#as always much thought going into it now because i'd like it to be a simple system to do future assets

[would-you-punt-them]

Your technology curse is my roman empire.

Honestly, for the past couple of months I've been having more tech problems than usual, and if anyone has an explanation for this I'd love to hear it.

It started last year when my desktop finally stopped working; it would power on, attempt to start up, and then immediately shut itself down again.

I decided to just leave it, because for as long as I can remember it's always kinda done whatever it feels like. Like, I have to unplug it when I go to sleep because it likes to turn itself on in the middle of the night for literally no reason.

I thought maybe if I just left it alone, there was a chance it would eventually decide to wake itself up on its own. But after a while it became pretty clear that this really was the end. I mean, the thing was pretty old and already barely functional, so it was bound to die sooner or later.

I left it at home collecting dust for a couple months until I went back for the holidays. When I got back, I tried it again, and still nothing.

If modern technology had failed, then clearly the only reasonable solution was to tap into what little vestiges of dark power I still possessed to summon its soul back to the material plane in a profane ritual. Also I was super bored and didn't have anything else going on that day and desparately needed something to do.

So, I spent that afternoon using salt to draw out what I imagined a magic circle might look like, put the computer in the centre, covered all the windows and then spent two hours in a dark room pretending to commune with its machine spirit dwelling on the other side or whatever.

I swear to god, two days later the stupid thing turned itself on at like 1 in the morning for the first time in three months. Then the next day the lights in my room stopped working with zero warning.

For some reason ever since then my life has basically operated on the law of equivalent exchange; whenever one thing is miraculously fixed, within 24 hours something else will inexplicably break.

Someone came round to fix the lights, and later that day my electric razor (which was pretty much brand new) randomly stopped working. About a week after that, my night light that hasn't worked in forever magically became functional, while my kettle immediately broke even though it had been fine that same morning.

Just to prove I wasn't going crazy, I went and dug out the oldest thing I could find, my 3DS that's been broken since like 2018, and tried to get it to work, which should be straight up impossible. Except it now works fine, and like clockwork the next morning my toothbrush wouldn't turn on. This shit just keeps happening and I'm not sure what I did to deserve it.

Anyway, my phone has started going on the fritz, so who knows, maybe it'll shut down in a week and bring my fucking Bop-It back to life.

[softpascalito]

Vow Renewal I Renaldo x Matt (SNL Sketch)

Summary: Just when things seem to finally be calming down in Matt's marriage, someone from his past shows up at the Vow Renewal. And Renaldo has always been Matt's favorite temptation.

Pairing: Renaldo x Matt (SNL Sketch) Rating: Explicit / MDNI Word count: 2.6k Tags: Explicit, Smut, Semi-Public Sex, Dirty-Talk, An*l Sex, MLM, (Light) Spanking, Cheating (ish), Crackfic, Never thought I'd write smut about an SNL sketch but who is surprised

AO3 LINK // Masterlist

notes: i have no defense, i saw the sketch, i opened my laptop and a wrote this. have fun ♡

Vow Renewal

It’s been a rocky road. But it didn’t start out that way. When Matt met Kelsey in College, their relationship was picture perfect. A few glances and smiles exchanged from their respective seats in the lecture hall, an invitation to grab coffee on a friday. Matt brought flowers and paid for the drinks with a few crumpled up dollar notes and asked questions that he hoped made him sound smart and well educated.

They must have, because three months later, for Christmas, he met Kelsey’s family for the first time, sweating too much at the dinner table as he tried to be on his best behavior. But despite the nerves, all was going well. He popped the question two years later. She said yes.

Then came Domingo. And it all went to shit.

Matt was surprised they had even gone through with the marriage but with Kelsey promising again and again that she was over Domingo and that she only had eyes for Matthew, things settled down. Still, they decided on a vow renewal less than a year later. A sign of good faith. For both of them, though that detail was unknown to Kelsey.

He uses his hand to smooth down his hair, trying not to mess up the product that is already holding it in place. The venue they have booked is small but pretty and even though they are already married, seeing the white and pink decorations is making Matthew feel like his tie is too tight, cutting off his air supply. “I’ll be outside for a moment,” he mutters to one of his groomsmen. They barely take notice of his departure, too busy going over some sheets of paper that are sure to be another embarrassing, self-written song. Like anything good ever comes out of those.

The February air that greets him outside is cold and he shivers in his suit, letting the door fall shut behind him. The balcony stretches along the back of the house, overlooking a forest behind it. It probably makes a nice addition to the venue in the summer, when the weather allows it. But today, it is empty.

He smells him before he sees him. Matt doesn't smoke, unless he counts the two times he tried it in college. He doesn't know shit about cigarettes. But he'd recognize the scent of American Spirits mixed with him anywhere.

The sounds of Renaldo's footsteps echo around the terrasse as he comes closer, like a wolf stalking its prey. “I was waiting for you.”

“Renaldo.” Matt is surprised to hear that his voice comes out shaking. “I didn't know you were here.” He’s not sure why he sounds so hostile. Renaldo hasn't done a thing to him. Except be the very thing he can't have.

“Any yet here I was, still waiting.” He has that fucking smirk on his face.

“How is Santiago?” Matt asks quietly, leaning back against the bannister because he wants to keep as much distance between them as possible and hoping that the topic of Renaldo’s hot brother will provide distraction. But it's like he's back on that golf course where they first met.

“Good. He's good.” Renaldo hums, taking another step towards him. “But that's not the question you really want to ask, is it?” It's like he's challenging him, brown eyes focused on his face, searching for the hint of emotion that will betray his desire and make him an open book. “It's been a very long time, hasn't it? A whole year.”

Matt can feel the man entering his space, his scent even more protruding now. “I told you it wasn't like that, Renaldo. I'm not like that.”

“I don’t remember you complaining,” he muses and fuck, Matt doesnt have it in himself to deny that. “In fact, I think you were doing quite the opposite.” Renaldo’s hand comes to rest on the banister beside his and he towers over him, his voice dropping to a whisper against his ear. “You were begging for it.”

His reaction is immediate. Matt lets out a soft noise that is somewhere between outrage and a moan and he feels his dress pants getting tighter, a shiver running over his body. He takes in Renaldo’s face for a few split seconds, the small goatee, the fine lines that serve as a visual reminder of their age difference and brown eyes filled with lust. Then, Matt pushes himself off the banister and right into Renaldo’s arms, his lips finding those of his illicit lover.

Renaldo’s tongue pushes against his mouth until he gives in and opens for him, their mouths catching his moans when the other man begins to explore his mouth, all restraint forgotten.

Matthew is panting when they break apart. “Not out here. Kelsey's parents are–” He takes a shuddering breath. “Everyone is here. Come on.”

He takes Renaldo’s hand, prompting the other man to follow him without hesitation. They squeeze through the door again, taking a left to get further away from the ceremony hall, when an idea pops into Matthew’s head. The room is small and windowless, almost too full with two chairs, a vanity and clothes rail. It's where he got ready with his best man half an hour earlier. Now, it has turned into the perfect hiding spot.

He doesn't even have a chance to lock the door behind them when Renaldo pushes him further into the room, pinning him against the nearest wall with an audible thud. Matt doesn't know the layout of the house, doesn't know if Kelsey is getting ready behind this very wall. But just the thought of it makes him whimper.

Renaldo’s hands are wandering down his body, his broad form trapping Matt in the most delicious way. He can feel his legs on either side of his right one, already feeling the hard cock pressing into his thigh. By the way his own pants are stretching, he can tell he's not far behind either. One hand finds Matt's back, the other trailing over his neck and somehow Renaldo still knows exactly where to touch him to draw those breathless little moans from his throat.

“You fuck her?” Renaldo grunts and it takes a moment for Matt to remember who he is talking about. His own voice comes out breathless.

“She’s my girlfriend–” He feels Renaldo press into him more at that. “No, she’s your fucking wife,” he growls. “But she was your fiancé last time and you still let me fuck you. So I assume that hasn't changed?”

“I’m not bi,” Matt chokes out, not because he believes it but simply because he's so used to saying it, even when he knows that Renaldo of all people does not give a damn what label he puts on his sex life.

“You want me to stop?” He grunts, searching Matt's eyes for a few seconds. Renaldo can watch as they soften and the younger man shakes his head.

“No,” he whispers and Renaldos smirk returns at that, tugging at the groom's belt.

“Then lose those fucking pants.”

He is eager to obey, fumbling with his belt with shaking hands and then practically ripping his pants down, not even bothering to step out of them properly. Just enough to allow Renaldo access. He hisses as the other man hooks his thumb into his briefs and pulls them down in one quick motion, his cock already hard and leaking. “Should’ve come earlier–” Matthew mutters and the next moment, Renaldo’s hand comes down onto his bare ass, grumbling an empty threat.

His large, callused hand stays there, kneading the flesh and it's like he remembers the exact motions still, both of them no doubt taken back to that night in Scottsdale. Renaldo slips his index finger inside and Matt immediately feels his muscles clench down on him. “Relax.” Renaldos voice is a bit softer now, low against his ear as he begins working his finger further inside, though with a bit of a struggle. The squeezes of his ass turn into soft caresses. “You got any lube on you?”

Matt shakes his head, already trying to mentally prepare himself for a more painful experience than he’d like. But to his surprise, Renaldo just nods and withdraws his finger. “Don't move. I'll be just a second.”

***

His steps through the hallway are hurried, partly because he doesn't want to leave Matt waiting and partly because he doesn't want to be caught sneaking around with a more than obvious boner in his pants. Renaldo nods to himself in relief when he finds the kitchen empty, the staff nowhere to be seen. He eyes the white two-tier cake with a small shake of his head, not paying it too much attention. Instead, he opens one cabinet after another until he finds what he’s looking for. “Bingo.”

He slips back into the dressing room with the bottle of olive oil and laughs as he watches Matt's eyes go wide. “That's the expensive stuff–” He breathes out because of course that's what Matthew would be worried about right now.

“Good,” Renaldo comments dryly. “Then maybe it’ll be nearly as good as real lube.” He carelessly throws the cap into a corner and places the open bottle onto the vanity beside them. As soon as he’s back beside him, Matt's hands reach for him, fingers clawing at the golden chain around his neck, pressing his half naked form against him. It's like now that he has him, he doesn't want to let him go again.

“Do you need to lie down or are you good to stand?” Unless Renaldo is very much mistaken, he doesn't believe that Matt has been with another guy since their fleeting romance and he remembers the whispered confession about being his first.

“I can stand if you can, old man.”

Oh. He knows exactly how to push his fucking buttons. Two can play that game. In one quick motion, Renaldo uses his size to his advantage, turning Matt on the spot and bending him over, the younger man's hands flat against the wall, his ass stuck out and on display. Renaldo brings his palm down on each side, feeling his own desire skyrocket at the sight of his hand imprinted on the cheeks for a few moments.

The soft moans from Matt's mouth mix with the distinct jingle of Renaldo opening his belt, followed by that of a zipper opening. He kicks his pants off and reaches for the bottle, his cock already aching to be touched. The cool sensation of the olive oil sends shivers through his body and Renaldo fists himself a few times, coating his length in the makeshift-lube.

“Who the fuck are you calling an old man, huh?” He grunts as he lines his tip up with Matt's hole and begins to bury himself inside, looking down to watch inch after inch disappear, the younger man's body already so tight around him that he feels like he could shoot his load right away.

“Fuck–” Matt chokes out, curling his fingers as he holds himself up against the wall and Renaldo watches him closely. He knows exactly what he needs. So he leans forward, reaching around to hurriedly undo the buttons of Matt's dress shirt and carelessly sends it to the floor. He runs his tongue over Matt's shoulder as he bottoms out, teeth scraping over his neck. Distracting from the pain that they both know will turn into their favorite pleasure in a few seconds.

“You good?” He hums quietly, giving the other man a moment to check in with him. He watches him nod weakly and Renaldo tuts softly. “Words, baby,” he reminds him.

“Good. It's so good, Jesus–” Matt presses out, rolling his shoulders back slightly. “Please move.”

Renaldo obeys, beginning with shallow thrusts, working his way in and out. His free hand wanders down Matt's chest, fingernails scratching his skin just enough to make him shiver. Then, he finds his lover's middle and wraps his hand around the leaking cock that has been so starved of attention until now. He loves how the other man feels in his hand, heavy and slick with precum.

“You're gonna ruin those pretty dress pants,” Renaldo mutters into his ear, punctuating each of his sentences with a deep thrust. “Did your little wife buy them for you?”

For a split second, he thinks he’s gone too far, feeling Matt tense under him. But then, his dick twitches in his hand, making Renaldo smirk as Matt groans. “I want them ruined.”

He doesn't have to ask twice. Renaldo sets a faster pace, making both of them pant with effort as Matt bounces himself back on his cock. The sound of skin slapping on skin fills the room and judging by its weight, Renaldo is certain that the wooden door of the dressing room is in no way soundproof. Good.

“Renaldo–” Matt doesn't even have to say it. They both know what he’s asking and the older man nods weakly, burying his nose against his neck as a groan leaves him. “Yes.”

He lets his thumb flick over Matthews tip, making him whimper and his body shudder below him. His muscles quiver around his own cock in a way that lets him know he’s close. His grip around Matt's cock tightens and he strokes him right up to that delicious edge. Then, he drops his hand, prompting a weak string of curses from below him.

“I want you to come from just feeling me,” Renaldo rasps and is met with eager nods. “Think you can do that?”

“Yes, fuck–please–” He’s begging the same way he was that night, falling apart below Renaldo’s hands so beautifully. “Renaldo–” He chokes out. “Tell me to leave her.”

He hesitates for a moment, knowing that those words hold more weight than any of their actions tonight. But eventually, he nods, driving himself deep into the man below him. “Leave her.”

Matt moans, his name on his lips and shoots his load without further warning, the sticky fluid ruining his pants the way that Renaldo promised it would. He brings his hand back to stroke his lover through his orgasm, drawing it out and a few moments later, Renaldo follows suit, spilling himself deep inside of Matthew, exactly where he is meant to be, their bodies melting together and he finally, finally marks what is his.

He pulls out with a grunt eventually, watching his cum drip from Matt's hole for a moment, ruining any slight chance of salvaging those black pants, now stained with white. Renaldo lets himself fall onto one of the chairs at the back of the room, beckoning Matt to follow him and pulling him onto his lap, one strong thigh serving as his seat. He closes his eyes for a moment as he feels Matt tracing his gold chain again, his touch now so delicate.

“I'm gonna have to see her at the family functions, won't I? If she gets with Domingo.” Renaldo can tell that he's trying to hide the anxiety in his voice but he's not doing a very good job of it. He sighs, opening his eyes again and nods.

A smirk spreads over Renaldo’s face as he nudges Matt's chin, prompting them to lock eyes. Then, without blinking, he brings his right hand up to his own mouth and licks a stripe along its side, catching a few drops of Matt’s cum on his lips.

“You’ll have to. But I promise there’ll always be a dressing room to fuck in.”

notes: thanks for reading! if you enjoyed, feel free to reblog or follow me for more ♡

[mirroredmemoriez]

Amanda Young's physical pain and more pain

Not saying anything new here once again, but the shit Amanda goes through throughout the entire franchise is depressing. Right now, I'm mainly looking at the physical aspect than the mental? But I'll probably mention that too as I always do. What brought this thought on was when I was doing some reference work for her and Lynn's deleted fight! We as a fandom always joke about how she's enjoying it because she at some points smirks and giggles... But the ending shot of that sequence is what I want to hone in on.

This is a defeated woman. She's just been attacked and cut up- There is as much terror as adrenaline in a humans body in a scenario like this. But this isn't even the first time whilst working under Jigsaw that Amanda has had someone harm or even attempt to kill her.

The first one I've shown is of course Cecilia Pederson backhanding Amanda to the floor- Which honestly, this scene is overall horrible as Amanda also during this period has to watch Gabriela get her neck stomped! But it could've been worse in theory... When putting John into the blood-board trap, Parker suggests putting her on the other end. If Carlos never was there, it's very likely that Amanda would've been blood boarded alongside John. We then have the very famous needle pit. There was no way to predict how anyone in the nerve gas house would react to their circumstances and due to that? Amanda inherently to me was always in danger. This is displayed quite well when she's tossed into a test not meant for her... I think it's the somewhat carelessness of this which is the most upsetting aspect? John had her in there to monitor Daniel and subdue him once the game was done. But what actual protection did Amanda have from anyone in there? We even see her try and take the gun from the magnum eyehole trap unsuccessfully.

Like imagine the guy who's like 6 foot and muscle that just tossed you into a PIT OF NEEDLES... IS CHASING YOU WITH A KNIFE. You're also quite aware that this man certainly killed the other guy you just saw with a spiked bat in his head. I'd be bricking it. Anyway, that same kid you had to insure stayed safe? Yeah his father who wrongfully imprisoned you is gonna beat you till one half of your face is just blood. OH HE'S ALSO GOING TO BITE YOU AND ATTEMPT TO STAB YOU TO DEATH.

The only reason you survive? Because he's already previously injured and you use that to your advantage. We're not done though! Amanda's mentor slash father figure is dying and she is getting basically blackmailed but that's not the only thing she needs to have on the mind- Because we have Lynn running up on her with a blade, supposedly to have a nice chat.

And I even made a poll asking people on this site... Do you think Lynn would've killed Amanda? Yes was the majority answer. We know that at least one of these slashes actually catches Amanda because she is bleeding by the end of this. Not to mention, Lynn was not messing around whatsoever? She throws what I think is an axe at Amanda at one point and also tries to kick her head in against the locker things... Which she did after failing to get a swing with said axe to Amanda's head. With all of this, it kinda pushes me to think that Amanda attempts to physically intimidate and scare Lynn a lot because she is aware being attacked is quite possible. For example, the scene that is kept in where Amanda literally hands Lynn the axe, ''I'd go for the neck- But I'm not the brain surgeon.'' She is clearly letting Lynn know during this that if you try and fight with me, you're screwed! All of these factors are against you. Then coming back to the deleted scene? None of these warnings have dissuaded Lynn from going, ''I'LL FUCKING YOU!'' Whatsoever really. So rounding it back up to the first image I presented.... I think Amanda is just fucking tired. How are you meant to have been healed and helped if you're getting the smackdown special every other some weeks to months. In literally every game she's been physically present for- She has been harmed physically too. It's traumatic, it's draining and it well... HURTS. I know the healing process from when Eric smashed her head into a wall multiple times wasn't nice either. AND AND AND AND AND AND!!!! Amanda doesn't even get peace with death, seeing as she dies in a very violet manner too. We watch her choke on her own blood after being shot in the throat..... Reaching out for the same man who put her through all of this really. Anyway.... HAPPY MANDY MONDAY FROM MAL!

[zolo-san]

Love your thoughts on Law 🥰👌. I'd love to hear your thoughts on Sanji and women. Is he really a pervert? Why does he claim that women need to be treated with respect but goes crazy for their boobs every time he sees them? 🤔

Okay, Okay so I actually do have a lot of thought/opinions about Sanji and his view/treatment of women~ (gonna put think in a read more because otherwise this post is gonna be so long lol) Also, I just want to say, thank you so much for asking anon, I'm always looking for an excuse to ramble on about my One Piece character thoughts (And I'm glad you liked my thoughts on Law!!!)

Oda and Toei's Writing and it's Effect on Sanji's Character

In order to fully discuss this topic, we have to get a little more meta about it all and acknowledge Oda as a writer as well as common Anime/Manga tropes and gags and Anime filler to pad run-times

Sanji going crazy over women and tending to have over the top and often perverted reactions to them is very much a result of a common trope in Anime/Manga - It's meant to be a gag and not taken too seriously (Tho imo, that gag gets quite tired and escalates over time throughout the OP series) We see the same gag with Brook - it's normally not meant to be a defining character trait or something that's seen as harmful/predatory, it's realistically just a dumb (honestly immature) joke The pervert gag/trope has never been one I care for but alas, I choose to consume a type of media that is primarily written by men who think that type of thing is funny~ (I will give Oda a bit of a break since he started writing One Piece when he was in hi early 20s, so he was still pretty immature himself) I do think, however, that Toei is very responsible for some to the more obnoxious "Sanji pervert" moments Yes, Oda does write a good amount of them, but the writers for the anime will often take the joke and run with it to buy them some time and stretch out an episode (We see this a lot with the whole "Usopp is a coward bit" too) If you're not aware, a lot of anime of current, on-going, manga series will often add a lot of filler and gags to fill up their episode run time They do this for two main reason: The first being to swap off animation teams or give the main team more time (often times filler episodes are animated by a different team than the main story episodes) and the second being a way to give the mangaka time to write more chapters and insure that the anime doesn't catch up to the manga too quickly (both giving animation teams a break/more time to animate and giving time for more chapters to be written is also a huge factor in why shows go on hiatus as well) That being said, dumb gags like "Sanji's a pervert" and "Usopp is a coward" are very easy ways for the animation team to waste time in an episode (I would also like to point out that some of the more egregiously perverted shots and moments in general are really just a choice by the Toei animators and I have some beef with that, but we're not gonna get into that right now)

Now, I truly believe that a lot of Sanji's more perverted behavior when it comes to women is not truly meant to be a defining character trait I think this because when we first meet Sanji and right up until about Thriller Bark, his behavior around women is fairly harmless and more of an admiration and appreciation (I'm also talking about his cannon behavior that is seen in the manga, not the additions from Toei) Thriller Bark is the first time that we truly see Sanji say something that implies him to be a real pervert when he talks about how ever since he was a kid he became obsessed with the Suke Suke no Mi so he could sneak into a women's bath house and spy on them naked This is truly the beginning of, as my sister's fiance likes to call it, "The Sanji Character Assassination" While this addition is very 🙄, to me and feels a bit out of character from everything we've seen and known about how Sanji really thinks and acts around women, I can't help but feel like this and a lot of the following "Sanji Pervert" moments are mostly a result of Oda running the joke too long and finding a dumb joke a bit too funny

I truly fear sometimes, when it comes to Sanji and women, that Oda has lost the plot~

but I still stand by it all being a gag and not really meant to be a defining character trait or Sanji's real feelings While yes, we often see Sanji act a bit perverted at times, when push comes to shove and Sanji has to act, regarding a woman in any way that is actually plot relevant, he tends to drop the "pervert" persona and return back to what I feel is his true feelings towards women

Sanji's Real Feeling about Women

When we're first introduced to Sanji he's shown as a guy who has a great appreciation for women He treats them nice, pampering them, he talks about how beautiful and wonderful and graceful all women are He puts them up on a pedestal, but he also sees women as complex people We see this first with his reaction to Nami leaving and "betraying" the crew when it comes to Arlong park While he does swoon over Nami, he also doesn't hold her actions against her because he believes that she must have her reasons for doing what she did and he's proven right when Nojiko tells them about Nami's past (Something that Sanji is very sympathetic towards - he immediately recognizes her suffering and sees it as a valid reason for her actions) This same behavior is seen again with Robin during Water 7 Even though Robin tries everything she can do to get Sanji to hate her and leave her be, he refuses because he believes Robin to be a good person who must have her reasons for acting this was and correctly assumes that she must be being backed into a corner somehow Sanji forgives a lot of women throughout the series who act in ways that would push most people away or most people would see as unforgivable because he recognizes that most women don't have a choice He recognizes that women, in general, are not treated equally to men and that as a result they don't have as much freedom or self agency as men in the world And I think that's something that Sanji can relate to I think he truly understand how it feels to not have control over what happens to you and what you can and can't do He grew up (partly) in Germa after all...

I think that Sanji sees women as strong and brave while still being gentle and kind And I think he truly hates how often they suffer oppression and mistreatment And this is a major contributing factor to his over the top nice treatment and pampering of women Sanji sees the unjust treatment of women around him - people he views as so naturally good and kind - and he wants nothing more than to be able to do something to stop that mistreatment and he does so by trying to protect them at all costs, including refusing to ever hit a woman A lot of people give Sanji shit for this character trait, but I think it's much more complicated than him seeing women as "weaker" than men I can't help but feel that it's more motivated by a refusal to add to a woman's suffering

I also think there's an interesting conversation to be had when it comes to Sanji and "feminism" compared to other characters like Zoro or Luffy It feels like a gag when Sanji gets pissed at Zoro for fighting women, but I think there's something there~ A perfect example is the first time Zoro fight Tashigi in Louguetown and Sanji gets SUPER pissed about it He accuses Zoro of being disrespectful of Tashigi as a woman because he's fighting her, but I think Zoro sees his choice to fight her as just the opposite And I think a lot of that has a lot to do with the women in their lives that shaped them For Zoro, one of the most important and influential people in his life growing up was Kuina And I truly think that her not only being a better swordsman than Zoro, but telling him about her dream and the fact that she didn't think that she'd ever be able to achieve it due to being a woman really affected him and the way he sees woman and how they should be treated Kuina was someone Zoro deeply respected and I think he hated that the world made her feel that she was inadequate and unable to achieve her dream just because of her biological sex I think this felt like a great injustice to Zoro and he wanted to prove her wrong So while Sanji sees fighting a woman as disrespectful, I think Zoro would see not fighting a woman as disrespectful and an insult to Kuina's memory (I could go on about Zoro meeting women as his equal is further supported by many fights he has, including his later refusal to "help" Tashigi during Punk Hazard, but that's a different rant for a different day lol)

In a similar way to Zoro, Luffy also treats women as complete equals He doesn't discriminate He just sees them as people, choosing to fight them when necessary, befriend them if he feels it's right, and never putting them above or below himself And just like with Zoro, Sanji had scolded Luffy multiple times for fighting women because Sanji just doesn't see it that way

And I think that all of this: Sanji putting women up on a pedestal, wanting to protect them, refusing to fight them, viewing them as both angelic, but also complex people all goes back to the influential women in Sanji's early life

Sanji, Sora, and Reiju

*I'm going to give a quick disclaimer at the top of this part because I literally just started Whole Cake, so most of my knowledge here comes from bits and pieces that I've learned/picked up about Sanji's backstory and family (I'm not someone who seeks out spoilers, but I exist on the internet and have obviously learned spoilers for Whole Cake and Sanji's backstory/family)

For Sanji, two of the most influential women in his early life were his mother and sister And I think that they had a great impact on how he views women in general

Sora was clearly one of the few people in Sanji's life in The Germa Kingdom who truly loved him She loved him from before he was born to the point that she risked her own life for him She went out of her way to encourage Sanji to be a kind and caring person and follow his dreams even though that was something that she would never get to do herself She was such a good a caring figure in Sanji's life and I truly think that she is the main reason why Sanji believes women to be naturally good and caring people Sanji sees his mother in all women even if it's to his own detriment

Reiju also had a very big and interesting impact on Sanji as a kid She was never anywhere near as kind to him as his mother, but she still reached out a had to him and was the most caring of all of his siblings Despite how she really felt about it, however, just like Sora, Reiju was trapped She was unable to escape her family or her upbringing, she was forced to become what was expected of her and to, at the vert least, assimilate into the family in order to survive And I think that it is because of Reiju that Sanji has the belief that women are complicated people He saw his sister, who was clearly a good person at heart, forced to act a certain way and abide behaviors she clearly did not agree with simply to protect herself She was forced to act and become what their father and brothers made her for her own safety She didn't have the strength or will to defy them, but despite all that she still found kindness for Sanji in her own way Reiju was far from perfect, but she did what she could manage and I think that meant a lot to Sanji and made him very aware of how often women are forced into a corner like his sister and mother were

And I truly think this is why in Dressrosa, Sanji is so willing to first help and then later forgive and continue helping Viola even after everything she does to him I think Sanji sees his sister in Viola and would do anything and endure anything to help a woman in such a terrible situation like that Yes, when Sanji first sees Viola and swoons over her, it feels like the "woman crazy" Sanji gag, but as things develop it's clear that Sanji very genuinely wants to help her He sees a woman who is clearly trapped and asking for help and he can't refuse her Then once she betrays him, he's still unwilling to believe that she isn't still trapped, he saw genuine good in her and a genuine call for help (just like he saw in his sister all those years back) and this time he can actual do something about it

So yes, while there are for sure some real moments where Sanji seems like he's just a little horny pervert when it comes to women, but I think there is a lot of evidence that that is not his real feelings toward women and more of an overplayed, and frankly out of hand, gag

Even if you look at moments like when Sanji is in Nami's body during Punk Hazard While yes, Sanji does initially have the pervert response of "Ohhh!!! Boobs!!" I think that the more notable moments are when he stops and considers how he needs to be careful in Nami's body (he's the only one involved in the body swaps that really does this too - rip Chopper, Franky really fucked him up lol) Despite his obvious anxiety, he refrains from smoking until Nami gives him permission He makes an effort not to get Nami's body injured in combat And even considers and how fighting in his normal way and using techniques that his body is accustom to would probably hurt Nami and tries to avoid it when possible (tho he does push Nami athletically to a degree that makes it clear that she's much more physically capable then I think even she realizes lol) I personally feel that the moments that Sanji is considerate and respectful of Nami's body far out weigh the moments when he's not (He's also far nicer to Nami's body than she is to his lol)

To summarize, I don't think that Sanji is just a pervert, I think Oda just thinks the pervert joke is funny~ There's much more evidence (especially during character defining moments for Sanji) that Sanji has a deep respect for women He appreciates their beauty and believes them to be good and kind All he wants is to be able to protect them, especially now that he is actually capable of doing so He understand the inequality, injustice, and oppression that a lot of women face and understands that in part due to all that, many women must act in ways that seem, on the surface, to be unforgivable He sees women as complex people who often times have to make difficult decisions for the good of themselves and others and Sanji gives them grace for that

[dorkus-mcdingus]

A Familiar Voice: A Lilia Short Story

BIG OL FREAKING DISCLAIMER!

This bit of fanfiction is based on the "Crowley is Raverne" theory (which has neither been confirmed or denied) which I both DESPISE TO MY CORE and adore so much.

So I thought, if that theory is true, what would be going through Lilia's head seeing a somewhat familiar face during orientation?

Admittedly, the final scene with Crowley, I was inspired by Prince Kallisto's drawing and oof the amount of inspiration it gave me when I saw Maleanor's painting get slashed! After all, if a portrait has a mouth, why can't it talk?

Enjoy the story and the little moments of Lilia being a wholesome dad :3

A new year meant new students coming in, packing the mirror chamber like sardines while the Headmaster gives the most boring yet somehow self-serving speech imaginable.

The seniors were trying their damndest to stay awake but getting a good look at the new blood, their hearts began to palpitate rapidly as in the sea of cloaked boys, only one had horns poking through his hood.

"Dude, we got a code red." One third year student whispered

"Shut up! The headmage is gonna hear us!" Replied a second year in a hushed tone.

"I'm serious, look in the crowd of freshmen!"

When the boy turned to the crowd, it was like his blood froze into ice in his veins.

"You're kidding...! You mean to tell me that's..."

The third year nodded, just as terrified as ever.

"Malleus Draconia... I feel so bad for everyone in Diasomnia right now..."

"How do you know he's gonna end up there? The Dark Mirror hasn't even gotten to him."

"Uh! Hello?! 5th most powerful mage in Twisted Wonderland AND the fact that he's a fae from Briar Valley?! No duh he's going to get sorted into Diasomnia!

Another second year boy tapped on their shoulders.

"I heard a lot of things about the fae from that place. They're not as forgiving compared to here. I mean, mom and dad already hammered in before I came here to always be polite to the fairies but I'd rather avoid Malleus like the plague unless I wanna get cursed. Just looking at him gives me the chills..."

Curious, Malleus looked over at the whispering boys but the trio panicked as they hid their mouths behind their hands to muffle a gasp.

"Malleus," Lilia whispered. "Pay attention because they're going to call you up soon."

"Understood." He sighed.

Those etiquette lessons had to be drilled into his head despite how bored he was hearing the headmage go on and ON about how generous and kind he was but once Lilia got a good look at the man... Something told him that he's seen him before. It was hard to tell behind the mask he wore, but even he was left staring.

"Cater Diamond!" Called the masked man.

The ginger haired boy with a black diamond painted on his cheek stood in front of the mirror as the mirror said with a booming voice,

"State your name."

"Name's Cater Diamond~!" He replied with his overly jovial tone.

"Cater Diamond, the nature of your soul is... HEARTSLABYUL!"

Lilia may have been short in stature but his red doll-like eyes couldn't pry away from the Headmaster. He definitely didn't register as a dinural fae from his appearance, but where had he seen that man before?! Was it during his travels?! Just... WHERE?!

Malleus in turn gave Lilia a light tap on his shoulder.

"Are you fairing well, Lilia?" He whispered.

"I can't quite put my finger on it, but I feel like I've seen the headmage before. Though, drat! I don't remember where?"

"It could've been someone you encountered on your travels, but from the looks of it, he might be one of us. Though, I do wonder, why wear a mask?"

"Indeed. There's no doubt about it that he's a fae like us but still... Urgh... Dash it all! My memory's not serving me well in my age."

Soon enough, the headmage called.

"Malleus Draconia!"

A loud surge of whispers roared throughout the chamber as some boys looked on in shock and horror, while some were rendered flabbergasted at the sight of the crowned prince in front of them. He maintained a perfect posture, a calm demeanor, but admittedly, the whispers cut him deep like daggers made from cold-forged iron.

"Why's he even here when he's already in the top five?!"

"I feel like I should apologize just for looking at him!"

"He's so powerful it's so suffocating!"

"His appearance alone is enough to give anyone nightmares."

"Rest in peace to the current Housewarden of Diasomnia. You're doomed!"

One student (a lion beastman in particular) remained quiet but shot a disdainful glare at the young dragon. As if the man needed another reminder that he'll always be second best and the fact that the boy is the crowned prince of his country too!

But as soon as Malleus stepped up to the mirror, the mirror commanded,

"State your name."

"My name is Malleus Draconia."

"Malleus, the nature of your soul is... DIASOMNIA!"

One given the magestone for his pen, he made his way back to his seat beside Lilia.

Though, with one good look at the boy, the old bat fae could tell that the whispers were troubling the young dragon. It may have been against what those old bastards in the Senate would've wanted, but he wrapped the boy's hand in his and gently rubbed the back of it with his thumb.

"Don't let it get to you, Malleus." He said gently. "As sad as it is, humans often fear what they don't know but once they get to know you, they'll be dazzled for sure."

"You don't need to treat me like I'm still forty, Lilia." Malleus replied trying to keep a straight face. "After all, Grandmother thought it would be good for me that I try to get to know these children of man better. Although, I don't know if four years will be enough."

"You won't know unless you try my boy." Lilia giggled. "Besides, if you're going to try and maintain peace with them, why not start young? It won't be all bad though. Silver and Sebek will be joining us over the next two years we're here."

"Silver will be a welcome presence, but I worry about Sebek when he does arrive."

"He still has much of the world to see and has much to learn just like you and Silver. You three are growing children and an environment like this will be beneficial to you. True, it may not be traveling but it can help you sample the different cultures they come from."

Malleus gave the old bat a small smile.

"You make a fair point. This could help them too just as much as me. By the way, were you able to figure out where you've seen the Headmage?"

Lilia heaved a slight sigh as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Alas, I have not and it's bothering me!"

As the list of names whittled down, with the Headmage yelling such names as,

"Rook Hunt!"

And as a huge shock to everyone,

"Vil Schoenheit!"

Lilia couldn't help but comment saying he's seen a couple of his movies while out traveling. He really had grown so much compared to his days as a child actor but even then he was born to be a celebrity. For a human, one could say he embodied elegance.

As Crowley went down the list once more, he called,

"Idia Shroud!"

The timid boy with blue hair that acted like fire, Malleus at one point had heard of them through his old texts in the family's ancient library. They were born to a family with a bloodline curse of burning intense amounts of blot but as time passed and the family began dedicating their studies to blot research, it soon grew into the facility known as STYX.

He looked at Idia as he tried pulling his hood to hide his face while a cute little humanoid robot floated beside him as he urged his big brother to keep walking.

"Heh, a big Shroud and a little Shroud. How adorable."

"Ooh, knowing who that boy is related to, I know he's going to grow up to do great things."

"State your name." Said the mirror.

"I-Idia Shroud!"

"Idia, the nature of your soul is... IGNIHYDE!"

"No surprises there." Lilia whispered. "The Shrouds for many years have always had a knack for technomancy and engineering."

Further and further down the list the headmage went and boy was it getting long and boring! Yet still, Lilia couldn't take his eyes off of him.

Everything about him from the feathers, to the talon rings, just something seemed so eerily familiar but the more he got a good look at the plague doctor mask he wore, it was like someone quickly erased his memory before he found out too much.

Almost like... A childhood friend he knew once upon a time before he went missing. Not even to this day has it been confirmed that he passed.

He could recall a time when they snuck out of the castle, this cheeky little princess saw a bird trapped in a human's net and she wanted to give him a fright.

"Into a boy." She commanded.

The moment the raven began transforming into a human, his yellow eyes stared back at the princess once he threw the net off of him and he said to her,

"What have you done to my beautiful self?!"

"Would you rather be mauled by that human's dog?"

"No."

"I thought so."

All the while, Lilia was sent into a giggling fit.

But the merriment wasn't to last. Lilia was left all alone for so many years, ridiculed by the Senate, and with their son to look after. Something about those those yellow eyes hiding behind the mask just made it so familiar to him.

Soon enough,

"Lilia Vanrouge!"

Of course, he heard the whispers just like Malleus with the other boys saying,

"A girl? Since when did NRC go co-ed?"

"Gotta admit, she is pretty cute."

"Kufufu. Those boys don't know what they're in for." Lilia giggled quietly to himself.

But for some strange reason, the Headmaster couldn't help but get a good look at the small old man. He kept a straight face but even though he kept people at an arm's length, never revealing his face to anyone, the older boys could tell that the headmage was acting slightly off.

"State your name." Said the mirror.

"Lilia Vanrouge."

Hearing the boys' shocked expressions upon noticing the sound of his deep voice made it so hard for the little bat fae not to keel over from laughing.

"Lilia, the nature of your soul is... DIASOMNIA!"

No surprises there. Well, at least it'll make looking after Malleus easier. Still, although Lilia gave the headmage a sweet and charming smile, but behind the mask, Crowley was actively trying to play it cool.

With the ceremony coming to a close, before he made his way back to his office, Crewel stopped him for a minute asking where he was heading off to especially since Sam was so kind as to throw them a party to start off the new school year.

"I just need to take care of a few important documents, Professor Crewel. I'll be right back."

A ghost from the past he tried so DESPERATELY to forget and the boy he was with... It was like his days of old regrets were coming back to haunt him once more. Behind a pair of black curtains, hung a portrait of a woman with long jet-black hair and chartreuse eyes. Like the royal she was, she was fully decked out in the finest of jewels and silver resting on her shoulders as well as acting as a tiara hanging around her horns. However, the one curious thing about her portrait compared to the paintings around the school, hers had her mouth slashed.

The old headmaster held his head in his hands the more he looked at her. Even in death she still found a way to haunt him after so many years of trying to bury his past.

[paisholotus]

Starting Off Wrong...

Now Playing: Duvet~ Boa

Vivica's Pov

Alfred drove me to Wayne Manor, telling me Bruce wanted to spend more time with me. Bruce had mentioned having to spend the morning at Wayne Industries but promised he'd see me later. Something about the gentle way Alfred smiled at me made me feel warm inside. I always saw Alfred as a father or grandpa figure. He's always been so sweet to me. Even as kids. I loved him so much.

As I walked into the massive house, my ears were immediately assaulted by the sound of yelling boys. Their ruckus died instantly when they spotted me at the door. I fought the urge to fidget as they looked me up and down, exchanging these little knowing smiles that made me want to turn around and walk right back out.

I glanced at Alfred, hoping for some explanation. "Who are they?" I asked, not bothering to hide my confusion.

"These young gentlemen are being taken care of by Master Bruce," Alfred explained in his proper British accent. "Their names are Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Tim Drake, and Master Bruce's son, Damian."

I stood there, completely lost for words. So during those five years when Bruce had disappeared, he'd been... collecting children? My eyes landed on who I assumed was the youngest - Damian. I couldn't help but stare. The kid looked exactly like a miniature Bruce, down to that proud tilt of his chin.

I felt like I'd stepped into some alternate reality. Bruce Wayne, the man I'd known since childhood, the one who'd vanished for five years only to return as if nothing had happened, was apparently a... father? To four boys? My head was spinning. Truly what the fuck is going on here?

The tallest one - Dick, if I remembered correctly - stepped forward with an easy smile that reminded me so much of Bruce it was almost painful. "So you're Vivica," he said. "Bruce has told us a lot about you."

"Has he now?" I managed to say, though my voice sounded strange even to my own ears. That was interesting, considering Bruce had failed to mention any of them to me. Not one word about having a son, let alone three adopted children.

The second boy - Jason, I thought - was leaning against the staircase railing, studying me with an intensity that made me uncomfortable. He had this streak of white in his dark hair and a scar near his jaw that made me wonder what kind of life he'd led before Bruce took him in.

Tim, the third one, seemed more reserved, offering a small wave from where he stood. But it was Damian who caught and held my attention. Those eyes - they were Bruce's eyes, calculating and sharp. He couldn't have been more than ten or eleven, but he carried himself like a much older person.

"Would you care for some tea, Miss Vivica?" Alfred's voice broke through my thoughts. Bless that man for always knowing exactly when to intervene.

"Yes, please," I said quickly, grateful for any excuse to process this situation. As I followed Alfred toward the kitchen, I could feel their eyes on my back. Four pairs of eyes, belonging to four boys who somehow shared a piece of Bruce that I knew nothing about.

I had so many questions, but the biggest one was burning in my throat: Why hadn't Bruce told me about any of them? And, why did that small look like Bruce so much?

As Alfred busied himself with the tea preparations, I couldn't hold back the question any longer. The kitchen felt safer, more private, away from those watchful eyes in the foyer.

"Alfred," I said, keeping my voice low even though the boys were out of earshot, "why does Damian look exactly like Bruce? I mean, it's uncanny. He could be Bruce's mini clone."

Alfred paused for just a moment - so briefly I almost missed it - before continuing to arrange cups on the silver tray. "Ah, well, that would be because Master Damian is indeed Master Bruce's biological son. His mother is Talia al Ghul."

I nearly choked on air. "Talia al Ghul?" Who the fuck is that? All these cartoonish ass names. "Who is she? And when... how..." I couldn't even form a complete sentence. Another piece of Bruce's missing five years clicked into place, but instead of providing clarity, it only raised more questions.

"Alfie," I said, wrapping my hands around the teacup he'd just set in front of me, "was Damian... I mean, did Bruce know about him before he left Gotham?" I needed to know if this was yet another secret he'd kept from me, even back then. Because if Bruce cheated on me all hell is going to rain down on his ass.

The way Alfred carefully measured his next words made my stomach tighten. "Master Bruce... discovered Damian's existence during his time away," he said delicately. "The young master came to live with us after Master Bruce's return. Apparently his mother kept him from Master Bruce when he was born. They happened before you and him got together."

I took a long sip of tea to hide whatever expression was trying to form on my face. I really needed something stronger than this. So Bruce hadn't known either. Somehow, that made me feel both better and worse at the same time. Better because he hadn't been keeping this massive secret from me all those years ago, but worse because... well, what other surprises from his five-year disappearance might suddenly show up at Wayne Manor?

"Okay, Alfie enough! But, what the hell is going on? I feel like I'm on crack right now! The other night Bruce came to my house dressed like a big ass Bat on steroids...." looked behind me to see them peaking at me around the corner. "And, now you telling me this man had KIDS! KIDS!? AND, ONE IS ACTUALLY HIS!" I yelled, my heart beating a thousand per second.

Before Alfred could answer I heard the front door open. I walked out the kitchen as the boys kept their eyes on me. Probably knowing this was going to be some shit.

Bruce opens the door and smiled at me but it fell once he saw my face and looked past me seeing the boys and huffed walking in. I nodded and crossed my arms.

"Bruce, kindly explain to me what I'm looking at?" I said, nudging my head to the boys. He signed and tried to reach for me but I brushed him away.

"Don't you get mad at them. Why didn't you tell me you adopted children and oh.....y-" I cut myself off at the boy I was going to mention as he looked between us and smirked. "Hello, Father." He said.

I looked down at him and back at Bruce letting out a dry chuckle and walked towards the staircase.

"GET YOUR ASS UP THESE STEPS!" I yelled, not bothering to look back. "BRUCE IF YOUR WHITE ASS IS NOT UP THESE STEPS BOUT TIME I REACH THIS ROOM, IMMA STICK MY KATES SO FAR UP YOUR ASS YOU GON KNOW WHEN I GOT THEM!"

"Genuinely what the fuck is going on?"

[mxtantrights]

mob!bucky doesn't smile because it happened

It's been an interesting couple of days. And by interesting Bucky could use other adjectives. Several of which he won't say out loud or ever admit to feeling.

But one of those, the most important of those, being heartbreak.

Which doesn't make sense really. You had broken up with him so long ago, so quickly too. He always hated it. The fact that you broke up with him and he never knew the real reason why. He never got to fix whatever mistake he made.

When he got down on one knee and proposed to you in the middle of his office, he felt that heartbreak again. Partly because he was thinking of the past and also because he was thinking of the torn future too.

In another life he didn't have to take over the family business. In another life he and you were normal people working normal jobs. Maybe he would work in the bakery and you would be some hot shot lawyer. And you'd meet and it would be kismet and the rest would just fall into place.

But this isn't another life.

So when he proposed to you, like he was planning on doing in this life before you broke up with him, he felt his heart break just a bit more.

The only thing that pulls him out of his blue thoughts is the ringing that comes from his phone. He reaches inside the pocket of his suit and takes it out.

Natasha.

He accepts the call.

"Whatcha ya got?" he asks.

"I've got him in a secluded place. I'll drop a pin. Figured you'd want to hear what this rat has to say before I get rid of him." she answers.

Bucky groans, "I don't trust anything he says."

"I wouldn't either but..." she trails off.

"What is is Nat?"

Bucky leans forward on the table, his elbows against the hard surface. He pinches the bridge of his nose now. Unready for whatever hell Brock is trying to unleash now.

"It's about the fiancee."

-

You remove your headphone from your ears and look over at your door. You swore you heard a--

A series of knocks come from your front door. You tense. It could be Brock. It could be your dad. It could also be Bucky. Or maybe your friend Nicole who you haven't spoken a word to in a few days because you feel like you can't barley keep your head above water. So much so that you called out of work for the rest of the week.

You think for a second about pretending not to be home. Whoever it is would just go away.

"I know you're in there." a voice says.

You stiffen on the couch. They could be lying. Bluffing and waiting to hear you move around and actually confirm that you're inside. Maybe.

"It's Steve."

That confuses you the most. Out of everyone who could possibly be at your door, Steve Rogers wasn't a guess you had in your mind. You slowly make your way to the door. And then you peep through the hole to make sure it's actually him.

He looks different.

A beard. You've never seen the golden boy look so--rugged. You unlock the door and pull it open.

He stands tall, in a fairly casual outfit and his hair neatly combed back.

"Been a long time." you speak.

"I didn't think I'd see you again. Not after you broke his heart."

[storiesbyjes2g]

3.219 Less strikes again

At some point, I tore myself away from my parents and left the cemetery feeling renewed and happy. On my way back home, I made a detour to the florist. I couldn't leave their graves looking empty and neglected like we didn't care. Quite the contrary. I even bought nice headstones and put portraits on their plots. Too bad I didn't have a big enough picture for grandpa Winston. I'd really love to meet him one day, but I think he may have crossed over already. At least I have tiny pictures at home to look at and see where some of my features come from.

Alessia called, saying she wanted to talk. That meant she needed to get out of the house, so I sent Sophia a text saying I would be back later that night. At first, I thought we'd grab dinner, but Less and I hadn't gone out together in ages. We needed to make it count, so I suggested we go to a bar for old time's sake. We met at The Solar Flare in Oasis Springs, and she began telling me about this man she'd been talking to.

His name is Brent Peters, and he rents a trailer in Oasis Springs. He likes horses, is obsessed with vampires, loves a good argument, and hates smart asses. He also hates comedy, idealists, troublemakers, knitting, and rock climbing. So far, he sounded like a very interesting character, and I wanted to know more. She said in his younger days he had a bit of trouble of his own, often getting caught stealing. He got help, but every day is a struggle to resist that urge. They bonded over their love for athleticism. She thought it was a silly to appreciate, but she loved he didn't mind her being a homebody. Whatever she wanted to do, he was into it, and she loved that. I couldn't imagine Alessia ever changing herself to please someone, but I knew exactly how it felt to be loved and accepted by someone despite your flaws and shortcomings, and I was glad she had that. She said he's loyal to her, and they are taking things slow. As much as I loved to hear that, I still had concerns.

"He sounds wonderful for you, but... Like, how do you know he's not after your money?"

"Luca... I know you're concerned because of what happened last time, but this isn't that. Me and Jase bonded over stupid, meaningless stuff. Brent and I talk about real things. And I'm older and wiser now. But you, of all people, should understand how putting yourself out there involves risks. You moved in with Sophia after one date, and you didn't even want to be in a relationship. But you took the risk. The point here is I'm ready to take risks again. I don't know if Brent is after my money, or if he will kill me in my sleep, or if he'll run off with another woman. I'm still getting to know him, but I don't think he will. But I'll never know unless I try."

I say this every time I'm around her, but she has grown so much, and I love to see it. I still had concerns, but there was nothing left to say.

"Also, I'm moving out tomorrow."

"What?? Why?"

"I appreciate everything you've done for me. And I love how fiercely you protect me. But I need to handle things on my own now. All my life, I've had a safety net. Even when I moved out, I was living with that family. Someone has always taken care of me, and I feel like I owe it to myself, and my children, to be truly independent. I can't teach them what I've never done, so I need to go. I don't want you to make a big deal and throw a party or something. Just let us go quietly, please."

This is just like Mt. Komorebi all over again. She arrives at conclusions super fast and is compelled to action them even faster.

"But... What about the kids? Desi loves playing with them. And I love hanging out with them, too."

"That can still happen! It'll just require more effort now."

"Where are you going, anyway?"

"San Myshuno, for now."

That was the last place I pictured her living. Seems like the hustle and bustle would send her paranoia up the roof. But, renting an apartment is a good situation for her. Even though she wants to be independent, homeownership is a whole 'nother beast, not for the faint of heart.

"I'm gonna miss you, sis. I've really enjoyed getting to know this adult version of you. Can we make sure to do better at keeping in touch?"

"You better, big head."

[lucentaire]

Usually---and she suspected that it came with the territory of being friends with Laxus---Carena liked storms. However, usually she was watching storms from the safety of her warm home. She already liked them a lot less when they got in the way of her work. Now that a storm was brewing while she was injured and had places to be, she could not claim to be a fan. It was gnawing on her, the knowledge that this storm was not on her side. And warm clothing would only mitigate the unpleasantness that awaited her, it would not be able to fully protect her from it.

But while she was hardly looking forward to the journey home (because it would be a rough one), she was looking forward to the comforts awaiting her at home---a nice bubble bath might be out of the question unless Porlyusica just made the wound go away, but a recent shopping spree had ended with a comfortable set of cosy lounge wear. A part of her shuddered---apparently, adulthood meant getting excited about the promise of slipping into comfortable clothing and being tucked under warm blankets with a good book. Maybe, she pondered, maybe she would leverage her injury and ask to borrow some of Laxus' more relaxing records . . . and the record player that was usually in the dining room.

Lost in thoughts of whether or not she would have to play up the pain she was in (probably not, her side was aching quite a bit) to convince her dearest friends and roommates to nurse her back to health, she missed the sound of Gray's returning footsteps, just like she missed the return of his very adorable dog. Consequently, she almost flinched when the winter gear was draped over her. Ah. The omnipresent pompoms revealed the scarf to be Lisanna Couture---unless Gray knew someone else who would gift him a handcrafted scarf---and Carena could not help but smile a little bit. It was a bit of a reminder, she needed to actually post the package she had assembled for Lisanna a while ago.

Flicking a strand of her hair over her scarf-covered shoulder, she turned her head to glance at Gray for a moment, feeling almost tempted to pout a little at him before suppressing that weird impulse. "Really makes me wonder what kind of oversized bug you think I am," she mused as he drifted away, not unlike a snowflake in a breeze, to feed Muddy. "Actually---don't answer that. My pride is as bruised as my side."

Eating another few spoons of her breakfast, she pondered his offer. It would be the responsible thing to accept it, she knew that much. Flying long distances while either in pain or right after taking pain killers are not exactly a wise decision due to the risk of getting disoriented, but getting caught in a storm was even unwiser. She was not overly concerned over letting her quest givers know that the situation had been handled---she was not strapped for cash---but she really needed to get back to Magnolia. She could not risk getting stuck in the mountains, especially not due to a storm as storms were notoriously unpredictable.

Tugging on the pompomed end of the scarf, she sighed. "Actually," she started as her feet tapped against the floor. "Is Winterweed directly opposite my destination, geographically? I'd like to be in the air for the shortest time possible so I'd appreciate it a lot if you could show me the best spot from where to start my flight. I probably also should, I don't know, let you know what my estimated time of arrival in Fireweed would be. Just in case that I end up crashing. Hasn't happened yet, but there's always a first time for inconvenient things to happen. I forgot if I already asked, but is your MCL currently intact?"

A slight frown persisted on his face as he continued to stare out the window, his mind on the approaching weather. His expression melted away into a slight smile as he observed Muddy rolling around in the snow. Although the dog would come back in cold and damp (which was never fun to deal with), it was certainly better than when she would come in covered in her namesake.

He turned his attention back to his guest, dipping his head in acknowledgement as she accepted his offer of warmer clothes. A measure of relief eased his shoulders, knowing that she was wise enough to see the necessity and not foolishly deny it. He’d known people (and yes…sometimes ‘people’ had in fact been simply himself), that had stubbornly insisted that they would be fine without the extra layers, too confident in themselves and in their estimation of their travel. It didn’t tend to end well.

Still, was it any surprise that Evergreen was sensible enough to take the help? Of course not. She was certainly better at it than he was, and he could appreciate that it might be hard for her in any case. He knew that if the situation was reversed and he had (somehow) accepted help, his pride would be grating on him. The last thing he would want would be for someone to make a big deal out of his situation or make excuses for him. With that in mind, he said nothing else on the matter and instead simply took a large draught of his smoothie before setting down the glass on the countertop.

“I’ll get you some warm stuff now,” he said, beginning to move past Evergreen, deciding he might as well do the task in the moment.

As he headed into his bedroom, it occurred to him that there was a chance his guest might think he was eager to get her on her way. Following that thought, it also occurred to him that he was in fact, not eager to send her on her way. It was…strange to consider, that he found himself reluctant for her to leave when he was normally quite content on his own, but it really shouldn’t be strange. She was, after all, easy to be around and they were…friends? Yeah, friends.

He pushed the thoughts from his mind and set his attention on the chest of drawers in his room. Giving thought to his prediction of the weather, chilled air and a chance of snow later, he decided a hoodie would be a nice, cozy option for her. He would grab a spare coat for her later too, when it was time for her to leave.

Opening the largest drawer, he surveyed the options for a moment, then pulled out one of his favourite hoodies. Dark brown, soft, subtly lined with fleece for extra warmth, the item would no doubt swamp Evergreen’s figure, but that was precisely why he chose it (and perhaps also because the colour would complement her better than some of the other options).

He plucked it from its haphazard place with its confines, then draped it over his arm as he closed the drawer and opened a different one. With remarkably less consideration than his previous choice, he withdrew a set of sky blue, knitted winterwear – a scarf, gloves, and beanie.

This set, like the four others of varying colours within the drawer, had been knitted and gifted to him by Lisanna. She’d gotten rather into the hobby lately and had insisted on forcing generously sharing her creations with him. He recalled she’d been quite pleased with this particular set, as she’d implemented a white cloud pattern and had also gotten the hang of making pompoms (the ends of the scarf and top of the beanie bore evidence of her newfound love for the decorative element). He was sure Lisanna wouldn’t mind him lending the items to someone in need, especially to one of her own friends.

Goods in hand, he exited the room to return to Evergreen. Since she was occupied with her breakfast, he gently tossed the hoodie and gloves to rest over the back of the nearby armchair for when she was ready for them. Seeing her with her bowl of cereal, and thinking back to her comment of not having to climb on the counter to get it, he wondered if her roommates did put the cereal boxes out of her reach on purpose, just to get a reaction from her.

The image of her chipmunk cheek pout came to mind, and he had a feeling that if that was the face she’d make at such an act, he could see why her friends would be tempted to provoke it. Ever since he’d seen it himself, some time ago now, the expression occasionally popped into his mind and made him wonder how to bring it about again. The urge to do something to tease a reaction from her tickled the back of his mind like the whisper of a little devil on his shoulder. It had been a long while since he’d last felt such a thing, and in fact, he’d almost forgotten what it was like to feel it at all. In truth (although it was little known), once he was comfortable with a person and sure of their reactions, he was the type to delight in being a nuisance to them from time to time.

Mentally shaking himself, he stepped through the kitchen to open the back door and allow Muddy her re-entry, closing it again once she scampered through. The icy touch of the breeze slipped inside and once more made him aware that his guest was likely cold, even with the door firmly shut again. Driven by an impulse he didn’t want to look to closely at, he moved closer to Evergreen and draped the scarf he still held around her shoulders. Then, he unfolded the beanie and settled it on her head, gently tugging it into place.

A smile flashed briefly across his face at the way the floppy pointed end of the hat draped down over her forehead. He readjusted it to hang at the back and then gave a small but mischievous flick to the pompom.

“There,” he said, “snug as a little bug now.” His gaze, warmed with amusement, referenced her tshirt with a quick glance before he shifted away and got busy setting out food for his eager canine.

While Muddy happily dug into her morning meal, Gray straightened up and considered what Evergreen had said about her flying back to the village. It made sense for her to try travel as quickly as she could, not just to try fast forward Freed’s inevitable questioning, but to get ahead of any bad weather. He sighed, not envying her journey or return home.

Even knowing she could likely fly from his house and not need to pass along the roads to find the way, skipping Winterweed, and head directly to its sister village where her reward awaited her, he found himself offering, “Muddy and I can walk with you back to the Winterweed if you want.”

[icewindandboringhorror]

recent things and such~

[la-galaxie-langblr]

what is going on w my brain

[hersweetrevenge]

Hi there! <3 I re-watched Halloween Ends yesterday because I was upset and I needed Corey to save me, lmfao, and I wanted to ask you something that I've been wondering about. So, I have no way of getting the novelisation of the movie anytime soon, and you're kinda my only frame of reference for it; so I hope you don't mind me asking you this. When Corey is on his revenge killing spree, he kills those bullies at the mechanic shop. And Ronald is there. And then Ronald comes out to help the kids because of Terry. And only because of that. So, that makes me wonder... Did Corey plan on killing Ronald after he was done with the kids? Is that something that was elaborated on in the novel? Because I keep wondering about that, since Corey pretty much killed everyone that ever wronged him during that night, and Ronald was right there; but Corey didn't kill him (or didn't get the chance to, at least). Terry shot him by accident. But Corey killed his mom, of course. So, it'd make sense if he had at least planned on going after Ronald as well; even though he never actively wronged Corey (only passively, if we look at the way he just sat and watched while Joan abused Corey right in front of him, for example). But more so for completion's sake, y'know? They were on generally good terms, after all. I mean, in your latest post about the novel, you quoted that Ronald is "the loveliest thing" in Corey's life, according to Rohan. So, that makes me wonder all the more. OH, and... I fought with myself to include this point, but anyway- Corey takes the mask off when Ronald comes to help the kids, so that Ronald can see his face and know it's him. And it clearly disarms Ronald immediately and is the reason why Terry accidentally shot him instead of Corey, because he shielded him instinctively. Thus, I keep wondering if Corey meant for that to happen or if he took the mask off in order to assure Ronald that he wasn't actually in danger... It's such a seemingly insignificant thing that I'm thinking about far too much, but it's been bothering me that I don't know, and I was curious if the novel said anything about that at all, or if they just brushed over it there, as well. If they did, I'll just make up my own mind, of course, hdsfdjkfsk Anyway, I'm very sorry for rambling on about this, gosh! I love your blog(s) and everything you have to say about Corey and Rohan, you're awesome!!! Thank you for your detailed posts all the time, they keep me going! Take care! <3

ahhh hi !! thank you so much for sending this ask !! i love talking about this sort of thing more than anything lol and i’m sorry this took a little longer than i expected to reply, i was double checking like every ronald scene in the novel and cross-referencing that with behind-the-scenes details from making of, and re-watching the movie (i didn’t have to do that last one but like you, i needed emotional support from corey too 💗)

WARNING for discussions about (canon-typical) violence, murder, child abuse, abusive households, mentions of suicide and self-harm, and spoilers for the novelisation.

TL;DR – the novelisation does not elaborate on corey's intentions in any huge amount of detail, but it does provide some insight into a few different possibilities for ronald and corey’s relationship and what that would mean for corey's intentions.

general relationship

the novelisation actually gives some really specific details about the cunningham-prevo backstory, but also leaves a lot of aspects vague too.

joan married ronald when corey was 15, and she made it clear to ronald that he would "remain firmly on the sidelines when it came to corey's upbringing" which ronald "gladly" agreed to. so from the very beginning, ronald accepts he isn't going to be an active parent to corey, which maybe means he didn't believe he would do a good job anyway, or maybe he agreed it wasn't his place to parent corey in the same way joan does.

also, corey was already a teenager, he didn't need parenting in the same way a younger child would, which is partly why i think joan waited until corey was older to get remarried, because although being a single parent is difficult, she wouldn't want someone else in the picture as a father-figure for corey.

i don't personally see corey and ronald having a super close relationship, but there are multiple instances that show they are at least comfortable and familiar with each other (in line with what rohan said).

corey had a job before working for ronald, so we know ronald didn't have to give him a job. i hc that corey really wanted to do something stimulating instead of call centre work, and ronald agreed despite joan's grievances over it.

ronald doesn't seem too angry at him for being late, even though it is a regular occurrence (third time in a month).would he be so lenient on anyone who wasn't his stepson?

the gifting of the motorbike is a huge moment of course. that's a big gesture which, in the novelisation, also comes with some stilted bonding when ronald reminiscences that he used to "get laid [...], if you can believe it".

they have their united front moment over dinner when joan is trying to work a reaction out of them and neither gives her what she wants.

a smaller but still significant gesture is that corey uses dumbbells and a pull-up bar in his room to workout, which ronald bought him for christmas. very much feels like an attempt to help corey rebuild his self-confidence.

honestly though, rohan's comment about ronald being the "loveliest" thing in corey's life is probably right, especially as corey's life has been incredibly insular. as the town pariah with an abusive mom, his stepdad being cool about him being late for work is probably one of the best parts of his day.

but then on the other hand, there are moments which do not characterise their relationship very well, including multiple instances of ronald "ignoring" joan's abusive behaviour and not intervening.

to reiterate a previous point: ronald very willingly obliges joan's wishes of not "interfering" with corey's upbringing. her unfounded criticism and distrust of doctors, the school system and anyone other than her taking care of corey should have been a huge red flag (if, of course, any of that behaviour could have been inferred prior to their marriage).

ronald's passivity at being side-lined by his wife, allowing her to continue an unhealthy and unbounded relationship with corey.

when joan is berating corey for "sneaking around" and seeing allyson (the slap/kiss scene), she questions ronald as to whether he knew about the motorcycle, to which ronald stays completely out of it and doesn't answer her, despite her being furious with corey.

however it is a really difficult family dynamic to navigate, with so much nuance. i'm reluctant to say if ronald is a "good" or "bad" stepdad, or whether their father-son relationship is "good" or "bad", simply because their circumstances are so trying and complex. yes, joan has abused corey for a long time, but that abuse also extends to ronald in many ways too, resulting in him allowing (or enabling) joan's abusive behaviour in a flawed attempt to maintain the (toxic) status quo of the household.

did corey intend to kill ronald?

like i mentioned, there isn't any elaboration about corey's intentions in the novel, either through narration or extra dialogue. the scene happens almost exactly as it does in the film, with a few alterations and added background details. it's the surrounding details and plot differences that change my opinion.

i think movie!corey would have killed ronald if he had to. he knew ronald would be at home or at the yard, both of which were places he intended to go (to kill momma and the bullies). i'm not sure he had the same desire to kill ronald as he does the others, especially if he sees ronald in a good light, but to tie up loose ends he might do what is "necessary". i do find it very interesting that he lets ronald see his face though, and i can't decide if that is as a reassurance (he wouldn't kill ronald and ronald should know that) or because it just didn't matter (he's going to kill ronald so even if he sees corey's face, he won't be a liability to worry about).

however, i don't think novel!corey intended to kill ronald. in the novel, despite all of the extensive set-up of joan being abusive and corey's repressed desires to hurt her (and arguably ronald), there's no suggestion that corey planned to go back home as part of his spree and kill joan. if he wasn't going to kill joan after everything she did, i really don't think he'd have plans to kill ronald.

that's not to say there aren't implication in the novel that corey would hurt ronald too. there's a scene after the slap/kiss where corey can hear joan and ronald arguing about him, and once they've gone to bed corey gets a knife and stands outside their room, but ultimately doesn't go in. it isn't specified whether he wants to hurts just joan, or ronald as well.

michael's mask

ahh so when i was re-reading the scrapyard massacre in the novel to try and answer whether corey letting ronald see that it is him was a way of corey saying "you don't have to be scared of me" or even "you should be scared of me", i've come to a different conclusion about the mask.

“Who did this to you?” [Ronald] asked. “Him,” Margo said, pointing across the street. Ronald turned to find Corey twenty feet away on the other side of the fence, pulling Michael’s mask over his head. "Corey?" he muttered in disbelief.

the way the novel reads, i think that when corey puts the mask on in front of ronald, it's the first time he puts the mask on at all. if that is the case, it adds a whole other level to the transition between corey's kills as himself (or as the scarecrow) and his kills "as michael".

earlier, billy's sees "corey's shape wearing his prevo jumpsuit". it's fair enough that billy would assume it's corey without seeing his face, because they know that corey is there, but there's no mention of the mask either.

then, the way it describes ronald seeing corey put on the mask doesn't really indicate that corey was making sure ronald saw it was him. he's already "pulling on the mask" by the time ronald looks over at him; he wasn't waiting for ronald to look he was already doing it.

alternatively, the movie shows corey very deliberately stood there, waiting for ronald to see him and recognise him before he puts the mask on. i'm leaning towards it not being a gesture of reassurance but more of a last show of humanity to someone corey cares about -- "it's me, and i appreciate that you always treated me well, but this is the monster they've made me into".

in both versions, ronald jumps up to stop terry shooting corey. whether he was intending to shield corey or was just getting up to try and talk terry down, i think it says a lot about ronald as a character. he has been very passive this whole time, especially in scenes that take place at home, but in this moment he takes an authorative position to try and diffuse the situation. there's a scared kid with a gun, and his own stepson who he's starting to think might have done something awful, but this doesn't have to continue -- they can talk about it and calm down and whatever it is that has happened can be worked out.

[iwritenarrativesandstuff]

on my quest to find more books to read this year, there's been something kind of heartwarming to see that of the books on hold at my local library, or on the weekly bestseller's list at my local bookstores, there's always at least one book up there that's about Palestine. It's at least nice to see that some people in my area want to learn about the historical context of what's happening now, and learn far more than what a few posts on their feed can tell them. It makes me hope that public perception will continue to change for the better - and that the kind of support I've seen in my area won't die down immediately after a ceasefire is called

[adore-gregor]

Lol I keep on doing this, saying I'd come back to tumblr to only disappear again 😂😭

[turtlemagnum]

one of my favorite parts of strategy games like chess and advance wars is that feeling when you haven't quite won yet but the enemy has no real options so it feels like you're just sloowly wrapping around them like a snake. when all your enemy has is their king and you've managed to turn 3 of your pawns into queens, and all you've gotta do is get in juust the right position, and in the meantime all they can do is squirm. god, that's such a wonderful feeling. nothing quite like it

[dangoulains-devotion]

yuffie has many interesting elements to her but people refuse to move past "i find energetic kids annoying" and it makes me sad