#but also wants the relationship to progress naturally so he just stands at the sides and provides support

[mblue-art]

I love that in your au Epic is watching you both as a comedic but no less romantic show

Epic is just like :)

Epic: Two dorks in love lmao :)

hehe yeah !! (⁠ ⁠◜⁠‿⁠◝⁠ ⁠) he's got a real romcom anime in front of him 😩

[honeydazai]

₊˚⊹♡ how they express their love for you

feat.: Viktor, Jayce, Silco, Vander, Sevika

notes: the same prompt has also been written before by my beloved @moonlight-in-the-sea here!! observe it or perish.

VIKTOR, all scepticism and sharp edges, raised eyebrows and discontent twitches of his lip when it comes to interacting with most people, has long learned to be open and honest with you. It's been a bit of a work in progress, the two of you growing closer over time, a natural development, but it's certainly paid out — his open expression and warm smile whenever he's with you makes your chest feel tight with affection, as does the fact that he has let his guards down completely, discussing just about every topic with you, ranging from the kinks of new inventions he still had to figure out, to gossip about the councillors. His humour blooms around you and Jayce, becoming one of his most noticeable traits.

It's no secret that he's working more often than not, that he's eating and sleeping in the lab whenever you don't put a stop to it, but, as you grow closer, he makes sure to split his attention between his two greatest passions; you, and his work. It shows in multiple ways, either through him inviting you to come along and watch, proudly introducing the new hextech inventions to you, eyes shining brighter than blue stones, or him actually taking half a day off to spend with you instead, taking you out to explore Piltover's little shops or simply staying at home with you, all domestic bliss.

It's strikingly obvious to both you, and to everyone around you, that JAYCE is especially fond of you, given how much he's touching you. They're all innocent gestures, like his huge hand resting on your upper arm, or on the small of your back when the two of you walk next to each other, or the warm hug he pulls you into when seeing you for the first time that day, strong arms inescapable, but it happens too often to be a coincidence. Whether he himself knows he's doing it is debatable — your best guess is that it comes so naturally to him that he barely even notices.

He's surprisingly attentive when it comes to your wellbeing — it shows in him always having a blanket on hand, or him giving you his jacket, when you're cold, in him asking if you've eaten already and keeping foods you like around.

His family's work is forging, and even though he's not quite as used to working on something this delicate, he does extraordinarily well when it comes to making you jewellery, working every night until there's no flaws to be detected. He also asks Mel or Viktor — Mel, preferably; subtlety is more her strength — to figure out what kind of gemstones you prefer to use those in the design.

SILCO is a man who values privacy — and yet, he has no issue with you constantly hanging around his office. Really, he's weak enough for you that he might attempt to scold you when you sit on his desk, pushing important documents to the side, or even on his lap while he's working, claiming your rightful place, arms looped around his neck, but his words never come off as truly strict, tone exasperated, but he'd never do anything against it. At this point, his office is as much your space as it is his, given how your belongings lie around everywhere — your lipgloss on his desk, your spare jacket on his wall, your favourite snacks secretly stocked in his drawers.

He's strikingly loyal, never even looking twice at someone else, given how he can only see himself being with you. Silco's always thinking of you, which shows not only in the way he brings you small gifts and trinkets — not unlike a crow — whenever he has to traverse the Undercity, but also through him wanting to keep your relationship a secret. It's most likely a sensitive topic, because he doesn't want you to think he's ashamed of you, never, but he's an influential man, and he just cannot stand the idea of someone harming you because of your connection to him. He's terrified of losing you.

VANDER is caring by nature, it shows in the way he protects his children and friends, his loved ones, his people. Still, with you, it's all the more obvious. Whenever you make your way to the bar, spending nights and early mornings at The Last Drop, he has your favourite drink already poured for you, including any modifications and snacks you like. In his mind, there's a whole section of facts about you, including your favourite positions to sleep in, your most beloved outfits, and the food you always ask for at the street vendor the two of you usually visit, and he couldn't stop himself from constantly gaining more information about what you like and dislike if he tried.

He's fond of physical affection, both strong arms wrapped around your waist when the two of you are sleeping, or the large of his hand splayed out on your lower back when he's guiding you through the crowds gathering in the bar. Not only does he simply enjoy touching you, the person he loves so very close to him, but he also wants to know you're safe at all times — if any stranger approaches you, setting you on edge, he's right there by your side. At night, he might cling to you a bit more tightly than usual when he's had bad thoughts of losing you the day long.

SEVIKA is entirely smitten by you. It's obvious enough that some of her colleagues comment on it, laughing and jeering at the heart-eyes she gives you whenever you walk by, gaze lingering for way too long, roaming over the curves of your hip and the way your hair moves in the wind. She's not bothered by anyone poking fun at her; yeah, she's heads over heels for you. So what?

She also really enjoys listening to you talk. After a hard day of work, there's nothing more relaxing to her than simply focusing on you, on your voice, on the peculiar way you pronounce certain words, and when she rests her head in your lap, your fingers gently threading through her hair, she just wants you to ramble about whatever comes to your mind.

Compared to Vander, her protection of you is mostly verbal — though that does not mean she wouldn't punch a guy until he's coughing blood if he looked at you the wrong way. Still, she's influential, imposing enough with just a raised eyebrow and a warning word for almost anyone to turn, tail between their legs, when they're staring at you for even a moment too long.

₊˚⊹♡ my commissions are open! ♡ tag list!

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[cupidseok]

Hello! Can I request about how riize acts differently when with you? I'm not too sure how to phrase it but something like a part of them only you can see? Sorry, I hope this makes sense to you. Thank you :)

the different sides of riize that they only show when with you

WARNINGS slight mentions of insecurity

AUTHOR'S NOTE hope this is what you meant anon 😭 thank you for requesting !

☀️ — SHOTARO

his serious side. sunshine taro is always smiling and laughing at just about anything ! whether he's feeling awkward or uncomfortable, he'll just giggle and hope the moment passes by quickly. he doesn't like it when the mood gets heavy and no one is smiling. however, when you attempt to bring up a serious issue and shotaro just laughs it off, it makes you upset :( he immediately notices how your eyes start to tear up and he embraces you in his arms. hushed apologies continuously fall from his lips as he rubbed your back, softly reassuring you that he’ll listen to whatever you have to say. that night, the both of you talk about the things that has been bothering you both. shotaro then understands the need to be serious in relationships in order for it progress further and he really hopes to never hurt you again.

🪨 — EUNSEOK

his cute side. our seemingly emotionless and unbothered stone ! eunseok almost always has a blank expression plastered on his face, it’s just in his nature to do so. although he’s someone who’s independent and stable, he still needs love ( even if he doesn’t say so verbally because he’s embarrassed to admit it ). so when you don’t give him enough affection and attention, he gets sulky. “what do you want,” you questioned eunseok, your eyes still glued onto your phone screen intently. he’s tugging on the sleeve of your shirt, “look at me please,” he nearly whines. when you finally divert your eyes away from your phone screen, you’re met with large boba eyes begging for your love and affection <3 he would rather die than let the other members of riize find out that the cool and collected song eunseok has to act cute to get his girlfriend’s attention.

👿 — SUNGCHAN

his jealous side. sungchan is someone who is confident in himself, he is clear of his own strengths and weaknesses and he tries his very best to make up for his weaknesses. he’s aware he looks good and he’s also proud of his body ! however, when he sees you laughing so happily while catching up with your childhood sweetheart, he suddenly doesn’t feel very confident anymore. he feels jealous; he thinks that if you both had met eariler, he’d be your childhood sweetheart instead. when sungchan sees the man lean one more centimeter closer to you, he can’t contain his overflowing jealously anymore and speed walks towards the both of you. “hi babe,” his arms wrap around your waist tightly, “i was waiting for you. who’s this ? aren’t you going to introduce him to your boyfriend ?”

🔐 — WONBIN

his protective side. wonbin who loves you so much, wonbin who cannot stand being away from you for more than 3 working hours, wonbin who is so protective of you ! he just cares for you so much, he can’t stand the thought of you possibly getting hurt, so he needs to be by your side 24/7 to ensure you’re safe and sound ( which you always are when with wonbin ). he gets slightly anxious when you aren’t around him, because what if a zombie apocalypse occurs suddenly and he isn’t there to be your knight in shining armour !! “wonbin i think in a zombie apocalypse i’d be more likely to protect you. also, i’m just going to a party with my friends. please let go of me,” you try your best to pry wonbin’s hands off you but all of your attempts were futile. “but what if the zombies get to you before i do ?”

💝 — SEUNGHAN

his insecure side. hong seunghan is and always will be your #1 hype boy ! he’s your admirer, your fan, your enthusiast, your supporter and much much more. this boy never shut ups about you and sohee thinks that he knows you better than yourself at this point ( sohee gets the brunt of seunghan’s talks about you unfortunately or fortunately ). seunghan could write an entire trilogy ( each with more than 10000 pages ) about how much he loves you if he wanted to. but !! when you reciprocate his energy and compliment him back, he gets so shy and his face turns an adorable shade of red. “you look so handsome here !” you look up from scrolling though seunghan’s selfie album and he just shyly shakes his head. “no, you always look so much better, my love,” seunghan buries his face in the crook of your neck to hide his flustered state. “what are you talking about ? my boyfriend always looks so handsome, he’s the prettiest boy i know.”

🗝️ — SOHEE

his authentic side. sohee is not someone who reveals his true personality easily to others. one may think that they know sohee well until they delve deeper and realise that they actually don’t know much of him. he’s just good at concealing the parts of himself that he deems vulnerable and sensitive. with you, however, sohee always feels at ease, as he doesn’t feel like he has to put up a facade. with you, sohee knows that you’ll love and cherish every part of him, even the parts that he himself dislikes, you’ll love all the same. he finds solace and warmth in your nurturing nature and seeks for your love and understanding of the true sohee !

💭 — ANTON

his attentive side. anton can sometimes be random and voices out his weird thoughts for you both to ponder over, you often wonder what goes on in his head but you usually just leave him to it. he’s also someone who is rather soft-spoken, so at times, it’s hard to figure out what he’s feeling or thinking. however, anton often greets you with pleasant surprises in the form of gifts, little things that you’ve mentioned in passing like how you’ve lost one side of your earrings or how you’ve run out of milk. you’re also often shocked when he tells you about your habits that you’ve never noticed yourself. “huh ? i do that frequently ? really ?” confusion evident in your voice. “yep, i’ve seen you do that more than a thousand times.”

© cupidseok — do not copy / repost / translate my works

[ceratedfish24]

Thoughts on renscott or majorbeans??

MY DRAMA NERDS!!! Ren is the guy on the football team who got the lead in the play because he’s a big strong man, except everyone then found out that he’s actually really into theater and knows a lot about it. Scott got the other lead, and they ended up kissing about it. Everyone went “Oh, it’s just a showmance” and then a month passes. And then another month passes. And then the school year is over and they’re still in the honeymoon phase. And then it actually makes a lot of sense. Of course Scott would be into a football player who’s genuinely into theater and is actually a really sweet, humble, and hard working dude. Of course Ren would be into the confident and popular pretty boy who’s actually really caring and clever and knows what is and isn’t worth his time.

Also, can we talk about Simple Life? “You’re a red name.” “I am.” “You could kill people.” “I could kill you.” “But you wouldn’t want to do that.” “I don’t.” Okay. Homosexuals. Ren might not be the first person many of us would think of when it comes to Trafficblr violence, but he is Red Winter. He is the Red King. He is a loyal knight of the Fairy Fort who craves blood. Ren doesn’t usually like to fight head on, but Scott showing 0 concern or defensiveness whatsoever threw him off so hard that Ren went from wolf to puppy dog so quickly. which. might be Scott’s special talent, honestly.

Let’s make one thing clear: There is only one moment in the entire Life Series that could be evidence of the canon temperature of Scott’s hands. and. it. is. Dangthatsalongname’s Wild Life Episode 7 32:47 “Scott, you got really warm hands, by the way.”  - Rendog, Nov. 30th, 2024. (On a side note: I wanted to be sure that I got Ren’s channel name right, cause his username is “Renthedog”, so I looked him up, but the youtube search bar recommended “rendog face reveal”. I got curious and clicked it, and the first video that came up was a clip of Scott saying “he knows I’m gay, right?” in TommyInnit’s collab with Grian and Mumbo. I don’t know why. Could be a sign.) This is the only mention of the temperature of Scott’s hands. Contrary to all Smajor headcanons based on his ESMP S1, Scott has “really warm hands” at least in Wild Life.

Ren plays guitar and sings, and Scott also likes to sing. Their life would be so very full of music. Scott sings to himself in the morning while blearily making breakfast for the both of them, and Ren comes up behind him and wraps his arms around Scott’s waist. It’s too early for him, and Scott’s voice is putting him back to sleep. When Ren is tuning his guitar, Scott drops everything to listen in. Scott sings when he’s deep-cleaning the house, and Ren stands in the doorway and melts. The two of them take turns with the aux in the car, and they make playlists for each other and build playlists together. They sing each other lullabies before bed and hum old melodies while the other is brushing their teeth. Scott whisper-sings into Ren’s hair, as they fall asleep at night.

Majorbeans, okay, look. I’m not a fan of toxic relationships. I understand the appeal, but I am here for escapism where everything is good and okay. I like vanilla, and many of y’all like mint chocolate chip, basically. In other words, I’m not gonna talk about the toxic depictions of Majorbeans, because I know that I will be out of my element. It’s simply not territory that I am well versed in. However, I do particularly love Majorbeans from the angle of friends to lovers. I love the idea of Scott letting Joel get away with being more of a menace than anyone else because he trusts Joel to know where the line is and to apologize properly if he accidentally crosses it, and I so dearly love the idea of Joel knowing Scott better than anyone ever has.

When I think of Majorbeans, I think of old friends whose relationship isn’t really changed much by the labels “couple” or “boyfriends”. It was just the natural progression of their friendship. They’re still having stupid pillow fights and poking fun at each other when the other is bad at a video game. They’re still bickering about the same petty argument they had twelve years ago. They’re still competitive when pit against one another. They don’t really expect more from one another than they did before they started dating. Scott and Joel may not be the kind of couple who goes everywhere together, but they do get excited about getting to go home to one another. When they get married, it’s very literal when they say “I’m marrying my best friend”. I mean, that’s the person who gets them the best, who never judges, who knows when to be playful and when to be serious, who knows when to address an issue and when to nod and agree. That’s the person who they trust the most to be honest with them when it really matters.

To expand more on my thoughts about Scott and Joel not being the type of couple to spend every second of every day together, I’m not saying that they would get sick of each other. They’re just both generally confident enough to be fine on their own, and they’re both very competent people. I don’t think that they would worry too much about the other under typical circumstances. They’re just not super co-dependent on each other. They both value their relationship, but they naturally don’t feel a need to lean on it for validation or security. They can find what they need in themselves and their communities. Being around each other is just something they mutually treasure.

Joel and Scott are both people who like to play up their confidence, but I think that they’d be comfortable enough to be more vulnerable when it’s just the two of them. I think Scott wouldn’t bother to upkeep his appearance quite as much, though Joel still rolls his eyes and scoffs and blushes at how effortlessly and annoyingly pretty he finds Scott to be with bedhead in his laundry day clothes without make up. In turn, Joel is more earnest and forward about his intentions in his day-to-day activities when he’s talking with just Scott. Communicating properly with Scott just feels more natural in the moment, even if it makes Joel complain to Grian and Jimmy about how “grossly domestic” Scott makes him. He knows that, when making plans for the day, Scott appreciates his earnestness moreso than a bit Joel’s done a thousand times and will continue until he’s six feet under, and the bit is not so important to Joel that he would intentionally inconvenience Scott over it.

Finally, in Simple Life, Joel gave Scott a bouquet of dandelions. This is symbolic for a number of reasons. Firstly, dandelions are typically used to symbolize resilience, something that I believe both Joel and Scott to have in spades. It feels like an act of respect, for Joel to give Scott so many dandelions like that. Additionally, the way that Joel handed the dandelions off to Scott felt symbolic to me. He was just clearing his inventory to make room for an item Scott was giving him, but he also didn’t frame the action like he was just throwing his trash at Scott. It was a very practical action, something that just makes a lot of sense for their dynamic, particularly in Simple Life. Lastly, dandelions are a symbol of hope and childhood innocence. I didn’t grow up in a place with any dandelions, but, as a child, I always imagined what it might feel like to make a wish on one. To me, Joel giving Scott a bouquet of dandelions, in my little headcanon lore, was a way of saying “I wish you well, old friend”. I love that for them.

Thank you for the ask!!🩵🩵

[soapsilly]

PDA - Zoro Imagine

Pairing: Roronoa Zoro x Reader

Spoilers for One Piece (?), also kinda NSFW?

Summary: Zoro showing a lot of PDA in front of Sanji because he knows it bothers him

Requests are closed

A/N: Unofficial sequel to Cardio. But works as a stand alone.

************************************************************************

"(Y/N)-san! I'm sorry I left you alone on this ship with this pervert! I promise I'll make it up to you"

"What did you just call me, ero-cook?"

"You heard me! If you just as much as put a single finger on (Y/N)-san I'll make you regret it"

"Sorry, to disappoint you, but I did a little more than that", Zoro laughed.

It's been a few weeks since the crew barged in on Zoro and (Y/N). Nothing really changed between them. (Y/N) was still shamelessly flirting with the mosshead and Zoro didn't really reciprocate - at least not in public. He was never the type for public displays of affection but when the two of them were alone, the swordfighter didn't have any problem to show the girl how much he enjoyed her company.

"You looked so good today", he mumbled against her lips.

"So usually I look bad?", she grinned - her smart mouth getting the best of her again.

"Too bad you still don't have a filter", he rolled his eye but didn't loosen his grip around her waist.

"But you love me for it", she laughed.

He exhaled audibly but didn't protest.

The two of them decided not to complicate things. They'd rather just let the relationship progress naturally. For the moment, neither of them would change a thing being happy with the way things were.

************************************************************************

"It's so nice to finally have some free time again", Nami sighed - already excited for a long overdue shopping trip.

"We shouldn't leave the ship unattended", (Y/N) nudged Zoro in the side not really caring about exposing her true intentions. She knew that her lover would be up for some alone time - which was confirmed by the smile that the swordsman failed to keep off of his face.

But it was not only (Y/N) that noticed. The mosshead's smile didn't go unnoticed by a certain curly-browed cook either.

"I'll be keeping you company, (Y/N)-san! There are a few new creations that I wanted to test out anyways", Sanji exclaimed.

(Y/N) was just about to protest when Nami's voice cut her off, "Yeah, that's probably a great idea. These two need a chaperone! We don't need any little Zoros and (Y/N)s running around deck!"

(Y/N) pulled a face, "Seriously? Sex has never ever sounded so unappealing"

"And don't you forget it!", the read-head scolded, "Always think about the full diapers and the disrupted night sleep"

(Y/N) tried to drown Nami's words out by putting her hands over her ears and singing loudly.

However, it wasn't just (Y/N) who had a problem with the thought. Zoro's eye darted over to where Sanji was standing. It was almost unnoticable but for the fraction of a second the cook's face twitched when Nami started her rant. At this moment, the swordsman got an idea to still make the afternoon worthwhile.

"Can we go now?", their captain interrupted the discussion - eager to raid the market place for street food.

Zoro threw his arm around a confused (Y/N)'s shoulder. This was the first time that her lover actually touched her in front of the others. Before she could say anything though, Zoro spoke up, "Yeah, you guys leave and we'll hold the fort here. Right, babe?"

"Uh, yeah sure...", (Y/N) blushed at the little nickname.

And with that the crew parted ways. (Y/N), Zoro and Sanji remaining on the ship while the rest of the crew made their way towards the city.

"So, it's just us now, huh?", (Y/N) tried to overcome the awkwardness. Spending a whole afternoon on the ship together with these two didn't seem very appealing to her. But surprisingly these two mortal enemies weren't at each other's throats immediately.

"Well, since our plans have been so rudely interrupted", the mosshead turned towards the cook, "Why don't we squeeze in a training session?", Zoro asked his girlfriend - his voice almost soft. After hours and hours of asking, (Y/N) had finally worn down the swordfighter. So, lately Zoro agreed to let the girl join him during practice. On one hand, her constant pleading got on his nerves so that he partly agreed just to shut her up. On the other hand, though, training with her meant he got to spend time with her. To him, she looked adorable as she was trying to figure out the steps and maneuvers. And if she ever needed correction with her stance, he wouldn't complain either.

"I'd say you're welcome to join us, waiter. But I don't think you could handle it anyways", Zoro mocked the blonde. And of course Zoro's words had the desired effect as the cook immediately started cussing out the mosshead - swearing to make him look old in any type of training.

(Y/N) rolled her eyes. Of course, the peace didn't last long, "Oi, Sanji? Didn't you actually want to try out some new recipes or something?"

She didn't mind the cook's company but she knew if Sanji and Zoro were to actually train together, their competition would be anything but friendly and she didn't feel like a headache today. To her surprise, Zoro just shrugged though, "You can try, ero-cook"

And with that the three of them started their work-out. Almost provocatively Zoro took off his robe, showing off his body and sending (Y/N) a cheeky wink. He knew the effect he had on the girl.

"We should start with some stretching first", he announced - his arm already behind his back.

(Y/N) decided to get on the floor, working on her lower body first, whilst Sanji was bent over easily touching his toes without any issue.

"(Y/N)-san, you're so flexible~", the cook complimented the girl.

"Hm, I don't know. I think she could do better", Zoro acted thoughtful, as he walked over to where (Y/N) was standing, trying to reach her toes aswell. Her fingertips just graced the floorboards but that wasn't enough for the swordsman. He positioned himself behind her, his crotch dangerously close to her backside. With a gentle hand he pressed down on her lower back to help her bend over even further, so that her palms fully touched the ground.

With a soothing voice, her lover praised her and while (Y/N) enjoyed the personal attention, she'd be lying if she said that she wasn't confused. She wasn't used to him being so gentle with her when other people were around. What she didn't see from her bend over position however, was the look Zoro and Sanji exchanged. The mosshead sent the other man a gloating smile, which only got wider as he saw how blonde struggled to keep his composure.

"Oi, Marimo! When you're finished harassing, (Y/N)-san, how about a sparring session?", there was nothing he wanted to do more than to beat up the brute that dared to lay his calloused fingers on a lady. The cook was of the opinion that a beautiful woman should only be touched in the most gentle way - a word the marimo probably didn't even know.

Zoro barked out a laugh - (Y/N) long forgotten. Fighting with the ero-cook was one of his favourite past-times.

(Y/N) knew there was no way her lover would continue their practice anymore. Instead she decided to just keep exercising on her own and to leave the two guys to it - not feeling like getting into the path of fire.

After an hour or so, the two of them didn't show any sign of slowing down but the girl decided she had enough, "Hey guys? Guys? Oi!"(Y/N) clapped into her hands loudly to get the two frenemies' attention. Almost immediately the men stopped what they were doing.

"While I do enjoy watching two handsome men exhaust themselves physically", she sent Zoro a wink, "I think this is enough. I'll go take a shower and afterwards we should probably get started on dinner. You know how hangry Luffy can get"

"Of course, (Y/N)-san~", the cook was delighted by her compliment, "I'll create the most exquisite menu just for you"

The girl thanked her friend, by now she gave up on the idea of convincing the blonde that he didn't have to do all that. It seemed to make him happy, so she just decided to enjoy the perks of having the talented cook at her service.

"Great, while you do that, we'll go take that shower", Zoro spoke up.

(Y/N) head whipped around to face the mosshead, who could barely hold back a smile. He, however, wasn't facing her at all. His smile was not directed at her and her surprised reaction but rather at Sanji, who by the looks of it was not amused about his suggestion at all. (Y/N) massaged the bridge of her nose in no mood for these two to start fighting again.

"Okay, we'll do that", she grabbed Zoro's hand and pulled him with her. However, Zoro had other ideas. While (Y/N) was walking in front of him the swordsman's hands reached out to pinch the girl's sides teasingly which earned him a surprised yelp from his lover.

"Oi, idiot! Who do you think you are? Leave your dirty hands off of (Y/N)-san!", Sanji yelled towards the couple.

"Oh, does it bother you?", Zoro yelled back, "Good thing, (Y/N) likes it"

"(Y/N)-san! Just say a word and I'll save you from this... this... pervert!", Sanji's voice was soft as he adressed the girl but grew harsher towards the end - his dig clearly directed towards the marimo.

"Thank you, Sanji, I'll keep it in mind!", she yelled back at her friend as she tried to usher Zoro, who was loudly protesting the cook's claims -inside the Sunny towards the bathroom.

Once inside, (Y/N) let out an exasperated sigh, this isn't how she expected her afternoon to go. Zoro, however, didn't waste any time attacking her lips with his own. His hands everywhere they could reach.

"Oi, you okay?", Zoro asked almost nonchalantly when he realized that (Y/N) hesitated to return the kiss - as if he wasn't the cause of her desperation.

"Respectfully, what the fuck?", (Y/N) answered the mosshead.

"Huh?"

"I mean, I'm not complaining but how come you're so touchy-feely all of a sudden? And let me repeat. I'm not complaining. At all. It's just... unusual is all...", she rambled - not wanting Zoro to feel like he crossed a line.

"Oh, that", he smiled, "I noticed PDA bothers that shitty cook, so naturally I had to play it up"

"Of course", (Y/N)'s voice was sarcastic.

"Are you mad?", the swordfighter acted unbothered - like he couldn't see how that could possibly offend the girl - but in actuality he was worried that he took things a step too far. He knew she was okay with their arrangement. He know that it didn't bother her that he only showed affection towards her when the two of them were alone. She once told him that it made it even more special. But would she be okay with him suddenly publicly flirting with her just to spite the shitty cook? His eye scanned her face, searching for any sign of hurt. He couldn't always show it but he cared about (Y/N) a lot - more than anyone else in the crew.

(Y/N)'s face turned soft when she realized that the man in front of her was actually insecure. She reached out to cup his face and press a gentle kiss on his lips. When they parted, he was relieved to see her smile.

"Of course, I'm not mad! In fact, I think it's hilarious... if anything I'm mad that you didn't fill me in on it", she grinned, "If I had known, I'd have enjoyed it more"

"Oh, so now you didn't enjoy it?", this time it was him, that teased the girl with a lopsided smile on his face.

"I did! I really did! But my confusion kind of overshadowed the pleasure", she tried to assure him.

"Don't you worry", he started to undress her, "I'll take care of that"

His hands were gentle as he pulled her towards him by the small of her back.

"Who do you think you are? Touching me with those calloused hands", she scolded him. He paused what he was doing until she finally broke into a giggle.

"I can always count on you to ruin the moment", he sighed when he realized what she was up to. Quoting the ero-cook was the last thing he wanted from her.

"But you love me for it", she smiled up at him.

"Shut up", he leaned down to capture her lips in a kiss before leading her into the shower.

************************************************************************

When the two entered the dining room after the shower, the kitchen was already filled with the steam from whatever the cook was preparing. The two were greeted with the most delicious of smells. (Y/N) sometimes seriously asked herself how the cook could be this good and still improve with every meal he prepared.

"Wow, Sanji this smells great!", she beamed at the blonde, who by the looks of it couldn't be any more pleased about the praise. After all, the way to a loved one's heart is through their stomach.

"And this is only the beginning (Y/N)-san", the cook explained happily - hinting that there'd be more to come.

"Is there anything I can help you with?", she asked the cook, knowing he'd probably decline.

"You are too kind, (Y/N)-san ~ ! But I couldn't possibly take you up on your offer. A beautiful lady like you should never have to prepare her own food - in fact, you should be served~"

"Oh, but I insist", (Y/N) smiled. Anybody that knew her also knew how stubborn she could be, so after a little back and forth Sanji eventually agreed to let (Y/N) stirr some pots and maybe even wash some vegetables.

Zoro decided to take a seat at the dinner table, watching the two of them do their thing whilst enjoying a drink. He would never admit it but watching (Y/N) do mundane tasks was one his favourite things. He loved seeing her being lost in whatever she was doing. The way her brows creased whenever she was concentrated or how she started mumbling to herself if things didn't go her way. This was more than a innocent flirt and even more than a friends with benefits type of arrangement - at least for him. Her company was one of the few pleasures his life had to offer. At first he was annoyed by her everlasting presence, the way she wouldn't shut up, the constant flirts but now he couldn't imagine a life without her. He was so lost in his thoughts that he wasn't even bothered by the shitty cook prancing around her.

One after the other all the Straw Hats arrived into the dining area - just in time for dinner. As everyone gathered around the table, the space next to Zoro remained free. By now, the crew was used to (Y/N) exclusively sitting next to the swordsman. When she finally plopped down next to him, her hand almost automatically found it's way to rest on her lovers leg. Zoro didn't seem to mind the PDA. Usually, the girl refrained from touching the mosshead while in the company of the others - respecting his boundaries - instead only choosing to show her affection verbally. But right now, she decided it was fair game after the stunt the swordsman pulled on her.

"And what do you think you're doing?", Zoro leaned down, speaking lowly so that only she could hear him. (Y/N) could hear the amusement in his voice.

"Do you want me to stop?", she turned to face him - their faces now merely an inch apart.

For a moment it felt like the world stood still around them but then the two lovebirds were interrupted by their navigator.

"Come on, guys! At dinner?", Nami was not amused about the scene that unfolded before her very eyes.

"Seems like Sanji isn't the only one bothered by PDA", (Y/N) grinned but her voice was soft.

"Well, if that's the case, it seems like I'll have to keep this going", Zoro answered - his voice just as low.

Both of them knew that all of this may have started as a means to annoy the cook but by now it was merely an excuse to keep the open display of affection going. Seeing (Y/N) in private was just not enough for him anymore. What harm could a little - just a little - PDA do anyways?

"The things you do to me", he slowly shook his head.

"But you love me for it"

Usually, Zoro easily dismissed her little catchphrase but this time he couldn't quite deny it. Maybe he did. And maybe she knew that. But maybe that wasn't so bad...

[morgana-ren]

Has your opinion/understanding on Astarion's character changed much as you play through the full game?

Actually, yes! Big spoilers again btw.

So, I will admit, my perception of characters is always slightly biased. It's always tilted in favor of my own predilections and desires, so I tend to see things in a skewed way. The less information I am presented, the more my brain will fill in the gaps thusly.

In the early access, Astarion is presented as a selfish vampire spawn clawing for his own survival from the vicious vampire lord that spawned him and has held him captive for centuries. It should be noted that he is one of the only companions open to the idea of abusing the tadpoles rather than removing them and only seeks to cure them if they cannot be controlled. It becomes apparent that he craves power above all else. He dislikes altruistic speech options, tends to veer directly towards ones that bolster said power, especially at the expense of other people. He seems the closest to a stereotypical 'chaotic' follower that you really get.

However, he isn't evil. He's a very rounded character despite his inherent selfishness. He is manipulative and vicious, but he is also desperate and afraid and slow to trust. Most of what he does, he does for his own survival and comfort rather than active malevolence-- though that isn't always the case.

You get an alright idea of him in the early access, as in enough to know if you're going to want to keep him around and invest time into him as opposed to just dropping him at camp perpetually. You catch glimpses of the man he is behind it all, but mostly he appears flamboyant, resourceful, flirtatious, and of extremely dubious morality. Fun, right?

Very, very wrong, actually.

As you progress through the game, you come to understand him better, and it's... tragic.

The first thing to slip is his explosive temper. He is confused, bitter, and frightened. He expects Cazador around every corner, stalking in every shadow, watching and waiting to sling the collar around his neck and yank once more. Paranoid. He has mystery scars painstakingly carved into his flesh that he cannot see because of his condition, in a language he cannot read, with horrible memories he doesn't want to recall. He is angry, and he isn't in the company of people he trusts even remotely at first and literally cannot remember the last time he was in centuries. He bottles up all those emotions to avoid the devastating vulnerability of showing emotion and shoves them down beneath his posh and nonchalant facade, and eventually, it finds a way out.

Occasionally, he snaps. He becomes enraged and has these moments of intense anger.

And then, there is what you might think to be a moment of connection.

Astarion, once he decides that he approves of you, will make a move to seduce you. Should you accept, you might find that he says something along the lines of "Isn't that why you came? To lose yourself in me?"

It seems like typical seduction dialogue at first, but this is very deliberate. The wording is very deliberate as is everything he does. Like a choreographed waltz that he has danced again and again and again--

Until it comes as natural as breathing.

After your night together, he evades a conversation that would take anything any further. No relationship, no nothing. Just a one off that turns you into the equivalent of ye olde fuckbuddies. He stays by your side, of course, but nothing changes between you other than him acknowledging what happened.

So, you progress a little more.

Eventually, both through necessity and happenstance, he does end up opening up little by little. And you find out bits and pieces about him. But there's one that stands out to me:

The crazy blood bitch in Moonrise dehumanizes him, speaks down to him, and refuses to even acknowledge his personhood. She only speaks to you, and makes you an offer regarding your 'property.' An invaluable potion for a moment with 'your pet vampire spawn.'

And he has a visceral reaction to this.

If you have a fucking heart and you don't make him do this, he comes to speak to you later and confides in you. Cazador had used him essentially as a honeypot, forcing him to use his body to lure unsuspecting citizens back to the vampire's den-- against his will. He was so degraded, so dehumanized, and so looked down on for so many years that he has genuinely come to believe that it's the truth. He thanks you genuinely for considering him and viewing him as a real person with emotions and feelings, but is also... confused. He doesn't understand, because that rotten, stagnant belief is still a truth to him: That he is nothing but a tool and a means to an end; that he doesn't matter. That he is a filthy thing to be used and cast aside when convenient. He doesn't understand why you didn't make him do it when it was only his comfort on the line.

And if you ask him to drink from her, he will. He stiffens his upper lip and drinks despite the fact that something is wrong and he knows it. He does it because you command him to. Because that's what he has done for so long that you don't have to have the lord's control over him anymore for him to follow orders.

There is a moment of stark, dreadful realization that sex and seduction have an entirely different meaning to him but he has still been doing it. That the love and connection that he truly needs might be support and a friend and not a bedfellow. That his agency and personhood have been stripped away for so long that he doesn't even recognize them anymore. He is bitter and mean but vulnerable and confused and terrified and he doesn't know how to seek comfort, so he resorts to what he knows while simultaneously distancing and degrading himself.

He does not believe that he is worth loving or caring for, or anything but being an object to be molded. Used. Discarded. He suffered for so long that this is a fundamental truth to him. He is a monster. A filthy vermin barely a step above the rats he's been fed.

You do what you should do: You give him the power. You try to build him back up. Try to help him understand that he isn't a monster or a tool. He is a man; he is a person, and he deserves a say in his own fate. His wants and desires matter. What he wants matters.

If you've done things right, he will take a gigantic leap of faith. He will be with you-- truly be with you. It's slow and he doesn't understand, but he knows he wants it, and you take it as slow as he needs-- but he's still hurt. He is still scarred.

In the Sharess Caress, there are a pair of Drow twins that will attempt to seduce you into what is essentially a foursome. If Astarion is there and he is a love interest and you attempt this, he will say "I'm really not ready for this." while looking extraordinarily uncomfortable, and almost panicked. The scars are still there, and they're barely healing over, and still so, so tender. Easy to tear right back open. Easy to push back into his shell to never come out again, because he tried vulnerability and it burned him.

He does not think he is worthy of love or happiness. He doesn't get to have a loving partner who adores him. Even slipped free of Cazador's yoke, his claws are still stuck steadfast in his soul. He is taking it slow and barely learning to trust another being again, leave alone put his neck out and care for one. He wears his misery as a shield because it cannot hurt him that way. He is a monster who has done horrible things and deserves to be alone forever. And even if that isn't the truth, then Cazador is still lurking out there, waiting to strike-- to rip away that newfound happiness.

Astarion is, above all things, a truly tragic character, and one that I empathize with. It makes my adoration for him slightly guilty. I'm not all the way through the game quite yet, but what I have seen hurts my heart something dreadful. With my character, he is slowly learning to trust and love again, but it's painfully apparent that he thinks he doesn't deserve this, and he is simply waiting for something to fall apart and send him back into the spiraling black chasm that is his life. He still believes all these miserable things about himself. He was forced into immortality, and he believes he's going to spend it alone, reviled, and wretched - not to mention enslaved.

As fun as it is to have a sexy, dark, controlling Astarion, I don't think it's necessarily true to his character as he is presented if you choose to do things right. He isn't evil - he is a complex, tragic man who desperately needs to be able to see his own reflection in a way that isn't horrifically warped by everyone else's eyes.

Vampire. Monster. Killer. Slave. Pet.

It's been so long he's lost track of himself. Of Astarion the man.

He needs to find himself and find peace. He asks to view himself through your eyes, maybe because he's looking for something-- anything-- within himself to hold onto.

If you ask me again in a few days, I'll probably have a fully fleshed out idea of his character, since I'll probably have completed the game or at the very least gotten a bit further, but this is what I have at the moment. Doesn't mean I'll stop writing Astarion as I adore, but I've always openly admitted that my writings on characters are skewed despite their actual content lmao.

[ann7av]

Idk about you but an issue I have with IF is that Violet doesn’t really think that hard about any criticism directed at her family.

Cat asks if Violet wants to talk about the heinous atrocities her family committed after Vi accuses her of being a shallow Pick Me, but this is never really explored. She posts a list of every flier Mira killed and it’s mentioned in such an offhand flippant way, it makes me wonder if Violet actually cares about her sister being a war criminal. I was hoping she’d have a talk with Brennan about his feelings on being “sacrificed” for basically nothing because it’s a sentiment I’ve seen some veterans express irl but they never actually talk on screen and it’s so frustrating.

What are your thoughts on this?

Oh my friend I'm so happy you asked because I have a lot to say about this.

(This is a list of scattered thoughts, please let me know if it makes sense and please know this is a critique of RY's writing and not Violet's moral compass as a character, I love my girl very much)

I had this issue from way back in FW when Lilith pushed Violet into the riders, It would be natural for a child to try and understand why their parent suddenly decided to risk their life in a war college but alas she never thinks about it and we are left with this gigantic "this makes no sense" feeling that progressively gets worse as the story goes.

Then there's rain when she crosses Parapet and yet... no thought on it, Vi? Your mother controls storms? Why aren't you thinking about this?

Lilith asking about her father's research while Aetos asks if Andarna could be used as a study subject and Vi doesn't stop to think WHY would they need it and HOW does it fit with her mother's previous actions?

The GODDAM NOTE inside the book of fables? That later on is revealed to be true? Brennan says he doesn't believe their father knew about Navarre's corruption and Violet never thinks about it or considers it? HOW?

My girl just found out her mother executed a bunch of people who were trying to help another kingdom and she doesn't feel conflicted about it? I was waiting for them to have a screaming match after Athebyne

Cat puts up a list of the fliers Mira killed and I was expecting a line like "It's not like my sister knew she was fighting for the wrong side at the time, she was doing what she was trained to do" but NO.

What also throws me off about this is that, up until this point, Violet is shown being a very empathetic person who really cares about people in general, but she doesn't stop to consider those were Cat's people who died, it was the flier's school that fell and it is their kingdom being attacked (maybe she got desensitized but that feels an easy way out of developing the story)

I could be happy with Violet trying to justify her family's actions to herself because at least it would feel like a natural reaction to have but you're right, the lack of reaction feels like she doesn't care.

She also never stops to have an actual conversation with Mira about any of this for some reason (she barely talks to her sister at all actually), and besides that one talk with Brennan at the beginning of IF there's nothing else that stands out enough for me to remember, which wouldn't be a problem if she had some inner dialogue every now and then, not only about her family and the war crimes but how she feels bout them too.

There are many times when we (the readers) ask questions to try and understand these characters and how they interact with each other, so when those very natural questions like "how do you feel about this?" or "but why would they do that?" are not answered, the entire thing just feels off, and that's not an issue only with the Sorrengails but with most of Violet's relationships.

In FW that's not as big a problem, she has her issues with Dain and is getting to know her squad (Liam specifically) but in IF I was questioning if Xaden dying was that bad of a thing if it meant she would think about literally anything else

To summarize: Violet's family drama could've been a Keeping Up with the Sorrengails level of drama if RY actually did the work to flesh out the dynamic but she didn't bother and chose to rewrite the same Xaden/Violet argument five times

[backjustforberena]

Rhaenys took one of their first flights to Storm's End after becoming somewhat experienced. 🤍

Aw, that's so cute! Yes, absolutely!

We know that she was flying on progress and flew to the Shield Islands three years after claiming Meleys, which is a far longer journey (they're a similar distance to the South but Storm's End is on the east coast of Westeros, and the Shield Islands are on the west) - so I would say it's almost a guarantee that Storm's End would make a natural evolutionary step in travelling long distances. It's quite similar, I think, to flying to Dragonstone.

I imagine Rhaenys, especially in the younger years, and especially when new to her bond, would love to test the limit. You don't get to be the sort of flier that we have in the show without pushing those boundaries, trying things out and working at it. It brings to mind:

During his nine voyages on the Sea Snake, he was forever wanting to press onward, to go where none had gone before and see what lay beyond the maps. Though he had accomplished much and more in life, he was seldom satisfied, the men who knew him best would say. In Rhaenys Targaryen, daughter of the Old King’s eldest son and heir, he had found his perfect match, a woman as spirited and beautiful and proud as any in the realm, and a dragonrider as well.

If Rhaenys is his "perfect match" then the lines regarding Corlys's ambition could well be attributed to her and that, then, could be applied to her dragon-riding. She was also an outlier at this point: her father, aunt and uncle all were married or knighted and in their mid-teens before claiming a dragon. Rhaenys did so at thirteen: without accolade or marriage. The only one who had claimed a dragon younger than her was Aerea, by just a year.

I like to imagine that, if Corlys took to seafaring and his house's traditions in the way no Velaryon had before, Rhaenys was similar to dragon-riding. I like to think of them like that: yin and yang, equally partnered. Especially in the show versions we have of them.

“Storm’s End will stand with us,” Princess Rhaenys said. She herself was of that blood on her mother’s side, and the late Lord Boremund had always been the staunchest of friends.

We don't quite have a full understanding of how close Rhaenys was to her Baratheon kin, over time, and it's a headcanon of mine that Jocelyn stayed more in the Crownlands (including Driftmark) after Aemon's death, considering Borros claims to not know her. Jocelyn's life was there: she'd been fostered in the Red Keep, her half-siblings and in-laws were there and, of course, her daughter and grandchildren. So I don't think we'll ever get to a position where Jocelyn lived at Storm's End. I don't think we'd ever have it so that Storm's End was a frequent flight she made.

But during the happy years? I can well imagine Rhaenys visiting her uncle - you could read their relationship as fairly close, considering how wholeheartedly supported her and how angered he was when she was passed over. And your suggestion? I'm taking that. I imagine the weather wouldn't be daunting to her either. She'd brave the elements and also somehow come out of it looking nothing like a drowned rat or scruffy. I like to think it's impossible for Rhaenys to look scruffy, even after being on dragonback for days, you'd NEVER call her scruffy.

I suppose we'd question whether she'd ever go there to stay - that I can well imagine would not be the case, considering she's an unmarried, young girl as well as Princess. Her duties and her virtue and her instructions would be to stay where her parents are, or where the court is.

[ohblackdiamond]

If you have a chance, I would love to hear your character interpretation of Eric Singer.

I know you have a special fondness for the OG, but I also appreciate the detailed insights you provide about the side characters. For instance, I still remember how the detailed descriptions of the other team members at the beginning of 'black and gold' brought me joy and made me feel more immersed in the story. Speaking of non-OG, I also love your depiction of BK in 'careening'.

(It doesn't have to be very detailed! It is nice to hear someone who is not particularly fond of that person talk about them, just as much as hearing from someone who is their biggest fan. And I’d just be interested to hear what you have to say!)

I’m sorry for writing so much, thank you for taking the time. I hope you have a great day <3

Never be sorry and I'm so glad to hear from you! I love answering questions like this, ask away! I'm glad you enjoyed those parts of black and gold and careening-- careening is one of my favorite of my fics, though it didn't get as much attention as some of my other stories. Bruce's position in the band was interesting as was his genuine good guy nature as opposed to Paul's worn-down, fading rockstar aspects. I like Eric and don't have anything against him but I just honestly haven't spent nearly as much time thinking about him as I have the OG!

Eric Singer-- I have met everyone that was ever in the band except for Vinnie and Eric Carr. I have spoken to Eric twice, once when he handed me the mic at a Kiss Kruise, and once when he was... Candleboy. I like Eric a lot. One of the things I noticed about him was that he was very quick-- on Kruise, he would usually do a surprise last song with whatever band was coming on prior to one of Paul's events, and then would scurry off after that through the regular entrance/exit rather than backstage or anything (of course, given this was a ship there probably wasn't a great, hidden exit...). Anyway, when Eric would leave, there was a lady who would sit next to me outside the entrance. He would always press a guitar pick in her hand and leave, so quickly you wouldn't believe. The pick was for her son, who was autistic and couldn't always go on Kruise. He remembered her and him as they (along with her husband) would come every year. He was super kind to them.

When I spoke to him on Kruise it was pretty brief, I had my hand up for a question and was on the end of the row, but I really didn't think I'd get picked, my hand was only like halfheartedly up, but Eric saw me and suddenly pushed the mic into my hand and tapped the back of my shoulder and told me to stand up and walk closer up. I was like "are you sure you want me to have this (the mic)" and he didn't say anything, just urged me to get up closer. I asked my (goofy) question of Gene and he responded, and Eric said he also used to watch the show I'd asked about.

The second time, he gave me and @elrohare the most bizarre lesson on candle safety I've ever gotten in my life, but I'll let her tell that story.

Overall impressions of Eric are that he's very watchful and aware. He knows where his place is, he's got a journeyman sensibility. I feel like in some ways KISS was a constraint to him and his abilities and that in that sense he ended up creatively frustrated. I think that KISS was very much a job for him, but a job with serious perks. I think as his tenure progressed with the band he was more willing to pop off (up to a point) and I enjoy his relationship with Gene especially; I like that he seemed to help Gene loosen up. And he's the kind of guy that really isn't a jerk to fans and so on-- that's worth a lot, too.

[goldenharmony]

On the topic of Akane being a plot device, I get both sides to the argument. Some people feel that she is solely used to push the revenge plot along while others argue that all characters are devices for their stories so its not fair to critic Akane specifically for moving the story along.

I think how she was used to push the revenge plot was fine up until the break-up, because I felt like we got plenty of her POV and those moments of her finding out information built on her own characterization.

Akane finding out the Ai secret progressed her and Aqua's relationship by bringing them closer but also highlighting both characters' worst qualities. Akane was an enabler and said she would support Aqua even if he was a bad person. Many fans also know of Akasaka's tweet of "Akane Kurokawa is the one takes you there, while Kana Arima is the one who brings you back", which frames Akane as a negative influence to Aqua.

For the whole Hikaru reveal, I would mostly prefer if it she found out the truth over the span of a few chapters rather than like 1 chapter. I definitely don't blame Akane for not wanting to tell Aqua the truth. But where she did go wrong was claiming that she wanted to carry Aqua's burden together with him, while she herself lied to him and was going behind his back to handle Hikaru herself - making her seem like a hypocrite.

I know people felt that she was too plot-device-esque in the Main Stage arc, but I thought the insight we got into her character and her semi-toxic relationship with Aqua was good enough for her to justify how she was used. The only thing I would complain about is that I wish it was a bit harder for her to figure out everything regarding Hikaru and to have it make more sense on how Aqua realized Akane was going after Hikaru (like have a note that falls out of the bouquet or something??)

I don't feel like we've gotten much insight into her character since then, which is why I feel the plot device claims have more weight to them post-Aquakane break-up than pre-Aquakane break-up, since Akane pulling 900 IQ moves wasn't SOLELY done to move the revenge plot along back then. However, I think just saying "Akane's a plot device" and ending the conversation there comes across as bad faith, so here's some random ideas I thought of on how she could've been used better.

Nino/Ai vs. Kana/Akane

A few people noticed that these 2 relationships parallel one another. Akane and Nino both admire and hold a bit of resentment towards their idols. Considering that Akane is the one to reach out to Nino and sympathize for her, I feel like we could've explored these parallels more in the movie arc. I know Nino/Ai already parallels Kana/Ruby, but we can do parallels with more than 1 dynamic.

Plus Nino going "Of course, Ryousuke would've fallen for Ai" and forgiving him...I couldn't help but think of this part.

Akane & Ruby

Both are pretty similar with how they have an unhealthy obsession towards Aqua/Gorou. It would have been nice if both of them confided in one another again, similar to what happened in the Private arc, which would ultimately help them understand the true nature of their feelings and move on from Aqua. We do get the conclusion of Akane - realizing that her feelings are more motherly to Aqua - but I would've liked more focus on how she came to that conclusion, even if the hints were there beforehand.

Akane and Ai

I'll admit that I was one of those people who didn't think Akane was ever imitating Ai. I mostly thought that if the story was going in that direction, then we would get actual focus on how that affected Akane. If she's imitating someone else, what does that say about her self-image? Is it because her experience on LoveNow was so traumatizing that she feels afraid in letting it go?

Although I still stand by the fact that when she competed with Kana on-stage in Tokyo Blade, those were her own stars based on how the scenario is laid-out, as opposed to when she wakes up as Sayahime. It's a bit hard to tell if her eyes having the double-stars in Main Stay is because those are her own stars or if she's suppose to be imitating Ai. I really wish we got more focus on this plotline because it sounds like it could've been really interesting. Instead, we get a few minor hints before the movie arc, and then the conclusion is suddenly given to us.

[aventurineswife]

Continuing to talk about Reader, who ironically is Tartaglia (original codename).

When they meet the rest of the characters in Mondstadt, he's a bit cautious but continues to act "silly" (a silly character) and tells the occasional joke about them. The traveler sometimes finds it somewhat chilling how they can perfectly imitate a voice they've heard.

When they were injured once in Mondstadt and Barbara had to heal them, they felt strangely nauseous. Barbara worried why they seemed like they wanted to vomit, but Reader quickly dismissed it and asked her to continue, secretly saying they did vomit, but it was water. It seemed so strange to her that at night, they and the traveler began to theorize about why the elements rejected the traveler less and what its side effects might be.

—㇏. Anemo = Immediate rejection. Throwing it far away? Perhaps also pushing it from a great distance, regardless of the angle? —㇏. Geo = Unknown for now. —㇏. Electro = Unknown for now… —㇏. Inside = Unknown for now. —㇏. Hydro = Causes gagging and vomiting of pure water. Maybe it has another effect besides those two? —㇏. Pyro = Unknown for now —㇏. Cyro = Unknown for now.

They didn't get much, but he's glad to have a rough idea of ​​what two of the seven elements do.

They seem to get along pretty well with Diluc (ignoring the fact that Diluc sometimes gets a little fed up with them), though Diluc suspects she's withholding certain information but doesn't comment on it. He still can't get over the fact that she tricked him twice with Kaeya's and Venti's voices to order her famous alcoholic drink.

(She did give it to him, but in the end, he ordered another one, which was a green grape flavor.)

—–· ☀️🌻 ⟩ anon.

This Tartaglia-Reader concept just keeps getting more interesting! I love the way Reader behaves, balancing between being silly and mysterious, especially with their ability to perfectly imitate voices. That’s such a cool and subtle detail that makes them feel different in a world where everyone has a unique skill set, but theirs is one that doesn’t immediately stand out. It's almost a bit unsettling for the Traveler, but it also adds so much intrigue, especially when they interact with the other characters.

I can totally see Reader’s injury and healing session with Barbara being a key moment for the group, because it really hints at something strange going on with them. The vomiting water is such an odd detail that raises questions about the true nature of Reader’s relationship with the elements. The fact that Reader gets nauseous when Barbara heals them—and the vomiting of water instead of something more typical—suggests that there’s more to this person than meets the eye. It gives an air of mystery to Reader’s true origins and hints that something deeper is happening, especially when we don’t know the full extent of how they interact with elements. It creates a sense of suspense and could lead to a huge reveal later on that makes their connection to the Fatui or the broader world much more complicated.

The theorizing about the elements that they do with the Traveler is a nice touch. I can see them both getting curious and concerned as they begin to piece together how Reader's strange rejection of certain elements works. The idea that Anemo rejects them immediately, but Hydro causes vomiting of pure water, just adds to the mystery of what’s happening. It feels like Reader’s relationship with the elements is personal and something the Traveler can’t fully grasp yet. It could even evolve into something far more dangerous or important as the story progresses, especially if Reader starts to realize they may be tied to something bigger that goes beyond just being an ordinary traveler.

The dynamic between Reader and Diluc is hilarious and honestly relatable in a way. Diluc's frustration, mixed with his suspicion about the fact that Reader tricked him with Kaeya’s and Venti’s voices to order their drink, creates a great running gag. The idea that Reader can slip under Diluc’s radar with a harmless prank, only to end up giving him exactly what he wanted in the end, is both funny and charming. It makes them feel endearing despite the fact that Diluc’s probably getting tired of being tricked. Their growing relationship also adds an interesting layer of complexity since Diluc's naturally cautious and closed-off, but Reader’s quirks and ability to adapt quickly in social situations could be a fresh challenge for him to navigate.

It feels like Reader’s growing connection with Mondstadt and its people will play a key role in their development. The fact that Reader’s full history is shrouded in mystery, and their elements don't quite align, leaves so many paths for storytelling and character growth. This idea of Reader being in-between, not quite belonging to the world they're in, while also manipulating it in a strange way, gives them a cool edge, and I love how it's done subtly with humor and strange but brilliant moments.

And I just have to mention how Diluc ordering the green grape-flavored drink is such a great addition—it’s so simple but makes Reader’s trickery feel like a gentle joke, something that’s playful but also indicative of how they can interact with people. They’ve got that mysterious yet charismatic vibe that people can’t resist, even if they don't know what’s going on behind the scenes.

[mournmourn]

I was asked by @vinthund for a breakdown of the killing moon/organ chrords playlist, here's my meta ramblings down below ✨

I chose the songs by how they resonated with käsh for me with either themes, lyrics or the genre. I also had a rough feeling of a timeline/story when I was choosing the songs. I wanted the songs to reflect a progression of where we leave them at icip. That magical moment in the forest? Yeah, they transferred their respective homicidal instincts to each other.

I tried to convey this while writing the bio for the playlist, but this isnt a story with a happy ending. Im very much a truther of icip!käsh being a hannigram story re-visioned, and if youve seen the whole show, it is very much a tragedy.

I have drafted a more soft and happy käsh playlist bc I too want some fluff after being focused on this list for a good while. So, that's coming later ☺️

Have fun and sry for being morbid on main lol

SLAUGHTER HOUSE

Aftermath of icip: riding into the sunset moonlight in the truck, while the storm gathers. An omen for some, surely.

Deliverance

The breakdown of the song at the last minute reminds me of icip. Lyrics wise it is about Kä's side of introspection.

Tommy agrees.

Graveyard

Scoping out prey. Just for a goof, I swear.

Eat Me Alive

Chase and a first kill. Themes of masochism & cannibalism. Kä's feelings. He likes the aura of game and pursuit in Tommy. He loves to see the chase happening real time.

Haunted

Tommy's showing the side he hasnt yet shown to Kä. It is very much appreciated

Laura les is in 100 gecs, 100 gecs made a song with Tommy as feature. The cycles, man.

gOth bb

First interval.

Kä's aftermath of dealing with the first kill. It feels exhilirating but he has moments of clarity in intervals, realising the terrifying reality of their actions. But the power feels amazing. Tommy notices this inner turmoil.

Feral Love

Peak of attraction in their dynamic. Dumping of the body into the lake. Tommy feels sentimental and vulnerable.

I Want You

Tommy's feelings towards Kä. It's as much about love as it is about wanting to consume, own, treasure, and hide from the world.

I'm Not Done

Tommy had been almost found out once. He loves to tell that story.

Tear You Apart

Mutual feeling of their relationship. If I knew how to edit videos, I'd do an icip edit with this. Tiktok edit core, but I've had this song on my liked list since 2015.

Biting down

Second interval.

In order to consume and to love is to bare your teeth and chew. Seeing your partner as a meal can mean a lot of things.

Stockholm Syndrome

I don't see their relationship as a stockholm syndrome, this is mutually being freaks and as bad as each other. The lyrics and atmosphere however are perfect.

Kä's feelings of being whisked away to their rampage. He revels in the pretentious feeling of being taken apart, and their mutual violent nature.

Keep the Streets Empty for Me

They have a dynamic. One distracts, one takes chase. Tommy is an entity on prowl.

Kerosene

Tommy will take care of him, rinse the crimson from his hands and embrace him in the smell of kerosene and disinfectant. The hold feels like a bed of web. He's lulled into a rest without sleep.

Acid Rain

Third interval.

Chase. Rain. A forest, again. Too little oxygen to the brain. Too much strain on calves. Sense of wrongness, failure, fear.

If I Had a Heart

Obsession isnt enough to aspire love. Love isnt enough to aspire devotion. Certain hunger cannot be sated by mere attraction.

The Killing Moon

He senses the turn in the tension. He'd willingly become the sacrificial lamb if it was required to see him smile again.

13 Angels Standing Guard Round

It's quiet again.

How Will You Meet Your End?

[no-gorms]

Just reread the 'A Furious Vexation' verse, and have a brainworm over how- as their relationship grows -their domestic PDA would grow. Obvs the verse has a vastly different take on acceptable PDA, like how being all sweet with each other would raise more eyebrows than fucking, and I wouldn't expect either Steve or Tony to be too fond of that type of PDA anyway (at least in this verse) but I wanted to ask you if you had any Oh They're Domestic headcanons about how their relationship progresses? Does Steve's constant staring yield? Does the "Stark" name get thrown around more & does it cause a little chaos as people react to Tony's reappearance? Sorry to bring back an old verse but it's got me totally hooked again! Really really well-written- all the emotional beats are so accurately pinned down -with the fight scene between Thor and Steve being an absolute masterclass for writers in the fandom.

----

Ooooh thank you! Gosh okay, I'm very fond of that universe with that high octane possessiveness etc, though I haven't thought as much about their future, just little bits of maybe here and there as their attachment deepens and Steve's gang accepts that Tony's part of it, and Tony accepts his part in the gang.

Like there'd be more of Tony casually crawling into Steve's lap whenever and wherever (just to sit there and be held!) and Steve physically picking Tony up whenever and wherever he wants Tony's company, and for Tony a big moment is when he accepts his status within Steve's gang -- which means that his opinions matter. His orders matter. The others slowly start to turn to him to instruction and Tony, despite his still-present anxieties about his supposedly destructive nature, comes into his own and takes that shared leadership role at Steve's side.

Also Tony gets overwhelmed whenever Steve, standing stern and arms crossed as he thinks about some problem then just silently looks at Tony to get his opinion. It's probably not meant to be sexy! But it is! Steve can still pin Tony in place with just a glance!

Meanwhile Steve finds it so so sexy when Tony finally speaks up out of turn to drop some snarky thought that their gang actually listens to, even if they grumble about it. Dropping the Stark name (that's a good one, anon!) in public is also a useful too, isn't it -- like even though Tony winces sometimes, the fearful reaction it gets out of other people makes Steve so proud.

Oh! I may have mentioned before but I just remembered, I also figure that Steve and Tony will wear each other's marks. Like Steve already gave Tony that leather piece with a star to wear on his wrist, but Tony will give something to Steve in return and Steve is so verklempt (in his post-apocalyptic gang leader way) that he temporarily devolves the leadership role to Sam for a few days while Steve takes Tony away for some alone time. (Tony: 🤷‍♀️)

[review-anon]

An asoot question specifically, thoughts on hotel akane?

Its a very interesting harem as while the Cuddle Puddle was formed due to Hajime's desire to get his old loved ones back, Akane naturally didn't love anyone but Utsuro in the Tragedy Timeline and being the pansexual disaster she is, once Sora gave her the harem rights since she's okay with just being with Yoruko, I was wondering where this was gonna go.

Her first partner is Ayame which is a very unsurprising ship as its a very common pairing indeed, but what I like, compared with the Cuddle Puddle is that each member is added after they've spend enough time together and developed feelings naturally. Of course Akane was already horny for Ayame, so it was a case of Ayame realising she is into women as well and then kissing Akane when she was around to comfort her in The Puppetmaster.

Akane and Nikei is one that definitely formed during the blog as no way would these two get together in canon, unlike with Ayame and Akane which you could argue if Akane learns her attachment to Utsuro was unhealthy, she could end up with Ayame. The two obviously have the connection they are Divine Luck users but as I mentioned in Nikei's analysis, Akane is the exact kind of person Nikei needs in life; someone who is patient and understanding of him, but also isn't gonna be pushed around by him and will stand her ground. They definitely got off the wrong foot at first since Akane decked Nikei in the stomach and then Nikei threatened to blow Akane's brains out, fun times. But eventually they made it up and Akane has apologised to Nikei numourus times about that as she said its more her fault for listening to Sora at the time. It also takes a while to progress but eventually in The Puppetmaster, they do the Fire Emblem thing where they confess their feelings while destroying Maverick's robots, which is both heartwarming and one of my funniest moments because of the sheer adsurity of it.

Nikei and Ayame's connections are also good as they got off to a good start when Ayame's first act is to stop Nikei being beaten to death by a mob. They haven't had as many moments together as they have had with Akane, but we do see a different side to their interactions as Ayame's attitude towards the Tragedy Timeline makes Nikei feel better about himself due to how vile his Tragedy self was, something that has given him a lot of guilt, and he also makes Ayame feel better about her feminine side which is a deep insensitivity she harbours due to her background and Japanese social norms.

Yuki and Kizuna are officialy together due to the Puppetmaster and while Kizuna has recieved a bit of a glow up in personality as she's not a shallow gold digger, just someone who's scared of being taken advantage of by men and ran away to Sunny Days to see herself for who she is. Its there she meets Yuki, the one boy who doesn't seek to take advantage of her and its that kindness which touches Kizuna and makes her fall for him, despite the fact when they get off the island, they live far apart so its a long distance relationship. In Yuki's case, his main vice is that he wants to feel like he's wanted and special, so the fact he's Kizuna's special person, has given him the self-confidence that he requires to be his own person.

Granted Kizuna and Yuki haven't spend much time with the other Hotel Akane members, but they will in future arcs and eventually the harem will be finished. I like this harem as it doesn't have the common ship options in it and while I feel the Cuddle Puddle was very rushed in execution, Hotel Akane is more of a slow burner which I prefer greatly.

I also find it hillarious all the members of Hotel Akane tried to or have killed each other in the Tragedy Timeline. Kizuna tried to kill Akane, who was then killed by Ayame to protect Akane, and Yuki not had his mother slaughtered by Akane who kidnapped him so Utsuro could steal his idenitity, but later on he would be gaslight by Nikei to try and kill Shinji. This harem is the biggest proof that all the members involved are trying to be better people in A Student Out of Time, which is more then I can say for the other harems.

[theonethatwatchesalotofshows]

Since you gave us such a fun poll about overrated ships, name ten ships that you consider overrated and a sentence or two about why you don't love them as much as most fans do :)

Ooh this is fun, okay:

Rachel and Ross from Friends- okay, I know they are not very popular on this site specifically but generally they are held as this gold standard of will-they/won't-they iconic couple that basically invented shipping and other couples are compared to. But if you look at the actual show, you might realize they actually dated only for 10% of it. The rest was bickering and excuses.

Blair and Chuck from Gossip Girl- everything I said about Roschel applies also here, but in this case I literally can't stand them (with Roschel I am pretty neutral). When I first watched the show I thought: "these two are toxic af but I could see why people like them or find them entertaining" but now it's not even that. When I did my rewatch of some of the seasons I found myself cringing whenever these two had a romantic scene together, because I just saw no chemistry! This is extremely unpopular I know, but I wish they kept Chuck a chaotic villain and not turned him into the romantic lead because it just felt so forced.

Joey and Pacey from Dawson's Creek - this is very unpopular even on this site, so please don't send hate, but I just prefer Pacey with Andie, because imo that love story is much better written and progresses more naturally. With Pacey and Joey it seemed like the writers themselves couldn't agree if they want them together or not. I could write a whole essay about this so if you are interested just send an ask lol.

Haley and Nathan from One Tree Hill - I know on paper I should love this couple but I just don't. Their enemies to lovers arc was so rushed- they literally went from hating each other to dating in like 5 episodes and then from dating to marriage in less than a season, while they were still in high school! I also didn't like how there was so much focus on sex or lack thereof while they were dating.

Brittany and Santana from Glee - I used to like them before I realized how messed up they really are. Brittany outed Santana twice, once on a public YouTube channel, and tried to force her out of the closet by making her a t-shirt that says lesbian and telling her that if she loves her she will wear it. And then once Santana was out of the closet, Brittany leaked their sex tape!

Ian and Mickey from Shameless - I just can't get over the fact that Mickey brutally beat up Ian in season 3. I know that this is a show full of messed up people doing messed up things, but this is stopping me from ever seriously shipping them.

Effy and Freddie from Skins - I don't understand why she chose him over Cook, when the whole season she seemed to be pining over Cook and Freddie's feelings for her seemed very one-sided. At least up until the point Freddie got a gf and stopped pining after Effy, she didn't seem to care about him too much. Also she and Cook are much more similar while Freddie is such a boring character whose only personality trait is that he's sad.

Lorelai and Luke from Gilmore Girls - it pains to say me so much, because their buildup was so great, but their actual relationship was a mess.

Logan and Rory from Gilmore Girls - okay these two are not overrated in the sense of everyone loves them but many people if they are not full shippers say that they are the "only healthy and mature relationship on the show", which is not true. They fight, ghost each other, give each other silent treatment, get jealous and possessive of each other, and have communication issues too. They are not some pinacle of healthy relationships.

Last but not least, Romeo and Juliet were supposed be some kind of a romantic tale of love? The pinacle of romance? I am convinced that the people who say that didn't even read the book.

I feel the need to clarify again that these are all just my opinions which I am aware are unpopular. If you like one or multiple of these, that's also fine, that's nothing wrong with that.

[stardust-blossom]

The perfect prom night

It was prom season, and Marinette was feeling both nervous and excited. She had been eagerly waiting for this special night for months, but now that it was just a few days away, she couldn't help but feel a bit overwhelmed by all the preparations and expectations.

Fortunately, she had a great support system in her friends and family, and most importantly, in her boyfriend Luka. They had been dating for a few months now, and their relationship had been going smoothly and sweetly. Luka was the kind of boyfriend who always knew how to make her feel calm and happy, with his gentle smile, soothing voice, and cool music.

Marinette was so grateful to have him by her side for prom, and she wanted to make sure it would be a memorable and fun night for both of them. She had picked a lovely dress, a pink and silver gown that matched her hair and eyes, and she had styled it with some elegant accessories and shoes. She had also asked Luka to wear a suit that complemented her dress, and he had happily agreed.

On the evening of prom, Marinette felt a mix of excitement and anxiety as she got ready in her room. She did her makeup carefully, trying to balance her natural features with some subtle glitter and blush. She checked her phone, hoping to see some messages from Luka, but he hadn't texted her since the afternoon.

Marinette wondered if he was still coming, or if something had happened to him. She tried to push away her worries, but they kept creeping back into her mind, like dark clouds threatening to spoil her happy mood.

Just as she was about to call him, the doorbell rang. Marinette rushed to answer it, her heart beating faster as she wondered who it could be. When she opened the door, she saw Luka standing there, holding a bouquet of roses and wearing a black suit that made him look handsome and charming.

"Hey Marinette," he said, his eyes twinkling with admiration. "You look amazing."

Marinette blushed and smiled, feeling relieved and thrilled at the same time. She hugged him tightly, feeling his warmth and kindness and love. She inhaled the sweet scent of his roses and whispered in his ear.

"Thank you for coming, Luka. I was worried you had changed your mind."

"Never," he said, kissing her forehead gently. "I will always be here for you, Marinette. No matter what."

Marinette felt like melting into his arms and kissing him passionately, but she knew they had to go to prom. She took his hand and led him outside, where her parents were waiting to take some pictures.

As they walked towards the school gym, Marinette and Luka chatted and laughed, sharing stories about their past prom experiences and their expectations for this one. They talked about their dreams and hopes, their fears and doubts, and their love for each other. Marinette felt like she had never been happier, or more in love, than at that moment.

When they arrived at the gym, they saw a sea of teenagers dressed in their finest clothes, dancing and chatting and having fun. The music was loud and catchy, and the lights were flashing in all directions. Marinette felt a bit overwhelmed by the crowd and the noise, but Luka held her hand tightly and guided her through the crowd.

They found a quiet corner where they could sit and talk without shouting, enjoying the occasional sip of punch and the sight of their classmates having a blast. Luka told Marinette how beautiful she looked under the disco ball, and Marinette blushed and returned the compliment, telling him how handsome and cool he looked.

They danced a few slow songs together, hugging and swaying and feeling each other's heartbeats. Marinette felt like she was floating on a cloud, surrounded by Luka's love and music. She forgot all her worries and fears, and focused on the present moment, enjoying every second of it.

As the night progressed, Marinette and Luka had some more fun, taking silly photos in the photo booth, trying different snacks and desserts, and chatting with some of their friends. They also had a romantic moment under the stars, sneaking out of the gym and gazing at the stars and the moon. Luka played a song on his guitar, and Marinette sang along, feeling like she was in a fairy tale.

When the prom was over, Marinette and Luka walked out of the school hand in hand, feeling a bit sad that the night had ended so soon. They hugged each other tightly, promising to remember this special moment forever.

"Thank you for being my prom date, Luka," Marinette said, smiling at him. "I had the best time ever, thanks to you."

"Likewise, Marinette," Luka said, kissing her cheek. "You made my prom dreams come true by inviting me. I will never forget this night, or you."

Marinette blushed and hugged him again, feeling like she had found her soulmate. She knew that she would cherish this memory for years to come, and that she would always be grateful for having Luka in her life. They walked home, feeling happy and sleepy and content, holding hands and humming a sweet melody.