#and there is no story for how you grieve it

[ladycremecaramel]

So this was my ask from a long time ago, and I had thoughts of mgit (modern girl in thedas) story for this, but it never came to fruition. What I did do, though, was write a drabble from the Inquistor's POV. I thought it was long gone, but I stumbled upon it through my Google docs. After reading it, I thought I would post it here.

For context, the woman's name is Nora, and she is married and has a kid. There was an accident of some sort where the husband and child didn't survive, but she did and wound up in Thedas with the mark on her hand. She didn't want anything to do with the Inquisition as her spouse and child were her whole world and was grieving. She didn't care if she lived or died, but her moral compass of wanting to help those in need prevented her from outright killing herself.

Over time, the grief becomes...less in a way. After the fall of Haven and becoming the Inquisitor, her depression ramps up again but also has conflicting feelings about Cullen.

Then she becomes kidnapped red templars and...I forgot what they called the evil mages that worked for Corypheus were called. The ones that went crazy or were they called blood mages? Anyway, their plan was to 'kill' the Inquisitor and then use necromancy on her dead body to have control of the mark. Obviously, that doesn't happen cuz the Inquisition comes to the rescue juuuust in time.

So here it is. Below this is a TW of depression, blood, thoughts of suicide, and mentions of rape

Whack.

She yelped in pain as he punched the side of her face again. Another swollen bruise to add the collection on her body and face. She tried to wrench her wrists free of her binds, but the rope held tight was starting to cut into her skin. “Why am I fighting this? Don’t I want to die?” She thought to herself as her body struggled against her captors. 

She wasn’t sure, but her thoughts were stilled when a rough hand grabbed her by the throat. The red templar forced her to look up at him as he tightened his grip. Staring into the glowing crimson eyes, he snarled. “Should I let them rape you, mage? If you keep fighting, I won’t let you have any dignity left.” 

Nora froze upon hearing those words. To be raped and let whatever was to be become of her? His grip was tightening as she went limp with fear. If she were to die anyway, she wanted to at least have the choice to stay intact. The man stilled his tightening grip and slowly loosened his hold to see if she would struggle again. She didn’t move. Taking as a sign of surrender, he ordered the other men to bind her legs quickly. 

Everything moved quickly in a blur for her after that as she was carried to the open wooden box and placed inside. Her eyes began to sting with tears while her captors placed the lid on top and hammered it down with nails. She couldn’t see anything, but she could hear their voices. 

Soon she heard what sounded like chanting. It sounded low and in another language. What was going on out there? Did it matter? She watched interior of the box glow at the seams with a dark purple energy. It glowed brighter and brighter what felt like the longest time before it faded away, plunging her back into darkness. 

The next thing she knew was that box was being lifted and then lowered back down. She rocked back and forth with the casket, but it soon lurched with a soft thump. Nora fidgeted around with her hands tied in front of her until she heard the sound dirt being poured on top of the box she was in. Her eyes grew wide, and she sobbed. “This is it. This is how I die.” She thought as she tried to calm herself and accept her fate as she was being buried alive. 

“It shouldn’t be painful. I’ll fall unconscious as I lose oxygen. I’ll get to see my boys again soon. Just like I always wanted. I would have already offed myself if I didn’t have this fucking curse on my hand. They wanted their world saved though. My stupid guilty, noble do-the-right-thing just HAD to win out…” 

She thought like this as the sound of the dirt grew fainter. She assumed it was because her grave was almost filled up. She wondered how much time she actually had. It could be a few minutes to possibly a few hours or so she was told by Google. Looks like she was going to test that theory. 

Nora let her mind sift through all her memories. From her childhood to her adolescent days to adulthood. Then it went to more recent memories of losing her husband and child in a flash of green and then winding up in Thedas. Going through the story of the game or most of it anyway. She thought about the companions she met and actually becoming friends with them. She even thought about him. She wasn’t sure how she felt about him still but he definitely made her heart race. 

She wasn’t sure how much time has passed but the sound of the dirt stopped and she heard muffled shouts and what sounded like metal clashing. She strained her ears as best as she could. She couldn’t tell how deep she was buried but it didn’t sound like she was buried too deep or she wouldn’t have likely heard anything. 

She was starting to feel tired. When she heard a muffled angry voice that sounded like...

“Cassandra?”

They came all this way for me?

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

Aaaaannnnd end. That's it. Then my ask picks up from there.

You don't have to do this one. DAi: LI's only. After locating the Inky's they find that their leader is nowhere in sight. After some fruitless interrogating, they hear a faint THUMP THUMP THUMP and muffled screaming. They search for the source and find a half filled grave and the sound of their leader under the dirt. Their reaction: Discovering their Inky was buried alive.

Cassandra: Her heart drops, and the panic doesn’t even have time to settle before she is loudly barking orders and trying to steady her breathing. The second she gets the Inquisitor out of his shallow grave; she grabs him in a big hug and refuses to let go. The seeker is far from a merciful person, any may Andraste protect whoever dared do this to the person she loves. For a second she looks up at the man she loves, dirty and bruised with a mixture of panic and fear in his eyes. She doesn’t even want to think about what would’ve happened if they hadn’t gotten there sooner. 

Solas: Bring along the fury of a wolf and you will end up being ripped apart by the pack, this is very much apparent with Solas. The apostate is quick on his feet, helping his vhenan out of the grave and staring at the people responsible whom they just questioned; he has murder in his gaze. The only thing stopping him from acting then and there is the soft touch from his lover, her shaking body quickly moving closer to him for comfort. He would never forgive the people who did this and the ones who survived his visit later that night were the unlucky ones.

Dorian: At first he is rather unsettling, extremely calm and soft-spoken, only to lash out when someone makes a rather poor comment as the Inquisitor is helped out of his grave. Dorian feels utterly helpless and furious when he sees his Amatus like that, the man has bruises around his wrists showing he was tied; a busted lip and a tired gaze. he knows that if they had been slower the man he loved would’ve been underneath them all along but lacking the consciousness to ever speak up about where he was. One wrong clue or details lost could’ve led to being one minute too late. And that terrifies him.

Sera: May whatever god these people look up to be a just and forgiving one; because Sera sure as hell isn’t. As soon as Inky is out of that grave, an arrow is lodged into the leg of the nearest guilty person; and she has to be held back from jumping the man. She has no mercy for these people, and absolutely no pity for them as their screams reach her ears. Sera is scarily silent as she calms down, quickly finding her girlfriend and latching onto her- a shaky breath escaping her as she promises that she won’t ever let this happen again.

Blackwall: Honestly; it would surprise noone if Thom admitted to having done this himself, seeing as how calm he was when he was met with the issue itself; quick and steady hands knowing what to do right away. He doesn’t speak much when the Inquisitor stumbles out of the grave, clinging onto him and gasping for air and shaking. The tears in her eyes is enough to send his very being into a angry rampage; but he simply stays silent. Comforting his lover as he leads her away from the site, the others can deal with the vermin.

Iron Bull: May whoever did this rest in peace, because honestly they messed up the second they dared to mess with anyone who had contacts within the chargers. Bull is extremely gentle and careful with his lover; the poor thing shaking and it breaks his heart the second he sees the bruises on their face. Being buried alive is not fun, he would know. He is more aware than anyone else how lucky they were; because you loose oxygen fast in a casket. He lets out a shaky breath before kissing their face, muttering an apology for taking so long.

Josephine: When she had heard the word of what happened, she couldn’t help but close herself inside the office and just cry. Leliana had made sure she got time to let out all the worry and stress as she awaited for her lover to return. When they did? They were met by Josephine, puffy eyes and a lip that she had clearly chewed on more than enough to draw blood. And she only started crying again when she saw their bruised face, just about starting to heal from traveling back. She hated that she had to let them go on these trips; but she knew stopping them would only make things worse. With a tired sigh she grabs their hand, they needed a few hours. Just to be.

Cullen: He was the one leading the rescue operation, and he thought he had the ability to act cool. But when the Inquisitor is helped up from the casket and is finally able to see in the much brighter area; she sees him acting extremely out of character. The man on the ground is bleeding heavily from his face as Cassandra pulls the commander away from him. Cullen had been scared, he had felt so lonely when he found out that his rage blinded him and for a split second he wanted nothing else but to kill the person responsible. He feels his anger melt when the hand of his loved one is carefully placed on his cheek, as she whispers for him to calm down. She is bruised, tired and was probably on her last breaths. He would never forgive himself for allowing this to happen to begin with, but may the maker have mercy on the people responsible. They would face the wrath of Cullen Rutherford.

[egalitarian-tomboy]

Sonic, Amy, and the Koco Lovers

In Frontiers, Amy gets Sonic to help her give the Koco closure so they can move on from their haunted shells. One quest in particular revolves around reuniting a Koco with her lover before it's too late. Since they were too shy in life to confess, they might have a chance at being together in the next life.

Immediately this situation reminds the Sonamy fans who've been here from the beginning about the infamous Q&A magazine section where Team Sonic says & I Quote: "Although Sonic is clearly interested in her, Sonic has always been too shy to declare his feelings."

(Image not mine, but it's the highest quality I've found thus far.)

What a coincidence that Sonic and Amy would be helping a haunted love story find its rightful conclusion that so similarly mirrors their own. With Sonic in the past literally running away from Amy's advancements yet undeniably harboring the same feelings for her as she does for him. His pride and private personality often conflicting with his true thoughts about romantic love. We all know how Amy loves Sonic unconditionally and how over time her love transformed from being a girlhood crush to being a mature love.

Amy is far from being shy, but the Koco Lovers' predicament seems like a callout for Sonic about his relationship with Amy being stuck in a romantic limbo. Constantly teetering between friendship and true commitment.

When Sonic tries to get Amy to leave the Koco alone to figure out things on their own, while literally gesturing to the Koco trying to find her lost lover, Amy yells at him that they have to see it through. When she asks if he would leave behind someone in need, when one of the many reasons why she loves him is because he will help those in need, he says no BUT he's also worried about her. All the while gazing at her like THIS:

This is by far the most vulnerable we've ever seen him with Amy in the entire series. BY FAR. He's not the type of guy to give up on anyone who needs help, but he's so worried about her and the fact that she's stuck in a digital limbo that he hasn't made any progress in getting her out of yet. She's so focused on helping others that Sonic reminds her that she can't truly help anyone in her current state. After thinking on his words she agrees and tells him to hurry up and rescue her so that way they can find Tails. He grins and tells her it sounds simple enough.

Little did they know they were about to unknowingly see the heartbreaking reuniting between the ghost shelled lovers. They're given a flashback to the moment when they reunited on the field of a warzone. The romantic surrounding of flowers their final resting spot as they share their first and last embrace. Amy doesn't understand what's going on and thinks it's happening in real time and Sonic has to hold her back from possibly getting hurt herself. When the flashback is over Amy rushes to where the Koco rushed to meet her lover for them to find the ghost shells together at last for their proper rest.

Sonic turns his attention to Amy as she sinks to her knees and softly laments that they were reunited right before their death. Knowing how too close to home this situation was for her, he gazed in silence for a moment thinking about what he's going to say before reassuring her that they were together now. He lets her grieve for a moment while he explores the area around them to look for more clues. But you can clearly tell that the flashback had an emotional impact on him as well.

When he comes back to check up on her, she tells him that they witnessed a love that transcended time and that she knew she wanted to share that love story with the world. Even though it may take them far apart.

*SCREECHING CAR BREAK*

She's no longer talking about the Koco lovers. She's talking about THEM. AS IN HER AND SONIC.

She's telling Sonic that she knows what she wants to do after everything is over and how they might not see each other again for some time until she returns. Who knows where she'll go or how long she'll be gone for. But she wants to journey by herself or with a small group to tell others about the power of this love story she witnessed. When she comes to that painful conclusion she's conflicted and grieved.

That is, until Sonic kneels down and looks at her like this:

And tells her he knows she'll do great and that he wants to hear all about it when she comes back. Smiling at her and giving her a nod when she gazes back up into his eyes.

I DON'T THINK YOU GET IT: AMY BASICALLY SAID "I WANT TO LEAVE TO SHARE THIS LOVE STORY BUT WE WON'T BE TOGETHER AND THAT SCARES ME." AND SONIC'S RESPONSE WAS "NO MATTER HOW FAR APART WE ARE OR HOW LONG YOU'RE GONE - I'LL BE WAITING FOR YOU & I WANT TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR ADVENTURE WHEN YOU GET BACK."

Along with Amy's desire to share the Koco Lovers' story, there's a silent question within her declaration. Unlike in the past where she openly and proudly proclaimed herself to be Sonic's Girlfriend to everyone around her and how he was hers like some kind of trophy, When she says "It may take us far apart." she's asking him if he loves her the same way. Not as a friend but as a Lover.

Now in the rare trigger lines that you can find within the game, there's a moment where Sonic says "Amy...I should've made up my mind sooner." implying his conflicted thoughts about confessing his feelings for her and keeping his "Free as the Wind" lifestyle. But after everything that happened, I believe that he was finally ready to give her a real response.

Which was: "I know you'll do great. I want to hear all about it when you come back."

With the silent answer to her silent question about if he loves her too being: "I do and I'll be waiting for you to return to me."

Which is why you see her eyes grow wide at his response. Because he didn't joke his way out of it or tell her she was talking crazy about calling them lovers. He accepted her, truly accepted her at long last and was ready to give her his heart fully.

It really puts into perspective that Amy's memory tokens were literal HEARTS and the final quest before the big showdown was the Koco lovers.

Sonic's first "Trial" was love. His reward for completing that trial was finally moving forward in his relationship with Amy.

[thatoldbooksmellsstuff]

Thinking about how in the Athenide AU Perse KNOWS how the story of this goddess ends. She KNOWS that she is the token fade goddess" of the pantheon. Thinking of the grief of mourning yourself alone- of knowing you are going to leave all these people you are growing to love. But no one will grieve with you- you cannot even tell them.

Thinking of the simultaneous swelling and sinking of her heart every time her parents or Persephone or her siblings or Apollo say they love her or they're glad to know her. She loves to be loved but hates it too- for the grief she will cause them. She's on limited time- not very limited mind you, a thousand to 4000 years is plenty (depending on if she faded after the trojan war or after world war two) but it isn't enough to ease the pain of the people who have loved her. It isn't enough for them to be able to say "she lived a long and happy life". No amount of time is long enough for a god. Afterall, you may live 4000 years but you were supposed to live forever, and now they must spent an eternity with your fading memory. (Credit to @anotheroceanid @chaoticdumbassrogue @freedomanddisorder for writing wonderful fics on this AU. LIterally my lifelines yall)

[angelsdean]

hot take maybe but actually i do expect my mom to comfort me and make me an ice cream sundae when i’m sad even when i get to 40 and she’s 70. my grandma does that for her still. it’s not. limiting her. it’s not saying she only has to be my mommy. i have taken care of her too. it’s saying we love each other and want to take care of each other. mary struggling to be able to interact with grown up sam and dean was very very valid and understandable and i love her for it. she also could’ve maybe tried a little more anyway. they could’ve lent on each other. idk.

Yea i've said before that I think it's a bit outrageous the way people seem to think someone stops being a parent once their child reaches adulthood. Maybe it's a cultural thing, I don't know, but the whole idea of "once your kid turns 18 they're out the door and not your problem anymore" is so deeply flawed IMO. But yea I focus more on "debunking" the claim that Dean expects some sort of motherly coddling / babying from Mary because that seems to be the deancrit take I see the most with regards to this arc / the "i'm not just a mom" scene.

But for sure many people seem to have some weird ideas IMO about what it means to be a parent. Like I think you can feel for Mary and understand that parents can and are more than just parents, but also understand that they will never stop BEING a parent either. Their kids will always be their kids. It's why people always say being a parent is a full time job, not something to go into lightly, that you should be sure you actually want kids and understand that having them is a lifelong commitment etc etc. And having kids makes them become your priority, even when you want to be selfish you always have to try to put them first. Obviously that lessens as they grow up but like, if your adult child were injured or had some kind of health issue / challenges as a parent it's still your job to be there for them, to support them, to care for them. That doesn't just end at 18. It's why *I* know that even though I like the idea of kids I probably never will have any because it's so much responsibility and because those kids are always always going to come first, forever! That's kind of part of the parental "contract" IMO. And even when they're adults, a parent should still be the one person in the world your kid can turn to, rely on, seek comfort in.

And I understand these expectations are complicated in this particular narrative by the fact that Mary died young and is not equipped to be a mother to adults. I think that's such a delicious component that I wish they leaned into more. She is grieving her babies. She is allowed to feel those feelings and feel confused and unsure and struggle with accepting this new dynamic with her children. But a big part of Mary's arc in s12, which culminates in 12x22 with "I need you to see me" is that she is the one stuck in the past, needing to accept her reality and "SEE" her children for who they are now. That's what the arc is moving towards, that acceptance. And after s12 we see her and Dean have a better relationship. We see her still getting to be Mary the person AND Mary the "mom." She hunts, she comes and goes, but she's someone Dean can talk to, share a meal with, spend time together. It's what he always wanted most. He tells her in 14x11 that "just knowing you're around, that you're alive has meant everything to me."

Anyways, I won't ramble about all that again because I've made a bunch of posts about it already. But yes, I think it's normal for Dean (and Sam) to want Mary to comfort them, do nice things for them, the way any parent or really a family member in general might do. They are not asking for kisses on their boo-boos and getting tucked into bed with a bedtime story, which is how a lot of deancrit posts read. What they want is some sort of familial reciprocal care. Like the way Dean spends quality time with those he loves. The way he baked a cake for Jack. Cooks for his family. The way he gives people gifts. The way he fixes Cas's truck. The way he calls to check in on people. He doesn't do these things out of some obligation or playing some "role", he does them because he cares. Because he loves his family, and that's just what family does for each other.

Someone in my tags last night said it very well that what Dean really wanted was just, another family member, to spend time with, to share their joys and burdens with. Someone like Bobby, that he could turn to if he needed. Bobby was a parent figure but he wasn't "parenting" them, y'know? He was someone Dean could lean on, but he didn't expect Bobby to shoulder all his burdens. And I think that's what Dean wants most. Just someone he can lean on and rely on, since he's been having to be the strong one for everyone his whole life.

[winchesterwild78]

A Light in the Darkness

Master List

Characters: Jensen x Reader (girlfriend)

Warnings: Mention of death, sadness, grief, fluff

A/N: Wrote this quickly for my sweet friend @jackles010378. I am so sorry about your friend. I do hope this helps some. Sending lots of love and hugs. 

No disrespect to Jensen or his family, this is a work of fiction. Written fast and not edited well. Do not take it or say it’s your work. 

Minors DNI 18+

The key rattled in the lock, a familiar sound that usually brought a smile to my face. Tonight, though, the click echoed hollowly in the otherwise silent apartment. I was curled on the sofa, enveloped in the darkness, tears silently streaming down my face. I hadn't bothered turning on the light. What was the point? The world felt dim enough already.

"Hey, baby, I'm home!" Jensen's voice called out, the usual cheer in his tone. It faltered as he stepped into the living room. "Whoa… what's wrong?"

He rushed to my side, his face etched with concern. The soft glow from the hallway illuminated his features, and I could see the worry in his eyes. He knelt beside me, gently taking my hand. "Hey, talk to me. What happened?"

I tried to speak, but only a choked sob escaped. I shook my head, unable to articulate the pain that was tearing me apart.

"It's okay," he murmured, his voice soothing. He pulled me into his arms, holding me tight, kissing my head softly. "Just breathe. Whatever it is, we'll get through it."

Finally, between gasping breaths and hiccuping sobs, I managed to get the words out. "Sarah… she's gone. She… she died this morning."

Jensen’s embrace tightened. I felt the shift in his posture, the intake of his breath. He knew Sarah. Everyone did. She was a ray of sunshine, always laughing, always there. A wave of fresh tears washed over me as I relived the moment I’d received the phone call, the moment my world had tilted on its axis.

"Oh, baby," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. He held me closer, stroking my hair. "I'm so sorry. Sarah… she was… she was amazing."

We sat in silence for a long time, the only sound was my muffled cries. Jensen didn't try to fill the quiet with platitudes or empty reassurances. He simply held me, his presence a comforting anchor in the storm raging inside me.

The next two weeks were a blur. Jensen was my rock. He took time off work, clearing his schedule to be by my side. He handled everything – from grocery shopping to fielding concerned calls from friends and family. He made sure I ate, even when I had no appetite. He listened patiently as I recounted stories about Sarah, both happy and mundane, his own eyes often glistening with unshed tears. Rambling on and on about how she was the reason I got the job I loved so dearly, how she quickly became more than my mentor, but like a sister to me. 

He didn't try to fix me, he just loved me. He sat with me in my grief, sharing his own memories of Sarah. The first memory of her meeting him and her threatening to cut off vital parts if he ever hurt me, making me laugh amidst the tears. He reminded me that it was okay to grieve, okay to feel the pain.

The day of the funeral arrived, a gray and somber affair. Jensen stood beside me, his hand firmly clasped in mine. His presence was a source of strength, a silent promise that I wasn't alone. As I looked out at the sea of faces, all touched by Sarah's light, I felt a pang of gratitude for Jensen. He wasn't just my boyfriend; he was my best friend, my confidant, the one person who understood my pain and loved me through it. And in that moment, amidst the sorrow, I knew that with him by my side, I could face anything.

Tags are open, if you want to be added or removed, let me know.  

Tags: 

@nescaveckwriter @kr804573 

@k-slla @jackles010378 

@jawritter @xx-spooky-little-vampire-xx 

@roseblue373 @cheynovak 

@jassackles  @chriszgirl92

@suckitands33 @arcannaa 

@n-o-p-e-never @ladysparkles78 

@smoothdogsgirl @hobby27 

@manicjk @stoneyggirl2 

@deans-spinster-witch @snowayumi 

@shadowqueen1318 @shanimallina87

@muhahaha303 @fitxgrld

@nancymcl @baby19sthings

@cheekygirl2309 @oceean

@kindollss @foxyjwls007

@lmg14 @cevansbaby-dove

@spxideyver @reignsboy19

@deans-baby-momma @deansimpalababy

@ladykitana90 @quietgirll75 

@superrey @kamisobsessed

@obliviousap @ninii-winchester

@mischiefnevermanaged89-blog @whimsyfinny

@bobbdylan @star-yawnznn

@reignsboy19 @monkey-d-hoshizora98

@depressionbarbie2023 @livingdeadblondequeen

@mandee7 @barnes70stark

@spnaquakindgdom @djs8891

@pughsexual @spnaquakindgdom

@lunaleah @amberlthomas 

[vaxyl]

Sometimes I think about all of Vax's story and it's so wild?

Especially now Campaign 3 has ended and his story, seemingly, has finally ended as well?

Idk what Critical Role plans on doing next, maybe we'll see him again later on, who knows. 🤷

But like... Vax'ildan went from a child born in poverty to a single mother in a small village in the countryside with no future...

To a wealthy but unloved and mistreated heir of a nobleman and city ambassador in a city that never dared to care for him...

To a scared run away struggling to survive while grieving his mother after learning she was killed by a dragon while he was away, trying to keep his sister safe by any means necessary...

To a criminal by force to continue protecting his sister, witnessing horrors beyond his wildest comprehension and doing things that surely break your mind...

To a witless adventurer who stumbles from one fight to another, trying to make enough gold for a bed every now and then, now trying to protect so many more people while not necessarily feeling like he really belongs with those people...

To an accidental hero, killing a dragon and demons and other things you can't understand...

To a victim of something so rawly intimate and strange and scary while trying to help a friend...

To a saviour of a city lost to evil years ago, but broken inside by the things he's gone through just to get close to this point...

To a refugee in a world torn apart by dragons who he may have unknowingly had a hand in waking up and pissing off...

To becoming the champion of the god of death unwillingly after his sister died and he tried to sell his soul to save her life but it didn't go the way he had imagined...

To killing the very dragon who had killed his mother, having now accepted his championhood...

To dying during his relatively new girlfriend's magical trial in the elemental plane of water, being brought back soon afterwards...

To living peacefully as what is essentially a trophy boyfriend for the length of one whole year...

To hunting down enemies once thought dead, trying to stop them from helping an evil litch ascend as a tyrannical god...

To being killed by said litch, the litch ascending anyway...

To coming back, undead, to banish the litch as part of a new deal with his goddess...

To leaving, ascending almost himself, to serve his god as her divine and somewhat undead champion after the litch is gone...

To being unable to be with the ones he loves most, but breaking rules to protect them anyway...

To one day being trapped in a magical contraption, ever in pain, to further a plan to kill the gods after his girlfriend he's not been with for 30 years was used as bait in the trap built for him...

To suddenly being freed by his girlfriend and his sister and their old adventuring party turned family, but it's not over yet...

To being granted one night of relief and catching up before being pulled away again...

To... Nearly losing his god... But not... And being made mortal again... But with extra life?...

And his goddess is also mortal now, now a child that he needs to find and protect with the help of another champion of his god...

But he gets to be with the sister, the family and the girlfriend he had to leave about 30 years ago when he ascended again...

He has to learn how to not be dead anymore, and he needs to start all over again with his girlfriend, and the work is never finished... But he's happy again.

Vax'ildan is home again.

GODS, HIS STORY IS WILD

Like... WHAT?! HELLO?!

This is like... Insane?!

My poor sweet boy went through so much shit... Oh my gods...

But he's home again.

He can be with his family again.

Oh my fucking gods.

😭😭😭😭😭

[buubonita]

Dream please

Dream! My beloved and much misunderstood boy. I am assuming this is for the Non Corrupted Nightmare Au/Setting.

Dream used to live with Swap before the events of the au, however, feeling like a constant burden , his nomadic nature and the stress of having to deal with his brother prompted him to stop frequenting UnderSwap.

I believe Swap is one of the few legitimate friends Dream currently has and I love the idea that he has learned quite a bit about the modern world thanks to Swap. He's the kind of person Dream will go to for advice. The other person was Neil, his first friend, who died years after helping free him from the stone in this scenario (the leaf from the tree granted him longevity, not immortality) </3 so Dream is left grieving for two important people in his life now.

However, his coping methods are still awful, even with the voice of reason that Swap and Core can be, Dream keeps falling into old habits, trying to hold on as life goes on.

The fact that Nightmare has been freed from his corruption was unexpected news.

I'd say the most naive part, that six-year-old boy who longed for his brother believed for a moment that things could be like before. Ah, but not at all. His situation with Nightmare is still unresolved but they're just starting. It'll take years before they can become close, but Dream and Nightmare have an eternity ahead of them to do so <3

But Dream is also learning. Learning to think about himself a little more, to not feel bad about his desires, to try to consider his feelings in small steps. To LIVE a relatively normal life while doing what he loves. Nightmare no longer being corrupted makes it easier to move forward in a small way, but it's a process that has started even before that.

Dream in this au is currently in Xtale helping Cross reconcile with his brother (hehe) and his family. We'll see how they do.

Again, feel free to ask about any character involved on story ou<)b (The MTT+ Color, NM, Cross or Ccino)

You can also ask my buddy, partner in crime, @/pixiefeatherkw3 with whom I have devised this madness. And follow them, they are super talented <3

[jack-of-heartstrings]

The issue with this is that it's not just "plot armor". It's about characterization. Ladybug "could" risk her life to protect Chat but that's not Ladybug's character.

Chat being reckless and chaotic and constantly throwing himself in danger is a character flaw, and it's also part of his core strength. He is brave and loyal, and when Ladybug asks for blind faith, he rarely has any trouble giving it. He doesn't stop to question, and sometimes that's exactly what's needed to take decisive action. When there's no time to stop and deliberate, he's the guy you want on the job.

It's just that when there is time, and he's being impatient or having trouble regulating his anger or taking on a martyr mentality putting faith in her she didn't ask for, then it can become a problem. And it's been a while since we've seen much issue or consequence with that, but... I'll come back to this.

In the same way, Marinette overthinking everything makes her a trainwreck in her daily life and it's literally her strength as Ladybug. Being able to figure out how to use something absurd is a direct result of her brain racing 10 million miles a minute analyzing every possibility.

But even as Ladybug, she can be overly cautious and overthink. She can be too slow to act and miss opportunities, and when she does try to push herself to act fast, she's often bad at it. That's how you get "no, today HAS to be the day, I'll deliver this gift as Ladybug!" and hello Chat Blanc. That's how you get "I'm not being a good girlfriend if I can't figure out how to become friends with my boyfriend's friends and oh no now she's gonna think I'm a liar so I need to act fast" and oh there go her legs. And in a different way, trusting her gut more than her head is how you get "we can think and work out a solution on our own, human scale" but he already had his solution, Marinette.

Everyone is a mess right now. It's not just the lovebirds nervous about their new relationship. Gabriel's looming presence as shown in the new intro is still deeply impacting things on both sides. It's in how she now has a much worse Secret driving her to try harder than ever to never allow herself any missteps with him, because in her mind she "owes" him more than she can ever repay. But it's also in Adrien.

Adrien is exploring freedom for the first time in his life, but he was still quietly grieving his mom when he also lost his dad. The one time he decided he COULDN'T be there for Ladybug, his dad died, and without the fully story, in his mind, maybe he could have made a difference.

In what world would he NOT be regressing back to being his most impulsive protective self? Under what circumstances would it make sense for him to be behaving calmly and rationally right now? When he stops to worry, he gets scared, and bad things happen. When she doesn't constantly worry, she makes stupid choices, and bad things happen. They're both overcompensating to cope.

For the antikumas specifically:

I DO agree it would be nice to see Carapace take that hit sometimes too. (Minotaurox might need to become the designated shield, since his power is specifically invulnerability to magic, so he might be the anti-antikuma? But we'll see. If not, him too.)

But I doubt they're just "worfing the cat" for cheap drama. Since it keeps happening, I'm expecting him to get antikuma'd several times over the course of the season, to get us to a point where we expect it, but then to make something of it. Either it builds to a point where that recklessness has MUCH WORSE consequences and it's a major plot event, or he keeps doing this to a point he gets more competent helping without powers and becomes more of a badass because what's crippling to his teammates has become an expected inconvenience to him. Possibly both. Either way, give it time.

Ok so the daddycop trailer shows cat getting antikuma'd mid air... and let me just say:

Can we stop Worfing the cat? Like, at every opportunity?

I get that "hero takes a hit" and "hero goes down" are dramatic narrativs beats, and that for structural "shes the healer" reasons these beats cant go to marinette. But in a post-team era? Can those beats please go to other people on occasion?

We literally have 2 heroes with dedicated "meatshield" powers (invulnerable Ivan and nino the shieldbearer). For the "just protect mari" scenario's, and we have an entire b-team that is just as easily resurectable as Adrien.

[squireofgeekdom]

having a normal one working on the second chapter of the space roadtrip fic

Better being busy than with long enough moments for the weight and weariness of waiting to sink in - - but Pepper’s not waiting, not really. ‘I can’t do this again,’ she’d told him, her voice breaking, and he hated how it echoed his own thoughts. ‘I - we got him back once. We - it's not going to happen a second time. I can’t -’    ‘I’ll get him back.’  The mixture of pity and grief in her eyes when she’d looked at him, landing like cold water thrown over his head - that was a look he’d never be able to forget. ‘You can’t fly a helicopter into space, Jim.’ ‘So I’ll build a rocket,’ he’d said, and she’d let out a little hiccup of laughter. ‘I’ll get him back. I’ll get him back to you.’ The hiccup of laughter had broken into a sob, and she’d leaned into his shoulder. ‘I can’t do this again, Jim. I have to be able to let him go. I have to … I can’t do this again, I can’t.’

we're all fine here, how are you.

[prouvaireafterdark]

listen I know it's heartbreaking that Claudia dies and it's understandable to wish she didn't, but let's please not accuse the writers of fridging her. to do so is a fundamental misunderstanding of the story and is frankly insulting to the intelligence and skill of the writers of the show.

Claudia's death, and the overwhelming grief and regret her parents experience because of it, is quite literally the point of the entire story. she dies because Anne's daughter Michele died of leukemia when she was five years old and there was nothing she or her husband could do to prevent it.

writing IWTV was how Anne coped with the unimaginable loss of a parent losing her child. she created a story about a little girl that could not die and then killed her anyway. Claudia's death is a senseless, unavoidable tragedy, just like Michele's was. the grief that haunts Louis and Lestat for the rest of their lives is the same grief that haunted Anne and her husband.

so when you're accusing people of killing Claudia off to benefit a story about two men, please remember that in real life sometimes parents lose their children. please remember Michele Rice.

she's the reason Claudia exists.

she's also the reason Claudia cannot be saved.

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

While you were fighting in the war, I was falling in a pit.

[First] Prev <–-> Next

[sapphiresaphics]

Okay but… it’s not lazy? It’s actually quite a lot of work to convey so much information coherently in such a short amount of time. Montages are a tool filmmakers have used for over a century now. And since we know Netflix cut Arcane short, that explains why they were used. When you literally don’t have the time to write out every single scene to the best of your abilities because you’ve been given only a short amount of time to work in, montages are an effective way to keep the important information tightly packed.

Additionally, that scene of Jinx isn’t just about showing she’s a wanted criminal, it’s about showing where her headspace is at that moment. It’s catching the audience up on how she’s processing everything that’s happened since the finale of season 1. Her walking listlessly through the city while chaos reins all around her tells us that she’s completely disinterested in dealing with the struggles of Zaun now that Silco is dead and she’s no longer his attack dog. That montage sets up her where she’s going to go through the story. If you see it as JUST showing that she’s a wanted criminal, you aren’t picking up what the montage is telling you.

Jinx also isn’t “healed.” It’s really weird people keep saying she is just because she’s not disassociating all the time. Go back and re-watch Season 1. Jinx’s psychotic behavior is a direct result of her inner conflict with being both Powder and Jinx. The animators made a special facial rig just for Jinx so that they could visually switch her between the Jinx persona and her Powder persona for this very reason. The climax of season 1 was choosing which persona would win out… and that inner conflict was resolved by the end of the season. Jinx is no longer conflicted anymore. She’s not “healed,” she just no longer has a narrative reason to have psychotic episodes anymore. And this is further reinforced because when we DO see small glimpses of her psychosis seeping through it’s ALWAYS in moments where people remind her of Powder or people who represent Powder (like Isha) are put in danger.

The writers also never said they were bored with Vi. I’ve seen the source that quote came from and it’s being intentionally misinterpreted and taken out of context to be presented in the worst way possible. That’s misinformation you’re using to justify your biases. Please don’t do that.

Im going to skip to the sex scene because you’re again using disingenuous interpretations here. Vi doesn’t know what Jinx is going to do. Vi came into the room and asked Jinx to use her “explosive potential” for good, while jinx is grieving over Isha blowing herself up. You and I have an inkling about what jinx is going to do because we saw a scene where Jinx talks to herself through Silco, but Vi sure doesn’t know that. This is made clear multiple times: “I really thought she’d help us.” “Shouldn’t have come back to help us, huh?” <- are these things someone who thinks their sister is going to kill herself would say?

But even if she did think that… what’s Vi supposed to do? Jinx locked her in the cell and by the time Caitlyn finds her there it’s been HOURS. Practically the whole day even. There’s a war looming, Vi doesn’t even know if she’s going to survive the next few hours… what is she supposed to do? Drop everything to hunt for a person who is most likely already dead and who Caitlyn with all her resources and power couldn’t find for MONTHS?

Vi is at her lowest point, thinking she betrayed Caitlyn’s trust to release Jinx only to lose her too. And in this moment Caitlyn reveals that she LET Vi free Jinx because she knew she would. And by extension she is giving up her hatred for Jinx because Vi is much more important to her. <- THAT was the apology. The sex is just pent up desire and love that’s been boiling over for 2 seasons FINALLY getting a release. Throughout both seasons Vi has been torn between loving Caitlyn or Jinx, but never both at the same time. In this moment Caitlyn gives up her hatred and Vi is allowed to love both at the same time. THAT is why the sex scene exists.

Please watch some of Stop Me OH’s videos, I think they’ll help you see things from a less extreme and toxic perspective.

I can already see this being a controversial opinion…

I hated arcane season two. It’s nowhere near as good as season one was. I understand it’s not terrible, but it is when you compare it to what came before. Season one was a masterpiece and you really got a feel of each character, who they were, and what they were trying to achieve. Every second was put to good use and it left you on the edge of your seat because you were so IN IT. I watched season two and felt nothing.

The music is fantastic but that’s all season two was. It was just music (music they used as filler) and a confusing storyline. I understand a lot more happened and we didn’t see it but why couldn’t we? I feel Jinx wasn’t even Jinx. She’s slowly turning into Jinx all of season one and at the end she IS jinx; why did they get rid of that and make her powder? Why did VI’s entire personality and drive change? Again, all of season one VI’s goal is to get to Jinx. But season two? She’s gone and there’s nothing we can do it about it.

We didn’t see Jinx and for some reason we only really saw her and Isha’s relationship when Isha was DYING. The caitvi scene was just so unnecessary! Caitlyn was a terrible person for the entirety of the season! It’s as big of a let down as Bridgeton season three!

It was so sad to see (in my personal opinion) but I know not everyone will feel the same way. I just wanted to see if that was entirely true or not.

(But I did thoroughly enjoy spin the wheel)

[nukbody]

@dead-finch-420 threatened me only 40% so i better take my chances, but being completely honest having look at those old sketches made me just wanna redraw them all so here we are

[deadpoetsandlivinglegends]

Feel like Neil couldn’t have been any other kind of actor than one in theatre. If he was a movie actor or on social media or whatnot, it would not be the same. Theatre by nature is fleeting. Recorded mediums can be rewatched over and over, creating a time loop of sorts. We the audience can keep going back to a time when Neil is still alive. Theatre however is live and once the play is over, there is no going back except in our memories. It is much like life. We are forced to live in the moment in a theater lest we miss it altogether. It’s not that the poets choose to live in a world where Neil is dead, it’s that they must because the only other option is to die themselves. I feel like Keatings teachings could only be reflected in stage theatre because that’s the only way there can be no time loop of grief. I think dead poets society itself isn’t about overcoming the authority in your life to do what you want but rather about grief, about allowing oneself to feel grief and all one’s emotions without letting it consume you and to keep living after, to live every day in the moment lest you fall into grief and regret that will destroy you or force you into a miserable life

[secriden]

*cracks knuckles* Okay lets talk about the elephant in the room: Style going to the support group for those who've suffered loss and telling what appears to be a fake story about losing his pet dog.

I'm going to point out a few things that I think provide a framework for Style's actions here. Not because I think it excuses what he did, but because I think a nuanced read is what the character deserves.

Point 1: An irresistible opportunity

The subs put the "Support Group for Loss" on the image in the notebook, but I'm not sure there's anything to suggest that Style would've known that was what this image represents until he showed up and saw the sign on top of the door.

In episode 2, Bison says, "He plans everything down from years, months, weeks to days" and then tells Kant:

So Style is literally just going to addresses/locations at given days and times, potentially not knowing what to expect. And as much as Fadel is certainly attending this meeting as a response to having that heartbreaking flashback (😭), this is also something he attends regularly and has planned to attend way in advance. So Style has no reason to think Fadel is attending this meeting because of a recent resurfacing of his pain.

What we, the audience, and what the characters know are very different things.

Now, should Style have turned his cute ass right around once he realised what this meeting was? Of course he should. But that wouldn't have been true to Style's character. We've been told by his best friend that he is "crazy" and been shown repeatedly that he lives right up to that description.

Style is impulsive. He's all base instinct and he acts on his desires without thought or contemplation. And by this point he is desperate for a deeper connection with Fadel. He's fascinated, captivated by the mystery that is Fadel and this is an excellent opportunity to finally see behind the wall Fadel so carefully maintains.

When Style sees the sign above the door, Style looks at the notebook (which, again, shows nothing but people sitting in a circle with the words RISE UP) like he's just realising what it means. He then gets this amused, almost rueful look on his face (like he's thinking "am I really going to do this?") before it shifts to determination and he walks through the door.

(My soul for the ability to once again gif something because FUCK Dunk is doing SO MUCH in this show!!)

To Style, this is just too good of an opportunity to give up.

Because let's be real, Fadel is so clearly lying and hiding something:

Fadel is shady as FUCK. He is simultaneously actually a really good cook (Style finally tries his burger so he knows, now), and also has the skills to work at a strip host club, and also can take on 3 guys in a fight, and also can break a man's arm with his thighs. Can you honestly blame Style for losing his mind just a little bit about wanting to get his hands on something, anything, to figure this man out?

Style is being absolutely consistent in his persistence to understand Fadel. This isn't about the car or about finally 'winning' the fight (thank you @airenyah for giving such a detailed framework to understand what Style's been doing until this point) anymore. This is about Style wanting to know Fadel himself.

Point 2: The potential implications of the setting

Now, what might give us a bit of insight as to why Style is this way? I have a theory (albeit one that could prove to be very wrong, but hear me out). I think this whole entire show is set in what could potentially be quite a small town/suburb.

There's a few things that make this theory plausible:

(1) Fadel and Bison are in hiding after Bison blew their previous cover. They're probably on the run from some section of the authorities and so it makes sense to settle in a quiet/out of the way place.

(2) Style seems to be really familiar with the people in the area. Like he grew up there and its the kind of small town where everyone knows everyone and everyone is in everyone else's business.

(3) Style is clearly the darling of the market aunties and uncles.

Style just lost her a sale and potentially a loyal customer, and she's still rooting for him? In episode 2, when Style asks the uncle to let him borrow his cart, it takes nothing but his word for the uncle to give Style his entire cart of produce for his ridiculous scheme.

Style is so clearly someone they all know well and have great affection for, and a very plausible explanation for this is that they all watched him grow up and the entire market (town/village) is fond of him.

And honestly?? Yeah, we see the way Style is actually quite sweet in that careless, guileless, thoughtless way. He goes the extra mile to fix his mistake with Fadel by replacing his car parts for free in episode 1. He helps out by taking orders in episode 2 without being asked and takes it seriously. In episode 3, he tries to drive more business to Fadel's store (bless him, he so clearly does NOT understand how restaurants work, but he MEANS well!!), and can we all acknowledge that it works?? He understands how to appeal to potential customers in the area because he knows the people there. It's not (entirely) his fault that Fadel wasn't remotely prepared for an actual rush crowd and Bison was off getting kinky with Kant and not doing his (fake) job. He is so clear about not judging Fadel's host job and tries his hardest to help him (to absolutely NO effect, but still) when the 3 guys gang up on Fadel.

Style is so loved and more importantly so very loveable.

Point 3: What this could mean for Style's character

So, potentially, Style is someone who grew up in a small town, who has been well loved, potentially spoiled and coddled, but also very much kept within the confines of the narrow viewpoint that a quiet, country town places on you.

It's in the way his dad scolds him as if he was still a child when he's at least in his mid to late 20s. It's in the way Style was so mad at Fadel for scolding him ("thanks for the lecture, dad"), like that hit a sore point for Style. It's in the way no one in the market takes him seriously; they're fond, but he's still a kid in their eyes. It's in the way he has an abundance of free time like he doesn't REALLY need to work at his dad's shop. It's in the way he sees Fadel beat 3 guys up with ease, starts wondering if Fadel is an assassin or a hitman, and is completely unfazed like he doesn't quite have a handle on reality.

It's in the way his best friend is a man who has no qualms about lying to him and putting his life in danger, and how Style seems to have no other friends or people (aside from his dad) in his life.

@wuxian-vs-wangji made a comment to me about Style being desperate for a meaningful connection, and I think she hit the nail on the head. Because along comes Fadel, a mysterious stranger with a suspiciously versatile set of skills who is also very hot and keeps giving Style these wonderfully complex reactions? Who sometimes wants nothing to do with Style, but at other times seems to be at war within himself about desperately wanting him? Who treats Style with anything but apathy?

This is catnip to Style; he never had any hope of resisting this.

Breaking news: Style is a complex and imperfect character...

Here's the thing, though: he was never going to try. The show has been incredibly upfront about who Style is as a person. Regardless of whether I'm correct about why he is this way (ie. that he is very much the product of the environment that didn't know how to handle a kid with Style's personality), episode 3 shouldn't have surprised anyone about Style. He's been incredibly consistent and true to himself.

He wants Fadel and he's "crazy" enough to go all in, no holds barred about it, and the Support Group was the biggest doorway to finally discovering something REAL about Fadel.

And its not just about sex or to prove his superiority anymore. Because if it was just that, then Style would have reacted very differently to their first time.

In this scene, Style is pleased and evidently enjoying himself, but he isn't exuberant. He isn't overcome with joy. If anything, he was more happy and excited when Fadel let him help out in the diner (I mentioned this in the tags in this post too) than he was when Fadel is literally fucking him. He lets Fadel set the pace; barely moves to touch Fadel except to hold him close. Almost like he doesn't want to accidentally mess this up, like he's worried he'll take too much, so he'll take what Fadel gives him and no more (please appreciate @braceletofteeth's amazing tags on this post). For a character that has been so aggressively on the offensive, this is shocking until you realise that sleeping with Fadel - while it's a step in the right direction - isn't Style's end goal anymore.

And he makes that abundantly clear in this episode:

Does Style even fully realise the weight of this desire? I doubt it. But I do believe that Style is in earnest. He doesn't fully understand his own feelings, but he also doesn't really care to either. All he knows is that he wants Fadel, wants his attention and his passion and his focus and his heart.

...but Style is also kind of, sort of, perfect.

Because he's exactly, precisely, breathtakingly exactly what Fadel needs.

Because Fadel is hurt and broken and bleeding inside. Because Fadel is barely holding it all together for Bison's sake, but has already given up hope for any true happiness for himself. Because Fadel can't trust anyone or anything in his life, when he's been used and used and used by the family who should've loved and cared and protected him.

Because it's going to take nothing short of this kind of unwavering, unshakable, uncomplicated determination to give Fadel even a chance of healing and opening his heart to love again.

[crookedfivefingers]

3.13 | ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴀꜱᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ʟᴏʀᴅꜱ

link to the post I accidentally wound up prattling endlessly about in the tags 💀