#and also the “that cannot die” achievement was my second to last & also me starting to understand how adversary kinda connects to adversary

[patheticpat]

This is the only thing that matters anymore

100% ON SLAY THE FUCKING PRINCESS BABY, THATS WHAT IM FUCKING TALKING ABOUT

[bloopitynoot]

Reading SVSSS: Chapter 21

For those who don't know, I am reading SVSSS for the first time and sharing my thoughts!

If you have not read it, there will be spoilers! Consider this a warning.

Also- if you want to follow along, I am aiming to post updates daily. You can find all the posts in the tag bloopitynoot reads SVSSS. You can also check out the intro post for context on my read.

The last chapter of the story?!?!?!

I will be continuing my notes into the extras-already decided when I started book 1. Once those extras are done though,- pls pls pls I will accept any fanfic recs. I am absolutely ready to get lost in the sauce for the next several months. Send me your absolute favs! I will read the shit out of them.

Today I am back on my tea- this is a lady grey latte :'3

LET'S GOOOOO

Oh man. Thank fuck Shan Qinghua is okay, but Tianlang-jun is looking REAL rough. p272

Not snake boy! him too! p274

Mobei-Jun coming in to save his man 👏 Get it! p276

This story is so annoying. The "big bad" was never even evil. The man just wanted to hang out in the human realm, read poetry, and vibe but the humans were the ones being awful. This story was driven by nonsense the entire time at least in MMDZS the fake evil one was still being orchestrated by an actual evil one. This was just a bunch of fuckery and racism. p277

LOL when I read the big "fight" I was thinking- that's it? Literally all this build up for the fastest fight?? Then two paragraphs later SQQ also said "that's it?"p279 I really do feel bad for Tianlang-jun. He was done so dirty in this. (I do want a buttload of fanfic where he get's a better life and also works to actively set his son up LOL Tianlang-jun biggest Bingqiu shipper).

I still cannot get over that Zhuzhi-lang's mother straight up fucked a snake. p280

Why did this reveal have to be worse :((((( The fact that LBH's mom actually likely cared for Tianlang-jun but was imprisoned by the OPM, was too late to get to Tianlang-jun, and forced to drink poison. :((( uuuuuuuugh. p282-283

Holy shit! Luo Binghe is the one who is actually powering the realm merge!!! p286

Baby Luo Binghe this behaviour is so toxic :'( p289-291

Are you kidding me. :( Why Yue Qingyuan!!! Xuan Su actively drains his life force whenever he uses it. p296

and we get the reveal that Yue Qingyuan was the pal who promised to come back and save Shen Jiu. uuuugh my heart, why am I so emotional about this. p297

The most bittersweet system notifications rn, so upsetting. Bro is about to lose the only things he's grown to care about in this second life and they are just listing achievements for what pp298-299

I know Yue Qingyuan is in a bad way but I really am rooting for him. Good on SQQ for not giving YQY his last wish. I need this softy to pull through. p301

Oh no! BInghe is hallucinating now :(((((( the sword has totally fucked him with demonic qi. :((( p307

I always love when we get a scenario pusher- it really "pushes" SQQ's boundaries p307

OMG. Well. That's not a small scenario pusher!!!! What is it with MXTX always having her male protags fuck dry 🤮🤮 This is not cute, and I totally understand it is a "fuck or die" scenario but omg RIP SQQ's asshole. How is this both kind of tender and absolutely horrific :((((((( 🤮🤮 pp310-311

This is actually so terrible :( my heart what the fuck :( Luo Binghe reached out, wanting to touch him but also not daring to. His hand remained frozen in midair as he muttered, "Shi...zun?" Once he heard Luo Binghe call him "Shizun" as normal, Shen Qingqiu seemed to come alive, and he gasped in a breath. Unfortunately, due to how strained this breath was, it almost sounded like a sob. Luo Binghe was stunned, "Shizun...what...What did I do?" p314

aaaaand the Jade Guanyin :(((((((( p315

Bless the system for getting me out of the choke hold that this scene had me in. I truly thought everyone was about to die. pp318-320

I'm dead LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL I clocked it many chapters ago with my jokes that SQQ was actually changing the genre and was really the bawdy love interest. He really did though XD ahahahaha p323

Thank fuck everyone (at least LBH and SQQ) are alive! I thought they would have killed LBH afterwards or with the state of his mental health, he would kill himself but thankfully he is not dead. p327

YAY! We have Yue Qingyuan alive as well! p329

Incredible. Shen Qinghua wanted this ending as well but decided to sell out for finances. Bless that this guy got to see his favorable ending play out LOL p333

oh!!! Tianlang-jun is also alive!! p335

My heart! SQQ to LBH " Of course what this master most wanted to see first was you!" p339

We hit the end of the main story!

Some final thoughts- that felt really abrupt. Like it just ended very fast. These two really have a strange relationship (I am sure more happens in the extras but as is stands it is still so ambiguous). Nary a real declaration of love, and their intimate moments were all fabricated by other situations or a product of deceit. I am excited to dig into the extras to see more about their relationship.

[chicaotaku-fanfics]

There's Three of You?! Pt. 13

Please don't kill me! This took longer than expected, I'll be the first one to admit it, but it is finally here! The 3/3 chapter of the Mistaken (Chicago Med 1x04) mini arc is finally here!

Hope you enjoy!

Warnings: foul language, might be some medical inconsistencies.

CHAPTER 13

Connor and I had emptied the room sometime later and made our way to the elevator to go and wait outside Miss Goodwin’s office, to see if we could at least save a kid’s life today. Even a few seconds before the door opened, Connor was already on his feet, and as soon as it did opened I stood up.

Miss Goodwin’s expression wasn’t good at all.

“Can I at least talk to him?” asked Connor

“No, you cannot.” she said.

“There has got to be something we can do.” I said.

“And we've done it. Let it go, Dr. Rhodes. You too Dr. Halstead.” she said, looking at us pointedly.

Unexpectedly, the door open, and we all turned to see Mr. Simms coming out. He handed Goodwin the forms and just left.

“He signed them.” Miss Goodwin said, noticing the signature on the papers, Connor started making his way to the elevator.

“Good luck!” I exclaimed, he turned to me and nodded. I turned to my boss again. “Thank you Miss Goodwin… I’ll go see if Mr. Simms needs anything.” I said, going after the grieving man.

I managed to catch up to Mr. Simps, so I decided to talk to him about Max.

“Mr. Simms, how are you doing? How’s Max? I haven’t seen him since this morning, when we played at the kid’s lounge in the waiting room.” I said, announcing my presence to the blond man.

“You… you’re the doctor that took care of Max while I was coming here?” he asked.

“Yeah, I am. Dr. Lillian Halstead.” I said, offering my hand for him to shake, he did.

“Bill Simms. Uh, oh, my mother came for Max shortly after we reunited… didn’t want him to be exposed to this circus.” he said, I nodded.

“I understand. And I’m also very sorry for your loss Mr. Simms.” I said, he sighed, walking until he reached one of the windows, he stared at the view of the city.

“Lucy and I met at a Cub's game.” Mr. Simms said, I made sure to listen to him intently. He then let out a short mirthless laugh. “I heard this--this crazy laughter coming from, like, five rows behind me and… it just– it just reached out and grabbed me.” he continued. I could only listen to him. “I'd look at her, and it would just make me happy, and then, this afternoon, just watching the life get stomped out of her… you know, his site has gotten more hits in the last hour than it's every had before, I mean– it's disgusting, it's all disgusting.” he said, I just looked down.

“Like I said Mr. Simms, I understand… but you’re also going through one of the most traumatic days of your life.” I said to him, he was about to say something, but I raised my hand for him to let me finish. “I’m not invalidating your feelings, or even suggesting that anything that what happened today was fair. I’m trying to paint the bigger picture here: you’re grieving, that’s normal. And you’ve also just donated your wife’s liver to the guy responsible for her passing… that takes a level of maturity not many achieve.” I continued, he finally interrupted me.

“LUCY DIDN’T DESERVE TO DIE, HE DOES!” he exclaimed, I just placed my hand on his shoulder to calm him dowm.

“I understand your pain… but you just saved a kid’s life, and by doing that, you’re giving him the chance to turn his life around.” I said to him.

He finally broke down sobbing, I hold him so he didn’t hit the ground. I maneuvered us to one of the rows of chairs so he could sit down, from my coat pocket I pulled out a packet of tissues and offered one to him. He took it and dried his tears, then he looked at me and said something that really left me thinking.

“Max told me about how you took care of him when he and Lucy first arrived. How you asked to look after him, took him to the play area, even played with other kids and talked to them about being a doctor.” he made a pause, blowed his nose and continued. “He says he wants to be a doctor when he grows up… all thanks to you.” he then turned to look into my eyes. “You’ll make a great mother someday Dr. Halstead. Thank you for taking care of my son.” he then hugged me. I hugged back.

Just then, my pager went off, it was Connor, Peter was just out of surgery, he had pulled through just fine.

“Sorry Mr. Simms, I have to go, my other patient just pulled through out of surgery, I gotta go check on him.” I said, he looked at me.

“It’s him right? The prankster?” he asked, I just nodded. “I wanna go see him.” he said, I wasn’t convinced, but he pleaded. “I just wanna say something to him.” he managed to persuade me. So I took him with me towards the elevator and to the ICU floor.

We made it there, and Connor looked at me in question.

“Mr. Simms wanted to say something to Peter.” I answered the unasked question.

Connor nodded, and the three of us went into the room.

“Mr. and Mrs. Wallace? This is Bill Simms. It was his wife–” started Connor.

“Lucy. Her name was Lucy.” he said, not looking at the parents.

“It was Lucy's liver that was transplanted into Peter.” I added.

“Thank you for saving our son.” said Mrs. Wallace

“What you've done for our family–” Peter’s dad started to talk, but Mr. Simms interrupted him.

“I didn't do it for your family.” Mr. Simms said, he made a pause to sniffle, but the continued. “I did it for mine.” he made another pause. “Death isn't justice. Can he hear me?” he asked Connor, pointing at Peter.

“Yes, he can.” my friend answered.

“My wife– my wife died because of you. And now she keeps you alive… And that's gonna haunt you for the rest of your life.” he said, his expression somber.

Oh no

“Mr. Simms, please.” I said, trying to stop him.

“No, no, no, I can't– Look, you wanted a following, right? Kids today, everyone wants a following. I'm gonna give you a following every day on every social media site for the rest of your life. I'm gonna be there to remind the world of what you did!” he started raising his voice by the end of his last sentence, becoming more erratic by the second. Connor and I stepped in between him and Peter’s bed.

“You will never be able to go anywhere or do anything without people knowing who you are!” Mr. Simms exclaimed against Connor who was pushing him out of the room. I just stood there, my back facing the kid, one of my arms extended to protect him.

“You will never be able to hide!” was the last thing we heard from Bill Simms as Connor managed to get him out of the room.

I turn towards the terrified teen and distraught family.

“I’m so sorry about that.” I said to the three of them, then turned my attention to the kid. “You gotta understand Peter, actions have consequences… you did something dumb today, and someone payed the price.” I made a pause, he looked at me, as well as the parents. “I’m not gonna scold you, everyone makes mistakes… I just hope that today helps you to think before acting next time.” I smiled at him. “Because, and I mean this in the best way possible, I don’t want to see you around here ever again. So take good care of yourself, hear me?” I asked him, he nodded the best he could.

I nodded at the parents who nodded back and I just left the room. I went to the elevators and made my way to the ED floor, just as Miss Goodwin was leaving Connor’s side.

“Hey.” I said to him, he just nodded to acknowledge my presence. “Come on, if we don’t hurry, Will and Jay will make a mess of my apartment.” I said, he snorted.

“Somehow I doubt that.” he said.

“Oh believe me, they could. But they know I’d kick their asses if they did, so, for thier sake, they don’t.” I said, that did get a laugh out of my friend.

“Oh, I’d bet you win.” he said.

“Like hell I will! They may be older, but I’m smarter.” I said, while we made our way to the doctors lounge.

[kaiserouo]

Hi.

This is a rambling post because i'm sick. Somehow turned into a post about my history about art. Kinda spent too much time on this that i don't really wanna delete this now. Oh well.

More below.

Yeah okay. You might think why i'm rambling in an art blog. It's because english isn't my native language and i kinda think differently with english. I've complained enough on plurk with chinese today so, uh, i'm here now lol.

I am so sick right now i don't even know if it's food poisoning or normal cough / fever. Anyway, i stared at a blank canvas in csp for >4 hours and cannot even do anything because of all the migraines i have.

The pain kinda took away the little inspiration and creativity i had, even though i have like a full idea list with detailed and concrete comic plot attached to almost every single item on the list.

So i'm gonna post the second hound i've ever drawn, probably because i have just lost the capability to make proper decisions. Also being sick and cannot physically do anything made my mind flew to who knows where.

2022/02/12

I mean, it kinda sucks. I know i also didn't achieve anything important now but oh man.

You know, it's kinda a miracle why i'm here doing art stuff almost every single day, and why this piece is in my phone in the first place. If you've seen my stuff a lot (for whatever reason) you might already know i...don't like myself very much. Not until recently when i'm reading a book did i realize i'm a perfectionist type of person. Like, i don't like failure, i don't like being...not able to do stuff. When i try something i think i can achieve and realize that i actually just...don't have the ability to do the stuff to my standards, i'd very likely just quit.

I was not capable of drawing anything. You might be thinking "oh no art is not about being capable or making masterpiece first try it's for fun you can do whatever." I kinda got it, like i understand the point this sentence is trying to convey, but my brain just...doesn't work like that. I think perfectionist is just an inherent bad habit of mine. Especially that i've been lurking on social media watching actual masterpiece level of fanart (at least to me) since i was like, 12. My taste of art and what i perceive as "good" did not match my ability to draw, and very likely never will.

It's basically a death sentence, because if you can't really achieve something to your standards then why do you even try? I mean, objectively speaking it's very illogical to say that and you can probably deduce a lot of contradictions from that, maybe like "masters were once a noob too they weren't born with all the skills they have" or something like that. But that's why i said i'm a perfectionist and it's my inherent bad habit. My brain just defaults to...whatever illogical thinking i said. Until that piece of Bloodhound i've already tried to draw many characters years before, but those attempts just...never last.

But that time, when i tried to draw Bloodhound, i recalled an advice that you should put all your work on the internet. Just, literally all of them, no matter how bad it was. It kinda makes sense to me actually. To keep the progress for future inspections; to give myself a pressure to draw something every day; to put what i was thinking into words, knowing that i will forget all the struggle i had once i became good enough (if that ever happens).

So i made a new plurk account. Nice platform, only taiwanese use that, very little people, even less will see my art months into the cause so that's nice for an introvert like me. But the pressure i gave myself to post everyday is very real, and i despise my art every single day. Old habits die hard, even for now.

Everything kinda flows natually after i got into the habit of posting things everyday. I must stress that this habit itself is a miracle. I'm an introvert that can't really talk with strangers, let alone shouting out loud (i.e., posting) on the internet. Anyway, this changed things. I started to actually draw, like, almost every day. There's never anything i did in my life that i actually made into a habit, or, uh, just generally do everyday without much obstacles in my heart. I usually just play games after school and watch youtube and daydream about all kinds of plot about the game, that'd be all i do.

I can get through a lot of details about the progress thanks to the post i was making, but to put it simply: i think i'm trash at making art, and my art is also trash, so i tried to learn things to make it…less trash. Most art post i've done i wrote about what i tried and what i've learned. Not actual research and book reading, just a bit of observation i made to make my hound look better.

At roughly 2023/2 i saw a post about learning art in 100 days. Ignoring all the thoughts thinking i was trash and achieved way less in a year, i actually started borrowing books about art. Spent like 2 months on stonehouse's anatomy, also a bit on perspective. I'm kinda a nerd so i'm completely fine with the biology and perspective related math (like most properties are 10 seconds easy proof after all). But the memorizing part of anatomy and the intuition part of perspective i'm still trying to get familiar with. Well that all comes down to practice and practice and more practice, which i do way less than i should to be honest.

At 2023/7 i made this account. That time i just got into destiny 2. Fun fact, that banner of cayde + bloodhound + omen was made in ~2023/6 and i didn't even know which games cayde and omen are from until i actually look it up.

And…yeah. This post kinda turns into my history of drawing but this is it. Still learning, still making my daydreams into art. i think the only thing that changed this year is that i kinda enjoy my own art now. I still think some of them are bad, especially as the art gets older, but it's not completely unbearable now. Like, i often go back to some old posts and think "oh yeah i drew this idea, still hilarious to me lol." Crazy, huh?

Okay i'm tired. I think this should have some kind of ending or conclusion...

Yeah, so why it's a miracle i'm here? I started to make art, i kinda made it a habit, i posted about my art even if i'm an introvert irl, i look down upon my own art because i'm a perfectionist, i still make art despite of that, i post enough stuff on the internet before and i plucked up my courage to post on english platforms (i.e., tumblr), and i'm still making art till this day.

I didn't meant it as some kind of art learning advice because you shouldn't even listen to me in that case. It's just me mesmerized by how i even ended up here. Tend to do that when i'm sick on bed doing nothing.

C'est la vie, am i right?

[arolegos]

who are your top ten favorite black clover characters and ships (romantic, platonic) talk about them?

ooh THATS FUNNN

i think it's honestly pretty obvious, but:

1. Luck :3

(cw for child abuse here)

ARGGHH theres just something about him i relate to and idk if its the autism or if its bc Im Not right in the Head !!!!!! HES SO AWESOME AND SILLY AND I LOVE INSANE CHARACTERS SECOND TO THE PATHETIC ONES . the way hes written is literally so Real . that fear of feeling so out of place that youre afraid of losing your friends for the smallest things IS SO REAL AHH how could i NOT like him .AND IDKKK he doesnt exactly fit my criteria of who usually ends up being my fav character in a show/movie/game (i.e. pathetic wet cat traumaful geezer (lloyd, hunter, keith) or jokester loser boy (leo, sonic)) BUT. I LIKE INSANE CHARACTERS TOO . i LIKE that hes a battlefreak . I LIKE that hes a maniac. I LIKE THAG HES A WEIRDO!!!! his love language is literally physical attack . he is So Me. i also Cannot stop myself from punching my friends constantly and Annoying them with pokes and stuff likr that .AND ILL ALWAYS APPRECIATE IT WHEN THEY PUNCH BACK OR SOMETJING LIKE THAG IT JUST MEANS EVERYTHING TO ME . I GET IT I LOVE BANTER TOO

man i just cant get over how well they did with luck his whole personal dilema with his mom and eventually coming around to realise he had /other/ people he could fight for is just so sweet

its just ??? everything about that guy? its so fucking nice. its the way theyre able to implement the effects of a traumatising upbringing in a realistic way while acknowledging that it takes time to properly recover and the fact that they show that abuse really does have lasting effects because, despite being treated that way, he still idolised his mother bc what other choice did he have? she was the only one who cared about him in /some/ way even if she was abusive. the other kids in his school were mean as hell for no reason and so he turned to his only source of comfort who only saw him for his powers that proved his strength. and the only praise he got from her was how strong he was, and how he needed to win all his fights, so when she dies, he does everything he can to achieve that goal like a promise that he just cant break bc. again, what other choice does he have? in his head, his mother is all he ever had, even if she wasnt really there for him. but he continues fighting even though he acknowledges all that his mother did to him and its just so. so aughghgh. and he fights and fights and fights and at first its only for his mother, but then he starts looking around him and gets hit by the realisation that things have passed. his mom isn't there anymore, and he had people who genuinely cared about him. he had magna, vanessa, the black bulls, everyone and its just so?? its so important to me u dont understand. he tries to run to her when the choice arises but who does he ultimately go to? his friends, his family bc he had other people to fight for now. it's no longer 'fighting for my mom', now it's just 'fighting for my friends', and MOST IMPORTANTLY 'FIGHTING FOR ME' ahhsuhafhhff its just so fucking important to me his recovery is kept so close to my heart no body gets it holy hel . and he still fights and i LOVE thta about him so fucking much. instead of dropping everythin he had, he claimed it all for himself. instead of pointihg a finger at his mom, he establishes it as his own. and its just so

.maybe im reading too much into it. I'm just silly :P

2. Vanessa

re: mother issues . she is Also so me . IDK I LOVE HER CHARACTER A LOTTTTTT . the way shes written and developed is INSANEEEEEEE AND I LOVE HER FOR WHO SHE IS SHE COULD STRANGLE ME WITH HER THREADS AND ID SUPPORT HER.!!!! she is the coolest and realest character in all of black clover . she cares SO MUCH for the team even if thats not obvious on first glance but she would literally DIE for them (as opposed to luck's "would kill for them (or for no reason at all)" which btw makes them bounce off eachother so well) . also her powers are cool as fuck . Ive always liked the whole concept of threads of fate (greek mythology Your time is numbered) SO OFCC I WENT BALLISTIC WHEN I SAW HER . i was jumping up and down like a FREAK . her design is so cunty too.... who is she serving this much for...

3. Magna

yes theyre my fav trio. i Hope that is obvious. HES SO SILLY AND REAL . I LOVE HIS CHARACTER I LOVE HIS DESIGB AND I LOVE HOW. HOW REAL HE IS . his fear of falling behind is REAL AS FUCKKK. his fear of not being strong enough for his friends is SO ACTUALLY REAL . i love his envy and i love his humanity and i love how that makes him a better character bc he'll always Be the Better version of himself and its never for the wrong reasons . hes literally who i imagine most of us would feel like in the black clover universe dawg .

4. Dorothy

no reason for this tbh i just like her design and personality and powers . She is so sill y.

5. Leopold!!!!

AHHH HES SO SILLY WHAT THE FREAKKKK . hes so FUNNN . i love whenever hes on the screen and i love to imagine how he is with his siblings. hes such a cutie pie!!! I LOVE CHARACTERS LIKE HIM A QHOLE BUNCH . he js my Son

6. Mereleona :3

Design. CHARACTER. WOMAN . GODDD DAMNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!! girl i would KILL MYSELF in front of your worst enemy if that mf looked at you wrong . In fact.i would Kill them myself I think .Bc ur so gorgeous and amazing.and bc I LOVE YOU. dawggg shes so awesome and cool and meowmeow and I want her so bad ohmygod whosaid that?!??!

nah though im being fr i love her character sm. i love her independence. i love her loud and brash personality. i love her interactions with other characters. i love her attitude and would love for her to hit me with those arms

7. Noelle

i love her chafacter so insanely i cant even lie to u she might be one of the best written chars in black clover of all time . HER PERSONALITYS SO SILLY TOO AND I LOVE HER DESIGN plus water powers r FIRE

8. Rill

real (Haha) . So solly....how can i not love him...... I'm being fr though he's like ink sans if he slayed better

9. Finral

girlloser i hope he gets set on fire /pos

transfem allegory

10. Fana/Nero

i CANNOT choose. DOnt make me choose pleasr . TEHYRE BOTH SO CUTE AND SILLY AND I LOVE THEIR DESIGNS AND BACKSTORIES AND !!!!!!!!!! they make me go Insne

as for ships and dynamics errrm

1. whatever the fuck this trio is called

im naming them loser3 Til i find ojt their actual trio name . BUT I LOVE THEM OFC I DO THEYRE MY TOP 3 AND I LKVE HOW THEIR PERSONALITIES BOUNCE OFF EACHOTHER . their banter is literally how i talk with my friends . vanessa is the realest older sister and rhe way she teases them (Magna especially) is so so real shes so me . theyre so silly to me..... im so sad they dont have more tgt in canon ....

2. magluck...

ugh i hate Them.ihope they get hit with the doomed Yaoi ray . KIDIDNH . THEYRE SILLY. idc if u see them as friends or as lovers, it doesnt rly matter to me bc theyre literallg perfect pairs regardless of if u see them as platonic or romantic . they HELP EACGOTHER IMPROVE. luck just never giving up on magna even though he feels like he'll never catch up and then magna never letting up on luck bc he knows that fighting is his means of love and how he'll always be his friend even if he can be a jerk and veen though he was possesed by an elf its just so !!!!AND THE SPADE ARC? LUCK SENSING HIS MANA? AND THEN BEING SO EXCITED TO FINALLY SEE HIM AGAIN AFTER MONTHS APART??? AND HIS FIRST THOUGHT ISNT "hes probably weaker than me now" NO ITS "i cant wait to fight him again" GAWDDDDD

they cannot exist without each other but they excel the best when theyre far apart .BUT THE ONLY REASON THAT LATTER PART HAPPENS is bc they WANT to be stronger FOR the other .they dont fight for nothing . i am So Normal about them

3. idk if this counts but the black bulls

i mean no shit i like them . i Like ninjago .

i love it when a group of misfits band together into a found family that nobody was particularly aware they were joining . that is so Real . You have No Choice but to be a part of this family Yami built (not on purpose).If you try to escape, no You wont.You will come back. Thatis a promise and a Threat (looking at zora and nacht).

neurodivergence spectrum looking ass team

4. finral & vanessa :3

do they have a name too . idk. but they're so t4t lesbian. oh my god . love them they're so silly I love cunty girlfailures they're one of my most favourite genders ever fr....

and also THEYRE SO CUTEEE I LOVE THEIR FRIENDSHIP !!!!! their personalities bounce off each other so well and so easily . you could tell me tabata-sensei wrote them as a package deal and Id believe it

5. astelle (i think its what theyreCalled)

used to not be the biggest fan of this ship. until I Saw the Vision. and I waslike Huh.theyre so silly together.

theyre a lot similar to magluck in the way they both seem to help each other improve! and I love their dynamic. i love their personalities. they're meant to be and I fr don't think anyone can convince me otherwise. platonic or romantic, I still believe they're soulmates . they care for each other so much it makes me want to claw my hair out

6. asta n yuno!! :)

the fuck you brothers

theyre the main duo how could they not be well written. their personalities are so GREAT together. their juxtaposition of literally every part of their lives is INSANITY. asta was born with no magic; yuno was born with too much for a peasant. asta was accepted into the 'worst' squad; yuno had joined the best. asta is shouldered by a demon; yuno is aided by a spirit. they are polar opposites, yet they are the same. they are nothing alike but they are brothers.!!!! they mean the world to me and idk how to properly word my thoughts on them

YES YES im a sucker for relationships where the chars support each other so much that they help them improve both indirectly and directly. its cute. its meaningful. i hope my friends feel this way about our friendships.

7. vanessa and luck :3

mother issues core . i love them and I hope they DIE in canon ./pos

theyre so siblings bye. AND I LOVE HOW CHEEKY THEY ARE WITH OTHER PEOPLE. UGH. SHUT UP. ILL BEAT YOUR ASS. i LOVE THEM SO MUCH.

8. zora and magna !!!!

dont ever leave them in a room together or trust you'll have to walk on the walls to get across .Magna really is the little brother zora never asked for 💝

9. asta and klaus

you HAVE to see my vision. do you UNDERSTAND HOW FUNNY IT IS that klaus had beef with this shrimp half his size. AND THEN HE ENDS UP RESPECTING HIMLIKE GUYS . THEYRE SO FUNNY .THEYRE SO GOOFY. i love their dynamic sm. they're so goddamn silly. I'm going to throw them into a blender.

10. secre/nero and asta :p

hes the little brother that she secretly wished for for her 10th Christmas as a child and here he is 500 years later!!!

IM NOT SURE WHAT IT IS. THEYRE JUST REALLY FUNNY OTGETHER. their personalities are so contrasting its insane how well they get along.

[thekatea]

Midnight Museum

Watched: 04.04.2023

The tale of involuntary naps and ass whopping.So, I’m not gonna lie, Midnight Museum is a complete mess - from how the characters are written, through the countless plot holes and underdeveloped plotlines, up till the rushed ending. It’s entertaining though. I think it is… I honestly cannot be sure how much of my enjoyment came from all the chats, comments, posts and discussions with other mdl users. This is a perfect show to hype each other up about. (psst... I do love the show though. I sold my soul to it).

While the idea behind the plot is brilliant, the execution left a lot to desire. From the start it was an episodic type of a deal, which seemed to exist more as a promo for all the GMMTV actors and less as a means to tell a cohesive story. Not to mention the mix of supernatural, fantasy and even sci-fi theories - nothing to be explained or explored. It’s just a big bag of everything, that ends up being nothing.

I understand where they were going with the plot, but I honestly think they lacked a writer and director with experience in that genre. Midnight Museum is just not a smooth viewing experience. They did not highlight important details in the scenes, lines that were explaining connections between plotlines, hints that would make it easier for viewers to understand the whole picture. When you watch the episode, it’s hard to tell what you should focus on and what info might be useful later on.

You know what it feels like? Like watching just a middle season of a tv show - you don’t get a proper setup for the characters nor a well explained conclusion. It just felt like there should be more at the beginning and the end. All that said, the second half of the last episode was just phenomenal. Added 0.5 to my rating just because of these last 40 minutes. But it also made me truly see how much potential to be a masterpiece this drama had.

While I love Khatha and Dome for their interactions (local straight boys acting gay, if you know what I mean), and Khatha was quite a “mood” on many occasions, I don’t think I have ever seen weaker main characters than them. Dome was forced to take a few too many involuntary naps and Khatha got his ass whooped by almost every bad character. That said, this was a bromance on the level of Chinese censored gay romance and for that I am grateful.

Then we have all the supporting characters: Anthika served looks, Triphop and Bam got the “kind of competent, but not really” presentation with a 0.5% fling going on, June was there to make Khatha accept his feelings for Dome and Boon… barely existed. That’s more or less what the characters brought to the table. I think it’s kind of an achievement to have 10 episodes and not one character actually developed.

What saved all of these characters? Amazing acting. Tor and Gun did a great job and their on screen chemistry was to die for. It’s nice to see two competent actors together, because too often we watch one person carry the whole show on their backs.

Supporting cast did a great job too. Yes, I would appreciate Saiparn going one step further and exaggerating the character just a little bit more and Tay giving me a little bit more expression during some scenes, but overall, I don’t really have many complaints. I’m especially content with all the guest appearances and the quality of acting there.

The MVP award goes to Nanon though. This guy delivered probably his best performance up to date.

For the production value - it fluctuated. I was not exactly on board with the set designs. The museum felt painfully empty and not grand enough. I think the majority of the costume budget went to dress Tor, so the rest was underwhelming (especially June - the design for the dress was great, but the quality of it seemed cheap). Some special effects were nice, some were rather questionable. There is also the case of actors not being used to acting with nothing, which made the CGI elements stand out more and not feel like they were part of the picture.

Overall, entertaining mess. It had a lot of potential, but most of it was not used. They tried to pack too much into these 10 episodes so we ended up with a diluted story with little details and world building. I would highly recommend it as a group watch, because it benefits greatly from exchanging theories and hyping each other up as you watch. It’s a great memes and joke source.

That ending though. I don't think I could be more happy with all that crazy shit at the end. Exactly my type of a deal.

[coolcattime]

3, 20, 22, 24!

Quick warning, this is probably gonna turn into a ramble about my hyperfixations! Question 22 is under the read more section and will contain spoilers for Telltale's The Walking Dead. Question 24 will also be under the read more, because I want to post some pictures with and and also this post is getting a little long 😅

3. 1-3 games you’ve played in the past 12 months that you really enjoyed

First! Your Turn to Die: Death Game By Majority. January 2022, my best friend came to my room and told me that we were going to play this together, a game at the time I had heard of but didn't really think was my thing, and I'm so glad they did because my god do I love this game so much. It's a horror adventure game where you play as Sara Chidouin who, alongside her best friend Joe and 9 strangers, finds herself in a death game where they will all be voting for who will die. I highly, highly reccomend this game if you find the concept interesting at all, especially because it's free. There's a Steam release coming soon (which I think is coming along with the last part of the game), but right now you can download and play for free or even play it in browser.

Second! The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles! I finally branched out from just the original Ace Attorney trilogy and I'm enjoying it! I'm currently on the 5th case of the 1st game and genuinely I missed playing Ace Attorney. Ryunosuke very quickly became another favourite messy... I would say lawyer but he isn't a lawyer for the first three cases so he became that slowly. But jokes aside, I love all the characters and also it was really fun to (by coincidence) read the Sherlock Holmes The Adventure of the Speckled Band a few days after playing the case inspired by it and retroactively realising they joke about the solution of the book in the game.

And third! The Dark Pictures: The Devil in Me! I love The Dark Pictures games and this one has my favourite type of character in it: mean lebsian! So clearly it's a 10/10 best game!

20. A boss you think is really cool

I don't play a lot of games with boss fights but I really like the Mr. Freeze boss fight from Batman: Arkham City! I think the concept of a boss literally adapting to what you do so it won't work on them anymore is awesome, even if it wouldn't work outside of the more stealth focused boss like this one. I don't actually remember if I've ever played this boss fight (gonna be honestly, I cannot remember the sequence of events in Arkham City, other than the Catwoman sections), but I have a distinct memory of watching my dad play this fight. He tried to do the same thing twice, and when it didn't work was genuinely shocked because he didn't think the game meant it. And honestly that memory stuck in my head.

22. A game ending that’s really stuck with you

So I thought about this for a little while, because there's a couple of different game endings that I think about a lot but there's only one ending that legitimately made me nervous to replay a play with my bff and that is Telltale's The Walking Dead Season 2. It made me turn Jane from a character that was kind of okay to one of, if not my most hated character from a video game; and god was I really scared to play season two with my friend for fear of them really loving Jane (note: they did not, they also do not like Jane).

To give a little context: I played Episode 5 when it went live, like 11pm at night, achievements still not unlockable. And I was excited. By the time of the finale of the episode, I had already cried once (damn beautiful Lee dream sequence) and was not ready for the baby to be dead. I was not ready for the fight between Kenny and Jane and like, gonna be fully honestly, the first time I played I shot Kenny. I shot my 4th favourite character from the series and cried and had a tearful goodbye. And then the baby started crying.

I think this is the biggest betrayal I'd ever felt in a video game. Like to this day, I really can't gel with the idea of leaving a baby in a car in a snowstorm in a zombie apocolaypse to prove a point. I think it's genuinely very messed up and could never really fathom the idea of staying with Jane after that.

I played through the Alone with AJ ending, though I liked both the Kenny endings a lot more and ended up getting an ending with him when I did my replay for achievements.

Being fully honest, I think this ending stuck with me not just because it made me just so angry with a fictional character but because it seems to come so out of nowhere for it to be Jane. Like I fully expected an ending fight with Kenny and Luke, but then it just isn't.

24. A game with a cool art style

Firstly! Darkest Dungeon! The first one, though I do also think the second one looks really cool, I just personally prefer 2d artstyles. I think this game is beautiful and frankly just looks how a game about gothic and cosmic horror should.

And second! Your Turn to Die (again). I think it has a kind of rough start art wise (like there is some very ugly pixel art in the first half an hour), but once it gets going, it kind of feels like playing a manga. Like there's some screens I would love to show, but they are definitely spoilers and, as much as I really want to make a full post just rambling about this game, I don't really wanna spoil the game when I don't have to. ((Also all my saves for this game are on my friend's laptop and I'm not playing a couple hours for one screenshot))

[onedayatatime-please]

Monday, Aug 12th. 2024. 7:43 PM

I know in my description i said this was cheaper than therapy, but I'm actually starting this blog at the same time im choosing to go back to therapy. It has been on my mind for the past three months or so, but I've been hesitant for a couple of reasons. I had such a terrible time with my last therapist that I honestly dont know what the therapist-patient relationship is supposed to be like or how im supposed to speak to them. Also its hard to motivate myself to go looking for a therapist when for so long my brain registered my therapist as a really shitty aspect of life. Also i think ive been having a hard time actually internalizing how bad my mental state is. I know that I feel terrible and that I think things that a lot of people would find extremely worrying and shocking, but at this point in my life im so dissociated from the ability to actually feel concern for myself. Whenever I decide not to kill myself I make that decision based off of the understanding of how it would affect the people around me who I care about. That is something that I can't put them through, especially since I have seen some of them go through it before. That being said, my decision not to kill myself is never based in my personal concern for my wellbeing, or my understanding that one day i will feel better, or my hope for the future. I do not believe that my life has meaning, I do not believe that any life has meaning. I think the concept of creating meaning in life is just another pointless weighted goal we put on ourselves. Although I am not one of those nihilists that believes that because nothing has meaning, therefore we should purposefully cause harm or negative disruption. I do not believe that there is any meaning in life, or that we can create meaning, but I do believe in the reality of emotions. Meaning or not, the way that people feel is one of the few real tactile things on earth. I want to move through the world in a way which does not harm other people. That is my only personal goal. I hope that a second goal can be that I move through the world as a person who regularly experiences joy. Although I will not make that kind of promise to myself. I have not been alive for very long, I am only twenty, but I have been experiencing suicidal thoughts for more then half of my life. So, I will not make it an unrealistic and weighty goal of mine to never experience suicidality again, because i can hardly remember what living without wanting to die feels like. I often feel like if I make something into a goal and I am not able to achieve that goal then I fall into a spiral of self loathing. That being said, I do have other hopes, that I will not make into goals. I hope to live until I am an old man, at least 85. I hope to have children. I hope to have a community of kind and loving people to surround myself with. I hope to have a person to love and grow alongside. I hope to continue to experience music and nature and find joy and inspiration in both things. I cannot promise any of these things to myself and I will not be upset with myself or see it as a failure if I do not achieve them.

If anyone does read this, there is no point I am trying to make. This is a stream of consciousness because I can't be stuck in my own echo-chamber forever. I am proud of myself for making this post and going back to therapy. I'm not dead yet, I will do my best to keep it that way.

[phantom-of-the-memes]

Tumblrs increasing ignorance surrounding veganism is actually driving me insane so just to reiterate:

Vegans are not claiming our lifestyle is 100% cruelty free. No one in todays world can live a 100% cruelty free life. We however, aim for REDUCED cruelty. Yes we know the terrible conditions surrounding various vegetable growing/ harvesting, and it mainly being immigrants who take these jobs, but do you guys not eat these vegetables too? Also no one talks about the same situation with slaughterhouse workers. And the very high percentage of them who develop ptsd as a result of the job.

“Vegans need to accept the natural life/ death cycle”. Yes animals die of natural causes every day. Animals dying for meat in todays system is not natural. “Oh but we always hunted”. Yes we did. And when we did it was nowhere near on the scale of what it is today. This is not us hunting a small number of wild animals. This is a multi billion euro industry that is destroying the environment and that is raising these animals exclusively to be meat. This is cruelty.

And on that note, no farmers cannot love/ be kind to beings they intend to slaughter. That is inherently cruel. Listen I fucking grew up with my grandparents being sheep farmers. I studied agricultural science in school. I know all the practices and how people treat these animals behind closed doors, and it’s nothing like the cute tiktoks they make.

The sheep shearing debacle. Yes some misinformed say they get all cut up when sheared, but that has never been our point, because we know that rarely happens. I mean sheep are sheared in vegan farm sanctuaries. The issue is that they are bred to produce excess wool that needs shearing. Like do you really think that they just evolved to need humans to maintain them?

That goes for milking too. Cows are bred to over produce milk, and only do so for a short period post pregnancy, so farmers need them to be pregnant every year. They can’t get pregnant anymore? Time for slaughter.

And don’t get me started on the goddamn pleather debate. Pleather was not made for vegans! Non vegans use pleather! There are more sustainable faux leather options. Also leather is not the environmental saviour y’all act like it is. As well as that, the price of a leather vs pleather jacket aren’t even comparable. Some ppl want a leather jacket they can afford!

“Vegans are ableist because not everyone can be vegan”. Yes, the second part is true, and any good vegan will tell you so. But most people saying this fully could go vegan. I’m disabled as shit. I am intolerant to so many foods and yet I make it work. And AGAIN, that is not me saying everyone can go vegan. But is it not the duty of people who can to try it?

Similarly: “vegans are all rich elitists, not everyone can go vegan because of the cost”. Listen that may be true in some cases, but the vegan lifestyle is achievable for the average person! It has been shown time and time again. Only the weird specialty items can be overpriced, not the essentials.

And last but not least. No, PETA does not fucking speak for us. Any actual vegan will tell you so. We also cringe at their crazy and just off topic campaigns and tweets. They have a terrible history with founders who have no interest in animal welfare and have shown cruelty themselves to animals.

In conclusion, there are so many resources out there with the facts debunking all the bs flying around. And everyone in this website is usually all for the facts and critical thinking. I’m not trying to convert anyone to veganism, just trying to keep people informed.

[nedlittle]

top 5 most underrated MCR songs 👉🏻👉🏻

burn bright - gay transmac swag. that one genius comment was right calling it their third most homosexual song right behind mama and prison. my second fave track of conventional weapons; feels like spitting out a mouthful of blood and getting gravel in your knees. the spanish guitar! you made me who i am. be afraid of what i am. you know you'll never get to heaven with a love like yours. gay people are real.

not that kind of girl - gay transfem swag. burn bright's preppy younger sister. you know this is underrated because whatever beachy waved cw sapphic couple tumblr is currently going goo goo ga ga over at any given moment ought to have at the very fucking least have gifsets with the lyrics to not that kind of girl. there should be not that kind of girl amvs for like. jennifer's body. incredibly unhinged example but are you picking up what i am putting down? where are the amvs. where's my dykey little teen movie. let me paint you a word picture: it is 2005. we open on two kids playing in a sandbox/larping as knights on the playground/exchanging friendship bracelets, protagonist voice over about how she wishes they could go back to being kids because everything was so less complicated. whatever. we zoom out to look at our protagonist--baby butch. bikini kill posters on her walls. truly heinous haircut. wants to Get Out of This Town. we follow her eyes as she looks out the window at the car that just pulled into her neighbours driveway. a person jumps down the stairs and into the car--gasp! it's the other girl from when they were kids. she gets into the car with her bland-ass boyfriend, locks eyes with our girl before driving away. BAM dirty little secret by all american rejects plays over the opening credits. the plot progresses. protagonist is worried that she's never going to amount to anything and will live and die in this shitty town just like her parents and her grandparents, tries to just keep her head down and get through high school unscathed, parents don't want their kids hanging out with her etc. meanwhile her childhood bestie is tightlaced into this life of high achievement: she's got a full ride to a good school, she's in model un and plays three different sports, on track to be valedictorian. a good kid. but she seems unhappy with being saddled with these expectations, her heart isn't in her relationship anymore. hmm i wonder why. the second half of the film follows her as she wonders what's wrong with her life that she doesn't want to live it. tries to avoid kissing her boyfriend, flunks an important test, gets concussed playing soccer because she's thinking about her childhood bestie. accidentally-on-purpose ends up at the only gay bar for miles just to. y'know. see what gay people are like BAM ring of keys moment with the intensity of ten thousand suns. BIG realization that she has to start living her life for herself. also gets a bad haircut. breaks up with her boyfriend. tells her parents she wants to take a year off before going to college. the girls kiss. last shot is them recreating the scene from the opening. fade out. BAM not that kind of girl plays over the closing credits. do you understand my artistic vision? i understand why it wasn't included on any albums proper because sonically and lyrically it doesn't quite fit anywhere but god it's SO fun and bouncy. nancy sinatra shoutout! the boots are big stompy combat boots. loud ass ray backing vocals. if you get it you get it if you don't you don't!!!

the end/dead - i cannot separate these two. they are conjoined twin sisters and even listening to them separately is an act of violence to me. possibly the funniest song transition overall. iconic transgender acceptance and resilience in the face of rapidly oncoming death into YEEEEEEEAHHHHHH. the huge, soaring guitars into an auditory experience i can only describe as these bitches frolicking around in my head while i speedrun the stages of grief. pitch perfect opening to such an ambitious album that i'm still shocked they managed to pull off. can we play either of these live again. can we please. either of them.

disenchanted - as i am disconnected from the fandom as whole and am just having fun with my friends i have no idea how disenchanted ranks amongst the fans as a whole but what i do know is that on the post i made about being thankful mikey gaslit the others to get disenchanted on the album while they were actively being haunted (mikeyway i love you there is so much wrong with you) someone said it was shit and i was overcome with holy rage. you don't get it. it was the roar of the crowd that gave me heartache to sing. you're just a sad song with nothing to say. an all time weeper. makes me experience regret and nostalgia and grief for a live i have never lived. trying to think of the most evil combos for a disenchanted encore. disenchanted/cancer. disenchanted/kids. demo lovers/disenchanted. i know you're there mikey. force your bandmates to put this one back on the setlists again. haunt them if you need to.

bulletproof heart - when i was in high school the only album i really listened to was danger days because i was too intimidated to get into the others. it was the most accessible to me, having listened to almost nothing but fall out boy from the time i was 13-18. i had no friends on my bus route home and it wasn't a long ride, thankfully, but it meant that i only got to listen to a little bit of danger days. depending on how fast i walked from the bus stop i'd make it home it home sometime during sing (also i like sing :( i do think it's good. ppl need to stop being mean to it bc it got airplay and was on glee even tho yeah the glee version was bad). i would do this every day my final semester of high school, the same three tracks, the same walk home. when i go through the one crosswalk by my house i instinctively think of the chorus to bulletproof heart because it always played at the exact same point. i measured my way home in my chemical romance and god i did want to run away from here. iconic gender with the jenny/johnny switch in the second verse. not even my favourite song off danger days but it's so special to me because i needed it to be <3

[chiefdirector]

the lakes | Folklore | Harry Hary (Galahad) x Hamish Mycroft (Merlin) | Kingsman

Is it romantic how all my elegies eulogize me? I'm not cut out for all these cynical clones, these hunters with cell phones

All of his life, Harry Hart had known some form of battle. From the taunting of bullies on his school’s playground, to the self-resentment of his teenage years and then the wars and fights which came with being a Kingsman. It was no surprise to him when another fight, another war to be won, ended up in his hands. And it shouldn’t have been a surprise to him that this would also be the way he would die. But it was surprising.

As he looked down the barrel of Valentine’s gun, Harry couldn’t help regret not kissing his husband just one more time. He hadn’t expected to see someone waiting for him outside of the massacre he had participated in, maybe if he had, he would have one less regret.

Take me to the lakes where all the poets went to die. I don't belong, and my beloved, neither do you. Those Windermere peaks look like a perfect place to cry. I'm setting off, but not without my muse.

Regrets, however, were a fickle thing; once you start to let them in, they begin to flood every thought like water rushing through a broken dam. And no matter how hard you try to fight it; it cannot be fixed before they start to trickle in again.

He longed to kiss Hamish one last time, to reassure him that it would all be okay. The Quartermaster always seemed to worry too much about Harry and never enough about himself. Even with their professionalism, it was moments like these did the two seek each other out, finding comfort in each other.

Harry also longed to go back to the lakes by their countryside home. The two of them retreated there whenever they could spare the time. For a few hours they could leave behind the professionalism of Galahad and Merlin and just be Harry and Hamish. They would bring a large flask of tea to share and enjoy the gentle breeze from across the water. During the summer months, Harry would point out the species of butterflies and Hamish would hum along, half listening. Tome would stand still for them.

He longed for the comfort Hamish brought, he longed for the gentle mornings and the long nights; he longed for his home which he would never see again.

What should be over burrowed under my skin in heart-stopping waves of hurt?

Hamish, or currently Merlin, watched the exchange take place, silently begging for his husband to achieve one last miracle and somehow survive this. He wanted Harry, or Galahad as he should say, to find some stupid and convoluted way to get away from Valentine. He wanted Galahad to come home to him, but miracles weren’t real, and Harry was out of time.

If it was any other agent, Merlin would be prepping for an extraction team to come in for when the agent’s heart stopped beating. He would be preparing for the recruitment process to start over once more. He would be following the protocols he spent hours studying and curating. But it wasn’t any other agent, this was Harry and all he could do was watch as the bullet left the gun and his husband let out one final breath of air.

I want auroras and sad prose; I want to watch wisteria grow right over my bare feet. 'Cause I haven't moved in years, and I want you right here.

The funeral was small. Although Harry had saved and bettered many lives, he didn’t let many people in. It wasn’t in his nature. He had always said that he didn’t want to have anyone else to lose. He did never lose anyone, but as Hamish looked around the half-empty church, he wished that Harry had allowed himself to be loved by others. He deserved to be celebrated by the many, not mourned by the few.

Hamish wasn’t one for second guessing nor regrets, but as he watched the empty coffin as it was lowered into the ground, he allowed himself to imagine what might have happened if he had looked outside the church. Harry would be alive and with him. He would’ve returned home, and they would’ve made dinner before going to bed at an ungodly hour.

And I want you right here while I bathe in cliffside pools with my calamitous love and insurmountable grief.

After the service, Hamish left to go back home. He couldn’t stand to be around people saying how great his husband was, as if it was any consolation. However, as he walked up the path, Hamish kept walking through their overgrown garden towards the lake.

The water was the same murky brown it usually was, the grass was still green, and the flowers were still in bloom. Harry was now a memory, frozen in time, but here, at the lake, time stood still once more.

Folklore | Masterlist | Buy me a coffee?

[oumaheroes]

hii its bougie <3 if you're still taking hc requests, i was wondering if you'd have thoughts on something that's been on my mind for a while. i was interested in the nuance to english culture due to regional differences. eg.,dinner being called "tea" in the north of england, rugby being more popular in the south, the difference in how scones with jam and cream are enjoyed in Devon and Cornwall?? or how certain english accents are perceived as... "less attractive" i guess (the black country accents are unpopular apparently?) -- you'd probably know more about these particularities than me ;u;

i was wondering how these cultural differences might map onto hws England's character, and how they might influence his attitudes and behaviours. because there's such a clearly defined stereotype of the english that i think shape people's expectations of what the english are like, i usually think that Arthur usually consciously acts according to what counts as positive interpretations of himself. however, i love nuanced and somewhat subversive interpretations of his character, and am very curious if you might have any ideas on how these kind of internal regional differences might shape him.

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

Bougieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee <3

I’m not gonna lie this sent me down a RABBIT HOLE of thoughts, so hang on tight cos we're gonna get messy.

Accents:

Let’s start with my personal favourite, so excuse me whilst I geek out for a second. I’ve gone into this area already in this headcanon, but I personally see England being a very proud little dragon regarding English accents, those both native and non-native to the British Isles. Focusing just on accents within England for this post, the way Arthur himself sees them, (regarding class and general preference), comes a lot down to how I see him feeling about language and the unification of England in general.

England is a tiny country. It’s really teeny, compared to some, and yet holds an incredible number of regional accents and dialects (from digging about the internet for a good source, I keep finding numbers ranging from 37 to 43). There are a number of reasons for this, but the one that I love the most is that accents are influenced by the previous/ influential other languages spoken in a given area. Accents on the East of England are more influenced by Viking invaders, both phonologically and via the dialectal words used, and accents/ dialects in the West are more influenced by Welsh, for example.

Accents and dialects tell the history of a place, all who ever came there and influenced it to some degree. The map of English accents is a patchwork quilt of old cultures and people now lost to time, but their ways of speaking have been preserved in the modern tongue. The old English kingdoms might now be mere counties- Kent, Essex, Sussex, East Anglia, etc- they may not have their own influence or language these days as they used to, but their old ways have been imprinted on their people of today whether they know it or not and they carry pieces of the past in their words and how they speak them. Older speakers of the Northern English dialects liek the Yorkshire dialect still use ‘thou/thee’ where this has fallen out in other areas, the Midlands and parts of the South-East still keep the ‘-n’ ending for possessive pronouns (‘yourn’ instead of ‘yours’, ‘ourn’ instead of ‘ours’), and there’s even some linguistic research into how Brittonic, the ancestor of Modern Welsh, influenced English structure and phonology (for references, see notes at the end).

Back to England the person (to contain myself slightly), his regional accents are a story of himself, his history being kept alive in all of its variety every day. He doesn’t hold a classist view of a ‘good’ or ‘bad’ accent because he knows why they’re all there- what languages and people influenced them and how these events affected him- the older generations now lost and forgotten being kept alive in the smallest of phonemes.

Every dialect, every accent, and every language tells the story of a people, from the smallest phonological marker right up to a language as a whole and England takes comfort and pride in his dialects and accents’ longevity and variety. He is as much of the North as he is the South, as much of the East as the West and a patchwork man born of patchwork cultures it makes no sense for him to favour one particular accent over another.

That being said, he is aware that there is a common cultural stance on accents as well as an opinion regarding ‘ugly’ ones, ‘common’ ones, and ‘classy’ ones, but he himself doesn’t partake in these ideas. I like to think that a nation takes on the speech of the people and the area they’re in, matching the person they speak to or the area they visit to relate to their people. So, for me a Chav Arthur exists as much as a Brummie one does, or a Scouser, or a Geordie, or a Cockney. They’re all English, and thus they’re all a part of him.

Class

I have to include this one, if only to touch on it lightly regarding accents and dialects. Class does influence which words you speak, arguably just as much as which accent (this is known as a sociolect). Although I said that England adopts the accent of whatever area he’s in, or whomever he’s talking to if they’re English, the class people are will also affect which words he choses to use.

Here’s a short example from here:

'It is pudding for the upper class. Dessert is sometimes used by upper middles, but afters and sweets very clearly put you below stairs.'

Have some more!

Upper class: Spectacles, Lavatory or loo, Die, Napkin, Sofa

Middle class: Glasses, Toilet , Pass on, Serviette, Settee or couch

(Working class is a mix but harder to find sources for).

This is where England treads a fine line. It could be that he again adopts more of a class lexicon regarding who he is speaking to, matching his people word for word. However, England is not unaware of the affects of class, regardless of how he himself feels, and also although class snobbery and divide frustrate him, he cannot deny using this understanding to benefit himself, which also conforms to how his own people behave. (I myself have, many times, diluted and filtered my speech to be seen as ‘better’).

Want to be seen as more reliable and powerful? Want to be taken more seriously? RP and Estuary English (a lot more so these days), hold undeniable sway and England is not above adopting a manner of speaking to come across ‘better’ or more polite, or a more ‘common’ accent to fit in with the working classes. I think of England as leaning more towards a working-class mindset- he’s very hands on, very up for and used to manual labour and this particular English class has always made up the bulk of his population. It makes no sense for a nation, who represents all of their people, to have a snide view or a preference for a particular group and England as a person I see is someone who does not enjoy the foppery and false airs of aristocracy.

That being said, England is an intelligent man. He knows how to work a room and use a crowd to his advantage, knows what must be done and what he needs to do to achieve a goal and if this entails courting the upper classes for a time then he will do so. He’s adepts at switching himself like a chameleon, blending his behaviours, accent, and dialect to match who he’s talking to to achieve a goal or to fit in with someone’s perception of him, or to gain influence or prestige. He also doesn’t hate his upper classes- they are of him too, and the middle and working class have their own prejudices and ideas against the others. But he doesn’t adopt a stereotypical distain of lower classes because to him, it really doesn’t make much sense.

Abroad, this need to cultivate a particular perception defiantly comes under greater pressure. RP and Estuary English are more well know, more heard and taught, and more recognisably ‘British’, and so these are what he uses when speaking English to other nations or foreigners, either wanting to uphold an image of himself (more so in the Victorian/ Edwardian period than nowadays) or just for the ease of being understood.

Regional Differences

Okay, this one is a lot more fun. Does England put in his milk first or last when making tea? Does he put jam first, or clotted cream when having a scone? Does he have chips with gravy, or curry sauce? Does he have dinner at 6, or 9? To marmite, or not to marmite.

Ah, that is the question, and England does not know the answer. Does he do what he does because that’s what he likes, or because that’s what his people do? He didn’t grow up with these habits, after all, they’re all relatively recent in his lifetime, and so these habits are defiantly things he cultures for a particular audience.

I’m not really sure if the above preferences are class based, (well, milk first when making tea is argued to be, but I can't find any sources I'd consider entirely credible. I put the ones I did find in the notes below, in case any one's interested), so it’s hard to get a sense of which one to use. Overall, it doesn’t matter which you do and neither is right or wrong, but the English feel strongly about them, one way or another, and often Arthur the man isn’t sure at all which one he himself actually thinks is better.

Food in another sense though is something he can be surer of. A Cornish pastie not from Cornwall is not worth eating, nor is a Bakewell tart outside of Bakewell. England can be very particular about this sort of thing and enjoys maintaining and supporting the ‘original’ flavour or recipe of a thing where he can, considering this to be the ‘best’. Sally Lunn Buns from Bath, Gypsy tarts from Kent, Eccles Cakes from Eccles.

England wants to preserve his food and culture and has what could be considered a snobbish view on the ‘best’ way of creating or eating his national foods. Some things he is more lenient with: he will eat cheddar cheese, whether or not it is from Cheddar, same from Cumberland sausages not from Cumbria. But he certainly has a preference and he is not afraid to voice this when asked for his opinion.

Okay, we're done

Phew! This had me digging out my old linguistic student brain. To anyone who has made it this far down, gosh golly miss molly thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed the ride, and especially @prickyy who was kind enough to want to hear my opinions about all of this <3

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

Notes:

Brittonic influence on English:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brittonicisms_in_English

https://scholar.google.co.uk/scholar_url?url=http://journals.mountaintopuniversity.edu.ng/English%2520Language/Celtic%2520Influences%2520in%2520English%2520A%2520Re-evaluation.pdf&hl=en&sa=X&ei=2ohDYdq3BoWImwHn6oWQAg&scisig=AAGBfm29zTF0FBCpd1KqDiAbjM-0X7nfoA&oi=scholarr (PDF)

https://scholar.google.co.uk/scholar_url?url=http://www.oppi.uef.fi/wanda/unicont/abstracts/14ICEHL_MF.pdf&hl=en&sa=X&ei=2ohDYdq3BoWImwHn6oWQAg&scisig=AAGBfm3UvOXbJEb0b51J73eBnTJvgGaQOA&oi=scholarr (PDF)

Sociolects and class distinction within language in English:

https://languageawarenessbyrosalie.weebly.com/social-dialects.html

https://www.grin.com/document/313937

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U_and_non-U_English

Milk in tea first and the potential class reason:

https://www.theteaclub.com/blog/milk-in-tea/

https://qmhistoryoftea.wordpress.com/2017/05/11/milk-in-first-a-miffy-question/

[randomnameless]

I write and write and make comparisons between a swimsuit and themes like tolerance and freedom,

But in this fandom, some people draw more dubious comparisons, especially ones regarding a certain game - and I warned (who?) at the beginning of the FE16 trend that while it wanted to have a Jugdral flair, it obviously failed. You have a sprinkle of Jugdral in FE16, but it’s only a surface image, or even a mirage.

“CrEsT SyStEM”? Holy Blood? No, those comparisons at least were made in good faith and had some merits.

One of the worst comparisons was noted by several friends, a certain someone, wanting to push a certain ship involving a certain character, managed to write :

“Every route makes one villain from Genealogy of the Holy War the hero, Edelgard being Arvis, Dimitri being Eldigan, Claude being Travant and Rhea being Manfroy”

:(

This will not be a post about Manfroy’s hips, you are warned

Who is Eldigan (Eldie)?

A man who is the carrier of Hezul’s holy blood, Hezul being the founder of Augstria, a sovereign state. Everyone loves Eldie, he is good-looking, strong, kind, chivalrous and has the magic blood that makes him able to use his magic sword.

Is he the King of Agustria? No.

The King is a man named Chagall, who has an ugly sprite, doesn’t have Hezul’s magic blood and cannot use the magic sword. He also killed his father, and is really jealous of Eldie.

However, Eldie’s line (House Nodion) has sworn to support the royal line of Augustria (Chagall’s), so even if everyone wants Eldie to ascend to the throne, he will never accept it. Even if Chagall pisses on him, or imprisons him because he felt like it, Eldie will not rebel against his King. Eldie is seen as a Camus, because he will fight and die for Chagall, and his country, when Sigurd is... more or less attacking Chagall (because Sigurd’s forces are occupying Augstria and Sigurd’s orders are to bring peace to the land, Chagall doesn’t want peace and wants to fight to retake his throne). If everything ends well, Eldie will promise Sigurd he will try to talk one last time his king, try to convince him to accept a ceasefire and peace with Granvalle - but Chagall is an ass and beheads Eldie.

Dimitri... isn’t like Eldigan, at all. First of all, Dimitri is supposed to be the crown Prince, instead of being a mere knight sworn to serve the royal family. Secondly, Dimitri doesn’t die because his liege beheads him - Edelgard will never be his liege - he dies either by defending his borders against someone who is bringing war to his lands and wants his head, or he dies because he pursues Edelgard in a three way battle in Gronder.

We do not know what Rufus is like to his nephew, but I am pretty sure he is no Chagall.

The only common points Eldie and Dimitri have is their blond hair, and sometimes, their manner of death. there is also something about bonds with their sisters but we’re not here for that

Who is Travant?

Travant is the King of the Thracian Kingdom, a proto Nohr-like place, where farming is difficult, and the people living there are starving and often turn to banditry or become mercenaries to be able to earn some money.

Thracia’s neighbour, the Manster District (Manster) could export food to Thracia... but they do not, because, well, the people in charge of the Manster District do not like Thracians a lot (and use slurs to talk about them, but Quan is a special character). So Thracians raid the border, with hopes to reunite the peninsula, with the dream that, one day, they will seize the arable lands in the North.

Travant has an infamous line, which more or less went like “I will unite the peninsula for the sake of my people, and if that process dooms me to hell then so be it”.

And to hell he will go, because by Jugdral standards, ambushing Quan and his family in a desert (horses cannot move in sand, another example of gameplay and story integration!) with horseslayers, is despicable, especially since he leaves no one alive, even, apparently, killing Quan’s young daughter Altena.

(Travant ranks pretty high in the douchebag ladder).

With time, Altena grows, unaware that Travant, who adopted her, isn’t her real Father, Quan was. Things happen, Altena discovers the truth, and Travant finally achieves his dream by making a suicidal charge against Seliph’s forces (he doesn’t even bring his magic lance to the fight!), with him dead, finally, the peninsula can be united under one leader.

Claude? Also has a wyvern. And comes from another land than our hero (but which one?). And... that’s all.

If Almyra raids every sunday, it is not because they are starving, but because they are doing it, per Cyril, for funsies. Claude pretends to be a schemer and underhanded, but he never does something on the scale of the Yied Ambush (the moment where Travant pulled out the horseslayers against Quan). Claude never takes a child hostage, and never orders his daughter to punish civilians.

If Claude wants to unite the two countries, it is not because he wants his people to finally leave their life as mercenaries and bandits behind, but because he wants people to understand each other.

Edit because I’m sleeping : Travant will die for his dream. Claude... always survive. Always. I am not saying he doesn’t believe in it, but he is not as desperate as Travant is.

Comparing Claude to Travant is like comparing... Virion to Iago. They are both male with long hair, and pretend to scheme. Bar that? Well... they both have hands...? I guess?

Who is Manfroy?

Manfroy is... both a mastermind and a plothole.

Manfroy was the one in the shadows engineering a war in Jugdral, not because he likes wars, nope, but because he wanted political instability to recreate the Loptyr Empire.

He will help a douchebag to conquer the world, and use him to sire Julius, the only person in Jugdral who can become a host for the dark dragon Loptyr. The last time Loptyr was there... well, apparently it wasn’t roses and sunshines, slavery was rampant and citizens were pitted against each other to make sure the strongest ones would become citizens of the Empire.

Why Manfroy does this? It depends on the sources, but it is heavily implied Manfroy is part of a sect (sect as in group of people practicing a religion, here the Loptyr religion/cult) persecuted by a lot of people in Jugdral - to the point where Agustrians were having witches hunts to chase them. Manfroy and his followers escaped the the Yied desert, touted to be an inhospitable land. His people had no where and no one to turn to, so they prayed to their God Loptyr (who doesn’t give 3 figs about them).

Manfroy is thus the Archbishop of the Loptyr Church. He also killed his son in law, for some reason, and planned to turn his granddaughter in a zombie. Manfroy also supports (and conducts?) the child hunts, basically the plot in the second part of FE4 and FE5 where the Granvalle Empire and the members of the Loptyr Church round up children, take them from their families (sometimes by killing said families) to send them to Granvalle, with the highly suggested goal of sacrificing them one way or another to Loptyr.

On the not-so bright side, Manfroy doesn’t kill Julia - when Loptyr/Julius expressly asking him to do so, because Julia is the only person, story-wise, able to kill him.

What a guy! 

Now, Rhea?

There are some comparisons to be made, unlike Claude and Dimitri, but again, it reinforces how they could be seen as foils.

Rhea? Yes, also engineers the birth of a vessel.

However, unlike Manfroy who “forced” Arvis and Deirdre to marry and have a baby, Byleth’s birth, born from the union of Jeralt and Sitri, was completely unexpected. There is no trace in canon of Rhea arranging Jeralt and Sitri’s meeting, and future wedding.

Rhea? Also wants her granddaughter to “die”?

Well, not this one, since Rhea thinks Billy is actually an amnesiac Sothis. Billy would just recover their memories.

Rhea? Doesn’t start a war to build her Sothis vessel. Hell, the DLC is about her previous experiment to resurrect her mother - it was a failure, but someone supposes she fails because she did not want to bleed dry the Four Apostles. Rhea wishes to resurrect a benevolent Goddess (when Manfroy knows Loptyr is... far from benevolent) but will not kill to do so.

Sitri? Asked her to save Billy, by offering her own life.

The most interesting foil though is... how Rhea and Manfroy both belong to a community that was persecuted by others, the people they are supposed to live with.

Manfroy? Went the “if the world hates me, then I will hate it and burn it down” route.

Rhea? Doesn’t want to kill humans, hell, she and her brother disagreed because she didn’t want to kill children of the people who wronged her! She opens a monastery and offers guidance to anyone who needs it, a shelter for the needy and tries her best to protect peace and the humans living under her care.

They could have followed the same path, but didn’t. Manfroy rounds children to kill them, Rhea offers a new home to children who lost theirs.

They can also be compared with their “welp” points, Rhea gave CF!Billy the means to destroy her, just like Manfroy “forgot” to kill Julia - and yet, again, it is different. Rhea trusted Billy and never wanted to use them as a tool, in the other routes, it is because she trusted Billy with “those means” that Billy is able to save the world. Manfroy? Berserks Julia, wishes to use her as a tool and suffers when she regains some agency and beats her brother. But even without Manfroy, Julia would have recovered the Book of Naga to end Loptyr.

Rhea and Manfroy are definitely not parallels, but foils.

And the best for the end...

Who is Arvis?

Well... to summarise Arvis in a few words...

it’s impossible.

So, Arvis is the descendant of one Jugdral’s God-Crusader, Fjalar. Arvis is very proud of his heritage, but he also bears Loptyr blood, through his Mother. And yet, since the Loptry blood exists thanks to Saint Maira - the brother of the Loptry Host of that time, Emperor Galle, who rebelled and helped the Crusaders - he is also very proud of this heritage and his two brands.

Arvis’s familial history is a mess, his father was a womanizer and his mother abandoned him (which might have fueled his Freudian complex?). When his Father died, he exiled all of his bastard siblings, bar Azelle (his bastard half-brother, sired to his mother’s favorite maid). Arvis apparently wasn’t interested in women before he met Deirdre and fell in love with her...

But he had time to sire a bastard (on his best friend and confidante).

Arvis wants to build a world free of prejudice and oppression, and wants to build it by... associating with Manfroy, who blackmails him about his Loptyr blood (if Arvis is proud of his Loptry blood, sadly the Agustrian witch hunts are still a thing, and it will not be well seen in Granvalle’s nobility); however, he made it clear, to Manfroy himself, that he will never allow another Loptry Empire to be reborn. Arvis thus uses hiw fellow Dukes Reptor and Langobalt to set up a coup against Prince Kurth (the Prince of Granvalle) to kill him. Arvis grows close to Kurth’s father, Azmur and more or lesses takes care of everything in Granvalle, since Kurth has no heir left.

And, by chance, Deirdre, Kurth’s bastard daughter, thus rightful Princess of Granvalle, appears at his door. She bears the mark of Naga (the special blood of the Crusader Heim), so they marry, and if they have a son, their son will rule over Granvalle, Arvis acts as a regent until then.

(women can’t rule shit in Jugdral)

Then what? His plan is set into motion, all Granvalle Dukes die, he and Sigurd (plus his pals) are the only ones left, Sigurd dies after being lured to a welcoming party, and Arvis becomes the last man standing able to rule Granvalle, who became, through his plans and treacheries through the 1st gen, an Empire.

(and then his son becomes a Loptyr host, vaporises his mom and makes his sister disappear, wrestles power from him and he is reduced to a sad state (oldvis). He makes a last stand against Seliph, after delivering him Sigurd’s magic sword, and dies.)

Okay.

So, now, Edel.

Arvis managed to become the ruling... person in Granvalle by eliminating all of his rivals, and securing a nice marriage. Edel becomes Emperor... because Ionius gave her his crown, as her father.

So they do not rise to power the same way.

Edel never talks about her brands, but Arvis is proud to bear them and proud of his ancestors. Judging by how Edel speaks of Wilhelm I as a traitor who sold humanity to creatures, I am not sure she is proud to bear his blood.

Also, while Edelgard is extremely prejudiced against Nabateans, Arvis wishes to create a world... free of prejudice (his actions though...). He does not mind Manfroy preaching his stuff, when Edelgard will not allow anyone to follow the Seiros faith (friends put it better, but in several routes, the people who were followers of the Church of Seiros are missing in Adrestia...).

While both Edel and Arvis think they are making “sacrifices” for the greater good, as pointed out earlier, this greater good is different. They both ally with a death cult, but Arvis is naive enough to think Manfroy will not backstab him - he even wishes for him to preach his nonsense freely. Edelgard has been hell bent since day 1 on getting rid of Thales and friends.

By the time Arvis learns of the child hunts and Julius’s nonsense... he wants to stop it. He is however powerless to do so (or so we think! Apparently he and Ishtar managed to hide every children captured in a castle!) but, at least, he tried to do something.

Crest Beasts... are still used, no matter the path, and even after Edelgard became Emperor.

Now, if Manfroy had to capture children and round them up for execution to make sure Arvis would become Emperor, would Arvis have supported him? I... don’t think so. If children were captured during Arvis’s conquest of the world and it was a “necessary evil”, would Arvis have accepted it? We don’t know. Prideful as he is, I don’t think he would have agreed.

(which is all kinds of wrong, the man can start wars and backstab friends, allies and turn his own brother to ashes, but hunting children is too much? Meh. And yet, Manfroy mentions something about his ways and his pride being an obstacle to the realisation of his dream).

Arvis is... a complicated character. A douchebag through and through, who tries to redeem himself at the end, but ultimately fails. He is rewarded for his actions in the 1st gen by the 2nd gen, where Julius becomes Loptyr and destroys his Empire. He had it coming? Yes. Is it painful to watch? Yes.

Edelgard... does not face any retribution for her actions.

Yes, she can also kill her (step) brother. But either she didn’t remember it, or only cries after it, and ultimately puts the blame on him - so it is not a sacrifice ?

People doubt her words? Well, it doesn’t matter, Linhardt, Yuri and Lysithea are still alive after their... interrogations. Reptor doubted Arvis’s words? Aida was sent as back-up (and... backstabbed him).

Ultimately, Arvis loses Deirdre (whose ghost chills with Sigurd’s), Julia and Julius, whom he loved dearly. Edel loses... Billy, and some randoms.

So, in a way, Edel feels like a discount Arvis, because she misses his ascension to power and his downfall. Arvis doesn’t mow down enemies on the front lines like she is doing, Arvis maneuvers to ensure victory.

Both fight for ideals, but Arvis seems to believe in them when I cannot believe a world for “humanity” involves continuous making of Crest Beasts.

Both betray the main character, but Edelgard is hit with the uwu hammer, thus cannot kill Billy - Thales does it in the non CF-routes.

So... short story, long story, Eldie is not Dimitri, Claude is not Travant, Rhea is a foil to Manfroy and Edelgard is a discount Arvis.

Also, I don’t know what kind of weed the person who wrote this take had, but labeling Eldie as one of FE4′s villain is as dumb as labeling FE7 Karla a villain because she appears as a red unit you have to fight.

where is edel’s bastard son

[candyopala]

Stuck in his ways, Chapter 6

Chapter summary:  Obito follows Kakashi’s advice and tries to find out more about Y/N. When things don’t go his way, he finds himself lost and on Y/N’s house in the middle of the night.

Words: 2.3k

AO3

Please like or reblog if you enjoy, check my rules for requests too!

It’s almost time for work and Obito hasn’t slept yet. Despite the weird act, Kakashi gave some actually useful advice to him. He said that he manages to get team seven to work harder by playing with their goals, using their objectives as something to incentivize them through a tough mission or a hard exercise. Especially with Naruto, who can get a little lazy sometimes, bringing up his objective to be Hokage as his father seems to always work like a charm.

The thing is: Obito knows virtually nothing about Y/N. Besides what he has on her personal file, he knows nothing about her personal life and objectives. He spent too much time acting like an asshole to the girl instead of trying to get to know her. He keeps on going through her files maniacally while his mind gets lost in thought.

Don’t get him wrong, Obito hasn’t put any effort to meet new people since his accident. In addition to his insecurities with his appearance, his social skills get worse by the day. Okay, Kakashi does make him go in blind dates from time to time, but those always end up in failure, since he refuses to actually give any girl a chance. He tends to get lost in his thoughts while they talk and he usually ends up straight up ignoring them, which would make anyone reasonably mad.

His face still hurts when he remembers about that time that Yamanaka lady slapped him right on the face after he yawned while she talked. Or that time Kakashi ended up going home with both girls and he had to help take Gai into the hospital, after the fool hurt himself in a bet with their friend. Not to mention that time Kakashi tried to hook him up with a lady fifty years his senior. He would have been actually okay with it if she had not called him “grandson” twice. Obito shivers at the thought. Truth is, Obito actually has not given a chance to himself since the accident and Rin’s passing. Obito shakes his head to make the thought go away once his mind mentions his former teammate’s name.

Give me a break for once brain, right?

He finally gives up on the files and goes to lay in his bed, only to be instantly scared by the alarm clock, letting him know he should be waking up. He goes through with his morning routine on autopilot, putting on the jonin vest and heading out to meet Y/N on the training field. For the first time in ages, he arrives on time. He was so into his head that he did not get distracted on the way. He needs to learn more about Y/N today, one way or the other, so that he can get this whole deal to end soon.

Y/N arrives shortly after, looking sleepy and grumpy.

“You’re on time; did you die and get replaced for someone responsible?”

“Ha, funny. Why the grumpy look?”

“I had a little trouble sleeping tonight”

Come on Obito, what’s the best way of trying to connect to someone and to learn about them? Right, through empathy, being relatable!

“Ugh, me too, totally. What’s on your mind?”

“Lunch and dinner. Come on, let’s start.”

“Ouch”

Fuck, alright, this is bound to be tough.

Obito starts today’s training with some blade technique. Y/N is admittedly really good with hers, but she could use some refinement if she is going to be a shinobi now. He corrects her stance first, also focusing on not letting her leave her defense open.

“Raise your arm like this” He shows to her the things he learned from his family during his childhood.

Their treatment of him at that time was… harsh. Being a direct descendant of Madara made everyone treat him like a potential fuckup, and his abilities before the accident corroborated that. They only opened up more to him and begun to treat him with respect after he became one of Konoha’s finest jonins and one of the few ones to awaken the mangekyo in the whole family. Remembering this makes Obito feel a little cramped on the inside, making him want to go back to his current objective with Y/N.

“Right”

“So… when did you learn to use your sword?”

“On the road”

“And?”

“And I think it’s cool”

“Nice… I guess…”

Fuck fuck fuck.

They both go on for the rest of the morning with Obito not being able to make any progress. His difficulty with social situations is making an already hard situation get even tougher. Y/N refuses to respond to any prodding, only talking back to crack jokes at his expense and to cut him off.

“Want to go get some barbecue for lunch?” He asks hoping for her to accept, as a last desperate attempt to approach her somehow.

“Can’t do Uchiha, I have a reunion with the Hokage, later”

She leaves him in the field alone, a sense of hopelessness eating him up by the second. Then comes the explosive frustration of not getting what he wants. He just needs to make this end quicker; he needs to go back to relevant missions to make his objectives come true. He cannot be left behind, he has to make his promise to her come true, he needs to change it all and he can only do that by becoming the next Hokage.

Tears prickle up at his eye, hurting his heart more than his pride. He gets angry at this completely ridiculous situation he put himself in, he had lost focus lately, he got lazy. He had lost the fire that once burned inside him, only leaving him a pile of sadness and old regrets.

It all explodes within him, driving him to start training in a maniacal way, trying to create something new with kamui and kunais at all costs. He has been trying to develop a new jutsu for a while, but he always ends up stumped. The thought of failure is the last straw, he starts to attack the training posts with all he has, not noticing the pain consuming his arms as the hundreds of knifes coming out of his other dimension go through them in a whirlpool of time and space.

It’s the middle of the night when his body achieves its limit, he spent the whole day training and rampaging on the field. Obito falls down on the dirt face first as exhaustion and blood loss finally hits him. Still filled with adrenaline, his last thought is to head to Y/N’s house to get that information, one way or the other.

 ~”~

 A rushed couple of knocks wake Y/N from her slumber. Confused, she looks around the small apartment in search of the noise’s origin. She hears them again, coming from her front door. She looks over to the clock on the kitchenette; it shows that it is around two in the morning. She knows virtually no one in the village still, who could it be?

She grabs her trusty sword at the entrance area and heads to the door, expecting it to be some scammer or maniac. Without turning the lights on, she opens it only to find a tall figure, with broad shoulders and that forlorn look on his face… Obito.

What is he even doing here?

Upon further inspection, she notices that his figure seems a little bit off, worn out even. She finally turns on the lights, only to be met with a grizzly sight: he is covered in dirt and his arms are all bloodied, his shoulders are slumped and his signature messy hair is even unrulier. This image brings her an awful distant memory.

“Want to go for that barbecue?”

“Obito, what happened?”

“Don’t worry about it; we can talk it out on the way” The man speaks in a catatonic way, fully running on his impulses and on the verge of exhaustion.

Those unwanted memories rush back into her mind: a bloodied hand touching her face delicately, a catatonic smile, foggy eyes, a goodbye that came too soon. Her head rushes with rage, rage at her own mind for reminding her of that, anger at him for leaving so soon, anger at Obito for doing whatever he did to do this to himself.

Before she can even think, she pushes the man into her house with force, guiding his almost limp body to her tight bathroom, sitting him on the rim of her bathtub. He does not respond, his eye is directed at nothing, he just lets out a small wave of breath when he sits down. She grabs her first aid kit from under the sink, kneeling down to face him as best as she can in the small space.

“What happened?”

“…”

“Obito!”

She snaps her fingers in front of his face, taking him out of his trance. He gets startled, as if he had just woken up from a nightmare.

“Sorry, I’ll be going, okay?”

He tried to get up again, only to be swatted by Y/N and forced to sit back down on the tub.

“We have to tend to your wounds; you look like you lost a lot of blood already. It’s okay if you don’t want to tell me what happened, but I’m not letting you go like this”

“I’ll just go to the hospital”

“The hospital is on the other side of the village, dumbass”

He flinches and tries weakly to tear his arm away from her grasp, once her hand touches an exposed bit of his bicep. Y/N does her best to rip away the ripped fabric that covers the wounds, trying not to pull the parts that are stuck together with the cuts. She rips his sleeves away, exposing a mass of cuts in all directions all over the length of his arm.

Y/N bites her lips at the sight, her brain working against her again. Tears threaten to well up on her eyes, so she tries to make go away as best as she can.

They stay silent as she cleans his wounds, still having to hold him in place from time to time. He manages to be stubborn even in times like this, incredible. Once she finishes up bandaging him up, she just sits by his side on the tub.

“Obito…”

“Thank you”

“Is there something going on?”

“A lot”

“… I get it”

They cross looks quickly, Y/N immediately cutting the contact away as soon as it happens.

“I promise I won’t ask anything else… just… did you do this intentionally?”

“No”

“Alright”

A couple of extra minutes passes, only the sound of their breaths filling in the room. Obito looks up again and faces Y/N’s direction. She looks back at him, completely lost in all that is happening. First, he seems to loathe her, treat her like a chore, and now he appears at her door in the middle of the night like this…

Obito opens a small smile in her direction, a genuine one. It’s the first time she sees wrinkles around his eye sockets. He still has that sad look deep down, but he seems to be trying to honestly lighten the mood and say that everything is okay. Y/N lets out a little bit of her tension go away, letting her shoulders relax a little bit more, but not completely.

“Did some granny stab you Obito?”

“Yup, they stole all my money and dignity also”

“Maybe I’m the one who’s babysitting someone huh? Seems like I’ll have to be around to look for you”

Cracking jokes is Y/N’s way of trying to lighten the mood, but it does not seem to work. Obito suddenly gets that really sad look back up on his eye again, looking back down. Y/N can just make out a single tear rolling out of his right eye.

Did I say something wrong?

“Obi-“

He interrupts her by starting to break down, crying loudly and closing his fists with force on his thighs. Y/N instinctively grabs his hand and forces it open, holding his hand with her own with some degree of strength, to try to calm him down. She feels the heavy texture of his palm on hers, a sign of closeness she missed a lot for the past couple of years, something she refused to admit she… longed for. She comforts him like this for the next couple of minutes until his cries diminish to some uneven breathing.

“Thank you, Y/N. I guess having you around… is… uhm… forget it”

Despite the weirdness of his words, she eventually convinces him to go to the hospital to get his wounds healed, letting his warm hand go and realizing she might have done something wrong. She accompanies him to the door, thoughts flooding her mind while they both must up the courage to say something.

You should not be getting this close; you know what happens when you do that. Why did you do that?

“Promise me you go straight to the hospital?”

“Sure…”

“Obito…”

“What, Y/N?

Despite all that, she feels the urge to give him a hug. She is conflicted, she feels that he needs it badly, but she also feels like getting this close is far too dangerous. She should not be opening up like this to someone she barely knows, to someone that might not even like her as person. There is something that drives her to him, something she does not understand. He seems hurt, he seems like he needs a friend, someone by his side.

No, shut up. I didn’t come here for this, I can’t live all that again.

All she can muster up is a weak goodbye before rushing back in.

What the hell even was all of this?

[athenadione]

Prompt #88 with Jayrae, with Raven as the person who got hurt. Pretty please?

Muahaha *cracks knuckles* don’t mind if I do. Thanks for the prompt anon! It fed my angsty soul. (Also, sorry all for the hiatus in updates. Life is... hard).

‘Toxic Vengeance’

Pairing: JayRae Words: 2,296 Rated: M - Warnings for cuss words, graphic scenes of violence, and major angst. 

When the knife slashes her thigh, it instantly feels like it’s on fire. 

With a hiss, she draws back. 

It’s as if someone pressed a red-hot branding iron to her leg, then twisted it deeper into the marred flesh for good measure—but instead of dulling, the burning sensation is growing at an alarming rate, spiraling up her entire leg. 

Another hooded figure dashes from her right, and with a wave of power she forces them back with a glittery black claw. They hit the nearest brick building with a thud. Another jumps from above to replace them, and she throws up a shield with her other hand, halting the strike of their sword in mid-air. More are filling the alley, coming from the shadows. The burning in her leg is now more of an afterthought as her adrenaline spikes.

I need to end this now. “Azarath. Metrion. Zinthos.” 

Her power flares, and strikes through the figure, sending it back, along with the others in one large surge. There’s a series of grunts, followed by the clattering of weapons, before all she can hear is her own harsh breathing and blood from her heartbeat rushing in her ears. 

Amethyst orbs search the alley with skepticism, expecting another cohort to flood the street. Another minute of scouring, then she releases a breath when she’s certain it’s over. 

The attack had happened the second she turned the corner to investigate the stain of dark magic covering the adjacent building. She had been following whispered rumors of a rising national occult for weeks, eventually leading her to Crime Alley of all places.  

A groan escapes one of the men. Her attention shifts to see him lying slumped against the wall, hood fallen. His face is covered in old ancient markings, confirming both the reasons for her suspicion and dread. 

The marks of Scath. It appears her father’s followers are growing in power. Now, she needs to find out why—and who is behind it. They know who I am and purposefully drew me out here. This is more than I anticipated.

Is their leader someone I know? Maybe Blood? 

As the adrenaline begins to flow out of her body, she becomes keenly aware of the burning pain that’s replacing it. When the burning in her thigh flows down to her toes and up the side of her body, she realizes that her heart rate hasn’t slowed and neither has her breathing. 

Glancing down at her leg, she curses at the blood flowing freely from the wound. It’s deep, and is now starting to bubble. A bright red streak grows across her leg—a clear sign of inflammation. 

Poison. It’s not one that she recognizes—nor is it one that her demon-half can expel. 

Not good. 

Once the severity of her situation sets in, so does her panic, and she stumbles when another flare of pain sends her head spinning. She staggers over to the brick wall, laying one arm against her forehead. It’s covered in a thin sheen of sweat. 

It’s too late to call Nightwing or Batman; They wouldn’t be able to make it in time, and she doesn’t know if she has the capacity to transport herself to the cave. 

There’s only a handful of other people she trusts that knows more than just the basics of toxicology. 

Black specks dance along her vision and she tries to blink them back, shaking her head with considerable effort. 

There’s only one other option.

With the last of her failing strength, her eyes blind an iridescent white, and inky black tendrils snake around her, enveloping her into its depths. 

A moment later they release her and she stumbles across the threshold into a musty apartment. It doesn’t help that it’s completely dark, and the pound of her heart now seems louder than before.

Somewhere within the confines someone curses loud.

Her thoughts are becoming more clouded, and it’s getting harder to breathe. There’s a growing fervency to keep walking, and she does, intent to find him. 

A heat sizzles over her skin, heightening at her thigh. 

She whimpers, and her knees buckle—legs no longer able to support her weight. She’s so out of it she doesn’t even brace for the ground. 

He catches her before she hits.

“Jesus Christ, Raven. What happened to you?” His breath tickles her ear, and she shivers—though from his voice or her wound she’s not sure.

“Ambush. Poison.” She gasps through another wave of burning pain that shoots all the way up to her chest. 

Another curse and she’s being lowered against his door as fingers begin to ghost over her body. 

“Where? What kind?” He finds the wound and bright emerald eyes flare as they meet her. They swirl and morph into one before her eyes, and she blinks, swallowing back a sudden wave of nausea. 

“Alley…knife…I don’t know. I’ve never… ” she trails off, barely getting the words out as her shortness of breath increases.

“Fuck. Fuck,” an arm presses her shoulder back when she begins to slump over. “You cannot pass out on me princess. I need you to stay awake.” 

“Sorry,” she says, slurring her words. She’s growing exceedingly dizzy and her vision is blurring faster. She can’t get enough air to breathe. 

Something jars her. “Raven, stay with me.” 

Her heart feels like it’s going to tear and claw its way out of her chest, and for a moment she thinks it is. 

It beats faster, and faster, and faster.

“Rae, open your eyes. Look at me.” 

But then it stops. 

“Raven.” 

And all she knows is darkness. 

.

“Stand by. Preparing to shock.” 

There’s a loud, involuntary gasp, and a charging whine. 

“Shit. I swear to God you better not fucking die on me Rae.” 

.

“Evaluating heart rhythm… no shock advised. Continue CPR.”

The sound of pumping compressions fills the air. Green eyes glow as they glare at her prone figure.

“Breathe Goddammit!”

When he bites his lip, it’s hard enough to draw blood, but at least he managed to blink back the sudden, unbidden tears that had formed at the corners of his eyes.

He tries not to shake his hands when he hears her sternum crack underneath the heel of his palm. 

. 

“What are you doing on this com-line Hood?” The growl in his ear is laced with caution, and he can’t blame him. At least he answered. 

He gets to the point fast. “It’s Raven, she was poisoned. I don’t know what it is, but I think it’s systemic,” he pauses as the voice in his ear curses. “She’s coding Nightwing, get someone to my apartment now.” 

There’s another tense pause as Dick listens to Jason’s sharp exhales coinciding with his compressions. 

“Where?” 

“The one closest to the Alley, on 3rd.”

“Z will come teleport us. AED?” 

Jason stops and sits back on his haunches as the defilibrator analyzes again. The machine’s response only heightens his fear. 

“No shock. Continuing CPR, it’s been a few minutes,” he swallows thick as he checks her carotid pulse again. Nothing. “I’m losing her godammit, hurry the fuck up.” 

“On our way.”

He immediately cuts the transmission to focus on his task.

One, two, three, four, five...

.

He doesn’t know how much longer he’s been counting to thirty, just that he’s done it over and over. 

A cacophony of motion behind him almost interrupts his concentration. Someone places a gloved hand on his shoulder with urgency. 

“She needs to be transported to the Watchtower as soon as possible.” 

Lips press together firmly, then he nods. Allowing Zatanna to intervene, she envelopes the empath in her magic. They leave the AED pads attached. 

In seconds, they’re gone. Then the others turn to follow. 

“I’m going with her.” 

Nightwing stills, eyes flicking to Batman.

The resounding silence is near palpable. Nightwing takes a tentative step forward, breaking it. 

“Little wing… I don’t know if that’s a good idea.” 

Fluorescent eyes shine with stone-cold defiance.

“You can’t stop me.”

Batman grunts—the closest thing he’ll ever get to an affirmation. It’s a sizable achievement, but he doesn’t feel victorious at all. 

She’s still in cardiac arrest, but if anyone can help her it’s Zatanna. 

And if there’s anyone that can overcome something like this it’d be her. 

Come on princess, come back to me. 

.

She codes three more times in the medbay. The crash team hovers as everyone else tirelessly searches for the right antidote. 

He doesn’t know what to do with himself. 

While he watches her Nightwing briefs him on her mission. He listens. It’s a distraction. Then white hot anger licks and gnashes up his chest to his throat with each word until he’s fisting his hands tight to hide the tremors. 

“... I thought it might be Blood but assassins and poison isn’t really his style. Do you think the League could have something to do with this?” Nightwing asks beside him.

His response is slow and level, revealing no hint of the turbulence of emotion that lies underneath, “I don’t know, but I’m going to find out.” 

Nightwing gives him a pensive stare, but says nothing. 

Jason narrows his eyes. 

Dead. They’re all fucking dead. 

.

They’re able to create one an hour later. He doesn’t think he’s ever been so relieved to see someone breathe. 

He waits until she’s stable before slipping away. The teleporter still recognizes him as Robin, and he’s not sure what to think about that when he steps onto the platform. 

Batman gives him a look that he acknowledges as both a warning and a threat; But why should he care? He lost respect for that man a long time ago, and doesn’t give two shits what he thinks.

Unlike Bruce, he’s not afraid to avenge those he cares about most through whatever means necessary.

.

A piercing cry follows the crack of snapping bone. Another finger, broken. That leaves seven more, and I’ve got all fucking night. 

“I won’t ask again,” comes a growl, “I want answers.”

The man’s panting is interrupted by a swift kick to the gut. He bends over with a groan, before he glares up at the Red Hood through one eye. The other is swollen shut. 

“Why would I tell you? You’re just going to kill me anyway.” 

Hood hums, cocking his gun. “True, but it’ll hurt wayyy less if you do.” 

The man spits at his boots, a mixture of saliva and blood. “Good luck. I won’t talk.” 

A malicious grin grows from underneath Hood’s mask. 

“Unfortunately for you, I don’t need it.” 

.

The hallway is empty, save for him and Nightwing.

Really it’s just a perfect place for a one-on-one scolding—and his brother clearly decides to take advantage of it.

“You shouldn’t have done that. He will retaliate. This is Ra’s we’re talking about.” 

Jason’s jaw clenches tight. 

“Who knows how many supporters he’s managed to convince that Trigon can fix all of their worldly problems? He could call on all of them at any given moment.” 

He bares his teeth. 

“You’ve made a mess, Hood. It’s going to take months to clean up what you did.” 

He can’t stand it anymore. “Are you shitting me? I did you all a fucking favor,” he points a finger in Richard’s chest. “I found out more information in an hour investigating my way than you all did in weeks. If you’re not happy with my methods then do a better goddamned job covering your teammates.” He nearly chokes on that last word, attention drifting to the unmoving woman in the room across from them. 

Dick’s eyes follow and widen, then narrow just as fast, and he crosses his arms. 

“You love her.” 

He should have known Richard would figure it out. Why even try to fucking deny it anymore?

“Yeah,” he winces when his voice comes out raw. “I do.” 

Dick raises a brow, unapologetic. “She’s not going to like what you did either.”

Jason doesn’t have the decency to look ashamed. 

“I know.”

He wonders if she would have done the same.

.

“The antidote stopped any further damage, but she remains comatose. We’ve deduced that her body’s gone into a healing trance to mend herself internally. There’s nothing else we can do but wait and continue to monitor.” 

He stares at her porcelain face, no longer resisting the urge to tuck a stray lock of indigo behind her ear. Even at rest her brows are furrowed—like she knows what’s coming.

He waits until he can no longer hear Zatanna’s echoing steps to draw closer to her, breathing in her familiar scent of incense and old books. It’s a welcome change from the sterile smell of antiseptic. 

“You’re really taking your time huh, sunshine? How rude of you, leaving me with these assholes,” he fingers another strand of hair before releasing it with a sigh. 

“You scared the shit out of me. Don’t do that again.” He gives her a mock glare, half-expecting her to glower back. When she doesn’t he swallows, and takes another breath. 

“There’s one more thing I need to do… and I know you’re going to hate it, but I’m going to do it anyway.” He imagines pools of lavender, ablaze with fire, and a mouth already poised to argue with a vehemence that makes him smile in the present. 

“I won’t be able to come back here after I finish, and I’m sorry I won’t be there when you wake up,” he takes her hand and squeezes. “But I’m not sorry for what I’m about to do.” 

The incessant beeping of the machines she’s hooked up to is his only response. 

He lowers his face, and brushes his lips against the crown of her head. 

“I love you.” 

Walking away from her is hard, and he almost turns back.

But he doesn’t.

[ikleesfiction]

I'm a fucking alcoholic (with a sweet tooth)

Fandom : Chicago PD TV Word count : 1,623 words Pairing : Jay Halstead x reader Author's note : This is the third one shot of "Will you follow through if I fall for you" fic continuation. It would be better if you read it first. But if you don't, here's the quick summary. Warning : It's fluff. I hope it doesn't end up too cringy?

Disclaimer

◢◤

It is a cold Friday in Chicago. You would say it is super cold since you worked in the warm weather of Los Angeles last week. Jay is coming over to your place after work. Now both of you are snuggling on the couch, watching movies on TV.

"I cannot watch this part," You hide your face in Jay's chest, preparing for the frightening scene. The darkness in the room increases the tension.

"What are you talking about? This is not even a horror movie," Jay looks down at you, bemused.

"Say you! Watching Tom Cruise blowing up a Gallardo distressed me. My soul is crying. It is a nightmare!"

You move out from Jay's embrace to point out the screen where Maggie Q said it is such a nice car. "Yes, it is! Don't do it, Zhen," yell you at the TV.

However, The Lamborghini on screen still went kaboom and was engulfed in fire. "Oh, no!" You put your hand on your heart, feeling devastated.

Jay grins at your silliness, "I'm sorry for your loss," He rubs your back, offering his condolences. However, his smile turns flirty. "If there's anything I can do to ease your pain..."

You play along with his idea. "Hmm, is that so?" Your hands wrap around Jay, pulling him closer. Your nose is tracing his neck, up to his jaw, his cheek. Your lips softly grace his skin, make their way closer to his. Jay wasted no time to kiss you and keep kissing you.

You don't know how long it goes, and you don't care to know. Until Jay moves back abruptly, tilting his head away from you, "Your pho..."

Your lips cut his words as you get on his lap. Jay puts his hands on your waist to stop you, halfheartedly, "Babe, your phone is ringing,"

Your hands curl behind his neck. "Let it ring." You whisper to his ear. Jay shudders when he feels your breath on his neck. Your mouth soon follows to make a mark on the same point. Jay tries to hold himself back from reciprocating the gesture.

Unlike Jay and his work, you got no obligation to pick up your phone. No life or death depends on you tonight. But the phone keeps shrieking. It started to annoy you because Jay stops participating in this make-out session.

"Might be important," This is one of the rare times you want to curse Jay's occupation.

"I assure you it won't be," You try to get Jay back in the game.

"Well, at least you can tell them to call you back later," Jay lands a soft kiss on your forehead. With a loud sigh, you move away from Jay's lap to pick up your phone.

Seeing the caller ID frustrates you even further. "You are interrupting our date night," is the first thing you say to your best friend, Alex, when you receive the call and put it on speaker.

"Hi, Jay!" Alex chirps his greeting, ignoring your complaint.

Jay greets back with a chuckle, "Hey, man. Nice to hear from you," He takes the remote to pause the movie, where Tom Cruise is gunning a Mercedes CLK down the road.

"No, it's not." You grumble under your breath. "What's up? Did you just come up with a song idea that would make Bruno Mars wished he wrote it?"

As a fellow songwriter/producer, you understand that song inspiration could come anytime. But it would still piss you off if Alex insists on working for it tonight.

"Not yet. But we do have a potential project for you,"

"Couldn't it wait until next week?" You moan your refusal. "Jay and I got plans for the weekend,"

"Of course. As long as you promise to pick up your phone when Angelique calls. I know you have been dodging her." Alex chides you.

Huffing your aversion, you lay your head on Jay's lap. In reflex, he plays with your hair. "Who's Angelique? A new talent?" Jay never heard that name before. He is pretty sure that he knows everybody at Pyramid, Alex's record label in Amsterdam where you work for.

Alex starts to explain, "She is a singer. Been around for a while,"

"Country singer, turned bubblegum pop singer, and now I guess she wants to try dance music as well?" You elaborate to Jay and asking Alex at the same time. You have written and produced songs from various genres, but your notable works so far are mostly EDM.

"Maybe," Alex answers casually.

"Angelique..." Jay ponders for a moment before lighting up, "Oh! Is she the one whose songs you keep skipping whenever they pop up, babe?"

Your best friend lets out a big laugh from the other side of the phone. "Angelique wants Y/N to produce her next album, but all of a sudden Y/N here cannot find the receive button on her phone," Alex emphasizes his sarcasm.

"I took yours, didn't I?"

However, Alex begins his interrogation. "Why are you avoiding her calls anyway?"

"I don't wanna work with her," You know you sound petulant.

"Come on, Y/N, it would be great! Angelique's third album sold triple more than her second. Her last single went neck to neck with Taylor Swift's song. Now, she is gonna let you work on her fourth album! Other producers would kill for this opportunity," Alex tries to reason.

Jay whistles, being impressed by the story.

"Well, my boyfriend here is a cop. I don't wanna get involved in any criminal activity," You are intentionally being obtuse. "If it were so great, why don't you do it? You're the one who still works on stage."

"You know people talked about how you could be the next Max Martin, right? Made sense that she asked for you," Alex states. "Angelique doesn't need another artist to perform with her. She needs someone who writes and produces good stuff."

"Every producer could be the next Max Martin if they work hard," You shrug the notion.

Jay looks confused with all these new names. "And Max Martin is...?"

"We are never ever ever getting back together?" Alex starts singing a couple bars to show Jay some examples of Max Martin's works.

"Uh..." Jay doesn't show any recognition.

"ou make me feel like I'm living a teenage dream?" Alex sings another song. Your best friend is nothing but persistent.

"Uhm.." And yet, Jay is still clueless.

"Jay is not keeping up with pop music for the last decade, Lex," You joke to your best friend. "Try some songs from the Backstreet Boys,"

"Hey!" Jay protests. "I know your songs," He smirks at you in full smug. "Especially the ones that were written about me."

You laugh at his adorable and sexy smirk. Sitting up from Jay's lap, you kiss the smug out of him.

"Guys, I'm still here." The flat tone of Alex on the phone stops Jay from taking the kiss further.

You peck a corner of Jay's lips one more time. "Your own fault. Who told you to call during our date night anyway?"

"Since I'm not there to poke and pinch you, I hope Jay could help me convince you to take this project." Your best friend is shameless.

"Is Angelique not a good person or something?" Jay tries to understand the situation. He knows you are a hard worker. It is rare for you to run off from a big project like this. "She ought to be a good singer, right? With all of that achievements,"

You cross your arms and glare at your boyfriend, "It is a prerogative to hate your best friend's exes, no?"

Jay frowns, "Wait, Angelique is Alex's ex?"

"Oh, come on!" groans Alex. "It was years ago!"

"You know how the saying goes. Quote-unquote, "You are my friend. She is your ex. You get to forgive and move on. I get to hold a grudge until I die”

"That was kinda harsh," Jay comments.

"Your best friend still hates me until now, Jay." You roll your eyes at your boyfriend.

"Mouse doesn't hate you. I even haven't got a chance to tell him about you since he's been deployed," Jay raises his eyebrows.

"She meant your work partner," Alex answers Jay for you.

Jay frowns deeper, "Hailey doesn't hate you."

"Wanna bet on that?" You challenge him.

Alex prevents the couple from bickering further, "Guys, listen! Angelique and I broke up amicably. There were no hard feelings between us now,"

"Excuse you!" You exclaim. "I still remember those dark days. You cried over so many Tequila bottles. And those boxes of chocolate!! Why did we have to consume that much chocolate over a breakup?? My waistline did not come back to its original measurement for three months!!"

Jay lets out an amused snort.

"Oh, you don't get to talk, man!" Alex hits the couple back. "Your temporary breakup also forced me to replenish my Jenever stocks! I got bakeries phone numbers on speed dial for chocolate cake emergencies!"

Jay puts his hands up in surrender. "Okay, okay. You guys continue to discuss business," He stands up from the couch. "I'm gonna go warm up some pie," Jay gestures to the kitchen area. "Alex, it's nice to catch up with you. Hope the next time we talk, it would be more social and less about business,"

"And you, love, try to listen to what Alex offers first before you cut him off," Jay bends down to kiss your lips teasingly. "Please don't pull out any bottles with more than 40% alcohol content. I need you sober for our plans tonight." He winks at you before moving to the kitchen, leaving you to deal with your pushy best friend alone.

+x Taglist +x

@lorenakaspersen @life-treatments @itsdesiree86

Foot Note: - Tom Cruise and Maggie Q blew up a Lamborghini Gallardo in Mission: Impossible III (2006). All of the MI movies are classics in my household. - Max Martin is a Swedish record producer, songwriter. You might not know his name, but I'm sure you know his songs. In reference to this fic, he co-wrote and co-produced Taylor Swift's "We are never ever ever getting back together", co-wrote Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream", co-wrote and co-produced some of Backstreet Boys' biggest hits. - "You are my friend. She is your ex. You get to forgive and move on. I get to hold a grudge until I die" line is taken from Henrietta Wilson on 9-1-1 TV Series S02E04 "Stuck". I thought it was hilarious. The line became the reason for this particular fic's existence.

I'm sorry for the long note. Thank you for reading this fic and the note. You are so welcome to reply, ask or tag me. We can talk about music, series or Jesse Lee Soffer's abs. :p