#and now he is fully utilizing this ability

[yonpote]

oh how badly i want to tear down the "phil is/was the nice one" thing so so badly

like we only believe that because when we see a duo of people we have an impulse to exaggerate their differences, so because dan had famously portrayed himself as kind of a snarky and sarcastic and edgy motherfucker phil became the nice one. HE WAS NEVER ACTUALLY UWU CINNAMON ROLL INNOCENT ANGEL BABY HE 'S ALWAYS BEEN KIND OF A SNARKY SHIT he just wasnt as upfront about it and he didn't make it a part of his Brand TM.

[reasonsforhope]

African poverty is partly a consequence of energy poverty. In every other continent the vast majority of people have access to electricity. In Africa 600m people, 43% of the total, cannot readily light their homes or charge their phones. And those who nominally have grid electricity find it as reliable as a Scottish summer. More than three-quarters of African firms experience outages; two-fifths say electricity is the main constraint on their business.

If other sub-Saharan African countries had enjoyed power as reliable as South Africa’s from 1995 to 2007, then the continent’s rate of real GDP growth per person would have been two percentage points higher, more than doubling the actual rate, according to one academic paper. Since then South Africa has also had erratic electricity. So-called “load-shedding” is probably the main reason why the economy has shrunk in four of the past eight quarters.

Solar power is increasingly seen as the solution. Last year Africa installed a record amount of photovoltaic (PV) capacity (though this still made up just 1% of the total added worldwide), notes the African Solar Industry Association (AFSIA), a trade group. Globally most solar PV is built by utilities, but in Africa 65% of new capacity over the past two years has come from large firms contracting directly with developers. These deals are part of a decentralised revolution that could be of huge benefit to African economies.

Ground zero for the revolution is South Africa. Last year saw a record number of blackouts imposed by Eskom, the state-run utility, whose dysfunctional coal-fired power stations regularly break down or operate at far below capacity. Fortunately, as load-shedding was peaking, the costs of solar systems were plummeting.

Between 2019 and 2023 the cost of panels fell by 15%, having already declined by almost 90% in the 2010s. Meanwhile battery storage systems now cost about half as much as five years ago. Industrial users pay 20-40% less per unit when buying electricity from private project developers than on the cheapest Eskom tariff.

In the past two calendar years the amount of solar capacity in South Africa rose from 2.8GW to 7.8GW, notes AFSIA, excluding that installed on the roofs of suburban homes. All together South Africa’s solar capacity could now be almost a fifth of that of Eskom’s coal-fired power stations (albeit those still have a higher “capacity factor”, or ability to produce electricity around the clock). The growth of solar is a key reason why there has been less load-shedding in 2024...

Over the past decade the number of startups providing “distributed renewable energy” (DRE) has grown at a clip. Industry estimates suggest that more than 400m Africans get electricity from solar home systems and that more than ten times as many “mini-grids”, most of which use solar, were built in 2016-20 than in the preceding five years. In Kenya DRE firms employ more than six times as many people as the largest utility. In Nigeria they have created almost as many jobs as the oil and gas industry.

“The future is an extremely distributed system to an extent that people haven’t fully grasped,” argues Matthew Tilleard of CrossBoundary Group, a firm whose customers range from large businesses to hitherto unconnected consumers. “It’s going to happen here in Africa first and most consequentially.”

Ignite, which operates in nine African countries, has products that include a basic panel that powers three light bulbs and a phone charger, as well as solar-powered irrigation pumps, stoves and internet routers, and industrial systems. Customers use mobile money to “unlock” a pay-as-you-go meter.

Yariv Cohen, Ignite’s CEO, reckons that the typical $3 per month spent by consumers is less than what they previously paid for kerosene and at phone-charging kiosks. He describes how farmers are more productive because they do not have to get home before dark and children are getting better test scores because they study under bulbs. One family in Rwanda used to keep their two cows in their house because they feared rustlers might come in the dark; now the cattle snooze al fresco under an outside lamp and the family gets more sleep.

...That is one eye-catching aspect of Africa’s solar revolution. But most of the continent is undergoing a more subtle—and significant—experiment in decentralised, commercially driven solar power. It is a trend that could both transform African economies and offer lessons to the rest of the world."

-via The Economist, June 18, 2024. Paragraph breaks added.

[bodyhopper-files]

Wrestling with my roommate.

My roommate stood in front of me, his once scrawny frame now bulging with muscles. He had been transformed into an exact duplicate of Preston James, the star wrestler at our college, thanks to my magical abilities. I couldn't contain my excitement as I handed him a tight red singlet to try on and show off his transformation.

"Are you sure this looks okay on me?" he asked hesitantly, still not fully comfortable in his new body.

"Bro, it looks perfect!" I exclaimed, slipping into the persona of Jordan Ridge, another hot jock from our wrestling team who I had transformed myself into. I'd dressed myself up in a bright blue singlet, and my muscles were bursting out of it, ready to be put to the test. "Let's wrestle!"

In no time, we were grappling with each other, utilizing the skills of Preston and Jordan while also giving into our nerdy gay desires. It was an intense battle for dominance between two nerds in the bodies of campus' hottest stud jocks.

As we fought, our muscles pumped up and we began to sweat through our singlets, filling the room with the scent of a locker room. Finally, I pinned my exhausted roommate down.

"You still don't think you look good in that singlet?" I panted, breathing heavily.

"No bro, I love wearing this," he said with a smile, collapsed in my arms. While he may have been talking about the singlet itself, I knew he also meant how much he loved wearing Preston's jock body.

"We can be these two studs whenever we want!" I enticed him before going in for another round. This time, when I pinned him down, I was going to fully indulge in all my fantasies and fuck him like a true college wrestling stud.

----- ----- ----- Original story and AI Illustration by @bodyhopper-files

[that-guy-sleepy-miles]

Hello folks, it's Miles here! You may know me as the guy who deduced what Rayman is snorting in episode 5 of Captain Laserhawk! And today, I'll be going over how...

There Are 6 Types of Magic in LEGO Monkie Kid

You can honestly stop here if you don't want to get into the most convoluted stuff ever. If you're vaguely interested but don't have much time, click read more and scroll down to Red Son, because he's where shit gets interesting.

A disclaimer! I've literally never broken down or written a magic system before, I'm just like. writing down and making sense of what I've noticed while watching the show. If you disagree with my assessment of a character's magic, think there's a better term for something I've described, or think I'm just plain wrong, please let me know so I can update the post! I don't know what I'm doing, and I've never looked into magic systems before!

An important thing to note is that LEGO Monkie Kid adheres somewhat to the power systems in Chinese mythology, so I will be bringing up concepts from Chinese mythology that are not talked about in the show. Honestly, if you went 100% on the show and not on Chinese mythology at all, there wouldn't be a magic system in the first place.

Now, let's begin!

‎

First, vocabulary.

Magic Class: The root of a user's magic. Classes are not exclusive, but actually compounding. For example, Wukong has Intrinsic-based Actively Cultivated Magic. Magic Subtype: A modifier to a class; additional information to explain how a user's magic came to be or how it works. For example, Tang has Revitalized Bestow-Inherited Actively Cultivated³ Magic — the subtype goes before the class because it's a modifier. (Yes, I will explain why his Actively Cultivated Magic is cubed.)

(In the naming scheme of magic, everyone has a full classification and then a shorthand classification. The classifications above were all shorthand.)

Magical Energy: The basic form of magic; unfiltered energy that can be channeled, manipulated, and cultivated. This energy can be used to attack directly or utilized in a spell. MAGICAL ENERGY IS QI, "MAGIC" IS JUST BEING USED BECAUSE THIS IS WRITTEN FOR A WESTERN AUDIENCE. Power: A defined ability, such as a spell or a technique. Not all Powers are explicitly named, but powers have defined forms and details whereas Magical Energy is usually a geometric shape. Examples of Powers: 72 Transformations, Golden Sight, teleportation. Magical Expression: How Magical Energy and Powers form upon release. Examples of Magical Expression are glowing eyes, full body glowing, magical seals, anime-esque energy blasts, Red Son's* fire, Ne Zha's fire (two VERY different forms of Magical Expression), and Macaque's purple shadow outline. Ne Zha's Wind Fire Wheels are examples of Magical Expression with a conduit. Zero Magical Expression ≠ zero release, but can. Conduits: Anything that can hold, channel, or manipulate Magical Energy. All living beings and magical artifacts are examples of conduits.

Channeling: Collecting magical energy internally Releasing: The basis of Magical Expression; using collected magical energy for an attack

(Mei showcasing channeling and releasing in Rip and Tear) You can always tell when a character is channeling and releasing.

Knowing which class of magic a character is using can be hard — they all tend to utilize anime-esque energy blast graphics and glowing bodies for Magical Expression — so you have to pay close attention. I'll be going over how to identify the specific magic types as we go through them.

Each type of magic has a "poster child" — a character that fully embodies that type — and I'll be using them to explain how the magic works. Once we finish the easily categorized magics, we'll get into the Special Cases.

(MK showcasing Intrinsic Magic in Rip and Tear)

(Wukong showcasing Cultivated Magic in A Lifetime of Mistakes)

Now, onto the classes of magic!

Intrinsic Magic is a class of magic...

That's not inherently pedigree-related. Ne Zha's father Li Jing was a mortal man.

Most gods and local deities have, and some yaoguai have. (Older demons like DBK and Wukong have Intrinsic Magic, while younger demons like Pigsy and Sandy might technically have Inherited Magic. It all depends on how you want to look at it.)

That usually comes with unique powers, commonly the ability to walk and talk upon birth. (Wukong got laser eyes, and Red Son* got the Samadhi Fire).

And holders have unnatural births? Pangu's cosmic egg, Ne Zha being born a ball of flesh after being gestated for three years, Wukong's rock that's existed since the dawn of time, etc.

Ne Zha is the epitome of Intrinsic Magic! If you think Intrinsic Magic, you think Ne Zha. The unmistakable way to identify Intrinsic Magic is to look for themes. If a character has a theme to their magic, again and again, they likely have Intrinsic Magic! For example:

Ne Zha's Intrinsic Theme is (obviously) lotus flowers/petals.

Red Son's* Intrinsic Theme is flames.

Macaque would be a contender for intrinsic magic (we will be getting back to him, though).

Cultivated Magic is a class of magic that has two subclasses: ACTIVE and PASSIVE, and...

That's ENTIRELY self-created. A magical pedigree can help, but no pedigree is required in Cultivated Magic — Li Jing cultivated magic as a completely human man, for example.

That NEEDS a Conduit. The conduit for Cultivated Magic can be the magic user themselves, but often it's a magical artifact or a technique. Note: a conduit doesn't require Cultivated Magic to be used, but Cultivated Magic requires a conduit. (Known Conduits include: Wukong's Cloud Somersault, Nezha's Wind Fire Wheels, and Princess Iron Fan's Banana Leaf Fan.)

That's very backstory-heavy. There's always a way that a character learned or got their power, or a description of how old they are.

A magic that you see most with yaoguai and immortals. The older the yaoguai, the more cultivated they are.

Passive Cultivation: Every living being is a conduit for passive cultivation — by existing, you are passively cultivating. The best method of passive cultivation is age; the older something is, the more passively cultivated. A Huli jing is the best example of passively cultivated magic. According to literature, the older a fox is, the more power it accrues.

Active Cultivation: Active Cultivation is when a being seeks out magical power. The most common form of active cultivation is being taught Tao techniques (Wukong's Cloud Somersault, Li Jing's Burning Pagoda Art). In this situation, the technique is the conduit. Other forms of actively cultivating magic are yaoguai eating humans and magic-accruing technology (specifically DBK's Furnace armor, which converts rarity into magical energy.)

Cultivated Magic comes with the implication of being wise, at least in some form, and those with cultivated magic are able to teach others. Being a disciple immediately means you have Actively Cultivated Magic.

Cultivated Magic often doesn't have Magical Expression, because it's all about existing and learning. When it does have Magical Expression, it's usually depictions of strength and power or the conduit itself glowing.

(Wukong's hairs glow as they are used as conduits for his cloning technique in Macaque)

(Wukong and Macaque's strength is showcased through Magical Expression during a fight in Macaque)

Cultivated Magic can be seen through any technique that was stated to have learned, such as Wukong's astral projection and his speed/quick reflexes.

(Wukong focusing in order to astral project to MK in Dumpling Destruction)

(MK having to actively learn and practice astral projecting in Minor Scale)

MK: Monkey King! It worked! Monkey King: Hey, bud. So, you figured out astral projection, huh? MK: Yeah, and I only had five nose bleeds.

Cultivated Magic is best showcased in action, and characters cultivate over the course of the show.

(Wukong showcasing his Cultivated Magic by pulling some fast ones on MK in Impossible Delivery)

(4 seasons later in Strings That Bind, Wukong and MK spar, showcasing MK's Cultivated Magic. Tumblr will NOT let me embed both videos, and the first one is more important, so this will just be a link.)

Inherited Magic is a class of magic that has two subclasses: ANCESTERAL and BESTOWED, and...

Comes from someone else and was given to or passed down to the magic user.

Is sourced from Intrinsic or Cultivated Magic, but the magic user is not intrinsically magical/did not cultivate that magic themselves. The Intrinsic/Cultivated Magic is specific to another (perhaps deceased) being.

Can have ZERO Magical Expression or release.

If a character has Ancestor-Inherited Magic, they'll have a family animal, a family artifact, and/or a known ancestor.

If a character has Bestow-Inherited Magic, they were given their power by another magic user (known as the Bestower) so that they would serve that magic user, defeat a foe, or as a reward. Bestow-Inherit Magic users are often previously mortal.

Bestow-Inherited Magic is most blatantly a character giving another character magical powers, but being granted godhood, being brought back to life under a deal, and everyone receiving heavenly ranks/Wukong and Tripitaka receiving Buddhahood and Buddha titles at the end of Journey To The West is also Bestow-Inherited Magic.

A quick note: Older yaoguai (DBK, Azure Lion, Wukong) are considered to have Intrinsic Magic, but Modern yaoguai (Pigsy, Sandy) are deemed to have Inherited Magic. This is because these younger demons are not yaoguai specifically unto themselves — their status as a yaoguai comes from their ancestors. They have no unique, intrinsic powers, nor were they specifically predestined to be yaoguai despite their heritage (such as in the case of Nezha, who was predestined to be a celestial being).

For example, Pigsy. His status as a Magic User exists because of his family history. While, yes, his family is important to his character and story, it's not something he did himself — he did not cultivate his grandma — and there is nothing unique about him biology-wise besides just being a pig demon. He is a reincarnation, but being a reincarnation didn't make him a yaoguai. (That was a whole fate, symbolism deal, though.) If Pigsy hadn't been born, his family would still have a pig demon kid.

Now, onto the subtypes. (As a reminder, a subtype modifies a class!)

Revitalized Magic is a subtype of magic. It means that the magic is from a pre-incarnation that a character unlocks and requires reincarnation.

Uuuuunless it doesn't, and it required Un-Death. Auto-Revitalization of Magic is definitely a thing, but it's not a real category. It's just a specification to explain things that have happened to a character.

For example: The reason Macaque's shadows turned into chaos magic at the end of season 5 is because he's dead. He's outside of the reincarnation cycle, he's Undead, his magic is Auto-Revitalized —so when the reincarnation cycle is broken, his magic is also changed. At least, that's my personal theory. I might be DEAD WRONG.

Okay, back to Revitalized Magic proper: Remember back when I said Tang's magic was cubed? Yeah, this is why. (Before we start, Táng Sānzàng will be referred to as Tripitaka from here on out.)

The full classification of Tang's magic is: Potential Revitalized Bestow-Inherited (Tripitaka), Revitalized Actively Cultivated (Golden Cicada), Revitalized Actively Cultivated (Tripitaka), Actively Cultivated Magic. (Maybe, we'll get into this.)

The entire reason demons tried to eat Tripitaka was because he was the reincarnation of the Golden Cicada, who was a disciple of Buddha, which made Tripitaka's flesh holy. Being a disciple immediately means Actively Cultivated Magic; Tripitaka had Revitalized Actively Cultivated Magic. Tripitaka was a Buddhist disciple as well, which means he also Actively Cultivated. If Tang is a reincarnation of Tripitaka, who is a reincarnation of the Golden Cicada, then Tang has Revitalized Actively Cultivated Magic twice (or, even, 10 times, if you look at the Sandalwood Buddha thing, but Tripitaka and Golden Cicada are the important disciples so we're only counting them).

If Tang has Revitalized Actively Cultivated Magic and Revitalized Actively Cultivated Magic, that means he has Revitalized Actively Cultivated Magic². However,

Tang is a SCHOLAR. BEING A SCHOLAR MEANS THAT TANG IS ALSO AN ACTIVE CULTIVATOR.

HENCE, TANG HAS ACTIVELY CULTIVATED MAGIC³.

Celestial Magic is a subclass of magic that includes any magic with a seal. It's not exclusive to Celestial beings, but it's most often used by beings with Heavenly connections.

Celestial Magic is also known as "Spells", I'm pretty sure. Wukong just dropped this terminology on us in Season 5, and spells usually require words, but like. Okay, buddy. Whatever. You're the magic guy.

Celestial Seals have a unique symbol for every "Artist", or a Hànzì that explains the spell's purpose. For example, Li Jing's seals have a little pagoda on them, and the containment spell's seal (the only thing that can truly be called a spell here) has the character "牢", which means "prison" (or "enclosure", which is hilarious because it's containing 3 monkeys).

Consequential Magic is any magical energy or power gained as a result of an action taken by someone who is NOT the magic user.

Consequential is not a subclass of Cultivated because the magic user had no say in acquiring/did not know they were acquiring Consequential Magic; Consequential is not a subclass of Inherited because the magic user was not intentionally given these powers and they did not come from ancestry.

(Red Son* is literally the reason this subtype exists.) Every example of Consequential Magic is different, so I'm just going to some of the ones I know of in canon:

Wukong's Golden Sight (Consequence of the Eight Trigrams Furnace; Torture-consequence)

Ao Lie having the Samadhi Fire inside him after they fucked up the seal (Samadhi Fire/Red Son*; Samadhi-consequence)

Mei Dragon's ability to harness the Samadhi Fire/the remnants left over inside her after (Samadhi Fire/Red Son*; Samadhi-consequence)

MK's human form (form as in the shape of something btw) (Xiangliu fucked his shit up; Birth Interference-Consequence)

Macaque's new Chaos Magic (Xiangliu fucked his shit up; Chaos-Consequence)

I have spent this entire post explaining the way magic seems to work in LEGO Monkie Kid, getting slightly more and more unhinged as we go on. But there might be two things on your mind: Why? and Why does Red Son's* name have an asterisk on it every time I've mentioned him in this post?

I can answer both of those questions with one statement: Red Son does not adhere to the magic rules other characters follow. I've tried to find examples to see if I was thinking of the magic wrong — and that's fully possible — but I didn't find anything. In fact, the more I look, the more sure of this I become. It's like he actively decides against following the rules of the magic system.

He can be used as EXAMPLES of the magic system, but when you dig into his magic specifically, it's completely wack-a-doo.

First and foremost:

Red Son has a completely unique form of Magic Expression. His emotions are directly linked to his Magical Expression and release.

Emotionally linked magic release is something no other character does, but here he is doing it over and over and over again. The only example close to it is MK's Mystic Monkey form flickering in and out when he's distraught, and that's LITERALLY CREATION-GIVEN NÜWA MAGIC, THAT'S FROM A CREATURE WHOSE CANONICALLY "OUTSIDE OF THE 10 SPECIES" AND CANNOT BE CATEGORIZED?? AND ALSO NOT QUITE THE SAME EITHER.

(This could also be attributed to the concentration part of the Samadhi Fire, but he doesn't... seem to have access to that anymore? At least, not like Mei does. We'll consider it a factor in his magic expression, though.)

About his fire,

Red Son and his mom are the only two characters with Wuxing/Elemental Magic — every other example comes from a magical artifact. It's actually a 50/50 chance on whether or not PIF has wind powers or if the Banana Leaf Fan gives her wind powers (I'm pretty sure it gives her wind powers, but just to be safe we'll count her as having wind powers.) Wuxing Magic is not uncommon in actual Chinese mythology, but it is in the show for some reason. And it ALWAYS has an artifact as a conduit. Wuxing Magic always seems to be just a visual effect or an added addition to attacks in the show.

Another weird ass thing about Red Son's magic is its contrast with Nezha's. I'm pretty sure Red Son's fire is actual fire that he conjures magically, in contrast to Nezha's Wind Fire Wheels (conduits that Nezha fuels, and release Wuxing Magic as a visual effect) which make specifically magical fire.

Okay, so, I've been going through this assuming you're aware of the show's visuals concerning magic, but this is important for me to cover in detail. Everyone has two magic colors (white doesn't count for this). They can change in lighting, but you'll always recognize them as being the same general colors. Other colors may be used for emphasis, but they'll only be darker versions of the colors and they'll be used as a background for the main colors. (Quick note, MK and Wukong might have only one magic color? Fun stuff.)

The reason I think Red Son's magic is not... magic persay, is because it doesn't follow the color rule. Like, it's not actually the color of Red Son's magical energy half the time, it doesn't follow the magic color rule. Red Son's fire shifts like an actual fire, which is very cool visually, but is not how magic works.

(Quick note, magic seems to be lighter in the celestial realm. This is because the Celestial Realm is really well-lit. The environment is literally pure sunlight or some shit, so all the characters and their magic are in perfect lighting. So Red Son's magic getting inexplicably darker would make no sense unless Red Son's magic is doing that on its own and the lighting has nothing to do with it.)

His magic also isn't the color of the Samadhi Fire, nor is his fire. That time in season 5 when Mei helped him with the seal, the two of them together made a Samadhi Fire-colored seal. He didn't seem capable of doing that by himself, which leads me to my conclusion:

I think the suppression of the Samadhi Fire suppressed Red Son's Intrinsic Magic as a whole, and his magical core (as one user put it) is compensating by drawing directly from his element.

Characters having an element isn't a new thing. Wukong's element is metal, he's a metal guy, it's why he can't swim, and it's why MK can't swim. MK needs floaties because he'll sink like a rock because he shares the metal element with Wukong.

But this is a possible explanation for why Red Son's magic is so weird.

On the note of Mei having more access to the Samadhi Fire than him, Skellebonez (my rock through this journey of a post) brought up a good point: "[I] think it makes sense because whatever they did to remove it from him could have also added a barrier preventing its return to an extent[.] Like a filter[.]"

This Intrinsic Magic cap/Samadhi Filter might also explain why he keeps getting his shit rocked despite having such potential to be powerful (that's probably just because it's silly tho) and it could explain why his parents are so damn disappointed in him in season 1. It's because they took his magic from him (however unintentionally) and he's not as magical anymore. The only type of categorizable magic he uses is Celestial magic, which HUMANS can use and can be bestowed on ANYONE. You can just like... LEARN THAT, and I think he just did.

In canon, nobody ever seems to be hurt by Red Son's fire? It seems to just be... a thing that he does. Everyone is less and less scared of it as the show goes on, and the only thing it does major damage to is MK's apartment. He uses his fists to attack more than he uses his fire, it's generally left as a visual effect. Red Son uses his fire as an intimidation tactic, not as an actual weapon, and I think this could also be explained by an Intrinsic Magic cap. His intrinsic magic is suppressed, so he has to rely on things like physical strength/cultivation.

I also think nobody knows this in canon, they didn't know about it, or they don't understand it. I think Red Son has a magic limiter on him, which is why his parents were such raging fuckasses in season one. They thought their son was "useless", or in Wukong's words, "half-baked", after showing such promise in his childhood before an incident. They only got a healthier relationship after they stopped obsessing over power and spent some family time together, when they realized that their son being a powerful magical demon isn't the most important thing in the world. (AND WE WEREN'T SHOWN IT.)

Red Son is magic-disabled, in this essay I did.

ALL MAGIC COMES FROM THE PRIMORDIAL CHAOS, SO, IN ACTUALITY, ALL OF IT IS THE SAME! FUCK YOU!

[willthewiz]

Will's Arc Ties the Whole Series Together

"Will really takes center stage again in [season] 5," Ross Duffer told Variety. "This emotional arc for him is what we feel is going to hopefully tie the whole series together. Will is used to being the young one, the introverted one, the one that’s being protected. So part of his journey, it’s not just sexuality – it’s Will coming into his own as a young man."

So in other words...

Will Byers will receive more attention in season 5 due to his importance in the story. His goals, motivations, conflicts, and decisions will make Will’s story an emotional arc. Instead of Will keeping his thoughts and feelings to himself, he’ll become more open and honest not just to others but also himself. Instead of needing protection and being treated like a child, he will stand up to fight to protect others and make his own decisions instead of doing what others want him to do. To come into his own, Will must face challenges such as going against numerous enemies and trials along the way (internal and external conflicts), and emerge stronger and wiser at the end. Once Will overcomes these challenges, he’ll be able to:

Utilize his strengths and unique qualities to his fullest extent.

Become more self-assured and comfortable in his own skin, no longer needing to defer to others or hold himself back.

Establish a strong, independent sense of self, rather than relying on others' perceptions or definitions of who he is.

Fully showcase his talents, skills, and perspectives, without feeling the need to conform or blend in.

Reach new heights in his career, personal life, or other endeavors where his true abilities can shine.

Will’s story is about self-discovery and growth. He will grow into the fullest expression of his authentic self and potential. His emotional arc will tie the whole series together because in order to defeat Vecna and save Hawkins, Will must stop clinging to his childhood and use that support from others as a stepping stone toward finally growing up and becoming a young man.

And we know Will will always need Mike. Mike is part of the key to Will's self-discovery. Mike makes Will feel like he's not a mistake. He feels better for being different because of Mike. He can be himself because of Mike. And that gives him the courage to fight on. The courage to finally defeat Vecna once and for all. That support from others will play a part in Will growing as a person, thus leading to Will becoming a young man and facing against Vecna.

As I said before, Will’s arc is about self-discovery and growth. He has that acceptance from others such as Jonathan and Mike, and that support will help him grow as a person and become fully comfortable in his own skin. However, Mike isn’t the key because of his acceptance, but rather part of the key to Will coming into his own. Becoming his own person. Will having support is important, but that’s not his story. After coming back from the upside down, Will has been clinging to his childhood. Will’s arc is not about acceptance from others, it’s about him growing up and finding out who he is as a young man. That acceptance and support will lead Will in the right direction toward self-discovery and growth.

"I think Mike is trying to be as normal as possible and try to keep on a normal path." —Finn Wolfhard

"How is he (Mike) this clueless right now? With the Will scene in the car, I remember asking the Duffers, why would he not know this? And they're like, don't worry it'll pay off in the end." —Finn Wolfhard

"I can just tell you that I'm very very excited for what's to come. I think they did a great job with Will's character this season, and beautifully addressed everything they needed to. The way they closed the show is just perfect – the story started with Will, and it’ll end with Will."

—Noah Schnapp

"Our show is an anthem for the marginalized and imperfect, precisely because the Duffer brothers know from experience that the popular and easy road is rarely the most interesting one, and that character, grit, connection, and soul are bred in the same moments that challenge us the most." —Shawn Levy

With Mike and Will becoming a team in season 5 and Will taking center stage, it could only mean one thing...

Byler Endgame

[ofoceansandtombsanew]

Of All Things, I Became a Geovishap

You always imagined that if you woke up in the world of Genshin, the possibilities of being a Visionless wielder of elements and a slew of romantic shenanigans would lie in your wake. But when you instead find yourself in the body of a Geovishap with romance likely out of the question, your only conclusion is that the gods of reincarnation isekai hate your guts.

cw. you're a geovishap

pairing. zhongli x reader, xiao x reader, ganyu x reader, yun jin x reader (separate)

notes. don't feel like being a geovishap today? well go ahead and go to the series masterlist and see what your life could be if you were something else in genshin.

You know the saying 'all men are created equal'? Yeah, whoever made that clearly never woke up reincarnated as a geovishap.

You're not even a geovishap hatchling which is arguably cute enough that a kid could convince their parent to let them keep you as a pet. No, you're a fully grown geovishap and what typically happens when you get spotted? It's attempt to smite on sight. If it isn't someone screaming in fear, it's someone grabbing some sort of weapon to do you in themselves.

Yeah, not all creatures in Genshin are created equally. Hell if you were going to be some sort of Geo creature, why couldn't you be a Geo slime or something? Those are cute!

Either way, you definitely have your work cut out for you.

Zhongli

By far the best companion you could gain in your experience of being a geovishap... in Zhongli's present point and time. If this was him during his war god days? Well, you're pretty sure you would have been smited on sight unless you could convince the dude you were no threat to his becoming Archon

Thankfully as Zhongli is now, he's a lot more patient. Even better is the fact that he knows you're different than the other geovishaps, not to be the main character here

But Zhongli can tell there's something intrinsically wrong with you being a geovishap and considering the two of you can actually communicate with one another, without telling him his entire life is a series of codes and plot devices, you explain to him you're a human that's been turned into a geovishap and you'd really appreciate it if he could find a way to turn you back to normal

He has no immediate remedies for your troubles, but Zhongli promises that he'll let the adepti know not to let any harm come to you should they come across you

He also becomes great company, unexpectedly. Geovishaps aren't really ones to stay in groups outside of the breeding season (which you definitely want to avoid), so Zhongli reasons that this existence is one that is lonely for you

He visits you often and brings you foods you'd enjoy. Things the people eat, which you appreciate because you were getting tired of eating nothing but sunsettias everyday

Asks Cloud Retainer to craft some sort of communication device you can wear so you can communicate with any adeptus you come across. Or the Traveler so you don't just become resources during their adventure

He even teaches you more about the Geo element and how to best utilize those abilities as you are from creating stable structures to keep you safe from the elements when you sleep outside to giving yourself an extra boost to reach things as needed

You really appreciate Zhongli for treating you like the person you are despite the circumstances. Sometimes though he can't seem to help himself when he rests a hand atop of your rocky head gently when he reassures you that he'll find a away to turn you back to normal

You nudge against him when his eyes become clouded with nostalgia as he recalls friends long since passed and he'll learn against you with a small smile, thanking you for the comfort

He makes your rocky heart beat quite a bit but trying to hit on a guy, even a guy that's a pseudo rock dragon, isn't easy to build up the courage to do when you're made of rocks

Xiao

Yeah. No

You know what sort of timing the conqueror of demons is on and because of that you don't even want to attempt to run into this guy because you know he won't wait long enough for you to convince him you're 'not like the other vishaps'

Just because you aren't a threat now doesn't mean you won't become one later, at least that's what Xiao would likely think

So you do your best not to run into him because unless you somehow manage to turn human again, you don't foresee any interactions with Xiao turning out positively even less so if you run into a member of the Fatui

But should you come across Zhongli and he lets the yaksha know you're not a threat, you won't find yourself speared any time soon. If anything Xiao becomes something akin to a bodyguard to make sure you don't end up getting killed by someone or something. Especially after you get a communication device you wear around your neck

He's not the most talkative though. Usually if he saves you from some sort of ordeal, he handles it and leaves as quickly as he comes

It takes quite a bit of effort on your part to become close to him but if he does end up becoming attached to you, his kindness is still quite clumsy

you'll often wake up to piles of food in front of your den, courtesy of xiao, not that he'll tell you

and he usually checks on you from afar before going about his business contrast to how he normally only waited for you to roar his name if you ever needed him to come to your rescue before ignoring you again

if you ever got yourself into some danger trying to defend him, believing he needs help, he will scold you severely and no amount of trying to look cute (not that a fully grown geovishap can) will stop the onslaught of words

they're out of fear though, not anger. he doesn't want to lose something or someone precious to him and that includes you now

Ganyu

A sweet companion you couldn't be more thankful for

Qilin are peaceful only bearing arms during times of absolute unrest. Thankfully, you reincarnated into the right era because so you don't have anything to worry about as far as Ganyu hurting you

You got her attention when you found her indulging in a nap in the middle of the fields and got worried she may find herself getting attacked, so you decided to stand watch like a rocky guard dog

You even brought qixing flowers for her to nibble on when she woke up, holding them in your mouth to- okay, upon second thought you're sure she wouldn't something covered in geovishap drool in her mouth but maybe she would like the flowers anyway

it was certainly a start when she woke up and saw you beside her but thankfully the qixing flowers were definitely a nice touch in keeping you from getting your ass beat or ganyu taking off at the speed of sound

maybe the easiest companion to form a connection with after zhongli. she finds your gentle temperament sweet and comes to even think of you as her geovishap companion

one she can confess her secrets to knowing you won't tell anyone, nor will you judge her for her worries concerning her adeptus and human halves making her feel like an outsider in both worlds

the only downside is, due to how busy ganyu is, she doesn't get to see you often and you aren't about to lumber your way into liyue harbor and subject yourself to a fearful mob

would be undoubtedly excited if you gained a communication device of some sort, allowing you both to talk and have full conversations with one another that wasn't simply her rambling about her days but even if you didn't, she'd find your way of showing her you care about her lovely

you like ganyu truly........... you're just 99% sure that she thinks of you as something more like a pet than a romantic interest even if she isn't completely human

Yun Jin

If you made a list of characters you thought you could befriend as geovishap, yun jin wouldn't be on it

And yet apparently life had different plans when you encountered the opera singer during one of her nature stints to rehearse and come up with new operas to write

Yun Jin would describe it as something straight out of fiction. A lone girl singing in the forest only to come face to face with a geovishap... but rather than attacking or growing aggressive, the stone creature simply watched in enjoyment

Perhaps that is something worthy of a script!

Of course, that doesn't mean Yun Jin threw all caution out to the wind. In her eyes, you're still a wild animal with elemental abilities and she doesn't wish to subject herself to fucking around and finding out with you

But hoping that this could become a friendship where she at least could start bringing some sort of food with her, you make it habit to watch her rehearse when she finds herself in the same spot time and time again

A surprisingly effective method though because each time you show up to watch Yun Jin perform, the more she lets her guard down. Apparently even a geovishap enjoys partaking in the arts

She won't be apt to feed you after a few weeks though, she'll likely share a snack with you after a couple months only when she is absolutely sure you're not a threat

When she does, you rejoice you have something to nibble on that isn't just edible berries and fruits because you refuse to eat anything else a geovishap eats

Makes you some sort of head dress so it is always easy to tell that you're the geovishap that she often spends her time with. Something of nature, of course, you're not a pet in her eyes. Simply a kindred spirit of another species

[reallychaoticwoo]

- [ ] Hello!!! Can I request an alpha Ateez(either Hongjoong, yunho, or Yeosang) x omega reader. Set in real time, where reader came with them on the towards the light tour because her heat or his rut was due to hit during the tour. And kinda drag out the waiting, maybe with a touch on the angst side. Like neither wants to separate cuz it hurts to be far from the other. Like reader or [HJ, YH, or YS] are already in pre rut/heat and when they finally get back to the hotel it hits. And maybe include nesting?

⛓️Sorry it took so long but this is my first a/b/o fic so i wanted to do some research and feel more confident in writing this. Id also like to add i decided to make some extra decisions and have some fun with it but i hope you'll enjoy it regardless!⛓️

✨️ Towards The Night Part 1 ✨️

📝 Word Count: 5.7k

❤️Pairing: Technically ot8 x reader but VERY Yunho heavy

⚠️Warnings: MDNI 18+ ONLY!

‼️This is purely for entertainment purposes and does not represent the idols in any way‼️

🖤Hope you enjoy it! This is absolutely going to end up being a series, but it will take time! I'm not fully confident in writing a/b/o smut yet and am hoping to feel better about my spicey abilities before the next chapter comes out! I sincerely can't thank you enough for all your support and your patience as i know this took forever, but i genuinely hope you enjoy it!🖤

Waking up in Seonghwa's arms wasn't out of the ordinary for you. This morning was no different. As your eyes opened, still hazy from your slumber, you rolled to nuzzle closer to the only other omega in your pack. You often found yourself searching for comfort in your fellow omega, falling into his arms when your anxiety was high, stress had gotten the best of you, or really for anything your alphas and betas wouldn't understand as well as Hwa would. He pressed a gentle kiss to the top of your head, "Good morning baby, did you sleep well?". You could only nod into his chest, smiling contently. You had slept well, but your anxiety was still high knowing your pack had an upcoming tour in America.

It wasn't but two years ago that you'd entered the pack. Seonghwa stumbling upon you after one of their concerts in the states. You were hiding in a utility closet in one of the back rooms. Your heat had started full force during the concert and you panicked, picking somewhere you felt would keep you safe away from the crowd, any alpha's, and hopefully, yourself. You'd always loved Ateez and it was your first concert ever. You knew your heat would be soon, but in the euphoria of the moment, their voices and dances mesmerizing you, your heat hit hard and sudden. Seonghwa had smelt your fear, and your heat, from the stage, and searched to find where it was coming from after the show. He offered help, and a place for you to stay. You half heartedly accepted knowing your only other option was to return to the pack you ran away from, the pack you loathed.

You explained to the dark haired man that you'd never had a partner during a heat and you were terrified to have one due to past instances. He eased your worries and helped you himself as much as he could but he knew it wasn't enough and that's when you got introduced to the rest of his pack, to Ateez. Yunho ultimately being the first one to fully knot you and subside your pain. He made sure to constantly ask if you were okay, what you were comfortable with, and even so much as went out of his way to get men's birth control before actually knotting you. He always made your comfort and wellbeing the most important priority. They all did, and still do.

Funny how much can happen in just two years. Now you were a sole part of them, a part they could never imagine living without. You'd gone from a shy little omega to a confident, goofy, and oh so loving woman. They loved you. You loved them. No one so much as questioned bringing you home back then and after about 3 short months you'd been fully integrated into their pack. You were theirs as much as they were yours. You trusted them with every fiber of your being and to this day they have never given you a reason not to.

Hongjoong, the head alpha. Captain, as you all call him. He is confident, strict, often busy, but he is also very loving especially when it comes to you and Hwa, his omegas. Yeosang, San, and Yunho are the other alphas of the pack. San being somewhat like Captain's left hand man. The mountain of a man is a force to be reckoned with if anyone tries to harm the pack. Yeosang taking the task of being a more behind the scenes helper. He's there when needed but he is often more calculated and helps with planning and the execution of events the pack will be attending (of course, this really puts him as more of Hwa's helper than Joong's but i digress). Yunho is Captain's right hand man, his 2nd in command if Hongjoong were unable to attend certain events or isn't feeling well. Although Yunho was one of the softer alphas in the group, you most definitely did not want to get on his bad side.

Of course you couldn't forget your betas, your choatic but "stoic" as Jongho would call himself, group of men. Jongho is definitely the least hectic of the three. You'd often spend time together quietly reading or conversing in each other's rooms. Wooyoung, your other half, constantly keeping you on your feet, taking almost everything as a joke, and rilling you up because he can. He's always been a needy brat, but so have you. And Mingi, somehow the world's biggest princess and also one of the most abrasive in the pack. You'd swear he was meant to be an alpha if it weren't for his unbearable but adorable need to be coddled every other day. They all felt like home to you now. They all are home to you now.

Pulling you out of your thoughts Seonghwa wrapped his arms around your waist pulling you to rest on top of him. You tried pushing yourself up only to immediately be pulled back into his chest before a soft kiss was placed to your hair. "I can tell something is wrong my love. Your scent isn't as lively and refreshing and you look lost in your eyes. Tell me what's on your mind." You sighed, knowing you couldn't keep anything from him, from any of them. Not that you necessarily want to hide things, but they always have so much on their plates you don't want to add to their stress. "I'm just nervous about you all leaving again.. My heat is supposed to start while you all are on tour and I don't know if I'll be able to handle it alone anymore.. Plus I'm going to miss you all like crazy." Your eyes were starting to gloss over at the thought.

You knew they'd have to leave again for tours eventually. It hadn't been a problem until now as most of their tours were close enough you could travel back and forth if needed, to visit them. Not this time though, this time they'd be gone for a least a month. "Darling, do you really think we would leave you here during your heat? Do you really think we'd leave you here at all??" The look on his face was like you'd pulled his heart out of his chest. He seemed pained at the possibility of you thinking they'd ever leave you behind. You looked at him with big doe eyes, a little embarrassed now. "You.. you never said I would be coming with you.. I thought.. I figured.." Unable to finish what you were saying, Hwa pulled you into him placing his soft lips on yours. A short but loving kiss calming every nerve in your body as his scent surrounded you in everything him. Once you finally relaxed into him once again he said, "We would never leave you behind my love. We couldn't even dream of it. You are absolutely coming with us." You smiled, a sigh of relief escaping your lips. Nuzzling yourself into him, your head resting in the curve of his neck, needing him as close to you as humanly possible in this moment. You were fine, of course you were, they've always made sure you were included and taken care of. Your loves.

After your morning cuddles, and reassuring talk with Hwa, the two of you got dressed and made your way out to the kitchen. Wooyoung was the first to spot the two of you. Sitting at the island, grinning ear to ear. "Good morning doll face! Did you have any good dreams? Dream of me?" You giggled, making your way over to the beta before wrapping your arms around his neck planting a cheeky kiss to his nose. Before you could answer the eager man, Hwa rolled his eyes and answered for you. "I highly doubt you were in her dreams Woo. She was in my bed after all." He didn't wait for the younger man to answer, making his way to the fridge to find something to make the two of you for breakfast. You climbed your way up onto Woo's lap pinching his cheeks once you were comfortably sat. "Oh don't pout Youngie. That just means you'll have to have me sleep in your bed tonight, so I can dream of you." You shot him a wink and leaned in to kiss his neck in the spot you knew would rile him up the most. "Oh, I'm not pouting babe. I'm plotting." The most Cheshire grin appearing on his face at his own admission. "Don't know if I should be excited or roll my eyes."

Hopping off the betas lap you spotted Yunho and Yeosang sitting in the livingroom playing Mario Kart and made your way to where they were sat on the couch. "Morning Yu, morning Yeo." You greeted them while planting small kisses to the top of each man's head. "Morning beautiful." Yeo looked up at you from his spot reaching up to pull you in for a quick peck. "How'd you sleep, sweetheart?" Yunho asked before pulling you around the couch and into his lap. Wiggling around in his lap to get yourself comfortable you looked up at him with a bright smile on your face. "I slept really well actually! I was a bit anxious waking up though but Hwa cleared that up for me." Yunho, ever the sweetheart, pulled you even closer into him so you could rest your head on his shoulder. Pushing out his scent to reassure himself that you'd continue to be happy this morning before asking, "That's good baby. I'm glad Hwa was able to help. I wanted to ask you though, since you're heat is coming up and we will obviously be in the middle of touring have you thought about who you want to help you through it? We won't all be able to take turns like usual without it becoming a bit obvious that something is happening."

You hadn't thought about it really. I mean just this morning you'd assumed you'd be at home fending for yourself before Hwa told you that you'd be coming with them. "Um.. no I haven't really thought about it.." Your scent was starting to sour only slightly but enough for the two alphas sitting with you to notice. "Wooyoung would be a good choice darling. Since he has a valid medical reason we could use to explain his absence." Yeo offered, always the one to think ahead. "I know he can't knot you but with his sex drive I don't doubt he'd be able to at the very least take away the pain." You looked at the two men before resting your head back in it's spot, breathing in deeply at Yunho's scent to ground yourself. "That would be smart, but I'd still like to think about it if that's okay with everyone?" "Of course baby, we'll talk to the rest of the guys and let them know that you need time to consider your options." Yunho said, before lifting you with him, to take you to Hwa who had just finished breakfast for the two of you.

Breakfast with Hwa went by quickly. The two of you just chatting and enjoying each other's company. Not long after, deciding you needed a shower and somewhere to think about who would be the one to keep you company this heat, you made your way to your room. Walking into the spacious bathroom connected to your room, you turned on the shower and waited for the water to warm up. Once the temperature was right you stepped into the shower letting the streams of water encompass you and your thoughts. Yes, Wooyoung would be the most logical choice. He had recently gotten a diagnosis that the fans were aware of, so it made sense. Yet, something inside you knew who you really wanted, who you needed this time around. You pushed the thought to the side though. Knowing it'd be best for everyone if Wooyoung were the one to help.

You spent the rest of your shower thinking about Yunho. How even though he wasn't the head alpha of the pack he'd always kind of been your alpha. Hongjoong was a wonderful alpha and he was always so loving with you, but he was often busy, which you couldn't really fault him for. Yeosang, although an alpha, was more reserved and often his affection for you wouldn't come out on front of the others. You didn't mind that much, it just made the time you spent together more special. Yunho, however, he was the first to check on you when you weren't okay. He'd be the first to leave whatever he was doing at the drop of a hat to be by your side if you needed him, even if you didn't need him. It always felt like he needed you as much as you did him. He's always been caring, attentive, supportive, and everything you could ask of him and then some. You love them all equally, but Yunho holds a special place in your heart. After all, he was the first alpha to ever knot you, the first one of the pack to tell you that you belong with them but only if you wanted to be with them. He was the first one to tell you that he loved you. He was a lot of firsts and you needed him to be the first one who got to claim you, the first to adorn your neck with his mark.

Finally pulling yourself together and getting your thoughts back on the more logical side you left the comfort of your shower and dressed yourself. The second you were back in your room you heard a knock at the door. "Come in." You called sitting on your bed, propped up on some pillows. "Hey, just wanted to check in with you. Yunho informed us that you hadn't decided on your heat partner. I just wanted to see where your heads at." Hongjoong said, making his way to the foot of your bed. "Yeo mentioned that Woo would be a smart choice. You know, since his diagnosis and all. I know it'll be a bit rougher not being knotted, but I have to agree that Woo makes the most sense." Hongjoong nodded in response. "I think that is a smart idea, but are you sure you don't want one of your alphas baby? You know we wouldn't mind being by your side even if it meant having to come up with a reason to tell the public."

You knew that. Of course you knew they wouldn't mind but it's not fair to ask that of them. "I know, Joong. I'm happy to have Woo be with me during my heat. I think it may be fun to see if he can actually handle me all by himself. He always talks such a big game." A devilish smirk appeared on your face at the last sentence. You giggled at the idea of Woo having to admit defeat and call one of his alphas to help free him of the beast that is you during your heat. "If that's what you want then I'll let everyone know. If for any reason you do change your mind though, you can always call me, or any of us, to be by your side." With that, he stood, but before leaving he placed a quick kiss to your lips, slowly adding more passion as he pulled you closer to him. "I've missed you, love. I'm sorry I've been so busy. Once this tour is over I promise I'll take you somewhere nice and we can have some time together, just us for a couple days. Does that sound okay?" His scent was starting to dull, you knew he felt bad he wasn't always able to give you the affection you deserved, he wanted to more than anything, you knew that. He is an amazing alpha, but that comes with it's disadvantages sometimes, yet you never questioned his love for you regardless of the time spent together. "That sounds perfect Captain. I can't wait." This time it was you who was pulling him in for a kiss, before letting him leave to talk with the rest of the pack.

Time seemed to fly by oh so fast. After plenty of discussions with the group about how your heat would be handled on tour, your rooming arrangements for when you started feeling the urge to nest, and a ton of reminders that you can call any of them to be by your side if needed, it was finally time to head back to the states. Arriving at the airport, you made sure to dress like you were staff and not a member. You never minded having to hide your relationship with them much, but this time, it seemed to hurt in an unexpected way. It was probably something to do with the fact that everything inside of you has been begging you to finally claim your pack, to have them claim you.

You pushed those thoughts to the side, though, at least for now. The airport was full of fans, paparazzi, and the usual sasaengs. You'd heard a few fans making comments about why there was so much luggage, considering that at least 3 of the members of Ateez were usually half naked. You tried to hide your smile as you made your way to the plane, only you and the guys knew that 80% of those suitcases were the items you'd broughten with you for your nest. Finally boarding the plane, away from all the prying eyes and women swooning over your men, Yunho pulled you to sit in between himself and Mingi. "You can relax now, princess. I can tell something has you bothered. You're usually calm during travel. Are you scared of planes?" Mingi asked you cocking his head to the side. You smelled different, not bad, but not good either. He and Yunho didn't understand why traveling this time around seemed to cause you some kind of discomfort. The two men quickly started pushing out their scents trying to help ease your mind off of whatever was bothering you.

You leaned into Yunho's side trying to get closer to the tall male, pulling Mingi's hand into your own trying to keep him close as well. "No, I'm not scared of planes Min." You looked at him, and then back to Yunho before looking down to your tightened grip on the younger of the two's hand. "I just.. I hate having to hide that I'm yours.. that I'm with all of you. It didn't use to bother me. I've always understood why but for some reason it's just really gotten to me this time. I'm sorry." You were on the verge of tears. The two tower like men immediately sandwiched you between them in an awkward and somewhat uncomfortable hug. It helped though, they always helped ease your mind when it wondered a little too far into itself.

"Oh honey, you know we want nothing more than to claim you as ours and to be claimed as yours. I know we've only somewhat discussed it in the past but how about once we get back home we can all sit down together and really talk about it? This should be something everyone is on the same page about and something we all inform management of together, okay baby?" Placing a gentle longering kiss to your forehead Yunho lifted your face to look at him. "I promise there will be no more hiding anything very soon, okay darling? Even if it's just you and me, you won't have to hide what we have anymore." Mingi was quick to follow, "We are yours babygirl, no one else's. And soon enough everyone will know that." Pulling them closer into you, your tears started to fall, this time, because you felt reassured. Something you oh so desperately needed, something that's been clawing away at you internally, finally accepting that they want you just as much. "I love you." Your voice but a soft whisper to the alpha and beta that currently surrounded you in their arms. "We love you honey" They responded in unison.

Sleep had consumed you for the vast majority of your flight. Finally reaching your destination you and the rest of the members and staff all gathered your things and began to leave the plane. Discrete black vehicles waiting for you and the guys to take you to where you'd be staying for the first stop of the tour. Splitting into a group of 4 and a group of 5 you all loaded into the suv's. You'd asked to join the eldests members for the drive as you knew Yunho would be in their vehicle. You weren't quite ready to leave his side yet.

Sitting in the middle of the far back row, Yunho was to your right and Yeosang to your left. Seonghwa, who was seated in front of Yeosang in the row in front of you, turned to face you. "How are you feeling darling? Your scent hasn't been nearly as pleasant since we made it to the airport." His face was littered with concern. His eyes scanned your face searching for a glimpse of reassurance to his ever worrying mind. You couldn't lie to him if you wanted to, not when he'd been able to smell the souring scent that's been seeping off of you these past two days. So you didn't. You wrapped your hands around each other toying with your thumbs before opening your mouth, only to close it again.

Yunho, being the ever so attentive alpha he was pulled a hand from your lap into his before answering for you. "She's feeling a bit vulnerable with things being so close to her heat. We briefly talked on the plane, but we have something we all need to talk about after the tour." Gripping the tall man's thigh silently thanking him, you cleared your throat still unable to look up at your fellow omega. "Its just been a lot recently having to hide us. I know that's what we discussed when I came into this, and I have been perfectly fine with that until recently. I just.. it's almost painful now having to hide being yours.. having to hide us. But we don't have to talk about it unless you want to. ALL of you.." Hongjoong, who was seating in the seat in front of Yunho, whipped his head around to look at you. His face that of pure happiness, something you wished you could see more of from the head alpha, he looked ravishing when he was genuinely happy. "My love, I can confirm for all of us, nothing would make us happier. Yunho is right though, it still needs to be talked about with everyone. We will have to inform management as well, of course, but we can do that after the fact. Id rather ask for forgiveness than for permission when it comes to our blue bird."

Blue bird, you heart melted at the term. It took you back to when you'd officially come home with them after tour, after your first terrifying but exhilarating heat with them. Hongjoong and you talked for hours about your past with your previous pack and all you had endured during that time. He told you how with them you would never have to be scared. You would always be free to make your own choices, free to leave if you ever so wished, or free to stay, to be with them. But you were as free as a blue bird. The same blue bird that had given you the strength to leave your pack in the first place. Their blue bird.

3 weeks had passed and you were only a week away from your heat, or so you thought. Having joined the crowd of fans every concert, this time you did as well but stayed very close to the exit that led to the dressing rooms just incase. You'd been especially needy these past 2 days and even more so nurturing. You were constantly checking if the guys needed anything, making sure they were all well fed, and finding every excuse to have at least one of them sit down long enough for you to curl up in their lap. Now, staring up at the men you loved so desperately on stage you were their biggest fan yet again. The smile on your face was unwavering as you took them it like it was your first concert all over again. You danced with them from your spot in the standing area. You sang your heart out. You barked especially loudly praying they could pull your voice out of everyone else's in the crowd. Which of course they did. The sound of you, the looks passed between all of you had triggered some especially sexy demon line moments much to the crowds and your own pleasure.

You were in pure bliss. That is, until Wake Up began. Your heatrate skyrocketed, your body becoming insanely and intensely hot. You started to panic and then the chorus hit. Without missing a beat you looked to your loves and they all quickly looked at you, except Yunho who kept hold of your eyes his entire body roll. You snapped, doubling over in pain. You needed to get out NOW. Alerting a security guard to the best of your abilities, he help you through the small crowd in your way and to the dressing room. You were glad the guys had demanded that every dressing room be scent proof during the tour, otherwise you'd be terrified at the possibility of any other alphas finding you. You tried to pull yourself together but you were sweating profusely and undressing to try and cool yourself down as much as possible until Wooyoung could make his way to you. You'd found the luggage you'd kept in the dressing room. Their clothes from previous concerts you nuzzled into Sans ripped shirt trying to breathe in his scent. It only made the pain all the worse, you needed relief, any kind of relief. You were barely in control of yourself anymore your primal need had fully enveloped you.

As soon as you had given in to your urges, trying desperately to find any sense of relief through your own hands, Wooyoung opened the door and slipped in. "Poor 'mega you couldn't just wait for me?" His smirk was condescending but loving. "Need... n.. need help.. Please." "Pretty girl, so needy. We have to get you prepped first love." He said as he stalked his way to you. The look in his eyes hungry, he was going to enjoy taking his time with you. In seconds, he was between your legs, his hands massaging your thighs as he pulled them further apart. He licked a devilish slit up your folds, earning a soft moan from you. Another painfully slow lick and your hand shot to grasp his hair. "M-more. Need more." You could feel the smirk against your entrance as he indulged himself in you. His tongue making firm calculated flicks over your bud. He moved one of his hands up your thigh, giving it a hard grab before moving it down to your opening and inserting a single finger. He pumped it in time with his licks, and your eyes rolled back. "Such a pretty omega, so responsive, so needy for relief." He cooed. You whined and bucked your hips into his hand earning you a harsh slap on your cunt.

"I need more, please, please, Woo.. more." You couldn't get enough. you need for release so close and yet so far. He went back at it, his tongue picking up speed as he slid two more fingers in, finding the spot that would have you coming undone the fastest. You had tears in your eyes. It wasn't enough. Nothing would be right now. You knew what you really needed, who you really needed. Wooyoung was relentlessly thrusting his slender digits into you he knew he could get you there. You cried out, a feral growl escaping from deep within you. He stopped instantly, looking at you with wide eyes. "Get Yunho. Now." Your voice was barely your own. His face was a mixture of hurt and understanding as he stood from his place between your legs. "Wooyoung.. please.. I'm sorry.. I just need Yunho, please.. I need a knot.." You managed to get out between heavy panting breaths. Thankfully, Woo was understanding. He knew he wouldn't be able to knot you like you needed, but he was just happy you were willing to let him try to satiate your needs in the first place. "You got it 'mega." With that, he quickly left.

You were a teary-eyed, panting mess by time. Yunho finally made it into the dressing room. What seemed like it took ages really only took half of a song before Yunho was running off stage. You'd both have to figure that out later. Right now, you needed him and his knot. "Y-Yunho.." You whined, looking up at the skyscraper of a man through your lashes. "I'm right here, love. Did Woo get you prepped?" You nodded quickly. You couldn't wait anymore. "It's okay baby, we'll get you full and knotted. Alphas here now." You practically purred at the word. Alpha. As Yunho undressed, you were practically drooling. His muscular torso, the way his large hands unbuttoned each button painfully slow, his painfully long member finally coming into view. You were dripping in need. He made his way to you, grabbing you by the scruff of your neck and pulling you in for a breathtakingly passionate kiss while he readied his length with your slick.

"Now you're gonna be a good omega and take all of it right, sweetheart?" You nodded vigorously, "Yes, yes! Please, Yunho.. I'll be so good!" He placed a gentle kiss to your forehead before he made his first diabolically deep thrust. "Aahhh fuck!!" He was huge, in girth and length. His tip, kissed your cervix and you gasped in pleasurable pain. "Such a pretty girl, so beautiful when you moan for me baby." He reared back, pulling out all the way until the tip and snapped back in. "F-FUCK YUNHOOO!" Tears threatened to fall as you cried his name. His smirk was devastating handsome knowing you called for him made him all the more eager to please.

His thrusts became beautifully timed, each one hitting hard and deep, his balls slapping your ass as he buried himself in your walls. Your hands found purchase on his toned back, clawing and holding on as if he'd slip away before he could knot you before he could mark you as his. "Alpha... please.. please.." You knew exactly what you wanted, needed. "Please, what pretty girl? Use your words 'mega." His pace became faster, and he placed his hand over your stomach as he rutted into you, earning himself a beautiful moan with each and every thrust. "Please.. fuck... alpha. Need- need your knot.. need you to mark me.. please." Your legs were beginning to shake, tears escaping your eyes as you stared up at Yunho silently begging him to give you what you need. "Baby..." He wasn't hesitant. You haven't fully discussed it with the group. "Please Yunho, fuck please, I'm gonna... aahhhhhh!! Need it, need it now." He couldn't control himself any longer his thrusts became more frantic.

You had consumed his very being in that moment. Just as your walls began to clamp down on him, he spurted hot white ropes deep inside you, his teeth bared, and he bit down hard. As his knot inflated, you moaned in pain but also in relief. "S-so big.. so full." He lapped at the spot he'd bit, sealing it, when you finally realized. "Y-y..You actually marked me?" Tears fell again as you pulled him into you, careful not to tug him too hard and pull at the knot, still tying the two of you together. "You asked me to. You know I'd do anything to make you happy, and I've wanted it just as bad as you have." Before he could pull away to look at you, you bared your teeth and bit down on his mating gland. He let out a deep growl in your ear that made your walls clench on his deflating knot. Placing tiny kitten licks to the mark, you whispered in his ear, "I love you, but you know they're gonna kill us now, right?" He laughed nervously. He knew the rest of the men would not be happy, but he hoped they'd understand.

"We'll talk about it later, we need to get you fed, cleaned up, and to your room and your nest before you get too far into your rut." You smiled at his as he slowly pulled out of you. Feeling much more yourself now, you stretched your neck out, feeling the freshness of his mark in your skin. "You know, it's your fault it happened so suddenly. If you hadn't stared me down during that body roll, I probably would've made it through the concert." You giggled as you propped yourself up on your forearms, your legs still needing time to recover. "Well, I'm glad I did. It got me this." He said as he tilted his head to expose his mark. Once he was fully dressed, Yunho helped you put on your clothes, making sure to be extra gentle around your fresh mark. "Now let's get you to our room for the week, baby. I'm ready for some cuddles while I still have time to get them." You leaned into him, placing a sweet kiss to his lips as he lifted you bridal style. He carried you to the car he'd called before coming to the dressing room, and the two of you sat together in comfortable silence on the way to the hotel. You knew you'd have to talk to the rest of the guys soon before your heat came full force, but for now, you just wanted to enjoy this time with Yunho.

[multi-fandoms-posts]

Twin Trouble

Cherik x reader

X Men Masterlist

Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr are sitting together in the living room of their cozy villa. Today, they have taken on the task of looking after their twins, William and Henry, so that Y/N, their wife and the boys’ mother, can enjoy a well-deserved break. The twins, energetic three-year-olds, have the same fire in their hearts as their fathers. William has inherited his father Erik’s ability and can already use it a little. Charles senses a spark of telepathy in his son Henry, but Henry cannot yet fully utilize this ability.

“How hard can it be?” Erik asks, leaning back casually. “We’ve saved the world from destruction. Two little boys won’t bring us to our knees,” he says confidently.

Charles smiles and nods, though he secretly suspects it won’t be that easy. “They’re only three years old, Erik. What could possibly go wrong?” says Charles, but no sooner are the words out of his mouth than William and Henry are already running around the sofas, chasing each other and screaming with excitement. William is holding a toy car, which he’s flying through the air, while Henry giggles loudly and tries to grab the car from his brother.

“Dad, look at this!” William shouts proudly, crashing the car onto the coffee table. It’s just a small, harmless toy, but Erik flinches slightly as if he had felt the impact himself.

“Careful, William,” Erik says, trying to remain calm. “We don’t throw things.”

“But Dad, I’m just like you! I can make everything fly!” William beams and sends the car soaring through the air again before it crashes into a lamp, which wobbles precariously.

“William!” Charles warns this time, extending a calming hand. “Erik, we need to set some boundaries for them.”

Erik sighs deeply. “Yes, yes. I’ll handle it. William, come here.” He takes the car from his son and sits him on his lap. “We can make the car fly later together. But we don’t want to wake Mom, do we?” Erik asks.

Meanwhile, Henry has quietly sneaked out of his fathers’ sight and begun climbing onto a chair to reach the cookies on the kitchen counter. Charles notices just in time and quickly goes over to him.

“Henry, my dear, why don’t you just ask for the cookies?” Charles gently lifts his son off the chair. “You don’t have to do everything by yourself.”

“But Dad, I’m hungry!” Henry replies, looking at his father with big eyes.

“I know, sweetheart. Here, have a cookie, but we need to be patient too, okay?”

But before Charles can hand him the cookie, a loud crash comes from the living room. He hurries back to find William, who has now turned the rug in the middle of the room upside down and is crawling underneath it, while Erik desperately tries to contain the chaos.

“William, stop that! Oh, Charles, what were we thinking?” Erik runs a hand through his hair, visibly overwhelmed. William laughs, undeterred, and calls from his hiding place, “Dad, come play!”

“This won’t do,” Charles murmurs, trying to regain control. “Boys, let’s play a game that doesn’t make such a mess,” Charles calls out.

“But Dad, this is fun!” Henry protests, tugging on his father while William reappears and tips over a toy box, scattering its contents in all directions.

“Erik, we need to distract them somehow,” Charles says in desperation as Henry starts building a fortress with the toy blocks. “They need a quieter activity.”

“How about a book?” Erik suggests, though he doubts it will be the solution.

But before they can even try this idea, everything spirals out of control. William and Henry have now decided that the entire living room is their castle. Charles tries to calm the situation with his telepathic powers, but the twins are simply too wound up.

“I think we’ve overestimated ourselves,” Erik finally admits, as Henry suddenly starts crying because his fortress has collapsed, and William loudly accuses him of doing it on purpose.

“Mama! I want Mama!” Henry cries through his tears, while William joins his brother in demanding their mother.

Charles and Erik exchange helpless looks. “Maybe… maybe we should really take them to Y/N,” Charles finally suggests. “It seems only she can tame their chaos.”

Erik reluctantly nods. “You’re right. Let’s get Y/N.”

As they bring the children into their bedroom, Y/N is lying relaxed on the bed, but the twins’ loud crying has already woken her up. She smiles wearily when she sees her two sons, who immediately throw themselves into her arms.

“What’s wrong, my loves?” she asks gently, stroking their hair soothingly.

“Daddy and Daddy broke everything!” William complains, while Henry just sobs.

Y/N throws an amused glance at Charles and Erik. “Looks like you two had your hands full,” she grins slightly.

“That’s an understatement,” Erik murmurs, leaning against the door. “We thought we could give you a little rest, but…”

“They’re a handful,” adds Charles, sitting down beside Y/N and gently rubbing Henry’s back. “Maybe we’re just not as good at this as you are,” he sighs.

Y/N chuckles softly. “You did your best. But sometimes, they just need their mom.” Y/N says, giving William and Henry a kiss.

“Maybe next time… we should have a Plan B,” Erik suggests, and everyone laughs, even the twins, who have now calmed down and are content in their mother’s arms.

“Yes, that would be wise,” Charles agrees. “But until then… they’re better off with you,” Charles says, and Y/N laughs in response.

[wimpy-imp]

so i was really hoping this would be over.

But it wouldn't be being queer without untold financial trouble.

because of all your generous donations my partner and I managed to get a deposit down on a place (finally). it comes fully furnished and the bills would only be energy and internet. It would probably be rough for a little bit but we'd make it and it wouldn't be happening without the generous people on this site.

And then my bank removed my arranged overdraft.

There was no warning and i had to go in person to find out it's because it'd been sat at the maximum for about a month. so now I'm suddenly £1000 in actual debt that i need to pay off.

i was told if i can start paying it off i should be able to apply for it again but I'm currently only at the applying for jobs stage so i won't be getting a paycheck any time soon. the money you have all given so far is in a different account and will be supporting us with the cost of food and other living expenses. and my partner's can cover rent and utility bills for at least a month.

if you give £1 or more i can do a quick 5 minute doodle of anything you want to the best of my ability as a thank you. please be patient if it takes a bit to receive. there's a lot going on at this moment

£0/1000

I'm @ WimpyImp on PayPal (use friends and family). I'll also include the QR code and my kofi under the cut

thank you for any help you can give even if it's just reblogging and have a good rest of your day

I swear I wouldn't be asking if i knew any other option right now. Please help a disabled T4T couple stay as far out of debt as possible.

[hrizantemy]

Was there a valid reason for Amren to be Rhys‘s second? why make her his second? What did she contribute to the night court?

I thought it would make sense for Cassian, the general of the night court, to be his second? All Amren does is give out history lessons… and now she’s even more useless than before.

The fact that this whole scene of Rhys telling Feyre who his second and third are and her thinking „omg, the females are his side??!“, you can tell it was only to show what a great feminist he is.

At least I know the roles the guys play, I still don’t know wtf Mor and Amren can give. For fuck‘s sake, even Feyre is useless as High lady. They’re only important as warriors and that’s sad.

Rhysand’s decision to make Amren his second has always seemed questionable, especially when contrasted with Cassian’s role as the general of his armies. The reasoning behind Amren being his second is never fully fleshed out beyond the vague sense of her being powerful, ancient, and knowledgeable about history and magic. Yet, what has Amren truly contributed to the Night Court? Her primary purpose in the series seems to be offering cryptic advice, acting as a translator for ancient languages, and, on occasion, threatening others with her past power.

Amren’s actual role as Rhys’s second feels largely ceremonial. She is given the title, but there are very few moments when she is shown doing anything that justifies this position. Her biggest contribution was during the war against Hybern when she used the Cauldron to destroy their forces—except that came at the cost of her powers, leaving her a mortal being without the abilities that once made her such a formidable force. Now, as a regular fae, her importance has dwindled significantly, yet she still holds her lofty title. But what does she do now? Hand out history lessons? She doesn’t fight. She doesn’t command armies. She doesn’t seem to have any political clout. So why does she still hold such a crucial position in the Night Court hierarchy?

Morrigan’s role feels equally underdeveloped. She’s described as the “Queen of the Court of Nightmares,” a position that implies she has some political authority. However, this authority is meaningless when the people of the Hewn City despise her, and she despises them in return. She’s supposed to be their queen or leader in some way, yet there’s no real evidence that she’s ever done anything to lead or help these people. In fact, the Inner Circle constantly looks down on the Hewn City as lesser, so why should Mor’s title even matter if she herself doesn’t care for those she’s meant to rule? It’s a title that exists purely for show.

The irony is that Mor’s role as Rhysand’s third, the alleged ruler of the Court of Nightmares, holds little weight when the Night Court places more value on its warriors—Cassian, Azriel, and even Feyre in her role as High Lady. Cassian and Azriel command armies, gather intelligence, and actually do the work needed to protect the Night Court. Meanwhile, Mor’s most significant contribution is her power, which is seldom utilized, and her role in dealing with Hewn City is never really explored or shown beyond a few vague mentions. It’s as if Rhys’s decision to make her third was more about optics, a way to show that he places women in positions of power, but there’s little substance behind it.

And then there’s Feyre, the High Lady of the Night Court—another title that seems hollow. Feyre’s role as High Lady is more symbolic than anything. While she occasionally participates in battles, most of her time is spent doing…what? She’s neither a strategist, a politician, nor a leader in any tangible sense. Much like Amren and Mor, Feyre’s role feels as though it exists to project an image of equality within the court, but none of the women actually wield the kind of influence or responsibility that Cassian or Azriel do.

At the end of the day, Amren and Mor are mostly useless in their roles. Their titles and positions are more about creating a sense of balance and progression than actually giving them meaningful contributions. Amren has lost her power and contributes little more than historical knowledge, and Morrigan, the supposed queen of Hewn City, does nothing for the people she’s supposed to lead and dislikes them just as much as they dislike her. The real work of the Night Court is done by the male warriors, while the women’s roles, especially Mor’s and Amren’s, feel superficial at best.

[actually-factually-anonymous]

Ladybug Vs Avatar's use of the supporting cast and the problem thereof.

I'm not sure if this has been covered before, but there's a serious problem with Marinette being the be-all end-all of everything in Miaculous.

And it's not just because "she's stressed" or "it's all on her". Her being the most important, talented and plot-relevant character in every situation is.

Let's make a comparison to the Gold Standard:

In Avatar the Last Airbender, Aang is the axis of the story. He holds incredible powers beyond anyone else, can bend every element and could conceivably end the entire conflict that plagues his world with relative ease- which he eventually does.

However, for 99% of the story he cannot do so. Because Aang is untrained, he cannot access that divine win-button of the Avatar State at will, and using it carried enormous risks to himself and those around him- making it functionally unusable for common conflicts. Furthermore while he does technically have the capacity to use all four elements, he had only mastered one and needed to learn the remaining three.

Indeed, Aang has outright difficulty with learning Earthbending despite his innate talents and while he's a quick study for the other two, he doesn't demonstrate the same effectiveness with water and fire as Katara and Zuko.

This means that Aang cannot do certain things as well as the others in his team. This means that for the majority of the story, even though his first and preferred element provides him with useful abilities" Aang has weaknesses that he needs others to cover and provide for.

Enter Katara, Sokka, Toph and Zuko.

Katara is a waterbender who teaches Aang and later advances her powers to include the all-important power of healing and the disturbingly effective (though situational) Bloodbending.

Toph is an earthbender who is also one of Aang's teachers, and whose tremor sense later allows her to both detect liars and invent Metalbending.

Sokka is seemingly just the comic relief normie. However his technical mindset allows him to serve as the general of the group, and even plan and lead in that role for entire armies later in the show.

Even Zuko who joins later and becomes less a teacher but a fellow student alongside Aaang in firebending is a skilled infiltrator and melee weapon expert. (This is less of a case than the others since it's not used as much, but it's more of a concrete example than his insights into the fire nation and his potential utility as a replacement Fire Lord).

They each provide far more than those short summaries, but it's important to note that in each case, even when Aang does learn the elements and starts growing into his role as the Avatar: he never gains the full range of abilities that his team offers. He never assumes the fully strategic mindset of Sokka, and even though it's downright implausible that no Avatar before him never learnt healing, he never demonstrates that ability or any Metalbending prowess even in the Avatar state.

There's also the enemy trio of Azula, Ty Lee and Mai. Azula is a powerful firebending genius, but Mai's prowess with her throwing weapons are a close match- and Ty Lee's chi-blocking can outright cripple enemy benders for any given fight when combined with her insane agility: something that not even Azula can do with her firebending. They are an incredibly dangerous combination and when Azula loses them, she becomes far less effective for their absence.

In both teams despite the leader being a powerful, talented bender who is objectively the strongest person on their respective side: there's no doubt about each member of the team contributing something that said leader cannot.

-

Now let's look at Miraculous:

Marinette is the "Greatest Ladybug" of all time despite being fourteen, only having had the earrings for less than a year, and having a list of predecessors that go back literally thousands of years and include Joan of Arc.

She is also the Guardian of the Miracle Box. Specifically she is the Guardian of The Mother Box that is the most important of all the boxes, despite there being at least a full Temple's worth of actually trained candidates somewhere in Tibet who should be far and above more capable than her or her mentor Fu. However, her supposed superior Su-Han seems entirely convinced that she's already surpassed any teachings his order has by how often she breaks said teachings in his face only for him to roll over like a dog. There's not been a single time when Marinette has been confronted by some shortcoming in her responsibilities as a Guardian where she has had to learn anything from the multi-millennia old Order of Guardians.

Marinette has also worn almost every single Miraculous in her Box at the same time, a feat that supposedly risked serious harm to her but merely made her woozy for an afternoon (if that). As of the season five Finale, she has also unified her earrings with her partner's ring: a scenario that in earlier seasons seemed to imply great risk: yet she was able to use the powers flawlessly.

As Ladybug, she is also the lone hero who has unlocked any new advanced powers with her Miraculous (unless you also include the arbitrary "adulthood" that she and Chat Noir achieved that allows them multiple uses of their Miraculous before detransforming), and on the occasions when she's used anyone else's powers has shown no sign of being any less capable than they are with them.

Ladybug does everything as well if not better than everyone else.

Marinette can not only unify with any Miraculous she needs for a given mission, she can use the powers as effectively as their "dedicated holder" can and without any restrictions. Unlike the majority of the cast who are still under the child-power limit. She can even unify with multiple miraculous at the same time without any drawbacks.

And without those drawbacks, without anyone on the cast being able to use the power of their Miraculous more effectively than Marinette: everyone else on the team is more or less superfluous.

Sure, Marinette has tossed out the Miraculous to her team like candy now. But when you get down to it: the real lesson that she should have learnt from Strikeback to just put some damn security on her Yo-yo/The Box. Because this just means that she has to wait for the hero in question to show up when she could have just pulled off whatever plan she has in mind herself.

And that superfluous label includes Chat Noir.

As frustrating as it is to come to the this conclusion: as of right now, there's no real reason for Adrien Agreste to be anything but a temporary holder. Certainly you can point to his experience with Plagg's power, and a few examples that seem to imply he can do more with it (in his second outing he was able to reconstruct part of the Eiffel Tower into a makeshift extension to catch someone from). Things that imply that if he perhaps received any actual training in the show like Marinette did from Fu, any guidance whatsoever from the Order or their Grimoire he might be able to achieve more.

But there's no solid evidence to expect that Marinette wouldn't be as effective, and the narrative precedent does not lend itself to the idea that anyone could overshadow Ladybug as a holder even of their own Miraculous. If anything, the sheer ability Marinette showed as Bug Noire implies that her having a partner instead of just keeping the ring herself is a detriment to any given situation.

If you can justify exposing the ring to potential capture in the first place considering that there seems to be no requirement to do. By all rights the practical thing to do is just keeping Plagg in the box instead of risking reality.

Of course we wanted to be generous, Adrien could still be of some use. He's the resident meatshield and narrative jobber. So long as he has a Miraculous he could continue faithfully serving in those roles, eating up mind-control beams and taking hits for Bug Noire so she can save the day as usual.

But everyone else on the Miraculous team might as well turn in their furry super-suits and go home.

-

You couldn't get a more black and white depiction of the value of others outside of the protagonist. in Avatar, Aang is literally a semi-divine being who still needs to be humble and learn while the others around him still have useful special talents and prowess that he can't simply attain at will.

While in Miraculous, there's only one person of actual true competence. From Paris to Shanghai, Marinette alone is the capable one- barring the odd episode in the limelight (Alya and Felix stand up and take a bow. Adrien can stay seated).

There is a word for a character that is impossibly more capable than any other in spite of all reason and logic. And Marinette is increasingly fitting that mold as the show goes on. There's also a term for characters that ultimately contribute nothing good or bad to a story; wasted space. You can't have an entire ensemble of characters as part of the cast and have them provide nothing if they're supposed to have even a smidge of narrative value without making them something the story would be better off without.

Just as you can't just have one person at the centre of everything, make them capable of everything and not eventually have the story they're in turn into (at best) a power fantasy.

And it's a shame. Because Miraculous seemed like it could have been a lot more.

[askxigbar]

Trading abilities, huh? Well kiddo, I’m a bit biased - can’t really beat control over space, gravity, whatever you wanna call it - but.

I don’t know how familiar you are with our dear Zexion, but the kid honestly creeps me out sometimes. Not only because he hangs out with Vexen, of course, but his abilities? Pretty intense stuff.

See, the kid uses illusion magic - can make you see and feel things that aren’t actually there - including pain. Can hurt you without even touching you, now that’s creepy. Can cause quite a bit of havoc with that alone, but then you’ve got stuff like the ability to trap people or things inside that big book he’s always carrying around? Yikes.

On top of that, the kid actually has a really good spell list he knows, just needs to work on actually casting it, and his physical endurance - not that I’m wholly one to talk, hah! But those spells? Actual terrifying stuff there, honestly. So, I’d say if anyone? I’d swap abilities with him - though him learning to utilize my abilities could be just as dangerous.

Makes you wonder though...

He’s definitely not the kid we knew back in Radiant Garden these days, that’s for sure. But I sometimes wonder what happened on his end, if I’m honest. We still don’t fully understand how he came to as he did...

But I can’t think about that too long before my skin starts crawling.

[stu-dyingstudent]

Sakura Haruno fic recs: ANBU

AHHHH!!!! I love ANBU fics, especially when they involve Sakura. It was such a cool concept, which was unfortunately never fully expanded upon. However, our lack of knowledge regarding the shadow corps allows for some really cool fic ideas since authors can take creative liberty on the structure and workings of the division.

In my opinion, Sakura had the most potential out of team 7 to join ANBU (at least more than Naruto). It's all about being discreet and efficient and although she wasn't strong during og, she possessed abilities that would be valuable for this. Her clever mind, chakra control, and genjutsu potential would've made her a good fit. Naruto was too flamboyant and Sasuke was too reckless and cocky, but this is just my take. However, with her new skill set from her training with Tsunade, I don't think she would be able to go down that path anymore.

Started: 2024.08.06

Last Updated: 2024.08.29

note: feel free to check out my master list which has a bunch of Sakura Haruno fic recs (all organized)!

----

Masks by mads999 || ao3 || kakasaku || E || canon divergent || complete

1. Sakura's Inner is far more diabolical than anyone ever expected 2. Crows prove to be cruel mentors 3. Sakura comes to learn exactly how much she hates Kakashi (as well as how alike they are, in the most terrible of ways)

Kakashi is a hateful turd and Sakura is spiteful! I hate this ship and I'm not a big fan of Kakashi here, but boy is this fic good. One of the best character developments I've read for Sakura and she certainly becomes of force to be reconned with. The ANBU lore in Masks is absolutely phenomenal and I love the whole system that is put into place as it adds for some drama (lol). Also, can we talk about how awesome crow summons are????

.

Five Kingdoms for the Dead - Evil Is A Relative Term || ffn || M || canon divergence || complete

After the Forest of Death, Sakura comes to realize that being weak is no longer an option. However, she finds that change is sometimes painful and that truth doesn't always come easy. Luckily, she'll have some help along the way.

It's been a while since I've read Five Kingdoms for the Dead, but I just remember it being absolutely great! I'll be honest, I found a lot of the mind stuff pretty confusing at times, but it was still enjoyable. Also, some great characters are utilized in this fic such as Neji, Sai, and Itachi. Makes me really wish that we saw more of Sakura and Neji working together in Naruto since I think they compliment each other quite well.

.

Trials of Change - Espoiretreves || ao3 || gen || time travel AU || complete

Haruno Sakura made a promise. Looking in the eyes of her Shisou and the reanimated Hokage, she took on the most important mission of her life. Go back in time and try to prevent the 4th Shinobi War. Now, Sakura is back to her 5-year-old body, with all the knowledge and haunting memories of the future. She vows to keep her precious people safe and stop certain events from happening, without altering the timeline too much. The trials her emotions and logic put her through have her questioning her very existence, but for the sake of peace, she has to push forward. No matter what.

Trials of Change is actually apart of a time travel series and I have to say that it is probably one of the best of the genre! Now, Sakura is not in ANBU here, but she works very closely with team Ro (Kakashi's ANBU team) and it's a huge part of the story, so I'm choosing to count it anyway. I really adore all of the worldbuilding and backstories going on here in addition to the fact that there are breaks. Yes, the story keeps moving, but there are other things going on, like playdates, and not just Sakura trying to save the world. Also, if you love Shisui then definitely check this out since he has a huge role and his and Sakura's friendship is just so precious.

.

bite me and see, said the fly to the spider - MirrorImage003 || ao3 || itasaku || T || non-massacre AU || ongoing

In which Sakura is not initially a part of Team 7. In which she wears her failures like armor and brandishes her fears like her most trusted weapons. In which I do what hundreds of other authors have done before me, and rewrite Sakura's story. Non-massacre AU. Canon Divergent. Slow-burn.

After Sakura's first team, consisting of the graduating class's "expendables," dies, she joins team 7 and faces backlash along her shinobi journey. Sakura doesn't join ANBU until the later chapters so fair warning that there isn't too much content in that regards (unless it updates). Nonetheless, Sakura views ANBU as vital to her career as it offers her the highest clearance she can get. Gaining her opportunities for information her civilian-born status didn't allow her privy to.

.

The Sixth Shadow - thinknicht || ao3 || kakasaku || M || canon divergent - eventual time travel AU || ongoing

No one seemed to find it odd when little Haruno Sakura threw herself smack dab in front of a Chidori and Rasengan. Not even Kakashi stopped to wonder.(He really should have.)

The story of how Sakura came to be the sixth hogake despite all of the challenges thrown her way. I especially love Sakura's drive in addition to the political aspects. However, be warned that Kakashi is an absolute HATER (in the beginning), but he gets better! The Sixth Shadow is extremely long and I only just recently got to Sakura's introduction to ANBU, so I can't say too much in that regard.

.

Daughter of Fire - justjstuff || ao3 || kakasaku || E || canon divergence || incomplete (maybe ongoing)

Sakura got up and didn’t bother brushing the dirt from her dress. She had a feeling she was about to get even dirtier.She looked at the memorial stone one last time, memorizing the characters without even realizing she was doing it. It would serve from that moment on as a reminder of her determination. She wouldn’t let Naruto and Sasuke join the names carved on that stone.That was her nindo.

Sakura's growth throughout Daughter of Fire is great and realistic all while pointing out aspects from the original series which were flawed and dare I say misogynistic. I struggled a bit in the beginning to justify her abilities, but overall the story is really well done and the ANBU aspects are quite intriguing.

.

cut the head off the snake - itsthechocopuff || ao3 || T || time travel AU || complete

when eighteen-year-old, post-war Sakura is thrown back into her tiny, pre-Academy body, she makes a decision. she'd had a childhood once already, and this time, she's more interested in Not Dying when the inevitable shit hits the proverbial fan. so she will work harder, care less, kill more, and smile when she's done.and hey, if she ends up reviving an extinct nature transformation to attract the most corrupt, power-hungry man from her timeline, all the better for her, right?

Such a unique take on a time travel AU and Cut the Head Off the Snake executes it perfectly. Sakura decides that her first order of business is to infiltrate ROOT and that's exactly what she does. Sai, Shin, and Shisui are all great characters and team Ro is present as well. Very good!

.

Flowers - Idunmy || ao3 || E || kakasaku || canon divergence || ongoing

Flowers only bloom just before they wilt When Sakura loses her fight against Ino in her Chuunin exams, she questions her ability to ever become a kunoichi, too weak to protect herself, let alone her village One wrongful promotion later and Sakura gets a second chance in the shape of a mysterious new teacher who against all odds is willing to put her faith in a young girl with potential and a willingness to fight. Or- a fix-it inspired fic where Sakura grows to be the powerhouse she was destined to become.

Flowers is a newer series (which has recent updates) and I love it! Critiques are made towards the medical ninja training, which I believe needed to be discussed and it's refreshing to see. In most ANBU fics I've read, Sakura is immediately put onto the strongest team, but here it's a bit different. She begins on a demolition squad, which not only suits her skill set quite well, but is a realistic approach to how she would be introduced to the corps. Anyway, it's one of my favorite reads at the moment and I really like where the story is going.

.

names. - waterpllar || ao3 || T || gen || canon divergence || complete

There are no names or faces in ANBU. Everything is designed to be strictly formal, efficient and professional. A recently orphaned Sakura, however, learns that some regulations aren't meant to be followed, and finds a place in Team Ro after being shunned from her former teammates. (fic prompt from anon on tumblr: orphaned sakura in anbu with yamato, genma, and team ro.)

AHHHH poor Sakura. After her parents' death Sakura seeks Tsunade's help out of desperation to become useful. Under recommendation, Sakura's new goal is to make it into ANBU.

.

Equinox - FM_White || ao3 || itasaku || M || anbu AU || complete

ItaSaku (Post Uchiha Massacre) AU: Climbing through the ranks of Konoha, Sakura finds herself with the invitation to join ANBU and a chance to learn from one of the most renowned and legendary ninja in the world. Despite her efforts to grow stronger however, she finds the world isn't as black and white as it looks and that some truths are easier to hide than others.

I don't remember Equinox very well, but I love most works by this author sooo. Anyway, Itachi stays in Konoha and instead it's Sasuke that goes rougue. Sakura, Naruto, and Shikamaru are newly joined ANBU members and all placed on a team with Itachi and things go from there.

.

stars in our eyes as we dream of the heavens (the gods walk among us, sweet child, do not forget) - snickiebear || ao3 || kakasaku || T || age-swap AU || oneshot complete

“Kakashi-sensei,” Naruto whispered, staring at his teacher, horror plain on his face. “You’re married?” Lazily, Kakashi looked down at his gloveless hand where his ring rested, “It would appear so.”

Sakura is born in the same generation as Kakashi and turns out as a badass ANBU married to him. This is super wholesome as it's a lot of the two of them bonding with Kakashi's genin team (Sai makes three) in an effort to help them out. It's a series so you can read more of the events taking place prior to the fic.

.

Anachronistic Drift  - Elesrea  || ffn || gen || T || time travel AU || incomplete

Her plan was flawless. Save Shisui. Save the world. Time-travel, Sakura-centric AU

Sakura spends years training to be sent back in time and save the world from Sasuke. She isn't in ANBU, but rather poses as one in order to keep an anonymous status on her doings both in and out of the village.

.

Sakura - lilac haze || ffn/ao3 || M || minasaku || time travel AU || complete

AU. Non-Canon. Time Travel. Please see inside for full warnings. Cross posted on Ao3. On his deathbed he was granted eternal peace and place to rest for all of time. Of course that was not appealing to him. Ever unpredictable to the end he had a counter offer. One that the Sage had to consider. In which Sakura's going to have a rough time. A really rough time.

Sakura is probably one of my all time favorite fics because the emotions are just spectacular. The story is pretty heavy on ANBU and ROOT aspects, which I always enjoy, but I wouldn't say it's a major focus. However, there is an emphasis on the unfair treatment towards kunoichi. Anyway, the characterizations and storytelling are beautifully done. Please share this author some love.

Check TWs before hand!!

----

Hope y'all enjoy these recs, and please feel free to send me some if you have any!!!! I really appreciate when you do :)

[dhorrl]

NSFW Alphabet-Eijiro Kirishima

Character Aged Up, Minors Do Not Interact. Thank you :)

A = Aftercare

Out of all the men in MHA, this man would excel in providing aftercare. He is full of energy and will do whatever you need - water, snacks, towels; he's got it covered. When you feel ready to move, he'll pick you up effortlessly (your size doesn't matter to him) and setting you on the toilet, (no UTIs on his watch). While you take care of that, he'll get the shower ready for you and assist with washing your hair and scrubbing your body. But let's be honest, he might enjoy it a little too much. Once you're back in bed and snuggled up in his arms, he'll most likely fall asleep quickly from all the activity. You'll feel his gentle hand resting on your stomach or breast as he drifts off into peaceful slumber.

B = Body Part

He takes great pride in his well-defined chest and loves when you caress it or follow its lines with your fingers. His stomach, while not as chiseled, is also a source of pride for him. Shower him with compliments on his body, and he'll be ecstatic; after all, who doesn't love receiving praise? He has learned over time how to properly fuel his body and work out to fully utilize his Quirk, resulting in a slightly softer tummy (think competitive strongmen) that comes from consuming large amounts of food to build muscle. But his focus now isn't on keeping a low body fat percentage; rather, it's on maintaining the physique that you love so much.

As for his partner, he adores thighs and ass, and leaving his little shark teeth marks on them (marking kink, we’ll get there). In fact, he may even have a preference for a little extra cushion (although that could just be wishful thinking). He could spend all day kissing and touching their thighs and wouldn't tire of it. During sex, his lips are attached to your ankles and calves too, nibbling and kissing them while your legs are draped over his shoulders.

C = Cum

Eijiro's cum has a slightly thinner consistency than average, but that's because he produces a lot of it. Luckily though, it doesn't taste bad since he maintains a healthy diet despite his bulking efforts. Swallowing it down and licking it off your fingers and lips is guaranteed to drive him wild. His ultimate preference is to ejaculate inside of you (he has a breeding kink, if you couldn't tell), but he will happily oblige if you ask him to pull out. If not inside, his second choice would be your backside and third would be your breasts.

D = Dirty Secret

I came across a similar headcanon and it just felt so accurate. When he was younger, there was an incident where he accidentally activated his Quirk while masturbating and ended up injuring himself. Ever since then, he's been terrified of touching himself. However, when he couldn't handle the pent-up tension any longer, he purchased a high-quality pocket pussy. He would be mortified if anyone ever found out about it.

E = Experience

Eijiro is not one for casual hookups and one night stands. He gets emotionally invested and doesn’t want to take advantage of someone else. In the past, he has only had 2-3 partners, all in committed relationships. However, this doesn't mean he lacks confidence in his abilities; in fact, his confidence is a big part of how he approaches relationships.

F = Favorite Position

Eijiro is a hopeless romantic, and he needs to see your beautiful face while making love. He doesn't mind taking the lead in any position, but he especially enjoys missionary because it allows you to lay back and relax like the princess you are. However, he also adores cowgirl, with your legs wrapped around his waist as his hands caress your skin. Although he knows he may be too large for you at first, he'll take slow and gentle thrusts while watching the expressions on your face. Eventually, he will sit up and kiss your cheeks and nose before helping you ride him fully.

G = Goofy

This man is always smiling and laughing, a big ball of positive energy. He takes pleasure in making you laugh and seeing the joy in your eyes. And why should sex be serious all the time? In my experience, it's the perfect time to let go and have a good laugh. Oh, some weird sex noises? He'll join in with childish giggles. Accidentally falling while trying to climb on top? He'll tickle your sides and remind you how lucky he feels to have you as his best friend and partner.

H = Hair

Firstly, we all know the carpet and drapes don't match. This leads me to think that he prefers a clean-shaven look. He is quite diligent in keeping it all off, so you'll rarely catch him with any hair. While maintaining an image of masculinity is important to him, he also values being well-groomed. As he ages and becomes less concerned with other's opinions, he may allow some of his roots to grow back, possibly even letting a bit of his happy trail reappear (yum).

I = Intimacy

Eijiro is incredibly passionate and intimate, both in and out of the bedroom. He doesn't waste any time with you; his intense eye contact and tender kisses begin before you even reach the bed. His lips are always on yours, leaving little room for you to catch your breath. During the sex itself, he finds ways to stay connected, often holding your hand tightly as he thrusts. His hands will caress every curve of your body, and his chest will press against yours, a physical reminder that he is yours and you are his. With every fiber of his being, he wants you to know that he is devoted to you.

J = Jack Off

From the onset of puberty, this man's body was overflowing with testosterone. And so, like most teenagers, he would frequently take care of his needs with masturbation. However, as said above, after accidentally injuring himself while using his hand, he opted for a more discreet option - a pocket pussy that he kept hidden from view. Once he experienced actual sex for the first time, his need for masturbation diminished. But as he well knew, there is only so much you could handle of his endless drive, or he’d sometimes have to be away for missions, so he still kept a little toy just for those moments. His preferred position is lying down with his upper body propped up against the headboard, allowing him to watch and pleasure himself at the same time.

K = Kink

We might be here a while. Eijiro is a lot kinkier than I think some people believe.

Praise and Body Worship. Both ways. Tell him how good he’s fucking you, trace his muscles, tell him that he’s gorgeous and an amazing hero, and he will take you like it’s his last day on Earth. He loves complimenting each and every part of your body during sex, and he’ll definitely make a few comments on how well you’re taking him.

Primal Play. Eijiro may not even know the label, but he is definitely into primal kink. It's about embracing natural instincts rather than focusing on specific sexual acts or mutual pleasure. The resulting play can be playful or intense. He enjoys a bit of roughhousing and wrestling, as if he is trying to capture his prey. You can expect to hear growls and feel sharp bites from Eijiro during these moments.

Breeding. Good lord does Eijiro has a massive breeding kink. However, he is also respectful of consent, so if you are not comfortable with him cumming inside you, he won't pressure or question you. But if you give him permission, be prepared to be filled to the brim. It's doubtful even birth control could prevent pregnancy in that situation. Proceed with caution.

Marking. Eijiro loves this going both ways. Not only does he enjoy the sight of hickeys, bites, and handprints that show your desire for him, but he also wants you to leave marks on him. He craves the feeling of your nails scratching his back until it turns red or having big purple hickeys on his chest that make it clear to everyone that the Pro Hero Red Riot is not available.

L = Location

Eijiro's thoughts and actions may not always align with each other. He has a dirty mind, but he also has a respectful disposition. While he may fantasize about taking you in various public places like the back of a car, an alley behind the agency, or even on top of Katsuki's desk, he will ultimately prioritize privacy by sticking to your home for those moments. However, it's safe to say that every surface of your house has had your ass on it.

M = Motivation

Do you exist? Then he's ready to go. The most difficult part is keeping his hands off you, instead of on you. Trying to get dressed for work, standing in just a towel as you search for your clothes? He'll pull the towel and you onto the bed, his face already buried between your thighs. If you bend over to pick up something you dropped on the floor, he'll push you all the way down and tug at your shorts so he can rub his fat cock against you. He's eager and willing to act on his desires without hesitation.

N = No

Eijiro is always up for some rough play, whether it's marking, spanking, or biting. But he would never intentionally harm you to the point of drawing blood or causing permanent damage. He may enjoy a bit of pain and dominance, but he loves you too much to take any risks that could jeopardize your well-being.

O = Oral

This man is a completely munch. He craves being nestled between yours thighs, not just for pleasuring your pussy, but lapping his tongue into your ass. As he focuses on the task at hand, his eyes glisten beneath heavy lids, his mouth agape as he gazes into your soul, and a euphoric moan escapes his lips. He’s doing this for his pleasure.

P = Pace

Just like with everything else, Eijiro is open-minded and ready to go along with whatever you want. Whether it's a slow and sensual experience or a fast and rough one, he's all in. If you choose the latter, just be prepared to hang on tight because he'll make sure you can't walk the next day.

Q = Quickie

Eijiro has a high sex drive and can get quite desperate for you, leading to spontaneous quickies. While he prefers longer, drawn-out sessions, if you show up to his office in the little sundress he loves, be prepared for a steamy afternoon snack bent over his desk.

R = Risk

He's not one to take risks when it comes to sexual activity; his main concern is always keeping you safe and avoiding any potential compromising situations with others. However, if you push him for something more adventurous, he finds it difficult to refuse you. Still, he remains vigilant and cautious in his instincts.

S = Stamina

He’s the sturdy hero, remember? Eijiro has stamina for DAYS. He could easily keep both of you going for at least five rounds a night, but he is always mindful of his partner's limits and won't push them too far. His sessions can last for hours, and you might likely tap out before he’s close to being done. However, if you let him fully release his sexual energy on you, just be prepared to not be able to walk the next day.

T = Toy

As we discussed, he used a pocket pussy to protect his cock before he gained full control over his Quirk. However, he never really considered or explored other types of sex toys. He is open to the idea and would never feel offended or emasculated if you suggested using them. But with all the pleasure he can provide, you probably won't feel the need for anything more than perhaps a vibrator and some light restraints for some playful bondage activities.

U = Unfair

He likes the idea of teasing you, but in reality, he's just too much of a simp with you. The moment you beg for him to give in to you, he folding like a lawn chair. However, when the tables are turned and you tease him, he has no problem with it and will let you edge him long and hard for as long as you want.

V = Volume

Eijiro is definitely a grunter and a whimper-er. He get so lost in your gummy wet cunt he completely loses himself to where he doesn't even care anymore what sounds slip through his lips. At first, he tried to suppress them, but soon realized that these noises only made you even more wet and needy and he never held back again.

W = Wild Card

I wouldn’t say its wild, but when it comes to sex, Eijiro is always a yes man for you. He wants nothing more than to please you and make all your fantasies come true. He’ll happily fulfill any requests or desires you have, no matter how kinky or unconventional they may be. As long as it makes you happy, he’s all for it.

X = X-Ray

This man possesses a beast of a hog, there's no doubt about it. It's not just exceptionally long, but also impressively thick. You couldn't even attempt to wrap your fingers around it; there would be no chance of them touching. And when he's aroused, you can see a visible swirl of veins, and it stands straight up, hard as rock, and a nice heavy set of breeder balls.

Y = Yearning

When he was younger, his sex drive was through the roof, but as he aged, it became more controlled. Despite that, his testosterone levels are still high, and he could easily go multiple times a day. However, he's never one to pressure or push you, and is content with whatever level of intimacy you're comfortable with. As mentioned before, he has a little "friend" to satisfy his needs when feeling tense.

Z = ZZZ

As I mentioned earlier, he has a lot of energy at the start, which he channels into taking care of you and making sure you are comfortable and ready for bed. However, once that burst of energy wears off, he will want to cuddle with you before crashing hard and fast.

[glacierclear]

Can I... can I ask for some househusband Leon hcs?

alright. okay. we're gonna work with a few assumptions for these headcanons.

this all comes from the hypothetical of leon being fully retired from his line of work. he still has the same backstory, skillset, traumas, everything, it's just...now he's your loyal house husband!

cooking? this all depends on where he's at in life. mid-30s and onward? he's a chef. i don't believe he'd be terribly gourmet about it. you aren't coming home to a roasted duck served with a reduced wine glaze and a perfectly made risotto...but god. he can make some damn fine spaghetti. he'd likely shoot for simple dishes, with perhaps an added flair or two. homemade burgers. lots of steak dinners. he'd prefer anything that can be prepared with minimal mess. recipes that are made with one pot or one pan...a big hit for him. he is not a pretentious eater, and that would reflect in his cooking.

now, if we're talking early to late-20s leon? erm. well. let's just say he's learning. his transition from zombie apocalypse policeman to military meat shield didn't do much for his cooking skills. and a diet of MREs and scrounged up viper parts did even less. if post-re4 leon is your house husband you're gonna be eating a lot of questionable meals. he's not completely oblivious. he won't try and feed you absolute slop, but his abilities don't much exceed kraft mac and scrambled eggs. still! he's a domestic man now. plenty of free time to try out all sorts of new things in the kitchen! be on standby with a fire extinguisher when he decides 3am is a great time to make fried chicken from scratch!

leon's independent food preferences likely revolve around utility. protein. nutrition. careful rations. compact energy a growing boy needs to kill bioweapons. he doesn't strike me as having a particularly strong sweet tooth, but he also won't say no to a bit of dessert! but he's adaptable, of course. one must be in his line of work. your tastes and favored dishes will influence his palate a lot. he'll naturally associate flavors with you and will, over time, come to adopt a lot of your dietary choices.

cleaning? leon will do his best. you can count on him to not accidentally mix mustard gas in your bathroom, but his knack for cleanliness would be...odd. i choose to believe leon has a strict standard for bodily hygiene. his extended exposure to all manner of glop and viscera means he strives to smell nice and stay on top of dirt the best he can when he is able to...on his body. a house is different. he's never had to see it as a home, merely an empty room where he sleeps and eats. so maintaining it as a tidy space might not come naturally, and it's not as if he had a proper upbringing to teach him proper housekeeping techniques (cough, cough, he's an orphan).

man's a fast learner though. expect a lot of trial and error. him accidentally using glass cleaner on the stove. or not understanding the exact purpose of fabric softener. why do we need make our bed if we're just gonna sleep in it and mess it up again? he likely has a lot of bad habits from living on his own, but gentle guidance and persistent advice will go a long way.

of course, leon needs his private time. space for him to isolate and be alone...but, you're at work all day. the loneliness is easily accessible, and now that he has all the time and freedom to be with you...it's grating. his favorite sound is the noise your key makes when it unlocks the front door. he's careful, not incredibly overbearing, but you don't make it more than a few steps into your home before his head is poking around the corner. "how was your day? you look tired. here, let me take your coat off-" leon is a listener. he doesn't talk about himself much, if at all, so he'd prefer to just hear you ramble on about whatever you need to or want to. neck rubs. gentle squeezes on your arm. light kisses on your brow. he doesn't smother. he doesn't drown you in the touch he's so starved of. but you can tell, he misses you a lot.

the real issues will probably stem from the quiet. the absolute lack of danger. take a person out of their traumatic environment and things start crumbling real fast before they can start to heal. he's hyper-aware. paranoid. has all this pent up energy and an instinct to fight. and he has to redirect it all somewhere, right? it'd come out in bizarre ways. diy projects. you come home from work and he built you a fucking chair. you don't even need a chair, but now you have one. lots of yard work. he renovated your patio and set up a birdhouse (also handmade). you didn't really want him to rearrange your living room but he did it anyways.

and it's hard for him to relax. for him to feel truly safe. he'd insist on installing locks on all the doors. bulletproof windows. guns hidden and stashed in corners of the house, just in case. any tech that could impede on his privacy (ie, amazon echos, doorbell cameras, etc) are out of the question. he'd run you through drills and hypothetical scenarios. make sure you know what to do in any situation. he's vigilant, and honestly, you've never felt safer, but it wears him down and you aren't sure if it's truly good for him.

[cienie-isengardu]

Khaos Reigns and the matter of Lin Kuei

Warning: rant not spoiler free!

I said it before and I will say it again: Netherrealm Studio does not utilize the plot of Lin Kuei brothers to its fullest potential. And by brothers I don’t just mean Bi-Han and Kuai Liang. Mind you, their Khaos Reigns’ strained relationship comes back to Mortal Kombat 1 (2023) mess, so it’s not that there is no sense in how they interact. I’m frustrated by it but my frustration is not directed at characters itself but at NRS that does all in their power to *not* give us the heartbreaking story of shattered brotherhood - and it says a lot that we have much more wholesome relationship between Bi-Han/Noob and Sektor or Kuai Liang and Cyrax than we have with brothers themselves.

This is however not the most frustrating thing about the Lin Kuei brothers plot for me but how the previous game established Smoke and Kuai Liang as the “true brothers” and then Khaos Reigns ignores Tomas even more than the last time. And let’s be honest here: last time Tomas already was shoved hardy to the background.

The thing about Khaos Reigns that killed the most my enthusiasm is not actually Bi-Han/Noob & Kuai Liang subplot (as frankly, I did except the worst), nor even how NRS handled Noob after “mending his mind”. I’m fully disappointed and absolutely frustrated how the new part of Liu Kang’s timeline is heavily centered at Lin Kuei and TOMAS IS NOT THERE AT ALL. Everyone, including Scorpion, totally ignore his existence during the meeting before the mission to Chaosrealm.

The scene I’m talking about went like this:

Kitana: Which is why you believe we need Sektor. Liu Kang: As Lin Kuei, she and Cyrax are trained for this type of mission. And they have the benefit of being with us, here. I can send them immediately, under Scorpion’s command -- Scorpion: I want neither’s help. I will go alone.  Liu Kang: That would be unwise.

See? Not for the first time we hear that Lin Kuei were trained since childhood for that kind of mission, so Kuai Liang and Sektor are natural choice, sure, but no one even for a moment thought about including Tomas - whose BIO specifically said he “chose to make the Lin Kuei’s mission his own. But as he lacked his brothers' innate supernatural abilities, he set out to master practical magic. Having done so, he now joins them in Earthrealm's defense."

There is a reasonable excuse or two to leave him behind I can make out of my head within seconds. For example, as a backup plan if the mission has failed, so there is someone to command Shirai Ryu  during battle. Or leaving Smoke behind to keep Harumi and/or their clan safe, as Scorpion can’t trust there won’t be another attack of Lin Kuei. But apparently even for a second it did not cross Kuai Liang’s mind to take Tomas - his trusted, loyal brother -  with himself, as counterargument to taking Cyrax and Sektor on a deadly mission. That Kuai Liang did not trust his former comrades makes absolutely sense, but this is why Smoke’s presence could be a good preventive measure. Scorpion did not ever utter any wish to have Tomas there at his side. Instead, Kuai Liang wanted to go alone (a mindset actually shared with Bi-Han!) and we got the Lin Kuei storyline with Tomas BEING THE ONLY ONE (EX)LIN KUEI NOT INCLUDED AT ALL.

Remember when the fandom was so angry at Bi-Han for not considering Tomas to be true Lin Kuei ("Mind your place, Tomas. Father may have taken you in, made you one of us... but your blood will never be Lin Kuei.”)? One year later, this exact scene on one hand actually backs up Sub-Zero’s claim, as even Kuai Liang does not consider Tomas to have at his side in a dire situation and opting to go alone. Which is why NRS should in my opinion allow *any* character to excuse the lack of Smoke at Mileena’s palace or why Liu Kang couldn’t teleport him there to aid Scorpion in his mission.

On another hand, the Khaos Reigns is about Lin Kuei more than ever while Tomas has barely few speaking lines and is totally removed from Lin Kuei brotherhood storyline. This was the perfect opportunity to add Smoke into the main group and expand our understanding of the relationship and history of characters. And hey, Bi-Han and Tomas too were once brothers and it would be really nice, if their brotherhood got some focus too, instead of excluding Smoke from it completely. Which again, adds a new layer to how hypocritical Kuai Liang was in the first game, with all the declaration how he and Tomas may not share a blood but they were brothers, when Scorpion A) has never once(?) mention Smoke through the new storyline nor B) even for a moment considered how Bi-Han’s death - his choice to not save their brother - could affect Tomas who, as intro dialogues imply, wished Scorpion and Sub-Zero could reconcile.  I understand why NRS put the focus on blood brothers, but it is the studio’s own choice to add Tomas to said brotherhood in the first place and by excluding him, they paint Scorpion as very self-centered and selfish man that is so focused on himself and his anger at Bi-Han, he literally gives no fucks about Tomas’ feelings on the matter. Which is… a surprising choice to say at least. 

We literally could have all Lin Kuei main heroes interacting on the same mission. A chance that most likely won’t happen too soon, if ever again.

So, yeah, I’m disappointed in that regard, as Tomas and Bi-Han once again got the short end of the stick from all the available Lin Kuei characters. With the one difference that Bi-Han, whatever presented as a good or bad person, brings some weight and impact on the storyline and other heroes. Tomas though? He could be cut away and his absence would change literally nothing.