#and how she very much sacrifices the happiness of her family for the safety and continuation of the line instead

[whirlybirbs]

— BE OKAY ; 2 ; SATORU GOJO ; 五条悟

summary: the engagement is on. you move to tokyo. pairing: satoru gojo / f!reader ; arranged marriage word count: 4k (oops) tags: taika clan reader, arranged marriage trope, jjk world building, welcome to the show ijichi, satoru gojo and his luxe shampoo, friends-to-lovers, texting as a plot device a/n: fanfic more like me crafting the most insane apartment layout based loosely on actual shinjuku rentals that are currently on the market. anyways,,, [PLAYS "GETTING TO KNOW YOU" ON MAX VOLUME] ← previous

"Train outbound for Tokyo, now boarding at platform three."

Your mother kisses your wind-chapped cheeks in the winter sun, hands you your bento, and makes you promise to call once you’ve settled in. She tugs on your scarf, and you squeeze her hand as hard as you can.

You pick a window seat so you can wave to her as the train pulls away from Kagoshima station; you hope she doesn't see the tears that begin to well as the distance between you two grows. You crane your neck to watch and wave over the back of your seat as she gets smaller and smaller and smaller. You feel like a child ushered onto the school bus for the very first time, sent off into the unknown, and torn from the safety of your mother's love.

You wind your arms around your bag as your lip wobbles; the bento, still warm, is like an anchor in your hands. 

She promised she would be okay.

You argued with her last night — like a warrior making her last stand. 

"You will be alone," you'd snapped over dinner, "What sort of daughter am I, leaving you so soon after Papa died? It's wrong. I should spend the engagement here—"

But, she wouldn't hear it. 

Your mother knew you would sacrifice everything if it meant her happiness. Your mother knew you'd put everything on halt, just as you did with your father's health. Work, friends, dating... All of it, put on the back burner to grow cold. 

You were so fiercely devoted to your family — and Chiyo Taika wondered how she became so lucky in this life. The cards were always in her favor. Even now she feels that way as she watches the train carrying her only child wind away into the distance until it's nothing but a spec on the horizon.

You grip the bento tight, lean back into your seat, and exhale tightly.

By mid-afternoon, you'll be in Tokyo.

You drop your head back against the seat and screw your eyes shut. Your tears do not fall.

All of this is happening too fast. You feel like you can hardly catch your footing. 

One second, you're shaking Satoru Gojo's hand for the first time. The next week, your mother receives a call from the Gojo Clan seeking her input on updated terms of the arrangement — which she did all while gripping your arm, a finger to her lips to urge you to be quiet, while on speaker phone. 

Sneaky.

The newly agreed-upon terms seemed straightforward enough; there was to be no dowry, and an amendment made to the timeline of... childbirth. Those changes, the man on the phone said, came from Satoru Gojo himself. From the sounds of it, the clan heir wasn't budging, and agreeing to his (no room for negotiation) terms was the only way this marriage would even take off the ground. 

And that was much farther than the clan ever got with Satoru Gojo on the topic of marriage. So, a win is a win. 

You shouldn't complain. 

The fine print meant that your mother would be brought into the fold of the Gojo Clan and looked over financially. She could stay in Kagoshima if she wished, or if she wanted to be closer to you in Tokyo, she was welcome with open arms. 

Your engagement to Satoru Gojo would last six months to a year pending the usual, official, formal announcement. If all went to plan, the wedding would be held — at the latest — this time next year.

In the meantime, Tokyo was going to become your new home.

More specifically, Satoru Gojo's three-bedroom apartment in Shinjuku Ward. 

Why he's renting out three bedrooms in Shinjuku is beyond you — I mean, we get it, you're the Heir to the Gojo Clan. But, c'mon. Isn't that a little excessive?

(You snooped. Of course, you snooped. You were laid up in bed, boring holes into your phone screen in shock. Between the two available unit layouts you saw listed for rent, they were both close to 700k yen a month. Who even has that kind of money?)

The train rattles you back to the current moment. Your phone in your back pocket buzzes.

Ijichi? Is that, like, his butler?

He would have a butler.

You hit send — and then hesitate. Is that too dry? Too formal? What if he thinks you're boring? Or... stale? 

Wincing, you send one more message before locking your phone and tucking it into the front pocket of your bag.

Satoru Gojo, as he bounds up on the steps — two at a time — of Tokyo Metropolitan Curse Technical College, snorts a little at his phone. 

Cute. 

Turns out Kiyotaka Ijichi is not a butler. 

He is, however, a very good driver and a nice man, if not incredibly nervous. He helps you with your bags outside of Shinjuku Station despite your bowed attempts to dissuade his help. You don't want to be a burden — but Ijichi says that's what he's there for according to Satoru Gojo. 

"Don't let her lift a finger," Satoru said, pointing in Ijichi's face that very morning, "We've gotta make a good impression, bud. It's her first time in Tokyo!"

"Sir, I'm sorry to pry, but... who... is she again?"

"I never said," Gojo remarked cheerfully as he pulled Ijichi around the corner; then, the white-haired Jujutsu instructor leaned in close and whispered lowly, "And don't ever ask me again. Got it?"

The seriousness in his voice was enough to make Ijichi break into a cold sweat.

Truth be told, Ijichi wasn't really sure who he was expecting to pick up outside Shinjuku Station, but it certainly wasn't the pleasant young woman in his back seat making small talk with him over the weather and smiling at the sights out the back window. 

At a stop light, Ijichi adjusts the rearview mirror to get a better look at you.

...Who are you?

Don't ever ask me again. Got it?

You're leaning across the back seat, eyes wide with awe, as you take in the bustle of the city.

You're definitely not his sister. As far as Ijichi knows, Satoru is an only child. He sure acts like it. You could be a cousin from the Clan, but isn't it, like, a prerequisite to have white hair or something? And Ijichi definitely doesn't recognize you from their school yearbook. Maybe you attended the sister school in Kyoto? 

But, Satoru did say this was your first time in Tokyo.

...Who the hell are you?

"I really appreciate the ride, Mr. Ijichi," you say softly as you lift your gaze to meet him in the mirror, "I can't imagine it's very fun to drive in all this traffic, so thank you very much."

Ijichi rubs his cheek to will away the blush.

You're too nice. You have manners. 

So, there's no way you're a girlfriend of Satoru's. There's no way. Ijichi decides that's simply impossible three minutes into the ride to his boss's apartment. 

You even try to tip him after he helps you unload your bag from the back and carry it into the lobby. Ijichi shyly promises there's no need for that, and gives you his card promising that he's only a call away in case you need anything else. 

"Have a nice day, Mr. Ijichi!"

...Definitely not his girlfriend. Too nice.

The receptionist at the front desk is young and pretty, and she takes your ID to confirm you're who you say you are as you marvel at the lobby. There's art. A small fountain on the back wall. The modern touch is nice. The lobby is nice. Really nice. Definitely 700k-yen-a-month nice. 

"Here you are," the receptionist hands back your ID with a smile, then hands over the FOB to apartment 601, "Welcome home, we're happy to have you. Mr. Gojo let us know to expect your things within the next day."

The moving company was due to arrive with the handful of boxes you packed up from home tomorrow. 

Er, well, your other home. This place is home now. 

Apartment 601 is, as one could guess, on the sixth floor. It's got easterly facing windows and an open floor plan with modern appliances, one and a half baths, and three bedrooms. You know these things before even stepping inside because, like you mentioned, you snooped. 

But, that was that. It's a different thing completely to walk into that luxury apartment and see it for yourself.

There are flowers on the counter.

A big bouquet of peach roses, white buttercups, and baby's breath. 

You close the door behind you, stepping out of your boots, as you take in the entryway, the kitchen, and the adjoined living room in awed silence.

It's clean. Really clean — like, incredibly clean. 

The shoes in the entryway are aligned neatly. One pair of dress shoes and a pair of heavier-duty, black boots sit beside one another. There's a coat rack, and you recognize that suit jacket he wore to your father's funeral hanging there. 

Quietly, bag slung over your shoulder, you slink inside the kitchen. 

The back hallway leads to the other bedrooms and bathrooms, no doubt. 

This is the sort of kitchen your mother would have dreamed about. The appliances scream money — everything is either black or stainless steel, from the toaster to the espresso machine. Even his plates, dishes, and bowls look more like fine art than anything. Everything has a place in this kitchen, and it's all done tastefully. 

You eye the bouquet. 

There's a plain white card in front of it.

Your name is written in flowing script.

You pluck it up.

Welcome home. Settle in. Your bedroom is the second on the right. If you need anything, do not hesitate to call.  —Satoru

...The note is the polar opposite in tone compared to his earlier texts. It feels like whiplash. Even the handwriting doesn't seem like the Satoru Gojo you've come to understand, three degrees removed.

Either way, it's sweet. Even if he definitely had someone deliver these and write the accompanied note.

You thumb the card as you begin slowly creeping through the rest of the apartment with a wandering curiosity.

The large floor-to-ceiling windows allow for a lot of natural light in the living room and kitchen. The sectional is leather, and there's a large (definitely decorative) book on the coffee table about feng shui. The art on the walls is mostly traditional, sticking to the grey and black color scheme of the entire apartment. 

You poke your nose through the small floating bookshelf beneath the television. The books — ranging from translated classics to non-fiction — look largely untouched but free from even a spec of dust. 

Whoever styled this apartment was really into mid-century modern. Something tells you it was not Satoru Gojo.

Why?

Well, his bedroom for starters.

You're being nosey. You know you're being nosey, but c'mon. This is your home now — and you're telling me you wouldn't poke your head in, at least, to see what your future husband's bedroom looks like?

The answer is: much less put together than the rest of the apartment.

Like a puzzle, you're beginning to get it. Satoru Gojo pays for a cleaning service — and a good one at that. 

But, his bedroom lacks the sterile, clean, modern touch that the rest of the apartment does. There are wrinkled photos taped to the far wall above a disorganized desk. His closet is open, displaying an array of shoddily hung dress shirts and slacks. The lampshade beside his bed is lopsided. His bed sheets are patterned — striped blue and white, and his pillowcases don't match. There's a worn and faded bear, once white and now a loved cream, half tucked beneath his pillow. The sun's late afternoon rays are warm against the carpet, casting shadows across a lone dress sock at the foot of the bed.

Something about all of it is endearing.

Quietly, you shut the door.

Your room is more like the rest of the apartment — with crisply tucked edges on a queen-sized bed with pristine white sheets. You place that little card down on your bedside table as you shrug off your backpack. 

You packed the essentials. A few changes of clothes, skincare, and some makeup all tumble onto the bed as you begin the slow process of putting things away. It feels a lot like killing time. After all, according to Satoru's text, he would be home later in the evening.

You have no idea what time that really means, but you hope it's enough time to at least let you shower away the travel day. 

You hesitate, though, over the threshold of your room. 

His response is nearly immediate.

And rapid.

You snort. The blue heart is cute.

Scoffing a little at the wifey comment, you bundle your change of clothes and toiletry bag into your arms and shake your head.

The bathroom — the full bath between you and Satoru's room — is just as swanky as the rest of the apartment. You lock the sliding door behind you.

Black tile, a waterfall shower, bamboo wood accents, and hand soap that you can't pronounce. It's French. 

You take your time in that shower.

I mean, how could you not? 

All of this is really putting the Taika Clan to shame — it's not even like you grew up destitute, but this level of wealth? 

Your shampoo is off-brand. Meanwhile, the shampoo in Satoru Gojo's shower (that, yea, of course, you use because... something, something, what is yours is mine in marriage? Right?) is in a fancy bottle that takes you far too long to figure out how to open. 

You almost drop it, and swear your soul almost leaves your body.

The conditioner is just as nice.

By the time you're done, the bathroom is thick with steam and you're bundling up in one of the handful of towels folded beneath the sink. They're black and soft and you laugh a little at the sight of a single, white hair clinging to the one you snag.

It's the first indicator Satoru Gojo was even here, aside from his room, of course. 

There's a corner tub and the toilet has a bidet and the medicine cabinet above the double sink is stocked with more products you can't pronounce. You chew your lip, pushing your wet hair aside as you poke your nose inside. You yank the cap off what you assume is shaving cream and sniff — it's sandalwood and musk. It's nice. You hum in soft agreeance (he's got good taste) as you eye the label, and then carefully put it back. 

There's some sporty deodorant, an old tube of emergency acne cream, an electric toothbrush... and beside it, another toothbrush. Same model. 

You squint.

Two toothbrushes, huh? 

You make a mental note about it — maybe it's an exes? Too sentimental to let it go? You get it, you've been there.

You close the medicine cabinet after your continued snooping, wipe away the condensation on the mirror, and begin to sort yourself out. 

You're finally landing on the couch — hair wet, body clean and face dewy — by the time six rolls around. Now, in the dark of the apartment, the fact this place is going to be your new home starts to set in. You bury yourself a little deeper into your sweatshirt and decide you'll text your mother. You'll let her know that you've settled in and—

"Ooooh, honey!"

The door is jingling unlocked.

A slight wave of panic washes over you — like you've been caught doing something you shouldn't. And then, you remember you live here now and—

"—I'm home!"

You poke your head up over the edge of the couch to see Satoru Gojo cross the threshold of his entryway. His eyes already seem to know where to look for you. That blindfold is still on, but you swear you can feel his gaze.

At the sight of you, his posture tightens a little.

His lips break into a smile that is disarmingly handsome. It’s enough to wind you, and you feel a little bit like floating, but you push all that away. 

You’ve thought a lot about how this moment would go. You've laid in your old bed, staring at the ceiling, trying to script it in your head until the wee morning. You wondered if it would be painfully awkward, or tense, or cold. 

How do you go from being complete strangers to newly engaged lovers?

"Welcome home," is the best you can offer as you sit up a little straighter.

Satoru throws his arms open and his grin goes a little lopsided. The bag of takeout in his arms dangles dangerously as he does a little spin. 

You catch yourself fighting the urge to check him out.

“Sooooo?” he croons, “What do you think? Nice, right?”

Slowly, your smile begins. It’s clear he’s trying to dissuade any awkward tension. You watch him cross into the kitchen as you stand, bare feet padding across the hardwood as you knit your arms around yourself. 

"It's... really nice," you say quietly as Satoru plops the takeout beside the bouquet, "The flowers were a sweet touch."

Satoru throws you a grin over his shoulder as he gathers two sets of chopsticks for you both. He knocks the drawer shut with his hip as he throws a thumb to the roses.

“Hey, can’t have my fiancée thinkin’ I don’t appreciate her,” Satoru chirps as he brushes past you; you catch a glimpse of the button pinning his jacket shut. A Sorcerer’s pin, “How was your travel day? Did Ijichi give you any trouble?”

He grabs the bag of takeout and takes it with him.

He moves to flop lazily onto the couch. His feet immediately land on the coffee table. His socks are patterned. There are cats drawn as sushi on them. 

That word — fiancée — doesn’t feel real. 

None of this does, frankly. 

He begins unbagging the meal on his lap, delicately holding out your order of tonkatsu in one hand as you follow his lead and land beside him on the couch. The box is warm on your thighs. Satoru is already cracking open his order of udon.

You watch him slurp up a huge bite of noodles as you slowly crack open the plastic lid to your dinner.

"You know, I thought he was your butler."

Satoru pauses mid-chew as if he didn't hear you, then breaks into a grin that transcends his full mouth. "I don't have a butler."

"Well," you dig a piece of tonkatsu out and take a small bite, "I didn't know who he was. He was nice, though. Great driver."

“My coworker,” Satoru leans his head back and grins up at you, though there’s no telling where he’s looking with the blindfold, “A real stick in the mud, sometimes. Totally doesn't think he's good at his job, but — and don't tell him I said this — he's pretty great."

"Does he teach?" you ask, taking another bite; the food is really good.

Satoru's expression, as much as you can see it, seems to brighten. "Ooh, so you know I'm a teacher, huh?"

"It's, like, the one thing I know about you," you concede quickly.

"Okay, okay, now you've got me curious," Gojo finishes his bite before throwing his arm across the pack of the couch and gesticulating at you with his chopsticks, "What else do you know about me, huh?

You take another bite and chew slowly. You don't speak until you've swallowed — only to drag him along. It works. His attention is so heavy it feels like a physical weight on your chest.

"You're thirty," you tap your finger as you count off the things you know, "We have the same birthday. You're an only child. You've got that whole Limitless thing going for you — cool, by the way. Uh, hm. What else..."

"Wow," Satoru mumbles, "They really kept you in the dark about me, huh?"

"In all fairness," you smirk, "Someone really dragged this whole thing out."

"Parents didn't want you getting your hopes up?" he smirks.

"Eh," you shrug in mild disagreement, "I think it was more that they didn't want to make assumptions about you."

For some reason, that hits Satoru right in the heart.

He's quiet for a beat, and you wince internally. 

"Sorry, was that—?"

"No," he waves you off with his chopsticks, "No, it's cool. Just not used to... that, I guess."

You hum, watching him out of the corner of your eye as you push your tonkatsu around.

"...What would you have wanted me to know?" you ask him after a beat, lifting your chin, "Like, what makes Satoru Gojo Satoru Gojo?"

He's not really used to being asked about himself.

Actually, he can't remember the last time anyone even asked him something like that. Maybe on one of those shit dateshe went on last year when he told himself he'd actually give dating a try? But, even then, his answers weren't honest. 

The last person he was ever really honest with was Suguru.

"You first," he deflects easily as he scoops up another heaping bite, "You liked the flowers, so roses, check. And tonkatsu, check."

You smirk.

"Also an only child—" you begin.

"And thirty—"

"—And thirty," you confirm as you take another bite; your posture is loosening up, "Uh, not a trained sorcerer — might as well get that out of the way early."

Satoru almost chokes.

He blinks beneath his blindfold as he snatches a napkin and coughs. 

You quietly rock a little. 

"You're kidding."

"Nope."

"Now hold on—"

"—I was educated privately but—"

"You didn't attend a Jujutsu technical school?" Gojo gawks, sitting up straight; he drops his food to the coffee table and turns to face you. There's a flare of disbelief coursing through him. 

You shake your head.

And then Satoru throws both hands up to stop you before you can speak.

"Then how the hell did you know how to cancel out my Infinity?"

You blink.

Your brows raise and you gesture in the air as if to say 'go on'.

Satoru can hardly believe this.

"You didn't know that you did that—?"

"Did what?" you ask, leaning forward and forgetting about your meal, "When? Now?"

"No, not now," Satoru exasperates, "At the funeral service. When you shook my hand."

"...Right," you squint, "I... shook your hand... and...?"

"You canceled my technique," he stresses, "Limitless. Y'know, the Limitless."

"Oh!" you brighten — and Satoru can see you suddenly get it. You sit up a little straighter, then move to place your dinner on the coffee table; your smile is proud, "That's my technique!"

Well, what the hell.

"You couldn't tell?"

"It's not like I can use the techniques I disrupt," you chide just as you've been chided before by your trainers and instructors, "Void Hand stops at that. I can void a technique upon touch. Sometimes it... just happens." 

"Because your control isn't refined, because someone didn't attend a Jujutsu technical school," Satoru says tightly; suddenly, he sounds like a teacher, "Every technique has a reserve. There is no exception to that rule."

You blink.

"No way," you laugh incredulously, shaking your head, "The technique has been around for generations — if it had a reversal, I would know. My Clan would know—"

"Clans know a lot they don't share with the class," Satoru cuts and narrows his eyes as he leans back and crosses his long legs, "Trust me on that."

The silence that stretches between the two of you is long. Satoru can see the thoughts racing by as your eyes bounce around, spaced out. 

So, he leans over, pats your knee, and grins.

"Guess we got our work cut out for us, huh, wifey?"

You don't argue with him.

[midnightwind]

today's DAV pondering of debatable import is: do you think Caterina would dislike Lucanis bringing home a partner who wasn't a human?

elves have all sorts of societal negatives going for them (the Crows utilizing them because people tend to either not see them as people or as an exotic novelty is a thing for a reason) but they're also known to be a little more lithe, a little faster so not terrible Crow material and she can always keep his partner hidden in the back of everything, nice and quiet and not seen or acknowledged. and well, a knife will solve all sorts of problems if the children have pointier ears than they should...

if he brought home a dwarf, well, heavy sighing will ensue I'm sure, but a smaller Crow can hide easier, slip into more hiding places, might be a bit sturdier when they got hit. and there are plenty of rich dwarven merchants they could impersonate or pretend at so it wouldn't even be that awful of a piece on the board! there aren't many dwarven Crows that we see in Treviso (or! I am simply blind, also very possible!!) so maybe they'll have to fight a little harder for the respect owed a Dellamorte, but that will come with time.

but if he brings home a qunari? I think that'd start a lot fights. Antiva still has to fight off the Antaam, there are still dregs of the qunari fighters loose in Treviso itself after all! vicious horns and barking Qun are what many Antivans would know of the qunari after the invasion. if you play a qunari, Jacobus actually remarks on this when he begins cursing the Antaam for killing his brother! (I played a Shadow Dragon qunari, so his words were more along the lines of "but you're different, I know you are, you're helping" but I do wonder how this differs if you're a Crow qunari!) Caterina could try to spin it in a way of "trying to heal" after the invasion, or as an "olive branch union" I'm sure, but I imagine there would be a lot of push back. it would be easier to have him present someone else as his partner, a front, while keeping his qunari love as a mistress (gender neutral here, bls, have mercy on me) he should never be seen with. and ohh, the fights that would cause...

I could make a whole other post of Lucanis bringing home a partner he can't have kids with, or a partner who doesn't want kids and the logistics of Caterina trying to push him towards at least fathering a child or three through someone else while being publicly with Rook, or the far worse option of forcing the lineage on Illario (especially if you sent him to prison!!!) and it really starts turning into a Gordian Knot of awful, huh

[dunmeshistash]

G'day, I hope you are doing well.

Ever since I finished the story of Dungeon Meshi (all supplementary material included) I've been writing down bullet points on characters in addition to in-depth synopses as a way to tidy up my rather busy mind. To this end I've also greatly enjoyed reading other folks' interpretations of particular characters, as it gives me further insight into aspects of that character I may have glossed over.

However, there's one character I'm struggling to write a cohesive synopsis about, that being none other than 'miss enigma' herself, Falin Touden. I get that her whole shtick is that she's kind of a mystery, but I find myself drawing a lot of blanks when it comes to her as a character, and while I have nailed down some important bullet points, there are a lot of different interpretations on her, all of which starkly contrast one another. Though perhaps it's just the wording. Hard to say.

It could very well be that I'm being too dense i.e. perceiving "Falin is willing to risk killing others to save her friends." and "Falin, in the heat of the moment, when faced with certain death, was willing to face the prospect of harming potential passersby in a final Hail Mary to get her friends to safety." as entirely different observations. I have a hard time with those kinds of things.

With this being a hub for all sorts of observations, interpretations and cool trivia, I was wondering if you'd perhaps be willing to share how you yourself perceive Falin as a character, so I can compare notes and perhaps gain a more proper understanding of her as a character as a result. I know this question is very broad and kind of vague, but if you could spare the time I'd be most grateful.

Other than that, I wish you an excellent day.

Hello!!! I love Falin!!!!!

She *is* a mystery, we mostly know Falin through the perception other characters have of her instead of a direct deep look onto who she is, which I find very interesting. I think the best post I've seen about her (which as usual I can't remember where edit: someone linked it thank uu) I think called her perceived altruism/love "selfish" and I've been thinking about that ever since.

In that sense the way she cares so much about the comfort of people around her might be a way to keep *her own* comfort because she doesn't want to see other people suffer.

This girly died and came back to life from bones and the first thoughts she has is that she caused trouble for her loved ones

She probably has felt this way since she was a child, "because of her" that her family was torn apart "because of her" that Laios left, her mom was sick, her father had to send her away. (wasn't actually her fault but she might think it is)

I imagine ever since then Falin has done her best to not cause trouble and to make the people she loves happy, everything we know about her and the things she was doing was always for the people she loved, that's why I enjoy the post canon comic where Toshiro asks her hand in marriage again so much. The first time she considers accepting just because "might as well" while for the second time she finally wants to live for herself.

I think Falin herself has lost who she "really is" by trying to accommodate everyone around her and that's probably part of why we ourselves don't really know her, so much so that the most cynical character is uncomfortable around her (probably cause he notices Falin is "hiding" something)

I think Falin is quite the melancholic character to be honest, someone who has lost herself in self sacrifice and who is only now learning how to live for herself doing what she wants.

Both the teleportation scene and the bit about healing show "cracks" in the selfless front she puts out tbh. By context I don't think what she did was only due to "desperation of the moment" she says out loud "Even if I end up hurting others I want you and my brother to live on". She weighted out how much suffering she might cause and decided she wanted to save them anyway, and I'm sure in that calculation she knew that they would suffer because of her sacrifice too.

Falin is saving them for herself, I'm not great with words so this is all over the place and maybe sounds a little negative about Falin but the thing is, you cannot live your life for other people, you can't sacrifice yourself for other people's happiness, you shouldn't erase your own presence so others are happier and I think Falin is starting to learn that by the end.

I'd probably keep rambling without getting anywhere and missing a lot of more meaningful moments but I'll stop here, if anyone has recs for Falin analysis please share!

[junostellaris]

Xavier's Natal Chart Analysis: LIBRA SUN IN 22° 4H

What does the Sun Sign represent?

The sun is determined by the zodiac sign where the sun was when a person is born. It represents a person’s core identity, essential self, their real self. It’s the essence of who someone is at their most fundamental level—how they express themselves, their willpower, purpose, and the energy they radiate.

Libra Sun

Libra is the sign of balance, justice, and relationships, and as a prince, Xavier embodies that role perfectly. But his version of balance isn’t just about politics—it’s about cosmic order, time itself, and the fate of those he loves.

He doesn’t fight battles head-on unless necessary; he maneuvers from the shadows (like Lumiere), making precise moves to protect what matters.

He has the diplomatic elegance of a prince, but there’s always something off-limits about him—because deep down, he’s hiding painful truths.

He believes in doing the right thing, but he also knows sometimes that means sacrificing himself—whether that’s his happiness, his identity, or his place in MC’s life.

22° - Master Builder Degree

22° is a master number in astrology—it represents a powerful creator, someone with a destiny greater than themselves. But it is also linked to ego death and loss, shaping Xavier’s journey of sacrifice, renewal, and rebirth as he rises from the ashes to rebuild once more.

He’s not just a prince; he’s someone who has lived for 200+ years, reshaping reality in secret. He carries memories and burdens no one else can comprehend.

Every time MC dies and forgets, he remembers. As Prince of Philos and Lightseeker, he gives up his own happiness, his crown, and the chance to be with her fully, just to make sure she lives. Queen MC chose to be with Philos too. He hid himself (as Lumiere) during a catastrophe on Linkon City, becoming a shadow in her young life instead of the man beside her. In the beginning of the main story, MC and Xavier meet again in the abandoned warehouse and it’s like no matter how much time and space shifts, MC and Xavier are always drawn back together.

As crown prince, he isn’t just a ruler—he is shaping the very destiny of the planet. He is quite literally a builder of worlds.

4th House – Home, Ancestry, and Emotional Roots

The 4th House rules home, family, and deep emotional security. But for Xavier, home isn’t a place—it’s MC. His entire emotional core is tied to her survival, her existence, and his duty to protect her.

He isn’t just protecting her because she’s important—she is the one thing that makes him feel grounded and real in a life where time and identity are fluid.

The 4th House can also represent secrecy and protection, which is exactly what he does—watching over MC from the shadows, ensuring her safety at any cost.

Unlike MC, who forgets her past, Xavier remembers everything. His 4th House Sun means he carries ancestral weight, whether that’s the rise of Philos and his royal lineage or his life in Linkon City. He carries not just his own grief, but the weight of every version of her he’s lost. It’s almost as if he’s the only person who truly knows who she is across time.

Disclaimer: That the chart used aligns with his Earth timeline and the unique circumstances of his life, and may not entirely reflect traditional astrological calculations. The girl is still learning too! This post has been edited to correct the Astrological House, which affected my interpretation of the chart. 💕

[yuikomorii]

// Ok I didn’t want to go this far but at this point, you guys are hating on Ayato just for clout and it shows. It’s okay not to like a character but straight up spreading misinformation about him is not okay. If you lack reading comprehension, just admit it.

What makes Ayato’s past so sad isn’t only the fact that Cordelia was mean towards him. She mentally and physically abused him, yet what genuinely hurt Ayato the most was the way Cordelia treated ALL the triplets. A part of him didn’t even want to kill her, given that he CRIED in the MB flashbacks because, despite being a huge abuser, he STILL felt sympathy even for someone like her. No matter how horrible Cordelia was, Ayato still wished for Karlheinz to reciprocate her feelings only to finally see her happy.

Don't even get me started on the Adam curse. He was practically used as bait and abandoned to death by his own brothers, but he still hoped for their safety after escaping. That curse literally destroyed his entire life because its purpose was to make the person who ate the fig drown in despair and go insane. That's why he was sooo obsessed with Yui's blood. Heck, he's cursed in routes other than his own, as he goes insane in Ruki's MB one, to the point that his brothers had to lock him inside the dungeon. In addition, in his MB Vampire Ending, he falls into a coma because he refuses to hurt Yui and keep drinking her blood.

Other than that, Laito was the one who made him believe that he wasn’t special, hence he adopted the “I will never make someone special again” mentality. He also wanted to kill him when he was younger (no hate towards any of his brothers though). Kanato was the only one who never did something bad to him, considering that when Ayato was a child, Reiji called him the disappointment of the family after failing a test.

Ayato did twisted stuff too; no character is a saint, but he always tries his best to fix things. Even when not dating Yui, he’s capable of showing compassion, support and a desire to improve his relationship with his brothers BY HIMSELF. Check this analysis for example.

Other than that, despite every time being hurt when trying to show kindness, he still became a very selfless guy who’d sacrifice himself for anyone at any given time. What makes this even more admirable is that according to Karlheinz, he’s literally the only one who actually VALUES his life. This guy who loves life would risk it all for Yui, even when not dating, or for any of his brothers.

Credit to: dialovers-translations and tournesolia on Tumblr

On top of that, he's incredibly empathic?? He forgives everybody, no matter what they do to him, and seeks to maintain good relations with them. In Kino's LE route, for example, he tortures and burns Ayato, but Ayato is the first person to recognize him as his brother because he wanted Kino to feel that he, too, belonged to a family.

Last but not least, nobody silences Karlheinz as good as him. He was also the only one who connected the dots by himself about his dad being the root of all evil (Laito too but that was after the letter), including being the only one who didn’t want to kill him only because he didn’t want to fall into his plan. Check this post.

Oh and, Ayato is actually really big; it’s not that only his fans make him that way! This post basically proves that he’s the IT boy of otome games and I should also mention that he’s the character that sells the most in Japan and China! Just look what Japanese fans think of him. ;)

You can dislike him as much as you want but nobody can deny how brave and pure-hearted he is. He’s the definition of from zero to hero.

As I mentioned earlier, it's fine to dislike him, but don't become obsessed with it, lol. At the end of the day, he's merely a fictional character with endearing characteristics and the male lead. It's really not that deep. Besides, it's embarrassing when the hate comes from Yui stans because she definitely wouldn't be happy of any of you talking about her man in that way.

[robby-bobby-tommy]

Honestly, I can't stress enough how important the theme of family is in mdzs. IMO it is the main theme of the book. Of course romance and devotion is important, but there's something so special about the way families are portrayed in mdzs and how important they are. (I watched donghua and read some of manhua btw)

Let's start with sibling relationships:

The whole plot started because of love for a brother and rage for how unjust his death was. The whole Cloud Recesses arc is an amazing set up for Wangxian etc, but it also shows the complicated yet sweet relationship between WWX and JC. How they both care so much about each other, how they tease each other. IMO JC did see WWX as a brother and loved him as such. Every time he scolds Wei Ying, it's always about Wei Ying's safety. Usually it's not "How dare you use demonic cultivation, you're gonna get our clan in danger", it's " If you keep it up, I won't be able to protect you". Even during the Wen invasion, the they're still together, they sacrifice themselves to save another. And don't get me started about Jiang Yanli, she loves her brothers very much. Despite Madam Yu creating a competition between the boys or Jiang Fengmian's lack of action and even enablement of WWX' dangerous and irresponsible behavior, they still love each other. I can ramble about yunmeng trio so much, but in short despite everything they went through, they cared for each other deeply. After Jiang Yanli's death everything changes, because imo the boys fully internalized Madam Yu's last words. WWX bring pain and destruction to Yunmeng. I think I need to stop, or we'll be here all day.

Or, another example: Nie bros. Nie Mingjue had to basically raise A-sang. They do deeply care about each other, and despite everything they'll be here for each other. Yet the desire to protect NHS from sad reality of golden core and qi deviation, their relationship soured a little. But it's obvious even for an outsider like WWX, that NMJ loves his brother. He pressures NHS, because he feels that he's starting to lose it. He wants to prepare his little bro to be a decent leader and to live without him. And NHS literally makes it his life mission to avenge his Dage even if it means having a blood on his hands.

Lan brothers show a good brother relationship. Lan Xichen supports LWJ in everything he does. Even his love for WWX. He gets protective, when he thinks WWX is laughing at LWJ's feelings. Lan Zhan is deeply saddened when his brother is missing and helps him discover the truth about his best friend's death. They're almost perfect siblings. (Plus they're super funny when drunk).

MXTX deserves an award for writing so many different sibling dynamics. And that's not all, she also portrays this different parental relationship so interesting.

Like, the nephews you didn't want, but care so much about, that you don't want them to suffer like their father did (Lan Qiren and this family drama); the kid of your husband's unrequited love, whom he seemingly loves more than your own children (Yunmeng Jiang happy house), JGS and the myriad of the kids he has ect. I love this variety so much.

I just love so much how MDZS has so much themes. Every time I think about MDZS, I find more and more interesting points and moments that change my perception of the characters. Every character is so humain and has their own motivation, that I can't truly hate some of them (apart from Wen Chao, his mistress and JGS, they suck).

TLDR: MXTX is a queen of writing complex human characters.

[notori]

More genuinely though, I am looking forward to seeing Laudna and Liliana interact - especially given the recent "As someone who loves you..." conversation.

Something I've always enjoyed about Imodna is the age gap and the way Laudna shifts between the arrested development, coming off in her 20s vibe, yet also has moments where - especially with her protectiveness of Imogen - it feels like she takes on the role of an older adult. Part of their dynamic is that, in the day-to-day, they are kind of the same age. They can talk like peers and fell in love as girlfriends. Yet another part which has been coming out recently is Laudna being insistent on self-sacrifice for the sake of Imogen's progress. I feel it's carried the tone of "One day you'll understand why I want to do this for you", as if she is taking on the responsibility of someone much older. Like she feels, deep down, that she she protects Imogen not only out of love but out of duty as the (quite) older partner. I don't know if that is fully intended meta-wise (or even if Laudna knows this herself), but that's the feeling I've been getting from it.

So, should Liliana now join the party - at least to the point of perhaps sharing one or two long rests with them - where she interacts with her daughter's new family, I am interested to see how Laudna takes it. Because on one hand, there is the sense that Liliana is 'superior', in a way, as being Imogen's mother - yet it is clear that Laudna doesn't respect her very much because of having been there for Imogen for so long. She is closer in age to Liliana than to Imogen, and that quality tends to show itself in moments of protectiveness, so I am curious to see if she takes on more of that personality where she speaks to Liliana as more of her peer than 'mother-in-law'.

I imagine all of the Hells will have words for Liliana, of course, but Laudna's will undoubtedly be focused on Imogen's happiness and safety. It's an area where I don't particularly see her backing down and being her less mature self. Rather, I'd quite enjoy seeing her step into the role of someone older to make sure Liliana knows what's up.

[dindjarindiaries]

Din Djarin & Hunter: The Rhyming of Two Star Wars Dads (Analysis)

Din Djarin (The Mandalorian) and Hunter (Star Wars: The Bad Batch) are two Star Wars characters who both end up becoming a primary caretaker for, and ultimately adopting, a child in need. Their journeys share even more similarities than what meets the eye, telling a tale of love, loss, and eventual peace for each of them.

Both stories begin with Din and Hunter at their status quo. For Din, this is a lone life of bounty hunting, providing for his hidden Mandalorian tribe. He's good at what he does, and he seems to enjoy it. He's made a name for himself as "the best in the parsec" and he's proud of that reputation.

For Hunter, this is leading his squad to a 100% success rate during the Clone Wars. He's often described affectionately as a "frat boy" in this era for his behavior, which sees him acting much like an adrenaline junkie who truly enjoys the rush of battle and action. He enjoys the fact that the Bad Batch's reputation precedes them.

Then, both men come across a child. (Ironically, it's revealed that these children are both technically older than Din and Hunter, which is a fascinating similarity.)

This complicates things for both men. Din is instantly conflicted by the morality of what he's doing; he's supposed to be turning this child in for a price. But as someone who lost his family at such a young age and would have been lost in the galaxy had it not been for the Mandalorians, how can he fathom doing that? Still, he does end up sticking to the Guild code and doing what he initially signed up for, and he turns in Grogu.

Hunter is genuinely confused about Omega at first, but the more she tries to fit in with their squad, the more that confusion is exchanged for worry. He knows the galaxy is changing quickly with the rise of the Empire and that his squad often brings trouble wherever they go. For her sake, he finds it best to have her keep her distance, and he leaves Kamino despite her warning of what's to come.

And when both men find out these children are at risk, they're faced with a life-changing decision: will they sacrifice the life they've always known for this child?

It's an easy yes for both.

Both these men make major sacrifices to save these children. Din goes against his livelihood and even receives assistance from his covert on Nevarro, which puts them all in danger. He only narrowly escapes, and even as he does, he has no idea what his next steps are. His life is forever changed.

Hunter takes his squad back to Kamino and is immediately imprisoned with Omega. He loses Crosshair at the hands of the Empire because of this, and he has to leave him behind to get away safely. With no Republic backing them up anymore, Hunter now has to protect a child and care for his squad in an ever-changing galaxy.

Their first stop is meant to help them lay low and start figuring things out. For Din, that's on Sorgan, where he meets Cara Dune, Omega, and the Sorgan villagers. He gets a glimpse at what a peaceful life would look like, and how Grogu seems to enjoy it. Din insists that's not a life he can ever give Grogu, and so he tries to leave Grogu there, but a threat to his safety (and no doubt some of Grogu's own desire to stay with his new father figure) leads Din to keeping the child with him.

The Batch's stop on Saleucami serves a very similar purpose. Hunter sees the life Cut and Suu have with their children, and he sees how happy it makes Omega to live amongst the kids and simply enjoy a peaceful life. He believes it's not something he and the squad can ever give her, so he decides to have her go with Cut and Suu. But just as with Din, the galaxy has other plans, and Omega stays with her new father figure and brothers.

From there, both men struggle with two primary things: first, their new role as a protector to a child, and second, life on the run. Din needs a way to make credits, but cannot return to work from the Guild. He agrees to questionable jobs to make this possible, all to keep both himself and the child in his charge alive. In the meantime, he's constantly dodging betrayals, from Toro Calican to his old gang, all while Grogu is being pursued by various bounty hunters.

Hunter also knows he needs credits, or else his squad cannot survive. This is complicated even further by Omega being under threat by bounty hunters. It leads Hunter to agreeing to Cid's less-than-ideal partnership, which sees them completing mercenary work for a rather lousy share of credits. He also struggles with the betrayal of Crosshair, who catches up to them on two different occasions.

Everything culminates for these men when it's time to return to the planets where everything started. For Din, he knows he cannot continue to outrun the Empire and their bounty hunters. The only way both he and Grogu will be freed is by taking out the Client. He gives himself up to get closer access, but this plan quickly backfires when the true mastermind behind it all arrives. Din nearly sacrifices his life to save Grogu and his allies, but in the end, a droid makes a heroic sacrifice to help save everyone and see them to the other side—keeping himself and his child safe for the time being.

Hunter doesn't get as much of a choice at first. He sacrifices himself to let his squad get away on Daro, and he falls into the Empire's—and Crosshair's—captivity. This leads them all back to Kamino, much to Hunter's displeasure. Though they survive through the Empire's and Crosshair's initial plan, they nearly meet their demise due to the destruction of Kamino. It is yet again a droid who sacrifices himself to save them, though he at least makes it through. Hunter has thus gotten himself, his child, and his squad on the other side safely, but only for the time being.

It's at this point these men's stories begin to differ, yet still share many similarities in the process. Din has been sent on a mission by the Armorer to reunite Grogu with his kind, and this is what defines much of his journey in The Mandalorian season 2. The overall theme is the same, however: Din doing whatever it takes to protect Grogu, and even considering a life or a possibility that Grogu wants to stay with him for a lifetime.

Hunter's main concern in The Bad Batch season 2 is keeping Omega and the rest of the squad safe. He, similarly to Din but for different reasons, continues to lead his squad into missions, but at the core of it all is his desire to protect—and a search for a deeper purpose. Pabu is what helps him realize what that would be, and that a life of peace could actually be possible for him, Omega, and the squad.

(This is where things begin to get less linear. We'll be going back to The Mandalorian season 2 even as we discuss The Bad Batch season 3.)

Then comes a pivotal event for both men: the inevitable separation of them and the child in their charge. Din's is difficult for him in the way that he knows it's right, but it's still hard to give up the relationship he has with the child he's come to love. He's sacrificed so much for Grogu, and now he has to let him go. It's a devastatingly bittersweet moment that begins a new chapter for Din. Unfortunately, it's not a great chapter, as he becomes lost in his grief for the missing child.

Hunter loses both Tech and Omega, both of which he feels heavily responsible for. Neither loss is something he had control of. What's worse is the irreversibility of Tech's loss, and the difficulty of getting Omega back. He's at his lowest, having lost so much, and he too is overwhelmed by this grief—but also an intense determination to get back Omega, at all costs. Both men have now been changed, but not necessarily for the better.

The path ahead is dark for both men. The Book of Boba Fett finds Din unable to do what used to be easy for him, nearly failing a bounty hunting mission and giving himself a horrible injury in the process. It's only made worse by him being excommunicated from his tribe for removing his helmet, sending him on an even worse spiral. He's certainly at his lowest, with only a few allies there to support him along the way. He's even refused a chance to see Grogu, and though he could go against this, he chooses what's best for his son again.

Hunter is making rash decisions in his and Wrecker's quest to find Omega when The Bad Batch season 3 rolls around. The usual level-headed sergeant is impatient and impulsive in his desperation, with Wrecker having to act as the voice of reason quite often. Like Din, he certainly isn't himself anymore, and the things that used to come easily don't anymore—even his enhanced senses. Though he still helps others and does what he thinks is best for the children, he's utterly lost.

Then, a glimmer of light and hope returns. Din is suddenly reunited with Grogu, and even amidst the chaos of the battle for Mos Espa, Din stops everything to enjoy the moment. It's an emotional reunion which informs viewers that Grogu will be staying with Din for the long run.

Hunter also gets his light returned to him, and like Din, it's his child who finds him first. This reunion is nothing short of emotional, especially with the shared relief both Hunter and Omega have to be back in each other's arms. It's obvious at this point that Hunter and Omega (and Wrecker) want nothing more than to enjoy being a family for the long run.

This is where The Bad Batch season 3 begins to echo the latter half of The Mandalorian season 2. Going back in time for Din, he's completing missions to get answers on Grogu, most notably about the Jedi and where he can find them. He helps his allies along the way, but his main priority is always protecting Grogu and getting the answers he's seeking.

This is much of what Hunter does with Wrecker and Crosshair after Omega's been returned to them. He and Wrecker even team up with Fennec Shand (an ally of Din's as well) to get the answers they're looking for regarding Omega. They also help Echo and Rex, but their main priority is keeping Omega safe from the Empire and finding out what exactly it is about her that they're so eager to get.

Then comes the pivotal capture. Din and Grogu are on Tython when the Empire catches up to them, and Din can't be in two places at once. He has to go out and fight, leaving Grogu vulnerable in the process. This allows the Dark Troopers to get a hold of him and whisk him away, just after Din's trusty ship—the one that was much like a home to him—is destroyed. By the end, Din is left with no leads on Grogu's location, and no ship of his own.

Hunter and the Batch are on Pabu when the Empire finds them. Their ship is also destroyed, taking away what was once their home—and their only means of escape. Hunter has to leave Omega in Crosshair's care as he tries his best to find them a way out. Rather than being taken by force, however, Omega gives herself up, but Crosshair's missed shot also leaves them in the same situation as Din: no ship, and no leads.

Their journeys and plans then become very, very similar. Din gets the help of his allies Boba Fett and Fennec Shand to ferry him over to Nevarro, where he hatches a plan with Cara Dune to spring a prisoner who's a former Imperial. The prisoner is freed, but there are complications to getting the coordinates, and it requires the use of juggernaut vehicles to get there.

Hunter, Wrecker, and Crosshair get help from their ally Phee Genoa, who ferries them to a planet where they can also spring an Imperial prisoner. This is where the juggernauts factor in for them, as they must hijack one that holds the prisoner so they can get the coordinates from him. However, there are also complications with this, and there are extra steps they have to take.

The stakes rise to their highest for both men. Din is faced with a harsh truth: if he wants to find Grogu, he has to break his Mandalorian Creed. He does it, removing his helmet for the first time in front of other living beings since he was a child and thus risking his identity for Grogu. He gets the coordinates, but it comes at a high cost. He also has to blend in as an Imperial to complete this mission, which adds to the already mounting stakes.

Hunter also has to strip himself of an identity, but for him, it's the customization of his armor that has long since represented his squad's history. This is to help him blend in as an Imperial as he and his squad gets the coordinates. The stakes mount even more as they discover the only true way to find Omega is to go to Tantiss themselves with no backup, and Hunter doesn't back down as they do just that.

And then they reach the big rescue mission. Din has a slew of allies at his disposal, which makes the raid of Moff Gideon's ship rather easy. He earns the massive weight of Mandalore's throne by accidentally winning the Darksaber, but The Mandalorian season 3 resolves this by passing the responsibility on to Bo-Katan Kryze, which frees Din and Grogu for a future of their own making once the three of them at last take down Moff Gideon. This allows Din and Grogu to live a life of peace on Nevarro, even if they still have future adventures in store with the New Republic.

Hunter and the squad's mission isn't as simple. They nearly don't make it out, and they're tortured horribly in the process. Omega has a lot of agency in her freedom and their own, though it's still Hunter and Crosshair who get to take out Dr. Hemlock—also freeing them to a life of their own choosing. Hunter tells Omega that they can finally rest, and they at long last get to do so on Pabu.

The last thing to address is the epilogue of The Bad Batch. Interestingly enough, it goes back to paralleling The Mandalorian season 2 finale. Hunter letting Omega go is very reminiscent of Din letting Grogu go, as both fathers sacrifice their love and protection for the sake of the children's futures. Though Grogu would ultimately choose to return to Din, Omega is now set on her destiny, even if there is a high chance she hasn't seen the last of her father and her brothers on Pabu.

At the end of the day, these two Star Wars dads are just two guys trying their best to raise a child in a dangerous galaxy—and even if it's gotten rough around the edges at time, they've done a wonderful, beautiful job of it.

Thank you for reading! All screen caps (minus one) came from cap-that.com. Feel free to share your thoughts!

[slut4megantheestallion]

Dating Bonnie Bennett Headcannons ☆

● Bonnie had a crush on you. She was very shy to talk to you, but Caroline convinced her to talk to you, and then you guys became a couple

●She'll tell you that she's a witch one she got comfortable with you, she will tell you a lot about her family and their history.

●she would do magic in front of you, or practice infront you she feels more free and comfortable around you.

●she loves hugs, she hugs you all the time.

●sometimes, she practices magic on you(if you're OK with that)

●whenever you flirt with her, she gets flustered, and you find it cute.

● If you're in danger, she will kill anyone who tries to touch you or even threaten you.

●she loves how you put her first before anyone, bonnie is so used to be last, but when she started dating you, she didn't feel like that anymore.

●Bonnie would sacrifice her whole life for you. She doesn't care if she uses so much power for too long as long as you're safe. That's all that matters to her

● Bonnie would save you from danger a lot. All of her loved ones have died right in front of her, and she doesn't want you to die on her.

●she loves how you make her feel included in everything and doesn't leave her out.

●whenever bonnie would do magic, and she'll draw too much power. You're there to calm her down and be there for her.

●Bonnie would take you on dates all the time anytime or anyplace.

●Bonnie worries about you and wellbeing. She's very self-aware and always has her eye out of you.

●Lots of sleepovers with her at her house.

●You getting close with her friends, especially caroline.

● You always tell bonnie that she deserves so much better than anyone.

● you always take her side in any argument amongst her friends.

●You her support system

●You were there and comforted her when her grams died.

●She doesn't like you getting involved in supernatural business.

●spending hours looking through old Grimoires for her to find a certain spell.

●her love language is hand holding, kisses, and cuddling.

●You love making her happy and seeing her smile, even though she's been through so much.

●You always tell her she deserves so much better than her friends.

●Bonnie promised you that she would take you anywhere and travel the world and live life to the fullest.

●Movie nights almost every day.

●You being constantly jealous of her hanging around damon.

●You love admire how strong she is.

●always worrying about her safety,especially when she does magic.

● You hate how bonnie is just seen as a weapon and used time after time, but there's nothing she could do in order to protect you and her friends from danger.

● She's always holding your hand when you're scared or stressed out.

● You calming her down when she's using too much power or when she's overwhelmed.

●You guys never fight in your relationship

● You love how loving bonnie is with you 💕

●"what are you thinking about?" Y/n asked Bonnie as she stares at you lovingly.

●"Just thinking how lucky I am to have you, I love you." Bonnie says looking at holding your hands.

●"I love you too, Bonnie Bennett, for infinity."

[cat-mentality]

I do actually like the idea of the eggs running away from a bigger danger.

I like the idea of them being scared, although not because of the enemy itself.

Imagine they know about this danger. Those tiny children wearing armor heavier than themselves, armed with the best weapons their parents could give them, fully aware of all the plans in case of an attack, ready to go to N.I.N.H.O. at the first drop of rain, and whatever threat looms in the horizon makes them frightened.

Not about themselves.

About their parents.

They know those people. They know how deeply they are loved. They know how far they are willing to go to protect them.

Little Pomme with a weapon as big as herself. Little French Sniper who follows her father around dangerous dungeons, who can fight better than the adults. Little girl who loves her parents so very much, who sees how hard they fight to protect her, to make sure she keeps her two lives.

Little Pomme who knows the code told her father Etoiles to protect people. Who looks at him and fears, who wonders how many times he will die, how many times he will suffer, how many times he will sacrifice himself to ensure others' safety. Her safety.

Little Pomme who sees how deeply her mom cares. How hard she fights for the ones she loves and who wonders how much of herself her mom would give for her sake. Little Pomme who doesn't want to be a burden.

Little Dapper who knows his father has darkness inside of himself, who knows better than anyone how hard he fights every day to keep it hidden and controlled. Who knows that Badboy Halo would unleash that darkness upon the world for his sake.

Little brave boy who knows that doing so would ruin his father, would break a part of his soul, would make him drown in self loathing. Little Dapper who just wants to protect his father from himself.

Little Ramon who builds bombs for fun, who understands exactly how harsh and cruel the world can be because he sees the scars it left on his father, who knows how much Fit does to ensure that that cruelty never reaches him, who makes sure he knows how loved he is, how important, how he is the light of his father's life.

Little selfless boy who has watched his father open his heart to other people as well, who has seen him start to laugh and smile and live. Who is so very scared that his father will exchange what little peace and happiness he found just to ensure that Ramon is safe, that he is happy, uncaring of the effects of himself. Little Ramon who just wants his father to find peace.

Little Richarlyson who has seen so much pain and tragedies in such a short amount of time. Little explorer who has so many people to love him, who knows from the bottom of his soul that they would never leave him alone, that has been reassured over and over again of how important he is.

Little darling boy who already saw his parents grieve once. Who saw them cry over another little boy, who knows first hand how hard that affected them, who has seen them hurt and sad so many different times, who is fully aware of how they see him as a light in their lives. Little Richarlyson who doesn't want to be a source of pain.

Little Chayenne, the oldest, so brave, so selfless, so protective. Who sees how hard his father fights to keep them safe, how much he worries, who understands so very well that both of his fathers are so familiar with loss, so familiar with the pain caused by loving someone and yet still opened their hearts to him.

Little warrior boy who doesn't want people hurting for his sake, who saw enough of it already, who dreads the idea of standing back while those he loves so very dearly sacrifice themselves for his sake, who still has nightmares about screams telling him to stay back, to run, to hide, while blood coats the floor. Little Chayenne who just wants to protect his family.

Little Tallulah who loves so dearly, so kindly, so softly, who thinks flowers can bring so much joy, who swallows her pain to avoid making others sad. Who still waits for a beloved person to come back, but who now realizes how many more love and care about her, who opened her heart to them.

Little sweet girl who knows she isn't a fighter, knows she needs more attention, who is terrified of the idea that someone would need to sacrifice themselves for her sake, who would rather die than be the reason someone else does, who understands that is the choice the adults would make but who would never accept that. Little Tallulah who doesn't want to be alone.

Little Leonarda who has her parents as her best friends. Who keeps to herself but who pays so much attention to what is happening around her, who understands her parents in ways no one else can, who sees how hard they fight to keep others happy and focused on their goals even if their methods are rather strange.

Little princess girl who doesn't want to see the light go out of her father's smile, who doesn't want to cause them to worry, who wants them to be together, who trusts that they will always have each other to keep company, who doesn't want them to worry about those things, about her. Little Leonarda who wants to keep her parents happy.

Little children who love so much and who are so very loved back doing the only thing they can think of to protect those who have protected them so many times already.

Imagine the desperation of the Federation when they discover that the children ran away and left behind their items. The ones they use to monitor their location, to keep them under surveillance.

And it explains so much doesn't it?

How much they are denying everything, how they refuse to talk about it at all unless forced to, how they pretend nothing is happening, how far they are going to create distractions to force the players to focus on anything else but their kids.

The Risus pills are not a carefully laid out plan, a move made to control the Islanders and keep them calm and docile.

They are a move made out of desesperation.

Forever swears he will burn down the Island so they are forced to give him his son back.

He does burn down the Island when they fail to do so, swears he will do it over and over again how many times it takes.

But the Federation doesn't have the eggs.

They can't stop Forever, they can't keep undoing his destruction over and over again, they can't keep Philza from wrecking havoc, they can't keep Cellbit from poking where he shouldn't, all the parents, all the Islanders are out of control now and the Federation is desperate.

They don't have the one thing that would restore order.

They are not ignoring the demands of the parents because they don't want to listen to them. They are doing it because they can't give them what they want.

The only thing they can do is damage control. Is rebuilding the destroyed buildings and lands, is pretending everything is perfect and normal.

Is drugging Forever.

They make him happy.

They make him forget his son is missing so that they can stop him from destroying everything. They drug Pac. They make sure everyone is busy trying to fix that issue. They nerf the machines so they will take time to fix them.

They need time.

They need to find the eggs and they need to restore order.

The Federation lost control.

And that is the one thing that scares them the most.

Because if the Islanders realize it, if they figure out they don't have the eggs, then what? What stops them from breaking the rules, from tearing their buildings down block by block? The eggs are their way of controlling the players, of keeping them happy yes, but mostly of keeping them afraid.

And now that control is gone.

And it's the Federation who is afraid.

[thesquid06]

I have been thinking non stop about what would fix the final season of umbrella academy. I think I found the easiest solution.

That being said, (HOT TAKE WARNING) I didn’t care for the third season and believe it changed the vibe of the show. (This is coming from someone who has not indulged in any previous umbrella academy media. I just watch the show)

The easiest fix is to make the alternate reality they’re in the perfect reality. That way, when they sacrifice themselves at the end, it actually hurts.

One: LOVED the fact that he was a stripper. It shows confidence in his new body while being extremely hilarious.

I don’t think bringing back Sloan would be reasonable, her powers would change the dynamics. However, giving him a daughter who resembles her would bring him joy. It would fix his need for a family and give him a reason to keep going.

He still lives in the old rundown mansion. Except it’s a little more livable. While it’s very clear that he’s struggling to let go of his past, he’s still trying to provide for his kid. They go antiquing on the weekends to find fun things for the house.

Two: Him and Lila are happily married and completely crazy. The kind of couple that says the freakiest things and is always all over each other.

The kid from the third season (I don’t remember his name) is actually theirs this time. He’s always stuck babysitting his younger siblings and is absolutely pissed about it. Diego is teaching him how to throw knives.

While his job still isn’t the best, he gets to come home to the perfect family. While maybe hacking into the police radio and suspiciously arriving on the crime scenes. Just to see if they need him.

Three: She’s acting in one of those sitcoms that everyone hates but knows the name of. Probably has never been on another show but her sitcom just got renewed for another season.

Her and her daughter get along just as well as every other teenage girl and their mom. They scream at each other across the room but she will get a hug and an ‘I love you’ before the day is over.

She’s still married, they’re happy enough. Maybe he has a job where he travels a lot so he doesn’t have to affect the season.

Four: Still a recovering alcoholic germaphobe living in his sister basement. He spends time gossiping with Claire and watching movies with the family. Him and Allison don’t fight.

He’s got a date next weekend.

When he’s offered the drug in the middle of the season, he does take it. Holds it in his hand on sobs. Except he doesn’t swallow it, throws it as hard as he can and focuses on escaping.

The story isn’t much but for the first time ever, he has hope. He finally believes there is a future where he can be better.

Five: Works his shitty FBI job and spends his free time with conspiracy theorists. He’s finally in a stable job and hates it.

Except his family is okay and happy. Thats all he ever wanted.

Also, there is this really annoying girl he’s forced into working with. She goes to the conspiracy meetings with him and he hates it. Something happens and he grabs her to jump her to safety. They end up in the subway. They get stuck.

It parallels the first time he was stuck in time, away from family. When he was a kid, he found solace in the idea of having someone to fall in love with. This time it’s for real. Without the need to protect his siblings, he falls in love the only way he knows how: in an apocalyptic setting.

Until, HE has to decide to go back for his siblings. He has dedicated his entire life the rescuing them, this time will be no different.

Six: I kinda like where his story went. Not sure if it needs to be changed.

Seven: All he’s ever wanted was to be included by his family. Sometimes they call him, he’s always invited to events and is excited to go.

Has his bar, it’s closer to home. Also, he gets some goddamn therapy.

That way, the sacrifice means something because, in the first time in their entire life, they have something to stay for.

Also, huge fan of Victor successfully draining the evil stuff from Ben, saving his life, and the audience gets gaslit into believing everything is okay.

Until it starts affecting Victor. Then they’re screwed and have to pull the self sacrifice move.

[widowed-mistress]

Okay! As per my last post, things I think people should add to their Steven Universe and Gravity Falls stories.

Grown Up Steven during Events of Gravity Falls

Steven does not need to be in every adventure

Yes, I want him to cultivate a relationship with the twins, BUT I want him to have his own life

I don't just want him to be their protector because they need to learn lessons on their own too

Give. Him friends!!! Wendy and hee group could potentially be friends with him since they're similar to the Cool Kids, BUT u like the Cool Kids, Wendy and her friends doesn't really *think* ahead about other people

For an example of a stark contrast, the Cool Kids take seat belt safety seriously AND grilled the gems for being too hard on Steven. "He's just a kid!" One of the few times an adult stood up for him.

Meanwhile Wendy, who I love very much so, took advantage of Mabel to get an afternoon off from work with full pay after trashing the Mystery Shack with her friends. The Cool Kids have responsibilities and passions they take seriously and realize the sacrifices of them. That doesn't mean they don't act like teenagers and hurt people while being selfish, but they take more accountable. I imagen Steven trying to befriend them only to realize this and back away, making friends with Soos and Stan since their accountability standards are higher.

Stan knowing Steven is "weird" and entrusting him with keeping the kids safe

For a few monsters, Steven's powers are useless, but to make him defenseless against Bill? C'mon now. He SUBCONSCIOUS uses these powers and we see that when he does do things on purpose, he is GOOD at it. His gem is a gem whose main powers revolve around creations and destruction of things dead of alive. I'm not saying make him OP, since that is not fun, but I feel like he gets nerfed too much in these stories. Which is why I emphasize, don't let him go on every adventure

It would be nice for him and Connie to be used as a good example of a healthy relationship for Mabel. She tends to just throw herself to relationship, so her learning indirectly what makes a good relationship could be sweet.

Him and McGucket as friends. Please. Hand and knees, need this.

Even though Mabel and Dipper don't appose each other like Ford and Stan do, their differences are highlighted once Ford arrives, Steven would be a good meadeator between them

Steven could be the PERFECT obstacle during Weirdmaggedon, I'm talking Bill purposefully curropting him obstacle.

I'm talking building up a relationship between the adults in the show and having THEM take care of it. While I loved Future's ending (cried a lot). I also feel like nobody really acknowledged that many of Steven's problems arrived from adults putting their problems on him. It was mostly people saying they WOULD support him now

Grown Up Steven after Events of Gravity Falls

At least ONE person not fully trusting him

The family thinks he's trying to hide that he's "weird," he is not. He is VERY happy that he gets treated like a human while not hiding that he is a gem, actually

Make him friends with the woodland creatures

Can Fall in Either Category

Good adult figures in his life

Normally these stories focus on him being human in Gravity Falls. No! Well not completely. He probably arrives wanting it to start out that way but as he realizes how normalized weirdness is here, he begins to finally embrace both halves of himself. Existing as both gem and human without separating the other. Using his gem abilities but not for life saving events. Let him have his own fountain/garden in Gravity Falls

Stan slowly learning how Steven lived before (van life, eating bits for free at the Fry shop, cooking eggs using a waffle pan, nobody forgot that the only reason baby Steven and Greg didn't freeze when he was a baby was because Vedalia was out of town right?) And they bond over i

[nellas-art]

5, 6 for both your lambs?

When your lamb mourns a dead loved one from their past.. who is it?

For Lambert, they mourn their mom and their spouse.

I don't have too much about them yet 'cause I haven't developed much for them yet lore and design wise (except for Lambert's first spouse I do want them to have a pompadour), but I do know for their spouse pre-sacrifice, they are the reason Lambert has as many spouses as they do in the present. I also want Lambert's memory of them to be repressed; it will hit Lambert once their life has stabilized from their dealings with the Bishops and it will devastate them (essentially from Lambert's view: "How could I have forgotten someone I loved so deeply? How could I have done so little to preserve their memory?")

For Apollyon, she mourns her older sister Jamaerah and her younger adoptive siblings Pate, Feryn, and Moe. Jamaerah was Apollyon's beacon of light and joy pre-sacrifice; a jovial sheep who always knew how to cheer Apollyon up and always had her back.

A lore dump's in order for Apollyon and her family so it'll be a tad long:

Apollyon descends from a line of sheep warriors. Due to the prophecy of a sheep liberating The One Who Waits, sheep warriors were seen as the biggest threat to the Old Faith and were targeted first for the culling.

Apollyon and Jamaerah's mother was very hard on them with their training for survival; she was very much the ends justify the means kind of person, pushing her daughters beyond their limits to the point where the village weapon-smith would often have to intervene. Once Apollyon and Jamaerah were preteens, they left the village with their mother to live on the run.

When Apollyon was 16 and Jamaerah 18, as they were traveling through the Lands of the Old, they witnessed Pate's family getting murdered by heretics; Pate was around 5 years old and about to be next. Their mother didn't want to get involved but Apollyon charged in to rescue Pate with Jamaerah following close behind despite their mother's protests. They killed the heretics protecting Pate, but due to being raw from their family's deaths Pate was still attacking until Apollyon hugged them tight. Their mother wanted to leave Pate behind believing they would hinder their journey to safety, but Apollyon and Jamaerah protested; Apollyon stated that Pate would be under her protection specifically. From that day, Pate became very attached to the sisters and holds a great deal of respect for them; they are particularly protective of Apollyon. They are trained by the sisters at their request; axe-wielding by Apollyon and dagger-wielding by Jamaerah.

Years later during their travels (Jamaerah would be 29, Apollyon 27, and Pate 16) they would find Feryn and Moe as they were passing through a recently burned down village; rain had put out the fires before their arrival. Pate was the one who discovered the trapped little lambs as they heard whimpering under some debris. Apollyon assisted Pate in freeing the girls, but they were too scared to come out; miraculously the lambs survived the fire mostly unharmed, the worst injury being Moe's ear. It took some gentle coaxing from Apollyon and Pate to get them out; Feryn first, then Moe. Apollyon and Jamaerah's mother wasn't too happy about their newest travel companions, but knew her daughters wouldn't abandon the lambs. Feryn opens up quickly to the group whereas Moe doesn't talk at all; if she does, it's only to Feryn or Apollyon and only a few words. Feryn talks for the both of them because of this.

At this point their mother's will to continue is rapidly deteriorating; she vanishes a week later from the group after they get Feryn and Moe. Unbeknownst to the little group, their mother had left to make a deal with the heretics to spare herself and Apollyon (saw Apollyon as more valuable to spare due to being the better fighter between her daughters). She had been tailing the group with their assailants waiting for the oppurtunity for Apollyon to temporarily split from the group for resources so the heretics could murder the rest, as per the deal.

One night, Feryn was hungry but they had no food, so Apollyon set out to go find some; Pate wanted to tag along with her but Apollyon insisted they stay with the group for safety. As she was collecting water from a nearby river, Apollyon heard a distant familiar scream. She immediately bolted back to where her family was camping to find them all murdered; she returned just as the killing blow was dealt to Jamaerah. Any will Apollyon had left to fight was gone as she wordlessly dropped to her knees. Her mother made herself known as she was hiding out in the trees, to try and explain herself to Apollyon, but her excuses fell on deaf ears. Her mother was then immediately betrayed and murdered in front of Apollyon by the heretics but Apollyon felt nothing from her mother's death; still in shock from her beloved siblings' deaths, she was then the last lamb.

Who raised your lamb?

Lambert was raised by their mom, a tough, honest, and kind ewe with a joyous laugh.

Apollyon was raised by her mother and a weapon-smith from her old village until the village eventually disbanded; felt it better for survival if they travelled in small groups than stay put in a village.

While her mother was a good warrior, she was distant and harsh. The weapon-smith was kind, genlte, and patient; he taught Apollyon and Jamaerah all they needed to know about weapons.

[turquoisetuber]

Who are your OCs?

OH IM SO HAPPY TO TALK ABT THEM

so tldr: they're a multifandom family, each of them used to weave my hyperfixations together!!

so without furtuer adeiu...

Jade Starstrider (🌟)

Jade is my main OC and also my oldest!! She was my OC for the Kirby OC Tournament, as well! (This info is slightly outdated-she's 20 now!!)

Jade was an accidential visitor to Dreamland, who eventually was adopted by Meta Knight and King Dedede. She fills in Kirby's role in the events of Amazing Mirror and is a part of the team in RTDL. She's a knight known as The Amber Knight, a skilled medic, and as of recent, a researcher of Dark Matter! However, she is also Galacta Knight's successor, and the strongest warrior in the galaxy!!

She is an extremely kind girl who actually hates fighting, and she avoids violence wherever she can. She believes everyone deserves mercy, which leads to her being quite naive and a common target. However, she's still quite skilled at persuading people, and she's a natural hero, always ready to save her loved ones!!

Hazel Starstrider (🔥)

Hazel has a long history of fighting! As Agent 10 of the Squidbeak Splatoon, and then later in life an Autobot Soldier (and maybe someday a Prime), and then fighting in her own war in her homeland.

Hazel is Jade's twin sister, and much more associated with Splatoon and Transformers! (tragically I don't have a reference of inkling Hazel)

Hazel is a firey girl who is well known for her go-getter attitude. She's a passionate soldier and a strong-willed person. However, she can be VERY stubborn and at times quite mean. Hazel is riddled with trauma, and fears failing, having seen more than enough of her friends and family die.

Everest Sears / Everest Skybloom (❄️)

Ev grew up without a dad and with a terrible TERRIBLE mom. He spent most of his time with the twins, but when they left home, he was stuck with his mom. In these years he met Vander, and eventually also ended up losing his friend at the same time. His teenage years were... rough. But now as an adult, he repaired his relationship with Vander and found a way to heal from his trauma, later in life meeting his dad, Raiden, and repairing his relationship with him as well.

Everest is Jade and Hazel's older brother (by the twins' choice—he's really their cousin), and is actually less associated with fandoms than his sisters. He is, however, associated with MGR!!

Ev kind of gives the vibe of not caring, when he really cares entirely too much. He's terrified of letting people be hurt. Ev also has some deep self-worth issues, believing other people's lives have more worth than his own. He's lived with severe depression for at least 10 years now, the poor guy :( But in general, he's a sweet guy, albeit a little blunt and maybe even rude. He's funny and a quick thinker and almost BETTER at smack-talk than Hazel. I do say almost though.

Vander Stallard (🎶) [I lack an updated reference for him! Will possibly add later!!]

Vander is Ev's best friend and Jade's boyfriend! He's associated HEAVIOY with Pokemon!!

Vander had a good family, but left home at 13 due to safety concerns when his family was attacked. At this time, he met Ev and ended up stuck in his same situation. He was just as disloyal to his leader as Ev was, but the two ended up as important figures in their military. Ev had been leaving to betray the team, and as Vander was scared of losing his sanctuary, when asked he snitched. Ev hated him for three years, while he just wanted out and wanted to apologize. Vander took a liking to Jade quickly, seeing how kind she was and how beautiful she was... This was only furthered after she helped him recover after a duel gone south with Ev. The two began dating and Vander joijed the team and made everything up to them. He's now a fantastic ally!

Vander is a sweet boy, very polite, but beneath that he's a brutal soldier. He's not scared to sacrifice for those he loves, and he's made it obvious. He's got blood on his hands, and the scarier pert is that he's totally unfazed. But as long as you're on his good side, he's a good dude!

Peridot "DJ" Starstrider (🪞)

Peri is Jade's Mirror World counterpart and an enemy turned friend!

Peridot was created by Mind to get revenge on Jade. So when she took her spot in the family, she thought she was set to do some irreversible damage. But seeing how well they treated her... She wondered if her life could be just as good. She eventually failed her mission, but Jade and her brother Cloud ahd ensured she was spared. So when she joined the team, it was bevause she owed it to them. And now, she's as close to the team as ever!

Peri is a... sort of rude girl. She speaks her mind with a "if you don't like it, that's too bad" attitude. She means the best, though. She's a good person, who's always trying to be the best she can despite her rough start!

And those are my main 5!! I have plenty others, but these are the ones you'll hear about the most!!

[andrewsleftarmband]

8 and 10 for the opinion asks!

- @constelationprize

Thank you @constelationprize for the ask!!!!

8. Popular opinion that the fandom is wrong about

Oh man I could go a couple different directions with this but the two that I will briefly touch are martyr Neil and misogynist Andrew.

Starting with Neil, I think @joejhang has said it best, but Neil has never been a martyr. The only time he willingly put himself in harms way for another person, was when he went to evermore, and the reason that’s so significant is because of how out of character it is. For his entire life, Neil’s main objective was survival, even at the expense of others. Neil’s life on the run taught him to be concerned only with making it to the next day and the next after that. To be a martyr is to sacrifice your own happiness or safety for the sake of someone else’s. Neil only ever does that with evermore. When he joined the foxes, he chose to stay KNOWING that it put the foxes in danger. That doesn’t mean he wanted them to face trouble because of it, he most certainly did not, but he wasn’t willing to sacrifice the first home and the first family he ever had to keep running from his father. And it’s understandable why he wouldn’t. PSU was the first place he ever had to call home. The foxes were the first people to care about him. And even though he loved them, he wasn’t willing to martyr himself for them. The only person he was willing to do that for was Andrew. Which is fucking beautiful if you ask me.

Moving on to Andrew, the claim that he is a misogynist is one even Nora makes. I’m not usually in the business of telling writers that they’re wrong about their own characters, but I’m making an exception here. Maybe she meant for him to have misogynistic tendencies and then just forgot to write them, idk.

The thing with Andrew is that he hates and distrusts everyone equally. Andrew doesn’t trust women because he’s never met a woman he could trust, until Renee. And while his past is filled with just as many, if not more bad men, I’d argue that when he went to juvie he was able to find other guys he felt comfortable enough exploring his sexuality with. Andrew started working on his relationship with men way before he started working on his relationship with women. The mother he wanted turned a blind eye to the abuse he suffered at the hands of her son. The mother he was supposed to have abused his brother and got him hooked on drugs. Up until Renee, Andrew had never met a woman he could trust. What comes across as misogyny is actually a trauma response and deep deep trust issues. For every man who abused him there was a woman who let it happen. And to top it off, a woman nearly destroyed his brother.

I think he is also deeply distrusting of men, but in a different way. Judging by what Nora said about his time in juvie, and then his relationships with Nicky, wymack, and Roland (I have some Thoughts about fucking Roland but that’s a separate issue), it’s clear that he’s at least found some men that he doesn’t distrust as much as others. It’s different with the women in his life. Again, he dislikes and distrusts everyone equally. You’re not gonna get different treatment from him for being a woman, he’ll pull a knife on anyone.

10. Worst part of fanon

Oh goodness, definitely what I’m going to call Manic Pixie Dream Neil.

I’ve noticed a tendency in the fandom to make Neil this sunshine yellow character to compare to andrews grumpy and black character. It’s especially prevalent in au fics.

Neil is not soft or a sunshine character or even a very happy one. He’s a fucking weirdo. He and Andrew are actually pretty similar at least in regards to their general demeanor. Taking it a step further, Neil is probably kind of scary. He never smiles, and when he does it’s his face splitting into something he doesn’t associate with himself, it’s an involuntary reaction that he can’t control but tries to repress. He doesn’t really laugh much, and he’s abrasive asf. Not to mention he’s tiny but covered in scars and probably looks half feral most of the time.

Neil isn’t even really soft to Andrew. He’s blunt, sometimes to the point of near cruelty, and that’s part of why they work so well together. He can act in more thoughtful or tender ways, and bro is definitely fucking WHIPPED but he’s not a big softie.

Neil is a fucking weirdo. But not in a manic pixie way, more in a borderline psycho way. And by golly do I fucking love him for it.

Thank you again for the tag! Enjoy my run on sentences and vaguely coherent thoughts <3

[kallypsowrites]

I’m so excited for A Pride of Wolves!! Incoming gushing (apologies for the word-vomit in advance) ❤️

One thing I love about the story is how integral the concept of ‘Family’ is to the Lannister children, but most interestingly the WAY in which they show it. For Tybolt, he shows it by managing his siblings while his parents are busy. Keeping an eye on them, trying to give them small advice or encouragement, or simply reading in the same room they’re in. He offers his siblings support and is someone who they could seek help from, whether it be for a ginormous issue they have or a simple question like Johanna’s question about dragons. He doesn’t view any of his siblings as rivals for the Rocks bc 1) he himself isn’t too into becoming Lord, and 2) he loves each of them wholeheartedly and knows they love him too. This is seen by how he finds it difficult to believe that Marcus would smack-talk him like Sebastian does with his older brother.

Meanwhile with Elissa, similar to Tybolt, looks after her younger siblings when her parents have their hands full. And generally wants to make sure her siblings are happy, like how she suggests Jon should keep Marcus company because she doesn’t want her brother to be lonely in the Red Keep❤️ And despite wanting to rule Castlely Rock, offers support and advice to Tybolt when he doubts himself instead of being bitter because she KNOWS that Tybolt would’ve willingly given it to her if he could; and she loves and appreciates him for it. You’ve mentioned she’s like a Cersei who was raised well and not neglected. With that in mind, I 100% believe that out of all the siblings—she would be the most likely and willing to protect her siblings using underhanded methods like how Cersei did for her children (of course, I think all the Lannister children would be able to if pushed far enough, I just think Elissa would be the first to do so). Not because she wants to harm other people, but because her siblings are more important to her than anything else and she won’t risk their safety. We’ve seen that Elissa is very much willing to sacrifice her own happiness to ensure the prosperity of her family in the form of marrying for political reasons instead of for Love (even though Arya & Jamie have told her she doesn’t need to), not because they expect it from her like Tywin did for his children, but because she adores and cherishes her family. For them, it is a sacrifice she is very much willing to make.

With Nym she shows her love to her siblings by keeping them company and willing to throw punches for them if they asks for it. Like how when she thought someone embarrassed Marcus and she, without hesitation, asked him who humiliated him. You just know she would’ve sought that person out and give them a piece of her mind (or fight them) for daring to mess with her brother. There’s more I want to say about Nym, but I can’t really think of a good way to explain it so I’ll just end it here.

As for Marcus, it looks like he tends (and prefers) to play a supporting role for his family. Often times staying in the background, but doesn’t hesitate to step up if he could help any of his siblings shine in the spotlight. For instance although he doesn’t like interacting with people much, he’s very willing to do so to make Elissa (the sibling he admits he has the least in common with) shine. Not because he feels like it’s his duty as her younger brother to do so, but because he genuinely loves her and wants her to be happy. Although Marcus prefers to stay out of trouble, you bet he’ll throw himself into it for any of his siblings. He did so when Nym mercy-killed that one guy. Like, i highly believe that if a fellow Lord’s son makes an inappropriate comment about Elissa at the Red Keep, Marcus wouldn’t hesitate to defend her despite his speech-impediment (and Elissa wouldn’t take anyone insulting her younger brother either).

and lastly Johanna, she shows her siblings love by trying to make them laugh when their sad/worried and generally making sure that they’re having a good time. Out of all of them, she perhaps has the most forward way of showing them affection (which makes sense since she’s the youngest) by being physically affectionate or simply complimenting them. I think out of all the siblings, I’m the most curious on how she’ll develop as the story goes on bc there is just so much that can happen and affect a young person. After all, she’s only 1 year older than Arya when she had her childhood ruined…

I just AAAAGH, I love these siblings so much and this isn’t everything I have to say about them but this is already getting too long!!! I just know your going to throw them into the ringer and I worry for all of them 🫠

This is really so sweet of you to write such a long note about my A Pride of Wolves OCs and I agree with all of your analysis of them. At their core they all love each other very much even if they show it in different ways and are themselves very different. An ultimately though I am going to put them through the ringer, it's that love and loyalty to family that will help them pull through.

This ask really made me smile though. I'm glad that you are enjoying their characters so much!