#and was weird when i had to interact with them

[heavysighing-dreamyeyes]

I actually think Jason Todd would be terrible when it comes to reacting to embarrassing situations. Like in the way that he leans too far into it while trying to make the moment not embarrassing for you

Accidently knocked over your drink at the coffee shop? Well, he ripped the top off his drink and poured it right next to yours on the ground. (He didn't even think about the mess it would make, he just did it and met your gaze with complete seriousness while you openly stared at him. Yes, he helped clean it up after, I swear)

Tripped in a room in front of witnesses? He's sprinting over to your side from the opposite end of the room and throwing himself to the floor dramatically. (He's checking if you're okay as soon as he hits the ground)

Accidently waved to someone you don't know? He's gaslighting them into believing you all went to school together. (You walked away from the situation with a new group chat and plans to meet up next Thursday)

He simply has never had a normal interaction in his life and is committed to the bit (no matter how weird that bit seems to be to everyone else)

[demonic0angel]

Ok! Spoiler warning ship. Where Wes explains why he hates Danny. No one will believe him that fenton is phantom.

Steph looks him dead in the eye, takes a deep breath. Then explains to him in a dead serious tone how stupid and dangerous that is, not only to the hero, but him and everyone else too.

(It's funny that you ask me this. Just wait for tomorrow lmaooo)

"I know that. I was fourteen." Wes crossed his arms and looked away, glaring at nothing. "It doesn't mean that I can't hate Phantom."

Steph raised a finger and opened her mouth, ready to defend Phantom when she paused and reconsidered. Then she asked, "If you know that it was dangerous, why do you still hate him? Did he do something to you?"

"Yes!" Wes spat. "Even though I was fourteen and stupid, you know what he would do? He would transform in front of me and gloat that no one believed me! Like, I get that he had a secret identity but he laughed in my face because he thought it was funny that everyone thought I was lying! Not even my family— my brothers believed me! I was called 'the Crazy Weston' for years in high school!"

Steph pursed her lips. As a vigilante, she understood the importance of secret identities and Wes had almost purposefully endangered the lives of others by trying to reveal Phantom's. But it was true that Wes had only been fourteen when he found out, and Danny had no right to tease him when he should've just explained properly.

"... okay, I get that." She scooted over to press against him. Wes didn't react, still looking irritated. Steph continued, "But aren't you two friends now? I guess I find it weird that you still hate him after so long, especially when you guys help each other so much."

"I don't really care about Phantom. Danny is just an asshole," Wes growled.

Steph did not voice the fact that Wes could also occasionally be an asshole.

Wes must've noticed because he went silent and then he said, "But we're fine now or whatever. I have blackmail on him that I can use and he lets me do it. I'll protect him because he's a hero from my world and because he's our King, but I don't care if I'm rude or not. He owes me for those years of hell in high school."

Stephanie shrugged and then smiled, pressing herself against him again. "Well, it's not like I can say anything about your relationship with him. I just wanted to make sure you know about the importance of secret identities."

"I don't want to hear that from you, Miss Spoiler," Wes said, rolling his eyes but he uncurled his arms and then wrapped one around her, pulling her closer to kiss her hair.

They sat in companionable silence for a while, just cuddling and enjoying each other's presence. Learning something new about each other was always fascinating. Steph suddenly sighed.

"Y'know, I don't know how I didn't realize before, but you're really petty."

"Excuse me? I'll have you know that I—"

Wes began to rant and Steph couldn't help but laugh at his indignation. In the end, he attacked her with angry kisses until she was shrieking with laughter.

Her boyfriend may be petty and vindictive, but at the very least, he was all hers.

(Note: I actually love how the fandom characterize Wes and I especially LOVE how hostile Wes can be. People don't seem to realize that they created the perfect character to be a villain bc let's not forget that since Kyle Weston is headcanoned to be Jazz's age, Wes is in the perfect position to threaten Danny's loved ones, especially with how Danny seems to tease him a lot (which is probably infuriating). I imagine that Wes and Danny have a frenemy relationship (that is a little one-sided), but they will help each other if need to be. Imo, with how the phandom characterizes them both interacting, they are BOTH in the wrong.)

[libraford]

I forgave her, but an interaction I had with Client Friend made me feel very weird about how we both interact with Woo.

We'd talked previously about our various beliefs and our religious baggage, so I wasn't surprised to hear certain things come from her mouth. But when I invited her to my house she was manic the whole time for unrelated reasons.

Later, she told me that there was Something in my house and that I need to seal up all the mirrors in my house. That it was a portal and there were things coming in from it. I told her that I already sealed my mirrors and she told me to do it again, but her way this time.

When she came back for another shoot, she said that the Something was still there and I said:

"Well, we have critters."

"That's not what I mean, you know what mean."

"Yes. Critters. Like... ahhh.. nisse..."

"What?"

"Nisse, like.. oh what's the word... house wight."

"The fuck is a house wight?"

"It's a critter. Lives in the house, 'bout knee high, don't like being seen much. Pretty chill guys, don't bother us much but the cat chases them sometimes. They haven't got mad yet, so I assume there's no hard feelings."

"You've SEEN THEM?"

"Like early mornings once or twice. Lil hairy guys."

"They do NOT want to be seen."

"Well, me neither at 6am. But neither of us freaked out about it so I figured we'd just go about our business."

-does not compute sounds-

She still gets weird about the house, and the various things that hang around me, which is a thing that kind of happens when you grow up talking to spirits and critters and things. I realize yall got spiritual and religious trauma but hes literally the size of a small dog and i dont think hes got any teeth. And it's like... hon... I promise not everything The Other is out to hurt you. Stop trying to excorcise my grandmama, she's helping me pick out stationery.

[flightfoot]

About Lila's lies, perhaps i'm the only one that thinks this but i feel a lot of her lies aren't as bad as a lot of people claim. Like a majority of the class (especially Marinette) have a few outlandish achievements or facts that sound like massive lies themselves, so it makes sense that they wouldn't doubt Lila when she claimed the same.

Oh, AGREED. Here's a list of her bragging-type and I-need-help-type lies.

Lila: You know I actually happen to be very close friends with Ladybug.

I mean, it's not absurd that she might be Ladybug's friend. "Close friends" might be up for interpretation, but this really isn't crazy. Especially since it's actually true for Alya.

Rose: Can you believe Lila knows Prince Ali? She even flew in his private jet with him!

Rose knows Prince Ali. I don't know why she's even impressed by this. I wouldn't even find it weird if she flew with him on his private jet.

Chloé: Why did Jagged Stone write a song about Lila when he could've written it about me?

I mean he wrote a song about Marinette unknowingly, he even wrote a song rubbing it in Anarka's face that he was ditching her and the twins. I don't actually think it'd be that weird for him to write a song about Lila, if she impressed him.

Nino: Lila knows all of the Hollywood directors. She promised she'd mention me to Steven Basielberg himself!

Lila's story is that her mom's a diplomat, and that DOES appear to be the case for one of them. So I wouldn't be surprised if she ran into a bunch of hollywood directors at some fancy party or something, like Gabriel hosts.

Lila:(stopping him from grabbing the book) Of course she's in your book. She's one of the most important superheroes. More powerful and more celebrated than Ladybug. (Marinette is angered by the comment) Between you and me Ladybug doesn't even make the top ten. (Marinette bites down on the book) My grandma gave me this necklace.

Superheroes exist in this world, and have for a long time, so it's not that ridiculous. Though it WOULD be weird that Adrien had never heard of her if she was as celebrated as she claims. And it helps that the book confirms that there were a ton of superheroes around who Adrien never heard of before.

Lila: It's absolutely amazing! Prince Ali invited me and my parents to his gorgeous palace.

One of her moms is a diplomat, so this wouldn't be too out of place.

Lila: Oh, it's nothing much! During our world travels, my diplomat parents have helped me convince the leaders of several nations to agree to reduce world pollution. (Adrien shakes his head) And I'm very optimistic that the prince will jump on board.

Again, this really isn't that crazy. One of her moms DOES appear to be a diplomat, and this is the sort of thing diplomats do.

Lila: Yes, I suffer from tinnitus, a constant ringing in my left ear. I've had it ever since the sound of an airplane engine burst my eardrum on the runaway when I was saving Jagged Stone's lost kitten.

The class has interacted with Jagged Stone several times, so it's not that weird that Lila might have as well. Heck, Marinette is his go-to designer for his album covers. And Jagged IS the type to be this careless with a kitten.

Lila: Now it is, yes. But he had a kitten until he found out he was allergic to it.

This happens to a lot of people.

Lila: I'm sorry I can't carry my own tray. It's almost impossible with this sprained wrist.

Spraining wrists is typical, and it can be hard to carry weight when this happens, especially at certain angles.

Lila: (drops napkin) Uh, ow! Once when I was in India, I witnessed someone getting their eye gouged out by the corner of a napkin. If I hadn't caught it, this napkin could've injured Max. I didn't have a choice. Ow!

This is the only lie I've seen Lila tell that isn't really feasible. No way that someone's eye got gouged out this way. That being said, it could still cause some damage if it hit the eye and the eye wasn't protected by an eyelid or glasses. Which Max's eyes are, but it makes sense that she wouldn't have had time to think about that in the half a second she had to react.

Lila: Adrien, we'll have to figure when you're gonna help me catch up on all the schoolwork I missed. I also heard you play piano, my uncle's the great pianist Chuch Boroughchuck. He wanted to teach me when I was little, but I had to stop playing because of arthritis. But when my wrist gets better, I'd love for you to give me some lessons.

I knew someone with childhood arthritis, and her having an uncle who's a great pianist isn't any more absurd than Marinette having a great-uncle who's a world-famous chef.

Lila: Oh, I'd love to test your video game, Max, but I promised Prince Ali we'd go on a charity cruise over the Seine on his yacht this afternoon. Sorry.

This just falls under the same category as Lila's earlier lies about knowing Prince Ali and helping to promote charitable causes with him. Which Rose also does, she just doesn't travel with him. Makes sense that Lila might though, since one of her moms is a diplomat.

I'm having trouble thinking of other lies Lila told of this sort of type after this, since she was able to tell the truth mostly, what with being a model for Gabriel.

So yeah. Most of these lies are very plausible, and are way less weird than the Miracuclass's general experiences. The absurd thing is that they're impressed, not that they buy it.

[melancholyghoul]

The more I think about it the more it doesn't make sense for Connor and Kameron to ask Buck to be their donor. Not only is it weird from a relationship stand point and puts Buck in a weird position of it not being an anonymous donation, but they said they asked him because he's a good person - that's majorly not determined by genetics ?? Like sure some parts of personality and behaviour are theorised to be influenced by genetics but its mostly due to environment and upbringing and how that can interact with your biology - bla bla bla yknow. What Buck is known for is entirely because of his upbringing - we see that onscreen !!! (I could go on but I just had a 2 hour lecture on biological psychology so I don't want to)

Also they should've asked for medical history when making this decision right ? And it would've been brought up that his family history has trends of mental health issues and childhood leukemia ?? Things that you would want to avoid if possible with a donor ??

Anyway I dont like Connor and Kameron and it was fucked up of them to ask Buck for this and then put their relationship issues on him and that 'well technically' comment from Connor was horrible - they should've just said 'you're hot we want your baby' and then left or gotten a normal anonymous donation

[notdotspot]

Dp x Dc Shots by LMFAO

Masterpost

Danny watched as the Batmobile and Jason’s motorcycle raced down the streets heading into the outskirts of the city. They came upon an estate with a mansion that reminded him of Vlad’s. The Batman took a sharp turn into the forest surrounding the property. A few miles into the woods, the ground opened up into a cave. 

“I guess it really is a cave.”

Danny followed them down the tunnel. The jagged rocks of the dark cave eventually led them to a large cavern housing technology like he had never seen. On the largest platform, a wall of screens and a few more suited heroes waited for them. Parking the vehicles was quick as everyone unloaded, and Danny let his legs reform to touch down on the ground. 

Steph skips over to the new strangers. “Phantom. Here is the rest of the team. This is Black Bat or Casandra.” Danny assessed the girl. She seemed reserved but she waved at him anyway.

“This is Signal.”

“Duke,” he says shaking Danny’s hand.

Next to him, a taller man in black spandex with a blue symbol across his chest steps up. He fashes the brightest smile Danny has ever seen.

“Nightwing. Dick. Do not worry, I have heard every joke in the book.” 

“And I am Oracle. Barbara. Nice to meet you Phantom.”

“How do you know my name?”

“We were watching the whole interaction. Can never be too safe in Gotham, especially when we are planning to reveal our identities.”

“It is always good to have someone watching your back.” Danny tried not to let his sadness reach his voice. It has been so many years, but being Phantom without Sam and Tucker has been hard. He misses them. He misses Jazz, too. He misses everyone from Amity Park. Even though his life there consisted of getting bullied and fighting ghosts, it was still his home. 

“But you do not seem to have anyone watching yours,” an older gentleman says from behind the new Bats. “Alfred Pennyworth, at your service.”

“Do not worry about me. The people watching my back know when they are needed.”

“Frostbite, I am assuming? I heard you say the name when answering the phone after we met,” Tim chimes in.

“Yes, he is one of many looking out for me.” Danny could tell they were prying at his life, and he was not about to explain the intricacies of the Infinite Realms. He preferred keeping his royal status under wraps, too. Danny is very aware of his abilities, but he is not interested in scaring the life out of a group of mortals that live in a world nearly sealed from ghost activity. “Should we not get started? I do not think Jason wants to be stinky for longer than he needs to.”

“Correct. So, how does this work?”

“Um. It might be a slightly weird process, but I can explain it to the best of my ability. You will not understand everything I say so do not be afraid to ask questions.”

Danny is sitting across from Jason near the med-bay. Their spot was per Bruce’s request in case anything went wrong. He was getting increasingly nervous, with the eyes of the Batfamily watching him intently. Jason had removed his helmet and domino masks. The first feature that caught Danny’s eye was the white streak in his hair. It reminds him of the time he got rid of his powers and gained his own streak.

“So my theory on how this happened was originally that you must have absorbed tainted ectoplasm, and your human body could not handle the energy.”

“Orginally? Your theory has changed?” Bruce asks.

“I think so. For it to be correct, Jason would have had to be dead when he absorbed the tainted ectoplasm.” The room seemed to still. Gazes that were once pinned on him shifted between Bruce and Jason. Silence fills the room like a dense cloud.

“I can not say for sure,” Jason speaks, eyeing Bruce over Danny’s shoulder. “But, yeah, probably.” 

“I am sorry.” Danny places a hand on Jason’s knee. It is the only comfort he can provide that feels appropriate. Dick slides onto the cushioned exam table, putting an arm around him with a slight squeeze. The whole family seems to inch closer in an attempt to comfort their brother.

“Death is a hard reality to face, but it is even harder to be the one that has to live through it.” Jason’s eyes meet Danny’s, a look of understanding passing between them. 

“The people around you stop mourning because you are back, but you never got the chance to mourn the person you once were. That is okay because you can start now.” Jason gives a small nod of affirmation. He can tell there are teary eyes in the room, but Danny’s attention does not leave Jason. 

“Would you like me to explain my theory or should I begin?”

“I want to know why I am like this.”

“The streak in your hair reminded me of a case I had seen before. When people die, they develop an ectoplasmic core. The Lazurus Pit, as you call it, contains tainted ectoplasm. If I am correct, your core did not have time to form properly, and getting dunked shocked you back into the living world. You are alive, but you have a partial core and partial ghost DNA that is feeding on the residual ectoplasm. Ghost emotions work differently than mortal ones. The Pit Madness, you called it, is likely your usage of ectoplasm past the point of your production rate. Unfortunately, it is tainted, so instead of exhaustion, you get reactivity.”

“So, how will you fix it?” Jason’s voice was deep and serious, but it was impossible to miss the hope lining his words.

“My body produces ectoplasm by converting the food I eat. It is as pure as it gets. I am hoping infusing you with my ectoplasm will cleanse what is remaining of the Lazurus Pit and leave you with enough to spare for the rest of your life, as I said at the Bat Burger.”

“Where does the weird part come in?”

“Well. There is only one way to transfer ectoplasm to you in a controlled way. You have to drink my blood. I can ensure it is the correct amount. While I could use any body fluid, I think blood is the least disgusting.”

“I see your point. I am ready.” 

“Should warn you, I am not entirely sure how you will react or if it will work at all.”

“It is a risk I am willing to take.”

“Jason,” Bruce calls, “Are you sure?”

“Yes. This is the closest I will ever be to a solution.” Dick catches Jason’s eye. They give a small nod to each other. Jason looks away, scanning the room. A room filled with his family who are all here to support him. “I have to take my chance.”

Alfred brings over a cart. Needles, blades, and glassware ranging from tubes to beakers litter the surface. 

“Our equipment is at your disposal.”

“Thank you, but all I will need is this.” Danny grabs a beaker with small enough units to get an accurate and precise measurement based on his calculations. 

“I brought my own.” Grabbing a small blade from his suit pocket, which is actually a small pocket dimension. “Your blades and needles would not penetrate my skin.” He makes a small cut on his hand. Danny is aware that it is the dumbest place to give himself a cut, but it is what they do in movies. He wants to look cool. 

Holding his hand over the beaker, letting the glowing viscous liquid leak from his palm. The Batfamily looks on curiously. The glass fills slowly and the tension in the room rises with every passing minute. He pulls his hand away.

“Forty-four point four milliliters. Perfect.” He shakes his hand and the slash disappears like it was never there. 

“That is it? That is like a shot?”

“I guess it is. Are you ready?” Danny asks, handing the small beaker to him.

“Like tequila. Just have to throw it back.” He takes a deep breath, grabbing the glass. He lifts it up, looking around the room. “Cheers!” 

Jason swallows down the glob of ectoplasm. His face scrunches as he cringes at the taste. Danny might have laughed if the room were not so electrified with anxiety. 

Jason’s eyes open, and they are as bright and green as Danny’s. Next to him, Dick seems to brace for an attack, hand shooting up a baton strapped to his back. Jason struggles to hold in pained grunts. His eyes squeeze shut again, and his hands come up to cradle his head. Dick stands, and the whole room readies to fight. 

Danny puts out a hand. In his calmest, sternest voice he can muster, “Stand down. He is okay. He has to fight through.” Dick puts his weapon back and sinks back to the rest of the group. They relax slightly at his words but the tension is still palpable.

Jason’s muscles slowly relax, and his hands fall to his lap, rubbing back and forth across his thighs as he attempts to regain control of his breathing. He takes one final deep breath as his hands still and his eyes flutter open. Back to their normal shade of blue as they flick around to the faces in the room. 

“It worked,” Jason utters in an awed whisper.

“How do you know for sure?” Tim questions cautiously. 

“I just do. Thank you, Phantom.” The relief in his eyes is enough to put a smile on Danny’s face.

“Danny. You can call me Danny.”

“Thank you, Danny.”

------

may or may not have posted this part on ao3 many hours ago

anyway

I am back. Mostly. I will be posting new stuff every Tuesday!

Thanks for the patience and thanks for reading!

[soluversworld]

4 days with Ren!- Ren x G.N Reader

(Clickbait Titl-….!!!

Words:8000

Genre: Fluff

Summary: — you encounter Ren, a seemingly shy and awkward stranger who enters your bookstore. At first, his nervousness and fumbling words leave you uncertain about his intentions, but as the interaction progresses, you begin to notice subtle, yet familiar traits about him. His nervousness, his playful yet shy demeanor, and the blue eyes all hint at something deeper, but it isn’t until later that you realize the truth—

( Reader is a g.n!)

EXTRA: Let me know if I continue this! This is kind of a heart-felt shit so don’t worry.

Reader can be a idiot at times, Since we don’t know Ren’s real name. His real name is taken as [REDACTED]

I’m sorry for the delay! I scarped this so many times, I really started to feel stressed about this..

[[MORE]]

“Eh? You… wanna marry me…?”

The memory was hazy, but vivid enough to make your heart flutter even now. It had happened when you were both just kids, playing together on the playground like any other day.

[REDACTED] had tugged at your hand with uncharacteristic urgency, his dark hair falling messily into his wide, nervous eyes. He told you he had something important to say.

Then, out of nowhere, he dropped to one knee before you. His small, trembling hands held up a ring—crafted clumsily from what looked like tin foil, the kind of thing only a child would painstakingly make. The other ring sat snugly on his own finger.

Your heart skipped a beat as you stared at him. His earnest expression, the slight shake in his voice, the sincerity in his gesture—it was all too much. Your cheeks burned as you cupped them instinctively, trying to hide the blush spreading across your face.

He looked so nervous. So hopeful.

Your lips parted to say something—anything—but you froze.

You’d always liked him, hadn’t you? Even then, there had been something about [REDACTED] that made your chest tighten. You didn’t fully understand it back then, but now it was so clear.

Before you could gather your courage to respond, the moment shattered.

“Hey! What’re you doing to them?!”

Leon, ever the self-appointed protector, charged onto the scene. With one swift motion, he smacked the little ring out of [REDACTED]’s hand, sending it tumbling into the dirt.

The entire playground fell silent.

“Don’t worry!” Leon declared loudly, puffing out his chest. “I’ll protect you from weirdos like him!”

Your heart dropped as you saw the way [REDACTED] flinched. His hands hovered where the ring had been, his gaze darting to you for reassurance.

“But, Leon…” you started quietly, the protest barely leaving your lips.

It was too late. [REDACTED] scrambled to pick up the ruined ring, his shoulders shaking as he clutched it tightly. Tears streaked down his cheeks, but he didn’t say a word.

He turned and fled, his quiet sobs fading into the distance, you stood frozen, guilt twisting in your stomach. You wanted to chase after him, to tell him it was okay, that you didn’t care about Leon’s interruption or the rumors about his family. You didn’t care about anything except the fact that he had been brave enough to bare his heart to you.

But you didn’t. You let him walk away.

All you could do was watch his retreating figure and whisper softly to yourself, too late for him to hear:

“I would ve said yes…”

“But Leon!” you repeated, louder this time, frustration bubbling up as you watched [REDACTED] disappear.

“What?” Leon shot back, his arms crossed defiantly. “I just saved you! That guy’s weird, and you shouldn’t hang out with him!”

“You’re so mean!” you snapped, stomping your foot. “He wasn’t doing anything wrong! He just wanted to—” You stopped yourself, suddenly feeling too vulnerable to explain. “You’re always ruining everything!”

Leon puffed up like an offended balloon. “I’m not ruining anything! I’m protecting you, dummy!”

“I don’t need protecting!” you shouted, tears pricking at your eyes. “You’re just a big, mean bully!”

Leon’s cheeks flushed pink as he huffed and looked away, his pout making him look even more childish. “Fine, do whatever you want! But don’t blame me when that weirdo does something weird!”

You narrowed your eyes at him, crossing your arms in a perfect mirror of his stubborn stance. “I will do what I want! And stop calling him weird!”

“Whatever,” he grumbled, kicking a pebble with his shoe. After a moment, his voice softened. “But I’m still gonna keep an eye on him, okay? Just in case.”

You hesitated, then nodded, your earlier anger fading into relief. “Fine. As long as you’re not mean about it.”

Leon gave a reluctant shrug, muttering something under his breath about “always having to be the grown-up.”

It wasn’t until later that you realized how little it mattered. Days passed, then weeks, but [REDACTED] never came to see you again.

At first, you waited eagerly, sitting on the swings after school, hoping he’d show up like he always did. But he didn’t. You told yourself he was just busy, that he’d come by soon.

But he didn’t.

Maybe he was avoiding you. Or maybe it was his family. The whispers about them had only gotten worse. You’d overheard adults saying things they thought kids couldn’t understand. Things that made your chest ache and your fists clench.

You waited until the hope in your heart shrank into something fragile and brittle. Until you couldn’t hold it anymore, and one day, you cried. You cried because you missed him. Because you couldn’t fix whatever had gone wrong. Because you never got to tell him how much he meant to you.

And [REDACTED]—he was out there somewhere. Maybe he wanted to come back. Maybe he didn’t. You didn’t know.

All you knew was that the boy with the messy black hair and the trembling hands had slipped away from your life.

And even though you were just a kid, you felt like you’d lost something you might never get back.

You remembered again..Didn’t you?

Stifling a groan with the rim of your coffee cup, you fumbled for the remote wedged between the couch cushions and turned off the TV.

There was no way you were letting some grim headline ruin the start of your morning—especially not today. Today marked your first day back at work since earning that hard-fought promotion.

Sure, working at a library, organizing and sorting through shelves of books, wasn’t exactly the dream job you’d envisioned growing up. It wasn’t even close to the top of your list when you decided to move back.

But the pay was good, your coworkers were warm and welcoming, and the library’s location couldn’t have been more convenient—just a short walk from your apartment.

And on the way, there was this cozy little bakery that served the best shortcakes and croissants you’d ever tasted.

You sipped your coffee with a soft smile, thinking briefly about how much [REDACTED] would’ve loved that bakery.

It was a fleeting thought, but one that lingered, curling in the back of your mind like the steam from your mug.

Why was it still so easy to think about him?

Even now, after all this time, you couldn’t shake the feeling of unfinished business. Regret? Guilt? Maybe a little of both. You’d wanted to give him a chance back then. You really did. But life had gotten in the way. Or maybe it wasn’t life.

Maybe it was you.

You swallowed hard, setting the cup down on the table with a soft clink. Maybe you were the problem. Maybe he’d moved on, forgotten all about the mess you’d left behind.

And yet, the thought of him still made your chest ache. You wondered what he was doing now, where he was, if he still remembered you too.

Maybe… just maybe… you’d see him again.

It still beats living in the city, though. Honestly… you weren’t even sure why you left your hometown in the first place.

The fast-paced, hustle-and-bustle lifestyle of the city just wasn’t what you longed for when staring out your window on sleepless nights. The people there were always rude and indifferent, making you feel like a stranger in a crowd.

It was nothing like Corland Bay. There, everyone felt like a close-knit family, and the air smelled of salt and sea rather than car exhaust and pollution.

Sure, the local crime rate had been creeping up lately, and there weren’t as many exciting places to visit, but that didn’t bother you much. Your new job kept you busy, and you’d take a quiet evening alone at the beach over a night in a crowded, shady bar with people you barely considered friends. In fact—

bzzt bzzt!

Setting your mug on the table, you reached into your pocket and pulled out your phone. A notification from Moth, your online friend, lit up the screen. Their username always brought a small smile to your face.

Tapping the screen, you opened the message to find an adorable sticker of some anime character giving a thumbs up, accompanied by a short, cheerful note:

“Good luck today!”

Moth had always been adamant about showing their endless support for you. Even after five years of friendship—filled with cursed memes, late-night video calls, and discussions about the most random topics—they never failed to brighten your day.

And even though you would never admit it out loud, you were truly grateful to have someone like Moth in your life.

Pulling up the keyboard, you began to type a response to their message.

…How will you respond?

It really was considerate of them to send this message—especially given the contrasting time zones—so you decided to send back a quick:

“Thank you! :)”

Moth “btwww! did u see the latest AoG ep?? i heard Haruko got an outfit change!!!!”

Moth “spoil it for me. did he really change his hairstyle as well?”

Moth “or was it really just his sorceror outfit?”

Attack on Giants—or “AoG,” as Moth liked to call it—was a popular anime series you and they had recently become obsessed with. Haruko, one of the main characters, was a sorcerer known for his shy and airheaded demeanor. Lately, his hairstyle had sparked debate in the fandom, and Moth was clearly eager to discuss it.

Now that you thought about it… what hairstyle did Haruko have in the latest episode?

Moth “cuz it’s like… almost 9:30 where you are rn”

Moth “right???? or am i just dumb and got the time zones mixed up again lol”

Glancing at the time displayed on your phone, your eyes widened in alarm. It was 9:30—nearly time for work. Letting out a string of curses, you leapt to your feet, nearly knocking over your coffee in the process.

Cursing under your breath, you toss your phone onto the couch and rush to your bedroom. Work wasn’t going to wait for you, and you’d already pushed your luck with timing this week. But as you throw open your closet, your fingers linger over your usual outfits. Today didn’t feel like a typical day—why not switch it up a bit?

Your eyes dart to the newer pieces you’d been collecting lately, leaning heavily into an emo-gothic vibe. You’ve been obsessing over the style lately, and while it wasn’t your usual go-to, the mix of dark tones and edgy accents had been calling your name.

It wasn’t like anyone at work would say much—libraries weren’t exactly fashion runways, after all. And besides… the idea of blending the “softie” energy you adored with a bad-boy edge gave you an odd sense of satisfaction.

Pulling together your outfit, you settle on:

A loose, oversized black sweater with slightly distressed hems, layered over a plain dark-gray shirt for texture. Slim-fit black pants with subtle zipper and chain details that didn’t scream “rebellion” but hinted at it. Chunky platform sneakers that added just enough height to feel bold without overdoing it. To tie it all together, you add a choker with a small pendant and a pair of simple silver rings. You glance at yourself in the mirror, adjusting the choker slightly and ruffling your hair for a casual, messy look. Softie lover with a bad-boy phase? Yeah, that checked out. With a small laugh, you grab your bag, sling it over your shoulder, and head for the door.

You lock up and start walking to work, you feel a small thrill of confidence creeping in. The outfit wasn’t just a look—it was a mood. And today, you were determined to make it through with your head held high.

“Seriously… When will that lazy bum of a landlord do something about this?” you mutter, fiddling with the stubborn lock on your apartment door.

You wiggle the key again, sighing in frustration. “I swear I’ve complained about this at least four times this month…”

“Hey there! Looking good!”

You turn to see Violet, your ever-cheerful neighbor, practically glowing as she juggles her apartment key in one hand and balances yet another potted plant on her hip with the other.

Resting on her hip was, indeed, another plant. You can’t help but wonder where on earth she was going to put it this time. Her balcony was already a mini rainforest, brimming with lush greenery and various flora. At this point, you’re almost convinced she’s converted her whole apartment into a greenhouse.

Not that you’re complaining—her plants do a fantastic job of masking the occasional smell of smoke or burnt food that wafts out when you attempt to cook. The floral, earthy aroma is a blessing in disguise.

“Love the shoes, by the way! The color reeeeally compliments your aura this morning,” Violet gushes, beaming at you.

A small laugh escapes you as you glance down at your platform sneakers. “Thanks, Violet.”

“You’ll have to let me peek inside your closet someday,” she says, winking. “I’ve been looking for some new inspiration lately. Especially with winter right around the corner… Ahh, I’m getting excited just thinking about it!”

Her enthusiasm is contagious, and you find yourself smiling despite your earlier frustration with the lock.

“Oh! But back to you!” Violet’s voice pulls you out of your thoughts, her growing smile as bright as ever.

“Yeah, it’s nice to see you too!” Violet chirps, her smile never faltering. “I’d usually still be at the flower shop at this time, so it’s nice to finally be able to catch up with you like this—especially when our schedules align!”

She adjusts the potted plant on her hip before adding, “Speaking of! You should stop by my place the next time you’re free. I’d love to introduce you to this little guy’s family.”

You glance at the plant she’s holding, raising an eyebrow at the thought of meeting its “family.” Before you can say anything, Violet’s eyes light up, and she leans closer.

“Oh, I almost forgot! I’ve been meaning to ask you this, but… When were you going to tell me that you were seeing someone?”

You blink, thrown off by the sudden topic change. “What?”

“C’mon! Don’t act like you didn’t just have a guy over last night. I saw him leaving when I took Cathy out for a walk.”

For a moment, your brain stalls. The fact that Violet takes her plants—her named plants—out for nighttime strolls is peculiar enough, but the idea of someone leaving your apartment completely derails your thoughts.

You shoot Violet a concerned look, and she immediately picks up on it.

“You… don’t remember? Don’t tell me you were drunk or something!”

She lets out a huff, abandoning her attempt to unlock her own stubborn door. Setting the plant down carefully, she saunters over to you, her expression a mix of curiosity and mischief.

“Tall guy? Wearing a dark slasher hoodie? Probably into either alt fashion or bondage with the crazy amount of belts and loops wrapped around his leg?”

Violet tilts her head, eyes narrowing thoughtfully. “Oh, and he had dark black hair. Pretty striking, honestly.”

Her words make your stomach lurch. A memory flashes through your mind—soft laughter, small hands grasping a silver ring, and a promise made in the naivety of childhood. Could it be… him? The boy who disappeared from your life so long ago?

Without thinking, you stammer, “I-It’s my boyfriend!” The words leave your mouth before you can stop them, and your voice cracks just enough to make you cringe inwardly.

Violet blinks, surprised, then smirks knowingly. “Ohhh, really? Your boyfriend, huh? Well, now I definitely need to meet him. You should introduce him sometime.”

You nod frantically, hoping to change the subject. “Y-Yeah, sure, I’ll… I’ll do that.”

She beams, her curiosity seemingly satisfied for now. “Great! Well, I’m off to raid some dungeons in that MMO I told you about. Gotta carry my team, as usual.”

With a giggle, she scoops up her potted plant and waves as she heads back to her apartment. “Later, go with your mystery-dater!”

You wave weakly, watching her retreat. As soon as she’s out of sight, you scratch your head in frustration. “What the hell was that?” you mutter under your breath.

Not all dark-haired guys could possibly be him. What were you even thinking? That kid—the one who gave you that ring, who promised you the world in the way only children could—was nothing more than a distant memory. You haven’t seen him in years. Childhood romance? Seriously? You shake your head, letting out a huff.

Still, the thought lingers longer than it should, tugging at the edges of your mind as you lock your door and finally head off to work.

You shake your head again, groaning as the realization sets in. “God, I’m such an idiot!” You can’t help but say it aloud, even if you’re just talking to yourself. The more you think about it, the dumber it seems.

Why did you even react like that? Just because some guy with dark hair left your apartment, it doesn’t mean it was him. It’s probably just some random guy. You never even saw his face, so why did you feel the need to defend him like that? Just a few words from Violet, and suddenly you’re out here saying it’s your boyfriend. Your boyfriend? Really?

It didn’t help that you got flustered, making the situation even weirder. Your head feels heavy, and you want to slam your palm against your forehead in frustration. You’re staring at the door as though it’s the culprit here, like the very existence of it will somehow make everything less awkward. But deep down, you know that’s not the case.

This is dumb. You’ve known him for how long? The answer is years—and all you’ve got to show for it is a bunch of fragmented memories and a ring that’s gathering dust somewhere. You didn’t even know if that kid—no, that person—is still out there, or if he’s even remotely the same. Yet, here you are, thinking maybe you’ve let some weird twist of fate drop him back into your life in the most awkward way possible.

Exhaling sharply. The room feels suddenly smaller, your thoughts cluttered with questions that don’t have answers. What does this even mean?

“Seriously?” you mutter again, this time with a crying emoji look on your face, as if to signal just how messed up everything has become in the span of a few minutes. You stare at the wall, your mind reeling with the possibilities. Could it be that someone’s been in your house without you knowing?

The idea doesn’t sit well with you at all. You have a pretty strong feeling that you’d notice something off about your apartment. Yet, even as you mentally search for clues, everything seems… normal? You don’t remember anything being out of place, no missing items, no strange smells. Just the same old messy, cozy apartment where you usually keep to yourself.

But what if you missed something?

What if this guy—whoever he is—had been sneaking around your apartment when you weren’t looking? What if he’d been here for more than just that one night, slipping in and out like some shadow, while you thought nothing was amiss? The thought sends a shiver down your spine, your heart racing at the very possibility.

It makes sense, doesn’t it? People break into places all the time, right? Or maybe he didn’t break in—what if he just slipped in? You remember how relaxed you’ve been, how easily you let your guard down after getting used to living alone. You’ve never been paranoid or particularly cautious. Maybe that’s the issue. Maybe you’ve been too comfortable.

The more you think about it, the worse it gets. You try to shake off the thoughts, but they persist, like dark clouds following you no matter where you go. You can’t shake the feeling that something’s wrong, even if you can’t quite put your finger on it.

You don’t know how long you’ve been sitting there when your phone buzzes again, but it startles you enough to snap you out of your spiraling thoughts. You grab it instinctively, desperate for something to take your mind off the wild ideas plaguing you.

The message is from Violet, which only makes you feel more like an idiot. Seriously? Why is she messaging you now?

Violet

“Heyyy! I almost forgot to mention something! I was just thinking… If you’re not busy later, I could swing by and help you with that lock issue. I can’t stand when things like that get in the way, and you’ve been dealing with it for a while, huh?”

You stare at the message, considering it for a second. Help with the lock? You could definitely use some help. You haven’t been able to get it to work properly for ages, and it’s becoming a hassle. But now, you’re not even sure if you want anyone over. Not after what Violet said.

The nagging thought creeps back. What if someone has already been in here? What if they’re waiting for me to slip up again?

You rub your face with your hand, fighting the urge to get paranoid. Stop it. You’re overthinking this, you try to tell yourself, but it doesn’t help. Violet’s just being nice. She doesn’t know anything. You’ve got nothing to hide, right?

Your fingers hover over the keyboard, undecided on whether to reply. You don’t want to sound weird or like you’re flipping out. You’ve barely seen Violet more than a few times when your schedules happen to align. But you can’t deny that there’s something unsettling about this whole situation now.

Maybe you should talk to her. You should’ve just talked to her earlier, told her you’re fine. Instead, you defended someone you don’t even know, let your own stupid reaction make things weird, and now you’re overthinking everything. You let one stupid comment spiral out of control.

You take a deep breath and start typing.

You

“Thanks for the offer, but I’m okay for now. It’s just one of those things, y’know? Maybe next time though!”

You hit send before you can second-guess yourself. Maybe it’s better to leave it at that. Besides, you’ve got enough to handle with work and your apartment, and you’re not sure you’re ready to let someone into your life, especially with all the confusion swirling around.

For now, you’ll deal with it alone.

“Oh!”

She looks surprised for some reason before her expression softens into a warm smile. She tilts her head slightly, beckoning you closer with a subtle nod.

Elanor, one of your co-workers at Corland Bay Library, is one of the few people here who actually gets things done. She’s a bit scatterbrained—infamously so—but she more than makes up for it with her kind and doting attitude toward everyone.

Still, her nurturing personality can feel… overbearing at times, and you’ve learned to step away every now and then just to catch a breather.

“Sooooo?” she starts, her tone light and teasing. “How does it feel to no longer be the one in charge of stacking books all day long?”

Before you can respond, she adds, “Although… You’ll still have to work the front desk from time to time, unfortunately.”

You offer a polite smile, shrugging slightly, before making your way past her. Rounding the corner, you duck down and slide your bag under the desk. You start pulling out your belongings, preparing for the day ahead.

The familiar chime of the library’s front door rings out, signaling that another patron has just entered. You glance toward Elanor briefly, figuring she’s got it all handled. She always does, even with her scatterbrained tendencies.

For now, you focus on getting your things organized, letting the quiet hum of the library settle your earlier frustrations. The bookshelves, the faint scent of paper and ink, the low murmur of distant conversations—this place has always been a refuge, even on your busiest days.

Still, there’s a nagging thought in the back of your mind: the strange conversation with Violet..

Elanor

“Looks like he’s back again.”

Elanor chuckles softly, inclining her head toward the person she’s talking about.

“You know, that new guy. I don’t know when he started showing up here in the Bay, but he always comes in and rents the books you put on the display window.”

Her voice takes on a teasing tone as she continues, “And if I didn’t know any better, I’d say he has a little crush on you.”

She pauses for dramatic effect, adding with a playful grin, “Because he was staring. A lot.”

You snort, rolling your eyes as you push Elanor’s office chair so she’s facing the other way. Without another word, you turn your attention back to the papers in front of you, trying to shake off the heat rising to your cheeks.

What is with everyone today? you think, frustrated. Smiling too much, gossiping, meddling in business that isn’t theirs—it’s like everyone is conspiring to test your patience.

And as if the morning hadn’t been chaotic enough, the thought of a potential intruder still lingers at the back of your mind. It’s a problem your deadbeat landlord probably won’t do anything about, no matter how many complaints you’ve filed.

You sigh heavily. Maybe I should just buy a stronger lock on my way home. Or even an alarm system. But then another thought strikes you: Would the stores even still be open by the time I get off work?

The realization only adds to your frustration, and you rub your temples, trying to will away the tension building in your head.

Elanor

“Would you look at that… Loverboy in aisle 8 needs some help, it seems.”

She nods toward the flashing red light above the bookshelves, the signal for staff assistance.

With a sigh, you reluctantly rise from your chair. Of course, Elanor isn’t going to help him herself, and you already know she’s grinning like a Cheshire cat, thoroughly enjoying your predicament.

Refusing to glance back at her, you begrudgingly head toward aisle 8. You can practically feel the smug energy radiating from behind you as you weave through the shelves.

Turning the corner, you’re met with a broad figure standing with his back to you. He’s wearing what has to be the comfiest cardigan you’ve ever seen. The stranger hasn’t noticed you yet, so you awkwardly clear your throat and shift your weight from one foot to the other.

“Ahem!”

The guy flinches at the sound, startled, before turning around.

“Ah-!”

When he finally faces you, you’re momentarily struck silent. His soft, doe-like eyes and towering height catch you off guard, and you’re left staring for a beat too long.

So this is the guy who always checks out my book recommendations? you wonder. He fits the cosy literature-lover vibe perfectly.

But it’s his pink hair that really throws you off—it immediately reminds you of Haruko, the anime character you’ve been obsessing over with Moth during your late-night video calls. Even the cut and style of his hair look eerily similar.

Is this a coincidence? Or is this hairstyle trending, and I’m just the last person to know?

You take another good look at him, craning your neck slightly to get past the sheer height difference. There’s something else, too—he looks like a near picture-perfect version of the male lead from Always With You, a webcomic you’ve been devouring lately.

Your thoughts spiral into comparisons, imagining this guy as the real-life version of the dreamy love interest from the story.

You’re so lost in your imagination that you don’t notice his sheepish movements until he scratches his jaw, seemingly trying to snap you out of it.

“Woah… You look…”

His quiet murmur barely registers in your distracted mind.

“But I thought you preferred softer clothing…? That’s why I…”

His voice trails off, leaving you blinking as you try to figure out what he’s talking about.

Realizing how spaced out you must seem, he quickly clears his throat, his face tinged with cherry-pink embarrassment.

“Ahem! Um… S-Sorry, I hope I’m not bothering you.”

He shifts on his feet, glancing at the books around him as if searching for a lifeline.

“I was just looking for… Uhh…”

The sound of his voice pulls you back to the present, and you mentally shake yourself out of your daze. The words spilling from his lips tumble out softly, and you can’t help but notice how they match his gentle, uncertain demeanor.

Suddenly, you feel a wave of self-consciousness. What is wrong with me? Pull it together, Y/N!

Your gaze flickers up to his face again, drawn irresistibly to his big blue eyes. They’re impossibly soft, like a watercolor painting, but there’s something hauntingly familiar about them.

And then you see it.

A glint of silver catches your eye—a ring hanging from a delicate chain around his neck. Your breath catches in your throat. That ring. That simple, unassuming band… It couldn’t be, could it?

No, it’s not possible…

A ring. Dangling from a chain.

Your breath hitches.

No… It couldn’t be. But as your eyes dart between the ring and his face, the realization slams into you like a tidal wave.

Those eyes.

The boy.

The boy.

Your legs feel like they might give out as you stare at him, your heart racing faster with every passing second.

It’s him.

But it’s unmistakable. The memories come rushing back, flooding your mind like a tidal wave.

The boy.

The boy from your childhood.

The one who used to run with you through the sun-dappled park. The one who’d promised, with a shy, earnest smile, The one who gave you a ring just like that before vanishing from your life, leaving behind nothing but a bittersweet ache in your heart.

And now here he was, standing right in front of you, wearing the very thing you thought you’d only ever see in your dreams.

You can feel your heart pounding in your chest, the rhythm chaotic and overwhelming. Those eyes—those impossibly blue eyes—stare back at you, still soft and warm, just as you remember.

He’s taller now, broader, more grown-up. But those eyes? Those haven’t changed. Not one bit.

Your mouth opens, but no words come out. Your throat feels tight, your thoughts scrambled. You’re struck between disbelief and certainty.

It’s him. It’s really him.

Your chest tightens as your gaze drops to the ring again—the one on the chain around his neck. And then, lower, to his hand.

A second ring sits snugly on his finger, in the spot where a wedding band would be.

Your mind reels, the pieces clicking together, faster than you can process. Tears threaten to spill as your heart twists painfully in your chest. You’ve found him.

After all these years, you’ve finally found him.

But—what’s with the pink hair?!

You feel like the biggest idiot in the world. Not because you’re suddenly self-conscious about your messy hair or the way your cardigan doesn’t quite match your outfit. Not even because you spent the past five minutes spacing out like an awkward weirdo.

No, you feel like an idiot for not realizing it sooner.

But you weren’t wrong about those eyes. Not then. Not now.

You blink rapidly, willing yourself to say something—anything—but all that comes out is a stammered:

“I—uh…”

He tilts his head slightly, his brows knitting together in mild concern. His voice, soft as ever, pulls you from your spiraling thoughts.

“Are you okay?”

Okay? How could you possibly explain that your world just flipped upside down because you’re standing face to face with the boy who disappeared from your life, only to return looking like he stepped straight out of a daydream?

You swallow hard, gripping the edges of the book cart in front of you for stability. Your gaze darts back to the ring for a moment, as if needing further confirmation that this isn’t just some cruel trick of the light.

But it’s there. Just like those eyes.

“It’s… nothing.” Your voice is quieter than you intended, almost lost in the vast silence of the aisle.

He seems unconvinced but doesn’t press you further. Instead, he gives a small, uncertain smile, shifting awkwardly on his feet. The motion causes the ring to glint again, mocking you with its undeniable truth.

You were an idiot.

But not about this. Not about him.

His voice pulls you back to the present, and you hastily try to make sense of the words tumbling from his cherry-tinted lips. Watching him struggle to find the right words makes your heart flutter with sympathy, and you offer him a reassuring smile, nodding encouragingly.

At that, he takes a deep breath and tries again.

“…I need some help. I—I’m looking for a specific book, you see, but…”

Aaaaand there it is—the sleeve-tugging. The endearing awkwardness in the way he shifts nervously, almost as if he’s in a scene straight out of one of those anime shows you and Moth were always obsessed with. You can’t help but think, Moth is going to lose it when I tell them about this later.

The stranger in front of you inhales shakily once more before speaking again. This time, though, his voice is steadier, more confident, and there’s a fire in his eye.

“…Do you have any books on native flora? The best I’ve found are on generic wildlife, but nothing on Corland Bay’s plants.”

Native flora? The first thought that crosses your mind is to introduce him to Violet—she’d love to help. But then you snap back to the present, chuckling softly to yourself as you step closer to him, scanning the shelf beside him.

He almost seems to flinch at your sudden proximity, but he doesn’t move away. In fact, he leans just a little closer, his head tilting towards yours. You don’t notice it at first, but his breath hitches when your scent reaches him, and for a moment, the air between you feels heavier.

“No, you’re definitely in the right aisle. Those kinds of books are just… more hidden, I guess.”

You step past him this time, making your way over to the lower section of the shelves. Your fingers skim over the spines of the books absent-mindedly, until you find exactly what you’re looking for. You pull it out, giving the cover a once-over before holding it out to him.

“Is this what you’re looking for?”

You barely notice how his gaze trails over your form as you adjust the book in your hands, your focus more on the misplaced cookbook on the shelf than the stranger behind you. You wonder if this book is really that interesting or if he’s just that into nature. Either way, he takes a tentative step forward and reaches out, pulling the book from your grasp with his shaky fingers.

He flips through a few pages, his eyes darting quickly over the contents, before giving a satisfied nod.

“Y-Yes! This was exactly what I was looking for! Thank you…”

You smile, relieved that you were able to help.

“I’m glad.”

Then, to your surprise, he suddenly adds with a soft laugh, “Haha, you’re like an angel sent down from heaven or something. You’re so helpful. Kind, too.”

Your eyes widen, unable to fully process what he just said. The words hang in the air, a bit too sweet, a bit too much for your heart to handle right now.

“…What?” you stammer, not sure if you heard him correctly.

“W-What?”

He seems mortified, his face flushing as he stammers in embarrassment. “Oh! I—I didn’t—Did I say that out loud? I didn’t mean to! Ugh, that must’ve been so weird… I’m so sorry!”

The sight of him about to crumble into a ball of nerves makes your heart clench. You quickly raise your hands in a reassuring manner and give him a gentle smile.

“Hey, it’s fine! No need to freak out. I just… I wasn’t expecting someone to say that about me, is all.”

He looks at you, still flustered, but with a relieved smile. “R-Really? Well, I think it’s true for what it’s worth.”

“Um… Thanks?”

You figure that’s your cue to leave before things get even more awkward. You offer him one last friendly smile and glance subtly back toward the reception desk, hoping for some excuse to break away. But the eccentric man shows no signs of moving. Instead, he just stands there, staring down at you expectantly.

Did he want to continue the conversation? It seems unlikely since he hasn’t said anything—he just… watches you.

Awkwardly, you clear your throat for what feels like the millionth time today and gesture vaguely toward the reception desk behind you, hoping that’ll be enough to send him on his way.

You both just stand there, locked in an awkward silence, staring at each other. It’s as if the world has slowed down, the only sounds being your heart thumping in your chest and the soft shuffle of his feet on the library floor.

“…Uh. Y-You shouldn’t stare at me like that,” you say, trying to break the tension, your voice coming out more softly than you intended. He looks at you like a good boy, all wide-eyed and unsure, making you feel even more self-conscious.

“Especially when it’s with a stranger you don’t know,” you add, puffing out a little sigh of frustration. God… You mutter under your breath, cursing yourself for even thinking about it. You never should’ve said that. Not when your almost childhood fiancé is standing right in front of you.

Nevermind, you tell yourself, swallowing your thoughts before they spill out any further.

He blinks at your words, clearly caught off guard, but instead of retreating, he straightens up slightly, a sheepish smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

“Actually… Now that I think about it, you haven’t told me your name yet,” he says, almost as if the realization had just dawned on him.

You sigh, feeling a mix of amusement and annoyance at how easily he shifts back to normal.

“Oh! Haha, I guess you’re right.”

You’re overthinking like an idiot. Your mind is racing, completely trapped in the realization that this is him. How did you not see it sooner? Those eyes. Those damn blue eyes. You didn’t even tell him anything about yourself, and yet here he is, standing right in front of you. Your heart nearly stops when he almost says his name as Redact—but you hold that damn smile like a minion, forcing your cheeks not to puff up in pure disbelief.

You can’t look away. You can’t stop staring at him. Is this really happening? Is this just some twisted dream? There’s no way—no way it could be him, right?

But then he speaks again, effortlessly breaking your spiral.

“Do what? Anyway! You can just call me Ren if you’d like,” he says, giving you a soft, almost amused smile.

Ren? Wait, what? Is it really him? Was he even flirting with you just now? Your mind whirls even faster, trying to process everything all at once.

“Is it alright if I call you Y/n? Although… Angel does suit you just as well, haha,” he adds, the tone of his voice making your heart race even more.

What. The. Hell. Just happened? Were you imagining things? Were you really just caught in some weird flirty moment with someone who looked like… him?

But then you gather enough courage to ask, your voice a bit more unsteady than usual.

“How did you know my name? I don’t remember telling you.”

Ren’s smile only grows. “Silly, it’s on your name tag.”

He reaches forward with that graceful, fluid movement and gently flicks the name tag that you somehow forgot you were even wearing this morning.

“Oh,” you mutter, realizing the awkwardness of it all.

For a second, you almost feel relieved. Maybe it wasn’t him after all—maybe it was just your mind playing tricks on you.

But no. Those eyes. They never lie. You know exactly who you’re standing in front of. The boy. The blue eyes. You can’t deny it any longer.

It’s him. It’s really him.

Ren’s voice cuts through the air, almost playful in its tone.

“Say, are you busy later? I’d love to thank you for helping me find this book.”

Seriously, what is up with this guy? One minute, he’s shy, barely able to string a sentence together, and the next, he’s boldly asking to spend time with you. It’s almost like he’s testing the waters, trying out different sides of himself to see which one you respond to better.

You hesitate for a second before replying, still trying to process everything that’s been happening.

“Actually, I’ll be busy this afternoon,” you say, trying to keep things casual. “Need to buy a new lock for my apartment.”

Ren furrows his brow at that.

“A new lock? That doesn’t sound good. Can I ask why?”

You pause for a second, mulling over whether or not you should tell him. But, it doesn’t seem like there’s any harm in it. He’s a stranger, but what’s the worst that could happen? It’s not like he’s going to show up at your door and test the lock himself.

“Apparently, someone broke into my apartment last night, and I didn’t even notice. I don’t think they stole anything, but still. It’s creepy,” you say, feeling the unease creep up on you again.

You shrug slightly, trying to brush it off as casually as you can.

“I figured it’s better to be safe than sorry, you know?”

Ren looks genuinely concerned, his gaze softening as he listens.

“Stay up all night if you have to. Really get the edge on them,” he says, an odd but kind suggestion.

You can’t help but laugh at that. There’s something about his words—so unexpected yet sincere—that make it hard not to warm up to him. He seems more relaxed now, his usual awkwardness replaced by something far more comfortable. Maybe this is the side of him you like better.

“Yeah? And who’s gonna be the one to beat the guy up at 3AM?” you joke, though the thought of it does make you feel a little safer, somehow. “Because last I checked, I’m not really the type to go around throwing punches at people I don’t know. And definitely not before the sun is up and shining.”

Before you can even finish your thought, Ren speaks up, his voice steady and confident.

“I could do it for you,” he says without missing a beat.

You blink, not sure if you heard that right.

“You?” you ask, clearly surprised. “But— I mean, we don’t even know each other that well, and…”

Ren shrugs, unfazed.

“That’s fine,” he says with a grin. “I could tell you aaaall about myself on the walk there.”

Your eyebrows furrow as you take in his words, and you can’t help but feel your heart skip a beat. There’s something about his confidence, something different from the shy guy you met moments ago.

“My whole life story and everything,” Ren continues, his grin widening. “Where I was born, the school I went to, how many cute librarians I’ve met…” He pauses, then adds, with a mischievous twinkle in his eye, “Which happens to be one, so far.”

You open your mouth to say something, but before you can, Ren seems to pick up on your reaction—your discomfort, or maybe your surprise—and quickly backtracks.

“Ah, well,” he stammers, clearly realizing his words weren’t exactly what you expected. “What I meant was… You know, you’re really…uh…nice. And helpful. Really helpful. Sorry if that sounded weird.”

You pause for a moment, your mind racing as Ren’s words continue to echo in your head. He could really help me out… You bite your lip, fighting off the unease that comes with letting a near-stranger into your space. But… he did seem strong, and the idea of not facing this alone makes the decision easier.

“Actually… you could come by my place,” you say, surprising even yourself. “I mean, you seem strong enough to handle anything if, y'know, something goes wrong. Plus… you did offer.” You give him a small, reassuring smile, hoping he doesn’t take it the wrong way.

Ren’s eyes widen slightly, clearly surprised by your suggestion. But just as quickly, his expression shifts to one of eagerness, almost too eager. A wide grin spreads across his face.

“Yeah? Sure!! Of course! I’ll be there!” He practically beams, his earlier shyness vanishing. It’s like a switch flipped, and now he’s practically bouncing in place.

You can’t help but smile back at him, but a small voice in the back of your mind nags you. What are you doing? You barely know this guy. Still, the idea of him coming over… it almost feels right. Maybe you’re being a bit of an idiot, but at this moment, you don’t really care. You nod to yourself, deciding to just go with it. He might be exactly what you need.

But then, just as you’re about to say something else, the sound of heels clicking across the floor interrupts you. You turn, and there’s Eleanor, walking up to the desk with that ever-sweet, slightly apologetic expression on her face.

“Hey, uh, your boss is here,” she says, clearly noticing the way Ren’s mood shifts instantly.

Ren’s smile falters just a bit, and for a second, you think you see something close to irritation flash across his face. But just as quickly, it’s gone, replaced by a polite smile. He shifts his gaze back to you, his posture still tense.

“Guess I’ll see you later?” he says, voice a bit lower than before.

You feel a pang of disappointment, but quickly shake it off.

“Yeah, I’ll see you,” you reply, still smiling. “Take care of him, Eleanor.” You give her a pointed look, making sure she knows to keep an eye on him while you’re gone.

With that, you quickly turn on your heel, not wanting to linger any longer. You’ve already made your decision. Time to move on. You wave a quick goodbye to Ren, your heart still pounding, and make your way out, hoping that whatever this is… doesn’t turn into something you’ll regret later.

Poor Ren, though. You can’t help but feel a little bad leaving him with Eleanor—poor soul. You can only imagine how that conversation is going to go.

You hurry out of the store, a strange feeling pulses in your chest—like something you’ve forgotten is suddenly coming back. Your mind keeps flashing to Ren, his words, the way his eyes shifted when you suggested he come to your apartment. Wait a minute…

You stop mid-step, your breath catching. It can’t be him… But as you replay everything in your mind—the soft, nervous demeanor, the blue eyes that glinted with something familiar, the awkward charm—Oh my god. It hits you like a lightning bolt. You weren’t an idiot! You did know him.

Ren was the boy who confessed to you all those years ago. The one Leon had scared off, That was him. The memories rush back. The shy, stuttering confession, the flushed face, the way he’d stood in front of you, unsure of how to make himself heard.

He was your childhood almost fiancé —the one who slipped away from your life without you even realizing it. You could hardly believe it, but now everything made sense. The way he’d been so eager to talk to you, his sudden confidence after the awkwardness—it was like he had been waiting for this moment, for you to recognize him.

You gasp, your heart racing. Ren No, Redacted. He’s been here this whole time.

You turn around, the impulse to rush back almost overwhelming, but then your feet freeze. What are you going to do? Run back to him and admit everything? Or would that make it all worse?

But before you can make up your mind, the voice in your head interrupts, a soft laugh escaping your lips. Screw it. You found him. Your childhood crush, who had somehow slipped through your fingers and now stands before you again.

This is it.

[tokyo-daaaamn-ji-gang]

I am unabashedly requesting for rindou and Inui light-hearted cute funny HCs in a world where Bonten Rin has a huge crush on Inui (crushing on him since tenjiku times)

what are some of the things a secretly lovestruck Rin would do? He has to keep his feelings for an oblivious Inui at bay but he at the same time wants to see Inui as much as he possibly can

(if this req is too weirdly specific pls feel free to disregard this!!!!!! I love ur stuff as always mwah)

That sounds cute! Here's how I think bonten Rindou would act while crushing on Inui!

Honestly Rindou is pretty bad at hiding his crush, he blushes and get's flustered pretty easily. The only reason it hasn't been discovered by Inui yet is because Inui is so oblivious. 

Rindou keeps turning up at Inui and Drakens bike shop with 'problems' but they're like the smallest and silliest problems possible (he's actually just coming up with excuses to see Inui but he's not very good at it).

Brings Inui lunch often, normally with excuses like "they accidentally gave me extra" or "I packed too much today" Inui finds this a little odd but doesn't question it because free food.

Walks past the bike shop often, one time Inui waved at him and he almost walked into a street light in shock. 

Sometimes Rindou accidentally goes round there when Inui's not working and then he has very awkward interactions with Draken instead. 

One time Inui brings up how he wanted to beat Rindou and Ran up after he got out of juvie but then he immediately regrets mentioning it because he thinks it's probably weird to bring up now? Meanwhile Rindou is just thinking like "wow he knew I existed even all the way back then". 

Normally they talk about their weeks or random things while in the shop together, with Rindou browsing or waiting for Inui to finish whatever small problem he has now. Both of them enjoy these talks a lot. After awhile Rindou doesn't need the excuses anymore because it's accepted that he just takes his lunch breaks in the shop to hangout with Inui.

Rindou plans for ages on how to casually see Inui outside of the bike shop (his main plan is to invite him to see a movie together but he always get's too nervous). But then one day, when Rindou is mid rant about not having a good gym partner, Inui volunteers. Which really throws Rindou off for a sec but he quickly agrees and they become gym buddies. 

Rindou absolutely tries to show off his strength and flexibility to Inui.

During one lunch time hangout, Inui accidentally drinks from Rindou's bottle of water and Rindou stops functioning for a sec because indirect kiss!???

Rindou thinks he's being so secretive with this crush but literally everyone can tell aside from Inui. 

One time when they're walking past the shop together, Ran makes a comment to Rindou like "you sure do like going into that shop don't you?" and Rindou, who's panicking just goes "I've never been in there before" (this happens seconds after Inui waved at Rindou and Rindou waved back. 

Sometimes Rindou will leave anonymous gifts for Inui like a bouquet of his favourite flowers (he had to pay Koko for that information).

And finally, Rindou may not know it but he has already confessed to Inui. One time when they went drinking together, a drunken Rindou told Inui how much he loves him. Inui just smiled at him and said "you're drunk". Rindou may have forgotten that incident but Inui remembers it and wonders if he'll get to hear those words again from Rindou some day...

[novagon]

Quick rant yeah-

Edit: [ some people would most likely want to reblog this to debunk or correct my rant and opinion. I ask you to read the reblogs because I've already discussed this with another user and all my counterarguments are there. If you want to have a discussion/debate on that as well, feel free to do so. But please do so in a civil manner. I will not be responding to insults and rude behaviour. ]

I love (not) how kny's 3 most popular ships involve the men being very jealous and possessive of their love interests to a concerning level.

Yushiro, Zenitsu, and Obanai are so questionable. On one side we have this demon dude who'd probably murder you for doing the most normal actions anyone would do when having a conversation with someone else. Like— please calm down and stop smacking Tanjirō just because he looked at her wrong or something.

And then we got the 16-year-old teenager whose first reaction to seeing "the love of his life" for the first time is to MURDER HER BROTHER and scream the whole night, and throw tantrums about his feet hurting whenever his crush interacts with his own best friend.

We also have Iguro "I don't deserve to be with Mitsuri because I have dirty blood" Obanai threatening Tanjirō for having a good relationship with his crush.

Idc if these were supposed to be 'funny'. It's not (imo). It's just mad weird. It's great that some of them had character development towards the end, though Zenitsu's is kinda ambiguous. I reckon he didn't really change all that much, but who knows.

[statementlou]

ZAYN'S FIRST TOUR I can’t believe it’s over guys… like not only my shows, but also the WHOLE TOUR, it’s like a double punch, that was so fucking fun!! But also it’s just the fucking start, by the end he was having so much FUN, we’ve really got him hooked and cleansed of his demons now yall, it is ON and I’m so excited. It was weird having tickets first to the opening show of the whole tour, and then it got changed to somewhere in the middle, and then it got changed again to the LAST two shows of tour, a whole rollercoaster, and not getting the opening show after all was disappointing but in the end I loved getting to go to the end of it. I loved watching the lives- starting out saying, oh I’ll just watch the first one probably, but then it was so good and he ended up being so much fun that I just didn’t want to miss a thing, and the change from start to finish… honestly mind blowing. I went on the first SF night with fellow livestream gang girlie @justanothershadeofblue but also with @uhoh-but-yeah-alright and @homosociallyyours who had not been watching the lives or videos at all, didn’t know the setlist, etc, and seeing him up there just ON FIRE, yelling and bouncing and chatting, so outgoing and excited and comfortable laughing and teasing and playing off the crowd and hitting every mark… I could say to them, wow at the beginning he was so nervous and awkward and mumbly and would mess up and have to be like oh uh can we restart that song all the time and didn't interact with the crowd at all, this is really different, but how can anyone really believe that when he’s just owning the space and yelling FUUUUCK YEAH!! every couple minutes at the top of his lungs?? Incredible!! The BLOSSOMING we've witnessed these last few months has been a fucking gift, for real, I'm so proud and happy for him.

Anyway more specific show thoughts: I danced and waved my arms around like an absolute idiot the whole time it was great, he was SO FUNNY and fun, the energy feedback loop of him getting so excited by us being hype and it feeling so good to make him so happy and getting even more hype, SO FUN, I loved that he seemed to be genuinely excited by the idea of San Francisco for whatever reason even if he did call it San Fran about 8000 times like a giant nerd, like I’m very lucky to live somewhere where I get to see them at all but after how Harry and Louis for example play out in the outlying areas and plus treat Bay Area shows as an afterthought to deal with on their way to LA it felt really nice, and I also felt super blessed to get to go to the end of the zour because although throughout he had struggled some with learning to sing SO MUCH AT A TIME without losing his voice (Zayn HIRE HELENE) and had to be conscious of that, on that final night he didn’t have to worry and just went for it and it was EVERYTHING, and! Most important of all! Even though at least for me I think night one was superior on night two the most important thing of all happened, something I will treasure forever even though I didn’t get it on video and didn’t even realize what I was experiencing until right after it happened: I, bander, was in the room when Zayn Malik said my favorite Zayn Malikism of all time right there in front of my salad, I experienced the beloved WHOOPSEH DAISEH with my own two ears!! So grateful, so zlessed, life is good! He also said vas happening but idk what to tell you, I’m a whooseh daiseh girlie forever I loved every minute of this tour, and can’t wait for the shows coming up, and also the circumstances were so shit and it doesn’t make Liam’s death any less tragic nor have I forgotten: but I am really glad that as a fandom we got something nice and fun and happy during this time, we really needed that. Was thinking last night though about how when we got the tickets for this Megan and I were like holy shit we never thought Zayn would tour, now we really will get to see 5/5 playing solo shows together, we’ll just need to go see Liam sometime after this…. it’ll be 4/5 forever now. But not the 4 you would have guessed a year ago, and I am truly happy for Zayn that he's been able to feel the joy of performing again, and in a lot of ways probably for the first time it's been like this.

[sandandlightning]

Let's talk about Wicca

Had a really weird interaction the other day. I don't know if I am Too Young™ or Too Old™ or what, but basically I ran into someone trying to... cancel it? The whole thing? I... have not heard that one before, so I wanted to ask? Talk about it? Start a conversation? Figure out a general what the fuck? Something. It left me a bit shook tbh. More details below the cut on my experiences if interested.

So what have y'all's experiences been? I want to hear from people. Has wicca treated you well? Poorly? Was it an awkward stepping stone to more focused disciplines like it was for many people I know? Was it where you settled? Did you interact with both good and bad groups? Is this 'canceling' of wicca a thing the kids are doing these days? Or another gen are doing these days? Like I just... I guess, I want to know where the fuck this all came from, because outside of a rep of being 'babys first magic time' I hadn't been aware of it being Problematic™

It started when I mentioned researching wicca in my early teens and preteens as many witches in my day did when on the start of their journeys. Not even saying that I practiced it (well, got cut off before I could say much) just mentioned it being a pool i was sticking a tow into to educate myself. Didn't huh, didn't think this would be controversial?

I was interrupted with a 'SO GLAD I never had to deal with any of that messed up stuff LOL' I was really thrown. No religion is perfect, wicca is no exception, but that was pretty harsh. I asked, and I got a lecture about how it was 'basically just an elitist cult started by two white guys appropriating a bunch of things from different cultures.'

So you know 0 to 90 a bit. No pulling punches. Aite.

Don't get me wrong, I'm fully aware that wicca is a neopagan movement that is incredibly modern and has cherry picked certain practices from our (or well, certain groups) ancestors. Like any movement there are groups that are catty and snobby and elitist, and ones that are chills and loosey goosey. Also you know, definitionally, most religions are started when 'some guy decided to write some shit down' it's what you do with that information that gives it meaning.

I never once interacted with wicca in a way that made it 'culty'. Vast majority of people I knew were solo practitioners int he late 90s through 2010s. Most people recognized it as a structure guideline and didn't yell at people for not following things to a letter- it just became a popular format for eclectic work that gave people *some* common ground while letting you plug in the obscure deities from different pantheons you clicked with without going the full reconstructionist route. That's how it was for me.

I never identified as a 'wiccan' but I definitely adopted lots of 'wiccan practices'. I like the wheel of the year- mostly because I live in a deciduous, four seasons environment and relate to Kemetic and fertile crescent gods with different seasons. It's easier for me to sort of match them to these 'weather appropriate holidays' than celebrate harvests in February on a Kemetic calendar.

I did but heads with the 'fluffy bunny' movement- dunno how much of a thing that still is or isn't. I'm pro curse, I'm also pro curse responsibly. I don't think I'm going to get karmic retribution for once again asking the spirits to do something about uh, certain politicians, ya know? I consider my 'cure' work more of a user feedback for karma to better identify appropriate targets. But it used to be a THING that people would like, completely patricide you if you 'used black magic' etc etc. burning some energy hoping a guy who cut me off in traffic get stopped at every red light is not really... Uh... Damnation worthy i don't think tho.

But this didn't seem to be about that? It seemed to be about well one, claims of cultural appropriation- which... I feel like in this case is just throwing that word around so you are harder to argue with. I mean I guess technically but also it's white people pulling from their own white ancestors so I am legit confused. It also falls into the category of 'america and Europe have very different relationships with their folk traditions and paganism' thing a lot of Americans aren't aware of. Like sure, we watered some stuff down, but wicca to me was always presented specifically as a like... Frame work, not end all be all?

It was also presented as people publishing these things wholly with malicious intent. Honestly? No idea. By the time I worked with wicca it was so divorced from the source material and it's own thing I legitimately don't know how to factor this. Best I could come up with was the sort of harry potter fan vs Rowling being a terf thing- some people are refusing to let her ruin this thing important to them and making it their own. Just because a guy started it at a time doesn't mean the modern variant is at all reflective of its current practice.

This interaction came off to me, honestly, as someone with a lot of ingrained elitism favoring only 'pure reconstruction' practice. Obviously, I did not like the implication I was lessor/naive/had done something wrong for so much as learning about a practice. That's... A dangerous hot take right there. Even if something isn't perfect you can learn from it, even if you don't use anything from it. Like... Come one.

[cin-cant-donate-blood]

I was just gonna mumble something in the tags but I actually have Thoughts on this so here goes.

I don't care for LLM chatbots. No matter how impressive people keep insisting they are, I have always found them to be disappointing (perhaps because I am asking the wrong questions, but I don't think asking it to write a Shakespearian sonnet or remind me of a word I've forgotten based on a definition are very weird prompts, and it fucking sucks at both of those).

I do use them to gauge them, though. I am curious about what kinds of responses other people who are actively using them are getting.

One time I asked it what autistic people are like, just to see what it might be telling neurotypicals that people like me are like. It rattled off a number of broadly accurate things, but in the middle of everything it slipped in something to the effect that autistic people are not very good with art.

When I asked it about this, it immediately backed down and said I had misunderstood it, but it does bother me that it may well say something like that to someone else who knows less about autism.

These bots are known to be good at replicating human biases, so there is no doubt in my kind that it was, at the end of the day, replicating an already existing stereotype.

I think the stereotype that autistic people are on some level not well suited to make art (or even uninterested in it) is in turn by a mythical quality that I think of as "anti-intelligence", which is something distinct from stupidity.

The theory of anti-intelligence goes like this: there exists a human trait called intelligence or logicalness, which makes you Good With Math. If you do not have this trait, however, then fret not! The more Logical (capitalisation is tongue-in-cheek) you are, the less of something else you have, because Logic is the Yang to Intuition's Yin.

Intuition, or Anti-Intelligence, is a purported trait that makes you Good With People and also Artsy. Intuitive People might never be able to grasp math (and honestly, they should as well just give up on it, if you're too artsy you're never gonna be good at that stuff anyway), but they understand things Logical people in turn could never understand, like Love and Drinking Coffee With Your Friends (so illogical!)

The most snide interpretation of this that I as a stereotypically Logical person could make (my love of art and rhetoric are just aberrations, by the way: I shouldn't be wasting my time on them) is that this is all just people who are Bad With Math coping.

The stereotype also plays into pseudoscience about the hemispheres of the brain, and I think a lot of people who identify as Intuitive or Logical may do so with terminology like "left-brained" and "right-brained".

I think the trope of a Logical character not understanding social interaction is in part simply derived from the observation that Autistic people are often Logical and also struggle to understand and be understood by neurotypicals, but at this point it's become a self-sustaining cultural image that informs how a lot of Not Very Logical people think Logical people are.

I find all of this very frustrating because I don't think art or social rituals are illogical at all: they just appear to be if you are personally navigating them with gut feeling without analysing them further. A bit of gut feeling might well be necessary to do things quickly and smoothly enough (that is my main personal struggle with autism: not that I do not understand social situations but that I understand them too slowly, and my gut instinct often makes oversights that I notice a minute after I make them), but that conversation is completelt lost in a culture where Hanging Out With Friends is treated as Magic Beyond the Understanding of Those Dorky Scientists.

fish-out-of-water character in science fiction to whom humanity is deeply alien, but who does not continually get themselves into awkward social situations because they looked up Human Ettiquette For Dummies, they learned about basic human social dynamics including how humans bond socially, and it is immediately obvious to them after five second of introspection how a highly social tool-using species like humans would benefit from spending a lot of time building social ties

[tchaikovskym]

There is this part of me that wants to wallow in self-pity, that wants to believe I'm doomed forever and that there is nothing good waiting for me. But the funny thing is, it's not true. I am better than I used to be. I am healthier than I used to be. It's just tiring to always try to be better. And while it is a possibility that the doom part of me will turn out to be true, there is a possibility that it won't.

[moeblob]

No, I don't think I will recover from the VA's growl after Gallagher says he used to bite people. Thanks for checking. (but seriously, was that just a VA choice or is that a direction he was given? Does he rawr in other languages? I've only heard the English line).

[namorthesubmariner]

Let me preface this by saying that this response is not an attack on you, but a more general response to the many times I've seen these fandom opinions over my years as a Namor fan, and I personally do not care about the NamorSue ship at all. As a Namor fan, this sucks for many reasons, but rather than just leave it there I will explain why:

It’s weird to imagine since Namor is very different from his comic counterpart. He's actually not. At all. Comic!Namor's people were a indigenious racially ambiguous fictional sea people before they were made into Atlanteans, the original creator didn't want them to be from Atlantis when he first created them. Mcu!Namor is very solidly based on the early interpretation of the character. But instead of it being a racially ambiguous native people, they gave them a real world mesoamerican background. Read "Namor was never White to begin with" in which I explain to fans why Comic!Namor has always been coded as a biracial man. The only people who think Namor is different from comics to movie is the people who never actually know the character or base their knowledge of him on the ReedSueNamor drama in F4/other comics, when in his own comics he has a very different consistent characterization that isn't changed the instant Susan appears.

Tenoch's portrayal of Namor is exactly like his comic counterpart save for a major difference: His Talokanil people actually love Namor, the comic Atlanteans despise him for being a "half breed" so comic!Namor only had Lady Dorma, Namora, and his mother Princess Fen, treat him kindly. Everything else about Tenoch!Namor is literally ripped out of the comics, A warrior poet king who does art and wages war to protect his people? Namor in the comics does this, he creates art, he is a protector of his people, his very name in Atlantean means "Avenging Son" which his mother gave him. He is meant to grow up, be the protector and avenging son of his people. Namor is son of Talokan, as he is the son of Atlantis. It's literally the same character on screen as is in the comics, except as I said, we are now in an era where we don't have to be ambiguous about Namor's origins. The real world translation works so much better and allows the character to be seen for what he's always been. Other than that, other notable similarities: Namor's dark humor to Shuri is the same as his dry/dark humor in the comics. Namor putting his people before himself, his own body on the line, namor doing everything he can to protect his people/their lives. Namor being a princely figure etc. It's the same character and frankly anyone who says it's not, is wrong. The characterization of Namor on screen is the most accurate adaptation of any comic character I've ever seen.

So how would this work? Because right now, I’m just imagining Namor saying, “I hate all colonizers!” before he sees Susan Storm. He then says, “I hate all colonizers…but she’s alright with me!”

On a more serious note, if the writers are willing to dig deep and make this work, I can picture a storyline in which Namor and Sue are forced to spend time together. Maybe Sue is taken to Talokan because Johnny got captured by Namor’s people, so she’s there to negotiate his release. Namor then starts talking about how much he hates the surface world and so on and so forth. But through his interactions with Sue, he slowly starts to soften his perspective since he’s won over by Sue’s kindness and empathy. And, obviously, he thinks she’s gorgeous because she’s Vanessa Kirby. Basically…Beauty and the Beast (but Beast isn’t cursed). Yes, let's get serious: Susan being taken to Talokan because Johnny was captured is literally beat for beat: Shuri demands to be taken to Talokan because Riri was captured. It's literally the same. Why would we ever need to repeat that in service to a subpar ship? Yes, I do call NamorSue subpar, it's actually a horrid ship for Namor's character, it's done nothing to aid his character because he is just used as a tool for ReedSue: A brief explainer on the ReedSueNamor drama is linked here and I will be releasing a longer meta piece on that subject in the future. Another thing to note here: Susan was never the one who shows namor a different path/changes Namor's mind about humanity. It was Betty Dean.

I am actually very tired of fans erasing Betty Dean and her importance in the comics to Namor over Susan. Betty was Namor's actual first surface friend, his actual first love interest, a character who was among the very early women in comics who had her own agency and was not tied down to a romance. Sue's compassion to Namor is literally shown as "Hey maybe you three (the rest of the F4) shouldn't fight against 1 person, 3:1, because it's unfair." She recognizes that Namor was a tormented person, and thinks he deserves better, she had a slight crush on him once and it was over. Betty Dean is the actual person who talks to Namor, who tells him "not all human are bad" Susan never does this. Again, brief explainer: Betty Dean was a undercover cop working in New York when Namor starts making trouble in town, she is called in to try and capture/stop him. She pretends to drown when she sees him and Namor upon seeing her says "you are too pretty to die, even though you are an american" he saves her only for her to put a gun to his head, Namor thinks to use Betty against her people but before that goes any further war is upon them. Namor goes off to fight, and comes back after, where Betty talks to Namor about his hatred for humanity and asks him to join in their fight in the war against the Nazis, yes, Namor was the first comic character to be featured fighting Nazis. Namor talks to her about the harm her people have done, and in the end takes her words under consideration, returns home to speak to his tribe elders (his grandfather, Emperor Tha-Korr) and goes to join in the war to help Betty. It's Betty who reaches out to Namor, who tries to talk with him, who becomes his life long friend, and yes I do mean until she's an old woman. She and Namor lost touch for several decades but she reappears in the comics as an old woman, who is still Namor's friend and she even becomes the adopted mother to his cousin, Nita. (Namora's daughter)

"Beauty and the Beast but the beast isnt cursed" like, I don't want to say this but I will say this: That's racist, that is reducing Tenoch!Namor to a beast, a man of color being in that role when he's already faced so much fucking racism from fans? No. I say this as a fan who has devoured every type of Beauty and the Beast story since I was a kid, it's actually one of my most favorite dynamics in writing. I do not want that for Namor, ever. Because he's never a beast, he is a Noble Prince/King of a people who lost everything, their homes, their lives, to colonizers, whether they be Spanish Colonizers or White American Colonizers like in the comics. He's a Protector of this people and the Seas. He has his own romances that actually matter to his character and lore, and the women aren't treated as objects to lust over. He had 3 long term love interests in all his 80 some years of comics that are constantly being ignored so people can prop up NamorSue. Namor was married twice. He was widowed twice. In addition to Betty Dean, there's also Lady Dorma, Namor's first wife, and Marrina Smallwood, Namor's second wife. On another note: I just realized that this would be a love triangle in which two Latino men are fighting over a white woman. Make of that what you will.

I will make of this what I will: It's also racist. This entire thing plays on Namor being the "Aggressive Latino Lover" to Reed being the "wholesome husband" and yes the Sexually Aggressive Man of Color perusing a white woman is literally what NamorSue is in the comics, that's how it's written, no one wanted to see it because Namor had white passing skin, but when you read it it's there. Not to mention that no one ever brings up the fact that all throughout the years of Namor being used as a tool for ReedSue drama, it's hurt his character to the point where Fanon depicts him as hopelessly obsessively in love/lust with Susan, when she is never a major factor in any of his comics. I always tell fans that Namor in his own comics is different that Namor being written for F4 drama with ReedSue because writers are literally never letting that drama die, it makes marvel money, regardless if it's been overdone, regardless if its been explored in many different AUs, regardless if there was never anything there other than bad writing. NamorSue has always been to the determent of Namor's characterization in service to ReedSue.

Also as a final sidenote: If people actually read the comics they would know that Namor 1. gave his blessing for ReedSue getting married/gave them gifts 2. Helped ReedSue get back together twice when their marriage was on the rocks 3. Namor was raped by a shapeshifter wearing Sue's face, and Susan stops Namor from killing Llyra (woman who murdered dorma and namor's father and raped him), like why would anyone still think after all this that just because writers have 1 note for Namor in F4 comics which is "namor makes a pass at susan because she is so beautiful, and so white, and so beautiful" that NamorSue is a good ship or something that should be explored when it's been done to literal death in the comics.

Anyways, I do wish fans would actually take the time to understand the widely spread Fanon about Namor is wrong, and that we do not need to ever see ReedSueNamor drama in the movies or even the comics. I will actually put a plea out here to fans to please stop and think about this before promoting it. Like I do not care if people want to ship stuff on their own, I won't go into those ship spaces, but I do want people to understand that many fans keep repeating the same takes over and over again and it's wrong.

As a Namor fan: Keep that shit NamorSue ship out of the movies forever, he doesn't need that. He is a great character on his own and Susan does deserve to constantly be reduced to a sexual object 2 men fight over, as Marvel's leading lady of comics she deserves much better.

Okay, here’s a thought. If the next Fantastic Four movie attempts to do the Namor-Sue-Reed love triangle, how would that even work? For convenience sake, let’s say the F4 ended up in the MCU after discovering multiversal travel. And when they land on MCU Earth, they encounter Namor.

It’s weird to imagine since Namor is very different from his comic counterpart. His focus is primarily on fighting the surface world/colonizers since he’s still scarred from how the Spanish treated his people. And the MCU’s version of his name is now supposed to be “El Niño sin Amor”, the boy without love. See the dilemma? You’re taking someone who’s supposed to be without love and putting him in a love triangle lol.

(Before I get any comments, I know they didn’t mean romantic love. I’m just saying, it’s kinda funny that the character without love is now in a storyline all about love)

So how would this work? Because right now, I’m just imagining Namor saying, “I hate all colonizers!” before he sees Susan Storm. He then says, “I hate all colonizers…but she’s alright with me!”

On a more serious note, if the writers are willing to dig deep and make this work, I can picture a storyline in which Namor and Sue are forced to spend time together. Maybe Sue is taken to Talokan because Johnny got captured by Namor’s people, so she’s there to negotiate his release. Namor then starts talking about how much he hates the surface world and so on and so forth. But through his interactions with Sue, he slowly starts to soften his perspective since he’s won over by Sue’s kindness and empathy. And, obviously, he thinks she’s gorgeous because she’s Vanessa Kirby. Basically…Beauty and the Beast (but Beast isn’t cursed).

And then, Namor being Namor, he demands that Sue leave Reed Richards and stay with him in Talokan. If not, something something I’ll defeat your husband in mortal combat for your hand in marriage blah blah blah. And then Reed’s gotta fight Namor, Sue makes it a point that she chose Reed, Namor is too stubborn to take the hint, and so on and so forth.

(Side note: I just realized that this would be a love triangle in which two Latino men are fighting over a white woman. Make of that what you will.)