#as some way to honor their friendship (love through the war

[kafka-ohdear]

again, fight me for this, but i don't think bucky really took the name back. it is still there, just a simple "buck", well it has always been there for the both of them. from the very start he has already decided that name would belong to gale and gale only; there's no point in taking it back, but he'll preserve it for himself only. because both john and gale knows he would never return to that "buck". it's simply just existing there.

[randomness-is-my-order]

something about wei wuxian and wen qing’s relationship is so profoundly heartening and i think it’s because, in that first life, they were each other’s confidants in the sense that they voluntarily allowed the other person to see them at their most vulnerable and trust the other to take care of them. wei wuxian trusted wen qing to carry out the golden core transfer and trusted her when he was helpless on that bed, his core cut out from him. and wen qing could think of no one else but wei wuxian to help her when she was in her most dire circumstances, trusting him to help her and her family out when no one else would.

“all that pride–all gone.”

at her lowest, wen qing went to wei wuxian and allowed him to see her that way. partly because her family was so much more important than a game of saving face and partly because if there was someone who would see her in such a state and not think ill of her and continue to respect her, it was wei wuxian. because he’s also been at his worst, circumstantially, and it was exactly in those days that their initial bond/friendship was forged.

there is alot of talk about debts when wwx and the wens are concerned but i think the way they helped each other transcends the obligation of debts. of course, you simply cannot overlook who was owed what, given the setting but it’s interesting that we have this passage to make us reflect on the true nature of wei wuxian and wen qing helping each other:

when wei wuxian had bid her farewell, carrying jiang cheng on his back, wen qing had told him this: “no matter how this war ends, we do not owe each other anything from now on. our debts are cleared.” her haughtiness was clear as day in his memory. but last night, she had clutched his hand in a death grip and almost dropped to her knees as she pleaded.

“wei wuxian…wei wuxian…wei-gongzi. please help me. i have no one else to turn to. you have to help me save a-ning! i really have no one else, i can only come to you!”

it’s the way that following wen qing’s refuge of wei wuxian and jiang cheng, there was a sentiment of: oh the wens did this to you and now we, also wens, have helped you just to compensate a little. let’s settle these debts and leave them behind. and this is despite wen qing clearly stating that the wen clan’s actions do NOT reflect her own and that she’s only ever saved lives, not taken any. and yet she declares “our” debts as cleared as if she had taken some accountability anyway. it’s part that and part her attempt to obscure what her actions towards wwx and jc truly were: an unconditional show of support and help. and wei wuxian knows this and it is only reasonable and honorable to still see the help as a debt owed later down the line.

and the same thing repeats itself when wen qing comes to wei wuxian and explicitly asks for help. there is a sense that this isn’t about some give-and-take or reciprocation of prior debts. it is simply a person reaching out to someone in their most desparate times, hoping their hand will be held. and wei wuxian does hold her hand and they remain each other’s staunch supporters through the rescue and the hellish survival in the burial mounds that follows.

wei wuxian trusts wen qing with his wounds and wen qing opens up her most loved ones to wei wuxian’s care. for two people who spent their lives looking after their loved ones, shouldering massive burdens and going through the destruction of their respective clans, their intrinsic understanding of each other makes their bond so special, so grounded. they both took massive risks to help each other out and they both did what was right over what was easy to extend that help to each other.

despite my fair share of problems with the cql, i appreciated that scene with wq and jc where wen qing made it clear that she couldn’t pursue anything with jiang cheng because he wouldn’t stand by her. he simply didn’t have the guts. and this is reflected in the novel canon, in the sense, that if debts owed are the metric to measure who could have helped wen qing, jiang cheng was also on the list and he was obligated to aid her as much as, if not more than wei wuxian (and i say this because the whole reason wwx ended up staying under wen qing’s extended care was because jc was injured. he would’ve left as soon as he was discovered had he been alone). and yet wen qing doesn’t ever approach jiang cheng. her only option is wei wuxian because she knows, deep down, that he would truly help her and go to greater lengths for her than any debts would warrant. that he would understand.

and thing is, despite being the outliers of their clans, they both (+wen ning) embodied their mottos. “attempt the impossible”/“knowingly do what you know you cannot do” for the jiangs and “every kindness should be returned” for the wens (very hilarious ik) and that is just one amongst the hundreds of commonalities they shared.

and all of this doesn’t even account for the fact that they basically died for each other. if this isn’t platonic love at its best, most brutal, most beautiful, then what is?

[velvet4510]

Despite the conservative sides of his viewpoints that have been written about time and again, we really must give Tolkien some credit for the unique embrace of diversity that he does provide at the heart of LOTR.

Three times across history (four if the legend of the ancestors of Dol Amroth’s princes is true), a Man and an Elf fall in love and break the rules of Elven culture to be together.

Four Hobbits, two Men, an Elf, a Dwarf, and a Maia - a total of five different races - come together from completely different walks of life, form a Fellowship, and become a family. They each share pieces of their own culture with the others, and the others embrace those pieces.

When a Dwarf is treated with discrimination by Elves, the rest of the Fellowship stand up for him and insist on being treated the same way he is (i.e. blindfolded), and he and the Elf of the Fellowship break through the barriers of cultural prejudice and build an unbreakable friendship.

A Man sacrifices his life to save two Hobbits.

A Man, an Elf, and a Dwarf forsake all other possible tasks and run on foot for hundreds and hundreds of miles on a rescue mission for two Hobbits.

The teamwork of two Hobbits and a group of Ents overpower their mutual enemy and turn the tide of a war.

A Man provides two Hobbits with encouragement as well as extra supplies which end up helping them survive the rest of their journey.

A Hobbit finds a father figure in an elderly Man.

The teamwork of a Woman and a Hobbit brings about the death of an evil it was said could never be killed.

The teamwork of a Maia and a Hobbit save a Man’s life.

An Elf and a Dwarf do not hesitate to follow a Man down a dark and dangerous pathway.

The combined forces of Men, an Elf, a Dwarf, and a Hobbit take on a hopeless battle merely to buy time for two other Hobbits to complete their mission.

A Man bows to two Hobbits at his own coronation.

A lost kingdom is restored by a dynasty begun by a Man/Elf couple.

A Maia offers a special gift to two wounded Hobbits and personally escorts them to a place where they will finally find peace.

Two Hobbits, eventually followed by a third, leave their homeland behind and build a new, beautiful life among Elven culture, into which they are accepted with open arms.

An Elf resists the “irresistible” call of the Sea to stand by his mortal friend, a Man, for as long as his friend lives.

A Hobbit names his son after a Man whom he has befriended.

A young Hobbit girl is honored by an Elf queen and later names her children after honorable figures of Elven history.

Two elderly Hobbits are warmly welcomed into a city of Men to live out their last years, and the ruler of these Men requests to be buried beside them.

The Elf/Dwarf odd-couple duo break the rules one last time and sail off together to a place where Dwarves are usually not allowed to be … a place where they can reunite with their other surviving friends, two Hobbits and a Maia.

Middle-Earth is a melting pot of love and acceptance across cultures and races. Tolkien may not have covered all the bases in his exploration of diversity, but by golly, did he cover a lot of them. He wrote a story in which people of completely different backgrounds form unbreakable bonds that change the fate of the world for the better.

[mistressmochalo]

I'm writing this post because the shippers have made me question my own adequacy time and time again, and the fact that we've been watching the same anime. This isn't a hate-ship post, but rather a refutation post, and why I believe that there are no romantic feelings between Bakugo and Deku, and an explanation of what exactly is going on in their relationship from my point of view. To begin with, the theme of the magic of friendship and the power of friendship to save the world and how friendship is important is in general, is traced through the whole story . Friendship is our pillar in life and friends are our strength and support. It's all written in plain text, and there are no secret messages and everything is pretty obvious, this tittle is not about love, it's about friendship and mutual support. Bakugo and his sudden change of heart towards Deku. The basis of why he changed his rage to mercy towards his rival and why he became so soft with him, and what everyone seems to forget is his guilt. Imagine yourself in his place, you have long hurt the person who was kind to you and believed in you, admired you, and you were just a monster to them, and waking up from this oblivion, getting rid of the veil of your own emotions and delusions you look at your own monstrous actions with a sober eye and think: "God…what have I done?". You feel guilt and remorse for your actions and wish to make amends and punish yourself for your actions. This is exactly what Katsuki feels, he feels remorse and as a counterbalance to his hatred he begins to treat Deku with care and concern. Not because he suddenly showed his 'true' feelings and he loves him and he was just being an evil tsundere and trying to deny his attraction. No. It's guilt, he's felt the depth of the harm he's done to Deku, and he's in heartache. This explains why he cried in the epilogue, finally realizing everything he'd done, remembering the moments of bullying. That's why during the Paranormal Liberation War, he rushed to cover Deku with himself without a second thought. In those infamous "my body moved on its own" moments, it's a "hit or run" or "save or freeze" reflex. The conscious mind can't keep up and the subconscious mind kicks in. And he is driven by feelings of guilt and remorse puts himself at risk, to some extent wanting to punish himself in the same way. At that moment, his own safety didn't matter to him: "I deserve this, this is what I have to pay for." He thought about Deku all the time, he thought about him in the last moments before his death (temporary) because that's what kept tormenting him and the image of Izuku stuck in his mind. So back to the epilogue and the very words that everyone saw as a veiled declaration of love.

At this point, my explanation is as follows: he was emotional, and for that reason he could hyperbolize his thoughts, and besides, he's still a teenager, and teenagers are prone to throwing around big words like "forever", "never" and other maximalistic epithets. He is still a child and does not feel that the years have weight, and the concept of eternity changes with the years, and what once seemed like eternity will later become a piece of life.

Addendum. And so, I completely forgot about Deku's feelings. His feelings for Katsuki are friendship - admiration, and it's stated in the story explicitly. I know exactly what those feelings are because I've had that experience. Imagine that it seemed like the most amazing person, who has all those qualities that you would like to have in yourself, who causes you a sense of awe, you watch everything they say and do with your mouth open and it makes you marvel, and that person is friends with you. I was like Deku back then, a kind of insecure outcast, and that such an amazing person honored me with their attention made me cherish them and be obsessed with them in a way. I'd sell my soul to have them with me forever. It's a lot like falling in love, but no it was exactly admiration underpinned by a sense of loneliness and abandonment, and losing that person was my biggest fear. And I did lose them, they left me because I smothered them with my attention and I went into a long depression. And looking back, it seems like there will never be another person like that in my life, that relationship was unrepeatable. And I see that Izuku has very similar feelings for Katsuki, and it's not romantic feelings, it's admiration and looking up from the bottom up

[jinxedshapeshifter]

Angsty Flower Language Inspiration for Your Next Hanahaki Disease Story

Didn't specify fanfiction because hanahaki disease definitely doesn't have to be specific to fanfiction BUT ANYWAY. I don't see enough people use flower language in hanahaki stuff. Maybe I just don't read enough hanahaki disease fanfiction, but I am here to tell you some (maybe not) fun flower language you can add to your hanahaki stuff to add some spice for anyone who knows flower language.

Also, I'm specifically referencing Victorian flower language here. Just figured I'd clarify. If I get anything wrong please correct me aljsfgadg

Carnations

Striped Carnations - This is one I'm surprised I don't see more often. Striped carnations symbolize refusal. There are so many ways you could go about this. Refusal to accept/admit feelings, refusal to be with the individual afflicted, more that I can't think of off the top of my head. Get creative, y'know?

Yellow carnations - Yellow carnations are a step above striped carnations. Where striped carnations are used to symbolize refusal, yellow ones are used to symbolize rejection, disdain, and disappointment, and therefore won't be as flexible when used in hanahaki disease stories. Doesn't mean you can't crank up the angst though; yellow carnations could be great for use in an enemies to lovers type story.

Roses

Black roses - I'm only bringing up black first because of the angst potential lol. Black roses symbolize death, hatred, despair, sorrow, mystery, danger, and obsession. Do with that what you will, make people fucking sob with it.

Yellow roses - Hitting you once again with the angst, while yellow roses do have positive meaning (friendship, apology, intense emotion, and undying love) they also have some that will make your readers do a double take if they read that your character is coughing up yellow roses and know the symbolism. On the negative side of the coin of yellow rose meanings, yellow roses can symbolize betrayal, broken hearts, jealousy, and infidelity. I want to read a hanahaki fic where a character who is in a relationship suddenly develops hanahaki with no warning and the flowers they're coughing up end up being yellow roses because their partner is cheating.

Hyacinth

Purple hyacinth - Purple hyacinth from what I gather is basically used to ask for forgiveness, and also symbolizes sorrow. Use it for when the character who is the subject of the afflicted's affections realizes what's going on and is made deeply upset by it? 👀

Yellow hyacinth - Yellow hyacinth symbolizes jealousy. Not sure exactly how you'd add this to a hanahaki story but I'd love to see how someone tries to!

Lilies

Asphodel - Lots of people already know this (you know who you are) but asphodel is a type of lily that symbolizes death. I love the idea of this being used when one character suddenly dies and another develops hanahaki as a result.

Orange lilies - While orange lilies can symbolize desire and passion (adding a little bit of potential hope to your story), they also symbolize hatred. I'm sure your readers will have lots of fun deciphering which one it is if you're subtle with it lol.

Peruvian lilies - The main symbolism I'm personally looking at here is the symbolism of friendship. Friendzoned through hanahaki disease with an absolutely beautiful flower, what a way to be friendzoned.

Spider lilies - Red spider lilies are referred to as the Lily of Death, do with that as you will and make your readers fucking sob in the process.

Miscellaneous

Wormwood - Again, lots of people already know the symbolism of wormwood (you know who you are) but wormwood symbolizes bitterness and sorrow. ANGST.

Wolfsbane - Perfect for your human/part human falling in love with a non-human who hates humans, wolfsbane symbolizes misanthropy, which is the general dislike, hatred, or distrust of humans (which gives me an idea for a D&D Honor Among Thieves fic but that's besides the point).

Tansy - Tansy apparently means "I declare war on you" and honestly I would LOVE to see a fic where a character develops hanahaki disease, starts coughing up tansies, and starts fucking PANICKING because they know the symbolism.

Rainflower - one of the potential meanings of rainflower is "I will never forgive you" SO GO FORTH AND MAKE ANGST.

Aloe - Aloe symbolizes grief. I don't think I have to go any farther.

Now go forth and use flower language in your hanahaki stories to bring tears. Please I am begging you

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

Hi Raven! I have two theories about diasomnia (I'm trying to keep this short, really– sorry for the rant)

1. What if what Lilia was refering to as "being too reckless during his youth" was actually giving part of his magic so Malleus's egg would hatch?

At first I thought it would be something to do with the war, but after thinking a bit more about it, I thought perhaps it was actually that what drained his magic and life span so much. Like, imagine after Malleus' parents die his grandmother spends years and years trying to give the egg the love and magic it needs to hatch, but it never worked. During that time perhaps Lilia grows more "tender" with the whole situation and ends up giving a good part of his magic, which ends up making the egg hatch, but not having as much magic as a dragon fae it is what takes a toll on him (in this, it could be argued that in this situation there would have been a dragon fae and a other type of fae giving love and magic, such as it would have been with his parents, but maybe it is actually the fact that they weren't the egg's parents what made it take more effort? It would also be similar to how in the Maleficent movie she goes from hating children to her love being the reason the curse is broken)

2. Maleficia(?) Was the one what cursed either Silver or his ancestors

Imagine this. The queen not only lost the war and a good part of her country to her enemies, but also her only daughter and her grandson on the process (at least until many years later). She then hears the news about the princess of the enemies and the Dawn knight(?) Having a child and with all the pain she was going through, she refused to let them be happy. So she appears in a scene similar to the one Maleficent made and curses either Silver (if he himself was their child and somehow the curse kept him sleeping as a newborn baby) or his ancestors (in "a child for a child" sort of way). Either way, years later Silver somehow ends up on Lilia's hands and Maleficia decides that his family's sins aren't his, and it is what remains of the curse what makes him so tired all the time (I think it is more likely that it was his ancestors rather than Silver because otherwise Lilia would know why he is like that and wouldn't have taken him to many doctors as it is mentioned)

Hi hi, no worries ^^ I love hearing theories and general TWST-related rambling!

My thoughts are under the cut for huge main story spoilers!

It's not the first time I've heard theory 1 being talked about or brought up in discussions of book 7 (post-part 4). I'm not sure if I personally agree with it though??? I suspect the story will explain the few hundred years' worth of difference between Malleus's egg existing and hatching, but I'm not sure why Lilia would be the one responsible for bringing his prince into the world. Maybe he felt like it was now his duty to honor the princess he couldn't protect and the duke/best friend who went missing. Maybe he thought looking after their surviving child was the way he could honor their memory and the friendships he had with them. I buy either of those explanations. What I don't buy is why wouldn't Malleus's grandmother's love and magic be enough to hatch him? She's also a Draconia, and therefore is related to Malleus by blood and has all the mighty powers of their bloodline; wouldn't her magic be much more effective than Lilia's to help her grandson hatch (and she's also clearly still alive and seems to be doing alright in present time)? Unless maybe there's some other factors or details we aren't privy to yet that would contest this...?

Regarding theory 2, I think the concept of "an eye for an eye" (or, in this case, "a child for a child") is an interesting one? 🤔 I don't think Silver is directly the son of the Dawn Knight because (as far as we know) there's no magic that can stop someone from aging, and that includes sleeping curses. One danger that is noted by the characters is that if everyone stays under the effects of Malleus's UM for too long, their physical bodies will waste away (which implies that not even slumber can stave off their physical needs that come with the passage of time). Cursing a whole family line in revenge though... Knowing that the Draconias can do frightening things, especially under emotional distress, uhhhh... yeah, that's completely plausible. However, I don't know why Lilia wouldn't be aware of it, seeing as he seems to know Maleficia well and she trusts him with things. Surely he can't be ignorant to it??? I'm not sure if I see Maleficia as being particularly... forgiving either?? We may not know a lot about her personality, but if she's anything like the rest of the Draconias we've been told about, then she may just hold a grudge instead of seeing Silver as an innocent child.

Something else that's interesting is that, at one point, Vil explains how curses work: once the conditions are set, not even the curse spinner can lift it until said conditions are met. I wonder if a sleeping curse was cast on Silver's ancestors where really specific conditions have to be in place for the curse to be dispelled; this would explain why Lilia keeps taking him to doctors/medical mages: he's trying in vain to seek an alternate way to lift the curse. Maybe Lilia knew this whole time that Silver was cursed but couldn't bring himself to speak the truth to his son (especially seeing as Silver has become Malleus's bodyguard and would then have to come to terms with knowing that an ancestor of his killed his prince's mother).

Crazy thought, but what if it's not Maleficia that cursed Silver's bloodline but... Mallenoa (Malleus's mom) who did it??? If we think about it, Lilia has described her to have a temperament and great destructive power. An enraged dragonic princess trying to protect her unborn child from belligerent invaders... It works on a symbollic level too: the humans are ambushing her when she's in a vulnerable position and her child is still "sleeping". So what would she, someone who is reckless and selfish, do with the last of her magic and dying breath?? Maybe... curse the Dawn Knight and his descendants with narcolepsy--narcolepsy that's so bad that it constantly puts them in a vulnerable position... sleeping? Then, because Mallenoa ultimately ends up dying, the original curse spinner is gone from this world. She can't lift the curse because she's dead, which means the only viable way left now is for Silver to fulfill the original conditions for it. (Will a parental "act of true love" do it??? Just like it did in Maleficent?) This, again, would play well with the idea that Lilia is searching for a cure for Silver (and feels a lot of secret guilt over knowing the origin of the curse).

Anyway! That's my rambling done and over with~

[ace-oreos]

Dar Reads Lady Knight: Ch. 3

Finally back at it! This chapter covers a lot of ground considering it's fairly short, so I will probably have more to say than I did for the first two. As usual, commentary/favorite quotes are below the cut.

Love the Alanna and Neal moment on page 49... the whole "good question, next question" conversation. It would be super cool if we got a little short story of Neal's time as Alanna's squire. I can only imagine what that was like given their personalities.

"He said last night you're a bear for vegetables - Sir Nealan, that is" (pg. 50). Tobe's only been with Kel for a short time and Neal is already teaching him well, haha.

Cleon makes his entrance. I have to be honest, I'm happy with the decision Kel makes re: Cleon. She doesn't feel the same way she once did, and she knows it wouldn't be fair to either of them to try to continue the romance, Cleon's impending marriage aside. I was never a huge fan of Kel/Cleon, but I was glad Kel got to enjoy a healthy relationship while it lasted, considering how some of Alanna's relationships went.

"She didn't want Cleon as a lover now, of that she was sure. There was work to be done. She wanted no lovers until she had settled the Nothing Man's account" (pg 51). Not gonna lie, I really, really like these lines. There is work to be done, and devotion to duty has been the foundation of Kel's philosophy since day one.

I should note that I don't dislike Cleon as a character. He's doing the honorable thing by marrying someone in order to provide for the people he's responsible for as lord of Kennan.

I love the scene when Tobe asks Kel why she's crying, and her explanation: "It's not the war, Tobe. I've been shot at. I can bear it. I'm crying because my friend is unhappy and everything is changing." First of all, relatable. Second, I love the respect that already exists between Tobe and Kel - his first reaction isn't to make fun of her, but to sympathize.

Kel asking Duke Baird how he can still go and do his duty even after seeing the brutality of war firsthand makes me feel things. And his response that all he can do is his best. Ugh. Feels.

Baird asking Kel to keep an eye on Neal if they are assigned to the same post alsdkfj. Kel and Neal friendship 2kforever.

Owen's back! Gotta love Owen. The way he tries to be as formal as Wyldon trained him to be while still being irrepressibly Owen is so funny. What a gremlin.

Poor Kel, being worried that Wyldon doesn't trust her ability as a knight after all. If I were in her position, I'd probably feel the same about the possibility of getting a "safe" assignment. Especially since she knows that people will say she's not cut out to be a knight if she's not out on the front lines.

Kel and Wyldon's dynamic. Amazing. Wyldon has come so far since First Test, and Kel is willing to see that. I think anyone else would hold a grudge against Wyldon for the way he treated Kel if they were in her shoes, but she's willing to see past that.

Kel's going to do her duty if it kills her. This girl. I wish I could properly express what she means to me.

Mistress Fanche makes her entrance when Wyldon is showing Kel the refugees. Considering what she's been through, I don't think it would be fair to dislike her for her attitude.

"[Wyldon]'s happy, she realized, stunned. Training us - that was his duty. But he didn't like it. He's comfortable here, in the dirt and the cold, with people to defend" (pg. 70). I wonder if Kel realizes how similar she and Wyldon are when it comes to duty. She'll do whatever he orders, even if she privately disagrees or dislikes it, but at the end of the day she's happiest when there's hard work to be done.

The Kel and Owen moment at the end of the chapter. Kel's right - Owen is growing up well. They are 100% ride or die, and I am here for it. When Owen says he would do anything to help her, he means it. Kel hasn't had a lot of experience with that so far, what with several of her peers trying to sabotage her during her days as a page, so I imagine Owen's genuine loyalty must mean the world to her.

[pale-opal]

Ngl seeing Zero and shadow man’s adopted father son relationship is very adorable and sad-. It gives me an idea about Ico and Phantom’s relationship.

What if hear me out—

Phantom is obviously a massive Zero hater (begrudging respect for him). And Ico is basically a soul reincarnation/descendant of the Guy, he’s weary around. So maybe some part of Zero’s connection through shadow man (foundness of Ninja types) is passed onto Ico. As she starts to follow phantom around like a duckling, since she finds his presence oddly comforting.

Leading phantom to be reluctant around her, he’s strongly aware that she’s not her father but the resemblance is too strong to ignore. He’s slowly getting use the idea of being an older sibling, he’s perfectly fine with Volnutt and Roll. So thanks to his little brother’s friendship with Ico, he slowly warms up to her.

He slowly starts to see that she’s kinda like him personally wise being blunt, cold, skittish and at times violent. She’s genuinely a sweet girl, who’s painfully shy and socially awkward. He’s one of the first individuals that she feels safe around to express her vulnerabilities. He doesn’t know how to feel about that…it’s cute…

As much that he loves His younger siblings they can be just as loud as the rest of his family (with the exception of his dear father). So he slowly forms a soft spot for her, in his own way. To the point that she shyly asked if he can train her of proper stealth abilities as he accepted with a simple nod. Somewhat taking the crimson girl under his paws—

The best part is that she also appreciates the quietness of it all. Giving her the special purr privilege (that only his younger siblings and father have).

Eventually forming a parallel to Shadow and Zero’s relationship. But more sibling like rather than father and son but ya get the gist of it-

*Skitters away*

*Skedaddles after you to give my response*

First of all - yes!!?!?!? I approve??? Very much??? I tried to find an image to express how I felt, but I wasn't able to get a good one, so today the pen is going to have to prove now more than ever that it's mightier than the sword:

The idea of Shadow Man adopting Zero having generational affects that nobody could've foreseen is so so cool. It's the opposite of generational trauma. Instead of past abuse ruining lives, it's past parental love making things better. I'm here for it.

Ico following Phantom around sounds so adorable. Imagine that he has a chore or some task he has to do, and when he looks up from his work, Ico's done the other half of it. Just because she can. She might not know why she likes this random cat-man so much, but she does know that she wants to make him happy.

Imagine Zero showing Ico a picture of her grandfather. It'd be very bittersweet, like when your parents tell you stories about a dead relative they were close with when they were alive. Even moreso, since he who died in 20XX: Shadow wouldn't exactly have a grave they could visit (and even if he did, Earth is flooded now. If it wasn't in a specific spot, it is gone). And even if he somehow managed to make it to the Elf Wars or something, he still wouldn't be able to come back or anything like that, since as a robot master he would be barred from the revival method (no cyber elf + no biometal = that man is staying as a corpse).

Okay, this last point is literally just going to be me freaking out (but in a /pos way. It's chill), but I am very honored to have received this. Like??? Oh my gosh??? The idea of my writing having any influence on yours is just??? Absolutely wild???? Especially since I'm a huge fan of your stuff???? Hello??? What I'm trying to say here is

(Well, would you look at that. I guess I found an image (technically a GIF, but who cares) after all.)

[catihere]

"Aelia "Ella" Carissa Jackson-Grace" Clarissa sounded annoyed as she gently placed the baby in Chris's arms. Chris gripped her tightly, trying a little awkwardly to hold her small head. His forehead seemed to be covered with perspiration, the girl was so warm and soft, fragile and for some reason her warmth seemed familiar… "I thought until the last moment that Prissy was joking when he said that he would name the baby after me," Clarissa smiled remembering how she and Percy, absorbing a kilograms of mint ice cream, half jokingly, half seriously went through the middle names for Aelia. Chris was half listening to his girlfriend [the bride-to-be, the velvet box in his pocket was heavy and so pleasant], his attention was completely stroked by Percy's newborn daughter - the folds of the blue department parted to reveal the baby's tiny face. She was angelically pretty and looked like Jason-blonde hair, face shape, nose, lips, but her forehead, chin and cheeks belonged to Percy. Chris wondered what her eyes were like, were they the color of sea waves or electric blue? As if he sensed his question, she opened her eyes and looked at him, Chris froze and he did not know if his face expressed his emotions. The girl's eyes were steel-blue, bright and calm, kind. And so familiar. He saw that look when Kore quickly kissed him on the forehead, covered herself with a veil and ascended into the palanquin. Then Alabaster and Ethan closed the silk curtains and Chris never saw her again. Chris exhaled, warmth spread in his heart and bending down, he pressed his lips to the girl's forehead. Her warmth was familiar and pleasant, the one he occasionally allowed himself to miss. "Bluebell lived a good and long life, she remembered you... she died basking in the sun and I burned her wrapped in your cardigan, the one you gave me for her". The girl cooed as if gratitude, Chris felt tears in his eyes. She really deserved a second life.

I finally gave her a full name :]

Aelia, which has Greek and Latin origin, means "sun", "sunlight", "solar heat". Her sunny name is symbolic and metaphorical - she is the sun of a new, happy and prosperous chapter in the life of her parents.

Carissa - Greek name for "belover" and "grace". It was given to her for two reasons, firstly, Jason and Percy love their daughter so much so that they even show it with her name, secondly, it is consonant with the name Clarissa - Clarissa is her godmother and Percy's close friend.

For her nickname Ella, I chose the meaning storm, and it is given to her in honor of the harpy Ella, because she is useful and valuable. Besides, she is a passionately loving aunt.

By the way, a small spoiler - part of the Delphic oracle is still with Kore/Aelia, she will begin to remember her past life and it will be Chris who will be with her and help her parents.

And you can send me questions about it :) even with small spoilers ;)

@kore-pythia-hayashi

AAAAAHHHH??

AAH?

My heart? My soul? 🥺

The level of detail in this and the word choice is amazing. I’m saying it genuinely. The build-up to Chris realizing that this was his old friend made me squeal and gasp and kick my feet like a little kid. You really are a great writer.

I love the idea of Chris and Clarisse being extremely close to Percy, Jason and their daughter even after all the time that had passed. How did you guess that I’m a sucker for Percy’s and Clarisse’s friendship? You’re in my brain by now, I swear-

I also absolutely love how Chris guides little Aelia as she grows up, mirroring the way Kore aided him in the war days. Their friendship is really special, so much so that it overcame death and fate itself. (Gotta thank Nico and Will for that) I love them so much.

Lastly, I see how much thought you put into choosing a name for her. Aelia Carissa is very meaningful and suits her well. You really love your girl and it shows :) (Are you Jason? Is her father writing this to me? /hj)

I love this AU, and I’d really be interested in finding out more about what happens to Aelia as she grows up, and how Alabaster might have ended up in the meantime how he dealt with grief, with the idea of Kore’s reincarnation being a mere promise to him. Should I message you with my questions, or can I send you asks related to this story?

[wexhappyxfew]

Okay Shannon, last night I was headed to bed and BAM Kennedy and Bucky thoughts in my brain. Your writing is so good it’s always on my mind.

But anyway, I was thinking about Kennedy and Bucky as the camps start to get to Bucky. Is Kennedy able to keep him grounded? Does she notice it getting to him and help him process? I just feel like having someone there for him in the camps would have really helped. Also having someone to look after would have given him “a job” sort of.

And SECONDLY, I don’t know what you are planning for the forced march or the escape attempt, but I can’t wait to see the girls with them on the March. I just know protective Bucky (and Brady) are going to be full force.

I just had to pop in and share these thoughts lol. Have a beautiful day!

-☀️

HI SUNSHINE ANON!!!!! 🥹🫶 please know i saw this message earlier and was absolutely letting it marinate in my brain and so i am now incredibly excited to respond! 🥰

HONORED TO KNOW THE KENNEDY X BUCKY THOUGHTS LINGERED A BIT BEFORE SLEEP! 🫡🫡🫡🫡 massive massive honor in my eyes haha!!!! thank you for the writing compliments as well omg! 🥺 that means so much to me truly!! :D

under the cut so plz enjoy my rambles <3

To answer your first question - something I ALWAYS think about and ponder on when I have some mindless things and tasks to do - (1) I would definitely say Kennedy does keep Bucky grounded (in an upcoming prompt with Bucky’s POV we explore that aspect a bit more actually yay!). But Kennedy definitely does, and in some ways, Bucky almost doesn’t notice in, it’s so subtle. But from the time she shows up, he realizes that she’s such a calming and equally comforting presence for him. Probably because she’s confident, a loyal and absolutely incredible friend, and someone who can hold her own. And he admires that about her. A. LOT. It also makes him want to protect her.

SO. Having that *want* to care for and protect someone who he cares for (and slowly realizes - oh wow I think I love her like that too???) really keeps him grounded and going at the end of the day. I really like the take you have of just having someone there to care for and protect and love. For me, you can really see how love (all sorts of love, friendship, family, romantic, platonic, etc….) transcends war. Even though war will always be the horror it is, to get through it, people turn to love. And that’s really what we see here with Kennedy and Bucky and I think it’s quite beautiful :)

I think also Bucky having the want and responsibility to care for someone, mainly the boys and Silver Bullets girls, especially Kennedy, makes him want to stay alive. Because we’ve seen Kennedy begin to take notice a bit (and in this upcoming prompt I touch on it a bit more too!), and so Bucky feeling the need to be safe for her and protect her, really plays a big part in grounding him there altogether 😭

AND TO YOUR NEXT PART …… I have absolutely given some thought and time into the march!!! You know me too well haha! Definitely because it is a major and important part and we have a lot of these very human aspects that come out in this specific series of events - the human want to survive and live, caring for your friends and your allies, the want to keep your crew and your people safe. OH THERE IS A TON AT PLAY HERE!!!!!!!

Don’t even get me started on Protective Bucky and Protective Brady !!!!!!!!! LIKE! Those two are about to be so insanely protective towards their crew and the Silver Bullets, I can see it now!!! IM ALREADY SCREAMING PLEASE KNOW!!!!!!!!! 😭

sunshine anon, your thoughts and ideas and takes absolutely brighten my day and i’m always so happy when you and the others want to share! i always welcome it and always always always enjoy it!!!! :) knowing how much people take interest and want to know more and see more with the characters — it just means so much to me and i’m always so grateful!!! <33333 THANK YOU FOR THE KENNEDY AND BUCKY LOVE! THEYLL FIGURE THEMSELVES OUT I PROMISE!!!!!!!!

[himboskywalker]

I adore how you write anakin and Obi-Wans character, how do you do it? I would love to start writing but I have a hard time getting in a character, so I would love to hear how you do it. 🤗

Thank you so much! I feel like I have a harder time getting Obi-Wan's characterization right, so I'm always highly honored when anyone thinks I do lol I'm going to give you both some general writing advice and then a personalized approach for how I tackle characterization!

To start,good characterization sits on the foundation of each of your characters needs a motivation. Everyone that has ever existed in the whole world had wanted something, no matter how big or how small. Your character can be solely driven to survive the apocalypse because he wants a twinkie, or they can just want to get home to their cat, or it can be something deeper like wanting to belong or wanting to be loved or wanting power. But it is the human condition to want, and you cannot have a well written character if they don't want something. So let's narrow this down to Anakin and Obi-Wan, what do they want, and how does this want motivate and inform how they act, aka what are they going to do to get what they want?

What does Obi-Wan's canon character want? He wants to serve the Jedi, he wants to protect people, he wants peace, he wants to also serve and protect the galaxy. He also wants Anakin's friendship, and to be a good mentor, and that he could have saved his master. He wants quiet and probably a good cup of tea.

What does canon Anakin want? He wants to protect the people he loves to the marrow of his bones. He wants to protect and keep them so close he is terrified more than anything of losing them. Anakin wants the power and strength to protect his loved ones no matter the cost. He wants the exhilarating strength of being a Jedi and a general, but he also wants to be able to have conflicts of interest outside of his duty to the Jedi. He also wants, not just to be good at what he does, but the best.

They both want to protect, but this mutual want is driven by differing motivators. Obi-Wan's by selflessness, Anakin's by covetous fear. They are foils, two sides of the same coin. Obi-Wan wants to do his best, Anakin wants to be the best.

Storytelling is a journey of plot and development, but good characterization is also creating a person who goes on a journey, either externally or internally. Your character needs reasons for the way they think and act, and you show this either directly, by telling your audience, or indirectly through the character's thoughts, mannerisms and dialogue. And always remember, characters need agency. Your character wants something, and they should take actions in accordance to their motivations, and those actions drive the story. This is what is called a dynamic character.

We'll take Obi-Wan and Anakin out of their canon story and focus on a vague obikin oneshot, as I follow pretty much the same formula for every one I write. We know who Obi-Wan and Anakin are and their character drivers, but we'll also add in romantic want. Anakin wants to be a Jedi Knight and a General, he wants to fight and to protect those he cares about. He also wants Obi-Wan desperately, but he's more afraid of loss than he is motivated by romance. At least that's how I usually write him. Or we write the oneshot from Obi-Wan's pov. Obi-Wan wants to serve the Jedi and the GAR and the galaxy, and he wants the war to end, and maybe he deep down wants Anakin romantically. But Obi-Wan's sense of duty and morality trumps his longing, or at least that's how I write him. So we introduce a catalyst to override these foundational pillars to their characterizations. It can be reactional to each other's actions or words, or it can be due to their environment.

Another key to characterization is allowing your characters to change, just as real people do. Obi-Wan and Anakin change through the canon story arc of Star Wars. And in your story they will change too. Perhaps Anakin comes very close to dying and Obi-Wan is there, this would change Obi-Wan, how does that affect him emotionally, how would this inform his decisions, his perspective of the world, and his actions? Maybe on a mission Obi-Wan does his usual flirtatious shtick, does this change Anakin's internal balance of fear versus want? How would this inform his internal resolve, his perspective of others and himself, how would this motivate his actions?

I also recommend going to the drawing board and looking at the archetypes Obi-Wan and Anakin represent. What do they represent and how does this mold who they are? Obi-Wan is the older, wiser, steadier mentor. Anakin is the younger, tempestuous, rasher student. What do they thrive doing, what do they like, what do they not like? What aggravates them, what brings them joy? Humans are made of a trillion little pieces all jumbled together and your characters are too.

Obi-Wan is his wants and motivations, but he is also the way he speaks, the way he moves, the things he engages with and likes and the things he avoids and hates. Anakin is his wants and fears, but he too is the way he talks and carries himself and his interests and what he gravitates to and what he instinctively shirks. I recommend watching the prequels and literally writing down observations of their characters in real time. Notice how Ewan strokes his beard or the wonky way he smiles, notice how Hayden talks and that bashful way he holds his head.

[beej-machinations]

PBA Canon Character Fic Nominees

To help you choose your fave PBA '24 Best Portrayal of a Canon Character Fics, grouped by name!

I've written my own summaries, centred around the nominated character and which of their traits the story explored.

Voting Round ends April 21st (vote here x)

Card Games, Vampires, and a Very Late Letter by TheSailingRabbit Kinch enters the service while hiding a chronic illness; much later, Hogan has finally thought up a way to help him (It's very UnOrthodox). Kinch & Hogan friendship 👍👍🥲

Kinch in Mama Bear by PicassoPenguin 4+1 story of the times Kinch took care of the other bears. what's not to love? Kinch uses his skills in observation and subtlety to watch out for the crew in both direct and indirect ways.

Carter in A Brother's Bond by PicassoPenguin After the war, Little Deer misses his brothers from Barracks 14. He tells Brown Rabbit about them, how much he admires them, and about the first days when he joined the heroes ( !!! )

Carter in Exit, Pursued By A Bear by pronker Carter has questions. The extent to which the gang humors or suffers him is a delicate balance. I think the author captured his voice well :)

Hogan in Decoration Day by Abracadebra Hogan mourns, then honors, the men that have died under his command. He has to lie to Klink to do so, but that's only natural.

Hogan in Sergeant 'Don't You Sass Me, Hogan' Wilson by whatisthismandoinghere Doctors may make the worst patients, but Colonels come in at a close second.

LeBeau Hogan in Well and Truly Got by Cardinal Rose - (Hogan story, i think this was mislabelled in the poll) Hogan's luck runs out. He tries anyway, but the consequences are unavoidable.

Klink in Klink's Brother by Sam Worth Klink talks a little about his family, both real and imagined. Well captured voice and mannerisms

Klink in Yoga Session by Deepbluethinking Klink discovers that kowtowing to Burkhalter leads to kowtowing in a more literal way, to the dismay of his hamstrings.

Klink in Ashes by LightShiner14 Atypically, Klink goes to church. Childhood memories rise unbidden; and Klink reflects on the irony of attending church in the bloodied present day. There's also a question pressing at him: what does he find within himself? Does he dare examine it?

LeBeau in Operation Mother Hen by Tuttle4077 Lebeau is sick. He's miserable, prideful, and Not Happy with the fuss everyone is making - to the point of driving everyone crazy: until they recruit the best nurse (very cute)

LeBeau in Spring Flowers by Tuttle4077 a poetically evocative piece on how Lebeau witnesses the changes to his beloved Rhineland. For better, for worse, for better, for worse. for better? (the imagery is vivid, and Lebeau's love really shines through)

Uneasy Company by dust on the wind Stuck between a rock, a hard place, a Hochstetter, and more troubles on the way, Newkirk is stranded without any backup. We get to see how he thinks and performs under pressure when the crew isn't there. When he needs to use his lockpicking skills, how can he explain them to the paranoid Hochstetter?

Drop Bears by dust on the wind Newkirk makes a bet with an Australian POW, and ends up taking a different gamble and performing some last-minute acrobatics.

A Deserved Gift by Cardinal Rose Newkirk dreams up the perfect plot for springtime. Most of the crew beg off taking part, because its an unnecessary risk, but regardless the victory is sweet and enjoyed by all. (in wartime, even Petty Revenge requires Pro Revenge tactics)

Cracking the Vault by Sierra Sutherwind Reminded of his younger days, Newkirk gives himself an inconveniently timed challenge - much to the dismay of Hogan and Schultz. They support him, but tbh they had their hands tied, what else could they do? (bonus: Schultz and the OCs in this fic go through some interesting developments, but they arent the focus in this category)

Once Is Enough by Abracadebra Newkirk is recruited as the reluctant accomplice in Marya's latest wild scheme. He shows off his skills at bluffing, snarking, and griping >:) i like how the more stressed he gets the funnier he gets haha

Autumn Winds by Fear-Of-The-Cold Newkirk's attitude toward human connection over the years, as it is influenced by his family and the world. we get to see a pre-Heroes POW Newkirk

The Assassin by lonewolfette9846 Newkirk is given the most important job in the war. And he has to do it alone. He does his best to keep his cover, and in the little time he has strategises his next moves. A very tense story - and that tension takes its toll on Newkirk. I like how methodical and tactical Newkirk comes across in this, despite the mission not being remotely in his experience.

----------

(voting link again)

[throes-of-redemption]

"hey you": a submission to a departed blog

You'll never see this. You'll never post this. Unless they have Tumblr in whichever realm you exist in now.

I have regrets. The last time we spoke I was dismissive. I honestly didn't think it would be the last time we'd run into each other after a long absence. Well, it wasn't the first time either. But before then I was convinced I'd never hear or see you again. I was wrong twice. Fuck.

Anyway, since we last spoke I've felt like been an asshole. A selfish pervert with bad habits and boundary issues. It's disgusting.

At first, my decision to leave you alone was to protect my emotions.  We've already talked about it, but it was impossible to settle for just being friends. It was painful. You deserved better-so much better than me tbh. In retrospect, I wonder if you were trying to protect your friends from the heartache of your sudden loss. I suppose I felt justified in letting you go. I finally found someone to fill the void that you were never meant to fill (see, that already sounds dumb as hell cause people aren't responsible for filling each other's vacancies). Besides, reigniting our friendship might have caused unnecessary drama in my current relationship. Nonetheless, it felt right. 

Now that you're not here anymore it feels like I miss you a bit more all the time. I miss your new obsessions every month, and the way your eyes light up whenever you talk about some fictional character in some obscure piece of media only nerds like you know about. Shit, I logged back into Tumblr for the first time in like 6 years, and in less than 3 days I'm here scrolling through your blog checking out the last things you posted. I miss your queer fanfics and head canons. I miss the eloquent way you spoke when you read. I miss you tryna bake, even though I would sit there and eat them burnt cookies. I miss bickering about Star Wars v Harry Potter. I miss you teasing me about my cishet masculine insecurities. I miss the way you stood firmly against injustice and oppression, particularly your arch nemesis the fuckin patriarchy! I miss how you really didn't give a damn how anyone saw you or tried to squeeze you into their little box. I miss how you would drive people nuts just being yourself. I miss how loving you were even when you tried to hide it from the world sometimes. 

Remember that one time you spotted me on the bus all zoned out, and you sat right next to me and forced me to practice our lines for that play we were in? I was annoyed and happy at the same time lol. This year I did 4 plays. First one I did was HAIR up in Harrison, and you would've loved some of my cast mates. At one point we had a recasting...um..."crisis" to find a new Dionne. I couldn't think of anyone else but you. Except you'd already been gone for some eight months by then. That almost broke me. Oh! And one of them was this bizarre musical parody of Hamlet (I was hamlet btw). It made me think about hearing how you were such a talented Lady Macbeth in high school that the production was requested at Purchase Collage. So whenever I prepared to step on that stage, I thought to myself secretly "I hope she's watching and I hope she's proud." Honestly I felt that way for every show, but that's the one I wish you could've seen.

When you left it seemed like all of Mount Vernon came to see you go, probably a lot of people you didn't even like. But as each person got up to talk about their favorite memories of you, I realized as much as we talked and hung out, all I ever experienced of you was just a fragment of who you were. And I always knew you had heart issues, but I didn't realize just how sick you really were because you were so fiercely independent and full of life despite it all. As we left, my friend asked me how I thought I could honor your memory. I told him "By doing everything with as much passion and energy and purpose as she did." 

The problem is that when I had an opportunity to be friends again, I took you for granted. There was only one of you. Anybody similar to you by comparison was a bootleg with missing pieces. You were the genuine article: the Real Deal. I'll be processing the guilt of how things ended for quite a while longer than I should. I don't know if you were upset or indifferent, or if there's any slight that you held against me after we parted ways for the last time. But I hope, if it's okay with you, that I could take part of you with me in my journey through life.

You are missed, and you are loved.

Beloved (11/18/1993-6/21/2023)

[growingingreenwood]

Hii!! I was reading your stories and the thought came to me: did thranduil, ferdan, galion and oropher took part in the war of wrath in your stories? if they did, I would love to hear what part each of them took in it!

Hello!! Thank you for reading and for reaching out!   Tolkien never tells us if any of the surviving Sindar from Doriath take part in the War of Wrath (at least not that I could find) but in my little headcanons they absolutely 100000% took part in the War of Wrath, I just have never written anything about it tbh. (Although, Galion would not have ‘fought’ in the War of Wrath at all. He’s adamant that he is not, and will never be a soldier. But I’m sure he found a plethora of other helpful duties to keep himself occupied with.)

Thingol dies and Melian flee’s to Valinor in F.A 503, the Second Kinslaying and Fall of Menegroth happens in F.A 506, the bulk of the survivors escaped to Sirion. Which is the site of the Third Kinslaying in 538. By the time the War of Wrath is ready to start in F.A 545, Oropher and his boys had just gone through such relentless loss that: 

Revenge in any capacity probably seemed mighty attractive. 

What else did they have to lose at this point?  

If they survived thus far, they might as well die trying to actually make some sort of difference. And if by some miracle they happened to survive the War of Wrath too, well, then that was the world's problem. 

I also think that Oropher & thus Thranduil, Ferdan, and Galion would have felt compelled to join the fight among Círdan’s host out of remaining love, friendship, and loyalty to him. As Círdan was one of the awakened elves alongside Thingol (Elwe) and in my personal headcanons, Oropher. Even though Círdan developed a fairly close relationship with the Noldor, he remained loyal to Thingol until his death in F.A 503, even going so far as to warn Thingol about the dishonesty surrounding the reason why the Noldor had arrived back to Middle Earth. It’s likely that especially Oropher and Thranduil (but perhaps to a lesser extent those that followed them) would have seen supporting Círdan in the War of Wrath as one final way to serve and honor King Thingol. 

Lastly, all of those reasons aside, sitting by in leisure and letting everybody else try and do something about the evil threatening to destroy the entire world simply is not their style.

I hope this answered your question! :)

[elfybitsart]

Top 5 Fave Books of the Reading Year

Starting with # 1: The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea by Maggie Tokuda-Hall.

This story follows a pirate named Florian, a former street orphan named Flora who had to take up the sword and live as a man to survive and protect his little brother who is also a pirate on the ship named Dove. From there Florian develops a close relationship with a passenger on the ship he's been tasked with attending, an aristocrat woman from an imperial family being shipped off to marry for political reasons during a war, who he ends up attempting to rescue and escape with after realizing the gruesome pirate life isn't for him anymore. This book has racial diversity, queer and trans representation (in the actual main characters and not just a supporting role) sapphic pirates, and an actually interesting romance fantasy adventure plot that keeps you wanting to know what happens next. Like, so much happens that you're amazed it all happens just within a single book, and not a full series, but it doesn't *feel* overwhelming. It definitely filled a hole that Our Flag Means Death had left in my life, and I just know my friends are so sick of hearing me talk about this book! 10/10, will be adding to my comfort books to reread.

Book #2: Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree.

This book is just comfy and cozy in every sense of the word, with almost zero conflict at all, and I absolutely loved it. It's sorta a classic tale of 'Tough Person moves to a small, impoverished town to escape and ends up making it a better place through the friendships they make along the way'. You follow Viv, a barbarian orc who decides to walk away from her questing party, hang up her battle axe and settle down somewhere quiet to open up a coffee shop after falling in love with the liquid gold she was first introduced to in the gnomish cities during her questing days. It's very slice-of-life with so much to love in such a short book. Also 10/10, it ticked every box for me.

Book #3: Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree.

A prequel to Legends & Lattes with an amazing epilogue at the end. I'm buying physical copies of these books just to hug them. 10/10

Book #4: Down the Drain by Julia Fox.

This book definitely isn't for everyone, but if you're a messy bitch who lives for drama, then this book is for you. It's for the girls, gays and theys who've grown up in bad situations and raised themselves due to neglect and abuse, who are now working through that trauma as adults with fully formed frontal cortices that are able to think logically and understand consequences. Yes, a lot of the situations she gets herself out of was only made possible by Julia's white and pretty privilege, but she's very self aware about those facts as she addresses it, specifically. There's so much in here that's relatable as someone who grew up in the 90's/early 2000's completely obsessed with pop culture, fashion, makeup, rock music and BOYS, but also some dark moments that might be pretty triggering for some. I recommend the audiobook narrated by Julia herself. 10/10

Book #5: Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire.

This book was WILD from page one and nothing like the movie, but in a fun and unhinged way lol. It's good to know that a gay man wrote this series, because it could be very problematic and definitely not the same humor and feeling if it was written by a straight man. It's fun getting to be inside Elphaba's brain a little more to see how her story unfolds, and I will definitely be reading more of the series. Fully obsessed. 10/10, loved this one to bits.

Honorable Mention: The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon.

This book was recommended to me as a "sapphic, feminist Game of Thrones" and uh, yeah it's very much that. The only reason it didn't make my top 5 list is because it's a very lengthy book, with lots of things happening at once to multiple characters, which can make it feel over whelming at times. It took me over a year to finish this one, but I really fell in love with the characters and their fight for love, survival, and a destined seat atop a dragon. 10/10, would follow every character into battle, willingly.

[knight-of-skyloft]

rlain for the character ask thing!! rlain rlendsday on a monday…

First impression: (when "Shen" was first put on Bridge Four) "Ooh is this when we learn that parshmen actually have feelings?"

Impression now: Rlain Rlain Rlain Rlain Rlain 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰

Favorite moment: Oof how do I pick? I really like his conversation with Venli in the cell for multiple reasons. It's the first time we see him through the eyes of someone who knew him before he came to the warcamps, and we get some insight as to how he's changed. ("Had he always been this intense" AHHHH)

Idea for a story: I have approximately nine thousand ideas but the one I keep coming back to is Mraize trying to either kill or recruit Rlain to try and get "his" spren back.

Unpopular opinion: I actively like how Rlain has adopted human mannerisms and generally thrown his lot in with them-- I love the way that Venli and Rlain represent different (and equally valid) responses to genocide.

Favorite relationship: Given that he and Renarin have yet to speak on-page, I'm gonna have to say Kaladin. The respect and trust between the two of them is honestly awe-inspiring. Rlain risked so much when he asked Kaladin why he didn't have a spear, and Kaladin really stepped up to the plate. They try so hard for each other all the time. The scene where Kaladin tells Rlain he got him a spren and Rlain grins and grabs his shoulders out of joy! The way he isn't afraid to turn Kaladin down, and the way Kaladin swallows his pride and admits that no, this isn't what he needed! The scene on the balcony! The scene where Kaladin wakes up and Rlain grabs him again out of pure relief and thankfulness! They love each other so much. God.

Honorable mention is Teft. We go from Teft trying to convince Kaladin to put "Shen" at the front of the bridge every run, to Teft noticing that the winehouse servers are ignoring Rlain and quietly ordering his drink for him, to Rlain singing a Listener song for fallen heroes over Teft's body. Their friendship has such an understated and beautiful arc.

I do have to throw in Renarin as an aside here because there's honestly a lot happening behind the scenes, with Renarin going to sit with Rlain in OB and Rlain "wishing [he] was here" later in the book and Renarin taking a step towards accepting his powers in RoW by inviting Rlain to share them. There's the way Renarin and Glys and Rlain and Tumi all embody the Rhythm of War as individuals, and the way that Renarin/Glys and Rlain/Tumi embody it as Radiant-spren pairs, and the way that Renarin and Rlain embody it with each other, and the way that the four of them embody it together as a Radiant order. Idk if this makes sense but I'm frothing at the mouth.

Favorite headcanon: Rlain has kissed multiple members of Bridge Four change my mind