#but there is a clear answer TO ME and i'm curious if everyone agrees

[suw4]

Homesick

Terushima Yuji from Haikyuu!!

an/tw: that one training camp arc in s2 except johzenji was apart of it too;just for the plot. in need of angst, request some angst kskwkwjsdjj

requested on wattpad

Masterlist | Haikyuu!! Masterlist

"Oh my," Shirofuku, the reddish brown-haired Fukurodani manager, muttered. Clutching the big empty plate close to her chest. "Look at how he handles that knife," Suzumeda, the second manager added. The managers stood by the counter in the kitchen as they watched Johzenji's male manager sliced up the watermelon. He noticed the two and smiled softly at them, still handling the fruit. "Oh, are the plates ready? I'm finishing up soon. Give me a moment," he gently informed them, to which they nodded. Walking closer to where he stood, observing him.

The other Johzenji manager then walked into the kitchen. Wondering where her second year was. "Oh! [Name]-kun! There you are. I've been looking for you. Wow, where did these watermelons come from?" Misaki pondered. "The parents from Shinzen High gave us a few. They offered to cut them, but I volunteered instead. I didn’t want to trouble them," [Name] replied as he cut the last slice. After that, he asked the Fukurodani girls to plate them nicely. "Hey, [N/n]-kun. Don't you think you're helping us a lot already? You should take a break. We managers, need a break too, y'know?" his senior mumbled warily. Though, he only shook his head. "No, I'm fine. I'm actually trying to get away from the crowd a little,"

"Oh? Is it too much for you?" she tilted her head. The other managers listening in curiosity. "Not particularly. How do I put it?" he trailed off as he helped the girls to put the last piece onto the third plate. "Homesick? I don't know the exact term, but I can't really adjust here," he admitted embarrassingly, clearing his throat as the said symptom was acting up. Facing away from the others to wash his hands and the kitchen tools. "Is that foolish?" he continued. "Nope! It's a valid reason. There were a few players admitting to us about that before, it’s common," Suzumeda assured him, Shirofuku nodding as to agree with her. Chomping down a slice of watermelon. "If you're feeling unwell, you can always rely on us!" she beamed.

[Name] thanked the girls for the reassurance. They grinned and bid a short farewell before going out to the gymnasium to give out the fruits. Misaki then took the last plate and glanced over to the two who had walked out. She then heard the [h/c] haired sighed heavily. "[Name]-kun. Would you like me to call him over to check on you? I'm sure you'll feel better," she peeped closer to the male. Patting his back. "Nah. It's alright. I'll manage," he answered. The other exhaled. "Okay then. Don't overwork yourself!" she warned him before catching up with the other managers.

The three girls announced happily to the volleyball players about the fruits. Cheers erupted amongst the boys. Practice matches came to a stop, and everyone went outside to taste the heavenly juices of the watermelon. Freshly replenishing their thirst and hunger. Yuji then walked up to his manager, taking one slice for himself. "Hana-san. Where's [N/n]?" he asked, curious about the [h/c] head. "Oh. Hm... He's in the kitchen washing the bottles. You should go see him," she told him. This perked the wing spiker. "Why? Is he okay? Is he sick???" he blurted out, worried. Before Misaki could answer, he was already on the way to the kitchen. He wanted to see [Name] right away.

"[N/N]!!!!!!!!!!" Yuji yelled, rushing towards the kitchen area. Slamming the door open and jumping onto the male. Almost losing his balance. Luckily, he was able to react quickly. Dropping the bottles into the sink and caught him. "Yu?? Why are you here? Ow!" The volleyball player slapped a hand on [Name]'s forehead. "Do you feel good?!" he asked, close to yelling. "What?? Yeah, I am. Did Hana-senpai say something to you?" he felt the blond slipping from his grip, so he hopped to adjust the position. Supporting Yuji's weight under his butt. Letting the player sit comfortably on his arms. "Are you sick!?" The blond continued with his questions. [Name] stared at him for a few seconds and laughed. "Calm down, baby. I'm fine. I'm just a little nauseous. But overall, I'm doing okay," he grinned, kissing his boyfriend. Yuji huffed, getting off the [h/c] head while the said male carefully put him down. "What's wrong, huh? Did ya eat something funny?"

"No. I think I'm just homesick," [Name] shrugged. Yuji clicked his tongue and placed his hands onto his hips. "That's because you've been inside for too long!" he exclaimed. Sounding too confident with his statement. He then took his boyfriend's hand and pulled him out of the kitchen, and out of the building. "Wait, I have to do the--"

"Nope! You're coming with me!"

Yuji led his lover to the same hill that Karasuno did their running punishment. He was dragging the male forward. Bouncing about as he was excited being outside with the love of his life. He stopped at the top with [Name] following up behind. The volleyball player took a deep breath of the fresh air. Feeling refresh as ever. "You smell that, babe? Smells like paradise!"

"Smells like an average afternoon to me,"

"Don't be such a killjoy, [N/n]!" the blond groaned, snapping his head towards him. Earning a chuckle from him. Yuji then sat down on the green land. Tugging the other down. [Name] followed suit and sat beside him. Then the cold breeze brushes along their skin. Yuji shivered lightly, causing his boyfriend to glance over. He watched him lean back with his hands in the grass to support his weight. His blond locs flowing gracefully along with the wind. The smile that was plastered on his face made him unconsciously smile. It was honestly goofy.

Sensing the eyes on him, Yuji turn to look at its owner. The smile had turned into a toothy one. Making the [h/c] head smile further. Suddenly, he didn't feel nauseous anymore. "You're so cute, Yu. And annoyingly hot," he complimented. Yuji hummed cheekily. "Of course I am! I am the Terushima Yuji. The one and only,"

"Yeah..." [Name] uttered quietly. His loving gaze still fixated on his boyfriend. The blond raised his brows as he observed the manager's expression. He smirked. "You're so in love with me that you can't help it don't you? You want to kiss me so bad," he teased, sticking out his pierced tongue. [Name] scoffed and smirked. Leaning closer and placing his lips onto the other. It was short and sweet. Nothing more. As he parted from the kiss, he saw the baffled look on Yuji's face--which soon turned into disappointment. "That's it?!" he gaped. [Name] let out a laugh. "What? you can tease me, but I can't tease you, sweetheart?"

"Aw, c'mon, [N/n]!" Yuji whined as he shook his boyfriend. The two began to banter about. Pushing each other and laughing around like they were the only ones in the whole wide world. Once the chaos had finally calm down, Misaki came walking by to inform Yuji that practice has started. The male groaned in annoyance. He wanted to spend more time with his lover. So instead of separating, he forced the boy to watch him play. In that way, he could play at his top performance; he says. Instantly, he stood up and pulled the taller up. Dragging him once more, straight into the gym. Misaki watched them and sighed while shaking her head. "He looks better now... I'm glad," she mumbled to herself. Mentally thanking Johzenji's team captain.

[bonefall]

You can ignore this but I was just curious. What are your thoughts on redemption? I know modern day it means "character gets absolved of all wrongdoing and sin, and everyone forgives them yay!" But I'm talking more like, redemption as "Character acknowledges their actions and worldview was shitty, has apologized to all harmed parties, some forgive and some don't, but regardless character works on their issues and strives to become better"

I know characters are writing tools, so the message here would, in short, be "No matter what you can still work to be a better person". So I suppose I'm asking to what extent you agree. Sorry if this ask is everywhere I'm very sick at the moment.

I speak harshly of redemption arcs because I am actually an aficionado. I love them. I can't get enough of them, honestly. They're like eggs to me, I like 'em in all sorts of ways, devilled, omeletted, scrambled, but rotten ones are so bad you've gotta get rid of them immediately.

What often ends up setting me off about how redemption arcs are approached (and discussed) is the pervasive fact that people are more interested in sorrowful abusers than messy victims. They'll turn out to gush about how wonderful it is that Clear Sky cries about how sad murdering women made him, while not even recognizing Star Flower is self-destructing or Thunder is deflecting and misplacing.

It's like... even in fandom you will never get away from it. Your abuser is compelling and complex (meaning "was mean and sad at the same time"), and you're whiny and annoying ("ugh why is this traumatized person doing irrational things?! Don't they ever learn?!")

So when I write and when I talk, victims are always forefront in my mind. I'm really tired of stories that center Good Intentions or "but they loved you"

But anyway, digressing,

I agree. It really is never too late to work to be a better person. It's not even about apologizing, or making up for it, because sometimes you can't. "Sorry" will never undo what happened, and "sorry" doesn't even promise that real change is behind it.

So to me, a good redemption is just about exploring change.

Not suffering, I don't entirely like the idea that pain fixes pain, because it really doesn't. Reflection does. Genuinely understanding what was wrong and why you did it does. In spite of how cathartic it is to see someone get karma, I do hope that 99% of all people could be rehabilitated.

It's why I'm not fond of the phrasing where people want to deny redemption arcs because "they don't deserve it.' The WORLD deserves it. The people they will HELP deserve it. The person they will be deserves it. The question really is-- WOULD they change?

And the answer for powerful people is usually no. Power feels good. Gets you what you immediately want, makes it easy to surround yourself with yesmen who reinforce your excuses.

I think most people want to see others get better, but it's cathartic to me when some characters don't. Redemption arcs are wonderful things, but shouldn't be seen as the IDEAL ending for every villain, y'know?

[amuseoffyre]

Stede's progression of realising how bad things became is so quietly done through s2. Especially since the start point is him knowing Ed marooned his crew.

Plus, despite what everyone seems to think about him, Stede knows a lot more about Ed's past actions than they seem to realise. He knows about Ed's dad (something no one else knows), he knows about the burning ships and the toe-cutting and the skinning.

He just is... coming at it from the wrong angle at the start of the season.

"he's just letting off some steam" - it's still all just pirating activity, if a lot more intense than usual

"why would he [kill me]?" - Stede still not grasping how much he meant to Ed and how much damage his departure did

"I'm afraid your life is better without me" - and also still of the belief he will always and only be a last choice

"Ed pushed you? Why would he do that?" - the realisation that the stuff that happened to his crew was because of him

"I hurt Ed so much he pushed you off the ship" - not just realising it, but acknowledging it and recalibrating his perspective to see that not only did Ed actually genuinely care for him as much as he did for Ed, but that in leaving him behind, he's sent Ed on a downward spiral.

"I think I hurt him pretty bad" - again, acknowledging he did a wrong and determined to fix it

"I'm not ready to believe [that the time he spent with me is the best it's ever going to get for him] - the conviction that Ed can and does deserve to have some more of the happiness he craved when he just wanted "to be Edward"

his entire interrogation of the Break-up Boat crew, knowing full well that they're all lying but not able to get a clear answer

It speaks measures that he goes from thinking "Ed wouldn't want to kill me because he probably didn't even notice I was gone" to piecing together all the pieces of evidence and realising how truly shattered Ed is. It's a slow, steady realisation and in that confrontation with Izzy in the cabin, it has all crystalised into the knowledge that "he was going to watch the world burn or die trying".

He always knew what Ed was capable of, even if the crew thought he didn't or was being foolish and naive about it. "It feels pretty complicated. It feels bad", he admits when he knows how badly Ed hurt them, especially when he now believes it's all his fault.

"I let him down and I'm the cause of a lot of this", he says, so everything he does after that is in the name of trying to make things right. He does right by the crew, he negotiates with Zheng for their release, and even after he finds out they killed Ed, he still works to save them all, because he knows they don't deserve to die for saving themselves.

And then when Ed comes back, he agrees to let the crew decide Ed's fate - they voted him out (and I'm so curious about who voted how because Izzy's vote was the decider) but Stede said he would ask the crew if he could come back as well and clearly, they allowed it.

He spends so much of the rest of the season trying to undo all the damage he believed he had done, both with the crew and with Ed himself, even if he may or may not be very good at it. He tries and continues to try to make amends and I like him very much for it.

[harrystiddess]

DRUMMER GIRL

A/N: If my scenarios before bed were a fanfic haha

WORD COUNT: 1.1k

SUMMARY: She’s a drummer and a cop and he’s in need of a drummer. Will she “stick” with his offer?

DRUMMER GIRL SERIES

Content Warning: None as of yet!

Read Part II here!

On a sunny day in central Manchester, I found myself at my friend's house, agreeing to fill in as the drummer for her band's gig due to their drummer falling ill. Although playing gigs wasn't my thing, I preferred doing the favor over enduring my friend's constant yapping and crying about it. After two weeks of practice and one gig with the band, Elena and I were forced to get coffee for everyone before our gig in the evening. As we strolled and chatted along the sidewalk, discussing the most random things, I saw my friend suddenly freeze in shock. Concerned, I asked what was wrong, only to find her gripping my hand tightly and pointing across the street with excitement. Curious, I looked over and found myself uttering under my breath, "Oh hell nah" at the unexpected sight before me.

“Oh, you’re doing this”

"Elena, no, I'm not."

"Are you out of your mind? This has been your dream since you were 12!"

"I can't let you miss out on this opportunity."

"Is it that you don't want me to miss the opportunity, or YOU don't want to miss the opportunity to do it yourself?" I said, raising my eyebrows.

"Maybe a bit of both," Elle said mischievously, pulling me forward.

"No let’s go back, I need to.. i need to uh.. take a piss!!” I try to come up with an excuse.

“No you don’t, I know you took a huge dump before we left” I was definitely taken aback by her answer looking at her absolutely flabbergasted.

“I fucking hate you. You're going to do the talking, and if you embarrass me, I don’t know you." I said irritably as I crossed the road, ignoring the sceptical look Elena continued to give me. As I reached the other side, I began to realise that maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all, just as I had feared.

It was too late now. I could see Elena approaching the moment I feared.

.

.

“Excuse me” she said poking his arm. It was quite humorous because she was half of the tall gentleman’s size. I was holding onto her hand, standing behind her like a child hiding behind their mom.

‘The moment you have feared yet dreamed of, all your life, is here.’ You thought to yourself silently

You see him turn around and remove his sunglasses, putting his hand forward.

“Hi, I’m Harry.”

“Oh. My. God.” I say to myself as I find myself getting lost in his eyes.

“Are you okay my love?” You hear him chuckle.

He watches me intently as my eyes widen when i realise that i fact had said that out loud.

“Uhh yeah yes I am” You clear your throat. I thought I saw a spider that’s all” I try to cover up the fact that i was totally star struck and defiently impressed by his appearance. By this point Harry was completely facing me with Elena looking at us like she knew about this all along.

“Oh is it? A spider I see” he says seeing through my bullshit.

“I’m Harry” he shakes my hand.

“And you are?”

“Oh I’m Ava”

“Ava. That’s a cute name!”

I just pursed my lips and smiled. That’s all I could do! What would you do if Harry Styles called your name cute? Exactly.

“So you’re drummer I see”

You raise your eyebrows sort of creeped out.

“Haha I saw the drum sticks in your bag. I’m not as creepy as they say” he said leaning towards me, winking in the end.

It’s like i was snapped out of my suspicions to a realisation.

“Oh right sorry yeah. I’m a bit distracted today”

“So how long have you been drumming for Ava?”

“Oh Uhm since I was uhh 16”

“Hmm.. so since how-”

“8 years”

“Wow that’s impressive”

“You wouldn’t be interested in drumming for me would you?” He said after a long pause, unsure of whether he should’ve said it.

“Drumming for you?” I know exactly what he means but I’m too utterly taken aback to say anything.

“Yeah”

“You don’t even know how I play? For all you know I’d not even be able to hold the sticks”

“Well then that that’s just an excuse for you to come in for an audition!”

“Orrrrrr…” I see Elena sliding in and before I can say anything she’s said it.

“We have a gig at Bardo’s tonight! You can come and see for yourself” she says chirping.

He looks at me for to find a glint of expression but sees fails considering I was trying to deny his offer at all costs and I just failed.

“Then Bardo’s it is” Harry says delightfully looking at the both of us.

“Great see you at bardo’s, 7pm” Elena being a little to excited was pissing me off real bad at this point.

“That’s great…See you tonight…” I say almost sounding excited as I walk past him, leaving him stood right there.

I know he’s looking at us walk away I can feel It, so I keep walking silently until we’re out of his hearing range.

.

.

“ELENA! What did you do!” I say pinching the bridge of my nose in distress.

“Your kids will thank me one day”

“No. No kids are thanking no one. I DON’T WANT TO DRUM FOR ANYONE LET ALONE HIM!!” I say whisper shouting

“The only difference is, you do!”

“Elle you Know I’m happy with my job, a job I’ve dreamed of doing since I was 5! Why do you want to ruin that for me?”

“I’m not ruining anything for you. You can do both at the same time! I know that you’ve wanted to be a big shot Artists drummer too. Just because you’re scared of change doesn’t mean you have to ruin the rest of your life for it. That’s what I’m here for. Ruining your life is my job. And so is making sure you don’t give up opportunities like these.”

I can’t help but let out a small smile..

“Well meeting your Celebrity crush of over 8 years and having him offer you a job doesn’t go well together that’s all” I breathe out a breath I didn’t know I was holding.

“Can’t believe I’m saying this but You’re right. I’m going to go to the gig, give my best, which I do either way and see what he has to offer…. I mean 16 year old me wouldn’t believe this happened if I told her” I say screeching in excitement, holding her hand and jumping and and making incoherent noises like a madwoman.

_

Read Part II here!

Reblog, like and comment! DM if you have any prompts! Hope you guys like this Series!

♡ ♡ ♡

[petite-cherry-blossom]

My personal Weatherman – Taikan Yohou

The main characters – Segasaki and Yoh.

I'll disclaim in advance that there will be no plot in this dorama, but that is the beauty of it.

Segasaki is a weather presenter and Yoh draws eromanga. They met at university and fate has brought them together ever since.

Yoh has no money to pay the rent, so Sagasaki offers him a place to live together, but in return Yoh has to agree to everything they ask him to do.

For me personally, it's a little bit of a red flag (Segasaki can easily forbid Yoh to meet his friend in a cafe, and Yoh just has to accept it). I'll be honest, this relationship is weird, and in real life Segasaki is the kind of guy who should be fucked off, not even his godlike beauty could save him.

As I mentioned before, the eight episodes revolve around the relationship between the two main characters, we are included in all of Yoh's thoughts the whole time, the narration is almost all from his point of view.

Nevertheless, their chemistry is visible even to the naked eye, which is not surprising: the first thing they did when they moved in together was hook up. There is a peculiar problem built around this too, as Segasaki decided that they would only have sex before sunny days. Why?

It's a question that everyone was curious about, and the answer is pretty prosaic. Everything revolves around the weather (it's not for nothing that one of the main characters is a meteorologist).

– Hey. Why can’t we do it when it rains?

– Huh? Because you said so. When you first moved here and we did it. 

– Huh?

– So you won’t have trouble with laundry. 

I think I've rewatched it about eight times. It's hard for me to explain, but I was touched by literally every action, every look, every touch and misunderstanding.

Of course, Yoh had no idea that he was not just a servant to Segasaki, but the most precious person to him. And Segasaki is not good at using words, which is why we were stuck in the same place for a very long time.

But every interaction they had, the painfully ridiculous date, the dialogues - it all made my heart ache. It clearly states in black and white: Yoh fell first, but Segasaki fell harder.

Fanfact: when rewatching, I decided to start not from the beginning, but from the middle (first from the fifth series to the eighth, and then from the first to the fifth). And I was right! Exactly in the middle we start to be shown flashbacks of the characters' meeting, to which very nice and interesting references were made in the first episodes. Of course, when watching them for the first time, it is easy to just not notice them. So my idea was not as stupid as I thought at first.

– Put this in some Tupperware. I’ll eat it all. You’d better not eat any. This is mine.

I’m the only one who has to know that this carry tastes bad. He did the best to make it. That made me happy. That fact is all I need. 

I'm very sensitive to this work, it deservedly became one of my favourites, because despite the simplicity of the plot, the characters are incredibly natural and beautiful in their "ordinaryness".

Yoh is a master of making things up (just like me), Segasaki is a expert at hiding his feelings and thoughts, he is sure that everything is clear to everyone (I can see your thoughts in the subtitles, you idiot. But Yoh can't read minds). As a result, Yoh didn't know they were dating for quite a while, when for Segasaki their relationship was obvious.

There aren't many characters in this dorama, but there's no need for them. We do fine with two goofballs who can't figure out the nature of their feelings until the last minute, while being stubbornly jealous of each other.

[cosmicanemoia]

Dinner Date

Amelia Shepherd x Reader

Love Me Till You Leave Me part 6

Amelia thought y/n asked her out on a date. Turns our she did, but just a friendly date, including Link, Owen, Jo, Teddy, Bailey, and her husband.

Amelia made it to your house. She knows where your house is because you asked Teddy her number, and you texted her the address. Amelia is now on your doorstep and rang the doorbell. You opened the door and welcomed her. You thought she looked stunning.

Y/N: Ames. *you already give her a nickname* Hi! You look beautiful as usual. I'm so glad you could make it. You're right on time. Please, come in.

A: Thanks. You look good, too.

As Amelia walks into your house into the dining area, there is faint chattering. She walked into the dining area and saw her friends and colleagues chattering up. She's shocked and thought to herself that she's stupid for thinking that you asked her out on a date, just the two of you. She let's a frown, which she erased quickly with a smile, and nobody seemed to have noticed it.

Y/N: Please take a seat *your hands on Amelia's back. You walk in the table and take out a seat and offer it to her. She now sat beside you.*

Everyone greeted Amelia. She greeted them back with less enthusiasm. She already wants the dinner that hasn't even started to be over.

They are now eating. Amelia notices that there are no alcoholic beverages, that there are only juices and ciders. Her confusion was through the roof, so she asked.

A: Just juices and ciders?

Y/N: ah. Yes. If you guys want some alcohol you should have brought some with you 'cause there is none in this house.

A: Why?

Everyone turns to look at you.

T: she doesn't drink alcohol.

L: Why?

Why? Is in the mind of all the others except you and Teddy. Everyone is curious as to why you don't drink alcohol.

A: Yes, why?

O: Are you alcoholic?

Yes, that's the best reason anyone could think of as to why you don't drink alcohol. But, they are wrong.

T: She doesn't like the taste o-

A: *she cuts Teddy off* Let her answer. I'm sure she can speak for herself.

Teddy abides and drinks her orange juice. Everyone's attention is once again on you.

Y/N: I don't like them. I don't like its taste. *you look down on your food and pause for a while* My father, my aunt, and some other members of my family are alcoholics. I've seen firsthand what it could do to people. It's toxic, and it ruins lives, not just the lives of people consuming it but also the family or someone close to them. I get that everyone has their own ways to cope. But I won't support them if their choice of coping mechanism is toxic and is hurting them and the people around them.

A: Sorry, I asked

Y/n: you have nothing to be sorry for. Ames. It's okay

Ames. That nickname you gave her makes the butterflies in her stomach fly around in her lungs. Amelia thinks the whole world is just a blur, and there's only one clear thing, which is you.

A:I was an addict. But that's a story for another time. Let's keep eating, shall we?

Everyone was eaten by the awkward silence. They make small talks, and the topic always changes from here to there. Dinner was over, and the guests thank you for inviting them over and left your house, except for Amelia, who offered (insisted) to help you clean up. Teddy offered, but Amelia cut her off, and Owen agreed that they should also leave.

Amelia was drying the plates with a piece of cloth. You and her didn't talk much, and there's just plain silence in the air while you were washing the dishes.

Before you are almost finished, Amelia said "I thought you asked me out on a dinner date." You look at her for a while, and you look back to the dishes. "Like on a date, DATE." Amelia clarified as she cleared her throat. You were quite still. "Are you having an affair with Dr. Altman, " she asked. You looked at her wide-eyed, and the pout on your lips turned into a smile. You look at the sink, and there are no more dishes to clean.

You walk over to the living room and sit on the sofa. "Come here, sit with me," you said as you tap the left side of the sofa that is unoccupied. Amelia walked over and followed your instructions without any questions. As she sat next to you, you moved closer to her. "Do you really want to know?" You scrunched your face and narrowed your eyes, as you asked her. Amelia nodded. "Well, me and Ted." You let out a deep sigh that seems to come from the bottom of the ocean. "How will I say this?" You look over her shoulder and stare into the void. Amelia is now curious as hell, "Just say it." You let out a smirk and a little chuckle and said with a stoic face and clear tone, "me and Ted. We're a couple." Amelia's eye widened. "A couple of good friends." You added to your last sentence and burst out laughing out loud while you slowly pull away from her. She smacked your shoulder, but it didn't hurt. "You asshole."

She laughs with you until you stop and ask, "What made you think we're having an affair?" Amelia didn't answer.

She asked you questions and you to her too. Nobody noticed that the time had flown away and the sun was almost rising. "Shit! It's almost morning, " Amelia stated, you look over at your clock and see the time. "Sorry, I didn't mean to keep you up all night." You said as you stood up and held out your hand for amelia to take. When she took it and stood up, you gave her one of your hugs. She thought it's one of the best hugs ever given to her by anyone.

You said your goodbyes, and as Amelia walked out of your door, you asked her, "Maybe we should have dinner again next time. Like a date, DATE." Amelia agreed and turned her back to hide the red all over her face. She looks back at you, and you are still looking, not keeping your eyes off of her. She waved you goodbye, you follow her figure until she's out of sight before you close the door. Amelia is still red, has a wide smile across her face as she walks, and waits for a cab to take her home.

[gayuu-the-necromancer]

｡⋆｡˚🦋˚｡⋆｡

Ellis: ".....That's because of the promise."

Harrison: "Promise?"

Ellis: "Yep."

-----FLASHBACK------

I guess, it happened 4 years ago.

On the night I drifted into London town, he was looking up at the moon as I was passing the bridge looking for a place to stay.

I looked at his vacant profile and thought he was going to fall straight into the river after he finished his cigarette.

So I asked...

Ellis: "Are you happy?"

Jude: "Huh?...What if I am?"

Ellis: "I will make your happiness....last forever."

Jude: "Hah? What the hell are you saying? Are you crazy?"

I was used to people thinking I was joking.

But that person, gave me a serious answer.

Jude: "..'Make your happiness last forever', huh? The happiest moment of my life......was probably when I went to the moon."

Ellis: "The moon?"

It was so out of the blue, but his voice sounded very serious.

Going to the moon, huh?

Long time ago, I used to say something like that to XXX.

When I thought about it, the words naturally came from my mouth.

Ellis: ".....I want to go there too."

Jude: ".....You're really crazy, aren't you?"

Even though I said it in a serious tone or I thought it was a serious tone, that man nevertheless poked my forehead.

The next second, I lost consciousness. When I woke up again, I was still on the bridge.

The moon had dropped so far that it looked like it was going to hide behind the buildings.

And that person was there too.

Ellis: "How many cigarettes is that?"

Jude: "I don't know. How many hours did you sleep?"

It seems that this man did not fall into the river after finishing his cigarette.

Thank god, is what I wanted to say.

Ellis: "Do you also have strange powers like me? I can do this....see?"

Jude: "Huh!? Tch!! Hey! What the hell!!?"

It didn't look like he was pleased with me demonstrating my abilities though.

Jude: "Ah! I dropped my cigarette! Don't do that again!"

After scolding me, he invited me to his house since I didn't have a place to stay. I didn't know what he was thinking.

When I said 'I want to go there too', I thought he's laughed funnily.

I wanted to see that face again.

------FLASHBACK ENDS------

Harrison: "....Hey Ellis, you there?"

Ellis: "Eh? Ah...Oh..Yes yes, the promise."

Ellis: "I said I'll cooperate with Jude until the happiest moment of his life comes by."

Harrison: "Does that mean, you gain something from this too?"

Ellis: "Ah...Yes."

Jude: ".........."

Harrison: "Hmmm....well anyways, as long as both you and Jude are okay with each other, that's fine."

Alphonse: "I'm curious about one thing."

William: "Why don't you clear out all your doubts at this point?"

Alphonse: "How much does Mr. Jude make for his services to the Crown?"

Elbert: "You mean salary....?"

Victor: "Not much different from everyone else."

Victor: "Oh but I've added a condition of continued financing for Jude's company."

Roger: "You're very smart."

Jude: "I know."

Victor: "However, the real reason he agreed to signing the contract is because he adores me!!"

Jude: "If it's in your dreams, then maybe."

Victor: "Eeehh? But you signed this contract straight away too."

Ellis: "Wow, how nostalgic."

William: "Do you always carry everyone's contracts with you all the time, Victor? That's very careless."

Victor: "Of course not! I brought this here with me today because I thought something like this would happen."

William: "So Jude, you still didn't trust Victor when you signed this?"

Jude: "Someone with money, power and position offered us a contract on terms we could only benefit from, so...."

Jude: "It's normal to think they're definitely up to something."

Victor: "Eeeh!? So you signed this while still doubting me?"

Jude: "I mean, look at you. Would anyone completely trust you at first sight? You overly auspicious weirdo."

Victor: "Awww..."

Jude: "I don't know what you're up to, but I signed it thinking you'd make a fuss someday."

Victor: "Did Ellis also think the same.......?"

Ellis: "I was told to 'write my name here', so I did."

Victor: "Thank god....No actually no!! You should never do that! You must always make sure you go through the contract before signing one!"

Alphonse: "Well...if one can easily trust someone, one wouldn't have a hard time."

Roger: "Those of you who didn't trust Jude and Ellis enough to make this report, have no say."

William: "Ahaha, I guess so."

William: "Well, it seems like this 'Mission' has helped them get used to the Crown at least-----"

William: "Can't wait to see what the future holds for you?"

.............

The night is falling and two busy shadows step out of the Crown Castle.

Ellis: "Now that Mr. Wilson's case is behind us, I think it's time to start our first mission as the Crown members."

Jude: "Ah? Ahh, I guess so. I don't know."

Ellis: "Jude, are you happy?"

Jude: "Of course not. I feel like shit for being forced to play best friends."

Ellis: "Hmmmm?"

Jude: ".....What?"

Ellis: "I mean.....I don't know about making friends."

Ellis: "But I guess, ever since I came here, it was fun."

Jude: "....Then what's the reason to make everyone happy? As long as you're having fun, that's what matters."

Ellis: "I wish Jude could also have fun."

Jude: "Don't drag other people."

Ellis: "Maybe I'll get to see Jude's happiest face while living in this castle."

Jude: "Don't get your hopes up."

Ellis: "They all said it's natural to have difficulty trusting others without a reason."

Ellis: "Still Jude trusted me when we first met."

Jude: "Huh? I don't remember."

Ellis: "That's a lie. I know you have good memory."

Ellis: "Hey, why did you want to make such a promise to someone you've never met before?"

Jude: ".......No reason. I was feeling crazy."

Ellis: "Hmmmm?"

Jude: ".........What?"

Ellis: "Nothing. I just felt like trust without any reason might be the happiest thing."

Jude: "You...shut up already."

The footsteps of two people did not approach or leave, but simply echoed side by side into the darkness.

Ellis: "......Shall we buy some souvenirs to take home."

Jude: ".......Do what you wish."

[pynkhues]

https://www.tumblr.com/pynkhues/771194468204478464/do-you-have-any-meta-on-lestat-bottoming-for-louis

hi i’m this anon, i really didn’t mean it in bad faith (i love your fics) and it annoys me when loustaters fight over top/bottom preferences, we should be united against common enemies 😭 i’m just interested in reading more discussions about it because i’m quite new to the fandom and i’ve never been in one that’s so split over topping/bottoming and so strict about it, so i’m trying to work out what canon is actually saying about them if that makes sense

to elaborate i have a different interpretation of that line because i don’t think we’re genuinely supposed to believe lestat wanted such a badly hurt louis to fuck him (or that they had sex at all that night), it seemed more like something to put him at ease wrt his internalised homophobia. and i do think louis in the dom role w/ armand more so points to that not being his actual preference and desires, but i think i might agree with you on the scene at antoinette’s.

sorry i didn’t mean to come off as passive aggressive, i genuinely find all the discourse on this interesting but people seem to hesitant to talk about it bc everyone gets so hostile 😭 i’m really curious how they’ll portray their sexual dynamic in s3 onwards, whether they’ll be more unambiguous with their roles/positions or leave it largely up to interpretation

Hi! And ah, I'm sorry, anon, that you meant it in good faith, but I've just gotten a lot of baity asks in the past, and it's obviously such a huge point of volatility in the fandom that I just don't really want to get into anymore really, at least not right now. I totally appreciate that you have a different read, but I also don't think it's anything we're going to get a textual answer on. It's just not that sort of show. That said, if you want to know what canon's saying about it, I'd really just urge you to rewatch the show. It's lovely that you come to me for an opinion, but at the end of the day, that's all I am - an opinion - and you should feel empowered to look at canon, read into it, explore it, and make up your own mind on it.

Again, I do personally see a lot of evidence that they switch. I also think the nature of them means they're going to have sex on their wedding night, regardless of Louis being burnt and covered with milk, haha (but also - again - in my opinion, I think Lestat probably had Louis drink from him, healed him just as he did his wounds in 1.01, just as Louis asked Armand to do for him in 2.05, and then they likely had sex - - again, because it was their wedding night), and I'd agree that Louis domming with Armand is probably not a preference - not to repeat myself too much, haha, but I really do think s1 makes it pretty clear he and Lestat switch - but I don't think that means he doesn't enjoy it or that it's not a genuine part of who he is. I think it's implied that Louis took a dominant role with Jonah, just as I think it's implied he would've with Daniel and as a result probably a fair portion of those boys in San Francisco, and the man he copy-pasted Dreamstat onto in the park in Paris.

I also think the implications in the song Long Face between Lestat describing himself as piano/andante and Louis as forte/allegro have a pretty significant insinuation too.

There's a lot there to me, but again, it's just my opinion, and yeah. If in doubt, I'd say go back to the source material. :-)

[ailelie]

Burial Mounds weren't what they once were, but still only idiots dared to travel through them without copious protections. Jiang Cheng did not usually count himself among the idiots, but he had to admit his current actions were questionable.

He was in the Burial Mounds. Alone. Unplanned. And furious.

Fury was an old friend these days, though he was no longer fond of it. He did not want to be angry with Wei Wuxian any longer. Not when his brother was alive again. Not when he finally had an inkling why he'd lost his brother in the first place.

He stood where the Wen Remnants had once lived, wishing again for the dead to stand before him. Why, he wanted to ask, to demand an explanation. Why did you do it?

Then he heard the howl. Followed by a scream.

Abandoning all sense and desperate for a fight, he raced toward the sounds.

When he saw the beast, he knew to his bones he would not survive it.

He fought anyway.

When the beast was dead and Jiang Cheng was dying, a child dressed like a clerk approached him. Through the haze of pain, he thought their eyes were stars.

"Apologies for the beast, but it was necessary. You saved me in this lesser form, and thus I can provide a reward. Your family is nothing but headaches, you should know. One imbalance after another. I fix the scales and you tip them again."

"Who?" Jiang Cheng asked. The word ended in a bloody cough.

"Oh. Right." The child or man, maybe, touched Jiang Cheng's forehead and the pain eased. "You did well stopping Wen Rouhan, but destroying all the Wen was a headache. And do not get me started with everything related to the Yin iron. Utter migraines. Your brother's death and return? I should let the worms consume you all."

"Who are you?" Jiang Cheng demanded. The man's babble was too quick and strange to follow.

The man, no, the child smiled at him. Had it always been a child?

The child pressed a hand against Jiang Cheng's chest. "You will return to the past," the child said, his words now clear and ringing with truth. "The simplest way to fix this mess is to try again. You may choose one person to accompany you. The first time you met will be the time to which you return."

"That is impossible," Jiang Cheng said, hope flaring to life in his chest.

"No," the child said, "only difficult. Who do you choose? Anyone who was alive then, but is dead now. I will return their soul with yours."

His first thought was Yanli, but that would mean returning to infancy. His parents would be the same.

"Can I change anything?" he asked.

"Yes. I would rather the wild imbalances not repeat."

Hope bubbled into excitement. He could stop his siblings from dying. He could maybe even keep everyone's cores where they belonged. He could perhaps even save his parents.

He needed someone smart, but straightforward, with motivations he understood. Someone who owed him.

"Wen Qing," he said. Jealously, he wanted to ask her why she had performed the surgery all those years ago. He could not demand such answers from a Wen Qing who had not done it.

"So be it." The child gathered Jiang Cheng into a hug and pressed his forehead against Jiang Cheng's abdomen.

Fire exploded in each of Jiang Cheng's dantians. He screamed. Silence cocooned him.

He blinked and he was in the Cloud Recesses. Wen Chao was speaking and Wen Qing was by him. Her eyes met his and narrowed.

The ceremony continued, but he registered none of it. As soon as it was done, he hurried to find Wen Qing. They met each other on the path; she had apparently been seeking him just as urgently.

"What did you do?" she demanded.

"Me? What about you? His Core?"

"I was dead!" she hissed.

"Yes," he agreed. "You and countless others. Wasted."

"How dare you!"

"But they aren't dead now," Jiang Cheng continued, ignoring her ire. Around them people gave them wide berth, but stared with curious eyes. "We've started over."

"How?"

He shrugged. "I'm not sure. I was dying and a child offered me a chance to fix imbalances. I could bring one other soul with me."

"And you chose me." She looked distinctly unimpressed.

He growled. "You understand what's at stake. Your people are alive now. Your brother is alive. My family lives, too. Do you not want to keep them that way?"

"And how do you propose we do that? Our families are at war."

"Not yet," he countered. A wild idea seized him. "Marry me."

"What?"

He laughed; the sound was mangled with betrayal, anger, desire, and hope. Part of him hated her. More of him still desired her. He could not trust her, but he had chosen her as the only person in the world now who understood him and who he could trust.

"Marry me," he repeated. "If the future repeats, I will have standing to save your family." He had no comb to offer her anymore, so he took the comb from his own hair, letting it fall loose. A lotus curled over the comb's golden spine. "Will you help me?"

"A-Ning lives."

"Everyone we care about." He held out the comb.

She accepted it. Wen Qing traced her fingers over the lotus. "How are we going to explain this?"

He thought for a moment. Strangely, it was a memory of Wei Wuxian that gave him the answer. "We're soulmates."

She laughed. "You've made us so, I guess."

That resonated. He liked the idea of choosing fate over being at its whim. "Thank you, Qing'er."

Her eyes narrowed again at the stolen intimacy. "Of course, A-Cheng," she responded, meeting his impertinence with her own. "I should tell my brother the happy news."

"And I'll tell my siblings." He bowed, and they separated.

He still did not have his answers. Betrayal and hurt still twisted like snakes in his chest. But, he had time now.

He quickened his steps. He had a sister to embrace, and a brother to cuff and then also embrace. He did not want another moment to pass without seeing them.

[greypetrel]

Hello! <3 sperando che le emoji sul mio telefono siano uguali: 🛏️🦄⛴️?

Hello <3

Mi sembra di sì, comunque si capisce! Grazie! <3

Tis the prompt list

🛏 Is there a new trope you'd like to write this year?

This is a difficult question, I don't reason in tropes or "What should I put in this story", LOL. I insert stuff as it seems natural, but without a clear plan in mind? Mh, I'm thinking of what I'd like to put in Origins stuff and I don't know, surely there's lots of mutual pining? It would be nice to challenge myself to write a meet cute (which is something I don't like to read about and have a hard time relating to) to see if I can do something I like with it.

Added after answering the third question: jaded/guarded x sunshine.

🦄 Is there a new POV you'd like to try writing?

Definitely some Morrigan in the early stages of game! That level of mistrust/I'm curious about the elf that keeps complaining that everyone is stupid and agrees with me, but still does everything by the book and oh no, delegating. I'm turning her around and around in my head like a washing machine ahahah.

Also more Dorian in the DadWolf.

🛳 Are there any new ships you want to write for? (Platonic, romantic, or anything in between.)

More love for Neve Gallus please.

I have my... reservations with Veilguard, but I love her character so much and I'd really like to explore something with her and my main Rook, Priscilla. The game gave little content for romances but that we got was good (at least with her). Would be nice to explore them, I don't know. Cynical jaded investigator with ball of sunshine in ostrich feathers and pink silk? It's something I'd like to explore.

Also I'm writing Cole for the mini fic and I'd love to write him more, GH. (hoping I do him justice. O: )

[unforth]

hey

Feel free to ignore this if youd rather not engage on this topic on a fandom blog (or if you're afraid a more nuanced answer than a black/white dichotomy will get you lynched), I'm just curious

Are you antizionist in the sense that "Zionism is inherently evil"

"Zionism isn't evil but it isn't necessary—Jews don't need a homeland anymore than scientologists do"

"I don't agree with the current manifestation of the ideas of Zionism—the bad of Israel outweighs the good, but the premise itself isn't inherently flawed"

or, something else entirely?

The last is closest to my views. I was raised that Israel was a safe home for us after the Holocaust, that now we had our own place, somewhere to go if anyone attempted to commit genocide against us again, somewhere where we'd be protected. I believed we needed that, considering how not a single European member of my family survived, and my grandfather helped liberate Dachau and for him "never again for anyone" was extremely real, he came home an atheist and a pacifist. I'm almost 42 and I supported a two-state system until around this time last year. Even before then I strongly disapproved of the land grabs and displacement but I still hoped peace was possible in a way beneficial to everyone there. Israel's actions since October last year changed my mind. The actions of the current Israeli government are reprehensible and I'm disgusted to be associated with them in any way and infuriated at the international rise in antisemitism they've caused, especially in the left in many countries.

I could, theoretically, still see myself supporting a two-state system but only if the current government were completely removed and the war criminals prosecuted.

I do not believe in a solution that requires Israeli Jews leaving that territory, though. It's their home too now.

Honestly, I know some of my views are contradictory and I also can't even pretend I have a good answer to these problems. People who pretend this is easy can't have spent time thinking about it, because to me it seems intractably complicated. Like, step 1 is obviously "stop fucking bombing people," but establishing a peaceful country or countries safe for all the civilians regardless of their ethnicity/religion/etc. seems incredibly complex and I'm glad that solving it isn't my responsibility.

I was raised to think of Israel as somewhere safe for people like me, but the government's extremist actions have made it clear that I wouldn't be safe there, and the millions of people there aren't safe because of the actions of the Israeli government.

I've watched this fight go back and forth my entire life, and aside from a few lovely moments circa 1993 when I was 10 and thought that Yitzhak Rabin and Yassir Arafat shaking hands might actually help, I've never had much hope for things to get better, but I do find it infuriating that, forget trying to improve things, the Israeli government seems actively intent on making things steadily worse.

Anyway, I'm not sure I'll answer anything else on this topic or engage with things related to it, and I'm turning off reblogs. I know this is fraught for many Jews and I respect Jews who feel differently than me (including many members of my family) and I also recognize that to many leftists my position will seem unacceptably conservative. But this is my view and I share it honestly. It may change in the future as circumstances change, as it changed a year ago when circumstances changed.

Call me naive, but I do still hope for a peaceful solution, but I don't believe the current Israeli government can be part of that. I think Israel needs to be completely remade or Israel needs to not exist (and that the people of Israel can become part of a new, more inclusive, more peaceful, more united nation working to forward the interests of everyone living there).

I feel like you were fishing for something, anon. I don't know if this answer will satisfy, but it's all I've got. (I definitely worry that my shades of gray on this will get me lynched, sigh, hence turning off the reblogs. I've only posted about this a couple times cause I just don't want to get into it with people. I don't feel well enough informed to argue points accurately, and I know my upbringing colors my views, and I've already been subjected to the antisemitism of "they're Jewish they must support Israel" - basically the first antisemitism I've faced my whole life, from so-called leftists on this hellsite who think themselves as incapable of antisemitism, sigh...yeah. I mostly just avoid talking about it. I don't trust people on tumblr to discuss this in good faith, for the most part.)

[ladylamrian]

✨️ Kit meets Rook ✨️

Female Main Character: Alexis Clarissa Fontaine (Nightbound) & Astrid (Blades of Light and Shadow)

Characters: Nik Ryder, Mal Volari, Tyril Starfury, Imtura, Nia Ellarious, Vera Reimonenq, Katherine, Cal Lowell, Threep, ...

Pairings: F!MC×NikRyder & F!MC×MalVolari

Summary: Astrid accidentally opened the wrong portal.

Word Count: 3.2K words

Rating: Teen (Magic, Adventure, Friendship, Fluff)

Warnings: none, just a small fighting scene

-> My complete Masterlist here <-

Taglist: @infactnoimmasitinthemiddle ; @peonierose ; @secretaryunpaid ; @jdstar88 ; @blackcatkita ; @lilyoffandoms ; @liviusofpella ; @mxdanni ; @mariemarieohcontrary ; @tessa-liam ; @choicesficwriterscreations ; @hopelessromantic1352 ; @rosepetals1 ; @stars-are-within-me ; @dutifullynuttywitch ; @thosehallowedhalls ; @artbyalz ; @choicesficwriterscreations

Some parts grammar checked by @lilyoffandoms

Comments via Reblog wholeheartly welcome

Author's note: The tiny story takes place after Nightbound and Blades of Light & Shadow Book 1. Special thanks to @chanceisagoodboy for the inspiration and idea ✨️

New Orleans always looked beautiful at night. Shops, restaurants, bars and dance pools were gleaming with bright colors and lights. But in the middle of an abandoned alley, near the street, where no one else was there, something mysterious happened. Air was filled with magic. The weather changed within seconds. The clear night sky turned into a thundery scene as rain fell down the earth and thunderbolts flashed above. But there was something else, something strange and unusual. A mysterious vortex appeared which tossed six strange figures outside. And then... it closed. The six beings remained.

"Ouch, what an uncomfortable landing!!", a lady in a gown commented as she was lying with her companions on the ground. She focused her lavender-colored eyes on her surroundings and wondered where they got.

"Well done, kit. Now care to explain where you transported us, because this doesn't look like Whitetower.", a young man with brown, shoulder-length locks and a light beard spoke. He discovered his two daggers, Stabby & Stabby Junior lying in front of him as he crashed on the ground, so he quickly picked his loyal weapons up and stashed them back inside.

"A powerful and wise never like me doesn't deserve to be lying on the dirty floor and get treated like this.", Threep, the bat-winged cat hissed. As the cat saw how everyone finally stood up from the ground, he fluttered its wings and landed on Astrid's shoulder. His cat eyes fixed on her, waiting for an answer.

"I'm so sorry for the hard landing, Threep. I didn't know it would be like this."

"Hmmph."

"Threep, will you please forgive your Astrid?"

"I suppose a snack wouldn't hurt to make it up for you, dear realmwalker.", he meowed and played around with her blonde braids like a playful kitten which made her giggle.

"Sure, Threep. But first, we have to figure out where we landed. This world looks so weird.", Astrid's blue eyes scanned the surroundings in the dark with the help of her night-vision ability.

All around them were humans. No elf and no orc. They were all dressed in a diffrent style which neither Astrid nor her friends understood. Not only this, strange machinery drove by in which humans were sitting, but there were no horses that pulled them. They moved on their own. Colorful lights are everywhere on the street. Was it magic?

"What strange world is that? Where did you bring us, Astrid?", Tyril asked.

"I don't know, but looks all so new and interesting which got me curious... Let's explore and begin a new adventure!!", she announced with confidence.

"Astrid, I don't know. It could be dangerous. We don't know anything."

"Come on, priestess. Be a little more active and open to the world. We pirates explore new places and find treasures.", Imtura agreed with Astrid.

"Imtura's right! Who knows what shiny treasures and gold we'll find."

"Can't you just NOT think about gold for once, treasure hunter. I have to agree with Nia. It could be dangerous. We don't know anything."

"Three against two, elf boy."

"Excuse me, I would like to be included with my opinion top. I'm with Nia and Tyril, because I want to go home. My warm food is waiting for me.", the nesper licked his palm with attitude.

"So it's three against three. We have a tie. This means we'll explore a little and then we'll go back home. Do you all agree with me?"

"Yes Astrid, that's fair! I just hope you know how to open the right portal which leads us back home.", Nia Ellarious, the priestess agreed, along with everyone else.

"Honestly, I'm still learning my powers. I seriously didn't thought this would happen, but I promise that I'll do better. We'll find a way to get back home!!", Astrid, the realwalker assured her friends.

The group of friends walked through the bustling streets of the unknown place and every time surprised as they made a new discovery. There were small, shining figures in green and red which signaled the humans when to cross the streets and when to stop. These secured the safety of both, the walking humans and the ones who were sitting in these strange, horse-less machineries. Was this magic?

"Hey, why are some humans looking at us like this and then laughing? Are they making fun of us? Maybe because we're dressed differently or...?", Nia asked with concern.

"Yeah, it's like they never saw an orc!"

"Or a noble elf like me. I feel that we're being watched and I do not like this, my dear friends. I told you before too, that it could be dangerous here.", Tyril agreed with Imtura.

Not far from them, a group of youngsters were enjoying themselves. One even held a small, metallic device that flashed like lightning. Out of curiosity, Mal moved closer to the group to take a closer while remaining hidden in the shadows. It turned out that the group of young people now could see a picture of them in that pose when that mysterious device flashed at them. It's like watching a portrait of them that just got painted by the flashing light.

"How can they still be here standing in front of me and also being captured in that small device at the same time?", Mal thought and immediately left, because he didn't want to accidentally get captured in an item.

He quickly joined his friends in a more quiet place, but was shocked as he saw them facing a very familiar figure.

"Well, well, well, who do we have here? How interesting! Humans, along with an elf and an orc. These two might fit well into my collection", the mysterious woman in black smirked. Behind her were standing tough, muscular men who looked dangerous.

"Uhh, who are you? What collection?"

"Oh, dear. You don't know me? Everyone knows who I am. Would your elf friend and orc friend be interested in joining my secret fighting ring under Club Persephone? Elf versus Orc. That would create a huge audience and a lot of money.", she answered Astrid's questions while pressing her face with her gloved hand as she moved closer towards her.

"Hey!!! Let Astrid go!!!", Mal shouted at the woman. He grabbed Astrid's arm and pulled her protectively closer to him till their bodies pressed each other.

"Mal, I'm fine. Don't worry, I can handle it.", she showed strength, but also gratitude towards her caring lover. They glanced at each other with full affection and love until their attention turned towards their friends and the mysterious woman.

"Oh, so you're a couple? You two remind me of that annoying hunter and his fairy girlfriend. You disgust me."

"Leave us alone, thief master.", Mal warned her which made her even more angry while the friends were surprised.

"Mal, you know that woman?", Imtura asked.

"Thief master??? You dared to call me, a thief?!! I am the Lady Smoke!!! The most powerful woman and most dangerous murder mob boss of New Orleans??!", she unleashed her anger, and finally removed her glove, revealing her palm which showed black, poisonous veins. The whole crew was shocked at the discovery. While the lady in black moved her hand towards Astrid and Mal, her muscular men grabbed the rest of them.

"Let go!!! Don't hurt my friends.", Nia shouted.

"I'll show you the strength of an orc, you rats.", the orc hissed.

"Threep, is that woman corrupted or why does she have these black veins?", Tyril asked while fighting one of the goons.

"No, it's something else.", he meowed as he tried to free Nia, the priestess. The nesper began attacking the enemies with his sharp claws.

The whole situation turned into a fighting scene. Mal tried to protect Astrid, and she tried to protect him, as they switched back and forth. Trying to protect each other.

"Astrid, I'll handle.", he grabbed his two daggers and got into a fighting position.

"Mal, I can do it. Let me use my powers."

"But..."

"Ssshhhh, I'll be safe. Don't worry, love."

"But I'll..."

BANG

Before Mal could say more, a bright light appeared out of nowhere which illuminated their whole surroundings. It took everyone a little time to adjust. They shielded their eyes from the light which was so bright. When the light faded, they slowly opened their eyes. There was a mysterious young man in a leather coat facing them, holding a crossbow in his hands. It was the holy light arrow he just shot, which caused the bright light. The arrow landed on the ground near Lady Smoke and her goons as a warning and not to injure them.

"Let them go, Smoke!", he warned her.

"And if I don't?"

"Don't make a fuzz of this, Tonya. Just let them go and everyone will be happy."

"Mind your own business, nighthunter."

"Heyyy!!! Nobody speaks to my partner like this!!", a silvery-black-haired woman appeared next to the mysterious man.

Nik smirked as she called him her partner and wrapped his free arm around her waist.

"My rook."

"Oh, so the couple is here together now. Solo suited you better, Nik Ryder", Tonya mocked.

"Shut up, Smoke!! And let these innocent people go."

While Tonya was focused on Nik and his girlfriend, Astrid used her skills to free her friends. Time for the Seduction Skill!! She swayed her hips and leaned closer towards a man who held one of her friends captured. Mal was surprised at her sudden move.

"Hello, strong man.", she winked at one of them.

"Me?"

"Yes, you. You're very strong and look at your muscles.", she traced a finger on the stranger's arm who suddenly felt attracted to her. The rest of them wanted that too now.

Mal definitely didn't like it even though, she used her seduction skills several times and it helped. But this time was different. They were nasty men who could hurt her and were now hungrily staring at her. Mal had to do something.

"Hey Astrid, you haven't seen my muscles yet. Let me use them to smash those bastards.", Mal got jealous. Astrid's eyes were still on the men.

"Oh yes, Mal is right. You guys have muscles, but use them for what??!! To serve an unthankful woman. I definitely would value your hard work and loyalty. All of you.", the braided blonde played with her lashes which made the men loosen their grips.

And with that, Tyril, Imtura, Threep and Nia managed to free themselves and began fighting. Even Astrid now used her combat skill and threw a few punches at the men, while Tyril, Imtura and Mal used their weapons. Threep supported the priestess to defend everyone.

"How dare you treat a legendary and wise nesper like that??", he hissed and used his cat claws to hurt the enemies.

"Watch out!!!", the silvery-haired girl shouted and blasted a flame of light towards a goon who was about to hit Astrid from behind. The bad guy couldn't harm her now, fell backward, and then fainted.

"Thanks!!", Astrid shouted towards her and continued her battle.

Tonya Reimonenq noticed that her men couldn't win, especially against a strong orc like Imtura. So she demanded her men to retreat, getting back to her Club.

"I'll be back. You haven't heard the last from me, Ryder.", she swore revenge, quickly stepped inside her limousine and commanded her driver to escape.

"Phewww, she and her men are gone.", Nia got relieved when Lady Smoke and her goons were finally gone.

"I knew it!! An unknown world could be dangerous."

"I know, Tyril. You were right, but I'm glad we got rid of them. And these two helped us.", Astrid turned her attention towards the couple in front of them. The two stepped closer to the group.

"Damn, didn't know you guys would handle it on your own. I'm impressed. At least some people don't need to be protected which makes my work easier. And you did a great job too, rook.", Nik praised everyone.

"Awwww, thanks.", she got delighted, stood on her toes and planted a quick kiss on his cheek. Then she stepped closer to the group to introduce herself and Nik. They shook each other's hands.

"Nice to meet you, Alex. I'm Astrid. These are my friends, Imtura, Nia, Tyril, Mal and Threep."

"Awwww, Threep is soooo cute!!!! Eeeeeeekkk...", she admired the little, winged cat and wanted to cuddle it.

"Pardon me, but I need my personal space. No cuddles when I'm hungry, milady."

"You can talk??!!"

"Of course. I'm a very wise nesper who has to confess my hunger and speaks wise words."

"Awwww, poor kitty. You must be so hungry. Let's get you some food, huh? Garrus's bar isn't far away, he'll serve you food and I'll feed you as much as you want.", Alex picked Threep up from the ground and held it like a baby in her arms, gazing sweetfully at him.

This time the nesper didn't complain because he was ready to get treated like he always wanted to.

"What's a bar?", one of the friends asked.

"Uhhh, it's where you drink? You guys never went to a bar? My friend, Garrus serves non-alcoholic drinks too if you want.", Nik informed.

"Ooooh, so it's a tavern. Then let's go!! I could use some refreshment.", Mal immediately agreed.

"Threep, meet Tinkerbell. Tinkerbell, meet Threep.", Alex tried to introduce Threep and her pet with each other.

"Is that a kricken? But what is it doing here?", Nia asked and petted the pet.

"A kricken? It's a perrikin."

"Oh, I see. In our realm it's called a kricken."

"Oh, so you're from another realm?", Alex asked with curiousity.

Nik, Alex and Astrid's crew were now sitting in Garrus's bar, called The Graveyard Shift along with some more friends. Each of them was getting along with another very well and was having a great time.

"So you're a nighthunter who hunts evil creatures and beings at night?", Mal was talking with Nik.

"Not only do I hunt. I make sure that both sides of the world, the World of Day and World of Night are save and secure against the evil. So yes, I'm a professional nighthunter. And you are...?"

"A thief. A professional thief.", Mal grinned, raising his arm to show Nik what he was holding.

"Hey, is that... My wallet?!! How the hell did you...??"

"Don't forget to look after yourself too while protecting the world, nighthunter.", Mal mischievously smiled and returned Nik's belongings back to him.

"Hmm... I like you already, thief. You're not bad actually. I'm impressed by your skills... And I like your shiny daggers."

"Thanks, Nik. My daggers are my tiny babies. But you're very skilled too."

Not far away, Katherine and Imtura were laughing together.

"Woah, really?!!! Could you teach me how to throw axes? It could come in handy for me while hunting."

"Now that's what I call a strong woman!! You may not be an orc or strong like me, but you have the spirit. I'll definitely teach you that, Katherine."

"Thanks, new bestie.", Katherine high-fived with Imtura.

Nia Ellarious and Vera Reimonenq enjoyed each other's presence while having conversations and drinking warm lemon tea together. Both admired each other's outfits and figured that they had a few things in common.

"So that dangerous woman we met before was your mother?"

"Yes, but I'm not like her. Don't worry."

"Oh, I'm not afraid of you. I can sense that you're a sweet and pure person. Besides, I also had the similar experience. I looked up to the Light court, but they were not like I expected them to be. I may belong to them as a priestess, but I can still be different and choose the path I want to. The path of harmony.", she explained to Vera and both sweetly smiled at each other with affection.

"Wait, you're her child?? That means she can't be the person I thought she was. She looks exactly like the thiefmaster.", Mal passed by as he overheard Nia and Vera after finishing his conversation with Nik.

"The thiefmaster?", Nia asked him.

"Oh, never mind. Forget it, priestess.", Mal tried to avoid the topic and decided to look for Astrid.

"Is that a fae??", Tyril got shocked as he saw Garrus passing by with a tray of drinks. The fae was too busy with work and serving customers to notice Tyril, the elf. Then Cal answered him.

"Yes, that's Garrus. He's a fae. And the silvery-haired girl you met earlier, she's a half-fae. Are you a fae too?"

"A half-fae, how rare and astonishing!! And no, I'm no fae. I may have pointy ears too, but they are longer. I'm an elf. Tyril, House of Starfury."

"Oh, a noble?"

"It's complicated. My sister takes care of House Starfury now. I don't feel like I belong with the rest of the noble elves."

"Hey, I know what you mean. I also feel like I don't belong to my pack anymore. I'm a werewolf, but I'm not like them. An outsider. I'm different, but I feel proud of it. By the way, my name is Cal. Cal Lowell.", he extended his hand forward and Tyril accepted to shake it.

"A pleasure to meet you, Cal."

Later, Mal finally found Astrid in the corner of the room who was talking with the silvery-black haired woman from before.

"Hey, kit."

"Hey, rook."

Nik and Mal greeted their own girlfriends at the same time when they appeared. Both were surprised. They stared at each other open-mouthed for a while before turning their attention back to their partners. Alex and Astrid began to giggle.

"So Nik calls you rook, Alex?"

"Yup, and you're Mal's kit. Am I right, Astrid? Guess our boys have a few things in common just like the two of us.", she continued laughing with Astrid at the boys.

"Oh Alex, as much as I enjoyed tonight with you and your friends, it's getting late. We must return, but I will never forget tonight. You're my new friend in this weird, but modern world."

"I will miss you too, Astrid. I hope you will visit us again. Threep is so adorable. And next time when you come, you should definitely teach me your seduction skill."

"Oh nooo!!! For god's sake, please don't!!! Enough people are hitting on her already, I don't want her to get started too or get in trouble.", Nik begged the girls who giggled again.

"Awww, Nik. You're my everything. But I could use the seduction skill to convince you whenever we both disagree with each other."

"Oh, so that's your evil plan? How cruel of you, my rook?", he raised his eyebrow, then chuckled.

Then Astrid spoke, promising to teach Alex the seduction skill if she would teach her some magic. Afterall the flame of light which the nighthunter's girlfriend used against Lady Smoke's goons was impressive and could be useful. Maybe Alex could also convince her friendly stepmother, Lady Thalissa to teach both of them. For example, how to open the correct portal.

And with that, it was time for Imtura, Nia, Tyril, Mal, Threep and Astrid to go back to their realm. Back home. This time Astrid opened the right portal. And if not, then they would have landed on their next adventure.

[guardian-of-fandoms]

"Cole" blinked as he stepped into the sunlight, trying to ignore the dizziness in his head.

"Everyone clear on the plan?"

"Got it."

"All clear."

The group moved through the parking lot, Charlie going over the agreed course of action.

"We'll regroup at the lab in two hours, see what we've got then."

"Be ready for anything."

Cole gripped his cybernetic arm, his face gravely serious.

"I understand you've faced your own version of Morocco, but... Never let your guard down. Never. You have no idea what that monster's done..."

"We'll be careful, we promise. And we'll keep you updated."

Cole nodded, look hesitant, but accepting.

"As soon as i'm back to full strength, i'm going after him."

"You do that, hotshot."

Kade couldn't resist the snark, even as Dani jabbed an elbow into his side.

Cole stared at him pointedly, before pausing in his tracks.

"... Woah..."

The Bots sat idly in the lot, Cole's eyes wide as he stared at them, before glancing away, his face flushing as he cleared his throat.

"Uh... Blades, Boulder, Chase, i... Uh.. I'm sorry about those EMPs from earlier."

Blades was the first to answer, nervously replying,

"Please don't do that again!"

Chase's lights blinked, before he dryly retorted,

"I cannot advocate for such an experience being a pleasant one."

It was Boulder, who held the most neutral stance.

"At least the time limit is impressive!"

Heatwave's lights blinked, the firetruck managing to look suspicious of him even in vehicle form.

"Yeah, that stunt of yours was real clever... Better not think of trying something like that again, or you'll have to go through me."

"I wouldn't think of it..."

Chase's lights blinked again.

"It has left me quite perplexed, why was Heatwave the only one not targeted earlier?"

Cole sighed.

"I said earlier, I owe him."

"Yeah, would love to know what you apparently owe me for."

Cole was quiet, then glanced up, gazing at Heatwave directly, something pained in his eyes.

".... No... No you wouldn't..."

The ominous statement instantly set Heatwave on edge, but Charlie called for attention.

"Alright, Boulder, Graham, Doc, get to the lab and help our guest. Everyone else, let's find this Morocco doppelganger."

Boulder popped his door open, and Graham, Doc, and Cole all squeezed inside.

Charlie slide inside Chase, and as the door popped shut, Chase asked,

"Sir. I hope you do not mind my asking, but I am curious. Why are you so quick to trust this stranger? While the Genetic match may confirm his identity, he has exhibited rather questionable behavior."

Charlie sighed, rubbing his temple as he mused on the situation.

"You could call it... Father's intuition. It's a gut feeling."

"I thought feelings originating from internal organs were an indicator of discomfort?"

Charlie sighed, shaking his head.

"Not like that, Partner.... It's more like... I just know. I can't explain it, beyond just... Knowing, that is my son. Well... I don't know, this is all confusing, but... He may not be MY son, but... any version of him will always be my son."

"... I am not quite sure that I follow, Sir."

Charlie sighed, but smiled softly.

"... I think he's just... a little mixed up, at the moment. Maybe if we steer him in the right direction, he'll surprise us."

-

"I don't think I can handle any more surprises right now."

Kade groaned as he leaned back, absently staring out the window.

"Look... Whatever happened to this guy, it was rough. Cody said he seemed Mixed Up about something, You don't get jaded like that without going through hell and back."

"But you still don't buy him being Cody."

Heatwave's dry tone was blunt, straight to the point.

"No. I just... That can't be him."

"Look.... This is weird. But, you gonna tell me why you're so against this guy being Cody?"

"I just did."

"... Oh..."

Kade glanced down at Heatwave's screen, absently rubbing his chin.

".... Dani and Graham are on my side here. If that guy is Cody, think about it. Why would we ever send him through the multiverse alone?"

-

"We wouldn't."

Dani nodded, scanning the area as Blades flew overhead.

"Yeah.... And then there's the way he acts. He's... guarded. He doesn't seem very comfortable around any of us. Well, except Doc. But... Something just feels... Off. Like being around us... Hurts him..."

"Yeah... If our Cody went to another dimension, of course we'd follow him! So... If he came alone..."

"... I think I have to agree with Kade, Cody wouldn't become so... serious and jaded like this... At least... Not without a reason..."

"... But... Something that horrible..."

"I know..."

Dani ran a hand through her hair, absently fidgeting with her hands.

"... I don't know, maybe we have this from the wrong angle. But... I just.... I don't know...."

Blades was quiet, before timidly saying,

"... That guy, when he fought us.... He knew things only Cody could know... But our Cody would never do that.... Right?"

... Was it possible for their Cody to become this?

-

"Now.... How does that feel?"

The group had set up just outside the lab, accommodating for Boulder.

Doc pulled away from Cole's arm, the visitor examining the repairs, nodding in satisfaction.

"A lot better, thank you."

The metal plating had been replaced in some parts, the wires hidden from view.

He stretched out the arm, testing it's movements, as Doc stole a glance at the implants on his neck.

"I must say, this technology is incredible! A neural link of this caliber, who designed this?"

Cole was quiet, before smirking slightly.

"I mean, you did."

".... ASTOUNDING!"

Doc Greene's eye lit up at the prospect, and Cole couldn't help but chuckle.

"You were so proud of yourself, when you got it working... You and Frankie spent forever working on it, getting the bugs out."

"Frankie? Your world's Frankie, I take it."

"Yeah..."

Something in his face shifted, a melancholic fondness.

".... Both of you... you were really there for me..."

"... Were?"

Cole saw the conclusions being drawn, and winced, clarifying,

"No, No, nothing like that. We just... Haven't talked in a while..."

"I see..."

Graham coughed, trying to break up the awkwardness.

"Uh, now that basic motor functions are reestablished, how about testing the other abilities?"

Cole nodded, and boulder brought over a large battery.

"Everyone stand back, just in case."

Cole walked up to the battery, and after glancing at the trio, pressed the palm of his cybernetic to it.

Instantly, the arm glowed with golden sparks, the battery sparking and shaking, before Cole pulled away, the battery laying drained and defunct.

A ball of electricity trashed about Cole's palm, a slow smirk dragging across his face.

Oh... that felt good...

Graham and Boulder exchanged a small high five, and Doc beamed.

"Commence Shielding Trial!"

Boulder grabbed a small wooden crate this time, taking careful aim.

"Are you sure about this?"

Cole only smirked.

"Give me your best shot."

Boulder chuckled, and hurled the crate at him.

A golden dome instantly surrounded him, the crate shattering to pieces upon impact.

The science trio cheered, and Cole dissolved the shield, a golden glow in his eyes.

Doc motioned to a dummy they'd set up, and Cole took aim.

"Commence discharge trial!"

With careful concentration, Cole unleashed all the absorbed electricity in one powerful blast, the dummy exploding upon impact.

"SUCCESS!!!"

The science trio cheered amongst themselves, but Cole suddenly dropped to a knee, gasping for breath.

"Cole!"

Cole clutched his head, groaning as the trio rushed over to help him.

"You okay?"

boulder gently grabbed him by his back, hoisting him up.

Cole rubbed his head, letting Boulder guide him over to a chair.

"Ugh... I don't understand..."

Doc nervously studied the cybernetic, the glow fading.

"Perhaps I miscalculated, maybe if i-"

"No, it's working fine."

Cole caught his breath, rubbing his forehead.

"When I use too much bio-electricity, it takes a toll on my body. But I don't understand, a charge like that should've been nothing."

Graham mused on it, frowning.

"Hmm... Maybe you haven't recovered from your blast against Morocco earlier... You used everything you had, right? Doctor Mcswain noted a high concentration of Bio-electricity in your system, but for you, maybe that concentration was actually low."

Doc nodded in agreement.

"That sounds plausible. A blast like that must've drained you severely, triggering some natural state of energy conservation.... Do you sustain yourself off this bio-electricity?"

Cole shrugged, and they caught a flash of gold in his eyes.

"I mean... It's not like i can survive solely off it. But it definitely keeps me going for long periods of time. I've gone like a week without sleeping before, just by absorbing electricity here and there. But I definitely have my limits. If i absorb too much, I need to discharge it imeditantly."

"Interesting..."

Boulder frowned, recalling their own history with similar technology...

"Hmm... Looks like you were right, Graham, this definitely seems similar to the repulsor badge."

"Repulsor Badge?"

Cole looked confused, and Graham clarified,

"It's a long story, but... Cody- our Cody- was a Superhero for a little while. Doc built the Repulsor Badge as a means of keeping him out of danger, which, DID NOT WORK."

Doc looked a bit embarrassed, continuing,

"I, ah... I'm afraid that there was a slight issue with the power regulation.... The Badge overheated, and.... ah..."

Boulder sighed, shaking his head.

".... Our Cody..... almost blew up...."

Cole's eyes went wide, and Graham flushed.

"But, it ended better than it could have, at least? Let's just say that was the end of Rescue Boy..."

"Rescue Boy?"

Cole couldn't help but snort.

"No offense to my counterpart, but... Rescue Boy? Seriously?"

Graham shrugged.

"To be fair, I think Huxley came up with that, not him."

"Yeah, sounds about right..."

"I take it this never occurred in your universe?"

Cole nodded, and Doc processed the information, making mental notes.

"Interesting... If that incident never occurred in your universe, then i assume my counterpart had alternative motives for utilizing the hoverboard mechanisms in a similar fashion?"

Cole went quiet, and grabbed his arm.

"... Not important..."

Things went quiet, before Graham awkwardly motioned to Cole's dented chest plate.

"Uh... How about we repair that next? I bet we could reinforce it."

"Sure..."

Cole forced himself to his feet, staggering from lightheadedness, but forcing himself to shake if off.

"Do you have... Another power source? I just need a small boost..."

Doc nodded, gently grasping his arm as he led him over to another battery.

Boulder and Graham watched, before exchanging a look.

Graham whispered in a low voice,

"Do... you think Kade was right?"

".... Do you?"

They watched Doc pull out another battery, which Cole gratefully took, Graham commenting,

"He seems a lot more comfortable around Doc, than us. But why?"

"I noticed that."

Boulder studied "Cole", watching as he gasped the battery, his eyes tinged with gold as he absorbed the power.

"Maybe... It's painful. If Kade's right, then..."

"He's... being reminded of what he lost..."

-

"Anything?"

"Nothing."

"Nope."

Charlie frowned as he listened to the comns, then check the time.

"Alright... Let's regroup at the lab. We'll plan our next move from there, and see if our guest has anymore information for us."

He ended the connection, just as Chase abruptly halted.

Charlie snapped to attention at the abrupt stop, scanning the road.

"What is it, Partner? See anything?"

They'd stopped just in front of the junkyard, everything appearing normal.

"... Apologies, Sir. I thought i saw something, but I appear mistaken."

"It's alright, Chase. C'mon, let's join the others."

They pulled away, and once they were gone, movement stirred.

The shambling mound of wires and metal staggered through the yard, the last remnants of a madman toying with fate, a twisted mind refusing to die.

Morocco's broken face reformed as the mechanical monster shifted and re-formed, going from a staggering beast to a more human form.

His red eyes sparked, jagged shards of metal and exposed wiring sending glitches and sparks as he limped and staggered.

The paneling across his chest was uneven, slightly ajar, revealing a pulsing ball of electricity, irregularly shifting between the purple of the shattered gemstone, and a gold.

A gold power not his own, but one he knew well...

"Cody Burns... You attempt to destroy me yet again... and just as before... You only make me stronger..."

Morocco strode over to the piles of scrap, his stride irregular, but steady.

While discarded, the scrap metals and old technology were perfectly viable, and applicable to his purposes....

"Oh... Clever man, that Doctor Morocco...."

[actual-changeling]

https://www.tumblr.com/actual-changeling/743208931075260416/httpsactual-changelingtumblrcompost743117034

Oh, thank you so much for clarifying! I am again so sorry that's how I took it, but I read and reread and thought about it and I could not see how you actually meant it! It upset me to think you might think that and I'm very glad I was wrong!

Now that it's all clear, I'm afraid I can't say I agree with your thoughts about Nina and Maggie. The ball was too far and completely unfair to the people he was manipulating for his own fantasy, but I don't believe he'd use temptation or miracles to force Nina and Maggie together. In my opinion, I don't think he really cares if they get together. While he does seem to genuinely like Maggie and I think he would like her to be happy, he is rightfully far more focused on Jimbriel. He has to try to get them together because that's his excuse to the archangels, but if his matchmaking doesn't work? Oh well, his massive miracle attempt didn't take it seems. Such a shame. Please continue to ignore the guy in the sweater vest.

That's just my view of events though! Everyone has their own and disagreements about them are natural. Again, I'm sorry for my misinterpretation of your words and thank you for clarifying!

No need to apologize!

Sometimes I screw up my wording and I'm always happy to clarify, and if you disagree in the end then that's perfectly fine! I'm always curious how other people interpret the same situation.

With Aziraphale and how far he'd go with his miracles—I'm not actually sure. Like, I think it is certainly possible that he would use miracles in a temptation/emotional manipulation way, but it is also possible that he does not care enough to try it or simply doesn't want to.

If you had asked me about Aziraphale doing something like the ball before season two, my answer would probably have been "he wouldn't".

I did not think he'd manipulate people like that, but then he did! I did not think he'd ever treat Crowley the way he treated him this season, but then he did. So my expectations around him are completely off-balance and knotted up, and while there are many situations where I can be quite certain my predictions are correct, there are some where it comes down to actually seeing him in it.

Another question is also what he would have done if e.g. music shop guy hadn't agreed to come even with the Doctor Who annual on the table. Since this is about the ball itself—which he wanted to happen so play out his fantasy with Crowley—his approach might be different compared to his matchmaking one.

Would he have forced him to go and do what he wants or would he have looked for an alternative? Although once he has set his mind on something, he will do whatever is necessary to get it.

But yeah, bottom line—always ask if you're unsure about something I said, absolutely no need to apologize 💚

[mimimaymagic]

In Defense of Sebastian Sallow.

Lately I've seen a lot of people who generally liked him in the beginning slowly start to change their minds, calling him a toxic manipulator & saying he was using MC for his agenda from the very beginning. I strongly disagree and in this post I'm going to give my reasons why I don't believe he's as black and white as people have begun to paint him.

I also want to add that everyone is entitled to feel however they want about his character & storyline. The purpose of this post isn't to imply there's a right or wrong interpretation, it's all just my opinion. Being able to discuss and debate this character is the very reason why he's by far the most interesting, or even realistic, companion in the game.

I will only be discussing his arc until the end of the quest 'In The Shadow Of The Estate', in which you visit his family home and investigate the surrounding area - else this post would go on forever. Naturally, there will be spoilers ahead.

- If you're sorted into Slytherin, he's likely the first person you speak to in your common room. He immediately expresses interest in how you ended up at Hogwarts after the dragon attack but doesn't press you for answers. I think, like everyone else at the school, he's just very curious about you. He generally also seems to have a thirst for knowledge like his parents had and I think most people just assumed he's sus from the start because he's a charming Slytherin.

- Within the same conversation, if you express interest in Sebastian's book and the Dark Arts, he warms up to you instantly and calls you a "kindred spirit" - likely because no one else in his life shares his views on the subject.

- If you're sorted into Gryffindor (ikdr!), Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff, you meet him in your first Defense Against The Dark Arts class and beat him in a duel. From this point, he becomes a friend to you and I truly believe he's just a generally nice, personable guy who will befriend anyone.

- In terms of the Hogsmeade visit, I'm told Seb & Natty have mostly the same dialogue/actions so I don't think there's anything special to discuss there since if Natty has sincere intentions in opening up and befriending you, why shouldn't Sebastian?

- Just wanna talk about a tiny instance he proves his genuine care for MC that really stood out to me even though the action isn't exclusive to him: In the Three Broomsticks cutscene when Rookwood points out that he's looking for MC, Sebastian will - without hesitation - jump out of his seat to take on a fighting stance. It's made very clear that he WILL protect you if it comes to blows.

- The next time you see Sebastian is when you ask him about the Restricted Section. Even if you aren't totally transparent with him, he easily agrees to helping you & risks getting into more trouble despite the fact that he won't gain anything from it.- One might say he agreed to help because he's nosy, but he ends up leaving you alone and wishes you luck before chasing after Peeves. He also never forces you to expose what you've learned.

- "I like having friends who are in my debt." This line for some reason has become "proof" that he's a manipulator to some people and personally, I don't see it? I saw it as his way of cracking a joke & lightening what was a very stressful situation for the MC. Added to the fact that even after he takes the fall for you and you thank him for it later, he brushes it off as if it's not a big deal. Also, he never holds it over your head and at no point in the game does he make you feel indebted to him.

- Additionally when he's caught, he has no idea that you're watching. Therefore his instinct to protect you and make sure you stay out of trouble is entirely sincere.

- Something else that a lot of people reference when talking about how he's a manipulator is him supposedly spilling all his secrets as a means of gaining your trust: immediately inviting you to Crossed Wands, betraying Ominis' trust by showing you the Undercroft, telling you about Anne's curse etc. Again, I disagree. This is a 15 year old boy, he's definitely not an evil mastermind; in fact, I'd argue he's too impulsive to even consider making long-term plans like that. Now this might be a reach on my part but I think he's yearning for a similar companionship as he had with Anne. Sebastian even says later in the game that the curse has completely changed her, and not just physically. I think the reason he's so open so quickly is because he's genuinely just more excited than anything to have a new "partner in crime".

- I also want to remind everyone that only in the Undercroft are you "forced" by the game to tell him the whole truth if you've chosen to keep it a secret. Yet regardless of whether he knows about your special abilities or not, he still treats you exactly the same. He's still just as charming, teasing, friendly and genuinely gives you the feeling that he likes you. I'd even go as far as saying he's the only companion who really feels like a friend (which I think comes down to his personality, writing + his voice actor's amazing line delivery).

- Also in the Undercroft, he doesn't really have anything to gain from letting you in or teaching you Confringo. In my opinion, he knows there are dangerous men after you (even if you haven't told him yet) and just wants you to have a means of protecting yourself since you're "behind" on the work.- It could be argued that he just wants a secret place to practice forbidden spells with you but at no point in the game does he force you to learn the Unforgivables. [In a meta sense, he has to reveal the Undercroft to you regardless since it plays a massive role in the main quest.]

- In the end, he invites you to Feldcroft to meet with Anne so you can hopefully cheer her up. I can't see any "manipulation" in this either since he didn't plan for the argument with his Uncle Solomon, nor did he plan on Anne suddenly falling ill. I think that when it comes to Anne, he generally has good intentions, and genuinely wanted her to meet and befriend you like he had.

- After the whole debacle in the Sallow house, you and Sebastian snoop around Isadora's home and end up back at the Undercroft. It is only here that he finally understands your abilities and brings up the idea that your ancient magic COULD help Anne. Sebastian has exhausted every single option in his arsenal at this point and I think he's just clinging to anything he hasn't explored yet. But he only brings it up here, he never even considers it prior to this which is why I believe him being kind to you, helping you and becoming your friend had no secret intention.

In conclusion, I don't believe he's been manipulating the MC from the start. I truly believe his intentions in befriending MC were sincere and that he does "change" as he delves deeper into the Dark Arts. With characters like Sebastian, I don't think it does them justice to be put in a box. He's just too complex for that, and when making your final decision in the game keep in mind that this fictional kid is neither totally good nor totally bad, he's just human.