#and one of the older consort's head ladies tried to fucking kill her (because of plot reasons too long for tumblr tags)

[teenagefeeling]

im currently reading the manga the apothecary diaries and i'm really enjoying it so far but holy shit there's some dark shit going on in this series. the main character is rly giving aroace so far tho and i looove to see that

[ashdoesfandomarchieved]

of all i am made of (perhaps you are too)

ao3

Hugo does not believe in soulmates.

To be fair, he doesn’t much believe in anything but the feeling of coin in his pocket and the clever bite of his dagger. What use has he for god and destiny when he carves his own path of lies through time, with a sharp tongue and a cocky smile.

Why should Hugo believe the universe would gift him a soulmate when it already has made it perfectly clear that nothing is free?

Besides soulmates are rarities of the past--legends and folktales on the lips of elders and religious fanatics; the former clinging to superstition from the od era, the latter feeding false promises and hope to the instupid masses.

Soulmates are for hopeless romantics and tiny children. Not for Hugo.

“That does not surprise me,” Nuru says, the beginnings of a smile forming on her face.

She’s lying down in the golden field where they’ve set camp for the night. The contrast of the bright yellow against her dark skin is stunning-particularly in the moonlight, with her dark hair fanning out about her head.

Hugo, who is sitting upright a few paces away and playing with his daggers, frowns.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” he asks, unsure if he should be feeling defensive or not.

Nuru folds her arms beneath her head, propping herself up enough to make eye contact with him. “Even if you had a soulmate, you wouldn’t know what to do with them,” she scoffs.

He snorts. “ You believe in soulmates?”

“Is that so surprising?”

“Yes, actually. I thought you were the rational one in this party.”

Nuru gives him an expression that indicates how stupid she thinks he is. “I might be the only person who can keep their head in a crisis, but that doesn’t mean I can’t believe in a higher power, Hugo.”

She rolls over, so that she’s laying on her stomach, facing him. “Burning stars fall in my homeland every year. There are stories of a sun princess who’s tears heal the dead. Varian somehow hasn’t strangled you yet. I think you’d better start believing in a god.”

“Or soulmates apparently,” Hugo mutters.

“Or soulmates,” Nuru says. “Would it really be that far-fetched?”

“Do I believe there’s someone out there who shares my dreams? Or has my name written above their heart? Hard pass, Princess.”

“Alright then, how about sharing the same soul?” Nuru asks, folding her hands together and resting her chin on them. “You’re telling me that doesn’t sound at least a little romantic?”

“I don’t have a soul.”

“Now that,” she says, a grin stretching across her face, “that I can believe.”

___

“I think Anya’s my soulmate,” Yong says dreamily, staring at Varian’s redheaded cousin like she hung the fucking moon.

Hugo, despite secretly adoring the round child, rolls his eyes. Hard. “Do you even know what that means?”

“It means we share the same time threads,” Yong replies distractedly.

Varian and Anya are nerding out over something-something Hugo would find interesting or fun to mock them over, but right now, for some reason, he’s more interested in Yong’s adorable-if not misguided-crush on Varian’s little cousin.

“Time threads,” Hugo laughs, cracking his knuckles. Yong winces at the noise, momentarily taking his eyes off the two babbling alchemists. “Alright, color me curious. What are time threads?”

Yong frowns. “You’ve never heard of time threads? Every child in Koto learns about them.”

Ah, must be some religious poppycock only spread in the fire kingdom.

“Well, I’m not a child living in Koto, am I?” Hugo replies lightly. “Spill, little pyro.” He pokes the kid in the shoulder repeatedly until he gets swatted.

“Her lady, Odiyesi, spins a thread for each person,” Yong recites in a sing-song voice. “This thread contains the beginning, the middle, and the end of our lives. If she so chooses, two threads will be intertwined-maybe even beyond the Snip, if she wills it.”

“The Snip?”

“Oh yeah, that’s when you die,” Yong says, side eyeing Hugo.

Hugo ruffles Yong’s hair. “And you think Anya is your thread partner. That’s so cute .”

Yong ducks out from under his hand, scowling. “Why did you ask if you don’t even believe it?” he mumbles, face pink.

“You know what I think?” Hugo asks, pretending like he doesn’t hear Yong. “I think you should go right up to here and tell her all that. Give her a heads up about your eternally bound souls.”

“Your soul is eternally bound to the underworld,” Yong shoots back, with a surprising amount of fire.

Hugo bursts into laughter. “That,” he says, “is the first thing you’ve said all day that makes sense.”

___

“What do you think about soulmates?” Hugo asks mildly. He has a glass of wine in one hand, but he’s barely tasted it. Instead, he stands, staring out the stained glass window and into the courtyard.

Donella, sitting behind her desk, looks up from Varian’s Ulla’s journal-recently procured by Hugo.

The amount of deception and sneaking around he’d gone through to actually get it out of Varian’s line of sight had been painstakingly difficult. And it had been even harder coming up with an excuse to Nuru why he needed to spend the night somewhere other than their current lodgings.

He doesn’t really remember the lie. Just the trust in the Princess’s face when she’d briefly patted him on the shoulder, telling him to be back by sunrise.

Donella closes the journal with a snap, leaning back in her chair. “What a curious question. And from you, no less.”

When Hugo turns around, she’s smiling that sharp smile-the one that makes his stomach plummet with discomfort. Something in him churns at that dangerous expression now, unsure of what he’s suddenly gotten himself into.

He gives a casual shrug, raising his glass to his lips. “Just making idle conversation, I suppose.” The wine tastes terrible. Still, he takes another sip before setting it down on an end table.

“Hmm.” His mentor eyes him skeptically. “What do I think about soulmates?” she muses, tapping her chin thoughtfully. “I suppose the proper answer would be that I hate them.”

He frowns. “So you don’t believe in them?”

“You can’t hate something you don’t believe in, Hugo. Of course I believe in soulmates.” Donella must see the surprise in his expression because she laughs after a brief pause. “I would be hard pressed not to believe in them after seeing it with my own two eyes.”

Hugo blinks, startled. “You met someone with a soulmate?” he asks, disbelieving.

“You could say that.”

“How do-how did you know they were-”

She opens the stolen journal again, long scared fingers deftly flipping back to her reading place. “Because I could feel when she was in pain. Now shut up, Waif, I still have three quarters of this tedious reading to get through and only five more hours to do it.”

___

Even though Eugene has decided to make the conscious effort not to kill Hugo, the guy still shows mild animosity. And by mild, Hugo-of course-means that he drags him around, making him do tedious tasks and scowls whenever he gets close to Varian.

Whatever. It’s not as if Hugo’s going to complain, considering that it’s mostly his fault there was a demon monster briefly unleashed onto Corona that destroyed most of her capital city. As long as Varian isn’t blaming himself, Hugo calls it a win.

So he lets the Prince Consort drag him around the city and put his alchemy to work.

“You don’t have to stay,” Hugo says, at one point, when it becomes apparent that even though Eugene has no idea how alchemy works , he was still going to hover. “I’m not going to cut and run.”

The man had snorted. “Yeah, I already figured that one out for myself,” he’d muttered and then proceeded to not explain what that meant.

So here Hugo is, with an ever present shadow, hovering like he’s a fucking five year old. Hugo honestly doesn’t see what Varian sees in the guy-or Queen Rapunzel for that matter. She looks at the ex-thief like he hung the moon and all the damn stars in the sky.

“It’s because they’re soulmates,” Eugene’s buddy-Lance, Hugo thinks-had said when he caught him staring.

Hugo had scoffed.

Now, bored and overheated after a long day’s work, Hugo watches Eugene frown over some blueprints in the Queen’s study. Hugo’s not exactly sure why he has to be present for this particular part of the renovation project, but he’s too tired to protest.

“Are you and the queen soulmates?” he hears himself asking.

Eugene lifts his head, eyes alight with surprise. He glances back down at the blueprints once, before leaving the table to join Hugo by the open doors leading to the balcony.

“Weird question, coming from you,” he snorts, leaning against the doorframe and crossing his arms. “But yes. We are.”

Hugo doesn’t know what to make of that. “How do you know?”

The older man hesitates, something like understanding dawning on the man’s face. A small smile crosses lips. “Have you ever met someone that no matter how many times you tried to walk away, you couldn’t?”

Hugo swallows.

“That’s how I know. Now,” he claps Hugo on the shoulder. “If you’ll stop messing around, I need your opinion on whether Yong’s demolition idea or Varian’s solvent solution is going to work best for the lower district’s avalanche problem.”

___

At the end of all things-or perhaps the beginning-Hugo finds Varian on a rooftop.

It’s not hard to find him, as when Varian is brooding, he likes to perch. It’s a habit that the alchemist has either picked up from spending most of his time in a castle with high roofs or perhaps it’s born of chasing his dumb racoon into precarious positions.

Either way, Hugo learns early into his friendship with the darkhaired boy, that when he’s being introspective, he likes to pick a high roof and perch like a fucking woodland creature.

So when Varian goes missing in the middle of Corona’s lantern festival, it takes precious few minutes to find him.

“You are so predictable,” Hugo says, dropping down next to him. Heights don’t usually bother him, but the castle is impressively tall.

The other alchemist doesn’t really seem to mind, however. He lets his legs dangle over the edge, occasionally swinging in the air.

“Or maybe I wanted you to find me,” Varian replies easily. His head--tilted up, toward the stars that are mirrored in the constellations of freckles on his face-is wearing a peaceful expression.

Something in Hugo’s chest clenches tightly at the sight of it. There was a time, not too long ago, where he was convinced he’d never see Varian happy again.

But now, Varian turns his face toward Hugo and offers him a smile. “Or maybe I’m just predictable to you.”

The tightness in Hugo’s chest dissipates. What is left aches for something he can’t have.

“Or that,” Hugo says, instead of doing something stupid like trying to hold Varian’s hand or kiss the stupid expression off his face.

Varian turns back to the stars.

“You know, they say shooting stars fall in the direction of your soulmate.”

Hugo rolls his eyes. “Not you too,” he groans, eliciting laughter from his friend. “I thought out of everyone, you would be on my side here.”

“Aw, don’t believe in soulmates?” Varian teases, grinning boyishly. “Sun and moon, I should have expected that.”

“Yeah?” Hugo raises his eyebrows. “How so?”

“You’re so cynical. And not in the way Cass is-she’s like realistically -cynical. You’re just oh poor me I could never have a soulmate because my soul is made of garbage -”

Hugo clamps a hand over Varian’s mouth, shrieking when he tries to lick him. “I- stop -I don’t have to listen to this slander -”

“-and if you ever did find your soulmate you would be insufferable about it,” Varian goes on, catching Hugo’s wrist when he tries to silence him again. “You would spend the entire time trying to prove to yourself and everyone else that there was no possible way they could be your soulmate and when you couldn’t you would-”

He stops. Blinks at Hugo with realization dawning across his face.

Hugo’s wonders if Varian can feel his pulse racing where the smaller boy’s fingers wrap around his wrist.

“Yeah? What would I do?”

Varian’s lips purse. “I don’t know what you would do. I’d hope you would be smart about it.”

He lets go of Hugo.

Hugo immediately misses his warmth.

“And what would be the smart thing.”

“Well,” Varian draws out the word thoughtfully. He scoots close enough to Hugo that if the taller boy wanted he could wrap and arm around his shoulder. “Well, an excellent start would be telling them.”

“And how would you tell them? If it were you,” Hugo adds quickly, when Varian shoots him a questioning look.

Varian leans back on his hands, head tipped back, exposing his throat to the sky. “I would tell them my heart started beating at the same time as theirs when we touched. That there’s a silver dagger inked on my shoulder that burns when they’re angry and sings when they’re sad-”

“Varian.” Hugo’s heart clenches so hard he briefly wonders if he’s having a heart attack.

“-I would tell them that I dreamed in color the first night we lay side by side in the forest,” Varian goes on, ignoring him. “I would tell them that when we touch I see every color-even the ones that don’t belong here.”

“Varian.”

Hugo’s hand finds his soulmate's.

Varian turns his head to the side slightly, finally meeting Hugo’s eye. With his free hand, he cups the side of Hugo’s neck, tentatively.

“I would tell him that our souls are made of the same thing.” He smiles gently. “It’s just science, Hugo.”

Hugo laughs, pressing his forehead into Varian’s. “How is that the most romantic thing you’ve said yet?”

“Because you’re a closet nerd,” Varian says, right before he leans in.

Underneath a starlit sky, Hugo kisses the boy made of the same stuff as him.

___

[rainhalydia]

The character game: Theon Geyjoy (because I can't resist and need more validation for my boy, especially with the last month I've had), Elia Martell, Asha Greyjoy, Ashara Dayne, Arianne/Oberyn/Doran Martell, Brienne of Tarth, Jaime/Tyrion Lannister, Gonna Lannister, Saint Seiya: Scorpio Milo, Aquarius Camus, Andromeda Shun, Virgo Shaka, Sailor Moon: Sailor Pluto, Sailor Jupiter, Sailor Venus

Hey, nonny! Sorry if the last month sucked, I hope the next one is better!

Thanks for the ask! Have all my opinions!

Theon Greyjoy

How I feel about this character: I LOVE HIM!!! MY RESILIENT TRASH SQUID PRINCE!!!

In a less histrionic note, it’s amazing how well-written he is. It’s my dream to one day write something so beautiful and well-crafter as Theon’s whole arc.

All the people I ship romantically with this character: Robb most of all, but also Kyra and Patrek Mallister to a lesser degree. Even so, I feel like Robb was the love of his life and even if he has a romantic endgame in Jeyne P., it’s going to be a Loras situation all over again.

My non-romantic OTP for this character: Jeyne P., because no one else can understand them like they do given their shared trauma, but also Wex and Asha. And Dagmer!

My unpopular opinion about this character: He’s never ever done anything wrong ever in his life   Everyone who dislikes him is wrong Seriously, he’s competent. People love to ignore that because he’s such a mess, but it’s worth noticing that we’re inside his head and privy to all his thoughts and feelings. He doesn’t come across nearly as insecure and headless to other people as he actually is, or he wouldn’t be able to control his men in Winterfell or during the raids, or to take control of Moat Cailin later.

Also, while it’s true he picked all the worst choices, he had no good options.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: He has to survive. I speak this into existence! I love him too much for him to die, and I’m sick of the redemption equals death trope. He better survive and become an explorer.

Elia Martell

How I feel about this character: Deserved so much better in all fronts :(

All the people I ship romantically with this character: No one, really. Her husband fucked her over, and so did the other characters I’ve seen being shipped with her (Lyanna and Arthur Dayne), plus I don’t know her enough to be invested. Maybe that suitor Oberyn says she was interested in? The one who farted.

My non-romantic OTP for this character: Oberyn and Doran! They love her so much! I like to think she’d get along very well with Ellaria too.

My unpopular opinion about this character: That I’m not nearly as invested in her as most of fandom? Or maybe that I think that before the Queen of Love and Beauty fiasco, she loved Rhaegar, possibly even after still. He’s handsome, courteous, sensitive, a prince who will make her queen in time. What is there not to love? I think she was completely blindsided by the Lyanna thing, both at the tournement and when Rhaegar disappeared with her.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: That she had taken Rhaenys to visit her uncles in Dorne right after that tournement and stayed there while the whole thing developed in the capital

Asha Greyjoy

How I feel about this character: I LOVE HER!!! If she’s not queen by the end I’m suing.

All the people I ship romantically with this character: Qarl! Alysane! Tris when he learns to shut up about the pimples.

My non-romantic OTP for this character: Her uncle Rodrik and Theon! For all that she’s friendly, I think Asha is pretty reserved and hard to know.

My unpopular opinion about this character: That whole part when she pretends to be Esgred is cringe-worth. I know people find it funny, but as an older sister to a loving shy dumbass, I die from second-hand embarassement for her more than for Theon. She manages to come across as worse than Theon, and that’s saying something! It’s just not okay to grope your brother, Asha! And still, that scene says a lot about Asha’s own insecurities and the person she has to be to keep her place and freedom... and yet, I find it difficult to say her actions were justified.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: I feel pretty confident she’s going to live, so I want her to become queen and start some deep economical and cultural reforms with the surviving ironborn.

Ashara Dayne

How I feel about this character: Indifferent. Even more so than with Lyanna and Elia, I don’t feel like I know her at all. We know she was very pretty, that she used to laugh and that she met a tragic end, but that’s pretty much it.

All the people I ship romantically with this character: No one, especially not Barristan.

My non-romantic OTP for this character: Again, no one. I know people seem to think of her and Elia as friends, and w know she was at the tournement, but again, not much to go by.

My unpopular opinion about this character: Don’t know how unpopular this is, but she definitely had sex with Brandon that time, not Ned.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: I don’t know, I think it’s very unlikely, but it would be fun if she turned out to be secretly alive after all for some perspective on the past generation and the events pre-rebellion, but I don’t want her to be Lemore nor Howland’s wife.

Arianne Martell

How I feel about this character: She’s okay, her chapters are entertaining, but not favorite material

All the people I ship romantically with this character: Arys and Daemon

My non-romantic OTP for this character: Her friends Drey, Garin and Sylva

My unpopular opinion about this character: This is way more on GRRM than on her, but it’s plain umconfortable how she had a crush on and very sexual thoughts about Oberyn at such a young age.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: That she could actually meet Quentyn and see that he was never a threat to her :(

Oberyn Martell

How I feel about this character: I like him, but I like Doran better. He could have done a better job raising his daughters.

All the people I ship romantically with this character: Ellaria! They were very in love and committed, and I feel like she brought out the best in him.

My non-romantic OTP for this character: Doran and Elia

My unpopular opinion about this character: He’s not as hot-headed as his reputation leads us to believe. He’s in complete control in KL until the end, it was pretty much bad luck that got him killed. Which makes me believe that all the other things that he did to earn his bad rep were done with open eyes.

He’s also not as awesome a father as fandom seems to believe. Maybe he got better with the younger ones, but I don’t really like the Sand Snakes and I think the way they are willing to walk all over Doran and talk badly about Ellaria reflects badly on him. And what we do know about his parenting style (taking Obara from her mother the way he did, saying they’ll need to kill any abusive husbands they get because he won’t help) makes Doran look like father of the year.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: That he got justice for Elia and her children, that he took Tyrion to Dorne and they became friends.

Doran Martel

How I feel about this character: I like him and I think he’s smart. His plans could do with a bit of feedback, but he’s not dumb.

All the people I ship romantically with this character: No one, really. I feel like he’s still hung up on his wife.

My non-romantic OTP for this character: Oberyn, Elia, Aero

My unpopular opinion about this character: I don’t think he’s overcautious or too slow, I think he has internalized that his first duty is to Dorne so he can’t go starting wars willy-nilly. If he could, he’d rain as much revenge on Elia’s murderers as Oberyn

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: That he had shut the Sand Snakes down harder when they called him a coward.

Brienne of Tarth

How I feel about this character: MY DAUGHTER! SHE’S SO SWEET!

All the people I ship romantically with this character: Jaime, maybe Hyle if he repents and gets his act together

My non-romantic OTP for this character: Pod, Catelyn, her dad

My unpopular opinion about this character: She would probably be happy being a regular lady if things went that route for her, especially because as the heir to Tarth, she’d be the one rulling her land and having a consort, not the other way around... I also think she would be good at it and be respected. Yes, I think people did ridicule and bully and disrespect her, but the fact that her septa, who was her main caregiver, was in on it, might have warped her perception of how others saw her. The bet too. Her master of arms, for example, respected and liked her, Cat too, so Brienne can and does inspire loyalty.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: I don’t think she’ll find Sansa, but I wish she would find at least Arya and get part of her oath to Cat done.

Jaime Lannister

How I feel about this character: I enjoy his povs a lot, he’s very funny, but he’s not one of my favorites

All the people I ship romantically with this character: Brienne

My non-romantic OTP for this character: Tyrion, his squires, that guy who has stopped shaving

My unpopular opinion about this character: I feel like, even if he had confesssed the reason why he killed Aerys, people would still judge him as a Kingslayer anyway. I don’t think it’s reprehensible that he kept quiet in the circumstances. Maybe it was irresponsible to just let the wildfire lying around, but he had no way to know it was dangerous.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: I want him to be the one to kill Cersei, but I want it to be because she’s becoming Aerys 2.0, not because he’s jealous.

Tyrion Lannister

How I feel about this character: I love him a lot! He’s sadly relatable, though I’m definitely not that smart. The way he won’t let people forget he’s there, that he’s smart and capable and that he won’t accept them walking all over him is the best.

All the people I ship romantically with this character: Dany! I think it’s a given that he’ll fall for her. I also think it’s a given that she’ll fall for Jon, but I’d like her to at least have some feelings for him as well, to be divided, etc. Though if it comes to that, I’d rather she ended with Tyrion.

My non-romantic OTP for this character: Jon, Bronn, Pod. I like to think the mountain clans think fondly of him as well.

My unpopular opinion about this character: He never really loved Shae. I don’t know how unpopular this is, but he didn’t love her and he was wrong to kill her even with the public humiliation and everything, and I think he’s aware of these facts. Not to say the sense of betrayal wasn’t real.

Also, he was 100% in the right when killing Tywin. It’s sad only because it sends Tyrion to such dark places, but really, a public service.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: Third head of the dragon, baby!

Genna Lannister

How I feel about this character: She annoys me!

All the people I ship romantically with this character: No one. I wish she felt happier with her husband, but shipping is too strong a word.

My non-romantic OTP for this character: Joanna Lannister. She very much doesn’t strike me as someone who has close friends.

My unpopular opinion about this character: She’s not a cool aunt or a loving aunt or whatever. Her talk with Jaime in his pov doesn’t strike me as them having a close relationship, and she’s basically a non-entity in Tyrion’s and Cersei’s thoughts from what I remember. For all that she criticizes Tywin, she seems to be a lot like him imho.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: Well, if she’s not in the Red Wedding Redux (if that happens), she’s got to be aound it. It would be interesting to see her reaction to it.

Scorpio Milo

How I feel about this character: He’s alright. Bit of an asshole, which I like

All the people I ship romantically with this character: No one. People seem to ship him with Aioria and Camus in particular, I’m okay with that.

My non-romantic OTP for this character: The other gold saints

My unpopular opinion about this character: His signature attack is cool in theory and lame in practice.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: That he got more character development. He gets little even for a minor character.

Aquarius Camus

How I feel about this character: He’s okay. I’m not very invested

All the people I ship romantically with this character: No one. He seems to get paired up a lot with Milo, I guess that’s fine.

My non-romantic OTP for this character: Hyoga, the other gold saints.

My unpopular opinion about this character: By adding the Crystal Saint, the anime turns a touching moment into something hilarious when Hyoga and him fight and trace back their saint genealogy

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: That he hadn’t frozen Hyoga. What the fuck did that even accomplish???

Andromeda Shun

How I feel about this character: I LOVE HIM! He was the first character that made me stop and think a little deeper about morals.

All the people I ship romantically with this character: Hyoga in the anime, June in the manga

My non-romantic OTP for this character: Seiya, Ikki, his master

My unpopular opinion about this character: He’s the more mature of the bronze saints, not only because he’s quiter and calmer, but because he’s the only one to think things through. He’s the only one who reflects about their situation in a conscious way. And he’s smart.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: I wish he had actually died in his Hades arc. I think it would make for a better story

Virgo Shaka

How I feel about this character: I like him a lot, his Hades arc helped a lot with that

All the people I ship romantically with this character: No one... I’d read whatever back when I was more into Saint Seiya, but I have no particular preferences

My non-romantic OTP for this character: The other gold saints, especially Aioria. They’ve come a long way and it was really sad how angry Aioria got about his death.

My unpopular opinion about this character: He’s way more of an asshole than people give him credit for.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: I wish he had lived, but again, they had to die, such is the nature of shonen manga XD

Sailor Pluto

How I feel about this character: I don’t know, she’s not as interesting as the outer senshi, but she’s alright

All the people I ship romantically with this character: No one

My non-romantic OTP for this character: Haruka and Michiru

My unpopular opinion about this character: None, really. I don’t have a lot of opinions on her.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: I’m more than okay with the end of Sailor Moon, including hers

Sailor Jupiter

How I feel about this character: I did not appreciate her enough the first time I read this manga, but she is awesome

All the people I ship romantically with this character: Ami, just a little bit

My non-romantic OTP for this character: All the other senshi

My unpopular opinion about this character: Much of the sense of her being an outsider gets lost in translation, which is a pity since it’s such an integral part of her character.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: I’m pretty happy with how things turned out for her :)

Sailor Venus

How I feel about this character: I had such a crush on her growing up XD

All the people I ship romantically with this character: I don’t actively ship it, but I think her and Mars are cute together

My non-romantic OTP for this character: All the other senshi, Artemis

My unpopular opinion about this character: The anime made her more immature than she was originally, but that doesn’t mean she was super adult in the original either. She had a lot on her plate so she stepped up. Her growth was more subtle than for her anime counterpart, but it was there

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: I’m pretty satisfied with the way the story ends, everyone including Venus alive and happy. Western authors, learn something from this!

[ambersky-ocs]

I really don't wanna draw some more but my kids are on my mind so OC Rambles

Also since whenever I mention I wanna ramble about Cinomed Chronicles y'all usually say/have said in the past you'd be glad to listen I hope you don't mind me tagging you in this: @surohsopsisofclouds @a-soul-among-the-stars

I mentioned recently Dani doesn't like mouth on mouth kisses

Taylor and Jeremiah take advantage of this and kiss him everywhere else and see which spots make him blush more

So far it's been his nose, his knuckles/palm, and the space between his wings

Dani is actually so much lighter than Jeremiah even though Jeremiah is t i n y

Most Dali are actually really lighter than Jeremiah, weighing between 60-80lbs

Also whenever I talk about my OCs as groups they go by these names usually : Angelic Trio = Taylor, Dani, Jeremiah ; OG Trio = Evanna, Marie, Leona

Taylor and Dani are around equal height but Taylor's much stronger than him

Taylor and Jeremiah do have powers but they need these special bracelets Jeremiah helps make that's infused with some magic from some Dali in order to actually use it

Their powers also all correlate with all of Angel's abilities. Angel's abilities encompass the most common abilities that Dali have(Weapon summoning, Barrier, and Healing)

Taylor = Barrier ; Jeremiah = Healing ; Dani = Weapon summoning

When the Angelic Trio met, Taylor and Jeremiah got along fine. But they really didn't like Dani and Dani really didn't like them

Dali don't trust humans all that much. Humans in this story are really fucking annoying sometimes

Taylor loves history, especially the history of Fahndali it's just,,,, retaining that info is what she really doesn't like doing cause it just won't stay in her head

So she has many notebooks stuffed under her bed in Tongyi that are crammed with as much info as she feels is necessary

Jeremiah loves the ocean and it's the only geographic thing he'll learn about

Dani is a huge nerd when it comes to mythology/folklore and loves how some/most stories incorporate history

He's very happy when Taylor and Jeremiah give him Greek, Norse, and Irish mythology books for his birthday one year and he talked about all he read to anyone who would listen

Everyone in the Angelic Trio loves cuddling but sometimes being around each other is too much, so they all have separate rooms in the castle

The first time Dani visits Earth, it's mid-winter in Arizona and he learns that he despises the cold

Taylor teases him for weeks after he was still complaining with a bunch of layers on

Leona is very small. She's probably a few inches taller than Jeremiah

She is also very very strong.

Leona and Taylor both really don't like wearing dresses

Dani honestly doesn't mind wearing dresses, he finds them really pretty and the looks on Taylor and Jeremiah's faces are amazing whenever he chooses to wear one

They need a moment to let their minds start working again

Jeremiah has nicknames for them b o t h and it makes Taylor and Dani, who are both terrible at romance, just melt

Taylor once dated a cannibal; the rest of the Sydney family still teases her all the time about it

His name was Vic and in all honesty he wasn't the worst guy Taylor's gone out with

He's actually useful to the plot later in the story too, and has a girlfriend and kid. Taylor and Vic act like they usually did when they meet for the first time in y e a r s

Evanna has been proposed to by 11 different people throughout her life and rejected them all cause no one could get it into their heads that she wasn't interested in getting hitched to anyone

Before Erin got married, everyone in Tongyi honestly thought that he and Evanna would get together. Or that he'd at least be her consort so she'd have an heir

So much shock when that didn't happen

I really love Erin and Evanna's friendship, they can act like an old married couple or like newly weds when it comes to their banter and affection but they both know the other will never feel romantic feelings with the other

Also Erin's wife finds it really cute whenever she sees Erin kiss Evanna's forehead or cheek cause that's just What He Does

Kord, Marie's older brother, was a homophobic ass for awhile

But then he found out his wife was Pan and started to actually get educated on LGBTQ+ stuff and then apologized profusely to his sister for almost a year bc of how he acted

Also he was ready to kill a bitch once he found out Leona tried to kill Marie on multiple occasions

Leona does protect his daughter in the end tho so he reconsiders his opinion on Leona

Kord might be one of the only straight OCs I have

Vic considers himself Queer, Erin is Pan, Aki is Aro/Ace, Angel is Agender and Bi, Evanna is Aro/Ace, Serranidae is Lesbian, Leona's Lesbian, Marie is Bi, etc.

There might be one other straight girl(I don't have a name for her though) but she also might not be straight, still deciding

Oh, the elderly ladies of the Sydney family approve greatly of Dani and Jeremiah when they meet them. They keep hinting that they should all tie the knot

It also might be because if Taylor married Dani then it means she becomes part of the royal family but they don't actually say that

Aki is the only Cinomed that's gonna receive a redemption arc. He's gonna be the only one that lives

Really the only thing that changes about him is he stops performing experiments on humans, Dali, Werewolves, and dragons

I have only one OC whom I truly despise, and his name is Gideon Hayes and he's the exact type of human being that I would gladly punch and watch die a slow painful death

Actually wait there's two- Keegan Francis is the other for very similar but also very different reasons

Evanna and Leona both have very similar secrets- Leona's is a lot more dark and Evanna's is really really important towards the end of Cinomed Chronicles

I used to really hate Deathstriker, but looking at most of my antagonists she's really not the worst one

Don't get me wrong, she's still a shitty shitty human but Rikki, Gideon, Keegan, and Serranidae are all far worse. She's just a bit higher than Aki level of awful

I think I've mentioned this before but I don't remember- the Mays royal family(Evanna's family) is the only family of Dali to have red hair, so when Dani comes to rule Tongyi it's weird for everyone to see a member of the Mays family have brown hair

(Members not related by blood don't usually end up ruling unless they're the only family member left, however that means that their child has died and so has never really happened in the past)

Everyone just kinda accepts that Evanna adopted instead of having a blood heir, and they just have to accept that the Mays bloodline is coming to an end(or so they think) even though the family name will still remain in the family

Neva Sydney is actually part Dali, but no one is sure to what extent. Her soul-seeing ability seems to stem from that heritage

Human/Dali hybrids are crazy powerful and no one knows why, not even Aki when he tests on Neva(with permission)

Neva has a QPR with Nezu and a boy named Tyler when they're older

Taylor at one point in the story has 2 and 1/3 souls in her body, and it's bloody torture and she punches Aki when it's all over

Despite Aki being the main source of a lot of Taylor's problems she's the first to trust him and forgive him

Cinomeds are usually much taller than the average Dali(Dali are usually around 6.5 feet, Cinomeds being 7.5-9 feet) but Aki is actually pretty short, standing around 6 feet

[silkygoldmilkweed]

The men who do Cersei’s dirty work

“The Kettleblack brothers” by pojypojy

OK, time to talk about the three Kettleblack brothers, Osmund, Osfryd and Osney. Osmund eventually joins the Kingsguard, but I think that as Sandor Clegane moves away from Joffrey and toward Sansa, they also replace the Hound in Cersei’s bed and in her service generally.

Yes, I’m still stuck on my idea that at one point or another Cersei and the Hound were lovers. She never suggests that in any of her POV chapters. Neither does Jaime or Tyrion. But I suspect that’s a function of the Lannister selective memory and snobbery. However, there are hints around the edges of the Lannister world that Sandor Clegane might have been more than any random loyal retainer.

I think when Tywin states that it’s not right to feed a dog at the high table, or when Joffrey calls Sandor “my mother’s dog,” there are suggestions of the possibility of the Hound’s one-time intimacy with the family generally and Cersei in particular.

The Kettleblack brothers are described, over the course of several books, as lowborn (illiterate, and elevated “scum of the streets,” says Cersei), rakishly attractive with dark looks and hawk-like noses (one even has facial scars!), very tall (six-feet-six, i.e. almost as tall as book!Hound), charming and well-liked by high and low-born alike, sexually aggressive, decidedly interesting in fucking a queen, opportunistic and--most importantly, I imagine--willing to participate in lies, treachery and schemes on behalf of Cersei.

But they are not particularly loyal, nor remarkably great warriors--although they could presumably hold their own in a low-key bar brawl. They also appear to be on Tyrion and Littlefinger’s payroll, for a time. They testify falsely against Tyrion in his trial and then again against Marge, all at Cersei’s bidding. However, when the Faith Militant takes control, they quickly confess all knowledge of Cersei’s schemes and turn on her, revealing all her lies and conspiracies against Marge et al.

(Jaime seems to loathe them, beginning from his first meeting with them upon his return to King’s Landing after being a Stark prisoner of war. But is it loathing or jealousy? He mulls frequently on Tyrion’s reveal that “Cersei’s been fucking Lancel and Osmund Kettleblack and Moon Boy for all I know...”)

Finally, and this is minor, in the books, when Joffrey makes Sansa kiss Hearteater, he’s on a horse in the company of Osmund Kettleblack and Moore and Trant. In the show they substitute in the Hound. The Hound appears to have absolutely no interest in the proceedings, but he is slotted into that moment rather than being separated from Sansa until the end of the episode when he goes to visit her before he departs.

I think that’s not a random reorganization for adaptation purpose, because when Joffrey says, “You’ll kiss it again when I return, and taste my uncle’s blood,” Sansa thinks, “Only if one of your Kingsguard kills him for you.” We are meant to see the contrast between coward Joffrey and the actual fighters. The most important of these, by far, is Sandor Clegane.

The books held that back because George was painting on a particular Sansa-centric canvas, whereas the show spotlighted him because the whole Blackwater was so abbreviated as far as SanSan goes and instead emphasized the Stannis-Tyrion battle.

Moreover, I think they cut the Kettleblacks from the show because the visual similarities between the Kettleblacks and Sandor would have been a dead giveaway.

The Kettleblacks are cocky bastards, they have smart mouths, they are virile, and...they are dumb enough to initially trust Cersei Lannister’s lies and false promises.

My take is that the Kettleblacks are Sandor Clegane if you subtracted the intelligence, the inborn bloodthirsty savagery, the bone-deep cynicism, and, above all, the code of honor.

Anyway, read these quotes about the various Kettleblacks and see if they aren’t decidedly reminiscent of the Hound, albeit not always the Hound we would meet if we were encountering him in the company of gentle high-born Sansa Stark. 

Mind the POVs and adjust your skepticism goggles accordingly.

Tyrion: “Amiable rogues all three, the brothers were in truth much more skilled at deceit than they'd ever been at bloodletting.”

Tyrion: “Ser Osmund Kettleblack looked formidable enough. He stood six feet and six inches, most of it sinew and muscle, and his hook nose, bushy eyebrows, and spade-shaped brown beard gave his face a fierce aspect, so long as he did not smile. Lowborn, no more than a hedge knight, Kettleblack was utterly dependent on Cersei for his advancement, which was doubtless why she'd picked him.”

Tyrion: " ’She fought.’ Unlike his brothers, Osney Kettleblack was clean-shaven, so the scratches showed plainly on his bare cheeks. ‘Got claws like a shadowcat, this one.’ “

Sansa: “Sansa was spared the need to reply when two Kettleblacks reentered the hall. Ser Osmund and his brothers had become great favorites about the castle; they were always ready with a smile and a jest, and got on with grooms and huntsmen as well as they did with knights and squires. With the serving wenches they got on best of all, it was gossiped. Of late Ser Osmund had taken Sandor Clegane's place by Joffrey's side, and Sansa had heard the women at the washing well saying he was as strong as the Hound, only younger and faster. If that was so, she wondered why she had never once heard of these Kettleblacks before Ser Osmund was named to the Kingsguard.” (The sexual implications of this paragraph have been discussed in great depth in the Sandor Clegane fandom, namely that in King’s Landing Sandor also obviously fucks the serving wenches and the washerwomen, but that he takes his time with his women because he is older and more experienced.)

Tyrion: “‘And the eldest, Ser Osmund of the Kingsguard, dreams of certain other...favors...as well. You can match the queen coin for coin, I have no doubt, but she has a second purse that is quite inexhaustible.’ Seven hells, thought Tyrion. ‘Are you suggesting that Cersei's fucking Osmund Kettleblack?’”

Sansa: “Sansa tried to run, but Cersei's handmaid caught her before she'd gone a yard. Ser Meryn Trant gave her a look that made her cringe, but Kettleblack touched her almost gently [emphasis added] and said, ‘Do as you're told, sweetling, it won't be so bad. Wolves are supposed to be brave, aren't they?’”

Sansa: “His face twisted into a leer. ‘And if you take my tongue, you will leave me no way at all to pleasure this sweet wife you gave me.’ Laughter burst from the lips of Ser Osmund Kettleblack. Someone else sniggered. But Joff did not laugh, nor Lord Tywin. ‘Your Grace,’ he said, ‘my son is drunk, you can see that.’ ”

Jaime: "’Her other brother, dolt. And the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard. Now stand aside, or you'll wish you had.’ The dolt took a long look this time. ‘Is it...Ser Jaime.’ He straightened. ‘My pardons, milord. I did not know you. I have the honor to be Ser Osmund Kettleblack.’ Where's the honor in that? ‘I want some time alone with my sister. See that no one else enters the sept, ser. If we're disturbed, I'll have your bloody head.’”

Cersei: “When the girl was gone, Taena Merryweather gave the queen a quizzical look. ‘Why did she turn so red?’ ‘Love.’ It was Cersei's turn to laugh. ‘She fancies our Ser Osney.’ He was the youngest Kettleblack, the clean-shaved one. Though he had the same black hair, hooked nose, and easy smile as his brother Osmund, one cheek bore three long scratches, courtesy of one of Tyrion's whores. ‘She likes his scars, I think.’ “ Lady Merryweather's dark eyes shone with mischief. ‘Just so. Scars make a man look dangerous, and danger is exciting.’ “

Cersei: “‘That, and a lordship.’ Unless Snow's brothers hang you first. ‘A queen must have a consort. One who knows no fear.’ ‘Lord Kettleblack?" A slow smile spread across his face, and his scars flamed red. ‘Aye, I like the sound o' that. A lordly lord...’ ‘...and fit to bed a queen.’”

Cersei: “Ser Osmund Kettleblack fell in beside her on the steps, tall and lean in his Kingsguard whites. When Cersei was certain they were quite alone, she slid her arm through his. ‘How is your little brother faring, pray?...Is the little queen blind to his charms?’ ‘His charms is fine. He's a Kettleblack, ain't he? Begging your pardon.’ Ser Osmund ran his fingers through his oily black hair.”

Cersei: “Osfryd was the middle Kettleblack, quieter than his siblings, more apt to scowl than smile. And crueler as well, if the tales are true.”

Cersei: “Afterward she summoned Ser Osney Kettleblack to her solar. He came in sweaty from the yard and swaggering, and as he took a knee he undressed her with his eyes, the way he always did.”

Cersei: “Within, Osney Kettleblack hung naked from the ceiling, swinging from a pair of heavy iron chains. He had been whipped. His back and shoulders been laid almost bare, and cuts and welts crisscrossed his legs and arse as well...Osney Kettleblack opened his eyes. When he saw the queen standing there before him he ran his tongue across his swollen lips, and said, ‘The Wall. You promised me the Wall.’”

Cersei: “The High Septon tried to seize her, but he was some old sparrow and she was a lioness of the Rock. She pushed him aside and burst through the door, slamming it behind her with a clang. The Kettleblacks, I need the Kettleblacks, I will send in Osfryd with the gold cloaks and Osmund with the Kingsguard, Osney will deny it all once they cut him free, and I'll rid myself of this High Septon just as I did the other.”

Cersei: “She stood accused of adultery, fornication, high treason, even murder, for Osney Kettleblack had confessed to smothering the last High Septon at her command.”

Cersei: “Cersei could hear Unella writing behind her. Her quill made a faint, soft scratching sound. ‘Lancel Lannister, my cousin. And Osney Kettleblack.’ Both men had confessed to bedding her, it would do her no good to deny it. ‘His brothers too. Both of them.’ She had no way of knowing what Osfryd and Osmund might say. Safer to confess too much than too little. ‘It does not excuse my sin, High Holiness, but I was lonely and afraid. The gods took King Robert from me, my love and my protector. I was alone, surrounded by schemers, false friends, and traitors who were conspiring at the death of my children. I did not know who to trust, so I...I used the only means that I had to bind the Kettleblacks to me.’ ‘By which you mean your female parts?’ ‘My flesh.’ She pressed a hand to her face, shuddering. When she lowered it again, her eyes were wet with tears. ‘Yes. May the Maid forgive me. It was for my children, though, for the realm. I took no pleasure in it. The Kettleblacks...they are hard men, and cruel, and they used me roughly, but what else was I to do? Tommen needed men around him I could trust.’ ‘His Grace was protected by the Kingsguard.’”

Cersei would have fucked the Hound if it served her purposes at the time. You know she would have.

I think she only wants to make babies that look like her, so Jaime provides her with her heirs, but she keeps a dark swarthy lover on the side--someone who will do her dirty work, in exchange for access to what’s between her legs, e.g. Sandor Clegane, assorted Kettleblacks, Ser Robert Strong/Gregor Clegane (?), Euron Greyjoy (?).

Maybe Tywin thought she’d like Robert Baratheon because he was similar-looking to Sandor Clegane.

I also think that if she fucked at least two Lannisters and all three Kettleblacks, she would also fuck both Cleganes. We’ll see.