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[woneko]

He. Is. My. BabyGIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!! [my telekinesis throws everything across the room]

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[ask-the-sagents]

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Agents 3,4,5, and 8 are now available for questions!

(Translation for Roxie in the tags 🥺❤️)

[into-the-feniverse]

Finished reading Trigun/TriMax a couple days ago and have been feverishly trying to piece together a timeline, so here’s the result of that ✨

EDIT: as of 3/13/24 this has been UPDATED

For a more detailed timeline (with vol/ch marks): google sheet

Full res of the graphic (& other resources): bit.l/trigunresources

Notes & rest of the timeline under the cut!

Edits as of 3/13/24

The detailed spreadsheet is organized and color coded! If you'd like a more concise breakdown of events/see some of my reasoning behind certain time stamps feel free to skim through that

Changed where in the timeline the Maylene and Wolfwood events happened (originally where I had placed them would have made Maylene like 6 when she and Wolfwood reunited which is NOT correct)

moved where in the timeline Knives started collecting the GungHo Guns (at latest he started in 0090 (20 years before 0110) since it's noted that Monev has been training in a cellar for the past 20 years

Moved where Knives initially tracked down Conrad (felt like it needed to happen at least a decade before July)

Changed up some of the months (personally, I don't think the Ark launched in December, since that'd put Milly and Meryl's arrival to the colony in July, which wouldn't make sense. So I placed the ark launch in October which of course offset some of the other month stand ins)

Added an earth year for when Knives and Vash are born. The explanation is I think at minimum there was at least a 2 year period between them and Tesla (since Rem was around for that whole process). I do think it was more than that, but that’s the earliest possible year I think it could have happened. Personally I’m more in the camp of 5-10 years, but def not 50 like in tristamp

Old Notes:

If you see any typos or phrase inconsistencies: no you don’t 💕 (😭)

Blue text can be completely ignored, that’s just kinda my personal preference/wild guesstimating of when “exactly” those events happened

Blue lines can also be ignored, they’re also just rough guesstimates on where exactly in the timeline these could have happened

The distance of the lines from one another doesn’t really mean anything, I started trying to follow a system to notate when things happened really close together but it was//// not consistently done ngl

Fun fact: by the time Wolfwood leaves the orphanage Meryl is 18! And she was 14 at the time of July’s destruction

Additional fun fact: Brad is 17 when he and sensei meet up with Vash in the Factioned city (which I think is absolutely RIDICULOUS), and we know this because he was 4 the one/last time he had met Vash and it’s been 13 years since

It was noted by Karen, one of Meryl’s coworkers, that she and Milly had been on assignment with Vash for about 4 months. (Might be that they were out searching for him during that time as well, but I’m choosing to interpret it as they were actually with him for that amount of time)

I’m also working on a 98 timeline for comparison (but more like just sequence of events cause I don’t think I have the patience to sift through the lore quite as much… mainly making it just to clarify how the anime delineates from the manga)

I am//::: feeling v unhinged after this and feel like it could be improved/i need to do a more thorough read, but I’m calling it quits for now before I actually go insane (but hopefully some people will find it somewhat helpful!)

Also: if anybody has any notes to add or clarifications/corrections I would be more than happy to hear them 👂

[mollusc-era]

inkfish hands

this is my second post detailing how and why i depict different inkling + octoling features, the first one on octoling suckers can be found here.

splatoon inkfish, in all their generally humanoid glory, have fairly humanoid hands as well. we all know this.

while differences between inkling and octoling hands can be somewhat small and inconsistent (with the player model hands looking almost identical), octoling fingertips tend to be pointier and are more likely to be a different color.

(These are screenshots of the hands of ripped playable inkling (left) and octoling (right) models from splatoon 3. while there does seem to be a slight difference, it's very subtle)

while frye shows that inklings can also have colored fingertips, it's definitely more commonly seen in octolings, as every fully humanoid named octoling that's been depicted both in-game and in outside lore like the splatbands has had them. excluding agent 8, as their model is just the playable octoling model, which seems to be a bit of an exception in general when it comes to octolings (i'll probably make a more in depth post about this at some point).

so that's the background on these design differences, generally. they're honestly not that extreme, but it's something the fandom has understandably latched onto to a certain extent.

one of the most common way for fans to interpret the pointy vs round fingertips is to give octolings something analogous to claws, sometimes giving inklings retractable ones so they don't have to miss out on the fun (completely understandable). often the real life dentification of squid suckers is brought up in relation to these claws and used as design inspiration, which is really cool.

the thing is... sucker dentification is only something that shows up in squid, yet octolings are the ones with the pointy fingertips. this is something that has been addressed in other posts talking about this whole thing- it's not something that's being necessarily ignored- but it's something that has, in general, made me less keen on giving octolings any sort of dentification or claws.

whats my answer to the pointy octoling fingertips, then? cirri!

what are cirri, you may ask? they're small appendages found on either side of each sucker on a cirrate octopus. while they can look somewhat sharp in some conditions, they're entirely made out of flesh, and act kind of like smaller "sub" tentacles. a lot like fingers, really.

it should be noted that i do not think octolings are cirrate octopuses, as cirrate octopuses do not have ink sacs or chromatophors- both pretty important for octolings. the shape of octoling ears are inspired by the fins of cirrate octopuses, though, so i think borrowing more inspiration from them isn't necessarily something particularly out there. it's certainly something closer on the evolutionary tree than sucker dentification, and is something that is generally more "octopus-like."

these are my designs for the hands. the suckers on octoling hands act as a way to create a palm-like shape, the tip of the original tentacle tip acting as the middle finger while the rest of the fingers are comprised of cirri.

in contrast, the inkling hands have the benefit of the base tentacle being quite stumpy, flaring out into a club-like shape to form the palm while irregularly spaced suckers act as fingers. note that the tentacle that makes up the inkling's arm isn't a true tentacle- it's instead analogous to one of a squid's eight arms, as shown in this diagram.

the true tentacles are found in the "hair" of an inkling, and maybe sometime i'll make a post about that too.

the dentification of the inkling finger suckers contain no hooks, as those are usually found on a squid's true tentacles. they are, instead, more like the teeth rings found in the suckers on their arms. i'm not sure if the hooks are always found on the true tentacles, but i feel like the rings are a really neat way to preserve the rounded shape of the fingers while also giving them dentification.

as one final note- these differences were decided on for design reasons more than anything else. considering that non-cirrate octopuses do not have cirri and the fact that the arms that became the arms in an inkling's humanoid form don't have a club shape to them at all, i'm honestly not sure if either method for creating a handlike shape would be particularly more likely for either. the difference is more to retain the octopus and squid vibes octolings and inklings have- which is why i suspect octolings have pointy fingertips to begin with. compared to squids, octopuses have more pointy tips to their limbs, and so octolings have pointier fingers.

[dentalcaring]

i don’t play baldurs gate anymore bc i have Qualms with larian in regards to racial portrayal/ignoring characters of color and generally villainizing a lot of them, characterization inconsistency, listening to fanon too much + game too big + they keep updating the fucking thing and breaking games i put 40+ hours into (and am barely halfway through). but wyll is so special to me and i love him so much. i went in expecting to be an astarion fucker and yeah he’s very pretty and all but i just reached a certain point where i just. lost interest. in him as a character. he’s great in concept but in practice we just don’t gel. yknow?

i digress. wyll has it all. he’s so beautiful. he’s sweet, funny, and SO very earnest. i love that he shows that being a hero doesn’t always mean making the most lawful good choices. the ends justify the means! there’s not enough heroic warlocks out there. the sacrifice that comes with being a warlock in contrast to being this amazing folk hero, but also not regretting his choice.

also what i’ve played of his romance (i’ve never properly hit act 3 in any playthrough. because my game keeps breaking and i like playing with CC.) is so very satisfying and i wish there was more of it. i’d like to see, like, meeting his friends (outside the party, because i’m certain he has plenty), his household, idk the little stuff. the game isn’t about romance and obviously it’s an adventure game, but other characters get a lot of different scenes, so i wish there was that with him. yknow?

[sprooknooky]

Irene and Wall for the character ask?

Thank you for the ask!! Two of my favorite guys ever!! This ended up being really long...

Irene:

favorite thing about them:

Just her <33 She’s like my favorite person. Sorry real life friends, Irene is my best friend and has been since I was twelve years old.

Really though, I actually enjoy her part of the story (ignoring the sequel). I love that she’s a weird old lady who invented dragon slayers and lives in a castle across the ocean from her daughter that she just assumes is dead. Fuckin amazing. She’s flirty. She’s really hot and she knows it. She’s traumatized as hell. Good for her.

least favorite thing about them:

This kinda goes for every woman in Fairy Tail, but I hate that she’s used for fanservice, especially in the sequel, but also how they changed some scenes in the anime to showcase her massive tits. Like really?? She’s better than this. Let her wear clothes. Please.

Also, I really love super overpowered characters, but for a lot of Irene’s attacks, pure plot armor was used to beat her. Like why is she able to summon a meteor? That part is so dumb. Just let her be an enchantress. It just feels weirdly inconsistent to show that she’s powerful. We already know she’s powerful. Whatever. I’m salty.

favorite line:

Irene says some absolutely batshit stuff but I may have to go with this one. I like how sarcastic it is. She’s such an asshole (affectionate).

Also fun fact: they forgot to color the collar of her top in this panel!

brOTP:

Irene and Bloodman!! I know they don’t interact at all in canon but I love that they’re on the same team during the war. It sparked something within me. They’re both super old and have to put up with Zeref’s bullshit and would bond over that. <3

OTP:

Irene x Anna! They’re old and traumatized and totally knew each other 400 years ago. Also, Irene is a lesbian so I like it a lot better than Irene x Zeref or Irene x Acnologia.

nOTP:

Ehhhh Irene x Acnologia gives me bad vibes… I understand the appeal I guess? She created dragon slayers to help the dragons and he became a dragon slayer and killed all of them. But MAN is it toxic. They both deserve better.

random headcanon:

I think I’ve said this one before but she watches so much shitty reality TV. Like the dating shows where people are on an island and have sex and there’s drama for no reason. She loves that stuff. She makes fun of it daily.

unpopular opinion:

She shouldn’t have been back in the sequel…. I love Irene. So much. But she really didn’t add anything meaningful and didn’t need the ending they gave her. It was just really dissatisfying in my opinion. I feel like a lot of people didn’t mind her being back, but it really doesn’t make sense.

song i associate with them:

Never Love an Anchor by the Crane Wives thanks to @pencilofawesomeness ‘s post here (it’s so cool!! I hope you don’t mind the tag)

favorite picture of them:

She is SO PRETTY but also so silly and I’m struggling to pick just one…

But probably this one :)

-

Wall:

favorite thing about them:

I love their silly little personality. I enjoy deranged little guys in general but I like that he has a weird lawyer thing going on. He says “indeed” a lot and stuff like “case dismissed” and it’s so funny. Their title is the adjudicator. Why is he a lawyer??? And the best part is he can rewrite his own personality. So he wrote himself to be this way. That’s amazing. Go little funky robot guy go!!

least favorite thing about them:

I feel like Wall was really doomed by the narrative. He should have had so much more screen time. He just has so much potential. Why introduce a species of robot people as well as alchemy just to kill the guy off? It just makes me sad because they’re so fun.

favorite line:

This is just so badass

brOTP:

Wall and Dimaria are menaces <3 I love that they tease each other in canon and they definitely spar in their free time. Everyone hates it when they’re together because they’ll just gang up on people and make fun of them. It’s great.

OTP:

I don’t think I ship Wall with anyone… they give me aroace vibes.

nOTp:

I think some people ship him with Neinhart? That’s kinda weird in my opinion. Don’t they hate each other? I dunno, it just feels wrong. Besides, Neinhart is too stupid to get any bitches. (Full offense to Neinhart.)

random headcanon:

He was broken out of jail by the empire and that’s why his outfit kinda looks like a prison jumpsuit.

unpopular opinion:

I don’t think I’ve seen enough people complaining about red lightning but it should not have killed Wall. Lightning is lightning regardless of color or strength or whatever. I would have much preferred Wall die by being outsmarted. I also really hate Laxus fighting Wall at all… I think it would have been so much cooler to give the Thunder Legion a better fight against them! Anyway, I don’t know how unpopular that is, but it’s all I have right now.

song i associate with them:

Hmm… I can’t really think of one right now. I’ll update this if I remember anything though.

favorite picture of them:

This one’s pretty rad :D (Or the one I used for his quote)

[ghoooooooooooooooost]

i had to reread n edit this before posting like i was going over an essay jesus christ ((tristamp spoilers))

tldr; i was honestly disappointed but i still don't think it was completely awful + i hope if they do a 2nd season it's better *wants to see milly*.... fuck the director though

EDIT!!! 2nd season was confirmed so you can ignore the points where i question if it will happen lol

EDIT 2 actually idt i'll watch the 2nd season... for reasons that just hit me so.... + fuck night*w as well

most of this was written before the finale eek

the major problems were that the pacing was soooooo weird n some of the changes (both story wise and design wise) they made were questionable esp towards the latter half

my positive points:

i do still think individual eps at the first half were really good

i loved the animation + how they used colors

the backgrounds are cool

the artstyle shift in wolfwood's flashback was cool

i've always been "ok" abt vashwood honestly (sorry) but i will acknowledge they were very yaoiful here. i saw a person who didn't ship vashwood say the ep in tristamp where they literally just met made them ship it which was really funny bc how did that change your mind so fast

i'm ngl the milly + eriks name drops made me *JAWDROP* but that's something that only matters to ppl who watched/read the ogs first

my negative points (uh oh):

white washed wolfwood (+ his skintone is soo inconsistent in merch)

they gave vash no room to breathe n he doesn't get big sillay moments after ep 3

^ this is true for every character except i guess roberto? more on roberto later

^^^ goes with the previous too points but it felt like they were way too focused on the drama n sadness without enough (long lasting) happy or hopeful moments to contrast or balance it out overall - to the point were the characterization of our main cast suffered for it bc there wasn't enough there with them to make that properly work. and THEN the silly moments ended up suffering too bc they start feeling out of place. the drama beats kept happening one after the other at breakneck speed without breaks, messing up the pacing as well (i can kinda blame this at least partially on the fact they only had 12 eps when the og was 26 eps but i've watched plenty of 12 ep series with great pacing so i don't really know what happened here?)

i disagreed with this at first, but the lore with vash being front-loaded really did hurt the story a bit in the long run. obviously they did still spread the full details out over the course of the show but it was :\

specific to "the running man"- it's my fav ep tbh but it was strange how all the townsfolk were partying w the nebraskas with no indication they'd arrest them after they did so much damage n vash didn't even get to fix the damaged plant?? so why were they so joyous when the initial problem wasn't solved?

roberto.... was such a weird character... he managed to be both a dick n a guy w no personality, he was there to give exposition + attempt to be funny? n then die. also the marketing staff fucking hates him he's never in any merch wtf ((edited after the finale: well now we know he wasn't meant to replace milly (i had a whole paragraph complaining abt that lol) + now i feel like they added him just to kill someone other than wolfwood off))

i can't speak much on elendria bc i had so much trouble reading trimax forever ago that i never retained anything abt her other than she's trans, but everything involving her in tristamp felt strange/ like it didn't work. i have essentially same feeling about livio here. they threw legato to the side??

what the fuck was the thing with the plants towards the end. it just hit me what the hell

minor nitpicks:

i miss the old anime's ost :( tristamp's ost isn't bad by any means n there are tracks that i really like it's just idk man. especially with the the op song, i couldn't get myself to not skip the op SORRY. could you imagine how hype it would've been if a new rendition of H.T. or NO-BEAT started playing

i'm fine with stamp vash's design (blasphemous i know) but man would'n've one of his og coat designs worked well in 3d? i feel like it would've ((added after the finale: the new coat did look nice in black + they brought back his old hair in the last ep tho so. MAYBE... IN SEASON 2.... CLASSIC COAT....? *delusional*))

NO LOVE & PEACE?!?!?!?!

one of my nitpick points was that they technically didn't give vash the black hair bc i really wanna see it animated one day but assuming they are teasing a season 2 maybe they will eventually. but then how...?

[anthonyphotography]

5 BUSINESS HEADSHOT MISTAKES TO AVOID

Greetings, I’m Anthony Mongiello, your go-to headshot photographer in Los Angeles. In a city where first impressions matter as much as the Hollywood sign, having a killer business headshot is non-negotiable. As an award-winning professional in the field, I’ve seen it all. Today, let’s explore the top five mistakes you need to steer clear of to ensure your professional image truly shines.

1. IGNORING PROFESSIONAL GUIDANCE

Imagine you’re gearing up for your business headshot session, armed with enthusiasm and a Pinterest board full of poses. While having inspiration is great, ignoring professional guidance can lead to disaster. As your experienced headshot photographer in LA, I’m here to guide you through the process. Trust me; those quirky poses might look great on Instagram, but for your professional headshot, we want to convey competence and approachability. I’ll help you strike the perfect balance, ensuring your headshot speaks volumes about your expertise and qualities.

Investing in a professional headshot session is about curating an image that resonates with your target audience. So, let go of the preconceived notions, and let’s create a headshot that not only turns heads but also opens doors to new opportunities.

2. NEGLECTING WARDROBE CHOICES

One of the most common mistakes I witness is neglecting wardrobe choices. Remember, your headshot is your personal brand, and every detail matters. Opt for timeless, solid colors that complement your skin tone and convey professionalism. Steer clear of distracting patterns or overly casual attire that could send the wrong message about your business.

During your session with Anthony Mongiello Photography, we’ll discuss wardrobe options tailored to your industry and personal style. Whether you’re in finance, entertainment, or entrepreneurship, I’ve got the expertise to ensure your wardrobe choices enhance, not detract from, your professional image. Your headshot should reflect confidence and authenticity – let’s make sure your wardrobe shows just that.

3. OVERLOOKING THE IMPORTANCE OF LIGHTING

Lighting is the unsung hero of a stunning headshot, and overlooking its importance is a serious mistake. Many DIY headshot attempts fall victim to harsh shadows, unflattering angles, and inconsistent lighting. As your dedicated headshot photographer, I prioritize creating a well-lit environment that highlights your best features and captures your unique qualities.

When it comes to headshots, natural light is often the golden ticket. However, mastering it requires finesse and expertise. During your session with me, I’ll leverage natural light or artificial lighting setups to accentuate your strengths and diminish any imperfections. Your headshot should communicate professionalism – let’s ensure every beam of light contributes to that perfect image.

4. NEGLECTING FACIAL EXPRESSION

A static, lifeless expression can make you appear disengaged, while an overly enthusiastic one might be perceived as unprofessional. Striking the perfect balance requires finesse, and that’s where I come in as your expert headshot photographer.

At Anthony Mongiello Photography, I’ll guide you through a range of expressions, ensuring we capture your personality without veering into extremes. From the subtle confidence of a CEO to the friendly approachability of a creative professional, we’ll tailor your expressions to align with your industry and personal brand. Don’t settle for a one-size-fits-all approach – let’s create a headshot that speaks volumes about who you are as a professional.

5. IGNORING RETOUCHING

The final mistake to avoid is underestimating professional retouching. While authenticity is key, a touch of strategic retouching can elevate your headshot to new heights. From minimizing imperfections to enhancing natural features, the goal is to present the best version of yourself without sacrificing authenticity.

At Anthony Mongiello Photography, I bring a keen eye for detail to the retouching process. My goal is to enhance, not alter, your unique features, ensuring your headshot exudes professionalism while remaining true to who you are. Don’t let a lack of retouching expertise undermine the impact of your headshot – entrust your image to a seasoned professional who understands the balance between genuineness and enhancement.

CONCLUSION

There you have it – five business headshot mistakes to avoid if you’re aiming for success. Remember, your headshot is more than just a photo; it’s your first handshake with potential clients and collaborators. When you choose Anthony Mongiello Photography, you’re gaining a partner dedicated to capturing your professional identity with precision. Let’s redefine your professional image. Schedule your session today and step into the spotlight with confidence and style!

[wwwprocreationsin]

5 Web Designing Mistakes You Should Avoid for a Flawless User Experience

Introduction:

In the digital age, web design plays a crucial role in shaping the online presence of businesses and professionals. A well-designed website can be a powerful tool to attract customers, showcase your skills, or market your products and services. However, making mistakes in web designing can have a detrimental effect on the user experience and the success of your website. Whether you are a web designer, a business owner, or someone considering a career in website development, it's essential to be aware of these common web design mistakes to ensure a flawless user experience.

1. Neglecting Mobile Responsiveness:

In a world where we use our Smartphone’s and tablets for almost everything, having a website that is not mobile-friendly is a major blunder. Website designing is not just about creating a visually appealing desktop version; it's also about ensuring that your website looks and functions well on various screen sizes and devices. A responsive web design adapts to the user's screen, providing an optimal experience whether they're on a desktop, Smartphone’s, or tablet.

2. Slow Loading Times:

A website that takes ages to load is a sure way to drive users away. In today's fast-paced world, people expect websites to load quickly. To avoid this mistake, optimize your images, use efficient coding practices, and choose reliable hosting. The slower your website loads, the more visitors you'll lose, and the harder it will be to rank well in search engine results.

3. Cluttered and Complex Layouts:

Overly complex and cluttered web designs can overwhelm visitors and make it difficult for them to find what they are looking for. Keep your layout clean, with a logical structure that guides users to the information or actions they need. Simplicity often leads to a better user experience.

4. Inconsistent Branding:

Consistency is key when it comes to web design. Your website should reflect your brand's identity and maintain a consistent look and feel across all pages. Inconsistencies in fonts, colors, and styles can confuse users and make your website appear unprofessional. It's essential to create a design guide or style sheet to ensure that all elements are uniform.

5. Ignoring SEO Best Practices:

Web designing company and digital marketing company go hand in hand. Neglecting SEO (Search Engine Optimization) during the design phase can hurt your website's visibility in search engine results. Using proper heading tags, optimizing images, and structuring content for search engines are just a few SEO practices that should be integrated into your website design process.

Conclusion:

Avoiding these common web design mistakes is essential for creating a flawless user experience and achieving success in the digital world. Whether you're a web designer, a business owner, or someone interested in a career in website development, understanding these principles is crucial for building a website that not only looks good but also functions well. Consider taking a web design course, hiring a professional web designing agency, or seeking guidance from a website development company to ensure that your website offers the best possible user experience. By doing so, you'll be on your way to creating a website that stands out in the digital landscape.

[stranger-rants]

You’re absolutely bringing your own views into this. That’s what y’all don’t seem to understand. You’re not talking about this character objectively.

Your point of view is that a person like Billy who has done harmful things remains a “shitty person” even if they had done something good. That’s a subjective stance to take on another person’s moral standing - not an objective fact. Just because you can’t accept that a person like him changed in quite a big way at the end of his life to the point that you still need to hold all the bad things he did as a teenager surviving abuse against him, doesn’t mean we all should too.

Re: Racism - You can’t hold a character accountable for something they didn’t say or do, just because the show runners had originally planned for it. The Duffers wanted Steve to be a rapist in their original script, for example, but changed their minds. I am not saying that he’s not racist. What I am saying is that people like you continually bring this point up, but it’s not canon. It didn’t actually happen.

Caleb’s words should be understood within context, and that includes the fact that he said this in response to fans being hateful towards Jason and Jason’s actor Mason. He was trying to argue that Jason wasn’t racist / at least took Lucas in, but the fact of the matter is that regardless of Caleb’s opinion on that matter Jason does mirror white supremacists, especially telling Lucas he thought he was “one of the good ones” which is a line often used to sort people of color into a “respectable, approximating whiteness” category.

Dacre’s words are also often taken out of context, too, and they reflect his opinions about Billy after changes were made to his character and the script. He has acknowledged quite explicitly that not only is Billy’s father a racist bigot, but Billy carries his own prejudices. What he also acknowledges, though, is that people can learn and grow from that. The Duffers said they think he’s racist, but they also wanted Billy to be a one-dimensional villain and those plans were also dashed by Dacre.

Dacre didn’t want to play the part of a racist bully who continually tormented Lucas using racial slurs for no particular reason. Caleb was a child at the time, and neither thought it was appropriate. Why any of you insist on using The Duffer’s words to argue over how we should interpret Billy is beyond me, as they’re the least reliable when it comes to these characters.

The fact that they couldn’t come up with any storyline for Lucas that doesn’t involve villainizing him (e.g. pitting him again eleven; pitting him against the hellfire club) or making him a target for race based violence (e.g. Billy pushing him; Jason attempting to shoot him after forming a literal lynch mob) and the fact that they use his sister Erica as The Sassy Black Girl and also put her in the lynch mob situation speaks volumes about The Duffer’s ability to handle characters of color, as well as race and racism in general. They’re not good at it.

Furthermore, Runaway Max isn't 100% canon as there are indeed inconsistencies between the book and Billy and Max's origins in the show, based on Billy's memories in season 3. Regardless, that book outlines very clearly that Billy is being abused and it's important for people like you, people who don't like him and insist on defining him entirely as this violent abusive racist, to understand that he's an unstable teenager in need of help. It is also really important for y'all to understand that Billy and Max are abused and neglected by their parents.

I am not justifying or excusing his violent behavior, but some of y'all also exaggerate what he did wrong to the point of making him an abusive caricature of himself who is always tormenting and abusing Max and Lucas. That's not supported by canon. You may not like it, but it's not objective to take his behavior out of context and ignore the elements of his life that are inconvenient for you.

You don't understand "Billy defenders" not because you have some objective sort of moral authority or superior sense of justice or awareness on social issues, but because you've deluded yourself into thinking all of your interpretations are objective truths and not extremely biased and even hateful in your own way.

There should be no reason in my own opinion that we need to treat an eighteen year old surviving abuse as an "incredibly shitty person," especially defining them as "an abuser" when he doesn't systematically abuse anyone. He's cruel to Max and her friends, but this behavior soon ends. Why you need to continue defining him as "an abuser" is beyond me - and I say this subjectively as a person who has survived abuse and who works regularly with young people who act just like Billy does in response to trauma.

I rarely see anyone on my side of things argue that Billy did nothing wrong and we often have important conversations re: Billy's prejudices and violence. We just don't treat this teenager like he's the scum of the Earth, and we shouldn't have to. Why can't y'all accept that and leave us alone?

Before I get into this post, I would like to preface that I don’t like Billy Hargrove, but this post is objective. I’m not bringing my views of him into it, I’m taking canon facts and using it to make this analysis (kind of) of him. The rest of the post is under the cut.

Billy is abusive. This has been shown in the actual show multiple times, and it has also been explicitly talked about in Runaway Max.

Billy is racist. Despite Dacre saying he doesn’t believe Billy to be racist, Ross Duffer confirmed he was, as did Caleb McLaughlin. Dacre Montgomery stated that the original script contained “a far worse piece of language” that was cut. This implies a slur.

It wasn’t Billy’s fault he kidnapped people. He was under the Mindflayer’s control. That cannot be held against him.

Billy sacrificed himself in the mall in season 3 after El reminded him of his mother and he regained control.

He’s still an abuser. He’s still racist. His sacrifice doesn’t change those things.

That is why I will never understand Billy stans or defenders.

Because the only thing that sacrifice made him was an incredibly shitty person who did something good.

[dabisqueen]

Always Yours

art credit: @/3-aem, original image here

Dabi x Reader x Hawks

⇢ rating: 18+

⇢ word count: roughly 7K

⇢ plot: you dump Dabi and Hawks comforts you through the break-up. Yet, your thoughts always go back to the dark-haired man with the tantalizing blue eyes

⇢ warnings: 18+, a little blood, smoking, drinking, hurt, a bit of angst, kissing, slight dubcon, vaginal sex, orgasm, cream pie, cum, Hawks using his ways to seduce/drug reader (?), typos, fluff and a lot of personal experience put into this

⇢ NO MINORS ALLOWED!!!

personal note: another fic inspired by a prompt from my 400 Followers Event. totally blew out of proportion 😂

Special thanks to the extremely talented @/3-aem. her depiction of Dabi is among my most favorites. I love the mood and the lighting. thank you again for letting me use your artwork as a banner for this fic 💙

also many thanks to @/scruffymctee and the nonny for inspiring me. nonny, if you want to come out of your hiding, pls DM me so I can thank you

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Dabi and you had met just by accident. You were going for a walk at night time, your shift had ended late, wanting to catch some fresh air in this exceptionally chill and crisp autumn night.

Walking through your favorite park, you noticed how isolated and quiet it was here at night. Wandering down the gravel path you spotted a young man hunched over, smoke billowing from his body, blue flames licking on him. He looked distressed, panting heavily, squirming as if in pain. You could have walked away, just kept on walking - but you couldn't.

So you approached him carefully.

Your gaze took in his unique appearance, his mesmerizing turquoise eyes against the backdrop of his raven hair, long dark lashes and bruise-colored scars below. His nose piercings and staples glinted in the soft light of the park lamps as he tilted his head, pain contorting his beautiful features.

"Don't come closer," he hissed at you.

But ignoring him, you reached out to touch his shoulder. His eyes widened with surprise as you weren't flinching at contact with the flames even though you burned yourself. You covered each flaming area with your palm, straightening over it, extinguishing the flames. You could feel your palms stinging as they got blistered, yet you didn't care. It would heal with time.

He seemed in a disheveled state, delirious, still shaking, his body almost searing hot to the touch. Helping him up, you led him the short distance back to your apartment to attend to his wounds.

As you walked back from your kitchen with a glass of water, he took it from you and placed it on the coffee table. Taking your hands into his, he turned them palms up, inspecting the burns and blisters on them.

"Why," he rasped in a low voice, not looking up.

You shrugged, "You seemed like you needed help. And this–" looking down at your palms, "Will heal."

After he drank the water, he introduced himself as Dabi and after having rested enough, he left.

The next evening, he stood in front of your door again, asking if he could come in.

You had been together since.

He was the first man you had really been with. In the beginning, you dated him purely because he fascinated you. And it was never a challenge for you to cope with his occasional erratic moods and behavior. But it quickly grew into love for him. For a man who was obviously so strong, determined, yet also so painfully vulnerable, his grief laying so bare.

But it hadn't been easy and you that hurt. Even though we were seeing each other, you were not even close to being in an official relationship. The feelings were deep-rooted on each side, yet his behavior was inconsistent. Leaving without saying goodbye, often staying away for days on end. You were dependant on him showing up in front of your door, pulling you towards him, stroking your hair, and apologizing. It was always the same. No matter how many times you swore it was over, you’d always find yourself back in his arms.

But the damage had been done. Half a year later, standing in front of the door to your apartment complex, ready to turn the key, the truth forced itself upon you, when you heard a low husky voice call out your name.

You instantly froze, feeling your heart ripped out of your chest by his voice.

"Didya miss me?" Dabi chuckled and stepped out of the shadows towards you.

You couldn't move, lips trembling, tears shooting in your eyes.

Inhaling deeply, you closed your eyes, gipping your trembling hands, carefully choosing the next words, an unmistakably hurt tone in your voice "Missed you?"

He stopped abruptly, alerted by your unusual tone. He opened his mouth to speak but you cut him off.

"You seriously ask me If I missed you," this time I was louder, as you couldn't hold back the tears anymore, now freely running down your cheeks.

You wanted to scream at him that you loved him, adored him, wanted to be with him, forever... But you couldn't.

You spun towards him and screamed into his face, "Fuck yeah, I missed you, you goddamn fuckin bastard! For the whole fucking two weeks you were gone! Again, without fucking saying anything!"

The words were so heartbreakingly true. Dabi’s face was expressionless as he took in your rage.

“Dabi, I- I can't do this anymore." Your shoulders dropped as you gave up, "I just can't take it anymore. I didn't even know if you were still alive–"

"Whatya saying, doll?" his body tensed, head tilting.

You inhaled deeply, trying to mentally prepare yourself for the next words, "I– I don't want to see you again."

He froze, but regained his composure just as fast, a bored expression washing over his beautiful face. Still, you could see the hurt in his eyes.

He was silent for a few seconds before his lips curled up into a grim smile, “No, you don’t.”

He was always doing that - disguising his fear and hurt with bitterness. Hiding any part of himself that might be perceived as weak, as soft, as vulnerable, under the guise of coldness.

"Yes, I do. I can't go on like this anymore," your voice empty, just like your heart.

Dabi was standing there, scarred hands in his pockets, locking eyes with you. Taking in your determination. His beautiful cerulean eyes, capable of showing so much love and compassion, were cold and icy.

"Okay, suit yourself," his voice was full of venom, and with that he turned on his heel, sauntering off into the nightly street.

You stood there and watched him disappear down the road. He didn't even look back once, didn't say goodbye. An ache rose in your heart, unlike anything you have ever felt before. It was burning you up from the inside and you turned, violent sobs shaking your chest. Back in your apartment, you slammed the door shut, sagged down the door, and cried until you couldn't anymore. Until all tears had dried up for him. For the love of your life.

After you had calmed your rattled heart and nerves a bit, you stood up and wiped the remnants of your grief off your cheeks. Grabbing a bottle of wine from the kitchen pantry, you stuffed an opener in your pocket and made your way to the attic of the building. You unlocked it and opened a small window in the ceiling leading outside onto the rooftop.

No one living in the apartment complex knew about this. You had discovered it a few years back and once in a while, when you felt like it, you went on the top of the apartment complex. Stepping on the door handle of one of the doors leading to storage rooms, you hoisted yourself up. Placing the bottle outside, you followed through the window onto the rooftop.

Taking in the vast skyline, the dark skies, and stars scattered across it, you inhaled deeply and walked towards the ledge. Sitting down on it, you let your feet dangle over the void and opened the bottle to take a sip.

The chill wind blew a bit harder up here and you were glad that you still wore your thick coat and scarf. Pulling the scarf a bit higher, you continued to drink, gazing off into the distance. As the wind picked up from behind and a rustling sound was heard followed by a low thump, you were still immersed in your own world, not noticing the winged man suddenly standing behind you.

"Whatcha doin' out here, birdie?" A low voice cut through your thoughts and your head spun around to see Hawks only a few feet away, head cocked, a charming smile on his face.

"Shit," you mumbled, totally perplexed.

"Oh, that's not exactly what I expected as a response, but hey!" He grinned, his tan jacket pulled up to his nose to keep in the warmth.

Waving with the bottle you gazed back off into the distance again before answering, "Just enjoying the beautiful view."

And trying to forget a certain someone.

"The only beautiful thing I see out here is you." He cooed, making your cheeks heat up and you could feel him grin, "Mind if I join?"

“Aren't you on patrol? " you wondered, peering at him over your shoulders.

"My shift ends in ten, so as long as you don't tell, I won’t get into trouble," he winked and settled down next to you, his gracious carmine wings folding up behind him. They were so immense, they almost stroked your back. You handed him the bottle and he took a sip.

"Hm, good. I like red wine." He purred approvingly.

"So, what's up baby bird? Your eyes are all puffy and I can tell you've been crying. Wanna tell?" he looked at me with concern.

You shook your head, "Just dumped an ass who kept disappearing on me."

"Oh…" Were his only words. You continued drinking in silence, viewing the stars above and the lights of the city below you.

You felt exhausted and leaned back onto the roof, arms crossed behind your head.

Hawks shifted to gaze at you from above, his wings blocking off the chilly wind for you both. There was an intensity in his amber eyes, you weren't used to looking into such a warm gaze. A genuine smile spread across his handsome features as he extended his hand to stroke your cheek, "You're pretty, chicks."

You flushed and averted your gaze, not wanting to give him the chance to continue, "I– I think I need to go now, it's getting cold."

"Ok." He kept smiling, cocking his head, his golden eyes gleaming, "Gonna be here tomorrow as well?"

"Don't know yet," you slowly got up, "But my apartment is just below."

He gazed down over the rim of the roof, "Mind if I drop by tomorrow? Wine will be on me," he snickered.

"Yeah, ok," a little bit of comfort couldn't hurt right, you thought, especially not from the second hero in ranking.

Ever since night, Hawks had been dropping by your apartment repeatedly. It had been a couple of weeks now, and he would always come in from the balcony, landing with a soft thump. He’d stay for the evening, watch a movie and drink wine with you, or share take-out he brought with him. You spend hours on end talking with the blonde, he was funny, relaxing in his ease. There was never any bitterness and it was a welcoming change.

Tonight had been a typical evening with him, sitting on the couch, drinking some red wine he had brought with him. Just relaxing. There hadn't been a moment of silence between you, the air filled with deep conversations or genuine laughter. Hawks had a gentle smile spread across his face as he leaned into the couch to get a better look at you. Feeling his gaze intensify, your body started to tingle and a familiar heat built up inside your core.

You pushed the reaction on the alcohol and got up, wandering over to the kitchen to pour yourself some water.

After you took the first sip, the water wettening your lips, you felt a feather-light touch on you, large gentle hands stroking your side and coming to rest on your hips. Hawks leaned in against you, his breath warm on your neck.

You closed your eyes. You had dreaded and dreamed of this situation. Your body reacted eagerly to his touch and you thought maybe, just maybe it would help mend your broken heart. Yet, the entire situation also felt foreign to you, your mind still screaming betrayal.

His warm soft lips touched your skin, peppering your neck with soft kisses. A small involuntary moan slipped from your lips and Hawks' feathers fluffed at the sound. His fingers brushed against yours as he pulled the glass of water out of your hand, placing it on the counter and gently turning you around.

You felt your heart hammering against your rib cage, the energy he radiated drugging your senses, making you feel shy all over again.

Something hardened and intensified in his light gold gaze as his arm wrapped around your back and pulled you in, his mouth hovering over yours. You could feel his breath on your wet lips, his golden eyes burning into yours with desire. And then he closed the gap and your mouths met, his tongue swiping against your lower lip.

He eagerly parted them as you felt him dive inside, deepening the kiss. He tasted and smelt so completely different from Dabi, like warm down feathers and honey, and even though it was foreign to you, it felt relieving - and you couldn't say no, couldn't push him away.

He pulled back for only a moment, to whisper “I knew you’d kiss like an angel,” before he was kissing you again.

He picked you up and helped your legs around his waist, carrying you off to your bedroom. He never stopped kissing you, longing tongue exploring your mouth. Your hands weaved through his windstrewn hair for some semblance of reality, everything about this felt so different to intimacy with Dabi. It was something so foreign - another man's hands all over your body,

Carefully placing you on the bedsheets, he asked, "Ready for me, my dove?"

He wedged his knee between your legs and hovered over you, his large wings spread wide, blocking out the light. Leaning in, he kissed you again, his warm hands slowly sliding beneath your shirt, down towards your back. You arched to help him undo our bra, while he tugged on your lips, sending little forbidden jolts of pleasure up your spine.

Your moans were swallowed by Hawks' lips as his hands found your breasts, sliding under the loosened cups to circling them. As he suddenly pinched your nubs you jolted and he chuckled into your mouth.

He leaned back, breaking the kiss to pull your shirt off, the bra following promptly, allowing your breasts to spill free. He took a second to appreciate your bareness.

"You are so beautiful," you heard him whisper while he gazed at you, pupils contracting into slim vertical lines.

His hands moving to tug your pants down, your panties following them in one swift move. You closed your eyes for a second. It felt awkward and treacherous being naked in front of a new man, a different set of eyes staring at your naked body.

Feeling his palms run gently circles onto your thighs you slowly relaxed though and he bent forward.

“You’re so good, so perfect.” He continued to coo as he pressed soft kisses against your cheek, trailing down the pulse of your neck.

“Do you like that, birdie?” He continued to palm your breasts, soft moans leaving your lips. You didn't know what to feel. Your body reacted on its own account while your mind was torn. Somehow it didn't feel right.

His hands slipped towards his pants to unzip them, tugging them down. His shirt followed right after. His cock was beautiful, even though not as girthy and long as Dabi's. It curved up a bit and the blond tuft at its bottom was nicely trimmed. Under any other circumstances you would have shivered with excitement, but now you weren't sure what to feel.

He parted your thighs and scooted in between them. Taking his cock in his hand he gave himself a few languid strokes, gliding its tip up your folds to collect some of the slick there. A forbidden moan left your throat, spurring him on even more. His wings spread out, creating a feathered cage around you both.

Towering over you, he pressed forward, his sharpened pupils not leaving your sight and you gasped, feeling the stretch of his cock forcing its way inside your walls.

This didn’t feel right.

“Hawks-“ You dug your hands into his shoulders as he didn't give you a moment to adjust. You clenched your eyes shut, a bitter feeling of betrayal washing over you as you squirmed against him.

He cooed “Almost there dove, it's ok-“ pupils slithered as he watched the way you writhed beneath him. Finally, he bottomed out, golden eyes piercing down at you, his cock buried deep inside. You gasped as he began to move, his warm palms pushing your thighs towards your chest, yellow eyes watching his thick cock slipping in and out of you.

“Such a good chick for me,” He cooed, as you tried to grasp the situation you found yourself in. You fought the increasing pleasure inside as your heart hurt with the betrayal you felt, “Hawks, please, I- I don't–“

This wasn’t supposed to be.

“Look at how pretty you are,” Hawks didn’t even notice that your mind was elsewhere, a palm coming up to your breast, squeezing it.

A fire raged in his gleaming eyes as he continued his pace, his cock kissing your cervix with every rut.

Again, you pleaded, "Hawks–“

Stop it, please.

And then you heard it. It started off low but increased in its intensity with each of his ruts. It was hypnotizing, the sound reverberating through your body, drugging your senses. You gasped as you realized it emanating from his feathers. They were vibrating, creating a rustling hum that filled the air, almost deafening in its intensity. Everything around you was reduced to this low buzz and the feeling of Hawks moving inside you.

"That's it, baby bird," he cooed, seeing your eyes dilate and glaze over, feeling your body go limb below him, "Just listen and relax."

He increased the pace, his golden eyes staring down at you, pupils thin like splinters, while he gave your weakened body more thrusts, each time his cock dragging along the spongy spot inside you.

"Such a good birdie." his deep, guttural coos perfectly in sync with the low hypnotizing hum of his feathers, vibrating through you, having your pupils grow even wider. You felt like drowning in the sounds, your breathing becoming heavy and you started panting involuntarily, forbidden loud moans mixing with his mating sounds.

Hawks kept increasing his pace, rutting his hips into you now, chasing his high. Your own climax quickly approached as well and you couldn't do anything against it, you were helplessly immobilized below him, the rustling hum seeping through everything you, making you his.

Hawks kept up his pace and your walls clamped shut, a couple more thrusts sent you over the edge, your high making the world around you explode. Your whole body painfully shook as wave after wave of delirious warped pleasure washed over you.

Hawks was groaning loudly now before his movement became erratic and he gripped your hips, burying himself to the hilt inside you. Feeling your walls convulse around him, he came, his eyes rolled back in pleasure, spilling white, hot spurts of cum inside your tight walls.

He collapsed on top of you, his hot lips pressing soft kisses against your neck as you felt his chest continue to heave, trying to catch his breath. His feathers had grown quiet, leaving you with an empty feeling in your head and body. His hands trailed down your sides as he pulled back to look into your eyes, you slowly coming to, like waking from a deep dream, suddenly feeling completely exposed in front of him.

All you could think of was Dabi. And your heart started aching with longing, with hurt. Tears spilled from your eyes, cascading down your temples and Hawks looked down at you, stroking your cheek.

"You ok, dove?" He asked softly.

You couldn't talk, too choked up to bring out any words.

"Was I that good?" He teased, laughing softly, and, wrapping his arms around you, rolled over, taking you with him. His wings folded around you, keeping you warm, while you shook in his hold. You couldn't stop the tears from falling, being in the wrong man's arms, not being able to forget those cerulean eyes.

Eventually, your sobs subsided and exhaustion took over. Wrapped up in Hawks wings, feeling his warm chest below you, his gentle kisses on your head, a warmth spread through your body, making your mind fuzzy and it didn't take long for you to fall asleep in his arms.

One fine autumn evening you decided to have a walk at the park, not realizing... you walked to that very same spot you both first met. The autumn moon gave a faint light around the area. The chilly breeze cools your skin... the nocturnal creatures whispered together with the trees.. the owls hooting softly... you missed him … you sigh... the beautiful colors of autumn made you miss him even more. You nearly cried when you felt a pair of hands pull you in... “Dollface…” a familiar husky voice said, his lips brushing against your ears…

You woke up, cheeks wet from tears, panting heavily, sweat-drenched. Hawks next to you stirred awake, his warm golden eyes heavy with sleep took you in.

"What's up, baby bird - bad dream?" He wiped the tears off your face, while you were still shaking.

"Yes," you sobbed and he propped himself up on his elbows.

"Awh, c’mon dove, come here," he extended his arm and pulled you close to him, nestling you on his chest. His wings wrapped around you, warmth calming your rattled nerves.

You sighed. Maybe it wasn't all that bad. Maybe you could make this work. Those were the last thought before a dreamless sleep overtook your mind again.

When you awoke in the morning, you heard clattering sounds from the kitchen. You propped yourself up and saw Hawks in the kitchen, dressed in his underwear, humming satisfied to himself, brewing some coffee.

He looked at you over his shoulders, "Good morning baby bird. How are you feeling?"

"Good, thank you," you stretched and yawned, forcing the sleep slowly from your sore limbs.

Hawks approached and sat down next to you. He handed you a coffee, "Here ya go, sweet chick," and leaned in to kiss you.

You mumbled a thank you and started sipping, still pondering the events from last night.

Hawks took you in, cocking his head, and tipped you on your forehead, "You're way too pretty to wreck your cute brain with worry."

"Oh, oh sorry," you stuttered, blushing a bit.

"I know what kind of reputation I have." He added, "But I want you to know that what I did last night came from my heart."

"Yes, it's ok, thank you. It's just…" you paused and sighed, "I am having a hard time coming to terms with the old stuff."

"Hm, I see. Well," his warm lips met yours again, the taste of sweet coffee lingering on them as his tongue slid in to deepen the kiss, "Maybe we can work it out together?"

Pulling back, his amber eyes gleamed at you, there was a consistency in them that had your heart longing. Suddenly a future with him played off right in front of your eyes. Being with him, having him come home every night to you, your kids, to a regular home. Noo hiding, going out into public, holding hands, living a normal life.

You felt like crying again and Hawks placed his mug on the nightstand. With his warm hands, he cupped your face and his golden eyes glowed when he said " Look birdie, I meant what I said. You think about that ok?“

He kissed you, "I'm gonna leave now, sure you gonna be ok?"

You nodded, “Hawks, i- it's not you. It's just too much at the moment. Everything."

He kissed you again and stood up, his palm caressing your cheek, "Take your time, birdie."

Turning around, he got dressed and pulled out a paper. He took a pen from the kitchen counter, scribbled something on it, and placed it into your open palms.

"My number. Call me any time," he winked, a handsome smile adorning his face, then left out the door.

Alone again, you threw yourself back onto the bed, pulled the sheets over your head, and started crying.

A couple of days had passed. Hawks and you had been writing back and forth. Coming back from work as usual, you saw him waiting at the entrance to your apartment complex, jacket pulled up into his face. He had called you an hour before, asking to see you.

As you stepped up to him, you were greeted by a happy smile, “Hey there, dove, missed ya!"

You lowered your gaze abashedly, not knowing what to answer. You had thought about the situation for the last few days and still couldn't come to a conclusion. You really liked being with Hawks, but your heart couldn't stop beating for the dark-haired man with tantalizing blue eyes.

Hawks seemed to notice your indecisiveness and stepped closer, “I wanted to tell you something," he paused, his amber eyes glowing with longing in the dim light of the street lamps.

"Baby bird, I want you. Just- just be with me and you can have anything in this world,” he hummed, closing in on you.

"Hawks–“ you bit my lower lip to stop it from shaking, “I'm just not sure–"

You took a few steps backward, away from him closing in on you, and felt your back hitting the cold stone wall.

"C'mon dove," he purred as he leaned in, placing his hands to each side of you, caging you in. The scent of warm down feathers enclosed you, making your head dizzy. You couldn't move, just getting lost in his hypnotizing glowing eyes. His pupils contracted to slithers again and you felt like being sucked into them, your breathing became heavy, not being able to move at all.

He leaned in but before his lips met yours, a low husky voice rumbled through to you "Hey birdbrain, get your fucking self away from my girl.”

Hearing that familiar voice instantly ripped you out of your stupor and you arched, gasping for air. Suddenly the noises came back, the light, the smells.

Hawks stopped in his tracks, sighed in annoyance, and closed his eyes.

Your heart dropped and tears soared to your eyes as Dabi stepped out of the shadows, hoodie pulled over his head. You could still make out his prominent skin patches, the glints of his piercings in the dark light. But his mesmerizing eyes caught your breath, glowing bright and a brilliant blue in the dark.

"Ah, what a pleasant surprise," you could feel Hawks tense up, turning as he was face to face with one of the most notorious villains sought after. He stood in front of you, blocking your view, as his feathers tensed and let out a low threatening sound.

Dabi stepped up to you both and repeated, "I said to leave my girl alone!"

Hawks looked at you over his shoulders, face unusual tense as he cocked a brow "Tell me, is it true? His girl?"

You nodded softly, lowering your gaze.

Hawks sighed heavily and closed his eyes, "Oh dove, what have you done–"

Turning back to Dabi, he was met by a cold turquoise stare. There was a heavy silence as they stood opposite from each other, glaring into each other's eyes. You could feel the tension in the air and decided to step up. Slowly sliding in the space between them, you faced Hawks, Dabi behind you shifting so that you felt him brush your back. Heat radiated from him, seeping from his body enough to make you cringe.

"Hawks please…" you peered up at him, pleading. He looked towards Dabi, ignoring you completely, hate billowing in his golden eyes.

Dabi stepped closer to you until you were flush with him and you didn’t budge, you both staring at Hawks, waiting. It felt like an eternity, but the blonde was the first one to back down, averting his eyes with a sigh. The gesture was small but there was submission to it.

Hawks looked at you, his eyes becoming gentle again, as sadness in them as he stroked your cheek with his thumb, "Baby bird, if you ever change your mind, you know how to reach me." And with that, he turned around, took a few steps, spread his wings, and took off into the air.

Violent sobs erupted from inside you as Dabi turned you around to pull your shaking body into his embrace.

"You came back," you hiccuped, lashes thick with tears, pressing your face into his warm chest.

He cupped your face, gently kissing your cheeks and his forehead came to a rest against yours.

"I came back. For you." His voice was an octave lower and husky in your ear than usual.

You bit your bottom lip and your gazes met, his brilliant azure eyes burning into yours.

He let out a low growl. "Come on, It's about time we head home."

He took your hand and strolled down the street.

"Where are we heading? That's not the direction to my apartment." You raised your head and questioningly looked up to him.

"We're going to my place," his beautiful lips curled up into a smirky grin as he saw your reaction.

You made a punch-out sound, "You're taking me to your place?" And stopped dead in your tracks.

"M’gonna do things differently now." He gently pulled you in for another sultry kiss, “Had a lot of time thinking about what you said to me,” you hum in delight as you sink into his kiss, having waited for this so long.

As you kept strolled down the streets, hands intertwined, he pulled you in close as it had gotten cold and draped his arm around your shoulders. His body was warm, almost hot and you snuggled up to him, enjoying the moment of casual intimacy.

After hopping on a late-night bus, and getting off in some industrial part of town, he stopped in front of an old brick storage building, pulling out the key. As you entered through the door, you took in his place. It was loft-like, with high ceilings, air ducts littering the wall. A small kitchenette, couch, and coffee table. It was sparsely decorated but clean. He kicked off his shoes and pulled his hoodie off, carelessly throwing it on the couch.

Without warning he turned towards you and pushed you against the wall, caging you in with his arms. His breath heavy, cerulean eyes wide. You had never seen him like that before.

“I’ve missed ya,” he whispered, grazing your lips with his.

You got lost in his azure gaze, sparks setting off into your brain and throughout your body, as he gently captured your lips with his and pried them open. His tongue found yours with slow passionate swirls as he tilted his head to deepen the kiss. You let off a sigh as you gave in, letting waves of pleasure run throughout you. Your mind went blank as you felt lust cloud your thoughts and goosebumps rippled all over your skin.

It felt so good to taste him again, have his scent surrounding you. The intoxicating mixture of deep musk, hot skin, and ashes mixed with cold cigarette smoke. You moaned into the kiss, your yearning for him growing by the second. You could feel the heat built up between your thighs as he caged you in with his body.

The room started to feel hot and muggy and before you knew it, he hoisted you on his shoulders ignoring your meek complaints, and carried you off to his bedroom. He gently laid you down on the sheets, helping you pull your shirt off. His hand snaked behind your back, trailing up to undo the clasp of your bra with a skillful snap of his fingers. He removed it and your pants and underwear followed soon after.

Hooking his fingers under the hem of his shirt, he pulled it off, revealing his lean, muscular torso. The white hair trailing down his abs to his pants made you shiver in anticipation.

You leaned forward and grabbed for his belt, fingers fumbling to get it unbuckled. He chuckled at your eagerness but let you continue on. When you finally had his belt and pants undone you pulled them down and let his thick long cock spring forth, hanging heavy under its own weight. Its tip was soft and red, small beads of precum glistening on the top. Its incredible girth made your mouth water and you let out a slight mewl as he closed in on you.

You squirmed beneath him, rubbing your thighs against each other as your inner walls started fluttering with excitement.

You scooted back, laying down on your back. Dabi sucked in a long breath through his teeth as you willingly parted your legs and he positioned himself between them. Resting his hands on either side of you, he towered over you, his gaze never leaving yours. Dipping in for another kkis, you could feel his hot tip prodding your entrance. Slowly lowering himself down on you, the kiss intensified as his tip slipped past the first ring of tightness. You panted into his mouth, overwhelmed by the feeling of his tip sliding in, hitting every single nerve on its way in.

“Shit,” Dabi groaned and it took forever for him to sink fully into you. He marveled at the feeling of your tight walls sucking him in deeper as he bottomed out inside you, the messy white hairs at the base of his cock tickling your clit.

He gave you time to adjust to his size, his eyes drifting across your face, almost glowing in the dark, consuming you with unrestrained desire.

As he slowly started moving, his large cock dragged against your inner walls, making you feel every single inch of him sliding in and out. You wrapped your legs around his waist, trying to pull him closer, desperately wanting him to fill you up. Spurred on by the sweet sounds spilling from your mouth he picked up the pace, pushing in and out of you with strong languid strokes. Each roll of his hips had him rubbing just the right spot in your sensitive wall.

Dabi started panting, sweat dripping down his face, resting his head in the crook of your neck as each rock of his hips caused you both to teeter closer to the edge.

Your whole body began to tingle with pleasure, it was such an intense feeling, it had you feverently call out his name.

Dabi's breathing was ragged, chest heaving as his hips relentlessly slammed against yours, “It's Touya, call me Touya.”

“Touya-” you panted.

“Fuck…” he groaned as your gooey walls clenched around his length at his name.

You arched your back and gripped the sheets tighter, as you felt the orgasm inside you near at incredible speed.

“Touya–gonna cum–” you choked out as he snapped his hips against yours, feeling the way your walls pulsed around him, his eyes holding nothing but lust at this point.

When your climax hit you, all control over your body was lost as your head fell back. It had you spiraling, falling through an explosion of color behind your eyelids as you shook in his hold.

Dabi did not leave you a moment to wind down and you keened, pressing a trembling palm against his abdomen, feeling the firm of his muscles under your fingers as you tried to slow his speed.

Feeling his thick ridge stroking against your overstimulated walls was too much. Each rock of his hips pushed you towards yet another orgasm. This time though, it felt like an impending storm, severe and ferocious.

"Oh my god," you cried out, slamming your eyes shut, trying to squirm away from him. But his grip kept you anchored to his hips as you bucked and writhed.

"Touya—," you choked out, the feeling of the dangerous edge approaching fast, tears spilling from your eyes.

“Look at me” he groaned, and you obeyed, lust-blown pupils under wet lashes centered in on him.

Still holding you by your hips, Dabi pushed you into yet another earth-shattering orgasm as your cries climaxed and the coil inside of you snapped. Totally helpless, each fiber of your body exploded with searing pleasure, your body a total mess of squirms and cries.

“I love you, I love you–“ Touya kept panting with each of his deep thrusts, his breath hot on your face. You felt nothing but him, filling your every existence with his presence.

The way you squeezed around him had him follow shortly after, bottoming out inside you a final time as he came, painting your quivering walls with his warm white seeds.

Totally spent, he dropped down on top of you, his hips still shaking as he sought your mouth with his and greedily stole your desperate moans from your lips. Your name slipped from his mouth as you muttered his.

He slowly lifted his head, his eyes enchanting you with their intensity. You had never seen this expression on his face before, so deep, filled with passion. He suddenly pulled you in for a tight embrace, sinking into you, head buried deep into your neck.

“I love you,” he muttered, and his voice almost broke.

It was the first time you saw his composure crumbling. And you reached up to run your hands through his messy hair. He hummed at your actions and dove in for another kiss, this time more passionate, open-mouthed.

“I love you so much,” Dabi panted again, locking your lips with his before you could answer, “Please don’t ever leave me again.”

“I won't-” you breathed into the kiss, aching for him so badly, it almost hurt.

You inhaled each other's breaths as you both slowly came to. After a while, he rolled off and reached over to the small nightstand next to the bed, grabbing a cigarette package. Taking a one out, he lit it with a small flame on his fingertip, took a drag, and relaxed back into the sheets. Letting out the smoke, it twirled up in thick white ropes, winding it's way up to the ceiling.

He went silent, his mesmerizing turquoise eyes locked with yours as he raised his dexterous fingers to his mouth and took another drag off his cigarette.

After a few more, he put out the cigarette in the ashtray on the nightstand and moved to gently lay on top of you, "Move in with me."

"Mo- what?" you stared at him in disbelief.

"You heard me, doll," he rested his forehead against yours, his voice almost desperate, "M'not gonna ask again."

His eyes met yours and you studied each other for a moment.

"Ok," you breathed, almost trembling.

He grinned, “That's my girl!”

Your hands cupped his marred face, a seriousness in your next words, "Touya, but I– I want a kid, your kid. And a family. Not now, but–." your voice trailed off with uncertainty, tears pricking your eyes.

There was a softness washing over his face, his eyes lightening up ever so slightly. They were full of something inexplicable and affectionate. A rosy hint spread across his cheeks and his face dropped, burrowed into your neck.

It took a few ragged breaths of his to whispering softly, "We'll figure that out as well– together. I promise."

Heavy sobs erupted at his words, "You really mean it?"

"Did I ever lie to you?" he purred against your bare skin as he peppered soft kisses along your neck and collarbone. His perfect nose ran circles along your neck as he whispered “I love you.”

"I love you too-" you breathed, barely able to suppress more tears of joy.

His hand found yours, intertwining as you both stayed like this waiting for your hearts to stop racing. He stroked your face gently, his turquoise eyes never leaving yours, enjoying the moments of perfect harmony.

Eventually, he rolled off to the side, taking you with him and you eagerly slid into his embrace, burying your face in his chest, breathing in the scent of him. He pulled the sheets over you and sleep finally took mercy on you as you both remained in each other’s arms, legs intertwined.

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

[antiloreolympus]

10 Anti LO Asks

1. Sometimes I feel bad about the rage I feel about LO because like, bad works really should be allowed to exist. It's fine to turn off your brain for Fast and Furious or get horny over 50 Shades. The problem I have is LO's fake deep lessons it gives, pushing toward the WRONG direction. I'd be far less annoyed if it was just another trashy romance. Hades would have been fine as a shit guy; people love getting hot for fictional villains. This "aktchually he's the good guy" angle is embarrassing.

2. LO fans are more than happy to imagine the gods are neon pink and blue but at the same time get offended you fancast the actual gods as anything but blonde, blue eyed white people to be "accurate". even LO fan casts are overwhelming white people (and never greek, mind you) unless it's a villain like apollo or minthe, then they just HAPPEN to be black 🤔🤨

3. assuming the PJO Disney+ show is good and gets more seasons, just get ready for LO fans to try and review bomb it and harass the crew/cast because they'll see a popular series they already hate be mythology accurate with HxP and even show Hades would leave her to be with (gasp) a mortal instead. Apollo is even shown positively in it too!

4. The idea massive age gaps are "normal" IRL is a huge lie. It's basic statistics that most couples are within 2-5 years of each other's ages, while much older partners is a HUGE abnormally. Going off RS's ages for them (19/20 vs 40s mentally) that's barely 1% of the population, with divorce rates being HIGHER for these couples than closer in age ones. Just because old rock stars, actors, and businessmen marry women who can be their daughters' ages does not make it the norm, far from it actually.

5. RS claims she's "fighting against the toxic nature of purity culture" as if the FIRST EPISODE didn't set up the Madonna/Whore trope in Persephone and Minthe. Even them being with men that aren't Hades is framed this way. Persephone is still the pure heroine who was assaulted, she'd never willingly sleep with anyone who isn't her eventual husband! Meanwhile Minthe is the cheating whore though Hades also cheats on her and they're not exclusive. RS just lies so casually about what she depicts.

6. Ive LO fans say the Trojans deserved to be killed because they're "the bad guys" to the Greeks and bc Apollo is their patron god like?? Really?? The countless innocent men, women, and children deserved to DIE because of your shitty understanding of mythology and you not being able to tell Rachel's bad depictions apart from the actual gods? Did they read about Hektor's baby son being murdered and think he deserved it because Apollo may have liked him? These people are so gross.

7. Remember that one time when RS slutshamed Minthe for wearing a revealing dress to kid's party? Same kid who brings her mom alcohol drinks like it's nothing? And some chapters later we learn it's perfectly normal for gods to be naked around each other even if they are underage? And the shaming words come from a guy who is lusting over teenager's barely covered ass? And it's supposed to be women empowering webtoon? I just love the logic and consistency! No sarcasm, seriously!

8. Good time of the day to you I came with some news! This news may not be relevant or interesting, but when browsing the tag "Circe" here, I found this-https://why-i-love-comics.tumblr.com/post/658087925147369472/wonder-woman-black-gold-2-the-acquaintance  comic. This piece was done by RS, as you can see. Sometimes I compare her monochrome art, and the art her team colors off her sketches, and in my opinion LO would look better in black and white color scheme with some details in color! But that wouldn't work very well the color shading is inconsistent and would not look good!

9. i feel like LO fans are the same people who watched Labyrinth and got mad the MC didn't want to be with the Goblin King because they ignore the fact she was a sixteen year old girl who got over the initial desire for an older man praising her to instead see he was manipulating her and he was, duh, the villain of the movie. Like guys, there's a reason "older powerful man chases and lusts after an impressionable young girl/woman" both in fiction and in real life is seen as a BAD thing.

10. Something that I wish is Amphitrite being more important, she’s a queen and I don’t think she’s had one speaking line in 2 seasons.

[toosicktoocare]

prompt:  Yay it's finally letting me ask you! I'm wondering if you could do anything with sick Jason? that'd be awesome. thank you for taking the time to read this :). and also, you're easily my favorite author, and I love you so much. thank you for all you do <3 - anon

prompt:  Hey there. Could you do anything, like literally anything with sick!Jason? - @lettheseabirdscry

“Is everyone in position?”

Tim spares a glance down to see Damian crouched behind a large trash bin, the Robin’s starting position for the recon mission Bruce called all of the bats too, but when bringing his gaze back to the rooftop across from him, it’s empty.

“Hood’s not here,” Tim informs with a frown, unable to shake this nagging feeling that something’s wrong.

“Unsurprising,” Damian scoffs into the comms, his flat tone clashing with Bruce’s deep sigh.

“Robin,” Dick warns over the comms. “One sec; I’ll call him.”

Tim waits, staring hard at the empty spot across from him as if expecting Jason to just manifest before his very eyes, to just stretch through reality’s fabric with some quip about being fashionably late.

“Damn. No answer. Oracle, can we get a ping on his location?”

“He’s probably out becoming intoxicated with Harper.”

Tim doesn’t need to see Damian’s face to know the pull of muted disgust twisting at his lips.

“Arsenal’s out of town,” Barbara mutters flatly in the comm. “And Hood’s phone tracker is showing he’s in his apartment. I can’t get much of a read on anything else. Looks like he finally cashed in on his word that he was going to rig his security systems to block us out.”

“We should move forward with the mission without him.”

Tim considers nudging a loose brick over the ledge of the roof, right above Damian. “He said he’d be here.” Tim knows Jason is a lot of things; he knows that Jason thrives off of disappointing his family, but he’s not one to go back on his word, not with something like this.

“Maybe something came up in Crime Alley? He did say he’d meet us after patrol.”

Tim can hear the worry hidden behind Dick’s easy tone, and he assumes Dick’s carefully redistributing his concern, spreading it out evenly so he doesn’t lose his cool.

“Huh,” Barbara mutters absently into the comms. “His phone tracker says he’s been in his apartment all day.”

“Maybe he left his phone in his apartment?”

“I don’t know. I’ve pulled security camera feeds from Crime Alley, hitting all the locations he frequents, and... well, nothing. Not a single sight of him all day.”

Tim stands fully, narrowly scanning his surroundings for any sign of Jason. He can’t shake the uneasy pull at his chest, and though he’s not physically close to the others, he assumes the feeling’s mutual based on the silence that follows.

“B, I don’t like this. He promised me he’d be here.”

Dick’s no longer working to hide his concern, and that just heightens Tim’s anxiety that something isn’t right. He tries to puzzle together and explanation based on the four times he’s seen Jason this week: twice in Crime Alley on patrol, once two days ago at the Bat Cave, and yesterday walking out of a convenience store. He can’t recall anything out of the ordinary, but Jason’s closed off, more so thanks to the lingering pull of the Lazarus Pit, so normal, outward, physical appearances mean little to nothing.

“Can we delay the recon?” Tim asks. “I’m only ten minutes from his apartment. I can go check and see if he’s there.”

“I don’t want you to go alone.”

“B,” Tim fights back with a groan. “You and Nightwing are thirty minutes out from my location. I can be there and back before you even get here.”

“Take Robin,” Dick says, and Tim has to fight back the unconscious need to sigh loudly. “I know you’re capable, Red, but humor me. You two are stronger together.”

“Do I get a say in this?”

Damian’s voice is bleeding annoyance, and for once, Tim can agree with how he’s feeling.

“No,” Bruce mutters, sounding almost distracted. “Hood has made many enemies since coming back to Gotham, and you have no idea what you are walking into. You both go, and you both come back immediately if he’s not there.”

“Keep the line open, and stay in contact, Little Wings.”

Tim rolls his eyes and grapple hooks off the building, landing near Damian. “Okay,” he mutters into the comm, and Damian only scoffs at him and starts off toward Jason’s apartment, leaving Tim to catch up.

***

“You’re going to hack his security system?”

“Yes?” Tim frowns at Damian. “How else are we going to get in?” He starts tapping at a keypad outside of Jason’s apartment door.

“Knocking?”

“Tried that once,” Tim mutters, mind half-focused on the conversation and half-focused on working around Jason’s security. “Almost got shot.”

“You what?” Dick’s voice is alarmed in Tim’s ear, but he disregards it. 

“And you think breaking and entering won’t get us shot?”

Tim shrugs, working around the final code until he hears multiple locks click open. “Don’t get hit,” he mutters, slowly opening the door. He tenses to alert, and he can see Damian match his stance at his side.

They step inside, quietly and carefully, and though Tim’s been here before, he’ll never not be mutely surprised at how domestic the entire place is. There are books stacked on a small coffee table. A blanket’s draped across the couch, and the TV’s on with the sound muted. The lights are on in his living room, kitchen, and bathroom.

Tim glances at Damian, sharing a silent conversation before they begin their quick, quiet search. Tim starts to the kitchen while Damian pads silently down the hall.

The kitchen’s a mess. Dishes are piled high in the sink and are littering the small kitchen table. There’s a bag on a counter, the same bag Tim remembers seeing Jason walk out of the convenience store with. He moves to it, looking to see various medicines tipped over in the bag. Frowning, he makes to pick one up, but then he hears a very loud gun shot accompanied by a very uncharacteristic curse.

“Damian!” Tim drops the bag and whips out of the kitchen to the bedroom, ripping his domino off as he walks in to see Jason shakily propping himself up on one elbow in bed with an even shakier hand aiming a gun at Damian.

“Jason, stop! It’s just us!”

“Was that a gun shot?”

Tim ignores Dick’s frantic question in his ear, instead edging around the room, eyes searching over Damian in the dark. “Were you hit?”

“Of course not,” Damian spits out, stepping forward toward the barrel of the gun and ripping it from Jason’s hand. He clicks the safety and drops the gun to the floor, and then he’s tugging a glove off and slapping a hard hand to Jason’s forehead, interrupting Jason’s deep, wet coughing.

Damian clicks his tongue, a frowm sharp on his face. “You’re burning up.”

Jason weakly slaps Damian’s hand away, staring a look filled to the brim with sharp daggers between the two, stopping on Tim.

“Did you break into my fucking apartment? Again?”

“Tim, what the hell is going on?”

Ignoring Dick once more, Tim reaches around to hit the light switch on the wall, frowning when Jason winces hard.

“You didn’t show up for the recon,” Tim supplies, his stomach twisting at the sight of Jason, of the angry red splotches coloring his otherwise pale cheeks, the sweat shining on his forehead, the inconsistent shivers wracking his broad frame. He studies the way Jason’s face twists around his words.

“That’s because it’s Thursday.”

Tim’s heart clashes with worry, and he and Damian share a glance. He’s surprised to see Damian sporting a similar look of muted concern.

“Jay, it’s Friday.”

“No, it ain’t,” Jason grumbles, hand slapping around on his bed until he finds his phone.

Tim watches as Jason’s face falls.

“Oh.” Jason spares a glance through his messages, unable to read much because his headache is making it hard to concentrate. He looks up from his phone, turning to see a rubber bullet lodged into the wall beside Damian’s head. “Did I hit you?”

“No,” Damian mutters, frowning. He slips around the room, pausing by Tim on his way out. “I’m going to talk with Father and Grayson. You should get a read on his fever.”

Nodding, Tim waits until he can hear Damian’s quick talking with Dick and Bruce before he moves to Jason’s bathroom to find a thermometer, snagging a traditional, under the tongue, mercury one before making his way back to Jason’s room.

“How long have you been sick?”

“How did you hack into my security systems again?”

Tim sighs, cocks his head to the side. “Do you really have to ask?”

“Fuck,” is all Jason replies with, and he takes the thermometer Tim hands him and slips it under his tongue.

“Three minutes,” Tim says, ignoring the sharp look Jason shoots him. “You know they make thermometers now that will tell you your temperature in seconds, right? Why the hell do you have this old thing?”

“Alfred left it a few months ago.”

“No talking,” Tim points out, and Jason glares hard under glassy eyes.

“Then stop asking me fucking questions.”

Tim’s mouth snaps shut, and once he counts to the 180th second, he leans forward and snags the thermometer from Jason’s lips, studying the 102.4 degree reading, equating it with Jason’s other, apparent symptoms.

“Have you been around anyone who’s had the flu recently?”

“I don’t have the flu,” Jason mutters despite the chesty coughs that rip up his throat. “Just a cold.”

Tim takes a step back and crosses his arms. “High fever, coughing, chills, I imagine you have a headache based on the wince when I turned on the lights, and you probably have a sore throat since your voice is physically hurting my ears.”

“What? Are you a doctor now?”

“No, I’m just not an idiot,” Tim spits back, and Jason only grunts and flops back against his pillow, tugging his blanket up with a hiss.

“Give me a minute, and I’ll suit up.”

Tim... does not expect that, and he’s about to scold Jason in a way he’s sure would make Dick proud when Damian slips back into the room.

“Father called Clark. They are pulling in backup for the recon.”

“Well, why’d he go and do something stupid like that?”

Tim rips his eyes from Damian back to Jason to see Jason shuffling around his room for his suit.

“Jason, what the hell?” Tim spits out, moving to Jason’s side when Jason starts to sway. “Sit down.” He nudges Jason back toward the bed, but Jason, despite how sick he is, fights against him.

“We have a recon, don’t we?” He turns to Damian and barks out a cough. “Demon, call B and tell him we’re coming.”

“Todd, you’re too sick. You’d just hold us back.”

Tim takes the distraction to lightly shove Jason back onto the bed.

“I think I’d rather have Dick here,” Jason groans, coughing harshly into his pillow. “At least he has good bedside manner.”

“He and father are already on their way.”

“Fantastic,” Jason growls, curling in on himself and coughing harshly.

Tim moves to pull the blankets up over Jason’s shivering frame, stopping when Damian’s hand wraps around his wrist. “Let me go, Dami.”

“No. I have very specific instructions to relocate you away from Todd.”

“What the hell? Why?” Tim digs his heels into the floor when Damian pulls on his wrist, but he stumbles forward when Jason lazily kicks him in the back of the leg.

“No spleen, idiot. Get the fuck outta here.”

“I’m fine,” Tim tries, but Damian’s grip is hard enough to bruise, so he relents with a loud sigh. “Jesus, fine...” He rips his hand free and stalks to the door. “Get him medicine and make sure he doesn’t die.”

***

The deep inhale of nicotine burns Jason’s lungs and brings forth a chesty round of coughing that hurts. He absently rubs at his chest, shivering, and takes in another puff of his cigarette, and then another, desperately repeating this action to chase away the edge of angered anxiety that comes when he’s near Bruce. He leans over the balcony with another shiver, watching his shaking exhale cloud before him.

He hears the balcony door open, but the footsteps are too light to be Bruce’s. They are also too determined to be Tim’s, and too deliberate to be Damian’s. He doesn’t look back when a blanket is draped over his shoulders, and he only scoffs quietly when Dick plucks the cigarette from his fingers and drops it over the side of the balcony.

“You would still smoke when you have the flu.”

Jason doesn’t reply, not finding the energy for a snarky retort. “What have you all been doing out there?” he asks instead, tugging the blanket tighter around him to fend off the chills.

“Damian’s cleaned your kitchen, and now he’s reorganizing your movie collection. Tim started reading one of your books, but he fell asleep. And Bruce has been staring at your bedroom door as if willing you to run out and give him a big, bear hug.”

Jason huffs out a laugh that quickly morphs into deep coughs. He can feel Dick’s hand on his back as he coughs into his shoulder.

“And you?”

“Oh, I’m alternating between Candy Crush and Words with Friends with Barbara. She’s kicking my ass.”

Jason smiles, tired but genuine, feeling the anxiety flutter off with Dick’s presence. “How long til you all get the fuck out?”

“I don’t think Bruce is going to leave until he’s sure you are okay. Not sure that we can wake Tim right now, and Damian won’t leave until Bruce does.”

“And you?” Jason repeats, and Dick cocks his head to the side with an easy smile.

“I’ll stay as long as you want me to stay.”

Humming, Jason shivers again, and he allows Dick to guide him back into his room and to his bed. Dick carefully tucks him in, and Jason’s too tired and too feverish to mind.

“I’m sorry,” he rasps out suddenly, and Dick’s hands freeze, and he frowns.

“For what?”

“I promised I would show up.”

“Hey, Jay, it’s okay. I’m just glad you’re safe.” Dick brushes the back of his hand against Jason’s forehead, a sympathetic hum slipping up his throat at the heat. “No more smoke breaks until you’re better. You’re still burning up.”

“You’re saying you’ll support my chain smoking when I’m all better?” Jason bats his eyelashes, and Dick sighs and stands, swatting at Jason’s covered leg.

“Don’t twist my words. I’m going to toss all your cigarette packs out.”

Jason growls lightly, a few coughs mixing with it, and he curls onto his side, wishing the stupid medicine Damian forced into him would kick in a lot faster. “You have until 99,” he mutters to Dick, who’s already filling a small trash bin with cigarette packs.

“What?”

“99,” Jason repeats with a harsh cough that hurts his chest. “When my temp hits 99, I want you all out.” There’s no heat to his tone, and he struggles against the fatigue pulling against him.

“99,” Dick clarifies with a soft smile. “You got it, Jaybird.”

[ghosthan]

what would you say are the differences between 616 Tony and MCU Tony? 🤔

Hi anon! Many people have talked about this and I'm certainly not the authority on the topic, but I’ll try my best to explain some of the major differences that I have noticed! Thank you for asking and I’m sorry it took me so long to answer you.

Important to note: neither version of Tony has had a totally consistent characterization. Depending on who you ask and which comics/movies they've consumed, they might give you a different answer here and not be wrong.

616 Tony is even harder to put into one box because his character has been around since Tales of Suspense in the 1950s. That’s a long time. Things have changed over time, under different writers, changing political atmospheres, and outside pop culture influence (including influence from the MCU, unfortunately, in recent years.) You get the picture. So I’ll be making some generalizations and try to be clear about which eras I’m speaking when I make these comparisons, but ultimately, if someone wanted to be contrarian, you could probably refute a lot of what I say here if you cherry pick canon. Which is fair enough! That’s sort of the fun of comics, there’s so much to choose from and something for everyone.

So here are some observations from me, under the ‘read more’.

1. Physical Appearance

This is sort of an easy one, but worth mentioning!

MCU Tony does not look like 616 Tony. RDJ is great, but he would not be most 616 fans’ casting choice on looks alone. MCU Tony is tan, a Malibu man, with brown hair and brown eyes, and RDJ has sort of round facial features (a funny sloped nose, big, round eyes, round forehead, not a particularly sharp or classically “superhero masculine” face.) As you may know, this lends well to certain fanworks and tropes, such as Tony having Bambi eyes.

Or Tiny Tony. He is not actually canonically small, but he's smaller in the MCU than in 616 and from what I can tell, a portion of fandom has latched onto that. He’s a grown man, but RDJ is pretty short, and of slighter build than 616 Tony. RDJ is 5′9, but they make him act in heels, and I believe his canon MCU height is 5′11. Another popular trope I’ve seen is shrinking Tony in fanfic/fanart for a dramatized height difference with Steve, making him weak or fragile; this is fine because everyone has their own taste, but for the official record, he’s a capable, strong guy! Especially in earlier stages of the MCU, in which he’s a bit younger. Tony isn’t just a brain; he carries out his plans with his own two hands! He builds his armor, he remodels his lab, he survives hand to hand combat when he doesn’t have the armor. Muscles!

616 Tony is 6′1 without armor and 6′6 in armor (making him taller than his 616 Steve counterpart in armor and very close to the same height out of armor!) 616 Tony is generally paler with black hair (sometimes the classic blue-black I love so much) and blue eyes, and it obviously depends on the artist, but he has a pretty typically ‘masculine’ face and build. Generally he is drawn with a squared jaw and a high bridged nose (such as in the Extremis storyline, or drawn by Marquez), but again, this varies from artist to artist! Here's some examples of 616 Tonys.

Wait, you might be saying, but I have seen comic panels where Tony has brown hair/brown eyes!

Yep. Due to a combination of forgetfulness, inconsistency, and the MCU bleeding into the general consciousness of the comics, sometimes Tony is randomly depicted in the image of RDJ, or if not in his image, at least visually inspired by the MCU-- hair color and style, eye color, dialogue, etc.

616 fans don’t typically love this; he’s very handsome when drawn this way, of course, (look at him!) But it isn’t really the same character.

Also, MCU Tony has (at least for some of his movies) a reactor built into his chest. While 616 Tony has, at times, been more or less physically connected/dependent to his tech, he doesn’t have the built in reactor (most generally speaking, there are times in comics when he temporarily has the tech built in, but this isn’t really the status quo.)

2. Relationship with parents/ family history

While it is definitely implied in the MCU that Howard was not a good father to Tony, (such as in Iron Man 2 when Tony says “You're talking about a man whose happiest day of his life was shipping me off to boarding school” and “He was cold, calculating, never told me he loved me, never even told me he liked me”), Tony has a different sort of attitude toward Howard in MCU than in 616. It’s kind of weird, and hard to discuss. To me, it seems implied that MCU Howard was emotionally abusive to Tony based on what Tony does say about his childhood, and yet, the films kind of randomly give Howard weird moments of “Well, he tried his best and deep down he loved me the whole time!” forgiveness. MCU has a Howard kink and I'm very cringe-face emoji about it.

For example, Iron Man 2 shows that old film reel of Howard talking about how Tony is the greatest thing he ever created, and in Endgame, when Tony goes back in time, he meets Howard and has a very weird interaction with him in which Howard declares he would do anything for his son, (to his deeply damaged son who is a new father himself.) Yet, for all his talk, it's his actions that speak, and his actions left Tony damaged, traumatized, and emotionally inept at forming healthy relationships. So.

Sorry. I’m a little bitter. I'm just uncomfortable with how they sort of set up an abuse history but then treated it kind of lightly and Howard gets off the hook as "well, he tried his best" without really acknowledging the hurt he caused.

Avengers: Endgame 2019

I won't go super in depth into the abuse stuff because it's a little touchy and could take up a lot of this post. But.

I’m not against any reconciliation and I do appreciate the fact that a lot of times, victims of abuse feel a desire to forgive and reconnect with their abuser-- my issue with the MCU depiction of Tony and Howard is that Tony never really gets the vindication of his abuse being recognized for what it was before he forgives Howard. To me, that’s not forgiveness as kind of... gaslighting himself that it wasn't as bad as he remembered his own experience being, because of a sense of nostalgia and grief. It’s not the same, and I have issues with it.

However, a lot of my opinion is based on subtext and it is just my opinion; with depictions of abuse, different people are going to react differently, and other people may have found these scenes touching and gotten something positive out of them, and that's totally fine too!

It’s also a bit difficult to talk about Tony’s relationship with Howard in 616, for a few reasons: shifting timelines, lots of canon that I have not read all of, and the fact that it really is difficult to sum up such a complicated relationship.

Right off the bat, I’ll address the basics. I used the same scene in another ask, and I think it's frequently cited in any meta regarding Howard, but in Iron Man Vol. 1, we see more into Tony’s childhood and see Howard verbally abusing his family, drunk, at the dinner table.

Iron Man Vol. 1 #285

We get this scene with adult Tony’s retrospective commentary on how his own issues that he blamed himself for were actually a cycle starting with his father, the insecurity and abuse and alcohol, and that he realizes how much this has influenced him. Both MCU Tony and 616 Tony have some form of “stop the cycle of shame” arcs, but I don’t really see how this works narratively in the MCU because Tony makes excuses for Howard and continues to blame himself for a lot of his own personal struggles, whereas I think there’s just a bit more nuance in 616.

But uh. This isn’t totally true, and in recent years, things got real weird. I choose to ignore this chapter of canon, but in the Dan Slott run, Tony Stark: Iron Man, Tony’s whole backstory gets imploded. For one thing, the little of Tony’s childhood it shows in a flashback is uh. Uh. Well, it’s certainly out of character compared with previous 616 material, depicting Tony as an overly confident poor sport.

Basically, Tony is adopted. Tony has an evil brother. Tony’s biological parents make an appearance, as do his ‘classic��� parents, Howard and Maria. It’s just weird. It’s kind of out there. I’m honestly not a huge fan of this and ignore a lot of it, but it is certainly a difference between MCU and 616.

3. Personality

I’m going to be very general. Both Tony’s have an outer self which they present to the public and an inner self, but they’re a bit different. Both Tony’s have struggled with self loathing, but I think MCU Tony’s actual self worth is a bit higher, even just at some points in time. Even if his ego is part of his facade, I think he does believe some amount of the “I’m awesome”, even if just when it applies to his own work/inventions/saving people. Not to say that these moments of fluctuating self esteem make him egotistical, but this combined with his egotistical act and snarky, non-stop sassy dialogue, he’s quite different in general personality from 616 Tony, who is much more reserved.

Some more recent iterations of 616 Tony have been adapted to reflect the snark of the MCU, but he’s not so snarky and he tends to approach things more seriously. This is not a dis on MCU Tony; I think MCU Tony uses false ego and excessive sassy jokes as a means to deflect and control, which I think is very interesting and it’s nice to see this explored more in depth in fic where you get to see the thought process behind the bravado. MCU Tony is a partier, a good times guy, especially during Iron Man 2, in which he really does disregard consequences to have fun (driving his race car, partying drunk in his suit, letting pretty  girls play with the armor, shooting off repulsor blasts for fun in a crowded room); I’m not bashing MCU Tony-- I think he had psychologically understandable reasons for behaving this way, the man was dying-- but 616 Tony really doesn’t act this way generally, and I think it’s a personality difference more than a difference of one being “better.”

616 Tony handles his stress differently, and they just have different psychological patterns, I think. I’m coming up kind of blank trying to think of a good comparable 616 arc, (sorry, I’m brain dead) but a less-than-perfect  example might be Tony’s brain delete arc; he’s “dying”, like in Iron Man 2 he  knows his expiration date, (circumstances are quite  a bit different), but he throws himself more into work, into a cause, and as he really fall apart, we  see him spiral into self doubt, remorse, fear, and insecurity, sort of falling into  himself with lots of manly tears and calling himself pathetic.

(Some things happen in this arc that a lot of people find Gross. I also find these events gross. But. I don’t count the sex in “World’s Most Wanted” as partying to cope with personal mortality, because I think both character involved are in “end of the world” mode, and it’s more seeking intimacy for comfort than partying to numb the hurt. Does this distinction make sense? No? Perfect, moving on.) 616 Tony is generally much more humble.

Whereas MCU Tony, I think, tries to outrun those feelings via parties or making dozens of new suits, or seeking comfort by comforting others! Gifting things to people, building things for people, highly personalized individual living quarters, teaching Nebula games and trying to show her a fun time when they were in peril together.

They have some traits in common, for sure! But canon being inconsistent both in the MCU and in 616, my observations aren’t the rule, because I’m kind of cherry picking and going based on limited memory. But off the top of my head, they’re both extravagant gift givers! Recall Tony gifting Pepper the giant bunny in Iron Man 3, and compare this with Tony carrying a mile high pile of Christmas gifts after shopping with Rumiko in Iron Man Vol. #3.

I would say that while both Tony Starks are considered humanitarians, this is much more fleshed out and supported by canon in 616. Some examples of his philanthropy in the MCU: Tony makes charitable donations of art and money, Tony has an organization which provides disaster relief/cleanup which is referenced in Spider-Man Homecoming, Tony has an MIT grant for students and staff members. But to be honest, a lot of his MCU philanthropy is only mentioned in passing, or is largely handled by other people on his behalf and on his dollar.

In 616, we see Tony using charity almost as a means of therapy: it’s something he does very privately, not in the public eye (at least, not always), and it’s something deeply personal to him. One example that immediately comes to mind is Tony’s home for disadvantaged girls in Iron Man Vol. 3, and we see scenes of Tony basically driving the streets at night, picking up underage prostitutes, feeding them and listening to their stories before bringing them to a home he’s established where he knows all the residents, and provides educational opportunities and protection.

Another more recent example in canon that the Tony fandom loves is that Tony canonically holds babies at an orphanage. Sorry I don’t have panels for all of this, this section got long and I have been working on answering this ask in a very scattered way for a very long time.

Both Tony’s are romantics, I literally could write a whole other post about their canon love life similarities and differences, but I will briefly say that while MCU Tony does the long on and off, and eventual ultimate commitment, to Pepper Potts, 616 Tony is a serial monogamist; he is always falling in love, and he’s definitely not a playboy, but the hero-ing, self loathing, and lifestyle make it very hard for him to keep anyone in his life, and most of his partners fuck his life up and betray him. Needless to say, 616 Tony is not married, and certainly not to Pepper Potts.

Oh, and I guess this is so obvious I almost forgot to include it, but a huge similarity between both iterations of Tony is that they both constantly use their own life as a bargaining chip, and will pretty much die for anything. Or be the bad guy for a good reason (at least, in his own mind... see Civil War, or Hickmanvengers; 616 Tony, especially, does not shy away from making the hard decisions, and this leads to a lot of guilt and tension in his  relationships-- often with Steve because 616 Steve/Tony angst fans are well fed, I guess)

Remember that time Tony had Steve’s mind wiped because Tony felt that Steve’s inflexible morality might hinder the Illuminati’s ability to save the world? And it eats Tony up inside and erupts into a homicidal fight when Steve finally gets his memory back? Me too.

Tony Stark as a character is defined by sacrifice, both of his own life but also of his own happiness and reputation and conscience, I think, in a lot of ways, and we see this in many universes. I could go on about Tony’s propensity for sacrifice in the less obvious ways, because I think in terms of heroic sacrifice, Tony has done a lot that other heroes wouldn’t be able to do because of moral inflexibility and conflicting philosophical schools of thought; Tony really is the “whatever it takes” type, and often believes the ends justify the means if he deems a threat worse than the potential wrong that could be done in preventing the threat. We see this a little bit in the MCU in the creation of Ultron, and in Civil War with the Accords. But there’s a whole lot more going on there I don’t want to get into.

4. Alcohol

MCU Tony’s alcoholism is never really explicitly explored. He is shown drinking in Iron Man 1, and in Iron Man 2 he drinks a lot and makes a fool of himself publicly, but MCU Tony doesn’t get any specific narrative arc focused on his drinking, and if I recall correctly, I don’t think he ever refers to his drinking as alcoholism in the movies? Also, while his binge drinking and embarrassing behaviors ostensibly stop after the events of Iron Man 2, he is shown drinking on screen at least one other time after that which I can remember, and it wasn’t a “falling off the wagon” moment, and an alcoholic in recovery such as 616 Tony would not take a drink casually. This article sheds a little light on some decisions made about Tony and alcohol in the MCU.

Alcoholism is a huge part of 616 Tony’s personality, which I went a bit more into depth about in this post, so I won’t repeat myself too much.

5. Their relationships with the Iron Man armor

A few points here: MCU Tony is famous for the “I am Iron Man” line being repeated throughout the franchise after he blows his own secret in the end of the first movie. MCU Tony sees himself as one with Iron Man, and the suit is the tech that enables him to be this version of himself. He sees Tony Stark and Iron Man as inextricable: you cannot separate them, and his identity is public. He, as Tony Stark, is an Avenger.

You may remember MCU Tony’s induction into the Avengers; in Iron Man 2, Nick Fury is forming the Avengers and tasks the Black Widow with going undercover to assess Tony to be a part of a hypothetical initiative. “Iron Man yes, Tony Stark no” and the comments about Tony as a narcissist may be funny, but the fact is, the snark and erratic personality of MCU Tony at the time of the formation of the Avengers in the movies is not at all like the Tony of the comics, at the time of the Avengers being formed. 

In 616, things are quite a bit different! Tony invents the Iron man armor to save himself (like in the MCU) and uses it for hero-ing, but in secret. He works very hard to protect his identity as Iron Man, and for a long time, as far as the world is concerned, Iron man is a mystery man piloting armor built by Tony, hired as Tony’s personal body guard, (hence the 616 Steve/Tony fandom’s proclivity for identity porn as a trope!) When the Avengers form, Iron Man is the Avenger, close friends with the Avengers, (particularly Steve!) and Tony Stark is just the benefactor of the Avengers, providing them with a place to live and finances with which to operate.

In the very early days, Tony did not have the “reactor” like in the MCU, but his chest plate did keep him alive, leading to some very dramatic shots of Tony charging up using a wall socket, lamenting the plight of a secret hero.

616 Tony, generally, and especially in some of these earlier comics, was quite reserved, rather serious, and very angsty, (in private of course.) He may be wealthy, but speaking generally, he’s much less ostentatious than MCU Tony, less of a show off, less into flashy things and grand gestures. Of course, this isn’t always true in the comics, and some iterations of Tony are more like this than others, but MCU Tony is showier, sillier, and more of a fun-times guy. Any MCU fan would find those panels quite contrary to the Tony Stark you know:

Iron Man 1

Iron Man 2

I think I would say that while MCU Tony sees himself and the Iron Man identity and the  armor as all being inextricably connected, we see a bit more compartmentalization with 616 Tony, who pretends that the armor is a whole separate person for years when his identity was private, and we see instances in older and newer comics, in which Tony  is uncomfortable with some aspect of himself as Iron Man (for instance, during the second drinking arc, Tony temporarily swears off being Iron Man entirely, or for another example, when Tony is in a comma and Tony AI exists during Secret Empire, Tony “lives” in the Iron Man suit, and I think this could be interpreted as a meta parallel to Steve during this arc; Steve has had some core aspect of his character inverted, Captain America becoming Captain Hydra, so Tony experiences a similar inversion-- Tony Stark and Iron Man are forcibly merged, in a way that Tony seems deeply uncomfortable with, if his digital drinking relapse is any indication. But I digress; sorry for the tangent.)

Okay this post is inexcusable long, and very, very tangential, and I don’t feel like I’ve really covered everything I wanted to. But it has been sitting in my inbox for too long and if I don’t post it now I never will, so I hope this long, rambling thing has been a little bit helpful to you! Thank you so much for asking, I had a lot of fun rambling about this.

If you want to read a similar post, but well written and organized, with other insights, this post by Sineala answers a similar question!

[steve0discusses]

S5 Ep5: Female Friends

So I was up hella late because of Daylight Savings screwing my sleep schedule, and I was on Twitch and one of the people I follow was speedrunning a Yugioh game (I think it was called Forbidden Memories like it was some Romance YA novel) and I was like “that’s a thing?” And I watched about 15 minutes of just complete nonsense. Like this game makes no sense when your scrubbing through 30 minutes of gameplay, but when a whole game takes 45 seconds and they have mechanics using like planets and astrology symbols? What?

What?

Y’all, I’m a little concerned your card game ain’t real. Like this is some ploy by knowing adults and this is some sort of Santa Claus situation where everyone else knows that this game ain’t real, but I’m the last person alive who’s like... “it is real though, right?” Hoping that I haven’t been played all of these years, despite having literally no empirical evidence that it is.

Just saying, I’m on to you, Yugioh.

Thanks dub.

I am pretty convinced (could be wrong) but pretty convinced that Grandpa was probably just normal horny in this scene. Like it just kinda matches what I know about horny grandpa tropes (that and Vivian is really talked up to be this hot stuff although she’s just youknow...some girl who exists.)

He immediately falls over. Like immediately, and I don’t know what’s up with Grandpa’s weird slipped disc, but luckily this is the one thing that Mokuba is prepared to deal with as a park manager.

Or what was his job again, Master of Ceremonies? That was the name of Mokuba’s actual chosen job that a 12-13 yo would choose?

Only Mokuba would have the choice to choose “a literal astronaut” and not choose an astronaut. This kid probably hates space though, with his family’s countless war machines now currently flying through the void.

The amount of times that the Kaibas have had to call a doctor for these guys.

(read more under the cut)

Bro was like “So Hawkins paid Grandpa to pretend to fall down so they could ditch Rebecca’s duel, right?” and youknow...probably. It was a pretty boring duel. They got off scott free.

Rex and Weevil do cartoon antics that actually feel like cartoon antics--which feels so weird for this show. Of course, it also has this Vivian plotline that is a little sus for a children’s show?

OK, show. You keep throwing women at Yugi Muto, and I get it’s a joke because he’s the world’s most undateable boy but there is a line of plausibility that even for a kid’s cartoon show it’s like “eh, probably not.”

Anyway, Vivian has Cho Chang energy of “I’m here for a problematic romantic conflict that never needed to happen and hamfisted diversity and uhhhhhh that’s it! I won’t exist after book 5!”

What a step down from dueling on top of the train, right? Like this whole time you could have just dueled next to it? What? In this show?

The rest of the party show up to the train station, where there’s really no other audience watching. Like where are Rebecca’s adoring fans who were asking for her autograph like 3 episodes back?

Card culture is brutal, y’all.

Vivian is not drawn like a 16 yo, being real. I was pretty surprised that she was under 25 according to a cursory Google search. Course, Joey Wheeler is drawn like a built adult, too, so I think the only convincing teenage child on this show is Pharaoh because at least he’s short. Just ignore how sometimes he’s got muscles on his arms that have no right to be there at the age of 16. (17?)

Then we had like a little Season Zero vibes where everyone just picks on Yugi for a hot minute.

And so Tea’s character development comes full circle as she realizes that this whole time, the Female Friend she needed was already here in the form of that small child who has a crush on her kinda boyfriend.

This was such an episode written by a bunch of dudes.

But at least Rebecca and Tea found something in common, although I really wish it wasn’t Yugi, considering how little on screen development he has with either of them. Where’s the reward for me as the viewer? If I cared about either of this love pentagon at all (well, hexagon...Bakura’s still in there.) there will never be a payout. You very well may be waiting forever for a relationship the writers clearly had never any intention to ever write except to act as a foil for our protagonists instead of like...a relationship.

And the show seems a little inconsistent with the relationship between Rebecca and Tea, too. They hang out a lot as the girls on the sideline, and appear to get along a lot of the time--but then they hate eachother a lot of the time as well because of jealousy? It’s just so weird.

I feel like TV shows in general have a really hard time approaching girl friendships, and speaking as a girl, I wish TV and books recognized more that our female friendships don’t have to be so freakin serious. We just act friendly and that’s freakin it.

That and these girls are going to go right back to hating eachother half the time after this is over because the main problem--Yugi not piping up and telling one of them to back the hell off--has never been addressed and never will be because Yugi is a broken, broken wet blanket.

Back at the base, Seto is also making up his own problems to be upset about in the absence of any apocalypses happening on screen.

Unless that hacker is Noah Kaiba, you’re probably fine. I really haven’t had too much of a reason to feel any fear over Zigfried von Schroeder. And maybe it’s because his character design was pretty complicated so no one wanted to draw it.

This was a ‘who’s on first’ joke but still.

...why do cards have to be like this?

Also, I didn’t see anything about this nonsense in the speedrun I watched the other night so, guys, this game ain’t real.

Anyway, Rebecca won.

We find out a little more of what happens to other duelists. Our Cowboy lost to a Sherlock Holmes boy, and I was very happy that I don’t have to come up with jokes about country music because I have none other than like...Taylor Swift jokes? Does she still count as country? I have no idea what’s going on in the country music scene.

On other side of the park, Yugioh decide to pay another tribute to the creative crotch shot with one of these:

Rex and Weevil are off to fight the big bad, and when you think “OK, we’re gonna get a wacky duel battle with these two balancing on top of eachother,” they kinda whiffed it before they made it to the stage.

And then I kind of whiffed it when I realized that Mokuba and Weevil have never spoken in the same place before and they have the same exact font color so fml.

The fact that Mokuba didn’t realize anything was wrong until they fell and revealed they were two small adults in a trench coat says a lot about most of the competitors in this duel.

It is incredible how both the Battle City Tournament and the Kaiba Corp Tourney (s that it’s name?) are both poorly managed, but in a different way. The Battle City Tourney unfortunately had a bunch of murderers in it. This tournament, no one is killing eachother, but they are still kind of sneaking in through the back door and being chronically late to everything.

(and I just want to point out that after the last match Mokuba oversaw that had Joey nearly miss the appointment, Mokuba decided to set this one in front of a Giant Clock just to get his point across)

So Zigfried has some sort of flying horse card that wiped them out right away, which makes you wonder........

.............why use any other cards?

Kaiba makes these cards, right????

Like he should be the last person who’s surprised????

Anyway, Zigfried top-decked a horse, and the guy who spends about 15 minutes getting ready his big ol blue eyes dragons every match he’s ever played was like “Yo I have GOT to get into speedrunning!”

And yes, the speedrun I was watching did not use Blue Eyes White Dragons. They were using a bunch of other stuff that I tried to look up just now and the art is completely different from what I recall so...unfortunately that means that your game is fake. Pretty sure it’s fake and you have no way to prove to me this is real.

Anyway, that’s it for now, not much to say since we’re still at the beginning of the arc. Next week I guess we’ll find out if Seto ever removes his ass from this chair.

https://steve0discusses.tumblr.com/tagged/yugioh/chrono

[cozyforjate]

MacGyver 5x03-Review

MacRiley fam, this will be my last MacGyver review. Thanks for the support and the great feedback on my reviews so far. You guys are awesome! But i’m taking a looong break from this show. I’ll be watching the Jack episode and if we get a Bozer, Matty or Riley centric i’ll tune in to watch. But my passion and excitement for this show is mostly over now.

I have so many things to say about 5x03 but if i start to express all my feelings i’m afraid i might break Tumblr. LOL 

This probably wouldn’t feel like a proper review coz i’m gonna focus on the RETCON that the writers pulled out of their asses to keep MacDesi together.

Ok so for people who are not familiar with the word “retcon”; it means changing an aspect of a fictional work by introducing a piece of new information, typically used to facilitate a dramatic plot shift or account for an inconsistency.

The writers usually pull a retcon, when one aspect of an already canon plot isn’t working well. You can call it a “fix-it” method.

In terms of MacDesi, they retconned some moments from season 4 that defined this relationship. I think the new showrunner and the writers team realized that MacDesi has become quite “toxic” during season 4. But because the additional episodes kept them together, they needed to at least fix this relationship.

From their POV it’s understandable to a degree. But from a viewers POV it’s total BS. Because what we watched in season 4, can’t be changed.

We remember the unhealthy dynamic between them, we remember the lack of trust between them, we remember how incompatible they were, we remember how they couldn’t communicate with each other, we remember Mac not letting her in emotionally, not opening up to her at all, we remember how much they BOTH hurt each other, we remember Mac’s own words on their relationship.

Most importantly we still remember 4x12. How quickly Desi turned her back on him, how she brought his mothers and aunts names into their ugly fight, how Mac said he’d say anything to get her off his back, we remember how she and Russ left Mac no choice but to improvise a plan to save lives, we remember Riley risking everything to protect him and be there for him. WE REMEMBER.

So when you dismiss all of that and re-write MacDesi as if they’re this great couple, it’s not going to work for people. And when you tease MacRiley the whole week with promos, exclusive pictures, articles, SM promotion; promising progress between Mac and Riley only to walk over everything that made them special, you get a lot of NEGATIVE reaction from the fans. With good reason.

* * *

Episode started with Mac and Riley on a picnic mission. The scene was amazing in every sense. The colors, lighting, the conversation between them, the almost kiss, the way Mac held Riley and they lied down for a while, the smug smile on his face and the looks he gave to Riley were all awesome! The car chase was super fun too!

But then everything went down the toilet. Coz in the next scene Mac was complaining to Bozer about how Desi wasn’t spending time with him and avoiding his date attempts. In this scene they retconned Bozer too. For the first time, Bozer encouraged Mac to go ask Desi out and fix their relationship.

Normally Bozer would never do such a thing. Why? Bcoz he’s been against a romantic relationship between them ever since Desi first showed up in 3x14. Bozer thought it was a bad idea from the start, called them Mesi (messy), he didn’t think it was a good idea to bring Desi back on the team in 4x01, coz MD break up was NUCLEAR. So up until 5x03 Bozer was never on Team MacDesi. Lets also remember this exchange between them:

In 4x12 when Bozer was trying to save Mac and Riley’s lives, he turns to Desi... 

Bozer: Desi, back me up here.

Desi: Sometimes we need to sacrifice the things we love for the greater good.

So after 4x12, one would only expect that his thoughts on MD would get stronger. But guess what? Bozer is now supporting MD. Just like that. I don’t buy it writers, sorry.

Back to the scene… Mac wants to go on a date with Desi. And he is so desperate about it. We had to witness one of the most awkward scenes between them. Not only that but we had to sit through Riley throwing smiles at MD, saying her feelings for Mac was just Codex adrenaline. Riley, who couldn’t watch any interaction between MD, is now totally cool with them!

And lets just say that Riley was pretending she’s over Mac, that she lied to Bozer bcoz she’s trying to move on. We already watched her having feelings for Mac, hiding those feelings and pining for him. Her one-sided love can’t drive the plot anymore. 

Besides she didn’t need to give her blessings to MD. It was an overkill. I really hated the scene where she says “Don’t screw up this time” to Mac…That was totally out of character for Riley.  

Riley who reminded Desi that Russ & her were gonna nuke them,

Riley who said she went after Mac coz she trusted him &asked Desi "Why didn't you?",

Riley who risked it all to protect Mac, tells Mac not to screw it up with Desi.

By saying those words, Riley makes it known that Mac was the one screwing up his rl with Desi. Desi had no fault. Once again the writers used my favorite character to prop my least favorite character. Shame on you!

***

I’m not gonna talk about every MacDesi scene in this episode. But let me just say that the writers turned Mac into a desperate, begging, lovesick puppy. He asked Desi for a date like 5 times, apologized twice. Kissed her out of the blue. Bcoz lets face it, that scene was so unnecessary. Nobody was onto them, the police car was passing by slowly and if the police were really suspicious, why would they look at the couple kissing instead of checking who’s in the car? So stupid. Oh and while they were kissing for minutes with great lighting and all, General Ma escaped. Mac acting this stupid, is not something we are used to see. But what you gonna do? I guess love is not only blind but also destroyes brain cells in the process.

Anyway, Mac literally begging Desi to go on a date with him was agonizing to watch. Every time he offers a new dating idea, Desi’s answer is NAH. Back in the picnic scene she made it sound like she wanted to date Mac, but of course she needs to make him suffer first!

I only like to point out the scene where Mac –finally- opened up to Desi about the fishing trip he and his father went together. This story is obviously precious to him. He called it a happy memory. Clearly he misses his father, still mourning for his loss. So he shared his happy memory and asked if she would like to go fishing with him. Desi’s answer? “Not gonna go fishing with you as our first date!” You can read the dissapointment on his face. And my heart breaks for Mac but this kind of treatment is something he’s asking for.

He is desperate to get Desi back. The fact that they are the worst match ever, doesn’t change sh*t. Mac wants Desi and he loves Desi for god knows why.

***

Btw- the whole “lets blame only Mac for Codex and ignore Desi’s wrongdoings” plot is disgusting. Yes, Mac suffocating Desi and Russ to escape Phoenix with Scarlett was wrong. Yes he hurt her, yes in a sense he betrayed her. AND HE APOLOGIZED. But what about Desi? What about her betrayel? 

First they made Riley apologize to Desi for following Mac and now they made Mac apologize… But no apologies from Desi. The writers are obviously worshipping Desi and they’re ready to sacrifice every character to make her look “perfect”. I’m sorry but i’m not here to watch the Desi show, or more MacDesi nonsense.

***

Mac said Desi is the woman he loves… but not only that, she is also the woman who guided him back. And the RETCON is really strong with this scene.

Lets remember…

In 4x08 Mac loses his father, at the end of the episode Desi wants to go with Mac but Mac stops her, telling he’d see her tomorrow.

In 4x09 Desi says he can share his burden with her, Mac’s not interested, he says what he needs is to stop Codex.

In 4x10 Mac makes apocalypse kits for Riley and Desi. Desi’s so happy she got a crossbow and didn’t think those kits were a bad sign. But Riley notices that Mac is not in a good place, he needed help and support. Riley shares her concerns about Mac with Desi. She probably thinks it’s not up to her to be the one doing that when Desi is the girlfriend. So after her conversation with Riley, Desi makes soup and gives Mac a compass. Saying he’s not lost (he clearly was tho). She askes if everything’s ok, he looks different but Mac says, he’s just tired.

In 4x12 Mac is lying in bed, lost in his own mind, he gets up, leaves the compass on her side of the nightstand… On the run he ignores Desi’s calls.

Then things get really ugly for MacDesi. Desi says “You are so drunk on somescrewed-up cocktail of your mom, your aunt, Codex science...”… She says “You're compromised”…  Mac was just trying to get Scarlett on their side to stop Codex but Desi couldn’t see it. She thought Mac was losing it!

And then Desi sides with Russ and turns her back on Mac. Russ dismisses Mac from the Codex mission. Mac's forced to improvise. Bcoz he wants to stop Codex without bloodshed.

So as you can see they completely re-wrote the events of 4x12 to fix MD.

Desi says: “I had front-row seats to the war that raged in you last year, and I can't do that again. Lose you.”

She was ready to sacrifice him for the greater good. But yeah, sure! Why not.

Mac says: “Des, I know it looked like I was lost, but you were there the whole time, guiding me back home.”

THE WHOLE TIME.

In 3 times she “tried” to be there for him, Mac didn't let her in emotionally but lets just say that she brought him back to his senses.

Lets just say that the compass he left on her side of the nightstand represents that it guided him back. (btw lets also ignore that the compass Mac gave Desi back was a different one. Who knows, maybe he threw it in the garbage during the pandemic and bought a new one)

Lets just forget who really brought him back. Lets just ignore what Riley did for Mac. How she saved him, how she was the one who risked everything for Mac. How she was the one there by his side when they were facing a missile.

Only if we forget and retcon history we can all buy MacDesi. 

But i can’t… I can’t forget, i’m not ok with a retconned half-ass love story that they want to sell with MD. I can’t sit through the episodes and keep watching the “flawless Desi” show.

This show isn’t entertaining to me anymore. I can’t recognize Mac, i’m pissed that my fav characters are being used as tools to prop Desi.

One last thing before i say my final goodbyes:

The lighting in this episode was so weird. In almost every scene, heavy light effects distracted me. Usually they use it when they show you a flashback, a dream or a hallucination to seperate the real-time scenes from others. But this episode had them from the start to the end. So i don’t know what to make of this.

Some of the dialogues had subtexts…

Leland to Russ: Now, I know you don't care about much in this world, but even the best of us can be blinded by those we love.

General Ma to Mac: I was blinded by him (Leland) once. I-I won't be blinded again.

Mac: Many things blind us. Anger, betrayal, even love. But sometimes, a little blindness can work to your advantage. You can create a fog that will cause the world around you to disappear.

Normally i would dive deep into the subtextland. But i don’t think the writers were trying to give some deep message or anything. 

I do believe that Mac is totally blinded by his “idea” of love… But i’m done waiting for him to open his eyes. The Mac i watched in this episode is not My Mac.

Writers made their choice. They made Mac's feelings crystal clear. He's all about Desi. At this point, Desi breaking up with him would mean nothing to me. Just like Riley still having feelings for Mac means nothing anymore.

Official accounts tweeting “There’s more to come for MacRiley” means nothing to me anymore.

Noone wants a rebound plot but unfortunately it's the only possibility they left to MacRiley. My ship is tainted forever. 

And as a Riley stan, i don’t want this Mac with my girl. She deserves better.