#and here he always claimed I was the naive goody good two shoes of us both

[frostythelawfullchaotic]

Received our green cleaners lately and hon was shocked and confused to find a coupon for horse gear in there! It was that moment that I had to explain to him that companies don't market based on morals but based on whack-a-mole (hitting your target audience with the biggest possible hammer) and that sustainable products are heavily gentrified towards people with money.

"Yes, but why horses?!" - Hon, I'm sorry. We're living in a parody...

[aliensunflower-fics]

How to Exploit Kindness [A New Kind of Lila Salt Prompt]

[ Ive seen Lila and Class salt that goes a lot of different ways. In some Lilas a sad lonely girl who will do anything for friends and the class fall for her lies through a mixture of manipulation and Lila’s genuine sad lonely but real persona. In others Lila is insane and the class get basically sucked into her cult. And in others still, Lila slowly breaks the class down by preying on there insecurities, hidden jealousies ect. There are the versions where Lila just bribes the class with connections and the versions where Lila frames Marinette until no one believes her. But I wanted to write a new idea for people to use, one that I feel is a bit more realistic. One where Marinette’s classmates are more their more authentic kind selves but still get slowly pulled into Lila’s web and where Lila is just a bit more intelligent. ]

[ As usual with all my prompts feel free to borrow the idea to write for your own thing salt, sugar, cuteness angst ect just be sure to credit me for the idea so I can read it. ]

Lila was furious! This wasn’t how it was supposed to go! She was supposed to be everyone's friend! She was supposed to finally get a cute perfect boyfriend who would cherish her like she deserved! She was supposed to be HAPPY! But no, the pathetic beetle Ladybug and that goody two shoes Marinette kept ruining everything!

No… No that wasn’t quite true. As much as she wanted to blame her problems on those two it wasn’t entirely their faults. Honestly Lila wasn’t quite sure what had happened. Her lies had been working at first, they had gotten her praise and compliments and adoration and friendship! But now? Now they were all ignoring her, unimpressed by her celeb lies! She could not understand it! At first she’d been sure it was Marinette or Ladybug maybe even Adrien had turned on her! But when she’d probed for information she’d learned that none of them had blown the whistle. So what was it! Tomorrow… Tomorrow she will find out one way or another. She needed to get them back under her thumb somehow.

 It was Chloe who gave Lila her answers. Chloe was the reason none of her classmates cared about her stories! Chloe was the idiot mayor's brat. And what a brat she was constantly wiggling her way into her mothers fashion shoots or had celebrities over at the hotel. Of course Lila’s classmates didn’t care about Lila’s celebrity connections because Chloe was always name dropping just as many people as herself. The only difference was Lila used fake modesty and shyness that made her ‘friends’ view her lies in less of a gloating light than Chloe’s haughty claims of celebrity meetings.

It was a damn shame, celebrity lies were her bread and butter, they were exciting got people to think you were important and they were hard to prove or disprove allowing Lila to easily get around the messy little detail of ‘proof’ if someone asked for pictures all she could say was that her mom didn't let her take any because she didn't want her precious daughter being targeted by crazy fans. And if someone asked her to use her celebrity connections? Well she could just turn on the water works and cry about them just being her friend for her connections. Thus her prey would be forced to be her ‘friend’ , always listening to her and doing things for her, unable to ask for anything in return. Then when her mother announced their next move Lila would tearfully say goodbye and leave all her suckers behind. But without the sway of her celebrity lies her system broke down. That was the problem with picking the school full of rich talented idiots she supposed.

Well with Chloe ruining her system she’d need a new one. Scrolling through her classmates' social media for a clue she sneered at their overly cheerful and cutesy posts. Always encouraging one another and posting encouraging puff pieces about this or that. Always acting like they were so nice. As Lila scrolled over a charity fundraiser event that Alya had retweeted from Milene a sudden thought crossed her mind. Her classmates were very ‘nice’ and annoyingly so. They were always butting into each other's business, always being SO concerned, always organizing events to help each other and appreciate each other and going to charity events.

In fact now that she thought about it the stories that had intrigued her ‘friends’ always had some sort of charity garbage attached. Saving Jagged’s kitten or raising money for some cause or other that always got her heaps of praise. Sure saying Clara whatshername stole her dance moves got attention but not in the same way saying she raised money for some green project. Was it really that simple? Sure her classmates all loved Marinette for her extreme generosity and kindness but was it REALLY that simple? She needed to check.

 It was actually that easy. One simple little lie about how she pulled a blind old man out of danger when he was nearly run over and suddenly the class was bathing her in praise. And the ‘fact’ that the whole very real thing made her miss first period and sprain her ankle? Well that was just the cherry on top. Suddenly Max was offering her a copy of his notes and everyone was back to caring for her like she was a princess. The fact that Marinette looked like she was seething only for sweet naive Adrien to keep her mouth shut was just so perfect. She’d found her golden ticket. Her classmates were truly ‘good kind people’ and nothing could be exploited quite like kindness.

With this knowledge Lila would easily be able to destroy Marinette, sure she wouldn’t be able to do it quickly but slowly she would replace her, with every good deed she made up with every act of false modesty she would build a reputation greater than Marinette’s she would replace her and become there new ‘everyday ladybug’ and the best part was she wouldn’t have to say ANYTHING against Marinette. Not. A. Thing. No sweet righteous Marinette would eventually snap, sadly for her it would probably be too late with how much control Adrien had over her, so when it happened Marinette would look like the jealous crazy girl going after the girl that was kinder, sweeter, and better than herself. As for Adrien… Well she had a hard time believing it at first but he really was an idiot with a pretty face as long as she was careful as she built her new reputation he would genuinely believe that she was changing for the better and then he'd fall for her.

The best part was, her classmates were genuine. As she built her new good girl heart of gold persona they would genuinely come to love her, all the loyalty Marinette got to enjoy all the perks of being friends with such talented, kind, sweet people would become hers. Slowly no matter how Marinette struggled she would lose, eventually she’d have nothing left. Of course she’d need to be careful with her lies but that was easy. Bring the class to a charity here and there and tell them that she was the one who gave the idea for the charity to the actual organizer but didn't want any credit because she was just that kind and humble. If they tried to make her do actual work then she’d have a sudden accident that would require she sit down.

And then once she’d done more photoshoots with Adrien for Gabriel she’d ‘convince’ the man that a charity would make him look good and boost sales. She’d MAKE her lies true all while winning over her future father in law, and heck maybe she’d even pocket a little of the money, she could use a better wardrobe and the extra would be perfect to buy her ‘friends’ the occasional ice cream or presents. In between that she’d just lie about saving people or volunteering on weekends. Maybe even let it ‘slip’ how she was a temp hero for Ladybug . One of the sweetest parts was that between volunteering with Lila, there own activities and hanging out with Lila so she could ‘thank them for their hard work’ no one would be spending a second hanging out with sweet pink little Marinette, they'd abandon her without even realizing it because they’d be SO busy. Sadly this plan of hers would take a little more work then her others, but it would be worth it to become the queen bee of the class- NO the school! And when Marinette eventually slipped up and looked like the biggest jealous bully in the school. Well she’d have no choice but to leave the school with her tail in between her legs.

Victory was looking sweet and satisfying.

 [ And where it goes from here is up to you. Lila can win, she can slowly convince the class and school that she's a model citizen and an everyday hero. She can sneakily maneuver the class to not spend time with Marinette slowly separating the girl from her friends. In this way Alya and the rest of them don't become evil salty versions of themselves who overnight hate Marinette and love Lila, but rather they are good naive people who got slowly separated and tricked by someone who wants to use their genuine talents and skills to make herself look better. Adrien who is already shown to be naive and wants to believe the best in people, can fall into Lila’s trap and become genuinely convinced that his high road method really worked and ‘reformed’ Lila into a better person. OR Lila can fail, she can claim to be the wrong temporary hero for ladybug, or she can pick the wrong charity to lie about, or get exposed any number of ways and the class can realize with horror that because they are kind but flawed people who are perhaps too trusting and gullible that they got pulled away from Marinette through subtle manipulation and so they can be redeemed because instead of turning into outright bullies they stayed the same kind people they always were but just got genuinely tricked which is something that can actually happen in real life. You can go heavy salt where Marinette does eventually leave the school or class heartbroken that her kind friends have fallen prey to a bad person Marinette cant find a way to expose. Or you can go clever salt where Marinette figures out Lila’s plan and fights her from the inside slowly exposing the cracks in her facade. Or you can go sugar and redemption where maybe just maybe Lila actually LIKES being nice to people and having real friends who dont care about her fake celeb connections, maybe she honestly redeems herself and even makes amends with Marinette. You can do genuinely anything with this idea and I hope to see this generate some new less *and suddenly everyone is evil* content for those that like salt and angst. ]

[wibblywobblytumblywumbly]

Morgyn’s Love Story

It was just an average day in the magical realm, and Morgyn was bored. Sure, this place was a haven for spellcasters but what was there to actually do here?

He had been living here for fifty years now. The magical realm was bound in ancient sorcery which kept all living matter static. This was a precaution put in place by the original three sages - a fail-safe to keep the realm stable after the great fracture. When Morgyn first arrived in the realm he had been eager to learn all about it, and had quickly delved into the rich and fascinating history it held. As a result, he discovered that due to this ancient charm anybody who lived here never aged, and at first that had been an exciting discovery.  Immortality? Of course he wanted to live forever and learn everything he possibly could about this place! But those thoughts were fleeting. It didn’t take long before Morgyn rose up the ranks, securing his role as the Sage of the Untamed. At this point, he started to realise that eternal youth wasn’t all that it was cracked up to be. Not only was it saddening every time he watched his friends retire to the human world with their families, only to be left forever trapped in magic HQ, but it was so utterly, excruciatingly, mind-numbingly boring.  He often stood around on his balcony, thinking about the things he could do to entertain himself. He wasn’t very fruitful most of the time, but that never stopped him before, and today he found himself pondering yet again.  “Maybe I could go downstairs and inferniate Simeon,” he mused. “That goody-two-shoes is due for a wake up call.”

It seemed like as good an idea as any, so he decided that he might was well venture down to find the Sage of Practical Magic and deal him a few blows. Sure, L. Faba would be on the lookout for him afterwards, but it’s not like he hadn’t taken her on before.  Morgyn stretched his arms, yawned, and went to begin his search for Simeon - but before he could get very far he was interrupted by an unfamiliar person. 

“Oh, hi! I’m looking for Morgyn Ember. I’m interested in learning untamed magic. Do you know where he is?” The man asked, his bright purple eyes sparkling with curiosity and excitement.  Morgyn paused. He didn’t know who this person was but his immediate first thought was “crap, he’s cute.”

Composing himself, Morgyn nodded and brushed his hair back. “That would be me. Morgyn Ember at your service.”

The man gasped, a grin spreading over his face. “It’s an honour to meet you, Morgyn! My name is Corin Katerquaad. I’m a new spellcaster so I don’t know much but I’m eager to learn.”

Morgyn chuckled and walked closer to Corin. “Pleasure to meet you. Any reason you’re interested in untamed magic in particular?” It was always interesting hearing the reasons people came to him for training, but with this Corin fellow Morgyn was keener than usual to learn why he had been approached.  Corin shrugged. “Honestly? It seems like the most fun. Practical magic is too mundane, and mischief magic is too mean spirited. Untamed magic is wild, rebellious and unique. I want to learn it because I guess I’d like to possess those qualities.”  The leaves of the trees rustled as Morgyn listened to what Corin had to say. He was so full of vigor and ambition - just like Morgyn himself had been back in the beginning. It was almost like looking into a mirror. He smirked and pulled out his wand. From what he had heard, he already knew he was going to like teaching Corin.  “It looks like you’ve come to the right place then,” Morgyn declared, pointing his wand at Corin. “Get out your wand, we’ll begin immediately.”

“Really?” Corin pulled his wand out of his pants pocket. “Thank you!” 

“No need to thank me, this is my job.” Morgyn brandished his wand in a figure-eight. “Just listen to me and you’ll be on your way to inferniating Simeon in no time.”  Corin raised an eyebrow. “Huh?” Morgyn realised what he said and waved it off. “Nothing. Let’s begin.” And so Morgyn started training Corin in the ways of untamed magic. They spent many days together refining and honing Corin’s skills so he was able to cast the perfect spells.

Soon, days turned into weeks, and Morgyn found himself getting more and more attached to his pupil. Corin had a brilliant mind and was catching on fast. Soon Morgyn would be finished training him, having taught him everything he was able to, and they would inevitably part ways. Yet Morgyn felt like he wasn’t quite done with Corin. While teaching him had been amusing, he had yet to really have fun with him.  Smart as he was, Corin was still naive to the darker side of magic. Especially since he had actively been trying to avoid mischief magic. That gave Morgyn the upper-hand in manipulating him. He had been thinking about it for a while now, and he’d decided that he was going to seduce Corin and have his way with him. He simply couldn’t let such a good-looking spellcaster come and go without putting the moves on him, that was just unfeasible.  However, Corin didn’t seem that way inclined. They had become very close with each other over their training period, but only on a platonic basis. Therefore Morgyn surmised he was going to need a bit of help persuading Corin to be with him. A love potion would do the trick, he just had to brew one and slip it to his unsuspecting victim.  So, one day after their training session had ended, Morgyn took a trip down to Caster’s Alley to buy the ingredients necessary for his love potion. 

After he had gathered all the things he needed, he returned to Magic HQ and began brewing his concoction. 

It was thick and smelled of freshly picked roses. He had made only a few love potions before, but Morgyn was confident this would be a success. Soon the cauldron was bubbling steadily and the mixture reached just the right consistency. Morgyn put out the flame and began bottling up his yield.

Once he had his potion neatly bottled, he left to find Corin. To his surprise, Corin was already approaching him from behind.  “Ah, Corin, I was just about to look for you! I just finished brewing a needs potion, and I wanted to give you some. It will make you feel like a million simoleons. Go on, drink some!”

Corin looked down at the bottle hesitantly. He had never drunk a potion before and was wary of its effects. “...Okay, if you say so.” He took the potion from Morgyn’s hand and put the bottle to his lips. The thick, sweet liquid ran down his throat, and as soon as it hit his stomach he felt something stir within him. 

As he gazed at Morgyn, he began to feel overwhelmingly drawn to him. His smiling face looked back, and all Corin wanted to do was take those supple lips and claim them as his own. Suddenly, nothing else mattered except this growing need to ravish the man standing before him.  Before Morgyn knew what was happening, Corin had thrown the bottle he was holding onto the ground, smashing it over the carved stone floor, and grabbed Morgyn around the waist, pulling him in closer. The young spellcaster began attacking Morgyn’s neck with kisses, and Morgyn giggled triumphantly - the potion had worked!

He basked in the feeling of success but that quickly wore off, and was replaced with a feeling of unease. The giggles faded and his smiled dropped. Something about this wasn’t right. It wasn’t as fun as he imagined it would be. He quickly pushed Corin away and conjured up a ball of energy, blasting it at Corin before he could come back in for a second round. “Cleario!” Morgyn shouted, ridding Corin of the effects of the potion.  As the magic settled around them, Corin blinked and stared at Morgyn, a confused look on his face. After a moment, realisation dawned and he yelped in shock. “Did you just use a love potion on me?!”

Morgyn shrunk back. He didn’t know what to say. He couldn’t understand why he had done it, or why he had undone it for that matter. Any other time he would have finished the deed and been on his merry way - but this time was different. Something seemed off about doing this to Corin, and he couldn’t put his finger on why. He stood silently, thinking about everything that had happened and that’s when it finally hit him.  Oh. 

Oh no. 

This wasn’t just some passing infatuation. Morgyn was in love. Full-blown, head-over-heels in love. That’s why he didn’t feel right using the potion - he wanted it to be real!  He sighed and looked away from Corin. Well, there goes another one, he thought to himself as he worked up the courage to talk. “I’m sorry,” he began. “I only did it because I like you, but you don’t return my feelings, so I guess I fooled myself into believing that if I used a love potion it would solve the problem.” Corin listened silently. It seemed like an eternity before he reacted, by rolling his eyes and bringing a hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose in exasperation. 

“You nincompoop! If you paid any attention you would have known the potion was completely unnecessary. Because... I like you too, Morgyn. That’s actually what I came up here to tell you before you gave me the potion.” Corin dropped his hand and wrapped his arms around himself nervously. He had been feeling this way for a long time, from the very first time they had met, actually. He had been stunned by Morgyn’s beauty, and he didn’t know how he’d managed to get through all his training while being so distracted by the devastatingly handsome teacher he’d had. While they were teacher and pupil, he knew he could never act on his feelings, so he kept his interactions as friendly as possible to maintain the appropriate professionalism. But now that their time had come to an end, and he was no longer under the sage’s wing, Corin had finally built up the courage to tell Morgyn how he truly felt.  Morgyn blinked. “Really?” Corin nodded slowly. “Yes, really.” Morgyn’s face broke out into a small smile. 

“So, does that mean we can go out together sometime?” He asked tentatively, nervously twiddling his thumbs. He’d never been in this situation before. All his previous relationships had been one time flings. He’d never wanted to actually stay around someone the way he did with Corin. Morgyn’s question is what finally made Corin break. He burst out into laughter and nodded enthusiastically. “Definitely, but only if you agree to let me do something first.”

Morgyn raised an eyebrow. “Okay, what do you want to do?” Corin smiled. “I want to kiss you again, properly.”  Morgyn blushed. “I can live with that.” As the magic in the air quite literally swirled around them, Corin walked up to Morgyn and took him in his arms once again. This time it was much gentler and warmer. As their lips connected, Morgyn felt a buzzing inside of him. He much preferred this kiss - the soft, loving touch of the real Corin, to the effects of the love potion. 

As gently as he placed it, Corin pulled away from the kiss and stood back. He smiled and ran a hand through his hair. “That was nice.” “Yeah, it was,” Morgyn agreed, failing to hide the smile forming on his own face. “Hey, Corin?” Corin arched a brow. ‘Yeah?”

“I think I love you.”  “I think I love you too, Morgyn Ember.”

The End

[danseru-kun]

Shepard and Alenko’s love story: A Mass Effect meta and character analysis

Ten years since Mass Effect was released I thought it is never too late to write about this romance.  This write-up is dedicated to those who romanced Kaidan Alenko whose passion for him inspired me to write about my own thoughts and feelings. Note the character in this analysis is a Female Shepard. 

Screenshots from FluffyNinjaLlama

Loving Kaidan is suffering. Kaidan and his romance aren’t the most popular statistically. Although fanfiction heavily favors him second to Garrus only, the majority of players let him die in Virmire. Kaidan has the lowest survival rate and popularity among the original squadmates according to Bioware’s statistics.  He is constantly treated as a trade-off of Ashley in-game and in the fandom.

I want to stress that everyone’s Shepard is different and whoever we made her/him to be reflects our preferences, fantasies and choices. That is why Shepard’s love story with Kaidan would not be the same for anyone who played the game. Much of this analysis involves my own headcanons and meta. Long essay ahead:

Many players who romanced or even befriended Kaidan had to defend their choice. Fans tend to compare love interests and show everyone theirs is the best. That’s why there are titles like, “romance with the most content” which Liara takes, or “romance where he’s in your squad in three games” which belongs to Garrus and Tali, or even claims like the “love interest who looks most broken in the finale.” This takes away the immersion and appreciation of a character. Instead, the result is a popularity contest. Kaidan’s romance should be taken as it is so there would be no comparison with other love interests in this essay.

Shepard’s romance with Kaidan is an unforgettable experience that I cannot take away from my first, blind playthrough of Mass Effect. I believe that Shepard and Kaidan’s relationship is defined by conflicting forces.This is why romance with Kaidan can fail and be painful, but this is also the reason why it can be compelling.

For this write-up, I refer to Shepard as “she” and talk about her romance with Kaidan. While the romance is also available for male Shepard in the third game, it was treated differently than the longer romance with female Shepard and is not the same experience as my playthrough.

Shepard and Kaidan’s love story spans the whole Mass Effect trilogy.

Why this could break the relationship: Because a lot of what happens is outside of Shepard’s control and her relationship with Kaidan is heavily affected by what the story allows.

Why it’s amazing: Because it’s interwoven in the journey

The story of Commander Shepard is one of the best emotional rides in my life, and Kaidan was there when the ship launched. Kaidan’s romance is potentially the earliest chronologically as he was part of the Normandy in her mission to Eden Prime and would see the end of Shepard’s journey.

Shepard and Kaidan’s romance cannot be fully appreciated in isolation. In my honest opinion, I find it unimpressive in the first game. Yet, it shows a promise from rocky beginnings. Kaidan’s attraction might have began when Shepard saved him in Eden Prime and their loss of Jenkins could have bonded them closer. The beginnings of a romance was born out of respect and admiration, but cannot be pursued due to military regulations. But eventually Shepard finds a way around this maybe out of boredom, maybe out of intense attraction or perhaps maybe as a way to be happy in dark times. Eitherway, Kaidan would tell Shepard he wants shore leave, because he wants to pursue her properly.

However, the following are inevitable in the course of the story:

Kaidan’s survival will be Shepard’s call no matter what. It is one of the vital choices in the story that we cannot avoid. To pursue the relationship it is inevitable that Ashley Williams will be lost instead. While Shepard’s intentions could have been purely tactical or pragmatic, it cannot change the fact that Kaidan’s life comes with a cost. Both Kaidan and Shepard has to carry this memory for the rest of their lives.  

No matter what choices are made,  Kaidan and Shepard are bound to be physically separated and fight on opposing sides. No matter what, Shepard will lose her life in Alchera and Kaidan will grieve for her in two years. This becomes more complicated as Shepard is forced to fight with Cerberus while Kaidan is loyal to the Alliance. They cannot reconcile when Shepard is fighting the Collectors, and even after Omega relay as she will be incarcerated for months.

Because of the complicated events, a rift will form between Shepard and Kaidan, isolating them from each other emotionally.  The situation is unusual with Kaidan doubting if the Shepard he knows is the same person [biologically, not figuratively] , and this doubt causes him pain that he lashes out to her while Shepard at this time may have been changed by trauma and might not need Kaidan as a partner. Inevitably, they will point a gun at each other as Kaidan will be used by Udina as a leverage against Shepard.

2. Kaidan is the epitome of a paragon and a character with strong integrity, principles and development independent from Shepard.

Why it could break: Kaidan puts his morals above romance, certain actions can break his trust and respect for Shepard.

Why it’s amazing: When Shepard is entirely dependent on the player, and while she shaped the universe based on her decisions, Kaidan is a constant.

Kaidan: Maybe I was a romantic in the beginning. But I thought about it after Brain Camp – ah, sorry, “Biotic Acclimation and Temperance training.” I’m not looking for “the dream.” I just want to do some good. See what’s out here.

Kaidan will always be a paragon; he started the game caring about civilian lives in Eden Prime and throughout the story he’d always advise for the more noble choice. While through game mechanics in ME1 he can be more renegade/cynical, eventually he’ll be the same, morally uptight character at the end of the story. Kaidan’s character does not bend to Shepard’s decisions at all. No matter what Shepard says to Kaidan, or how she acts around him, Kaidan would act based on what he thinks is right, even if it puts him in a different path than Shepard, even the opposite.

If Shepard didn’t gain Kaidan’s trust in Mass Effect 3 , the tragic outcome would be his death. Instead of hating Shepard, Kaidan would tell her that it’s better to “defend the wrong man than kill him.” He will stand his ground and would die for his principles, even if he made wrong choices or even if it was all in vain.

Kaidan Alenko: “Sometimes the way a thing goes down does matter, Shepard. Later, when you have to live with yourself. Knowing that you acted with integrity, then it matters.”

While Kaidan’s fate depends on Shepard’s decisions, he doesn’t need her to be who he is. He has come in terms with being a biotic and being abused when he was younger. He is a fully realized individual who has dealt with his past and knows his place in the world.

Although; despite the “goody-two-shoes” image, Kaidan isn’t blindly following rules or naive in his views. He has been willing to defy authority like stealing the Normandy, pointing a gun at Shepard or shooting Councilor Udina. He also believes that evil must be dealt with harshly, this is especially notable after Shepard discovered what Cerberus was doing to civilians in Horizon.

Overall, Kaidan isn’t just a character that you romance based on his potential as a partner. I would say that most significant part of Kaidan as Shepard’s love interest is what he represents. He isn’t just a desirable and lovable sweetheart, he’s humanity’s finest: an incorruptible Alliance soldier who fights for the good of the galaxy.

3. The relationship is nuanced with complexity and realism

Why it could break: The heavy nature of the relationship can burden Shepard.

Why it is amazing: because it explores dimensions of Shepard and Kaidan’s character

Now we have a dynamic story and a constant character, what is next? When I described Kaidan as constant, it doesn’t mean it’s one-dimensional. Rather, it takes a lot for Kaidan to retain his strong sense of self and control his emotions. This is where a lot of complexities lie; Kaidan is a man who keeps a storm within him and Shepard must embrace his dimensions.

Kaidan protects people, even from himself. At the surface he’s thoughtful, caring, and compassionate person.  He channels this fire within him by being a protector who is willing to give hs life for the greater good. However, with his strong desire for good comes great anger and hatred towards what he finds evil. He despises Cerberus and The Illusive Man. During his youth, when his instructor hurt Rahna and threatened his life, his strong protective tendencies allowed him to kill for the first time

Shepard and Kaidan and empathize with each other with their mutual desire to save people, and this makes their camaraderie stronger. When Kaidan confesses that he thinks about the millions of people suffering and his desire to be with them, she tells Kaidan that he can use that frustration to fight. Shepard can give validation to Kaidan for his ideals, and in exchange, she would have someone behind her back.

Kaidan hides intense emotions that could make or break him and others. He does not take bonds lightly and does not allow himself to get compromised by relationships easily. That is why when he loves, he loves with all his heart. Kaidan falls hard and fast, and he does not let go of things that meant a lot to him. Rahna was his love fifteen years before the start of Mass Effect yet he talks of his experience with her like it was his only romance in his lifetime.

I’m sorry for what I said back on Horizon. I spent two years pulling myself back together after you went down with the Normandy. It took me a long time to get over my guilt for surviving and move on. I’d finally let my friends talk me into going out for drinks with a doctor on the Citadel. Nothing serious, but trying to let myself have a life again, you know?

Kaidan’s tendency for strong, long-lasting attachments is the reason why he was in agony for two years when Shepard died in Alchera. His hidden emotions that he cannot express freely is the reason why he lashed out to her in Horizon- relief, confusion, anger, pain, loss, all of it. There have been numerous write-ups that discusses Kaidan’s reaction on seeing Shepard. Yes, it was confrontational, unkind, unfair or possibly just inadequately written. Kaidan walked away instead of staying with Shepard, but it was a justified and realistic reaction. I have to emphasize that Kaidan is not abusive.  He never wants to hurt Shepard or manipulate her to keep his influence, his intentions may be selfish but born out of legitimate concerns.

I find his perspective of the events very interesting and heartbreaking. When Shepard died in Alchera, we aren’t shown how Kaidan reacts to this immediately, but based on ranks and Pressly dying as well, Kaidan was next in command. Kaidan would have been in-charge of all the survivors, waiting for Shepard and realizing he lost her.  

Then I saw you, and everything pulled hard to port. You were standing in front of me, but you were with Cerberus. I guess I really don’t know who either of us is anymore. Do you even remember that night before Ilos? That night meant everything to me… maybe it meant as much to you. But a lot has changed in the last two years and I can’t just put that aside.

In Shepard’s perspective, it’s only a few weeks have passed since she and Kaidan spend the night together, so his harsh treatment is very painful. For Kaidan, even if two years had passed, sharing intimacy with Shepard is something that meant a lot for him. The whole situation was unfair to both Shepard and Kaidan. Shepard would do what it takes to defeat the Collectors, Kaidan’s loyalty to the Alliance and his code of honor is above his feelings for Shepard.

Kaidan can get possessive even if she had moved on. Depending on the player’s interpretation, Kaidan may have been accusing Shepard of cheating as we as guilt-tripping her if she found someone else.  However, he’s willing to move past their conflicts and wholeheartedly gives himself to Shepard if she would take him back again.

While Kaidan is self-conscious, mature, principled and independent but Shepard can bring out his greatest vulnerabilities and flaws.  Kaidan would seek strength from Shepard twice in the story; before Ilos and before the final battle on earth. While he would give Shepard the validation she needed while confessing his feelings and pledging his loyalty. Yet he is also clearly asking for comfort from her. Kaidan is afraid of losing Shepard and he cannot hide it.

Shepard and Kaidan may have a lot of happy moments together, but there is always the thought of having their last chances, and taking opportunities to be together before the inevitable. In London, Kaidan and Shepard can resign to certain death with the mission. They are not dreaming of happy endings and riding into the sunset, but rather they know their duty and the inevitability of loss. Kaidan has survived when all other biotics of generation have gone mad or died in agony, he lived when Jenkins and Ashley died, and survived Alchera when Shepard didn’t. Kaidan would tell Shepard that his life is nothing he had dreamed of if it wasn’t for her. But while he is thankful, he knows it is goodbye and cannot hide the pain inside him.  

“Kaidan: I can’t lose you again.”

4. It’s a love earned and fought for

Why it could fail: It takes a lot of work to keep things together

Why it could be amazing: Because they could be each other’s greatest reward in their life

Was it worth it?

As we have discussed, Shepard and Kaidan’s love story spans the trilogy and a considerable amount of time, it’s strained by forces beyond their control and their duties, and a complicated relationship in itself.

That is why the love story’s conclusion is up to Shepard. It is not merely a series of choices, but a relationship with Kaidan demands faithfulness from her. Kaidan values loyalty and things can fall apart if Shepard cannot give the same. She has to forgive and show understanding in Kaidan’s worst times, even if he is hurtful towards her. She must let go of some of her pride, stubbornness and selfishness to keep them together. Kaidan will give the same. He is willing to forgive Shepard, admit his shortcomings embrace everything she is until the end.

Shepard: When this is over, I’m going to be waiting for you. You’d better show up.

Kaidan: Don’t get me wrong. I’m going to fight like hell for the chance to hold you again.

It’s a love story that has grown from attraction to a deep love, it overcomes adversity - whether it is the forces beyond their control or conflict between them. What Shepard and Kaidan have could have been normal, easy and simple. They could have had a shore leave and spend time in normal dates. They could have had a normal life free from genocidal ancient space machines.  However, they took the chances that they had in the time given to them. They had a lot of those loving gazes, little touches, hugs, kisses, passionate sex and lovely words amidst all the chaos surrounding them. It’s just something very human. 

Shepard: Know that I love you, always.

Kaidan: I love you too. Take care.

Their fates after the Reaper war is up to us. But it has been an amazing ride and I think that after everything, they deserve a life together.

Other good write-ups and articles:

Analysis on Kaidan and Ashley’s difference despite simialr roles: http://bakasara.tumblr.com/post/78949398860/the-virmire-survivor-same-role-different-flavor

Kaidan’s flaws and discussion about them [check the reblogs]: http://mrsalenko.tumblr.com/post/46988995018

Good analysis on the realism of  Kaidan’s reaction on Horizon: http://eternalshiva.tumblr.com/post/21419193030

Discussion on Kaidan’s speech and social skills: http://biggestdisappointmentinwarfare.tumblr.com/post/151427361527

@helenkgreenwood

Meta on survivor guilt:

http://thelostgirl21.tumblr.com/post/49647289776/these-are-terrible-days-but-ive-been-lucky

Short articles on the Kaidan romance for the entire trilogy:

https://me3cosmiclove.wordpress.com/2012/11/27/character-spotlight-kaidan-alenko-2/

https://me3cosmiclove.wordpress.com/2013/02/26/character-spotlight-kaidan-alenko-3/#more-2858

http://bakasara.tumblr.com/post/78949287590/in-which-i-break-down-kaidan-and-shepards-goodbye

[lcvebitcs]

oh boy... hi ppl, i’m DORIAN & i’ll be bringing quite a few muses into the mix --- so read below the cut to know tf i’m up to if u dare !

this is MICHAEL

one of the originals, this boy is messy af... he’s also kind of sweet but don’t trust that. don’t this no hoe.

he lives surrounded by girls. I MEAN LITERALLY. i think he has a fanclub or w/e, wherever he goes they follow him around & he’s just chillin’ & listening to music w his earphones on

so, backing up a little --- michael is the strongest & eldest sibling of the original vamp!fam. but he actually doesn’t like showing off, he hates fighting. he likes human, he likes vampire, werwolves... ok so he does have a bias against witches but tf one of them CURSED HIS ENTIRE FAMILY SO THAT’S TO BE EXPECTED

he loves his siblings to death, even if he’s not sure how to express this properly

STORY GOES, his father aka papa original had three wives, his mother was the first wife and she wasn’t all too happy to have to put up w other 2 hoes

she was ... not excited to be a mom. she didn’t want the thing. but the thing was there.

all the moms used their children to kind of gain Attention 👏

his father did not like him very much either. michael was a bit of a rebellious child, and because of that he’d often get ‘punished’. he’d also get double punished bc whatever his siblings did wrong he’d claim it was him so they didn’t have to go thru that

for most of his childhood his mom didn’t want him to socialize with the other children bc they were um.......... a nusiance *cough* but he did anyways & she scolded him for that

since he had no time to play, he learned how to do a lot... he can play a lot of instruments, though his favorite is the violin. he knows a lot about a lot.

at some point he was like i DONT WANNA STUDY I WANNA PLAY W THE OTHERS

and his mother threw him in a fucking lake bc how dare u talk back u lil shit

he almost drowned... it was not fun

michael’s not a big fan of lakes. or water in general

i mean he’s cool w showers but that’s about it.

because he had an........... unusual ;;;;;;; relationship with his mom in the past, and because he learned she had an affair with his uncle when he was v young, he started to think ‘hey... maybe love doesn’t exist and ppl just screw other other’ not to mention he was involved with a lot of girls at that same time. he doesn’t understand love. he thinks it’s a big fat lie and that’s it. just an illusion. he’ll get mad if u try to tell him otherwise or laugh it off.

he mistakes passion for lust and lust for love. it’s all scrambled up in hid head.

he helped his mom to kill his own father, but i’m not gonna lie he was pretty excited and upset he didn’t get to rip out his throat. michael will usually refer to him as ‘that old man’, never by name oops.

but then again, he also plotted w his siblings to kill his own mother so yk.

after awhile he started to think she didn’t love him as she claimed, and instead only liked to manipulate him, so they orchestrated a plan. he was to relieved the final blow, but he held back at the time and the injury wasn’t fatal. he pretty much fled and has been keeping his distance from everyone since.

he loves roses, but he hates white roses. red roses mean passion and love whereas white roses mean lack of it, so he thinks.

he loves his fedora. he never takes it off unless he’s totally at ease.

although he has had a lot... i mean A LOT of girlfriends, when he gets bored he just moves on w/o explanation. love is a foreign concept to him.

overall i say he doesn’t like being alone for long periods of time, but it’s hard to see him in a bad mood because michael is very good at concealing his emotions

he’s a very upbeat person, at least he portrays himself that way

he hates his eyes because they’re the same as his father

......he thinks killing is like a love declaration or whatever. a proof of love. i don’t... i don’t wanna be inside his head. it’s a dark place. no thank u sir.

that’s it. that’s my fedora wearing, violin player, hedonist son.

play w him carefully, he bites.

BLOG HERE

this is SIENNA 

she’s a witch, always been... ever since she was a lil bean. but she didn’t & still doesn’t know till this day.

when she was just 8 years old she was sleeping safe & sound when a vampire broke into her home, sliced up her parents and ate them.

horrified & still in shock, her cat started to tug at her ankle & guided her to the closet where she hid with him.

she survived the night, waited for her cue & dashed off into the woods

she almost froze to the death but was found in the morning by the cops. she was sent to the hospital than to an asylum & diagnosed with schizophrenia, dissociative identity disorder, depression & paranoia. they assumed she killed her own parents & ofc no one believed the ramblings of an 8 year old about monsters.

she was released under the care of her aunt when she was 16. she brought her to live here, where believe it or not, young sienna found her old friend, mr.midnight. her cat and most dear friend. not to mention... only friend.

thing is, she’s clairvoyant & able to enter the spirit world. when she touches people she sometimes gets these really ugly flashes, of blood and mayhem. she doesn’t understand it but she tries to warn them anyways... sometimes it’s about something they did, or are planning to do, or something that’ll be done to them.

because she channels a lot of negative energy, she does get depressed.

she works at the flower shop, though she just makes the designs, and usually isn’t allowed to interact w the clients bc she scares the crap outta them

she’ll say WEIRD STUFF AT RANDOM TIMES

ppl dont like that

she’s got really long, dark hair. large eyes. very doll-ish, but very reserved. she usually tries not to wear black or red because it reminds her of death

she likes to spend her time in the woods, she’s growing a small garden of black roses somewhere.

she talks to her cat all the time so ... yeah. she can’t hear him for reals, but i mean, she doesn’t have a lot of ppl to talk to... so it’s sort of a ‘pretend’

sometimes she visits the graveyard and starts to put roses in the abandoned graves bc she feels sad for them.

she also talks to her parents tombstones ... i’m sad

oK i think that’s it

excuse me while i cry

BLOG HERE

this is PANDORA

my only human babe. she doesn’t know shit about supernaturals lurking around, and would probably be 120% done if she figured out

so panda is like this religious girl. smol child full of light and hope, everything sugary sweet. tries to be kind even tho some people don’t deserve it

but at heart, i’d say she’s strong. she’s scared of love, of opening herself up to people. she’s reserved, shy, doesn’t approach others unless they seem like they need help.

very strong-willed. she’s the daughter of the local pastor who is also a hunter. she doesn’t know this and if i’m being real would not approve if she learned, because whether someone’s supernatural or human that’s still killing

pandora struggles with being nice to people but standing her ground. she’s not very confrontational. having people walk all over her makes her sad, of course, but she tries not to let this get to her. everyone’s hurting in their own way, so she’s not judgemental.

her older sister rebelled against the goody-two-shoes family and got addicted to drugs and ran away from home. she could never understand this, because the truth is that her sister couldn’t deal w all the lies anymore, she figured out what her father was up to and went off the rails. it’s been a couple years, but pandora still heartbroken about this, because she’s now lost two people she cared about and there’s nothing she can do.

her step-mom is lowkey abusive. not physically or anything, but she’s not a nice woman. pandora’s mom died, but pandora never learned how or why, just that she shouldn’t ask question. she doesn’t know much about her, but she does have a half-burnt picture of her mom holding her as a baby that she carries around in her necklace.

because she feels her life is so... small. her world is so tiny, she tries to explore other worlds through books and movies, music... anything that’ll make her fly away from this earth for awhile is welcome.

she absolutely loves hearing stories & will drop everything she’s doing to hear someone telling her an interest tale.

she’s young and naive, she doesn’t have a lot of freedom & grew up quite sheltered, so she doesn’t understand how the world works very well.

she also has like this tarantula as a pet bc... idk why she has weird taste i effing hate spiders. get margot tf away from me pandora I DON’T LIKE IT

she just likes collecting bugs. it’s a hobby of hers, she’s not grossed-out easily i guess ??

so this is my smol human child

love her pls ok