#but his mother did end up leaving him and was able to reconcile with her living son

[smilesrobotlover]

Could I ask about Ammon and Orman :)? Nothing in particular I’ve just been very interested in both of these characters since you’ve created them and I’d like to learn more about them! So if you want to share anything about them, please do! I’d love to read about it

( also would it be possible for you to link your fic you wrote about them for whumptober or febwhump? Sorry if that’s rude)

Well yes you certainly can!!

So they’re in my au king of the Gerudo which I assume you already knew that XD Ammon is also in my crossover au called strangers across eras which is all the Links dads/father figures/ friends/ relatives going on an adventure lol.

So they’re both Rhoam’s bodyguards. Ammon is from castle town but is staying in Hateno with his wife while Orman is from Lurelin. Ammon has two kids: Link and his daughter Aryn. Orman has four daughters. A daughter that’s slightly older than Link and is a captain, younger twins that may be around ten or twelve, and maybe a toddler. :) he’s a girl dad through and through.

Oh man so where do I begin? I guess I’ll start with Orman cuz I’m not sure if I talked about him much. Lurelin is very much on the edge of Hyrule and it’s sometimes neglected as a result. Many monsters attacked the village and stole all their fish and the villagers are powerless to stop it. So many of them took up their fishing spears and fought back, Orman being one of them. He became an incredible fighter because of it and he took Lurelin’s safety very seriously. He eventually got into the Hylian guard which is a HUGE deal for him being from Lurelin, cuz that village is more full of fishermen rather than fighters. Safe to say many people underestimated him. Orman and Ammon ended up defending an important outpost, idk what it is, maybe fort Hateno, and so they sorta became famous and were chosen to become bodyguards to the new king. Orman is best at spear fighting and is a phenomenal thrower. He sucks at climbing tho. He got married to his wife before defending fort Hateno and he’s overall a very kind person. He’s a peacekeeper, always good at deescalating tense situations. I love him so much.

He really loves being a bodyguard so close to Rhoam, mostly because he’s hanging out with Ammon, but also because he’s able to be a voice for Lurelin!

Ammon is slightly more jaded than Orman. He grew up in castle town and had a lot of pressure from his father to become a knight. He had an older brother Georgie who also wasn’t becoming a knight, but Georgie was kind, selfless, and caring to everyone he met. While Ammon as a teenager was mischievous and a pain to deal with. Even tho Georgie wasn’t being a knight, his father was proud of him since he was basically a saint. Kinda like Mipha, but his father was noticeably ashamed of Ammon. But while picking apples for a shop, Ammon and Georgie were kidnapped and held hostage by yiga for weeks, and in the end Georgie was killed. That was really hard on Ammon and his relationship with his father basically tanked cuz someone accidentally let slip that he wished Ammon died and not Georgie 😬Eventually Ammon joined the guard because he wanted to help people and to keep something like Georgie from happening again. He didn’t do it because his father wanted to, but his father really makes it seem like he did. Anyways Ammon did the whole thing with fort Hateno, met Orman, and was chosen to become a knight and a body guard. Now Ammon doesn’t actually like being a body guard. He loves Orman and he cares about Rhoam, but as a bodyguard he isn’t able to go out there and help people, and it’s very frustrating to him. But his father’s pressure and influence may have swayed him into accepting the responsibility. He’s a cautious, strategic, and serious man who is very anxious over his loved one’s well being. Though he didn’t want to pressure Link into trying to become a knight, his son looked up to him so he is simply proud of him. Ammon and his wife are fun cuz Ammon has very stereotypical mom traits and his wife Sarah have stereotypical dad traits. She’s reckless, impulsive, and also calm (not a dad trait, just a trait she has). She’s a blacksmith in Hateno thanks to her father teaching her so she’s also quite tough. Link looks like his father, but he acts more like his mother.

Another thing about Ammon is that he loves shield surfing. Absolutely loves it. Tho he is cautious that is one thing he goes crazy on. It makes him feel alive. But he sucks at swimming. Orman makes fun of him for it. Also he lost his arm in the calamity by guardians :) he’s Purah and Robbie’s Guinea pig.

I have written whumptober fics for them!

Here is about Ammon’s prosthetic being glitched out and shocking him

And here is about Ammon’s brother dying. Rip. (There’s two parts- 1 and 2!)

[jaal-ama-daravv]

dissecting the mortal emmrich argument scene (all routes)

dissecting the graveyard scene dissecting the mortal romance path scene how I think an argument reconcilation scene could've went emmrich x rook cinematic (mortal)

lich version dissecting the alternate romance path dissecting the argument scene (lich path) mortal vs lich romance path emmrich x rook cinematic

Emmrich Volkarin - Dissecting the Mortal Argument Scene

welcome back dearies

lets not dally with this one and get right into it -

starting strong with emmrich reviewing his will and testament/s -

important, but not yet, so do go on -

the emphasis on will tells us alot. coming from a storyboarding background, its easy to see why the emphasis was put on will. emmrich chose mortality, and will thereofre face death head on, as will rook. but due to rook being younger than emmrich (in any capacity), emmrich states that rook will outlive him. now he hasn't said it yet, but his fear is about to rear its head. keep in mind throughout all of this that this man is scared of how much he adores you.

but in the same sentence, we've got, "You've... grown to mean much to me..." - head over heels in love, rip my heart out and serve it to you in a platter, my heart, body and soul is yours type o' love.

I just wanna shake him, oh i just wanna shake him like a bag of treats, but very aggressively. he is so obviously LYING, rook makes a comment earlier in the game about how he is a SHIT LIAR. it sounds the exact same. BUT, and I say but with a hint of 'ah -ha!', lets read between the lines -

I care for you Rook! Deeply. - man has never been down as bad as he is - emmrich has never felt love like this. But there are such years between us - shut up rn I shouldn't heap you with that burden - HERE. he knows that Rook loves him, he can feel it. I imagine between quests they hold eachother's hand as the read books together on the balcony. as they make tea. as emmrich shows rook his mothers recipes. emmrich knows rook loves him, he just doesn't realize can nor accept how much rook loves him.

bonus, BURDEN ME, Im begging you, to BURDEN ME.

DIVERGENCE

god it hurt to replay this scene 3 times

Path 1 - Please don't worry, Emmrich.

he also broke my heart by worrying because i too, love him

fuck this line. i love you but look, I get where emmrich is coming from, but no. no no no, no no. whats fair would the world to be ending and being able to spend every waking moment in eachothers arms, to spend the final moments of 'what if' craddling your insecurities and nurturing love. instead we at the end of the world, arguing, because both rook and emmrich are fucking terrified to lose eachother. something about 'being fair' to someone by 'leaving' them irks meeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

solid and appropriate response

moving on because i have nothing nice to say

get his ass

emmrich is shockingly, overthinking the concept of death. ya know, that thing that cant be soothed or mulled over, pierces his heart and shakes his core? that, thing. yes shockingly, overthinking it. i get both perspectives here. Rook just wants to be taken serously and not for their age gap to come between the love they have finally found. emmrich so scared out of his mind he's trying to avoid it entirely. if you want a really gutteral playthrough before point of no return, pick this. I did, on my blind playthrough, it was a mistake, i cried alot.

unfortunately, very valid on both statement, but also true on both statements. Emmrich is both worried about Rook and insecure about dying. because either way, he loses rook, he loses his time with her. in this line of dialogue, emmrich is vry concerned with burdening rook with his death and the grief that will follow. Rook essentially tries to calm him in the worst way possible and it escalates. im not a fan of this dialogue path at all as the "at your age" comment is so out of pocket.

Path 2 - I mean something to you!

if you were to of told me that the purple rook option is the 'nicest' in these scenarios, I would...not believe you at all. It's still painful, but it's not an 'argument?'

strong start ngl

mans immediately defensive, but his tone of voice isn't raised like in the other scenarios. its more poised with care through it, more 'ugh, yes, i care about you, but this is about death'

in this dialogue path rook attemps to 'waylay' emmrich, aka, distract him and change the subject to something nicer, more comforting. though unfortnately, for people with crippling anxiety, nothing calms the mind when its in black and white mode.

eh, not what I would've gone with saying rook but ya know. eve before a battle, tensions high. still not great

emmrich wants to discuss being a burden to rook and rook is just not having it, im kinda into it.

again rook is trying to waylay emmrich into realising that he is overthinking things. however, to emmrich, this is real, rook may as well be dying in his arms rn. thats how real his fears are. we think back to emmrich being a child and losing his parents in a collapsed building accident. its likely he was there, and survived.

hence why it is so very important that we remember that his romance confirmation is the question, what would my parents want for me? and the answer is HAPPY WITH SOMEONE WHO CARES ABOUT YOU.

he is so terrfieid of death, and you and I both know, that when you have such a fear, it is amplified by 14747% when it is someone you truly care for. let alone the type of connection these soulmates have.

emmrich desperately pleading to talk about being a burden to rook, and rook is still just going, 'no', youre my burden now.

wee woo, a winner in my books because rook is not insulting his very existence or dismissing emmrich.

rook knows that emmrich is scared and would rather talk to him about being SCARED, instead of him being a burden because she fucking loves him and would never leave him.

rook is just as scared as emmrich but in this path, is trying to level with him. this is probably the one path where it concludes and I dont have a clear answer on who said the worst shit. i dont think any of them did, it was just riddled with concern, and a lack of communication.

Path 3 - Love scares you.

Rook pointing out the obvious. blunt and to the point. I do love that Rook is able to identify this straight away

Emmrich, taken aback by the comment by Rook, because it's the truth. he is scared because he loves rook. both by actually loving her and by how much he loves her.

"I can't... at my age" Is what this line is meant to be.

But once again, and we have discovered in previous posts, Emmrich has never considered himself 'worthy' of this type of love. And now that he has the love he has craved for decades, he considers himself too old. most likely due to his belief ssystem morphing over time to, "if it hasnt happened by now, it never will" probably in his 30's. Thats almost 20 years of doubt. We know Emmrich has been in relationships and involved with others since then, but nothing that even comes close to what Rook and Emmrich have. Keep in mind as well that Emmrich hasn't formed a connection with anyone in several years and has solely focused on work (i.e., lichdom) because what else do you do when you have given up?

straight to the point again

reiterating that this is a hard topic for him - kindness in this situation would desecalate emmrich and calm his mind, but unfortunately the end of the world takes no prisoners

man is terrified of love and the grief and vulnerability that embodies it

ouch

ouch

Rook's defensiveness and frustration reaches an all time high. rook wants the love of her life to tell her that he loves her, and emmrich doesn't want to burden his love with the grief that will embody her for the rest of her days. rook walks away feeling defeated, with a hole in her heart. emmrich is left with his overthinking thoughts, and most likely spirals.

Conclusion

In their facial expressions, and I have slowed them down to each frame per second whilst analysing, and both Emmrich and Rook share the same process of emotions after Rook's final statement.

Both Emmrich and Rook start out with a cross look on their face, eyebros tilted, eyes squinted, portraying anger, which is covering defensiveness, which is a defense mechanism for being vulnerable. After Rook says their final statement, this line is what 'pulls them out' of their defensive trances, but its too late, the damage has been done. Their facial expressions switch to a more, 'oh, oh that was just said', it turns to regret. the over arching theme of the game. they regret what they said, and their pride wont let them budge rn. the argument scene is important to the romance considering what happens next in the game.

"We'll talk when we get home, Emmrich. I promise." (the reconciliation line before fighting ghil)

hit me like a frieght train that did when i found out we were in the fade for weeks. emmrich, canonically, cries alone and has cold sweats at night when he is upset. do with that information what you will. it definitely happened when rook was gone. Hence why it takes Rook dissapearing in the fade for several weeks for their walls to collapse completely.

god fight, stuck in the fade, emmrich meticulously searching for rook, crafting the fake dagger, pulling them out.

At the end of the scene, Emmrich looks frustrated and devastated. the type of facial expression where it is clear he wish that conversation had gone differently.

Emmrich has low self-esteem, there is no simpler way to put it. This is apparent in the way he holds himself, in his mannerisms, and the way he reacts to rook expressing romantic interest in him. As two examples, consider the date with Emmrich, "apart from the compliment of your interest?", and in two flirt dialogue lines, he responds stating that he is surprised rook has shown interest in him. he wants this love SO BADLY, but he is so scared especially with how much death is around them. but emmrich is braver than he believes. it just takes, almost losing rook for him to embrace it.

phew, what a rollercoaster. ill have the mortal romance scene break down for you in coming days ♥

[umathurwin]

Omg hi! I feel like I’m the only sofia hater out there bc all i see are people loving her character is so boring to me and her and rafe relationship seems so forced to me like she is supposed to help him reconcile with his sister but instead, she spent all season doing nothing apart from the hollis plot

being called a sofia hater cracks me up because i feel like i never talk about her, in fact i usually forget she exists 😭 but i’ll accept it, because i really do hate the way her character (which had a great premise) was totally wasted

a youtuber i really love once described pansy parkinson from harry potter as “an original character wearing the skin of a minor character” and i think that perfectly encapsulates sofia. they make these moodboards, these stories, these elaborate headcanons about a character we know little to nothing about. do i respect it? hell yes. it takes a lot of work. but to have these intense convictions and arguments about a 0.5-dimensional character… WHY?

i went and rewatched every scene in s4 where she even just appears and wrote down my thoughts on them (despite how tedious this was… the action really does rely on the pogues) and like… wow. where do i start

her s4 introduction is the scene where rafe scatters ward’s ashes on the boat, and it’s awkward but in a fair way. i wouldn’t really know what to do either. in the same episode, she’s at the enduro cheering for rafe, but she is inexplicably standing TOTALLY by herself. i still have no idea if this was just filmed oddly or if it was deliberate but this photo kills me… girl why are you alone? at no other point is she physically excluded from the kooks like this. wtf

and after that? nearly every single moment she and rafe share the screen? he’s awful to her. he verbally mocks her in the bar when she tries to calm him down. he flirts with hollis right in sofia’s face and abases her for feeling hurt. he dismisses her every time she tries to express her opinion. rafe does not respect his girlfriend, nor does he care about her thoughts and values. how do i know?

because she knows. how exactly did she convince him to take the deal, again? well, first she says she thinks it’s a good idea, which merely amuses him. then, she makes up a lie about other club members denigrating rafe and how this deal could improve his social status—i believe this to be a fabrication because it easily could’ve and should’ve been explicit on screen if true— and this causes him make up his mind. she knows rafe’s insecurities. she knows what does and doesn’t entice him. and yeah, i’ll be honest, sometimes it makes me sick to think about how deeply she knows this man, and how little he knows/cares about her

rafe brings up marriage, living together, a future with sofia. but do you notice anything about his big grand speeches? ever notice how, when he’s describing his fantasy, it revolves around material things he can own and show off— and sofia has always been one of them? rafe never has anything to say about what she specifically does for him, what he likes about her. bc… what does he like about her? rafe is unfortunately, at the end of the day, selfish. he focuses on what he’ll be able to give her, and what having a pretty wife says about him. the occupant of that role is, well, interchangeable

when rafe “proposed” to her and she did not confess the scam, i knew it was over. this is rafe cameron we’re talking about, a man who values loyalty more than anything in the world, and that was her last shot at coming clean before it was too late. committing a betrayal (well…in the eyes of the narrative…more on that in a sec) and hiding it from him? guys there was zero chance of him learning the truth and forgiving her. i watched the premier with my mother and i even turned to her and said we just watched the final nail go into the coffin. and it did!

(also, not to beat a dead horse, but even after he gives her the ring and he leaves to morocco, he dismissively excludes her again! “i have to go” “what are you doing?” “don’t worry about it, bye!” and she just takes it?! STAND UP!)

fundamentally, sofia’s “betrayal” plotline was weak or, at the very least, not very well thought-out. it’s like the idea of sofia going behind rafe’s back was pitched, but they were unsure how to integrate that into the season. the explosive reaction that rafe had when groff revealed the plot seemed contrived, like the show wanted to put more of the blame on sofia than was warranted. rafe had all but made up his mind by the time sofia had been paid off; to claim that she was the big catalyst in his decision is unfair and literally just wrong. sure, he liked her giving her blessing (because he already wanted to say yes), but i have a really, really genuine question for all of you.

if she had said no, would he have called off the deal?

(spoiler, no. because when she changed her mind after learning of the scam, he dismissed her yet again. the show has countless opportunities for rafe to just care about his girlfriend, and he never takes them!)

while i’m nitpicking, she also never learns any information via her own efforts. every single time she uncovers a new detail, it’s because she’s working around a loud-mouth kook who coincidentally says the right thing at the right moment as she refills their ewers. fuck, can we give her a CRUMB of agency? please?

and yeah, i don’t even engage in any theory that sofia helped rafe reunite with his family. did she ever give any meaningful advice to him? she didn’t even have context—was he ever planning on telling her exactly what he’d done to sarah and her friends? could sarah even pick this girl out of a lineup?! ya, she really is the glue in the cameron dynamic. lol

counter arguments i’m ready to address:

“he takes the deal for her!” funny because,,, he really doesn’t. we even watch the reason he takes the deal— his family. rafe likes the opportunity from the jump but is hesitant because of the investment, and a dreamy montage of him, ward, and sarah is what cements his decision. sofia canonically had nothing to do with it

“but he says he’s taking the deal for him and sofia when he’s alone with hollis!” correct! but you’ll notice he literally only brings her up when hollis starts hitting on him. he’s not attracted to hollis, and her advances make him visibly uncomfortable. bringing up sofia was a way to shut down hollis without explicitly telling a business partner to get off his ass

“rafe brings up sofia’s opinion of the deal with groff!” true, but i actually see this as a display of rafe’s tact and emotional intelligence. rafe is suspicious that he’s been scammed, but it’s genuinely not wise to barge into the office of the man who has $400k of your money and your testicles in his fist to start threatening him— even when he’s not a murderer. “hey… so my gf thinks you’re scamming me… thoughts?” he’s being coy. he’s being smart. he’s not bringing up sofia in a loverboy context. cmon

***

deep inhale. okay, i’m done. i’m sorry i always forget about her. but it’s so much better than the alternative

[bloominghaos]

I want to take a moment to talk about the reconciliation scene in episode 16 of Perfect 10 Liners

Yes, for Yotha, he needed this explanation from their mother, he deserved to be able to let go of his resentment (even if I don’t think she necessarily deserves any of their forgiveness) for his own well-being. But that healing moment for Yotha was really overshadowed for me because, for Faifa? His heart was broken again in that same moment.

Faifa had to sit and listen to his mother tell his brother that she took Faifa instead of him, because if she took Yotha, she would have been so happy having Yotha with her that she wouldn’t think of visiting her other children. So she took Faifa from his brothers and his dad, all of whom she admitted she knew he loved being with, because he would miss them and want to see them, for her own selfish reasons with no regard for how that could affect him. Because she needed him as an excuse to force her into being semi-present in their lives. And then, she ultimately sent him back anyway, further traumatizing him, because he missed them like she knew he would but she was too preoccupied with her new family. She verbally admitted she chose to take Faifa, not for his sake, but because she knew if she had taken Yotha, she would have wholly abandoned the rest of her children. In that moment, Faifa was made to feel like a second choice to her. He was othered. Again.

Then she drops the news that she’s leaving the country with her new family (and she hadn’t even initially planned to tell them at all before she left, it was pure luck they were there when she came to say goodbye to their father) Effectively abandoning them all again. And Faifa had to sit there, hurt etched into every detail of his face. And he couldn’t even say anything.

For the rest of the scene, he can hardly even bring himself to look at her. He wasn’t even really allowed the time to sit with his feelings before she was telling him how his half siblings missed him and he had to put his emotions aside, again, for the sake of others; agreeing to see her off at the airport so they could see him before they all left. He let her hug him despite how obvious it was (to the audience at least) that he did not find it very comforting. Because he didn’t feel loved. He hugged her, assured her that he knows she loves him when she asked, not because he actually felt that way, but in order to not hurt her feelings, to not cause a stir.

She gets the comfort of being forgiven and making up with all of her sons so she can go and live her life guilt-free, all the while blissfully ignorant of how harshly she just hurt one of them, no matter how unintentional it may have been. She was not, and still isn’t, a good mother to her sons. Despite this scene being one where she is supposed to reconcile her mistakes, she is still selfish throughout, in her words and actions. Everything is done for her emotional benefit.

Despite this being a mostly positive moment for Yotha, one he needed, I couldn’t help but feel so devastated for Faifa. Faifa who is always putting himself on the back burner. Faifa who probably thinks that if he makes himself as small as possible, if he doesn’t need to have his feelings cared for, if he’s agreeable to a fault and doesn’t make a fuss, maybe, just maybe, the people he loves will stop abandoning him over and over again.

(And don’t even get me started on how overlooked Newton’s feelings are because he’s the oldest and it’s “his responsibility to look after his younger brothers”. Gmmtv can not let a series end without an attempt to redeem even the worst parents and I hate it sometimes. They have every right to resent her for her decisions. No matter what her motivations were. In fact, they have every right to resent her because of her motivations even.)

[closetsof-backlogged-dreams]

what would’ve happened if azula was the one who had an iroh and zuko stayed back? (their characters and personalities would be the exact same as in canon, but their roles would be reversed)

love u<33

TAKING A BREAK FROM STUDYING = azula breakdown time <333

im ngl, we're prob gonna be looking at a longer post today bc this is a lot to breakdown😭 so buckle up chickies we're going IN

THINGS WE HAVE TO COVER IN THIS ANALYSIS:

how Zuko leaving did affect Azula

how being forced to leave did affect Zuko

how being forced to leave would effect Azula

how Azula leaving would effect Zuko

how Iroh's effect on Zuko would translate to Azula

the literal changes this would have had on canon

so let's get into it!!

Zuko leaving and it's effect on Azula

So, we know Azula has a problem with abandonment, starting with her mother and ending with Zuko. To try and keep this as short and readable as possible, I'm just going to say that this obviously resulted in a constant need for control over the people she loves, very obviously shown in her relationships with Mai and Ty Lee and even Zuko in season three.

She also just has a very convoluted perception of love (obligatory azula love-fear-control analysis plug), that largely stems from never having it readily accessible to her. Now, even when Zuko was around, they never had a good relationship and she was always his tormenter, but what if they had reconciled? What if they had been able to heal that broken relationship? We'll never know if that could have been a possibility, but Zuko leaving ensured all true familial had been removed from her life.

How being forced to leave affected Zuko

We all know that being forced to leave his home and his family had a huge impact on Zuko as a person. It made him rash, angry, and determined to find the Avatar so he could return home at the cost of anything—even his own life.

Iroh became his anchor, guiding him through the worst of his turmoil and always steering him in the right direction. Iroh kept him human, and stopped him from killing himself trying to capture Aang.

Pre-banishment, we did still see that Zuko was snippy, and still had a temper that could be brought out at times. But post-banishment, all his childhood sweetness was abandoned. Anger became his default setting and his source of power. He was definitely struggling with at least some level of self-resentment and a simultaneous lack of confidence (never being good enough) and over-confidence (required to believe that he could find a man that had eluded the world for a hundred years)

Overall, his banishment made him fueled by anger and constantly at war with himself

How being forced to leave would affect Azula

Azula is a very validation-motivated creature. She has to be perfect, at all times, at all costs. There is never a misstep with her, never a miscalculation. So much as a negative word from her father could destroy her and push her off the edge.

So, imagine this girl, this super-perfectionist, messing up so badly that she is banished from her entire nation? Her father disapproves so much that he disowns her and threatens death in the event that she ever came back?

In the (honestly unlikely) event that she doesn't immediately kill him/overthrow him or try to harm herself in any way, and follows Zuko's storyline of leaving to find the Avatar... yikes. However angry and obsessed Zuko became with finding the Avatar, Azula would be a hundred times worse. The psychological breakdown she had at the end of the show? Yep, that.

She would tear through research and the entire world, leaving death and destruction in her wake. She would become a monster. (Of course, having a support system like Iroh with her would help immensely, but we'll get to that in a bit.)

There is also the question of: would Mai and Ty Lee come with her? If we're following Zuko's banishment to a T, then she should be banished at age thirteen, around a year before we meet her in canon. I'm not going to lie, that's a whole other analysis in and of itself, so maybe I can do a separate post on that later?? Send me an ask if you're interested😭😭

How Azula leaving would affect Zuko

There are two things we have to remember here: despite being the oldest sibling, Azula was always the favorite and most accomplished of the two. He was always ridiculed and looked down on due to being so far behind his sister, in raw power and cunning both.

But at the same time, this means that all the pressure to succeed was put on Azula's shoulders. It's why she became such a perfectionist. She always was perfect, so now she had to perfect enough for both of them. Now, where Zuko had been mostly given up on, they would be pushing for him to step up as heir and become the perfect one.

This is a pressure he's never had to experience before. Azula was the way she was for a reason—she became a perfectionist because of that pressure, and Zuko would probably become the same way.

Of course, I still think he would keep his sympathy and genuine humanity that Azula often lacked, but he would be forced to push it down most of the time. Where he had been grounded by Iroh in the show? Gone. He would have absolutely no one to turn to, absolutely no one to support him. If we're sticking to canon, maybe he would have Mai, but that's where it stops. And he would probably be the over-controlling POS he was in the first half of season three, maybe even worse.

Overall, Azula being banished would absolutely destroy Zuko, and probably push him to that same psychological brink Azula was teetering on the entire series. It wouldn't be pretty, that's for sure.

Zuko & Iroh -> translated for Azula & a mother figure

Okay, in order to fully answer this question, we have to take note of all the things that made Iroh and Zuko work:

Iroh losing his own son, and Zuko filling that cavity in his life

Zuko having an abusive father and Iroh becoming his father figure

Zuko needing and Iroh being an anchor in Zuko's life to keep him human

Zuko being given up on his entire childhood and Iroh being the first person with genuine faith in him and willing to help him

So, let's translate these things into Azula, and a hypothetical mother figure (disclaimer!! no hate to Ursa; this is just all from Azula's perspective and how she views her relationship w her mother <3):

Azula's mother figure potentially having once had a daughter that she was too hard on/did not treat well and wanting the chance to do right with Azula

Azula having a mother that believed she was a monster, and her mother figure reassuring her that she is human and does have the capacity for good

this mother figure also being an anchor in Azula's life, and saving her from absolutely destroying the world trying to go home

Azula being forced to be perfect her entire childhood and her mother figure being the first person to genuinely help her and allow her the space to make mistakes and reassuring her that it was okay

(Okay, not gonna lie here, this idea of a mother figure for Azula is really getting to me—the urge to write a fic I'll never finish is STRONG)

Overall, a mother figure that would support Azula and genuinely care for her would have had a colossal effect on her. I really believe that Azula would have been able to have a happy ending. idk this is really getting to me😭

AND FINALLY:

the literal changes this would have on canon

For one, I genuinely think Azula would have succeeded. Azula has always been a prodigy, and while Zuko was able to become powerful with the guidance of Iroh, Azula started out that way. I also think that while Azula's mother figure may have been able to steady her and keep her from the brink, she never would have been able to quell Azula's ambition. Her ambition is just too much a part of her, the same way Iroh was never able to quell Zuko's fury.

Also, Zuko did have Aang a few times! But he also had the sympathy to let him go, or was just not powerful to stop him from getting away. Azula was different. Genuinely nothing could of stopped her from capturing season one, inexperienced, little kid Aang. It may have taken a few shots, but she would have done it.

I really think Azula would have succeeded and returned home as a new woman, with the support of her mother figure, and now with the capacity to genuinely love people (at least to some degree.) I think Azula and Zuko would have been able to repair their broken relationship. Azula would have become Firelord with Zuko as her advisor, and the Fire Nation would have reigned in a new era. The Fire Nation also most likely would have been successful in conquering the world, now.

So, happy ending for Zuko and Azula and most of the Fire Nation, but... no one else lol.

wow! this was actually such a fun idea to play with. probably one of my favorite asks you've ever sent me<3 i love u sm we are unstoppable

[your-enby-antihero]

Of Baby Siblings & Mothers

Summary: Fabian thinks about why he immediately hated his new baby sister, Liriel Sarai Lomenelda-Faeth. Then he think about his relationship with his mama.

also available on Ao3

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Baby sister, that is what Fabian had heard Aelwyn call Adaine the millions of times the siblings had ever been together. Every time Adaine looked in a room of their friends and people they knew, her eyes always found Aelwyn. He had seen both cradle the other's head so close to death in tears. He watched Kristen with Bucky, elbow bumps and hands on shoulders for support.

The times when Kristen had shielded Bucky from the Applebees' parents on the front lawn of Mordred. Nights where Kristen opted to skip a Bad Kids hangout to take care of Bucky’s wounds from paladin class the good old manual way, no cure wounds required. Even Fig had taken to being a big sister, she had been around the manor more, which was nice, but she mostly spent it cooing over a bassinet. The little body of Liriel Sarai Lomenelda-Faeth squirming around the fine elven sheets. He had a much different relationship with his new baby sister, ever since conception, his bank had said that this baby was going to be his nemesis. He had gone out and purchased weapons after hearing that she was going to be born. Something in him was jealous or angry or something that he couldn’t place. Maybe it was just a response to change, The Ball had said (in his new sleep-addled state) that change could be scary and we all have different responses to it. Fabian had tried to rationalize that he was mad because now he’d have to share his house and money and whatever other riches he was entitled to. He had tried to do anything to try and figure out why he hated the idea of having a sibling. Not that Fig didn’t count, of course, he loved having Fig as a technically (adopted) step-sister. He loved that during the Moonar Yulenear, she was mandated to be on the family card. There was just something nagging at Fabian that he couldn’t figure out until this new baby arrived.

Finally, it all came together, seeing his mother gently holding the frail new life in her hand. Seeing Gilear holding his mama’s hand as they watched the sleeping little baby in her brand new crib. As the baby became able to walk, he saw his mother light up in joy. 

Suddenly it clicked, one day in the spring the year after Liriel was born. He was deep into senior year, he had buried himself in the Owlbears, in acing his classes, and in defeating Kalina and Buddy Dawn. He had spent countless nights hanging out at a friend's house instead of in his own house. Cathilda had worried about him at first, maybe she had been the only one, calling him when he would be out late at night at Basrar’s with Mazey. Cathilda had been the one to cook and eat with him at dinner after he had gotten home from winning a big game for Bloodrush. She had been the one offering to take him on vacation with her to Leviathan during the spring break because Hallariel and Gilear were taking the baby to Fallinel to meet the extended family. Did he consider Cathilda more his mother than his mama? Even on Mother’s Day, his first impulse was to. Gilear had been the one to tell Fabian that they were leaving, telling him that he wanted to invite Fabian along but Hallariel insisted that he was fine, and had other things to do (he did not). God, he hated that ever since the baby came Gilear of all people seemed to care more about him than his own mother. After junior year and Cathilda chewing out Hallariel and Gilear, Gilear had been more cognizant of leaving Fabian home alone without notice. Fabian would get a text from him telling him that the family (minus Fabian and Fig) were going on a weekend trip. Fabian seethed that he had to find out from Gilear of all people but at least he knew. At least someone cared to tell him anything. Oh shit- maybe that was what was going on. 

After reconciling with his father at the end of junior year Fabian hadn’t thought about his relationship with either of his parents. He knew that they loved him, well he knew his papa loved him. Weekly messages were left on the radio, asking what Fabian was doing, and what non-maximum legend activities he had been getting up to. However Fabian hadn’t even grappled with his feelings surrounding his mother at all. Was he jealous that this baby would grow up with his mama loving and awake and there? Where he just had her drunk in an egg pod in his basement? (Technically the house was his, after his father died the house was transferred to Fabian’s name, but his mother had been quite upset with him after all the partying in junior year.) Would Liriel have a mother who wasn’t just around for swordsmanship training so clearly hungover from the bender mama had been on for years. Was his mama finally parenting because this baby would live out the rest of eternity with her, not like Fabian who was mortal? 

He had never truly thought about what his feelings were towards his mama, he loved her of course but he didn’t know that if he wasn’t her son she would love him at all.

He had watched Sklonda as he hauled The Ball back up to the apartment at Strong Tower some nights. She would collect the exhausted goblin up in her arms, no matter how much work Fabian could see was piling up on her desk. He watched her coax her son to say goodbye to Fabian before ushering him to his bed, she would even whisper a thank you Fabian’s way as he left. Sandra Lynn and Lydia had started asking if he wanted Adaine and Kristen to take lunch for him as well, after junior year and way too much take Fabian was more than happy to have homemade trash bag lunches. He watched from afar when Fig would curl up with her mom on the roof of Mordred late at night as he sped away on the Hangman. He never was able to make out if they talked or what they would talk about but he couldn’t help but envy their closeness. Fabian saw the notifications on Gorgug’s phone from the Thislesprings, when The Bad Kids were all out together at night, checking in with Gorgug. Just quick glances saw texts telling him there was a plate of dinner left in the fridge if Gorgug wanted it or asking Gorgug if he needed any parts for an Artificer build he was working on or just random texts saying they loved him and that they were so proud of Gorgug for everything. 

He had Cathilda of course but there was something to be said about his mama. Despite the love he had for Cathilda and the care that she provided, Fabian still yearned for the same kind of care that Hallariel showed to this new baby. No expectations of living up to a legend, no year-long trips away with contradictory expectations, and no fucking sensory deprivation eggs. 

[heaven-s-black-box]

Words and Actions- Jing Yuan & child!Reader

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Recovery date: April 19th, 2024

Description: Hello. I was wondering if you could make a platonic Honkai Star Rail story with the reader being Jing Yuan's child and but they ended up running away to stay with their mother because they keep messing things up especially after Jing Yuan and the readers mother got divorced. it takes awhile but a few months later the reader suddenly returned to the Loufu because of some disaster where the reader had been living with their mother and Jing Yuan also wanted to talk the reader so he would finally be able to apologize to them especially after he accidentally saw the diary they kept on their computer. (I was kind of inspired by the first episode of The Owl House season three Thanks To Them for this request but If you're not not comfortable with writing this that's completely alright and I wish you a good morning/afternoon or goodnight☺️)

Notes: This work was recovered in conjunction with an anonymous researcher, we thank them for their contributions.

Part: 1 2 3

Word count: 1 202

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Jing Yuan had imagined this conversation a hundred times, and everytime he only found himself proving them right.

No matter what he said to them in his head, their response always sounded wrong. He imagined they’d give him the silent treatment, but then they wouldn’t listen to his apology and that didn’t sound right. If they yelled and cried the words sounded wrong, he couldn’t imagine them saying they hated him. The idea that they would hug him as soon as they saw each other broke his heart because he knew it wouldn’t be that easy. Jing Yuan did not know how to reconcile with his child because he did not know his child.

“General?” Fu Xuan called from the door of the seat of divine foresight. “They’re awake.”

He may not know what to say, or what was about to happen, but he knew what he had to do.

Fu Xuan entered the seat of divine foresight to take over for him while he headed to the alchemy commission.

All throughout the starskiff ride, his hand mindlessly traced a small square in his palm. It was a habit he had picked up when he returned to work after their birth, tracing the size of their tiny hand in his. When had it gotten so big? Was it close to the same size as his now? Was it as soft as the last time he’d held their hand?

The alchemists waved him through to a small hut as soon as he arrived.

His feet felt heavy as he approached the door, the sound of soft laughter slipping through the open window. Lady Bailu was running them through how to use their pain medicine and reminding them to keep their bandages dry. He didn’t know what happened for them to end up bleeding and barely conscious in starskiff haven, no one had had a chance to ask yet.

The door in front of him opened, and he looked down to see Bailu staring up at him. The dragon lady cleared her throat and waved her hand, indicating he needed to move.

“Sorry.” He stepped aside, letting her leave. “May I-”

“It’s up to her,” Bailu shrugged, looking back into the hut.

Jing Yuan followed her gaze to see Y/n sitting up in bed, their head and one of their forearms wrapped in bandages. They were staring at him, but looked away when he made eye contact.

“It’s okay. Thank you, Lady Bailu.”

Bailu nodded and excused herself.

The general slowly entered the hut, as if he was afraid Y/n would run away or change their mind, and carefully closed the door behind himself. He took a seat on the stool beside them.

“How are you feeling?” He asked after a moment of silence.

“Lady Bailu says I have a concussion and some minor burns.” They raised the arm that was wrapped up. “The stupid ship malfunctioned,” they grumbled.

“I heard that your ship was barely functional when it arrived.”

“Yup,” they sighed, popping the p. They leaned back against the headboard and let their head lean against the wall. “The anti matter legion attacked the world we’ve been living on. I was on my way back from a trip and the second I got back to the planet I was attacked, so… I left.”

They fell silent, their eyes slipping shut as they relaxed. Then suddenly they opened and they turned to him with a panicked expression.

“Mom-”

“She already knows. Lady Bailu responded to a message she sent you, and so she messaged me to make sure you really were here. I promised to bring you back as soon as I could.”

“You mean send me back. Take me back implies you’re going with me,” they snipped, leaning back into the wall.

“No, I said what I mean.” Y/n side eyed him, and he took a deep breath. “I understand you’re tired, so if you’d like we can talk later.”

“It’s fine. I’m not allowed to sleep right now anyways.”

Jing Yuan nodded, but when he went to speak he couldn’t find the words. Instead, he reached to the pitcher on their bedside table and poured them both a glass of water. He stared into the cup for a moment, then cleared his throat and tried again.

“I’m sorry.” Outside, he could hear people moving about and a bird likely perched on the tree just outside. Y/n didn’t say anything. “I found your diary,” he could feel them glare at him, but they still didn’t speak, “I promise I didn’t realize that’s what it was.”

“How do you mistake a diary for something else?”

“I thought it was one of your school work books.”

They tilted their head from side to side, accepting the response. Y/n motioned for him to continue as they took a sip of water.

“I should have noticed the pressure you were feeling, and the expectations that you felt due to my position.”

Y/n began to bite at the inside of their lip and fiddle with the bandages on their arm. Jing Yuan waited to see if they’d speak.

He was about to continue when they spoke up.

“I didn’t want to leave,” they mumbled. “I was just… so tired, and you were never around!” Y/n’s eyes went glassy and their throat tightened up. “I was always the general's kid, and it felt like I was never doing good enough. I hate feeling like a bad mark would make people question you.”

“Why would that make people question me?” He cooed.

“I don’t know!” They hiccuped. “It was stupid, but it didn’t-”

Jing Yuan moved to sit by their feet and pulled them down into a hug. Y/n wasted no time throwing their arms around him and sobbing into his shoulder, their tears soaking into his shirt. He didn’t care that they were getting snot all over his uniform, he would spend the rest of the day in a messy uniform if it meant he could hold them a little longer.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered into the top of their head before kissing it. “I’m sorry I made you feel like you couldn’t tell me, and that you couldn’t make mistakes for my sake. It isn’t your job to worry about my reputation, but thank you. I know you were just trying to help, and I’m proud to have such a caring child.

He rubbed a hand up and down their back soothingly as they continued sobbing into his chest.

When their sobs turned into hiccups, he helped them sit back up and handed them their water. They chugged it, and he poured them another glass and set it aside.

Jing Yuan took Y/n’s hand in his and pressed their palms together, smiling.

“Your hand used to fit right into my palm… it was so tiny. When did you get so big?”

They laughed softly, wiping the lingering tears from their lashes.

“I don’t know.” They laced their fingers with his and let their hands drop between them as he rubbed his thumb along the back of their hand. “Dad?”

“Yes?”

“Can I stay here for a bit?”

“Always.”

[innerpalaces]

The Life of a Cannon Fodder Mother-in-Law - 17

Chapter 17: The Deceived Mother-in-Law 17

But even if Xu Kui asked his mother and sister-in-law to come over to admit their mistakes and make promises, they wouldn't do it. Seeing him in a difficult situation, Qi Cai Miao became more disappointed: "Go away, don't come again."

Xu Kui was anxious: "Cai Miao, don't say things in anger." Jiang Miaoning had poisoned her and yet nothing had happened. Not to mention being punished, even if she was just asked to apologize she wouldn't. Liu Yuniang knew that this was because the Xu family felt that she was not worthy of their careful treatment now that she had left the Qi family. If the Xu family wouldn't agree, talking further will only make mother and daughter angrier. Liu Yuniang was fine, Qi Cai Miao was still sick and can't stand it anymore.

"Leave." Hearing this, Xu Kui was stunned for a moment. For a moment, he thought he heard wrong. The young couple quarreled, and any elder who really loved them would wish for them to reconcile. His mother-in-law, on the other hand, fanned the flames. He blurted out: "Mother-in-law, do you want Cai Miao to live the same life as you?" Before Liu Yuniang could speak, Qi Cai Miao was furious: "Get out of here!" 

As she said that, she stretched out her hand to shove him out, but shee was not strong enough and was ill, so naturally she couldn't budge him. Xu Kui coaxed her patiently and even wanted to take her into his arms. Qi Cai Miao struggled hard, but couldn't get away. Liu Yuniang slapped her hand on the table, attracting their attention. She said solemnly: "Xu Kui, you ignored my daughter's thoughts and bullied her in front of me. I will make the decision today. Let's end this marriage!" Xu Kui was dumbfounded, because he could see from his mother-in-law's face that she was serious and it was not a joke at all. Qi Cai Miao was stunned for a moment, then stepped aside, lowered her head and said no more. Xu Kui looked from one to the other: "What about the children?" "You are still young. You will definitely marry another wife and have more children in the future." Liu Yuniang's face was calm: "Just pretend that you never sired these two children." Xu Kui originally thought that after the couple quarreled, he would just come later to make peace. If it didn't work the first time, he would come a few more times and he would eventually be able to make his wife soften her heart. He never dreamed that she would end up asking for a divorce.

"Mother-in-law, don't be impulsive!" Liu Yuniang emphasized: "I'm very calm. Go back and discuss it with your parents, and let's part ways in peace." If Qi Cai Miao hadn't been able to let Xu Kui go, Liu Yuniang could only take the trouble to protect her. Now that Qi Cai Miao herself wanted to serparate, she naturally would not let this opportunity go. Xu Kui wanted to persuade her again, but Liu Yuniang had already ordered people to send off the guests and did not give him a chance to speak. After the mother and daughter moved out, the Qi family father and son refused to give up. They came to the house every three days to make peace, but they were always turned away. Forget about meeting Liu Yuniang, they can't even get through the front gate. The courtyard was quiet, and Qi Cai Miao's face became rosier day by day. Liu Yuniang had freed up her time and focused on business. She had to make a living for herself and her daughter. After pondering for a long time, she began to weave cloth, using the technique she had learned in her previous life. The cloth she wove was softer, thinner, and stronger than other fabrics on the market. Anyone with a discerning eye knew that it would definitely sell well in the future. Half a month later, she launched the first batch and held a banquet at Tai'an Restaurant, inviting merchants from all over. Her prices was very reasonable, and her inventory was snapped up in an instant. Even the materials for the next year sold out. Liu Yuniang made a lot of money, and Qi Cai Miao was by her side. After seeing those silver notes and the merchants who earnestly asked the mother and daughter to keep the goods dispersed, she was still dazed. "Mom, this... is this material really so good?" Naturally. This was the material that was worn in every household in her previous life, and the weaving method is not secret. She can be considered to have picked up a very good deal. Liu Yuniang put the banknotes in front of her: "This is real gold and silver, so how can it be bad?" She was a little distressed: "It's just that we will be busy for a while." The cotton thread used for weaving the first batch had been bought, but now they have to find a way to produce it themselves. They also needed workers, who would have to be hired and taught. These banknotes are just deposits. The money can only really fall into her pocket after the cloth is woven and handed over. She planned to ask the prefect to help her buy some land, but unexpectedly the prefect came to her first. He was very congenial, and told her that if she needed anything, she could just ask.

The prefect was a man of foresight. Such high-quality and low-priced materials have never appeared before, and they would definitely be popular all over the country in the future. If such a good thing is produced under his jurisdiction, he would also get credit. After being rejected several times, the Qi family father and son simply left her alone. On this day, Qi Hechen met up with some friends for a drink at Tai'an Restaurant and heard about his mother's banquet the previous day. He was immediately shocked that his mother had done such a big thing in just half a month. He immediately stopped drinking and rushed home. "Dad, go quickly and ask mom what happened at the banquet yesterday!"

Qi Zhengming had been living a difficult life recently. The beauty who he had always thought loved him was about to marry someone else, and his wife refused to come back home. Feeling upset, he had started drinking heavily. He was still drunk at the moment. Hearing this, he frowned and asked, "What banquet?" Qi Hechen hated iron for not being steel, but he suppressed his impatience and explained: "Mom has developed a new type of material. Merchants from all over the country all went and paid  deposits. I heard that the minimum amount was two hundred taels. In just half a day, mom made at least a few thousand taels!"

Even if the Qi family sold all the houses and shops they owned, it would still be less than a thousand taels.

Hearing this, Qi Zhengming sobered up a lot. "What material?" Qi Hechen was fed up with his father's late realization: "Anyway, mom has made a lot of money. If this weaving method is used well, our Qi family will definitely become the richest in the city in the future. You have to go and coax her back." He looked his father up and down and added, "Wash and dress up well before you go."

Qi Zhengming said, "..." His son made him sound like a male concubine who used his beauty to please others. However, his son has been studying for many years and was very reliable. He did not doubt the truth of his words and said, "I will go and inquire about it first, and then go there tomorrow." After the couple divorced, the rest of the Qi family moved back from the farmstead in the suburbs, but they didn't do anything after they arrived. It's not that they don't want to coax their daughter-in-law, but they can't bring themselves to do it. If they go, it will make their daughter-in-law even more arrogant. Besides, if they really go, it will seem like the two of them gave in because they wanted to continue living on Liu Huixin's dowry property. In short, after being back for half a month, although the two of them were anxious, they did not believe that their daughter-in-law would never come back. In their opinion, this daughter-in-law was being pretentious and just waiting for their son to coax her. As long as their son is willing, he can surely bring her back. However, after hearing that their daughter-in-law had done such a big thing, the two of them became anxious. Hearing this news from his grandson, Scholar Qi immediately rushed to the main courtyard. "Zhengming, go today." Qi Zhengming couldn't refuse his parents, so he had to wash up and go out. Along the way, he thought that maybe Liu Huixin had deliberately done such a big thing, and maybe she was waiting for him to come... 

Reality would prove that he thought too much.

When he arrived at the gate, he was refused entry again. "Here's a little money to buy some wine. I just want you to inform my wife that I'm here. If she  doesn't want to see me, I won't blame you." Qi Zhengming said, taking out a silver coin and stuffing it into the doorman's hand.

The doorman pushed back: "My master is really not here." Qi Zhengming thought that this was just the doorman's excuse. He wanted to argue, but a carriage approached from behind him. He was afraid that his harassment of the doorman would be embarrassing if it got out, so he turned around subconsciously and came face to face with a big red carriage. Recently, he often came to block  mother and daughter, so naturally he recognized this carriage. It was built by someone after they moved out. Without thinking about it, he hurriedly rushed forward: "Huixin, I heard that you started a big business. Why didn't you tell me about such an important thing?" Liu Yuniang lifted the curtain and looked at him condescendingly:"Who do you think you are?" She thought for a while: "By the way, the day after tomorrow is Rumeng's wedding, remember to send a gift." Qi Zhengming: "..." Heartbreaking! Breaking someone's heart was as easy as this. He has been feeling very upset about this matter recently, and has even been drunk over it many times. Unexpectedly, she brought it up as soon as they met. However, he was determined to reconcile and did not dare to get angry.

His expression changed several times, and he finally smiled gently: "Huixin, Rumeng has nothing to do with me. I just want to..." "Don't even think about it." Liu Yuniang said calmly: "I already looked down on you at the beginning. You were not good at studying, you couldn't do business, you couldn't support your family, and you were a waste. Now I look down on you even more. We all know that the reason you came to me for help was not because of affection, but for money. The more you beg, the more it proves that I was blind. Every time I see you, I'm reminded again... Get out of here!"

Qi Zhengming wanted to reconcile, but he couldn't help it after hearing such words: "Huixin, women can't be too strong..." "If I wasn't strong, what would you have eaten all these years?" Liu Yuniang's face was full of sarcasm: "I heard that Qi Hechen went to Tai'an Restaurant and ordered on credit. He is really getting more and more promising." Qi Zhengming was surprised: "Wasn't it someone else's treat?" Liu Yuniang's eyes were full of meaning: "As the old saying goes, mice give birth to children who can dig holes. You and Cheng Rumeng are full of lies, and the child you gave birth to is no less deceitful."

Seeing that she was not joking, Qi Zhengming was extremely anxious and turned around and hurried away. He had to go back and ask!

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[ereardon]

A Place Like This [Ch. 7][Rhett Abbott x OC]

Summary: Rhett Abbott has never met a girl like you. You’re a corporate city girl in Wabang on borrowed company time — he thinks there’s no way you would waste it on him. So when you fall for the local bull rider, you’re both a little surprised. What will it take to get Rhett to realize he can give you everything you’re looking for? And will Rhett be able to reconcile the fact that your job is literally to dismantle Wabang and break apart the only place his family has ever known?

Pairing: Rhett Abbott x OC [Julia Han]

WC: 2.4K

Warning: Cursing, angst, fighting, smut

Series masterlist here

Contrary to what the Abbots thought, and probably the entire town of Wabang, you hadn’t gone to business school hoping you’d end up in a job like you had. 

You had gone because opportunity is a strange thing. 

Your parents did well enough. But they worked long hours and you spent more time with your grandmother from ages eight to eighteen than you did with your own mother. 

The day you got your acceptance letter to Wharton, you went to the cemetery and laid the paper letter on the ground, sitting crossed legged in front of the simple rounded tombstone you had picked a year earlier. 

“I did it, Ma Ma,” you whispered softly. “I did it.” 

It was her dream for you to go to college. Her dream was for you to get a graduate degree. She pushed you to be the best. She wanted more for you than she had been able to do.

Every single day you wondered if you were tarnishing her memory by doing a job that ruined other people’s lives. No matter how good you were at it. 

You knew that she would be so disappointed if she saw what you were doing in Wabang. 

***

“Rhett,” you whispered. 

“Julia.” 

You took a step back, Rhett’s hands falling from your neck. You shook your head. “This is crazy, OK. You can’t just come in here all heated and sweet and act like you didn’t walk out of here while I was sleeping. Act like you didn’t get scared and fucking run away. You’re giving me whiplash, Rhett. What do you want from me?” 

“I want you.” He stepped closer, sliding his large hands across your waist, bunching up your oversized shirt in the process. “Julia. I mean it this time.” 

“Do you know what wanting me means?” you whispered. “It means you want me for the good and the bad. It means you don’t leave in the middle of the night.” You paused. “It means you can’t hate me for what my job requires me to do.” 

“I’m never gonna be OK with you trying to get us to sell the ranch,” Rhett said, his voice thick and deep. “All I know is I want you. I need you. What you do from nine to five doesn’t change that for me.” 

“What happens when I leave?” you murmured. “Then what?” 

“Maybe I'll go with you.” 

You raised your eyebrows. “Really?” 

“I don’t know anywhere else,” Rhett replied. “But I don't think that really matters. Not when I know you. And maybe one day you’ll love me. And maybe that’s gotta be enough for now.” 

You looked up at him. His hair that was perfectly curling below the baseball cap at the nape of his neck. The tanned skin that knew what it was like to spend hours, days, outside in all conditions. The rough, strong hands that could caress your body but also repair a roof. 

“Julia,” he whispered gruffly. “Let me make you mine.” 

Against your better judgment, you reached up, wrapping your hands around his neck, pulling his face in toward you, locking your lips to his, feeling Rhett’s fingers tighten on your waist as he lifted you up, pressing your back against the empty wall, kissing you like he wouldn’t wake to see the sunrise tomorrow. 

Rhett was everywhere. His hands on your waist, his mouth dragging from yours, down your chin, across your neck, kissing the space around your clavicle, latching onto the delicate skin behind your ear. You moaned and threaded your fingers into his hair near his neck, whining as he shifted your legs so they were wrapped tightly against your waist as he held you pinned against the wall, his hips rutting against yours, until you could feel him growing hard against your pelvis. 

“Fuck, Rhett,” you muttered as he pulled his lips from your skin, looking up at you with rapt eyes. 

Without saying, Rhett knew what you were thinking. He carried you across the small living room into the bedroom, putting you down gently on the bed. Before you could even speak, Rhett had you pulled to the edge of the bed, his fingers hooking in the band of the underwear you were wearing, tearing them off with a sharp snap, his mouth on your folds as you tossed your head back in a whine. 

“Shit,” you whispered, one hand coming out to push off his baseball cap before threading your fingers in his hair, tugging him closer.

Rhett slipped his tongue in your slick hole as you writhed above him on the bed, flicking his tongue over your folds up to your clit. He groaned as you squeezed his head with your thighs, the rumbling groan sending shooting vibrations through your core, causing you to gasp in pleasure. “Fucking hell, darlin’,” he whispered. “You’re so damn wet for me.” 

“Don’t stop,” you begged as he dove back in, nose pressed tight against your clit, his tongue lapping at your folds as one finger pressed into your tight hole. You moaned as he slid in a second finger, curling at the top, practically coaxing an orgasm out of you. “Shit, Rhett!” you cried as you came on his fingers and face. 

He pulled back, licking his lips, and held out his fingers toward your mouth. “Lick them,” he demanded and your eyes widened but you opened your eyes. “Taste good, baby?” he asked, rolling his thick fingertips across your tongue and you nodded dumbly. 

Rhett stood up, pulling off his dirty jeans and unbuttoning his shirt. You ripped off your oversized shirt, reaching out for his thighs before he could sit down on the bed. “Now I want to taste you,” you murmured and Rhett groaned as you slid off the bed onto your knees in front of him. He backed up a step, leaning against the wall, as you dug your fingertip into the waistband of his boxer shorts, pulling them down. He stepped out of the leg holes and you were face-to-face with his hard cock. You could feel yourself dripping onto the hardwood floor where you knelt naked between his legs. 

You leaned forward, running one finger along the shaft of his cock. Rhett tipped his head back against the wall and closed his eyes, groaning loudly. You pressed a chaste kiss to the tip of his weeping cock before wrapping your hands around the base, taking him into your mouth in one movement. 

Rhett’s hands slapped the wall behind him as you bobbed your head further down his cock, massaging his balls with one hand while the other wrapped around his waist to his ass, tugging him closer, his cock hitting the back of your throat, forcing saliva out of the corners and causing a gurgling, sloppy noise to echo in the small bedroom. 

“Fuck!” he whimpered as you took him deep into your throat, looking up at him with doe eyes. He watched his cock disappear into your mouth over and over again. “Julia,” he whispered as you slid your tongue along the vein on the underside of his cock before taking him back into your mouth, practically choking on his thickness, tears starting to stream down your face. “Baby, you’re so good, gonna make me come all over that perfect fucking mouth. Honey, please, please, want to fuck you,” he begged but instead you increased your grip on his hip, tugging him in closer, watching as he moved his hand from his sides, coming to grab your head, giving in to his desires, thick fingers tightening in your hair as he guided your mouth down onto his cock over and over again until he was practically crying in ecstasy. “Fuck, Julia, feel so fucking perfect, going to come down your goddamn throat.” And then with a final grunt he was spilling his seed into your mouth, down your throat, watching as it filled you, dribbling out of the corners of your mouth as he fucked into you a few more times, relishing in the feeling of your tongue and cheeks milking him. 

Rhett loosened his grasp on your head and you pulled back, swallowing loudly, wiping at your mouth with your hand as you rocked back onto your knees and looked up at him expectantly. 

“Shit,” he whispered, reaching out and rubbing one thumb over your cheek. “Come here, darlin’, let me hold you.” 

And then you were both on the bed, Rhett’s arms wrapped around your waist, your arms around his shoulders as you laid on top of him, grinding your wet cunt against his hip as he kissed you feverishly. You whimpered into his mouth as you shifted to the right, feeling his sticky cock start to harden against you. “Please,” you whispered. 

Rhett smiled, reaching down and squeezing one ass cheek. “Give me two minutes, princess. And then I promise, you can fuck me as long as you want.” 

You nodded, reattaching your lips to his. But you couldn’t help yourself, you were wiggling your hips against him, feeling his cock harden as you pressed into him until finally Rhett pulled away with a smirk. “Fuck, baby, you’re desperate aren’t you?” 

“I want you, Rhett,” you whispered against his neck, lips kissing behind his ear, down toward his collarbone. 

“You have me,” he replied. “Honey, you have all of me. Everything I can give you is yours.” 

You grinned against him, sitting up, straddling Rhett’s hips. You leaned back, lining his cock up with your entrance, looking at him for approval. 

Rhett leaned back against the pillows. “You gonna ride me like a little cowgirl?” 

You smirked. “While in Wyoming, right?” And then you lifted up, sinking down on his thick, aching cock as Rhett’s mouth fell open in a deep groan. You practically screamed as you took him all the way inside of you, his thick cock threatening to split you in two. Rhett’s hands came out to steady your hips and you leaned forward, one hand on his chest, bracing yourself. 

“Take it slow, sweetheart,” he murmured sweetly. “Take your time, honey. Just breathe.” 

You closed your eyes, pulling your hips up an inch before sliding back down on him, whining at the stretch of his cock as he filled you. 

“Just like that, baby,” Rhett whispered, his fingers rubbing reassuringly on your hips. “Taking me so good, honey.” 

You opened your eyes, watching him with your mouth hanging open as you shifted forward and back, starting to find your rhythm, feeling Rhett’s thick cock slam into the gummy part of your walls as you moaned on top of him. 

One of Rhett's hands found your breast, tweaking your nipple. He helped rock you forward and backward on his cock, your clit skimming over his pelvis with every movement, sending you into overdrive. 

You were panting, whining on top of him as Rhett lifted his hips, fucking into you, one of his thick thumbs circling your clit expertly. “Rhett,” you moaned, your eyes glued on his. “Fuck, God, think I’m going to come.” 

“Come for me, darlin’,” he urged as your eyes rolled back into your head, hips stuttering as you chased the orgasm on his cock, a scream ripping itself from your throat as you collapsed forward onto his chest with labored breaths. Rhett rubbed your back with one hand, continuing to fuck hard inside of you. “Good girl,” he whispered as you whined against him. “Sit up for me, baby.”

You rolled off of him and Rhett quickly repositioned you on the bed, face pressed into the pillow, ass and hips in the air as he tugged you back on his cock, practically growling as he plunged into you. This time he hit deeper than before and your moans spilled onto the pillow and duvet as Rhett’s fingers gripped your hips, fucking into you hard, every thrust eliciting a string of perfect moans from his mouth. 

“Fuck, yes, so fucking tight,” he groaned as you whined beneath him. “Gonna fill this perfect pussy up. Make you mine. Fuck, Julia, you’re so goddamn perfect.” 

Rhett reached down, palming one of your breasts as his sweaty chest pressed against your back and you whimpered while he slammed his cock into you, finger squeezing your nipple before letting go, tugging you by the hair until you were flush with him, the two of you on your knees on the bed, his arm now wrapped around your middle as he fucked up and inside of you. 

“Shit,” he moaned, one hand trailing down to your throbbing, soaked clit. His fingers started to circle the swollen bundle of nerves, causing you to whimper loudly, the sounds in the room your whines mixed with the sloppy sound of skin slapping. “Come for me, darlin’, come one more time for daddy.” And then you were breaking around him, eyes glued shut as you trembled in his arms, Rhett’s fingers circling hard on your swollen clit as his hips stuttered, cum shooting in hot ropes inside of you, filling you. 

The two of you collapsed onto the bed and Rhett rolled off, quickly gathering you into his arms, pressing soft kisses to your temple. “Come here, darlin’.” 

You nestled deeper in Rhett’s arms as he held you, whispering lightly in your ear. 

“What’s Chicago like?” Rhett whispered. 

You smiled. “You’d hate it. It’s just building after building. No grass. Barely any air. Subway tracks above ground. Cold as fuck in the winter. Hot as hell in the summer.” 

“But you’re there.” 

“Yeah,” you murmured. “When I’m not traveling, I’m there.” “What neighborhood do you live in?” “Gold Coast,” you said. “It’s nice. Nicer than other parts I guess.” 

He was silent for a moment. Then, “Julia?” 

“Yeah.” 

“I want more than this place,” Rhett said. “Want more than the life that has been laid out for me.” 

You rolled over, running one hand down Rhett’s face. “Are you saying you want to leave Wabang?” 

He nodded. “When you leave, I’m going with you.” 

“What about your family?” you asked. “What about Amy?” 

He grimaced. “I don’t know. But if there’s no town, then there’s really nothing left for me here. There's nothing left for any of us. We'll all just going to have to figure out a new way to live.” 

"Rhett? I've been thinking." You brushed his hair out of his face. “And i think I have an idea.” 

“What kind of an idea?” 

You smiled. “There might be a way to save Wabang.” 

Tag list: @double-j @momc95 @sadpetalsstuff @seresinhangmanjake @shanimallina87 @starrynightskyz @writercole @endofdays56 @coffeeandcuriosities @xoxabs88xox @iangiemae @showmethewayhomehoney @djs8891 @rosiahills22

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[shipcestuous]

Some hot dads

Two of my favorite shows in the past year have been Silo and Mrs. Davis and they both happened to have shippable father/adult daughter relationships that I wanted to talk about briefly.

Silo is an Apple TV+ sci-fi/dystopian/mystery show that had a ten-episode first season and has been renewed for a second season. The main character is Juliette, played by Rebecca Ferguson. The premise of the show is that a population of several thousand people are living in a strictly-regulated underground silo and no longer have any history to tell them why. The worldbuilding is really good. Juliette is an engineer who lives at the very bottom of the silo and her father, Pete (played by Iain Glen) is a doctor who lives in the middle of the silo. They are estranged and as the season progresses we learn more about why. I'm getting into spoiler territory now, but only about one part of the story.

Juliette's mother and brother both died, and Pete did not handle it very well, putting himself into his work and leaving Juliette deal with a lot on her own. She flees to the bottom of the silo where she can focus on fixing things to get away from her grief. She's only 14 when she goes down there but Pete gives his permission because he knows he can't be what she needs. They don't really stay in touch and the rules of the silo don't allow for easy communication between the “mids” and the “down below”.

We also learn that Juliette believes Pete turned their mother into the authorities for breaking one of the silo's rules, and she has never been able to forgive him.

As the story progresses, she needs his help. He tries to mend their relationship but she isn't interested. However, she eventually learns that he did not turn her mother in, and immediately she wants to reconcile. They have a really touching scene and two very vibe-y hugs.

Especially since someone walks in on them the first time and they back away from each other and act all awkward and embarrassed.

Later hug:

One of my favorite scenes for them is earlier in the season. Juliette is climbing from the bottom levels up to the top levels, and she passes by where her father works. She gives it a very meaningful glance but also very intentionally doesn't stop there to see him.

I'm drawn to ships like this where there's a very organic tension but you can also imagine there's another reason underneath it. Juliette had a boyfriend who dies early on, and aside from that, she and Pete are both loners, and he doesn't seem to have remarried even though it has been 20 years. They're both still workaholics with no lives. They're a lot alike.

I will warn you that Pete is not in every episode and I think he and Juliette only interact in maybe 3 or 4 of the episodes. Saying anything at all about the ending would be too spoilery so I won't.

Mrs. Davis was an eight-episode miniseries made by Peacock. It's also a sci-fi slightly dystopian mystery, but a comedy, and a few other genres too, including being totally bonkers in mostly the best way. The plot is kind of complicated. But the main character is a nun named Sister Simone who wants to destroy a powerful A.I. that is basically running things. In order to do that, she is supposed to find and destroy the Holy Grail. This quest puts her on the trail of a woman named Clara. Clara came into possession of the Holy Grail and also wanted to destroy it, which is no simple task. In order to do that, she sought out the father she had never met, Arthur (played by Ben Chaplin), who is a scientist, hoping he could help her destroy it using his special laser.

Arthur and Clara are the father and daughter I want to talk about but they are not main characters in the series. There's really one main episode that deals with their relationship (episode 5), with a couple of bits and pieces scattered elsewhere. It really amounts to very little, but it's just so good.

Arthur is surprised to learn he has a daughter and doesn't particularly want anything to do with her.

However, due to his skepticism that what she has brought him really is the grail, he makes a pact to help her destroy it, thinking it will be easy and quick. We jump 10 years later and they still haven't managed to destroy it, getting together about once a month to try something new. At some point, it seems like the the destruction excursions became just excuses to spend time together.

I shipped it already, because I'm me, but the moment that made me ship it a lot and want to tell you all about it was when Clara suggests that she drink from the grail, which she knows for reasons I won't explain might cause something dramatic to happen. Arthur doesn't want her to do it, both because he doesn't want it to work (no more excuses to hang out) and because he's afraid it'll be dangerous. He suggests they throw it in a volcano instead, and then proposes a tropical vacation. It sounds like he mostly just wants to hang out at the beach with her. It sounded so much like a romantic couple vacation I almost died. Or more than a vacation. It really sounds like he wouldn't mind just living there with her forever. I don't want to overhype it, but I had to do a clip so you can make your own judgment anyway.

Unfortunately, without spoiling anything, I'll just say that something happens that means that Arthur and Clara can't be together after their scenes together in the show so you can't imagine them getting together later. I'll just have to imagine they hooked up at some point before.

Ben Chaplin and Iain Glen are both, dare I say, DILFs and look quite good for their ages. Their characters have extremely pretty adult daughters and lots of delicious awkward tension. Enough said, really.

[lookstairs]

Nightbitch (2024)

The movie starts off with Amy Adam’s character going through a montage of her day

She cooks breakfast for her son, cleans up, takes him for a walk, cleans up after him, tries to sleep, then wakes up the next day to do it all again

She’s just on autopilot the whole time

While she tries to be present with her son you can see mentally she’s not doing well

She goes to a kids book club at the library and envies the well dressed business woman type mother in the group while looking down on the peppy stay at home moms

One day she notices a tuft of hair growing on her lower back

The next day her husband comes home and while he loves them his presence leads to more stress

As the days go on the mother notices more and more strange symptoms. Abnormally long hairs, strange cravings, advanced senses and red lumps on her stomach

We learn that the mother used to be an artist and that staying home with their son was her idea

She confides in her husband but he is dismissive about her symptoms. Soon he has to leave for work so the mother is left alone again

The mother gets a book from the library about the transformation woman go through after having children

After reading this book she gains a new appreciation for her changing body

She embraces her new senses and starts to play a “game” with her son where they act like dogs

After telling the peppy moms at the library her new views she’s surprised over how welcoming they are

This all leads to her turning into a dog at night and running through the streets

Her husband notices her strange behavior and confronts her leading to an argument between them

She calls him out for his insensitivity over her needs and he calls her out for shutting him out

They do a trial separation so the mother can focus on her art

During this separation she realizes her mother went through the same transformation she did and her son inherited his wildness from her

During the separation she finds a balance between her animalistic side and her artistic side and holds an art exhibition where she invites old colleagues and her new mom friends

The husband drops by and apologizes for how things went and they reconcile

The movie ends show long the birth of their daughter

Surprisingly I really liked this movie

I didn’t know much about the plot so expected a modern day werewolf situation

Amy Adam’s is great as always

The way she showed her frustration with her son while still trying to keep a happy smile was hard to watch

The entire first half of the movie was her being close to a meltdown

The audience was given insights into her real thoughts and frustrations throughout the movie

I also liked how it didn’t make the other moms out to be these catty bitches like the Mother originally thought

So many times they play a “I’m not like other moms” card but not here

In fact those “annoying moms” were the first ppl who accepted the Mothers new vision of herself and what motherhood represents

And the Father was frustrating to watch (especially when viewed through the mothers eyes) but he wasn’t a bad guy

Inattentive and a little neglectful? Yes. Bad person? No.

He didn’t understand what it meant to take care of their son day in and day out all by himself. Sure he had love for the both of them but his presence just added to the mothers frustrations

I’m glad he was able to see that being a single parent (even for short periods of time) is challenging

This movie gave a very realistic portrayal of what happens to a lot of women. Amy Adam’s character wasn’t some super career focused woman who was forced to give up her dreams after becoming a mother. She chose to take a break and in that time she lost herself.

Though it can be frustrating at times and may not be relatable in every aspect this is definitely a good movie for EVERY parent to see

The Turning into a dog part might make some people uncomfortable just because the “symptoms” she has look like really ingrown pimples but it’s not bad

There’s also a couple scenes with dead animals cause the mother goes through a time catching prey which are birds and other small things

It’s not shown to much but some viewers might be more squeamish

[bessiemae]

So more of me coming here to talk about Reddit. (Although I did actually comment on the post there) And, more Gilmore Girls stuff. But, why do people keep thinking that Rory would not have been able to work if she married Logan? For the most part I'm not discussing AYITL, because we can either see it as an alternate universe or season 7. We can't reconcile both. But, contradicting that, I will say he offered her a place to write her book. So, even with the crappy cheating and Odette and going back to work for his dad (or never leaving, because AU) he still respected Rory's writing and goals.

But, back to ignoring all that. People keep acting like the fact that Logan's mother and grandfather said that Rory wasn't suitable because she had a career meant that she had no choice but to give it up if she was married to him. And they act like Logan was perfectly willing to go along with it. That he ever said he wanted a trophy wife. Also, at the end of the series, Logan was going to be living on a completely different coast from his family. He was no longer working for his dad. I don't get the impression that the job he was going to was going to require a lot of society wives helping to schmooze clients. I'm sure if there were any parties that needed planning, the company would hire people.

[falconlord5]

Hereafter

I don't know who put the episode listings in my dvd case, but whoever they were, they were incompetent.

A mystical secret society of Superman's villains is a little goofy for this show.

Hey, we haven't been in Metropolis in a while

Maggie Sawyer's trench coat is really short for a kid's cartoon.

Written by Dwayne McDuffie

Directed by Butch Lukic

That doesn't sound like Livewire; more like Harley.

Hey, it's Optimus Prime!

Yeah, that's definitely not Livewire. It's not even a good impression of Livewire's normal voice actress.

This whole episode is just one long lampshade of cartoon physics

Wow, Kalibak actually did something this episode.

Okay, that was bullshit. Kalibak should not be able to one-shot Wonder Woman and then have trouble with Batman! Yes, Batman can beat Wonder Woman (otherwise why have him on the League? Same goes for Wonder Woman), but he should still not be able to stand up to someone who can one-shot Diana!

Yeah, that's not gonna help you, Toyman.

Diana has a nasty temper in this series, and I'm not sure I like it.

Pretty sure Diana hasn't reconciled with her mother at this point.

Given that the League has often operated without Supes in the comics...

Batman doing his Batman thing. One of the best parts of Batman and Robin was how they depicted Batman as a rejection of death. That Bruce became the Batman, not as a way to punish evil, but to prevent others from suffering the same harm he had.

And this scene I think encapsulates that as well. Batman rejects his friend's death. At first at an emotional level, a gut reaction. But in rejecting death, Batman discovers the truth: that Superman isn't dead, merely lost.

That came out a little more disorganized than in my head, but my point is this: Batman, fundamentally, is a rejection of death. He is a tiny yes in the darkness that consumes us all. He is, hands down, the most optimistic character in DC Comics.

Also, he's right. Even in comics, disintegrator rays tend to leave some kind of evidence.

Of course, it's Batman, so he's still a dick about it.

I love Lois.

Thank Godzilla Lex is wearing his proper suit again. None of this supervillain BS

Hey, it's the Kents! I think they've aged somewhat since we saw them last? Also Lana and Supergirl. Who is not sitting beside her girlfriend Barbara Gordon which is a crime against humanity.

That's a nice monument they gave him.

This episode would be better without Lobo.

See, this is one of the ways I think Clark is more cynical than Bruce. Clark calls his mission 'the never ending battle' whereas Bruce thinks he can win. That he can eliminate crime. That's optimism bordering on naivete.

Kalibak is back to being the butt-monkey. Of course he is.

Yeah, that fake Livewire voice is really grating.

Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster

Batman created by Bill Finger

Wonder Woman created by William Moulton Marston

Animated by Koko

[ncfan-1]

Thank you! It’s fascinating to me how all four of the principal characters of The Acolyte crave love and companionship, but when they pursue it, they ultimately fail to get it (or don’t get it the way they wanted it) because they self-sabotage, they act in ways that ensure that they can’t get what they want.

Qimir wants “the power of two,” wants love and companionship, and to that end, he seeks an acolyte. But he fails to have the kind of relationship that he wanted with Mae thanks to his deceit and implied mistreatment of her. He fails to foster a trusting relationship with her, fails to win her trust or affection, and instead succeeds only in fostering her fear and resentment.

Mae wants Osha’s love and attention when they are children, wants to always be together and never be apart. But Osha finds her clinginess suffocating. Mae’s attempts to stick to Osha’s side only makes Osha want to peel away from Mae’s side more. The tighter Mae holds on, the more Osha wants to fly away, so on and so forth. The tantrum Mae throws when it looks like Osha will leave her permanently leads to the fire that burns down their home. Mae’s own behavior makes it easy for Sol to deceive Osha regarding who was responsible for the coven’s deaths, and makes it damn near impossible for Mae to reunite and reconcile with Osha in the present day.

Sol wants Osha’s love, wants to have a father-daughter relationship with her, but ultimately he can’t, because, well, he’s Bluebeard. With all that that implies. He can’t have the kind of relationship with Osha that he wants because their relationship is built on a foundation of lies, with her mother’s bones buried underneath, but also because his adherence to the Jedi Code ensures that he can be honest about what he wants with neither Osha nor even himself. Sol wants to be Osha’s father, but he can never admit that to anyone, not even himself. He can only say that he wants to be her Master, that he wants to teach her and train her, and ultimately shuts himself out from the kind of love that he wants.

Of the three of them, who fell into pitfalls before the present day, only Mae is able to stop self-sabotaging. Qimir refuses to admit that he voided any claim he had to Mae’s loyalty long ago by dint of his deceit and implied mistreatment, and lays the blame for how things shook out between them entirely at Mae’s feet, writing her off as having only cared about revenge. Sol clings to any straw he can use to justify his actions to himself to the bitter end, refuses to take accountability for what he did to the bitter end, and that is what gets him killed. But Mae is ultimately able to look back on her childhood behavior with clear eyes and amend her behavior as an adult, and is able to reconcile with Osha and, if only for a moment, get the kind of love that she wants by being selfless, by giving Osha space to assert her own wants instead of relentlessly pursuing her, and by being willing to let Osha go.

And in the present-day, we have Osha. From sixteen years ago up until Episode 8, Osha has been denied the kind of love that she longs for and needs to feel truly nourished, not through any fault of her own, but by Sol’s wrongdoings. And then we watch her obtain that love, only to immediately self-sabotage the way Qimir and Sol do.

If she had stopped short of agreeing to let Mae be memory-wiped, I wouldn’t say that she had self-sabotaged, I wouldn’t say that she had thrown Mae’s love away, and I wouldn’t say that she had completed her fall to the Dark Side. If Osha refuses to let the memory wipe go ahead, then even if she still separates from Mae at that juncture, it indicates that Mae’s well-being is not a line that she’s willing to cross. To at least give Mae the chance to, say, sneak back to Sol’s ship and try to fly it off-world to get away from the Jedi, would indicate that she wasn’t willing to screw Mae over for her own personal benefit. But Osha is willing, even if reluctantly, to screw Mae over for her own benefit, Mae’s well-being is a line Osha is willing to cross, and it’s there that Osha falls into the pitfall that the other three principal characters fell into in the past. It’s there that Osha self-sabotages. In the same moment that should be Osha’s moment of triumph, the moment of finally obtaining the love she has craved for sixteen years, she casts aside that love, and her victory turns to ash.

(As an observation, it’s interesting to me that of the four of them, the only one who actually manages to stop self-sabotaging is Mae, precisely because of Mae, Osha, Sol, and Qimir, Mae is the only one of them who was never a Jedi. I think you could take it as commentary on how easy it is for the Jedi’s ideals to give Jedi really, really fucked-up interpretations of and relationships with love.)

I think another reason that I’m so firmly in the camp that Osha completed her fall to the Dark Side not by killing Sol but by allowing Mae to be memory-wiped is because of the observation Qimir makes in Episode 6 about Osha’s relationship with love.

Qimir posits, and Osha evidently agrees, that she has spent sixteen years longing for someone to love her fully, deeply, and unreservedly, and that she’s spent sixteen years longing to be able to love others in the same way. Why do you only love people who can only go so far, who can’t go as deep as you can? He asserts, and is unfortunately correct, that thanks to the Jedi’s strictures against attachment, Sol and Jecki were always going to hold her at arm’s length to some degree or another. Those were always going to be relationships unequal in terms of depth and intensity.

And that isn’t what Osha wants. It leaves her feeling empty and unfulfilled. She has not felt loved in a way that would actually nourish in sixteen years, she’s spent sixteen years with the belief imparted upon her by the Jedi that the way she loves is inappropriate and “too much,” and it’s killing her. She does not want impersonal love devoid of attachments. She wants to be loved the way her family loved her. She wants to love in that fashion without being told that the want is a flaw, that there’s something wrong with her for wanting it.

Along comes Mae in Episode 8. By being willing to undergo the memory wipe to protect Osha, Mae demonstrates that she does love Osha as fully, deeply, and unreservedly as Osha has craved for the past sixteen years. Who would accept her love without telling her that it’s inappropriate or deviant, that it’s “too much.” There is someone who Osha knows is willing to go as deep as she is, and she’s standing right in front of her.

But just because someone is willing to sacrifice themselves for you does not mean that you should let them. Osha receives the love she has longed for—and by allowing her sister to be stripped of her memories of her, she throws that love away for her own personal gain. Osha is offered another’s love, and she throws that love away in favor of a guarantee of freedom and power—not for herself and Mae, but only for herself, and at Mae’s direct expense.

And that’s just really sad. Osha gets what she wanted, what she felt empty without, and she throws it away, because she ultimately values herself more than she values love, or the one who would offer it to her.

[glen-powells]

Falling All in You | S.H.

Pairing: Steve Harrington x Female Best Friend Reader

Warning(s): Language, short and sweet but a whole lotta fluff

Summary: Steve’s fondest memories of Y/N seemed to take place in the rain. Therefore, it was no surprise the most pivotal moment in their relationship would follow suit

(GIF credit to @dearestmaryann)

Part Two

The windshield wipers worked frantically in a rhythmic pattern, diverting enough water from the glass for Steve to see the road before him. Heavy rain pelted the vehicle, drowning out the radio and allowing his mind to wander.

His earliest memory involved Y/N. And the rain. The moment remained so vivid in his mind, he could still feel the wet grass under his feet.

They couldn’t have been more than 4 or 5-years old, running around barefoot in the front yard of his childhood home. Rain clouds rolled in, darkening the sky and his mom called for them to come indoors. Never ones to listen, especially when they were together, they continued to chase each other, even as raindrops fell from the sky. Within minutes, they were both covered in mud from jumping in every puddle they could find before the rain would rinse the dirt from their clothes. His mom was absolutely mortified when she caught them. She forced them inside, wrapped them in warm towels and practically force-fed them soup, attempting to fight off a cold that she was convinced they would catch.

He laughed aloud because they did get sick afterwards. But to his recollection, it was absolutely worth it. He sighed, tightening his grip on the steering wheel as he continued in the direction of her house. Steve longed for things to be as simple as they were back then. Because right now, he was struggling to manage his time. It’s how he ended up in his current predicament. Somewhere, somehow, he forgot her birthday. For the first time in 19 years. He couldn’t recall how it happened but he was absolutely gutted because of it. The realization happened only a few minutes prior. He was on the phone with his mother, who called to simply check in as she was away on yet another business trip, when she asked how the pair had spent the previous day. When he revealed that he hadn’t seen Y/N but he spent the day with Robin instead, she inquired about what he purchased for Y/N’s birthday. He bounded out the door in a matter of minutes after ending the call. He was unsure how she would react when he showed up on her doorstep. The thought pulled another memory from him, making him chuckle.

Their first fight took place in middle school and of course, it was because he did something incredibly stupid. “I’m sorry,” Steve said, running over to her as she writhed in pain, holding her ankle, which was already starting to swell. He tried to help her up but she swatted him away angrily. “Go away, Steve!” Her words cut him like a knife, almost wounding him as badly as the sound of her cries. They were rough-housing and he pushed her a little too hard, knocking her down to the ground, causing her to twist her ankle in the process. He looked down to find her entire foot badly bruised and took off to get help from her mom. After a trip to the emergency room, she showed up to school the next day in a cast with the diagnosis of a fractured ankle. She didn’t talk to Steve for one whole week. Even back then, it didn’t stop him from littering her locker with notes, begging for her forgiveness and vowing to never hurt her again.

He cringed because to this day, he was convinced it was the longest, most agonizing week of his life. He remembered the pain in his chest that he felt once the two had reconciled. When he was finally able to sign her cast, there was barely any room left. It amazed him that something so trivial could be etched into his brain forever. A roll of thunder pulled him from his thoughts but only for a moment.

However, his most cherished memory was that of their most recent encounter in the rain - the night of their senior prom.

Instead of the two leaving the crowded gymnasium with their dates, they snuck away and left together. “I feel bad,” she admitted, despite the bright smile on her face as Steve grabbed her hand. “They’ll be fine,” he murmured, pulling her close as they stood in her driveway. “C’mere. I didn’t get to dance with you back there.” He could have sworn that her smile brightened, as if it were even possible. She was absolutely breathtaking, dressed in a big, frilly gown that reminded him of Scarlett O’Hara. At least, he thought that was the name of the woman in Gone with the Wind. He especially loved the fact that only one of her shoulders was covered by the fancy material, the other completely exposed, drawing his attention to her collarbone. Her hair was down, the front pieces that framed her face pulled back with a bow. She didn’t hesitate, stepping forward and wrapping her arms around Steve’s neck. “You look handsome tonight,” she said after he placed his hands on her hips. He lead her in a dance, despite having any music. “Thank you. You look like a beautiful debutant,” he teased with a grin, earning a painful swat to his chest. “Okay, I deserved that,” he winced, making her laugh as they continued to dance. Out of nowhere, raindrops started to fall from the sky. It wasn’t much at first, so neither of them noticed until the bottom fell out and it became a downpour. Y/N screamed as the two were drenched in what felt like a matter of seconds. She went to run inside but he stopped her, picking her up by her waist. “Where do you think you’re going? I wasn’t done dancing,” he twirled her around with ease and she giggled, despite her ruined appearance. Little did she know that he was convinced she’d never looked this good before. He put her down before bowing dramatically, his hand outstretched to her. “May I?” He asked, smiling from ear to ear. She laughed before following along, curtseying before taking his hand. He so badly wanted to kiss her but instead, they danced the night away in her driveway as it rained.

Steve cut the engine after pulling into the same driveway from prom night. Except today, he planned on groveling for forgiveness. Nothing bothered him more than knowing she was unhappy with him. He got out the vehicle, slamming the car door behind him as he ran for the front door of her house. Once he made it onto the porch, he ran his hand through his wet hair, which somehow remained perfectly coiffed. He knocked twice, anxiously holding his breath as he waited for her to answer. He knew she was home from her car parked in front of his in the drive, so he knocked again. “Y/N,” he pleaded, growing more anxious with every passing second. Still no answer. “Shit,” he muttered to himself, placing both hands on his hips, calculating his next move. He walked off the porch and into the rain, about to head in the direction of her bedroom window but the sound of her voice caught his attention. “Steve?” He stopped at the foot of the steps, slowly turning to her. She wore nothing but the simplest sundress and a confused expression, her arms crossed against her chest. He didn’t move, he couldn’t if he tried, rain soaking his clothes and finally ruining his hair but he didn’t care. “I’m so sorry,” he explained. “I’m sorry that I missed your birthday. There’s no one more important to me than you and I would never miss anything for you on purpose.” She opened her mouth to interject but he continued. “Between work and carting Henderson, and his stupid gaggle of friends around, I can’t believe it slipped my mind.” He blinked, attempting to rid himself of water that built up on his lashes, clouding his vision but it was useless. She bit her lip, hiding a smile that threatened to appear. “I love you so much. I’m in love with you.. I think I’ve always been in love with you,” he admitted, feeling as though he was rambling, his nerves getting the best of him. Goddamnit Robin, he thought to himself. “My point is,” he paused, taking a deep breath as he tried to get back to the point of his appearance, “I would never do anything to hurt you. The thought of disappointing you makes me sick to my stomach. I’m so sorry, Y/N.” He could feel himself shaking, a combination of nerves and the cold from the rain. Unable to meet her eyes and terrified he would continue to ramble, he turned and headed in the direction of his car.

“I love you too, Harrington,” she said sweetly. The words echoed in his mind as he spun around to find her standing in the spot he had left at the bottom of the steps. She looked flawless in the pluvial rain, bright smile on display. They met each other half way and when she looked him in the eyes, Steve felt like a kid on Christmas morning. “My birthdays not ‘til tomorrow so you’re forgiven, by the way,” she whispered, her lips so close to his that her breath fanned his face. His eyes widened as she giggled but all he could do was grin, shaking his head from side to side. “So all this for nothing?” It was her turn to shake her head as she gazed up at him lovingly. “If you don’t kiss me, St-“ He collided his lips to hers before she could finish her sentence. He cradled her face in his hands, thumbs gently brushing her cheeks as their mouths moved in perfect unison, like they had done this a thousand times before. A perfect mix of vanilla, mint and rain took over his senses as he slipped his tongue into her mouth, deepening the kiss. She clung to him like their wet clothes clung to their bodies, neither of them wanting this moment to end. He trailed his hands from her cheeks to her waist, lifting her with ease as his lips never left hers. She giggled into his kiss, wrapping her legs around his waist and tangling her hands in his hair, while he carried her in an unknown direction. She assumed he was heading inside, so when her back met the hood of his Beamer, she gasped. He chucked, pulling away for enough time to brush her hair away from her face before finding her lips again. His body hovered over hers, blocking some of the rain as they made out like no one else was watching.