#and i hate him for it because i love his character so much | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

kxsagi · 14 hours ago

Note

HIII HSUSHDXB I LOVE UR WRITING SO MUCH I HAVE A REQ PLS HMO.. I saw a tiktok where a girl was "getting ready" and her bf came in and asked "what are u getting ready for? " and she answered "u mean what are WE getting ready for?" and basically she was gaslighting him into believing they had a date that day😭 I RLLY RLLY RLLY wanna see this with Isagi, Bachira, Barou, Gagamaru, Chigiri Kunigami and maybe Ness😭😭 IF THEY ARE TOO MANY U CAN PICK FROM THEM PLSS and also can u write it so y/n tells them it was a prank when the guy is halfway thru getting ready??

“𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧”

a/n: i made an smau of this here, but i thought it would be funny to have headcanons of it as well + with more characters!

also hiii and thank you sm, thank you for this request and for being so patient!!!

ft. isagi yoichi, bachira meguru, barou shoei, gagamaru gin, chigiri hyoma, kunigami rensuke, ness alexis, itoshi rin, itoshi sae, kaiser michael

isagi yoichi

you’re standing in front of the mirror, doing lip balm like it’s a ritual, curling your lashes for no reason. isagi walks in holding a protein bar, squinting.

“what are you getting ready for?” you go, “what do you mean we’re getting ready for?” … and you watch his entire soul glitch like he missed a line of code.

he panics immediately because he has zero memory of making plans and now he thinks he’s in trouble.

“oh… yeah, yeah, totally. obviously. i didn’t forget. no way.” he’s wiping his mouth like he’s prepping for war.

he starts brushing his teeth at light speed. throwing on cologne. asking you casually: “wait so uh… where are we going again?” “the new italian place you said you’d book two weeks ago 😐” he goes pale. he pulls out his phone to check the date.

you finally tell him it’s a prank when he’s literally trying to iron his jeans (which he doesn’t know how to do).

“… you’re evil.”

but also he laughs so hard and clings to you like a koala. you’ve unlocked his trust issues.

bachira meguru

you’re putting on mascara and muttering to yourself about the time, going “we’re gonna be late,” just loud enough for him to hear.

bachira appears upside down on the bed. “what are we late for?” you flip your hair over your shoulder. “our thing.” “our… thing 😃?”

he does not remember any plans, but he’s so down to clown. “OH YEAH. yeah yeah yeah. that thing. the secret one. where i wear pants, right?”

he’s throwing on the loudest outfit possible and humming some song he made up called date night explosion. “do i bring snacks? do i need ID? is this a passport kind of date or a flip-flops kind of date?” bro is spiraling in giddy confusion.

you tell him it was a prank and he GENUINELY looks around like there’s hidden cameras if he looks hard enough. “wait, no, fr?? we’re not going???” five seconds later: “okay, but we should still go out because i look hot.”

barou shoei

you’re in the bathroom doing eyeliner and mumbling, “ugh, i hate being late. he better hurry up.”

barou walks in, looks you up and down, and frowns. “… what the hell are you talking about.” “our reservation? babe? it’s literally today?” he stops. blinks. doesn’t say anything. but you can see the fury building because he thinks you’re accusing him of forgetting.

he disappears and ten minutes later you hear loud rustling. he comes back… in a BLACK BUTTON-UP with his signature gold watch.

“let’s go.” he says it like a challenge. like if you don’t walk out the door right now, you’re the one who’s unprepared.

you’re CACKLING as he grabs his keys. “baby, it was a prank.” stare. another stare. “delete your tik tok account. now.” (he still looks stupid hot tho.)

gagamaru gin

you’re in the kitchen putting on lip gloss and sighing. “he’s always running late. so unprofessional.” gagamaru blinks. “who?” you look at him like he’s the idiot. “you. for our plans?? hello??” he absolutely does not remember this, but he just nods slowly like “mhmm yeah… our plans…”

he’s in the bedroom now looking at his closet like it’s a puzzle. “do i wear the good socks? or the socks with the pizza on them? … wait is this indoors?”

he literally puts on cologne, does his hair (with too much gel), and is halfway through making a sandwich “for the road” when you tell him it’s a prank.

blank stare “wait. we’re not going to that underwater zoo…?” “we were never going anywhere.” “can we still go anyway. i already made the sandwich.”

chigiri hyoma

he’s scrolling on his phone on the bed while you’re putting perfume on like you’re about to go to prom.

“what are you getting ready for?” “what do you mean what are we getting ready for?” his phone is dropped. his soul leaves his body. “WAIT. is that TODAY? YOU SAID SATURDAY, I THOUGHT YOU MEANT NEXT WEEK–” he’s tripping over his hoodie while trying to pull it off.

five seconds later he’s half-dressed, holding two different shoes and yelling, “DO I LOOK HOT OR JUST LIKE I’M TRYING TOO HARD?”

he’s genuinely stressed because if he didn’t plan properly, he’ll hate himself for a week.

you tell him it’s a prank and he just stares at you. “i just put on my lucky perfume. and shaved my legs. FOR THIS?” he flips a throw pillow at your face. “i was testing how fast you could react under pressure.” “i’m gonna test how fast you can run when i chase you with a curling iron.”

kunigami rensuke (pre-wild card)

you’re spritzing setting spray and murmuring “okay i’ll be done in 10, then we can leave.” kunigami turns around from the couch like, “leave for what?” “you’re joking, right?” his jaw drops. “NO?”

he goes into boyfriend emergency mode. you’ve never seen a man wash his face faster.

while putting on his shirt he’s like, “wait, do i need dress shoes? are we meeting your parents? are we going to a michelin place or– do i have to talk?”

the way he genuinely tries so hard to look good for you is making you feel bad halfway through.

he’s combing his hair. RE-applying deodorant. looking at himself in the mirror like “don’t mess this up.”

you go “baby… it was a prank 😭” kunigami stares at you in pure betrayal. “i mentally prepared myself to give a speech at a wedding banquet. i thought we were eloping.”

(you make it up to him with pizza and cuddles.)

ness alexis

you’re humming while doing lip liner, muttering “ugh, i knew he’d forget” under your breath. ness comes RUNNING. “WHAT DID I FORGET? DID I FORGET A HOLIDAY?” you blink at him slowly. “our date?” “oh… ohmygosh. i forgot. i’m the worst. i should jump into traffic. or get hit with a purse.”

he’s LITERALLY sprinting around the room. one sock on, shirt backwards, hair a mess.

“does this tie say ‘i’m sorry for being the worst boyfriend’ or ‘i’m emotionally available’?”

he’s typing up a formal apology note and reciting it in the mirror.

you’re CRYING laughing by the time he’s halfway through styling his hair. “love. baby. sweetheart. i was PRANKING you 😭” he freezes. like a statue in a thunderstorm. “i was going to write a haiku. for NOTHING???” (still makes you read the haiku anyway.)

itoshi rin

you’re in front of the mirror, smoothing your hair and sighing like you’re about to attend a gala. rin looks up from his phone and goes: “where are you going?” “what do you mean we’re going?” immediate emotional shutdown. you literally see him buffering. “did… did we have something planned?” you go: “you told me not to wear heels this time. you literally said that yesterday.” his soul LEAVES his body. “i did?” “yeah? we made those reservations, remember?” “OH. YEAH. OBVIOUSLY. I REMEMBER.”

he walks out of the room trying to breathe through the stress and three minutes later you hear drawers opening like a raccoon got loose.

10 minutes later: full outfit. chain. fixed his hair. sprayed cologne. then gives you the fakest cough ever: “how much time do we have left?”

you wait until he’s standing by the door to go, “hey so it was a prank.” stare. longer stare. “you know what’s a prank? us dating. block me.” (he doesn’t block you. he lays face down on the couch for two hours.)

itoshi sae

you’re in the closet picking out a dress, talking to yourself like, “ugh i swear he always forgets special occasions.” sae walks by mid-sip of coffee. “what special occasion?” “what do you mean what occasion. it’s today?”

his jaw drops slightly but his face stays neutral because he will literally DIE before he admits he forgot. “i didn’t forget. i just… wanted to surprise you later.” (no he didn’t. he’s sweating.)

you tell him, “you said dress fancy casual, remember?” “... yeah.” sae is literally googling "fancy casual outfits for men" in the bathroom.

he tries on three button-ups and squints at the mirror like “i look stupid. is this too boyfriend? too desperate?”

you walk in and go, “hey babe. funny story. there’s no date. it was a prank.” he turns his head in slow, painful silence. “... i hate you.” “you look hot tho.” “... i hate you less.” (you better make out with him immediately or he will mope for the rest of the day. and he’s so good at moping.)

kaiser michael

you’re humming while curling your lashes. kaiser comes in half-asleep, shirtless, wearing pajama pants with pineapples on them. “you look like you’re about to win a beauty pageant. what’s the occasion?” you blink at him. “you’re joking right. we’re getting ready for our date.”

he raises an eyebrow like you just challenged him. “huh. bold of me not to remember.” “you literally made the plans last week. you said it’d be a surprise.”

kaiser smirks like, “ah. of course i did.” proceeds to spin around and walk off like this is all part of his master plan.

you hear music blasting from the bedroom. this man is having a full fashion montage.

he’s trying on three chains, shirts shirts, his leather jacket. STRUTTING. posing in the mirror like a teenage girl before prom.

texts you from the next room: “how hot do you want me on a scale from 1-10 or should i just shoot for god-tier?”

you wait until he starts spraying cologne to tell him it was a prank. kaiser.exe has stopped working. “you’re joking. i already picked out my camera angles for couple pics.” “well now it’s a house date.” “this is psychological warfare and you’re winning.” (he makes you film a fake tik tok date just to use the outfit.)

209 notes · View notes

thesituationship · 2 days ago

Text

OUGH I love slow burn Billford. Bitter exes constantly fucking is good too but there's something about neither of them confessing any feelings until the last possible moment that is *chefs kiss*.

Like, pre-portal, Ford assumes any strong feelings are just reverence for his muse, and Bill thinks his strong feelings are just sadism, the fun of using Ford, nothing more. Fucking during karaoke doesn't contradict this, I think Ford probably couldn't remember, or maybe his memory was erased. Bill was still in denial, fucking Ford was 'all part of his master plan' somehow (or maybe he just forgot too). Whatever happened that night, the next day, I think they both sensed something had changed, although they couldn't put their finger on what. All they know is that whenever they're apart now, they can only think about each other.

Bill doesn't figure out that he loves Ford until the break up, I think that's clear in Tbob. But I really like the idea that Ford doesn't figure it out till weirdmageddon, and that he refuses to believe that Bill loves him.

To me, it feels very in character for Ford to brush off Bill's very obvious flirting as just a humiliation tactic. Ford has very little self-worth. I don't think he believes anyone would love him for him. People only love what he can do for them. He's also autistic coded, aroace coded. I think he finds it hard to actually recognise romantic advances, even if they're laid on real thick (we see this with fiddleford too). And lastly, there's a lot of shame in being loved by a monster like Bill. It's probably easier to deny it, bury it deep down instead of dealing with the survivor's guilty. Pride and shame are big thematic throughlines in Ford's story.

I also think it's really in character for Bill too. Bill thinks love is weakness. I think he's embarrassed and afraid of how down bad he is. And so, all through the portal years, he's trying to tell ford that he loves him, without telling him. And it kinda comes off as bullying. You can't really blame ford for not picking up on it. However it's funny to think that all the henchmaniacs have.

Anyways, I like to imagine that it doesn't click for Ford until they're alone in the penthouse, and Bill has him pinned. He's finally showing Ford how genuinely frustrated he is with both Ford and himself. He really hates that he loves Ford. He's still really hurt that Ford abandoned him. He really does just want to rule the universe with him. And ford is somehow shocked by this revelation because he's a fucking idiot.

Then, and only then, does Ford finally realise that he loves Bill too. And it hurts so much because it doesn't matter. Everything's gone too far, love can't save them anymore.

I think about this all the time.

#this is the goat billford interpretation imo #i love others too but man #because it really makes ford quite a emotionally flawed and stunted character #i think fords poor understand of other people's emotions is a core part of his character that can sometimes be lost in #other billford interpretations #billford #gravity falls #stanford pines #bill cipher

183 notes · View notes

coupsalchemy · 2 days ago

Text

Punishment

Summary - The one where you may or may not have bullied your boyfriend into watching a movie he hates.

Tags: Lee Jihoon x (dramatic) f.reader, fluff, established relationship au

Warnings: MDNI uhm heavily suggestive. you should have understood from the title by now

Word Count: 1.4k

A's Note: Read the first part here! Back again with the chaotic couple. I may have enjoyed writing it more than I should have hehe

The TV plays the movie you were dying to watch since last week. You may or may not have irritated Jihoon, your boyfriend, with how good the reviews are and how we are missing out—a stretch, but if not for all these exaggerations he isn’t going to sit through three hours of a chick flick movie(you totally bullied him into watching it if you put it honestly).

The billion dollar question is why you can’t concentrate on the heroine going through hoops and hurdles to find happiness that you were dying to watch? Your eyes keep flickering to your boyfriend’s spread legs, the tight black tee stretching across his chest, and firm stomach. Not to forget to mention how hot his annoyed face is with the pinched eyebrows and little scoffs whenever the heroine delivers a dialogue.

You press your thighs together, resting your hands underneath your thighs so you won’t do something stupid like pouncing on him. Jihoon did tell you he doesn’t mind you being in his personal space. You didn’t want to overstay your welcome because as much as he is accommodating you know it’s hard for people to love physical touch overnight.

“The moment I think it won’t get any worse this movie surprises me.” Jihoon mutters under his breath. “Who gave this five stars? He must have been drunk.”

You shrug. Defending the movie isn’t your highest priority right now. Not when you are fighting for your life not to even look in his direction. Rein in your desires.

“What?” Jihoon asks.

“What?” Your eyes are on the screen as if the characters are going to crawl out of it anytime soon.

Jihoon readjusts himself on the couch, now facing you instead of the TV. He leans back at the edge of the couch, eyes narrowing behind his black framed specs. You quickly avert your gaze to the screen, exhaling through your mouth. You can do this. He did just give you a toe-curling kiss before starting the movie. It’s enough, right? Right?

The heroine is screaming from the top of a hill on how she can do it. Whatever it is, but you nod to yourself, imagining yourself in her place and screaming into void. The couch dips, your traitorous eyes snap to your boyfriend at the hint of minimum movement. So much for reining it in.

Your mouth salivates watching him looking at you, gone the annoyed expression, now interested in whatever he finds in your face as his eyes trails down your stiff posture and locked hands underneath your thighs. He doesn’t know that you are restraining yourself, right? Jihoon isn’t that perceptive to your moods and feelings yet. You are doing an amazing job on being invested in the movie. You should try acting.

Jihoon raises his eyebrow, a slow wicked grin on his lips. He slides down a little, almost in a lying down position, he spreads his legs wide, the grey track pants does justice in bringing the thickness of his thighs. You suppress the groan in your throat, letting your limbs loose to adjust your stray hair strands. You squeeze yourself into the other corner of the couch.

“This movie is interesting.” Jihoon speaks up, grabbing the popcorn bowl from the coffee table. You nod. “The fight sequence is great.” You nod dumbly. He snickers.

Your heart is telling you to fuck all the inhibitions and just pounce on him but your mind, ever the rational one, lists out how it might inconvenience him. He is already stretching most of his boundaries with all your need for his touch. So now you’ll sit prettily and wait for the night to come to an end and kiss him goodnight and go to sleep like a good girl.

Minutes trickle by with no one speaking except from the movie characters and his occasional crunch on popcorn. Jihoon sets the bowl back on the table, stretching up his arms, the tee raises, a sliver of his pale skin sends you to a wreck. You clasp your hands in a prayer, chanting to yourself that you are one sophisticated woman. Attacking your boyfriend will negate it.

“You look tiny crumpled up in the corner.” Jihoon slides next to you, you move away as much as you can, he scoffs before moving next to you, his thigh pressing into yours. “What’s this? Why are you running away? That’s out of character.”

“What?” You squeak. The bastard he is, he laughs.

He knows.

“I-I like my personal—” he leans into your face, quirking up his eyebrow, sending your words into a jumble.

“Personal what now?” His lips spread in a shit-eating grin. “I was thinking there was no word personal in your dictionary. But time and time you surprise me.”

You should get offended, throw a tantrum and maybe start a war at his condescending comment. But with his hair falling onto his face, the bite mark on his lower lip from earlier reminds you of how fucking sexy he is. If anything you want him to grab you, throw you and, you sigh with a little moan slipping.

Jihoon catches it, you see it clicking in him as his eyes stay on your parted lips for a second, his own mirroring yours. You press your thighs together, trying ways to hold yourself down and not, not..

His hand slips between your thighs, your eyebrows bunch together, your lips parting as his hand separates your legs. A moan escapes from the trenches of your neck as the edge of his palm presses into your core.

“Fuck it.”

Jihoon pulls you onto his lap with one strong pull. You straddle on him, reaching for his shirt and backing away, “no, no.” You try to crawl down from his lap, he lets out a displeased grunt and tugs you back onto him.

“I fucking swear,” his voice is low, threatening, and so sinful that it has you obeying, bobbing your head. “Sit right here.” He snaps his hips up once letting you know where exactly he wants you.

You groan into his chest, circling your hands around his neck. Your left leg twitching from all the sensory overload. “Jihoon..” you kiss his neck, “please.”

He snickers, “yeah?” His fingers dance at the edge of your shirt, barely touching your skin. You whine moving on his lap, he presses you down with a click of his tongue, “behave.”

“Jihoon,” you pout, coming out of his chest, “I really really need you.”

His hands slip beneath your shirt, your eyes flutter, brain clocked on his fingertips casually roaming around, reaching to the edge of your bra. You look up at him expectantly, waiting on him to snap it open, and relieve you from this pain.

His hooded eyes trail down your face, reading your expectations, the sweat drop trickling down the back of your ear, he, the evil incarnate, pulls out his arms, folding them behind his head as he leans back.

You glare at him, trying to pry his arms free and put them back in their rightful place—on your body. He grins, letting you put your best efforts. He is driving you crazy. You were fine on your own, controlling your want and planning to go to bed. All prior to knowing his touch, his games and his, he suddenly leans into your face.

“Weren’t you saying something about personal space,” his lips brush yours with each word, the softness and warmth makes you lean closer, he shakes his head, denying your kiss.

Hurt is written all over your face. His denial wakes you up from this sinking feeling of Jihoon, all consuming Jihoon. You crawl off his lap, go back to your apartment and send a well thought out text on how you need a break from him.

He rolls his eyes, grabs your ankle, “can’t even take punishment. What should I do?”

“I did nothing wrong.” You turn away from him, staring at the end credit scenes on the tv, resting your cheek on the soft sweatpants of his.

He bunches your hair into his hand, pulling up. God. You roll your eyes, moaning his name. He grunts, “blackmailing me into watching a movie is punishment worth enough.”

“Not really,” you trail off watching the storm brewing in his eyes. You gulp, “but,” you push yourself off him, getting down on your knees between his legs. “Can I repent my sin?”

#woozi x reader #woozi #woozi imagines #seventeen #jihoon x reader #lee jihoon x reader #seventeen drabbles #seventeen imagines #woozi drabbles #woozi fluff #seventeen fic

113 notes · View notes

zairaalbereo · 1 day ago

Text

So. The Old Guard 2 after 84 years.

I had some pretty low expectations, and I guess that turned out to be a good approach. I enjoyed watching the sequel, but that’s probably mostly because I spent the last five years waiting to see these characters again. The way you are happy to see your family or friends, even if they are a bit of a mess.

But even apart from that, I felt the movie has some things going for it. Mostly I’m thankfully it didn’t tone down on the queerness of the characters, as I had feared. And while Joe and Nicky get a lot less screen time than they deserve, they have some cute moments. Joe gets to ramp up the Bambi eyes, Nicky gets a sweet love declaration, and they both get to tease and laugh with each other and have some badass fighting action and even some weapons swapping. Unfortunately all these moments feel really rushed and disconnected. It’s all going way too fast to settle and leave an impression. I actually kept skipping back in search of the emotional impact. The first movie was really good at that. At lingering just for a moment, at letting the mood settle and letting the characters breathe. This one just hastens along. The cuts are coming before I had really arrived in the moment. Strange, since the movie is unusually short anyway.

Andy and Quynh on the other hand might be the best thing about the movie. They get to have the emotional depth, the vulnerability and hurt, and then the forgiveness and in the end to show the very obvious love they have for each other. The last scene in the library is so 💕. (But also they could have given us at least a chaste kiss damn). I also liked Quynh’s arc in general, and was very relieved that she isn’t cast as flat out evil, but legitimately hurt and confused.

The other thing I really liked were the found family vibes, mostly in the beginning. The banter and stories, the fun and swagger, and the way Nile has become not just part of the team but the family. The family dinner was wonderful. Even Copley fits in well.

Now, the parts I didn’t like? Pretty much everything new they added. The new immortals and new lore. Tuah is, as a character, okay, I guess. He’s likeable enough, but not enough to make me really care. His “oh wise one” schtick felt unearned, and we don’t really learn anything about him as a person. He’s mostly just there to info dump. And just like with Discord there are just way too many inconsistencies. The dreams, anyone? But what irked me even more was that it kind of puts all these cracks in the idea of the original, closely knit group. Why would Andy keep the existence of other immortals a secret from Joe and Nicky? And the worst is that they don’t even add much. Tuah interaction with the team would have been more interesting as interactions between them. And Discord is one of the flattest, most boring villains I can think of. The only good thing about her was how little she’s actually in the movie, which was surprising after all the Uma hype. Not even her fight scene with Andy was all that impressive.

The other thing I really hate is Nile as some sort of “destroyer”. I’m sorry but that feels both awful for Nile (and why do they not tell her once Booker pretty much confirms what’s up ffs!?) but also just stupid as a plot point. The whole idea of a “last immortal” feels stupid, and the matching birth marks put the idiotic cherry on the cake. Nothing about it makes sense. Immortality is both super rare, has been around for pretty much all of humankind’s time, only at some point you can suddenly lose it. So why would there be a last one? Why would they be able to take away immortality? Are we in the end times lol? But also it can be willingly passed on now? Like your record collection? The idea that immortality is both a blessing and a curse and that you don’t get to choose was something I found really fascinating about the first movie. And I don’t like that apparently now you can hand it around like some party trick. And how exactly? Did Booker just wish it upon Andy? It so obviously is a means to achieve an end instead of comprehensive ld building. Ugh. Thanks, I hate it.

Which brings me to Booker. Yeah. I’m okay with Joe and Nicky disagreeing about forgiving him. I’m also okay, and find it sort of interesting that Nicky is less easy to forgive. But that whole situation is almost an aside, and nothing about it gets resolved. I also fucking hate that Booker never actually apologised. Him getting to rush into his suicide, and sort of getting his redemption on the side by returning Andy’s immortality (once more without asking anyone for consent) felt like the cowards way out, and I would have hoped for a better ending for him. I would have hoped for him to truly seek forgiveness and understanding and make up with the people who became his family. For him to get to say goodbye and in the process grow as a character and maybe actually find peace.

And then… after five years and only 1:40 hours running time they end on a cliffhanger? Are you fucking kidding me, Netflix, omg…

PS: I still need to process this more, watch it again, and then… art maybe? Anyway. Wow.

#the old guard #the old guard 2 #2 old 2 guard #thoughts and feelings #tog2 spoilers #the old guard 2 spoilers #spoilers

123 notes · View notes

a-little-ray-of-fantasy · 2 days ago

Note

I personally feel that Stolas, Fizz, and Angel Dust within the hellaverse (helluverse? Sorry I’m unsure) aren’t very good examples of mlm relationships. I understand your thoughts on Stolas and how much hate you’ve heard about his character so I won’t dive into him as much. I apologize if I come off as rude I personally would just like to share my feelings on the subject matter.

I am an mlm person and a historian. I understand that other mlm people enjoy the mlm relationships in vivziepops shows and I’m merely showing my personal experience.

Many other mlm people I know also have problems with the representation so I am not the only person but I do not speak for us all.

My main issue is that it feels like the mlm ships cater to fujoshis due to the stereotypes written in as well as how overly sexualized the relationships are compared to wlw relationships and „straight“ relationships (ex: Moxie and Millie, Charlie and Vaggie)

I feel like the ask is getting long so I’ll respond to you again with more of my thoughts but I feel like the helluverse is fetishizing main mlm relationships (and characters) and it makes me uncomfortable. I would genuinely like to see your thoughts on this and understand why you have your own opinions! :)

And others instead feel there's nothing wrong with these ships, and feel seen in these characters BECAUSE they're imperfect and controversial.

When it comes to representation, especially the LGBT+ or disabilities kind, I feel like there's this need that the characters involved have to be so perfect and flawless that it won't be demonized by the public and EVERYONE will be able to see themselves in said characters.

The truth is, that's impossible. You can't write a single queer or disabled character that can speak to all queer or disabled people, because they all have different experiences.

And why shouldn't an LGBT+ couple be unproblematic? Just like any straight couple it deserves to have its contradictions and nuance.

Talking about said couples: what makes them "fetishes", exactly? Especially considering other LGBT+ people wrote them? Because, as biromantic asexual myself, I'll tell you what I see.

Huskerdusk? It's about the relationship between Angel Dust and Husker. One is a porno star in an abusive contract with a perverted pimp and feels the need to drunk himself to death hoping to finally numb himself to the pain, the other was once a powerful soul owner that ended up with the wrong deal and is now a slave to another Overlord, and grew significantly bitter and cynical as a result.

Both of them are broken souls that were able to see each other and bond over their scars. Husk is the only one that truly sees Angel's need to mask himself, calls him out on it, and tells him "We all suck, but together we can make the best of it." Therefore they'll slowly be able to heal together.

Two scarred people that start opening up thanks to each other. That seems like a positive message, huh?

And what about FizzarOzzie? We've got Fizzarolli that went through a horrific incident inadvertently caused by Blitzø that ruined his career as an entertainer, one that meant the world for a perfectionist with an imposter syndrome like him.

Now disabled, he constantly feels the need to work himself to death to show to himself that he deserves Mammon's attention and Ozzie's love. And then Ozzie comes and says "Why are you so hard on yourself? You don't need to win my love: I love you for you, with all your flaws and virtues".

This is about Fizzarolli that was able to rise from the ashes of the incident and insecurities thanks to people that still believe and love him. Ozzie utterly adores him, and Blitzø could finally go past the trauma and make amends, and is absolutely supportive of him, wishing he'd let go of Mammon's influence that's feeding his insecurities.

It's a story about accepting yourself thanks to the love that comes from people that truly care about you. Again, a positive message that comes from flawed people.

And finally, the piece de resistance! Stolitz, Stolitz, Stolitz.

What can we say about these two walking disaster areas that hasn't been said yet?

Blitzø, the scarred assassin, who got abused by his father, lost his mother in a fire he caused without meaning to, ruined so many relationships out of self sabotage because he's so sure that he's too broken to be loved, despite the fact he craves affection like a moth to a flame.

Stolas, the caged prince, neglected in childhood and abused in a loveless marriage, imprisoned in a system that would always look down on him, his daughter his only light in the dark tunnel that's his life made of depression and numbing medications and wine.

They found each other through dubious means that would benefit one another: sex work, a form of transaction that's very demonized, but Blitzø was fine with it, as he sees his body as his biggest offer, and it's detached enough that he can have Stolas' grimoire without much of a trouble. And Stolas can see his first ever friend again, and finally find some joy again.

And Stolas gets to show his classist views on him, which IS aggravating, don't get me wrong, but it's not born out of malice, as the bird grew up sheltered in a blue blood environment AND, considering he's never formed any kind of relationship, his social skills are abysmal. Still, both let this slide: after all, it's all a transaction, nothing serious.

But then the worst happened: they caught feelings. The transaction went deeper than Blitzø intended, as Stolas truly wanted to know him better, and so... Blitzø does what he knows best: he creates distance, insisting Stolas only wants him for his body. It hurts less to pretend Stolas' love is fake than to admit his feelings are genuine and break him too.

Yet, Stolas was broken already, and his sense of self was starting to heal thanks to Blitzø, so when he sees his beloved create distance, he tries to give it to him, as he figures, why would he want someone who constantly demeaned him? No wonder he doesn't want to see me anymore.

Both completely misread the situation, and ended up hurting each other as a result. These two are able to destroy each other from communication issues, and yet... through a show of total love, AKA willingness to give their life on the line to save the other, are shown they can also build each other up.

Now Blitzø is on a roll, as he's able to be open to show affection and be more confident about people caring about him. While Stolas lost everything from his grand proof of his love for Blitzø, and his depressed state won't allow him to truly believe he's worthy of any kind of love, at this point.

But, they're a work in progress, both of them. As communication starts to improve, so their bond will. One bright and indomitable as light, the other gentle and sentimental like a heart. In all the disasters around and in them, they couldn't be more perfect for each other.

So, again, I only see troubled individuals that are healing thanks to love. I don't see that much "fetishes", here.

Maybe you think M&Ms or Chaggie are less "problematic"? Maybe it's because they're better at communicating, and even then, these couples also go through their hardships.

Moxxie and Millie are a power couple, of course, but one could say they're overly tied to one another, and it's been shown they're not always eye to eye. Which is perfectly fine, not all couples have to be on the same page always. And now that Millie is going through a pregnancy she didn't plan, we'll see how this plays a part in their bond.

And Charlie and Vaggie are also a power couple, but again, they too have their blind spots. Vaggie feels the need to be "of use and support" to Charlie, as she tries her darnest to show the gratitude for saving her after Heaven banished her (something she couldn't reveal to Charlie). And Charlie needed to acknowledge Vaggie's position and opinions. But, again, they're so secure about the love they have for each other that these problems get resolved more quickly.

Really, man, a ship being "problematic" or "consisting of flawed people" isn't a "fetish". We're talking about couples, here: every ship has its perks and flaws. Yes, EVEN LGBT+ ones, and I think these ships showing a rawer side of queer romance is actually a perk of these shows.

We LGBT+ people don't need "sanitized" relationships to be represented, we want realistic, nuanced and even problematic. Because we ARE realistic, nuanced and problematic, because we're people.

And representation only works when there are more examples than one kind of experience.

79 notes · View notes

aetherograph · 3 days ago

Text

I just rewatched Hunchback of Notre Dame the other day and that movie was the first one where Disney tried to make the bad guy a Bad Abusive Person and not a highly exagerrated fun campy Villain; but also I noticed that movie has both the prototype for what became the All Antagonists Must Be Realistically Abusive And We're Pulling Out All The Stops To Try And Stop People Thinking They're Hot (Frollo) AND ALSO has a Villain Villain (Clopin).

Both of them have songs! Both of them are antagonists! But Frollo is this new type of antagonist they were trying out (that took off), while Clopin is absolutely the older type of FUN Disney Villain, he's also one of the first morally ambiguous antagonists in that his "villainous" actions are highly theatrical but also Reasonable, PLUS he's the one telling the story, so he's ALSO serving as the narrator. Clopin is one of the few Narrators in Disney canon, and kind of the only character of his kind that had ever been done before OR since! There's a reason the girlies went crazy about him (we did).

"But he is gonna kill Quasi and Phoebus for no reason, Esmerelda gave them permission AND a token to prove they were invited" Um no he DOES have a reason and it's The Bit, something @moniquill pointed out to me.

I think it's funny that for the most part the Disney Villain repeatedly failed to put villainfuckers off. I think it's sad that they even spent so much energy trying, even up into turkeys like Home on the Range, there's still something Sexy about pretty much every hand-drawn Disney Villain ever to SOMEBODY. There's a huge contingent of villainfuckers for the 3d ones too but I'm just talking about 2d animated villains.

After Dr Facilier, the only character I would truly call a Disney Villain that we got after that was Bill Cipher. After that, it's like OP said, we either had sympathetic villains, abusers (only for older kids and adults apparently), or no villains at all (yuck. Even as a little kid I hated those type of shows. So did everyone I knew, see: the universal hatred of Barney).

We haven't had another what I consider Disney Villain since Bill Cipher; they've all been the new type that's too realistic and too much An Abuser to truly be a Villain. Villains have some panache, some dramatic flair, some joy in being nasty. Professor Ratigan woke up one day and decided to drown widows and orphans. Ursula keeps her victims in a little coral garden to gloat over. Bill will re-arrange all the holes in your face just because. Like there's that flair, you know, that joy in being evil. They know they're evil, they don't think they're in the right, who needs to be in the right? That's why I love them so much more than the "sympathetic" villains that to me are never very sympathetic at all, or the hamfisted allegories, or the comically one-dimensional abusers.

The final fight on the clocktower between Ratigan and Basil scared me just enough to be fun. Clayton so laser focussed on killing Tarzan that he ignored how he was getting vines wrapped around his neck scared me just enough to be fun. But mostly? Seeing the villain fall or die of their own hubris was satisfying, the way watching Odysseus fail and fail and fail because of his own hubris is satisfying. Yeah! You're supposed to fail if you're arrogant! That's the Rules! But it's just as fun to watch them succeed just a little bit, and be horrible for a little bit. That's fun too! Because it's a taboo, and because we know that in the end they'll get a little too up themselves and ignore any warnings about that ledge, or push away the hand that tries to keep them from falling.

On the other side of the coin, sometimes the villain was who you rooted for, as an outcast yourself, because the heroes were just upholding the status quo that was bullies and abuse and stuff. I personally find this most in small screen rather than big screen. I don't know if its just that stuff I was into or what, but stuff like Batman I was always into the villains, and on their side too! Poison Ivy did nothing wrong! Inque is just trying to get a paycheque! Batman helps cops! Etc. etc. people have gone on about "we get shown the villain being bullied and the heroes do nothing to address that they just bully the villain more" a lot, and I feel sometimes like the "well here's a sympathetic villain who joins the heroes" crowd misses the damn point. I don't WANT the villain to have to turn hero to be rewarded, let them be bad! Let them have a continuing relationship with the protagonists and commit to whatever ideals they are both fighting for. There's a real conversation to be had about what values various writers don't think about before writing stuff (see: The Ponies in Friendship is Magic Are Super Racist), but let that conversation happen.

I think a lot of showrunners and execs are too reactive to fandom, and that's kind of what got us where we are re villains. I think there's a huge problem of the people MAKING shows/films thinking there's a way they CAN control fans, thinking they have a RIGHT to control fans, and focussing way way too much on fandom shit generally. Leave the Fourth Wall alone. You cannot prevent people wanting to fuck that character. You cannot prevent Fetish Fuel happening bc ANYTHING can be a fetish. You cannot stop human nature because you're personally not in agreement with it. Stop trying. Leave it alone. Make the show and ignore the fandom.

...And I also think there's something to be said that most of what we all consider the Best Disney Villains were all creations of a Gay Theatre Kid from Baltimore.

the biggest loss of animated movies trending towards sympathetic villains/no villains is that we dont get enough crazy death scenes anymore. stuff like tarzan's villain accidentally hanging himself or help i'm a fish's villain drowning and floating away silently on screen. sometimes your movies just need stuff to scare 8 year olds shitless. its good for the enviroment i think. probably.

6K notes · View notes

skreel-the-red-thing · 1 day ago

Text

OKAY time for a review. I was… midly convinced by the sequel. In my opinion it’s a not so bad movie plagued by a not so good writing. I’m going to be vulgar at some point, don’t mind me that’s my way of coping. Let’s dive.

MIND THE SPOILERS OFC

What’s bad :

- Let’s adress the elephant in the room to get rid of it : « Nile can remove immortality » is bullshit. It's so stupid, it means that if by mistake she hurts Joe or Nicky in training then paf ! RIP gay people. I don’t buy it and I don’t think anybody here does. I understand they needed a threat for the gang, but why not just threaten them to lock them up in iron coffins, Quynh’s style ? Like, you established the worst fate for an immortal in the first movie, why not use it again ?

- Speaking of Quynh. My girl is out of water with no trauma, speaking perfect english (language of those who locked her up. Mh.) and not insane ? Eh, a bit disappointing.

- No enough labrys in my opinion.

- Booker. Booker, Booker, Booker. He's my favorite character so I'm very pissed off *spit a bullet*. Ngl, I expected him to die and it didn't seem like such a bad idea. BUT THE EXECUTION WAS TERRIBLE. My man deserved so much better, he has almost no development, no redemption arc and he dies like shit, mostly out of selfishness: he knew Andy was as tired of life as he was, but he preferred to die and hand her the hot potato without asking her opinion. Erf. Also they both could have walked through that door, the “sacrifice” doesn't make any sense I'M GOING TO BREAK SOMETHING

- JoeNicky try not be captured challenge.

- Also Joe and Nicky had an argument at the beginning of the movie about Booker and Joe lying, and they made up while talking about something entirely different LIKE HELLO? The conflict isn't resolved here. It was cute tho, we like declaration and foreheads touch.

- HOWEVER. Nicky saying "ti amo" and Joe not responding ? DO YOU WANT ME TO GO TO THERAPY ?? Joe, when your husband says "ti amo", even if you feel guilty because you're lying to him, you say "ti amo" back.

- Do I need to point out what a flat character Discord is? I couldn't care less about her. Even pharma bro in the first film was more menacing.

- WHERE'S COPLEY? Like at the end, the guy might be dead, we don't know. Schrödinger's Copley.

- Tuah is... here. He has potential, but he's underdeveloped, so I don't have much to say. From my point of view, he's a bit of cannon fodder for the next film, to sacrifice his immortality to Quynh.

- Shall we talk about the dreams stuff ? Well, it never really made any sense, either in the first film or in the comics. Like Nile dreams about Quyhn but Booker don’t ? Weird. And now ? Oh boy. Tuah dreaming about all the others but they don’t. And Discord ? Seriously, when you set up a mythology, you've got to make it logical, otherwise how are we suppose to write coherent fanfictions afterwards?

- I fucking HATE cliffhangers. Especially since we've waited 5 years for this movie, and knowing Netflix's cancellation policy. At any point, Joe, Nicky, Nile and Tuah remain in a vacuum packing for eternity because we won't get a third movie.

NOW WHAT’S GOOD !

- Okay. I complain a lot, but I was super happy to see the sequel and to get to see again these characters that I love so much. I'm waiting for third movie to bring them all back to me. Yes, even you Booker. I'm delulu about him.

- I liked the vibe a lot ! It was less dark than the first movie, with more moments to breathe and appreciate the atmosphere between the characters. Special mention to the dinner scene after the first mission, I'm delighted to know that drunk Nicky snores like a boar.

- The film was more beautiful and colorful than the first one, and direction was better in my opinion, especially the fight scenes and choreography.

- NILE IS COOL! Her McGuffin role sucks, but it's not her fault, and besides that every time she was on screen I was like “damn, what a gigantic charisma she got!” . My girl is so stunning it hurts. Also the double spear ? Made for her.

- I still like Booker more than anything. I still like the fact that he jumped the second he had the opportunity to end himself. I just think it could have been handled better.

- « Has she spoken of me ? » « She never stopped. » MAYBE I DIED THERE.

- I'm relieved to finally have the answer to the question “If they cut off a limb, how does it heal?” and for that I thank Joe's thumb and Booker's head in the maze.

- I didn't get any sapphic kiss and that’s a shame, but the AndyQuynh relationship was cool anyway. Special mention to the whole reunion sequence, with Andy passing through the eras with the team in background, it was the most beautiful part of the movie.

- The soundtrack was better handled than in the first film. It doesn't look like much, but for me it was a major flaw, so I'm glad they've sorted it out.

IN CONCLUSION it was... okay. Now let's go another five years of waiting.

#Might add things with time and rewatching #might even change my mind !#the old guard 2 #tog2 #review #the old guard #andromache the scythian #nile freeman #nicolo di genova #yusuf al kaysani #sebastien le livre #joenicky #andromaquynh #spoilers

104 notes · View notes

bunnwich · 20 hours ago

Text

✨Ranking the Overblot Animations✨

+ Thoughts on OB!Boys

Disclaimer: Just MY thoughts. Also SPOILERS BELOW!!

1) Idia:

Animation ranking: 10/10

Idia’s makes me cry. Full stop. I do feel like the animation was the most detailed. He looks so…calm/accepting of the blot.

The crazy part of all this is that he KNOWS that this could kill him, so he’s embracing death, and has the look of finally being at peace, and then the sigh of relief he breathes out?? I’m ILL.

Idia knows about the blot, he's being primed as the leader of Styx ffs. It wasn’t a meltdown in the same way as the others. HE KNEW WHAT WAS GOING ON. And his blot monster is not just a creature: IT'S ORTHO.

The image of Idia calmly embracing the tidal wave of blot legit gave me chills, and it’s the part that made me cry.

Then the transformation of the TUBES that connect to Idia as if ORTHO, his blot monster, is his life support, as if Ortho is the ONLY thing keeping him alive. Just as robot Ortho acted as his security blanket for most of his life, Idia is now returning to where he belongs…with Ortho og who was trapped in hell.

And then I think about what we see Ortho talking to Idia in the white light in Chapter 6 after Idia is defeated, and Ortho telling him that Idia doesn't “hate the world as much as he claims,” he loves the world. And the best thing for Idia is that he needs to leave Ortho behind once more.

Idia’s overblot just hit different because of how calm he was, because of how self-aware of the consequences he was. He is filled with such a deep sense of grief that he is essentially embracing death. Jumping in the coffin with Ortho.

I know Idia is a memer or whatever, but he is one of the most interesting characters with one of the most compelling backstories. Chapter 6 was one of my favorites for this reason. (Annoying minigames aside)

The acceptance of the blot tidal wave mirrors what I feel is Idia’s core issue and the core of his social anxiety: the idea that if someone sees you as you are, they will not accept you truly.

Ortho is the only person that he feels has ever truly accepted him.

Also, another way the tubes can be seen is: when they were at NRC Ortho was, as I said, life support for Idia. And now, after the overblot, they are connected in a morbid yet symbiotic way. He is being support for Ortho too, to exist outside of the blot pit. It just conceptualizes PERFECTLY the co-dependency that the brothers have for one another.

CHAPTER 6 MAN. Shoutout to @comingyourlugubriousness for listening and helping me get down my Idia thoughts!

2) Leona:

Animation ranking: 7/10

I do think that Leona’s, while not as impressive animation-wise as some of the others, because I have done so much reading into his character, it was the one was most excited for. So for that reason, I have to rank him high. I think they did good for what they had, considering how lame Chapter 2 was, I think they have gotten at better at portraying Leona’s depth. I do see the recent effort made to give him development by th4 writers.

There is a split second where we see a shadow of the blot monster symbol as a shadow behind them. For Leona, it was a lion head and the way it's done, maybe bc he overblots in a stadium made me think of a spotlight? Reflecting his desire to be seen. A similar thing happens with the other overbloters, but with Leona, it very much had that "spotlight" look to me.

In contrast to some of the other’s Leona’s overblot is mostly based on very SUDDEN emotion. There wasn’t an overuse of magic. It surprised him, and he was embarrassed. He felt ashamed his emotions were on such full display. Almost like a humiliation ritual. Leona knew what overblotting was, but he never thought it could happen to him.

The shock and despair is plastered on his face as a glob of blot falls on his head in an extreme excess, Almost violently. It feels like that true moment of him losing control he’s no longer the chessmaster but instead at the mercy of his emotions.

Then we see Leona reaching his hand up as if to seek something, maybe help or support. Then only for his palm to be filled with blot as if the only thing he feels he has to fall back on is his negative coping mechanisms now: the sorrow and frustration he feels for his life.

Like I said, this whole weak moment feels like a humiliation ritual in a what where metaphorical tomatoes were being thrown at Leona for being a shitty leader. And now, we get to see who he truly is

The sand that surrounds him pulling him DOWN as the lion shaped blot monster envelops him, like guardian him in a way. Makes me think of how Leona so often sits in his negative emotions like a safety blanket so long that it becomes toxic. Or him using his apathy as a defense perhaps.

I feel like Leona has an interesting relationship to his blot monster. He almost seems to pity it, sympathize with it more than some of the other blotters. As if they both take comfort in each other in weird way. Leona’s blot monster in Chapter 7 refers to Leona as his “friend.”

Again, like with Idia there is a codependency, but whereas Ortho is a person Leona’s blot to me so clearly represents his coping mechanisms, his pride, his bravado that protects him from any “real emotions.” And I feel if you have had depression you understand this type of masking or self-indulgence as a means of self soothing.

Leona is a person who bed rots, indulges in rich food, demands to be spoiled and yet it STILL doesn't make him happy. The description of him “cuddling” with his blot monster from the Chapter 2 light novel makes so much sense.

Overblotting for Leona was a wakeup call as for a few others, he sees himself and it's devastating and of course. It’s pathetic.

Once he fully transforms in the animation, he's no longer alone. We see the new face of Leona’s bravado manifested with a smirk and chuckle. His blot most both consumes him AND protects him from the truth: the deep inferiority that he feels within.

Side note: I just replayed his Chapter 7 part since it dropped on EN!! And now after seeing just how sad he was back then Leona takes a strange sort of sympathy towards his blot monster who cries out for a “friend” as if to say: “I will keep you. And I will make both of our dreams come true. I will get us OUR happy ending." Leona, who I believe has MUCH self-loathing, embracing himself this way was really touching We rarely get such sentimentality from him normally. (Might make a separate post for this!!)

3) Vil:

Animation ranking: 9/10

SO WELL ANIMATED. SO DISTURBING. The fake SMILE as his blot monster wipes the blot over his face like a mask. Similar to one a true performer must wear, and this actor has worn their mask for too long.

Similar to Leona in the idea, Vil comes to terms with his ugliest self. BUT Vil’s come out of deep shame and believing that maybe he is ACTUALLY as ugly is the villain he so often gets cast as. He resented Neige for so long, wanting to surpass him.

Vil being so self-aware of the toxic mindset he realizes he’s had all along. And what he allowed himself to almost do. He compromised himself, his values. Too busy taking stock in what others think and he let himself become desperate to prove that he was in fact “The Fairest.” He lost faith in himself.

The wiping of the blot on his face was masking AND unmasking, a covering his usual perfect facade. He is showing the ugliness he believed to be inside, all those ugly emotions he harbored. He feels as though HE DESERVES THIS.

Before he turned , I think it made him feel sort of…free to unmask like that. Vill is SO hypercritical of himself he never gets to let loose this way.

Vil knows what he did was wrong and therefore is READY to play the role that he earned. THE VILLAIN. THE HAG. The acceptance that he is ugly inside and out in this moment.

The MC and crew caught Vil before he hurt Neige; we stopped him before he committed a heinous act...but he couldn't live with himself. That he had almost done something so ugly. He almost poisoned Neige but instead he let himself be poisoned.

4) Jamil:

Animation: 9/10

UNHINGED ENERGY BUT LIKE HE DESERVES IT A LITTLE. He reminds me of how premeditated and devious his plan to get rid of Kalim really was. FULL UNMASKING MOMENT.

Unlike Vil and even Leona he seemed to not be ashamed at all. Jamil after being forced into servitude for so long and all that repression never being allowed to truly be himself…he cackles gleefully and maniacally.

The part that got me was him taking of his hood: to let the blot in A VISUAL REPRESENTATION OF HIM UNMASKING. Coming out of the shadows if you will. In the Scarabia duo, Jamil is the moon so this makes so much sense. It was all sooo chaotic, unlike his usual reserved MEASURED persona.

Like Vil, everything Jamil does is calculated. A diamond under so much pressure, though unlike Vil, who is striving to “be the best”, for Jamil it’s under the pretense of HIDING his true self. He had enough. HE wanted to cause harm, to finally be FREE. Just like the genie.

5) Riddle:

Animation: 8/10

Angry expression. His blot monster squeezing him with her big hands, pulling his head back like an overbearing mother, holding him in one place.

It was a really good one! I think I just don't have as much to say because IMO Riddles trauma is so…straightforward and apparent compared to some of the other boys.

He suffers because of his mother and the expectations she has brainwashed him to fear in way. He never got to be a happy carefree little boy. He never got to have childhood.

And so, he is a child throwing a fit and his acceptance of his overblot after he transforms is him doubling down on his toxic mindset and the rage he feels is so justified in. He’s lashing out.

I do think because Riddle had no childhood he has a stunted sense of emotional control. He never got to just...be. As poised as Riddle acts he often still has a temper, stomping around like a child when he doesn't get his way. He is repressed as a few other OB boys are ,but not in the same way as say, Jamil, who can usually stay calm and keep that mask in place. (Makes me feel sad for them both in different ways.)

6) Malleus:

Animation: 9/10

Animation was great. THE MUSIC PUT HIM OVER AZUL TBH. But it was kinda par for the course for what I imagined. THE DRAGON CIRCLING AROUND HIM WAS VERY COOL.

I do think he is more out of touch with reality than most of the characters because his life is so long. And even though he craves connection from these “lower beings” he seem to have troubles in appreciating them at the same time?

Malleus kinda makes me think of demi-god. While he craves adoration (like Leona) he often still looks down on others at the same time. While he is more polite on the surface than Leona he often still misfires socially by not taking the time to TRULY understand humans or other races. And even despite trying, I do think at the end of the day he still believes himself to be above others.

The animation is interesting. He almost seems “turned on” by the power he was unleashing. This power was not new for someone so powerful as him, HE KNEW WTF HE WAS DOING. He couldn’t handle the idea of losing Lillia and add in the grief of Silver and even the MC mentioning that they were struggling too.

He seems gleeful the whole time, he thinks he's the hero and that he knows best for everyone. It’s a gift, silly! The most wonderful fantasy forever. He’ll never have to be alone again and neither will you!

He's full of delusion, there’s no despair or shock. And neither is there the contrast between his normal repressed self and his blot self like Jamil and Vil. THIS IS MAL.

He’s doing us a favor! He’s taking us into his delusional fantasy and laughing the whole time. He could no longer cope with reality. He is no longer going to be alone in this new world of his making. Everyone will be happy and WITH him. FOREVER. He is choosing WANT over need and HE CAN because that’s how powerful he is. He needed to be taken down a peg to learn his lesson. (Thank you Mr. Shroud.)

It makes me think how insensitive Malleus is with others' time too. Let's not forget he literally stopped time once before in a Halloween event just for fun.

Malleus like Riddle is immature and emotionally stunted. I mean how do you discipline a child that could kill you?? Unlike Leona he never learned to control his powers as well IMO.

It is pretty sad but at the same time Malleus has no accountability when it comes to how his actions affect others sometimes. And he just HAS to. He’s TOO strong to not be more empathic. He needs more respect for other autonomy and wants. And I hope he can learn that going forward.

7) Azul:

Animation: 7/10

Let me just say this: I don’t resonate with how Azul handles his angst. (And he’s my least fave OB boy)

Like Jamil he starts out laughing, but unlike Jamil he doesn’t OWN it. He cowers as the blot splashes on his face, he can’t handle it. Azul more than anything hates bullies. But, IMO Azul became a bully. He is the bully in Chapter 3 whether he believes so or not.

So it makes sense that his overblot monster is a bully too. Splashing the blot rudely in his face as he tries to have his moment. That’s because Azul is his own bully. He has a lot of self-loathing issues.

However, I feel Azul’s malicious behavior feels aimless. Taking advantage of students to gain more power and servants is purely a power trip. His whole life he felt powerless at the mercy of others and now he gets off on having that control of other people.

Azul been so busy trying to “get revenge on his bullies” by “bettering himself” BUT instead he is taking revenge on those who had nothing to do with his childhood bullying. And himself in a way because he is not truly bettering himself. He still hates himself and the powers that he has gained are just taken from others. He doesn’t see his own worth and his innate strengths as valuable enough. SAD.

He feels like he's nothing without the power he’s accumulated and so when Leona sanded his contracts he LOST IT. He was perfectly fine with tossing away his loved ones (the Tweels) to get them back. In his worst moment, Azul would rather be feared than loved.

It’s sad because all the support he does get from the twins gets so undermined in this moment. He can’t accept their love because he feels as though they are only with him now BECAUSE of the persona he’s built. That’s how LOW Azul’s self worth truly is. When it’s so clear that they became friends with him way before he was the Azul we know today.

Anyways those are my thoughts on everything along with a bit of rambling.

#twst #twisted wonderland #riddle rosehearts #leona kingscholar #idia shroud #malleus draconia #jamil viper #vil schoenheit #azul ashengrotto #twst analysis #ren speaks🌱#twst overblot

94 notes · View notes

gaywineauntsstuff · 2 days ago

Text

You know what I hate

People conflating Bruce’s affection for his kids with how good of a parent he is.

Because Bruce adore his kids

More than anything???

Ever

Argue with the fucking wall

The genuine love, care and affection this man displays when he thinks about his kids? Despite saving the city his canonical belief is that his greatest achievement, is the best man he knows, his son Dick Grayson. That’s just factually something that’s been stated a billion times since the 80s

Now will I mostly talk about Grayson bc he’s my son yeah? I’m sure other Stan’s can talk about Steph,Tim, Jay, dami but I’m here for Dick(lol).

Anyway

Bruce adores dick Grayson more than life itself. Dick makes him laugh and there is this easy, loving affection (most of the time) between them as adults

…. He also??? Just wasn’t a good parent

Now let’s not conflate character with parenting skills. I’m not accusing him of being abusive or being intentionally cruel.

I’m saying that Bruce Wayne could not give his kids assurances about their place in his life. He could not maintain healthy relationships with them when he was unwell and he could not shelter the kids from himself when he was angry. His kids have to deal with his paranoia their entire lives and it’s visible in the way they treat their fellow friends and colleagues, it affected them negatively.

Dick canonically is described like atlas with the world on his shoulders

Every single one of them has trust issues and yeah you can argue they needed it to be detectives but it’s not healthy.

Bruce can be toxic to the people around him, he’s a deeply traumatized person who has suffered. And he takes it out on the world around him.

That’s not a healthy environment for 9-15yr olds

Him getting scared and firing Dick, forcing him to leave home and basically giving the man permanent issues around father figures??? Despite literally thinking the sun looks dim next to dick Grayson and Dick Grayson is the greatest and wow look at how awesome my son Dick Grayson is I sure think he’s the pinnacle of perfection he doesn’t let Dick KNOW that and his actions don’t match his thoughts

Now bc Bruce is objectively a good man (again argue with the wall) who loves his kids very very very much. A lot of emotional unavailability gets counteracted by the sheer fact he does love them

A lot

Which is Why they still go to him. It’s why they keep coming back

I’ve seen so many people say especially in regards to Dick that they think he’s constant running to bludhaven and coming back to Gotham is the similar to that of an abuse victim who keeps leaving and coming back bc they don’t know anything else

Which I think is a fundamental misunderstanding of Dick Grayson as a character.

Dick has known everything else

The titans are canonically described as a second family and a support system

Roy, Wally and Donna are all canonical safety nets for him

Same with Clark? And most of the older mentor groups (barring the arrows in a few iterations bc some authors can’t decide whether Ollie likes or dislikes him)

Not to mention his mom and dad who loved him very much fuck the court of the owls arc

And Dick has never once taken a hit quietly from anyone ever in his life. Not from Bruce, not Roy, not slade, he’s mouthy and gives and good as he gets if not better. Point me to ONE moment in the comics where A) Dick didn’t start the fight or B) Bruce started the fight and Dick immediately proceeded crash out and try to beat him into the dirt (ignore Jason’s death I think most normal people would be the worst if their baby died)

Dick goes back to Bruce because Bruce raised him and loved him and gave him a family. Dick goes back because Bruce took in this battered heartbroken orphan who believed he could never feel the way he did before, the weightlessness of being a child who was loved and tried so so so hard to at least get him close to that.

Dick goes back because Bruce is the reason his story didn’t stay a tragedy and no matter how much of a fucking asshole Bruce can be. Dick knows that the man cares so so so damn much about him.

Like Bruce isn’t a good parent bc he has his own issues he can’t work through and he takes it out of his kids

Not because he doesn’t love them, not because he doesn’t try, not because he puts the mission first (actually this one a little bit) none of that

He adores these kids and there’s never once in canon where he takes them for granted no matter what Tim and Dick Grayson Stan’s will have you believe (I am calling myself out here)

And yeah I think Dick Grayson will be a better parent than Bruce Wayne…. Entirely because of Bruce Wayne

I know that DC has placed Dick as this multiversal constant for good but I personally will attribute Dick being so good with Damian? And Lian and Tim and every other child he interacted with to the fact the Bruce Wayne kept him from… well turning into the next Bruce Wayne.

He kept Dick from becoming the same type of jaded as him. They went through the same story, arguably dicks was worse seeing as he was left in a new city, without anyone who gave a damn about him

The only reason Dick turned out better is bc he had a Bruce Wayne and Bruce didn’t.

Bruce didn’t give his kids the stability or made them feel like his affection was guaranteed without them being exemplary. Even if this isn’t true, him not being able to assure his kids of the fact his affection was unconditional is in fact NOT GOOD PARENTING

it’s just not???

#dick grayson #nightwing #batman #Bruce Wayne #like genuinely?? he’s not perfect #but he isn’t??? the devil???#istg either he’s this bastion of open communication who knows exactly what to say and how to say it to some of yall #or his favorite hobby is tying Jason up and whipping him while making Tim stay away with the clockwork orange torture device on to watch #like no? man can love his kids and still lowkey not be a great parent bc of the fact he is a deeply unwell man #it’s why jay still cares about him so much despite 1/2 of his runs beginning/ending with him trying to get away from Bruce and Gotham

63 notes · View notes

wawawanwan · 4 hours ago

Text

In a world of fanon (and not playing the games/not having game knowledge), people tend to forget that Legend is not a loner. Legend knows a lot of people, and has so many friends and family. His uncle is apparently still alive, unless Jojo changed that as she drew them together in a doodle before. He was revived after ALTTP so he's probably just older by now.

Legend also straight up got adopted in OoA by a wholeass family. He named their firstborn, watched him grow up, and paid for his medical fees. The family thanks him and welcomes him into their home whenever. Talking animals love him in the oracles games, so much so that you can choose one as a companion that can be used across both games. A tree fell for him. Ralph treats him like a rival the entire game but wholeheartedly asks to be his friend at the end of it.

Maple crashes into him and starts scrambling to pick up both her stuff and steal Legend's, first berating him over it and later seeing it as a game they play together. There's even a ring to make her appear more frequently so they can play together more often.

Legend is loved, and generally liked by most people, even strangers. Hell, THIEVES in Lorule even compliment him over his singing!

Fanon loves to say that Legend is tired of adventuring and just wants to retire, but LU canon is actually the opposite. Legend has explicitly stated he LOVES life on the road! That he couldn't imagine settling down!

"Don't you want to settle down?(-Wild)"

"I'll think about it when I'm 117."

He lives for adventure! And why wouldn't he, when his adventures keep bringing him new wonderful people into his life? New bonds? Thrills and new items that he loves the hoard? Yes it can be tough, and yes the first one was rough and still left him with distrust of knights... But his uncle was revived in the end, and the Hyrule that kept ratting him out to the brainwashed knights changed back to be a Hyrule that loves him. He's met other kingdoms that also love him.

He knows adventuring is not all fun and games, but he still loves the fun and games within it. This, to me, is what makes LU Legend so special. Not the amount of adventures he has and the "burden" it must be on him, but the sheer amount of love everyone has for him, and the amount of love he has for others. Love that he isn't afraid to show in the comic.

I think the biggest difference between ALTTP and ALBW for me is the atmosphere and with atmosphere I mean the sense of loneliness in each game.

ALTTP feels very, very lonely. From the moment you start the game it gives you that feeling. Link loses everything in one cold stormy night, witnessing the death of his uncle who is his only family, having to press on to rescue the princess only to leave her behind in the sanctuary for her own safety. You’re young, but you can’t rely on anyone, as you have been made out to be a villain— Townsfolk shriek when they see you, calling you a criminal. The knights are brainwashed and attack you, forcing your hand to slay them in self defense. It is a gruelling task to save Hyrule when you’ve lost so much with no one by your side.

But ALBW gives the exact opposite feeling. From the moment you start this game you are surrounded by people who like you and love you. The Blacksmiths family is one of the biggest examples I can give. The husband gives you a lot of slack, but deep down he really does care. His wife reassures Link as much, she reassures him regularly— and when her son disappears, she was worried for you as well. She made the clothes Link wears at the start and even made him a bag, one Gulley was so excited to deliver to you personally. Speaking of Gulley, he’s their son and you’re close with him as well, hell he just walks into your house like he owns the place (although Ravio definitely did it better-). Not just that though- the knights know who you are, the townsfolk definitely do and you also find yourself making more acquaintances. You meet Irene for example, and of course Ravio, someone whose entire life and point of view Link manages to shift and change for the better. The “thank you” Ravio gives Link at the end is probably the most personal one Link has maybe ever gotten.

I think this is why I love the idea of fusing ALTTP and ALBW Link into one person, when in canon they’re not. It’s a reason I like Legend so much.

The idea of a boy who has lost so much in his childhood, left Hyrule in his youth because of it, then continues to lose more on an island found only within a dream too sweet to be true— being able to return to a Hyrule that holds so much love for him is special to me. On the way you make friends too, Ralph and the Oracles as more examples. It is very very important that Legend is very loved by those that surround him. Not just the Chain, of course them as well, but the people in his home too. There’s probably more examples, but I’m already talking so much, so…

He was alone once, but he will never be lonely again. He hasn’t been lonely for a long time, as there will always be someone there for him. He was loved, is loved and will continue to always be loved and that’s so important. It’s really important, okay?

#yes it is very fun torturing your blorbo and making him suffer more by making his life terrible and him helpless against fate #you can make him curse the goddesses and how he can never rest #but it's important to remember his actual character too #which isnt at all that #the goddesses never told him to start any of these adventures in any of the games #not the golden goddesses and certainly not hylia #his uncle started his first one and Legend chose the rest #yes he was asked by other people to help on the others but he had no obligation to accept #he did it because he wanted to #really long post sorry but i really do like lu canon Legend #begging people to please play or watch the games #legend doesn't just have Ravio as a friend #hell if people knew that Legend could receive letters on his current adventure he'd probably receive so much it'd appear like spam #lu legend #linked universe #I must clarify no hate to the fanon LU Legend #I'd just love to see more of canon LU Legend in works

88 notes · View notes

taintedtort · 2 days ago

Text

" GET A J*B! "

summary. high school jobs they would have

characters. tsukishima, hinata, akaashi, kageyama, yamaguchi, goshiki, sugawara, kyotani, nishinoya

warnings. none!

a/n. just stupid brainrot headcanons me and my friend have talked abt, but i wanted to share lol (also wanted some more opinions)

☆ — TSUKISHIMA

a host at a restaurant. he makes like $14 an hour and works almost every day.

the first of the first years to get employed.

would NOT tell the team about his job, but Kageyama saw him there once and told Hinata, who then told Tanaka. word spread and they all took a group trip to the restaurant to bother Tsuki.

☆ — HINATA

he would look far and wide for anyone that would hire him. he stopped getting picky after awhile and just applies literally anywhere he can.

he wants a job because Tsuki has one and he’s competitive.

would end up working at a fast food place for $11 an hour. he takes it VERY seriously though.

☆ — AKAASHI

i saw a fanart of him working at like Mcdonald’s or something and that’s all i can think of.

girls would see him and freak out. like, why is he working here? he’s way too handsome!!

Bokuto would be there most of the time and always ask for free food (he gets told no every time).

he doesn’t like how he smells after work— like grease and burgers— but he doesn’t hate the job.

quits immediately after graduating.

☆ — KAGEYAMA

unemployed king. he cannot find a job anywhere.

him and Hinata both searched, and Hinata definitely rubbed it in his face when he finally got a job.

Kageyama is picky though, he doesn’t want to work in a restaurant. he applies to retail places, but they all turn him down because he’s not old enough yet.

☆ — YAMAGUCHI

he’s waiter at the same restaurant as Tsuki. or a busboy, one of the two.

Tsuki helped him get the job and apply.

he doesn’t work as much as Tsuki, but he tries to line up his days so they can work together when he does.

brags to Hinata and Kageyama.

☆ — GOSHIKI

idk why, but i think he’d be a lifeguard. he’d be very good at it too.

he definitely doesn’t need the job, but he finds it fun. also thinks knowing CPR is a good skill to have for the future.

whistles at kids 24/7. someone take it away.

Tendou would go to the pool to bother him.

makes like $12 an hour.

☆ — SUGAWARA

a barista or something. not at Starbucks though, some random coffee shop in the mall.

Asahi and Daichi go and visit him all the time.

surprisingly good at making coffee, but it did take some practice.

all the middle aged moms love him.

☆ — KYOTANI

Autozone lol

it’s like around the corner from his house, and no one from school ever goes in there.

he thinks it’s a "cooler" job. you’ll never catch him working as a server or at Walmart.

☆ — NISHINOYA

walmart.

honestly a miracle he got hired. Hinata and Kageyama were both told no.

Tanaka works there too, and they always have shifts together.

they sit in the freezer with the milk and take the entire shift "restocking" it.

steals.

makes like $15 an hour and it annoys the shit out of Tsukishima.

hi! thanks for reading :)

rules+masterlist

88 notes · View notes

phrandallanton · 15 hours ago

Text

I've been thinking of making a GENZ version of my OCs for a bit now. So here it is. If there's any spelling mistakes or just mistakes overall let me know!

Joesph is your typical twitch streamer, one of the more beloved ones. He does get canceled over small things and befriending bad people, but overall everyone deems him to be non problematic.

Joesph mostly streams video games and the occasional whatever. But he also has a channel dedicated to computer science and robotics. Definitely helping people with building their gaming PCs.

Just like how he is originally, He's bestfriends with Joshie in this AU too. He probably tried to publicly support her work but then he got "canceled" and it just led up to Joshie getting more hate than love. Now Joesph supports her privately. He adores her fan fictions (even if he doesn't know anything about what she's writing) and always sends her seal videos or anything that he thinks will make Joshie happy! I can't remember if Joshie is an artist in this AU, but if she is then Joesph has probably asked if she would draw some stuff for his channel before.

Joepsh finds Pete's thirst traps cringe. Pete probably forced him to record one for him, the whole video was shaky due to Joesph laughing. Joesph actually knows japanese (Yes I just added this. He would totally know japanese, dude. Trust.) With that, Jerry asks him to translate for him from time to time so he can more accurately fake being japanese. Joesph thinks it's weird and wrong to fake something like that (because it is) but Jerry uses him still interacting with Joshie and his friendship with Joshie as blackmail. Uhhh, him and Bill probably don't like eachother. I could see them fighting over waifus or something dumb like that. Jokes on Bill, Joesph got Vinny to draw Bill pregnant. Made sure to make it clear he was going to be a single mother too.

Speaking of Vinny, Oh God. She makes art commentary videos on youtube. Her opinions aren't the best considering she's always contradicting herself. Stupid. But her not extreamly big yet dedicated group of white knights support her simply because she's a "pretty" women. And since Vinny is dumb she genuinely thinks that these people actually care about her takes on things.

She does mostly NSFW art commissions to earn money. Trying to save up so she can go to collage and become a marine biologist. However she's not responsible with her money so take that as you will.

Just like how she is originally, she still goes on fourm sites to take down anyone she's jealous of. And just like how she interacted with Greedo318, she does interacted with Bill on these fourms from time to time. Once again, probably not aware it's him, because she's stupid. In reality, away from the computers, in real life, IRL, Vinny actually finds Bill to be attractive appearance wise. But that's all he has going for him. He's just good to look at, preferably far away and not talking.

Currently re-working working original Vinny, and now she's friends with Josh so she would also be friends with Joshie. She likes hanging out with her on discord VCs as she's doing commissions while watching one of Joesphs dumb streams. She does try to defend Joshie on fourms but she's mostly busy speading misinformation on the people she hates.

Uhhh Vinny doesn't care about Jerry too much. Yeah she also thinks he's cute but can't get over the fact that he vapes. Even though she would probably hit a vape and she owns a bong. Just thinks anyone who vapes gives off douche bag vibes.

Probably wishes she could be in one of Pete's thirst traps dispite not finding him attractive one bit. Maybe if he keeps a mask on, it'll work. Guh...freak. Also, ex alt kid of 2020, has a Dino mask and some paper dragons locked up in a closet, nearly got diabetes from the "battery acid" drink, probably drank it with Joesph, still a monster drink addict, bunny hat and a danganronpa cosplay is lurking somewhere.

Okay, good night everyone! Sometimes the characters in the pilot remind me of fish.

#eltingvilleclub #eltingville club #the eltingville club #theeltingvilleclub #welcome to eltingville #welcometoeltingville #Bill dickey #Josh Levy #Jerry stokes #pete dinunzio #Eltingville club oc #Oc #orignal character #digital art #gen z eltingville #gzeltingville #Au

71 notes · View notes

fairestbeard · 6 hours ago

Text

Carmy has always been jealous of Syd and Richie's relationship

The terrific trio: A great deal of this show really is centered around the relationship between these three people

We all saw how heartbroken Carmy looked at Syd saying she needed Richie. That was one of his biggest fears coming to pass. He's always been jealous of Syd and Richie's relationship and it started right from the moment the three of them met in that walk in freezer.

Syd and Richie's meeting is my favorite meeting between two characters of all time. It was so dramatic and funny and interesting and I can't get enough of that scene. It was Richie being his charismatic but obnoxious self and Syd just matching fire for fire with the quickness, which is the first thing that made me fall instantly in love with her. Carmy all the while is in the middle of that whole run-in acting very protective of Syd in the moment.

We all assume with good reason that he cut between them because Richie said something inappropriate, calling Syd sweetheart. But his reaction started the moment Richie reached out to Sydney, introducing himself.

Maybe he was anticipating the inappropriateness? Or maybe it was something else?

Exhibit 2: His reaction in Ceres after Richie and Syd had a traumatic experience together and had to check in with each other, as they should.

He turns away and looks very sulky after he sees that exchange between them.

Exhibit 3: The way he leaves the kitchen just to find out what they are talking about? Come on, Carmen, it's like 10 minutes to service lol.

Also here's another example of him just being done with whatever was going on with them in "The Beef" in S2. He's given up at this point 😂. He can't stop them from being them. It is what it is.

Season 2 explored the swing and miss attempt at a potential closer relationship between Sydney and Carmy which ultimately culminates in the fridge incident. By the time Carmy comes out of that fridge, the relationship between Richie and Syd is completely transformed

This scene marks the turning point of the Syd/Richie relationship, mirroring the climax of their fallout in S1

They are friends now.

Carmy crashing out in the margins about Syd and Richie's friendship (1. F_ck Richie, 2. Richie's friend?)

Their friendship has been a beautiful thing to watch blossom and Carmy secretly hates it. You can see it in the way he passive aggressively tells Sydney to handle Richie when they're fighting and Syd steps in, even in S1.

But why?

He could tell they were going to something from the moment they met, I think. But seeing them get closer reminds him yet again of his inadequacies. Richie and Syd have been able to do the one thing he and Syd have been unable to do:

Run into each other!

Whatever turn their relationship has taken, it's been honest everytime. They weren't afraid to explore whatever it is that was happening between them. It didn't matter if it was ugly, if it was messy, if it was painful. It didn't matter if it ended with someone getting stabbed in the ass. They were ready to face each other as they were, with all their messiness. And somewhere in there, they were able to really see each other.

Syd was able to recognize his pain through all his bitchiness in Hands and it's significant that he was the first person to let her in about what happened with Mikey and she was able to see that he was suffering from the loss. He also didn't hesitate to act out when he felt insecure about her abilities and she was not afraid to call him out for the loser that he was being.

They were willing and able to throw that mess at each other and get it out of the way so that they could actually bond. And it's mostly because of how much of an open book Richie is and Syd's ability to match his intensity.

That's something that Carmy is unable to do.

Like he admitted in Goodbye, he resented Richie for having the relationship he couldn't have with Mikey. Not because he wanted Mikey all to himself but because he recognized he didn't know Mikey the way Richie did and that's, at least partially, because of how closed off he is. We even see Mike complain of having to "drag things out of" Carmy. That's the same reason he "hates" Pete. He wants to be more intimate with the people that he loves but never manages to do so and has to watch other people do the things he's bad at and get to know his own people more than he can.

He hated that Richie was inside his family in a way that he couldn't be and now Richie is inside his would be best friend/wife/lover/muse the way he hasn't been able to manage.

So when he looks at Sydney with so much hurt at the season finale, it's him realizing that it is history repeating itself. She's grown to not need him. But she's grown to need Richie. They've become self actualized in that relationship and he has not, so they're out of the loop and he's not. Or maybe he's the one out of the loop idk. But he's not where they are.

#the bear #sydcarmy #carmy berzatto #sydney adamu #the bear meta #the bear fx #carmy x sydney #the bear hulu #sydney x carmy #syd x carmy

56 notes · View notes

yunverie · 2 days ago

Text

aight lesgo *snaps neck and dislocates*

I always say how I'm a huge sucker for good starting lines/scenes and this right here actually gave me a clear look into the world you have curated in the potion class. A 10/10, hands down. I love how flowery your descriptions are, and how distinct each of your character's voices are.

Reader is such a sweet girl and perfectly fits the sunshine in a bottle persona! I'd love to be her friend :( Ahhh here comes Taehyun and, oop- And he hated you. Not in the way someone hates a rainstorm or a bad meal; no, he hated you with purpose. Ooookay he hates her. Damn. I'd be so sad if anyone called me a deranged fairy for being myself, and the fact that he said that even after she apologized for the accident... Taehyun, buddy, let's:

Holy shit. This entire passage about Oakenhart: [Professor Oakenhart clapped his hands for silence, the crystalline ting-ting-ting... let the hush linger, he enjoyed suspense the way a sphinx savors riddles; before letting his voice pour down like cold mountain water.] See what I like about this part is that you put such oriented details into a side character. You gave him his own little quirks with such care that I'm truly awed.

“Better a Horntail awake,” you murmured, “than a dragon who never learns how bright fire can be.” Gosh I love her so much.

Umm Taehyun, buddy... being emotionally constipated is not nice. Does he need some laxatives? (me everytime he was opening his mouth while sorting) :

Ahhh okay now that he took baby steps to learn how to open up... I think I feel for him. Been there ngl. I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt yup yup.

Her giving the chocolate frog to him is so damn cute :'(( and oh! Taehyun finally being nice and accepting the fact that it doesn't have to be a race? Will we actually get some character development and redemption? I love them already ;-;

OOOOH HE'S JEALOUS because miss girl was dancing with someone else awww. Wait, he's being emotionally constipated again- oh, no. Laxatives. WE NEED LAXATIVES!

Then, like a flicker of a flame Taehyun was kissing you. Merlin, save me. I had to get up, circle around my room, sit back down and silently scream.

“Still hate me?”

“More than ever.”

Something about this dynamic is so fucking hot to me bro.

Oh! This bitch is running away from her oh my lawrd. Taehyun stop being emotionally constipated for five seconds challenge failed. No the way he humiliated her in that brutal way... Buddy that is not nice. Not cool :// Lowkey wanted Sunoo to beat him up that'd be fun to see- who said that?!

“Look, I know you like to see the good in everyone, even in jerks who don’t deserve it, but maybe it’s time you started putting that heart of yours somewhere safer. Someone who’ll actually protect it.” Hell yeah Sunoo spitting bars lesgo

Ain't no fucking way he just humiliated her infront of the whole class :/ no fucking way bruh

Me @ Kang Taehyun inside the greenhouse:

“I’ve liked you for ages, you emotionally constipated genius,” I'm glad we both agree he's that.

I like how she made him a better person. This was such a sweet read though Taehyun made stressed me out every time he showed up but ayy we love flawed characters. Please don't say you this fic is bad because I loved every single part of this. Thank you for writing this, Rain <3

HOW TO HEX A HEART k.th

೨౿ ⠀ ׅ ⠀ ̇ 7.5K ⸝⸝ . ‌ ׅ ⸺ word count.

pairing s𝜗𝜚 ravenclaw ! taehyun ៹ hufflepuff ! reader ᧁ; angst ˒ fantasy ˒ hogwarts au

warnings ⊹₊ ⋆ angst hogwarts au grumpy x sunshine academic rivals to lovers yearning characters are aged up set in a college like hogwarts setting ft sunoo (enhypen)

in which୨୧ ㅤִ Love was sacred, love was rare, love was fleeting...but Taehyun wanted none of it. Instead searching for a fullfilling life in the pages of texts books and viles filled with potions, your cheery personality and natural smarts did little for his ego and too much damage to his high standings in all of Hogwarts academics. He must put a stop to it...if he wished to stay on top.

★ !rain's mic is on ⋆ ͘ . chat I'm so excited!! This is apart of a collab I'm doing with my fellow writers and friends: the nine and three quarters collab. I hope ya'll enjoy. guys I actually hate how rushed this is. I'm sorry!! i wrote it ages ago for our event and it’s been siting in the drafts for a while now, i can honestly say….its not even nearly close to my best work. i wish it was better because taehyun deserve better! i’ll be writing my coraline fic soon as a redemption arc for tae, i swear by it!

The dungeon was alive with a symphony of simmering cauldrons and chattering students, the air thick with the sharp tang of fluxweed and the earthy musk of powdered root of asphodel. Candles floated above the stone tables, flickering with a lazy indifference, casting golden halos across glass vials and worn parchment. You sat hunched over your cauldron, stirring clockwise; then counterclockwise, exactly as the textbook instructed, though you liked to think you added a little flair to your technique. Beside you, Sunoo leaned over to check your progress, his face drawn in a mix of admiration and mild panic.

“I swear mine’s more brown than bronze,” he whispered, frowning at his own mixture.

“It’s because you’re overthinking it again,” you giggled, nudging him gently. “You have to let the potion speak to you. Feel the ingredients. Make a little magic of your own, y’know?” He rolled his eyes but smiled, accustomed to your blend of mysticism and mischief. You were sunshine in a bottle, golden, glowing, maybe a little overwhelming on days like this, but endlessly kind, brimming with a passion for the craft that made even the most monotonous ingredients feel like keys to a hidden kingdom. You adored Potions. It was alchemy and artistry, mystery and discipline, all bubbling into something beautiful.

“Alright, ingredients table, now!” barked Professor Oakenhart from the front of the class, his robes flaring dramatically as he paced. “Step carefully. If you spill the unicorn hair again, Nott, I will make you polish the cauldrons with your tears.” You perked up immediately, hand shooting into the air before anyone else could even blink. “I’ll go!” you chimed, hopping up from your stool and bouncing toward the table with a spring in your step.

But in your unbridled enthusiasm, you didn’t see him. Kang Taehyun. Towering. Silent. Cold as the dungeons themselves and twice as sharp. He was the kind of student who didn’t just read the textbook — he memorized the footnotes, corrected the professor’s misquotes, and brewed potions with the precision of a seasoned apothecary. And he hated you. Not in the way someone hates a rainstorm or a bad meal; no, he hated you with purpose. Your effortless charm, your laughter echoing across the corridors, the way professors smiled just a little too brightly when you answered questions correctly. Worst of all, you matched him. In test scores, potion grades, practicals. You were sunshine to his storm cloud. And it infuriated him.

So when you turned and smacked straight into his chest, your half-filled vial of brewed Knotgrass solution flying from your hand and splattering all across the front of his pristine uniform, it was more than an accident. It was an act of war. “Oh—oh my god—I didn’t see you—! I’m so sorry!” you gasped, hands fluttering uselessly in the air, unsure whether to mop it up or vanish into the floor. “It was an accident, really, I didn’t—”

“Obviously it was an accident,” Taehyun cut in, voice cold and clipped, The potion dripped from his vest in sluggish streaks, soaking into the ravenclaw blue. “Next time, try looking where you're going instead of skipping around like some deranged fairy” You blinked, momentarily stunned by the venom in his tone.

“I—” But he was already striding off toward Professor Oakenhart, presumably to report the offense and extract his revenge in the form of docked house points or an extra essay. The silence he left in his wake felt oddly loud, like someone had extinguished the warmth in the room. You returned to your seat with what you hoped was dignity, though your cheeks burned and your heart thudded a little too loudly in your chest. Sunoo was watching you, eyes wide.

“That was brutal,” he whispered. “Are you alright?” You forced a bright smile, even though the potion fumes still clung to your nose and your pride felt a bit bruised. “Just peachy!” you chirped, plopping back onto your stool and picking up your ladle. “Besides, a little Knotgrass never hurt anyone. Except maybe his ego.”

Sunoo snorted into his sleeve. Somewhere behind you, you swore you could feel Taehyun’s glare like a knife to your spine.

Professor Oakenhart clapped his hands for silence, the crystalline ting-ting-ting of his silver rings against his wand echoing through the vaulted stone. Bubbling cauldrons fell obediently to a hush, the once-lively chatter collapsing into a hush so complete you could hear the delicate pop of fluxweed bladders bursting in the brew. Oakenhart let the hush linger, he enjoyed suspense the way a sphinx savors riddles; before letting his voice pour down like cold mountain water.

“Next year’s class prefect,” he announced, letting the words hang, “will be chosen in three weeks’ time. The badge will go”, his dark eyes skimmed the room, “to the student who best embodies the virtues that keep this ancient castle alive: scholarly excellence, unwavering helpfulness, and the kind of leadership that does not require howling at those beneath you.” His gaze flicked, ever so briefly, toward the Ravenclaw benches, then to you in your Hufflepuff yellow, where you sat up straighter on reflex. A hush of anticipation prickled through the air, sparking like powdered moonstone hitting hot embers.

It took no more than a heartbeat for both your hands and Taehyun’s to shoot skyward, mirror images of ambition in two very different skins. Your arm rose with sunshine optimism, sleeve fluttering like a pennant above a castle tower; Taehyun’s lifted with predatory precision, elbow locked, fingers slicing the air as if claiming rightful territory. Two comets on intersecting orbits. “Questions?” Oakenhart invited, his thin smile hinting that questions were only respectable if they tasted of genuine curiosity and not vanity.

Taehyun noticed you first, noticed the way your fingertips wiggled for attention as though determined to catch falling starlight, and a quiet scuff of disapproval hissed past his teeth. “Little miss perfect,” he muttered under his breath, the phrase delivered like a curse brewed from nettle and spite. But the professor’s nod landed on you, not him. You stood, straightening your robes with a soft brush of palms, and the dungeon’s torchlight caught the hopeful glimmer in your eyes. “Professor,” you began, voice warm as summer rain, “will academic collaboration — tutoring students outside one’s own house, for example; count toward the leadership criterion, or is it measured strictly by individual achievement?” The question sailed across the room, thoughtful and earnest, carrying the faint scent of cinnamon from the potion still clinging to your cuffs.

Taehyun’s scoff was immediate, a low, velvety sound of contempt. “It’s hardly rocket science,” he drawled, loud enough for the nearest cauldrons to tremble. “Prefects inspire excellence, they don’t spoon-feed it. Obviously individual performance weighs heaviest.” His sarcasm slithered through the air like a smoky serpent, confident that everyone would see the answer as plain as daylight.

Instead of bristling, you turned to him with the brightness of a heliotrope bending toward dawn. You dipped your head, just a fraction and let a beatific smile unfurl, soft and sincere. “Thank you, Taehyun,” you replied, voice edged with honeyed cordiality. “But I find that shining your light helps others see where they’re going, and what’s leadership if not lighting the path?” Your gentle retort glimmered with the audacity of grace, and the dungeon seemed to flicker brighter for a heartbeat. The sight of your tilted head and unconquerable optimism struck Taehyun like a spell gone awry. A low, involuntary snarl rasped from his throat, a feral sound quickly smothered behind a pursed line of lips, but not before you caught it, not before half the class saw the flash of winter in his eyes. The tension between you twanged like a harp string wound too tight: one pluck away from music, one tug away from breaking.

Professor Oakenhart cleared his throat, once, sharply, expelling the storm before it could fully gather. “An astute question, Miss, Yes, mentorship and cross-house assistance will be tallied.” He inclined his head toward you with a hint of approval, then pivoted to Taehyun. “Mr. Kang, if you have a different inquiry, do raise your hand properly rather than providing commentary mid-air.” A ripple of muted laughter swept the benches, but your gaze held steady on Taehyun’s. Where his irises turned to flint, yours softened to amber, and in that quiet, smoldering stalemate something unspoken sparked, an ember that might turn to wildfire or to warmth, given time and care. For now, though, it merely glowed, pulsing in the shadowed dungeon like a promise you both refused to name.

Sunoo nudged your elbow the moment you sat, wide-eyed and whispering, “I think you just poked a Hungarian Horntail.” You responded with an easy grin, quill poised to continue your notes. “Better a Horntail awake,” you murmured, “than a dragon who never learns how bright fire can be.” Across the aisle, Taehyun pressed a palm flat to the cool desk, steadying himself against the tremor of unfamiliar emotion. His quill scratched furious strokes into his parchment; ink as dark as midnight vows, but beneath that practiced scowl, a new question brewed in secret: How does one extinguish sunshine…without first stepping into its light?

After the classroom became a quiet hush, everyone working silently alongside their partners, Professor Oakenheart instructs Taehyun and yourself to rise and follow him to his desk. “You will both report to the potion storeroom tonight. Seven o’clock. No excuses. And no magic.” He says with a sigh. “I cannot have students arguing in class, it’s unsavory.”

“Yes, Mr. Oakenheart.” You say with the downward tilt of your head. Taehyun didn’t say a word. His robes still glistened from your accidental splash, the potion drying in uneven patches across his sleeve. He glanced at you once, briefly, with all the warmth of a midwinter frost, then turned away.

You walk back to your seat next to Sunoo solemnly, sitting down next to him silently. Sunoo whispered, “You’re cursed,” under his breath as you sat back down. You grinned and whispered back, “Just peachy.”

–

Seven o’clock arrived like a tolling bell, and the potion storeroom, usually locked, usually silent, opened with a low groan as Professor Oakenhart wordlessly ushered you both inside. The room was narrow and cluttered, lit by a handful of enchanted lanterns that hovered in lazy loops, casting golden light onto rows of old wooden shelves. Vials of powdered roots and dried wings lined the walls, their labels yellowed and curling at the edges. The air was rich with the scent of earth and time; rosehips, wolfsbane, peppermint, and mildew. “You’ll sort and organize all of this,” the professor said, gesturing to a chaotic pile of unbottled ingredients and stained glassware stacked across the center table. “Without the use of wands. You leave when it’s done.”

Then he left, the heavy door clicking shut behind him with an ominous finality. You turned to Taehyun with a sheepish smile. “Well… could be worse.”

Taehyun didn’t even glance at you. “Could be over faster if you stopped talking.”

“Oh, come on,” you said, grabbing a jar of shriveled billywig stingers. “You act like I spilled that potion on purpose.”

“You didn’t not spill it,” he muttered, picking through a box of dried dittany leaves with the care of a jeweler inspecting glass. “You’re always fluttering around like a butterfly with no sense of direction. No wonder you can’t stay upright.” You rolled your eyes and tossed your hair back defiantly. “You’re so dramatic. One splash of Dreamless Sleep on your sleeve and you act like I’ve ruined your career.”

“That potion was for me, actually,” he snapped. “A concentration tonic. For my study schedule. Unlike you, I don’t need to flirt my way through classes.” The words hit like a slap; sharp, misplaced, and far too personal.

You blinked. “I wasn’t flirting, Taehyun.” He didn’t reply. Just turned, his fingers tight around the neck of a decanter filled with bluebell essence. The silence stretched long and brittle. You turned back to the shelves, trying to focus on alphabetizing vials instead of the heat rising to your cheeks. You hated that he could twist your sunshine into something shallow. You hated that it hurt a little, even if you knew better. It was when you were climbing a rickety step stool to reach a jar of flobberworm mucus that it happened, your foot caught on a crooked rung, and the world tilted sharply. You yelped, arms flailing for balance, but gravity was faster.

And Taehyun; curse him, was there. He caught you by the waist in a startled breath, your chest nearly colliding with his, both of you frozen in a strange, suspended heartbeat. For one unbearable second, the air was different. He smelled like cloves and parchment and the faint memory of apples. His hands were warm through the fabric of your robes. Your face was tilted up to his, and his jaw tightened like he was holding back a thought that tasted too much like truth. Then he let go.

You stumbled back with a startled gasp, catching yourself against a shelf just in time to stop an entire row of beetle eyes from toppling to the floor. “You—!” you started.

“I’m not your babysitter,” he snapped, brushing his hands down his robes like your presence had scorched him. “You’re so dramatic,” you said again, this time with venom. “One second you’re catching me, the next you act like I’ve hexed you.”

“And you’re unbearable,” he bit out, his voice low and dangerous. “Always smiling, always talking, always pretending the world is sugar and stars. It’s exhausting.” You stared at him, chest heaving, the light from the lanterns catching the sharp cut of his cheekbones, the irritated furrow in his brow. But underneath all that anger; buried like a secret, was something else.

You exhaled slowly. “Maybe it’s not pretend.” Taehyun said nothing. Just turned back to his work, jaw clenched, knuckles white where they gripped a jar of valerian root.

You returned to the pile of unsorted ingredients with a huff, brushing the dust from your skirt and refusing to meet his eyes. The silence between you wasn’t peaceful, it was brittle, strained, the kind of silence that creaked like a staircase in an old manor, aching to be broken. Taehyun was the one who cracked first. “Maybe if you focused half as much on your work as you do on being liked, you wouldn’t be in detention.”

You turned sharply, a vial of crushed lovage seeds in one hand. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me.”

“Oh, I did. I’m just stunned you think being liked is a flaw.”

He scoffed, not looking up from the set of empty phials he was aligning by size. “Popularity isn’t the same as talent.”

“And coldness isn’t the same as intelligence,” you snapped. “Just because you glare through every lecture doesn’t make you smarter than everyone else.” He finally turned to face you, eyes flashing like lightning behind stormcloud lashes. “I’m not cold. I’m focused. There’s a difference.”

You stepped closer, your arms crossed now, potion dust glittering faintly on your sleeves like constellation flecks. “You’re so scared someone else might outshine you that you treat everyone like competition.”

“No one has outshined me,” he replied, voice like steel. “Until you.”

The silence that followed was a strange one. Thicker. Quieter. Like the world had taken a step back to let those words hang between you — taunting, trembling, true. You blinked. “What?”

He looked away too fast. “Forget it.”

“No, you said—” You took a step closer, your heart thudding, not from the argument, but from the accidental confession strung beneath it. “You said until me. You think I’ve outshined you?”

“I think you’re exhausting,” he muttered, back to organizing now with unnecessary force, placing bottles like they’d offended him personally. “You breeze through everything like it’s easy. People like you. Professors praise you. And somehow, despite all your little smiles and your sunshine-and-daisies attitude, you’re still top of the class.” You stared at him, stunned. “You think I haven’t worked for this?”

“I think you’ve never needed to work as hard,” he hissed, not cruel but bitter, like it was a wound he’d carried for too long. “You show up and everyone adores you. I have to fight for everything.”

Your voice softened. “That’s not my fault, Taehyun.” He paused, a jar of dried mint frozen in his hand.

“No,” he said, after a breath. “It’s not. But it still feels like I’m running a race you get to skip the hurdles for.” You didn’t know what to say to that. The space between you wasn’t so wide now. Just one potion-stained table and a pile of unsaid things.

“I don’t try to make you feel that way,” you said, quieter now. “I just… I like being here. I like learning. I like this world. It’s not about beating you.” Taehyun exhaled, slowly. “It’s always been about beating me.” You looked at him then; really looked. The precision of his posture. The tension in his shoulders. The fury not just with you, but with himself. With his need to win. And buried beneath that, the fear of what it might mean to lose to someone like you.

“Maybe,” you said gently, “it doesn’t have to be a race.” He looked up, and for the first time, he didn’t seem angry. Just tired. And quietly, painfully aware of you in a way that went far deeper than rivalry ever could. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” he said, but his voice had lost its edge.

You tilted your head and smiled; not mockingly, but softly. “Maybe I would.” He didn’t smile back.

–

The sky was ink-blue, bruised with stars. The Astronomy Tower stood quiet, wind whispering through the slits in the stone as if the castle itself was holding its breath. The hour was late enough that most students had turned in, their dormitories dim with drowsy candlelight and dreams. But you couldn’t sleep. Something in the air tonight felt unsettled. Heavy. Like the prelude to a storm, but not one outside.

A strange instinct tugged at you; soft and insistent. So you wandered, slippers padding across stone, drawn not by sound but by silence. You found him there. Taehyun. Perched on the low ledge of the Astronomy Tower with his knees pulled up and his arms resting on them, his robes dark against the greystone, face upturned toward a sky he didn’t seem to be seeing. There was something wrong in the stillness of him.

He was always sharp in class, always stiff with pride, always holding himself like a blade; ready to cut, ready to be cut. But here, under the stars, he looked… tired. Not the kind of tired that sleep could fix. The kind that came from being measured too often. From being whittled down into something small and perfect and hollow. You approached gently, your footsteps careful. He didn’t look at you, didn’t acknowledge you at all. Just kept his gaze fixed forward, eyes unreadable, expression carved from stone.

But you saw the parchment clutched in one hand, wrinkled and shaking slightly in the wind. You didn’t ask what it said. You didn’t need to. The way his shoulders curled inward, the way his mouth pressed into a thin, unfeeling line; it told you enough. So you sat beside him. You didn’t speak. Didn’t press. Just opened your satchel and wordlessly held out a Chocolate Frog, your last one. You kept it for exam days and rainy Sundays, but tonight, it felt like he needed it more than you. For a second, he didn’t move. Then, without looking at you, he took it. His fingers brushed yours. Cold. Tense. But real.

You didn’t smile. You didn’t tease. You just sat beside him in silence, letting the stars be the only witnesses. Letting the wind pass between you like breath. Letting kindness be quiet and simple and soft. And when you left, he still hadn’t spoken. Still hadn’t looked at you. But the Chocolate Frog wrapper sat folded neatly on the ledge when you returned the next day.

The next morning in Potions, everything feels almost normal. Almost. You and Sunoo arrive late, breathless from a stairwell that decided halfway through to rotate in the wrong direction. Professor Oakenhart levels you both with a tired glare, but waves you in without comment. You settle into your seat and reach for your ingredients; belladonna, porcupine quills, armadillo bile, your fingers moving on instinct while your mind drifts elsewhere.

To the Astronomy Tower. To the letter he never spoke of. To the way he never thanked you. To the way you hadn’t needed him to. It happens so fast you barely register it. A soft pop. A hiss. The sharp crack of glass. And then, boom. Your cauldron erupts in a bloom of green smoke and sparks, a chemical chaos that splashes up in a hot rush of steam and acrid potion. You flinch, arms flying up to protect your face, heart hammering in your throat. But nothing touches you.

Because in the heartbeat before the blast, a shield spell snaps into place; silver and curved like a falling star, held firm by a voice you know too well. “Protego.” When the smoke clears, you’re blinking through tears, more from shock than anything and coughing through the haze. Your cauldron is scorched, bubbling like a wounded beast, and Sunoo is somewhere under the table muttering prayers.

But all you can see is Taehyun. Standing across the aisle. His wand still raised. His hair mussed slightly from the force of the blast. His robes dusted with soot and powdered nettle. He says nothing. Just looks at you for one long, unreadable moment. Then lowers his wand, turns on his heel, and walks back to his seat like nothing happened. You stare after him, stunned. Because it wasn’t like him to help. It wasn’t like him to notice. But he had. And something in your chest warms like sunlight over frost.

The Professor grumbles something about careless brewing, assigns a week’s worth of clean-up duties, and moves on. But you don’t care. You’re still staring at the back of Taehyun’s head, and the words you didn’t say last night echo louder now than ever: Maybe it doesn’t have to be a race.

–

Snow had draped itself over the castle like a dream.

Hogwarts shimmered under winter’s enchantment, its towers crowned with frost, its courtyards glowing gold with fairy lights. Students bustled about in robes lined with velvet, their laughter rising with each breath like smoke into the star-splattered sky. Tonight wasn’t the Yule Ball, not exactly, it was something smaller, softer. A midwinter celebration organized by the Prefects and Professors: music in the Great Hall, warm drinks passed from student to student, and the magic of December clinging to every flickering candle. You arrived with Sunoo, cheeks flushed, hair kissed with snow. Laughter danced on your lips before you even crossed the threshold, Sunoo telling a joke that made your sides ache, your friends gathering around like stars drawn to your gravity. You were radiant in your winter robes, something golden in your grin. You loved nights like this. Nights full of warmth and wonder. Nights where the world felt like it belonged to you.

He was already there. Taehyun stood on the far edge of the room, near the refreshment table but untouched by it. Alone. Always alone. His Ravenclaw blue scarf hung loose around his neck, frost still clinging to the hems of his sleeves, and his expression unreadable, carved from cool stone.You didn’t notice him at first. Not really. Not until someone asked you to dance.

It was a boy from Gryffindor, tall, smiling, a little shy. He offered you his hand and you, ever the sun, said yes without hesitation. Your friends cheered. Sunoo nudged you playfully. And soon, the two of you were spinning between floating candles, the music lifting your steps, your laughter like honey and light. Taehyun noticed. He noticed the way your head tipped back when you laughed. The way your hands fit so easily into someone else’s. The way you looked, joyful, unguarded, lovely, and not at all like the girl who once gave him her last Chocolate Frog in silence.

He didn’t stay. He turned before he could think better of it, his footsteps soundless on the marble. The corridor outside the Great Hall was quiet, save for the distant hum of music and the soft hush of falling snow through an open window. He didn’t know why he left. Or maybe he did, but he didn’t have the words for it. He just knew he hated watching someone else hold your smile. So he left. And you followed.

You found him near the foot of the grand staircase, his back to you, the golden candlelight brushing against his shoulders, setting soft fire to the edges of his silhouette. “Taehyun.”

He didn’t turn. You stepped closer. “You left early.”

“I wasn’t enjoying myself.”

“Why not?”

A beat. Then: “You looked like you were.”

There was something sharp in the way he said it. Something jealous. Something that trembled beneath the surface, unwilling to admit what it truly was. You folded your arms. “So you were watching me.” He turned to you then, slowly. His expression unreadable, but his eyes… his eyes were thunderclouds.

“You always want people to look at you,” he said, low and quiet. “So don’t act surprised when they do.”

Your breath caught, more from the venom than the words themselves. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means you always have to be seen, don’t you? Always the center of the room. Always dancing, laughing, shining — like you need everyone’s attention to survive.” You flinched. But you stood your ground. “And you push everyone away because you’re afraid they’ll see something you’re hiding.”

“Better than parading around like you have nothing to hide.”

“At least I’m not cruel about it.” You quip back, hurt.

“Oh?” he snapped. “You think I’m cruel because I don’t fawn over your every word? Because I don’t melt under your smiles like everyone else does?”

“No,” you said, stepping closer now, your voice trembling not with fear but with fury. “I think you’re cruel because you can’t stand that someone else might be your equal.” His jaw clenched.

“And because you’re angry,” you whispered, “that I make you feel something you can’t control.” Silence. Thick, aching silence.

“You’re insufferable,” he breathed.

“And you’re impossible.”

“I hate the way you laugh.”

“I hate the way you lie.” A pause. A breath.

“I hate that I can’t stop thinking about you.” Your breath catches in your throat. Your mouth suddenly like cotton.

Then, like a flicker of a flame Taehyun was kissing you. It wasn’t sweet. It wasn’t gentle. It was fire meeting fire, snow melting on burning skin. His mouth met yours with all the tension of months pressed into a single, trembling heartbeat. He kissed you like he was trying to erase every insult, every rivalry, every bitter word. You kissed him like you’d been waiting for him to stop running. When you pulled apart, breathless, your hands still clutched his robes. He stared at you, stunned. Like he hadn’t meant to do it. Like he wanted to do it again.

You smirked, the corner of your mouth curling just so. “Still hate me?”

His lips twitched. “More than ever.” But his voice was hoarse. And his fingers didn’t let go.

Morning broke cold and silver, the kind of pale light that softened the snow but sharpened the air. In the Great Hall, everything looked the same. Students chattered over toast and pumpkin juice, scarves half-tangled around their necks, steam curling from mugs like the remnants of dreams. The enchanted ceiling swirled with drifting snowflakes and a pale winter sky. But something was off-kilter in the space around you. Something missing You scanned the tables without thinking, eyes flickering past familiar faces. Sunoo noticed, you could feel his gaze as you forced a too-bright smile, buttered your toast with robotic precision.

“Did something happen last night?” he asked, voice soft, careful.

You shrugged, looking down at your plate. “Nothing.” But your hands trembled. And Taehyun wasn’t at his usual place near the end of the Ravenclaw table. Not that you were watching. Not that you were waiting. But still. You saw him again outside the library, later that morning. His robes were immaculate as always, scarf draped neatly over one shoulder, a book in his hand he wasn’t reading. You approached him cautiously, your heart fluttering like a sparrow trapped in your ribs.

“Taehyun,” you said, gently, like the name itself might break if you spoke it too loud. His eyes flicked up. Cold. Unbothered. Your smile faltered.

“Can we talk?” you asked, hands twisting in the hem of your sweater.

“No.” Just like that. Clipped. Sharp.

You blinked. “What?”

“I said no.” Something inside you shrank, just a little. “Taehyun… what happened last night—”

“Was a mistake.” The words hit like a slap. You felt the breath leave your lungs, staggered by the sudden, cruel distance of him. “You kissed me,” you said, voice small, cracking. “You said—”

“I got caught up in the moment.” His tone was flat, practiced. Like he’d already rehearsed these lines. Like he’d spent the whole night scrubbing every softness out of himself. “It didn’t mean anything.” The world tilted. Your lips parted, your voice caught in your throat. You could feel the sting building in your chest, behind your eyes. He didn’t look at you, wouldn’t. His gaze stayed fixed on the spines of books he wasn’t reading, as if pretending you weren’t there would erase what happened.

“I thought you—” You bit your lip, hard. Swallowed. “I thought you cared.”

“I don’t.” It was brutal, how easy he made it sound. And that was what broke you.

You turned before he could see the tears spill, before your voice could crumble entirely. You ran, not caring who saw, not caring where you were going, just needing to escape the weight of that hallway, of his voice still echoing inside you like the last note of a song gone wrong. Snow flurried around you as you burst outside, not feeling the cold through the heat in your cheeks. The castle loomed behind you, windows glowing warm with light you couldn’t bear to be near.

You collapsed beneath the shadow of a tree near the lake, the frost crunching beneath your knees, and let yourself cry. Quietly, messily. Like the sky had fallen only for you. You hated how much you’d hoped. Hated that one kiss had unraveled you. Hated that even now, even with his cruelty still ringing in your ears… You still wanted to believe he didn’t mean it.

The next morning came like a betrayal. Sunlight poured through the dormitory windows, golden and gentle, but it felt wrong against your skin. The castle still breathed with its usual rhythm, owls cooing in the distance, portraits murmuring, fireplaces crackling softly, but none of it reached you. It was as though something inside you had gone still. Quiet in a way that even your cheer couldn’t touch. You sat beside Sunoo in the Great Hall, picking at your breakfast with no real interest. Your usual glow was gone, dulled into something shadowed and quiet.

Sunoo nudged you gently with his shoulder. “You didn’t say much last night.” You didn’t meet his eyes. “There wasn’t much to say.”

He watched you for a moment, his expression thoughtful. “This is about Taehyun, isn’t it?” Your fingers curled tighter around your spoon.

“We kissed, ” you whispered, barely audible. “And then he said it was a mistake.”

Sunoo’s brows lifted, and then quickly drew together in concern. “What?”

“I thought it meant something,” you said, voice cracking. “But he shut me out. Said it didn’t mean anything. Like I was just… a moment to him. A mistake to be scrubbed out.”

Sunoo’s expression darkened. “What a bloody idiot.” You gave a weak laugh, one that didn’t reach your eyes. He reached across the table and covered your hand with his. “Look, I know you like to see the good in everyone, even in jerks who don’t deserve it, but maybe it’s time you started putting that heart of yours somewhere safer. Someone who’ll actually protect it.”

You nodded, lips pressed tight. “You’re right.” But the ache didn’t lift. Later that day, you filed into Potions class with the rest of the students, your bag slung over one shoulder. The scent of crushed herbs and simmering roots clung thick to the dungeon air. You walked with your head high, shoulders back, smile forced into place like armor. He was already seated when you walked in. Taehyun.

Sitting at his usual spot near the front, posture rigid, jaw tight. His fingers tapped soundlessly against his textbook. He didn’t look up when you entered. Didn’t so much as flinch. But you felt the chill in the room anyway, the weight of all that was unspoken crackling between you like a live wire. Still, you were you. Still sunshine, even with cracks in your light. You walked over, careful steps echoing softly, and perched on the edge of the desk beside his. “Hi, Taehyun,” you said, your voice light, as if your heart wasn’t twisting. “I was wondering if you finished the reading for today. The part about powdered asphodel, wasn’t that fascinating? I thought—”

“Can you just shut up for once?” His voice cut through the room like a blade. The entire class went still. You froze. “I’m trying to concentrate,” he said, still not looking at you. “And I don’t need your insipid, cheery commentary. Merlin knows it’s exhausting enough seeing you parade around like everyone’s personal ray of sunshine.”

A few people snorted with laughter. Someone whispered behind their hand. You felt every eye in the room swing toward you, your face, your smile, your frozen stance. And Taehyun finally looked up, and his expression was cold, clipped, composed. But your world cracked. You swallowed the lump in your throat, the air suddenly too thick to breathe. You looked around, saw the amusement on their faces, the mockery, the disbelief that anyone as soft as you could’ve tried to reach someone as sharp-edged as him. And then your gaze landed back on Taehyun.

“All I’ve done,” you said, voice trembling, “is try to be nice to you. To care for you. Even when you were cruel. Even when you didn’t deserve it.” He said nothing. Your voice dropped to a whisper. “But I’m done.”

You didn’t wait for his reaction. Didn’t want to see if there was even a flicker of regret in those storm-grey eyes. You turned on your heel, your shoes tapping hard against the stone, and fled the classroom. Again. But this time… you didn’t cry. This time, your chest burned with something else. This time, you were done being soft for someone who only knew how to bruise.

Taehyun sat frozen in the aftermath. The laughter had faded. The stares had drifted away. But the silence that followed your exit rang louder than anything else in the room. He stared at the empty space where you’d stood, chest hollow and knotted, something sour rising in his throat. The words he’d thrown at you echoed back in his ears; sharp, venom-laced things forged in fear, insecurity, and pride. And regret, thick and immediate, curled in his gut like poison. “Taehyun?” the professor called. But he didn’t answer. He stood up abruptly, chair scraping back, and bolted.

His shoes struck stone as he ran through the corridor, breath tight, wand forgotten. He didn’t know where he was going, only that he needed to find you. That he had to. His heart beat painfully against his ribs. The hallways blurred past him, students turned their heads as he passed, but he didn’t stop. He found you in the greenhouses, your favorite place, tucked behind the castle where the air smelled of earth and mint, where your emotions could breathe. You stood alone beneath the arching glass dome, surrounded by sleeping winter blooms. The late afternoon light spilled through the frosted windows in ribbons of gold. You had your arms crossed, head bowed, lips pressed tightly together. When you heard the door open, you stiffened.

“What do you want?” you said, voice hoarse, but strong.

Taehyun’s breath hitched. “I’m sorry.”

You laughed, bitter and soft. “You’re always sorry.”

“I know.” He took a step closer. “I know I keep ruining things. I know I keep hurting you. But I don’t—” His voice broke. “I don’t mean to.”

“Then why do you?” you snapped, eyes glassy, anger trembling under your skin. “Why do you keep pushing me away? Every time I try to be kind, every time I try to care about you — you throw it back in my face.” Taehyun looked down at his hands, curling them into fists. “Because you make it hard to pretend I don’t feel anything.” You stared at him.

He looked up, finally meeting your gaze. His eyes were wide, vulnerable, raw. “You’re always happy. You shine so damn much it hurts. And I... I’ve spent my whole life trying to be perfect, trying to be what everyone expects. And then you walk in, and you’re better than me, and kinder, and I didn’t know what to do with that. So I lashed out. Because it was easier than admitting I—” He swallowed. “I like you.” Silence bloomed between you. Quiet. Fragile.

“You’re such a bloody idiot,” you muttered.

Taehyun blinked, startled. “What?” And then you stepped forward. Fast. Sure. Your hands came up to grab the collar of his robes, tugging him down before he could react. Your mouth crashed into his with a force that knocked the air out of both of you. It wasn’t soft. It wasn’t gentle. It was furious, raw, earned. Taehyun made a soft, strangled noise in the back of his throat, his hands fluttering for a moment before settling; one on your waist, the other braced against the table behind you. But you didn’t wait for him. You deepened the kiss, teeth and warmth and heat and something frantic behind it all. You poured your anger and your longing into him, tasting the apology on his tongue, daring him to mean it.

When you finally pulled away, breathless, your eyes burned into his. “I’ve liked you for ages, you emotionally constipated genius,” you whispered, chest heaving. “But I’m not going to keep running after you if you’re going to keep running from yourself.” His mouth parted. He didn’t speak. He only nodded, once, reverent.

“I won’t break for you again, Taehyun,” you said, softer now. “So if you’re going to kiss me back next time… mean it.”

“I will,” he breathed, eyes wide, lips swollen, still stunned by the hurricane of you. “I swear.” And this time, when you kissed him again, it was slower. Sweeter. The first page of a new chapter written in ink instead of fire. And for once, he let himself feel it.

–

The announcement came quietly, a simple flick of parchment and a name spoken with no ceremony. At breakfast, the Great Hall was humming; spoons clinking against porridge bowls, owls flapping in with the morning post, low chatter weaving between house tables like mist. Professor McGonagall stood at the podium, spectacles glinting as she unrolled the scroll of student appointments. Her voice carried with its usual sharpness, precise and unyielding. “The Prefect position for next term,” she said, “has been awarded to Miss Eliza Rowe of Gryffindor.”

A polite smattering of applause followed. Nothing loud, nothing triumphant, just the rustle of hands clapping out of obligation more than celebration. Eliza, three seats down from the golden trio’s old haunt, blinked, then straightened her back and nodded once, the picture of composed satisfaction. She’d dotted her i’s with logic, crossed her t’s with ruthlessness, built her empire from timetables and perfectly executed essays. And she deserved it. You blinked, mid-sip of pumpkin juice. Across the table, Taehyun paused, one hand wrapped around a buttered scone. For a moment, the two of you just stared at each other. And then, like a shared secret, you both burst into soft, startled laughter.

No bitterness curled on your tongues. No resentment twisted in your chests. There was no sting to the loss, only the warm realization that you hadn’t even noticed the stakes anymore. Taehyun leaned forward, elbows brushing the edge of his plate, eyes gleaming in the slanted morning light. “You know, I think this might be the first time I’ve lost anything and not wanted to hex someone about it.” You smirked. “Wow. Character development.”

He grinned, actually grinned, the corners of his mouth curling like sunlight creeping through storm clouds. “Don’t push it.” You looked down at your plate, then back up at him. “I mean, we both lost, technically. And yet…”

“And yet,” he echoed, voice low and warm, gaze lingering. His fingers brushed yours under the table, just a whisper of contact, but it said everything. You glanced around at the bustle of the Hall. No one was paying attention to you anymore. The spotlight had shifted elsewhere. You and Taehyun were no longer the top contenders, the academic titans vying for dominance. And you didn’t care.

The rivalry had sharpened you both, carved out the edges where you met, but now, here, in this quiet moment between spoonfuls of marmalade and melted butter, it felt like something new was blooming. Not softer, exactly. But truer. Less about pride. More about presence. “I think,” you said slowly, “I’d rather have this.”

He tilted his head. “This?”

You shrugged, fighting a smile. “Us. Whatever we are now.” For a moment, Taehyun didn’t answer. Just looked at you, like you were the only person in the castle worth watching. Like maybe, in some unspoken way, he’d already chosen this over everything else. Then he said, “Me too.”

Epilogue

The letter arrives on a Tuesday. It isn’t sent with an owl, or folded with formal corners. It’s slipped into your Potions textbook, tucked between a page on amortentia and the properties of powdered moonstone. You find it when your fingers brush against the soft, familiar parchment, sealed with nothing more than a pressed flower. A heliotrope. His favorite. And yours. Your name is scrawled across the front in his ever-meticulous handwriting, slanted and confident and just a touch dramatic. But inside; it’s him, wholly and undeniably.

Meet me at the Astronomy Tower. Tonight. Midnight. Don’t bring Sunoo, or I swear.

Stop asking questions you already know the answer to, Little Miss Perfect. It makes me want to kiss you. Which is inconvenient. Because I hate you.

—T.K.

You laugh, soft, delighted, head shaking in disbelief. The paper crinkles in your hand as your fingers clutch it tighter, your stomach blooming with something golden and giddy. You press the letter against your lips, a half-suppressed giggle escaping. He still says he hates you. You roll your eyes, slip the letter into your sleeve, and go anyway.

The Astronomy Tower is quiet when you arrive, the air tinged with cold and the faint, fragrant echo of spring pushing through winter’s shadow. Snow clings in delicate lace to the ramparts, the sky a deep indigo velvet scattered with stars. Hogwarts sleeps below, its windows glowing faintly, warm and distant. You find him leaning against the parapet, robes fluttering slightly in the breeze, curls tousled and dark against the moonlight. He doesn’t turn as you approach, but you know he hears you. He always does. “You’re late,” Taehyun murmurs, without looking.

“You’re impossible,” you reply, stepping beside him, shoulder brushing his.

He finally glances at you. “And yet, here you are.”

You smile. It’s soft, easy. “What’s the occasion?”

He doesn’t answer right away. Just looks up, at the moon, at the stars, at anything but you. When he finally speaks, it’s quieter. “I used to come here to get away from people. To think. Sometimes just to breathe.” You say nothing. You let him unravel in his own time.

He exhales, long and slow. “Now all I think about is how badly I want you here. All the time. Even when you’re babbling. Even when you’re winning at things I swore I needed to beat you at.” You glance at him, heart beating like a drum beneath your ribs. He turns to face you fully now, the night making a poem of his profile, sharp lines, soft edges, eyes full of unspoken things.

“You ruined my solitude,” he whispers.

You tilt your head, teasing. “You’re welcome.”

His lips twitch. “I should hate you for it.”

“And yet?”

“And yet,” he says, stepping closer, “you’re the only person I’ve ever wanted to be wrong with.” You reach for him first this time, fingers brushing his, pulling him into your gravity. He meets you halfway. The kiss is quiet. Slow. Like a confession. Like a wish. Above, the stars burn steady. Below, the castle dreams. And somewhere between the heavens and the earth, a boy who built walls and a girl who tore them down find something far sweeter than victory. Not perfection. But something better. Home

(♬) - @beomiracles @biteyoubiteme @hyukascampfire @dawngyu @izzyy-stuff @1-800-jewon @xylatox

#˗ˏˋ ꒰ 🌕 ꒱ ˎˊ˗ yun recs⭑.ᐟ #tomorrow x together imagines #tomorrow x together x reader #taehyun imagines #kang taehyun imagines #tomorrow x together

189 notes · View notes