#but some of them just seem to not think adopted siblings are real siblings which is even worse

[sonknuxadow]

new rule: people who arent sonic fans have to learn the basics of sonic lore and the characters relationships with eachother before they are allowed to say anything about sonic characters. especially if it is about sonic and tails

[sistertotheknowitall]

Some Guy Bingo

Masterpost.

Nearly three months into (what Jason called) The Haunting, the siblings kinda started a game. (“Either we're haunting him or he's haunting us, I haven't decided yet." "Considering he's the one appearing randomly, I'd say he's haunting us.")

Technically Tim had started it with, “five bucks says Danny went to class today.” (Gotham university was having an out break of fear toxin curtesy of Dr. Crane.) However, it was Jason who kicked it off with, “ten if he says something about actual scarecrows.”

Dick had snorted and said, “fifteen if it’s a personal experience about a farm.”

“I call bingo if he makes a vague statement on agriculture.” So it was actually Steph who started it.

“Bingo? We were placing bets.”

“Unlike you Hood, some people don’t get adopted by money.”

“As if Bruce doesn’t give you an allowance.”

(“As if he didn’t offer to adopt you,” Tim tacked on.)

It became a running joke where they started calling out "bingo if -" whenever they had to go out on a call. The joke had later formed into a running game when Danny had told Cass, “fighting gods is a pass-time, it is humanity that the real fight is against.” (He had trip over a curb and laid on the ground for several minutes before she asked if he was okay.) She said it wasn’t the most concerning thing he said to her and Steph chimed in claiming, “on a scale of one to ten that statement rates at a three.”

Jason had asked why Cass and Steph always got the weird ambiguous statements and he got cryptic shit about his “soul”.

(Damian had pointed out that at least he wasn’t being constantly referred to as a baby.)

I Call Bingo, which they still played whenever a situation required more than one of them, became “on a scale”

Dick was sure that “having given up on optimism, I find your enthusiasm to be overly bright” should be ranked higher then “I don’t like two-stepping but I’m from the mid-west, so do you know how to line dance?” (Danny and Duke had gotten into an awkward side step where they kept blocking each other.) Damian said the wording seemed passive-aggressive but the tone was too positive to be rude so he gave it a three. Jason said it sounded like a bad pick up line and gave it a two.

They often debated and defended the score they gave with Barbara chiming in over coms. She had never met Danny as Oracle but he was a regular at the public library. He was always polite and respectful and had quickly become one of her favorite patrons. Like Steph and Cass she also got odd statements but hers felt more like half-hearted jokes.

Bruce didn't always join in on their game but it wasn't surprising to see the occasional score placed in their reports. (They had a file dedicated to Danny's remarks. Originally it was to keep track of what they knew about him but at this point it was just to let the others know what he said this time.) Alfred was roped into it even if he didn't really participate unless asked. ("Hey Alfie, what would you give 'i'm glad i don't have to fight my food to eat it but if Batburger keeps giving me the wrong thing I'm summoning Lunch Lady.' Cause Tim says two but I think it's a five.") (He gave it a four.)

Post 4

[erinwantstowrite]

Hi! Purely out of curiosity because I am always interested in people’s thoughts on the subject, how do you feel about “batcest” in au’s where the children were never adopted/didn’t meet until adulthood/etc? Any pairing with Bruce makes me genuinely nauseous, but I feel like I’m more lenient with situational stuff with the kids since they’re closer in age/didn’t grow up together in my very loose understanding of canon/not actually related/etc. (ie: I think Steph and Cass are cute together even though they’re both “batfam” members, etc etc)

please feel free to ignore this if it makes you uncomfortable! I just really love your writing and this seems to be a subject you’re passionate about, so I just wanted to know more of your thoughts. Hope you’re having a wonderful day!

anon in the nicest way possible, it's disgusting even then.

because it doesn't matter if they didn't know each other as little little kids, they are family in every sense of the word. it would be the same as two characters who are siblings having being raised in two different households as children getting into a relationship even though they knew each other later. it spits in the face of adopted families by claiming that they aren't actually family, and the people who defend batcest are hurting people who are victims of the exact dynamic that they're shipping. it's gross, like genuinely vile. knowing their canon relationship and "changing" it to fit what they want is nasty because they *had* to change it. they know it's wrong if they had to "fix" it in order to ship it. it implies that this person thinks they should be in a romantic pairing in canon, too, but they're trying to justify it to themselves.

and with Steph and Cass, Steph is a friend of theirs. she dated Tim previously and they are not related. she didn't want Bruce to adopt her, she doesn't consider them siblings. yes there is a found family dynamic but it's not the same as the others, who are not only legally family in most cases, but have considered each other family for years and years and years. they call each other their siblings. yes, even jason and tim. tim and jason are only a couple years apart, but jason is still family even if he died? tim considered himself dick's brother and his relationship with bruce was rocky sometimes but he also considered bruce like a father figure, and later on he was adopted so that was always there. they are siblings.

and in some of their dynamics, it's pedophilic dick and damian, dick and tim, jason and damian, tim and damian, even dick and jason because dick was an adult when he met jason. automatically that puts you in a spot where you deserve the deepest pit of hell. truly. i'm not religious but i hope they get their karma. i don't care if it's fictional, this reflects who they are as people in the real world and that's why i know these people are gross monsters. not to mention these people don't understand boundaries (shocker) and have and probably will again, ask me to include a batcest ship in LoF or to draw batcest for them. they have asked for peter and damian. one person claimed that peter and jason would be "cute" because of peter thinks he's cool and has "an innocence" about jason's life and what he's done. another asked for peter and dick. the blood related father and son. so it truly doesn't matter to them, i can guarantee it to you. the way i look at it, no matter which way they are shipped, you are automatically associated with the rest of them. nothing justifies it and it's wrong

and because i know someone is going to try to start an argument with me: i can't stop them from writing it. i know that. and you can scream at me until you're blue about your opinion on the matter, but i do not care and you will be wasting your breath. i am not pro cecsorship because it is a slippery slope and people will dig their claws into that. however. i can let them know that they aren't welcome on my page, i can talk about my opinion on the matter, i have every right to block them and say whatever i want. if you don't like this post, i'm telling you to block me so i don't have to take the time to do it myself 🫶

[yrrtyrrtwhenihrrthrrt]

I've seen some people making some very good points about Vander and his role as a parent to Powder and Vi, especially related to criticisms about how he wasn't as stellar of a parent as the narrative portrays, specifically that he was emotionally neglectful, parentified Vi and failed to connect with Powder. While I think these points are worth discussing, I'd like to offer my own perspective.

Disclaimer: I am not justifying any behavior in the context of a real-life relationship, only within the narrative presented

First off, I don't disagree. Vander doesn't appear to have made a tremendous effort to connect with Powder, and seems to be much closer to Vi and Claggor than her and Mylo, putting a significant amount of responsibility on them (especially Vi, as the oldest) and Vi is definitely far more responsible for her siblings than she should be at her age, with Vander barely supervising them.

However, I think there's a lot of context people like to ignore. First off, this takes place in Zaun. From everything that's implied about Zaun, people don't typically live into old age. If they survive the street violence, enforcer violence, and unsafe working conditions, they're still likely to die or become incapacitated early as a result of Gray poisoning/horrific pollution, as we see with Viktor. Vander worked in the mines, which would make him even worse off.

It's common for average parents, who had their children in their mid-twenties to mid-thirties, to live to see their kids well into middle age, when they will be reliably established as adults and able to care for themselves without guidance. This privilege does not extend to Zaunites. As someone with older parents at birth, I know the importance of older siblings in that situation. Vander needed to prepare Vi and Claggor to be responsible for their siblings and guide them into adulthood, because he knew that he was unlikely to be able to do it himself.

Second, one of the big ethical issues with parentification is that you chose to have kids, and should not subject your older children to the consequences of your choice. Vander... Vander didn't choose to have kids, they're not his biological children, he took them off the street because they had nowhere else to go. I think in real world adoption, the principle still applies, because adoption is also a choice and a lengthy, procedurally dense one at that, but that's not the case here. It really wasn't a choice for Vander, these kids had nowhere else to go. And this is a common theme in Zaun, there are just feral children everywhere, and people just take them in because it's the right thing to do. Everyone is responsible for everyone else. So, his kids needed to learn that same principle, to be responsible for each other, to look out when they are able for those who can't.

And lastly, as for his overall lack of supervision of his ankle-biters, I think... I think that's just a Zaun thing. I'm always so bamboozled when I hear people compare THIS aspect of his parenting negatively to Silco's, when Silco didn't supervise Jinx either. He let her hang out on a giant fan blade like 60 feet in the air and wander off to explode shit whenever she wanted. Benzo also doesn't appear to supervise his very young child, who doesn't even have any older siblings to watch him, and neither Jinx nor Sevika feel the need to keep one single eye on Isha as she runs around the underground doing as she pleases. It seems to just be a part of Zaunite culture, people lose their parents and their parental figures all the time, so they need to be able to look out for themselves.

All this to say there are definitely things worth criticizing about Vander's parenting, but I feel like people are being a little unfair about it.

[keepmovinjunior]

thoughts on mufasa...

i haven't seen a disney live action film since the remade lion king (and that was forced on me lmao, i hated it as well), and i'm not planning on seeing this one. but just from what i've read of the plot, it seems like... scar is getting more of a sympathetic reason for his bitterness at not being king? mufasa was adopted, and then automatically appointed his son, or something?

if this is the case i simply must ask: why. why why why. this is the problem with all of disney's films lately. there is this incessant need to soften villains and make other characters in their stead more problematic. and i just don't like that? the original lion king worked fine - mufasa and his son were obviously modeled after real monarchies in which the ruling family stays in power through direct bloodline, and the only way for the sibling to become king is for the one before to abdicate. scar being bitter and feeling overlooked simply by being born into a monarchical family worked just fine!! the original story was such a good and powerful cautionary tale of dictatorship, and how they take hold. now we're gonna add all of these weird "aCtuAlLy mUfaSA" elements? why? why do we have to do this?

it's literally because wicked succeeded so much after it was written in the 1990s and disney has been trying to profit off of the VILLAIN WITH A SAD TRAGIC BACKSTORY ever since. it works with wicked. it doesn't need to be every single villain story. i don't think it's a good lesson to teach kids that every person who grows up with selfish or power hungry motivations once had a Sad Thing done to them and If Only They Were Shown More Love.

as someone from a very abusive family of origin, no level of love or kindness could have changed my family. some people are who they are. and the only thing we need to do is protect ourselves and set boundaries. this whole trend is so tired and it needs to go.

[mezzy303]

So I've been rereading skip beat from the beginning for the first time in uhhhhh almost 10 years and I'm going inSaNE over characterizations and development that I have to write it down

At this point I'm only at the Heel siblings arc so I haven't gotten to the Guam or Saena arcs which are very big for Kyoko and Ren's character development and healing which I haven't reread since those chapters came out

Can we just take a moment to appreciate Nakamura for basing Kyoko and Ren's childhood struggles and trauma on very real things that aren't often, if at all, dealt with in anime/manga and also writing them with utmost care (Not only do the traumas inform their personalities, but their healing arcs aren't just a one and done thing!! It's a very slow process) Like starting with Kyoko, her single mother neglected her so much that she was raised by a family friend. On top of that, nothing Kyoko did was ever good enough for her mother, and both of these things are so apparent in Kyoko's character. She attaches herself to fairytales and magic as an escapism and because she relates to stories like Cinderella. She literally cannot function if she messes up and no one criticizes her. She can't properly acknowledge her own talents and beauty without it being attached somehow to fairytales; she never quite believes shes good enough. Similarly, she didn't want to bother anyone with her troubles, so she always dealt with them alone/in private spaces. Pretty sure she also has lowkey abandonment issues. And this is all parental trauma!! Things she already has before the series starts and she gets so utterly heartbroken she swears off romantic love entirely so she can never get hurt the same way again.

(I don't think I'll ever get over how Kyoko told all this to Kuu and he was literally like I'm adopting you. Your mine now. Sorry I don't make the rules ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ And Kuu going home to his wife like hey we got a new kid 😂 Like Kyoko freezing up when she made mistakes and then Kuu showing her love instead of reprimanding her makes me go 🥹😩💖✨😭💝 Kyoko getting all fluffy from head pats🥹🥹 But on the downside she literally can't bring herself to call him dad unless she's in acting mode sjdfhsf)

When I really consider it, I wonder if Kyoko really loved Sho as a person or like.... the idea of him. Like he was just a convenient guy via proximity bc Kyoko needed someone to be her "prince". We haven't been shown exactly why she fell in love, but it would explain why she stuck with dedicating herself to him despite his terrible personality and knowing he never saw her the same way. It's portrayed like the concept of hatsukoi in anime where its ✨pure✨and innocent✨It seems very idealistic. Whereas Kyoko's love for Ren is more mature. She sees every aspect of Ren and doesn't sugarcoat it, she sees him as he is (she does him up on a pedestal but partially bc she admires him but also as an extreme measure to protect her heart and hide her feelings imo)

And REN. trauma to the max. He had to deal with the hardships of making a name for himself when his parents are already famous, extreme racism from being biracial, his friend/mentor dying from an accident he unintentionally caused???? Like boy hates himself so much he's literally disassociating 24/7 he needs a fucking therapist. I get how being Ren has helped him in some capacity but he needs a professional asap. Though deep diving into this is so interesting because Ren/Kuon compartmentalized his issues and the parts that he hates about himself so much he created its own persona ("Dark Kuon"), to the point he's rarely ever just himself. And he buried it so deep that as soon as he cracked the lid open, those emotions just spilled out. He can't even allow himself to be happy, and when he does feel truly happy, his automatic response is acting nonchalant,,,,,,,,,,,, he didn't even realize he was doing it at first 😢

Also the symbolism with Ren's watch makes me go a little feral. I don't remember if it's originally his or Rick's but it obviously stopped when the latter died and Ren keeps it as a reminder of what happened and why he went to Japan. It's a weird item since it grounds him but also represents his heavy trauma, and I think having those two things in one kinda showcases Ren's unhealthy coping mechanisms (like grounding himself to something traumatic isn't... great...). But that scene where he realizes he took it off and he has a moment of whether it to keep it on as Cain Heel or not??? *clenches fist* it was so good. (To recap it, he had his watch so he wouldn't lose himself in the role of BJ and then forgot it in the bathroom after an unexpected trauma response) Ren narrates his thoughts as choosing between Rick or Kyoko but interpreting this, he's choosing whether to keep himself stuck in his past trauma or move forward and let himself be happy AKA stick with unhealthy coping mechanisms vs try something healthy and rely on people he trusts. Kyoko essentially becomes someone Ren grounds himself to 🥺 He still needs therapy though lmao. He's so mentally unstable in this arc,,,

As I'm writing this I'm seeing a parallel between Kyoko and Ren and how they both had an experience that completely and utterly broke them, and it was this that pushed them onto their current paths in showbiz. And they likely would never have met each other again if those things never happened (they had to lose themselves to find each other?? 😭). It's so funny to me that Ren is all like ThEiR fAtEs ArE iNtErTwInEd with Kyoko and Sho when you have to consider the fact that him and Kyoko meeting again was like. a chance in a billion. It was fate 😂

KyoRen is such a poetic ship to me. The fact that they're different people when they meet and don't recognize the other. How Ren starts falling in love AS SOON AS HE REALIZES KYOKO IS THE SAME GIRL HE MET (Ren being gray/demiromantic.... more at 5). Kyoko lowkey starting to crush on Ren when she witnesses a bit of his real personality. These two things happening around the same time??????? And Ren being SO afraid of being Kuon, his true self, because of his bad qualities, but Kyoko pulling out the good qualities without him fully realizing it?? (I'm 100% referring to Kuon being a mischievous little shit and I live for how he teases Kyoko) tbh they treat each other differently from other people without even realizing it lol. And Kyoko being surrounded by toxic and possessive men pursuing her, and Ren being anything BUT. Like my man is a gigantic green flag. He recognizes that he can't seriously pursue Kyoko bc she's a minor and he really tries his best to only be a friend and mentor in her life and keeping her trust and never crossing her boundaries despite the stereotypes of men being "unable to control themselves." Y'all take point this should be the standard at minimum☝️

I have to talk about Sho bc this boy is so fucking toxic but he makes such a fascinating character. As much as I hate how Kyoko got heartbroken in the way she did, I think it was necessary so that she could leave Sho's sorry ass and cut him out of her life. Seriously,,,, he took advantage of her and used her as a servant. she literally dropped out of school, moved to a different city, and took on two jobs for the sole purpose of helping his career and then he threw her away like a used rag (JUST THROW THE WHOLE MAN AWAY). And then he has the audacity to fall in love with her smh. Anyway the fascinating part about him to analyze is how he's so possessive of Kyoko. Like she was a mere fly in his life, but she was always his. Until she wasn't. And I think those twisted thoughts kinda morphed into feelings for Kyoko. Ig in a way he still cares about her, but it could never hide how toxic he is. Anyone who's like I don't care how this person thinks of me as long as I take up the biggest space in their heart is egotistical and narcissistic. BUT he and Kyoko bickering like siblings will always be funny. Like epitome of two people who've lived with each other for way too long so they know how the other ticks and also get on each other's nerves 😂😂Sho does makes a good foil for Ren though. Like he's basically everything Ren is not: immature, temperamental, possessive, vain, the list goes on. His only redeeming qualities as a character is providing good drama and humor and being an example of what Ren isn't.

Skip Beat is really a story about healing and learning to love yourself and letting others love you and Nakamura is such a good story teller 🥺

[andreal831]

TVDU and forced parenthood

I don't know if it is because Julie Plec didn't understand parenthood or just didn't care, but almost every character has a messed up relationship with the idea of parenthood.

Starting with Rebekah, whose entire identity becomes about being a mother. When she is first introduced, she behaves like an immature teenager with almost no maternal instincts or desires. But it quickly shifts in TO to focus on her desire to have a child. I am completely fine with a woman wanting to have children, but she never gave a real reason to want it. Just this general idea that she had always desired it. I get she likely would have been thinking about it when she was human since, during their human period, women tended to have children in their teen years and it was what all women did. But throughout her 1,000 years, we never see her seek that relationship with anyone. She briefly develops a protective relationship with April and then Davina, but they are easily pushed aside. She even abandons her relationship with Hope multiple times. It never seemed to me that she wanted to be a parent, rather wanted a baby.

This is even more obvious by the fact that Klaus 'adopts' Marcel. Rebekah could have adopted a child, or taken in someone throughout her long life. Now, it could have been that she feared Klaus would be angry and jealous, but this story is never shown. In fact, Klaus seems fine with Rebekah training Marcel, even after he was jealous of Elijah teaching him.

Speaking of Marcel, this whole storyline was problematic. The Mikaelsons take in this boy and then make him feel indebted to them. I've seen people argue that they didn't adopt Marcel, but rather took him in as a ward. Either way you look at it, Marcel was a child and deserved to be treated like one and not some trophy (a lot of white saviorism happening). I do think Elijah wanted to raise Marcel as a son but Klaus wouldn't let him. So instead, Klaus raises him as a friend which created a complicated relationship. I also hate how you can clearly see the difference in how Hope is protected versus how Marcel was raised. Whether it's sexist or racist or just based on him not being their biological family, it's problematic.

And then there is Hope. Hayley will always be my favorite parent in TVDU. Even when she was young and overwhelmed, you could tell her thoughts and actions were all about protecting Hope. Yes, some things she did weren't the smartest plan, but she was also a scared 20-something-year-old trying to survive against enemies that were 1000x her age. She risked her life repeatedly for her daughter and would sacrifice anything for Hope to be safe and happy. She was the one character I felt truly understood what it meant to be a parent.

I always get in trouble when I criticize Klaus as a parent, but he was a narcissistic parent for 90% of the show and that honestly needs its own post.

It's not surprising the Mikaelsons don't know how to be parents. Mikael wanted to train them to be warriors and Esther had a similar feel to Rebekah, that she wanted babies but didn't know how to be a mother. I know Esther and Mikael likely had their own childhood traumas, but that's another conversation.

I liked that Kol and Davina never discussed children. Davina was young and Kol never expressed desires to be a father. Not everyone needs to want to have children. To me, Elijah was the only Mikaelson sibling who expressed a deeper interest in being a parent. Yet, he still didn't understand the full extent. He essentially acted like a parent to his siblings but ended up just having messed up relationships with each of them. He wanted to step in with Marcel and even Hope. I like to think he learned his lesson from Marcel and fought harder for Hope, but again, the whole family just fought harder for Hope.

I also think Freya having a child makes sense, but Vincent being the father had me baffled. He hated Elijah for what he did to Davina until Elijah died, but forgave Freya for her role? Not only forgave her but decided to help continue the Mikaelson line. I just find it hard to believe that he would have agreed to help. But Julie wanted to expand the Mikaelsons and then do nothing with it I guess.

Even in TVD, this idea that everyone wants to be a parent is pushed. Again, yes some people do, but not everyone needs to want children.

I understood Jo, Alaric, and even Stefan's desire to have children. This need to protect and care for others was built into them. We see Alaric (before his character sucked) basically adopt Elena and Jeremy. Jo was always protective of her siblings and loved caring for others so much she became a doctor. Stefan just always had this paternal need to take care of others in my opinion. I even see this with Elena and Bonnie. (Also the fact that Bonnie's future is never mentioned -- we hear about everyone else but what was Bonnie up to in Legacies??)

But Caroline and Damon having children made no sense to me. Caroline had dreams of a career and seemed adventurous, but then was forced into pregnancy at what 23 years old while she was still in school? Yes, we see she gets to become a journalist, but in Legacies we don't hear anything about her life or career. She isn't even there as a mother. Caroline's character basically disappears.

Damon never expressed a desire for children that I can remember. He enjoyed his vampire life and I can't see him giving it up to be a mortal, stay-at-home dad.

There are a lot of problems with the show, Friends, but one thing I've always loved is how they show the different pathways to parenthood. Pheobe is a surrogate for her brother, Monica adopts, and Rachel is a single mother. There isn't one way to be a parent, as long as you always put the children's safety and happiness first.

TVDU could have learned a thing about it. For a show that loved to randomly have a found family trope, it was also ready to throw it out the window the second biological family showed up. That's not how found families work, they are family through and through.

Also, and I cannot say this enough, not everyone needs to want to have children. Even women.

[queercontrarian]

Azris Week 2024: Contact

Azriel and Eris are not quite as overt in showing their affection as Azriel's family is. You might not even know it's there... unless you know where to look.

this summary is shit also let's all just pretend i posted this on the right day okay? thank you

@azrisweek

“I’m getting old,” Cassian groans, letting his heavy body drop onto the bench with a crack that doesn’t bode well for the structure of the piece. After all, the birchin is almost as old as Cassian is now. 

“Must be the constant losing because I feel great,” Azriel lies through his teeth as he sits, much more careful than his brother to not damage the old furniture more. He does feel great; winning always feels good, especially when it’s their traditional snowball fight and even more so when it’s his fourth year in a row. Still, he too can feel the years bearing on his bones and joints, especially now that he doesn’t spend nearly as much time training his body as he used to when he was still Spymaster of the Night Court.

“The only reason you can keep up your winning streak is because you don’t have any children to run after,” Rhys complains, stretching his leg out in front of him to gently massage his knee. ”You have no idea what real tiredness is until you’ve chased a nearly eighteen year old across all seven Courts trying to keep him from causing the whole continent to blow up.”

Azriel snorts. “Actually, I do know a thing or two about how that feels.”

“Oh fuck you, I was never that bad,” Rhys replies, but it has no real bite. He leans back and closes his eyes. Azriel shrugs, which Rhys can’t see now but might just feel through some brotherly intuition or simply the fact that they’ve known each other for nearly their entire lives.

“And anyways, it can’t be that hard,” Azriel adds, “You love your children, that’s why you had them. That’s why you continue to have them.” He shoots a pointed look at Cassian. He and Nesta just welcomed another two children into their home: twins, no more than ten years old, both from the far islands which crown the north of Illyria. That makes for five kids that his friends have adopted so far. Luckily, the House of Wind has enough room for all the youths they invite to join their family, and Nyx and Jasmin both go nearly green with envy since Noura is the only cousin with siblings. That is, until Elain gives birth again, which won’t be for a couple months now.

“True that,” Cassian mumbles, eloquent as ever as he too leans back against the wall. “Why don’t you have children anyway?” 

Azriel just stares at him, trying to decipher what it is his brother is really asking. It's not exactly like having a child is something that could just happen to him and Eris like it did for Rhys and Feyre. He knows of course that Eris will be expected to produce an heir some day, but it’s been barely fifteen years since he became High Lord. They still have time, time to figure out how they will construct this future family of theirs, time to be a family of just two. Azriel isn’t ready to share his husband with another soul yet when he already shares him with an entire Court, but that feels like too earnest of a thing to say here and now. It’s not that he thinks his brothers wouldn’t understand, he just doesn’t want to bring it up yet.

“It’s not like we don’t try,” he says finally with a sideways grin on his face, waiting for Cassian to look at him again. “We try so hard, you know, every night, but it just doesn't seem to be happening for us.” Cassian cackles and then coughs as he breathes in the hot air of the birchin, enriched with a thousand healing herbs - at least that’s what it smells like. 

“I’m sure you do,” he rasps through coughing and Rhysand smirks too, though Azriel doesn’t know if it is at the joke he made or Cassian’s face, which has taken on the color of pickled beetroot. 

“You’d never know,” he says, and Azriel just gives a noncommittal hum.

“Right?” Cassian agrees, his voice still rough though he’s stopped coughing for now. “I mean, you’d never know if you just saw you guys.” 

Azriel frowns. “What is that supposed to mean?” 

“Just, you know. You don't really act like a couple. I mean, compare that to me and Nesta or Rhys and Feyre; they’re all over each other.” 

Azriel has half the mind to turn his back to them to show them the clear proof that Eris, too, is all over him more often than not, and likes to leave his mark, thank you very much, but that feels childish. The truth is they don’t act like the other couples in the Inner Circle. That doesn’t mean they love each other any less.

“What, just because we don’t fondle each other in the presence of others?” Azriel responds, unable to suppress the slight defensiveness, his inner walls shutting down almost automatically. He knows his brothers mean no harm, but it still feels like a challenge. Eris and him are just much more private people than his brothers and their partners.

“Yeah but there’s private and then there’s whatever you guys have,” Rhys voices his opinion from the bench across the room. Azriel barely has time to admonish him for reading his mind without asking - which is something he promised he wouldn’t do anymore when Azriel became Lord Consort of Autumn, but old habits seem to be hard to break - when Cassian adds, “It’s not like it’s bad or anything. It’s just different from what we’re used to.”

“I suppose,” Azriel says. He’s not trying to spend the limited time he and his brothers have nowadays bickering - even though they are of course dead wrong…

▪︎ ▪︎ ▪︎

▪︎

There is no way they will be able to talk to all these people tonight but Eris seems to be hellbent on trying, and if the High Lord is convinced of something it is harder to change his mind than to go along with it. Azriel has always been the type to choose the path of least resistance. Eris's hand is firm on his back as he leads him through the crowd of fae gathered in the throne room. He can feel Eris’s heartbeat, reverberating through their bond. It rarely feels stronger than when they are next to each other.

He’s been standing on the balcony for a while when Eris finally joins him. His wings are practically being baked in the hot sun of the Day Court but it’s still bearable. Better than being inside anyways.

“Taking a break, are we?” Eris says with a smile. Azriel just rolls his eyes.

“Didn’t really want to stick around to watch my family stick their tongues down their partners’ throats,” he grunts, and Eris laughs.

“The topics of conversations have changed quite drastically since this morning,” he admits, and that’s putting it lightly. The official visit that had been scheduled for diplomacy reasons has been derailed entirely. Now it seems more like they were only moments away from an orgy taking over the room.

“Just… stay with me for a little while,” Azriel asks, with more vulnerability in his voice than he would usually allow himself. It’s hot, he’s tired, he feels a little overwhelmed. He shifts slightly to his left so Eris can lean against the railing next to him. Their arms brush against each other and Eris reaches for his hand, locks their fingers together. 

They watch from the sidelines as the courtiers inside bicker and flirt and debate and disappear off into their own little corners away from prying eyes until Helion finally calls them to order (“So unlike him,” Azriel mutters and Eris grins). 

Minutes turn into an hour and the afternoon sun sinks further into a beautiful sunset. Finally Eris separates himself from the railing and makes a step back towards the hall. He turns to look at Azriel, their hands still joined between them.

“Ready to go back in there, Shadowsinger?” 

Azriel raises their hands to his lips, pressing a soft kiss to the back of Eris’s hand.

“Yes.”

▪︎

Azriel never thought listening to two brothers argue could be calming, but with Sasha and Bas bickering on the couch opposite him he feels like he could fall asleep at any moment. Then again maybe it’s not the heated discussion about grain import but the friendly fire that the Lady Vanserra had lit in the family’s private drawing room, the dog snoring at his feet, the sound of the wind outside the stained glass windows. Maybe it’s Eris’s hand, curled at the back of his neck, playing absentmindedly with his hair.

Azriel sighs and leans in closer, Eris’s low chuckle a familiar and comforting melody in his ear.

▪︎

People have slowly been filing out of the great ballroom for the past two hours. Personally, Azriel is elated. He does not mind balls, in fact there are two very good arguments why he should enjoy them a lot more than he does - those arguments being that usually, he gets to see his half of the family, and he gets to see Eris even more dressed up than he is on the day to day. Still, he likely won’t ever get used to being the host, and he is very glad that at least for now it is over. There is only one more breakfast to get through tomorrow before the last of their guests leave and he will only have to share his husband with one Court instead of all seven of them. 

“There you are.” Speak of the devil. “Ready for this to end?” Eris’s smile is slightly lopsided, and the way he holds his shoulders betrays his exhaustion, but he looks happy and it instantly lifts Azriel’s mood as well. When he turns to fully face his husband he can’t help but reach out to smooth down the spangles on his coat, which still looks practically impeccable. He knows it would bother Eris though, if he noticed it. 

The male places his hand over Azriel’s own and pulls him closer by his arm until they are standing only a few inches apart. 

“Dance with me,” Eris says, the look in his eyes so earnest that it feels impossible to deny him anything.

“Here?” Azriel asks weakly, his resolve already crumbling before he can even try to say no.

“Yes. Here, now.” 

“Alright.” 

There’s barely anyone in the hall now anyway, and even if there were a thousand guests still around them it wouldn’t matter; all Azriel can see is Eris.

▪︎

Azriel feels like they've been sitting here for hours, listening to Helion drone on and on about regulations in the creation of new subsections of the principal disciplines of magic. Eris at least manages to pretend to show interest, but Azriel is pretty sure that it's very evident on his face that he wants nothing more than to take another break from this meeting, or better yet, leave it be for today and return back to their room. 

He is distracted again when Eris moves his hand to rest between them on the narrow wooden armrest of his throne. He watches, mesmerized by the way his husband's many rings glint in the sunlight as he begins tapping his fingers against the armrest.

Tap tap tap. A signal?

Azriel glances up at Eris, who is still following the debate that has now started between Helion and Kallias, but his expression is a bit too fixed to be natural.

Tap tap, Eris's pointer finger sounds softly against the wood. Slowly, Azriel places his own hand next to Eris's, eyes tracking every movement his husband makes, watching as his mate extends his pinky finger until it rests against Azriel's own scarred hands. Slowly, so slowly, their fingers entwine, Eris’s rings scraping against his skin. When Azriel looks up, Eris is still staring straight ahead, a slight smile on his lips.

▪︎

The House of Wind is as crowded as ever on Starfall, but Azriel can barely hear his family cheering for the spirits as they travel across the sky, nor can he hear the music or the noise of the party. He’s too wrapped up in his mate, standing as close to him as he possibly can to take in his warmth, his scent, his quiet words even as the world around them seems to get only louder.

Under the light of a thousand stars, of spirits and candles and magic sparks Azriel leans in closer to wrap his arms around his mate just as Eris turns to kiss him.

Eris doesn’t say a word when Azriel slumps onto the couch next to him. He only moves his leg a little so he can fit comfortably, shifting his book from one hand to the other. Azriel sighs, his head rolling back as his muscles slowly relax from the long day. Eris’s thigh is leaned against his, with no pressure but a warm, comforting presence that makes him melt deeper into the couch. 

▪︎ ▪︎ ▪︎

The trip from Night to Autumn is an arduous one, even more taxing in the winter months when it's cold and wet and generally unpleasant to be flying in the Solar Courts. He wants nothing more now than to simply curl up here with Eris, not talking, not moving, just listening to the rain patter outside their window, the fire crackling and the sound of Eris’s breathing. He sighs, his shoulders slowly relaxing as he lets the day pass by again in memory, from the early morning snowball fight to Solstice dinner, which had dragged on forever. He loves and misses his family, even more so now that they live so far apart, but his longing for Eris, for home, always wins out. 

Azriel stretches his tired body out across the whole sofa with a sigh, feet hanging off one end as he reaches for one of the pillows to rest his head in Eris’s lap. Eris helps him maneuver his wings into a more comfortable position and Azriel can hardly hide his groan of relief when all the weight is finally taken off of his back and he can feel fully at ease. Eris’s fingers get tangled in his hair as he starts to gently massage the back of his neck and his head with one hand and Azriel can feel his mate’s pulse against his ear, on his lips, across the bond, like the steady beat of his own heart.

“How was your trip?” Eris asks finally, though he still doesn’t look up from his book. 

I’m getting old, Azriel thinks, I missed you. They are so wrong about us.

“I love you.”

Eris smiles.

[slyandthefamilybook]

Noah's Spring Jewish Book Review

this isn't gonna become a regular thing, don't worry. I just need to gush some about these books. I'm gonna keep the reviews short too because who's got that kind of time!

So far I've read 4 Jewish novels this spring and I'm working on a fifth. We'll go in chronological order

1. Thistlefoot by GennaRose Nethercott

~ Two estranged siblings, Isaac and Bellatine Yaga—the grandchildren of the famous Baba Yaga—inherit their ancestor's chicken-footed house. They travel the country putting on puppet shows and exploring their own mysterious abilities, all the while trying to escape from a threatening figure known only as the Longshadow Man, as well as their own pasts. History relives itself in a book filled with magic and mystery ~

This book was so damn good. Every other sentence is tattoo-worthy and hits you like a sack of bricks. The characters feel so real and raw while also managing to fill out their respective roles with a sense of poetry. The book has a supporting cast of memorable characters and a sense of real danger throughout. Every so often the house will interject in a way that reminds me so much of my bubbe (עליה השלום). I've read reviews that said it dragged on a bit in the second act but I was enraptured the entire way through. It's also pretty gay, which I always appreciate. 10/10

2. When the Angels Left the Old Country by Sacha Lamb

~ An angle and a demon—best friends for 200 years—set out from their tiny Pale shtetl to America in search of a girl who hasn't been heard from. They're accompanied by Rosie, a spunky and fire-spirited girl from their shtetl desperate to get away and have an adventure in the far-off West ~

No book has made me feel quite so seen as this one. As someone who grew up Orthodox there's virtually no representation for people like me. The majority of Orthodox characters in media are trying to get away. None of them love it quite so much as I do, as much as the characters in this book do. From Little Ash tucking his peyot behind his ears like my older brothers used to to the angel waking up to daven shacharit. Sacha Lamb takes the brave stance of "what if Jewish theology is real, actually" and it shines on every page. The writing effortlessly intertwines spirituality and reverence with a classic Yiddish folktale. It's also pretty gay. 10/10

3. From Dust, a Flame by Rebecca Podos

Hannah, the descendant of the famed Rabbi Yehuda Loew, wakes up one morning to find herself transformed, her eyes turning to yellow slits. Her mother seems to blame herself without explaining why, and soon after disappears. After receiving a mysterious letter, Hannah and her adopted brother Gabe travel to upstate New York to meet their mother's family, to learn the secrets of her past, and of their own lineage ~

I'll start off by saying I'm not sure if I was the target audience for this book. It was good, don't get me wrong, but the writing wasn't to my taste. It was a little... blatant, where I prefer prose to be a bit more subtle. Again, nothing wrong with it, just not my particular thing. I definitely relate to Hannah and Gabe a lot, each in their own way. A lot of the book felt very comforting and familiar to me. The book is equal parts supernatural action and intriguing mystery, and keeps you engrossed til the end. It's also Extremely Gay 7/10

4. The Way Out by Gavriel Savit

~ Yehuda Leib and Bluma set out from their tiny Pale shtetl, each on a mission of the utmost importance. Yehuda Leib is looking for his lost father, and Bluma is running from Death. Navigating the Far Country full of demons, goblins, and angels, the pair fight their way through history and mystery alike, and prepare to make war on Death himself ~

This book. Oh boy this book. Where do I start? This book made me cry several times, which hasn't happened in over 15 years. This book said everything about death I've been feeling since my bubbe passed away (עליה השלום). This book genuinely made me re-think how I view G-d? All that and more in less than 400 pages. This book harmonized with my soul. This book changed who I am as a person. This book made me crumble to dust and then built me back up from scratch. 10/10

[yuurei20]

Dialogue Comparison, EN vs. JP: Book 6

Original Jamil: A servant cannot disrespect the kindness of their master.

EN Jamil: Kalim’s gesture would feel hollow if I didn’t follow his example.

In the English-language game, Kalim references hoverboards as if they are an established technology in the Twisted Wonderland universe. But in the original game Kalim does not seem to know what hoverboards are, and refers to them as flying skateboards. This may imply that Kalim is unfamiliar with the concept of hoverboards and they may actually be special STYX technology rather than something with which everyone is familiar.

Original Epel: Daaang…when I think about Rook-san being able to use it, that becomes some mighty scary magic…

EN Epel: Daaang…that’s a might scary piece o’ magic.

Original Riddle: What in the world were we (doing)…?

EN Riddle: What’s their game now?

Leona is the only character of the five abductees who is able to instantly recognize when he awakes in a simulation. Riddle originally expresses confusion about what it was they had been doing, but in his English-language dialogue he sounds like he is still aware that Idia and Ortho are working behind the scenes, when he isn’t.

The English-language adaptation removed references to most of the NRC students still being minors, Vil saying that he and Idia are still 18, and the fact that they are all students, which are all normal changes for EN.

Interestingly, Vil’s line at the end of the game about still being 18 was preserved, despite being removed earlier on.

In a beautiful use of furigana, our introduction to the child formerly known as Ortho is with robot-Ortho and dead-Ortho simultaneously saying, “Pleasure to make your acquaintance, me.” 

The kanji used is 僕 for “I or me”, but both characters pronounce it as "Ortho."

This actually happened earlier in the game, as well, perhaps as foreshadowing, but could not be carried over to EN due to language limitations.

While Idia seems to have programmed robot-Ortho to refer to him as nii-san, original Ortho would call him nii-chan.

Neither of these words technically exist in English, so robot-Ortho has been calling Idia by his name on EN, with original-Ortho saying “Idy.”

In the scene where Idia reveals he is going to support original-Ortho’s plans he originally adopts the name that Ortho uses for him, “nii-chan.”

If EN wanted to follow JP’s continuity Idia would have had to refer to himself as “Idy,” just like EN-original-Ortho, but he doesn’t. 

Instead, EN-Idia refers to himself as “big bro,” though neither Ortho ever refers to him in that way in the English-language game. 

So while the original game has two names for Idia depending upon which Ortho is speaking, it seems that EN has three: robot Ortho’s “Idia,” original Ortho’s "Idy" and Idia’s way of referring to himself in relation to original Ortho: “big bro.” 

And Idia referring to himself as original-Ortho’s name for him is not a secret from robot-Ortho: Idia refers to himself as original-Ortho’s “nii-chan” in a conversation with robot-Otho that we see in Book 5, which serves as a direct parallel to Idia’s identical line in Book 6. (A line that was changed on EN.)

This comes up again during Fairy Gala IF where Idia originally refers to himself as JP-Ortho’s “nii-chan," and as “big bro" on EN.

After original-Ortho dies for the second time, he shifts from “nii-chan” to robot-Ortho’s “nii-san,” to pass the torch.

Since robot-Ortho only ever refers to Idia by his name on EN that is what this becomes, but this means that EN misses out on a significant moment later on:

Idia tells robot-Ortho that he no longer needs to play the part of Ortho for him anymore. 

Dismissed from his role, we see Ortho do something he has never done before: He refers to Idia by his full name, even calling him “Idia-san,” as, in that moment, they are no longer siblings.

Idia agrees to allow robot-Ortho to be his real little brother, and Ortho immediately returns to using “nii-san” again.

This moment was not, and maybe just couldn’t be, included on EN, with Ortho referring to Idia in the same way he always does throughout the entire conversation.

In Rook’s original dialogue, he follows up Vil’s praise of Epel’s accuracy with his magic by saying, "Speaking of Spelldrive, I’m told that even Leona-kun holds Epel-kun’s flying prowess in high regard."

This is a reference to an earlier conversation in Book 6, where Epel himself tells Rook that Leona has said that he is the best first-year flier in the Spelldrive Club.

There seems to have been some confusion on EN, however, and Rook’s line was mistranslated as, “I’m told that Epel’s flying prowess is even greater than Leona’s,” which is not the case.

Original Azul: No matter how many hearts I have it will never be enough.

EN Azul: My heart can’t take any more of this.

(Azul’s octopus joke removed :< I read that octopi have three hearts!)

Original Leona: After all, you’re not like me.

EN Leona: After all, I’m not like you.

 Kind of pedantic, but in Leona’s original dialogue he is saying that there is still hope for Jamil, though there is no hope for him. Jamil finally understands this later on, realizing that Leona has been trying to teach him that he still has potential, even if things may look bleak at the moment. Leona’s line of, “After all, you’re not like me” was, however, written backwards in the English-language of the game into, “After all, I’m not like you,” making Leona the subject of the sentence, instead.

Original Azul: I spent years just lounging around, eating whatever I felt like…

EN Azul: I spent years just lounging around, doing whatever I felt like…

Original Azul: I followed that abysmal routine for years, wasting time and storing calories!!!

EN Azul: Yes, it was an abysmal routine. I wasted times and gained precious little!

While the English-language adaptation kept Ace’s insult of the player, they removed Deuce’s.

Ruggie compliments Leona on having absurdly long legs in his original dialogue, which EN translated as a comment on him being “annoyingly tall.”

It is rare for this kind of comment to make it to EN. Other times that a character has commented on Leona or Vil having long legs, it has been removed.

In one of the final scenes of Book 6 Idia is explaining what happened to robot-Ortho. In Ortho’s original dialogue he says “he” when referring to the dead Ortho, never actually using his name.

In the English-language adaptation this was changed to Ortho saying “original Ortho” instead.

[nekropsii]

im thinking about the relationship between kankri and porrim because its just so fucking WEIRD like theyre obviously important to eachother or care about eachother to some extent but we dont really know why?? like they dont seem to get along very well

she patronizes him constantly (which is VERY loaded considering they lived on fucking beforus) and ignores his boundaries (calling him patronizing nicknames he doesnt like, wiping his face while he tried to push her off) and he constantly makes insensitive bitchy bigoted comments that go against all of her values and make her angry

and theres not the same dynamic dolorosa and signless had where she raised him like theyre the same age so why do they even talk to eachother?? what is their relationship?? like were they childhood friends or something?? itd make sense if they were both a little different as kids and therefore got along better but then why do they still talk to eachother when they really dont now ITS SO WEIRD

It's... Complicated. They go way back, as far as I can tell.

The way I see it, they do not have a "Mother and Son" relationship- I find that most who assert this often place far too much maturity onto Porrim, who is literally 19 years old. It's more like an Adoptive/Found Sibling relationship between someone with a severe case of Eldest Daughter Syndrome and the social conditioning of a higher-end Midblood on Beforus, and someone with a chronic case of Only Child and the social conditioning of a Mutant Lime on Beforus. The relationship makes more sense to me when you view it this way. It's just... A fraught sibling relationship, formed under societal pressures we can't even fathom. Porrim Maryam, trained by society to cull those beneath her, trying hard not to, and for the most succeeding outside of someone very close to her, and Kankri Vantas, culled and isolated his whole life, becoming a total suck-up to the deeply misogynistic, ableist, hemoloyal culling system as both a method of self defense and as a wielding of the only weapon he really knows. It was used against him all the time, and it works, doesn't it? If sucking up to Able-Bodied Male Highbloods and ridiculing everyone beneath that golden standard is the best way to ensure safety, then he's gonna do it. He's essentially a lifelong voter for the Leopards Eating People's Faces Party.

Ultimately, I think what keeps Porrim by his side is that... I think she believes in him. It's like watching yourself lose your sibling to the Alt-Right Pipeline. I think she thinks he doesn't actually believe most of what he's saying, and that this is all deeply reflexive. She's smart enough to recognize the real systemic issues at play here, and that he's essentially caught in chains between 5 different machines that all want him dead. And she's right. When you actually read the shit Kankri's saying, it becomes almost immediately apparent that he's spouting bullshit, and that he absolutely knows this. I think what keeps Kankri by her side is that he knows she cares about him. There isn't any denying it. She might infringe on boundaries, or be generally annoying to him, and keeps doing that frustrating little thing called seeing through his and everyone else's bullshit and calling them out on it- not just including but especially his- but she cares. I think he knows that at the end of all things what he'd have left is her. Is this to say that if you got Kankri to grow a spine and genuinely believe in things that aren't spoonfeedings of the latest Conservative Highblood Talking Point/Psy-Op, he'd be a good person? Hell no. No way. He has a raging savior complex and is way too eager to throw other people under the bus and insult/ridicule them to their faces. He's an asshole. Just completely slimy.

But, again, sibling relationships know no bounds. This kind of dynamic just feels so... Realistic to me. The way their relationship is so strained but still so strong and ongoing just feels so human. I don't know. This is pretty meandering, I just think about them a lot.

[verdantlights]

ok i redid everything cause i fucked up the last logs big time. this is what actually happened. sorrryyyyyyy for retagging. i didnt communicate with any of my friends regarding their characters for the previous logs, so things. uh yeah. anyways.

more will come after the round ends tonight

if you reblogged the previous thread, its up to you on if you want to delete the reblog or not

CLOVE: LOG 2

No TWs apply

-

The color green is pretty. Sometimes he stares at the fake trees of ANAKT and wishes they were a darker green. The leaves are too bright, too vibrant. He says as such to Aster every single time the thought crosses his mind.

"I believe you." Is all they say.

Clove smiles warmly at his... best friend? Partner? He doesn't know and doesn't really care. He has Aster, and that's all that really matters to him. Aster makes him happy and gives him hope, despite the numerous times it's been stripped of him before.

Even after learning what will happen to him if he loses in the upcoming competition, he believes it'll be fine if Aster will be there with him.

But they won't.

Aster isn't part of the competition.

"Hey Aster...?"

"Hm?"

"Would... your owner... actually want to adopt me?"

Aster doesn't respond for a while. Clove doesn't mind. A lot of their time spent together is in silence amongst the flowers that feel wrong in Clove's hands. He knows what real flowers look like. He remembers his siblings; they were real flowers. Aster is a real flower, too. He likes the silence.

"I hope so. I haven't asked them yet. If I can convince them, then we'll be free. We'd still be pets, but at least we'd be together."

Clove's smile is brighter than the real sun he's never seen before. Aster can't see it, and never could, but Clove is sure they could sense it.

Because Aster returned that smile, and everything was okay.

-

Aster gave him the good news that their owner would adopt Clove at some point before ALIEN STAGE starts. He was bouncing on his feet in excitement at the idea of escaping with his favorite person ever.

Nothing else matters anymore, not even the redhead who was lurking nearby, listening to everything.

TOKI: LOG 1

TWs: suicide instigation, manipulation tactics, general shitty behavior from Toki

-

"Hey Wren..."

The girl turns around from where she was sitting, "Huh? Toki?"

"You're friends with Clove, right?" A subtle smile makes his way onto his face.

"...What did you do?"

She has every right to be suspicious, really. Toki can't blame her.

"Oh, nothing! I just heard from a little birdie somewhere that him and- well- said little birdie plan on escaping...!"

Wren's eyes widen, "Are you serious?? What the hell are they thinking?"

"Clearly neither of them were thinking at all. They were sitting around a bunch of flowers... It'd be such a shame if the staff found out about their plan ya know."

"Toki... that's cruel, even for you."

Oh he could be so much worse, but he won't tell her that.

"It's not like they don't already know, like I said, they were sitting in a patch of those fake-ass red flowers."

"Just leave it, man."

Toki scoffs, "'Kay fine."

He saunters off to find his next victim. There's a few people he could chat with, but he's picked up on a few things from two lonely background characters. They seem to be getting... worse.

Yael looks crazier by the day and Macbeth looks more hollow. A bit amusing, really. Yael graduated and Macbeth didn't, which makes it all the more ironic.

The thing is, he doesn't really care about Yael. His beloved already doesn't like him and is trying to get him away from Macbeth. So Inna not liking Yael is a win, but that makes Macbeth even more of a problem.

He could go on and on for hours why he hates that basic bitch so much. Macbeth grates on his nerves to no extent just by breathing.

Toki mutters under his breath, "Wish he'd just give up on your ass."

He pauses, the gears in his brain starting to turn. He thinks about the things he's overheard and the conversations he's had with Yael. He thinks about Yael with Macbeth.

Death is mercy. Death is freedom. Isn't that what Yael goes on about?

Oh.

Oh! I have an idea.

-

He finds Macbeth in some faraway, unsuspecting dark corner of ANAKT and leans against the wall, hovering over the sitting figure.

Without moving, the figure speaks, "What do you want, jackass."

Toki gasps dramatically, "Ouch! I'm wounded Macbeth..."

"Go fuck yourself."

He grins cheekily, "No thanks! I have a certain light-blue-haired boyfriend to do that for me!"

Macbeth finally moves, only to look up with utter disgust at Toki, who turns away to cackle into his hand.

"Yeah, yeah! That's the spirit! Anyway," Toki crouches down to Macbeth's level and appears to switch from teasing to sinister, "Why are you still alive? What's the point?"

Macbeth makes no move once again, only staring blankly at Toki.

He continues to glare at Macbeth, who finally speaks: "Like I'd tell you."

Toki scoffs, "Figures. Stuck up bitch."

"You want me dead sooo bad..."

Toki feels his eye twitch, "Yeah so, about that!"

-

The glorious feeling of Inna coming to him in tears about Macbeth dying and Yael being found with him really can't be described in words.

But Toki schools his face into something halfway sympathetic, the rest being pity. He opens his arms as a silent offering for a hug and Inna, after moving around and not knowing what to do with himself, finally gives in and runs into Toki's arms.

"I've got you, it'll be okay. I'll hold you and listen to you for as long as you need. I'm not going anywhere."

CLOVE: LOG 3

TWs: brief nausea mention, implied panic attack

-

ALIEN STAGE starts in two weeks. They've announced each round's contestants and have started the interviews, and Clove has felt nothing but nauseous.

Aster promised they'd get them both out of here before it started. They had six months to plan it. Aster is nowhere to be found.

Clove is laying in the fetal position in his bed, hoping that Aster comes back and saves him from this fate.

He doesn't stand a chance against Toki.

He saw the look on his face whenever their round was announced. He looked excited. Clove felt his gut churn. He couldn't do this.

He was going to lose to Toki. He was going to die to Toki.

Clove fears death. The students are supposed to be taught that dying is an honor, but Clove knows better.

Clove doesn't want to die. He wants to live happily with Aster.

Where is Aster?

TOKI: LOG 2

TWs: suicide mention

-

Toki watched the end of Round One and hummed to himself. He's excited to watch Clove lose and honestly can't wait for his round.

He wants to see Inna right now.

Inna seems to be a bit worse for wear, still oddly grieving the death of Macbeth. Toki had a near heart-attack when Inna asked him if he had anything to do with Macbeth's death a few months back. He managed to convince Inna he didn't, and once he learned that Wren was the one who told him that, he shut her out.

He told himself that if he were to go up against her, he'd play dirty to win for doing something like that.

Unfortunately, they're on opposite sides of the bracket. The chance of them going against each other is very low.

Now that ALIEN STAGE has officially started, everyone in his class is tense.

He can understand why, but he still doesn't feel scared or tense at all.

He just can't wait to see the outcome of Round Six and his own highly anticipated Round Seven.

-

It comes as an actual surprise to him when days later, before Round Six, he learns that Aster had taken their own life. He chuckles to himself as he walks away from the segyein conversation he was eavesdropping on.

CLOVE: LOG 4

TWs: panic attacks, violence, suicide mention

-

Clove feels faint. He's swaying in place.

He's been dressed for his performance. Been dressed for his death.

Toki approaches him, making the pit in his stomach sink further.

He's wearing a manic grin, also fully dressed for their performance.

"Why are you making that face? You look insane..."

Toki snorts, "It's a funny story, actually. Might as well tell you what I heard the other day."

"H-Huh?"

"I overheard a conversation between some of the segyein staff. I believe one of them was Aster's owner, now that I think about it. I heard a lot of 'my property' being said, so that's most likely the case. Anyway, Aster apparently killed themself."

Clove's face falls in horror. Toki takes a few more steps, towering over Clove and looking down on him, still wearing that manic smile.

"I think I know why, too," He puts his hands in his pockets, feigning nonchalance, "It's because a certain someone wanted to escape with them, am I right? What, did you really think Aster's owner would actually get out of this competition? You know how the segyein feel about this stupid event."

He laughs. It sounds warped and mean.

Clove grabs Toki by his and yanks him down to his level, "What did you do."

Toki chokes, stumbling at the unexpected violence from Clove. They both know how much of a pacifist Clove is.

"How interesting! Bold of you to assume I did anything."

"Obviously you told them! How else would they have known what we were trying to do?"

Toki chokes out a laugh, "Are you fucking dumb? I just told you that the segyein don't like it when us pets go against their command. You wanted to get out of ALIEN STAGE to be with your silly little lover, so you asked them to grovel at their owner's feet, begging them to save you. Did you think that went without punishment?"

Clove let's go of Toki's choker as if it had burned him.

It feels like he's on fire.

Toki massages his neck where the choker had dug into him. He sighs as he turns around, walking away.

"Good luck out there! I look forward to competing with you, Clove."

He leaves without another word. Clove can't speak.

Aster... what?

That... that was a joke, right?

Hey... hey there's... there's no way...

"Th- N-"

He can't breathe.

He can't get air into his lungs.

This stupid fucking suit is suffocating him.

He needs to leave.

He needs to get out.

He can't do this.

Aster was supposed to-

They were supposed-

Why...

He's alone in the room. The room that's spinning. He's dizzy and he falls to his knees, unable to hold himself up. He's hyperventilating and he's crying. His ears are ringing and his head is pounding.

He goes on stage in 20 minutes.

He has 20 minutes to get his shit together enough to go out there and meet Aster.

He can't do this anymore.

TOKI: LOG 3

No TWs apply.

-

One of the guards barks a command: "You're on in five. Get in position, you two."

Toki looks at Clove and chuckles, "It's game time, motherfucker."

Clove doesn't respond.

Toki feels ecstatic.

---

Aster belongs to @apriciticreveries

Wren belongs to @ivanttakethis

Innamorati and Macbeth belong to @alien-til-i-stage

Yael belongs to @bluemoonscape

---

@rockwgooglyeyes @apple8ees @awaggaa @chevalperd @nottoonedin @junebluues sorry for retagging again but mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[possibly-not-a-ghost]

Wriothesley and Arlecchino

Okay but can we talk about Wriothesley and Arlecchino for a second because I am bouncing off the walls thinking about the two of them in relation to each other.

Spoilers for Wriothesley's story quest and voice lines below!

Recently, I've been thinking about how isolated Wriothesley is in terms of characters and how much or how little would change if he were not to exist or be a designated playable character. I love that man don't get me wrong but I was was just thinking about why he was made into something of such importance. Literally, he's in an underwater prison and they could've had an NPC warden with the same traits. Figuratively, we know he has a very dubious ability to trust as seen is voice line.

I've managed to get myself to a pretty comfortable place in life, but there's still some things I want that are outside my reach, like a peaceful and happy childhood, or the ability to trust other people. - More About Wriothesley: V

Anyways after watching the trailer with Arlecchino, I was struck with how much Wriothesley and Arlecchino both parallel each other or perhaps could even serve as each other's foils depending on how Arle's lore will change upon release!

Both were orphans. Each had siblings they were raised and some of which did not survive. Both killed their parental figures while young. But whereas Wriothesley was convicted and exiled for his crimes, Arlecchino was pardoned and not only that but her crimes were 'rewarded' with the title as Harbinger. (I use reward in a dubious sense as we don't know how she felt about her inherited title yet or if she was more or less thrust into it with no real agency in the matter.)

She was given a new name, Wriothesley chose his and discarded the one his adopted parents gave him.

God, even the start of the short when "Mother" is telling a story to the children we see how the future where they'd be pitted against each other but through their eyes. The colors are soft and bright. It's a child-like rendition of the brutal reality that Arle would later be faced with.

During Wriothesley's story quest, we learn the full extent of his backstory. He was being fostered by a couple who seemed perfectly lovely and loving but the truth of the matter was that they were trafficking the children under their care. That, or 'disposing' of them if they were useless or found out the truth. To use a veneer of love, of kindness and safety and that have that shattered in the most brutal of betrayals. Sounds familiar, huh?

"They did all of that, but never considered how their actions would utterly ruin all the children they took under their wing. Worse, perhaps they never cared about that at all."

—But I did.

Wriothesley, who took extreme actions and murdered his foster parents so the other children could live and be free, shouldering that sin.

Arlecchino who presumably had her siblings blood on her hands. Who had no siblings left but murdered "Mother" anyways. (I'm not entirely sold that her friend didn't throw herself on Arle's sword but nvm) and once alone, was placed back into that cycle that made her as we see her today in the first place.

Do I ship them? Do I want them to be found family? Enemies? Distant acquaintances? YESS I just want to see them interact with each other, hoyo please.

[pentrologram]

my ideal batfam hcs but i suck at hcs :3

Dick

he’s fifteen, the eldest kid in the batfamily

his parents died when he was 8 and a half, 

the half is important because i’ve always thought of Dick being a sassy child. like if asked what his name is he will CONFIDENTLY say ‘it’s *Richard*. R-I-C-H-A-R-D. but my parents call me Dick :D’

so therefore if asked his age, if he thinks it relevant, he’ll tack on an ‘and a half!’ to the end of it or ask his parents for a more precise fraction.

“how long until my birthday, dad?”

“five months.”

“…can you put that into the halves-thingy, please?”

that was when he was younger, of course. he’s old enough to put it into fractions himself now

being a entertainer and all he’s got to be charismatic but a lot of it is natural for him.

adults find his quips endearing and his habits loveable

adored all around!!

he brought Barbara home once and Bruce was freaking out to you because that’s his (the Batman’s) best friend’s daughter!!! 

he was very nice to her and Dick seemed happy that neither of you made any offhand comments about her

that was three years ago. they’re still going strong

Kate

I’ll be real, i don’t know much about her

most of this is probably ooc…

she’s fourteen, younger than Dick by I think seven months?

i think you and Bruce would have adopted her when she was older than Dick, like eleven or so

she’s really chill

she balances out Dick’s louder side, and she’s a good listener when Dick wants to talk

i hc her as autistic here but maybe im projecting

she doesn’t directly interact with a lot of family events and just watches from the sidelines because she’ll get stressed out if thrown into them

i also think she loves witchy things. but not for the witchy pagan side of it. just because the crystals are shiny and the jewelry is cool

(me projecting)

i think she’s like the super cool super hot lesbian at school. like she skates to school and listens to paramore and tv girl and knows a lot about bugs (not enough to be seen as a nerd, but enough to be cool)

Bruce takes her to get her hair dyed and to trim up her fuzz? buzz cut side? every month

it’s like a daddy daughter bonding moment. they get ice cream before and then watch a movie after

Bruce has defo invited you but you declined, because it’s their special time! you don’t get that a lot in a family of ten

Steph

another girly I don’t know a lot about…

probably ooc too :(

i think you and Bruce adopt her when she’s also eleven and she’s currently twelve. so in some ways she’s still settling in

I think she has her fair share of behavioural issues for a kid her age, but not to the point where her future seems worrying

just enough to warrant behavioral therapy 

which she loves btw. her therapist has hotwheels and its the BEST

(her words, not mine)

she’s calmed down a ton and her therapist seems impressed with her progress

like, she doesn’t throw tantrums anymore, she doesn’t hit, she doesn’t say words she knows she isn’t supposed to (much) and she gets along a lot better with her siblings

i hc her with adhd

i also think she really likes sharks

she has a shark tooth necklace she found on the Gotham beach (how? you’ll never know)

Cass

Cassie is ten, adopted at eight

she’s autistic and she has selective mutism

shes not mute. she can hold a conversation within the family just fine at home but she just can't talk a lot of the time outside the house :(

she loves being babied

like she adores cuddles and hugs and she’s pretty clingy

like when she started second grade she cried because she didn’t want you to leave you alone :(

she's going to therapy and she got diagnosed with selective mutism and separation anxiety, but she’s doing better and rarely ever gets upset over her anxiety

we're still working on the selective mutism tho

Jason

he’s also ten (he’s four months younger than Cass and HATES it) but got adopted when he was four

he’s also a grade below cass since he was born on the cut. he’s really salty about it and hates whenever someone teases him about it

this is the curly haired, big smiled little baby boo boo that a bunch of people voted to kill a few decades ago

he's sweet and charming with strangers but easily riled up at home

always down for a fight, though he’s easy to fling like a bag of rice (which Dick LOVES doing)

he has small dog syndrome when he gets too much sugar in his system. 

also he plays CoD on Dick’s ps5

he sucks at it and calls everyone all the curse words he knows

(damn, crap, and ‘The F-One’)

Dick records it and posts it on his private story

Tim

he got adopted at five and is nine years old now

if asked, he says ‘i’m nine years, seven months, two weeks and three days old. and seventeen hours, fourteen minutes, thirty-two seconds and counting 🤓'

and he’s ALWAYS right to the dot

like what...

basically young sheldon (i’ve never watched the show, this is all from speculation and what my friends have told me about it)

he’s sleep deprived

no matter what you do… melentonin, reduced lights, less sugar, less screen time, reading to him, white noise… it never works. he’s perpetually tired

(in reality it’s a flashlight he keeps hidden in his bedroom drawer and a good book from his bookshelf that keep him up but he’ll never admit that)

he has a reading/writing level of a senior in high school at nine years old because of all the books he reads

Bruce is SO proud of him

he’s already planning for tim’s college career

Duke

he’s eight and just got adopted

he’s everyone’s baby brother despite Damian being the youngest

he still has a baby face too!!!

Dick loves taking silly photos of him or letting him play games on his pc

Tim and Duke share a room because Duke’s afraid of the dark and he doesn’t like sleeping alone

it’s a win win for the both of them since Tim reads Duke to sleep when he can’t fall asleep and Duke lies to their parents if they ask what Tim was doing all night

(‘Duke, what was Tim doing last night? I heard him shuffling…’

‘he was asleep, dad! he just had to get some water. he woke me up on accident.’)

cue cartoony wink to the camera 

Daimain

Talia abandoned him to the two of you when he was three

he didn’t fully grow into the role of an assassin, but it still happened

he’s six now and his upbringing is apparent 

he’s blunt and cold (not unlike his father) and sneers easily

let me repeat: he is SIX

he roasts everyone in the house like there’s no tomorrow 

indecisive about an outfit? just ask him

if he uses more than three bad describing words, it’s best if you change

under three means its good

none means he likes it

Bruce always gets a kick out of seeing everyone get stunned to silence by a sharp-tongued six year old until that tongue is turned on him

i swear he just sits there like 😲while damian is telling him that his shoes are creased, his hair is filthy, and that he has no self respect

(dick records all of these encounters, but you have him under oath to not post them under ANY circumstances)

[nostalgicninjas]

2012 Leorai Rant

there’s so much discourse about whether 2012 leorai is considered incest or not and i kinda wanted to throw my two cents in ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

i grew up with the 2012 series, and as a kid, i was a hardcore leorai fan. now as an adult, i’ve become neutral to the ship (though it will always hold a special place in my heart for nostalgic purposes). overall my thoughts/perspective on leorai have changed a lot over the years. i’ve grown to ship them more with other people (‼️ aprinardo and shinirai supremacy ‼️) while still loving and appreciating their canon dynamic. personally, i don’t view their relationship as entirely platonic or romantic. on one hand, i believe leo and karai do love each other like family (the same way all the turtles love april and casey like family) but they also connect on a deeper level that’s too intimate to call them “siblings”. it’s not as black and white as them being either brother/sister or boyfriend/girlfriend. to me, their relationship has so many layers it’s too complex for labels. which is fine because labels are overrated anyway. but that’s just my opinion.

i completely get why some people (especially those with adopted family members) think the relationship is weird, and i also get why some people see no problem with it. at the end of the day, it all depends on an individual’s life experiences or personal preferences.

note: if two people are biologically blood relatives, then an intimate/sexual relationship between them is 100% incest and i do not support or condone such behavior.

in this particular case however, i believe there is a difference between real incest and what society views to be incest. imagine two people have been dating for a while and then their parents fall in love and decide to get married. are they supposed to just turn their feelings off for each other and break up because they are now “technically siblings”? i’m sorry to break it to you but that’s not how emotions work. emotions are complicated. and frankly it seems wrong to try to force two people to think/feel a certain way about each other just because it’s what society excepts. i have always been a firm believer that people should be free to follow their hearts and love who they love. if there is no blood or biological connection involved (or any other illegal factors), then i see no reason why people can’t be free to choose how they get to view a person or how they wish for those relationships to develop. because in this case, love is not a crime.

in a way, the same can be said for leo and karai. first impressions count for something, and leo had already developed feelings for karai long before he found out she was splinter’s daughter. i know most people would disagree, but just because they view the same man as a father figure does not make them obligated to view each other as siblings. just because mikey CHOOSES to view karai as a sister does not mean leo is obligated to view her the same way. same goes for raph and donnie. from what was shown in the series, those two (especially raph) hardly considered karai to be a part of their immediate family, much less considered her a sister. and that’s their right. as much as i’m sure we all wanted to see the turtles and karai come together (and trust me i did too), donnie and raph had valid reasons to dislike/distrust karai and they shouldn’t be forced to brush their justified feelings aside and immediately accept her as a “sister” if they don’t want to. they may view her as an ally/asset to the team, but if they don’t want to view her as family, then they shouldn’t have to (though i’m sure they would eventually accept her in the future; whether or not as a sister or just a distant family member, we’ll never know).

i even once saw an anti shipper say that if shipping leorai isn’t incest because they aren’t blood related, then it shouldn’t be considered incest when shipping the turtles with splinter since they also aren’t blood related. that’s a really gross comparison for multiple reasons but mainly;

1.) the turtles are all MINORS and splinter is a grown ass man which is reason enough because W T F

and

2.) splinter has always viewed the turtles as his children and the turtles have always viewed him as their father. for him to suddenly take any kind of sexual interest in them is downright predatory, blood or no blood.

as for the whole “whether or not they share dna” debate, that’s honestly up to interpretation. splinter was never actually seen touching the turtles, so it’s not a canon fact that they actually absorbed any of his human dna when they mutated. and even if they had, the notion that this automatically makes them biological relatives to splinter is actually quite comical. that’s like saying the radioactive spider that gave peter parker superpowers is suddenly his new father. sounds silly, doesn’t it?

overall, i hate it when careless leorai fans make insensitive statements about adopted families, and i also hate it when anti shippers treat leorai fans like freaks just for having a different perspective on their relationship. if you prefer to think of them as brother and sister, then that’s cool. we’re all entitled to our opinions. what’s not cool is constantly harassing fans of the ship and shoving your “sibling” agenda down their throats (and vice versa).

to borrow a paragraph from @orokukarai’s rant:

If the ship makes you uncomfortable, whether it's for personal reasons or you're just not vibing, that's OK. If you personally see it as incestual, that's valid. But going around saying Leorai shippers all like or support incest is not true and there are many valid readings where they're not incestual even if you disagree with them. Some shippers probably do like incest, but then so do many non-Leorai shippers.

in conclusion, respect other people’s opinions. if you stumble across content you don’t like, block or ignore it. no need to comment hate or fill up the ship hashtags with negativity (and that goes for ALL fandoms).

just stay in your lane and keep scrolling ✌️

[theotherhalfoftheshell]

Todosibs and bird bros headcanons~

Touya and Keigo have been friends for as long as they can remember, meeting in elementary school and going to the same hero school. (Shiketsu just to annoy Enji and because they offered Keigo a scholarship)

One day Touya (14/15) comes home face red, Enji and Rei are chatting in the kitchen the kids outside playing when Touya stumbles into the kitchen "I uhh... I think I'm gay"

Touya is to lost to notice Enji slipping Rei a 20$ and muttering about 'damn kids couldnt have waited six more months?'

He finally tells Rei that while sparing Keigo pinned him to the ground on his chest, his hands above his head and one of Keigos hands on the back of his neck while straddling his waist and said 'submit' all breathless and Touya got so flustered he set himself on fire. (Rei does not know how she kept a straight face, she's very glad Enji had left the room)

All of Touyas siblings have had a crush on Keigo at some point, which aggravates Touya to no end.

Fuyumi was first, a small giggle crush that ended the moment they brought Rumi home from school with them.

Then was Shoto, who after hearing that Touya and Keigo where boyfriend's demanded to know what that meant and then demanded they break up so Keigo could be his boyfriend. He was eight at the time and Touya has never let him live it down.

Natsu kept his secret for years until a report caught all the Todo sibs +Keigo out shopping one day and asked who the favorite sibling was

Fuyumi: omg I could never pick a favorite!

Natsu&shoto with out hesitation: Keigo

Touya: Natsu, since he's the only one not drooling over my boyfriend.

Shoto (playing a game on his phone): false, when we went to that beach house the year before you guys graduated I saw Natsu make that gay panic face watching Kei-nii getting out of the pool and later that night I saw him Google 'how to tell if your gay for your brother's boyfriend'

Natsu: shoto you gremlin! No one had to know that!!

Touya: you traitor! I have no siblings!

Keigo: gay panic face?

Shoto: yeah, same face Touya made when he admitted to Mom and dad you made him realize he was gay, actually alot of people make that face after seeing you.

A couple years later Fumikage starts interning with Keigo and he's immediately adopted, Keigo over joyed by having a lil' bird bro.

Fumi admits to Keigo later that he had a huge crush on Touya when he first debuted and having the hardest time talking to him the first year of his internship, he didn't say anything because he thought Keigo would be upset about it.

Keigo is utterly shocked at first to learn abut Fumikages crush but gets over it quickly because that means they practically real siblings, Touya laughs in vindication to finally be on the other end of the sibling crush.

Shoto and Fumikage have a rivalry over who has better Hawks and Dabi merch, each stealing prototypes from work to rub in the others face.

Shoto stole Enjis credit card to buy a sign first edition of Keigos trading card, Fumi laughs because he's got the Hawks card and Dabis both signed.

The family is very confused over this they can literally have any merch they wanted, signed, at anytime but it seems to be the hunt that fuels them.