#also even if the art was terrible both these scenes are so good
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sbd-laytall · 1 year ago
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These panels are just so aesthetically pleasing, I just love the art in this miniseries.
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DC/Marvel: All Access (1996) #3-4
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meanbossart · 7 months ago
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LORE ASK COMPILATION: "Still not banging Halsin, Squid Games, Sun King, Failing at love quizzes, Bottoms, Tops, and Cats" Edition
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He didn't, Halsin wasnt around for act 3, too busy healing land and saving ghost children or something!
THANK YOU/I'M SORRY, I'm surprised there isn't more Bhaalist Dark Urge/Spawn Astarion stuff out there. Don't get me wrong, I love a good evil power couple, but who can resist the good ol'heartbreak of a vicious unending cycle brought on by your own senselessness!
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That wasn't something I was interested in previously just because acquiring the slayer form isn't part of his canon, but I've been looking at enough fromsoft games' monster designs that I might be a little inspired to try LOL
Also I am just a fan of the canon design and never before thought it needed altering. But I'll let it cook ;)
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God damn it.
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DU drow was VERY antagonizing towards the emperor since the moment he dropped the facade, which made the attempt ESPECIALLY hilarious - that poor guy is so, so lonely.
I don't recall the exact wording in-game, but once the emperor took his shiny squid pecs out and shot his shot, DU drow recoiled and called him disgusting. After having the visions of Stelmane forced upon him to make whatever baffling point the emperor was trying to make, DU drow smugly asserted that he had finally let the mask slip and their very terrible date ended with the Emperor enforcing their reluctant need for one another, for the time being.
In-prose, that would honestly be pretty much it. DU drow would have reacted with absolute revulsion at the prospect of being hit on by a mindflayer, and taken the Emperor's (miscalculated) moment of lashed-out vulnerability as a win - as proof that he was exactly as duplicitous as he always assumed the Emperor to be.
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I can assure everyone that I am as entertained by the thought as the rest of you and it is in the cards for future art, I just have... So many prompts... I have at least 5 different mini-comics I want to make, BESIDES singular pieces, BESIDES the fanfic... I wish I had more time and more hands.
But DU drow's unlikely semi-success as a parental figure is hilarious to me. I think about it constantly.
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I haven't entertained that thought much because its antithetical to DU drow's character. Whether "good" or evil, he wouldn't allow Astarion to ascend because of his fear of no longer being needed and his reluctance to watch his partner be consumed by out-sourced power and changed into something he despises. Realistically, in a world where Astarion is allowed to ascend they could only break up and inevitably kill each other soon after.
That said, I am fascinated by the Sun King and the implications that path has for his character. So far that is an arc that I can only really see Astarion taking on alone, though - that might change in the future, might not. We'll see!
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IF I CAN MAKE IT NOT ENTIRELY MISERABLE, I JUST MIGHT.
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He got 2 out of 3 questions wrong - which is to say he was way too honest and Astarion didn't like that.
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Except for the "when is he the happiest" question, which he correctly answered with "when he's neck deep in gore".
This is not even a lore-embelishment, this is actually how that scene went for me and I cackled about it for ages.
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He would love to get tied up for old-times' sake. I doubt he knows much about fancy knots but Astarion might (though I might be in a minority that doubts his enforced "sex life" was actually that interesting at all.)
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Thank you so much!
You are mostly correct. Bhaalist drow, both pre and post tadpole would be much more keen on the idea of having people around who fulfill their every desire - EXCEPT for killing. That is a joy they take on for themselves.
"Canon" DU drow values his independence a lot, on the other hand. He's neutral on the idea of slavery (what a sentence) and wouldn't be opposed to temporary servicing, but the idea of having someone around waiting for orders doesn't attract him at all, or at least would get on his nerves quick. He much preffers to do things himself and makes sure that other people see how much he does not need assistance.
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The answer is yes, basically LOL.
DU drow both adores and despises Sceleritas presence and he doesn't know why. It very much reflects the type of relationship they used to have prior to DU drow's memory loss, and it's one of those things that he has conflicting feelings about but not any context for them.
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I sadly doubt that the boys would become parents during Shadowheart's lifetime (it's for the best, they have a lot of work to do before I would trust them not to drop a baby), but honestly she strikes me as really liking kids as long as she doesn't have to, well, have them LOL.
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And thank you so much for enjoying them and humoring me!
I think it is less about bottoming-topping and more about enjoying a more submissive role during sex, as well as in other scenarios. He believes that giving control away is, in a way, a show of devotion that goes both ways - his own for the willingness to do so, and his partner's for not taking advantage of it despite his wanting them to do so.
With one-night-stands (which he occasionally had pre-tadpole) he would still bottom without any of the submissiveness. This is because he didn't have the capacity to understand what it was about bottoming that attracted him, and led him to feeling constantly unfulfilled and frustrated (he just isn't build for no-strings-attatched type of arrangements, lol.)
This means that he really could operate either way depending on the partner as long as he got that fix of docility, whether it be from the bottom or top.
I think of Astarion as being similarly versatile but leaning more in the opposite direction when it comes to power-dynamics - though it being less about dominance itself and more about being pampered and catered to - and, of course, getting to do what he wants. Though he's willing to try most things a partner is particularly enthusiastic for just to see how he feels about it.
That said with DU drow he does prefer to top for a plethora of reasons.
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I didn't have this piece of lore thought-up at the time, but I should have made them look like the lady he lost his virginity to.
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Him and Astarion were gobbling those things up until the emperor reveal, then they both quit it cold-turkey after DU drow stomped the astral-tadpole dead (and back then you didn't have to roll any dice to do it, because otherwise we would have weird veiny DU drow to deal with for sure because he would NOT have suceeded that save.)
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DU drow's feelings towards animals is a constant in every iteration of his character. They are organic little pieces of art wandering about the world that act upon their own laws and regulations, ones which humanoids aren't privy to - except for when they intrude into that world through magic and try to understand it through their overly-complicated systems and concepts. If a cat made the temple it's home, it can stay.
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kaeyacollection · 9 months ago
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In celebration of Diluc and Kaeya's new Theater cosmetic, I bring to you the reason behind THIS post,
"Did Diluc ever actually disown Kaeya?"
(TL;DR & art at the end)
Yeah that's right we're getting into some technicalities thanks to Knaves line about assumptions ✨️
Because who the hell decided it was a good idea to let Kaeya control the narrative uncontested?
Now, now, I hear you loudly already: He burned that boy, Diluc's an ass to him, Kaeya was banned from the household, Kaeya hasn't called him brother in YEARS, and of course,
KAEYA TOOK A FLAMING SWORD TO THE FACE
All of that would reasonably be acts of disownment without having to say the word, but when has Genshin ever been reasonable?
And while I can go on for an incredibly long time, dissecting every scene the brothers have so much as been hinted in, for you, my dear readers, I will refrain and focus on the main points 💖
Firstly, let's stray away from the main points and see what the staff thinks about all of this ✨️ Of course, they're working with limited knowledge of what happened, but it's a good place to start. We have Adelinde assuming it's Diluc's pride keeping him from setting things right, Tunner notices a problem with Kaeya but assumes he's seen as an outsider to the Dawn Winery's Family and is excluded from such talks, and Elzer, who believes while Diluc is stubborn, wouldn't actually send Kaeya away
[Adelinde's idle line, Tunner from Kaeya's Hangout, and Elzer's Hidden Strife Letter]
"When will Master Diluc finally resolve his issues with Master Kaeya."
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"We did not refuse him, however. We believe that even if you were here, you would not refuse him outright."
And while that may have been true in the beginning, the staff have certainly realized the only person they need to convince to let Kaeya stay, is Kaeya
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So what's the brothers issue with one another? Well, they're both incredibly petty for one, and then there's the issue where no one in their lives know enough about the situation to be able to mediate their fighting (even the Traveler doesn't know Kaeya's full story just yet).
Hell, it's not even just that they need a peacekeeper either. The dialog can't even BEGIN because it would be inappropriate for the staff to set it up, Diluc lost his right to start this talk in the flames of that night, and Kaeya knows what happened the last time he tried to have a one on one 🤷 So instead the brothers are left making various biting remarks 'cause Tyvat doesn't have therapy
"It's been years, Kaeya doesn't even blame him, he should step up 😤" Well, lately, he's been trying to. Shocking, I know. Diluc is still learning how to navigate this new personality his brother developed in his absence, and not only is he doing a terrible job at it but he's also frustrated
Between inviting Kaeya to dinner and getting rejected, trying to voice concern and being hit with venom, and only being able to keep Kaeya around if there's wine involved...
It's frustrating knowing the other person has every right to walk away, no matter how much you want to fix it. Besides, WE might know Kaeya doesn't blame him,
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but Diluc clearly doesn't.
"Why doesn't he introduce Kaeya as his brother then?"
Do we see Diluc introduce Kaeya at all?
What we do have is Diluc saying he's not his "bro" in the webcomic, which has been pointed out as not being in a family sense but as buddies. Which is absolutely how "bro" is used in my area as well 🤷 but for Diluc, why the hell would he ever want to be friends with his brother? Diluc has set up the situation to be All or Nothing. Either they're brothers or they're nothing at all. And Diluc's tried the Nothing course. He kept Kaeya at a distance from his vigilante business, allowed him to revoke his place in the household (both in calling Crepus father and moving out), and keeping his distance from his brother in general [Kaeya's letter in Hidden Strife that Diluc receives before making himself scarce]
"The Grand Master has assigned the Cavalry Company to this mission. As such, I will be paying you a visit in three days. He seems to think that our relationship can be improved if we are forced to talk in person. Don’t worry, though. My lips are sealed. This will be nothing more than a formality. Anyways, three days’ notice should be enough for you, I presume?"
We know that none of that went as intended
I mean Kaeya's response to being kept away from Diluc's Dark Knight Hero business is to repeatedly show him he IS in on it just by the fact he's keeping it a secret. Hidden Strife Diluc finally talks about, albeit strained, partnership he has with the Knights now where they'll watch eachothers backs. And of course my absolute favorite of their interactions,
Diluc asking if Kaeya can cool it on the drinking, and Kaeya deciding a reasonable response is:
Or what? :) you gonna throw me out with the trash? :)
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And Diluc deciding Kaeya's cut off point is whenever he starts getting sassy
[K: Any GOOD bar would have SNACKS 😤😤😤 D: aaaaaaand you're done]
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I know I said you can thank the Knave for this post and that's because her line finally helped me pin down Diluc's Summer Conch dialog
"I didn't know you still remembered anything from back then... Huh."
Diluc actions line up with the bitterness of being left behind by someone who's still around.
Someone he's not willing to actually let go of
[Inviting him to dinner, saying he'd normally join Kaeya when he had the time, serving Kaeya at the bar, drinking with him outside Angels Share, drinking with him at Cats Tail, abandoning the business he claimed to have at the Cats Tail just to chase after kaeya when finding out about his tcg card (despite already admitting it doesn't bother him)]
TL;DR: If Diluc did disown Kaeya, he's doing a terrible job at following through.
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Art by the wonderful Remy
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ifbrd · 1 month ago
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Cipher Zodiac - Holding Hands with Enemies
If I’ve got my dates right, today is the 9 year anniversary of Gravity Falls ending. Consider this analysis and discussion my celebration post! (Not that I care to celebrate that my favorite show ended nearly a decade ago but anyway…)
I recently ran into this really cute little mini Gravity Falls fan comic by @the-meme-monarch. I actually first saw it Reddit (credit properly given) a few weeks ago (and hunted it down today to reblog lol) and people on Reddit were talking about how having Mabel hold Gideon’s hand in the finale was a weird choice.
I want to talk about that, but first I want to clarify a few things:
- This is not supposed to be any kind of like callout or attack or anything like that on you @the-meme-monarch. I love this art you did, it's sweet and adorable and it would have been nice to see in canon. I'm really worried you'll take this post the wrong way and think it's meant to be personal so I just want to assure you that that is not the case.
- I am making this a separate post, not a reblog to your post, because I don't want to hijack it haha. I want your post to just be about your lovely art, not the long winded analysis I'm about to give. So everyone please go check out that post!
- I definetly think this is a fair critism about the finale. Mabel, by no means, should have been forced to hold Gideon's hand when he couldn't just learn from his wrongdoings. With what I'm about to say, I'm not trying to say this was necessarily a good choice.
With those things said, I do want to play devil's advocate a bit for this decision.
Having Mabel and Gideon be next to each and hold hands, does serve a narrative purpose here, albiet said narrative purpose could have been executed a lot better, in my opinion (or, alternatively, wasn’t even entirely necessary)
Let me explain. Let's revisit this scene: Ford takes Robbie's paint can and goes around painting the Cipher Zodiac on the ground. People start figuring out where they are on the Zodiac and getting in position. Gideon makes a big deal about being next to Mabel, despite her asking him not to. Ford instructions everyone to hold hands. Pacifica remarks that she will not hold hands with McGucket's dirty hand, and her father tells her she should do the one thing no one in their family has ever done "touch the hill-billy" (a sentence that sounds terrible out of context). They start glowing and after the extras evacuate, Ford tells Stan to join. Stan refuses, taking this opportunity to have a conversation with Ford that absolutely does not need to be addressed in this moment. Ford passive aggressively thanks him, and then corrects his grammar which is also something that absolutely does not need to addressed in this moment. They start fighting and it all falls apart.
The narrative purpose that's being served by Mabel holding Gideon's hand, is to contrast Stan and Ford, and further emphasize how riduculous they are being in this moment. Mabel is choosing to temporarily let go of her ill feelings towards Gideon, for the sake of saving the world, and she's not the only one to do this. Pacifica didn't want to hold McGucket's hand, but did so anyway to save the world. While Stan is refusing to hold hands, Robbie announces that he has "never held hands this long before" and is "very uncomfortable" but he is also continuing to cooperate in spite of this clear discomfort. These are examples of members of the Cipher Zodiac, members who are children or teenagers with underdeveloped brains and are therefore more likely to act selfishly or immaturely, setting aside their discomforts for the sake of the greater good. Then there's Stan and Ford, two grown ass men, who both know what's at stake, know their family, their neice and nephew, could die if they don't defeat Bill, yet can't manage to put aside their hurt feelings long enough to do whatever the Cipher Zodiac was going to do. The kids can pull themselves together, why can’t the full grown adults?
In what way could this have been executed better? In my opinion, the best way to execute this would be to have has many members of the zodiac as possible be holding hands with people they have or had conflicts with. This would, in theory, make Stan and Ford the only ones who couldn't set aside their grudges, which would have made it more impactful.
Most of us know that the Cipher Zodiac wasn't originally supposed to mean anything, it was just supposed to look cool and mysterious at the end of the title sequence. It was thrown in to the finale because fans had spent so much time theorizing about it. If this hadn't been the case, if the Cipher Zodiac was actually something intentional that was planned from the beginning, they really could have preplanned this and made it impactful. They could have designed the Zodiac to have the symbols have to be in a specific order, and could have written the series with that in mind, to make it so everyone was holding hands with someone they had issues with.
Of course, that wasn't the case, but I still think this could have been done more effectively with the position the writers were actually in. Looking back on the series, I decided to photoshop the finale's Cipher Zodiac to be odered in, what I think, would have made this contrast in actions more impactful. I tried to order it in a way that as many people as possible had a problem with someone they were holding hands with.
The original:
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My Photoshopped version:
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My explanations, starting with Ford and going counter clockwise:
Ford and McGucket - they had a falling out, although they did make up mere minutes prior to this.
McGucket and Pacifica - what canon did, and the reasoning has already been brought up and was openly expressed in canon. Though McGucket doesn't seem to have any ill feelings towards Pacifica or her family.
Pacifica and Mabel - what canon did, these two did have a rivary for a good portion of the series, although they had more or less resolved that
Mabel and Gideon - what canon did, and I don't need to explain this, it's what sparked this entire post
Gideon and Dipper - these two hated each other. Dipper didn't like how Gideon harassed Mabel, Gideon was convinced that Dipper was coming between him and Mabel
Dipper and Robbie - these two fought over Wendy for half of season 1. And I don't think they every actually made any kind of amends with each other specifically.
Robbie and Wendy - they dated and had a messy breakup, although they did appear to make amends
Wendy and Soos - also what canon did. Look, Soos is the world's most perfect man, he has beef with literally no one, but he's on the Cipher Zodiac nonetheless, so he has to hold hands with someone, this is the only spot left.
Stan and Soos - Again, what canon did, and we can refer to the same logic as above, but I also think this can work to our advantage here. One the one hand, keeping in mind their father-son dynamic, Soos adores Stan and wants his affection, so I could see it being awkward for him to hold hands with Stan, whether nervous because "don't mess this up, Soos" or an overly excited issue. While Stan seems to care about Soos the same, he would never in a million years admit it, which would make holding Soos's hand potentially awkward for him, especially if Soos is being a crazy fanboy over it. On the flip side, like making the complete opposite argument, Stan not being cooperative when he has no problems with one of the people he's holding hands with, while nearly everyone else has an issue with both people they're holding hands with and aren't making a scene, could further emphasize the ridiculousness and immaturity in his actions.
So yeah! That's what I think should have been done for this to be most effective! Or just not putting Mabel by Gideon at all would have also been great!
I'm curious though: Does anyone else have a different way they'd set up the Cipher Zodiac than what I did?
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zhuoyichenpretty · 4 months ago
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Eps 34-35
Not many photos here because anything I screenshot in these eps would literally just give me psychic damage at this point (-:
Spoilers under the cut!
Ep 34:
I'm being so brave watching this fucking opening scene again.
No actually though I've watched it several times by now and it just keeps getting worse. What can one even say about all this? Ow??? Fuck???
Probably the most gruesome onscreen death of a child character in cdrama that I've seen like I didn't know they could even go there like that. I guess maybe because it's not gory or specifically violent? Idk the rules but man. His expression.
The way they play TJR singing their song and then switch to LZY's version. Maximum pain thank you guys.
ZYC's "I'm sorry" is so damn loaded. For not being there, for failing to protect him, but also for being the reason Bai Jiu made this decision. For giving Bai Jiu someone to love and protect and die for. For unknowingly and inadvertently causing this just by loving him and being loved by him. ZYC's remorse and regret as he makes the connections and pieces together Bai Jiu's thought process is so fucking haunting. Just the most awful way for his own words of comfort to come back. And like I'd commented previously—the way love begets grief.
I'm going to kms I knew when they put yet another cloak on ZYC that he'd be giving it to someone else but NO!!! Not like this oh my god
"哥帶你回家" (Ge will take you home) I don't even have the words for how painful this is. Is this the first time ZYC refers to himself as ge? Not just acknowledging that Bai Jiu's made an older brother of him? If not, it's certainly the most salient.
Both actors' skills can hardly be questioned atp (like, that's a damn difficult expression to die with), but I just have to marvel at the way TJR's acting (his micro-expressions!!!) is at once subtle and incredibly clear. That ZYC's every emotion is clearly telegraphed—his shock, his horror, his anguish, his regret, his desperation, his exhaustion—but so naturally done.
ZYC struggling with the weight of Bai Jiu's body and dropping it, on top of paralleling the flashback, is just so terrible in its reality. ZYC must already be so incredibly drained after that final battle. To have gone through such an unspeakable loss, to carry it on his back and find himself unable to even properly do that, to protect what's left of Bai Jiu from the mundanity of physical damage.
WX's dad nooooo you're leaving her to ZYZ but ZYZ's not planning on staying either nooooo
Are we sure the magic rain couldn't have saved WX's dad tho ):
WX don't tell ZYZ your self-sacrificial plan there's no way he'd let you go through with it girl!!! You gotta pull a ZYC and be vague as fuck and make sure everyone's feet are frozen to the ground so they can't stop you
ZYZ backing away after using the spell on WX, slapping himself when he nearly can't get himself to go through with dying. Good shit. But also my god I'm so sorry WX what a fucking traumatic ten minutes will anyone give her a fucking break? Living at any cost, at the cost of her beloved dying several feet away from her, yet another manifestation of her trauma with Zhao Wan'er, and knowing it's about to happen, begging to be given a say—cruel. PSJ has been offscreen for forever just because plot convenience (which, in itself, already sucks) but if she were here she would kill ZYZ herself for putting WX through this and the rain would just be a bonus.
The Cloud Light Sword stained with blood to the point it looks unfamiliar—good shit.
ZYC's fucking voice when he asks if there's any other choice. Art, I tell you.
Fucking hell. The twist on their fate being ZYC choosing it rather than being forced into it, to absolve ZYZ of the cruelty he's had to bear responsibility for in doing this to his loved ones. Zhiji was not misapplied in this damn story—ZYC understands and he understands over and over because who else could do this for ZYZ? To find one last way to lighten his burden in such a conflicting and complicated and impossible situation. To know exactly what must be hurting ZYZ and to bear the weight instead and to make sure he knows full well that's what's happening. For ZYC to take that hurt upon himself, entirely upon himself. The way that ZYC dealing the killing blow is actually the furthest thing from a moment of hardening his own heart, that it's in fact the height of his soft-heartedness. And how much that must hurt. Pain.
Also, imo ZYC making it purely his choice at the last moment is so clearly and specifically for ZYZ. Not for anyone else's sake, and precisely against his own and WX's wishes. Upon knowing ZYZ's commitment to death in this moment, whatever else happening has been made secondary. He is giving ZYZ all that he has left to give—fulfilling ZYZ's sacrificial determination, carrying out ZYZ's will to save the people, absolving ZYZ's guilt at what it's taken to get here.
(Totally tangential but I referenced AOT in my last post so I figured I'd make further reference: if anyone's familiar with Eruri—I'm somewhat reminded of Levi's choice. Being the only one with the power to save or let their loved one die. Choosing death for them, on their behalf, perhaps a decision opaque and counterintuitive to the rest of the world but completely and utterly made out of love and an inimitable understanding of the man they love. The most painfully and unimaginably selfless act, to give them peace at the cost of their own suffering.)
"小卓,你還是這麼..." (Xiao Zhuo, you're still so...) Oh this line kills me (ha). I love that it's unfinished. That it encapsulates ZYZ's surprise, his understanding and gratitude, and ultimately this sense of marveling at the man in front of him and what he's given ZYZ even now, at the very end. It tells me ZYZ recognizes ZYC's choice for what it is: the utmost act of a soft-hearted and boundless love that sees through him completely. Zhiji indeed.
The way ZYZ has unfulfilled promises with both WX and ZYC, the way they both call him a liar—good shit.
When I didn't know there was an episode 35 (or special episode I guess) I was boutta throw hands like what do you MEAN that's it??
Ep 35:
I do love a good hair-turning-white-from-grief trope (': But man, white hair like that at 24/25........Also though PSJ and WX finally have more noticeably different styling/silhouettes yayy they look gorgeous
God, but I can't bear looking at how small their group is now.
Searching all the mountains and seas, all 28 mountains in the Wilderness. ZYC, that kind of devotion...I really feel the need to echo ZYZ here, you're really so...
ZYC looking like ZYZ from behind because of his hair......ZYC's hand shaking holding Bai Jiu's bell............................
Also I'm really glad (I say this through tears) because I saw Bai Jiu didn't have his bell in ep 33/34 and I was like ??
Ah, are you kidding me I thought the pain was more or less over what do you mean Bai Jiu wants ZYC to 勿想勿念 [wù xiǎng wù niàn] (don't think of, don't miss)?? The way 不念不响 [bù niàn bù xiǎng] is literally the title of ZYC's character song, which then plays in the bg ('''':
(I can't really tell how well the subs explain it or how it comes across in translation so apologies if this context isn't necessary but the characters in the song title say "don't read, don't ring," but the character for "ring" is a homophone for "think of" and the character for "read" can also mean "miss." Missing someone/something is "想念" [xiǎng niàn]. Bai Jiu tells ZYC not to miss him through homophonous terms—a book he can't read, a bell that can't ring—and the song title is directly referencing that.) What an elaborate way to hurt me.
Bai Jiu really pulled a ZYC though with a box full of hurt/comfort just like ZYC had left WX
Ohhh the way WX's narration turns into ZYC's?? Honestly this drama's commitment to canonizing ZYC's love for ZYZ to the same level as WX's is really gratifying. And ZYC talking about a bone-deep sadness after ZYZ died. The parallel of baby!ZYC in front of the pond. I especially love the mention of ZYZ's age in comparison to ZYC's, these glimpses of the perspective ZYC has gained with hindsight. The distance of time and reflection and yet the unmistakable fondness and love. It is in part healing to hear.
Also imo ZYC if the scene chosen for ZYZ's POV of you is accurate I'd wager he saw you not as some angry child but as the pinnacle of humanity's beautiful bleeding heart.
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ZYZ said it before right? That every human emotion is important? Well ZYC really has been constantly feeling the entire range of human emotion this whole drama lmao
Why yes I do think I need a heartwrenching MV-style montage of all the tragedies of this story that ultimately offers bittersweet catharsis and closure as the OST narrates about searching for someone and finding them in the end. Just what the doctor prescribed tyvm
WX saying ZYZ's final wish was to 落葉歸根 (translated as returning home, literally translates to "fallen leaves return to their root," implies returning home after a long time) the way humans do and ZYZ's soul literally being on a leaf of paper (which kinda sorta works in CN as well since "leaf" and "page" are homophonous) that, carried by the wind, returns to ZYC?? Home??? Are you joking bc I'm sobbing.
Gonna have to use this photo again bc literally how else do I describe how I'm feeling rn?
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And that's a fucking wrap. I'm so. I don't even. Wow. Maybe in another couple of business days I'll throw together a brief review of the show as a whole, but right now I'm gonna drown myself in other people's metas and gifs and fics as god intended. Thank you as always for spending the time on my silly ramblings and I hope you enjoyed the ride!
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hbyrde36 · 8 months ago
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Midsummer Nights (a.k.a Summer Camp Fic)
It's finally here! This one has been percolating for a while, and I'm so glad to have the start of the story written and out there. Updates might be a little sporadic until my Steddie big bang is complete, but I'm so excited to finally give this fic some attention!
WC: 3154 | R: Explicit (eventually) | Ch 1/15 | AO3
Chapter 1
Steve had been a camper at Sunset Lake since almost before he could remember. 
He was seven that first summer, and hadn’t spent more than a night away from his own bed before, for sleepovers with family or childhood friends. 
Regardless, his parents didn’t hesitate to dump him off in the middle of nowhere upstate for the full eight weeks the camp ran, with total strangers, many of whom were hardly more than kids themselves, the second he was old enough to attend. From then on, Mr. and Mrs. Harrington spent their own summers partying it up at the country club, pretending they didn’t have a son. 
It used to hurt, having the fact that they didn’t give a shit about him shoved so blatantly in his face. When he was still young and hopeful he would wait patiently by the front gates every visitor’s day, hoping that the next car full of visiting parents and family would be for him. 
It never was.
And by the time he turned eleven, he had stopped waiting. 
He also stopped signing up for activities that he had chosen only to impress his dad, like tennis, basketball, rock climbing—even if he was good at them—and instead began to fill his days with art, theater, and music. Anything that caught his interest, even if he was terrible at it. 
Suddenly he lived for those eight weeks of summer that used to leave him feeling so lonely and unloved. Knowing it was the one place, the one time of year, where he could be the most himself. And he was too busy with performances and showing off the projects he’d completed on visitor’s days to think too much about the fact that no one ever came to see him. 
That was how he met Robin, his best friend and platonic soulmate. They were twelve and had both auditioned for roles in Shakespeare in the Summer, a series of famous scenes from the playwright's works, a pet project of the counselor who ran the theater department meant to be the big final show at the end of camp that year. They got the roles of Romeo and Juliet, respectively. 
As they rehearsed he developed a very small, but still very embarrassing crush on his co-star and eventually confessed, knowing he would feel guilty about kissing her if she didn’t know how he felt. 
Robin broke it to him gently, explaining that while she’d grown to like him a lot, as a friend, over the time they’d been working on their scene together, he just wasn’t her type. 
The last bit was said with a particular significance, but Steve, oblivious to what she was so subtly trying to convey, had protested that he was everyone’s type. She’d rolled her eyes and given him a fond, if exasperated, smile, and after swearing him to secrecy, put it in plain terms he could understand. 
She was a lesbian. 
Robin liked girls, exclusively, and her tastes ran long in soft skin, cherry red lips, and blonde ponytails—all of which Steve, for better or worse, lacked.
It was the 90’s, and the world was slowly changing, so it wasn't as if Steve had never heard of gay people before… it's just that he had never met one in real life. He accepted her immediately, his crush gone in a flash like it had never existed, and felt a kinship with her snap into place that he didn’t quite understand at the time, but was so obvious looking back. 
In the end they faked the kiss. Steve grabbed Robin’s face with both hands and all the faux passion he could muster, slipping his thumbs between their lips at the last second to keep them from crossing that particular line, and she had trusted him to do it. 
They were inseparable from that day forward. 
As promised, he kept her secret, and exactly one year later after coming to terms with a few realizations of his own—namely that he wasn’t as straight as he assumed, that in fact, he wasn’t sure he actually liked girls at all—when he confessed a secret of his own as they walked along the edge of the lake before curfew, he knew she would do the same for him.
This summer they were eighteen, part of the graduating class of 1999, on the brink of college, and finally old enough to be hired as full fledged counselors with paychecks and days off and everything. 
Not that it paid much, but Steve wasn’t in it for the money. He was in it for the love of the place. Sunset Lake Camp had become a second home to him over the last decade of his life, his real home, and the people there like family. There were always a few new faces that came and went, but most of the kids and staff alike came back year after year like him.
Robin was mainly in it for Steve, excited at the prospect of getting to spend the entire Summer with him for once instead of the single session, two short weeks, she was used to—all her folks had been able to afford each year growing up. 
It was poised to be the best summer of Steve’s life. 
Then he met Eddie. 
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Pre-camp was exactly what it sounded like. A full week of cleaning, painting, maintenance, and general setting up of the place before the first crop of kids was set to arrive. It wasn’t mandatory for the staff, and some counselors wouldn’t even arrive until the day before the first session began, but it did come with an extra paycheck and the opportunity to get out of his parents house that much sooner. 
Steve was so in.
And naturally, that meant Robin was too.
They both arrived mid afternoon. Steve had driven himself in his beloved second hand BMW all the way from Hawkins, his excitement mounting as the scenery changed, flat boring highways finally giving way to lush green rolling hills and mountains, the roads eventually going from asphalt, to crushed stone, to dirt as he turned onto camp property and made his way to the employee parking lot. Robin arrived just after, her parents' car rolling to a stop next to his while he was still unloading his duffel bags from the trunk.  
Steve had offered to pick her up on his way so they could ride in together, it wouldn’t have added that much time to his own trip, but Mr. and Mrs. Buckley would never give up the opportunity to see their only daughter off for the summer, no matter how old she was. They were good parents, and just plain good people.
Robin was horribly embarrassed by the sheer number of hugs they gave her, and Steve, before finally getting back in their car to head home, and he couldn’t help wondering if she knew how lucky she was. His own parents had hardly looked up from their coffee when he’d said goodbye to them that morning.
“How was the drive?” Robin asked with her face squished against Steve's chest, as he pulled her in for his own bone-crushing hug. God he fucking missed her. Emails and once a week phone calls just weren’t enough. Damn long distance fees.
“Long, boring, the usual.” He said, pulling away from her reluctantly. 
In truth he didn’t mind the long journey. It was nice getting to shut his brain off, and sing along at full volume to whatever songs had made it on American Top 40 with Casey Kasem that week.
The low rumble and put-put-put of an old engine had them both looking up, signaling the arrival of Director Hopper in his ancient pickup truck, its tires kicking up dirt and rocks no matter how slowly he drove. 
The truck rolled to a stop in front of them, and the man behind the wheel leaned out the open window to wave. “Long time no see, kids!”
“Hop,” Robin whined, “we’re not kids anymore.”
“Oh! My apologies—Miss Buckley, Mister Harrington.”
Steve wrinkled his nose. “Okay, now you're just being mean.”
Hopper threw his head back and laughed, before stepping out of the truck. “You know you’ll always be kids to me.”
After another round of hugs the man helped load their stuff up into the back, then helped both of them climb up on top of their piled luggage.
As the truck bumped along slowly towards the north side of the campus, where the bunks were, Hopper slid open the back window of the truck so he could shout out to them.
“Me and Joyce got two of the cabins fixed up already so you-all have someplace clean to sleep tonight. One for the women, one for the men.” Hopper’s eyes narrowed as he stared them down through his rearview mirror. He, along with almost everyone else, thought they were dating and had been for years. If he only knew how wrong he was. “Dinner is at six tonight in the dining hall, and I suggest you settle in and relax till then. The real work starts tomorrow.”
“You sure you don't need help with anything today?” Steve asked, sticking his head through the little window to make sure the older man could hear him.
“Thanks kid, but I got it covered. All that’s left today really is picking up a few international staff from the airport. I would have been on my way there already, but the flight got delayed, not due in till late tonight now.”
It was one of Steve’s favorite things about this place, getting to meet and make friends with all sorts of people from all over the world. The cultural exchange program that the camp worked with brought in support staff and counselors from other countries that wanted to come work for the summer, many of them visiting America for the very first time.
Soon enough they came to the end of the road, hooking a left through a break in the trees and came out into a huge clearing. Two giant half circles made up of small white and green buildings faced each other, with a wide open field between them where, in a week’s time, kids would be found lounging around on towels and blankets in the sun, or throwing frisbees and baseballs to each other during their free period. 
Hopper pulled over on the girl’s side, which was fair—if sexist—considering Robin had more stuff than Steve did, and got them unloaded before quickly heading off with a reminder about dinner.
Robin slid her backpack on and began to drag her small trunk up the old wooden steps of the cabin. 
Steve heaved her big duffel bag over his shoulder and moved to follow, but she spun abruptly, letting the trunk drop, slapping a hand hard against his chest before his foot even made contact with the lowest board. 
“Woah, woah, woah, where do you think you’re going?” She asked.
“Seriously? I’m just trying to help you with your stuff!” 
“Yes, seriously! You know boys aren't allowed in the girl’s cabins!” She whispered boys as though it were a dirty word.
Steve snorted. “I’m pretty sure those rules are for the campers, Rob, not us, and what could possibly happen?! There’s no two people on the planet less likely to hook up than you and me.”
“Yeah but people don’t know that, Harrington!” 
She was right. As much as camp had always been Steve's safe haven, his sexuality was still something he felt the need to hide, as did Robin. They just couldn’t be sure how their peers would react, and he wanted to believe Hopper would be accepting and open minded but what if he wasn’t? What if he fired them, or used it as an excuse not to invite them back to work next year, because parents might freak out if they knew their children were being ‘exposed to the gays’? 
Steve couldn’t lose this place, for that reason or any other. 
He tossed her bag up the short staircase and onto the porch, letting his shoulders slump in defeat.
“Don’t pout. I just don't want to get in trouble on our first day,” Robin said.
“Yeah, me either,” he agreed.
“Good. Now move along to your own bunk.” She dropped her voice down low, looking around before she spoke again, wriggling her eyebrows. “I’m sure Jonathan will be around to help you get settled in.”
“You’re never gonna let me live that stupid crush down, are you?” 
“Nope.”
“It was two years ago!” Steve hissed.
“I still say you had a chance.”
Steve sighed heavily. “Even if he wasn’t straight—” he began but Robin cut him off with a judgy stare.
“You don’t know that.” She said.
“Fine,” he grumbled. “But even if he wasn't, I told you, I'm not getting in the middle of whatever on-again off-again dance he and Nancy are doing.”
Robin tilted her head from side to side. “That’s fair. She scares me.”
“Me too.”
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Jonathan was, as a matter of fact, already at the men’s temporary cabin, greeting Steve with a hug and everything, and offering to help him carry his stuff inside. Not that he’d be telling Robin any of that. 
His brief crush had been nothing short of awkward. They’d known each other since they were little, Jonathan’s mom being the camp nurse, and Hopper becoming his and his brother Will’s stepfather a few years ago, and out of nowhere Steve couldn’t even have a conversation with the guy without blushing and stuttering. Thankfully, the other boy’s sad little puppy dog eyes didn’t really do anything for him anymore.
They talked a little, making the usual catching up small talk that you do with people you know well but maybe aren't truly friends with, and soon were joined by a new face, fresh off a days long road trip from California. 
Argyle greeted Steve and Jonathan like they were all long lost pals. He had the longest, shiniest hair, the most colorful wardrobe Steve had ever seen, and his smile was infectious. He also absolutely reeked of weed, and within minutes had talked Jonathan into taking a walk in the woods with him to “open their minds”. It was clear the two stoners were well on their way to becoming best friends.
Steve left them to it, knowing Robin would kill him if he showed up to dinner high and smelling of smoke. 
He chose a bed by the door and started making it up, tucking the sheets in tight and tossing his ugly plaid comforter on top. There was no point in really unpacking until they got their final bunk assignments, the night before the kids came, so after pulling out a few random t-shirts, shorts, and a bathing suit, and shoving them all into one of the cubby holes built into the walls of the cabin, Steve grabbed his discman and headphones and went to lay out in the sun. 
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It was late, well past midnight and Steve had been tossing and turning for the last several hours. He never slept well on the first night of camp, the quiet always taking a little time for him to get used to, and It was no wonder he heard the soft footfalls of someone walking up the steps of the cabin.
The door opened slowly, revealing a figure painted in silhouette by moonlight. A riot of wild hair, and a guitar case slung across the boy’s back were all Steve could make out at first through his barely slitted eyelids. 
He watched, careful not to move too much and give away that he was awake as the boy quietly closed the door behind himself, and tiptoed further into the cabin, tossing his stuff down beside the bunk right next to Steve’s. It meant Steve had a perfect view of the newcomer’s backside as he bent to slide his guitar under the mattress frame and unzipped his bag. He straightened with an arm full of linens and hastily made up the bed, not even tucking the bottom corners of his fitted sheet in before throwing a quilt over the whole thing and calling it done, and began to undress. 
Steve swallowed hard, knowing he should probably look away now, or at least close his eyes, if for no other reason than to put on a better show of being asleep in case the other boy’s gaze swung his way, but he was enthralled.
The unfamiliar figure was still blanketed in shadow, but stood close enough now that Steve could make out a pair of huge sparkling dark eyes, brown he assumed, though the night had a way of stealing all the color from the world, to go with the boy’s even darker curls. A rounded nose and full pouty lips made up the rest of a face that would, Steve was fairly certain, now and forever haunt his dreams, as well as his every waking thought. 
He wanted to scream. 
He’d never felt so drawn to someone at first sight before. How much worse would it be once he saw this vision of beauty in daylight?
Powerless to resist the urge, Steve let his gaze roam down past the curve of the other boy’s jaw, eyes drinking in whatever details they could. The bob of an adams apple as he swallowed, the outline of his collarbones, black and gray markings on his chest and arms—tattoos that Steve couldn’t quite make out the shapes of. A trail of dark hair ran from his navel to the top of his pants, stark and inviting against pale white skin.
The boy reached for the button on his jeans and Steve did look away then. It was one thing to see the same skin that might be on display when someone took their top off down by the lake or at the pool, but another to ogle someone below the belt when they didn’t even know they were being watched.
Second passed and a dull thump had Steve snapping his eyes back open, grateful the other boy still had his boxers on at least, so he didn’t feel like too much of a creep. 
“Bollocks,” the stranger cursed softly, hopping on one foot for a second as he sucked air between his teeth, nursing a stubbed toe.
Steve’s stomach flipped at the sound of his voice.
International, right. He had an accent. Of course he did, obviously, Steve just hadn’t thought—
Why was that so hot?
He groaned internally, he hadn’t even properly seen the guy’s face yet and he was already absolutely fucked. 
Finally, mercifully, the other boy climbed into bed, yawning as he pulled the quilt up over his head, turning to face the other way.
And it was to the sound of this intriguing stranger’s breath that Steve finally drifted away into a fitful sleep.
Chapter 2
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Steve's Summer Mix Eddie's Summer Mix
Thanks as always to the lovely @penny00dreadful for being the best beta, friend and cheerleader.
Permanent taglist(open): @penny00dreadful @pearynice @hitlikehammers @bookworm0690 @wonderland-girl143-blog 
@goodolefashionedloverboi @themagicalari @awkwardgravity1 @rocknrollsalad
Fic taglist (open):
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stellas-et-abyssum-vincite · 6 months ago
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I Just Love to Look at Him ~ *Wriothesley*
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Summary: You are expected to marry before you become Queen. Your mother and closest friends are helping you find a suitor. It doesn't take you long to find a Mr Right...
Pairing: Wriothesley X Fem!Reader
Genre: Fluff Drabble
Word Count: 793
Warning: N/A
Masterlist
A/N: Inspired by the Princess Diaries 2 scene.
You knew ever since you were young that one day you’d have to marry if you ever wanted to be Queen. And now that you were finally of age and eligible for the throne, an arranged marriage was in order. You weren’t terribly fond of the idea, but you weren’t afforded much of a choice. Nevertheless, you were at least allowed the opportunity to pick who you married.
It was your mother, the Queen’s, idea to have her secretary, Charlotte, compile all the potential suitors into a presentation. You invited your best friend, Navia, to be there, as you believed her opinion was just as valid as anyone else's. So in the theater with you to pick out your future spouse was your mother, Charlotte, Navia, and the Head of Security, Clorinde.
“Baron Tartaglia,” Charlotte began. “Resident of Snezhnaya. His hobbies include hunting, fighting, and spending time with family.”
Your mother shook her head. “No, not appropriate. He’s a compulsive gambler.”
The slide changed. Before his name was even announced, you gasped. “Yes! Oh yes! I absolutely accept!”
Charlotte chuckled as she read the slide. “Prince Al Haitham. Resident of Sumeru. His hobbies include reading and sleeping.”
“He’s not eligible because he’s in line for his own throne.” Your mother stated.
“Oh.” You couldn’t help but pout. You hoped he wasn’t the only perfect guy in the mix that Charlotte and your mother put together.
Clorinde finally spoke up from her spot leaning against the wall. “If he’s not eligible, why is he included in the line up?”
Charlotte sighed. “I just love to look at him.”
“Me too.” Your mother mumbled.
“Your Majesty.” Clorinde chuckled more to herself, though you could still hear. You chuckled to yourself. Let it be said that under her no nonsense exterior, Clorinde definitely could joke and play around when she wanted to.
“Next.” The slide changed again. “Kaveh. Also a resident of Sumeru. His hobbies include architecture, pranks, and gossip. No title, but a good family.”
Navia leaned over to whisper in your ear, “What about the title husband?”
You shrugged. “Yeah, he’s cute.”
Clorinde hummed. “His boyfriend thinks he’s handsome also.”
Both Navia and you fist pump at that fact. “Right on.”
“No matter.” Your mother tapped Charlotte’s shoulder so that she could take down a memo. “Put him on all the invitation lists. He’s a divine dancer.”
“Next.” The slide changed again. “Sir Zhongli. Resident of Liyue. His hobbies include games, art, and making money.”
“Too old.” Your mother shook her head.
You frowned. He didn't look that old to you. If anything, he looked rather dashing and young. Nevertheless, you didn’t argue with her. You learned that lesson the hard way a long time ago.
The slide switched again. “Prince Venti. Resident of Mondstadt. His hobbies include playing the lyre, singing, and drinking.”
Another shake of your mother’s head. “Too young.”
“Does this popcorn taste different to you?” Navia leaned over again to ask you all of a sudden.
You shrugged. “Sigewinne made it. You know how she is in the kitchen.”
“Ah, I thought so. It tastes amazing!”
The slide switched while you weren’t looking. “Lyney. Resident of Fontaine. His hobbies include magic, pranks, and spending time with family.”
It was Clorinde who had an objection to this one. “Arrested too many times.”
“Really? Him?” You asked, bewildered. "He doesn't look like he could hurt a fly!"
She gravely nodded. “I should know. I’ve been the one to arrest him at least twice.”
Your mother huffed. “Wait, no. We need someone titled, someone who can help you run a country without ego getting in the way. Someone attractive, smart, but not arrogant. Someone with compassion-”
The slide changed.
“Someone like him?”
“Duke Wriothesley.” Charlotte announced, her voice holding a hint of pride. “Resident of Fontaine. His hobbies include drinking tea, fighting, and helping others.”
“Yes!” Your mother all but shouted. “Someone very much like him! Good choice, dearest! I wonder why I didn’t think of him before!”
“Duke Wriothesley.” Ryujin muttered before giving a small nod. “Sounds like he’d be a good choice for you.”
“Well he looks,” You tried to pick a suitable adjective. “Decent.”
As you mentioned before, you weren’t really interested in getting married just so you could become Queen. You thought you could handle the task on your own. But the law is the law, and you couldn't argue with it. Besides, maybe this could work. Even if you didn’t fall head over heels in love with him, perhaps the two of you could get along with one another. His extended biography that Charlotte had given you along with all the others made him sound like quite the gentleman.
Who knows, maybe this could work out after all.
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izu · 10 months ago
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hey just wanna say that i LOVE your art!!! i’ve seen you on twitter and ugh just can’t get enough of it! also do you happen to have some johnshi headcannons?? cuz if you do i would like to see them all!! :3
thank you so much!!! i hope to draw more.... also get ready bc i have way too many headcanons and this'll probably be super long winded unfortunately . this isn't all of it but its most of it
- kenshi is a heavy sleeper. after moving in with johnny post-tournament he begins to unwind from his former unhealthy schedule that was supported by his yakuza lifestyle. johnny wakes up at 5 am to work out until lunch, and kenshi sleeps in til like noon or 1. johnny thinks its cute
- they either own a fuck ton of cats or ferrets. johnny seems like a ferret guy to me
- they like watching director's cuts of movies instead of actual movies because kenshi can actually understand a little more of whats happening while the directors explain certain scenes and go into depth about the composition and art direction. its a win win situation for both of them
- johnny actually reads a ton of books, but is embarrassed about it. leftovers from being a ""nerd"" in high school. kenshi thinks its adorable and he likes hearing johnny retell the book plot and express his exasperation with it unfolding as he reads
- johnny has a sweet tooth and kenshi has a more refined palette, he will try anything johnny sets in front of him though, even if he isnt much of a sweets guy
- on that same note, johnny is very good at cooking! every other night he plans a meal for them, and it's almost always a winner. lots of japanese style dishes (took some trial and error on johnny's part) because he wants to impress kenshi
- they go to red carpet events together after a couple of years of dating, but for a while they pretended (to the press, too) that kenshi was his newest bodyguard. rumors spread fast though and it ended up being a perfect time to let johnny come out publicly as bi
- kenshi's parents are actually very very supportive. i think he'd be nervous at first but his mom thinks johnny is very handsome and his father agrees its a good change for their family. kenshi has two sisters who absolutely raise hell over kenshi nabbing a sexy gaijin star and he is very embarrassed about it. much to johnny's delight
- they spend every weekend on the balcony of johnny's new loft in his jacuzzi just talking and being sappy. kenshi genuinely gets a lil upset when things come up and they miss their date nights
- everytime kenshi returns to the states after visiting home johnny makes a big scene at the airport. lunging at him, crying sobbing
- kenshi proposes first, but johnny had been nervously trying to wait for a good time to do it himself. one upped. he is still very upset about this well into their marriage as old yaois
- kenshi is the top 👍 i think we all knew this but still
- even if he doesn't need it, its sort of a ritual between them so they never stopped; johnny is still kenshi's sight dog when they go out and he doesn't feel like relying on sento.
- sento's ancestors like johnny a lot and kept being annoying about kenshi needing to get hitched already hskw7kejej
- kenshi is achillean, gay. always has been. his arrangement with suchin was. arranged. and she was his lesbian beard for a while. the two are very very close and she visits their home often. johnny is trans and bisexual, but he's only out about being bi.
- johnny tends to have a really shitty sleep cycle, light sleeper, easily thrown into insomnia, the busy street life can really fuck up his routine when hes already had a terrible day. which ends up with the both of them on the couch, talking, watching a show, kenshi with his head on johnny's shoulder. they fall asleep like that 7 times outta 10
- the older they get the sappier and grosser they get . everyone who knows them hates their gay asses . jax and sonya included
- also they both get dad bods when they get older bc of all the good eating. neither are insecure about it. its hot
- kenshi is undeniably the spoiled one. gifts, fancy dinner dates, unrelenting affection and praise. he starts believing he deserves good things, that he is loved, solely by johnny's persistence with showing him instead of telling him
- cris ends up being their friend again after a while. i just dont like the cris villainization when its contrasted with johnshi support. she had her reasons to be upset at her alcoholic, spending-addicted husband, y'all
- johnny like action/sci fi movies. kenshi likes romcoms.
- they host parties. they're awesome parties.
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kalolasfantasyworld · 2 months ago
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My recent Zobra arts got very popular on twitter and I received many questions about them so I decided to make a thread explaining the appeal this ship has for me.
Since I already wrote it, I want to share it here as well.
Zora x Nebra - ship appeal
A thread about why I am personally a big fan of Zora x Nebra and how it's more than just a silly crack ship
@f-oighear with who I'm co writing a Zobra fanfiction helped with this
Let's start with the basics
Zora - a peasant who hates royalty
Nebra - a royal who hates peasant
This ship would go against class barriers, but even more as these two would have to overcome their own prejudice which they've had since they were little.
They have (kind of) a canon interaction!
During the elf attack Zora saved Solid and Nebra's lives. It's a point where both siblings were humbled and I'd say a point where their redemption can slowly start.
Enemies to lovers
I personally love this trope and Zobra have great potential for it. I don't think I need to expand here.
Their magic
Both of them have "vaporous" kind of magic and rely on tricks to overcome their opponent. It's a game of thought and preparation.
Ash and mist are also more subtle versions of primal elements (fire and water).
They could be really compatible if they worked together.
Aesthetic
Black & white, that's a classic
Edgy & princess
You can't say they don't look good
And now probably the most important (and long) part of the thread their characters and later surprisingly many similarities
Zora wouldn't be afraid to call Nebra out and she NEEDS it. Nebra doesn't see people as her equals, she's used to being looked up to which Zora wouldn't do.
He would do it right, point out her flaws, harshly. Nebra would hear how she really is.
Hopefully reflect
It would also annoy her and a chain of (sometimes hilarious) interactions would start.
They're both very smart so their comebacks would be intelligent and snarky. None of them would hold back and I think at some point they would start enjoying the game of trying to one up the other.
"The smirk"
Zora snickers, Nebra giggles. They can both be very mean.
See if you put them as enemies it's fun, but imagine having them both against one person. I'd feel sorry for them. (we have a scene like that in our fic and it's perfect)
Prejudice
Both of them are greatly prejudiced against the other’s class. And isn't it BC's thing to break those class differences?
It would require work, effort and time but just like other Royal/Peasant ships they could bring an example of the world Asta dreams of.
Now to issues
A dead parent who they used to idolise and passing of that parent messed them up in... many ways
We use that similarity to have them bond on a deeper level
After Zara's death Zora goes on a vendetta
While Nebra feels inadequate and takes it out on innocent Noelle
Neither of them copes well and it just pushes them to extremes.
Zora luckily gets better with his found family (the Bulls we love them), while Nebra... I won't defend her, it's a long way to go even after the last manga chapters.
However these two could help each other grow.
Noelle is Nebra's sister and Zora's squadmate
This topic would need to be brought up at some point. Zora cares about his squadmates.
Nebra was awful, toxic and simply terrible. I think that talking about it with someone who won't beat around the bush could help her redemption.
I think Nebra could start seeking out that honesty at some point.
Zora had crossed out all of the nobility, but seeing himself an actual example of someone as rotten (yes I said it) as Nebra changing could help him too.
It's about seeing a different perspective.
"They wouldn't interact if not made to"
True, thus in fics @f-oighear and I put them in situations where they have to interact such as a mission together, or in our Formula 1 AU they're both drivers on the grid, or we send them to the same resort for summer break.
Things we like to do in fics
- they call each other names, starting of offensive (Princess and peasant are classics)
- making them work together -> they hate it -> miraculously it works out
- hair and clothes comments
- personal development
Taking into account all of the above, they would need specific circumstances to work out, thus I understand why they don't have to be everyone's cup of tea (I need at least a 100k slowburn), but I hope I brought to you closer this ship and why I personally find it appealing.
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velidewrites · 2 months ago
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- What is the worst thing your OC does in their story?
You probably don’t want to spoil plot points, so tell me each of the VanFam’s worst crimes in their past 🫦
Ooh I love this one — let me answer it with the worst things that, in my mind, they did in the canon acotar verse. I’m going to list a few since they’ve done ah… plenty of terrible things
Vermilion
I’ve mentioned under his recent art, but it would have to be holding Lucien down during Jesmina’s execution. All the brothers played their part in it, for their own reasons, but Vermilion and Eris were the only ones who tried to protect Lucien throughout all of it. It took all of Vermilion’s strength to hold Lucien back — he’d conjured fire ropes, his whip, everything to tie him down to prevent him from lashing out at Beron, a fight Lucien (at the time) had no chance of surviving. Before that incident, Lucien and Ver’s relationship had already been rocky, nothing like what they shared in their early youth, but Ver holding him back was the ultimate betrayal in Lucien’s eyes.
When he was exiled, Lucien told Vermilion he never wishes to see him again, and, if he does, he would kill him without hesitation. Vermilion only smirked and encouraged Lucien to try, even though on the inside it felt like his heart was being ripped apart. In my mind, since then up until where we’re left off in ACOSF, Vermilion periodically checks up on Lucien via his contacts across Prythian — without Lucien ever finding out, of course.
Another horrible in-canon thing: Vermilion was one of the brothers who, together with Eris, had attacked Feyre and Lucien at the frozen lake in ACOWAR. Vermilion had only come along because he hadn’t seen Lucien since UtM, and desperately wanted to make sure he was okay. The other brother was Sylas, who had genuinely hoped to capture both Feyre and Lucien and bring them to Beron (while also secretly hoping Eris would fall through the ice and drown in the lake as a sort of two birds in one stone thing lmao)
** Side note: in that scene in ACOWAR, Feyre and Lucien are described to be trapped by a fiery rope. HI VERMILION
Sylas
Worst crimes? SO many. War crimes in Beron’s name for sure, I can think of so many he could’ve committed during and after the war with Hybern, and in the First War when the Wall went up. Sylas is a soldier, yet, and an extremely skilled warrior, but he doesn’t fight with a soldier’s honor the way, say, Cassian does. Yes, he takes good care of his armies and is loyal to the people, but he fights wars that serve him, and his motives only. Anything to discredit Eris as the heir, to gain Beron’s favor, and to eventually kill them both.
On a sadder note, Sylas led the search for Jesminda when her relationship with Lucien was made known to Beron. He’s the one who’d pursued her through the forest and captured her to bring forward to Beron. While it doesn’t make the crime any better, Sylas did think Jesminda was going to be exiled, not executed. He thought Beron would’ve seen that as the more sensible option to avoid any potential Lesser Faerie uprising in her name. If Sylas were High Lord, it’s what he would’ve done. As for Lucien, he didn’t much care that he was punished and exiled. In Sylas’s eyes, suffering at the hands of Beron is nothing out of the ordinary for any of the brothers.
Marcel
LMFAOOOOO where do I start??
I guess since we’re on the Jesminda topic — after her capture, he used his smoke to incapacitate her, making her suffer horrifying visions of torture, death, Lucien’s death, and everything in between. Beron didn’t order him to do so, and it wasn’t that Marcel particularly wanted to punish her or Lucien. Around that time, he was still perfecting his smoke’s ability to induce hallucinations, so he simply saw it as a good opportunity to practice.
Ask game
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berrykis · 8 months ago
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Acesabo AU of them being cute secret boyfriends during high school, because well, homophobia and sometimes you have a reputation at school you don’t want people to also get into your business. President student council (year 3 both ace and Sabo) Sabo, and Famous gang member Ace from the WB gang.
Although Ace is in a gang especially WB he still has a pretty good reputation at school and famous for his charms and good looks. Total hottie for sure.
Then there’s sabo, a nickname they call him but sabo finds ridiculous is “Prince sabo” for being a handsome blonde with obvious good grades and being graceful at what he does.
Both Ace and Sabo are good students, and a good duo! You’ll always catch them together when it’s break time or lunch time.
Some girls even ship them, draw cute unrealistic versions drawings of them kissing.. or what they call “yaoi” pretty popular thing nowadays in art and stuff.
One thing nobody knows of is that they both have a little brother at home they take care of.
Everytime they’ll walk home together, they make sure to stop by a convenience to buy snacks and some extra meat to cook dinner but also to cook up for their gluten brother Luffy. 🩷 who for some reason is a big meat lover!! He’s only 4 years old but he’s so energetic and has a meat shaped plushie sabo got for him on his 4th bday!
Both Ace and Sabo dote on baby luffy so much, they’ll leave school without hesitation if it meant Luffy needed one of them (or both)
Like the time like this,
The day Makino was supposed to take care of sick baby Luffy started with a sense of calm, knowing she was there to handle everything. However, it quickly turned into one of the worst days Ace and Sabo had ever experienced.
Both received urgent calls during their meetings, and the last thing Koala and Marco saw was Ace and Sabo rushing out the door. They sprinted across campus until they met each other outside, then hurried to the hospital where baby Luffy was being treated for a severe high fever that miss makino couldn’t handle with wet cold towels ontop of luffys forehead instead he needed to be taken to the hospital especially at his little age..
Ace and Sabo almost collided with the front desk when they arrived, running at full speed. Desperately, they asked which room Luffy was in. Once they got the room number, they continued to rush through the hallways.
When they finally reached the room, they paused in front of the door, panting heavily. Nervous and trying not to intrude, they slowly opened the door. The tension in the air was palpable as they prepared themselves to see their little brother in such a worrisome situation. Their little brother, their sunshine falling in a terrible high fever in the hospital is the worst things they’ll pray never happens again. That’s their baby!
As they opened the door, they were greeted by the sight of baby Luffy lying on the hospital bed, naked with patches on his chest. Despite his condition, Luffy was cheerfully playing with his Tony Tony Chopper plushie, his little hands clutching the toy tightly. Makino was seated next to the bed, her face a mixture of concern and tenderness as she played with him, trying to keep his spirits high.
When she noticed Ace and Sabo at the door, she looked up, her eyes reflecting a mixture of relief and. She sent them a warm smile, silently conveying her concern and the slight reassurance that Luffy was in good hands. Ace and Sabo felt a wave of emotions wash over them as they took in the scene, their hearts aching for their little brother but also grateful for Makino's comforting presence.
Ace took a step forward and softly said, "Hey Luffy... hey baby." Luffy looked up from his plushie, his eyes widening as he recognized his brothers. Tears welled up in his eyes, and he started to softly cry, his voice trembling as he blurted out, "Eshu..! Swabo!~" The sound of his tiny voice calling out their names tugged at their hearts, and they quickly moved closer to comfort him, their presence bringing a sense of warmth and security to the room.
Ace and Sabo couldn't hold back their own tears as they saw Luffy's distress. They leaned over the bed, wrapping their arms around him in a gentle hug, their faces close to his. They kissed his cute little face, whispering comforting things to soothe him. "It's okay, Luffy. We're here now," Ace murmured softly. "We won't leave you, little brother," Sabo added, his voice full of love and reassurance. Their tender words and warm embrace slowly calmed Luffy, his cries turning into soft sniffles as he felt the love and protection of his brothers.
When the atmosphere calmed down now that they were both there, Luffy's mood changed and he perked up, proudly saying he didn't cry when the doctor gave him shots. Ace and Sabo raised their eyebrows in an amused yet gentle way. They turned to Makino, who was listening with a warm smile, nodding and chuckling at Luffy's proud expression.
---
Ace ruffled Luffy's hair and laughed, calling him a brave boy. "That's our Luffy, always so tough," he said with a grin. Luffy beamed at the praise, feeling even more proud with his brothers by his side.
Even though school was on both Ace and Sabo's ass, they still managed to leave early to head to the convenience store to buy Luffy meat snacks before going to the hospital. When asked where they were going, they would reply with a serious face, "To my baby brother at the hospital, he needs me.”
Cute. The two infamous duo ace and Sabo seem to be protective brothers outside of school, both leaving school to check on their baby brother Luffy at the hospital. Luffy still needed to rest for a few days before being discharged, and they'd go to the hospital praising him in bed and pampering him with meat and little things like a sun sticker on his forehead for being a brave boy for taking his shots so bravely without crying. Ace and Sabo made sure Luffy felt loved and proud, turning his hospital stay into a fun and memorable experience.
—-
When Luffy was finally discharged, Ace and Sabo got a lot more overprotective of his well-being, making sure he was okay and not sick. Soon, they decided to take Luffy to their school because Makino was busy and couldn’t take care of him while they were at school. When they came to school with Luffy in Sabo's arms sleeping, he was quickly praised for being such a good older brother, showing a gentle and soft side of them both. Koala turned her attention to Luffy, who was sitting on Ace's lap while eating lunch with him, and asked, "Hey Loof, what do you think Ace and Sabo are to you?"
Sabo who was sipping on his strawberry milk perked up at that and rested a hand on his cheek while saying “we’re his brothers of course, what else?”
Then ace who was busy cleaning up luffys mouth with a napkin after he had taken a big bite of pork cutlet, nodded and hummed.
Luffy thought about it for a few seconds , his wide round eyes sparkling with innocence. "They’re my big brothers... but they’re like my parents too! Shishishi!" he said with a cheerful giggle, making everyone around him smile at his adorable honesty.
Ace and Sabo couldn't believe what they heard and saw. Sabo choked on his strawberry milk, splashing Koala's face accidentally. Koala pinched his cheek upset, from her short temper, before releasing him and turning their attention to Luffy, curious about his sweet and innocent words. It was a cute and chaotic moment that made everyone burst into snicker and laugh here and there, thatch hits aces elbow while chuckling “so called “big brother” turns out to be his secret daddy all along huh?”
Ace and Sabo are blushing deep and as Luffy tries to say something else ace shoves another piece of pork into his mouth so he can shut up for now. Too stuffed with meat before embarrassing them both more.
Ahhhhh I’m lazy to continue
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lynn-tged-posting · 6 months ago
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tged webtoon ep 161 spoilers with thoughts below the cut u know the drill
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THIS IS MY FAVORITE PANEL OF JAVIER EVER. IN THE ENTIRE MANHWA IM LOSING MY MIND HAHAHAHAHAHA
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HE JUST LOOKS SO FUCKING UNHINGED I DIDNT EXPECT IT AT ALL HHAHAHAHAHAAAA
anywayy back to the top
honestly maybe i shouldve seen the fact that his own singing would fuck him up coming LMAO
their matching dazed expressions when they both realize PLEASSEE LOL
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raphael also calls the start of his singing demonic sounding lmao
and then they start fighting again and JESUS holy shit they're so overpowered this is so cool to watch and also as i was reading i was VERY scared for javier
genuinely i really really love whenever they draw action scenes they look very cool while also not being terribly hard to follow i like that
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like oh my god?? he's swinging that hammer around like its nothing its very very terrifying, esp cause its been a while since javier has fought something thats his match yknow, or at least it feels that way
AND THEN. THE LEADUP INTO THE NEXT SCENE IM LOSING MY MIND JAVIER YOU SCHEMER
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the feigning being down and then the peek and the slow getting up im giggling so so bad AND THEN
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HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA JAVIER YOU CLEVER ASSHOLE I LOVE YOU SO FUCKING MUCH
like i knew that line raphael said about how the halo would continue protecting him so long as he's pure and just or whatever would come into play BUT I DIDNT THINK JAVIER WOULD BE THE ONE TO DO IT SO DIRECTLY TOO HAHAHAHAAA he's learned so much from lloyd <3 LOL
i also think its interesting that the halo keeps track of this with like points or smth, not much to say about it i just think its an interesting gear; the ultimate defensive tech but it's based on how "good" you are thats just really interesting to me hehe
ALSO ALSO i think it's really really silly funny that raphael was this very intimidating and menacing figure that was super scary right up until the moment javier played dirty and then the moment that happened that image/vibe immediately crumbled WAHHAHA he's just a silly guy and the halo does the work i like him a lot
i really like these panels of them being evenly matched, raphael is still holding his own even with a penalty like that, their expressions here are really good too its so tense,,,
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AND THEN LLOYD BEGGING THEM TO STOPP AAHHH
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AGHHGHGHHGHGH AAAHH JAVIER STARING WIDE-EYED AT LLOYD IM CURLING AND SHRIVELED ON THE FLOOR
like okay i know lloyd is scheming or whatever. but my heart wants to believe that some part of this was very real okay . let me cope let me believe this . one cannot act/lie effectively without some of it being real. RIGHT???
AND THEN WHEN THE POPUPS APPEARED I STARTED SHOUTING OH MY GOD I FORGOT ABT THE RP SYSTEM IM SO. LLOYD YOU BRILLIANT MOTHERFUCKER YOUUU
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HE CAN JUST SKIP THE PROCESS AND THEN BECOME A SWORDMASTER HE HASNT DONE THAT IN A LONG TIME OHHHH MY GOD
also. everyone else's bonus RP was +10. but only javier's bonus RP was +45. which could mean nothing.
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WHAT DO I EVEN SAY ABOUT THAT LIKE. JAVIER WHAT YOU. WHAT. YOUUU im gonna lose it im gonna LOSE IT
top ten photos taken moments before disaster HE LOOKS SO EVIL THE ART HERE IS SO GOOD HAHAHAHA OHH MY GOD
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and how he says "YEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSS" ohhh lloyd you asshole you i love you so much
THIS PANEL TOO LIKE WOW THE FUCKING EFFECTS THIS IS INSANE HE LOOKS SO FUCKING MENACING THE VIOLENT LINEART HES POWERING UP HIS SINGING OH MY GODDD HAHAHA
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when i saw these panels i immediately thought of that one song from princess and the frog god i wish i could like tween or something itd be so cool to see This drawn to That
thats all i LOVED this ep i had so much fun RAPHAEL JAVIER LLOYD FIGHT PART THREE NEXT WEEK HERE WE GO
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bloodyfries · 3 months ago
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Epic songs that fit Svsss characters/moments
Epic and scum villain are currently my favorite fandoms (not counting tgcf) so I wanted to make this list. Also please give me any epic x svsss fics or art, I'd greatly appreciate it (I've already read the suffering fic)!!!
Just a man: This was actually what inspired this list and the idea for an animation won't leave my head. This is Shen Qingqiu during the abyss scene. This is him trying to rationalize pushing Luo Binghe. The whole first half of the song is him saying how he couldn’t possibly do it. You'd replace "Deep down I'd trade the world to see my son and wife" with "Deep down I'd trade almost anything to save you from this fate" (yes ik it doesn't sound good or rhyme but I'm terrible at anything music based or poem based). The silent beat between "I'm just a man" and the "but when dose a comet become a meteor" is the system reminded him of how many points he'll lose (and maybe how many he has), so he get that final push to turn his sword onto Luo Binghe.
Luck runs out: OK, this one is not even close to cannon but I'd love if this happened even if it's slightly occ. Also this isn't nearly as long as just a man bc that one actually has been haunting my brain like Christmas in October. I can see this is moment between Shen Qingqiu escaping the water prison and self destructing where somehow Shen Qingqiu runs into Shang Qinghua. I think that it would be more likely to happen if they were a bit closer and if Shang Qinghua wasn't fully sure that the mushroom bodies would be ok. I think it could sort of be Shang Qinghua trying to get Shen Qingqiu to flee the city (this gets shut down either by Shen Qingqiu telling him about the blood mites or Luo Binghe almost having qi deviation)
Wouldn't you like: Doing time jumps because I'm going in Epic order. This is literally just some sort of knowledge person rewarding Luo Binghe for helping them. So they tell him about Xin Mo and how all of his enemies (or monsters), that will kill him if he doesn't become stronger, will be easily defeated with Xin Mo
There are other ways: A woman who was supposed to be a wife trying to get out of a lost fight. Of course Luo Binghe doesn't care so instead she gives him information about a prophet that can help him escape in exchange for mercy.
No longer you: I would talk about this but there are already at least three animations on YouTube on this, they're both so good. [animation 1] [animation 2] [animation 3]
Monster: Luo Binghe finally "snapping" or coming to terms with his blackening (in the abyss)
Suffering: Sirens that were either a wife plot or wives themselves originally, probably both. Luo Binghe trying to get info out of a siren that looks like his beloved shizun, thats it. There is also a really cool animation of this on YouTube. [Animation]
Legendary: this on is only being added because the same creator at the suffering did one if legendary and it opened my eyes. It's pretty much white lotus Binghe talking about wanting to be great then cutting to black lotus (during the five years) wishing for his shizun back. [Animation]
Little wolf: Kind of a stretch but Meng Mo training a young Luo Binghe. This would not be a real fight but old fights that Luo Binghe lost and is reliving in his dreams to see what he did wrong. The only problem would be hurting the mind by hurting someone in a dream. Alternatively: Shen Qingqiu silently cheering on Luo Binghe during his "fight" with Ming Fan. Quick thought would just be the leaves being shot
Not sorry for loving you: I already made a post about this and as you can see by the dwindling lengths of these descriptions, I'm getting really lazy (plus it's late) so just read the post please. [Post]
I can't help but wonder: This just feels like something post cannon where BingQiu finally talk about everything. Luo Binghe probably says something about how he's a monster and has done terrible things and Shen Qingqiu is practically offended that Luo Binghe would suggest that Shen Qingqiu wouldn't love him because of that
This post was too ambitious for one sitting, especially this late but I did it. I might add more when my thoughts are more coherent and I'm not just throwing the pink slab of meat in my skull into the post
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tavyliasin · 1 year ago
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Villain-Fucker Angst Hours
Good timezone, darlings~ Are you ready to get all up in your feelings? No? Me neither, loves, but here we are regardless so the words are going to flow as they usually do... This is focused on Raphael from Baldur's Gate 3 and his fandom, but the latter section can easily apply to any villain fandom.
Self-Analysis of Devil-Fuckery, Or Why Do I Adore Raphael When He Is Very Obviously Evil: A Short Essay by TavyliaSin (Who Still Cannot Name Anything With Less Than A Full Paragraph) ((NSFW)) (((Game Spoilers)))
The following may discuss heavier topics, but without specifics, so whilst it should be safe for most to read without triggering any difficult memories please be aware of Raphael's entire vibes, the content and context of his story, and I'd also like to mention that this isn't a "woe be us for we are terrible people" piece, it's actually more about:
"There is an inherent kindness and warmth to much of the Raphael fandom, and I think there could be some common threads behind that, pulling us all in closer in a comforting blanket that we wrap around each other to keep out the cold of the world."
So, what in the nine hells am I on about? Well. Raphael-fandom is a wild and wonderful place to be. The rest is in sections, so feel free to skip through to what you feel is relevant to your interests. I am so prone to waffle I should open a restaurant~
Who Are Fans Of Raphael? What Do They Want?
We are feral, unhinged, all sheets to the wind "I want that devil man, carnally, and there is no force in all the planes that could stop me". There's the vanilla to the extreme and every level in between, tops, bottoms, versatiles, Doms, subs, and switches - there are a whole lot of people who would love to get their hands on either (or both) of Raphael's forms, for a simple smooch or something far more spicy~ [edited in] To add on to this, not all of us even desire him in a sexual way, for many it is romantic, soft, or even just the rather pleasant thought of spending an evening with drinks by the hellfire because he would be fascinating company. Aces, Aros, and AroAces may all find themselves well within the devilish corners of fandom too~ which is a whole other essay~ [end edit] So, I see you. I'm one of you. Extremely loud and utterly hingeless in my fan appreciation for Raphael. He's one of my favourites to write about, I seek art of him, and the same goes for his mirrored other half, Haarlep, who I arguably love more despite there being far less content of them in the game.
And the Fandom? The Vibe?
From my experience in the Raphael Fandom areas, we have a very deep and abiding understanding of consent, respect, and treating each other with an absolute and uncompromising kindness. We've had talks about keeping each other safe in fandom, exchanged details of people we have encountered who need to be avoided, even shared details between moderators of different fandom servers to pre-ban people proven to be creeps and/or art thieves. We've also discussed consent, including the issues with it in the game, and how areas of the story can only really be considered dubious at best and could easily be triggering for people. And these discussions have been open, honest, fair, and with the acknowledgement that most of us love these scenes anyway. So there's a sense of care that runs through everything, behind the horny-posting and fan content, behind the endless thirsting after our favourite fictional characters. We have a depth of kindness that warms my sinners soul every time I see it.
What Does This Have To Do With Self-Reflection, Raphael, or Villainy In General?
Well let's look at Raphael. He's a villain, obviously. He's manipulative, devious, and inherently evil by his very nature. He keeps Hope chained in his basement, constantly subjected to endless torture. There's also mention of how Gortash was sold into his service at a young age, clearly not an enjoyable experience given the other details and how things turn out (particularly as Raphael would need Gortash's own plans to fail entirely in order for him to succeed in his own and get that crown). And as fans, we accept that. We don't sit making excuses, or trying to say "well actually Gortash is a little shit and Hope probably deserve it", and we don't shy away from or conveniently ignore those darker sides of him with malicious intent to enable more evil to flourish. What I noticed, when I allowed the thoughts to continue, is that there is a theme here.
If Evil Can Be Loved Then So Can I
That's the core. Of course, darlings, I am not claiming to be a heinous monster. I certainly do not have a laundry list of crimes that would make the devil himself say "Uh, that's a bit much." But I sure as fuck treat myself like I do sometimes. You see, I think a lot of us have that tendency, to judge ourselves far more harshly than anyone else. Our patience, understanding, and forgiveness for others runs deeper than the Mariana Trench, but when it comes to our own flaws? One minor mistake and we think ourselves to be the worst beings ever to disgrace the earth. Thus, the villainy we see reflects how we are treating ourselves. So by loving and accepting all of those things that should be terrible, hated, we are actually learning that no matter how poorly we think of ourselves that we can be worthy of that same love and acceptance. We are extending the affection we are unable to show ourselves to someone we see the worst parts of ourselves amplified within. And that's why villains attract the people with the most kindness. The most forgiveness. Because it takes someone with a truly huge amount of empathy to find love for the embodiment of evil.
Or, IDK, maybe villains are just hot and we're too far down to care.
But wait, before you go!
THERE'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT.
All of this is about FICTION. We should never be accepting of the kinds of evil we see in the game irl. We do not owe anyone kindness if they do not show it to us.
What is hot in fiction is not always OK IRL.
Look after yourselves out there, remember that consent is key in all things, and please do try to learn to love yourselves, darlings, you are worthy of it and you should judge yourself by the same standard you judge others. If you are in doubt, if you are worried, if you feel afraid - reach out, talk to someone. There are many who will listen.
Treat yourself as you would treat a friend. You deserve that much.
Oh, and all Raphael fans who understand kindness are welcome around me, any hour of the day, I adore our little fandom circles and would gladly collect all of us together. I'm following a lot of you as soon as I find you, like hunting shiny pokemon~
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See you in Avernus, my darling Little Mice, may we all find joy in the Cambion's Embrace~
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zaenaris · 1 year ago
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Anime-only adaptations I really enjoyed
I really loved how the anime staff pour their love in the flashback and in the parts where the characters are described the most (bc, in the end, TR is a story driven by characters, not plot), so yeah, kudos for the kokonui, kakuiza and Kisaki centric parts that were not in thee manga and that were added as a ponderate choice by the anime team.
In chronological order
When Takemichi calls him with his nickname "Kaku-chan", Kakucho hesitates before killing him, while in the manga (ch.134) when Izana orders him to kill Takemichi, he just does it with no mercy. The result is the same, but in the anime we saw Kakucho's struggle
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The parts about Koko and Inupi, their past and their fight (2x21 or ep.8 of the 2nd coure of S2). It is a very emotional and crude part also in the manga, but in the anime, thanks to some changes/adaptations/voice acting and music, manages to be even more emotional and impactful, while remaining faithful to the manga. That's how an adaptation should be done
First of all, the kiss
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while, story-wise, it's clear the kiss is not fanservice, but an important moment to understand their past and their complicated relationship, no one can deny the anime kiss looks even more passionate than the manga version
Among the people that approached Koko in the manga for money reasons, only Izana and Taiju were mentioned (ch.159), meanwhile in the manga, besides them, were added also Madarame Shion - an anime only addition-
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and the Haitani Brothers, as a nod to Wakui's birthday art for Koko
I already talked about it here and partially here but, in short, I like how the anime underlines even better that Koko considers himself unredeemable and incapable of detach his own identity to make money illegally
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and honestly, peak adaptation: the transition to younger Koko to Tenjiku!Koko saying the same line, to make us understand that Koko still feels incredibly guilty about the past...
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... and the fact both Inupi and Koko cry in this scene, a moment that there wasn't in the manga and that was an incredibly beautiful and touching addition
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but while manga!Koko -ch.159- at this point is just resigned and "colder" in his decision to stay with Tenjiku, just like also manga!Inupi already calmed down, anime!Inupi is both fed up with the situation but willing to makes things right and very determined..
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while anime!Koko is destroyed, he doesn't even stand up when Inupi punches him (I already talked about it here)
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the little addition of Kakucho in the flashback when Shinichiro goes to say hi to Izana to take him out with him. Izana's favourite people "interacting" was nice (too bad the animation quality was a little meh in this episode, but I understand we can't have peak quality all the time)
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Kakucho with Izana when he finds again Karen by chance and she tells his she's not his biological mother and he's not related to any of the Sano. It the manga Izana was alone, adding Kakucho was nice because the situation is still terrible, Izana sees his whole world collapsing on himself, but at least he has Kakucho
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last one, Kisaki's "I wanted to be like you" that humanizes him a little. In the manga his death was quick and brutal. We can understands, reading the manga, he had this superiority/inferiority complex towards Takemichi, but the anime explains it more clearly (I talked a bit about it here )
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Maybe there's something else that was an anime-only adaptation that made sense, even improved the already existent narration, but I probably don't remember it. These are the ones that imho, are the most important both for the characters and the narration.
I love how Liden Film followed faithfully the story but added "more heart" to it, that's what a good adaptation should do
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creationandcalamityau · 2 months ago
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Andrew and...Andrew??? Yeahhh
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So I decided to draw Andrew Harper and his very outdated design. To differentiate the both of them, I'll call his old design Drew for now (even though Andrew also goes by Drew sometimes too uhhh just forget about that XD)
It's hard to believe these are both the same person.
More yapping under the cut!
The reason I wanted to talk more about Andrew and his origins in the early versions of this AU is that yesterday marked the 1st anniversary of when I created him (February 1, 2024, to be specific is when I created his first concept art) Happy late birthday buddy!!
So for those who don't know, Andrew Harper was originally going to be evil in the earliest drafts of the fanfic. He was a vengeful creature with violent tendencies. He was honestly almost as bad as Joey himself. Which is wild to think of now that he's changed completely. Drew (as I'll call him to avoid confusion) was inspired originally by the once-popular theory of the ink demon being Joey Drew. Though BATDR clearly disproves this theory, I like the concept. I wanted a character who was like Joey but not actually him.
So then I remembered, "Hey, memory Joey exists!" and wondered how Joey managed to actually create memory Joey. Because I am not sure if he has a soul, or even truly what he is. He's stated to be a ghost or in his own words "A Memory." so I took this idea and was like "There had to be a prototype for Memory Joey." Thus Drew exists.
Joey to me comes across as the type of guy who wants to be immortal in his own creation. This lore is actually still very much canon to Andrew's backstory, but it was also the same backstory for Drew, though he had hardly any depth at this point.
Drew's backstory goes as follows; He was a sort of "Prototype of Memory Joey." A clone basically, but a very imperfect one. He was very similar to how Twisted Alice acts in many parts of the plot, wanting to become better than Joey Drew himself. He was very selfish and terrible overall. Not a chill dude.
When I was writing him in Charlie's section of the Creation and Calamity Fanfic, things shifted from Drew being evil to being just another victim of Joey's stupidity. Which is how Andrew Harper was born.
Andrew Harper was created in a similar way to Drew but I changed a bit of his backstory, providing him more of a personality than just "Angry Employee Who Got Screwed Over By Joey Drew" which was basically all he had to him. Andrew really started to grow on me while I wrote scenes with him in them. I got attached more to him being something other than an evil creature.
The whole thing about him being a clone of Joey is kind of less explicitly there in his current design. I like to believe it's because Joey is not smart and didn't realize it wasn't going to work.
Andrew himself actually doesn't really have many features of Joey at all, in fact, he's got more features from the Ink Demon than Joey. Kind of funny how that works. If I'm being fully honest I have no clue how the process of making someone into an ink clone of yourself works so this is really vague on purpose uhhhh yeah...
Andrew like Drew was also seen as a failure by Joey Drew, however, Andrew was mostly angry about the fact his identity was ripped from him. Drew was angry because he wasn't perfect.
I prefer Andrew over Drew. Andrew is more tragic than just evil because, idk he's angry or whatever Drew had going on.
For those who actually have no clue about Andrew Harper and have not understood a thing about this post, that's okay. I can try to summarize his current lore for you (Without going into too much detail cause his prequel will do that)
Andrew Harper is my oc and a major character in the fanfic for this AU. Andrew was an animator at the studio and a cartoonist. He was a hard worker, got things done on time, overall a good guy. He met his future wife Delilah after she was hired as an animator at the studio as well and took the vacant seat beside him.
The two of them got along well and Andrew clearly was very terrible at hiding that he had a crush on Delilah. Delilah and him both got married on May 6th, 1936 and got the date engraved in their wedding rings (THIS IS AN IMPORTANT DETAIL.)
As the studio starts going downhill and the checks don't seem to come in on time anymore, Andrew gets asked by Joey Drew for a deal of sorts. Andrew is reluctant but agrees, confused as to why Joey would pick him. There wasn't really any reason for him to be chosen, Joey just sucks.
Without going into far too much detail, the next thing Andrew knows is that he's become an ink creature. He is deemed as a failure by Joey who locks him in a room for the time being.
One day Andrew hears Delilah asking Joey about her missing husband and Andrew is unable to leave the room to tell her he's still alive. Joey lies to Delilah and basically just tells her Andrew is dead (he just says he's not sure but essentially Delilah takes it as he's dead for good)
Somewhere down the line, Andrew breaks out of the rooms Joey keeps trying to put him in, and he runs off into the studio, finding his way into The Cycle. There he struggles to remember who he once was.
The majority of his prequel story I will one day write will explore what he does during this time along with how he and Delilah met and all that.
During the main events of the fanfic he serves as a friend to Sammy and Charlie and helps them escape Twisted Alice and ends up remembering his past a bit more as time goes on.
He later on reunites with Delilah who is now a Lost One and they, after the events of Wilson taking over the cycle, take over what remains of Sammy's cult of followers. (THE LOST ONE SUPPORT GROUP is what it basically is now lol)
But yeah that's him. The silly guy. Feel free to ask questions about him lol. I don't mind. I am horrible at explaining things sometimes so I hope this was clear enough.
I have no idea what this post is but I'm giving it a new tag probably "From the Archives" will be the tag. All oc yapping posts are going to be tagged this from now on.
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