#and honestly the leads not being treated like dirt

[kdramaxoxo]

Seo In Guk And Lee Sung Kyung In Talks To Lead New Romance Drama By “She Was Pretty” Writer

I 100% trust Seo In Guk but She Was Pretty is probably my least favorite k-drama on earth.

[threepandas]

Bad End: Mama Mine

I woke, that first time, to the most beautiful child I had ever seen. Even through a fever that felt like it was cooking me from within, I could see she was different. It was honestly impossible not too. She looked cherubic. Angelic. Impossible, somehow. As though favored by the gods.

Even in worn, threadbare, patched then re-patched old clothes, so far from new as to have forgotten the name of it, she looked... like a dancer. Beautiful. A tiny painting brought to life. I couldn't understand, delirious as I was. I thought I was hallucinating. Worried her terribly.

She was just a small thing. Trying her best. Too care for her sick mother. She could barely reach the stove. Struggled to carry the buckets of water she needed, to cook and wipe my fevered sweat away. But she let nothing stop her. So determined to save me. Her little face so filled with love and worry, forever a step away from tears.

She was so afraid.

How could I do anything but love her back?

Disoriented or not. Lost and confused I may be. I had a child. Any plan I made? Would be for two. I had never really seen myself a mother, but cast into the role? I refused to abandon the child who loved and needed me. Who was innocent in all this.

Instead, as my fever broke, I held her close. Told her she had been so, so brave. Let her cry. Cuddled my little girl and gave myself a moment to just... breathe.

Then in the morning I got to work.

I appeared to be a single mother. A PEASANT single mother. Delightful. We had little to nothing to our name. I could try and fix that, I think. I knew a few crafts. But I had "forgotten" everything practical. Great. Luckily? I had a VERY observant little helper. Who remembered most of how everything was done.

I could context clues from there.

We made due.

Cleaned up the house, washed the linens, aired everything out. In bits and pieces, using half remembered wiki binges and crafting videos, I improved our little homestead somewhat. It wasn't by MUCH. I didn't have the skills. But it looked... nicer, I think. Homey.

We foraged. Sold hunted animals and things we had found. The occasional baked good. More then that? I tried to make time for my daughter. Keep her away from powerful eyes. The sort that might covet a pretty young thing. Taught her what I could.

Not just how to braid her beautiful hair, but that her beauty did not define her. That love was wonderful but not all there was to life. Too be wary of empty promises and watch for how the powerful treat those that they deem weaker then them. To lead with a smile but be prepared to throw her fist.

Also don't eat those mushrooms, honey, those are the poisonous ones.

I wish... Honestly? I wish I could have given my daughter a better childhood. Better education then the lessons scratched in dirt I was able. If I'd been able to REMEMBER. To recognize. Maybe I would have scrimped and saved more for third or forth hand textbooks, instead of the new hunting knife she so badly wanted.

But I didn't remember.

And as we were visiting town? PROPER town as opposed to our little settlement? I heard about wealthy, comparatively, family's having their children tested for... magic?

I faltered but adapted. Was it that much stranger then being transported into a new body and world? Magic it was then, I guess. Huh. We continued shopping. I bought my daughter a new sturdy pair of boots. Room to grow, would serve her well. She adored them. They had FLOWERS on them, mama! I couldn't help but laugh. Ah, my daughter is so cute!

Then I saw it.

As we passed the temple square. The only building in this whole town that could count as ostentatious. Some silk clad toddler broke from the pressing crowds, no doubt displeased with being crushed in on all sides. He wriggled free. Back from the steps and out into the road. Blind to the mortal peril he had just put himself in as the carriage of some wealthy To-Do raced carelessly down the street. Looking around, innocent, as only a toddler can as he wandered farther and farther from safety.

I dropped my shopping.

The world fuzzy and muffled, far away in my panic. Some Mother's instinct SCREAMING as I raced forward. Throwing a few people aside to reach the road. Then bolting. Distantly I heard my daughter scream, another scream as they finally notice, too late, their child was in mortal peril. But all I could see... was the little boy. Turning. Noticing. The big scary horses.

About to crush him to death.

Time felt slow.

I got there.

Then PAIN.

Far away, people were screaming. A child was crying. Small and terrified in my arms. Some arrogant voice was first demanding, then stuttering, then begging. A frantic voice, joined by others. Rich perfume. The... the child reaching for someone. Safe? Safe. I let go. Tried to smile. Ah... my daughters voice. Crying. Shhhh, shhhh. I'm sorry. It's okay. I'm sorry.

Ah... there... there was so much blood.....

Then there was LIGHT.

Like someone had cupped the sky itself and poured it directly onto me. Blue. So light and weightless and blue. The pain vanished as though erased. New agony and old aches alike. My eyes blinked open in suprise. And there? Tear stained and glowing? Was my daughter.

Like the sky itself had wrapped around her. Sunlight and blue sky and drifting clouds. Swirling like she was the world itself. Her eyes filled with tears when they connected with mine. With a choked cry, she through herself into my arms. Oh, baby. My poor baby. I wrapped my arms around her tight. Hugged her back for all I was worth.

"Your daughter?" A gentle voice asked.

I looked up. What HAD to be a noble woman sat, skirts ruined, in the dirt and blood at my head. Clutching desperately at the toddler I had saved. I could only nod. Understanding passed between us. Mother to mother.

Which is why, when a priest with covetous eyes came forward?

The noble women's smile turned cold.

She had changed her mind. She was, in fact, going to have her son tested by the temple closer to home. AND? She was going to be taking us with her. I agreed. Immediately and before anyone could try to seperate us. Daughter mine, darling, honey, Get In The Carriage. NOW.

We got out of there while the getting was still possible.

It was safe to assume, my new noble friend eventually said, that my daughter had magic. But what did that mean for us? Well, according to Nation Law? (Oh goodie. Laws I know nothing about.) She would have to attend the Royal Magica Academy.

What.

I knew that name. I KNEW that name! My jaw was surely on the floor, my daughter squeeking out flustered and rambling questions at my side. But... but all I could do? Was slowly turn to look at her. She was healthier then the game cover. Not as "that's not what real women look like!" Thin that... that in hindsight? Was probably prolonged food scarcity. Starvation.

She was taller too. Less... oh god, less "child like". That had to have been malnutrition. Stunted growth.

The way her hair shown, soft and healthy. The brightness to her skin and nails. Clarity to her eyes. Fullness to her cheeks. She was hardly even within sight of being a plump child, more muscle then anything, from a life of work and survival, but? She wasn't... waifish. I had made sure of that.

Even if it meant sacrificing my own meals to do so.

But I could SEE it. Could SEE the familiar features. The curling hair and doe like grey eyes. The generic princess character that I had been playing right before... before... God, I couldn't even remember the game's NAME. Just the plot. It had been mid at best. Magnificent art. Everyone raving there was some secret twist after the first play through.

So I grit my teeth a pushed through the generic. Tried to figure out what it was.

Never did get the chance. I died before the second play through and the twist everyone insisted made the game awesome. Now I wish I had caved and looked up spoilers. I tried to remember the mother. Did she die? What happens to my baby girl? Should I push her towards one man or another? Let her follow her heart?

It's a long, long night.

We stay in a guest room. Fancier then anything I've ever seen in this life. I keep my daughter calm. Help her avoid embarrassing herself. Tips for when in doubt. See, honey? It's a learning opportunity! No need to panic! Mama's certainly not, on the inside! She's very calm. Completely, utterly, definitely very ultra calm. Ha ha...

I think my soul had a panic attack.

Things moved very quickly after that. In the end, they had too, if I was to keep my daughter safe. The temple would want to train her. Her magic was apparently quite rare. Religiously significant. And being so lovely? She would make an EXCELLENT propaganda peice. A figurehead and puppet, forevermore in gilded chains.

Everything I feared for her.

No. That was NOT going to happen.

The Academy it was. Nobles and their games aside. The education would be unparalleled. She could probably even make friends. Possibly find love. I told her to Be CAREFUL. That is was a treacherous but beautiful place. Filled with powerful people used to getting their way. Do whatever she must to survive. Thrive. Be happy.

And remember, she is loved.

I...Returning home alone felt like ripping my heart out. I had thought I would have years, yet, before my daughter married and moved out. That I would have time to adjust. Get used to the idea, as my future son-in-law came around. Instead? I returned from a trip to emptiness. A life interrupted.

My daughters sewing, still resting, waiting for her, on the kitchen table.

I collapsed. Weeping. In the entryway.

My tiny home had never felt so vast and hollow.

Days passed. Then weeks. Finally, a letter arrived. Delivered by a very uncomfortable servant. The man checking more then once if I was TRUELY who he was supposed to deliver too. Clearly more then a little uncomfortable in the presence of such poverty. I did not care. I had a letter, thick with writing, from my daughter.

She was doing well.

MORE then well. My lessons had actually put her ahead of the curve in several classes, much to the shock and outrage of her peers. They had expected poverty to equal mental deficiency, it seems. And the library was quickly making up for any classes she was behind in. That's my girl!

She had made several friends that way. Quiet young ladies, willing to help her make sense of the complexities of history or magical theory. From nice, stable, neutral houses, too. No tea parties yet. Or boys. But I didn't care.

My baby had FRIENDS!

I sent a care package of her things back. Not indiscriminately, of course. But tools and notes, a few unfinished projects she had been working on to pass the time. Some snacks from home. They would likely still embarrass her somewhat, but... I did not want her to think I did not CARE. That I had tossed her towards that Academy and promptly forgotten her.

The servant, Geoffrey, and I got to see quite a lot of each other.

He got over the state of my house rather quickly. Instead, started bringing things he "just happened to have lying around" that would you look at THAT? I happened to need! Between letters on my daughter's meeting, then dramas, with pretty wealthy boys? Geoffrey helped me repair my roof. I mended his uniform. We shared new year's festivities together.

I even went to the actual festival, like I was some sort of lovely young thing.

As my daughter grew closer to graduation, the questions started. If I could go anywhere, where would it be? If I could do anything? What if I never had to work again? I wasn't a fool. Told her in no uncertain terms. If I EVER suspected she married for anything less then love and herself, I would disown her.

I did not sacrifice so that my daughter would SUFFER.

However... it seemed there was more then a few things my daughter had left from her letters. The next letter arrived in the hand of a man that wore Geoffrey's face, but even as I walked back towards my cabin from the forest... I knew.

That was not the man I had grown to love.

When the imposter turned, no doubt to lie, I RAN. Dropping my harvest of foraged wild greens. I had been planning to make a dish for him. One he was fond off. Perhaps my daughter's magic came from me, my line instead of her unknown father, or perhaps I had just enough to give it wings. To carry her to term.

Because...

I knew he was dead.

They pursued me. Of course they did. But this was a forest I had wandered for years. I lost them in the trees. Attacked them with rocks and stones. Destroyed my trails with rocks and rivers. Every hunter I crossed paths with an ally. Every hunting trap a peril I could lead them into. They were good.

I was better.

But more came.

Then more. And more. And MORE.

And I was not so good as to fend of a legion. I would not risk the village for some nobles scheme. I was dragged, bloody, bruised before some arrogant little sadist. A nasty little creature, like a porcelain doll filled with bile. What an utter waste of good fabric. I told her as much. Interrupt her sneering little monolog.

The backhand across the face barely hurt.

Toddlers had more muscle.

Unfortunate for this brat. My daughter had arrived in time to see that. And worse for this brat, she brought her friends and suitors. A veritable crowd of power and influence. The brat did not have the common sense to shut up while she was ahead. Even I, a peasant, could recognize royalty on sight. There were at least two of them before us.

MY daughter was not as merciful as the Cannon Protagonist had been.

It was a blood bath.

I tried to stay awake. Head wounds and all that. I... I had wanted to introduce Geoffrey to my daughter. Hinted at it, over my letters. I would... would never get the chance now... oh god. Geoff. Geoff, forgive me. Tears welled up. I could not stop them. Just as I could not stand. Just as I could not move...

I was... was rather useless... wasn't I?

Familiar yet no longer familiar arms threw themselves around me. Cradled me close to a softly perfumed chest, locks of hair I'd know anywhere, shielding me from the world.

"Mama..." my little girl said. Her voice the very picture of heartbreak. "I'm sorry. I... I was too late."

One of her suitors untied me. The knight, probably, from the calluses I felt. But all I could think about was, wrapping my daught in my arms. Together for the first time in years. And it had to be like THIS? Oh gods. Why was fate so cruel?

My little girl had grown so big.

This was a grown woman in my arms.

I just... I just wanted this terrible night to END. And as my daughters power slid over me? It did.

I woke up in a guest room. He dear friend Agatha had INSISTED. Geoffrey had worked for her family. It... it brought relief. To mourn with people who had known him. He had apparently spoken of me. Quite often. The sap.

It... it wasn't fair.

But when was life ever fair?

My daughter visisted. Now that i was finally closer. Her suitors dropped by, to pay their respects I think. Possibly win me over, as mother of their lady love. They were awkward little things. It was adorable. I was patient. Listened. Prodded them when then froze up, uncertain of what to talk about. Got them rambling about their hobbies. Really, it was no great difference then most shy kids.

The visited more. Stayed longer.

Brought gifts.

The gifts were expensive, elaborate, and wildly impractical. I was forced to gently explain why I, a peasant woman, could NOT accept their gift of fist size gemstones. It started with "I will be robbed" and ended with "they WILL be certain I stole these, no matter WHAT documentation you give me. I will die". They were very confused and alarmed. Much like puppies learning that suddenly treats were somehow illegal.

Agatha herself? Was a delight.

A very "mob" looking young lady with a sharp wit and an old man's sense of humor. Her personal maid was Geoffrey's niece. That neither held against me what had happened? Spoke of both of their maturity and grace. They WOULD however, never forgive the house that ordered the attack. I much agreed.

I considered, going back to the village, but...

The memories were too raw there.

I decided to follow my daughter, settle near wherever she decided to go. She seemed thrilled at the idea. Somehow, word spread. On the next visit, the future "head of the mage's tower" and man of entirely too many titles, Valtaan mentions an estate he owns near the Tower. How it lies empty. Would be the PERFECT place for a mother-in-law, you know... if he had one. Lovely gardens!

Oh, really?

Then, the Knight mentions how HE'S going to be stationed up North. In a Great Big Fortress with SO many rooms. Just... just SO MANY. Entirely too many, really. Honestly, he should bring more people! Like a wife! And... and a Mother-in-law! Really fill up the place, you know?

Mmmmhmmm.

The Prime Minister to be? Oh HE talks of TRAVEL. Ever considered traveling? The Embassies are LOVELY. So much to DO around them. Foreign lands, beautiful locals, silks and lovely little treats.

You don't say....

The Duke is blunt about it, at least.

I have a castle. I have SEVERAL castles. Estates. He is aware you are not motivated by that, but it does leave you with options for where you want to live should your daughter decide to marry him. And he DOES intend to marry my daughter. Second husband if not the first. Motivated, aren't we?

I politely infor both prince's, the SECOND they sit down, before they open their mouth, that I like them. I do. A lot in fact. But it's not going to happen. It'll be a cold day in hell the day I let my daughter marry into the royal family and they both know exactly why. They pause... consider it. Then nod.

They agree.

Wouldn't wish this life upon ANYONE who had a chance at something better.

My daughter graduates, with HONORS. There is much gnashing are rending of clothes from the elitist base. Ha! Get fucked. I STILL have no idea what the "twist" is in the plot or if I was being punked. Also not a single clue which, if any, of her suitors she's chosen. Could be all of um. I could care less so long as everyone consents and is aware of each other.

The graduation party is, naturally, grand. I'm in a dress one of the suitors likely bought for me. Somehow, I actually look like I belong. Instead of dancing and reveling, my munchkins hover. As though afraid to leave me alone at my first Big Girl Party. I laugh, trying to shoo them away. Go, go!

My daughter stubbornly shakes her head, leaning against me, her dress complimenting mine. Though I doubt I could be half as lovely.

"Noooo~ I refuse! I will be staying Right HERE, Mama!" Her voice is playful but... there's something strained. Desperate, that's never really gone away I think. Not since the accident. "What if someone tries to take you AWAY? You're too pretty! You gotta stay with US, mama!"

I laugh out loud, completely missing the interested looks that glance my way. Well to do gentleman, widowers and respected servants alike. Long time bachelor's, who's eyes linger a touch too long on the length of my neck, the curve of shoulder. The way it dips down, past my collarbones towards someplace... interesting.

My crowd of young protectors DO NOT miss the looks.

Bristle like angry cats. Eye venomous and society smiles sharp enough too cut glass. There is a murder to their expression. A command to Look Away.

While you still have EYES.

"No, Mama." My daughter insists when I try to tell her she's wrong. That I am far from desirable. "I'm not letting go. Not EVER. We're FAMILY. And that means? That means you're MINE."

[fomfarms]

I just asked for the Caldarus headcanons, any for Eiland too?

I see I am not the only one who is not immune to Pretty Nerd

Eiland time!

takes FOREVER to realize he has a crush

legit it probably doesn't click for him until he gets hit on

or when your hands touch one day and suddenly HIS NEURON ACTIVES and he realizes lol

gets SUUUUPER awkward after realizing he's crushing cause like

WHAT DOES??? HE EVEN DO???? UHHHH-- AUNT ELSIE HELP?????

tries a bunch of ancient courting techniques on you

too bad they're no longer practiced in the modern day and so you don't realize what he's doing

he's gonna be sweating it out as he tries his best

has pulled all nighters staying up to read

mostly he read books on history or societies

but also likes the odd historical fantasy

HAS read some historical romance, only liked one of them cause most of them were not historically accurate

when he was a kid he got SOOOO many lectures about tracking dirt into the manner

he's a lot better about it now, but he still brings the dig sites with him from time to time

anytime you flirt with him, he takes a bit to notice

he's sometimes noticed well after you've left

this is spoilers for Kaguya-Sama Love is War, but there's a bit where the main dude and the main girl are star gazing and he's being romantic on accident and not realizing it AT ALL cause he's too excited about the stars and it clicks for him much much later and he just DIES

yeah-- that's some Eiland shit

he's actually really romantic on accident like that a lot

also he's sometimes romantic on purpose in the sense that he's SO SO EARNEST about his feelings once he gets past the first few hurdles

like he might stammer around and ask how someone clocked that he's crushing hard

but he doesn't deny it

also the same way he rambles about history or archeology, he'll ramble about you or his feelings

he'll stay really poetic ideas like they're fact

'Well, their eyes DO shine like distant stars that beam through the dark watching everything like some magnificent yet comforting presence-- so it's no wonder I have a hard time finding my words around them'

all of the most lovely things said idly like he's thinking out loud, like it's just some other thing churning in his mind till it bubbles over

he will probably never realize it, but in his own way, he's a nerdy little charmer

NAP DATES

snack/lunch dates

likes to give you all kinds of trinkets and sweets

NS/FW under the cut!

technically a switch, but mostly a sub

he has a p low sex drive honestly

but when he does get in the mood, he is NEEDY

really really REALLY LOVES to be close to you

also tends to babble a lot when things really get down to it

doesn't even remember what he says, but you can rest assured he is dirty talking from the heart

bit of a praise kink

usually likes to be treated gently

honestly his libido works like a bodice ripper

all desperate, uncontrollable desires and a NEED to touch and be touched NOW

tends to either fall asleep or have his brain firing on all cylinders again, with little to no in between

either way, he's going to be holding you

honestly kinda clingy like--- physically

doesn't think too much about the fact that he's pretty, and honestly when he's been called it before by people he's not interested in he kinda hates it

but if you call him pretty or handsome or anything of the sort in the heat of things

melting

also if you're turned on by intelligence and whisper sweet nothings to him about how hot you think his nerdy ass is specifically for being nerdy, he'll honestly get REALLY flustered

he usually doesn't initiate things, choosing more often than not to follow your lead to where you'd like to go

but if he's away for a while, or you're away for a while, and you both haven't seen each other for however long

he's not exactly tearing your clothes off on sight or anything, but the moment you two are alone that night, his lips are on your neck and his hands are roaming your body, like they're trying to remind themselves of how your feel under his touch

NEEDS a good morning kiss the morning after

also a 'good bye' kiss if you get out of bed first

and maybe a few more kisses before, during and after

is the type to watch you while you sleep, usually on accident

he just got kinda mesmerized...

honestly when he falls in love, it's kind of an all in sort of thing for him, and once together, your relationship is sort of a matter of fact as far as he's concerned

though don't think that means he's going to take you for granted

....usually

sometimes cha boy forgets how long he's been lost in the academic sauce

[juchily]

Yellowjackets S3 Ep1 thoughts

Spoilers below ⚠️

not them buttering us up with the cute fun scenes like them playing tag so they can hit us with the horrible stuff later... I see you showtime

edit: MARI CALLED SHAUNA GAYWAD WHEN SHAUNA TACKLED HER?? ALSO JUST IGNORING THAT SHAUNA IS COMPETITIVE IT WAS INDEED VERY GAY THE WAY SHE WAS MANHANDLING MARI

Taivan taivan taivan taivan!

taivan broke up after rescue 😞

Travis is one of the girls ✨🧚

Shauna's freaky as shit... But like 🙇

That whole scene with Melissa and Shauna was gold, "You have a personality?"?? Be fr the extra gets her first real line and the writers write in a character pointing it out this is so funny

Melissa being so eager to suck up and impress Shauna, two girls telling each other "yeahhh", Melissa wants that cookie. Genlissa shippers it's OVER

what do we think Nat got arrested for when she was 24?

Love Callie for that... I've never hated her be real she's too much of an icon to hate

Im going to be real, when those girls talked about the girls eating pig blood and then having a druggy orgy I did infact go "we all wish" because do we not?? The writers KNOW what we want at this point lol

did Shauna know pre crash that Lottie was schizophrenic? Did she find the pill bottle post crash? If she knew this, would this be a fuel for her hate for Lottie because of her visions, miracles, etc

Lottie being a therapist... God she's too much of everything I can't even begin <3

Lottie and Travis as a duo are so cute (AS NON ROMANTIC, I HATE THEM ROMANTICALLY THAT)

...i thought Van and Tai were going to go at it in the restaurant bathroom ngl, dining and dashing and fucking in an alley is cool too

also that scene in the restaurant where Van seems to be feeling weird... And then right after that the waiter guy dies (supposedly) and we see that onscreen effect go away... Just saying

Id eat the shit (read: spit) out of that soup...

Mari and Shauna getting treated like misbehaving dogs... They low-key are. Poor Mari honestly. And Shauna gaslighting...

SHAUNA AND CALLIE BONDING OH MY LORD CALLIE'S A MINI SHAUNA AND I DONT KNOW WHETHER I SHOULD BE SCARED OF THAT

i can believe Ben finding a war/apocalypse prep container especially considering Cabin guy's insane amount of ammo, but I find it odd that the case is pristinely clean despite being covered in a pit of dirt and dust. Maybe they just didn't bother making it look weathered and I'm looking into it too hard.

NAT HALLUCINATION PLUS CHERRY BOMB 💥💥🎉

Honestly I think Walter may have lied to Misty, on the other hand Van and Taissa were getting down and dirty and Shauna was actually bonding with her kid for once

they make memorial for Javi, then Jackie, then Wilderness baby, im just confused on the fact they don't mention Laura Lee? Especially that Lottie of all people wouldn't mention her. Also the five lanterns I still think that's a clue to a death count this season (past and present, maybe just past timeline)

Ben is up to some evil shit... I don't think Mari dies in that hole though from some of the teasers we've seen

callie pocketed that tape... Didn't anyone tell you not to open other people's mail young lady 🤓

CAKE, they played CAKE, oh I can die happy

Ending thoughts:

Wtf is that sound Travis heard? Does the sound have something to do with being drunk? He hears it first when he's high, and the other girls hear it after the feast (they had like wine or something).

The no eyed man... come on let's get a good look at 'im

Who left the letter? Will the other Yellowjackets get a letter like the one that was supposed to go to Shauna?

What will happen to Mari? What is Ben's purpose of making that trap and what does he plan to do now that he's catched one of the girls. Furthermore, this would prove he knew they survived the cabin fire. Will this lead to the girls finding where Ben is?

Laura Lee erasure... 😭

[sweetenerluvss]

A character that deserved better:

💙💫 Lucy Heartfilia

I know frequently I say I hate Lucy’s character, but honestly recently I’ve really come to grow a heart for her. I think what i really hated was Mashima’s treatment of her.

At the time I really started to hate her I was just a little girl, I was twelve years old when I started to watch Fairyfail. Maybe even eleven, it was a long while ago. That being said… out of everyone in Fairytail Lucy’s character annoyed me the most. I remember just being annoyed by her in general but now looking back I wasn’t annoyed at Lucy but how she was treated…

How mashima wrote her to be a joke all of the time, turning her fights into gags and making her so unserious. Turning her battles into torture sessions and whatnot, I always thought she was like a burden to the team but now that I’m older I realise Lucy really did try her best but the writer just never let her win. It wasn’t really her fault as a character, and now looking back I mourn the Lucy we could’ve had. We could’ve had the kind of female MC DanDanDan has, where the lead is driving the action and taken just as seriously as any other character.

But we were robbed for the sake of fanservice and misogyny. Lucy’s character was always treated as a punching bag, and looking back now… I can’t help but feel sorry for her and want to give her a hug. Being bullied by Juvia, slutshamed by Erza, practically abused by Aquarius, harassed by Natsu, fatshamed by Happy, even talked bad about by her whole guild in a filler episode where she disappears.

Even left BEHIND by her whole guild after the guild disbanded… Levy and Gajeel were literally in the same town as her but not once did they come visit. Not once did anyone reach out to her and ask if she were okay. I’m willing to excuse Natsu because at least he said goodbye via a note, plus he was going through his own problems at the time… but everyone else? Shame on them… Lucy was their friend and they left her alone just like that.

Lucy truly deserved better.

Lucy I’m sorry for misjudging you… you deserved a better author. Someone who could’ve written her to be not just a punching bag each arc, it really makes me sad knowing when I was a little girl I was so excited to see a female shonen MC only to watch her character be thrown to the side like dirt. At least she’s getting the treatment she deserves in 100yq.

[honeysickledream]

'Overgrown' - Simon 'Ghost' Riley x F!Reader | Chapter One

(photo credit: me [@honeysickledreams])

warnings | tags: F!reader, no use of Y/N and no physical descriptions of reader, reader is a healer and midwife, this is set in a very vague ‘middle ages’ time, forced/arranged marriage, angst, slow burn (heavy emphasis on slow), miscommunication, there’s no communication at this point honestly, relationship issues, relationship doubts, (mild) hurt with no comfort, no smut this time around but still minors DNI, mild horror/fear element towards the beginning (a nonexistent monster is described in detail + the briefest mentions of animal and possible person-on-person attacks along with it) | that’s everything off the top of my head, lmk if I missed anything!

word count: ~2.6k

synopsis: You had married Simon four months ago, the whole thing some stupid forced arrangement. You had left everything you knew behind to live with Simon in his cabin a few miles out from his hometown. You weren't sure you could classify your relationship as a marriage, or even say truthfully that you lived with him because he wasn't around very often. Some part of you hopes things improve, but you're not unwillingly to do what you can to live the life you'd originally planned for.

Next Part ->

Thin clouds softly colored purple and pink from the sunset drifted overhead. Street lamps burned away at the oil and cloth wicks. The townspeople flooded the rough streets as they went about their evening routines of visiting the markets, going home after a long day or meeting with others. Some mothers were wandering the alleyways where their unruly children wandered after being sent out to play. You did your best to move through the crowds of people, hopping onto the wooden promenades to get around the slower and louder groups so you wouldn’t have to trek home in total darkness. The walk back to the cabin was a few miles out, and after spending four months tending to mothers and their children, you had heard more than your fair share of stories about the shadows in the woods and the spindly-legged beasts that enjoyed gobbling up those who were out too late. Logically you knew those creatures weren’t out there, that the mothers were telling their children such stories to keep them from wandering off into the woods and finding themselves food for wolves and bears. But as you walked alone on the dirt road that cut through the thick of the woods, winding this way and that, with only a few thin paths branching off and leading to well-hidden cabins and cottages, you couldn’t help but feel uneasy. Like something was there behind the trees as it tried to make up its mind on whether you would be a tasty treat. You turned down the third path on the right that you came across, the old wooden sign reading ‘Riley’. The name had been etched into the surface haphazardly—either done by a child ages ago or by someone with shoddy penmanship. Somewhere in the depths of the woods, a branch snapped. Your blood ran cold, your heart racing as you tried to keep yourself from going stock still. The creepy stories from the mothers in town began to fill your mind. Images flashed behind your eyes of lanky creatures with bark-covered antlers that dripped with the blood of their victims, cloaks made from human skin and moss draped over their shoulders, their smiles too wide and full of rows of pointed, thin teeth. Those stories were nonsense, you had to tell yourself with each step you took. If there was something in the woods you needed to fear, it would be the wolves or bears that would charge you before they mauled your defenseless body, or perhaps a person lurking in the woods with whatever foul plans they had brewing in their mind. But the notion to fear those things didn’t enter your mind, they never did when something startled you in the woods. For some reason the fantastical, wicked creatures seemed more terrifying than the real threats. The fear you felt subsided as soon as you saw the heavy door to your cabin, the dark blue paint faded. No candles or lanterns were lit, not that you expected them to be, but a disappointment settled in her heart where the fear had been nonetheless. You unlocked the door slowly, slipped inside and locked the door loudly. Once your boots were off, your cloak hanging from the rack by the door, and your aged medical case in its place by the sword stand that was empty like always, you did a quick search around the cabin, lighting candles in the rooms as you ensured that they were clear. The two bedrooms were empty, undisturbed. Your most recent crochet project was still on the couch in a snarled mess, the furniture still angled the way you liked it. You did a quick sweep of the kitchen, making sure no little critters had managed to find their way into the cabin to sample your loaves of bread or tore into your sacks of sugar or crates of ripening fruits. With everything safe, just the way you’d left it that morning before making your rounds through town, you lit the fire in the parlor before lighting the open hearth in the kitchen.

The front door’s lock unlatched loudly right as your nightgown fell down the rest of your body. Without hesitation you grabbed the dagger you kept under the face-down journal on your nightstand. You knew only one other person had a key to the cabin, but who was to say someone hadn’t gotten a locksmith’s set or perhaps one of those damned creatures from those horrible nighttime stories had managed to slip their thin nails into the locks to trigger the mechanisms.

Knife brandished before you, poised to strike at anything even if it was just to buy a few more seconds of breath before dying, you crept down the hallway. You stuck to the right side because it was the side that never creaked, something you learned a few days into living here. The middle of the hallway seemed to creak only when it was nighttime, while the left side creaked morning, noon or night. There was nothing at the entrance of the hallway, and no one was lingering around the front door to the right or in the parlor which was dead ahead. As you looked left into the kitchen where your pot of stew was still bubbling away, you noticed a broad and tall figure wafting the savory smells towards their face. Their back was towards you, their attire dirty and ratty but it was deep green of their cloak that caught your eye and told you that it was safe to lower your blade. “You’re back,” you whispered as you slowly approached the figure who froze when your voice broke through the silence. You didn't bother to hide the faint disappointment in your tone. The scars of the person’s face glinted in the candle- and hearth-light of the kitchen as their head turned. “’Course I am,” the man rasped, voice tight as if he hadn’t spoken for days. “Been four weeks, told ya I’d be back around now.” You glared at him, not just for being so nonchalant about his arrival. It was night, you were alone, no one around, and he just waltzed in without announcing himself. If you hadn’t noticed the green to his cloak, you could’ve stabbed him which wouldn’t have ended well for anyone. “I take it you’re hungry,” you said under your breath. You didn’t wait for his response, grabbing two bowls from the cupboard and two spoons from the drawer. Luckily you’d made a bit more stew than usual, but you knew you’d be scrambling to find him more food after he scarfed his portion down. You stirred the stew and sighed. It had a little ways to go before it was ready to be eaten. “Go fetch yourself water for a bath and get clean. You smell like a wet dog rolled in a puddle of decay, Simon.” He returned the glare you’d given him moments ago but did as you said and went to the back garden for pails of water. He had bristled when you said his name, rather than referring to him as ‘Ghost’. That happened often after he spent a hefty amount of time with his three friends who only referred to him as ‘Ghost’. Everyone in town did the same, or they used a string of descriptors to refer to him. Simon had told you to not refer to him as ‘Ghost’ while withholding the reason why you were given special license on your wedding day.

Bitterness settled heavy on your tongue, memories of your wedding day suddenly filling your mind. Every muscle seemed to tense and tears brimmed in your eyes. You knew the whole situation was horrible for Simon, too, not just for you, but very little about his life had changed that day. At least to your eyes, he had been able to remain in his hometown, living in his family’s cabin all while you had to move far away from the family that forced you to become a Riley. You had to leave everyone you loved behind, most of your belongings still in your old bedroom hidden under white sheets until your family re-purposed them or sold them off. And the marriage remained as rocky as it had been on day one—and it had been four months since the wedding. When Simon was home, he was gone most of the day, leaving near sun-up and returning near sun-down. Sometimes he was called away with his three friends for a few days, and most recently, they’d been called away to do something for four weeks. The two of you rarely talked when he was around, rarely spent more than an hour in the same room. Oh, and there was no physical intimacy. None. Your sisters wrote to you often asking how married life was (and if you had found yourself to be with child yet, which they made sure to never write out so bluntly, preferring to inquire between the lines) and you had no idea how to politely tell them that they had witnessed your husband barely give you a peck on your awful wedding day to seal the vows, so why would they think the marriage had gotten even remotely physical enough for there to be the possibility of a child? As you stood there stewing over the stew, you weren’t even sure you wanted children with Simon. If it ever did happen, would he be a supportive husband to you through all the pains and changes, the scares and the happy moments, the horror and miracle that was birth? Would he care for the child in such a way that would charm you into wanting to give him a dozen more babies? A bubble popped on the surface of the stew, ripping you from your contemplations and rapidly growing dissatisfaction and anger at everything. You licked the spot on the back of your hand and smiled faintly. You were sure you’d perfected the seasonings this time, as well as the ratio of carrots to celery. It was then that Simon cleared his throat and you looked up at where he leaned against the door frame. He dressed in loose cotton trousers and a sleep shirt, his body cleaned of whatever filth he’d gotten on himself. He’d even trimmed his dark blond hair, which was a shame because the slight length had looked rather charming on him.

Then you realized you’d been in your own head long enough for him to fetch water, heat it, bathe and dress, and for the stew to finish cooking. All the little lines you fed yourself daily about making the best out of this strange and aggravating situation seemed to have done nothing but give you some momentary distraction when you saw happy couples and families loving interacting with each other. “There’s fresh bread in the larder,” you told him as you began to ladle stew into his bowl, making sure to given him most of the venison. You knew that whatever he and his friends did when they were called away left them without hearty meals most of the time. Even just a few days away often left Simon looking a bit leaner, but four weeks away? The hollowness to his scarred cheeks made something twist in your chest to see it. You sat the bowls down on the little table in the corner of the kitchen, then turned to find Simon slicing the loaf—no, loaves…God, you made a mental note to get up early tomorrow to bake more before you left to tend to your patients. He’d also grabbed a jar of apple butter and poured you both a cup of water, which you thanked him for under your breath. The two of you sat at the table, eating in the usual silence, staring off at the usual spots of the wall. Your eyes trained on the cobweb in the left corner of the wall behind him, and his eyes trained on the wall behind you. Your brows furrowed when Simon suddenly made a face that you caught out of the corner of your eye. He picked up the jar of apple butter, examining it, then took another bite of the bread that he’d slathered the mixture on. He made the same face and you sighed. “I bought that stuff a few days ago.” You took it from him when he offered it up. It smelled just fine, it looked just fine, too. No discoloration or signs of something growing. You spread a little bit of it on the corner of your bread and took a bite. Simon snapped his fingers in some sort of triumph when you grimaced, too. Something about the apple butter mixing with the savoriness of the stew, perhaps even with the slight acidity of the bread, made everything taste wrong. Worse than wrong. You took a gulp of water to wash down the horrid taste. Before any more mistakes were made with the apple butter, you closed the container and made your way to the larder. After searching the moderately dusty shelves, you grabbed a jar of pepper preserves that had been gifted to you two weeks ago by one of your patients after helping her deliver her third child and first daughter. You hand it to Ghost who wasted no time in opening it and spreading the contents onto a fresh slice of bread. He took a large bite and his eyes fluttered closed as he chewed slowly. “I’m not sure why you thought apple butter would go well with such a savory stew,” you said under your breath as you resumed eating.

“Thought it’d be tangier,” he muttered around his bite of food. “Stew’s good, though. Not too garlicky like the last time ya made it.” You stared blankly at him. For some reason the idea that he sometimes found your stews too garlicky made something flip in your mind. Maybe it was because it had been a long day and now he was back after so long away, your normal routine disrupted which always managed to put you on edge. You managed to hold you tongue and look back to your food, waiting for Simon to say something else. But he didn’t say anything. He fell back into his usual silence and your frustration grew a little more. You finished eating your stew and a slice of bread with the pepper spread. Since Simon was eating rather slow, you left cleaning the kitchen to him as you put your dishes in the wash basin. You made your way to your bedroom, locking yourself inside. Everything suddenly felt wrong in the cabin, in your body, even in your mind. Like you were sweltering in the summer heat and unable to find a way to cool down and relax, despite it being the middle of autumn and your bedroom was somewhat chilly. For hours, you tossed and turned, pushing your sheets on and off, this way and that. Your mind always wandering to what was hidden under the loose floorboard by the bedroom door. After a while, you managed to fall asleep, but your rest was fitful.

[liliesmultiverse]

⋆ˊˎ-•̩̩͙- *̩̩̥͙ things i'm most excited for in my home reality!!

: ̗̀➛ my relationship. this is what i’m most excited for, my relationship with aaron. we’re quite literally soulmates and i don’t care if it’s cheesy to script that. it’s a private relationship because honestly it’s nobody’s business but ours. we haven’t even told our families yet but they’ll find out at christmas. we don’t exactly plan on announcing it publicly anytime soon. we aren’t gonna hide it though, we’re just gonna let people speculate until we are ready to officially come out with it. and oh my god, i scripted he has a few tattoos as well but there’s one that i absolutely love & am 100% gonna lick. eventually. anyways… just look up james potter tattoo and you’ll see what i mean.

: ̗̀➛ my parents relationship. i absolutely adore my mom, she’s my favorite person in the entire universe and she deserves someone who’s hopelessly devoted to her. like my dad (chris) absolutely adores her and practically worships the ground she walks on. he brings her to every single one of his movie premieres and all of the award shows. he spoils the absolute fuck out of her and is just absolutely in love with her.

: ̗̀➛ the greenhouse. okay, so i scripted me & aaron have a greenhouse a few yards away from the house and it’s huge. like it has two stories, huge. imagine the greenhouse from hogwarts legacy, okay? it’s really really beautiful too. intricate glass, ivy crawling up the sides in random directions, a cobbled-dirt path leading from our back patio to it, fairy lights lighting up the path. we only have plants on the first floor right now but we hope to eventually have plants growing on the second floor too.

: ̗̀➛ my fans & community. definitely one of my favorite parts. there’s a ton of extremely talented editors, fanfic writers, etc. everyone is extremely kind as well and my community is very welcoming. it’s a free & open space where you can talk about anything, even shifting. no hate happens and anyone who tries to is completely ignored and blocked immediately. they’re also very patient and treat me as a human instead of demanding content on a daily basis, which makes me feel bad bc i haven’t been streaming on twitch or uploading youtube videos since my break-up with reneé :(

: ̗̀➛ winter snow. starting from the first day of the season to the last day of the season, it snows all season long no matter where i am in the world because having lived in a state that rarely gets snow in this reality fucking. sucks.

: ̗̀➛ stargazing. i’ve scripted there’s absolutely no light pollution, never has been and never will be. i want to be able to enjoy late night stargazing picnics with my boyfriend. i want to be able to search for constellations and point them out happily when i find them. i just want nights with a sky filled with stars.

: ̗̀➛ the marauders fandom. i have made some major changes to this fandom because holy fuck, i love the marauders but the fandom sucks in this reality. for starters, it’s a lot less toxic. everyone’s headcanons & opinions are respected and haters are blocked immediately instead of being interacted with. like my community, it’s also open and welcoming to any new fans. i did script a certain ship (not starchaser) was a lot less popular so it doesn’t appear in nearly every single fic and that a certain fanfic doesn’t exist as well. i’m not saying which ship & fic but the two coincide so i’ll let you guess.

: ̗̀➛ the food. oh my god the food. it tastes 1000x times better but especially when aaron cooks for me. he’s an amazing cook and is even learning how to cook italian dishes. all the food he makes is completely homemade as well so just ughhh. i also scripted that water tastes like cherries.

[i-am-a-living-god]

wtf is wrong with Clear Sky

He's like worse then Tigerclaw and yet he's barley treated as a villain. he kicked out cats for being disabled including his own brother.

His own brother, a mere child, kicked out the moment he no longer has a use.

He murdered a cat for being in their home because he wanted to expand his already most of the forest territory, and then wanted to murder her children after he realized she was a mother who was only protecting her children.

He abandoned his child all because he was sour about his ex wife only to manipulate Thunder into abandoning his real family (Gray wing and Turtle tail) to join his fucked up little group of traumatized cats.

and then when his son breaks up with his girlfriend because he found out that she was actually just using him so that her murderer dad could kill his family easier. you know what Clear Sky does? He marries her!

He marries his son's ex girlfriend.

Who's dad tried to kill him and his family.

What. The. Fuck.

Also not to mention he's the whole reason for the shitty clan system in the first place.

Yup every problem with this series you can blame on Clear sky.

Gray Wing deserves a better brother honestly.

Ooh! We can't forget about the whole Falling Feather and Jackdaws Cry situation.

This mf took Falling Feather's very real concerns about how Clear Sky is leading as treason and then stripped her of all her rights.

He called a clan meeting just to publicly shame her and he told everyone that she is basically dirt beneath their paws and they can and should boss her around like she's worthless.

He told the clan that she is only allowed to eat the leftovers of whatever food was hunted, that she hunted herself because she was talking with her friend about how Clear Sky is kind of shit.

Oh did I mention that he grew up with this cat? These two cats have known each other since birth, how can he treat her like that?

He also threatened to kill Jackdaws Cry when he came to his camp to see his sister. They weren't even separate groups yet.

Anyway because of Clear Sky's horrible abuse of his camp mate's he ended up getting like ten cats killed (probably more) and Falling Feather and Jackdaws Cry ended up killing each other in this battle, all because Clear Sky is worried there won't be enough food in this pray rich forest.

He's greedy and doesn't even barely regret it.

He had two siblings kill each other because he is paranoid. The way Falling Feather acted in that battle really makes you feel how horrible Clear Sky's punishment must have been. She was so desperate to prove that she is loyal and not a traitor that in the end she ended up losing her life and taking down the one cat she cared for most with her.

Wow. Just wow.

The only "good thing" Clear Sky ever did was sacrifice his tail to save Gray Wings child.

I consider that just a fraction of a debt repaied. He still owes Gray Wing so much.

In conclusion, fuck Clear Sky.

And there are probably so many more awful things he did but I don't feel like listing them all. He's just the worst.

[writingwhimsey]

Congrats on your follower milestone!

Kanetsugu, Fake marriage trope? You can do whichever you like, but if I'm really forced to pick, fluff! I know he's a newbie but I know you'll do great! 🥰🥰🥰🥰

Alright, first fic in my 300 follower celebration. And also my first fic for Kanetsugu (who I totally fell in love with upin reading his route)! Alright here we are.

Thank you @limonzu for the request! This was a fun one to write! ANd thank you for following me and appreciating my work!

A fluffy Kanetsugu and the fake marriage trope. No warnings just fluff.

Married For the Night

It was in the aftermath of an insane battle, our base camp had been overrun and I had been separated from the Uesugi-Takeda forces, who, despite initially being enemies of the Oda forces, had been nothing but kind to me…despite me being a hostage. Kanetsugu, my watcher, and constant companion had become someone I cared for.

Somehow, I had managed to get away from the enemy, but now I was lost in the woods, tired, hungry and cold and the light was quickly fading. It was at this moment, I could hear what sounded like footsteps in the forest behind me.

Despite how tired and lost I was, hearing those footsteps sent a fresh shot of adrenaline through me. I picked up my pace and began to run…but I wasn’t fast enough. I soon felt someone grab onto my arm and I was yanked back. Before I could even think to scream, a hand was clamping over my mouth.

“Quiet you foolish girl.” The familiar voice hissed in my ear.

My racing heart instantly calmed upon hearing Kanetsugu’s voice and realizing it was he who was holding me. My back was pressed to his as he held me firmly against him. That was when I realized we were hiding behind a tree. I heard what sounded like footsteps passing us by.

We stood there in silence for what felt like forever before Kanetsugu was finally releasing me. “Are you alright?” He asked me, his tone surprisingly gentle.

I nodded. “Yeah…just…tired.” I replied.

“There’s a village nearby.” He said. “We’ll take shelter there for the night. Then in the morning, we’ll be able to start searching for everyone else.”

“Okay.” I agreed.

Kanetsugu was then taking me by the hand and leading me through the forest. Before we arrived in the village, Kanetsugu was removing his armor and hiding it carefully in the forest. “The villagers are wary of warriors.” He said. “We’ll have an easier time hiding out if they think we are refugees…which with the current state of your kimono won’t be hard to believe.”

I looked down at my once beautiful kimono to see it covered in dirt and debris, tears from my trek through the forest, and singed in places from the fires in the camp. I’m sure the rest of me matched the state of my kimono.

I just nodded, figuring it would be best to go along with whatever his plan was. I was honestly having a hard time finding words. I was tired, sore, and scared. I had come close to being grabbed by someone who would not treat me so well as a hostage as Kanetsugu and the others had.

By the time we reached the village, night had completely fallen. It was a small farming village and there appeared to be no inn. We found ourselves knocking on the door of one of the farm houses.A kindly old man and his wife answered the door, a lantern in hand.

“I’m sorry for knocking on your door and at such a late hour,” Kanetsugu began, “but we have been on the run for quite some time now and…”

There was a gasp from the old woman as she looked at us. “Dear, we must let them in. Look at these poor dears…especially the wife.” The old woman said.

The old man looked at his wife and nodded. “Of course, dear.” He agreed. He then turned to us, a kind smile on his face. “We’d be happy to give you food and shelter. We have a spare room.”

“Thank you.” Kanetsugu replied. “My wife and I appreciate it.”

Though I was in a state of shock and tiredness from the battle and the run, I was being pulled from that by a new shock…this old couple thought we were married?! And Kanetsugu wasn’t correcting them?!

The couple led us inside and to their spare room. They were then going about bringing in some fresh clothes for us as well as a large water basin filled with freshly warmed water. “We don’t have a bath house or anything, but this should be enough for you two.” The old woman said with a smile as she laid out towels.

“Thank you, that is very kind of you.” Kanetsugu said, bowing in gratitude.

“I’ll go fix something to eat while you two get cleaned up and take your time.” The old woman said. “I remember when we were newlyweds.” She was then giving a wink before she and her husband were leaving.

Once we were alone, I was looking over at Kanetsugu. “Wife?” I asked, looking at him in disbelief.

He shrugged. “It makes sense.” He said. “Besides, they just assumed and it is a good cover story.”

“But you didn’t correct them.” I pointed out. “And now…how are we supposed to get cleaned up and changed? They think..they think…”

Kanetsugu let out a sigh. “You can go first. I will keep my back to you.” He was then making a show of turning around to face the door.

“Okay…but by the time I’m finished the water will be cold.” I pointed out. “You should go first.”

“And have you deal with cold water?” Kanetsugu replied, letting out another sigh. “Fine. here.” 

The next thing I knew, we were both sitting next to the large basin, towels wrapped around us and our backs to each other. We each had a wash cloth in hand. Despite doing his best to make sure we were both afforded privacy, I could still feel my heart pounding and my face glowing bright red…honestly probably my entire body.

“Well now, you better hurry up if we don’t want the water to grow cold.” Kanetsugu said.

I could hear him dipping his cloth in the water. “R-right…” I replied, my voice cracking with embarrassment.

“If you don’t get to washing, I will have to wash you.” Kanetsugu threatened.

“N-no. No need for that.” I squeaked, reaching behind me to dunk the cloth into the water and then bringing it over my face and arms, washing away the grime and ick of the battle and my run through the forest.

The warm water did feel nice as I moved it over my skin and aching muscles…oh how I wished I could just dunk myself in a nice hot spring…but this sponge bath was enough for now. Of course… there was also the fact that I was HIGHLY aware of Kanetsugu behind me…and the fact that we were both naked save for small towels wrapped around us…part of me couldn’t help but to imagine taking a peak…I mean Kanetsugu was always covered with pretty much his face and fingers being the only exposed parts of his body.

“You had better not be thinking any inappropriate thoughts over there, foolish girl.” Kanetsugu warned me.

“Pfft…I-I was…not!” I lied. “I…I was just thinking…how embarrassing this is.”

Kanetsugu chuckled lightly. “Just finish up.”

We finished washing up in silence, the sounds of the water and the washcloths moving over our skin the only thing filling the room. It felt like forever before we were finally done and putting some clothes on.

Once we were dressed, Kanetsugu was looking at me. “Sit.” He ordered, gesturing to a spot in front of him.

“W-what…why?” I asked.

“Just sit.” He told me. “With your back to me.”

Confused, I followed his instructions.Soon, I felt his hands in my hair, fingers working through it. “W-what…”

“I am fixing your hair.” He replied. “We don’t have a comb, so my fingers are the next best thing.”

“O-o-okay…” I replied, feeling tingles running down my spine as his fingers gently combed through my hair. “Th-thank...you.”

“We can’t have you looking a mess when we go to join our hosts for dinner.” Kanetsugu replied.

“I suppose you’re right…”

Soon he had finished combing through my hair and we were heading out of the room to join the elderly couple currently giving us shelter in the main room off of their kitchen. The old woman was bringing out a tray of tea while her husband carried a tray filled with food. 

“Some nice warm stew and tea ought to help the both of you.” The old woman said as she and her husband sat the trays down.

“That sounds lovely.” I replied, feeling a bit better after getting cleaned up. “Thank you…and for all of the kindness.”

The old woman gave me a warm smile. “We are just glad to help.” She replied. “And I am glad to see you seem to be feeling a bit better.”

We were all soon digging into the food and sipping the tea. The warmth of the food suffused me down into my bones. It was soothing and comforting. “This is a god brew.” Kanetsugu commented. “Thank you.”

“And the stew is good.” I added.

“Thank you. I know it’s not much, but I am glad to be of help.” The old woman said. 

As we ate, I could feel Kanetsugu’s eyes on me. I felt a bit self-conscious and looked over at him. “Do I have something on my face?” I asked him.

“No.” He answered, simply.

The old woman chuckled. “Oh you two are a lovely couple.” She said. “It’s so good to see a young girl with such a caring husband.”

Kanetsugu and I both instantly looked away from each other, my cheeks reddening. If I was not mistaken I think his were too. Kanetsugu let out a cough.

“Dear, don’t embarrass them.” The old man said.

“What? Young love is so sweet.” She replied. “They remind me so much of us when we first wed.”

The old man gave her a kind smile and took her hand in his, bringing it to his lips to place a kiss on the back. You could clearly see the years of love and happiness the pair had shared by the way they looked at each other…that warmed me in a way no food or tea could. A natural smile came to my face as I looked at them.

After we finished eating, Kanetsugu and I went back to the room they had prepared for us. The tub was gone and now a fresh futon was laid out for us. “Make yourself comfortable.” Kanetsugu told me. “I’ll keep watch, just in case.”

“A…are you sure?” I asked.

“Yes, now get some rest.” Kanetsugu told me. “Or do you need me to make you into a caterpillar again?”

“N-no…I’m fine.” I replied, slipping into the futon and getting comfortable, pulling the cover up to my chin. Of course…I was finding myself having a hard time getting to sleep despite how exhausted I felt.

“I promise, you are safe.” Kanetsugu told me and I felt him settling down next to the futon. “I won’t allow anyone to hurt you.”

“I…I’m just…”

I soon felt my head being moved and the next thing I knew, my pillow had been replaced by Kanetsugu’s lap. “You need to rest.” He told me. I then felt his hand resting on my back as he began to massage his fingers in soothing circles…and then I was further surprised by the sound of a beautiful voice, singing a sweet lullaby. 

I looked up at Kanetsugu, my eyes wide with surprise. He stopped his singing. “I thought this might be a preferable way of getting you to sleep.” He told me. “Now settle in for the night.” He was then brushing a hand over my eyes to close them and resuming his singing.

I had to admit…his touch was rather comforting and his singing voice soothing. “Where did you learn…to sing lullabies like that?” I asked around a yawn.

“I used to care for my younger brother.” He answered. “Now stop fighting sleep like a child and go to sleep already.”

“Alright…” I agreed. “And…thank you.”

Kanetsugu resumed his singing once again, his hand still rubbing my back. I cracked my eyelids ever so slightly and afforded myself one last look at Kanetsugu…the look on his face as he looked down at me was so gentle…and as I drifted off to sleep..and I was reminded of the way the old man looked at his wife…and that was the last thought I had before the exhaustion caught up to me and sleep claimed me. His kind smile filled my dreams that night.

tags: @zulablaise @kisara-16 @selenacosmic

[iminaworldofpureimagination]

thinking about the claim of Viz supports cheating.. the reason it doesn't make sense or feels like critics are being gaslighty to me is that the show.. The show shows us.. Stolas

.. Losing His House. Losing his Powers. Losing his daughter. but that's not good enough because. how dare he be alive I guess??? he should have been a better husband and put up with stellas abuse?? showing him being sad =the show supports cheating?

or its bad to show an abusive wife? do they think having an abusive wife/mom is sexist because its sexist to show women being abusive? I'd hate to see these criticis touch beatrice horseman they prob say baby bojack deserved the abuse.. and the writers are sexist for making an abusive mother and obviously think all moms are abusive. they prob would cause all the moms kinda suck in that show funny enough..

the claim viz has to be sexist and supports cheating .. despite the show even showing that cheating can lead to terrible reppurcussions just falls flat when you see that he did lose he lost his home, his daughter, his powers.. almost his will to exist.. but its bad to feel sorry for him because he cheat but we should feel sorry for stella because ... man cheating is unforgiveable but a woman abusing the husband is fine??? dont get it twisted both are Bad but this isn't a loving relationship they hated eachother.. its not the same as cheating on a spouse that loves you if that happen to me id be deveasted but id never try to kill them .as stella does.. funny how that is ignored because it doesnt paint her in a great light.. .

honestly i think people just hate stolas because he's a flawed abuse victim .. and stella can just be projected onto.. somehow.. and made into the real perfectvictim.. somehow..

.

. either way complaints just don't add up. because stolas in the end is punished.. he's just not dad... and i feel critics just want someone to go Cheating is BAD because. Expostion is Good and showing is bad now.. we need things spelled out for us ..or were gonna assume the creator supports cheating.. which is.. silly.

so yeah my biggest confusion with the complaints is that. the show.. isn't condoning cheating.. .. just because the wife is abusive doesnt mean viz thought its cool to cheat.. and again there are more abusive Men in the show than woman.. so the complaint its sexist to make stella abusive falls flat to me.

im also someone who learned about someone having a stella in their life tho that stella was also the cheater.. and she was also a lying liarpants making stuff up her ex never paying support when he did.. ergo making the daughter feel ostraiszed.. and unwanted . so .. yeah i got no love for stella.. or abusive moms seeing the defense of an abusive parent just because they're a woman.. as a woman myself.. really rubs me the wrong way.. for me stella is enjoyed as a fun villianous character .. cause a victim she just aint.. she merely tollarated stolas. as he did here and constantly treated hm like dirt.. . there was no love/lost here.. its not the pain of a loved one hurting her.. its humulation of being cheated on by a poor person. its just not the same thing.

[flying-fangirls]

Just like, SO many songs that make me think abt SunSeam:

Furthest Star, Firebird, Theodora, and Those Who Sojourn (kinda reaching for this last one) by Dirt Poor Robins

Scars, Predator (only a little but unsure abt this one), Take Me to War, and Time Will Change You (THIS ONE!!! OUGH!!!) by The Crane Wives

Ok, I think I’m done for now. Im really curious to see which of these will really stick out to you. There’s only like, 2 or 3 I’m not sure but these all feel relatively based.

Ok I am so sorry, I swear I thought I had answered this but apparently I just hallucinated it all :/ ANYWAYS ONTO THE SUNSEAM :3

"Furthest Star"- YES YES ABSOLUTELY YES. Hrnghhh I'm such a sucker for astronomy imagery, so between that and the Sunseam love, I fear I might be slightly biased toward this one. BUT OH MY GOD THAT IS THEM!!! Defying all the powers of fate and the men who have hurt them, not giving those powers any more energy and instead choosing to find their own space with only their love and joy? AUGH YES

"Firebird"- DUDE YOU HAVE COOKED TOO MUCH WITH THESE SONGS /pos. SunSeam as a phoenix is possibly the most perfect metaphor for them! I especially love how this song is all about rising from the ashes while still carrying the weight and meaning of those ashes with you; because a lot of the beauty of SunSeam comes from their ability to connect over their trauma and acknowledge how their past shaped them, yet still grow into more than their past pain.

"Theodora"- ooh ok I miiight be reading this song wrong, buuut I think there's an interpretation there of "a girl I've been trying to remember / My whole life though I never had met her / Until I met you" as finding similar pieces of yourself in a person you've just met, someone so intimately familiar yet excitingly different. So y'know, the joy of connecting over parallel pain and personality, while also discovering new pieces of yourself and this new love. So y'know, SunSeam. GOD this one is so tender too, a perfect little song of hope and warmth for these girls <3

"Those Who Sojourn"- actually? I don't think you're stretching that much. You could interpret the "sojourn" as the short "stay" both Bella and Yellow had in life, the quickly cut-off chance they each had to be their own before other people forced them into being someone they were not. But in the end, they still "own the land" because they still find a way to live outside of those who originally "owned the land" (had control over Bella and Yellow), and they create their own fates and determine their own endings.

"Scars"- SCREAMING SOBBING AT THIS ONE :'( "Was I born with a hole in my heart? / A fatal fault at the start / Tell me it's inevitable that I end up with scars" AUGHHH OK, both of these girls have always been treated like they were lesser and a burden. Yellow *obviously* with Arthur, who always compared her to John and reminded her that she would never live up to that impossible standard. And Bella? Also Arthur (love ya but hate ya buddy). I know we never technically see this in canon, but with the way Arthur dismissively talks about Bella (see the whole 'I don't feel guilty about her death, just my daughter' scene in 31), I refuse to believe that he didn't convey his resentment and disinterest to her-- whether through words, actions, or attitude. Honestly, to both Arthur and Daniel, Bella was less of a person and more of an inconvenience that they had to "deal with". So for both her and Yellow, it really was inevitable that they would end up damaged and frustrated, "nothing could have been done." OR, as this song questions, "Is that right?" Something absolutely could have been done-- these men could have been better, could have lead with love instead of resentment. But they didn't, which leaves Yellow and Bella to question if they really were born to be damaged and discarded

"Predator"- Ough yeah, this one for them </3 Both of them were abused/neglected, and not just by one person. Yellow got trapped under Arthur's pain, and then when she "moved on" to another man (Larson), she just ended up in the same powerless position. The same with Bella-- she was trapped under Daniel's control, and when she tried to escape to Arthur, she was still just as controlled by social standards and the needs/wants of men around her.

"Take Me to War"- LET WOMEN GET MEAN!! LET THEM BE ANGRY AND MESSY YES!!! I think it's especially great the singer of this song acknowledges how they are seemingly weaker than their oppressor ("There are no stones at my disposal") but they nonetheless will rage against those controlling powers ("But I keep snapping at Goliath's hands / With all of my tiny might") until they win. It's the refusal to be weakened, it's letting the fire of your anger stoke your "meak" words and actions hot enough to burn off the steel ropes holding you down. It's SunSeam baby :)

"Time Will Change You"- THIS IS IT THIS IS EVERYTHING SUNSEAM IS ABOUT OH MY GOD I'M CRYING <3 SunSeam is all about knowing the "roots" where you grew from, knowing that they were your home and the ground originally that raised you. And it's about knowing that those roots are too small to hold all the strength and beauty within you, knowing that that dirt is unhealthy and has never nor never will nourish you in the way that you need or deserve. It's about leaving behind those roots that once were everything to you, and realizing that there is an entire forest beyond that space. It's about exploring that forest without anything to hold you underground like before, and finding a new glade to live in, one which welcomes you with kind grass and loving soil. It's about planting yourself in a new home, a new chance, a new life. It's about growing into something taller, healthier, happier, and more beautiful than anything you could ever imagined before

[noweakergirl]

I need to talk about wuthering heights hehehe... I can't stop thinking about it!!! I was shocked out of my body when Hindley dropped Hareton from the top of the stairs and then even worse Heathcliff saved him but then regretted it jdgszusjshssjjssjsjsjs and also poor Nelly, Hareton didn't remember her at all after she left :( Also I was initially feeling very sad about Linton cause of how Heathcliff was not really nice to him but then he was too selfish tbh. Do you think Edgar would have had Catherine run away with Nelly if he found that she was kidnapped and forcefully married to Linton? Also Joseph was sooooooo annoying I especially liked it when Catherine scared him in the start that yes I'm a witch. Like she is a legend. Her and Hareton sjdghsisusjsnshshsnsshzhzysh!!!! Throughout the book I was feeling so saaaaaad about Hareton like he didn't deserve any of what he faced!! And what's worse that he was intelligent enough to see how far behind he was others cause of education and for Catherine to be the one to tease him honestly broke my heart jxhdhshshsshsh Edgar was tooooo good!! And Hareton did I mention that I absolutely love him? He was probably so conflicted when everything was happening cause he liked Cathy and also we can see he had a sense of good and right cause he would defend her but also he thought good of Heathcliff so he couldn't really go against him (or am I being delusional here? We don't get his pov 😭) dheuwhshsshwjwjw I CAN'T STOP THINKING ABOUT THIS BOOK AHHH!!!! What adaptation should I watch? I have no idea. Heathcliff and Catherine 1 as characters were soooooooooo interesting. Isabella what a legend she is!! Attacking Heathcliff with a knife, ensuring he cannot use her to inflict pain on Edgar and then she ran away from him!!! I LOVED HER. Ok that's quite big of a rant 🙈🙈🙈

I TOTALLY GET WHAT YOU MEAN ABOUT HARETON, HE IS THE BEST! Poor boy was treated like dirt since the day he was born but I am SO HAPPY he got the ending he deserved. Even though Cathy 1 and Heathcliff are iconic, the second generation was my favorite. I adored both Catherine and Hareton and shipped them super hard ajddkdk. The way she taught him to read!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MY HEART <333333333 and he tried to be better for her!!!!!!!! Despite everything and his cruel life, he tried his best to be worthy of her love aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah. 🤎🤎🤎 Them breaking generational curse at the end by falling in love and (hopefully) leading a happy life!

(unrelated by why do I always think of Jess from Gilmore Girls when I think of Hareton, help)

Oh god, I get shivers every time I remember how Heathcliff forcefully married Catherin to Linton... He literally locked her up, like BRO. Heathcliff was devil for real, awful and horrible, but somehow I still can't bring myself to fully hate him. I think he's very fascinating as a character which is why he stays in your memory.

And I agree on Edgar, he was very sweet! <3 Isabella too, YEEES GIRL SHOW HIM TEETH <3

Btw, I imagine Joseph as Argus Filch from Harry Potter ajdjdksk.

"I can't stop thinking about this book" girl, same, because every time it rains and it's all gloomy and misty outside I start acting like I am Catherine myself. Oh, and about adaptation I think the most famous one (and the most beloved one) is the movie from 1992. I don't think I have ever seen any WH movie from start to finish now that I think of it which is sad cause I adore the book, so if you ever come across any version you think is cool, please let me know!

P. S. Now that you have read the book, listen to this and be as dramatic as possible while listening to it ;))

[iamthunderhearmehowl]

BG3 Headcannon: Halsin's Daughter

Okay - like I said I was going to continue to work on this because it brings me joy. It maaaaay not be completely accurate to DND lore - but shit I'm trying my hardest (it's all new to me - also this is just for funsies.)

original head cannon post for this can be found here: https://iamthunderhearmehowl.tumblr.com/tagged/bg3-headcannons

Some things that came to mind: (NOTE: she is an adult in these darker themed cannons)

Per previous post; she is a druid, kind of. There's a twist. She believes that nature is choas, it's unrelenting, brutal/harsh. Nature is about survival - survive first and always; thriving is a luxary that few can afford. This more than likely comes from her being half drow and wood elf: she had to survive. Being an illigetimate bastard child of drow nobility and their slave; she was treated like dirt and frowned upon. Her mother used her has a house servant and a bartering peice. Had she been born a boy she would have probably sacrificed the babe (apparently male drow are on the bottom of the totem pole) - but since she is the daughter Halsin, the man whom was beautiful enough to be held captive and used - her mother saw her as a novelty and bartering peice. Guests needed entertainment for the night? Send in the bastard child. Oh noooo a guest spilt their drink? Send the bastard child. Oh you're feeling angry and want to fight something?? SEND THE BASTARD CHILD.

I don't think they would tell her exactly who her father is other than the large wood elf who could change into a bear and was pretty handsome.

I also want to add that - again - she is just as beautiful as her father IF NOT MORE. She has these beautiful doe eyes (the same color as Halsin's) and a kindness in her face.

When her mother married off her half sister to unite houses - she sent her off with her by force to be used as her brother in law's play thing. She was part of the deal. She knew she would be beaten everyday, tortured, etc. She had to leave, even if she died trying.

When she finally escaped the underdark she ran as far as she could - straight to baulder's gate where she ends up meeting Mol and working for The Guild. There, she honed her skill: mercenary work. Her specialty. It was easy for her as she could change into different beasts - they couldn't pinpoint a person.

EX: Oh Larry?? Yeah he went camping and got fucked up by a bear. He died of course.

She's not proud of all she's done, but again - Survive first; thrive later.

At some point she does begin to question who her father is. She begins digging around and getting info; leading her back to the land that was once shadows.

The first place she heads to is Last Light Inn; she honestly just wanted a bath and a warm bed after all the traveling. She is sitting at the bar having a drink when she notices a wood elf who is. . .quite large.

She obviously does not run up and say "Hi pops" oh no no no she would be concened that he would hate her just as much as her mother. Not to mention - there aren't many people who are fond of drows.

Halsin notices her as well - he can't quite put his finger on it but there's something familar about her

Okay so that's all I have right now. :) I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did and again - This is for funsies so it's not going to be completely accurate to DND lore or whatever.

NOTE: Also if there is anyone who is willing to have some fun RPing this, I am so down. I will make a discord and everything.

[frostbeees]

like she wants to try me on

2023 wrappedmas day two • song: silk chiffon by MUNA, Phoebe Bridgers

ao3 · masterpost

Seamus always assumed she’d have to get over Gavin. Over her not-so-little crush on her best friend. She figured Gavin would eventually find some other girl or guy to bring home and she’d be left behind, still holding her feelings inside because no way in hell was she ever going to admit them to Gavin. She’d rather die, honestly. Gavin had never shown anything but friendly feelings towards her, even if they were both on the touchy, handsy, cuddle up together, hug longer than necessary, and occasionally swap drunken kisses type of friends. That's just how friends are, in her opinion, even if Gavin is the only friend she's like that with.

What Seamus didn’t assume is that one sweltering summer evening she’d be UNDER Gavin, hands buried in the soft, tight curls on top of Gavin’s head while Gavin’s mouth was–

But how they got to this point is a different story. 

~~~

They had been out basically just killing time in town all day, rollerblading up and down familiar palm-tree-lined streets and repeatedly having near accidents with tourists who couldn’t keep their eyes forward. The day was hot and humid, a typical mid-July Florida weekday and they had just ducked inside a corner store to avoid the daily rain shower, flipflops making obnoxious sounds against the shiny tile as they roamed the aisles with their skates under their arms.

Seamus was happy to just follow Gavin around for the day. It wasn’t like they had anything better to do. But Gavin turned on her halfway down the aisle of dog toys and treats, beach equipment, marked-down Fourth of July garb, and baby formula.

“Hey,” Gavin flashed her sharkiest smile and Seamus just knew she meant trouble with it. “How much do you trust me?”

And that’s the question, isn’t it? Seamus trusts Gavin with her whole heart, to hold it, to break it, to set it free. She trusts her enough to follow her from their youth field hockey league to a travel league to the high school team to Ann Arbor where they’ve both committed to play in the fall. She’s trusted Gavin since they were four years old and she knew what it meant. 

“With my life,” Seamus shoots back, matching Gavin’s energy. 

Gavin holds out her hand and Seamus takes it without a thought, letting Gavin tug her down the aisle and back out the door into the rain. They make quick work of switching back from their sandals to their blades and then they’re off, Gavin’s fingers intertwined with her own as she pulls Seamus with her. 

Seamus has an inkling of an idea of where Gavin is leading them. There was this baseball park that they used to frequent as kids that now sits unused and basically abandoned. It’s where a lot of their friends would go after dark to smoke and drink and just exist away from the eyes of watchful parents. It’s where Seamus first realized that maybe she liked Gavin as more than a friend, when, at fourteen, she watched Gavin kiss one of their girl friends during a game of spin the bottle and felt intense jealousy bubble up inside her.

Sure enough, Gavin turns down the street just past the diner that leads back to the park. They’re drenched at this point, despite the rain being light, and when they reach the dirt paths that connect the road to the ballparks and outbuildings they both abandon their blades and trudge barefoot through the soaked grass. Gavin leads them towards one of the dugouts so they’re mostly sheltered from the rain and they sit in silence for a few minutes as they catch their breath. 

Seamus can’t help but start thinking about how this is probably the last time they’ll get to do this. It won’t be long until they’re packing up Gavin’s beater car that she insists they drive all the way up to Michigan. And then after that, everything’s going to change. They’re going to share a dorm but they’re only in a few overlapping classes. And, yeah, they’ll have field hockey but Seamus just knows that Gavin’s going to go all in on getting involved in campus life and that’s just not Seamus’ scene unless she’s being dragged along by Gavin but who wants to be weighed down with their childhood best friend when they could be out making new friends and finding new people to make out with at crowded parties. And there won’t even be endless miles of sandy beaches to escape to when she’s feeling ungrounded. 

She’s dreading leaving this bubble they have here, despite how excited she is. 

“Tell me again, Gavo, how close is Ann Arbor to Detroit?” Seamus asks even though they’ve talked about this a million times. “How far are we gonna have to drive to get to water?”

Gavin grabs her hand, smushes her fingers together to keep it mitten-shaped, and presses her finger into the fleshy spot just left of her thumb.

“This is Ann Arbor,” Gavin slides her finger over to the edge of the base of Seamus’ thumb, “and this is Detroit.”

Seamus nods. 

“But there are lakes everywhere. Big ones. You won’t even miss the ocean one bit. The Hugheses already said we’re invited to their lakehouse any time so all you gotta do is say the word and we’ll go.”

It’s a conversation they’ve had a hundred times at this point, that started from the day Gavin first brought up the idea of leaving home to play field hockey. And it’s a ploy, to keep Gavin talking about home and their life together. 

Seamus expects Gavin to drop her hand after that but instead, she links their fingers together again, resting their hands on Seamus’ thigh. They sit like that, quiet, just listening to the raindrops hit the wood roof until Gavin breaks the silence. 

“Hey Shea,” she whispers.

Seamus grunts an acknowledgment. 

“Remember all the times we used to come here after school? The parties?”

“Of course, Gavo.”

“How come you never tried to get me in spin the bottle?”

Seamus ignores her own shock at the question to look at Gavin. Gavin’s not looking back at her. She’s looking down at the ground under her dangling feet and Seamus wants to scream because she never sees Gavin look so vulnerable, so shy, so– worried that Seamus is the one who’s about to do the heart breaking. 

“That’s not how the game works?” Seamus poses it as a question.

“Oh fuck off,” Gavin says gently, with a huff of a laugh. “You know that Riley and Sammi both knew how to get the bottle to land on whoever they wanted. It was easy.”

“I didn’t want you to tell me no,” she admits honestly. 

“That’s not how the game works,” Gavin parrots back the answer and grins up at Seamus, finally looking up from the ground beneath them. “Plus, I’d never tell you no.”

Seamus can’t think of anything to respond with but thankfully it doesn’t matter. Gavin’s closing the distance between them, pulling Seamus closer by her shoulder with her free hand. She waits a moment like she’s trying to give Seamus the chance to say no but Seamus nods her head and then Gavin is crashing their mouths together. It’s a rough kiss, more teeth than soft lips but Seamus doesn’t want it to end. 

Unfortunately, it does, as Gavin pulls back, a small string of spit connecting their lips and then breaking between them. 

“Wanted to get that out of the way before I cracked in our dorm room and pinned you against a closet.”

“Gavin!” Seamus whacks her on the chest, harder than she means to. 

“Want to do more, too.” And the shark smile is back as Gavin leans back towards Seamus’ body, pushing her down against the cracked wood of the bench, pinning her in place. “Wanna do everything with you.”

[erudianokabe]

Monsters

My father often told me that I shouldn’t be here. 

I can still remember the look of disappointment on his face when he realized what I had been striving so hard to achieve. As someone who served in the military, my father knew the hell that followed where war was concerned. A nation like Marley was one that thrived during battles. Conquest was something that was always on their mind. Defending and capturing territories was hardly anyone’s idea of child’s play, but for Marley, having monstrous weapons in the form of Titans, it might as well be the case. 

He knew the perils of being a soldier. He knew the hardships and the trauma that came with it. Most of the time, he believed that these were things that I took lightly. After all, what did I know? I was just a girl who wanted to follow a dream that seemed too far-fetched to even… well… dream about. 

It’s not as if I was following in my father’s footsteps, and it’s not as if I truly wanted to be a soldier in the first place. Perhaps if I’ve never happened upon that one boy from years ago, I’d never find myself here. In fact, now that I think about it, there were so many paths that I could have taken if all I wanted was to help people. 

For one, there’s always a shortage of doctors in this place. When I say this place, what I meant is the Internment Zone. The “pure bred” people of this nation considered the inhabitants of the Internment Zone menaces. They were treated so poorly, as if they were plague incarnate. Shunned upon by society, these people— the Eldians, were nothing more than swine to many. Monsters and devils is what the people of Marley would call them… something that I never really understood. In fact, they looked pretty normal to me. Without the armband that they were forced to wear as a form of label, I feel like no one would have been able to tell the difference. 

They were good people in my opinion, but one person’s thoughts and views hardly mattered in a society that was teeming with both fear and disdain. 

When I think about what my own people do to these poor men and women, I begin to wonder just who the real monsters truly were. 

Marleyans treat the Eldians like cattle… no, even worse than that. At least cattle were desired by most for their meat; prized for the sustenance that they can provide to the body. The Eldians… despite their use in terms of protecting a nation that would readily spit at them and leave them for dead, were used as weapons and were expected to die for the nation’s cause… the very nation that would abandon them given the chance. 

But Marley can’t. 

Despite their hate and their fear, they needed these people to fight their wars. Eldian children were trained and conditioned to inherit specialized titans in order to bring Marley victory. The chosen would be elevated to the status of Honorary Marleyan, a title only in name… the treatment, however? Still the same. Those who were found with crimes were sentenced to a fate worse than death… forced to become monsters that they didn’t even want to be in the first place. Others, of course, were conscripted for the part in hopes of better treatments… and where does that lead them? An untimely demise if one was luck, or a lifetime of trauma if anyone survived to live another day. 

It was tough being an Eldian in the nation of Marley… you were less than the dirt that everyone walked upon. 

It’s disgusting… this place… the people…

Everyone here were monsters; some worse than the rest. 

I’m one of them, apparently. I’m not going to think of myself like I’m some kind of saint… after all, I’m in charge of training the children that would become the next generation titan shifters. I’m no better than anyone even if I want to be. But still, at the very least, I can do something to help them out. I want to understand the people who mine, considered evil. 

And honestly… they were hardly the offspring of the devil. They were no different from the children that played along the streets of Marley’s capital… Well, I hope that at least, others saw it that way too. 

But of course they didn’t. 

The military only saw these children as weapons, expendable resources that needed to be replenished after a certain amount of time. 

It was horrible.

I feel like a monster… and since I’m helping mold them to be weapons, I probably am one as well. But at the very least, if they were considered devils, then I should be too…

…because deep down inside, we’re all the same… aren’t we? 

If my father could see me now, I hope that he’ll be proud of the monster that I’ve become. 

[pelinalwhitestraken]

otome isekais are so awful to be a fan of because while they’re catered to women and are usually written by women they’re also casually the most misogynistic pieces of writing ever. like seriously.

every woman is either your stereotypical BFF to female lead with no defining personality or they’re an evil homewrecking woman who wants to steal female leads man with no other motivation but being jealous or just cartoonishly evil. every single one is like this. its so bad that every comment on an otome isekai manhwa is usually talking about random side female character #23 and how they’re plotting to do their devious work once again of stealing the male lead.

it’s almost shocking how badly women who are considered enemies are treated within this genre. ive seen torture, exile, murder, suicide, socially outcasted, and even rape at some point, used as punishment towards female leads who honestly didn’t do that much in the first place. while not exactly an isekai, the first character i think of is Rashta from Remarried Empress. Rashta is a character who is born as a slave, using the emperor and their sexual/romantic relationship as a way of staying out of slavery. thats the basis of it anyways. seems like a reasonable thing to do for anyone in that position. and while she does do things that are morally wrong, it seems almost shocking to me that her punishment is her being locked into a room and forced to suicide, while the man who put her in that position in the first place gets a decent ending for how awful of a human being he was. not only does it feel misogynistic, but also extremely inconsiderate of power dynamics and social classes (hence why this genre gets accused of classism quite a bit as well lol)

other icky things to me is that female leads that are considered overpowered girlbosses are never actually stronger than the male lead. male lead usually has a position of power over female lead as well. like, somehow the comics want you to feel like our female lead is in control and full of agency, she never actually attains that. shes still bound to her family, her house, and now her husband. and she never grows outside of that either. her development of her as a character starts when she meets the male lead and only grows within that relationship. she doesnt exist outside the male lead at allllll and its so bothersome. her plot revolves around him, her motivations and desires somehow always revolve around the male lead, and her relationships revolve around him too. she has to skip town because the male lead will chop her head off! so she leaves, but now he’s here again! her desire now lies within wanting to believe in this change and belonging to the male lead. its just garbage.

while talking about male leads— how male leads are usually just as dirt baggy as the other cartoonishly evil obstacle, the female leads ex, (common trope within these comics) the story paints them in a good light just because theyre only kind to the female lead. and why? its not because of anything interesting, its usually just because shes his wife, his possession. sure, you can argue that its just a common romance trope of possessiveness, but is it not bonkers to you that favorable male leads are quite literally psychopaths with no redeeming qualities besides the fact that they claim possession over female leads? the common romance idea of a man centering his life around you is not a bad thing, but it feels icky whenever its portrayed as something that would have only happened BECAUSE they entered that relationship and the male lead has effectively “owned” the female lead at this point in the story. think about the trope in which 2 estranged spouses (forced marriage trope, etc.,) are slowly falling in love with one another, another common trope within that is the one in which the male lead experiences frustration when the female lead explores other romantic options/receives the attention of other men. it isn’t usually because they have suddenly grown fond of each other— no, it’s because the female lead, in his eyes, belongs to him as an object less than a genuine person.

but its not to say that OI as a whole is misogynistic garbage. because while it is, at this particular moment, it can be subjected to change. its not like they can keep doing the same trick of including the same 500 tropes into their books forever. and a lot of OI is changing and driving this relatively new genre into the right direction. we see a lot of OI centered around our female lead that is NOT focused on the ML, and is partially seen as an afterthought until he is introduced mid-ish part of the story. a prime and strong example of this would be “I’ll Be The Matriarch Of This Life” or whatever the actual title is. the female lead is someone memorable. she has a PERSONALITY that goes beyond fitting into the same 5 archetypes of female leads. she cares about her family, her dynamics with the world around her is interesting as she grows and faces new challenges. shes always growing whether or not the male lead is there because she genuinely has a life without him or not. sure, it has tropes, but its not bad at all. i quite enjoy OI as a guilty pleasure, but man if it isnt a reflection of how drastically fucked up our media is then we need to think a bit harder. even things made for us are so deeply rooted in patriarchal values !! i legit cannot enjoy half this shit even tho its supposed to be for me yk!!!