#but actually he wouldn't be enriched enough

[kidrat]

'he wouldn't say that' but it's he (baz pitch) wouldn't study there (university in london)

[sunderwight]

Thinking about a bingqiu Dreamling AU where Shen Yuan and Shang Qinghua are both bored deities, just sort of taking a brief sojourn through the mortal world to shoot the shit and see some interesting monster or other that Shen Yuan has heard about, when they come across a tea house and decide to take a break and do some people-watching instead.

Shen Yuan is well into something of a shut-in phase, which Shang Qinghua doesn't like, mostly because when Shen Yuan is in those phases he doesn't do particularly well either. Shen Yuan's a social butterfly, for however little he cares to actually acknowledge it about himself, and his critique of Shang Qinghua's literary masterpieces gets so much harsher when he's not getting enough enrichment.

So when they overhear one of the kitchen boys solemnly insisting that he is going to do everything in his power to never die, and Shen Yuan laments that the boy would probably regret such a wish if it came true, Shang Qinghua decides to bestow a rare bit of godly power onto this mortal and grant his wish.

He doesn't make him a god, of course, that wouldn't even be in his ability. At least, not without using up more time and effort than he's prepared to expend on this one random kid. But immortality on its own is not that difficult. The boy will still finish growing up, and will still be able to be harmed, to know hunger and pain and illness. It just won't ever kill him.

Shen Yuan sighs that it's a cruel thing to do to a mortal, especially one with such low odds of ever cultivating other skills to mitigate the potential torment of it all. But Shang Qinghua just shrugs and they place bets, that this boy will ask for the immortality to be revoked in a hundred years, or two hundred, or so on, or else he won't. Shen Qingqiu approaches the kitchen boy and flusters and bewilders him by telling him to meet him back here again in a hundred years time.

A hundred years later, the tea house is larger. The boy has grown to be a striking young man, who looks at Shen Yuan with wariness and something else, something almost like awe, as he asks what manner of creature he's made this bargain with. Shen Yuan assures him that he has no nefarious intentions, and instead asks Luo Binghe how the past century of his life has gone.

Horribly, at least at first. Binghe's mother had already died by the time they met, but afterwards he managed to earn enough money to travel to a nearby sect. Working in the tea house's kitchen was just a minor stopover along the way. Shen Yuan was wrong, it seems, about his odds of becoming a cultivator -- Luo Binghe earned entry as a disciple.

Yet, he had no success. The master who took him on was unaccountably cruel and mercurial, and Luo Binghe's attempts to cultivate failed. Looking back he sees now that there were many times when he should have died but didn't, but when it was all happening he just thought himself lucky. At least until an enemy sect attacked a cultivation conference, and he suffered mortal wounds that absolutely should have killed him (or anyone) but still didn't die. (No demon race or abyss in this AU, but there are still demonic and fantastical creatures.)

His cruel master, upon witnessing this, accused him of heretical practices and tried to kill him as well by flinging him off the edge of a gorge. The fall was terrible. Binghe lay at the bottom in a horrifying state, injured beyond reason and yet, still, he didn't die. Eventually his body recovered enough for him to drag himself out, and once he did the only thing on his mind was getting revenge. For the next several decades he managed to ingratiate himself to all manner of potential allies, forging alliances, accumulating blackmail, and convincing people that he had to be some powerful cultivator through his supernatural resilience, lack of visible aging, and a lot of bluffing. He got revenge on his old teacher, drove his first sect into ruin, and rose to prominence as a feared and respected leader of the cultivation world.

Shen Yuan listens with clear interest, asking plenty of questions and seemingly quite taken up with the story. At the conclusion, Luo Binghe admits that his actual cultivation is still mostly a matter of smoke and mirrors, and wonders if -- now that the hundred years have passed -- Shen Yuan means to strip his immortality from him.

Shen Yuan asks if Luo Binghe wants that. When Luo Binghe says no, he accepts the answer, and tells him to meet him back here again in another hundred years. Luo Binghe calls after him, but before he can ask anything more, Shen Yuan has disappeared again.

A hundred years later, Binghe arrives back at the tea house with an entourage befitting of an emperor. The tea house has also expanded. Luo Binghe orders a lavish feast from them, which everyone hastens to provide. He's spent the past several decades consolidating his power, forging alliances with key political players via several marriages, producing heirs, and crushing his enemies. As he brags about the state of his massive harem to Shen Yuan, the deity's eyes begin to glaze over. He doesn't seem impressed. He also doesn't seem to care much for the food, and eventually his attention is stolen away by a conversation at another table. The diners are discussing the exploits of a promising new poet and novelist. Try as he might, Luo Binghe fails to regain Shen Yuan's attention before the evening is done. Shen Yuan doesn't think it's a big deal -- after all, if Binghe is still riding on top of the world, he's probably not going to want his immortality gift revoked just yet!

Another hundred years go by. The tea house has returned to a more modest situation, the next time Shen Yuan sets foot in it. He waits an unusually long while for his guest to arrive, and when he does, he's almost stopped at the door by the tea house's servers. It's only when Shen Yuan bids them let him through that Luo Binghe is able to come to the table, almost collapsing against it and desperately falling onto the arrangement of snacks with obvious hunger.

Shen Yuan wonders if this, now, will be when the boy (no longer a boy) asks for the immortality to be revoked. Surprisingly, he finds himself resistant to the idea, even though it's also clear that the game has run too long. Maybe hundred year check-ins were too short? He doesn't like the implications of what's gone on, even if he's not really surprised about it either.

Between desperate mouthfuls of food, Luo Binghe explains that without mastering inedia, going hungry but never dying is a deeply unpleasant experience. Shen Yuan orders more food. Once Binghe has finally eaten his fill, he begins, haltingly, to explain his situation. His clothes are ragged, he is painfully thin, and his gaze is haunted.

Apparently, several of his wives conspired to assassinate him, despite his reputation as unkillable. Realizing that most poisons and such didn't kill him, but that he could still be incapacitated, they hatched a scheme to dose his food with a powerful sleeping agent, and then walled him up in a famous ancestral tomb. They went to great length to ensure that it was impossible to escape from. It took Binghe decades to do it anyway, digging away at the floors, and when he got out he found that his power base had collapsed. In-fighting and the incursion of his enemies had led to the deaths of all of his children, and what wives had survived had either fled or remarried. Not that he particularly wanted them back at that point, since the ones actually most loyal to him had also been killed early on after his own "death". His face marked him, to the eyes of his enemy, as a surviving descendant of himself. He was hunted down, chased across the continent and back again, until he managed to fall into enough obscurity that his pursuers abandoned the chase. Except that he has nothing, and any time he tries to regain something, he runs the risk of being hounded again. Those who might see some potential in him still remember the collapse of his recent "dynasty" and slam doors in his face, or else try and turn him over to those now in power in pursuit of a reward. Those who don't know that much see only a dirty beggar, and usually run him off on that basis instead.

Shen Yuan, almost hesitant, asks if Luo Binghe would like to have his immortality revoked.

Luo Binghe declines. How will he be able to take revenge on those who wronged him if he is dead? He has a hit list a mile long by now.

Which is definitely not the most noble of reasons to persist, but Shen Yuan finds himself reluctant to ask twice. Instead he orders more food, and then even reserves one of the traveler's rooms above the tea house for several days. By then the sky is turning grey, and Luo Binghe is losing his apparent battle with exhaustion. Shen Yuan presses the key into his hand, thinking it's probably not enough, but there are limits to how much gods are supposed to interfere and Shang Qinghua already stretched them to the breaking point with this entire scenario.

He leaves, not seeing the hand that reaches after him just before he is out of the door and gone.

Another hundred years pass. This time, Shen Yuan arrives to find Luo Binghe already waiting for him. He isn't surprised to see that Binghe's situation has visibly improved -- maybe he was keeping closer tabs on him, just a little bit, for this past while. If only to be sure he wouldn't have to warn the tea house workers to expect an unorthodox visitor again! But no, Binghe has been doing well enough for himself. No more harems or thrones, though. He dresses more like a well-off merchant now, deliberately posing as his own mortal descendant rather than as a great immortal cultivator. The food at the table looks far more delicious than usual too (Binghe commandeered the tea house's kitchen himself this time). As they chat, Shen Yuan is regaled with the exploits of Luo Binghe's travels and adventures, how even though he initially set out to claim revenge on those who overthrew him, by the time he was in a position to actually do so they had already died of the usual causes (time, illness, their own schemes backfiring, etc). Subsequently, only their children and grandchildren were left with the scraps of power they had obtained, and when one of those children employed Luo Binghe as a bodyguard, his initial plan to assassinate them eventually fell by the wayside. After all, the wrongdoings weren't actually theirs. From that point, Binghe was able to restore himself to a more comfortable life, joining his new employer on their travels until he had set aside enough earnings to take his leave before his youthful good-looks earned him suspicion. He then began investing in travel and trade, specifically cargo ships, because never spending too long in the same place or around the same people helped disguise his immortality. He had found that, at least for now, this served him better than playing the part of a cultivator. It also gave him time to try and actually repair his ruined cultivation base somewhat, and fighting pirates proved very diverting.

Binghe is midway through recounting his adventures with a gigantic sea monster, while Shen Yuan hangs on every word, when they're interrupted by the arrival of a brash young mistress, clearly wealthy and trained in cultivation. The young lady declares that there is a rumor that a fallen god and a demon meet in this tea house once a century, that they wield strange powers, etc etc, and she intends to interrogate them both with the assistance of her hired muscle and her own spiritual weapon, and discover the truth of the matter. Then she whips out, well, a whip!

Before Shen Yuan can deal with the matter, Luo Binghe is already on his feet, disarming the goons and breaking a few arms in the process. Shen Yuan is so distracted that he almost misses the whip aimed right for him, but before Binghe can catch the barbed weapon with his bare hand (wtf, Binghe, no) Shen Yuan deflects it with a wave of his fan, and then efficiently knocks the troublesome young lady unconscious. The hired muscle flees, Shen Yuan arranges for their assailant to be placed in a room upstairs until she regains consciousness, and he and Binghe resume their meal and conversation in relative peace.

Even though it's clear that Luo Binghe has not yet reached the end of his tolerance for life, Shen Yuan nevertheless finds himself strangely reluctant to part ways at the end of the night. Still, he does, because that's what is expected of him, gently denying Luo Binghe's suggestions that they find some other establishment to continue their conversation at. He also has to investigate these "rumors" that the young lady mentioned. It's probably nothing (Shang Qinghua has a loose tongue when he's drunk, and a lot of imaginative storytellers have frequented this tea house over the years) but he doesn't like being caught unawares like that. Heavenly politics are... complicated, it's best not to court unwanted attention in any capacity.

Another hundred years go by. This time, when they meet at the tea house, Luo Binghe asks Shen Yuan why he keeps it up. Why did he pick Binghe? What is he really after? When Shen Yuan fails to give any kind of clear answer, Luo Binghe shoots his shot and makes a (very obvious) move on him.

Shen Yuan, flustered, gets up and flees. Ignoring Luo Binghe's calls after him. It just doesn't make any sense! Why would Binghe do that?! He's a man who once had a harem of wives in the triple digits! Clearly he's not gay, so what was that all about? Was he just messing with him?! How dare he! Etc, etc.

Another century passes. Luo Binghe waits at the tea house, which has fallen onto hard times again. With the construction of some new roadways, travelers no longer pass through as often. Binghe listens, worried, to the proprietor's laments that this old place will probably not be around in another hundred years. He listens because he has no one else to speak to, because Shen Yuan has not shown up. Not that morning, not during the day, not come evening, and not now that it is closing time. Binghe nevertheless charms and bribes the proprietor to let him stay even after the place has shuttered.

It seems damning, of course. He pressed too hard and now his mysterious benefactor wants nothing more to do with him. Except, no, he refuses to accept that. He's still immortal. And he has gleaned enough of Shen Yuan's character by now that he thinks that even if he was rejected, he would be let down more clearly and gently than this. The more he thinks about it, the less willing Luo Binghe is to believe that he has been deliberately stood up (also, since the tenor of his confession was different from Hob Gadling's, he never delivered an ultimatum about what it might imply when they met up again).

Over the centuries, Luo Binghe has built up a few contacts with similarly strange and supernatural stories. Cultivators, sure, but also others, fortune tellers and people of strange ancestry, questionable abilities, those who have interacted with powerful beings of mysterious provenance. He makes his way to a certain gambling den, frequented often by such people, and while he flashes around enough money to draw curiosity, he collects information. Shen Yuan wasn't the only person who started paying more attention to the kinds of rumors surrounding the two of them after their confrontation with the young cultivator a couple centuries ago. And in fact, Luo Binghe has been spending many, many years trying to find out more about his mystery man. Though, too many potential deities and immortals fit his description for him to have ever conclusively figured much out.

This is how Binghe gets wind of a rumor that an eccentric occultist has somehow captured a god in his basement...

[pomefioredove]

Hello 💕 If you're still accepting headcanons requests, could you write something about a reader who seems normal and "ordinary" and even a little shy/demure but shines brilliantly on stage as if a completely different person (can be an actor, singer, idol etc.) with Rook and Vil and the Pop music club (separately)? Tysm 💓

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ the opposite of stage fright

type of post: headcanons characters: cater, kalim, rook, vil, lilia additional info: romantic or platonic, reader is gender neutral, reader is not specified to be yuu

introverts are Lilia's favorite people

...to torture

when you first started attending club meetings, he assumed you were some kind of groupie

I mean, who wouldn't want to fawn over him?

but he still tried to drag you into club activities

you just... refused to play anything, wouldn't sing, wouldn't so much as speak...

but Lilia was confident he could get you to stop holding back

so, the club got clever

at their next concert, Kalim ~magically~ has a sore throat

and who else to take his place but the only other member of the club?

manipulative little fae...

and, as he thought, you had been holding back

the concert is a rousing success

...and he's never going to let you forget it

*ੈ✩‧₊˚

Vil is like a bloodhound for talent

he can smell the potential on you from one look at your plain, slightly-disheveled self

he knows that any other student would have ignored you. but he isn't just any student

he knows you're holding out on him

and he'll crack that shell of yours no matter what it takes

that is to say,

once you've caught his eye,

you will never know peace again

...and maybe that sounds like an over exaggeration, but if you're a timid person, it's your worst nightmare

I mean dance rehearsals twice a week, vocal training, posture, projection, poise, presentation-

everything

the other Pomefiore students may give you odd looks as you walk by on their Housewarden's arm,

but he knows

*ੈ✩‧₊˚

Kalim doesn't need a big performance to know that he's already proud of you

what can I say? he's got enough enthusiastic hugs to go around

and he definitely doesn't mind that you're shy

...honestly, the thought hasn't even occurred to him

even if you don't want to party or dance or say hi to everyone in the dorm every time you come over,

he like you. he doesn't need anything else

you're already amazing to him

and ... in a way, he kind of turns out to be right?

he had always said he could see the star in you, and here you are, performing on stage like a professional!

...not that he isn't surprised

Kalim is completely blown away

it's all he can talk about for the next week, actually

(much to your embarrassment)

*ੈ✩‧₊˚

Rook had a feeling

...and he's also listened to you singing to yourself when you thought you were alone

I mean WHAT who said that

he definitely just had a feeling

now, seeing you on stage, he's almost brought to his knees

having watched the seed of your beauty blossom into a beautiful flower is the ultimate enrichment for him

and unlike Vil, he waited for you to blossom on your own

a hunter is nothing if not patient, after all

though, he still can't help but feel a little accomplished...

even though he didn't push you, or train you, he kept the secret of your beauty all to himself

...which is a kind of guidance

admittedly, he wouldn't have minded keeping it all to himself for a little while longer, though

*ੈ✩‧₊˚

Cater always just thought of you as...

...kinda cute. right?

you were shy and quiet, always avoiding his camera, meek, the kind of person that doesn't last long at NRC

...of course, he had to take you under his wing!

sort of?

really, he just liked that you let him talk your ear off

he didn't even mind that you never let him take your picture! ...kind of

and he thought he knew you pretty well, but...

...seeing you on stage after the music club's performance...

totally wiping the floor with them...

well, well, you still find ways to surprise him

of course, though, now that he knows you're a world-class performer, he's never going to let it go

he got a lot of likes on the videos of your performance, after all

I guess he finally got that picture he wanted ;3

[tevanbuckley]

some low points from the ry*an g*zman interview because i need you all to feel my pain.

when talking about his celibacy (yes he uses that word): "I haven't entertained any interactions with any other females" — gave me the ick 0/10

uses the phrase "a woman's touch," to explain why women are inherently good at interior decorating(?) and that this skill is how women are able to enrich a successful man's life — side note: at no point do they talk about how men enrich women’s lives.

immediately after this the religious imagery takes a left turn and exits my frame of reference, bc instead of just asking "do you think you still have things to work on?" like a normal person, the host says "I want to know what one Thorn is in your flesh." — someone raised more religious than i was needs to chime in on if this is normal christian doctrine or a sign he might be in a cult. (is it a reference to the thorns in jesus' crown?)

ryan makes a weird comment about how "you've seen civilizations built on [a man in love]" — genuinely idk what the fuck this means — but it leads into a tangent about like, men as providers and how "I would do anything for my women."

"peace is key yeah we got enough problems in the world outside the house and so long as I come back to the house and I get peace," — maybe i'm being pedantic but the way he keeps framing woman as belonging in the home is 🚩🚩🚩🚩

"for the next woman I would have in my life I can see that they navigate their their problems and still offer peace to their men." — again 🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩

surprisingly claims he has been to therapy, which assuming is true, idk it worked.

the host: "women may be fighting internal battles you know kind of themselves do you believe that a woman still fighting those battles are able to still bring peace" — because remember ladies, no matter what you're going through your job is to bring peace to your man's home.

there's some more brief gender essentialist bs where ryan talks about how men "like to fix things," but are bad listeners, and how "problems within women are so specific to women that I wouldn't even try and and say that I have a grasp on them."

then the host randomly asks him if he thinks men need to be financially stable before entering a relationship or if dating a broke guy is a way to "present loyalty."

weirdly ryan actually kind of dodges this question, but ends up suggesting social media is a good place to get "great examples of what does and what doesn't seem to work." in relationships — and no. no it isn't.

oh and then he starts talking about conor mcgregor for some reason? and how it's bad he disrespected his wife by stepping outside their marriage — and i mean sure, although infidelity feels second to the rape accusations??

says it's harder for a woman to come into a man's life when he's already established because "now the man has proven to himself that he never needed a woman." — which, interesting given how later he talks about how women need to stop trying to do the independent woman thing.

he also gets weirdly possessive over his daughter at one point. does the classic "God forbid I find out that man disrespects my little baby." — idk, on the surface he talks about how he wants her to know her value, but it seems like he has a pretty limited view of what that value is.

the host drops lore about how she moved out of her parents house at 14/15 and how she had to "stop thinking like a woman and start thinking also like a man," but stay feminine and "know what a man wants and how to cater to that but also still be soft." — i mean good lord, i don't even know where to start 🤢.

this btw is the preamble to ryan's rant about "independent women."

and god the more i read the more i am deeply concerned about the woman hosting (i saw someone earlier say she's 21). this woman is barely an adult and has so much internalised misogyny, talking about how "us women don't know how to direct our emotions." and "in today's generation a lot of men are deprived of even the small things because a lot of women are takers."

this whole interview is utterly bizarre and i feel like it's taken years off my life. like i said earlier, this isn't a normal podcast he got weird on, this is straight up christian propaganda

[ink-n-shadow]

in love with your demon!ghost.

so i'm thinking, it must be terribly boring being stuck in a cage for so long. pets need enrichment and exercise don't they? so what does ghost give reader to keep her occupied? esp if he has Important Demon Stuff to do and she's left alone for long periods of time? does he give her puzzles or games or is there like a hellish version of tv there? (you can only watch the live stream of tortured souls burning in hell's fire for so long before it gets really boring and you switch the channel to reruns of the same Suave Demon Tricks Bad Human movie that you've watched five times now)

she can't fly with a broken wing, but surely a good owner would make sure she gets (supervised) walkies?

anon you are KILLING MEEE with this request :')

ENRICHMENT TIME

𝜗𝜚 the one where demon!ghost finally gives you enrichment and things to do outside of the cage

𝜗𝜚 pairing: broken angel!reader x demon!ghost 𝜗𝜚 cw: mature themes (no smut but minors still DNI), more demon!ghost being a simp, mentions of preening (but not what it means) 𝜗𝜚 link to all my works in the demon!ghost au can be found here

demon!ghost never even thought about getting things to keep you entertained while you sit all pretty in your cage. he wouldn't understand why you couldn't just sit still and watch whatever television program or movie he'd left on from the night before—because surely that should be enough enrichment for you, right?

it would take a couple days of begging (and pouting when ghost would promptly shut down your requests or flat out ignored you) for him to finally listen.

and now he's giving you stacks of books from his personal library, works from both underworld and human realm authors, watching from his usual place on his expansive leather sofa as you thumb eagerly through the pages. he never knew his little dove would be such a bookworm, listening as you eagerly relay your thoughts and opinions on works that demon!ghost has spent centuries reading and rereading.

it would take a little more convincing before demon!ghost is bringing you little puzzles and crafts from his visits to the human realm (things he definitely stole). that's how he finds himself situated on the marbled floors of his living room, your body sprawled out across his thick thighs as you try and show him the latest thing you had embroidered that day. you would definitely try to teach him, but he'd get too frustrated trying to thread the tiny human-sized needle to actually make any progress.

but demon!ghost's favorite thing to do was take you for your (now routine) nightly stroll in the garden, his clawed hand held firmly in both of yours as you both stroll through the cobbled labyrinth. he'd constantly grumble about how tightly you were clinging to him, chastising you for being scared of the hellish sounds of the underworld around you (but he's secretly pulling you closer, wanting to make sure you feel protected at all times).

the nightly walks gave you the chance to stretch your legs, joints creaking from being curled up in the cage for the day. demon!ghost would be in awe as you stretched out your pretty iridescent wings fully, bringing his clawed hand down to try and preen the unruly crooked feathers from the base of your wing.

but demon!ghost really doesn't understand why you shiver and writhe with each feather he plucks, seemingly completely oblivious to just what preening meant to an angel like you.

©️ ink-n-shadow 2024

do not copy, plagiarize, steal, borrow, or repost any of my work without my expressed permission

[clockwayswrites]

There was that post going around (that I'm too lazy to find) about the mother who gave her son a shovel to go dig and his whole mood improved.

In a no capes AU that would 100% be Bruce with Dick.

Bruce, intellectually, knew that children were high energy. He understood that adopting Dick meant a great number of life changes and responsibilities. He didn't expect the tornado of energy that was Dick.

See, Dick, being a circus kid, was used to always moving, doing having a task. If he wasn't performing he was practicing. If he wasn't practicing he was helping around the circus. Even on the road there were uniforms and nets to mend and animals to tend to and-- well, Wayne manner is all very calm, isn't it? And poor Dick is hurting and angry and needs to do something.

The gym Bruce installs help, but that isn't enough-- that isn't a task.

One day, in a fit of exhaustion and much needed rest, Bruce goes out to the shed attached to the garage, grabs a shovel, and hands it to Dick.

"Alfred is planing to plant a vegetable garden, why don't you help him dig the plots."

And Dick is off like lightning.

Alfred raise one far too judgemental eyebrow at Bruce. "Am I now, Master Bruce?"

"Hn."

They quickly learn that they have to tell Dick very clearly where to dig and how deep or they'll have to get a ladder and pull him out of a hole halfway to the cave system under Wayne manner.

(Bruce has nightmares that night about Dick being lost to the caves.)

And so the manor gains a garden, Dick learns how, a bit, to be a child outside of the circus, and Bruce actually gets to do some work. It's several months later when Alfred comes to Bruce.

"While I understand that the garden has been useful.... enrichment for Master Richard, I do think that perhaps you should inform him to stop digging."

"Wonderful timing, Alfred. I'm about to be in China for a month. I'm sure that I could extend the trip to two, maybe three months if I tack on some service work in South East Asia and visits to old friends."

"...perhaps an orchard wouldn't be remiss."

[rottenpumpkin13]

Out Of Context Shit Heard On The SOLDIER Floor #6

Previous: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5

Angeal: No, Genesis, you spaghetti-noodle-spine-having-ass bitch.

Sephiroth: I identify as a tonberry *chases Cloud with a kitchen knife*

Zack: Ra Ra Rasputin *kicks Sephiroth over*

Genesis: Unhand me you cretin *alone, talking to no one*

Angeal: Zack just showed me a picture of the Grinch and said "hear me out"

Lazard: No, Sephiroth, you cannot have a human-sized cat bed in your office "for enrichment"

Cloud: Parkour time *crashes through the air vents*

Sephiroth: I'm the biggest lesbian ally in this department, actually.

Angeal: For the sake of my sanity I'm gonna pretend I didn't just see Zack twerking to One Winged Angel.

Luxiere: I would commit unspeakable atrocities for a crumb of Zack's attention.

Lazard: That stripper pole better be gone when I get back or so help me, Genesis, I will return you to the goddess.

Sephiroth: *does a single pump of sore throat spray* This is enough for sustenance for the day.

Kunsel: Care for a deep-fried cigarette?

Angeal: You look like an AI-generated twink.

Sephiroth: I've grown so tired of Genesis's voice that we now communicate solely through interpretive dance.

Lazard, over the speakers: Whoever heated fish in the break room microwave, please come by my office so I can break your knees.

Zack: Aww, I forgot to feed the Roomba :(

Genesis: I don't know why me and Angeal are being judged. Simulating a birth with a watermelon is a perfectly normal activity for two people.

Kunsel: Hopefully this office party won't end in accidental weed use.

Angeal: WHY IS THERE A FAMILY OF RACCOONS IN THE TRAINING ROOM?

Genesis: I noticed some homosexual subtext in your screams, do you want to talk about that?

Angeal: *sniff sniff* Ooh~ who's barbecuing? OH MY GOD IT'S AN ELECTRIC FIRE.

Roche: Every time I think about chopping my hair short I think "Sephiroth wouldn't want this for me" and the feeling is gone.

Genesis: I made a friend *drags in a skeleton with a Sephiroth wig*

Cloud: *points at Angeal, Genesis and Sephiroth* Pure of heart, dumb of ass, big of tit.

Lazard: I told Zack to use Excel and he started sobbing.

Angeal: WHAT DO YOU HAVE AGAINST SEASONING YOUR GROUND BEEF?

Sephiroth: It's extremely rude to ask someone why they're eating a salad bowl of udon at 8 AM. Mind your business, Zack.

Cloud: Genesis likes Loveless so much because the title resonates with his love life.

Zack: You keep your anxiety pills in a takeaway to-go box? Dude that's so fancy.

Lazard: Why is Sephiroth the only one wearing a shirt??

Angeal: Common sense has chased Zack all his life but he wears wheelies so he's faster

Sephiroth: I personally don't use the peace sign because I haven't had a day of peace since I was 12.

Kunsel: I'm never going out in public with Zack again. A child's balloon popped when it went near his hair.

Angeal: No I'm not giving you an aspirin. Last time I gave you one you crushed it and snorted it like cocaine.

Lazard: An overwhelming majority of you peaked in kindergarten.

Sephiroth: Zack, I'm becoming increasingly concerned by the amount of potatoes in your pants right now.

Zack: This year I want an A/B/O themed birthday party.

Sephiroth: Please don't commit tax fraud, Genesis. You won't thrive in prison.

Genesis: Does anyone have an extra ramen packet to give Sephiroth? The 64 he consumed this morning weren't enough.

Roche: Commander Rhapsodos and his emo fringe is our culture.

Zack: I'm at my fucking limit! I'm about to eat a vegetable!

Genesis: He's a son of a bitch Sephiroth: That implies he has a mother, so I don't see how that's an insult.

Zack: Fuck around and find out *said with a chunk of Genesis' red coat hanging from his pocket*

Cloud: Does anyone have an extra brain cell? I lost my remaining one when Genesis spoke to me this morning.

Sephiroth: Damn.

Kunsel: Zack owes me so much money that if he sold his box of random shit he stole from Angeal, he still couldn't pay me back.

Angeal: Why are you guys playing Queen's Blood in the closet? is this a metaphor?

Genesis: Have you prayed to your Sephiroth cardboard cutout yet today?

Sephiroth: Alert me once Rufus Shinra arrives so that I may greet him adequately *said while building a pipe bomb*

Lazard: It's all fun and games until the timeout cage that I ordered online arrives.

Genesis: I will atone for my sins by becoming a nuisance to the environment.

Cloud: If Zack were a scented candle he'd smell like ADHD and crayons.

Sephiroth, standing on a table: DO NOT. EAT. THE CHEESECAKE. IN THE FRIDGE. It's mine.

Angeal: *with a bucket while it's raining hale* Free ice baby.

Zack: I finally have enough gil to buy a sixteen bouncy castles.

Genesis: Being overcome with the desire to eat pasta and call your mother at 2 AM and wondering if you're having a mental breakdown or are possessed by Sephiroth.

Lazard: I can't fire any of you, but I'm about to start setting things on fire.

[geraskierfanficprompts]

Prompt 61

Was talking back and forth with @bakewrite in the comments of my other prompts and this idea popped into my head and won't leave me alone I think @thedemonofcat did a similar prompt to this, about Geralt buying a book about caring for your companion (dog)? Can someone link that to me if they find it lol Geralt walks into a bookstore, and asks if they have anything on how to care for bards. The bookstore clerk has bad hearing, and mistakenly thinks this witcher is looking for a guidebook on how to care for birds. He has a copy of one, so he hands it over in exchange for a reasonable amount of coins, he thinks. Geralt meanwhile is pretty sure he was ripped off. Some of this stuff doesn't sound right.. But he doesn't know enough about normal humans - let alone BARDS - to truly disprove of anything. Some of it makes sense. It recommends to not clip their wings, unless their reckless flight could end up in them being injured. Geralt understands that one. He agrees, in a way. He would never restrict his Bard's freedom, but sometimes he must deny his bard a sexual conquest or party he wants to attend, in order to keep him safe from something or someone. Not even mentioning all the times a hunt is so dangerous he has to keep Jaskier safe at the inn, much to Jaskier's chagrin. It also recommends to feed them fresh fruits along with their seed. It must mean to give them some healthy vitamin-filled fruit alongside bread and other grain based foods, right? All of these sound well and good, but then there's also a chapter explicitly stating that albeit they love touch and petting, you mustn't touch their backs, or else they'll get aroused. Geralt has touched Jaskier's back along the years, he should've known better than to make Jaskier uncomfortable. But Jaskier never seemed angry? In fact, he seemed to enjoy whenever Geralt touched his b- Oh gods, Jaskier LIKES when he touches his back! But page 202 says you aren't to let them like when you touch their back! It also says not to let them be attracted to you, but Geralt wouldn't actually mind if his bard was attracted to him- He shouldn't keep thinking along this path. Its dangerous. It says they like shiny, colorful, and easy-to-destroy enrichment items, but Geralt's bard must be special, in that Jaskier loves shiny things and colorful things, but would prefer things to stay together. Then again, some of his clothing WAS quite delicate... They're very clean, they enjoy baths, and they love to preen. Yes, yes, he already knows this. Sometimes they bite when stressed? Odd, Jaskier hasn't bitten him when stressed. Perhaps he's one of the more docile bards... Bards more unruly than Jaskier... Now that's a terrifying thought. Jaskier starts mumbling in his sleep, and Geralt sets aside his book, tucking it into his bags. He'll hold onto his bard now, and finish his book tomorrow night.

[ethanhvnt]

Heyyy uh idk if I'll ever post this fanfic but slaps this snippet in ur face MISSION IMPOSSIBLE AND TOP GUN CROSSOVER AALLLEEERRRTTT

Ethan hadn't always been Ethan. Frankly, it was an identity he put on while working for the IMF. For his own safety. Being able to have two (relatively) separate lives without being disrupted. Even though he was more times than not torn between the two. He couldn't exactly clone himself to be in two places at the same time. God, that would've probably made his life easier. He would've had more time to spend with his friends and close friends and even "family" he had as both Pete Mitchell and Ethan Hunt.

He had often found himself being Ethan. It's what just happened. The IMF needed him more, and he wouldn't decline a mission. But it had been quiet for a while from their side. So Ethan— or Pete, he couldn't even tell anymore— took the opportunity to spend more time doing work. Well, not exactly "work." He was a test pilot— Top Gun was under fire, and he had to prove that The Navy had to keep the program afloat cause nothing could actually replace real aviators. So he put himself through extreme levels of speed, passing over Mach 10.

Which is a lot. It was a miracle he survived. He wouldn't know how to tell his friends, Benji, Luther, Ilsa— hell, even Ice or Bradley. If he had died during the process, who knows how they would react to the news?

But God—if there even was one— wouldn't let him die. So, guess he's alive for the time being. No recklessness or cockiness would kill him. It's not like he wanted to die or actively had sought out the chance of death. But he wouldn't mind if he did, in fact, die. He'd finally get that rest he'd been promised for so long.

It all felt like a blur to him. One second, he was testing out flying a plane to reach Mach 10 cause apparently Mach 9 wasn't enough for those snobby higher-ups. The other he found himself in an office, speaking to Admiral Cain, who had chewed him out for his actions during testing. But he had also said that Pete had apparently— been assigned back to Top Gun. Not as a student— course not. But as an instructor. Pete had rebuttaled, stating that he wasn't fit to be an instructor and that the time frame he had gotten was too small and not enough for a mission of this caliber. But nonetheless, he felt hopeless when he heard that it was Ice that had assigned him to the job. He couldn't say anything against that.

The mission was to destroy an unsanctioned uranium enrichment plant, before it was up and running. A mission that could leave some— if not all of the pilots involved dead. But with his experience with impossible things, he'd just have to think like Ethan did, for a moment. Ethan had always accomplished the impossible. So maybe there was a way for them to fly this, and make it out safely without any major casualties. He'd promised himself he wouldn't let anyone lose their life, he'd make them all work as a team, effectively. It would go great, that's what he reassured himself anyway. He wouldn't let anything bad happen, not under his watch.

OK, that was it bye *explodes cutely* (sorry if I got any top gun shit wrong cuz top gun is not my main hyperfixation rn) time to figure out how to continue it heh

[aurum-stultus]

Quick rant bc I love Silco but I'm not too big a fan of people saying he was a good or bad father. The man was "okay"? He loved her and anyone who disagrees with that clearly didn't watch the show, and he did NOT create Jinx or manipulate her into becoming Jinx, but he certainly didn't do much to stop it from happening.

I can say with confidence that he cared abt her and loved his daughter to death but I can also say that his biggest downfall was enabling her. He never held her accountable for her actions, he blamed her fuck ups on everyone else, and the one time he did get mad at her, she didn't take him seriously and it was VERY easy to difuse him. From what we saw there was no "Okay this is helpful but do NOT go out murdering any more topsiders.", he just immediately dismissed it. I can't help but feel like if Jinx didn't diffuse him he still would've just sighed it off and walked away to go fix it himself like he had to do with the rest of the trouble she caused...... that he also dismissed.

I GET his possible thought process, don't get me wrong, he didn't want her to feel rejected or unloved, being the yes-man and never making her *know* she fucked up was probably his way of never letting her feel like she actually was a jinx. She did nothing but ruin his plans, she wasn't helpful to him in the slightest but he still blamed her actions on Sevika, took care of it himself, or ignored it. He didn't view her as an employee, he viewed her as his very rejection-sensitive daughter and he didn't want to risk hurting her.. but in doing so she kinda became ignorant to the value of human life and it definitely didn't help her control her mood swings, since she was never taught that her lack of self-control is why things go so poorly for her.

YES he loved her, and he fucked her up even more on accident bc he didn't want to hurt her, but that is still not good parenting. You can love someone and still be a shitty parent. He even used his last dying words to make sure that his death wouldn't haunt her. He even tried to make his *death* less of a consequence than it was.

With that being said, he still made her feel loved and wanted, he still took care of her, beyond the bare minimum of feeding her and housing her he took the extra time to make sure she was enriched and that he gave her as good of a support system as he could provide (ex. trying to help her overcome her trauma as Powder before he even knew Vi was still alive) he literally trusted her enough to put a needle in his eye and then struggled to do it himself when she wasn't around. He was not the worst dad, he was not the best dad.

[ohthethingswedoforlove]

Can you do a yandere!wheatley oneshot where the reader escapes but gets caught by him?

Attachment

Summary: His unpredictable fixation towards you is perhaps all that's left keeping this facility intact. Though "intact" might be a bit of a overstatement.

Warnings: yandere character; imprisonment; vague description of death;

  Wheatley likes you.

  Though, that's a sentiment he's not sure he should be feeling. Or, technically speaking, if he can even "feel" it. The ones responsible for his existence might have programmed a personality and a certain ability to recognize and simulate what a human can feel, but that doesn't make it any less of a fabrication. Still, he guesses it's real enough for him. If a turret can scream in pain when it meets its sudden demise, why wouldn't he be able to call you his friend?

  How else would he describe it? At first you were just a human, a surviving test subject, a way out of this place. The only way out of this place. He needed you for practical reasons, but you... You needed him more as a sort of an anchor.

  He endeared himself to you faster than he thought he would. Humans require some sort of connection, he's aware, and you have been locked inside this abandoned facility with barely any notable traces of humanity left. It's tragic, really. Who else would you be leaning on, if not the only sentient thing who didn’t seem to want you dead in this place?

  That’s when he realised it. He realised that you needed him. And found himself feeling quite proud of that! Would you believe it? Someone actually found him useful! Who needed his guidance, who wanted his company and who actually cared. Someone cared about him.

  But he's above all that now, right? Right.

  He's certain of it, probably just as much as he was certain he convinced you (and himself) that he doesn't need you. He got everything he could ever want now! Long gone are the days of pathetic little Wheatley, who took orders from higher-ups and was dependent on their mercy to even just move around the facility. Now he's the higher power, now he's the one in control!

  So why would he care?

  He doesn't! He doesn't. He doesn't care, he doesn't need you. You're just a human, an insignificant test subject. Who cares! He's just keeping you for... Practical, scientific purposes, of course. There's tests to run, and he requires test subjects to run them, after all. That's all there is to it.

  But his reaction to your abrupt disappearance spoke of a different story.

  During a moment he neglected to pay attention, in a rare instance that his gaze failed to be trailed onto you, you managed to get away. Though you finally decided to take advantage of a distraction, to slip through the faults of his supervision, you weren’t expecting your escape attempt to go that smoothly.

  Finding a fault in his "security" wasn't the hard part. Not really. Wheatley's intelligence has... Very noticeable limits. The hard part was not meeting your sudden and very painful death shortly after. The structural integrity of this place is about as stable as Wheatley himself, and it's honestly quite impressive how either are still standing.

  It actually didn't take him long to locate you, but he nearly destroyed whatever parts of the Enrichment Center are still functional, and he also nearly took you to your death while he was at it.

  Wheatley's anger is something that you, on most days, try to avoid. Despite still having the very fresh memory of him as your small, harmless and slightly idiotic spherical friend; you would be lying through your teeth if you said he doesn’t scare you in his current position. He's still an idiot, sure, but that doesn't make him any less of a terrifying idiot.

  "Sooo... Are you done with your little temper tantrum?" His voice has become somewhat of a background noise as your time trapped in here passes.

  You’d think at this point you would rather tear your ears out than hear him talk for even just a second longer; and at some point in the beginning of all of this you did find that idea enticing, but nowadays you can barely find it in yourself to care. Besides, at least it’s a sign you’re still alive, you suppose. The rare few times he does leave you completely rotting alone in a test chamber for long stretches of time make you question that fact.

  As usual, you don’t give him an answer.

  "Oh, c'mon, we both know that you can't keep this going forever." You wonder how he hasn’t gotten tired of this yet. Or if he ever will. He does like to keep mentioning how easily he could get rid of you, but he never follows through with his words.

  "Ok, maybe you can. I wouldn't put that stupid stubbornness beyond you, actually..." He’s technically not even in the test chamber with you, but you can feel his gaze searing into you through that large screen, even despite the cracked glass (courtesy of a particularly angry moment from you). "But my point still stands, mate. You're gonna grow desperate. And guess who's the only one left you can turn to?"

  You know he likes you.

  Maybe that’s the worst part. There’s no one else waiting for you outside these walls. And from what you vaguely remember of what GLaDOS told you before, is there even anyone still alive at all outside these walls? Had she told you the truth or have you just now grown exhausted and complacent enough to finally believe her?

  "Me. It's me- Just in case you couldn't guess. Wouldn't surprise me, humans tend to be a bit slow, afterall-" Your lack of response never really seemed to discourage him. If nothing else, he tends to get a bit lost in his monologues when you offer no input of your own.

  "I'm sorry." Your voice came out a bit hoarse, you barely remember when was the last time you actually spoke out loud instead of just screaming or giving him the silent treatment.

   "Of course you are-" He was so caught up in his speech that it took him a second to process what you said. "Uh, Wait- You are? And-" You watch his eye squint in disbelief. “You’re talking to me?” But he pretends to recover quickly.

  "I mean, of course! Oh, of course you’re sorry, why wouldn’t you be?” You would have rolled your eyes at the immediate switch up, had you any energy left. “And, as you know, normally I wouldn’t humour you, but well…“ He trails off.

  “Considering we’re having a civilised conversation for once, I might just let it slide!” He was doing a terrible job of pretending to be indifferent to the situation at hand, it’s been a while since you heard him sound this chipper. “I can be gracious, after all. But, well, you’re gonna need to say it again.” You can tell he had gotten really close to the camera, with how the screen only had visibility of his bright blue light “iris”.

  “No reason! No particular reason, it’s just-” You didn’t let him continue.

  “I’m sorry, Wheatley.” If you had to take a guess, he just missed hearing your voice. 

  There was a silence that lasted for a precious short while, a rare moment where he simply stared at you without saying anything. Observing. Absorbing.

  “Good to know you can still do that. Talk, I mean. Had started to think you lost your ability to speak. That can happen sometimes, you know?” For a moment, you could swear he sounded just like you remember him. Trying his best to sound helpful and knowledgeable. Well, you suppose he never lost that habit, just with way more of an ego now.

  “You know what? I just had the best idea.” 

  “Truly an ingenious plan. From now on, you’re going to stay with me. Right here, in my lair.” He put an unnecessary amount of dramatic flair on the last word. “I know, I know, what an honour.” You didn’t particularly want to be in the central AI chamber again, nor did you want to be physically near him, but… Maybe this could work out in your favor. 

  “That was the problem, right? Humans need company, of course. Failiable creatures with their impractical needs.” He sounded a bit too unpreoccupied for someone who was currently messing with the structure of this place, opening up a path for you to follow along. You wished this place would just collapse already. But you have a feeling he wouldn’t let you go even if it did.

   “And that way you won’t need to be going anywhere ever again.”

[crookedkryptonitebeliever]

Tw: Parent trauma stuff, a vent post because damn my mommy and daddy issues are flaring up during my exams

Yves will talk to your parents for you.

As much as he wants to have you solely rely on him for your emotional, physical, and spiritual needs, he isn't selfish enough to deprive you of the experience of having a healthy and loving relationship with your family. Or at least, have a successful reconciliation with them and move on from the hurt.

He knows that people with good bonds between their initial caregivers would go on to live longer, happier, and have an overall peaceful mind; something that Yves wants you to receive. And it's something he could afford for you, why wouldn't he let the love of his life have something wonderful like this?

Yves already knew your history, the fights, the tears, the anger you held for your parents, and their refusal to admit their wrongs. But he wants you to confide in him organically, he doesn't want to force such a change in you. So he waited, stayed by your side, and observed, allowing you to slowly warm up to the idea of using him as a diary.

He would listen with no judgment, engulf you in a cushion of comfort and solace as you cry in anguish over the painful feelings you harbored for your parents. Yves would stay silent, cuddling you if that is what you needed and pressing soft kisses on your head whenever you're overwhelmed with your emotions. Only when you've calmed down, will he gently pry.

He has to dig through layers of resentment and agony, ignoring the red herrings and false wants. No, you do not truly want your parents to die a horrific death for what they did or didn't do for you, that's not your ultimate desire; try again. It doesn't matter how difficult it gets, Yves already knew the answer but you don't. He's trying to get you to realize what you actually need.

And you just wanted to feel loved, heard, seen, and protected for once by the adults who were supposed to teach you how the world works. You don't even give a damn if they gave you a sincere apology or not, all you needed was their acknowledgment that they were imperfect, you wanted their willingness to change, and them to be there for you while there is still time left. You wanted them to look at the mirror and see all the ugly parts they've been pretending not to notice, just like how they've been holding up a mirror against you all your life and nitpicking on all your flaws no matter how inconsequential.

You wanted to move on. Not alone, but with them. But they're stuck in the past, prickly and resistant to improvement. And it appeared to be a herculean task for you to do alone, an impossible mission, even.

Yves will absorb all of it with a sympathetic gaze, stroking your hair as you lay against him, completely drained of energy yet free from the burden plaguing you for years. Perhaps even decades. He will thank you for exploring this topic with him, it has taken a toll on you. But to heal, is to feel.

He will review all the information he has gathered on you, your family, and their dynamic, past and present. He will assess if this bond is salvageable or mangled beyond repair; Yves isn't going to blindly play family counselor, he knows there are just some relationships that aren't worth saving or not feasible to exist. If it's the latter, he will focus more on enriching your life to dull the pain of the past; it will no doubt always be there, but it will shrink with the joy he nourishes you with. At the same time, Yves would be cursing your family with a taste of his wrath, making the option of death appear to be a more merciful one. You wouldn't know what he did, but all you needed to know is that they're absolutely out of your life.

However, if the relationship is still viable, just severely damaged, Yves would do anything in his power to mend it. Just like how he would sew up holes in your clothes or fix any of your items that are broken with his excellent craftmanship, he would execute a plan to rebuild the bridge they charred.

They still cared for you, but they chose the wrong way to show it. Or they had their own demons to deal with which unfortunately roped you into a hell that you shouldn't have been in. Or that's just how they were taught by their own caregivers and they didn't know anything outside of it. As long as there is that weak pulse of genuine parental care and love for you, Yves will do anything to resuscitate it.

With his vast wealth, he could easily eradicate issues stemming from financial pressure. With his near infinite contacts, your parents have no problem getting the means to survive another day with their disease- they could even receive a cure for it. With his influence, their perpetrators could finally be brought to justice. With his shrewdness, Yves would orchestrate occurrences daily to teach them valuable lessons and correct their viewpoints. He would only make himself known if it's necessary, otherwise, your parents may think they're on a lucky streak or finally maturing as adults. Or if they're superstitious, a sign from a higher power to reach out to you and talk.

However, Yves wouldn't let them open the conversation with you just yet. They have to prove themselves, that they could pass his discrete battery of tests. Even if they did well, Yves would enact one last checkpoint: he would personally pay them a visit and talk.

The atmosphere must be calm, but not too lax to the point your parents feel comfortable disrespecting Yves. It has to be polite, warm, and cordial, but not too much lest they fail to subconsciously perceive what a threat Yves could be. There must be discipline, on both sides, no exceptions.

Yves have already taken their hunger, thirst, and sleep levels into consideration. The temperature, the smells, the humidity, the lighting, and the hormones present in their bloodstream on that day as the smallest variable could throw his entire plan off. As a failsafe, he would prepare cups of their favorite hot beverages and tea-time snacks laced with drugs that would allow him to control the situation better. It will have no adverse effects on their health, it will only serve to influence their mind however Yves sees fit. But he really didn't have to go this far, they trusted him to the fullest as Yves always had their best interest in mind. They're quite fond of him too, so it would be a difficult feat to shake him off their good graces.

It started off with a light-hearted conversation about general topics, just to ease your parents further and to fully prime them for the transition to heavier ones. Some discomfort was expected, maybe they tried to change the subject or divert his attention to something else, but Yves is unwavering. He would be gentle, yet firm. Using his body language and even minuscule actions such as picking his cup up without drinking from it to manipulate the situation. Implicitly reminding them who is in charge of the entire scene. It's almost like a spell, they couldn't bring themselves to leave even if they had a history of running away at the first sign of discomfort.

Yves will hear what they have to say. It's nothing he hasn't heard or seen before, this is only to give the illusion of a fair playing field. But his intention was never to take anyone's side, but to give you what you wanted out of your parents.

Once they're done, Yves would take a sip out of his tea. He would then lay out your deepest feelings toward them, the rage, the sorrow, the push, and the pull. Perhaps they were neglectful without intending to, money was tight and they had to put food on the table. Maybe they went through worse and resented you for having a better childhood than they did. They dismissed your hardships as something trivial, and sent a message that you just weren't that important.

You felt like you were never good enough under their outrageous expectations, you felt like their love was conditional and your worth was tied to what you could do for them. You felt betrayed because they broke your trust by telling your relatives your secrets, you felt like they only had you because everyone else was having babies and they succumbed to peer pressure. You felt discarded when they both divorced, or they remarried and had children outside. You felt less important than their booze bottle. Your views don't matter, only the opinions of others do. You were forced to be another parent for your siblings: children you never asked for. You felt unloved, you felt unwanted, you felt abandoned.

He made sure to speak in a language, pace, and tone they understood. It will be absolutely direct, with no room for misunderstandings and Yves would be happy to clear up anything over and over again.

It's difficult. It's frustrating but achievable. He has to keep a poker face as they try to deflect, defend, and twist. And for each attempt for them to escape these strong revelations, Yves would have something to counter it and ground them back to Earth. No one can leave until Yves thinks the outcome is satisfactory. Let the room flood with tears, let their voice go hoarse from yelling, it doesn't matter to Yves, he has his eyes constantly on the prize.

Eventually, he gets what he wants out of this meeting. Your parents would be as exhausted as you when you first vented to Yves about your relationships. They're finally accepting that they're also human with the most hideous of faults. And also accepting that they have the capacity to change for the better before it's too late.

They passed. His final test, they passed.

He would end the discussion, scheduling another meeting but with you this time. The dates he chose are very strategic, as a confrontation too soon or too late will render their 'training' ineffective.

Yves wouldn't be in the room, at least not visibly. He still has eyes and ears to watch over you, but his conceivable presence will affect the process. It has to happen without his obvious coaching, but Yves has the ultimate control.

You will be tense and they will be on edge, so he ensured that both sides are sufficiently groomed (with or without knowledge) before commencing.

It could take anywhere from a few hours to a few weeks for you and your parents to get on the same page, going through most, if not, all five stages of grief. It is a death of the past, and the birth of the present, after all.

His green eyes will be staring at the screen intensely, having his ears carefully listening to every single detail. Yves would be working tirelessly to puppet the stage, nothing is done unintentionally; not even that one green leaf that blew past the mildly smudged window. Everything happens for a reason, and that reason was Yves's puppetry.

In the end, he would succeed. You and your parents would break down crying, holding each other and promising to do better while they could still feel what it's like to breathe. Due to the tremendous emotional toll it has on each other, Yves expected that you will experience aches on your body. You would receive nightly massages from him.

Slowly but surely, things will change. Yves encourages you to call them as much as you can, likewise, he would encourage them to contact you too. Dinners, lunch, and brunch with everyone would be frequent. You would have the family that you deserved, but never gotten.

And Yves would smile, joining in pictures and conversations between you and your parents. Enjoying the quality time he gets to spend with you.

Your father would sling an arm around his shoulder, while he gracefully crouches down to his level. Your mother would grin and have her hand holding you by your arm as the entire family looks into the camera lens.

Yves is also happy to receive the blessing to experience the domesticity of a nurturing family he never had.

[ballgame]

I made it long enough ago that I won't bother myself with finding it, but I remember making a post about how I was amused by how, during a Twitch stream, when giving an example of how some people over-scrutinize certain aspects of Undertale, Toby mentioned people looking for smiley faces in things. I found this ironic since smiles are actually a pretty important motif in Undertale, all things considered.

At the time, I was frustrated that I couldn't find a clip of this or the stream itself, but now I have! And I've taken the liberty of transcribing this conversation to the best of my ability.

(For context, Toph is one of the hosts of the stream)

Toph: How does that make you feel, when people ascribe their own sort of meanings? Does that make you happy, or does that make you feel a little weird? Like, "Oh wow, people are twisting what I intended." Toby: It's strange when people read something into it that's not good. I don't even wanna say usually people find something that I didn't intend, because there's so much in this game. Basically, a lot of the time it's like- Obviously there are times where people ascribe things to me that that I didn't intend, like they go really far. But I feel like, when they do that, it's kind of what I wanted, to some extent. I wanted to create something that was so "Undertale" that people wouldn't know what was intended and what wasn't and they could just keep looking deeper and keep thinking "Woah, this keeps going, forever?!" So, I guess to some level, to some extent, that sort of thing is validating. It's only bad when they read into it and they get something weird out of it, I guess. Toph: Okay, any specific examples of getting something weird out of it that are not spoiler-y? Maybe not, maybe that answer is just no. Toby: I don't know, there's people that try and find every secret in the game, so they put random things into spectograms or something. So they take a random audio file from the game and they put into a spectogram and it's like- "Look at this guys! It looks like a smiley face! There's a message here!" Or something. Literally every file that you put in there is going to have a smiley face in it, if it's just random static noise. Toph: Right, right, right! If you look deep enough, yeah. I get that's cool, that people are, y'know, willing to look that deep. Toby: Yeah and some of them still believe it. It's like, woah. What that says is that I've made something where people are willing to believe that I would do that on purpose. So, it feels like a credit to me mostly. Toph: That's really funny- I'm just reminded of Hideaki Anno, the creator of Evangelion. And y'know, people have just written articles, upon articles, upon articles, upon essays of all these religous symbols from that game. And he famously was just like, "Y'know what? Honestly, I just think Christian religous symbols just look cool. But hey, if you guys are into that, whatever. Keep theorizing." But that's fine, I guess I'm part of the experience too. Because if you're- You can go into something and if you can find meaning out of it and have it enrich your life, hey that's cool. We take those. Toby: Yeah and I'm not gonna say that there aren't a ludicrous amount of things in this game that were not intended. Because there are a ludicrous amount of things in this game that are intended. Again, who knows where it begins or ends.

Twitch Link: [X]

[mslanna]

Maybe something about Raphael reacting to Haarlep reading through his diary/journal (this is why you give your incubus enrichment, folks!) and the incubus pointing out the frequency a certain 'little mouse' seems to be appearing as the subject in his writings? Heck, maybe Haarlep even tries to convince Raphael to let them obtain Tav's form so that the cambion can indulge in his little mouse whenever he wants.

What is says on the bos sfw kinda Read it on AO3

Depleted

"How often did I tell you not to do this?" Raphael plucked his diary from Haarlep's hand.

"As often as you caught me," his personal incubus replied. "Which is way not as often as I did it."

They leant back lasciviously, presenting a world of possibilities their master. As usual, Raphael barely noticed. The cambion was more concerned with the content of his diaries. Well, at least this time Haarlep had refrained from drawing naughty sketches into it.

"You really shouldn't leave them lying about like that. It's clearly an invitation." Not that Raphael would notice an invitation if he saw one. Haarlep dialled back the preening and offering. Such a spoilsport and killjoy.

"It was locked away in my desk," Raphael admonished.

"Yes, exactly where I know it will be," Haarlep purred. "That is not even trying to keep me away."

"I also told you not to touch it." The cambion's voice turned hard.

"You tell me that about so many things." Haarlep rose. He stepped behind his master, laid his chin on Raphael's shoulders and wrapped his arms around his middle. Their tail settled around his ankle, it's tip slipping up the trouser leg. "And yet, I touch everything. A lot."

Raphael slapped their hands away when they moved towards his crotch. Stuck-up snitch. What was this if not the prefect set-up for a little powerplay? If he'd chose more enjoyable sex, Raphael would, well, enjoy it more. Haarlep was sure of that. They were among the best.

"You like it," they purred into the cambion's ear. "And I know what you like best. If only you'd relax enough for an orgasm that's actually worth my services."

"Away," Raphael huffed. He did learn that a 'get off' had a very different effect on his incubus.

Still, Haarlep did not let go. "Are you pent up for a somebody special maybe? My little brat looking at another little thing scurrying through his life?" He nibbled at Raphael's ear. "I have seen them come up often in your diary. So, so often. Are we pining?"

"They are an investment, nothing more," Raphael replied gruff.

But even in the sharp rejection, Haarlep saw that they had hit a nerve. "Invested in them, are we? How nice. Do they know about your intentions? Beyond a deal?"

"There are no-" Raphael broke off because Haarlep bit him into the neck. Gently, but determined. In the moment of distraction, they sent their hands below his waist, circling over the inside of his thighs.

"Are you thinking of them now?" Haarlep purred. "Of their little mortal hands on your hot infernal skin? The earthy smell of the material plane and its deaths. What sweet words do you want to hear? Or do you prefer sounds of devout supplication? You can have all of it. Right now."

"You are not Tav." Raphael jerked free of their embrace. "Nothing you offer is close-"

"Ha! I knew it. I always do." Haarlep clapped. "How delightful. The high and mighty cambion has fallen for a stinky, mortal mousling! Are they close to falling into your trap? Will you bring them here to play?"

Raphael stayed silent. He thumbed through the diary, frowning at the sketches of dancing imps and almost suggestive flora.

"I can help you, you know?" Haarlep wound back around their master. "They don't seem too eager to deal with you. But I? I can get close, close enough to strip them of anything in your way to their heart. I can even take their form. Wouldn't that please you?"

Haarlep slipped their arms back around Raphael. "I can get them for you. Soft hands and mewling mouth and all. For you. Whenever you want. However you want. With the greatest enthusiasm. Think about it, my little brat. All the fun with none of the vulnerability."

Raphael didn't move. A good sign. He was considering it. Still, in the end, he pried them off and left the boudoir with a huff. But it was a start. A morsel to tempt the eternally uptight cambion into actual fun times.

Maybe they'd finally get something to do in this horrible place. Haarlep was used to being somebody else and despite the public displays, Raphael harboured little self-love. Pleasure was to be had efficiently, quickly, like any other business. The bloody idiot kept his lust pent up just to release it before he exploded. When there was so much more fun to be had.

But that little mouse cropping up in every other diary entry – Raphael hadn't been that obsessed since Hope. And she, well, she was a hopeless case.

Haarlep returned to the bed and pulled another of Raphael's diaries out from under a pillow. The cambion should really stop hiding them in place they were certain to find them. They'd see to it that they'd get that little mouse's form for their collection – one way or another. If only to scrounge an ounce of emotion out of Raphael for once.

[minniethemoocherda]

Five Times Sunstreaker Didn't Tell Bluestreak What he Wanted to Say, Plus One Time that he Did: Chapter 3

A/N: GUESS WHO HAS FINALLY SEEN TRANSFORMERS ONE??!!!! Also the song for this chapter is Your Best American Girl by Mitski. And if you're wondering who Hoist's date was, it was Grapple. Xxxxxxx

Ao3

FF.net

The good thing about the war breaking out was that Sunstreaker and Sideswipe were finally able to escape their sponsors.

The bad was everything else.

Even though they had never fought Megatron themselves (if they had they'd be dead), they were more than aware of who their fellow gladiator was.

And as such they were also more than aware that he was a dangerously hypocritical maniac.

So they decided to throw themselves in with the Autobots.

However unlike their former sponsors, the Autobots didn't allow underage mechs to fight, so Sunstreaker and Sideswipe had been sent to a mostly civilian out post to bide their time until they were old enough to sign up.

Having never been treated like one before, it was strange to be treated like an actual child for once in Sunstreaker's life. Everyone expected him to be stupid yet at the same time act like a perfect little drone. At least the officers there gave him paint to play with.

The out post had been set up near Praxus due to the city's neutural status and the more time they spent there, the more certain Sunstreaker was that he could beat most of the adults there in a fight. He'd done so more than once, when he couldn't tell if the cries of the gladiator pit were screaming from the inside or the outside of his head.

But even then the Autbots wouldn't allow them to fight.

And so Sunstreaker and Sideswipe became bored.

And a bored set of twins was not a good set of twins

In their state, it wasn't hard for Sideswipe to convince Sunstreaker to get involved with his pranks. Pranks that quickly got out of hand when they accidently wrecked a months worth of supplies.

Apparently not being old enough for combat didn't protect them from adult punishments, as one of the officer's had no problem throwing the pair in the brig.

Not that giving them a clean space with a set of beds was much of a punishment for the twins in the first place. Being stuck in one room only succeeded in making them more bored. Which in turn inevitably lead to more pranks.

Thankfully It didn't take long for that officer, a former enforcer named Prowl, to realise the ensuing circle. So instead of time in the brig, he decided to rope the two of them into running errands.

Mostly he had them handing datapads back and forth between departments. It used up some of Sunstreaker's restlessness but frankly he didn't find walking from A to B five times in a row particularly enriching. So on the way, he started trying to decipher the encryptions on the datapads. Having never done it before, he found it inthuruatingly annoying at first. He had to resist the urge to throw the pad against the wall more than once. However, without anything else to occupy his thoughts, he didn't have any other options but to keep at it. And eventually the encryptions became easier to crack. Until they suddenly became hard again, until eventually he became better at it, where once again they would become more difficult. Not only that, but the information on the datapads became less and less secretive. And when Prowl started telling him well done after delivering a pad with a particularly hard encryption, Sunstreaker realised that the officer had been testing him on purpose.

Still, Sunstreaker kept at it, even when he knew he wasn't delivering information any more important than team meeting times. And if that reason was because it was the only positive interaction he'd ever had with an authority figure, then Sunstreaker would never tell a soul.

One day, Sunstreaker was drinking his daily ration in the rec-room when he over head a young medic named Hoist lament to his friends about the state of his finish for an upcoming date. Sunstreaker gave the rest of his cube to Sideswipe, who eagerly chugged it down, before marching over towards him.

"I can fix your ugly finish." Sunstreaker stated. Unlike Sideswipe he didn't talk much, and growing up he'd learnt that it was best to be direct than to be kind.

Thankfully, the medic wasn't offended. Instead he burst out laughing.

"Sure kid! Go ahead!" Hoist was probably just humouring him, or perhaps he thought that letting a sparkling loose on his finish would be an interesting tale for his date.

So Sunstreaker collected his paints from his room before marching straight back to the rec-room to get to work. Sunstreaker wasn't lying when he said that Hoist's finish was ugly. Despite being a medic, was rusted and bruised from lack of care. Sunstreaker hated that Hoist obviously thought so little of himself to let his finish get to this state. Sunstreaker was no professional but he did his best to buff out the rough surface until it was smooth as a newspark's behind and cleaned the armour until he could see his own much prettier reflection. Sunstreaker mixed colours together until he got a near perfect match to Hoist's base before he etched swirls of his own golden yellow onto the mech's cheeks to enhance the glow of his eyes.

And Sunstreaker's efforts seems to have payed off as he heard that Hoist and his date became official. The medic even gave him a bag of energon treats to say thank you.

Word of Sunstreaker's work quickly spread and soon he had half of the base coming to him for his talents.

For the first time in his life, Sunstreaker felt like he had a purpose besides keeping Sideswipe alive. He tried not to let it show, but he loved being able to use his skills to brighten the light that each mech brought to the world by capturing their inner beauty on the outside.

Prowl even let him paint the hallways too. Until too many people were disturbed by his interpretation of the gladiator pits that they sent him to the base's physiatrist. But he was allowed still to paint his and Sideswipe's room.

It was small, with two twin beds bolted to each side of the room and barely enough space to stand between them. But after the streets and the pits, it was the first place that the twins could truly call their own.

At Sideswipe's request, Sunstreaker painted his brother's side of the room in a blazing red and gold. And on his own he painted everything else. He built layers and layers and layers of paintings from the city to the streets to the faces that he saw every day.

And of course he tried to paint that smile. But no matter how hard he tried, Sunstreaker could never quite capture the light of that sight.

Being so close to Praxus, Sunstreaker often found himself thinking about the sparkling. He wondered what his life was like. If despite the war, he still had to go to school, or if he found their brother to be as lovably annoying as Sunstreaker found Sideswipe. Sunstreaker wondered if they even lived there at all. And of course thought about what he would say to them if they did.

Many times Sunstreaker had entertained the idea of sneaking out to find them. Something Sideswipe was more than happy to aide with. They'd actually tried to once. But Prowl had caught them and somehow sealed all their secret exits, before throwing them in the brig for a week.

Then the Decepticons destroyed Praxus. And Sunstreaker worried that he had forever missed his chance.

The seekers came from nowhere and blow everything to shit before anyone had time to react.

All they could do was send in rescue workers as the seekers sped away.

Sunstreaker stayed awake for days, waiting for them to bring back the injured. But nobody came.

Until one did.

Once again fighting against his own recharge protocols, Sunstreaker wasn't sure if the sight was a dream. But no, there lying limp in Prowl's arms was the body of a sparkling, the dark layer of ash indistinguishable from the grey shade of its skin. The only sign of life was the blue of their eyes. But even they were so void of light that it took Sunstreaker a moment to recognise the sparkling as the one who had saved his life.

It wasn't safe on the base anymore. Everyone was being moved in the morning. But Sunstreaker had to see the sparkling before they left.

For once Sideswipe didn't tease him, instead offering to stay on lookout as Sunstreaker crawled through the rec room vents that bridged the gap over the corridor directly into the med-bay.

As he crossed the corridor, he glanced down the grate bellow to where Prowl had stationed Brawn to stand guard outside the med-bay doors. Sunstreaker resisted a snort. Prowl would be so pissed if he found out how easy it was get around their defences.

When Sunstreaker jumped down the shoot, into the room itself, he realised that Prowl was going to be even more pissed when he learnt that the sparkling had manged to get his hands on a gun.

"Where are you going?" Sunstreaker asked, so surprised by the sight that he'd forgotten the speech he had prepared to say.

In the middle of the empty room, the sparkling opened and closed his mouth as though expecting words to come out and didn't understand why they didn't. After a few more tries, he finally spoke.

"I...I-I'm going to kill them." The sparkling said, although it came out more as a question than a statement.

Sunstreaker didn't hold back a snort this time.

"Who? The guy who killed your family? Megatron? The entire Deception Army?" He said, his voice coming out harsher than he intended. What was the sparkling thinking? He was just a kid! The gun was nearly the length of his body! He could barely lift it let alone use it to take on the Deception army and -shit this was what the adults thought about him and Sideswipe wasn't it?

Sunstreaker sighed. He marched over to the sparkling, placed his steady hands over their shaking fists. He'd never felt hands so cold. Not for the first time he wondered if the sparkling truly was the living dead.

"If you go out there now," Sunstreaker said "The only the person you'll end up killing is yourself."

He pointed the gun to the ground.

"But one day you'll be able to prove that you're more than what they did to you. And on that day we can kill them all."

Sunstreaker wasn't sure what any other bot had said to him. Although he would bet money that it hadn't been to promise them future death and violence. But it was the only thing Sunstreaker had ever had to offer. He hoped that it would be enough.

The sparkling stared at him and for once Sunstreaker felt like someone wasn't just seeing him as the kid they thought he was and actually saw the person underneath.

"Promise?" They asked.

Sunstreaker squeezed their hands.

"Promise. Now let's get you back into bed before Prowl kills us both."

Sunstreaker helped the sparkling climb back into bed. They were asleep before he'd even tucked the blanket of tarp around them.

Sunstreaker gazed down at their sleeping form. They didn't look peaceful. Sunstreaker doubted that they truly ever would again. But for now at least, he was glad that they would get a break from whatever pain was currently cursing through their circuits. In that moment, he would have tried to kill Megatron himself, if he knew that it would make them happy.

But that dream would have to wait for another day.

He traced a black finger down the soft grey of their cheek, before grabbing the gun that the sparkling had clutched against their chest.

He handed the gun to a confused Brawn as he walked out of the med-bay.

Sunstreaker hadn't told the sparkling what he had wanted to say.

But he had said what the sparkling needed to hear.

And now Sunstreaker had a personal reason to stop the Decepticons. So that they would never snuffed out that light again.

[starpros-sunshine]

Eichi gives away the mask so easily because it was never meant to be an "engagement ring" like you delulu wataeis imagined it to be lmao. It was wataru saying that he will continue playing tsumugi clown role in fine and won't leave it for hokuto's mother troupe after graduation. Do you dumb fucks even read the stories? Eichi didn't even understand tf that mask meant when wataru gave it to him and wataru referenced fucking tsumugi in his "proporsal". I dunno why the f you think it's ok to lie about "! EnDiNG wItH wAtAeI EnGaGeMEnT" when the chapter it happened wasn't even close to the end of ep:link. Cope

PS: how do you live with the fact that Eichi clearly admitted to never being in love in his life and Wataru said that even though Eichi likes him, he still can easily discard him for the sake of his objectives?

I love you anon thank you for giving me a nice reason to ramble again beautiful ask 10/10 I'm sorry this is probably not how you hoped this would go but this is such a funny block of text delightful really thank you for the enrichment please marry me

But okay yes now to get down to the actual ask just to disclaim I am solely relying on translations seeing as I do not speak japanese well enough to understant the original text so if anyone has anything to add to this or to correct me on please feel free to do so.

Now to get started I'm not sure if one could say Eichi gave away the mask "So easily" seeing as he claimed that it was "a hard choice to make"? Which, as one might know, implies unease with an idea and pondering and debating and a general amount of thinking behind a decision so? I know this isn't really the main focus of this ask but I'm just a tad miffed with the semantics of it is all. And in either case giving the mask back to Wataru while expecting it back still shows a certain degree of trust in their relationship it wouldn't have been such a big deal for him (as it apparently was) if the mask didn't have a lot of sentimental value to him (the both of them really if we look at the whole exchange).

Now to the claim that the mask was "only" Watarus promise to stay with fine and "continue playing Tsumugis clown role". This is not entirely incorrect. Regarding the acting troupe and staying with fine bit at least.

I'm assuming this bit in EP:Link Deadend/7 is what you are referencing, and I see where you're coming from. But the bluebird line

from literally three dialogue lines further down, which references this line of dialogue (notorious Eichi line everyone should be familiar with)

kind of somewhat really recontextualises that? Because you see this is a reference to a fairytale about a pair of siblings and they get sent out by a nice fairy to find the bluebird of happiness for her sad daughter to make her happy again so they both go on an adventure and travel far and search and search but they can not find the bluebird of happiness and then when they return home again, disappointed because they couldn't find the blue bird, they realise only one night has actually passed and the journey was probably just a dream. But then their eyes fall upon their pet dove in it's cage which appears blue all of a sudden and so they gift it to the fairies sad daughter which becomes happy again and sets the bird free. The real bluebird of happiness is a dove. At least in the version of the story I'm familiar with but I mean everyone sees the symbolism right? It's. very hard to miss.

And then dropping this?

I'm not sure how to say this properly but in the overall context this makes it pretty clear that Tsumugi has nothing to do with this anymore this is Fully between Wataru and Eichi. And I am the last person to dismiss Tsumugis significance in the course of Wataeis relationship as characters I will be among the first to protest when someone dismisses the importance of Tsumugis and Eichis relationship in favour of some image they have of Wataei but he has nothing to do with this one.

Yes Tsumugi gets namedropped but - again - I don't really see how that would lessen the sentiment Wataru is triying to convey here? Because. Yes. Why wouldn't he mention Tsumugi?

The entire conversation pretty much boils down to "Yes I was initially only in this because I thought I could replace Tsumugis role in your life and then I wanted to leave but we have spent so much time together that I realised that that is definitely not working out because I really do love you. I love you as a teammate; I love you as a friend; I love you as a person and I am very angry at myself for not managing to get that into your head. So please allow me to stay with you for as long as you'll have me." And then also Eichi not understanding because he has the emotional self awareness of a very emotionally unaware loaf of bread and also because he hates himself that is a very big thing about his character huge part of his character arc actually that he. you know? Hates himself? And feels guitly for his actions during the war? And doesn't think he deserves love and companionship? Which is why Wataru wanting to stay with him for him and not for some twisted form of revenge is such an alien concept to him? Because he is projecting his insecurities onto Wataru? As one is wont to do when they hate themself? "EiChi Didn'T eVen UnDErStanD WhAt tf ThAT Mask MEAnt" Yeah. That's. That's the point? So he can think about it and come to that conclusion himself which works as a keymoment in his characters journey from hating life and himself to enjoying being alive and wanting to live on because of the people he's surrounded with? He literally explains why he didn't immediately understand the mask during the EP:Link Epilogue/4

And to get back to the "I dunno why the f you think it's ok to lie about "! EnDiNG wItH wAtAeI EnGaGeMEnT" about which I have two things to say:

"Lying" implies further intent and an effort. Neither of which exist in this case.

He literally went down on one knee while making a big proclamation of offering himself to Eichi with a very personal item that works as a symbol for their commitment to each other on a starlit rooftop. The comparison writes itself.

3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joke

And then I expected there to be a proper reason given and instead you proceed to follow that up with "when the chapter it happened wasn't even close to the end of ep:link". I know the shame is on me for expecting something sensical from an ask which has been near constant in it's lack of correct statements but such is human nature I suppose. And you are not wrong. Deadend/7 isn't very close to the end of EP:Link. That is true.

But do you know what Is very close to the end of EP:Link? The Epilogue Chapters 3-5.

Do you know what the content of those chapters is? I do. Very well actually :)

(Eichi literally explains why he didn't get it)

So if this answers your "Do you dumb fucks even read the stories?" questions, Yes. And I think I'm a lot better at it than you. So I'd say I'm coping quite well over here :p

PS: Regarding your PS, I take the "I've never been in love before so I wouldn't know" comment with a lot of humour actually as an aroace person who's emotional self awareness also ends at "good" and "Not good" I think it's very funny all things considered especially because he mentioned the loving Wataru thing several times before that and I'm generally of the belief that actions speak louder than words and also am in a happy long term relationship with the concept of "Reading Subtext". So please excuse me for not breaking down in tears everytime someone reminds me of that one singuar line of text in one of my favourite all time enstars stories that came out three years ago which also brought us the single best card set in the entire game

as well as absolute banger dialogue such as

Among others <33

And there are soooooo many other examples of wataei dialogue that simply make me swoon but I have already had to take out so many of the one's I wish I could put here so this wouldn't get "Do you love the colour of the sky" long

And also, regarding your "Wataru said that even though Eichi likes him, he still can easily discard him for the sake of his objectives" I'll just say that no he absolutely could not. I mean he'd say that and if pull comes to shove and he has no other option then he might seriously consider it but may I mention that Wataru was gone for a few days at most but really not that long of a time during Sanctuary and Eichi stopped considering being a normal rational person that doesn't leave helpless 17 year olds in the midst of a construction site. Very different situation but I feel like it's worth mentioninh here. Another example is Eichis almost not being able to go through with the war because of Wataru. Wataru had to actively come and tell Eichi to go through with it. Wataru isn't the reason Eichi started the war, that is wrong, but he is the reason Eichi almost didn't finish it. and during the war era that was his Main objective. Again I'm part of the fraction "actions speak louder than words" Show don't tell and all that, but even the words are pushing it.

And that concludes my essay :)