#but from what he said. he expressed a lot of conflicting feelings and its sad bcs i dont think armys want to hear him

[banghwa-moved]

i wonder how you feel about namjoon? i find what he's doing in chapter 2 really interesting. he literally said 'fuck the trendsetter'. 🥲 wildflower might be the best song he's ever written (lbr if taylor swift released a song with such lyricism, we'd be hearing about it for years lol), and once again it has this theme of the rift between ideals and reality, of trying to hold onto yourself and your values when the world pushes back and breaks your heart. indigo was about choosing to be a human being, to create art beyond trends and limitations, to stand tall as an artist on his own terms. he chose to perform in like. a 200 max capacity venue bc that was his dream as a teenager before everything happened. he befriended the entire k-indie scene lol. it's amazing how he's overcoming the pressure of bts' crown. he's doing exactly what fans demand of their faves (authenticity & artistry), but then indigo is probably one of the least supported/commercially successful solo releases. 👀

he's also the only member i think that's kind of ambivalent about the future of bts. i think he's distanced himself from the Brand as much as possible for his own health, but i find his uncertainty about what bts are gonna do and what they will say in the future intriguing. he was definitely right in last year's festa when he said that bts have ran out of messages to give to the world.

anyway sorry for ranting sm about namjoon in your askbox, i just think it's amazing how much he's giving his all to be a true Artist in the most corporate era of kpop ever lol.

ohhhh I won’t let myself get too sappy about it but. i really do love namjoon so much. i dont think I can put it into words. hes such a brilliant lyricist. you’re so right if it was a white woman who wrote wildflower people would be screaming about it being the sadgirl song of the decade. he’s also just. really inspirational to me, i look up to him in a lot of ways. when i was first getting into bts, he was my first “official” bias i guess until hope world came out and changed everything lol. but he continues to have such an important space in my heart. i love the way he thinks, i love how genuine he tries to be, how he knows he’s very flawed and doesnt see it necessarily as a compromising thing. he means a lot to me :’)

ithink you’re right too like. things are probably very complicated for him around bts “the brand”, rm the artist, kim namjoon the person, which are things he explores to beautifully in indigo. i think he’s probably the member whose ties to bts as a “brand” are probably the tightest and not as easily severed bcs he’s the leader and the face and all of his mistakes now represents the group. and i think you’re so right, while indigo seemed to do well (then again, im so out of the loop that i dont rly know what doing well or not means in kpop anymore lol) or at least be very well received, it definitely is not being recognized for what it is by armys themselves…..its weird i feel like namjoon is sorta in this paradox where he can’t separate himself from bts but he is also too different from/too real and flawed for the bts brand that ppl dont rly pay attention to him…..but he’s also really respected by other people who are just really and genuinely into music. idk where im going with this all this to say i love him a lot i genuinely plan to get everythingoes tattooed and if he ever releases his own book I would be first in line to buy it

[moonxknightx]

♡˗ˏ✎*ೃ˚ : UNBREAKABLE BONDS : :;

╰┈➤ ❝ [PAIRING] ❞ Hugh Jackman x F!Reader

・❥・GENRE: Angst but fluff at the end :))

˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆FANDOM: RPF

ੈ✩‧₊˚ WARNINGS: Emotional Conflict, Breakup and Separation, Pregnancy and Unplanned parenthood, Emotional Reconciliation

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥SUMMARY: When Hugh reveals he doesn’t want more children, it creates tension in your otherwise happy relationship, leading to a painful breakup. Months later, you discover you’re pregnant and choose to keep the baby, keeping the news from Hugh. An unexpected encounter in the park brings the revelation, leading to a deeply emotional moment as you face the future and navigate the complexity of your new reality.

THE SUN STREAMED THROUGH THE CURTAINS, CASTING A WARM GLOW OVER THE ROOM AS YOU STRETCHED, FEELING THE SOFT SHEETS AGAINST YOUR SKIN.

Beside you, Hugh was still asleep, his arm draped protectively over you. You smiled, gently moving to not disturb him, and slipped out of bed.

Padding softly across the room, you made your way to the living room where a small, fluffy ball of energy was waiting for you. Loki, your playful husky puppy, greeted you with enthusiastic licks and a wagging tail. You laughed, scooping him up and nuzzling your nose into his soft fur.

The smell of freshly brewed coffee wafted through the air as you settled on the couch, Loki curling up beside you. Life was perfect. You and Hugh had been together for two years, and every day felt like a new adventure. From spontaneous weekend getaways to quiet evenings spent cooking dinner together, your relationship was filled with love and laughter.

One lazy Sunday morning, as you both lounged on the patio with Loki playing at your feet, the conversation turned to the future. Hugh, sipping his coffee, mentioned how content he was with your little family. The words were casual, but they carried a weight that settled uncomfortably in your chest.

"What about kids?" you asked, trying to sound nonchalant. "Do you ever think about having more?"

Hugh's expression softened, but there was a hint of sadness in his eyes. "I love you, and I love our life together," he said, reaching for your hand. "But I don't see myself having more children. I'm happy with the way things are."

You nodded, forcing a smile, but inside, your heart ached. You had always imagined having children of your own, and hearing Hugh's definitive answer left you feeling lost.

It started small, as many arguments do. You had been out shopping and found a charming little onesie, unable to resist its allure despite Hugh's stance. You brought it home, hiding it at the bottom of your shopping bag. But later that evening, as you both unpacked the groceries, Hugh found it.

"What's this?" he asked, holding up the tiny garment with a puzzled expression.

You swallowed hard, trying to keep your voice steady. "I just thought it was cute. Maybe for the future..."

Hugh's face hardened. "We've talked about this. Why are you doing this?"

"It's just a piece of clothing, Hugh," you replied, feeling defensive. "Can't I have a little hope for the future?"

Hugh sighed, placing the onesie on the counter. "I thought we were on the same page. This feels like you're trying to push me into something I'm not ready for."

The conversation ended with a strained silence, the first crack in your seemingly perfect relationship.

The small arguments began to escalate. One evening, after a long day at work, you came home to find Hugh cooking dinner. The sight, once comforting, now brought a wave of resentment.

"Hey," he greeted you with a smile. "I made your favorite."

You forced a smile, the stress of the day weighing heavily on you. "Thanks."

As you sat down to eat, the conversation turned to your weekend plans. Hugh suggested a quiet weekend at home, but you had been looking forward to a trip you had planned to a nearby city.

"I just think it would be nice to get away," you said, trying to keep the frustration out of your voice.

"We've been traveling a lot lately," Hugh countered. "I thought it would be nice to relax here for a change."

The argument escalated quickly, voices rising as you both defended your positions. The dinner, meant to be a gesture of love, ended with you storming out of the room, tears of frustration streaming down your face.

The arguments became a regular occurrence, each one chipping away at the foundation of your relationship. The final straw came one night when Hugh came home late from a work event. You had prepared a special dinner, hoping to rekindle the romance that seemed to be slipping away.

Hugh walked in, looking tired. "I'm sorry, I got held up," he said, giving you a quick kiss.

"It's always something," you snapped, unable to hide your disappointment. "Do you even care about us anymore?"

Hugh's face fell. "Of course I do. But I have responsibilities, and sometimes that means being late."

"You always have an excuse," you shot back. "I'm tired of feeling like I'm the only one fighting for this relationship."

The argument that followed was the worst yet. Harsh words were exchanged, emotions running high. Finally, Hugh said something that cut you to the core.

"Maybe we're just not right for each other anymore."

The silence that followed was deafening. The realization hit you both that despite the love you shared, your futures no longer aligned. With heavy hearts, you decided to part ways.

The weeks following the breakup were the hardest. You moved into a small apartment, taking Loki with you, and tried to rebuild your life. It was during this time that you started feeling unwell. A visit to the doctor confirmed what you had never expected: you were pregnant.

The news was both a shock and a beacon of hope. You decided to keep the baby, feeling a mixture of fear and excitement about the future. Telling Hugh, however, felt impossible. You didn't want him to feel trapped or obligated, especially after the difficult decision you both had made.

Months passed, and your belly grew rounder. Loki stayed by your side, his playful energy a constant source of comfort. You threw yourself into preparing for the baby, focusing on creating a warm and loving home.

One crisp autumn day, you were walking through the park with Loki when you heard a familiar voice. Turning, you saw Hugh standing a few feet away, his eyes wide with surprise and a mix of emotions.

"You... you're pregnant?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper.

You nodded, unable to find the words. Hugh took a step closer, his eyes searching yours. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want to burden you," you replied, tears forming. "We made a decision, and I didn't want to complicate things for you."

Hugh reached out, gently placing a hand on your swollen belly. "This is our baby," he said, his voice breaking. "I want to be a part of their life, and yours. If you'll let me."

In that moment, you realized that despite everything, the love you shared hadn't disappeared. It had simply been overshadowed by fear and uncertainty. With tears in your eyes, you nodded, allowing Hugh to pull you into a tight embrace.

"I never stopped loving you," he whispered, his voice filled with emotion. "I thought I was doing the right thing, but I can't imagine my life without you."

Tears streamed down your face as you clung to him, the months of pain and loneliness dissolving in his arms. "I never stopped loving you either," you said, your voice choked with emotion. "I was so scared, Hugh. Scared of losing you, of raising this baby alone."

Hugh's eyes filled with tears as he looked at you, his voice trembling. "I was scared too. Scared of not being enough, of failing you. But seeing you here, carrying our child... I realize how much I want this, how much I want us."

Together, you walked through the park, Loki trotting happily beside you. The future was uncertain, but you knew that with Hugh by your side, you could face anything. And as you felt the baby kick for the first time, you knew that this new beginning was the start of something beautiful.

The days that followed were filled with a renewed sense of hope and love. Hugh moved back in, and you both prepared for the arrival of your baby, embracing the journey ahead with open hearts. You spent your evenings talking about names, decorating the nursery, and imagining the life you would build together.

When the day finally came, Hugh was by your side, holding your hand as you brought your child into the world. The moment you laid eyes on your baby, the room filled with love so powerful it brought you both to tears. Hugh kissed your forehead, his eyes filled with wonder and joy.

"We did it," he whispered, his voice trembling. "We made something so perfect."

As you held your baby close, you felt a sense of completeness you had never known before. The path to this moment had been fraught with pain and uncertainty, but it had led you to a place of profound love and happiness.

In the quiet moments, as you watched Hugh gently cradle your child, you realized that the struggles had only made your bond stronger. The love you shared was unbreakable, and together, you could overcome anything.

Your family, with Loki at your feet and your baby in your arms, was a testament to the resilience of love. It was a love that had weathered the storms and emerged stronger, ready to face whatever the future held. And as you looked into Hugh's eyes, you knew that this new beginning was only the start of a beautiful journey, one filled with endless love and unshakable unity.

(A/N) I hope you enjoyed the story and was what you expected! 🫶

If you want to be tagged in future works about Hugh Jackman let me know!

[aventurineswife]

I was playing with my brother and something occurred to me, how Sunday, Feixiao, Blade and maybe Robin would react when they find out that the reader was a war general, if it is possible that they would see that the reader has many scars and when they ask him The reader tells them that it was a general 😭please 🙏🙏sorry if my English is bad

“Our scars make us who we are”

Tags: Blade x Reader, Sunday x Reader, Feixiao x Reader, Robin x Reader, Ex-War General Reader, Scars/Body Horror, Trauma/Emotional Struggles, Redemption Themes, Character Development, Healing and Growth.

Warnings: Graphic descriptions of scars and trauma, Emotional weight, Mentions of past battles and loss, Mild body horror (scar descriptions), Discussion of violence and its aftermath, Mild angst, Heavy themes of guilt, regret, and self-doubt, Internal conflict and mental strain.

Sunday’s eyes scanned the room with a thoughtful gaze, a soft hum escaping his lips as he traced the lines of your scars. He was perceptive, attuned to the details that others might miss. His wings fluttered slightly behind him, the golden halo behind his head glimmering faintly as he stepped closer, concern etched across his calm features.

"May I ask," Sunday’s voice was gentle, almost soft as he regarded you, "What caused you to bear such marks?"

You met his gaze, your own eyes reflecting the depth of a thousand battles fought, the toll of a life lived in the shadows of war. You could see the weight of his empathy in his eyes, that yearning for peace mixed with a touch of sadness.

“I was a general,” you told him, your tone calm yet heavy with the truth. “War was my life. My scars... they are the remnants of battles fought, sacrifices made.”

Sunday’s gaze softened, his wings shifting as if to envelop you in comfort. He lowered his head slightly, the weight of your words sinking into his thoughts. His voice was almost a whisper, tinged with a quiet reverence.

“I see... war has a way of shaping us, doesn’t it? Yet, it seems a part of you still yearns for something more, something beyond all this...” His words hung in the air, as if he understood the internal battle you faced—one between your past and the hope of a future without conflict.

His eyes never wavered from yours, his thoughtful silence speaking volumes. He was processing, trying to understand you—your scars, your struggles—and perhaps, the possibility of redemption for a soul as burdened as his own.

Feixiao stood before you, her sharp eyes studying every inch of your form with the trained scrutiny of a seasoned warrior. Her head tilted slightly, and a grin tugged at the corners of her lips—both admiration and curiosity evident in her gaze.

“You’ve got a lot of battle scars,” she remarked, her voice blunt but not unkind. “What’s your story?”

You hesitated, the memories of battles past and the weight of your experiences surging within you. You could feel the pull of your old self—the general who had led countless soldiers, fought mercilessly for ideals now faded. With a steady breath, you met her eyes.

“I was a general,” you admitted, your voice steady but laced with the remnants of old pain. “I led armies. Fought wars that never seemed to end. These scars? They’re from a lifetime of doing what was necessary, no matter the cost.”

Feixiao’s expression softened, her usual brashness momentarily giving way to something deeper—respect, perhaps. She stepped closer, her gaze studying the scars on your arms, shoulders, and neck.

“War changes you,” she said, voice quiet for once, a rare moment of vulnerability. “You know that better than most. But those scars? They’re not just marks of violence. They show survival. Strength. It’s a lot more than just blood.”

Her eyes glinted with something almost like understanding, as if she herself had walked a path of battle and loss, albeit in a different form. She didn’t push further, but her silence felt like acknowledgment, as if she recognized that your past, your scars, shaped who you were now.

Blade stood tall before you, his eyes narrowed as he surveyed your scars with an intensity that could pierce through steel. He didn’t ask immediately, the silence between you both filled with the weight of shared experience—both of you, shaped by war, lost in your own ways. His eyes flickered to your face, reading the subtle shifts in your expression.

“You’re no stranger to the battlefield,” he finally spoke, voice low and filled with quiet acknowledgment. His gaze fell to the jagged scars that marred your body—each one a testament to the battles fought, the lives lost.

You knew what was coming before he asked, and yet, the words still hit with an undeniable heaviness. “What happened to you?”

You straightened, holding his gaze as you spoke, your voice unwavering. “I was a general. I commanded armies, led men to war. These scars are the remnants of decisions I had to make... and the cost of those decisions.”

Blade’s expression was unreadable for a long moment, his broken sword at his side a silent testament to his own shattered past. He didn’t recoil, didn’t pity you. Instead, there was a flicker of something like recognition in his eyes—something akin to a shared understanding.

“You’ve been through hell,” he murmured. “Maybe that’s what makes us both who we are. But what’s left for you now?” His tone was devoid of warmth, but there was something in his words that spoke to the possibility of something beyond the destruction, beyond the pain.

Robin’s eyes glimmered with quiet curiosity as she noticed the scars that traced your body, each one a mark of a battle fought and a life lived in the throes of war. She took a step closer, her graceful demeanor undisturbed by the weight of the conversation, but there was something in the way she looked at you that spoke of a gentle understanding.

“I can’t help but notice your scars,” she said softly, her voice like a melody itself, serene and soothing. “May I ask how they came to be?”

You paused for a moment, the memories of those you had led and the battles you had fought surfacing like ghosts of the past. With a deep breath, you spoke.

“I was a general,” you explained, your voice steady but tinged with a quiet sadness. “I led soldiers into war. The scars are reminders of the choices I made, the lives I impacted. They were a part of who I was.”

Robin’s expression softened, her gentle gaze never leaving you as she listened. She placed a hand over her heart, her eyes reflecting a sadness that mirrored your own, yet her voice remained calm and kind.

“War is a cruel thing,” she said quietly. “But even in the midst of destruction, there is beauty. You, in a way, have become part of that beauty—a survivor, a story told in scars. And perhaps, a chance for something more.”

Her words hung in the air like the softest of lullabies, filled with hope that perhaps, despite everything, there was still the possibility of healing, of peace, even for someone like you.

[aayakashii]

I am once again presenting to you all a short comfort fic I made for myself after I got sad 🤲

too cute to be a bad boy

Warning: maybe just a bit of angst, but nothing else

“So you're telling me… You were on that train at that moment because you were at a concert?” Sho stopped cutting the bell pepper to stare at you from under his eyelashes.

“Um… I mean… Yeah…” you rubbed the back of your head, suddenly feeling self-conscious under his judgemental glare.

“That's a dumb way to go, I gotta say” he snickered and went back to chopping.

“Hey, I didn’t ‘go’ yet, okay? I’m still alive and I had to go to their concert. It was their last one, they disbanded after that.”

“Oh, I see, so it was a special concert, huh” he said, a bit of humor still present in his voice.

“Y-yeah… I mean, yeah. It was special. I would probably never see them again, at least not together. I had a lot of fun being part of the fandom, okay?” you pouted, and grabbed a stray french fry that laid on its counter, chomping on it.

“Hey, don’t eat that, that's old!” he widened his eyes.

“Well, what do you care, hm?” you said, dramatically raising your eyebrows as you glared at him “I’m gonna ‘go’ in like 10 months anyway, what’s a soggy french fry going to do?” you swallowed it as if to make your point clear.

Sho sighed, putting his cooking knife to the side.

“Hey, okay, I get it. I’m sorry for making fun of you. But... please don’t talk about yourself like that.” he looked at you, his eyes suddenly gloomy and regretful.

You avoided his gaze, staring at the floor. You could feel tears pricking at your eyes, as the weight of your own words seemed to dawn on you.

10 months.

And it felt like only yesterday that all you thought about was that stupid band.

“Hey, senpai.” You heard Sho gasp and he rounded the corner of his food truck’s counter, walking towards you. His hands held your arms tightly and he shook you a little in order to look at him. “I didn’t mean to make you cry. I’m sorry. Please don’t cry.”

You hesitantly lifted your gaze to meet his. You didn’t know when you began letting the tears fall, but it seemed like biting your lips till they almost broke didn’t work as well as you planned.

You knew you weren’t crying because of Sho’s playfulness and you were pretty sure he also had enough emotional intelligence to understand that those were your unspoken fears taking over your body. But also, you didn’t feel like ruining what was supposed to be a fun date hangout with talks of your impending doom. You already had every single lonely waking moment to grieve yourself, you didn’t want to do that when you were with him. 

You sniffed and gave Sho’s forearms a gentle squeeze, and his tight grip on you loosened.

“It’s okay” you rubbed your eyes, drying up your tears. “It’s not your fault.” 

You looked up at him, a small reassuring smile on your face, and he sighed.

His arms hovered around you and, for a moment, you thought he would pull you into a hug. Instead, he patted your head, much like his captain usually did.

Sho trudged back inside his food truck, rubbing his neck, a conflicted expression plastered on his face for all to see.

You knew he didn't know what to say or what to do. Having a metaphorical guillotine hanging over you sure made it hard for people not to walk on eggshells. But if there was anyone you wanted to be comfortable around, it was Sho.

So you would have to find a way out of this little hole you had dug for the both of you.

“You know” you began “I was just crying because I miss Hizu soooo much” you said with your hand hiding the smirk that began to form on your lips at your silly attempt to make the atmosphere loosen up.

Sho raised an eyebrow before resuming his chopping, as you scrolled through your phone.

“Hizu…? Who’s that.”

You turned your phone to face him with a playful smile on your face.

A photo of a man with brown hair and dark eye makeup filled the screen. He was shirtless with just a black faux fur jacket haphazardly thrown over his shoulder and he appeared to be singing on stage, if the sweat on his body was anything to go by. He looked angry as he was (apparently) yelling something into the microphone, while one of his hands touched his own bare chest.

Sho choked on his saliva when he turned his gaze to your phone.

“Wh-what’s that?!” he said, after a coughing fit that left you laughing loudly, the previous tears completely forgotten.

“Not ‘what’! ‘Who’, please be respectful!” you said, faking outrage “And this is Hizu, he was the vocalist of the band I liked, obviously.”

Taking a sip of water, Sho turned to you, flustered.

“Wow senpai” his voice cracked while he smiled awkwardly “Didn't peg you as someone who liked this… This type of guy…” he muttered, trying to find his bearings before beginning to chop his vegetables again.

“There’s a lot you don’t know about me yet, my dear.” you put your phone back in your pocket, feeling triumphant after catching him off guard and getting such a cute reaction from him. If there was any reason for you to beat your curse, you were pretty sure one of them was to keep on teasing him.

“I thought you were too nice to like a scary type of guy…” he grumbled again, deep in thought, eyebrows knitted and the tip of ears pink, as he finished his task and began mixing everything inside a bowl.

“Whaaaat. You’ll see that, in fact, I am pretty attracted to bad boys.” you said, resting your elbows on his counter as you leaned your head on your hands.

Sho’s head quickly snapped towards you, and you smiled happily when you noticed the blush spread from his ears to his cheeks. He scratched his cheek and looked away, walking towards his fridge to grab the hamburger meat he needed for his recipe – and NOT to cool his face down, no, not at all.

“Um, yeah. I sure hope you like bad boys.”

You giggled at his bashfulness. Your kouhai was just too cute to be a bad boy, but you weren't going to say that. At least not at that moment.

Full masterlist

[hymnserendipity]

Dabi unclear feelings pt. 1

Hurt, no gender mentioned

You and Dabi weren't really a couple, more than anything else you lived together and often had sex, but of the two you were the more emotional one, you often cuddled up to him, kissed him, massaged his shoulders, prepared food for him. You just told him that you will prepare him a nice hot bath this evening.

"Damn it. You're being all lovey-dovey today." He said gruffly, his eyes looking into yours.

"I love you Touya." Dabi's eyes widened at your words, his heart skipping a beat. He wasn't used to anyone expressing love for him, let alone you.

He felt a strange feeling in his chest, a mixture of vulnerability and affection.

"Tch. You're getting all sappy on me." He muttered, his hand holding you closer, as if relishing your embrace. Despite his cold demeanor, Dabi found himself unable to hide the effect your declaration had on him.

You kiss his forehead gently.

"You really love this ugly face, huh?" He muttered, a hint of vulnerability in his eyes.

"Yes, and you're not ugly." Dabi looked at you, his eyes searching your face.

"What's with those eyes of yours?" He asked bluntly, referring to the hint of sadness in them.

"You gonna burst into tears or something?"

"No." Dabi raised a brow at your response, disbelief in his eyes.

"You look like you're about to cry, damn it. What's got you all emotional?" He asked gruffly, his hand rubbing your back gently.

"I just... Don't know what u think." Dabi let out a heavy sigh, his eyes flickering to yours, its always the same.

"What do you mean? What I think about what?" He questioned, his tone more serious now, sensing your vulnerability.

"About me. About... us." Dabi fell silent for a moment, his hand still rubbing your back.

He took a deep breath, his eyes looking into yours again.

"Well... I don't hate you. And as far as 'us' goes..."

He trailed off, hesitant to continue.He clenched his jaw, his gaze flickering away from you.

"It's complicated, alright?" He said gruffly, his hand gripping the bed covers, feeling a sense of unease in his chest.

He always says that

"I get It." Dabi let out a heavy sigh, his eyes watching you play with you switch.

"You always understand me too damn well." He muttered, a hint of vulnerability in his voice.

"It's like you can read me like a damn book."

"I'm...I'm gonna make food." You say, walking to the kitchen with teary eyes. You knew he didnt love you back, but you wish he could. Be with him, love him, while you know he doesn't feel the same makes you feel sad. Dabi watched as you left the room, a subtle frown on his face. He could tell you were upset, and he knew he was the indirect cause of your tears.

His mind whirled, his heart feeling a pang of guilt. He was never good at dealing with emotions, especially other peoples'.

He sat there for a few moments, silently wrestling with his own thoughts.After a while of contemplating in silence, he groaned in frustration.

"Damn it... why does they have to make everything so complicated." He muttered to himself, his hand running through his hair in irritation.

He glanced in the direction you had gone, his mind still preoccupied with your earlier tears."Why does they have to be so sensitive all the time?" He muttered to himself, his eyes flickering again to the kitchen where you were.

He let out a frustrated sigh. Dabi's eyes widened slightly as the realization hit him. He had always known you cared for him, but now he fully understood the depth of your feelings. You truly loved him, not just because he was good in bed, but because he was... him.

A strange feeling washed over him, a mix of vulnerability and surprise. No one had ever loved him so completely before. He glanced down at your pillow, at your spot, oblivious to the inner turmoil going on in his mind.

"Damn it... They loves me, like, a lot." He muttered to himself, his mind racing with conflicting emotions. It dawned on Dabi that your sadness was a result of his own lack of clear feelings towards you. He had been so focused on avoiding commitment that he hadn't given you any reassurance about what he felt for you.

The weight of his own obliviousness hit him like a ton of bricks, and he clenched his jaw in frustration.

"Damn it... I've been such a self-absorbed prick. They needs some kind of answer from me."

[curmemini]

i think when i talk about owen on twitter its easy to believe that i don't believe he's ever done any wrong ever, but do not be fooled - i know he has, but i am very much over correcting for people who buy the twins propaganda - that is, without fail, the cruelest, most underhanded view of each member of sanbaka... I have strong opinions about the Twins as Manipulators, and how clear it is not ] but answer me honestly, in what world would a story with a major themes (among many) of prejudice and how preconceived notions close people off from understanding each other go "oh, yeah no, except for that guy, everything said about how horrible he is is 100% true". . . not only would that belief be conflicting with the theme, but also immediately contradicts things gleaned about his personality pre-main story development, by which I mean things learned about Owen from Etudes (the first missions undertaken by the wizards), Preludes (presumably taken place after Etudes, but still extremely early, despite being released earlier), the card+log stories relating to those events (as well as initials), and affection story (takes place during an unclear amount of time, but is noted to be early on). In saying that, I mean much of Owen's story is given in a way that can be difficult to unwind if you take what he is saying, and what is said about him, at face value. There is how he would like his actions to be perceived as, how others assume he is acting, and what is actually being meant by his actions.

Like, guys, his very first event SSR has him take Riquet out on a trip to Northern Country after overhearing him and the Sage talk about sightseeing. He brings them to a place that is described as beautiful, that must be below freezing, yet, they barely feel the cold (Akira wonders if it was because of Owen's magic, I am certain they are correct - Akira almost dies arriving in the North without proper protective magic during the actual event story). When do events take the turn for the worst in the card story? When he is doubted, first by Riquet, who he laughs off, and then, again, by the Sage. Owen is someone who plays to others expectations. He immediately takes credit for Nicholas' plummet in MS1, because wrong place, wrong time, it was assumed he caused it. When he debuts at the party, he is greeted by fear and despair - the manga depicts him with a quiet, almost sad expression before he breaks into a trouble-making grin - and being greeted by the disbelief of Akira at him calling them to the balcony, he already knows what part he is going to be playing with them. Not to mention, he is introduced alongside the concept of words and titles being a curse (his conversation with the Sage is in the sub-chapter titled The Curse of Words). In the conversation following Owen leaving the scene between Oz and Akira, Oz specifically mentions the Northern Wizards when he is talking about beings crushed by the weight of their titles, so that they and others forget their name (I may be misremembering, theres an awful lot of story to remember, but in other instances of introductions that arent this first one, Mithra gets called Mithra of the North, while Owen gets called Northern Wizard Owen, person first, title second, vs. title first, person second, and this could fall down to translation differences)

You could make the argument that Owen hadn't given them any reason to *not* doubt his intentions, espicially on the heels of the oz-cide attempt, but Akira has apologized once already for blindly doubting him (like here), calling it a fate worse than death, and then proceeds to do it endlessly. That isn't a mark against Akira, Owen makes it hard to build that bridge of trust, and he does make it hard on purpose because of the role he is fulfilling, but I don't think he's acting here just for the purposes of enjoying the Sage's (and Riquet's) misery. When Riquet goes missing - whether because he wandered off or Owen obscured him with magic so Akira might separate from him, or whatever - Owen gets to have his little villain monologue about looking beyond what is beautiful to find the rotten "real" core. This is to him, a lesson, and one that would be supported by Akira's own doubt of Owen's intent on bringing them here. Yet Akira reacts with shock and fear at having that lesson spilled out - not second guessing this explanation as truth - and so the lesson turns to hypocrisy. This is a lesson he had learned after his own traumas, and that he is teaching in a "kinder" way than the way he had learned it. It can be assumed that with Owen's magic, he is aware of where Riquet is the entire time Akira is searching. The danger here is entirely illusory - neither of them report feeling colder at any point, meaning Owen's magic is still protecting them from the weather of the North. Of course, this lesson does go over Riquet's head, or more - he believed in Owen's intent after being shown the beauty of the North, and so his first thought is not that Owen had tricked them, but that the two had gotten distracted while arguing. Perhaps that only serves to highlight the same innocent purity that Owen was seeking to shake up, or perhaps it is Riquet's firm belief in his purpose (and the purpose of all wizards) that puts blinders on to what happened. Regardless, he is only upset because Akira and Owen are bickering.

Then Owen is called kind, he is thanked for his deeds, he is given a gift. Akira apologizes. All of these are things he does not expect; and is unused to how to cope with. Knowing how he feels when faced with compliments or other unexpected scenarios (per his affection story), one might assume that he would lash out, destroy the gift in front of them, or do something else to restore their bad faith in him. Yet... the worse that happens is that Owen leaves them behind when he returns to the manor, heart feeling weird and out of control - to me it feels like the safer assumption for the purpose of leaving them there was less active malice and more absentminded neglect. Maybe, knowing Oz's strength, he even expected them to be found by the others before it became a danger. One could argue that him giving away the snow rabbit was mean, too, yet... he cast a spell on it to keep it from melting nor are we sure the exact circumstances of how the twins got it (it is easy for me to imagine them bombarding him as soon as he returned and him throwing it at them). The fact that he was willing to protect this small, fragile, snowbunny rather than just let it melt away; that he did it when no one was watching is also significant. This is what he does when he has no audience, no role to perform. Wouldn't it have been easy to mock Riquet about the way his carelessness allowed the gift to melt? Or couldn't that have served as another lesson?

So here he is, sentimental and protective of a gift he might not have wanted to keep, but did not want to see destroyed. I think that alone shows that he is sweeter than many would expect from the rumors about him... Yet, pointing out any of this on twitter would get people derided, condescended to, vague'd about, or insulted for woobying him. Someone should not have to asterisk every single positive point with a (but he's terrible etc.) especially when he's not nearly as violent, as bloodthirsty, as horrific as some would want him to be. I wonder if part of it is because of how he speaks, but I firmly reject the idea that having a different style of communication, even if it is off-putting or scary, fundamentally makes you evil. None of mahoyaku's characters are perfect; some have flaws that more easily work as positive traits, or that aren't as deep as others, but I believe they all, fundamentally, are "good" or seek "good" morally speaking, regardless if that is something they're conscious of seeking or not, or if their concept of good falls into what a human might perceive as good. All they really need is the chance to show it.

[n-fblog]

Reo, Nagi, and Differences from the Main Manga

Thoughts from Episode: Nagi, chapter 17

Reo:

This chapter was kind of needed for him to "abandon" his ego of becoming the best with Nagi (and we can see it sort of fading in the textbox) -- and simultaneously get rid of that growing attachment he has to Nagi. Really sad to see him say, "thank you" as if he doesn't even have the strength to break them apart himself (and he didn't)

The chameleon makes its first chronological appearance so we can clearly see him start to 'adapt' his thinking and playing even though it's not fully fleshed out yet, which is exciting! I wasn't sure if that was something he made up with Shidou before, but it's hilarious to know it all started with Nagi, AGAIN. Or maybe this is the manga trying to convey that he's changing himself to help Nagi walk away lol

His inferiority complex with Nagi makes itself kind of known here, with the monologue- "Those are the words *I* wanted to say,," but was unable to...

Somehow, Nagi being able to encourage Reo makes him the stronger one mentally -- which is tough for someone who subconsciously already thinks he can't go very far without Nagi skill-wise.

Poor guy... and he still has so far to go before he starts to think he can fight on his own.

Nagi:

Man, this chapter pretty much confirms that their mischaracterization and miscommunication goes both ways lol. Nagi spitefully admonishes that he isn't Reo's 'toy' when Reo flips from "wanting to be the best" to "wanting to stay together"-- These guys have such a hard time acknowledging their friendship outside of football, it's actually painful.

I can't tell if he made any sort of connection betweey 'toy' and being Reo's 'treasure'. But that's almost definitely a metaphor on Reo's part. What a lot of people misuse is that Reo calls Nagi his 'treasured possession' when I really, truly don't think he meant viewing Nagi as a literal object. But how else do you expect a rich boy who's only been shown love through material things to describe something he values? *(see tags for a rant on this lol)

I do wish we'd gotten more insight into how he felt when he heard what Reo said in the moment, but this chapter was already long as it is. I do think Nagi's expressions sort of speak for themselves.

I mean, he straight up looks like he's about to cry here. 

I would argue that part of Nagi's promise to 'stay together' during the entrance actually includes 'believing in each other' like he says here:

 And if that's the case, then what did Reo's claim of abandonment mean to him? Was it that Reo didn't believe in Nagi's newfound drive to win? Or was he mad that Reo didn't believe in himself? I think it's a bit of both, but I really want to see more thoughts in the manga or from the fandom

Blue Lock vs. Episode: Nagi

So... Nagi definitely seems more angry in this chapter, right? When you revisit Ch. 76, you can see that Nagi is a lot more apologetic towards Reo

( Here you see him lament not growing alongside Reo, but fired up and excited to work with Isagi)

vs. what we saw this chapter

(Nagi saying sorry and acknowledging he's changed, but looking less toward the future and more resisting the past)

Maybe this is just a difference in translations, but "I can't [am not able to] go back" feels a little different from "I won't go back" -- the former just feels like an admission (to Reo), while the latter feels a lot more confrontational, a downright refusal to go along with what Reo wants.

And that's fine, but it does reshape how I thought about Nagi, and I think it really emphasizes just how pissed he was at Reo by the end of 2nd Selection.

This reframes their interaction during U-20 tryouts for me. I originally thought it was mostly setting up Reo's chameleon style defense and Reo's internal conflict (which it is) but EpiNagi really just shows that Nagi also has a ways to go before they reunite in Manshine

I think this could be the panel (from Ch. 107, 3rd Selection) where Nagi forgives Reo -- it's the point where Reo sort of shows he understands Nagi's drive to win, and that he doesn't value staying together over improving anymore. After that, they have no issues (in Nagi's eyes) so it was probably easy to imagine walking up to Reo during MC v BM and asking for his help ... but man, we still have a long way til then, and I can't wait for EpiNagi to probably prove me wrong :p

[vegantinatalist]

Were you always anti-makeup/makeup-free? I was always a "tomboy" so I never got into makeup when most the other girls my age did. I remember my mother encouraging me to wear some to like events or whatever. And I just remember thinking it's fucked up that girls "have" to wear it but boys don't. Boys can show up to events bare faced as is, but I'm expected to change how I look? Why? I liked my face as it was.

I think most girls/women are lying when they say it's not for others. You literally cannot even see your own face unless you hold a mirror up so how is it for yourself... Of course it's for others. And women get treated better the more attractive they are to others so women notice the difference in how they're treated. It's conditioning. I always felt so alone for realizing things like this at a young age (~13-14) and going against the grain of society by myself.

i think i have a slightly unique experience with the makeup thing. i quite literally did not understand why people wore "natural makeup". it went over my head. i was clamboring to get my hands on makeup but thats because im an artist and a goth and i wanted to just paint my face in freaky ways, like not conventional ways, i just wanted to be expressive and artistic and unusual. and i didnt get why everyone hated it so much, i didnt get why everyone wore makeup but hated anything beyond the standard template of makeup, and i just kept doing my thing. i didnt do anything beyond lipstick and eyeliner and eyeshadow though. like FUUUUUCK concealer, so uncomfortable. my mom was a makeup obsessed woman but she also kinda had healthier views on it than most so she was like really conflicted about it. she was sad i didnt want to wear makeup like her, but also was like "do ya thing be free". but then she also hated my goth vibes because christian lol. and also she has crippling self esteem issues and would always break down crying like "theyll make fun of you!!!" even though i was like girl i do not care lol.

it wasnt until i discovered radfem that it clicked. like i already kinda understood women were all piss scared to deviate from the norm but i thought it was just because most people seem to have more obsessive attachment to tradition while i was more of a free thinker. i just literally never felt or sensed that it was gender expectations being placed on me, i was totally oblivious to how i was treated for not conforming, probably because i WAS pretty conforming a lot of the time. i just happened to love very girly artsy clothing. i loved corsets and short skirts and showy sundresses and stockings with patterns and pigtails and all kinds of super girly things, but then i would also do things like wear avant garde ass facepaint or shave my head and wear boring baggy sports clothes with 0 hesitation whatsover even with people around me complaining, i didnt feel forced to be girly, in fact i felt unique cause everyone around me went through a hard "i hate pink and dresses" phase where i did the opposite. now i understand why they were going through that phase, they were sick of what they had previously been forced to do.

the only time i clearly noticed gender expectations being put on me was when my dads italian friend came over and yelled at me for trying to play skates after my mom put me in my dinner dress and he said specifically that girls should never be dirty or sweaty. i never heard anyone outright say it like that, they usually dance around the "girl" part and make it seem like its just deviation from the norm that upsets them. if i had been raised by that guy i know things would have gone very differently lol.

anyway i actually ended up boycotting makeup for environmentalism/veganism reasons first, then i learned about radfems perspective after and it only made me more certain. i realized i felt VERY sad without goth makeup in particular, and although its not like its a gender expectation thing, i realized i should try to be content with the way i naturally look. now i dont mess with the face when i dress up, and actually i think it forced me to become a better artist overall. my goth look looks more "real" now if that makes sense, and i learned how to cut my own hair and it looks more suited to my face, in general paying attention to other details and making them suit my face, instead of the other way around where you put together an outfit that doesnt suit your face and you change your face to suit the outfit, was a great decision. i realized i dont actually hate my face, i was just not doing things that suited it because makeup is an easy way to not have to learn the best way to cut bangs that suit your features, the best way to not have to learn how to take care of your skin, the best way to not have to learn what colors go well with your natural colors etc. not saying anyone has to learn these things i just enjoyed it.

[mykindalovr]

Voice of an angel (Richard Winters x Fem oc)

Warnings: none

Summary: Richard hears, what he thinks, is the most angelic voice he's ever heard

And ofc no disrespect to the actual war veterans this is just based on the actors who play them.

Lt. Richard Winters had seen his fair share of battle, and in the wake of it, the quiet moments often felt like a distant memory—like something that belonged to another lifetime. After weeks in the heat of conflict, the promise of a weekend pass to Paris was something of a salvation. The City of Lights held a kind of allure he hadn’t fully appreciated before, but now it was a welcome respite, a temporary haven from the chaos.

Paris was beautiful in the early spring, the air crisp, the streets filled with the hum of people walking by, the clink of glasses at cafés. Winters didn’t have much of a plan. He wandered, letting the city pull him along, exploring its narrow alleys and bridges, trying to forget for just a few days the sounds of gunfire and the faces of men he’d lost.

It was in a small jazz bar near Montmartre, a dimly lit place with an intimate atmosphere, where he heard it—the voice that stopped him cold.

It came from the corner of the room, smooth and clear, a melody that seemed to drift like smoke, rising above the murmur of voices. Winters stood still, his gaze locking onto the small stage where a girl with dark hair and a green dress was singing softly into the microphone.

Her voice was unlike anything he’d ever heard. It was gentle but powerful, the kind of sound that seemed to fill the entire room, washing over him like a wave. He couldn’t look away. For a moment, the noise of the world disappeared. The war, the constant tension of his daily life, all of it faded as if the music had cast a spell over him. He leaned against the bar, captivated.

The woman’s name was Camille. That was all he could gather in the moments before the song ended and she stepped off the stage, leaving behind a trail of sweet silence in her wake. Winters wasn’t sure if it was the gin he’d had or the beauty of the voice, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that he had to talk to her.

The crowd applauded politely, but to Winters, it was more than just a performance. The way Camille carried herself, the way her voice seemed to wrap around the very air, made him feel as if she were not of this world. He had seen tragedy, seen death—too much of it—but hearing her sing felt like a glimpse of something pure, something untouched by the violence and chaos that had defined his life.

He waited until the crowd began to thin out, then, as if drawn by some unseen force, he made his way toward her.

"Excuse me," he said, his voice uncharacteristically hesitant. "I just wanted to say… your voice—it's like nothing I’ve ever heard before. It’s… angelic."

Camille turned to face him, her expression softening as she smiled. Her eyes were warm, though there was a quiet sadness there, as if she understood the weight of his words. She tilted her head slightly, studying him with a quiet curiosity.

"Thank you," she said, her French accent laced with a trace of something familiar—something Winters couldn’t quite place. "I don't often get compliments like that. I’m just… doing what I love."

He nodded, unsure of what to say next. "I think you’ve brought something special to this place. To this city." He glanced around, feeling suddenly foolish but not wanting to let this moment slip away. "I’ve been through a lot lately, and... hearing you sing, it was like… a reminder of something good. Something worth fighting for."

There was a pause, and for a moment, the world outside seemed to slip away. Camille’s gaze softened, and she placed a hand on the edge of the table beside her, as if considering the weight of his words.

"It’s the music," she said quietly, her voice dropping a little, "that keeps us going. Don’t you think?"

Winters couldn’t help but agree. It was the same reason he had stayed sane during the war—the fleeting moments of beauty, the fragments of peace that came with the small things, like a song or a sunset.

"I think you’re right," he said, his voice low. "The world has enough darkness. It's moments like this—moments when something beautiful happens—that make it all bearable."

She nodded, a soft smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Maybe we’re both just looking for a bit of light."

Winters felt his chest tighten as he realized just how much he wanted to be near her, to hear more of that voice, to find some kind of solace in it, even if it was only for a short while. The war was never far from his mind, but in that moment, with Camille standing before him, it seemed like something he could push aside, at least for a few hours.

They spoke for a while longer, about music, life, and the strange, delicate balance between joy and sorrow that both had come to know too well. He learned that Camille had lost much herself—family, friends, the carefree days of Paris before the war had arrived at their doorstep. She hadn’t known if she could keep singing, but somehow, the songs always found their way back to her, a way to keep going.

When it was time for him to leave, Winters felt a sense of reluctance that surprised him. "I’ll be leaving soon," he said quietly. "But I hope I can hear you sing again before I go."

Camille’s smile was warm but faintly sad. "If you’re still here tomorrow night, I’ll be singing again."

Winters nodded, feeling the weight of those words. There was something about her—something about her voice—that he couldn’t forget. And for the first time in a long while, the darkness of war seemed just a little less overwhelming, softened by the thought of returning to the bar, to the sound of her voice, to the light that she brought into the world.

He didn’t know what tomorrow would hold, but he knew one thing for sure: in Camille’s voice, he had found something to believe in again. Something that reminded him of home, of peace, of all the things worth fighting for.

Part 2

[pterobat]

Sinsmas Review

This was delayed as I got stuck trying to articulate my thoughts on the demon birds without seeming like I couldn’t understand basic emotional cues. Finally I said, “screw it”.

**A lot of Stolitz fun and cuteness, with enough conflict to satisfy. “Opposites attract” doesn’t float my boat by itself but these are fun characters to observe.

**It's also really funny, to my convoluted ND mind, that as viewers complain about the Hellaverse demons (both sinners and Hellborn) not acting demonic enough, the Hellaverse up and gives the hellborn a holiday with all the trappings of our allegedly secular Christmas.

**But adding some xenofictional specifics also makes for something charming to go with the hilarity. I'm glad they're sticking with Moxxie being Wrath-identified even after they nerfed it, and him and Millie fighting like rabid chipmunk versions of Mr. and Mrs. Smith is great.

**(I take small issue with Greed being equated to working on a holiday when personal greed isn’t usually the reason people work on holidays but enh.)

**All right, I'm eating crow: Stolas IS feeling the lack of privilege as well as the loss of Via, rather than suffering saintily. Good on the crew.

**Speaking of, does Stolas really have an issue with eating hell-eggs? Ozzie doesn't and he's a Big Cock, and these aren’t even owl eggs so I thought it was Blitz's cooking but...

**At least we get more acknowledgement that Stolas eats like a real owl, that’s always fun.

**Always thought the fan theory of Stolas working at IMP sounded goofy and his abortive attempt didn't do much to change that.

**Ehn, the decision to turn away from a hit doesn’t quite land. It’s too obvious a beat and kind of redundant.

**So, I understand Via being mad at Stolas, mostly understand being mad enough to walk back inside, but nothing, not a single word or expression towards Stella and Andrealphus delivered in any tone?

**Or, uh…it’s starting to get frustrating, the way the series to series barely shows anything of Octavia outside of the sadness/anger at feared or perceived abandonment by Stolas. Thankfully the series doesn't dismiss her grievances with him, but it feels so thin when that's the only focus she gets.

**And it’s so especially dire because it seems like the series is actively avoiding having any direct interaction, or explicit avoidance of such, between Octavia and her jailers. It’s easy to say, “Oh, they all hate/are indifferent to each other”, but there’s just no personality or weight to this mutual disinterest.

**Stella offered false compassion to Octavia last episode, and it got me hyped for more interaction, but then there was no fallout, no greater interest in exploring how this played into their usual interactions—-because we still don’t know what those were.

**Now, Octavia witnesses Stella's goofy brand of evil and has no reaction but a scowl at her phone being snatched, and we don’t know to what degree that expression is directed at her mother for doing it, her uncle for setting this in motion, or Dad for leaving her with these twits, because the story only flaps its hand in a vague direction.

**Stella obviously doesn't love anyone, but the particular form indifference takes could speak volumes if someone lets it. I know the crew loves Bojack Horseman, but that series did a way better job with communicating the abuse by Beatrice and Butterscotch in a solid way while still being cartoony—hell, The Owl House did a better job with Odalia.

**We thus don’t know why Octavia would say, “You don’t love Mother (…)” —is she sticking up for Stella? Why? Or is Via just pointing out the obvious?

As it is, the fandom’s seething hatred of Stella and the determination to take her every action with the utmost sincerity when this is the caliber of material is what we get, is confusing.

**Thinking further, the disconnect is probably that I’m a huge Doylist and I view art as something made, instead of this window into another reality where there’s no theme, tone, subversions, expectations, execution, or style, because life doesn’t have those, and so everything we witness has equal weight, and seeing a character being terrible is enough to hate them.

**Doylism is hardly a mechanical way of looking at storytelling, but it means that HB often feels to me like a series of fractured events, wanting for some slower pacing and more connective tissue to make it really shine.

Though I did enjoy the scrap with Andy. Loved the ice hydra, but wish Andrealphus could have turned into that hydra instead of conjuring it---finally debuting a demon form as good as Stolas' full-throttle one.

**Whoa, Loona went into Hispo form! (That's for the WTA crew)

**One of the most Hellish/xenofictional things here might be the free and easy public distribution of drugs--I'm hoping Stolas's “candy” pills would be hard substances in the human realm, and it's not all some anti-SSRI twaddle about "medicating away your feelings".

**So of course if an adult woman character throws up, she's pregnant, right? I shouldn't be disappointed but here I am.

**It doesn’t seem like the right time for Millie emotionally or situationally, but much as I love HB, it feels like it’d be married to “Screenwriting 101” cliches that emptily dictate that a pregnancy/birth/baby is the strongest narrative course regardless of characterization

**So, I guess we'll find out if imps lay eggs or not. I'm guessing not since the Hellaverse aims for things being as humanlike as possible unless anthro demons are involved, which makes me wonder if imps are born with fairy fingers--and do NOT Google that unless your stomach is strong. It's basically a biological "cap" on the hooves of infant ungulates to prevent them injuring the mother. I assume their horns grow in later.

**I guess one of Millie's brothers from the character sheet (the one with the bob cut and big gloves) has been removed from the series proper because he's not there at Sinsmas and a quick check shows he wasn't in the family portrait in "Harvest Moon".

**I assumed the biggest brother was the married brother visiting back in "Harvest Moon” but if so, his spouse isn't visible now.

[horizon-verizon]

The way Alicent hired and protected the man who murdered Laenor’s lover and got away with it, mocked Laenor’s sons’ looks because they aren’t his own even though he raised them, made this homophobic comment about Laenor’s sexuality at his own home the day his sister was buried.

She was in the Velaryon’s home, a family that just lost their daughter and she did not miss the opportunity to insult Laenor’s sexuality in front of the guests and his parents, and implied that he’s a pedophile because he’s gay. She choose to say “young squires” which are usually children (Jace and Luke were squires). Everyone saw Laenor being heartbroken and devastated when they lowered Laena’s coffin into the sea but sure he must have gone entertaining his squires.

I can’t find the right words to express how much I despise her. She tried to make everyone’s life as miserable as hers, turned herself into a perpetual victim to excuse her hypocrisy and awfulness, disrespected everyone’s else feelings and directed her hate to anyone but her father. She convinced herself that since she was a victim, she had the right to punish and humiliate everyone who IN HER EYES wasn’t, she convinced herself that people living a different life from hers and trying to make the best of their impossible situations were the reason of her misery, no one else could be a victim, could be unhappy because only she was.

I want to say that Alicent of the book is more ambitious for her own sake and not sexually victimized. She is not more or less evil than her show counterpart, the difference is in how competent and intelligent she is and what her motives toward power are.

That being said, HotD's Alicent maintains her traditionalism and disdain for alternative choices, behaviors, etc that the Faith and Andal patriarchy both would oppose or consign as immoral. And that comes into conflict with her children being dragonriders and only having access to the throne through their biological connection to a separate culture that those same septons regard as godless "pagans". I think that coupled with the misogyny inherent in the Faith and Andal-FM descent patriarchy that excludes her from official power, Alicent could very well have regarded herself a victim of sorts by observing the lack of reward for her "giving" the Targs four living children and "compromising" her own beliefs without actually ever acknowledging the misogyny (since she'd just accept its existence)….if this were ever brought up to her.

But that kind of silent anger in a woman with a lot of internalized misogyny--aware of its holding her back--would propel her into denigrating other, perceived vulnerable persons. Sad.

[thedustmylove]

I’ve had a lot of thoughts bouncing around regarding the ratthew healy situation and just need to get them out of my brain and into the ether webs (this is stream of consciousness rant)

I’m upset/disappointed with everything regarding matty healy. I used to casually listen to The 1975; I had no idea he was such a sack of shit until this week. I hate the defense of ‘oh its satire’ or ‘its just a persona’.

this man wants his persona to be racist???? why?  wtf. how is a white man punching down satire? is it suppose to be humorous because ‘ooh you shouldn’t say that’????

I’ve deleted the few songs I had by the 1975 from my phone. If this was anyone but taylor swift, i would have dropped the artist immediately. but because its taylor i’m conflicted.

There’s just such a strong mixture of nostalgia and sentimentality with both Taylor and her music. (I know how parasocial of me. But what do you expect when you’ve been invested in someone’s career for over half of your life. I was 9ish when I started listening to her and i’m 23 now.)

Obviously I’ve grown since I was 9 years old and have become disillusioned with aspects of caring about a celebrity. I see how Taylor Swift the person that we see is just part of Taylor Swift the brand. On some level, I realize she doesn’t know about the fans personally and can only care to the capacity that a human can have sympathy for a mass of nameless faces. But for lack of better words the relationship between taylor and her fans felt different. She wouldn’t do this to us. By this I mean associate herself with someone that like creature (derogatory).

its a slap in the face to her poc fans for taylor to be like well i can ‘excuse racism because i’m rebounding or whatever’. (like the woman could have rebound with anyone why the fuck is this the douche-canoe she choices. the dick cannot be that good, there is no sex good enough to excuse racism imo). Also he came out on stage at least once, which is not good. Is taylor’s band or whoever’s covering instrumentals ready to cut him off if he starts with the “i’m not racist but-” bullshit.

I cannot fully express my disdain for the shit ratthew healy has said.

Like even if taylor didn’t know about this stuff before, how can she not know now??? she has a PR team, someone must have said something at the very least “this is not good for the Taylor Swift brand”.

At least right now, i can’t bring myself to walk away completely. Now, its just a painful reminder that Taylor Swift the human is someone who’s intentions/feelings remain unbeknownst to me. I don’t know her as person, no matter how much I like to think I do. Tbh, I was disillusioned about this a while ago, but this shatter some base level belief I wasn’t aware of until recently. the belief that- taylor swift despite being wealthy white woman, has enough wherewithal to realize associating with a man that has said he gets off to black women being abused in not a good look.

overall, just sad in so many ways. this has damped my enthusiasm for tour (i have tickets to see her in one month) and for speak now re-release. I don’t know what to do from here, just process things and see how things play out.

[park-jaechan]

Jaechan: "My First Historical Drama Challenge with Check In Hanyang, I Learned and Grew a Lot" [N Interview]①

How do you feel about finishing Check-In Hanyang?

This was my first time challenging a historical drama, and thanks to the guidance of my senior actors, I learned a lot, making it a meaningful experience. It’s sad to part ways with Sura now that the drama has ended, but I’m happy that through Check In Hanyang, I was able to showcase great chemistry with the Haona four.

Were there any difficulties since this was your first historical drama?

I won’t say I wasn’t nervous, but my worries faded as we started filming. When I was struggling with the historical speech style after watching other period dramas, the director reassured me, saying, "Since Sura is from the merchant guild, you don’t need to stress too much about formal speech patterns." That helped me relax. The costumes, hair, and makeup were all handled beautifully by the staff, which was great. Also, since historical dramas are often filmed in stunning locations, it felt like going on a picnic, which I really enjoyed. (smiles)

How did you interpret and portray the character of Go Sura?

Sura is a loyal friend. No matter what happens, he stays by his friends’ sides and tries to help them. That’s why he supports Junhwa and Deoksu getting together and doesn’t interfere much in the relationship between Deoksu and Eunho. He’s the kind of friend you’d want to have around. I think my similarity with Sura is about 70%. His determination to succeed in Yongcheonru reminds me of my own passionate early days after debuting. However, unlike Sura, I’m not much of a planner. (laughs)

Is there a scene or line that left the biggest impression on you?

The scene where Sura requests a deal with the Taesang Bangju. Sura treasures his friendship, but after hearing about his family's financial struggles, he finds himself conflicted upon receiving an offer from the Taesang Bangju. I initially prepared for the scene with strong emotional expression, but the director advised me to tone it down so that Sura would appear more composed and cold. That advice stuck with me, making the scene memorable. Another unforgettable moment was when Sura, usually cheerful, started giving Junhwa harsh words after he became the Daegakju.

Did you check the audience's reactions after playing Go Sura?

I did. (smiles) The best feedback was hearing that my improvement was noticeable. Sura is diligent yet clumsy, which makes him endearing, and it was nice that viewers picked up on that. My parents and relatives also really enjoyed the drama. I was especially surprised that my grandmother, whom I didn't expect to watch, knew the entire storyline! (laughs)

You also had a cross-dressing scene in the drama. Any behind-the-scenes stories?

I grew my hair out for about six months for that scene. Thanks to that, even with a wig, the transition looked natural, which made me happy. It was my first time cross-dressing in a role, and everyone said I looked pretty, so I felt my effort paid off. (laughs) I wanted to make it even more convincing, but I ended up looking more masculine than I had hoped. Still, I figured that since Sura isn’t a makeup expert, his rough attempt was fitting, so I was satisfied.

How was your chemistry with the "Haona Four" members?

At first, we were all a bit shy around each other, but since everyone has such bright personalities, the atmosphere on set became really lively over time. Jieun noona always brought tons of food to share. I mean, anyone who gives out good food is a good person, right? (laughs) I realized how much we relied on each other whenever we were together. Being alone on set sometimes felt lonely, but filming with my hyungs and noona put me at ease. "Check In Hanyang" was actually the first project where I worked closely with people my age, which made acting even more fun and comfortable.

The drama achieved great ratings, surpassing 3%. What do you think contributed to its popularity?

I checked the ratings from time to time, and they kept going up. I think the fun storyline and the chemistry between the "Haona Four" really resonated with viewers. I’m grateful that each character received so much love.

The drama ended with an open-ended conclusion. Did you discuss the possibility of a Season 2?

At the wrap party, we casually talked about how great it would be if there were a Season 2, but nothing concrete has been decided. That said, since Sura became the Daegakju at the end, I’d love to see a continuation. (laughs) Plus, with Cheon Bangju—whom we all thought was dead—turning out to be alive, a second season would definitely be even more exciting!

Do you feel like you've grown while working on Check In Hanyang?

Through Check In Hanyang, I learned how to set aside unnecessary thoughts, focus solely on the moment, and act in a more fun and relaxed way. Moving forward, I want to reflect more and show even greater improvement.

What does Check In Hanyang mean to you personally?

After Semantic Error, I went through a bit of a slump, but receiving so much love through Check-In Hanyang made me realize that I need to keep moving forward. This drama became a turning point—an opportunity for me to start again.

Source: 재찬 "'체크인 한양'으로 처음 사극 도전, 많이 배우고 성장했죠" [N인터뷰]① - 뉴스1 Translated by Park Jaechan Updates

[escapism-isgoodinsmalldoses]

I’d plant the stars in the ground for you -> Moon Knight x Daughter!Reader

-‘If I could, I’d plant the stars in the ground for you, They’d grow as tall as your eyes so they’d shine for you only.’ ‘For then you’d see how the world is so big, but it was made for you. And you were made to be loved, loved by me.’ -

                                                           -by abbycates

PART THREE: Part one/Part two/Part three

Relationships: 

Father!Jake Lockley x daughter!reader/ Fatherfigure!Steven Grant x daughter!reader/ Fatherfigure!Marc Spector x daughter!reader Motherly Nut/ Slight Layla x Marc

TW: Depression and anxiety disorders, absent father, slight angst, Steven is a good dad, Marc tries, Jake is scared and hides but will come around. Konshu is intimidated by Nut hehe.

Nut, Nwt, (Ⲛⲉ), is the goddess of the sky, stars, cosmos, mothers, astronomy, all heavenly bodies and the universe in the ancient Egyptian religion. She was seen as a star-covered nude woman arching over the Earth. Nut was seen as a friend and protector of the dead, who appealed to her as a child appeals to its mother. (She is sometimes associated with the cow and represented with the horns of one)

A/N: the story takes place right after Konshu frees Steven and Marc.  She/Her reader pronouns but they aren’t used a lot, the term ‘daughter’ comes up tho. If you want to write/create anything that is inspired by this little story, feel free ! I just want a bit of credit hehe.

(POV: When you get screamed at by an ex you never knew you had) (they look so goofy omg) ___________________________________________ Your mother was a woman with quite a temper. She didn't fundamentally liked conflict, but sure knew how to express her disapproval. Or her wish to tear someone's head off. You've been sitting on the stairs in front of the Museum for about 15 minutes now. Your ice cream half melted in the little pot you held in your hand. You've been absent-mindedly eating the half melted cream, not paying attention to the people that walked past you. You could faintly hear your mother scream at Steven, or... well... You just didn't want to think about it right now. The sun was gone and your cold treat was now freezing your fingers. Grey clouds were looming in the sky and the wind had become stagnant. Everything was... fuzzy. It was weird how every event that occurred followed one another. It felt like a big joke, a big "fuck off" from life. Your vision was slightly blurred, you didn't really feel sad but tears were on the verge of pouring from your eyes.

You heard the steps of your mother becoming louder and louder, her voice was filled with disbelief and rage. « Oh you're father of the fucking year, are you ?! You stay the fuck away from (Y/N), from me ! »

He was running after her, trying to catch up to her as she clearly was trying to lose him in the crowd. You didn't look up at her when you saw her shoes enter your field of vision. « Come on, let’s get out of here (Y/N). »

You got up, not really paying attention to anything that was happening around you. Steven was heaving a bit when he caught up to your mother. You turned your back to them, knowing full well that they were about to raise their voices again. It was a bit ironic how you never experienced the arguments between your parents, but now that you did you were already tired of it.

« Listen, please. I have know idea who you are! »

Your mother had a bitter laugh.

« Oh that’s rich. »

He stuttered, clearly not knowing what to say to convince her anymore.

« (Y/N). » He said your name, trying to reason with you this time. You slowly looked up, his shirt was stained with your mother’s ice cream (which she probably threw at him when you ran away from the scene).

« I’m sorry kid but, » He took a deep breath and ran his hand along his forehead, he was sweating. « I’m… not your father. My name is Marc. »

It really was the worst excuse you had ever heard.

You didn’t exactly know what your expression was like but he immediately looked alarmed. You scoffed. You felt your lips tremble. « And Steven ? » « It’s complicated- » « Oh I’m sure, and it’s not that I don’t believe you, but I’d rather trust my mother. » « (Y/N), I don’t know what’s going on either. » You groaned, rubbing your eyes with your palms. « Jake, you leave her out of this- » « Jake?! » You looked at your mother, almost offended. « Steven, Marc, Jake? How many names do you fucking have ?! » « I’m NOT Jake ! » « Come on, sweetheart, let’s just go home, ignore him. »

« Leave…me alone. »

Your mom tried to protest but you just started to run down the stairs. You wanted to just GO AWAY. Disappear for a moment. They were following you, both trying to ask you to stay, your mom wanting you to come home and the... Other just wanting answers. And he was a lot faster than your mother. As you ran down the street, he grabbed your arm with a strength that scared you.

« (Y/N) ! »

You didn’t like him saying your name anymore. I want to leave, I want to leave, I want to leave, I WANT TO LEAVE.

°°°°°°°

You felt like you just woke up from a dream, but you were very aware that it wasn’t one. You were laid down on sand. You were on a beach.

You took deep breaths of the salted wind. The clouds were moving in waves, at a bizarre speed. The sea was calm, and the sand was white and made of thin grains. You stayed on the ground, realising how no one was around. You weren’t afraid of looking at the sky anymore. And then, you forgot why you were so upset.

…..

« Nut ? »

‘Yes, child ?’ 

You exhaled.

« I like this place. » You said as you took a small amount of sand in your palm, letting it slip away with the wind. You heard her laugh softly. ‘It is quite lovely. And I am glad to be able to see it with you.’ You started drawing small spirals into the sand. 'I am quite fond of Earth.'

« Why is he an avatar ? »

She stayed quiet for a few seconds.

‘Avatars are vessels for us Gods. You are a mean to interact with humanity where we cannot. If your father was chosen by Khonshu, then he must be trying to hide it from you.’ « … Why ? » 'Well...' She marked another pause. 'Khonshu proclaimed himself as a god of vengeance. His avatar must take care of that for him. Gods can grant their vessels superhuman abilities. He might be dangerous. At least in his opinion.' « And he’s not ? »

You heard her sigh.

‘He maybe is. But Khonshu was always proud and arrogant. He feels as if he owns the night. Where I swallow the sun each day to let him prevail. He cannot see past his own beak.’ You chuckled at the mention of his beak. A bird. A bird god. You stared at the calm waves as the sun started to peek through the agitated clouds. « You can give powers ? And… make us into superheroes or something? Ancient Egypt Avengers. » She giggled.

« Could you give ‘me’ powers…? »

‘I could. But you don’t have to serve me in any way. What kind of powers would you need ?’

You sat up slowly, looking around the desert beach.

« Something to get me back to London, for starters. » ‘Oh, right.’ _________________ This chapter is a bit short, but I hope it is still enjoyable! Everyone is confused, but (Y/N) starts to feel more comfortable with Nut :) __________________

[yandere-sins]

Past and Future

Horrortober Day 2: Decision  |  “It’s your decision. Choose wisely.”

Day 2 woop! Got a chance to work on my Kazuha a bit more. I hope to write for him more in the future!

Warnings: Yandere, Manipulation, Possessiveness, Stalking Mention Characters: Kadehara Kazuha x Reader

Kazuha couldn’t not notice the yearning in your gaze as you looked across the plaza at your old friends. These scumbags. Wannabe goody-two-shoes. Oh, how much he despised them. And yet, you longed for their laughter in your ears, the wrinkles in their eyes as they grinned and smiled at each other cheerfully. They were celebrating something Kazuha didn’t know about. But undoubtedly, you remembered after having been close to them since early childhood. 

And yet, you didn’t belong to their circle anymore. You hadn’t been invited to wine and laughter, food and celebration. Instead, you absentmindedly squeezed his hand tighter, and Kazuha took that as a sign. “Come on,” he mumbled, watching how sadness overcame you with every passing second. Frustration and anger, but mostly disappointment, snaked their way into your expression. You had been so excited for today, going out with him, exploring Liyue Harbor with your boyfriend, but the mood was ruined now. 

When you didn’t react, Kazuha used his free arm to lay it around you, pushing you forward despite your feet being unwilling to move. Part of you wanted to go to your friends, to join them in their festivity. But without being invited, you were way too hesitant to approach, and it hurt you even more. Your head hung low as you two finally disappeared in the crowd of people working and shopping, the night market making for a great scene. Still, you couldn’t take it in anymore after remembering your past heartbreak now.

Kazuha wasn’t the type to leave you alone, never wishing to be separated from the warmth and comfort you gave him by being by his side, but in your depressed state, it was hard to do anything with you. Placing you on a bench, Kazuha left to get you something to drink. His mind was wrecking itself of how to help you as he bought your favorite, seasonal beverage, still hot and steaming in its cup, and brought it back to you. 

Unfortunately, no one heard the clattering sound as he dropped it, watching you talk with some of your old friends. When did they come over to talk? Why were they here? How did they notice you? Why now of all times? This was his evening. His time with you. And yet, you hadn’t been as happy with him all night as you were when you talked to them. Kazuha’s expression changed from worried to upset as he had to watch you laugh with them, even though the mood seemed awkward from afar. Maybe they were apologizing, or perhaps just trying to replicate the good old times with you, but you seemed very receptive to their presence, smiling in a way that you never did when you were with Kazuha. 

It had taken a lot to break you guys apart. Not willingly, but they weren’t a good influence for you. He had never done anything to them, but one day they had decided they didn’t like the way he looked at you. That Kazuha was too ‘possessive’ and that the ‘took up all your time’. They told you to stay away from the outsider, to ignore the soft, wonderful feelings you two had for each other—the strong bond you were forming with your boyfriend. Your friends decided he wasn’t good for you but were they really your friends when they made you choose between them and your love? Gods, he hated what they did to you. Hated how miserable they could make you. You had been so nervous and anxious after they started harassing you to leave him, crying at night and into his shoulder when you didn’t know what to do. The first time you said you loved him was while you were assuring him that you still had feelings for him; that being the reason why it was so hard on you to be forced to make this decision. It wasn’t a romantic moment, but one filled with tears. Kazuha would never forgive them for robbing him of his amazing confession from your lips.

However, in the end? You chose him—naturally. You chose him for this very reason. Because you love him. Kazuha never made you decide. Sure, he didn’t like your friends, but he didn’t go out of his way to engage with them. He only ever had eyes for you, following you whenever you met with your so-called friends and making sure you’d be safe from them. However, he was better than them, and even if they made you cry on your way home, he never once went back to hurt them just as much as they hurt you, even if his blood was boiling. Kazuha would rather spend his time comforting you, asserting his place in your heart, than stick to the ones who were desperately trying to tear him out of said place. 

But maybe he should have.

Maybe he should have demanded that you decide on one side. After all, you were already distancing yourself from these people that kept hurting you in the name of ‘only wanting the best for you’. He was the best for you. There was nothing that could be better for you than Kazuha. He was strong; he was safe for you. No one else tended to you as gently and lovingly as he did. Comforted you when you were down. You had to wear the burden of everyone around you, but Kazuha only committed to you and your worries. He was the saving grace and the helping hand you needed in your desperation. The person your friends should have been if you had actually mattered to them. 

In return, you were the same for him. You gave his life a meaning that he had long searched for. A new friend and a love to wake his lonely heart again. No one could ever stir him like you did, and he was thankful. Thankful for the opportunity to be by your side, to warm you on cold nights, and to tell you about the past he never shared with anyone else. You were the listener he wanted; gave him the attention he needed. And Kazuha...

Kazuha wouldn’t lose you now. He couldn’t lose someone again. Not you.

Marching up to you and your friends gathering around, he listened to the meaningless conversation you had. “We’re sorry for saying such harsh things,” and “We were worried about you.” Loads of empty words, in his opinion. But seeing your eyes tear up at them made his heart sting and his blood boil all over again. It made him furious. Furious for you. You deserved so much better than these lies. They didn’t care about you!

Pushing through them without roughly, Kazuha only looked at you, finding your eyes instantly. You were surprised by his appearance but quickly wiped the tears from your eyes and returning to the silly, little smile you usually graced him with. One that was as empty as your friend’s words. One you adapted just to please him and not worry him further, but once he’d put an end to this, Kazuha knew you’d be able to smile at him properly again with a sincere one. 

“Choose,” he prompted, and you raised an eyebrow in confusion while your friends began to grow tense and murmur between themselves. 

“These people-” he made a vague gesture between the few gathered around, “-aren’t good for you, and you know it. They dropped you when you needed them the most while I’ve been with you all this time.”

“You can’t be serious,” you breathed, but Kazuha didn’t confirm your wish. He was serious, even if that meant upsetting you. This was for the best. “It’s your decision. Them or me. Choose wisely.”

“That’s unfair!” one of your friends cried out, upset about his intention, and Kazuha looked at them sharply from the corner of his eye, silencing them effectively. “It’s not unfair,” he shut their argument down, looking only at you as he spoke. “They made you choose first and broke your heart. I never have and never will hurt you. But I am not so sure about the people who already did it once.”

Kazuha’s words had impact; he could see it in your eyes. You, too, remembered the bad times that felt like your heart was ripped into pieces by the people you put so much trust in. And instead, it had been him who was there, making sure you ate and drank in your troubled times, and got rest when you needed it. Even if there was no luxury in his life, he still had been a better friend than any of them. Kazuha completely missed that he suggested dropping you the same way your friends had when he made you choose. He didn’t want to believe you would choose anyone over him after all he did for you. You belonged to him, and he belonged to you. That’s how love worked. 

“I love you.” 

A dirty trick. One that your friends couldn’t use. Kazuha directly pulled at your heartstrings, making you miss a breath as you grew even more blindsided. “I don’t want to lose you, again,” he didn’t hesitate to add, noticing how your friends’ faces grew worried and upset at his words. He was hinting at the bad time you two had gone through. The one that made a part of you die. But you only looked down, hands balling into fists as you felt conflicted. There was no need for you to wreck your pretty head over these nobodies, Kazuha decided, holding out his hand. You only needed him—as much as he needed you. 

Timidly, you reached for his hand, and he gripped yours tightly, pulling you up from your seat and after him, away from these fake friends and their fake worry without another word to them. “It’s better like this,” he assured you, dragging you through the crowd so you wouldn’t be able to look back at your past. He was before you, your future, and he wouldn’t let anyone take you from him and ruin this for you. 

But when you were unresponsive, he threw a glance back over his shoulder, noticing the tears streaming down your eyes. You two came to a stop as he turned around, cupping your face and pulling you into a kiss. Even though your hands came to rest against his chest, pushing, you never managed to escape his grip, forced to kiss him until neither of you could hold your breath anymore. Leaning his forehead against yours, you were left speechless, but not Kazuha.

“I love you. I love you so much. Promise me you’ll never go back to them.” It was hard to commit to that, but his hands grew tighter around your face, desperate to hear it. “You chose me,” he insisted, pain swinging in his voice. “You’re not leaving me.”

There was no way of saying where those emotions came from, but he didn’t give you time to think them over. This was the future he chose, by your side. And that night, you chose it too, even if you ended up not liking it once you found out that your friends had been right all along.

[flightfoot]

Suddenly I remembered that Thomas said the special is canon and in NY special Ladybug hit him with the whole I can't trust you speech and now with s4 where she really slowly "forgetting" about Cat Noir and only focus on defeating the akuma just like she said in optigami : I don't care who or how as long as the akuma is defeated. Its as if NY is the prelude for the ladynoir fallout although the symptoms is already there since kwamibuster.

Eh, there are a lot of episodes that could be called the "prelude" to the Ladynoir conflict. The NY Special... I guess it can be called a prelude in the sense that it showed an example of how Ladybug reacts if something's kept from her (that then blows up) in contrast to when she keeps things from Chat? I don't think it's really set up for the Ladynoir conflict though.

Thing is, the conflict springs from pre-established character traits, and THOSE you can see over the course of the show. For instance, Marinette tends to subscribe to an "it's fine so long as you don't get caught" kind of mindset a lot of the time, trying to fix anything that goes wrong in secret before she's discovered: The Mime springs to mind, with how she futiley tried to recreate Alya's video after accidentally deleting it, replacing it before Alya found out what happened, or Copycat with her breaking into Adrien's locker to try and delete the voice message before Adrien hears it.

She also is very pragmatic about any problem she encounters more generally, to the point of acquiring tunnel vision and only working on "solving" that issue, whatever the impression or feelings anyone else would have on the matter. Something that was pointed out in Rogercop, as during Marinette's efforts to dispel the completely unfair suspicion Chloe placed on her, she unintentionally cast that unfair suspicion on everyone else as well. Animaestro and Ikari Gozen were particularly egregious examples, as she didn't seem to catch onto the fact that Kagami was a person with feelings, rather than simply an obstacle and a threat to her getting together with Adrien, until it was thrown in her face. Or Weredad, with her overreacting while pretending to be devastated by Chat's rejection, while not considering how that would make everyone else involved feel - only really thinking about her goal of concealing her secret identity.

There's also a bit of an issue with Marinette not really seeming to realize that Chat has deeper emotions and depth than she normally gives him credit for, which was most obvious during Glaciator: she hadn't realized that he had that softer, more sincere side to him, that he wasn't just messing around. Or again, with Weredad and not considering what effect going overboard with her reaction to his rejection might have. The Chat Blanc synopsis that her partner's "the last person she'd ever imagine get akumatized" embodies it pretty well.

On Adrien's side, he's long-hated being kept out of the loop or feeling like he might be replaced, but often downplays the full extent of his feelings on the matter. He downplays most of his negative emotions in general really, until he can find somewhere to vent alone. Santa Claws showed him feeling so bitter and alone after his father appeared to be skipping spending Christmas with him so soon after his mother died, and feeling jealous and hurt enough that everyone else got to spend Christmas having fun with their loved ones, that he nearly destroyed a Christmas tree - but reined himself in at the last second. Once he met up with Santa (and especially when he got to meet up with Ladybug as Chat Noir), he was in a better place emotionally.

Syren also helps set up the current conflict, as it's when Chat most blatantly expressed how much he hates being kept in the dark, being sidelined while Ladybug does things that she can't explain. It's also another example of him downplaying his feelings around others, ESPECIALLY Ladybug, since he only sounded mildly frustrated and sad about the situation when talking with her, but felt so unneeded and unwanted that he was ready to give up the ring. The only person he IS willing to let know exactly how he feels is Plagg, who's with him 24/7. Even when the full extent of his emotions are expressed via akuma (his greatest fear via the Nightmare Ladybug in Sandboy) he deflected Ladybug's questioning about what he thought of her, much like how he deflected Ladybug's questioning of whether he was okay in Rocketear.