#and then they come to me and they're sad????

[viktortittiforov]

breaks my heart how often i see people posting yoi fanart/fanfic after a long time of not engaging w the fandom say that they "know the fandom is pretty much dead". like babes i get why you'd think that but we are very much still here alive and kickin!! sure there's less of us now but i see new fanfics being posted on AO3 almost every day. not even just oneshots either, there's super elaborate multichapter fics too! people are still writing meta and drawing amazing fanart and translating interviews and doing art collabs etc etc. there's even an active discord server (maybe even more than one but i don't know about the others). that's not what a dead fandom looks like. we're LOYAL

[sakuraspoke]

all your rage, all your pain // copia x gn!reader

🚨 ghovie spoilers ahead 🚨

summary: it's the day copia has been dreading & he is struggling with the weight of his grief on top of the anxiety of his newly appointed position within the ministry.

tags/details: sfw. 2.2k words. angst/grief/comfort. a little bit of fluff. ghoul mention! latin? i don't even know. just a lot of sad, angsty copia.

thank you to @gothdaddyissues & @wrathofrats for the dividers 🖤

"Are you ready, amore?" you ask Copia gently.

He doesn't respond. Standing at the mirror you see him lost in thought somewhere as he absentmindedly adjusts the pins on the lapel of his new suit.

"…Amore?"

Copia jumps slightly this time, suddenly snapping back to reality at the sound of your voice. You walk over to stand behind him, putting your hands on his upper arms and rubbing them softly.

"Sì, yes, sorry amore. I must've been daydreaming."

You smile sadly at him and wrap your hands around his waist, pressing your cheek against his back. You know how anxious he's been for today. He's still reeling from Imperator's death, still unable to really talk about those last moments without breaking down… still not himself. The pressure of his new title and the responsibility that comes with it has been weighing him down, and the thought of laying her to rest for good has filled him with such dread that he's been having nightmares as the day has come closer.

"I'll be right next to you the whole time, okay? Everyone is with you, caro."

"Sì, sì…" he says, his voice low, defeated. You squeeze him tighter and he places his hands over yours.

"Amato," you sigh, "if you want to wait a little longer, I'm sure they'd understand. We can-"

"No, no, that's not fair. This is my duty and I… I don't have the luxury to be weak right now."

You frown and turn him round to look at you.

"It's not about being weak, caro…" you say, scanning his face. He avoids your gaze and says nothing, instead pulling his gloves out of his pockets and slipping them on.

You hold his face in your hands and gently kiss him, but he doesn't respond.

"Please look at me," you plead, and his eyes finally meet yours. They're empty. Even his white eye seems darker somehow. "She would be so-"

"Don't," he chokes out. "Please. I'm sorry, amore… please."

"No, it's okay," you say quickly, embracing him. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

He doesn't return the hug but he leans into you, resting his head on your shoulder. You stroke his greying hair, trying to will back the tears that are threatening to fall.

"What do I do now, amore?" he whispers, his voice breaking. "I don't know how to do this."

You open your mouth to respond but there's nothing. You truly don't know what to say. You're not sure whether he's talking about today or about what's to come in general but either way, you're at a loss for words. As you stand there silently, trying to provide what little comfort you can, you feel Copia start to shake slightly. Before you can ask if he's okay, he returns your embrace, wrapping his arms around your waist. And then you hear him crying, his pained whimpers muffled against your neck.

"I'm sorry," he sobs, his fingers digging into your back.

"You have nothing to be sorry for, caro."

"I can't break down like this. I'm not supposed to be afraid," he whispers. "I'm not supposed to be afraid…"

"Oh amore," you say softly, adjusting your arms around his shoulders to hold him tighter. "It's okay to be afraid."

"No it's not, it's… she…" he says, trailing off.

"She would understand," you say with as much conviction as you can gather. "She loved you, caro. She loved you so much. She would have wanted you to take all the time you needed to be at your best."

Copia lets go of you suddenly and runs his gloved fingers through his hair, tugging at it slightly as he does so.

"She wouldn't have been weak," he says, clearing his throat and shrugging his shoulders to adjust his jacket.

"She would have taken as long as she needed," you say gently, trying to make him see reason, before taking one of his handkerchiefs from the dresser and wiping his tear-stained cheeks with it.

"I have a job to do," Copia says flatly. "And I will not fail."

You look at him and sigh softly. It pains you to see him try to bury the grief that is overwhelming him, but you realise that today isn't the day for that conversation. All you can do is take his lead and get through it.

"No, you won't," you say, putting your hand to his chin and softly rubbing it with your thumb. Copia takes your hand in his and squeezes it, bringing your knuckles to his lips and kissing them gently.

"Thank you, amore," he says, giving you a quick kiss on the forehead before leaving the room.

You wait a moment, leaning your head back on your shoulders and taking a deep breath. After a few seconds, you compose yourself enough to leave. As you reach the door, you look back at the bed. His black coat is lying neatly across the sheets and you pick it up and take it with you, walking through the halls to join some members of the clergy and a handful of siblings in the foyer. But there's no sign of Copia.

"Everything okay?" one of the siblings asks, noticing your unsure look.

"Yes," you nod, scanning the room, "I think so…"

As you speak you spot something from the corner of your eye, and look out of the open front doors to see a frantic Copia walking down the path towards the gardens, away from the building.

"Excuse me," you say to the sibling and turn to leave, trying to do so as quickly as possible without causing a stir. When you get outside, you follow Copia's path until you find him sitting on a bench in the centre of the garden, looking up at the sky. As you draw nearer, you can hear him mumbling something in Latin, and curse yourself for not retaining more of the language you'd heard during your studies.

"Caro?" you say as you slowly approach him.

Copia looks at you, and your face falls as you realise he's crying again. You sit down on the bench and pull him into your arms.

"I can't do it," he whispers.

"Of course you can," you reassure him. Copia just clings on to you tighter, and you start to sway slightly as you cradle him.

"I'm tired, amore. I'm just so scared," he says, and his voice is so small it makes your chest ache. It's your instinct to comfort him again but instead you decide to try and get him to talk a little.

"What is it that's scaring you?" you ask.

"I don't know what I'm doing. I don't know how to do any of this. I'm not a leader."

"Well, we both know that's not true…" you start.

"It is," he replies, pulling away from you and looking forwards again, slouching back against the bench.

"She did all of this," he continues, gesturing vaguely at the abbey. "This is all her. I'm just a shadow, amore. I'll never live up to her legacy."

"Well she clearly believed you could, Cope…" you say, taking his hand in yours and shifting slightly to face him. "Does that not mean something?"

Copia looks at your intertwined hands and takes a moment to consider your words.

"Well…" he sighs, "I suppose it does, sì... but-"

"And she knew you better than anyone, did she not?"

Copia chuckles slightly and your heart lifts a little at the small smile that appears on his face. "Sì, that she did."

"So, she knew that you could do this. That you were ready."

Copia looks at you and you give him an encouraging smile, which he returns before kissing the back of your hand.

"I suppose you're right, amore."

"Of course I am," you say, nudging him with your elbow.

Copia laughs, and looks back up at the sky. You place a soft kiss on his cheek, and rest your head on his shoulder. The pair of you sit in silence for a moment, watching the clouds float by before you gently slap his knee and start to get up.

"Come on, put your coat on," you say. Copia stands and you place the coat over his shoulders. He puts it on and turns around to face you.

"It will be okay, amore," you say, placing your hands on his chest. "It won't be easy and it won't be quick, but it will be okay." He takes a deep breath, and places his hands over yours.

You look at each other for a moment, and an expression you can't quite read flashes over Copia's face. For a moment you think he might break down again, but then he holds your face in one hand, snakes the other around your waist, and pulls you in to kiss him. You melt into his embrace, relieved... and a little surprised, and kiss him back. Copia presses himself closer to you, holding you tighter, and your hand goes to the back of his neck, caressing his soft skin.

Begrudgingly you break the kiss and look at him, a little dazed. Copia just grins at you.

"Grazie, amore," he says, running his hand through your hair. "For being so patient with me."

"Of course, amato," you say, running your hands under his coat and around his waist, and resting your head on his chest. The pair of you stay like this for a few seconds before Copia breaks away, clearing his throat.

"Well then, tesoro… Shall we?"

Copia holds out his elbow and you link your arm around his as the two of you slowly begin walking back through the gardens.

"Hey, what were you saying before?" you ask, suddenly remembering how you found him. Copia thinks for a moment.

"When?"

"When you were sitting on the bench just now. I heard you speaking Latin but I couldn't understand…"

"Oh, yes," he chuckles knowingly. "It was a prayer. One that has brought me great comfort in times of turmoil."

"Oh," you say, feeling slightly guilty for asking.

"No, amore, it's quite alright… O Omnipotens Satanas," he begins, "In hac tristitia, te invoco. Involva me in tuo consolatore umbra. Da mihi vim ad hanc dolorem tolerandum. Give me the strength to endure this pain."

"That's beautiful," you say. "I like hearing you speak Latin. It sounds nice. Familiar."

Copia smiles and nods. "It is a beautiful language, sì. Very… spiritual," he says, looking ahead as the two of you continue back inside. "Perhaps I will have to let you hear it more often."

"That would be lovely," you agree, squeezing his arm and looking at him. He's still staring straight ahead, the hint of a smirk on his face. A hint of himself coming back. You smile to yourself as the two of you walk into the foyer.

Everyone stands silently as the two of you approach. They know better than to question him, or to ask where he's been, but they all share the same concerned look. The siblings bow their heads. The ghouls huddle closer together. You notice Aether move to stand at the front of the group and, when Copia catches his eye, the two exchange a respectful nod.

"Come, everyone," Copia says, and the group follows. As you all move out of the building, he whispers something in Latin in your ear. You can't fully make out what it is, but you are comforted by the small smile he gives you afterwards.

The funeral is beautiful. A fitting ceremony for the woman who led the church for so many years, filled with kind words and recited prayers from clergy members. As the sermon ends, Copia slips his hand into yours and squeezes it. You glance at him and are relieved to see his face has softened slightly. There's a feeling of closure in the air and you find yourself breathing a little easier as the ritual reaches its conclusion. It's over. And it's okay.

As the congregation begin to disperse, several approach the casket to say their farewells. The siblings offer kind words and soft embraces to one another. The ghouls are more reserved, not moving so close as to touch it, but no less heartfelt in their moment of respect.

Copia, however, doesn't move from his seat. He's quiet. But you know what he's thinking. When the last of the group are gone, the two of you stand and leave the pew you were seated in. You stop and look at him, squeezing his hand and silently encouraging him to walk forward alone.

As he reaches the casket, you see him stop and take a deep breath. Leaning over, he rests his forehead against it, closes his eyes and whispers something. To her. He stays there for a while, and you're not sure if he's speaking out loud or not. You just watch silently, dabbing away the few tears that escape despite your determination, and let him say goodbye.

You find yourself thinking about the words he whispered as you left, frowning as you try to make sense of it and scouring the depths of your brain for the little Latin you've held onto until, suddenly, it hits you.

"Paratus sum," you whisper to yourself, and your breath hitches at the realisation.

Copia begins to stand and so you gather yourself as he walks back towards you, giving him an encouraging smile. Holding your hands in his, he takes a deep breath, looks in your eyes and says, "I'm ready."

note: admittedly... don't know latin. call it artistic license. but the prayer is something like "O Almighty Satan / In this sorrow, I call upon You / Wrap me in Your comforting shadow / Grant me the strength to endure this pain"

paratus sum means "I am ready"

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Mirion Malle’s “So Long Sad Love”

On July 14, I'm giving the closing keynote for the fifteenth HACKERS ON PLANET EARTH, in QUEENS, NY. Happy Bastille Day! On July 20, I'm appearing in CHICAGO at Exile in Bookville.

In Mirion Malle's So Long Sad Love, a graphic novel from Drawn and Quarterly, we get an all-too-real mystery story: when do you trust the whisper network that carries the fragmentary, elliptical word of shitty men?

https://drawnandquarterly.com/books/so-long-sad-love/

Cleo is a French comics creator who's moved to Montreal, in part to be with Charles, a Quebecois creator who helps her find a place in the city's tight-knit artistic scene. The relationship feels like a good one, with the normal ups and downs, but then Cleo travels to a festival, where she meets Farah, a vivacious and talented fellow artist. They're getting along great…until Farah discovers who Cleo's boyfriend is. Though Farah doesn't say anything, she is visibly flustered and makes her excuses before hurriedly departing.

This kicks off Cleo's hunt for the truth about her boyfriend, a hunt that is complicated by the fact that she's so far from home, that her friends are largely his friends, that he flies off the handle every time she raises the matter, and by her love for him.

There's a term for men like Charles: a "missing stair." "Missing stair" is a metaphor for someone in a social circle who presents some kind of persistent risk to the people around them, who is accommodated rather than confronted:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missing_stair

The metaphor goes like this: you're at a party and every time someone asks where the bathroom is, another partygoer directs them to the upper floor and warns them that one of the stairs is missing, and if they don't avoid that tread, they will fall through and be gravely injured. In this metaphor, a whole community of people have tacitly decided to simply accept the risk that someone who is forgetful or new to the scene will fall through the stair – no one has come forward to just fix that stair.

The origins of this term are in BDSM circles, and the canonical "missing stair" is a sexual predator, but from the outset, it's referred to all kinds of people with failings that present some source of frustration or unhappiness to those around them, from shouters to bigots to just someone who won't help do the dishes after a dinner party:

https://pervocracy.blogspot.com/2012/06/missing-stair.html

We all know a few missing stairs, and anyone who's got even a little self-reflexivity must wonder from time to time if they're not also a missing stair, at least to some people in their lives. After all, friendship always entails some accommodation, and doubly so love – as Dan Savage is fond of saying, "There is no person who is 'The One' for you – the best you can hope for is the '0.6' that you can round up to 'The One,' with a lot of work."

And at least some missing stairs aren't born – they're made. Everyone screws up, everyone's got some bad habits, everyone's got some blind spots about what others expect of them and how others perceive us. When the people around us make bad calls about whether to let us skate on our faults and when to confront us, those faults fester and multiply and calcify. This is compounded in long-tenured relationships that begin in our youth, when we are still figuring out our boundaries – the people who we give a pass to when we're young and naive can become a fixture in our lives despite characteristics that, as adults, we wouldn't tolerate in someone who is new to our social scene.

To make all this even more complicated, there's the role that power plays in all this. Many missing stairs are keenly attuned to power dynamics and present a different face to people who have some authority – whether formal or tacit – to sanction them. This is why so many of the outings of #MeToo predators provoked mystified men to say, "Gosh, they never acted that way around me – I had no idea."

These men aren't necessarily clueless. There's a predator who once traveled in my circles, and when he was outed, it wasn't just men who were shocked. My professional and personal life includes a large cohort of socially and professionally powerful women to whom this "missing stair" presented an impeccable face on every occasion. None of the people this guy looked up to ever witnessed his behavior firsthand, and for complicated reasons, none of the lower status (younger, less experienced, and not exclusively female) people whom he preyed upon came to us.

Which brings me back to Cleo and Charles, and the mystery of what Charles did to Farah in art school, many years before. The people in Charles's circle have an explanation: Farah was Charles's first heavy crush, and he courted her in ways that crossed the line into harassment. But – according to Charles's friends – this was a temporary condition that Charles outgrew, and it was only later, when Charles was in a healthier relationship with someone who reciprocated his affections, that Farah retaliated by attacking him to their small art-school circle.

This is just plausible enough – Charles was young, still figuring stuff out, he made a misstep – that Cleo is able to console herself with it. But as Charles grows more irritable and belittling of her, and as Cleo's friends gently encourage her to dig further rather than burying her lingering doubts, a much uglier truth comes into view.

Malle handles this all so deftly, showing how Cleo and her friends all play archetypal roles in the recurrent missing stair dynamic. It's a beautifully told story, full of charm and character, but it's also a kind of forensic re-enactment of a disaster, told from an intermediate distance that's close enough to the action that we can see the looming crisis, but also understand why the people in its midst are steering straight into it.

This transitions into a third act where Cleo leaves Montreal and finds herself in the midst a very different social dynamic of people who have figured out a far healthier way to manage their interpersonal problems. This short conclusion is powerfully satisfying, showing how it's possible to live without missing stairs and without the immediate expulsion of anyone who has a "problematic" moment.

The missing stair phenomenon would be so much easier to deal with if every missing stair started out as an irredeemable monster. We could fix all those stairs and declare ourselves done. But – as Malle illustrates – there's a reason it's so hard to fix those missing stairs. Every good friendship has some give and take – but every missing stair takes too much. Knowing the difference is a skill you learn through hard experience, not one you're born with. Learning when to call someone out, and when to call them in, is a hard curriculum – and it's even harder to know when to keep trying to help the people in your life be better selves, and when to protect the other people in your life from their worst selves.

Malle's book is packed with subtlety and depth, romance and heartbreak, subtext that carries through the dialog (in marvelous translation from the original French by Aleshia Jensen) and the body language in Malle's striking artwork.

Support me this summer on the Clarion Write-A-Thon and help raise money for the Clarion Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers' Workshop!

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/06/25/missing-stair/#the-fog-of-love

[hogwartslegacyreactions2]

HLC REACT TO MC HAVING AN OUT OF CHARACTER OUTBURST

Requested by: @ma1egamer

MC had a bad week. The worst week. An awful horrible week. But they still smiled. No one could know what was broiling just beneath the surface. They were the cool popular kid at Hogwarts, they had a reputation. If they just kept up appearances until the end of the day, they could go out after classes and fight a few dark wizards. That would help them de-stress.

They were lost in thought when someone accidentally ran into them, knocking their bag off their arm and causing it to spill its contents all over the floor. One of their ink bottles smashed, staining what was a lengthy essay they had just completed the night before for astronomy.

MC lost their carefully collected shit. "WHY DOES THIS KEEP HAPPENING!? IF ITS NOT ONE THING, ITS ANOTHER!! EVERY! SINGLE! DAY! But, if we didn't have bad weeks, the good weeks would be so amazing." It was like someone flipped a switch. MC was entirely calm again while using their wand to clean up their stuff.

The hall was dead silent. The whole crowd of students and faculty watched MC pack themselves up and walk away smiling.

SEBASTIAN SALLOW: "Welp, I feel sorry for any dark wizards or goblins that cross MC's path today." This included himself. He steered clear.

OMINIS GAUNT: "What happened? Why did they shout like that? Are they okay?" He needs context. He's worried.

ANNE SALLOW: She avoids eye contact with anyone in the crowd. She doesn't know what's going on, don't look at her.

IMELDA REYES: "What, in the actual fuck, was that?"

NATSAI ONAI: She marches after MC. They clearly aren't okay and she wants to know what's up.

GARRETH WEASLEY: MC's outburst made him drop a jar of pickled slugs. Now he was having a bad day too. The smell was awful.

LEANDER PREWETT: "They're cracking under the pressure. Sad."

AMIT THAKKAR: He has shrunk away from the noise. He doesn't deal with that kind of energy very well and removes himself from the situation.

EVERETT CLOPTON: "Merlin's beard, and here I thought Kogawa had a temper."

POPPY SWEETING: "Yeesh, I knew MC had fangs but I've never seen them take it out on a random student. I wonder what's bothering them."

ELEAZAR FIG: "Oh dear." He shuffles through the crowd and shepherds MC away. "What was that about? Are you alright? Please, don't lie to me."

MATILDA WEASLEY: She bristled at MC's volume. She could take house points for that, but instead ask MC to come to her office. She wants a word.

CHIYO KOGAWA: "Move along, everyone. You all have places to be." She shoos the crowd and stops MC from leaving. "Let's talk. My office."

AESOP SHARP: He gets it. As far as anyone is concerned, he saw nothing.

ABRAHAM RONEN: He's immediately by MC's side, helping them with their books. "Can you spare a moment to chat?" He wants them to be actually okay.

MIRABEL GARLICK: She walks quickly to catch up with MC and hands them a colorful bloom. "Here...it's Worry's Blight. It'll help you feel calm. You seem to need some more than me today."

MUDIWA ONAI: She invites MC up for tea. A special blend and good conversation is what they needed.

BAI HOWIN: Everyone has a bad day. There was no confrontation about the items dropped, so she let it go.

DINAH HECAT: "You shouldn't be shouting the halls, MC. However, instead of taking points, I have an assignment for you." She gave them a small price of paper with a location. "This is an ashwinder camp I heard wind of in the Three Broomsticks. It's a big one. Use this information as you may."

CUTHBERT BINNS: He just ghosted on out of there. He had a lecture to prep.

SATYAVATI SHAH: "No shouting in the halls. That's five points, MC." She didn't notice the vein fit to burst on MC's neck when they just smiled back at her.

PHINEAS NIGELLUS BLACK: "Children. Always whining about how hard life is. They know nothing of the real troubles life can throw at you."

[xoxoavenger]

The Perfect Plan

Pairing: Steve Harrington x Fem!Reader

summary: Steve has a perfect plan to propose to Y/N, but the timing seems not so perfect.

word count: 2009

warnings: none

masterlist

Steve had it planned out perfectly.

Everyone was back in town, the plan being that they were all gonna camp out at the lake as a reunion. Steve was sending all the girls out to get their nails done, so Y/N wouldn't be suspicious as to why her nails had to be done. Even Robin was getting hers done, if only because Steve told her the plan. Nancy seemed suspicious, but Steve was confident she wouldn't say anything. Now, all that was left to do was to get everything set up at the campsite with the boys.

"So, why are they all getting their nails done before we're going camping?" Eddie asks, helping Steve lay out one of the tents. Steve just shrugs casually, as if he didn't plan the whole thing.

"I thought Nancy told me it was your idea?" Jonathan asks from across the camp, pausing his fight with Will.

"El told me it was just them getting together before having to be here." Mike chimes in, dropping his tent and causing Dustin to jerk forward.

"Having to be here?" Steve repeats, feeling a little hurt that El didn't want to hang out with him.

"Max said they were supposed to be back, like, an hour ago." Lucas said, finishing his tent. They've got quite a few up, and Steve made sure his and Y/N's tent is furthest away from everyone. He finally finishes setting up the tent with Eddie. He looks over to see Mike and Dustin still struggling, but otherwise there are six (seven with Mike and Dustin's) tents standing between the trees.

Steve checks his watch for the first time since they arrived and realizes that it's been far too long, even with all six girls getting their nails done. It's starting to get dark, and he wanted them to be here before the moon settled in.

"What the hell are they doing?" Steve mutters, frown creasing his face. He looks toward the boys as they start yelling, still not having the last tent set up, when a couple cars start rolling in the dirt road.

"Finally!" Dustin throws his poles on top of the tent tarp and walks away. "Maybe they can figure this out." He mutters, and Eddie just smirks in amusement.

"Sorry we're late!" Robin runs out of Y/N's car, which she was driving. Steve tried to look around Robin for Y/N, but then Robin was in front of Steve. Her face was trying to smile but he could tell something was wrong.

"What happened?" Steve's heart is racing, thinking the worst.

"Don't panic," Robin starts, which makes him panic even more. Robin's about to tell him the rest when Y/N runs stumbles into Steve.

"Steeeve!" She screeches, flinging her arms around him.

She's drunk.

"I thought you were," Steve starts, but he catches Robin's eyes over Y/N's shoulder and sees her shake her head, pointing to her nails and frowning. Steve gets the hint that he should not talk about the nails for some reason.

"Steve!" Y/N cries, this time sadness seeping through her voice. "Steve, oh my God, they fucked up!" He's pretty sure there's real tears coming out of her eyes, so he just rubs her back while staring at Robin, mouthing what the fuck.

"She made us go to the bar and do shots." Erica sighs, walking up to the boys.

"How did you get in?" Lucas asks as he walks up, crossing his arms. His younger sister, the only one in the group not 21, just stares at him.

"Why did you do shots?" Steve whispers to Y/N, who's still hugging him close and crying.

"Look at these!" She cries, shoving her hands in his face. He grabs her wrist to see more clearly, pushing her hand away slighting so it wasn't right next to his eyeballs.

"What's wrong with them?" Steve asks, seeing the color. She had chosen a light, pastel version of her favorite color. They're short and cute, and Steve is confused as he stares at them.

"Are you kidding me?" She cries, tears falling down her face. She walks over to the far tent, probably because she wants to be away from everyone, and almost rips the zipper as she locks herself in. Steve is glad he put all their stuff in there before helping everyone set up the rest of the tents, because he thinks she could use a nap.

"I think she knows." Robin whispers as the other girls begin getting their stuff out of the cars and helping the boys finish up everything. The sun is starting to set, and Steve feels a headache coming on already.

"What?" Steve knows what Robin must be talking about, but he doesn't want to admit it to myself.

"She wanted white nails. White! But somehow, they were out of whit polish. I mean, what kind of nail salon runs out of white?" Robin looks over to the tent Y/N disappeared into, Steve following her eyes. It's quiet, but Steve is sure she's still crying.

"That's why she's upset?" Steve asks, trying to understand his girlfriend's frustration. It's just a color. Why would it matter?

"I wish." Max is suddenly next to them, and Steve almost jumps at the sound of her voice. "No, it's worse than that."

"Worse?" Steve is so confused and worried now, not sure what he can do to make this better.

"They cut her nails too short." Robin explains with a sigh, remembering the terrible experience at the salon.

"And the polish isn't even!" El chimes in from where she's helping Mike set up their tent. It's going much better than it had with Dustin, who has a beer cracked open as he watches Eddie and Argyle trying to start the fire.

"Shit." Steve puts a hand on his face, not sure what to do. This was supposed to be the perfect time to propose; they brought champagne, they're all here to celebrate. He can't push it off. Maybe it would cheer her up, if he did it tomorrow instead of on the last day?

Steve leaves everyone to go over to the tent, heart cracking when he hears the sniffles from outside the tent.

"Y/N?" He mutters before he begins to unzip the tent. She's laying there, on the small air mattress Steve somehow managed to sneak in and blow it up with only Eddie noticing. Eddie had asked if Y/N was pregnant, and Steve had almost slapped him, and then Eddie stayed quiet about it.

Steve isn't sure if Eddie thinks she's pregnant, but if it keeps him from telling everyone that there's a mattress in their tent then he'll let him think whatever. Now that Y/N is drunk however, he's not sure how long that secret is gonna last.

"Baby, what can I do?" Steve asks quietly, noticing how she put on the sheets and blankets and pillows on the bed but didn't get underneath it. Y/N just stays face down, sniffling into the pillow. He feels bad, but he has no idea what to do.

"There's nothing to do." Y/N cries, not lifting her head.

"What if I make a fire so you can have a s'more?" He suggests, rubbing her back. She looks up slowly, and he fights back a smile.

"That's fine." She says, sitting up and falling into him.

"And when we get home, I'll redo your nails." Steve has no idea how to do nails, but it makes Y/N give a watery smile.

"I wish I could go back in time." Y/N says, and Steve knows they need to get off this line of thought.

"If you went back in time then we wouldn't be having s'mores." He tells her, trying to get her out of the tent.

"You right." Y/N giggles, letting Steve lead her back out.

~

The next day, they're on a hike. Dustin is complaining, so much that Steve wants to throw him over the side of the mountain. It's not a large one, but needs some peace. His heart is racing, the ring in his pocket burning a hole in his thigh.

They all make it to the top, Eddie throwing himself dramatically over the bench with a groan while Dustin continues to complain. Everyone splits up, walking around the top and talking to each other. Y/N and Steve walk to the edge, overlooking the lake and the forest.

"We saved that." Y/N smirks, reminiscing on the UpsideDown days. Steve scrunches his face at the unpleasant memories but feels a little pride bubble up.

"I love you." Steve mutters, looking down at her and pulling away slightly. She smiles at him from under her cap, tilting her head to let him kiss her. He pulls away and is about to get down when Robin snatches his arm and pulls him away.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Robin asks lowly, eyes wide but brows pinched.

"What are you doing?" Steve asks, anger bleeding into his voice. "You're ruining my proposal!" He almost yells it, but one look over his shoulder at Y/N, who is now talking to Max and El, makes him lower his voice.

"Your proposal was ruined when Y/N's nails got all messed up! You can't propose because then every time she thinks of the proposal she'll remember her nails." Robin explains. Steve thinks this through; it makes sense, but he doesn't like it.

"But you said you thought she knew about it anyway." Steve argues. Robin just shakes her head. "So if I don't propose, she may get upset."

"Steve," Robin mutters, but Steve isn't listening.

"I chose this weekend because all our friends are here. If I wait, you guys won't be here. So if it's that big of a deal, I will go to the goddamn store and buy fake nails and glue them to her nails and paint them white then, fuck, that's what will happen!" Steve runs a hand through his hair, his voice raised louder than he realized. Robin was looking wide eyed behind him, and Steve was at the end of his rope.

"Steve," She says again, but he almost explodes.

"What?" He yells, watching Robin point behind him. He turns to see Y/N, mouth open as she stares at him.

His heart stops.

"You heard that?" He asks her, trying not to let his voice shake.

"Of course I did." She whispers, smiling with teary eyes. Steve isn't sure what to do, so he just stares. "Steve, I love that you would do that for me. But I don't need that. And I had a feeling you would propose, which is why I was upset. But I knew how much thought you put into this." She raises an eyebrow after she finishes, clearly waiting for Steve to finish what he started.

"I love you." He repeats, and she just smiles even harder as he gets down on one knee. "I have known it was you since the beginning. And I couldn't imagine my life without you. I don't want to. I feel like I finally found myself when I found you. And I want to feel like this forever."

Steve's back is facing Robin, so he doesn't see Robin open her mouth to say Get on with it! and Eddie skillfully putting his hand over Robin's mouth.

"Will you marry me?" He asks, barely getting the words out over the emotion in his throat. Y/N nods, and then Steve realizes he never brought out the ring. He fumbles for a moment in his pocket before grabbing the ring and pulling it out. She lets him slide it over her finger but doesn't even let him stand before she is tackling him to the ground in a hug. Everyone is cheering, their friends letting them have one moment before they join in on the dogpile.

"This is perfect." She whispers into Steve's ear. He just chuckles and rubs her back. He's barely able to breathe underneath everyone, but he doesn't tell them to move.

"Who brought the champagne?" Dustin asks, and everyone hikes quickly down the mountain to get back to the camp. 

//

tags: @avada-kedavra-bitch-187  @one-sweet-gubler @sadbitchfangirl @gloryekaterina  @oblivion-void @alexshaff2002 @m-rae23 @icequeen1371 @mcueveryday @parkershoco @feelinglikeineedlotsofnaps @peculiarwren @kenzi-woycehoski @multifandom-boss-bitch @freezaz123 @mads-weasley @johnricharddeacy @sweetdreamsshifter @param8re @ashlynhasmanyhyperfixations @wish-upon-a-star-1310

[666writingcafe]

Checking In

Lucifer

Once my brothers are settled in for the evening, I quietly leave the House and begin walking back to the castle. I need to apologize to Diavolo for what happened a few hours ago, but more importantly, I need to see Zephyr. I haven't quite decided whether to yell at them or comfort them.

The exhausted look in their eyes as they answer the door to one of the spare bedrooms tells me that they're not in the mood for a lecture.

Normally, that doesn't stop me from giving one, but for some reason, I can't find it in me to berate Zephyr for their actions. Not even a little bit.

They walk over to the desk they have set up and start looking through various papers. I make my way over to the bed and sit on the side facing them.

"Shouldn't you be resting?" I ask.

"Can't," Zephyr answers, more focused on their work than on me.

"Can't, or won't?" They glare at me briefly. "Simply a question, Zephyr. Nothing more."

"I have to distract myself. If I don't keep myself busy, I'm going to kill Solomon."

"For calling you 'MC'?" That got their attention. They look like they're moments away from biting my head off.

"Listen, I understand why you're upset."

"Do you?" they bark angrily.

"You trusted him to keep your old identity a secret, yes?" Zephyr blinks awkwardly before closing their eyes and taking a deep breath.

"I'm sorry, Lucifer. I didn't mean to snap at you like that. It's just..." Another deep breath as their eyes begin watering.

"It's okay. Take your time."

"I'll be fine." Sighing, they leave their desk and sit beside me on the bed.

"Do you want to know why I answered Diavolo's ad in the paper?" they ask me. I shrug.

"I assumed it was for the money." Zephyr shakes their head.

"I had to make the transition alone. I didn't want you guys to have the same experience I did, because it was rough."

"You weren't always a demon?" Another sigh.

"I was born human, Lucifer."

Oh. That explains a few things.

"I come from a long line of powerful and notorious sorcerers," they continue. "Everyone in my family wants to cause as much chaos as possible simply because they find it hilarious to watch people suffer. I didn't participate in any of their illegal and shady activities, obviously, but I still had a target on my back. No matter where I went in the human world, people were on the hunt for me. I was more or less a fugitive, and all because I was related to a whole bunch of criminals.

"Then one day, I met a group of demons. They were part of an organization that granted humans asylum in the Devildom. I told them my story, and they not only encouraged me to seek it out, but they also made sure that my application was approved as quickly as possible. However, that meant shedding all my ties to the human world and becoming a full-fledged demon. Shortly after I arrived here, the organization was forced to dissolve, and any evidence of its existence disappeared without a trace."

I'm not surprised something like that happened. If Diavolo is telling me the truth about his father, then I have no doubt that he had a heavy hand in annihilating that organization.

"So where does Solomon come in all this?"

"He's worked with my family over the course of my childhood. I was told he was a friend, but I learned at a very young age to not trust anyone that they liked."

"And yet you have his mark on you."

"That's because when we reconnected several years later, I learned that he was trying to become a more reputable sorcerer. Of course, I didn't believe him at first, but then I started hearing good things about him from people I did trust. Eventually, I wanted to help him with his goal, and so I agreed to enter a pact with him."

"I see."

Well, no wonder Zephyr's able to remain calm around us. We probably seem like a fucking cake walk compared to what they've been through. And having to do it all by themselves on top of it?

I feel a strange mix of emotions: sadness, anger, and...

Pride.

Which makes very little sense. How can I be proud of someone that I barely know? They're just our attendant, after all.

Or are they?

Tears threaten to spill out of Zephyr's eyes again.

I shouldn't stay here. Maybe I can flag down one of Diavolo's servants and have them get tissues or something for them.

But I have to remain professional. Who knows what would happen if I give in?

My heart beats my brain. Soon, I'm holding Zephyr in my arms as they quietly cry into my chest.

Memories of me comforting my siblings like this begin playing in my head. Is Zephyr family? They've certainly integrated quite well into ours, but that's only so that they can better assist us, right?

And yet the way they're grabbing onto me...

Eventually, they pull back, and as I let go of them, our eyes meet. For one brief yet scary moment, they look exactly like Lilith.

I lean in and kiss their forehead, for old time's sake.

But then my brain takes over again, and I'm suddenly questioning everything I just did.

"Sorry," I mumble, scrambling to get out of that room before I do something stupid again. I shouldn't be feeling this way about them. Even if they weren't born a demon, that doesn't change the fact that they've been one for much longer than me and my brothers have. I still have to lead by example, and I can't do that if I'm too busy fawning over them.

Who cares what they think? You deserve to be happy.

I'm going to need some time alone to think.

~~~

A Few Days Later

A Text Conversation

Lucifer: Are you doing okay?

Zephyr (MC): That's funny. I was about to text you the very same question.

Lucifer: Of course you were.

Zephyr: To answer your question, I'm doing better. Might even head back to the cottage soon.

Lucifer: That's good.

Lucifer: Listen, I want to properly apologize to you for what happened.

Zephyr: Which part?

Lucifer: Me running away.

Zephyr: *wide-eyed emoji*

Lucifer: What did you expect me to say, that I regretted comforting you when you needed it?

Zephyr: Kind of, yeah.

Lucifer: I know it seemed that way at the time, but I can assure you, that wasn't it at all.

Lucifer: It's taken me a bit for me to admit this, but I was scared.

Zephyr: Of?

Lucifer: My feelings.

Lucifer: The positive ones, I mean.

Zephyr: *confused sticker*

Lucifer: If it's alright with you, I'd like to get to know you more.

Zephyr: In a friendly way?

Lucifer: Something like that.

Zephyr: Lucifer...

Lucifer: Yes?

Zephyr: Why the indirect answer?

Lucifer: I'm still getting used to the idea of seeing you as more than simply an attendant. Please be patient with me.

Zephyr: Of course.

Zephyr: Are you wanting to do something low key, or do I need to find a fancy outfit?

Lucifer: *confused sticker*

Zephyr: Just trying to gauge where you're at, whether you're simply wanting to become friends or wishing for something more than that.

Lucifer: *several wide-eyed emojis*

Zephyr: Alright then. Low key it is. How about a nice stroll through one of the parks? Wear whatever makes you feel comfortable. No pressure to do anything beyond walking and talking, and you can leave whenever for whatever reason, even if it's because you're simply sick of hearing the sound of my voice droning on and on.

Lucifer: *a few laughing emojis*

Lucifer: Sounds good. Just let me know when and where.

Taglist: @lost-in-time-wanderer, @fuzztacular, @dianedancer18, @sweetbrier2908, @flare-love, @completelyshatteredbrokenmschf, @thunderlightning351, @l3v1chan, @anxious-chick, @5mary5, @expressionless-fr, @tenkobitch

[cirilla-fiona-riannon]

Vampire Wedding Part 2

Translations may not always capture the exact nuances or tone of the original text. Expect grammatical errors and inaccuracies.

A blood oath was a vampire wedding ceremony passed down since ancient times.

The words Galileo told me sounded familiar.

Galileo: "Do you know what the blood oath ceremony is?"

Mitsuki: "I only heard a little about it from Comte before. It's a ceremony performed by two people."

Galileo: "Yeah."

He took my left hand and gently touched my ring finger.

Galileo: "On the night of the full moon, the groom will pledge eternal love by drinking from his bride's ring finger."

Galileo: "If you don't mind, why don't we do it on the next full moon?"

(Full moon?)

I hesitated for a moment, as I was about to nod at his words.

(He's a dhampir. Is it really okay?)

Galileo: "What's wrong?"

Mitsuki: "Um, you'll drink my blood on the full moon night, right? I'm worried about your body."

Galileo: "Your concern is understandable."

He tightened the arm he had wrapped around my waist.

Galileo: "But even so, I want to make a blood oath with you."

Mitsuki: "Why would you go so far for this?"

Galileo: "I told you. You changed me."

Galileo: "I was able to accept both my vampire and human sides because of you."

Galileo: "That's why I want to pledge eternity to you."

Mitsuki: "Galileo."

I gently leaned against Galileo's shoulder.

Mitsuki: "I also want to pledge 'eternity' to you."

Galileo: "Yeah."

He whispered and hugged me even tighter.

Then, on the night of the full moon, in a deserted church, our private 'Blood Oath' quietly began.

Galileo: "Mitsuki, come here."

Standing before the altar, he reached out his hand to me.

Mitsuki: "Okay."

I slowly walked toward him in my wedding dress, and a faint smile appeared on his lips.

Galileo: "That dress suits you well."

Mitsuki: "Thank you. I'm happy to hear you say that."

As I felt my heart being filled with happiness from his simple but heartfelt compliment, he offered something he held in his hand.

Galileo: "Mitsuki, this is for you."

Mitsuki: "A flower crown?"

Galileo: "Yeah, I made it."

It was a delicate flower crown woven with white flowers.

Galileo: "I used to make these often for my sister."

(Ah...)

At that moment, the scene I had once seen beyond the door returned to me.

------------Flashback-----------

Livia: "Big brother, I can't make the flower crown properly."

Galileo: "Let me see."

Galileo: "Here you go. Happy birthday, Livia."

Livia: "Wow, it's so cute! Thank you, big brother!"

---------------

Cleric 2: "Even if they're the family of a heretic, it's sad to see them getting ripped apart by wild dogs."

Cleric 1: "Sure, it's a quick solution, but I wish they'd consider those of us who have to clean it up."

Galileo: "Family of a heretic?"

Galileo: "No way, that can't be."

Galileo: "Livia?"

The white ribbon tied to the flower crown was stained with blood.

Cleric 1: "Alright, let's throw this away."

Galileo: "No, stop! Wait!!"

---------Flashback Ends--------

(The flower crown is a symbol of the bond between the two of them and a reminder of sad memories.)

Mitsuki: "Wasn't it painful to make this?"

My heart ached sharply, and I clasped my hands tightly in front of my chest without thinking.

Galileo: "No."

He shook his head gently.

Galileo: "On the contrary. While making it, I felt a sense of nostalgia and warmth."

Galileo: "I wanted to see you wearing this flower crown at the ceremony, no matter what."

As he spoke, he reached out and gently placed the flower crown on my head.

The soft, sweet fragrance that surrounded me was endlessly tender.

(It feels as if his family is watching over me.)

Mitsuki: "I'm so happy. I'll treasure it."

Mitsuki: "It's really beautiful."

The mixed feelings of joy and sadness welled up, leaving me speechless.

Galileo: "Yeah, just as I thought, you look beautiful."

He whispered as he faced me in front of the altar.

Galileo: "In times of health and sickness, no matter what hardships may come, I vow to love and protect only you."

Galileo: "I want you to walk with me until the end of our lives."

His sincere words shook my heart.

To accept his feelings, I looked straight at him and spoke.

Mitsuki: "I also vow to love and walk with you."

Mitsuki: "From now on, I will always be by your side."

Mitsuki: "I want to live my life looking at you and laughing together."

Hearing my declaration, Galileo gave a fleeting smile and knelt.

Galileo: "Tonight, I pledge to make a blood oath."

The moment I felt his fangs press against my ring finger, a sharp pain ran through it.

But the pain quickly turned into pleasure, and a tingling sensation spread throughout my body.

Mitsuki: "Nnn..."

A sweet sound escaped my lips, and my legs gave way beneath me.

Galileo, who had been kneeling, swiftly stood up and caught me in his arms.

Galileo: "Haah..."

His pale cheeks were faintly flushed, and an unmistakable heat shimmered in his usually calm eyes.

The sight of him, exuding such intense sensual allure, captivated me completely.

Galileo: "The oath is complete."

His outstretched arms effortlessly lifted me.

Mitsuki: "Ah..."

Galileo: "You are mine and mine alone now."

His closely held embrace transmitted the rapid thumping of his heart through his clothes against my chest.

His eyes, looking down at me, reflected nothing but me.

Galileo: "Let's go home. I don't think I can wait much longer."

Mitsuki: "Okay."

I nodded and wrapped my arms around his neck, hiding my flushed face.

Mitsuki: "I want to be yours completely soon."

As I whispered, suppressing my embarrassment, his arms tightened around me.

Galileo: "Don't tease me too much."

With a sigh-like murmur, he placed a light kiss on my cheek.

Still holding me, Galileo quickly left the church.

Part 1 ╎ Part 2 ╎ Premium ╎ Epilogue

[fairvstairs]

HOTD SPOILERS!!!

I often think about the adult foxes life, especially the mundane things they do. Does Nicky watch Heartbreak High? Does Allison love Renee Rapp (and Renee Walker)? Does Kevin read sports romance?

I think about Aaron and Andrew, bonding over Game of Thrones (if you could call arguing about the characters that) and waiting every week for a new episode of House of the Dragon. I think about Neil shit talking the show (he thinks the directors are obsessed with r*pe scenes and can you really blame him?) only for him to stop in his tracks when Andrew is watching it in their living room because damn, they are riding freaking dragons.

("They look alike" "They're uncle and niece" "Oh, they are holding hands so I thought they were a couple" "They are." "What the fuck are you watching!?") (someone please get the reference)

I think about Aaron watching the season 1 finale, feeling sad because of Lucerys but also because he knows he's gonna hardly hear from his brother until season 2 drops. I think about him watching Helaena choose between her twins and knowing that his mother would have saved him. Him watching two twins at the opposite sides of a war fight each other, one killing the other and then himself. Aaron looking at his phone for hours because this time, Andrew didn't text him.

"Andrew would do it," he thinks "he would kill me if I wanted to hurt Neil but then he would punish himself."

And Aaron doesn't like Neil, he is annoying, he brings trouble everywhere he goes and he has a smart mouth. He doesn't like him, period. But he would never try to hurt him. Not when this is the happiest he has seen his brother. Not when he is the reason there was supposed to be a text waiting for him.

"What happened?"

Suddenly Andrew's voice is talking in his ear.

"What?"

"You don't like talking on the phone and yet you called me so, what happened?"

"I called you?"

A beat.

"Are you drunk? Where is Katelyn?"

"What!? No, no I'm not drunk. She is at work- why didn't you text me?"

The words come out before he even has a chance to think.

"The new episode came out, you always text me and now you didn't, why?"

"We are on our way to the airport, we had an away game. I haven't watched it yet. I'll text you when I do."

"Oh, alright then."

And Andrew is a bit confused by this interaction until he actually watches the episode. The dragons are cool, the actors amazing and he recognizes amazing fashion choices when he sees them, but truth is he doesn't really like how the show handles some topics. He is never gonna say it out loud though. He is Andrew, he does what he wants. He's watching the show because he wants to, no one is making him do it.

But, of course, Neil notices. He sees how the blonde doesn't look directly at an assault scene, how he mutes the TV during the little boy's murder because the noises are too real, how he shakes his head at Helaena's (if that's her name) reaction, how he reaches out his hand for Neil to hold, how he spends the rest of the day in silence. Most importantly he notices how, at the end of the day, when they are in bed, in each other's arms, Andrew takes a deep breath and picks up his phone to text his brother. Aaron immediately responds.

This is my first time posting something and English is not my first language so please be kind. I saw the new HOTD episode and I couldn't help but think about the Minyard twins, I had to get this idea out of my head. I think the show would be a little triggering for Andrew but that he would overall enjoy it, I don't think he would pass up an opportunity to "bond" with Aaron but I also don't think he would do anything he doesn't want to do. Anyway, these characters don't belong to me so these are not their canon personalities!

[classicanalyzer]

Star Wars Acolyte - Night Thoughts

"Freedom. The freedom to wield my power the way I like. Without having to answer to Jedi like you. I want a pupil, an Acolyte. But this one...went back on our deal. She exposed me. So, now I have to kill every single last one of you. I don't make the rules. The Jedi do. And the Jedi say I can't exist. They see my face, they all die. Aw, look at you two. Right back where you started." "Qimir"

HOLY SHIT, THIS EPISODE IS SO GOOD.

I love how badass Jecki was against both Mae and "Qimir"...sadly she didn't survive "Qimir" (I was not expecting how fucking brutal her death was and I was so sad). She managed to not only take down Mae who took down a Jedi Master in combat but hold out for a good while against a Rule of Two Sith (even breaking his Cortosis helmet!). She was simply too badass to live with her amazing dual blade stance. Jecki is truly Sol's Padawan.

I know I thought "Qimir" couldn't have been the Sith but I love this show's execution of him being the Sith. He's so jacked, I guess we know why he chose to be a seemingly carefree chemist. I love how he comes across as a psychopathic manchild with how he wants the freedom to do what he wants...which is killing Jedi. "Qimir" is definitely the Sith Apprentice (or rather Acolyte) and not the Sith Master. I think he wants an Acolyte to overthrow his master.

I'm also so happy that the show didn't try to make the Sith sympathetic. That was one of my biggest worries going into this show. We see the insanity of "Qimir's" "reasoning" for hating the Jedi and their attempts to stamp out the Sith for good.

I think what's going to happen is that the Jedi think "Qimir" is the Sith Master and not the Apprentice. Then after they kill him, they'll not tell the rest of the Order and Republic about this little incident. Since they're sure this time the Sith are truly extinct, and they don't want to cause any unnecessary panic.

I love how "Qimir's" armor and helmet are made out of Cortosis, a material that can temporarily shortcircuit Lightsabers.

Poor Jecki and Yord, the two Jedi were trying their goddamn best but it wasn't enough against the Sith. Jecki did an amazing job in this episode despite being a Padawan. Yord also grew on me as the show went on, and it was surprising how brutal he and Jecki's deaths were. Their deaths also show how unnecessarily cruel the Sith are. I'm also thankful that Bazil and Pip survived this episode given how murder happy this show is.

It's sad to see how far the twin's relationship fell apart. Mae truly wanted to be with her sibling again, even willing to abandon her Sith master...but Osha will always see her as irredeemable which one can't blame her for. I was screaming when Mae posed as her sister and even more so when Osha was left at the "mercy" of her former Master. I really hope Mae backs out of her presumed plan to kill Sol.

Everything about Sol in this episode, the panic and heartbreak in his voice and face when asking Yord to bring Osha to safety and Jecki's death shows how much of a father figure he is. Sol truly saw Osha, Jeckil, and even Mae as his children. It's truly a case of what if Obi-Wan died in TPM instead of Qui-Gon and we see that good is not nice at all. If it wasn't for Osha, Sol might've done something he would've regretted. I wonder if he figured out by the end that Mae is impersonating Osha.

ALSO THE USE OF KYLO REN'S THEME NEAR THE END. His Knights of Ren-looking helmet might actually hold more than we thought. Perhaps "Qimir" founded or inspired the Knights of Ren.

I hope Sol can help Mae and perhaps redeem Mae. On the other hand, I really think Osha might fall to the Dark Side. It would be a nice subversion of what we thought Osha being the Light Side Twin and Mae being the Dark Side Twin. Great darkness has the possibility of being just as bright while great light has the possibility of being just as dark. I wonder if "Qimir" will tell Osha of the Sith version of the events at Brendok that make the Jedi look worse than they are. However, perhaps Sol would tell Mae the actual version of events which shows that while the Jedi are flawed, they weren't responsible for the deaths of her Coven and even tried to save some, even if some (Master Torbin) believe it was their fault that it came to these series of events.

This is an amazing episode and my favorite episode of the show. Once again I felt this episode was 45+ minutes rather than under 30 minutes. Truly the definition of all killer and no filler. I love this show so so much.

[scorpiusmalfoylovesoscarwilde]

I've said it before, I'll say it again, and I'm sure it won't be the last time. I AM SICK AND BLOODY TIRED OF THESE MFS, HALF OF WHO DONT EVEN CARE ABOUT CURSED CHILD, BITCHING AND MOANING ABOUT AN ANGSTY TEEN DARING TO BE AN ANGSTY TEEN, I WILL FIGHT THE LOT OF YOU

(this is gonna be a bit long and probably incoherent so sit down and fucking listen to me 🔫 stick with me because I'm not just complaining about albus haters)

eVERYBODY wants cOoMmpllEeXx relatable HUMAN characters - and then SHIT themselves when the flaws a CHILD has isn't just 🥺 uwu im socially awkward and traumatised 🥺. that's why scorpius doesn't get this fuckass treatment, because his terrible human flaw is that he's a bit shit at conversation and gets sad about his dead mum (generalised understatement, but this post isnt about him. dont come for me i love him 🫶🏻)

god forbid albus, who feels unloved and unwanted (with valid evidence for a teenager), albus who feels completely out of place and outcast from his entire famously-close-knit family, ablus who is well known by the world by default via Harry and hates the attention and high expectations, albus who then gets targeted and bullied by his peers because he's not as perfect and brilliant as his father, albus who is then isolated from his one friend because Harry is making irrational ptsd fueled decisions, albus who tells Harry completely sincerely that he knows he's unlikeable but he'll try and change himself and be more like his siblings because he genuinely believes that's what Harry and everyone else whos had the misfortune of meeting him wants, albus who spends the entire play trying to prove himself and fix things via idiotic childish decisions BECAUSE HES A WHOLE UNSTABLE CHILD

god forbid that CHILD doesn't react like a patient, supported, well adjusted, level headed adult. god forbid he reacts outwardly. god forbid he reacts at all, my bad. clearly he should just sniffle a bit as if he doesn't feel suffocated and helpless by everything in his life, because obviously hes just a spoiled brat who doesn't know what real suffering is. god forbid he complains or feels anything negatively, or doesn't quite grasp that other people are struggling too because he is too busy trying so hard to deal with himself and his declining mental health the best he can with basically no support or understanding. god forbid he isn't completely perfect.

you all sound like some fucking boomer telling teenagers they don't know what real struggling is, they aren't mentally ill, they dont have any problems because they have a roof over their head, they should all go to war kids are too soft these days 😫😖😱 fUCKING‼️SHUT UP‼️

he does things wrong but he knows he does and he does everything he can to fix it! and he is fourteen!!! do none of you remember what being fourteen is like 😭😭 I swear half of you have got to be basically fourteen yourselves cmon man

cause I'm seeing this fucking pattern a lot recently. not just for albus, not just in this fandom, everywhere. ‼️ no one can fucking handle flawed characters anymore ‼️ the only thing any character is allowed to have wrong with them is trauma apparently, otherwise they have to be perfect, and I'm getting sick of it. characters and stories are meant to reflect real life, they're meant to help shape our world view, why are you expecting everyone to be fucking perfect??? what happened to nuance? what happened to understanding character development? you are all acting like characters and people are so black and white. either they're perfect or they're insufferable and evil. I won't lie, the most common victims i've noticed of this are women. but the flawed women are typically demonised, whereas the men are typically turned into uwu baby boys who actually aren't capable of doing anything wrong and then fanon goes nuts making them into ittle wittle victims. and I'm so fucking sick of all of it, I hate this. (obviously this is not a strict rule. Albus Potter, and also Albus Dumbledore now I mention it, are demonised beyond belief)

BRING BACK FLAWS AND BRING BACK NOT COMPLETELY WRITING OFF A CHARACTER BECAUSE THEY DARE TO BE HUMAN

I AM FED UP, ALBUS POTTER GET BEHIND ME

[chaostroberry1]

Hello! How are you? Could I have some headcanons for Loki, Apollo, Poseidon and Adam (platonically) with a human reader who likes her own body but sometimes feels bad having such small breasts? She has a somewhat small build and is very thin due to genetics (I imagine with Adam the reader being his only daughter and being surrounded by men in the family they would not be able to understand her), sometimes it makes her feel very uncomfortable when someone He asks her why she is so thin and makes similar comments. Just soft and comforting things as sometimes it's hard for me to deal with that kind of comments. Thank you!

Sure thing💕, I believe what you mean is Loki,apollo,and Poseidon are romantic w reader, while Adam is platonic with reader? Don't be afraid ask me in the inbox to change anything if it isn't what you asked for. ^^

RoR characters (platonic and romantic) with a small darling.

Characters mentioned : Apollo, Adam, Loki, Poseidon.

|___________•••••••°••••••••___________|

Loki

- he doesn't know why you're even insecure. He thinks you are mad pretty. With or without extra assets. But looking at Aphrodite, I guess he can understand why many women want big assets.

- your chest is nice, whether big or small. He likes them either way cus they're a part of you.

- whenever you're feeling down, he'll do stuff like turning into a butterfly, or do random magic tricks to make you laugh. Think of it as a way he shows you his love.

- when he sees you looking at your body, he'd rush in and try to make you feel better. Pretty sure he'd make sure his pranks are extra funny while you're around, so that he could cheer you up.

- when anyone tries asking about your body, and why you're so thin, he'd turn the question around with a "why are you so ugly?" With a mocking smile, tilting his head to the side while playing innocent. the person was left offended.

- and after that, he'd just take your hand and carry you. Floating around with you in his arms, leaving you stunned, but happy.

Apollo

- you KNOW this man. He is literally the epitome of beauty, alongside Aphrodite. We got to see how he finds beauty in basically anything that he seems beautiful.

- so seeing his own darling being insecure, bro was flabbergasted. You??? Insecure??? About your beloved body??? No way.

- I mean he wouldn't know what it's like to be insecure, c'mon, it's apollo. But seeing you in such a sad little bubble was hurtful.

- I'm sure he'd approach the situation carefully, giving so many compliments in a day, that with kisses. Cus he loves you.

- when he sees you sad, he'd be word vomiting multiple reasons why you are the most beautiful thing he's ever seen. listing down why it's a bad idea to doubt your own looks and body.

- he loves your chest, why do you feel different? He thinks they're cute.

- if anyone asks you why you're so small or thin, he'd immediately come in and sweep you off your feet, carrying you with him to his place and into his chambers.

- let him show you just how much he thinks you're beautiful.

Poseidon

- what the hell. What the absolute hell are you talking about? How on earth are you still insecure about yourself when you literally managed to bag him? That's what he'd think.

- he doesn't get why women are always striving to be as pretty as Aphrodite or something, cus uhm...why? What's wrong with having a smaller build? Or being bigger. Either way, you made him fall for you.

- did some moron make you think that way? Tell him, and he'll cut their tongue off. Does he need to go on a killing spree to make you think differenly? You are the prettiest thing he's ever seen.

- he'd be so confused as to why you look so sad. Seeing you sad would make him more pissed than normal. There had to be someone in charge of putting you in that state of mind.

- why is it such a big deal if you have a small chest? They look fine to him. Not every woman needs a big chest, what's wrong with you? Can't you see that he likes your body?

- if anyone ever asked you about your body, he'd glare holes straight into their soul. If they say anything else, then I'm sorry, but they will be meeting hades down below 😞

- and you? In his chambers. Like apollo, he'll show you just how pretty he thinks you are.

Papa Adam

- who on earth made you sad? His father protectiveness is kicking in and he's ready to kick some divine ass.

- being his only daughter, you are surrounded by mostly men in the family. Luckily, you have eve, who's there, well and ready to hug you and cook you food when you're feeling down.

- your brothers wouldn't understand since they're dudes. But when they question things about your body, Adam will interfere.

- eve had to give them a good lecture about why women have certain reasons for wanting their body to be extra. And how insecurities work for them. And since most people are morons, they wouldn't have any sort filter when it comes to asking dumb questions.

- yeah he gets it now. Your brothers are scratching their heads while he's patting your head and saying that you shouldn't be insecure about your body.

- eve will be making some good food that night, and your brothers would come up to you with berries and flowers they picked, as a way of saying sorry.

- Adam would be nodding his head in approval, "you shouldn't think about your body so much, kiddo. You have to learn to love it. Okay?"

[ioniansunsets]

I'm totally understand you about college! Mine is slowly killing me sometimes. Know it's hard, but remember to take a break if you really need one. <3

Oh and if you still talking requests... can I get one with Sett or Kayn, where s/o is jealous about rumoms that they're with Ahri/Akali?

Thank you :3

✖ Heartsteel!Kayn and Heartsteel!Sett With a Jealous Reader ✖

✖ Word Count: Sett 486 Words | Kayn 511 Words

✖ Tags: Established R/S | Hidden RS

✖ A/N: It has been so long I am so sorry omg guess who is FINALLY back to writing now that colleg is done I guess. Oops. Oops. Oops. (But yes I wrote this with a, can’t announce they’re dating yet due to circumstance, in mind)

----

SETT

Sett is understanding beyond anything and a gentleman to boot. He would notice before you even say anything about it. Sett can tell from the slightest change in your behavior that something was bothering you and ask you about it.

—

“ Come on babe what’s wrong, don’t like ya lookin’ all sad like that.”

A gentle grip as he pulls you up from the couch onto his lap. Face nuzzling your neck as he tries to get you to talk. Puppy dog eyes from your lover was all it took to get you to sigh as you spoke about your small…ok maybe, your average sized problems. His face breaking out into a comforting smile as you spoke, adjusting himself so that you could lie into his chest instead as you spoke.

—

Telling him the way fans keep shipping him with Ahri just because the two of them were stunning Vastayans in media would just make him give you a hearty laugh. Arms around you he’d shower you in kisses, telling you not to bother about fans like that.

Of course it doesn’t end at just telling you it’s ok. Sett would do his best to show that you are the only one for him too. When there are interviews or shows within their shared music label Sett would consciously stay a respectable distance from Ahri. (Of course explaining to her his want to stamp down the rumors of which she readily agrees to)

Sett is a gentleman so of course he is nice to the girls still, but all the sweet things extend to you too. Plus, beyond that he gives you special treatment when you two are outside together. Letting you know if he has shoots with her so you can drop by to feel the comfort of knowing there’s nothing to be worried about. Wearing things with your initials, wearing your colors or matching accessories with you whenever he can so that so that it is clear to others that he is taken and is in love with someone else.

He comforts you of course, gently making sure you understand that as a public figure he can’t do much about the things people say and do about him online, but at the least, he can post some subtle couple pictures with you online, telling fans (untargetedly) that he isn’t comfortable with being shipped with other idols.

And later on your relationship, when the situation arises and management approves of announcing his relationship with you, it is you he has in his arms. Hand outstretched to help you out of the limo at a red carpet event. Bright smile on his face as he looks at you with all the love in his eyes as you dress to the nines with him looking both amazing, proudly showing you off to the paparazzi to settle things once and for all. He was taken and he was yours.

----

KAYN

Kayn would notice when he comes back from a dinner function with K/DA to see you looking really pouty at him from the bed. Alright, something was wrong here, the real question is, was it his fault?

—

“ Hey babe um…did I…did I do something wrong? It’s not cos I came home so late right?”

Throwing off his branded jacket to the side, kicking off his shoes, Kayn would slowly make his way over to the bedside, sitting by you as he looks at you concerned. Hand reaching out to comb through your hair to try and console you. The soft feeling of his nails gently scratching your scalp to coax you into confiding in him helped of course. A soft sigh leaving you as you showed him all the posts in the KaynKali tags online. You knew he loved you and they were just childhood friends but still it was tough to see fans ship them together.

—

He laughs first, loudly. Thinking so obviously that you were joking to be jealous of Akali of a people. He only suddenly stops as he sees you hurt and glaring at him frustrated.

Apologizing furiously as he pulls you in for a tight hug. Telling you about how he has no intentions like that with her and she definitely doesn’t look at him that way either. As far as he is concerned they are both furthest from each other’s type, she’s a sister to him and that you have nothing to worry about. Whatever ‘chemistry’ fans see were just their irritated banter between close friends, nothing more!

A smug smile on his face as he peppers yours in kisses, jokingly asking you if you wanted him to post all his couple photos of you guys to social media right now. Sure it would start drama and management would kill him but he loves you and mischief isn’t something he shys away from. The only reason he hasn’t was because he treasures his privacy with you afterall.

With you in his arms he whips out his phone for you to see, sending Akali a text to ask about what she felt about all this only to have her reply with a photo of her flipping him off and blocking him. “ See? Nothing to worry about baby. My love only belongs to you.”

But of course, it doesn’t just end there. He doesn’t hard announce your relationship or anything but whenever you two go out together he happily holds your hand or has an arm around your waist. He doesn’t hide you and proudly shows you off but never making it official until management lets him.

When the time comes and he gets to show you off he does it as showy as he could. Calling you out on stage mid solo performance to lift you up with one arm, lips passionately pressing against yours as a smug smile graces his lips. Announcing proudly to all his fans that you were his and his only.

[riding-the-sunset-bird]

is there any difference in dialogue if ur mad or sad at baxter at step 4? are there any different options depending on whether you pick fond, crush or love if ur mad or upset? sincerely, curious anon

(this anon clarified that they specifically mean the differences between being mad versus being sad and not the differences between mad/sad and other options; thank you!)

Hi, curious anon~!

There actually are quite a few differences depending on if the MC is angry or sad over Baxter. There's overlap (a general "upset" state where both will get the same narration/choices/dialog), but in general, an angry MC will be more hostile towards Baxter while a sad MC will feel discouraged at Baxter's treatment towards them.

Example from initially seeing Baxter would be:

if the MC is angry

"Mhm. Miranda knows him, so do you, Terry. It's Baxter, again."

"No one can recognize you if you're not wearing black and white, Baxter." (the MC will even add "You didn't leave much else to remember you by.")

"You said you weren't coming back," you spat out.

"Is it too late to say I can't help with this?"

"You have got to be kidding me. Not him." / "You have got to be kidding me. Not that asshole." (depending on if the MC swore in Step 3 or not)

You glared with a silent fury.

if the MC is sad

"Miranda, you know him. So do you, Terry. He's... Baxter."

"Baxter, you don't wear only black and white anymore."

"I thought you weren't coming back," you whispered.

"Baxter...?"

"I remember you."

No words could form in your tight throat.

When attention goes to the MC to agree to continue participating in the wedding:

if the MC is angry

"Fine."

"I'll put up with you for Jude and Scott. That's it."

"You're so phony. Whatever. I don't care."

You glared but kept your mouth shut.

You gave a curt nod.

You said nothing. You did nothing. He got no acknowledgement.

(the MC will also have the option to give their number to Baxter "begrudgingly" if they're specifically angry with him)

if the MC is sad

"Okay..."

"It's alright. Don't worry about me."

"All that matters is that the wedding goes well."

You shifted uncomfortably. You didn't want to be around him, but couldn't ruin this.

You nodded weakly.

You said nothing. You did nothing. You couldn't give any acknowledgement.

After the MC reads the "most recent" texts:

if the MC is angry

He vexed you, but... maybe you could be friends again. / He vexed you, but... maybe you could be close again. / It was so infuriating because the truth was, you still wanted to be with Baxter. (depending on if MC is at Crush/Love with him or not)

Getting to speak with him hadn't changed anything. You were as mad as ever.

Being reunited was an unbelievable chance. You had some optimism for where it'd go.

Things were different now. You'd focus on being entirely professional around him.

You weren't sure what to think or how to feel about Baxter anymore.

if the MC is sad

If you were being entirely honest, you hoped to be friends again. / If you were being entirely honest, you hoped to be close with him again. / It hurt so much because the truth was, you still wanted to be with Baxter. (depending on if the MC is at Crush/Love with him or not)

Being reunited was an unbelievable chance. You had some optimism for where it'd go.

Getting to speak with him hadn't changed anything. You were just sad.

Things were different now. You'd focus on being entirely professional around him.

You weren't sure what to think or how to feel about Baxter anymore.

After Baxter asks for the MC's address of where they're staying, the narration will say "Fine. You could do that- and did." if your MC is angry but "Cautiously, you did as requested." if your MC is sad.

Then, after he apologizes for his behavior at the bakery (if the MC didn't insist on having a talk), the MC won't respond at all if they're angry ("You gave him as much consideration as he'd shown to you. None.") or will let out a mumble-y response if they're sad.

If the MC did insist on having a talk, then Baxter will asks how they are, to which the MC will respond "How do you think, Baxter?" if they're angry or "I'm not doing very well, Baxter." if they're sad. Something similar to the above paragraph will also occur afterwards.

If the MC had the difficult conversation with Baxter (if they were upset with him at the end of Step 3), then the MC will think sarcastically to themself after Baxter texts the group about that day's accomplishments if they're angry with him, or wince about it if they're sad.

If the MC was upset with Baxter after meeting him again (depending on their choice after the MC notes Baxter's most recent text soon after meeting him again), their cuts after making the groom's cake will become aggressive, whereas they'll slump in their seat if they're sad.

And, if the MC agreed to have a conversation with Baxter instead of becoming friends/lovers again right away after the wedding, then choose to tell him, "I never wanted to see you again," the MC will say they were "furious" if they were angry with him or "shattered" if they were sad.

Those are most of the big differences between being mad and sad specifically. Interest level doesn't play a large role.

[lavender-teardroplettes]

Si x Anteo hcs when

.....ovo [SCREAMING] you're making the brainrot worse

But- I knew this would happen ovo some nsfw stuff will be under the cut.

Let's start with in game Anteo:

Dude has like- zero chance to get into Si's pants. One- Si's demisexual and doesn't do hookups and after just a few minutes of talking to Anteo he realizes that he's just a waste of a pretty face. He tries giving Anteo a fake number TWICE before Anteo corners him and demands Si give him is phone so Anteo could enter his phone number in SI's phone before calling himself so he could have it. And yes, he does take a picture and everything for the contact so 'he could get more of his pretty face." Si tries blocking him, but it's around the 4th or so new number where he gives up and unblocks Anteo's main phone just to get it to stop.

Every advancement Anteo makes gets rejected and put down, which just pisses Anteo off more. Sure, he likes a challenge, but he's never met someone so just...NOT interested in him and it drives him crazy, to the point he starts stalking Si and harassing him at work/in places he frequents on his off times, going as far as breaking into his house once Si starts using the buddy system to avoid him in public. The police do get called, but they're easily bribed with money, so they no longer are a viable option and turn a blind eye every call they get. Anteo might be wealthy enough to repair the things he breaks turning his tantrums, but Si isn't, so a lot of his things end up getting thrown out or needing to be replaced over time. Si considers getting a restraining order and moving, but when Anteo gets word of it this sets. Him. OFF. At that point, Si's getting kidnapped in the middle of the night and chained up at the ranger's station.

It's kinda up in the air from there, but I see Si gaslighting the fuck out of Anteo when he learns more about what makes him tick. Freedom's not an option, but house privileges? Check. Stopping him from doing the ai art/crypto bro shit, check. Going on dates that are actually kinda cute despite Anteo being a clingy and overprotective, pushy asshole? Check. Funny enough though, I do see Anteo and Si having a weird like, tsundere fueled heart to heart about why Anteo is like this, and it might be the Stockholm Syndrome talking, but Si might even feel a little SAD for him.

Now, unfortunately for Si they're actually into a lot of the same kinks and general likes when it comes to bedroom activities while being a good sub to his doming style- something Anteo takes advantage of to get him hot and bothered and thinking about crossing that line with him now that Si is HIS. And when they DO finally fuck, Si's teaching him the importance of an AFAB orgasm whether Anteo likes it or not. OvO which....hehehe trust me I think he will.~ I see there being a 50/50 of him either edging Si until his limits are broken OR both of them seeing just how long Si could keep cumming for with overstim sessions. Both of them have a lot of stamina so....I could actually just see them fucking all day. They match their freak levels. uwu Si's gonna get Anteo to let him peg him- I swear to you all. ovo

Now, for THE BOY ut!Anteo

Si and ut!Anteo get along MUCH better without all the bullshit canon Anteo puts him through. They're both nature and animal loves, so I see them crossing paths at a volunteering event- maybe being paired up to look after a small group of birds or something. They'd get to talking and would probably exchange numbers for future get togethers as friends, since I see them being cute and awkward friends in the beginning. Si doesn't have a lot of people he can regularly do outdoorsy stuff with, and Anteo appreciates his company. They're both quiet people for the most part, so they vibe well together and would probably be comfortable being silly around each other. Si also helps keep Anteo on track, sometimes texting him little reminders because he knows how scatter brained he can be.

I see Anteo teaching Si how to surf tbh. Si's always wanted to learn but knew he would look goofy trying, so he's glad someone like Anteo could show him without making him feel AS embarrassed about bailing. I'd say the would have met sometime around winter/spring, so at this point they'd known each other for a little while and have become regulars in each other's life. I think, while watching the sun start to set on their boards (close to shore of course surfing at night/early morning is dangerous), Anteo might come to realize that he had feelings for Si. It would make for a cute confession, shyly talking about it as they dried off and packed up, and I think they'd share a sweet, but shy and chaste kiss afterwards. uwu

Si's pegging him ovo oh Si is definitely pegging him. They're both shy about it at first- Anteo because he's never done it before and Si because it's always something he wanted to do but hesitated because he didn't want to deal with possible gender dysphoria. ovo All of that goes out the window after they properly take the time to prepare Anteo for the SMALLEST option they could find while being able to accommodate Si as well (which would be a double ended one uwu one side's MASSIVE but it does the job well). It's an experience for the both of them, I'll tell you that. ovo I might have to draw it actually, words don't do it justice. The cute way Anteo asks Si to top afterwards each time is just [chefs kiss] and when Anteo learns Si can naturally peg him while in heat? Oh boy, he's glad they've worked up sizes I'll tell you that. ovo

Pets. They have a lot of pets together with properly spaced out and enriched enclosures and a dog they take hiking with them after finding him wandering alone and without a home on one of their outings together.

[variousqueerthings]

something i havent seen (im sure it's out there i just havent seen it) is that while a part of louis and claudia's relationship is of course very much framed by how claudia is constantly made to be in second place to louis' romantic partners (who are also not good to her or to louis) is the way that they're family, and it's complicated, but ultimately - i think - a positive family for one another, rather than the kind of family you leave and never speak to again if you can help it (that would be lestat...)

whether louis is father/mother/uncle/brother, he's not really "friend," (and vice versa, claudia as child/niece/sister) and so there's always going to be a specific dynamic that is complicated in the way the family you grow up with is complicated, and is even more complicated because using any of those words is technically incorrect and they fully had lives before they met, but for the sake of this particular read i think this fits closest. caretaker, perhaps

the point is - and it's not something i can make particularly coherently at the moment - related to how i feel about my siblings (esp my younger siblings) vs how i feel about other people in my life. my siblings simply are, whether or not we get on all the time, whether i feel sad or not that our lives have grown apart since adulthood, whether or not other people in their and my life take precedence during particular times (which can take many different forms -- for them more romantic, for me more community related, the language for where we're going in life just looks different than it did when we were kids)

when louis lets claudia down, but at the same time promises "you and me/me and you" those two things aren't paradoxical to one another, because there is a certain "taking for granted" that can happen -- claudia is always going to be there, just like louis assumes he will also simply be there, while at the same time having that jealousy and expectation that comes with his being older than her that she'll always depend on him to an extent (and she does, but he maybe doesn't take into account how much he depends on her, because being older/feeling like he has "the responsibility" while also suffering serious mental health issues... lotta mess he puts on her shoulders, as we can see)

when claudia joins the coven that takes away louis' feeling of being of use anymore, he doesn't define himself outside of claudia ("if there was no me...") -- and also outside of lestat/his romantic relationships but that's a different post -- and claudia is moving on, but look, armand is there, claudia's got what she wants, louis got something, and they're both still there (am also reminded of how when claudia comes back in s1, it's explicitly once she sees louis sobbing over his grave when his sister declares him dead)

the idea of claudia not being there terrifies louis, he experienced that loss twice in new orleans, once when she left and didn't come back for years, and once when lestat forced her back immediately, and then again the idea of it when she joins the coven (but then he pulls himself back from the edge of letting armand kill him when he fears for her life) and then in a big way when she goes with madeleine, and he knows they're better together than he could ever be for her, but she's still his in that sibling/parent/caretaker feeling kind of way, and this is a loss even though it's important, and also, with being a vampire, she possibly could have still eventually circled back every 100 years or so -- such is the nature of family. they're still there, even if you don't see them for a very long time

and now, finally, forever. claudia is no longer there

im just. yes, louis let her down. but he let her down like you let your family down, by assuming that no matter what, they were a given. claudia can't simply... not be there anymore... she's his family. you argue and you make up and you fuck up and you forgive and you're still there, no matter how messed up you feel or how much you grow apart

she's so right in asking that question: who is louis outside of her? but not just because louis has had the worst luck in life (human and vampire) and been unable to form himself specifically because of *waves hands at everything,* but also because when you see yourself as a caretaker (whether or not you're doing a good job of it), who are you when that person wants to move on from you, doesn't need you in the way you want to be needed, when that person perhaps leaves your life for good?

[tokiro07]

I had no idea while I was writing my Zelda names posts that the Linked Universe fandom had already come up with nicknames for them

While I am a bit sad that this means my names probably won't catch on, I'm at least relieved to know that they're not mutually exclusive since mine were all epithets

Sun the Divine (Skyward Sword), Lullaby the Patient (OoT), Fable the Wise/Hopeful (LttP/Oracles), Dawn the Blessed (Zelda 1), Aurora the Accursed/Treasured (AoL), Dusk the Resolute (Twilight Princess), Artemis the Mighty (Warriors), Flora the Studious (BotW/TotK)

Bit of a nice ring to those if anyone cares to use them

I'm assuming that because this is specifically from Linked Universe though that Link Between Worlds is conflated with Link to the Past, and Minish Cap is rolled into the Four Swords duology? Bit of a shame, cus that means Zelda the Loving (LBW) completely goes to waste and I'd have to collapse Radiant (Minish Cap), Beautiful (Four Swords) and Harmonious (FSA) into one for Dot

I believe Four is meant to be the Minish Cap Link, so I suppose it would make sense for Dot to be as well. Fortunately "Radiant" and "Beautiful" can be synonyms, and honestly Harmonious was kind of arbitrarily picked from the only line of dialogue I could find in FSA that gave any indication of characterization, so I'm not too broken up about that

Dot the Radiant doesn't sound too bad, though I will ask...why is she called Dot? I get the jokes/references in the rest of them, but I can't find the origin for hers

Edit: @hotcheetohatredwastaken suggests it's because Four and his accompanying Zelda are small. I have no idea if that's correct, but it's the only explanation I've been given, and it sounds better than my original guess that it's a reference to Animaniacs (Dot's full name is Princess Angelina Contessa Louisa Francesca Banana Fanna Bo Besca III, and both are known for being cute), so I'm going with that until someone corrects me