#and that is one of the prime reasons the relationship wouldn't work

[love-anddeepression]

Magic

Moon Boys x reader<3

summary: you were married to Jake and after the events of moonknight, the boys get to know of jake and of you. Steven adores you but Marc just sees you as a friend. Right?

A/N: okay the timeline is a bit wonky but here's what i thought while writing the fic. Jake dated you for a year and a half before putting a ring on it. And you've been married for three years. You met Steven and Marc a year ago and have been dating Steven for eight months. Marc became friends with you a month after meeting you. please comment and reblog if you liked it!

Warnings: angst, hurt/comfort

@jake-g-lockley

Marc was a lot of things. Pig-headed, stubborn, horrible at communication, a fighter. But he wasn't arrogant He could admit it when he didn't know something.

But right now he knew one thing and one thing only, that Jake was a prime idiot.

Marc stayed in the background when Jake was fronting around you, most of the time. Not always, of course. He wasn't a perv and one to to intrude between a husband and a wife. But he knew you. So did Steven, and you knew them.

He'd considered you his friend. Maybe one of his best, just months after meeting you. You and him shared many a night after Jake's missions talking and watching movies, when your husband was knocked out. You made him fall in love with chai, something that knocked Steven's socks off and he'd taught you the basics of baseball so you weren't clueless when you watched baseball with him.

It wasn't always so nice.

"You're married?!"

"Yeah, what's your problem with that?" Jake had become defensive, he wouldn't let Marc or Steven breathe a single ill word towards you.

"No, it's no problem at all, pal." Marc seethed, outraged, "except for the fact that I was married to Layla! God what if she almost say you when we were married? No wonder it ended!"

"Fuck off, man. You know full well why your marriage didn't work out with Layla. And unlike her, I told my lady fucking everything. She knows everything, from the cave to the sarcophagus. So she knew what to do and what to be careful of, including you. So don't blame my marriage for the reason yours didn't work out."

This was when Steven had interjected, he was unsurprisingly on Jake's side.

"He's right, Marc. If his wife knows everything then you can't blame him, and it's honestly rather mean and unfair of you to be angry at someone you haven't even met."

It took a few hours for Marc to calm down, and actually, apologise to Jake.

Hesitantly, Jake offered, "Y'know, if you want you can meet her. She practically knows everything about you and uh, Steven's most probably seen her around. She goes to the museum every week."

"Wait a minute! That lady with the Van Gogh tote bag?"

"Yup."

"Oh wow! She's really sweet, and beautiful! Hell, mate. You scored."

Jake had to smile at that, he knew he scored with you. For the longest time he felt like you were too good for him and that someone as kind, clever, intelligent and beautiful as you shouldn't have had to settle for someone like him. But you'd kiss away every ill thought he had about himself and reassure him. Communication was a very, very vital and important part of the relationship and you had helped him learn that it wasn't selfish to voice his thoughts. Especially because he put everyone's needs before his for so long.

"I know, man."

Steven had readily agreed to front and meet you, and Marc was okay with being co-conscious during the interaction as well. So on one fine day, Jake had brought them to the house he considered his home. He worked to contribute to it's rent, and buy things for it and for you. It was home, after all. You were his home.

Marc didn't know what to expect but when Jake had stepped in and hung his jacket on the stand and taken his shoes off, footsteps could be heard running from the main bedroom and he saw you running straight into Jake's arms. Jake laughed wildly, picking you up and twirling you around, much to your delight as you kissed the life out of him.

When he put you down, he could get a clear glimpse of you. Your hair was messy and your t-shirt was rumpled. And when he saw you smile he knew why Jake had fallen in love with you. Why Steven thought you were beautiful and sweet. Verything about you screamed, home.

Your greeting to Jake threw both the boys off, "Who the fuck are you?"

Jake smirked, "The fuck you mean, ma?"

"I mean, who." you poked him once, "are." twice, "you?" thrice and Jake started giggling. Fucking giggling like some little schoolgirl. You laughed too, and hugged him tight.

"Hey, baby." he kissed your forehead and you smiled.

"Hi." you kissed his nose.

"I have two guys who'd like to meet you."he raised his eyebrows.

Your jaw dropped a little, "For real? Wait, you're being serious, you're not screwing with me?"

"Why would I screw with you, when I could just screw you?"

The men in his head and you all let out a simultaneous groan.

Steven met you first, and it went swell, you'd both bonded over history and literature. And a love for Taylor Swift. But that was a secret. You liked him a lot and he positively adored you.

Marc, on the other hand, was much more closed off, he'd be polite, but he'd be curt as well. A combination you didn't know was possible.

After a few weeks of trying to bond with him, resulting in almost a small meltdown. It had taken Jake being knocked out after a mission and being too tired to eat to actually get him to talk to you over a meal.

It was one of the best things he'd eaten in his goddamn life and the groan he'd let out after the first bite brought a laugh out of you.

So yes, Marc would consider you one of his best friends. Steven and you had started going out with each other a few months ago and it was going so well.

But not Marc.

Because he didn't like you like that.

Of course not, you were his friend.

You were his friend who made him laugh because you had the same dark sense of humour. You hugged him when he needed one but was too uptight to ask you. You, who googled the Cubs and learnt everything you could about them just so you could talk to him as well, the way you talked to Steven about Jane Austen and the Indus Valley.

He didn't know when it became something more to him.

And he didn't see how you'd look him at him when he laughed, or when he was focused on the TV, or when he made you tea the way you liked it, Jake had taught him how to do that.

No, to him, you were just his best friend.

And you were currently crying your eyes out because Jake and you had gotten into a huge fight. He'd missed your anniversary because of a mission and he was working with Hathor's avatar. He failed to mention the part where he was forced to pretend they were a thing to prevent being caught and you'd caught him smelling of her perfume and gotten rightfully furious.

Not because of her, but because he didn't tell you that it had been happening for a few days. That the week he'd spent away from you, he'd had to pretend he was someone else's and he was too scared to tell you. That's why you were mad, because you thought he didn't trust you.

You'd raised your voice as he turned his back on you and he turned around, face contorted in rage. Steven tried calming him down as he stalked over to you. You stood your ground, Jake would never lay a hand on you. You knew that. But it was what he said, that broke you.

"You're being a fucking nuisance. Instead of trying to understand, you're being more of a burden by finding shit to get mad at. Grow the fuck up."

That prime ass had the audacity to call you a burden. A nuisance.

And then he had the fucking nerve to leave and complete his mission and give control to Marc. Steven had chewed the fuck out of him and Marc would have loved to as well, but he needed to see you. See if you were okay.

As soon as he stepped in, he saw you on the sofa, rapidly wiping your tears away. You sagged again when you knew it was him. Somehow you always knew.

He furrowed his eyebrows at your disheveled state. Your eyes were swollen and wet with tears and you were breathing very heavily and in quick spurts.

"What do you need?" Marc asked you, sitting down beside you.

"C-can I have" you coughed, "a hug, Marc?" you said in a small voice, looking away.

Marc immediately moved to hug you close. Shushing you when you began to cry again.

What hurt was that he knew, and Jake knew, and Steven knew that you hated being a burden or an inconvenience to anyone. And today, the one man you trusted the most in this world had made you feel like that. And he couldn't even apologize.

'Jake you fucking idiot.' he rocked you a little, 'you better come out and fix this. she may be our friend but this is because of you, fix this.'

Jake remained silent in the reflection of the mirror next to the door. He looked wrecked at seeing you sob, and tears were falling down his own eyes.

'Mate.' Steven spoke up, he sounded mad, 'You made our girl cry. Stop being a fucking coward and fix this!'

When he was met with silence, Steven seethed, 'Marc, gimme the body.'

You knew exactly when it was Steven hugging you, and you kissed his cheek and breathed him in.

"Oh, love." he tried to comfort you, "I'm sorry. You're not a burden, I promise you." he kissed your forehead.

"I know that, Steven. I know I'm not a burden to you. I'm scared I'm becoming one to him. He doesn't even want to look at me!" you sniffed.

Steven glared at Jake in the mirror, who was wiping away his own tears.

Steven and Marc knew why Jake was so worked up. They knew that whoever Jake and Hathor's avatar was after called their bluff. They knew that those people had found the woman's partner and Jake was terrified for you and he couldn't even tell you because he never, ever wanted to be the reason for any feeling you had that wasn't bliss, happiness, content, or pleasure. And because he was sure he could find those assholes and beat the living shit out of them for even thinking of harming you.

But it wasn't their place to tell you, that much was apparent. Jake dug his grave, and then jumped into it. He had to crawl out of it on his own now.

"I just want to be someone he's happy to be with." you whisper and that's when Jake straightened up, heartbroken.

"Give me the body, hermano."

"All yours."

Only Jake scrunched the back of your shirts when he hugged you and you moved to hug him tightly as he whispered apologies in your ear.

"Baby, I'm sorry, I'm so fucking sorry I made you feel like you were a burden and that I was anything but fucking delighted to be with you." he kissed your nose and then told you everything. Looking away because he was scared.

"I didn't tell you at first because I didn't want to just say that I had to pretend I was dating someone else and then fuck off for a week. I made a mistake in assuming that'd you get mad and it's because if I was in your place, I would be. But you're stronger than me, tesoro, and I failed to see that and I'm so sorry."

"Baby, I forgive you." you replied and he breathed out a sigh of relief, "But please, don't keep stuff like this in, okay? You can trust me, you know that."

He nodded fiercely and then he kissed you. Noses nudging and lips parting as he breathed you in like you were his lifeline, and he yours. He cupped your face and held you tight against him and when he pulled away you smiled at him, your eyes shining.

Steven fronted again with a little smile and you kissed him lovingly with a whispered 'i love you'. He just winked at you and kissed the back of your hand and then your forehead again before Jake took back control and carried you to the bed, kissing you deeply all the way.

----

Marc was fine, no he just needed a glass of water. He'd carefully rolled off the bed, thankful that he was at least wearing sweatpants and padded to the kitchen.

He should have known that you were a light sleeper.

"Marc." you began, your voice raspy.

He hummed in reply and held out his glass to you. You accepted it and drank your fill, giving it back to him.

After a few more moments of silence, you spoke up, "I thanked Steven for comforting me. But I didn't thank you." you cleared your throat, "Thank you, Marc." you said, sincerely, "You're one of my best friends."

Marc smiled at you. Actually smiled. And you smiled back and kept going, "And Jake and Steven know this and are okay with it so I-"

"You don't have to thank me, honey." he patted your shoulder, trying to conceal his tears as he looked away because god he was dumb. Dumb enough to realize now, that he loved you, "I'm glad I'm your friend."

To him, you were everything. You were sunrays and moonbeams and everything that he believed was magical as a boy. Everything he stopped believing in as he grew up. The first time you made him laugh and joined him he felt sure that magic existed after all, because what else could you be?

He tried walking past you but you held his hand and he froze, tears streaming down his cheeks.

You walked over to him and held his face in your hands. His eyes shut as you wipe away his tears. And he whimpered as you kissed his forehead.

"Marc. Open your eyes and look at me." you said softly.

He was terrified. That you'd seen past his mask and were going to let him down gently. Because to you, what could he be? Certainly nothing more than a friend.

"Sweetheart. Please."

When his eyes finally opened, they met yours.

"Marc. I fucking love you." you confessed and he let out a sob. Pulling you into a tight hug.

"I love you. God I love you so much, Sweetheart." he says into your hair, kissing all over your face, but not your lips.

"Can I kiss you?" you asked him, looking at him with those beautiful eyes of yours.

He nods and your hands travel to his locks and pull them lightly as you bring your lips to his own. Humming sweetly as he wraps his arm around you and licks into you.

Yes, he reasons yet again as you hold his face in your hands and smile at him, magic does exist. And it's in his arms. He loves it and so do the men in his head who cheer for him, albeit sleepily, looking at you lovingly.

And they'd never let you go.

[quixotical-lymbo]

Goes on my knees to beg for a D-16 or Orion Pax x smaller autobot reader— where they’re more picked on by the guards for their height and uselessness, so he stands up for them and such. Like a big protector for the reader (it can be any gender!)

Pairing: D-16 x gn!small-framed!Reader Rating: SFW Summary: When you're a small bot working in the mines, it's difficult to keep up with your much larger than life miners. However, there's always a bot in your corner. Warnings/Tags: Again, SPOILERS YALL, Headcanons, cybertronian reader, fluff, and slight angst.  Word Count: 1000+ words 

How you two met

🟡 When his team was gaining a new member,  D-16 met you for the first time

🟡 You were…tiny to say the least and he wondered how or why you were working in a dangerous place 

🟡 With your helm barely reaching his midsection plating and bright-eyed look, he didn't even give you a day before you'd buckle under the horrors of the mine 

 Becoming friends…?

🟡 It wasn't intentional and purely accidental, but he ended up eavesdropping on your conversations with the other miners in the group. It was the moment your intake spilled the name of a Prime he's admired so much did he finally join the convo. 

🟡 Yet…this convo turned into a heated debate about how cool or uncool Megatronus is. You took the side of uncool while D-16 took a stubborn defense of his favorite Prime. 

🟡 Since then, whenever the two of you crossed paths it always ended with butting helms or mumbling insults under your breaths. 

Helping each other

🟡 One moment you were carefully extracting energon from a hard-to-reach vein when a rumbling caught your attention

🟡 Screams and shouts of a cave collapsing caused you to panic as you struggled to squeeze out of the shaft you were in

🟡 You were one servo out when you felt a bigger one envelop yours and yanked you free. 

🟡 It was hard to see when your optics were squeezed shut and you were forced against a chassis as whoever saved you kept running until you both were out

🟡 It was D-16? 

🟡 "...thanks."

🟡 "Don't mention it. Like…ever." 

🟡 "But…"

🟡 "Didn't I say-" 

🟡 "You're still holding my servo." 

🟡 He ripped away from you like you burned him as his faceplate was set ablaze 

🟡 You could be heard giggling behind him as he scrambled to get away

Protecting each other 

🟡 Perhaps something happened to cause Darkwing to be up your aft, but whatever the reason was D-16 felt that you didn't deserve being pushed around and yelled at

🟡 The last straw was seeing Darkwing, quite literally, snatch you up and bark insults in your face

🟡 He was hesitant to step in until he noticed your shaky plating and teary optics.

🟡 Placating Darkwing wasn't easy and D-16 earned a scolding and harsh jab to the side of his helm, but it was worth since he managed to get you away from the taller mech

🟡 You smiled at him and mouthed a thank you. 

🟡 He returned the smile with a grin of his own.

Your dynamic with his other friend, Orion Pax 

🟡 Polite and simple

🟡 Nothing really much to say, you usually encounter him if he's hanging off of D-16 

🟡 Sometimes the two of you engage in petty banter about D-16's love for Megatronus, other times it's to vehemently deny Orion's accusation of your feelings toward his best friend

🟡 When this happens, D-16 is confused when comes back to you chasing after a laughing Pax 

Nicknames 

🟡 Oh boy, he called you all sorts of things (especially before you two were cool with each other). From pipsqueak to scraplet, D-16 had a range of short-related nicknames to call you.

🟡 You called him D sometimes, even called him Big D once and it felt…wrong for some reason. So, you stuck with D.

Friends…?

🟡 You silly frenemy relationship with the silver mech grew warmer overtime 

🟡 Still, it was weird to call him a friend…he was more of a…coworker you wouldn't mind sticking to if you had to be partnered up

🟡 For D-16, he somewhat felt the same way, but something in his spark was telling him otherwise. It didn't help that a certain blue and red mech kept teasing him with fake googly optics whenever you and him were standing near each other. 

🟡 It was extremely awkward for a few chords (days) until another incident with Darkwing brought the two of you closer together. 

🟡 That incident involved getting scolded again, but instead of D saving you, it was you saving him by taking the fall

🟡 The two of you were in the med bay talking with each other. Intimate whispers and breathy laughs were exchanged. That night, the coldness between you two melted into a closer bond.

🟡 Then, he and Pax were nowhere to be found after the Iacon race. 

Dynamic after the events of the movie 

🟡 You didn't see D-16 for a while until he returned and…he's changed. 

🟡 It was one thing learning that your entire existence was a lie set up by a figure you once looked up to, but witnessing a mech you secretly admired turn into the very thing you were horrified by was…you couldn't even process the emotions that surged within you.

🟡 After receiving a cog, you can decide to follow D-16, or Megatron as he named himself, or stay. 

🟡 If you decided to follow after Megatron, expect his suspicion and lack of trust in your desire to join his cause. However, it doesn't take long for you to worm your way into his spark when you speak passionately about his cause and his goal to rule over Cybertron without him needing to corrupt you himself. Whether or not the previous feelings from before his change into the mech he is now is uncertain. Megatron is too busy with rallying troops/re-establishing the pecking order and you're left figuring out how to be of service to him. Only time can tell. 

🟡 If you decide to stay, you'll never see D-16 again. Only rare glimpses of Megatron from a distance. 

😼 - I do not give permission for anyone to translate, copy, republish, or plagiarize any of my written works. I provide no permission for any of my literary works to be used in artificial intelligence. banner(s) by @kodaswrld !!

[ghostgirl101]

Being In A Relationship With Feyd-Rautha Would Be Like This...

A/N: Yes yesss, I'm back from the deepest depths of the dead, finals kicked my ass earlier but now its almost october and I'll burn any exam paper I see from this moment onwards 😀 don't even question why I used this gif, it pretty much summarises the whole headcanon lmao🖤so enjoy it and lmk if you want to be added to the taglist thing at the end. Keep in mind that requests are not open currently, as I'm catching up with ones already in my inbox for Dune and other dark fandoms.

Warnings: Kind of dark themes, mid violence.. it's Feyd Rautha, idk what to tell you 😐

Next Week's Fanfic: Headcanons for a love triangle between you, Feyd-Rautha and Paul Atreides 😎😎

☠︎︎• You got yourself into some weird territory with this one 😵‍💫

☠︎︎• If you're expecting any semblance of stability and pure romance, then I'd turn and run for the Dunes to find Paul instead, because this Harkonnen doesn't have an ounce of level sanity in him, and the amount of spiking tension you'll have to cope with on a daily basis is enough to give anyone a literal heart attack 💀💀

☠︎︎• My guesses are that you were introduced to Feyd-Rautha as either a pretty young Bene Gesserit girl chosen to weave her way into his life to continue the bloodline, or he liked the look of you when he was off-world in one instance to look over Spice production with his uncle, and took you back as a trophy because he liked the look of you. So lucky you. 🙃

☠︎︎• This boy is an absolute sadist and an unpredictable unhinged mess, so there's a lot to get used to, and even when you do get used to things, it could all flip and spin just as quickly. It would take a hell of a time to truly understand Feyd-Rautha enough to predict him one hundred per cent and longer to have his trust that you won't run off or try betraying him.

☠︎︎• There's definitely a kind of dangerous allure to him that he uses to his advantage, a smug grin on his face when he enters the arenas, most likely to make kills in your name. It wouldn't be a massive surprise if you became some figure in Giedi Prime to sacrifice the dead to, like some kind of goddess of the kill (ik that sounds dramatic as hell, but i see it happening .-.)

☠︎︎• Feyd-Rautha is absolutely not used to the concept of looking out for anyone other than himself, or feeling anything close to respect and love for anyone other than himself. So the relationship he forces between you and him is a shaky and slow-burning bond that works in its own weird ways and quirks, and adapts to him and him only, so there are a lot of adjustments to be made on your end. Because even though Feyd isn't sensitive in the general sense, he's majorly unpredictable, and one wrong word could set him off. Just, tread carefully in the early days.

☠︎︎• If you want affection in any other way than corpses and bruising hickies, it may take a little while, because he has no idea how to pull that kind of gentleness off, and doesn't necessarily want to either. But if it's something that'll get you to submit to his hold over you more, then he'll come round to it, and when there's absolutely no one else in the area, you might get some actual, genuine passion, though there's always a part of it mixed in with some darker conflict in him.

☠︎︎• If you want attention from him, you've got it anyway. Feyd has his own form of attachment, pretty much an obsession, but it's always tangled in with his desire to dominate and possess. It's a suffocating relationship and tipped-scales dynamic, and the only way you can really get him to see your side of things is by wording it in ways that'll make it sound like it was his idea in the first place, and that the reason is because it'll feel better for him.

☠︎︎• Needless to say, if you're a little firmer and have a dark side to you (i'll make a safe bet that you do if you want this guy x_x) this Harkonnen is a thrill seeker to the extreme, someone always looking to feel something new and raw and insatiable, like the sharpest peaks of ecstasy and adrenaline, so will he try out new stuff with you even though it sounds mental and freaky and dangerous? That's a rhetorical question.

☠︎︎• Despite all the bloodshed and his ruthless havoc in the arenas, taking lives and living for the pain of it, believe it or not, Feyd is actually vulnerable in the least suspecting way. He doesn't have an emotional connection with anyone, because he's an unhinged psycho amongst a crowd of pale unhinged psychos who expect nothing less (and.. have you watched the film?? It's confirmed that this dude has mummy issues, so... i'm just saying, look at this hc's front gif 😏)

☠︎︎• If we're talking romance and affection, just think intense. Intense intense intense, because that's the best way to describe it. His hugs are breathtakingly tight and forcefully smothering, and he doesn't kiss, he full-on makes out with you. Public or not doesn't matter, it's just an opportunity to mark you as his in front of an audience, and he'll gladly perform, so suck up your shyness.

☠︎︎• Thinking of pet names, I see Feyd-Rautha calling you either by just your true first name and having everyone else address you just by your general title, or using other typical nicknames he'd use with satisfied smirks and lingering looks. Maybe his dearest darling, because you're higher than the pets he feeds and used before you (apparently they're called harpies??!? idk what the heck lol) I don't see him saying my love or honey unless he's just being a jackass in an argument, because I'm betting my life savings this boy only eats bitter things, and he sure as hell can't define love like you can.

☠︎︎• Feyd comes across as pretty dominant in everything he does, which is right, and even if it's you questioning him, he'll throw a dangerous fit that escalates within a second no one sees, so, again you have to be clever with the way you word things. You physically and mentally cannot be independent with Feyd-Rautha, because he'll break that spirit right out of your soul. Would he physically hurt you? Not badly, no, but just don't push him, because he'll lash out without a second thought in the moment of impulse.

☠︎︎• Again with the independence, another thing that stops you from getting any is how absolutely suffocatingly obsessive he can get, which turns on his possessiveness. You're essentially an extension of himself, something that's peaceful and pure and perfect in so many ways he'll never understand and will always pull your mind apart to try to. So if any other skulking Harkonnen looking to impress you by challenging Feyd himself or devoting a kill in the arena to you, has immediately chosen the slowest, most humiliating death, that you'll probably be tied down to watch -_-

☠︎︎• And if he can tell in even the smallest way that you're drawn to someone aside from him, there's a chance you'll be kept locked up in his chambers for a month or two with no servants, nothing breathing at all permitted to trespass except him, until he's satisfied and you have him wrapped around your finger again. And that means you can get him to do practically anything if it benefits him and draws you closer, like a kill.. to maybe even destroying a whole planet, it's not impossible for him. Once he has his mind set on something, he's a hunter, he's found his target, and he'll go wild until he destroys it.

☠︎︎• He's protective in the way that he will not let you die, or get hurt in any way by any person other than him. If another Harkonnen draws your blood in the tiniest scratch, or hurts your feelings in some way, Feyd will use that as an excuse to wring their necks. You're his to look at and admire and dress up and be close to and make you feel things, so anyone else daring to step up beside you will get knocked down and fed to his darlings. The only time you'll actually see him being doting and surprisingly, cautiously gentle is when he's healing a wound without the audience of any nurses or outside help, an uncharacteristic and uncomfortable silence in the air as he concentrates and gets you back to rights.

☠︎︎• The moments where he'll allow himself to be truly close to you go unspoken, like in the cold hard nights of Geidi Prime, where he pulls you up from your bed and tugs you down the short dark corridor to dump you in his own instead, with nothing else but the need to feel smotheringly close to someone who understands how his mind works. You'll remind him of his mother, and that's all good, so long as you stay by him and with him always, because if you take the opportunity to turn and run, don't let him catch you in the act. There's a 50/50 chance he'll keep you in his rooms for the rest of the relationship, or just straight-up kill you and take in your memories and mind to possess you that way ._.

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Next Week's Fanfic: Headcanons for a love triangle between you, Feyd-Rautha and Paul Atreides 😎😎 ⊹˚₊‧───────────────────────────────────────────‧₊˚⊹

Taglist (lmk if you want to be added to this for my future Dune fanfics): @milaeth @ennycutie @nckcn @void21 @leighta @williamtt33 @deathsimp @tatumrileyslover @beebumbo @the-dark-dreamer25 @lilepad @skboo @keicdcat @1950schick @reggiesmoon @velosrantipole @yoonessa @anonymjuni @saturnhas82moons @xlxnq @frickyea-guacamole19 @meowmeeps @chalklate

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DUNE MASTERLIST ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾𖤓 ⋆⁺₊⋆ MAIN MASTERLIST

[serpenlupus]

On D-16, and how his refusal to grieve led him to becoming Megatron.

I have a longer post on the works about Orion Pax and his relationship to D-16/Megatron on the recent Transformers One movie, but I wanna say this real quick about D-16 because I feel like there's a lot of people completely misinterpreting him and his actions. And a girl has thoughts.

No, he is not in the right, his actions in the movie climax were wrong even if his feelings were justified. Orion was doing the right thing by trying to stop D-16 from murdering Sentinel on the spot. Not just because without the damning evidence, it would have been a random murdering the hero leader of a whole society, and it would have thrown it into chaos, or because Sentinel is defenseless at that moment, but also because killing Sentinel is not going to make D-16 feel better. And Orion knew this.

The movie itself confirms it, after Sentinel is dead Megatron doesn't stop, and lashes out against the city itself and anyone that's inside it. The reason is that D-16 is clinging to his anger, desperately so, because if he stops feeling angry then he has to face the loss of the entire life he has lived, the regret of all the choices he didn't make because of his societal cage, and abandon all the hopes and plans he had made for the future. He has also lost the sense of security he had when he existed within a structured life, it's why he expreses anger at Orion for uncovering the truth about the Prime's deaths, even though that was an indisputable good thing. That vulnerability is terrifying. So instead of letting himself feel that sadness, that fear, and properly processing it all, D-16 holds onto his anger and lets it motivate him forward into the movie.

When he shoots Orion, albeit by accident, he again doesn't let himself properly process the shorrow of having killed his best friend, so to avoid the pain, he latches onto the anger again, blaming Orion instead of realising were that fury is leading him.

And when he kills Sentinel, and there's no relief, the past hasn't changed, the years he lost haven't come back, and Orion is dead, D-16 truly has nothing left. So it's Megatron who clings to his anger and lashes out against the entire city, against any remnants of Sentinel, even if that hurts innocent bots. Because it's easier, safer, to feel that anger, than letting the grief overcome him if he lets himself think about it.

(No Megs, you could kill eveyone in the planet and wouldn't feel any better, please stop ;_;)

Don't misunderstand me, anger is a necessary emotion, it's as natural as any other, anger will motivate you to fight for yourself, however there's a danger to letting it blind you. Megatron had all the right to feel the way he did (although maybe he took it too personal, Sentinel lied in front of everyone's faces Dee, come on), but, that's ultimately the tragedy of the character in many a continuity; that he let his righteous anger turn into hatred and vitriol. And this led him into a path he couldn't come back from.

Anyway that's my two cents! Feel free to add to this or just tell me I'm wrong XD The movie was amazing and I may be feeling a little pasionate about people intentionally misinterpreting it (that guy on Tiktok that said this was the most shallow interpretation of Megatron? Pissed me off, have you even seen any other Transformers media?).

Also on a last note, I feel like Megatron's thoughts when he started shooting at the city were very close to Dracula's "there are no more innocents" sentiment (from Netflix's Castlevania).

It's understandable that he felt that way because Sentinel couldn't have worked entirely alone plus Airachnid, but that still doesn't make it right that his shots put random civilians in deathly danger.

Have a nice day!

[spop-romanticizes-abuse]

i just came by this post and i had to address it.

wow. that is a controversial take. and an objectively incorrect one.

i'll just preface this by saying that i'm not satisfied with arcane's finale either. i think it completely went against its own message in the end, and a lot of the arcs were resolved poorly.

but this take is still wild. let me break it down one by one:

there's nothing wrong with the "power of love/friendship" trope. the only problem is that

1. spop entirely focuses on romantic relationships. fuck familial relationships, fuck platonic relationships, the only thing that matters is romance.

2. most of the ships are either forced with no prior buildup or straight-up toxic.

horde prime as a whole was a poorly written villain who was only introduced because catra and hordak were "redeemed". that alone makes the entire finale weak, because horde prime is not as much of a threat as catra was. he's just a placeholder.

i'm convinced that the only reason they introduced the failsafe and the heart of etheria was because horde prime wasn't intimidating enough to keep the audience captivated.

mara convincing adora to stay alive would have been a touching scene if the message wasn't that adora should date her abusive sister.

i'm sorry, did we watch the same show? because how the fuck can you say that catra is no longer abusive after her redemption after watching all of this???

oh yeah, catra pushing adora to the ground and guilt tripping her for trying to save the world wasn't abusive at all. catra constantly screaming at adora for the smallest reasons isn't abusive, that's just catra's little quirk! /s

you would have to be blind to watch all of these instances of catra continuing to abuse adora, and still think that she has changed.

caitlyn hit vi with her rifle, yes, and I'm not going to defend that at all. i agree that it was completely unwarranted, regardless of her reasons. but caitlyn's actions are nothing compared to catra's.

you can love or hate caitvi, i literally don't care. but you can't hate caitvi for being "toxic" while acting like c//a is a healthy ship.

“catra ceased all intentions of being enemies with adora & glimmer and learned to love & fight for etheria”

oh yeah, that's why she kept taking jabs at the princesses and bragging about how many times she has defeated them. that's why she never apologized to glimmer for killing her mother, or to mermista for colonizing her kingdom. oh wait, mermista was very conveniently chipped so that poor catra wouldn't have to deal with all that, right?

let's be real, the only reason catra sided with adora was because she literally had no other choice. she was backed into a corner. she wanted to work for horde prime but since he was willing to throw her out, and the original horde was in shambles, catra's only choice was to join the rebellion. she does not care for the princesses or for etheria.

“catradora never had a power imbalance and fought pretty equally”

this just made me laugh. did this person even watch the show? catra had power over adora 90% of the time.

there were very few instances where adora had power over catra and usually in those instances, catra would attack adora in some way to bring her beneath her.

again, i have my complaints with caitvi. i don't think it's a perfect ship and i'm not going to defend the shitty parts of it. but catra has literally used every single type of abuse on adora - physical violence, emotional manipulation, gaslighting, guilt tripping, kidnapping, attempted murder, victim blaming - and y'all still think that caitvi is worse? be fucking for real.

five seasons isn't enough screentime to wrap up arcs in a satisfactory manner? come on. spop had plenty of time, the writers just didn't plan everything out. they absolutely did not make the most of what they had to work with.

they had 5 whole seasons and still decided to shove catra's redemption arc into the final one, completely rushing it and for what? so that adora had someone to smooch?

the conflict between glimmer and adora could also have been handled better. it was a complex situation, especially considering how catra and shadow weaver was the ones driving them apart. it shouldn't have been solved with a simple “i'm sorry, everything was my fault” and “lol it's okay we good now” like???

again, i'm dissatisfied with arcane's ending. i think a lot of the character arcs were sabotaged and there was too much going on in general.

but i don't think anything can compare to the character assassination in s5 of spop. everyone magically forgot about catra's crimes and forgave her; capable characters were suddenly incompetent and foolish so that catra could shine; and adora, who had completely moved on from catra, was now once again catra's doormat.

you can criticize arcane if you want but this post was just stupid. spop's final season was just as bad, if not worse than arcane. at least arcane managed to write a believable redemption arc for jinx within those 9 episodes - something spop couldn't do with five whole seasons.

[the-one-and-only-taffie]

Back with more White Diamond x Sentinel Prime crackship nonsense baby!!!

Ever since I first thought about these goobers, I haven't known a single day of peace (mostly cause the ideas are just racking around in my brain)

So here's a list of headcanons I came up with for Prime Diamond! If you have any questions regarding this ship, my ask box is open. Double if you have any thoughts or anything to add, go on ahead! I hope y'all enjoy!

I may make a part 2 when I come up with more lol

For this relationship to even be possible (as possible as a crackship between two characters from completely different franchises can be), it will have to take place Post-Steven Universe Finale/Future when White Diamond is in her therapy, self-help guru era. And when Sentinel Prime is... alive.

Also, I have been trying to do research regarding this but since the results are so inconsistent, I'm gonna assume White Diamond is around 80 to 90 ft tall and Sentinel is around 60 (based on how he's double Orion Pax's height and apparently TF One Orion is around 33 ft tall). If you know their actual canonical heights or anything close to that, please lemme know!

As mentioned in a reblog, White Diamond would take an interest in Sentinel Prime as a sort of little DIY project. Though he tries to hide it, White with her supernatural intuitiveness can tell there's more to him than meets the eye (he's an asshole). Having been inspired by Steven to see the worth and beauty in imperfections, she wants to give someone like Sentinel a chance like Steven did for her. Though she is making genuine strides to improve upon her previous controlling and obsessive behavior regarding perfection, this aspect of her will resurface in her attempts "fix" Sentinel while in a relationship with him. She adores and finds much interest in his "positive imperfections," but helping him improve on his more negative ones wouldn't hurt, right?

Other reasons she developed an attraction to him is for the same reason all the Sentinel fangirls did: he's just so... pathetic. When he tries to impress her with stories of battles he's never fought in and gives her a tour of his treasure room full of artifacts he didn't discover, she can tell he's trying way too hard to impress her. She finds this cute and charming rather than douchey and desperate.

Sentinel Prime pursued her because, as stated in a previous reblog, "his diva ass was always going to try and seek out a gem fit for a king." He laid his eyes on an 80-90 ft giant alien rock woman and thought,"I need her." As any sane person would. She was supposed to be nothing more than another symbol of wealth for him to show off to the other elites and officials of Iacon City to further cement the royal image he works so hard to maintain. He definitely underestimated how overwhelming White Diamond can be, and I am not just referring to her height.

Sentinel would rather have his spark be extinguished than admit to this, but his stabilizing servos get wobbly at the idea of his alien girlfriend being so much taller than he is. His pride would never admit to this, nor would it accept someone taller than him accompanying him. He believes that as a "Prime," he is supposed to be much taller, bigger, and more imposing than those around him.

Whenever they make a public appearance, Sentinel insists that White shrink herself to a height more tolerable for his fragile ego. He bullshits an excuse about their buildings not being designed for a being as tall as she is. White obliges, but given how Iacon was built when the previous actual Primes were all gigantic and alive, she quickly figures his lie and confronts him about it. He'd just lie again and say he didn't want the other Cybertronians to be intimidated... by her beauty. Clearly, it's not because of some Napolean complex or something. Still, White is in her patience era, so she takes the compliment for what it is.

The "guy who doesn't like speeches" vs. "professional yapper" isn't a joke. Sentinel can't stand how much White Diamond loves to yap. She's the kind of person to have thoughts and opinions about anything and everything. Given that she doesn't breathe, she doesn't even need to catch her breath in the middle of speaking, so she can go on and on and on, much to Sentinel's annoyance.

He tries to get her to quiet down at times, but as White tends to do, she either doesn't hear him or straight up ignores him. Her monologuing, along with her height and just how shiny she is, is very overwhelming for Sentinel at times. The only good thing he finds about this aspect of his sweetspark is when she dotes on him and showers him with compliments and attention. As if an attention hungry fame whore needed any more of it.

Sentinel even allows White to indulge in her psychoanalysis, playing up the whole "tragic hero whose brothers and sisters perished in battle and now has to face the pain and weight of protecting his people alone" angle that she eats up. White does sometimes hit dangerously close to home, so Sentinel shuts her down before she could dig straight to bedrock and uncover the more unfavorable parts of himself he wants to stay hidden.

Speaking of staying hidden, the way White carries herself in public makes Sentinel was to keep her locked away in a jewelry box. White is excellent when it comes to using her words to inflict psychic damage or to build someone up. When it comes to social situations where charisma, relatability, and poise are needed, this is when White is at her most alien. She is not the most socially adjusted given that prior to the finale, she spent thousands of years hidden away in a world of her own delusions. She doesn't have much of a filter, something she has been working on to avoid upsetting others.

She has the habit of pointing out any interesting thing that catches her eye, especially about people, whether or not it's positive or negative. This has led to her unsettling the bots at best or offending them at worst. Sentinel then has to come in and use his charisma to difuse the situation and paint her behavior in a more positive light. Only for White to turn around and ask everyone if they ever noticed how Sentinel's wings move in accordance to his mood and how adorable it is. Everyone laughs. Sentinel is thoroughly pissed.

Sentinel definitely has more relationship experience than White Diamond. All of her knowledge comes from what she's heard from the gems that come to her for advice or from that human show the little green Crystal Gem recommended (she can't remember her name). In her attempts to emulate the behavior she's heard of and observed, she ends up coming off as cringe or detached from reality. At certain points of the relationship, she even imposes certain "deadlines" on courtship behaviors she expects from Sentinel. All his previous relationships were private, casual flings. He only made this one public because bagging a bad bitch like White Diamond is an accomplishment he felt he had to show off.

This may come to bite him in the aft when her radiance catches the attention of other bots. On these occasions, he acts possessive and showers her with attention, gifts, and affection. He tells himself and Airachnid it's because he doesn't want her to outshine him in the eyes of the public. In reality, he gets jealous and doesn't want to lose her interest and, most importantly, her attention. As overwhelming and embarrassing as she can be, a twisted part of him really craves her attention.

In private, Sentinel can flip flop greatly in how he treats White. On some days he leans on her for support and wants her to pet his wings while he vents about all the dumb, annoying bots he has to fraternize with and all the boring meetings he has to attend. White occasionally interrupts him with advice or her own views on the situation, which frustrates Sentinel. On other days, he's completely detached, not even bothering to give her the time of day. He is at his most consistently sweet and romantic when they're both in the public eye, performing grand gestures of love. This intensifies when they're on camera.

They present themselves as THE Iacon couple, but Sentinel and White argue a lot about pretty much anything. More often than not, White is trying to advise him on how to improve himself and his city, and Sentinel kindly tells her to shut up and mind her own business.

They are both very prideful people who can't accept when they are wrong. White is more willing than Sentinel to admit to it and compromise. If she believes she is 100% in the right, she won't go down without a verbal fight. She has yet to figure out how to properly counter Sentinel's "NUH UH!" though. She believes this is normal and healthy as she hears time and time again how arguments are a sign of a functional relationship. White knows how in the past she never allowed anyone to express their grievances or criticize her. If they did, she'd twist their words to further force her own viewpoint or take control over their mind and body. Seeing Sentinel passionately argue back while White practices her listening skills and only sometimes speaks over him gives her hope that she isn't regressing back to her previous toxicity. No one has told her that disagreements are healthy and normal, but frequent fights and arguments are not. And the kind of hellish circles these two go in just ain't it

[demi-god77]

Saw byler doubt on my tl and I won't have it, so I'm here to try and ease your doubts @lucystark12

(English isn't my first language and I'm currently running on zero hours of sleep. This might be a bit incoherent)

BYLER AND CHARACTER ARCS

First of all, you have to think of this in context to El's character arc as well!

Her arc has always been centered around found family and her own sense of self (the things she lacked for most of her life while she was in the lab, especially since her entire identity was reduced to a number.)

Romantic love (ending the show in a relationship with Mike) would not be beneficial for her arc, as it is not something she lacked prior, she didn't even know what a boyfriend IS when she escaped from the lab. It also sets her back on her path of self discovery (+ she is shown to learn the most about herself when she and Mike are apart).

In an arc about found family, self discovery and independence, forcing her into a relationship that actively separates her from said found family and creates conflict (with Hopper and with the rest of their group), that also doesn't let her figure out who she is, what her interests are and overall stuns her self discovery and independence, would make zero sense. It would not be a progression for her character at all. Especially for someone that has been controlled by others (and men specifically) her entire life.

~~~

About Will now, if his arc was actually about moving on, there was absolutely no reason to make him in love with Mike. All of their conflicts COULD be purely platonic, if their purpose was to signify that he needs to move on/grow up. But they weren't. There would be no reason to make him in love with Mike, he arguably wouldn't even have to be gay for this arc. And yet, his sexuality is mentioned even prior to s1, in the pilot script -clearly important for his character. Him moving on from those feelings would not be beneficial for his arc either, especially since he has already tried to. He has tried to hide from the world, he has tried to repress his feelings and it didn't work out. They even straight up told us he's not able to move on ("[I] need you and [I] always will")

Furthermore, he already believes that his feelings will not be reciprocated, that he needs to let go and that he will never experience a romantic relationship, will never find love. To have him be right does not make for a good story. It sets his storyline back to square one. Him coming into his own and confronting his trauma is definitely a part of his arc, no doubt about that. Moving on from his feelings however, giving up on a love he never let himself believe he could have in the first place, is not.

~~~~

Lastly, Mike himself. I honestly don't really think he has that much of a communication issue. His communication skills are of course not great, they are pretty bad yes, and he obviously struggles with verbally explaining his feelings, but he shows his love through actions and not words. That's something that has been shown since s1 and that's always been how he communicates his emotions. Through actions.

But even so, he has been shown to productively communicate using his OWN words and his OWN feelings before, the shed scene in s2 being a prime example of that (arguably the bedroom scene in S4 as well). His parents' main issue with their relationship is not that they don't communicate imo, it's that they never really loved eachother (and that also ties in to Nancy and her relationship with Steve).

Another thing:

Mike needs to be needed, that's when he feels useful, that's when he feels loved. El is coming into her own, becoming independent, realizing she doesn't need to depend on others, on him. But Will in his monologue confessed that he always will need him, something that will never change.

Moreover, if his arc was truly about learning to communicate effectively, I don't think they would put such emphasis on his insecurities, thinking of himself as inferior and trying to conform. (Also, forcing a confession, especially one based on someone else's feelings would be a horrible writing choice in an arc about self expression.)

Mike actively tries to push aside his nerdy interests and the things he enjoys (who he is) while in the relationship, in order to appear cooler, mature, normal. Pretend he's not himself. THAT is something he gets from his parents. And THAT is not something attributed to bad communication skills, but forced conformity.

And after all, forced conformity is killing the kids.

[david-talks-sw]

More George Lucas debunking misconceptions about the Prequel Jedi:

"Anakin killed the Jedi in retaliation. They failed him, betrayed him and didn't allow him to have a relationship, so he killed them all."

"[In Revenge of the Sith] The controversy is going to be that people expect some horrible, horrific thing to happen to [Anakin] that caused him to [become Darth Vader]. It's much subtler. It's something that everybody faces— when you're looking at yourself, you can see your good and your bad, and say, "Is this a selfish choice or is this a compassionate choice? And once I get something, what would I do to keep from losing it? Would I make a pact with the devil to keep it?" - Entertainment Weekly #785, 2004

"… some of the people had a hard time with the reason that Anakin goes bad. [...] They wanted a real betrayal, such as, "You tried to kill me so now I'm going to try and kill you." They didn't seem to understand the fact that Anakin is simply greedy. There is no revenge." - The Making of Revenge of The Sith, page 188

"The rest of the Jedi have dogmatically forgotten how to love out of fear of having attachments, Qui-Gon is the only one who knows that you can love people selflessly, without getting possessive."

"The fact that everything must change and that things come and go through his life and that he can't hold onto things, which is a basic Jedi philosophy that he isn't willing to accept emotionally and the reason that is because he was raised by his mother rather than the Jedi. If he'd have been taken in his first year and started to study to be a Jedi, he wouldn't have this particular connection as strong as it is and he'd have been trained to love people but not to become attached to them. But he has become attached to his mother and he will become attached to Padmé and these things are, for a Jedi, who needs to have a clear mind and not be influenced by threats to their attachments, a dangerous situation." - Attack of the Clones, Director’s Commentary, 2002

"Obviously, it’s a progression. But in [Attack of the Clones], you begin to see that he has a fear of losing things, fear of losing his mother. And as a result, he wants to begin to control things, he wants to become more powerful. And these are not Jedi traits. And part of this is because he started to be trained so late in life, that he had already formed these attachments. And for a Jedi, attachment is forbidden. You can love people, but you have to love them unconditionally, in terms that you can’t hold on to them." - CNN, “Countdown to the Clones”, 2002

"The Jedi are trained to let go. They're trained from birth. They’re not supposed to form attachments. They can love people - in fact, they should love everybody. They should love their enemies; they should love the Sith. But they can't form attachments. So what all these movies are about is: greed. Greed is a source of pain and suffering for everybody. And the ultimate state of greed is the desire to cheat death." - The Making of Revenge of The Sith, page 213

"Ultimately for a Jedi Knight, it’s very easy to give up. One of the things they give up is marriage. They can still love people. But they can’t possess them. They can’t own them. They can’t demand that they do things. They have to be able to accept the fact, one, their mortality, that they are going to die. And not worry about it. That the loved ones they have, everything they love is going to die and they can’t do anything about it." - Celebration V, Main Event, 2010

"The Jedi in The High Republic are the Jedi in their prime/heyday. By the time of the Prequels, they've become political and dispassionate/prohibitive."

"[In Phantom Menace] you see the heyday of the Jedi, when they are the guardians of peace and justice in the galaxy, sort of like the old marshals out West. And there's thousands of them." - Vanity Fair, 1999

"We've actually never seen real Jedi at work, we've only seen crippled half-droid half-men, and young boys that had learned from these old people. So to see a Jedi in his prime fighting in the prime of the Jedi, I want it to be a much more energetic and faster version of what we've been doing." - The Phantom Menace, “Fights”, 2001

"Jedi Knights aren't celibate - the thing that is forbidden is attachments - and possessive relationships." - BBC News, 2002

"[When Obi-Wan talks to Anakin about politicians, we learn about] the Jedi’s disenchantment with the political process, due to the corruption and the ineffectiveness of the Senate." - Attack of the Clones, Director’s Commentary, 2002

"The Jedi aren't really allowed to be involved in the political process. They're [present in the Senate when Palpatine is given emergency powers], but they can't suddenly step up and say, "No, no. You can't do that." They have to let the political process go." - Attack of the Clones, Commentary Track #2, 2002

[rose-tinted-kalopsia]

i promised ... and i owe ... so many of you thoughts on xavier's "no restraint" card..... SO HERE IT IS, UNDER THE CUT !! i ramble a lot so it's very long 🫶🫶

(this was so hard guys. this card was a whole entire shock factor.)

first of all...... please delight in this reaction image i can offer you. because. any of you who are reading this rn know exactly which part of the card i'm referring to when i say:

(in conclusion, my legs are open)

.. ANYWAY !!!!!!!!! CLEARS THROAT

things we're going to talk about? well, it's me, so (A) character development, (B) relationship development, but also (C) WHATEVER THE HELL WENT ON IN THAT KINDLED MOMENTS SSCENE <3

(A-1) Character Development; Xavier

over the past few cards we've been having of him, i think it's safe to say that we're familiar with a number of his mannerisms, and i've also talked about a lot why that is and what goes into that.

but a lot of it changes in this card. and it's so much more than just the moment of realization he has in 21 days, too. enough that—aside from what we know eventually takes place—we can safely assume that all this occurs after that card chronologically.

exhibit a; tendency to do things on his own.

this is something that i may not have talked about as much, but i'm pretty sure we all know it's there—that xavier has always carried this tendency to do things all on his own. there's multiple examples of this, and it goes way way way back to his anecdotes.

i.e. with "passing by" and "when shooting stars fall", we already have prime examples—

"Whether it's tasks assigned by the higher-ups or senior members, Xavier always completes them quickly and methodically. He works until they're done, but nothing more."

"Xavier stands alone amidst a circle of fallen bodyguards. In the corner, Lawrence is tied up with bed sheets, his neck at an odd angle."

"I notice the wounds on his hands and face. Catching his breath, he holds out his hand, showing me a small, glowing Protocore. This is the first time he's looked at me with desperation in his eyes. When he moves closer, I notice a ring of light around his neck. It's a striking, suffocating red."

in his lightseeker myth, too, he's also the one to take the initiative and look for an alternative to philos' sacrifice. he leaves mc behind, and he leaves jeremiah behind—it isn't until later that he's able to enlist the help of others and form the backtrackers, and even then, they all recognize that he's the most capable one among them. in fact, it's also evident in "from the stars" from world underneath:

"As the leader of the Backtrackers ... Asteroids, turbulence, and the collapse of wormholes couldn't tear Traceback ll's team apart. With Xavier there, they managed to break through the universe's most impregnable spacetime barrier."

"It seems like everyone had a reason to give up and leave halfway except you. Well, you did too, but you wouldn't because no one could replace you. We all thought that you'd still make it to the end, even if you were the only one left."

in the main story, we're also faced with multiple scenarios of xavier going off on his own to do hunter duties, or otherwise a little extra in order to find the protocore that he needs—"heartstring symphony" is also proof of that.

and lumiere's myth is no different, nor is the whole legend behind lumiere in the first place.

"Xavier is missing. He didn't show up on the set, and there was no sign of him at home either ... Since then, I've never received a Wanderer alert on my watch again. Just like Xavier predicted, the dark clouds gradually dispersed, and the heavy rain slowly became a gentle drizzle until it ceased completely. Breathtaking evening clouds replaced them. Dusk falls, accompanied by millions of glittering lights creating a spectacular meteor shower. Long streaks reminiscent of contrails are etched across the sky. Meanwhile, the newest updates are being broadcast repeatedly on the massive screen in the heart of Azure Square. The previously rampant Wanderers have disappeared overnight, leaving behind only some suspicious Protocores ... The doomsday panic, which overtook the city like an inflating balloon, shatters silently as if pierced by a pin."

"Right on cue, my watch loudly sounds the alarm, and I hear the roars of Wanderers from the flames. At that moment, Xavier vanishes, and a beam of light with as much force as a rainbow piercing through sunshine cuts through the collapsed, burning factory. In the blink of an eye, he leaps out of the raging fire, his sword still coated in Metaflux that has yet to dissipate."

"'Threat levels are at least A. I have to go—' 'Stay here. I'll be right back.' Xavier pushes down my shoulder, and a strange red light around his neck is quickly concealed by his collar."

"The red light on Xavier's neck flickers wildly. He swings his weapon, sending out a lightblade to kill the remaining, struggling Wanderer. Smoke created by the dissipated energy rises in all directions. He leans against the wall, trying to steady his wobbling form after the intense battle. 'Abnormal vital signs have been detected. Excessive use of Evol. Disengage from combat immediately and receive treatment...' Xavier turns off the annoying warning on his watch and lifts his gaze to the entrance of an alley, where several shadows are closing in on him."

moreover is the fact that from world underneath, we also know that his collar acts as a suppressor:

"'...Light Evol has been detected. Evolver's Evol limit cannot be defined.' 'Any attempts to probe its limit triggers a special neck suppressor, which prevents the Evolver from using their full power.'"

and yet despite that, he still continues to do what he does, anyway.

a lot of things play into it, and i talk a lot about how his upbringing as a prince must have largely contributed to habits like this. he's used to doing things on his own, and he's expected to, in a way—all the burdens and duties placed upon him the moment he was born, when he bever had any say in it. already in his "when shooting stars fall" anecdote, he's isolated from everyone and constantly surrounded by bodyguards, and mc acted as his only source of freedom by reaching for him past that barrier.

it's also worth noting that most (if not all) of this that he's been doing, is all and always for mc, too—as if it comes back full cycle. it's how he shows his love for her, because it's really the only way he knows how to.

which also brings attention to his always and ever highlighted communication issues—because common in all of these examples up until this card, is that he's been vague about it.

never giving the full answer.

never truly explaining what he's been up to.

and it's something that mc knows; he keeps his secrets well, and they've never really truly talked about these things.

but "no restraint" plays this out a little differently.

"Even though I still want to ask him about where he went, it's only a matter of time before more of Henrik's men arrive. Escaping is our main priority."

And yet;

"I realized I was being followed, which is why I didn't contact you. I managed to shake them off, but I was concerned they might catch up to me. That's why I searched for the Protocore by myself."

—"Why are you suddenly talking about this?"

"...No reason."

xavier willingly explains.

mc doesn't particularly ask—yet he says it anyway. to clear the air, to maybe make it known that he is putting in an effort.

in this situation, he hasn't derived from his habit of going off on his own, but he provides a good explanation of it. there's mediation; he's saying that he trusts her, and he wants to ensure that there is nothing for her to be worried about.

"I just wanted to say I'm not the kind of partner who would leave you behind... I'm also not one of those young people who take things for granted, either."

and he further willingly explains when she does probe him, replying with a reflection of the excuse she gave one of the bodyguards just to be able to get information out of him.

BUT, MOSTLY—

"i know you know" is xavier directly addressing the fact that their relationship has been curated around this trust that they've been starting to build with each other—he knows that mc was not exactly doubting him, yet he wanted to reassure her anyway, as if speaking it out loud makes it official.

sometimes you don't ask for reassurance because you know in your heart that your doubts aren't real. but receiving it never hurts—and that's how this plays out.

xavier has always known that communication has always been an issue with him.

he's willing to fix it, and willing to take that extra step to make sure mc doesn't feel unloved with him. he doesn't want to leave room for doubts.

"i know you know." i know you know i will never leave you, i know you know that i love you. i know you know, but i'll say it anyway. because i mean it. and you don't have to worry.

(LIKE DO YOU GUYS GET HOW IMPORTANT THIS LINE IS? 😭 HOW MUCH IT SAYS FOR THE EXTENT TO WHICH HE TRULY LOVES HER? 😭)

exhibit b; aloofness.

we also know that, while xavier can be pretty intense with regards to the previous point, he's always had this calm, easygoing, aloof nature to him. as if he could fade into the background, as if he's simply floating around like a little cloud—there's this aura around him that simply wants to just... be.

but, again, it's almost as if so much more hides underneath that. like it's not totally 100% inherently him. like it's not entirely natural, like the part of him that's like this is maybe somewhat a façade that he's been putting up for so long, so it's just ended up... becoming part of him, by force of habit.

there are so many subtleties to the way he seems to try to express himself—the little things. microexpressions. involuntary emotional leakage. they last for a fragment of a second, but they're there, and with xavier, they seem to always convey so much more than whatever words he can muster.... because he always finds himself short of doing it in the way he wants to.

again, it goes back to his communication issues.

he's used to being isolated. used to speaking eloquently as he does only when required, but never really quite knowing how to express affection. or, again, how to express himself in general.

"it's like he's just so used to being princely, that he can't let go of it even if he isn't a prince anymore. he wants to, but old habits die hard—he hides so much beneath that exterior still, and it's mc who's able to help him tear down those walls, mc who's able to make him want to try harder to."

and it's why we've always seen this push and pull with him. he has trouble being honest about his feelings, difficulties in telling mc he loves her, difficulties in being direct to the point with her. he'd dodge her questions, be vague about things... hints of directness, but never really pushing forward with it. he'd tease, but it falls short—mc doesn't know if he's being genuine or not. he doesn't know how to convey that. so a lot of their previous cards and previous moments have been very vague. so, so many examples, a very prime one being his lightseeker myth, because their communication issues very sincerely stuck out with that one. and the last intimate card they had—"tender nights"—and in fact, "heartstring symphony" too, very blatantly display how difficult it is for him to convey his feelings the right way.

but... again, "no restraint" plays that out a lot differently.

"If I had known, I would've kept you company until the mission ended."

"When you said no, they said— 'You're a special person. Won't you reconsider?' ... Did you reconsider?"

"'It's just a scratch. It'll heal in no time.' ... Xavier shakes his head, stands up, and leaves the room. When he returns, he's holding a box filled with bandages that have red foxes on them."

"He gets down on one knee and covers my knee with a bandage. The dim light blurs the outline of his hair ... After smoothing out the bandage, Xavier puts slippers on my feet. And then he stands up and leans against the edge of the table, shoulder to shoulder with me."

"He seems to casually glance in my direction. Noticing how I'm wearing a bathrobe, his gaze lingers on me for a second longer..."

"Does that mean you only like the bandage?"

"Before I realize it, his hand that's on the table slides over. He hooks his pinky over mine. 'I'm curious. The cupcake you mentioned—is it your favorite?'"

and...

he's more intentional with his words and his actions this time. he wants to show her that he loves her, he wants to show her that she means a lot to him. and they're still little things, not too major, but there's a certain confidence in the way that he does it. there's sureness. it's less of those awkward moments of "should i, shouldn't i?" and there's way less hesitation.

he's insistent on holding her and taking care of her wounds. he's insistent on having her say her side of things, because he wants to know what she really thinks, too. small staps towards clearer communication—and though the tension may still be high with them in this card in general, it's a kind of tension where you can feel that they're more comfortable.

it's a stark contrast.

this is the xavier that's more than just learning, more than just realizing—he's doing.

you can really see how he's grown as a person.

(A-2) Character Development; MC

BUT it's not JUST xavier who's grown. because like in all relationships, effort comes from both sides. and the main point here, is that mc has learned to trust him a little more, too.

this part is a little shorter, but i really wanted to bring attention to two scenes and how they both play out—and i'd also like to point out the very start of the card.

the card starts off very general and sets the scene quite well, but it also starts off with mc and xavier separated. this becomes largely the topic for discussion as the card goes on, because mc does wonder where he is, and why he isn't saying anything to her.

but it's not implied anywhere that she's particularly upset about it.

in previous cards/interactions, there's always a sense of exasperation behind her words—sometimes, like in "heartstring symphony", she's upset about it. she chastises him, she sometimes makes it known that she doesn't like when he does those things—

but this time there's none of that.

she allows the mission to move smoothly, doesn't react as much once she does hear xavier contact her again... and even if it shows that she keeps wondering where he is and what he's doing, and later on what he has been doing, it's founded on curiosity instead of frustration.

"Even though I still want to ask him about where he went, it's only a matter of time before more of Henrik's men arrive. Escaping is our main priority."

this is the mc that trusts him.

this is the mc that knows she doesn't particularly need reassurance from him, and she can do without it, because she knows what no matter what, she can trust what he's been up to.

and now;

if it wasn't obvious yet previously, this should make it.

because she's not upset—in fact, she's fond.

she recognizes that her own feelings stem from her own desire to have him with her at all times, too, but most of all, she recognizes that there's nothing to be concerned of, anyway.

she knows that in the end, the person that xavier loves is her. the person that xavier wants to protevt the most is her. the person that xavier wants to be with, as much as he can, as much as the circumstances let him—is her.

she's content with that.

she smiles at the bandage, because it's proof of it—he's just treated her wounds, so insistent on taking care of her even if she knows it's nothing but a scratch and that he doesn't even need to dote on her.

but he does.

he goes the extra stew to get a cute little bandage because he knows it'll make her smile more, too.

she knows that, and she's happy.

"You have your secrets too, but you're different from them."

in a stark contrast from the mc we've been used to before that seems a little on edge and unsure and so doubtful of so many things because there's a lot about xavier she doesn't know yet—this time, she accepts it. because they're both working towards communicating more, and being more affectionate... and there's just no reason and no need for be to be concerned.

it's a big step for her to take, and this is a surprisingly big amount of trust she's putting on him, but it's further proof of how much she—they—have grown.

"You're like.. a cupcake I tucked away so I can have you all to myself."

this is also a line that holds so much in it.

it's really struck out to me, and for a number of reasons, too— (1) it further emphasizes how content she is with him and how much she trusts him; (2) it further emphasizes her own growth with relation to how she shows affection; (3) it says a lot about the kind of special treatment she gives xavier, too.

starting with point #2—the mc we see with xavier has always been bold, always the one to initiate things.... but never truly reciprocates.

like the xavier before, mc never really follows through with what she starts. she'll tease, then pull back; initiate, and then abruptly leave him hanging. she's not much better than xavier in terms of showing affection, because although she may seem like the bolder one, the truth is that she's always been scared.

it goes back to the level of trust she has in him.

because she doesn't know too much about him, it prevents her from truly acting on her feelings—she doesn't know what to expect, doesn't know how far she's allowed to take things.

teasing remains teasing.

not this time.

we also see the level of sureness she has in her actions with the way she initiates their more intimate moments later on; she might have started out as coy, but not once did she back away from it... if not for the fact that she encourages it, even.

"I tug at his sleeve, unable to figure out whether I'm meaning to be flirty or not."

she says this, but she still continues. because she knows what she wants, and she trusts him with it.

then you bring that all together with point #3—the allusions to her own personality.

"You're like a cupcake I tucked away, so I can have you all to myself."

to me it feels less about her reciprocating his more possessive nature, and more about her views on how she's been cherishing him.

tucked away.

she uses past tense.

she could have very well said "a cupcake i tuck away"; which would imply that she frequently wants to hold him close to her to save for when they're alone.

but this is a cupcake she tucked away.

and to me it feels like she's held on to him so long... without actually appreciating him for who he is.

it's like having a pretty dessert with you, one that's too pretty to eat, so you keep for yourself for a while. and you... don't eat it. even if you're supposed to.

it's like getting a precious jewel, but you're too concerned about it being stolen from you, because it's just that precious and beautiful—so you keep it. you don't wear it, whether outside or wherever. you don't. wear it. even if you're supposed to.

and that's not appreciating them for what they are.

to me, it feels like that's how the change in tense makes mc's words appear.

a cupcake she tucked away—hasn't eaten at all. like how, with xavier, for all that she's been fond of him, she's never onve bridged the gap between them on her own, either. she's kept him at arm's length, doubted him, and everything else that comes along with all the communication issues they've always had.

this time, she recognizes it—and i'd like to think that in a way, she's also apologizing for it. she admits, out loud, to herself and to him, that she's been pretty selfish. she hasn't been treasuring him and cherishing him the way she needs to be. she hasn't been reciprocating when he's affectionate. she's been only shying away when he initiates something. she knows she's been like that, and she's saying—i'm not going to be like that anymore.

and again, it goes back to trust.

she trusts him.

and because she can trust him, she can love him how he is, for who he is.

"so i can have you all to myself" feels a lot more like, "so i can finally love you."

and then we get to this scene.

for one thing, she doesn't deny their relationship at all; for another—their conversation on "love" feels very striking to me, too.

"but he can be a little mischievous sometimes."

"isn't that just love?"

and then...

"you're not wrong."

it's like a very direct jab at xavier and his way of being affectionate; the teasing that he does, and the way he's sometimes a little vague, sometimes a little awkward—but he's trying, and he's becoming more sure of himself, too.

and xavier's way of showing affection is truly reserved for her, because there's really none of that awkwardness with anyone else—he doesn't try so hard.

mc seems to be, here, descriving that nature of him as "mischievous".

it is, in a way.

but she also knows that it's love.

that it's his way of showing love.

she recognizes it. she accepts it.

she's learned things about him, too, and she's thinking... all of it can be compiled into this little word called love.

there is love between both of them.

and we can say that at this point, they're pretty far into their relationship.

they've gotten quite comfortable with each other—they're being touchy, the playful banter is light and easy... and they're definitely working to strengthen the bond that they have. their communication has improved SO much... i'm so proud of them 😭

it's definitely not a fully developed relationship; they're still a little shy around each other, there's still a lot of tension that's hard for them to navigate. it seems they've also yet to cross the " i love you" barrier, or at the very least, that it's difficult to say—plus, mc is exceedingly embarrassed to find xavier had overheard her conversation with the receptionist.

yet... when we move on to when they start to get intimate, it's also very interesting to me that it goes so smoothly—and it's definitely not their first time.

but it's a first something.

and it doesn't make the moment any less full of emotion.

this particular sequence honestly had me so INCREDIBLY confused at first, because why on earth would he be trapped right;

but then you look into who xavier is and how he's been with mc, and it goes back to that—he has so, so much love for her that he simply doesn't know how to deal with it.

he's pleading her.

he's saying that if she continues drawing him in like this, what with how much he always feels for her, he's not going to be able to hold back.

it's a trap, in a way.

xavier is still trying his best to discern what it means to show love to someone—because all these years, he hasn't been able to learn that properly. and yet now that mc has fully grasped her end of the stick, now that she's confident and sure of what she wants and how much she feels for him, it's bringing forth a bubble of emotions that he can't seem to describe.

it might not be their first time, but i don't think that xavier ever moves on from what it feels like to be wanted by her like this.

it's scary, because he doesn't know how to navigate things like this.

"It's almost as if tiny flames are flickering in the depths of his gaze. They're faint yet ready to ignite my soul at any moment."

xavier, who's been raised with the notion that he has to know things, to be able to potentially lead his people as the future king of philos...

this is something he doesn't know.

and like how mc was always afraid of how uncertain she was with him, right now, he's afraid because he has so much emotion ready to burst forth that he doesn't know what to do with it.

there's an aura of disbelief that makes it so hard for him to grasp.

it's always been "i will love you in every universe"—for the both of them.

and now, he's having the full realization, maybe for the 928482857th time since they've become official, that she's saying those words back to him. that if he can love her in every universe, as every version of himself... then she can do the same for him.

she wants to do the same for him.

she is doing the same for him.

"she loves me."

"she wants me."

he's pleading with her to take what she wants, because she has all of him.

and then we go back to mc's confidence—because she realizes he wants this to proceed in exactly the same way she wants it to, and she's willing to become his undoing.

and even if he technically switches and takes charge in the next second, it comes to fruition that her giving him consent in this way is what breaks him free of that bubble.

"don't hold back", is all that this is, really.

and he doesn't.

and it's just, not really just about the tension they've built up to get to this moment—the coy excuse of using the protocore's supposed effects—there's so much that goes into it, with the way they feel, with how their desires are so blatantly displayed just like that, with how their love fuels how much they need each other.

it's almost funny, in a way, because it's as if both of them are saying "take me, i'm yours." at the same time. and then it becomes less about possession... and more of a complete and utter surrender to each other.

and i think that's beautiful.

(which also. BONUS? but if this doesn't signify how focused xavier is on giving pleasure and at the same time how easy it is for him to lose himself in the moment and feel good because you're feeling good—i don't know what else will ✋)

(also like. the aftercare... the morning cuddles.... the hickey mc left on him 😭 i love them so much..........)

IN CONCLUSION . . . . THIS CARD MADE ME FEEL MANY THINGS.

THANK YOU FOR COMING TO MY TED TALK 😭✋

[starimusprime]

im curious, considering the way you write oplita (which is beautiful btw if i could, id give ur fics a kissie on the forehead) how would you portray their relationship in a sequel to tf:1?? (hopefully we’ll get a sequel 😞😞)

OOOOOO THIS QUESTIONNNN

First of all thank you so much for your compliment! I love writing them so so much, they are utter perfection in my eyes and I will never find enough content focused on them.

Ok ok. REALISTICALLY, this is ONE idea of how I would personally write the progression of their friendship into a romance, keeping in mind that I've only got roughly 2 hours to do so alongside a bunch of other character arcs and the main plot.

TF ONE SPOILERS BELOW

I would spend some time in the beginning and sprinkled throughout the rest of the film exploring the aftermath of D-16's betrayal and Orion's rapid switch from dying by his best friend's hand to being revived as Optimus Prime. I imagine that such an abrupt change - and in the middle of dying a HORRIFIC DEATH - would leave Optimus with some (maybe temporary) mental and emotional issues to work through, with the reformatting of his frame on top of that.

In the beginning, Elita is a steadfast friend (as opposed to a fair weather friend) and helps him lead the Autobots in order to ease his mental load. Secretly (maybe she reveals this to Jazz) she keeps thinking about the fact that she would have jumped into the Well of AllSparks after Orion if B-127 hadn't stopped her. It bothers her until later on when some smaller event triggers her to realize that she loves Optimus as more than just a friend. She fears that if she tells him this too soon, she could overwhelm him or scare him off (since he's still dealing with the extreme trauma he recently endured), and this results in her subconsciously distancing herself from him.

Up to this point, Optimus might have been trying to assure Elita that he's fine and genuinely believing that he is. But now when he feels the effect of Elita being less present with him (maybe he has an emotional breakdown or smth and she isn't there like she usually is) he has the realization that not only is he not fine, but he cannot work through everything alone, and most importantly there is no one he would rather do this with than Elita.

Cue mutual pining, Elita doesn't want to overwhelm him with her feelings, Optimus doesn't want to make Elita feel pressured to reciprocate his feelings because he's the Prime, then insert climactic battle with the Decepticons or sabotage mission against the Quintessons or whatever here. Big things happen, and there it is. Optimus needs to make a decision. It could be emotionally taxing, or bring his trauma back to the surface, or what have you. But Elita is there, and she is his reason to push himself aside and fight, or make the decision he needs to make for the good of Cybertron.

After the climax, they both understand that life is too short and fate too unpredictable to postpone something as important confessing one's love for another. It wouldn't be the primary element of the end of the film, but they would have a moment, tense at first (maybe Elita disobeyed an order that got her injured in the battle and Optimus was mad at her for almost dying, but now he's just grateful that she's okay). Tension would give way to awkwardness or shyness as they talk quietly about something war-related, until finally one of them opens up, incapable of holding in their true feelings any longer. The other would be startled by the abrupt confession, but then it all makes sense.

Maybe they wouldn't kiss in that moment...but they definitely would in a post-credits scene!

[ladyofnegativity]

Heeeeey Tiny-! Okay so...

AHHDLRGSKSVDKVXSKSBRKRB. BITCH. WHAT THE FUCK. WHAT ACTUAL THE FUCK?!

How the hell did you make something so... SO-! ARGHHHHHH-! I CANT FIND THE WORDS-!!!

I'm blessed. SO FUCKING BLESSED.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU-!

Okay okay okay. So! I'll try to do a deepdive on the newest installment of Human Effects.

BigBotNoStop: Alright mechs, I come bearing an inquiry. As you may have heard from some of my last posts, the newest additions to our crew are a thriving colony of soft, squishy humans. Word in the taproom is some have taken quite an interest in... extending cultural exchanges, if you catch my drift. Not really my field of experience and was hoping some of Xeno's here might have some input. 

Posted to Sublink: Human and cybertronian relationships?

But I'm curious, are interspecies acts even possible without harm? Their frames seem so fragile. One wrong motion and SPLAT! No more humans. quite a few members of our crew have shown interest in flirting... Thoughts? Suggestions for how to proceed with care- help a mech out!

(I don't know why, but this bot reminds me of Skids. I've been reading the other installments, and so far, my hunch on this is Skids.)

Blazemech: Yo! You got fleshies on your ship! Fragging jealousy!. Your ship is looking for any dock workers?

(Okay! So, from the context of what Blazemech wrote, I can tell that they aren't from the Lost Light. Perhaps a crew member from the Vis Vitalis, or some other ship? I don't know, but the name 'Blazemech' reminds me of FireStar(?), but judging from context, I don't think she'll want to work as a dock worker when she's second in command in the Vis Vitalis.)

TailOrTrails: Oh Primus, are we really having this discussion?? Look, I get the appeal of those soft little flesh bags. Really, I do - different wiring can be so freakin' hot. But there's no way a romp with one of those puny things ends well for them! Even accidentally bumping into a table puts them in the medbay. Think of the mess, One wrong thrust and you've got squish all over your plating.

(Riptide. Definitely Riptide. 'TailOrTrails' reminds me of a mech who has an aquatic themed alt mode, and we, Riptide turns into a boat. And from reading the other installments, Riptide acts hesitant yet intrigued.)

ISOCLEAN: Just download some holofacing and use your imagination if you're that jonesing for an organic interface. Trust me, it's not worth the risk - or hassle of cleaning up after. sure you can find something from the Human sites on Mechanophilia, slutty Show and shine or Car Washes. Stay shiny and keep those servos to yourself, mechs! Some curiosities are better left to fantasies.

(Honestly, I'm stumped with this one. I can't seem to find or remember someone who's a clean freak. Aside from Ultra Magnus, but then he wouldn't fit the mannerisms of ISOCLEAN. Fuck.)

Flyboi69: Don't leave a mech hanging, I want deets!, has anybot here actually gotten friendly with a fleshie before? I'm talking about hands-on experience. We've all gotten curious watching, but has the real thing lived up to the fantasy? 

(Tailgate??? I'm sorry, I REALLY don't know who this guy is. Could be Starscream, but it would fit with they way the text was worded.

I think it's Skywarp??? But then why would he be interested in humans???)

Pimptheride: Any tips for coaxing one into the berth, or does their tiny size mean you've got to take it slow and gentle? And most importantly... any videos out there of the deed? A mech's gotta do some, ah, research before taking the plunge. Hook a brother up if you've found any good amateur organic-on-mech action out there in the 'net. Gotta see it to believe it. 

(Haha! I read the name, and immediately thought of Knockout. Not because of the text or anything, but I just remembered that in Transformers: Prime, the animators decided to pimp out Knockout, hence the 'Pimptheride')

ScienceSorcerer: For reasons. Does anyone know if humans have both Spikes and Valves? Or if they have any human anatomy holos or books and such from Earth they are willing to sell for some decent Shanix.  

(Brainstorm. The mech that started it all. I'm betting everything that this is Brainstorm.)

T-Wrexz: Primus, you mechs are hungrier than fragging scraplets. As far as I know, relations between our kinds are still uncharted territory. Could be amazing, could end badly - who's to say until we try? Personally I'm keeping an optic out, just curious to see what new experiences those squishy aliens can offer us tough metal mechs. 

(Definitely Grimlock. The name gave it away.

I mean, do you know any other mech who has a T-Rex alt mode??? Yeeeeeah.

But what business does Grimlock have with humans??? To think that he'd be interested in humans in really funny to me.)

Bar-rizzla: Oho, look who's swapping tall tales. I've been keeping a close optic on our ships squishy company since they came aboard. And between you and me... I may have an in with their ambassador that could lead to some juicy first-hand intel. Just trying to track down the bot we think they are berthing with. Crews got bets out. Turns out they get just as curious about us big metal hunks as we are them!. The other night, their chat got particularly saucy after a few drinks. Lots of gossip and speculation about which lucky bot one of them might take for a private ride. 

(Easy pickings. This is Swerve. I know it is.)

WPHAS-Violation: I may have a certain special "human entertainment" vid I could share. Let's just say the organic in question got quite... friendly with an eager mini-con. You know where to find me if you're brave enough to watch! 

(I'm torn between giving this to Rewind or to Tapemix54. From context, I'd say WPHAS-Violation is from the Lost Light, but then what about Tapemix54??? Is Tapemix54 Soundwave???

👀 Who was this Minicon that got lucky... Hmmmmmm.)

Tapemix54: Oho, mechs - think you've got it bad now? You should've seen some of the real deviants back before the war. When I was still stationed on Petrex, I knew this one smuggler - went by the name Rattler. Sneaky little scraplet, but Primus if he didn't have the wildest stories. Rattler used to run goods across time and space, dodging security at every turn. He'd pop up out of nowhere selling the rarest exotic "pets" to rich senators and other high caste mechs looking for a thrill. I'm talking aliens so bizarre even our data banks had never heard of their kind. But the highest bidder always walked away with a new "plaything" to break in, if you catch my drift. Word was Rattler even had a collection of sentient organics that he'd let special clients "test drive" between runs. Humans were apparently a favourite - their smaller frames could take all sorts of creative handling. Rattler had vids, too, of course, to entice buyers. I saw one once, let's just say "versatile" doesn't begin to cover it. Naturally the vids have all been scrubbed by now. But I bet if you knew where to dig in the deep web or some easily swayable Archivist, you might find traces of Rattler's stash still floating around out there.

(Fuck. FUUUUUUCK. Now I'm thinking that this is Chromedome because he was stationed in Pretrex with Prowl when they were sent to investigate the assassination of Senator Sherma.

For all I care, Rattler could have been Swindle since... Y'know, he was trafficking humans. Though, now that I think about it, would Swindle even be old enough to do that??? FUUUUUUUUCK.)

"Old records saved of the Senator and his human Conjunx”

It's a file collection of holotapes and pictures: "Enjoy these are pre war photos of Senator Shockwave and his Human holding their sparkling" 

There are many holos and videos of the long gone senator smiling with his human perched on his shoulder, in the crystal garden with a young sparkling held in the human's arms. Videos of the sparkling playing with the two but the last The last holo looks like a family portrait with Shockwave’s frame in a lime green blue white paint with gold accessories,  his human lover is dressed in elegant robes and the small blue praxian sparkling held in their arms. Each holo is dated with the Iacon records seal of authentication. 

(Okay. Okay okay okay. I LOVE the fact that you decided to incorporate Laboratory Logs to Human Effects. Admittedly, I did not see that coming when I sent that ask. Smart move.

And uhhh... Now that a few mechs have seen the photos, wouldn't that mean that if they ever recognized a mech that looked a lot like Senator Shockwave's long lost sparkling, It'll further cement the fact that uhhhh.... Fuck. I think I lost the path.

Uhmmm... Think about it like this, when Ratchet sees the family photo and sees the little sparkling, wouldn't he recognize that it's Traxies?)

FlyBoi69: NO FREAKIN' WAY. Is this real?! *downloads files faster than Blurr* FRAG ME SIDEWAYS, I think I just popped a gasket! How in the PIT did you manage to dig up the holos of senator Shockwave, most of his speeches, debates and lectures were wiped. Where did you find this!

(Honestly though, I'm still not sure who this guy is. Could this be Misfire??? AHHHHHHH.

Who are you FlyBoi69?!)

Jackin0: of all mechs, with an actual human back in the Golden Age?!. I'm calling scrap on this being real. It's gotta be a flawless deepfake. By PRIMUS if true - to think ol' Shockers was living it up with a squishy. Maybe there's more to those Senatorial types than meets the optic...

(Jackie. Definitely Jackie. Ah! Sorry, I meant Wheeljack.

It's just cool to call him Jackie. ☺️)

T-Wrexz: Okay, I'll bite... but someone better explain to me RIGHT NOW how any of this computes! Last I checked, time travel and inter-species relationships were the stuff of erotic imagination, not legitimate pre-war archives. Tapemix, you better start talking. Where in the PIT did you source these files? How do we know they're authentic and not just an incredibly convincing parlour trick? Because if I'm gonna let these images ruin me, I wanna be ruined by the real deal! Spill it, mech. 

(I REALLY think this is Rewind. Cause Rewind likes to collect rare footage.)

Iacon-Records: Tapemix54 could i please request where you discovered these as i work with Iacon records and this here is history that needs to be preserved. I'm willing to talk with you through a contractor if you would be willing for us to add these back into the new hall of records. Cybertron has lost so much and to find something like this I ask that we find a way to preserve it.  

(Optimus. THIS IS OPTIMUS PRIME.

You can't get more Optimus than Iacon-Records.)

BigBotNoStop: Pit take me now... I think I may have to reassess everything I thought I knew about interface and partnerships. That human is holding a sparkling curled around them - frag if it isn't the most beautiful thing I've ever seen! If anything could make me believe in miracles, it's this! Tapemix, you glorious glitch - how can I ever repay such an enlightening gift?

(Okay. I'm getting more and more convinced that this is Skids.

On that note, I like to think that whoever managed to see the photos are going to think, 'I can have a sparkling with a human'.

Which is cool, but then a bummer if they found out that Tiny didn't actually carry Traxies but was instead adopted from a hotspot when he imprinted on Tiny.)

Tapemix54: These were filed only cycles after Shockwaves Emputra; they were added to the Iacon records by some Archivist under the title. 'I will Remember you for who you were'. This was right when the senate fell apart on the brink of the war. From my knowledge of information on Rattler he apparently had an outlier who he got to take them to different times since he was a shuttle made it easier to transport. That's from the  records that still exist at least. I'll take you up on that offer Iacon-records. 

(Okay. That mysterious archivist? Definitely Optimus.

...

But wasn't Optimus a police officer during that era??? Wasn't he working with Sentinel at that time???

And who's this mysterious shuttle??? Omega Supreme??? JDDKSJDLDHDKGKSGS.

And who's RATTLER?! So many questions and so little answers.)

Oh, and Tiny? I really want to thank you for humoring me. You have no idea how much help you've given.

And uhhh.... Yeah....

ACCEPT MY LOVE AND APPRECIATION.

꒰⁠⑅⁠ᵕ⁠༚⁠ᵕ⁠꒱⁠˖⁠♡ TINY ♡⁠˖⁠꒰⁠ᵕ⁠༚⁠ᵕ⁠⑅⁠꒱

[essycogany]

Guess what surprise both me and @saltynsassy31 cooked up? It’s nothing really. Just an add on to Sonic Prime fanfic we decided to collaborate on. No biggie. Correction! You most definitely can come into our restaurant and serve yourself to this meal with different flavors of emotions. What are they? That’s for you to uncover. We both put our own ideas and mixed them into this dish for you. Enjoy!

For safety reasons we decided to private it on AO3, so you’ll need an account to read it there. But don’t worry, if you want to still read it, here you go!

The Little Things

Summary: Have you ever felt a weight on your shoulders? A tingling sensation throughout your body? A lump in your throat? You get the point. Well, a certain blue hedgehog hero gets the worst of it and feels as if he can’t tell anyone. Does he eventually find someone who can help? Let’s find out.

It was very early in the morning, around 11:00 when a group of friends defeated their greatest foe named Dr. Eggman. It was earlier than they usually fought. Not that it mattered much as the team would be fighting him the very next day after he recovered from his recent defeat. Sometimes Eggman bounced back quicker and attacked twice in the same day, but even a villain needed his rest. It’s become routine at this point, which neither complained about. The evil genius content in finding ways of improving his inventions and the heroes just happy to bask in each other's company. For as long as they were together, every adventure was a special one. They wouldn't have it any other way.

Especially a certain blue hedgehog.

After the battle, everyone went their separate ways. A hero, known as Sonic, went with his friend. A two tailed fox named Tails who was known for his incredible intelligence and inventions. Sonic wanted to crash at his lab on the other side of the island, Green Hills. Tails didn't question why Sonic decided to join him. It wasn't as if he hadn’t done it before. Their relationship was a relatively close one. Sonic, in a way, raised the fox and became a sort of family. He admired him a lot. Not only as a hero but an older brother. And he wasn't ashamed to admit it.

So when Sonic asked Tails if he could come over for the day, he didn't think twice about it. The answer was an immediate yes, before they raced over to his lab. Even if they knew who the obvious winner was.

Once they arrived, Tails went straight to working on the Tornado. Trying to find ways he could improve upon it based on their latest battle. There were always ways to improve it, even if his friends told him it was already perfect. Sonic climbed up the ladder above the workshop and sat on it. Making himself comfortable as he idly watched his little brother work on his favorite toy.

Sonic couldn't help but smile, watching the way the fox's ear twitched at every creak of the gears. His twin tails smoothly flowing beneath him like they were soft clouds. How his brows furrowed in concentration. Or how he would sometimes stick his tongue out to better focus. Quite the adorable sight, if he was being honest. It was these little things he took for granted and missed the most. He'd never make that mistake again. It’s what Sonic swore to himself the moment he returned to his world, his home. Speaking of, it had only been more than a few weeks since the “incident” happened. Just the thought of it had his insides doing backflips.

Sonic could feel the phantom sensation of his skin fading and fizzing out. Almost by instinct, he reached to wrap his arms around himself to somewhat ground him as he averted his gaze from the small fox below in favour of the window. He wasn't looking at anything in particular; Sonic just didn't want Tails to catch him staring.

He’d gone several nights without sleep and when Sonic did they were restless. Images of his friends and their many variants, the lifeless shell of his own group of friends repeating themselves over and over in an endless loop, like a broken record. It was haunting. His dreams, or rather, nightmares, consisted of him wandering in that empty, blueprint world alone trying to call for his friends. Not even Shadow was there to give him a beat down, shake him awake from that awful place. He'd cry for them and try to bring them back to their senses, but to no use. Then a loud, piercing laughter of a cunning fox would ring through the fields as it all began to fall apart. Hills and trees flying off into the cracking sky that he'd desperately try to hold into place, but there was only so much a lone hedgehog could do.

Other times he'd be having a normal day out when all of his friends would suddenly freeze up and the world got drained of its color. He'd watch as all of his friends looked at him panicked and confused before anger clouded them, blaming Sonic for what was happening. Part of him knew it was warranted.

Sometimes Sonic wondered if it happened at all. If everything was just a convoluted nightmare he was forced to live through.

But Shadow never really let him forget it. Not that they talked much after everything, but it was clear that things had changed between them. For the better, thankfully. But he was living proof that it indeed happened.

That didn’t stop Sonic’s thoughts from swirling, though. He’d wonder about the others, worry if he’d lose it all again. He wouldn’t know what to do with himself if he lost everything all over again. He couldn’t, and the mere thought made him break into cold sweat.

Sometimes his brain reminded him the only reason he was even here was by luck alone. Shadow did most of the work after all. Heck, Sonic wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for him! He barely remembered the trip back, only the sizzling, static pain and the wind passing through him. The mere thought of it made Sonic’s brain hurt. He brought his hands to his head, trying to ease the throbbing in his skull. While doing his best to muffle a pained groan.

Sonic couldn’t do this. He couldn’t live the rest of his life in constant paranoia of any day being the last. Not allowing himself to fully enjoy the good, peaceful moments because he’d waste time worrying himself. He would do his best to force more enjoyment out of life. If only because he didn’t want to leave in regret, which was already an old friend to him. Stuck in his own paradox. Sonic scoffed. The word brought a bitter taste to his mouth. He was home now, and he wouldn’t let anything or anyone ever take it away from him again. Even if it was by his own fault, he’s done more than enough to prove himself capable, right?

A few hours of this torture passed. Sonic’s sense of awareness was so bad, he couldn’t recall what day of the week it was. Let alone an hour. Sonic let out a shaky exhale as he stretched his legs out first from the ladder. Then his arms before jumping down, startling the busy fox. Tails rolled out from underneath the Tornado, and lifted his goggles to look at his friend. His head tilted. “Sonic?”

“Yo, Tails. You don’t mind me heading off for a sec, do ya?” Sonic shot the fox with what he hoped was a convincing smirk, his signature look. But it only came off as fake and caused his cheeks to hurt.

Tails looked him up and down for a moment. His lips curled into something Sonic has come to learn as worry. It made him feel slightly guilty, but he tried not to falter, making a conscious effort of keeping his tail and ears from giving off too much of his internal struggles.

After what felt like an eternity, Tails shrugged and put his goggles back down, seemingly finding nothing of note in Sonic’s sudden want to depart.

“Alright, be back in time for dinner.”

Sonic chuckled, feeling himself becoming more laxed. A genuine smile took over the forced one at the small joke. “Very funny, Tails. When did you become my guardian?”

Tails rolled his eyes without answering. Then pressed the button to let Sonic out before laying down and rolling back under the Tornado to continue his work. But as Sonic was about to turn around and dash off, Tails quickly got back up.

“Wait!”

Sonic turned around to face him. “Yeah, bud?”

There’s a moment of silence. Tails seemed to ponder his next words carefully, looking like he wasn’t quite sure if he should say anything. He bit the bottom of his lip and rubbed his index finger with his thumb. Trying to find the right words, he looked anywhere except Sonic himself, until they suddenly locked eyes.

Tails was smart, he noticed the little things, as he always does. But he couldn’t find the right words he needed to convey that. And even if he did, the probability of him getting an answer from the stubborn hedgehog was zero to none. He gave out a heavy sigh as he broke off their staring contest, looking away with solemn resolve. Maybe this wasn’t the right time. He shook his head and gave an awkward smile as he rubbed the back of his neck. Then waved Sonic off with the other. “Never mind, just be careful out there.”

Sonic gave Tails a puzzled look, but shrugged it off. Not wanting to push on the already stiff atmosphere. He winked and gave Tails a single finger gun.

“Will do. Catch ya later.” And before Tails could blink, he was gone. A puff of dust was the only indicator of Sonic being there.

Tails let out another defeated sigh, his shoulder sagged as he dropped back down the creeper and rolled under the Tornado to resume his work. “I hope he’s okay.” He mumbled to himself.

The late afternoon sun painted the landscape of Green Hills in an array of pinks, purples, and blues. A soft, gentle breeze made the grass and flowers dance gently in place. Blowing the heat of the morning away. It made for a calming atmosphere to relax in, but it wasn’t enough to calm Sonic’s nerves.

He could feel his skin sizzling, fading from existence. The phantom pain of every punch he got from faces he once knew as friends bruising his very soul. It made him shudder, and no amount of running would make it go away.

He hoped the brute force of the wind would numb the pain, numb his thoughts. He tried to focus on the sharp breeze against his skin, the way the grass felt under his footsteps as it pushed against it to go faster. Sonic tried to see if slowing down would help instead, as running from his problems didn’t fix them last time. Only it didn’t, and he would argue it made things worse. So he pushed on. Counting how many times he broke the sound barrier only silenced his thoughts for so long.

Sonic wanted to take a pause, a moment to stop his thoughts from consuming him, but he couldn’t. He felt like an everlasting motor, never running out of fuel. Every thought that’d pop into his head would make him run faster, letting Sonic feel as his heels began to dig into the soft dirt below him, making him sink but never slow down. It honestly didn’t matter where he was going anymore; he just let the wind take him, mind too cloudy to think about the directions. He just wanted to be as far away from people as possible.

The look Tails kept giving him….Sonic didn’t want to worry his little brother, but he couldn’t burden him with what he should’ve told him from the start. Sonic was vulnerable with his emotions, he could admit that, but he knew which ones to display or not…Kind of. He would usually mask his emotions with a punny joke or smart comment, but lately, it’s become harder for him to hold them back.

Sonic eventually came to a halt on the other side of the island. The pain in his heart outweighing the pain in his head to the point he couldn’t take it anymore. He couldn’t do it anymore! His legs could keep running for days, but his lungs felt constricted against his ribcage and it was like he was being suffocated with every step. He tried to even them out, but each breath was shakier than the other. It was unbearable.

He wanted to claw at his throat, gloved hands pawing at his chest in hopes to ease the pain, but it did nothing but make it worse. His vision clouded with tears and with shaky hands, he tried to search for support, feeling the ground beneath him become unsteady. The hedgehog’s expression was almost unreadable. It seemed to be a mix between a grimace and confusion. Sonic wanted to scream, to vomit out all the anguish bubbling inside of him like a roaring storm, but he didn’t. He didn’t want to disturb the peace of the valley, call any attention to him, or signal that he was there at all.

Instead he let himself cry. Thick tears rolled down his cheeks as he slid down to the ground and leaned against the palm tree he initially used for support. He bit down his trembling lips to muffle out the whimpers and hiccups, swallowing any noise that tried to escape him. His ear went flat against his head, tail tight against his leg. He wanted to stay strong, like he was back when he first arrived in New Yoke. He couldn't falter….he couldn’t let himself be weak.

But now it was just him and his thoughts, battling against each other with no distractions. At least, that’s what he assumed.

***

Somewhere else in the island lived a young, pink hedgehog, Amy Rose. Like Tails, she was part of Sonic’s team. She was the heart of the group; the one keeping their team glued together. After the battle, she bid her friends farewell and set out to a little spot she claimed as her own. Along with her companion, Birdie.

The place was located below a small blocky hill, where most of the flowers grew and other small animals gathered around. She watched as Birdie joined its other friends, laying down on a small patch of soft, green grass with a satisfied sigh. It was moments like these which made the hammer smashing worth it. Every battle, every hardship.

Amy wasn’t sure how long she’d spent outside, watching the Flickies and other critters play about the field. At some point she got up to tend to the flowers, something to keep herself busy.

While she worked, a sudden rustling of grass grabbed her attention. Despite that, Amy didn’t move. Didn’t even try to turn around to see who it was. The familiar gust of wind coming with the speed of sound told her exactly who it was, she simply smiled and continued her work. It took a while for the mystery person to speak, which was odd. But Amy figured he might’ve not noticed her there, so she let it be.

She smiled as her feathered friend flew over to her with the exact tool she needed. “Thank you. Remind me to give you a treat when we get home.” The Flickie chirped happily. That seemed to snap some awareness to the person behind her. A small gasp and more rustling of grass indicated they were still there.

“Amy, didn’t expect to see you here. What’s up?” The voice spoke, proving her initial suspicions correct.

“Didn’t we already see each other a few hours ago?”

Sonic clenched at his chest dramatically with a drawled out, offended gasp. “I thought you’d appreciate me here since we don’t hang out much. But if not, then I guess I’ll just head on home and–”

“What are you doing here, Sonic?”

Despite her tone coming off as annoyed, she was actually glad someone had found her. And it was Sonic, no less. Of course she’d be happy to see him over. Though maybe Amy’s tone was a little too harsh because Sonic cringed at the question. He was thankful she was facing forward, so she couldn’t see the falter of his persona. It gave him ample time to fix up his act as he walked up closer to her. He wasn’t quite sure how to respond, so he settled on a half truth.

“You know me. Felt cooped up in the lab, so I went out for a run.”

The pink hedgehog wasn’t convinced, but she didn’t press the issue, not wanting to scare Sonic off knowing she wouldn’t be able to catch him. So she hummed in reply.

Sonic, feeling ignored, awkwardly got on his knees next to Amy and waved at her Flickie friend. It raised its tiny eyebrows at him and he looked away nervously.

“Whatcha doin’ there? Oooh, seeds! Can I have some?”

“Are you going to eat them?”

Sonic gave a faux guilty look, pursing his lips as he glanced up. “Probably~”

“Then no.���

Sonic’s eyes quickly widened as he looked at her. He raised his hands and clasped them together over his chest in a pleading gesture.

“Ahhh, Amy. C’mon, don’t be like that. Please?”

Amy let out a small huff and reluctantly shoved a bag over to Sonic. Who quickly grabbed it after shaking off the initial shock of the sudden action. Birdie gave him a shovel and he responded with a salute. It rolled its beady eyes and flew off.

The two hedgehogs quietly planted the seeds together, basking in each other's presence until the stars began to creep up in the sky. The soft shift between warm to cool colors left a calm atmosphere to blanket over the hills. The breeze became slightly colder than before, blowing away petals to dance with the stars.

Amy looked up briefly before finally patting down some of the dirt over the flower. Letting out a small, satisfied huff as she placed the back of her wrists over her hips proudly.

“That’s the last of them. Thanks, Sonic.”

Sonic smirked. “Are you happy I came now?” He said, unknowingly wrapping an arm around Amy as she playfully hit him on the elbow.

She pulled away from the half embrace and began to make her way towards the edge of the hill. Laying down on her stomach with her ears tucked, Amy smiled at the setting sun. Only the peak of its head layed over the horizon, painting the waters with all its glory. Birdie joined her and sat over Amy’s head, making itself comfortable on her quills.

Sonic stood in the same position as before, a little dumbfounded and unsure of what to do. He looked around for a moment before deciding to join her. He laid on his back, head resting on the soft grass that intertwined themselves with his quills. It eased the headache that split his brain just moments before, but Sonic knew he’d have to go back to the lab eventually. It made the pain linger.

“The sky is really beautiful tonight, isn’t it?”

Sonic didn’t answer.

“Sonic?” Amy turned her head to look at Sonic, wondering if he fell asleep. Something she’d partially hoped for because the eyebags he carried weren’t hard to miss. But what she saw was even more confusing. Sonic had a thousand yard stare, looking up at the stars with no real direction. It was like he wasn’t even there!

“Sonic!”

“AH!”

Amy’s yell made Sonic flinch, snapping him out of whatever daze he was in with a startle. He looked around disoriented before his gaze met Amy’s. For a moment he saw someone else, her expression eerily similar to one of her counterparts. He felt his heart rate spike up for a second, but quickly schooled his expression.

“Oh, yeah. Yeah, it sure is lovely.” He said, a little more rushed than he would have liked.

By the way Amy’s face twisted into a grimace, he knew her leniency towards him to not push the subject had dropped, and he tried to prepare for what was to come.

“Sonic, I didn’t want to say this, but ever since we saved the Paradox Prism you’ve been acting weird! What’s gotten into you?!” There was desperation in her tone, like she had exhausted all her options and was at a loss on what to do.

“I-I’m sorry, alright?”

Sonic felt his legs itch, bouncing just a little as he got the sudden urge to go on another run. But he was tired of leaving his friends in the dark, picking up the pieces he left behind. They didn’t deserve that.

Amy was getting frustrated, clear by how her facial features wrinkled. But when she noticed how agitated the Sonic looked, she felt it all get whisked away, softening to a more concerned expression. It made her feel guilty for yelling. Adding to her soft approach, she sat up and placed a hand over his shoulder.

“I understand you might not want to talk about it, but you know me and the others have your back.”

Sonic rolled over and hit his head against the grass in frustration. It was clear that he was battling himself inside, trying to find the right way to word things, to say or not to say.

Amy sighed, “It’s okay. If you want to wait until you’re ready, I’ll do the same. Take as much time as you need.”

She sat there for a moment longer. Waiting for something before deciding that there was nothing to wait for, not in that moment at least, and began to stand up and make her way out of the field. She hugged herself and rubbed her cold arms to warm them up when a sudden force wrapped itself around her from behind, sending Birdie flying off of Amy’s head and making her stop dead in her tracks.

She was frozen for a moment before slowly moving around and reciprocating the gesture. Amy felt the desperation in the action and how gloved hands grasped at her dress as if she would vanish in thin air. It wasn’t the first time Sonic hugged her in such a way. After the “incident” he did it constantly, and each time it felt more desperate. They were awkward and sometimes overwhelming, and he never failed to thank her each time. It was odd, but she didn’t push. She gave it twice the squeeze. Being much stronger than most of her friends, Amy was usually careful to not hurt them. Not noticing her own strength sometimes. But she knew this was the moment Sonic needed it.

After a while, she pulled away, much to Sonic’s protest, and moved one hand over to cup his face. He looked at her with bleary, emerald green eyes before closing them and leaning into the touch. Seeing Sonic up close now made it abundantly clear he cried earlier. The tears long since dried, meaning it was before he found her. But the fur on his cheeks still felt rough and stiff. The rim of his eyes looked red and puffed up.

“Oh, Sonic.” Amy thought to herself.

She rubbed her thumb against the tear streaks for a moment. Then gazed at him kindly and caring before wordlessly sliding her hand over to his and moved to stand beside him. Birdie looked at the two a little exasperated. Unsure, it tried to gain Amy’s attention for some form of answer. She only gave a shrug and a slight shake of her head. The Flickie flew over to the other hedgehog. With resolve in its expression, it chirped as it rubbed its head against Sonic’s cheek, gaining his attention. Birdie felt satisfaction in its chest at the light and quiet chuckle Sonic gave at the action. A gloved hand scratching its head as a form of gratitude. Sonic still felt too overwhelmed to speak, but he didn’t want such a kind act to go thankless.

The Flickie perched on Sonic’s shoulder and curled up in the crook of his neck, wanting to be of some comfort to Amy’s friend. She gave her own form of thanks through a smile. They walked in tense silence after that, Amy rubbed gentle circles on the back of his hand to try and calm his nerves.

Amy would occasionally glance over at Sonic to check on him, and he never looked more miserable. His ears were loosely flopping to the sides of his head, bouncing gently as they walked. Inside, Sonic was having another war within himself over all his internal struggles and how he wanted to spill everything out. But the lump that formed so tightly inside his throat prevented him from doing so. All it did was make him choke on air and made him want to puke.

He felt his skin start to sizzle again with phantom pain and he couldn’t take it anymore! Like a kettle boiling over, something inside him tipped and he finally managed to spill the needed words out. They felt like sandpaper scratching at the walls of his throat, weighed so heavily on his tongue that it made it hard to lift, and clenched at his jaw like glue, keeping it from opening.

“Uh, Amy…”

But he did it. It was just two words, and they were weak, frail. If the wind was any stronger, it would have taken them away like dead leaves. But it wasn’t, and Amy heard his desperate plea for help.

She turned to him, those big, green eyes looking at him expectantly, a small hum notifying him she was paying attention. They were gentle, kind, warm, everything Sonic loved and feared at the same time. They looked at him with such sincerity, it weighed on him like a heavy blanket, comforting but suffocating. They expected so much, yet nothing at all.

Sonic couldn’t disappoint them, not any more than he already has.

So, he told her.

He told her everything that haunted him, everything that weighed him down. After the first couple of words being rasped out, it was like a dam had been broken and he couldn’t stop it from overflowing. One word after another, it all came out in a fury of emotions that felt terrifying, but there was no stopping them. Or the small tears he didn't even realise were there until Amy kindly wiped them away. It wasn’t crying though, it was frustration, and his words suddenly came out as bites and growls the longer he talked.

Sonic’s rant felt exhausting, like he was drowning in a sea of doubt. Yet solace in a way he had never expected it to be. Amy didn’t talk, didn’t intervene. She just let Sonic get everything out while tenderly giving him reassuring gestures to keep him grounded.

The gentle bumps of Birdie’s head against his and Amy’s soft rubs of his hand helped more than he could thank them for.

Eventually, things began to slow down, and Sonic could feel the grey clouds that surrounded him gently fade away. Allowing him to see things clearly. Strangely, they were right outside the path that led to Tails’ lab, and Sonic wasn’t quite sure when they got there.

Once Amy determined Sonic finished ranting, she spoke up. “Oh wow. You’ve been holding all of that in?”

Sonic looked at her. His disorienting gaze was still unfocused, but he was there. He looked away and scratched his ear in shame.

“I figured pretending everything was fine would help me forget about it.”

“And how did that turn out?”

Sonic cringed a little. “Not great…”

“Does anyone other than Shadow know about this?”

“No.”

Amy was surprised, in disbelief even. She had to ask, just to be sure. “Not even Tails?!”

Sonic didn’t reply, which left Amy fumbling in complete confusion. Mouth agape, trying to find the right thing to say. Not even Tails?! Sonic told that fox almost anything that came to his mind! Shadow knew before his own brother?

“Sonic, we’ve–”

Sonic quickly shut down whatever Amy was about to tell him, with urgency in his voice.

“How am I supposed to tell them?!” The way the pitch in his voice raised caught her off guard. “Hey guys, guess what?! I’ve almost permanently destroyed the entire shatterverse! Luckily, I had Shadow around to help, right?! Please…” He exaggerated a happy tone of voice that almost broke into frustration. The response was so obviously fake that when he dropped to a more annoyed tone, it wasn’t surprising.

Amy felt unsure what to say for a moment, but quietly muttered, “Yeah, but everything’s fine now. You saved us.” Amy swore she could hear a small scoff from him, though it sounded more sad than angry. “More like Shadow saved you guys. I only made things worse.”

Amy let out a frustrated huff, one that the Flickie mimicked as it flew over to her head from Sonic’s shoulder to emphasize their sentiment. They placed their hands and wings over their hips. Amy turned her whole body to face him, making them stop walking for a moment, right in front of the lab. “Hey, blaming yourself isn’t going to help! Both of you saved us, and you’ve changed. That’s an achievement.”

Sonic paused for a moment, eyes wide and hands up in surrender.

“On top of that, you...” Amy stuttered, struggling to find the right words to convey her thoughts. “You sacrificed yourself for them. For us. That’s what makes you a hero, Sonic. I know you still feel awful about shattering the prism. Anyone would. But what’s important now is that you’re doing your best to make sure it doesn’t happen again. Besides, the Sonic I know is still one of the bravest and strongest hedgehogs I’ve ever met.”

Sonic snickered, leaning to the side as he placed one hand on his hip and looked away. “But he’s definitely not the brightest.”

Amy smiled satisfied and shrugged. “Baby steps.”

Finally, after what felt like hours since, Sonic had a genuine smile on his face. “You’re right. As usual from The Amy Rose.” He stretched his arms towards Amy as if he was presenting her on a stage. Emphasising his admiration for her in his own way.

Amy curtseyed with a guffaw, “What can I say? I know my stuff.” She paused for a moment, looking up at the familiar orange lab ahead of them.

“You know, I never expected you to take my advice. That was really sweet of you to do for them.”

Sonic chuckled. “It seriously came in handy. And I needed something to keep my head straight.”

They were silent for a moment. Sonic tilted his head up. Amy followed Sonic’s gaze and stared at the beautiful starry sky.

“You really missed us, didn’t you?”

“Yeah, I did.”

Suddenly, Amy’s ear perked up as it picked up the sound of a small whimper. She brought her head back down and looked at Sonic who was staring up. Desperately trying to keep tears from rolling down his face again.

“Um, Sonic. Are you…?”

Sonic quickly lifted his hand up to his eyes and covered them, trying to keep them as dry as possible. “Oh, uh. *Sniff* Nope! Totally fine! Nothing to see here!” He said with a strained voice and wobbly smile.

Amy held back a giggle by raising a fist to her lips. “Awww, it’s okay. Ya big softy.”

Sonic’s ears dropped as his muzzle suddenly became very hot. “Ames, please stop…”

“You started it.”

He huffed and crossed his arms, looking away with an embarrassed smile.

“Whatever.”

Amy couldn’t help but laugh. She turned to face the lab once more, letting a small, content sigh leave her. “You might wanna explain to Tails why you missed dinner.” She said with a knowing smile.

Sonic looked at Amy incredulously, “You too? I mean–” he shook off the initial shock, “fair. I’ll tell everyone else eventually. Thanks for the pep talk, Ames.”

Amy smiled at him, satisfied at their progression. “If you ever need me, I’m always available.”

Sonic gave her a thumbs up and a small nod before making his way to the front door, typing in the code to let himself in. Amy gave him one last knowing smile before leaving. Birdie spun around her head to wave its little wing at him until they were out of sight. Sonic let out a small laugh as he waved back, turning around to face the lab once he could no longer see them.

As soon as Sonic entered the lab, Tails was all up on his business, concern and frustration clear on his face. “You know, for the fastest thing alive, I’d figure ‘being on time for dinner’ would be an easy task for you. Mind explaining yourself?” He sounded like a disappointed mother scolding her kid for missing curfew; Sonic held back a laugh.

“Sure thing. But I gotta tell ya, it’s gonna be a doozy.”

***

Welcome to the end! Did you like it? Hope so because we both had a BLAST creating it. The Little Things was a way to show how much Prime’s events affected an emotionally driven Sonic. Unlike in the Games or IDW this broken blue blur isn’t as good at hiding his emotions and is more open towards others. It’s what keeps him going. The story also plays with the swapped roles of Amy and Sonic and expands it in an emotional and hopefully fun way. Also, if you’ve ever felt this since of hurt and anguish, remember the people you love in your life and that even if you think you’re alone, you’re not. Thank you for reading!

Also, definitely recommend following @saltynsassy31 she’s an amazing writer. Give her some love!

Stay Creative! 💜🍓

[daddywright]

Hey there Jazz. I'm such a big fan. Pressure verse remains one of my fave fics ever. I've always been curious about how you portray and see Phoenix. Is it something unique on Pressure verse that Phoenix lies so bad that anyone close to him can read him easily? Versus Canon that many people either have him that he's just good at hiding his thoughts because the game just expresses to players his thoughts? Or he is still the same emotional man but is so awkward and his acting in theater makes him good at pretending? Because he's so evasive about anything himself. Pssst. Any also any hint of next update? Hehehe.

Hi hi!

Wow, so I had to take a second to think about this question. In its DNA, Pressureverse is a 'In Want of a Nail' story - the joke of 'what if Phoenix got therapy post-Dahlia' explored with narrative consequences. As a result, the Phoenix that takes shape over the course of the adjusted plot is one that-- while certainly not smoothed of character flaw or mentally prime lol-- has learned that even if he doesn't believe that his troubles or concerns should be shared (for arrogant or trauma-related reasons), he has learned that he likes and needs the support he receives from other people who take notice. In a way, the joke about his being a bad liar is evidence to progress in his relationships that diverges meaningfully from canon. He's a character that's not capable or willing to ask for help in many ways, but in Pressureverse, at least, he's begun to "telegraph" through chosen lies when he has needs. It's a changed indicator of his mental health, but it's a character flaw I gave him intentionally, because to make Phoenix a "bad liar" was an indirect way of writing the other characters-- particularly female characters-- as BETTER listeners. A lot of characters in Ace Attorney often share one major trait, and that's perception/emotional sensitivity, but only when narratively convenient for a video game sometimes. But in writing, or in Pressure at least, the key relationship is Phoenix and Maya's. Phoenix is a frequent liar who IS capable of lying well, but to people who know him, even when he's not half-assing it, they would learn to pick up on it. Why wouldn't Maya be sensitive over time to who he is, and when he's struggling?

Basically, Phoenix being a "bad liar" is a trait that is altogether a bit, intentional character development/canon divergence, and biased based on the POV character of the chapter. (Ex. Characters like Edgeworth and Klavier wouldn't describe him as a bad liar, but a lot of the other more sensitive characters in his life would!)

Sorry for how lengthy this was! As for an update, I'd cross my fingers for after the holidays... right now, I'm working on a Metal Gear Solid fic ;)

[yanderes-galore]

Transformers (feel free to choose the series) Optimus Prime vs Megatron with a human darling romantic concept?????

Sure! I decided to keep this general :) Sorry if it's bad since I made it a general take.

Yandere! Optimus Prime vs Megatron

Human Darling - No Particular Version

Pairing: Romantic - Rivalry

Possible Trigger Warnings: Gender-Neutral Darling, Obsession, Dehumanization, Overprotective behavior, Violence, Kidnapping, Manipulation, Possessive behavior, Cybertronian/Human pairing, Dubious/Forced relationship, Sadism, Isolation.

Ah yes, the Autobot and Decepticon leader fighting each other once again over something.

This is a good time to explain what I mean when I say Autobots and Decepticons lean towards a certain yandere type.

I always picture Yandere Autobots falling towards the overprotective attribute while Yandere Decepticons tend to display a more sadistic yandere type.

Optimus Prime and Megatron are very good examples of this.

Autobots tends to want to protect those they hold dear.

While Decepticons tend to take what they want.

This rule doesn't apply to everyone (For example, Pharma from the IDW comics is technically Autobot but has Decepticon traits due to working with them), yet it's a default many Cybertronians display.

Optimus Prime and Megatron, being leaders of their respective factions, would be the pinnacle of this.

Optimus Prime's goal with a human, especially if they were human, would be to protect them at all costs.

Autobots would get along with human darlings the most, Prime is no exception.

Optimus Prime already feels responsible for a team of Autobots, who that is depends on the version.

They are like his family.

A human darling would be kept very safe with him.

For this concept I'd say you'd most likely be a supporter of the Autobots.

Most humans are.

As a result you are the closest to Optimus Prime.

Prime has no idea how to display his affection to you that would br acceptable between humans and Cybertronians.

To be fair many Cybertronians don't.

As a result he settles for simple things like holding/carrying and words.

If he has a holoform in this that would be a good way to communicate too.

The biggest issue is his size when it comes to showing you he cares.

He loves you and it is romantic yet you wouldn't be able to tell unless he told you.

Optimus Prime is considerate of how a relationship with you would affect you and actually listens to you for the most part.

You are one of the people he cares for the most.

Optimus Prime's softer and more protective affection is different from Megatron's intense and destructive affection.

Being the leader of the Decepticons he is less willing to work with humans.

Megatron would see his human darling as a lesser being to him.

Optimus Prime talks to you like you're an equal, an ally who fights alongside him.

Megatron treats you like a pet even if he feels romantic attraction towards you.

He feels powerful when he holds you, he likes the sadistic pleasure your fear gives him.

He loves the feeling of you being his.

With Megatron the relationship leans more towards what Megatron wants than you.

You most likely met Optimus Prime by being saved by the Autobots.

You most likely met Megatron by an attack that the Autobots saved you from or you were kidnapped from the Autobots after meeting them.

The power struggle between the two factions now has a new reason to push.

Their leaders happen to like a particular human... and one of them will have you in the end.

Optimus Prime is the one you have a higher chance of having a "normal" relationship with.

As normal as having a romantic relationship with an overprotective Autobot can go, at least.

Megatron likes the idea of owning you, plus having you and making you fall for him can hurt Optimus.

Which is what Megatron wants more than anything.

The two would definitely fight brutally with each other over you.

However, it's primarily Megatron who aims to kill.

Megatron is easily the worst yandere of the two.

Even a "relationship" with him still makes you feel inferior.

The dynamic is one wants to genuinely provide for you, while the other wants to own you.

Autobots are never the most intense yanderes but Optimus Prime would do whatever he can to keep you with him and safe.

I can't think of him killing or brutally harming someone but he would isolate you.

Megatron would kill and brutally harm others to have you.

Decepticons do have the potential to harm others to have what they want.

Megatron would do this more than anyone to have you, even if you are an organic.

It's no doubt you'd benefit the most from Optimus Prime, yet Megatron will always be a threat trying to take you from the Prime.

Their fighting over you will persist about as long as it takes for the war to end or you expire.

Two titans of immense power fighting for their own desires.

All with you caught in the middle.

The moment you're in the hand of one, the other plucks you from them.

If the war ends and you're somehow alive, perhaps they will compromise?

It's unlikely but that would be one of the only chances you experience peace... if not with one of them dead.

A rivalry between Optimus and Megatron is about as destructive as you think.

The two already fight each other enough as is.

Until the war ends, you'll never know peace...

As long as they're both alive, they'll search for you.... Regardless of who wins you fear for your future.

[fatuismooches]

hi! i love how you write all the harbingers. i thought of an angsty-but-more-like-pining idea of reader falling for one of dottore's clones and not the original dottore. the reader is unaware of the clone situation and the clone (being the rascal he is) neglects to tell them about it (he also just doesn't like the idea of sharing). despite the insanity and callous nature of the clone, the two of them are in a relatively loving relationship.

the original dottore becomes aware of it and is insanely jealous of his clone, yet he can't dispose of the clone without garnering suspicion from reader. if reader happened to fall in love with a younger clone, the original dottore is even more annoyed: "how did they fall for my younger, imperfect self instead of the now glorious, flawless me?"

i'm curious to hear what you think about this idea and the antics the original dottore has to go through to get to reader and, hopefully, get them to love the current him instead of a mimicry of his past self.

The segment would probably meet you on one of his expeditions outside of Snezhnaya, how you managed to woo Il Dottore is anyone's guess, and really no one could ever figure it out. He wouldn't tell you that he is Dottore of course, it would lead to far more complications and he'd rather not deal with those. Is that selfish? Yes of course but what did you expect?

Eventually, it would get to a point where the segment would convince you to move to Snezhnaya because continuing a relationship halfway across the world isn't very fulfilling for either of you, and he can't keep sending letters by crow much longer before he actually goes mad from not being able to feel your touch, to hear your sweet voice and soft, reassuring kisses. However, the segment's change in behavior is kind of noticeable because all of a sudden he's the one who wants to leave the lab for general errands. This is for a few reasons.

One, to see you obviously, he tries his best to be discreet about it but, how can he not want to indulge in you when you're nearly at his doorstep? Finally, he has a reliable way of destressing after all the annoyances at his "work." Two, because of the slight chance that you may one day see one of his other selves and decide to speak to them believing that it is your lover. Now of course this wouldn't be good because your lover knows very well of the... tendencies of his other segments, they would probably want to pick you apart (like he did) and then hog your body and attention once they get used to you.

But still Prime would find out, he was once his segments too, he knows the quirks. However never once would he have thought his segment would have found love in his life. He knows his segments tend to do their own thing but this? Pure ridiculousness. It's funny because he would try to deny the segment's feelings for you, and therefore simultaneously deny his own feelings in a way. If the segment happened to be a young one, he'd write it off as his younger self being desperate for attention and acceptance. If the segment happened to be closer in age to him, well... he'd find some excuse!

Regardless, he doesn't believe it. But it's hard to deny reality, when he sees how happy you are with his segment, and he sees how happy his segment is with you. And he thinks, what about you has his segment so captivated? You don't really look to be worthy of his time, but he still knows his segment well and he knows you have to be something out of the ordinary for him to take interest. (Yes he stalks the two of you, but trust me he's not going to hurt you. You're just confused as to why your lover seems to be intensely eyeing random locations behind him.)

In the beginning, Prime Dottore feels no real attachment to you, rather it's a sort of feeling that he can't seem to stay away from. Curiosity? Maybe. Jealousy? Of course not. Prime Dottore would try to keep putting it out of his mind, he has far more important things to do that take interest in his segment's "toy" but your face pops up more often than not sometimes. However, eventually, he gives in and questions his segment as to what he sees in you. Said segment obviously doesn't want to answer but this is Prime. No one defies Prime.

Dottore would probably just show up in your house one day and you'd get a few mini heart attacks in the span of a minute - how did this man get in, *sees blue hair* oh it's my lover!, *realization* no it's not, *panic* there is a man eerily similar to my partner in my damn house. He'd be amused by your reaction which doesn't really help his case, but it's very similar to your lover's own reaction, which is comforting in a funny way. So while seem to be quite different, perhaps they share more similarities than they want to admit? Perhaps. Maybe.

Another thing I think would be funny is Dottore being his usual Dottore self and attempting to scare you off in the beginning, but you don't really have a reaction because your segment lover put you through a lot of this already. It really leaves him to think about how and what does he do because he's never been in a situation like this.

It would be more of Dottore trying to make you fall for him rather than the other way around, he has no need for such a frivolous feeling. Rather he wants to feel the pure satisfaction of making you love him. Unfortunately, it doesn't go that simply of course. He knows he's fallen too deep when he's in his lab alone, wondering what you're doing right now in your home, perhaps you're cooking? Or reading? Such a shame, if you lived here with him, he wouldn't need to wonder. He'd know. Wait. Live together??

It wouldn't just be Prime Dottore trying to do this, anything that catches their creator's attention is sure to draw theirs too, so it's kind of just a full package. Eventually you kind of just have a lot of blue-haired men examining the corners of your house for some reason. You hide behind your original lover while he shoots glares at his other segments, annoyed at how things have turned out. But oh well.

I've pondered a lot about this ask, and honestly, the whole concept is so delicious I don't even know if I can do it justice. I mean really it's TASTY. I write too much I think and this was all over the place.

[spop-romanticizes-abuse]

(tw: abuse, noncon, implied SA)

this is something you wouldn't want to think about for too long but i think part of the appeal for c//a is the fact that it's completely one-sided and forceful.

let me explain.

if the writers really wanted to imply that adora enjoyed her fights with catra or that she was aroused in some way (which is gross, because she's a minor but they don't care about that) they could have shown that. they could have shown adora smirking or blushing or anything that indicated that she wasn't entirely against the way that catra treated her.

but no, the main appeal of c//a is that adora cannot fight back, not that she doesn't want to. catra not only attacks adora, like enemies usually do, but she does it in a weirdly intimate way that makes adora feel uncomfortable and humiliated.

this extends beyond the whole “creepy villain” persona that the other villains in the show has. like sure, both shadow weaver and horde prime have used unwanted touch to manipulate their victims. but catra seems to use it to a greater extent and more frequently, AND she mostly only uses it on adora.

it's unnerving but some people do seem to like romance tropes that are non-consentual. just look at the amount of media that has sudden forced kisses, because apparently asking for consent “kills the mood”. look at the entire trope of “chase them until they like you back”. people find this hot, for whatever reason.

and now look at how c//a incorporates these tropes into an “enemies to lovers” romance where adora is constantly made to feel scared, humiliated or uneasy. where adora is often in a position of weakness and vulnerability while catra has full control. there are too many frames in spop that has adora on her knees, either restrained or somehow rendered helpless, and catra towering over her, touching her or delivering some vaguely flirtatious dialogue that is often taken out of context.

this is why the whole “it's enemies to lovers, it's supposed to be like that” excuse doesn't work. if spop stans really wanted a classic enemies to lovers romance, they could easily ship glitra. if the writers wanted to write a good enemies to lovers ship, they could have made adora and catra fight the same way catra and glimmer did.

whenever glimmer and catra fought, they were always one on one. neither of them were stronger or weaker.

watch how catra never uses the same tactics on glimmer that she uses on adora. the only time catra made glimmer feel uncomfortable in some way was when she licked glimmer's arm. and she did this to make glimmer let go of her, it had a purpose.

so yeah, it's no wonder that c//a fans are often gushing about how “catra is the top” or making it seem like their relationship is a fetish. it's not just toxic, there are very heavy implications of SA, whether that was intentional or not. of course, it's not straight-up SA because this is a kid's show. but the fact that “catra loved adora all this time” and the fact that catra only treated adora this way gives all of these scenes a much darker and creepier implication.