#but SO shit at figuring out long-term implications of things

[mommy-mortis]

Irish Vampire Blues - 6

Things had been quiet after the promise you made with Remmick.  

He seemed on the edge which you weren’t sure was good or bad yet. He looked paler than usual as if something was haunting him. 

So, when he disappeared out the door mumbling about getting some fresh air, you had decided to get some sleep, but the habit of getting up for work had never left your bones and you ended up waking up before the sun. 

You put the electric kettle on to make yourself something warm to drink. While waiting for the water to boil you go to open the long thick ass curtains Remmick must have had installed. 

You look out into the skyline; the reason you had chosen to live so far up was to see the beautiful sight of the sun peeking over the buildings. When your career became more demanding you had found that luxury more and more unattainable. 

A knock came from the door just as the kettle finished boiling the water. You had assumed that you had seen the last of him but there he was.  

He slowly walked through the entrance as if he was unsure of where he was supposed to be “The door was locked, are you trying to keep me out?” his voice sounding dejected. 

Maybe there was something you were missing but you just sighed waving off his dramatic shift in mood "There are worse things out there than you Remmick, I’m just trying to be careful.”  

Nodding along to your words he just stands there quietly observing you 

You notice a light smoke coming off his body and glance to the window then back to him "Is something wrong?" 

He holds out the bag you had dropped in the hallway   

“Close the curtains”  

His voice is vacant of emotion 

“Are you in pain?” 

“Do you want me to be?”   

You take the bag from his hand and without answering and walk over to the windows tightly gripping the curtains. You ponder throwing them open even farther; the sun seems to hurt him.  

Would it be enough to kill him immediately? You doubt it, and by the time he even got a tan he would have them closed. And you weren’t sure how forgiving he was right now, so you close the curtains. 

You throw the bag on your couch before walking back over to the kitchen to make your drink.  

He doesn’t say anything, just stares at you, blood smudged on his lower lip. 

You take stock ‘Blood on the lips, aversion to sunlight, active during the night’ you didn’t have to be Karen Jenson to figure this shit out. 

“So, are you like some kind of like, Vampire or something like that?”  

Finally giving you a smile cocking his head to the side “I’m a lover, a friend... but yes I have also been known to be called something like that."  

Bringing the cup to your lips you Humm, “Is Vampire like a slur to your kind?”  

Tilting his head, giddy at the implications, he squints his eyes while slowly shaking his head and gives off a huff of laughter “Why would it be, it’s just another label.”  

“Do you plan to turn the whole building?”   

He scoffs at you like you’re being facetious. 

“I’m serious - what the long-term goal here?”  

He smiles “I’m just trying to spread love, equality and understanding by forming a community of like-minded individuals?” giving you a toothy grin 

“By giving them a full-frontal lobotomy?” You take a sip of your drink “At a certain point you’re just playing with yourself.”  

He gives you a piercing look; you seem to have struck a chord.  

You don’t avert your eyes but the look he gives you does make you pause. 

Realizing he must be making you uncomfortable he turns his head to the side and walks in a small circle like he’s trying to cool himself off; he stops becoming fixated on a corner of the room and just stares at it. 

You place your drink on the counter and walk over and stand beside him; you try to figure out what he’s looking at, but you see nothing there. 

He watches as you give him an inquisitive look, clearly not understanding what the problem is.  

He lets out a weary laugh “You can’t see them, can you?”  

You want to tell him It’s just an empty corner, but instead you just slowly shake your head, Remmick has been acting odd (at least from what you’ve seen of him) since the promise. 

“You don’t even know what you’ve done,” he sounds exasperated. “They’re waiting for me to fuck up so they can drag me straight to hell.”  

You look down at the wound on your hand - what had you summoned?  

He grabs you by your shoulders and looks deep into your eyes. "After they get rid of me, you’ll live your life however you want but, in the end, they're going to take your soul." 

Your eyes go wide, what did he know, was he even telling the truth? 

“You didn’t you think you’d get something for nothing, did you My Sweet?”  

Pulling you close enough to see his blood-stained teeth he tries to make you understand, "If you come to me willing, we could get rid of them.”   

There’s a frenzied look in his eyes now - 

“Oh Girl, I knew you were one of a kind when I saw you, but if you can do all this on accident, only those up above and down below know what you could do with my guidance.”   

Fingers are caked with blood, he doesn’t seem to notice the smears he’s leaving on your shirt, but you do.  

“They’re waiting for me to fail, but I’m not afraid because I know that in my heart that you’ll see the truth."  

His grip softens but the look in his eyes is no less wild, “The only way you're truly going to be free is with me.”   

He said he wasn’t afraid, but you knew fear when you saw it. He begins to stroke your arm in a comforting manner. 

“Ah, but even if you don’t decide to join me on the other side so to speak, I’ll stick around till the end of yours.” he sounded delirious.  

“I promise, my treasure,” leaning in to kiss you, you stop him in his tracks; the look of rejection shows clearly on his face.  

“It’s not you Remmick it’s just...” you make a motion towards his face pointing at the blood caked to his face.  

The last thing you needed was for him to feel a certain way around you; you still need to find a way to manage him. 

“Ah, well silly me - I’ll clean myself up first, so don’t go anywhere,” he was smiling but the end of that sentence sounded dangerous.  

As soon as the water in the shower turned on you sprinted to the curtains shoving them open. 

Next you ran to your closet, tossing off the clothes Remmick got blood on, slip on a sundress and grab your bag from the couch. 

Moving quickly towards the entrance you grabbed the first shoes you could get your hands on, which were unfortunately the heels you came in yesterday with; ‘fuck it’, you’d put them on in the car. 

Closing the door behind you, you sighed in relief to see the hallway was empty. 

Jumping in the elevator you pressed the lobby button holding your breath the whole way down. You didn’t know how many floors he had turned; you could only hope that you reached your destination before then. 

The first thing you see when the elevator finally touches down is the landlady. She looked nervous, had she been worried for you? 

"How did things go? No lawsuits I hope." 

‘Of course you should have known better’  

'If you cared about that maybe you should have stopped by.' You don’t stop walking, if she notices your bare feet she doesn't say anything. 

"Who am I to interfere in how you get things done? All that matters is that you got it done, right?" She says while looking down at your feet. 

‘Ah, she had thought you fucked, the unwanted house guest into submission. While her assumption wasn’t wrong in itself, she shouldn’t look at you like that when she was the one to ask for a favor’ 

“Yeah, No lawsuits” ‘for now at least’ you so badly wanted to say. 

"See, I knew I could put my trust in you." 

'If you say so.' 

You continue walking past the landlady. You didn’t know how much sunlight Remmick could stand but you didn’t want to test that by having a whole ass conversation, especially not so close to home.  

Walking to your truck and opening the door, you jump in, putting the heels on before buckling in.  

It should be impossible, but you can almost feel Remmick's anger from where you are. 

Doing your best to ignore the sound of sirens going off in your head, you peel outta the parking lot. 

You end up at a library flipping through books about dog training.  

The more you read the more worried you became. 

It seems like you already fucked up, but if Remmick was serious about hanging on you for the rest of your life you’d have plenty of time to train him. 

You think back to how afraid he had looked. You don’t know what he saw in that corner, but you knew that it had given you some more time. 

You had no reason to fully believe Remmick when he told you that the spirits or whatever they were wanted to take your soul, isn’t that what he had wanted all along? 

You had grown irritated by the thoughts that raked your mind and decided that you had learned all you could for the moment. 

The spirits had given you more time and seemed to be keeping him in check; that’s all you could ask for right now. 

Making your way to the nearest cafe you sat down to relax. In the books you read it had warned against leaving your dog for too long, ‘but what the hell - in for a penny in for a pound.’ 

You had a feeling you wouldn’t be going out in the daylight anytime soon after your little prison break, so you decided to enjoy yourself. Letting the vitamin D hit your skin you feel your muscles relax. 

You don’t realize you’ve dosed off until someone's rubbing your arm to wake you up. You blink, rubbing your eyes until they adjust. Finding a blond guy in front of you, you're confused at first at why he was blocking you from the sun. 

Until you see the badge on the side of his hip. 

“Hey, where have you been? It's been a while,” placing his hands on his hips he looks you up and down lingering on the parts he finds appealing. “It’s good to see you,” you can tell what he means even though his smile is tight. 

Looking over at his gun you try to act polite - the last thing you need is a cop having a grudge against you. 

“I was staying with a relative, but she recently passed.” 

Nodding along, but not really listening. 

“You know it’s funny that you should bring up someone passing away, do you remember an intern by the name of Sara?”  

Not knowing what could be funny about someone passing you nodded along. 

“She ended up being convicted of your fiancés murder - crime of passion, something about him not taking responsibility for knocking her up.”  

You hadn’t known that she was pregnant; he could tell you didn’t know by the look on your face, but instead of asking if you were okay, he just continued talking. 

“Took a plea deal,” a smile began to form on his face. “Too bad she tried to run when let out of the courtroom - I had to put her down.”  

‘Was he looking for praise?’ 

“That’s horrible.” You hadn’t liked her, but she didn’t deserve to die. 

He shrugged “Either way we can’t just let a killer run around, now, can we?” he gave a little chuckle.   

Your disgust at his nonchalant tone kicked him into gear instead of cooling the mood - like he got off on you being uncomfortable. 

“You seeing anyone?”  

You almost chastise him for his flippant response but then remember who you're talking to.  

“Am.. I.. How about you, you’re such a charming guy you must have cuffed someone by now,” Instead you try to redirect his attention while letting him down. 

You didn’t want to answer him, you could see he was obviously psychotic.  

Either he was dense or just pretending to be, but he seemed to be loving how uncomfortable he made you. 

“No, I just couldn’t get a certain black beauty off of my mind.”  

‘Was he out of his fucking mind; was that supposed to be a compliment?’   

‘Black beauty, what are you a fucking horse?’  

“Oh, that’s too bad I’m sure there’s someone out there for you,” hoping he finally took the fucking hint, you aimed your body away from him.  

“Yea, and I think they’re closer than they think, what would you say to that?”  

“I would say It’s great that you’re able to stay so optimistic,” your mask slipping by the second. 

Your patience was wearing thin, he looked like he was going to hand out another horrible pick-up line but before he did you abruptly stood up. 

“Well, I hope you have a good day; I should probably get going.”  

“You still live in that apartment of yours?”  

“Uh..” the air left your lungs all at once ‘why did he want to know that?’ 

“Maybe I’ll just stop by one of these days.” 

“Have a good day Officer,” you try to walk past him, but he grabs you by the arm. 

Lowering his mouth near your ear you can feel his breath on your neck, as he gently traces the wound on your palm "Please call me John, and remember to stay safe, life can be dangerous for a girl like you.”

The way he talked to you reminded of the interrogation and the way he subtly threatened you back then. 

“Okay John,” you said just wanting the conversation to be over. 

He let your arm go smile still plastered to his face as if he hadn’t unsettled the fuck out of you. 

You could feel a headache forming; you should have left earlier but you had wanted time alone, but your alone time turned into a verbal fight to the death. 

Getting in your truck you can see Officer John still watching you, “Fucking creep.” You couldn’t help letting the expletive slip pass your lips, but he really was a fucking creep. 

Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18

Taglist

@avidreader73

[gece-misin-nesin]

all right, so here is my HoO au:

The Seven, bar Jason, are all children of minor gods. (Percy and Annabeth arent involved with the main plot in this au)

(cut bc this ended up a bit long)

Jason: Son of Jupiter, Champion of Juno

Piper: Daughter of Eros

Leo: Son of Prometheus

Hazel: Daughter of Mors (Thanatos)

Frank: Son of Victoria (Nike)

Will: Son of Asclepius (yes its Will Solace. this is an au baby. As for the battle of manhattan, will was with cabin 7 because apollo allowed him to stay in his cabin)

Alabaster: Son of Hecate

The main plot starts with Juno giving Jason an important quest, that being going to camp half blood and integrating there, and she makes him swear to keep the romans a secret from the greeks and vice versa. He will introduce himself mainly as Hera's representative to them and stay in her cabin etc. Hera tells the greeks that she took Jason as payment and raised/trained him in case he was the prophecy kid. Jason is a bit of an outsider in camp, but he is still mostly welcomed. Some time later, Olympus is closed by decree of Zeus. And after that, Hera is kidnapped and she sends Jason as a message as a dream, that she is captured and he needs to go to the Grand Canyon. Jason goes (with a few campers. and the chariot) and finds Leo and Piper. Rachel gives a prophecy, they go on the quest to free Hera. Jason is trying to hide the fact he's roman, Piper is hiding hat shes being blackmailed, Leo is either trying to hide his parentage or his powers (I haven't decided). Things mostly go the same, Thalia and Jason meet up, he spills everything to her and Thalia is livid at how New Rome/Camp Jupiter works ("they branded you like cattle!?" "there are adults but a child army?"). They free Hera etc.

Son of Neptune? Scratch that because this Hazel's book baby. Her backstory is roughly the same, cursed jewels appear around her because her mother asked for wealth back in the day but Hazel was cursed for her greed. CJ gets a prophecy about a quest, and Hazel gets a dream about thanatos being captive. So she petitions to go on the quest, but the Senate doesnt let her. Frank is her only close friend, so after Nico leaves camp to look for the doors, she and Frank sneak out together to go on the quest. Along the way they meet Alabaster, who is sick of monsters not dying, so he offers to help them, a quest usually has 3 people after all. They go to Alaska together, go to thanatos etc., and Alabaster kind of betrays them last second? He incapacitates them, and then blows up at Thanatos and asks him why the fuck he can't summon the souls of Ethan and others from the titan army (the implication being that he tried to revive them) and Thanatos answers that he cannot answer because their souls aren't in anywhere he can access, so Alabaster will likely fail in bringing them back. Alabaster breaks down and in the midst of battle he kinda comes to terms with it and Frank, Hazel and him all kick ass fighting the giant and shit alongside Thanatos.

Octavian will be a proponent of a greek-roman war because the greeks destroyed the 11th legion a few decades back and thats why there is only the 12th legion now. Thalia is also a proponent of it on the Greeks' side.

I haven't figured out the later books, but I think I'l remove the Athena Parthenos plotline. Instead they will try to find the Aegis (I know thalia has it in canon, but a demigod casually having the aegis is dumb. It is Athena's weapon. So i'm changing it into being a replica and the real aegis was lost ages ago), they save nico, somehow two people still fall to tartarus (one of them is definitely Jason but I haven't decided on the 2nd person). And a bit after they've fallen, they'll be cornered by monsters, and all of a sudden a few people will come and save them. Demigods. The plot twist will be that Zeus (I havent decided if the other gods are aware of it or not) threw everyone from the Titans Army who died into Tartarus. Luke included. As they keep getting hunted and killed by monsters, they also reform. So they are stuck in an endless cycle of death. Yay. Anyway! Luke obviously is gonna help Jason reach the doors of death because that's thalia's little brother hello?? And some others ask for updates on their siblings or if there really are new cabins for the minor gods? And they find refuge next to Hermes' shrine, Luke's deadbeat dad and the guy whose cabin they all stayed in at some point. etc. etc. I may also include Arke in this. She is the sister of Iris and sided w the titans in the first titanomachy, was thrown into tartarus for it and her wings were torn off.

Anyway, everything goes to shit at the doors of death. They're fighting (getting killed by) Titans, Giants, monsters, everything. People are getting torn apart by hellhounds and ripped to shreds by empousai and someone screams that this sure is ironic since they fought alongside the titans a few months ago and someone is killed while pressing the button and someone else takes their place. Ethan is killed with Alabaster's name on his lips. Luke leads Jason to the doors and he's right there. He could go with them of he wanted, but he doesn't. Because he has to stay behind for the rest and take care of them.

I haven't decided in a lot of other things, like how the final fight will go or whatever, but this au has taken over my brain so 🤷‍♀️

[supernaturallyliterate]

I noticed something big about TTPD. I think that it connects to Taylor’s plans for The Eras Tour, the Yellow Brick Road / possible coming out journey, and the New Romantics / Mass Coming Out theory.

If you’re not interested in that type of content, please keep scrolling. But if you’re down to clown and theorize, come on a little adventure with me. 😉

I noticed it first with the song “Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus”, so that’s where I’ll start in this analysis.

I think that this song is Taylor telling both Swifties / Hetlors and Gaylors that she is tired of all the expectations and obsession with her sexuality and love life (again). She’s been walking a fine line, Easter egging for both Hetlors and Gaylors for so long. She frames it as a lose-lose situation.

DEEP DIVE ON THE LYRICS:

Your hologram stumbled into my apartment

Hands in the hair of somebody in darkness named Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus

And I just watched it happen

I haven’t quite figured out the first few lines. Hologram suggests that the person who arrives isn’t real, or isn’t really there. This could be a reference to “Is that your key in the door?” from Hits Different.

First, it’s been noted before, but the switching between female and gender neutral and male names. This suggests not only multiple muses, but also multiple interpretations. And, of course the queerness of the speaker, which is assumed to be Taylor Swift.

As the decade would play us for fools

It’s been ten years since kissgate. I think when Kaylor first got together and schemed about this coming out plan, they never thought it would take ten years to come to fruition.

And you saw my bones out with somebody new

Who seemed like he would've bullied you in school

And you just watched it happen

First, “my bones” is referring to her body. For her body (pun intended) to be bones, she would have to be dead, and been dead a long time. The death of Taylor Swift. This could be referring to how she was dying inside from the closeting. Her true self was unfulfilled. It could also be referring to the beginning of the death of Taylor the Brand.

“Somebody” is still gender neutral, keeping with the ambiguity of the muse’s gender.

Yet the next line has he/him pronouns. Bearding. Taylor is bearding with a football player. We’ve seen football players bully a gay boy in the Taylorverse before.

If you want to break my cold, cold heart

Just say, 'I loved you the way that you were'

If you want to tear my world apart

Just say you've always wondered

I think the first two lines are for the Hetlors. This would be their reaction to her coming out— “I loved you [your music, etc] when you were straight.” This has Cold as You implications. To the Hetlors, she would be “cold-hearted” snake who was deceiving them by pretending to be straight when she was queer the whole time.

The second two lines are for the Gaylors. I interpret “always wondered” to be about wondering and speculating about Taylor’s sexuality, with possible ties to “Wonderland”. And the first part about breaking her world—that’s what would happen if she came out as queer. Not only would her brand and public world be broken, i.e. never the same, fractured, skewed, etc. The public “betrayal” and all that toxic shit. But also, her private world would be broken and shattered. The lavender haze she and her love created, their secret moments (even if in a crowded room), their coded language, etc would all be revealed. They wouldn’t be able to hide in their own little world anymore. (Also thinking about this in terms of “escaping to a planet where they could all understand it.”)

You said some things that I can't unabsorb

You turned me into an idea of sorts

You needed me but you needed drugs more

The media, the fans, etc have said things about Taylor that stay with her. That impact her deeply. We (and yes, I’m including myself in that) have turned Taylor the person into Taylor the Brand and Taylor the Anti-Hero, etc. All these different versions of her that aren’t truly representative of her true self.

I interpret the “you needed me” as “you needed me the person” and “you needed drugs more” as the addictiveness of Easter eggs, theories, fandom, media consumption, the need for “MORE” from Taylor. (Yes that’s a callback to ICDIWABH.)

And I couldn't watch it happen

And she couldn’t do it anymore. She needed it to end. But how do you break something so carefully crafted? By carefully deconstructing it like a mastermind chess playing badass and then smashing it with a hammer and setting the whole thing on fire.

I changed into goddesses, villains and fools

Changed plans and lovers and outfits and rules

This section reminds me of Mirrorball—she changed herself into different eras and personalities. She’s been a saint and a sinner. The villain reference is very reputation coded.

She changed plans after the Masters Heist and failed coming out during Lover.

Changing lovers refers to “switching out these Kens”, her PR boyfriends.

It also reminds me of Mastermind the game, how she constantly changed her outfits and the rules for her outfits to keep people on their toes.

All to outrun my desertion of you

And you just watched it

She literally said. I’m leaving you. But I don’t want to leave you, so I’ve been dragging it out as long as I can. But I can’t run from it.

And oh, by the way, you just watched it. You just witnessed it unfold. The duplicate meanings of this line!! “You just watched it.” the heartbreak of “you saw it happening and you didn’t do anything to stop it.” And “just” as a way to tell time—you just watched it, recently. And we’ve all been watching The Eras Tour for two years (well, 1 year 8 months, as she pointed out in her speech). And it just finished.

If the glint in my eye traced the depths of your sigh

Down that passage in time

Back to the moment I crashed into you

Like so many wrecks do

Too impaired by my youth

To know what to do

So if I sell my apartment

And you have some kids with an internet starlet

Will that make your memory fade from this scarlet maroon

like it never happened

This section is so Karlie coded. They met when they were super young, in 2008. And Taylor was too young to know what to do, how to navigate being a famous person and wanting to have this queer relationship. She had to figure out if she wanted to come out or stay closeted. And she didn’t know how it would go, how it could impact their relationship.

I won’t go too in depth but the having kids line refers to her marriage and family. And Maroon the song is 100000% a Kaylor song, so she’s drawing that direct parallel here.

Could it be enough to just float in your orbit

Could it be enough to stay in this lavender haze? Could it be enough to stay in our own little world, circling each other and not caring about the rest of the universe?

Can we watch our phantoms like watching wild horses

Ghosts of their past selves, when Kaylor was more open publicly? Like kissgate. But also I think about wild horses as beautiful, but easily spooked. If they know you’re watching, they’re going to run away. “I Know Places” and running from the hunters, the media, etc. So as soon as people started to notice and call attention to her queerness, she got spooked. She got scared, and she returned to the safety of the closet.

Cooler in theory but not if you force it

To be, it just didn't happen

I think these lines are her acknowledging that it is a nice to theorize about all these grand coming out plans, but it cannot and should not be forced on her and her lover by anyone—the public, the fans (hetlors and Gaylors), etc. “It just didnt happen” refers to the times she didn’t publicly come out. It could also be a reference to a Kaylor split (real or perceived) and Karlie’s wedding (which was referenced a few lines above).

And we get a repeat of the chorus, a reemphasizing of the impossible and unrealistic expectations on Taylor, and a transition to the end of the song, where she asks us a question.

If you want to break my cold, cold heart

Just say, 'I loved you the way that you were'

If you want to tear my world apart

Just say you've always wondered

Cause I wonder

Will I always

Will I always wonder?

Will I always be in the closet? Will I always wonder about what it would be like to come out? To be free?

[cal-daisies-and-briars]

max for 🪽!!

I’m so intrigued by this one

Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!

1k for 🪽:

---

Then he realizes the implication of that statement. It’s entirely shitty.

“Sorry,” Eddie amends, shamefully. “That was mean.”

Buck smiles sadly. “When I think about what I regret, am I sometimes sad I never got to have a marriage or a successful long term relationship? Sure. But honestly, Eddie? The things I regret most are the time I wasted worrying about all that shit, when there were so many things that made me happy and I’ll never get to experience them again.”

Eddie’s heart twists in his chest. 

“Like what?”

“Oh man,” Buck smiles. “So much. The adrenaline of a rescue. Being with the team. My sister. Bobby teaching me to cook. Driving. Good music. Sex.” 

Eddie snorts. “Of course.”

“But the point stands!” Buck protests. “It’s not the things I didn’t get that I miss. Maybe that’s just me, I don’t know.”

It’s some sort of quote of the day type message, isn’t it? To focus on what he has rather than what he’s lacking. Or, in Eddie’s case, what he failed at. To focus on the little things that bring joy. Or the central big thing, maybe. His son. 

Eddie sighs. “I feel like I can’t argue with you on principle, man.”

Buck laughs. “Good. Then don’t.”

“I guess I just don’t know how to do what you’re suggesting,” Eddie admits.

“What am I suggesting, exactly?” Buck asks. “I was just giving input.”

“It feels like I’m always trying to make up for things I’ve failed at,” Eddie says quietly. It’s a vulnerable thing to say. But who the hell is Buck going to tell? 

“Dude, maybe this is why you have a guardian angel,” Buck sighs.

“What does that mean?” Eddie demands. 

“You’re, like, so hard on yourself, Eddie. I’ve been observing your life for years now, and you know what? You’re pretty great. So maybe cut yourself some slack.”

“Don’t you have to say that?” Eddie challenges. “With your divine mandate to protect me or whatever?”

Buck laughs. “I don’t have that.”

“No?” Eddie frowns. 

“No, man. I could let you die. I just have the power to prevent it and don’t want you to,” Buck says. “First responder goes hard, even into the great beyond.”

“Right,” Eddie mumbles.

“Plus, like I said, I think you’re great. Always have.”

Eddie doesn’t really know what to make of that. He’s quiet for the rest of the drive. 

v.

Long after Eddie has decided that Buck is correct, approaching the Shannon look-alike is a bad idea, he still sticks around. Days pass. Shifts of work where Buck is just sort of hanging out nearby, always observing. Neither of them can quite figure it out. 

“Are you sure you’re going to leave that lady alone?” Buck asks. 

It’s an off-shift day for Eddie. Chris is at school. He’s trying to fold laundry, but Buck keeps distracting him. 

“No,” Eddie insists. 

Buck’s eyebrows shoot up.

“I mean, yes, I am sure that, no, I will not be seeing her,” Eddie sighs. 

“Okay, phew,” Buck exhales. “Are you stressed about something else? What else is going on?”

“You’ve been around! Nothing else is going on,” Eddie insists. 

There’d been some trouble with Chris earlier in the year. He’d been… Well, he’d been not just two-timing his middle school girlfriends. He was talking to four or five of them at a time. That had been hard. They’d worked through it. Eddie hadn’t even known where the behavior came from honestly. Until it turned out he was dealing with some complicated feelings about Shannon. A recurring theme in both their lives. 

But that’s over, right? They’re both past their respective shit. Eddie isn’t stressed.

“Has your mom been calling more?” Buck asks.

“What? No. Why?”

Buck shrugs. “She’s a stressor.”

“What?” Eddie asks. “You can’t just say that about my mom.”

“Sometimes a phone call with her is enough to make me pop up,” Buck says. “Not usually a good sign.”

Cool. His mother is in the same category as potential bullet wounds and dead wife doppelgangers. That��s sick. 

“Okay, she can be a lot,” Eddie admits. “But no. She hasn’t been calling more than usual.”

“Hmm,” Buck frowns. “Then I don’t get what the issue is.”

“Sorry if I’m a complete bore,” Eddie replies flatly, folding one of Christopher’s tee shirts. “I know it doesn’t beat… What else do you do? Float around, you said?”

“Yeah, it’s like I’m just drifting around. Different places, all over. There’s water and trees and… Wait, you’re being sarcastic.”

Damn. That actually sounds really relaxing. 

“Well, I don’t have anything better to do,” Buck continues. “That’s not why I’m asking. I’m just worried. I’m not usually here because things are all peachy.”

Fair enough. 

“I don’t know, Buck. If I think of something, I’ll tell you,” Eddie assures him.

“Okay,” Buck shrugs. “That’s all I ask. Well, that, and… Can you turn the TV back on?”

🪽

To whatever credit he may or may not deserve, Eddie doesn’t just brush Buck’s concern under the rug. He’s been right about things so far, hasn’t he? There’s no reason for Eddie not to take him seriously now. He just doesn’t know what there is to take seriously. 

When Chris is home from school, Eddie runs with the theory that it might be about him. Them, even. Their relationship. It’s possible, right? 

“So, how are things?” Eddie asks, following this logic, sitting Chris down the kitchen table.

“Okay,” Chris shrugs. “I don’t think I did as well as I could have on my history test.”

[moonshynecybin]

do you have any motogp fic recs?

yeah sure man. im gonna keep it simple (ao3 only) because i am a capricious bookmarker and refuse to wade through the weeds of tumblr fic as im not a natural tagger. no order just vibes. all of these i love and reread !

cant change that, cant change you by kingsquarding

Marc at the ranch for the (second) first time.

this fic is the platonic ideal of marc and vale post reconciliation being TOGETHER and at the RANCH and trying to make it WORK but they are also. still being a little messed up. themes include: guilt. injury. marc trying to get vale to stop treating him like glass and FUCK HIM already because he doesnt want to admit that their relationship/his body has changed since he was twenty. delicious.

Che Spettacolo! by serve_cunt

“What do you think,” Vale says, and leans against the doorframe. “Will he come?” Uccio stays silent. Of course he will come, he wants to say. In what world does he stay away? In what world can he resist?

sending uccio to the cuck chair. outside POV rosquez always hits for me becuase they match each other's freak in so many ways its fun to see what antics they engage in as obsevered by someone more normal. in this case. uccio. also helps get around vale's shit ass communication because its him through the eyes of someone who KNOWS that vale is being WEIRD. even if marc doesnt. fun and SEXY. academic au by the same author ALSO slays

of crashing and burning (and falling for you) by Anonymous

It has always been Marc and Valentino, Valentino and Marc. Two rivals inseparable on- and off-track throughout their careers, their story so closely intertwined they might as well have been the same person, dominating their beloved sport between the two of them. Then Marc breaks his arm, Vale loses their championship, and they are left trying to pick up the pieces. AKA a rosquez same age AU.

someone wrote out. elle and i's same age au. and it was so perfect i legit struggle to answer asks about this au now because im just like. its in the AU !!! its all here !!! really nails vale in this specific scenario imo... all the love and resentment and self-imposed walls and. my favorite of all. the exact way these guys talk in press conferences. like their exact diction. hits the spot beautifulperfect

arms out like an angel by yekoc

“Does Marc still work here?” he asks. He can’t think of the word for performing. “I dunno, man,” the guy says. “Sorry, I’m new.” Vale blinks at him. “Find out,” he says, and then, annoyed at himself for the impatience, “if you can. I came a long way.”

the efficiency of word choice in terms of characterization in this one really moves me... every line has implications !!! sexy ones even !!! and theres so much baseline CHEMISTRY and inability to really STAY AWAY from each other but also. a tense little undercurrent of slight misunderstanding and hurt that makes it stand out... i also just love fics where marc pushes back just a lil and vale has to like. figure out what to do with that. in a horny way. yekoc's bezzcele also goes crazy if you wanna think about nipple piercings as much as i do

All I Wanted by agnst-crrnt

The first time it happens is just after Marc’s 10th birthday. He’s about to complain to his parents about how Álex always finishes the milk and then puts it back into the fridge, when the faces of his parents’ blur in front of him. Marc closes his eyes, trying to make it better and grabs onto the edge of the table. He can hear his mama ask him if he’s okay, before everything stops. or Rosquez Time Travel Au, where Marc randomly gets teleported through time, always ending up somewhere around Vale

hey thats my friend. rosquez time travel au as ive said my favorite thing to think about maybe EVER !!! really love the strict marc POV on this one and how you REALLY see the. youre in love so you go. and his just. his ceaseless romanticism and optimism wrt to vale and their relationship that fits this fic concept SO well. guest appearances from pedrenzo as well yayyyyy

i give into the fall series by lestelledreams

Her and Pol were good; they did win a gold at Junior Worlds after all, and that’s not something anyone can just go out there and do. But her and Valentino – they could become great. Mar’s never been more sure of anything in her life. or, The first year of Mar's and Vale's partnership.

genderbend figure skating au where marc gets to have all his weird injury complexes explored AND it gets slutty AND we get to see his freak ass ambition. imagine if motogp was a pairs sport (like actually not just in a fake way) and marc had the option of pairing up with vale. imagine how crazy he would go trying to make that happen adfhdflk

a hundred ninety-nine degrees by hardlythewiser (sequinedfairy)

“You should fuck me again,” Bez says. It trips out, all his defenses worn down by the long, annoying day of meetings, by the feeling of Cele above him, pressing him down into the couch, by Cele’s bright clear gaze. Above him, Cele doesn’t smile with his whole face, scrunching up his eyes, like he did the first time Bez asked. He doesn’t smile at all, just keeps looking at Bez. “Really?” he asks. “I didn’t know – did you like it, last time?”

cele tops lets GOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. some fics just. have an ability to pierce directly towards what actually and precisely makes a pairing or a situation or a dynamic SEXY, while also revealing a new facet of said dynamic that i've never thought about in depth before. this is one of those. fuck him!!! make him cry !!!! perfect !!!

i was having a sweet fix of a daydream of a boy (whose reality i knew was hopeless to be had) by babynflames

In Motegi 2005, Hiroshi Aoyama wins his first race during his home GP, Dani Pedrosa gets second while hiding a fractured humerus and Jorge Lorenzo is handed a one race ban for riding in a irresponsible manner after nearly colliding with Dani and causing de Angelis to abandon the race, leaving the third position to Casey Stoner. The haircutting is incidental.

dyke PEDRENZO. fic that is fun and funny and filled to the BRIM with the kind of homoerotic tension you can only have between two teenage dykes in direct competition who dont even know theyre horny about each other except they REALLY kind of do. also. the best sports rpf to me always engages with a sport on a sociological level... also just love the writing style on this. direct and avoidant at the same time. very dani in sexuality crisis to me aljfdhl

[catierambles]

Once in a Blue Moon Ch. 5

have chapter 5 before i go to bed

“Blue Wolves don’t exist.” Sy said, “They’re just some fairy story. Duality of man, or some shit.”

“Bryan, we can turn into primordially large wolves.” Walter said, giving him a look and Sy shrugged. “They exist. One in every...million wolves is Blue, or something like that? I’ve known people who knew people, but I’ve never—the majority of us will never encounter one.”

“What’s a Blue Wolf?” Samantha asked.

“Back before we settled on the terms Alpha, Beta, Omega, and Null to describe where wolves fell in the hierarchy, or didn’t, we were named after the phases of the moon.” Walter started, “Alphas were Full Wolves, Betas were Half Wolves, Omegas were Crescent Wolves, and Nulls were New Wolves.”

“Makes sense.” Samantha said, “Don’t like the implication that Alphas are “more of a wolf” than the others.”

“Yeah, it’s why we changed the wordin’.” Sy said. “There’s a myth, well we thought it was a myth, that just like there will rarely be two full moons in a month, there are wolves that manifest as two different things. Alpha and Beta, Beta and Omega. That kinda thing. They can swap between the two.”

“So why do you think I’m this...Blue Wolf?” Samantha asked.

“Because babygirl, right now you feel like an Omega.” Sy said, “You shouldn’t feel like anythin’ before your first shift, we don’t manifest as anythin’ until the first time we turn furry. But you feel like an Omega, and when August was pullin’ macho bullshit, you felt like an Alpha. Is why he listened to you. Female Alphas outrank male Alphas.”

“Blue Wolves manifest early, either in childhood or when first infected.” Walter said, “Gives their wolves time to figure out what’s going to be the dominant aspect. Or so go the stories.”

“And mine is...”

“Omega, I’m guessin’.” Sy said, “But you’ve been swappin’ back and forth. Probably why Geralt’s all broody and Walker’s bein’ a dick. They’re both Alphas.”

“You’re not, though.” Samantha said.

“Don’t get me wrong, doll, I’m an Alpha, and I’m feelin’ it, but I can rein that shit in.” Sy said and she nodded. “Simply put, babe, you’re confusin’ the hell outta our wolves. One second you feel like an Omega so we wanna protect you, the next you feel like an unknown Alpha so we wanna get you the hell outta our territory, then they realize female Alpha and nevermind. You’re givin’em whiplash.”

“I could go,” She said, “If that would make it better or easier on you.”

“You’re not going anywhere.” Geralt said and they looked at him, “Not until you can control it.”

“Geralt?” Samantha asked.

“I’m a Tracker with the Pack Council.” Geralt said, “We hunt down and deal with Feral wolves when they show up. We also have a long standing order to take any Blue Wolves we come across into custody and bring them back to the Council. It was put in place long before we went public.”

“Why, though?” Samantha asked, “If you all thought they didn’t exist...”

“I don’t know.” Geralt admitted, “You’re the first I’ve met.”

“So you’re going to—”

“No.” Geralt said, cutting her off, “I’m not. If they’re sending Trackers after Blue Wolves, it can’t be for a reason that benefits the wolf. I’m not taking you to them. They’re not going anywhere near you.”

“Is that the “Must Protect Omega” thing?” Samantha asked.

“No.” He said simply, “It’s because you’re my Mate and they’re not getting anywhere near you.” The statement hung in the air.

“Mine too.” Mike said after a moment of silence, “Felt it when I reached out with my wolf.”

“And mine.” Walter admitted, “Realized when I helped her after she first woke up. Her wolf felt...familiar.”

“Fuck, thought it was just me.” Sy said, rubbing a hand over his head almost sheepishly.

“All four of you?” Samantha asked and August crossed the room in quick strides, pulling her against him with an arm around her waist and kissing her hard, his other hand coming up to weave into her hair as he tilted her head for easier access. Her fingers curled around his biceps, fingertips digging into his arms and she went up on her toes slightly to get closer to him as her eyes closed. “Okay, oof.” She breathed when he pulled away.

“You too, August?” Sy asked and he nodded. “Well, shit.”

“I don’t—I don’t understand.” Samantha said.

“Only female Alphas can have more than one Mate.” Walter said, “You may not be...fully Alpha, if you want to quantify such a thing, but the fact that you are means you can.”

“Until you can control it, sweetheart, we gotta keep you away from other wolves that don’t know. Be a shit show if you swapped aspects without realizin’.” Sy said and she nodded.

“I know a Blue Wolf.” August said, “Someone I worked with at the Agency, he’s Alpha Dominant/Beta Passive. I can reach out to him, see if he has any tips for her.”

“Who is this guy?” Sy asked.

“Mouthpiece for the Council.” August said.

“He ain’t goin’ anywhere near her.” Sy said, “I don’t care if he is one, if the Council is hard up tryin’ to find Blues—”

“I know Napoleon.” August said, “I’m not saying he has incriminating evidence of all the sitting Councilors on a deadman switch ready to get leaked to the media, I’m also not saying he doesn’t.”

“Yeah, I gotcha.” Sy said, “Let’s try to get her through her first shift, then we’ll figure it out. It may come naturally after that, I dunno.”

“It's getting late.” Samantha said, “And I'm starting to feel it. Walter, you can have your bed back, sorry I took it.”

“Don't be, love.” Walter said.

“I can crash out on the--August!” He had scooped her up in his arms, making her cling to him in surprise.

“Easy with her leg!” Sy said but he didn't respond, carrying her up the stairs and to his room. After he laid her down on the bed, she watched him as he unbuttoned his shirt, shrugging it off before pulling the plain tshirt he had underneath over his head. He was encased in heavy muscle and his chest had a layer of dark hair that vanished into his pants. She couldn't stop herself from giving him a slow sweep of her eyes, remembering the strength of his kiss. He undid his belt, pushing his pants down and off but keeping his boxer briefs in place. Climbing onto the bed, he propped himself above her, his hand on her waist.

“Do I still feel like an Omega?” Sy told her she had been switching between the two, but she hadn't felt any difference with herself.

“Yes.” August said, “I want nothing more than to take care of my Mate, but you're still healing, so I'll settle for simply being close to you.” Reaching up, she touched the side of his face, her thumb moving over the heavy stubble covering his cheek, and he leaned down, pressing his lips to hers gently. She knew she should be nervous, anxious, or even scared being in bed with him given their previous interactions, but she simply...wasn’t. It was like some deep seated instinct was telling her he would never hurt her, that she was safe with him.

“How much of it is me?” She asked when he pulled away, “And how much of it is the wolf?”

“It's both in equal measure.” August said, “You're not my Mate because you're a wolf, you're my Mate because you're you.” She simply nodded and he kissed her again, needing to remind himself that she was still injured before he let it go any further. It was tough, though, as she arched into him and he eased down onto her, deepening the kiss and sliding his tongue against hers fluidly. His thigh pressed against hers and her breath hitched in pain, making him pull away. He simply gave her an apologetic smile before relaxing next to her, pulling her against him with his arm around her waist.

Samantha listened to him fall asleep, his warmth at her back somehow...soothing. His Mate. She was his Mate. She was their Mate.

Bullshit.

If she knew anything, it was that attractive men were the most manipulative and they were all very attractive. They saw some weakness in her, some want to be looked after, even though she didn’t think she had given them such an impression. It was a weakness they were trying to exploit for their own benefit. Care for her, make her think she was something special to them, and then when they got what they wanted from her, cast her aside like refuse.

Regardless, here was better than where she had been. She’d ride it out for as long as she amused them, fully keeping in mind the only outcome, let them live in their belief they had her and then move on when they no longer wanted her. She’d play along, and it wouldn’t be difficult to make them think she wanted them as well. Some part of her did, or else she wouldn’t react to them as she was. Mike’s scent, August’s kisses, the gentle touches of the others. It lit a fire in her chest that was equal parts familiar and terrifying.

If Jonathan had taught her anything, it was that she could only trust herself and she was nothing more than something to be used and ultimately discarded.

[pishifuzul]

implications anon (i guess thats what ill call myself?)

thank you very much. this was helpful. I've also discussed it with my mama a bit (i forgot to clarify i'm not the d in the d/s! i also don't really think of it in those terms but it's the best shorthand i oculd think of. i take it very seriously, so, to me, she's JUST my mom, no 'mommy gf' or anything.) and it helped as well. I've come to the conclusion that i don't really need to politically excuse it or anything? i'm the product of a society that has harmed me, and it's not like i'm fantasizing and "roleplaying" things that i have the social power to do. So like, it's fine. to answer your questions as i thought of them in the order i think makes most sense for me 1. why do there have to be implications: Because there isn't such thing as apolitical desire, desire divorced from material conditions. I knew it had to mean something, but i was scared to inquire exactly what. 2-3. why does it take up so much of my thought/what drives me to figure it out: It was an extension of my attempts to do everything that i do consciously. I didn't want to run the risk of doing things on impulse that might be tasteless or whatever. 3. why are the implications of concern to me: I compared it to the act of saying slurs in private to my mama (inaccurately, i might add.). It's not directly harming anyone, but it might have reflected poorly on me, and eventually leaked out into my interactions with others or some shit like that. It's all primarily a concern of political consistency, but I really don't think that this is of any real concern when I understand what i'm doing and i'm doing it privately. so it's fine. I apologize if this is difficult to read, or nonsensical ehehe also i fully intend to read serious weakness, maybe that'll help resolve my issues further. thank you very much for responding to me in such detail ^^ i appreciate the thoughtfulness.

i do understand what you're saying here, but it remains that i think we're talking past one another on the level of premises. yes, there is no such thing as apolitical desire, but this concerns me only on a structural level. insofar as "genital preference" is political desire conditioned thru transmisogyny, it is something that i would not want to leave unanalyzed. but in the personal context of mutual desire between two people, the politics that interest me operate one layer above: am i negotiating the dynamic with my girl in a manner that respects both our autonomy? as long as i'm doing this, then there are no further implications for me. the material conditions that are relevant here are "just" a negotiation of power between two people.

in this sense, too, we are talking past one another on your worry about tastelessness. it isn't clear to me what would be "tasteless" in a morally culpable way (and if we're not talking ethics, i don't know what we're talking about at all). i can keep the ways i'm misogynistic in my dynamic (because it's hot and fun) separate from the rest of my life; that's rudimentary compartmentalization. i don't think, for example, that anyone who does rapeplay ought to be worried that this might "leak out" into their interactions with others. this strikes me as an anxiety of contagion that doesn't track anything real about how properly negotiated desire works.

essentially, i think there are two streams here. there is a stream of desire as political where we are interested in considering the ways that the political structures desire broadly, and there is a stream of desire as political where we are interested in how negotiations of desire between individuals might be conditioned by structurally induced asymmetries of power. once i am in the sphere of actually existing desire, it is only the latter that concerns me. the former is something to take care of in a different, theoretical sphere. maybe this strikes you as naive!

[thestarrymanuk]

okay but what is their sign, then? and what are birth signs like in this setting, given the constellations would sync with Earth's? and who actually gets mimosas at dim sum brunch vs. being tea-only purists

so. the problem with figuring out fantasy pseudoscience. is. that it's kind of underpinned by fantasy actual science, right. after spending entirely too long playing around with astronomical software, it seems meyeqitš would be… (tiny fanfare) a sagittarius? probably? tentatively. at least if they'd been born on earth.

excitingly, however, we're not on earth! the night sky is indeed essentially the same, but ppillisi astrology consists heavily of specific horoscopy, i.e. it seeks to predict the outcome, implications, or general vibes of a given event based on the relative positions of various heavenly bodies. these include not only the wandering stars (the sun, moons, and five additional planets visible to the naked eye), but also certain "fixed" constellations, including those of the ecliptic (the bull, the spindle, the guardsmen, etc.) but also others along the road of heaven, some of which can be as or more influential than those of the ecliptic.

horoscopes are reasonably common in ppilli (courtesy of a small but respectable guild of astrologers) and largely…well, "not regarded as pseudoscience," i guess? they're admonitory—astra inclinant, non obligant—but while the heavens never lie, mortal interpretation is easy to fool. at least 20% of the reason astrology exists is to fuel the ppillisi market in "vintage 90s gold and navy sun-and-moon print shit," but the job of "astrologer" also frequently overlaps with positions like "life coach," "medieval physician's assistant" (though they don't actually perform bloodletting, they'd just write the referral), pretty much anything that can be prefixed with the word "wellness," and of course, the endlessly meaningless "consultant." most are very well educated (you have to be, to write birth charts without computers) so once you "graduate" to a full astrologer you'll usually have a particular field of specialization.

but most of what they do with that specialization is horoscopes. horoscopes are mainly taken for specific events as opposed to "something generic you read over breakfast in the morning paper." they're very important for personal events—births, marriages, building a new house—but also for certain public undertakings, too: construction of public works, diplomatic exchanges (including declarations of war). if you're really concerned about it you could probably do them for something smaller like starting an apprenticeship, changing a career, serious illness, (long) journeys, etc. but shorter-term events and conditions are usually inquired about via other divinatory means. ornithomancy and haruspicy are ofc The Classics but i feel like ppilli is so old and weird its various irrational superstitiones should also be old, weird, and perhaps vaguely offputting.

the one thing you definitely can't (legally) do is necromancy, in the original sense of the word: calling up and consulting the shades of the dead. this is one of the only very strong cultural taboos in ppilli, but it's very strong, and almost always associated with serious antisocial activity. of course, you could also (attempt to) just straight up Ask Your Local God. but it's probably apparent from the very beginning that the current god-in-residence is given neither to prescience nor the patience to transcribe all that math out by hand.

anyway: on earth, meyeqitš might be a sagittarius. but their sun sign (let alone a sign they've never heard of) probably isn't the most significant part of how they'd understand their "chart." like their predecessor, meyeqitš was (and understands themself as) born under qetšarnanz—the new star, the scorcher. specifically they were born on the night of its acronychal rising, the first night of the year the star rises just after sunset. this is a relatively regular and predictable event, which, as in many earth cultures, is regarded in ppilli as an important calendar landmark. of course ppillli is extremely fucking old so a lot of the original relevance is lost to time. but in general, qetšarnanz is associated with three things:

an ancient megalithic ruin complex of uncertain function, on the extreme eastern edge of the city, far predating even the oldest of ppilli's recorded history;

announcing the annual flood of the city's no-longer-extant river; and

the hottest, longest days of summer.

[narwhalandchill]

also mistake not my silence on the summer event story now that its all out for not paying attention bc. well firstly not going to be the subject of this post but seriously just the . Overall implications of the whole thing when it comes to teyvat and genshin as a whole? wild stuff like are they rly out there revealing the entire cosmology now 😭 (tho i kinda have. Mixed thoughts as well)

anyway secondly and most importantly because of course i have priorities (its ajax we all know) . soooo simulanka and names eh?

HUH!

well not that i was any doubter to begin with in that it like. meant something when hit game jenshin impact featuring guy already foreshadowed and being set up for some real curious world-overturning and celestia torching business etc etc etc coincidentally named. ajax. among other things. that the same game happening to Also begin introducing this whole other ajax/aias as an actual historical figure featured within the games lore and legends. would very much be just a massive fucking thing we Should be taking very seriously in terms of his future development but like thanks very much for confirming it too uwu

anyway let us look at my favorite french cultist scribbled note for no particular reason once more just to celebrate the occasion

i mean what can i say man . truly the endgame relevance long term allegations continue undodged 😤😤

anyway whats kinda funny to me is the way a lot of ppls reaction to this name confirmation seems to be like. omg ajax is in trouble now bc irl mythology ajax died and ajax/aias of genshin also seems to have possibly had a shit fate by the end im so worried omg . when like. literally the second part to this whole "name = inheriting destiny" thing we see in simulanka is that . with the right circumstances . the one that inherits the name and destiny is not necessarily doomed to that exact same outcome as the original . like we all did see how we saved simulanka durin right?? and how the existence of mini durin may now open up the possibility of teyvats durin to receive a different outcome to his tale???? right??

like why do ppl have so little faith in childe im 😭 like if you ask me hes Already giving indication of defying his fate in a multitude of ways (vision malfunction being a big one) so personally i simply think we need to let him do his thing and see where he goes with it . i have faith in him like if Anyones abt to subvert the fate hes been set up with be it due to his name or any other reason . its gonna be him lmao

like. its not even new stuff kwdwdjkdwjk

either way tho . even if this fucker straight up "dies" or goes MIA im not even that worried bc. ppl worrying about this "tragic fate" his namesake seems to be conferring to him by default with simulankas explicit confirmation of a names meaning . and its just are we straight up missing the fact that this historical ajax/aias is Literally connected to that rent free narzissenkreuz note that EXPLICITLY aligns this "tragedy" with the theme of REBIRTH. and becoming a descender straight up .

like maybe its just me but this Really isnt giving "omg childe is going to die due to mirroring the fate of ajax" its giving "childe is Literally being set up to become sth descender equivalent one way or another AND theyre doubling down on it now" im sorry 😭

like. even the implications of phrases like. "forsaking the self" to be reborn in the abyss just reminds me of this. weird panic people have around childes vision malfunction as if its like. vision is GOOD ambition and his GOOD ending and his GOOD characteristics and it malfunctioning means BAD EVIL SIN ambition and WRONG characteristics is taking over!!!!!!!11! hes being torn into two different directions and the abyss is bad and vision (=celestia) is good!!!!!1

and its like. say we even buy that (but like dang what a sustainer sponsored take to have in a. gnostic inspired lore environment JWSJKJKSF) . that his. "correct" and "healthy" destiny as vision wielder (that Every single recipient of a "gods EYE" gets like forcibly and irrevocably bound to by design and surely this isnt problematic at all) . is a part of that "self" that is being forsaken and twisted as his destiny pushes against celestias control and his connection to said vision falters . lets say we assume that is a "bad" thing for his "intended" path and destiny somehow .

(which YES it prolly is. but only within the bounds of a world order set up by the heavenly principles!!! of COURSE the HP would force people into destinies and paths that Only serve the continuity of its rule!!! and doesnt shake up the system!! like yes a vision likely represents and assigns to people a "Good" ambition but thats not from the recipients POV thats from celestias POV and at this point its just. fellas. we are not supposed to buy into that at face value lmao)

which like. again. i v much dont buy anyway i think every single time genshin calls something sin or forbidden it should be assessed v critically.

but even with that assumption we can still see how this very note is already implicating that "forsaking the self" is Literally a prerequisite . in this grand destiny featuring ajax/aias . for reaching True rebirth as a holy infant and a descender and all that . for defying the shackles of the heavens . for gaining a will that rivals the world . right???

+ also if like. forsaking the self being mayhaps and perchance more of a GOOD thing in a world with preordained and unyielding destiny set up by false divinity wasnt already established enough

welp thank you rene narzissenkreuz.

oh "excising the self" you say?? that sure sounds a bit like "forsaking the self" doesnt it ??? how curious that it would be considered less of a "death" and more of a "rebirth" indeed . and that a vision to a cultist very invested in the methods available to Defy a prophecy and fate is very much a bad thing to receive . like what a coincidence that we would have a note like this as an established character already tied to a note you wrote about acquiring a descenders will is experiencing vision compatibility issues its very funny indeed.

so like ig what im trying to say is just idk for me personally if ajax is out there forsaking his self by any metric im just gonna be cheering him on <3

but yeah jkqjkwdjkwdjkwd dont mind me im just kinda rent free with how its now just even more confirmed by hoyo that this insane ajax/aias note stuff is Not meant to be coincidental At All (even tho its very funny ppl doubted the signifance to begin with at all). but also i just dont get the panicking abt it being some bad thing lmao like this is just genuinely hype as fuck for him 😭😭😭

[hbyrde36]

The Crawl

Part 2 of 5

Part 1 here AO3

WC: 2773

-Edd!e-

Eddie retreated into the trees once Will was finally out of sight and on his way to safety on the other side of the fence. 

He hoped he’d done the right thing. The kid had survived his original stay in the Upside Down without Eddie’s help, obviously, but when he had found Castle Byers in the middle of the woods and discovered the boy hiding within it, he couldn't just walk away. 

The idea had come to him shortly after he ‘woke up’.

Whenever Eddie thought about his unholy resurrection it was always in terms of sleeping and waking. Of course, he knew the truth. 

He remembered everything. 

Seeing Dustin to safety. Cutting the Rope. Leading the bats away, and ultimately fighting them to the death. He remembered how one of the little fuckers had wrapped it’s tail around his throat, and exactly what their small sharp teeth had felt like as they tore into his skin. 

He remembered dying. 

But if he allowed himself to think about it too hard, he’d have to face other harsh truths that he was even less prepared to deal with. 

Like the fact that he was probably not human anymore, and though he was able to resist it, he could feel Vecna’s call. That he would most likely never get out of this place, never see Uncle Wayne again, or any of his friends, or the kids, or Steve, who he’d grown inexplicably close to and fond of over the short time they’d spent together during the most hellish week of his life.

So instead of worrying about the what, how, and why of his current existence, he focused on another mystery that had been plaguing him since the first time he’d set foot in the Upside Down. Why was this place stuck in 1983 on the day Will went missing? And could that mean there were other time related anomalies?

Since he had nothing better to do than wander around and try to avoid Vecna, as well as the other creatures of the Upside Down, he decided to explore the possibility and found he was on to something. 

His first theory once he found Baby Byers, was that time in the Upside Down was absolutely fucked. 

He didn’t know if it was moving backwards, or forwards, or everywhere at once, and frankly the implications of the whole thing made his head spin. 

His second theory, and the only way he could even remotely make some sense of things, was that maybe each gate into and out of this place was somehow tied to the time in which it was used.

It was why when he’d decided to step in and get the young boy out of there he hadn’t taken him back to the trailer park, even though that gate was closer. He was too afraid of what might happen if he was right and he wound up sending a 12 year old Will Byers through his ceiling and right into the future.

Eddie didn’t know everything that had happened to the party relating to the Upside Down, in fact he was sure he only knew a very small fraction of the story, but he did remember being told that Will’s mom and Hopper had somehow retrieved him through the lab way back when, so it seemed like a safe bet to take the boy there. 

He only interfered in the first place because the poor kid had looked minutes from death. He hadn't planned on doing anything more than getting Will out. He was well aware that messing with past events could have disastrous consequences, he’d read enough sci-fi novels to know that much, but he figured, what harm could it do to help the young boy escape this nightmare realm a little bit sooner? 

As long as he didn’t tell the kid anything, it would be okay. His biggest fear was that somehow he would make things worse. In his own time, he’d managed to lead the bats away and save Dustin. If he did something wrong here and anything happened to the little shit as a result, he wouldn’t be able to live with himself. 

If living was the word for it. 

But, then they’d been talking, and his big mouth had run away with him, as it usually did. He mentioned Mike and called Will by his D&D moniker, all of which only stoked the kid’s curiosity more. 

And Eddie started thinking, could it actually get any worse? 

They hadn’t defeated Vecna for one thing, he knew that for a fact. The guy was still alive and traipsing around down here like he owned the fucking place. Yes, Eddie had saved Dustin but what had become of everyone else? Steve, Robin, and Nancy? Red and the others? The town as a whole?

And, sure, maybe he didn’t know everything, but he knew a little. Would it be enough to change the outcome for the better? 

Only one way to find out. 

So, he’d gone and told Will anything he could recall that might help. It was erratic at best, his usual storytelling abilities all but non-existent in the wake of everything he’d been through. He forgot a lot and didn’t provide enough context for any of it, but he did what he could and hoped it would be good enough. 

Given that time was fucked, Eddie wasted none of it in making his way over to Lover’s Lake, content to watch and wait for as long as he had to. 

The bitch of it was, if he had changed things enough Steve might never get pulled down here through the underwater gate. In some ways it was the ideal outcome, even if it meant that Eddie would never truly know what was happening in the Right-Side-Up until Vecna either did or didn’t die.

But if Steve did get pulled through the lake’s depths and into the Upside Down as he had before, whether because Eddie hadn’t done enough or because fate was just that cruel a mistress, he would be right there to help him.

Eddie sat, and watched, and waited for an indeterminate amount of time. 

He had no concept of it passing anymore, no way to gauge it. He didn’t get cold, or hungry, or thirsty. He didn’t even feel the need to fidget anymore.

He just existed.

The only thing that plagued him outside of his own thoughts was a little nudge at the back of his mind. He knew it was Vecna. Mostly it was a dormant awareness of the asshole but every now and then Henry would flex his power, urging Eddie to find him and join him. It was easy enough to ignore, at least for now. 

He knew it was coming a few moments before Steve came bursting up through the hole in the dry lake bed. The vines around the small opening that had previously been lying completely still, had suddenly come to life, and he raced to the gate from his nearby hiding spot. 

Eddie, oar already in hand, beat at the vine that had a hold on Steve's ankle until it let him go. The other boy stared up at him, eyes wide and chest heaving as he worked to catch his breath.

“Holy shit.” Steve gasped out between breaths. “It is you. You’re… really here.”

“Sure am, big boy.” Eddie smiled. That answered the question of whether Will had told the others about him or not.  It was so good to see a familiar face, and Steve’s in particular if he was honest. A bit weird, knowing this wasn’t exactly the same boy he had once known, but good. 

He offered Steve a hand up and he took it, allowing Eddie to haul him to his feet. Steve still looked a little dazed, but that was understandable. He also couldn’t seem to stop staring.

“Come on.” Eddie said, tugging on Steve’s hand and urging him to move. “We’ve only got a minute or two before Nancy, Robin, and the other me are going to come popping out of that hole, assuming they were with you on the boat?” 

He glanced back to see Steve nodding in confirmation. 

“I don’t know what happens if he and I get too close to each other,” Eddie continued. “And I don't particularly want to find out.”

Once they made it to the tree line Eddie stopped, turning to fully face Steve. He had this horrible urge to embrace the other boy. It’d been so long since he’d had contact with another person, let alone hugged them, but there was no time to indulge in that kind of comfort and no reason to think that Steve would welcome more of his touch. 

He had so many questions, too many for one short stolen moment. The bats would attack soon and the others would be coming through any minute and…

“Eds, I'm so sorry.” Steve whispered, voice trembling as he squeezed Eddie’s hand. Neither of them had let go yet.   

Eds? That was new… 

“For what?”

Steve gestured at him from head to toe, struggling for words. 

In fairness Eddie hadn’t looked in a mirror in a while, so he only had a vague idea of how bad he must look, but judging by Steve's pained expression, it… wasn’t good. 

“I guess I don't really know, but obviously something goes wrong, er, went wrong, and I didn’t…”

Eddie cut him off. “No, this wasn’t…” He trailed off looking down at his own dirty, torn, and bloody shirt. “You weren’t there when this happened. It wasn't your fault.”

“Maybe, maybe not, but it’s my responsibility to keep everyone safe. Everyone. And you… god. I can’t believe I wasn’t there.” Steve looked like he was genuinely fighting off tears.

Eddie was a little taken aback. He hadn’t thought Steve cared about him that much, at least not at this point in their getting-to-know-you journey. It was true that they had grown close towards the end, shared trauma and a heart to heart in the middle of the dark and twisted woods will do that to you, but none of that had happened yet for the Steve in front of him. It made him wonder just how well this Steve and his Eddie knew each other. 

“Stevie, don’t do that to yourself.” The nickname rolled off of his tongue like it was second nature though he was pretty sure it was the first time he’d ever said it.

Steve had finally looked away, eyes on the horizon where a small grouping of demobats was quickly making its way towards them, but at those words his gaze snapped back to Eddie’s again. He stepped closer, reaching out like he meant to touch him, but stopped just short of it. 

Eddie’s stomach flipped and suddenly he wished he’d thought to clean himself up somehow before coming here. He probably still had dried blood on his face, of course Steve wouldn’t want to touch him. 

He shook his head at himself. 

There wasn’t time for this. None of it mattered, he wasn’t important. What mattered was the future, and making sure that Steve and everyone else had one.  

“Listen, I don’t know what might have changed between what I remember and your timeline, or if I made any difference at all. I don’t know if any of this will make sense to you yet but I can tell you what we did.”

It looked like Steve wanted to say something else, but he nodded and let Eddie move the conversation along. The bats were getting closer and it seemed even he could sense they were almost out of time.

“Vecna got Nancy. She snapped out of it but he gave her these terrifying visions and basically told her his whole evil villain backstory about killing his parents, winding up at the lab, becoming a number, and his vendetta against Eleven for sending him here. We already knew that gates are formed anywhere he makes a kill right? But after that we figured out that he needed four kills to complete the set, kicking off his end of the world plot, or whatever. So we came down here, tried to beat him on his own turf. You, Nancy, and Robin went after him, while me and Dustin caused a distraction to keep those bats away. On the other side, Max, Lucas, and Erica were baiting him, like a different kind of distraction. Keeping his mind busy while you three went after his body.” 

Steve was staring at him again, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. They were standing in the middle of a hellscape on the precipice of the end of the world, and Steve Harrington was smiling at him with a soft look in his eyes that Eddie didn’t think had ever been aimed at him before.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Eddie asked shyly.

“Sorry, you’re just so… you.”

Eddie was pretty sure if he could still blush he would be doing so, furiously.

Steve cleared his throat, looking a little pink in the cheeks himself. “It sounds like a decent strategy, more of a plan that we usually have anyway.”

“Maybe, but we still failed. I don’t even know what happened to the rest of you.”

“What about you?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“It matters to me.” Steve insisted, pleading with his eyes. “Eddie, if there's any chance it could help me save you, I need to know. Please, just tell me what happened.”

Eddie stared at the ground as he spoke. “Me and Dustin were on the roof of my trailer, here in the Upside Down. I played my guitar to lure those flying fuckers away from Vecna’s house, where you were headed. It worked phenomenally well, they came in droves. We reinforced the trailer as best we could, but they were too strong, and there were too many of them. They started to come through the air vents, man. We had this rope rigged up through the gate in the ceiling. I sent Dustin up and out first, but I realized the bats might follow us through, or worse turn around and attack you guys. I cut the rope so Dustin couldn’t follow me, and then I led the bats away…” He trailed off, unwilling to finish the story. It didn’t need to be said anyway. His fate was obvious.

This time when Steve reached out, he didn’t stop himself. He cupped the side of Eddie’s face, running his thumb back and forth over his cheek. Before Eddie could stop it he found himself nuzzling into the touch. 

Steve opened his mouth to speak, but hesitated when they saw Robin, Nancy, and the other Eddie climbing up out of the gate off in the distance. The trio was looking around panicked, shouting Steve’s name, and the bats were already starting to swarm. Nancy picked up the oar that Eddie left behind, and was already brandishing it against the onslaught.

Time’s up, Eddie thought as he pulled away from Steve and ducked around a tree to keep hidden. 

Steve's eyes darted back and forth between the Eddie in front of him and his friends behind him. “What about everyone else?” He asked quickly. “You didn’t mention El or Hopper, Joyce, Jonathan, Will, Mike.” Steve paled. “Did something happen to them all?”

“I don’t know, Hopper was dead and the rest were in California. You guys kept trying to call but-”

“California?” Steve said, confused. 

Finally it clicked. “Oh shit, Hopper’s alive and the Byers didn’t move?! I guess I did some good after all.” Eddie said, feeling a sudden surge of hope. They had so much more help this time if everyone was in the same place. They had El! 

He wished he knew how that had all come to pass. He would have loved to sit with Steve for hours and find out all the little differences between his past and Steve’s present, but he could settle for not knowing as long as the people he cared about made it out of this mess alive. 

“Take them to my place, the trailer. You’ll be able to get out there.”

“I don’t want to leave you here alone.” Steve said, even as his eyes strayed back to the others.

“You have to. They need you. Your Eddie needs you.”

Steve let out a pained sound, but finally turned away and ran back to where he belonged, leaving Eddie behind as he rushed off to help the others finish off the demobats. 

Part 3

Thanks forever to @penny00dreadful for being the best friend, cheerleader, and beta in the whole fucking world 💜 truly could not do it without you.

I'm going to tag anyone who interacted with part 1 but feel free to tell me to fuck off (🤣) and let me know if you want to be removed from the list!!

@hissunflowers @sadisticaltarts @gutterflower77 @epiclazershark @yeahhhh-suga @soapyscoobert @thetrueghostqueen @guppynuggets @reh-hateshumans @katdeerly @kolorzapster @useless-nb-bisexual

[pegglefan69]

Carmine

Slow Show, The National- 

‘You know, I dreamed about you / For twenty-nine years before I saw you / You know, I dreamed about you / I missed you for twenty-nine years’

This is Carmine IRT Joe, specifically when they were at the transitional period between friends & roommates into lovers. Previously Carmine had always made sure to appear as this highly constructed, cleverest, most captivating version of himself when meeting a new person. Even while in serious, years-long relationships he was never fully capable of dropping this. Lots of resentment towards himself for the inability to be the ‘Best’ Carmine at all times, externalized frustration via picking stupid fights & paranoia that his partners only like That Carmine. 

His previous partners liked ‘both’ versions of him, but at least in Rufus & Damiano’s cases, both had a paternalistic tendency to encourage him to be more like the version he initially impressed them with bcuz they viewed this as a straightforward Point A to B maturation or improvement of one continuous person. Rufus went about it in a BITCHY way bcuz he was also invested in his idea of himself as the Magician with the Prodigy Apprentice even tho that ALSO made him insecure & resentful. Damiano was Very Nicely Condescending, in a way that resulted in him treating Carmine like he was emotionally fragile & needed to be protected from his own anger + usually smothered any attempts Carmine made at baiting him into Outwardly Getting Mad. Carmine breaking up with him DID get Damiano to cut out his bullshit & work to repair their friendship. It still remains to be seen what’ll make Rufus do the same LOL…

Joe & Carmine met during what were probably the least dignified circumstances of Carmine’s life other than when he started transitioning: questionably stable housing, physically strenuous job that he was quickly becoming incapable of doing thanks to progressing disability, absolutely no prospects with magical career he put almost a decade of work towards & the long term implications of making himself immortal was unravelling his mental health faster than even all of the other stuff. If his boyfriend at the time (Joe’s roommate) hadn't been so tolerant of him skulking around like a particularly nasty stray animal he probably would’ve successfully alienated everybody he knew at the time. For once in his adult life he was completely ‘off’ & uninterested in whether or not anybody liked him.

Joe didn't like him at first, but he found him interesting to talk to, especially once he knew about the ‘semi-recently-became-immortal’ thing. Carmine also didn't like him, bcuz he was completely incapable of figuring out what Joe wanted from him/wanted him to be. Being considered valuable without having to be interesting or intelligent or even if the most recent conversation they'd had ended with a definitive, “Nah man, you're full of shit,” was so radically new & terrifying that he DEFINITELY tried to compensate by backpedaling into being an even worse shithead for a bit until Joe was like ‘Hey. 🫵 Cut it out.”

Meeting somebody whose best version of him consists only of ‘be the kind person I know you can be’, with both the complete confidence that he is capable of it & patience with him when he fucks up was genuinely life-changing for Carmine + what he needs out of a partner. By the time Wizard Book One is happening they've been together for at least 20 years so he is currently fairly secure in this relationship but when it first started? Oh Boy.

[cielsosinfel]

yay, you're back! i'll send in the one i was going to send before tumblr had a tantrum: majima!

oh boy!

How I feel about this character

Here is the thing about Majima for me: I do NOT care about him beyond Y0. Like, his relationship with Shimano? That one cutscene where he has his eye carved out? I am into that but only insofar as it can inform his character in/immediately-after Y0. There is something about the mix of intense, intense depression and self-loathing ("I'LL BE YOUR CLOWN"), the suicidal ideation implications (that line about Sae coming back to kill him) that are pushing him through so much torture and abuse, the BARELY restrained rage and chaotic violence he wants to let loose on others, ESPECIALLY Sagawa-- and yet also the way he is SO competently filling this role he's been forced into, and the way he interacts with civilians (not even speaking of sub-stories but the way he interacts with the hostesses and staff at the Grand, the way he interacts with Makoto, are SO different- and he's obviously floundering with Makoto, maybe because it's a relationship that is not heavily structured around all parties inhabiting very specific roles with specific duties to one another-- kumicho-kobun, manager-staff, etc), and the complexity of his stated emotions and his body language around Sagawa and Shimano and just...

And then when he finally stops giving a fuck because everything has gone to so much SHIT and it's not even cathartic.

He is mutilated, tortured, left for dead, goes through several years of bondage (not even the sexy kind), all that just to go right back to being subservient under Shimano's heel. To be a dog on a significantly tighter leash.

And we do not get that after Y0!!!!

All the people I ship romantically with this character

Sagawa :) Sagawa :) and Sagawa :) I mean obviously I like sexualize his relationships with Shimano and, to a point, Nishitani, but the closest thing I want to him being in a "romantic" relationship is the abusive rotted mess he and Sagawa (could!) have

Though I also do like the idea of him and Lee... if Lee ever survived and they and Makoto ran away together...............................

My non-romantic OTP for this character

I like to think about him and Makoto having a non-romantic friendship if things had not gone to such shit, but I don't think that could ever really happen if Majima is still a yakuza. I CANNOT see them entering an actual, romantic relationship that lasts long term, because they're both such fucking messes and I think Makoto would not have a good life with any remaining tethers to the criminal underworld. But I think they could figure out how to be friends if the ending circumstances had been different. I also LOOOOOOVE HIM AND YUKI'S FRIENDSHIP SO MUCH I THINK THEY REALLY ROUND ONE ANOTHER OUT even if it feels like Sunshine should not be canon.

My unpopular opinion about this character

Me saying I only like him in Y0 and don't ship him with one of his only two canon LIs in favor of the problematic abusive DILF lmao lmao

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon.

They stop using him for weird depraved bi guy jokes and have him kiss a man on screen :)

[rachelsshowerthoughts]

Sent a response regarding the Aware AU stuff, I hope it was interesting, also had other Kwami thoughts.

Cos like, I love the substitute angle but I doubt that'd it sustainable long term once more Kwami start coming out.

Kagami is likely on lock for an early Kwami due to Marinette, meanwhile Chloe may need to get one by 'accident'.

I do love Queen Bee, though Benom is so low key over powered it can make fights vexing, but I also love Snake!Chloe & Tiger!Chloe.

The latter also fits given how similar but distinct one can make the Tiger Miraculous, especially if they get creative with it, or so I feel.

Roaar: Well now, you aren't who I was supposed to be with, & I'm not where I was supposed to be >:3c Chloe: I get the sense that isn't a problem for you. Roaar: No way, I'm Roaar, let's cause havoc!

Cue Chloe & Adrien showing up with supremely destructive Kwami and the tagline from that art piece, "Supreme Feline Violence!" as their new catchphrase.

so, first of all, I read that last line as "Sublime Feline Violence!" which . . . sounded odd until I reread it, but anyway!

So, one thing I meant before, about my problems with the Kwami, is I see a lot of problems with them as . . . well, kind of being the Order's fault? Like. The implication I keep getting, is that the Order BOUND the Kwami to their will, basically, which is why they have to do whatever their "owners" say. Like, just. I don’t know how to describe it properly, just.

Ok. Let's try this. The Kwami don’t read as "partners". They read closer to indentured servants. They aren’t allowed to do anything without asking their "owners" for permission. Gabriel can literally take Nooroo's speech capability away. Yes, maybe it’s convenient that the Kwami have NO IDEA about the power ups and stuff, as it means Gabe doesn’t know about it, but the implications . . . the Kwami aren’t allowed to know about magic that affects them, that CHANGES how they work (imagine this as a medical procedure you are REQUIRED TO HAVE, but aren’t allowed to know what someone will be doing to you). And the reason why is that they HAVE to answer their "masters". They CAN'T say no. Seriously, imagine the series with the only change being that the Kwami don't HAVE to answer questions. They can keep their own secrets and thoughts. How much shit gets solved if that happens?

Just . . . I don’t think I can explain properly how UNCOMFORTABLE the Kwami's situation makes me. Like, it feels like the only difference between Gabriel and the Order? Their goals. #FreeTheKwami

(Moving on, I'm not sure how coherent this is . . . )

I think the substitute angle would still be in play, but after the Big Conversation (not sure if you saw my take on that?), I feel like Marinette starts pushing a little more, and in my head, I see a compromise that looks odd from canon-view. Part of Fu's argument would, weirdly, be that the doubles are in danger, because the Miraculous are still primarily Adrien's and Marinette's. Like, Yes Chloé and Adrien spend maybe equal amount of time as Chat Noir, but the split is probably closer to 60-40 in Adrien's favour, with Chloé taking over the 40% he CAN'T get away without risking consequences with his dad. And Marinette, once she gets the go ahead, would split that even less, still primarily being Ladybug, with Kagami only taking over in the case of illness, or if Marinette REALLY can't leave without hurting someone (babysitting or similar comes to mind). So the rest of the time, Chloé and Kagami would be defenceless against Hawk Moth, should he figure them out or target them.

Marinette, of course, agrees. She does often have an easier time seeing things from Fu's point of view, especially because despite his hang ups, it isn’t like he's outright WRONG. The doubles ARE in danger without a way to protect themselves. Her solution? Hand the doubles a Miraculous of their own!

Yeah, this is where it gets loud.

Fu is STRIDENTLY against this. Oh no, no way, no how, absolutely NOT, Marinette, I expected better from you-! But Marinette stands her ground. She argues right back, and I think a combination of Fu seeing her more favourably, and Marinette making some very good points might sway him.

Having more Miraculous out is dangerous? Having the ones ALREADY out is dangerous, how much more danger are we talking here?

Fu doesn’t know who the doubles are? Well, Ladybug and Chat Noir don’t know who each other is, and that’s seen as a layer of security.

The doubles are defenceless? They don’t have to be!

Just this intense back and forth (Chloé and Adrien are watching this like a tennis match) before Marinette plays her trump card. Fu says he trusts her judgement. Well, Marinette trusts the Chats Noir, and her friend, Ladybird (Kagami's Ladybug handle? Not a major fan, i see it more as a combo name for Ladybug/Peacock, but I don’t currently have other ideas). More than that, the fights are clearly getting harder. They NEED back up. SHE needs back up. Back up she can TRUST.

eventually, Fu caves.

As to which Miraculous they get, I too love Queen Bee, but hear me out. Kagami gets the Bee (maybe can extend the trompo-top stinger into a fencing sabre?), and Chloé gets the Turtle. Yep, Fu gives up Wayzz. Why?

So Wayzz can SPY on this unknown Chat. Because while Fu trusts Ladybug, he still is wary of the second Chat Noir, this one he still doesn’t know. He knows who Adrien is, so he KNOWS he's an only child. The closest "sibling" he can see is Felix, who lives in London, no way he can get to Paris that fast. He also doesn’t suspect Chloé, because he's been taken in by her outward persona. But if Duchess Noire has Wayzz, then Fu can maybe figure her out. He knows the limitations of the Miraculous - if Duchess tells Wayzz "don’t tell anyone who I am", he won’t be able to tell Fu who she is. But he'll still have insight into how she works, what her morals are, if they can REALLY trust her. Plus, Fu knows Wayzz, they've been partners for CENTURIES. Fu knows not just how to fight with the Turtle, but how to fight against the Turtle. If this second Cat turns out to be bad news, the Turtle is the Miraculous Fu has the best chance against.

(Also, random sidenote: I discussed this with @princess-of-the-corner, cause she always makes the Tiger's thing Invisibility, and I was saying I'd sort of like it if the Tiger had both that AND Clout, so I think what we ended up with was the Tiger's thing is related to Confidence. High confidence, you get Clout, low confidence, you get Stealth. You CAN figure out how to access both, but it can take awhile. Cause, also, you know, a Tiger's whole THING is that it's camouflaged, invisible in its environment, until suddenly you get slammed with several pounds of muscle, teeth and claws.

Also, if you feel that Venom is too OP, I’d institute a time limit. Like, the five minutes you have until you detransform, that's how long Venom lasts? Something like that.

also-also, I see your Snake!Chloé, and raise you Snake!Nino. )

[kob131]

Do you think mordred is smart?

Like, i dont think she is some genius or anything but staging a rebellion againts your king while being barely ten years old or so definitely needs some braincells

I think she is smart but is also very impulsive and emotional, maybe?

Oh definitely.

To be fair, the rebellion was only successful in that it killed Arturia. It also got Mordred killed and destroyed Camelot. So it wasn't entirely successful but the fact that Mordred knew how to appeal to people despite how inexperienced she is in general shows that she is smart.

That's not the only time though. In the London chapter (specifically in the chapter they meet Anderson but before they do in it), Mordred makes an insight about the enemies they are fighting and how the summoning of Heroic Spirits was being used. It's to the point both Ritsuka and Mash are surprised and a bit confused by what she is saying. This isn't a one off thing from a subpar chapter- In Enkidu's Interlude, Mordred is capable of recognizing the magic that was used to make Humbra is the same magecraft used to make her. It's safe to say that Mordred is actually well versed in magecraft. Which makes sense since the London chapter gives a subtle implication that she knows it from her time with Morgan.

And this isn't the only time either. In that same interlude, Mordred figures out Enkidu was questioning her because she's a homonculus and tells him that he can't give them answers or meaning, they have to do it themselves. In the finale of Arcade's story, Mordred acknowledges the ephemeral nature of humanity and how destructive they are while reaffirming that they're still worth fighting for. This also coinsides with her talk with Sieg in Apocrypha. With Sieg asking if humanity os worth fight for and Mordred suprisingly tells him that she can't answer that for him.

And in the first Grail Front story, Mordred is asked whether Chaldea should focus on long or short term warfare and she responds with a quick but effective comment about their lack of supply lines and how they should focus on gurellia warfare and targeting weakness (which matches with how Chaldea fights). It's so insightful that everyone is stunned for a moment hearing it for a moment. Everyone being Iskander, Hektor, Altera and Cu. All of whom are experienced warriors and at least three of which (excluding Cu) are noteworthy commanders.

So Mordred isn't just knowledgeable about just magecraft- she's also fairly insightful on philosophy and warfare.

The only indications that we have that Mordred's dumb is that Merlin thinks she's the idiot of the Round Table and Mordred favors brute force in her fights. And Merlin's view isn't fully objective- he doesn't like being around Mordred because she apparently 'smells' like her mother and he could be talking about her impulsiveness. And Mordred's a person who loves to fight; she's basically an adrenaline junkie. No shit she isn't gonna come up with big plans-She wants to fight for the sake of it.

So yes- Mordred is smart. It's just that, again, she's still very young and lacks many things that make a person stable like a healthy family...and self esteem...and any kind of self image.

[bigsoftmarshmallow]

This is more or less just a curiosity-based question than anything to see if you noticed this too.

I guess that I was just wondering if you realized that, had the Gerudo gone off to live in Hyrule Field on OoT, then by TotK's past, their skin would've likely lightened to such an extent that they’d basically just look like really tall, athletic Irish women?

Now, wait a minute! I have a point!

See, the shade of their skin indicates that they've been living in an area of high-uv (desert, jungle) for at least 10,000 years & melanin specifically helps them to better survive the sun's rays. I believe as a result of epieugenics. However if they were to have begun living exclusively in Hyrule Fields, instead of, say Faron, then even with the TotK feature of their kids being predominantly Gerudo regardless of their fathers, their skin would begin to lighten with each generation due to the fact that those with darker skin have a more difficult time producing their own Vitamin D & their children would become subject to diseases such as rickets.

Now, in modern times, this is easily prevented with Vitamin D supplements, but that's because we have access to modern medicine. The Gerudo don't really have that benefit. So, even if they didn't have the issue of needing to interbreed with Hylians, they'd still basically end up only being really differentiated from them by their red hair, possibly their greater size, fitness, & round ears.

Like, I guess that I just wonder why no one seems to think about that. I mean, I get that it's a fantasy game world, but still.

So secret time: The darkest thing about me is my left arm, since I drive all the time with my arm out the window (I look like I have a Frankenstein's arm attached to me the difference between arms is STARTLING LOL) So I never really thought about how the darker skin of the Gerudo could actually cause some issues with them moving away from the desert, especially with the varying levels of Vitamin D. That is interesting to think about! The various implications of moving an entire culture to another land, no matter the reason, would have consequences, both good and bad. The health consequences? MMMMMMMMM IM ALL ABOUT THE HUMAN BODY. MEDICAL SHIT IS ALWAYS FUN TO FIGURE OUT AND DIVE INTO. (I watch too many medical dramas, I blame my ma for giving me this fixation) Makes me wonder what other medical things (Diseases, both sudden and chronic, mental, etc) happen in Hyrule...

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Ocarina of Time Ganondorf

Reactions: Ocarina of Time Ganondorf would listen carefully to Equal Lady's observations. He would be intrigued by her understanding of the biological and environmental factors that influence the Gerudo people's physical traits.

Thoughts and Feelings: Ganondorf would feel a mixture of curiosity and defensiveness. While he values the strength and resilience of the Gerudo, the idea that their distinctive traits could change over time due to environmental factors would be unsettling.

Response: Ganondorf might argue initially, emphasizing the cultural and historical significance of the Gerudo's appearance. However, he would eventually acknowledge the logic behind her observations. This new understanding might not change his immediate plans but would certainly give him something to ponder regarding the long-term future of his people.

Twilight Princess Ganondorf

Reactions: Twilight Princess Ganondorf would be more open to considering Equal Lady's observations. He has a more strategic mind and would see the value in understanding the potential long-term impacts of their environment on the Gerudo people.

Thoughts and Feelings: He would feel a sense of respect for her knowledge and insight. The practical implications of her observations would resonate with him, especially given his focus on ensuring the survival and prosperity of his people.

Response: Ganondorf would likely accept her thought process and might even begin to consider ways to mitigate these changes while ensuring the health and well-being of the Gerudo. This could involve seeking out new lands with similar UV exposure or exploring other ways to preserve their unique traits.

Wind Waker Ganondorf

Reactions: Wind Waker Ganondorf would be fascinated by Equal Lady's insights. Given his contemplative nature and reflective attitude in the game, he would take her observations seriously.

Thoughts and Feelings: He would feel a deep sense of appreciation for her understanding and the implications of her thoughts. The potential changes in the Gerudo's appearance due to environmental factors would be a significant consideration for him.

Response: Ganondorf would accept her observations and might even begin to think about how to preserve the Gerudo's unique identity while adapting to new environments. This could include integrating knowledge of environmental adaptations into their cultural practices.

Hyrule Warriors Ganondorf

Reactions: Hyrule Warriors Ganondorf would be intrigued by Equal Lady's observations but might initially see them as secondary to his immediate goals of conquest and power.

Thoughts and Feelings: He would feel a mixture of interest and indifference. While he values the strength and resilience of the Gerudo, the idea of their physical traits changing over time might not be a primary concern for him.

Response: Ganondorf might acknowledge her observations but wouldn't let them influence his immediate plans. However, he would keep her insights in mind for future considerations, especially if they align with his strategic goals.

Tears of the Kingdom Ganondorf

Reactions: Tears of the Kingdom Ganondorf would listen intently to Equal Lady's observations. Given his respect for Sheikah culture and knowledge, he would be more open to considering her insights.

Thoughts and Feelings: He would feel a sense of curiosity and respect for her understanding. The implications of environmental factors on the Gerudo people's appearance would be a significant consideration for him.

Response: Ganondorf would accept her observations and might begin to think about ways to balance the preservation of the Gerudo's unique traits with the need to adapt to new environments. This could involve seeking out lands with similar environmental conditions or exploring other ways to ensure their health and well-being.

Demise

Reactions: Demise would be less concerned with the specifics of environmental adaptation and more focused on power and dominance. However, he would still listen to Equal Lady's observations out of curiosity.

Thoughts and Feelings: He would feel a mixture of indifference and mild interest. While he values strength and resilience, the idea of physical traits changing due to environmental factors would be less relevant to his primary goals.

Response: Demise might acknowledge her observations but wouldn't let them influence his immediate plans. His focus would remain on his quest for ultimate power, and her insights would be considered only if they align with his overarching objectives.

General Themes and Reactions

Curiosity and Respect: Each character feels a sense of curiosity and respect for Equal Lady's knowledge and insights. Her understanding of environmental adaptation impresses them and gives them something to consider.

Strategic Considerations: Characters like Twilight Princess Ganondorf and Wind Waker Ganondorf are more likely to integrate her observations into their strategic thinking. They see the value in understanding the long-term impacts of environmental factors on their people.

Balance of Preservation and Adaptation: The idea of balancing the preservation of the Gerudo's unique traits with the need to adapt to new environments is a common theme. This consideration highlights the characters' desire to ensure the survival and prosperity of their people while maintaining their cultural identity.

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✨⭐ i n t r o p o s t ⭐✨

basics: ★ my name is rory!! ★ 17 ★ they/them, he/him? (masc terms preferred over non-specific terms, just nothing fem) ★ japanese american !! ★ audhd + various mental illnesses + 1(one) chronic illness (so far.)

what is this blog for? ★ art/things i make in general ★ outfits and such ★ random shit that happens irl ★ tbh anything in my head that i see fit to let out of my head

interests/favorites: ★ bands: my chemical romance, pierce the veil, the front bottoms, fall out boy ★ special interests: fairy tales (specifically brothers grimm), alice in wonderland, minerals, my chemical romance ★ manga: junji ito (i have 15 books), witch hat atelier, the girl from the other side, how to treat magical beasts, toilet bound hanako kun ★ games: dont starve, minecraft, sims 4, clangen (never got into the books tho lol), everything is going to be ok, subnautica, fallout shelter ★ tv shows: adventure time, bojack horseman (havent finished), criminal minds, gravity falls, scott pilgrim takes off ★ collections: rocks and minerals, cds, junji ito, various zines, ★ random: unholyverse, edgar allan poe, dsmp (lmanburg/elections/exile, not recent as much), frank iero, just roll with it (riptide), dnd

things i make/do: ★ art !! (various kinds) ★ zines ★ patches/other clothing modification stuffs ★ kandi (still figuring out cuffs) ★ currently coding a shitty little mcr website for a class ★ ukulele !! ive been playing mildly since 6 not v good tho ★ guitar? barely tho + just started ★ occasional embroidery/knitting ★ im technically in a band but we dont have a name and the bassist hasnt touched a bass yet ★ skateboarding. my knees are so scarred from me eating shit all the time tho. fall out boy more like fall off boy. ★ i did circus (specifically aerials) for 3 years pre pandemic. i miss it !!

⚠ general warning ⚠ there are often references to/implications of sh in my collage/doodle pages. its never detailed, you probably wont see it if you dont look close. the tags will always have tws for implied or referenced sh, if theres anything more major ill put the correct tws for that. i try my best to always use content warnings/trigger warnings, if i ever miss something please let me know!!

🚫 DNI 🚫 transphobes, racists, homophobes, misogynists, bigots/fascists in general. lolita/nymphette/lana del ray stuff (coquette fine as long as its not weird).

free artsakh, free palestine, punch a nazi, drink some water, i love you<3