#anyway. just be careful of your wording when discussing parallels :\

[obsessedhoneycomb]

Mind the gap

Toto Wolff x fem!reader, George Russell x fem!reader

-> masterlist

Summary: You thought you met the love of your life and that you’ll finally live your fairytale with your handsome boyfriend. But sometimes the things from the past make our lives a living nightmare.

Warnings: age gap (reader x Toto), curse words, angst, implied cheating, George’s ex

Word count: 3.7k

A/N: I think I hate this one, I don’t know why, I think I can do better. But whatever, I may have let out my frustrations in this a bit too much - George doesn’t deserve to be written like that, but I needed it for the plot.

Any feedback is welcomed! :)

———

When you met George you didn't even know about his part in the F1 world. It just existed somewhere in the parallel beside your life. And he held you in oblivion for a very long time. You just thought that he’s a very handsome guy and you got lucky to meet him and call him your boyfriend. When he finally revealed his secret about being an F1 driver, you nearly had a heart attack. Without any other word he hard launched your relationship on his instagram one day and you two became official quickly. As you tried to avoid traveling to race with him, one day he just decided that you’re gonna accompany him. And here you were, walking with him through the paddock, all eyes on you. What just wasn’t on your bingo card was meeting with his last ex girlfriend.

“Oh, hey. What a surprise.” George laughed softly as he gently hugged his ex. You were just standing there in absolute shock. George even had an audacity to introduce you two.

“So, you’re the one George is talking about constantly?” Her squeaky voice rang through your brain, making your blood boil. You just smiled politely.

“Yeah. That’s me.”

You felt like a third wheel, it was so embarrassing. George discussed with her some of her “business” at the paddock, which you didn’t really understand because she wasn’t a woman in motorsport, yet the sponsors invited her for many events to speak on behalf of those women.

“You don’t look so happy to be here.” Deep voice with an accent spoke beside you. Looking up at the stranger it was no other than Toto Wolff, George’s boss.

You blinked a few times, shutting your mouth from the surprise. “Oh. No. I’m excited, really.”

Toto gave you a half smile, looking back at George with his ex. “I still don’t understand what he still sees in her. When he has you. If you were mine, you would be treated like a princess.”

Your breath hitched in your throat at his words and you couldn’t even speak.

“But anyway, I’m Toto, nice to meet you.” He smiled and outstretched his hand to you. You slid your hand into his, feeling his strong grip.

———

“I see you got yourself acquainted with my boss. Be careful, he's a real womaniser.” George chuckled as he sipped his coffee while looking at the track.

“He’s not married?” You asked, being curious.

“Darling, he’s divorced again. Can't keep it in his pants.” He rolled his eyes while he kissed your temple softly.

“Mhm… what about.. you know, your ex? Wasn’t it weird that she’s here?”

“Weird? No, I knew she’ll be here.”

“What? How?”

“We’re adults, love, we talk. But don’t let it stress your little brain.” He patted your head with a soft smile.

———

George took you to the karting club one day, he had some duties there to meet the youngsters, giving them some motivation. While George was giving interviews and signatures, you stood at the side, watching others racing on the track. In the distance you saw Toto with his son Jack. It was sweet. How he cared for him. It made you feel things you never felt before. He was the perfect father figure, someone to have children with. While you were staring, he spotted you, waving at you with a soft smile. You waved back.

At night, George was out of your hotel room, probably catching up with others when you laid in bed already and couldn’t sleep. You caught yourself thinking about the old man. He was your comfort thought. Idea of the life you won’t have. You always knew that you had a thing for older men, but you ended up with George anyway because no other older man was available. And George impressed you. But was it enough?

Soft knock on the door interrupted your thoughts and you got up to see who that is. Sometimes George ordered a hotel service for you. Opening the door, Toto was there.

“Hey. I saw George without you at the lobby bar and I thought.. that you might wanna go for a walk?” He was leaning against the doorway.

You bit into your cheek from the inside. What can go wrong, huh?

“Of course. I can’t sleep anyway. Just wait a minute.” You closed the door to quickly put on some leggings and hoodie.

At first you were walking around the hotel in silence. You felt your heart beating in your chest like crazy.

Toto cleared his throat, his hands shoved in the pockets of his pants. “So, I saw you today at the karting centre.” He started the conversation somehow.

“Yeah. George was there for some talk with kids. You know, to motivate them.”

“He’s great at this. Motivating youngsters and other drivers around. He’s really a great guy.”

“Mhm.. and you were there with your son?”

“Oh, yes. Jack. My youngest.”

“So, you have more children?”

“I thought that’s a general knowledge about me.” He chuckled softly.

You laughed a little, feeling a little bit more relaxed. “Sorry, I’m not nosy about other people.”

“I have a daughter and another son also.”

“That’s nice. Wolff’s clan growing strong.” You tried to joke and he actually laughed.

“What about you and George? You planning to have kids?”

Question that had my stomach turning. “Not now. Maybe in the future. But we weren’t really talking about it. He’s great with kids but I don’t think he’s sure to have one with.. well, with me.”

Toto stopped in his tracks to look at you. “You’re an extraordinary woman. Why not?”

“Oh, thanks, but I don’t think I’m the one with who he wants to have a family.”

He looked at me for a moment and then he understood. “It’s because of her?”

You nodded, fidgeting with your hands uncomfortably. He didn’t know where this came from but he just hugged you, and you wrapped your arms around his waist. His strong body felt so good against the fragile one of yours, also he smelled divine. Like home.

“Come on. Lets get back.” He whispered, his hand lingering over your back to walk you back to your hotel room.

When you said goodnight to him, he walked down to the hotel lobby bar, where George still was. He saw him there before. With her. The last thing he wanted for you was to be hurt, to tell you where your precious lover boy was.

“Evening, love birds.” Toto walked to the side of the bar, his tone bittersweet. George turned around to look at him with a grin. “Oh, hey boss. Do you want to have a drink with us? We were just talking about that Vegas night, you know when I won.”

Toto gave him a scolding gaze, crossing his arms over his chest. “I think you should be somewhere else.”

She cleared her throat, getting the last sip of her drink and she quickly disappeared. George just sighed and looked into his glass. “You really are a walking fun house.”

“Listen, George. You need to have your affairs solved or you’re gonna appear like a fool in the public eye. You can’t just sit on two chairs at the same time.”

George looked at him with a slightly annoyed look. “As if you were an example for faithfulness.”

Toto grabbed him by his shirt gently but firm. “Don’t talk about things you know nothing about.”

“Of course.”

———

You were sitting at the table in the fancy restaurant. Being invited as the girlfriend of the famous driver was fluttering but that wasn’t saying anything about your personality or what you did for a job. Looking at all the women around you, some of them you knew personally, some of them don’t. It was one of those events that she hosted. Looking at her face for the whole evening was another kind of torture.

As she was going through some presentation there was a photo of her and George together. The place fell silent with occasional looks at you.

“Whoops. I’m sorry. That wasn’t supposed to be there.” She giggled like a teenager. Your blood boiled like crazy. You were done. This was your personal hell.

Grabbing your purse, you excused yourself, leaving the restaurant when you heard her voice calling out for you. She managed to stop you outside.

“Hey, I’m sorry. It's not a big deal, dear.” She tried to joke about it.

“Look. Stop this. Don’t invite me anywhere where you are. I don’t like to look at your stupid face. I actually hate you. You’re a different kind of bitch.”

“Woah, girl. You think you’re better than me? Nobody will ever be better for George than me. That’s why he’s always coming back to me.”

“Coming- what?”

“You’re so silly, dear. So blind. Where do you think he is when he’s not around with you?” She smiled smugly. You wanted to punch her in the face but that would most likely end with her using it against you in the dirty way.

“I hope you end up in hell.”

———

Walking through the streets of Monte-Carlo felt terrible. This was supposed to be your dream, your fairytale. Your feet carried you to the yacht restaurant where some Mercedes event were held and George insisted on you not going with him but attending that dinner with her. You scoffed, shaking your head when you wanted to continue to walk to George’s apartment. But you bumped into someone. While you wanted to just mumble simple sorry and walk away, the stranger held you by your shoulders.

“Hey, you okay?”

Toto. Again.

You lifted your gaze to look into his eyes, you felt broken, vulnerable and disgraced. He just gently pulled you into his embrace, shushing you, while your tears stained his expensive blue shirt.

“Should I call for George?”

“No, please don’t. No.” You let out a soft whimper, wiping your tears.

Toto just nodded, frowning at the state you were in.

“Tell me the truth about them.” Sobbing softly, you looked into his eyes. He just wanted to say something but then he stopped himself.

“Please. I can’t live like this anymore.” You begged him and he sighed.

“They're seeing each other when you’re not around. I bet he’s even sleeping with her.”

His words stabbed you right to your heart, making your stomach turn.

“Hey! What’s going on here?” George walked from the yacht to them. His face mirrored his displease of his boss being so close to you.

“I just bumped into her. And she was crying.”

“Sure you were. You’re like a hero, aren’t you? To save damsels in distress.” George sounded bitter, trying to get between you and Toto.

“That’s enough George.” You finally spoke up, your voice hoarse from crying and all the emotions bubbling out.

“Oh, you’re about to defend the old man? What? He’s your new crush now?” George mocked you, and Toto was holding back to not slap his angelic face.

“Maybe he’s more of a man than you are!”

“Wow. That’s how you’re grateful, hm? To be able to be here? To even talk to him? He wouldn’t give a fuck about you.”

“George. Stop.” Toto warned him.

“Don’t tell me you like her?”

Toto was silent, looking at you, and your breath hitched to what you saw in his eyes. Absolute devotion.

“Fuck me! No way! And you! Do you like him?” George pointed at you and you didn’t know what to say. So he just continued his anger frenzy.

“I saw how you’re looking at him! For the gods sake! He’s my boss!” George yelled from the top of his lungs at you, his face red from how angry he was.

“I’m not looking at anyone! I hate how you’re always accusing me! When you’re the one who’s meeting with her behind my back!” You didn’t hold back, you were hurt from all the lies he was feeding you.

“Oh, so we’re turning this around against me now?”

“I’m just stating facts, George! Ever since you started dating me you couldn’t help but mention her. In every little ocassion you have, it’s always her! And I can’t stand it anymore!”

“You know nothing about her!”

“Everybody knows!”

George was fuming. You knew about his feelings, you knew you were just a plaster for the hole his ex girlfriend left in his heart.

“Don’t you dare to get close to him. Or I’ll make your life living hell. You don’t fit into this world. So back off. Without me you’re nothing!” George yelled, making himself very clear.

———

After that night you left Monaco in tears, heartbroken but somehow relieved. Finally you won’t be smelling her perfume from his clothes anymore, you won’t be chased by her constant presence around the paddock, by her shadow. You were free and you realised that this life is not for a weak. But you were strong, just not to pour your precious energy into that falsehood.

One year later

You managed to change your job, getting a better opportunity in the field and getting a higher income which helped you to have a more comfortable life. Hearing some rumours about George being back with his ex, you distanced yourself from the social media but some of your friends had some unexplained urge to send you screenshots of gossip and actual posts of him and her. Of course it hurt, you felt a little lost after the break up, George didn’t even have a need to call you or text you. Just like you never existed in his life. Maybe it was for the best, because you could move on quickly.

What was meant to be a fun weekend trip on the yacht in Spain you received for your birthday ended up with you standing on the deck, your eyes locked with the man you thought you won’t see ever again, his expression mirroring yours - shocked. Hot summer day called for easy clothing so you were wearing only a bikini and some light summer dress to not reveal yourself more than it was necessary. Toto got through the other people who were chatting around, not really paying attention to what’s going on around them. You internally cursed your friends, it was their idea of you getting in touch with some rich people to find yourself a good match. As if it depended on being rich. Hell. Maybe.

“I wouldn’t have thought that I'd meet you here. It's good to see you.” Toto stood beside you, wearing some beach blue shorts along with the white linen shirt, slightly unbuttoned revealing his chest. You held your eyes away, not daring to look at him.

“Well, same. But I must say that it’s refreshing to see a known face here.” You chuckled softly, adjusting sour sunglasses on your nose. He took in your appearance, you were still the same yet different, looking more confident and comfortable with yourself. And it was really attractive.

“How have you been? I haven’t heard anything about you from that day..” he decided to ask carefully.

“Not good at the start, but I feel great now. I have my dream job, finally paid the debt off for my car, really thriving right now.”

“I’m happy to hear that. You deserve the world, sweetheart.” Toto smiled, his little nickname for you making you blush.

“Thanks. That’s nice of you.” You looked over the free sunbed at the end of the deck and you looked at him. “What about resting over there and talking some more?”

He looked into the direction you were pointing and he nodded, letting you lead him there. As you settled down on the pillows you felt so comfortable that you didn't have to talk to other strangers. Toto laid a little further from you, keeping the decent distance.

Many words and champagne later you found yourself laughing at his jokes, his face was glowing when he laughed with you. Sun was getting down and you chuckled when he showed you some funny video of his son, your head falling against his shoulder. It felt so natural that you didn’t question it and Toto didn’t dare to ruin the connection you had. Showing you more videos he was prolonging the moment you were so close to him, to the point he had no more content to show you so he just put his phone aside just to look at you. Your eyes were closed and you looked so peaceful.

“You asleep, princess?” He whispered into your hair softly.

“No… just enjoying the moment. I’m scared to open my eyes because it means that this will end.” You murmured into his shoulder, it made him smile.

“I don’t want this to end.”

Turning your head to look up at him, your face held a serious look. “Are you sure? George… he will-“

“Shhh. Don’t talk or think about him. Just listen to your heart. Follow what you think it’s good for you. And I’ll be beside you through all of that. Ready to catch you whenever you’re about to fall. Because that’s what good men do.” Toto brushed his fingers over your cheek softly, his energy giving your soul the peace and care you needed.

“Okay. Just hold me. Because if you’re gonna get loose, I’m done with my life. I can’t get through another heartbreak.” Your eyes were full of sadness, he finally saw what damage George caused.

“I promise. I won’t let you down.”

———

Toto Wolff is married again! Who’s this mysterious woman? He won’t show her off, keeping her private! Is she one of his many flings of the paddock?

The news never stopped to amaze you. Sitting on the balcony of your apartment in Monaco, you scrolled through the news on your laptop, occasionally stealing glances at your wedding ring that you were still getting used to. It made you smile, for the first time in your life you felt truly happy, beside the man who cherished you and valued you for who you are.

“Ah, here you are, love. Working again?” Toto leaned down to where you sat and kissed your temple with a soft hum.

You smiled widely at your husband and nodded. “Yeah, just some final touches to my last writings. Then I’ll get ready.”

“Are you really, absolutely sure about going with me there? You don’t have to. We managed to be as private as possible to the point that it’s not a problem.” He squeezed your shoulder lightly with concern in his face.

“I want to be there for you. I’m part of this life and a little bit of it won’t kill me.”

“Okay, darling. But if anything upsets you, you tell me.”

“Don’t worry, Toto.”

———

Race in Monaco - always the time for the fucking rich ass people to show off their wealth to the world. And it was a perfect opportunity to show who the new Wolff wife is.

Walking through the entrance of the paddock, Toto held your hand tightly, his face serious and his brows furrowed giving everybody a warning look not to mess with you. Whispers went through the area, some people gasped at the sight of you two. The age gap was visible, but you didn’t give a shit about it.

Getting through the crowds and photographers you ended at the Mercedes hospitality, where some team members were already chilling and talking.

“Hey boss! Took you long enough to show who stole your heart!”

Toto just gave them a sharp look while you chuckled softly. Since the last time you were here, many people had changed, you saw new faces but also the old ones. Valtteri just walked towards them and gave Toto a few friendly slaps over his shoulder with a smug smile.

“I knew it’s her. I knew it from the first day I saw you looking at her. Also congratulations.”

Toto groaned but couldn’t help a smile creeping up on his face.

George was just walking down the stairs with his now fiancé laughing about something when he saw you standing beside Toto and Valtteri was pointing to your small baby belly.

He approached them, the silence fell over the room. Toto caught his appearance, his hand on your waist pulled you closer to his side and you just stared at George, awaiting his reaction. What felt like the longest while in the world, he just smiled softly at you, his eyes briefly flickering to your baby belly and then back at you.

“Long time no see, but I’m not surprised.”

“George- yeah. Good to see you.” You breathed out with your hand caressing your bump.

“I must admit that Toto is much more relaxed and calm, so thank you. I guess you have some magic to keep him like that. Also… congratulations. You deserve to be happy.” George smiled genuinely, he was really honest. You were taken aback by his words but you appreciated it. Your eyes fell to the side where his fiancée was waiting for him, giving you a look full of daggers.

“You deserve your happiness too. I really hope you found it.” You smiled amused, but George seemed to be oblivious to that.

“Yeah.. see you around.” He gave you a smile and walked away with her. Toto leaned down to press a kiss into your hair. “That went better than I expected.” He whispered.

“Mhm. Tell me about it.”

———

Kimi Antonelli won the Monaco race along with George in P2. Toto was standing under the podium like a proud father figure. You were in his embrace, smiling and enjoying his closeness, his hand brushing over your belly with a wide smile.

“I love you.” He blurted out when he looked down at you.

“I love you more.” You chuckled, kissing his cheek.

“No, I love you more, sweetheart.”

“Prove it.”

“I put a baby in you, isn’t it enough?” He laughed softly.

“Oh, yeah, indeed.”

The F1 world was meant to be yours. You just had to find a right way to live through it with the best man beside you.

———

Please don’t use my writings without my permission! Pictures found on Pinterest.

-

Tags: @chilling-seavey

[honest-moth-of-silver-grove]

The Tiefling Bachelors Taking Care of Sick! Reader Getting Treatment

A/N: This was sitting in my drafts, finished months ago, but I guess I never posted it? Oh well, it’s here now! 

No one asked for this but it came to me as I was getting infused the other day. I really wanted Zevlor to manifest out of thin air and hold my hand  😔. Anyway, without further ado… Here we go!

Characters: Dammon/Reader; Rolan/Reader; Zevlor/Reader

Word Count: 1.1k 

TW: Brief discussions of illness, some fantasy medical talk

Dammon- 

Dammon is probably the most fussy of the trio. He’s bumbling around the tent, ensuring you have enough blankets and water. Or do you want tea? Juice? Whatever it is, love, name it and he will fetch it for you.

He means to be helpful although his nervous waiting on you does create an air of anxiety in the room. 

If he gets too manic, the healers have to send him out on an ‘errand’, so that he can collect his nerves and so you have time to yourself. 

When he returns, Dammon is much calmer, having been cornered and given a pep talk by one of the elder tieflings or your companions outside. 

He’ll sit across from you, and distract you by showing you his latest outlines/blueprints for swords and lathes and such. 

If you’re particularly stressed, or truly not feeling well due to the side-effects of the treatment, he might even show you his jewelry designs. Dammon was, of course, planning to give them to you as a present after you’d finished your treatment, but in the meantime, he’d like you to keep them in mind to have something forward to look to. 

If you’re sleepy, he’ll just stay at your side while you rest, sketching in his book or making idle chats with the healer. 

Dammon excels at ‘parallel play’ kind of dates. He quite enjoys it when the two of you are each doing their respective thing within a shared space. He’s more than comfortable amusing himself while you just chill out right next to him. 

Of course, before you leave, he asks the healers a million questions, scrambling down all their answers. How long will this last? What side effects should you look out for? What happens if things get worse? He wants to be prepared after they take their leave, and he sees it as his responsibility to take care of you as you recuperate. 

He’s really so sweet, like a little puppy dog. He’s not always the most helpful, and he has a tendency to get in the way, but his efforts never fail to lift your spirits at the end of the day.

Rolan-

Rolan is such a stickler for being an oppositional brat all the time. He gives everyone around him whiplash by turning into the most overbearing parental figure. You’d think he’d been possessed if it wasn’t for that trademark smirk of his. 

He’s constantly making you drink. No, he doesn’t care that you’re not thirsty, the healer said to stay hydrated throughout the process. And no, he doesn’t care that it means you have to get up to pee every 15 minutes. Urinary frequency is a small price to pay! Now be a good patient and drink your chamomile tea without any more complaining, yeah?

He watches the healers like a hawk, mentally recording their every word/move. He’s not a cleric or druid, but that doesn’t mean he’s entirely naive to healing magic. He wants to make sure whatever spells or potions you’re being given are up to his standard. 

And if the healing isn’t magical in nature... Oh boy, he’s going to be even more of a pill about it. He still hovers of course. But he also makes the occasional ‘helpful’ suggestion like: ‘I know a spell that could do that faster’, ‘Herbs are nothing compared to the power of the Weave’. The healers just roll their eyes and work around him. 

If he gets really grouchy, you’re gonna have to put him in a time-out. If not for your sake, then for the poor healers who are just trying to do their job. Rolan argues for a moment, but ultimately agrees, leaving to gather himself. 

When he comes back you can tell either Cal or Lia have spoken some sense into him, since he’s calmed down a bit. Rolan will sit with you, read to you, hold your hand if you beg ask, he might even perform a few tricks for you if you’re feeling up to it. 

He ushers the healers away as soon as they're done, wanting to just be alone with you. He puts up a tough exterior, but deep down he’s afraid. He cares for you so much. You, Cal, and Lia are his family, he feels it's his job to protect you, but try as he might he cannot protect you from your illnesses, and that hurts him deeply. 

You’ll need to comfort him once all this is all over. It’s as much an ordeal for him as it is for you.

Zevlor-

Zevlor is a worry-wart, bless his old paladin heart. His mind is always racing with endless possibilities- about the tieflings, about the grove, about you… It can be a lot for the commander to handle. 

But because Zevlor is a paladin and former hellrider, he has a good amount of experience working under pressure. He knows how to keep a level head and act on what is good for those around him, unlike what seems easiest to accomplish. 

He’s a very disciplined man, and he tries to get that discipline extended to you as you heal. He sets up a regime, for diet, exercise, and socializing catered especially to your needs and current abilities. He wants you to utilize this time to maximize your healing, and just let yourself trust that you are doing all you can to take care of yourself. 

He trusts the healers implicitly, knowing their expertise is much better suited to you and your current priorities. He’ll cater his regime around their recommendations, taking into accommodation your current feelings/moods of course. 

He writes out instructions for you to read while he’s away, busy tending to his duties. In the event he’s especially worried about watching over you, he’ll send Tilly or another one of his soldiers to check in on you periodically. 

Zevlor would love nothing more than to spend the entire day with you, keeping you safe in his embrace, but he’s wise enough to understand that even amidst these kinds of things, life must go on. He cannot abandon his duties as leader and you cannot abandon your life. 

Zevlor tries to maintain the status quo as best as possible, he doesn’t want your illness and treatments to entirely define your life, just as he wishes Elterel will not solely define his. 

Once all is said and done, he comes to find you, a warm broth in his hands. He settles down next to you as you sip your meal slowly, his tail coiling around your waist keeping you close to him. He doesn’t say anything, and neither do you, you don’t need to. It’s clear to you what’s in Zevlor’s heart. 

The two of you just sit silently together, enjoying each other's company, as you brace yourselves for yet another new dawn. 

I hope you enjoyed! 

If you like my work, please consider Buying Me A Coffee!

And most importantly, please Like and REBLOG! 

[accio-victuuri]

xiao zhan elle september issue cover story Q&A

ELLE: During this rest period, do you think about things that happened on the set?

Xiao Zhan: Of course, I remember a few days after the filming was finished, I had a dream that we were still filming, and the director and I were still discussing how to say that word? How to handle that scene?

ELLE: Do you actually miss the atmosphere on the set?

Xiao Zhan: I like it very much, because I like the feeling of everyone creating together and working together to get something done.

ELLE: When you first entered the entertainment industry and your popularity grew rapidly, you said that it felt a bit unreal and magical, but now you seem to be quite relaxed. How did this change happen?

Xiao Zhan: Rather than saying it’s unreal or magical, after so many years I feel that I haven’t had time to adapt to the fast pace at that time, so when I wake up from sleep, where am I today? What am I doing? I think it’s a process, just like when you first enter the workplace, everyone is very excited, "I’m here to work, please take good care of me", "I’m here, everyone get out of the way", "I can do it, I can do it". (Laughs) But after experiencing a lot of things, I feel that everything needs to be planned for the long term.

ELLE: In several interviews you mentioned that you like to play roles that "can convey energy". Why do you have such a preference?

Xiao Zhan: Because I think it is the life of the character. The kind of energy I am talking about is not just a single positive energy in the general sense. I mean the nutrition that can be subtle and silent. I believe that every character has a complete story line in his heart. This is what I like very much. As long as you dig deep, you can move people. I don’t like to call the villain a "villain", as if it is defined as a bad character from the beginning, but it is not. He may have his own difficulties.

ELLE: It sounds like “transmitting energy” is just a general term. Is it actually about understanding different people through performance?

Xiao Zhan: Yes, if we break it down to each character, they all convey different things. But if we say they are “good guys” or “bad guys”, I think that’s meaningless.

ELLE: So do you think acting is a form of communication?

Xiao Zhan: Yes, you can say that. I think it’s great to say that (acting) is a bridge to communicate with the audience. Just like when a play is broadcast, I will read some of the audience’s comments and impressions, and feel that they have a rich feeling about the work. When I see some comments that are exactly the same as my thoughts when filming, I feel very magical, as if this bridge is really connected. We don’t know each other in life, and we haven’t communicated, but he suddenly got my thoughts at the time, and I felt that, oh, acting is a very beautiful and magical thing.

ELLE: Do you watch some science fiction movies, TV shows, and literary works?

Xiao Zhan: Yes, I used to like watching "The Three-Body Problem". I have watched some science fiction movies recently, the American TV series "The Stars", and recently I am watching "The Replica". They are all about infinite flow and parallel time and space. Because I think there may really be parallel time and space. Every choice you make will split into a different parallel time and space.

ELLE: Do you imagine Xiao Zhan in a parallel universe?

Xiao Zhan: I really wonder, for example, is he still an actor? Maybe, is he still filming now? Is he still singing now? Or is he still a designer? Is he working for others or is he his own boss? (Laughs) Really, I really wonder.

ELLE: What do you think the future will be like?

Xiao Zhan: Wow, I think the world might return to its original state at that time, and the world might become a better place, and people would return to the most basic communication with each other.

ELLE: This is very interesting. Why do you think so?

Xiao Zhan: Anyway, at least now I am a little disgusted with the ubiquitous Internet. When we were young, when there were no mobile phones, we would chat while eating, and we would call our friends downstairs to play hide-and-seek and various games. I think that time was very precious.

ELLE: Will the profession of actor still exist by then?

Xiao Zhan: I think there will be. I believe that as long as life goes on, drama will continue. Because everyone needs an output, needs emotional resonance and sustenance, whether it is images or sounds. So I think that even if the world is destroyed, as long as there are still people, drama will definitely exist.

-END.

source

[daistea]

the extra comics always serve a purpose in developing the world and characters, and im like 90% sure the canaries racism comic is formulated to get two main things across

- establishing elven attitudes towards race-related social issues: certain topics are taboo and there is existing social justice discourse in place, which has changed significantly in the past few decades

- establishing the repercussions of the main aspect of mithrun's desireless character, that he's out of touch from 1. no longer having the desire to keep up with changing norms and 2. the fact that he was literally in recovery for 20 years with no contact from society. and 3. that he simply doesn't have a filter anymore and very likely no longer has a place in mainstream elf society because of it

so like. the way people read that comic and ALL they get out of it is "mithrun racist" instead of all the worldbuilding implications and character implications of all the canaries as well (fleki's attitude towards this is also really interesting because you wouldn't expect her to be a keyboard warrior but it makes sense given her age?), is insane to me. ryoko kui literally wrote a background comic which establishes that you can almost exactly parallel her universe's equivalent of racism to current-day social discourse and y'all are dodging the point just to continue oversimplifying one of the most complex and intricately written side characters in the franchise

FOR REAL!!!!

there’s lots of sides to this discussion. Because I am sleepy, I can’t really describe it other than “some people do be silly” and ya know, jokes going too far, jokes becoming truth in some minds, and so on. As my friends know, I am enjoying the word ‘flanderization’ as of late. Am I using it accurately? Not sure. I just like the word.

Mithrun is fascinating honestly. I won’t claim to be an expert, but I do not understand how some don’t want to pick him apart and put him back together again like a Lego set. Yea sure take Mithrun at face value…… yeah sure walk right past the Sistine Chapel without a care in the world…. whatever

But anyway, yeah. Congrats! You have earned a Yeah

My final say on the subject (for now) is that fandom is made up of a lot of different personalities, and they’re never going to do exactly what’s accurate/right/preferable. I know that’s obvious, but idk it helps me a lot when dealing with bad takes. Make and enjoy your content, speak your truth, and use the block button liberally 👍

[vilonnie]

YAYYYY KONOE BOSS BATTLE COMPLETE party popper emoji

that was so fun!! the first phase was immensely funny though because the second time I hit him with that ray gun as soon as he started to stand up I hit him with the joker concentrate + freidyne combo. and then he started to stand up and I proc'd both joker and noirs pre charged showtimes in a row. and then he started to stand up and I hit him with an all out attack. and then he started to stand up and sophie and skulls showtimes both pinged in a row. and then he died. literally said out loud "get back down. fuck you" like three times it was so delightful I did not even care there was a second phase. no notes

I LOVE THE SECOND PHASE OF THIS BATTLE <33333 the bitch is so fast it's a lot different to all of the previous fights. except notably akane's cognitive joker fight which is very interesting for narrative reasons. but we'll get into that. anyway it was so fun not having the time to think and basically just spamming every button that appears on screen what a beautiful beautiful dance of baton passing every half a second <3

the building similarities between the monarchs and the thieves in this game are so important to me! one of my favorite things about the writing in the original p5 was how it chose to develop its themes through specifically posing a different challenge to your convictions with every arc, and I felt that strikers did something similar with the angles it introduced per monarch. ryuji and crow are obvious points of comparison (and yusuke and haru are too, though this is never mentioned because they are habitually underacknowledged by fans </3 rip), but I'm actually most invested in konoe's parallels with ren – I like the discussions around this which I have seen because konoe reminds me of the yaldabaoth bad ending, and I love the yaldabaoth bad ending. konoe is someone who believes his absolute interference is necessary to society, as ren does at his worst. but he also believes this primarily as a coping mechanism to keep him from feeling as helpless and *voiceless* as he did in the past, which is a key part or ren's motivations in order for this bad end to occur

and if ren was ever at risk of becoming konoe, then the phantom thieves were also at risk of becoming the same as the strikers monarchs. konoe specifically says he was exploiting them because they were powerless and traumatized, and without support to push them in a better direction, they became trapped, like desperate animals lashing out in a cave. there is not a single phantom thief whose arc in the original game does not involve battling against their own feelings of helplessness, and resolving to grow and change beyond the compliance that they look back on with shame. I think the inclusion of strikers and its monarchs is a helpful reminder that there are no natural "heroes" and "criminals" – there are only people who are imprisoned, and people who are free

that last part is taken from sophie's words distinguishing between what the phantom thieves actually do and who konoe is comparing them to, and I loved how clearly this defines the nature of the thieves' "justice." ultimately, the difference between joker and konoe is that joker believes in the people he is purportedly saving. the thieves don't exist to make decisions for the masses, but to inspire them to have courage, and to resist apathy in whatever form of rebellion is available to them – in ann's words, to be a light in the dark. power is meant to be given back to the people, not hoarded over their heads. on the other hand, konoe perceives himself as entirely alone and exceptional among everyone in the world, and trusts nobody's will but his own. what distortion are you removing from the hearts of those you change? are you not just warping their vision unnaturally? when the phantom thieves change the hearts of the monarchs, they are only removing konoe's influence and offering them a hand. that's the difference.

I loved yusukes little speech about how much he values the smaller decisions he gets to make in mundane everyday life. yusuke gets all the best little speeches in this game and that's because he is honestly top video game characters of all time. and of course I'm being lighthearted about it, but genuinely there is an obvious reason why yusuke of all characters needs to be the one speaking up here, because he knows precisely what it is like to grow up as a child with no agency in an abusive household, and therefore he can speak to what konoe has gone through – but also, to what he is putting others through in the present day. of course yusuke would value human choice that is at odds with power and capital. of course the question of autonomy would be important to him. he is yusuke kitagawa, after all

it is so obvious that wolf and shadow konoes designs were created to play off each other and it fucks. yeah it's really awesome sorry

[symeona]

It's also so normal and human to just not be into someone romantically though.

Like i get liking them together but why do people always have to pretend there's any actual evidence for romance when their interpretation basically boils down to "you wouldn't do that for a friend would you". Like maybe not, much more likely for a best friend than a boyfriend though.

It's obvious how much they love either other. Textually that's all there is. Literally nothing points to romance.

Obviously you wouldn't do that for a friend irl. But you also wouldn't do that for a romantic partner. Also Magic isn't real. Also romantic or not it's clearly not meant to be a normal relationship anyway.

Why does it always have to be romance

I read your other ask anon, and don't worry I don't think you come off as unnecessarily combative or rude at all!!!! No need to apologize for sharing your opinion!! I appreciate it actually!! 🤘

I think these discussions are super interesting so don't worry at all, this is the fun of different perspectives imo. And if you had the time and energy I'd love to hear your interpretation of Jayce and V! I don't think my word is law, I just speak on what I feel. Feelings can change lol

And here's mine if u want more context for my dumbassery✨

I'm with you on that 10000%, not everything has to be romantic, not every sacrificial act has to be for the sake of romance or attraction. I think *my* favorite example of that is Zoro and Luffy from One Piece? If you haven't watched it, they truly are DEVOTED to each other and if Oda came out one day and made them romantic partners I would be mad 💀 I would make a post or two about that lmao

And for Arcane, I find examples like Sevika and Vander to be similar to that. Even though maybe I'm reaching here, there was clearly history between them before Sevika joined Silco. And she clearly felt guilty about what happened later, when she stood in front of his statue. I don't think there was romance there, but there must have been something close to a friendship or a level of respect. Same with Vander and Silco, those two had more visual parallels with Powder and Vi. I never got the feeling that there was something more there, the show was very clear. In fact, I genuinely thought they were brothers before I rewatched season 1.

But Jayce and Viktor piss me off dbndndhd

I didn't care much for them, I didn't even mind how the show treated their arcs or dialogues or anything. What bothered me were the creators, later. Because to me, they made no sense?? I don't consider myself illiterate in terms of film? Or human interactions for that matter?

Jayce and Viktor had many visual parallels to Vi and Cait. Like genuinely, the way they were treated cinematically was very similar, and I could get into it, but truthfully this doesn't mean THAT much to me djjdjddn I'm ace myself, and very firm about what it means to love someone as a friend vs a partner.

It's not that Jayce went too far for his friend, it's the long stares, the DIALOGUE ayo, the visuals that made me question wtf was going on between them. And it wasn't really anything more than a raised eyebrow for me, until the creators spoke up.

Cause, full transparency here, I don't like the discussions around Cait and Vi's sex scene. I really don't. I don't like how straight men seem to be so invested in releasing the full scene. And it makes me question, perhaps *unfairly*, the creator's motivations behind all the queerness in the show. Again, it doesn't have to be black and white. This is my genuine question though, how come none of the queerness touched no masculine ppl or men? Is it because of LoL and its predominantly straight fandom? Or was that just how the story was built.

I don't want to see V and Jayce get together, I honestly don't think they should've actually gone there

1. There was no time, you needed an extra season to convince me that either Jayce left Mel or that they became a throuple

2. Eh, not necessary for the story imo

But I just don't buy that their relationship was an uncomplicated friendship. I straight up don't, I think it got weird, i think it got even a little queer. And I thought it was fun that way. And I just wish the creators didn't speak on it at all. Just let it be weird.

Thank you, this was my essay bffjdbdb

[braceletofteeth]

hello~ thank you for answering my question about the significance of sunflowers in relation to KluenDao! i had picked up on Kluen associating sunflowers with Dao because of the art assignments -which is an adorable detail and one i love about their shared history - but my confusion stems from why the showmakers, writers, and producers chose to make it sunflowers as opposed to some other symbol.

like they could've gone with a moon motif because it would've tied Dao (star/celestial body) and Kluen (waves/tides) very neatly, for example.

although i do still think the sunflower motif work because Dao has such a happy/sweetly bright disposition and personality (sun/sunshine) and the way Kluen looks at and orients himself towards Dao is very like a sunflower would. *u*

but anyway, yes, thank you for replying in the tags anyway!! i love reading about everyone's understanding and interpretation of the meaning of symbols and reasons behind character choices in shows. and SIMM is such a lovely series so i'm glad there's still people who care about it/have things to say about it! <3

Hi again!! 😊👋 I'm so happy we get to talk about this with each other. I also got to the fandom at a time when the series had already finished airing, so there were not many people around still interested/willing to discuss it on my turn either.

I like the interpretation of the sun/sunflower representing one of them. I didn't find the right space to mention it in the tags, but I have a side theory that, back in high school, Dao might have used the sunflower to represent himself...? Because of the way he would follow Khabkluen around, like he was his sun? He didn't know that Khabkluen did the same thing, so, naturally, he always thought of their relationship as one-sided—like a sunflower that is attracted to the sun, but is inconsequential to the sun in return.

I don't know why the creators chose a sunflower specifically—although I do like to think it's beacause of Dao's lively personality—, but I believe I can at least answer why they did not go for a moon motif, nor used a(nother) celestial being for symbolism.

That would be, I assume, because of his actual name: the North Star. Daonuea is already represented by one celestial being; two would feel like the creator is trying to relate him to too many different celestial beings at the same time. A moon and a star, despite being placed in the same category, are not that similar when it comes to what they represent/are usually used as a metaphor for. I do think a moon would have been a better counterpart to Kluen's waves/tides, but when the author chooses a star for a name, they have to stick to the star motif, no matter how perfect that moon/tides parallel would be.

And Dao and Kluen do have the star thing going on between them. Just from the top of my head: there is the shirt that Khabkluen paints for Dao, with a big star in it, and Dao pointing himself as the North Star that never changes its spot (will remain by Kluen's side; with unchanging feelings) in the last episode. And Kluen does call him “star”, which only a few selected people are allowed to, while everyone else has to call him Daonuea, or Nuea, for a nickname...

But the thing is—that's still his name. Well, part of his name, anyways, but the point is—anyone could make that association. The people making the association and using the word might be special to Dao, but the word itself—and what it symbolizes—is not particular at all.

I think the creators wanted to include something more subtle, more personal. More intimate. Something that is only for the two of them.

Daonuea is the North Star for the world; Dao is a star for his special ones; but he's Kluen's sunflower.

One of my favorites moments of them is this little bit from one of the Sky in Your Heart extras, in which Kluen calls Dao “Kluen's sunflower” when he brings Dao a birthday cake and is just the two of them. I think this moment is the best to demonstrate the distinction I'm making here. Because imagine if, instead of just them, it was a room full of people, friends and family, all gathered together to wish Daonuea a happy birthday. If they all exclaimed, for example, “Happy birthday, our star!”, that wouldn't be weird. Because Dao is known as (a/the) star by everyone; it comes with the name. But if instead they said, “Happy birthday, our sunflower!”, that wouldn't make sense. That's an exclusive reference, used by Kluen as a term of endearment, and that only has significance because and when it's from Kluen to Dao.

Even if others wanted to refer to Dao as such, they wouldn't be able to say “sunflower” only. They would have to say “Kluen's sunflower” (like his friend on episode 7, when he says “Here comes your sunflower”). That's how entangled and restrictive it is, thanks to its history.

I can't tell you why they chose this flower to represent Daonuea. All I know is that, if the creators had made the thing that Kluen associates with Daonuea related to the same thing that everybody else associates with him (stars/space), it might not have hit as hard as it did being related to something that only truly impacted the lives of the two of them.

Anyways. I might not be making much sense. Still, I hope I've provided at least one or half of a reasonable explanation for your doubt 😊

Welcome to the fandom 💛🌻

[clarinartiste]

Character analysis: the gargoyles as a reflection of Quasimodo

[This is based on the interpretation that the gargoyles are Quasimodo’s imaginary friends, and that their traits can give us some insight into Quasimodo and his own mind and personality]

Part 1 - Victor

Victor is the first of the gargoyles and the most sensitive of the three. Right from the beginning, he shows an awareness for Quasimodo’s feelings, immediately noticing that his attitude is despondent. He alerts Hugo to this too, and they both discuss what might be troubling their friend.

In our first real introduction to Quasimodo, we see him taking care of a baby bird and encouraging it to fly. Right away, we get a sense of his gentleness and how receptive he is to the needs of others. Quasi has a wonderful capacity for compassion, and I think that Victor’s sensitivity and emotional alertness is a reflection of this part of Quasimodo. Quasimodo is so inherently selfless that he takes care of others with no expectation of reciprocity—he genuinely just wants to help.

There’s something especially heartbreaking about the gentle and caring way that Quasimodo treats the bird, when he himself has never known that kind of love. Like, he’s giving to others what he wishes he had. This is further emphasized when Laverne echoes his own words to the baby bird, “No one wants to stay cooped up here forever.”

I also believe that Victor is representative of Quasimodo’s strong desire to know more about other people, their lives, their traditions, and their culture. When encouraging Quasimodo to go the Feast of Fools, he suggests “you could learn to identify various regional cheeses!” and “study indigenous folk music.” He places emphasis on the learning value of joining the festival, saying, “It would be a veritable potpourri of educational experience.” (side note: I love the pope pun here haha, combined with the little wooden figure)

In “A Guy Like You,” he has strong ties to cultural icons like the statue of David (at least, I think that’s what the animators are parodying here) and he wears a bow tie as he plays the grand piano by candlelight as Laverne sings.

Interpreting Victor as an imaginary friend, reflecting the traits of Quasimodo’s mind, it feels natural that Quasi also appreciates art and music. He loves human expression. He wants to connect with other people and understand how their minds work, how they explore their feelings and beliefs through their creations.

(also, on the part with the statue, I want to point out Victor timidly peeking after he covers the statue’s member. In some ways, I feel like this is a parallel of Quasimodo’s own bashful nature)

(also, in “A Guy Like You,” when Hugo says “You’ve got a look, that’s all your own, kid,” he does a picture-frame gesture towards Quasimodo with his hands/hooves, and Quasimodo draws back slightly and raises up his own hand in a gentle protest, again showing his shyness and reluctance to draw attention to himself)

Anyway, back to the point about appreciating art and culture—we see Quasimodo expressing his own artistry, creativity, and self-expression through his wooden figurines. Constructing these figures and imagining himself among the people really demonstrates his potential for empathy and his desire for connection. With his figurines, he lives vicariously through this miniature model of the city, desperately seeking out that kind of companionship and longing to join the Parisians.

In “Out There,” he wistfully sings, “All my life I memorize their faces / Knowing them as they will never know me” and he expresses a powerful desire to connect with them. He is deeply interested in their lives, their interests, and their personalities, saying how he is “Hungry for the histories they show me” and taking a curious, compassionate interest in them.

Quasimodo has a wonderful capacity for creation. When he shows Esmeralda around the bell tower, she marvels at the decoration and asks, “Did you make all these things yourself?” and Quasi softly replies, “Most of them.” He’s very humble in his response, and he hides behind a pillar as he says this line, again not wanting to draw attention to himself. Even around Esmeralda, the person who, at this point, has shown him the most kindness out of anyone, he feels really self-conscious and he is reluctant to step out into view.

Part of it might be his crush on Esmeralda and the ensuing nervousness, but I definitely think that he is also acting this way because of how Frollo raised him, constantly repeating the idea that he is a “monster” and really damaging his self-esteem. He only runs out from behind the pillar in a flustered panic when Esmeralda pulls the cover off of his unfinished wooden figures. But as he gets more comfortable around her, he introduces her to the bells and leads the way.

He cares deeply for Esmeralda—his feelings for her are compassionate and pure. This makes it all the more stressful for him when he fears she might be in danger, especially while seeing Paris burn and not knowing her whereabouts.

As the gargoyles look out, Victor frets, “I’m beginning to fear the worst” and he tries his best to be “stone-faced” when Quasimodo walks in, not wanting to upset him any further. He’s also the first to crack under pressure and and burst into a very emotional, tearful display when Quasimodo asks, “Is there any sign of her?”

Although Quasimodo is not crying in this scene, I feel like Victor is a representation of his most extreme inner feelings at the moment—catastrophizing the situation and harboring fears for Esmeralda. He genuinely just cares about her that much, and he knows that he would be devastated if anything bad happened to her.

Quasimodo shows himself to be a deeply emotional person, and cries the most out of any character in the film—crying with joy when he is crowned the King of Fools, crying with sorrow and humiliation when the crowd tortures him, crying with heartbreak when he sees Esmeralda and Phoebus kiss, and crying with grief when he believes that Esmeralda is dead. He feels with his entire heart, loving fiercely and experiencing the world with very powerful emotions. And I think that’s a really beautiful quality about him. His sensitivity is part of what makes him so strong. And his empathy for other people is the emotional core of “Out There,” his desire to live among society and know them, to find community.

Seeking companionship and love, he makes up the gargoyles as imaginary friends in his mind. By extension, he imbues them with some of his own personality traits. Victor as an imaginary friend reflects Quasimodo’s sensitivity, artistry, shyness, empathy, and emotional nature :)

[illegiblewords]

Serious talk about meta under the cut.

I don't know who might need to hear it, but fwiw mental flexibility is a huge part of analysis (and interacting with other humans lol). You need to be able to account for multiple possibilities when examining a work, or understanding a social exchange. You need to be able to separate what is objective fact from your own subjective interpretation and judgment. The most negative interpretation is not automatically the most worthwhile or true. Someone throwing accusations around in-line with their own worst interpretations does not guarantee those accusations are warranted. You are not a bad or stupid person for disagreeing. Shit needs to withstand scrutiny. I don't always strike the right balance myself. I do the best I can but I'm definitely not perfect. Tbh I'm not beyond pettiness either--although I try to keep that out of actual analysis lol. There have been times I've griped to friends privately or blogged about how I felt (sans tags, with spoiler blocks so people can opt out). I've griped recently. I'm bound to gripe again in the future. Some level of griping is inevitable imo and I figure no one is 100% immune.

All that said, even if someone’s take isn't canon AND even if it's something I really dislike--I'd personally rather people follow their passions anyway. Hands down. I could be in the middle of a rant and my answer would still be that the subject of my frustration gets to exist. I'm not the boss and odds are we're going with different versions in our own heads. Discouraging another fan from creating due to my preferences or narrative approach would horrify me. I've seen fandoms where gatekeeping like that killed the creative community and it was fucking awful.

Not everyone is confident in their own judgment. Not everyone faced with a pissed off person trying to use lore and accusations like clubs will feel okay continuing with their own vision. Elitism and manipulation (especially through rhetoric) can be present within analysis. People are not being taught how to recognize those things properly. Analysts aren't always aware or invested enough to even be careful. It’s legit easy to get caught up in ideas or feelings to the point of forgetting about other people’s, and adjusting to account for alternate approaches takes some work. For me at least, I think having a 'no insults' policy and being super careful when it comes to absolute claims (assertions not qualified by 'I think' or 'it could be argued') helps.

Anyway. Just because a person calls something ‘meaningless’ doesn't make it meaningless. Someone pooh-poohing an observation you made doesn't make your observation less true or important. Employing a literary term doesn't mean that individual actually understands the term, how it works, or how to apply it. Which is to say nothing of romantic chemistry or whatever. I encourage readers to extrapolate on this. ‘Shallow’ could apply as much as ‘meaningless’. Denying parallels exist by itself doesn’t actually negate those parallels. Your version of a character may not be the same as the fan next to you’s and that difference doesn't have to detract. There's more I could say on the subject (I've edited out a lot) but basically--just because another fan isn't into what you're doing doesn't automatically make what you're doing wrong, immoral, shoddy, or otherwise less.

Seriously, vet shit. Question the entire premise an analyst tries to establish then decide for yourself if it holds water. Turn over word choices and assertions in your head before deciding if they're appropriate. Do it to me too. I don't care if someone is the holy goddamn emperor of analysts. Just because a person says something is good or bad, true or false, whatever the hell doesn't make it so. Just because a person uses a technical term doesn't mean they're discussing it effectively. Quality of argument matters beyond the packaging it’s wrapped in. It's important to protect yourself from people whose priority is enforcing their own preferences, including dismissing things they aren't partial to.

I just don't want anyone shamed silent man. Not even people whose takes drive me up the fucking wall. Neither I nor any other analyst is an authority here. And there are people who are absolutely ready to take advantage of other people’s insecurities to assert themselves. Might not even be malicious, just indifferent.

For me, analysis feels kind of like uncovering a dinosaur skeleton. I want to share the cool and exciting things I find with other people. Sometimes I might be sorting out what my own thoughts and feelings are. It's also possible to examine why you're uncomfortable with something, or why you love something another person hates, while making very clear what is YOUR READING and not THE READING. Offering a variety of possibilities is very different from presenting yourself as the only correct one. One note at the end when everything else was insulting and intolerant is like a band-aid over a wound.

EDIT: As a last point, that I'm throwing in just-in-case. If anyone reading this thinks they may have overreached and done stuff I've mentioned + feels shitty about it… that's still not the end of the world. It’s okay. This is hard stuff to learn and I really don't think anyone's perfect at it. Worth the effort though. Just gotta take a deep breath, acknowledge you're a fallible human same as everyone else, and do the best you can going forward. Life goes on.

[aishangotome]

Main Story Chapter 18-13: Among All of Nature (在萬物之中) | Light  and Night 光與夜之戀

Chapter 18-11

♡———♡

On the small boat drifting with the current, I carefully polished a small piece of white jade with a carving knife. The water was calm, but somehow, my dizziness was becoming more frequent, sometimes even making it impossible to hold onto anything.

Just like now, the half-finished jade pendant rolled onto the deck. Sariel, who was standing at the bow, picked it up.

You: Thank you.

I hurriedly reached out to take it, but he didn't return it to me, just held it in his hand and examined it.

Sariel: If you're not feeling well, rest. Why have you been rushing to make this thing all this way?

You: I told you, it's a thank you gift for you, of course I have to finish it quickly.

Sariel: I also said, there's no need. Since I'm helping myself, what is there to thank?

You: That's not necessarily true.

I solemnly raised a finger, putting on a scholarly air.

You: Think about it, after this experience, one day you will return to your own time.

You: After many years, you see me again at some Grand Prix, you won't still be giving the cold shoulder to an old acquaintance, right?

Sariel: Am I giving you the cold shoulder now?

You: Uh... not really.

Sariel: If there is, there is. Is it for no reason?

I deeply regretted digging this hole for myself, but under his questioning gaze, I could only bite the bullet and explain.

You: It's just that I did some things that went against your philosophy.

You: For example, you said that practicing martial arts at any time will hurt the body, but I am the kind of person who doesn't care about the time.

Sariel gave a light hum, indicating understanding.

Sariel: Then there's no room for discussion, my choice and his would still be the same.

You: ... Anyway, what I mean is, people are shaped by their experiences, and of course, so are the spirit race.

You: If you have different experiences, you will become a different person.

You: Many things will change because of this, and maybe what you help is no longer just yourself.

Sariel: Are you talking about parallel universes?

Wow, what an incredible word to come out of his mouth.

You: You know this term?

Sariel: On the train radio, they were just talking about this, it's called the theory of crossing, right?

When talking about the train and the radio, Sariel's tone paused, as if he was still not used to it. In his time, there was no Ling Island, so naturally he didn't know how to get to the island.

I took him along the same path that the current Sariel had taken me, first the Qingyun Station, then the train, then Shaqing Town, and now the small boat.

General Qi wore a fox mask, no one could recognize him, as for his attire, Shaqing Town had no shortage of exotic clothing.

I bought a bottle of carbonated drink at the station's canteen and tried my best to persuade him to try it. Sariel drank it without knowing why, but his only comment was "sweet."

There was no surprised reaction as I had expected, and I was feeling disappointed, but in the second before I turned around, I caught a glimpse of his nose wrinkling imperceptibly.

He held the carbonated drink all the way onto the train, and only started drinking it again after the gas had dissipated, and he looked quite satisfied, which made one wonder if Sariel had also had a period of liking sweet things.

The train used to have a gramophone, but I don't know if it was recently updated to keep up with the times, and it was replaced with an internal radio broadcast, broadcasting some news from the human world, and we happened to encounter a science fiction special.

I was still thinking, it's a pity that he couldn't experience the joy of listening to music while watching the scenery. I didn't expect that he had already listened to the radio, remembered it, and even drew inferences from one another.

As expected of Sariel. I sighed and continued what I was saying.

You: Well, crossing is a popular term for your situation.

Sariel: But it also mentions many other types. How can you be sure that I won't be in those situations?

Other types... I vaguely remembered there were ones related to wormholes, cosmic strings, parallel universes, single universes, and so on.

Sariel: Maybe after I go back, I won't remember what happened here.

You: That's also true.

No one knew what would happen after General Qi returned. It would be strange if, as soon as he left, the Sariel here suddenly had an extra memory.

But, I blinked and naturally extended my hand towards him.

You: Then just consider it not a thank you gift. Take it as a souvenir, let me give it to you.

I smiled harmlessly at him. He seemed helpless against this kind of pleading and returned the jade to my hand.

Sariel: Is your head still dizzy?

You: It's not dizzy to the point of fainting, but my head hurts a little.

Sariel: It hurts?

I looked at the vast waters and the scenery that hadn't changed much since earlier, and looked at him with guilt.

You: Actually, you brought me here last time. I just fell asleep and arrived.

Sariel: So?

You: So, I thought the boat would find its own way, but now it seems that's not the case.

Sariel was silent for a moment, seeming to have gotten used to something.

Sariel: Where is your box with the map?

You: It's useless here...

Sariel pursed his lips, wanting to speak but stopping. In the end, he didn't say anything and walked straight to the bow.

The wind and water seemed to sense his movements, stopping for a second, and then starting to flow again. Sariel closed his eyes, the sunlight outlining his silhouette, making him appear almost transparent.

Sariel: I sense it, in this direction.

He shifted the tip of his foot, pointing in a direction. As soon as his voice fell, the boat started moving.

I didn't have time to observe the surroundings carefully last time, but this time I realized that there were many obstacles set up on the waterway. Every short distance, we would encounter fog, waves, or waterfalls.

Sariel was not hindered by them at all. He solved the mechanisms with a few breaths, and I couldn't help but feel curious.

You: Have you seen these mechanisms before?

Sariel: I haven't seen them. But I can understand how to use spiritual power to make them work.

Sariel: If it were me, I would probably design it this way.

You: Hmm... What do you think of the Qingyun Station we saw before? Just talking about its architecture.

Sariel pondered. A wave came, and he used his hand as a blade, lightly slashing in the air. The several-meter-high wall of water parted to both sides, making way for a passage.

Sariel: It suits my preferences.

It really was like that.

Qingyun Station was built by Sariel, so could these similarly evaluated mechanisms also be related to him?

It stands to reason that I already knew a lot about Sariel, and even his past self came to my side by chance to fill in the gaps for me.

But Sariel was an iceberg-like person. The closer you got to him, the more you knew, the more you would find that there was a more vast past beneath the surface.

It's not bad either. Thinking this, I leaned on the side of the boat. The outline of Ling Island had already appeared in the fog. Was it because of seasickness? Why did I feel my head getting more and more dizzy?

-

The small boat reached the shore. Sariel securely tied the rope to the wooden stake and reached out to pull me up. I had wanted to look cool and lend him a hand to leap over the edge, but then another wave of dizziness struck me. My feet slipped and my head and shoulder slammed into his armor.

You: Sorry. Have I been using my talent too much lately...?

I tried to stand up straight, but my legs were wobbly and trembling. My cheek rested against the ice-cold armor, rising and falling with Sariel's breathing.

He sighed, looking at the high steps in front of him, then at me.

Was it my imagination, or was the expression on his face strange? It was like he couldn't bear it, but also like he was reluctant.

Sariel: I'll carry you.

Sariel held my shoulders, slowly helping me stand up straight, leaning against the railing by the water. Then he turned around and squatted down.

His silver-white braid was casually brushed to one side. He didn't squat too high or too low. I only needed to lean forward slightly to lie on his back. How could it be so perfect, as if he was very familiar with this?

Sariel: Hurry up.

I was still in a daze when the urging came. I hesitated for a moment and hugged his neck.

I didn't even have the strength in my neck, so I had to rest my face on his shoulder. The armor here had a bit of leather material, which was softer. I vaguely recognized the pattern as a fox beast head.

I suddenly thought of something and couldn't help but ask him in a low voice.

You: Do you think there will be a mark on my face when I get down later?

Sariel had already stood up and carried me up two steps. His footsteps were steady, and the hem of his iron clothes rustled.

Hearing this, he stopped again, silently put me down to sit beside him, and took off the shoulder and chest armor that he never took off, even when sleeping.

When we set off again, several pieces of armor were strung together with thin ropes, which I held in my hands, hanging in front of his chest.

Only then did I realize that this armor was so light, swaying gently with his steps. The sun shone from behind, and our shadows were stretched long, extending far towards the top of the mountain.

A little longer, and maybe the shadows would reach our destination before us. I watched with interest and suddenly heard a soft voice.

Sariel: Give me the jade pendant you made.

You: So suddenly? I haven't finished it yet. I'll give it to you when it's done.

Sariel: I want to use it now.

He paused.

Sariel: Is that not okay?

Sariel tilted his face slightly, a touch of gilded light lingering in the corners of his narrow eyes.

Maybe it was his unusual urgency, or maybe I simply couldn't say no to those eyes. In short, I nodded generously and readily.

You: Okay, since you like it so much, I'll let you have it for a while.

I took out the jade pendant, which was still not very pleasing to the eye, from my bag.

You: Where do you want to wear it?

You: Why not hang it on the tip of your gun? There's only a red tassel there anyway.

Sariel: It will get stained with blood there, and it's easy to lose on the battlefield.

You: Then hang it on your waist? Just like those noble sons in costume dramas.

Sariel: ... I don't like to wear these jingling things on my body.

I pretended to be angry.

You: This is not okay, that is not okay, I'll do as I please.

But having said that, I still looked at the places he didn't refuse.

For example, his high ponytail.

This time I didn't ask, and gently tied the jade pendant to the top of his hair. There were a few strands of silver hair pressed by the mask strap, which I also pulled out.

Sariel should have felt it, but he didn't resist, letting me do as I pleased. I couldn't control my balance and my center of gravity was unstable, so the hand supporting my leg bent tightened a little.

You: Alright, a unique headdress. Sariel, do you think it looks good?

Sariel: Unless my eyes are floating in the air, I can't "feel it" right now.

He said so, but he still shook his head back and forth, as if feeling something.

Sariel: It can't be worse than waking up to find my head full of wildflowers.

You: Was that also done by your sister?

He didn't say anything, which meant yes.

And he seemed to regret telling me. I imagined the scene and couldn't help but laugh.

Sariel's footsteps slowed down a little, as if to listen to the echo of my laughter. I massaged his shoulders and back.

You: Are you tired? I'm much better. Shall I get down and walk by myself?

Sariel: ... What would you do?

The first half of his sentence was too soft, and I didn't hear it clearly.

You: What?

Sariel: If Sariel really died, what would you do?

Sariel: Would you still be like you are now?

I didn't have time to ask him why he suddenly said this. Death, the death of Sariel, no matter how many times I heard this word, it made my heart feel like it was being cut by a knife.

At first, this wound brought unbearable pain, but now, I could already hold back my tears.

Why, I thought, maybe it was because of the question he asked. I had also asked myself countless times during this time.

Sariel said that decaying plants would nurture new flowers. He also said that life and death is a cycle, we would eventually meet again. Being with him, I gradually learned to face death. I pressed my heart and slowly said.

You: I don't know if I can still be like now.

You: There were several times when I felt like I was about to lose him. I still clearly remember how I felt at that time.

You: Maybe it was from then on that I understood that no matter what, I couldn't let him leave.

General Qi didn't speak or move. The wind blew the shadows of the trees, casting fleeting patches of light and shadow on his face.

You: So, deep down in my heart, I actually decided this.

You: As long as he lives for one more day, I will spend one more day laughing with him, but if he dies---

You: I will also continue to find a way, until the last moment of my life.

I had never spoken those words so clearly, getting louder and louder towards the end, as if hoping that the person in the distance could also hear me. Sariel didn't respond for a long time, and I didn't want to face this silence.

You: How about you? If someone important to you... Sigh, this assumption isn't good, forget it, forget it.

He started walking again, and just when I thought the question and answer session was over---

Sariel: I'm the same as you.

-

Sariel stepped onto the last step, as if deliberately calculating it so that I wouldn't have the opportunity to ask him any more questions.

The familiar courtyard gate was right in front of us.

You: We're here...

On the stone table in the courtyard, a small lizard was lying there, seemingly disturbed from its sweet dreams by the sound of footsteps, groggily propping up its head.

Its eyes narrowed, its gaze falling on me and Sariel. In an instant, its expression was like it had seen a ghost.

Qishe: Lao, Lao Qi, why are you dressed like that?!

Qishe: Aren't you in the house, who's in the house? Oh my god---

He cried out miserably, probably because he saw a tall, thin figure walking out of the house.

Present-day Sariel was dressed in a white suit, his hair slightly messy and hanging down over his forehead.

He looked across the courtyard gate at the man in armor and mask. With just one glance, his eyes shifted to me.

I struggled slightly, signaling to General Qi that I wanted to get down, but he didn't let go, just looked straight ahead.

*In scenes where both Sariel's are present, I'll use General Qi to refer to the past-general, and Sariel to refer to present-day Sariel.

General Qi: Finally, I've met you.

Sariel must have sensed something, his hand reaching up to touch the end of his hair.

Sariel: Who are you?

General Qi: You'll know soon enough. I have something to say to you alone.

Wait a minute, finally, he had something to say? Wasn't it me who had something to say? And why did he have to say it alone? Did he have other things to do here?

Their conversation confused me, or rather, I was already dizzy. No matter how hard I tried to stay awake, I had reached my limit, and the drowsy darkness still descended.

-

When I opened my eyes again, I saw the unfamiliar yet familiar beams of the ceiling. Familiar because I had been here before, unfamiliar because it had been so long.

The feeling of weakness was still there, but my mind was exceptionally clear. I turned my head to see Sariel sitting at the table reading a book, a bean lamp flickering beside him.

The end of his hair softly touched his neck, with a furry edge in the candlelight. It was the Sariel of this era. Perhaps due to the warm light, there was even a little color in his face.

Tears flowed down involuntarily. I had been terribly worried all this time, but I didn't dare to think about it along the way. Now that I finally saw him, at least he was still sitting here properly.

I thought this kind of crying was silent, but Sariel still sensed it. He looked up, put down the book in his hand, and came to sit by the bed.

Sariel: Falling into a deep sleep as soon as you arrive, and crying like this after waking up, you really are getting stranger and stranger.

I propped myself up. There was a steaming porcelain basin on the bedside table. Sariel took out a bowl from it and handed it to me.

Sariel: Drink it.

I took it and gulped it down.

Sariel: Not even going to ask what this is?

You: If I ask, you'll say I have too many questions. Anyway, you won't harm me.

Sariel choked a little, his brows furrowed, staring at me as if he didn't recognize me. I quickly put on a well-behaved look.

You: Um... what is this?

Sariel: ...

I put on my most inquisitive look, which made Sariel turn his head away in disgust.

Sariel: Mr. Kui's prescription. He said there's nothing else wrong with you, just that you've exhausted your mental energy too much.

Sariel: Why is it that every time we don't see each other for a while, you manage to wear yourself out like this?

I pursed my lips on the edge of the bowl and muttered softly, but just loud enough for Sariel to hear.

You: Then you should see me more often, wouldn't that be better?

Then, without waiting for Sariel to answer, I pushed the remaining half bowl of medicine in front of him.

You: You drink it too.

Sariel: I don't need it.

You: You do. You have dark circles under your eyes. Have you been waiting for me for a long time?

Sariel snorted softly.

Sariel: If I had known you were going to sleep for two days, I definitely wouldn't have waited here.

??: What a joke.

A loud voice came from outside the door, accompanied by the crisp sound of a cane hitting the ground. An old man with a gray beard was standing there. I recognized him as Mr. Kui, whom I had met once before.

Mr. Kui: It's as if no one told you that she would sleep for at least two days.

You: Mr. Kui, thank you.

Hearing this, Mr. Kui glanced at me, then at Sariel's deliberately averted face, and seemed to be in a good mood.

But jokes aside, there were indeed faint dark circles under Sariel's eyes. I grabbed his sleeve, crumpling the small piece of fabric into a ball.

You: Sariel, you should go and rest.

You: Your body hasn't actually recovered, and it's still deteriorating, right?

Sariel: You know.

Sariel's reaction was calm, as if this was something we both knew, but only now were we talking about it. Strangely, it made me feel calm as well.

You: Yeah, I kind of guessed.

The undried tears were about to flow into my mouth, so Sariel handed me some tissues.

Sariel: Are you going to accuse me of hiding it from you now?

I wiped my face, remembering the time when he said he was going to resign, and the two of us had made a fuss in his office. I shook my head a little embarrassedly.

You: Not this time.

You: This time it's because I was so scared, I didn't even dare to ask you properly.

I smiled at him, and Sariel was stunned for a moment, a tiny curve appearing at the corner of his eyes. Now that everything in the past had been said, I was going to share the good news with him.

You: I found a way that might be able to cure you, to cure the deterioration.

Mr. Kui let out an "Oh?" and came closer to listen. This was the second time I had described NOVATEN Pharmaceuticals' research results, and I was much more proficient now.

When he heard about Factor A and Factor D, Mr. Kui was first bewildered, then wore a thoughtful expression. Could this mean that there were no similar research results on Ling Island yet?

You: So...

I looked around and suddenly realized that the most important person was missing.

You: Where is the person who came with me? Can we let him come over?

You: Sariel, I know this is unbelievable, but he and you--

Sariel: That person is gone.

Gone?

You: What do you mean gone? Will he be back later?

Sariel: No, he disappeared.

You: Disappeared? Where to?

The room was silent. Disappeared, there was originally no destination, and it was most likely an instantaneous thing, just like... when he came.

I had an answer in my heart. The Sariel of that era always had to return to that era. This was something destined from the beginning.

If that was the case, the scroll was already shattered, how could I call him over again?

Why at this time? I felt myself wavering between calmness and anxiety. The determination to be strong just a second ago seemed to be only because there was hope.

You: What can we do... It won't work without him.

Unconsciously, the edges of my nails dug arc-shaped marks into my palms. Sariel grabbed one of my wrists.

Sariel: Nothing won't work. There is more than one way to treat my deterioration.

You: But what else is there?

If there was, it should have been used long ago, right? I looked at him anxiously, and Sariel lowered his eyelids.

Sariel: There is a seal in my body, sealing a large amount of spiritual power.

Sariel: If I release them, I can live for a long time.

You: A seal? I've never heard you mention it. Who sealed that spiritual power?

Sariel: I don't know. Before the deterioration, I didn't think about it.

Sariel: But the Grand Elder knows how to undo the seal. I've already asked him to arrange the ritual.

Seal, ritual, all words I had never heard before, but things had taken a turn for the better. I looked around blankly and joyfully, and found a surprised look on Mr. Kui's face.

Mr. Kui: Sariel, have you decided?

Sariel: Yes.

Sariel answered quickly. His knuckles were still resting on my wrist, brushing over the blue veins of my pulse, lingering there for a moment, then intertwining with mine.

Sariel: Don't worry, I won't die so easily.

His voice was low, almost a whisper, but it was like something scorching hot, branding itself in my ears.

In contrast was the coolness of his palm.

It'll be alright, he had said similar things. Rather than a promise, it was more like a comfort. Now, something was different, but his positivity was undoubtedly a good thing.

Mr. Kui said that he still had something to discuss with the Grand Elder and left first. I temporarily put aside my chaotic thoughts, relaxed, leaned against the head of the bed and talked to Sariel.

You: Sariel, so before that person left, did you recognize him?

Sariel: Recognize what?

You: Oh, that silver-white hair, armor, and voice, don't you think it resembles someone?

Sariel: Resembles me. You can be more direct, or rather, it was me.

So he had also seen it. Could it be that General Qi disappeared because two identical people couldn't meet, even with a mask on?

You: Why don't you seem surprised?

Sariel: Being with you, there are too many bizarre things, I'm used to it.

You: Then do you have any other thoughts? For example, seeing your youthful self from a thousand years ago, do you feel nostalgic?

Sariel: No matter how young he is, he's still hundreds of years older than you.

Sariel seemed to remember something and paused.

Sariel: Was it you who tied that jade pendant on his head?

You: Yes, it was me. Does it look good?

Sariel: It's ugly. How come I don't remember being so easily manipulated before?

You: I also didn't know that you were so agreeable before.

You: Can you remember that feeling again?

I was looking forward to being able to manipulate him in the future. Sariel looked away.

Sariel: No. Since you're so satisfied with him, why don't you find a way to send yourself back to that time?

I blinked, and blinked again. No way, Sariel minded my attitude towards his past self? I wanted to laugh but didn't dare to, lowering my head and grabbing his arm.

You: I don't want to. I still have Pristine, and I still need you to teach me design.

You: I also want to enjoy the sense of accomplishment of successfully manipulating the current you -- Ouch.

My head was knocked.

Sariel: You should go back to that time. You're so noisy, I can't stand it.

I shook my head vigorously and held him tighter.

You: But I'm really thinking, if only I could have been born with you and lived with you until now.

You: Riding horses and practicing spearmanship with you must be very interesting.

Sariel: Riding horses and practicing spearmanship, it's not impossible now either.

Eh? I looked up in surprise. There wasn't a trace of jest in Sariel's eyes. He was serious.

You: Then it's settled, after you recover?

Sariel: Yes.

The feeling of being filled with anticipation for the future was probably what I was feeling right now. Overjoyed, I suddenly wondered if the spirit horse had gone back with General Qi, and also the words he had to say -- I looked at Sariel.

You: By the way, didn't he say he wanted to talk to you alone? What did you talk about? Did you reminisce about old times?

Sariel: What old times could I reminisce about with myself?

A gust of evening wind blew past, and the lamp in the room went out. Sariel got up to relight it, his voice coming from the darkness.

Sariel: Besides, he disappeared very quickly.

You: Hmm... Is that so? I thought he would tell you about what happened in these two days.

You: Then I'll have to do it myself.

Sariel had already forgotten whether he had answered "Okay" or not. All he knew was that when he sat back down by the bed, the girl had already started her story.

She spoke animatedly, gesticulating, full of strange adjectives. Sariel remembered teasing her about being able to be a screenwriter, which might not be unfounded.

There was just one thing, she spoke too meticulously. If it really were a script, it would definitely be a running account filled with inner thoughts, and the protagonist it pointed to was always only one person.

Sariel, Sariel, Sariel. The three words echoed repeatedly in his ears, giving him the illusion that it wasn't his own name.

The one who always pointed a spear at others shouldn't be him, and the one who bickered with children shouldn't be him either.

The one who didn't reveal a single truth, making her repeatedly ponder, shouldn't be him either.

As the girl spoke, she couldn't resist her drowsiness and fell asleep. Sariel was able to restrain his calm and indifferent expression, closing his eyes for a moment. When he opened them again, his golden eyes were filled with confusion.

He had lied. The person from the past, before disappearing, had said many things, one of which was, "If you die, she will die. This is destined fate."

The summer insects in the courtyard were still chirping. When the autumn wind blew, they would die.

-

Is this fate? The life and death of everything in the world must always be connected to something. But, for this silly bird beside him, what he wanted was for her to be forever free.

Waking up, I felt the last bit of physical discomfort disappear. Mr. Kui brought news that the ritual would be held seven days later.

He also brought with him a kind of dark black herbal medicine. Sariel had to take the decoction made from it every day to prepare for the ritual.

But I didn't know that this preparation would be so agonizing. On the first day, except for the medicine, he didn't eat or drink. It wasn't that he didn't want to, but that he couldn't. Even if it was just water touching his lips, he would cough uncontrollably.

On the second day, his nails and skin were all cracked. When he blinked, his silver-white eyelashes easily fell off, landing on the pale red wounds on his arm.

On the third day, I didn't see him. He closed the door of the room, not letting me in, urging me to do my own things.

At midnight, I heard a slight bumping sound from the other side of the wall. I ran to the corner and squatted down, calling his name.

After calling many times, the bumping sound gradually stopped. After a while, there were three "tap, tap, tap" sounds on the wall. I knew it was him asking me why I hadn't gone to sleep yet.

On the fourth and fifth days, Sariel began to improve. Despite the ordeal, he still stood tall and straight when he was trimming the flowers and trees in the courtyard in the morning.

The scabs on his arms quickly fell off, replaced by curved and spreading black lines, forming complex totems.

I sat face to face with him at the stone table, which was only half left, and took a brush to trace these black lines, adding a few pairs of cute eyes and ears by the way. After I finished drawing, I was a little scared.

You: Sariel, do you think my random drawing will cause the ritual to fail?

Sariel: How could it cause the ritual to fail? Summon a...

Sariel carefully identified it.

Sariel: Is this four-dissimilar thing you drew a tiger?

I was amused by him and fetched water to wash away the ink.

-

After washing the ink off, when I went out to pour the water, I found a little spirit race boy lingering outside the courtyard gate, looking hesitant.

You: Who are you? Are you looking for someone?

He was startled by me and stammered when he spoke.

Little Guard: I, I'm a guard on the island... here to find General Qi.

My first reaction was that General Qi had already left, but seeing the little guard's appearance, he should be looking for Sariel.

I brought him into the courtyard. Sariel was putting down the sleeves I had rolled up and frowned slightly when he saw him come in.

Sariel: Are you the guard who was guarding the stone wall last time?

The little guard's eyes widened, filled with surprise and joy.

Little Guard: General Qi, you still remember me!

Sariel: I'm not a general. Just say what you have to say.

The little guard hurriedly untied the cloth bag he was carrying and spread it out on the table. Inside were all kinds of medicinal herbs, mixed with a fragrant aroma.

Little Guard: These are the herbs I usually gather from all over the island. They can, they can calm the mind and strengthen the body.

Little Guard: I, I want to thank you. You let me go for medicine last time, and now you're willing to come back to save us all.

Sariel: I'm not here to save you.

The little guard was stunned for a moment and hurriedly spoke.

Little Guard: But I heard the Grand Elder say that you're going to hold a ritual to restore your power --

Sariel: I'm holding the ritual just to survive, it has nothing to do with the spirit race.

Sariel: It's more like I'm using you.

Now even I was a little surprised. Although Sariel was always sharp-tongued, he rarely spoke with such intense emotions.

He glanced at the herbs on the table again, his expression indifferent.

Sariel: I see. Take these back. Don't bring things from Ling Island here.

The little guard's mouth deflated, as if to cheer himself up, he clenched his fists.

Little Guard: I won't take them back.

He raised his head, but still didn't dare to look at Sariel, only daring to stare at the buttons on his clothes.

Little Guard: General Qi, last time I couldn't beat you and was going to fall and get hurt, but you didn't let me get a single scratch.

Little Guard: Anyway, I won't take them back.

After saying that, he turned and ran out.

Leaving the two of us in the courtyard, speechless as we looked at the things on the table.

After staring at it for a long time, I suddenly noticed that there were small dark brown marks in the pattern of the cloth bag and on several herbs, like dried bloodstains.

You: Is this blood?

Sariel: Yes.

Sariel picked up an almost transparent flower and cupped his hand, blocking most of the sunlight. In the dimness, the petals emitted a soft halo.

Sariel: The places where these herbs grow are either on cliffs or in deep forests. He shouldn't have gone there.

You: But since he went, accepting these might actually make him happy.

Sariel: How do you know?

You: Put yourself in his shoes.

I smiled at him, but it was a little forced.

You: And, back in Wan Zhen, I thought you had already...

...already been able to naturally accept everyone's kindness.

I sighed inwardly and didn't say it out loud, but Sariel seemed to have already anticipated what I was thinking.

Sariel: It's different.

Sariel: Here, I can't save them, and I don't intend to, so I shouldn't give them hope.

I couldn't help but think of the night a few days ago, when the general in armor said to me, "What kind of general doesn't protect his people?"

He clearly had the same bright eyes and sharp jawline as before.

-

On the sixth day, the Grand Elder sent a message to say that the place for the ritual was ready. We went to have a look. To put it less formally, this was the so-called pre-exploration.

When the Grand Elder saw me, like Mr. Kui, he just glanced at me. I suspected that they still wanted to maintain the rule that humans couldn't enter Ling Island, so they had to pretend I didn't exist.

Behind him, deep in the dense forest, were mottled stone pillars and stone walls covered with symbols and totems, similar to those on Sariel's arms.

They surrounded a similarly stone-made low platform. When the moon reached its zenith or the sun rose, the light would pass through the gaps in the dense forest and shine on the center of the low platform.

During the ritual, Sariel would sit quietly there, waiting for the runes around him to resonate with his body.

It was said that once the ritual began, the gaps between the stone pillars and stone walls would be filled with thick fog, and people outside would no longer be able to see inside.

Naturally, the people inside wouldn't be able to come out either, unless the ritual was completed or failed.

How long would it take? No one knew. I imagined Sariel staying inside alone.

You: Is there any way I can accompany you?

Sariel: No.

Sariel: You just stay at home. You can't get in anyway.

You: That won't do. At least I want to be the first person to welcome you out.

I held his little finger that was hanging down by his side and shook it a few times, as if making a promise with him. His knuckles were a little stiff. Perhaps because there was hope, it was inevitable that he would also feel anxious.

-

Back home, while Sariel was resting in the house, I asked the little lizard to find me a lot of flowers and plants of various colors.

Following the method Sariel had taught me before, the lizard and I worked all afternoon, preparing several kinds of pigments. Qishe wiped the non-existent sweat from his brow.

Qishe: Little sister, why don't you ask Lao Qi for help? He knows much more than me.

You: Do you even need to ask? Of course, I can't let Lao Qi know.

He pouted, looking very sad.

Qishe: Little sister, you've been with him for so long, you even speak like him now.

I laughed and subconsciously glanced at the house, lowering my voice.

You: Qishe, Sariel is going to undo the seal tomorrow. I want to cheer him up.

You: Do you have anything you want to say to him?

The little lizard tilted his head and thought for a moment.

Qishe: As for words, it's always the same old things. But there's one sentence I'm really embarrassed to say to his face.

You: What is it?

The little lizard looked at the railing of the courtyard. There was a scale placed on it at intervals, forming a shimmering line.

Qishe: Actually, I had already given up hope and just wanted to live out these days well.

Qishe: But seeing Lao Qi like this recently...

Qishe: I... kind of want to try and live on.

-

On the morning of the seventh day, before dawn, I stood by the stone wall, watching the Grand Elder and the guards bustling about.

There was only a thin layer of clouds in the sky, which would probably dissipate when the sun came out. It was going to be a good day.

Soft footsteps stopped beside me.

Sariel: When did you come here? You didn't even sleep?

I curled the paint stains on my fingers into my palm.

You: I'm a little nervous.

Sariel: Nervous about what?

You: I don't know if it will go smoothly.

You: Even if it does, I heard from the little lizard that there are many memories and powers of your past in the seal. I don't know what will happen afterwards.

Sariel: Afterwards, I'll take you horse riding and spear practicing. Didn't you say that yourself?

I turned my head and looked at Sariel blankly. The air in the forest in the morning was very cool. With every breath he took, there was a little white mist in front of him, blurring his golden eyes.

Sariel: What else could happen?

I nodded heavily. Yes, it had to be this way.

We stood quietly for a while. Soon, the Grand Elder dismissed the guards and announced the start of the ritual.

As expected, a thick fog rose around us, and Sariel's figure gradually disappeared into it. I waited for a while longer, then went around to a stone wall and sat down beside it.

You: You should have seen it by now...

I closed my eyes, my palm against the wall, trying to awaken my talent.

I felt it, Sariel's fingers, just a wall away from me, brushing against a mottled color on the stone wall.

Gradually, the scene he saw appeared before my eyes.

In all directions, not a single stone was spared, all filled with writing and drawings. I had arranged this overnight and asked the Grand Elder. As long as I didn't use spiritual power to scribble, it would be fine.

I wrote a lot of "good lucks", on the heads of cartoon little foxes, on the heads of cartoon little birds, in simple characters, in traditional characters, in Danish, and even drew a few hieroglyphs.

On the head of the cartoon little lizard were the words Qishe wanted to say, which I wrote down verbatim.

I drew horses, spears, endless grasslands, and the vast Kunlun Mountains. Sariel was very suitable for a small and exquisite studio, but after he recovered, I still wanted to go to these places with him again.

And the wall behind me was the closest to the center of the stone platform. I drew a big picture of myself on it, without writing any words, just smiling, looking at him.

Sariel looked at the drawings one by one, and finally stopped in front of the silly smiling "me", bending his knuckles and knocking on the forehead of the drawing, with a slight smile on his face.

Sariel: Silly.

Knocking on this too? I complained a little and sat down against the wall with satisfaction.

Anyway, now he knew that I would always find a way to be with him.

The faint sunlight shone through the only small hole above that was not covered by the thick fog, falling on the runes all over the room. Sariel sat quietly by the wall. We couldn't see each other, but we were back to back.

As if having absorbed enough sunlight, the sun had shifted from its original position, but the runes were still flickering.

These lights intertwined into lines, enveloping Sariel.

He closed his eyes, his expression calm, only his eyelashes trembling slightly.

I felt that my body could still hold on, maintaining my talent. I saw the light on the stone platform getting brighter and brighter, engulfing Sariel, leaving only a white light between heaven and earth.

When I came back to my senses, what I saw was no longer the stone room; Sariel was standing in a vast expanse of sand.

No, this was no ordinary wilderness, this was a battlefield. The wind rolled up a tattered flag, covered with layers of blood, obscuring the name of the army.

Where the flag fluttered, shadows fell on the rusted weapons and corpses all over the ground.

Sariel seemed to be very accustomed to such scenes. He just stood quietly for a while, then bent down.

The corpse at his feet had a feathered arrow stuck in its chest. Sariel picked up a dagger, cut open the armor there, and took out the arrowhead. His movements were very gentle, as if the person was still alive.

After doing this, he picked up the skeleton and placed it in the trench, filling the gully with handfuls of yellow sand.

He repeated this.

On the vast battlefield, he was the only living person. There were too many corpses, so many that the land couldn't hold them.

When the trenches were full, he picked up a rusty spear and dug a deep pit himself. The setting sun shone on his white clothes, making the whole picture both bleak and absurd.

As he placed a corpse into the pit, the armored soldier suddenly opened his eyes and spoke to him.

??: Because of you, I died.

Sariel: I know.

Sariel replied, his palm covering the soldier's eyelids, and the corpse stopped moving again.

At first, he dug quickly, but the more he dug, the slower he became. More and more corpses spoke to him, and he seemed to remember everyone.

He found their lost weapons and armor, and wiped the blood and dust from their faces.

Some of the dead were very thin, their skin clinging to their bones. He looked at them for a long time, spread his palms, and placed a bunch of wheat ears, which appeared from nowhere, on their faces.

In the distance, there was the outline of a city wall. Sariel would occasionally stop and look there. Beside him were rows of raised tombs, also like a city wall. The two cities faced each other.

A mark I had never seen before gradually appeared on his chest. Was that the seal? But he seemed unaware.

??: Because of you, I died.

Sariel: I know.

Lying in the dust was a young man. Sariel seemed to be particularly familiar with him.

A token with the character "one" appeared in his palm, along with a plum blossom. Both were placed on the young man's chest.

Sariel: Yongzhou won. What you did was not in vain, but it wasn't worth it for you to do this.

The moon rose and fell, and Sariel wandered on the battlefield. I didn't recognize most of the people he buried.

But there were also some that I did recognize, like Lao Zhong.

Lao Zhong: Old fox, because of you, I died.

Sariel: I know.

Sariel's movements didn't stop, just paused for a moment.

Sariel: I haven't told her yet. There's one less person to visit your grave.

And Qishe.

Qishe: Old Qi, I'm dead. It's your fault.

Sariel: I know.

No matter how they blamed him, Sariel only said this one sentence.

But I wanted to shout, that's not true! I wasn't sure about the others, but Lao Zhong wouldn't say such things, and neither would the lizard! And weren't they still alive!

Finally, there was only one corpse left.

It was me.

Perhaps because I had already had a premonition, I wasn't too surprised. Sariel's every move had already slowed to a stop.

"I" was smiling at him, but saying the same thing as those people.

??: I died because of you.

Sariel finally seemed to feel tired. He sat down, and feeling that it wasn't enough, he lay down on his back.

The bright moon hung high, and he seemed to be watching the moon side by side with "me".

After watching for a while, he turned his head, and for a moment, I felt like he met my gaze.

Sariel: I won't let you die.

My heart sank. I should have felt safe because of this promise, but Sariel's expression was full of sorrow...

...as if nothing else in the world existed except the person beside him.

And he, who had attached his whole life to her, would also die if she were gone.

The pattern that looked like a seal became clearer and clearer.

"My" eyes were open, but he didn't close them. I saw that look, it was the same painful look as mine now.

At this moment, I knew what the corpse was going to say, it was the same thing I wanted to say --

You: It shouldn't be like this.

The moment the words left my mouth, the light on Sariel's chest dimmed.

The earth trembled, the realm collapsed, the battlefield, the flags, the city walls, and the tombs all disappeared.

All that remained before my eyes was the darkened stone room. Sariel was still by the stone wall, his head slightly tilted, as if he had lost consciousness.

You: Oh no!

I stood up and ran towards the entrance he had used to enter. The Grand Elder was standing there.

Seeing my expression, he seemed to have understood something. I no longer cared about the pretense between humans and the spirit race and shouted loudly,

You: Grand Elder, the ritual---

Grand Elder: The ritual has failed, just as it has appeared on the stone wall.

Stone wall? This was the first time I'd heard this term, but there was no time to think about it. The thick fog dissipated, and I rushed onto the stone platform, discerning that shallow but steady breathing from the bird songs that were rising all around again.

-

After bringing Sariel back home, Mr. Kui checked him and said he was fine, just needed to rest. My mind was in turmoil, I just nodded. Looking out the window, I saw the Grand Elder standing there. I remembered what he had said earlier, so I went out.

You: Grand Elder, can you tell me what you meant by the stone wall?

The Grand Elder didn't look at me, as if talking to himself.

Grand Elder: The stone wall records a prophecy, pointing to the path to the revival of the spirit race.

Grand Elder: If it weren't for its guidance, Sariel would never have been able to save you at those times and places.

Grand Elder: And I, in holding the ritual for Sariel, was also following the instructions on the stone wall.

Grand Elder: I originally thought this ritual could help him release the talent in his body so that he could fight for us.

The spirit race was acting according to a prophecy on a stone wall to achieve revival? And Sariel was a very important part of this prophecy.

I thought about it carefully and couldn't help but find it bizarre. But Sariel's rescues at the Siyu intersection and the hospital... he shouldn't have had any reason to appear in those two places.

But what did the revival of the spirit race have to do with me, to record my safety on it as well? And the most important question --

Even if Sariel recovered his power, so what? It seemed that he didn't want to have anything to do with the spirit race at all. I looked at the Grand Elder.

You: Did that stone wall say how to make Sariel willing to fight for you?

Grand Elder: He will. For a person, even after thousands of years, there are always some things that remain the same.

Grand Elder: Don't you feel it?

You: I...

His profile when he said the word "protect", the phrase "I know", and his cold eyes towards the little guard alternately appeared in my mind. I... felt it.

You: But... there's another question.

You: Since this is a prophetic stone wall, and undoing the seal is a failed method...

You: Why write this method on it, and hide the fact that it will fail?

The Grand Elder was stunned for a moment and didn't answer anymore. I thought, if it said "failure" on it, maybe the Grand Elder wouldn't have tried this method for Sariel.

Suddenly, I had a strange feeling, as if compared to Sariel's power recovery, this stone wall or the person who wrote on the stone wall was more eager to see a certain result.

-

Sariel woke up exactly two days later. Although Mr. Kui said he was fine, I still stayed by his side, not leaving if I didn't have to.

It seemed that I understood his mood when we met again. It wasn't just because of worry --

You: I also wanted you to see me first when you woke up.

Sariel: What's the benefit of seeing you first?

I don't know if it was because I woke him up, but as soon as I finished speaking, Sariel opened his eyes, his voice very hoarse.

I hurriedly leaned closer with a smile.

You: Doesn't seeing my face feel very healing?

He didn't seem to be fully conscious yet. He reached out and stroked my face, and actually smiled softly.

Sariel: As long as it's not a tear-stained face, it's okay.

His hair was a little messy from sleep. I stared blankly, my heart seeming to turn into a ball of cotton.

Burying my head in his hand, I had just been praised, and I wanted to cry again. It wasn't just because of this smile, but also --

You: ... I'm sorry.

These two days, I kept thinking about that battlefield.

You: Did the seal fail to be undone because of me, because of what I said?

Sariel had been casually tapping my head with his fingertips, as if tapping a kitten.

Hearing this, his movements paused. It seemed that he understood that I had seen the same thing as him. He sighed, with an expression of "why are you bothering yourself with this".

Sariel: Something that hasn't been undone for thousands of years, it's impossible to undo it with an unknown ritual.

Sariel: Just think about it.

You: Yes.

I agreed. But the torment Sariel suffered during those three days, our agreement, his determination and expectation... I couldn't help but think about these things. In order not to reveal my emotions, I held it in until my shoulders trembled.

Sariel: Cry if you want to.

You: No, actually, when I came, I had already decided not to cry like before.

My chin was slightly lifted. Sariel's eyes reflected my strange expression.

Sariel: The first time you woke up and let me see you, you broke your own idea.

Sariel: And what's the difference between you now and crying?

Of course there was. I pounced on him and hugged him.

After a long while, Sariel raised his hand and hugged me back. He hugged me very loosely, as if I could break free if I just lowered myself a little.

You: Sariel, there must be other ways, right?

But I didn't move at all, as if asking him, and as if asking myself.

Turning my head, Sariel's silver-white eyelashes were very close to me, turning into many overlapping shadows, but in the end, that touch of gold jumped out, flickering with a little light.

Sariel: There will be.

Outside in the courtyard, the sound of the water clock echoed, long and drawn out.

We separated a little. Sariel coughed lightly, and a red mark appeared at the corner of his eyes under the candlelight.

Sariel: It's very late. Go to rest first. If there's a way, we'll think about it tomorrow.

I was about to nod when there was a rumbling sound outside. The ground beneath my feet shook, just like when the ritual failed!

.

.

.

.

.

Chapter 18-15

If you’d like to support my translations, feel free to buy me a coffee here! :)

[thatartiststudios]

Another fic update for y'all

The group settled around the table, the glow of the magical lamps casting an ambient light over the deck. After a hearty dinner and a moment of shared silence, they collectively decided it was time to address the unsettling events that had transpired.

Callum took a deep breath and began, “So, Rayla and I were in Xadia when something spooked our shadowpaw. We ended up tumbling off a cleft.”

Carter raised an eyebrow, noting the similarity, “That’s weirdly similar to how our gryphon, Freak, got startled, causing Sadie and me to fall out of the reed boat.” The eerie parallel didn’t escape anyone’s notice, and they exchanged thoughtful glances.

Rayla spoke up, “Are these events orchestrated, or is it just a strange coincidence?”

The conversation then shifted to The Collector’s cryptic words and the ominous threats made towards Leo. Piper voiced her concern, “He mentioned ‘His Champions.’ What does that even mean?”

Jason added, “And what about ‘The Game’? Why is it so specific about who enters?”

Callum leaned forward, his expression grave, “And Leo, what did he mean by ‘collateral damage’? We need to understand what we’re dealing with here.”

Just as Leo was about to speak, the holographic device, left unattended on the table, whirred to life. The Collector’s image materialized, shorter this time due to the device being on the table instead of the deck.

Sadie’s temper flared as she addressed the holographic image of The Collector, “Is this just some sick game to you?”

The Collector chuckled, “Oh, was it too much for you? I thought it was wonderful!”

Sadie’s eyes narrowed, “Wonderful?”

The Collector continued, seemingly unfazed, “Yes, I’ve always been one for dramatic flair. But, anyway, you’re ready for your next clue, are you not? ‘A Colossus of past entertainment’ in Rome. I wish you good luck!”

The hologram flickered off, leaving the group in an uneasy silence. The hologram flickered, and The Collector disappeared. The room fell silent for a moment, the weight of the encounter sinking in. Leo was the first to break the silence.

“That dude gives me the creeps,” Leo muttered, his eyes fixated on the dormant hologram device.

Piper frowned, “A Colossus of past entertainment in Rome? What’s that supposed to mean?”

Rayla shrugged, “Your guess is as good as mine. I’ve never heard of Rome, let alone been there.”

Carter leaned back, his expression contemplative, “Maybe The Colosseum?”

Piper nodded slowly, “That sounds like it’d fit the bill.”

Callum sighed, “I just hope it doesn’t involve more illusions. That was... unsettling.”

Sadie nodded, still fuming a bit from their encounter with The Collector, “Agreed. Let’s be prepared for anything, though. This ‘Game’ of his seems to have a twisted sense of entertainment.”

“I hate to be the bearer of bad news,” Rayla started, “but didn’t he say that we would all have to face a past trial in each of our places? I think that means that this won’t be the last time you use that spell during this.”

Callum winced, realizing she was right, “Yeah, forgot about that.”

Jason, who had been quiet for most of the discussion, finally spoke up, “And what about Leo? The Collector made it clear that he’s not part of the chosen Champions. What does that mean for him?”

Leo scratched his head, “I’m just here to fly the ship, man. I didn’t sign up for any Champion business.”

Callum looked at Leo sympathetically, “He mentioned something about The Game not liking it when others enter. We should be careful.”

Piper glanced at the hologram device, “And what if we decide not to play this Game of his?”

The device flickered, and The Collector’s voice echoed, “You can try, but remember, there are consequences for defying the rules. I wouldn’t recommend it.”

Sadie muttered under her breath, “Consequences my foot.”

With a collective sigh, they realized they were in too deep. The hologram device remained silent, its eerie glow a constant reminder of the challenges they faced.

The heroes dispersed, heading to their rooms to rest before their next destination. Callum and Rayla strolled side by side, the ship’s gentle rocking beneath them.

“Hey, you’ll be okay with traveling over water, right?” Callum asked, a hint of concern in his voice.

Rayla smiled softly, “Callum, it’s not like I haven’t been on a boat before. I’ll be fine, don’t worry.”

Callum nodded, “I know, but I just want to make sure. If you need anything, just tell me, alright?”

Rayla rolled her eyes playfully, “I’m not helpless, you know. But, sure, I’ll let you know if I need anything.”

Callum grinned, “Good enough for me. But, you know I’ll worry anyway.”

Rayla chuckled, “Stubborn mage. Fine, worry all you want.” She leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek. “Good night, Callum.”

“Good night, Rayla,” Callum replied, a warm smile on his face as they headed to their respective rooms. The Argo II continued its journey, sailing across the night-shrouded sea toward Rome, and the looming challenge that awaited them in The Colosseum.

—

The next morning unfolded in a rather uneventful manner, with the team casually mingling on deck and deepening their camaraderie. This continued until Jason, positioned at the top of the steps leading to the stern, noticed a peculiar sight in the distance.

“Hey, guys?” Jason gestured towards a growing speck on the horizon, “I think we’re being followed.”

Piper joined him, squinting to get a better view of the approaching vessel. “That doesn’t look like any ship we’ve seen around here. What do you think?”

Jason shook his head, “Definitely not a Greek or Roman warship. And it doesn’t fit the profile of a modern ship either.”

“Nor does it resemble any Egyptian vessels,” added Carter, who had joined them at the back railing, squinting as the ship approached, “It’s not like anything we’re accustomed to.”

The mysterious ship cut through the waves, its tattered sails appearing to function despite extensive damage. An eerie fog enveloped its deck, obscuring any sight of the crew.

“It’s not sitting well with me,” admitted Rayla, her unease palpable, “Something feels off.”

Leo, ever mischievous, eyed approaching rock formations with a grin, “Let’s try some evasive maneuvers. Maybe we can lose our uninvited guests.”

Leo expertly guided the Argo II through intricate maneuvers, attempting to shake off the pursuing ship. However, the ghostly vessel remained relentless, undeterred by Leo’s skillful navigation.

As the ship continued its pursuit, the agile movements of the Argo II jostled its passengers. Sadie, recovering from a slide into the railing, winced at the pain in her side. Rayla, struggling with seasickness, sought support from Callum.

“Is all this moving really necessary?” Rayla asked, her voice queasy.

Despite Leo’s evasive actions, the ghostly ship persisted, a haunting specter on the horizon, steadily closing the gap between them.

After a moment of thought, a spell came to Callum’s mind.

“Hey, Leo, you think you could steady the ship? I have an idea.”

Leo halted their maneuvers, responding to Callum’s request. As he released Rayla, Callum stood, clutching his staff with determination. He drew a swirling blue rune in the air and uttered, “Lapis Caeli,” inhaling a massive gust of air from the pursuing ship like a vacuum.

With a swift closure of his mouth, he ended the spell, sending a shockwave of air echoing from his staff. The sails of the ghost ship rippled once before freezing in stillness, bringing it to an abrupt stop.

Exhaling sharply as a thick wisp of air exited from his mouth, Callum collapsed, his staff slipping from his grasp. Rayla moved swiftly, catching him as he slumped back. Kneeling beside him, she braced his back, his arm around her shoulder as Callum took quick and worryingly shallow breaths. Rayla placed her free hand on Callum’s chest, feeling the rapid thud of his heart. The others exchanged worried glances, not that Rayla noticed, Callum being her sole center of attention and concern.

Piper, breaking the silence, voiced the question on everyone’s mind, “Is… he going to be okay?”

Rayla, with a confidence that seemed more for herself than the others, responded, “Yeah, he’ll be fine.”

Leo, scratching his head, looked at the now still ship, gradually fading from view. “I… I don’t understand. What did he do?” Puzzled, he turned his gaze back to Rayla and Callum. As Callum’s breathing slowed to a more manageable rate, Rayla explained with evident concern, “He took their wind away.”

The others glanced at each other in astonishment as they realized the true extent of what Callum had done. As the tension lifted, Callum’s breathing gradually slowed, and with Rayla’s support, he managed to stand. His eyes opened, the first question on his lips directed at Rayla, “Did it work?”

Rayla, her hand drifting from his chest to his face, couldn’t help but scoff. The onlookers wisely chose to give them some space.

“That’s what you’re worried about?” she retorted.

Callum pressed on, “Well?”

“Yes, dumb mage, it worked, but that’s not my point,” Rayla replied, her voice soft but carrying an underlying concern. As Callum looked into her eyes, he sensed that the fear for him hadn’t fully dissipated.

“I’m sorry, I worried you,” he admitted, releasing his arm from around her to hold both of her hands.

Rayla’s response was equally soft, “It hurts me to see you like that.”

Callum gently rubbed his thumbs over her knuckles, “I know. I’m sorry. I won’t do anything like that for the rest of this. I promise you, Ray. I-” His words were interrupted by her lips on his.

When she pulled away, she said, “We always catch each other, don’t we?”

Callum smiled at her, “Yeah, we do.”

—

Rayla found herself on the dark and foreboding deck of Sea Legs, the cursed ship that bore witness to the trials and tribulations of their journey to find Aaravos’s prison. The air was thick with tension, reminiscent of the haunting memories that clung to every plank of the vessel. In her dream, she had successfully picked the lock on her cuffs, a fleeting sense of triumph giving her courage.

Armed with two stolen spears, Rayla prepared to confront Finnegrin. The malevolent elf captain stood before her, his presence emanating a sinister aura that sent shivers down her spine. As she lunged at him, determination etched on her face, he anticipated her every move with an eerie precision.

Finnegrin swiftly drew a mysterious rune in the air, uttering an incantation that echoed through the night, “Veinus Frigardis.”

A cold, blue wave crawled across Rayla’s skin, and her blood turned to an unnatural chill in her veins. The once triumphant spirit of rebellion now screamed in searing pain, dropping the stolen weapons as her body convulsed on the unforgiving deck.

But the nightmare took a sinister turn. Where she expected Callum’s reassuring presence, there was only an eerie silence. The anguish in his eyes, the warmth of his touch—absent. Rayla writhed in pain, her pleas for rescue echoing unheard in the hollow night.

As the spell tightened its grip, she awoke with a gasp, the phantom pain still lingering. The dream had left her breathless, a chilling reminder of the trials they had faced, and a harbinger of the darkness that continued to shadow their every step.

—

Callum jolted awake at the sound of Rayla’s distressed voice echoing through the ship. Worry etched across his face, he hurriedly made his way to her room, driven by the urgency of her call.

“Rayla! What’s wrong?” Callum burst into her room, finding her tangled in the remnants of her nightmare. Without hesitation, he rushed to her side, enveloping her in a comforting embrace.

“Did... did I say something?” she asked, slightly confused.

“You called out my name. I was worried,” Callum reassured her, his voice a soothing balm.

Rayla’s eyes widened with embarrassment, “Oh no, I didn’t wake anyone else, did I?”

Callum gently stroked her back, “Shh, don’t worry about it. I just told them you had nightmares, and they understood.”

“But-” Rayla attempted to voice her worry, yet Callum shushed her gently once more.

“Just breathe, Ray. I’m here, I’m not going anywhere.” It was only then that Rayla realized she had been crying. She buried her face in the crook of Callum’s neck, in the soft knit of his scarf, clutching the back of his jacket as if he might vanish from her grip at any moment.

“Shh, shh, I’m here, A mhuirnín.” he repeated, his voice a steady anchor in the sea of her emotions, “I’m always here.” In the cocoon of his comforting presence, the remnants of the nightmare began to fade, replaced by the reassurance that she was not alone in facing the shadows that haunted her dreams.

After a few moments of soothing, Callum gently pulled back enough to look at Rayla’s face. Concern filled his eyes as he asked, “What was your dream about?”

Rayla’s words faltered as she began to describe the haunting vision that had gripped her during sleep, reaching its peak with his unexpected absence.

As she spoke, Callum’s eyes widened, and a pained expression crossed his face. Without hesitation, he put his forehead against hers, a silent reassurance that he was there and would always be there for her. Rayla felt the warmth of his presence and the steady beat of his heart against her own, grounding her in the reality that the nightmare was just a fleeting shadow in the night.

“I’m here, Rayla,” Callum whispered, his voice a gentle murmur. “I won’t leave you, not in dreams or in reality. You’re not alone.” The intimacy of their connection lingered in the quiet room, a shared understanding that transcended words.

And that wraps up Chapter 5! Stay tuned for Chapter 6!

[frostfall-matches]

[ matchmaking... ]

@teardrop-scales : [ match report ready ]

your match is…

✧ Veritas Ratio

-> [ You have a strong desire to broaden your knowledge and horizons. ] That is practically a requirement for Dr. Ratio to look upon someone fondly. He hates ignorance and those who refuse to at least attempt to expand their mind. While some may find it daunting interacting with one who is so often labeled a genius, you don’t seem the type to be very intimidated by him (at least not to the point where it prevents you from interacting with him). In fact, you probably feel like you could learn a lot from him - and you definitely can. While your circumstances have pulled you away from a few of your preferred subjects, Dr. Ratio would absolutely encourage you to continue dabbling in history and archaeology. There is much to be gleaned from the past, after all.

-> [ Dr. Ratio is the perfect conversation partner for deep, meaningful discussions. ] He’s thoughtful, intelligent, and endlessly curious. To top it all off, he’s also quite eloquent and has no problem putting his thoughts into words, no matter how complicated. That said, depending on the subject matter, you might have to take a moment to puzzle through his words to get the full meaning of his statements… but that’s a fun challenge in and of itself. He’s happy to have meaningful and philosophical discussions whenever it strikes your fancy, indulging in the hypothetical situations that come to your mind (even if they’re silly or nonsensical). It’s quite a treat being able to pick his brain, too, to see where he stands on certain subjects and to collaboratively examine a problem from many different perspectives.

-> [ You challenge yourself to try and get a smile or laugh out of him at least once per day. ] It’s more of a challenge before the two of you get together, though - once you two are in a relationship, you find that smiles and chuckles come from him rather easily. Not that you enjoy it any less! You are someone that Dr. Ratio feels comfortable opening up around, and it helps that you have a witty and sharp sense of humor. Your little quips and clever retorts are amusing but not obnoxious, and he appreciates the timing. He’ll even joke back with you! Sometimes drops an amazingly witty pun. Although, when it comes to your love for teasing him, he will act rather unamused… But in all honesty, he truly doesn’t mind it.

-> [ He appreciates that you’re more on the level-headed and responsible side. ] Dr. Ratio has to deal with far too many reckless types - individuals who don’t think before they act, who decide to follow through with a bad idea even when they know it’s going to backfire. Not that he always sticks around to pick up the pieces afterwards, but he’d prefer if people took care of their own safety and wellbeing. So, he is very thankful for the fact that he does not need to worry much about you in this regard. Everyone has their moments, he knows, but it’s a huge weight off his shoulders knowing that you’re not going to pull some crazy stunt and put yourself in harm’s way just for the heck of it.

-> [ Quality time between the two of you often consists of parallel play. ] Each of you is doing your own thing - Dr. Ratio doing research or working on a thesis or project of some sort, while you’re working through one of your many books (if the two of you ever decide to move in together, the sheer amount of books that would be in your home would be absolutely ridiculous). Anyway, it’s a nice way for the two of you to quietly enjoy each other’s presence, especially if you’ve already had a long and tiring day. The silence is broken intermittently with chit-chat, and you two always make sure to take breaks for snacks and cuddles whenever either of you starts to get a bit restless.

-> [ Perhaps surprisingly, Dr. Ratio doesn’t mind physical affection. ] He’s definitely not the touchy-feely type for the vast majority of people, but he finds that physical touch is quite nice when it comes from someone he truly adores. Definitely picks up on the fact that you’re more than a little touch starved (the man is perceptive, fortunately or unfortunately for you), and is happy to indulge you. He will allow you to get clingy here and there - though he would appreciate it if you kept it to a minimum in public. One of his favorite things is when you get comfortable on him and use his shoulder or lap as a pillow; this often results in him running his fingers through your hair and massaging your scalp.

-> [ You two travel quite often, whenever there’s a lull in your respective work or studies. ] The universe is vast, and there are so many things you could experience. You absolutely love trying out the local cuisines, especially if you encounter something new that you’ve never tried before; shopping for souvenirs and trinkets is also a must. Dr. Ratio will sometimes let out a long sigh if you start getting carried away with shopping, but he doesn’t actually stop you (though he might comment on your spending habits if he feels you’re dropping a lot of money at once, but hey, it’s your money - and you’re typically responsible enough that he’s not terribly worried). Funnily enough, he has a good handle on your tastes, so he always points out things he feels you might be interested in whether they be products or experiences.

-> [ Dr. Ratio is not the type to simply open up to or get into a relationship with just anyone. ] It will be very difficult to get to know him and win his affections, but you have plenty of ambition reserved for situations that catch your interest. That said, though, because he doesn’t get close to anyone and everyone, he is quite the loyal partner. He tolerates very few people, so when he realizes how much he adores and cares for you, he’s not going to let you go easily. While he doesn’t have much experience in the romance department, he isn’t shy about learning more. Like with all things in life, there will be plenty of trial and error - but he’s happy to go on this journey with you.

[flock-of-cassowaries]

I agree, and I can attest that when when you survive a near-death experience awful, and emerge feeling spiteful towards the world, consumerist hedonism (if you’re privileged enough that it’s available to you) can feel like your last refuge. I definitely went through a period like that.

Details below the cut for anyone curious for my story, and how it informs how I write Hannibal as a character.

CW for discussion of a long-passed but very severe ED; and also a navel piercing, because this was 1999.

When I was twelve, I had a severe eating disorder. I came very close to dying, and I was definitely aware of that. It was terrifying.

(It was also a restrictive eating disorder, so starvation was a thing. I don’t know how much that played into what happened next, but I am not exaggerating when I use that word. I was in the hospital for six months, mostly being force-fed [nutritional shakes, not 👂].

But yeah, dumb jokes aside, I was extremely unwell.

Cw again, this next part is scary and heartbreaking- I think a big factor in convincing me to take the leap of trusting the doctors and just abandoning my fear of “getting fat” was that another patient I was incarcerated with, who was about the same age and height and weight as me, had a heart attack while in hospital and had to get emergency heart surgery. She didn’t die, but I don’t know what happened to her long term.

So anyway, after missing half of seventh grade, I emerged very traumatized, but also full of spiteful determination. I had decided that even if I was destined to never have any friends, and even though I had completely lost my previous faith that there was a beneficent god that cared about me, I was nevertheless going to squeeze every possible drop of joy out of life.

It was very nihilistic, but it kept me going through the next few years. My (overall useless) parents finally took the necessary steps to switch me to a new school, and ironically, I finally made some friends despite my generally avoidant social instincts. (I think it helped that I was new, and also, as I gained weight, a lot of it went to my tits, and a popular girl developed a bit of a crush on me.)

(She also stabbed me in the abdomen, and I let her do it because 😍, so there’s another weird parallel.

Technically, it was a consensual amateur navel piercing, as opposed to an attempted murder, but… you know, similar vibes otherwise. I was sooo besotted with her.)

Pretty sure that if she’d done this, I would have died right there in her walk-in closet.

But despite the fact that everything was suddenly coming up Cassowary, I did not trust this newfound social success; which, honestly, was somewhat reasonable, because middle-school girls are fickle, and also this was 1999, and it was not cool yet to be a wee lesbian, as I very much suspected I was.

So for the next 2-4 years, I very determinedly focused most of my aspirations on purely materialistic / hedonistic pleasures. I didn’t have a huge amount of money - just allowance and later a minimum wage job, where I was a very ineffective shoe salesperson - but god, I loved the mall. This was before malls really started to die, so they were glittering, dizzying edifices full of sundry delights. I embraced them for all their dazzling potential. It was glorious.

I also worked very hard in school, with the intention of becoming rich and successful in the future.

The effectiveness of this consumerist hedonism as a defence mechanism wore off by the time I was 17-18 (at which point, I moved on to other equally unhealthy coping mechanisms, and also MCR fanfiction; on livejournal, because again, I’m old as hell).

But for a time, it worked really well.

So yeah, that’s a big part of why I find Hannibal such a fascinating character to write. He’s like a more extreme version of a person I once was, and exploring the reasons I was that person are sort of healing for me.

(Other people would just get therapy, but that hasn’t worked very well for me, soooo… fanfiction it is!!)

- - - - -

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: Unlike her avian namesake, the tumblr user known as flock-of-cassowaries has committed zero (0) acts of assault, battery, kidnap, murder, cannibalism, and/or medical malpractice during the period described. And also during the period before that. And the period after that.

…and I was also never particularly preoccupied with rudeness. (I think I was too middle-class North American to have absorbed that as a general cultural value, and also, inchoate rage in response to ‘rudeness’ was something my dad exhibited, and it seemed very dumb and kind of weak to me.)

Finally - I would not recommend at-home body piercings. Even if your friend is very emphatic that she knows what she’s doing (which she doesn’t).

My 1999 navel piercing almost immediately got infected, and while it was a superficial enough wound that it did not require medical treatment (my parents never knew), it did ultimately fail as a piercing, and did so in a manner that was both fascinating and quite gross.

There are a lot of different themes in Hannibal but there’s one I haven’t seen talked about a lot.

Hannibal is a wonderful metaphor for the destructive, excessive indulgence of the upper class.

Hannibal is the very pinnacle of indulgence. He is the aristocracy, the wealthy elite.

And he is hedonism personified.

He is a count. He is rich beyond belief - and unafraid to flaunt the wealth purchasing the finest things in life. He savours life - indulges in all the finest things: the finest properties, the finest clothes, the finest wines. He is a serial killer - out of pleasure, killing because he can. He is a cannibal - not out of necessity but out of his sense of superiority. He is indulgent.

The elite consumes those below them both metaphorically and physically. Countless people have been trampled under finely polished shoes. Have been worked to the bone, used and abused and then discarded both by aristocracy in the olden days and the wealthiest 1% now.

It is also interesting how Hannibal kills those he considers rude. Manners are something the elite often uses as an indicator to separate themselves from the pigs below them. Those who were uneducated in proper manners are seen as beneath them.

Additionally it is much easier to adhere to niceties and formalities and pleasantries when you do not have anything to worry about. When you have enough money and connections to make any problem simply go away. But to someone who has just finished working their second job, someone who is tired and hungry and thirsty a simple smile at a stranger may take up unbearable much effort. It is unfair, cruel to hold such a person to the same standard of “niceties” as someone who has never had to worry a day in their life.

But much like the elite in real life Hannibal accepts no excuses for such behaviour. He sentences people to death based on a minute impression they had on him. A single wrong word, a single twist of the expression a single shift in tone could be a death sentence.

Perhaps the only thing that distinguishes Hannibal from the elite, makes him more palatable and more likeable is that he just as readily consumes people from his social circle. He is equally ready to consume anyone who stands in his way regardless of self their social standing. And he follows an albeit entirely messed up yet strict not-quite-moral code. He sees Mason’s cruelty towards children and towards his sister as discourteous. He punishes a councilman who destroyed a natural habitat. So even though Hannibal does not show mercy to other people he does seem inclined to protect the weak.

[urdinosaurs]

Hi, so on your miles thing, (idk what else to call it because I am still learning english, feel free to ignore this)

I honestly feel like that anon about being a little controlling has a good point, a bit of a personal experience, when someone i was close with died due to neglecting health on their own part. I started to become rather 'obsessed' with making sure others were healthy, which has now calmed down now that I have realized health isn't always predictable and it isn't healthy.

but the full on toxic fics I have read, there is a difference between trying to progress grief and just being full on toxic/abusive.

of course everybody griefs in a different way, but it just feels so weird when people try to justify abusive behavior on grief.

Anyways sorry for the rant and if I repeated things a lot-

(I honestly love how you explained everything and things, you are really good with words)

Sorry for the late reply. My life has been really hectic and crazy, but thank you, and don't worry, your English is really good.

I know people have dropped the topic, but I still want to put in my opinion because I totally get what your saying, and that wasn't really something I discussed on my last rant, so let me do it here because you have an excellent point. I talked about toxic fics in general and pertaining to Miles's character, but I forgot about his grief in my explanation.

So, to elaborate, yes, you are right. When going through something as traumatic as Miles did and losing someone that close to you can prompt many types of coping mechanisms. (the most I believe would ever happen is him being emotionally unavailable/neglectful because of what he went through, and at that point, he wouldn't even be in a relationship because of it, but that's my theory, so it doesn't apply to this.)

But being toxic because of his grief is a no-go. See the fics I've read, Miles is toxic because of how much he cares or how little he does, not that it makes it any more right, but it's not a coping mechanism, just a part of who he is and the fact that people are trying to say grief is responsible abuse is crazy. It's an incredibly sensitive topic when people go there, and it takes the conversation to another level.

We shouldn't be treating this like it's normal.

That's where people need to educate themselves if they are so far in their own bubble that they can't see what's wrong with that. And with so many people writing him like this, it normalizes abuse (not even going to say toxic because we are beyond that point), and that's not at all okay by any stretch of the imagination.

I haven't seen any fics on Toxic!Miles (actually toxic, not hard abuse) where it's because of his grief, so there is only so much I can add.

I think it seems like he's so emotionally unavailable by the little reactions or mannerisms he displayed in the movie. I am not trying to justify it, but with the little of him we see is so cold and appearing apathetic, it's easy to make the correlation he's like that in all aspects of his life, which, for all we know, he is.

Though I see many arguments that e-42 and e-1610 are parallel universes or that the Miles we know would never do that, why would this version of him be that way? To which I say nothing is confirmed, and you shouldn't spread misinformation because it never once said he was in a parallel universe. The book, which doesn't count because the information is not in the movie, so it's an unreliable source, says he comes from an alternate dimension. We know that not every version of one person is the same across universes.

But really, it boils down to writers not realizing what's wrong with this. Lack of exposure to this kind of content or over-exposure to content where this is normalized is responsible for it. So I genuinely think that newer writers or younger writers just don't see the harm in it because either they've never experienced it, or it's normalized to the point where it's seen as romantic, which divides many of us. Younger audiences aren't experienced enough to see how harmful this actually is, and that's why they are getting so possessive over their work because, to them, they did nothing wrong, and you're just being too sensitive.

(don't even get me started on the 18+ writers who write "toxic!Miles" when it's really just him being emotionally abusive. In your grown age, you should know better and put such warnings that this is not okay.)

Also, there is a line that people often cross and get carried away with in writing toxic characters. THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TOXIC CHARACTERS AND CHARACTERS THAT ARE TOXIC.

Toxic!characters are an AU or Canon divergence. Characters that are toxic are what you genuinely believe they're like. See, I don't have much of a problem with toxic!Characters, it's an AU; you know this is wrong and not legitimately what they're like and acknowledge that this behavior is harmful and label it as such. I enjoy a good toxic AU or touching on toxic behavior occasionally, too.

Headcanoning characters, on the other hand, is what has people in such a fit. This is harmful, and you are treading on a line so thin you should take ten steps back, especially with a character who is a minor. Writers who so flippantly make him emotionally neglectful or controlling are a little weird.

The cause of this, or what I believe it is, is the glamorization of emotional abuse, controlling, possessiveness, etc... Media has a lot to do with this (TV shows and movies) where this is accepted as a desirable thing to happen and desensitization to the content blurs the line or right and wrong and is often the cause fantasies to made from this topic.

So, in conclusion, I don't think people realize what they are doing is wrong, and social media and films are often the cause of this. Bringing awareness to the subject and how it is harmful is vital, and this whole controversy is definitely an eye-opener for many people. It's good we are discussing this because that way, writers can know better and be better educated in the future.

Anyways, thanks for listening to my 925 word rant. :)

[overfedvenison]

Deltarune: I saw some people speculating on The Knight There’s a candidate people often do not seem to take seriously. Discussions are dominated with ideas like, “Kris is the Knight,” or “Papyrus is the Knight.” But, when replaying chapter 1 a while back, I noticed something: I think it’s Alphys:

Alphys is rather insistent that Kris and Susie, in particular, go off to get the chalk. She notably ignores Noelle offering to go in favour of sending those two off together. This might be fairly normal - Maybe Alphys has picked up on Noelle’s transparently blatant crush and has made the executive decision to not send them to the closet during school hours, for example. Except... First, she teaches the class anyways. If she sent someone else, or went in to the closet after you, wouldn’t that person also have also fallen into the Dark World? How did she get chalk? Did she ever even need chalk? We even see Susie standing next to the door the entire time - When did chalk change hands? Second: Right after you enter in to that dark world, the closet is shut behind you. If you return to it at the end of the chapter, it’s locked. Alphys, as faculty, has access to the key to it; it seems like it’s a small enough school to not have a principal or anything, so the only people involved seem to be Alphys, Toriel, and the now-deceased Gerson. Aphys would have a key - and would know you are in the Dark World Third: So far, we have seen four people have entered the Dark World. Each time, in a group of two. Each group of two is a team working on the school project. Consider that both are places Alphys sent those groups, as well - Noelle and Berdly are the ace students, and regularly go to the library because Noelle dislikes going to her home and Berdly has a job there. In other words, as her teacher, Alphys would very well have known that Noelle and Berdly would have gone to the library and and thus had every ability to sent them to their own Dark World. That same day, Alphys has crashed her bike. This is more speculative, but it’s possible she got in, got out and made herself scarce. Suppose she was more distracted, as she needed to flee the scene after a Dark Fountain was opened?

But lets consider more deeply - Alphy’s role in Undertale

Characters in Deltarune “Rhyme” with their iterations in Undetale. Asgore is still divorced, and has flowers that he tends too. Toriel takes care of children and is a school teacher. Undine is the head of the police, analogous to a royal guard. And so on. So, what is Alphys? Alphys is a brilliant scientist wrapped with dark tendencies as she knows she has done things which may well be unforgivable. She is obsessed with anime, and has a deep desire for acceptance. She, among other things, has build Mettaton’s body, took over the mantle of royal scientist from Gaster and continued his experiments, and delved into experiments into the injection of determination. These aspects are all very hidden from the outside world, which perceives her as a somewhat-ineffectual scientist who is obsessed with anime, and does not consider these darker aspects Right now, in Deltarune? Alphys is your amusing home-room teacher, obsessed with anime and out-of-touch. So awkward that she always seems nervous just doing her job, and she has a somewhat pathetic presentation - doing things like hanging out in alleys and putting out milk for a cat that does not exist. So, that’s a parallel. But it’s only a part of a parallel to how she was in Undertale. The other half? Well... Let me list a few things:

Spamton Neo was noted to have been drawn up by a Lighter and then abandoned. Spamton sought out that body manifested into it, in a parallel to Mettaton. Spamton is also obsessed with phones - and the mysterious voice on the other end of it. Who’s the one character heavily associated with phones? Alphys, who upgrades your phone. Not only that, but Alphys guides you along her plans through the entire chapter that focus on her in Undertale, using her phone. And, who built Mettaton’s body? That’s also Alphys. It’s also worth mentioning Alphys’ experiments into determination, carrying on from Gaster. What is the framing device of Deltarune? It’s a survey program set up by Gaster - some great experiment. And, in order to create a Dark World, one must thrust their determination into the ground. In other words: If Alphys is the Knight, then she is STILL doing dark experiments into Determination. She’s still carrying on Gaster’s work! There’s even how the infamous Entry 17 refers to two people - Like how each project group in in pairs. Next: A major hole in this theory is that Alphys seems to express concern for us, and seems ignorant to what is really going on. Except that’s not actually a contradiction, because this behaviour is EXACTLY what we see through her entire chapter in Undertale. Alphys is not only capable of lying to our face in order to keep herself seeming like an innocent - she has done it all before and it would be consistent with her past behavior.

And, seen above, she spends her time hanging out in an alley - one notably decorated with flowers from Asgore, with graffiti of the Everyman seen in Reaper Bird’s attack, and taking care of a “Pet.” Surely, that is an allusion to her role in Undertale (The Everyman is also interesting - We see it only here, in Dark Worlds, and in the True Lab; if she IS the knight, all of those places are connected, specifically, with her. ) And, aside from that, Alphys has every reason to want a world with more magic in it. Alphys is a teacher, and not even a very effective one, who is easily able to be pushed around by the bullies in her own class. She is desperate for the affection of kids 10 years her junior, putting up anime reviews at the “Teen Zone” and insisting that she is the “Cool Teacher.” She raises a cat she only -imagines- exists, and is, as always, obsessed with anime. Unlike in Undertale, she has no relationship with Undine, and no status as a royal scientist either. So, at the moment, her life is framed as kind of pathetic, and her interests are in that of fantasy - Of anime, video games, and cartoons - which is exactly what the Dark World might provide. So she has the motive. She has the ability. And she has done things just like this in the past - albeit in a different timeline. 

[arthurmorganwateringhole]

I usually like your meta, but "I don't think anyone can replace Mary in Arthur's affections"? I would agree except the game tries to tell us Arthur's crush on Mary is toxic. She's another example of a person who takes advantage of Arthur's kindness to get what she wants, like Dutch and Micah. It's delusional to think she's the one Arthur loves the most when he develops a closer bond with other members of the gang like Charles or Sadie.

Hey there, I'm sorry to hear my last meta didn't strike your fancy. That's absolutely okay, because interpretation is subjective. It be like that, but like all subjective judgments, we can talk about how sound and rooted it is in some facts. You know? Let's talk it out.

"Arthur's crush on Mary is toxic."

I think you have to be specific. I can accept that people think this. 

To be a little preemptive... If you mean it’s because she teases him, remember that Arthur, Hosea, John, and Dutch all make fun of each other. They also form the inner circle. In other words (and whether you agree or not), their love expression is rooted in deprecation and calling each other “fool.” But it’s affectionate. It means they’re aware of each other’s flaws and love them in spite of it.

Still, without further elaboration or examples, there's nothing really to hash out. I disagree, and as soon as you bring up examples, I'm happy to discuss.

"She's another example of a person who takes advantage of Arthur's kindness to get what she wants, like Dutch and Micah."

Except, I don't think the game actually posits this? Remember, Mary is the one who wants Arthur to leave the life of crime, and by the end of the game, she lets him go. If you reject to help Mary with her brother and father, all she says is a wistful, "I miss you... Take care of yourself." She doesn't question his love for her; she doesn't question what those years meant. She doesn't say, "HOW ABOUT SOME GOD DAMN FAITH?" like some other colorful characters say. She expresses her feelings, which as far as I can tell, are sincere, and lets him go.

If you agree to help Mary and finish her questline, many people forget that Mary chooses Arthur over her father. The actual parallel here is between Mary and Arthur. They both have overbearing dads, and her last mission with her gives you front row seats as to how he treats and berates her. Like Dutch, Mr. Gillis betrays his child for money. This is a more accurate and closer parallel. I'm specifically talking about the moment Dutch leaves Arthur to die in the oil refinery for bonds. Likewise, Mr. Gillis ruins his relationship with his daughter for money by stealing her brooch. Anyway, I'm getting off topic. Let me show you what happens once Arthur gets the brooch back:

Mind you this is before he gives the brooch back -- before he reveals he succeeded in his mission. He asks her to take a walk with him, and she agrees. After which, he gives the brooch back:

At that point, she asks to hang out with him longer. I show these clips because the timing is interesting. Mary reaches a point where her alleged self-interest (helping her father) becomes moot, i.e. it no longer matters. It almost seems as if she forgot that she sent Arthur on an errand to help her father. [/Edit: it’s important to note that Mary also never asks Arthur to retrieve the brooch. While Mary is arguing with her dad, Arthur casually walks away and says, “Mary wait here. I’ll go get the brooch.” All she asks him is: “Don’t hurt anyone!” So it’s telling she actually never asks him to get her anything for material gain!!!]  So already, unlike Dutch (and definitely unlike Micah), Arthur isn't just some means to an end for her. She isn't using him to get money, and she doesn't guilt trip him over how far back they go to get the brooch back. She questions her father’s sense of justice for stealing from his own daughter, and like a good man Arthur retrieves it. Only by the time Arthur returns, Mary is smart enough to realize that the brooch doesn't matter as much as Arthur, in effect choosing him over her family (something Arthur can't even do!!!).

Another counterpoint to your argument that Mary is like Dutch in the game's narrative, I'd like to point out that the game presents us with the EXACT same quandary Mary and Arthur experienced via John and Abigail in the epilogue. Remember that Mary and Arthur couldn't work out because he refused to leave a life of crime. Guess what Abigail does when John likewise refuses to change? She leaves him!!! Not once does the game demonize Abigail over this decision. In fact, it's presented as a climactic turning point for John that he became a rancher, and his reunion with his family is positively staged, with sweet music and a beautiful overlook of Beecher's Hope. Abigail stands on the same moral compass as Mary, which to me, tells us the game wants us to find her situation sympathetic and tragic. She was in Abigail's shoes, only Arthur couldn't turn himself around.

"It's delusional to think she's the one Arthur loves the most when he develops a closer bond with other members of the gang like Charles or Sadie."

I don't think it's delusional. Arthur saves space for the most important people in his life in his journal entry. 

Notably, he wishes for Mary's happiness. In fact, he mentions Mary FIRST! He then asks the younger girls to take care of each other, and then wishes John et family well. Finally, he appeals to Dutch to remember his loyalty. Like, forgive me, but neither Charles nor Sadie eke their way into his final thoughts in a journal that bares his most intimate thoughts. How is it delusional to say that Mary is foremost in this man’s thoughts and heart?

I don't want to deny people who ship Arthur with either Charles or Sadie. I think they do become important figures in Arthur's life, and clearly they care enough about Arthur to want to avenge him years later. However, you have to remember that Arthur has such a long history with Mary that is told to the player (not shown). By the time RDR2 starts, Arthur has known Charles for 6 months, and he meets Sadie at the very start of the game. They simply do not have as much of a past as Arthur and Mary have. This isn't to say you can't ship Arthur with either Charles or Sadie, but I just want to challenge the notion that Arthur has closer bonds with them than he does with Mary. The truth is, the game tells us Mary has been this long and dominant presence in his life, and she's the only one who is important enough to Arthur that she literally can shake his loyalty to the gang life (after all, he promises to run away with her after the Saint Denis bank heist).

But guess who ends up supplanting Mary in terms of Arthur’s loyalties? Dutch. The man who raised him for 20 years. The man who will REMIND Arthur that he raised him for 20 years. The man who constantly says, “Have I taught you nothing?” “What happened to loyalty?” “How about some god damn faith?” “You insist?” Before proceeding to leave both John and Arthur (his supposed adoptive sons) to die the moment they question his authority? The thing is, Dutch both has the years and the actual manipulation to keep Arthur in check. This is why he can’t leave with Mary despite very clearly wanting to. Remember, after their date, he writes about Mary as “a wife” who could provide for him “a normal life” -- which is very much the goal Arthur projects onto John and his family once he receives his TB-induced death sentence! 

Mary isn’t taking advantage of Arthur. It also isn’t delusional to take proper stock of how important she is to him. Mary is simply a woman who’s in love with a man who can’t leave a risky, criminal life behind, and by the time the game ends, she’s frankly too old and too mature to wait around for him. So she lets him go, which is imo the healthiest thing anyone’s done for Arthur. Heck, not even Dutch can let him go. Micah can’t let go so bad, he almost kills Arthur lol. In the end too, she presumably spends the rest of her life mourning Arthur. If that isn’t a testament to how much they love each other, I don’t know what is.