#but there were other motives alongside that notion

[bkdkink]

Viktor knew Jayce had more he wanted to say to him/there was more than just wanting to stop Viktor for the sake of the world, and that it likely wasn't the main reason Jayce even wanted to stop Viktor in the first place as SOON as they made eye-contact. Viktor KNEW Jayce had other motives but Viktor was so blinded by how flawed he saw himself that he could not even fathom that Jayce might have been trying to stop him for the sake of saving him.

But - once Viktor literally opened jayce's mind - he realized what the truth was: that Jayce had made a promise, that Jayce found beauty in his imperfections, and that all he wanted was his partner back.

[deus-sema]

The discourse surrounding Sauron and Galadriel about love and obsession has been rather interesting to catch up with so far. After going through the perspectives of both those who like this pairing and those who don’t, I think both sides can unite in agreement over this one fact, if nothing else: obsession, without any shred of doubt, exists between them. It exists on both sides for she has been obsessed with him long before he was with her. Yes, it was motivated by unadulterated hatred and a desire for vengeance, but he occupied her thoughts for the better or worse. Now, she has planted herself in his mind too.

Then comes the question of whether whatever there is between them can be considered romantic or not. Is it appropriate to label it as love or not? Here it is a matter of preference which differs from person to person. What will be interpreted as romantic by one may not be so by another and vice versa. It is completely understandable why many will be uncomfortable with the notion of obsession being associated with love. Obsession – over anything and anyone – is usually an unhealthy emotion. Unwanted and unpredictable, it can prove detrimental to both the individual experiencing it as well as the people around them. In the real world, it needs to be recognized for what it is and addressed for the betterment of everyone.

But, herein lies the difference between the world we exist in and fictional worlds. Every work of fiction, regardless of genre, exists on a different plane whose happenings have no bearing on our reality. Fiction is a realm of infinite possibilities which is the reason why people use it for wish fulfillment. People can’t fly or use magic for real but they can do so in a make-believe world. People can cheat death and turn over a new leaf. Foes can become friends and overcome their grievances. They can live happily ever after without any worries about betrayal or loss. It is a place where ideal and unconditional love is allowed to thrive. Simultaneously, it is also where love can exist in flawed, twisted and, even, perverse forms. It can be greedy, possessive, selfish, and warped while still retaining its essence. That is probably the reason why many, myself included, are fascinated with the idea of stories with obsessive love. With the idea of an all-consuming desire and yearning on one character’s part for another that can go on to be destructive. With the concept of evil beings experiencing love. It is why obsession fueled by love, whether executed properly or not, is an integral component of many dark romances. Within stories, it is permitted to be what it is most certainly not in reality. In real life, no emotion – not even what we believe to be love – should override our individual well being or anyone else’s. This is why fiction is a safe space to explore fantasies. Even the most incredulous ones of all.

Now, about how I interpret Sauron and Galadriel, specifically, within the context of this show: It is love. They developed feelings for each other when their paths crossed unexpectedly and they forged an unlikely bond because of the circumstances they faced together. Simple. Unintentionally, Galadriel began to care for her greatest enemy and believed him to be her friend. She is still obsessed with defeating him but whatever she felt for Halbrand now exists alongside her hatred for Sauron. Meanwhile, Sauron is still pretty much evil. He is working to further his own interests or,rather,what he thinks to best for Middle Earth. But, at the same time, he desires Galadriel. Both were visibly attracted to one another in the first season. Even though no words were said, Charlie and Morfydd, being the phenomenally talented and intelligent actors that they are, conveyed it beautifully through their expressions and body language. I don’t think it is a betrayal to the characters either for the show, more or less, took Sauron’s canonical obsession with Galadriel and her persistent defiance against him and added to it a layer of romance which is doomed because of who they are. I don’t claim to know what the show plans on doing with them in future and it is not in my hands. We can only speculate, engage in wishful thinking and write fanfics and AUs if things don’t go the way we want them to.

RoP is a show I’m enjoying so far in all its aspects and I’m not exaggerating when I say that its fandom is one of the most chilled-out and relaxing ones I’ve engaged with in recent times. I’ve gotten to interact with many amazing posts. However I’m well aware that where there is more than one person, there are differences in opinions. Where there are differences, there will be disagreements. Where there are disagreements, there will be clashes. Clashes will lead to fanwars. Fanwars have high chances of turning toxic. I know the drill for I have undergone it in many fandoms. I’ve been carried away by the toxicity and have made my fair share of mistakes too. Those experiences have taught me some important lessons. One mistake I made, rather repeatedly, during my…..enthusiastic….stanning phase was to engage in fights with people whose opinions on a certain topic or fictional character differed from mine. All factions believe their interpretation of whichever nonexistent character they like in whatever made-up story they are into, is the correct one and many a times they can substantiate their claims with reasons. Sometimes, these contrasting opinions lead to some riveting and respectful discussions between people which, to be honest, is the entire point behind a public platform. Sometimes, they result in nasty fights.

Ideally, the feelings of real people should be prioritized over seemingly trivial issues like different preferences in fiction. But if we were capable of that we would all be perfect but, as we all know, perfection exists only in Valinor. Fictional works are dearer to us than some random stranger on the internet. So, when we encounter a radically different opinion about something we are passionate about, the first reaction is usually one of annoyance. Depending on whether it is mild or severe, this annoyance can make us petty. We crave the satisfaction of one-upping those who disagree with us, of validating our perspective over their’s and, as a result, we don’t realize if someone’s feelings get hurt in the process. Or even if we do, the euphoria of ‘winning’ in the discourse makes it easier to sweep the adverse effects under the rug. I don’t believe we need to withhold our opinions to make others happy. We are not bound to understand each other's opinions, much less agree every time. But we do owe it to each other to be civil if not anything else. As for me, what I’m going to try and do is to ignore the takes I disagree with and mind my own business. If it gets too much then I am going to press the block button. I advise those who dislike my opinions and takes to do the same. It’s nothing personal and we all deserve to enjoy in our own spaces while choosing what content we wish to see and engage with without suppressing our thoughts. We deserve to vent as well for it is healthy. I cannot guarantee that I’ll be successful right away for there are still instances when I end up behaving in a manner that is plain immature. But, to paraphrase the late Diarmid who once tried to counsel Sauron (Eru bless his soul), I simply have to keep trying until it becomes a habit.

So, take care everyone, and I hope you all are doing well wherever you are.

[xshingie]

Edouard Character Profile and Analysis: A second look at the man behind the bright-eyed smile.

Introduction/Context:

One of the most difficult challenges when analyzing Edouard’s character is that much of his backstory is enshrouded in mystery. The most we know of him is told through Annette, which necessitates peeling back layers from how Annette would perceive him with her limited perspective. 

However, we can look at history to construct what sort of life Edouard might have had, and what unique challenges he might have faced. By piecing together circumstantial details of Saint-Domingue’s theater culture, we can start to ask the questions: What might have shaped Edouard’s motives, ideals, and beliefs? What motivates Edouard’s character? 

So, let’s embark on a iceberg-level deep dive where I explore a potentially cynical interpretation of Edouard that hasn’t been examined before...

Note: Throughout you will notice certain words enclosed in brackets following the end of a sentence with a number. This references the cited source by author's last name or website name, which is listed in full at the end.

PART I.  Annette and Edouard, Revisited

1.1 Initial Impressions

I initially held the belief that Annette/Edouard relationship was intimately close -- closer than anything, family, perhaps bordering on romantic. There was something implicit in their connection through demonstrated character actions: (1) Edouard saving her from Vaublanc, (2) fighting side-by-side during the Haitian slave insurrection. (3) How Edouard chose to follow Annette to France without hesitation (4) how Edouard’s death affected Annette so deeply.

At the time when I had completed my first Annette/Edouard fic, I had written an in-depth analysis ("On the Edouard/Annette 'ship'") where I posited how deep their closeness must have been, and what they had meant to each other.

However, as I’ve let things sit in the fridge more, certain observations have made me reconsider. I believe they were 'close' in terms of trust when fighting alongside each other, but they didn't truly understand each other on a deeper level.

1.2  Re-Analyzing Sampled Interactions

Richter: Are you alright? You can’t be sure that was him. Annette: Those were his eyes.

At the time, I had thought that Annette recognizing Edoaurd’s eyes in a vastly different form was an implicit indication of their closeness. However, as mentioned in this previous post here ("Exploring The Narrative Significance of Edouard’s Blue eyes"), my stance now is that this speaks more to her own personal perception of how well she thought she knew him, rather than actually knowing him. 

Annette: Edouard believed singing was the soul's way of speaking. That's why, from pauper to statesman, everyone is drawn to music. He'd say that when he was on stage looking out to the audience, he could see the colors of everyone's soul. Mine was pink. He was wrong, though. Green is my favorite color.

When Annette recounts Edouard’s belief about singing and souls, there’s a wistful quality in her tone, sentimental and romantic with a subtle laugh. This scene can be interpreted in multiple ways -- perhaps she felt the notion Edouard held was silly, something she appreciated but perhaps didn’t understand or didn’t quite see it the same way he claimed. Note the visual storyboarding setup -- she is quite literally, reconstructing an subjective image -- her subjective image -- of Edouard as she speaks through memory. 

As I began to research more into Saint-Domingue’s colonial theatre scene, I began to understand on a deeper level what kind of environment Edouard was in. This led me to question why the only things we heard about Edouard from Annette was from a rosy lens. Of course, here I ought to extend some grace. When grieving, it is only normal human tendency to want to remember the best parts of someone. 

Annette: My sweet, beautiful Edouard has been turned into a monster conjured from hell.

But… Annette’s phrasing of “my sweet, beautiful Edouard,” combined with the fact that we only hear only rosy things, suggests me that either (1) Edouard didn’t share much about himself beyond his romantic ideals, and/or (2) Annette didn’t know him as well as she thought, perhaping lacked the capacity to understand him deeper with her framework of understanding at that stage in her life.

Another instance that may hint at this disconnect is when she finds NightCreature!Edouard, she offers to give him penance through killing him. 

Annette: I can make it quick, Edouard. No. pain [..] I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I thought that's what you would have wanted.

This situation, taken in isolation, is not a strong one. With limited knowledge of night creatures, Annette wouldn’t have known that Edouard could be cognizant or the extent he retained his humanity (his case being unprecedented in the animated Castlevania universe). However, this still highlights Annette’s tendency to jump to conclusions and take action first rather than seek understanding.

----

PART II. Who was Edouard, Really? Constructing a Character Profile from History and Headcanon 

2.1 Saint-Domingue’s Political, Social, and Economic backdrop in context of French Colonial Theatre

At the peak of the Haitian revolution, the racial diaspora in colonial Saint-Domingue had evolved into a nuanced and complex one --  with the burgeoning rise of the mixed race population, some of which had amassed wealth and economic influence. Even within the mixed race population, there were nuances and subtleties regarding their rights -- i.e., a gens de coleur that would have been born free, compared to an affranchis, a slave that had earned their freedom. A mixed race person’s circumstances of birth governed mobility in what careers, ownership of property/land, voting rights, and strategic marriages/unions could be pursued (Maguire[3]).

Edouard was shown performing in the Comédie du Cap (also referred to as the Comédie le Cap), which became open to the public in 1764 and experienced a boon/bustle in hosting performances, ushering a peak of French colonial theatre all through the 1780s before the slave revolution sunsetted the end an era.

Background Art from the Portfolio of Mark Adams, Lead 3D Artist @ Powerhouse Animation, where he shares the design inspiration is from the theatre Comédie du Cap.

This theatre was situated in the heart of Cap‑Français. now known as Cap-Haitian. At the time, it was one of the wealthiest cities with its key strategic seaport location and boasting a diverse urban population, and eventually became a key staging ground for the Haitian slave revolt that sparked in 1791 through 1793.

A fun detail comparing the skyline of modern Cap-Haitian (courtesy of Wikipedia) and Cap‑Français as depicted in Nocturne. Note the similarity of the eminence of the peninsula that resembles a "widow's peak."

Note: Detail the specific theatres and setting will be important once I discuss Edouard’s transition from theatre to joining the maroons, or escaped slaves.

The theatre scene in Saint Domingue was complex social, political, and economic space that both (1) reflection of a system that reinforced the French hegemonic colonial presence, but also (2) may have influenced and challenged the complex social structures that arose through the eventual Creole influences in performances -- all the while serving as a melting pot where a diverse body of people convened to immerse themselves (the perception of) high-end French culture and music (Prest[6], Clay [1]).

As discussed, there were a lot of nuanced social ordinances, not too dissimilar to a caste system. The majority of theatre attendees were wealthy plantation owners, businessmen, stationed military, or visiting government representatives traveling abroad on business or behalf of the crown; eventually, gens de coleur and free blacks were admitted. Enslaved persons only of the audience if they were attending their masters, and were only allowed to perform under very strict circumstances (Prest[6]). Theatres also enforced French colonial cultural influence by primarily performing French pieces (as we know, African-influenced expressions of song/dance were greatly suppressed and theatre was no exception) (Clay[1]). Structural rules on theater seating arrangements and social fraternizing by race were also imposed.

With the vibrant diversity of individuals also came varying motives within the theatre’s social scene. People gathered to negotiate business or political deals, exchange ideas/sentiments regarding the current economic and political climate (sentiments that were growning increasingly tense as the revolution progressed). Wealthy gens de couleur saw this as an opportunity to enhance their social standing and economic influence, given Au Cap’s self-touted reputation for French sophistication and culture. It was also a place where less scrupulous motives were afoot, where colonists and soldiers would visit specifically to seek the company of the mulatto prostitutes (Clay[1]); or colored families would strategize in matchmaking for their daughters, tutted in well-spent attire, in hopes of being backed by a white sponsor (Powers[5]).

These details paint a vivid picture of Edouard's position within a broad social circle, ranging from the wealthy and educated, petit blancs, freedmen, and possibly even enslaved persons. By playing his cards right, Edouard could have gained insight into military, political, or business dealings and conversations happening at the time.

2.2 Edouard’s Unique Challenges, Motives, and Ideals

What drives Edouard as a character? 

Edouard clearly has a passion for song, and any opportunity he has to express himself so, he eagerly does. We also know that and he verbally espouses romantic ideals. If the theatre was such a place where people constantly tried to leverage to climb higher within the social and economic ladder, did Edouard ever have any similar aspirations or motivations? Or was he just content with the pure passion of singing and performing?

Edouard openly admits to being relatively privileged due to his birthright and likely enjoyed access to material possessions, given we are shown his inclination to accessorize with jeweled rings and the first thing he says to Annette is, “You’re stepping on my French silks.” As a side note, the theatre scene was also a place where gens de coleur often saw this an an opportunity to flout their wealth and proximity to french culture to up their social standing. Since fine goods (most fabrics in Saint Domingue were muslin/linen) from France would to be imported, and carrying/wearing something like silk in a social setting is to the effect of an opulent display of indulgence.

What other disadvantages or challenges Edouard might have faced?

We must also consider if Edouard faced any financial or economic pressures or constraints. As discussed, opportunities afforded for mixed persons depended on the circumstances of birth and their family's amassed wealth of social network and monetary resources. A subset of gens de coleur had indeed acquired wealth through merchant, administrative, artisanal, or clerical areas of business (Walton[8]). The primary passageway for a nonwhite to live or study abroad in France, i.e. to receive education, would be through sponsorship from a benefactor (Powers[5]). Was Edouard already born into wealth, or did he have to procure a benefactor or sponsor to fund/support his lifestyle? 

During this time, the majority of performers were imports from France during this era (Powers[6]). Since it was a challenge to retain native French performers in Saint Domingue, salary contracts customarily were generous in incentives for these white performers (Clay[1]). If Edouard was a native of Saint Domingue and of mixed-race origin, it is likely he may not have been able to levy a favorable salary contract with the theatre relative to his white colleagues. 

Although there were mixed race and black artists in performances documented in passing mention, the majority of their identities and names were lost (more likely, white people who left written records didn’t care to name them). The individuals who stood out enough to be recorded in history by name often had their talent begrudgingly acknowledged alongside backhanded remarks about their status or skin color in historical records. To obtain the opportunity to be be showcased as a soloist like we see in Edouard performing in Nocturne (i.e., the theatre agreeing to hold a named benefit in concert) especially for a mixed-race person, would have required a benefactor’s backing. The most well-known case was Minette and Lise, two affranchis both sponsored by Madame Acquire and Saint Martin (Powers[5]). This suggests that, given the disproportionate lack of named black performers in written records, Edouard would have faced additional hurdles to gain recognition and credibility as an individual artist. He would have had to overcome social stigma while competing against predominantly white contemporaries -- most black performers never achieved this. Additionally, he likely needed a benefactor to sponsor him to achieve headlining solo performances.

Although the culture of benefactors sponsoring performers is known in theatre settings elsewhere, I have not found conclusive source regarding what the environment for Saint Domingue would have been like -- the why and what constituting these arrangements, and each party’s respective leveraging influence in negotiation. I can only remark on what would be an inherent power disparity due to financial reliance -- it begets the question, what would the benefactor seek in return, and what would the performer be able to offer? (Note: I have written an analysis regarding 19th century opera scene in Paris where is a harrowing example where young female performers were exploited by their benefactors) However, I don't think circumstance have to be that dark -- perhaps Edouard came from a family who was able to leverage a business deal, or Edouard’s talents were remarkable enough to draw in an audience to generate revenue.

What were Edouard’s motivations, ideals, and beliefs? 

Annette: Why do you sing for these people, then? Edouard: I make them happy, and they loosen their tongues. You learn useful information that way.

If we revisit the above exchange with additional historical context, this exchange might be the closest insight to Edouard’s underlying character. It hints of an Edouard who is fully cognizant of these invisible, subtle barriers governing economic/social mobility within the different sub-classes, and is willing to engage in what types of flattery are necessary evils to grease interactions with socialites to acquire a favorable standing. 

Theatre played an important role inculcating the audience with not only French sentiment; pieces normally performed centered on themes of virtues of innocent love, pursuit of pleasure, tranquility and serenity -- a stark contrast to the growingly disparate mounting tensions arising in reality due to the oppressive political, social, and economic climate.  Issues like increasingly non-virtuous behavior of French men toward black and colored women, misery, corruption, and other intricacies of court and city. (Powers[5]) Edouard would have been singing and trumpeting about rosy ideals all the while reality was the opposite.

Edouard: It's in our hearts what matters, Annette.

Yet, some part of me now has to reconcile: to what extent these rosy ideals he spouted were truly ones that he believed? Given his explores to various facets of human behavior that shed a darker light, how can he say something like, "It's what in our hearts that matters”?  

Perhaps he was aware of this hypocritical farce, or perhaps that in spite of certain darker realities, some part of him did continue to harbor these romantic sentiments.

Some part of me can't help but speculate -- did he ever feel like an empty puppet within the society, effectively an empty puppet for the French crown?  Did he ever become jaded, if he ever witnessed greed, corruption, and indulgence?

All these details provide insight on not only the potential complexity of his personal circumstances, but also how Edouard would have required social acumen to navigate around  -- observing both things that would jade him (greed and corruption), but also engaging things that make him happy (enjoying the privileged life, being able to perform his passions). 

----

Part III. Annette and Edouard: Revisiting Their Relationship Yet Again, with Historical Context

3.1 What motivated Edouard to leave stage life to join Annette? 

If Edouard ostensibly was happy and comfortable doing what he loved performing and singing, what prompted him to join Annette to fight in the front lines, putting his life at risk for no good reason? 

This is actually a two-pronged question: Did Edouard leave of his own volition from a true character growth standpoint, or did he have no other choice to leave? Again, the timing and aligning of the history that occurred is a little murky If we look at the excerpted timeline courtesy from (Dayan[3]) as follows:

August 22-23, 1791: Slave Insurrection in the North

Sept 26, 1792: Cap Francais, the oldest, riches, and most densely populated city of the colony, burned to the ground by rebelling slaves.

June 20-21, 1794: Cap Francais again consumed by fires, and white inhabitants desert the island.

We know that the Comédie le Cap likely would have been burned/looted alongside the raid of Cap-Français in 1792 and faced subsequent closure. When Annette and Edouard blaze into the frontlines from the Vodou Ceremonial ritual, there is a shot of the same seaport view we were afforded, now on fire.

We also know that present Nocturne takes place in 1792. I am inclined to think that when Annette recalls taking up arms and Edouard is shown alongside her it would have referred to the August 1791 revolt, meaning that Edouard must have joined before the theater closed down. Maybe he had heard the disgruntled rumblings and saw the writing on the wall through the grapevine. Perhaps he had become jaded with the business of theatre. Maybe something about Annette's honesty, candor, and simple and straightforward nature inspired him to take up arms, too.

3.2 How well did they understand each other?

Edouard’s lifestyle was markedly different from Annette’s, full of subtlety and nuance. Ironically, what drew Edouard to Annette (her simplicity and candor) may also have created a fundamental rift in their ability to understand each other. At the start of Nocturne, Annette’s simplistic approach to situations would have prevent her from comprehending the nuanced aspects of Edouard's life -- a life that both granted him relative privilege and constrained his opportunities.

With Edouard’s background in interacting with various people, he is portrayed as observant, empathetic, and kind, as seen when he inquires about Maria’s connection with her birds. Being naturally emotionally attuned to others, he would have recognize Annette’s short-sightedness and tendency to make overly simplistic judgments without considering nuance. Knowing these traits, Edouard likely contributed less to their dynamic, often following her lead rather than suggesting his own ideas.

In conclusion, although Edouard and Annette were close, I believe there would have been certain things Annette wouldn’t have been able to understand about Edouard; ultimately limiting the depth of their connection before it was tragically cut short with Edouard's death.

----

PART IV. Conclusion, Acknowledgements, and Further Readings.

tl;dr I way over-engineered a potential backstory for not even a side character that had less than five minutes of screentime in total probably 

If you managed to read all of this, thank you! I mostly write these character analyses for personal reference when I find myself struggling writing a character. Because  Edouard’s screentime in Nocturne is lacking, I had to substantiate insight with an unusual amount of research. 

I think I’m ready to tackle a writing story focusing on Edouard perspective now. 

Cheers! - Shingie. 

Citations: Works Referenced for Further Reading

Clay, Lauren R. Stagestruck: The Business of Theater in Eighteenth-Century France and Its Colonies. Cornell University Press, 2013. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.7591/j.ctt1xx50x

“Colonial Society.” Traveling Haiti, 23 Mar. 2016, www.travelinghaiti.com/colonial-society-haiti/ 

Dayan, Joan. Haiti, History, and the Gods. 1st ed., University of California Press, 1995. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1525/j.ctt5hjhnv.

Maguire, Léa. Haitian Soldiers at the Battle of Savannah (1779), 8 Jan. 2018.  https://www.blackpast.org/global-african-history/haitian-soldiers-battle-savannah-1779/

Powers, David M. From Plantation to Paradise?: Cultural Politics and Musical Theatre in French Slave Colonies, 1764–1789. Michigan State University Press, 2014. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.14321/j.ctt7zt6t5.

Powers, David M. “The French Musical Theater: Maintaining Control in Caribbean Colonies in the Eighteenth Century.” Black Music Research Journal, vol. 18, no. 1/2, 1998. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/779400.

Prest, Julia. Review of Public Theatre and the Enslaved People of Colonial Saint-Domingue, by Julia Prest. The French Review, vol. 97 no. 3, 2024. Project MUSE, https://dx.doi.org/10.1353/tfr.2024.a920002,

Walton, Charles, "Saint Domingue", The Digital Encyclopedia of British Sociability in the Long Eighteenth Century [online], ISSN 2803-2845, URL: https://www.digitens.org/en/notices/saint-domingue.html

. 

[icycoldninja]

(dmc) if the gangs signature swords were turned into humans for a day, what do you think they'd be like?

Excellent notion, I'm glad you brought it to me.

If the DMC boys' swords were human headcannons!

🔥Devil Sword Dante 🔥

(Idk if this is classified as his signature sword since he has a lot of those, but since this one has his name in it I'm gonna write about it)

-Devil Sword Dante would manifest in the form of an old, yet muscular, ex-rockstar-hobo-looking dude, aesthetically similar to Dante.

-He would wear a punk leather jacket with a red undershirt that reads "Let's Rock Bitches" and would possibly have a long scraggly wizard beard, a bandana, and maybe even an electric guitar strapped to his back.

-He and Dante would shake hands, bump fists, then declare each other BBFLs (Best Bros For Life)

-They would immediately trash Devil May Cry by throwing a massive pizza party and rock out so hard the windows blow up because of the sound waves radiating from their electric guitars.

-These two would singlehandedly buy and eat up all the pizza from their local Pizzahut.

-At the end of the day, Dante and Devil Sword Dante would bro-hug and bid each other farewell. Devil Sword Dante promises to fight alongside Dante for the rest of his days while Dante promises to take good care of him when he's not in use.

-Dante secretly wishes he could turn the sword back into a uuman, permanently, because it feels like he just lost the closest, greatest friend he'd ever made.

❄️ The Yamato ❄️

-The Yamato would become the essence of motivation itself: It would manifest as a Vergil clone.

-The only difference is that this clone is mute, and does not speak, and that his arms and legs are actually blades.

-Vergil may have been frowning on the outside when he met the human manifestation of his sword, but he was smiling in the inside.

-The Yamato has no emotions, but it has motivation. Though it couldn't speak, it motivated Vergl to do things like beat up his deadweight child again he would have never dreamed of doing until now.

-Because The Yamato doesn't speak, Vergil finds the peace and quiet (a very rare occurrence until now) incredibly calming.

-He doesn't exactly miss The Yamato when it returns to sword form, but he does have a renewed respect for it. To him, it is no longer just a sword; it is a part of him.

🟥 Red Queen 🟥

-Unlike the first two swords, Red Queen does not manifest as an adult human. It manifests as a child.

-This kid is exuberant, loud, and has a penchant for mischief. Nero has his hands full, chasing it around and trying to keep it from hurting itself.

-The kid somehow conjured up some crayons and markers and began drawing all over the walls of Devil May Cry and Nero and Kyrie's house. Eventually, Nero nabs the little gremlin and takes him back to his home, where Kyrie cooks up a massive meal for it.

-Nero is exhausted after just 1 hour of dealing with this menace, but at the same time, it's growing on him. He even gave the kid a name: Little Monster.

-When Little Monster eventually has to return to sword form, it gives Nero a big leg-hug and says goodbye, saying it had a lot of fun and that it wishes they could play again sometime.

-Nero is more than happy to have that little troll gone, he kinda misses it, after a little while. Ah well, at least now he's prepared for parenthood.

[that-spider-fan-over-there]

I've been thinking about Ochako's role in the story, and thinking about how underdeveloped she was compared to Izuku, Shoto or Katsuki's, which got me thinking about it and since the manga's in its final arc and there's nothing to lose, why the heck not.

If Izuku is set up as someone born with "nothing", Shoto as born with "everything" and Katsuki as someone who was born loved, why not set Ochako as someone who wanted to give back love? It'd be a nice four-way connection/foil, considering she should've been set up as one of the main players of BNHA.

Ochako foiling Shoto alongside Izuku and Katsuki as born and raised in a loving environment, and how they've responded in comparison to his broken family unit - since she's the poorest classmates with humble beginnings and he's the son of a top 10 hero;

Ochako foiling Izuku alongside Shoto and Katsuki as born with something he "lacks" in comparison - which is both opportunity his Quirkless background wouldn't give and his shattered sense of self worth, compared to her who would be okay with being anything else but decided to be a hero for the money she could provide for her family;

Ochako foiling Katsuki alongside Izuku and Shoto as someone who started off as a hero who wants to help others in contrast to his motivation to be a hero who never loses a battle, with her sharing that same competitive streak and fighting edge while ultimately focusing on helping others before her. (Which is something Izuku does fill in the story but it could've worked imo)

This is partly because I want to imagine if she was part of the Endeavor Internship Arc, she'd benefit from forming a deep bond with the main deuteragonists on some level, if only to take her out of the preconceived notion she's there to be Izuku's love interest first and foremost- removing that aspect or using that expectation she's there to revolve around him to make her "one of the boys", give her the rotating spotlight a bit more.

But also it'd be a nice setup as as she could compare her background to Shoto and reflect on how she perceived the ideal hero vs. how flawed they can actually be, and her reason to be there could've been she's looking for a way to be strong in a way that can properly help others after Sir Nighteye's death. Imagine the bond they'd have if they were allowed to interact with each other the same way they do with Izuku and Tenya.

The less wealthy classmate with a loving and supportive family and the most wealthy and well-known classmate with a broken and dysfunctional family, two of Izuku's closer friends being inspired by him and trying to break away from the labels others pushed on them and be their own people? One with envy for a villain who reminds her of feelings she wanted to bottle up and the other whose villain's anger mirrored his former to his consumed his family for years? And yet both coming out of their experiences wanting to extend their hands to Himiko and Touya, to start anew and ease that pain?

And with the Paranormal Liberation Front Arc, you could still split her up but using that as a build up, with her and Shoto following Izuku and Katsuki, but she sees people in need of saving and decides to help others instead; make her confrontation with Himiko happen before Dabi's Dance; then let her join the battlefield shakened after spotting Gigantomachia from a distance. (Would it be cluttered? A little, but that arc was already somewhat cluttered, coming from someone who loves that arc A Lot.)

And to avoid her from being too OP, one could make her try to fight but still thinking of Himiko's tears while using her grappling hooks or Zero Gravity on debris to stop Gigantomachia- it could've foreshadow the conflicting emotions she feels are allowing her to surpass her own limits there and come back full force during her fight with Himiko later on, similar to Katsuki with his Cluster technique or Shoto developing Phosphor.

And imagine her worldview shattering even more from finding out a hero would fall so deep into obsession into being the greatest, he lost sight it what it means to be a hero and it created his own villain. Wouldn't that push her even further to try and be a hero the others can rely on, and later, the one Himiko needed? After all, if Ochako and Himiko already parallel, let's use the love thematics; they both love passionately, and unlike Himiko, Ochako didn't give up on a better world for everyone- she just realized what everyone entails.

Just thoughts from someone who'd love to see Ochako breaking out of that label of "love interest"- love and passion are a defining part of her, but her crush shouldn't be her defined role, the story itself has realized that. But it could've realized a lot sooner. It probably wouldn't have removed the fandom's perception of her, but it would've helped her in the long run, especially when the merch set her up as even more of an protagonist, and to an extent it feels like the fans want to believe she was planned to be like that when we know Horikoshi was playing around with her character until he finally settled on what to do with Himiko and wrote Ochako around it.

[blackmagecat]

Chapters: 5/?

Rating: Explicit

Relationships: The Emperor/Tav

Summary:

She wanted the power more than anything, but more than that she wanted to share it with the one who was most deserving of her gratitude, her affection. Never one to deny herself, the adventurer saw no reason why her personal ambitions could not manifest alongside the desires of her heart.

"We can rule the world. Together."

It was a grave and terrible calculation.

——

Why did she submit?

The question intruded on his thoughts, and not for the first time. It was a tantalizing, unbalanced equation, tempting him with the promise of insight. Falexima was a proud creature, more so than most humans. She was about as likely to willingly submit to his control as Lae’zel of Crèche Kilir… but that was a determination he had made in error, the Emperor realized, a conclusion borne from too-little data and far too much confidence in her habit of succumbing to baser physical impulse. To know the answer was to know Falexima’s true motives, and the Emperor could not allow that opportunity to wither.

He paused his preparations, setting the rune slate he had been absorbing data from aside. He stacked it with the other slates, to be absorbed at a later time for a more comprehensive analysis of the githyanki’s next move. The Emperor steepled his long fingers, at last giving the disruptive query his full and undivided attention.

Choosing to release Falexima at the Elfsong Tavern had presented considerable risk to his nascent operations. The Emperor, therefore, had expected that she would lash out at him in resentment for enthralling her. Knowing her to be an opportunistic creature, he prepared seventy-nine possible contingencies, to be executed in the event of Falexima taking full advantage of her temporary freedom. But even with the Netherbrain helping to facilitate those calculations, the Emperor had not been able to anticipate her surprising decision not to rebel.

For as much time as he spent watching her, reading her thoughts, there was still far too much he did not know about her, about from where and whence she acquired her radical thought processes, the ideas that seemed random and chaotic at first glance but gradually revealed themselves to be part of a more profound and long-pursued ambition.

Would her mind never cease to fascinate him? Blooms of pleasant regard spread through the Emperor’s neural pathways, flooding him with bonding chemicals typically reserved for hive function, now gloriously wasted. She was an endless source of enjoyment, an indulgence, a drug.

She could never know the true extent of her influence over him, the Emperor decided. And she never would, so long as he kept her enthralled. But that notion was also profoundly unsatisfying, even demoralizing. A Grand Exchange without her input, without her unbridled ideas, caused bundles of neurons within his hippocampus to physically sting him. It was the impact of memory — of Ansur, he realized, who he let go of.

Emotion did not come easily to the Emperor anymore. For much of his illithid existence he had been convinced he was incapable of it. But that was an inaccurate assessment also. Ansur’s betrayal was so distant to him it seemed almost clinical in its initial choice. The Emperor understood the dragon’s reasoning for what it was, and had reacted in kind, preserving himself. But what remained always was the void of Ansur’s absence, the longing to share with him all he had discovered and achieved in their time apart. That void grew upon learning of Belynne’s murder. It would grow again without Falexima also.

But this line of thinking was ancillary, and not conducive to his current objective. Refocusing, the Emperor levitated upright out of the chair and floated away from the workstation.

The undercity tunnels were busy with activity. Thralls applied stone and mortar with basic masonry tools while illithids reinforced them with the bioorganic tissue and exoskeleton-like material produced by the elder brain — a by-product of its feeding within the morphic pool. It was a necessary construction, though admittedly a hurried one. The subterranean layers of the city were an infrastructure disaster waiting to happen, and the Absolute’s invasion had only exacerbated the problem. It was certainly apparent within the Temple of Bhaal, which had been carved out of the earth by the dead god’s insane fanatics with little regard for the buildings and street above it. So much verticality beneath Baldur’s Gate could only result in the city eventually collapsing in on itself, especially with the recent damage it sustained.

It was to the former temple that the Emperor proceeded. Orin the Red’s mess of viscera and gore had been for the most part cleaned. Too few of the corpses that she had kept on display held brains fresh enough to feed the colony, so the Emperor had them hauled up to the surface and turned over to the Flaming Fist, who were then given instructions to identify what bodies they could and give the citizens the opportunity to claim any kin that had been reported missing. An official statement was distributed also, which described the extent of the Cult of Bhaal’s crimes and “the Absolute’s” role in ending them. Doing so earned the colony a minor amount of good will, but more importantly, it demonstrated to the populace that illithid kind were establishing a sense of order and safety that the city had arguably always lacked.

He floated downwards and landed in the middle of Bhaal’s inner sanctum. The massive, skull-shaped relief still adorned the stone wall across the chasm, though it was gradually being obscured by the pulsing tissue which had begun to web across the structure. The Emperor slowly turned to get a good look at the circular chamber with his own eyes. Through Falexima’s he had witnessed how easily Orin became unraveled by the sorceress’s taunts. The Emperor recalled both the hatred and satisfaction Falexima experienced in that moment when the would-be Bhaalspawn was slain. She had never felt particularly threatened by the shapeshifter, but the pale-eyed woman irritated her immensely, to the point where Falexima’s bursts of frustration reached the Emperor as harmless spikes of psionic energy that managed to reach him even in the Astral Sea.

The sacrificial altar to Bhaal had been destroyed and removed, and a neural console engineered in it’s place. The surrounding alcoves that once served as displays for Orin’s corpses would soon accommodate ceremorphosis pods to nurse newly created mind flayers, though not immediately. The Emperor had other pressing priorities, and increasing their ranks was not among them. But the pods would at least be in place so that numbers could be replenished in the event of significant aggression from Vlaakith.

Visiting the chamber and reflecting upon Falexima’s experience there did not provide him any new insight, so the Emperor made the short journey to the morphic pool, where he had left the Netherbrain once again after dominating it. The branching tunnels there were also significantly changed, some collapsed outright as a direct result of the Netherbrain rising from beneath the Upper City to begin its assault. The Chionthar, having begun to flood the ancient sewers, had to be dammed quickly in order to prevent further ruin of the city. It had been amongst the first of the Emperor’s priorities. For days the mind flayers held the waters back with combined telekinetic force while conscripted and enthralled workers built the dams and emergency levees that would enable repairs. He found a few of those mind flayers there still, redirecting water flows and streams that were leaking into the surviving tunnels.

A new dock had also been constructed, as well as a makeshift-island made partially of the chitinous by-product of the Netherbrain as well as the rubble of the destroyed buildings taken from above. The Emperor flew carefully across the water and brine, hyper-aware of the Netherbrain’s physical presence nearby. The gargantuan illthid was partially submerged, bathing and healing in the brine whilst chafing against his hold. The Emperor sensed a slight tremor of resistance on it’s part and he responded by focusing on the Netherstones. The tips of the Crown of Karsus glowed faintly above the water and he felt the Netherbrain once again submit, becoming compliant.

A swirling, magical mist manifested before the Emperor as he landed carefully upon the island. Gale Dekarios emerged from it, greeting him with a smiling expression that the Emperor took to mean as friendly in regard. His beard was better kept than when the Emperor had last seen him, but he had a sleepless look under his eyes. The Emperor sensed a certain level of weariness being exerted from the wizard’s motor cortex.

“Ah. I was wondering when you were going to check in on us again,” said Gale. “She’s a stubborn one, this brain, but I’ve learned that she quite enjoys being scratched between the wrinkles. Who could have guessed that one might never have enough mage hands?”

Completed Chapter on AO3

[discosonicdude]

FE OC Week - Day 2 - Relationships

So before I start off today's prompt for @fe-oc-week, I realize that I didn't talk about the Crests and Relic Weapon of House Umbris or Nick's Personal Skill yesterday. I'll put that here now before we get started.

Personal Skill: Sworn Oath. If adjacent to at least C support ally, or if adjutant shares at least a C support with unit, grants +2/-2 to damage dealt/taken.

Crest of Umbris (Crimson Flower only): The reawakened Crest of the Hero Umbris. For those who are sworn to protect their allies. Frequently preserves weapon durability.

Crest of the Traitor (non-Crimson Flower): The Crest of the Traitor who knows nothing but to destroy those they love. Frequently raises might upon weapon attacks.

Relic weapon - Soul Eater.

(Crest of the Traitor version) Combat Art: Chaos Blade Effective against Heavy Armour and Dragons

(Crest of Umbris version) Magic weapon Combat Art: Guardian's Pulse Halves damage until next turn Effective against Dragons

Alright, now that that's done, on to the day's prompt. Now, my artistic skill is practically non-existent and I don't have any other pics I've gotten, so I'm going to talk about others related to House Umbris and people Nick would already know going into Three Houses' events, so I hope this will do. I apologise in advance if I'm bending the rules a bit, but here we go. ^^;

Umbris

The Hero Umbris, original wielder of Soul Eater, and bearer of the Crest of Umbris. While she was an ally of Nemesis and the Ten Elites, she was a secret devotee of the goddess. Umbris knew that what Nemesis and the others were doing was wrong but she couldn't tell them not to. It was only until the fateful battle between Seiros and Nemesis at the Tailtean Plains where she decided that enough was enough. She turned against her fellow elites and fought alongside Seiros' army. This sudden change caused her Crest to corrupt into the Crest of the Traitor. After Nemesis' death, Umbris went into hiding. She remained on what would become Umbris territory, situated on the border between Adrestia and Faerghus. Hoping that she will eventually forgiven for her misdeeds, she wishes that her descendants will use the power of her Crest to make things right.

Regis von Umbris

The current Count Umbris, and Nick & Matthew's father. A master of magic, he makes use of his powers to help restore the Empire to it's former might. Upon learning of the actions of the Noble families part of the Insurrection of the Seven, while understanding their motives, he remains outraged by the notions and makes the decision to tear away from the Kingdom and devote House Umbris to the Empire.

The Crests of Umbris and the Traitor resonate more clearly in female heirs, similar to Umbris herself. Having lost his female heirs at a young age, and having no Crest himself, Regis begins to worry that his family will never be free of the actions caused by Umbris. That is, until a Crest begins to fluctuate within Nick. Regis' hopes are reignited with his eldest son, and is determined to help Nick awaken his Crest and lead House Umbris to greatness. Because of this, Nick and his father's connection is strenuous at best. Nick believes that his father only cares about his Crest and not much about his own son, and even with his best efforts, Regis not once praised his efforts.

Matthew von Umbris

The second and youngest son of House Umbris, and Nick's younger brother. Gifted in White Magic, in contrast to his brother's focus in Black Magic, the two brothers make a powerful pair. Matthew's a lot more supportive in his brother as a person than his father is, though he does show his cheeky side by joking about Nick's achievements. Nevertheless, he helps House Umbris in his own way, by making use of his own special unit of soldiers, skilled in intelligence gathering, even outdoing House Vestra's spies and able to escape their sight with numerous misdirections.

Matthew would only be able to be recruited on the War Phase of Crimson Flower, but can be recruited during Azure Moon and Verdant Wind should certain pre-requisites come to pass.

Edelgard von Hresvelg

The year before Three Houses events' began, Edelgard meets with Count Umbris to secure their cooperation for what is to come. Regis introduces his two sons to the Imperial Princess, knowing that they would make fine additions to her ranks. Nick is instantly smitten by the princess, and makes his own personal vow to assist her, no matter what happens. Through this meeting, Nick decides that it's time he started taking his efforts to master his magic and swordplay seriously, and to awaken his Crest as soon as he can.

Lorenz Hellman Glocester

During Nick's brief time in the School of Sorcery, he meets the Alliance Noble, though under more trickier circumstances. Lorenz is initially wary of the magic-wielding swordsman, but upon learning who Nick is and his aims, he comes to respect him as a fellow Noble. The two promise to better their magic and become Nobles who will use their magic together to lead the Houses to brighter futures.

[santajp]

Drew my skunk OC again and made her an intro theme alongside a battle theme for her!

Played SLARPG earlier this month, and I was like, 'Damn, this music slaps. I should get back to making my own one of these days' and bada-bing badda boom, I cooked something. Also I tried using a ref from a book on fat body types that was goin' around sometimes, which was nice too.

Also time to say her loreeee (under the stopper thingy tho, lol. I'd feel like shit if I spammed!)

Anyway, fuck it we ball!

Shortly after the Dawn of Magic, when earthly animals gained the power to manipulate the universe, came the Era of Chaos, which encompasses the time of the animal kingdom being changed into what it is today. Animals gained intellect, new forms, and created societies at a rapid pace, but conflict and limited resources were still constant motivations for war, especially between the former prey and the predators.

As magic began to make prey more than capable enough to fight back and the old ways of life faded, new ideals were made, some of cooperation and others of bringing back the power predators were once assumed to have, the aforementioned becoming the driving force force for an empire ruled by predators and made off the accumulation of prey for themselves, all in an effort to bring back the assumed natural order of those meant to be resources and those who used them as such.

Suha, the jungle skunk, was apart of the resistance against them at a young age after her own village was attacked, using her main magic of clones and her calm planning to protect others while being an active leader in the struggle against The Naturals, the self given name of the empire of united tribes that aimed to take over the world. She commonly fought with her team of the strongest others of the resistance, aiming for the general protection of life itself, and even while many prey animals felt that any born predator would be an enemy, she went against such a notion, letting in anyone who would was willing to help and understand the cause, trying to make sure everyone was safe as much as she could, even if that was the thing that eventually ended her.

Suha slowly helped others push back until they got to the capital, aiming for the strongest against them, and she led the charge to take the blunt of any attacks against them herself. The battle firstly went well, especially with her support, but more was needed in little time as the odds turned. Though when all else had nearly failed and her allies were nearly gone, Suha became one of the first to see what magic could fully do, using all of her power in a single blast and a single form that ended the war and took her life with it...

Though her friends and family, rather than having her simply be buried, encased her body in a magical jewel so it would last for all to see who led them in their time of need.

That jewel stayed in its temple for years upon years, the cultures that made it fading before even the knowledge of her being there faded with it alongside most of the very knowing of such a war ever having happened...

Though Suha woke up.

She couldn't tell how long it had been, but she was barely alive.

She got out of the temple, heading to see the new world outside until it dawned on her that it wasn't her own, that most of what she had known was only in left monuments and artifacts. She was left alone in the forest to take it in, only having nature with her, the thing she protected so long ago, even if it felt like only a day. She trained, felt her magic once-more, until the isolation ended with four heroes arriving at her hut.

Those heroes were my main fursonas, who fought and promptly lost to her but also gave her purpose. By what they were saying, the future wasn't as great as Suha hoped it would be. She imagined a future where the things she feared, the violence of others, were gone, but that wasn't the case, far from it actually.

It pained her to know such a world still didn't exist, even after an amount of time was impossibly massive, but it also lit up a spark in her again. Though the world was still having what she feared, others were still going against it in any way they could, and if they were still fighting, she would do the same.

Suha now acts as a mentor for the budding heroes of mine after some of them get cocky for saving the multiverse one time, advocating that while she is strong with raw power, someone should aim for technique with it, something they lack. She also teaches them how to go into forms with their magic, higher states of being that amplify ones power.

Magic:

Suha's magic are a mixed bag of things to counter others and take advantage of weak spots, being able to fly, make magic explosions, enhance her sight, and make her psychical attacks much more amplified. Though her bread and butter is cloning, which her hair shows. She can make three clones, each one being colored either blue, green, or red. They follow her orders and attack alongside her, being just as strong as one another and nearly as strong as Suha herself, making them perfect for training uneven fights and forcing someone to focus on one target at a time, lest they be overwhelmed.

(More character stuff here!)

[fushiglow]

I want to add that words like 'attention' and 'exposure' and 'interaction' muddy people's understanding, because they're rooted in the commodification of art. As the person above suggests, I think we need to move towards talking about these issues in terms of 'connection' and 'communication' and 'finding shared meaning' instead.

Almost all of the mainstream stories we're exposed to are produced under the 'culture industry', so most people are only acquainted with art in a commercialised form — art that was created with the intention of selling it from day dot — and they naturally come to believe that this is the main purpose of art.

This understanding is so normalised that, when regular people share their art with the world, we default to assuming that there's an ulterior motive (usually wealth or fame). However, the vast majority of artists will never make a penny from their work and most of those people aren't even seeking to. Even so, it's a commonly held belief that artists are 'greedy' for seeking engagement with our work; that the process of creation should be fulfilment enough for a 'real' artist. This draws a false dichotomy between an artist's quest for personal fulfilment and their search for connection with other human beings.

When you're used to parting with your hard-earned cash to enjoy art, it's perhaps reasonable that you expect it to impress you. When you purchase popcorn at the cinema, you want to feel it's worth the price you paid for it — and the same goes for your movie ticket. Buying and consuming is the norm in our culture, but that norm is built on the concept of a fair exchange.

It's unfair to apply that approach to work shared by an amateur artist for free, because the exchange isn't fair and never will be. Within a capitalist framework (which art doesn't belong in anyway), the burden of time, resources, emotional labour etc. falls almost entirely on the artist. Yet, our consumerist tendencies are so deeply engrained that we impose the expectation upon artists that they must 'earn' our enthusiasm (even the notion of 'paying attention' has been distorted by this idea, as though 'attention' is a currency) — which is how we end up with viral tweets insisting that AO3 should have a 'dislike' button because authors get 'too used' to receiving purely positive feedback.

When artists complain about receiving unsolicited criticism, we get, "Don't share your art with the world if you can't take it" — as though it's our duty to take feedback from strangers and use it to 'improve' according to the standards of people who are not trustworthy peers.

This is not what artists are seeking when we share our work with others. Moreover, it's so far removed from the reason we create art in the first place.

If it were about the personal fulfilment we get from the process of creating, we'd have no need to share our work with the world — and we often don't! A huge deal of art is created for the artist's own practice or progression (alongside more meaningful reasons) and never sees the light of day. So, when we do share our work with others, it's because we're seeking connection and understanding and, yes, praise sometimes. However, seeking praise isn't antithetical to those other forms of communication — because that's all this is about at the end of the day: communication.

When we share any form of art with others — whether it's music, writing, visual art — we're communicating something about ourselves to the world and hoping that it reaches someone who resonates with it. Creating art can appear (and feel) like an egocentric endeavour, and perhaps it is egocentric to pour all of yourself into something and ask people to give it their time and attention.

However, is it egocentric to compose a song for someone? Is it egocentric to write them a letter? Is it egocentric to craft a handmade gift? These are all just ways to communicate our innermost feelings and thoughts to others in the hopes of developing our connection with them. Everything is communication when you're a member of a social species — so is it egocentric to communicate with other human beings?

TL;DR: Showing some love to the artists whose labours you've enjoyed for free will never be too much to ask. In fact, it's the bare minimum of human connection, which is pretty much the only thing we've got. Go leave a comment on that fic you've been loving in secret.

someone I follow on the bird app just announced they're starting a very exclusive private fic server because they and a bunch of other people want to talk about how much they love the fics they're reading, and as an author can I just say that a really great place to talk about a fic you love is in the comments for that fic

I understand that people are trying to create safe spaces, but as the number of comments that I get on my fics dwindles with each passing year, knowing these spaces exist where my fics are being discussed, places that I am excluded from, makes me want to write fic LESS

I mean I guess who cares, right, because if I stop writing, there's 10,000 other people that will continue...but if you participate in a fic "book club" server and you say nice things there about a fic you loved, maybe copy and paste that into a comment on AO3?

the only thing fanfic writers are asking for in return for hours of hard work is attention. please don't rob us of the one thing that we hope for when we hit "post"

[wandwisdom-blog]

How Mental Health Speakers Are Reshaping Societal Attitudes

Even though over the last few years, the subject of mental health has been gradually increasing in popularity, there is still more to be done to completely de-stigmatise it in our culture and at work. Mental health speakers who courageously share their own experiences and insights are a potent weapon in this continuing war. These brave people are encouraging change and a more sympathetic understanding of mental health issues in addition to increasing awareness.

The Ripple Effect

When these inspirational speakers UK go public, it tends to create a ripple effect. Audience members who were quietly suffering found themselves able to reach out for help or share their own stories. This snowball effect can result in:

Increased awareness and understanding among families, friends, and social circles

More sufferers looking into professional help for their mental health concerns

A reduced sense of isolation for individuals going through similar struggles

Greater community support and resources directed at raising the profile of initiatives to improve general public well-being

The Role Of Technology And Social Media

In this digital age, the reach that any mental health speaker has goes far beyond physical events. They share their messages through social media platforms that reach millions across the globe. This digital presence opens up opportunities for:

Continued engagement with audiences

Sharing resources and coping strategies

Creating active online communities

Rapid spread of mental health information

The Future of Advocacy

While we continue to make gains in destigmatizing mental health, the future roles that mental health speakers will be captivating. It increasing integration of mental health topics into educational curricula. The growing collaboration between speakers and professionals in the field. More diverse speaker backgrounds. Better formats for various cultural and societal frameworks.

Conclusion

Mental health terms derivation is still ongoing, but the role of mental health speakers is critical to our progress - which should only put us on a path towards doing away with all stigmas against it. These individuals are changing the conversation about mental health by sharing their stories and battling inaccurate notions, offering hope in a space that has historically lacked it. We are confident going forward, as more UK speaker agencies and other organisations start to recognise the value of these talks we will see a significant increase in mental health awareness events across different sectors. These voices from London's motivational speakers to global digital influencers are key in encouraging society to be more empathetic and supportive.

And helped us recognise, thanks to a lot of people I will continue listening and learning alongside in mental health speaking which enables all of us to play an active role in eliminating the stigma surrounding mental health. We can build a future where mental health is treated as importantly, with the emphasis and care it should be given.

[mad4india1]

Sweta Kataria Turned Her Concern To Action, Switched To Sustainable Living: Start Your Sustainable Journey With Her Now

Do you believe that one person can truly make a difference? Prepare to be inspired as we dive into the captivating story of Sweta Kataria, a sustainability lifestyle enthusiast whose unwavering empathy for nature sparked a remarkable transformation.

Today, she stands tall as an influential advocate, challenging norms and urging us all to embrace a greener, more conscious lifestyle and sustainable living. Get ready to be moved, motivated, and empowered as we unravel Sweta’s extraordinary path from concern to action, proving that a single individual can indeed change the world!

Born with an innate empathy for nature, Sweta’s passion for sustainable living has driven her to make a significant impact. Let us delve into the inspiring journey of this sustainability lifestyle enthusiast who transformed her personal values into a powerful force for change.

Whenever she stumbled upon articles or news highlighting the detrimental effects of air and nature pollution, a sense of distress overwhelmed her, born with an innate connection to the environment, Sweta Kataria’s heart would ache whenever she would see a pile of garbage eating the earth or rapidly increases AQI.

But instead of turning away, she bravely embarked on her own sustainable living journey, igniting a passion that would shape her life forever. Rather than being a bystander, Sweta Kataria decided to channel her concern into action.

Sustainable Living – Begins:

Sweta Kataria’s path to creating a more sustainable lifestyle started with small, yet significant steps. She began by embracing sustainable self-hygiene practices, she sifted from menstrual plastic pads to menstrual cups and reusable pads alongside realizing the importance of using eco-friendly and cruelty-free products. With each conscious choice, she aimed to reduce her ecological footprint.

Sweta Kataria found it difficult to adapt to the notion of sustainable living at first, but she eventually began to embrace the new life-changing measures. She felt wonderful about each modification she made. She used to follow small measures of sustainable living as a college student, but after Corona, when she saw that life is really fragile and that we should pay more attention to how we live, she chose to fully embrace sustainable living.

Sweta’s decision to alter her way of life not only transformed her perspective on the world, but her thought process has touched and inspired many others, including her friends and family.

Conscious Consumption:

As Sweta Kataria’s understanding of sustainable living grew, she became acutely aware of the detrimental impact of plastic on the environment. Determined to be a part of the solution, she adopted a plastic-free lifestyle. By reducing her dependence on single-use plastics and opting for reusable alternatives, from plastic straws to reusable straws she gradually sifted her way of casual living to a more sustainable living.

Becoming An Influencer For Change:

Sweta’s passion for sustainable living and her transformative journey caught the attention of like-minded individuals who were seeking guidance on living a greener life. Recognizing her potential as an influencer, Sweta harnessed the power of social media to amplify her message.

Through her engaging content and relatable storytelling, Sweta Kataria inspired thousands to embark on their own sustainable living. She debunks myths, shares practical tips, and educates her followers about the importance of conscious consumption, highlighting how individual choices can reshape our planet’s future.

Tips To Start Your Sustainable Living Journey:

Her practical approach and commitment to a greener future have inspired many. Here are some of Sweta’s valuable simple sustainable living tips that can help you embark on your own sustainable journey very easily.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: Sweta Kataria advocates for the three R’s of sustainability: reduce, reuse, and recycle. Start by assessing your consumption patterns and identify areas where you can reduce waste. Reuse daily use things like empty plastic containers of food for storing kitchen essentials or waste kitchen waste into compost. Recycle by connecting with various brands that upcycle products and make good use of waste.

Embrace Sustainable Fashion: Fast fashion is a major contributor to environmental degradation. Sweta encourages investing in quality, timeless pieces and supporting ethical and sustainable fashion brands.

Opt for plastic-free options: Sweta believes that our shopping choices have a profound impact on the environment. Transitioning to plant-based organic products that use no plastic in packing or making can significantly reduce your carbon footprint.

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[sasukeillness]

Naruto never doing anything to change the shinobi system is so ooc and one of the worst things to come from the ending of the series.

You can argue that Naruto is ignorant, selfish or whatever the hell you want but its ridiculous to say that its in character for him to not change shit when it was literally established in the first arc that he couldn't bear how cruel it is for shinobis to be treated as nothing but emotionless weapons/tools.  

Naruto just saw Haku die right before his eyes to protect zabuzu, hes screaming out questioning why zabuzu is not doing anything and he answers saying shinobis are either users, tools or both. Naruto is a literal child and he understands how cruel that is and he won't stand for it. That's why later, at the end of the arc he says hes going to create his own ninja path. 

His character is set on the notion of rejecting how the system operates and wanting to create an alternative where shinobis are valued and treated as people. 

His ninja path is being a shinobi which is not an emotionless weapon for the state to use. That's why a big part of his character is evoking emotions from others, especially his enemies who have been deeply wronged by the system. 

Naruto himself is a victim. The “dark naruto” scene shows us basically what real narutos true feelings are. 

I’ll admit this whole scene was handled and written poorly, it didn't resolve anything and naruto still hasn't truly moved past his trauma but its enough to indicate that he has a lot of repressed anger towards Konoha and the shinobi world in general. 

I’m mentioning this because through out the series we see naruto have this constant motive to bring change and peace. He is deeply impacted by the injustice others face and his own personal experiences and suffering, which kishi purposely wrote like so, are what drives him for that change.  

We even have a character like Nagato, who has been severely impacted by the corrupt system, be affected by narutos words and actually have faith that he in the future can help bring the change the world needs. 

So if this concept of naruto acknowledging how cruel the system is and wanting for it to change is established in the first arc of the series and is then later referenced and expanded on multiple times, him even being referred to as the hope for the future. Then its very obvious his character is set to change the shinobi system (most likely alongside sasuke). Their are complications with how this narrative was written and naruto should've truly addressed his trauma caused by the village and how it affected him to progress, but I won't get into that now.

You can dislike and disagree with naruto (I dont agree with all of his ideologies) and say he was always some brainwashed bootlicker but his character has always hated how shinobis lives aren't valued and been driven to changing the system. The entire story was set up for that conclusion but of course boruto came into the picture and the ending adjusted to cater to that (their were others factors to it but that's the main reason). That's why its so extremely frustrating, ooc and honestly tragic that he never did anything in the end, especially with all the promises he made to characters like nagato, neji and sasuke.  

So anyways Narutos was done dirty, his character conclusion, as well as Sasukes, was absolutely awful and ill forever be mad about it. 

[not-a-perfect-metaphor]

Goodnight! sorry to bother you again, but could you give me more details about that TAW transcript? He was talking about the Js wasn't he? The reason he was banned from the cons was because harassment or was it because he insinuated something about the Js? Also I saw a post by Kelios I think it talks about TAW living with Jared and that he was not discreet, like making videos that implied that Jensen was at Jared's house when he shouldn't have been. That's true? Does this video exist?

You’re never bothering me!

And…yep. Yes. He was talking about the Js.

As for the harassment thing, there were allegations of harassment, but interestingly enough they weren’t connected to Vegascon 2015, which I actually didn’t even know until fairly recently, and Travis’s ban (via Cliff) was directly following that convention.

So like…I don’t know.

The timing is just…interesting. But I have a bit more to add to that, and I’ll get to it.

Not to mention, here’s a bit of what Travis had to say on the ban:

“-and I can’t go into details about why. But Cliff and I had a disagreement. And Cliff was like, ‘I’m just not comfortable with having him on.’ You know, I got on the panel, and you know…I just didn’t know the things that you’re supposed to say or not to say. Cliff is the boys’ main security. Like…and I get that he-…had an issue with that. But the bottom line is…I don’t have that kind of power.”

Now, what specifically did he say about the Js during his panel (in case anyone needs that info)?

Travis (in response to a question about a rumor that Jared and Jensen didn’t like each other):

“Are you joking? I’ve never seen two guys love each other more.”

“I’m surprised they have wives at home…”

Lol.

So I mean…🤷‍♂️

Plus he then went on to talk about how they can’t handle being separated from each other.

Now, that being said, let’s take a moment and go with the theory that those particular comments were genuinely what fueled Cliff’s decision to ban Travis from future panels.

A. That would be one of the worst decisions, hands down, in the entire history of trying to conceal homosexual relationships. Like…dude, the notion that the ban was based even just in part on what Travis said about the Js is still to this day 99% of what people focus on when discussing this whole issue. So…A++ on that one, Cliff.

But -

B. I do not actually believe that those panel comments were the reason behind the ban. At least not directly. And to clarify, based on quite a few compelling pieces of evidence, including Travis’s own accounts of not just the ban but also of his time spent with the Js in general, I think the real motivation was mainly to distance him from the ‘inner circle’ and yes, to remove him from the conventions equation, but because of the worry that he could end up saying something that might actually cause some very real damage.

Like, I think his comments drew enough focus back to that fear of what he could say (alongside some comments that I guess he made later, after the con, while out with some of the cast) to motivate Cliff to go ahead with pushing him out, but I also think that had probably already been brewing for some time.

I know Travis, and listen. He can be a charismatic guy. But the dude isn’t exactly discreet. One, he talks…A LOT. And he doesn’t always think things through before the words come out of his mouth. Two, he likes to have a drink or two (or ten), and that only exacerbates the first thing.

I also know that there were at least a handful of occurrences (beyond his Vegascon panel) where there was concern about him saying and/or insinuating too much, and I think it was just…everything, all of it, that spurred the decision to ban him from conventions.

It certainly was poorly planned…yes. Because it ended up looking like it was quite possibly due to his specific panel comments, which (regardless of how much or how little that actually played any role in the decision) of course only accomplished the exact opposite of what Cliff was aiming for.

But…yeah. I just think there was absolutely a lot more to it.

—————

Edit: I don’t know of the specific video you’re referencing, but I’ll certainly dig around and find out for all our sakes! 😘❤️

[linkspooky]

TOJI AND MAKI

The parallels between the two outcasts of the zenin clan have already been pointed out plenty of times in canon, for example they're both incredibly buff. However, I thought I would take a deeer look at both characters, as they share both a role as the abused child that destroys the system that created them, and the same fatal flaw.

1. The Child Who is Not Embraced by the Village Will Burn it Down to Feel its Warmth

"The Ones who Walk Away from Omelas" is a 1973 work of short philosophical fiction, about a summer festival in the utopian ity of OMelas, whose prosperity depends on the perpetual misery of a single child. The idea is written around the idea of the scapegoat, a reoccurring trope in stories where someone innocent is blamed, or outcast for the mistakes of other characters.

All of this to say that both Maki and Toji represent the archetype of the scapegoats of their generation. Just like the child of Omelas, all of the problems in the Zenin household are blamed on one child.

This is something Ogi does to Maki directly, and also Naoya recognizes that the other members of the clan did to Toji. They were unable to face their own inferiority, so they blamed it on a scapegoat. Ogi blames his failure to become the head of the clan on his children. The entire clan is unable to recognize Toji's strength, because it would make them question their traditionally held notions of strength, Toji requires the use of weapons and can fight without cursed techniques, which means the cursed techniques they were born with don't make them inherently better with other people.

This is also related to Gojo's criticisms of Jujutsu Society at large, of which the Zenin Household is a very toxic microcosm of. Gojo's critique is that the previous generation will sacrifice the lives of the younger generation, to maintain their power, and in the name of pointless tradition. In the Zenin family "tradition" is the idea that inherited curse technique determines a person's worth.

Their entire system is built around one, keeping cursed techniques in the clan, and two, passing down inherited curse techniques from father to child. Which would go farther to explain the treatment of women by the clan, but we're not getting into that this time. Basically, the "peace" and the "superiority" of the household are built on the idea of marking and scapegoating an outsider, that is anyone who doesn't fit in with the clan's traditions. "If you are not of the Zenin Clan you are not a sorcerer, and if you are not a sorcerer then you are not even Human". That quote alone should explain how Maki and Toji were both treated as subhuman 'monkeys' by everyone around them.

However, the story shows us by both Toji and Maki snapping how terrible these abusive power structures are. One person cannot handle all of that alone, so they snap. Of course they snap. It's not a sign of who Toji and Maki are as people, but rather how no one deserves to be treated that way. A major reocurring theme in Jujutsu Kaisen is no one person alone, can take responsibility for everything, not even Gojo who is the strongest can save everyone he wants to save or be responsible for all of society he needs allies too. Toji, and Maki without allies, they snap and lash out against the same abusive power structure that created them. They are so thoroughly othered by everyone around them, that they embrace their own inhumanity, Maki becomes a weapon bent on killing her family even murdering her own mother, and Toji outright calls himself a monkey.

This is also why Toji is referred to as the "destroyer of destinies" there are two reasons for this. One, Gege is making a thematic point here. The abusive system built on othering and excluding children among other things doesn't actually provide the stability it promises. The center does not hold. The abuse of the system perpetuates and only leads to more destruction. Toji's outcasting isn't something that just hurt Toji alone, everyone felt the consequences of it because the abusive system proliferates and only causes further destruction. The second reason is a Jungian idea on which the story is based on. Toji himself is much like a curse created by the actions of his entire family. If Mahito is created from the fear humans have for each other and acts as the shadow of humanity representing their dark side, Toji metaphorically represents the combined shadow and dark side of the zenin clan. In Watch Man, Rorsarch monologues about how the accumulated filth of all of the abuses that happen in the city will one day rise up and affect everyone.

"This city is afraid of me, I have seen it's true face. The streets are extended gutters and the gutters are full of blood and when the drains finally scab over, all the vermin will drown. The accumulated filth of all their sex and murder will form up about their waists and all the whores and politicians will look up and shout save us and I'll look down and whisper no."

This is expressing the same Jungian idea, a society that ignores these problems will only cause the muck to rise up further and further until it affects everyone. The Zenin clan was a microcosm for the abuses of Jujutsu Society as a whole, they weren't the only ones affected by their abuse because abuse perpetuates. They endured it until they snapped and then acted out that abuse. The Jungian idea put forth is that this sort of reckoning was always going to happen, as long as the Zenin clan continues to create these outcasts in order to hold themselves up as superior, another Toji will happen.

2. Love is the Worst Curse of Them All

Toji and Maki also share the same flaw as people. Their abuse revolved around the idea of outcasting them from the rest of the family, othering them, continually putting them down and also most likely not even doing the job of raising them as children or providing them with the help they needed. We don't see much of it, but in the databook apparently Toji regularly had cursed spirits sicked on him to mock him, and Maki was locked in the cursed spirit room as punishment.

This taught them not only do they need to be strong on their own, but also in order to prove themselves they both thought they needed to be stronger than anyone else in the clan. Toji left Jujutsu Society as a whole, whereas Maki just left the house, both of them with the motivation of proving themselves stronger than the people who looked down on them.

This strong sense of individualism is their greatest strength, and also their weakness, as the situation is more complicated than being stronger than a bully. Maki and Toji are made to feel alone because of their abuse, however, neither Maki nor Toji suffer their abuse alone.

Mai was abused right alongside Maki, they were both outcasts due to being twins. There's no point in arguing which one of them had it worse, because Ogi was perfectly willing to kill both daughters right alongside each other. Maki does and doesn't remember that Mai is right alongside her in her abuse, it's... a bit complicated.

I mention this because Makiaated reason why is that she would have hated herself if she stayed inside that household with Maki. She put pursuit of becoming a stronger sorcerer above her relationship with her sister.

Maki later states "I can't create a place where Mai would feel like she belongs". I don't believe that was always her intention from the start that she secretly left the household for Mai's sake, and wanted to get stronger to create a place where Mai belongs, because Maki's always been really clear she was doing it for her own sake. I think rather after the loss she suffered in Shibuya, and also the fight she had with her sister in the school met, that she came to change her mind and realized she wasn't just in this alone. She changed her mind, that she wanted to be together with Mai, but she didn't change it in time and tragedy struck.

I mention this because Maki and Toji both share the same tragic flaw. Both of them have no idea how to be close even to the people they love, so they end up pushing away the ones they love the most. Maki continually shows behavior of pushing away Mai, and in Toji's case he does everything he can to try to show himself he doesn't love his son.

Maki continually pushes away her sister Mai. Mai reacts to getting pushed away in a not-so-healthy way. Toji full on deadbeats his son. He doesn't raise him or participate in his life to the point where Megumi can't remember his face or name at all. Toji did everything he could to try to give Megumi to someone else, anyone else other than him and avoided his responsibility as a father.

It doesn't come from malice on Toji and Maki's part, but rather it's a less savory aspect of their abuse. Both Toji and Maki believe themselves to be worthless, and that they can't be accepted or loved. They've internalized the way the clan has treated them. They are so isolated that this comes out in how they treated their closest loved ones, their response is to always push them away and isolate themselves further. Toji narrates this, he chose to throw his son aside because he wanted to affirm himself and prove that he was better than Jujutsu Society. Maki says to Mai that she left the house and left Mai because staying would have meant hating herself.

They are both trying desperately to prove themselves as individually strong, to the point where loving anyone else, or even requiring that love from someone is a weakness. They prove they are strong by avoiding the vulnerability of loving someone else. Toji and Maki both try to separate themselves from their heart in order to become even more physically stronger. For Toji his heart was his son Megumi who he did everything to distance himself, forgetting his name, selling him to the Zenin clan, while at the same time paradoxically believing that he was somehow protecting Megumi and arranging for things that would have been better than Toji just stepping up as a father and taking care of him.

At the same time Maki pushes Mai away when Mai does not want that, and believes that also she can return to the clan and make it a safe place for her sister by being individually stronger than everyone else.

They both approach their loved ones this way, because they were taught that one, they are unworthy of love, and they choose to try to get stronger by throwing away anything that might make them vulnerable.

TWhich is why Maki breaks so hard, and lashes out at everyone when Mai is gone, because Maki believed that keeping Mai separate from herself and protecting her was her way of showing love.

However, Mai and Megumi are like... people. They're people entirely separate from Maki and Toji and also affected by their actions. Megumi was neglected his entire lives, whereas Mai didn't get to have a relationship with her sister and felt like she was worthless and only holding her sister back. This is the central idea of Toji and Maki's abuse narrative, that abuse is complicated, and abuse proliferates and hurts people you don't even intend for it to hurt. It has consequences. Megumi suffers the consequences of the Zenin family's abuse because it turned Toji into such an unfit and emotionally immature father. Mai was being abused alongside Maki, and even ended up dying from her abuser's hand as her father Ogi beat her half to death and locked her in a room. Now, as a consequence Maki is lashing out at everything around her. That's also why the connection between Toji and Maki is drawn, to show that as long as the abusive institution still stands, it's just going to keep creating more outcasts like Toji and Maki.

[helloalycia]

teenage dirtbag [one] // wanda maximoff

summary: when you're paired with the most popular girl in your grade for Chemistry class, you definitely don't expect to start liking her like that...

warning/s: none i don't think??

author's note: okay so i have a ton of requests to work through but i got sidetracked and before i knew it, five parts of this imagine were written.

It's based off the song 'Teenage Dirtbag' and idk, i thought it was cute to write! Who doesn't love the popular girl!wanda and loner!reader concept?

Here’s a cover of the song to listen to because i really liked it and a girl sings it so it immediately made the song 10x more gay, just how i like it 🥰

masterlist | wattpad | part two | part three | part four | part five

"Are you all comfortable?"

The class stayed silent, watching our Chemistry teacher, Mr. Hale, as he looked to everyone with a raised brow.

"You all like who you're sat with?" he asked again, as if expecting an actual response from someone.

I exchanged questioning glances with my best friend, Y/BF/N, who was sat beside me. It was the first day back in Chemistry class of our final year of high school and we were just waiting to begin.

"Anyone?" he asked, looking around.

"Yeah," a few students mumbled in response so we could move on.

He clapped his hands together. "Great! Well, don't get too comfortable because I made a seating chart."

A chorus of groans erupted from the class, including from me and Y/BF/N. Every other class had successfully managed to not give us a seating chart. I'd heard that Mr. Hale was an awkward teacher who hated students (ironically), but I didn't think he'd stoop so low as to pair us with students who weren't our friends. These new seats were also our partners for the rest of the year and were non-negotiable, so any projects or work we did would have to be with our seat buddy. Fun.

Students began to shuffle to their newly-assigned seats reluctantly as Mr. Hale read out the chart. When Y/BF/N left my side, I frowned dramatically, waving goodbye to him.

"Wanda Maximoff, you're now partners with Y/N Y/L/N," said Mr. Hale, making me look up at the mention of my name.

I didn't get chance to register what he'd said as the aforementioned girl soon approached me, settling her bag on the table beside me. I looked up and saw Wanda Maximoff smiling my way before taking a seat on the stool.

Huh. Wanda Maximoff. She was one of the most popular girls in our grade. Everybody loved her, either wanting to be friends with her, be with her or be her. I'd personally never crossed paths with her apart from the few classes we shared. She seemed nice enough, but I guess I had preconceived notions of what she was like since she'd made the very poor decision to date the most obnoxious guy ever. Anyone making decisions that terrible definitely had a flaw.

She had a twin brother, Pietro, who was also in our grade and played on the football team alongside her boyfriend. Her parents were good friends with mine, through mutual friends, I think, as I recalled my mum mentioning 'Mrs. Maximoff's boy' or 'Mrs. Maximoff's girl'. And I remembered when her family moved into our town back in second grade.

Admittedly, Wanda was the star of the show back then, too. We were only kids, but child Y/N wasn't blind. She was the first girl I'd crushed on, an innocent child crush – the crush that made me realise I liked girls. Apart from that, and the fact that she had a locker behind me in the hallway, I never really thought about her.

I glanced behind me, catching Y/BF/N's gaze across the room as he sat beside some other kid. He frowned, implying he wished we were partners, and I knew just how he felt.

Once Mr. Hale finished assigning seats, he gave us five minutes to get to know our new partners as he struggled to find the powerpoint for today's class. If there was anything worse than getting assigned seats, it was ice breakers.

"Er, well, hi," Wanda greeted, turning to face me. Green eyes sparkled brightly behind a friendly smile. "I'm Wanda. But, I mean, we already know each other."

"That we do," I said with a nod, returning her smile. "How're you doing? Your summer go well?"

She ran a hand through her hair, adjusting herself so she was comfortable on her stool. And as she did, a waft of her perfume washed over me and I blinked, trying to ignore how nice it smelled. Floral. Subtle. It suited her.

"Good, yeah," she answered with a nod. "Could have gone on longer for all I care."

I chuckled. "I feel that. I'm definitely not ready to be back."

"Right?" she said with raised brows. "It's gonna take a while to get back into routine, that's for sure. But I guess I did miss seeing my friends everyday."

I hummed in agreement, eyes flickering to Mr. Hale as he attempted to tackle the oncoming stream of animations on his powerpoint. I tried not to laugh as I looked back to Wanda, who clearly noticed the same thing as me and stifled a smile.

"Have you had Mr. Hale before?" I asked, nodding his way.

She shook her head. "Nope. You?"

"Never."

"Sucks that he makes seating charts," she said with a sigh, before realising what she said and looking to me with panicked eyes. "Not that I don't like you or anything–!"

"It's fine, I get it," I cut her off with an amused smile. "I wanted to sit with my friend, too."

She breathed out quietly, a hint of relief in her eyes, and scrunched her nose with an apologetic smile. Okay, yeah, maybe that was kind of cute. Older Y/N wasn't blind either. Wanda Maximoff was beautiful, with long brunette locks and matching hazel eyes that seemed to change from blue to green to brown in a kaleidoscope of colour. A winning smile and soothing voice was enough for anyone to fall for her unintentional charm, but it was purely admiration. Everyone pretty much had a mild crush on her, you'd be stupid not to.

"If we're gonna be working together, d'you wanna get the whole awkward number exchange out the way now?" she asked, half joking, half not.

"I– er– sure," I stumbled out rather carelessly, before cringing internally. Where did that come from?

Thankfully, she didn't seem to pick up on it (or just saved me the embarrassment of acknowledging it) and was already writing her number on a slip of paper. Sliding it my way, she capped her pen and gave me her signature smile.

"Thanks," I said with a nod, accepting the paper and pocketing it. "Can't wait to start those lovely science projects we've got coming up!"

She let out a quiet laugh at my sarcasm. "It'll be fine. You're not dumb, right? So, we'll be fine."

"Can't promise you that," I joked, making her roll her eyes playfully.

"Maybe if we–"

But she was cut off when Mr. Hale spoke up loudly, interrupting everyone's conversations.

"Five minutes are up, let's begin!"

I wondered if everyone was thinking the same thing as me – that was not five minutes.

"So it begins...," I mumbled to myself, facing forward.

Wanda breathed out, a stifled laugh, probably having heard my comment, and I couldn't help but crack a smile. Maybe I judged her too harshly. She wasn't actually that bad.

—

Since being paired with Wanda, I was surprised by how much she'd made an effort to befriend me outside of class. We'd always been back to back with our lockers though not quite speaking, but since becoming Chemistry partners, she'd wish me a good morning if she caught me, or greet me briefly as we collected our books.

She didn't have to, but I could see why everybody liked her now. She was just genuinely nice. Due to circumstance, we'd become partners, but rather than leaving it at that, she made a genuine effort to befriend me. And not even just me, but also Y/BF/N, who was at the locker next to mine. He was as surprised as I was, expecting Wanda to mind her own business as we weren't exactly in the same social circles.

This was, I guess you could say, the start of our friendship. And it was a good one at that. I grew to learn how funny she was, how much she loved her brother, the passion she had for art and painting... she was a wonderful person. Which is why I didn't understand why she was with her boyfriend, Nate. He was a grade-A dick and everything Wanda wasn't. How were they a thing?

It sounds like I'm being a bitch and judgemental, but he really is the worst. The few unfortunate times I shared a class with him or caught sight of him around school, he was causing some sort of trouble with the teachers or picking on students in a way that made it seem like a joke but everybody knew it wasn't.

For example, there was a time when Wanda and I were studying for an upcoming Chemistry test we had. We decided to just help each other study since we already worked together in class, so knew we could motivate each other to actually put in the work. It was, maybe, the fourth studying session we had, and I was going over some notes when I felt her eyes watching me.

"You need a hand?" I asked, unable to take the staring any longer. I looked up at her, quirking a brow.

She seemed to fall out of her daydream and straightened up, eyes flickering to mine. "Huh?"

I gave her an awkward smile, unable to maintain her gaze. "You're staring."

She didn't seem fazed as I called her out, instead leaning back in her seat and continuing to study me curiously.

"Did you do something different with your hair?"

Subconsciously reaching for my hair, I straightened up my ponytail and shook my head. "No...?"

She chewed on her lip, saying after a pause, "You tied it up. You usually leave it out."

Did I? I wasn't sure. I just knew that her noticing something like that made me feel self conscious all of a sudden.

"It looks good," she decided, before offering up a small smile. "You should do it like that more often."

Quickly, I felt warm. Was it stuffy in here or was it just me? God, compliments already made me feel stupid. And compliments from pretty girls made me feel ten times that. It didn't help that she was watching me with an endearing expression, making me focus on my book before me.

"Thanks," I got out quickly. "I– yeah."

Her smile widened before she looked back down to her own book. Suddenly, I became acutely aware of the way her leg brushed up against mine under the table.

Thankfully, the strange fuzzy feeling following her compliment faded and we were able to get back to work without her tuning out again. As we were going over each other's practice questions, an annoying voice shouted from across the library.

"Wanda, head's up!"

"Hey, no talking in the library!" a librarian hissed at the voice.

Wanda and I looked up just in time for a football to smack me in the side of the head. I didn't even see it coming until I felt the thing slap my head, giving me an instant urge to strangle whoever threw it.

"Fuck," I cursed, holding my head and closing my eyes to breathe through the pain.

"Oh my God, are you okay?" Wanda's voice made me open my eyes and I saw her leaning forward, hand resting on my shoulder and the other on top of mine that was clutching my head.

"Been better," I admitted, trying to make light of the situation because as angry as I was at the idiot who threw it, I was also embarrassed because it hit me.

Wanda seemed concerned as she gently pulled me hand away, not letting go as she got a better look at the side of my face which I was sure was burning red. At least that's what it felt like.

"Shit, I'm so sorry."

I looked up and saw none other than Nate Green, Wanda's boyfriend, hovering and stifling a laugh as he looked at me. He had his stupid varsity jacket on and I was tempted to strangle him with it.

"I thought Wanda would catch it," he explained stupidly, before moving around the desk to collect his football.

Breathing out through gritted teeth, I pulled away from Wanda and nodded reassuringly. "I'll be fine. Just need an ice pack."

"You're such an idiot, Nate!" Wanda snapped, looking to him with a glare. "You need to watch what you're doing!"

He smiled sheepishly, making me roll my eyes and clench my jaw at the heat on the right side of my face. Fuck, that really hurt.

"What did you want?" Wanda asked him with a quirked brow. She definitely wasn't impressed. I'd hate to ever be on the wrong side of that condescending glare.

"I thought we could go out," he said like it was that simple.

"I'm studying," she quipped with crossed arms.

"I'm happy to wait," he said, toying with the ball in his hands.

Knowing I definitely didn't want that, I closed my books and said, "It's cool. You guys go. I think we're done here anyway."

Nate grinned. "See? S'all good."

Wanda ignored him and looked to me with worried eyes. "Y/N, are you sure?"

"You know your stuff," I said, referring to the work. "You'll be fine in the test. I'm sure."

I offered her a small, forced smile, before standing up to pack my bag. She did the same, beginning to pack her own things, but her eyes kept flittering towards me.

"D'you want me to go to the nurse's office with you?" she asked, shame laced in her voice.

"It's fine, I'll be fine," I said, hurrying up with my actions so I could just get out of here whilst I still had (some of) my dignity left. "See you in class tomorrow."

She nodded, sending a guilty smile my way. "See you tomorrow, Y/N."

Without giving either of them a look, I shouldered my backpack and left the library. Just another reminder of why Nate Green was literally the worst person ever.

—

Liking Wanda as more than a friend wasn't something that happened for a while if I'm being honest. I guess I started to enjoy her presence more and more the longer we spent time together.

I'd come to appreciate it whenever she'd say something completely out of the blue that made no sense whatsoever, or whenever she'd laugh at something I'd said that was arguably not funny but she didn't want to make me feel bad, or even whenever I teased her about something stupid she did, resulting in her doing that cute little nose scrunch she did. But I didn't think of it as liking her, more just a randomly-formed friendship that I was glad to have.

Maybe it was this misinterpretation that didn't make me see how I was acting around her, such as the time I was in the dinner queue at lunch when I realised she was stood behind me.

"Oh, hey, Y/N," she said when she noticed it was me in front of her. Her usual bright, friendly smile was on her lips as she looked to me. "You good?"

I nodded, returning her smile. "Yeah. Just getting some doughnuts for Y/BF/N and I. You?"

"Same," she said, before nudging the guy next to her, who I recognised as her brother. "Pietro and I thought we'd treat ourselves."

At the mention of his name, Pietro looked down to his sister before his gaze fell on me. A mischievous smile appeared on his lips as he put out his hand.

"Pietro Maximoff," he introduced. "You must be the Chemistry partner, Y/N, right?"

I raised my eyebrows with surprise as I shook his hand. "You, er, know who I am?"

He glanced at his sister with a cheeky smile. Wanda was avoiding both of our gazes, her cheeks dusting pink.

Clearly saving face for Wanda, he said, "We've been in the same grade since kids, right? 'Course I do."

Despite the truth to his words, something told me that wasn't how he knew who I was. Especially since I was sure I'd never spoken to him in my life. But, to save Wanda the embarrassment of clearly having spoken of me at home, I nodded to Pietro.

"Right," I agreed with an amused smile. "Duh."

I moved down the queue and grabbed two doughnuts from the display, putting them in two separate paper bags.

"Dibs the last one!" Pietro exclaimed as soon as I returned the clippers to the display. He reached around his sister immaturely and bagged the last doughnut.

Wanda rolled her eyes. "You know I can ask for more, right?"

Pietro grinned, eyes sparkling with mischief. "Go on then."

The two were twins, but they couldn't have been more different. I simply revelled in their interaction, finding it adorable.

Wanda did as she said, asking the dinner lady if there were any more doughnuts in the back. Unfortunately for her, those were the last for the day, making Pietro laugh as Wanda pouted.

"Sucks to be you," he teased her, as I paid for mine and Y/BF/N's doughnuts.

"I hate you," she mumbled playfully, but I saw the disappointment in her eyes as he lovingly but annoyingly waved his bag before her eyes.

Without even thinking much of it, I held out one of the bags in my hand. "Here. You can have mine."

Wanda looked to me with surprise. "Are you sure? I can live without a doughnut, if that's what you're thinking."

I chuckled, grabbing her hand and making her take it. "It's okay. I wasn't in the mood anyway."

Plus, you look better when you're smiling and not pouting, I added in my head.

She accepted the bag reluctantly. "I– thanks. At least let me pay for it–"

"It's just a doughnut, Wanda," I teased, before nodding her way. "See you later."

Leaving her and Pietro to it, I headed back to the table Y/BF/N was sat at and took a seat opposite him before giving him his doughnut.

"Sweet," he said, quickly opening the bag before realising I didn't have one. "Where's yours?"

Over his shoulder, I saw Wanda and Pietro taking a seat at their lunch table, doughnuts in hand and a heartwarming smile on Wanda's lips.

"They ran out," I answered Y/BF/N. "Wasn't in the mood anyway. Enjoy."

He shrugged before digging in. I'd like to say I didn't spare glances in Wanda's direction every now and then for the rest of the lunch hour, but I'd be lying if I did.

—

I'm in the art department. You okay to bring it here?

I read over the text Wanda sent me before shooting her an 'okay' and heading to the Art department. I'd grabbed her notebook in class earlier on, only realising as I was studying with Y/BF/N in the library and pulled out an extra one, so I was going to give it her back.

I guess, when you realise you like someone, it comes randomly, suddenly, without warning. Liking someone isn't instant, it's constant and gradual and subconscious. I guess I'd been falling for Wanda for a while, without even realising, but today was the day I acknowledged that fact.

The Art department wasn't somewhere I frequented regularly – give me a paint and brushes and I'd probably present you with a finger painting – but it was definitely worth the visit. Art pieces from current and past students were hung on the walls, a mural of the school was spray painted on another, and sculptures stood around. The whole department brought a smile to anyone's face with its bright colours and open space – I could see why Art students always hung out here, Wanda included.

Speaking of Wanda, I found her in one of the classrooms sat at a stool in front of a series of canvasses. The room had a few other Art students littered around, working on their own pieces during their lunch period, otherwise it was empty.

"Hey," I called, getting her attention as I approached her.

She followed my voice and straightened up with a cheery smile. "Y/N, hey. Thanks for coming. I'm working on my Art project, so I couldn't pull myself away."

I waved my hand dismissively, joining her side. "It's all good, don't worry." My eyes wandered to the series of canvases on easels she was working on and widened. "Holy shit, these are so good."

Three unfinished hyperrealistic portraits of people were before us, one whom I recognised as Pietro. The paintings were so detailed, despite their medium-size, and I couldn't imagine how long they must have taken.

"You think?" she asked, glancing between them. "I think I messed up the nose here." She pointed with the back end of her paintbrush to the nose of Pietro. "It's a bit bent."

I almost laughed as I looked to her with disbelief. "Are you kidding? Wanda, these are amazing. How did you even do this?"

She looked down bashfully, a nervous smile on her lips. "I don't know. It's for a project. I chose to do family portraits." She pointed to each one as she said, "My mum, my dad and my brother."

I was in awe of her talent, jaw dropped with amazement still. I always knew she was an artist, but I'd never actually seen her work. I was starting to wish I'd come here a lot sooner.

"So, you got my notebook?" she asked, pulling me back into reality.

I looked away from the paintings reluctantly before getting her notebook from my bag and holding it out for her. As she accepted it, she must have forgotten she was holding her paintbrush as the tip brushed my wrist, leaving a swipe of red there.

"Oh, my bad," she said with a laugh, before setting her notebook and brush down and grabbing a paper towel from beside her.

Wetting it with water from her bottle, she pressed it to my wrist and swiped the paint away. It was such a mundane action, but the way her fingers gently held my wrist and emanated a warmth only she seemed to carry sent shivers down my spine.

I glanced up at her, letting her do it, and noticed the swipe of paint she had across her cheek, as if she'd touched her face without realising.

Now that I paid attention, I noticed how cute she looked in her Art getup. An old, oversized shirt covered in paint was being worn to cover her clothes, sleeves loosely rolled up to her elbows. Her long hair was tied back into a ponytail, but her baby hairs framed her forehead adorably.

When her hair wasn't in her face, her eyes only seemed more intense, glistening with excitement and happiness. I almost forgot to breathe when they met mine briefly, a hint of embarrassment there from when cleaning me up. She was in her element here and it made sense to me now.

I knew I'd fallen for her.

—

"You don't get it," I was saying to Y/BF/N as we hung about the school gym, waiting for the teacher to start the lesson. "It's bad. I like her. Like, like like her."

Y/BF/N laughed, clapping me on the back with pity. "You're screwed."

I frowned. "I know."

As he stretched for class, he continued, "I mean, I get it, I do. She's super nice. Pretty. And you guys seem to get on."

I chewed on my lower lip worriedly.

He gave me a knowing look. "There's one problem though."

I groaned, running a hand down my face. "I know, I know. She's got that dick of a boyfriend."

He chuckled. "That's one way to put it."

I sighed, crossing my arms with annoyance. Since realising I liked Wanda as a little more than a friend, things weren't going well for me. Whenever we worked together, I'd forget what I was thinking because I was too busy admiring her side profile or getting lost in her eyes. If she spoke about the work, told a joke or was simply speaking her thoughts aloud, I'd focus on every little thing she was saying, knowing I could listen to her speak all day. It was bad, but thankfully I hadn't stumbled over my words or made a total fool of myself in front of her. I was determined to not let it get that far.

My eyes wandered around the gym as Y/BF/N tried to give me advice, but admittedly, his words flew in one ear and out the other when I caught sight of Wanda.

She was standing with her friends, smiling and laughing to whatever they were saying. Like everyone else in here, she was wearing her gym kit – black athletic shorts and a blue and white tee shirt, the colour of our school. It wasn't anything special, yet she made it seem that way, outdoing anyone in here. Her brown hair was tied back, the ponytail falling down her back, showing her stunning profile and making my mouth go dry.

Another clap on the back from Y/BF/N pulled me from my reverie and I looked to see he was laughing at me.

"Majorly screwed," he corrected his previous comment.

He was definitely right.

[draconaiis]

Bonnie's demeanor had changed somewhat since his arrival which he GUESSED was a good thing. After all, it wasn't as if he was making it his life's mission these days to terrorize her. Maybe he did a bit much in the beginning, but he also thought she was a bit too judgy. She hardly knew him yet decided from the rip that vampire equaled evil overlord. But then he'd remind himself that he didn't exactly go out of his way to prove her wrong. He always felt that if people thought he was an awful person then he didn't have much to lose. He could lean into their preconceived notions whereas Stefan could be the one burdened by trying to lead a good, morally perfect life. It wasn't Damon's thing so he never much cared what other people thought.

Still, he SUPPOSED he could get used to seeing Bonnie all laid back. It certainly beat her walking on eggshells around him and, if he were being perfectly honest with himself, he didn't like the idea of being compared to Klaus. He himself was nothing more than a spoiled brat in comparison to original hybrid. His whole motive in the beginning was centered around sticking it to Stefan for ruining his life. And make no mistake. He still heavily blamed Stefan for the monsters they had become, but if not for Katherine manipulating them both, maybe things would be different. Maybe they'd have met someone years ago, married and died old men. The old, American Dream right?

Damon shrugged. "Possibly. Or it's a sign." Good sign? Bad sign? He'd leave it up in the air for now.

As for the Elena thing, he hadn't meant to take her head off. He was just taken off guard and Damon's first impulse was to get all defensive. Probably not the best of things. Bonnie sure as hell wasn't the type to just go around attacking people, even if they'd done her wrong. So he found himself muttering an apology and while it didn't seem sincere, it was Damon level of sincere.

"Sorry. Touchy subject aight? Let's just… keep Elena out of our convos as much as possible."

Because while he did care for the girl and always would, there was some part of him that wondered if he could let it go --- let HER go --- for the long haul. And he grouped Katherine into the mix as well because there wouldn't be any Elenas without the Katherines. The whole Elena thing was a web spun by desire for the other woman. It was incredibly dumb… the way he foamed at the mouth over the idea of finding Katherine only to realize it's always been Stefan she loved. Or to find that with the presence of Katherine came one lunatic original chasing her skirt as well. All in all, Katherine was nothing but bad news and so maybe it was high time to let the past go; see what he could make of this miserable existence without that enchanting face.

Bonnie's next words had him giving her another look, but he remained tight lipped for the time being. She wasn't entirely wrong. He DID have his Damon logic. He had things that warranted a certain level of self interest ( IE all of Elena's friends, his brother… ) so he guessed there was SOME care in the mix. Even so, he wasn't going to admit that he might have a 'small' weakness in knowing certain people of this rinky dink town were alright. Far be it for him to admit that he MIGHT put his life on the line for some people --- and not just the Elena's of the world.

"You're absolutely right, Bon Bon. I'm going to tell you exactly that. You know better than to assume I have feelings. I am liable to stop caring any moment now." Again, not entirely a lie, but not entirely truth either.

He found himself snorting at the idea of her tagging alongside him to do away with the big evil. The idea seemed preposterous despite all the adventures she'd been dragged into up until now. Always forced to use her mojo to save the day. He knew it would probably happen again at some point but just REALLY mulling over it now ( with a clearer head ) made him strongly dislike the idea. Because what if… what if… she got herself bitten? What if he couldn't protect her? Elena would be mad. Jeremy would hate him. It would be a domino affect headed by Caroline, the world's most annoying vampire and he just… couldn't have that.

"You're not going to be eaten, Bonnie. At least so long as the Spooky Brothers Duo is still around." And that was saying a lot considering Stefan's shady behavior as of late. It wasn't much of a duo without his partner in crime. "Maybe that's what we all need to do. Just get the hell out of this dump."

Bonnie liked to think that the fact that he didn't argue meant that he agreed with her. He had crossed a line that would take time to come back from (if they could come back from it). She didn't point that out because she would rather not be proven wrong. It was nice and cozy in her delusion.

She did, however, snort when he pointed out that they had just agreed on Klaus. "Hell has frozen over and somewhere pigs are flying," she said, her voice light and teasing. She wondered what that said about her current mental state if she could sit around and joke about the big bad in her life with a former big bad in her life.

She wasn't surprised that his back went up when she brought up Elena. It was a touchy subject and she found herself actually feeling sorry for him. She had watched her friends find love, be admired --- and often felt like she was standing outside looking in. Throw feelings into the mix and she imagined that Damon was going to be a little touchy over it all. "Okay, my bad for even bringing it up," she told him and she was sincere about it. She wouldn't press then Elena button with him for the time being.

She chewed her lip, wondering how often he thought about just letting it all go. In truth, she understood the compulsion to do so. She wished she had that option, especially in the days after her grandmother left her. She was the only mother figure Bonnie had left and her loss hollowed her out. If she could have let go of the pain, she would have.

(look at her, understanding where Damon Salvatore was coming from of all people)

"You do care more than you think. Just not about the normal, expected things. You have your Damon logic," she told him, not buying for a second that he didn't care enough. "And there are things that provoke a high level of caring whether you want to admit it or not..." Since she wasn't going to press the Elena button, she knew damn well pressing the Katherine button wouldn't be much better. "I am sure you're going to tell me I don't know what I am talking about. Fair enough. I'll keep your dirty secret, Damon. I won't tell people you care."

She did breathe a sign of relief that he was going to hold onto his humanity if only so he wouldn't be Klaus. If that was the excuse he wanted to hold onto right now, she would let him. "Appreciate the backup because I have no desire to be eaten. I actually want to graduate and get the hell out of this town."