#but one day he will be able to have the freedom to be flawed

[howlonomy]

I like to imagine after TPE that the underground becomes quite a tourist spot.

What I can't decide is if the Steamworks gets their defense systems shut off, or if they somehow make the robots able to leave the Steamworks so Sousborg can finally see France and Axis and his love can enjoy the surface, if the robots get The Freedom To Be Flawed on the surface.

you’re right!! while a lot of monsters went to the surface, some stayed underground. its still habitable,

so yeah, some humans move underground as well. but a looot love to visit and its a pretty big tourist spot!

as for steamworks, i think it’s too dangerous to fool proof from idiot tourists. they COULD make a boat to get across the pepto bismol lake but you KNOW some dumbass is gonna fall over anyways and get their skin melted off.

BUT i think the robots can go free. i dont know if they would, though, because theyre all so intent on their jobs. axis stays in the steamworks. someone needs to take care of the remaining robots and keep the steamworks up to code. he isnt lonely anymore and he has all he needs in steamworks :)

[otkuhotgirl]

─── 𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐕𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝐅𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐓 .

# with monkey d. luffy.

when it came to food and you, luffy was insatiable. it was only fair that he had a simultaneous taste of both.

⎰ & KINKTOBER, day four. smut (mdni!) food play. cunninglingus. overstimulation. afab!reader. fingering.

countless of battles — from smaller to the most tremendous — had led the crew to this specific, well-common, instance. the feast thereafter. reconquered freedom that brought forth gratefulness from the common people, a convergence all but willing to offer their food and gold and music as the symbol of their gratitude. sanji’s warnings — our captain is a black-hole; marimo will empty your cellar and it still won’t be enough — more often than not fell on deaf ears, forcing your cook to retreat and relax, at least for once.

the celebration at hand had been lasting longer than anticipated: four entire days, with no ending in sight. you were used to pushing your limits, lingering regardless of the gradual tiredness, for once you announced your retreat, luffy would soon follow. and you hated the thought of being the one depriving him from the feast — especially since luffy was its main attraction. yet, apart from the monster trio with their inhuman resilience, the entire crew opted to return to their rooms in the country’s palace hours — days — prior. and you, too, were exhausted.

luffy busied himself with the locals and the buffet, so you figured it’d be easier to leave without being noticed. of course, that was far from the case. the second you started to tiptoe away, his head snapped towards you, a glint of delayed understanding explicit in his eyes.

he swallowed an entire chunk of meat with one go, burped, and announced: “I’M LEAVING!”

the locals began their failed coercion, offering sweets and beverages and first-course meals, but luffy was as obstinate as he was strong, and ignored their pleads for the sake of your comfort. however, he was still luffy. he outstretched a rubber arm, hugging an alarming amount of food and pressing it against his chest — a frosted cake the size of a human being following-in-suit — while the other arm wrapped itself around you. as predicted, when luffy pulled you towards him, the entire front of your figure was smashed against said sweet and covered in white cream. he all but laughed, licking it off your cheek before grabbing the palace’s construction and sending the pair of you flying towards it.

was it not for your presence, luffy would have taken solid hours to find the way back to the shared room. meaning he didn’t question your authority when you started to drag him, half-listening to his excited words — those a tad incomprehensible whenever he stuffed his face with the stolen food. upon entering the room, however, he at last noticed your silence, his glance a burning sensation in the back of your head.

“you’re not ok,” not a question; a statement. luffy had a dozen flaws, yet being emotionally unintelligent was far from one of them — especially when those he loved were concerned.

“i’m tired,” you mumbled, containing the urge to brush the sleep off your eyes, for your hand was smeared.

“let’s sleep then!” he beamed, shoving the food into his mouth.

his lower body remained round until the starting process of digestion. he hadn’t been able to eat the entire cake in one go — which was a surprise of itself — but perhaps he decided to save it for later. you were quick to dodge his efforts to pin you down on the bed, retreating to the corner near the door.

“c’moooon,” luffy whined, wrapping his arms around you, staining your skin and clothes further. “we need to sleep when we’re tired. and you need energy! because you won’t focus on me otherwise, and that’s no fun!”

a small smile made its way to your face, but you couldn’t help the hesitation whatsoever. “can’t do, luf. i need to take a shower.”

the whipped cream was the least of your issues. luffy had stolen a city-worth amount of food, and you were smashed right against it. from cake, to cookie crumbs, to meat and fruit juices. upon dressing yourself four days past, you hadn’t taken into account that your lover would decide to turn you into a walking buffet. the dress you wore was ruined and provided no protection whatsoever, hence why your thighs, too, were dripping with a combination of tastes.

luffy blinked, his grip tight enough to support your limp muscles. when his mind wrapped around the meaning of your words, he groaned. “but the bathing suites are on the opposite side of the palace.”

“i know,” you sighed, tapping his arm lightly so that he’d let you go. he didn’t.

“why haven’t you said so? i would’ve sent us there instead!”

“figured you’d rather wait here. there’s more space for you to eat and no vapor to ruin the cake; besides, if i had taken you with me, you’d have to wait outside, and i doubt it’d have been fun for you.”

luffy laughed, the sound of it contagious. “fun is wherever you are, silly!”

the affectionate words had you melting, but you refrained from answering, for luffy wore his usual “thinking” expression — pouted lips and narrowed eyes, nothing but an adorable sight. when his face brightened up yet again, you braced yourself for whatever plan he came up with.

“well, if you’re too tired to go there, i’ll just wipe you clean!”

“there’s not enough water or towels here—oh!”

luffy’s tongue claimed the flesh of your face, a long stripe from your chin to your temple. whipped cream stained his lips and he, too, licked it, beaming.

“you and food all at once, shishishi,” you closed your eyes as he lapped at your face yet again, coating it with saliva. “that’s great!”

he prepared his knees for a jump, his eyes aimed at the bed. you were but helpless in his embrace, and had to tug at his — freshly — dirty cheek to catch his attention.

“wait, i don’t want to stain the bed!”

he hummed. “that’s fine! i can clean you on the floor!”

as the wood for sure would have hurt you, for it was not as soft as the mattress, luffy laid you down with surprisingly tenderness, grinning to himself as he hovered above your figure. his wide eyes scanned your face and body; his mouth all but watered. it seemed as though he was conflicted with where to start.

his lips found the side of your neck, giggling as the cream and crumbs smeared his nose. luffy was sniffing you, searching for specifics. rather than to decide which part of your body to clean, he chose which food he wanted to taste first.

“found it!” he beamed, sucking on the flesh of your throat. you gasped, unable to squirm as his hands had you pinned down.

luffy hummed with pure bliss; tongue swirling and teeth scraping. he was famished, mouth wide and a cascate of saliva trailing down your cleavage as he devoured the aimed essence. luffy, then, strived to wipe the desserts, drowning his face on your neck, claiming the sweetness that lingered.

his presence ensued in gradual pressure as he lost the previous giddiness, leaning closer until mere inches separated his hovering chest from your own. he was moaning in delight; swallowing it all. without the barriers from the cream, his tongue had guaranteed access to your bare flesh, and luffy couldn’t help the constant biting, his smeared lips doing nothing to wipe you clean — having rather the opposite effect. the tiredness, combined with his touch and pleased moaning, had you growing sensible.

luffy raised his head and glimpsed at you. his lips held a tinge of chocolate, and he swiped a thumb on your skin, laughing as he smeared your lips with the cream. something seemed to have shifted within him at the sight of your mouth coated white; your tongue lolling out to clean it. his eyes glanced down to your cleavage, a finger teasing the fabric of your dress.

“i can’t clean you if you’re dressed,” he stated, toying with the straps. luffy’s fist clenched around the hem, tugging it above your head. you had raised your arms in order to be of use, and was surprised at the sudden lick of his tongue, starting on the inner area of your upper arm, reaching your wrist.

he curiously glanced at your armpit, and you dodged his attempt to shove his face into it. “luffy!”

he pouted. “it was dirty too!”

“you’re not licking my armpit!”

as expected, when one considered his poor attention span, luffy’s glance fell on your cleavage, and he hummed pleasantly to himself, groping your breasts. “found something better.”

he latched his mouth on the flesh, the loud sound of slurping commanding the ambience as he drank the fruits’ juices and cream off it. luffy pressed his knee in between your legs, applying pressure on your cunt. you mewled, trembling hands gripping his hair.

luffy’s pupils were blown when he stared at you, voice rough and demanding. “where’s the meat?”

he caressed your ankle before placing it above his shoulder, fingers tapping on it to grasp your attention.

“my thighs,” you whispered meekly.

another glance at your figure had him grinning — all teeth and lust. “your abdomen is dirty still. we can’t have that.”

you raised an eyebrow in confusion, for your dress had managed to shelter pieces of your skin from the onslaught of food. your abdomen had been the solemn spared inch. yet, luffy had outstretched his arm to grab a chunk of the cake, and he slapped your flesh with cream, smearing it all over from your ribs to your belly-button.

the forethought retort died at the tip of your tongue when his own worked its magic, wiping it off your flesh. luffy kept his knee pressed against your cunt, rutting his hips as he licked long, disgusting stripes on your front. spit dripped from your body to the ground, and you spasmed, rolling your eyes in an attempt to match his pace. luffy sucked on the flesh, grunting as he left a dozen bites, teeth digging into it and tongue soothing the maimed spots.

he trailed his mouth lower, reaching the waistband of your panties, removing his knee. you had no time to mewl at the lack of contact, for luffy began to drag his tongue along the inner thigh above his shoulder, moaning loudly as the taste of meat overlapped with that of your own sweat. he slurped as though a man starved, chasing the food juices, sucking on your thigh and dragging his teeth lower on your leg.

luffy bit on it harshly, dragging a gasp out of your mouth. he then moved towards the other leg, repeating the process with twice as fervor, though his glance was tethered to your cunt — wetness pooling through the fabric of your panties. he abandoned your thigh altogether, tugging on the waistband, licking his lips. luffy lost his patience, tearing the underwear from your body, and latching his face to your cunt.

the suddenness had you gasping; gripping his hair as a form of anchoring. luffy shoved two fingers into your intimacy, lapping at your folds as a man starved, rubbing his nose against your clit. he moaned and swallowed, swirling his tongue around the bundle of nerves, scissoring your insides. your back arched, and he observed you through his eyelashes, stretching his free hand to pinch your nipples.

luffy’s head retreated, though the ministrations of his fingers remained. he eyed the forgotten cake, eyes glinting with an idea he sure deemed brilliant. the sudden absence of him on your cunt had you groaning; begging. he all but ignored you, drowning his fingers in cream and shoving it inside his mouth, sucking on his own flesh and tasting at the merge of your essence and the dessert.

luffy beamed. “delicious!”

he fisted yet another chunk of cake, and before you could process his actions, luffy had cream whipped on your cunt, smiling to himself in satisfaction. you were given a brief second to collect your breathing before he shoved his tongue inside, pumping the cream. luffy groaned, drowning his nose amidst your folds. he dared not use his fingers, for the cream was but a blessing to his mouth. instead, he gripped your thigh, pumping his tongue inside and out.

your toes curled at the odd sensation born from the cream texture in your walls. luffy’s attempt to wipe it all; to swallow; had his tongue moving in an erratic manner, tearing a moan of bliss. he licked a stripe on your folds, latching his mouth around your clit, collecting the cream.

“it’s bittersweet,” he stated, his chin dripping down with your essence; nose stuffed with the white sweet. luffy licked his lips; cracked his neck.

a deep breath had him returning to your cunt, lapping at your folds with loud slurping sounds. he licked long, warm stripes on your outer lips.

“luffy,” you whined, tugging at his hair. “fingers, too. please.”

he complied, shoving his middle-finger inside, stretching it. you could feel it gradually fill you up; the tip curling and brushing on your cervix. you cried out the second his mouth returned to your clit, hollowed cheeks applying pressure before his tongue began with its usual swirling, the fast pace causing you to tremble; your legs a melting mess.

the finger around your nipple twisted it; the cream melted on his nose due to the warmth of your fluids.

“so good,” he moaned in awe, moving his head and nose to the sides, breathing you in.

luffy added yet another outstretched finger, pumping the pair in-and-out while his mouth busied itself with your labia. the knot at the pit of your stomach tightened and loosened; your tongue lolled out ever-so-slightly and you grew quite sure that luffy had managed to steal the movement of your legs.

“luffy—”

“i’m hungry,” he interrupted, tearing his face off your cunt for the briefest instance to observe you with a darkening glance. “serve me more food.”

you whimpered, and luffy maintained eye-contact as he swiped the last of the whipped cream from your urethra, challenging you to disobey. a broken moan bloomed at the pressure he held, and your orgasm was a devastating cascate. luffy was quick to remove his fingers and replace them with your mouth, swallowing your cum faster than it came out, chasing it within your walls with his tongue.

when he, at last, grew satisfied, he licked his fingers, staring at your limp figure on the ground. luffy hovered above you, licking your lower lip.

“love is sharing food,” he stated, lolling his tongue out to show it coated white with both the cream and your cum. “open up.”

his kiss was bruising. his covered cock rutted against your thigh. there was still some cake left — and luffy was famished.

— 🐈‍⬛ : another day, another kinktober!

[starcurtain]

Hello! I just saw your latest post and you might have been referring to my ask if it was the one about Ratiorine's differing philosophies or of what philosophies they abide by (existentialism, absurdism, etc) then that's me! If you weren't referring to that I apologize for the confusion. Sending it off anon this time so maybe it doesn't disappear 🥲

Sorry for the ask disappearing the first time; I'm not sure what happened, and I was so sad because I had been carefully holding on to it to answer it! I'm glad you were able to resend.

I do have to say first that philosophy is not my area of expertise, so there may be much more qualified philosophy buffs out there who can answer this more accurately than me, but I'll give it a go with my personal understandings of the characters:

First, Ratio is the easier of the two I think. As many people have said, he's a good fit for existentialism. His entire shtick is basically believing in the power of the individual to improve and enrich their own life, to fight valiantly regardless of the hardships imposed by their life's circumstances, and to make themself into a better person by their own choices.

It's important to underscore that this means Ratio believes in self-determination, in the idea that people's lives are not foreordained but are actually actively shaped each day by personal decisions. Therefore, people have inherent freedom to decide the course of their own lives by accepting what they approve of, refusing to accept what they disapprove of, and harnessing their own individual power to ultimately achieve self-actualization.

Essentially, Ratio works under the impression that life is not guided by something as intangible as destiny, and no matter where you start off in life, what ultimately happens to you is within your control (or at least within the control of whoever controls you). This is likely a small part of why it grates on him so badly that he wasn't recognized by Nous, because the fact that one can dedicate everything to a goal and still not achieve that goal runs contrary to his central philosophy.

If he believes that people have the power to determine the course of their own lives, then what does it say about him, who fought so hard to do exactly as he claims even idiots can do--seize control his own fate--and yet didn't succeed? Are there some things outside of man's power? It's enough to make even a renowned doctor question himself, and Ratio decided to come out on the side of "It's a personal failing, not a flaw in my philosophy." He literally said "Skill issue" to himself.

Changing tack a tiny bit here, I think it's also important to emphasize that there is a difference between existentialism and nihilism even though these philosophies dovetail. Again, I'm not an expert in philosophy, so my understanding is very limited, but the basic idea of existentialism is that "existence comes before essence"--that is, things start as a blank slate and gain nature and meaning after the fact. We are not created by some grand design, nor is there any inherent "purpose for living." Things just exist because they exist.

This is where existentialism intersects with nihilism, at the starting point that existence is inherently meaningless. But, in my personal opinion, nihilism as a philosophy fails to move beyond that. Pure nihilism is ultimately self-defeating because it leaves us with no motivation to commit to growth. It's a philosophy antithetical to the continuation of life as we know it. Existence is meaningless and any meaning you personally derive from existence is also meaningless, so why bother attempting to derive any meaning at all? This complete apathy is the Device IX that Star Rail paints as so dangerous.

And Ratio is not this way at all. His philosophy absolutely reaffirms that life can have meaning, so long as people create that meaning for themselves. He simultaneously asserts that anything that people create is not meaningless ...which basically means that meaning itself cannot be meaningless. (If that makes any sense to anyone.)

Frankly, I would argue that this philosophy may be a core part of why Ratio has not been recognized by Nous so far, rather than simply his "being a good person." (Nous is a robotic AI super-computer, why would THEY care about the presence or lack of human empathy?) Ultimately, Ratio's central philosophy about people being capable of determining their own fates and purposes also applies to his understanding of knowledge--knowledge is not something which is inherent in certain beings from birth or limited to the purview of the "special" (geniuses), but is attainable by all people. People are not "born talented" or "born untalented," they are simply "educated" or "uneducated," with the only barrier between these categories being one's own personal willingness to change. The mundane can become the divine--if they work hard enough at it.

Thus, knowledge is not wealth to be hoarded, but a currency to be spent to enrich other members of humanity.

(By the way, completely random aside--it also surprises me that everyone relates Ratio to Alhaitham from Genshin when they literally have such a glaring fundamental discrepancy in their understanding of the concept of wisdom... But anyway, back on topic!)

Ratio may (sort of) respect the members of the Genius Society, may recognize their incredible knowledge and abilities, but at the heart of the matter lies a single all-important question: Does Ratio even really believe in "genius" as a distinction (other than as a concept to insult himself)? Does he truly believe there is barrier between brilliance and idiocy that "ordinary people" can never cross?

He speaks convincingly about geniuses being different from "the ordinary," but if his core belief is that people have the power to pull themselves up out of despair and achieve greatness through effort and self-development, rather than some form of luck or god-given talent at birth, then... do born "geniuses" even really exist? Is there really an insurmountable difference between brilliant and mundane?

If knowledge is the equalizer of all sentient beings, do we not all have at least the initial capacity to become geniuses?

I personally think this central distinction about the capacity for knowledge among all humanity is the actual deciding factor in Ratio's rejection from the Genius Society, because, at the end of the day... how do you become a member of the "Genius Society" when you fundamentally reject the distinction of "genius" as an exclusive category from the start?

Ratio wants to share knowledge and uplift everyone (even if he thinks most people are starting off at the rock bottom known as idiocy).

His mission is diametrically opposed to the concept of a "Genius Society" in the first place.

He wanted in to the cool kids club because he desperately craves validation and acceptance, but the philosophical values of the Genius Society are ultimately incompatible with his own. In short, he would have to cease to be "Veritas Ratio" to succeed in joining the geniuses.

Okay, okay, back to the original point again, and just one more note about Ratio: Even though existentialism also goes hand-in-hand with absurdism, I don't think Ratio is far enough down the philosophical rabbit hole to believe in the wider definition of absurdism. Although I think he does agree with the inherent meaninglessness of existence, I don't think he views existence itself as truly irrational and the universe as as manifestation of unknowable chaos. I think he'd at least like to imagine that there are some ontological principles and inherent laws governing the operations of reality, and I think he does believe that certain things can be predicted with the application of enough thought... He certainly seems to believe in some form of "objective truth," at the very least.

I think he'd at least like to believe the universe is semi-orderly, even if he might deep down admit this is also wishful thinking.

So, to me he reads as a strong metaphor for pure existentialism, with deliberate rejections to both nihilism's apathy and absurdism's lean toward solely subjective reality.

PHEW, this is already long and I still have a whole other character to talk about... I had more to say about this topic than I thought. Sorry for the long read!

Anyway... Aventurine.

I've seen all sorts of things thrown around for Aventurine's philosophy, and while I think he does inherit a bit of Acheron's absurdism by the end of 2.1, I actually don't think Aventurine is an absurdist, an existentialist, or a nihilist.

I think Aventurine is a struggling fatalist.

He doesn't like it. We see him actively question it, but ultimately, he does come back to the concept of destiny over and over.

First, I think it's important to draw a clear distinction between Ratio and Aventurine: Ratio's existentialism is a philosophy that technically works even in a theological vacuum. Nous doesn't have to exist for Ratio's philosophy to function. Ratio's belief in the self-determination of humanity is, in fact, somewhat opposed to belief in aeons in the first place, and only works because technically the aeons of Star Rail used to be human (or were originally human creations). It's essentially an atheist viewpoint.

But Aventurine is a religious character. Like, he's just... religious. That's a fact about him. Even though we do hear his doubts, at the end of the day, he actually believes in Gaiathra, and believing in a omniscient supernatural being that is not human in origin (is from outside the aeon system) comes with a whole set of philosophical foundations that most aeon-worshipping characters just don't have in Star Rail. (Sunday is the obvious exception here, by the way.)

Kakavasha's like the one practicing pagan in the middle of an atheist convention. Awkward.

Being more serious: Religion requires faith. Faith requires the ability to believe in things you cannot verify with empirical facts. To believe in things you can only feel, never see. The belief that a goddess is watching over you, blessing you, and guiding you requires you to also accept the idea that events in your life are not always in your own control--that some of what occurs to you is decided by powers beyond your comprehension.

In essence, faith requires belief in fate. And that leads to fatalism.

No matter how much he doesn't like it, no matter how much we see him struggle with it, Aventurine does actually seem to believe in the concept of fate. He believes that some events in life are destined to occur, that some things are outside of individuals' control, and that ultimately not everything can be changed.

This is the dead opposite of Ratio's mindset: No matter how hard we fight, how far we push ourselves... in the end, sometimes people fail. Sometimes the only answer to our endless struggles is that we die, as we were destined to, before ever achieving the greatness we sought or the futures we were promised.

As an aside, I don't think faith or religion are necessarily the only factors connecting Aventurine to this particular philosophy either. Even removing theological aspects from the conversation, his extreme focus on the gambling aesthetic suggests a strong connection to fatalism too--if not a goddess, then one's fate may as well be in the hands of luck itself, of the whims of the rolling dice--or the push and pull of "powers that be," those figures of authority in the room where it happens, who make their shady deals according to preset rules and expectations, every bet resulting in an ultimately predictable outcome.

(He keeps gambling and gambling, hoping that he'll get a different result than the one he knows is inevitable...)

This is, of course, an inherently pessimistic mindset, a perfect dark-mirror to Ratio's deep-down optimism. Fatalism puts humanity into a position of powerlessness. All hopes and dreams are given over to the goddess, by whose judgment and whims the actual events of one's life are decided. Pain and poverty are inevitable trials. Suffering and death are foreordained.

And yet Aventurine has to cling to this, as much as he doubts it, as much as he hates the idea that things in his life are beyond his power to control.

Because if fate doesn't exist... If it wasn't destiny, if the tragedies of his life weren't trials from the goddess, if things weren't supposed to go this way... Then every single thing in his life really is meaningless. Everything he suffered, everyone he loved and loss, his mother's and sister's sacrifices, the torment he went through--just sheer bad luck. All of it, completely and utterly meaningless.

How can you convince yourself to keep living, in the face of such supreme and all-encompassing Nihility?

This is the central struggle of Aventurine's character, the actual mental and emotional journey we see him undertaking from 2.0 to 2.1. He is literally on the precipice, swinging between a viewpoint that he hates--his fatalistic belief in destiny--and an entirely self-defeating philosophy--nihilism--whose only possible final outcome is suicide.

This is what his talk with Acheron at the end of 2.1 is all about. This is how she saves him. In that final cutscene, we witness Aventurine reach a mental compromise, managing to finally reconcile his necessary faith in the concept of destiny with the reality that life may truly begin meaningless--but beginning meaningless does not mean staying meaningless, and believing in destiny does not bar you from making your own choices or finding your own purpose in life.

Later on in Penacony's story, we literally see Acheron use Ratio's philosophy to reject the same nihility that crept into Aventurine's:

Acheron wards off nihility's apathy through an absurdism all her own, but one which manages to enclose both Ratio's and Aventurine's otherwise incompatible mindsets: We have no way of ever knowing for certain whether the events of our lives are fated or mere nonsense. We have no way of knowing if our choices are our own or foreordained. But we don't need to know this to find meaning and value in them. Whether life is nothing more than unpredictable chaos or a predetermined pattern of cause and effect, what matters is what you make of it.

Ultimately, I think that this post has really helped me recognize just how well Aventurine and Ratio work as philosophical foils.

They really are perfect opposites.

Aventurine's fatalism is deterministic, while Ratio's existentialism is self-deterministic. Aventurine's philosophy is inherently pessimistic; Ratio's is inherently optimistic. Ratio's philosophy operates on a core belief in the freedom of humanity to decide their own paths in life, while Aventurine hates but does ultimately believe that people aren't really in control, that even if no gods are guiding us, we can't rise above our own natures. Ratio's philosophy makes meaning from growth; Aventurine's makes meaning from loss...

And they both struggle with fundamental doubts in their own philosophies, core questions that are directly tied to their own lives. Aventurine worries that his faith might be misplaced, that destiny might not exist, and that everything he suffered might have been in pointless, empty vain. Ratio faces the crisis of recognizing that his core belief in the power of humankind to determine their own paths and make their own meaning might not actually apply to everyone--because it doesn't seem to apply to himself.

It's literally only by bridging this philosophical binary with Acheron's anti-Nihility absurdist rhetoric that we can reach some sort of healthy outcome. That's why it takes both Ratio's note and Acheron's comments to finally lead Aventurine to acceptance. Ratio probably needs a little bit of Aventurine's "If you didn't make it into the Genius Society, there's got to be a reason" mindset to finally reach some peace with his situation too.

I'm not even a philosophy expert and even I can see that there's really only one takeaway here: These two characters were totally written with each other in mind.

Aventurine and Ratio need each other on core metaphysical levels! 😂

It's so good guys. You can't see it, but I'm making chef's kisses, I promise.

[genshin-impact-unofficial]

🌦Confessions gone wrong...

Genshin men and how they fuck up their confessions to you.

Ft. Bennett, Venti, Xingqiu, Xiao, Itto, and Wanderer

Tags: Fem!Reader, Long-Hair!Reader(Xingqiu), crushes, pining, fluff, pg, bad things happen to good people. Note: This thread is mostly humor. I just really wanted to bully some characters. No beta. Pay no mind to me trying to edit my mistakes after this has been posted. (Repost!)

Bennett 

Fatal Flaw: Honestly does nothing wrong, is just an unlucky dude.

There’s too many instances to count. The poor boy has really been trying to tell you his feelings for MONTHS.

In his excitement he wanted to be flashy and ask you out somewhere cool, like by the big tree in Windrise. The weather thankfully allowed it, but right as he was about to take your hand and confess, a swarm of crystal flies began swarming him. You didn’t know they could be so aggressive.

A restaurant! He could treat you to a meal and tell you there! When the two of you arrived at Good Hunter, it was unfortunately closed early for the day. Apparently all of the meat had suddenly gone bad…

You get the gist.... he’s been in this constant confession limbo for a while now. The more he wants it the worse it goes.

Bennett finally decided he didn’t need the bells and whistles. He cared about you a lot and he was going to confess to you if it was the last thing he did. And it damn well might be. With a new found determination, he ran out to do just that.

“Y/N!” Bennett called out when he spotted you by the Adventure’s Guild. He rushed to you, paying special attention to every stair step to keep from tripping. You turned around and smiled too sweetly when you caught sight of him. It made the boy’s heart thump in his chest. Were it not for his sudden tunnel vision, he may have noticed that cat running past him and not trip down the remaining flight of stairs. 

The next time he opened his eyes, he found himself being carried up the familiar route to the cathedral. The adventurer’s face flushed bright red when he realized you were the one carrying him piggyback. It was embarrassing..... but it shamefully wasn’t the first time. Bennett sighed in defeat and simply leaned into your back. When felt his shift in weight, you glanced back to smile at him. You giggled at his clumsiness and it was like music to the boy’s ears. You told him how glad you were that he already regained consciousness this time.  

The two of you began joke around like usual and talked the rest of the way there. Bennett took the small victories.

Venti

Fatal Flaw: Tries to impress you too hard.

He knew exactly where he was going to sing his love ballad about you. The sound of the wind as it blew off the hills of starsnatch cliff would be the perfect accompaniment. Maybe it would need some encouragement, but it was nothing he couldn’t accomplish.

Venti wanted the wine to be just right for the occasion too. You deserved nothing but the best. And how else would he be able to judge the quality.... if not just a teeny tiny taste test? He had to be thorough about this choice after all.

The bard usually had enough self control to limit himself to a glass or two, but he felt his nerves get to him a tad. Venti had the confidence that he could show you a beautiful night, but in the end it was your choice whether to accept his heartfelt gesture. The archon respected your freedom above all else. 

They sure don’t call it liquid courage for nothing! Venti was brimming with confidence when he brought you to a picnic under a tree, overlooking the cecilias in full bloom. You were visibly in awe, and your reactions quickly inflated the bard’s ego to dangerous heights. “If you think that’s beautiful, watch this.”

A gust of wind flowed over the field, sweeping up all the fallen petals to dance in the air. It was unreal, magical, magnificent, splendid, it was…… buzzing? A thud fell between the two of you and effectively ended the romantic moment. It was a wasps nest.

“ABANDON SHIP!” Venti cried out, grabbing your hand and booking it downhill. 

Xingqiu

Fatal Flaw: Hubris.

He really doesn’t like to toot his own horn. Maybe once in a while when it’s warranted. But he really out did himself. Xingqiu read plenty of books regarding the art of courting, and they guided the way to what was sure to be the most romantic confession possible. 

The brilliance was in the simplicity of the plan. First he would begin with a gift. The two of you always met at the book store on your off-days. When he sees you wear your long hair in your usual up-do, he would offer the beautiful hair ornament he acquired. Maybe in your excitement, you would even allow him to affix it for you.

The boy’s stomach dropped when he saw you enter the bookstore. He stared while you looked around for him, turning your head left and right in an adorable manner. The movement accentuated your newest feature... a hair cut. “Y/N, over here.” Xingqiu called to you, his confidence was already wavering a little. You excitedly walked to meet up with him and offered a big grin.

Well all is not lost! This leads into his next step; Flattery! “Dear Y/N, you cut your hair. It looks-” “Ugh, don’t remind me.” You quickly cut him off, mood souring just a tad. You explain the tragic story of how you stupidly got a chunk of your hair caught in a lever. The only solution was to cut it clean off, the dramatic change was definitely still a sore topic. 

Now the boy was breaking a sweat. He changed to a new tactic, to cheer you up. Xingqiu dropped the subject and prompted that you both look at the newest releases. It would help to take your mind off things and he was banking on the last step of his plan to pan out. It was his last hope. 

The two of you settled on the docks and were eager to discuss the books you had just picked. Xingqiu had hidden a love poem into the latest book from your favorite author. He knew you couldn’t resist picking it up, so he stealthily slipped the note into the book you held. Xingqiu spend all night pouring his heart out just right onto the page, as if trying to convey every reason he should be by your side. He expressed his desperate want to be the one to protect and cherish you. Watching you now, talking about your day, left his brain dazed in admiration. It made him realize that all those little things before didn’t matter, as long as you knew how much he adored you in the end.

Finally, you pulled out your newest book to show Xingqiu. The distressed boy nearly fell off the dock. “T-the cover-” He stammered, quickly righting himself. You looked back at him concerned, and slowly explained that it was a limited edition cover. It was only available for the first hundred copies sold. When you saw there was still some in stock, you just had to snag one. 

Why do novels make romance it sound so easy....

Xiao

Fatal Flaw: One track mind.

Xiao had been hyping himself up for this one moment for weeks! He nearly talks himself out of confessing every other minute. You may not even reciprocate, but for his sanity he couldn’t keep hiding how deeply he cares for you. The whole situation was so uncertain but the hammering in his chest was proof that he had to do this.

Its like a band-aid he just had to rip it off. To get it over with. Xiao had no idea how to approach it and resorted to redeeming a favor owed to him. He needed to know what he was getting into and have a battle plan. When he approached Ganyu for advice he concealed most of the details. If she was any the wiser who he was asking romantic advice for, she was kind enough to not to mention it and let him keep his pride.

Xiao glanced down at the single glaze lily in his hand. The irony was not lost on him. It was almost humorous, an adeptus making an offering to a mortal and asking for their blessing.

It was almost the time and he prepared as if going into war. You greeted him and sat casually on the balcony railing of Wangshu Inn. Xiao wasted no time with pleasantries and held out the glaze lily to you. “Please accept this.” He stated. The flower was rigidly extended to the full length of his arm. The fiery determination on his face was  quite off-putting while offering such a delicate plant.

“Ah... I appreciate it Xiao, I really do, but I can’t.” You began to say, confusion steeping into your tone.

“I insist and I ask that you hear me out.” Xiao’s arm did moving an inch. It was the first thing Ganyu told him to do. He couldn’t abandon his path already. 

“What is going on Xiao? I really can’t accept-” You try to explain.

“Please.” His eyes were downcast and the yaksha’s tone was the closest thing to a plea that you’ve ever heard it. You were a tad bewildered and felt as though there was no use trying to talk him down right now. Left with no other choice, you reluctantly took the glaze lily in your hand. 

“Y/N I must tell you that I-” Thats as far as Xiao got before the coughing fit began. Your wracking coughs brought you to your knees. A wheeze is the only thing you could manage as you point to your bag. Xiao was alert and scrambling to make sense of what was happening. Your bag is brought to you in an instant and an arm wrapped around your waist to gently guide you to a chair. 

It took twenty minutes to fully get your breathing under control. You declined is offer to go grab you help. You just knew Xiao would disappear as soon as it arrived. It was a small allergy attack and nothing too threatening, but you could tell the boy next to you was profusely beating himself up for it.

You never did find out why he was so insistent on you taking that flower. What a strange guy. 

Itto

Fatal Flaw: All of the above.

The whole situation was more or less doomed from the start. Once his oblivious ass realized he was in love with you, it was over. The oni was going to confess to you so hard that people were going to be talking about it for YEARS!

It was an all hands on deck operation. Itto gathered the whole gang and then some. He was able to recruit the neighborhood kids to gather as  many sakura pedals as they could carry. The boys were on staging duty, making sure the location was so romantic it could even make onikabuto stop fighting long enough fall in love. Itto even managed win a few fireworks off Yoimiya. (She brutally crushed him in a game of Genius Invokation TCG, and mercifully tossed a couple firecrackers his way as a consolation prize.) SCORE!

It was all coming together! All that was left was to distract you for just a little bit longer. That was a job so important that he could only entrust it to his competent second in command. Shinobu tried to convince Itto again and again that he didn’t need all this extra stuff. Pulling off something this complicated was only setting his expectations to an impossible height. Overall wouldn't it be better to be up front and earnest with you about how he felt? Her genuine, good advice promptly fell on deaf ears. Itto was far too busy trying to find which color would make his horns look even cooler in the light of all the fireflies they captured to release right when he said he loved you. Shinobu left this trainweck to to its thing and went to go find you. 

She usually would’ve press the subject more, but she did genuinely enjoy your company. The Arataki Gang Deputy considered you a good influence on the boss and anything that could keep him out of trouble, the better. 

At last, the time arrived to set all the gears into motion. Now Itto just had to wait for.... The realization hit him. He hadn't told you or Shinobu a time or place too meet today. 

The bumbling oni spent a great deal of the afternoon searching for you like a lost puppy. “Yo! Y/N! Hey Hi! I gotta talk to you!” Itto yelled out across the road.  He had finally managed to catch up to you two. The guy was ecstatic that things were looking up, plan was back on track! If he hurried now he could get you to the location the gang set up before sunset. 

Itto excitedly told you that you HAD to see something. You were always amused by his antics, so of course you agreed. Without hesitation the oni all but dragged you out the door and towards the beach.

When you arrived.... oh crap.

Apparently, you need to get a “warrant” or something to set up the most romantic love confession of all time. Are they trying to say they own the beach or something? That's crazy now! The gang members were trying to explain themselves to the Tenryou Commission guards when you both walked in on the scene. Itto may have made things only a little tiny bit worse when he called the annoyed guard a “block head without a romantic bone in his body”, but no one was keeping score were they? Nonetheless, the whole altercation placed everyone on the scene in a Tenryo Commission cell... including you. 

Shinobu was gonna be so pissed.

Wanderer

Fatal Flaw: Forgets he’s supposed to be confessing.

The whole situation was incredibly annoying anyway. You were the one who wouldn’t take the hint, why should he have to spell it out for you. It’s not like he even wanted these feelings. It was all happening without his permission. On top of that, you were dense enough to miss the point every single time he tried to explain it to you.  

���Is something on my face?” You asked your newly reformed friend while putting down your book. He'd been boring holes into your skull for several minutes now. 

“No? Why are you asking dumb questions?” He snapped. You noticed Wanderer had been doing that quite frequently recently. You sighed in defeat and began gathering your things.

“If you don’t have anything nice to say, I’m heading out.” You told him casually. 

You were usually pretty patient with Wanderer, but he’d been in some sort of sour mood lately. Typically it took a few more irksome things before he would start his attitude, but you just couldn’t figure out whats been setting him off recently. You decided it was best to just let him calm down and try again later.

“Don’t.” Wanderer said snatched your hand roughly before you could get too far. “I didn’t mean it like that. I wasn’t calling you dumb.” He spoke without looking directly at you. You made no movement towards returning and his grip on your hand did not let up. 

“And?” You prompted gently.

“Sorry. I’m sorry I said it.” He spat out, clearly annoyed.

You settled back down and asked him what's been bothering him. It’s clear that he was on edge and when you pointed it out his posture became rigid. He was a former Harbinger for fuck sake. Why was this so terrifying. He had been through hell and back without flinching, yet here you were just a person with a goofy laugh and weird interests. It shouldn’t be that hard.

“It’s your fault.” The boy accused, shooting you an annoyed glare. “These emotions aren’t exactly something that come with a manual.”

You blinked back at him in confusion and damn it now you looked cute.

“Stop looking at me! It’s weird.” Wanderer sneered, and immediately scolded himself for harsh it came out. You narrowed your eyes and pointed out that he was just staring at you just a few moments ago. Doesn't that make him weird too? “What? No! That was different. Fuck, you’re already missing the point. That’s why this is impossible with you!” 

You were loosing your patience and told him he was being just as impossible. “Me? At least I'm trying to talk here. You make things so much harder. If you just didn’t look at me like I asked, this wouldn’t have been an issue.” The boy jabbed back at you. 

The bickering went on for a while and concluded with both of you storming off in opposite directions. It wasn’t until Wanderer entered the second room over that he remembered what he was trying to say...... “Ugh, smooth.” He scowls.

<A/N: Hello again! I forgot this one was so long! Thanks for the love I've been receiving on my other works! I read them all and they got me kicking my feet and twirling my hair frfr!>

[actual-changeling]

the true weight of aziraphale's words only hits him days later, when the shock has worn off and the world no longer looks vivid-sharp and fragmented. 

just like the old times, only even nicer, and back in the bookshop, hearing him say it for the first time, the heaven underneath it all had ripped him open. now, though, with heavy limbs and their respective speeches burned into his brain, syllable after syllable, it's the second part that re-opens those very same wounds.

was this not nice? he wants to ask him, the walls, fucking god herself—or scream, rather, he has grown rather fond of screaming—because he thought it had been, their life on earth. nice and soft and messy, full of arguments, yes, but also nights of laughter and shared heat. graveyard walks and afternoons in the park, eating at the ritz, feeding the ducks, basking in everything alive so they could feel alive, too.

crowley would have given him almost everything, followed him almost everywhere except the one place aziraphale wanted him to return to. after six thousand years, he had finally found the only thing crowley refused to give up—his freedom.

inch by inch, he had clawed his way out of hell and through more pain than he will ever be able to name, and the scars, the burn marks, the fresh air in his lungs are worth it, always have been and always will be. no longer an angel, never again, but not a demon either; he's been on his own side since the beginning.

crowley has thought of his existence as a shared one—theirs—but maybe, with his eyes opened and the truth bitter in his tongue, maybe they'd led two lives after all. one full of magic and fairy tales for aziraphale in which polishing away every spot and destroying every flaw would eventually create a perfect 'us'. he wanted to take him right back to the start, when mistakes didn't exist, when crowley didn't exist.

yet crowley, despite what he regularly told his plants, the mirror, himself, had never been chasing after something they did not have. love is just as flawed and messy as life, and he basks in traffic jams and cloudy days, in existing as his own person without any affiliation, occult, ethereal, or otherwise.

he had never wanted them to be perfect, just undeniably real. in the end, even that was too much to foolishly hope for, a lesson once learned branded into his skin anew:

ask and you shall lose.

[luciennelune]

I'm supposed to be sleeping but my brain has decided to list out all of the Chain's deepest fears instead :) So here's each boy and the thing he's most afraid of:

Time - Being forgotten or abandoned. Specifically because of how often this happened in his adventures, how he constantly made connections with others only for it all to be undone and get treated like a stranger by people he considered friends.

Legend - Losing his loved ones. He's suffered the deaths of so many people he cares about, he's not sure he could handle it again. Emphasis on the fact that he's scared of them dying, not just being separated from them or parting ways. It's the finality of death that scares him, the idea that he'd never be able to get them back.

Four - Losing his sense of self. He heavily values his identity and all the things that make him himself. Everything from his flaws to his skills to his habits. He dreads the thought of being put into a mould or forced to fit in with everyone else. Even something like wearing a uniform can make him uncomfortable because he feels like it's stifling his personality.

Hyrule - Death. He's spent so much of his life in survival mode that he struggles to switch out of it. He can be overly sensitive to minor threats, always anxious about basic things like food, shelter, water. If he feels like he's in a dire situation, there's about a 50-50 chance he'll either hyper focus or panic about what to do. Either way, he will desperately fight to stay alive, no matter what methods he has to resort to.

Warriors - Lack of control. He needs to know what's happening at all times. He needs to know what might happen, what he can do about it, and what the outcome could be. The minute something happens that he genuinely can't predict or change in some way, he starts to shut down.

Wild - Confinement/Lack of freedom. He has an innate need to travel and explore, constantly moving from one place to another whenever he feels like it. In a less physical sense, he also values his freedom to make decisions for himself. Being denied this freedom will cause him to lash out and rebel.

Sky - Wasting time. He values every minute and every second of the day. If he's not able to be working towards a goal or putting time towards things he cares about, then he's spending it resting to preserve his energy. While he doesn't have to be moving constantly, he does feel a lot of pressure to use his free time on important people or hobbies. He gets restless and impatient when he can't.

Twilight - Being useless. He was raised to help others whenever he can, and he almost always can. As a result, though, he feels like he needs to step in and help all the time. Being unable to do so makes him anxious and overbearing. It doesn't matter how small the task, he needs to have some kind of burden he can carry to make life easier for somebody else.

Wind - Disappointing the people around him. Wind is an overachiever. He strives to exceed the expectations placed on him. He goes out of his way to do big, incredible things, because he desperately wants to make his loved ones proud. The thought of doing the opposite: upsetting them, or disappointing them, makes him withdraw into himself.

[suikung]

Yan Obito in a relationship

Obito always kept a close eye on you. He was just so fearful of something happening to you after he experienced the loss of Rin. However his techniques were unbeknownst to you. You weren’t a shinobi, leaving Obito much more assured you wouldn’t be killed in battle, but you didn’t know basics of defending yourself so in reality he couldn’t ever find middle ground.

He would use his burrowing abilities to follow you around when you weren’t spending time together, or so you thought. Poking his head out the ground when you would stop in a place. Observing about the people you would interact with just incase they were a threat. Even if they weren’t, to him they were. Perhaps they would try to take you away from him. And if the conservation with said person, especially a man dragged on for too long, Obito would somehow appear around the corner. Acting surprised his darling was there and begin clinging to you. “I didn’t know you were here (Y/n)! Come on let’s get out of here.” When he managed to pull you away, he’d turn his head back to shot a nasty glare at said fellow.

When it was just the two of you, Obito adored doing sappy couple things. He loved to cook with you, loved going out on spontaneous dates, trying new places. He’s someone who’s down for almost anything as long as it’s with you. He enjoys traveling, his status as shinobi easily allowing him to protect you and it gives a good reason to have you by his side for days on end.

Constantly needing reassurance is one of his biggest flaws. He always reminded you how much he loved and cherished you and he expects the same back. If he feels even something slight off in the relationship, it could sour the whole thing. This is an Obito still learning to distinguish himself from when he took on the personality of Madara.

Obito is not a yandere who will be dark from the beginning, but something happening to you would turn him so. Even now you have no idea of his twisted feelings and actions from you until someone out for Obito attacked you. It sent him spiraling, no longer able to control his desires. Obito murdered your captors in front of you, blood stained his face and hands. You had never seen him like this. From that day he placed you in a cottage he had built to have you both move in freely but that plan was thrown out.

Your freedom cut short on the excuse that “you’d never know when they’d strike again.” That’s at least what he said every time you asked to go outside. But inside Obito felt horrible objecting you to such conditions. He fought with himself, a side wanting to let you be free again and one wanting you to be safe with him. Ultimately Obito is a man with a heart, and he’d find some way to keep himself by your side always when he lets you back out.

Accidentally deleted the request sorry yall.

[stringsbasement]

i have more to say, mainly about peri and his parents' initial separation, as well as the parallels that can be found with this version of peri and hazel, but i feel it would be best to end it here :)

I would love more to hear about this.

cosmo and wanda's form of affection comes in constant and excess validation for every little thing peri does. they're clingy and suffocating with their love, and as much as peri grew to dislike it, he can't help but become dependent on this validation; it makes peri absolutely terrified of doing anything wrong which might disappoint them, and everyone else who perceives him

timmy might be the only one that would treat him normally. timmy's rough around the edges, but i can also see him being a jerk in the typical big brother style. being purposely annoying and rude, but loving and genuine enough to be real with peri when he needs it

they compliment each other— the worst godchild to ever exist, and the ultimate golden child

timmy doesn't expect anything of peri. he thinks he's special because he's family, not because he's a fairy baby, or because of some vendetta against his parents. and peri doesn't think timmy's a horrible person who ruins everything he touches. they see each other's flaws, and loves each other because of them

in "timmy's secret wish," peri is the first and last to successfully defend timmy's court case. (which, i mind you, he did by going poof poof poof in the speeches he made after timmy's other defenses utterly failed. he was able to just... do that. the judges didn't need to hear a single thing more because they all automatically trust him) (even if they did send him to the hocus poconos right after lmao) he's literally the only reason timmy's free at all. i have no doubt there's plenty of other, off-screen occasions where he uses his "status" to protect timmy

on the other hand, timmy enables peri into his antics, allowing him to just… goof off. have fun; cause chaos to his heart's content. he does things that he wouldn't otherwise, and it'll always be timmy who takes accountability so he wouldn't feel bad for it

so when timmy leaves, it undoubtedly affects him. it affect his freedom. it wouldn't matter how old he was— they were together for the first 8 (technically 50+) years of his life. that stuff sticks, subconsciously or not

so it comes time cosmo and wanda has to do something about it. what to do when a child's missing their brother?

hazel's case was straightforward. she needed companionship, assurance to ward off her fears, and a healthy dose of fun to loosen her up and take her mind off things

but what can you give a child who already has everything he could want? you give him as much love as you can, but wait, he pushes you away for it. shoot. so now you give him space, but he grows ever more distant, and when you realize you might've given him too much space, he's already off on his own, out of your reach

so you decide to go as well. you retire and take a long vacation with your partner, and you have faith that your child is doing something he loves and that he'll come back to you in his own time

and when that child is finally, utterly alone... there's nothing he can do but regret

peri wouldn't have much, if any, close friends he can truly confide with. not if he pushed them all away too

(with the way that fairies, pixies, and their respective antis are the dominant species, i'm guessing that the main reason is because other species don't live nearly as long. so usually, fairies rely on each other as forever companions. except no one but irep is even within peri's age group, (irep, who is antagonistic towards him on a good day,) which we know is an issue because of "poof's playdate," where they felt the need to turn other fairies into babies to get peri some socialization)

for hazel, she was able to acquire close friends over time through her own efforts. it's apparent in the finale just how much hazel has grown over the course of the show. at the start, she had difficulties overcoming her dependence towards her brother and coping with the changes in her life, but she adapted and turned that into her strength. she put herself out there and formed new bonds that, in the end, was the reason they were able to save fairy world

right off the bat, hazel and anthony parallels peri and timmy

anthony moved onward with life, while timmy wanted to stay a kid forever. the difference between them is that anthony knew he had a home to come back to, a family that will always be there to support him when he returns. timmy felt that once his memories are gone, he'll have nothing, because his fairies didn't just help him cope with his life, they replaced it entirely, to the point that timmy has no legs to stand on if they were to disappear

timmy loved too much, and cosmo and wanda had too much love to give. it ended up hurting them instead

cosmo and wanda learned that lesson, but peri didn't.

(i already have more ideas for him and dev and oh do they wound me...)

peri becomes a way hazel gets to see what it would be like if she never let go of anthony, and peri would see a glimpse of his younger self in hazel, who is happy and content with the life she was given despite the way things had to be

(peri and hazel understand each other the most, which is exactly why they wouldn't get along. i can imagine an interaction between them with hazel calling peri out, and him ignoring her)

when the cosma-fairywinkles reunite, cosmo and wanda's overbearingness after their reunion takes on a different light. it would be two parents trying to connect with the only child they have left when all he wants is for them to go away

(if cosmo and wanda tried to address timmy's bad influence in the past, it would be like pouring salt over a still-open wound. in peri's perspective, it's like they're trying to ruin timmy's image now that he's gone to so peri can get over him. it's kid logic. peri is too caught up in himself to remember that cosmo and wanda was with timmy first. they all love him. they all miss him)

peri had reinvented himself and has become someone else. someone cosmo and wanda might not like. he has run through every single reaction and still wasn't ready for immediate and unconditional acceptance. "i go by peri now!" and they don't even think to question it, they just love him like they always have. like they always will

and maybe it's in that moment that peri begins to think that his fears might have been for nothing

[skojukebox]

just had a thought.

What if Sonic lost all of his memories... and then met Surge? Who would Sonic be with no clue about who he is? How would Surge react to this completely different side to the person she despises? Imagine Sonic acting like a civilian behind a Surge who is saving the day, and being completely shocked by people expecting him to do something too?

Between the people who'd be able to train Sonic back to how he used to be, everyone would be able to do something or another- everyone would try to do something, but also lift Sonic up to those expectations that are completely alien to him. How would a Sonic, who is being overloaded by almost everyone around him, react to Surge who didn't like the legendary hero much either?

How could Sonic develop without a "Tails" by his side? Tails moved on after Frontiers, he is nobodies sidekick anymore, and the memories they had together, that are now lost, can't be recreated.

I think Sonic would pretty quickly be back on the track to being a hero again, memories or not. It comes natural to him. Sonic is a very simple guy (sometimes to a fault) who doesn't have a lot of reason to his heroism beyond the fact that he does it because he places all his bets on what he thinks is right. It's interesting to me because we don't really know Sonic's impetus to have first started saving the world (and probably never will, which is absolutely fine with me. I don't need a sonic origin story personally), but I feel like there's just no way heroism was like... A learned thing for him. I feel like he saw something he felt wasn't just at some point, set it right, and never stopped doing it after that. Simple as. And I think again, even if he loses his memory, as long as he has his personality intact? He won't stay a civilian for long. Having his friends around kind of makes it a sure bet. Even Tails; I am sure having Tails with him over the years imprinted good things on Sonic just as much as it did Tails, but even if Tails isn't his sidekick, I don't think he's going to let those lessons be lost. Some time together and I think they'd be best buds forever again, memories or not.

As far as interactions with Surge go, I feel like Sonic seeing Surge saving the day would immediately leave him pretty thrilled and with an appreciation for her. Surge's fatal flaw as a hero, as she is right now, is that she's doing what she does for praise and good feelings. Sonic doesn't do that, but (and I could be proven wrong about this later in IDW but it's what I feel) I don't think he would actually care all that much about the "why" that is behind it.

And Surge's take on this? There's two ways that can go:. One that comes to mind was in early Archie. Not canon , but the first example I thought of:

In this story Sonic runs headfirst into a SWATbot like a dumbass and ends up with coconut-bonk amnesia. Robotnik, rather than just shooting him into the sun while he's unconscious or something, ends up tricking Sonic into thinking the Freedom Fighters are terrorists and Robotnik is a benevolent ruler.

This is Ken Penders cribbing an even older Spider-Man story where a similar situation happens with Doctor Octopus. Except in that story, Doc Ok convinces Peter that he's actually his criminal accomplice (which sucks, he could have explained to him how the cops are actually evil or something). Manipulating a fresh and excitable Sonic sounds like a fun little substory for Surge but I don't think she'd be able to pull it off, no matter how much she hates Sonic. For one, even in this old ass story, Robotnik doesn't even bother trying to convince Sonic that he's evil. I genuinely don't think it would work. As long as Sonic doesn't wholesale lose his personality, he's not going to do evil shit. For further proof, IDW issue #32 shows Sonic in the Sol Dimension with his memories sucked right out of his noggin after going Super Sonic too hard and he's still the same frustrating smart aleck bastard he's always been.

He even relearned his super speed over the course of the short period of time he was bumming it in the palace. Though I think an underappreciated joke in this section is he's talking and acting more courtly like Blaze because he's mostly been around her since waking up. Look at that pinkie!

The other much more likely scenario for Surge is she sees Sonic having all of this power, all of these abilities, all of that stuff... Maybe he doesn't remember exactly what he can do right off the bat, but you know he's going to. First off: she fuckin' hates it. This asshole still has all the superpowers naturally, the stuff that Starline popped her body open like the hood of a car to brutally build into her, but now he has none of the context of the things he did with them in the past? The times (she feels) he screwed up by not using them to finish fights with Eggman? The things (she feels) he did to her that led to her current status? She would be impossibly, unspeakably frustrated. Not only did he not care before, but now he doesn't have have to carry the burden of memory? Bullshit

Sonic wouldn't get why she's so mad. Maybe he'd push to try to figure it out, as he did once before, but I believe the end result would be an impasse between both of them again. What would make her even more frustrated would be Sonic starting over fresh again and then ending up once again better at the things Surge is doing than she herself. You know he will, and you know every second of it is going to be like pulling teeth for Surge.

It would ultimately wind up as a return to the status quo and Surge would hate every single second of it. Kind of cruel when you think about it.

[harknessxo]

If it is okay can i request Toxic!Agatha and fem! reader?

Initially, everything starts as a normal relationship very sweet and romantic (maybe including smut).

Then, Agatha begins to isolate reader until, mysteriously, reader loses their job. Agatha comforts reader, Agatha is their only support. Time passes and reader stays at home, reader has tried to get a new job but have not gotten any job interview. Until reader discovered the truth on Agatha’s computer, Agatha had left her user open and reader could see everything she had done. So reader planned to run away.

Reader did it.

Agatha is furious.

She's going to get you back

You Can Run But You Can’t Hide

Paring: Toxic!Agatha Harkness x fem!reader

Summary: Agatha slowly starts to inside you so you can only rely on her and her alone but her plan has one flaw.

Warnings; hurt/comfort, a bit dark.

Word Count: 1.0k

A/n: Alright one down, four requests to go 😭🙏🏽

You and Agatha had met about a year ago. You two hit it off super quick and soon started dating. She was the girlfriend everyone would dream of. She would randomly buy you flowers, buy you gifts, shower you with kisses and so much more. A couple months into the relationship you noticed that Agatha would get jealous easily but it wasn’t something you couldn’t handle.

You found it cute at first.

Then, as time went on, Agatha's jealousy escalated into controlling behavior. God forbid if another man or woman looked at you the wrong way. She also insisted on you staying home while she did all the working but you didn’t want to. You liked working. It was a sort of freedom for you.

You were now sitting on your desk, doing some paperwork when you received a call from your boss calling you up to his office. You calmly put the papers aside and walked towards his office. You knocked on the door before walking in and stood in front of his desk.

“Ms. L/n, you might want to take a seat.” You gave your boss a confused look before taking a seat.

“Is there something wrong Mr. Stark?”

“It has come to my attention that you have been selling information to competing companies.”

“What?! I would never do such thing-”

“There’s evidence to back it up. Now I'm going to give you the option to resign and I won't have to bring this to court.”

“But I-”

“Please make a wise decision.” You sat there stunned. Who would set you up and for what reason?

You took a deep breath before placing your name tag on his desk and walking out with tears running down your face. You went to your used-to-be desk, picked up your things, and walked out. As you drove home, your mind raced with unanswered questions and disbelief.

You cried to whole way. It was only one in the afternoon and Agatha didn’t get off of work until three. You were devastated until you saw her car miraculously parked on the drive meaning she was home. You parked and rushed inside the house.

“Hey baby, what are you doing here so- what’s wrong my dear?” You threw yourself into her arms, sobbing.

“I- I just- got fired-”

“Shhh, darling calm down, okay? Deep breaths.” You cried in her arms for a while before you calmed down and were able to talk.

“Alright, tell me what happened,” Agatha encouraged you.

“Mr. Stark had called me into his office to tell me that someone told him I was selling information to other competing companies and that there was proof. He gave me the option to let me resign and that way he wouldn't bring the situation to court. I swear I didn’t do it, Aggie. I was framed-”

“Hey, I believe you baby,” she hugged you tighter, “Who would do such a thing?”

“I don’t know.”

“I think it’s best if you stayed home for a few days.”

“I will but I'm going to look for a job after.”

“Whatever makes you happy, though I think you could stay home permanently while I do the work.”

“You know I like to work.”

“Yeah, I know.” She ran her fingers through your hair until you fell asleep and carried to bed. She gently placed you on your shared bed, tucked you in, and placed a kiss on your forehead.

“I’ll make sure you never leave my side, darling. Just you wait.” she whispered darkly before making her way down to her office. She had been the person that alerted Stark of the apparent ‘fraud’ going on in his company. It was all a part of her plan to keep you home with her, forever. All she had to do now was make sure you didn’t find a new job.

She started plotting ways to sabotage your job interviews and make it impossible for you to leave.

—

“Alright, thank you either way.” That was the tenth job you had called and had been turned down. You didn’t know what was happening or what kind of sick joke was being played on you but you were going to get to the bottom of it. You went to get your laptop but realized it was dead so you decided to use the one Agatha had in her office.

You walked in, sat on her chair and opened her computer. When you did, there was an email tab already opened. You were about to close it when you read the name of one of the companies you had applied for a job. You frowned and began to read the email. It said horrible things about you as an employee. And it was all written and sent by Agatha.

There were emails sent to all the companies you applied to and more. How could she do such a thing?

You quickly closed the laptop and ran towards your bedroom. You went into the closet and pulled out a suitcase and began to pull your clothes in it. You needed to get away from her. You needed to leave before she came back. Once you were done, you ran to your car and shoved the suitcase into the backseat before getting into the driver’s seat and driving off.

—

When Agatha got home she found it strange that your car wasn’t there. She thought maybe you had gone to the store for something. She walked into your shared bedroom and immediately knew something was wrong. She walked into the closet and saw that most of your clothes were gone.

“Fuck.”

She ran into her office and opened her laptop only to see the last email she had sent the night before. How could she forget to close the tab? Agatha quickly realized what had happened. She had made a small mistake, and now you were on the run. She heavily sighed before leaving a text message for you.

‘You can run but you can’t hide, darling. You’re mine.’

[autisticlenaluthor]

Twilight

Lena often thinks her real life is somewhere else far away. Sure, physically, she exists in her body. She can see and touch and experience all the other senses that supposedly make her whole. But for as long as she can remember, she’s had the strongest feeling that the real Lena is out there somewhere else. And while this one watches the rest of the world through her glass box and foggy goggles, the woman she’s supposed to be thrives in another existence. Maybe even another timeline. 

This other life isn’t something Lena looks for– it isn’t something that can be revealed through tireless searching. When Lena tries, it only seems to grow further away.

So she chooses to believe that one day, they will step into each other and the box will break. She’ll become real and whole, and the fog will be gone and her new life will start. The life she’s always been meant to have. 

In the bleak hours of twilight, Lena finds herself the closest she’s ever been to shattering that barrier.

In high school, Lena used to tell herself that longer she stayed awake, the longer it would take for the next day to come. She needed to savor the times that weren’t consumed by the energy it took to mask at school or locked in the upstairs bathroom to avoid Lillian’s resentment. And that could only happen when the rest of the world was asleep.

Night was her safe haven.

Darkness expects nothing of no one. She didn't have to be presentable or restrained she could just... be.

At night, the requirements that had been forced upon her since the ripe age of four are momentarily lifted because nobody’s that put together when it’s three in the morning and they haven’t slept in almost as many days.

Sleep, on the other hand, felt like pressing fast forward on existence. 

Lena’s head would hit the pillow and in an instant, the cycle would start back up again. 

She’d wake up. Get dressed. Get coffee. Go to school. Skip lunch to complete homework. Study during her free period. Get ahead on extra credit during study hall. Stay late for chess club Wednesdays and Fridays. Stay late for fencing on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Go home and hope the mansion would be empty when she arrived. Drink more coffee. Study for upcoming exams. Eat dinner (or not). Work on college essays. Even more coffee. Brush teeth. Sleep. Repeat.

The cycle couldn’t be broken but the beginning of a new day could be prolonged. And at sixteen-years-old with no real freedom, time was the most finite resource Lena had. 

The night was Lena’s out and it was embarrassingly easy to become addicted to it’s reprive. 

Lena’s late nights transitioned from her childhood bedroom, to her university dorm, to her first apartment, to the hotel she lives out of in National City for three months. Eventually, they land in the basement of L Corp, where her favorite place in the entire world sits – her personal lab.

Lena spends more hours down there than she can count.

She does everything from experimentation on different substances to developing plans for high tech militant weapons. She picks apart and studies Lex’s old devices and spitefully finds ways to improve them (oh, how he would hate if he knew his little sister had been the one to fix the flaws he hadn’t accounted for).

Some nights she even finds herself going back to her Metropolis roots of trying to cure cancer out of a garage with Jack Spheer. She reads through medical journals when she’s looking for more mental stimulation than physical, and writes up lists of her own hypotheses and ideas. Clinical trials could be built around her midnight endeavors, if Lena would ever let anyone read her work. 

At night, Lena thrives. She gets so close to this other world that at times, she thinks if she pushed just a little harder, she’d finally be able to break the seal.

But then there are the nights where it’s never felt further away. 

Those nights come after soul sucking days where Lena spends every minute forced to be on. They come from masking more than she can handle, until she feels like she might physically burst from the tension. They leave her feeling like a shell of herself, like her capacity for being alive has dropped to zero. 

Lena only tries to explain it once. Sam can tell something’s wrong so Lena does the thing most unlike herself and confides in her. It’s the only time she ever says it out loud.

Really, Lena doesn’t know what she was expecting– maybe reassurance that her struggle is real and that her burn out is enough. But instead, Sam tells her she gets it. She gets exhausted too from the long days and crashes hard after sitting in a board room with executives and other titles for hours on end. 

It’s in good faith but it makes Lena feel even worse. Because she doesn’t get it– not really. Sam may struggle, but Lena is autistic. She’s speech loss and shut down, ugly stimming, and violent meltdowns autistic. She's 'can only eat five foods because of ARFID', prolonged burn out, sleep deprived, and insomniac autistic. 

And god, there’s nothing more isolating than knowing that no matter how hard they try, her friends will never be able to ‘get it’ when she tells them she’s having a hard time. 

Those are the nights where to Lena, doing anything substantial feels entirely inconceivable. But the routine can’t be broken. So she stops by Noonans for an iced coffee and safe food dinner of Uncrustables that she can eat on the laboratory floor. Because sometimes all it takes to feel okay is to be surrounded by her special interests, even if she can’t interact with them. 

She's tapping her fingers, trying to block out the sound of the buzzing overhead lights, when she finds Kara standing in the pick-up spot parallel to her. Lena isn’t sure what time it is but the sky outside is black and the coffee shop is empty. All she knows is t's way too late for Kara "It starts at 10? That's when I go to bed" Danvers.

Kara smiles when she spots her. 

“Hey! What are you doing here? I thought all the big CEOs sent their assistants out for coffee runs,” she jokes. 

For a split second, Lena manages to smile back at her. It's small and fleeting but it's there. Her first real one in days.

“I sent Jess home hours ago,” she replies. “It wouldn’t be fair to subject her to my all-nighters.” 

Lena pauses when the barista approaches the counter to hand Kara her drink. 

“Why are you still up?” She asks after a moment. “Snapper torturing you again?”  

Kara shrugs and gives a light laugh

 “No, Snapper’s been surprisingly okay recently. I just stayed late to finish some stuff up. I’m done now but I wanted to get myself a little reward.”  

She sips at her drink, grinning when she sees Lena’s confused expression. 

“It’s hot chocolate– no caffeine for me.”

Lena hums. Before she can say anything else, her large iced black coffee is placed on the counter in front of her. Her cheeks flush red and for whatever reason, all she can feel is pure shame at the sight of it. 

This isn’t normal. She isn’t normal. And there’s no way Kara doesn’t feel it too.

But Kara doesn’t judge. She doesn’t chastise Lena’s choices or go on about how it’s so unhealthy to have caffeine so late and how she should know better by now.

Instead, she says “are you going back to the office? I can walk with you.” 

Of course, Lena accepts.

They walk together in silence. It doesn’t feel awkward– there isn’t an expectation to fill the gaps. It’s just the two of them. They’re side by side and in that moment, neither of them need anything more. 

When they arrive at L Corp, Lena brings Kara inside with her.

They skip security and stop at the elevator. Lena pulls out her ID card but she doesn’t scan it. She looks at Kara and shifts her weight between her heels.

“Would you like to come down with me?” She asks. 

“Down?” 

“My lab… it’s in the basement.”

“Oh.”

“You don’t have to. I wouldn’t put you to work or anything– I was just going to sit on the floor and have dinner. If you’d like to do that with me.” 

Kara can’t help but chuckle at Lena’s phrasing. Her best friend, who can’t touch the buttons on public elevators without putting a tissue over her thumb, relaxes by eating her dinner on the basement floor.

The contrast is stark yet endearing. And as strange as it sounds, Kara cant think of a better way to spend her night. 

They spend the next hour sitting in a corner, backs up against the wall, eating grape uncrustables, vending machine chips, and Oreos. Kara tells Lena about her day, making sure she knows she doesn’t have to respond if she isn’t up to speaking. And as they drink their respective beverages, Kara goes on about how incredible Lena’s lab is– how nice it was of her to share it.  

It feels good. It feels calming. Lena’s surrounded by her favorite things, eating her safe foods, with her best friend, who upholds none of the social barriers she struggles with so much.

By the time they’re done– it’s nearly two in the morning.

“Gosh, I’m tired,” Kara says, smiling dreamily. She yawns and looks over at Lena. “Are you?” 

Lena just shrugs. She is. She always is. But right now, the last place she wants to be is her empty penthouse. 

“We both need sleep,” Kara adds. She slouches into the wall and sighs. “But my loft is so far. And I don’t want to leave you. Why is everything so unfair?” 

Softly, Lena laughs. 

“You could come to my place,” she suggests, her voice small and apprehensive. “If you’d like. I- I think it would be nice to… not be alone for a bit.” 

“Really?” Kara asks. 

Lena nods. “Really.”

"I'd love that!"

Lena smiles. For the first time in years, the thought of going to sleep doesn't feel all that daunting.

[every1sno1fangirl]

Happy Hifuumo Friday everyone!

This post isn't late because anything bad happened, but simply because I lost track of time and what day of the week it was because I've been working. At least I have a lot of cool pictures to share though!

Even if it took forever and the pay isn't as good, I'm incredibly glad to finally be working again; It's something I really liked doing and money in my pocket means I can get nicer things for myself and go on these trips without loitering somewhere.

Work has been going good by the way; My boss happens to really like me and the work I've been doing and has really gone out of his way to help me out. Currently the schedule is 3pm-8pm Mondays through Wednesdays and 10am-3pm Saturday and Sunday. But I take the bus...

And didn't really want to be on it so late. He noticed that and since he wants to move everyone to a 2pm-7pm schedule anyway, he told me that I can work those hours instead of losing one to leave at 7pm beforehand. I really appreciated that!

I'm not really used to having a boss I don't have an antagonistic relationship with; I think the only thing he doesn't like about me is that I'm sometimes overly apologetic or grateful and it makes things awkward, which is a pretty big character flaw of mine.

But he actually respects me and the effort I put into things, even when I'm not able to work because of my health conditions, which is always nice. Especially considering some of my co-workers who he had to publicly chastise (While not naming names) for faking the data.

And speaking of getting paid; I was SO excited to see the notification that I got my first paycheck yesterday...only to realize that because of how the pay periods work, it was only for a single day of work, lol.

But money is money, and I plan on using my first ~real~ paycheck on paying off some bills and getting a bike. It'll give me a lot more freedom getting to and from places, especially when the urge to do things like ordering Doordash strikes. (Not sure if it'll be electric though)

It's something that has actually kept my family poor for a really long time that I hate, so I plan on getting the full works of a bicycle with saddlebags/cart to hold food and a little mount for my phone and hi-vis gear and everything. Not sure if it'll be electric though.

Whenever we feel the urge to be lazy and order something, I'm at least going to go pick it up myself for the exercise and so we don't pay what is effectively an extra $15-20 for delivery even with DashPass which really adds up.

And my mom is signed up for a financial literacy class now too. Things are looking up for Pen; I'm doing my best not to be a pessimist and just wait for the other shoe to drop. Until then though, I'm going to keep enjoying myself.

I'm saving some money aside from my paychecks just to treat myself to something nice; I really like going to the movies, so I'll see if any are playing that I'd be interested in. I'd also like going to a bowling alley more regularly.

Sadly where I live doesn't have a proper arcade nearby, or I'd be going to that too.

Either way, things are going good, and I hope things are going good for the people reading this too!

As always, I love you all, I hope you have a great day/night!

[cyrusclouds]

i have never read content more tragic than that of the scp foundation universe. underneath all the jokes, the memes, the fun, is a story of true tragedy. no matter which way you spin it, which timeline you believe is real, what facts you choose to acknowledge, it always comes back to one point. utter despair. the bright family is a broken, distorted mess, torn apart by ideals and morals. clef is an inherently flawed character, made into a monster by the world that never truly understood him. kondraki is a depressed man tired of working for the knife in a job he knows only brings more harm than good at the end of the day. gears is practically a robot for a old-hearted organization lacking morality or principals, being forced into several positions that no man should ever have to be in, doing all of the dirty work. iceberg is a shiny eyed pupil turned into a suicidal wreck by the very place he was working himself to the bone for. the scps, some good, some bad, are tormented creatures entrapped in cages that they will never truly escape until the end of the world. it isn't their fault the universe made them the way they are, and yet, they can not run free without risking ripping apart the very fabric of reality. they are tortured and tested for simply existing, but freedom would mean nothing better for anybody. i could go on and on. it's truly fucking gut wrenching, it makes my heart drop just thinking about it. the sorrows of the scp foundation universe never end. i think it's beautiful how the writers were able to create something so emotional and heart breaking, yet beautiful and fun.

[midlandslady]

On Daemon Targaryen Flaws

I know I have a love for Daemon that will probably be rivaled only by Matt Smith XD But people see him as a monster and I think we are watching different shows. Come on guys, all of his emotions are written in his face because Matt is such a great actor.

I try not to justify all of his crimes. But if I want to, I actually think I can.

"Heir for a day". I do not believe he said it! He never confirmed it, not even in this episode. Yes, it was a mistake to cheer the fact that he was restored as heir to the people who would stab him in the back. But he was sad! Come on, he was in his own corner of the bar, quietly drinking and looking forlorn. The people instigated him and him being young and with a huge ego felt like he had to indulge them. That doesn't mean he was happy about what happened or that he wanted to celebrate the death of Aemma and the baby! People who think so do not understand Daemon at all.

Murdering Rhea. He does not feel guilty about it. He hated her. She was an obstacle for him. This is probably his biggest sin yet. But I don't think he went there to kill her. He had no weapons. I don't see the horse being spooked by him. And then she was paralyzed but she wouldn't die. She would still be his wife. And he was leaving. Until she said he "couldn't finish". This triggered violence in him. But it would also be cruel to let her live a life she didn't want to live, in pain and suffering. Was it mercy, or was it cold-blooded murder? Again, this scene is meant to leave it uncertain. But the law says innocent until proven guilty, does it not? It was not a good deed anyway.

Mistreating Mysaria and Laena. When?? Mysaria was a whore working in a brothel, like many others. She was Daemon's favorite so he took her away from that life to live with him in Dragonstone atop Caraxes. I don't see him doing it for people he is not incredibly fond of. She left him when she thought he was putting her at risk with his recklessness. And she didn't go back to being a whore because she now had enough money to start her own business. And she betrayed him, to his worst enemy, time and time again. We never know what she felt for Daemon but it looked like she was also fond of him because when he was drunk in the streets making a fool of himself after leaving Rhaenyra in the brothel, she took him to her place. So I understand she also cared about him to an extent. And when she was betrayed by Otto, where did she go? To Daemon. And Daemon would have killed someone else on the spot for much less than her betrayal. He didn't. Why? He is fond of her. He understands her life was not easy and she had to make due. He even offered her freedom in exchange for a small bit of information he could've acquired somewhere else. And Laena? Daemon loved Laena, he admired her and cared for her. She was not ït" for him, but he was happy with her, he was soft to her. If she hadn't died he would probably stay married to her forever. One might even say she was the only one able to tame his wildness. Something Rhaenyra is incapable of doing. Because he and Rhaenyra are both fire, they will never know peace or calm because that's not them. But Daemon is not to blame for not loving Laena as much as he does Rhaenyra. It's not something he can control. I think if he could, he would because loving Laena was easier and uncomplicated.

He is a bad father. I don't think anyone is winning Best Dad of the Year in Hotd, I'm sorry. Maybe Harwin? But yeah. I saw in an interview they placed Corlys as the best dad. Best dad?! Best husband maybe! But not the best dad, surely. He wanted to marry 12-year-old Laena to Viserys for his own ambitions for the crown (worse even than Otto because Laena was a child) and he was terribly ashamed of Laenor because of his homosexuality. Viserys was the best dad? To Rhaenyra maybe, not to the other kids that he ignored. But even then, if he wanted Rhaenyra to be queen he should not have had an army of male children that would fight against his daughter, should he? Daemon always loved Baela and he didn't feel as connected to Rhaena. It happens. He was still with Rhaena all the time while Baela went to live with Rhaenys. He may not be affectionate but he is there for them. Even for Jace, Luke and Joffrey. He fought for Luke's claim to Driftmark. And people keep saying he ignored Baela after he argued with Rhaenyra. Come on, I would too! The man was so broken he wasn't even seeing straight, I barely think he would acknowledge anyone at that moment.

He was violent to Rhaenyra, twice. I hate it, I do! But she was already pushing him away, trying to command him, show her authority over him, and that came after a lot of traumatic events. Daemon lashes out when he is cornered, challenged, or hurt. She brings out the very worst out of him and that's the insane part of their relationship. It's not healthy, it is primal, animalistic, and crazy! Alas, I don't support his behavior and I hope he will learn from it now.

He wants to usurp Rhaenyra's throne. He does not! He is hurt! He is letting his ego talk for him because he needs to feel that he is not "pathetic", he needs to feel respected and that he is worthy (while doing exactly what makes him not be haha). Because he wants to show it to Rhaenyra. Prove himself to her, as Alys pointed out. The throne means nothing to him, it's all about what the throne represents to the people he loves and from whom he craves validity. He wants to be loved so badly, yet he does not know how to show it and that is a tragedy in itself.

He killed a child. I will die defending Daemon on this point. Once again, the writers intend it to be open for interpretation. I don't think he even considered male children at all. He said so himself and he never tries to justify himself for what he is accused of. Usually, he is just hurt that people he cares for would think bad of him and he would not even make an effort to say otherwise. This time he did say "no and no and no, I didn't" because I think deep down the brutality of the act shocked him to the core too. And maybe he would try to ignore it and put it under the carpet as a mistake but the way Rhaenyra confronts him makes him hate himself.

Is there any other flaw of Daemon that should be explored?

[sonicasura]

Nobody Like You: Beast Tamer

This is a thought that came out of nowhere and poked at my brain. Same with the WereKaiju one but that will get its own page. Like it says above, this is an alternate route to Nobody Like You. Now let's get started. Second part is here.

Soichiro was getting a bit suspicious about his little brother's behavior. He began to notice Soshiro leaving the house for a while and only coming back hours later. Sometimes the boy would return covered in dirt or a few peculiar gifts such as stones.

Was Soshiro...seeing someone? It didn't take long for the older brother to realize how lonely his younger sibling really is. Though Soichiro couldn't help but wonder one thing. Who has Soshiro been seeing?

Thus Soichiro decides to stalk his sibling, unaware of what he would stumble upon. His little brother, Soshiro, talking to a large dog sized Kaiju. Or the fact he seems to be teaching it!

Kafka obviously sniffs out Soichiro and oh boy was Soshiro horrified but also pissed. Did he lose it? ABSOLUTELY. Soichiro has not only discovered his secret place but also Kafka. Thus the young boy threatens the older Hoshina with running away if he told anyone.

A threat that didn't sound empty from what Soichiro recently realized about his brother. The older Hoshina reluctantly keeps Kafka a secret. Soichiro does eventually lighten up to the kaiju that Soshiro befriended.

A good thing as an incident would unfold at the Hoshina compound. One day, the kaiju detector glitches and a monster would attack the unprepared family. It would have led to disaster if two certain boys didn't intervene.

None of the Hoshina family were ready to see the youngest riding into the fray on a bus sized kaiju's back. While Kafka was smaller than his opponent, Soshiro was able to help him exploit the monster's weaknesses. Their teamwork being enough to help the two slay the kaiju.

It would have consequences as the Hoshina family now knows about Kafka. Many were telling Soshiro to get off the kaiju and let them neutralize it but the boy refused to betray his friend. Soichiro comes to their aid with an offer.

Kafka would serve under the Hoshina Clan as a protector and soon Soshiro's battle aid. The error in the Kaiju detector proving how fatal such a flaw could have been without the boys intervention. Only stipulation being if Kafka betrayed them then he would be cut down.

Thus the kaiju would be taken into the Hoshina Clan. You can bet Soshiro's eventual relationship with Kafka would be slightly different. Soichiro(other than just Soshiro) knows about his human form and allows the kaiju to slip out thanks to it. The rest assume Soshiro's husband is a kind mute man.

Since his voice is recognizable, Kafka pretends to be mute in human form thus relying on sign language to communicate. The Hoshina clan handles his education as some aren't letting an 'uneducated beast' protect them. It was a bit difficult but seeing Soshiro was worth it.

Kafka's size wasn't much of an issue due to the clan's high status. Easily securing land that he could call home and roam in his full size unless called to the compound. Kafka still befriends Mina since Soichiro or Soshiro exploit their privileges of being the kaiju's favorites. This includes letting him go on outings under excuses like field training.

Kafka gains more freedom once Soshiro joins the Defense Force. He is assigned as a battle aid, a similar role that Bakko serves, by the Hoshina matriarch. This puts him under Soshiro's care unless a major emergency is called.

A change that allows Kafka to work at Monster Sweepers as a part timer. Kaiju No.8's classification is also different. The Hoshina clan reveals Kafka to the Defense Force as a secret project dubbed 'Beast Tamer' once Soshiro becomes Vice Captain of the Third Division.

It definitely caused a ruckus with the higher ups but they couldn't do anything due to the clan's strong influence on the Defense Force. Kafka is classified as a unique kaiju weapon rather than a threat since he only listens to Soshiro or Mina if given permission. He does have a schedule for things like checks up hence why he's a part timer for Monster Sweepers.

Although Kafka and Soshiro's secret relationship would slowly become known thanks to a certain mushroom headed Kaiju. Secrets cannotvstay hidden forever after all. For now, enjoy this song that came to mind while writing this: Monster by Starset.

@noodlesbf-blog @giantgoblin @iceclew @omniithe-deer @scribblermerlin @mechazushi @drmarune @renard-dartigue

[grollow]

watch you lose

Title: watch you lose Rating: M Characters: The Hollow Knight, The Radiance Warnings: Disturbing Content, Trauma Bonding, First Person POV, Prequel (sort of) Author's Notes: This is canon to White and Gray, technically, and was written as a gift for @astorichan for Elegies of Hallownest's Secret Santa. Happy holidays, my friend! <3

watch you lose on AO3. “At the rate that we are going, we will die here together like this, you and I,” she says.

I ignore her, drifting in a state somewhere between waking and the anguish of sleep. In this state, she cannot reach or touch me, but her words are an insidious whisper that brushes under my skin like the diminutive scales that so resemble fur. She would have the world think that she is soft, but I know better. She is the edges of claws that scrape and scratch, and she leaves everything bleeding underneath them.

I prefer this state. I can see the world around me, a witness through the windows to history unfolding, but never a participant. This has always been my role. Never a participant, always a spectator. I have watched Hallownest crumble around me, bits and pieces rotting away as proof of my flaws. I have watched my king’s palace vanish under the weight of his own failure, disappearing like a mirage; sometimes, I can even glimpse it in the distance, and she says that is because it is here, because he has joined us in this eternal prison.

Like us, he is a spectator.

Like us, he is dead without truly dying.

We are corpses that have forgotten what it means to be dead. We are animated not by the essence that inhabits our body but by the spite that drives us: emotions like blood strangling out whatever light might have remained in the two of them.

I have always been a dark thing. I suppose that is to my benefit.

“You could end the pain we are both enduring,” she tells me.

My reflection is a passive thing, void obscuring it on the shell that makes up the floor. The chains that bind us in the air have long lost their shine. Like my armour.

(Like me.)

She deludes herself, as I often do, that we might some day see freedom outside of these halls. Were I to be set free of my binds, I doubt my body would animate properly. There are great crevices in my carapace where infection has boiled over, eating away at tempered void. The most egregious of these is a great hulking furrow that jots along my shoulder where my missing arm should be. It drives down deep and is, at times, painful. I can see the illumination of pustules growing in place of where the void has been burned away. They unsettle me, raising bile in a stomach that I did not know that I possessed.

(I have a mouth. I have always had a mouth. Mouths are conducive to stomachs; they are used to consume food, though I have never needed any—

Hunger notwithstanding.

I have ever been starving.

The void within me longs to devour all that it sees. I hold it in check, as I always have.

Would it be void that came up, if I succumbed to the writhing in my guts, like invisible claws twisting them to-and-fro, tying what insides my third parent did not destroy into tense, tight little knots?)

I cannot feel my legs. I have not been able to in a very long time.

“Let me set us both free, my shadow,” she pleads, drawing me back. I can feel her wings like the soft of feathers wrapping around me. “It needn’t be one or the other. I would miss you—”

I do not answer her in words, but in a feeling: a hot rush of stubborn refusal that manifests like ice through me. I drown her light in my shadows, and she recoils, hissing shrilly. 

“I will miss you,” she finishes.

There is nothing to miss, I say without words, pulling my void like a noose tighter around her throat. She struggles, fighting back, and the course of sunlight through me makes us both scream in mutual agony—her from my freezing darkness and me from the searing that rips through me, settling in welts that fill with fluid within my eye sockets.

It is a scream that reverberates through the void. All creatures of my kind can hear it, but none can answer. I am alone.

(I made that choice when I left them behind. I am selfish. I was willing to climb out of the Abyss over the corpses of my siblings, no matter the cost. And I was willing to sacrifice it all—

Hallownest. Myself. The lives of thousands of bugs.

I wanted his acknowledgment. I wanted to be seen.

I wanted to succeed—)

“You never could have. The fact that you wanted to is proof of that. But fine, fine. When death takes you, I will be free. I can be very patient when I need to be.”

The light of my eyes pulses in time with her heartbeat. The arteries that sprawl across the cavern ceiling are perfectly in sync with them.

She has never been patient in her life.

-

From the moment of my conception, I have been wed to her. The ties that bind us are far stronger than that of matrimony and impossible to break. I was molded to be her creature. Try as she might, she can never escape a shadow that bears her shape—and that is all that I will ever amount to.

Still, it is entertaining to listen to her wish that it be otherwise.

She would no more choose this than I, she claims. But she forgets.

I did make this choice. I told myself it was for him. I told myself it was for the Pale Gift that I left behind. I told myself that I had enough strength within to succeed.

We are both fools and liars. I am, at least, aware of my failings.

They are all that make up what remains of me.

Failure. Failure. Failure.

NO.

-

There is another like me.

There is another and it has come for me; it has answered a scream from the two of us to set us free and I recognise it, I know those horns, I know, and I do not deserve, I do not want, I do not want to be saved—

There is another there is another there is another

Kill the empty one.

There is another like me there is another like me there is another

Kill the empty one.

It is her voice, I tell myself. It is her command issued to force her slaves, mindless as they are, animated by her power, to attack.

I would never.

(I want to. I want to rip it apart.

She is mine, she is mine, she is mine. This is my task, this is my burden, these are my shackles to bear, and I would not have her be taken from me, not like everything else, I have never had anything that is mine, I have never had anything, she is all that I have—

Go. Go. Go.

It should have died.

Like the rest of them.)

The frenzied feeling inside of me is a swelling thing. It shivers in my guts. It settles in as numbness at the tips of my fingers. He has cursed me. He has left me to watch the world, watch it die around me, watch my failure unfold on the stage, the curtain raised in a final act, Hallownest’s requiem in harmony with my screams. I cannot look away. I cannot stop myself from watching my sibling’s journey; I cannot tear my focus to something else, anything to ease the terror that surges through limbs that have long stopped aching because I no longer feel anything physically to begin with.

Run, I want to scream.

Leave, I want to beg.

(Save—

Save who? Me?

I don’t deserve it.

If it comes here, I will fail—

If it comes here, it will take my place and I do not want to—)

I cannot see her. I can feel her writhing within me, though. I can no longer tell where I end and she begins and that is for the better.

I think, perhaps, that I love her. She shaped me into something else; she moulded me into her creature, and she has always seen me. Where others bore witness to a monster in the shell of the king’s misbegotten offspring, she saw the writhing shadows and knew the potential that lay within. She sees me.

I think, perhaps, that I hate her for all of that, too. For how dare she look into my eyes and know my secrets—how dare she rummage through my mind to find where my scars are—how dare she reach out with tenderness.

“I know what it feels like to be abandoned by family,” she’d whispered one day, when we were newly acquainted, as if she could understand my pain.

She knew nothing about me.

She knows everything about me now.

She knows that I will bite every hand outstretched in kindness. She knows that mine are words edged in nails, that my heart is wrapped in razor wire and that to love me is to drown. She is caught in my maelstrom, as I am in hers. She burns everything that she touches. She convinces herself that she has been abandoned, but I know—for I know her secrets, surely as she knows mine.

One who burns down their house cannot complain about a lack of home.

But she loves me, she thinks, in the only way that she has ever known how to. She would break me into pieces to fit her shape and she would see nothing wrong with that. That tendency is why she is alone, I know.

But void is without form, and I can bend, I can twist, I can adapt.

I will never break.

This is the kind of love that I deserve.

For being a failure. For being selfish. For choosing to believe in a lie, to perpetuate it, to walk knowingly into a task I could never succeed at. My false faith has cost Hallownest everything. Who would dare love someone so wretched? Someone equally so.

We orbit one another. We will both kill the other given a chance. And then we will mourn the other’s absence horribly. We cannot exist without one another.

I would die with her. I want to die with her.

(I want to die. But not alone. No, never alone. Come with me. This is our tomb—together.)

-

Kind, gentle Isma falls first, of the Great Knights, and that is both heart wrenching and unsurprising. Ever has her nature been one of kindness, of compassion, of consideration; ever has she been the warmth that seeps through the Palace when none else could reach. As Hallownest withers beneath a rot so deep as to infect the very soil, its blossom turns her blooms to the ground, and she is consumed by the very vines that she once commanded.

I mourn her.

It is noble Hegemol who falls second, in the service of our king. The infection lays claim to him, ravaging his shell. He is buried in his armour high above the kingdom, to watch over from above; his is a sacrifice mourned by all.

I mourn him.

She tells me that she loves me as we watch my home fall apart. She tells me that this is not my fault; she reassures me that I am not to blame for failing, for no living thing could ever do what was commanded of me, and I do not respond. Her wings hold me tight, embrace warm, and the shadow within me surges, aching to devour.

Dreams are life essence, and the void will always long to smother out life, until nothing but itself remains.

Until it is whole again.

It can never be. Too many fragments have been broken away, stolen, thieved in the night—

I am one of those pieces.

I want to rend her with my maw. I want to bury my face in her feathers and sob.

The whole world knows that I have failed now. The whole world knows that I am flawed. Only death comes for them now.

-

She hates me, she tells me, whenever I refuse her. She reminds me of my failures, of the things that I have wrought upon Hallownest. “Your fault,” she reminds me. “You chose this. You could have done something different.” Never the same argument but it is the same thought in essence, and it needn’t really be voiced. She is right. I chose this. I caused this.

Failure. Failure. Failure. Failure.

I do not long for freedom. My sibling comes. My sibling means to set me free, regardless of what I feel—or it means to join me in endless torment, a storm of shadow to drown out the world.

What would I do if it succeeded? What will I do, when inevitably it breaks through the seals?

(Teacher, I have failed. All of your studies on void with the king have amounted to nothing. I am a craven thing, desperate. All the knowledge in the world cannot save you from that which you wilfully ignore.)

…kill it.

(Watcher, forgive me; you will never be given the chance to reunite with your Knight and it will be for naught—for I chose my own whims over your sacrifice; I chose to let you die for nothing. Noble Hegemol, forgive me; I have taken the person most dear to you from you, and for what?)

I would kill it.

(Beast. Oh, Beast. We have both left the Gendered Child behind in our ruins, to mourn us, and when we both are dead, she will be alone.

For I have failed. I have failed. All of this has availed us nothing.)

I tremble.

(Leave, sibling, I beg.

Leave, because you cannot withstand this. I see in you something alive. I see in you something with potential to survive.

Leave, because if you come here, I will kill you—and it will not be her command that makes me do it.

I have never been a good loser.)

-

Dryya falls third, far later than her other two companions.

Some of the honourable Mantis Tribe willingly take in the infection—their strength of will is too great to be consumed on their own, but their pride is their downfall, and they would do anything for strength. They do not understand that in bargaining with her, they seal their own fate. They do not understand that in choosing this path, they are condemning themselves to torment.

The fiercest of the knights falls to their blades in service of her queen, but she does not go alone. Her grave is composed of the bodies of the infected, her armour stained in orange. She goes down fighting, claws, and blades.

I do not think the White Lady is even aware of the moment that she dies.

Perhaps that is for the better. This torment should not be anyone’s to bear but my own. It is my fault, after all.

My captive no longer attempts to convince me otherwise. She is not cruel to me, but she need not be; I am vicious enough for us both. We are a shattered, tangled thing, and she regrets nothing of her choices.

Will they all die? I ask her, voice strangled from the pain that paralyses me, like the chains that hold us fast in the air, higher still.

This is an ascent with a great fall at the end.

Our shared body will break before we hit the ground.

“Yes,” she answers. “They all deserve to die.”

I do not agree, but my ability to stop her is hindered by the fatality of my flaw.

I do not want them all to die, but I do not care if they live, either.

Who among them mourned for me?

-

Leave, I command. It both is, and is not, my voice. Hers lays over it, a second skin, resonant and clear. My own is a rattling thing, hoarse to my ears, for so little do I bother to make words. I sound like a thing dead. I am a thing dead. The command holds force, though it goes ignored by the smaller figure circling me, its nail raised to shatter the old, rotting chains. Metal shouldn’t decay, but the passage of time is a brutal thing, and void corrodes what it encounters. This place is thick with it.

It jumps over the cracked, charcoal gray shell that was once my arm. The black stain around the discarded limb is a pool, rendering it unrecognizable. I can identify spots of mottled brown where infection has dripped from my rotting carcass. I am a sick thing. Perhaps it means to grant me a merciful death, but—

I am also a possessive thing. I have ever-been. I do not share well. So few things have ever truly been mine. But she is.

Leave, I reiterate. This time it is my voice, hers having faded back. I can feel her contemplating in the back of our shared mind, analyzing the threat it poses. She thinks in its small form, she might yet find salvation; perhaps it will set me free, and she can use me, macabre puppet that my wretched body has become, to enact her own terrible fury.

She is hope. She has yet to give it up.

I will never her go. This is my burden to bear, and she is mine. She is only mine.

Leave.

Its nail clashes into one of the blades. Metal screams in agony as it is shattered—or maybe that is the sound of the voice that I am not meant to have.

It circles. It means to release me from my bindings.

(It means to set me free. It means to shoulder my task on its own.)

My binds shatter one-by-one. The void within it purrs, melodious, through my own. I can feel it like blood beneath the shell, testing the waters, touching me, verifying that I am still here—that I am still alive.

I do not answer. I am not alive.

My chains fall away and I collapse to the ground, a pathetic caricature of the noble grace that I once possessed, and the infernal light of my eyes reflects back at me.

It probes again, gentle and reassuring, as though to remind me that it will stop at nothing to see me set free. It knows not that there is nothing left within me to save.

Very well. It will learn through pain, if it must.

Kill the empty one.

(We will.)