#but.... not too much. y'know? anyway

[zmediaoutlet]

There's something really insane-making and delicious about the Dean-as-object of it all with Supernatural -- to wit, that Dean knows that he is most able to be loved and valued if he is loving and valuable, that to be useful and helpful and obedient and capable is truly the most important thing you can be in the world. Duty uber alles, etc. Meanwhile, the person he's most insanely dutiful toward both expects that duty and care and usefulness... and also thinks it's pretty pathetic. John demands obedience but clearly disrespects the impulse behind it, while he fights with Sam but also clearly respects Sam for fighting. Dean always wants to have already been helpful but John just assumes he will have done it and there's no praise or pride involved. But what can an object do but try to be useful? What does it have, if it doesn't have that?

[egophiliac]

buckle up lads we're going BACK INTO THE BOOK

[qcoded]

even MORE sonic and tails gijinka . . they so cute.......

[otome-dissection]

Idk man I just think that mizu/ena5 and its progression was really beautiful actually. I just think that the release of the ena5 song was also really beautiful and kind of the nail in the coffin for me and I haven't been able to get the event(s) out of my head all week and that I kind of want to talk about it, actually.

It's about being hurt so deeply and continuously that any kindness that could be offered to you manages to feel like a sin, that it makes you crumble and shatter but for all the wrong reasons, not because of the newfound safety, not out of relief, but something worse and more deeply ingrained in you than kindness ever was. It's about carefully measuring the distance at which you keep others away from yourself, to ensure that it never happens again ("To save yourself the trouble", if that makes it easier).

It's about realizing that the people you've been spending all this time with are drifting closer, that they just might bump up against the unsightly parts of yourself that you've tried to keep locked away, it's about turning around and sprinting at full speed and slamming the door shut and holding onto the handle behind you to stop it from turning, because you're as frightened of the possibility of another wound being inflicted on you as you are of the possibility that kinder, gentler hands will reach out and smooth over the exposed scar. It's about hating eyes that judge and silently condemn you as much as you hate eyes that simply see you and take all of you in without scrutiny, because no matter what they're looking and they're looking at you and they know that your hand's on that door handle and they know that you're hiding something because, as much as you try to keep it shut, they've seen through the crack that you foolishly left open.

(The prominence of eyes in Bake no Hana, specifically eyes looking and searching, and finally landing on you, the viewer, Mizuki, is so fucking. Visceral in my opinion. Every character in the MV stares at the viewer in a deadpan, almost judging way. Even though Mizuki knows deep down that niigo won't really hate them, won't judge them, she just can't stand their kindness either; any gaze directed at her is a loss, another prick in their skin. It screams "don't look at me" while making sure that you know, with horrific certainty, that they're looking for you, that you're being watched. You can't go outside, can't leave your room, because they're searching for you, and while that should be reassuring, to you it's anything but).

It's about not wanting to be dissected, whether it's with hands that want to pull your organs apart or stitch them back together because no matter what they're there, and they're getting frighteningly close to your heart. It's about blinding yourself and covering your eyes to it all because seeing means exposure and exposure means they're taking something from you and you can't do anything about it, much less take it all back, much less have a say in the matter. Everyone's just taking and taking and taking and you wish you could just be alone. You wish everyone would just disappear and you could live in a world all to yourself, for only yourself (but is that really what you want?).

It's about the way that, near the beginning of the Yoka ni Mitoreta MV, Mizuki and her loneliness is represented as a dark, splotchy stain in the shadows. No colors, no patterns, no way to clean it or wash it all away, just raw ugliness marring a blank canvas. It's about the way that Ena reaches out to it anyway, the way she startles when the glass shatters just when she finally starts reaching forward, the way that the rest of the MV/song represents her searching for and reaching only further out to Mizuki, even if the broken shards of glass will only cut her fingers, potentially leaving scars.

It's about how, in every way, subtly, directly, consciously, and subconsciously, Ena shows that she fucking cares.

It's about the way that Ena lets Mizuki have autonomy, despite the situation being so horribly out of their control. And it's such a delicate thing: If she really wants to, Mizuki can take the opportunity to just run away, keep running forever, repeat the cycle over and over, and maybe she'll just destroy herself with it again, but it can't be denied that it's something important to them, something she can't quite live without just yet, their means of survival. Mizuki's autonomy is their identity, it's her tailoring her own clothes and choosing her own ribbons and styling her own hair the way she does. Ena letting them have that is as much about trust as it is about understanding that Mizuki of all people should have this right, when control was something stripped from her throughout so much of her life. She couldn't control how she was born, how people look at her or why, can't control what they think of her; lacking control has only left Mizuki vulnerable to the cruelties of others, has only caused them to suffer, which is why it's so important that it's given to them now.

She had the control to make the choice to see niigo's welcoming love and run away instead of staying, and she has the control to make the choice now whether she wants to keep things the way they are or take a step forward to be at their side again. She has every right to have it, and I think the fact that Ena realizes and respects that, even if it's subconsciously, is really beautiful (there is an entire fucking Verse about this in the new song and just. God Look at this. It's so caring, unconditional, and for fucking What. I think there is something to be said about how much Ena is willing to put aside for Mizuki, and maybe deep down it isn't healthy, but for now I'm just kind of in awe)

It's about how insanely patient Ena has been this whole time. Mizuki says that she basically lied to Ena's face about telling her their secret, even after Ena said with such conviction that she would wait for Mizuki as long as it takes, and Ena is just kept waiting and waiting and worrying like this seemingly indefinitely. It's about how Mizuki danced around it, avoided it, kept the distance, straight up ran when she was finally pushed, but Ena still chased anyway when she saw that she couldn't wait anymore, kept chasing just enough to intervene and get a straight answer out of Mizuki when she really needed to, but still leaving her enough space to leave if that was truly what she wanted. It's about how relieved Ena is the moment that Mizuki finally says outright how much they want to be with her and niigo, how much she wants to try, how much more light Ena's voice sounds when she grabs her hand, relieved, the way that the relief she feels can be felt through the music, throughout the entirety of Yoka ni Mitoreta, the way that warm colors always follow her when she chases after Mizuki, just to hold onto her and stop her from running away completely.

It's about how that careful combination of Ena's directness, Ena's persistence, Ena's warmth, her patience, her bluntness about her feelings, the way she chases and holds on but not too tight and her regard for how unsafe and exposed Mizuki feels actually works and breaks it all down. It's about how she really did reach through to Mizuki, despite the thorns and broken glass shards and nearly-unfulfilled promises, the way that Mizuki did finally let her turn the door handle and step through to see what she'd been hiding all this time, the way that Mizuki's hand, limp, when Ena first grabs onto it, shifts to hold hers back as they cry in the face of Ena's gentleness.

Despite how harsh Mizu/Ena5, and even Ena herself as a character can be (or at least was in the very beginning of pjsk), everything is somehow gentle and warm in the end, blindingly so. And you know what, I think that's beautiful. And what's even more beautiful than that is how Mizuki allows themself to crumble and shatter under that kindness, that warm light, but this time, finally, out of relief.

On a final note, I just want to say that I also appreciate how all that didn't have to solve everything. The scars haven't disappeared, haven't gone away, and Mizuki knows that their desire to run hasn't gone away forever, and maybe it never truly will. But for now they've calmed it, at least a little. She's learning to allow herself to be seen, learning that when someone's fingertips brush over their scars the way Ena's did that it's only out of care, and that maybe taking in that care and allowing herself to feel kindness and safety is okay. They're safe, for now, somehow. They're learning. They're trying. And I think that's cool :)

[smile-files]

a quick drawing for aurora thaurorasday!

[toadletthethird]

They play roblox together

[binthm]

in which angel dust and husk ask lucifer about his type considering lilith isn't around anymore and regret asking him that

edit: AHHHHH NOOO I JUST REALIZED I FORGOT THE STRIPES ON ANGEL'S BLAZER</3 y'all just pretend that one got lost in the wash and he had to wear a discount one 😔

[emioliravioli]

done wahoo yippie

(late) gift done as a part of @/qwiopty 's secret santa event! for @ avete.art on insta 👍

[matchamilkorner]

Honorary Titans, GO!

oneshot #1

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Addendum : Randy Rock, Penny Paper, Sam Scissors are from the comic spin-off at issue #16 and yes they're H.I.V.E students when the headmistress still took charge in the academy before Brother Blood.

i personally headcanon them being underclassmen to Jinx, Gizmo, and co, newer recruit and stuff.

i think it'd be cool to have one-off villains from the comic being Keystone City's villains, next to Kid Kold and Ice Kate that is haha.

[pynkhues]

I will die on the hill actually that Grace was a good sister, and it's Louis, not her, who killed that relationship.

[uncanny-tranny]

So often, twink death is framed as a bad thing. However, the "twink death" for trans men* is frankly one of the most healing things you will bear witness to (pun intended).

[trashcanwithsprinkles]

debate

(topic: how many and what configuration of kids do they give off vibes of having (either at present or in the future)(partner is irrelevant in most cases, some could be single parents for all i care))

[caityjay13]

been reading a lot of City on the Edge of Forever fic recently (it's prime holiday real estate) and I just have to make the observation that some of y'all love making that flop luxurious. I'm pretty sure it's a room. like. they absolutely share a bathroom with the whole rest of the house. they are living in a bedroom in someone's (Edith's, presumably) house. they have extremely little privacy. I think we are actually missing out on great material by giving them more comforts than they would actually have had. you can fit some prime suffering in this bad boy.

[playing-pauls-mel0dy]

y'know. at least a couple of times now, i've seen the theory that, potentially, Rainer was another victim of Marvin's (whether that be of rebirthing or just abuse in general). and my brain has decided to latch onto it for some reason.

so uh. There's That.

[somegrumpynerd]

I read your post about if nightmare gives up his boys & my heart was aching so badly ;w;

Dadmare want what's best for his boys 😭

He does!! As much as he hates to admit it, they mean the world to him and he wants them all to be happy. Not only because of what they've done for him in helping him not hate the world anymore, but after all they've been through themselves.

Even if it meant he wouldn't see them anymore, he couldn't stand the idea that he was hurting them by keeping them trapped with him y'know? If you love somebody you have to let them go and be free. But also, maybe he could come and visit sometimes if they moved out? Or they could visit him? Please 🥺

Thankfully it doesn't come to that though, they like staying outside the castle sometimes for a little break but none of them plan on leaving, it's what they all consider home <3

Or, as Dust would put it if Nightmare asked, "we haven't paid rent in like 6 years, what kind of idiot would move out??"

[sadlynotthevoid]

One of those AU wiki reaction fics where the top quote on OG! Cale's page is:

"Maybe if i keep lying, I'll eventually trick myself too." - Cale Henituse, at age 15

or some other age idk

seems like good angst potential

I'm of the opinion that Og!Cale actually tries to be honest to himself as much as he can to avoid believing into his own act. But I can see him saying this refering to his own state. Like:

He's looking at his giant mirror in his bathroom, staring at his own reflection. His vision is too blurry to see himself clearly. He stares for a moment. A minute, ten minutes. Trying to force that paper pale and red colors to form into someone else's image. Someone else's memory. But—

He doesn't remember.

He doesn't remember how she looked like. How she smiled or what expressions she made. He barely remembers her voice. How did she use to say "I love you"? Did she used "sweetie" like other parents do? Or was something else?

He doesn't know.

The only memory he can bring out with that horrible white and more, more bloody red— He doesn't want to think on that.

It's okay.

"It's okay." He repeates to the mirror and himself.

"I'm fine." It sounds fake even to himself. That's fine too. He's a good actor, a better learner. He just has to say it until it sounds right. And then, well...

"Maybe if I keep lying, I'll eventually trick myself too."

He blinks. The water falls and the image now mirrors his own.

"Ah."

Turns out, there was really bloody red.

Is this angsty enough for you? To be honest, angst is easier to write for me, but I prefer low levels of angst (unless I'm in a Mood™) because sometimes it makes me a bit anxious. Like, "hurry up, someone help him/her/them. Ahhhhh. I don't want them to end bad :((((" sort of feeling.

Back to the wiki react thing, have you ever thought how strange it would be a TV Tropes page react fic? Some tropes are really not what you think, others are exactly what it says and others have just strange names.

Also, the random mix of information there. Sometimes you het a detailed description, sometimes it's just a "x character is this to y" and no more explanation.

I just think it would be fun.