#b) while i had already moved away from this mindset in general

[zukosdualdao]

something else (only mildly related yet very interconnected in my head to my most recent post about fandom and canonicity) interesting and, for me, relieving, is how your relationship with fandom can change over time. because, while i never would have called myself an anti (and never would have and never did harass anyone over it, to be clear, that’s always been the line-in-the-sand ,“why do people care that much?” breaking point for me), i certainly did used to subscribe to the idea that there were Bad Ships that people were Problematic (TM) for enjoying. as i said, i never harassed anyone, but i certainly nodded along (and probably reblogged some pretty self-righteous posts) to a lot of moral purity in shipping and fandom talking points. (i was, by the way, a total hypocrite, as people are wont to be. i was nodding along because i wanted to have friends in fandom and was incredibly susceptible to that kind of peer pressure at the time (which i think a lot of people are, and is normal, to a degree—it’s what happens when you’re very involved in fandom in high school of all times), but i also read and then felt guilty about reading a lot of the ‘problematic’ things i was publicly against LMAO. in my head, it was fine to privately enjoy those things, but you shouldn’t go around PROMOTING it, nevermind that people had to write those stories for me to read them in the first place. the cognitive dissonance was very real.)

anyway! needless to say, i think, based on the contents of my blog, my position on *gestures vaguely* all that has changed a lot. ironically enough, there was probably a time a few years ago where i was going “sure, makes sense” (in my own head—i was not involved enough in the atla fandom or surrounding discourse to be vocal about it) when people derided zutara as a problematic ship, and i obviously don’t feel that way anymore. interesting, too, is that i don’t… really feel like there was a specific moment or, like, a flip switched and suddenly i was on ‘the other side’ or anything lol. i just feel like i grew up and realized that the kind of nuance and compassion i have always advocated for irl is just as applicable in online fandom spaces, and that there is no inherent moral value to shipping or not shipping something, or liking or not liking a character. once i realized that, i think fandom honestly got a lot more fun for me, because what i was describing before? not fun. deeply stressful. made me feel guilty for liking things, and it was my own fault! that’s not what fandom should be about.

[avissapiens]

JBS retrospective.

Jockbull summer was definitely something where I shot for the stars. 15 tasks where everyone else had only 5. Fairly stringent time limited goals that got more intense and all consuming with each set that was developed. I knew I wasn't going to be perfect at it or even approach 50% completion. And yet i still feel fucking amazing to have done it! In an 8 week span i jockified certain segments of my life in ways that really did feel like they resonated through my whole being. It sounds a bit hyperbolic, I know. But I do think that undergoing such a structured battery of tasks, having it constantly in my mind every single day, even to the point that for 8 weeks straight my phone background was some of the images I generated for each set of post diaries did something to me. Thinking about these Jockbull tasks definitely left a mark on my mindset. And the tasks themselves left a mark on my life because I think some of them are simply going to stick with me. 

But they were starting to drag and i noticed myself getting more and more exhausted with..well..everything as the cut came to its end. So it had to come to a close as all good things must

Set A

 Of the tasks that are gonna stick with me here I definitely think elements of the competition task are gonna have a big impact. It was perhaps overenthusiastic to demand weekly competition from other people. But I have noticed my approach to things the longer I've held this task in my mind is a lot more geared towards winning and just enjoying competition in general. It’s still not fully realized yet though. There is more I can do to embody that jock mentality of victory at any cost. Maybe i should delve into some specific self programming so that i take it beyond just video games

The other task I think is going to stick is Baki. I just didn’t anticipate how fucking fun it would be and how much it aligns so well with my particular kink ecosystem. But moreover, I think deliberately pursuing baki rather than just mindlessly consuming it has opened me up for more media exploration, and exploration of the sort that will help me see the archetypes in more forms of art. That definitely had an impact on my vibes sets too. And in the time since then I've opened up to exploring shows like Letterkenny which has a whiff of jockbroness to it.

Set B

I feel like Set B was mostly more geared towards accomplishing a specific goal for the cut. And now that it’s accomplished and thensome I can thank it and file most of it away. Maybe bring some of it back around when I do a cut in future. One thing that will definitely be sticking is the Personal Training element. Keeping this task in my mind has really opened up the possibilities. Especially as I’ve talked it through with Abg and others more thoroughly. I want to keep synthesizing my loves and my passions. I moved here to NZ specifically because I wanted to combine my interests into something niche and eclectic but that could still serve me. And the same goes for Personal training. At first I thought I'd be stuck just working in a gym and I was fine with that. But I want more. I want to be able to take this knowledge, this business, and combine it with the different brilliant works I've already put so much work into. The abyss, the archetypes. I wanna do online training and help you all actually physically attain these goals and help you make a transformation Even more astonishing than my own. Combining Personal training and the hypnotic structures I've created. And I'd love to be able to make something steady and sustainable out of it so I can get my own space and grow even more while finishing my degree here. I know it’s lofty. But I've always put in the work and this is no exception. We’ll see how things go once I've got the quals.

Set C

I truly wish that the meditation task was the one I was gonna keep around. Set C however really illustrated how precarious setting too many things in stone can be. Daily routines, a biweekly creative work schedule, weekly fast days. It was a lot. Things eventually had to give and meditation was one of them. Now that I'm trying to gain some muscle mass, fasting days are actively counter productive. And being on commission mode means that a lot of my creative bandwidth is taken up by those. I will however be maintaining the daily routine. It’s not perfect. It never will be. And it sure as hell isn’t for everyone. But I am very much an abyssal creature of habit and structured chaos. And the creation of a daily routine for skincare, supplements, Breakfast. It all makes me feel a lot better and has 100% elevated my aesthetics. Not to mention really entwining himbo as something I relate with and aspire to more and more. For most of JBS i was also using a pretty strict time table for a bunch of summer related things.

But I've decided to retire it because the longer it went on, the more tired and numb I grew and the lower my success rate with any given day’s tasks were. But it was incredibly successful at the start of summer and allowed me to get a lot done and set a great momentum for the rest of it. My libido never really “went away” during the cut like sometimes happens to bodybuilders, but it defo got attenuated or at least shifted. But holy fuck now that i’m back on carbs you can bet that i’ll be doing task 3 almost unthinkingly

All in all, I really enjoyed this experiment and I’d love to try it again in a different form. Maybe with a wider sample of bros who might also benefit from the structure and accountability. In a way the dudes I generated these with stopped being the main form of accountability for me, and you all reading the blogposts and listening to the Voice logs kept me going instead. So thanks so much. Back to regularly scheduled programming

[cinamun]

Hey Cina, I know the RRR/BBC is rn conversing about Rah/Dira and generational trauma, but can I go Blackwards for a moment to a few of the minor characters. Regarding Hope's pretty but troubled MIL, Miss Mercy, just wanted to ask if we have seen the last of Sean and if we will ever get a backstory glimpse into how that night went, if either got caught up in emotions (they both seem emotionally labile, though I still think if you went that direction it would make for an interesting dynamic due to who Sean is... in more than one person's life.) Plus we've assumed her last time in the problematic penthouse was with you know who. But maybe it wasn't... Also, Amaya's family? Who are they? Will there be a glimpse of them? Has Indya & Darren or DJ for that matter met her family? Hopefully they aren't toxic. Her features and skintone give off a vibe like her parents are from the Caribbean. And now Black to the Future questions: I was also was going to ask if Rah is redeemable, because there tends to be a throw away society mentality towards black men that have "issues" in RL & in books/entertainment so I was hoping he was/is redeemable, but I think I am getting a hint that there may be a move on from Rah and possibly ol' boy Ryke since Dira is young and may not have the same mindset as Hope regarding dating. To conclude, just two observations: How do I know since 2015(?) or was it 2017 that Indie has grown up and embraced her grown-woman-with-children crown? She came to her eldest daughter's house in Jerilee swag: house slippers. :D And not cute bougie ones at that! Plus of course how she is handling Hope's new mom freak outs and Dira and DJ's underdeveloped brain decisions.

2nd Observation: I laugh every time you slip in the official RRR/BBC logo of Raven's knowing look every now and then. :D :D :D

OOOOH Friend!! That's a lot! But you already know how we do so....

As for any potential MerSean shenanigans, I gotta hit you with the stay tuned. There are SEVERAL members of this here Badass Book Club™ who are shipping them HARD. Because why not? They look damn good together

Sean must have good dick if he pulled Indya for as long as he did and that is important given that good dick is a weak spot for Miss Mercy....

..... but I digress.

Now on to Amaya Griffin. If and only If she and DJ last will we get a glimpse into her home life. But you're on to something with those island roots.

Amaya's mother is Sulanese.

As for your questions, LET'S GO!!

A) was going to ask if Rah is redeemable, because there tends to be a throw away society mentality towards black men that have "issues" in RL

You are absolutely right, and this was a key issue earlier in the story with Darren. You had to be there friend! TABLES WERE THROWN!! HANDS WERE CAUGHT!! It was THE WILD WEST in the BBC™ where on one side, we hated Darren and wanted his ass thrown out for how he treated our girl. There were those who even thought Indya DESERVED it because she was often quite fucking bogus! I had a reckoning with my DAMN self about Darren and decided to write his growth journey which I am STILL writing. In other words, once we decide to throw someone away, we just do it. I wanted to challenge that for many reasons, one of them being the one you stated.

You can imagine, then, that while Rah did something entirely fucked up, I am willing to at least understand (and maybe others are too), that there are factors in his life that may be caused these unfortunate series of events. Imagine having a mom who is never there for you and everyone in your school has seen her sex tape. Not saying these are excuses, just saying....

Anyway, we gotta stay tuned to see if Rahul is a character who even sticks around. Indira is about to have a birthday and she could choose to cut off boffum. We shall see.

B) How do I know since 2015(?) or was it 2017 that Indie has grown up and embraced her grown-woman-with-children crown?

Maybe i'm reading this wrong, and if I am, please clarify in another ask but.... how can you NOT know? She's in house slippers (I thought they were cute) because she was there to clean in a full lace front and cute little joggers (Mercy was too except for the lace front). There will always be bougie Indya which is why you will refer to her as Queen Muva around Dem Babies™ lmfao

I think Indya has absolutely embraced her grown woman and I thought it was glaringly obvious.

Especially here:

And of course here:

[fawnhunter]

Lincoln Clay SFW A-Z

- written with a chubby reader in mind, but that’s not the main focus at all.

!: possible suggestive themes. nothing too serious tho

A= activites- what do they like to do with their s/o? How do they spend their free time with them?

When Lincoln does have time to spend with you [ Aside from any missions he takes you on] he likes to take you out to do things. He will take you to areas and districts he has already claimed so that it’s safe for the two of you. And then he leaves it up to you. You want dinner? You got it. You wanna go to a show? You got it. You wanna have a night in with just you and him? You can have that too. But he wants to show you off.

B=beauty- what do they admire about their s/o? What do they think is beautiful about them?

Lincoln enjoys his s/o’s shoulders/chest. He thinks that your collar bones are beautiful, and he enjoys a sweetheart neckline. When he sees you during the day, his arms always find their way around your shoulders. And at night in the bed, he wraps his arms around your shoulders and crushes you against his side. His face finds its way to your neck and chest by the end of the night

C=comfort- How would they help their s/o during hard times or when they need it most?

When you come to him with an issue, and it so happens that you ended up getting hurt or threatened. Then he handles the issue right away, he may have other things to do but you are at the top of his list. He will make sure you never have to deal with this issue again. If the issue happened to be more emotional, he may not be as much help. But he will hold you until you pull yourself together and assure you that he has your back.

D= dreams- how do they picture their future with their s/o?

All Lincoln knows is that he wants you for as long as he can keep you. He will continue to fight to keep you, but he knows some day soon his story will come to an end. The thought that his life is not guaranteed is the only reason why your future is iffy.

E= equal- are they the dominant one or are they more passive in your relationship?

As much as my switch ass hates to admit it, he ends up being the more dominant one in the relationship. He leads the way day in and out. Let you know when to go and where. Stands in front of you when you go places, and nudges you behind him a little for most conversations. Checks in on you all the damn time, and does most of the stuff for you when at home, even when you insist you can handle it.

F= Flirting- how often do they flirt or tease their s/o? How smooth are they?

He is flirting with you every chance he gets. Sly little things whisper into your ear when you try making breakfast. Lingering touches when you begin getting dressed for the day. Filthy things said over the dinner table, just to startle you a little. Smoother than he should be. Every move he makes has the ability to lead into a quickie somewhere. A dangerous man indeed.

G= Gratitude- How grateful are they in general? Are they aware of what their s/o does for them?

Lincoln is very grateful for you. He knows he can be considered scary, he hears it enough from the people on the street. But his heart swells every time he returns to your shared Apartment and all of you are still there. He Doesn't know how he would patch himself up if you were there as well, you keep him clean and healthy after a long day.

H=Honesty- do they have any secret that they keep from their s/o or do they share everything

Lincoln doesn’t talk about the things he did during the war, he will talk about his time, and about the activities he did with donovan. But he leaves out the gross gorey details, he doesn't want to come off as a monster

I=Inspiration- did their s/o change something about them or is it the other way around? (it could be personal issues or just trying new day to day things)

You have reminded him that there is still a little heart within him. When he comes home, he tries to remind himself that this is you. And that you love him. And he tries to put that hardcore, Sal killing mindset away, and just tries to relax

J=jealousy- do they get jealous easily? How do they deal with it?

I don't think that he is given many chances to get jealous. I think he knows that the two of you are in a relationship, and I think that he would have trust for you. If he ever does get jealous, he will bring it up and maybe ask a question. But he really just wants peace of mind not to create problems for the two of you.

K=kiss- how do they kiss? What was the first kiss like?

Well for starters Lincoln alway kisses you when he sees you, and when he's saying goodbye. These kisses are short and chaste, just enough to give a taste of you for good measure. His other kisses are always more intense, his hand squeezing your waist or thread through the hair on the back of your neck, just to hold you in place while he kisses you. Breathes in the scent of you deeply and doesn't let you go until he’s done kissing you

L=Love confession- How did it go down?

He was hurt pretty badly after a mission. It seems like all the adrenaline shots in the world couldn't help his case. He was hurting real bad, but all he could think about was coming to you, and making you the last thing he sees, before his time is up. But your home appeared closer than he thought it would, and before collapsing on your doorstep he knocked on the door. [Ever the gentleman] And After hearing your concerned gaps and the watering of your eyes and felt safe enough to sleep. And when he woke up, the first thing he saw was your form right next to him. He had to let you know how felt, before he never got the chance again

M=Marriage- do they want to get married? How do they propose? Wedding day description?

Marriage may seem like a far off dream for Lincoln. The only thing he sees set in stone for his future is Sal Marcono’s death. I think Under different circumstances, with Sammy still alive, he would be a married man for sure.

N=nicknames- what do they call their s/o?

Puddin

Peaches

Darlin

Honey

O=Obsessed- how protective are they of their s/o? How much are they worried about them?

Lincoln is as protective as one can be. When at your home, he is alway in the same room as you. He may be doing something like reading a file, or fixing his guns but his glance always finds its way back to you. When he is out with you he is your shadow, right behind you or almost flanking you. He worries about you sometimes, when he has to leave the area of your home, he finds himself calling you, or asking Donovan to check up on you.

P=PDA- are they obvious about the relationship? Do they talk a lot about his s/o? Are they okay with affection in front of others?

Lincoln does not just go running around yelling about you. That being said his immediate crew does know about you, sometimes with you coming with him on missions you run into them. Cassandra and Vito are favorable to you, And Burke is.. well.. Burke. PDA in front of the other is rare as when you two are out together there is rarely time for that.

Q= Quirk- some random ability they have in a relationship

Lincoln is just a little touch starved, the human contact he receives is associated with pain and lies. So i think he won't ever need any space, sit next him, on his lap, look over his shoulder when he reads. Just touch him he loves it

R=Romance- how romantic are they? What would they do to make their s/o smile? Are their ideas rather original or creative?

Lincoln takes any chance he has to be romantic.When he isn’t trying to get things done, he likes to spend his time with you. Dates outside of your home are not a common occurrence, he just doesn’t feel like he can really keep you safe. His romance has more of a catering feel. He shadows you a lot so you find yourself not needing to grab things or reach on your own, he’s already one step ahead of you. He likes to make you laugh by being his cute butterbean self.

S=support- do they push their s/o to do better? Do they believe in them?

lincoln isn't the type of person to get to involved in his S/o’s personal life, i mean we all know he is a busy man. If he does push his S/o to do better it's because he knows it's something his S/o is passionate about. He wants the best for you and believes in you as well, he just isn't overbearing about it and may need to be reminded to express that verbally sometimes.

T=thrill- are they okay with a certain routine or do they need some spice every once in a while?

Lincoln needs routine in his life. He has spent most of it away at war where nothing is ever the same. And when he attempted to rebuild his life the first time, everything went sideways. Knowing exactly what going to happen when he comes to see you is something that make him feel stable, and it is something that he craves

Understanding- how well do they know you? Are they sensitive to your emotions?

If Lincoln has committed to being your S/o then he knows you like the back of his hand. He knows when you have good days and bad ones and is always ready to step in and lend a hand

V=Value- how important is your relationship compared to other things in their life?

This question is a little tricky for Lincoln because he has a job to do . He loves you but he also knows that this is a thing he needs to get done. And in order to do that sometimes his job may have to come before you. In the names of people on his list, you are at the top. If you are not his first thought then you are the second.

W=Wild card-Random Fluff bomb!!

Lincoln finds great pleasure in being helpful towards you any time he can get involved in something you’re doing, he wants to be the one who helped you finish.

X=XOXO- how affectionate are they? Are they a cuddle bug or do they like their space?

Because he can always see you, he tends to be very affectionate with you. In his day to day life he doesn't get much healthy skin to skin contact, so any chance he has to get some love from you he takes it. He is a cuddle bug, when you take a seat on the couch he sits next to you but much closer than he should be. When out in public his arm finds its way around your waist and shoulders on its own.

Yearning- what happenes when they miss you

When he misses you he finds anyway he can to reach out to you and tell you that he loves you. He most likely has a memento that you've given him in the past that he keeps on him for moments like this. Other than that he gets really solemn, he punches a little harder so he can have a reason for you to clean him up.

Zzz- how do you both fall asleep/nap

When sleeping you both are engulfed in each other. His arms wrapped around you pressing you to him as tight a possible. One leg thrown over his side and your arms around his neck keeping him close to your chest. ITs hot and sticky and gross but you can hear his heartbeat and the sound of his breathing and decide that it's worth it.

[yandere-daydreams]

Title: Domination.

A commission for the very lovely @evaesis​. 

Word Count: 4k.

Pairing: Yandere!Dabi/OC (& Slight Yandere!Overhaul/OC).

TW: Non-Con, Dub-Con, A/B/O Dynamics, Oral Sex (M. Receiving), Kidnapping, Imprisonment, Slight Exhibitionism, Non-Consensual Touching, Mind Break, Physical Abuse, Slight Stockholm Syndrome, and Possessive Mindsets. 

There was someone in Kit’s apartment.

She knew there was. She knew there was, she’d known since the moment she found her deadbolt undone, a new scratch next to the lock, the interior of her flat just a little too quiet not to be suspicious. She should’ve been used to it, now, considering her quirk, how it heightened her senses, how often it seemed to attract fans a little more proactive than most, but she still found it difficult to fight that familiar paranoia, the feeling that something was wrong, even if evidence was sparse. She tried to ignore it as she pushed open her front door, but it was difficult to suppress. It was always difficult, for—

“Are you ignoring me, Bluu?”

Her anxiety spiked, but dropped just as quickly. Right.

She’d managed to forget about the phone in her hand, Aizawa still loitering on the other end.

She took a second to sigh before she moved it back to her ear, already hitting herself for letting such minor details get under her skin. “Trying to,” She countered, stepping through the threshold, dropping her bag on the nearest table before bothering to grope for a light switch. “You were talking about tomorrow’s stake-out? C’mon, I’m dying to hear how two Pro-Heroes will somehow, against all odds, spend eight hours staring at an empty storefront.”

There was a hum, a breath of a laugh, but Aizawa was just as stern as ever when he went on. “Don’t change the topic. If something’s wrong, I can—”

“You can go home and relax.” Her lights flickered on, and Kit’s nerves eased. Her furniture wasn’t toppled over, her windows weren’t broken, and nothing was out of place, even if her ears were still pressed to her scalp, her tails flicking anxiously behind her. “I’m a big girl, alright? If anything’s wrong, I can handle it.” Aizawa hummed skeptically, and Kit groaned, making her exasperation clear, as she went on. “Goodnight. Make sure you’re ready to be this helpful tomorrow, Mr. Alpha.”

“Make sure you’re still alive, tomorrow,” He retorted, trying and failing to hide the fondness in his voice. “Keep yourself safe. I don’t work with corpses.”

He hung up before she had the chance to respond, leaving Kit in frustrated, giddy silence. Tossing her phone on to the closest table, Kit tried to take her own advice. She’d just gotten off of patrol. She was on high-alert, she was exgausted, and she was projecting that onto the place she wanted to feel safe the most – her apartment. She wanted to feel safe, but she didn’t want to let herself. She just wanted one more fight, a few more minutes of adrenaline, and if she couldn’t find one, her irrational instincts were content to make one.

And then, she caught it. A hint of smoke, something similar to burnt sugar. Caramelized past the point of sweetness, but still pleasant enough to cover up the rot, just underneath it.

An arm wrapped around her waist, a chest slotted itself against her back, and Kit grit her teeth, fighting the urge to kick herself for not listening to her irrational instincts sooner.

“Talking to an alpha behind my back, dollface?” The voice was rough, low and raspy, at the same time, and Kit recognized it instantly – Dabi, a member of the League of Villains, a familiar face from the other side of battle fields and walls of fire that always seemed to be just a little too far for Kit to fight, beat, and arrest, before he could cause any more carnage. Anger shot through her, bright and blinding, but the feeling dimmed into numb, logical terror as a scarred hand rose, wrapping around her neck, his palm just hot enough to remind her of his quirk, of the damage it could do in seconds, if she gave him a reason to use it. “Try anything, and the whole fucking building goes up.” His tone was still light, teetering on the line between careless and calculated, but Kit knew better than to test him. If Dabi made a threat, she knew he’d be good for it. She’d already given him plenty of chances to prove that, unfortunately. “I just need to help my friend with somethin’, sweetheart. Nobody has to get hurt.”

She could’ve fought back. She wanted to fight back. Dabi wasn’t good with close-ranger combat, but she was, and she could’ve fought and won, if she tried to.

But, as soon as she caught a stroke of red in her peripheral, as soon as she heard that sigh, she knew she couldn’t. Not if Keigo was here.

Not when she knew he’d sooner slit her throat than let her interfere with whatever plan the Hero Commission had arranged for him.

In his defense, he seemed hesitant. His expression was grim as he stepped into Kit’s line of sight, his wings folded against his back and his mouth set into a small frown. She only got a moment to glare, though, before Dabi drove his heel into the back of her knee, shoving Kit to the ground and grabbing her wrists, forcing them against the small of her back while she growled, baring her teeth to both of the men that surrounded her. She wouldn’t fight back. She wouldn’t blow his cover, but that didn’t mean she had to be nice about it. “Bastards,” She spat, Dabi’s hand already slipping under her shorts, his intentions becoming more unignorable with every passing second. “Don’t touch me. What the fuck do you think you’re—”

“Don’t take this personally.” At least Keigo fit the part, just as cold and just as villainous as his more sincere counterpart. “It was Dabi’s call. I would’ve gone with a civilian, if it was up to me.”

“Our initiation.” It was a purr, this time, punctuated by a chuckle as nimble fingers found her panties, tracing the shape of her slit through the thin fabric. Despite herself, her breath hitched as his thumb caught on her clit, pushing a slow, deep circle into the vulnerable bundle of nerves. “You should feel honored. Another villain would’ve been easier, and there’s gotta be a hundred different sidekicks easier to track down than you, but I figured if our golden boy wants to prove he can get his hands dirty…” There was a pause, another laugh, this one muffled by the dip of her shoulder. “Might as well let him have a taste of my favorite little Hero before I take her home, right?”

An initiation. That was what he claimed this was for – Keigo’s initiation, but Dabi didn’t seem in a rush to pull away. He took his time, pushing open-mouthed kisses into the side of her neck, nipping at all the tiny, sensitive spots that made her eyes clench shut, her body jerk under the oh-so-generous attention of an alpha. She didn’t want him to touch her. She didn’t want him anywhere near her, but her body did, and that was enough to spur Dabi forward, a deep chuckle falling from his lips as his gaze shifted, rising to Keigo, still kneeling stiffly in front of her. “Didn’t take you for the shy type, rookie. Get down here, before I start to think you’re havin’ second thoughts.”

Keigo rolled his eyes, but his hesitation was playful, at best, a show put on for Kit’s sake rather than his own. “I’m not trying to ruin your fun.” His tone was light, but the way he moved was stiff, clinical, his fingertips barely brushing against her waist as Dabi pulled back, giving her just enough distance to let Keigo take the lead. Keigo didn’t argue, only taking his place, his lips ghosting over the edge of her jaw. “I’m sorry,” He whispered, just quietly enough to let Dabi believe it was some idle threat. “I’ll make it quick, I promise.”

At least she didn’t have to lie. Her lines were the same, regardless of his role. “Go fuck yourself.”

If nothing else, Keigo tried to keep his word. It was a small mercy, how little he used his hands, how swiftly his feathers cut through her shorts and her panties, and yet, she couldn’t bring herself to be grateful, not when she still felt so exposed under Dabi’s prying eyes, not when it just gave him more skin to touch, more to burn. She didn’t need to be prepped. There was already slick coating the inside of her thighs, heat pooling at her core, her omega instincts reacting to the alphas’ pheromones before she could will herself not to, but Dabi must’ve been feeling nice. Whether or not she needed it, Dabi still took the time force two fingers through her tight entrance, the sudden intrusion drawing out a pitiful whimper that only seemed to make Dabi’s grin widen further. It was too intense, for something so thoughtless. He didn’t set a pace, didn’t try to find a rhythm, just curling his digits, spreading them apart, aiming for whatever made Kit grit her teeth and bow her head and keen, loudly, needily, despite how hard she fought not to. It was embarrassing. It was humiliating. It was…

It felt good, and she hated him for it.

By time he pulled away, she was bent over, squirming in his hold and panting, trying desperately to ignore the hum Dabi let out as he popped his fingers into his mouth, all sick contentment, all satisfied pride. There was a squeeze to her wrists as he acknowledged Keigo, barely offering a nod before shoving her into his chest, finally letting him take the lead. “Get it over with, pretty boy.” It was an order, not a request. If Kit was in a more sympathetic mood, she might’ve felt bad for him. “Before I get tired of watching you sulk.”

Keigo didn’t force her to watch. With her hair strung around his fist, his nails dug into her scalp, he forced her face into the crook of his neck, keeping Kit on her knees as fabric rustled and the tip of his cock bumped against her pussy. “I’ll be gentle,” He muttered, and Kit had to wonder why she couldn’t bring herself to believe him.

Then, he thrusted into her, not bothering to pause until he bottomed out, and Kit had her answer.

~

Dabi hadn’t been kidding, when he said he’d bring her home.

She tried to pretend he had been, sometimes, to close her eyes and pretend she was anywhere except the damp, dank cellar of whatever warehouse she’d been sedated and trapped inside of, but it was difficult. The quirk-cancelling collar around her neck was too heavy to be ignored, pressing against the base of her throat with an uncomfortable chill, and she couldn’t seem to get used to the way the chain attached to it rattled every time she tried to move. The concrete made it difficult, too, scraping against her knees, threatening to draw blood whenever she tried to shift, whenever Dabi’s grip tightened around her tether and he saw fit to drag her in one direction or another. He was good, at that. He knew how to keep his eyes on her, even if her gaze could hardly be called adoring.

“C’mon, baby.” His voice did little to endear her any further, a smug simper already tugging at the corner of his lips as his free hand dropped to the base of her ears. He was sitting on her cot, the only piece of furniture in that god-forsaken basement beyond a few forgotten crates and boxes she couldn’t bring herself to open, leaving Kit to sit between his legs. He’d been kind enough to edge his jeans down, his shirt discarded completely, his cock half-hard and already on display. He wasn’t feeling patient enough to force Kit to do it herself today, obviously. “I’m on a schedule, ‘ere. I’d love to play around, but I’m afraid I’m gonna need my omega to do her job, today.”

He said it like she had a choice, like his fingers weren’t already tangled in her hair, jerking her towards him until the flushed tip of his cock was pressed against her cheek, pre leaking onto her cheek as his palm grew warmer, just hot enough to be searing. Kit got the message quickly. If there was any silver lining to being with Dabi, it had to be that. He didn’t bother pretending he was any less depraved than he’d already proved himself to be.

She tried to get it over with as quickly as she could. Relaxing her throat, Kit closed her eyes and let Dabi thrust into her mouth, playing with the idea of giving her time to adjust before dragging her forward, only stopping when her nose met his pelvis and Kit gagged, her chest heaving as she tried to blink away the tears welling in her eyes. If Dabi cared, he didn’t try to show it. With an airy groan, Dabi guided her into a rhythm that fell between unhurried and uncaring, between self-sacrificing and selfish, slow enough to be agonizing but consistent enough to keep Kit on-edge, unprepared despite how predictable he was starting to become. Still, she tried to get used to it. To let the tension in her shoulders dissolve, to ignore his bitter, musky taste, to—

“She can still bite, y’know.”

To let Keigo ruin it, just when she’d gotten good at disassociating.

Dabi didn’t pause, but he lifted his head, eyeing the man leaning against the far wall, watching carefully. She supposed she should’ve been thankful for Keigo’s lasting heroism, his persistence when it came to making sure Dabi didn’t leave damage beyond burns and bruises, and yet, it was hard not to hate him for it, too. Just the raspy chuckle Dabi let out was enough to irritate her, enough to spur her loathing for the cause, rather than the source. “I’ll take the risk,” Dabi replied, only making the idea more tempting. “Wouldn’t be that bad, if she tried. ‘d give me an excuse to—fuck, give me an excuse to teach my omega some manners.”

There was a pause, a second filled with Kit’s heavy breaths and Dabi’s quiet swears. “She’s not yours.”

Without warning, she was shoved back, forcefully separated from Dabi with an audible pop. Kit moved to speak, but she didn’t get the chance to, not before his hand was clamped around her chin, his forefinger and his thumb digging into her cheeks as he stared down at her, a smirk painting itself across his lips after a long, careful second. Blatant, unconcealed, unashamed. Like he’d already forgotten Keigo was just across the room.  Like he’d never cared at all, as long as Kit was still kneeling at his feet.

As long as she was still powerless, compared to him.

“Not yet.”

~

At least Keigo had the courtesy to leave, this time.

To be fair, he’d done his best to stick around. He’d perched himself on a storage crate as Dabi left his first bitemark on Kit’s neck, sat on the stairwell as he pried her legs apart and made Kit cum on his tongue, lingered in the doorway when Dabi brought in his first set of ‘toys’, but today, he’d chosen to make himself sparse. It felt like a betrayal, in a way, one greater and more hurtful than the faux sacrifice that’d gotten her into this. Like he’d left her. Like he’d pushed her into a lion’s den, promised to rescue her after a few bites, then pulled up the rope behind him. But, at the same time, she was relieved. Anyone would be. She had to be.

It would only make it more painful if Keigo had stayed to watch the beast tear her apart.

Her head was fuzzy. Her mouth tasted like dust and her tongue felt like cotton, and her whole body seemed to throb. It was probably the exhaustion, the poor sleep and the dehydration and the lack of sunlight, and the fact that she hadn’t so much as seen her suppressants in more than a month didn’t help. It was all she could do to keep her arms crossed under her head, her back arched in a way that wouldn’t break her spine as Dabi pounded into her, his hands on her hips and his cock abusing her poor, drooling cunt. This was the first time he’d fucked her, really fucked her, and it showed, his satisfaction oozing out in his pheromones, his wild grin, the way he couldn’t seem to think about doing anything but bucking into her faster, deeper, harder.

 She was used to it, or she should’ve been, at least. He usually focused on his own pleasure, Kit’s needs serving as something unnecessary enough to be completely forgotten, but it would’ve been impossible not to react as he rutted into her pussy, it would’ve been impossible not to squirm and whine and go tense, if only because she knew there was no way out of his iron-clad grip. She did make a half-hearted attempt, clawing at the sheets and struggling, but Dabi put a stop to her futile attempts to fight back with a single hand, pressing the heel of his palm into the base of her spine and letting his skin smolder. Instantly, she went still, but the heat remained, lingering as Dabi chuckled. “C’mon, baby, you’re still gonna try that?” There was a pause, a thrust sharper than the rest. It felt like he was trying to fuck her cervix rather than her pussy, honestly. “Haven’t I been a good alpha? Tell the truth, now.”

He wasn’t a good alpha. He wasn’t a good anything, but her tongue felt heavy, her brain too hot to think, and for whatever reason, she couldn’t bring herself to say that. Still, she tried. She didn’t know if she’d be able to forgive herself, if she didn’t. “I don’t have a… You aren’t my—”

Another flare, another warning. This time, Kit screamed, and she could feel Dabi’s cock twitch inside of her. “I’m your alpha.” It was a growl, deep and throaty and overwhelming. He wasn’t asking. It wasn’t a choice. “I’m your alpha. You belong to me. You’re my omega. Say it.”

She didn’t want to. She didn’t believe it. She knew what an alpha was supposed to be, what her alpha was supposed to be, and he wasn’t it, he couldn’t be, even if he made an effort. He wasn’t nurturing, he wasn’t caring, he wasn’t even nice, not to her, not when he didn’t have a reason to be. She didn’t want him as her alpha. She didn’t want to be his omega. She didn’t want him any where near her.

But, she didn’t want to be in pain, either. She wanted him to stop.

And for just a second, she was willing to do whatever she could to make him stop, even if it meant giving in.

It was a moment of weakness, little more than a gasping breath that could’ve been mistaken for something coherent. She didn’t even realize she was talking, not until her mouth was open, words stumbling out before she could choke them back. “I’m you’re omega!” It was a short, desperate cry, but Dabi didn’t seem to mind. Not if she took the nails digging into her hips as a sign of encouragement. “Please, I’m—You’re my alpha! Please stop, I can’t—”

She didn’t get a chance to finish, not before Dabi bottomed out, filling her cunt with something thick and hot as her entire body went rigid, a bolt of pure electricity that shot for her core to her brain, lulling her into a depleted, fatigued state, something more mindless and more tolerable than what she’d almost gotten used to. She didn’t even flinch back as Dabi leaned down, his lips barely brushing against the harsh, blackened bruises he’d left littered across her skin. She just didn’t have the energy to. She just couldn’t remember why she’d wanted to so badly.

Dabi wasn’t her alpha. She knew that. He wasn’t.

But, she was starting to think it’d be easier, if she pretended he was.

~

Or, it might’ve been easier, rather.

As it turns out, she wouldn’t be with him long enough to find out.

It’d been a trade. She thought it was, at least – it was hard to tell from the position she’d been in, her face buried in Dabi’s chest, her arms draped over his shoulders, clinging to him the way he liked to be clung to whenever he took her to one of the League’s meetings. She tried not to listen. She really, really tried not to, as the air filled with dust, as she heard someone scream, as even Dabi reacted, holding her just a little tighter while Shigaraki muttered and snarled and bargained, holding her until a man she’d never seen before lifted her out of Dabi’s lap entirely, snapping his fingers once before leaving with her in-tow, cradled in his arms like a damsel in distress. Like a doll, helpless and breakable, freshly bought off a less deserving owner.

He was wearing a mask, an elongated beak that contrasted harshly with his pale skin. A memory resurfaced, dull and distant, the idea of face and a case she hadn’t taken up – something small, non-violent, money laundering or drug trafficking or all of the many things Kit had never taken an interest in. She pushed it away without a second thought. Kit tried not to think about things like that, anymore. It really never ended well, when she did.

She must’ve been staring, but he didn’t see mad when he finally glanced in her direction. She couldn’t tell if he was smiling, but she thought he might’ve been, beneath the mask. It was enough to give her the confidence to speak, even if her voice still shook. “Are… are you my new alpha?”

“No,” He said, his tone calmer than Dabi’s had ever been. Not kinder, but less needlessly cruel. “But, I’m going to be. We just have to clean you up first, get you to a condition more…” His eyes dropped to the bruises circling her neck, to the dented metal collar at the base of her throat. To the letters burnt into her skin, just barely peaking out from underneath her oversized shirt. “A condition more fitting of my omega.”

Kit fell silent, at that. She didn’t bother arguing. She couldn’t seem to remember why she would.

It wasn’t like this alpha could possibly be worse than her last.

~

‘She’s alive. With Overhaul. If Dabi’s tantrum was anything to go by, he plans on keeping her.’

Aizawa got Keigo’s message a few minutes after midnight, in the dead center of that night’s patrol. He hadn’t been expecting it, honestly. Keigo’s updates were infrequent, rare, more of an obligation than a courtesy, a hint at security in exchange for Aizawa’s promise not to do anything… impulsive, despite his stand-offish reputation. He’d almost lost his temper once, the day after Kit was taken and Keigo privately confirmed that she was with the League, but it would’ve been a waste of energy, back then, it would’ve been a waste of time. He couldn’t do anything, not on his own, not when Keigo was so intent on earning the League’s trust before taking any action to oppose them. Not when Kit was already in so much danger before he had a chance to interfere, before he had the chance to do something half-baked and make the situation infinitely, irreversibly worse.

Not when he’d already thrown away his chance to prevent this entirely, all because he’d convinced himself she’d hate him for doing what had to be done, when she insisted on being so reckless.

But, that didn’t matter. He couldn’t keep beating himself up. He had a better way to spend his time, now. He had better things to do than just worry.

Kit wasn’t with the League anymore, after all. Keigo’s position wasn’t a factor, and Overhaul was much more predictable than Dabi.

It was time to take his omega back, whether or not she still wanted to come.

[kaibutsushidousha]

Your opinion on Pepe? Also do you have any speculation about his character arc in future LBs?

I’m really sorry I answered that ask a few months saying I had already run out of things to say about Hakuno because I was lying.

Yuga Kshetra’s biggest narrative weakness and main reason why it’s my favorite FGO chapter is its overreliance on CCC references and parallels. Pepe reflects that not only by mentioning Gatou once, but mainly by having way too much in common with Hakuno. This is easy to notice on the surface level of them being people nice to everyone around them while firmly rejecting the idea that they are good people because they killed a lot out of self-preservation, but honestly, they remain extremely similar both in their complexities and in the circumstances that lead them to be like that.

Pepe was born with the awareness that he’s on his last reincarnation, but he considers himself too flawed to reach enlightenment on the one lifetime he still has left, so he sorta gave up on everything before he started. That’s his one key character that defines pretty much the whole rest of his character. On one hand, he cares more about helping the other Crypters than about anything pertaining to himself, because he believes there's a future for them and not for him. But, paradoxically enough, he’s also unwilling to do anything for self-preservation, up to willingly choose the death of all non-Crypter humans over his own, also out of consciousness that he’s the one guy who gets no next time. And his fascination for myths with reincarnation cycles is a case of longing for what you can’t have.

Similarly, Hakuno is something of a digital ghost who can’t exist outside of the Moon Cell. They fight for their survival in the Grail War, but touching the Grail would kill them instantly. Both Hakuno and Pepe are people with no past and no future choosing to make connections to derive value from the present, because that’s the only thing they have.

If I had to say they have one key difference, that’d be Pepe’s ability to cut people off. Hakuno’s lack of a past is just as much of a part of their circumstances as their lack of a future, but Pepe’s lack of a past was entirely his own choice. He actively chose to kill his entire family including all vassals. Even his later life, where he lived years as a mercenary, came into contact with many different people, but never found he felt he belonged to until he became a part of Chaldea’s Team A, there’s an element of agency in Pepe not forming bonds with anyone. This is reflected best in how, after spending the whole Lostbelt as our companion, Pepe jumps back to his Crypter job with no remorse, bluntly saying “I don’t think we ever had any deep conversations”. Hakuno is someone who can give up on people, as Eliza’s case shows, but they would never deny any connection they made.

Well, moving a bit away from the Hakuno topic, another really good angle to look at Pepe’s character is in how he reflects Kirschtaria’s ideals. At his most cynical, Kirsch believed that the human mindset was hardwired into taking away from its peers and that only those raised under very circumstances are capable of truly loving, acknowledging, and valuing others. Pepe sorta works as a proof of concept here, as someone who once murdered his entire household in one set of circumstances, and then became Friend Man the Friendliest on a different set.

But more importantly, their actions are an example of what Kirschtaria valued the most: humanity’s potential to inadvertently help each other by simply moving on with their goals. Kirsch revived his fellow Crypters and gave them Lostbelts mostly out of necessity for his plan, but in doing so, he allowed Pepe the second chance at life he always believed he would never get, and if everything went according to his plan, Pepe would be free from his worries about his definitive end. Meanwhile, Pepe naturally provided the exact kind of support Kirschtaria needed the most: a mind-reading companion who could understand him even while the alien god’s contract prevented him from talking to his dear one-sided friends about his dreams or the time they spent together.

Now we move on to the second question, where I think Pepe is going next. Well, starting with the obvious, Pepe left Olympus saying he’s after Beryl to avenge Kirschtaria, so we’re guaranteed to have him in Avalon le Fay. However, Yuga Kshetra builds up his relationship with Daybit, and Olympus also reiterates it with the “I refuse to die in a world without Daybit” line, so I believe he’s surviving and moving to the Amazon Lostbelt.

With that out of the way, let’s move on to the crazier theories. First off, one thing I’ve been wondering since somewhere mid-Yuga Kshetra was with if Pepe was secretly a tengu because tengus are generally abhijna practitioners who fell of the Buddhist ways and Pepe is an abhijna practitioner who already gave up on enlightenment. His deadname being Arou meaning “crow son” adds to the tengu imagery. The end bit of his Lostbelt convinced me he was not a tengu in disguise, but I always held on to the idea that he was one step away from becoming one. This January delivering an event that’s there almost solely to establish how tengus work in Type-Moon and confirm that they follow the “fallen abhijna people” version really reinforced my confidence that we’ll see Pepe becoming a tengu in Avalon le Fay.

Lastly, a much less likely alternative to tengu Pepe, my plan B theory for the very off-chance Pepe won’t become a tengu: Servant Pepe. In Rin’s first exposition on what is a Servant, she explains that the people marked in history are removed from the reincarnation cycle by Alaya’s Counter Force, becoming Heroic Spirits. So, it’s still possible that Pepe is on his last life not because he’s out of second chances, but because he’s becoming a Servant as Scandinavia Peperoncino. The Crypters’ story is a story about second chances, after all. That said, I really fell off of this theory when Little Big Tengu happened and revealed tengus are immortal, meaning Pepe wouldn’t need to become a Servant to escape the permanent end of his existence.

[oquinn53]

BNHA THEORY RAMBLING WITH SPOILERS

Okay so second bnha rambling with theories because I can’t think straight so I think of bnha! Specifically Deku.

Specifically, Deku’s endgame. There are so many theories out there and I just.... think about Deku specifically a lot. I mean he’s the protagonist and everything and I love him and a common theory that I actually do kinda think about a lot is Deku losing OFA. But I don’t think he’ll end quirkless. I think a lot of things need to happen but let’s start with me rambling about Deku’s characterization, how it can all be wrapped up in this:

Deku has PTSD. (This part is LONG and talks about masochism and mentions suicide and all that. Other points are shorter!) And I don’t mean post war arc or even post Bakugo’s kidnapping, if we want to go that far back. Deku has PTSD from the VERY start. This kid is a walking mental illness. Sources? Hi, I’m a Civilian With PTSD and I saw Deku at the beginning and I watched Deku’s horrible mental health deteriorate EVEN MORE than it started off as. This is really important to me, to state that he has it from the beginning, because I believe in the character growth and development. I might be talking out my ass but it’s fun so. Why do I say he starts out from it? Let’s look at symptoms.

A) hyperfixation, my old friend. Deku fixated hardcore on All Might and Heros in general. But he fixated specifically on All Might and he gets EMBARRASSED about it a lot. (Funny enough, the embarrassment of it is also a symptom of ADHD but I’m not as well versed in that). Hyperfixation is a very very common coping method.

B) His anxiety. Kinda self explanatory here. He’s a bully victim. He also has been literally classified as LESS. Quirkless. But also defenseless. Useless. We’ve heard that, his anxiety is there but it’s because of what DEFINES him. His self identity was born from what everyone else tells him. He’s a determined boy, but his sense of self is only wrapped up in what other people think—or specifically, what All Might thinks. Which blends a bit with...

C) A loss sense of identity. I talked about this a little bit he last part but Deku’s goal to become a hero is so tied to All Might that even when he gains the quirk, he has to have it beaten into him with warning of losing the use f his arms for him to realize he’s NOT All Might. But that’s still what he sees, even when he switches to using his legs more. He has no idea who he is. He just copies. He copies Bakugo’s moves again and again. And while it’s cool to see all the parallels and growth of Deku learning from others, there is a message of “making it his own” when Deku copies others again and again because he has no idea who HE is. He analyses like crazy because figuring out how other people do things is the only way he can figure out how HE can do things. Also, the whole language change because his image of victory is Bakugo? Literally his speech pattern isn’t his own, his every day one matching his mother’s.

D) repressed and heavily released emotion. He’s 0 or 100, both when he gets OFA and with his emotions. I mean. Feral!Deku. Do I need to say more? Yes, because I was to drive home how not okay Deku is from the very beginning. Boy cleans the beach and screams bloody murder. He has no idea what emotion to have and needs to let it out. Doesn’t matter he just did a shit ton of physical release, he has so much emotions that he doesn’t know what to do with. Just like Bakugo’s anger, Deku’s emotion usually comes out as his tears. Boy cries a lot but sometimes tears aren’t enough and Deku screams a LOT. Even his own excitement bursts out in bigger ways, with his mumbling and fact dropping (god, also slightly autistic coded maybe? Blurred lines with ADHD there, it again, not my area of expertise)

E) black and white thinking. He’s young, so that explains some of this but just like I mentioned above with the 0 or 100, he represents the mindset of civilians. He literally blinds himself at the very start to even what’s happening to HIMSELF. He sees hero and he sees villian and those are his two categories. Bakugo literally tells him to kill himself and Deku thinks about how that would negatively affect Bakugo. He doesn’t and never does see Bakugo as a villian for this. He sees “wow that wouldn’t be good for his Hero image” and because Deku sees Bakugo as a hero, everything has to fit into that. And while Deku has huge growth with this next part, he also originally viewed villains as just villains. He learned a LOT and while the society’s image becomes less black and white for him (because the whole manga revolves around the gray morality of it all) he still doesn’t see much gray area. It’s win or lose. With the sports festival, he literally won the race without his quirk. He got through the Calvary battle despite being a giant ass target. He placed in the top 8 (which he probably would have gotten higher on if his goal didn’t change) and despite accomplishing his goal with Todoroki, he broke down about not doing what All Might asked him despite gaining permanent scarring and a hell of a warning re his arms. But to point back at the beginning, this is reinforced with his entrance exam. Passing the written exam meant NOTHING because he did “””nothing””” in the practical.

F) last point, Deku’s a masochist. Obviously with the broken bones and things but I’m not even just talking about the physical damage he does to himself—which is, what, 95% of the time what he gets most of his wounds from? Anyway—I’m talking about his mindset. Masochism isn’t just the physical act of causing pain. It’s that mindset of deserving pain. The reasoning doesn’t matter. Deku only “betters” himself for the sake of giving more to others. He trains so hard, not for himself, but for others. On the outside it might seems like his goal of becoming a hero is his own but he sacrifices his body and dives into situations where he’s literally been warned he’s going to die and he just does it anyway. Eri’s Arc and him “changing the future” is what I’m referring to here and you could say “well he DID say he would change that future!” And okay, sure, but he was told Sir is never wrong. But he would rather rush into that future where he dies than take even a moment to think through his actions. But anyway, my point is him at the beginning so I specifically mean the training montage. Where he was ALREADY on a tough schedule that he knew would be difficult and he literally adjusted it and added MORE. Because, to circle back to other points because mental illness always overlaps points, he can only think of himself as 0 or 100, black and white, Able To Save or Failure. If he can’t be at 100 then he believes he deserves pain and causes it to himself. The only time he regrets his injuries is when it prevents him from giving MORE of himself to others. He learns his shoot style not because he doesn’t want to hurt himself but because he doesn’t want to become useless to others. He trains and loses sleep and puts his body through hell because he thinks of himself only as something for others. (I think wanting to save Shigaraki is a powerful moment not because it’s Pure Boy Deku but because it’a his own thinking, his OWN want, but.... it’s still not for him and will still cause him pain). And a last point on this, Heros Rising showed us that Deku is willing to give up his quirk and his dream to win and it showed us that while he believed he didn’t have any other choice, he was deeply disappointed in himself. Winning wasn’t enough. Hurting himself THAT MUCH wasn’t enough. He let All Migjt down and giving up his dreams, almost dying, becoming quirkless, all wasn’t enough to counteract the shame he held. Like god. Baby.

Other small observations or relevant commentary:

1) The doctor who told Deku he was quirkless is the same doctor who worked on Shigaraki. Same doctor who can perseve dead bodies. Same doctor who worked with AFO and all that. (See? Short! Will be relevant soon)

2) One for All is tied to All for One. OFA was literally created the moment a hand reached out to help. Can one even exist without the other?

3) Bakugo needs to apologize. Horikoshi has literally said in an interview post Heros Rising that Bakugo needs to apologize. Sacrificing his life to save Deku is NOT how you apologize to Deku. Deku will ask for a receipt on this type of apology. Return to sender. Unacceptable. So. Bakugo needs to apologize.

4) Deku’s dad isn’t in the picture yet. Hasn’t even been spoken of except for the fact we know his quirk is fire breathing and his name is Hisashi. Oh and he’s abroad. Oh and Horikoshi said he’ll be in the picture at some point. Given we’re in the final arc......... this might not be relevant at all to my theory because I have mixed thoughts on AFO being Deku’s dad but it would connect a few things in the theory.

SO. Finally, all of this together had me thinking about Deku’s characterization and what this (now with COMBAT related ptsd and not just civilian ptsd) means for his ending.

Like I said, I think he’s going to lose OFA. And I originally didn’t think so because Heros Rising showed his losing it and why would they do that again? The movie is canon. Horikoshi himself said so and was a huge part of the production of it. So they did that and wouldn’t do it again. Except.... Deku GAVE OFA away. Which is significant because it was his choice. And he had shame and we witnessed how much that hurt him, but we haven’t seen what’s now been tried TWICE: OFA being forcibly taken from him. Maybe by Shigaraki, since that is building up big time. But maybe by saving Shigaraki.

Either way, what’s more significant to me than how he has it taken is what that means for him, based on everything else above: he would lose his entire self identity. He would literally have no idea who he is anymore except for the only reference he’s ever had, which his from when he was quirkless. He gained friends only after he had a quirk. Every bond he has is tied to him being a hero and he was told it was impossible for him to be a hero without a quirk. Even All Might’s adjusted answer to him at the beginning involved giving him a quirk as the answer for him being able to become a hero.

I think this is the absolute perfect chance for Bakugo to say “since when did you need a quirk to be a hero”. And it doesn’t matter much what the context is, what causes Deku to still need to be a hero (whether a Situation or just an identity crisis) and I think about Quirkless Deku as a hero a lot, since that’s how he was originally written in the one shot before he was revamped for bnha.

But I don’t think Deku will end quirkless either because of who his doctor was. I think Deku had a quirk. I think the doctor stole it. Whether that’s because AFO is Deku’s dad and saw his quirk and knew he had to take it for some reason or whether it was independent and the doctor saw it and took it. The whole toe thing can be written off so easily that Deku could easily have had a quirk at some point.

And maybe, if AFO and OFA are cancelled out, the quirks that were stolen go back to their original owners. Meaning Deku gets his ORIGINAL quirk back.

As in, Deku gets his own identity.

And what would that quirk be? Hm. I don’t know. But. His mom can move small objects. His dad can breath fire. A mutation, maybe? I’ll leave that one up in the air.

And there are a lot of implications here that this could mean for him, as far as healing. And I just want him to be happy.

[bittywitches]

I’m obsessed with the college roommates concept— maybe you’re feelings lonely and kinda sad abt ur love life one night and Grayson offers to take you on a date just for fun as friends but then ~feelings~ happen ☺️

Umm do you mean that one episode in season 8 of friends where Joey takes out pregnant Rachel and gets his crush on her??? Bc yes :))

It’s probably just been one of those weeks, you know? An assload of assignments, tests and exams every other day, most of which you’d completely bombed and were feeling shitty about. You hadn’t had more than 5 hours of sleep a day in like a month, you’d been living off of microwavables and instant noodles, you couldn’t remember the last time you’d had a sip of water since all your energy has been from coffee. And the kids in all your group projects this semester? Idiots. Selfish pricks. Every single one of them.

So it was needless to say that you were just in one of those moods. It was a Friday night, so things had slowed down enough, finally, but it also finally gave you some time to let yourself think, and god it was not great when you had to think.

It had started as just one of those basic thoughts; “What am doing? Where is this going?” which lead to “Why am I even in college in the first place?” Ending with “Oh my god I’m wasting my life and I’m gonna be alone forever”.

By the time Grayson had made it home that night, you were huddled up in the living room sofa under a blanket, your laptop open in your lap and snacks all over the table a couch while “Isn’t she lovely” by Stevie Wonder played on your phone as you tried your best not to burst into tears at the thought of never finding a boyfriend.

“Whoa, I don’t remember getting my invite to this slumber party.” He laughed, kicking his shoes off and throwing his bag onto the single sofa next to yours.

You slumped your shoulders. “It’s not a slumber party, it’s a pity party.”

“Oh?” He sat himself down on the sofa. “Who for?”

“Me, who else?” You wallowed, stuffing some more popcorn into your mouth.

“Why, did you get marks back?” He asked, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, a bit concerned at the volume of popcorn you were putting into your mouth with each bite.

“No, but what’s the point? I already know I’m doing bad.” You slumped backwards into the couch, just wishing you could be swallowed by the pillows and cushions.

“Hey,” He placed a hand on your knee, looking at you seriously now. He knew you. Your general melt downs he was used to, but this was different. He could tell something was wrong. “You okay?”

You sighed, grabbing your phone off the counter and pausing the song so you could think straight. “You don’t wanna hear about it.”

“I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t.”

You sighed, slipping your legs out from under you and dangling them off the couch. “Okay, um..” Grayson’s hand had fallen away, and you suddenly felt like rubbing the spot on your leg where it had been. “I don’t know. I guess I’ve just been so busy lately, and it’s just gotten me thinking about my life in general. And how I haven’t gone out on a date in like…” You had to stop and think, and started laughing after a few seconds. “In so long I can’t even remember. Wow, god.” You sunk back into the couch. “I miss dating.”

He quirked an eyebrow at you. “Yea?”

“Yeah, you know,” You waved your hands around vaguely. “The whole excitement of it. Getting to dress up and look all nice. Feeling all pretty.” He tilted his head at you, and you shook your head and laughed. “But you know, not that I need the reminder. I’m obviously hot as fuck.” You gestured to yourself, highlighting your nest of hair and your stained sweatshirt. You waited for him to laugh, but he just continued to look at you with that weirdly deep expression.

“What?”

“How about I take you on a date?”

You blinked at him, then started to chuckle, confused. “Huh?”

“You know, as friends. But I’ll give you like, the whole experience.”

You almost spit at that. “The ‘whole experience’?”

He rolled his eyes. “You know what I mean. We’ll get all dressed up, go out to a nice place for dinner or something.”

You sat up now, your eyes narrowed at him. “Why?”

“Why not? It’s a friday. If you have stuff to do you can always do it later.”

“You know where that mindset gets me, Dolan.”

“Come on, it’ll be fun.” He smiled. “Plus, you deserve a fun night.”

You scoffed. “Yea, but not with a boyfriend or anything. With my roommate.”

“You think you could do better?”

“Incredibly.”

“God just shut up and go change.”

You laughed. “I— You know what? What the heck.” You got up, and he did with you. “Ah, okay!” You gave him a quick squeeze before running to your room, and his eyes followed after you, a gentle smile on his lips.

…

He’d done the whole shebang. He got dressed in a nice dress shirt and clean black jeans, something you’d actually never seen him wear before. He’d somehow gotten you a bouquet of flowers, which, you weren’t even sure where or how he’d gotten them, because you couldn’t have taken more than twenty minutes to get ready. Nonetheless, he truly was the gentleman you had never expected. This was Grayson, the guy you watched old disney movies with and cried with during finals. He was the one you’d eat whole pints of ice cream with and play The Last of Us with and helped you master. He certainly wasn’t the one who was supposed to be complimenting you on your dress and taking you out to nice dinners. But here he was, doing just that.

He’d parked his car and was now escorting you inside this tiny but upscale italian restaurant, simple but elegant. As you entered through the glass door, the dazzling chandelier above the waiting area along with the gorgeous red sconces blew you away.

“Grayson how did you get a place like this on such short notice?” You whispered to him, gripping his arm, a bit intimidated by all the fancy folk waiting inside.

“I know some people.” He responded, a small smile on his lips.

You slapped his arm. “As if, you don’t even know the name of the Starbucks barista on campus.”

He rolled his eyes. “Can’t you let me be cool?” You stared at him waiting for the response, and he sighed. “This place is fairly new. Not that many people know about it yet, so it’s pretty easy to get a reservation.”

“How’d you know about it then?”

“Found it when I was looking for a place to take Sarah to.”

“Oh my god that girl from your Kinesiology class?” You looked at him with wide eyes and a grin on your face. “No way! I didn’t think you’d grow the balls to ask her out.”

“Hey,” He said, but you laughed. “Well, I haven’t exactly asked her yet. I was just checking it out.”

“Well either way, she’s going to love this place, it’s so extravagant.” You made it to the front and Grayson informed the woman standing there of his reservation. She escorted you both inside and brought you to a table next to one of the windows. She’d dropped off two glasses of water and menus for you both to look at in the meantime. You peaked at the one in front of you, and your eyes grew again.

“Gray, did you happen to look at the prices before coming here?”

“Don’t worry, I’m buying.” He flipped through his casually, as if he wasn’t exasperated at the large numbers printed on the cards.

“Are you serious? What are you, made of money?”

“Hey, I promised you a fun night, right? I can make a few sacrifices.”

A young man came up to your table, and you both gave him your order. You ended up choosing the cheapest thing on the menu, because a) you didn’t want to be too much of a burden on Grayson, but also b) you barely knew what any of it was anyways. He left, you both chatted for a bit, and he returned with your meals, both of them being some sort of pasta that you were a bit embarrassed about not knowing the differences between.

Grayson didn’t really know that much either, to be quite honest, but for some reason he felt the need to impress you with this place. And he was pretty giddy about the fact that it was working.

But throughout this, you had kept staring at him, frankly a bit shocked at the whole situation you both were in. You had to shake your head to get your thoughts straight, but ended up giggling. “So, you always this sweet with the girls you take out on dates?”

He bit his cheek, but decided to play along, lowering his fork and leaning in towards you to hear you over the chatter in the restaurant. “Why, you interested?”

“No, just curious what it is that Grayson Dolan pulls to get a girl.” You crossed your arms on the table, on elbow propped up with your chin resting on your hand. “Tell me, you have any moves?”

He laughed. “What, that I just use with every girl?”

“Don’t act so modest. There’s gotta be something. What gets them drooling?” You asked a playful smile on your lips.

He rolled his eyes, taking a bite of his food. “Okay fine, um.” He cleared his throat. “It usually starts out the same, I ask them about themself. Where they’re from, what they do— like, okay. What do you like to do in your spare time?”

You snorted. “Are we doing this? Are we playing this out?”

“Yesss, go with it.”

You laughed. “Okay, uh well. I like to paint sometimes.”

“Yea? What kind of stuff?”

“Well I used to do more traditional stuff, my parents were really into those pretty realism paintings. I’d do flowers and fruits and whatever, but every since, I guess junior year of high school, I’ve been doing more pop art pieces? And a lot more self-indulgent stuff. And I…” You trailed off, realizing you were rambling, but also realizing that Grayson had his soft eyes fixed on yours.

“What?”

His eyes widened a little, as if you’d shook him out of a daze, and he chuckled. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to stare. It’s just, uh... “ He smiled. “Your eyes are really pretty.”

Your face flushed a little bit, and you looked away from him, taking a sip of water to use it as your excuse. “Ah, thank you.”

He shook his head. “Anyways, so do you still do pop art now? Or has it changed since you’ve started college?”

You blinked at him, then covered your mouth as you opened it in slight shock. “Wow, that was really good.”

He laughed. “Yea?”

“The eye thing was good on it’s own but to know you were actually listening to me? I’m impressed.” You nodded in approval.

He tilted his head, chuckling. “Thank you, thank you.” He took another bite of food before continuing. “So what about you? You have any moves?”

You snorted again. “Gray, I barely go out on enough dates in the first place, much less enough to establish any moves.”

“Why are you always so modest? You can tell me you know.”

You laughed. “Yeah duh I know, but I’m genuinely serious this time. I don’t get asked out all that often.” You shrugged. “It’s why I get excited when I do get to go on dates. It’s fun.”

Grayson was the one who couldn’t help but stare now. He blinked at you, unable to really comprehend what you were saying to him. How could people not want to ask you out? You were incredible. Looking at you now, your hair up in a dainty bun, a few curls falling down the sides of your face; your pretty off the shoulder dress that matched your deep magenta-maroon lipstick. And he wasn’t lying about your eyes, they really were so pretty. They sparkled, even more so when you were laughing. Which was usually accompanied by your scrunched up nose, making you look like a cute little bunny. He smiled at the thought, as he loved seeing that expression on your face.

“Huh.” he said out loud then, not realizing when it was he had starting noticing your small actions like that so much.

“What?” You asked, looking up at him, and suddenly, seeing those same eyes he always saw staring at him, he felt almost light headed. His face felt warm, seeing you look at him like that. He was almost afraid that you could see what he was thinking. But why would that be a problem unless…

Grayson slowly widened his eyes. Did he seriously have feelings for Y/N?

“Nothing, sorry.” He said with a smile, looking back down at his food. Sure, he’d always thought you were amazing. You were gorgeous, sure, and you made him laugh. And yea he loved hanging out with you, watching movies and playing video games, and he adored being your roommate, having late night conversations and spending all your free time together…

He wanted to mentally smack himself in the face. Shit, he had feelings for you.

This was going to be a long night.

[shinneth]

Spill the tea on Stevinel (just because I saw one for conniverse) And yes, I'm not on Anonymous. Because I'm a proud stevinel shipper and no one's going to stop me from loving it, also your blog is cool

And you know what? That’s the right attitude to have! People should be free to express what they ship without shielding themselves with anonymity. I don’t blame the people that do these days - antis are fucking dangerous people - but goddamn, people. It’s fiction. 

So I commend you for shipping Stevinel openly and proudly! Hard to believe it’s actually considered a bold and brave move just to be open and honest about harmless preferences these days. 

That said, I’m sorry it took so long to get to this. I felt you deserved an epic, given how unexpectedly successful my tirade on why Connverse is a shit ship with an undeserved golden reputation was...

But the truth is, even though I’m very much a Stevinel shipper, it’s definitely not my OTP.

And it’s very tricky for me to figure out how to spill the tea on Stevinel in a way that’s distinct from me doing the same with Stevidot.

Because, well, let’s face it: these two ships, beyond being very similar in nature, have also endured identical hardships from the fandom.

All the death threats Stevinel fans get from the raging antis for daring to ship something so “problematic/immoral/wrong/not Connverse”? 

Stevidot fans have been treated that exact same way for years. And still are. For the exact same reasons.

Both Stevinel and Stevidot shippers are valid, but the fandom constantly turns a blind eye to Rebecca Sugar’s husband who also worked on the show outright saying gem x human ships are FAIR GAME.

And also turn a blind eye to the recent interview where Sugar herself stated that the gems are more like AI - a conclusion I and many others deduced ages ago just by how gems are portrayed in the show. 

But by god, they’ll hang on Matt Burnett’s word that “grown gems” are a thing even though canon itself explicitly states that GEMS DON’T GROW.

Just like how despite Maya Petersen outright admitting that Aroace!Peridot is just her headcanon, people treat it like the fucking gospel now.

(no offense to anyone who’s committed to that particular headcanon - I just don’t really see it with Peridot in particular and it’s really fucking stupid to claim it’s 100% canon when the source herself explicitly said it wasn’t)

Well, it’s canon that Spinel kissed Steven and he didn’t turn into dust. And Steven was already well on his way down the path of self-destruction at this point in time; he would’ve gone monster whether this happened or not. 

Also, how often does a character get the “heart eyes” expression for just a platonic love?

If there was ever a scene where Connie or Steven had heart eyes, no doubt most of the pricks would scream “YES!!!! UNDENIABLE PROOF THAT THEY’RE IN LOVE!!!”

But when it’s Spinel, suddenly it doesn’t count? Really?

How convenient.

There’s also the stupid idiots who saw the conceptual development of Spinel in that movie artbook and saw some vague color keys during a conceptual stage and claimed that Spinel was “family” to Steven - which of course must mean “related” and therefore must make Stevinel an incestuous relationship! 

Which is bull. Also shit. It’s already common knowledge that gems don’t work that way. She was the designated playmate for Steven’s mother. Nothing more.

Of course, most gems who come in Steven’s orbit end up being sort of a family to him. 

But everyone seems to have this impression that a gem being part of Steven’s family means they become additional surrogate mom figures.

And yeah no, that’s dumb and wrong. Garnet and Pearl are really the only ones I’d consider actual “mom figures”. Amethyst’s more of a big sister. Everyone else can vary depending on perspective, but I’ve never seen any of the other gems as anything close to a motherly figure for Steven. Any time I see shit about Lapis or Peridot being regarded as “gem moms” to Steven, I laugh my ass off. They are so not moms or any kind of authoritative figure for Steven. Bismuth at best is more of the fun-loving aunt.

There are more roles in a family than just a paternal/maternal substitute. In fact, I believe Steven has considered Connie to be part of his family well before they hooked up in canon.

(as a side-note, I love how people who are allegedly SO squicked out by age gap ships totally pardon Connverse - you guys realize Connie was 14 in Future, right? Possibly 15 depending on the time scale? There’s gonna be a point in the relative near future where Steven is 18 and Connie isn’t - why don’t I hear you assholes angst about that “atrocity”, huh?)

I honestly do consider the CG B-Team as part of Steven’s family, but more in a loose sense. But by that same token, I consider Connie as part of the family in a similar manner. 

Especially since Spinel was shoved off to live with the Diamonds after the movie - and the Diamonds themselves have a very fucked-up relationship among themselves to the point where I honestly hesitate to put a familial label on it at all - it’s extra stupid to try and paint Stevinel as something with incestuous overtones when it clearly doesn’t. 

Spinel does happen to be a perfect representative of how full of shit antis are about age gaps, though. 

While Peridot’s age has always been left vague, we know she can’t be 5K or older due to being an Era 2 gem. Due to her utter lack of knowledge of Era 1 events (or being completely sold on the Diamonds’ propaganda) and her general inexperience with her own equipment - as well as her ability to quickly adapt to Earth - I always headcanoned Peridot as being especially young. Like, younger-than-Steven young. 

Mostly because Peri’s attitude reeks of Gen Z - also because it’d be nice for a change to have a gem who isn’t thousands of years old like literally every other noteworthy gem in the show. We need a representative of gemkind who hasn’t been around for ages. 

Of course, Spinel’s backstory proves that even if they went the boring route and made Peridot thousands of years old just like everybody else, it wouldn’t really mean much of anything. She’d be no less of a valid romantic option for Steven regardless of age.

Spinel is several thousands of years old, and the movie explicitly shows us what exactly that amounts to for a gem.

As I mentioned earlier, Sugar sees the gems more like AI. Spinel remaining in one spot for several millennnia, not moving an inch, not speaking to anyone, not seeing anything other than a gradually-deteriorating garden... yeah, and somehow, despite all that, Spinel’s still very childlike per her design. She had literally no room to mature or accrue life experience: Pink Diamond basically hit the pause button on her entire life.

Even though she’s several thousands of years old, through no fault of her own, Spinel’s mindset remained unchanged. It wasn’t until Steven inadvertently came into her life that she became twisted - understandably so after finally realizing she’d been abandoned by Pink. 

But she still didn’t completely lose her true self. Spinel realized on her own that Steven didn’t deserve to suffer just because his mom was a negligent asshole. She also came to understand on her own that unlike Pink, Steven truly cared for her no matter what shit she threw his way. 

Steven could give Spinel the care and attention she always deserved; something Pink totally denied her while deceiving her into wasting away with her abandoned playground. He could be the one to give Spinel the love she always deserved but was either denied or manipulated into believing she got. 

Honestly, this is more than enough to warrant building something more between these two. 

The age gap is irrelevant. The two have chemistry. They aren’t related.

(and honestly, this is fiction - these details are largely irrelevant in fiction anyway. I’m only bringing it up because it doesn’t take much research to find that every label the antis put on Stevinel is complete inaccurate Diamond propaganda bullshit)

Stevinel is FINE. Let people ship it if they want to!

Um... is that good enough?

Honestly, I’m not gonna lie: Stevinel’s pretty goddamned popular; so much that I’m a bit jealous of it. I enjoy the ship a lot, but I’ve been keeping it at arms-length all this time. I’m looking forward to when I can write my own brand of Stevinel interaction when I get to introduce her in my series, but that’s still a while to go. 

Also, there’s almost zero Peridot/Spinel material, let alone my Peridot/Steven/Spinel OT3. And Stevidot material is still hard to come by; I’m noticing Stevinel’s still quite a bit easier to find by comparison. 

So in a way, I feel many other unpopular ships deserve some tea-spilling sooner than Stevinel because Stevinel at least still has a sizable fanbase. Same can’t really be said for a lot of similar ships here...

A lot of this can apply to other Steven x gem ships, honestly. 

But I guess I haven’t been showing Stevinel much proper love due to my devotion to my superior SU-AU. I can only hope I can soon reach a point where I can have GA Spinel react to Steven, since their dynamic will be significantly different.

(and then one day I’ll finally make the Peridot/Steven/Spinel OT3 fic!!)

Until then, I can only hope I did Stevinel some justice here!

[sonderrow-moved]

I was expecting a good memeing but instead I got thoughtful and heartwarming investment I’m weeping, my chest is all warm and fuzzy. @solaoccasum

i read that archer enjoys bathing, because it’s akin to the strange euphoria when one is drunk. so i have to ask, does he ever combine the two? has he ever accidentally drowned himself, if so?

That’s a great observation I don’t mention often ! ;; Archer does combine the two at times ! Only very rarely. It could be because a) he’s often drunk anyway or b) it is not easily available where he bathes/practical to bother with a container he’d need to personally arrange or c) bath houses, for obvious safety reason, do not serve or allow alcohol while bathing. Drinking alcohol, in Archer’s alcoholic habits, is a common occurrence, while long bathing times is more of a luxury he allows for himself, so he tends to not necessarily associate the two hand in hand. Usually, the sensation of bathing is strong enough that alcohol wouldn’t change much given his personal resistance (atop of the now vampire one that just tripled it).

The times Archer would have drunk while in a bath was when Integra ( @midorigxrxge​) would treat him to a large bath and serve him a glass (more like a bottle given how much he asks for). The earlier times would be while his sire would (near forcibly) throw him into his bathtub to bathe together, because Alucard was just like that, indulging in everything at the same time, wanting to drink strong alcohol with Archer in the same “large but just small enough for two grown men to be uncomfortably snuggled against one another in a tub”―ideally (for Alucard and Alucard only), they would have had sex while bathing and drinking, but since Archer wouldn’t have any, he mostly just decided to drown him for amusement.

So the happenstance of Archer mixing the two pleasures together would mostly be for an occasion where he had company to drink with.

has jael ever had an immediate attraction to someone, when courting hasn’t been involved? does he like doing grand gestures for a s/o? has he ever been courted?

That’s another good question !! Jael is quite a shallow person when attraction is involved. So, to put it elegantly, when someone’s body is showing great sexual assets, he does have this immediate attraction, even if they don’t directly make a move on him.

There is no real way for the moment to know if Jael likes grand gestures from a significant other, because he’s never had a grand gesture that was actually thoughtful about his person done to him. Every time it was made, it was a traditionally more of the shallow, generic type of grand gesture, like a surprise party or large gifts that “anyone would like”, but never something that could truly touch him. I’d tend to say that he doesn’t like those, but something that was truly thought through and very personal to him ? Given he’s a pretty laid back and low-key kind of romantic partner, I wouldn’t know exactly yet !

Jael has been courted in the past. As a jock type person and a guy who grew into a typically masculine good-looking white man in North America, it is not hard to imagine people making a move on him, even in the more sentimental way, all cisfemales, as he always gave too much of a I’m absolutely straight vibe. Unfortunately for those who flirted with more romantic and emotionally invested type of thoughts, Jael never (and may never?) fulfilled those expectations, albeit not on purpose.

what would archer do if his immortality was suddenly gone? would he react? would he worry about his mortality? 

It would be quite a shock for sure, as it was already a massive trauma AND shock to be suddenly turned in one of the most painful way possible and be hit in the face with the fact that everything about his nature was to change, for eternity. However, I do believe that after time spent to come in terms with this, Archer ultimately wouldn’t mind so much. Even as a vampire, some form of mortality always loomed, and his cynical, depressive mindset always thought of the worst-case scenario. The immortality did give him some courage to make some leaps, but he would keep on living the same way he does right now. Because as a vampire or a human, Archer only tries to live his life (or unlife(?)) one day at a time.

when it comes to quinn’s...slimy limbs, has he ever throttled someone to death? does he found the thought horrific? is he overstimulated, scent wise, when it comes to being in an environment that is alight with smells?

Quinn has, so far, never used his limbs in an offensive way. It simply doesn’t compute with his prey-leaning instincts. He and his slime peers are no predators, and he has never seen his extra arms as something which could potentially cause harm to someone, only something practical for himself to reach farther places in a timely fashion. Given he still hasn’t fully developed nor explored the potential of his tentacles in Earth’s gravity, a lot is open to possibilities, especially now that he’s maturing amongst humans, and his thoughts are becoming more concrete.

That’s a very good supposition because yes, Quinn is VERY sensitive to scents !! Much like multiple mammals. Given his prey role, his senses are very aware of what surrounds him, and his scent is very sensitive, as it is so much more reliable than sight when wanting to survive. Quinn’s sense of smell, like all other senses is felt like a closer to a human (or more like a mammal since it’s so much more accute) when in a human form, while it is computed very differently while a slime, but to the same result. Quinn associates scents much like an animal does, as in he is not necessarily disgusted by their sources unlike a lot of humans (say, for example, trash and body odors), but seeing them as identifiers. And, just like certain animals, his emotional response is also dictated by what he smells, like a loved one for example.

if roy could give up one insecurity/normalization of something he dislikes, what would it be? does he expect to live a long, full life? if not, does he have some sort of twisted bucklist to complete?

I assume you mean anything in the world ? If that is so I think that Roy would like to suppress entirely blissful ignorance, especially the type which people decide to stay in. Things like people reposting cute seals pictures with “uwu so cute” while they take no care of the environment are what greatly grind his gear. He would take someone who actively dislikes seals and the environment and has full conscience of the consequences of their action than someone who starts to make jokes when confronted by such things. From small to crucial matters.

Roy doesn’t expect to live a long, full life, as he is very lonely, and aims to live a life without regrets, even if it is not necessarily a happy one. However, you may argue he has already lived a long life. As far as bucklists go, yes, actually ! He has one, which is, to make it short, full of goals to control how other people think and act, and is basically impossible to achieve.

when it comes to archer’s and olu’s ( @nvrcmplt​  ) relationship, does archer have any hang ups. are there desires he’s yet to explore with the lion? does he trust him? do they trust each other? does he ever....wonder about what if they never met?

That is another great and also embarrassing question !

Archer would... love to explore the very limit of how much abuse Oluwayemisi can take in the bedroom, but abstain to do so given the lion’s antecedents with genuine, non-roleplay abuse which Archer was key in being responsible for it*. The desire DOES show, especially when he is topping, atop of how much of a bloody mess both their maw and claws can do.

*So, for those who didn’t know, Archer played a key resource role with the people responsible for Oluwayemisi’s pride death, torture, enslavement, experimentation, you name it, which only left his son Osakwe luckily estranged with a healthy adoptive family, and Oluwayemisi a slave forced to fight in pits like an animal while being treated like a piece of meat. Not knowing how much he had actually been involved with Olu as he and his kind were, at the times, for Archer, numbers and words in business emails related to atrocities he had been numbed of, Archer fell in lust sponsored Oluwayemisi’s fights. And, as Oluwayemisi turned out to be very intelligent which just made the whole lust thing way worst, the two of them started to have actual discussions and rapports, despite the discrepancy in power role. Olu showed a care and thoughtful, wise responses to his antics that Archer couldn’t have cared if the second he dropped his guard he’d find out it was all a scheme to kill him and run away, he had just fallen too deeply in love. And he’d gladly have been ripped apart by someone he already found so great.

The thing is, Archer is very aware of how unusual the kink scene can be to Oluwayemisi. The rawer type of violence they can use at times plays on familiar, animal instincts the both of them carry, but more elaborate plays is potentially puzzling. Olu has been very receptive to a lot of Archer’s material, but never to the extent he’d take it if possible. Because a) Archer is too afraid to ask (a rare occurence) b) he loves Oluwayemisi way more than risking triggering something and c) even with his moral ambiguities and wrongs, Archer can definitely see the amount of fucked up this would imply.

Since they, although messily because as you can read Archer is just like that when things reach a personal level, are open to sexual encounters outside their relationship, Archer contents himself with letting out this preference out on willing (or not really all the time...) partners who know they are into it.

Does Archer trust Oluwayemisi ? He would love to say yes, but, ultimately, no, Archer doesn’t trust Olu. Despite everything the lion could tell him, Archer is sure that, if the right mother material would come up, he would rather Oluwayemisi leaves him for the freer lifestyle he tore him away from. He is sure that, if it came down to it, Olu would choose his son over him and he would be right to do so. And, most of all, Archer is sure that, as Olu discover more about him, he will end up hating him, like he should have done from the very beginning.

Do they trust each others ? There’s so little change in the wording, yet my answer would be the total opposite, I do think that Olu and Archer trust one another. They trust one another to love and care for the other, trust that they will both take into account the other’s desires and needs. That they will both compromise if one has different preferences than the other. As chaotic as Archer can be, they actually have quite a stable, solid relationship going on. On top of all this, Oluwayemisi can read Archer like an absolute open book, which Archer has no idea on how obvious he is to Olu’s eyes. This makes Olu’s view of Archer drastically different and much more stable.

Does Archer wonder if he never met Olu. He does, a lot. Because of his insecurities on how much he finds himself out of Olu’s league. Archer thinks that he may have never found out, and that he doesn’t even admit it to himself and probably never will but that is only the truth, that Archer needed to be literally fucked as hard as he had fucked others over in his life. That he yearned to be punished so badly and still does. The need to have at his side a powerful person who’d constantly challenge him, to punish and be punished. Archer thinks he could have continued settling with people he can use, weaker people he can play around with as they kneel and beg to be abused by him. That he would have thought that finally admitting he was into men was enough, and there was nothing else more to admit to himself.

Help me when it comes to them I write so much.

does jael ever worry about his age when it comes to sex? or relationships? even for like casual things with friends? is he up to date on slang and such with the younger generation lol ?

That is both hilarious and amazing thank you so much hahahaha !

Jael is someone who is at the peak of shape given his lifestyle and profession, so he never truly worried about his age when sex was on the table. If anything, with his age, he worries more about his practical, physical skills degrading with time, and him not being able to perform his job and protect his brothers and sisters in arms efficiently, especially since he has the role of the heavy stuff in his unit.

On relationships, however, as much as he’d hate to admit, yes. Jael thinks he has become way too old to have a significant relationship, but that is something he actually gave up on pretty early on, as he was never good at this kind of things. It is one thing to dream about a fulfilling romance, another to put up with the hardships that comes with a real one.

When it comes to friendship, Jael does have a hard time. However, age is less of an issue than his lifestyle. Not everyone is military and can bond with one who has been so deeply in it. It is a unique culture, a unique mindset. Some people in service are more flexible, but those like Jael who had service define all they are have a harder time bonding with others that are not on the job, and an even harder time bonding with people in service who are not in active duty anymore, as things can degrade rapidly.

Is Jael up for woohoo and such with younger people ? Absolutely. I mean he did... kinky stuff under a restaurant table with someone who seemed younger ( @lightpersists​ wink wonk). When you go past the weird mask thing and the foul mouth, he finds himself often attracting people in their early thirties or even twenties. Jael doesn’t really... have a moral compass on the matter. It is pretty much “as long as it is legal I’m good” type of deal, and even then he’s the kind of stupid, irresponsible, yikes man who would believe a 17 yo by word if she said “I’m 20 I just look younger”. (though if we go into specifics, he wouldn’t do it with someone he physically saw looked like a kid he prefers womanly ladies) Younger people are actually less put off by Jael’s appearance and behaviour, so he does tend to naturally be around them. If he hits it off with someone younger than him who is also an adult, it is only natural to him. He doesn’t feel guilty about getting along with groups in their 20s or early 30s, but maybe a bit of shame because, even for him, it sometimes feel a bit off...

[sugar-petals]

Hav u done predictive readings for who the boys will end up with & how their career will go etc?

a 2020 career prediction i’ll publish at the end of december! their future partner we’re doing now. i added some angel oracle cards today ♡ those describe the theme of their relationship.

Jungkook: QUEEN OF CUPS

Hallelujah! Oh yeah. That’s an ideal card, picture perfect. The Queen of Cups is quite possibly one of the best partner allegories to have because a) Cups rule smoothness of relationships and emotions and b) she’s a royal card which indicates a highly developed state of mind where things finally come to fruition unlike with the aces and pages. Jungkook will mean so, so much to his partner. That’s a twin flame or soulmate connection we’re talking here. A really beautiful and dignified person, a little touchy feely, but experienced with love. They can really depend on another. Maybe they’re from Busan like him or the shore generally, the sea plays an important role for the Queen of Cups. There are tiny little cherubs on the card, I’m thinking he’ll be treated like an angel. It’s a very healthy relationship that leaves nothing left to be desired. As for looks: It might be a blonde, taller person whose favorite color is blue. There are cliffs on the card that remind me of Cornwall’s coast. The English theme is pretty consistent in his readings lmao we’re dealing with an excellent speaker. And, because it’s a court card with quite abundant imagery, it’ll be a S/O of quite some status. I am sure the person will be known to us already, or at least a big deal within his or her family. It’s queen energy, so the mom friend is right on their way into JK’s heart. Another aspect is that his partner might be rather spiritually inclined — mind you, every person is spiritual, how aware you are makes the difference — or even psychic. Water signs ahead; Pisces, Scorpio, Cancer.

— angel card: “Playfulness — To bring about romantic feelings, allow your youthfulness to shine with delight.”

Taehyung: THE EMPRESS

Yet another powerful female archetype, this reading does not mince words.  And also a very wholesome outlook, it’s very similar to the Queen of Cups vibe, or Queen of Pentacles if we’re looking at other tarot suits. I was really happy when I saw this card come out. The Empress almost always signifies kids, the theme is fertility. Taehyung will live a very lavish life with this partner. The card has so much opulence and positivity on it. Nature, food, pillows, ample garments, jewelry, good weather, and harvest time. And, of course, the Empress is fairly curvy, so expect either Taehyung gaining weight in the future or his partner being chubby. It’ll be the good life, in a good place, with the right person. There’s a settled and satiated feeling there. Stagnation could be possible after a while because this card gets too cozy. However, loyalty and a ripe sexual life are like glue to the union so I don’t see Taehyung stress anytime soon there. The card gives me plenty of clues how his home will look like as well, it’s highly decorated and comfortable. Interestingly enough, we see a huge wheat field surrounding the Empress — hence the card symbolizes fertility — so I wonder whether Taehyung’s dream of getting involved in farming will play out. I mean… coincidence? The countryside will take on an important role in any case, maybe with photography as well. Tae marrying a farmer’s girl, who knows! Beautiful card, definitely. It’s a good prospect for him. The Empress is major arcana so, this state of happiness will last him for a giant while and it’s destined. The boy will shed a tear no more. 

— angel card: “Attraction — you receive love by enjoying the moment.”

Yoongi: KNIGHT OF SWORDS

It’s the fastest card of the tarot! The power of swords paired with a knight on his speedy horse is quite a combination. Yoongi’s future partner is not going to waste time to charge right into sweet honey boy’s life. We’re dealing with a hothead, athlete, extrovert. I don’t think Yoongi has to do as much as crook a single finger to get things going. In fact, he’s the one waiting it out. He’ll just lean back and poof there is his significant other bursting into his life. Though I gotta say, the Knight of Swords has a detriment and that is: He leaves as fast as he arrives, and you have to be sure of your boudaries. Major burnout dangers there. The relationship might be short compared to say Namjoon’s or Tae’s reading. It’s Yoongi’s part to make this last if that’s what he’s going for. It’s a sword card, there have to be efforts and mental clarity involved to solve the problem. Though, someone rushing towards their love interest with so much passion has a good reason why he or she does that. Yoongi could get snatched away by someone else, with so many people interested in him you really have to be determined. With the archetype being a knight I also know it’s going to be someone younger than him, there’s a certain rebellion to the card. It has military energy. Yoongi’s partner will be one outrageous and direct person. They are 100% unafraid to face off with Yoongi, they have better comebacks than the master of sharp remarks himself. When it comes to sex, Yoongi will probably forget his own damn name after that ride. This person is wild as hell. It’s not a fellow sleepyhead as we saw in the ideal type reading, but a S/O bringing him out of his dreamy world. There’s a strong encouragement for Yoongi to achieve a lot more when he enters that relationship, it’s a power up to be expected here.

— angel card: “Worth the Wait — Divine timing predicates your relationship.”

Namjoon: TEN OF PENTACLES

Nice! Wow. The tarot says Namjoon is blessed. This is the card of wealthy, happy old age. He’s headed right for it already. In all tarot suits, the 10 indicates fulfillment. E.g. the Ten of Cups shows relationship completion because cups stand for love, the Ten of Swords shows total defeat because swords symbolize conflict, the Ten of Wands signifies complete effort/exhaustion since wands represent impetus. So the Ten of Pentacles equals coming full circle in terms of material things as pentacles are responsible for all tangible value in life. He’ll be living blissfully with his S/O. Everything is cared for. We’re talking long-term relationship here. The card shows an old man settled in his favorite coat and spot. Namjoon has a kind of master plan to gently arrive in his 80s, 90s. It’s not a surprise, we know he looks ahead, the tarot is aware of it, too. And yes: He will finally be able to answer his question “Who the hell am I?”. Ten of Pentacles means: Identity found. I had to wipe away a tear for that one man. I think it has to do with the location. The setting of the card is like a polished type of town with castles. A bit Italian, Mediterranean. Not as modern as say Seoul, bigger cities. It could be him moving to a warm country where things are slow, antique, and indulgent. I once said Namjoon has a type of European mindset going on, if he moves there it with his loved one or his partner is European it wouldn’t be shocking. There are two dogs on the card so, Joon will have pets involved in the partnership. The 10 of Coins also shows a couple immersed in a chat. His S/O is primarily someone he can talk to about the world, it’s a very conversation-heavy union. Now, the old man on the card could also show that he finds another old soul— we’ve had that topic come up in the other readings as well, the tarot is sure he’ll meet someone on par. Earth sign energy here.

— angel card: “Love Without Fear — Open your heart to give and receive the highest of energies.”

Hobi: THREE OF PENTACLES

Even more pentacles. Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn is possible. His partner is a darn good team player, their friendship bond is strong. First thing that came to my mind, they’ll build a house together or get busy working around their home in some kind of way, that’s interestingly enough the central theme I get from the card. Distribution of chores and general tasks is a big thing, and they’ll be planning a gazillion industrious things from what I got through the imagery. There’s an abbot, architect/craftsman, and monk seen on that card working on a church wall embellishment. One gives directions, the other has drawn a sketch that illustrates what kind of decor the abbot wants to have on the church wall, and the third guy does the crafting, hammer and chisel in hand. It’s not a love-related card per see so it’s important to point that out. It could hint at some pretty huge artistic collaborations coming our way instead. If you combine that, it could happen in a way like… Hoseok gets with someone he collaborated/collaborates with sometime soon, or a little later. Yup. Chicken noodle soup with Becky G on the side! Their chemistry is amazing and she is so cute, it’s very much possible. Or, in a wider sense, it’s someone from an upcoming project. That’s interesting. It seems quite sure that Hoseok won’t retire after BTS even if he’s pretty damn rich already, he’ll stay in the industry and foster (=embellish) his career with a strategy behind it much like the abbot on the card. We’ll get to know his partnership(s) along the way, but the tarot says it’s not top priority. Pentacles are earth sign energy so Mercury, Saturn and Venus are what will dictate that union, it’s the overall pragmatic energy that’s taking center spot. Also, since the church is so prominent on the card, Hoseok is working towards marriage nine times out of ten. 

— angel card: “Fresh Love — A new person has stirred your romantic feelings.”

Jimin: FIVE OF SWORDS

That one is… sigh. The odd one out in this post. How do I put it. It’s a series that just doesn’t break. Jimin constantly gets the messy cards and not so love-friendly swords when I do relationship readings on him. There is something going on and I kind of hate it already. But the tarot is being adamant so we have to decipher what’s going on and see the resolution, there’s more to it than just the cards doing him dirty. The Five of Swords pictures a battle aftermath with a mischievous winner and two defeated parties walking away sore. The winner picks up the weapons left behind to hoard then. So when it comes to his future S/O, we’re talking someone wants to play win-lose with Jimin’s insecurities and will get away with it because they’re strong, sly, and full of themselves. They don’t have his best interests in mind, especially when quarrels go down. Lack of harmony overshadows the relationship. There’s some major bullshit and that’s scary. The partner is like a leech, leaving only Jimin pissed, it’s not a lose-lose situation, things are wholly unequal. Picking on Jimin leaves their ego inflated and intensifies resentment. Working against each other over working with another is going on. Jimin has to walk away from that situation and mend his wounds, and never return. It’ll be a period of growth in his life ahead where he becomes aware just how giving too much and being defeated by that does him no good, as well as learning how to spot douchebags who don’t care about him. The Five of Swords is among the quintessential breakup card, it’ll be what defines his future relationship unless or until he has the grit to stop the fight and search for equity and affection instead of put-downs.

— angel card: “You Deserve Being Loved — You’re worthy of love.”

Jin: SIX OF PENTACLES

Pentacles, pentacles everywhere. I see that the hyungs have some financial themes going on, Jin’s card is emblematic of that. First let’s have a look what’s going on with the imagery. A wealthy man holds a scale on this card. He distributes coins to poor men kneeling before him. It’s an interesting symbol for a relationship, if not for another more important area of Jin’s life which could very well be philanthropy. He is the wealthy man on the card, sharing in just ways as the scale indicates. That could be providing for his partner a lot or simply doing charity together with them. I do have to say, and that is similar to Hoseok’s card, I don’t see too much of a romantic theme here which is surprising, but the tarot knows its ways. Some members might be doing partnerships much later in life or eschew them. With Jin here, I get a sense that business relations and deals will be an overarching theme in the near future. It could be the situation with his dad’s business in Germany the card is hinting at, and if marriage is involved, there’s a major exchange of valuable ideals and things involved between parties. A recurring theme is class difference though, the same popped up in the last reading. Jin’s status will be much, much higher but he can tip things into balance with a fairness mindset, Libra energy. A huge gap will be bridged. Last but not least, mea culpa: I think I’ve been missing the obvious interpretation there. The signs are everywhere in the cards for his readings, and oh my god: Jin is the member who’ll get together with a fan. 

— angel card: “Children — Kids will have an influence on your love life.”

[botwstoriesandsuch]

Yo what if the Champions’ spirits stuck around long enough to train the next gen? Hcs for that?

*blows dust off of ask* Sorry this took so long, hope you weren’t too comfy sitting in my inbox there. Alrighty! Time for some

Training Montages *Rocky Theme Plays* (Headcanons)

Credit to @champion-of-the-sky​ for some help with the hcs

Ok, the first part of this post it just gonna be some of my thoughts into how the Divine Beasts actually work, because that’s kinda of necessary information if you wanna train them. So here is another one of my big boi head canon posts because sometimes I can’t shut up.

So firstly, the Divine Beasts can draw immense power from Hyrule which is stored over time and charges their giant laser thingys (Naboris draws power from the earth and makes electricity, Ruta takes in water from the atmosphere, Rudania is fire boy, Medoh has wind and thermal (from the atmosphere) generators, etc. etc.)

The Ancient Sheikah were like “hey wow these are really powerful beasts so maybe we should make sure that no one unworthy gets their hands on them”

Their solution was to have a spiritual bond between the beast and the pilot. Each Divine Beast has their own “soul” or personality and can judge someone of being worthy of piloting them. And only that person would have the power to use the Divine Beast to its full potential (AKA use the giant Anti-Ganon lasers)

Ergo, the Champions

When the died 100 years ago, their spirits stuck around because Ganon need to trap their spirits in order to get the Divine Beasts to actually work

[And then this would be a good segue-way into that cool idea where the Link has to fight the Champions taken over by malice, instead of the blights. BUT we’re not talking about that today]

Ok, so you know the story. Link frees the Divine Beasts from Ganon’s grasp. The spirits of the dead Champions command a legendary blow against the blight of Hyrule. Zelda and Link help save the day. Yay!

HOWEVER! The Champions are still there, their spirits persist.Turns out their spirits cannot go away, because the Divine Beasts don’t really wanna go without an owner, considering they’ve been controlled by Ganon for 100 years, so fair.

Basically, the Beasts wont let the spirit of their old pilots go until they find a suitable successor

Enter, new gen Champs!

Daruk/Yunobo

Training with a Divine Beast is not unlike trying to form a bond with a real animal. In fact, the Beasts do behave with a mind of their own, so that might as well be an on point analogy

Daruk struggled with Rudania because its personality was very stubborn and blunt, much like the Goron race anyhow. As said in my other post, Rudania’s personality clashes with the playful and loving nature of Daruk

The only reason Daruk even got the handle on things was becuase Link forced him to spend a whole day in the Divine Beast. We can only speculate that from that time, Daruk must have somehow formed a mutual respect or protective bond with the giant lizard

So essentially, when he’s training Yunobo, he does the exact same thing

“You just gotta walk around for a bit, Yunobo. Get a feel for ol’ Rudania. They’re a grump, but you’ll get along.”

“G-get a feel? We’re surrounded by lava! What if I mess up? What if your Divine B—”

“Your, Divine Beast”

“Right, right… but what if it doesn’t like me and tips my into Death Mountain’s core!”

Daruk gives a hearty laugh. “Kid, you helped save ol’ Ruddy from Ganon, remember? You’ve already got a good bond going. So just walk around for a bit and just take ‘em all in. Good luck!”

And he slams the door behind him, leaving Yunobo in the dark

But he’ll eventually get around to forming a bond. But Rudania’s probably a little grumpy that they’ve gone from reckless pilot who laughs too much, to timid teenager gifted with a powerful champion ability that he is self-conscious about

Daruk is hella encouraging with Yunobos training. The kid will eventually be the second best with his Beast. Daruk is patient with Yunobo because he sees himself in him. And he also teaches him some cool tricks like if you tilt Rudania just right, you get a cool slip and slide ramp that’s perfect for the hot springs

Urbosa/Riju [not a lot for these guys bcs I’m lazy and this post is long anyway]

Urbosa would be playful with Riju when they train, making goofy jokes about things, letting out a quick joke to lessen and tension Riju might feel from her anxiety to lead her people. At the same time, she also explains things with good detail

Riju is third best with her beast. Occasionally, she’ll be intimidated by Naboris’ strength and power, especially considering she had an incident with Patricia the Sand Seal back when it was shooting lightning everywhere

However, she’s the one to ask the most questions, half of which Urbosa can’t answer. She’s got that childish curiosity that serves well in her understanding of Naboris

Mipha/Sidon [also not a lot because using your imagination can be hard]

Mipha and Sidon just act like siblings, much to both of their delight. It’s less of training, and more of catching up on everything over the last a hundred years on top of a giant elephant.

Because they’re siblings, Mipha pulls little pranks on her little brother on purpose. But neither are really annoyed by it, as they both laugh it off

Like Mipha will tell Sidon to stand in a certain spot to see how the parts of Ruta move. Then she makes Ruta move in such away to splash the poor prince in gallons of water

You’re gonna ruin his handkerchief Mipha!

Sidon is the best at managing his Divine Beast out of the four, for not only does he have a strong bond with the previous pilot, but he gets along well with Ruta’s playful personality

Revali/Teba

Local birds butt heads because they’re both egotistical idiots

Revali continues to be as dramatic as usual, while also maintaining his image by claiming that Teba will probably never master Medoh as well as him

Teba respects Revali given that he was his childhood hero. Yet at the same time Revali isn’t exactly what he expected, and he’s not down to take this sass from a teenager

Perfect storm of dumb banter, because both have reluctance in the whole situation

Teba gives out a groan, frustrated. “Argh! This damn bird wont start its propellers. How do I get it to work?”

“Perhaps Medoh is still tired. After all, you’ve been complaining none stop all day.”

“Right, my voice is the problem.”

“Why don’t you sing her a lullaby, she’s probably so sleepy.”

Teba scoffs, “You’re kidding. There’s no way that would work. Beside, there’s no way I’m sing—”

“Why don’t you hold your tongue, my dear apprentice,” another groan escapes Teba, “You’re going to hurt Medoh’s feelings with that attitude. Tulin is your son, yes? Surely you’ve sung a tune or two back in his fledgling days?”

“Sure, but I’m not gonna—”

“Medoh wants to hear you s i n g~”

Revali is strict with his training, and Teba probably struggled with Medoh the most out of the four, considering that before Link came along, he had the mindset of killing Medoh. 

Teba still repescts everything Revali is doing, making sure to call him “Master Revali.” And though he would never admit it, Revali’s feathers would always fluff with pride at the notion of it

Also he’s gonna call Teba his pupil/apprentice throughout the entire session

Angsty moment: when each Champion thinks their apprentice is ready, THAT’S the time they get their final rest and their spirits move on. Like, imagine Sidon wanting to Master Ruta to make his sister proud, but at the same time the day he does is when she is gone for good.

That looks like a good note to end off of! So yay :)

[stillebesat]

In These Tangled Webs (11/11)

Sanders Sides: Logan, Patton, Roman, Virgil Blurb: It should be easy admitting to your roommates that you’re not entirely human. Only in Logan’s case it’s not. Not when he discovers that Patton is afraid of Spiders. Fic Type: Hurt/Comfort Overall Warnings: Spiders, Arachnophobia, Death Talk, Minor Character Deaths, Slightly Detailed Descriptions of Deaths, Murders, Injuries, Swords, Imprisonment, Biting, Fangs, Venom, Extra Body Parts, Blood, Manipulation, Negative Self Talk

To Catch Up: Chapter 1  Chapter 2  Chapter 3  Chapter 4  Chapter 5  Chapter 6  Chapter 7  Chapter 8  Chapter 9   Chapter 10

EPILOGUE -Two Weeks Later

Logan sprawled out on his bed, foot tapping the sheets as he frowned down at the drawing.  “I don’t know, Ro.” 

“Oh come on, Specs!” Roman jabbed the paper he’d practically shoved into Logan’s hand. “Please! It’s for science!”

Virgil snorted from where he sat jotting down notes in the middle of the large web Logan had built for him in order to test the strength of the threads he could produce from his wrists. “For science, huh. Since when do you care about--?” 

“Since--since you said you needed to establish if Logaroo’s webs here can hold a human’s weight or not!”

“We’ve already established that it can.” Logan said, gesturing to Virgil. “This just---it’s fantasy, Roman. Hanging from a single thread upside down? When would I ever need to do that?” It would hardly be stable. He could already imagine spinning uncontrollably or swinging wildly back and forth in the wind. No, two or maybe three anchor points would be necessary to help control such a descent--

“Because it would look freaking cool that’s why!” Roman said sitting up straight, eyes shining. “Just imagine it okay? Hanging upside down in the rain--” 

“Getting water up my nose.” Logan deadpanned staring at the two figures Roman had drawn on the page.

“Getting--HEY!” Roman shoved his shoulder. “No! And you’ve just saved--” 

“The love of my life.” Logan finished. Blah blah blah. He’d heard similar speeches before from Ro. There was a good reason why Virgil often called him Princey after all. He shook his head. “I get what you’re getting at. I just don’t see why anyone would want to kiss like this.” 

“It’s a romantic gesture, Mr. Robot! Just think of how it would look in a movie!” 

“Which I would never be in because a) I’m not an actor like you two and b)--” He tugged at the collar of his button down shirt, showing them the top of his hourglass, much more comfortable now about bringing up his Spliced status to his roommates than he had ever thought he would be. “I doubt I’d be the most welcome in such a role.” Not unless it was a part in a horror movie and Logan doubted a real Widow would ever be cast in the first place. His kind were too dangerous to trust. 

And yet. He glanced up to Virgil and Roman, a small smile on his lips. And yet, somehow, he’d managed to find not one, not two, but three friends who did trust him. Who wanted to be around him. It was still hard for him to believe he wasn’t dreaming. That he had actually gotten so lucky.

Roman groaned flopping onto the bed covering his eyes with his arm. “Just pretend for two minutes that this is necessary okay! Life saving!”

“Life saving?” Virgil scoffed, twisting the protective bracelet Logan had created for him around his wrist. “We don’t even know the toxicity of the venom in Lo’s fangs yet. One wrong move on his part and bye bye love interest.” 

Roman groaned even louder, reaching out blindly to pluck the picture from Logan’s hands. “Why do I live with you two again? You spoil all my fun!” 

“I don’t know…” Logan smirked as he adjusted his glasses. “Didn’t you have fun trying to escape that web cocoon--

A shrill scream rang through the air, sending ice down his spine as he shoved to his feet, darting across the web in the blink of an eye to grab the door just as Patton fell silent. Logan froze, heart hammering in his chest, venom welling in his fangs, waiting for another cry, a sign--

Oh, how I love to hear them scream. 

“Pat.” He whispered, straining to hear--

“Lo!” Patton called out a second later in a wavering voice. “G-Get your little cousin AWAY from me!” 

Little cousin. A regular spider then. Logan relaxed fractionally, grateful that Roman had suggested the term a few days earlier just in case another arachnid appeared in their apartment. He pulled the door open, glancing over his shoulder to the others. “Please don’t tell me it’s the bananas again?” 

Roman scoffed, picking his way through the gaps in the web to get to the door. “Hey!” He waved his left hand, a thread wrapped ring shimmering on his pinky. “I checked before I bought them!” 

“And did you check the grapes too?” Virgil asked, wobbling on top of the web as he stood.

Ro flushed. “Uh--about that--” 

Logan didn’t stick around to hear the rest, running down the hall and jumping over the railing instead of taking the stairs to get to Pat quicker, grateful for the fact that there was no need to act as...human now that they knew. He landed easily just outside the kitchen and straightened, adjusting his glasses. “Where?” He asked gently, a tiny web appearing between his fingers as he took in the scene. 

There was a bowl of spilled grapes on the floor, a plate of Crofter’s PB&J sandwiches on the counter and Patton, dear dear Patton, who had practically climbed on top of the refrigerator in his knee jerk reaction to get away. 

Pat shuddered, eyes closed as he pointed in the general direction of the bowl, the pendant around his neck glowing a bright blue. “On--on--on--”  

“It’s okay, Pat--I’m here. You’ll be safe soon enough.” Logan said in as reassuring of a tone as he could while he searched the floor for signs--

There. 

Nearly blending into the tile, the off-white arachnid had frozen by a grape that had been squashed by the edge of the bowl. “Gotcha.” Logan whispered moving into the kitchen proper to drop the mini web onto the spider, the threads turning blue as he trapped it and pulled it up into his palm. “I got it Pat, hold on a sec, I’m taking it outside.” He said, vaulting over the island dividing the kitchen from the living room and quickly slipped onto the balcony to free the creature. 

With a quick glance to make sure no one was around, Logan leaned over the railing and carefully lowered the web to the house plant their neighbors below had recently moved outside. Once he was sure his ‘little cousin’ had been transferred safely onto a large leaf he pulled the web away. “Stay.” He told the spider despite knowing that it couldn’t understand him.  

Virgil hypothesized that he could, in fact, talk to spiders, but it wasn’t like it was a spoken thing if such an ability existed. If anything, it was a Widow’s scent and the vibrations of their approach that kept spiders away from his kind. 

Still, that didn’t mean that Logan could communicate with them to the extent of creating and controlling a ‘spider army’... though convincing Roman of that fact after seeing how many arachnids had been in the shed... had yet to be successful. 

“Pat?” He called ducking back inside. “It’s gon--omph.” He staggered a step as Patton grabbed him into a fierce hug, ducking his head against Logan’s chest, shuddering. 

“I-I’m so-so-sorry I-I’m try-trying--” He whimpered.

I’m NOT scared. Not of you.

Logan wrapped his arms around Patton, holding him close as he rested his chin on his head, noting that the Virgil and Roman had made it to the kitchen while he’d been outside and were quietly arguing over pre-bagged fruits as they picked up the scattered grapes. 

Keep you safe. 

“It’s okay.” He said softly. “You’re okay. You’re safe. I’m here.” 

Patton sniffed, struggling to draw a full breath. “I--I didn’t--mean to s-s-s-scream.” 

I hate hate hate spiders! 

“I know.” It had scared Logan half to death, but he could only imagine that Patton had been in the same mindset when he’d seen the spider in the bowl. “It’s okay to still be afraid of them.” He said soothingly, running his fingers through Pat’s hair. “No one expects you--I don’t expect you to suddenly get over your lifelong fear and never get scared.” 

Patton shivered. “I-I don’t want y-you to think--”

Logan paused, gently lifting his chin up so he could look into his eyes. “I know you’re not scared of me, Pat.” He said, a small smile tugging at his lips.  

How could he doubt it when Pat had not only run after him, a Human Widow, but braved that spider infested shed, gotten himself covered in webs, and clung to Logan so tightly he’d been surprised he hadn’t ended up covered in bruises. 

“I’m NOT!” Patton whispered fiercely, eyes shimmering. “I’m NOT Lo! I’m NOT!” 

 Logan rubbed a thumb against Pat’s cheek, brushing away his tears. “But it is okay to be scared of my little cousins. It’s a common fear among people, one you shouldn’t be upset about still having.” Especially after he’d survived an encounter with his mom. That fear was very very valid after everything he’d been through.

It’s kill or be killed, my spiderling.

Honestly, even two weeks later, it was hard to believe that Pat wasn’t afraid of him for what he was. That he would willingly stick close to him and treat him like...well, like a normal human being. Though it probably helped that Logan had been careful to keep his...Widowness...to a minimum around him. He’d worked hard to keep the spider related experiments of Virgil’s confined to his room or to when Pat wasn’t home so his best friend wouldn’t get upset. 

Patton slowly exhaled, looking at him with wide watery eyes. “You--you’re sure? It’s...okay?” He asked.

“I’m sure.” Logan said with a firm nod. “Though,” He tilted his head towards the kitchen. “Perhaps we should ban Roman from buying fruit if this is going to be a recurring event.” 

“HEY! It’s only my second time!” 

“And that’s two times too many, Princey.” 

Roman scoffed. “In six months I would think that’s still pretty good--”

“And how often have you done it in the last month? That’s not good. Whatcha do? Switch grocery stores or something?” Virgil retorted

Patton gave a shaky laugh, glancing to the kitchen before he nodded. “At least we should probably ground him for a bit.” He whispered. “A week, maybe two.”

“I think forever is good.” Virgil said, coming into the room, holding the plate of sandwiches. “Nobody here likes grapes anyways.”

Roman gasped, appearing right behind Virgil with cups and a pitcher of blue kool-aid in his hands.  “No, no, NO! Forever is NOT good, Emo Nightmare, because that is Fiveever too long and we can’t all survive off of Loganberry jam like some Nerds we know! I need--” He argued as they settled on the couch, placing the food on the table in preparation for movie night.

It was all so...normal. Logan gave Pat a gentle squeeze. Some days he still couldn’t believe that his roommates were okay with the truth, okay with knowing he wasn’t exactly like them.

But at the same time, to finally be treated normally was all that Logan had ever desired in the first place. To be able to be himself. He sighed, burying his face in Patton’s hair. “I’m glad nothing’s really changed.” He mumbled, listening to the other two argue over what movie to watch.

Patton chuckled, resting his head against Logan’s chest, relaxing in his arms. “Me too, Lo. Me too.” 

End.  Taglist in Reblog

[pomrania]

would the force also exist in the tma star wars crossover? how would the jedi work? do the jedi know about the entities like how they know a lot more than the average person about the force and such?

(In reference to a post about a Star Wars AU where the Entities from TMA are also a thing.)

So I had to think about this, and here’s what I came up with. “Outwardly”, the GFFA looks the same. There’s still references to “the Force”, and it’s used pretty much the same ways as canon.

I’m thinking that the Force is like, “raw” Entity-stuff. Think a combination between ectoplasm and Limbo-matter (from D&D) and Warp energy (from WH40k), but more philosophical/psychological. Interacting with it directly requires a quirk of your physiology (represented by midichlorians), while “interacting with it directly and having it do what you intended for it to do” requires a LOT of training. That’s what the Jedi do, along with various other Force traditions.

The Entities are that weird-pseudo-matter-plasma-thought-energy that has taken on an “intention”. It still requires that midichlorian-measured stuff to be able to interact with it, but to a SIGNIFICANTLY lesser degree, PROVIDING you use it in the direction it “wants” to go. Think of Jedi Force usage as moving water in a cup, while Entity-powered Force usage is like dumping a bucket of water; it’s way easier and also faster, so long as you only wanted the water to go “downwards”.

The “Dark Side” is a misnomer, but one that’s gotten so ingrained in Jedi teachings that despite the efforts of pedantic nerds throughout the centuries, nobody has been able to replace it with a more accurate term. Said “Dark Side” is reaching for the “form” that’s already there (an Entity) and using THAT, instead of the “raw” Force-stuff. It’s dangerous for two main reasons, three if you count that each of those two reasons reinforces the other so it becomes a feedback loop: a) you have to FEEL in a certain way, have a particular DESIRE (and not just “this problem needs to be solved”) in order to “touch” an Entity, and those thoughts and emotions are universally unhealthy when you dwell upon them; and b) when you touch an Entity, it makes an imprint on your mind, encouraging those patterns; that “imprint” will fade over time, but each additional contact makes it deeper, makes it something that influences you more and something that’s harder to get away from.

So like, using just the “raw” parts of the Force you can (relatively) easily influence someone’s mind somewhat, get them to do things that they’re not adverse to doing. If you want to influence them in a stronger way, you can put a lot of effort into improving your skill in that field; or you can tap into the Entity that “wants” to manipulate others. To do that, you need to have your mind “focused” in the Web’s desired “pattern”, and then tap into it, and that will “deepen” those thought patterns, reinforcing your desire to manipulate, but making it require way less effort.

It’s possible to “tap into” different Entities in different situations, but if they’re not conceptually similar enough, it requires the ability to completely alter your mindset and mentality and desires according to the moment, which... isn’t really a thing most people can do. THEORETICALLY it’s possible to tap into lots of different Entities and thus prevent any one of those from influencing you too much, taking from Smirke’s dreams of “balance”, but in practice that never actually happens for anything more than the extreme short-term. Everyone has something they like-and-thus-use more than the others, so that is what claims them, if they keep tapping into the Entities. And once someone has been so thoroughly claimed by a particular Entity that everything they could have been is now filtered through that outlook, it’s easier to just call them an Avatar, because that’s what they are.

An Avatar MIGHT be able to use SOME things associated with an Entity other than their patron, but it’s pretty limited, and also only the things on the “boundary”. But more than that, they wouldn’t generally WANT to use any others. Being claimed by an Entity induces a “when all you have is a hammer” mindset; if their preferred method doesn’t work, they’ll keep banging against that wall instead of finding another way. They’re still CAPABLE of using “raw” Force, but it’s so much more DIFFICULT so why would they even BOTHER when doing things THIS way is so much EASIER....

Going back to what I said earlier, someone with high “Force-sensitivity” is able to use both the “raw” Force-stuff and also the Entity-stuff, while someone with low “Force-sensitivity” can only slightly manipulate the “raw” stuff, but is equally capable of being an Avatar. Avatar-ness depends less on that physiological quirk, and more on your mindset and personality and desires; “power”, in that aspect, directly correlates with how much your nature matches that of your patron.

So, for an example. I believe that in canon, Palpatine isn’t very Force-sensitive; I don’t know whether that’s accurate, but for sake of illustration let’s say that it is. He wouldn’t be able to do the Jedi stuff without a lot of effort and time, and most of it would be forever out of his reach due to lifespan limitations. However, he is ABLE to tap into an Entity, and his thought processes are nearly PERFECTLY aligned with that of Web, so he’s able to be a powerful Avatar. When it comes to his Force-related options, he has three: a) forget about the whole thing; b) train in his limited ability to interact with raw Force-stuff, whether as a Jedi or a different tradition, possibly one with more emphasis in making a little go a long way; or c) go full-on Avatar of the Web, with whispered promises of the galaxy dancing to his strings. And, like a power-hungry manipulative asshole, he chose the third option.

...wow that got longer than I expected. I hope it all makes sense; that was pretty much just stream-of-consciousness.

[thatlittledandere]

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 15, 16, 17, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 31 and 40 for that shipper ask meme (sorry for picking so many but those questions are GOOD)

You're right, they absolutely are. I'm sorry in advance that this is gonna be LONG and I'm on mobile so I can't even add a read more;;

1. Talk about the first ship you ever had

So I'm SURE there were relationships I was invested in in movies and cartoons I watched as a child (I've always been a sucker for romance, even though there was that period when I didn't want to admit it) but I can't remember anything from very far back;; So it was either Ron and Hermione from Harry Potter or Ichigo and Masaya from Tokyo Mew Mew, whichever I read first.

2. Talk about three of the most important ships throughout your life

GOSH. You can't do this to me. I guess Romione because it was the time in my preteens when I was becoming more aware of... stuff, in general, abs the two cemented my love for friends-to-lovers. Then Ioryuu, because I've never been AS invested in and passionate about a ship before and likely never will. Nothing can compare to that intensity and ngl I miss it;; I miss the genuine hype I felt in my heart that made me interact with people and make things. So many things. I honestly can't think of a third one with such a lasting impact, sorry;;

3. What's your current OTP?

I imagine Souyo scenarios in my head every night before falling sleep and every morning after waking up, this is not a joke not an exaggeration. I still feel a little traitorous saying this on tumblr but their dynamic IS somewhat similar to the way I see Ioryuu so-

4. What's your current NoTP?

I don't think I have one? I have dislikes, some of them strong, but I don't see any of them often enough to be, like, actively angry. I have better uses for my time than willingly exposing myself to stuff I don't like.

5. Do you have any poly ships?

Not generally, juggling two characters is enough work lol. The only poly ships I've ever really actively shipped are Niels, Duncan and Natalie from the web comic Niels And the Gang by humon and Kinatsuen from Boueibu, but neither are actively on my mind much these days.

8. Have you ever shipped yourself with a character?

BOY HAVE I EVER. I've seen someone on tumblr have a side blog for self-shopping and not gonna lie, it's an excellent idea. My late teens were spent reading character x reader fics on Quotev and I started my fic career with the same genre. I don't really know what to do with myself when I DON'T actively ship myself with a character, which is my state of being now that Yosuke surpassed Yoosung as my favorite character;; Ibushi and Yoosung are the biggest ones but man oh boy I have shipped myself with characters from early age and I'm showing no signs of stopping! There's a reason that I main dating sims.

15. Have you ever "shipped at first sight"?

Not for long. I SUCK at forming first impressions. Usually if I start thinking I'll ship something, I end up not being so invested in it after all, and instead shipping something I swore off at first lmao. Which leads us to...

16. Talk about a ship you initially disliked

As a rule of thumb, all of them. I don't understand HOW it keeps happening but somehow almost all the ships I truly care/d about (that I didn't start shipping through osmosis before knowing them in the source material) started out as something I thought I "wouldn't be able to get behind." Gajevy. Shikatema. Sasunaru. Doctor/Rose. Karabita. Atsutodo. Kiribaku. Yoozen. Enatsu. Freaking IORYUU. EVEN SOUYO. IT'S BEEN YEARS I REALLY SHOULD KNOW THE PATTERN BY NOW

17. Talk about a pairing you've stopped shipping romantically

Like, I started to think they're better as friends after all? I guess NaLi. Then again, I mostly only shipped them out of spite in the first place because I wanted a counter for N/a//Lu, which I never liked at all;;

20. Talk about a ship you feel alone in shipping

Now this time I can say for sure that there isn't one. I can't come up with ships myself and stay on board if there isn't content for it, canon or otherwise;; It's not a conscious decision or anything, it's just how my mind works. I get attached to stuff by exposure, whether from fans or the source material, and if the source material has enough content for two characters for me to pick up on and become interested, it's guaranteed to be enough to become a somewhat popular ship.

21. Is there a ship you just don't get, but have nothing against?

Actually... That's the extent I go to with notp'ing these days. I'm passionate about the right to ship whatever you want so by proxy I can't have anything "against" a ship, even if the sheer thought of it existing makes me nauseous. And I know how to think from points of view other than my own, so I can usually see the appeal, even if it appeals to me personally less than eating dog shit while walking barefoot on rusty nails that are also on fire.

That said, the only ships I have on my Tumblr blacklist are Yoo//ra/n and Suza//lu/lu because they're both popular ships for characters whose tags I am/was following and therefore get suggested a lot even if I want following anyone who ships then. Oh, and all B/LMa//tsu ships! I generally can't feel good about incestuous ships, but can and will fight for their shippers' right to do as they please as long as they stay respectful. (never saw blmatsus who weren't respectful. saw a plethora of anti-blmatsus who were absolute demons. actually the reason i moved away from the last remnants of my anti mindset was that i didn't want to be associated with THOSE anti-blmatsus, when the shippers they wanted dead were all such sweet people. food for thought.)

22. Which of your ships have the best chemistry?

All of them?? Lmao I don't understand this question, isn't shipping all about liking the chemistry between characters? Or the potential for it I guess, in which case the chemistry is whatever you want it to be, which is great B) I'm sorry I keep accidentally dodging questions I'm bad at choosing examples from a long, unordered list

23. Which of your ships deserve better writing?

Hhhhhhh I shipped Jerza for years and was still unsatisfied with their ending, Jellal didn't get to heal enough and we didn't really see them working through their past in an effective way and getting comfortable around each other. It's like they were supposed to be friends to enemies to lovers but the last part didnt really develop and their relationship stagnated at the stage were they were both just permanently awkward out of regret, and couldn't bring themselves out of it even though everything was forgiven forever ago. Or I've forgotten a lot of stuff that happened. Very likely. Is your a case of bad writing or good writing not working out the way I wanted it to? You're asking the wrong person.

25. Have you ever shipped a pairing before you even started watching the show/movie simply because of gifs/graphics or similar?

EYUP. Harumichi was my otp for like a whole year before I saw a single episode with them lol. It was crazy, but it was REAL. I've also went into shows already paying attention to things I knew my friends/people I follow shipped, kind of hoping I'd get into it.

26. Have you noticed a pattern in your shipping? Is there a romantic dynamic I'm writing these questions down from screenshots and I cropped the rest of this one out by accident rip

Eeeh I go for the obvious. Best friend pairs, obvious pining, some rivalry with sexual tension, though I don't really know what to do with those. Then there's the fact that I never see it coming sick Persona 5 reference bro and start shipping the couple I thought "should just be friends" at first. This is more about my relationship to the ships than their dynamic but it's very constant...

27. Is there a ship you've shipped for most of your life?

Hmmm well I got into HP and started shipping Romione sometime in mid elementary school so it's definitely been more than half my lifetime since, but I don't really know if I "ship it" anymore. I didn't start disliking them or anything but for me, "shipping" is an active intrest in a fictional relationship, so if it reaches the stage where I like it, in theory, but I don't have the feels, it doesn't really count. That's why I can say I like ships without shipping them. It's gotta be actively on my brain, man.

31. Talk about one of your favorite headcanons for a ship you love

I haven't mentioned Kannao once, which is criminal. So here's some of what I imagine their future to be like :D I've been getting new Persona followers recently so here's something for you to unfollow me over lmao

So first of all I ignore the canon that Naoto goes back to the city for her detective work after her first year of high school, shhh she stays in Inaba, only taking the occasional jobs. She and Kanji start dating during the spring break before their second year and get more comfortable with each other, so that the next summer they're still cute and very much themselves (which means somewhat reserved) but not as awkward anymore :) I haven't thought about what happens after they graduate but they get married in their early 20s and have a son <3 (Chie and Yukiko adopted their daughter only slightly earlier. They may or may not have had a bit of a competition going on) ((yes Souyo are very much together but if they end up having children I haven't thought about it it's later))

Kanji manages the textile shop and Naoto helps when she's free from detective stuff. They live in Inaba but Naoto is away quite often for her gigs;; She takes up a few jobs less when Kouta is little though so he wouldn't feel less close to his Mom than his Dad.

Both Kanji and Naoto suffered from unfair expectations growing up, so they try their best to make up for it with Kouta's upbringing. They want him to feel comfortable being himself and free to express himself the way he wants; they make sure he knows he'll always be loved and supported, and to never be ashamed of who he is. As a child it doesn't even occur to him that many social norms and social expectations exist, because Naoto and Kanji pretty much let him do whatever as long as he isn't hurting himself or anyone else. They might go a little overboard though, giving into Kouta's whims without much consideration at all. The Amagi Aunties enforce rules and keep kids grounded in reality much better lmao

40. If you could change one thing about your otp, what would that be?

HMNGHNMHGNMGH I WAMT YOSUKE'S INTERNALIZED BULLSHIT ACKNOWLEDGED!! It's there AtlUS!! Stop pretending oh my god.... I love the Dancing All Night story mode (so far. I am by no means done); Yosuke gets cool moments and Yu's internal monologue really shows how much he appreciates him. The dynamic is so much better than with a silent protagonist, and thank god they didn't go with the tactless anime Yu (as fun as he is). I know there are a bunch of nods to the cut romance across spinoffs but mannnn... I wish they were more serious about it. At this point it's not even that far-fetched to think Yosuke has feelings for Yu that he may or may not be aware of, and I know that Yu as the player character can't be too tied down to one option in canon, but still... Even the clown gets tired of jokes at some point. One can dream.

40 ship questions

[beautymarred]

This visual essay series by dionetaofavalon.tumblr.com [ this post in particular ] made me think.

I know it was supposed to be all secret and everything… but let’s play devil’s advocate––or Morgoth’s advocate, if you would prefer––for a moment and work under the theory: what if Thranduil did know that Galadriel had a ring of power…

And, likewise, he knew that Elrond had one…

Would that not explain some of the tension between Thranduil and the other realms?

Out of wariness and general distrust, he isolates his own realm, aside from a few correspondences/agreements with Laketown. And he’s (whether deliberately or not) excluded from the White Council, though he also likely lived at least at the end of the First Age and was old enough by the Second Age to have fought at the Dagorlad against Sauron, et cetera. WHERE ELROND ALSO WAS. Would that not lend some level of respect to him that he might be included, if only via letters as I doubt he would willingly/without great reluctance leave his realm?

Now, while I can see him being more forgiving of Elrond––both within my backstory with @ofgoldcnflowcrs / @ofmarchwardcns / @ofcldcrdays and outside of it––is it really any wonder that he isolates himself and his realm? To some extent, on top of just being wary and distrustful in general, I’m sure he’s maybe just a little bitter that he and his people got the short end of the stick.

Imladris is protected.

Lothlórien is protected.

And then Thranduil has to deal with damn giant spiders and darkness-twisted woods. Perils that Galadriel––for all of her meddling in the affairs of Middle Earth, and Mithrandir’s as well for that matter––has never offered to purge or make any attempt to aid him in its protection. (Which, ostensibly, could very well have helped to prevent the death of his wife, had such measures been taken, though that’s more of a hypothetical situation.)

Neither was any attempt––to the reader/viewer’s knowledge––made to ask help or advice of Thranduil at the time of the various Council meetings.

[ NOTE: Within RP on my old account, there is an exception to this in my arrow & the song verse with @ofgoldcnflowcrs wherein Glorfindel likely has to practically beg him to journey from his halls to wherever the meeting is being held to share with Galadriel and Elrond what he has seen for himself… only for Saruman to be there––unexpected and uninvited––to try to dispel every concern, and when that fails to make Thranduil pause, he then verbally tears him apart and trivializes him as he has done to Gandalf and to Radagast and makes him seem every bit the eccentric and foolish king with far too much fondness of wine that I’m sure some rumors have made him, causing Thranduil to level a, “I came here against my better judgment and this is how I am treated. I have had enough of this farce.” at Galadriel and Elrond before storming out with every intention of returning to his halls. ]

On top of excluding Thranduil from Councils, when the battles happen in War of the Ring Era, Lothlórien deals with its own issues––understandably, as it undergoes heavy assault from the enemy––but, again, Thranduil’s people are left to fend for themselves. So while that works out well enough obviously as the legions only made the mistake of attacking Thranduil ONCE, it still seems a little odd.

(Though it also proves, as being able to bring back even a third of his army out of the mess that was Dagorlad, that Thranduil is not only an able king, but a skilled leader in battle as well, likely a tactician to some degree, or at least willing to listen to advisers and military commanders who are tacticians. And we already know my headcanon about him basically being a quick-draw with a blade and fearsome in combat.)

But, really, how much more does that say about Thranduil that he’s the only one of the three major realms remaining who doesn’t have a Ring of Power?

And consider that, of all the (elven) realms, his is perhaps closest to multiple of the Very Bad™ dangers/perils and therefore more at risk than others as it is.

Here is a map of Middle Earth.

For the purpose of this, let’s narrow down the focus. Here’s a cropped map with the three ‘realms’ highlighted: Imladris (blue), Lórien (gold), and Mirkwood (green).

(NOTE: I’ve had to approximate the location a little with the latter as it was not marked on this map, so where I’ve colored may not be 100% accurate.)

Now let’s look at what perils surround each realm.

First, Lothlórien.

Lórien is close to the mountains, closer to Mordor itself, and closest to Dol Guldur. But, Galadriel has a ring that offers a great deal of protection to the land and her people. To the extent that, while orcs may raid and cause the loss of lives on the outskirts with the wardens, or that they may even attempt something bold, no true trouble has come from Dol Guldur. For her and her people. Because the darkness of the forest cannot reach them.

Next, Imladris.

Imladris is closest, I believe, to the Misty Mountains and the dangers that lurk there. And while Imladris may indeed be closer to Gundabad as the crow flies, it’s closer across/over the mountain chain rather than across wide open plains and dark woods where anything could lie in wait. And again, there is a ring of power there. Not only that, however, but also there dwells Glorfindel who––by the generally accepted account, I believe––is a reborn Lord of Gondolin, sent back by the Valar with great Power and Light. Power and Light enough to chase away Ring-Wraiths.

Now, to Mirkwood.

Thranduil, on the other hand, his realm is near enough to Gundabad to pose a problem (especially if you do keep the movie canon that his wife was killed there, as I do). His next door neighbor is a dragon. And he and his people were forced to move from where they had originally settled, if I remember correctly, because of the reach of Dol Guldur, which happens to be in the very same forest, even though Lórien is––again, as the crow flies––closer.

On top of that, Thranduil’s forest itself has been twisted by the shadow of Sauron (who nobody believes has returned), and the spiders––if not orcs as well––assail his people and make, what once was the Greenwood, come to be known as Mirkwood.

It becomes even worse when you take into consideration the mindset of Thranduil and his people, whether truly a valid threat or not:

❛ The king’s cave was his palace, and the strong place of his treasure, and the fortress of his people against their enemies.

It was also the dungeon of his prisoners. So to the cave they dragged Thorin––not too gently, for they did not love dwarves, and thought he was an enemy. In ancient days they had had wars with some of the dwarves, whom they accused of stealing their treasure. ❜ [ The Hobbit, Pocket Edition; page 155 ]

Coupled with the actual movie (insomuch as it might be allowed), the Iron Hills could also very easily be added to the list of dangers (and/or perceived dangers):

Yet, despite everything, he keeps his people safe and cared for and as happy as they can be under the circumstances, at least enough that they feel free––in the book––to hold festivals and parties out in the forest. He is impressive enough as a ruler, that Tolkien makes a point of writing into the Hobbit,

❝ In a great cave some miles within the edge of Mirkwood on its eastern side there lived at this time their greatest king. ❞  [ The Hobbit, Pocket Edition; page 154 ]

Which would at least imply that he was held in some reverence and respect, if only by his own people.

All of that, without a Ring of Power, without anything that would have aided in his endeavors besides his own ability as a King.

I know I’ve somewhat combined book and movie-adaption into this post––and into the way that I portray Thranduil––but I think regardless of media, it’s worth noting. There are aspects of things that I’ve mentioned here, even in the films, though it is more difficult to see due to the butchery of the writers and He Who Shall Not Be Named (and likely open to interpretation even still).

I suppose I just find that rather impressive for a character who most people––including the writers and HWSNBN––turn into a villain or into a parody or the punchline of a joke.