#but this post isn't really about that. well it kinda is. but it can be understood without shipping goggles. i hope

[sugar-sweet-poison]

The Popularity of Each Saja Boy Among the KPDH Fandom

So I never actually expected to be putting anything resembling analysis on this blog (it was supposed to be for rebloging art and other shenanigans), but here we are.

I recently watched Danny Motta's reaction/review of Kpop Demon Hunters. If you haven't watched it, you absolutely should. Danny is a gem. Anywho, this post contains spoilers for his review, so if you care about spoilers then I recommend watching his video first.

When the Saja Boys are performing Soda Pop, Danny comments on what he thinks the popularity of each boy is and...well...he was very wrong. And it made me start to wonder why each of the boys are as popular as they are in the fandom.

(full spoilers for his video as relevant to this post below the cut)

So Danny thought the order of popularity was Romance, Abby, Mystery, and then Jinu and Baby tied for last place (though when Baby started rapping, Danny jumped him up to the third spot). Anyone who has spent even a little bit of time in the fandom knows he is very wrong. From what I've seen, Jinu is the top, then Baby, then Mystery, then Abby, then Romance. After some thought, I came to some conclusions as to why this might be the case.

Jinu is pretty self-explanatory. He is a main focus, the second half of the main romance, gets a backstory, has the most speaking lines and character development, etc. etc. etc. I'm not gonna spend too much time on Jinu cause it's pretty obvious why he gets the top spot. My real interest here is the other Saja Boys who get next to nothing in the film, but are massively popular regardless. Except Romance. While I don't exactly see Romance get hate, he definitely isn't as adored as the others and I think I know why.

Romance is the only one without a thing. He has no ongoing gimmick or trope or trait that is prominent throughout the film. We clearly can see what he is meant to represent, but there's really nothing that persists in the movie that shows it. Now think about the others.

We have Zoey's massive crush on Mystery that pops up several times during the movie. The dude literally barks at people. He also has the whole thing going on with his face being partially obscured which naturally makes people curious as to what he looks like (plus the demon fangs peek we got when he was introduced). Abby has several running gags focused around his abs. There's the popcorn gag, there's the conveniently placed breeze that constantly flashes everyone, and there's the camera always focusing in on his abs. The dude literally makes pencil rubbings of his abs to sign for fans. On top of that, he has himbo vibes, so people were gonna be on that like rabid squirrels. Plus when Mystery and Abby are banished, there is a specific focus on them. Mira makes a point about going for the abs (while having the popcorn eyes) and Zoey has one last thirst hurrah before sending Mystery back to the demon realm (which, added bonus, is a Mystery face reveal that only she gets to see). And Baby rocked everybody's world in their very first performance by having the sweet adorable face and then hitting everyone with the deepest voice in the group plus being the rapper. He also gets a moment in the spotlight when he wins the hot sauce competition and then is riding on Abby's back (more on him later because the Baby Saja craze is fascinating to unpack, he my fav too lol).

All of this is happening with the other Saja Boys, but Romance is...just kinda there? Yes, he has his in-universe shipping with Mira, but even that is shared with Abby. He's got the little hearts, but again, Baby does that too. Romance has nothing specific to him. The closest thing he has is that he has a very distinctive face and hairstyle, but that kind of works against him. The hair is fine, but his face is such a different shape from the others and is so much sharper that it actually feels out of place among the other boys. The boys have unique faces, but they still feel cohesive. If Romance had a softer jawline, it would probably feel better with the group. So the only thing he really has the separates him doesn't do it in a good way.

And if we take a deeper look at how Mystery, Abby, and Baby are handled in the movie, we also realize that their gimmicks do something very specific: they persist even when the boys themselves are not in the scene.

Think about it. We literally see Zoey start thirsting over a picture of Mystery. He's not even there, but he is still a momentary focus in the scene. Same with Mira hitting the punching bag with a picture of Abby's abs taped to it and yelling about how much she hates abs. Both involve and call focus to Mystery and Abby without them having to interact with HUNTR/X or even be in the scene.

And then there is the phenomenon that is Baby Saja. Literally one line in the entire movie, and yet rivals Jinu for the most popular. Why? I have a few ideas. The first is one that people probably can guess: his design is heavily based on Jimin from BTS, arguably the member that people would be able to name even if they aren't into Kpop. So that's already a win for him. Then there's the face and voice whiplash which creates an unforgettable moment very shortly after he's introduced. I have watched several reaction videos for this movie and nearly every single one of them comments when Baby starts rapping because they are so shocked by his voice. There are also a lot of subtle animation bits that build up throughout the movie (the side eye at Zoey, the smirk at HUNTR/X, etc.) that don't match the sugar sweet image he shows to the public. Then they hit us with Your Idol and this subtly is straight up kicked off stage and he goes feral (and viral, ironically). People love that looks like a cinnamon role but will kill you trope. And even with all of this, Baby has one more massive advantage over the others.

The music.

Because people aren't just hearing the songs when they're watching the movie. They're listening to the music on YouTube, Spotify, etc., and in both songs the Saja Boys sing, Baby has a rap sequence. I'm sure after listening to each song a few times, people could tell the voices apart to know who was singing when, but people needed no time at all for that when it came to Baby because he essentially got solo sequences where his voice stood out from the others, even Jinu. And in the actual performances, he is the focus of the moment, whereas otherwise it's usually Jinu, all of the boys, or rapidly bouncing focus. Very rarely does it linger on any of the boys for too long, let alone do so in a way that shows individual personality beyond their archetype. During Soda Pop, you have Baby taking center stage while the rest of the boys act like backup dancers. Then during Your Idol, the other boys are so spread out across the entire stage that the focus is locked in on Baby. Plus Gwi-Ma's fire is pulsing in the background as he rises up from the demon realm, further intensifying the scene. The only other person who gets this much attention is Jinu.

Given all he has going for him, I'm not even the slightest bit surprised that Baby Saja has exploded the way he has. All the while poor Romance has nothing. The boy can't compete. Considering that he and Baby were the ones who escaped being sent back to the demon realm though might make for some interesting development if the teams chooses to bring the boys back into the situation. He does seem to be the one that people are leaning on for shipping with Mira if they only pick one the boys, which is very intriguing.

Alright that's all I got I suck at endings bye!

[endlesslyhyperfixating]

I don't want people to just think that i'm a chronic shipper for the sake of shipping. Or that I don't "understand the point" of The Bear. Or all of my shipping habits is only in spite of the misogynoir-ist Bear fans who claim Sydney is annoying and therefore unlovable or undeserving of love.

It's because, she's such a beautifully fleshed-out character. She holds so much of herself back and doesn’t open her walls to anybody. She really only relies on her dad, and even then, she hates the feeling of someone worrying about her. And it's one of the realest qualities to any character I've ever had the pleasure of seeing and watching within a piece of media..

So yeah, okay, I ship Sydney with three different guys on the show (I see the SydRichie potential, SydLuca, c'mon they're cute, and OBVIOUSLY Sydcarmy..) (yes, you can LOL) because I think they could all bring her out of her shell in different ways.

And this is not in an “oh, she’s dependent on another person and the show is totally a romance” kinda way , and no not in a "I think in order for her character to be fully fleshed out she needs a romantic interest"— but in a way that recognizes romance is in fact a large part of most people’s lives. And as a well-written character, she deserves a well-written arc that includes her allowing herself to be loved. Cherished. Adored. The way she deserves. The way that she's denied herself. The way that she's closed herself off to. Time and time again. (Her dodging Carmen's obvious about-to-be-ask-out in season two, or the way that she blew off his "I like this" statement just this season)

She’s done so much good for every single one of the other characters. So yeah, fucking sue me if I think:

Luca and his charm and openness to learning and skill and flirtatiousness could make her more confident

Richie’s commitment to growth could open a space for real honesty between them and their connections growth to shift and become something more together (-this I'm kind eh on but I def see the appeal and the potential some of y'all have pointed out)

Or, (as my shameless favorite): Carmen.

Carmen, the damaged, youngest, most driven, most “I-have-something-to-prove-even-when-I-don’t,” the self-destructive and the caring, the altruistic yet insanely flawed young man, could grow alongside Sydney.

In what has the potential to be one of the most beautifully written dynamics in TV history.

The most complex, D1 yearner, and developed relationships to be told in a story already so deep and complex and human.

To have the upper middle-class Italian white youngest son, Carmen, with ambition and anger and years of pent-up emotion, to choose financially struggling Black woman, Sydney, who had to fight to become an absolutely, deliciously impressive chef in a predominantly white male industry. (meta tagged below) And for her to choose him back.

And to be together. Create together.

To hold each other (accountable, and in love)

in consistent apologies, and growth, and change, in discomfort and in the face of adversity.

To keep choosing each other.

To be each other’s partners.

And yeah, none of this is even from a technical or meta mind. This isn't an analysis or a deep set and heavily researched post to show you guys the evidence of how the show will show her love.. it's honestly just a rant at this point. I defend and love Sydney's character so hard and I believe so deeply she deserves the love she avoids and she deserves to be held and looked at longing and lovingly the way she really, already is. And to be okay with it and not only okay with it but to accept it and love it right back.

---

I alluded to a lot of ideas brought up in a couple metas I've read the past few days in this rant so I'll tag 'em here:

@whenmemorydies "system" works

@habaritess "I like this" was a confession

@yannaryartside "why Sydney is the bear..."

[housemdork]

house md rewatch: 3x01, "meaning"

one of those episodes where everyone is kinda mean to house but the uncomfortable truth is that no one is entirely wrong about him.

*chanting* new season! new season! new season! and jfc this one is long. i'm sorry.

if my memory serves me right, i feel like this is one of the more seamless finale -> season premiere transitions. meaning-making is front and center, and the season's other thematic concerns - burdens and enabling, specifically - mesh with it so well. i also love the tight balance of humor and seriousness and sincerity; the patient story is really really compelling, and even more compelling is how cuddy and wilson deal with the fallout.

but first and foremost, i want to mention how much friendly and casual intimacy takes place in this episode! they're all hanging out!

and i don't just mean this as a result of house's "new" attitude. season 3 foregrounds a sense of camaraderie among the big 7. between cuddy and wilson lounging in her office prior to house arriving, the ducklings sprawling out their late-night work like college students, to house's skateboarding, these moments feel extra palpable. it's especially refreshing after a season that oftentimes featured these relationships stretched to their limits (not that that won't come back, ofc).

is this intentional stage dressing for when The Relationship Of House MD is fractured for the first time? perhaps.

more importantly though is the revamped idea of meaning-making for house, what he professed to want at the end of his near-death dream/hallucination fiasco in 2x24. with the ketamine treatment working (for now), house believes he's created meaning for himself; he's healed the physical, which he believes will successfully merge both halves of his brain, which we met in 2x24. if the emotional/physical side of him can "keep up" with his brain, he'll be Okay. he'll be abruptly interested in offering palliative care, offering comfort to patients, and receiving their thank-you's.

the belying issue with this idea, however, is that house is all about defeating his pain. that's where his idea of self-improvement ends. like i said in my previous recap, he doesn't understand yet that we must make meaning for ourselves. his rejection/misunderstanding of this is equal parts stubbornness and internalized ableism; having seen himself as physically broken for so long ("what do i have? i have my brain. that's it."), his leg is the only "problem" he can conceptualize. this is what makes wilson so fucking frustrating in this episode lol but more on that soon.

a nifty visualization of this is the replacement of house's cane with the goofy asf skateboard. both affect/speed up his mobility, but one ends up being self-destructive. the skateboard garners him a moment of fleeting social acceptance/interest (after 2x24 highlighted his own internalized self-disgust at the mental and visual levels), only to show him in pain a second later:

the patient, richard, deconstructs this one-track-mind thinking for house, at least slightly (BEFORE WILSON RUINS IT). before house realizes richard is attempting to speak, he has a really tough conversation with richard's wife and main caretaker, arlene.

house presses arlene about her experience taking care of richard. he insists on getting her to admit that he's a burden (which she later admits in a moment of weakness; i won't dive into that, though), and he also wants to make sure she understands that all they were able to do for richard was to alleviate his pain. by house's logic/experience with his leg pain post-ketamine, this should be enough to give richard's life some meaning, but house realizes instead that pain alleviation isn't all there is.

he reminds arlene that "everything else will be the same," to which she replies "you took away his pain. that's a lot." this doesn't totally fly with house, however, and when he hears richard attempt to speak, he teeters even closer to his "old" (just 2 months ago lol) ways - solving the puzzle at any cost. also more on this later re: wilson. TLDR, house can see in his patient that meaning does not come from the absence of pain alone, but time will only tell if he can apply that same standard to himself.

the episode's most load-bearing question isn't necessarily the mystery diagnosis at hand. it's about this guy: what's wilson's deal (and why it's such amazing foreshadowing)?

house and wilson's first one-on-one conversation in season 3 is wilson insisting that house hasn't actually changed. it's his constant refrain any time house broaches the subject, and this makes a really interesting rejection of their typical angel-on-the-shoulder dynamic. house is trying to shake that influence off, under the belief that he's remedied the problem, found his meaning, etc.

it's exceedingly obvious why, at first, wilson is so anti-house changing. if it's really happening, then he won't need him anymore! or, at least, not in the way he's grown accustomed to! this is what makes his lectures about meaning so hilarious; if he's losing house's classic dependency on him, then he's gonna try to control every piece of this transition.

deeper than this, though, is wilson testing house. wilson understands meaning-making in life (even though he's awful at it lmfao). this harkens back to the eternal Does Wilson Suck question - wilson derives meaning, love, and validation from his career, but also can give it in return. people canonically thank him for telling them their cancer is terminal. does this reciprocity make him a bad person? i don't think so, and he wants to impart this to house. he wants to make sure that those patient thank-you's make him feel. when they don't, that's a sign that house has only dealt with half the problem: the physical.

at his core, wilson does believe (and wants house to believe) that the ketamine treatment worked. he just doesn't want house to create false hope for himself and crash when the other parts of his life, those he thinks revolve solely around his pain, don't change. what makes wilson so irritating throughout 3x01 is how he goes about this - just incredibly petulant and dismissive.

the fellows pick up on what wilson's saying, too, of their own accord; they just don't know the pathology behind it like he does.

this is my fav cameron look of all time btw. like this exact frame. tears in my eyes.

by the last third of the episode, it's very clear that house is moving away from his brief patient-comfort era and into his more typical diagnostics approach. after being so enthused about his recovery (much like she was with foreman's - it's so wonderful), cameron is the one brave enough to call house on this: "if you're wrong, we're torturing this guy to amuse you."

she doesn't use the same verbiage, but her point lands the same as wilson's - your leg has changed; you haven't. when house is extra nasty to her earlier on about how she's not interested in him anymore because he's no longer a "sick puppy," she retorts with "you're still unhealthy." oop!

interestingly enough, 3x01 posits foreman as the one to agree with house until the final phases of the episode. foreman says he'd much rather be working through the night to figure out how richard was able to speak than fixing his tendons, but when house orders one too many battery of dangerous tests, foreman and cameron are out.

in an EXCELLENT moment of foreshadowing, it's chase who's down with the sickness, so to speak. house says "jump" and chase quite literally asks "how high?" hmm. i wonder how this will pan out for the brown-noser come the season finale? >:)

it's so embarrassing. i love him. him and that fuck ugly tie.

ok. with all that being said. i'm going to tackle the 2 egregious acts taken by wilson and house respectively in the last 2ish minutes of the episode lol.

if you ask me, wilson should have told house, or let cuddy tell house, that his cortisol/addison's disease diagnosis was correct. his choice to keep a secret reminds me of the test and games he put house through via cuddy in 1x11 "detox", and i think it's another way in which he tries to control this new house. in his mind, house needs to learn humility in order to change, in order to not attribute everything to his pain, especially after so many years of opioid addiction. very "and everything's the leg?" of him. i think wilson's choice is actually somewhat self-defeating; did house not generate meaning through his fluke of a diagnosis?

and yet! 2 conversations took place prior to cuddy injecting richard with cortisol that re-contextualize wilson's decision, and i'd be remiss not to invoke the foreshadowing card. going out of order for a reason here:

here, house admits that cuddy was right to not believe his diagnosis, something he has never done before. it's the sign of humility and fundamental change that wilson has been fishing for throughout 3x01. painful though it is, house has processed cuddy's through-the-window demand: he needs to learn what being told "no" means. had cuddy or wilson told house about the cortisol's success, this lesson would have failed.

earlier, in the immediate aftermath of being rejected by cuddy, house confesses to wilson that his leg hurts. viewers understand that it's legitimate (house/audience solidarity again!) but wilson, keeping up his relentless dismissal, attributes the pain to ordinary middle-age muscle strain. putting aside the fact that telling a disabled person that they don't understand their own body is fucking crazy, wilson really does believe and wants house to believe that the ketamine worked...because he doesn't want house back on vicodin.

how wilson goes about this is sick and twisted, but he's the only person thus far who's identified the other half that needs to change, that which house hasn't and refuses to account for - his addiction. again, this is all very 1x11. in a season that will come to be defined by house's abuse not JUST of vicodin but of people's overall trust, this is huge. whether it's because they don't pay attention or they have more than just house in their lives (i.e, cuddy, running the entire hospital), no one else is as in-tune to house's addiction as wilson, and thus wilson is burdened with being the asshole to stick it to house when the going gets tough.

house calls direct attention this, almost calling out viewers' manufactured frustration with wilson along the way: "i don't remember you being this bitchy." / "the vicodin dulled it."

house's choice to then steal wilson's prescription pads unleashes season 3's central conflict - burdens vs. enablers. richard introduces the notion of burdens to house, who perceives arlene as being burdened by her husband. house clearly fears that outcome for himself, since he hates the fact that he needs people to begin with. arlene's simple explanation of this is really profound:

"i have a responsibility...i can't abandon him."

but house's refutations have heavier implications:

"so he's just an anchor weighing you and your family down...you don't want to take care of him. taking care of him doesn't fulfill you, make you happy. but not taking care of him would make you miserable."

i'm taking a mega shot at house rn - house internalized arlene's seemingly endless devotion to richard and ran with it. this isn't so obvious without hindsight, but this is the season that defines wilson as the enabler of all time, because to not enable house at times is to send him to jail. to put him in major pain. to lose him. wilson will not be happy to "take care" of house, but he would be miserable to not do so.

season 3 is brilliant because of how it flips the sympathy/villainizing dynamic of season 2. wilson was a serial cheater, sleeping with a terminal patient, then berating stacy for cheating, sticking his nose way too far in other people's business, etc. while house was having horrible pain days and feeling punished for doing the right thing - sending stacy away. but NOW? we're in the Evil House season. house md is so comfortable in their writing chops that they bravely characterize their leading man as a pretty distinct Bad Guy, beyond his usual treating people poorly antics, and ask us to feel bad for his counterweight - at least to a point.

and everyone gets caught in the crossfires! hooray, season 3!!!

[liliesyearn]

“Just a piercing”

Snotlout x Reader

Summary: Keeping the tradition of your home island was absolutely all your responsibility, yours and your best friend, Indigo.

Berk was still trying to figure out how piercings were helping them, they couldn't capture the essence of beautiful metal permanent moles all over your face, and other parts of their body if they were brave enough.

That's why you were confused when Snotlout asked you for urgently pierce him tomorrow.

Tags: fluff, comfort, silly snotlout, kinda modern... I needed a kitchen

A/N: hiii this is my first time EVER writing something like this, i really mean it; also this has a LOT of lore drop, I just wanted to set a consistent history to make this a series okayy sorry if is kinda long... english isn't my first language tho so it can be a little messed up but I hope y'all understand the vibe!!! it's all for the vibe!!! pluss this is actually one scene of my oc but i preferred posting it like this tehee

“What are you doing here?” Your best friend and roomie curious asked "This isn't too early for you?"

"Snotlout wants a piercing"

Indigo stopped.

"A... Piercing?"

You cannot tell if she was making fun or if she was really asking "What's wrong?" You asked with a fake confusion, even if you knew where she was going.

"There's no way Snotlout gets a piercing" she laughed.

"I know he won't" You said "But he was desperate so I told him to come"

"Yes" She said "Just that and has nothing to do with the little crush you have with him"

Well maybe Indigo was kinda right...

When you came to Berk after the accident of your homeisland, you never felt that needing of being a real viking or whatever they called it.

Having to make your own life with your almost sister was hard but at least both of you had the Hiccup's help, the only guy in Berk that was your friend.

Not all the guys were mean with Indigo and you, but you never had that bond they could, and not going to the academy didn't help as well.

Just some random conversations with some of them when you went to the village were all your relation with the other guys.

Even so, you thought Snotlout was cute, the island constantly talked about how annoying was but something in yourself thought that he cannot be that bad.

Besides you will be a hypocrite knowing that Astrid didn't like you as well even if she didn't know you.

You understood her though, Indigo and you were some of a jobless who did absolutely nothing and she does everything.

You both didn't see each other but when you do, you don't expect her to be nice to us, you even can swear that she and Indigo had some kind of tension but maybe that was you being delusional.

And about being delusional, that was exactly what you were doing while Indigo was waiting for you to answer her.

"Shut up" You said trying to hide that you maybe were a little bit annoyed by her jokes "You are going to sell your crafts and stuff today?"

"Yeah, someone has to bring food to this house" she joked "Whatever you say" You stand up "I'm going with you"

"You don't have to wait for someone, you do?" She lifted one of her eyebrows.

"He's supposed to come later" You said.

"Let's go then"

Both of you went to the heart of the village.

You constantly get lost in your thoughts thinking about everything and nothing at the same time.

"Look who is there" Indigo interrupted your thoughts about nothing while she was again, making fun of you.

You smiled looking at Snotlout near, you weren't annoyed with having to stay together today, you were actually curious about him. It seemed like he realized that you both were directly staring at him so he walked to you.

"You are not supposed to be in my house? like... right now?" You moved your head a bit while you were smiled.

Annoying people was something you really enjoyed, even more if the people get successfully annoyed.

Sadly, the reaction that everyone would expect from Snotlout was not the one you get.

"I'm sorry, princess" He said fastly as if you were actually mad "I was trying to get something for you, you had breakfast?"

You weren't the one amused there, Indigo was even kinda scared and she had to do something about it.

"I heard well?"

Immediately she said that, the one who was scared was Snotlout, who fixed his posture and cleared his throat.

"Since when are you here?" He frowned.

"Since forever, dumbass" Indigo rolled her eyes.

"You don't have stuff to sell or something?"

"Since when have you guys been like this?" You interrupted their little fight.

"Sorry" Indigo said first "Just seeing him makes me mad"

"Hey, I'm still here, dork" Snotlout said notably annoyed.

"I know and I'm done, I prefer not being here than still listening your voice" She smiled victorious at seeing the mad expression in Snotlout's face, she grabbed her basket and looked at you "I hope you finish soon, I don't want to get home and see this stupid guy in" she said smiling looking at the annoyed Snotlout's face again.

"Yeah, I hope so" You softly laughed "Good luck with your stuff"

"I think I'm going with Hiccup later so you can go there" She said while she was leaving you both alone.

"I really can't understand how you can stand her" Snotlout said while he was looking in the direction she walked.

"I'm sure she thinks exactly the same about you" you joked "I didn't get my breakfast"

Snotlout shook his head, like he just got a thought or something "Wait here" he said and left running.

He didn't take long to come back with a slice of pie.

"Do you like blueberries?" He asked with those big eyes.

"I like them" you smiled "You want to go to my place now?" You stopped when you saw his face so you quickly finished your phrase "You know, for the piercing and so"

"Yeah" he looked at the floor "I- I think we should go too"

You saw Snotlout was surprised when he saw your home "You actually live here?" He said.

"Yeah, actually" you made fun of him "Is ugly, right?"

"It's cute I mean, cool it looks cool" he corrected himself "I've never been here"

"Maybe it's because I've never invited you but I don't know" you smiled giving him a little punch over his shoulder "Please come in"

Both entered your home, Snotlout was scanning everything he can. ”You really live alone here?" He asked while he was still watching inside.

"Yup" you said walking to your small kitchen.

"That sounds awesome" he answered "Sometimes I wish I could live alone too" he said and then stopped, like he said something that shouldn't be said" "What are you doing?" He switched the topic.

"I'm cleaning your piercing" your voice was slowly getting sweeter, you didn't know you could do that.

"Oh, true..." Snotlout had a reality check. He walked near you, wanting to watch what you were doing "That really hurts?"

He was being unnecessarily cute.

"Are you scared?" You smiled teasing him.

"Of course I don't" He quickly said raising his tone "Sorry, but I mean it really hurts?"

It wasn't hard to tell that he was scared.

You turned off the stove and served the water in two cups that you were holding now, you turned and walked to the table and did a sign for Snotlout to join you.

"I hope you like tea" You approached him one cup while you finally got to eat that pie.

"Thanks" Snotlout took the cup and sipped the tea you gave him. "Why do you want to get pierced?" You asked.

"What do you mean?" His relaxed posture tensed again.

"I know we aren't that close but you don't see the type of guy that..." "...that" Snotlout said waiting for your response. "That suddenly walks in with a brand new piercing" you quickly said "I don't know what you are trying but whatever it is I'm the only one who's going to hear, you know?"

He thought about it for a second and after a sigh, he said "It's for Astrid"

"Astrid?"

You've been waiting for everything for him to say but that?

"Why is Astrid related to this?"

"Well something like that..."

"I need you to justify your answer, Snotlout"

"Okay maybe we had an argument"

"You had an argument with, Astrid?"

His answers were getting worse.

"No but we are okay, I think so..."

"I still can't understand what this has to do with me and the piercings"

"Okay let me explain" he cleared his throat "We were training and someone started to say how ugly piercings are" he shook his head "I said they were cool and then Astrid said they are painfully awful, I told her she was wrong she was still saying that so I told her I'm going to get one to show her how cool they seem, really thought I was playing but look, I'm here"

"You really argued with Astrid for all that?" You were still shocked.

You thought you were impulsive but maybe you find a good opponent.

"Yeah, whatever" he drank some of his tea "So it hurts?"

"You literally could said anything and you choosed to get a piercing?"

"Yeah, that happened" he was distracted.

"Why?"

"I wanted to defend you" he drank again his tea.

"And how do you know she was talking about my piercings and not Indigo's one?"

Snotlout choked and after recovering he said "Don't say that again ever please, I'm having enough with having a hole in my face for ever" he stopped looking at you "No offense tho"

" "Whatever" you rolled your eyes "You are dumb"

"Yeah... I don't know why I said that to be honest" he scratched his head "Maybe it's because I'm a gentleman and stuff"

You couldn't help bursting in a laugh "For sure is that" you finished eating your pie and said "Thanks for defending me"

"it's okay" he smiled victorious "I know we don't talk that much but..."

"If you say something again about how gentleman you are I'm gonna cry, I mean it" you interrupted him.

"I get annoyed when they talk about you guys, I think it's just that" he started to get nervous and stopped looking at you "I mean, even if we are not that close and even if I can't stand Indigo..." He paused to frown at that thought "I think you are nice, both of you, whatever"

"That's cute" you said "Maybe I get wrong and you really are a gentleman" you wink at him and took the cups going to the kitchen.

"You really think so?" He looked at you, you can even swear his eyes were shining and you didn't have the heart to say you were joking a little bit.

"Of course I do, I never lie" you walked to the stairs where your bed was while Snotlout was following you.

"Well, I'm sure you have said to indigo she's a good person at least once" he laughed.

"You are soo funny, Snotlout" you rolled your eyes. "Yes I am" he smiled

"Is not dangerous like... Getting pierced in your bed?"

"Snotlout you are definitely not getting pierced"

"What?" He looked more scared than disappointed.

You sit in the bed and tapped next so he can sit with you.

Then you looked at him, taking his helmet of and playing with it said "You know we are alone, right?" You took a pause "No one is here, nobody else can listen or see us right now"

"...Yes" he said all confused without knowing what were you trying to say.

"You are freaking scared, Snotlout, you don't want to do this and me either"

"Oh, come on" he whimpered "I promised to show it tomorrow" he pouted.

"It's just a piercing"

"But Astrid is going to keep saying things about you"

"I don't care about whatever she says"

"But I do" he stated "She's my friend but she's getting annoying, I think I'm starting to stand better Indigo than her" he joked "But being real, I would rather she being mean to me than she being with you"

"I doubt she is your friend and you didn't have a crush on her or something? Like I appreciate this so much but you really don't have to do all this for me"

"You doubt she's my friend?"

"Anyways, I knew you were mulish..." You stand up and look for something "So I made something for you"

"For me?"

You came back to your bed and showed him what you had in your hands.

"It's a fake piercing, Hiccup helped me with it yesterday" you gave it to him "it's cool, right?"

"Wow" he turned his tone "That's awesome"

"I know right? I really don't know how I made all that in one day, Hiccup really helped me so much"

"You did all this just for me?" He was still shocked, admiring the little piece in his hands"

"Yes, this is the first time I've done something like this"

"You are amazing"

"It's n-nothing" you suddenly get nervous, you didn't expect him to react like this.

"Even if you didn't knew what this was for you did it for me" He was still amused.

You nodded "Yeah... I thought it was rare all this situation so I made a plan b in the case you get scared with the needle, so"

"Needle?" Hid voice was shaking.

"Well, yes dumbass, how do you think piercings are done?"

"Piercing stuff? I don't know, whatever" he rolled his eyes.

"Silly" you said.

"How do you feel living alone" he suddenly switched the topic.

"I think I finally got used to it" You lay down "I know It can sound kinda rude but I think I finally get over all my parents thing"

"Oh"

You always forget that topic was a little bit awkward so you switched the topic.

"And how are you?"

Snotlout also laid down with you and looked at the ceiling.

"Good, of course I'm good" he quickly said.

"I mean about your parents, fool"

"Well... I think" he took a pause "I actually don't know" he was still thinking"I don't usually think about it"

Maybe Snotlout was lying, maybe he thinks about it all his nights and some parts of the day but he wasn't going to admit it, at least not now.

"Don't think about it then" you said "Parents are fucked up, right?"

"Yeah... Sort of" he smiled "it's been a while since I had something like this" he confessed.

"Something like what?" You looked at him.

"I don't know, don't pressure me"

You laughed at his reaction "You are not that bad as they say, you know"

Snotlout looked you back "Do you think so?"

You smiled "Yeah, I think we should go out more" you suddenly get nervous so you had to add something "I m-mean to talk and stuff... You know"

Snotlout was getting nervous as well "Y-yeah we should" he took a pause "I think it's cute... I mean great, whatever"

Magically you both were closer, the atmosphere was completely different as the one you maybe had one day or maybe a week before.

"Yeah I think the same" you said "You think it would be unprofessional if I get sleep with my not-client? I think I can fall asleep right now"

Snotlout sighed with relief "Oh Thor, I thought I was the only one" he smiled "I think was the tea"

"Sure" you said while both of closed your eyes.

Getting comfortable, maybe friendly cuddling...

[kakusu-shipping]

Oh bonus for fun fun I also did Tenna

Headcanons below the cut Again

Pre-Spamton

He was bought by the Dreemurrs, a newly married Asgore and Toriel, practically Brand New

He obviously was never a Child but he is basically the first Dreemurr child in many ways, as he spent a lot of time with them and learned all his mannerisms and quirks from them

He was obviously over JOYED when Asriel was born, he considered him like a little brother and wanted to do everything to help him grow well. Same can be said for when Kris was adopted

He was a lot more flashy and loud in this era, he was the hit new thing after all, and he was well adored and cared for

Near the end of this era is where he meets Spamton pre-big shot. Spamton brings him fanmail from other Dark worlds, as sense Spamton isn't a Physical Object like Tenna is, he's able to travel between places easily (so long as there's a computer there)

I like to imagine the bow-tie he's wearing is the Big Shot bowtie/Frayed Bowtie Swatch and Spamton sell you in Chapter 2

Post-Dess Disappearance

I never stated it in my last bunch of headcanons but the Big Shot Era is meant to be around the time Dess vanishes, which is where everything starts going down hill

Especially for Tenna

He's already starting to show signs of age, he's been sun bleached from sitting in front of the window so long, his screen is starting to distort, his colors just aren't as vibrant no matter how hard he tries

And of course suddenly no one in the house is getting along anymore

But it's not all bad! He's got his little mailman at least! and said Mailman is offering to help him into the world of modern technology!

Tenna's in this mindset at this point where he thinks He can fix whatever's happening in the Dreemurr house by just. Doing Better. Doing More.

He's got some Eldest Daughter Syndrome without the ability to actually carry the family's burdens on his shoulders

He's also loosing a lot of weight in this era. It's mostly stress, though a few (meant to be in good fun) jabs from Spamton did Not Help

Spamton also causes his Tail Insecurity (same way, it was meant to be teasing, Tenna's just sensitive), so he starts hiding it down his pants leg

He gains a lot of Bad Habits in this Era from Spamton, like Smoking and Drinking. He handles them responsibly, but they will come back later

All the changes to his outfit in this era were Spamton's doing to help him look more new and modern

Except for the de-saturation, that's just the affect Tenna has on clothes he wears. They're meant to be much brighter, to match Spamton

Post-Spamton

He really starts to fall apart after Spamton leaves

Especially sense it's right around the same time the Dreemurr's divorce went through, meaning suddenly Asgore was also gone

And not long after Asriel left as well

Tenna can't help but think everyone leaving all at once was his fault some how

He starts abusing the Bad Habits he picked up from Spamton, getting Drunk, smoking often, magnets, anything to distract himself from his long lonely days shut off in the living room

He also starts having... kinda violent outbursts

He'll just Explode at his staff, yelling and swinging his massive self around in very scary ways. Ramb tends to be on the receiving end of most of these, sense he still has a bit of Ego left over from being Kris' favorite toy

This is of course how Ramb eventually looses his tail, and his bite

These outbursts are followed immediately by crashouts, where all he does is sob out apologizes and shrink with his screen completely blank

He's lost a lot more weight, more noticeable because he's not getting his clothes tailored anymore. Not until the dark fountain opens again, of course. Gotta look good for the Lightners.

He still cares a lot about the Dreemurrs of course, they're his family, but at this point he's so lonely, so exhausted, so depressed... He just wants someone, anyone at all to care about him

Thus why he takes the Knight's Deal.

My silly little white men and their kinda fucked up history <3

Headcanons below the cut

Cyber Era

Spamton

Spamton to me is Trans in the same way Mettaton is Trans, in that Addisons are a Genderless/Sexless species, and thus Spamton is abnormal presenting as a Man

He spends pretty much all his time in this era being horribly anxious and depressed

He never has solid work and is constantly bouncing between odd jobs and helping the other Addisons with their work

He's always wearing some kinda hand-me-down from the other Addisons so nothing he wears fits him

Addisons have this sort of down feather-like soft fabric covering their body, it's full of fiber glass so they have a slight glow to them

He needs glasses So Bad but he doesn't know that

Ramb

As the only Power Strip in Cyber City he's sort of like the Foreman to all other Plug Boys

He's a fantastic union boss, enforcing breaks and vacation days, shifting who's plugged into every day to give them all rest

He doesn't mind his job and he's a good natural leader type it's just a little exausting

In his spare time, the little of it that he has, he learns Mixology from Swatch at a bar near by

When Queen takes over, she takes Swatch with her, closing the little bar near where Ramb works, and cutting off his only real friendship

He COULD go see Swatch at the castle, but he doesn't want to drag his old friend down now that they're in the big time

Big Shot Era

Spamton

The phone calls start, then he meets a man named Mike who acts as his business connection, and suddenly Spamton is making the big bucks like no one ever has

The first thing he does with his new big bucks is find some way to Modify his body

He adds extra joints and flexibility to his hips and chest, along with a LOT of padding, thus his fat tits and ass

He also gets Phalloplasty, said phallo is detachable for convenience, but it makes him feel euphoric so he keeps it on pretty much all the time

He's also experimenting with how tall he can make the soles of his shoes before it looks kinda silly

Bro got himself some Contacts!! He can See!!!

Sometime in this era he decides to tag along with Queen and Swatch to the Dreemurr house hold and meets Tenna, who he's an instant hit with

From then on he's constantly going back and forth between Cyber City and TV World, doing business in both places, along with Mike.

Ramb

Endearingly, this is his Douche Era

In Darkner-lore, Swatch invited Ramb to come along with them and Queen to the Dreemurr house for a live showing of TV Time (In lightner-lore, this is where Kris stole Ramb from the Computer Lab)

The attention he got from Kris was addicting, so he decided to hang around, making himself useful by becoming a "Mike" before mike was a thing

Basically he's like the Show-Runner/Producer/Director type, He makes sure everything stays on schedule and all the lighting/music cues happen on time, like the Mikes do in-game

He's really good at it too thanks to all the work he did leading the Plug Boys back in Cyber City.

And of course in his down time he plays with Kris

The amount of attention Kris gives him starts giving him a bit of an undeserved Ego, and he eventually ends up kind of negging Tenna a bit (kind of playfully, but also sort of truthfully, his intentions don't matter because it really does Get to Tenna)

Which then in turn enforces Tenna fear of being Abandoned, causing him to turn to Spamton to get more modern. He's not like, the ONLY cause for this fear of Tenna's, but he's certainly the most constant reminder of it

He's got this sort of "I know best" mentality now, along with the job position to control the flow of the show. He might be a little mad with power

Because of Kris' influence, Rambs ears start to flop (I imagine Kris is back and forth with playing with Ramb like a doll, and playing with him like a dog would a chew toy. They are Very Dogkin coded)

He also stops wearing shoes, again because of Kris' influence. None of the Dreemurrs where shoes in my mind

Also, Tenna has massive tail insecurity and makes it everyone else's issue, so Ramb keeps his wire tail tied up and tucked in his jumper. Not that he needs it for work anymore anyway

Disaster Era

Spamton

After obtaining the Shadow Crystal from the voice on the phone and seeing "heaven" through it, Spamton starts getting paranoid about the world and people around him

Which is only made worse when the phone tells him of Tenna's eventually demise, and how if he stays around he'll be going down with him

He bolts, abandoning both Tenna and Mike without a word

Out of fear for the prophecy, Spamton starts holing up in his room, hunched over the phone, only ever leaving to drink away the horrors he learns from it, or to go into the basement to pray

Queen, probably well intentioned but honestly who knows, takes him to the Acid pool to relax (against his will), which of course does the opposite

He looses pretty much all his fabric/skin, what little remains, mostly around his face and joints, he picks at till it's all gone

This of course also means loosing all the gender affirming body mods he'd gotten, except for his penis which he's SO scared of loosing he keeps locked away and doesn't wear anymore (not like he's using it after leaving Tenna anyway)

None of his clothes fit him anymore, and sense he's too scared and paranoid to leave his room, he never gets them tailored

His erratic behavior and dwindling profits (sense he's not actively working, just hiding) eventually get him kicked out of the castle, and to where we eventually see him in game

Ramb

Everything stared going down hill after Spamton ran out

Suddenly Ramb's jabs at Tenna were way more meaningful, with more bite to them, and Tenna couldn't stand to hear them anymore

He couldn't exactly Fire Ramb, he was still precious to Kris after all, even if playtime seemed to happen less and less often every day, so instead he demoted him

Ramb use to make drinks for Spamton and Tenna during their meetings, so Tenna decides to put that skill to use and stick him behind the bar

Sense Spamton left Mike behind when he fled, Tenna promotes him to Ramb's old position (which he eventually leaves, putting the "Mikes" we see in game in charge)

Sense he's on his feet all day now, he starts wearing shoes again

He also starts wearing his sleeves rolled up to remind him of better times (his arms are covered in dents from where Kris use to chew at him)

When the Dark Fountain opens Tenna is still so terrified that everything Ramb said was right, that he knows Kris better that Kris likes him better, so he takes away Ramb's ability to handle points at all to prevent him from being useful to Kris, even as a shop keep

At this point Ramb's given in to this new "Whatever Tenna says goes" way of running TV World (which up until Spamton left wasn't fully based on TV), so instead of directly fighting back he sets up the game backstage

He still has that kind of douchey "I know best" attitude, but it's mostly self defense and cope at this point.

At some point he lost his cord tail. I haven't really thought of how or why yet. I want it to have something to do with whoever's giving guys shadow crystals and why Ramb doesn't have one but still Knows Stuff, but the details are fuzzy atm

Or maybe it was Tenna during a meltdown idk I just know it's like kind of a turning moment for him.

[spinn-virus]

Sooo recently I've been on vinted a little too much and came across this Jetfire for £7 (Thrilling 30s Jetfire I believe)

And I thought, no way. The included photos were decent but I figured, at that price he must be in subpar condition which would likely be much more obvious in person

I grabbed him anyway because £7 is £7. Fully prepared for him to be missing parts etc.

But he turned out to be much better than expected? He was definitely giving off 'sitting in the attic for an indeterminate amount of time' vibes, but I didn't have to submerge him in Chemical Solution as I'd initially feared (he just needed a regular clean, staining is minor), and in terms of missing parts I believe he's complete save for a handheld gun (?) which I can hardly complain about.

And aside from a tiny bit of chipped paint here and there he is perfect. Whatever storage box I rescued him from, I'm glad he's in my care now. He's frickin huge by the way, all my Starscream figures are teeny compared to him 😳

[royalarchivist]

[A sad violin song plays over an image of a sad hamster]

Pac: This doesn't have anything to do with me – I wear a blue sweatshirt, you're crazy, this mouse doesn't even have a sweatshirt, this hamster! [Reading chat] Am I a depressed hamster?

[ Transcript continued ↓ ]*

–

Pac: Actually– that's fine! I embrace that idea – of course I'm going to be depressed, are you crazy? [He hits his desk, then starts counting off people on his fingers] Fit is gone, Richarlyson is gone, Ramon is gone, Bagi and Empanada who were always there when we were there are also gone, I haven't seen them! It's just me and Tubbo, and sometimes Philza shows up.

Pac: I lost Chume Labs, I lost the Favela, I lost Murder Mystery, I lost Ilha Chume Labs, it's crazy! Look at how much I've lost, and I've gained nothing! Of course I'm going to be depressed, are you crazy?! How am I supposed to be happy?!

Pac: [Reading chat] "You have us Pac," that's true, thank you. No, that's true, sorry.

* NOTE: Please note that this is an incomplete transcript, as I was primarily relying on Aypierre's translation mod at the time and if I am not confident of the translation, I do not include it. As always, please feel free to add on translations or message me corrections.

[hopeaterart]

Okay, longer post on how I think 600 Strikes should've gone.

Okay, so full disclaimer before I start: I ADORE Epic: The Musical. I found out about it thanks to my sister showing me Monster, and I've been hyped for the release of every following Saga. It's what got me to start writing my own Greek Myth fic! The Vengeance Saga is no exception: all of it was a banger. My least favorite song of the lot wasn't even the one this post is about: it was 'Not Sorry for Loving You' (I don't. ljke Calypso). 600 Strikes, especially with the second half, is actually one of my favorite songs of the concept album.

HOWEVER, I've stated in my last post that the second half should've gone like THIS ↓

And I stand by this.

Now, before I really start, I don't actually imagine Poseidon taunting Odysseus with words. More like, laughing madly at him while he has a breakdown about what he's become. Full on Joker from Batman cackle. Poseidon is a violent misanthrope at best, and an insane maniac at worst.

Now, onto my first point: Poseidon is a god. And until Six Hundred Strikes, gods in Epic were portrayed as being insurmountable. I really liked that. I know that other people liked that. And having Poseidon remain unmoved even as Odysseus tortures him is would've really driven that in.

Just... imagine it: Odysseus has done what very few have done and bested a god. Still, the Lord of Tides refuses to lift up the storm, spitting him to the last moment. He's got no choice but to resort to drastic measures, and everything- the pain, the frustration, the hatred, both toward himself and the god- come spilling out as he stabs him with his own weapon over and over and over again.

He's throwing his words back in his face, making sure that Poseidon knows: every ounce of pain that Odysseus inflicts on him can be traced back to his own damn actions. But Poseidon isn't begging for mercy, or trying to retain a shred of dignity by gritting his teeth and enduring. He's goading him on. He's taunting him, he's laughing at him. He's laughing.

And why wouldn't he? He's done it, after all. He got what he wanted. Odysseus of Ithaca, the arrogant mortal who refused to finish the job, is no more. Only a ruthless, broken monster remains. One who's earned the right to get back to his kingdom.

("With everything you've done, how will you sleep at night?" becomes less of an attempt at getting the last word in, and more of a genuine curiosity.)

Now, my second point: it would muddy who, exactly, between Odysseus and Poseidon, who ends up getting their revenge. Now, in the actual musical, it's obviously Odysseus, and he deserves the win. The man has done nothing but take Ls since the Cyclops Saga, he deserves a W before making it back to Ithaca.

In canon, Poseidon is very much not pleased with how things end up turning out. But if Poseidon had been pleased with Odysseus

Physically- well, it's still Odysseus. He brought Poseidon to his knees with a windbag, his own storm, and the ghosts of his entire fleet. And then, he picks up his own trident and goes to absolute town on him. Even if Poseidon is happy about getting his shit rocked , he's still getting his shit rocked.

But philosophically? I'd argue that Poseidon is the winner here.

For the entirety of Act 1, Odysseus believes in Open Arms (RIP Polites) and to his credit, it does work. First with the Lotus Eaters to find more food (even if it led him right to Polyphemus, they are high as balls), and then Circe to save his men. He also doesn't get to see it, but it's also more or less what happens between Telemachus and Athena, which eventually leads to his freedom from Calypso. Shit, the one time he decides to use it in Act 2, it nearly works on Poseidon himself in Get in the Water! The problem is that the world isn't always kind, and sometimes, it'll react to open arms by stabbing you in the chest. Just look at what happened with the cyclops.

Meanwhile, Poseidon believes in Ruthlessness. And being ruthless has served Odysseus very well: the Trojan Horse, killing the infant to save his family, also Circe to save his men (before she pulled out the Other Ways lmao), neutralizing the Sirens, the sacrifice for Scylla, even sacrificing his own crew to stay alive. The problem is that both of these characters confuse being ruthless with being cruel, and that's what fucks Odysseus over.

Oh well. Being ruthless and cruel was just what Odysseus needed to deal with Poseidon. And it's what will get him through the suitors, so he can finally reunite with his son and wife.

Lesson learned.

(Also, Athena is Odysseus' mentor, and a well-documented thing in actual Greek Myth (and sadly untouched in the musical even if I understand why) is that Poseidon and Athena do not like each other. Documented rivals. What happens is that he successfully sank his claws in her abandoned pupil, and twisted Odysseus into a monster that would horrify his past self even before Open Arms. In the face of spitting his least favorite niece like that, getting repeatedly stabbed was absolutely worth it)

[t4tadrienette]

Goku definitely wanted to train Gohan for fun, just like Grandpa Gohan did with him, but then he wanted to respect Chichi's desire of him not becoming a fighter. He also spent 4 years of Gohan's life together and living peacefully.

But then he died, and when he came back, he found that Gohan was turned into a fighter by Piccolo, fair, I guess. He didn't see him fight, tho, he doesn't know the story behind him becoming a fighter, just that he was trained by Piccolo.

Then Gohan wants to go to Namek to find the dragon balls because he has to make sure their dead friends come back, and Goku goes wow that sounds like me, he also can't stand to stay on the side when it comes to these things.

Weeks pass, and now he's finally able to reach them on Namek. They have to fight, of course. Things happen. He's the only chance they have to defeat Freezer. Things fall apart now, Goku becomes Super Saiyan and tells Gohan to take Piccolo and get away. Goku is stuck alone on Namek. He saves himself by pure luck. He decides to stay where he is, to learn something new, to be able to also control his Super Saiyan state.

A year passes, and he comes back to earth. News from the future, saying that in 3 years, there's gonna be a new threat. They have to train, Gohan wants to train with him and Piccolo to fight this new threat. The three years have passed, and now there's another threat outside of the androids. Goku finally healed, he gets Gohan and tells him they're gonna train to defeat Cell. Gohan accepts to train with him. Gohan puts his all into that training, and Goku finds out Gohan has so many capabilities than what he shows. That's good! They have a chance at defeating Cell, maybe.

They finish their training, Goku wants Gohan to spend as much time with Chichi, and he wants to spend the remaining days before the Cell games as a family, you never know. The Cell games start, and Goku goes first to study him, to see how strong he is and if Gohan might have a chance. Oh, Gohan definitely has a chance. Come on, Gohan, now is your turn, I can tell you know you're stronger. Gohan is having difficulties, tho, Goku says it's just a matter of time before his fighting instict and anger sets in. But Gohan doesn't like fighting. That knowledge comes to Goku as a shock. He always assumed Gohan was fighting for the safety of the earth and for the love of fighting as well. At the end of the day, how could he think different, he never truly saw Gohan fighting, and at the end of the day, he was just picking up what Piccolo started in the first place. He never truly showed a disliking for fighting, or at least he never told him. He didn't know how in his first fighting against the Saiyans, he was petrified by fear. He wasn't there for the love of fighting, but because he had to, since he had this power.

Goku realises he miscalculated this. He immediately tells Krillin to pass him a bean so that he can get back into shape to go help him. Of course, Cell stops him before that. After Cell started to attack the others, finally Gohan snapped and unleashed his power, Goku was right after all. Gohan was definitely more powerful than him. He was the right warrior to defeat him. Gohan needs to defeat him once and for all, tho, but he doesn't. He says he has to have a slow and painful death. Those are some shocking words coming from Gohan. It doesn't sound like him. Well, now that has brought some problem, Cell is now about to explode and take all the earth with him. Now Goku has to make a decision. He will sacrifice himself. At the end of the day, he was the one to put Gohan in that position in the first place. It's only fair for him to do that. But, his sacrifice is useless, Cell comes back. Gohan tries his hardest, but his arm is broken. How can he defeat him now. But Goku is there to help him find the strenght and the others too. In the end, Gohan finds the strength to finally beat him.

It's time to revive people. There's still the problem of Goku not being able to be resurrected a second time. They think hey maybe we can use the dragon balls from Namek. But Goku stops them. He thinks that Bulma was right. He only attracts threats that put the earth in jeopardy, Piccolo, the Saiyans, the androids, and Cell. Maybe if he stays dead, they will stop coming. Like that, he will not put Gohan in danger anymore, Gohan will not have to fight anymore. So at the end of the day, it's better for him to stay away, rather than him staying with them, after all he was the one to put Gohan in that situation in the first place. In the end, he makes the selfless choice for Gohan. Maybe it's better for him not to have a father, but being safe, than having a father and being put into danger. At least, that's what he thinks is the right thing to do

[liquidstar]

a friend who'd wait :)

[doctorweebmd]

accidentally* brainstormed a very complete outline for chapters 4-8 for eih, which should theoretically take us through Part 1. which is. you know. a godsend or whatever.

*accidentally meaning i was just eating delicious pancakes and the thoughts happened. usually its me crying screaming and shitting myself in front of an empty word document where ideas manifest. this is notably much more pleasant.

[silent-sentinels]

yeah we've got a guy called Yearning but apparently the kid's bested him with the sheer amount of homesickness she feels.

[maudlin-scribbler]

Has a person that has done nothing wrong to you in your life annoy you so much sometimes?? This is happening to me. [Person] has done nothing wrong. Well okay they have annoying(and wrong, might I add) opinions & ideas about stuff I'm passionate about. Honestly I get where they're coming from but I just don't get the conclusion they came to.

[paleangels13]

Helloo, I still exist did anyone even notice I was mostly gone lol

Anyone interested in ehhh...slightly unhinged work-related talk?

No?

Well. Too bad

Anyone that knows me irl please ignore the tags – I'm embarrassed ✨🥰

[sheyshen]

Something I want to build on with vincent at some point is how much the years of being an adventurer has taken a toll on him. he spent so long just being angry at the world but as he gets closer and closer to carteneau he does start recognizing how reckless he's been and the mistakes he's made over the years. friendships (especially with layla and nhea) helping him get a little closer to how he used to be before finally stopping and trying to do better for himself when he loses his leg. and the fact that guilt has really solidified in him to still make him push himself in his healing rather than combat (though sometimes still pushing himself too far) and how the years of treating himself like a weapon have taken a toll on his mind (he has terrible nightmares that only a select few have been able to help him through it)

[multi-lefaiye]

sometimes you have a trigger that cannot be reasonably and easily accommodated for, because it would require the people around you to police themselves to an extent that is not healthy for them to do.

that doesn't make your triggers and your trauma any less real or valid or *deserving* of accommodations, but deserving does not necessarily always mean that those accommodations are possible.

sometimes the best way to handle your triggers is to recognize what triggers you and do what you have to do to handle them when they come up. find coping mechanisms that work for you, and as much as you're able to, be open with the people in your life about it. even if they can't make sure you never have to interact with something that may trigger you, they can be a support system for you to ensure you'll survive the blows as they come.

it's not always possible to avoid what triggers you and it's not always possible for others to do that for you. (to be clear: i'm not at all saying people should *seek out* content that they *know* will trigger them or that they shouldn't remove themselves from situations that are triggering when they have the ability to do so, but that sometimes it's not that easy.)

(disclaimer: this is not psychological advice and i'm not saying this applies to everyone.)