#and his lifelong abandonment issues

[willfulscarlet]

On the one hand, stop trying to make Hawke happen. The GA name is not the issue here. On the other, I’m so glad Mia was shown to be actively looking out for Connor and that we got an actual character interaction, not just action quips.

Of course Connor’s a bit fucked up at the moment, and is not taking Ollie’s actions well. He’s not had much more than that one evening on the beach to regroup since leaving Lazarus Island, and Mia would notice and not want to let him struggle alone. The Brothers Arrow are so important to each other, but Roy’s got rather a lot on his own plate - and Mia and Connor are family too.

[rmstitanics]

* GENERAL OBSERVATIONS

CANCER MOONS and 4H MOONS might enjoy media with the found family trope.

Those that have an 8H STELLIUM, PISCES MOON, 12H STELLIUM, or SCORPIO URANUS would make great divination witches, tarot readers, astrologers, and / or ghost hunters.

MERCURY OPPOSITE MARS folks have no filter in every sense of the concept. They tend to speak their minds and say the MOST out of pocket things, and also might be prone to swearing like a sailor.

“Taylor Swift only writes music about her exes—” NO. Her entire discography reflect the journey to heal the inner wound of CANCER CHIRON, which is all about feeling unloved and abandoned by others. If you’ve got this placement, you probably relate on a spiritual level to her song “The Prophecy”.

12H STELLIUMS may have had some paranormal experiences in their childhood or early adulthood.

SUN SQUARE URANUS aspects may be prone to a feeling of always being at war with themself — whether spiritually, emotionally, or psychologically. Although they do a good job at hiding this inner conflict, it might still manifest in social interaction by others perceiving them as contradictory due to actions not aligning with words.

AQUARIUS MOONS are natural humanitarians, and would find lifelong emotional + spiritual fulfillment in community service or philanthropy.

I encourage individuals who have NEPTUNE TRINE MERCURY in their chart to try astral projection or lucid dreaming — you’ve got a natural affinity for it!

If you have your SUN PLACEMENT AND CHIRON PLACEMENT IN THE SAME SIGN, your Chiron wound is likely a major and crucial part of your core personality. For example, Abraham Lincoln had his sun sign and chiron sign in Aquarius, indicating that the core wound of always feeling like an outsider in the community was a foundational aspect of his character.

CAPRICORN CHIRONS might enjoy writing or reading historical fiction — especially historical fiction that features characters who others view as “outsiders” achieving succsss in the public eye against all odds.

4H SATURN placements may have chosen or will possibly choose to attend university far away from home in a desperate attempt to break free from strict parents.

SATURN TRINE NEPTUNE aspects make for individuals who care deeply about topics related to social justice and are driven to take action and participate in organizing their communities. They could be involved in social media activism and have accounts dedicated to posting about certain issues, but it is essential for these natives to also take concrete actions locally.

[bonefall]

"be nice to Crowfeather hes mentally ill" THIS and "ooooooh he was just a sad boy so you have to excuse how he treated his kid" THAT. Don't even TALK to me unless your early childhood abuse and social alienation resulted in lifelong unstable relationships rooted on your fragile sense of self and abandonment issues, through qhich you have had to spend several decades learning how to control your own violent and fearful impulses, as a cavalcade of assholes tells you that you deserve the issues THEY caused because you were a "problem child"

Breezepelt you are EVERYTHING to me I love you I'm so sorry this fandom has NO TASTE!!!

[dr9com9ge-ix]

More cleaned up Sprunki designs! And specific info tied to these- under the cut

Sky

15 He/him

- Quiet, A bit aloof. Pretty curious however. Does not emote much.

- Jevin’s adopted son, found in a cradle in a seemingly abandoned home.

- Has asked for literally one thing and one thing only for his birthday, Teddy bears. Jevin has made some of them whenever he couldn’t find one.

- Quite independent, knows how to cook on a paraffin stove.

- Has never owned a phone due to him and Jevin never being in places with them before.

- Watches movies on Gray’s laptop- Likes dramas the most, finds them funny most of the time.

Jevin

57 He/him

- looks ominous but is actually pretty shy and polite, keeps to himself mostly. Also forgets to emote.

- Used to have some form of terrible insomnia and nightmares until he found his religion worshipping the “Darkness”. Thanks this deity daily for curing his lifelong issue. Sleeps quite soundly now.

- Showed up to town suddenly one day with his son in a caravan as they had been travelling for quite some time- Finally deciding to stay in this town when they arrived.

- Adopted Sky when he couldn’t find his biological parents or anyone where he found him.

- Has no idea how to use computers or phones as he’s lived in places with lower tech (pre-industrial).

Grey

21 He/they

- A shy anxious doormat, makes a low “mmmmmmm” sound when uncomfortable.

- Came from the same city as Wenda (Did not know her until they both came to town.)

- Has interests in filmmaking and studying cinematography, having alot of avant garde movies he likes on his laptop.

- Thinks he’s not good at video games but just picks like really difficult ones.

- Works at the local movie theater, is unfortunately co-workers with Wenda. Is too scared to tell her to leave him alone.

- Befriended Sky when he couldn’t decide what movie to see, gave the kid a list of recommendations in a usb. Then realized Sky didn’t own any devices to watch them so lets him use their laptop.

- Their tail is prehensile and he often wraps it around himself to self-hug.

Wenda

22 She/her

- Loud and kind of rude, Thinks she’s being funny when she makes rude comments. This has often lead to the other sprunkis avoiding her.

- Is kind of judgemental and has little to no filter.

- Very nosy, will stick her head into everyone’s business.

- Quite strong despite her tall wiry frame, has startled Grey with how much she can lift.

- Jealous of how well other people get along with each other as she does truly want friends but does not understand that she needs to work on herself.

- Bothers Grey the most much to his despair because she thinks he’s a friendless loser and can stick to him.

- Has an unsettling smile and a bad habit of gritting and grinding her teeth.

Pinki

30 She/her

- Bubbly and loves to talk! Will talk for hours if permitted. Can be a bit easily distracted at times though.

- Dives into tons of hobbies, definitely will give lots of tips and tricks about them.

- Worked as an architect in her old city and also does here too. Also does volunteer work on the weekend.

- Has a ton of different outfits for different occasions and has likely made some for others.

- Is dating Oren and has been on his streams. Is surprisingly good at FPS games though prefers messing with character creators.

- Into musicals and sings/hums while she does things.

[eddiegettingshot]

most of the time i don’t even think it’s worth engaging with this stuff because it’s stupid and continues to illustrate a lack of understanding about. stories and fiction and such. but like. the new Thing from people who don’t like eddie or buddie or whatever is being like “eddie stans care about a sexuality arc more than anything else! it’s always about eddie’s sexuality! there are other things to explore!” and the thing is that yeah, i’m sure there are people who are only interested in him being gay (which is fine?) and yeah, obviously there are other things. but like. the thing that people forget in a myriad of ways is that eddie is not buck. for a character like eddie, defined by lifelong expectations and repression and a very specific struggle with the idea of Family, the symbolism of his sexuality holds a lot more weight than the just the fact of his attraction to men (in his STORY, not in-universe!). this is not to say that buck can’t or doesn’t have complex feelings about his bisexuality, but insofar as his actual character arc, his coming out doesn’t actually touch much on a lot of the things he’s been reckoning with as a character: what his purpose is, his parental trauma and abandonment issues, his struggle to actually recognize his wants, his pathological need to please. but for eddie, coming out could and would involve a lot of that specific character growth: reckoning with the expectations everyone has always had for him, being able to self-discover, accepting and putting his wants and needs first for once rather than repressing them, rethinking what a family might look like and his place in it, maybe understanding some of his own mistakes, and continuing to be the best version of himself for his son. like yes he will also be into men and into buck specifically but this is all eddie’s specific baggage; his sexuality is a representation of his Whole Self, rather than the repressed self that caused him and the people around him pain. that’s why it’s so important to eddie understanders to see it 🫶🏽

[endearing-dalliance]

She-Ra PoP vs Arcane S2

Physically disabled character considered inferior by his society, abandoned instead of being helped

Technological genius who benefits from having a partner

Uses technology to improve his health and quality of life

Becomes fundamentally altered by a force outside his control (with Christian and cult references)

And now here's where She-Ra and Arcane's messages diverge: Hordak is consistently supported and loved by his partner throughout his journey. She doesn't let up when he tries to hide his pain from her.

She does NOT tell him that he is wrong to try to "fix" himself and actively helps him do so. She recognizes the validity of how he choses to deal with his condition, which was caused by genetic "imperfections" during the cloning process. But she impresses upon him that he does not deserve the physical pain or mental torment of being a "failure".

Her message was that his imperfections do not limit him or define him. They are a part of life, part of the world, and a part of him, and he is not a failure for having them.

Meanwhile in Arcane, Jayce criticizes Viktor for "wanting to cure what he thought were weaknesses" and specifically mentions his leg and disease. The two things that brought him chronic pain, progressively deteriorating quality of life, and one would ultimately kill him. Also, Viktor never actually expressed that he was ashamed of them. We as the audience are left to assume that's how he feels, because why wouldn't he? What else would a disabled person feel? Not that he is perfectly aware that Piltover's oppression and exploitation of his people likely directly contributed to both those issues. Not that he values himself for his intellect and contributions to Hextech even though society constantly prioritized Jayce. Nope, obviously he feels so bad about it that he tries to turn all of humanity into robots. On top of that, Christian Linke has explicitly said the Hexcore corrupted him and Sky was a manifestation of it manipulating him. So even if he did feel that way before, he's still not at fault for what's been going on.

And I think a key part of this is the mindset of the team who created this show. Was this simply a poorly executed but positive sentiment, or a symptom of ableist bias from a team of 3 able-bodied people? We can harp on Jayce all we want, but ultimately someone designed him this way, and THIS is what I take issue with. Christian also says in the art book explicitly that Viktor fixing his leg and spine make him lose part of his humanity. If this is the logic behind Jayce's monologue, it is NOT positivity. It is a direct shaming of a disabled person's right to choose how they take care of themselves, said by a character who has already violated Viktor's autonomy and wishes, written by a team that equates self-improvement with inferior humanity.

Amanda Overton has repeatedly mentioned she was inspired by She-Ra, which is pretty obvious here. Unfortunately, this isn't the unequivocally positive message she thinks it is, and she missed all the nuance of Entrapta and Hordak's conversations about it. A huge component of why it works in She-Ra is because Entrapta's wisdom comes from her understanding of her own "failures" and "imperfections" due to her autism, and Hordak reciprocates support throughout the show. One of the key members of her development team is an autistic person who provided a realistic view of what an autistic person can be like.

This is two people who understand each other's pain uplifting each other, NOT Entrapta being Hordak's miraculous savior at the 11th hour. Having Jayce need a leg brace for like 5 minutes does not give him ability to understand Viktor's lifelong struggles that were also killing him.

For future seasons, I hope they bring on staff who actually have any idea what they are fucking talking about.

[ukiyowi]

People coming into your life and the kinds of people you attract!

❗Important Note❗Do Not Copy/Plagiarise, reblogs help a ton if you liked the PAC! You can check out the Masterlist for more, or get a personalised reading :)) have a lovely day!! Reblogging and paid readings help a lot! Pls DM me if you want one!

Masterlist || Paid Readings || Tip 🍯

Entering your life

People you attract

- ﹒⪩⪨﹒

🪻Pile 1

Aww this is cute, the new people coming to you are going to be upbeat and light-hearted, yet quite serious. They will celebrate your every win and teach you how to enjoy yourself and take time off (hi workaholic pile😍) these people may be the foundation when it comes to being lifelong friends. They may be the kind to make an unbreakable bond with you. You could also meet them at a party or a family celebration!

They will seem talkative and jolly and you will have no problem making easy conversation with them. They may have issues regarding fear and anxiety about the future, and you may have similar problems too which you would discuss and try to heal through.

They will help you ease your thoughts and restless mind as well. They may be the type to be a little possessive and greedy, and they crave financial stability. This could be the result of past hardships where they've lost a lot and don't want to lose anything more. They may also hold on to the past tightly, carrying their hurt because they may feel they need to.

Placements: Cancer, Aries, Pisces, mars, Jupiter, 4th house, 6th house and 11th house.

Keywords: 444, guidance, instinct, trust, stability, stagnation, home, calling, great expanse, feeling seen, horror, laughter, poetry, anarchism, angel

- ﹒⪩⪨﹒

Pile 2

Ths people coming into your life are going to be immensely ambitious, the kind that's a little too intense if I'm being honest. They're very fast paced and may like to go through life in an organised and calculated manner. They may seem distant or in their own world when you first meet and you may meet in a work environment. You may notice that they're strict yet sensitive, they have a heart of gold and may not like making small talk.

They may be very successful and assertive. Could get into arguments easily because they may be a bit defensive about the world they do. They'll help you grow and understand yourself better, probably bringing more structure and balance in your life.

They'll also be quite competitive so they may love playing video/board games with you as well and they'll also teach you how to stop always compromising even when you don't need to. They're mature and dependable they'll probably be like a mentor figure almost. They're the kind of person to constantly work even when they're supposed to be on vacation and they've worked hard to get where they are.

Placements: Virgo, Leo, Aquarius, 1st house, 8th house, 10th house, Mercury and mars

Keywords: 1212, finality, family, partnership, domesticity, cooking, wit, fun, tingling, moods, shining, strength, mastery, work, togetherness, vision, innovation

- ﹒⪩⪨﹒

🪻Pile 3

Abundant, so elegant, this person will have an extremely regal energy. They may be a social butterfly, someone who makes connections easily and they may have a maternal vibe to them. They're going to be generous and helpful will probably be quite wealthy, and are the kind of person to donate to charities frequently. For some reason it's coming though that you may meet them while doing humanitarian work. They'll also be homebodies so as much as they like socialising they may like spending time with a small circle of friends at home.

They may teach you how to heal from abandonment, maybe they went through something similar and will help guide you. They may also teach you how to leave things you no longer need behind and turn your back on the past. They'll be very Intune with their surroundings and the energies around them and may be interested in the occult.

One thing that's coming through strongly is that they may be secretive and mysterious which is what will pull you in, however this can get tiring pretty quickly because it may seem like you keep opening up to them but they don't. They may also have very good intuition.

Placements: Scorpio, Taurus, Gemini, moon, Pluto, 2nd house, 5th house, 8th house.

Keywords: southern, 888, loops, waves, answers, forgotten, youth, fantasy, bad habits, ending, unbelievable, 7, kindred, identity, survival, opinions of others, story, listening.

- ﹒⪩⪨﹒

🍀 Pile 1

Hopeless romantics, people who may be a little naïve and innocent, viewing the world through rose coloured glasses, but they're also strong willed and determined, nothing can get them down, they're independent people who, when in love, fall too fast and too deep. They are successful professionally but may be a bit immature when it comes to expressing their emotions. They may be people who don't like expressing negative emotions as it makes them feel like they're getting the mood down, they may not be comfortable with vulnerability and emotional intimacy.

- ﹒⪩⪨﹒

🍀 Pile 2

Brave people, warriors at heart, they've probably been through a rough past that has left them a little jaded but even with their rough edges they are extremely soft. May be the kind of people to be there through thick or thin, a dependable friend, people who're always there to help no matter what. They may be "fixers" and feel they can fix people with their love. Calm and stable individuals who have a lot of wanderlust and usually believe in the occult, they're also very stern and may come off as a little harsh at times.

- ﹒⪩⪨﹒

🍀 Pile 3

Low-key, energy vampires, they may be attracted to you because they can either get something from you, or you're an empath and are healing to be around. People who're a little self-absorbed and selfish, may not be the best at respecting boundaries, more of a talker than a listener. A little flighty, very flirty, the type of people you would want to go on a short trip because of how fun they are. May leave you speechless at times simply because of the bizarre things they say, people who may be resistant to change.

- ﹒⪩⪨﹒

🍀 Pile 4

Gentle souls, wise people who give great advice but their advice may be unsolicited at times which could have a tendency to annoy people, people who're usually artistic in some way maybe they play instruments or draw or dance. They're very charming but can be manipulative if they want because of how good they are with their speech. Big emotions, people who have high highs and low lows. The kind of people who may be a bit paranoid and are natural worriers, they can also be a little superstitious. Really warm and welcoming individuals.

- ﹒⪩⪨﹒

Ukiyowi All Rights Reserved ®©

[simply-ivanka]

My Long Road From Truman to Trump

I’ve been a Democrat since 1948, when I was 10. But I can no longer abide what my old party has become.

By Bartle Bull Sr. -- Wall Street Journal

I’ve been an outspoken Democrat since 1948, when I was the only student in my fifth-grade class to “vote” for Harry Truman. It’s been astonishingly difficult to disclose that next month I will vote for Donald Trump.

Like many, I will be doing so in the European way, voting for a party and its issues, rather than in the American way of supporting someone I like. When I have expressed my views—on economics, security and cultural matters—long-time liberal friends have said, “You sound like Trump, or some uneducated hillbilly.” Ignoring my schooling at Harvard, Oxford and the Sorbonne, these friends sound like well-meaning dilettantes, otherwise described as self-righteous, useful idiots or bien-pensant.

Such responses prompt me to compare my own liberal credentials with theirs. This makes me a difficult adversary, as I have long been an extremely useful idiot, overloaded with liberal credentials.

To name a few: In 1956 I helped coordinate Harvard Freshmen for Adlai Stevenson. Ten years later, I was arrested as a civil-rights lawyer in Hattiesburg, Miss., where Vernon Dahmer, the local head of the NAACP, had been burned alive in his house. In the same state, I later campaigned for Charles Evers for governor.

In 1968 I quit my job as a Wall Street lawyer to serve as Robert F. Kennedy’s New York campaign coordinator. In 1972, I organized the New York Citizens Committee for McGovern-Shriver. During this period, I was publisher of the Village Voice, a left-wing Manhattan newspaper. In 1976 I worked as Jimmy Carter’s New York state campaign manager, and in 1978 in South Carolina to support Charles Ravenel’s challenge to Sen. Strom Thurmond. My last Democratic Party campaign was in Harlem, backing Craig Schley, a young black reformer, in a primary against Rep. Charles Rangel. In 2008 I was chairman of New York Democrats for John McCain for President.

At the international level, in 1993-94, I volunteered in Bosnia with the International Rescue Committee to help Muslim refugees, spending Christmas Eve with Bosnian soldiers in a bunker in the mountains. In 2010, at 72, I worked in Afghanistan with the Initiative to Educate Afghan Women, going on foot patrols to girls’ schools. The Biden administration later abandoned these courageous women to the Taliban.

For a long time, like an old locomotive, I have been building steam inside when liberal friends, with the certitude and arrogance of the righteous, decry me as a “right-winger.” In a Harvard class-reunion speech many years ago, I said that “Harvard should stand up to the tyrannies of the left today the way it stood up to the tyrannies of the right in the days of Joe McCarthy.” But the progressive agenda doesn’t seem to include what Truman and John F. Kennedy considered liberal values, such as true political tolerance.

Now, as a lifelong Democrat, I am voting Republican for policy reasons, not because I like Mr. Trump. I believe my old party, as it abuses the powers of office and threatens to pack the Supreme Court and end the filibuster, now supports a government that is far too strong at home and far too weak abroad.

Mr. Bull is a writer living in upstate New York. His latest novel is “We’ll Meet Again.”

[theinfinitelibrarysystem]

bnha/mha, my criticisms.

the order in which i put them does not imply I think some of these issues are worse or not as bad as others, it's just the order I think of them in.

1- bakugou katsuki. a bully who doesn't change, but gets worse. from suicide baiting, to attempted murder, and is consistently forgiven and encouraged by every character in the entire story and the fandom.

2- the sexism in the story and fandom. (I went on a whole rant about this but I don't want to write too much about it because it enrages me)

3- fanservice. and the fact that when a male character is used for fanservice it empowers them (male characters uniforms being broken, exposing muscular chests, while female character's exposure does not flaunt their strength, just beauty and sex appeal, even teenagers.)

4- THE FACT THAT THE ONLY TRANS CHARACTERS ARE EITHER A VILLAIN WHO DIED OR A SIDE CHARACTER.

5- character annihilation for the sake of the plot. fuck the plot. characters matter more.

6- eraserhead's shitty teaching and how the fandom sees him as a good teacher or even a father figure.

7- quirkless discrimination and how unadressed it was and how izuku just got over it after a bit in high school even with his lifelong abuser there.

8- 1-A abandonning izuku and before that forcing him to come with them to UA, endangering those sheltering there.

9- Eri being rescued from those who used her only to be used in a different way but it's fine because using a child for her quirk is moral if the heroes do it. 10- bad representation of teenagers and children.

11- HORRIBLE representation of people of colour. mirko is an angry and violent character who is blunt in her words. Rock Lock is also an angry character, and any very reasonable suggestions and remarks he has are ignored. it is a very common trope to have black characters always be angry, and while yes they can be, it speaks a lot about the writer that your only black characters fit the stereotype.

11- idolisation of america.

12- endeavours "redemption"

13- lack of quirkless characters (what happened to 20% of the population?)

14- mineta's entire existence

15- shit pacing

16- shit plot

17- shit characters

[beanarie]

what if tommy admits marriage is a nonstarter. his parents made each other miserable, his grandparents and aunts and uncles all seemed to hate their lives. and obergefell was amazing, life-changing, all of that. but ever since he's been watching his friends keep an eagle eye on which states might not respect their vows, all the while straight people livetweet 90 day fiance and married at first sight and just, fuck it. fuck the whole thing.

buck, the man with abandonment issues you could see from space, has to make a decision. can he take it on faith that tommy isn't going anywhere, without that license, without the wedding album, without being able to use those words that signify lifelong commitment to each other.

he kind of would have to take a leap anyway, wouldn't he. it's not like people don't divorce. and it's not like there aren't other ways to be legally tied together. but still.

hm.

[haunted4kent]

" blood struck. " t. todoroki

✧˚ · . 𝑺𝑼𝑴𝑴𝑨𝑹𝒀 ; wield the sword, seek vengeance, and watch it turn to ash beneath his blade.

word count ; 2.5k

a/n ; i havent written like this in a HOT minute, but i hope you enjoy <33 dis so random and i just want to be evil and give a super sloppy villain creation 4 dabs with sword like action lol

A villain killer. Instead of being quote “heroic”, taking down a common thug for robberies and sending them off to jail to rot.  You were infamous for killing villains, the evilest people on the heights of wanted lists. You believed their evil deeds were only atoneable by death.

The death of your best friend made you this way, twisted the word “hero”.

Being a hero was putting an end to the evil, right? So why attempt to salvage the unsalvageable?

How could a hero who believed in the “ideal” heroic ways been what he was? Be so thirsty to surpass that in the process, have been the reason your best friend was engulfed by his power? 

You knew you were a hero, you were the ideal hero. You removed the gunk and nasty build-up that was sitting for long enough. You were cleaning the filth bit by bit.

Your identity has become one of Japan's largest mysteries.

“WHO IS KILLING VILLAINS?”

“WHICH HERO WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE DOWN THIS DISHONORABLE HUMAN?!”

Even the public wanted you dead, can't they see that they aren't looking into the details enough? They want you dead for killing the evil and don't see how they are protesting against the salvation of Japan. It was a hero that made you “evil.”

Dishonorable? 

You have had to mourn since you were 13 years old. Mourn a hero’s wrongdoing, Endeavor’s wrongdoing.

The League of Villains, although you didn't support the “prestigious” UA High. The attempt to harm children was enough for you to take action, and with enough investigation, you found a pinpoint location. 

8 elite villains and you promised yourself you'd rid the world of. You wanted them to fear the sight of your eyes, you didn't care if they wanted to rid All Might, you wanted to be an issue that lingered in the back of their minds. 

“WHAT IF THEY COME FOR US.” 

The night was foggy, and you stood crouched atop the first tower of the large mansion-like residence. Smoke floods out of the chimney fogging the glow the moon provided, and the little light from down below. 

It reminded you of the small fires he’d light at night to keep you warm. So proud that that had become an easy task. So glad that you were proud of even that,

The only villains you considered a real threat were the silver-haired man and the samurai. Which could go against your power, but with your lifelong experience, you saw no real problem.

5 of the core group had stepped outside in the courtyard of the home, which was listed as abandoned and vacant online. There was no sight of the leader or the man who wielded a katana. It was time to make a move.

You quickly scaled down the brick tower, your sword shrieking against the cobblestone.

Quickly a man began to panic, babbling on to himself like a maniac. Pathetic. Their attacks as a whole aren't impressive, considering the lack of response they have, or coordination. 

Easily taken down and put unconscious with a blunt strike to the head. However, you came across some trouble with clustering and having to use kicks or elbows to get them from surrounding you.

As they lay unconscious, the part that you found easy came. To stomp off the filth with the sharp end of your wielded weapon.

In the silence, cries muffled from what felt like afar, and you take in that the man who began to panic wasn't lying before you. The cries triggered your brain, nobody had ever gotten away, let alone run far enough to cry. 

Your mind plays the day you watched your young tears hit the black ash on the ground beneath you. When everyone tried to find him.  You were scared and wanted to run away too.

Sekoto Peak was a place of anguish. 

Were you feeling sentimental because you had to worry about another samurai? Did it remind you of him?

The harrowing clank of your boot hitting the cobble echoed in your ears, his arms covering the area of his torn mask before he released to look up at you. You felt different, the tears in his eyes, the true fear of death.

Is this how Touya felt when he panicked to attempt to extinguish his body?

You swing the blunt end of your sword into his temple, watching the man lightly bleed from the head. You stand still, pulling your hood from your head.

“Heh.”

A long rasp shatters the silence, and the swipe of your left blade strikes through the air.

You can't lose that katana.

A cold point pushes into your jugular, and panic surges through your blood. Your sword lifts instinctively and stops abruptly at the sight before you. Those eyes, they run you cold. Those eyes, you remember them.  

“Dad’s always with Shoto. I want him to come to Sekoto to see how my flames have improved. He set this fire under me and now that he can't put it out he's upset? He’s being cruel to me, he always has been. Thank you so much for coming up with me Y/n, I just don't know how to feel.”

Touya Todoroki stands before you in the flesh.

"You carry my blade?" He tilts his head at you, a boyish grin sitting plastered upon his skin. You drown in the depth of his eyes, like an ocean that has swept you up in an instant.

You feel the strain of your own eyes, if you blink, could he disappear from before you? Your heart twists at the sight of him, charred. You struggle to choke out the name. "Touya."

“Nuh, not anymore.” The grin that spreads across him is chilling, a splatter of blood sitting upon your face. He’s killed you without pushing the sword into your throat.

“I'm surprised you knew. Not even my damned brother did.” His voice is conflicting with your mind, it is trying to piece together the Touya you knew 11 years ago with the one that stands before you.

"I know, pretty disgusting."

He smiles, the cape that drapes your back is set ablaze and in a quick movement you rip it from your back, watching the blue-soaked cloak be consumed by his flame. In the process, he has slit the belt on your waist with one slick slash.

“What are you doing." It stings, stop it. No. Your tears have only been shed at the hands of Touya, his death. His flames became your tears the day he died, and they burn.

“You don't think I looked into you the moment I woke up? There was nothing, nothing!” You can only kneel before him in the state you're in. The reason you kill is because of him, and he has been alive. "You moved away, you weren't online, you had no fucking record!" He was acting like a maniac, crazed like you've never seen.

He continues on, even swinging his blade around carelessly. “Until I saw you sitting in Sekoto, visiting it like I was stuck beneath the ground and needed saving. I knew you were the only person who remembered “Touya Todoroki.”, and I had to wipe that name from the earth. Like shit stuck to the bottom of my shoe.” 

Your vocal cords are engulfed by the sting of tears and he steps forward, letting his sword shriek by his side. 

The cold metal settles at the bottom of your chin. 

You can't rid of the expression on your face and he's thrilled. “Then after not seeing you for years, a woman starts killing villains out of the blue. It was a goddamn mystery.”

The focus you had on the world has become impaired, you can hear your heartbeat in your chest. He doesn't care about you anymore, does he? Why do you want to feel his heartbeat, tear his heart from his chest, make sure he is real?

“Those eyes, you should know I'd know those eyes anywhere. All I needed was one glance, and I knew your every motive. They glew in vengeance, like my power carried on in them. You thought I was weak too, and you tried to cover up your evil deeds with the excuse that my death was my father's fault!” He cackled.

“That’s- that's not it Touya.” You've been lighten ablaze, and your tears uncontrollably fall and stain the cobble.

“Is that it? Anger, anger that I caused has fueled this monster before me?” A low chuckle falls from his lips, one that is filled with disappointment compared to the hysteric hiccups of laughter he was just sputtering out.

“Stop. Enough- I’ve had enough.”

His sword tilts your chin back up. “Now you've had enough? After you've mourned it's become enough!?” His voice rises, and your fists clench.

Your teeth grind together like bone, bone that can be snapped with a hit that lands hard enough. His bone will crumble like ash.

“Get up and stop me from killing you Y/n.” 

Your bones crack wrapping the blade of the sword, and you swing it into his blade, knocking it from beneath your chin.

“You should never hold the sword by its blade.” His swing sparks with your sword, and you freeze, before rolling to get to your feet.  You hate the fucking cold. Why are you so cold?

 “Just move, goddammit move!” You thought. 

You knew you were better than this, you just needed to move your arms. 

Another swing was speeding towards you, and your sword lifted to defend it. The moment the two swords collided, you felt you were present again. 

“You have to recognize your own body, if you don't, it'll never have time to know what your opponent is going to do next. You’ll be too busy figuring yourself out.” 

His words of the past conflicted with your every move. You automatically swing your blade downward, but he catches it. “I taught you that move you idiot!” You continue to struggle to land a hit, you have a specialty in mobility, but his work with a sword is unmatched. Until he leaves his chest open, you shove your forearm into his chest, and in his fall his blade slices into your arm.

You bleed over the cobblestone, and he is already getting up off his knees. Stumbling back your blood dripping blends with the scene of your tears when you stood in the ash of Sekoto.

“I was asleep for 3 years and you still haven't improved a bit! All that time, and you've still disappointed me. What potential will you reach if you can't land a blow!” His taunts pushed you further.

Rip his heart from his chest, you need to know he's real.

Your body pushes itself forward, leaping up. His sword tries to fly up into your leg, but your boot kicks it, landing your knee straight into the crevice of his neck.

You roll off after he hits the ground, and you're cold again when you see his cheek is falling apart. His eyes are filled with blood.

“You're a lunatic. Who are you!” You plead, why does he want to hurt you? The adrenaline is dying down and you're beginning to feel the depth of your injury. 

“Don’t pity me. You've always had that shitty savior complex. That's why you became what you became right? To prove that people that my father saved are supposed to be killed because he didn't even want to save me?” His hand twitches out in blue flames, and your body throws itself away before the burst flies up to where you were kneeling.

“You excelled! If anything, when he knew I couldn't be a hero he thought to even offer you training!” His charred laughs came breathless as he picked himself back up, through the smoke, the side of his face was streaked with blood. He drops the blade, letting it clank.

Your breath breaks and your voice cracks, a mixture of tears and screeched shouts come from your throat. 

“Why would you ever want to make that sick man proud Touya?! He created children to surpass a hero he himself couldn't! Why would you ever want to make that proud!” 

“You don't get it!” He shouts. “He lit that goddamn fire beneath me!” He’s slipping, struggling to lift his body as his flames grow stronger around his body.

“Maybe we can be heroes together! We can save people and be the best. That's all I've ever wanted, and I want you by my side.”

“If you can't even save yourself! How the hell are you going to save others!” He chokes out. The courtyard is filled with the glow of his flames, he's trying to pick himself up, but his body is ready to embrace death. He finally crawls completely defenseless towards you, dropping his heat-stricken body in your arms, his head rests upon you.

A large blast fields your vision, and you let it engulf you.

You were always consumed by Touya Todoroki’s flame.

“The katana is a blade to be held only by those with potential.”

His hair was so white, his arm burned just at the skin, his tummy with peeling skin. That's the Touya you remember, and the one you'll die remembering.

“Y/n.” You felt empty, he had taken off the charred mask from your face. The pressure on your arm was uncomfortable, but it was wrapped well, it didn't sting. His fingers run warm against your forearm that lays off the couch.

You're constantly homesick, and it's been that way since he died. Since that boy died, your blood has run cold, and you have become who you hated the most. You became a killer. You became his killer by ideal, kill those who are not worthy enough for you.

“Open your eyes.” It came more sternly than your name, and when you did, he was sitting in front of the couch you had been lying on.

At 20, you gave up looking. You had to believe that Touya was dead. He had been turned to ash and he was no phoenix that would rise from the ashes. You picked up your sword again and went to do what you believed in, a belief his flame created. What that death turned you into. At 21, you were already widespread.

“I'm sorry Touya.” The tears were already warm down your face, and the dried blood on his soaked the new streaks that fell.

You no longer had purpose to wield a sword, or to consider yourself a samurai when he was around. You were just you, and he was him.

He lifts from the floor, his blood-ridden face being the first thing you notice before it's his eyes, So struck. You push yourself up and his hand wraps around your torso.

"Damn you, I waited so long."

You were no longer a hero. You sought revenge alongside him, and he did rise from the ashes, he rose as an inferno.

© haunted4kent 2024.

[narwhalandchill]

spicy take incoming but i kinda wish ppl werent so desperately attached to and protective of this moniker of Great Big Brother 100% Perfect So True And Real when it comes to childe bc honestly. he really isnt (perfect or even that good at times) and to me acknowledging the ways both he and his family (for enabling him) are in some ways kinda just. doing teucer incredibly dirty in the long term but only with the best of intentions in the short term is so much more interesting than just pretending hes a flawless brother?? like it only adds to the drama and irony of it all man like theyre rly so dysfunctional as a family unit its great. even if hoyos likely never exploring that shit in its true depth it still lives rent free in my head for sure lol

like. you rly dont have to turn ajax into some sort of unfeeling uncaring monster of a shit brother to acknowledge that he does, in fact, repeatedly make incredibly reckless and selfish choices during his SQ with teucer and in general by choosing to obstruct the truth of who he is from lil bro so completely?

like this stuff can be nuanced and coexist with his absolutely 100% genuine commitment to protecting teucers bubble of a worldview (and w the theme of childlike dreams and wishes being so prevalent in general who knows what could be cooking w that one in particular) and his loyalty and love for his family without just having to whitewash the dumb shit he does lmao

like just bc hes capable of and willing to face the potentially grave repercussions of absolute bangers (🙄🙄) like teaching an actual fucking child to consider ruin machines fun besties and 100% insta ready to fuck himself up by protecting teucer at the cost of aggravating his still-unhealed injuries from the liyue AQ when dottores abandoned lab turns out to be more lively than expected doesnt. make that choice not a very irresponsible one yall im begging 💀

like. hes the adult here . the entire situation unfolding as dangerously as it does in the factory is Absolutely all on HIM for not being able and/or willing to disappoint teucer by just . Doing the mature thing and sending him away to safety because HES gotten too attached to this idea of being his lil siblings' loyal knight and perfect brother that Always finds a way to surpass the expectations no matter the cost its a role HE wants to keep playing despite the risk

like its So obviously a pride thing for him too and thats so fucking interesting because Of how flawed and questionable the logic is!! like yes he truly cares about teucer and ensuring he has a great unforgettable time during this impromptu escapade in liyue like thats not up to debate but the point im trying to make is that the choices he makes are Still very much intertwined with his ego and overconfidence and not really based all that much on Whats Actually The Best Approach Here. he improvises a way to give teucer the best mr cyclops outing he has ever seen bc HE wants to be the one offering him that experience and ends up biting off a bit more than he can chew and he can only blame himself for that one and This Isnt Fucking Sustainable

like i dont think that makes him evil but i do think it showcases his arrogance and flaws in a very concrete way and is a part of why calling him a perfect brother or at least one without an asterix just. rubs me off wrong lmao

like idk feel free to keep calling him that if its important to u and all if u want idc (and i do to some extent get why this defensive narrative of insisting hes great no issues at all emerged bc i remember 1.1 some ppl acting like hes childcare satan for how he treats teucer lol) but. at least like . Be willing to chip in to fund the therapy teucers going to need for those lifelong trust issues in the future man 💀

Bc Thats The Other Thing. now tonia and anthon i dont consider a part of this bc at least they Know hes in the fatui and hiding the gory details of ur harbinger job from ur baby sibs is like. fair enough and reasonable. but. crafting an Entire different AU version of yourself and feeding it to your baby brother as what constitutes actual reality surely is a choice of all times like ajax ily but genuinely . What the fuck if you were real id throttle you

AND HIS FAMILY ENABLING IT THE ENTIRE TIME ITS CRAZY LIKE. As a person with multiple siblings both older n younger with some similar age gap cohorts involved. God id snitch so fucking fast i dont think ppl rly stop and think much abt how objectively horrifying this shit is from teucers long term pov 😭 in the best way obviously given its fiction like its so scrumptiously awful and dysfunctional .

(& just in general man im just so obsessed with the way ajax 14 basically broke the eggshell of his past life and emerged to rise towards his destiny drowned in the guts and gore of the place and people and community he once called home unconditionally. Bro he fucked that town UP and now his family relations will never ever be the same its so fucking Delicious. those 3 days missing and what followed are just Actually a literal fucking horror movie when you stop blindly stanning our ginger menace, forget ajax' side and take the pov of his family and morepesok in general Why Are People Not Talking About This)

like. its not that i dont understand Why this is sth childe ended up doing as i said Thats The Point. its human. teucer is the only one in the family who wasnt there during that fateful 3 days/months . Like yea anthon and tonia were prolly sheltered from most of the carnage back then too but they still Know where he was sent when he became literally uncontrollable and almost killed the neighbors (everybody & their mom loves demonizing his parents as if his demon spawn ass left them a fucking choice JFEJSJSJSKDKS) . like its at least Known.

but then theres teucer.

And like. teucers the Only one with whom ajax can even pretend to have that delusion (ha) of normalcy and a family that hasnt seen him gaze into the abyss and stare back bloodied and grinning ear to ear . like. hes the only shot childe can have at even playacting some crude imitation of normalcy before Everything and even That comes with an expiration date hes fully aware of. so theres just lies after lies after lies and the fact that even his family just. if not actively partaking in the charade then at least silently allows the entirety of it to happen to teucer whos the Only fucking one out of the loop is just..... dude its not fair on him At All

Misleading teucer THIS much is just. its fucking horrible man but i GET it. thats why its so delicious man i GET it but god its just . imagine being teucer in this situation.... thats his entire fucking World shattered once the truth comes out. Everyone close to him has been lying to him his entire time. They all knew and they let him be misled. Like sure he might be happier Now with ajax dutifully protecting that childhood dream of his but after that. Just. sit on this for a bit. after everything do we Really think teucers just going to understand why it came to be and see it as worth it???? Will he really????

yet at the same time as awfully cruel it all is its just So human!!!!! Its so human of both ajax and his family to use the innocence of the only child that was spared the aftermath of worlds best/worst 3 month abyss training camp to indulge in this flawed false reality where their third son didnt walk into the void and come back hungry for More until only the fatui could take him and even then it only spurred him on further on that path. Like its all an act and a lie and its just. Not fucking fair on teucer but hes still doing it and theyre letting him even tho they Know it wont last theyre all looking teucer in the eye every day and letting him believe like man....

like in both the entire ruin factory sequence And in general hiding the truth from teucer as extensively as childe does hes being incredibly selfish but at the same time its selfishness only rly in the way all people are when it comes to Wanting to be seen a certain way by the ones they love and care about. and thats what makes it so interesting. bc as much as the choices he makes are dubious (or like. this decision makes sense to him. a morally bisexual total omnivore ethics-wise narwhalpilled since 14 who sees exclusively in abyss shrimp colors and acts accordingly) both they and the motivations behind them are also just. So very human ones . as terrible as the implications and eventual inevitable downfall of those choices can (will) be.

like. is it not that much more fascinating to consider all the ways that childe is neither a particularly exemplary nor an egregiously bad brother just one that. Happens to be wired weird in the head and proud and flawed and with a track record of heavily suspect decision-making but that also very much genuinely loves his family man. Like i can love that about him without dismissing the fact that theres parts to how hes treating teucer that 100% can and imo rly should backfire horrifically bc. It really just is that fucked up

hes not a good brother hes Worse AMD better than that and also not alone in this like. his family is an active fucking part of this . But like still . Is he trying his best with his abyss shrimp colored vision ? Yes. Is his love genuine? Absolutely. What are the marks? 3/10 meet me in the office after class mister youre just actually horrible (affectionate) 😭

A perfect brother? Not My Ajax man 🗣🗣 and like theres SO MUCH to explore in that it makes me so sad you just. Never see any of it p much in fanworks bc we all just call him best bro and whatever and thats that like its so sad. this family is terrible horrible awful and no good and they deserve it but also didnt deserve it it was misfortune it was fate it was inevitable . justice for teucer man i need to get him in therapy asap

[ladykakata]

I just saw your post about ian’s disorder and how it distorts his reality and makes him question why mickey remains in his life and you really hit the nail on the head. people rarely talk about gallavich’s relationship battles from ian’s perspective unless it’s to criticise him and I think a lot of people find it difficult to relate to his issues ig? but mood disorders go hand in hand with anxiety, identity and confidence issues. but I also think its a writing issue because so little of ian’s experiences with his illness comes from his own perspective. so it makes sense the audience tends to sympathise more with mickey because we don’t get to see ian’s personal struggle or his reasoning for certain behaviors and s10 is one of the rare examples where he got to explain his issues and the audience still couldn’t understand. sorry this is ranty lol but I’m just happy to see more meta that defends some of ian’s actions 😊

Thank you <3 It makes me sad to see so many comments practically demonise Ian, and while Ian DOES do questionable things, he's no more or less blameless than Mickey.

A comment on my post mentioned that Ian fought for Mickey just as much as Mickey fought for Ian ... in the early seasons. Remember, Mickey literally beat Ian up in frustration over the situation with Svetlana and the forced marriage. Does him attacking Ian get him off the hook for what he did? No. Does it justify it? No. It's context, not justification, which can be two entirely different things. Ian refused to let Mickey go, he loved Mickey and was visibly heartbroken at the idea his man was slipping away, even if Mickey was trying to cover up his own upset by acting aggressively. Stans might paint Ian as in the wrong again, saying he should have been supportive of Mickey going through the forced marriage and understanding it's not as 'easy' as Ian makes it sound for Mickey to just deny his father. But bearing in mind, their relationship was still very young, Ian knows Terry is a disgusting and violent man, but the sense of doom and horror is not the same unless you've grown up with it and lived it like Mickey.

Ian fought for Mickey. And Mickey fought for Ian during his bipolar struggles. Keeping score is NOT wise in relationships, so I wouldn't call this keeping score, more them trading places in who is asking the other to stay or saying they love the other during dark times.

Another point is that this was all before Ian's bipolar condition really started to manifest, so Mickey must have been even more confused that the man who was distraught over him entering a meaningless marriage was suddenly pulling away and questioning his devotion. Emotional permanence is difficult in a lot of conditions, again I am not bipolar myself but DO have pretty erratic emotional issues that mean I can go from feeling adored to feeling like the scum of the Earth everyone hates, and there's the persistent background hum of feeling unwanted that's lifelong. Ian gets a triple-hit in that he's a middle child (younger than Fiona and Lip, older than Carl, Debbie and Liam), he's inherited Monica's bipolar disorder and his chronically unstable home life tends to lead to the idea of feeling wanted by his parents and forgotten by most. I wouldn't be surprised if he felt like his mother just rejected him/abandoned him considering how often she is gone, Frank has literally attacked him unprovoked and it was only when he grew in height and gained some confidence he really started to push back, and he is neither the baby of the family nor the parent figures that Fiona and Lip were forced to be. The people he tends to form relationships with tended to lean towards lust with no real chance at a stable, happy relationship (Kash, a married man with children, and Ned, who is the same albeit Jimmy is an adult) before Caleb and Trevor, which wouldn't surprise me if he again subconsciously thought he was disposable.

I guess I'm picking up on the side effects of Ian's neurodivergence, and it pairs with a comment remarking on how people are supportive of mental health disorders until their effects affect them, then suddenly everything is unacceptable. Again, some of Ian's actions are not justified - I'm once again referring to him baiting Mickey into a physical fight by calling him slurs - but he himself explains why he did it. Mickey looked past it, and I do wonder if he's realising that yeah ... Ian, the man HE knew and who was proudly gay with very little tolerance for homophobia, suddenly turning around and calling him slurs was incredibly out of character and likely another moment of Ian's brain lashing out.

Ian did negative things to Mickey, and he should apologise. Just as Mickey has done things to Ian and should apologise. One is not better than the other. Mickey's reasons for doing things can lie with his upbringing, PTSD and circumstances, Ian's reasons can lie with bipolar disorder, his upbringing and circumstances. But they are still well-intentioned for each other, and I think they do help bring out the best in each other.

[timkontheunsure]

Ok so Fizzarolli has some major daddy issues, and will do anything for a surugate father figure.

Let's poke at that abit.

While he sings about a mum and dad in 'look at this', they don't appear to have raised him. Maybe he's an orphan, because he doesn't sound upset at them. (So probably not abandoned or ran away to the circus).

He seems to have glommed onto Cash, who used that to work the kid like crazy, with multiple shows a day.

Both Cash and Mammon are without a doubt narcissists, who only see people as tools to be used.

It was great seeing Fizz, with the backup of his friend and lover, finally cut ties with Mammon,

But let's look at some of the reasons why Fizz was easier to manipulate into such a horrible working situation.

Ok out of the 3 circus kids Fizzarolli was the most talented, this would put him in the position of the golden child.

This isn't a good position, (no position with a narcissist is good), because all love and privileges from a narcissist are conditional.

So while they normally get less physical abuse; the kid has to be perfect. If they slip all love and affection is withdrawn.

This explains why he's so worried that Ozzie won't love him anymore if he doesn't win a competition Ozzie doesn't give a hoot about.

Problems former golden children often have are: lifelong anxiety issues, panic attacks, over competitiveness, as well as being people pleaser, and chronic over worker.

We can see that alot of these traits are already present in ickle teenage Fizz.

Instead of telling the creepy fan to big off, he's trying to appease him, while wrapping his tail around himself to self soothe. And need to relay on Blitz to get him out of the situation.

And unfortunately like with all childhood abuse it sets the person up for more abuse down the line.

This is because it feels familiar, and is hard to not assume that what you grew up with isn't just normal.

Especially when Fizz goes from one abusive boss, who is a pseudo father to another. This sets Fizzarolli up for worse abuse and being groomed. ( Along with Mammon does say he wants a kid to win the contest, and make sex bots of that underage kiddo. Flipping hell that dark even for helluva).

I really like the accurate look at different types of trauma that Helluva Boss does; and how it can be over come. 😀

It's awesome that when Fizz understands he has the backup, and a safe place with Ozzie that's not conditional, he can finally tell Mammon

[genshin-obsessed]

Could I request Sampo managing to get an extremely quiet and distant partner to laugh for the first time?

Sampo would try so hard lol, like there would be no rest for him. Thank you for the request, I hope you like it ^w^

Laugh at Me!

You and Sampo were an odd couple to say the least. He was outgoing and loud, you were quiet and reserved. He was willing to talk to anyone, having long conversations as if they were lifelong friends, while you preferred to stick to yourself.

So, the day your friends and family learned that you two began dating was an interesting one. Everyone was extremely supportive, but a lot of people were making sure Sampo knew not to push your boundaries too far and that you might be... difficult.

Sampo just waved everyone off, saying he was perfectly happy with you as a person and he didn't really need anyone to tell him how his relationship might be or whatever.

Though, there was something Sampo noticed. You were distant. Of course, your relationship was extremely new and it had only been about two weeks, but you two were good friends... so why were you still so distant?

So, Sampo set off on a mission: Operation make (y/n) laugh! Of course, that was easier said than done seeing as how you were very quiet and reserved. But you two were dating and he would show you the joys of laughing!

Sampo tried everything. From telling jokes to making funny faces. You would barely crack a smile. He was starting to think you just never laughed- which was... a sad thought. It wasn't exactly the person he wanted to spend forever with- no laughter and only quiet and distant. But you had trust issues and Sampo would've been like everyone if he chose to abandon you now.

So, in the midst of coming up with a new plan, Sampo was thinking of a way to make you laugh while you two were preparing lunch when he accidentally dropped the carrots he was cutting.

"Dammit, you stupid carrot! You wanna die?!" He yelled dramatically as he went to pick it up and then...

You laughed. It had been deadly silent while Sampo was planning his next attempt and you barely spoke, so his exclamation was so sudden and out of nowhere.

Sampo was crouched down to grab the carrot and he stayed there as a smile slowly appeared on his face. One of, "I did it? I did it!"

Sampo just watched in awe and adoration as you laughed and laughed at his stupid statement. He didn't know what was so funny about what he said, but it made you laugh and that was it.

"You laughed?"

"Well, I thought it was silly." You said as you turned to him, a big smile on your face and your cheeks slightly red. "Sorry, I didn't mean to laugh at you-"

"No, it's ok! As long as you're laughing, you can laugh at me too."

[wayfayrr]

Can I get a Christmas Pudding with a spiked eggnog to eat in?

Ps. love your work also when i checked your event gingerbread and candycane were a bit odd and didnt mention characters.. (as of 23:28 on dec 10)

order up - I hope you're happy with it <3

Yandere first 👀? It's been a minute since I've written for him but he's such a fun link to play with. I'll drop a warning for this though - he's got a few issues regarding divinity and theres a bit of blood/gore in it (although I know some people prefer that)

[Event masterlist]

It’s nice being in a village again since who knows how long. Having another link join us was a nice surprise, even though he’s a bit more awkward than the others. Just a shame his ‘Hyrule’, despite it not being named yet, was so terrible. So empty and dead, full of abandoned villages, at least those that are more than charred remains. 

“If you’re overwhelmed by the crowds we can go back to the inn if you’d prefer.”

His grip on my hand tightened as he seemed to think it over, he’s clearly uncomfortable but there seems to be something stopping him from simply admitting it. I could force the issue and change the question, maybe that could get and answer from him. 

“I was planning to go back anyway, might as well make the most of having a private room for now, right?”

“I suppose that it is getting late now.”

I know that links sacred form is a wolf, but does he really have to lean into the clingy puppy side of it? Not even the rancher is this bad as wolfie, and he’s a literal dog at that point. He isn’t asking to share a room with me though which is nice, even though he’s a link and kind at that, there’s something off-putting about him. 

“Mhm, I’m definitely certain, it’ll be nice to call it early for once too.”

“Right then dear.”

How is he already so comfortable with using pet names for me? He’s known me for less than a week, yet he already sounds like he sees himself as my lifelong partner or something. All of the others have those types of names for me too, but with them? It took a while for them to warm up to me, I wouldn't have stayed with them half as long if they were like this. 

“You remember where your room is right?”

“Actually dear, I wanted to ask if I could come to your room in a moment, I’ve gotten you a gift and I think it’s a good time to give it to you.”

…A gift alone in my room, what is he planning?

“I saw it in town earlier and I was just going get it for you so I could keep it a surprise.”

“You really don’t need to get me anything link.”

“I want to though, it’s the least I could do for you.”

Just a hum. I’m not going to be able to convince him one way or the other, am I? Really though, am I overthinking this, what harm could a gift cause after all? 

I don’t have to wait for too long though, taking the time to sort through my belongings and practice some of the stitches legend and wars taught me to mend my clothing. If I had to guess then I was only waiting for about thirty minutes till there’s a knock on the door. 

“Link you -”

“Why are you covered in blood?”

He’s just smiling. Smiling and holding a package in his hands. 

“I was just getting you a gift, my deity.”

“I-”

There’s no time to even respond as he’s shoving it into my hands as he walks in. I have so many questions but so few answers, why is he so bloody, why is it dripping, why is it warm? He’s looking at me so adoringly though, waiting for me to open it so politely. You know how to untie a knot [name], you can do this, you’ll only make it worse for yourself if you don’t open it. 

“Do you like my sacrifice for you, my deity?”

It’s a freshly butchered heart. Dripping with blood in my hands. He’s killed someone and torn out their heart to give me wrapped up as a gift. And now he’s looking at me for praise, he wants me to praise this. I feel like I’m about to throw up.

“You I… I don’t….”

“He was looking at you and trying to court you earlier and if there’s one thing that I learnt from hylia. It’s that gods adore sacrifices in their name.”

“But… I - I’m not…I’m not a god link.”

He doesn’t believe me, he’s got a sickening smile on his face like he’s done a good thing. Wait - why is he? The feeling of his blood sodden hand stroking my face is even more sickening than the heart still in my hold - why haven't I dropped it - he doesn’t think he’s done anything wrong. He’s proud. 

…What have I gotten myself into.