#but then she??? completely rejects him?????????

[xxyanderegurlxx]

Ashryn Viviana "Rook" De Riva

1: She says Treviso truly she doesn't know where she's from originally Viago found her on a contract in Orlais in a secret Labatory ran by a venatori high mage and of course she has no memories of her life before cause ✨trauma✨ and there were no records of her either burnt by the venatori that experiment on her, Manius Servanus

2: Chaotic neutral, she will do anything to if she believes its right and hate stubborn people who won't listen to reason probably why she punch the first warden

3: Elf and Rogue

4: if she didn't get kicked out of the crows, probably Olais working a contract.

5: Sarcasm and humor, that her go to emotion 😂

6: Taash and Davrin. She understands Taash not being able to fit in with being a qunari being raised in Rivain while her mother taught her under the Qun. Ashryn doesn't know if she was Dalish or a city elf or anything, she has no idea where she belongs between the two always feeling like a puzzle piece that got left behind and so Ashryn completley understand what Taash was going through, but they also bond over dragons, Ashryn used all kinds of books about dragons never thinking she would ever meet or fight one. And then with Davrin, he rejected his path of life finding his true calling as a warden Ashryn was in awe with his courage some people just stick to chosen path and never change but he did, and it helped that he had some crazy stories about the monster he hunted.

7: Lucanis, this truly took her one by surprised Ashryn never really had romance in her cards, she was a crow she expected she was going to die before anything like that could happen. Ash had more than heard of Lucanis Dellamorte, she may have had tini tiny crush on him if we even call it that she never met him or even seen him before since she was under a different talon than him but since she had a personal hatred for the Venatori and heard of his exploits of kill all those mages she became a little enamored Teia obvious found out and teased her for days about it but life went on and then she got kicked out of the crows after the incident with the Antaam and completely forgot about "the demon of vyrantium" until Neve brought up recruiting him and its been almost a year since she even thought of about Lucanis Dellamorte and then she gets to Ossuary and meets him the first time and she cured in elvish cause fuck he's hot and then when she startes getting to know him, the fact he gets everyone a gift, his obsession with coffee and the fact he loves wyvern, he became just so adorable and just a person in her eyes

8: Solas, she never trusted him in the beginning, but she started to understand him little by little that as a leader he made a lot of choices that he had to and then the bastard broke that small bit of understanding trust that she had with him when throwing her in the fade prison

9: it was strenuous but after saving it from the blighted dragon, she's in the good books with Crows now.

10: None actually but she does sing, and from she has been told beautifully to and dancing.

11: Twin Blades or her bow.

12: Pansexual

13: She's a literal crow if there's a contract, she does it though she does prefer contracts for the bastards on the world. So she really has no problem with killing.

14: Reading, and drawing she likes drawing her friends at the lighthouse or sights she seen

15: Ashur- She really respects him and his caused and felt guilty for having to choose Treviso, but it was her home, she couldn't abandon it, Evka and Antonine- Those two are just funny and reliable. Vorgoth- She has no idea what he is, but he fascinated her to no end.

16: Dragons for sure, though she loves all animals just not bugs, she hates them with a passion.

17: Yes, she enjoys the sights and the people but after all that has transpired, she thinks she has had enough adventure to last a lifetime and wouldn't mind just going back to being a normal crow though she would miss her friends.

18: Since she would be kicked out the crows, I see her going to Minrathous to meet Neve about tracking down Manius Servanus and to finally figure out her past and where she came from and what the hell did, he does to her.

19: In a fantasy life at old age happy with her friends and family by her side but possibly on a contract it's the life a crow after all

20: She fights him of course this world may not be perfect but still it's her world where so many good and bad things that happen to her shape her into the person she is today, and she wouldn't change it for anything.

21:Lightning Flask

22: Elvis, Antivian

23: She pretends she okay and that she has everything handle until she's alone to break down

24: She's hopes there is one

25: Duelist

26: Probably a dog, like a Siberian Husky or maybe a German Shepard

27: She barely remembers her life before she was ten-year-old all she knows was that she been living as an experiment for years and then Viago saved her, and she became a crow

28: Sadly, she doesn't feel like she should be the leader, but Varric asked her to be it and no one else seemed to want the job

29: Shadow Dragon, because she hates slavery and the Venatori just as much as them if not more and maybe should've met Dorian early and found out about the truth of her past earlier on

30: I just can't help but love Ashryn, she is unapologetically flawed, but just lovable as well, she's always caring about others and always forgetting about herself. She's sarcastic and funny but really kind as well, and even though she doesn't think she should have become the leader of this group she steps up and did her best and I think deep down she knows Varric is proud of her

Rook Questionnaire

inspired by @cassieuncaged's BG3 Character Development Questions but for Rook instead!

1: Where in the Thedas is your Rook from?

2: What is your character's alignment?

3: Race and subclass?

4: If your Rook was a companion, where would they be found?

5: What emotion did they usually pick?

6: What companion are you platonically close with?

7: Romantically close with?

8: Who are they suspicious of?

9: Does your Rook get along with their chosen Faction?

10: Are they proficient in playing any instruments?

11: Weapon of choice?

12: What is their orientation?

13: What are their thoughts on killing? Is it a necessary evil or do they enjoy it?

14: What hobbies does your Rook have?

15: What NPCs do they like? Which one's do they dislike?

16: Do they have a favorite creature in the Thedas?

17: Do they enjoy life as an adventurer?

18: What would your Rook be doing if they weren't recruited by Varric?

19: How do you think they'll meet their end?

20: Would they side with Solas or fight him?

21: What is your Rook's favorite ability?

22: What languages is your character fluent in?

23: What do they do after an absolute crisis?

24: Does your character believe in the afterlife?

25: What specialization best represents your Rook?

26: What animal best represents your Rook?

27: What was their life like before the events of Veilguard?

28: Is your character the de facto leader of the party? Or do they consider someone else to be the leader?

29: If you could choose a different faction for your Rook, which one would they have joined and why?

30: What's your favorite thing about your Rook?

[solaquintette]

A Feminist Reading of Junko Touhou

The following is a slightly reworked thread I posted to the Everything App last year, using Euripides' Medea as a device to explore how Junko Touhou (from Touhou) subverts our expectations of stories of women seeking revenge.

One of the reasons I adore Junko and why her story features so heavily in my art is because of how she subverts the typical portrayal of female rage and revenge in literature and media. I often see her as Euripides' Medea-if-she-was-fucking-awesome. Traditionally, 'female rage' is depicted as something rooted in romantic betrayal, often directed at a man who has been unfaithful, with his mistress also falling victim to the scorned woman's wrath. While feeling anger over infidelity is obviously valid, literature often acts as though this is the most intense pain a woman can feel, as though it is the only justifiable reason for her to unleash her rage and seek revenge. Even when it comes to the loss of a child, stories frequently assign the role of avenger to the father, while the mother is left to express her grief in a quiet, restrained manner, expected to endure rather than act.

Junko completely rejects that mold. While her grudge is initially directed at Hou Yi, a man, it has nothing to do with romance, infidelity, or rejection (at least in Touhou canon; her mythological origins vary). She isn't heartbroken over love; she is a mother whose child was taken from her, and she is out for revenge, pure and simple. And once Hou Yi is out of the picture, her rage turns to Chang'e, not because of a petty rivalry, not because of beauty, not because of a man, but because she needs to avenge her son at any cost. There is no underlying romantic narrative, no love triangle, no traditional "woman scorned" trope. Her rage is unfiltered and all-consuming.

What makes Junko's depiction even more striking is that her grief and rage are not presented in a way that is easy to digest. They are not subtle, delicate, or aesthetically pleasing. They are messy, relentless, and brutal. Even her danmaku lacks beauty. It reflects the rawness of her pain, an expression of fury that refuses to be softened or romanticised. Junko does not conform to the palatable, almost sanitised versions of female vengeance often depicted in media, where anger is neatly packaged into clever manipulation or quiet suffering. Instead, she embodies something far more visceral and real.

There is something deeply relatable about Junko’s need for revenge, particularly for anyone who has ever experienced loss or injustice. Her rage seems directionless to those who haven't felt that kind of grief. After all, Chang’e didn’t personally kill her son. And yet, if you’ve ever suffered a wrong so profound that the thought of seeing the perpetrator go unpunished feels unbearable, Junko’s quest makes perfect sense. Justice is not always attainable, and the idea of having to simply accept that reality is its own kind of hell. Junko exhausted every possible avenue for vengeance, and ultimately, her pursuit is futile. The one person who remains as a final target for her rage cannot even be killed. And even if she could kill Chang’e, it would never bring her son back. Her story is a bleak but brutally honest portrayal of grief: there is no true resolution, no catharsis, just the endless, aching persistence of loss.

Her identity is almost entirely consumed by this loss. The idea of grief shaping or even erasing identity is something worth exploring on its own, but in Junko’s case, it is clear that she has stripped herself down to nothing but vengeance. In many ancient cultures, particularly in antiquity, a woman’s identity was intrinsically tied to her role as a mother. When Junko lost her son, she lost not only him but also the identity that had previously defined her. And yet, instead of fading into obscurity or assuming a different role, she reconstructed herself around her grief and her fury, becoming something entirely new, something purely vengeful, purely wrathful.

This is where the connection to Medea feels so strong. One of the reasons Medea is often regarded as a ‘feminist’ work is that she does not meet the expected tragic end for a woman who enacts revenge. She does not get sent to hell, does not beg for forgiveness, she isn't put back in her place by her husband. Instead, she ascends, outwitting Jason and becoming something greater in the process. In much the same way, Junko’s rage does not destroy her. It transforms her. Her purification and ascension into a divine spirit mirror Medea’s ascension. Her wrath does not lead to her downfall, it's the very thing that elevates her. That is such a subversive and powerful way to depict a woman’s quest for revenge.

Sometimes I feel guilty for always drawing Junko suffering, but there is so much depth and untapped potential in her character. Her story is so much more than finding a neat resolution to grief or a moral lesson about the perils of holding a grudge. i love you Junko touhou ❤️❤️❤️

[loverboysturn]

˖ . ݁𝜗𝜚. ݁₊ cinderella!reader has a spontaneous moment of bravery but it all comes crashing down quickly

angsty. i’m sorry in advance!!!! this lowkey made me so sad to write lol :(

find all writings for this au here. asks & requests always open :)

you could do this, you had to do this.

your heart was pounding as you stared over at chris across the campus parking lot, he was standing alone which was a rare sight for him to not have someone by his side. this was your moment and you had finally had enough of hiding from him, you had fallen in love with him and a spontaneous rush of confidence taking over you was telling you that you now needed to do something about it.

you had thought about it so many times, how you would eventually confess everything to him, what you would say and how he would react. the idea of confessing everything to him, finally revealing yourself, had consumed your thoughts for months. and now, somehow, you were here, you couldn’t believe you were going to do this and you knew if your best friend was here she would tell you to stop, but she wasn’t and you didn’t have time for second thoughts. you had to go now, before you stopped yourself.

you started walking towards him, your legs moving before your mind could catch up.

as you reached chris, he looked up catching eye contact with you instantly. his gaze softening as he notices you in front of him. he pulled his earphones out from his ears and a smile snuck onto his lips.

“hey,” he says, his voice casual, but kind. “you good?”

“i—i’m—“ your mouth had gone dry and you could feel your hands shaking by your side, but this is it. you were so close, you just had to say it, you had to tell him. “i just came over to sa—“

before you can spit the words out, there’s a new presence to the side of chris.

the head cheerleader, his ex girlfriend.

“well, well, well, if it isn’t diner girl,” she smirks, her hair blowing in the wind, perfect and untouched. she was wearing her cheer uniform, looking immaculately put together, as always.

your stomach drops, and the confidence that had spontaneously rushed over you moments ago had completely disappeared in an instant.

“i didn’t know you two were friends,” she says with a slight tone of subtle sarcasm in her voice, “cute.”

you tried to find your voice to speak up, but your words were completely stuck in your throat, and all you could do was stand there, feeling so small and invisible.

before you could say anything, she spoke up again but this time it was directed to him as she brushed her arm against his, leaning against him. “some of the guys and cheer team are coming over to my place tonight, you’re coming. right?” she tilted her head and fluttered her eyelashes at him. “the guys told me that you wouldn’t miss it.”

“yeah, nate already told me about it. i’ll be there.” he responded to her, the words hitting you like a punch to the gut. he didn’t even hesitate, no second thought to her question.

her eyes flickered over to you, looking you up and down before she turned her attention back to him, “yay, see you tonight, babe.” she says, before strutting away, leaving you two alone again.

chris stands still for a moment, before looking over to you, “sorry about that, are you okay?” he smiles, “what was it you needed?”

you wanted to cry, your chest felt tight and you wanted to run from him… again. the moment you had felt before had gone now.

“actually, it isn’t important, just about the test we have next week.” you lied to him so easily, making your heart ache. “s—sorry that i came and bothered you.”

without waiting for his reply, you turned on your heel and walked away, the feeling of rejection weighing down heavy on your shoulders.

behind you, you could hear chris calling after you, but you didn’t bother to turn back.

what were you thinking?

[connorology]

some thoughts on connor and amanda because oh boy do they have one of the most compelling dynamics i’ve ever seen and amanda is just one of the most intriguing antagonists ever to me:

connor’s need for approval is such an intrinsic part of who he is as a person

the way he tries so hard to appeal to amanda in the deviant route (and the machine route but i’m mostly focusing on deviant connor) and at first he’s just following orders but as the game progresses he’s scrambling for some sense of her approval to assure himself he’s useful, that he has a purpose, and projecting his own personal sense of self value onto her.

so when she rejects him it rocks his sense of self to the core which is a central theme to connor’s character: identity and repression. who is he without approval? without an order to follow?

and the saddest part of it is that he still clings to her even when her thinly veiled apathy towards him turns into outward disdain. even when cyberlife tries to resume control of his program at the end of the deviant route it’s amanda he still calls out to: for answers? for her comfort?

which makes me wonder post game about the kind of trauma connor has to deal with after finally freeing himself from cyberlife and amanda, who he had once so desperately wanted to please.

i think its interesting when people explore this characteristic of his in post game fanworks. how does his previous relationship with amanda inform his relationships with others? with hank? with markus?

edit: just want to clarify that i am aware amanda is just an ai representation of cyberlife and that connor fears death above all but i still think these two bits of his character completely coexist and heighten each other

[bellesdreamyprofile]

I Bet You Think About Me - Austin Butler

summary: y/n is friends with actor callum turner and at the wrapping party of "masters of the air" she meets austin ; 4k words

"C'mon, kid you haven't left your flat in years.", you rolled your eyes at your friend's tone and leaned your shoulder on your phone, mixing your lunch in the pot. "Don't ya roll your eyes at me."

You met Callum at a random bar in London as you were hanging out with one of your girlfriends, Linda. It was years ago, yet you always loved to bring it up since the night ended on a chaotic note. Linda left to go to the bathroom and the bartender set your two drinks in front of you. As you were sipping your drink, a man sat on your friend's stool and grabbed her drink, downing it quickly.

You stared wide-eyed, unable to say a word. His smirk seemed to take over his entire face - and then he swiftly set the glass down. "You didn't have to, love. But thank you.", he winked at you.

"That was for my friend.", you stated, looking at the empty glass that costed you a whopping six pounds. "And I have a boyfriend. That's a heads up for whatever you're trying to do.", you warned him immediately, your eyebrow raised at his questionable behavior.

"No, you don't.", he said and cleared his throat, angling his body toward yours with an elbow leaning on the counter. "I'm Callum, love.", another stupid smile on his lips. "What's your name?"

"My name is get the hell outta here before I call somebody.", you said and grabbed your purse from the counter. Callum laughed, throwing his head back.

"Who you gonna call? Ghostbusters? Your boyfriend?", his disbelief was low-key offending you.

You huffed and glared at him. "I do have a boyfriend. He's busy tonight.", you justified - though it was completely true.

"Really?", he asked with a teasing tone.

You nodded sarcastically. "Really. Now please, I'm trying to have a nice evening with my friend.", my eyes frantically searched the bar for a glimpse of Linda. 

Callum sighed and moved closer with the stool, his tone lowering. "You know, that blonde chick you were with earlier? She's makin' out with one of my friends.", he pointed behind you, making you turn around. Surely enough, Linda was kissing some guy. He looked weirdly familiar. "One of the reasons why I came here. To ask you to be my girlfriend and offer you a drink."

You couldn't believe this man's naivety, so you let out a breathless laugh. "You can't be serious.", you shook your head at him, but the idiotic smile was still set there. "I literally rejected you twice."

"Third time's the charm.", Callum shrugged. You stared at him for a moment and grasped your purse yet again, but this time you were leaving.

"Hey, c'mon. Your name, just want your name.", you dodged drunks stumbling around you and found the exit of the bar. Making sure you've sent a text to Linda, your eyes searched for taxis around. But in vain.

You let out a frustrated sigh and started walking towards the closest busstop, but there was somebody that had yet to give up on you.

"Y/N! C'mon wait up!", you pursed your lips at the sound of your name and you hastily turned around, having had enough. Callum was standing a foot in front of you, amusement flickering over his features.

"Do you have to be so dramatic? And how do you know my name?"

He ran his hand through his dark locks and smiled. "I work in movies, love. Also, I asked your friend. Had a feeling that if I yelled "get the hell outta here" you wouldn't turn around.", you couldn't help but let out a little laugh, a disapproving head shake followed. This man was fucking crazy.

"You've got my name. That's what you wanted, so goodbye.", you said in a flat tone and swiftly turned around, but a hand gently grasping your arm made you face him again. "Callum—"

"Your number?", he pouted, his touch disappearing within seconds. Your face remained neutral, not knowing how all of this would've played out.

"I have a boyfriend.", the reminder he seemed to not care about. He placed his hands on his hips and shook his head.

"Ah, Y/N, Y/N, Y/N.", the teasing note in his voice was back. "I wouldn't have run out of the bar if I cared."

You shook your head at his playful demeanor. "Callum..."

"As friends? We compliment each other's personality pretty well, wouldn't ya say?", you couldn't take your eyes off of him. The playfulness, the teasing — this man child was incorrigible, yet there was something about him you couldn't put a finger on.

"I've known you for ten minutes."

He boldly wrapped an arm around your shoulder and started walking forward. "The best friendships start in the craziest ways."

They surely did, because there you were all these years later. Callum always made sure to find ways to include you in his world - from premieres to afterparties. You loved laughing and joking with him, but meeting new people wasn't your forte. Luckily, it was his.

"I'd like you to know that I treated myself to a coffee from a café.", you informed him and plated your food.

"The café right by your building?", he knew you too well. "C'mon, it's going to be fun. Everyone's going to be there and you won't be the only guest, I promise. Other guys said they were gonna bring other people as well."

You sighed as you contemplated on your options for your evening. "I don't know, Cal.", you glanced at your dog sprawled on your rug. "You know, Leo needs his evening walk and all.", you bit your lip, hoping he'd let you off the hook.

Instead, Callum laughed so loudly you had to pull the phone away from your ear. "Yeah, right. I'll pick you up at six. It's a casual event by the way. Love you, kiddo."

Another sigh filled the room as you lowered your phone. Leo randomly howled in his sleep, making you smile. "You and me, buddy."

The hours passed and six p.m. was nearing and you had yet to pick an appropriate outfit for the night. Callum said it was a casual thing, but there was absolutely nothing casual about a room full of talented actors. You didn't want to impress anybody, but you didn't want to disappoint either. A mix of both - you could do that.

"Cal, what are you wearing?", you called him for advice.

"Who's this?", his groggy voice made your brows furrow in confusion.

"Are you asleep? Cal, you're supposed to pick me up in 15 minutes!", you were stressed and a man that could get ready in two seconds and look perfect was definitely not helping.

"Jeans, t-shirt, jacket.", he murmured, but you rolled your eyes.

"I need colors, stat."

You heard him huff on the other line. "Black jeans, white t-shirt and my leather jacket. Black leather, babe.", you could almost hear the way he rolled his eyes at you.

"Mkay, bye."

"Wait- You wanna match? Aw, sweet—"

"Goodbye, Cal.", you hastily clicked on the red button and immediately planted yourself in front of your closet. You quickly spotted your blue jeans, an olive green tank top and a white blouse, which you were going to leave unbuttoned.

You nodded to yourself and breathed out in relief, quickly retrieving some jewelry to enhance the look. Some hairspray and few touches here and there, and there was Callum at the door. You bounced on one foot as you slipped on your booties, reaching the front door.

"Well, well, well. Hey, love.", he kissed your cheek almost automatically. Cal looked you up and down with a raised brow. "You woke me up to ask me what I was going to wear and then you wear the opposite?"

You smirked and curled your arm around his. "I needed to know, so that when you give me your jacket it's still going to be a good look."

He laughed, shaking his head. "When I give you my jacket?"

You nodded with a knowing look. "Of course, I know I'll be cold later on. You always insist on those late night cigarettes."

Callum laughed yet again, his eyes flickering on yours. "You could've brought your own jacket?"

You patted his arm and thanked him as he opened the door to the passenger seat. You made yourself comfortable and waited for him to be seated behind the wheel. "I want you to look like a gentleman, you know?"

"Ah, of course. Thank you, dear for thinking about my reputation.", his joking tone made it hard to keep the chuckle to yourself.

"No problem. That's why I'm here. To make you look good."

The drive wasn't all too long, with you yelling at Callum for surpassing the speed limit, you made it in twenty minutes. A very low-key bar was rented out for the entire cast of the series, with private parking and all. Nothing you hadn't experienced before, but this time it was different - your gut was sensing that something unprecedented was going to happen tonight.

"I'll introduce ya to the big guys and then to my friends.", Callum informed you, his arm out for you.

Your lips curled into a smirk as you grabbed his arm. "You're not friends with the big guys?"

"I can't with you, for real.", he shook his head, making you mentally high-five yourself. 

You were in awe of the so-called big guys Cal was talking about earlier. The wisdom in this room was unmatched and you couldn't feel luckier. You even caught a glimpse of Steven Spielberg in the back. Unbelievable.

"You guys, this is Y/N, my best friend.", Callum wrapped an arm around you, his other arm pointing at the guys around the table. "Y/N, that fool over there is Barry—"

"What—", you laughed a little at the man that certainly didn't need introduction. Not too long ago, you found out that he was the guy your friend Linda was making out with.

"Then you have Anto, who plays Harry Crosby— Vomiting all over.", Callum pointed at the man, your nose scrunched simply at the sound of the word.

"Air sickness is very much real. Also, nice to meet you.", Anto defended his character with a knowing look aimed at Callum and then winked at you.

"It is real. Cal knows a thing or two about it.", you commented, earning some laughter around the table. His response was to simply bump his body into yours, his arm unwrapping from your shoulder.

"Alright, alright. Laughing at my expense, okay. No jacket privileges tonight.", you lightly slapped his torso, laughing at his defensive tone. "Anyways, blondie over there is my buddy Buck."

You looked over at the man in question and your lips parted in awe. He was the only one that showed up in a suit - sheer, black shirt with the first few buttons open, showing off his toned chest. Was he even real?

The blonde man laughed, shaking his head. "I'm Austin.", he smiled - his smile was warm, gentle, inviting. "The character I play is called Buck. He's Bucky's best friend.", he explained with ease and you just nodded, still in a haze.

"And Bucky is me, obviously.", Callum intervened, nudging your side with his elbow.

The conversation shifted and people were curious about what you were doing. Nonetheless, you weren't on top of your game tonight.

"I don't work in movies, but I love watching them.", you commented, chuckling. Your hands fidgeted on your lap under the white tablecloth. That wasn't one of your best ice breakers - it still earned a few playful comebacks - but meeting Austin tonight seemed to block you. Suddenly, you were very aware of your chipped nail polish or that your hair wasn't as styled as it should've been. Every sentence on the tip of your tongue was replayed in your head all over, your laughter was quiet and calculated. 

There was one thing you couldn't hide or control, and that was your curiosity. You loved talking and finding out random details about people you had never met before. That quality was something that intrigued Austin, waiting for one of the questions to be aimed at him. Yet nothing came from you. He had been told about his piercing gaze before and that was a weapon he intended to use on you.

"No way! My dog, Leo, is a Golden Retriever. Well, not the same as a Labrador, but same family, no?", you leaned closer to the edge of the table as Anthony let out a loud laugh. Austin couldn't take his eyes off of you - the way your eyes sparked at topics you particularly liked or the way you would slap Callum's chest to make sure he had heard too. Your eyes never met. For the first time, his piercing gaze didn't get him what he wanted.

"That's my song.", Callum called, leaning your way. You rolled your eyes and grabbed your drink, bringing it closer to your lips. He tapped the armrest of his chair and flickered his eyes to you, expectantly.

"I ain't gonna tell you not to sing.", you started slowly, yet that was the response he needed to stand up. "I ain't gonna tell you to sing either. Cal!", you shook your head, groaning. He fumbled for a microphone, yet the bar didn't provide one.

"You're kidding!", you heard him from a distance. You chuckled and grabbed your purse, fishing the pack of cigarettes. More people joined your table without introducing themselves, so now was your cue to leave for a short moment.

You glanced at the guys and accidentally made eye contact with Austin, your heartbeat accelerating. "Y/N?", it was Barry's voice, making your eyes finally move the other way.

"I'm gonna go for a quick smoke. Tell Cal, if he asks.", you motioned to the cigarettes in your hands and stood up, grasping your purse. He nodded and turned to his left, continuing his conversation.

Your legs carried you through the corridors until you found a door leading to a small balcony. You breathed in the cold air and breathed out, the stress and your overthinking tendencies melting away. A flicker of orange appeared as you cupped your hands to lighten your cigarette - a very much needed stress reliever.

"Hey.", a voice made your eyes flutter open. You turned around and spotted Austin behind the slightly open door, only leaving part of his body leaning your way. "Mind if I join you?", you felt your hands become clammy in that chilly air, your heart automatically beating faster. For you were going to be alone with him.

You exhaled the smoke and shook your head, your eyes meeting briefly. "Not at all."

He shot you a small smile and walked out to you, shutting the door behind him. His hand grasped one side of his blazer and retrieved his own pack of cigarettes. Now that he was distracted, your eyes followed every move of his, almost desperately. Simply the way he pulled out a lone cigarette and his lighter made you tremble in place.

His eyes flickered to yours, the stick between his lips and his hands still close to his face. You cleared your throat and looked away, shivering. Though you weren't sure if it was the weather or Austin being himself.

"You cold?", he breathed out, glancing at your bare forearms.

You waved him off, shaking your head. "I'm good, thanks."

Like you hadn't said a word, Austin's cigarette hung from his lips as he gallantly took off his blazer and took a step towards you. "I heard something about Callum taking away your jacket privileges."

You turned to your side and laughed a little, your eyes looking at the blazer held out for you. Your gaze shifted on Austin and lord, that cigarette and those dark eyes were making you feel things. He nudged at his blazer yet again and you just couldn't refuse.

"Thanks.", you said gratefully, feeling immediately engulfed by the unusually soft material. His manly, yet soft scent lingered under your nose. You were toast.

"No problem. I've been feeling stuffy since I walked in.", Austin said softly, his forearms against the railing as he tapped the cigarette against the metal. You hummed, not knowing how to continue the conversation.

"This is gonna come out of the blue, but...", he started, tilting his head your way. His eyes almost immediately attracting your gaze to his. "I have a feeling that you've ignored me the whole night. I-I know I don't talk a lot, but I was actually really looking forward to getting to know you."

The intensity of the blue in his eyes mixed with the gentleness and vulnerability of his words in an impeccable way. Your stupid mind game made this beautiful man doubt himself.

You shook your head and moved your gaze away. You couldn't possibly tell him that he made you flustered. Or that you developed a minuscule crush on him.

"I'm sorry.", you said with honesty. "It's just... I wasn't expecting a lot of people tonight and... I don't know...", your vague words made you want to slap yourself.

Austin raised his brows in surprise, the dots weren't connecting yet. "You talked to everybody, but me.", he felt almost embarrassed by his own words, but he was keen on understanding what was going on inside your pretty head. The moment Callum introduced you to everybody, he knew he liked you and he needed to find out if you felt the same.

Your lips parted as you stared ahead wide-eyed. The remains of your cigarettes were brought to your lips for one more drag.

"I'm sorry I made you uncomfortable.", his words pulled you out of trance. You glanced his way and noticed him crushing the cigarette butt in an ashtray. "I, uh, I'll see ya later."

It just occurred to you that Austin followed you there. He noticed you weren't talking to him, so he was paying attention. Once he found you, he was quick to offer you his jacket and then he apologized over something he couldn't do nothing for.

Him walking away didn't feel right.

"Austin, wait.", his own heart almost exploded in his chest at the words he longed to hear. Your feet carried you to stand directly in front of him, your gaze confidently holding his, finally giving him the chance to look at every inch of your face. You sure looked damn good in his clothes.

You sighed and fiddled with the ends of his blazer. "I'm out of my game tonight."

A small, curious smile painted Austin's lips. "Why?", the chilly wind brushed through your hair and the lights from the city made your eyes spark. He couldn't believe his luck tonight.

Your eyes shifted from his shirt to his blue eyes. Whatever you said wouldn't have changed anything, right?

"Because of you.", the honesty took him back.

"Because of me?", you could only nod at this point, feeling mortified.

Austin desperately tried to hide his smile. He let out a little laugh instead, his hand brushing over his lips.

"So you like me?", he asked boldly and your eyes widened.

"That's what you get from "I'm out of my game"?", you said, quoting your words. Austin took a small step in your direction, your bodies inches away.

It was his turn to nod almost mockingly. "I thought you hated me, so yes, that's what I believe.", his jaw clenched as he pursed his lips. "Or at least, that's what I want to believe."

You scoffed, your eyes darting back on his. "Please, who could possibly hate you, Austin?"

He shrugged and fiddled with the ends of the blazer you were wearing. "I don't know... A funny, pretty girl like you? Maybe?", he looked up, your lips parting as you shook your head. "No? You don't hate me?", another wordless head shake fortified his own actions.

"Good, because I really wanna kiss you right now and I don't know if I'd be able to if you hated me.", you were pretty sure your cheeks were as bright as cherries, but you were happy it was dark outside.

"You can kiss me...", your voice was unsure, small, causing your chin to lower, but Austin wouldn't have none of that. His finger raised it gently, making you smile a little.

"You have pretty eyes.", he commented, making you roll your eyes as another stupid smile played on your lips.

"Please kiss me.", the shyness was taken over by desperation and he couldn't lie and say he didn't love that.

"Your wish is my command.", his hands found home on your cheeks and his lips gently set on yours. Your hands fell on the nape of his neck, loving the little hairs curling there. The kiss was electrifying, intoxicating and sweet all at once. You tasted the cigarette on him and his intoxicating smell was even stronger with you being impossibly closer.

His hands on you made you feel something you had never felt before, something you couldn't quite understand yet. Austin's cold rings against your skin made you initially gasp into the kiss, earning a groan from him. He was kissing you and you were kissing him.

Why did it feel so right?

It turned out, that pulling away from a magnet-like person that was Austin was almost impossible. But you knew you had to.

"I like taking things slow.", you said as soon as your lips parted, your hands slowly falling on his chest.

Austin hummed, nodding. "I like taking things slow too. I wanna get to know you... Your jokes, your hobbies... You know... Just you."

You bit your smile back, your gaze fluttering to his bare chest. "Aren't you cold? I'm sorry I took your jacket."

His hands squeezed your waist. "I'm not cold. You warmed me up nice.", you rolled your eyes at his cheesy words. "What? Feel, baby, I'm all warm!", his hand swiftly found yours and placed it on his chest, right by his heart.

"You are...", you didn't just feel his warmth, but his beating heart too. "Your heartbeat's fast.", you pointed out, making him smile for the hundredth time tonight.

"Because of you.", he threw your own words back at you. This man's charm was unmatched, rending you breathless before him - your body moved without even consulting your brain first. Your hands fisted the collar of his shirt and pulled him down on you again, his hands falling under his blazer, squeezing your flesh.

You lips were bruised by his passion that the sound of your name being called or the door opening weren't heard by either of you. 

"I thought you were smoking!", confusion took over your features at the familiar voice. You pulled away from Austin, who decided to leave one of his hands lingering on you, and faced your new balcony guest.

"Ah, Cal. I, uh, I was.", you pointed at the cigarettes in the ashtray.

"With me.", Austin nodded and squeezed your waist playfully.

Callum's eyes darted between you and Austin. "Were you guys making out?", his blue eyes squinted at the both you, his hand against his temple. He was obviously drunk.

You decided to tease him a little. "No, we were just talking.", you said innocently.

"And smoking.", Austin added, giving you a hard time on hiding your small smile.

Cal nodded and fished out a cigarette from the pack and brought it to his lips. "Whatever you two are doing... You kids have my blessing.", he stumbled your way, making you two part as he was heading to the railing.

"I'll drive him home.", you said, your hand placed on Cal's back as you turned your head in Austin's direction. He smiled and nodded, taking hold of your free hand, bringing it to his lips. If he didn't stop, your cheeks would permanently stay red.

"I'll see you, baby.", he lowered your hand and turned around. "Text me when you get home.", Austin opened the door to the balcony, but stopped as you called his name.

"I don't have your number.", you called with a careless smile.

"It's in the jacket.", he pointed at the blazer you were still wearing and winked at you. Your lips parted as he waved at you for the last time tonight.

"Good thing I revoked your jacket privileges.", Callum spoke up, his head low. You gently smiled and scratched his back.

"Good thing you did."

MASTERLIST austin masterlist

austin 2025 digital calendar 🎀 austin phone case💋

[rei-ismyname]

Cyclops, Masculinity, and the Hellfire Club

After Jean walks in on Emma's 'therapy session' with Scott, the two women have a long discussion in which he is not welcome. Scott deals with his feelings by getting drunk by himself at the Hellfire Club. People just will not leave him alone though, starting with this unnamed psychic dancer. She's presumably doing her job under the assumption that this is what men are here for. It's a normative and reasonable assumption, but Scott is pointedly uninterested in participating in this marker of masculinity.

The dancer's words remind us of Emma - telepathy, seduction, and a call to let loose - though there's markers of Jean there too, the wife he hasn't been able to communicate with. He rejects the whole thing as 'sexless and unarousing' instead of a 'no thanks, I'm not in the mood' or similar. Instead of rejecting Emma by proxy, my read is that he's rejecting the physicality of it, compared to the mind sex that's been going on. Also, Scott does a lot of 'calling the shots' - too much even. Exercising sexual, gendered power doesn't appeal to him.

This is nothing Scott hasn't been told before. I'm reminded of the butte sex incident specifically, where Phoenix urged him to 'get out of [his] head' so they could have sex. The dynamic and the power differential made the traditional gender roles hazy.

I think Scott agrees with the dancer here in some ways. He's been viewed as uptight his whole life and there's so many instances where Scott isn't the instigator of sex and intimacy. Here in the Hellfire Club with their regency cosplay the gender roles are super patriarchal. Scott rejects or tries to escape the expectations of traditional gender roles and the art reflects that - shifting from the male gaze to Scott's famous gaze. Interestingly we never see the dancer's face so we don't know who she's presenting as. It's Jean who has the significant association with black lingerie and red hair but it's Emma who's associated with BDSM.

Scott gives an awkward apology and explanation, doing his best to strip the illusions away. I can't help but feel like he's trying to convince himself that his complicated feelings for Emma aren't real but he's not doing a very good job. Why did he even come to the Hellfire Club? There's plenty of places to get drunk without running into people he knows or people that know him. He's wearing his X-Men jacket and his unique visor, not exactly incognito.

He completely avoids eye contact with the dancer and everything is tinted red, suggesting we're seeing everything through his POV. His gaze has a long association with angst and self doubt - I have to wonder how well he 'sees' the person he's making assumptions about. He's not exactly denying her personhood, but he's not especially interested in it either. It's ironic that he'd go to the one club that has a intimacy-free version of both his significant relationships with women at this point. One thing's for sure, he's not interested in performing masculinity, but he's in a space where he can't escape the expectation.

The faceless, nameless dancer eventually leaves. Scott's brief solitude is interrupted by a particular kind of toxic masculinity turned up to 11 - Sabertooth. He approaches from a dominant position in the ancient greek sense, from behind - while pointedly calling Scott 'boy.' He ignores this, and Sabertooth gets in really close to smell his drink, describing it as 'gay.' Deeply childish, but explicitly challenging Scott's masculinity. Creed accuses Scott of 'having issues' in a pretty egregious pot/kettle situation.

Scott responds, but simply by telling him to get out of his face. 'Seriously.' Creed switches to that other marker of masculinity - violence, or at least threats of it. Scott ignores that too, rejecting chest beating and puerile verbal sparring. Sebastian Shaw intervenes and orders Creed to leave Scott alone. Shaw has his own thoughts on exercising patriarchal power, but leaves when Scott isn't interested.

Scott is about to leave because 'his pride can't take it anymore.' He doesn't elaborate on this because he's accosted by probably the most prominent uber masculine person in his life - Logan. Logan accuses Scott of 'making the X-Men look like losers' and it's hard to read this as anything but a gendered challenge. He expands on Creed's judgment of Scott's choice of beverage by implying it's not 'real' (ly masculine) - slamming a bottle of Jack Daniels on the table. Scott's not interested in that either.

Logan doesn't really give Scott a choice, framing it in the context of a challenge. Denying that he's here to convince him to return to the X-Men, he tells Scott that Emma was murdered after he left. Leaving him to chew on that, Logan lays out the stakes of the challenge and departs for the urinal - that most bioessentialist of masculine spaces.

Making the subtext text, Creed follows him in for some insecure dick measuring. Rejecting any kind of serious discussion with an uncharacteristically cerebral Sabertooth, Logan issues violent threats and returns to Scott. It's got massive ex vibes in the best Creed/Logan homoerotic manchild way.

Scott finally opens up, discussing his relationship woes with Logan of all people. He shares how each of them makes him feel, explicitly tying the tension to the boy/man dichotomy. The 'pressure' and 'expectations' feel significant, something he should really talk to Jean about. Unfortunately he's got Logan instead, who's not especially interested in listening at all. He chimes in about Jean, of course, but he's here for tough love.

Scott ponders how anyone could think he'd shoot Emma. Above all he's not going back to the mansion and he's not drunk (or so he claims.) Logan, asshole that he is, suggests Scott should be grateful for what he has. 'You always get the best girls' which has got to be the worst possible thing to say (and super gross). Sure, he's having relationship troubles, but he's trying to figure out his emotions and his trauma. Logan frames this as 'all you do is whine' which is both not true and very rich coming from him.

I've never identified with Scott more than when he says 'I hate you.' Logan manages to make it all about himself, explicitly stating his jealousy. 'All I ever wanted was what you got' accusing him of throwing 'it all away to run wild with the White Queen.' He's right that Jean would like it if he came out of his shell, to a degree, but their problem is one of trauma and communication. Logan's possessive, reductive, and frankly ignorant diagnosis misses the forest for the trees. Scott's problems aren't his problems yet he gets the kind of advice one might expect from this hypermasculine space.

Further minimising Scott's issues, Logan shifts the conversation focus entirely to him. He outright says that Scott's problems are nothing compared to his and guilts him into helping assault The World to uncover Logan's past. He probably would have said yes if he just asked as a friend, but instead he kidnaps him when he passes out. Logan says he's 'trying hard' but doesn't finish the sentence before urging him to put aside his problems.

So instead of talking with his wife or getting to brood alone, Scott ends up hungover on a black ops mission. He got to verbalise some things he'd been keeping bottled up, but in a sense he was assaulted by masculinity and toxic expectations at every turn. Dude needs better friends. The narrative doesn't portray this as a positive thing - in fact it's pretty messed up. I wonder if he regrets going to the Hellfire Club.

Despite the superhero context, Grant Morrison does a swell job of portraying an AMAB person withdrawing from masculine-coded spaces and expectations, at least in my experience. Especially when you're friends with people like Logan, whose only mode is toxic hypermasculinity. I think if he was framed as being unequivocally right it'd be overpowering. Morrison's issues with writing women are on display, but overall this issue is powerful, especially for the time.

[ariays]

The Significance of Kitty & Minho Bookending Both Season 1 and Season 2 in XO Kitty

Yes, I'm here again with another analysis because why not?

So previously, I mentioned the term bookending. & I just thought that it would be nice to elaborate on that.

So firstly, what is bookending?

It is a storytelling technique where a narrative begins and ends with the same event, character interaction, setting, or theme. It is a method that is often used to create symmetry, reinforce themes, highlight character growth, or foreshadow key relationships.

Storytelling is rarely accidental—especially in romance-driven narratives like XO Kitty. One of the most deliberate yet overlooked narrative choices in both Season 1 and Season 2 is how Kitty and Minho’s relationship is bookended—they are the first and last people she interacts with in both seasons. This framing technique is often used to subtly highlight a relationship’s significance, and in this case, it strongly suggests that Kitty and Minho’s story was always meant to be a slow-burn romance.

When two characters are both the first and last interaction in a season, it’s rarely coincidental. It is to:

Signify that the relationship is central to the protagonist’s journey.

Showcase how much their dynamic has evolved over time.

Foreshadow their long-term importance to each other.

For Kitty and Minho, the fact that this happens in both seasons is a strong indication that their connection is not just a subplot—it’s one of the core emotional arc of the story.

So let us break it down:

Season 1: The Beginning & End with Minho

First Interaction: The first person Kitty physically bumps into at the airport on her way to Korea (signifying the beginning of her journey) is Minho. This is their very first meeting, setting the tone for their playful, sometimes antagonistic, but always high-energy dynamic.

Last Interaction: The season ends with Minho’s confession—a moment that completely shifts their relationship. And instead of rejecting him outright, Kitty smiles. It’s a small but telling reaction—if she truly felt nothing, there would be no hesitation.

& before people come up to say that the smile was only shown in Season 2 when they re-shot the scene...

This is a screenshot from Season 1 where you can see her slight contemplating smile (with About Love by MARINA playing in the background, mind you).

Why It Matters: The fact that Kitty’s first and last interactions in Season 1 are with Minho shows that he was always meant to be a significant part of her story. The show could have ended the season with anyone—Dae, Yuri, or even a solo moment of self-reflection. But instead, they chose to end with Minho’s confession. That’s not an accident—it’s intentional storytelling, subtly planting the seeds for future development.

Season 2: The Pattern Repeats—Minho Comes First & Last Again

First Love Interest She Sees: In Season 2, the first love interest Kitty locks eyes with is Minho. While Dae is technically present (standing right beside Minho), the camera deliberately focuses on Kitty looking at Minho. This is a classic storytelling technique used to subtly emphasize a character’s importance to the protagonist.

Last Interaction: Once again, the season ends with Minho and Kitty. But this time, things are even more emotionally complicated.

Kitty realizes her feelings for Minho, but she’s too scared to confess. She convinces herself that he has moved on, and the fear of rejection holds her back. Meanwhile, Minho is actively repressing his feelings. After his failed relationship with Stella and seeing Kitty’s complicated emotions regarding Yuri, he convinces himself that moving on is the only option. He even goes so far as to swear off relationships entirely.

Why It Matters: The fact that, once again, the season ends with Minho and Kitty means their story is still unfinished. No matter what happens in the middle, the narrative keeps circling back to them.

The Parallel to K-Drama Romance Structure

In K-dramas, the first person the protagonist meets in a new place often represents fate or destiny—and Kitty’s first physical interaction in Korea was with Minho at the airport.

The “first and last” interaction trope is often used to signal who the true endgame is—the person the protagonist starts and ends their journey with is usually their true match.

By structuring both seasons the same way, the show is subtly preparing the audience for their eventual romance.

The Parallels Between Season 1 & Season 2 (Between Minho & Kitty)

While XO Kitty explores multiple love interests, Minho and Kitty have scenes that directly parallel each other from Season 1 to Season 2. These mirroring moments serve as a way to track their emotional development and reinforce their importance to the story.

Season 1: Minho watches Kitty and Dae at the party → Season 2: Kitty watches Minho and Stella dancing at the ball.

In Season 1, Minho was unknowingly affected by seeing Kitty with Dae. In Season 2, Kitty experiences the exact same thing—showing that now she’s the one realizing her feelings.

Season 1: Minho sees Kitty in slow motion, feels attracted to her, then panics when he realizes it's Kitty and screams "NO!" in denial. → Season 2: Kitty sees Minho in slow motion—not once, but twice.

Minho’s slow-motion moment in Season 1 was a comedic way to show his growing attraction, but in Season 2, Kitty has two slow-mo moments of her own—this time, with much more emotional weight, showing her realization.

Season 1: Minho saves Kitty from the fire on her skirt. → Season 2: Kitty saves Minho from his family's reputation being tarnished by Stella's plans.

In Season 1, Minho literally puts out a fire for Kitty, protecting her. In Season 2, Kitty does the same thing metaphorically—protecting Minho from a social firestorm that could have hurt his family. Can I also add that both scenarios happened in similar settings? One is on stage while the other is back stage.

Season 1: Minho confesses, "I think I fell in love with you… a little bit… or a lot." → Season 2: Kitty has an inner monologue, "I have fallen for Minho… a little bit… or a lot."

This is the most important parallel. Minho was the first to confess his feelings in Season 1, but by Season 2, Kitty finally acknowledges her own feelings—mirroring his words exactly. The fact that her confession was internal rather than spoken aloud adds tension for the upcoming Season 3, setting up a major moment where she will have to verbalize it.

The Emotional Progression Between Bookends

Season 1 starts with Minho being dismissive of Kitty → Ends with him realizing his feelings and confessing.

Season 2 starts with Kitty locking eyes with Minho first → Ends with her realizing her own feelings, but being too scared to confess.

Each season follows a clear pattern, showing that their relationship is evolving step by step. The reason it hasn’t happened yet is because both of them have been in denial, not because the connection isn’t there.

Foreshadowing for Season 3

If Season 1 was about Minho realizing his feelings, and Season 2 was about Kitty realizing hers, then Season 3 will likely be about them finally acknowledging their love for each other and acting on it. Their bookended interactions and season-long parallels have been leading toward something bigger, and Season 3 will be the moment they finally break past their fears and come together. I think we can expect a major confession scene from Kitty—one where she has to face her feelings out loud, just like Minho did in Season 1.

In Conclusion

The bookending of their interactions in both seasons, paired with their direct scene parallels, is not a coincidence—it’s a deliberate narrative choice that:

Establishes Minho as a consistent presence in Kitty’s life.

Marks their relationship as a key focus of the series.

Shows their emotional and relational growth.

Foreshadows their eventual romance.

By structuring both seasons the same way—starting and ending with Kitty and Minho—and including multiple mirrored moments between them, the show is subtly telling us that their story isn’t just important, it’s inevitable.

This isn’t a random ship gaining popularity—it was always part of the plan.

[thollandsgirl2013]

Hi could you do a tom x reader one where the reader brings tom over to meet her family and it doesn't go over well because they think that since he's a celebrity that he's just using the reader

Hello! It's really short. Hope you still enjoy.

༻﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡༺

𝐔𝐧𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞

Parings → Tom Holland x Reader

Warnings → none

Summary → Meeting your parents for the first time doesn't go well.

(gif not mine)

You knew this was going to be a disaster the moment Tom walked through the door.

Your mom’s polite but stiff smile. Your dad’s too-long stare. Your older brother, Jake, crossing his arms and giving Tom the same look he used to give your high school dates—the “don’t mess with my sister” glare.

Tom, bless his heart, was trying. He had brought a bottle of wine for your parents, greeted them with a respectful handshake, and even complimented your mom’s cooking. But none of it seemed to be working.

"So, Tom," your dad started, cutting into his food, "how serious is this thing with my daughter?"

You tensed, fork halfway to your mouth. Tom, ever the gentleman, swallowed his bite and answered honestly.

"Very serious, sir," he said, voice steady. "I love her."

Your mom’s hand twitched around her glass of water. Your brother scoffed.

"Love her, huh?" Jake muttered. "Forgive me if I find that hard to believe. You're a celebrity. You could have anyone. Why her?"

Your stomach sank. "Jake—"

"No, it’s okay," Tom said, placing a reassuring hand on your knee under the table. His expression was calm, but you could see the slight tension in his jaw.

"I get it," he continued, looking directly at Jake. "You think I’m with her for… what? A publicity stunt? A good time?"

"Wouldn’t be the first time a Hollywood guy did that," your dad added gruffly.

You turned to him in disbelief. "Dad—"

"No, let’s be honest here," he said. "You’re young, famous, rich. You live in a world that’s completely different from ours. I just don’t see how someone like you would want something real with my daughter."

Silence stretched across the table. Your appetite was gone.

Tom exhaled slowly, setting his fork down. When he looked at your family again, there was no charm, no Hollywood smile—just raw honesty.

"You’re right," he admitted. "I do live in a different world. And I won’t pretend it’s not crazy sometimes. But none of that changes how I feel about her." His hand tightened around yours. "I love her. Not because she’s some ‘normal’ escape from fame, not because it looks good, but because she’s her. She makes me happy. She keeps me grounded. And I want to be with her for as long as she’ll have me."

Your mom’s expression softened, but your dad still looked skeptical. Jake, however, was watching Tom closely, like he was weighing his words.

"You say that now," Jake said, "but what happens when things get hard? When your job takes you away for months? When tabloids start making up rumors? What then?"

Tom didn’t hesitate. "Then I fight for her. Just like I’m doing right now."

For the first time that evening, Jake didn’t have a comeback.

The room was quiet, heavy with unspoken thoughts. Then, finally, your dad sighed, setting his knife down.

"We’ll see," he said. "Time will tell if you mean what you say."

It wasn’t an acceptance, but it wasn’t a rejection either. It was something.

You squeezed Tom’s hand under the table, silently telling him you were proud of him. He squeezed back, a small, knowing smile playing at his lips.

No, tonight hadn’t been perfect. But you had no doubt—Tom wasn’t going anywhere.

And one day, your family would see that too.

°:. *₊ ° . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ° .•

[autumnmobile12]

Safe And Sound

The first night he’d returned home, after he’d finally been discharged from the hospital, she must’ve checked his room at least ten times just to make sure he hadn’t disappeared again.  She’d tried to be quiet about it, but the misery of everything the doctor had said and his parents’ unanimous rejection had made him restless and he woke up every time his door slid open.  The second night was the same, but on the third, he’d ventured out of bed before Fuyumi could start her new ritual, sneaking into her room and crawling under the blanket with her.

“I thought I’d save you the trouble.”

Full story here.

...

I really love how this one turned out. Maybe it's weird to say, but I can almost hear them breathing, you know?

Touya lets Fuyumi keep an arm wrapped around him, but he keeps his own arms pulled in close and only holds her hand because he, at this point, is not ready to be completely vulnerable with her after everything he went through.

They are sixteen and fifteen years old.

…

Art inspired by 'Safe and Sound' by Taylor Swift ft. The Civil Wars, and by this screenshot from Castlevania Nocturne.

[tinrange]

Recently completed Marahuyo Project after hearing it reccomended on @the-conversation-pod and found it such a lovely and empathetic look at multiple queer experiences.

But what really touched me was the depiction of Archie in the story. The story of being a "gay bully" has been discussed To Death, brought back to life, and discussed To Death Once Again. But it still holds a lot or merit for me, Archie is not simply a bystander the same way Ino is. He misgenders Venice, he berates both her and King, and even by the end he has to choose Against his own community.

But I found in his story something thats been missing in much queer media lately, something i also loved and appreciated about LITBC, and its that Archie was never under any delusion he would be accepted. He was never, both when he was openly friends with Christina and Venice and after Christinas passing, wondering if the reaction would be positive or negative. He knew and knows exactly the reaction, and he knows it will be worse for him than anyone else around, even Ino.

When ppl discuss life in the closet, especially in the context of BLs, its an internal struggle. Even when the reaction is negative, the first battle that the characters go through is mainly whether they can Handle whatever reaction they recieve. A major anxiety concern is the surprise of it all, the relief of having seen the reaction, whether it be positive or negative, is as important as what actually happens.

But Archie doesnt have that anxiety, the courage hes mustering isnt for somethong as grand as revealing himself. He is so suppressed by his environment that even the slightest diversion is enough to warrant suspicion and fear that keeps him strictly in line. King being actually assaulted is violent and terrifying, similar to when his mother cuts his hair. But nobody needs to do anything to Archie, hes choking himself and keeping himself in check.

Even when he admits it to himself that hes One Of Us while talking to Venice, it does nothing for him. In comparison to Inos declaration to King, Archies knowledge of himself is a well worn fact. One hes pored over again and again hoping to change, one he knows intimately and that wears him down from the inside. Archie is religious, he does believe and his fear is not just bred from a person seeking acceptance but a fear of retribution amplified by the loss of his friend. Religion and queerness are not irreconcilable to many, but whats hard go reconcile is the internal and external abuse held together to keep those with that experience in check. The isolation leads to a rejection of the self and an embracing of the communal, which is why queer Communities and friend groups are such vital foundational concepts. One person is not a community, and the show makes that explicitly clear through the contrast of his love and care for Venice and his community mindedness.

Venice is sure to remind him that coming out is not the only kind of courage, but both she and King are brave. They have that courage, but they also have love surrounding them. Lorie never had any real people to lose outside of Lili. Its telling that Ino is only really ready when his father is willing to be there. But Archie knows he will never have that, he believes his family because he cares about them and doesnt want to lose them, but he doesnt dream of changing their minds. He can try with all his might, but his circumstances will never change and thats a major part of his tragedy. His coming out will leave him isolated, if free, and is so reflective of an underdiscussed closet journey.

[moo1982]

Sauron the idealist

We have seen Sauron's behaviour be rather opportunistic so far. He has helped Galadriel and others but there always seems to be an ulterior motive. His actions are strategic with gains for him on multiple fronts. Yet he is also a visionary and seems to be committed to his vision: Healing /ordering/saving Middle Earth and binding Galadriel and her light to his very being. Galadriel has been the inspiration of this vision. She has unknowingly shaped who he is now. He greatly admires her own commitment to her cause, even if that had been to find him and destroy him. They are both idealists and have behaved in a rogue fashion to accomplish what they believed was right. Sauron would continue in this way, completely rejecting and disrupting the status quo, the current order, the Valar, Elven kings, kings of men, and of course he despises the hoi polloi: all that exists for him is his vision and him and Galadriel being together as one, nothing else matters. In some way his commitment to his vision makes him capable of the most extreme levels of romanticism. He is treading on a fine line between being a visionary and being delusional. Galadriel is terrified of where the pull she feels for Sauron and what he represents could lead her. Even when she overcomes this fear, which I hope we will see with the development of her own powers and their interactions through their mind connection, what will separate them is that she believes in others, in being part of a whole, she is a true leader. Sauron on the other hand is an extreme idealist, capable of the most hyenous crimes to accomplish his vision. And at the same time he is hopelessly romantic: he will keep his mind open to Galadriel for all eternity just to feel her presence. What other desperately romantic things is he going to do? Bind himself to a ring forged with his and Galadriel's blood? Keep saving and helping Galadriel at his own detriment in the hope she will one day accept him? I think actions of desperate romanticism align well with his depiction of an extreme visionary and adds to the complexity of his character. I hope we get to see them.

[guroshitz]

CABIN GROUP HEADCANONS !!

since Pete was a huuuge influence on nick, he also had an impact on Nick's music taste. Pete was a huge fan of metal, so is nick! he would enjoy doom/stoner metal the most.

Luke is the complete opposite of nick, he would enjoy country, also songs like barbie girl, and artists like sir mix-a-lot. he would definitely force nick to listen to those with him.

Carlos isn't an actual doctor and he wasn't before the apocalypse. the medical knowledge he has is from books he read to take care of his loved ones, and his wife, who was a nurse taught him something too. as seen in the game, he isn't perfect, although he is trying his best.

when the group arrived to the cabin, the previous owners left their belongings behind, including board games. and each night the group would relax and spend time together, hanging out and getting to know each other, especially when playing board games.

Sarah's mother, despite her job as a nurse who is supposed to take care of people, was neglectful of her daughter, not understanding her issues either. Carlos divorced with her when Sarah was still young and it happened before the apocalypse. he took the custody of the young girl and became overprotective of her, especially after the outbreak which resulted in not letting her adapt to the present world.

Rebecca was in the mean popular girls cliché back in the highschool.

Luke was chubby before the outbreak, and he still may have some chub. it's his body type, since he worked on the farm he burnt a lot of calories but still stayed chubby.

Alvin and Rebecca met at the ski resort, and with each anniversary they would go skiing here.

Nick's mom was really young when she had him, around 19-21. she didn't have any plans yet, and his biological father was reckless and preferred partying rather than taking care of his own son. luckily Pete was here for him.

Sarah loves playing with dolls or some kind of figurines. she would get every member of the group to play with her, the best people to play with her would be Alvin and Luke (except Carlos because he is her dad). Alvin is soon to be dad and his tender personality is great to play with children, and Luke is naturally good with kids and would be like a big brother to Sarah sometimes. the most irritable would be Nick and Rebecca, Nick just wouldn't know how to handle it and get irritated easily or just ruin the whole fun. Rebecca would try her best, but not always understand and get irritated, which would make her feel bad. she would try to work on it though, for the sake of her baby and as she doesn't want to make Sarah sad. Sarah would never ask Pete, though.

Nick and Luke met in the 1st grade of elementary school. Nick was a shy and quite troublesome kid, and Luke was the type of kid who was always in the center of everyone's attention. despite their different personalities, they got along pretty quickly, often hanging out on both of their families' farms.

Rebecca came from an abusive household and is guarded and may seem hostile at first, but deep down she is a really caring, and has a soft spot for people who went through family abuse as well. she tends to hide her true emotions behind a "tough bitch" facade, but when she is alone with Alvin, whom she trusts the most, breaks down in tears to let out the pent up emotions in her.

Alvin gives the best hugs in the entire world. he's like a teddy bear.

Sarah's PTSD might come from the time she spent in Howe's, seeing the violence and innocent people's death caused by Carver. she is particularly afraid of him, the fear she is experiencing affects her usual life a lot, her sleep too, she often has nightmares and has to be comforted by Carlos.

Luke never had luck with women, they always rejected him. he never gave up though and kept talking to them. Nick, seeing how unlucky his best friend was, never even tried to get with ANYONE.

let me know if you want me to post more headcanons!

[forcebookish]

damn remember when ichigo went full hollow and orihime was terrified of him but when ulquiorra, someone she has only known as a hollow and kidnapped her by threatening to murder all her friends and spent her whole imprisonment intimidating her, asked her if she was afraid of him she said she wasn't

🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃

LIKE WHAT WAS I SUPPOSED TO DO WITH THAT????????

[bet-on-me-13]

Danny commits to the Bit a bit too hard...

So! For the first few weeks after his accident, whenever Danny would try to help the people of Amity Park, he would be treated as a Villain.

No matter if he had just defeated the Big Bad of the Week or saved a Cat from a tree, everybody in town only saw him as a Monster or Villain to he feared and hunted down. Danny was really getting sick of trying to get them on his side, until Sam made a suggestion.

"Why not just...play into it?" She said, barely looking up from painting her nails.

It was just an offhand suggestion, but it stuck with Danny. Why shouldn't he lean into it? The people of Amity Park already saw Ghosts as Evil, and they already assumed he was in cahoots with the Ghosts attacking the town. Why shouldn't he just...play into it?

So he does just that.

From that day on, whenever Phantom was spotted he would dramatically monologue about his Evil Plans, or claim that another Rogues attack on the City was his own act of terror.

Box Ghost destroys the towns Warehouses? It was on his orders.

Ember mind controls masses of Teenagers? All part of his Plans somehow.

Every Adult in Town is kidnapped by Young Blood? Danny gave them over to a friend as a Gift.

He crafts an identity for himself as the most Vile and Horrible Ghost that has ever attacked the City, using his own infamy to cement his legend even more firmly. The town only sees a Monsterous Villain, who has eveded capture near effortlessly for months on end, who constantly attacks their City and gets away with it.

Of course he still needs an excuse for how his plans keep getting stopped, and he gets it when his girlfriend Valerie becomes the Red Huntress. Before that, he just claimed infighting or the Fentons getting lucky, but Valerie becoming the Town's Hero meant he had a plausible excuse for how he kept getting "Foiled".

Val was suspicious, because she was not as involved as Phantom painted her to be, but in the end she had no proof of him faking his defeats. And she couldn't come up with any explanations for why he would do that in the first place. I mean, who would fake being a Supervillain? It had to he something else.

This did come back to bite him a while later, when the Justice League decided that enough was enough, and dispatched Justice League Dark to recruit Red Huntress and help Deal with him.

Coincidentally, that was the same day Pariah Dark attacked the Mortal Realm and sucked Amity Park into the Ghost Zone.

And honestly? Danny had spent over a Year proclaiming himself as a Villain who commanded Ghosts to attack the Human Realm, and he had heard about the Right of Conquest being Absolute in the Ghost Zone, so why not make it official? Why not overthrow the Ghost King, become the Ghost King, and cement his identity as a Villain while also forbidding Ghosts from entering the Human Realm without his permission?

He may have gotten a bit carried away and forgotten that the Villain thing was a disguise...but hey! He was still preventing Ghost Attacks! ...mostly. That's got to count for something right?

He may have let the Bit run a bit too far...

...

Check the tags for more context!

[notacatdown]

yes and no. they definitely shouldve had one, but how things flow in the drama (i didnt read the novel so feel free to educate me!), between all that happens in ep 7 and ep 8, it almost felt like there was no time for that to happen. if anything, maybe instead of his percent going up from being jealous of seeing her with fuyi, they couldve done something there, but the version of ziqi theyre trying to portray is one who is already beginning to like her romantically, skipping over the friendship part and just wanting to Be Together. like a desperate lovesick puppy

I figure ep 9 is a better place to respond than your ep 4 rewatch because it's here that Miaomiao says Mu Sheng should go see a therapist. The drama keeps a lot of the novel's dialogue about how Mu Sheng sees himself (he's tired of his life, he thinks that his death is the ideal solution to everything, he believes that his only purpose in life is to protect Mu Yao, etc), but it doesn't go into detail. How does a person with such deep loathing for himself and suicidal tendencies behave?

In the novel, the moment when he realizes how much he wants her affection and her warmth, he instinctively wants to kill that desire for self-protection. He believes that he's a monster and only a saint like Mu Yao will care about him. He fears rejection and believes that it's inevitable, so he wants to get rid of her. But at the same time, he really wants her attention and gets upset when she ignores him. The more he likes her, the more he gets scared of what he thinks will happen. He doesn't have the sense of security to want to enter a romantic relationship yet.

(Whereas in ep 8, it seems as if Miaomiao had said she likes him instead of saying she cares about him because she's his disciple, he wouldn't try to send her away. His fear is that she will reveal his secret to Mu Yao.)

He hates himself, so he keep sabotaging his relationships. He has to believe he's deserving of love and friendship to stop pushing her away. And even then, healthy behavior isn't the absence of bad behavior. It's a completely new set of behavior that happy people learn from their interactions with parents as children. For a person like Mu Sheng, who didn't come from a happy family, he has to learn it as an adult from Miaomiao.

We can sort of see this in the drama too when Mu Sheng says he doesn't like to argue with Mu Yao in ep 4. 

I really like how you phrased his mindset in that moment "placating her and telling her he doesn't like arguing with her, that sister knows best, just because he can't deal with hearing her say these hurtful things anymore, and he cant handle it if his sister has such a negative view of him, all while hes trying to smile. its genuinely hurting him internally, as we see in a moment. "

In the novel scenes where he thinks/says those lines, he's innocent of what Mu Yao is accusing him of even though it looks incriminating. Mu Yao gives him time to explain, but he doesn't want to. He wants the conversation to end as fast as possible. As the readers, we can see that this sort of misunderstanding has happened so many times in the past and shaped Mu Yao's view of him, but she still asks him. She desperately wants him to be innocent, but he's so stuck in his negative emotions that he can't see this.

"if you think it was me, then it was me." This new line and his expression when he says this is so perfect for how Mu Sheng views himself in the novel. His self-esteem is a house of cards shakily propped up by how Mu Yao and Miaomiao view him. He places Mu Yao and Miaomiao on a pedestal, and I like how the novel shows this places an unfair burden on Mu Yao and Miaomiao. I don't think this aspect is shown in the drama.

Anyways, I like that we get to see a different take on their relationship in the drama. I just wish the drama spent more time on it, especially their relationship as fan/reader and author.

—

since mu sheng is xia ziqi's self-insert, who does that make yao (not that she has to be a specific someone, i just mean does she stem from somewhere)? 

I viewed it as this is how a teenage boy would write an empowered woman. Except for a few scenes closely adapted from the novel, she doesn't have emotional fragility. In the novel, Fu Zhou is a female author, has no connection to Mu Sheng, and the story is not a dream. So, the characters that a teenage boy writes would be different from the characters that a woman would write. It would have been interesting to see the female protagonists that Fu Zhou writes as an adult. I'm curious how Fu Zhou would portray Mu Yao in his revised version. I think she would be more nuanced.

The drama removes three female characters (Lin Yu's aunt, Mu Yao's biological mother, and Mu Yao's father's legal wife) and adds four male characters and one female character (Cuicui, Guo Xiu, the marquis, Liu Fuyi's master, and Liu-niang). The novel's final mystery arc is female-centric. It can be viewed as a tale of four mothers, the sacrifices they've made, and how that shaped their children in a patriarchal society part 2. 

(Which sounds depressing, but it's being revealed during the happiest time in Mu Sheng and Mu Yao's lives. Their childhoods sucked, but they met people that love them and helped them walk out the shadows of their childhood, and their future will be so happy. I think this is why the author chose to reveal their parents' stories this way.)

Although I want to protest about screenwriters that change female-centric novels to focus on the male protagonist in xianxia drama adaptations, it wouldn't make sense that a teenage boy would write that type of story. He doesn't understand how women think or how motherhood changes and impacts women.

"again, i think miaomiao is disregarding that this is a parallel universe, since she just sees it as the book's world and everyone is pretend, so venting like this, especially to ziqi, is not something that she has to hesitate about. they dont understand, and they dont fully question her, so why not speak to them as if they arent real people? at this point in the series, thats still how she sees them."

When I rewatch the part where she's sharing her vulnerable thoughts to him, I wish we could have gotten a scene where they're themselves with their memories intact and continued this conversation. It would have been such a good resolution! We never get to see them on the same page. We find out that Catching Demons is like a love letter to Miaomiao, but Miaomiao doesn't know that. I feel like I went to a restaurant, patiently waited for the chef to cook, enjoyed tasting while waiting, and right after the splendid meal was about to be served, the restaurant closed and takeout wasn't allowed.

"i like that after 5 years of traveling together the name ziqi has not come up once."

Lol. Shows that Mu Sheng has no friends T.T Strangers would call him Mu-gongzi/Young Master Mu to be polite. Mu Yao and Liu Fuyi call him Ah'Sheng. His mom calls him Sheng'er. In the novel, Miaomiao is the only one that calls him by Mu Sheng or Ziqi. I like that the marquis refers to him as that Ziqi guy because that's how he hears Miaomiao's address for Mu Sheng. That was a nice detail.

and yes, miaomiao has clearly changed a lot in the story, yet with how she is supposed to escape, the system will still ensure that she gets through it similarly, since she HAS to defeat the resentful woman, so the story has to continue,

I keep forgetting the system gives her two goals in the drama. I think this is because we only see Miaomiao working on Mu Sheng's favorability % and Mu Yao and Liu Fuyi's relationship. Let me know if I'm wrong or if I miss something. In the novel, she works on finding out more about the final boss and increasing her fighting ability to prepare for the ending throughout the story.

—

When I was re-watching the drama, I noticed how the omission of very minor details changed how I view Miaomiao. For example, in the novel, when Mu Sheng sticks the immobilizing charm on her to snatch Liu Fuyi's sachet from her, MiaoMiao's first thought is on the charm, how cool and useful it is. She asks him for one. It shows that she cares more about the demon hunter world and planning for future dangers over Mu Sheng and his petty behavior.

but hes so annoyed LOL. using a control talisman because HE WANTS THAT DANG IT. no hesitation at ALL.

ahhhhhh looking at the sachet for a moment and then her as he goes to grab it. he wants to intimidate and tease her so badlyyyyyyy

Oh Mu Sheng, if only you kept this jealous behavior and ripped off the love bracelet. What was the point of testing the bracelet? He should have just yanked the bracelet off. It's like seeing people on fire and not wanting to get close to them to throw water over them because they're naked. In an emergency situation, there is an exemption for everyday politeness.

In a magical world where a single talisman can make someone execute a complicated action and one person has the power to alter the memories of an entire village for years on end, and there's no magical way to check, an experienced demon hunter like Mu Sheng should have basic safety protocols. If she isn't acting like herself, the first step should be to strip her down to make sure there's no hidden magical item and question her to pinpoint when their memory or behavior changed.

and how he looks surprised "its a sachet" / "doesnt it look like that?" my guy what skills do you possess besides being super hot? because idk i havent quite seen them

Lol. Is it clear in the drama that he's terrible because this is the first time he's made a protective sachet? In the novel, the first ones that he offers Miaomiao are three lumpy bags crammed with talismans. He stayed up the rest of the night after their 5-in-a-row games to make them. Gets rejected by Miaomiao. Later on, he forcefully gives her one that's just as nice as Liu Fuyi's. Presumably, he's been secretly working on perfecting his sachet making skills.

crossing his armmmmssss i LOVE how much he does that and how LITTLE fuyi does it. like absolute foils for each other. wait. are mu sheng and liu fuyi supposed to be two sides of ziqi? ive considered it but i dont know. blah, i dont want to talk about this right now, so many of you are much better at this than i am.

This would have been so interesting for the drama to explore! I wish we got to see them interact more beyond that drinking their sorrows away scene. Early on in the novel, Mu Sheng has a one-sided competition going on with Liu Fuyi. Liu Fuyi is oblivious to this. As he likes himself more, he does this less. By the final story arc, he doesn't react negatively when Liu Fuyi consoles him about something. He still gets jealous of Liu Fuyi, but he recognizes that it's his problem and that it isn't okay to act out his jealousy. Mu Sheng's precious character growth!

hes just so pretty, even blurred. AND SO IS YAO. mu siblings gorgeous genes even tho theyre not blood-related.

Pretty fan art of these three from xiaohongshu.

i find that on rewatch, i like cuicui less and less? i had no problem with him on my first watch, and he doesnt even do anything wrong. i think i just found it grating to go through his scenes again LOL. like goddammit just give me the romance and action!

My tipping point for Cuicui was ep 21. I wish we could have seen Miaomiao supporting Mu Sheng after he spits out blood during the battle scene instead of having to hold a 150-year old bamboo demon. It would make sense that CuiCui was stuck in his original form because of the pressure of the formation. His role is to help push them together, but he's always standing between them and literally keeping them apart. I can see why fans are so upset about his character on Weibo and Douban.

(Feel free to ignore this ranting. Got carried away. I get so annoyed whenever I think about this. 

Ep 23 was the final straw. I watch the drama at 2x speed in any scene he's in. In the novel, we have Miaomiao idly playing with Mu Sheng's hair and him getting super flustered. She handfeeds him her snacks or any food that she enjoys with him, but it has now become the exclusive-privilege of Cuicui.

In the last third of the novel, even when she's talking to someone else, she notices when Mu Sheng is sad. She has become as sensitive to him as he is to her. She reaches out to hold his hand when he sits down next to her. She half-hugs him and holds his hands to make dumplings. Just little moments.

Instead, we have this in the drama:

In ep 14, Mu Sheng walks away because he's upset and jealous. After a similar situation in the novel, MiaoMiao drank a bit to get courage and went to Mu Sheng's room to apologize for poking at his sore spot. She ends up drinking way too much. After she apologizes, she rambles on that she's worried about him. That he should like someone like her. That he would be happy with her. That she would pamper him. She kisses him on the cheek and then tries to wipe her rouge off his cheek. This is how Mu Sheng knows that Miaomiao likes him.

How did they go from this to needing a 10-year old child to progress their relationship? Cuicui spilling Miaomiao's crush to Mu Sheng even though she told him not to.)

Sorry, this got too long. I've never felt so frustrated by any drama character before. More than any other reason, Cuicui is the reason why I only re-watch up to ep 8. I was curious to read your thoughts on ep 9 because you've pointed out so many things I missed, so I continued. I can just scroll past the Cuicui parts.

THE STUNNED LOOK ON HIS FACE LMAO. hes like "what did i do? did i do something wrong?" but then hes thinking "she is way too upset about this. what is wrong with her?"

i think she also feels very, again, shy over this whole thing, because of the meaning of putting a ring on her finger in her world, and wants an excuse to get it off. which is why she asks for his demon staff. 

ziqi is so unserious. like not only does he not want to indulge in an emotional convo but he also has to pick on her and take personal offense.

miaomiao only taking fuyis hand. yeah thats on purpose.

say what youd like but i think he stares at her chest because he wants to confront her by looking at her face but cant, so he settles for that, then perhaps realizes that its inappropriate, so he looks back down. im just reading into things, thats what i do here.

Your observations are so fun to read! Would add a star to this drama's rating for it. Thank you for sharing!

lgief rewatch ep. 9

yay ep 9! lots of shy ziqi AND miaomiao moments~ thats basically most of what this episode is to me minus the few times miaomiao discusses her world/CD world and the novel storyline.

if youd like to discuss lgief, feel free to send me asks, chats, or reply to any of these posts.

ep 1 / ep 2 / ep 3 / ep 4 pre-festival / ep 4 festival / ep 5, 5 part 2 / ep 6 / ep 7 / ep 8 / ep 9

following up to the ending of ep 8, we see ziqi STILL HOLDING HER HAND after putting on the ring.

and when miaomiao rips her hand away, hes like "wtf?"

did they put rings on fingers back then for marriage (yes im too lazy to look it up, sue me)? regardless, this feels like, even if it is, ziqi is clueless regardless, because he has no romantic awareness.

he purses his lips because he feels like hes committed some faux pax, but he doesnt know what, so he has to ask. the way he asks is so gentle, he really wants to know ;_;

miaomiao doesnt wanna tell! i think she was truly feeling some attraction towards him in this moment, but shes shy, and if she tried to tell him, hed make fun of her, or he wouldnt get it.

THE STUNNED LOOK ON HIS FACE LMAO. hes like "what did i do? did i do something wrong?" but then hes thinking "she is way too upset about this. what is wrong with her?" and maybe he also, though this is just me making things up, felt some sort of jamais vu, perhaps.

cut to her feeling like shes just gotta drop it now because hes watching her and sent her here to practice.

he looks. so good.

LOL its so funny she says she doesnt think its as good as the ladle when it very clearly is. i think she just wanted to get out of training here.

the way that as SOON as she hears him take in a breath she says "dont call me stupid" and she can barely look him in the eye when she says that. hes so cute for obliging.

i think she also feels very, again, shy over this whole thing, because of the meaning of putting a ring on her finger in her world, and wants an excuse to get it off. which is why she asks for his demon staff. the way she shuffles over is so fucking funny. oh miaomiao, never change.

fully reblogged ver here

[fulcrum-art-fox]

Okay there’s a lot about Mikio asking Mizu to show him all of herself and then rejecting her but like. “Unsheathe it. Show me your blade.” This from Mizu, who fully believes the whole “the sword is the soul of the samurai” thing, basically asking the same of Mikio. Show me your blade; show me your soul; show me who you are. And she even throws him her sword, because she is truly giving him all of herself in this scene, and she wants the same of him. Honesty. Openness. Truth. And ultimately he does show her who he is, and it fucks them, because who he is is a man who cannot handle her as she really is. Unsheathing their blades ruins them, because it uncovers the truth: they were never compatible, not as who they really are. It was always a lie, a performance; a pretty dream that cannot withstand the light of day