#and if we were battling characters things would be different lol but as is choosing between the shows is impossible so gotta give both a go

[mobius-m-mobius]

Lokius + Season 1

- @mcuchallenge - 1st Semi-Final: LOKI vs. WandaVision

[goldensunset]

as with any thing i’m obsessed with i often daydream about what i personally would do if i got the chance to remake pla and make any changes i wanted

some things include:

•better graphics of course and like just bigger areas obv

•*gestures to both of volo’s designs* Something ahout those! lol

•also i’d remove his evil laughter at the celestica ruins lol. don’t give it away boy!!!!!! or at least turn it into a simple, moderately off putting chuckle

•make a Bad Ending cutscene for if you lose to volo. or at the very least a cut to black and a concerning sound effect of some sort and a game over

•otherwise i really can’t think of how i’d top his fight lol it was soooo good

•i would. change his dialogue right beforehand to make it a little more natural and logical. maybe even have him intimidatingly approach you as if he were trying to grab the plates from you until your lead pokémon jumps out to protect you. ik it would never happen like that in this series but like please it would be so good

•this is a big one- i’d make it so you really aren’t allowed to access any base camps in the wilds during the red sky exile sequence. giving you access to most things you had in jubilife anyway, plus you being allowed underneath the banner of the galaxy team, kinda cheapened it. me personally i will always choose not to use those during that part and only do things at cogita’s place. it would be suuuuper cool if like the guys at the camps like threatened you if you tried to approach!

•i think all wild pokémon should’ve taken on an aggressive nature during the red sky part. or more alphas. or like in my fantasy if you make one of them angry you start getting Chased all the way across the map, baby!!! like you’ve got a horde going after you! like it’s actively terrifying. either that or everyone gets a timid disposition because Nature is being Abnormal and they’re scared. k but like imagine the strange lightning suddenly coming down around you at random and striking random pokémon around you and they go insane. you never know when it’s gonna happen. watch out for that level 3 bidoof man!!!

•would’ve made the frenzied nobles a lil more Frenzied outside their battles. i’d love to be just wandering around the map and see them in the distance, visibly aggressively stomping around, and oh no is that thing coming this way? oh it better not be— like i want that thang to be Violent

•i know voice acting is never going to happen bc of being able to name your character etc and i get it but also like they could do it persona style right??? change the spoken dialogue ever so slightly from the text to be more generic and just use pronouns and such. listen we deserve to hear volo go insane

•find a way to fit the distortion world into the plot. no listen i don’t care how but just do it

•also make the stone portal a whole cave system like in the original gen 4! we deserve a dramatic ascent up the mountain. with!!! the mount coronet theme playing the whole time!!!!!

•i would’ve liked to battle volo more often throughout the story! but in a casual way such as not to build up suspicion for him or anything

•just uhhh. have the overworld music play more often and get interrupted by less stuff lol. also if at all possible do it sv style and have different battle tracks for each area that don’t break the immersion. no but like i know they’ve gotta be loyal to the sinnoh wild encounter theme ik…

might think of more later. but like this is what the inside of my brain looks like. no hate to the game as it is of course the entire reason i have so many thoughts like this is because i love it way too much. these are my fantasies

[lippypopples]

First drawing of Venci. More about his design below.

In Blaze’s arc (the Armarouge drawn) he just lost his eye and has a huge scar on his chest thanks to Shade (his brother.) when he was in the hospital bed thinking about the event that just happened, he thought to himself that he regretted not telling his true feeling to Venci sooner. He had a childhood crush on Venci and never told him about his feelings before he joined a guild and moved away to the kingdom.

I want a character that would represent a bright future for Blaze after he just lost his eye and got retraumatized again. At first I tried to use a Lucario (if you looked at my older drawings you would see Blaze with a lucario)

links here of those drawings here

link one

link two

but when it actually came down to designing Venci I was struggling. I tried making the lucario shiny, not shiny, making it look different etc but nothing seemed to be working. I even tried a Leavanny and cinderace but hated all the results.

I was starting to hate this character of Venci before he even had a designed, he didn’t look right to me no matter what I did, then my friend suggested I use a Roserade. At first I scoffed at the idea of using a Roserade but after some convincing from my friend I did a Roserade. these were the first drawings.

After these drawings it all started to click.

I was pretty shocked with how good he looked right off the bat. I altered his colors a little bit and this is how we have the Venci today.

Let's look deeper in his design, as said before I wanted a character that would represent a good future for Blaze after what he went through. I choose to give Venci red and yellow roses instead of red and blue roses like most roserades. Depending on the roses colors they represent something. The obvious one and most well known is the red roses representing love, at some point in the story Blaze confesses his feeling to Venci and they start dating. The yellow roses represent friendship, joy, excitement and love at first sight, since blaze fell in love with Venci when Venci evolved into a roselia. I guess the yellow roses could represent Blaze's childhood and his feelings on Venci. You could even say Venci's hair flower could also represent bringing peace and new beginnings, starting over and rebirth. (it could also rep for love as will lol)

Now to explain the meowscarada features. Venci is NOT a fusion in fact, he just has features of a meowscarada because his father is a meowscarada. The reasons why I made him a catboy is more of a personal one, when my childhood pets all passed it was like starting a new life. Someone in my life passed, I moved states with my stepdad and sorta started life over again. When my parents got a new cat it sorta felt like a clear slip between my old childhood life and my adult life. In a way having a cat-like character to represent a new future for a character who was recently traumatized sorta mirrors my real life. That's why I made Venci a catboy is because to me, a cat represents an end and new beginnings.

Now for his name, originally Venci was going to be named fanny but my friend didn't like that name and i couldn't come up with anything better so they did some research and found Vinci roses, they are roses that can only be yellow and red and I thought they were super fitting. It also sounded cooler so i kept the name.

When I first drew Venci as a lucario he was originally was going to be a happy go lucky type guy, but after drawing him as a roserade and giving him this stupid face his personally was cemented.

He became an egotistical dumbass who is a big flirt and is too cocky for his own good. He may be good at battling but he ignores his limits and that results in him losing battles thinking he can take on stronger pokemon. He's very silly but he dose things with good intent but sometimes pushes himself due to his ego. He could have some character development where he isn't as egoistical and self centered. His ego also makes him think he can't fail at any guild missions. For awhile he hasn't failed at a guild mission until he meet Penelope who was the first pokemon he wasn't able to get captured. This sylveon was fucking with him and no matter what she always slips through getting away and making him fail his mission and seeing himself as a failure.

TLDR: Venci was a dogboy but now is a catboy and i think that's fucked up.

[artist-issues]

I love your post detailing greta gerwig's changes in her adaptation of little women, but isn't Narnia definitely flavored with some universalism? In the Last Battle, a worshipper of Tash ends up in heaven because he's like "truly seeking the face of God" essentially even if he knew Aslan by the wrong name because his culture only exposed him to Tash. Also, I was raised protestant so I don't know if catholics have a different idea about what counts as universalism or not, but basically I'm not so sure if this will get in the way of her working on the films, especially if she does the Magicians Nephew. Unrelated, I wonder how they're going to go about adapting the Horse and his Boy without it being lambasted for racism etc lol

I think "flavored" with Universalism is a good way to describe The Last Battle--and only The Last Battle, and only that bite of the meal that deals with the young Calormene. Because my understanding of Universalism is that they believe all people, regardless of their beliefs contradicting Biblical Christianity, go to heaven and are not condemned for choosing to be god-of-their-own-life.

You can't quite look at C.S. Lewis' entirety of work and believe he was a Universalist in that sense. He certainly believed in the Biblical truth of Hell. Otherwise, specifically in Narnia, there would be no "Darkness on Aslan's Left Side" that all the creatures who fear and hate him disappear into at the end of the world. That seems like a pretty straightforward representation of Judgement.

I think the whole thing with Emeth the Calormene is interesting. From the language Lewis uses, it seems like he's trying to say something about the posture of a heart more than the name one swears by. Emeth is confused that he's been allowed into the True Narnia because "all my life I have served Tash." But Aslan basically looks at the heart; he says if Emeth had been serving Tash, his deeds and his heart would match Tash. It actually seems more like Emeth didn't know who Tash was at all, or he would have been performing vile works to please Tash. Aslan also says Emeth would never have kept "seeking" for so long if his heart had been serving Tash, which implies that Tash is easier to know than Aslan.

All of that is fascinating (I do think it is the theologically weakest, if not worst, part of the Chronicles of Narnia series.) But I don't think it has anything to do with Universalism as we know it today. Unitarian Universalism is just "Believe whatever you want as long as your belief system doesn't judge other people's belief systems, and you'll be fine with 'God.'" Lewis certainly didn't subscribe to that unbiblical worldview, even with the Calormene in the Last Battle.

I don't know what you mean about the Magician's Nephew.

The real problem with Greta Gerwig is not that she claims Unitarian Universalism. It's that she can't tell a story that is faithful to the original books; she has to transpose it into her own values. So, for example in what we're talking about, if she were doing "The Last Battle," she'd certainly cut out The Darkness on Aslan's Left Side scene, and maybe even reduce the whole conversation between Aslan and Emeth to "all are welcome!" But the main thing she'll do is elevate Susan, Lucy, Jill, Aravis, and Polly to a disproportionate degree.

Finally, I would just say, I'd love for somebody to explain to me what makes The Horse and His Boy racist. (With a reminder that nobody on this website knows my race, so nobody can claim that race-based unconscious bias is what's keeping me from seeing it.)

Lewis invented his own race that, yes, is heavily influenced by Western-Arabian-Nights-interpretations of Middle Eastern cultures. But the Calormenes don't serve Allah, they serve Tash and other gods. The Calormene characters are not all ugly. The Calormen food is not all disgusting. Aravis is a Calormene, and she is a heroine and a main character. Not even every Calormene is even evil, or the enemy of Narnia, though the nation is. What, just because a non-white nation is depicted in Narnia and you can see what culture their fantasy culture is based on, that makes it racist? How? Because Lewis doesn't even write all Calormenes as good or evil, he writes them as humans. Explain to me how that's racist.

(I mean, not you, @childlessoldcatlady, I'm enjoying answering this question. I just meant, someone explain it, now that I'm on the subject. Thanks for the question. I'm Protestant, too.)

[lok-repository]

The Avatar Wiki newsletter has published the final portion of their earlier Q & A last year with Janet Varney, Korra's VA .

Questions after the cut.

What is your favorite Korra battle scene and the change that it brought to the world? Oh you know I can never pick just one favorite! But if I have to pick one for now, I think for sheer intensity, I might have to pick the big Zaheer scene, which I’m not even really thinking about the world impact more than even just the impact on Korra and where it takes us all… the journey afterwards… the PTS… Toph… clarifying her feelings for Asami…

If you weren't Korra’s VA, which character(s) in the show would you want to voice instead? It’s funny, it’s like even though we all know you aren’t asking me to take someone else’s job, the knee-jerk response is to be like “Nooooo! I couldn’t replace anyone! I love everyone too much!” But in a multiverse where we’re all just… maybe swapping roles? I might grab Bolin or Varrick!

Who would you pick as Korra’s VA if it wasn’t you? Thank goodness this would never be up to me in real life- I could never choose between all of the phenomenal VAs out there! That said, I’m kind of obsessed with all the ladies on one of my all-time favorite shows, “Reservation Dogs…”

What is something you have come to appreciate more about the original series while rewatching it for the podcast? Great question! Just when you thought you couldn’t appreciate something more… you watch it one more time, and every “one more time” you love it even more. I think an easy answer would be how much Dante and I appreciate “The Great Divide.” Especially after a recent conversation we had with a certain author about a certain history in that episode that may have influenced a certain book or two…

How are you feeling about talking about Korra on Braving the Elements? Does it feel different than talking about ATLA? Honestly? So far, it doesn’t feel like it will be that different, because anytime I watch Korra, I get so immersed in the story, I basically forget I was in it. But how much Dante might get to tease me about little things like I tease him about Zuko? Now THAT could change things. LOL!

What is the process of planning and recording episodes like? It’s pretty involved, tbh! For a recap ep, I rewatch the episode in question at least three times. You know I like to see what Avatar Wiki has to say! I consult the art book and all the dvd commentary (luckily Nickelodeon made all the commentary/bts stuff available to me, which is great!). I think about the themes of the episode and what kind of guest would be really fun and why. And writing the outline really cements the episode for me in new and interesting ways. And then Dante and our guests STILL manage to blow my mind with their own insights!

Did you know about the spiritual arc that Korra was going to have in Season 4, or when and how did you learn about her bisexuality during production? I knew some broad strokes, but Bryke/the whole amazing team did a good job of keeping us in the moment, episode-by-episode. I can’t remember exactly when Bryke told Seychelle and me about Korrasami, but it was definitely one of the things we knew before it actually happened. And we were both so, so happy!

How do you think Korra grew from her relationship with Mako and the lessons she learned that contributed to a healthy relationship with Asami? Good old Mako. This was a relationship I recognized so well from my own teenage years, and my friends.’ So combine that it was in some ways a very classic teenage relationship with the Avatar circumstances on top of that, and it’s kind of hard to see how it would succeed. But at the same time— who’s to say what “succeeding” or “success” means? What if that relationship was a complete success in that it lasted exactly as long as it was supposed to, and helped Korra and Mako both see what they would really be looking for in a relationship going forward? Plus, it was a success in that she and Mako were ultimately able to love and support each other as dear friends, and that’s a beautiful outcome.

Do you miss and enjoy voicing Korra for as long as you have? Here’s the thing- I don’t know what my answer would be if I *didn’t* get to keep talking about both series (and all the other media in the Avatarverse!) at conventions with fellow fans and with Dante and everyone on the podcast. But because I get to live in the Avatarverse through those things, I honestly haven’t thought about “missing” doing the actual show. Please, everyone, just let me keep nerding out on Avatar forever, and I’ll be happy! ;)

[basicpotathoe]

I feel so dumb lol. when I read the pjo books a billion years ago I thought each cabin counselor chose something to put on the beads for their necklaces and they were all different per cabin.

and I thought percy’s bead choices were because he was choosing important things that happened over the summer to him specifically, not bc he was just the main character at camp every year anyways lol😂😭😭😭

what do we think the bead after the battle against gaea would have been, I think either the athena parthenos or the argo II

[spinnysocks]

For that Choose Violence ask game: 9, 10, 16, 17, 19, and 23 for the Lion Guard

hey!! okie!! :D

9. worst part of canon

oof that is definitely one to start with! personally, i would say ushari's death and how the outlanders were handled in Battle For The Pridelands and after. ushari's death is a common talking point in the fandom, but i also think the waving off of scar's army who literally were the main villains for a whole season should've had something more, to end with at least...

also, how the whole circle of life ideology in tlg Does Not Work and is inherently speciesist in how they handle it, but i will spare you my rambling as there's plenty of good posts and videos about it

10. worst part of fanon

damn this one's even harder, i don't actually know i'm sorry 😭 i'll come back and edit this if i think of something

16. you can't understand why so many people like this thing (characterization, trope, headcanon, etc)

hmmmm!! as i said here, i'm pretty open to a lot of different ideas. but i have thought of another one: i've seen a few people shipping Simba x Kovu (IN AUs WHERE KIARA DOESN'T EXIST DW) and it's like... yeah, okay, we want mlm representation and there isn't that many non-related canon tlk characters - i get that - but the age gap... no thank you. (from my understanding, if it's an AU then maybe they would be the same age, but it rubs me the wrong way naturally) it's not like a massively popular ship but i've seen it a good few times, enough for me to talk about it

17. there should be more of this type of fic/art

i've said it before and i'll say it again, the crocodiles!!! the outlanders!!! i would sell my soul for a comic or fic about the outlanders reforming and that is a promise.

but yeah. my happiness, excitement, pure joy when i find a fic with the crocodiles is unbridled. i get so (positively) freaked out i have to put my phone down to collect myself 💀💀

19. you're mad/ashamed/horrified you actually kind of like...

erm. my crackships....... yeah. except i'm not actually that mad, ashamed, or horrified i'm having a jolly good time laughing about my stupid ideas 😭 hint: the crackships are all for kiburi HFGHDG

this prompt didn't specify anything so i will also say i am unreasonably obsessed with poacher aus, purely because it is PERFECT for angst and hurt/comfort ideas >:3 i'm sorry to all my faves you have been Captured!! for the purpose of me studying your character </3

23. ship you've unwillingly come around to

hmmm! usually, i decide pretty quickly whether or not i like a ship from first glance, for example i immediately clicked with your Hodari x Njano crackship because it's so funny 😭 but i would say your ideas about Shupavu x Njano have altered my brain chemistry in a good way lol! i would also say Makuu x Ucheshi really grew on me :)

others include Makuu x Akina from The Crocodile's Journey and Kiburi x Zula from The Northern Crocodile. when i tell you i am so strict about what i personally ship, and they aren't what i'd normally be interested in at all, but they started growing on me and i was just aAAA. they're not my main ships at all, as in i only think about them in the fics that they're in, but i do think about them

(the choose violence ask game)

thanks for your ask!!! loved doing this! now i want a "choose peace" ask game 😭

[starsscarmyceiling]

have you finished battle scars? 😐

Oh damn nonnie. I mean sit the fuck down and get comfortable because I have a lot of feelings on this. Please keep in mind that these are my opinions and takes. I am not looking to fight or argue. If your experience differs from mine and you have different opinions, you are still totally valid.

Alright my babies, let's get into it...

It’s difficult. I feel like I—well, have a lot of feelings, like I said. And upon further contemplation the more time passes (which I know it’s only been out for like a week and a half, but still), the more aspects of it tend to confuse and baffle me.

Because yes, am I happy there was a Merrical implied ending? I mean, of course. What kind of Merrical shipper would I be if I wasn’t? I guess my main frustrations therein lie with the overall story that was told. Because first of all, I thought the story was kind of weak. But Merrin having her moment and being able to process her trauma? Yes. The Mantis, attempting and sorting out the internal issues amongst them? Yes. Cal, attempting to challenge his beliefs of everything he has been taught within the context of this new galaxy? Yes. Merrin and Cal ultimately choosing to stay with each other because they want to? YES.

I understand why Merrin did what she did throughout the book. She was still in a cycle of heavy depression, and there was a vicious cycle of her not having any source to fill herself back up because one, she never had the opportunity to process her trauma (apparently), and two, nor was there an environment that was actively being fostered for her to do so. The Jedi are known of course, to be in line with that toxic positivity, but what frustrated me was all of the juicy potential that we could have had.

What actually bothered me about her so called “development” is that it happened off screen. It was all like, well just take our word, she is like finding all of these things out over here we promise. Because the whole time she was doing this, it was completely dependent on another character that was not Cal, just some random bitch we don’t care about, instead of coming to these things on her own or with someone she has an actual bond with. The way in which these things came about pissed me off so much because she could have had these moments with Cal, whom apparently she had this amazing developed relationship with, of which we never got to actually see. They went back and forth saying the Mantis crew wasn’t touchy feely, but then talked about how her and Cal had all these long, meaningful conversations…so like…what the fuck were these conversations actually about? They never talked about themselves or their traumas at all???? Merrin literally thinks at one point, up until she met Fret, Cal was the only person she felt like she could share things about herself with…but the way in which this was written really doesn’t make me believe that at all. It was just cheaply done like, lol, well just again trust us that these two people have developed relationship here in the interim. It was like, so unsatisfying to read. At no point did they actually show how and why her and Cal grew to care about one another other than us being told they were. That is what I am truly pressed about.

Also, I truly am not a fan of how Cal’s characterization was handled. I feel like he was just written like he was like seven years old or something. Cal can be awkward and aloof, sure…but I feel like this was just taken too far. Not only did he get cucked (in his own fucking BED; idc I will never get over that), but he also got reduced to a seven year old boy that didn’t have nearly as much depth as he could have had. I liked him questioning his ideology, but I felt like these topics were brought up and not really resolved. When I write Cal, I feel like all of the potential lies in using what has already been given to us. I see Cal as someone who is well versed at understanding people’s emotions, an empath, compassionate, protective, and obviously having such a big heart, especially for those he cares about and loves. And is this because of his psychometry? Or just how he is naturally, who knows it could be a combination of both. Think about it, this is a person that has been experiencing what could be complex adult emotions his whole life. And you’re telling me that he’s still that oblivious? Hmm, I don’t think. And wtf he doesn’t feel that many echoes? Mf was going around that whole game feelings those all the fucking time.

If I could quote a frond, @wayfaringjedi, this was a pretty hot take:

“How much stronger would it have been for Cal to confront that he has to allow her to feel anger to heal, and that anger is a useful emotion

How much stronger would it have been for Merrin to realise that safety exists, that she will not be rejected for being herself or being difficult or being angry, that she has her place

How could it have been for Cal to realise that he had made Merrin feel that he was not a safe person to disclose this to? How would that have challenged his ideology?

Or for Merrin to realise her refusal to try to access peace like Cal does is what alienates her from others?”

And honestly, couldn’t have said it better myself. Like, do you know how many amazing fics I've read out there, where it's Merrin and Cal, getting to have these moments in the engine room? Where it's them having pillow talk and growing closer? God this whole thing really felt like a slap in the face I was not prepared for.

These characters weren’t really handled with care. I didn’t hate the whole book, but I just feel like it just could have been better. I am veryyyyy much interested in what’s going to happen in Survivor, I mean we all are, obviously. I was taking comfort in Merrin saying they were probably never going to see Fret again. I really don’t understand why Fret was there. There is a way to create situations and tension and conflict and making important realizations between them without inserting some random purple bitch. Because istfg, if at some point in Survivor, we have to go like pick up Merrin and she is with Fret, I am going to throw my PS5 out the window and scream and rage in the streets. (Respawnnnnn, I know where you live do not TEST me). I am obviously hoping for canon Merrical, which I do think is a distinct possibility. Because if we don’t, then what the fuck was all of that for?

I feel like BS (heh, aptly named) has suffered the TROS problem of not being able to satisfy anyone lol. Okay because who the FUCK is this book for dude?

Because it’s obviously pissed off all the Merricals. We would have never wanted this.

And it doesn’t really satisfy those who don’t ship either because there is so much Merrical subtext.

But, I mean, I do have to say this book did make me grow to love Greez even more. He was 👑💩 the whole fucking time. Throwing shade at Fret throughout, I was living for it. When he went off on Fret after he woke up from getting his arm cut off, I was fucking eating my popcorn like pop offfff. And I cannot emphasize enough how much I loved Cal in his petty jealous area. Obsessed. He deserves it completely like also go off 👑. Him and Greez were my only bright spots throughout this experience. So glad he got to have his moment too when he "I KNOW HOW IT FEELS!" God I love it. We should all just listen to Greez at all times, like yes please let us drop that Fret bitch off on Batuu with a fruit cake bing bang boom.

I also did enjoy the moments between Cere and Cal together really trying to navigate what it means to be a Jedi in this galaxy in this so entirely dangerous climate for them. Glad Cere is embracing her as a Jedi and using the force again. Totally got the foreshadowing of her being in some kind of archives that we saw in the trailer, preserving the ways of the Jedi. Very fitting for her.

And yesss, there were a few cute moments. Those first two chapters were LIT I gotta say. Like TOGETHER THEY WERE THE LIGHT AND THE DARK CAL WAS THE STAR THAT ILLUMINATED HER SHADOW, that did murder me. And the fucking wound cleaning scene, omfg. I know that murdered ALL of us. Jfc.

I also feel like it would have been a lot more interesting for Fret to just be there to betray them. It would have taught Merrin a lesson of not just diving into something with someone that is entirely based on lust. The fact that she got a redemption was idk…just boring to me I guess. And I know I am biased because I don’t like her, but I mean come on I am a feral fucking Merrical over here is anyone surprised???

Okay lol, have I complained enough? Haha I am guessing you knew what you were getting into anon when you came to my ask box. Lol everyone knows I can never stfu. Anyway, hope that satisfied you.

And hm should you guys be looking out on the horizon for something? Well let’s just say I am definitely using all of these feelings that I have and am putting them somewhere 💅🏻

Anyway, I hope all the Merricals out there are having a great day. Meet me at Applebees and we can cry together 💕💕💕

[kowaindar0u]

💭 (sengo), 🪽(sada), 💞(yuichi), 🗡️(yasu), 💔(fudou)

[ IN CHARACTER CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT QUESTIONS . ]

under the cut cause these shits are long again lol

💭 THOUGHT BALLOON — is there something or someone you find yourself thinking about more often than other things? if so, why do you think you do this?

If I must answer this... well. Of course I am always thinking of my dear master. Fond thoughts, to be sure, but also...there's always a little...niggling in the back of my mind. 'What-ifs', so to speak. And... during, and after returning from, our lengthy mission among the Tokugawa, my thoughts have been perhaps more occupied by that of those I spent that time with. Tonbokiri, Ookurikara, Ishikirimaru, Nikkari, and Monoyoshi-kun... Of course being a fellow Muramasa, Tonbokiri has always seemed to understand me more than anyone else. But even the rest of them, I... I suppose there is likely no way to spend so long with a group of people like that and not kindle some kind of bond with them-- at least that's how I feel. I don't know if their feelings toward me are any different than they were when we began. I just know that when they each left us, one by one, fulfilling their rightful end in that timeline... even though I knew they were simply returning home, it really felt as if a loved one had died. And then of course... there are Gohei and Nobuyasu. Two pure, innocent, kind souls who deserved far better than what they'd been given. I never expected to become so attached to a child of all things, but even though I did so from a distance compared to my fellow touken danshi there, I still feel like I helped raise that boy myself. I don't know if I would consider myself a parent, but... The hatred I harbor for that boy's real father is immeasurable. I think about them all so much. I still grieve them, I think, even though I'm not sure what to do with myself when it hits. Even my fellow touken danshi who returned before Tonbokiri and I... sometimes I still think or dream about their 'deaths' and... well. At least I can remind myself they're still here, alive.

🪽 WING — if you could choose to have one superpower for a day, what would it be and why? what would you do with it?

ANY SUPERPOWER? Oh man, that's a hard choice! But you know what, I think I would choose to be able to fly! How cool would that be, y'know?! Especially if you could go super fast, just zoom around in the air! Think about it!! Oho, also... Imagine the surprises I could give Tsurumaru! Just fly way up and then when I spot him, just dive-bomb him! Hehehe...

💞 REVOLVING HEARTS — who and/or what are you most grateful for in your life?

Ah... without a doubt, my touken danshi. Perhaps it's a bit cliche of me to say as a saniwa, but... I'd be remiss if I said anything else. My life with them is wildly different, in the best of ways, from what it was before I ever knew them, and... I could not and would not give them up or trade them for anything in the world, not a single one. Without them... well, I'm nothing.

🗡️ DAGGER — what is something or someone you know you can’t afford to lose? how far are you willing to go to make sure you don’t lose it/them?

Why would you ask me something stupid like that? Ugh. Fine. But you'd better not tell anyone what I'm about to say. Yamatonokami. I know that idiot feels the same about me, but I'd give my life for him. He's my brother. It's my job to try and protect him when I can. And... I guess it's my job to tolerate him, too, even outside of battle, so he doesn't ditch me, yeah? [in souyasu verse, there's also this lol] Yamatonokami... and Souza. He's... I don't know what it is. I don't know why he likes me the way he does, but... I'm glad he does. If anyone hurt him in any way... well. I don't think they'd see the light of day again, even if it means I don't either.

💔 BROKEN HEART — is there anyone in your life you wish you had a better relationship with? if so, how come? what makes this person important to you?

[he is probably a few glasses deep of amazake to be answering this lol] Mmm... I wish... I wish... Hasebe and I got along better... I wish we could interact without fighting and yelling and screaming... I don't even know why. I don't think he likes me at all. I want to like him, though... I want to get along with him. I think if I could manage to not make him hate me so much... maybe all of us Oda swords could get along better and be happier, yeah? But I just can't help myself around him, he always knows just what to say to get under my skin! Sigh...

[maya-matlin]

This is probably an idiotic question, but how much do you think Chad/Sophia and Milo/Alexis being in love in real life and that chemistry naturally translating onscreen has to do with why you ship brucas and literati: not a factor whatsoever, a small factor, a mid-sized factor, or a major factor?! I never thought it impacted why I shipped either of them but, honestly, on paper both ships are 'eh' to me and the writing has me cringing at points, but somehow when I actually WATCH them my heart is like 'yup, no matter what your brain says, we want these people together' and I really do think the actors' chemistry factors into that a lot more than I had realized. (The reverse is often true too---like my brain *wants* to ship brulian because they're a 'healthier' ship and Julian gave Brooke her fairy tale ending and all that but my heart is like 'eh, sorry, just not feeling it.') I swear there are a few Gilmore Girls scenes where I'm like 'that's not even Rory and Jess---you can tell by the tone and expression that it's Milo and Alexis lol' and same goes for Chad and Sophia when I rewatch parts of OTH. So I would say the actors' real life love coming through onscreen influences my shipping both those couples a lot, or at least more than I'd realized before. I'm so curious what your take is!

I would personally say that the chemistry has a massive impact. Not necessarily the real life relationships, though I'm sure for some that was part of the fun. Oftentimes, when fictional couples turn into real life couples, both the on screen and off screen dynamics are shipped simultaneously. I mean, it especially plays a large role in terms of Rory's relationship with Jess and their continued popularity. Their on screen relationship didn't last long at all. Milo choosing to leave at the end of season 3 and only appearing sparingly after that meant Rory and Jess never got a proper second chance or even a semblance of one beyond one kiss in season 6. Yet, their relationship is massively popular and touched so many fans. It's the definitive Rory romance even though she dated both Dean and Logan for longer. While Jess got a big push considering he was a real character with his own arc and story lines as opposed to Dean and Logan who primarily revolved around Rory with little things happening in their lives here and there (Dean's failed marriage, Logan's constant battle with Mitchum) that Rory would typically be there to observe, it's undeniable that what they shared on screen can't really be described as a successful romance. Both Rory and Jess had good intentions, but Jess also had a lot of problems that he needed to work through. He genuinely loved Rory, wanted to make her happy, and seemed committed to staying together after high school, but then his personal demons got in the way. So as a result, Jess let Rory down and failed to properly communicate the things that could have brought them closer as a couple. But, damn. The chemistry.

You see little moments like this on the show and also out of context in so many edits. You almost forget how badly things ended. Because how can you not love them?! And back to the chemistry. It never felt as natural with Rory's other boyfriends. I think it was more believable with Logan than Dean, but overall this looked effortless.

Also, Chad and Sophia. Good god. I don't know specifics about Milo and Alexis, but by all accounts Chad and Sophia's short-lived marriage ended in complete disaster to the point it's widely speculated that it played a role in how the endgames played out contrary to what everyone behind the scenes claims. Whatever Brooke and Lucas were intended to be in any given season (and I personally think that during season 2 at the least they might have been endgame), their chemistry far outshone the official Lucas/Peyton pairing. It was just so raw, you know?

These are all different phases. Through their initial relationship to the separating/divorcing era to firmly divorced, that chemistry never went away. Even when the underlying subtext isn't supposed to equal Brucas, the fact their love was once real off screen meant that it never 100% went away. Lucas could say a million lines about what Peyton means to him and how he's never been happier, but it never packed the same punch as the look on his face when he's around Brooke. And I'm not stupid. This is not pro-Chad and Sophia. The man got engaged to a high school senior. I'm not here to debate his real life thoughts and feelings for his ex-wife. I'm also aware acting exists. But if we're talking about real life relationships and on screen chemistry, it's relevant. For them at least, what went down in real life made the love story between Brooke and Lucas feel real.

As for Brooke and Julian/Sophia and Austin, it's interesting how it all kind of inverted. This is a good example of how other times, what's happening in real life doesn't make a difference in regards to on screen couples. On screen, Brooke and Julian were perfectly fine. I'd probably say they had the most heat in season 6 when Sophia and Austin were still figuring out whether they wanted to be together, but the Brooke/Julian relationship overall never had the same passion and effortless on screen affection. It never looked as put on as Lucas/Peyton scenes, but it was never exciting. So I definitely see what you're saying. On paper, Brooke and Julian was the right ending. It was evident how much Julian loved Brooke and that they'd formed an incredibly strong relationship throughout seasons 6-9. But because of the differences in chemistry, it doesn't feel quite as impactful. With Brooke and Lucas, it's like their love for one another is so overwhelming and impossible to turn off even when they want to. With Brooke and Julian, they love each other and it's really nice to have that comforting love after years of failed romances. But it's not necessarily the romance that jumps out.

See, this is very sweet. They're doing everything right. But it's just not the same.

[h1myname1sv]

Fic Writer 20 Questions

Thank you for tagging me @forloveofcodywan!!

1.) How many works do you have on ao3?

70

2.) What’s your ao3 word count?

430,621

3.) What fandoms do you write for?

MCU (mostly Loki and Daredevil, though I do branch out quite a bit), Star Wars (mainly the Prequels and Clone Wars), BBC Merlin...I believe those are my main fandoms currently. I am definitely not the type of writer to stick to one.

4.) What are your top five fics by kudos?

Four out of Five - One of my first DD fics when I was still trying to figure out how to write Matt, so I was very unsure about posting it and I genuinely do not know how it got so many kudos. Basically 4 times Matt does things without sight, and 1 time he absolutely can't. Lots of Matt and Avengers interactions.

Merlin's Beard! - Merlin and Arthur interrupt the final battle at Hogwarts and very casually save the day. Everyone is very confused, but they just go along with it because hey, Voldy's dead. Most definitely crack taken seriously.

Life Asked Death - The last fic in my Three of Us Against the World series! Gamora, Loki, and Nebula are actually really caring siblings, and they defeat Thanos and save the world together.

Not the Last Dragonlord - I just wanted to write a scenario in which Balinor survived, and he and Merlin get to figure out how to be father and son together. My first ever Merlin fic, too!

The World Will Pay - The first fic in my Three of Us Against the World series! We get to see how the three of them meet and get to know one another in Nebula's POV. Honestly, one of my favorite fics out of all the ones I've written.

5.) Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

Of course! They give me serotonin, and I want to give some serotonin back :)

6.) What’s the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

The Reasonable Expectation of Deception - One of my Whumptober 2023 fics, with Thor and Loki wrapped up in an Infinity War AU. I don't want to give spoilers, exactly, but the Major Character Death tag is definitely there for a reason.

7.) What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

we're inches apart (and even closer at heart) - Matt/Nat is actually adorable and THEY GET MARRIED!!! :D

8.) Do you get hate on fics?

I think I've gotten one or two comments, but they're so insignificant I don't really remember them.

9.) Do you write smut? If so what kind?

Nope. I don't believe I'm capable of it LOL

10.) Do you write cross overs? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?

I don't usually write cross overs, but I have written a few. For example, the aforementioned Merlin x Harry Potter crossover.

11.) Have you ever had a fic stolen?

I hope not.

12.) Have you ever had a fic translated?

I don't think so.

13.) Have you ever cowritten a fic before?

No. Writing is mostly a solitary enterprise for me, but if you have a really really really good fic idea then I would theoretically be willing to cowrite a fic with you.

14.) What’s your all time favourite ship?

Do I have to choose??? Codywan or Matt/Nat, maybe. (I feel like we should come up with a ship name for them. I've seen several, but no general consensus.)

15.) What’s a WIP you’d like to finish, but doubt you ever will?

I have no published WIPs because I always want to finish what I've started, but I have had a draft of The Curse sitting on my computer for quite a while. If you were wondering, it is indeed about a curse. Very creative working title, I know.

16.) What are your writing strengths?

Writing distinct POVs for different characters, probably. I do try my very best.

16.) What are your writing weaknesses?

Plot and action scenes. Sometimes, I don't know how to connect all the separate ideas I have in my head.

17.) Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

I think it's nice, as long as it's not so overdone that you might as well have written the whole fic in that language. I admire the people who can do it accurately.

18.) First fandom you wrote for?

Criminal Minds

19.) Favourite fic you’ve ever written?

I don't have ONE favorite (you can probably tell that I'm the indecisive type). I've already mentioned The World Will Pay, but I also really like Falling, which is from the same series, but written in Loki's POV. Halfway to Heaven was my Whumptober 2022 fic about a powerless Matt Murdock who still manages to go toe to toe with Fisk; Faith is a Dooku character study and sort of redemption fic. Basically, I just like all the ones that feel like I gave justice to my favorite characters, because I think all fics are kind of like love letters to our favorite characters, and we want to get it right. This may be ironic, because I tend to hurt my favorite characters, but let's not look too deeply at that.

No pressure tags: @mari--lace @sinivalkoista @peppersonironi and anyone else who'd like to join in!

[roccinan]

I know it's only been a day but I'm dying of curiosity, have you watched the spinoff yet? What are your thoughts?

Hi anon! As you can see, I posted an initial ramble in an earlier answer LOL I talked about my feelings for the new characters there so I won't bore you and repeat it.

In a nutshell: new banda was "meh." Cameron was hot and I hope she gets more breakout roles, but the character was written like a Tokyo/Nairobi knockoff without any of their depth or magnetism. And I personally didn't like how her backstory was treated (it wasn't taken seriously for the right reasons imo). Keila was surprisingly likable but I keep making a lemon face when I remember her being horny for Bruce's sweat. Same for Bruce. He would have been enjoyable if not for the pubic hair fetish that he keeps bringing up asdfasdf

I was most interested in Roi, and he didn't disappoint, but I was baffled over why the spinoff ignored the most important question: how did he meet Andres and why did Andres take him in?? Genuinely needed a flashback there.

Main questions that the show needs to, but didn't answer:

How did Damian/Keila/Roi/Cameron/Bruce meet Andres?

Why did Damian/Andres choose Cameron and Bruce to help?

Why weren't any of these people in the mint and bank heists? You can argue that Bruce/Keila/Cameron weren't close to Andres, but nothing indicated Damian and Roi would abandon him. Alicia "exposed" their identities, but they don't know she did that so it's HUH

Why did Andres replace them all with Jakov, Martin, and Santiago? I mean, I would too LOL but in universe, there needs to be some explanation

Why is he calling himself Berlin?

We also still have no idea why Andres and Sergio have different surnames since this show addressed nothing about them having the same or different parents. No idea when or why Andres became a thief, how he came to love heisting, etc. Overall, the spinoff chose to flash romances between the new characters instead of giving us more information about Andres, which was a stupid move imo.

That said, there were things I did like about the spinoff:

Aside from that hilarious tracksuit, Pedro pulled the various turtlenecks off more or less. He was gorgeous more often than not, but for what? smh

The ending was tight, exaggerated, and fun

I actually was hyped when Alicia and Raquel showed up

Lots of jokes/moments landed and made me laugh out loud

Camille topping Andres every chance she got was Quality content

The heist itself didn't have me on pins and needles, but it was entertaining and I never got bored of it

I liked that aside from Roi, Andres wasn't close to any of the young people on the team- that makes more sense with his character and also helps me forget the 27yo comment asdfadf

The shoutout to Sergio :') Hermanito lives rent free in Andres' mind

General elements that I wasn't a fan of, aside from the forced romances:

Not a berlicia shipper, but come on- why would you put Alicia and Andres in the same time space and NOT have them interact!?

The car race confused me, and not just because Cameron's phone breakdown made me cringe. I honestly don't understand why the racers needed a girl to stand on the roof. What purpose? How does that help or hinder the race- what- at first, I thought the girls were going to whack each other with sticks or try to break the other person's car and this was a high stakes death battle. But no, they just did this to be cool.

Speaking of the race, I think too many "cool" moments became boring because they were tailormade for the cool new stars; there should have been more moments like Berlin at the "opera"-- Ex. we should have gotten Damian and Andres at that race instead of Cameron and Roi- that would have been so much funnier, and thus more memorable

Andres' speeches were repetitive and made no sense, even for him. BUT it was hilarious how in the show's effort to ignore Martin, everything Andres says and does makes it look like he's waiting for his one true love in the form of Palermo, a man; even that no homo moment with Roi was so on-the-nose it has to be foreshadowing Martin XD

The ending with Camille was too open for my taste, especially pointless because we KNOW they don't end up together

BUT I do want a season 2, just so we can see Martin entering Andres' life and a glimpse of Sergio + any scrap of an actual backstory for Andres. They already did the romcom route, so maybe they'll experiment with yet another genre in s2, who knows lol.

[moni-harmonia]

Chapter IV Act I

It took me a lot of time to finish Act I because I was so engaged with exploration and building characters lol. It's been a while since I enjoyed doing that.

But I didn't want to wait too much, I decided to continue with the story today. But I didn't know it was gonna be so interesting! I couldn't put it down until I finished the act.

(I don't have screenshots of the beginning, sorry lol, I literally forgot while I was playing.)

First, we arrive at Fontaine, meet the twins, Furina and other characters. With each region I feel they're improving on the storytelling. This Act was long but I never felt bored of it. We met important characters very soon and we knew that something was wrong here. And I'm liking the characters so far.

And then we see our favorite battle maniac again!

I knew Tarta would appear in Fontaine but I wasn't expecting to meet him so soon. It was fantastic, even if he's a Fatui we're on very friendly terms with him (something to take into account later...).

He's having problems with his Hydro Vision, and I thought "Finally!", I've always felt that problems with Visions is something that would happen sooner or later, but for now we don't know exactly what's going on.

(Tarta leaves his Vision with us, a very interesting move. I wonder what will happen with him later on.)

We go see Lyney and Lynette's magic show (which was very well animated) and there's a murder.

I have to tell you, I really liked this part lol. I'm a huge Ace Attorney fan. Not only the whole investigation and trial was very similar to those games, but in Ace Attorney there is one case where a murder occurs during a magic trick too! (Well, maybe more than one, but there's one that's very similar to this one)

Of course we think that Lyney is innocent so we defend him, but in the trial there's an interesting revelation: Lyney and Lynette are Fatui.

What I found most interesting was Traveler's reaction to this. This is one of those instances where you can see that Traveler has their own personality and thoughts. If I could choose dialogue, I wouldn't really have minded if they were Fatui or not, I could tell they weren't bad people.

But Traveler is angry, they decide to still defend them but they're very angry that Lyney hid this information from them.

It was a simple mystery but I thought it was very well done. In this part we meet other characters like Neuvillette and also Navia, and we confront Furina on the trial.

She's a fun character and very different from other Archons so far. I'd say she's most similar to Venti in personality, but unlike him, everyone is aware she's the Archon so relationships are different.

(I swear, this was too Ace Attorney lol, even the music had a similar vibe, I love it)

Lyney and Lynette were innocent and we discover some very interesting things here. Apparently people from Fontaine can turn into water. This reminds me of Radiant Historia, though in that story people turned into sand instead. I wonder what's going on about that.

And I'm also interested to meet Arleccino and what kind of plans does she have. It seems we'll be meeting her and Tarta in this region. There's still a lot of story left, but I feel like we've seen so much already lol.

I'll try to play Act II in the following days. So far, Fontaine is pretty good both in story and exploration. I hope it continues that way.

[m1ckeyb3rry]

No dw it was a funny jumpscare I laughed LMAOO no literally like the lone dog left at the shelter like I guess I gotta adopt you

I’m never getting over the property line also then way he LIFTS Isagi in the air mid match is crazy like

Nagi fighting a war in his sleep LMAOAOA imagine he dreams about being in his shooter games like COD or whatever maybe that’s where he gets his workout from

LMAO lab born creation fr…which reminds me I should lowk go reread the Bible…

Yo wait imagine…if we go back to the childhood friend setting imagine they’re at a point where Otoya slowly realizes he’s in love…but then the childhood friend goes on a date or find a man (probably short term) and Otoya LOSES IT and acts like he’s being cheated on even though they aren’t even together LMAOAOAOA “how could you betray me and leave me alone??? Going out with that rat of a man” or something HAHAHA

BAHAHAHA NO WAY??? This is insane I remember looking up all the breeding guide videos trying to get all the dragons without spending my games shdgshshs (sneakily playing in class is so real LMAOAO) you’re literally freaky Friday y/n then not paying attention but still acing class girlboss fr!!! BROOO THE GEMSTONE DRAGONS I remember one time I lost my account and my topaz dragon and sent an email to the company and they were like my b bro nothing we can do and I was like???? I somehow ended up with an aquamarine dragon spawning in my island randomly and eventually got back my dragons including the topaz one!! I remember the gemstone dragons literally being like the holy grail bc wdym they give me gems???

LMAOO i remember hating on both waluigi and wario because whenever I played VS Battles with cpus they somehow were always on the opposing team and I’d get shelled by them (or at least that’s what I remember HAHAH) Hiori as toad is way too accurate I can somehow also see Otoya choosing bowser?? Thinks he looks macho or something I bet LMFAO king boo nagi is also so on brand LOLLL and Yukimiya is like the one who touches the most grass so he def just goes with the standard Mario LMAOO

I would give them smash bros assignments but I fr only played as like pokemon because back when I actually played I barely knew any of the other characters (I also used duck hunt on occasion because one time I got it randomly and was like actually this isn’t bad) so I barely remember the other options or who was good or not LMAO

I think the theory was relatively obscure LOL I saw it once in passing and was like wait…you’re onto something…but now I’m not sure LMAOAOA

HOLLYHOCK UPDATE SOON I WILL BE THERE WHEN IT GOES LIVE SHSHS (was that birdie Karasu LMFAO)

-Karasu anon

LMAOO LITERALLY like he’s tugging on my heartstrings fr!!

LIFTING ISAGI BY THE BACK OF HIS COLLAR IS CRAZYYYY WORK esp because isagi is ALSO older than him 😭 by over a year!! rin is on smth different i swear

nagi is fighting DEMONS at night i just know he’s such a kicker…absolutely insufferable to share a bed w he probably also steals the blanket

HAHAHA i won’t spoil the otoya request but let’s just say otoya will not handle it well when his childhood bff ventures into the world of dating 😏

LMAO freaky friday y/n is the closest to me i think maybe that’s why i liked writing that story sm 😓 but omg no i loved dragonvale and the gemstone dragons were always the prettiest PLUS they gave gems so they were my favs!! i also remember i got the fountain of youth thing so i could turn all of my dragons back into babies because 90% of the adult forms were ugly asf 😭

waluigi + wario + donkey kong are my unholy trinity of opps HAHAHA i hate all of them w a burning passion!! i love bowser though and i def could see otoya picking him as well. KING BOO AND NAGI JUST SPOKE TO ME ON ANOTHER LEVEL 😩 and hiori as toad too…yuki honestly yeah he just doesn’t care which character he gets so he defaults to mario 😭

i play zero suit samus whenever i play w my friends (which admittedly is v rare and i’m by no means good at the game) because i only play as girl characters!! i’m a daisy main in mario kart hehe. i think if i had to assign them smash characters i would say karasu is waluigi like i mentioned, otoya would be sheik (basically princess zelda’s alter ego as a male ninja…i think he’d actually believe sheik is a male ninja and be SUPER hype abt it until nagi or hiori made fun of him for it but he’s too attached atp to change), nagi would be mr game and watch (super weird and obscure character that’s rlly hard to get a hang of but is also crazy good once you get him), hiori would be the ice climbers (just vibes), and yuki is giving me wii fit trainer fsr?? no idea why

that birdie was in fact karasu 🤫 posting the next chap as soon as i post this YAYY

[giuilily]

"But I'm not gonna complain if it gives us the possibility of getting her back in Part 3 lol" <- agree haha I was totally ready to accept her death (tbh i did not even consider that she wouldn't die this time until people were speculating about it before rebirth's release loll) but I am happy that we may get her back and also intrigued to see how they try to tie all of this together...

I think my overall feelings on Rebirth in general will depend a lot on how game 3 ends up going. Remake I feel can stand on its own a bit better since it is so contained. But truly why did we literally fight destiny at the end of Remake if things are just going to end up the same lol what was the point of all this! It also feels quite a downer to be like well you actually cannot change fate sorry lmao nice try though.

Something that concerns me with the defying fate/destiny thing is 1. Biggs dies anyway despite being saved 2. Zack ends up facing a firing squad no matter what (when he goes looking for hojo or when he goes after Biggs, although ofc in that case he chooses to throw himself into the void instead which i suppose could be seen as a change lol) so it's like... their fate is repeating itself in these different worlds, can it be changed? (I'm still confused as to the big rainbow flash on the Biggs path when Zack chooses to go to Hojo, does that mean theres a universe where Biggs goes to the reactor and Zack doesn't follow him so Biggs.. lives in that one?)

"I'm gonna hold the devs to that since no one asked them to add in new themes to an almost 30 yo game lol." <- lmfao for real. One of my biggest concerns about this whole thing was that they were going to waaay over complicate it (looking at you kingdom hearts) and I am reserving full judgement until things are complete but I def have not had my worries assuaged yet lol

Oh yes! I forgot we saw a chihuahua/spitz plush during the date. So the terrier-verse is still around but im pretty sure Zack is no longer alive in it lol unless he got sent back there again since it is the most relevant other universe. I wonder if Aerith and Cloud will ever wake up there... (maybe Saved Aerith will wake up there? if that did not create a New stamp-verse).

I agree with you on Rebirth. I did enjoy it gameplay-wise (except the moogles they can go to hell lol) and the battle system should definitely become a staple in future numbered FFs, but narrative-wise, because it's the middle part of game, there were a lot of new set-ups along with the OG story beats that we're still waiting for the pay offs in part 3, and I think they need to make it good, otherwise, if they did all of that in Rebirth and it's just gonna be the same as OG, then they just dangled Aerith's fate for suspense and marketing and nothing else. That would be pretty disrespecftul for both the character and the fans tbh.

Hmmm... I think Biggs's situation is kinda tricky in both Pug and Terrier verse because he sorta put himself in a situation where he's tempting fate. I'm kind of leaning on him dying in Terrier too since he's already at the Mako reactor already, but maybe Zack not being there to distract him puts him less at risk of getting caught by Shinra?

Biggs' death and Zack getting pulled in situations that mirror his OG death kinda reminded me of Final Destination, but I hope Nojima wasn't watching those movies while writing the Re Trilogy lol.

I think as long as they keep on putting themselves in those situations, serving their OG purpose in the narrative and facing exactly what got them killed the first time, they're basically tempting fate to finish its job. Idk how this will all play out or how they can avoid it if they need to take action.

And I'm sure Aerith will wake up in Terrier, but I'm worried about Sephiroth hunting her down in every world she's in. Cloud might find himself waking up there as well after he falls into a coma in the main world, and probably will have dreams of the place like in Rebirth, but I'm unsure if they'll wake up at the same time or not. Ngl, I would LOVE it if we form a party with him, Aerith and Zack. The potential awkward conversations would be SO funny lol.

Honestly the new worlds are so fascinating to me because the writers aren't constrained to OG in those parts. I know they'll all eventually merge, but I can't wait to see how they'll handle them and how the game will conclude!

[pearbunny]

If you haven't read Blue Side of the Sky, you need to.

Nikki writes the such heartwrenchingly beautiful fics, this one is definitely one of my favorites and it's not even done. The reason it's my favorite? It's so incredibly real and the characters are so vulnerable. At the end of the day, these are just 20-something-year-olds trying to piece their life together, treading the fine line of over-stepping boundaries and doing what they believe is right.

I personally relate to Jisung because I have such a fierce loyalty to my friends. I don't have many of them, but god I would ride at dawn for them. So when your two best friends are at war, it's not as easy as taking one person's side and he's realized this, he's battled with being a friend to m/c, but also to Minho. Jisung knows that Minho fucked up, he knows Minho has made mistakes, but Minho is still his best friend and just because Minho made some shitty mistakes, doesn't make him a shitty person. It wasn't like Minho became an asshole, it's not like he changed his whole character. Minho is still Minho and ultimately, I'm happy that Jisung and Minho was able to fix their strained friendship.

I'm really unsure about what Kat's side of the story is and I'm hoping for a Cloudy Days chapter from her lol. What she did was extremely uncalled for, it was so fuuuucking messy, but love makes you do crazy things.

Minho is... human. And I think we have to acknowledge that fact. He's not perfect, he's certainly not innocent, but everything he's done is all apart of human behavior. He knows he messed up. He knows he was a dick. He knows he hurt m/c and he wants to make up for it. Obviously, he wants to try and rekindle the relationship that he had with m/c, but I'm sure at the end of the day, he'll take whatever she gives him. Being in a committed relationship is the promise to choose that person every single day. I truly truly believe that. At some point, Minho stopped choosing m/c. Thankfully, he recognized that and ended it with her. It wasn't the most ideal situation, but he did end it before he did anything with Kat. I would like to say that I wouldn't take Minho back, but like I said earlier, love makes you do some crazy things. But also, I say that as a person who did take someone back that maybe didn't treat me well, not once, but twice. Knowing what I know now, I wouldn't take Minho back. But I also didn't lose my memories. [Side note: I would really love to Minho realize that he didn't just hurt m/c, he hurt jisung, he hurt kat, he hurt his friends. hehehe]

Finally, our dear, M/C. I want to just hold her so tight right now. It must be so hard. I will never ever be able to imagine what she's going through; having this whole world around you feel like a false narrative just when you when you were starting to feel... you again, whatever that is. Telling m/c about her life is a very sensitive subject, in general, and then add her whole Minho history... it's just complicated. Telling her at the beginning would have been too overwhelming, I think we can all agree. And I may get kind of bashed on for this opinion/statement... but let's be honest. If they told m/c before things with Minho started to develop again, well we wouldn't be here. This would be a different story completely.

But at the same time...

I think no matter when they told m/c, Minho and m/c would have found their way back to each other regardless. I think that much is very apparent in "Minho is Love" being told to us multiple times.

I don't know what the actual plan for the ending of this story is, but I wouldn't be surprised on if there's a flash forward with Minho and M/C having time a part and they eventually find their way back to each other.

But that's my wishful soulmates trope bias speaking hehe.

blue side of the sky (lmh) | fifteen.

♡ spotify playlist | series masterlist

—summary: waking up after 3 months with no recollection of your past, your friends do what they can to help you remember. except, they omit an important piece to the puzzle - afraid you would remember the heartbreak and hurt all over again.

—pairing: lee know x f. reader

—genre: (18+) exes to lovers, bestfriends to lovers au | fluff, angst, smut

—word count: 4.4k

—chapter content/warnings: cussing/mature language, flashbacks - more soft, affectionate moments, small kisses, i honestly dunno how to explain the rest of the chapter 😭 lots of things are said and done, yelling/confrontations, crying, most of it still doesn't make sense for oc and it's very overwhelming...

☁︎ FLASHBACK | LAST NIGHT

"Can you still come over tomorrow, too? I think it'd be good if we talked about everything." Minho looks at you with pure adoration, heart soaring after you surprised him and dropped by after your movie night with Uncle Adrian.

"Okay. Are you sure you're ready to?"

"Yeah, I am. We should. Just so we're on the same page." He holds you closer. "But tonight, we can just be here and watch whatever you wanna watch."

"Sounds good with me." You softly smile while looking up at him. "Wait." You turn to lay on your stomach and look at him. "Tell me how we met in high school. How you met Jisung."

"Oh god." He cringes, groaning into the pillow but you fight to remove it from his face. You finally succeed, cupping his face to make him look at you. He laughs and gives in anyway, pulling you close to him as you continue to wait for his response. "Fine. You're lucky you're cute."

"Tell me!" You pout.

"Okay!" He laughs. "It's really anticlimactic, you know?"

"Okay? I still wanna know." You rest your chin on your palm. 

"I was late to class on our first day of freshman year because I had to go to the office to get my schedule sorted out. On my way to class, Jisung almost ran into me cause he was rushing. Dropped his books and everything." Minho laughs. "It was everywhere. He was frantically picking it up." Minho tried to mimic Jisung being a mess. "He kept saying sorry and that he was late. I kinda just watched him run off without saying anything because I didn't know what to say."

"You didn't even help him?"

"He kept saying not to!" You chuckle. "But anyway, after that, I found out my locker was next to his. You know him, he's always been super talkative. I guess that's how we got close."

"And how did we meet?"

"I came along with Jisung to meet you after school to eat. We picked you up at your school, then walked down the street to the small restaurant we started going to often afterwards."

"Hm." You hum.

"Look." Minho grabs an old polaroid from his nightstand, showing one with you, him, and Jisung in your high school uniforms eating at the restaurant; the other polaroid is just you, smiling. "It's one of my favorite pictures."

"You just keep it there?" You look at his nightstand and he nods.

"Mhm."

"Minho." You move up, tracing his jaw with your finger.

"Yeah?"

"Do you still hate taking pictures?" You remember Jisung mentioning this to you, but part of you is now starting to realize it must have to do with this history he has yet to talk to you about.

"Kinda, I guess? They're just not my thing." You rest your chin on his chest and subtly nod. You rest there for a minute, with Minho beginning to gently stroke your hair. 

"You okay?" You give him a small, toothless smile.

"Mhm."

"What are you thinking about?"

"Nothing." Minho lets out a breath before lazily pulling you closer to his face by the elbows.

"You sure?"

"Mhm."

"Hey." He says softly. "You know I just want you to be happy, right?"

"Where is this coming from?"

"Nowhere. You know that though, right?" You giggle a bit.

"Yeah, of course."

"You come first, and I will always prioritize your happiness before anybody's."

"Minho."

"Just listen." He pouts a bit. "I just need you to know this."

"Okay." You answer close to a whisper. "I know you would, I wouldn't doubt it."

"No matter what."

"No matter what."

"Okay." Minho feels a sense of relief because he really just needed you to know that. Of course, right now, he must seem blinded by the affection in the air and everything that's been going on between you two— but he truly hopes you know that he will always support you and keep you happy, no matter what that may look like.

Even after everything happens, he will make sure you're happy.

Even if that meant ending this.

Even if that meant giving you space.

Being your bestfriend before anything.

He will make sure you're happy.

"Come here." He breaks the silence again, pulling you onto his lips gently, softly; passionately. He holds the kiss for awhile before repeatedly pressing kisses to your lips. He pulls you onto him, deepening the kiss a little bit more; hands gripping onto your hips as you gently roll against him.

He loves you.

You are love to Minho.

You are the blue sky to Minho.

And this is probably the last time he'll get to hold you and kiss you like this.

☁︎ END

"You're off today?" You ask Uncle Adrian as you pop into the house, curious to see what's in the fridge.

"I could ask you the same." He laughs. "Did you just come from the boys' house?"

"Way earlier. Minho dropped me off before heading to the café. I just figured I'd pop in after seeing you move around in the kitchen." He nods.

"Come, I'm about to make brunch. Anything you're craving for? Like, pancakes? Eggs? Bacon?"

"Hm, nothing too heavy. Toast, bacon, eggs?" He nods.

"Alright, they're all coming up then." He opens the fridge and takes out a carton of orange juice. "Orange juice? Water, tea?"

"Water is good." You smile at him as he slides you a nice, cold glass of water. He begins to toast some bread while preparing the stove for the eggs and bacon. 

"What're your plans today? No work, no class?"

"Nope. I was gonna go to class, but I changed my mind. I worked some overtime the past few shifts. Plus, I went to class the other day and loaded up my new pieces in the kiln. Think it's a perfect time for a little break." You sip on some water. "I'm going to the café in a bit to meet up with Jisung. Then, we'll go back to their place and just hang out again."

"Nice." He looks at you while he quickly beats the eggs and pours it into the pan. "Those two treating you well?"

"Of course."

"Good. You seem happier."

"Do I?" He nods.

"Mhm."

"I guess so." You smile to yourself as trace your water glass, remembering the past moments with Minho; how safe, how warm he feels. How he makes you feel. "Things just finally feel.. settled. I feel content."

"Well, I'm glad you're happy and content." He says with a tiny hint of worry in his statement, but he trusts Minho is learning and is trying to do better. Of course, he never wants to see you hurt. But, he has a big heart, and he also believes people deserve second chances [being that they prove themselves worthy]. He just hopes you are genuinely happy.

He hopes Minho and Jisung have been talking to you about everything. He truly, truly hopes so.

"Yeah, it feels nice." You giggle, tracing the rim of your cup. "What about you? How're your projects going?"

"They're going alright. We completed one, finally. Might pick up another big job about an hour away. Need to build a new space for a client." He sighs. "Which reminds me, I need to follow up with him and set up a meeting to talk about what exactly he's looking for."

"That's great! And you will follow up with him. But for now, maybe just enjoy your day off?" You tilt your head and Uncle Adrian laughs.

"You're right." He slides the plate over to you. "Here, got yours ready first. Dig in!"

"I can wait for you."

"No, you have places to be." He chuckles. "You can eat Y/N. Don't worry about your little ol' uncle." You laugh and bite into your bacon.

"Thank you for breakfast." 

"My pleasure." Uncle Adrian continues to talk to you a bit more about work, but he does promise he'll enjoy his day off and not think about it much. You talk to him about Mrs. Pak and how great work has been, how much fun you're having at pottery class. How the drawings and paintings are finally coming back to you, finally easing into your fingertips.

Sooner or later, you get up to wash your dishes and freshen up— leaving the house to catch the next bus and train. You bid your farewell and tell your uncle not to stay up to wait, that your friends will take care of you tonight so no need to keep watch of the side door [and your guest home door]. He insists on driving you to the café, but you promise him the public transportation trek isn't bad and you enjoy taking the trip. You reassure him until you've successfully made it out the door and on your way to the stop.

It's quite nice traveling alone, especially when the train is close to empty. The streets are busy though, mixed with workers grabbing lunch, and people just enjoying their day. You stop by the shop to see Mrs. Pak, but she quickly shoos you away [in a lovingly manner] and tells you to enjoy your day off. When you make your way into Sunday Morning, you don't catch sight of Minho or Jisung. But, you do see a few other favorites:

"Y/N, hi!" JJ smiles from ear to ear and you can't help but giggle. Right next to him is Soobin, working away at making everyone's drinks. Soobin gives you a nod and a wave, in which you return after greeting JJ. 

"Where's Minho?"

"Being the worst and not manning the register like he should be." 

"I'm busy loading up the cookies since you forgot to do it even after I asked." You hear Minho's voice in the back.

"See? The worst." Minho glares at him as he walks out, wiping his hands on a paper towel before tossing it into the trash. His eyes land on you and his expression softens; Minho subtly biting onto this bottom lip to prevent himself from smiling too wide.

"Hi. Hope I wasn't interrupting your cookie time?" You say as you approach the register, hugging your tote bag close to you.

"No, not at all. JJ's just being JJ." Minho clears his throat while pushing JJ aside. "What can I get you, pretty?"

"Iced coffee, please?"

"Extra sweet?" You chuckle and nod.

"Jisung isn't here yet?"

"No, but he'll probably trickle in soon." Minho shrugs nonchalantly like he always does, making you chuckle as you sit at a table and get comfortable. He follows shortly behind with your coffee, pulling up a chair just as he places your cup down. "Want anything to eat?"

"No. My uncle was off today! He made some brunch." Minho chuckles.

"That's nice. Glad he finally has a decent day off."

"Me too." You pull out your sketchbook, pulling up a picture of a bouquet you helped prepare with Mrs. Pak yesterday. "How's it been so far?"

"Mm, same old. Kinda busy."

"Busy is good." You chuckle.

"What're you working on?" You flip your phone and show him the picture of the bouquet.

"I made this with Mrs. Pak yesterday. We had to help with a small company event and they requested a couple of bouquets for pick up."

"That's really pretty."

"Thank you. I worked hard." Minho laughs.

"You always do." You give him a small, shy smile, heat rising to your cheeks with the way he's looking at you from across the table. "You're still coming over, right?"

"Mhm, of course. You said you wanted to talk."

"I do."

"Yo!" You turn your head to see Jisung walking in, holding onto his backpack strap, headphones loosely hanging around his neck. He waves to JJ and Soobin, instantly spotting you and Minho at a table afterwards. "My favorite people." Jisung plops onto a chair and lets his bag gently fall to the ground.

"Why do you sound like you ran a marathon?"

"I did." Jisung pouts. "No, but we had a team meeting that went on for so long. Too much shit. I'm drained." Minho nods. "Hi cielo."

"Hi pachi."

"What're you doing?"

"Just drawing."

"How'd you get here?"

"Bus, train. My uncle was off and insisted on bringing me, but I told him I didn't mind the trip."

"Oh, he's off? That's good." Jisung shifts his attention to Minho and pouts [whines] again. "I'm hungry." He rubs at his tummy. "My tummy's gonna eat itself." Minho rolls his eyes.

"What do you want?" Jisung smiles.

"Iced Americano. Chocolate croissant. Pretty please?" Minho nods and walks towards Soobin and JJ, muttering a few things as he gets Jisung's order ready. "Cielo."

"Hm?"

"What do you wanna do later with the guys?" Jisung pulls out his laptop and starts typing away, eyes fixed on the screen in front of him.

"Anything."

"Okay, so you'd play Super Smash Bros?"

"Sure." You chuckle. "As long as I can use Kirby."

"Weak." Jisung teases before letting out a small laugh. "Kidding. Deal. How about food?"

"Hm. You know what sounds nice?"

"Yeah?" He questions with a head tilt.

"Burgers." He shrugs.

"Can buy some or make Minho cook it." You shake your head.

"Let's get them to-go somewhere?" He nods.

"Sounds good."

"What're you working on, Ji?"

"Some last minute action items from work." He sighs. "Long ass meeting." He lets out, still in disbelief at how incredibly long [and unproductive] that meeting was. "What are you drawing?" You turn your phone towards him.

"Look at these bouquets I made with Mrs. Pak."

"Yo, those are beautiful." He scrolls between pictures. "You're gonna have Mrs. Pak's business booming soon."

"I hope so." You chuckle. "I mean it'll be busy, but she really deserves the support."

"Agreed." He smiles. "They're really pretty. Let me see the final drawing after." You nod.

"Here, princess." Minho says, the both of you looking up at him.

"Me or her?" 

"Just take the food." Minho look at Jisung in disgust and slides his tray over to him before walking back to the counter.

"Well, I don't know! I thought you were bringing Y/N something else." Jisung exclaims before sipping on his iced americano. "Goodness. I needed this." You chuckle.

You continue to draw at the table while Jisung works for a bit in front of you. He talks about his coworkers and how the one thing they did discuss at the meeting was the company's BBQ soon at the office. Their team has decided to bring in a few dishes to contribute, which is unfortunate for Jisung. He tells you that he's tried to look up certain recipes to try, but he ultimately gave up. He insists [and finalizes] that he'll buy ramen for everyone.

"Like, you're going to make a pot of ramen, or you're going to buy the cups and bring it?"

"Shouldn't I just bring the cups? What if people don't want it, then the rest of the ramen goes to waste."

"True, I mean you could always pack it up." He shakes his head.

"It won't be fresh or anything."

"Just say you wanna bring the cups cause it's easier."

"I wanna bring the cups cause it's easier." He does as he's told, making you laugh. At this point, Minho returns, swinging the chair for him to sit in. 

"So, what's the plan later?" Minho asks, even though he knows the main thing he needs to do tonight is talk to you. He'll keep it normal though, he'll hang out and let it be a nice evening before he pulls you aside to talk. He just wants to do this gently as much as possible, easing all of this onto you without any restrictions. You needed to know, and he will do everything to keep you comfortable— even if that meant creating distance for you to be in your own peace.

"Maybe you should work first before asking." JJ teases from behind the counter, but Minho simply looks over his shoulder before returning his attention towards you two.

"Order some burgers for takeout then play Smash Bros." Jisung shrugs while looking at him. "I don't know what else."

"We should camp outside in the backyard."

"Camp.. outside in the backyard?"

"Yeah, we have tents. Weather's still pretty nice."

"Actually, that sounds kinda fun." You rest your chin on the palm of your hand, now focused on shading. 

"We have a bigger tent that could fit all five of us. And we could use Seungmin's projector to pull up a movie against the side of the house or something."

"When the hell did we get a bigger tent that could fit all five of us?"

"My dad gave it to us in case we wanted to go camping."

"Oh, I didn't know that." Jisung responds with a head tilt. "Kinda do agree. We should set it up later." Minho stands and pushes the chair in, stretching a bit.

"Alright well, let me get—" The attention suddenly shifts to the door swinging open abruptly, a few voices echoing into the café before one individual storms inside. To your surprise, it's Kat; and you're only surprised because you do recall Minho saying whatever they had was done with. You haven't seen her in awhile, and you weren't expecting her to storm in after some time.

But, she is angry.

She's looking right at you and Minho.

"Nice fucking going." Kat storms in angrily, heading straight for Minho who is still standing near your table. "What the hell is wrong with you?!"

"What are you doing? Can you keep your voice down?" Minho furrows his brows and puts his hand out to keep some distance between him and Kat. She's fuming, and Minho isn't exactly sure why— but, he does have an inkling as to why she's this upset. She must have had a few more words to share with him and didn't like the fact that she was [finally] blocked.

"Keep my voice down? What's your problem? All of a sudden, you're blocking me—" Minho sighs heavily.

"Can we not talk about this here?"

"Because of her?" She laughs, making Jisung stand up next to Minho in an attempt to protect you from whatever Kat has up her sleeve.

Though, nothing would've prepared them for this very moment. Not from Kat.

"Dude." Jisung says sternly.

"Not the time." Minho picks up on the cue, trying to get Kat to leave as peacefully as possible. But, of course, peaceful isn't in her vocabulary— so she continues.

"Wow, unbelievable." She rolls her eyes. "It's really funny how you're suddenly so protective over her. You weren't like that before, at least, not that I could remember."

"Kat." Minho calls her name once, and he's hoping it's enough of a warning. It's not. 

"Don't start." She aggressively whips around to try and avoid Minho's reach. You're so confused, especially when Jisung is clenching his jaw. JJ is suddenly getting closer, and Soobin is on high alert. Why do you suddenly feel like you're being sucked into this never-ending black hole? Why does this all feel wrong? "Just so you know Y/N, your so-called bestfriends? They've been lying to you and hiding so much shit from you. Especially this one." She scoffs. "He was never even loyal to you, to the point where he let you leave that night—"

"Kat!" Minho yells, grabbing her wrist again. He truly wasn't trying to touch her, or get handsy in his café— in public. But, it's unfortunate that he has to, along with JJ's help. "You need to leave. Now!"

"W-what?" You look at Jisung, then back at Minho.

"Let go of me! Did you really think you could hide from her forever—"

"That's enough! Get the hell out!" JJ yells as he rushes over and holds the door open for her. "Seriously, don't make me call the police. Got the nerve to do this in a damn café, you must be outta your mind!"

"Please don't come back here. I mean that." Minho sternly says, his jaw clenched.

"You're all so fucking pathetic." She laughs, shaking her head. "At least now she knows how amazing you guys truly are." She sarcastically spits out before walking away, her friends [who had been lingering outside] right beside her. People in the café are too stunned to speak about the drama that just ensued, and lots of them are giving your entire group looks.

But, you don't care.

Right now, you don't. 

Because this is all going to blow over for everyone else; for you, it won't.

They lied to you. They hid from you.

"Y/N, let's talk about this." You stand and create some distance between you and Minho, Jisung right by him.

"What did she mean?" You shakily ask. "Was it true?" You did have a feeling Kat was part of this history, but you never knew it would be this big. Not something that would just blow up in your face on a random day in this café. Not something that makes you feel queasy, sick to your stomach.

Because now, it feels like everything.

You thought you might have played a part, like you might have been the reason why there was a bumpy past. But now you're understanding that it was never you, that it was her. It was Minho. It was Jisung.

It was everyone but you.

"Was it true?" You repeat. Both Minho and Jisung are silent, and their silence is telling. It tells you everything you need to know. Everything you needed to know that everyone else felt like you didn't. You start shaking your head more, tears steadily falling down your cheeks even though you don't know the story, the details— but what you do know is that you are hurt. The two people you loved and trusted are standing here, looking you in the eye, yet they aren't doing much to make you feel better.

"Y/N, please. I can explain, just let me explain all of this—"

"I can't be here. I-I have to go." You quietly pack up your things.

"Cielo, let me bring you home. Let's just talk—" You look at Jisung and your heart hurts even more. Jisung was supposed to be your other half, and here he is; looking at you with those guilty, puppy eyes. Part of you still hopes it isn't as bad as it seems, that maybe this is all a misunderstanding. It's hard to bypass your gut feelings, though.

"I'm going to go." You look at him. "Alone. Please don't follow me or anything."

"Cielo. We need to talk about this."

"Please. I'm not asking." You throw the bag strap over your shoulder. "Excuse me." You push through, Minho calling your name once—twice— before you're finally outside.

You can breathe.

The anxiety is still bubbling in your stomach, but you can breathe. 

You hurriedly walk to the train station to start your trek back home, tears still streaming down your face as you keep your head hung low. You don't even know what this means, what this means for you and your friends, what this means for tomorrow. The day after. The future.

And you're scared.

But just knowing that they've hid things from you, hurts.

It aches.

The pain is dull, but it aches.

The ride home is difficult; you keep your head down the entire time to avoid showing your tears. Your phone is constantly going off with texts from Jisung [you assume] but the most you can do at this moment is silence your phone.

You drag yourself home, head still hung low even as you step into your door and place your things down. You look around your space, your room, eyes landing on the pictures you have. Then, the tears fall continuously; on, and on, and on. You sit back onto your bed, crying into your hands as everything Kat said replayed in your head. 

"Just so you know Y/N, your so-called bestfriends? They've been lying to you and hiding so much shit from you. Especially this one."

"He was never even loyal to you."

Minho no longer feels safe, warm.

"Y/N, are you home already?" You hear Uncle Adrian softly call out at your door. He must have heard you come in through the side door, but wasn't able to catch sight of you. 

"Yes." You mumble through your words. "Come in." And with that, he swings the door open and pokes his head into your room. His heart instantly drops when he sees you in the bed, crying— wiping away at your tears while you sniffle away.

"Hey, what's wrong?" He sits next to you. "What happened?"

"They've been hiding from me." Uncle Adrian's heart crumbles to pieces when he hears the words come out of your mouth because he knows. 

Oh, he definitely knows what you mean.

But, Uncle Adrian doesn't respond and you can't help but look at him to see if you're missing something. You can tell. His look is softer, more worry and fear laced in his expression than anything else.

"Uncle, why aren't you saying anything?" His head drops a bit, letting out a hefty sigh. "Y-you knew about this, too?"

"I'm so sorry, Y/N."

"D-Does everyone know besides me?" Silence. "I've been going around looking that stupid? Because here I was.. going on, trying to get used to the world again and enjoying every moment. Little did I know that everyone was hiding stuff from me." You sniffle.

"What exactly happened today?"

"Kat came into the café today. She was mad at Minho, then she started saying all this stuff to me about my bestfriends hiding stuff a-and lying to me. S-she told me Minho was never—" You pause to let out a breath. "—Was never loyal to me." You look at your uncle and his heart breaks. "I don't even know what she means, but I know it hurts."

"Minho and Jisung were going to tell you eventually." Which, he truly means. He believed they would. He just didn't think they were going to take this long, especially with the way Minho is going about things. He can't say he's mad, but he can't say he isn't disappointed they didn't do it sooner. There was no way Uncle Adrian would've known or kept track of all this, even if he wanted to. He just trusted them to take care of it the way that they say they would.

"But, that's the problem. Why couldn't anyone just be honest from the beginning?"

"This is tough." He shakily says. "I'm so sorry, Y/N. We never meant to hurt you, we just wanted to protect you and keep you safe. We wanted to give you time, however long you needed, to re-adjust. 

"Did you not believe I could take it? I would've wanted to know."

"It's not that." He sighs a bit. "Jisung was just worried about you, and he was mainly concerned about letting you get through things one step at time. He didn't want to overwhelm you."

"How bad can it be? Can't you tell me?" He looks at you, but you don't respond as you're trying your very best to look at this under a different light. You're trying to see Jisung's reasoning, but you don't have anything to work with. No one wants to tell you exactly what happened. At least, no one was in a rush to.

Why?

"You should really talk to your friends." He gives you a very small, faint smile to try and reassure you somehow. He wishes he could tell you, he wishes he could ease whatever you're feeling right now. But, he thinks it's best for Minho and Jisung to take the reigns on this one. "Minho, especially."

⇢ 15.5 [cloudy days]: tbd

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