#but idk how to articulate these well yet so for now

[drenched-in-sunlight]

probably a weird read of all the mending rune endings but I feel like Marika guided a Tarnished of no renown to become the next Elden Lord because, should the new Age still has her as a God, at least the new Lord would not prioritize their feelings for her over the world anymore (like Godfrey & Radagon did).

as Ansbach said “a Lord not for Gods, but for men”.

She’s already a really flawed God with too much love and hatred and humanity even after her ascension, a God who is willing to break rules for her loved ones (at least from my interpretation), and 2 previous Lords are…too involved with her. No matter if one interprets that as love or duty, you can’t deny those two guys act in accordance with their interest in her. Look how well that turned out.

So I feel like the reason a random Tarnished got the chance to become the next Lord is because Marika wanted them to know the Lands Between first, to love this land & the life within on their own term, with their own journey separate from her.

We don’t need to love or to know her at all.

And so she can trust us to always choose the greater good over her.

(But joke is on her I’ll suck af as a Lord I love her too much I’ll literally just be Godfrey Radagon 2.0 😭😭)

[herearedragons]

rotating SolAqun in this context btw.

Solas is clearly a grounding presence to him. but. does he see Solas as someone he can belong with? as a presence that, for reasons he can barely comprehend, keeps that feeling of despair and powerlessness as bay? if so, why does Solas have this effect on him? he's certainly a comforting presence and someone Aqun can talk to without the pressure of being the Herald/Inquisitor but like, it clearly goes beyond that.

maybe it is just about the acceptance tbh. as in. it feels like Solas doesn't have any Expectations of him. but also believes in his ability to do what's required of him. Solas doesn't really need him to Be Someone, which forces Aqun to eventualy default to being just. well. himself. and Solas seems perfectly fine with that. and that isn't fully unique to him because there's Adina, but I think Solas not being Valo-Kas is important here. because Solas' acceptance means that maybe there's a space Aqun can exist in that isn't the merc company or his childhood home. that maybe there is something for him out there.

and if so. I think Aqun is at least somewhat aware that this is his line of thinking. it's probably a big part of why the Fen'Harel reveal, and with it the loss of Apostate Solas, hurts so much. there isn't a place for him out there. the one person he's met who was starting to feel like home was actually something else entirely

"but isn't it weird that Aqun is afraid of going savage while not having the same fear about any of his fully qunari friends and family" well you see, me, the thing is that in his worldview, what stops you from going savage is having a sense of purpose and belonging. and everyone else he knows seems to have that. But He Doesn't.

[dingodad]

ok it's the next day so i am going to summarise my thoughts on that update which i felt at the time were really obvious but which i might not have effectively articulated in my posts LOL

one - yes Jane and Jake's appearance on the ship is "a retcon". this is why Calliope and Karkat agree that retcons "are a little amateurish" and are then shaken from their seats by some strange cosmic phenomenon which changes things about reality. this is something called irony. YE'D BEST START BELIEVIN' IN IT.

we can tell this is what's going on - and that Vriska is in some way involved - because Jane and Jake aren't the only things that are now different about the story: the planet Deltritus, which was previously blue, suddenly turns pink in a flash of Hell Tier powers. the surface of Deltritus was already pink, so the orbital image has been retroactively changed to a colour that makes more sense. again, Roach clearly winks at this in the Monthly Check-In, saying that they are "taking the story and characters in a slightly different direction, while still hitting some of the key points laid out for us." the aim here was to change things about the previous version of the story that didn't work without it coming across like the cheap rewrites Karkat refers to (and which a lot of fans had been asking for, for some reason).

the problems people have this fact are:

1a - they still think a "retcon" makes the previous version of the story pointless and irrelevant. Homestuck already did a whole arc about why this isn't true so if you still genuinely feel this way in your heart idk. page 666 even did a whole bit about the importance of another Jane out there in the multiverse being able to live a better life. you are just gonna have to grin and bear it sorry bro

1b - they can only think of a "retcon" as the thing John does. the concept of retroactive continuity and the word "retcon" existed long before Caliborn's juju and they will continue to exist forever after, and I think this addendum also makes it pretty clear that no, this is a different new thing. John's letters disappearing and Deltritus changing colour are clearly demonstrations of a new power, so we should be smart and assume Jane and Jake reappearing is a new thing as well. and obviously it has to be, because

two - no, Jane and Jake being "retconned" back into the story does not mean the Catnapped arc has just been abandoned. I should think the intention for Catnapped to stay canon was made pretty clear by first Jasprose's appearance on page 666 but then also her appearance literally IN this addendum... this is another reason these new "retcons" are clearly a new thing and not just John's existing ability to alter past story events. like Vriska, Jane and Jake have been through their therapy quest, and are now apparently living new lives having incorporated the lessons they learnt during that therapy quest. remember Vriska's purgatory literally involved dying and being reborn to live her life all over again every time she failed to make progress; it's really not difficult to imagine that, once they had learned their lessons, Jane and Jake were offered the option to do basically the same thing. obviously this isn't EXACTLY the same as what happened to Vriska, and we're still yet to see just how much of their therapy Jane and Jake actually remember... but like come on guys. this is new territory. be patient and things will be revealed to you LOL

[iniquitousyearning]

ignore me for a second because this is literally just going to be insistent nonsensical rambling but what i really crave more than anything else currently is a story dissecting tom riddles one fundamental flaw; his inexperience/inability to feel selfless, genuine love.

i have, for the most part, written my tom very removed from canon but i just feel like a story surrounding this could be so beautiful if articulated right. i think of how i wrote mattheo in beg for me—he was so reluctant to let himself feel love because along with it came fear; fear of abandonment fear of vulnerability fear of what it could mean to have something worth losing. tom’s fear would be tenfold.

i don’t know if i’m crazy but i just need that angst from him right now. i love self assured emotionally detached composed tom riddle but a tom riddle who finds himself enamoured with you to the point he’s wishing he never met you because he misses the man he was before you—the restrained man with nothing to lose—yes, the thought of that does something to me.

not to mention i’ve been listening to sleep token nonstop and if these lyrics don’t fit tom then idk:

“I’m not here to be the saviour you long for, only the one you don’t.”

i love this line and i feel as though this would be something tom says to you as you’re attempting to push him away. such a prose fits him so well because he’d be trying to tell you that he may not be the hero in your story but his presence is still significant in its own right. he’s never claimed to be the good guy but that you could gain something from him you may not realize yet.

“I’ll take a pound of your flesh before you take a piece of my paystub.”

a threat spat through a clenched jaw and hunger blown pupils. uttered from the lips of a lying man who knows he’d never lay a finger on you and would kill anyone who dared to try. he’s still in denial of his feelings, you’re in denial of yours. the two of you so alike you’re destined to butt heads.

“Turn me into your mannequin and I’ll turn you into my puppet queen.”

tom often presents himself as someone willing to be molded to gain trust. it’s different with you because you know this. you’ve accepted it. you need eachother—you feed off eachother—you’d be a fool to ignore it. he uses you for one thing and you use him for another. you can’t fall victim to his tricks if you know that’s all they are. surface value. mutual manipulation.

alright i will stop rambling. i’d love to write this but i don’t think i could ever do him justice.

[peanutheaddd]

Hey, um. I already posted some thoughts of mine via tags on your most recent DM/Detey comic post. And um, I just wanna say that it genuinely, literally made me tear up. I know that's stupid because it's fucking DOGMAN. And please, don't feel bad, because I don't mean for this to come off as a negative thing. But wow... You've outdone yourself

Idk if this'll mean much at all (it does to me context wise), but media (art/video games/TV shows or movies/etc.) hardly, if ever, makes me tear up. That isn't to say I don't feel sadness or anything when it comes to sad moments, but it takes a lot for me to tear up. It's only happened once or twice, I think? I believe one of those times was due to a video game. But art? Never teared up to it before. Never... Until now

Um wow. This is all cringe so uh. TL;DR thank you so much for existing. Thank you for creating and posting. Admittedly I'm kinda. Going through it ahaha. But regardless, art like this has never moved me (emotionally speaking) so damn much before. So um, congrats. I hope life is nothing but good to you and your loved ones

Oh anon this means So much to me . This means So So So much to me . Thank you.

i totally understand w the not tearing up easily thing . i have yet to Ever tear up over artwork . sometimes i Want to tear up but i cant LOL . That means So much to me.

iReally put a Lot of my own thoughts into that comic about just. Love and Memory and Life and Death. Love especially. and how i personally think about it and how theyre all tied together. how i personally cope with how Scary death is bc im Terrified of dying .

someone left a comment on my comic that contained the phrase “no me molesta, así es la vida” (im not bothered, thats life) and Really thats ultimately what i was thinking as i made the comic . Death is just Natural. Thats life. And it doesnt Have to be something scary. it doesnt necessarily mean a neverending soulcrushing grief. Theres more to it than the death itself.

Yes he died Yes hes gone Yes petey misses him but just by the sheer force of his Love he still exists in a way just through every one of peteys actions and memories and thoughts . and yes death is so so So terrifying even if i remind myself its natural and indiscriminatory befause that doesnt change the fact that i dont know Anything about what comes after death and i never ever will .

but still isnt it beautiful how if u just love strong enough love with ur whole being then you can somehow continue existing despite not being there ? how ur very soul becomes a part of the rest of the world, just like in the extra kiss, or the generous tip, or the warmth of the sun itself ? in the extra chair next to the tree, or in the records, or in the folded corners of a poetry book . you can be just One person but if love hard enough and purposefully enough and loudly enough the worlds never ever gonna forget it . and maybe thats all that matters ultimately . “And love lasts forever and ever” from mothering heights yk ? “but its gonna change their world” from fetch 22 yk ?

in general this kinda thing is just a concept i think about a Lot and it means a lot that i was able to articulate it well enough to get that kind of reaction from someone .

thank u for sending this anon . peace and love.

[ravenadottir]

ok, i understand why fusebox is taking down the old app from a financial perspective, and with it the first three seasons, but if that's not the biggest shot in the foot idk what is.

there are so many people that start playing the stupid games this shitty ass company puts out there because of said seasons, so like... no. it's by far the most commented seasons in any discussions on reddit and it's still a winner when it comes to fics and headcanon posts on tumblr, like ????

i get that it hasn't been lucrative for them probably (?) but it's a stamp of what fusebox used to be and how it could improve... and that empty promise of remastering the seasons to bring it back?

no thanks, i know y'all are gonna kill some storylines like you have been doing for 3 years now, so don't bother. just take down the only seasons that are worth playing so we can just get the fuck out of here and concentrate our attention on the fics.

now, i tried playing seasons 4 and 5, couldn't go pass a few chapters because everything seemed so stupid e pointless. i was determined to get through season 5 (don't ask me what dumb title it has, i can't be bothered to remember) but like, i couldn't ???

it was so disengaging i would rather do a jakub route and cheat so i can get dumped by returning!islander than going back and trying again. i guess this is it for me regarding fusebox.

and since i'm on the subject, i have been feeling like that for a while, just waiting around for a season that is worth my time, and it hasn't happened yet. i'm over this shitty company and whatever they released after season 2, that's just it.

if you like what they did, and has been doing, good for you, i can exist on this corner absolutely hating everything and you can love it all, my problem is with the company not the people that find joy with the work they put out here (which apparently there's a bunch of evidence of AI and it doesn't surprise me in the slightest). well, that's it. that's all i have to say on the matter.

i've barely been here due to several personal life issues, and i fucking guarantee my personal life and the gossip i've been digging up from my family would make a far more entertaining game than whatever the fuck they're doing now.

i'm still gonna continue updating the fics though, and maybe eventually turn my inbox on again ?

but for now, i'm still going through a lot and time has been wasted on multiple problems in my personal life, maybe i'll expand on those on a different post because i do need to shout into the void about everything that has been happening.

this post is not nearly as articulated as it could be, but that's just me venting. anyway, carry on with your day.

[loycos]

How do you think Ekko feels about Caitlyn and Vi, separately and as a couple? Reed Shannon (Ekko's VA) stated in a post on how Caitlyn found her humanity and grace through her struggles; plus he resposted(?) a meme of Caitlyn alongside Ekko, Jinx, Vi and Isha from that gangster family meme; I don't know if you know the meme, it was the best way I could describe it.

again diving into personal headcanon territory, with a little bit of support from League lore (idk if its still relevant). i feel like i need to explain what my post canon vision for caitvi is to articulate what i think ekko would think of them. ramble incoming:

i think caitlyn and vi are gonna be enforcers again, caitlyn as the sheriff and vi her second-in-command (deputy). caitlyn will try to reform the enforcers with a stricter hand, and a watchful eye. theres a reason she didnt take her seat in the council- caitlyn is all about doing the hard job on location, seeing reality through her own eyes- she doesnt want to help by sitting in a tower and discussing things in theory, shes practical and realistic and she wants to experience the real thing. her job as sheriff will allow her to make that change while still giving her the access to do things on the field.

vi joining tbe enforcers will mainly be done to stay close to caitlyn and protect her if needed. vi never had a big direction in life other than the people she loves- she would jump on the opportunity to spend more time with cait and have the chance to punch people with her big gauntlets. her position as deputy is absolutely unearned in terms of experience or even commitment to the cause- but caitlyn is the sheriff and she put her there, so vi and her can stay close. which other enforcers, and pilties, and zaunites, are extremely aware of. it is corruption, even if relatively unharmful one. having a zaunite as the deputy made a lot of pilties upset, especially when shes so underqualified, and made them question caitlyn's ethics, for good reason. mega especially when vi is known to overall act out of line, cause unnecessary property damage, show overall disrespect to the reformed enforcer protocol and not bind herself to schedules, and yet get absolutely no punishment, let alone acknowledgement of her misdeeds by her boss, who turns a blind eye (wink wink) to her shenanigans.

so yeah, other enforcers are fuming, the pilties arent happy, and zaunites? well, despite caitlyn trying her best to solve the issues that ran years before she was born, there's only so much changing the protocol can do for her. she is harsher on enforcer violence and the prison under her watch has changed to be more humane, but its not like she can control every single enforcer personally. so its not perfect but its slightly better than what it used to be. caitlyn herself has the exact same attitude towards both pilties and zaunites- kind of cold, calculated, no bullshit taken, unapologetic, yet with a layer of empathy underneath the surface. kind of similar to what grayson was. this attitude doesnt win her people's favor on either side, but it does earn her respect- and especially in zaun, where her family status means nothing, that means a lot. she's definitely not a "champion of the people"- i think most people in the city actively dislike her, and the (true) rumors of corruption arent helping.

as for vi, zaunites see her as a traitor. she is known to be kind of a bulldozer that can be quite trigger happy, especially when it involves caitlyn (who we already discussed people dont really like) being in danger or disrespected. she has a dismissive "and what about that" attitude that is very zaun in nature, but since shes now wearing a badge, zaunites get annoyed with. pilties, of course, absolutely hate that attitude. so she isnt seen very favorably either, on either side of the river, just like her girlfriend.

the relationship between them is kind of an open secret. every enforcer in the force knows vi is only in her position cause she "gives caitlyn favors under the table", and those rumors reached topside and bottom as well. and again, they arent untrue, theyre just a relatively mean and shallow reading of the actual relationship between the women. neither caitlyn nor vi ever acknowledges these rumors. they stay at a 6 feet distance from each other while working, but the fact they are so interlinked really leaves no other answer. they know everybody knows, everybody knows that they know, and it's never addressed directly by either of them. their relationship is kind of an anigma to people on both sides- pilties think caitlyn settled for a street rat, zaunites think vi sold her soul to be with a rich pig. no one really knows the history or intimate details about their relationship, for obvious reasons, and thats what it looks like to them on the surface.

righttttt, this ask was about ekko. i got carried away. so ekko. how does he play into all of this? while he's not entirely on the average zaunite camp, he is reluctant to work with caitlyn, but does so anyway because ultimately they share similar goals. while he understands vi better than most people, and knows she always puts her loved ones before any political cause, he can't help but feel a little betrayed by her choice. i think he doesnt really see what vi sees in caitlyn, and since he doesnt "get" that, vi's choice to stay with her at all costs looks odd. especially since caitlyn on the surface just looks like a cold, authoritarian bitch. with good intentions! but still a bitch.

in the end, it all comes down to masks. i imagine post canon caitvi are both sporting masks for protection, and have their walls really high up in public. and can you blame them? they actively wear their weakest spot, their achilles heel- each other- on their sleeve. theyre in public positions, have a lot of eyes on them, and their "professional" relationship is extremely looked down upon. so caitlyn acts colder and harsher, and vi puts on a bravado of "i dont give a shit" and uses violence as a threat to deter people from seeing her as weak. the walls are there to ensure their safety. but like we saw in the series, when its just the two of them, all those walls crumble, and they allow themselves to just be vulnerable.

[daandyli0n]

more of my random Petscop thoughts.

dunno how to fully articulate this 'cause i don't have any art yet, but. to me, Rainer, Marvin, and Paul are like. same guy/general traits, but Different Fonts.

so let me explain it this way:

traits they all share (and how they differ):

same general hair/eye color: brown hair and chocolate brown eyes (Rainer's hair is the lightest, and so is his eye color. Marvin's hair color is almost the same as Paul's, just slightly darker, and his eye color is slightly darker than Rainer's. Paul used to be Care, so take that as you will for what his hair looks like, and his eyes are Extremely dark and almost look black, unless the light hits them)

generally the same face shape (with the exception of Paul, whose face is somewhat Rounder. it's the best way i can describe it)

freckles and/or "beauty marks" (Rainer has a couple of BM on his face, one on the left side of his upper lip and another underneath his right eye. Marvin has freckles and a BM on the left side of his nose. Paul has a Lot of freckles and a BM on the right side of his nose, as well as a BM on his left cheek)

glasses (Rainer has square/rectangular glasses, Marvin has those glasses that like stereotypical librarians are given in cartoons. you know what i'm talking about?? he has those fancy glasses. Paul's glasses are some sort of rounder-framed kinda glasses. not sure if they're Circular or just Rounded)

generally have Longer Hairstyles (Marvin's hair is shoulder length. Rainer and Paul have hair that goes halfway down their backs, but Paul keeps his tied in a ponytail)

WHEN CLEAN, their hair is like. fluffy and soft (Rainer was kinda. Going Through It towards the end of his life, so take this as you will. Marvin generally kept himself pretty clean. and with Paul it's a coin toss)

things that are specific to each of them:

Rainer had real fucked up legs from getting hit by a car in his early teen years (unfortunately, this was not the Last time he would be hit by a car). i think i saw a design once that gave him a fucked up leg like Toneth. mine's kinda similar to that sort of idea: his left leg is never fully straightened out. he kinda Can't straighten it anymore. he can get Close to fully straightening it out, but it doesn't. do that. he uses crutches to get around most of the time.

Marvin and Rainer have similar body shapes (Tall 'n Lanky) and are Around the same height (Marvin is 6'4" and Rainer is 6'0" exactly), but Rainer gives off more "Sad Wet Cat" vibes (and has bad posture), while Marvin is more "Average Older Guy Who Gives Off...Off Vibes." Paul, on the other hand, i based on myself appearance wise: Short(er) and Round, if that gives you an idea. (i made him my height: 5'6"). his vibes are more "Awkward Trans Gamer Who Needs Therapy" (which is just his entire character in Petscop, i'm well aware)

Paul, while he does share some features with his dad, mostly has features that look similar to Lina's (eyes, nose, etc.)

Rainer had more average(??? idk how to explain) eyebrows, Marvin had thicker eyebrows, and Paul has very faint, thin eyebrows.

^ to go along with this, Lina technically also grows very thin eyebrows like Paul does, she just has a habit of picking at them and pulling them out (Marvin's The Reason Paul Didn't Grow Eyebrows As A Kid. Paul Didn't Pick At 'Em Like Lina Does. Paul does, however, pick at his acne).

and now, misc. fun facts!!

both Rainer and Paul hate the fact that, to some degree, they look like Marvin (especially Rainer, who is definitely closer in appearance to him due to height and body shape). they have different reasons for why they hate it, though (Rainer just hates that fucker in general, while Paul has his whole thing of feeling Fear and Dread when he looks in the mirror on his Worse Days, but for the longest time being unable to explain Why).

on the other hand, on Paul's Better Days, he looks in the mirror and thinks "huh...i guess i Do look like Lina's son :]" and feels happy and warm instead of All-Consuming Dread.

Marvin one time, in-game, called Paul ugly, and it caused Paul to have the WORST fucking flashback. his avatar in game (the Guardian guy) just stood there frozen while he kinda had a breakdown and Belle (who was Also there just kinda also stood still because she was on the phone with Paul IRL) just gave Marvin a response that summed up to "WTF You Can't Just Say That." the Really fucked up bit? Marvin Definitely knew who Paul was at that point. he knew the weight THAT sort of statement held.

so yeah!! just a lil ramble about Paul, Rainer, and Marvin and some Appearance Headcanons and whatnot. enjoy!!

[darcytaylor]

Idk if anyone else is having the same experience as me, but as a fandom neutral who doesn't ship anyone, I don't feel any sort of way about the recent info we've been getting? I don't feel like we're learning anything new, this is pretty much what's been going on, it's status quo.

What's been interesting for me to observe in this situation is the fandom meltdown surrounding it in response to what is essentially no news? It's like a giant Jenga tower of conjecture, wishful thinking and rumors was stacked up to high heaven and now a bottom piece has been pulled out, but the blocks where never from the same set to begin with, so they never even fit together properly? Some of the fans built narratives on top of other narratives and they've basically hurt themselves by ignoring crucial information but at the same time leaning into what they've interpreted as hints of things that they want to happen or be true.

Nic and Luke haven't addressed anything one way or the other and the fandom has sort of diverged into its own thing, almost separate from the people it's supposedly built around, and any info that challenges the favorite narratives is pushed against vehemently, which only perpetuates the cycle of hurt when more of it emerges.

Nothing has actually happened here. Nic is traveling with friends and attending events related to her field of work. Luke is potentially on vacation with his partner, perhaps visiting her family. These are things we've seen them do in the past multiple times, both with the same and different people. Maybe the response is so outsized because they did an unexpected thing in that they posted hints about what they were doing? But at the same time, the fandom whipped itself into a frenzy of anticipation over stories that were very innocuous at heart?

Anyway, I think we've reached a point of disconnect between fandom and celeb that can't be reconciled atp. It feels like a disembodied cluster for the sake of community and having something - anything - to connect over. It hasn't been about the actual people at the core of it for a long time.

This is such a well-articulated take! I agree with your observations, especially the idea of the fandom almost evolving away from the actual people at the core. It feels like the narratives some fans have built for themselves have created a feedback loop, where every new piece of "information" is filtered through an already established lens, even if that information doesn’t actually say anything new.

The Jenga metaphor you used is really good! People have built these intricate structures on top of speculation, and when even the smallest piece doesn’t fit or gets pulled out, the whole thing topples into chaos. I think you’re right that the disconnect between fandom and the actual people has been growing for a while now. And it’s probably made worse by the fact that neither Nicola and Luke aren't addressing anything directly, which leaves a vacuum that fans keep trying to fill with their own ideas.

I also love how you pointed out that Nicola and Luke are just doing things we've seen before - traveling, spending time with friends and/or partners - yet the response to these normal activities is wild. It's like the fandom may be searching for something that isn't there. Maybe that’s why things feel so dramatic when, in reality, it’s business as usual for them.

Thanks for sending this in! I think your perspective is a breath of fresh air in all the noise surrounding this situation. It really does feel like a reminder to take a step back and let things unfold naturally rather than force narratives that may lead to frustration!

I also want to add that it's okay to ship whoever you want together. Everyone is entitled to their own preferences and interpretations. And I think it can be fun. However, when that leads to leaving awful comments - towards others, myself included in that - because I don’t take it at face value, it becomes toxic. That might be a sign that it’s time to take a step back and let things just unfold naturally.

[hptrash-lookaway]

Idk if literally anyone else thinks about this, but I’m also always thinking about Harry being all sad because people don’t really see him when they look at him, they see the bwl or his parents

And yeah there’s a ton of people who do see Harry as just the bwl, but like,, outside of like,, the order and a couple of others, most people probably aren’t seeing Harry’s parents in him, like Lily and James weren’t famous till they died (outside of James being the sole heir to an old line, although it does raise the question of if people took issue with him marrying Lily since she was a muggleborn, anyways how many people would care that much about James being the last Potter outside of other old family lines?) so outside of the people they personally interacted with, most probably didn’t pay that much attention to them, whereas Harry is hella famous and has been that way for most of his life

Idk if I can actually articulate my point but anyways once again thinking about a lot of people from the marauders generation ending up in the hp generation, and Harry’s all worried about no one caring about him anymore because he thinks most people only care about him as a replacement for his parents, but a lot of the people from his generation are only excited to meet them because they’re Harry’s parents

Idk it’s also funny to me to think about it being like still in the middle of the war and the order really caring about Lily and James being back and feeling more confident, and outside of like Snape, most of the death eaters and Voldemort aren’t fully sure who they’re looking at for a few seconds, like they’ve just been so focused on Harry for so long, only caring about them when that prophecy came out

(and considering it had to have come out around when Harry was born because due dates are so fickle and he was 1 when they were killed, it had to be max a year till they were found, not too long in the grand scheme of things)

Also I’m imagining that this is more teenage James and Lily, so it doesn’t help that they don’t look exactly how they did before dying

(My reasoning for most death eaters not caring about James and Lily before the prophecy is that I believe the theory that most order members weren’t public knowledge, they didn’t have to go into hiding until the prophecy was made (if DE’s cared about them, no way they wouldn’t have been in a protected house from the start), we don’t really know what defying Voldemort means so it could’ve been anything, doesn’t necessarily mean it was in a way Voldemort would’ve cared about till he sat down to figure out which family the prophecy could be about and was like “oh wait”, and some other reasons that make sense only to me and idk how to word them)

(Like I really think they’d be in the same amount of being famous as Tonks would be pre-prophecy, she’s an order member, she’s an auror like James who probably doesn’t take shit from all those death eaters who should’ve been in Azkaban and are now living normal lives, and she has a dramatic family history, her mom was completely disowned from a very well known family for marrying her dad, when they didn’t even completely disown Sirius!! And then she had a baby with a known werewolf, yet there’s not ever really a sense that she’s that famous or that death eaters care that much about her)

[cj-the-random-artist]

Stupid names I thought of for the QPR AU:

(please take these with a grain of salt I'm trying my best on a subject I don't know personally, also most of these are silly)

Cult of the Squish

Cult of the Zucchini

Squishy Zucchinis

Alterous of the Lamb

Culterous

Two Blorbos Not Kissing

Aroman Empire / S.Q.P.R

Cuddles of the Lamb

Virtues of the Soul (Like Sins of the Flesh in reverse... get it?)

Platonic Cult of the Platonic Lamb

Partner's Path

Joffy!! Hello!! Good sir, I need you to know that "Two Blorbos Not Kissing" made me laugh harder than I've laughed in months, okay, like, I was wheezing. It's unreasonably funny sir. Like these names are so so fantastic, I love the vibes of all of them. Culterous and Cuddles of the Lamb are also so so good, and Virtues of the Soul is so so funny (I do get it and I love it). Also Partner's Path?? Mmmmm so so good. I can't articulate exactly how fantastic is it but I love it.

That said, this did also make me think about actual names for my AU, cuz I probably can't just keep calling it "the Yet Untitled QPR Narilamb AU", because even though that title does have like, Untitled Goose Game style title energy, I do think it should have like... an actual name. But this prompted me to think about other name ideas than that, and I have come up with a few as well now that you've prompted me to think about it:

Narilamb Not Kissing AU (which is obviously heavily inspired by Two Blorbos Not Kissing because... ya know... it was so incredibly funny to me)

Fold Out Couch AU (I haven't talked about this I don't think, but I have a lot of lore behind the couch in Lambert's office?? It's a fold out bed that Narinder forced Lambert to get because he wanted them to start sleeping regularly instead of like, sleeping at their desk (or not at all), except in the end he sleeps on it almost every night and Lambert mostly either doesn't sleep or falls asleep at their desk... so it didn't really work in the end but whatever that's the lore)

Garden Party AU (cuz I keep drawing them hanging out in the garden drinking tea, and I have a lot of un-written down thoughts about Lambert in my AU having a huge elaborate garden with lots of statues and stuff)

Tea in the Garden AU (same reasons)

But anyways. Joffy these names are fucking fantastic and I love them and thank you for prompting me to actually think about this. Unfortunately for me I'm horribly indecisive so maybe sometime I'll narrow down a list and make a poll or something and let y'all decide. Idk. But I did just wanna let you know that these are great and it has actually prompted me to actually think about this stuff again. And also it's lovely to hear from you Joffy, I appreciate ya :D

[oidheadh-con-culainn]

What's your favorite medieval stories with suspiciously queer themes?

ALL medieval stories or just medieval irish ones? because if we go for all medieval stories i think we will be here all night lol

but for irish ones... well, i'm basic, i'm an ulster cycle bitch, no matter how many times i've read táin bó cúailnge and specifically the 'comrac fir diad' episode, i never get over it (and i have read it dozens and dozens of times at this point)

i think the thing about CFD is that, yes, it's very homoerotic, but it's sort of more than that: it's about the conflict between a bond of love that you (mostly) chose, and the bonds of obligation and family loyalty that you were born into. and it's about the way that those youthful relationships get obliterated by adult responsibilities and obligations. for me there's something deeply tragic and deeply queer about that tension and the way it juxtaposes different types of relationship? idk i'm explaining this really, really badly right now but it's a story that says "would you turn your back on your family and your people for a man you loved" and the answer is "no"! love does not win! sometimes the other bonds in your life not only tear you away from someone you care about but make you do the tearing!

and yet cú chulainn's lament for fer diad really articulates the fact that there was love there. it wasn't nothing and it wasn't easily abandoned. and it sort of functions almost as a protest against the narrative, and an act of defiance against the people who set up that situation, and an ultimate expression of feeling that comes too late to be heard by its subject. which is a lot. and i think it is a big turning point for cú chulainn himself in terms of understanding violence as violence, as damage that can't be undone, as something that has a cost

and i think all of that has more weight if you read into the homoerotics of it but i think the weight of it is still there even if you don't. it's about love vs duty and duty wins – and that absolutely sucks for everyone. it's powerful.

i also love just like, everything cú chulainn and láeg have got going on, frankly. i think you see it the most clearly in texts like oidheadh con culainn and tóruigheacht gruaidhe griansholus because late texts actually let their characters express emotions out loud, but there's so much there even in earlier texts if you're willing to read between the lines. and plenty of it in táin bó cúailnge, even

so really the general message here is that we should all read the táin and have feelings about it

[moolah-moolah]

Two for One Problem | Charlie

☆ Paring: Charlie Niwa + Rei Himura

CW(s): Coarse language and maybe angst

Author's note: I like Charlie enough and also I need to work on getting better at writing other characters aside from my own, so this is getting a sequel or several parts🎉🎉 Goddamn, because ISTG it gets more deep or something. Also wtf, why is it every time I write it's literally 99.9% just exposition💀💀

Charlie belongs to @annethehorror btw, check out my moot! I love them sooooo much!♡♡♡ Also the inspiration for this fic was that one ask I sent awhile ago, idk if you remember bookie.

Charlie and Randal were friends—probably each other’s only friends—but they made it work. They stuck by each other’s side because, well, why the hell not? Besides, it wasn’t like anyone else would really put up with the way they were. Not that they cared. Too stubborn, maybe. Or just too unbothered to give a damn.

So, naturally, they hung out a lot. Today was supposed to be just like every other day—Charlie bounded over to the ginger’s house, same as always. But when she mashed the doorbell a few hundred times (because patience wasn’t her thing), the door finally swung open to reveal Randal… and some girl.

What the fuck.

To be more specific, she looked like a life-sized anime figurine—except for the way she clung to him, her arms coiled around his like a serpent. So, definitely more articulate than your average figurine. Synthetic charm oozed from her, sure, but her eyes? Hollow. Like they’d been carved out. Skin smooth as vinyl, yet somehow flexing expressions almost human. Key word: almost.

Her outfit—a Japanese school uniform was like the ones her and Randal wore—except hers was all black, the skirt hitting just below the knees. No polished loafers or Mary Janes here: she wore boxy white sneakers. Dark hair chopped bluntly at her neck, sleeves so long they practically swallowed her hands. All aesthetic, no doubt.

The girl—doll, really—flicked her gaze from Randal to Charlie, then back to Randal. A beat, and then a shit-eating grin split her plastic face wide open.

"Oho?~" she trilled, voice syrupy. "And here I thought you were just a lonely-ass nerd." Releasing him from her vice grip, she raked her eyes over Charlie. "…Or whatever," she added, sharper now—like the sight of this stranger had short-circuited her act.

Charlie just shoved her glasses up her nose and snorted. "Yeah, well—whatever! Randal, lemme in!"

Randal’s grin widened. He yanked her inside before the doll could twitch another plastic finger. Once inside, they fell into their usual rhythm—trading jokes, dissecting shared obsessions, laughing too loud. But Charlie couldn’t ignore how close Randal and Rei (the doll’s name, tossed out in a half-assed introduction) seemed. Her presence fractured the duo’s old ease. Every conversation, every inside joke, every inch of space—Rei slithered into it, plastic limbs bending just shy of too flexible.

And Randal? He thrived on it. Two girls orbiting him, competing for every flicker of his attention. It was a miracle how Charlie’s gritted teeth went unnoticed. Charlie had never seen Rei once during her time at the Ivory House—so where the hell had she crawled out from? The question gnawed at her as the trio shuffled down the house’s endless hallway. She bit down on her thumbnail, hard, like a dog chewing its leash. The rest of the day blurred into static. Rei kept clawing for more of Randal’s attention, inch by plastic inch. Soon, it wasn’t Charlie-and-Randal anymore—just Rei-and-Randal, a shiny new duo.

Yeah. That fucking sucked.

By the time the sun dipped below the horizon, Charlie’s mood had sunk to a new low. Randal either didn’t notice or didn’t care—too glued to the retro anime flickering on the screen. Rei, though? She just stared. Cheek propped on her palm, that smug little smile plastered across her fake fucking plastic face.

Was she trying to piss her off? Charlie’s fist itched to find out.

"Charlie, right?" Rei’s voice cut through the silence, syrupy and deliberate. "I mean, duh—Randal yapped about you for a solid hour." Charlie blinked, jolted out of her thoughts. Rei leaned in, saccharine smile sharpening—still a calculated inch between them. "You’re real cute, you know~"

Rei’s words sent the hairs on her neck prickling. The words hit like a sucker punch. Unexpected, and—weird. How the hell do you even reply to that, especially when your nerves are already frayed?

Cheeks burning—probably as red as the blood splotches staining the striped walls—she manage to choke out an awkward thanks. Rei giggled softly and leaned into Randal again—who, by this point, probably thought he was swimming in bitches. Randal let out a gremlin-like chuckle.

"You’re clingier than usual~" he snickered. "Got a crush on me now?" The tease landed like a grenade, detonating equal parts chagrin in Rei and Charlie.

"As if," Rei quipped. She jabbed his ribs—playful but sharp enough to steal his breath. "You’re not cute enough, ya fuckin’ dipshit. Plus, you piss me off."

Rei chuckled. "Right, Charlie? Who’d let this thing date them?" She nudged Charlie’s arm, tossing her a sly glance.

"You would? Right, Char-Char?~" Randal egged her on, mirroring Rei’s shit-eating grin.

Charlie sighed, arms crossed tight. "Hhgnn—" A garbled noise—half groan, half static—spilled out before she could bite it back. The words clawed at her throat but died there. She didn’t know why—couldn’t untangle the knot of whatever this was—but she hated it. Hated how Rei and Randal, coiled together like twin snakes, needled her raw.

The hangout—meant to be just the two of them—finally ended. Charlie announced her departure, blunt and stiff. Better that than acting on the fever-bright urge to smash that doll into plastic confetti. Randal looked almost disappointed as she left, but he didn’t stop her. Just waved goodbye with that gloved hand, tossing out the usual nickname: “Later, Char-Char.”

It clawed at her now—that name. Made her want to peel her own ribs open and hurl her guts at his stupid grinning face. She didn’t leave though. She just hovered in the doorway, hand gripping the doorframe. Randal waited, eyes locked on her, until the silence stretched too thin.

"So… no 'Goodbye, Rand-Rand?' then?" He rubbed his neck, laughter fraying. That brittle smile held, barely.

She sighed. "No." The word cracked flat. She left before he could flinch. Then a slam of the front door shook the house. With that, it was quiet and calm again. Charlie was gone and for the life of him—Randal couldn't figure out why she was upset.

Rei looked like she wanted to say something—maybe even follow Charlie out. But another minute in that doll’s presence, and Charlie would’ve brooded hard enough to invent new shades of angst. Not that Rei could chase her anyway: the same magic that kept her "alive" tethered her to the house—to Randal.

Charlie, of course, knew none of this.

Another moment of awkward silence, eyes fixed on the vacant doorway—then Rei abruptly turned to Randal. Her smile wasn’t the usual razor-edged smirk. This one felt almost real, and that? That unnerved him.

"That was fun. She should come over again," Rei mused, either oblivious to Charlie’s seething hatred or… intrigued. Not that Rei could judge "strange"—her middle name might as well be weird.

"She’s over most days, silly~" Randal trilled. "You were just rotting in the closet like a dusty relic."

Rei sighed, arms crossed. "First of all, dick-for-brains, I wasn’t 'rotting.' Sorry I don’t get my panties in a bunch over meeting randos… bitch." The last word hissed under her breath—but he caught it, barking a laugh.

"Oh, trust me," Randal crooned, mischief glinting. "She’ll be back. I adore all my friends."

[littlerosetrove]

My thoughts under the cut.

In no particular order.

I still haven't watched the clip that perhaps focuses on the killer, and Maddie getting kidnapped. I watched a part of it muted because right now, to be honest, it doesn't interest me. We've seen Maddie be kidnapped and her life being in danger before, so this is just a repeat of the same story in a different font.

I saw both the video and a gif version of the bts showing Buck and Eddie hugging goodbye as Eddie prepares to leave with a U-Haul. Look. While I'm still a Buddie shipper, I'm... kind of only a shipper of them in fanfic now?? The last 2 seasons in particular have really shown them in such a platonic manner, which I still love, that idk. They just do not read romantic in canon anymore to me, and I'm okay with that at this point.

The hug they shared was such a friend/bro hug to me. It's totally fine if people read it romantically (still), ain't nothing wrong with that.

As for Eddie, while I feel certain right now that he'll come back at some point in season 8, bro. I'm gonna be particularly pessimistic for a moment to say that if Eddie is just gone for good, and with the way season 8 in particular has been written and handled, I don't think it would surprise me if Eddie is gone for good. Oh it would be an incredibly stupid ass decision, but truly at this point I wouldn't put it past the writers and Tim Minear.

In the case that Eddie does come back, well..... I don't even know how to articulate my feelings. Eddie is one of my favorite characters, and the way he's been handled and written for three seasons now is incredibly frustrating. I still just feel tired thinking about Eddie, tbh. I don't know what the fuck they're doing with him or going to do with him. Like, they clearly think some priest telling Eddie to drink juice, and him dancing in his underwear was some big turning point and a significant healing moment. Boom, so many of his problems are solved! Fuck off with that nonsense.

I've yet to see it, but I saw people saying they've seen Buck still baking? This stirs up some feelings. This better mean something, I'm so serious. So Buck is still clearly thinking about Tommy? Maybe even as far as episode 8x12 or something? This better be for a good goddamn reason. If this is not as some lead into Buck and Tommy eventually getting back together, then my god WHAT was the entire goddamn point of it all????

[worldstarz]

writing prompt #1: shinjiro aragaki

prompt: give one character a phobia and put them in a situation where they have to face it while in the company of the other.

pairing: shinjiro aragaki x gn!reader

tags: cw for centipedes; not proofread and i will never proofread this; maybe ooc

a/n: hi chat i am in my crashout era bc i’ve been having a writers block so everything i churn out is kinda shit quality! the prompt generator did not help! but maybe this will aid my fellow shinjiro fans in your daydreams. i always say i will proofread but i cannot ever re-read my own writing without fighting the urge to delete it so this will stay ass. also i picked centipedes bc i fucking hate them and i know they’re hella common in mainland japan. i’m from southern jp though so i’ve only ever had to encounter geckos and giant spiders. maybe writing abt him pregnant will cure my writer’s block idk.

“i need you to come to my room.”

“…what?” you mumble, fresh out of sleep, your thoughts still hazy. it was about 8am on a sunday—the only day you could sleep in—and yet your sleep was disturbed by your boyfriend, shinjiro. you mean this out of love, of course.

“come to my room. now.”

“at least say please,” you yawn, groggily sitting up. “what’s wrong? do you just miss me or somethin-“

“no.” his response was curt. “i just need you to come to my room. please. i’ll explain once you’re here.”

well, you certainly didn’t appreciate his attitude, but you know he didn’t mean it. it’s very difficult for him to properly articulate his emotions, but you’re willing to meet him halfway. “i get it, it’s hard for you to ask for cuddling, but-“

“i-it’s not that!” though he does sound flustered, you can still sense an underlying panic in his voice. “it’s… well… something is in here-“

“a shadow?” you cut him off. shadows only happen during the dark hour, but is it possible for one to show up outside of-

“no,” he says, his voice slightly above a murmur. you can barely hear him through the phone. “it’s a centipede.”

“…a centipede?”

silence.

“shinjiro, are you scared of centipedes?”

“…i’m not scared. i just would prefer to, um, not be around one. i guess.”

it’s hard to hold back a laugh. “that’s so cute! i never would’ve expected that from you!”

“just shut up and come over here!” he grunts, and you hear something clattering over. “it’s moving, holy shit, it’s moving-“

“okay, okay, i’ll be over in a second! i just have one condition; you have to give me a kiss.” it’s the least he could do for waking you up so early!

“fine, i’ll kiss you and whatever, just hurry up!”

you laugh, hanging up. not wanting to undermine his fears too much, you swiftly slip on some slippers and dash downstairs to his room, ignoring aigis in the lounge saying something about how according to her records, you are not usually in the hallway this early.

well, if you’re getting a kiss from shinjiro, who cares about the time?

twisting the handle, you swing open the door gently. shinjiro, still in his pajamas of a pair of boxers and a t-shirt, has his back is pressed against the wall opposite to the door, eyes wide and staring at the space to your right. his desk chair is knocked over on its side, likely the clattering sound you heard over the phone earlier. your eyes follow the target of his gaze, seeing the little creature with an uncomfortable amount of tiny legs right beside you.

“oh, it’s pretty small.” usually, you would opt for a cup and a piece of paper to trap the centipede and bring it outside to freedom, but with how dire the situation is, you have no choice but to abandon the pacifist route.

taking a slipper off, you utilize the footwear as a weapon to quickly smack the centipede. lifeless, it falls to the floor. picking it up with a tissue and discarding it in a nearby trash can, you hope that in the afterlife, it understands that this was a necessary action to get a kiss from your brooding boyfriend.

finally closing the door, you put your slipper back on as you glare at shinjiro, who visibly relaxes now that his opponent is dead.

“now where’s my kiss?” with a hand on your hip, you wait for your prize. you deserve it after all of that hard work, right?

he sighs, acting annoyed, but you both know he would never deny you. his eyebrows furrow as he walks over to you, muttering, “you’re such a moron.” to express his disdain, his hands naturally finds your waist as he presses his lips against your temple. “now we’re even.”

his eyes shift around a little. you look to see if there was possibly another centipede, but his reaction would be much more drastic if you did miss it. “shinjiro, what are you thinking about?”

“uh,” he hesitates, refusing to meet your eyes. “sorry for waking you up so early…i guess. and thanks.”

the corners of your mouth twitch, struggling to hide your amusement. “you know,” you lean against him, “i’m wayyy too tired to walk all the way back to my room. can i sleep with you for a little bit?”

he stiffens, then sighs reluctantly. “you’re such a pain in the ass.”

“oh? do you want me to leave then?”

swiftly, he swoops you off your feet, then gently sets you onto his bed. judging from the subtle raise of his eyebrows, he didn’t expect for that to be so smooth either. of course, you see right through him, laughing with your hands gripping his forearm.

“what’s so funny?” he quirks an eyebrow, slipping out of your grasp.

“you didn't even let me take my slippers off yet.” you kick them off your feet and begin to sit up to properly put them away, but he puts a hand on your chest to stop you. “lay down.”

who are you to deny his orders? like a gentleman, he lines them up properly at the door for you.

the bed dips as he situates himself beside you, making sure the blankets are covering you properly. like a magnet, you attach to his side, your arm wrapped around him and ear pressed against his chest. his heart beats rapidly in response. usually, you would pick on him, but he’s been through enough so early in the morning.

“you’re such a gentleman,” you tease, adjusting your body against him for maximum comfort.

“and you’re such a weirdo.” his heartbeat quickens again as his body vibrates beneath your ear with his gruff voice. “just hurry up and go to sleep.”

hopefully, the centipede’s spirit knows its sacrifice wasn’t in vain.

[thatfriendlyanon]

tagged by @liuisi to shuffle my on repeat playlist and share the first 10 that come up, and @sunflower-chai encouraged me to put my results in a playlist, so here you go :D i couldn't help but ramble a bit about each song as well :]

(i skipped any songs that i Only listen to on repeat to fall asleep to; i've been trying to exclude those from my listening profile but some still found their way in)

more and more beautiful // skye peterson one of my favorite songs Ever rn. skye's current music is so comforting to me because of how it acknowledges the messy pain & confusion of being alive while still wrapping the hurt & questions up in gentle, compassionate hope.

invictus // brave saint saturn i don't think i've listened to this That Much tbh but last week i remembered how awesome anti-meridian by brave saint saturn is, and this is one of my favorite songs from the album :D

your worst day // andy gullahorn ohh this song... i've been really into this whole album recently, after not listening to it much since like 2019 sdljsdg. this song especially has been such a balm to my heart rn. how comforting to know i am loved even on my worst days; and if i struggle to believe in people's love for me, i know without a doubt that God is singing this over me too. <3

sisyphus // almost always ahh yes my tried-and-true "i miss Jesus & wish i could just give Him a huge hug & have all the doubts & distance disappear." <- honestly an emotion i feel Very Often and is so specific that it's hard to find songs that express the particular ache, and yet this one? is so perfect?? i’ve never looked into Your eyes / but i’ve heard them described to me so very vividly and i’ll touch Your robe if You come close / whether or not it seems You recognize me.....!!!

eustace scrubb // sarah sparks i love this song for many reasons, but it's been a particular companion for me in relation to certain topics that i know sarah sparks did Not intend for it to refer to but nevertheless it is a really beautiful, honest yet Christ-centered response. just.....the struggle of trying to make yourself into something else, failing, only to find bottomless mercy & True transformation in the hands of Christ. <33

ancestry // lena raine & minecraft KLDKFJFDSSD this song is on here because i looped it for like 3 hours straight a few weeks ago. rozu, crim, and i were having a gigantic lore confrontation on the deep green and i needed background music that wasn't too distracting, and this was perfect for wandering through a skulk-lined labyrinth and killing my oc's best friend

broken into beautiful // hillsong chapel the church i've been going to played this sometime in january, the morning after i'd had a Really Hard night. it was the first time i'd heard this song & multiple pieces of imagery in it were exactly what God had spoken to my broken heart the night before, so it's become very dear to me during the season i'm in rn.

enough // the jellyrox YEEAHHH i looped this SO MUCH after our first night of Big Lore, when icarus & kore finally found sisyphus (after eIGHT REAL-LIFE MONTHS) and a huge fight ensued and this song perfectly articulated the partially unmerited anger & bitterness blazing inside icarus afterwards. also this song is just SO FUN like i cannot help jamming to it whenever i listen to it. i do really like Angry Music tbh what can i say sdlkjsdglj

plead // joel ansett mmmmm another Theme Of Right Now (alongside "more and more beautiful"). it's similar to "sisyphus" to me in that it articulates such a specific type of emotion, that weight you feel when living in a broken world & with a broken heart, and God seems distant or inactive, and your faith feels too brittle & weak, and your prayers are more often single words over & over instead of anything eloquent or fervently faith-filled. when i could barely pray in october i just sang this chorus over & over and trusted that Jesus could receive it for what it was. idk man. i can't really explain what this song does for me but it has helped strengthen my soul.

receiver of wreck // the narcissist cookbook HYMN BY THE NARCISSIST COOKBOOK!! IS SO SO GOOD!!!!! it's a nonlinear exploration of grief, avoidance, art as catharsis, and the painful necessity of confronting unprocessed emotions. it's a mixture of stunning spoken word pieces and aching songs. i love it so so so much and i think it's one of those pieces of art that will honestly stick with me forever. i listened to this particular track on repeat a lot in january, something about it helped ease my ruminating brain & i love how it's such a soft & gentle conclusion to the journey of the album. <333

if you're listening to music when you see this, consider yourself tagged tagged if you want to! (& i'd loved to be tagged so i can see other people's songs :D)