#but yeah no i love the fact that we get to follow fitz and beloved through their whole lives

[webley-art]

[courage-a-word-of-justice]

Shield Hero 20 - 22 | Sarazanmai 7 - 9 | BSD 32 - 34 | Fruits Basket 8 - 9 | Demon Slayer 8 - 10 | OPM 20 - 21

Shield Hero 20

Motoyasu getting dragged by Filo was funny…not enough to get a proper laugh though. Just a smirk or two.

Stop narrating and just get on with it, Naofumi and friends…!

“I was saying we should fight together all along.” (from Itsuki) – Were you, now…? (skeptical)

Ass-pull! I call “ass-pull” at the power to swallow the phoenix flame! Seriously, when did the dragon get the opportunity to teach Naofumi how to do that???

How did Naofumi not die after losing so much blood…?

What does the Q even stand for in the queen’s name…?

Sarazanmai 7

The seagulls…so fluffy…

For some reason, I expect a fakeout, but then it never arrives…these boys are really connecting…

I found some kappa croquette thingy online, but it referred to a “Shiki City” which probably isn’t in Asakusa…

The shirt…Kazuki’s shirt says “frog” but I get the feeling it also means “return”.

Shirohasu water. It’s Irohasu in Japan.

Was the lyric to Kawausoiya (the otter song) “gonna take ‘em”…?

Nice ET reference, Sara.

Balls…not just sport entendre, but…y’know. The sort of humour I don’t like as much.

Ooh…Keppi is shaping up to be the bad guy. But what plans does he have? Am I speculating too much and is he being framed? Hard to know until next time…

BSD 32

When Kyouka is eating the sundae, she looks like the Tofu Kyouka from Mayoi…hmm.

Can I confess something? Before I saw the illustrations for s2, I thought Louisa’s hair was much darker than what it is in the anime…hmmm, indeed.

I don’t think we were ever told (in the manga or the anime) what Louisa’s wish was…

This bit with Fyodor…I don’t think it was in the manga.

Subarashi-sou is a pun on “it seems wonderful”. That wasn’t in the manga, but it’s a great pun (because it’s right up my alley).

Fitz laughing at the neighbour’s TV wasn’t in the manga either, but that’s just the anime director’s humour peeking through.

“Blalack Daniel’s”, LOL.

Ohh…a quick Google reveals TJ Eckleberg is from the Great Gatsby. In there, he’s an eye doctor, but here, he’s an engineer.

George B Wilson is also from the Great Gatsby…Here be spoilers, but…George dies in his original work too.

Manhasset is a place in New York…I assume it’s connected to the Great Gatsby as well…

Oh yeah! Random Poe moment. That’s in the manga, so Igarashi (or whoever’s responsible for the terrible humour) doesn’t have to fake that bit.

Cue “Objection!” by Fitz, lemme guess. Even if I know the outcome and how it was done, I’d like to have my memory refreshed (by stabbing in the dark…and making an Ace Attorney joke in the process).

I already know, without googling, that Tom Buchanan is part of Great Gatsby as well…

Bank of Amerigo…LOL.

Fruits Basket 8

“If you show up for the banquet now…”

“The banquet sounds just like the folk tale!” Honestly, subbers, proofread…

Haa-kun and Haa-san. No distinguishing between them (aside from honorifics), even though they’re two completely different people.

Hatori’s squinty face was…hilarious, to put it simply.

Oh…I forgot the dance seems to be something the animal of the year does. So if Yuki was 3 years ago, it makes sense Momiji is doing it this year.

Best seat in the house for a sunrise, huh?

Kimetsu no Yaiba 8

I’ve seen Muzan being described as “Demon Michael Jackson” and now I can’t get that out of my head when I see him…sorry.

Tsukihiko, huh? It translates to “moon’s radiance” or something like that. That name is appropriate for a bad guy, isn’t it?

This is the first time I’ve really listened to the OST (aside from the OP and ED), so it’s…really something.

Ooh, I didn’t realise until now, but Ufotable even imitated the paper Jump is printed on with the next-ep previews…

OPM 2 8 (OPM 20)

Er…I haven’t mentioned it for the past few episodes, but Suiryu is hotttttttt. (No? I said that? Okay, next step.) That’s basically the only reason why I’m watching anymore…I can’t seem to find anyone who thinks positively of this tournament arc enough to do reviews of it that I can read, which has made my own opinion of this beloved series go down the drain…Also, if you weren’t aware, my taste lies not in Suiryu’s huge bulk, but rather in the fact he’s got long hair.

Didn’t Suiryu get pierced in the abs??? Where’s the blood coming from his injuries??? Update: He does have injuries there, they’re just not bloody…that’s all.

The main criticism for OPM 2 is the fact that it keeps cutting between different events, so it’s hard to follow. Well, I’ve had worse (see Concrete Revolutio) so that’s why I’m still here.

People say that clothing changes you – say if you put on a new outfit, you feel like a new person. (Of course, that’s all glamorising and praising consumption, but that’s beside the point here.) I think that’s what’s up with Max and Snek.

Shield Hero 21

“…the Shield Hero is worshipped.”

Really? Boob jiggle, at a time like this??? (Context: Malty is getting th slave crest painted on her.)

Wait, was there ever a Shield Church???

Okay, that felt like a real seasonal ending. What the heck is going to happen in the last few episodes, I wonder…?

Sarazanmai 8

Chikai knows the real meaning of YOLO…heh. I’m only kidding…

To be honest, I think I like Toi best out of the main trio. I tend to like the boys in blue…and no, I don’t mean the otter police.

Kazuki’s service provider is “Kappa Phone”, LOL.

When Reo held up the gun, I was yelling, “Enta! Get it for him!” (i.e. take the bullet) I didn’t expect him to actually do it…

…and here I thought tragic yuri was common enough and we don’t have enough Tragic Yaoi Dudes…

Notably, Toi was registered on Enta’s phone as “Kuji”, while Kazuki is registered as “Kazuki” (katakana) on Toi’s.

Shots fired…!

Update: I didn’t notice this, but the evil dude with kamome written behind him (I think it’s in this episode, but it might have been in the last one instead) must be based on a seagull…because that’s what kamome means.

Bungou Stray Dogs 33 (BSD S3 Ep 8)

I think it was around here I stopped reading the scans, because the series was picked up legally anyway…but I can see the death flags for a certain Port Mafia man…one who stands at the top.

As expected…butt shot. Igarashi (or whoever’s responsible for that shot) likes butts, so between this and Sarazanmai…*imagines image of kappa!Kazuki holding a shirikodama* There’s absolutely no buts about it (LOL), there’s no shortage of butts this season.

“To think that the rabbit being hunted would show its face…” – I think it’s hard for you to say that, Akutagawa, when you yourself have no face in that frame…

Why are both Akutagawa and Fyodor Naruto running today???

“So you’re doing this for that woman.”

What is “Mukurotoride”? I don’t seem to remember…maybe I never learnt what it was. Update: Apparently a tower in Dead Apple is called Mukurotoride.

Conspiracy time! This book sounds like Kunikida’s Ability…so imagine if it were under Dazai’s nose the entire time…

Fruits Basket 9

I love how the synopsis for this episode goes, “Kyo fights Yuki, Yuki fights a cold…”

Hatsuharu’s wearing such an ostentatious fluffy jacket…LOL, I love it.

Holy cow (LOL), I forgot how old Hatsuharu is…so that means he’s 15-ish, right?

Come to think of it…I see Fruits Basket characters in Ro Te O, which I started writing at about this time in 2013. The Azrael of that time was a hybrid of Hatsuharu, Ritsu and Ayame, Tetsuya is basically Yuki and Ryou is Kyou…hmm.

Apparently, Shigure had in the 2001 anime a song that went like, “High school girls, high school girls, cute high school girls for me.” So that’s where it was??? (Context: I haven’t seen Fruits Basket 2001, but read the entire manga.)

Kimetsu no Yaiba 9

Recap time, recap time…so the lady’s in the back room and Tanjiro conveniently forgets the man is in the basement…? Wuh?

Moya was complaining about how repetitive this show can get when it comes to the script (i.e. it repeats itself because it doesn’t trust its audience, but I think that’s because this is originally serialised on TV week by week that people may forget if they’re not bingeing, taking notes or following the manga). I’ll talk more about that in my KnY collab post, I guess…

When Yushiro said “watch your back”…he really meant it, huh?

Temari are the balls, but kemari is when you kick the balls.

“…the eyeballs on his hands are creepy.” – LOL.

Shield Hero 22

The ep title just says “Hero Council”…not specifically that there are 4 of them.

My stream’s been buffering more than usual, so I went “like mother, like daughter” before Naofumi did…

It would’ve ben massively funny to hear Melty call Malty either “Trash” or “B****”…especially the last one, because that’s always a fun way to end a sentence (especially for a girl as young as her). Update: She does, but the way she does it isn’t as funny as I thought it would be (and she doesn’t end her sentence with her sister’s new name).

Wait, I thought they got rid of her slave pact??? I thought it was only for the duration of her trial that she needed it for.

L’Arc and that lady seem like they’re foreshadowing for later…hmm. Update: The next-episode synopsis says “yes”. So does that new visual.

Sarazanmai 9

I can’t believe this show’s almost over…That means I gotta get a move on with RobiHachi, but to be honest? Non-anime things are probably going to kep me busy until…a few days from now. So I’ll get RobiHachi watched then.

Characetrs are dying en masse in this episode, aren’t they??? I saw a spoiler that (well, SPOILER) Chikai’s gonna die, but I don’t know about Enta or Keppi…Update: To be honest, I thought Chikai was going to become the next monster – a gun monster, perhaps. Maybe now that I’ve finished the episode, he’ll become a real zombie. (Hey, see what I did there with the bolding…? How’s that for hiding spoilers, eh???)

Oh yeah…I forgot Enta’s sister was Kazuki’s teacher…

There was a sign behind Masa that said”Hinode Asakusa” – “hi no de” meaning roughly “under the sun” or “leaving the sun”.

Tokarev…? The gun? Gun monster, maybe? Is this a critique of the American gun…(exaggerated voice) Nah, can’t be…this is Japanese.

Lionel…Lionel…for some reason, that name in relation to soccer seems familiar...I just can’t put my finger on who it reminds me of, though. Update: Is it, perhaps, Messi…? Yes, I think that’s the guy I was thinking of…!

Aw…I’m not crying, you are…But these words were running through my head before Toi chucked the bag of money away and yelled, “F***!”: “Everything I do, I do it for you.” Isn’t that cute…?

Bungou Stray Dogs 34

“…one by one?” Junban means “sequentially”, so I don’t see why you have to use the phrase “one by one”. Or “one at a time” would also work.

Hardbank…to contrast Softbank (a phone company in Japan).

Face-stealing aliens strike again…(re: Atsushi)

Oh flip. This reminds me of my Kunikida fic…yeah, I bet you don’t remember it.

Hey, this dude! Apparently he’s from one of Kunikida’s stories. I really am approaching the end of what I know of canon…*gulp* Update: Oops, we already passed that part…

I wonder if the real Fyodor could play cello…? Or is this just a thing to make him ominous and villanous…?

The cross on the wall behind Kunikida…makes this show more like Eva than Kekkai Sensen…exquisite. Absolutely exquisite, isn’t it?

Another cool cross, behind Tanizaki!

What’s a tatamigatana? Also, I didn’t know other people could be synchronised using Doppo Poet and Ranpo’s deduction…

Does Kouyou mean (by “the one I most despise”)…Chuuya? Or herself? It’s definitely not Ace.

Kimetsu no Yaiba 10

Headpats for Yushiro as well! Headpats for everyone!

There’s a lot of Tanjiro being terrified in this episode…

Wait…Kizuki? I thought they were the 12 Moons? (Well, “tsuki” means “moon”, but then what’s the “ki”?) Update: The “ki” means “demon”, so the Kizuki are the 12 Demon Moons.

Being alone with the body…that’s always a scary thought in murder mysteries…for the people who dissect them to determine the cause of death, that is.

Considering the name of the episode is “Together Forever”…nup, I don’t see Nezuko and Tanjiro separating anytime soon…

The Kasugai crow is what happens when you can’t turn off your Google Assistant…or GPS…or Siri.

If Tanjiro knows the name of his crow, how do the crows get their names? Do their trainers (is that the right term for a crow breeder in this case…?) give them names?

OPM S2 Ep 9 (Ep 21)

LOL, that one shot of the ants…JC Staff really don’t care about this series, do they…?

I kinda forgot about Genos after a bit more than a week…sorry, I was watching other anime in between. (More than usual, at least. I started playing Chibi Tamago – a forum game for AniList where you collect badges for watching anime - that’s why.)

Did he (Pri-Pri Prisoner)…store his phone in his butt…?

[techmaestro]

Okay, so I almost left it at that. Almost. It was tempting, because really, I’m like that, and it was suitably exasperatingly unimpressive to do it like that that I would have at least gotten a giggle out of someone.

Instead, I’m gonna make this hella long, under a cut mind, so that you people actually have something interesting to read. By the way, this means that I’m going to type a fuckload because I don’t believe in @ pinging someone and then just not saying anything to them personally. Consider this a ‘follow these fools I like them a lot’ rec post if you like.

Not everyone will be Marvel, not everyone will be RP. I don’t care, because you’re all fabulous who follow me, and who I follow, whether you’re personally mentioned on here or not, and you’re all worth a thank you and a pat on the head or a hug or a handshake or whatever it is you like to get.

Handshakes are hella awkward though. Seriously, shook someone’s hand yesterday, found myself mildly perplexed and offended she didn’t kiss it instead.

MOVING ON. Rambling continued under the cut, just more personally directed.

SO IN ORDER OF THOSE I FOLLOW BACK FROM OLDEST TO NEWEST. Yeah, it’s gonna be like that, because what is alphabetical order, but I promise if someone has more than one muse (and I remember these different muses all belong to the one person) then I’ll stick them all on one line or something.

@simplyonehellofahokage Yeah, you are the longest standing follower I follow back sweetheart. People I’ve known longer may follow me and I follow back, but they’ve moved blogs, or had hella long hiatuses and stuff since then, so it’s you and me, at the top of this ridiculous list, and I don’t regret it. You’re lovely, and never forget it. I remember when you had a simple, unfancy as could be blog and I talked you through using a new theme, and now you’re awesome with fancy long ass tags for characters. I’m proud of you friend, and that I got to watch you grow as a tumblr RPer.

@stillfeeluncomfortable Now we don’t talk, or really RP, but I’ve never really considered unfollowing you. I like watching your blog, or reading around it from time to time, so salutations and well wishes for you.

@tj-dragonblade I DON’T CARE IF WE DON’T RP ANYMORE YOU’RE STILL FABULOUS. And if you ever, AND I DO MEAN EVER get back into RP or wanna tackle me with a Marvel muse of any stripe, I’m here bro. I’m here. 

@xwebxslingerx PETEEEEEYYYYYYYYYYYY. You’re amazing. I adore you. You’re my child who is older than me in reality but I don’t actually give two shits about that. -blows kisses- I love that I met you, and I’ll be happy forever that it happened. You’re awesome, and sure, you’re on a sideblog, but that just makes it easier to hoard you.

@starofhonor So we don’t much RP anymore, but I still salute you for helping me work out my incubus verse more, and being willing to take a run at things with me. Also, your non-RP posts remain fabulous.

@notacaptainanymore @thatiscolonelrhodestoyou @captain-james-b-barnes @whitekingmagneto @logicallyhalfvulcan @quimulti and just everyone you wander around with. This is the general frame of your awesome and how I found you. So there. You have one of the Steves my Tony wants to spend time with the most and I’ll always appreciate. I remember your terrible jokes in our first Bucky thread about how he’d forever be ‘knife flipping Bucky’ and RHODEY. I fucking love your Rhodey, okay and I doubt that I’ll ever want for another with you around. I adore you, I adore your baking, and I love how you fit under my arm when we’re wandering around someplace in person. xoxoxoxoxo

@classicrockcassettes Hello! We’ve never really talked much in person, I know, and our threads may be a meandering slow back and forth, but I want you to know I enjoy them a lot, and I’ve always been thankful you gave me a shot.

@imjustthemechanic @clonystark @tonystark-boygenius And if you have more I apologize for not knowing that they’re yours as well. You are down on yourself far too often, friend. I enjoy our threads, and never hesitate to come at you when something you post catches my eye. Don’t forget, okay? You’re always welcome in my askbox.

@ask-the-assistant-darcy My dear, you are still the Darcy that makes me smile most often. Yes, we do less, but Tony still loves his child, and I am forever happy you consented to the cluster of a mess that is RPing in a group verse with me. 

@doctorbrycebanner I like you! We’ve had our disagreements, but you’ve always been fun to RP with, and I’m glad that we know one another. So thank you for that, and I hope that we continue to find things that interests us both.

@lovelornrocketscientist We don’t really play anymore, and that’s okay, but I’m still happy that we ever did. I like your Fitz. He’s cool, and his sense of humor pleases Tony.

@katesgotabow Kaaaaaaaaaate. You’re the Kate that made me care about this character. Before you I had no idea who the hell she was, and that is a sad thought, to think of never having gotten to know your muse. So thank you for that, and may they continue to get up to utterly redic fail.

@buckybarnesthewintersoldier @steverogers-soldier So you’ve half fallen off the planet these days, but I don’t care, because you’re awesome and our discourse was always interesting, even if it did get a bit heavy for me for a while there. I look forward to your return someday.

@fallcnandlost I LIKE YOU. I want you to know that, because it’s true. Your AU is well thought out, and regardless of what anyone else may say, I think it’s neatly, and originally, done. May our friendship carry on.

@tenthofalonewanderer I loooove you. You’re the reason I have a Master/Missy blog at all, and I want to be very very very sure you know that. You’re an awesome Ten, and I love playing off that muse of yours, regardless of who I’m flinging at him. Yes, the last few weeks we���ve been doing less, but never think it’s because I don’t enjoy you. xoxoxoxoxoxo

@protocol-fuckitfireeverything You’re my favorite 616 Tony. You’re the 616 Tony that made me interested in pretty much anything to DO with that Tony. You make me happy when you reply to our stuff, and sure, threads fall between the cracks, but say the word darling, and I’ll pick up anything that’s fallen to the wayside in a heartbeat for you.

@correctionimswiss The one and only Arnim Zola everyone. I’m glad I found you, and I regret nothing about that. Side characters and villains like this one need more attention, and I think you do him justice.

@iamnarvi -blows kisses- You. Are. Adorable. You’re cute and nice and you are more than willing to wait around when I forget what the hell I’m doing and send our threads into a tailspin of ‘what’. Not that that happens often but... thank you all the same.

@sovietspookstory I like you. A lot. Forever and ever. You’re the only one that’s ever taken up the nibble with Bucky for god-Tony and run with it and for that I’ll always admire you stepping up. Also, you do a damn good job with him, just saying.

@noworldnomad So we’ve had a few threads, and dropped a few threads, yes, but any time, and I do mean any time, I see you answered a meme of mine, I’m excited. I just thought you should know that.

@dcviltongued Ahhh one of my two Matts and I regret nothing of having you around. You have an awesome approach to this character, and can I just say that I’ll probably love that til the end of always? Becuse I will.

@mechanicdragonheart @formerhydramedic And I forget your JARVIS account name just now but Twinny, you’re lovely, and we need to get back into the swing of playing together again. I love your characters, and I love how you play them, even if, yes, I’ll forever cry over how you use a couple words. No matter, you’re awesome and that’s the important bit.

@the-blackest-spider My most active beloved Natasha. Hi. You’re wonderful and I want you to know that I will ever think that. I like the chemistry our two have together, how they can read one another, and that you’re happy jumping my AU bandwagon and running with it. Remind me to introduce you to the terrible no good storyline sometime.

@merriweather-roses @almostmrsstark I remember when I started playing with you, and I admit for a long time after you turned your Tony into a personal I was really confused but once you came around with Pepper again, that all resolved. I never considered unfollowing you though, because I love the content on your blog, so, that’s really that. 

@thatididknow Now, I may be wrong here, but I think we played together once, a long time ago, before you moved to the current blog/changed your layout to a site default? If that was, in fact, you, then I want to say thank you for being the first Pepper I ever RPed with, and making me even more enchanted with this pairing.

@simplypeterparker We may never have RPed, but I want you to know I’m watching. Watching, and waiting for a good time to strike. In a good way.

@pervyyzimniysoldat You and me, we’ve talked a huge game of plots and RP and I think you’re responsible for one of my AU posts even. We should totally revisit that.

@shotgunaxecombo I love your Mack. Him and Tony get along so well and it’s always a happy day when you roll back through my thread tracker, or hit a meme, or just anything like that.

@lokiodinsonblog You are a prince. No, really, I love your Loki, they’re just right for my needs and the snark is there, and the soft spots are there, and the might be a caged animal if given the right incentive is there. Thank you.

@trackstarsupergirl We may have only had the one thread, and I was sad when I finished it up thinking your blog was going to go away, but I would just like to say I’m really glad it didn’t. I like seeing you around.

@fixedxpoint We may not have done much, but I do rather hope that changes in the future. I like seeing you around.

@buckyismybrother @levelsevenarcher I THINK that’s your Clint. I think. If it’s not I'm gooing to be very embarrassed when the actual owner of this Clint corrects me. BUT ANYWAY. I’m happy I know you, and I’m happy that I decided to give your OC a chance. He was super rough around the edges, but we made it work, and that’s the best bit.

@cochetsharpshooter BIRTHDAY TWIN WITH ANOTHER YEAR AND FAMILY. I’m happy I know you and I love our threads. Okay. Never ever EVER doubt that. Ever. I mean it. With cherries on top.

@visixnaryx We may do absolutely nothing, but I do enjoy seeing you on my dash.

@withoutxfear AND MY OTHER MATT. I love the way Matt and Tony are bantering and bonding and just, in general, being awesome together. I hope we have a long and productive RP friendship.

@aslavicshadcw Your Natasha is adorable and I like our AU together. I’m curious to see where it goes.

@xusedtoberussianx We may have fallen out of negotiations back when we were discussing a thread, but don’t take that to mean I ever stopped being interested~!

@tasedagod This is one adorable Darcy. That is all.

@clumsyherbologist This Neville! They mark the first in a rash of Potter folk that I followed who didn’t promptly fall off the planet or annoy me into unfollowing. They’re lovely, and I look forward to doing more in our thread together in the following weeks.

@shieldsstrongest This! This multi has beautiful fem-muses. I love her fem-Steve especially, and her and Tony get along absolutely wonderfully, something which I will always appreciate.

@thedoctorsaysimwrong This Jack may wander off on the regular, but he gets along amazingly with both Missy and Tony so I have no regrets. I just hope you return soon so we can play again my friend.

@enduringcaptain We may not have gotten far in our threads, but I’m ready to give it another try when you are~!

@imjustanauthor I love watching how you play your fobbed Doctor, and sure, we may have only ever spoken the once, but that doesn’t mean that I haven’t kept my eye on you since -grins.-

@spoiledendings You are my favorite River. Just thought you should know.

@ofdarcyiisms I love the soulmate thread we have going so I hope you come back from the void soon~! But that you’re int here for good reasons, of course. Fun ones I mean.

@stuckinwinter YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN NEAR THE TOP. BUT NO, NO YOU HAD TO GO AND MOVE JOURNALS. I mean. Um. So hi, I’m happy to have you and I adore you and our redic threads and how well they get along and how fabulous they are and you are and you are, also, nice and pretty and perfectly sarcastically quippy when the need arises. Thank you.

@technoheart We’ve never played, but I hope, very much, that one day we talk and actually figure out how to change that.

@starkwithsarcasm Hello friend. We don’t talk much these days, I know, and I’ve never been very good at reaching out to you, but I want you to know I’ve always enjoyed our inbos threads. Promise.

@iskuplennyyesoldatzimy You and I need to actually start a thread. We keep talking about them and then not doing it. I feel this needs to be remedied. SAY THE WORD AND I’LL THROW DOWN.

@vintagestark @starkinternational Thank you for existing. Thank you for being awesome. Thank you for playing with me and making me so so happy that someone who sees certain aspects of RP the same way I do without explaining exists. I hope you feel better soon beautiful, because I miss hoarding your attention like a greedy hoarder. -salutes-

@ladysifwarriorborn We haven’t spoken much but I like our small interactions so far. I look forward to leveling up.

@asgardianhammer We’ve never talked, or RPed, or anything like that, but I do hope we do someday. I like the look of you.

@illegitimatestark Oh my god darling you have jumped around accounts so many times. You should have been near the top of this list you know, you’re one of my older followers. BUT. I’m just glad we still RP, regardless of all that, so thank you. You’re awesome and I love our storylines.

@hirasenshi I still wanna play with Rankaaaaaa~! I mean. I love your Rin, and I’m happy to have her. I’m glad that you decided to jump on Tony, because they’re adorable together. He loves his ninja-daughter.

@arrowsandradiation @sicarixs I love your muses. Sure, we don’t talk much, and I’m sure things have been rough for you, but I’ve always been happy to know you friend.

@createdamurderbot @manicmechanic @marvelcusmuses I LOVE YOUR MUSES. Your Bruce remains my persistent favorite, okay, and probably always will. I like your Tony, and yes I haven’t poked at him again yet but I will someday, just warning you -winks- Even if I’m taking my sweet time about it.

@chipconnoisseur You are everything I could hope for in a Bill Potts, and it’s fun watching you on my dash, alright? Keep being fabulous.

@kncwseverything SO YOU. YOU. I know we mostly keep up on IMs, but here is as good of a name as any to blow you kisses and tell you you’re still awesome.

@grcwingstrcng You’re the first Pepper Tony ever got attached to, and I want you to know I still love how deep you make her. Even if I never play with that muse of yours again, I just wanted to say thank you.

@fcrgedstrength I LOVE YOUR ANA JARVIS. I’m so happy that we met okay, and we’ve had a lot of really cute RPs and maybe a couple horrifyingly tragic ones too, but I like that.

@ironpipsqueak Tony’s adorable trans son. I’m always happy to hear from you and do RP with you, even if our threads never seem to get very far. I hope you’re doing well!

@titanium-alloy-automaton I really really like what we’re doing. Tony rarely gets to interact with AIs of any stripe he didn’t build so this is novel and precious okay. 

@dxctordisco We’ve never interacted, but I just want you to know you make me smile when I see you on my dash.

@punchyourwayout We don’t talk or RP or anything, but I love the things you reblog, and I know usually when I see you on my dash that it’s going to be interesting, regardless of what it is.

@t-starkasm We’ve never spoken, but I’ve reblogged a hell of a lot from you, and you from me, and that works from me. I’m honored that you decided my blog was worth watching even though you’re not a RPer, and I wanted to say that made me really happy when I got your follow and saw your content.

@cannibalisticwhistler We haven’t spoken, but just seeing you on my dash makes me happy and that is awesome in the best way, okay? Keep being rad.

@artificiallyimplantedmemories REALLY YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE FIRST ON THIS LIST. And it’s my fault you’re not. I unfollowed you for a while because I was sad about your long hiatus, but really you’re my longest standing follower and the reason I even MADE my Tony blog. I felt like a creeper following your Steve on a non-marvel blog okay. So like, it’s all down to you, you amazing person you, and I’m glad that you had that influence on me.

@daisynow @icedsoldierbucky I love all your muses okay. I’ve been following you for a looong time now and I don’t see that changing. So, here’s with hope for more threads in the future my friend.

@untxmable You, I’ve followed you off and on for ages now, not going to lie, and I’m really happy you exist, even if we’ve never played together, so thank you.

@ladylancelot We’ve never spoken, we’ve never RPed, and that’s okay. I’m just happy that you and I are mutuals, because I love your character, how you play her, and what you reblog. Thank you.

@exosevenfalcon We’ve threaded together off and on since we met, and I’m always down for new ones, just so you know. I like your Sam, and there’s not nearly enough of you out there.

@yourbestfriendmissy SO WE JUST MET AND ALL But I love reblogging things from you. You have great taste.

@hischair You’re adorable and I’m keeping you. Just thought you should know kbye. We need to RP by the way. For realsies.

@callmcmj You are totally the reason this post exists, so I’m giving you a shout out and hope sincerely we can RP someday. Have a great night.

AND THAT’S EVERYONE. If you’re not on here, that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy you. That just means I may not follow you or am unsure what to say to you if I do. You’re all fabulous regardless.

THANKS FOR READING ALL.

[theartofbeinganerd]

What’s this?? A second fic update tonight?? Well, since this is a ficlet I’m considering “Part 9.5″, featuring Fitzsimmons holiday trip to Glasgow, I figured I’d post it tonight too - surprise!!

(Ao3)

-

“Oh! There’s my darling!”

Spotting his mother in the crowded train station, Fitz had already half-raised his hand in greeting when she rushed right by him, scooping Evelyn up out of her car seat to immediately begin fawning over her, commenting on how big she’d gotten since she’d last seen her.

Scowling playfully as Jemma tried unsuccessfully to stifle her giggles, Fitz turned to his mother with his hands planted on his hips. “Oi, beloved only child over here!”

Chuckling, his mother glanced up from where she’d been spreading kisses all over Evelyn’s chubby cheeks. “Sorry, love.” She shifted Evelyn in her arms, stepping forward to give him a one-armed hug and a kiss on the cheek. Then, she turned to embrace Jemma as well, telling her, “I’m so happy to see you again, dear. Thank you for squeezing me in for the holidays.”

“Oh, no, it wasn’t a problem,” Jemma quickly assured her, shaking her head. “It was my pleasure, truly, and I’m delighted to see you again as well – and to benefit from your cooking skills, of course.”

“Well, perhaps I’ll even give you those cooking lessons we talked about,” his mother offered with a smile as she gestured for them to follow her out of the station.

Jemma beamed at the idea, nodding excitedly. “Oh, that would be lovely, thank you!”

After a relatively short drive, they’d arrived at his childhood home, and as his mother watched Evelyn (or, more accurately, refused to give her back), Fitz gave Jemma the all-too brief tour. They ended up in his bedroom, model rockets and Tony Stark posters and all, and as he gestured to the bed, he informed her, “You can sleep in here, and I’m gonna take the couch downstairs, okay?”

He hadn’t actually expected her to agree without comment, but whatever slight hopes he’d had that she might were dashed when she leveled a look at him and asked exasperatedly, “Have you forgotten about how we just had this argument a few days ago?”

Fitz crossed his arms over his chest, shifting uncomfortably as he was forcibly reminded of how it’d felt to fall asleep and wake up beside Jemma for days, always finding her limbs somehow tangled up in his, or her head resting on his chest. He just didn’t think he could do it anymore, not without losing his sanity.

To Jemma, however, he offered the excuse, “The bed in your room was much larger than this tiny twin bed.”

“We can make it work,” she insisted, setting her suitcase down and going to perch on the edge of the bed. “The very last thing I want is for Evelyn to start crying in the middle of night, and causing you to fall down the stairs and break your leg or something on your way up here.”

“Oh come on, I’d be fine,” he promised, but he already knew that she wasn’t going to let up (Jemma was one of the most stubborn people he’d ever met, and he loved her for it, but god sometimes it was frustrating). So, with a silent sigh, he simply gave in, telling her, “But…I’ll stay, alright?”

Even as Jemma beamed happily at getting her way, Fitz was already counting on the fact that she’d realize tonight just how cramped that little bed could be (not that he’d ever shared it with another person – seriously, he wasn’t sure she even realized just how much of a miracle it was that he’d even had the chance to get someone pregnant), and then he could escape downstairs.

After getting their things settled in his room, they had dinner and spent a little more time chatting with his mother, before starting to get Evelyn ready for bed. When she was finally asleep and sure to stay that way for at least a little bit, Jemma climbed into his bed and scooted right up against the wall, but Fitz was hesitant to follow.

Jemma, however, quickly noticed and rolled her eyes at him, gesturing for him to join her as she reminded him flatly, “Come on, Fitz, we’ve been a lot closer than this before.”

Well, he really hadn’t needed a reminder of that, thank you – especially not when he was about to find himself all pressed up against her. But, he still sucked it up and lifted the covers to get into bed beside her, the entire length of his body pressed up against hers.

“See?” she said smugly. “We fit just fine.”

Fitz couldn’t help but wonder what her definition of ‘fine’ was, but out loud, he simply muttered, “Yeah,” before rolling away from her to pretend that he was trying to sleep.

Just then, he was reminded (as he was almost daily) of how he’d come so close to telling her about his feelings on Christmas; thankfully, he’d managed to stop himself before he could ruin the best thing in his life. Though, truthfully, he had to wonder now how much longer he could go on like this.

He wanted to believe that over the next few years, he’d be able to learn how to ignore his feelings for Jemma, but the more they were forced closely together like they had been this whole trip (and he pointedly skipped right past the memory of their kiss beneath the mistletoe), he couldn’t imagine that ever happening.

Of course, there was no way that he’d ever be able to take himself out of the equation or lessen his time with her to allow himself time to try and get over her. Not only was that what was best for him and not Evelyn, but he also loved Jemma too much; he couldn’t imagine not seeing her smile every day, not hearing her laugh or watching the way her nose crinkled and her eyes lit up.

So, once more, Fitz was left with only one option: suffer in silence.

-

The next few days were weekdays, and so while his mother had to work, Fitz took the time to show Jemma around Glasgow – at her request, of course. Since his mother was working, though, it was just him, Jemma, and Evelyn going out and spending time together each day, like a little family. It was wonderful, really, but ended up hurting far more than he’d ever thought it could because they weren’t a family, not really. Not in the way that he was sure the people they passed on the street must have thought, not in the way that he couldn’t stop himself from wishing for.

Finally, though, it was New Year’s Eve, and they’d be leaving late tomorrow night to head back home, and hopefully it’d start to become a bit easier for him to push back his feelings for Jemma and focus instead on Evelyn, work, and his normal day-to-day life.

“What’s the matter, darling?”

Startled, Fitz glanced up from where he’d been gazing forlornly into his tea, meeting his mother’s worried gaze. Jemma had left the table a handful of minutes ago to get Evelyn ready for bed, and he could hear from the TV on in the living room that there were still a few more hours yet until midnight. “Nothing,” he answered half-heartedly.

She leveled him with a knowing look, then sighed and guessed, “It’s Jemma, isn’t it?” When he arched his eyebrows in disbelief, she admitted, “I see how you look at her, Leo – I’ve seen it for the moment I met her, actually, but I can’t let it go unsaid any longer.”

Sighing heavily, Fitz sagged slightly in his chair at the kitchen table, dragging a weary hand over his face. “I know. I never meant for it to happen, but I can’t do anything to change the way that I feel, so…so I’m just gonna have to live with it.”

Smiling sympathetically, she reached across the table to give his hand a supportive squeeze. “You know, in any other situation, I’d encourage you to just go for it, but I understand why you can’t; you have to think of what’s best for Evelyn first, and that makes this complicated.” When he nodded sadly in agreement, she added slowly, “But, maybe what’s best for Evelyn could be her parents being together –”

“But,” Fitz cut in, “if there isn’t a one hundred percent guarantee that Jemma feels the same, then it just isn’t work the risk, Mum.”

She was quiet for a moment, then started softly, “When you become a parent, you begin to realize just how much you’ll truly do for your child, how much pain you’re willing to endure as long as they’re safe and happy.” Giving a soft sigh, she squeezed his hand once more and told him, “As your mother, I want nothing more than to see you happy. I can’t stand to see you like this, Leo, so down and upset. But, I know why you’re keeping it to yourself and suffering; because it’s for your child.”

“Yeah,” Fitz agreed lowly, nodding and offering her a small smile of gratitude, happy to have at least one person who recognized that he was simply doing what he had to.

“I’m so proud of you,” she murmured, blinking back the tears he could see shining in her eyes, “so proud of the man you’ve become and the father that you are, despite the example that was set for you.”

Shaking his head, Fitz corrected, “No, the only example that he ever set was the man, the father not to be. You know, even when Jemma was pregnant, before I’d ever even held Evelyn, I’d put my hand on her stomach and feel Evie kicking and I just…knew that I’d never do anything to hurt her. I knew I’d do anything, sacrifice everything I had just to protect her.” Swallowing a bit roughly, he admitted lowly, “I don’t understand how someone could not feel that way about their child.” But, he was quick to add reassuringly, “I’m done trying to figure it out, though, because I never will understand.”

His mother nodded wordlessly, but she was still watching him with some concern. Fitz knew she just wanted what was best for him, but that was exactly what this was.

“It’s okay, Mum; I’m okay with putting Evie first, and more than that, I want to. When it comes to her, my feelings are always going to be less important, and that’s okay.”

Keeping her tone subdued, she told him, “I get that Leo, I truly do, but it’s also okay to try and find happiness for yourself. In the end, you being happy benefits Evelyn as well.”

Her words caught him off-guard; he’d never thought of it that way before. Maybe…

But, he was quick to shake that train of thought off before it could get any further, standing up to give his mother a grateful hug. “Thanks for the talk, Mum.”

“Anytime,” she promised as he stepped back.

“I’m gonna go say goodnight to Evie, then I’ll be back down ready to ring in the New Year,” he promised with a chuckle, leaving her in the kitchen to head up the stairs to his childhood bedroom. Upon entering the room, he found Jemma just carefully laying Evelyn down in his old crib.

“Did you have a good talk with your mum?” she asked softly over her shoulder. Fitz was so taken aback at the abrupt question, he couldn’t quite find the words to answer it. With her back still to him, Jemma admitted, “I knew something was bothering you, but I didn’t feel it was my place, so…I gave you time to talk with your mother.”

Guilt surged inside of Fitz, twisting his stomach up in knots and making him feel sick. “Hey, no, you should never feel like you’re intruding or overstepping, Jemma. Yeah, our situation is complicated, but we’re still friends and I take that seriously. I want to talk to you, and I don’t ever try to keep things from you; there are just some things that I don’t want to burden you with.”

There was a beat of silence, then Jemma turned to face him, chewing her bottom lip anxiously. “What you feel is never a burden to me. You’re one of my closest friends now, and you’re so important to me, Fitz. I just want us to be open with each other, alright?”

Even as Fitz forced himself to nod, he felt as though he was dying inside; oh how he wished he could just tell her, could stop all of the lying and the hiding and just be honest. But, instead, he told her, “It wasn’t important anyway. I talked it over with my mum and got everything sorted, so I’m alright now.”

She studied him carefully for a moment, but when he gave her a genuine albeit small smile, she returned it and murmured, “Alright.” Turning back to the crib, she whispered, “Goodnight, Evelyn, and Happy New Year. I love you, sweetheart.” After dropping a kiss on her fingers and pressing them to Evelyn’s forehead, she brushed past Fitz and slipped out of the room.

Fitz took a couple of steps forward, until he was standing over the crib and could see that Evelyn’s eyes were already closed, her tiny fingers curled into fists. He reached down to lightly stroke his fingertips over the back of her soft little hand, and promised lowly, “I’m always gonna put you first, Evie, because you’re more important than anything. I’m gonna try not to screw up, and I’m gonna do whatever it takes to make sure that you never have to feel the pain of separated parents who can barely stand the sight of each other, of never seeing one of your parents, of never having your family together. I’m gonna do my best to give you the family that you deserve, even if it’s not everything it could be.”

Pausing, he released a quiet sigh, just briefly entertaining his dreams of the family they could be. Dreams of how when Evelyn woke up in the morning, she’d run into the bedroom he shared with Jemma, jumping onto the bed with them and giggling at them to wake up. Dreams of how they could have true family outings, and he’d hold Jemma’s hand as Evelyn excitedly raced ahead (but not too far, of course). Dreams of giving Evelyn siblings to play with when he and Jemma were too exhausted to do so another second longer – she’d be a wonderful big sister, he just knew it.

But, it wasn’t meant to be, and he knew that with absolute clarity now. “I’m sorry love, but it’s all I can offer and I’m afraid it’ll have to be enough. I’ll make sure that you get that much, even though you deserve the world, and more than that.” Lifting his hand to gently caress her cheek, he murmured fiercely, “I love you more than anything, Evie, and I always will.”

[theclaravoyant]

FitzDaisy centered about post-framework after what he had done to her in there?

AN ~ What’s that sound? It’s more Fitz Daisy Framework-related hurt/comfort!

For some others see:

platonic, set post-Framework, but written before end of season: x x 

FitzSkimmons set post-Framework, but written before end of season: x

platonic FD + romantic FS (Bus Kid) written & set during 4x21: x

This one focuses much more on what happened to Daisy than the above ones; Fitz approaches her to help them both truly forgive & move on.

(title from Hey Brother - Avicii)

Read on AO3 (~1500wd)

if the sky comes falling down

It was a cold morning on the Space Prison. It was so cold, in fact, that Daisy had given up on sleep and sought out her warmest jacket and a long walk – as long as she could get, in this place. It was early morning, or so she guessed from the dim lighting, since it was always night out here. It was early enough, she knew, that she was surprised to find Fitz awake in one of the hallways, scratching at the wall with what appeared to be a knife. Slowing down, concern clutching at her chest, Daisy tried to catch his eye.

“Hey…Fitz…” she greeted slowly, not sure what state she’d found him in. “Are you okay?”

“Yes,” he assured her, so calm it was in itself unnerving. He turned to her with a soft smile on his face and she glanced at the wall where he’d been carving; not symbols, but a word. Vijay Nadeer.

“Are you sure?” Daisy checked. “Because this place…”

“I really am okay,” Fitz promised, standing up and looking a little less crazy when the light hit his eyes a different way. They were still haunted and heavy, but no longer seemed so distant. “It’s actually kind of therapeutic up here.”

“Really?” Daisy frowned. “I’m still pretty sure it’s some kind of messed up social experiment.”

“Actually,” he said, “maintenance, life support… it’s very calming.”

Daisy nodded. She was glad he hadn’t said it was what he deserved or some rubbish like that. Although, given the nature of the names he’d been carving – and the fact that he’d been carving them at all – still gave her cause for concern about his guilt levels.

“What’s that about?” she wondered, gesturing toward it.

“It’s a Wall of Valour. Sort of,” Fitz explained, and suddenly it made sense. “I mean usually, the Wall of Valour’s just for certified Agents but… it felt right. It’s helping me feel better.”

“And our beloved overloads haven’t smote you for damaging their property or something?”

“I don’t think our ‘overlords’ care what we do here, Daisy,” he pointed out, laughing a little at the name she’d given their faceless commanders. “We do the work, we get to therapise ourselves on our own terms.”

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”

“Sure it is. I mean, none of us is ever going to go to a real therapist, are we? So instead, we get months of monotony in Space Prison to sort ourselves out.”

Daisy narrowed her eyes.

“You know prison is… a punishment, right?”

“It doesn’t have to be.”

Daisy wrapped her arms around her torso as she followed Fitz down the Wall- past Jeffrey Mace and Lincoln Campbell and a few others she didn’t quite catch - to where he must have started. A small bag rested there, leaning against a blank space, and Fitz dug inside it and pulled out a sketchpad. A drink bottle and charcoals threatened to spill out too and Daisy’s frown deepened.

“Where did you get all that?”

“I told you,” Fitz insisted. “They don’t care what we do, as long as we do the work. I told them I needed a sketchbook, they gave me one. I didn’t tell them what for and so far, nobody’s asked.”

Daisy pressed her lips together.

“Well, that’s just a tee-up, isn’t it?” she pointed out.

“I’m glad you asked.” Fitz smiled. It faded quickly, though, as he returned his attention to the content of the book. He paged through it with focus, but not much subtlety, and Daisy caught a few screaming faces, angry scratches, twisted trees. A few kinder things too, though. A stream in a forest. Jemma’s face. Her own.

“Fitz…”

Daisy trailed off as Fitz began to carefully tear a page from the book. It bore a surprisingly realistic likeness of her face, smiling a little, with her nose crinkling not unlike it did as she first took in the image.

“Why are you showing me this?” she wondered.

“Not showing,” Fitz corrected. “I’m giving it to you. It’s… a therapy technique.”

“You went to therapy? I mean. Sorry. But.” Her eyes couldn’t help asking, and Fitz brushed her off.

“I did, for a while after the uh, the Pod, but I picked this up before that. Believe it or not, I used to be quite the problem child. Yeah. I can feel the shock radiating off you.”Daisy smirked. She didn’t know much about Fitz’s background, but somehow, she’d picked up enough not to be surprised. And, she could relate.

“Anyway, it really taught me a lot about handling my emotions and all that. One of the things that stuck was art therapy. Another was – when I’d hurt someone or done wrong by them I’d apologise through action. Through an act of service. Because of what you said before, I didn’t know if you’d accept an actual favour, so I decided to give you the picture instead. Though of course, you’re welcome to the favour as well.”

“It’s beautiful, thank you,” Daisy said, but she kept her eyes on Fitz. He didn’t look like he’d finished what he wanted to say. After a while, she probed him about it and, with an expression very much like he’d been caught out with a troubling secret, he looked up at her and asked quietly:

“Can I show you something else?”

Daisy led the way back to her room, since she assumed he wanted privacy, and Jemma would be in his bunk. Once inside, Fitz let out a deep breath and turned the sketchbook back toward her. On a page separate from the one he’d torn out, there were more pictures of her, most of them more stylized and roughly drawn; all of them, struggling, suffering or in pain. Climbing up a steep cliff, in a pit, tied up, bleeding, calling out for help. Calling out for him. There was a double spread of it, and another double when she turned the page and the only relief was a standing figure with a fist raised to the sky, light shining around her, victorious.

Daisy’s jaw hung open, tears seeping down her cheeks as she felt the visceral pain that Fitz had laid out before her, and in turn was pulled back into her own pain from the Framework. Falling down the stairs. Unable to stand. Bleeding, bloody, dizzy and enraged, and more scared than she had remembered being at the time. Everyone was trying to kill her. Everyone she knew was evil. It hadn’t been real, but it had happened. It had hurt.

She looked up at Fitz with quivering lips, the question hanging in her mind again, why are you showing me this?

“I know I hurt you,” Fitz said. “I know you’ll keep telling me it’s not my fault and eventually I’m going to have to accept that you’re right but the reality is, you got hurt and you wouldn’t have if not for me. So, for what it’s worth, I am sorry.”

Daisy pressed her lips together and nodded, blinking back tears.

“It’s worth a lot. So much. Thank you.”

“Thank you for getting me out of there.”

“That was Jemma, and Radcliffe,” Daisy corrected.

“They couldn’t have done it without you. And even though Jemma’s been trying, she couldn’t have meant what you meant when you said that we were going to stick together through all this. I know you’ve been here before and to come back to these feelings again, for me, it’s –“

“It’s what friends are for, Fitz.”

“Sorry I haven’t been a very good one lately. Including the way I treated you when you came back. Honestly, if it hadn’t been for you, and this place, I’d be tempted to run away myself. It’s not as easy as it looks, to stay.”

“That it is not,” Daisy agreed. Her eyes trailed back to the heroic picture in the corner of the horrors, and Fitz noticed.

“That one’s because I was proud of you,” he confessed softly. “I mean, I always am, but in there… Everything and everyone was messed up and trying to kill you and you still wanted peace, you still had hope. You persisted even when you could have died. For real. I thought that was pretty cool. So I drew it as a reminder, to myself. And to you, if you like.”

Daisy smiled, tearing up now beyond sense and vision.

“Come here.” She opened her arms, beckoning, but before he could fall into them she stepped up to him and wrapped her arms around him firmly. “I forgive you. Of course I do. But thanks for apologising anyway.”

“Love you,” Fitz murmured.“Love you too.”

Fitz tightened his return hug and then they stood together for a long while in the silence, warmed by mutual understanding, forgiveness, and love.

[sapphia]

I finished Assassin’s Fate

Spoilers below the cut

Overall it was good, as every ROTE book has been so far. That is to say, I 100% loved it until the end, which was... a bit of a downer. 

I get that Fitz had to die. And it was a better death for him that what it could be. But I can’t help but feel cheated all the same. I think that with him dying immediately after rescuing Bee, there’s a lot of closure we didn’t get. To start with, we never got like the one thing I wanted, which was Bee and Fitz and the Fool making a life together, even if it was a tentative one. 

I would have really liked to see, instead of Fitz dying of the parasites, him managing to free himself in time (like he could have all along tbh), board the Vivacia, either not have the parasites or be cured of the parasites, arrive back in Buckkeep only to realise he’s slowly dying of the silver. And I mean slowly, because of his Farseer magic and the fact his body keeps healing himself. Slow enough to give him three, five, ten years with Bee. And the Fool. 

And then he and the Fool go to carve their dragon. Not because he coincidentally stumbled upon it, but because it was his choice to do. And yeah, he’d still do it only because he was dying, but it would be an action he took, not something that happened accidentally. 

And I think that would have been better in a lot of ways. We would have got some payoff for the quest. The Fool could get to know his child, and I think with Fitz there to smooth the waters (and not cause resentment between the Fool and Bee that the other is alive and not Fitz) then that could have happened, in the same way it happened with Fitz and Bee. 

And I think Bee would have been better. 

Look, I’ve just read the 9th book with Fitz in it (and the 15th book with a similar character arc) and I don’t think Fitz ever truly got to be happy or content. There was a point, probably in the first book, although if we stretch it maybe to the second or even the end of the third, after Verity goes into the dragon, where it became clear that there was no turning back. Too much had been lost, and it couldn’t be undone, no matter how happy the ending was. And so Fitz lived, but he lived miserably. He went through such hardships in the first trilogy, but he gave his memories to the stone and lived a half-life because of it, unable to feel as fully as he could, torn up by not being able to contact anyone from his old life or know his growing daughter. And after the second trilogy, when he made his life with Molly, and she had Bee, it was better, but a part of him was still lost in memories (think of all those pages he wrote and then burned) and thinking of the Fool. 

And it’s sad that he never got to know true contentment, and I think having a few years with Bee and the Fool would have gone a long way towards that, but even more importantly, it would have helped Bee. Because I can’t help that feel that she’s going to follow the same morose path as her father was. She’s been through too much to put it behind her, and already from what we saw before Fitz’s death, her life is almost a half-life; a life of doing what she should, not because she wants to but because it a thing to do. She doesn’t live. She persists. 

Even if Fitz had lived, things would have changed, but I think that by not getting those last few years with her father after her trauma, she’s going to experience the same misery that pervaded Fitz’s life. And that could have been alleviated a lot by getting to spend another few years with her father, with getting to know the Fool. 

It seems like poor closure for Bee to have to suffer the same troubles as her father. Why did we go through all of Fitz’s suffering if it wasn’t for her to be better off? 

I am glad that Fitz and Night-Eyes and Beloved are together. I just wished they could have had a bit of happiness first. 

[redscullyrevival]

Fool’s Quest: Fitz and the Fool Rundown

And now we wait together @sonnetscrewdriver!

Plot/Setting/Narrative

I’m so embarrassed for my son Rap-a-taskal. 

Getting ahead of myself here but take a chill pill kid. 

Calm your Tellator tits. 

Actually, screw it! lets start at “the end”:

I’m officially caught up now and I’ve been digging around the internet lurking on forums trying to soak up art/discussions/opinions I’ve been avoiding for months.

And the most interesting fannish thing I’ve uncovered is how lots of people are treating Tellator and Rap as two different people - I’ve read several discussions and threads where Tellator was being thought of and referred to as almost like a parasite or something.

I personally didn’t get that vibe when reading Rain Wilds. 

I don’t view Rapskal as an innocent bystander taken over by an insidious and other entity, but I can totally see how folks can see it that way so power to them I suppose.

Time and Parenting really come to a point at the end of this book, bounded tight within the thrill of having these two Realm of the Elderlings character axis’ finally meeting!: 

And we the reader are, now, FAR more knowledgeable about the magics and histories of the Realm than any one character present! Funny how time and managing our narrative children will do that, huh? ;D

I’m of the personal opinion that the Elderlings are going to be too thankful and indebted to Fitz to really head the level of retribution Rapskal will demand - but that doesn’t mean Fitz won’t make matters worse with his paranoia and how he expects to be treated (Fitz’s “I-deserve-to-suffer” self loathing really reeks in this book and I have no doubt it will harm more than help in the early stages of Assassin’s Fate) 

But oh! I can’t wait to see my Elderling darlings and Six Duchies nerds mingle more! 

And yes, I do think Rapskal will continue to be an asshole. 

I’m invested in Rapskal though and I can’t wait to see what his deal is and how he’ll affect the story. 

I don’t know about y’all but I feel Rap is being set up to have some big part to play - but I’ve no clue if it’ll be direct or indirect lol. TIME WILL TELL!

If I had to guess right now (and I’m going to because why not) I’d guess that at the moment Rapskal probably struggles, that he is antagonistic, because he is outside of the narrative’s “Reflection & Parenting as Change” theme and may never fold into that current because of his choice to skip adolescence via-memory stones. 

Rapskal doesn’t have a lot to reflect back on, or maybe the issue is he has too much memory or doesn’t reflect at all and only looks forward forward forward. And we know he isn’t a parent as Nortel told us.

Frankly I hope Rapskal can learn from Fitz and/or Amber, I’d like to see him fold back into the narrative flow rather than swim decidedly against it (not that he isn’t uninteresting for doing so, quite the opposite really).

Maybe Rapskal will find something to reflect back on? Maybe he’ll refuse? 

But enough about Rapskal! 

THYMARA’S WINGS ARE SO BIG NOW. *gasp* I love her. 

Do you think when our Six Duchies party leaves Kelsingra they’ll ride down the Rain Wilds River on Tarman?! 

*muffled screeching*

Okay okay okay I’m sorry, back into a Fitz and the Fool Rundown not Kristie has deep love for Rain Wilders Giggling.

Fitz

This dummy. 

Don’t get me wrong; temperament wise this older Fitz is still my favorite but he’s also so full of grief and self loathing he’s practically useless mid-book.

And that’s fine, Hobb as always does a great job with making me understand Fitz.

But still - OH MY GOD.

You’ve done a lot wackier and intensely strange stuff than admit your daughter is the result of your BFF, your wolf-brother, and yourself’s souls mingling Fitz! 

You even come to terms with that fact, even if simply choosing to ignore it for the most part that still means you’ve acknowledged it - you’re willing to painstakingly mine information from any and everyone but you don’t tell Beloved about your daughter’s dream journal?

Um??? WHAT???

Wake up dude. 

Just poor decisions left and right. 

Needless to say I was very frustrated with Fitz for a while but we worked through it. 

Oh my god I friggin’ cried when Starling sung her Epic and Fitz was recognized by the court though, oh man that was so satisfying and mystifying and wondrous. 

I’m glad Fitz has for the most part gotten over his issues with Amber and the Fool’s various identities and seems very accepting of Ash and Spark. 

Bee

Nooooo!

I mean, “No” to Bee still being on her own but mostly “No” about Bee slowly being blocked out of the narrative perspective! 

NOOOO

I’d be fascinated to find out how long she was in the Pillar. Based on the narrative we read and assume she’s wandering about around the same time Fitz and company are but we’ve been given nothing in evidence of that. 

INTERESTING

Stay safe my little piglet! 

The Fool

Yes.

YES.

I’m very intrigued to learn more about Beloved’s dragon blood transformation and what knowledge will come with it.

What will happen if the dragon is truly dead, who will guide their transformation? 

ME THINKS FITZ

But, uh, yeah.

While it was uncomfortable I was rather happy that Fool got angry at Fitz and had no trouble telling him to step off. 

I wasn’t very pleased with Fitz myself at the time, I was a bit smug about him getting a tray full of food plopped in his lap.  

Well done.

I really hope to witness more of Ash and Spark and The Fool’s bond! 

Beloved has been alone for so long, has had the opposite later life to Fitz and his massive family. 

And what better than taking in and giving shelter to a son and a daughter? 

Good stuff. 

Shun AKA Shine

CALLED IT.

Oh Shine, you poor dear. 

Shine will become an asset to Nettle, I imagine, and I desperately hope she heals and that Kettricken can guide her well and that court does Shine good. 

I’m livid and just overall done with Chade, I’m serious.

I feel as though I’ve given Chade benefit of the doubt over and over again and it isn’t like he is an evil person or claims to be something he isn’t - but uuugh what the hell?

If you’re mister cloak and dagger spider web master maybe reel in some goddamn self control and think ahead on the consequences of your personal actions instead of just those of your King and various eyes within the kingdom, come the fuck on dude.

What an idiot sending both his children to a grieving Fitz and for not following up with any information for his children OR for Fitz.

I’d be so upset if I were Shine, I would’t be surprised if she drugs him.

It’d be poetic in a twisted away. 

Why did Chade hide Shine from others as well as from herself? What was he thinking, that she’d have to become less shallow, vain, and self-centered before he’d bestow upon her the depths of her lineage? 

Chade moans about being denied learning to Skill because he was a bastard but zip! he seals up his bastard daughter’s power because ??? 

????!!!!!

ANYWAY 

I’m glad Shine is safe and that she and Bee came to a functioning relationship even if not one ripe with mutual meaning and growth.  

Lant

Chade-light 2.0 and I aren’t hitting it off so well but I’m trying to keep a level head about this sassy lost child.

His biggest sin is that he is boring. 

Or, well, I think my real issue with Lant is that he’s young. 

So young. 

Oddly young.

Older than Per or Ash or Spark yes but younger than them somehow; he doesn’t see, he doesn’t listen, he doesn’t seem to even think for himself.

Rolling about in his self pity that he can’t bang his sister doesn’t help endure him to me either but you know, I’ll take Riddle’s advice and let time and space do it’s thing so maybe by the time the third book comes out I’ll have cooled on Lant. 

Ash/Spark

OH SHIT.

I love themmmmmm.

Oh my god.

I’m really really really hoping that Ash, Spark, Per, and Bee are going to be Gen 2 of Elderling mayhem and stories. 

That’d be golden.

Smart as a whip and willing to make their own choices, that’s Ash and Spark. 

Brilliant.

Perseverance

Talk about stickin’ to your name!

Per is a sweetie and I really need to stop but I can’t help but see him as my son Charlie. 

Which is amazing - but gutting at the same time lol.

What have I done?!

Per is perfection and I really hope Fitz does right by him and of everyone traveling now I feel like Per will help Fitz the most as far as his inner space goes. 

Per has a understanding and relationship with Bee outside of Fitz’s understanding of his daughter and I think Fitz’ll need to hear about that and mine Per’s perseverance as their quest wears on. 

Highlighted Passages

I smiled as the royal family passed, tears of pride stinging my eyes. Our doing, the Fool’s and mine.

“Vengeance?” I asked quietly. “It’s a poor motive for doing anything. Vengeance doesn’t undo what they did. Doesn’t restore whatever they destroyed.”

“Sometimes thanking someone is more important to the person giving the thanks than the one who receives it.”

“I thought you had come here in fury over what I did to you as we passed through the Skill-pillars.” He stepped back from me. “Oh, I’ll leave that to Nettle. If she hasn’t blasted the skin from your flesh with her words yet, you’ve that to look forward to.

I could not think about it at the moment. I tried so hard, but there was just not enough time or enough of me. And trying was not doing.

Safe. As if “safe” were more important than anything else.

With the instincts of all bullies, they knew that eventually she would have to emerge. Then, in the way of their kind, they would peck her to death for being different.

“Ah, Fitz. I can always trust you to have some sort of bizarre problem that breaks my ennui.”

She breathed as if she had run over nine hills. I stared at her. She had been a stranger, a lover, a nemesis, and a betrayer to me. And now she was my historian.

“Why does understanding come so late to us?”

War and hardship had hardened them; I understood that, but it did not mean that I wished to see my own folk mocked or disdained that they were not likewise hardened.

But all fires, of wood or grief, burn down to ashes eventually.

“Doing something stupid and reckless is not a better proof of your love than doing something measured and powerful.”

“Keeping a child from harm is not the same as rearing one.”

“Steady, I’m pregnant, not ill.”

Both logic and love anchored me where I was and doomed me to the suffocation of waiting.

“Every one of them has witnessed what the Servants have done to their fellows. And each has chosen to serve them rather than defy them. Every one of them is more treacherous than you can imagine.”

Once one knows what heartless people can do, it cannot be entirely forgotten. It always remains among the possible things that can befall you.

“Put it behind you, and think about it again in twenty years. Whatever it was, you can’t change it. So stop clinging to it, and let time and distance do their work.”

“I always fail the people I love the most.” “Say rather that you judge yourself more harshly than anyone else ever has.”

“No soup! Anything I can bite and chew. Or crunch! Is there anything crunchy?”

 “That I guessed,” Malta said knowingly. “When first I saw him, I felt as if I already knew him.” She smiled at me as if we shared a jest. I smiled back, without understanding.

“Worrying doesn’t solve anything. I know that. In one way I know it but in another it seems wrong. It seems that if I don’t think about all the things that hurt, all the things I’ve done wrong, then I don’t really care.”