#both characters are so emotionally intelligent and observant

[whyismangososour]

anyways I think my favorite steddie trope is when there’s any moment where steve is quiet and eddie gets so confused and stressed because he just has no clue what steve is thinking at all times despite the fact that canonically joe keery makes sure that every emotion steve feels is made PAINFULLY clear on his face at all times during the show and it’s pretty safe to assume that doesn’t change in fan works it’s just that eddie’s brain stops functioning properly around him

[hvlcy0n]

SAY IT (PT. 1) . . . hayato suo x fem!reader

+ you’ve never reciprocated any of suo’s confessions of love, but a chance to eavesdrop on a conversation among you and your friends grants him all the insight he needs.

+ 4.2k words

+ NSFW (MINORS DNI) // UNEDITED // brief mentions of sex // mentions of edging at the end // brief mentions of overstimulation // mentions of past heartbreak/insecurities // established relationship // manipulation // i got all the big stuff but i’m definitely forgetting some minor stuff i’m just tired of looking at this

+ this is my first time writing suo so plEASE cut me some slack, i got tired of seeing it every time i opened google docs. i left any descriptions/names of your friends extremely vague on purpose so you can fill in whoever. the NEXT part of this will be centered around smut, but this one was more just kinda the build-up to his decision to push you out of your comfort zone.

suo has always been able to see right through you.

granted, that was his area of expertise—the ability to pierce through people’s defenses as if they were nothing more than a gossamer film and unearth whatever information he resolved to discover. he was regarded as dangerous by both allies and enemies, capable of sinking his fingertips into peoples’ psyches and peeling back the layers until their self–control began to fracture and ruby welled beneath his touch and trickled down to obscure his opponents’ vision in an all–consuming bloodlust that left them vulnerable and uncoordinated. 

he had a critical eye and a terrifying intuition; and while his friends wouldn’t trade him for the world, they were also aware of the uncharted territory of suo’s complex character—not to mention the existence of a small distance between them that had been discreetly established by suo himself. while he genuinely enjoyed the presence of his friends, he valued his privacy and space, and he often kept information about him restricted. he was more enigmatic than anything else. 

so, when suo offhandedly mentioned having a girlfriend, they were shocked. although emotionally intelligent, none of his friends pegged him as a romantic, his secrecy and manipulative tactics seemingly too insurmountable an obstacle in a relationship. generally, he was kind and respectful, but his demeanor could flip on a dime in the face of discourteous behavior. he could be mean—unfair.  it wasn’t uncommon for him to mask his slick tongue and cruelty behind refined language and his gentlemanly composure as he subjected his targets to public humiliation. sometimes, his emotions could get the better of him, and he could be frightening when they do. a gentleman? maybe. but there’s more nuance to him than that.

unbeknownst to them, suo was remarkably softer with you. warmth and genuine kindness emanated from every content smile and careful dance of his hands over your skin, calloused fingertips bearing an ardent reverence that would cause even aphrodite to flush. the sharp edge to his tongue smoothed, his teasing light-hearted and devoid of the faint, underlying drip of venom that could sometimes be heard punctuating his words if someone listened closely enough. when he observed you, his eyes glowed with innocuous curiosity and rather than distant analysis. 

the more time he spent with you, the more he could read you like an open book, deft fingertips tracing over even your most tattered, weathered pages and the most smudged ink to wholly bare the contents of your soul to him. he sought to know you in your entirety—your likes and dislikes, how you like to be touched, how you react to certain things. after all, the more he knows about you, the better he can protect you. 

the better he can love you.

love.

that’s a tricky subject for you to navigate, he’s learned.

you were never one to shy away from his affection. in fact, you clearly delighted in the attention he lavished you with. there was never a question as to whether you would hurry to lace your fingers with his if he reached out to you, if you would lean into his caresses, or if you would let him pepper kisses across your cheeks. you were so receptive to his ministrations, so much so that it was almost natural for your body to drift toward his in search of some sort of closeness. whatever he doled out, you returned, and that included the light banter and flirtatious remarks you two often exchanged. you fascinated him, kept him on his toes. 

the only area of your relationship that you fell short in was verbal confessions of love. suo knew that you were fiercely protective of your heart, already having subjected it to enough bruises and scrapes throughout your life to make you want to guard it to the best of your abilities. he was fortunate as it was that you had trusted him enough to relinquish it to him.

he knew that you were still learning to navigate the choppy waters of vulnerability—true vulnerability. it was easy enough to bask in suo’s attention and rely on his ability to comprehend the unspoken, but to say the words aloud would be to speak it into being, to charge the universe with the magnetic force that will bind your fate to his, to make it real. you never said anything that you didn’t mean, and suo understood that after all your hard work fortifying your emotions, to openly admit it would require you to let down your guard entirely and let him in.

there’s no doubt in his mind that you love him. he can feel it in the way you pour every ounce of heartfelt emotion into the kisses you press to his lips, your dedication toward memorizing and analyzing all of his microexpressions so that you can understand him on a deeper level, and the adoration that pools in your eyes like molten honey as you observe him when you think he isn’t paying attention. only a fool would mistake the depth of your feelings. 

he can read you like a book, that much is true, but it’s much more enjoyable to have it read to him line–by–line than to flip through the pages on his own. 

it’s quite endearing, actually, the way your skin would warm and your brain would stall whenever his lips would brush a saccharine “i love you” over the shell of your ear, or the way goosebumps would scatter across your skin and you would clench around him whenever he’d pair the words with a well–timed thrust inside you. he thrives off flustering you and witnessing your demeanor crumble into a delightful shyness that never fails to cause a small smile to tug at the corners of his lips.

even so, he sometimes finds himself yearning for that reassurance that you’re as irrevocably enamored with him as he is with you—that you crave him the way he craves you. he understands that it’s greedy of him and that he should tamp down such self–centered emotions. he knows what your feelings toward him are; it would be inconsiderate of him to pry you out of your shell until you’re ready in order to satisfy his own desires. the concept of love operates differently for different people, and he can accept that. 

it always slips his mind how swiftly things can change.

it was a complete coincidence when he’d stumbled upon you in the outdoor seating area of a restaurant, accompanied by a few  friends of yours. he recalled you telling him that you were going out for lunch with them, but he had no idea that his outing in search of a new pair of shoes to replace his worn ones would cause your paths to cross. he hadn’t meant to eavesdrop on your conversation, only to simply greet you and then continue about his business, but he paused when he heard his name leave one of your friends’ lips.

“so, are you and suo still together?”

oh? before he can even acknowledge the gravity of contravening your privacy, his body is sparked into motion all on its own. he’s quick to retreat, melting into the slanted shadow proffered by the slim alleyway he had been poised to exit, just beyond the scope of your view.

he’s well aware that this is an infraction of the trust you extended to him, but he forces himself to disregard the prick of guilt aside in favor of potentially learning valuable information about the inner workings of your brain. it may not be ideal, but it’s for the best, he reasons. what if you reveal to your friends ways that he could better serve as your boyfriend? what if you feel more comfortable explaining to your friends your reservations about returning his heartfelt confessions? besides, the conversation is technically also centered around him, so surely it would be rude to bar him from listening in.

“of course,” the thought of you denying your relationship was never a concern for suo. you both trust each other implicitly, but to hear you stake such an immediate, explicit claim over him rouses a ticklish spark of delight in his stomach all the same. you scoff, as if the idea was so improbable it was ridiculous. “i’ll tie that man up in my basement before i let him just leave.” suo chuckles gently to himself. perhaps you truly are as invested as he is, after all.

“the dick must be fucking life–altering, if that’s the case.” she laughs. “come on, tell us. is it?”

“wh—” suo’s lips settle into a small, amused smile as he watches you flounder under her questioning, eyes feverishly flitting to your other friends for help, only for each one of them to leave you to drown with their own wide–eyed, inquisitive stares. “oh, my god, i’m not telling you that!” nervous laughter wracks your chest. suo’s shrewd gaze can practically perceive the memories flickering through your brain as you try to maintain your composure, each one spliced together in a salacious collage that has blood thrumming beneath your skin. suo has always been one to fine–tune his craft, and his perfectionism extended to the bedroom as he used his meticulous attention to detail and acute awareness of your reactions to guide you to your peak over . . . and over . . . and over again until he was satisfied.

and of course, you knew that.

“but seriously,” another girl props her elbow on the table and rests her chin on her palm, observing you closely. “i’ve never seen you like this before. before him, you were all ‘ew, gross, men’—not to say that isn’t still valid, but y’know. maybe suo really is a good match for you.”

“do you love him?” the first girl pipes up ecstatically.

now we’re getting somewhere.

it requires significant concentration for suo not to laugh outright when a jolt of surprise grips your body, your muscles visibly tensing and eyes rounding. your lips part to speak, but the words remain wedged in your throat. “i—uh . . .”

“wait, for real?” the third girl, who had remained quiet this entire time, finally speaks up. “do you not actually love him?”

this time, when you don’t at least make an effort to deny their claims, suo’s smile begins to wilt. from suo’s angle, your expression is sapped of the typical bashfulness he had been anticipating. rather, your features are murky with conflict, brows furrowed pensively and fingertips drumming against the chilled glass of the untouched beverage sitting between your palms. for the first time in a while, he can’t read you, and while he’s always enjoyed a bit of reticence and mystery, he doesn’t want it like this—not when such uncertainty is founded on the future of his relationship. did he misunderstand you somehow? was he wrong? no, there’s no way that you’d have done everything you did if you didn’t harbor some type of love for him. it’s simply not plausible. right? 

the silence is unnerving, causing a chasm of apprehension to split his stomach and swallow up the candlelit flicker of warmth that once resided in his chest. he’s never been an anxious individual, typically collected and level–headed under pressure. in fact, he’s always prided himself on his ability to remain composed; but now, as he stands here, body stiff and heart thumping as he waits for you to continue, he figures that love really is one hell of a drug. only the wideness of his eyes betrays his usual poise, but even that would be enough for any of his friends to notice that something is amiss. well, mature as he may be and as far above the fragility of human nature that others believe he is, he’s still only human. and it’s times like this that remind him that he’s still weak.

god, how far has he fallen? how much power did he give you?

“all this time, i thought you guys were in love.” the second girl gasps, hand flitting up to cover her mouth. “so, what’s going on? what’s wrong with him?”

“nothing!” you’re quick to find your voice to defend him, but for some reason, it doesn’t ease the tightness in his chest or the worried spin of his mind. “he’s wonderful, it’s just—”

“is he mean to you?” the second girl presses. “because if he is, i can—”

“he’s obviously not mean to her if she’s still with him.” the first girl retorts, silencing her with a dismissive wave of her hand. before the second girl can argue, she continues. “it could just be that it’s too early for her to know if she does.”

“it’s been months.” the third girl points out. “something has to be up if she doesn’t love him—”

“i do!”

suo’s fingers twitch.

your friends fall silent as the words burst from your chest, unwavering and aflame with conviction. your voice quiets as you fold your arms over your chest and lean back in your chair, eyes still fixated on the cup in front of you. “i do love him, it’s just . . . i’ve never felt like this for anyone, and i don’t know what to do. it feels so real and intense, and it’s scary.”

your words reverberate through suo’s mind as he expels a breath he didn’t notice was wedged in his chest. “i do love him.” his entire body seems to decompress, the tension in his muscles alleviating. “i’ve never felt like this for anyone.” suddenly, your hesitance makes sense. not only were you protective of your heart to begin with, but the magnitude of the importance of this was much larger and therefore more frightening than he realized. suo’s heart swells in his chest at your confession, pride licking up his sternum to grace the apples of his cheeks with a feather–light kiss of ruby. he’s honored to be the first person you’re entrusting with such a privilege—well, even if he’s not supposed to know about it yet.

“what do you mean, you don’t know what to do?” the first girl stares at you as if you’ve sprouted a second head. she flips her hands over with her palms facing toward the sky. “tell him?”

“i can’t just do that!” this time, it’s your turn to look at her like she just told you she ran over a family of five with her chevy tahoe, and suo chuckles.

“and why not?” she flops back in her seat incredulously.

“i just told you, it’s scary!” you insist matter–of–factly. “you remember the last guy i was with? it lasted one month, and in that amount of time, i aged thirty years and had stress levels that would’ve gotten me sent to the emergency room.”

suo hums softly in surprise. you didn’t tell him about that. of course, he had suspected that someone had dragged you through the trenches prior to accepting him as your boyfriend, but he felt as though that was a topic that would be better left to your discretion. you would tell him if you wanted him to know, so he never questioned you.

“yeah, but suo is way better than him.” the third girl reminds you. “at least, i think so. i only met the guy like twice.”

“helpful.” the second girl remarks dryly.

“no, he seriously is so much better.” you insist. “he’s everything i could’ve asked for, but it’s just . . . exposing myself like that would mean he has everything he needs to hurt me, and if i end up flat on my ass again, i don’t know what i’m gonna do. and i know he wouldn’t do anything to hurt me, but . . . ugh, this is impossible.” you let your head loll back. 

there’s a brief stretch of silence before the second girl speaks up again, and this time, her voice has flattened into a deadpan. “girl.” she blinks at you. “that’s the issue?”

clearly not anticipating that reaction, you stare blankly at her for a moment, searching for the right words. “i—what?” you bristle defensively. “what’s that supposed to mean? is that suddenly not a good reason to bare my heart and soul to this man?”

“no, it’s actually really not.” the third girl joins the second’s campaign. she scoots forward in her seat and folds her hands delicately on the table. “let’s reflect. this is suo we’re talking about. this is the same man who stayed the night and took care of you religiously when you were sick with food poisoning from your first date, the same man who gave you earrings similar to his for your birthday, and the same man who showed up at your house in the pouring rain with nothing but the clothes on his back to accompany you when that storm knocked your power out—as a ‘friend.’” 

“why did you use air quotes around the word ‘friend?’” the first girl narrows her eyes at the third.

“because he was playing the long game, okay? he was plotting. stay with me now.” she answers quickly, placing her hand on the first girl’s knee. 

suo chuckles, raising his brows. he has to admit, your friends are impressive.

“so,” the third girl continues. “those are just a couple examples, but it’s crystal clear that suo is devoted. like he’s in this to stay.”

“or he’s some sort of supervillain.” the second girl interjects.

“don’t say that!” the third girl snaps, aghast. “no, yeah, you’re right. the ‘untouchable’ furin graduate who took a bat to the ribs just to keep her safe is definitely here to create lifelong trauma for her. anyway, as i was saying,” she turns back to you, “if that’s not enough, think about it this way. suo is really private, right?”

“right.” you nod.

“well, he was probably in a similar boat as you, then. i mean, you said that you were worried that you’d be giving him what he needs to hurt you, but the inverse is also true, and he already told you he loves you. he trusted you not to hurt him with that information, so you should be able to trust him not to do that to you, either.”

“that’s . . . wait,” the wheels rotate in your brain as you mull over her advice, and your hand drifts up to conceal your mouth in a moment of clarity. “oh, shit. no, wait, yeah, you may have a point. i didn’t think about it like that.”

“that’s what you have us for.” the third girl grins.

“so, does that mean you’re gonna tell him?” the second girl quirks a brow at you. “maybe? probably? hopefully?”

“uh . . . probably not . . .” you wince, only to jump when you’re promptly subjected to an onslaught of groans and complaints from your friends.

“dude, what the fuck?” 

“i know, i’m sorry!” you yelp.

“did you get nothing out of the conversation?”

“no, i did, i swear!” your desperate attempts to defend yourself against your friends are fractured by bouts of laughter. “trust me, i did.”

“so, what’s the problem now?” the second girl drags her palm exhaustedly down her cheek.

“the issue is that it’s still embarrassing!” you whine. “you literally said it yourself earlier. i’ve never been like this—ever! just thinking about saying it makes me wanna crawl in a hole. it makes me feel, like, exposed or some shit, i don’t know—quit looking at me like that! i don’t know how else to explain it!”

“don’t piss me off.”

 “what?” your lips pop open in indignation. “but—”

suo’s slender fingers settle delicately over his lips as he chuckles to himself and steps completely behind the alley corner. his eyelids flutter low, gaze soft with contentment, as he listens to you scramble to defend yourself against your frustrated friends. it’s alright, they’ve done plenty. he can take it from here.

the conversation bounced around between the four of you has certainly altered the circumstances, providing you with the clarity needed to shed your reservations about setting yourself up for a potential heartbreak and unfurling the remaining layers of your defense to reveal the lingering issue still barring you from being honest about your feelings. at this point, it seems to no longer be about you being ill–equipped and underprepared to handle such a divulgence, which he could certainly accept. now, it appears to be about disentangling yourself from the binds of shame and embarrassment. about you requiring a little push in the right direction—well, less of a small nudge and more of a guiding hand that you would trust to unravel you down to the strings of your heart.

fortunately for you, there is no one more aware of what loose threads of yours to tug on in order to achieve his goal than suo himself.

maybe it’s unfair of him to change his mind and concoct an excuse to denounce the leniency and understanding that had been fueling his patience thus far. maybe it’s unfair of him to take the initiative to strip you of the protective cocoon he had previously been more than prepared to allow you to reside in. maybe it’s unfair of him to press you, to utilize his silver tongue and honeyed words to draw out your rawest and most vulnerable state.

but when the opportunity has practically tripped and fallen into his lap, how could he not? it isn’t as if it would be a detriment to you. he has never led you astray, and he certainly isn’t going to start now. 

a venereal plan is already brewing in the back of his mind as he mulls over how to best extract such a confession from you. no matter what type of attitude you may acquire or how sturdy you believe your resistance to be, pleasure has never failed to whittle and melt you down into a pliant puddle that’s all soft edges and hazy, trusting eyes. an even trade—a release only he can provide for the secret you’re trying so hard to keep from him? this evening, perhaps, if he plays his cards right. you don’t have plans tomorrow, which means you certainly can’t be too angry if he keeps you awake into the darkest hours of the night. 

he can practically feel the ghost of the warmth of your skin under his fingertips as he keeps you pinned so that you can’t escape his ministrations, taste the salt brimming in your tears of frustration as you war between your pride and surrendering to the pleasure he plans to dangle in front of you, and hear your whines and moans as he keeps you just barely balanced on the precipice of release. he can already predict how you’ll label him as mean—manipulative, even. and maybe he is.

he’s only human, after all. 

and what would humans be if not flawed? if not a bit cruel? if not a bit . . . selfish?

[dontbesoweirdkira]

Hey, hi! You have very cool works, I really like reading you and always wait for your works. Please, do not leave us here alone.

I have a question: what can you say about a reader in the Mortal Kombat world (yandere) who has absolutely no emotional intelligence (like me)? Which yandere would be the scariest for such a reader, and which ones are the softest?

I don't mean that the reader will be cruel or heartless, but he is simply not in tune with emotions and cannot understand what others are feeling. As someone who suffers from this, I can say that I often don't notice how someone falls in love with me, and sometimes this leads to awkwardness

P. S. Who is your favorite fighter, if it's not a secret?

A/N: aww thank you for requestinggg. This is so camp. I struggle with empathy and similar things too. I went a little more broad with it. Alsooolo between mk11 and Mk1 there’s a big personality jump with a lot of characters so my answer is different depending on the game. Hopefully I did this request some justice.

(P.S. Kung Lao is my 1 fave and then Johnny. For female characters it’s Mileena and then scarlett. I like them crazy lol.)

Characters: I only did the ones I actually care about lol.

Warnings: This is purely my opinion based off of my interpretation of yanderes. Please bear in mind that when I write Yandere, it’s at extremes.

Requests: always open

Masterlist

Safe Zone

Mk11 Fujin, Kotal Khan, Night wolf, Kuai Liang, Jax , MK1 Reptile, Raiden, Smoke, Baraka, both Liu Kang, Kenshi, both gerases

While you maybe aren’t intentionally trying to discard them or hurt their feelings, it doesn’t seem like it at first. Why are you so blank? How can you just shrug off a confession like that? Do you hate them?

Once they get to know you better by studying and observing your habits, they realize that this is simply the way you are. They are compassionate enough where they don’t really let it bother them anymore.

They have not only a legitimate love for you (under their deranged behaviors), but a lot of emotional intelligence. At their core, they have a bit more maturity on things like this compared to their counterparts. Especially Fujin and Kotal Khan, they’ve been here for ages and have dealt with many different personalities before. You’re not really the first person who has been emotionally shut off like this. Besides, it’s not like you’re showing someone else more love or attention than them so..whatevs

(If you do discard them for another person tho, they will raise hell about it and retract their compassion.)

They will be more direct and intentional about what they want and their feelings so it's not so confusing for you. I can also imagine them guiding and helping you understand them more by maybe taking a different approach towards empathy? Emotional intelligence can be improved and I think they’d be rather good at this. You might not be fully there on everything (depending on where this is stemming from) but you’d have a better grasp at least.

I will say though that at times they might get sad when you don’t initiate affection or respond emotionally how they’d ideally picture it. Especially if there’s absolutely no improvement after a while, they’d get manipulative. They’d make you believe you feel something that you actually can’t. Also might get a bit frustrated by your impulsivity, outbursts and isolation.

Danger Zone

Mk11Shang tsung,Kano,Johnny Cage, Kung Lao, Erron Black, Hanzo Hasashi, Kabal, Dark Raiden,Baraka, Noob Saibot, Shao Khan MK1 Bi-Han Johnny Cage, Quan Chi, Shang Tsung, General Shao, Kuai Liang, Kung Lao

They. Do. Not. Care.

All of these men have a massive ego that needs to be stroked and inflated by you. They want praise, love and affection. They want 100% of you. Yes, that includes emotionally.

They really don’t care what the reason is for why you are ignoring their advances, you will reciprocate. Their demands will be met and you are in love with them. Fake it good!

I hope you’re a quick learner because you have to pick up on their cues. You should know exactly what they need and when they need it. Your words should be ever so carefully chosen and your actions should have much enthusiasm.

There is no room for your mistakes and accidentally offending them, you will be punished for it. Mood swings and impulsively can result in reactive behaviors on their end.

Don’t make any of your interactions with them awkward in front of others. It isn’t funny to embarrass your “lover” like this.

No. you can’t be self centered. They are the center of your life. No. You cannot hold grudges against them. You should always forgive their actions. Aaaaand no. You really cannot ignore/not listen to them. How dare you.

Wait…it almost sounds like they are just as emotionally immature. Nahhh. They’re worse.

Yeah there’s no room for your Low EL, they need you to be a stable sounding board or else this relationship is going to be far more toxic than anything you’ve ever seen.

They’re completely far gone, no amount of explanation can save you. They will use any means necessary to get something out of you that isn’t even there in the first place. You are going to be everything they imagined you to be and more.

Conflicting feelings

Ngl kinda wanted to put Mk11 Johnny up top because I just am stuck on the fact that MK1 Johnny is a far worse Yandere. Like MK1 Johnny is older, mellowed out and is very mature at this point…but then I remembered his younger self. His mk11 younger version would be far more menacing than MK1. Mk11 Johnny Cage’s younger self would come out of him during his obsession. He can’t help but be an absolute asshat and forget all about his growth when it comes to you. Once a playboy always a playboy.

Kinda wanted MK1 King Lao in the top category aswell but…do I have to further explain. He’s definitely not as cocky and arrogant as his MK11 counterpart but he’s young, immature and impulsive. I don’t think he’d understand your low EL. It would drive him insane thinking that his darling isn’t reciprocating. He’d become rather aggressive and an egotistical monsterrrr in the process.

Kotal Khan really got me too because like he’s absolutely a lover boy but his heart isn’t as warm as it used to be.😭😭 debated putting him in the danger zone because there is so much potential for him to be cray cray but rewatching him and Jade interacting with each other made me choose the softer route. I think once he realizes you are just emotionally immature he’s just unphased by you. Like I can’t see him being that upset by his darling or something like that?? He’d be patient and understanding. He might’ve once been just like you but with time and age, he changed. So can you. Maybe I’m just being too generous?

Dark Raiden. I mean Raiden himself isn’t very intelligent when it comes to emotions. He’s goal and logically focused so I think he’d understand you. BUT what made me change my opinion was that dark! Raiden is completely corrupted and so is his way of thinking. He’s twisted and probably can’t really register your low EL. I think he’d perceive it as you being purposefully defiant towards him.

Mk1 Kuai Liang. People make him super soft and cuddly but Idk I feel like if I’m putting Bi-Han in the danger zone that it makes sense for his brother to be. They grew up in the same environment and Kuai is shown having similar or even worse traits to him. I don’t think he’s a saint. Smoke stands out more to me as someone who’d be softer. His voice lines and personality reflects that.

How do I even tag this 😩

[virologikal]

Headcanons posted for my works of fiction are merely my interpretation of the respective character(s) and should not be considered as "single point of truth".

⸻ 𝐄𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐔𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬

To explain what would have caused Wesker to wear sunglasses even before his infection during the Mansion Incident (in a lore-relevant way that ignores the need for characters of games from the 90s to be very distinct from each other), an observation of his early life is required.

Seeing as he was taken from his biological family at an undefined but young age, and raised by employees of Umbrella that focused most on drilling their credo into the children’s heads - Discipline, Obedience, Unity - there likely was no concern for the emotional wellbeing, development or even safety from their caretakers. The whole emphasis of the Training School was bringing out and furthering the genetic advantages these kids had; in Wesker’s case it was both physical abilities as well as his outstanding intelligence.

Further, Sir Marcus was the closest thing to a father figure Wesker had. A father figure which turned out to be a secluded scientist in charge of a school, who was completely unavailable to him most of the time unless it involved disciplinary measures. It explains well how Wesker turned out the way he was. Due to these circumstances, he never learned what a functional family (or a family at all) is.

He has only a faint understanding from a scientific approach and research he was able to read up on, which granted him the insight of psychological effects of family ties which he would later use to manipulate and blackmail Barry during the Mansion Incident.

As a result, Wesker is emotionally underdeveloped. He has no way to even begin and grasp what empathy feels like, or friendship, let alone love. All he ever learned was to approach the world logically, analyze it and come to conclusions about whether or not something was useful to him and his goals or not. Everyone around him behaved the same, calculating and ruthless way - and if they didn't, disciplinary measures would be used to prove compassion as a weakness.

As a result of this learned behavior, Wesker's eyes would be naturally void of any expression; a perfect poker face, if you will. Not by choice, however, but rather due to his lack of feeling certain ranges of emotion.

The first time he would come into contact with people that would genuinely show emotions and speak about them openly would likely have been during his time in the army. At some point his comrades would have noticed the lack of emotion in his eyes, and it would either lead to a confrontation due to said lack of reaction to situations that otherwise would cause someone to act a certain way, or at least make people talk about him.

To avoid this, Wesker would start wearing sunglasses. Both so he could prevent people from feeling alienated by him, but also because he has trouble even comprehending why his eyes are such an issue to so many people.

The diary of Lord Spencer's Butler confirms the impression people have from looking into Wesker's eyes directly.

Therefore, when he takes his shades off around someone, it does bear some meaning. Be it trust, or at least letting his guard down somewhat. Maybe even for manipulative reasons.

[silversodas]

The Fairly Odd Parents: A New Wish Observations

What actually sold me on giving this series a solid chance, was the theme song, why? Because for me it showed what the series is attempting to be, something that’s paying homage to the source material while being it’s own thing and knowing what it wants to be.

The original theme song is categorized as Electric Swing or Light Jazz. This new theme song sounds like straight up Swing and it SLAPS!

The Set Up

So Hazel Wells moves to the city with her parents for her Dads job and at the same time her older brother and best friend Antony has left for college. Leaving Hazel overwhelmed but still trying to put on a brave face for her family. Not long after arriving they are visited by their new next door neighbors

Cosmo and Wanda are masquerading as a retired human couple

Lol one of the gifts in the welcome basket Cosmo gives them is a jar of pennies. In some places it’s a thing to leave pennies as gifts for fairies, I wonder if Cosmo thought it was a custom human gift

The concept of the parents are pretty interesting, especially their jobs.

Angela is a therapist and author, with all of the non self awareness fairy world had going on her insight could definitely be interesting if she somehow finds out. she is also pretty open minded and non judgmental, not being off put by Cosmo and Wanda’s weird behavior and inviting them in

Marcus is a paranormal scientist, which instantly makes Cosmo and Wanda nervous but what makes him interesting is that he didn’t go in the direction I thought he was going. I thought he was going to go full FOP writing fashion and him basically say he was looking for fairies. But no, he is just wanting to learn the unexplained and mostly about ghost. I don’t know the fact that he is presented as a friend to Cosmo and Wanda who could be a potential obstacle because of the interest that are apart of his character is a lot more interesting then if he was presented as a blatantly obvious obstacle and that’s his only purpose as a character. ( not saying it was bad when FOP did it, they did it in a way that was funny just not to compelling)

Hazel figures out they are magic because both Cosmo and Wanda are piss poor at hiding it but Hazel actually completely drops it after being unable to get her parents to see it

Angela and Marcus actually make pretty good foils for Cosmo and Wanda they are both just completely normal people who highlight Cosmo and Wanda’s colorfulness just as they highlight Angela and Marcus’s normalcy. Hazel, Marcus, and Angela seem to be emotionally intelligent people and it makes them enjoyable and honestly is refreshing

This girl has more emotional maturity then I ever dreamed of having at 10, she keeps her brave face until she hears that Antony can’t come visit till the holiday brake, she has an understandable brake down and her parents feel really bad they are having to change so much so fast for her.

She almost runs away until Cosmo and Wanda catch her (which is interesting because when she passed them on her way up stairs they where to busy with their mail to pay attention to her, but when she is about to run away their full attention snapped to her. Their “child is about to do something stupid”senses must have been tingling) she relents and vents to them about her troubles and that she just wanted to see her brother.

Cosmo and Wanda seem to have a Cathartic moment in realizing that Hazel needed help and that they realized that they were ready to be Godparents again. It was this moment I was like “yeah, you guy’s definitely retired because letting go of Timmy hurt you”

It’s when after everything is resolved and Hazel visits their vary magical and whimsical apartment (I bought the episodes on YouTube but they wouldn’t let me take screen shots) that they reveal that they had been on a 10,000 year sabbatical through time and space during their retirement. They don’t bring up Timmy, just say that they used to be Godparents to kids but then retired for 10,000 years (and no it’s not 10,000 years into the future, they were just time traveling). They actually nervously ask Hazel if she would consider being their Godkid which she enthusiastically agrees too. Don’t make pacts with fairies kids

How it’s going so far

Something interesting to note that while they never bring up Timmy, he kinda haunts the background I think they still have some unprocessed grief for Timmy that may get unpacked. I herd this show is supposed to get an overarching story and after seeing a few episodes I can tell that it’s staying consistent that it’s not completely episodic even if it’s a slow build ( as slow as it’s allowed to be anyway)

It looks like their human personas are their default disguises, that has the potential to be interesting in future episodes

I can tell that Hazel is still not 100% close with Cosmo and Wanda right off the bat, she is still getting to know them, like it was actually so enduring to watch her formally thank them for playing with her. Cosmo and Wanda are also trying to ease themselves in for her sake, but it’s clear that even though they are out of practice they are all in for this little girl and are in Godparent mode. Wanda is never not in Mom mode, and Cosmo already knows all of her special interests off the top of his head in the short time he has known her.

I don’t know, I just saw that a lot of people have been “rightfully” cautious about this show or have written it off, and just wanted to share some things that I thought made it interesting and made it worth giving a look

There are some who are a bit hopeful because one of the writers for infinity train is on the writing team so who knows

[loregoddess]

A continuation of my observations of the Octo2 traveler's weaknesses from here, now with fun visual diagrams! The above diagram shows each character's "base kit" (the weapons and elements they have access to w/out a secondary job) on the top row, and their weaknesses from the Dolcinaea fight on the bottom row.

Note that Agnea can't be charmed in this fight, so we don't actually know what her weaknesses are, but given that she has wind as her main element and how the elemental weaknesses tend to work (fire and ice are strong against each other, wind and lightning are strong against each other, and light and dark are strong against each other--based on the other Octo2 cast's weaknesses, and on how CotC usually handles elemental weaknesses, and using Tressa's weaknesses for reference), we can assume Agnea has at least a weakness to lightning. (CotC specifically seems to support this, since one of Agnea's passive skills gives her a buff to her lightning defense, and most characters in CotC who have access to only one element tend to get passive skills that buff their defense against their element's weakness, so I feel confident in saying Agnea should have a weakness to lightning).

As I observed in my first post, all the characters' weapon weaknesses tend to be the "opposite" of whatever their base kit weapon is (in type, i.e. long-range weapon users tend to be weak to close-range weapons and vice versa). The sort of exception to this is daggers, which get treated as both a long- and close-range weapon (the dagger attack animation has a character throwing a dagger--ranged--but it can also be used to stab someone, which we see multiple times in various cutscenes across Octo1, Octo2, and CotC). This means it's hard to figure out what sort of weapon weakness Agnea might have because she only uses a dagger as her base kit weapon.

Now I already discussed patterns in weaknesses and other observations in my first post, so I won't reiterate anything here (although I will quickly add some very astute people noted in their tags that Hikari being the only one we know for sure is weak to lightning is probably a reference to the thing with Rai Mei, which I missed initially but makes so much sense). But I wanted to take a look at who could break who in the party to see if the battle mechanics tied in with characterization, and set up the following diagrams for each character, so I could really dig into weird details.

(Under the cut bc this entire post is so very long, and there are more diagrams; ALSO SPOILERS, I do talk about a few endgame spoilers)

We'll start with Ochette who's actually capable of breaking the most other travelers at six. The only person she can't seem to hit (by herself) is Partitio, which is an interesting detail.

It makes a lot of sense that Ochette is the best at breaking other characters, given that she's a hunter (needs to be able to find critical weak points as part of her job). I've also written in the past how I think Ochette is actually one of the most emotionally intelligent characters in the group, and that she's probably way more aware of what's going on with the other travelers than she lets on--and way more in-tune with them than even they realize--but her ability to break most of them actually seems to support that as well.

I feel this gets reflected in her interactions with the other travelers, since Ochette is one of the few characters Throne and Osvald are pretty open with from the get-go, despite both being a bit closed off to the other travelers at first; the same goes for Temenos, although he tends to mask the fact that he's closed off, so it isn't as obvious at first glance.

Ochette is also the only traveler who ever comes close to finding out about Hikari's Shadow, since she can smell it "in" him. Likewise for Castti, in their second crossed paths the Shadow is able to capture and almost kill Castti, but not Ochette--Castii has a connection to the Shadow due to her exposure to Trousseau's rain (and a mental weak spot from the trauma of loosing patients in the past), and therefore is weak to the Shadow, so it seems fitting that Ochette is the one to "break" Castti free from the Shadow's trap.

As for Agnea, there is the sense that the two are opposites in their athletic abilities, given that Ochette is a very athletic and sure-footed hunter, whereas Agnea, while certainly athletic, still stumbles on occasion despite her years of work.

It also makes sense that Partitio is the only one Ochette can't break, since Partitio's name is also the only name Ochette struggles with, and she doesn't ever use his full name. Despite having a nickname for every traveler except Temenos, in battle Ochette uses their full names after they break an enemy, with the exception of Partitio. After Partitio breaks an enemy, Ochette uses the nickname she gives him ("Good hunting Pardy!") which is, if I recall correctly, unique to Paritio. His job and the entire concept of money is also baffling to Ochette, despite Partitio's best efforts to explain it to her.

It's interesting to note as well that even Ochette's two starting partners, Akala and Mahina, can each break 6 of the other travelers on their own (Akala can break everyone--assuming Agnea does have a weapon weakness we don't know about yet--but Akala can't break Hikari, who's a master of combat; Mahina can break everyone except Osvald, who's a master of magic). By the end of Ochette's story when she has the creatures of legend, she can actually break everyone (Akala + Tera and Glacis who each have elemental attacks that Hikari's weak to), and while Mahina + Tera and Glacis can't break Osvald still, if Ochette were fighting alongside them rather than just provoking with them, she herself would be able to break Osvald.

Given that Ochette is one of the best characters for breaking enemies just from a game mechanics standpoint, it's neat that this is reflected in her ability to apparently break nearly all the other travelers.

Castti can only break four of the other travelers, which is on the lower end (although not the lowest), but this seems to fit since story-wise she's a healer first, a fighter second (despite making an excellent damage-dealer).

The characters she can't break are people she treats like kids (Ochette and Agnea), and Osvald, who's one of the characters to tell Castti to take care of herself. Osvald's also arguably her peer, in that he's the oldest of the group and occasionally a parental figure to the others in some sense, the same way Castti takes on a pseudo-parental role on occasion, so she can't really "parent" him because Osvald is both literally a parent and, to some degree, figuratively the group's parent.

Likewise, all the characters she can break are characters who either get into lots of fights (Paritio and Hikari), or characters who would probably pretend they're not as hurt as they actually are when they do get hurt, or otherwise mask their pain a lot (Throne and Temenos). We see this in some of Castti's banters where she chides Partitio for getting into fights (she also tends to tease him relentlessly, and he's one of the only characters she teases), or how she worries after Throne, giving her check-ups out of the blue in one of their banters. Castti also has a banter with Temenos after the events of his Stormhail chapter where she checks in on his wellbeing, and while he sort of manages to redirect her attention away from him by complementing how well she looks after people, the fact remains that she did know he needed to be checked in on.

Castti really said none of you are getting away with not getting treated for your hurts or so help her.

Throne, surprisingly, only can only break four of the other travelers. Despite being raised and trained as a deadly assassin, the low number of travelers she can break might reflect her narrative "aversion to blood and killing". Throne is, after all, able to non-lethally knock people out as her nighttime path action, so her unwillingness, and inability, to hurt her allies does make sense for her characterization.

The people she can't break make a lot of sense--Throne's unable to sneak up on Ochette in their banters, and is always open and kind with Ochette. She and Hikari share shadowy ancestry, and he's a skilled warrior, so it might be harder for her to find and opening and get the drop on him (esp. considering how his Shadow might react to their shared blood ties to D'arqest).

Agnea's entire character arc is more or less centered around trying to inspire hope in everyone she meets, and Throne herself hopes to be free, so it'd make sense for Throne to follow after Agnea's hope rather than trying to fight against her.

The people Throne can break are interesting as well, especially since she is the most effective against Temenos, covering 3/4 of his weaknesses with her base kit. Temenos really isn't able to hide any of his weaknesses against Throne, which makes sense given their interactions and teamwork in their crossed path story arc.

She's also one of the only characters to throw Castti off a few times (i.e. the banter where Throne almost talks Castti into letter her steal stuff from Timberain's royal family bc Throne thinks Castti would look pretty in the jewelry).

Throne also has a banter with Partitio where she gets him to realize how over-trusting he can be by talking him into letting her take the check from Alrond--which she doesn't do, but she definitely exploited a few of his social weaknesses and could have stolen the check from him easily, in front of his face no less. (Although if I recall correctly, Partitio then has her hold onto the check for safekeeping anyhow, just because he trusts her that much).

Osvald is a bit of a surprise, given how few weaknesses he has and how vigilant he seems to be, but Throne is a professional and given that Osvald was unable to escape prison without Emerald's help (who also seems to be a thief, given that he uses a dagger when playable), it makes sense that Throne could potentially get the better of him. There's also the fact that she's the granddaughter of D'arqest, and Osvald has spent his life investigating the source of D'arqest's magic, the answer to which eludes him till the very end of his story.

Osvald can break five of the other travelers, which is the second-most after Ochette. This matches well with his ability to scrutinize people, and his general observant nature.

He can't break Throne, which as noted previously, may be due to how close her blood-ties are to D'arqest. Studying the Pit of D'arqest and trying to figure out what the source of his magic was is Osvald's life study, the answer to which eludes him most of the story, so it does make sense that Throne, the granddaughter of D'arqest, would also elude him (esp. considering that while Osvald does learn about the Shadow, the answer he finds to the One True Magic is entirely separate and opposite to the Shadow). Hikari has the same blood-ties, but it's strongly implied he is a much further descendant of D'arqest than Throne is, so even though Hikari literally has the Shadow living in him, he's not tied to D'arqest the same way Throne is (as she's the daughter of Vide's "perfect vessel" and was raised in hopes that she could succeed as a vessel instead, even if this ultimately fails).

Osvald also can't break Temenos, which actually does reflect their general relationship well. In one of their banters, Osvald makes a note of how much Temenos talks without ever saying what his point is, and generally seems to find Temenos's whimsical façade to be a hassle to deal with on occasion. It's funny, in a way, that Temenos is one of the few people Osvald can't seem to figure out, but also speaks to each of their personalities--Osvald is honest bordering on rudeness, and always straightforward with how he speaks, whereas Temenos keeps a great deal of his inner thoughts and feelings to himself while speaking in a roundabout way, hiding what he actually wants to say behind stories from the scriptures or lighthearted jabs.

That Osvald can break everyone else reflects his observant nature, for sure, but it's also interesting that he can break characters like Agnea and Ochette, both of whom he treats as surrogate daughters to some level or another...though perhaps the fact that he can break them reflects his parenting style, wherein he wouldn't want to hold back any important lessons, even if they were somewhat unpleasant.

As noted before, Osvald's one of the few characters who points out how reckless Castti can be with her own health, so it makes sense he'd be able to break her. Hikari makes sense, given that he's trained in martial arts rather than magical arts, so Osvald and Hikari are strong in what the other is weak in. And, Partitio is open and honest, almost to a fault, which, like how Throne can get a good read on Partitio, probably makes Partitio fairly easy for Osvald to get a read on as well.

Like Osvald, Partitio can break five of the other travelers. This, paired with his distinct lack of weaknesses, does seem to reflect the fact that, despite being sincere and a starting off untraveled, Partitio is wicked smart and very aware of what's going on around him, skills he needs to be a successful merchant.

Partitio can't break Agnea as far as we know, which seems to reflect their banter where Partitio nearly gives her his money after she explains how she raised enough money to start traveling (Angea notably has enough money for her travels, it's Paritio who needs to come up with more money, but here he is trying to give her more money anyhow).

Partitio being unable to break Temenos may have to do with Partitio truly not being able to get a good read on Temenos because of how Temenos is (re: puts up a façade, keeps his feelings to himself, etc.), but there's also the shared banter between Castti, Partitio, Temenos, and Agnea where, a bit drunk and therefore letting his guard slip a bit, we see that Temenos can be rather cynical, as he shoots down the idea of new paper plays about their travels rather quickly. This puts his personality at odds with both Partitio and Agnea, who are unfailingly optimistic (and optimistic enough they eventually convince Temenos their idea isn't that naïve).

The fact that Partitio can break the rest of the party is just testament to his astuteness and flexibility as a merchant, since he can break more stoic characters like Osvald and Throne (Partitio hits it off pretty quickly with both, not even giving Throne a hard time for her thieving habits and instead bonding over their shared love of fashion, as any merchant good at networking might do), while also finding a way past Hikari's defenses (although Hikari's usually pretty straightforward on matters not related to his Shadow, so Partitio's able to connect with him pretty easily as well). As noted earlier, Partitio is the only character Ochette cannot break without one of her partners, and his name is the only one that really trips her up.

Partitio being able to break Castti comes as a bit of a surprise, given that the majority of their banters have Castti teasing Partitio or chiding him for his reckless behavior. There is the sense that Partitio respects Castti a great deal and is still paying attention to what she does, as seen in their banter during her Timberain chapter, where Paritio reminds Castti that her ability to convince the soldiers to get the people indoors to safety was due to her hard work, and that while it's true there's more for her to do, she shouldn't undersell the worth of all that she has already managed to achieve. From this, we get the sense that teasing and chiding aside, Partitio is still keeping tabs on Castti and is clearly able to get a read on her, even if he doesn't intervene as often in her personal affairs.

Despite being the only one whose weaknesses we don't know for certain, Agnea can break five other travelers as well. This makes sense from a game mechanics standpoint, since Dolcinaea is Agnea's boss fight and Agnea can't be charmed during the fight, so she ideally has to have a chance to break whoever Dolcinaea does charm. But this also reflects well how Agnea is able to win over so many people throughout her travels, as her pursuit of hope and desire to bring joy to people never wavers and inspires others.

The only two she can't break are Partitio and Throne. Given the infamous peaches banter, it makes sense Agnea can't break Partitio, since she didn't realize he was talking about the basket of peaches she was literally holding until the very end of the banter, and by then was too flustered to stick around (Partitio is, notably, clueless to the fact that Agnea thought he was talking about some entirely different peaches).

Throne makes sense as well because she's a slightly older, and definitely more experienced, woman than Agnea. As a country girl coming to the city, Agnea is ignorant to all of the dark things a city could hold, while Throne is a city girl who grew up literally in the shadows of all the wicked things in a city. Agnea's general ignorance puts her at a slight disadvantage to Throne's knowledge, although it should be noted that Throne is also inspired by Agnea's kindness and hope, and supports Agnea rather than looking down on her ignorance and naivety.

While we can assume that Agnea can break most of the other travelers for battle mechanics purposes, and to make sure the player has a chance to retrieve the charmed character even if Agnea is the only character they have to do that, it is interesting that she can break most of the characters from a narrative standpoint.

Characters like Osvald and Castti treat Agnea like a kid (Agnea seems to be a surrogate daughter to Osvald specifically), so it could be she's able to get to both of them because they want to dote on her a bit like a parent might (although for Castti, the resident healer, the fact that Agnea can break her might be due to Agnea's habit of occassionally rushing into things that causes some vexation to Castti).

Temenos notably has a difficult time communicating with Agnea, so Agnea's ability to break him could have something to do with the fact that Temenos is never able to get his point across to Agnea in a few of their banters (i.e. when Agnea forgets that he's the inquisitor and thinks his job is that of a detective or a paper play artist, and all of Temenos's attempts to correct her fail; likewise his attempt to get Agnea to take care of herself--before helping Laila get new shoes--via a story of Aelfric goes right over Agnea's head). It's not so much that Agnea is that naïve, but rather Temenos's roundabout way of doing things seems to make it more difficult for him to communicate clearly with her.

Agnea being able to break Hikari could be explained as well by her unwavering optimism and journey for hope. Compared to Hikari's childhood, Agnea hasn't experienced the same hardships, so her belief in bringing joy and happiness to people may seem naïve at first. But Hikari's entire end-goal for Ku isn't that different, as he wishes for peace and prosperity and an end to the bloodshed and war that's plagued his country and torn asunder his family and the families of his people. So despite the fact that Agnea's coming from an entirely different set of life experiences, her desire to bring about a more hopeful, brighter future aligns with Hikari's own desire for a better future, so it makes sense then that Agnea could break through to Hikari because he believes deeply in her vision even before he meets her. (This is also somewhat reflected in Mikka and Pala's side story in the postgame, as it's Pala who's able to break through to Mikka).

Ochette's the most surprising, although Agnea is one of the first travelers to share cooked food with Ochette in one of their early banters, so in the realm of food at least Agnea knows ways to prepare it that Ochette loves (even though Castti also later cooks for Ochette but can't break her). There's also the banter in Agnea's final chapter where Ochette talks about how much she loves Gil's piano playing, and she mentions several times how much she enjoys Agnea's dances and singing, so it could be that Ochette is weak to the performing arts.

Temenos has the fewest number of travelers that he can break, making him the opposite of Ochette. Now, technically he could break every traveler with his latent ability, but without putting in the extra effort he's not able to break most of the others. This is interesting considering his entire thing is being able to get information by talking with people (the coerce nighttime path action, despite being a battle, is probably supposed to be a metaphor for the "mental battle" waged when trying to get information from someone). Despite his acuity with detective work and unravelling mysteries, he has quite the difficult time unravelling his traveling companions. It's possible that, like Castti, this actually reflects the fact that he is a healer technically (even if, in Temenos's shared banter with Castti and Partitio, Partitio suggests that Temenos's "healing" style focuses more on the spirit, rather than physical wounds the way Castti's healing does).

Who he can break are interesting choices. Throne is the least surprising, since the two are opposites while being quite alike, although Temenos notably can only hit one of Throne's weaknesses while she can hit most of his.

Meanwhile, Ochette is probably one of the least deceptive travelers, never hiding much of anything, so it could be Temenos has an easier time reading her because she's straightforward with her thoughts and feelings pretty much all the time. This might explain why Temenos can break Partitio as well, since while Partitio is capable of using his merchant's gift of rhetoric to inspire people to his cause, he is incredibly honest, straightforward, and open about himself as well, and very trusting of other people (the opposite of Temenos's innate doubt).

If we work off the idea that Temenos has an easier time reading Ochette and Partitio because of their openness, then most of the characters Temenos can't break make sense. Hikari, while not outright deceptive, never tells any of the other party members about his struggles with his Shadow (although he comes close and talks about it indirectly with Temenos and Castti in one of their banters), and therefore we can say that Hikari is somewhat secretive and very good at keeping his secrets.

Castti likewise, while she's not trying to keep secrets intentionally and also isn't deceptive, suffers amnesia and can't remember much of anything of her past at the start of her story (Temenos can't inquire about something someone doesn't know). Even after she regains her memories, it's hard to say how openly Castti would discuss her experiences or not, since we don't see them brought up in detail during her travel banters often.

Osvald doesn't keep anything secret, on purpose or accident, and is very straightforward when he speaks, but he's also taciturn and prefers not to chat, so it makes sense Temenos would have a hard time breaking him since Temenos can't learn something from someone who won't talk to him, and there's the general impression that even Osvald's body language is a bit withdrawn (I say "general impression" bc despite the limits of sprite art, Osvald doesn't move around as expressively or actively as other characters like Ochette or Angea, and even his unique Bewildering Grace dance is the most restrained of the eight).

As noted earlier Temenos also has a difficult time communicating his point to Agnea in several of their shared banters. It should be noted as well that Agnea is the youngest character in the group, and Temenos tends to be "weak" to children, with how he lets Ochette talk him into reading Acta a story because Acta is a baby, or with the children of his church teasing him for his mistakes in his paper plays (although I think his mistakes are intentional, as I explained in this post here, but Temenos does seem to have something of a soft spot for children, possibly because they tend to be more honest or possibly because he takes his duties teaching/guiding them more seriously than he lets on).

Surprisingly, despite his martial prowess, Hikari can only break four other travelers. Like we see with Throne, this could speak to his nature, as Hikari is very kindhearted and values his friends dearly, and his desire not to hurt anyone but especially the people he cares about is what allows Hikari to stave off, and eventually defeat, his Shadow. Indeed, like how Castti is a healer first, fighter second, there's the impression that Hikari--despite being a warrior--is a protector first, and a warrior second.

Hikari can't break Castti, which is interesting, because Castti was "infected" by Trousseau's poison rain and carried a bit of the Shadow around with her, it's possible Hikari couldn't break her even if he wanted due to his blood curse. Likewise Hikari can't break Throne, just as she can't break him, and with their shared blood ties to D'arqest and Vide, and I wonder how much of the Shadow being something of an offshoot, or "servant", to Vide, alongside Throne being the daughter of Vide's intended perfect vessel, potentially has to do with this.

Hikari's Shadow, and Castti and Throne's connections to it, don't explain why he can't break Agnea, but it could be that Agnea's earnest journey for hope and continual optimism even in the face of darkness is something he respects enough that he would never and could never bring himself to harm her, since he believes deeply in her vision of hope.

It's interesting then that he can break Ochette, who is canonically the character who seems to be closest to the Flame, but at the same time both are warriors of a sort, so it could be more of a friendly sparring thing. Osvald makes some sense, in that Hikari is a master of physical combat and Osvald is not, so naturally they're both weak to what the other is skilled in.

Partitio is a bit surprising, but if we take into considering that it's implied Partitio gets into fights on impulse due to being a bit hot-blooded, it does make sense that Hikari, who's always cool and calm under a fight (when he isn't staving off the Shadow) could get the upper hand on Paritio if they sparred.

Hikari being able to break Temenos makes sense in regards to his shared banter with Temenos and Throne, where the three play poker and try to needle each other into giving up, with Throne and Temenos failing to throw each other off, before Hikari ultimately gets them both to give up the game, potentially getting Temenos to cry in the process (which is an incredible feat on Hikari's part, given that Temenos is never shown or implied to cry during the events of his story despite two people he cared deeply about being murdered, and just how careful Temenos is in general with keeping up a certain façade around others).

One last thing I'd like to talk about is the number of other travelers each traveler is weak to, which I think has more to do with game mechanics than with characterization. Every character is weak to five other characters, with the exception of Throne and Partitio who are only weak to four. This is really excellent in terms of mechanics balancing, since the only reason these weaknesses exist is because characters can be charmed during the Dolcinaea fight, so it makes sense that the player should be given a fair shot to break the charmed character with whichever team setup they went into the battle with, especially so for players who go in blind.

Agnea obviously is the major exception to this, being unable to be charmed means we can at best guess at her weaknesses. Which is fitting because the player wouldn't have to worry about losing Agnea in the battle (and generally speaking, in my experience Agnea's usually able to output enough damage by this point in the game that she can retrieve the charmed character with a fully boosted attack without even needing to break them, meaning I, as the player, didn't even have to really worry about who Dolcinaea charmed in terms of strategy). In theory if she could have been charmed, I imagine she would have had 4-5 characters who could break her with their base kit, just for gameplay balancing purposes.

Aaand, that's...all I think I wanted to jot down for my continued observations. With the bonus battle updates to Octo2, I plan to put together a similar post (or two) for the Octo1 travelers, since we now have access to their weaknesses as well. I'm still not trying to make any point per se, just rambling on things I observed and how the game mechanics seem to tie in with story characterization, which I always think is a neat thing when it occurs in games. Thanks for reading if you made it this far, bc this got way longer than I was expecting!

[sarahreesbrennan]

Is Elliot decently muscular and athletic to the people in the Border Camp? Does he realize this?

Absolutely yes, and absolutely no.

Elliot has two superhuman personal trainers. They are intensely motivated by his wellbeing, and he is intensely motivated by his desire to earn their affection.

... He doesn't have to do this, but he doesn't realise that. It was interesting for me to chart Elliot's development over years, both physically, mentally and emotionally. To me his outside is a mirror for his insides, as he grew more socially adept and confident and able to charm and negotiate, but still thought of himself as a social reject even while using those skills, despite the cognitive dissonance inherent. Elliot doesn't realise his deeper qualities attract people's love as he doesn't realise his surface qualities attract admiration.

Being unloved by your primary caregivers in childhood means you carry with you--despite evidence to the contrary, despite your own intelligence arguing otherwise--a deep-rooted conviction you are unlovable. And if you have a prickly personality (with that conviction, it's likely: neglect, like other forms of abuse, does not produce perfect victims) you're going to receive feedback that looks to you like more evidence to back up those beliefs, and you won't see the arguments against it. Elliot is observant as hell, but only sees a certain amount because of his blinkers.

... Also I do enjoy writing characters who are deeply oblivious, and providing the clues for my readers. Every character is a mystery in themselves! And the mystery is both tragic and comic.

To people in the Border Camp, Elliot's less impressive than on our side of the wall: they're accustomed to said superhuman personal trainers, but he is still remarkable enough to be remarked upon by their commander. That's especially significant as many of the 'humans' in the Borderlands have inhuman blood, and thus everyone's approach to 'can a human jump from a tall cliff and land unhurt' is 'that doesn't sound right, but I don't know enough about the capacities of the species to say...'

Elliot's unquestionably seen as the jock of the council course, which would disgust him if he knew. He's picked to play the homme fatale of his school play and put in revealing outfits, and the very night of the school play while still in sexy costume he sleeps with the (widely-considered) hottest girl in school. (Having already romanced the other contestant for hottest girl in school. And then goes on to hook up with the two best-looking boys. Truly a bisexual icon among the beautiful people.) Extremely fit in all senses of the word, and to those of the Border Camp being visibly athletic is especially attractive because it indicates you're more likely to survive.

To those outside the training camp, well, he gets courted by a harpy on sight ('who is that striking gentleman? I must bring him a bouquet of dead rabbits!), propositioned repeatedly by an elf, and kissed by a mermaid during their first encounter. It is fair to suspect that some of his diplomatic missions have been helped out by people responding to him with 'he's not that diplomatic but... that ass.'

To the people of our world, as Jase testifies, Elliot is clearly the product of fairly intensive athletic or military training.

I remember one post that says 'he is so tall and so ripped' and another one saying he is totally jacked and the fastest man alive.

... I endorse them both.

[mythicalninjas]

Cowabunga! 🐢

So... I was here thinking, how would they (separately, please) act or react, with f!reader having the same personality and attitudes as Wednesday?

Cowabunga! 🐢🐢🐢🐢

Is Wednesday Addam were you talking about? I hope I have written about the right character.

Leonardo:

Leo would probably be the most intrigued by Y/N's personality. He’s disciplined and serious, so he would respect her cool-headedness and sharp mind. However, her morbid sense of humor and indifference to emotions might throw him off balance at times. He would try to understand her, showing patience, though occasionally, he might try to "soften" her outlook, offering subtle encouragement to open up emotionally.

Might appreciate her composure in stressful situations, valuing her ability to remain calm. However, her morbid comments might leave him at a loss for words, unsure whether to laugh or worry.

While trying to maintain his calm and collected demeanor, Leo would find himself fascinated by her uniqueness and challenge his own seriousness by finding humor in her deadpan wit, even if it takes him a while to get used to it.

Raphael:

Raph would find himself drawn to f!reader’s sarcasm and dark humor. Her indifference to typical social norms would appeal to his rebellious nature. However, there might be some clashes—Raph is passionate and emotional, and her lack of overt emotion might frustrate him at times. He could misinterpret her stoicism as a lack of interest or care, which could lead to tension.

Probably throw some of her sarcasm right back at her and would enjoy their witty back-and-forths. When she says something morbid or weird, he might give a half-smirk, appreciating her quirkiness but unsure how to respond to some of her more macabre tendencies.

He might challenge her to "lighten up" or show more intensity, but over time, he would come to respect her consistency. He’d be more protective of her, even if she insists she can handle herself.

Donatello:

Donnie would be intrigued by f!reader’s intelligence and dry wit. He would appreciate her unique perspective on the world, even if it sometimes bordered on the macabre. He might be a bit uncomfortable with her fascination with death and the darker side of life, but he’d still be drawn to her intellect and logical approach to problems.

Would try to analyze her behavior, wanting to understand her more deeply. Donnie might awkwardly laugh at her dark humor, not always knowing if she’s joking or being serious, but he'd definitely admire how quick she is to observe and make snappy comments.

He might try to engage her in intellectual discussions, where they both could express their unique viewpoints. He’d value her ability to remain calm in chaotic situations, but he'd likely spend a lot of time trying to "crack" her more vulnerable, emotional side, if only out of curiosity.

Michelangelo:

With his lighthearted and fun-loving personality, would probably be the most challenged by f!reader’s Wednesday-like demeanor. He’d likely be a bit confused by her disinterest in fun activities and would constantly try to make her laugh or loosen up. Despite her indifference, he’d probably find her mysterious vibe attractive and would be undeterred by her sarcastic comments or dark outlook.

The orange-clad-boy would respond to her deadpan remarks with wide eyes and playful comebacks. He might not always get her humor, but he’d still laugh and try to match her energy, albeit in his more sunny way. Her morbid nature would likely lead him to try extra hard to “brighten her day.”

Mikey'd be relentless in trying to draw out some positive emotion from her, constantly cracking jokes, inviting her to fun activities, and even creating a friendly challenge of getting her to genuinely smile. Despite the differences, he'd enjoy the balance her personality brings to his upbeat energy.

Each Turtle would be attracted to different facets of Y/N’s Wednesday-like personality, whether it's her wit, composure, or dark charm, but they’d all face the challenge of balancing their unique personalities with her stoic, slightly eerie nature.

[kale-of-the-forbidden-cities]

Vespera Folend Lore Dump <3

[Vespera Folend Lore Dump]

tw: murder, death, sexual assault, child abuse, adult/minor stuff, mentions of suicide/attempted suicide(?), self harm

[tw: murder, death, sexual assault, child abuse, adult/minor stuff, mentions of suicide/attempted suicide(?), self harm]

none of the above is depicted in a positive light. i do not support any of it i'm just doing what i do best, giving trauma to fictional characters

it's vespera. of course it's not a walk in the park.

Vespera had a sister named Zyti, who was five years older than her. As a child, Vespera was not talkative. Like, at all. She didn't speak at birth like most elves do, and her parents made no effort to teach her to speak. The only one who did was Zyti.

When Vespera was four (and Zyti was nine), their parents left them outside the human/elvin city of Atlantis. They were told to wait for them to come back, but they never did. The two sisters stayed there together all night, until they were found in the morning by a half human, half elf who took them into his home.

He told them to call him Father, and he provided them with shelter, food, all the basic needs. But... he wasn't a good father. He reminded them that they were in debt to him, because he'd saved them from the streets and what would certainly have been their death. And because of that... they had to do whatever he said.

Father physically, emotionally, and even sexually abused them. He punished them for doing anything he didn't like - including normal child things, like playing around, or crying. It became safer for them to just do nothing at all. Suppress how they really feel. Now, Father spoke both the Enlightened Language and a human language that is long since extinct. The only ones who know it are Vespera and a handful of other ancients who may have lived in Atlantis before it sunk. But Vespera lost the little progress she had made in speaking when Father adopted her, and only became fully fluent at seven years old. It's also part of what contributes to some of her speaking habits she still has today - while some of that can be contributed to her being ancient and locked away for thousands of years, she does tend to not use contractions as much, for example.

Vespera and Zyti were not let out of the house, until Zyti was a teenager, and was allowed to run errands and such. While out, she met a human named Achim, who was... a generally violent guy. He was an adult, while Zyti was around fourteen.

While not quite numb yet, Vespera had been emotionally shut off since she was a child. She was extremely apathetic, living through the days just for the sake of it, enduring everything from Father, and when she was allowed out under supervision, she mostly just observed people. All kinds of people.

Light leaping hadn't been invented yet, and Atlantis was one of the most diverse places, species-wise. It was mostly humans, as they had founded the city, and elves settled with them, being the most similar in appearance, and even creating some human/elf hybrids like Father. (when atlantis was later sunk, those hybrids were cast out with the humans, meaning there are humans today with small bits of elf DNA. humans didn't used to have blue eyes before mixing with elves.) You'd also see a few other intelligent species passing through, there was a section of town where a few families of ogres lived, since they didn't really have one big land yet, and the world was less divided by species at the time.

Vespera could sit in one place for hours, so still that a bird landed on her once and she didn't even move. She observed everyone she saw. It was her only hobby. She was more invested in these people's lives than she'd ever been in her own - she would watch the same people come to the same places and learn about them, she'd know their habits and tendencies, she could make elaborate assumptions all without even knowing their names.

Zyti had begun to see how messed up everything with Father was, and frequently got into fights with him, insisting she was leaving forever and never coming back, and Father let her go, because he knew. He knew that every time her guilt would have her coming back after a few days at most. She couldn't leave.

Now, Zyti usually stayed with Achim during these days she left, but occasionally she would find someone else to stay with when Achim was away. One of these people was an elf who coaxed her into doing things she didn't want to. I won't go into detail, obviously, but... the result was, Zyti got pregnant. She was only sixteen, and she knew she couldn't hide it from Father forever. She felt like she owed it to him for him to know. Besides, while she hadn't meant to get pregnant, she cared about this unborn child. She didn't want anything that Father did to hurt the baby.

Vespera was in the room when Zyti told Father, and needless to say... it didn't go well. She kept her arms wrapped around her middle to do what she could to protect the child, and that night, she ran away to stay with Achim again, and when she explained the situation and what had happened, he was livid.

After three days of Zyti not coming back, Father took it out on Vespera. She took it all in silence, not once uttering a cry of pain or discomfort, she closed her eyes and imagined she was dying.

At the time, Vespera was eleven. She didn't cry. She wasn't truly there, in her mind. She had completely shut off.

That is, until, a few weeks later, Vespera heard a commotion downstairs. She slipped out of bed and watched as Achim, who had broken into the house with Zyti's help, brutally murdered Father. Father fought back, but Achim overpowered him. Zyti was the one to bring the blade to his throat when Achim had him pinned down. She was the one who took his life.

Vespera approached them, and they stopped. Zyti dropped the knife and backed away, fumbling to explain that they were finally free, he couldn't hurt them anymore. Achim insisted he'd deserved it. But Vespera wasn't listening to either of them. She kneeled by Father's body and began hitting him as hard as she could. Just punching his open wounds, returning a fraction of the hurt he had caused. Then she reached for the knife and stabbed him a couple times. After that, she began to cut off his hands. Like some way of making sure he couldn't ever hurt anyone ever again.

Zyti and Achim could only watch, until Vespera raised the knife to stab herself and end it all. Zyti grabbed her arms and easily wrestled it away from her, tossing it to the side. Vespera didn't react, and her sister helped her up. They began to walk further into the city to go to Achim's house.

On the way, Vespera suddenly started to cry. She couldn't take it anymore, she stopped walking and collapsed, she was crying that hard. It was tears built up over years and years of being disconnected from everything, it all hit her like a... well, trucks didn't exist back then but you get it. Achim picked her up and carried her from there.

When people eventually found the scene of Father's death weeks later, it was clearly a crime, but there wasn't much they could do about it. Father, Vespera, and Zyti had lived just on the outskirts of the city, and nobody really knew to connect them at all, and nobody could connect them to Father's murder. Not that anyone really missed him.

Months later, Zyti ended up having her baby, but she was barely making it through. The only reason she'd been holding on was for her child, but after it was born, she gave in and her mind broke from the guilt of killing the man who raised her. There was nothing Vespera or Achim could do. Vespera tried so many times to wake her sister up, but nothing worked. It was the most grief she'd ever felt and ever will feel.

Achim was almost just as devastated, and didn't cope with it well. He and Zyti had sort of maybe been dating, well, they had something, despite the age difference. He coped with this by sexually assaulting Vespera on multiple occasions, and she just took it. She accepted it. She hated all of it, her head was filled with such horrible thoughts, but she'd grown up to never say no to something like this, especially from the man responsible for keeping her sheltered and alive. After three years, however, when Vespera was fourteen, she snapped and shoved him out a window on one of the upper floors.

Zyti's son was somehow still alive, and how the baby managed to survive 3 years in the care of a violent human and a violent traumatized elvin preteen/teenager is beyond me, but he did somehow. Feeling incredibly Nothing, Vespera left him on the side of the road at night, not unlike what her parents did with her and Zyti.

He was later taken in by a different elvin family, who cared for him and raised him in a good way. At least someone gets a happy ending. He is still alive today, and knows nothing of his dark past and connection to Vespera, despite their resemblence. He is actually the [some amount of greats] grandfather to Councillor Oralie, making Sophie Foster and Vespera Folend very, very distantly related.

Vespera tried to build her own life, but she didn't know where to start. She lived in Achim's house, and when questioned, she told every single one of them that he had committed suicide. at least that got her their pity. but she never connected with any of them. She would sit on the very windowsill she'd told Achim to lean out of and watch the people going about their lives from a bird's eye view. She was notoriously "creepy." And when people passing by glanced up and saw her, they hurried away, not wanting to witness it if one day she followed what they assumed Achim had done.

Vespera also preferred to cover up as much skin as she could, ever since she killed Achim, she started only wearing sleeves up to her wrists, gloves, collars or cloaks that covered her neck, and skirts that reached the ground. sometimes she even went as far as to wear a veil, not only because of her aversion to touch, but also because it made her feel like she had no identity- which, she didn't. She felt more like a ghost, and she often wished she was one. The extra fabric also helped her to not become overwhelmed when she manifested as an Empath, which was a conflicting experience for her. Sometimes, she would hate to touch anyone at all, but in rare occasions, she would go out to pretend to bump into someone, just to get a brief feeling of something.

After a few years, she became less strict with herself by ditching the veil and the gloves, for the most part, and began slowly trying to ground herself by journaling instead of cutting or bruising herself (which she had been doing for years). She wrote about people she saw. she wrote about Father and Zyti. She wondered how Father and Achim could have been so violent while her sister broke under it all. Speculation about the potential strength of human minds, the seeds for what would later become a full on facility.

Things began to change very rapidly, with the invention of light leaping, elves Vespera had never seen before were popping up out of nowhere and settling here. And there was talk of a king? Well, she knew that a lot of the other species had rulers, but humans and elves both either had smaller leaders for different places, or just self-governed areas. But that was to change very soon.

One of the newcomers to Atlantis was Fintan Pyren, who she encountered when he was trying to push open a pull door. She hadn't laughed, like, ever, but it did make her smile. She might have even been amused. They began talking, and Vespera wondered if she was forming some sort of connection. they talked almost every day, he reminded her to take care of herself (that wasn't her strong suit), and she did what she does best- she sat in silence. But it turned out quietly writing with someone is much better than quietly writing alone.

However, the friendship she had with Fintan was nothing compared to what she had with Vespera. She began to open up to her, to genuinely trust her, prior to going numb. Luzia was truly enamoured of her, and Vespera had no idea if she truly felt the same, or if it was just her Empathy. And while they never fully undressed in front of each other, Vespera felt comfortable enough to show her arms and legs, which was huge for her. But then Luzia went and ratted her out to the council and stole her illusions and got her sent to prison.

the end <3

[dilfsonic]

PLEASE tell me more about Sonmetadow! Anything at all- headcanons, meta, just rambling about them, anything!!

Sorry this is so late!! But I wanted to answer this for a while.

> Metal gradually develops complicated feelings the longer he’s allowed close proximity with his organic copy. As an AI he learns constantly, but given he’s only ever around Eggman his emotionally intelligence can only go so far. The more he watches, learns from, and mimics Sonic, the more his emotional intelligence grows. And the more he ‘feels’ what Sonic feels (this headcanon is derived from a mix of the OVA movie from the 90s and modern iterations).

> In my au, Metal naturally forms feelings for Shadow because SONIC has feelings for Shadow first. Metal inadvertently mimics these emotions and they develop the longer Sonic’s emotions influence him. In turn he becomes influenced by Shadow’s feelings…it’s a never ending feedback loop, feeding into one another.

> Metal may mimic their emotions to begin with, but as he becomes more advanced, he comes to grasp his own uniquely complicated feelings. He hated Sonic, but it was a hate he was programmed with. When hardwiring meets fallible emotion— which comes out on top? That’s the question. He now can no longer tell if he wants to be his organic copy or if he wants to be WITH him. Sonic has a unique ability to the touch the core of those he empathizes with, and I think if he got past Metal’s hardwiring/if that was ever compromised, Metal has the potential to be the most touched by him.

> He’s still learning, he never ‘finishes’ developing and therefore his feelings are ever evolving, the more self aware he becomes and can begin to pinpoint and predict his own feelings. Sonic is his primary guide in this, while Shadow (who is peak example of holding onto very complicated emotions) kind of learns alongside with him.

> Metal and Shadow bond a lot over things that have been brought up in canon. Shadow has a unique and interesting facet of his character in which he’s shown to consistently show a great empathy and understanding of robots and androids. Metal Sonic, Omega, Emerl, etc… Particularly with Metal, who has a similar dilemma as Omega, in which he’s a tool for the Doctor, like Shadow was. Whereas canonically Omega defected on his own, Shadow is trying to convince Metal to do it. He won’t hesitate to fight Metal, but he would prefer not to, and he’s set aside their necessary opposition to work with Metal in the past, who was even willing to take the chaos emerald from his own body to give Shadow a chance to warp back home. That’s pretty awesome.

> An interesting observation to me is that Shadow and Sonic are both often in opposition from a moral standpoint, they actually both share a goal with Metal. Both of them extend their hands in offering to him, and encourage him to make his own decisions independent of Eggman. And it’s not that Sonic and Shadow even want Metal to be a hero necessarily— even if Metal were to remain an adversary, they just want Metal to come to that decision on his own. Shadow and Sonic both have a strong sense of freedom in their own ways, and encourage others to exercise their own freedom even if it means that person continuing on their own opposing path.

> In a what-if scenario, seeing Sonic and Shadow combine their efforts to free Metal is really fascinating to me. Metal is like Shadow in the sense where it begs the question, can he really learn to love? Is he capable of that particular emotion? Can he grasp what romantic interest really means? He understands as best he can, and is still learning all the while… Yes, while Sonic and Shadow certainly hold a candle for one another by this point in the story, their ‘love’ is considerably complicated. They’re still rivals, after all. Rivals with benefits, I suppose! Except the longer they’re ‘stuck’ together (affectionate) the more they fall into a comfortable push and pull.

They become sort of inadvertently committed (though Sonic continues to see other lovers he’s kept up over the years, Knuckles and Jet), and it probably stems from the fact that Sonic is canonically one of the only (if not the only) people to touch his heart. They are both still guarded in their own ways, and would probably require many lifetimes over and over to fully learn and know the other, and it’s something they enjoy exploring.

The difference is, Shadow has endless time to learn about Metal, but only one lifetime to learn about Sonic. It’s sort of bittersweet, the way Sonic continues to live on through Metal after he’s gone in lots of little ways, but Metal is still his own unique personhood, and Shadow knows better than to think he could use him as a replacement.

Anyway, sorry for this wall of text!! I have a Lot of opinions and feelings on these guys. They’re my OT3 LOL. Please feel free to ask more questions whether it’s regarding my au or just sonmetadow as a concept in general because I have a never ending fountain of thoughts and scenarios on them.

[sebastianmichaelisslander]

my good friend i'm curious. because i am Very Normal about characters and i know you are also Very Normal about characters i would like to know. is there any kuro character you love enough/have enough thoughts about to write an essay on them? and why? because i know we have many characters we both love and some we disagree on i'd love to hear a bit of in-depth stuff about your faves!!

I am so, so, very glad I received this ask 😭🙏🏼💐 you have no idea how long I’ve been waiting for something like this!!!

Alright, I’m going to talk about one of my comfort characters: Mey-Rin.

And as this blog is for (semi-jokingly) slandering Sebastian, let me begin by saying that Seabass absolutely does not deserve this girl:

I mean, just look at her. 😭🙏🏼

Where do I begin?

First off, I feel like she’d be sharper and more perceptive than she gets credit for. I don’t buy that she doesn’t suspect a thing about Sebastian. She’d know something is very, very off about him from the start, even if he does show her kindness she’s seldom experienced before. I also think that’s the reason she wouldn’t have acted upon the crush she had on him - not just because she isn’t sure of his own feeling towards her, but also because something tells her it wouldn’t end well.

These observational skills are also partly why she’s more emotionally intelligent than she thinks. She truly is the mum friend - very helpful, very protective, and always someone you can come to with your problems. If you’ve noticed, she’s fretting over Finny, Bard, Ciel and Seb at several points in the manga. I also see her as the sort who worries more than she should, especially about those she cares for. This would also make her quite the overthinker - the sort to worry about stuff after it happens as she’s often in situations where she needs to act in the moment.

Although she’s primarily a long-range fighter, I do think she’d know her stuff when it comes to hand-to-hand combat - enough to help her in sticky situations. She’s lived on the streets for a lot of her formative years, so she would know how to remain aware of her surroundings and have a mean right hook. I also write her as more assertive than in canon. Partly because I wish we got to see her shine more, and partly because I think it would be a given if you look at her backstory and what all she’s had to survive.

I also enjoy portraying her as the sort who lowkey has a sassy side, but only once she gets comfortable enough with the person for them to know it’s all in jest coming from her. She’d make a wisecrack and then apologise for roasting them. 😂😭

Now, going back to her and Sebastian because I still have more to say: I’m also not a Sebamey shipper as I don’t like how quite a few fics shipping her with Sebastian portray her as his doormat or some damsel in distress 😭 but even if that’s not the case, just the fact that it’s a canon possibility he’d use her just as he used Beast lowkey puts me off. I’ll still read fics in which he’s a good partner to her, though - they’re fun.

I also like to think that while she is infatuated with Sebastian at first, it eventually turns into an “I admire him and aspire to be as good at my job” sort of thing. I think she developed a crush on him because he was one of the few men who showed her genuine kindness - even if it’s part of his act. I think most of the men she’s come across were the opposite - and that she’d also had some genuinely scary experiences with them (which I have implied in my works with her). I also don’t think she’d trust them in a hurry, even if she appears unbothered by men she meets at first.

About her life after she starts working at the manor: much like any other woman, all she wants is to feel desirable, especially when she gets to dress and live as one properly.

I also think that she’s a romantic at heart who loves the idea of finding someone who loves her for who she is, although she probably feels it’s all but a pipe dream. I think she’s probably had an experience or two before - probably fleeting ones. Living out most of her life pretending to be a man meant she didn’t have many opportunities at all for this sort of thing, even on the down low. So she hasn’t had any proper experiences with romance. I’m remembering the panel in which she’s extremely flustered after Ronald flirts with her, saying that’s the first time she’s been hit on. I like to interpret that as her feeling like this is the first time someone has made genuine romantic advances towards her.

As for her hobbies and any other interests outside of her job… I don’t know why, but I see her as the artsy kind with humanities girl energy. She seems like the sort who’d be a great artist and surprisingly good at painting. I also like to think she’d try to read more after Sebastian teaches her how to, often using a small part of her wages to buy novels (she loves both the macabre ones and the sappy romantic ones, lol). She’d underline any word she doesn’t know, probably asking Sebastian what it means later on.

I’d like to know more about her pastimes, likes, dislikes, and her as a character overall in canon as well. There’s still potential to expand upon a great deal.

That’s it for now on her! I’m going to do Othello next 😂 and then Ludger, mayhaps - or William and Grelle. My brain isn’t working today, so apologies for any vagueness or if I didn’t explain myself too clearly dhfjdkdb 😭

[redbuddi]

Would love to hear what you have in mind for Jazz Fenton. Also Vlad?? 👀👀👀

Jazz time, baby!

Jazz was always my favorite character, I think that she added a lot to the show, so she's more or less unchanged, apart from some tweaks to fit her into the slightly different dynamics of the series.

Kindhearted and emotionally intelligent, but sometimes a little self-important, Jazz is the only member of Danny's family who knows that he's a trans boy. However, she does not know about Danny's ghost half at the start of the series, because while Danny confides in her about his struggles in the closet, he has a pretty good reason to not trust her with his ghost identity.

See, while Jazz does everything she can to support her brother, she doesn't always support him in the way he needs, and can be a little pushy if she feels like she knows better. In particular, in the start of the series, she is nagging Danny about when he's going to come out to their parents. Counter-intuitively, Jazz's desire to help her brother has made her somewhat tunnel-visioned. The way she sees it, the stress he feels is because he doesn't know how his parents would react, so the obvious solution to her is for him to come out and then deal with whatever happens after. She doesn't understand that Danny just isn't ready yet, and that it's okay to not be ready, and Danny has reasonable paranoia that she's going to out him to their parents to get it over with. While Jazz would never do that, she hasn't made herself trustworthy enough for Danny to believe that.

Jazz: How long are you going to keep this secret from our parents??? Danny: Which one? Jazz: What? Danny: what

Jazz means well, but needs to learn that her perspective isn't always the right one. She also doesn't get along with Sam too well, as she's the sort of person who believes that you can still work within the system to make progress, while Sam wants to dismantle the system. A huge part of her arc in the story will be to learn that change doesn't come from playing by the rules, and that there are many things in the world she just won't see or experience due to her place of privilege, and that she needs to make a concerted effort to lift people up rather than try to "save" them. Like in the OG show she'll learn about Danny's ghost half by mistake, without Danny knowing she knows, and this will be the catalyst for her to start trying to see things from his point of view, as she wonders why he wouldn't tell her. Sam will also radicalize her, and the two will end up becoming good friends late in the story.

Also like in the show Jazz won't believe in ghosts at first and harbors a lot of resentment towards her parents for not pursuing a type of science she considers to be useful, especially after the accident. Eventually it'll be too obvious for her to ignore the existence of ghosts, but even when it turns out they were right, Jazz can't let go of how she feels about her parents right away.

The Fenton's have always been geniuses in one field or another, but Jazz is the only member in the family who isn't interested in science. She studies therapy and thinks of herself as good enough to basically be a therapist already (she is not correct,) but begins to develop a fascination with ghosts and how they work both biologically and psychologically. She is deeply embarrassed by this, worried that her parents have started to "rub off on her," and does her best to hide it, but secretly begins to journal and catalogue certain ghosts that she witnesses, trying to figure them out. She is off-the-mark with a lot of her classifications, but makes an equal amount of useful observations and theories, and once she joins Team Phantom proper her research will become extremely helpful.

As for Vlad... I have thoughts and ideas for him, but I wanna wait a bit before I share it all... 😉

[warabidakihime]

A Glimpse Beyond Grief: Chapter 2

Characters: Toji Fushiguro x Reader | Office AU | Both characters are in their early 30s | toji is good daddy in this uwu

Synopsis: galactically intertwined journey of two souls: one navigating the depths of loss, the other offering a beacon of healing. through witty banter and unspoken connections, they find solace in unexpected places, uncovering the resilience of the human spirit and the power of love to mend even the most shattered hearts.

Content warning: profanity, (eventual) smut, highkey adult themed, can be psychologically and emotionally triggering for some so read with caution.

A/N: there might be a few typos. will fix them once i get home later :D

--

"Kento, thoughts on this?"

You shared your concerns with your associate director, currently presenting his report during the weekly meeting with your group heads. The session was progressing well, with this month's revenue breaking records again after finalizing the partnership with Gojo Enterprise. The influx of inquiries from other companies kept everyone busy, a challenge you welcomed.

Toji, seated beside you, diligently recorded meeting minutes and contributed insights, especially during Kong Shiu's presentation, the head of your BFSI business unit. Toji collaborated closely with Kong Shiu on certain projects, but ultimately reported directly to you.

Nanami nodded in response to your inquiry. "Yes, according to Gojo-san, our current pace aligns with our agenda. He stressed maintaining service quality as crucial. The partnership has garnered attention, and upholding our standards is paramount."

Leaning back, you considered Nanami's response. "Good to hear. Quality remains non-negotiable as we scale up. We can't afford to compromise and damage our reputation."

Nanami remained composed. "Agreed. I've discussed resource allocation with team leads. We'll handle increased workload intelligently without compromising performance."

As the meeting progressed, Toji contributed, "I've reviewed potential synergies with Gojo Enterprise. Tech implementation stands out as an area where our teams could complement each other."

Nanami showed interest. "Excellent point, Fushiguro-san. Let's set up a meeting with their tech leads to explore these synergies."

You agreed, "Worth pursuing. Coordinate with their team and see if we can arrange something for next week."

The meeting continued with energy, ideas flowing, and plans taking shape. The partnership with Gojo Enterprise had opened opportunities, and your team aimed to leverage them.

After adjournment, Toji lingered. "I'll draft a proposal for joint tech exploration and run it by you before sending it to Satoru."

"Sounds good," you replied, appreciating Toji's proactive approach.

As everyone dispersed, Nanami approached, cautious before expressing his thoughts. "It's reassuring how well things are progressing. The team cohesion is stronger than ever. It should keep him at bay, or, with luck, we can finally shake him off."

You smiled, acknowledging his observation. "Teamwork and adaptability are our strengths. Let's maintain this momentum. Kento, thanks for your insights. I can imagine the effort, despite my reminders to take it easy."

Nanami nodded. "Of course, anytime. I want him out of the picture pronto."

You sighed, looking at your senior director. "Me too, Nii-san. Me too."

Toji observed the interaction between you and Nanami, later discovering he was your big brother. Upon realizing the resemblance, he understood why some mistook you for twins. Despite the age difference, you maintained a professional demeanor at work, surprising Toji when he learned about your relationship.

Returning to your office, your confidence in your team's abilities was evident. Once in the safety of your workspace, you released a slightly shaky breath, realizing you had been holding it during your walk from the boardroom. Toji, ever-observant, had been watching you but remained silent until you were both back in your shared office.

"Everything okay?" he asked as you settled at your desk, noting the unreadable expression that shifted into a rehearsed smile when you faced him.

"Yeah, just a bit tired from the meeting," you replied.

Toji hummed, settling at his desk to resume his tasks. Memories of the day Kenjaku visited replayed in his mind. He recalled the odd look on your face when Kenjaku entered, sensing the animosity between you two. Most of it emanated from you, your eyes shooting daggers at Kenjaku, who reveled in the confrontation with a smug smile.

-

The man's smile oozed smugness, his posture radiating self-assurance. Toji observed the interaction with a nonchalant air, his instincts signaling that this encounter held more depth than apparent.

You held your ground, a façade of composure concealing the turmoil brewing beneath the surface. Toji's sharp eyes shifted between you and Kenjaku, a flicker of intrigue igniting in the depths of his gaze.

As unspoken tension thickened the air, Toji found himself an unwitting spectator to a history shrouded in secrecy.

Kenjaku's voice flowed smoothly, carrying an unearned familiarity that echoed through the room. His eyes bore into yours with a dangerous mix of amusement and shadows.

"Kenjaku," you replied evenly, your voice a masterclass in masking the storm within.

Kenjaku advanced, his movements calculated, invading your personal space with the ease of a predator. "You're looking well," he remarked casually, as if the years between you were nothing more than a fleeting moment.

Your jaw tensed, every muscle poised against the instinct to step back. "Cut to the chase, Kenjaku. What do you want?"

He chuckled softly, the sound grating on your nerves like a dissonant melody. Toji's frown deepened as he observed, the room's tension a silent ballet of wills.

Kenjaku's smile turned predatory, revealing the hidden fangs beneath charm. "You've done well for yourself. JJK Holdings, partnering with Gojo Enterprise. Quite the success story."

Arms folded, you defended with a defiant grace. "I'm not here for pleasantries. If you have something to say, say it."

Toji's gaze flicked to your hands, the subtle tremor betraying the composed exterior. His concern deepened, a silent promise to intervene if needed.

Kenjaku's eyes narrowed, the charm slipping away to reveal the cold calculation beneath. "You always had a sharp tongue. But some things never change, Y/N."

Toji remained steadfast, the lines of readiness etched into his features. Your nostrils flared with a potent mix of anger and frustration. "I'm not afraid of you anymore, Kenjaku. Your games won't work."

Kenjaku's expression darkened, the mask crumbling further. "We'll see, Y/N. We'll see."

Eye contact lingered, anger boiling within. It took everything in you not to succumb to the impulse to slap him. As Kenjaku made his way to the door, his eyes landed on Toji, a sly smile playing on his lips.

"Ah, and who might you be?" Kenjaku's voice carried amusement, a calculated interest.

Toji leaned against a nearby table, his posture a blend of nonchalance and quiet confidence. "Fushiguro Toji, Y/N's Executive Assistant."

Recognition flickered in Kenjaku's eyes, a fleeting memory trying to resurface. "Ah, an executive assistant. How quaint."

Toji's lips curled into a knowing smile, his tone casual yet laced with an underlying challenge. "Indeed, quite quaint. But even the most ordinary roles can play a part in remarkable stories."

Tension thickened as a verbal spar unfolded. Kenjaku's arrogant smirk met Toji's confident gaze. "Well, it's good to see that some find contentment in such… supporting roles."

"Supporting roles often hold the threads of the story together, ensuring the narrative's success." Toji's response was a masterful blend of cleverness and professionalism; his words served as a shield of support for you, skillfully countering Kenjaku's implications.

However, Toji wasn't the only one adept in the art of subtle jabs. Kenjaku's attention shifted to you, but his words were directed at your executive assistant, a man visibly measuring your visitor. "Yes, yes... I'm sure Y/N picked you among her seas of applicants for your... capabilities," he turned to Toji, a sick smile playing on his face. "As someone who knows her so well, you're in good hands, Fushiguro-san."

Kenjaku's words dripped with innuendo, a vile implication that sent a chill down your spine. You understood the insinuation, feeling a deep sense of disgust – not towards yourself as Kenjaku perceived, but rather at the twisted conclusions he drew due to your past involvement with him. Meeting his gaze with a calm demeanor, you concealed the tumultuous emotions swirling within.

Toji's response was a seamless fusion of level-headedness and a touch of cheekiness; his words carefully chosen as a retort. "It's always reassuring to provide valuable assistance to a highly respected colleague."

An uneasy tension lingered as Kenjaku's gaze shifted from you to Toji, as if he were peering into the depths of something he shouldn't be privy to. With an arrogant smirk revealing concealed intentions, he slowly backed away. "Ah, well then, I shan't keep you any longer. You both seem to have been having a really good conversation before I arrived."

Kenjaku turned and left the room, his departure leaving behind a residue of tension that slowly dissipated yet never truly disappeared.

As the door closed behind him, you exchanged a brief glance with Toji, the shared unease unspoken yet palpable. Then, for a split second, the lump you had been suppressing surged upwards, choking you with a whirlwind of emotions.

"Y/N!" Toji's voice carried urgency as he swiftly moved to your side, a pillar of support in the aftermath of Kenjaku's unsettling presence.

Slumping down on the floor, you felt the weight of the encounter crash down upon you, your body reacting to the overwhelming stress in a way that you couldn't control. As you expelled the contents of your stomach, the taste of bile on your tongue was a bitter reminder of the toxicity that still lingered from your past.

Toji's hand found its place on your back, rubbing comfortingly as he tried to offer solace amid the storm raging within you. His other hand fumbled for his phone in his pocket, the urgency of the situation driving him to seek help from anyone who could offer support.

Frustrated tears streamed down your face, mingling with the remnants of nausea. The sudden and unwelcome intrusion of your ex-husband had shattered the carefully constructed walls you had built to keep him at bay. The image of his smug smile was seared into your mind, each flash of memory a fresh wave of distress.

Your body convulsed with coughs, and your chest tightened with each intake of air. Toji remained steadfast, his presence a stabilizing force amidst the chaos. He murmured words of reassurance; the sound was a lifeline that helped ground you even as your panic threatened to consume you.

Moments later, the door swung open with a sense of urgency, and Nanami burst into the room. His usually composed demeanor was replaced with raw concern as his gaze landed on his sister, trembling and broken on the floor. He knelt down beside you, his touch gentle yet firm as he sought to offer his support.

Nanami's eyes held a mix of frustration and protectiveness; he had witnessed the toll Kenjaku's presence took on you before, and the sight of your suffering struck a nerve within him. He gently reached out, his hand finding yours in a comforting grip. "Y/N," His voice was soft but unwavering, a lifeline echoing Toji's earlier attempts to anchor you. "You're safe now. He's gone."

But just like any other attack, their words flew by you, distant echoes in the midst of your overwhelming turmoil. You were trapped in a whirlwind of emotions, your chest constricting with anxiety and pain. The memory of Kenjaku's smug smile and cutting words replayed like a haunting melody in your mind, each note reverberating with the memories of past wounds.

As you trembled, unable to find your voice, you felt Nanami's arms wrap around you in a protective embrace. The warmth of his presence and the strong beat of his heart against your back provided a sense of solace; his touch was a silent promise that he was there for you and that he wouldn't let you face this alone. His grip tightened as he held you close, his voice a whisper against your ear. "I'm here, Y/N. You're not alone. Not anymore. Not ever."

But even in the safety of his arms, the pain persisted, the memories too vivid to ignore. Tears streamed down your face as you struggled to regain control over your racing heartbeat. The suffocating weight of fear and anger pressed down on you, threatening to overwhelm your senses.

"I'm sorry, Y/N. It's my fault. I failed you again today." Nanami’s words hung in the air, heavy with the weight of his own guilt and turmoil; his tone was heavy with regret and self-blame.

You turned your head slightly, seeking his eyes through tear-blurred vision. His gaze was earnest, filled with a mixture of remorse and affection. In that moment, you saw not just your older brother but a man who had carried his own burdens and regrets, a man who had always tried to protect you, even from the demons of the past.

Toji, once again a star witness to yet another spectacle he's probably not allowed to see, continued to observe from a respectful distance. His expression was a mix of concern and understanding. He watched as Nanami cradled you in his arms, offering the comfort that only a brother's embrace could provide.

As your tears gradually subsided and your breathing began to steady, you were too tired and drained to speak. Nanami's grip remained firm, an unspoken promise that he would stand by your side through it all. In the midst of the lingering pain and vulnerability, you finally found peace in the presence of those who cared for you—a reminder that you were not defined by the scars of your past.

However, your eyes still looked distant, a complete contrast to the ones that Toji was used to. When you turned to him, your eyes somehow regained their clarity, and the sight sent shivers down his spine. The scene felt hauntingly familiar to him, a poignant reflection of the depths he had once sunk into during his grieving days after the loss of his wife. It was as though he could see the shadows of his own past in the turmoil you were experiencing. He had been lost in a similar type of pain and despair until Megumi and Tsumiki helped him stand up again and start anew.

You mumbled something under your breath; it sounded so faint, but both of them heard you loud and clear.

"I'm sorry."

The weight of those words hung in the air, carrying layers of meaning that resonated with the shared experiences of pain and redemption. Toji's gaze held a mixture of empathy and recognition, silently acknowledging the complexities of healing and the journey toward self-forgiveness.

-

The day slipped by effortlessly, and before anyone realized it, the clock had already struck five, signaling the end of the workday. Toji was in the midst of organizing his belongings when he noticed you still engrossed in your laptop, your fingers dancing across the keyboard.

"You're not heading home yet?" His question held a hint of concern as he slung his backpack over his shoulder, his gaze lingering on you, absorbed in your work.

"Hm, not just yet. I need to wrap this up in time for our meeting with Satoru next week."

After gathering his belongings, Toji walked over to your desk and peeked at what you were working on—the proposal for the partnership. "If you want, I can work on that at home. Just email me the key points, and I'll have it ready by Friday."

You met Toji's gaze with a mixture of reluctance and relief in your eyes. Despite wanting to refuse his offer, your gratitude betrayed you, causing a chuckle to escape Toji's lips. He affectionately ruffled your hair with one hand and suggested, "Leave it to me, Y/N. Head home and get some rest."

A grateful smile formed on your lips, and in an uncharacteristic move, you leaned gently into the warmth of his hand, now cozily resting on your shoulder. Such familiarity between a supervisor and her subordinate might raise eyebrows, but the fatigue coursing through you outweighed any adherence to protocol. And in all honesty, it had been so long since you'd experienced any semblance of softness and warmth that your hormones were acting up. You couldn't help but feel slightly self-conscious as it physically manifested through the apples of your cheeks.

Besides, ever since that pivotal day, the seed of a harmless crush had deepened its roots, evolving into something more profound. While you hesitated to label it love, you were certain you were hurtling in that direction at the speed of light.

However, your musings on Toji's feelings for you were less certain. Was he merely being a steadfast friend, or was he forging a deeper connection? Or did your own self-doubt misconstrue his intentions as pity, stemming from witnessing your vulnerability?

"I'll leave it to you then, Toji. Thank you," you replied to him, to which he responded with a gentleman-like nod. You smiled at the gesture before standing up to stretch your very tired limbs. You were practically glued to your seat, so sore all over your body that a tiny whimper escaped your lips.

"Just doing my job," Toji said, his voice laced with mirth.

"Make sure to plot in your timesheet that you allotted overtime hours, so it gets measured by the payroll team," you reminded him as you gathered your own belongings. Toji chuckled at this and nodded again as a response, but it was soon followed by a cheeky reply, "Thanks, boss."

You snorted at his remark and playfully smacked him on the chest. A shared laugh filled the room, and your eyes briefly met before you pulled away to finish tidying up, preparing to head home and rest. The journey to the elevator was enveloped in a comfortable silence, punctuated by the occasional brush of your hands. Each accidental collision sparked a wave of warmth in your chest, and Toji's ears showed a hint of crimson. He contemplated whether to pull his hand away or yield to the desire to grab yours and hold it tight. Ever since that day, something stronger and more compelling had stirred within Toji.

What he had been denying to himself since your paths crossed was becoming clearer. It wasn't just gratitude; it was a genuine attraction that burned and ate away at him the more time he spent with you.

As you waited for the elevator, Toji broke the silence by asking, "Are you free this weekend?"

"Hm? Yes, why?" Your voice betrayed a subtle excitement, and your heart raced. Is this what you think it is?

"Well, I was kind of thinking of inviting you to come along with me and the kids to an animal shelter we visit monthly," Toji started. He cleared his throat and scratched a spot on his nape, a nervous habit. "Tsumiki, my daughter, and well… Megumi too, they love animals, and so we have this tradition of volunteering at the shelter near our neighborhood. If you want, you can tag along and, you know, relax. Not that working at an animal shelter would help you relax, but at least, it would keep your mind preoccupied." He chuckled sheepishly.

A genuine smile dawned on your face. You couldn't help but appreciate that he wasn't outright addressing what happened a couple of days ago, as you weren't quite ready to have that conversation. You looked at him, and this time, you were rather bold with your actions as you subtly batted your eyelashes at your executive assistant, saying, "I'd love to." The air seemed to crackle with unspoken emotions, and Toji's gaze held a mixture of relief and anticipation, a silent acknowledgment of the uncharted territory your relationship was treading.

--

Taglist: @nerdiel-has-no-braincells @bontens-angel

[talkingwoman]

Call me Cassandra….*

Having a history of offending members of the Charmie fanhood, many of whom will not even see this post since they blocked me, I will nonetheless state my bona fifes openly. I love Armie Hammer and I love Timothée Chalamet. Being older, more educated, and a practicing professional provides me with apparently annoyingly inconvenient insights when discussing the two men I love and the years since CMBYN changed so many lives. The upset in the fandom occasioned by Timmy’s liaison with the Jenner person compels me to express the following. Believe me, my goal is to soothe rather than irritate.

First and foremost, I have said before and repeat here that one of the worst failings we have made in viewing the Charmie myth is that we tend to conflate Armie and Timmy IRL with their characters in CMBYN, Oliver and Elio. Neither man is much like their movie role at all. Briefly, Elio is sensitive, highly educated and intelligent, as well as emotionally vulnerable. Timmy is, based upon his interviews, observed public behaviors, etc., probably none of these. He is, as he says, an engaging goofball. Often he misuses and/or mispronounces words and creates word salad answers to interviewer questions. He’s a player more than a mensch, and his ambition knows no bounds. Armie is more like Oliver than Timmy like Elio, but without the redeeming affection the movie version of Oliver brought to the mutual seduction. The Oliver of the book was far less open and affectionate than movie Oliver, but both men were emotionally insincere, dishonest, and manipulative. Oliver was having a summer fling before finishing his degree, marrying, and getting on with life in both book and movie. Even more publicly than Timmy, Armie is a player who admits to manipulating and using people as personal convenience items. It’s questionable whether he remembers anything 😉, let alone everything.

Similarly, we are willfully blind to the realities of the profession that introduced us to Armie and Timmy in the first place. Show biz is a relentlessly demanding and often cruel bit of work. Timmy was born into a theatrical family and groomed through auditions and training from an early age. Small wonder that virtually all of the directors he has worked with mention his drive and ambition to succeed. That desire rules Timmy’s life and he is not likely to squander his opportunities as Armie tragically and so unnecessarily did. There is a new article out that captures this essential characteristic, titled the making of a global superstar. Timmy is surrounded by a team that calculates every move the young man makes, scrupulously. For instance, while Armie has loudly proclaimed his heterosexuality, Timmy’s team has assiduously cultivated an aura of androgyny, assuring that both the gay and straight communities can identify with and thereby claim Timmy as one of their own. The revision of Lee in Bones and All from jock to bisexual predatory adventurer is a classic example. So, in short, almost anything in the public eye should be viewed through the lens of this effort to promote Timmy to the highest artistic and popular levels of his profession. Most of you will hate this, but Timmy’s utter and complete failure to utter one supportive word about Armie, once his role model and mentor, throughout the shitstorm that Armie’s professional and personal life became. Many no doubt wish and fervently hope that there is still a viable bond between these men, but if there is, it requires a very steep price from one of them.

Before I go, one little observation that I hope will bring some solace regarding the PDAs seen at the Beyoncé concert. Kissing is an expression of intimacy that is usually accompanied by intense mutual gaze. Both participants in these lip locks looked directly toward the camera the second the kiss ended, not at each other. Telling…,

*Cassandra was a figure in Greek mythology who was reviled and tortured for telling true, but unwanted truths.

[utilitycaster]

Seeing your post about Orym reminded me of something that's been confusing me. You mentioned the gods' debate had a small influence on why Orym was getting so much push back in the fandom, and it brought to mind an observation I've had about FCG the past few episodes. The fandom seems to have put the weight of the gods' side solely on Orym, but in the actual show, FCG is the character getting the pushback on this topic from the other characters. Do you think your points from your post about Orym are the reason the fandom latched onto him over FCG as the gods' supposed number one fan in the group or if there might be some other reason?

I think it's in part because while FCG is more attached to the gods, it is less of a political stance, if that makes sense - it's much more an emotional/faith connection to the Changebringer. and it's also easier I think for people to not take FCG seriously. Especially if you're someone who is discrediting religion in general, FCG can be brushed off. Orym, on the other hand, is one of the more politically astute members of the party (arguably the most in fact; Chetney is smarter but his intelligence is more oriented towards investigation than knowledge - quicker on the draw but with less book learning). Orym is also not specifically beholden to the gods, and so it's harder to write this off as him lacking objectivity on this topic, which is why the argument has been focused more on him being too close to the case to be rational, even though that argument is deeply hypocritical if you granted Imogen any leniency about the role of her mother in the Vanguard, or the fact that she is of the elite class of Exaltants and would be granted power in the Vanguard well beyond where Orym ranks on the opposing side.

A viewpoint I saw in the fandom, especially surrounding Bor'Dor, was one that I think might be driving this. It's potentially compatible, actually, with Ashton's viewpoint, though it fails to recognzie that said viewpoint is both just as emotionally charged for Ashton as Orym's is for Orym: that Ludinus is undeniably evil and must be stopped, but perhaps the Vanguard might have points.

This, as far as we can tell, is, if not total horseshit, at least a pipe dream. Bor'Dor showed that even kindness, acceptance, and not being terribly in favor of the gods was completely insufficient deprogramming. It might be possible to render the group much more ineffective by taking out the heads (Ludinus, Otohan, and Liliana), but as Keyleth pointed out, the Vanguard has been running a massive network of cults and is fomenting unrest across Exandria in the service of the goals of their leadership in the meantime. And, as Keyleth also pointed out, there are likely ramifications of doing away with the gods she does not wish to even learn. I don't think that you can just be against the top of the Vanguard without at least being prepared to fight the rest of it. It's a very true to life quandary: while extremist political organizations and cults often prey upon vulnerable people, when those now-indoctrinated vulnerable people are trying to kill you, you can't stop and weigh the fact that they did not have every possible privilege because, well, they will kill you while you do this. Anyway, FCG is not having this thought process to my knowledge; he just trusts the Changebringer. Orym, however, does understand the above.

But also, again, look. We can talk about the characters' philosophies and politics and the role of the gods, and I enjoy doing that, but I think it's again worth pointing out that there are people within the fandom who, when you strip away the big words used as cover, really just think that the only "good" stance is to let Imogen and Laudna, as both individuals and a couple, run roughshod over the world unquestioned, or else you're horrible and evil. FCG's choice to go into the Grand Disc received similarly disproportionate hate for something that should have been an utter nonevent. I've seen people mad at Chetney, even though, truly, the most he has ever done is have his own thoughts and opinions that aren't revolving around Imogen or Laudna's lives. Orym is not even being unkind or in direct opposition to Imogen nor Laudna, but nor does he believe the sun shines from either of their asses. He is simply resolute and not going to be swayed by their viewpoints on this specific topic, and that alone is enough for some to condemn him.

[astrojulia]

Hey! Now it's Pisces Season, can you do a post about Pisces too????

They stand out - Their ruler Neptune is connected to the arts and creativity, so their desire to see beauty in the world and to show their own creative abilities often translates into the way they dress and accessorize, imbuing their dreamy gaze in their belongings.

They like to be underestimated - Calm down, it's in a good way. Pisces love a challenge. They say they shy away from a competitive environment, but they enjoy experiences that make them grow and become better, in other words, evolve. Therefore, they are not afraid of a little competition, after all, they are surrounded by the signs of Aquarius and Aries who also love a challenge.

They have a paternal instinct - Pisces like to take care of people like a mother or father. They usually want to have a child, so it's almost like a previous training for them LOL

They will ignore you until the end of times - … That's how Pisces "forgives," leaving everything behind. That's why they choose to forget what happened, but they also want to completely forget the presence of someone or a situation to avoid conflicts. So if you fight with a Pisces, they almost never come back.

They are demanding - Yes! Pisces are the type to always demand more and more. Trust me, my boss is a Pisces (just kidding). Pisces are very demanding in relationships and at work. They are very understanding and supportive partners, they will talk to you about your problems to try to balance between your needs and the needs of the situation, but they won't go easy on you.

They are golden friends - They are very observant and helpful with their friends, spending a lot of their time trying to improve the lives of others, giving help on complex things like big projects and dreams. But before reaching this point, Pisces also test their friendships and do not forget something that happened, even if it was not something that happened directly to them or with the intention of hurting them.

Anxiety prize - Like their water siblings, they have a lot of anxiety. They internalize everything that happens in their lives and try to solve problems before they happen. I believe that emotional intelligence is a gift that all signs should seek (so much so that I even make posts about how to improve it), but water signs are the ones who have to accept that they are far from perfect, after all, what is perfect is not complete. So when they are better with themselves, anxiety is more mental than emotional.

They only believe when they feel - Being the opposite of Virgo, who being an earth sign only believes what they see, Pisces only believe what they feel. They really get involved with something when they feel it, it can be good or bad, but for them, the senses need to be involved. I think a lot about going to churches on this topic, there are churches that look like a wall of stones, others like a sanctuary, and in the end, both were made of bricks, but convey totally different sensations. They need to emotionally engage to deepen their understanding of something, in other words, they would never go back to the first church, even if it has the best priest in the world, but they would go back to the second one to learn more from whoever is there.

They feel they have lived many lives, and many feel they are in the wrong one - There are spiritual lines that say Pisces is the last reincarnation of the soul, but not everyone believes in reincarnation… Pisces is a sign that mixes a lot with others, experiencing the lives of others, and I emphasize that this is also possible with fictional characters. Due to all this psychological concept and Pisces' ease of getting involved with others, it seems that the wisdom of this sign comes from the experiences of other people, thinking that theirs is not good enough.

They think they don't deserve love - I've said that they test people for friendships, but they also do it in love. They seek a lot of security in their relationships, afraid of the end. Yes, even though Pisces is the last sign of the zodiac, a mutable water sign, they don't like endings because it means new beginnings… trying everything again is very stressful for them, so they want proof that they are loved. An then.., this becomes a huge self-sabotage.

They don't like drama - Pisces usually love peace and don't like to get involved in unnecessary drama or conflicts okay,some of them love a gossip... They prefer to focus on positive experiences and relationships and may avoid confrontations or negative situations whenever possible. I know everything that is said about the drama of this sign, but they are more dramatic for the pain of others than for themselves, usually leaving their own life under the rug, feeling the needs of the less privileged and thus making drama for them and not for themselves.

They want you to win - Pisces root for their friends, they imagine what is best for the other and want them to feel good. In short, they would have Hufflepuff energy.

They like to have their own space - Pisces value their alone time and may need space to recharge and connect with their inner selves. They can be introverted or introspective and may feel overwhelmed or exhausted when around other people for too long. Like the 12th house, they want to spend time thinking, reflecting, improving, and taking a break to return to their circles of friends.

They are discreet planners - They can be great at keeping secrets and planning things behind the scenes. What they want, they don't like to reveal to others. You know the phrase "if you tell others, it ruins it and doesn't work," so when they finally take the initiative to take action, they don't put too much of their ideas out there, leaving more of it on paper to plan until they feel it's right.

They never stop thinking - They are deep thinkers who love to reflect on the big questions of life… and sometimes turn everything into a big question. They never stop planning what they will do, as well as being afraid of hurting the feelings of others, they are also afraid of hurting their own feelings, so they are always planning how they will speak and how they will defend themselves when a discussion arises.

They are sensitive - This you will see everywhere, but it's true. They are known for their emotional sensitivity and empathy. They can be highly attuned to the emotions of others and may be deeply affected by the suffering of those around them, therefore, they tend to seek a more spiritual path to understand this universe, to know why they feel so much.

They are possessive - Pisces can be quite possessive when it comes to the people and things they care about. They are loyal and protective of their loved ones and may have difficulty letting go of attachments or relationships that are important to them. The downside is that they don't like this side of them and don't handle this feeling well.

They are self-defenders - They hate it when their wounds are touched, so there are always arguments for a discussion to separate the "me" from the problem to be solved, making the issue that surrounds them sometimes seen in the third person and not in the first person, as if they were talking about someone else. This is their tactic for not getting emotionally involved.

Sources: Astro Elias - The 19 secrets inspiration Template by sorberts on tumblr PSD by wildfireresources on deviantart