#but this is making me feel genuinely attached now and i have NO clue what to do about it

[sentientobjects]

its been a min since ive posted in the osc for a minute . and this is bc ive been sooo so busy. but good god. im on my knees here man. maybe its cus im on the tail end of covid but i finally caught up on ii and im sooo mad. bc im gonna be so honest here ive been a big ii hater for years. and im so mad bc i actually really enjoyed the last few eps. like dont get me wrong. there are problems. ii is a series full of issues and the last eps are no exception. but there was enough that i genuinely liked in the last eps that i dont know what to do about it. im gonna lose it. i have fallen from grace

[wonysugar]

it’s so over for me…. ch. 22

i’m going first! (fully written)

word count : 1.5k

okay.

okay!

don’t panic aeri, she thought, yeah, you’re in y/n’s bathroom, whatever, right? like, who genuinely cares, not you, that’s for sure. you’re like super nonchalant and wanted by literally everyone, remember? you know people would die to have you over at their house.

so why the fuck are you freaking out???

no seriously, why was she feeling like this? she’s had sex plenty of times before, and she’s probably gonna be having plenty of sex in the near future, too. so why the hell was she acting like a virgin loser that’s never seen a naked body before?? 

once you made her understand what “staying the night” entailed by kissing her lips and having your hands roam her body, passionate and hungry for more, she, very quickly, started panicking and thinking about how to escape this situation. i mean, it’s not like she wanted to leave, but when your cheeks resemble literal tomatoes, you kinda need to take a little break from the situation to not make yourself look ridiculous.

she splashed an absurd amount of water onto her bare face as an attempt to calm the fuck down, also mentally slapping herself as she stared at herself in the mirror. fuck, she just realized that she totally forgot to put on makeup? it was embarrassing, but, upon seeing that she had a date with you, she kinda just dressed up and left her dorm at full speed. look, she had priorities.

wait, she remembered, were the lights of her room even turned off???

oh who cares at this point. what mattered right now is that she was in your bathroom, stalling and panicking over this entire thing, for no reason, and she didn’t quite know what to do. she thought some more, then remembered an important detail; her friends specifically told her not to make it a sex thing, and that’s exactly what made it so complicated in the first place. she actually liked you, way too much for her own good, and she didn’t just want to be fuckbuddies.

she wanted to try to be so much more than that.

yeah love scared her, it terrified her, even, especially after… that whole situation. but.. whatever it was that she felt around you, she so desperately wanted it to work out, at least a little bit. it was pathetic, and deep down, she hated herself for feeling this way towards you. she was always so desperate for your attention that.. the truth is, since she was always being a huge insufferable bitch to you, she didn’t expect to get this attached to you in the process, especially not in such a short amount of time, either. she had no clue what she felt towards you. but if one thing was for sure, though,

sex was always easier when there were no strings attached, she knew that better than anyone. 

god, what the fuck was she doing.

aeri sighed, then placed her hand on the doorknob, not knowing what to expect once she opened the door. were you gonna be like… butt naked? god, she hoped not. well— okay let’s not lie to ourselves, she did, she was just.. y’know, scared of how she would potentially react.

she bit her lip in defeat upon realizing that she’d probably faint at the mere sight of a naked y/n, visualizing your body and feeling her palms get sweatier by the second.

okay! enough thinking, you were probably impatiently waiting for her behind that damn door.

she took a moment to compose herself, closing her eyes and taking a deep and long breath, before eventually turning the doorknob, getting mentally prepared for anything.

she quickly opened the bathroom door and–

oh.

you were laying there, 

asleep. 

aeri unconsciously sighed in relief, thankful for not having to act nonchalant to save her own dignity like she usually does. 

she slowly walked up to your bed, not even realizing that she was smiling warmly as she watched you, your chest gently heaving up and down as you peacefully rested. it’s like she was hypnotized by you, you occupied all of her thoughts almost immediately just with a single look. god, you were so beautiful without even trying, she thought. 

that is, before she snapped herself out of it and went back to tucking you in, shoving her feelings back into the mental box they were usually in as she took off your glasses, the ones she personally found adorable, and gently placed them on the nightlight next to you.

once she was done, she quietly headed for the exit, as she didn’t wanna disturb you in your sleep. 

unless she kinda did?

looking back at you and the empty space next to you, she contemplated some more.

you drove here aeri, she thought to herself, it’s not like you’re in the perfect state to drive back, you’re pretty fucking tired.

and your bed looked comfy as hell, too.

ugh, but then again, was she seriously gonna cuddle up to you like this? what if you woke up the next morning and got the ick from it.. hm?? then what, aeri, hm???

she sighed and shrugged off the ‘stupid’ idea, trying to recall why she even thought of it in the first place as she reached for the door, but before she could even place her hand on the doorknob,

“stop staring at me like a weirdo and just get over here, dumbass.” 

she jumped, ignoring the fact that hearing your sleepy voice definitely made her heart skip a beat, then looked back at you, uncertainty coating her entire face.

“are— are you sure?” she hesitantly asked, before mumbling something else under her breath, “also i wasn’t staring at you i was simply pondering on things not too much—“ which you didn’t catch, thankfully.

you definitely would’ve teased her for it.

instead, you simply nodded in response as you yawned, rubbing your eyes in a sleepy manner. 

well shit! 

why were you so cute all the fucking time?? it truly annoyed her on a psychological level how you could just be breathing and she’d be on the floor sobbing about it to her friends.

the only option she had left now was prayer; praying that she wasn’t gonna cling onto you for the entire night.

-

“aeri, wake up.” you whispered, nudging her gently in the process. you also lifted up the blanket a tiny bit, in hopes of getting her to be cold enough to finally leave dreamland and wake up. i mean, to be honest? you couldn’t really blame her, you guys slept at like, what? 5 am? no wonder she was knocked out and snoring loudly.

you watched her as she quietly mumbled in her sleep, her hair messy, her eyes closed peacefully, her makeup running everywhere, her cheek squished onto the pillow from being a side-sleeper. you caught yourself smiling.

she was really pretty.

you could’ve stared at her for hours, but you unfortunately didn’t; you really needed to get to class, and you absolutely could not leave your apartment in this much of a mess. so, naturally, you tried waking her up some more.

which.. magically worked!

drowsy, she rubbed her eyes. “y/n?”

you smiled tenderly as you stood back up, putting your hands on your waist. “good morning!” 

in response to your enthusiasm, she looked around in a confused manner, eyes set on the empty spot next to her in your bed. her eyes widen suddenly, and she looks up at you.

“did…” she paused nervously, swallowing her saliva, then continuing with, “nothing happened… right?”

you giggled, “you did spoon me throughout the whole night, if that’s what you wanna know.” you heard her immediately exhale, probably from relief. so preoccupied by the fact that she might’ve made it a sex thing that she didn’t even realize how embarrassing that whole spooning thing actually was.

she sat up and mumbled, checking her phone for a few minutes and looking at the time. you particularly noticed her wallpaper when walking to the side of the bed to retrieve your laundry basket, it was a black wallpaper with a medium sized white heart. 

it wasn’t a surprise, every single one of her socials mentioned hearts. 

you quietly scoffed, keeping that information stored in your head, for later on.

“fuck??” she turned to look at you, met with your startled gaze, “we have class today, don’t we???” she asked. 

“yeah? in like an hour—“

she stood up suddenly, throwing her phone on the bed, “y/n, i look a mess. oh my god i haven’t even showered, my schedule’s at home, i didn’t even bring any of my clothes—“

“hey,” you exclaimed in order to get her attention back on you, which worked instantly, “chill out, you can borrow some of my clothes for today.” still holding the basket, you added, “as for the shower, just go in after me.”

she nodded her head, up until that last part.

“how long are you gonna take in the shower??” she asked, turning to look at you.

“…like, 40 minutes?” 

“uhm??” eyes widened, she scoffed, “you’re not going first then.” 

you could only laugh at her, “last time i checked, this was my house, aeri.”

“and i’m your guest, so now what?”

you stared, pretending to reflect long and hard about it, then spoke up,

“i’m still going first.” 

“you’re delusional if you think you’re the one showering first.”

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[calciumcryptid]

Apparently, people liked my demiromantic Vegas and demisexual Pete headcanon making VegasPete a demiromantic for a demisexual couple (which is the best dynamic), so here is a long winded version of what I think that would look like.

First, for those who don't know, demiromantic is an aromantic spectrum term that describes people who do not experience romantic attraction until they have formed a deep emotional connection or bond with someone. Demisexual is an asexual spectrum term that describe people who do not experience sexual attraction until they have formed a deep emotional connection or bond with someone.

My source for Vegas being demiromantic and Pete being demisexual is me, a demiromantic and demisexual who kept pointed at the screen every-time Vegas and Pete showed up and opened their mouths like that one reaction image.

Without a further ado I present-

DEMIROMANTIC VEGAS

Vegas grows up viewing romantic relationships like high risk high reward business transactions, not realizing there are supposed to be feelings and emotions attached to it.

(Now, I'm not saying that when Vegas got to the arranged marriage section of his historical textbook he agreed with it, but I am definitely saying Tankhun and Kinn were horrified Vegas was vaguely chill with the concept.)

In his defense, he wasn't raised around the healthiest relationships with his mother committing suicide and his aunts gone, so there was no one around to showcase a healthy romantic relationship and maybe clue him into the genuine emotion behind it.

This next part might get controversial, but I believe Vegas' silver tongue is greatly exaggerated. My evidence is the way Porsche and Pete cringe every time Vegas flirts with them. While I have no doubt Vegas is charismatic, I do think his looks and his wealth are doing a lot of heavy lifting.

To get even more controversial, while I know the intention of his love bombing is to showcase he is toxic, I can't help but interpret it a little as him using pattern recognition.

The most glaringly obvious example of this is when Vegas proposes to Tawan, then gets surprised when Tawan thinks it gives him the okay to change Vegas' plans. It is almost like Vegas doesn't realize the deeper emotion and symbolism behind an engagement ring other than it being the next step in a relationship.

Vegas is good at going through the motions without ever making the genuine connections even when there are glaringly genuine connections he can make.

(Hello our favorite frenemies, Vegas and Porsche who definitely developed a genuine friendship post-canon, fuck you, because they had so much they could have bonded over even though I don't believe they would have worked out in a long-term romantic relationship thanks to being fundamentally different people. Now I am sure there is something about demiplatonic in here, but I don't know enough to call that beyond Vegas seeming confused at the idea of simply having a friendship with Porsche without any side sexual benefits.)

The final but of set-up here is the fact Vegas only positive relationship (before Pete, of course) is Macau, but, obviously, Vegas isn't going to view Macau in a romantic light. Even disregarding that last little fact, it is a well-known thing among the aroace spectrums that you latch harder onto platonic and familial bonds when you don't need a romantic bond.

Alright, onto the VegasPete of it all.

*twirls my phantom hair because my head is shaved* So, there is this section of the narrative that perfectly encapsulates the deminess of the VegasPete relationship because the setting demands they forge an emotional bond and create an emotional connection.

When I am looking at whether a character is demi, I am looking for a clear shift of when their relationship with a character turns from its previous stage to romantic. I affectionately call this a marker, the place that marks the shift.

For example, if you don't mind a little side tangent, there is another Boys Love character I interpret heavily as demiromantic. His name is Q, he is from the GMMTV series We Are, and his marker is a pencil box given to him by his deceased grandfather, an important familial bond in Q's life who passed away prior to the series and it's story.

The reason I know the pencil box is the marker is because Toey, Q's love interest, finds it and that is what kick-starts their relationship and their emotional connection which continues over the course of the series. Including, sticking post-it notes on the back of an art piece Q has created (since art is like Q's thing).

Vegas' thing is torture, so he tortures Pete until his father comes in to slap Vegas around. At the end, Vegas takes Pete with him to the safehouse Vegas has been blacklisted to.

This is the perfect set-up for a demi for demi relationship because isolation is considered the most inhumane thing you can do to a person, and when it is two people in isolation (and a hedgehog, can't forget our strongest soldier Khun Spikes) those two people have to rely on each other to not go mental or more mental.

The impending loneliness can be felt when Vegas realizes he might cause Pete to die and then he would be truly isolated in the safehouse, so Vegas nurses Pete back to health which causes Pete to be so delirious on drugs and pain he reveals VegasPete's marker.

To put it simply, the moment VegasPete's relationship shifts from captive and hostage into prospective love interests is when Pete tells Vegas he is a victim of child abuse at the hand of his own father. The two form their deeper emotional connection over being abuse victims, and their bond deepens when Pete point-blank tells Vegas victory won't make his father stop hitting him because abuse isn't about them it is about the abuser feeling more powerful.

The shift is felt because later you see Vegas bantering with Pete over a book, feeding him multiple times, and, of course, sleeping with him which LEADS US INTO THE SEX SCENE-

Now, this would be better with pictures but I am not in a space where I can acquire those so you are going to have to bear with me.

Say what you want about Be On Cloud, but they understand sex scenes don't have to be pointless smut (outside of the smut book genre) and can serve as a narrative tool. Many people have already made jokes about the most vanilla sex scene being in the actual dungeon, but it isn't a completely vanilla scene because Pete ends up back in the chains and hands Vegas rope. However, the sex scene isn't the actual point of this point it is the build up to it.

After they bury our strongest soldier Khun Spikes, Vegas and Pete are on the dungeon bed where they are having another quiet moment, furthering that emotional bond, but Vegas hasn't realized he has romantic feelings for Pete yet. He knows he has feelings, but he has never felt these types of feelings before so he can't place them. You can see the evolution of this realization with the buildup to the VegasPete sex scene, where Vegas is content with Pete, then freaking out about the feelings, then defaulting to what he knows (sex), then goading Pete into giving him explicit consent.

The moment Vegas realizes what he feels is romantic? Come on, you know it, it is when Pete is holding a knife to his throat while Vegas is pleading with Pete to not leave him. If I remember correctly, Vegas flat out says he needs Pete in a vulnerability never seen before like you can see Vegas' heart being ripped out.

Afterwards, Vegas is a mess. He is moping in the little dungeon he has, staring at rice, and then he is anxious to see Pete again making it his sole demand in his agreement with Porsche. The alleyway scene. The motorcycle escape where he sees Pete coming and retreats rather than fights. The way he took blow after blow from Pete and confessed his love.

Simply put, this is a man's first experience with the severity of romantic feelings.

After all of that, Pete resigns and goes with Vegas and the pure glee Vegas has before the shots ring out and the way he promises to treat Pete well in the hospital is a lot.

Now that I have rambled all about how Vegas is totally demiromantic, here is how I think he figured it out and how that reveal shook a lot of the perceptions about him!

As I said in my previous post, Vegas doesn't learn he is demiromantic until, like, five years post-canon when everyone can be on reasonably good terms and he can be at a get together with the rest of the cast.

(The reason I say this is because for anyone to clock Vegas as demiromantic and inform him about it, Vegas must be delirious enough to let information about himself and his relationship with Pete to slip.)

In this scenario, Vegas is definitely tipsy and more loose lipped and Tankhun and Kinn zero in on it like hawks because free blackmail material on Vegas that isn't the whole coup thing. At first, it is like pulling teeth until they get on the topic of Vegas' relationship with Pete.

What happens is Vegas starts on a very drunken rant about how bullshit romance and love is, but not with Pete because Pete is different. Anyways, romance has caused him nothing but pain and suffering, not Pete though because Pete is different. Anyways, how the fuck did Kinn tolerate Tawan and Porsche enough to want to marry them because there was no reward high enough to match that risk, and why didn't Kinn go after Pete because Pete is different. Anyways, even if there was no reward to being with Pete Vegas would take that high risk again and again because Pete is different.

The more Vegas goes on the clearer it is to everyone Vegas' views on romance goes beyond regular concerning mafia-centric views to more why is this man using business terms to describe romantic relationships?

It ends with Kinn asking if the reason Vegas hasn't put a ring on Pete's finger (despite them probably having Venice at this point, so definitely parents) is because he finds traditionally romantic gestures repulsive to which Vegas, deeply offended, responds.

Vegas: Why would I propose to Pete? I'm not trying to manipulate him.

Pete: ...Thanks?

Porsche, bewildered: What do you mean?

Vegas: I mean, getting to the engagement ring stage was never worth the hassle because people thought it gave them the right to do things I would never permit.

Macau, way too invested and hasn't stopped recording: Hey, Hia, what do you think an engagement ring represents?

Vegas: You know, it is when the transaction is almost permanent but isn't.

Porchay: ...The engagement ring purchase?

Vegas: No, the romantic one.

Tankhun: Romance is not a transaction!

Vegas: Yes it is!

Pete:

Vegas: Except Pete. Pete is different.

Porchay, starting to pull out his phone and make a search: How is Pete different from the others?

Vegas: I feel things.

Kinn: Did you not feel things with Porsche?

Vegas: No.

Kim: Did you not feel things with Tawan?

Vegas: No, was I supposed to?

The worst part about that night is how genuine Vegas sounded about everything. Of course, Vegas wakes up hungover the next day and Pete is suspiciously quiet and looking at him but won't tell Vegas anything besides a lot of things about their relationship makes sense now.

Porchay is the first one to visit Vegas after that night and teams up with Macau to make a presentation about why Vegas might be demiromantic and why that is fine but also he has a lot of reevaluating and (potentially) apologizing to do-

It is a very eye-opening presentation, but what do you mean when Vegas was fucking around with whoever Kinn was romantically into at the time Kinn felt the same way towards that person the way Vegas feels about Pete?

Vegas: I get why you didn't kill Tawan now.

Kinn: Uh-huh.

Vegas: I mean, I couldn't figure out how you could stand him. I still can't figure out how you can stand Porsche, but at least he has redeeming assets. Tawan wasn't even good-looking-

Kinn, blood vein pulsing: Uh-huh.

It takes Kinn and Tankhun a while to rationalize one of the reasons Vegas was like that was because he didn't understand. Unfortunately for Vegas, this means Tankhun has dragged him in for a romance movie marathon since Vegas might finally understand which Pete has no interest in saving him from. Surprisingly, Vegas gets into the romantic dramas genre and becomes Tankhun's new discussion buddy.

With all of the demiromantic reveals, Pete asks if this means him and Vegas can get married since Vegas now knows what engagement ring actually means and symbolizes and Vegas confesses they have been legally married for years he just never told Pete because he didn't want to think he was manipulating him.

Pete: Wait, but if you thought romance was a business transaction why did you get us legally married?

Vegas: I didn't want you to be able to return me.

Pete: ...I am choosing to find that sweet instead of another indicator we need therapy.

DEMIROMANTIC PETE

What? You thought we were done? Ha.

Fortunately, demisexual Pete is less of an essay because Pete's whole deal is he is more comfortable with violence than intimacy. Genuinely, almost every scene he has in KinnPorsche the Series supports this in one way or another such as the iconic scene of him pummeling Vegas before kissing him.

The only way this intersects with canon is Pete is in a different page as Vegas at points throughout the story.

I believe Vegas fell first but Pete fell harder. Since Pete, for this thought experiment, isn't on the aromantic spectrum, this means he is aware of the emotions he feels towards Vegas. To me, he simply denies them for a long time until his breakdown over the noodle bowl. That is the moment I believe everything crashes into him and he realizes he genuinely loves Vegas but knows their situations would prevent that.

Until, you know, the coup and everything.

It is simply the sexual aspect of their relationship Pete is behind on.

Now, I go in-between Pete being a virgin and him having some sexual experience before the safehouse sex scene, but I tend to lean toward him being a virgin because it is funnier.

After all, the idea of asexual spectrum Pete vaguely knowing what he likes from, like, porn, and offering the rope on a silver platter? Delicious. I love it. It is great fun.

Also, it is fun when Pete reveals he lost his virginity to Vegas at the safehouse and everyone has a what the fuck moment.

Mainly, because I believe Pete wouldn't give a shit about the concept of virginity or the importance placed on it. He seems to have bigger fish to fry, but since he is demisexual he never found anyone he was into like that.

Which brings me to the revelation!

This one starts with Porchay who is nervous about his first time with Kim, so he asks the others about their first times (for bonus points make Porchay ask about it at a family dinner). Porsche refuses to answer. Kinn is frustratingly vague. Vegas is frustratingly vague. Eventually, Porchay gets to Pete who dodges around the question for a while until Pete admits his first term was with Vegas in the safehouse. (Bonus points if this is the first time people learn more about what went down in the safehouse).

Initially, Vegas is preening like a peacock because he was his partner's first and he was so good (ignore the chains and bondage and the overall hostage situation) and no one else has ever seen Pete in the throws of pleasure besides him and Pete is his, his, his-

Until Porsche goes blastic because he assumes it was nonconsensual because he saw those wounds, which isn't an unfair assumption to make considering the situation around it was still questionable even though Pete went for it. Tankhun assumes the same thing.

Pete is quick to say it was consensual, which relieves Porchay and Macau though Tankhun and Porsche are definitely throwing Vegas nasty looks across the table. Though, Vegas doesn't really care because he was Pete's first and his dick made Pete change allegiances, so his dick game is clearly superior to Kinn's.

Sorry this was so long, but Demiromantic Vegas and Demisexual Pete, you know?

[surely-galena]

So I finally read Vyn’s Winterwish SR Timeless Wishes and it has NO right to be this funny. I was laughing the whole way through

First, we continue the saga of Vyn unable to handle the cold (like fair enough dude, he’s wearing THREE layers in this card -- vest, shirt, turtleneck). Attached screenshot is from the Blizzardous Threads of Red invitation where we see Vyn trying to imply he is this close to freezing. (It's because he's not wearing gloves...)

And then MC goes ahead and calls him a PATHETIC MEOW MEOW--

Next up, we have Vyn getting unintentionally psychoanalyzed by the handicraft shop owner. Hey. Hey Vyn... how does it feel to have the tables turned on you...

Then Vyn and MC return home and we get THIS BIT that still makes me laugh:

Vyn, what are you using Ogier for??? Is cleaning your room all the SPECIALLY TRAINED BODYGUARD is good for? This is so hilariously baffling to me. Does Ogier literally drop by Vyn's place just to tidy up? Is he going to walk into the room and sigh at the sight of Vyn's bedroom floor covered in a ridiculous amount of yarn? And this begs the question: what else does Vyn call on Ogier for? To deep clean the kitchen?? Ogier, my guy, I genuinely wonder how you feel about this because you are not beating the butler allegations...

Okay, and then we get some wholesome fluff where Vyn and MC exchange gifts, but Vyn looks so perplexed at MC's collection of wishing cards that I had to include this screenshot. MC truly never fails to surprise him.

And then after the card story is done, we get THIS text conversation when MC declares she wants to make... DIY slime. Vyn's reaction is what makes this part for me. Mr Fancy Two Degrees honestly had no clue what slime was and was probably mildly concerned at her suggestion (although she explains what she means by slime after the cutoff).

Vyn, expecting normal activities like crochet or pressing flowers: What shall we try next?

MC, incredibly up-to-date on all the current trends: slime!!! :DD

Vyn: say what now

-

The second text message references the Cooking Card again and I just thought it was hilarious that Vyn purposely misunderstands the point of the card. He uno reversed the situation on her, but I can't really fault him for that. It's definitely a Vyn move.

[dhampling]

How do you think astarion would handle a tav who is actually from earth and is going to return home after defeating the Nether brain? Like maybe mystra or some other god brought them to faerun and told them to "fix it" and at first it's all like "great, sure, why not? I can do that" but they meet astarion and he gets attached only to learn that no matter the outcome their days are numbered?

Firstly - thank you so much for this one. It made me a little sad thinking about it and yet it was a weirdly bittersweet sadness? Thank you for your brain. I like it. I think it’d be quite easy to write off Astarion’s response as ‘meh. They’ll be useful while they’re here and OH NO I’VE FALLEN IN LOVE I AM UTTERLY BESOTTED’ and watching the chaos around that. In reality, I reckon there’s a big fat chunk of mirth in how he deals with them.

He’s fascinated by the fact they’re from a different world, but mainly for selfish reasons. I do think there’d be a lot of questions on his part (he’s trying to suss out if it’d be a viable proposition to return with them when they leave Toril in order to escape Cazador’s clutches).

Early on in the journey, when it’s unclear as to their actual destination - and whether the heart of the Absolute will return them anywhere near Baldur’s Gate; whether Cazador can be dealt with is up in the air, and if the party would even be willing to assist him is an entirely different question.

So I think Astarion would be scoping out every avenue of escape, like a rat in a cage; frantic for a way out, which is where the seduction comes in.

The issue is that the typical script doesn’t really work.

Astarion has no relevant contextual clues for this strange being and his charismatic advances often fall flat. As a result the traveller sees straight through him with a stoic detachment that can often come over as unnerving.

He realises he really, genuinely enjoys the traveller’s company. It’s refreshing. No city-prattle, no self-gain. He can almost feel himself beginning to regain some of his edges.

Somewhere at the back of his mind he’s aware his new companion will have to return home someday, but every day alive and free at present is a blessing.

The earthborn grows fond of him, too - despite the fact he talks their ears off frequently - they banter together along the road; spend countless late nights sharing life experiences and pointless musings when their fellow travellers are resting, and inevitably become close.

Towards the middling end of their adventure; after the drow at Moonrise, he realises that Cazador might actually be an attainable kill. He could be free forever. He has a friend willing to help him.

Then he wonders what there actually is left for him along the Sword Coast. Everything and everyone he knew, dead or gone. 

Obviously, he can’t return to earth. It just isn’t an option.

He continues to hope the gods will make an exception though.

The Absolute is eviscerated, and so is Cazador. Along the journey their bond becomes ridiculously solid - love in every sense. He wasn’t aware he was still able to feel things so strongly. He feels safe. Cared for.

He’s free, and as he turns to relish in the victory along the docks his most beloved companion simply isn’t there. 

He begins to burn, hides behind a stack of crates in a dumbfounded stupor until nightfall.

Then, he realises he has to commit them to memory. Writes pages on pages detailing every last little thing he remembers of them; commissions a portrait with the money sat in his account since the day of his death (now having accrued a sizeable interest) based on description alone. Revises it time and time again while their memory is still fresh. A locket pendant he attaches to his belt.

He has a lot of life left to live and he doesn’t intend to forget them. 

Hundreds of years later and they still flit into mind. Careful, compassionate; his liberator. He’ll regale new friends and lovers with tales of this strange creature given by the gods. Likely long gone by now. 

Always there somewhere in his mind.

[sunshine-and-her-ikevil-stuff]

20 days 'til Christmas - Prompt: Gingerbread

So I decided to actually do this prompt last minute. Since I have a lot of fun memories of decorating gingerbread houses. Made for Ikemen Advent, hosted by @candied-boys and @queengiuliettafirstlady.

Wordcount: 700

Liam x reader, Victor & reader (could be considered platonic or romantic), Victor-typical antics, fluff, no editing

“Here are the delicious gingerbread walls and roof the staff made. And the candy and icing to hold it all together.”

Victor took the piping bag and used it like glue for the roof of his partially finished gingerbread house. He piped a dot of icing and stuck a candy in it. “Tada!”

You and Liam politely clapped.

“Thank you.” Victor took a brief bow.

“This sounds like fun,” Liam said.

“Yeah. Thank you for getting it all prepared.”

“No need to thank me. All our lovely castle staff are the ones you should be thanking.” Victor smiled warmly. “Now, would you like to try?” He held the piping bag out to you before you could answer.

“Sure.” You took it. He guided you to pick out some gingerbread pieces.

“Just hold it steady and squeeze the icing onto it gradually. Make sure to use enough icing so it doesn’t fall apart. The ic-” He got a puzzled look on his face. "Hm, or is this frosting?”

“Huh? I thought it was interchangeable,” Liam said.

You stuck two walls together. “They’re different. I think frosting is thicker, so this…”

Victor hummed. “But I feel icing suits it better.”

“Me too, for some reason,” you paused from starting on another wall and held up the piping bag.

“Oh oh! Maybe it’s more about the ingredients.”

“You might be right, Liam. You’re a genius!”

“I think we got off track.”

“Right! Now-” Victor looked down at your complete, undecorated gingerbread house. “Oh! You’re already done. You go-getter!”

You smiled and shrugged.

“You’re a prodigy! I’m sure you’ll have no problem teaching Liam. Now, I’ll go tell the rest of the cursed boys that it’s ready. Toodles! I can’t wait to see what you make.”

Just as fast as he came to get you, he left.

You laughed to yourself and Liam joined in.

“That Victor. “ He said. “He always has so much energy. I wonder where he gets it from.”

“I have no clue.” You would have thought being in charge of Crown, with everyone who’s in it, would be exhausting.

You handed him the piping bag and showed him what to do when he asked.

“Thanks for staying here and decorating with me. It would be awkward if I was the only one here.” You genuinely were enjoying it, but it’s always nice to share the moment with someone else.

His face lit up. “Of course. I usually go along with most things Victor plans unless there’s a rehearsal. Plus, I like spending time with you.” He winked.

Your face warmed as you smiled. You carefully picked out candies and cheerfully lined them up as you planned the pattern for the roof. You picked up a peppermint and examined it before a thought came to mind. You giggled.

“You think Harrison’s going to come in just to snitch the candies?” 

Liam’s smile mirrored yours. “Oh, he’s definitely going to. Should probably pick out everything you want now before he takes them.”

“Good idea.”

You borrowed the piping bag back from Liam while he picked out his own candies. You outlined the door with the icing. Then attached what looked closest to a doorknob with a dot of icing. You continued and made windows and did your best to decorate them. Most of the candies were just slightly too big. You considered getting out a knife.

Liam admired what you had so far and gave a hum of approval “That looks really nice! You’re really good at that. Ever consider becoming an artist? I know you’d be really good at it.”

The corners of your mouth turned up more. “Thank you.” You glanced back at his. He was struggling a bit, but he was so meticulous and it still looked good. “Yours looks good too.”

His eyes widened and he stared at you. “Huh?”

“It looks good. I like it.”

His smile quickly returned, but something looked far away in his eyes. “Aw. Thank you. You’re so sweet and cute.”

He always said that. This time you decided to get him back.

“So are you.” You bopped him on the nose.

He blinked a second before recovering. “Hey now.”

You both started laughing and finished your gingerbread houses together.

[kukuandkookie]

I don’t feel like making a huge post about it right now since it would require me to write and compile images and I just screamed about it at my friends BUT…

If you’re a fan of Black Butler I recommend you check out 《玷染》 (Dianran) aka Taint 👀

And yeah okay I know the English name is a little awkward considering what “taint” means in English slang, but tbh…considering how horny this manhua is, it’s actually a pretty fitting name. 😂

But yes here’s why:

^ …Yeah I could just leave it at “read it for the hot characters” but actually I will add some more context below hahahaha:

It’s got demons, tentacles, sexualization of the church, mysteries involving dark/demonic entities in a European-inspired setting, and a bit of (not a lot just yet but still seems to be gearing up for more!) commentary on the gaps between classes.

We’ve also gotten a few clues to both main characters’ pasts, and they seemingly involve torture, experimentation, demons, deaths, amnesia, and more suffering.

It’s actually really interesting given we’re still early on in the story and we’ve gotten a few big crumbs so far, but they are still crumbs. I’m quite curious as to how all the parts of the backstory revealed so far tie together and led to our protagonists meeting the way they did today. 👀

Also the demon, Cross or Kurose, who has tentacles and is super attached to Eli, a member of the church, is very flirtatious and touchy-feely and even gets tortured and leashed and muzzled…

So you know. If you’re into that stuff, this manhua has a lot of it, even with censorship being in place. I’m genuinely surprised by how much it got away with; like in the most recent chapter (chapter 13 as of the time I’m writing this post), Cross rips off Eli’s underwear. 😂

I hope some people join me in this fandom eventually LGNSKFJSKS. So far it feels like I’ve been bursting to get my friends to read it and share it but I don’t want to be annoying to them haha.

Like if you enjoy Black Butler and I Have to Be a Great Villain and Kiss the Abyss and series like those, this could be up your alley!!

(Of course, do be aware that like those series, this one also contains “dark” content! Specifically violence with blood and all that, some less than consensual sexually tense encounters, and even body horror!)

Although I will say that hell, Cross isn’t that “toxic” or “violently possessive” of a love interest so far. He’s just clearly got his own goals which occasionally clashes with Eli’s, but it’s clear he really really likes Eli and doesn’t actually want him to come to harm, to the point of protecting him. And even when Eli is harsh with him in his distrust, Cross doesn’t mind. It makes for a fun dynamic. 👀

There is an English “fan” translation out there, but the original is on the QQ manhua app!

[valentine-writes]

hiii would love to see anything about miguel or spot!! if it’s not too much trouble!

in a good way.

「 tws + notes: no tws, unedited, might be ooc, almost all fluff, ok maybe a little angst but nothing crazy, pining becuz im a sucker for the chase, they are Yearning 」

「 gn!reader, can be platonic or romantic <3 」

↳ ft. miguel o'hara/spider-man 2099 and the spot/johnathan ohnn

author's note: I LOVE U ANON!! IT IZ NO TROUBLE AT ALL!! i hope these suffice,, plz 4give me if miguel's part is lackin just a bit!! im workin on writing him more accurately (*ﾉε｀*) <3 and y'all ATE UPPP the hcs for the spot last time so,, i hope y'all end up liking these too!! (also psstt,, usually i take into acc reader's personality here but since nothing specifically was requested, i'll try to keep it vague! sorry if certain parts aren't what you'd like!!)

MIGUEL O' HARA headcanons:

"i didn't know i was capable of being happy right now / but you showed me how"

▸ he's already lost,, a lot. this man is someone who had lost everything he had ever loved in pursuit of keeping it with him

so when he finds himself growing attached to you?? he feels like it's something he simply can't afford

he's doing everything to make sure he doesn't end up too attached, that you never get any closer to him

however– overtime, he finds that you are unavoidable. whether you're doing it on purpose or subconsciously, you always manage to pull him back to you.

just when he thought he had finally left you behind for good, you lure right him back in.

▸ i've seen a lotta hcs saying he's like,, smooth w/ it and stuff– BUT... part of me thinks that he doesn't have a clue about what to do with his feelings towards you

and he is far too prideful to ask for any sort of help or advice from anyone.

...so does it take an immense amount of time for him to even consider that it's okay to wanna be close to you? yes.

but he's weak for you. he knows it. part of him really, really doesn't want to be. but he is. and though he tries to convince himself it's not evident, it doesn't take a genius to realize it

▸ especially because miguel allows more to slide if it's you. this especially manifests in touching.

while miguel's not all "ew don't touch me" he doesn't really care for brief, friendly touches. this is different when it's you.

he might be speaking to you after a mission. while he talks, you're silently tracing the tips of his fingers with your own, observing his hands like they're the most interesting thing in the world.

"are you even listening to me?" he questions. there's a slight hint of irritation in his voice, his brow furrowing slightly. this expression of his softens almost immediately as you look up at him, eyes sparkling with curiosity.

"...your talons," you comment quietly, "they're retractable. that's cool."

he makes no effort to pull his hand away from yours. maybe he even secretly hopes you'll do it again sometime.

▸ miguel might be haunted by loving and losing from his past. but maybe loving you isn't such a bad thing. maybe it's a pain he's willing to endure. he'll try for you.

for you, it's worth it.

▸ OK GETTING LESS SERIOUS HERE. so i understand in atsv his fangs are retractable. but in the comics, it's noted that he tends to open his mouth very little when talking to conceal them.

i love this first of all.

now, miguel's not necessarily insecure of his fangs or his teeth (which are slightly crooked because of the new growth of his sharpened canines) but i imagine that he finds it easier to just keep them hidden and avoid any questions.

if he has to explain he's not a vampire to someone again he'll genuinely explode

"morning, migs–" you greet casually. another sign of his lenience towards you– he lets you give him nicknames.

"morning." he mutters back, just barely audible to you

you blink at him, trying to process what he said. "huh?"

"i said, good morning." he repeats, still mumbling without much of a volume change.

"damn, okay, okay– what's with all the grumbling? something got you stressed?" you're aware your question is stupid. knowing miguel, who always finds something to stress about– even at 8:30 am

he shakes his head this time, much to your surprise.

"i'm not grumbling." miguel insists.

"sounds to me like you are."

("nuh uh"

"fym nuh uh–")

miguel– when not bossing people around– is out here, mumbling and grumbling in casual conversation

and you're the one who's trying to remind him to speak up.

▸ no matter what relationship you're in– friendship, queerplatonic, romantic, whatever– he's generally a bit more reserved about it.

he sees it like this: if you two are close, why would it be anyone else's business?

however a certain holographic companion and her big mouth (which i wanna kiss oh so sweetly i heart lyla) ends up making a little joke about you two in front of a few other spider-people

lyla's casual abt it– saying sumn like, "don't mind him, he's being grumpy because his favourite isn't around."

name-drops you before miguel can tell her to shut up– and everyone's like "?!?!?!"

and the word SPREADS

▸ but like. is it really too much of a surprise? more than often, he finds himself trying to check up on you to see how you're doing.

"just making sure you're fine." is his weak little excuse just to see your face and hear your voice again.

when something is just mildly wrong though... he's the type to scold while taking care of it.

"i'm fine," you shrug, trying to rub some warmth into your arms, "just a little cold."

"i told you to bring a sweater." he groans, looking around for his.

those seemed to be miguel's favourite words sometimes: "i told you."

"i know..." you mumble sheepishly, staring at your shoes.

before you can say anything else, he drapes his sweater over your shoulders. "next time, i'm letting you freeze."

you look up at him with a little smile, mouthing a quiet "thank you" to him.

(there is no next time. he lets you keep the sweater.)

▸ ok one last headcanon cuz im obsessed w/ the little details abt this man. so. canonically (and i love this) HE DOESNT HAVE SPIDER-SENSES LIKE MOST SPIDER-PEOPLE.

instead, he has elevated super-human hearing and vision. but– (if you're like me) when this information is revealed to you,,, the immediate thought is to mess w/ him as much as possible.

trying to sneak up on him and startle him has become a common game between the two of you– so much so, that he's almost expecting you to be around every corner he passes if he hasn't seen you in a while.

he catches you before you get the chance on occasion. you forget to hold your breath and he hears you. your heart is beating hard, out of the sheer adrenaline rush of hiding and he picks it up. maybe you didn't notice that you're not fully concealed.

each time, he'll sigh exasperatedly and pull you out of your hiding spot.

"you think you're so funny." his grip is still on you, and though most would read his expression as annoyed– you catch the slight glimmer of amusement in his eyes. you're just lucky he finds your antics endearing.

on the chance you do manage to genuinely catch him off guard, he curses loudly, immediately going on defence mode

"shocking hell," he groans, upon seeing it's just you, "i was going to web you to the wall."

miguel probably does accidentally web you at some point. "play stupid games, win stupid prizes" he'd say.

(he might act like you're a complete headache sometimes- but ur his headache <3)

THE SPOT/JOHNATHAN OHNN headcanons:

"you make me wanna cry in a good way"

▸ he finds an excuse to talk to you always. (SINCE WHEN DID "I WANNA HEAR YOUR VOICE" NOT BECOME A GOOD EXCUSE) calling you up, messaging you– if you give him permission, he'll ramble a ton to you. about physics, the multiverse– anything he's passionate about.

it means the world to him if you ask him questions about it, actively engage in the conversation, or even just showing that your listening by welcoming his endless chatter. he even tries to impress you with his knowledge. he wants to be perceived as cool in your eyes so bad. craves admiration,, or at least appreciation. and nothing makes him feel more admired than you listening to him talk.

but he's obviously not tryin' to talk your ear off and bore you to death. he wants to hear your voice too– and takes genuine interest whenever you decide to ramble back with whatever's been in your head recently– maybe it's something you find particularly interesting, a piece of media you really like, something you're passionate about– he'll pay attention and listen to every word.

you get a turn and he gets a turn! ´͈ ᵕ `͈

if you happen to share a common interest– whether it's because you got him into it, he got you into it, or you both just liked it in the first place– the back and forth about said topic will be as endless as you want it to be

▸ the type of guy to bump into you constantly while you walk with him (is this also a habit of mine? we'll never know...) and it is PURELY unintentional. he can't walk in a straight line to save his life

he's walking with you casually, and all of a sudden, his shoulder will crash into yours, nearly knocking you off balance

he fumbles over his words a moment, reaching out his arms to catch you– and he manages to break your fall. he regards this as a very smooth move on his end, in spite of the fact he was the cause of you nearly eating pavement

"sorry! i'm so sorry– are you okay? i mean, yeah, you probably are. i caught you. you're welcome–"

"my hero." you reply, with a playful roll of your eyes, giving him a light smack on his arm (earning a little "ow" and a nervous chuckle from him) as you restabilize yourself.

▸speaking on his little “ow haha” moment… headcanon that even though he’s not really all that sensitive, he reacts like he is. the type of guy to say “ow” at every minor discomfort.

he has a mild headache? actually his brain is melting inside his skull and he needs to whine about it. he has a cold? he’s literally dying. when he’s comfortable with you, he’s comfortable enough to complain– even about trivial things

he's well aware it's not actually the end of the world. he's just silly enough to act like it is. very reactive fella :>

totally the type to exaggerate just to see you react,, he thinkz itz funny–

"oww,," he whines, rubbing his arm where you'd just given him a light punch, "you're so mean to me."

you try to stifle a laugh. "man, c'mon. i didn't even hit you that hard."

"it's gonna bruise :((("

"can you even bruise in uh..." you trail off, staring at the his post-collider incident body, white and spotted with black portals "...your state?"

"ok now that actually hurt."

▸ he's more selfless with you. ohnn often finds himself wanting to do anything in his power to make you happy. anything for you. anything.

may be just a teeny bit insane about the way he carries this out, but it's mostly innocent and sweet gestures

like, if you casually mention wanting something, he'll 100% dimension hop just to bring it back to you.

and while you know that he's probably stolen it,,, you can't find it in yourself to blame him. he's got the purest of intentions. his demeanor changes from nervous and awkward to proud, as he presents you with the thing you were just talking about a few days ago.

“no way, dude!” your eyes light up, taking the bag of candy (or whatever you like if you're not a big fan of sweets) he just presented you with, “i haven’t had these in ages-  i swore this was discontinued, though. where'd you get them?”

“i have my ways.” you can hear the dorky grin in his voice.

he loved watching your face light up in excitement over even the simplest of gifts.

▸ feels like he's holding you back sometimes. he's well aware that his situation means that you two can’t really be in the public eye. it hurts him to think you could be living a completely normal life if he was just never in that stupid collider… or if he let you go, so you could find someone else

he’d never break up with you though. he feels too selfishly about you– if you’re gone from his life, who else could love him the way you do?

sometimes, these thoughts and worries keep him up at night. expect late night conversations, his face buried in your shoulder as he holds you tight, as if he’s scared you’re going to slip away if he lets go.

there are nights where he has a hard time believing you really wanna live like this.

“hey…” you whisper, pulling away slightly so you can look at him. you gently grab onto his jaw, tilting his chin up so he meets your gaze.

his entire frame is trembling, leaning into your touch. he doesn’t speak.

“you know you’re irreplaceable to me, right?”

he melts at the tenderness of your voice, the patience you have with him. he pulls you in just a little tighter. your comfort never fails him.

▸ TRUST ME WHEN I TELL YOU THIS MAN IS 100% FOR YOUU. on your side. always.

someone was mean to you? they're an asshole and he hates them.

someone was condescending towards you? they're an idiot and they've got no clue who they're talking to.

but if someone dares to bother you beyond just making you mildly irritated and/or upset– if someone makes you cry?

DAWGGG,, ALL HELL IS BREAKING LOOSE. nevermind if you insist you're fine or that you can deal with it yourself. he's asking for full names, addresses, details– he's revenge motivated. anything for you.

▸ ok moving onto normal fluff for the last bit (ﾉ)'ω`(ヾ)

corny. corny. corny.

he's incredibly endearing with his earnesty as he tries to expresses his adoration for you... but also very cheesy and dorky when it comes to showing you affection.

it's sickeningly sweet, the way he stammers over every compliment, trying to explain how much he loves every bit of you.

giving him a genuine compliment back to shut him up has him nearly fainting.

johnathan likes getting verbal reassurance and praise,, but he's much better at showing his affection via physical touch– of course, only if you don't mind. doesn’t wanna make you uncomfortable!!

but if you're comfy, he ends up craving physical affection as well– i talked abt this in these headcanons but IM BRINGING IT UP AGAIN AS PART OF TOUCHSTARVED JOHNATHAN NATION.

one day, you're leaning into his side sitting close to him on your couch. your cheek rests against his shoulder while your fingers are gently tracing his arm up and down, brushing against his skin with a feather-light touch, absentmindedly. he squirms a little beneath your touch, the room being too quiet for his liking.

"so... what are you doing?" he asks, glancing over at you.

"guess." you reply, not looking up.

you're tracing... something. he can't seem to get why though.

"oh uh- okay." he thinks for a moment, a bit puzzled. after a second, he perks up, piecing it together slowly in his head.

"are you tracing a letter?" johnathan asks curiously.

you nod silently.

"okay, okay– uh... L?"

another nod.

"O?"

nodding again, there's a small smile on your face.

"V? ...oh–" he chuckles slightly, now understanding what you were spelling.

he's amused at your strange way of affection. guess he isn't the only one capable of being sappy.

you laugh softly, finally tracing an E on the skin of his forearm, followed by a U and a little heart <3

"you could've just told me, y'know." in spite of his words, he knows that he likes this. you and your silly ways of showing that you care. the ways you tell him that he's cherished.

you huff, giving him a light smack on his arm. "you're no fun." your eyeroll does little to conceal the grin growing on your face.

he flinches from the playful hit. "owww..."

(YOU TWO ARE SILLY 2GETHER!! SILLY NATION!!!!)

[planet-crait]

A New Dev-elopement is next and I’m super excited! It sucks getting attached to Dev with kind of knowing what happens but also I hope for a season two to keep developing him.

Do these kids not normally get homework over the weekend? Lucky. Also a treasure hunt sounds fun! Not sure how that’s homework and what it’s teaching? Maybe the history of the city? Maybe? Or the clues are word problems they have to solve? Well we’ll see what they come up with for it. Kind of hilarious how blatantly everyone hurls paper at Mr. Guzman for that though.

How does the school afford tickets to the water park as prizes? Aww poor kids they’re so devastated that they’re going to be randomly paired. Ohh the heartbreak. I mean. I can’t necessarily relate I uh never had friends in my classes.

Anyways I get Mr. Guzman wants to get the kids to make new friends but I also get the pain especially for a big weekend thing. Oh no. Oh no Hazel when will you learn not to use the word Wish unless you mean it? Wanda’s horrified look was pretty funny though. But oh Hazel may or may not regret that wish I know she’s going to be paired with Dev now.

Lolz Dev and Hazels mini fight is funny but Mr. Guzman should break them up. Hazel you really don’t see why this happened? I think I’ve given up on the questioning Hazel blatantly talking to them it just. Is going to keep being yadda yaddad past. To be fair Hazel you said I wish. You can only blame yourself.

Ohh poor Dev. He can’t even play his game which has music that isn’t very loud at all. Like oof his dad blatantly says his work is a priority over Dev which. Is not an easy pill to swallow. I realize we’re not supposed to like him but he is literally a ten year old being emotionally abused at a minimum by his only parental figure in his life I will always struggle to hold any grudges against literal children especially abused ones okay sue me. (I mean good luck you’ll get like a sandwich and two pencils).

Why am I not surprised Dev wants to ditch a school activity? He seems to believe money will get him anything he wants and well…I can’t argue with the logic as fucked up as that is. I mean it’s wrong morally but it’s not incorrect because capitalism ruins everything.

Ohh so Hazel and Dev have a common book and Game in common? They seem like they could get along really well if Dev wasn’t so spoiled. But ohhh Dev does get the clues right lolz.

I just realized though making ten year plans old walk all over the city by themselves feels kind of cruel. They’re ten and it’s a big city. Also does each pair have their own clues? Like Hazel and Dev keep the post it notes how will the next pair find the next clue unless they’re all different?

Aww Dev and Hazel are having a moment that’s so cute honestly. They get it at the same time and have a little air guitar duet and are laughing. But ohhh the moment has to end. Not surprising I can imagine opening up is not easy for Dev given the glimpses of his home life we got.

He’s starting to smile though that’s progress! Oh OH! He takes off his glasses when he’s finally ready to make a connection (High giving someone) I thought maybe the glasses where like a mask for him and he takes them off when he’s ready to lower the mask and maybe let someone in. Poor kids though fail the high five and face plant hard.

Oh he didn’t put them back on and they laughed despite that oh that’s so cute. I wonder if the pizza stuff did a lot of heavy lifting for getting Dev to be willing to open up to Hazel? That would make sense honestly especially if he’s as starved for affection as I imagine he is.

Seeing him so genuinely smiling is so sweet and cute it makes my heart melt honestly. OHHH HE CALLED HER HAZEL AND NOT ANOTHER NAME!!!! They’re laughing and joking it’s so cute. Aww Hazel is praising Dev to his dad it’s so dang sweet. Oh. Oh no. Dale is brushing it off I hope Dev doesn’t shut down after this.

Oh no he did shut down. Oh poor kid. I feel so bad for him he was so happy and smiling and eager to introduce Hazel to his dad and he just shut him down and his accomplishments so hard. I cannot imagine how crushing it is to have your parent so blatantly brush off the hard work you did especially when it’s something you’re really proud of.

Hazel is trying so hard to reconnect and bring up the fun they had but oof years of emotional abuse do some damage and I’m not sure how easily that can be undone. Ohhh he has really shut down he put the glasses back on and called her the wrong name oof. I think I was right about the glasses being a mask. They hide what his eyes could show as sadness or other emotions he doesn’t want people (his dad) to see. It’s painful seeing such a young kid putting up a mask like this.

Oh I expected Hazel to cry not get mad and leave. Interesting. Also interesting to see Dev seem to immediately regret it and feel bad about it. Unfortunately abuse just. Messes with you. We don’t have any blatant abuse on screen (this is a kids show) but given the neglect Dev faces I struggle to think there isn’t also some major emotional abuse he deals with.

Hazels emotions seem all over the place her being so salty about the sushi. I have a feeling she’s trying to push down the feelings of friendship she was forming with Dev. Oh huh. Didn’t expect Dev to show up again. I guess he really connected with Hazel and just can’t admit it yet. Ohhh Devs insult gave Hazel the clue she needed I love that. Not the insult Hazels mind going back immediately to the project. I didn’t expect the paperweight to be relevant again but hey it works. Oh wow Dev looks super guilty. I kind of expected something to push him but he seems to be doing this all on his own.

Oh Dev lowering his glasses as he re opens up to Hazel. I get that though it makes sense his dad puts him down so much that he would immediately shut down. He is desperate to get something for his dad he’s willing to do a lot to try and get something I don’t think his dad will ever give him. Good on Hazel though for calling out that he hurt her. He owned up which is good but Hazel should call out she got hurt from it. HE SAID SORRY HE SAID SORRY!!!! Aww Hazel forgives him so easily and he removed the glasses again oh my heart.

Wait wait emotional growth wish????? I don’t think that’s ever come up before. Like ever.

Heist yes I love this. Lolz Dev finding doors open over and over again is hilarious. Dev joining on Hazels imagination for the heist is so cute though. And them posing for the security cameras is so funny. Oh more Dev smiles I love it!!!

Ohh I was wondering why he would demand students break into the principles office. That makes more sense and aww. Those photos are so cute. They’re adorable. Protect them at all costs. I do love the principle doesn’t care suddenly because homework over the weekend. Honestly nailed her personality there to solve the conflict.

Oh no the water park closed. Oh the kids will RIOT. THEY NAILED THEIR HIGH FIVE FINALLY!!!!!

Okay so uh. New favorite episode to be quite frank. The wish and its result made sense. The development for Dev worked and Hazel kind of understands Dev more and he’s being more open and not wearing his sunglasses anymore. Also Dev and Hazel are so dang cute. I hope we see him making more friends I need to see this child get love and support damn it. Really really solid episode absolutely loved it I hope we see more of Dev and Hazel hanging out. She clearly has a very good influence on him and he needs that in his life.

[saltminerising]

Sigh. I'm so frustrated.

So I bought a G1, it was an XYZ, nothing special, its eyes don't even match (they actually really really clash with its colors tbh). But I liked the dragon and whatnot, and spent a fair amount of money gene-ing it up. Now, a few days later, the seller messages me and seems kinda upset about it, because apparently they hadn't meant to list this dragon on the AH at ALL. And I mean it wasn't cheap, so I didn't... think it was a mistake/mispricing/etc.? Like why would I even think that when I had no indication they DIDN'T mean to even list it up on the AH??

And, normally I'd totally be willing to resell the dragon back to the person that I bought it for, for that same price, but... I did spend a decent chunk of money on gene-ing it? And they seem really upset now since to buy it back, it's like, a hassle at this point. And it really does seem like they genuinely didn't mean to put it up on the AH, so I don't know how the heck that happened. :/

I feel like we both lose out here. If I resell it for the amount they originally listed it, then I lose out on all those genes I spent on it, and that money too. But if they compensate me for the loss, then THEY have to pay way more just to get their dragon back, like extra fees on top of everything that they don't deserve either. (I mean I know they technically sold it, but like, an error is an error, you know?? I know you can "blame" them for making the error but like. It sucks to make some kind of mistake and then there's no easy fix to the situation / it's not something they meant to do and now they gotta pay more for an honest mistake. Like the genes I got were NOT CHEAP genes btw, like actual gem genes so uh... heckkk.) I just REALLY wish they'd messaged me before I did anything to it?? Because like it's been a few days now, and I get not everyone logs in all the time, but I just... ugh. This situation just really sucks, you know??

Also, I know the whole "once the dragon leaves your lair it's no longer yours" and that I technically own the dragon and don't HAVE to resell back to them, but like. I also get that it sucks to accidentally lose something you were attached to because you made a mistake. Everyone makes errors, does something when they're tired or I don't know and didn't mean to do something like list a dragon (maybe they meant to price a different one at that price?? I don't know). I'm just lamenting the fact that it's now become such a fiasco for everyone involved, and I don't have a clue what to do. I'm willing to resell the dragon to them. But I just don't know how to fix the other price difference in a way that's fair to both of us, and it's distressing.

It just feels like such a lose/lose situation for the both of us, and that super sucks. :/ Also I'm now highkey very stressed out about the whole ordeal and I don't know what to do. And I'm upset that they're upset. (they didn't get angry at me, they're just?? rightfully distraught over accidentally losing this dragon, which I think makes sense??)

Sorry for the long post. This situation sucks so much and I just needed to vent about it. Sighhhhhh. ughhHHhHhH. i'm already physically sick at the moment and dont need this extra stress. i just wanna play pretty pixel dragon in peace to unwind and have fun maybe. i don't need more stuff added onto my plate right now. :( upsetti spaghetti times. #FeelsBadMan blehhhh blarghhhh

[7grandmel]

Todays rip: 20/03/2024

old town ribbon race

Season 4 Episode 1 Featured on: The SiIvaGunner Spooktacular Halloween Horror Special Collection '17​-​'19

Ripped by Moder112

Y'know, I've had this rip in the drafts for a pretty long while - I've wanted to write about it for so long, but its almost difficult to explain why I like it so. I sometimes wonder how many other people are as attached to the original Intro Title / Minigame Theme - Barbie Horse Adventures: Blue Ribbon Race as I am - it was a genuinely shocking little rip that managed to utilize the creepiness of the original song, whilst also tying it all subtly to the ongoing side story of Mr. Rental's rampage on SiIvaGunner. Yet it was the kind of rip that didn't make its presence all too known after the fact - save for a big reappearance on SiIvaGunner Fusion Records last year with *** EVERYTHING IS FINE ***, the rip's appearances have been pretty darn scarce. That is, at least, on SiIva - what I learned in researching for coverage on old town ribbon race, is that the meme took on a life on its own elsewhere in the internet.

That's right, it's fan channel time again - the very same one that V​-​v​-​v​-​v​-​v​-​a​-​V​-​v​-​v​-​v​-​v​-​v​-​r covered not that long ago, even. Its always a bit difficult to discern...anything, about Vvvvvavvvvvvr from the outside looking in, because of just how vast and bizarre its output is - its a channel that accepts submissions of just about ANY kind and has made it its brand to basically be a dumping ground for any sort of vip (Vavr's name for high quality rips) possible. Yet through it all, in 2017, a certain familiar Barbie game for Game Boy Advance made a reappearance - with a vip simply named Horse: Blue Ribbon. From there, the meme was reborn on the channel as just "Horse", mainly using a remix of the original theme by ripper Moder112 as its main source for future vips - continuing to see use pretty regularly in a number of bizarre, spooky rips.

All of that was, of course, entirely lost on me - yet in a way, that made discovering old town ribbon race on SiIva all the more impactful for me. I had no clue that others remembered this bizarre one-off horror rip as much as I did, nor that there had secretly been this subset of rippers already fiddling around with how to turn this eerie theme into something so hummable. Old Town Road is a song I already find deviously catchy, one I've covered before with Mob Corral - and so to me, old town ribbon race wound up feeling like the perfect culmination to things all those years later. The rip that had filled my 2016 self with such intrigue was now finally being played around with in fun, creative ways - by, as I'd now later learn, none other than the very same ripper who'd been doing so for years beforehand without me knowing.

There is of course a comedy to old town ribbon race inherently, in making a country/pop banger out of a theme otherwise most known for how much it unsettles people. But there's that other part as well - it IS genuinely a banger, using so many creative and fun GBA-quality samples that all feel in line with the original creepy song, even including the sampling of Among Us sound effects used for its percussion. A lot of the samples are from Moder112's prior mentioned remix, yet the authenticity of the rip was so good that I hardly even considered that as a possibility - it doesn't sound like its using anything "fan made" so much as its just naturally working outward of what Old Town Road would sound like in this style.

I'm really happy that nothing gets forgotten on SiIva - that was one of my big talking points in Violet Snow Memories, if you'll recall. This really isn't one of those cases, because Horse found a life all on its own - yet its almost just as fun to see how memes like it live on in such strange, silly ways. Meme evolution! How fun. old town ribbon race. What a good rip.

[byierficrecs]

not sure how it's possible but your work keeps getting prettier and prettier! can i ask what your process/method is for creation?

hello! sorry it's taken me a little to reply :S first of all, thank you!! that's very sweet ^-^ anyway, i'm not sure this will be particularly insightful :( but here goes nothing:

step 1: check the form for new submissions!

and then delete them all >:) ,,,but not without copying the information to a variety of spreadsheets. behold the madness:

in this one i copy the information that was submitted as it is.

these are where i rearrange the information so a) my brain can understand it and b) so that i can copy/paste stuff while making graphics and at the time of posting.

the first one is for the captions i attach to every tumblr post, and the second is the alt text for the images. there's a third one for twitter, but it's the same as the tumblr one.

and this one is where i keep track of all the steps i follow!

spreadsheet: copying the information from the forms

proofread: open the ao3 work to quickly check that someone didn't sneak explicit stuff or something like that

read and graphic: self-explanatory

captions and alt text: registering the information in the tables i showed before

twitter and tumblr: scheduling the posts to go up

(3 and 4 are inverted, but i'm too lazy to change it now x.x also, notice how they are (mostly) arranged in groups of three; before i even proofread things, i roughly decide the general aesthetic of the graphic: dark, pastel or colourful)

i do this almost every night. since people usually submit stuff in bulk, i often spend one or two hours simply sorting through the forms.

step 2: read the stories!

i usually read a story, then make the graphic immediately after. this is so i don't mix things up and the story is fresh in my very-forgetful mind~ while i read, i try to imagine things as they happen and pick at least one element i want to include in the graphic.

for instance, for this one (post), i wanted a duck somewhere. evidently, it ended up being a very minor detail but there they are! ducklings! :]

step 3: try to imagine the graphic

this is admittedly the hardest part tbh. i stick to my statement: i am not an artist. give me a minute and i will come up with a decently fleshed-out story idea. art or visual aspects are a different tale x.x some days my creativity leaves me altogether and i just stare into space for hours with absolutely no clue of how to make a graphic for one story.

hence why i rely so much on inspiration. some days i ravage my bookshelf, some days i google "spider book cover", some days i browse spotify and look at the album art and many days i end up scrolling through the canva templates section for hours until i see something that sparks an idea.

this one (post) is random. i was stumped on what to do and then i glanced at the video i had on the background and that was that.

i look at anything and everything for inspiration,,, again, i have no idea how artists do this x.x not to imply that they don't struggle (i'm sure they do), but i'm genuinely bad at this,,, especially since i try to make all the graphics as unique as possible; i like flowers, they are pretty and go well with most stories, but i think it'd be quite boring if everything i made had flowers :S

step 4: make the graphic

anyway, when i (finally) have an idea, i go on canva and get down the first element i had in mind, or the colour i want to use, or the general composition,,, anything. sometimes the only thing i've thought about is the text.

and then i just go from there, often with no plan or ending idea in mind :S

some graphics are simple and i can get them done in two hours, some are complex and i get them done in ten hours. perfectionism is how my brain is wired and i always feel like i need to bring things to perfection, so i tweak everything a lot even if i know i could get away with leaving some stuff as it is.

alas, i try to have fun during the process and sometimes i surprise myself with making something i am super proud of!

like this one! (post). as you can see, there are a bunch of layers and details. i went in with literally no plan but i kept adding stuff until it felt good :]

it's not as simple as just sticking some of canva's assets together, though. i often have to do a lot of editing. everything in that tunnel, for instance, was just lineart (?) with no option to give it a background colour, so i had to go in with my limited artsy knowledge and paint things until they looked the way i wanted.

these are all the different canva assets i used in that one + a finn silhouette. i'm trying not to use too many silhouettes because, like flowers, it's easy and i often gravitate to that but no >:( i shan't fall prey to the impulses.

speaking of silhouettes,,, there must be an easier way to do it, but the software i use (gimp; it's free x.x) is a little confusing to me so i just end up "tracing" over the outline of photos i like.

in the process, i tend to go all,,, frankenstein.

i chopped off finn's arm in the first one :( but then i gave him a jacket for the second one because his silhouette looked cold ^-^ (also gave noah will-hair). third one i just,,, mirrored the other arm x.x 1st story || 2nd story || 3rd story

other minor changes i often have to do is recolouring stuff and the like

again, these are edited with gimp and i'm sure there are weird errors, but i felt the story needed something softer (post).

some elements i actually find from other free source (?) websites, but it's rare.

last, but not least, sometimes i do try my hand at art x.x i'm not sure i'm good in the slightest, but it's been somewhat fun to try. i tend to look at artists i like, mainly for colour palettes because i never struggle with the graphics but i get stuck when trying to draw :S

for instance, the colours in this one (post) are all inspired by the second artwork in the tweet.

step 5: double check before posting

confession: yesterday i forgot to add the author's name to a graphic. there are at least three graphics in this account that are missing the "ratings" altogether. sometimes, there are minuscule mistakes that could've been easily spotted and fixed and i just,,, didn't see them.

i often catch a million things like that while making the graphics, but things do slip at times and i end up thinking about them for weeks x.x so i double and triple check everything and i never catch everything, but i try :S

i try to get my brother to help me a little, but the dingus always says everything is okei and goes back to his shenanigans >:( he is an actual artist so it's all the more frustrating but alas, there's nothing i can do about it x.x

step 6: schedule things for posting

uh,, not much to say about this. i just add the graphics, copy the information from the spreadsheets i showed you, then add all the links and tags and leave things be :]

except,,, i don't. i move on to something else and then i go back to check for mistakes and i keep looking for errors and i sometimes change things last minute x.x

the little detail in the corner where mike is screaming? that was added a minute the thing went up,,, (post)

it's uh,, overwhelming. i know i overthink way too much (about my writing, too), but it's been ten years of getting anxious about these things so i'm not sure it'll stop anytime soon :(

the little comments you guys leave really help though! so thank you for that :]

step 7: post the thing and "rest"

again, i continue to search for errors after i post, but unless it's a big thing (like the aforementioned "i forgot to add the author's name" moment from yesterday) i force myself to leave the post as it is. my brain hates me for it, but it's the one thing i manage to do to ease my anxiety x.x

so, with the post up and big errors mended, i get to rest! for a bit! and then i have to do it all over again!

this entire process (step 1 excluded) takes around 4-6 hours (or more) so by the time i post something, i'm already late at making the next graphic :S hence why i usually take a couple free days every few graphics.

i've also been really sick lately (covid + randomly passing out because of overarching health issues) so things take a bit longer :(

it's fun though! i'd never tried my hand at any visual stuff and some graphics are admittedly lackluster, but sometimes i surprise myself with some very pretty things i make :]

in addition to the ones i've already shared, i'm quite proud of these graphics~ 1st story || 2nd story || 3rd story || 4th story || 5th story || 6th story

plus, i get to talk to a lot of nice people, read/share wonderful stories, and more importantly, do something nice for authors! so it's all worth it, i think :]

random, but i'm not sure i'll ever get to use this little guy so i want to share him :D

anyway, i could continue to procrastinate for quite a while but i have to (gues what!) go make today's graphics x.x shoutout to all the authors whose stories i randomly featured here; please check all their stories as they are all amazing.

@itsromeowrites, @ghoulsanderson, @wiseatom, @eggo-owl, @smoosnoom, @byeler, @bookinit02, @lilacline001, @astrobei, @voulezvulcan, @sevensided

i'm going to take a nap now. apologies if, after all this, i didn't even answer your question.

personal blog || support me on ko-fi x.x

[idyllic-affections]

I have an emotional attachment to the Dad!Pantalone series. That's what led me to your writing, I've been here since the first part. TT

Spoilers for Sumeru!!

I can totally see that after Scaramouche went poof in everyone's memory, [name] would be... Confused? I mean, their hatred towards him would be in vain?? Like "I feel so much hatred, but towards who???"

I also think that after A Winter's lazzo is such a great scenario for a vision... Maybe pyro in my view? But this is just me brainrotting because I have a serious problem of thinking too much about things lol

-🦢 anon who loves your writings <3

WAAAAIT REALLY??? omg... 🦢 anon i had no clue you've been around that long!!!

dad!pantalone series rambles below the cut.

and yes you're so right. they would be so confused. genuinely. it's just... they know they're angry, but all of a sudden, it's like their anger has no target and it stresses them out. for the first few days, they're disorented and confused and honestly a little worried.

but then...

their anger finds a new target, and that target? it's none other than the traveler and ei herself, of course. now all of their anger has been redirected to them. and and!!! some of their anger shifts onto dottore, as well. you know how scara had the gnosis, but signora didn't know, and that's basically why she's dead? yeah, well... who retrieved the gnosis now that scara has been erased? i don't know if that was touched on in canon, but it would make sense for it to have been dottore, so...

ALSO GOD PYRO VISION [NAME]

i thought about it. i did. i decided not to add it in that piece specifically, but believe me. i am thinking about it.

it would make so much sense, but they would hate it.

they'd see it as a gesture of pity from the gods. it would enrage them. they don't need the filthy gods' pity. they don't need that.

maybe they'd use their vision. maybe they wouldn't.

but if nothing else, i think it would serve as a warning sign for the traveler. the sign reads something like "stay the fuck away from my family". their family, of course, being pantalone, arle, childe even...

it's in the traveler's best interest to stay the hell away from [name]'s preferred harbingers.

maybe the traveler could defeat childe, signora, and scara, but has the traveler really ever been face-to-face with pure, unbridled, visceral rage?

has the traveler ever seen the consequences of their actions?

no.

i don't think so.

i do not think the traveler would be prepared to handle the sheer destructive rage and pain and grief that a child such as [name] can carry.

[multishipper-baby]

DanganWLWeek Day 4: Mastermind

Because of college and life stuff, I haven't been able to do anything for this week... BUT I do have this Enogiri fic that I never managed to finish, so! I cleaned up a little and decided to let it see the light of day today :)

@danggirlronpa

From the moment that their memories started to come back, Kyoko had braced herself. A lot could happen in two years- two years spent with many people who were now gone, his father included. Even if everything that happened on those two years had been perfectly nice, she had no doubt that many of the memories would be painful now, especially if she'd gotten attached to any of her now deceased classmates.

She hadn't prepared herself, however, for how she would feel about her memories pertaining to Junko Enoshima.

“You take everything so seriously, detective” She had said, a devilish smile plastered on her face. Her eyes predatory and calculating, staring down at her with enough force to stop her in her tracks “Would it kill you to have some fun every once in a while?”

It had been a ploy to derail her investigation, to divert her attention until the plan was already into motion. Nothing more, nothing less. There hadn't ever been any genuine interest, much less love, on Junko's mind. All those memories were nothing more than an elaborate lie to get her to look away from what really mattered.

Worst of all, it had been a lie that worked, because Kyoko had never seen through it. Because she let it happen. Because she could've stopped the Tragedy, if only she hadn't been so naive.

“You always push everyone away, Kiri” The nickname caught her off guard back then, especially when said at such close proximity. Close enough for them to touch “But not me. I'll never leave you alone”.

The others must remember something, too, because she occasionally finds them looking at her with eyes full of pity. Makoto offers her words of encouragement whenever he can, repeating that it's not her fault ad nauseam (truthfully, she doesn't think she'll ever be able to believe him on that).

Hina, instead, focuses on telling her about Sakura and how much they'd danced around each other, never confessing their feelings until it was too late for it- telling her love makes people do stupid things. Hiro awkwardly tries to tell her the future, insisting that there's a better partner for her coming and ignoring her comments about not being sure if she wants to date again. Byakuya continues to act the same, but Toko offers to be less "romantic" in front of her, if it's that much of a sore spot.

None of them decide to inform the Future Foundation. They're all well aware of how she'll be treated if she's seen as Junko's lover, of all things.

“I don't think your hands are disgusting, Kiri” The affection in her tone is not lost on her, as she bows her head to kiss her scars. How could anyone fake that affection? How? “In fact, how about you let me do your nails? I'll do them red like mine! Matching girlfriends!”

The execution replays in her head endlessly, next to the memories from their school days, as if trying to compare the two. Finding the clues to her madness that she didn't notice before, asking herself why she didn't dig deeper. Even back when their first met, she'd thought that there was more to the fashionista that met the eye.

In her interviews, Junko often gave the impression of a typical dumb blonde, with nothing but shopping and boys in her brain. A borderline caricature of a bimbo, for people on the other side of the TV to either admire or laugh at.

The real deal was nothing of the sort. In fact, she quickly learnt that she had a very analytical mind. An eye for catching even the smallest of details, a hunger for knowledge, and extensive quantities of information spanning many topics- much like herself.

Perhaps that's what made her drop her guard, then. A false sense of comradery, of belonging. Thinking she'd found someone who understood her.

And Junko did understand her, if she was honest. She understood her better than anyone else, maybe even better than she understood herself.

Maybe that's why it hurts so bad.

“You should spend more time with the class” Junko repeated, dragging her towards the classroom early in the morning, instead of letting her continue investigating “I'm telling you! You'll like them if you give them a chance.”

Why hadn't she noticed how often her supposed girlfriend kept her from looking deeper into the mysteries surrounding Hope's Peak Academy? It had always been done with the sweetest sentiment, presented as her trying to help socialize and get out of her comfort zone. Hiding evil intentions behind a nice "I just wanted to be a good girlfriend and help you".

Had she truly been so blinded by love that she couldn't see what was standing right in front of her?

[inkrupt]

well there goes my drama virginity.

tw: drama discourse (believe me i'm tired of it just as much as you all are), mentioning of ζoophilia.

so, since no one else seems to care enough to point it out: apparently there were some allegations made against one of the author's fanfics on ao3, including one of the characters having unusual genitals. since the person who made that post is a minor and didn’t want to engage in reading smut, most of the proof was just a screenshot with tags attached to the fic, which included 'cloaca sex' and 'dead dove: do not eat' ones. i understand why these tags would make someone uncomfortable. i'm not encouraging anyone less than 18 years old to read explicit content fics, nor do i care about anyone disliking the work, people are allowed to have different opinions. however, i feel the need to clarify one thing, as someone who actually took time to read the fic very thoroughly:

not once there were animal-like genitalia mentioned in this work. not even the word 'cloaca' itself.

the problematic tags have since been removed, this work is far, far from what bestiality is, because the work itself describes a consensual sexual intercourse involving two different species, one of which is a sentient cryptid with completely fictional genitalia. again, i’m not encouraging any minor to read the fic, and if you are underage and don’t believe me (which is totally valid), you can get your adult friends to check it. why do i even bother to write this post? because i keep seeing people mentioning it every now and then and talking about something they don’t seem to fully know about, and i despise any type of possible gatekeeping. it hurts me to see the person who wrote this work suffer from it like this. i won't deny that the author should consider apologizing for adding these tags in the first place, since they kind of were in poor taste (even as jokes) to anyone who has no clue what fic is about and i can get the confusion they may've caused. but also as far as i know the author of this fic even got death threats over this situation, which is inappropriate behavior and there is no excuse for doing something like this. i do not support any type of harassment towards both sides of this conflict. i do not support any type of proshipping, non-con and zoophilia. and i genuinely believe the work doesn't have to do anything with these topics. (i also want to add that i do not give my consent to people that aren't mentioned here screenshotting this post and reposting it to other platforms in any way or form, in order to make fun of it, even as a joke. if you want to correct me or add something, my dms are open.) i probably won’t write anything more about it, i just want this discourse to stop already. i do want to add though that you shouldn’t treat any person's statements as true facts, and instead, check the situation yourself.

first try, then trust. thank you for reading.

[cosmicjoke]

Hey cosmic! I saw your answer to another anon and was wondering if you could elaborate on this part “Now, he might not be dead, if all the clues dropped in chapter 236 actually pan out to be clues”

What clues? I’d love to hear from you specifically your thoughts!! Maybe it’s the delusional part of me but I am hoping it was a fake out death or something. 🙏🏻🙏🏻

Well, okay. Now, I might be deluding myself too, lol, but I really, genuinely feel there's a LOT pointing to Gojo not actually being dead. Mainly, his conversation with Nanamin, and what Nanamin says to him about curses being able to "bring someone back", as well as the stuff about going North if you want to change, and going South if you want to stay the same, with the heavy implication at the end that Gojo is going North, while his friends go South. Why would Gojo separate from them if he was really, truly dead? There wouldn't be any way to change, at that point. If you're dead, you're dead, and there's nothing you can do to change who you are in that moment, or your circumstances. But if Gojo is still alive, then there's a chance for him to "change who he is". Nanamin also talking with Gojo about him fighting because he enjoyed it, and how if he wants to change, he should go North, and Gojo saying "I see.", before calling out to Principle Yaga and saying "I thought you said all jujutsu sorcerers die without regret", implying that Gojo HAS regrets, and that he doesn't feel good about how he left things. Implying he wants and even needs to go back. Maybe he needs to go back so he can face Sukana with more focus and seriousness, instead of treating it like a game.

The statement about curses also being able to bring someone back strikes me as an allusion to Gojo's statement about love being the greatest curse of all, and maybe having something to do with Gojo's love for his students, and their love for him. Sukana was told that he doesn't know about love, and we see a panel during Gojo's scene in the airport with the words "The one who will teach you about love is..." next to a picture of Sukana. I know it's a totally corny and cliche idea, but I get the sense that that sentence is supposed to be "The one who will teach you about love is Gojo Satoru.". Because Gojo, despite being the strongest, and always having a sense of separation from other people, was still loved, and still loved others, and that's something that Sukana, for all his great strength, never had. Gojo might have felt alone at times, but he was never, truly alone, while Sukana has always, truly been. Shoko even said early on, before Gojo's fight with Sukana, that he was never alone. So that just gives me the feeling that Gojo is going to come back, because he has unfinished business, basically. He's still beholden to his students, because of that love he has for them. The whole conversation he's supposed to have with Megumi about Toji, for example. And if love is a curse, if it's a curse that binds us to this world, then it might be enough to revive Gojo, and possibly give him the strength he needs to defeat Sukana.

I could just be talking out of my ass here too, lol, but that's how I currently feel, after reading the chapter.

We also see Gojo smile, back in the real, physical world. He's lying there with his body cut in half, so he should be DEAD, but of course, we know it's not that easy to kill Gojo, and he's obviously still alive if he's smiling, when before he wasn't. So, he might make it back.

Others have also pointed out that Gojo's head is still in tact, and he famously told Toji that the reason he wasn't able to kill him was because he didn't cut his head off. So it stands to reason that the only way to actually kill Gojo is to cut his head off of his body, and that hasn't happened here. Gojo's head is still attached. He also had renewed CE at the end of chapter 235, which tells me he SHOULD have enough CE left to perform Reverse Cursed Technique and heal himself.

Again, I could just be totally seeing things because I really don't want Gojo to be dead. But then, I don't think so. If all of these clues don't turn out to actually be clues, then I'm going to question what the point was at all of including them.

We'll see. The waiting is hard, and I hope this isn't some situation where we don't find out next week, or we have to wait a long time to know what's actually going on. That would be too cruel, lol.