#but they are all very definitely side characters

[call-of-daydreams]

18th Century CoD Characters - Types of jobs they have

Before we start this, I am well aware that most of this farming was not a thing in the 18th century. While I am researching to keep everything correct, I decided to add other forms of farming to make things more interesting. This long drabble does not only talk about the type of farming they do but also possible side jobs they might do.

DO NOT copy, translate, or change this drabble in any way. This is my work and my research. I've spent a lot of time researching and I would appreciate it if it was enjoyed but not stolen. Reposts and comments are more than welcome, and feedback is always accepted.

Word count: 2,325

Estimated reading time: 9 min 18 sec

John Price-

He absolutely owns and maintains a subsistence farm. He loves to provide for you and possibly kids but he also likes providing for his community. I also feel like he dedicates all of his time to maintaining his farm and expanding it to be able to accommodate his community so he has no “side job” per say but he definitely helps his mates out with their side hustles when he needs something to keep himself busy. However he mostly spends his free time hanging out with Simon, helping Simon repair guns.

Subsistence farming is all about personal use. This is the type of farming you do to feed yourself or your family but can also be used to feed your community. Mostly done for trade not profit.

Johnny MacTavish-

Absolutely owns a dairy farm and no one can tell me otherwise. He owns just enough cows to not only provide for the two of you and maybe future kids but also to trade with your neighbors that are about a mile away but you're still close to. cough cough John, Simon, and Gaz cough cough. Anyways, since he doesn’t own a lot of cows he doesn’t have to do much other than to make sure none of them go lame and to make sure they have water and are fed. Speaking of, he does grow his own hay so he doesn’t have to buy it from anyone. It’s cheaper. He also starts to dabble in blacksmithing because he found out that he can make his own gates so he can expand his land whenever he wants to for his cows to roam. Though, you do tell him to stop before he really injures himself, he tells you and I quote “It’ll be fine lass, it’s cheaper this way anyhow.” You do also help milk the cows, it saves his back.

Dairy farmers are responsible for caring and managing the milk production process. They oversee the feeding, breeding, milking, and herd management. They also grow crops to feed the herd.

Simon Riley-

He is a Commercial farmer. He grows crops and raises animals to make money so he can spoil you. Almost every week he goes into town to sell his crops or to sell an animal for money or sometimes trade. However, there is an animal from almost every species that you made him promise he can’t sell. The hen that has pretty spots and lays the brown eggs you collect every morning for breakfast, he can’t sell. The cow that Johnny sold you years ago that’s not making milk anymore because she can’t have anymore calves, Simon can’t sell. You helped him raise that girl since she was a baby, he can’t just give her away. Anyways, when he’s not working on his farm with any free time he has where he’s not spending with you he’s being a gunsmith. He’s a very well known gunsmith in town and people are always going to him so they can fix their guns or so they can sell them for extra money.

Commercial farming implies that you raise animals and crops and you sell them to the open market to make profit. It performs as a large-scale production of crops and livestock. Usually, commercial farming is a full time occupation.

Kyle Garrick-

I see him as a rancher. I feel like Kyle is the one who has all sorts of animals such as cows (obviously), chickens, horses, pigs, goats, sheep, etc. (Between me and you he definitely is the one who gives Simon's wife all the animals Simon can’t sell because he likes to rile Simon up). That’s not to say Kyle is safe from you, his wife. Because there are animals that he owns that he cannot get rid of either because of you. He simply cannot say no to you. You even talked him into letting you feed and keep a stray cat even though he insisted that the two of you have enough animals to take care of. The power you hold. Also you use the wool from the sheep to make/patch up Kyles' clothes. As for his side job I believe he’s a printer. He loves it because he gets all the town's gossip to print out and distribute but you also enjoy it because you’re kinda the first one to know everything. And best believe that he validates his sources so he asks questions. He doesn’t want to be the one putting out false information. In conclusion, he loves working on his farm but he loves gossiping and could spend hours doing so.

Ranching is a large farm for raising horses, beef cattle, or sheep. Ranchers care for and manage livestock. Thet maintain the land and equipment needed for livestock care. They oversee breeding and medical treatments of their animals. And finally, they handle tasks related to farm equipment and facilities.

Kate Laswell-

Definitely see Kate as a Mixed farmer. She likes to be very hands on with his work so why doesn’t she not only take care of animals but also crops. I feel as though the only animals you two would raise on the farm would be horses and barn cats. Don’t ask me why, it’s just a feeling I have. Also there is a little garden that she set up on the side of the house just for you so you could have fresh fruit and vegetables to make delicious meals for you and her. As for a side job can we see Kate as a cobbler?? Because I can vividly see it. She makes you the most comfortable shoes she can so you don’t have to worry about your feet aching after a long walk around town, looking at all the different items being sold. Of course she has other customers than you but you're like her little guinea pig when it comes to testing new materials or a new style of shoes because she knows that you’ll be honest with her.

Mixed farming takes place when your farm comprises at least 10% and at most 49% of animal breeding. This means that your profit is made from around half of the animal products and around half of the crops you’re selling. Mixed farmers engage in agricultural practices that combine crop cultivation and livestock rearing on the same farm. This approach allows farmers to diversify their production, use resources more efficiently, and improve soil health through crop rotation and animal manure.

Valeria Garza-

She’s a hay and wheat farmer. Hay is a very high-demand product and why would she not grow it in bulk? Why would she not sell it when there’s a drought and farmers run on hay? Why wouldn’t she want to make a profit with something that’s in such high demand? And because you have wheat in supply year-round baking has become your new favorite hobby. Especially when it comes to trying new flavor combinations. She loves coming inside after a long day of work to a nice cozy home that smells absolutely delicious. She also steals a sweet treat to taste when you’re not looking. Valeria’s side job? Something with alcohol. I’m thinking about her being a tavern keeper or a bootlegger, or both. It’s Valeria, I gotta let her keep her bad girl persona in some way. She definitely runs her tavern under the guise as something else and only select people know that her tavern exists. There used to be more, I wonder where they went-

A hay farmer will always be popular, simply because the demand for hay has increased tenfold in the last couple of years or so. The more time passes, the higher the demand for livestock is. Which is why commercial farmers need more and more hay to feed their animals. Therefore growing hay is quite a lucrative means of making money. Farming wheat is about the same thing.

Konig-

Konig is also a rancher. I’m sorry but you’re telling me that when you see this big beefy man you don’t automatically think about him being a rancher. That’s like the only type of farming I can picture him being into. Even though he is so big, I can see him being extremely careful to not hurt his baby goats or to not hurt one of his chickens. He also most definitely built you a garden so you can feel helpful around the house. After all, he is a big man. And that big man has a big appetite so it’s important to him that he has fresh big meals for each of his three daily meals. I’m leaning towards Konig being a logger as his second job. I don’t really know why, but I feel like based on his size and muscle, he could cut down trees and split logs so fast. I also may or may not be thinking about him building you both a little cabin and little buildings where you can go to do your hobbies in peace.

Ranching is a large farm for raising horses, beef cattle, or sheep. Ranchers care for and manage livestock. Thet maintain the land and equipment needed for livestock care. They oversee breeding and medical treatments of their animals. And finally, they handle tasks related to farm equipment and facilities.

Keegan-

Pastoral farming. Keegan likes to keep busy and therefore he likes to keep a lot of animals. Mostly for selling their products at the market (Most of which you make). Butter, yogurt, bottling milk, eggs, and meat (which he takes care of) gets sold for profit. Yes, you and Mrs. MacTavish have a little bit of friendly competition between you both since your husbands sell almost the same thing. However, you both help each other out, especially since her husband Mr. Mactavish keeps her with child almost year round. For his side job I can see him as a cabinet maker for some reason. I don’t know why I see this but I like to imagine that he makes good profit from it since everyone needs the extra storage space or just to replace cabinets. Plus, it would be hot watching him using a handsaw and cutting wood from the kitchen window, leaning on a counter he built.

Pastoral farming essentially refers to raising livestock and poultry for mass production of animal products such as milk, chicken eggs, or meat. The animals need to be kept in special shelters, and they are usually fed every type of food out there that can get them bigger and more efficient at producing the animal products.

Phillip Graves-

Organic farming. You cannot tell me that he doesn’t seem like the type of man to only eat organic fruits and vegetables. So, why wouldn’t he also have you eating only the best? This is more of a side job for the both of you and not a full time farming job. But he has been thinking about introducing some more animals into the two of your lives instead of the 2 dogs you two own. Phillip’s side job is definitely him being a saddler. Yes, you both own horses because that's the main form of transport and he just wants to make sure that whenever the two of you ride somewhere that you're comfortable. So one day he dabbled in fixing your saddle to make it more comfortable for you and after that you urged him to make a profit off of this new found skill. 

Organic farming is the type of food that you get without the use of modern artificial additives, like for example pesticides or any sort of chemical fertilizers. On top of that, they’re natural in the sense that they’re not treated with radiation, industrial solvents, etc.

Alejandro Vargas-

Sedentary Farming. He owns a large property and he’s invested heavily in taking care of his animals. He likes this type of farming since it is very simple and it easily makes him money. Yes, he does use most of his land just to go horseback riding with eachother but without having to go be social with other people. Not that you both don’t like social interaction, Alejandro loves talking to people. In fact, you can’t take this man anywhere without him finding someone he knows but sometimes he just wants to be alone with you spending some much needed quality time with you. Outside the house that is. Alejandros side job is being a gunsmith. Like Simon, I just feel like this job is very fitting and I can’t really think about a job that is a better fit. He mostly fixes guns while asking Rodolfo to make a certain part that he’s missing so really the two of them are a partnership.

Sedentary farming is the complete opposite of nomadic farming. Instead of moving with the herd, constantly changing your location in search for greener areas, you use the exact same land every year and you don’t move the animals in the slightest. It’s a good choice if you wish to heavily invest in an area and not worry about expanding anytime soon. It is a very simple lifestyle, but it is also effective at making you a lot of money.

Rodolfo Parra-

I don’t know why but I see him as Alejandro’s farm hand. They’re best friends so why wouldn’t they help each other out? If anything they both invested into the land so they work together to raise the animals. Plus, with the two of them, it takes the workload off of both of their shoulders so they can spend more time with their wives. And something about Alejandro and Rudy being best friends and raising their kids as almost siblings does something to me. Rodolfo’s side job is being a blacksmith. Since he works as Alejandro’s farm hand most of his day is spent making sure everything is in order. He takes up blacksmithing so he can better his job.

[sapphiresaphics]

I started this blog because I wanted reblog positive posts about Arcane and sapphic content in general. I was never expecting that it would turn into a “defend Arcane” account because I never expected this HUGE backlash to the second season of Arcane.

But in that time I’ve been observing the various reasons for WHY this backlash exists and over time I’ve noticed a distinct pattern in them.

Arcane vs Puritanism

To get into this you need to understand that America was built upon puritanical ideals. The first major settlers to America came here because they felt persecuted by Catholics in England. And while the foundation of America as a country was based more on agnostic beliefs, those underlying puritanical christian beliefs persevere to this day.

Puritans believe that if you commit a sin, you are forever tainted and no amount of piety will remove this dirtying of the soul in the eyes of god. As a result they do everything in their power to adhere to STRICT MORAL CODES. The idea being, if you never compromise on your morals, you will never be tained and god will accept you into the Kingdom of Heaven.

This isn’t a purely American concept, of course, but Americans definitely do things to the EXTREEM. And as a result both conservatives AND liberals have a tendency to have extremely STRONG senses of moral purity. Conservatives tend to want to uphold the systems in place (copaganda) while liberals want to tear down all the systems of oppression (jinx did nothing wrong).

Additionally, with the rise of kids animated shows being more nuanced, a lot of the people who are watching Arcane are on the young side. They are exposed to a world where they have these heightened moral ideals, and the media they watch backs up their morality.

A show like Gravity Falls (for example) might have some questionable jokes here and there, but at the end of the day the good guys are good, and the bad guys are bad. Bad guys get punished, good guys are rewarded. The puritan morality is upheld.

And therein lies the problem. Arcane isn’t interested in being morally pure. It’s a very HUMAN story about the ways in which systems and people perpetuate a cycle of violence that affects everybody. That’s not even a “centrist” belief, either, but because of this puritanical framework of black and white morality, BOTH sides have ironically condemned the show for not following through on their chosen ideology enough.

This is why characters like Ambessa aren’t discussed by the Arcane Critical crowd. She’s OBVIOUSLY a bad guy. She does BAD things. And in the end, she is “punished” for her transgressions and dies. Death is ALWAYS a suitable punishment in purity culture. If a character dies, it’s because they transgressed in some way and need to be punished.

(Incidentally this is where the “bury your gays” trope comes from. Because being gay was seen as being morally un-pure, and as such if you depicted a gay character in g your story you MUST kill them off by the end to maintain the status quo.)

And this is WHY characters like Caitlyn are so hotly debated. Because Caitlyn represents the rich and powerful and therefor “bad” class of people. She does morally questionable things, and therefor she taints her soul and NEEDS to be punished.

But… she doesn’t die. Nobody holds her “accountable” for her crimes. Losing an eye isn’t suitable punishment and she ends up with the woman she loved. That’s… that is not morally pure writing! That’s the show REWARDING her for doing BAD things! We can’t have that! That’s WRONG! That’s not how you write a story! The writers SUCK! This is INCONSISTENT!!!

This is also why they can like characters like Silco. Because for all of his faults, he dies. He is punished. This is also why they can like season 1 more. The bad people (Piltover) are punished by jinx. Silco, (the bad guy) is punished with death.

This is why they hate the writing in season 2 in regards to Zaun and Piltover. It’s not that the writers dropped the storyline of the class struggles, it’s that Piltover wasn’t PUNISHED enough for their crimes and are allowed to continue to oppress the poor people of Zaun.

“That’s not good writing! If you set up a story about classism (good v bad) then you MUST have bad lose!”

This is also why they have to EXAGGERATE the crimes of characters. Because Caitlyn tactically JUST going after Jinx isn’t enough. She must’ve GASSED THE WHOLE CITY OF ZAUN! Because she’s an OPPRESSOR. And Piltover is EVIL. And BAD things have to happen to BAD people! And since these punishable bad things don’t happen to Caitlyn, they have to exaggerate her crimes to justify WHY the writers suck. Because clearly at this point it MUST be the writers fault for failing to punish Caitlyn for her crimes!

I do not think this applies to every aspect of the criticisms I’ve seen against Season 2. I’ve admitted myself that there are definitely some structural issues to the season. But the more I read the “complaints” from the most vocal people about Arcane Season 2, the more I’m realizing that it really does boil down to this idea of black and white moral purity and accountability.

Which is not what a show about morally grey characters was EVER going to satisfy.

[levi-ackerman-ds]

Valentine’s Day Disaster

Levi X Reader

Approx: 1.8k words. TW: Road Rage. Not proof read.

You knew you had plans tonight. Well, Levi did all the planning. That morning, you went to work with a smile on your face and on cloud nine, knowing that Levi would sweep you off your feet in his own way after work. Nothing could ruin your mood.

Everything ruined your mood.

The moment you sit at your desk, your co-worker just had to start with the problems they have in their life. In the beginning, you were patient and nice. You tried to listen to them, give them advice, and provide support. It didn’t take long for you to realize it was one-sided. The one time you shared something personal, somehow everyone knew about it the next day.

But for right now, in your small office, you are trapped listening to whatever relatively minor issue is absolutely world-ending. You hide your irritation with “Mmhmms” and “Oh, I’m sorry’s,” wishing they would just return to work and leave you alone. Great. Now you’re annoyed.

After lunch, you let out an audible groan as the number of one of your most demanding clients flashes across your office phone. You wanted to fire this customer so much, but money talks and your boss wants you to handle her. The phone wasn’t even to your ear yet but you could hear the speaker crackle and strain, trying to give clear audio through the screaming on the other end. Of course, her order being held up by customs is your fault. Of course, you are an idiot who doesn’t know how to do your job. You keep that fake fucking smile as you speak to her, trying to calmly explain that you have already told her the issue with customs many times.

No, you didn’t. You never told her anything!

Feeling the anger bubble up, you never wanted to “as per my last e-mail” someone so badly. But you can’t. You can’t insult this client, so you sit there and take whatever personal attack she decides to degrade you with. Great. Now you are annoyed and angry.

You try to keep your mind on the plans Levi has for you tonight. Grand gestures weren’t his forte, but for you, he would do it even if he’d grumble about it. The night will start with limousine services.

“You must get the best one! Reeeally make her feel important!” It was Hange’s idea. They seem to have an affinity for anything oversized.

Cliche, maybe, but neither of you had ever ridden in one, so why not? You had thought about that little divider that would close off the driver from whatever you were doing back there. Extremely tinted windows that no one could see into...

Levi had managed to put a deposit on a Rolls Royce Phantom 300 stretch. It was stupidly expensive. You remember his under-his-breath curses and grimaces on his face as he filled out the online form, securing it for your night. But you are his world; tonight, he wants you to feel special.

Booking the restaurant took six months in advance. It is already the hottest spot in town, but they are doing a once-in-a-lifetime Valentine’s Day event for the lucky couples who reserve a spot. Even this required a deposit to reserve seating. Dinner and a Show. You will eat the finest cuisine while enjoying an adaptation of “Romeo and Juliet.” It’s not exactly Shakespeare’s version and it should be a little spicy. Okay, very spicy.

Critics at the pre-screening left surprisingly positive reviews. “One would expect an erotic rendition of such an iconic classic that “Romeo and Juliet” is would be disastrous. I fully expected a banal show with overused tropes, actors that lack chemistry, and over-the-top “performances” that would make the most open-minded squirm in embarrassment. I can say with perfect alacrity that this show delivers in all categories. The allure and attraction between characters can best be described as a steamy passion with a deep connection. It definitely gives couples something to think about on the way home.”

Why do critics always sound that way?

“I was pleasantly surprised.” Wrote another. “It gave me tingles.” Short and to the point, at least. The ride in the limo back home might be a new stage for reenactment.

Still, you couldn’t get your client out of your head. No matter how much you tried to focus on the night’s events, that shrilling voice rang in your head. You don’t know how many times she called you an idiot while berating you for ten minutes. She got personal, insulting your intelligence, your appearance, any nit-picky thing to get a reaction out of you. You held your pleasant, apologetic tone the whole time, but as soon as you set the receiver down, you wanted nothing more than to scream your indignation to the world. You are good at your job. You know that. Right?

…Right? Are you?…

Could this day get any worse? Well, you know what happens when you ask that.

You thought you were in the clear when you finally clocked out for the day. Still angry and upset but holding on. Getting into your car, you set the stereo to play your favorite playlist. Maybe this will help your mood. Not even on the road for five minutes, and there is some asshole flying down the street behind you. He thinks you’re going too slow, but you are speeding slightly already. The entire hood of his car disappears in your rearview mirror as he rides the ass of yours. The blaring horn of his car startles you while he speeds up and slams on his brakes, suggesting he’s going to hit you if you don’t get out of his way. But there is nowhere to go. It’s a one-lane street.

When it opens to two lanes, you would think this jackass would just pass you and move on. But no. You really drew his ire. Passing you on the wrong side, he gets in front of you only to slam on his breaks. You slam yours in time, but you almost hit him. The deranged behavior coming from the other driver is nonstop. You can see him shouting in the cabin of his car even though you can’t hear it. Anger turns to terror as you realize this guy is actually trying to hurt you. He wants you to crash for having the audacity of making him arrive at his destination a couple of minutes later.

Moving lanes and pulling alongside you, he swerves his car into your lane, causing you to move into the oncoming road. Your heart races like a wild bird trapped in a small cage, desperately trying to escape. As you glance over, you can see him. Everyone thinks road rage is caused by some bug-eyed, wild-haired lunatic, but he was a perfectly normal-looking guy. Furious, yes, but completely ordinary. What could drive someone to do something like this?

Finally, he lets you back on the right side of the road, giving you the obligatory finger before speeding off. It took a few minutes for you to realize you were sucking in air like someone just rescued you from the bottom of a pool. The world was in sharp focus but felt so far away. You pushed yourself to drive home with your shaking hands and trembling muscles. You never want to be on the road again after this.

God, what are you going to do with your hair? Usually, this wouldn’t even be a problem, but you can’t focus. How dare that client suggest you were terrible at your job. You know how to do it, damn it. Should you paint your nails? One already has a chip in it. What the hell was that guy's problem anyway? You were already speeding. Why won’t that two-faced co-worker leave you alone? You know they talk about everyone behind their backs. You could have died today.

Now you are annoyed, angry, and very scared.

“Happy Valentine’s Day.” Levi’s dulcet tone greets you as you walk through the door.

“What’s so fucking happy about it, Levi?” You snap sharply.

You’ll regret speaking to him like that later, but for right now, you're hanging by a thread. Like a cartoon, the last strands of the last thread are snapping one by one. Thread of a thread. After everything that’s happened today, from annoyance to anger to terror. Your mind is just a flurried mess of thoughts. The co-worker, the client, the road rage mixed with the forced thoughts of your hair, your nails… Fuck, how can you even think about going out like this? And who can blame you?

Levi didn’t. Even when you snapped at him, he didn’t say a word. He could see the look in your eyes, how tense you were like a set mousetrap creaking under stress, the flush on your face, and the fact that you still hadn’t caught your breath.

You think of all the money he spent on deposits and reservations, all the time filling out forms and making sure the night would be perfect, all the effort to pull off something Levi doesn’t normally do. But you couldn’t. You just couldn’t do it. Just the thought of being on the road again made your heart twist.

Instead, he held you in his arms on the couch while some cheesy rom-com was playing on the television. Neither of you paid attention to it. You were too upset, and he was too focused on you. Levi did precisely what you needed him to. He spoke gently when you needed to and stayed silent when you didn’t. He never once mentioned the plans he made.

You run through every emotion we have names for. And probably some we don’t. Your hair was so soft between his fingers, and your cheeks were wet under the pads of his thumbs. The rapid beat of your heart was so hard even he could feel it on his chest. The wracking sobs made the top of your head bump under his chin.

You eventually relaxed, the tenseness in your muscles and the tone of your voice melting into the warmth of his arms. A little chuckle as you caught a bad line from the movie you weren’t watching.

He even saw you smile.

The next day, you felt horrible. You treated Levi terribly from the moment you walked in the door. How could you? Levi did so much so that you would feel special and you ruined it. All that money is wasted. He can’t get it back. The once-in-a-lifetime performance you made him skip out on. All because you had a bad day?

“I’m sorry, Levi. I ruined your Valentine’s.”

There was so much more you wanted to apologize for. You didn’t even know where to start. Even the apology sounded arrogant. How can you sit here and apologize after what you did?

He didn't even have to think about his answer. “What the hell are you talking about? I did exactly what I wanted to do for Valentine’s Day.”

[my-rose-tinted-glasses]

Weekend Ramblings

Thame·Po Episode 10

Yeah, I'm late but my brain was not working properly on friday, so, now works. Congrats on the sex! I love this friend group so much. This episode was a lot. First of all Baifern needs to go touch grass. I did appreciate that the show went there, all things considering, but she made me mad. And not that I needed more proof, but Po is a better person than me. Also I hate Pemika and this whole thing around idols and dating. It's insane, but obviously eventually the company will come around, cause glass houses and all that. The PepperGam noble idiocy thing was a bit whatever, although still heartbreaking, but I'm hoping this means that our mains won't follow in their footsteps. This show is as close to perfection as I have seen from gmmtv in a while, so let's not ruin it. The best part was definitely seeing the group supporting each other. The hand holding at the press conference had me all emotional. I'm giving up on screaming at Thame. I guess since they were technically already caught, he's not bothered. Not that he acted like he ever was. Thame and Po continue to be them. I just love how even through all this, they keep checking in on each other.

GelBoys Episode 2

Never has a show made me feel so ancient. Also this show is a massive reminder of how much I absolutely hated all that love drama in high school. I had zero patience for it. Obsessively rereading messages, overanalysing every word to find some hidden meaning, wondering, Does he actually like me? Honestly, I’m exhausted just thinking about it. And on top of that, I’m beyond grateful that I didn’t have to deal with any of it in the era of smartphones, social media, selfies, apps, and so on. So much angst. I guess playlists are the new mixtapes. It's certainly easier. I continue to really like the atmosphere, it feels very grounded. And although I like Fou4Mod, I adore Baabin, so I'm not a huge fan of the way Fou4Mod is using him to make Chian jealous. Like since he's his bestie, he could've at least been honest. I'm sure he'd be on board. And I know he's gotta learn this for himself but, Fou4Mod, sweetie, this is a terrible idea. You are going to be crying a lot on that train in the future. But, I mean, who hasn't done that before?

Perfect 10 Liners Episode 17

I got YothaGun and PondSand. What a joy! I really could watch Perth do anything but seeing him being the biggest love sick puppy is a special treat. Faifa seems to have a bit of a savior complex, which we kinda knew but it's pretty obvious now. I love characters that hide their pain behind a smile, and he's so kind on top of that, so of course I love him. I also liked that he noticed Wine's overall mood and checked in with him about boundaries. I'm hoping Wine can break some of his walls and perhaps teach him the word 'NO.' I'm thinking maybe we won't get a side couple this time because we have enough couples to check in with, in between FaifaWine stuff, but we'll see.

The Boy Next World Episode 7

First of all, it was great to see Thorn/Tong again, I keep forgetting this is part of the TharnType Universe. As I said last week, BossNouel can bring it in those scenes, but I still feel like I'm watching RainPhayu. Now Cir, you had to see this coming, no? I mean you only had like a million chances to come clean. I feel bad for Phu, but I gotta say, last week I thought he might have an inkling about this, but maybe not?Now…for that ending and the preview. So not multiple universes, but something else is going on. He's dissociating. I'm intrigued and worried if they will land this part of the story. It seems we'll be getting our beloved amnesia trope and I'm so excited about it. Honestly I was thinking maybe he doesn't really have amnesia and he's faking, but wouldn't that be a bit much, all things considered? I mean, they’re going to end up together, so I’d really love to not completely despise Cir by then. The second half of the episode was strange though, pace wise. It felt a bit disconnected, and rushed. Part of it might be intentional, given Phu's state of mind, but it still felt weird to me. The sides are kinda cute, although I must admit, Wim gets on my nerves a bit. That dude must end each day with a tension headache. Like seriously, he's so tense it makes me stressed. And also, why is he so annoyed by Jin?, cause like he listed a bunch of stuff but honestly I don't see it. Wim needs to forget about Cir for 5 seconds and focus on something else. This animosity feels a bit forced.

Sangmin Dinneaw Episode 8 [Finale]

I honestly don’t even know where to start. I’ve come to expect a certain level of whiplash from this show, but this was on an entirely different level. We went from child abuse and murder plot straight into that cucumber scene. I can’t even begin to imagine the thought process behind it. This was a roller-coaster, and not in a good way. That said, at least we finally got a storyline where a guy gets revenge on his abusive parents, so that wasn’t terrible. But the fact that the hotel dude didn't get run over is unfortunate. Now that it’s over, I genuinely don’t know what to say. The main couple was cute enough, and the sides were decent, but overall, this whole thing was a mess. Honestly, the ending was the only part that felt even remotely normal. And still I'm not sure about the amnesia. But who cares? Most of this makes no sense and I'm not gonna waste any more time trying to figure it out.

[jynmelshian]

the thing about melshian is that melshi comes across as a very serious, loyal, devoted person who sets his eye on something he wants and does anything he can to get it — unless he knows for sure that he can't. he needs confirmation, or hope, that what he wants is achievable, otherwise he won't even try. hence how he's so adamant to tell cassian that there's no hope of escaping. he's 100% sure there's no point in thinking about it, so he wants to make sure no one else is wasting their time with it. and then this changes when cassian flips the whole operation round on its head and shows him that there IS a way out, there IS a reason to hope. and then melshi shows no hesitation in helping with the escape plan and fighting his way out. he seems to me like someone with quite a one track mind, stubborn but sensible. and then cassian is flighty like this is a core aspect of his character. he doesn't stay in one place, he doesn't stay in one relationship, he's not good at vulnerability, and up until the narkina 5 arc he has run away from every sign that the rebellion IS right and IS his calling and IS the only way to be free. he is deeply loyal to a few select people, but even in those dynamics he finds it hard to commit, and he certainly can't commit to a cause at the beginning of the show. narkina is the first time we see him step up to the mantle, take the reins and fight not only for his own freedom, but for the freedom of everyone around him. before, the acts of rebellion he's taken have been selfishly motivated but also out of loyalty to at least one person: avenging clem as a teenager, and getting money and clearing his name to protect himself and maarva. one could argue that there was still selfish motivations in stirring revolt at narkina, because he wanted to be free and knew that the only way for him to get out would be to take everyone else with him, but i think any potential selfish motivation went out the window when he realised how much he'd need all the help he could get. and it showed that he can be a team player and can be a leader - or at least a stepping stone for other leaders to function and progress the cause.

and who is by his side as he steps into this role? melshi. even with the little glimpse we get into melshi as a man, it's apparent how well they complement each other. the wordless conversations they have, the way cassian's conversations with kino reveal so much about melshi's ideology and the way he expresses himself and what he shares with cassian, it all points to a man of ideals, someone who refuses to conform and maintains his pride and takes shit from no oppressive system. he's untethered because we get no insight into his life outside of narkina, but we understand the level of dedication he shows to the things he cares about, and how he's obviously already fired up and ready to rebel since long before cassian showed up, he just needed a spark. as duncan pow put it, he was waiting for someone like cassian to show up, to show him that someone else does think like him, someone else is not going to stand for how narkina 5 treats them, and that someone is giving melshi permission to stand up. he's sort of the perfect foil for cassian if you think about it. and i do think about it.

and it culminates in the scene on the cliff face: "stop saying that" becomes "tell me they're leaving". if melshi is the no bullshit, won't waste his time on idealism if he doesn't think it's achievable, probably the least optimistic guy but definitely the most headstrong and stubborn, than of course he'd find cassian's constant "they're leaving" at the very least annoying, because he's convinced himself they're going to get caught and he's not going to be able to climb back up. but there's something kind of idealistic about cassian, how he's fundamentally pragmatic but also optimistic, something that's established in the scene where he tells maarva he has enough money for them to "get away". and the loyalty we've only ever seen him show to his family and closest friends on ferrix now extends to his fellow rebel and escapee and manifests as giving hope, and that rubs off on melshi, because how can it not? it actually makes a difference, hearing cassian say they're leaving, even if they're not. it's the hope that counts, and it's the fact that he has someone there as constant reassurance. a constant reminder that he's not in this alone and he no longer needs to hide behind his own rationalisation and pessimism to survive. there really is hope, and cassian is a walking reminder of it.

and to think that they reunite in the rebellion a little way down the line, and die on the same day for the same cause, and it all started in a slave revolt and a prison break and one man giving another man hope. it's a beautiful and underrated dynamic, i think.

[joejhang]

theories + predictions before tgr comes out

not in any particular order. spoilers for tsc and obv aftg. if any of these happen individually i will be insufferable. bonus if more than one of these ends up being true. feeding my god complex fr.

jeremy killed a sibling. either accidentally or on purpose both works for me. tho it would be a million times more interesting if it was intentional. obv there are a million and one jeremy theories floating around but something about jeremy being a repented murderer endears me to him the most. like THAT'S the nora sakavic kinda character i know and love. anyway yeah there is definitely something weird about jer and his siblings tho. cat mentions two brothers, but so far we've only heard about annalise and bryson. cat also hesitates before saying "two brothers" so we can safely assume something happened with one of the brothers. my bet is that one of them is dead, that's why she hesitated to say. jer probably (definitely) had something to do with it. annalise also says that he ruined the family. and references the fall banquet of his freshman year. but idk if the siblings stuff and the banquet stuff is actually connected.

bryson tried to kill jer/they had a huge ugly fight/bryson was just abusive in general. i get these vibes. jer was desperate to avoid him and mentions him like once the whole book. cat mentions that he's a "tool" and a "jerk" and jer's convo with lucas about grayson is also notable, but that last part might just be bc jer's a nice guy, not to do with his own sibling issues. but yeah i think this is pretty likely, like they always had tension between them, then after mystery brother died, all of it came to a head and they had a really bad fight and someone was badly injured/nearly died.

annalise dies. this isn't very likely but i think this would be a PERFECT book two plot point. just imagine how it would WRECK jeremy. all of jer's carefully constructed masks and facades and fake smiles and pretending everything's fine would all come crashing down and it would essentially force my long-awaited jeremy crash out into action. it would force him to confront family issues, his older brother, his parents/step-parents??? and also the fact that he is deeply Not Ok™. also it would be a neat parallel that both jean and jer would now have dead younger sisters. bonus points if she dies in a car accident. if this happens i'm actually god.

kevjean interview goes horribly wrong somehow. my delusional ahh NEEDS neil to crash it but i can admit that that isn't likely and that i just miss my shayla. whatever. i'm pretty sure it's confirmed that kevjean IS having an interview together???? and since kevin is confirmed showing up in tgr i guess this will be it??? ok listen. i know nora said in the ec that kevin and jean would never be friends again, but i still have HOPE for them ok. kevjean you INVENTED one-sided homoerotic yearning. anyway i have no real thoughts about how it would go wrong probably just an interviewer stepping out of line and either jean or kevin crashing out during it. if someone attacks jean, i honestly honestly believe kevin would defend him. kevin is NOT a coward, and especially now that riko's dead and tetsuji is out of the picture, and after the whole "i've never been skiing" thing i doubt kevin is gonna be living in fear and paranoia and secrets anymore. and if he's gonna defend anyone to the press, it's obviously gonna be jean. and jean would do the same for kevin. guys i'm holding out so much hope for kevjean it's gonna ruin my life.

grayson death. is this not like, confirmed??? whatever i just need to see it happen. or hear of it happening. and i'll smile contentedly knowing that neil ordered the hit on a napkin at a thai restaurant. GOD i love that man like nobody can. it would also be very interesting to see jean, lucas and the other trojans' reactions to his death.

gameplay!!! i will admit, neil made me somewhat of an exy junkie asw. i'm so interested to see how jean narrates exy games and how the trojans play in their comps. unfortunately i doubt we'll see any championship games in book 2 but i'm hoping for book 3 and we get to see the trojans become champions for the first time!!! i have mixed feelings about the trojan red card thing but i wouldn't be mad if it happened. i kind of think it seems unrealistic tho tbh. but it WOULD be fun. yeah ummmm and i need to see like a scene where jeremy gets hurt and jean realises he cares IDC i am a SIMPLE simple girl. also i'm curious to see how the exy storyline plays out w jean. it's confirmed he never makes court, but i'm interested to see if he ends up actually enjoying the game, bc i think it wouldn't be a fitting end to the trilogy if he continues to play but resents it. i do think it is possible for the trojans to teach him how to actually love the game, but we'll see.

someone in jer's life/past committed or tried to commit. maybe it was even jeremy himself. idk i definitely think jer has some dark past, whether it includes like drugs or violence or gangs or murder idk, there's just SOMETHING there i can smell it. something that makes jeremy "captain sunshine" knox the black sheep of his rich political family. also jeremy being "unexpectedly ferocious" when jean made a quip about suicide. noted.

jeremy family drama. idk this is just a general note for uncovering more info about jeremy's complicated family. i need to know like, what's up with his dad. his dad is either dead or out of his life, because he only refers to his mother and stepfather. also why jer doesn't like being referred to by his last name and what he did to tear their family apart. contrary to popular opinion, i actually don't think it has anything to do with him being gay. i acc don't think his family knows he's gay. i feel like otherwise they would've just cut him off completely. like why is he still involved in campaigns and shit???

jerejean almost-kiss. this is just me manifesting tbh.

jeremy crash out. duh.

[wildymoon]

Why Hotguy (Probably) Isn't Possessed: A DDVAU Post

.... Or at least why it would be a bit biased to say that is the case right off the bat just cause the blorbo said something you really didn't like.

(NOTE: MAJOR SPOILERS FOR DDVAU) (Also the images I've used are all from the comic, go take a look either on Tumblr or Webtoons)

Part 1: Would This Face Lie To You?

Yes. Because everyone has the capacity to lie, and Scar canonically has a silver tongue. Look at 3rd Life and try to tell me otherwise. I will laugh at you.

But the difference is framing. In 3rd Life and nearly everywhere else this silver tongue of Scar's is used, it's in a silly white lie way at best and simply to win a game at worst. Hell, even in other works I've seen it's primarily used to benefit others, not himself.

For this reason (among others that vary from person to person that I won't elaborate on here cause that's complicated), it becomes much easier to believe that Scar here isn't acting normal. He's tapping into his cunning side with much more ruthlessness than we're used to seeing from him normally, and thus we grasp for any other option. Not only that, but the Motherspore Incident gives us the perfect excuse for his behavior, especially with what is said at the end.

Was the target truly Grian, or were they trying to get at Hotguy? We won't know for sure until later, but the idea of him getting possessed is something for the copium to take advantage of, and as such it does so.

(Even for me. I have almost an entire two-monitor screenshot in which I copypasted almost every detailed Hotguy face to analyze and make a decision based on the expressions compared to the latest volume. This I will get into in the part dedicated to his expressions and why they matter for both sides of the argument.)

Either way, assuming someone who is known for using that silver tongue of his to get what he wants isn't doing that of his own free will, even if it feels unkind or out of character at first glance, isn't exactly the smartest thing.

Part 2: The "Pragmatic" Approach Is Not Kind

Aka, "local utilitarian explains the logic behind being a dick in this scenario", or "devil's advocate except the supposed devil is just a blorbo getting into real blackmail".

So, let's first consider Hotguy's primary options for how he could've taken that interrogation, and their effects. I'll list these in order of action taken against Grian for simplicity's sake:

Leave Grian alone entirely. At first, this looks like the best option. Grian needs time to heal, and Hotguy just barging on in like that is stressful at best for someone who'd just been told he got possessed and tried to kill people. But this temporary peace would come with consequences. With no one to tell the public otherwise, Grian would likely get arrested for hiding his status as a mutant from the government. So this one is simply not worth it.

Reason with Grian. This is the option most likely expected from Hotguy before the page rolled around. It gives him a chance to exercise the softer side of his silver tongue a bit more, and is a significantly less aggressive way of trying to get the information he needs to protect the public. The issue with this is that Grian is not cooperative. He does not like Hotguy very much, and definitely would give as little information as he possibly can to what is basically a cop. "Everything you say can and will be used against you," and all that jazz. He's also pretty much immune to Hotguy's charm, so being niceys won't change that. Essentially, no matter what way he goes about it he's going to have to deal in something that Grian actually cares about.

Blackmail Grian. This is the choice Hotguy made, and he didn't sugarcoat it very much either. I'm thinking the reason he did could be related to how he knew simply reasoning with Grian wouldn't work; had he really gone in with the honeyed words, Grian would've told him to cut the bullshit even sooner. This, while more visibly putting Grian in a spot of bother, isn't actually that much more dangerous for him than the other options. I've already explained why the first option actually sucks, and the second option relies on Grian trusting Hotguy (which he doesn't). It also gives Hotguy two things simultaneously: information (his priority), and keeping his friend out of jail (so long as he cooperates, which he has). The second thing may or may not be important to him, but it's still an added bonus. This is the option in which Hotguy is guaranteed to get the most information about the incident.

Turn Grian in immediately. If you hadn't realized there was a worse option than 3 then surprise! There is! This is the option that I believe would actually be out of character for Hotguy. Even if he wanted Grian imprisoned for whatever reason, his priority would still be to get information, nothing else. And there's no guarantee Grian would tell absolutely anything in custody, let alone anything about the incident. It would take potentially blackmailing him here to do it, and that feels like a step too far. Hotguy only needs information, and he knows stigma too well to truly take part in it, especially if it probably won't net him what he needs. So, not that option either.

In all, Hotguy's choice was the only one that could truly get him the yield he wanted: information on the attack in hopes he could prevent any further ones. Do I think he went too far? Yes. Absolutely. He should've stopped with his threats the moment he stopped asking actual questions about the incident. There was no reason (in my opinion) to continue with them.

But for the most part, I believe this isn't a man possessed, just a cop seeking intel. Speaking of.....

Part 3: "Duty"

Sorry guys, superheroes funded by the government are technically cops. This makes Hotguy a cop. Your blorbo is a cop.

In all seriousness, Hotguy does in fact have a job, and as such it is his duty to protect the citizens of the city from the bad and such, blah blah blah. This includes Grian, since he was possessed by the bad and not the bad itself (as such that makes him a victim).

The question, however, remains. "How best does one protect an entire city?" I've answered this already with Hotguy's highest priority in the interaction with Grian: information. To get this information while protecting the most citizens, he must threaten or harm at least one no matter what he does. Because simple threats harm the least, his answer is to threaten two for the sake of maximizing the future harm reduced.

It is, once again, a utilitarian stance on things. But if your goal isn't to be strict to the rules, that's how choices should be made: Not with biases, but with thought given to all options and all those affected.

Now, does his duty state he should be that much of an ass? No, but I already went over this. "He made the best overall choice but he should've been more considerate." It doesn't get much simpler than that.

Part 4: Expression And Tone - The Other Argument

Here we go. This is what originally inspired the making of this post, as an argument for the side that claimed Scar was possessed.

The reason behind it? I'd noticed a significant shift in Hotguy's expressions even without going through each individual page. As someone who cannot read body language for shit usually, this was a pretty significant indicator that something was wrong for me.

Upon further inspection and reflection, this isn't quite the cause for alarm I'd thought it was, but it's still one of the better arguments for Scar being possessed so I'll elaborate.

Before the Motherspore Incident, each of Hotguy's expressions that were close enough to the camera to be drawn properly showed at least one eye through his visor. There is exactly ONE exception to this in my eyes, and even that one can fit in with my claim here: Hotguy's action shot in Chapter 7.

Here, the panel is big enough that if it was any regular panel it would likely show his eyes, but the visor is too small to really draw good eyes for the panel here, not to mention it would probably take away from the composition. But that's not what's important here; that honor goes to the fact that this is the only instance of a bigger panel in which Hotguy's eyes are not shown.

.... Up until Motherspore, that is.

Here, this makes sense: The eye in the first one would get in the way of the text, and in the second one his hair is covering his visor. The third is an action shot, similar to the one in Chapter 7. These make sense.

But then... something shifts once the fight is over and Hotguy carries Grian out. Once he reaches the outside, the amount of times we see his eyes, his expression? TWO.

Both are heavily simplified, with specific intent on making his expression clear on a small panel, but in every other panel from that point on in the chapter show him with the visor covering his expression.

And that's when we get into Chapters 14 and 15. This is when the shift becomes obvious. Instead of all his expressions on large enough panels showing at least one of his eyes, instead we're given almost the exact opposite.

This is the only. I repeat. The ONLY larger panel in which both his eyes are shown (when he has the visor on) since the end of Motherspore.

It's almost the only panel in the entirety of the chapter like that, but there's a singular smaller panel here with both his eyes:

That's it. Everything else has the way his expressions interacting with his visor the exact opposite way from the entire rest of the story so far.

This is why I thought he was, in fact, possessed at first. It was such a dramatic change that, when you don't consider the other reasons why this could be the case, it feels wrong. It feels like he could be possessed.

Especially if you consider this as related to it:

It just feels, if you compile everything together and build that argument, as something that could be plausible.

Plausible, not guaranteed. But plausible nonetheless.

But what could go against this? The tone.

Because, before Motherspore, this whole thing had a much more lighthearted tone. Hotguy had a much more lighthearted tone. Then he has to handle Motherspore. Then, the public, after a fight that made him require backup (true backup, unlike what we see from Cuteguy).

He puts on a mask to the public. That's what happened at the end of Chapter 13.

And then again, when facing Grian. He cannot slip up, cannot let Grian notice who he is or even consider it. He puts on a mask to ensure he can get what he wants safely. That's why we only see his eyes open behind his visor the one time, when Grian cannot look at his face.

He's taking a page from Cuteguy's book, in a way. Not the newest trick in any book, but I figure y'all'd like the connection.

Part 5: In Conclusion

Is Scar possessed? No, probably not. There's always a chance, but it's more likely that everyone got a bit blindsided by the cutthroat way Hotguy handled interrogations.

Remember that characters can make bad or mean decisions! Even if that character is meant to be a good guy, they still can make these choices, mistake or not. Sometimes, it's the best decision they can make. And sometimes, they just went about it in a way they probably shouldn't've.

Either way Hotguy's going to pay in spades by however Cuteguy's going to handle meeting him again, probably.

Bonus: All those copypasted Hotguy faces, for your enjoyment and my going bonkers insane

(There are no notes written down here because I am bonkers on the level that my brain moves too fast to type it all down.)

(ONCE AGAIN, the images I've used are all from the comic, go take a look either on Tumblr or Webtoons)

[rarepairdumpster]

Modern Artist AU

Pairing: Viktor/Silco (Arcane) Rating: M C/W: Artist Silco, Drawing Viktor, The Power of Love, We actually finished something for once!

Writer/Illustrator Silco and animated Viktor climbing out of the page to drive him crazy.

Viktor on Silco's lap, trying to seduce him.

Silco, thinking he's drank too much caffeine or something and is now hallucinating, gripping those elegant wrists he had sketched/described so many times. Stopping those hands from sliding under his shirt.

"You have a job to do, boy."

"I'd much prefer to be out here, with you."

Viktor brushes his fingers against Silcos' cheek and he can smell the graphite and feel the trace left there. 

"You're far more interesting."

"No" Silco insists, scowling, "the book I'm working on is interesting. That's why I'm working on you.  It."

Viktor pouts and Silco curses himself for making Viktor's lips so plush and tempting. 

"I don't like the others," Viktor sighs, laying his head on Silco's shoulder and toying with the top button on Silco's shirt. "They're so...derivative."

Silco twitches as he feels a warm breath gust against his neck.

A similar twitch happens in his groin.

Clearly a sign that its been too long since he went to a bar and got laid. 

Silco tries to cover his reaction with an annoyed huff.

His work isn't derivative, after all

Viktor chuckles. "Isn't being with me a little masturbatory anyway?" 

Viktor's long, delicate fingers trail down to Silco's belt buckle and he turns his face to Silco's ear. "You did create me."

Viktor starts to nose along Silco's ear as he feels the man getting harder beneath him.

"And think about it. The sooner the book is finished, the sooner I'll be sitting on other peoples' shelves. I'll belong to them then. Don't you want to keep me to yourself for a while longer?"

Silco can't help but groan when Viktor slips his hand into his loosened trousers. 

"Viktor..."

"I don't hear any more protests," Viktor hums, leaving a soft kiss behind Silco's ear. 

"Let me take care of you... you've been working so hard."

Silco is definitely losing his mind, he decides, as the hand that is a figment of his imagination feels so very real as it begins to tease his cock.

"I feel it every time you draw me," Viktor continues, winding his other arm around Silco's neck, pressing closer.

"Like every emotion coming through onto the paper. Into me"

Silco's breath hitches.

Viktor starts to trail kisses along his jaw.

"I felt it....when you lingered on my lips....my hands....on the curve of my back when you let Talis bend me over. When you let him take me in missionary, I could feel your attention follow the spread of my thighs."

Viktor squeezes his cock just a little.

"I could feel how much you wanted me. How much you loved me."

"I do," Silco breathes, finally allowing himself to wrap his hand around Viktor's waist, knowing it would fit perfectly. "I never meant..."

Viktor cuts him off by finally kissing him, and Silco is amazed by how real he feels. The taste is metallic but not unpleasant and Silco knows he'll never forget it. 

Viktor was right. He did love the boy. Far more than his other characters and to the point of devotion. Viktor was perfect. Not just created by him but, unintentionally, for him.

Viktor moans into the kiss, soft and low, and it sounds just how Silco had imagined it would.

Silco doesn't know when he stands, but he recognises the moment he sets Viktor on his desk with more force that he probably should have and sends the stack of finished sheets scattering

Viktor gasps please when Silco grinds against him, then reclaims his lips, passionate and needy.

Silco can't make sense of this and doesn't really want to. Not when the man he'd given a piece of his soul to was naked and desperate on his desk. 

Viktor pushes Silco's slacks down and grips his ass with both hands, pulls him closer, closer, closer.

The next thing Silco knows, Viktor's thighs are hiked high around his sides, and he's pressing balls deep.

Everything about Viktor feels sublime, inside and out, as Silco grips Viktor's waist and fucks him deep and slow. 

Silco wants to drag this out as long as he can. He wants to savor every soft moan and whisper of his name that falls out of Viktor's mouth. 

In this moment, Viktor was his and his alone.

"I knew," Viktor gasps, nails digging into Silco's skin along his strong back. "I knew this would feel so...so good."

Silco touches and traces his fingers along every inch of Viktor he can reach, addicted to the soft skin beneath him. 

Viktor starts to move against him and Silco picks up his rhythm, growing closer to his climax. 

"Oh, my darling boy," Silco mummers into Viktor's ear, holding Viktor close as he pounded into him.

Viktor winds his fingers into Silco's hair and grips just on the right side of tight.

Uses his good leg to encourage the pounding Silco is giving him.

Silco knows he's close, but Viktor is clamped onto him like a vice and he couldn't pull away if he wanted to. 

"Stay in me," Viktor whispers like a secret, a spell, and a pact all in one that Silco can't disobey.

It's only a few more thrusts before Silco is cumming deep in Viktor, pressed close against him with his entire body

Viktor let's out this long, satisfied sigh -- as if he's been waiting to feel that rush of heat for the longest time. 

His hands grow gentle, petting Silco.

Silco holds Viktor tightly, afraid of what will happen to him if he lets go.

"My sweet muse," Silco sighs, kissing Viktor's face and lips. "Oh, my love, my Viktor." 

He hates that he can already start to feel tears sting at his eyes. Silco knows Viktor isn't real and he knows he can't have this forever.

Viktor is in no rush to leave. Lets Silco hold him so tightly, like he might break into pieces, if the man lets go.

"Silco," Viktor breathes as the man soon presses his face into his neck. "I'm here. I'm yours."

Silco isn't aware of the time passing, but he feels when the temperature drops.

Feels the goosebumps rise on his bare legs, slacks and boxers still in a pool around his ankles. 

"I need to dress," Silco sighs.

"I know." Viktor cups his cheek for a moment and smiles a little wryly. "Don't want you catching pneumonia and perishing on me."

"Please don't..." Silco isn't even sure he wants to say it. "How do I see you again?"

"How did you see me the first time?" Viktor kisses Silco's cheek and he can already feel the tangibility of Viktor's touch waning. 

"I'm always with you, love. In your heart and on every scrap of paper you mark up."

The next time Silco sees Viktor, its months later, towards the end of the release party, when Silco is bone-tired from socialising with people he half-tolerates and is looking for an excuse to leave.

Silco happens to be looking out the window, at the street below, when he sees Viktor looking around like he might be lost.

Silco's hand tightens around his nth champagne flute and then he's making excuses, claiming he needs some rest if he wants the sequel to be of decent quality. 

Viktor beams when Silco emerges onto the streets, eyes lighting up.

And Silco thinks, if he's losing his mind, at least it'll be to something, someone, that makes him happy

Silco rushes to Viktor and hoists him up into a half spin as the boy laughs above him. Once Viktor's back on the ground, Silco raises a hand to cup Viktor's face. 

It's warmer than he remembers but Silco cares more about the golden eyes he's finally able to stare into again.

"You're here."

"Of course," Viktor answers softly, expression tender as he smoothes his hands over the lapels of Silco's coat. "Couldn't miss the big day, could I?"

Silco flashes a rare smile, then pulls Viktor into a kiss and oh

The metallic taste he expected was gone. It tasted like...

Silco pulled back suddenly, causing Viktor to chuckle a bit. 

"Are you...?"

"Here." 

There's a gleam in Viktor's eyes when he pulls Silco back down into another kiss.

Silco indulges the kiss for several intense beats, heart thundering in his chest. And gods, he wants to keep indulging, but ---

Silco pulls back, hands cupping Viktor's face like he's the most precious, most fragile thing. Silco feels like he might shatter himself. Feels the ache of longing pull at his face, knowing he probably looks pathetic. 

"How? How are you here? How are you....real?"

Viktor looks at him, eyes so soft.

"Does it matter?"

"A little," Silco replies. "It would solidify whether I actually need to check myself into the psych ward or not."

Viktor laughs and it's the most beautiful thing Silco has ever seen or heard. 

"In the end, you finished the book," Viktor explains. "Your love for me is why you finished and maybe the pages couldn't contain my love for you either." Viktor closes his eyes and leans into one of Silco's hands.

"When I woke up here I had to see you. That's all I know."

Silco feels a crush of emotion at hearing those words and he surges forward to kiss Viktor again.

At the end of it all, Silco doesn't know and doesn't really care why Viktor's here. Just that he is and he'll never ever let go.

Arch + Woods

[r0manceplanet]

Fluff Alphabet with 1x1x1x1

A/N: I’ve been wanting to make one of these for a while now, and I finally have the energy to do so!! This was so fun to make, and if y’all want any fluff or nsfw alphabets with any of the characters (might be just the killers for now though) feel free to send them in!!

⚠️Warnings: I think none?? I’ll go back later and see if I need to add anything, there may be spoilers though just be aware.

A ctivities - What do they like to do with their s/o? How do they spend their free time with them?

I feel like 1x would spend his free-time relaxing on the house with his S/O, and I also feel like he’s exhausted after being the killer during the rounds, so he just likes to sit back and be in his S/O’s arms while they watch whatever show or movie the reader put on.

B eauty - What do they admire about their s/o? What do they think is beautiful about them?

This is pretty hard because he would admire a lot about his S/O, if he really had to chose he would say he admires his S/O’s passion, for hobbies, for their loved ones, really anything. That’s what would make him fall in love with you at the very start anyways.

C omfort - How would they help their s/o when they feel down/have a panic attack etc.?

He can’t really say anything, he is the being of hatred so he doesn’t wanna say anything that’ll make you more worse than you already are, he’ll just sit or stand by you, and if you need to hug him, go for it and he’ll hug you back, and smooth your back and the back of your head while you cry into his shoulder.

D reams - How do they picture their future with their s/o?

He pictures the future with you where you guys can finally run away from everything, somewhere far away and it’s only the both you against the world. If he’s in his betrayed form though, I don’t really think he would picture the future any longer after that, but he’ll always stick by you no matter what.

E qual - Are they the dominant one in the relationship, or rather passive?

I feel like he’s somewhat both?? But a tad bit more leaning towards being the one to wear the pants in the relationship, he would say pet-names that would make you melt, while your able to just take him into your arms and whisper comforting words into his ear and get him to melt into you. It’s a 50/50.

F ight - Would they be easy to forgive their s/o? How are they fighting?

Whenever he fights with his S/O, he is not someone that would easily forgive them right away, he would probably storm out and take some time away from them, I think the reader would have to be the one to apologize to 1x mostly, but if it’s really that bad and your not talking to him then he’ll come back after some time, being all gentle while asking for your forgiveness and how wrong he was, because while he may not say it to you, he genuinely can’t stand fighting with you because your the love of his life and he can’t lose more than what he already has.

G ratitude - How grateful are they in general? Are they aware of what their s/o is doing for them?

I’m not sure if I said this before but, while he would not (never) admit it, he is secretly so grateful for all that you do for him, you made him a little bit better of a person when you came into his life, he’ll show how grateful he is though his actions.

H onesty - Do they have secrets they hide from their s/o? Or do they share everything?

I feel like he would only hide a few? Like really personal ones like how he was betrayed by his minions and shedletsky, but he only hides those when you guys start dating, when y’all are far into dating, and after some years he tells you the rest of his secrets like those. It shows that he trusts you with his entire being (and heart).

I nspiration - Did their s/o change them somehow, or the other way around? Like trying out new things or helped them overcome personal problems?

Definitely yes, while he may still be a killer and a bad man, you were able to get him to show his soft side just to you only. After being betrayed for a while he couldn’t trust no one, and when you came into the picture, and after some time he finally had a person he can go to that won’t be like the others from the past. You also definitely made him try new things and helped him with some of his personal problems too. Kudos to you.

J ealousy - Do they get jealous easily? How do they deal with it?

Oh yes, if he sees anyone flirting with you, or anyone who he deems as a threat to him and you then he will do everything in his power to make sure nothing will come between you guys, he just doesn’t want to lose another person like he has before, that’s the main reason why he gets so jealous.

K iss - Are they a good kisser? What was the first kiss like?

At the start of dating, he was NOT experienced at all, you would have to take the lead for him, but once he was able to that then he became a master at kissing you, trust.

L ove Confession - How would they confess to their s/o?

It would take years (like 1 or 2 LMAO) for him to confess his feelings to you, he would have been good friends with you at first, while having a huge crush on you that he couldn’t contain anymore. He dragged you to a closed off, private place and he grabbed your arm and leg his feelings pour out his mouth, and luckily, you accepted his feelings and started dating from there.

M arriage - Do they want to get married? How do they propose? What would the marriage be like?

He’s someone who wouldn’t think about marriage often, especially in his betrayed form but, when you brought it up one time, he spend all night awake in bed watching you sleep while wondering if it’s time to get married, if your the right person, and after some thinking, he would start planning where and how to propose to you.

When he proposes to you it’ll obviously be in private, and when he gets on his one knee for you, he takes your hand and with the other hand he opened the box with this beautiful silver ring inside of it and asked you (quite nervously) how important you are to him, how loved you are, and asked if you would be fine if you’d spent the rest of your life with him, and to his surprise you said yes (over a million times), jumped on him and kissed him.

When it’s time to finally get married, it would also be private, maybe with just a few of your family and friends there. Go out to dinner and come back home, nothing too special but it’s enough for the both of you, already happy enough you can be together for good.

N icknames - What do they call their s/o?

Usually simple petnames like babe, baby, darling, honey, sweetie, your name, etc. But he would also use those cheesy petnames like sugar, cutie pie, hot or baby cakes, etc.

O n Cloud Nine - What are they like when they are in love? Is it obvious for others? How do they express their feelings?

When he was in love with you, when he had a crush on you before he confessed, he always looked soft when he looked in your direction, and when he was able to see you around after the rounds he would always have his eye on you while you weren’t looking, the other survivors would have him the stink eye, while some of the killers teased him about it, mostly c00lkidd was able to to that, any other people who teased him would get their head snapped off.

P DA - Are they upfront about their relationship? Do they brag with their s/o in front of others? Or are they rather shy to kiss etc. when others are watching?

I feel like he’s somewhat in between both of those, leaning more towards about not being that upfront about his S/O, if he is he would always have his arm around your waist, or he would hold your hand, and maybe peck on your lips just to watch the other survivors and killers reactions.

Q uirk - Some random ability they have that’s beneficial in a relationship.

It’s very simple but he always brings you a cup of coffee or tea for the both of you each morning, always getting everything you want right, it’s like he can always read your mind. And whenever he gets you gifts he never fails to leave you satisfied.

R omance - How romantic are they? What would they do to make their s/o happy? Cliché or rather creative?

While he may not look like he’s that romantic to other people, in private with just you two he is very romantic, he is always able to do anything for his lover no matter what, even if he may complain under his breath sometimes, but he would go beyond just to see a smile on your face.

S upport - Are they helping their s/o achieve their goals? Do they believe in them?

Of course, he may not exactly help his S/O since he doesn’t really know how to help unless if you tell him to but he’ll 100% believe his S/O can do anything, he’ll always encourage them.

T hrill - Do they need to try out new things to spice out your relationship? Or do they prefer a certain routine?

I think he’s fine with just having just the usual routine he has with you, unless if you want to try anything new you are always welcome to tell him, it may take him some time to think about it though, with some pleading maybe he’ll agree, who knows.

U nderstanding - How good do they know their partner? Are they empathetic?

Like I said in some of the other headcanons, I think we can tell he is flawless at understanding his partner, even if he can’t emotionally express it. Him being there for you no matter what can prove so many things.

V alue - How important is the relationship to them? What is it’s worth in comparison to other things in their life?

His relationship is so important with you, for gods sake he confessed to you?! And he’s not that type of person to go all out either, but he saw something in you, he couldn’t quite lay a finger on what that was yet but he knew that you were important somehow. He will fight to keep this relationship, no more bad things can happen again to him, he can’t loss anything else, you are his entire world.

W ild Card - A random Fluff Headcanon.

He enjoys doing any hobbies you may have, especially if it has something to do with music or fashion. And if your big on fashion you can use him as a model, put some makeup on him! He may be irritated but that goes away once he sees how happy you are, and he even listens to your favorite songs if he’s missing you. And he loves to slow dance with you to music at night <3.

X OXO - Are they very affectionate? Do they love to kiss and cuddle?

When you hug him, he just melts into your arms completely, he loves to lay on the couch or the bed with you and just cuddle you, and he even enjoys being the little spoon too! He’s comfortable enough to show his vulnerability to you, a whole new side you’ve never seen from him with other people.

Y earning - How will they cope when they’re missing their partner?

While your gone and he’s at home, he’s fine to be alone after some time, but if your gone for a really long time he starts to get into his thoughts and starts to overthink a lot, which causes you to try and comfort and smooth him.

Z eal - Are they willing to go to great lenghts for the relationship? If so, what kind of?

He’s a killer. That says a ton about what he would do for this relationship, as I said before you are really the only person he has left, and he couldn’t lose you. He’ll make sure no one gets in the way of it, he will burn the entire world and make sure you and him are the last ones standing.

[rypnami]

So, elaborate for me.. Why Leander? Make me see it? Because I can't.

oh . ohohohoho. OHOHOHO. i have actually been gnawing at the bit for someone to ask this eventually because i could go on and on and on and on and on etc about why i latched on to him specifically!! i'm gonna put a wholeass essay under the cut for whoever cares!

so. why do i love leander so much? there are a few reasons. first of all:

he's a massive loser. i have always loved characters that are pathetic little guys, and the minute i saw him i could just tell he was a stupid dumb idiot who was going to need a defender.

i also, quite frankly, see a lot of myself in him. i was bullied in school, and i often acted a lot like he does. i tried to make myself look better than i was (especially in front of new kids at school), i overcompensated for everything, and generally being kind of annoying? so this all makes me think that he almost certainly gets bullied. i mean, we have the summoner's court kids basically saying he's the biggest loser around, zenobia calling him untalented, and in his first proper interaction with MC he almost gets himself crushed to death by a dragon skull. poor baby.

i always viewed his interactions with MC as him finally seeing the opportunity to make a new friend, but not quite knowing how. he already seems socially awkward to me (and bonus points, i HC he's autistic as well), and MC is THE cool new kid. by the time you properly meet him, MC has survived a dragon attack, single handedly taken down a troll, and depending if you've already started doing side quests, has been running about the highlands solving everyone's problems easily. i imagine he feels quite insecure, and so he tries to make himself look better (i.e. i definitely would have beaten sebastian in that duel, i fight with honour). also, he clearly doesn't think before he speaks, and so i think he just unintentionally comes off as a bit rude? like his comment about slytherins, if your MC is slytherin, then he immediately apologises because he didn't stop for 5 seconds to consider what he was about to say.

this bit from the art book basically confirms all my HCs about him being an insecure dork, which makes him very endearing to me!

i think a lot of these behaviours are just because he's, at the end of the day, a stupid teenage boy who doesn't know where he belongs. also in my HC he's got older siblings that are very accomplished, which on top of him clearly not being very good at magic and having basically no friends except garreth, probably doesn't help :(

obviously, he's not for everyone. but for me personally i just see him as a stupid baby who will eventually grow out of his insecurities and his more childish behaviour. either way i will always adore him and give him all the smoochies<3<3

[homestuckreplay]

take me down to the pesterlog city where jade’s text is green and john gets all petty

(page 1394-1406)

It’s pesterlog time!!!! In a 12 page spread (1391-1402) there are seven pesterlog pages representing five characters. I feel like I am a medieval peasant attending my first palace banquet. The rich offerings of character moments and variety of colors on display is blowing my gruel-fed brain.

The art also kicks ass this update! Tbh I am going to make a post about the art more generally as I’ve noticed some big changes recently (and some slow changes that are very apparent when jumping back) so for today I’ll just say: look at this super cool art of John exploring LOWAS on page 1395. He’s so clearly questing in a way that the sprite just can’t represent. I would get this framed for my wall.

I’m delighted to get a longer conversation with CG, who I’ve named Reggie. They’re actually fun and creative with their trolling techniques here, and knowing what they look like means I get to imagine this little grey kid grinding their fangs as they tap away on their keyboard furious at a comparatively sweet and clueless guy. They look like a goofy nerd whose bark is way worse than their bite.

‘IT WOULD MAKE ME SICK TO MY HUMAN STOMACH IF I HAD ONE OF YOUR HUMAN STOMACHS’ is VERY funny. Reggie feels similar to the Felt and Midnight Crew in being so over-the-top in their violence that it loops back around to being funny. And John’s reactions are good too – he’s not upset at the trolling like Jade is, he’s hilarious and willing to turn Reggie’s snark back on them. Their willingness to play off each other definitely increases the ‘enemies to lovers’ feeling of this Valentine’s Day conversation.

It is interesting that Rose accepted GA’s offer to be friends (p.1093), and now Reggie is telling John that they’re friends in the future (p.1394). So suddenly the trolls, who act and look textbook malicious at first, are trying to play nice. Are the trolls setting this up in order to double cross the kids in the future? Or are the trolls trying to incorporate the kids into their group and get them to follow some sort of dark trolling agenda? Or are they also just outcast alien kids who troll people because they’re lonely and want some attention? Hard to say when we have only heard from three of them.

There is something amazing about PM’s sword previously being used for vengeance (p.844, 870) and this time when she tries to do similar, she’s interrupted by WV who convinces her to use it to open cans and share food instead. WV may be from the dark kingdom but he feels like a peacemaker between the light and dark sides, refusing to fight against either PM or AR. I mean he is literally followed around by the light of serenity. And now he sits between PM and AR and shares his food and Tab and they all become friends, which honestly, is amazing mayoral work. Solving disputes in the town already. I really think he could build a town just like Spades Slick did.

This view of Dave’s city is cool too, I love the color of the sky! He straight up lies by saying ‘i always keep birds in here its sort of my thing’ (p.1400) and calling it sincere, considering his earlier bird-free room (p.312). He is on way too many layers of irony to decode (i.e. he just says whatever bullshit comes to mind that might be funny with no regard for whether it’s true or false). Which is soooo great for getting to know his character (also he should stop saying slurs).

However, I can see why Dave is annoyed by Rose here. Like he does kind of bring this all on himself by being so ironic all the time and talking about how ‘cool’ his brother apparently is, but, it’s gotta be hard when he’s been telling Rose about fighting his brother on the roof and she’s dismissing that he went through a lot to get the beta to save her, when Jade had it literally handed to her. Rose doesn’t know the details so I’m not mad at her, but it still can’t be easy for Dave to hear that dismissal from a friend.

I do feel like Rose and Jade have this alliance in seeing themselves as the two who know what’s going on, with the combined power of Jade’s visions and Rose’s perceived high intelligence. This whole update is very gender roles but this does evoke page 838, where Rose is far more aware of Jade’s powers and the type of information she has access to than John or Dave are.

Meanwhile in Dave and John land...

TG: i should probably text him soon TG: see whats up TG: because TG: i love him

Straight up adorable. Don’t even pretend to me that there’s a shred of irony in this. I love how close these guys are. This is sort of the first declaration of love in Homestuck unless you count John’s telling Liv Tyler on his Armageddon poster that he loves her (p.223).

We specifically don’t get to see Rose’s conversation with a troll (yet), but I think we can assume she’s talking to GA, probably the only troll she respects enough to prioritize over Dave. We also don’t see where in the Medium Rose is; John assumes that she’s also in the Land of Wind and Shade, but according to Rose, ‘It’s hard to say for certain. But I think I like it here.’ (p.1402). If the Medium has four planets in between the light and dark (p.703) (holy shit half the story ago) then it makes sense for the players to all start on different planets and have to find each other, so we could be getting ANOTHER super aesthetically cool land within the next few weeks. Or teased repeatedly until the end of the act, who knows.

The puppets (including a wizard puppet) clinging to the totem lathe on page 1403 is a very good gag. Also, ‘eggy loking thign’ (p.240) spotted here in the menu?? Implying a limited set of Sburb entry items?? Also 2,000 starting build grist for Jade to use compared to 20 for Rose, and a bunch more gizmos and gadgets available to deploy, including a disc with a piece of green grist (?) and two devices shaped like captchalogue/strife cards; a further tease of what’s to come.

Finally, I’m so glad Hussie agrees with me that there’s no fucking way Jade knows how to clean a house. Even if she has absorbed gender roles and sees cleaning as a woman’s activity (p.1405) she definitely was not taught to do that and designed some kind of robot to do it for her.

[cc-tens]

hi !! i saw the oc ask game ehe. how about 12 for wyren and yeong-ja? always intrigued to see the music people think fits their guys and i love them very much. (also. prommy i'm doodling oc stuff to show u but. taking a while. sorry 😔)

(Lol no rush dude, focus on feeling better first and foremost /gen)

12. Do you have a playlist for the character? What songs do you associate with them and why?

So I'm one of those people who thinks A LOT about playlists for OCs lol. I sadly haven't had a ton of time recently to do a deep dive into building playlists for these two, but I have a few songs thus far and will link their actual playlists later on when I feel like they're more substantially filled out. So here's just a few stand outs for now.

Wyren (stuff I really think both they'd listen to and also is applicable to their story)

- Want To Be Free by Sea Power

I like to think this song sort of encapsulates Wyren's poorly mental and emotional state with the sad tones, heavy melancholy and the repetition of the line "I want to be free." Post O66 Wyren especially experiences this desire to be free of the Jedi life, any sort of responsibility or burden on him to fight back, and even at times their desire to give up guardianship of Yeong-Ja in order to allow her to live a normal teen girl life with a real family (and so they can find a little space to curl up and die).

- Let Down by Radiohead

Let Down is in a ton of my OC's playlists, it's my current song on repeat. I think it also portrays Wyren's sense of helplessness and their constant discomfort and the life they've chosen to live and the regret they have for allowing themself to constantly be squashed down and made helpless.

- Hebrews 11:40 by The Mountain Goats

Post Order 66 vibes. I'd like to think this is around the time or after they reconnect with Dover and meet the resistance; and this is also when they find Triu again. I think this is a song in which Wyren decides to be brave again, to try and be a Jedi once more. They're afraid and they don't want to do it, but they will for these kids and their love to keep them safe.

- Fourth of July

Obligatory Sufjan Steven's song. This is specifically in here for the arc where Wyren thought Dover was killed.

Yeong-Ja (music thus far is just stuff that reminds me of her so it's sort of jumbled in terms of genre but makes sense to me)

- Abbey by Mitski

Obligatory Mitski song. I think this song I'm picking due to her constant battle with the darkside. Wyren noted midway through the war she feels so angry and strongly, and her desire to protect those she sees as her own has her sometimes lashing out and acting too extremely. After O66 too, she definitely goes through a period where the darkside calls to her to give her more power but she keeps trying to deny it even though it feels like denying a pit of the stomach deep hunger

- Not Strong Enough by Phoebe Bridgers

As is Yeong-Ja's fear. She won't ever be strong enough to protect her master, her friends or her clone brothers. Her greatest fear is not being able to prevent their leaving.

- Not by Big Thief

Idk lol

- Sun Bleached Flies by Ethel Cain

Idk why I really wanted to add this to her playlist. I think the lines "that's how my daddy raised me, if they strike once you hit them twice as hard" is so her and Wyren especially post O66 getting their collective shit together. I think also "God loves you but not enough to save you....if it's meant to be then it will be" is her lines of accepting the Force isn't always going to be this all powerful thing on her side just because she's a good person. I think before a lot of her anger at the Force was feeling like it did nothing to help her despite her attempts to be a good person; but post O66 and after some healing she finally gets it. I also think the lines if it's meant to be it will be is her relinquishing her iron grip on needing to keep everyone alive and with her and understanding loss whether forever or temporary is inevitable and that's ok.

[forgetme-eternally-blissfully]

Krs being being one of, if not the first to get out of the tower is GENIUS. It makes sense too, KRS has a stronger motivator behind him than just, "I left someone outside," because not only did he leave someone behind he left them alone. KRS, man of many traumas, is familiar with the feeling of being all alone in the world, stuck in a room, in life, with a man who is nothing but a danger to him.

He can't delude himself into thinking Cale is safe for even one moment. Some people in the tower are the same way- they have people waiting for them, they need to get out. They feel similar to himself and they won't slow him down, so KRS takes them along and 'uses' them in order to escape quickly. He abuses the tower's implicit rules, while maintaining a breakneck speed that makes his party grow stronger at a truly impressive rate. His mind grows, and he realizes the importance of his Record powers in their apocalypse.

On the flip side, what's happening in the world while krs is inside the tower? I like what you said about the unranked monsters being unleashed. To not make it unreasonable for people to survive, we can have it be one unranked monster per continent (8 unranked monsters, 7 continents. We can throw a 2nd one at Korea bc it has main character syndrome), and countless monsters in the world that make it hell to survive.

It's difficult for society to keep going. The tower, somewhere that everyone has now seen people disappear into, becomes more and more tempting as they watch their surroundings get destroyed and their friends and family killed.

Countless challengers enter the towers all over the world, never to return, which makes people stop recklessly entering and instead try to cull the monsters in their own world. It snaps them out of the idea that death by the unknown is better than death of the known.

Okay I'm gonna go off on an idea for the world building aspect for a second. (It's a long second)

Any Center is composed of the Tower in the center, and around the base of that tower is a building similar to a mall crossed with a military base. It's safe from the outside and has a certain amount of supplies inside, but all Centers are designed to push the occupants inside of it outside. Anyone who is willing to go outside of the Center is seen as brave and selfless, but also a little crazy. Everyone only has one life, after all.

Meanwhile the inside the Tower is a different story. Each Tower holds inside it, a different kind of fictional world. That's how the grade system is later defined, when more people get out. But first the grade system is based on mortality rate. A-grade is any world where the mortality rate of those who enter is 90%. B-grade is 80%, C is 70%, etc. F is anything 50% and below, which for the world that they're in, a 50/50 chance or better was pretty good. Naturally, S-grade is any Tower where the mortality rate is 99%. It can't be proven impossible to defeat, because no one has come back to report what's inside, so that 1% before 100% is always left. It gets called, "Hope." (Or smth else yknow that doesn't sound very cool)

I like what you said, that despite being Like That, the towers are designed to cleared. Unlike the hellscape outside, which is so beyond humans current level. Eventually... maybe.

As people get used to their world and the Towers, the mortality rate for all towers goes down- and their grades in turn. So more people begin challenging the towers, growing stronger and even traveling to more difficult towers to clear them too.

Also, when krs emerges as the first group to return from the towers, he accidentally changes the mortality rate percentage for that Tower single handedly by bringing back a large group of people. It gets mistaken as an F-grade, at first. The definition of A-grade is adjusted to include all apocalypse scenarios, just because of him. A for Apocalypse!

The grades weren't established yet by the time he got out (that's how quickly he passed it), but the estimated grade for his Tower when it first opened should've been S-grade. Making what he did even more impressive, and important for the people, because it showed that even S-grade towers arent impossible to clear. No, they could even be cleared without terrible sacrifices. That 1% is also called "Soo's Hope," after Kim Rok Soo. (That's a cooler name, there.)

Okay no more world building. How does everyone react to Kim Rok Soo, who is brought out of the tower unconscious, and then wakes up a different person? Modern medicine calls it dissociation and PTSD, the people call it a curse for refusing the towers rewards and blessing, and whispers gossip that he got his new powers and hidden knowledge because he's the towers chosen one.

Cale!KRS shuts those rumors down real fast by finally stretching his trashy legs and making his mark by refusing to enter another tower ever again.

I love that idea that cale!krs is always lingering on high edges, tipping his face into open windows and relaxing into balancing acts that give his team a heart attack every time. A few of them believe that he received hidden knowledge, but Cale!krs admits to some of them that he doesn't remember anything that happened in the tower, and they realize it really could be PTSD, and a case of willful amnesia. That's when they remember that their leader is a 19 year old.

They ask him who he had been coming back for, where are they, what made him hurry back so quickly? He stares out the window he was swinging his legs in and says softly, "I don't know." They ask what he means. "I don't know where he is, but he's definitely out there somewhere." Which is a batshit answer for someone who was clearing the tower like a maniac just a week ago.

They assume his friend is dead and give their condolences. They truly hadn't imagined that their leader, the guy who struggled the most to get back, would be screwed over by fate like that. It was a sobering thought. That even if you try hard enough to make the world bend to your will, a happy ending is never guaranteed. Only you can keep yourself alive, in the end.

He lets them keep their misunderstanding and looks out at the sky from the window. He used to stare like this in the tower, waiting for something to happen. When he met krs, and he finally felt the freedom of walking endlessly in one direction, he started staring at the ground instead. The moment he got out of the tower, his first step towards a different future would be taken. Yet he couldn't do it.

Kim Rok Soo looks down at the concrete floor below. He's only 2 stories high. He would only get hurt if he jumped, and his body was strong and light now, not weak and weight down. Subconsciously he leans forward, his legs slipping down the window seal-

His shirt is yanked back and he falls onto his back on the floor. "Aiyaa, what is this kid doing now?" Kim Rok Soo winces, opening his eyes to see a man with short brown hair looming over him. "So you did go crazy. I was thinking it was just your attitude they misunderstood but why are you dangling out a window?"

Who's this?

(Okay but like I'm conflicted what to do about Lee Soo Hyuk and Choi Jung Soo?? The Soo's should still meet, right? But then do we kill them off before krs is sent into Cale's body or do we let them meet Cale!KRS... decisions decisions)

Okay okay so for KRS in Cale's world... you're right, he would find a hundred reasons to keep his hair and not cut it. It's not his, it has healing powers, it's too well kept to just cut off, etc. It makes for a great moment when krs!Cale is trying to heal someone, taking on another burden, and Choi Han cuts it off so that he can't. His hair is not more valuable than krs!Cale himself- just like the original message in Tangled! I like it for krs!Cale because it takes away his ability to help others. He, for whatever reason, never cut off the giant target on his back up to that point- why not? He wants to be a slacker, right? Because it was too useful. He wanted to have a healing ability in the Tower, when his team was injured, so how could he give it up?

Krs!Cale, in my mind, would flee the moment he had the opportunity. He doesn't know when Brother is returning. For what you said abt if Cale talked abt Brother or his past and getting kidnapped, I doubt he would say much about it- but I bet krs would figure it out really quickly.

Or perhaps he waits for Brother to get back, put on a convincing act of having recovered his spirit- it puts Brother off, but he takes it in stride like the clown he is. When krs!Cale requests a fruit for Brother to bring back- one he saw in Cale's book, and a fruit that's from a land far away- Brother is suspicious, but krs!Cale reasons that he's been bored. Brother decides, whatever, he needs to leave for a long time anyway. If it'll keep the brat from getting depressed again, then he could get a fruit. (Or something else that comes from far away- maybe a form of clothing that needs to be specially made with unique materials.)

OOOHH, Adin being the evil vizier working with White Star? Beautiful, amazing.

Now I NEED to see dark tiger Alberu as Maximus, oh geez. He gets dragged into everything, forced to begrudgingly help Choi Han and krs!Cale, overworked and tired and yet he ends up owing a debt to Cale of all people. Who is very happy to have a steed, because he's very weak in this body. Walking all over the forest is too much, really. He has too much hair.

Then he becomes attached to them. And they release him from the chains that were keeping him from changing back. Surprise, the sassy tiger was actually a sassy man too!! And a good politician too.,.

The question is, what did Choi Han steal? Did he even steal something? Maybe he stole a sacred sword from the castle, which had the blessing of the sun god on it- which doesn't accept him as the owner. It becomes a useless ornamental sword because it refuses to accept him. When it refused him, it actually caused him to get caught, which ended up sending him in Cale's direction.

A powerful moment can be Choi Han swinging the sword at the White Star, as useless as it seems, and instead of doing nothing or accepting him and sending out a bright light- it lashes out with a black aura instead. It even injures the White Star, who reluctantly retreats.

It doesn't do that again, ever, but.... weird.

Oh and also the sword should totally accept krs!Cale, despite being too weak to wield it. The sword just likes him more. It even likes the dark tiger more than Choi Han, not that the tiger can wield it either because he doesn't have opposable thumbs (yet).

Another idea I've been thinking of........

When Cale gets his hair cut off-

It should totally be silver, right?

I've never thought about the short silver hair + reddish-brown eyes combo but I think he'd hate it so so much. Too holy. Now the Henituse family wants him to be king?! The kingdom wants him to be king!?

He should just make the tiger be king at this rate- *roll credits*

Rapunzel AU!

Cale has been inside of the tower for his entire life. His hair is long, much longer than his brother's. His brother doesn't have a name. Cale knows they're brothers though- because they both have red hair, even if Brother has short hair and Cale does not.

Ever since Cale was 12, he'd been dreaming of a different world. He went to sleep and woke up as someone named Kim Roksu. This Kim Roksu was not in a similar situation as he was- Kim Roksu wandered the streets and ate food from the floor and hid in the small cabinet in his uncle's house. Kim Roksu was weak and strong.

Kim Roksu is a friend to Cale. When Cale wants to see the outside, he sleeps, and he dreams.

Kim Roksu figured out how to communicate with Cale after several years of simple body swapping.

Somehow, they are similar! They both agree that being trash is the best. Kim Roksu because it's easier being a bad person than a good person, and Cale because Brother won't let him be trashy and he wishes he could throw a fit without Brother punishing him.

"Your brother keeps you in a tower?" Roksu asks when he learns.

"Yeah. Is that weird?"

"Well, I don't know anyone who stays in a tower." Cale kicks a rock on the sidewalk with his barefoot, sending it skidding across the dirt road. "Ow, my toe." Roksu complains blandly.

Sharing a body, they also share the same sensations.

"You barely felt that and you know it."

"Shut up."

"You shut up." Cale retorts. He wants to say more, but he swallows those words and tucks them into his chest.

'The bruise over your eye hurts more but you don't complain about that.'

He bites his lip and looks down.

"Do you think," he asks quietly, "if I asked Brother to let me out, he would?"

Roksu, disembodied and floating over his body, frowns. "You haven't asked before?"

Cale smiles bitterly in Roksu's body. "... I did, once." After, Brother said he was going to be leaving for two weeks, and told Cale to ration his food well. Cale knew better than to think it was a coincidence. He didn't have Roksu yet. It was very lonely for a long time.

Roksu doesn't say anything.

"If," his voice trembles, "If I got out. If I left..."

"Cale." Roksu stops him. Cale winces, expecting to be reprimanded.

"You are trash. Trash does whatever they want, no matter what anyone says. If you want to leave, then leave." Roksu's translucent body floats over to stand in front of Cale. Sternly, he says, "Don't worry about useless things. Worry about making a plan and executing it."

Then, abruptly, Roksu turns and ignores him. Cale laughs and folds in half, a childish grin splitting his malnourished cheeks. How can someone be so blunt but so shy? Kim Roksu frowns, but it looks like a pout. Cale rubs away a tear and looks up at the back of his friend. No, the person who sometimes feels more like a brother to him than his real brother.

"And will you help me?"

Roksu rolls his eyes. "Don't ask something so obvious."

Cale smiles and looks down. "Right. Obvious, isn't it?"

Something like receiving help wasn't obvious to either of them. Yet, when it came to the two of them together, it was the most obvious thing in the world. It wasn't obvious with Brother, who he shared blood with. But Kim Roksu, who was abused and beaten down at every turn, chose to welcome a wandering soul into his body and share everything with him.

'You're the one who shouldn't want to be here,' Kim Roksu said when they first started talking and Cale asked why he didn't try to force Cale out. 'When you're in control, I can relax. Why would I want you to leave? That's so difficult.'

They learned that Kim Roksu really could force Cale out when his uncle kicked Cale, sending Kim Roksu's body sprawling onto the floor, then stomped on his arm so hard they heard a clear snap. For Cale it only hurt for a short moment. Roksu threw him out so fast you could imagine that he had practiced beforehand.

Every day and night, Cale slept to try and enter Roksu's body, check on him, share the pain, but Roksu kicked him out every time. It wasn't until four weeks later that Roksu let Cale back in.

Even that much pain was a lot for being four weeks after the incident, but while Cale was struggling to keep his cool, Roksu floated around him and spoke as if nothing was wrong. When Cale started sweating a few hours later Roksu kicked him out again.

'Don't be stubborn,' he said when Cale returned the next night. 'Just say that it hurts. If you still want to stay after you admit that it hurts then I won't kick you out.'

It was a very Kim Roksu thing to do.

"Brother," Cale asks one day at 15, impatiently brushing his hair. He gets scolded lightly, and Brother takes the brush from him. "I read in a book about something called a phone. Do you have one?"

Brother gives him a blank look. Then, as if it had been a lie, his expression changes into something kind and gentle. "Fone? Can you show me the book?"

Cale and Brother roughly root around in every book for anything like the so-called 'Fone,' coming up short.

"Maybe it was a dream," Cale excuses it like that, rubbing his neck. Brother looks at him, worried.

"It must have been. Get some rest, Cale." A kiss to the top of Cale's head, Brother hugs him and promises to bring him more paint. "I'll be gone for a few days this time. Do you want something?"

"Ah," Cale smiles, pressing his face into his Brothers neck to hide his face. "Could you bring me -------?" Brother freezes.

"... you-"

"I learned it from the books! This time I really did, Brother. Please?"

Slowly, Brother releases the tension in his body. "... If that's what you want. But you have to close the window if you're going to mess around with alcohol."

"Yes!" Cale jumps with joy. Then he suddenly runs to a bookshelf, changing the topic by talking about a book Brother brought to him last time. "-and I'd like to know if the sequel is out yet."

"I'll do that." Brother smiles. "You've been asking for more things recently, Cale." Brother settles a hand on his head, stroking his hair.

"It's because of my reliable older brother!" He grabs onto that hand, keeping it there, resembling a naive little brother who only has his role model in his eyes.

He sends his brother down the tower using his hair, and watches that spot of red disappear in the distance.

His face drops.

"... Bastard."

Cale turns on his foot. It's time to see Roksu.

[flashhwing]

i love the kirkwall squad because they all have such protagonist energy. any of them could be the main character. except for varric but he did that on purpose. any of the rest of them could be the main character

[chloesimaginationthings]

can you. Can you draw scrap baby. And molten Freddy. OMG NO YOU SHOULD TOTALLY DO MILLIE FROM THE BOOKS OMG!!! That would be lit. You know what else would be lit. More circus baby 🥺🙏

I have actually drawn scrap baby before!!

[starry-bi-sky]

jason and danny childhood friends au memes (mild spoilers)