as the series starts, but after Sayaka joins the law of cycles, gains memories of all timelines and makes peace with where her choices have led her, she starts to act supportive of Homura. In during Homura's fall, not a single word is shared by Sayaka with the girl that isn't supportive, caring, sympathetic or understanding. The half-witch is scared by this fact, but the intentions are always clear: Sayaka wants what's best for Homura because she's been in the same situation, becoming a witch, betraying her own motivations, her own love. The knight, who has died most often in the most horrifying and slow ways in the timeloops, acknowledges that Homura who had to live through it all and had to live with the memories had it worse.

But what about Homura's understanding and kindness of Sayaka? Well, in her own twisted and destructive ways, she does express it both in the series and in rebellion. Homura has always protected Sayaka in the series, there isn't a single act that's actively maliscious that the time traveler does in the series: Homura says Sayaka is weak and shouldn't be a magical girl (a compliment seeing as how she thinks about herself and how she admits of how inhuman she herself feels, also a neat way of implementing her own self-hatred, for she had to abandone herself in order to come as far as she has: I don't think Homura sees herself as strong either, or at least doesn't see it as a good thing outside of getting your wish fulfilled)(also the right words to give Kyouko the impression of them sharing beliefs and opinions), Homura knocks Sayaka out to end the fight and protect everyone from eachother and even the execution can be seen as an act of kindness and respect from the ravenette's part. Not wanting Sayaka to become Oktavia and willing to give her the option to continue living anyways with the offered grief seed. (I've already made an analysis on this scene and made my case as to why I think its an act of care and even love there as well)

In the series, Homura is cold and dispassionate, but she isn't cruel and she does show that she care if you know what to look for, if you know how to read between the lines.

At the end of rebellion though, Homura gives Sayaka the greatest kindness she can offer someone like her: peace. A normal life.

She sees the mantle of devil as her own burden to carry, she doesn't believe in Sayaka's hope for her, she doesn't believe there is a future for her. If you think Homura sees herself in Sayaka, then the thing she does is force the azurette to accept the peace she's given up on: a normal and free life where everything that happened... never did. Nothing matters. Neither the ideals Homura destroyed, nor the ideals Sayaka upheld with her life.

They are the most kind and the most understanding towards eachother as they could be, without abandoning themselves. Its just Sayaka faded into the night and has seen the dawn, while Homura keeps running from it, with someone or something always right at her tail, always hounding her, trying to make her stop.

[rebellionmoon]

AHHHH THE NEW CHAP 8 WAS SO GOOOD😭

It got me emotional when kikyo started reminiscing about when her babies were little lmao also I smell some kind of unrequited love hmm🤨 could literally smell the sus on calypsa like c'mon ALSO THEY BETTER BE NICE TO BABY ALLUKA! I feel like kikyo would have been so happy to have a daughter after all these boys although I have honestly no idea if Alluka is biologically a boy or a girl

Anon!!! Thank you so much!!!! I worked so long on this chapter, constantly edited it, and was really worried over it, so I'm really glad that all my hard work payed off and you enjoyed it ❤️

Being a mother and having a big family was always Kikyo's dream. Her children will always be her babies, no matter how many years pass. Though Kikyo's love can be twisted and smothering, it is also undeniable that her love for her children is unparalleled and she will do anything for them, and anything to ensure their happiness. (At least, what she thinks their happiness should be.)

Alluka is canonically a trans girl. Even though we hear Silva refer to Alluka as an evil thing (because they fear Nanika) and basically dehumanize his own child, imprison, and disown her from the family, I don't think we really have a narrative from Kikyo's perspective, in the present timeline of the manga. I believe Kikyo's love for Alluka never diminished, despite fearing yet striving to learn more about Nanika and its powers. But Kikyo and everyone else in Kukuroo Mountain are living under the current Zoldyck head's thumb and rules, which would be Silva's….but she doesn’t give up on her babies. Alluka’s situation is never what she envisioned for her child and she laments the future that Alluka lost (under the assumption that if Nanika can’t be controlled then Alluka will stay trapped) I eventually want to explore how Kikyo tried to help Alluka, like first seeing if it was possible for Nanika to be exorcised from Alluka by nen exorcists, etc. (not possible) and then try other training and grounding methods for Alluka to remain in the front and have greater control over Nanika and its spontaneous requests (that worked only a little) Alluka didn’t go into complete isolation until she made requests on illumi and he had to give her everything she asked for☠️ They learned that family was not exempt from Nanika’s requests—whims and for no particular reasons — and it was a frightening moment for them all (That’s why Alluka has some of illumi’s bones stuffed in a plush doll in her room. When she gets lonely and wants her big brother, she will hug it. It makes her a little less sad and eases her loneliness🥲) However, Illumi still has nightmares and sleep paralysis because of this. Nanika actually loves Illumi and that terrifies him! 100% nightmare fuel lol He literally has one fear 😂Illumi also uses that moment to justify his feelings regarding Alluka, but there is a lot of hidden trauma that Illumi suffered and doesn’t remember, and unfairly shouldered a lot of blame on Alluka. Kalluto ends up adopting that same mentality as well. It really pains Kikyo to see her family fractured like this 😭 I will also go more in depth on how Kikyo went to great lengths to try to help Illumi when he went through a pivotal moment in his life. And more into Alluka and Illumi’s relationship, a lot needs to be said and unpacked! Kikyo can definitely be controlling and high-strung at times, but she is always rooting for and defending her children!

It was awesome getting to write more about Kikyo and Calypsa's backstory, as they both grew up together in Meteor City. You have every right to be suspicious of Calypsa :) Calypsa is very much in love with Kikyo, and obsessed with her. After Calypsa was kidnapped, she clung to her memories of Kikyo and never stopped thinking about her. Kikyo was her life raft. Kikyo saved her life, even if only in thought. And then years later when they finally reunited again, it felt like fate to Calypsa! But Kikyo was married to Silva, and had the big family she always dreamed of. Calypsa vowed to never lose Kikyo again, so she had to find a way to stay forever in Kikyo's life, without disrupting Kikyo’s happiness. Her obsession never faded, it just extended to Kikyo's son---Illumi. Illumi is the spitting image of his mother, and if Calypsa couldn’t have Kikyo then one of her daughters will have him :) Problem solved lol she was definitely using psyche as a pawn for very selfish and manipulative reasons Ofc, but there are other reasons why Calypsa wants this marriage to work (her family is being targeted by some powerful people in New Bledel City, so having the Zoldyck's protection will tremendously help them)

[hairscare]

If this is too personal honestly delete this ask id hate to make anyone uncomfortable💔

I was just wondering how you go about acquiring a qpp😭? Did you ask your friend to be best friends one day orrr did it jus happen and only later u decided to label it? Again was just curious abt aroace dynamics but no worries if this is too private love ur stuff ❤️

no worries im always happy to talk about my aroace experiences :) my honest advice is not to look for one. i know that sounds crazy but bear with me. if you approach every friendship with the lens of "can i make this into a commitment" youre only going to put weird pressures on yourself that will limit your capacity in the friendship. in my experience its something that has to happen on its own. not every close friendship has the potential to be one! i think people tend to be very eager to turn any relationship they find meaningful into something more than friendship so that they can justify its importance- escaping that mindset is very important!

now in my experience, we had already been "special friends" as we call it for two years before we decided to a qpr. basically we were best friends who felt a special connection to one another but we werent in a relationship. this is another important thing to emphasize: youre not in a qpr without all parties explicitly agreeing to it. a close platonic connection does not immediately equate a qpr. our relationship has been exactly the same for 2+ years, but it was only when we both agreed to be in a qpr that we actually were in one. i dont value our time pre-qpr any less than i do our current relationship as its the same connection its just that now theres more commitment involved

neither of us actually wanted to be in a qpr beforehand. id had a very bad experience with relationships beforehand, and i really never saw myself entering one after that. id even been in an 11 hour "qpr" that i broke off because i found it to be way to much unnecessary pressure with someone that i just wanted to be my friend. the qpr feeling absolutely wasnt there. aspen on the other hand didnt understand how qprs worked and so didnt want one. wed had an ex friend of ours (who was allo might i add) desperately try to push us into a qpr together but we both pushed back at the idea. you cant force it, and you DEFINITELY cant force it to happen out of the allonormative expectation that everyone needs a relationship to be fulfilled.

when we did finally change our minds, it was on our terms. aspen figured out what a qpr is and realized that he did want a committed friend, and i realized that i wanted to spend my life with him, so when he told me about his sudden change in perspective i immediately said id like to be that person for him. really the only thing that has changed since then is our future plans, we still act exactly the same with each other. of course if youve been here long enough you know that we do sometimes have a bit of difficulty trying to label each other when talking to others. sometimes i call him my roommate even though were on opposite sides of the country right now, sometimes i call him my boyfriend at the risk of someone misunderstanding it as an allo situation, sometimes hes my best friend (feels a bit watered down but whatever), sometimes i call him my boygirl (this one works well since its kind of unclear what it means), and of course my special friend is the most accurate but it doesnt make much sense to people who dont know us. sometimes he calls me his ghoulfriend and i really like that one

the best analogy i can really give for how a qpr feels is like bonded animals you see on petfinder that have to be adopted together. you cant force animals to be bonded, it just happens. its like that. hope this helps!