#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 😩

[sk3tch404]

Yandere Weeping Clown Thoughts!!

CW: Nothing too bad, just your usual creeper, manipulation, and analysis(?) on his character. Tbh hes so yandere coded that everything blurs together atp (and I'm using "yandere coded" sort of loosely bc that makes me sound like a yandere enabler or smth, which like, lol no but in fiction yeah funne). Called him Joker bc it was easier to use/remember than Weepy, and also bc they called them that in all the lore drop so 🤷‍♀️

A/n: Just saw the new Hullabaloo lore drop and IDV has taken me back into its clutches. He is so yandere material 🫶 Proof read enough to go "that's postable."

Joker is quite sensitive to his darlings perception of him. He always tries to do the right thing, tries to please you so that when you smile at him, that strangely unfamiliar warmth spreads through his chest. A smile tugging on the corners of his mouth, stringing his lips up as if he were a puppet. And a puppet of your design he shall be if you wished it so.

Joker is definitely a worshipping sort of yandere. He'll do most of anything for his darling if it made them just a teeny bit closer. Any progress is better than no progress. Even if it means visiting you in the dead of night to "check on you," or often "bumping into you" in places that you frequent at the manor. He'll stop bothering you if you reject his advances, but he'll come back around sooner or later. Joker doesn't want you to hate him, but he also doesn't want to be away from you! Although you may say some hurtful things like, "It's making me uncomfortable, sorry," or, "Can you leave me alone for a while," he knows deep down that if he teeters around the boundaries you set for long enough, he can wiggle his way through and to your heart. At least, that's what he hopes.

Despite his subservient nature to his darling, Joker isn't so obedient around others. He has his more introverted traits for sure, but his sensitivity to anger is fragile, especially when it comes to you. Joker doesn't have many qualms about taking a stand for you or himself if it came to it. He wants to be your protector, so he isn't very afraid to say something if he feels the need to. It can become quite the scene if the other party doesn't back down, making either you or someone else the mediator of the debacle. It's exhausting to have to manage your persistent follower, but it's better to handle a situation rather than let it spiral out of control, leaving the consequences of his mental break to you.

With his fragility also comes his keen eye for any chances to take advantage of a situation. Joker isn't very intimidating physically or feared for being calculating, but he is usually dismissed, and that makes for perfect cover if he plays his cards right. Framing people for his crimes can be a walk in the park depending on the situation, and manipulating those weaker than him isn't something he wholeheartedly takes pride in, but if it's for you, if it's for you, the singular most important person and one he adores most in his rotten life, then he's happy to oblige. If it wins you over in the end, then that's all that matters, right?

Joker will try to convince his darling to stay by his side and will get more desperate depending on the circumstances. He's not a kidnapper type, more of an idealist. Not to confuse that with delusional though. Joker knows full well how you probably feel about your strained relationship, but if he doesn't try now, he'll never get to be with you, and that's unacceptable. He wants to live a romantic and sweet life with you day in and day out, so he'd hate to see you miserable and locked up. If he can't love you the way he wants to, then what would be the point?

Even with that, Joker isn't above guilt tripping or petty manipulation tactics like that. He really can be unpredictable at times and can become very dangerous if his darling constantly shows no interest. Although he is a romantic idealist in his mind with you, he's also the type to slip into the "if I can't have you, no one can" mentality. He might just end up hurting his darling, but it won't be anything too drastic by the time it happens. Joker would feel terrible, terrified, and utterly disgusted with himself after seeing your petrified state. He'd drop to his knees and attempt to mutter consoling words, somewhat even begging for your forgiveness.

"Y- Y/n, no, oh no, no... Y/n, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, please. Don't cry, I didn't mean to. I truly am sorry. I had just- I wasn't thinking straight. I would never hurt you. If only you hadn't done this, then... No, just come back to me Y/n."

He is still quite demanding even while apologizing, which would make your fear even greater. Joker doesn't want to force his darling's hand, but if it really came down to it, he'd give his darling a grade A verbally manipulative beat down. He'll use anything and everything against you so that all else but him looks ugly in that moment. Sure being at the receiving end of his unstable anger was horrifying, but be honest with yourself, were it not for him who has saved you countless times in both matches and inside the manor, you would be long dead by now. Anything is on the table, anything just so you will come back to him once more. He has little to no guilt in it, just the fear that he will seriously break if you're still in a right state of mind. So, in turn, he'll unfortunately have to break you first.

[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

[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.

[mint-yooxgi]

{8} - Morning Mist - Yandere!Dragon!Ateez X Chubby!Reader

Yandere AU & Dragon AU

Genre: Mature, Horror, Angst

Pairing: Ateez X Reader (Focus on San & Wooyoung)

Words: 4,331

Warnings: Small mention of a burn injury. I think that’s all. This is a Yandere story, it will contain themes such as stalking, violence, obsession, possessive natures, and just general overall creepiness and swearing. You have been warned.

A/n: Okay, so I know this chapter and the last might be a little slow or boring to some, but it’s setting up the flow of the rest of the story before it really takes off. There’s going to be a few time skips going forward which will help progress all of their relationships better, but I'm honestly excited for the next chapter. More build up is coming, and then it’s time for the eldest to make a reappearance! Perhaps even a certain hotheaded brother of theirs ehehehe anyways, as always feedback is greatly appreciated! Enjoy~

Also, gentle reminder that I do not do tag lists.

Chapter One - Chapter Two - Chapter Three - Chapter Four - Chapter Five - Chapter Six - Chapter Seven - Mini Masterlist

“Are you sure this is the right place?” Wooyoung whispers to the male beside him.

“It has to be,” San scrunches his nose as he takes another deep breath in. “It reeks of them.”

“Okay, well,” Wooyoung shoots a look at the elder dragon out of the corner of his eyes, “why don’t you go knock on their door first, and find out?”

“Why can’t you do it?” San counters, eyes sharp as they both continue to crouch in the bush.

“You’re the eldest!” Wooyoung harshly whispers, an exasperated look in his eyes. “I still have my whole life ahead of me; I’m so young!”

“I’m not that much older than you,” San frowns, shooting a pointed look at the dragon beside him. “If anything, the youngest should protect his elder.”

“Who are you, my mother?”

“With how often I have to baby you, it certainly feels like it.”

“You take that back right now, or I’m gonna-“

“Is there a reason the two of you Halas are crouching in our bush?” A voice from behind them startles both San and Wooyoung so much that they both fall onto their asses instantly.

“Oh, we weren’t hiding,” San chuckles sheepishly, the tips of his ears slowly turning red.

“I never said you were,” the male hums, stepping around them and into the yard. “Ten, don’t attack the newbies.”

A rustling from above their heads draws their attention to the branches of the tree they’re currently under. They didn’t even know they were being watched.

“Aw, you ruin all my fun,” said male pouts, hopping down from the tree in the next second. A dull thud is heard before Ten stands back to his full height right before the two Halas, a gleam in his eyes. “So, the two of you want to learn about medicine, huh?”

“Ten, you’re about as intimidating as a mouse,” the other male sighs, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

“I wouldn’t be if you didn’t keep interrupting!” Ten retorts, turning his head to glare at the other male standing off to the side.

“I’m sorry for him,” the male sighs. “I’m Taeil, but I’m sure you both have probably figured that out by now. I’ve been told you’re in need of instruction?”

This seems to snap the two Hala’s out of their daze.

“Uh… yes,” San clears his throat, being the first to stand back to his feet. Almost immediately, he bows to the two Neos before him, introducing both him and his brother. “Thank you for taking the time to train us.”

Wooyoung, noticing the bow that San gives the two elder males, is quick to follow, mumbling a small ‘thanks’ as well.

“Don’t thank us just yet,” Taeil huffs, turning around and beginning to move around the back of the house. “Come. We have much to do.”

Fifteen minutes later, and both San and Wooyoung are standing behind a table with a bunch of herbs spread out before them. Two cauldrons rest off to the side, empty and ominous, as both Ten and Taeil stand across from the Halas.

“First thing’s first, we need to know what you know so we’re not repeating ourselves,” Taeil comments, eyes briefly darting down to the array of plants spread out before them on the table. “I hate when people talk down to me, so I will not be attempting to do so to you.”

“Name as many of these as you can, and separate them into piles of what you know, what you do not know, and those you think you know but are unsure of.” Ten instructs. “Use whatever means necessary to identify the ones you can.”

This earns Ten a smack upside the head from Taeil before the elder male is turning to face San and Wooyoung once more.

“If you are ever unsure of a herb, do not ingest it.” Taeil’s eyes narrow into slits. “That’s the quickest way to get yourself killed.”

“Aw, Taeil,” Ten whines. “You ruin all the fun.”

“Need I remind you of what happened when you tried that technique on Shotaro.” Taeil’s eyes flash, and they all see Ten visibly stiffen.

“I didn’t think he’d be dumb enough to actually taste the frost berries,” Ten mumbles, subconsciously rubbing at his left forearm.

“He was still a hatchling, he didn’t know any better,” Taeil crosses his arms over his chest, voice firm. “You’re lucky both her and I were here to handle it at the time.”

“I will never forget the wrath in her eyes that day,” Ten shudders.

“You deserved it,” Taeil hums, eyes briefly darting to the male’s left forearm. “Honestly, she didn’t do enough.”

Ten rolls his eyes, “and they say I’m the sadistic one.”

Both San and Wooyoung share a cautious look.

“Well, what are you waiting for?” Taeil shifts his gaze to the two Halas once more, an unnerving grin settling onto his features. “Get started.”

An hour later, and after many hushed arguments between Wooyoung and San over which herbs are which, the two dragons finally have three distinct piles before them. Carefully, both Taeil and Ten inspect the pile of plants the two Halas do not know, nodding to themselves all the while.

“Alright, go through the pile you know and tell us everything you know about the identified herbs.” Taeil stands, arms crossed, just opposite San. “We can work with those ones for today and tomorrow.”

Ten quickly clears the table of the other two piles, making sure to keep each separate from the other as he places them in their own holding containers. As soon as he’s standing across from Wooyoung, they begin.

San does most of the talking, Wooyoung chiming in here and there with what he knows. With each herb identified, the plants are once more spread out across the table before all of them. A fact which makes it easier to look them over.

After each herb is properly identified, and both San and Wooyoung tell the two Neos everything they know about it, Ten and Taeil are taking the time to explain any additional medicinal uses of each. Some, they only need to add one or two things to their explanation, and others, San seemingly understands everything there is about them already.

To say that Taeil is mildly impressed would be an understatement.

“Alright, good,” Taeil nods, an approving look shining in his eyes. “Understanding the basics is a key part to any good herbal remedy or tonic. Without knowing what you’re working with, you can severely hurt yourself, or the people you are attempting to help. You cannot build a house without a good foundation.”

Both Wooyoung and San nod eagerly in response.

“Now, for the fun part!” Ten grins, moving over to the edge of the woods. “You’ve successfully identified the plants on the tables, and you now know the fundamental uses of each. To continue, you need to be able to find and curate them in the wild.”

“How are we supposed to do that?” Wooyoung frowns lightly, eyes darting between Ten and the vast forest behind him.

At the way San’s brow quirks somewhat amusedly, Taeil sighs. “You cannot rely on growing exactly what you need when you need it all the time. There could be instances where you are unconscious, and your clan needs to revive you. The soil could be infertile, or you may not have the strength left in you to expend such energy to grow such resources. You both need to learn to survive off of the land as if you don’t have the added benefits of growing what you desire every time.”

“I can’t grow things like that,” Wooyoung begins, a slight pout on his face.

“But he can,” Ten points to San.

“How do you know my powers are plant related?” San eyes the two males cautiously, guard raised slightly.

“Well, for one, you have a keen interest in herbs,” Taeil begins. “If you could heal like me, you wouldn’t have had such an intense reaction to the frost berry leaves the other day.”

“That, and you care for plants like Jungwoo does. A dragon with the exact same power as you.” Ten explains.

Just then, a head pops out the backdoor. “I heard my name.”

“Ah, Jungwoo, good timing,” Taeil hums, motioning the younger dragon to join them with his head. “Would you be so kind as to inform these two about your personal training?”

“What about it?” Jungwoo’s brow furrows as he comes to stand beside Ten.

“You weren’t allowed to use your powers at all when she trained you on herbs and remedies. Isn’t that correct?” Taeil shoots the male a knowing look.

“It was a bit of a pain at first, but honestly, it helped me better in the long run.” Jungwoo nods, recalling the memories now. “It’s easier for me to identify and find the proper plants now, without having to expend my energy creating them.”

“How do you expect us to find all of them, then?” San looks between the three Neos in front of them.

“Have you never tracked something before?” Ten’s brow raises, incredulously.

“We never said you couldn’t use your other senses.” Taeil hints, a grin tugging at the corners of his lips.

“How do you expect us to find the plants that have no aroma? Or similar smelling plants?” Wooyoung huffs, frustration beginning to pull on his features.

“Everything in this world has a specific scent, even the things that you think do not. Right there is your hint: what can you sense, and what can you not.” Taeil replies, staring into Wooyoung’s eyes, and then San’s equally. “Train yourself to recognize everything in an area, both organic and not, the moment you either set foot on land, or pass over it in your true form.”

“If nothing is there to sense, how do you expect us to know whether something is there or not?” Wooyoung’s frown deepens, irritation beginning to show on his features as he goes to take a step forward.

San’s hand on the younger male’s shoulder stops him right in his tracks.

“I think I understand what you’re saying,” the dragon nods slowly to himself. “The clue is the missing scent for things that do not have a smell.”

Taeil smiles knowingly, while Ten simply begins to chuckle deeply. The only one who remains calm is Jungwoo, but even he nods his head subtly.

“You have more than just a sensitive nose, boy,” Jungwoo locks gazes with him. “You may not be allowed to expend your powers, but we can do more than just cause plants to bloom.”

San’s brows furrow mildly in confusion as Jungwoo takes this time to head back into the house.

“You’ll figure it out eventually,” he calls over his shoulder. “Just make sure you listen.”

The sound of the backdoor shutting echoes throughout the space soon after. A look of determination spreads across San’s features, while Wooyoung still looks confused.

“I don’t care how long it takes, but find each of those herbs on the table in the wild,” Taeil instructs. “When you’re done, come back here and find us.”

“You know general areas of growth for most of them now, it shouldn’t be that hard.” Ten adds, nodding to each of them. “Good luck.”

Without another word, the two Neos are walking back towards the house, leaving the two Halas to their thoughts.

They share a look.

“Well,” San lets out a low breath, “let’s get searching.”

The task is in no way simple, and it takes the two of them hours to find each and every herb that had been on that table. There had even been a few times where they had to go back and sniff the plants to make sure they were harvesting the correct ones. The scentless ones were a bit of a pain, but San seemed to have a better time finding those after a little while.

Now, as the sun begins to set, hues of orange and red painting the sky, they finally have the collection of herbs ready for inspection.

The backdoor creaks open, light pouring out of the opening as Ten and Taeil step back outside.

“Finished harvesting, are we?” Ten hums, munching on a small roll of bread.

The way both Halas eye that piece of food does not go unnoticed by either Neo.

“Let’s see how you did.” Taeil sighs, stepping up to the table and ignoring how both male’s stomachs begin to growl. A moment later, he nods. “Good. It took you both a few hours, but you’ve successfully managed to pick the proper herbs. Tomorrow, we’ll focus on brewing some tonics with these select plants, as well as what not to mix them with. For now-“

“Here,” two small rolls of bread are tossed into the air, one aimed towards each male. “You two must be starving.”

Catching the bun is easy with their reflexes, and both San and Wooyoung lift their heads to see Renjun standing with his arms crossed beside Ten.

“She’d kill us if we didn’t treat you as proper guests.” Renjun adds, motioning behind him to the open backdoor. “You’re both welcome to eat with us tonight, and every night henceforth until the week of your training has been complete.”

“Thank you for the offer,” Wooyoung inclines his head, along with San. “I’m afraid we’ll have to politely decline tonight.”

“We should probably get back home, anyways.” San replies, a faint, gracious smile on his lips. “Thank you for everything today. Same time tomorrow?”

Taeil nods, eyes glinting beneath the setting sun. “See you then.”

Without another word, the two Halas are turning around and disappearing into the forest. A few seconds later, two dragons are seen taking off into the darkening sky, tails flicking contently behind them as they travel home.

The rest of the week continues on like this. San and Wooyoung always arrive a little early for their lessons, to which both Ten and Taeil enjoy teasing them as much as they can before actually starting for the day.

The second day was spent brewing different mixtures and tonics with the plants they had knowledge of. Then, the next, the two Halas were instructed to go through the pile of herbs they thought they knew, but were unsure of. Both Ten and Taeil either confirmed or corrected their labelling of the plants, again making sure to inform each dragon of the effects of such herbs when necessary. Then, they were instructed to find said plants in the wild using their senses, to which they had a bit of a harder time doing, but it didn’t take them as long the second time around.

The fourth day was spent brewing again, but this time, using the plants they had recently confirmed as such. Wooyoung accidentally added too much sweetgrass to his mixture, which caused his tonic to turn into a strong sleeping tonic instead of a burn remedy. However, San was able to save the mixture, much to both Ten and Taeil’s surprise.

So far, their training is coming along swimmingly.

The fifth and sixth days were, again, repeats of the days before, but now focussing on the pile of plants neither male had any idea about. It took Ten and Taeil a little longer to explain things to them, and they ended up quizzing them once they were done going through all of them, just to be safe. Once both males could confidently identify each plant, they were sent scavenging for them. It was the hardest hunt, but the shortest after falling into a rhythm, and now knowing what to look for.

In fact, both Wooyoung and San started to pick up certain scents easier than others after a few days. Each male soon was able to recognize certain herbal aromas growing in different area, even on their flights to and from the Neo’s house every day. San could even sense the earth beneath his very soul easier, and a few times, he could have sworn he heard whispers on the wind. Though, he tended to ignore those. For now.

Each night when they both got home, they would share everything and anything they could about their learnings from the day to any and all of their brothers who would listen. Jongho, Hongjoong, and Yunho all seemed to be the most attentive, and even Yeosang could not hide his interest when sitting in the same room. However, attempting to convince Mingi or Seonghwa to listen could be a challenge. Yet, both males could not ignore the way they could now sense the eldest listening in on every conversation despite looking irritated the whole time.

The seventh and final day of their training week with Taeil and Ten is spent brewing remedies and mixing salves to any and all scenarios the two Neos can come up with. It’s the perfect way to test Wooyoung’s and San’s knowledge from the past week, or so they’ve been told. Besides, it’s good to go over everything new learned, especially if they’re still not entirely used to brewing certain things yet.

It’s when both San and Wooyoung are working on their fifth tonics for the day when you arrive. You push through the bush, sliding the hood of your cloak from your head as soon as you enter the clearing, a calm demeanour to your gait that instantly spreads through them all.

“Good afternoon,” you greet with a friendly smile, and both San and Wooyoung swear the sun begins to shine just a little bit brighter in that moment.

“We were wondering when you would show up,” Ten hums, arms crossed as he sits on one of the benches by the wooden tables they’ve lined up outside.

“I’ve heard no complaints from either of you so far, so I figured training has been going well,” you reply, shifting the basket you’re carrying to your opposite hand.

Just then, the backdoor slams open, and five males come scrambling out.

“See!” Shotaro elbows Jaemin quite harshly in the ribs. “I told you I heard her voice!”

“Yeah, well, I sensed her first!” Haechan retorts, walking briskly towards where you’re currently standing.

“No, I did,” Jaemin grumbles, crossing his arms over his chest grumpily.

“Oh, no,” Jeno pulls Haechan back by the scruff of his neck. “Like hell I’ll let you be the first to see her before me.”

Only, the next time the four males look over, they see Chenle already practically hanging off of you, his arms wrapped securely around your waist.

“You snooze, you lose, fellas.” He chuckles, a cheeky grin pulling onto his lips.

At the way he sense both Halas shooting not-so-subtle glances his way, his eyes begin to shine with mischief. Squeeing your waist a bit tighter, Chenle places a quick peck to your cheek, grinning wildly as he sees San throw the next ingredient rather harshly into his cauldron.

“My Cubs,” you hum affectionately, and content rumbles meet your ears from all around as you ruffle Chenle’s hair. “I’ve missed you, too.”

“Are you staying for dinner?” Shotaro bounds up to you, immediately falling into step beside you as you begin to walk towards the back door.

“I’m cooking, so I better be,” you chuckle, and the way you see all of their eyes light up has a smile pulling at your features once more. “You boys would eat me out of house and home if you could.”

“Let me carry that for you, then,” Jeno quickly swipes the basket from your hands before you can so much as protest. Of course, you fail to see the way the edge of his lips quirk upwards smugly as he walks right passed both San and Wooyoung who watch him quite sharply out of the corner of their eyes.

“My sweet boys,” your eyes shine with a fondness neither Hala has seen before from you. A fondness which they want to experience more of, but perhaps, directed towards them instead.

A clearing of Taeil’s throat manages to draw them out of their dazes. Each male turns to the elder dragon to see him looking towards them with a quirked brow, only for his gaze to dart down at the cauldrons in the next second.

That’s when the smell of burning pine reaches San’s nostrils.

“My tonic!” The panic that seizes him is instant, and he begins to fret over the bubbling substance, immediately pulling it from over the flames.

Not for long, though, for a loud bang echoes from beside him as Wooyoung’s cauldron explodes. The force is enough to send both Halas stumbling back, the younger of the two clutching his right wrist tenderly in his opposite hand.

Pieces of broken cauldron litter the surrounding area, but luckily, no shards have embedded themselves in anyone’s flesh.

“Ten, did you fucking add dried juniper powder to the ingredients on the table again?” You gaze is sharp, tone somewhat amused as the dragon innocently averts his gaze.

In the next moment, Ten stands from the table he’s sitting at, mumbling something about Hendery and Xiaojun needing his help with something. He disappears inside the house rather quickly after that, whistling innocently all the while.

A sigh escapes you, ushering your cubs inside as well, and telling them to start prepping some of the food before you come inside to cook.

“What am I going to do with you?” You shake your head, mumbling under your breath.

Walking over, you extend your hand out to Wooyoung, who gently places his burnt wrist in your grip.

“I hope he hasn’t been like this the whole week,” you sigh once more, inspecting Wooyoung’s wrist tenderly as Taeil cleans up the remains of the cauldron.

“No, no,” Wooyoung waves your worry off, a blush creeping onto his cheeks as he feels you holding his one hand so carefully in your own. “I just wasn’t paying attention.”

You quirk a brow, meeting his gaze. “Then, would you like me to heal this, or would you like to show me what you’ve learned?”

Immediately, Wooyoung straightens beneath your gaze. Carefully, he steps up once more to the table with the various plants spread out on the surface after reluctantly pulling his hand out of your grip. Confidently, and with little hesitance, he begins to combine herbs in a mortar, grinding them together despite wincing slightly in pain.

Wordlessly, you stand beside San as you watch Wooyoung work, a small smile tugging at your lips. A smile of which has a pride filling the younger’s chest as he finishes creating a paste to spread over his burn.

Of course, once he’s finished mixing the salve, he offers it to you. A giddy smile rests on his features as you nod softly, a somewhat expectant look in your eyes as you push the mortar back towards Wooyoung for the moment.

“I’m not the one who needs this right now,” your voice is soft, nothing more than a tender caress of which Wooyoung is more than happy to get lost in.

Once the paste has been applied, you’re walking over to the garden at the side of the house, and plucking a thick leaf off of a plant.

“Here,” you offer it to Wooyoung. “Press that on top of the paste for five minutes, and you’ll be as good as new. Our healing abilities can only get us so far.”

Accepting the leaf, Wooyoung’s eyes shine with adoration. He can feel his heart racing inside of his chest as you smile gently at him once more, feeling San shoot him a pointed look from behind. Though, with how giddy Wooyoung is feeling in this moment, nothing can bring him down.

“You both have come a long way in just a week,” you nod, and your acknowledgement means more to the both of them than you’ll ever know. “I have heard no complaints, or faults, from Ten or Taeil. I will oversee the rest of your training starting two days from now. Take some time to rest, and hone what you have learned. We’ll start fresh after the weekend has passed.”

San’s breath gets caught in his throat, tears of joy lining the corners of his eyes.

Instantly, both dragons are bowing deeply to you, nothing but gratitude falling from their lips.

You chuckle. “There is no need to thank me. You two have more than proved yourselves this past week. I am proud of what you both have already accomplished.”

The grins that stretch across both San and Wooyoung’s faces are nothing short of giddy. Pure, unfiltered joy causes their eyes to crinkle at the sides, pleased rumbled escaping their chest in pride.

“Now, will the two of you be joining us for dinner?” You smile, and again, each male can feel their hearts pounding in their chests.

“We wouldn’t want to intrude,” San replies, somewhat shyly, despite his inner voice screaming at him to immediately accept your offer.

“Nonsense,” you turn you back to them, and what you fail to see is the way San’s eyes briefly linger on that spot between your shoulder blades, a sort of sadness and regret filling his eyes. “My boys tell me you have refused their invitations every night since you’ve started your training. If it’s because you think you’d be a burden, or unwelcome, you are mistaken.” You turn to look at both of them from over your shoulder. “Come. Join us. Let us celebrate a week well spent.”

Wooyoung clears his throat, swallowing his overjoyed emotions for the moment as he attempts to keep himself from rushing over to you this very second. “Are you sure?”

“If you would rather eat with your own clan, I will not be offended,” you reply with a simple shrug, a small quirk to your lips. “But if you’d like to stay, I’m making stew.”

[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.

[ladylookslikeadude1]

Lukanette Idea

Kitty Section (& Mylene) Sugar

Marinette's Calender - It has the whole class not just Adrien he just has the most activities and takes up the most space - Gets used against her by Lila and Alya

Kitty Section offers The Liberty as a safe place to hide

They find out most of what Marinette knows (Minus being Ladybug obviously) And supports her through and emotional break down.

And then plans (On their own because Marinette deserves to be taken care of) How to take down Lila, Alya and Adrien, who is unsupportive despite knowing Lila is a liar

Also a JuleRose, Myvan, and Lukanette triple date sounds cute

Lukanette is my favorite pairing for Miraculous Ladybug, so I love the choice there! This got...a little out of hand, so I couldn't fit everything in there, but I hope you like it!

Marinette was genuinely forgetful, and incredibly busy.  The fact that she had a calendar with everyone’s events on it was a natural progression of that, since she would, actually, like to spend time with her friends on occasion.  Adrien’s activities taking up such a large portion of the calendar was just because he had a lot of activities!  But Alya…she’d taken a picture of it, and shared it with Lila, who in turn showed it to the rest of the class and twisted it into something creepy and stalkerish.

She was good at twisting things like that.  One day full of side-eye from everyone except Juleka, Rose, Mylene, and Ivan and snide comments about being a stalker and Marinette was ready to cry-or scream.  Fleeing to the park after school had been a thoughtless decision, brought about simply because she didn’t want to go home and have to look at that calendar quite yet.  She collapsed under a tree and couldn’t help the silent tears that spilled over.  

She knew she had to calm down.  She knew.  But Marinette couldn’t stop replaying the day over and over in her head, seeing Lila’s smug little smirk and Alya’s self-righteous look.

“Ma-Ma-Marinette,” Luka’s low voice greeted her playfully before he caught a good look at her face.  “Hey.”  He sat down beside her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her in for a hug.  “It’ll be ok,” he murmured to her.  “Whatever it is, I’ll make it ok.”

Marinette let out a wet laugh as she swiped at her cheeks half-heartedly.  “I don’t think it will be,” she told him tiredly.

“Come to the Liberty,” Luka offered.  “We’ll talk about it and make a plan.”

“You hate plans,” Marinette said, a small smile tugging at her lips.  Luka was definitely more a fly by the seat of his pants kind of guy.

“Yeah, but you don’t.”  Luka’s gentle look somehow ripped Marinette apart and put her together again at the same time.  

Marinette should have expected the ambush at the Liberty, but she wasn’t even mad about it.  Juleka, Rose, Mylene, and Ivan dragging her (and Luka by way of proximity) into a group hug while telling her that they knew it wasn’t anything creepy was a balm to her battered emotion.  The brief explanation about what happened during class had Luka’s eyebrow raising incredulously.  “They’re stupid,” Juleka concluded darkly.

“I-you’re busy,” Luka said in disbelief.  “How exactly do they expect you to keep track of all of the events they have-that they ask you to make stuff for and don’t pay you for-without having it on a calendar or something?”

“Your guess is as good as mine,” Marinette murmured.  “But Lila’s a huge liar, so I’m not surprised she’s pulling something like this.”

“You’ve said that before,” Mylene said slowly, her voice soft and considering.  “What do you mean?”

Marinette hesitated for a moment, but told them all, “I don’t know if you know this, but I got Alya that first interview with Ladybug.”  Rose let out a soft noise of realization.  “So she and I have…a professional relationship, I guess.  So I know for a fact that Lila isn’t her ‘best friend’.  And Jagged Stone doesn’t have a kitten, he has Fang-his crocodile.”  She sighed.  “I just…I can’t stand liars.  Maybe I shouldn’t have been so harsh with her, but it just really bothers me.  And then this.”

“I asked Prince Ali about the charity she said she worked on with him,” Rose said after a moment.  “He said he didn’t know what I was talking about-Lila said it was very confidential, and that’s why he couldn’t say anything but…that didn’t make a lot of sense to me,” she admitted.  “I’m sorry Marinette, I should have stood up for you today!”

“No,” Marinette said immediately.  “No, I wouldn’t want you to do that.  It’s better that she’s just focused on me.”

Ivan was not someone who spoke often, but when he did it made an impact.  So when he told Marinette, “It’s not your responsibility to protect us-we care about you, and you deserve to be protected too,” she paused to let it sink in.

And then Marinette promptly burst into tears.

[snigora]

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

I'm fricken obsessed with this book and I had to write something about it, but I’ve never done something like this before so hopefully this is coherent!

Spoilers for The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

I want to talk about the differences in how Coriolanus (I’m just gonna call him Snow I cbb writing out his whole first name) perceives Lucy Gray and Sejanus, and how that leads him to his conclusion about human nature at the end of the novel. Because I think Lucy Gray and Sejanus are two sides of the same coin – to Snow, they both come from the districts, they are both pacifists, and they both have a desire for freedom from the reign of the Capitol. But Snow claims to love Lucy Gray and has a constant dislike, even hatred, of Sejanus. So, what’s the difference between them?

Snow starts out the book as a sort of blank slate, not having come down on either side of the humans are inherently good or humans are inherently evil debate (although it could be argued that his actions always tended towards the belief of inherent violence – but that’s not what this is about). His belief is only completely solidified at the very end, after seeing everything Sejanus and Lucy Gray have done. Given one of the major themes in the book is control versus chaos, I believe that both Lucy Gray and Sejanus represent chaos, with Dr Gaul representing control and Snow definitively falling on that end of the spectrum in the story’s finale. Snow’s close relationship with both the chaos characters is certainly what drives him to his conclusion about human nature, and his desire to control it.

Sejanus is looked down upon by pretty much everyone in the Capitol because of his district heritage. Snow is no exception to this – the only difference between his attitude towards Sejanus and the general attitude of others in the Capitol is his desire to be different from everyone else, falsely leading Sejanus to believe that Snow is his friend (Chapter 1, p17*). Snow has no interest in actually being Sejanus’s friend, but Sejanus latches on to him, much to Snow’s annoyance. As the story progresses, it becomes clear that Sejanus’s loyalty lies with District 2, not with the Capitol, which is something that Snow cannot fathom. With his prejudice against the districts, Sejanus’s defence of them is something that fuels Snow’s dislike of him. Sejanus’s trajectory of rebelliousness starts small, with going out of his way to do District 2 funeral rites for tributes who die, and standing up to Dr Gaul, to actively putting himself in dangerous situations. None of his rebelliousness is violent in nature, but it all challenges Snow’s beliefs in a way that he doesn’t want to be challenged. Their ‘friendship’ causes Sejanus to often confide his plans in Snow, which Snow desperately tries to dissuade him from doing, primarily because it would reflect badly on himself. But no matter how hard he tries, Sejanus always ends up doing what he thinks is right in his eyes. Snow values control, he says so many times throughout the book, and Sejanus is someone he cannot control.

Lucy Gray, on the other hand, is someone he sees as beneath him, because she is not from the Capitol. However, Lucy Gray does not particularly strongly associate herself with the districts because of the Covey. She just sees herself as someone who unfortunately ended up in District 12, which allows Snow to justify his continued prejudice while simultaneously falling for her. But the main difference between Lucy Gray and Sejanus is that Lucy Gray’s unpredictability and ‘chaos’ always reflects well on Snow because it draws attention to her as a tribute and as his tribute. She is also very much dependent on him for survival in the Capitol, making him feel in control of her. Lucy Gray says she believes everyone has an inherent goodness in them, and that is reflected in the ways she perceives Snow – everything he does, which we know is out of self-interest, she interprets as a selfless act. So really, she falls for a façade of Snow. She sees all the good in him and voices it often, making him feel validated. He finds her alluring because she is different, she reflects well on him as a tribute, and he sees her as a controllable sort of ‘chaos’. He starts to realise that she’s not as controllable as he’d like – that she has a life outside of him in District 12 and that’s when his affections for her start to slip, and that, along with other events, leads him to ultimately turn on her completely.

So, how do these two similar yet different people influence Snow’s view of human nature? The conclusion Snow draws at the end of the story (mildly influenced by his upbringing and Grandma’am, and majorly influenced by Dr Gaul) is that the Games must continue to constantly remind people about the inherent savagery of humanity, which he thinks people will inevitably revert to if the Capitol loses control. In Sejanus, he sees how his pacifist actions always end up with more violence – when he tries to trade tributes with Snow because he sympathises with his own district, and Marcus ends up dying horrifically; when he disappears into the arena and Snow has to retrieve him, the tributes band together to try and kill them; and when he colludes with the rebels in District 12, which causes the death of Mayfair, Billy Taupe, and Sejanus himself. In Lucy Gray, it’s how he sees her behave in the arena, seemingly killing people with ease; he believes that Billy Taupe’s death is her fault, and that he will end up like him if he stays with her; and when she leaves the snake to bite him in the woods.

Finally, the actions of Sejanus and Lucy Gray also cause Snow to realise the violence within himself. When he escapes the arena with Sejanus and is ambushed by the tributes, he kills a tribute (Bobbin?) out of self defence without a second thought. This shakes him up and causes him to start giving thought to Dr Gaul’s idea of human’s natural state being violent. When he catches Sejanus with the contraband, he ends up killing Mayfair, this time out of self-preservation. After this, he has an active role in the murder of both Sejanus and Lucy Gray, convincing him of his own need, and from there everyone’s need, to be under the control of the Capitol to keep the peace.

This turned into more of a ramble. But I haven’t had a chance to talk about these ideas with anyone yet (and I’ve only read the book once and I may have made errors), so I’m very open to discussion!

*I have the movie tie in edition of the book

[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.