#can get twisted due to fandom

[teh-nos]

loki/william rufus fic, where bill explains that as the second son he has inherited england while big brother bob only got the duchy of normandy, ha ha ha.

[mercymaker]

so, i tried to be pretty understanding and give him the benefit of the doubt (try to assume ignorance instead of malice and all that).

yesterday, he reached out to me to ask for permission to recreate one of my gif sets. i thought it would be a good opportunity to bring up my concerns over him not crediting other people (my earlier work included) and ripping off their sets. after i brought all of that up, he stopped replying to my messages. following that, i told him i'd be uncomfortable with giving him permission to replicate my work if he doesn't seem to care about neither my concerns nor other people's wishes.

in a complete 180 from his previous attitude, he told me that i don't own a format and that he would basically do whatever he wants to because it's his characters and everyone on tumblr copies each other without any credit anyway (very "valid" reason, btw, "others steal so it's ok for me to steal too").

and, of course, as a turd cherry on this shit cake, he immediately blocked me after that message. i'm including his full response just in case i misrepresented something but some things just speak for themselves.

lol ok explain this mr i credit everything

mine / his (didnt even bother linking the person who made the template lol) (same caption)

mine / mine / his (same caption)

mine / his

mine / his

mine / his

mine / mine / his

MINE / HIS THIS IS THE WORST ONE like bro even my oc??

[cursedcola]

Prompt: Couples will evidently begin to mimic their better half after some time. What traits do you steal from him, and vice versa? Fandom: Twisted Wonderland Characters: Everyone - because I want to and I’m amidst fleshing out all my Yuu/Character dynamics + designs Format: Headcannons. Masterlist: LinkedUP Parts: Heartslabyul | Savanaclaw | Octavinelle | Scarabia (Here) | Pomefiore | Ignihyde | Diasomnia A/N: I'm part of the 'everyone underestimates Kalim Al Asim , the layers of his character and upbringing' club. Sweet does not equal being a dum dum my dudes.

Habits You Steal:

Theatrics (Inherited): Kalim talks with more than his mouth. There's body language. Watch out when this guy gets excited because he might knock over a lamp amidst a rant. Hands are flying with each embellishment. He's pacing. Jumping. Energy is seemingly endless with this one. When Kalim laughs, he does so with his entire body without reservation. Head flying back, grin wide, shoulder shaking, etc. Not that he can't replace what gets broken but - y'know. Be careful else you might get bitch slapped on accident. Which normally wouldn't hurt too much but Kalim's decked out in gold. The last thing you want is a ring imprint on your left cheek because Kalim got too excited after a card game. On that note - someone get Jamil some aspirin because that excitement is infectious. You can be the most stone-hearted edge-lord on the face of Twisted Wonderland, but eventually his infectious sunshine attitude takes hold.

"A-Ah! It's okay! We can replace the lamp, so don't worry. Are you hurt? No, no. It's really aright. I'm fine, see? You missed me - can I see your hands for a second? OIII! Can someone please bring a med-kit! Thank you!" <- Jamil's already grabbing the broom before you can say sorry. This is the last time he lets you sit anywhere near fragile objects during a game of charades - or any game. Kalim was bad enough...but at least with him fretting over the tiny cut on your palm, Jamil could clean the mess in peace. At least until you offer to pay for the lamp. Kalim's got enough tact to lie about the price, and everyone's thankful. No one wants to see the Ramshackle Prefect have a heart attack for shattering a real crystal lamp. 'cause then Kalim will cry too and it'll just be dominos from there.

Personal Space (Inherited): Kalim tears away any sense of dignity, self-preservation, and privacy that might exist. In a good way, of course. It's not that Kalim is an open person. Quite the contrary. He needs to keep a calculated distance between himself and others due to his position as an Asim. Regardless of his happy exterior, never forget that Kalim is far from an airhead. Kindness doesn't equate connection - as much as Kalim would love for everyone to be his friend. Yet for those who are in that trusted circle? He treats them like an extension of the self. His lack of shame bleeds into your own perception.

Training and Resistance (Inherited and Developed): Kalim hates that you need to do this. He rarely 'hates' anything, but he despises that you need to worry about being poisoned. What’s worse is that you refuse to have a tester, or a guard, or anything of the sort. It all started with discussing the future with Jamil, who logically brought up the complications that come with Kalim taking a partner. You couldn’t be shadowed, were in a difficult position with the headmaster, and it would only become difficult once the duo moves back to the scalding sands. Even more once you join them (as NRC is merely teaming with prideful youths, while the Scalding Sands is a free for all).

Point summary? You need to build resistance to drugs and learn what to do in a hostage situation. The former is handled by Professor Crewel, and the process was explained in excruciating detail. Jamil, who’s undergone training, was unphased but Kalim desperately wanted you to back out. Yet it would mean needing a guard - which would be hard to arrange - and so…yeah. Many weekends in the nurse’s office. You also have to complete the hostage drills all Asims and their spouses are put through. How to escape bondage, how to last an interrogation, how to navigate without magic (which you could, duh, so basically without a map when stranded), negotiate, etc.

"Are you absolutely certain that this is what you want to do? I can still hire a body guard - there are many options available back home! You can spend our next vacation at the main villa and meet with them. We can - oh. y-you're sure?... alright. If this is what you want then I'll be there through every step. Just remember to ask if you need anything. I'll come running, no matter what."

Charisma (Inherited): Everyone underestimates just how dangerous Kalim is. Seriously. Nothing is more risky in a school like Night Raven College than dropping your guard. It can cost you your life - or at the very least leave you indebted to someone you do not want having dirt over your head (*cough*ACertianCephalopod*cough*)The gossip grapevine is a menace. Everyone has their pride. Everyone has their secrets. Everyone holds each other at arm’s length, even if you’re cordial or friendly. Everyone except Kalim, who has this innate ability to pry the most dirty secrets out of you simply through his nonchalant attitude. Nothing drops another’s guard quicker than a sense of security and superiority. People often mistake his genuine heart for nativity. They fail to recognize that it’s a choice, and deep down he is aware that the Al Asim name places him high above the people he sees as friends.

"Hm? Isn't that the alchemic lab on potionomics meant for second years? You're so smart! I didn't get to do that lab until just a few months ago! - it's not yours? Then why are you working on it?" <- game. set. match. You think he doesn't know what your handwriting looks like? He saw you lingering outside Crewel's classroom earlier and wanted to know why. Saw an opening. Took it. Is happy you’re helping out one of your other friends, but just had to make sure no one was bullying you into doing their work.

Since he truly believes that despite this gap, friendships can transcend - his ability to get information is uncanny. A power he can wield intentionally if need be, in getting you to name drop any person or problem posed. It’s a great quality to have! This way he can help and support you :) Why is this an inherited trait, you might be asking? Because as the next head of Al Asim, Kalim’s been studying how to do business since he was young. He’s going to teach you. Pray tell what is born once the Ramshackle Beast Tamer learns the ways of Scarabia’s master of charisma and resident sunshine child?…Night Raven’s downfall. Power couple. Dead serious right now.

Jewelry (Developed): Worth your weight in gold takes a new meaning. This isn’t in reference to being spoiled, mind you. This is about status and the meaning behind the jewels Kalim is imparting. The cultural significance. Considering that you’re not from twisted wonderland, you technically are a blank slate to all countries. Who better to learn from than someone who’s spent his childhood studying to become an expert in international trade? Kalim has enough tact to bite his tongue about the deep meaning behind the gifts. You may not understand just yet, but his excitement can’t be contained. Each bangle and piece from the family treasury has a small story. While he has no problem using his wealth to help people who need it, there’s a joy that comes from decorating his treasure’ in treasure. Y’know?

"Do you like it? This necklace was my mother's at our age. My father gifted it to her during a business trip to the Queendom of Roses. Ah - you can have it! Really! She has many others, and when I told her about you this was what she chose to have sent over. It's already yours! You can wear it to the next banquet, please?" <- Being the next head of House Asim, Kalim can't be with just anyone. Yet he seemed so happy in his letters, and Jamil vouched on your behalf - so this is your time to shine. Also, sending the necklace back would be like slighting his family's good will. You quite literally need to accept it.

Music (Inherited): Can you play an instrument? Sing? It starts out as wanting to be near him more - so you join the pop music club. Kalim, Cater, and Lilia are very convincing. So they push you to pick up something. Anything. It doesn't matter what, so long as you have fun with them. Even in the earliest stages where the notes come grated and your friends (Grim) make fun - Kalim is supportive without fault. His encouragement leads to proficiency and an appreciation for music. He'd love if you sing with him. Even if it's just a lullaby - no, especially so.

Habits He Steals:

Naming inanimate objects (Inherited): Your effort at making Kalim more money-conscious. The decite of sentimental attachment, if you will. It’s honestly a risky move to make considering the sheer amount of things that he owns, so naming everything is off the table. Yet it’s the silly things. Like seeing a face in the paintwork on one of his tapestries, and then deciding to dub it Artie. Oh no, Kalim we don’t need to get new artwork for the bathroom! What about Artie? It’s already pretty enough so lets just leave him there. No - no, that ring’s super pretty but the matching set from our anniversary is enough. We wouldn’t want Garnet and Pearl to think we were replacing them, right?

"I think Vinnie would work best on display, don't you? Purple and yellow are sure to catch people's attention from far away! Or maybe should we hang up Paolo? There are so many tapestries in Scarabia’s vault, I feel guilty only putting one up on display at our festival stall. Do you think they’d let us hang more?”<- It works. Kalim defiantly thinks twice. He's a bit like a kid refusing to give up their action figures after watching Toy Story, ya feel me?

Cooking (Inherited): Kalim is learning how to cook for himself as one step to being more self-sufficient. He only eats food that Jamil prepares, but with Viper’s seal of approval you’ve earned a pass. Essentially anything you both make with pre-approved ingredients is fair game. You pick a recipe every week, give Jamil the grocery list, and he makes sure to have the stuff in the dorm. Jamil is only okay with this so long as you supervise. Teaching Kalim is on your shoulders - and in all honesty? It’s an amazing bonding experience. Jamil can rest easy for a few hours and Kalim isn’t being thrown straight into the deep end. Obviously it’s only a small reprieve, and temporary since back at the Scalding Sands there are regulations in place. Kalim loves wearing matching aprons, humming little tunes while reading recipe books, watching cooking videos, learning about all the nutritional benefits in food, and really gets an appreciation after seeing how much work goes into his favorite dishes. There’s also that spark of joy when you sit down to eat, and it’s somehow one-hundred times better than eating with his family back home. Not that Kailm doesn’t love his siblings, but family really takes a new meaning when you see it coming together right before your eyes.

"Mph th-ish is sho gud! - how do you like it? Should we invite our friends to try some? It tastes almost like Jamil's! I bet if we keep at it, then we can cook up a banquet all on our own. That'll surely put everyone in a good mood!"

Skinship (Developed): Kalim is the type to initiate touch. Not receive it. If you look at his interactions with the others, he’s always the one throwing himself at them or being a vibrant glow-stick. Very few people give that back - and in truth? Like, honest to Seven truth? Kalim’s got no problem with it. Many people have bad intentions. Not everyone wants to be his friend, and that’s fine. They come to him looking to get in his good graces. It’s unnecessary…he’ll happily help without them twisting his feelings. All they need to do is ask. Do you know how easy it is for someone to prick him with a drugged needle? He’s not comfortable with physical contact that he does not initiate, unless it’s from someone he trusts. Like Jamil, Silver, Cater, his siblings, etc. Even they have a limit (which he’s confident will never be crossed, since again, Kalim is almost always the initiator). This list is subject to change��what, you think a family of 30+ kids can exist without animosity? He dreads the day he has to think of one of his little siblings becoming untrustworthy.

Anyways. Trust is a choice for Kalim. His happiness and extroverted optimism is all a choice. Sometimes on an unconscious level (*cough* his awareness of the divide between himself and Jamil, yet pushing the knowledge down until it inevitably hurt them both *cough*). So imagine reaching the point where he trusts you. It could be something small, like the first time you hug him from behind or lace your fingers together. Intimate. Not like Cater’s half sling over the shoulder, not like his little siblings hanging on his legs, or Jamil pushing him ahead while they walk. When he’s not initiating, and Kalim might hesitate for a moment. Hard to picture, I know, but by letting it be he’s choosing to trust you wholeheartedly. All in the span of like 5 seconds, and he might not even realize it until later on. Those of us who shine the brightest, usually have walls that are hard to see. Just some food for thought.

"Really? Really, really?? Really, really really??? Really - Ah! Sorry, I just can't believe it! There's so much I still don't know about them...but they're paying attention to me, huh? That's it! I need to work harder to be a worthy boyfriend! Starting right now, I'll become a better man!" <- Kalim. Sweetie. No. You're already the brightest boy. Your dormmates only brought the prefect's changes up to make you happy! I mean - mission successful? The goal was to motivate him and they technically succeeded. Just not for studying. He's 100% fired up with enough energy to run laps around the dorm now. He doesn't know what to do first, should he get Cater to help make you a playlist? Or have some flowers sent over? Would you prefer red roses or a mix of violets with chrysanthemums. Wait. Grim's 'technically' a cat, right? He should make sure not to send anything harmful to kitties. Maybe some tuna for him with chocolates for you? But this gift should be something you can keep. Ohhhh he is vibrating from excitement. He needs to show how much he loves you. Your attention and care truly means the world to him.

Habits You Steal:

Bug Spray (Developed): Jamil can and will throw you under the bus when faced with insects. Big hit to his pride, not his best moments, but he is NOT dealing with the absolute infestation at Ramshackle. You are spraying that place with heavy duty RAID if you want him over longer than ten seconds. If he so much as catches a GLIMPSE of a roach - nah. Just nah. He will shove that dustpan in your hands and send you to war. Don’t call him until it’s dead, the carcass has been disposed of, and you’ve wiped down. Grim’s a cat. Teach his ass to hunt. He needs to pay rent. You think he’s letting the flame-ball follow to the Scalding Sands after NRC? Jamil wants him on hinting duty for scarabs or else it’s time to prep hobo box.

“Burn it….Did you not hear me? I said. Burn. It. Better yet? Burn this whole damn building!” <-First night he decides to let Kalim handle Scarabia and humor you with a sleepover - and a giant spider decided to invade the shower. We’re talking big spider, maybe pregnant. Please keep in mind that during the VDC prep, Vil had Ramshackle deep cleaned. So the worst Jamil saw was a few ants. Now, the science club does meet in the Ramshackle garden often since you’ve cleaned it up, and Trey may grow plants that make the place insect central. Jamil was unaware of this. The gut wrenching scream that echoed through every room in the house. You’d think one of the ghosts pulled a cruel prank - but no. You didn’t even get a moment to investigate. The bathroom door flew open, Jamil running out still wet and drenching his pajamas. The death glare and spew of curses was the most genuine you’d ever seen him. Well, it could have been appreciated if not directed at you. Fix it or he will never set foot in this place ever again.

Spice Tolerance (Inherited): Not much to say here. He likes his food spicy. Sure, Jamil isn’t great with his words so his main love-language is bringing over tubbaware filled with food, and he does cater to your preferences more often than not. Except you undoubtedly will be eating what himself and Kalim eat most days. Which is packed with flavor. Grim isn’t complaining, food’s food. You? It’s funny to take a chomp out of ghost pepper like it’s a roma tomato, only for Ace to try and then start wheezing. Work them tastebuds, ya scrawny magic man. Heh.

"Can't handle the heat? Curry's a versatile dish. I could make something mild next time...you still want it? Why? Just because it's my favorite, doesn't mean you have to like it. Still not going to give it back? Alright. Lets see you clean that plate then." <- Flattered that you want to experience his favorite foods prepared to his tastes. For the record - Jamil likes it spicy spicy. Hotter than fiery vindaloo. Its an acquired taste and he really can alter the recipe if its too much. Won't unless you ask, because it's funny and oddly romantic seeing you sweat just trying to make him happy (Will hit the breaks in if you are getting sick from it. Does not play around).

Braids (Inherited): Paired with Jamil’s developed trait. Braids or hair beads - take your pick. Maybe both? Or a headscarf. His little sister - Najima, do you remember her? She’s the first Viper you get to spend time with during a trip to the Scalding Sands and gifts you either some hair beads or a headscarf as her unspoken blessing. Nothing fancy, and Jamil forced the coin in her hand for it, but she did take you through the markets while he was busy tending to other needs. It’s honestly really sweet, and Jamil will braid the beads or scarf in one of your side pieces of hair every morning (or wrap the scarf around your head. Not fancy like Kalim’s but still a knot he ‘insists’ will look better if he does it since you’re inexperienced. He could teach you. He won’t.)

Silence (Inherited): Shit just does not phase you anymore. Ever heard of the inability to keep calm until there's someone more panicked nearby? Jamil embodies this, being surrounded by emotive people all the time, and his perpetual state of indifference physically does not allow you to feel unsettled. If Jamil isn't bothered, then neither are you. It's that simple. Resting bitch face is contagious. Jamil's ability to handle Kalim comes in handy for raising Grim. You can now ignore his baby face and daily begging for premium tuna. Little kitty needs to expand his arsenal of tricks, because your will is stone.

"Bad day? Grab a cup. The dorm's usually quiet for the next hour. I'll be there in a moment." <- Queen never cry. If anything actually does phase either one of you, it normally ends the same way. Plopped on the floor of his bedroom, sipping hot tea and staring at the wall in comfortable silence while stewing in mutual suffering. Eventually you give him one of those starry sky projectors, and y'all ill stare at that instead. If it's a problem that has a tangible solution then it gets solved. Easy. This is for the 'yeah, life sucks' moments where all you can do is let it be before getting back up again. At least you have each other.

Habits He Steals:

Braids (Developed): Jamil can easily do his own hair. A flick of the wrist and it magically braids itself. Ebony locks carry memories of pain, growth - and change. Small change. Yet change nonetheless, which seemed impossible years ago. There’s something very intimate that comes with fixing another person’s hair. You’re not proficient enough to handle his cornrows (or are you? To his standard? As fast as magic?) but Jamil’s fine with changing his hair style to a simple triple braid, or a braid-band using the framing pieces that can crown around his head. So long as you do it for him every morning.

Fix-It-Felix (Developed): You know that one type of dad? The one who visits your home and looks for imperfections. He comes over, puts fresh produce in the fridge, mends the nail holes in the wall and fixes that one loose board on the steps that you made a habit to avoid. Barely says two words during his visit but seemingly solves half the problems you were procrastinating? This is Jamil. 100% Jamil when he comes to Ramshackle. He needs to make himself useful. And to scold someone. Grim more often than not, but you’re not safe. He really goes ‘bitch you live like this?’ at least once a week. Then proceeds to take preventative measures like a textbook tsundere.

“I put tangerines in the fridge since winter is coming. You need to be getting enough vitamin c and - where’s Grim? Don’t let him eat them all and make sure he knows not to light the fireplace tonight. There’s some cleaner on the bricks that needs to sit for a few hours…you know what? I’ll go with you to get him. Grab your heavy coat, it looks ready to rain.”

Dancing (Developed): Jamil participates in solo-dance during his downtime. It’s not like he had a partner to do duos with. Jamil also was not interesting in cozying up to a stranger just to learn a dance he would rarely have a moment to indulge in. Kalim’s the one who mentioned this in passing to you. His intentions were pure, of course. Just as they always are. He signed you both up for a ballroom dance class as a present for officially becoming a couple! Jamil finally had a partner and time to try, so why wait?! The vice in question wanted to deny since (1) who has time for that, (2) it was off campus, would take three hours out of every weekend for a month and (3) The chance of embarrassing himself was higher than he would like. Yet Kalim is smarter than most think, and purposefully handed the gift to you. Not Jamil. Along with the excited embellishment that Jamil could now do this ‘long desired’ class that really wasn’t high on his radar.

"If it makes you happy...then I don't mind. Just try to avoid stepping on my toes. Otherwise I'll demand compensation. What do I want? Wouldn't you like to know, prefect." <- Five seconds in and he yields. You weren't going to let him out of it - no matter what excuse Jamil came up with. He'll put up with it and get back at Kalim later. The chance to spend time with you for that long is rare, and Jamil isn't the type to squander opportunities. No matter his personal feelings on the 'gift' in question.

Except Jamil finds the entire experience pleasant and hates that it’s all thanks to Kalim. Dancing with you is entirely different than dancing alone. It’s clumsy, new, and honestly tiring since he needs to lead. Especially in anything fast pace like a quickstep or to swing. It’s also three hours out of the week that Jamil isn’t maintaining his composure. Just you, him, and the instructor since Kalim splurged on private lessons. It’s liberating and Jamil wants to keep with it far beyond after the class ends. Even if it’s just slow-dancing in the common room to one of those vintage records stowed at Ramshackle. Seven, let him have this.

‘We’ instead of ‘Me’ (Inherited AND Developed): Automatically assumes that any invites are for you too. Jamil is used to thinking this way. Except the ‘we’ applied to Kalim, with Jamil as a plus one. Jamil did not want to be part of that ‘we’. Hence why he would only refer to Kalim when laying plans out. ‘Kalim has dance lessons at six, then dinner at seven, then study until 10 and then bed. Tomorrow, Kalim’s going to a banquet head by the treasure’s family and then returning to campus.’ The unspoken truth being that Jamil’s schedule matched. He followed, but was never on board with being Kalim’s ‘we’. He has always been a ‘me’ and made an active effort to preserve all his ‘me’ moments. For someone so self-aware…Jamil isn’t sure when he began to view you as his ‘we’. Only that when you auto-included him in everything…it was less strenuous than with Kalim. Far less. Easy to adapt. In the past, Jamil believed a partnership to be another chain. Perhaps being a ‘we’ was never supposed to hurt.

“Thanks for the invitation, but we’re staying in tonight…. No, not Kalim. The Prefect. What? I’m not speaking for them. If my word’s not good enough, just go ask the prefect yourself.” <- Other people might look at him and think he’s treating you like Kalim. Oh, how wrong they are.

Texting (Inherited): Jamil’s not used to someone keeping tabs on him. You’re going to see him within the hour, why does he need to call before going to wake up Kalim? Why do you need a text that he’s back in his dorm before you’re able to sleep? Why do you show up in Scarabia at one in the morning, throwing rocks at his window, if he forgets? (Jamil never forgets. He just had to reign in some rowdy first years and couldn’t catch a break. It was on his mind. Really.) It’s not the worst demand. A five minute call while he’s prepping breakfast and a few messages to know he’s going to rest are a small price to pay. Turns out a little rundown of his day before bed makes sleeping a ‘little’ bit easier. Huh.

“I don’t see it.” <- A lie spoken with the most monotone tone possible. Jamil rolls his eyes over the rim of his mug, taking a sip before turning the page in his book. Najima scoffs before returning to her magazine. She can say he’s softened up all she wants. He won’t admit to it. Doesn’t mean she’s wrong in the slightest. Jamil’s well aware that hopes and wants denied to him from birth have begun to stir within him. No matter how small the changes may be, Jamil isn’t foolish enough to give those emotions his attention. Not if he wants to keep them. Good things always escape his grasp…his wounds are too fresh to get comfortable just yet.

[ohmyclematis-alwaysbymyside]

giyuu and depression (tw: suicide and depression)

a) depressed mood: this one is a no brainer. from the beginning till almost the end of the series, giyuu is trapped in a constant state of misery due to losing sabito. the official reports solidify this and prove that it's not only the audience that notices how sad he is.

obanai is irritated by giyuu's sorrowful state and tengen also shares that feeling. tengen's description however, flawlessly hits the nail on the head. "he always looks like he's at a funeral" is such a dreadfully eerie reference to how giyuu never moved on from sabito's death.

chapter 131 also proves this as giyuu states that his depression would sometimes get so bad, he couldn't function or get out of bed. I will be showing this panel later at some point.

b) diminished interest in all activities: in giyuu's case, he didn't lose all happiness instantly, but it appeared as his depression worsened.

in chapter five of the second light novel, when shinobu asks giyuu to join them and have fun, he initially refuses. when he is eventually forced into playing with them, at no point does he feel happy or even entertained in the slightest. hell, when mitsuri tickles him, the first thing he does is freeze in horror.

all pillars seem to find pleasure in slaying demons. some of them smile and even giggle while fighting. others don't shut up about how fun it is. giyuu is the complete opposite as he states that he finds no pleasure in fighting demons, if anything he hates it. he canonically is the only pillar who never smiled mid fight/battle

he gets irritated when tanjiro stops water breathing because he wanted tanjiro to replace him so that he can retire. this proves that giyuu lost all interest in everything, even demon slaying, something that he has dedicated his entire life to.

c) changes in apetite (this one might be weird): giyuu loves eating. this should be common sense because half of his panels are of him eating simmered salmon but his relationship with that damn dish specifically seems to stem from a desperate desire to feel joy because his attachment to it is ...concerning. I am being fully serious when I say that he eats literally nothing else. in the manga, he always eats salmon. in the gaiden, he eats salmon. in the LN chapter I referenced earlier, the reason he was late to the meeting was because he was eating salmon and at the end of the chapter, he plans of inviting sanemi out for eating salmon. FB1 states that his favorite thing ever is salmon. I mean sure, he eats soba noodles that one time but that's because tanjiro chose the dish. and somehow, he never gets bored of salmon. wanting to eat your favorite dish is pretty understandable but in his case, it's implied that he eats salmon for the sake of wanting to feel happy not simply because it's his favorite

he has three different dishes around him along with tea and he consumes none of them. judging off of the positions of the dishes, it seems like he tried eating but gave up in the end. so he probably doesn't eat when he's too depressed. I also noticed that compared to other male characters who share similar body types and heights as him, giyuu is sort of underweight? listen listen. I do NOT condone the fandom portraying giyuu as a twink but like... 69 kg is a bit too little for a 176 cm, 21 year old man who slices demons' head off for a job.

conclusion: giyuu isn't a big fan of food and he eats salmon because he wants to feel some sort of happiness. do NOT twist my words or think that I condone people portraying him as a twink.

d,e,f) insomnia, fatigue, and issues with focusing: I discussed all these topics in an ancient post of mine. it's linked.

(additional note: in the panel above, all the food is shown spilled on the floor in close proximity to him and yet, he still doesn't bother enough to clean it up. this proves that he gets so depressed, he literally can't maintain basic hygiene.)

g) feelings of guilt and worthlessness: do I need to explain this? regret is the biggest theme to his character. he always blames himself for any misfortune that happens to him or his loved ones due to his low self esteem. after losing his sister, giyuu carries extreme survivor's guilt due to her death which worsens after losing sabito as well. this leads him to believing that he's responsible for their deaths and he constantly tries freeing himself of his regret. along with that, he (clearly) suffers from inferiority complex and believes that he does not deserve to be a pillar, let alone a demon slayer. this seems to be something that is engraved in giyuu's core because when he sees tanjiro "dead", the first thing he does is blame himself.

h) suicidal ideation: giyuu is suicidal and anyone who denies that has the media literacy of a chair. he canonically has been ideating death since he was a child and sabito had to explain to him why wishing to die is not normal. and while his guilt plays a role in it, saying that it's the only reason he desires death is sort of dumb because at the end, he still wishes death upon himself. giyuu saw life as a privilege that he does not deserve due to believing that he robbed his sister and best friend of theirs and as a result, loses all will to live and ideates suicide. he clearly has no regard for his life and is incredibly sacrificial as we see him put his life on the line for tanjiro and nezuko, 2 kids he barely had any connection with. additionally, him wanting to abandon his position is a signal that giyuu has given up on living. giyuu's will to live depended on demon slaying and after sabito's death, he focused on training to give himself a reason to live so that his depression wouldn't consume him.

but as his depression worsened and his dedication (ie the only thing keeping him alive) betrayed him, he waits until someone (tanjiro) masters water breathing so that he can abandon his position and effectively rid himself of any reason to continue living

another depression criteria: symptoms have to significantly impact social, personal, and work life. giyuu isolates himself from everyone around him due to criteria G (regret) and ends up being an outcast which affects his social life. he loses all interest in his job and his depression clearly impacts his health and well being so he meets the criteria successfully.

after note: giyuu meets most of, if not all the criteria for depression. some of the things here might not make sense but even if you exclude them and only include things directly stated, he would still meet the criteria for the disorder. I wanted to post this for half an eternity but I wasn't sure about how people would feel about this and now I don't care

[unifybullseye]

Shuake & Komahina and their similar important dynamics

Someone on strawpage on twitter asked "I saw a hot take on my TL that AkeShu fans make-up their dynamic and has little actual canon basis and I need to know your thoughts" and I thought the best way to say that I disagree with that wholeheartedly was compare shuake to kmhn LOL so here that is. I wanted to post it here too cause it's more easily consumable.

Shuake and komahina plays out is in very similar story beats. they both follow the same baseline which is the matter of understanding each other. while of course different, it follows -> nice charming guy front -> something happens to reveal the facade and the way they interact with the protagonist changes -> the big ending to it all.

The thing that stays consistent no matter what goro/nagito does is that the protagonist wants to understand them and cares about them as a person despite everything they know. Both protagonists experience betrayal with the other.

These characters are character foils to the protag, which pretty much automatically puts their story and motivations relying on the protagonist to progress their story. their stories are built off of one another and are a fundamental importance to both characters and the plot. From this, their dynamic is easily obtained through the player, and their relationship becomes a major part of the story and the protagonist's motivations.

I mean, the whole first plot twist in persona 5 wouldn't be possible without knowing what we did about Akechi's and Ren's relationship. A lot of plot is driven off of Akechi's viewing of Ren and how their justice collides. The player also retains the information on both of these ships in similar ways. That being, optional justice confidant and optional free time in DR. Confidant rank ups + Free time is like the #1 way to get to know the character better but it's up for the player to decide. getting a "canon basis" for them both can change based on the experience you have in the game.

But there is a fundamental layer of what they are despite doing them or not because once again, the story would not progress without their relationship.

I also want to say that "filling in the blanks" is a literary device and not a failure of writing. Whether it is a book or a show or what have it, good things will make the audience fill in the blanks, aka, infer what's happening or what the story is telling you not directly. Like we can infer that Ren thinks about Akechi in the time between 11/20 and third sem more than we are shown, due to his actions in third sem and his thoughts after the engine room. we can infer that Hajime thought about Nagito more than shown due to how he acts in the last trial.

so it is less "making up" their dynamic and more so just thinking about them in a way the story actually is giving us in a "show don't tell" way.

another similarity is that both of the pairs interactions are just a smaller part of the 100 hour games (despite them overlooming the narrative entirely) due to the fact it's a video game, fandoms of both have their "top tier" quotes, sort of say, lol. Quotes that are a few dialogues here and there but reveal a lot. It's simply just a different media consumption and how shipping works.

TLDR no I don't think its fair to say they have little canon basis/everything is made up when the protag/antag role of the ships is a huge part of the narrative/their interactions reveal a lot in general/we can infer things from the story based on the way the characters act. they are IMPORTANT!

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

Hello, I came to say that dragons are mythical creatures often depicted to be possessive in mythology and literature, sometimes known for their immense power, territorial instincts, and the symbolic association with hoarding wealth and treasures...

Twisted Wonderland in context, Malleus Draconia was confirmed to be a dragon fairy (essentially a dragon who can take a shape of a man), and I was curious if Malleus may have exhibited possessive traits in canon, whether through main story or vignette...?

The reason I ask that is because mischaracterizing characters or making them OOC is the last thing I want to do when it comes to writing or analyzing...

**Sorry if I was not able to word it in a way that you can understand what I'm trying to convey because sometimes I feel inferior that my wording may come off as blunt or insensitive. I just want to leave a brief note that I don't mean to come off as rude or dismissive. I appreciate your understanding!**

In my opinion, Malleus in canon is protective but not possessive. What do I mean by that? Glad you asked. Let's start by laying down some definitions.

In this situation, when I say “protective”, it implies good intentions. It means actively looking out for others' safety and wellbeing. To be possessive, on the other hand, implies a more controlling desire to own or to restrict another's actions. It’s commanding and demanding all of a person’s attention and love. It means having a disrespect for others' autonomy and instead trying to displace it with your will. (Yes, I know that you're probably automatically thinking of The Big Exception of book 7, but I will address that later in this post so hang on for a moment!)

This gets long, so buckle up! We’ve got a lot to talk about.

First thing's first, a lot of the "possessive Malleus" interpretations originate from fandom, especially when it comes to yandere, yume, or generally romantic fan works. (And to be clear: This is NOT to shame the folks who enjoy these kinds of works; I am only listing them here as examples.) Oftentimes this occurs due to individual fans bringing in ideas from media outside the bounds of Twisted Wonderland. This is totally expected and normal; there is no such thing as someone who has an interest in ONLY a singular thing. We will naturally apply our previous knowledge to help us understand and interpret new information.

For example, in irl mythology, fae are hurt by iron--and even in Disney's own films, such as Maleficent, iron is depicted as harming fae and sapping them of their power. This led to many Twst fans headcanoning that iron does the same thing to fae in Twisted Wonderland. However, we learn in book 7 that this is NOT true. Fae, particularly nobles, do find the smell of iron nauseating, but the metal does not appear to impede their powers or hinder them in any way. Lilia and his men are still able to dispatch several Silver Owls (who are dressed in iron arm and battle with iron tanks and other machinery) without issue.

Another example that’s pretty popular is fans believing that whole “if you tell a fairy your name, it grants them power over you” thing. Some have claimed this will come into play in book 7’s final battle. Others claim this is the deeper or secondary reason as to why Malleus doesn’t reveal his own name to Yuu until book 5, as giving his name would grant Yuu power over him. However, there’s nothing in-universe to suggest that names have cultural significance to fae or that any sort of power or status is granted by relinquishing one’s name. Yuu (or Malleus’s hundreds of other classmates) have also demonstrated no such control over him.

Remember: what is true outside of Twst, including in Disney's own works, is NOT necessarily true inside of Twst.

Going back to the initial question, I believe that "Malleus is possessive" is also a headcanon of a similar vein; fans are coming into Twst familiar with other mythos which state that dragons are possessive, territorial, and greedy on top of being powerful. Because Malleus is a dragon fae and is known to possess great power, it's very easy for fans to see the parallels between him and the dragons they already know of. This then leads to them filling in the gaps of his personality and projecting other stereotypical draconic traits onto him. In Malleus's case, this was extremely easy to do because it took a few years for him to see any significant spotlight in both event stories (Glorious Masquerade) and in the main story (book 7).

I think the easiest way for us to analyze whether Malleus is protective or possessive is to examine his closest relationships in the narrative of Twst. I will not be counting Sebek and Silver individually here, as they are both his bodyguards and Malleus maintains a mostly professional relationship with them. Instead, we shall look at Malleus's attitude by looking at his relationships with Lilia and Yuu, then proceed into discussing related behaviors.

I believe it's indisputable that Lilia is one of the most important people to Malleus. Lilia trained him, taught him, and trained him. He is basically Malleus's father figure. The fear of losing Lilia is what causes Malleus to emotionally spiral and take drastic measures in a desperate attempt to avoid that unhappy ending. His entire motivation for unleashing his UM is "not losing [Lilia]!" You would think that if Malleus was going to be possessive of anyone, it would be with Lilia. But the truth of the matter is... he's mostly just... not? Lilia is a very sociable person in the student body. He's frequently gaming with Idia, taking care of or lending wisdom to others (Silver, Sebek, etc.), hanging out with Cater and Kalim in their club, interacting with dorm leaders and freshmen when Malleus is absent for ceremonies, and more--yet Malleus doesn't seem to express any jealousy over sharing Lilia. I'd also like to add that although Malleus lacks parents, he doesn't really show envy over Lilia treating and calling Silver his own son instead of himself. Oh, Malleus certainly does express jealousy to some extent. Who would forget the time in his Dorm Uniform vignettes when he crushed Lilia's phone? The thing is though, the times when Malleus is upset are not fueled by not wanting to share Lilia or wanting to monopolize his time. In the previous example I cited, Malleus broke Lilia's phone because Lilia had received a picture Kalim and the other dorm leaders took after a meeting. Even the dialogue exchanged implies this; Malleus did not automatically get mad when he noticed that Lilia had a notification, he only got mad after realizing he was excluded from something the other dorm leaders were all involved in. Malleus was upset that he was not invited, not that Kalim was texting Lilia. Additionally, it is stated that the dorm leader must grant permission for others to use the lounge. If he wanted to, he could withhold the permission for Lilia, who wants the lounge for his farewell party (which everyone is invited to), or stipulate that he wants a more formal affair with just Diasomnia members present. Malleus doesn’t act in this possessive way though. He grants Lilia what he desires without issue.

Next up for scrutiny is Yuu! Now, there's some gray area here because part of Yuu's relationship with Malleus is defined by how much the player projects onto the self-insert/blank slate character. Please note that, when I discuss Yuu, I am leaving out individual interpretations and going STRICTLY by the information presenting in canon.

It can be said that Malleus slowly develops a fondness for Yuu's company over the course of the main story. At first, he is surprised and maybe even a little disappointed that someone has taken residence in Ramshackle--it used to be desolate, which makes it a perfect spot to visit on his nightly strolls. However, Malleus soon finds amusement in the fact that Yuu, not being of this world, has no clue who he is or what his status is. This grants him the freedom to speak at ease with this human and to "be himself" in a way that he cannot be with others, who typically cower at his name. You could also argue that Yuu telling Malleus they may have found a way home expedited the despair he felt in book 7, as he learned so quickly that two of his friends would be exiting his life soon. This, however, is not possessiveness. It's normal to have fear and anxiety about losing the people you love.

Malleus's voice lines also do not indicate possessiveness. Yes, there's the usual and expected fanservice-y lines where he invites Yuu to come and engage in various activities with him, but nothing in those suggests he would exclude others or become upset if they also wanted to join. (Are you telling me that Malleus wouldn't want to talk for hours on end about the glory of gargoyles to TWO people instead of just one?????) Additionally, all the characters get similar fanservice-y lines, so it's not something exclusive to Malleus. There was one line that gave me pause: "You always seem to attract a crowd... More so than I'd like, really." Buuut I think this could be read a number of ways, not solely in an ‘I want you all to myself’ way. Malleus actually does like to be alone, hence his nightly strolls. The line can therefore also be read as Malleus enjoying solitude or one-on-one conversations as opposed to addressing a group. In that case, it's a personal preference and not necessarily a sign of possessiveness. He’s definitely not completely averse to group activities though; there are lines where Malleus invites Yuu to do things with him and other characters. For example, from his PE Uniform: “Sebek has been badgering me to help train him. I'll permit you to join us. ... You're coming, I trust?”

The guy generally doesn't get angry or annoyed if Yuu mentions having other friends or managing the 7 member VDC/SDC group. In fact, he sometimes encourages Yuu to interact with others. One of his birthday lines is, "You needn't linger and focus on me to the exclusion of others. I want everyone to enjoy the party, yourself included." Malleus doesn’t so much as flinch or react when a complete stranger kisses the back of Yuu’s hand either. If he was truly possessive, wouldn’t he have gotten angry or—at the very least—have frowned or tried to put some distance between Yuu and said stranger? Yet Malleus doesn’t really react or comment on it despite being present.

Malleus seems to understand that it's not very polite to demand all of someone's time or attention--and this makes perfect sense of his character. He is a royal, and that means he was taught proper manners. Malleus has even indicated before that his grandmother stressed the importance of observing etiquette, particularly around invitations. You don't just invite yourself to functions or insert yourself into others' lives if not extended said invites... and Malleus, for the most part, adheres to those rules. In various voice lines, he even frets over committing social faux pas, wondering if he has offended his peers with certain behaviors. For example, from his Masquerade Dress: "Flamme shoots me stern looks on occasion. Have I behaved improperly in some way...?"

Malleus is also not generally possessive when it comes to his items or territory. He wants to share cake with others; eating a whole one gave him heartburn and now whole cakes are his least favorite food. Additionally, he tends to welcome people to Diasomnia rather than chase them out or expel them. (After all, they so rarely get visitors in the first place.) Malleus will at least hear out the reasoning for seeking him out. As an example, Leona (someone who has had a rocky history with Malleus) goes to Diasomnia in his Ceremonial Robes vignettes to exchange robes after a laundry mix-up. This is a stark contrast to the highly territorial Leona, who attacks a magicless human in thd Botanical Garden and also allows his own students to wail on Yuu and co. for simply walking being in Savanaclaw. Leona joins in on this bullying too. I think it's pretty clear that Malleus handles guests with far more tact, grace, and patience than his fellow prince.

I want to point out that though Malleus is usually amicable with guests, there are exceptions. Ramshackle, as I mentioned earlier, is a place he enjoys a lot. He indicates in his Halloween Dress card that “If anyone dares to damage [this] dorm, I will be as a lóng and reduce them to cinders. I have become rather fond of that place, after all.” Indeed, he does act on this promise in Terror is Trending and comes close to striking down Magicam Monsters for disrespecting a place he holds so dear. Is this possessive though? Yes, it’s a place he loves—but it’s also a place where his friend Yuu lives.

There are many other examples of Malleus going to extreme lengths to protect the things he loves. He vows to destroy Rollo Flamme, who poses a threat to his people, the fae (who depend on magic as their way of life, and the sentient gargoyles, whom he has recently befriended. He unleashes his mighty magic to attack those who wound his pride. He stops time and kidnaps the entire student body all for the sake of including ghosts in a Halloween celebration. And, of course, he sends Sage’s Island to sleep in a desperate bid to stop losing everyone. The majority of these behaviors involve him lashing out at those who pose legitimate threats to things he cares about. It’s not as though be is acting for no discernible reason or because he is doesn’t want his loved ones being with people other than him. Does that make these actions right? No, absolutely not. But I would say they are definitely more protective than possessive.

Very rarely is Malleus actively preventing his peers from spending time away from him. Sure, he gets upset that he’s not invited to join them and sure, he wishes people would invite him too—but there’s a difference between longing and being mopey about this and acting so domineering he’s breathing down the necks of others to only be with him. He is not stopping people from being with their friends and family. He is not stopping people from using his things or entering his territory. Even when he makes everyone sleep, he grants them the space to craft their own dreams and doesn’t even make the dreams center around him and his own involvement on their lives. Oftentimes the dreams involve several other characters that are important to the individual dreamer and Malleus does not appear at all. (Again, this doesn’t mean using his UM was the best move to resolve his issues; I’m just saying his actions were not necessarily possessive.)

So, in conclusion, I stand by the thesis at I proposed at the start of this post: Malleus is largely protective, not possessive, despite what many fandom interpretations would have you believe.

[joejhang]

THEA MULDANI DISCOURSE

if you're a hardcore thea hater do us all a favour dni w this post

THEA DID NOT GROOM KEVIN. lord the amount of INSANE takes i see about kevthea makes me want to bash my head in. THEA IS NOT A FUCKING PREDATOR. nora did make a post about this already but i'll reiterate the CANON FACTS for you all: thea and kevin didn't begin a relationship (romantic or otherwise) until they were both legal adults. the age gap between the two of them is maximum five years. there is no evidence to suggest the two of them had any kind of an intimate or close relationship before kevin's freshman year and their age gap isn't anything crazy it's not like kevin was freshly 18 and thea was like 30 so there was no huge gap in maturity. nora also makes it clear that their relationship was not the same as the toxic sexual encounters many of the other ravens had. much as some of y'all don't like kevthea (which i understand), it has to be said that they did actually have a relationship with each other. they passed each other notes and actually cared to get to know each other. nora doesn't really suggest there is anything unhealthy or toxic about their dynamic on its own.

yes i do think kevthea the ship has problems. however i think the toxicity is due to the environment they were both in (a literal cult) rather than either kevin or thea. the main reason i don't ship kevthea hardcore is because their relationship is borne from a very abusive very codependent very toxic environment that neither of them are healed or fully detached from. i honestly think it would be better for them both to just clean the slate and not pursue a relationship until they're more well-adjusted and free of the nest. that being said, i actually trust nora with her characters, so i'll let it rest.

i don't even like thea that much but some of y'all are literally just misogynists. i don't think it's a coincidence that one of the most hated characters in the series is a canonically black woman, especially when contrasted against the all white, male main characters of the books who arguably all have a very fucked moral compass (except for jean and jeremy. sometimes). considering she has like four canon appearances in the series and she is still one of the most hated characters in the fandom for YEARS says a LOT. smells like misogynoir to me.

i also think a lot of people forget that thea is also a victim of the nest. probably more than the average raven because of her race and gender. it's already been said that she faced hatred and copped a lot of shit during her time because she's half black, and jean makes it clear that women weren't highly valued in the nest as well. that combination of her identity did her no favours as a raven and y'all just want a perfect victim so bad don't you. of course she has a twisted way of thinking of course she's not well-adjusted or gentle or particularly kind she's a veteran from the nest and their vicious cult mindset that's not something you can just shake off, and neil, jeremy, kevin and jean all say that ravens graduate but never leave the nest. you all forget how prickly and bitchy and mean jean and kevin can be as well, probably courtesy of the nest, but for some reason their flaws are brushed over and even endearing but thea's are enough to despise and hate her passionately. crazy and suspicious.

yes a lot of the thea discourse is somewhat valid because i do think her responses to kevin + jean's trauma isn't particularly tactful or sensitive but i've said it before and i'll say it again. what do you guys expect her to fucking do??? riko is dead and tetsuji is nowhere to be found. if y'all want her anger and indignation you have it. she wasn't just totally chill and fine with the abuse they suffered. yes, thea made some ill-advised comments, but it's pretty clear she didn't know all the information and the facts about what happened to kevin/jean were so muddled anyway i don't really understand how you guys wanted her to respond. also note that andrew, neil and kevin also don't have the most gentle and sensitive responses to trauma either and yet they never get as much hate as thea does. which is insane btw. i love the boys but actually let this woman REST.

tldr thea isn't my favourite character but i feel the need to defend her because this fandom sometimes makes me genuinely crash out. she is NOT a fucking predator and she is also a victim of the nest. while she's not perfect she's also a character we know next to nothing about and the amount of hate she receives is actually batshit. sorry idc.

[minijenn]

The Ultimate Universe Falls Starter Guide!

Hey, you! You, reading this post! Have you heard about a fun little Gravity Falls/Steven Universe crossover fanfiction known as Universe Falls? Well now you have! Welcome to the club! This post is meant to introduce you to all things there is to know Universe Falls in one conscise place. Keep in mind that this post assues that you already are fully familiar with the plot and characters of each show individually, and will only really cover fic-specific things.

Now those of you who are already familiar with UF may be wondering, Jen, what is this post? Well, its mostly meant to be an introductory guide to help folks who stumble across my blog and may be interested in checking UF out, but are initially indimidated by it for whatever reason. It'll broadly introduce terms and concepts and characters unique to the fic, as well as connect you with valuable rescources to get the most out of all of the UF content there is to consume. So with that intro out of the way, let's get started!

What the Heck Is a Universe Falls Anyway?

Universe Falls is a silly idea I had back in 2015 (that's right, 10 years ago!) that aimed to combine the plots of Gravity Falls and Steven Universe into one narrative. The basic gist is that instead of settling in Beach City back in the day, the Crystal Gems make their base in Gravity Falls, intruiged by all of the strange creatures that live there. Hence we have Steven and Connie, who already live there, meeting and befriending Dipper and Mabel (who are spending the summer with their Grunkle Stan) to form a group fondly referred to as the Mystery Kids. Throughout the summer, they experience plenty of adventures, perils, life-lessons, and maybe even save the world a few times. You know, normal kid stuff. Mix in all of your favorite GF and SU characters, and you have a unique blend of the stories of both shows, melded together to create something that's both a little familiar and a little new, with plenty of unexpected twists along the way.

Vibe Check Time! What Can I expect?

When it comes to UF, you can expect... pretty much anything tbh. From tooth rotting fluff to the most devestating angst you've ever read, UF kinda covers it all. It has plenty of lighthearted, fun moments towards the beginning, but as we go along, things start to gradually get darker (much like they do in the canon of both shows). I will say, this fic is rated T for a reason, and its tags on Ao3 are fairly accurate. The main ones I should point out are harm to children, blood/violence, and emotional trauma. Generally though, I do try to keep to the vibes of both of the shows UF is based on, so that's mostly what you can expect.

Wait, Didn't You Already Write This Fic?

I did, again ten years ago. I stopped working on it around 4 years ago, largely due to burnout and a variety of other factors. But with the revival of the GF fandom thanks to the Book of Bill, I was struck with the inspiration to pick the fic up again last year! Hence we have what I refer to as "New UF". New UF is a revised version of the OG fic, rewritten from the ground up with a lot of the fat trimmed from it. I'm trying to get to major plot and character points as quickly as possible, so some might feel it has something of a quick pace, but I think it's just right, really, to keep the fic from feeling like its dragging its feet the same way it used to. New UF has frequent updates, each with their own accompanying artwork, so you can not only expect new content to read, but new content to feast your eyes upon too! A win win for everyone! (BTW before you ask, the original UF is still up; you can read it if you want, but I wouldn't encourage it. It's kind of a mess writing-style wise).

UF? UF2? UFF? Why so many UFs?

If you stick around my blog for any extent of time, you may hear the terms UF2 and UFF thrown around. UF2 stands for Universe Falls 2, UF's eventual sequel covering the second summer after UF. As UF1 ends after the events of Weirdmageddon on the GF side and roughly around the beginning of season 4 on the SU side, we still actually have a lot of ground to cover, and that's where UF2 comes in. Granted, since I'll be out of GF content to adapt by then, there's going to be a lot of really interesting original content that comes into play to look forward too, along with the rest of SU. UFF stands for Universe Falls Future, a sequel series set two years after the events of UF2 which covers the events of Steven Universe Future, but again, has plenty of original content of its own to balance things out. At the time of this writing, neither UF2 or UFF have been written yet, but rest assured I have both pretty much planned out completely from beginning to end because I'm just unhinged like that.

"Seasons"? Bitch, this is a fanfic, not a TV show.

I know lol. So let me explain. I categorize chunks of UF into what I like to call "seasons", mostly to keep myself on track. They don't really mean anything outside of various bundles of chapters that are close together. For instance, Season 1 or S1 of UF is everything from the start of the fic up to Mirror Gem and Waterfall Gem. S2 is everything from Irrational Treasure to Gideon Rises. And so on and so fourth. You can check out the full season list, and a full (semi correct bc its kinda always changing) UF chapter list here on the official UF wiki (btw, we have a Wiki).

Who are all these Blorbos?

So while UF mainly focuses on actual canon characters from both shows, it does have a small handful of original characters in more minor roles to flesh things out. You'll likely hear some of their names thrown out from time to time, so here are the major ones you need to remember:

Stepper and Maven: My babies! These two are probably pretty obvious, but Stepper is the fusion of Steven and Dipper and Maven is the fusion of Steven and Mabel. They both show up a handful of times throughout UF and I love them both dearly.

Dipevebel, Convenper, and Mabonnven: The "trifusions" as I like to call them. They're vairious combo fusions of our four Mystery kids (or MK): Dipevebel is Steven, Dipper, and Mabel; Convenber is Steven, Dipper, and Connie, and Mabonnven is Steven, Connie, and Mabel. We also have Stonipbel, who is the fusion between all four of them.

Aaron and Allison Pines: Dipper and Mabel's parents. We know nothing about these characters in canon, but fuck it, this is my house and I do what I want with them, so we have Aaron, who is kind of a bit of an anxious loser and a bit emotionally absent (while still caring about his kids) and Allison, who is super strict and kind of not the nicest person in the world. They're mentioned a handful of times in UF, but they don't actually show up until towards the end of UF2.

Stonemason: OK so this one requires a bit of an explaination and a bit of UF2 spoilers, so feel free to skip if you need to. The best way I can sum him up is to quote the UF wiki: Stonemason is a cybernetically enhanced human assassin created by Yellow Diamond with assistance from Bill Cipher. The first and only successful product of the Human Bioweapon Operation, Stonemason is a separate entity that is implanted in Dipper's mind, taking control of his body to undertake his orders to shatter "Rose Quartz" (aka). Stonemason makes his debut in Universe Falls 2, where he is a major antagonist for a majority of the fic." So yeah that's a lot, and if you have any questions about that, feel free to ask. Also, all that ^^^ is why Dipper has a yellow metal arm following the halfway point of UF2 in all art I draw post that point, basically his arm was amputated and replaced with a shapeshifting metal one. Ya know, like ya do.

Amber: Amber is a Gem who is related to the whole Stonemason arc mentioned above. She's created to basically be a nurse to humans in Yellow Diamond's human bioweapon program, and eventually ends up developing a close bond with Dipper, despite her assignment.

You mean these MK Poly? I sure do

Ok, so shipping is dumb. I think we can all agree on that right? Buuuuut it does lead to some pretty interesting character dynamics, hence why we see a little of it in UF. Namely between our starring kiddos. Before I continue let me make it extremely clear that there is no incestuous content of any kind in Universe Falls, that shit is fucking gross and I won't tolerate anyone claiming that I engage in that, cause I don't. As for the actual poly MK ship, essentially, its that all these kids (save for the twins, obviously) are in love with each other. So we get Steven x Connie, but also Steven x Dipper (Stedip), Steven x Mabel (Stebel), Connie x Mabel (Conbel), Connie x Dipper (Conper) and eventually even Pacifica joins the polycule too so there's really a lot of fun dynamics to be explored in there. Idk ya'll don't get too hung up on the shipping element here. Love is love.

AUs of AUs? That's a Bit Redundant don't ya think?

Maybe so. But Universe Falls does have a whole host of Alternate Universes to its made, some made by me, some made by fans and my friends. The main UF AUS are Reverse/Diamond, Swap AU, and Relativity/Gem Kids, but there's plenty more you can read up on here on the AU page over on the wiki.

Nice Art, you ask a fuckass AI to make it?

Absolutely not. All my art is drawn by yours truly. You can look through my past works here on my blog using the tag "Jen Draws" or check out my DeviantArt page.

How do I solve those Goddamn Codes?

Each chapter of UF has a cryptogram to accompany it, mostly just meant to carry the spirit of Gravity Falls and do some fun references and foreshadowing. Every code in new UF can be decoded using a keyword that's found somewhere in the author's notes at the start of each chapter, usually the word relates back to the chapter itself. As a bonus hint, this is the website I use to create all my codes, and you can decode them there as well: https://themysteryofgravityfalls.com/

Cool stuff. Where can I read this thing/learn more?

This is the part where I mostly just list off a bunch of helpful links and such for folks who want to read/explore UF. Starting with, where you can read it! I post all new chapters here on tumblr, but UF's main home is on Ao3 (though I do still crosspost to FanFiction.net for some goddamn reason). The links to the fic itself are listed below:

Universe Falls on Ao3

Universe Falls on FanFiction.net

You can also read up on all of the hot UF lore on the official wiki! Please note that this wiki is still very much a work in progress, and if you want to help us build it, please feel free to!

You can also check out my Discord server for more exclusive UF content and conversations! This is honestly the best place to check out all things UF, especially to get a pulse on what fans are creating surrounding the fic. I won't post the link here bc Discord links expire, but if you're interested in joining up, please PM for an invite!

Aw, we're already done? But I got even more questions!

Then feel free to hit up my inbox! It's always open and I'm always down to discuss UF with ya'll. With all that said, if you do decide to check UF out, I sincerely, wholeheartedly hope you enjoy it (and I hope it overtakes your every waking thought the same way it has mine lmao)

[yandere-sins]

The Octopodes' Tale - Chapter III

I finished this last week but my new work sadly got in the way of correcting it! But I hope we get through more than one chapter per week from now on! Thank you guys for voting, and this time, I have some delicious name drops for you, and the first rather serious decision >:3 Enjoy! Fandom: Original Content   Pairings: Yandere!Octopus Merman x GN!AFAB!Reader Words: ~2k  Warnings: Yandere, Monsters (Tentacels, Oversized Mention, Mermaids, Monster Appearances, Sharp Teeth, Claws), Fear of potential harm, Discussions of death/dying, Mentioning of (animal) hunting for food

Your hand trembling, you slowly raised it towards the tentacle. 

It seemed miles away, yet too close for comfort, but with the patience of a saint, it didn’t move until you touched it, fingertips gliding over the slippery velvet of the tentacle’s skin. The red rested heavily in your hold as you wrapped your palm around it, suction cups sticking to some of your fingers, the suction in- and decreasing repeatedly as if the octopus was taking multiple tastes of you, something you probably had to come to terms with from now on as it was how these creatures explored their surroundings. 

With tender cautiousness, the tentacle began to wrap around your wrist and arm like it had with the Professor, rubbing against and clinging to you before simply staying still, almost reaching your elbow. Sudden claps rang out behind, making you twist your head back to see the other researchers clapping their hands, and a multitude of relief washed over everyone, the guards lowering their guns and stepping away. Even the Professor let out a few chuckles, seemingly pleased with your decision as he gave your shoulder another pat. 

“Good choice,” he praised, getting up with a grunt. “I’ll have your instructions and research plan delivered to you. Your amenities and personal belongings should be here by tomorrow afternoon; please let us know if anything is amiss or if you need more to settle in. We can arrange most requests.”

“W-Wait, so quickly?!” you gasped, struggling to get back on your feet. Your arm was still in the siren’s grip, and he straightened up as he watched you trying to find your balance. With a firm tug, the merman lifted you up, assisting you in a weird, helpful way, and you stared at him blankly for a moment while he perked up like a puppy wanting praise. Shaking your head, the lack of oxygen underwater must have done some serious damage if you compared such a creature to a sweet, harmless baby dog, but you brushed the thought aside quickly.

“Shouldn’t I go back and pack my things? What about my parents? I should tell them the good news!”

“That’s what letters are for, right?” the Professor calmly retorted, not even giving your first question any mind. The other researchers passed you by, chatting merrily, seemingly just as unbothered as the Professor. You walked after him, the guards at your back and the tentacle clinging to you as you moved around the pool. There was only a certain range you could walk while still being held by the octopus, but thankfully, he was moving with you, drifting back into the water and swimming by your side as all of you crossed the pool.

“With all due respect, Sir, but I can’t just suddenly disappear like that. There are things to plan for, and I–”

With a shocking speed, the Professor spun around. You took a surprised step back, the tentacle tightening around your arm, sensing your tension. From the corner of your eye, you could see the watchful octopus in the water, head bobbing at the surface as he observed, unwilling to let go of you even though the tentacle was stretching to reach you by now, careful not to pull you into the water. 

“Nobody leaves,” the Professor said sternly, everyone quieting immediately. “We can’t risk the knowledge of the sirens spreading. Can you imagine the panic that would break out? The danger it would put these creatures in, as people would target and hunt them? Do you want that? We must protect them, you said it yourself!”

“I won’t tell anyone! I mean, it sounds a little crazy if I just return home and keep talking about mermaids, right?”

“Maybe you don’t have to say it, but who guarantees you won’t get kidnapped by our rivals? There are all kinds of things they may do to you to get all the information out of you. It’s safest if you stay here.”

“But–”

“That decision is final. Make sure to read and sign the contract by the end of the day.”

The Professor took a step towards you, placing his hand on your shoulder again. The tentacle tightened, and for a moment, you felt like the creature in the pool below was the least of your troubles as its touch calmed you, like a promise of protection. “Don’t worry,” the Professor reiterated. “We’ll take care of everything. You just focus on your upcoming project and spend some time with your new protegee. I’m sure you have many questions, and he’s best suited to answer them.”

The number panel beeped as someone punched in the code for the door, the hinges opening with a heavy thud. Before long, every other person besides you left the room, leaving you behind with even more questions than you had before, and with a creature that was still dangerous and clinging to you. 

“Are you okay?” he called out from below, and you realized you were holding your breath, slowly letting it out. Turning towards the edge of the walkway, you looked down into the pool, seeing his yellow eyes shining from the blue, and you brushed against the arm wrapped in his tentacle, a stinging sensation coming from your skin. 

“I- I think so,” you mumbled, grabbing the tentacle. “Can you let go of me now?”

It felt strange to talk to him as if he was a person. Perhaps he was, even when all the signs pointed in completely different directions. The pressure on your arm intensified briefly, then slowly slid off, and you sighed in relief as you watched the tentacle glide back into the water. There were visible marks left behind on your skin where the cups had stuck to you, something you probably had to get used to now. 

“Are you really going to stay with me?” the octopus asked, bubbles rising from his mouth as he sank back down, as if afraid of your answer. 

“Guess so,” you sighed, sitting down on the walkway and letting your legs dangle from the edge, still unsure what was happening. It didn’t seem like you’d be leaving, though, at least not that day. Although it concerned you, there seemed to be nothing you could do right then and there. You’d have to find someone else who could help you get out, but you didn’t know anyone, and after the commotion you caused, it was probably wiser to let things calm down first. 

“What’s your name?” the siren asked suddenly, shooting out of the water and holding on to the grate on both sides of you. He pulled his body up with more upper body strength than you would have attributed to him, but it made sense, given how his body must have worked. Still, with the writhing mess of tentacles beneath him, he must have been pretty strong to lift himself out of the water like this. Your scientific instincts were tingling as you wanted to learn more about this strange creature, but he was still untrustworthy for now.

Instinctively, you scooted back, just in time to avoid having your legs crushed by his weight. “It’s… It’s [Name],” you hesitantly told him, not sure if this was necessary or appropriate in the kind of relationship you two had. After all, you were there to research him, even if his face resembled a human’s. Perhaps it was better to know each other’s names, but it also built closeness between two people, which would make it more complicated if you had to do things that would be uncomfortable. 

“Pretty!” he chimed, propping his head on his hands. If he had legs, you were sure they’d be bouncing up and down like a schoolgirl’s as he kept talking. “I’m Leo! Are you hungry? Do you like crab meat? I am a really good hunter, I can get you some! Oh, but they are rationing my food here, so I don’t have any right now… How about we play something? The old caretaker used to throw balls my way, and I’d throw them back! We just need to be careful not to break the things on the table over there, I don’t want you to get mad at me, too… How about a massage? Everyone likes those, right?”

“I’m good!” you quickly replied, trying to follow his stream of words as they seemed to come endlessly. “Did you say old caretaker? What happened to them?”

Leo was still going on about activities you two could do when he suddenly stopped, processing your question. His eyes were unblinking, staring right into your soul. “They… died,” he finally said, sounding like he was putting his thoughts together. “I think,” he added. 

“They always wanted to leave the facility and did this thing with their eyes, which made them water a lot. Crying, that’s the word. They taught me that! They were kind and I really liked them! But people die, right? It’s normal? They said they’d come back and left through that door-” he pointed at the only exit, “-but they didn’t. That man said they died.”

You gasped as he spoke about the Professor, Leo’s hair turning ashen momentarily, indicating who he meant. You should have assumed that he would have some traits of an octopus, but you hadn’t realized how much until you saw his colors change, quickly turning back to pink and then red as if alarmed. Perking up, he looked around as if to try and find the danger, but you quickly composed yourself again, and he seemed to relax. 

“It made me really sad,” he admitted, and you nodded sympathetically. You couldn’t imagine what he was going through. You weren’t a giant creature captured and being researched. But he seemed to have bonded with his previous caretaker, and seeing how attentive and caring he was towards you, perhaps he really wasn’t an evil soul. 

“Do you want to leave?” you asked him with sudden curiosity. You two had talked about others leaving, and you felt stuck here, so perhaps he did too? Leo’s head sank to the grate as he hummed thoughtfully. 

“I do. I want to go home. I want to see my mate again, but they won’t let me. And now I have you, so I can’t leave just like that either.”

He waved his hand in the air in a similar motion that a human might snap their fingers when they talked about a spur-of-the-moment decision, some of the tentacles behind him doing the same. It felt like such a natural motion that it made you chuckle, and he peeked up at you, smiling softly. 

“You don’t have to stay here because of me,” you assured him, reaching forward and playfully rubbing his hair. Only when you were doing it did you realize you were thinking of him like a puppy again, immediately drawing back. But Leo only grinned more, exposing his sharp teeth and tilting his head forward again as if to ask for more pets. 

“I do. Otherwise, you’d be dead, too, right? You can’t leave here, and they won’t let me go. Straci says we can’t take more lives than necessary, so I can’t let them kill you just because I left.”

You gulped. It almost sounded like… everyone who tried to leave got killed. That couldn’t be true, right? This was a government facility; they couldn’t just kill people for leaving... right? It was only what this creature put together in his mind to make sense of things when his caretaker didn’t come back. “I’ll be fine,” you reassured him, giving his head another brief pat. But would you? Somehow, you couldn’t shake the eerie feeling you had, especially when you reflected on the Professor’s strange, sometimes persistent behavior and words, instructions and orders aside. 

“You…” Leo mumbled, suddenly reaching out a hand towards your leg. Carefully, he gripped your shin, squeezing it before looking up at you with glossy eyes and a trembling lip. “You won’t leave me, right? You won’t leave me here, all alone, too?”

Immediately, you wanted to say that you wished you could do something to help him, but that at some point, you’d have to leave, too. You couldn’t imagine anyone working here spending all their time and life at this job. There must be someone who went home after a long day or took a vacation, at least. Leo’s striking eyes were dimmed as he looked at you almost pleadingly. It must have been tough to be here. Tougher than what you imagined when you considered working for this facility. 

But considering his strength and the genuine sadness he seemed to feel, maybe saying that his newly appointed caretaker would leave him as well would make him snap. He was still a siren and not a human. It felt wrong to lie to a face that looked at you with the innocence of a lonely creature, but perhaps it was the right way.

Thoughts and reasoning as always, are welcome! ♥

[smusherina]

yard work - chapter 12 (regina george x reader)

fandom: Mean Girls (all media)

pairing: Regina George x OFC/Reader

summary: You'd been in the same class as Regina George since kindergarten. You'd lived on the same street even longer. Once upon a time, when life was sandbox disputes and who got the swing first arguments, you'd even been friends. Now, in junior year of high school, you doubted she even remembered you. The same couldn't be said about you. You definitely remembered her. warning(s): a homophobic character saying some homophobic shit. listen, it's set in 2004 it was inevitable.

chapter 1 / chapter 2 / chapter 3 / chapter 4 / chapter 5 / chapter 6 / chapter 7 / chapter 8 / chapter 9 / chapter 10 / chapter 11 / chapter 13

"So..." Gretchen drawled from the passenger seat. "You're still not doing the dance with us?"

Regina glanced at her. "No."

"Cady's taking the lead." The brunette said, very badly acting as if she wasn't looking for a reaction. Regina resisted the urge to bite back, to defend her honour, and kept her eyes on the road.

"Great." She said, voice tart. "She's doing the stunt, is she?"

"Yup." Gretchen's breath hitched. "She's, uh, got it nailed down."

A mean smirk spread her lips. "Oh, really? I'm looking forward to it."

Gretchen swallowed. Regina spied from the rearview mirror Karen was watching the scenery pass by dreamily.

"What's up, Karen?" Regina asked.

"The sky!" Karen stated proudly. "And birds, I suppose. Hold on..." She felt up her boobs, pulling at her nipple obscenely. "Ouch. Yeah, it's gonna start snowing soon."

Regina, knowing the forecast had promised much the same thing, hummed. "Gonna have to stay in, then."

Gretchen shifted her weight on the passenger seat. She seemed uneasy. Both she and Karen had been severely late to arrive at her car today and had seemed... Dodgy. Regina could hardly blame her, though. Things had gotten weird recently.

She wasn't being nice. Not exactly. She'd just, kind of, dialled it back a little. A year ago she'd have spent the days leading up to Christmas break making the rounds, spreading nasty rumours about this and that, ensuring everybody's holidays were ruined just the right amount. This time, she'd forgone that.

A part of it, a large majority, was due to the Thanksgiving fiasco with Jorts. Another, smaller part, was because she was tired. She just didn't want to.

Arriving at her house, Regina parked and stepped out of her car. Gretchen and Karen followed her inside where mom greeted them with mugs of hot chocolate. Fancy chocolate and skim milk. Regina pointedly left her mug on the tray.

As she was going up the stairs, she noticed neither Gretchen nor Karen had grabbed a mug.

"Take them." She gestured vaguely back to her mom. "Don't be wasteful, girls."

Making her way up leisurely, she relished in the sound of the two girls scrambling to grab their mugs and then follow her as fast as possible. She might've loosened her hold on the student body, but Gretchen and Karen she'd keep. She didn't care if it was immoral or something, she'd done a lot of work to get them where they were.

"Shane Oman's doing a Christmas party this Friday," Gretchen informed them as they settled around Regina's room. "There's talk he's specifically invited Doris Harris."

"Who the fuck names their kid Doris Harris?" Regina scoffed and inspected her nails. She'd have to get a new set soon. "Are you going?"

"What? You- you're not?" Gretchen sputtered.

"I have... Plans." Important, top-secret plans. "Shane Oman is a sleazebag and a womanizer. Doris can have him." She said airily and looked at the two girls sitting on her floor.

"What plans do you have?" Gretchen probed. Karen looked on, seeming to be in her own world. Little specks of snow were beginning to fall outside.

"Private." She left it at that. "Who are you bringing to the party?"

"Probably Jason." Gretchen sighed. Regina's face twisted.

"You're still with that douche?" She sat down cross-legged near the two. "Why?"

"Oh, do you think I should break up with him?" Gretchen looked between her and Karen, seeming lost. "I can do that."

Regina rolled her eyes. Okay, maybe she'd put a little too much work in these two. They were old enough to think for themselves.

"Look, Gretchen..." She closed her eyes. "I'm not gonna say sorry. I'm, uh, just not going to." She didn't tack on the yet that meant to crawl up her throat. Too much too fast. "However, it's becoming apparent that my usual methods are no longer as effective. Exhibit A, Cady Heron."

Gretchen stared at her. Then, her head tilted to the side like that of an inquisitive dog. Karen was gaping at her, having probably not comprehended a single word. Regina sighed.

"Look, I'm not gonna just waste my time and energy putting people down anymore!" She was feeling way too defensive and the others hadn't even said anything. "I might, like, join a sports team or something for senior year. Focus on myself."

"Wow." Gretchen breathed out. "So, you're just gonna step down?"

"I'm still Regina fucking George. I'm not gonna stop being me." That being a vicious bitch with a lot of hate in her heart. "I'm just saying that it's getting old."

"Why? You- you can't just stop. That makes no sense. Someone's gonna take you over, like- like Doris Harris!" Gretchen took several short breaths, this close to hyperventilating. "Doris Harris is going to be the new Regina George!"

She rolled her eyes so hard her entire head rolled with them. "That statement contradicts itself. If she's the new Regina George, I'm still on top. The original."

"You sound so alike." Karen smiled. "You two are so cute. True love."

"Karen!" Gretchen snapped, sounding like a chihuahua. "Shush!"

"Who sounds alike?" Intrigued, Regina leaned forward. "Me and who? True love?"

"Oh, uh..." Karen looked to Gretchen, who was trying (and failing) to subtly shake her head, and then to Regina whose eyes bored into hers. "Uhhhhhhh..."

"She's rebooting." Regina huffed, leaning back. "Gretch, I just... I don't care anymore."

It had been a startling realization. Not a quick one despite the one eureka moment that'd brought it all together. There were things more important to her than maintaining a hierarchy in high school. It still was important, to a degree, but well. If she had to pick between one-upping some random girl at a shitty party and date night with Jorts, the choice was entirely too obvious. It was going to be date night every time.

(If she even had that privilege anymore. She's called her slurs, for fuck's sake. She could only hope her apology would be good enough.)

"How can you not care?" Gretchen screeched. Karen sipped at her hot cocoa nervously.

"I just don't." Something like this, not caring about something, wasn't a decision she could consciously make. At least, not entirely. Once you stopped caring, you just did. That was that.

It wasn't easy, though. She didn't have the strength of will to be deliberately mean to everyone, every single day, but she would not tolerate people stepping on her toes. If somebody encroached, she wouldn't hesitate to bring them down. Where the line went, distinguishing between a serious threat and a general nuisance, was the hard part.

Letting go of the instinct to just be mean was a challenging hurdle.

"She's changed you. All this time, you've been talking to her, haven't you? J, Jorts, whoever she is. She's corrupted you." Gretchen sneered. "What happened, Regina? Or should I say, Reggie?"

Regina looked at her friend, minion, accomplice- whatever.

"Excuse me?" She said, so quietly it could've been mistaken for a whisper.

"You heard me." Gretchen's sneer dissolved, old instinct to cower kicking in. "Reggie." She hissed, a feeble attempt at keeping her power.

"What the fuck do you know about J?" Regina could feel herself grow cold, anger mixing with panic, mixing with visceral, palpable terror.

Of course, all that manifested as blind fury.

"We know plenty about J. You've never shut up about her. Y'know, I used to think she was an ex-boyfriend of yours 'cause of the way you talked about her. And now, it all makes sense." Gretchen spread her arms provocatively. "Because she's gotten into your head, used her sticky, lesbo fingers to mix you up. Snap out of it, Regina. This is not who you are."

Anger roiling in her stomach, she was about to release pure acid onto the dimwitted, insensitive, stupid girl, when Karen spoke up.

"Gretchen, you're being stupid." She said so lightly. Both of them turned to look at Karen. She was watching the window, looking immensely pleased with herself. Yet another correct weather report.

"What?" Gretchen breathed out.

"Stupid. That's stupid. I didn't know you were, like, homophobic." Seeming to focus, Karen turned to face Gretchen. "I think I told you my brother's gay."

"Oh." Gretchen deflated. Regina didn't know what she should do. "Well, that's different, he's a guy! Lesbians are totally different."

"How?" Karen, more engaged than Regina had witnessed her be in a long time, kept her eerily wide eyes trained on Gretchen. "How is it any different?"

"Listen, everybody can do what they want with... Whoever, like, consents, but it's different when they shove their beliefs in people's faces." Regina, quite astounded, didn't know what to say. Karen did, though.

"J didn't shove anything in our faces. I don't think she shoved anything in Regina's face." She put her finger to her chin. "Unless they're into that sort of thing."

"Karen..." Regina sighed.

"Anyway, I think your opinions about gay people are weird, Gretchen. You should look into that."

"My opinions are just fine!" Gretchen's shoulders rose all the way up to her ears. "You guys are the weird ones! It's not like I hate gay people! There's just, y'know, healthy concern. If it was so easy to turn Regina then what can they do to impressionable little kids?" Gretchen licked her lips nervously. "What about Kylie?" She asked, looking to Regina for sympathy or agreement or something.

By that point, Regina had checked out.

"I don't think Regina's changed. Not really." Karen's owl eyes turned to her. "She's just... Shedding. Like a snake. Getting a new skin." She dragged her eyes up and down. "Yeah. New, shiny scales. Like a blonde, human green tree python. My dad has one. A snake one."

"Thanks," Regina said, tone flat. She then turned to Gretchen. "Get out."

Her hands trembled. Rage or fear, she couldn't tell where the tremor stemmed from.

"Regina, this isn't right-"

Just the sound of her voice made her blood boil. Her eyes stung too, but she refused to feel anything but anger.

"What isn't right is that you're still in my house. J is my childhood friend and the assumptions you've made about her are life-threatening. People are killed because they're gay, Gretchen. She hasn't turned me into anything, much less something you're insinuating." The claim that Jorts had turned her into a lesbian was false. If there were to be a claim about Regina's sexuality alone, then the answer wouldn't be so clear. "Get your fucking act together. I'm too good to bother with high school politics. We're going to college in two years. Stop being so small-minded and do something with your life for once."

She heaved in lungfuls of air. She stood up abruptly, walked to the door and pointed down the hallway.

"I-" Gretchen tried to say something, but Regina just reiterated her point.

"Out!"

She didn't particularly care that her friend (ex-friend) didn't have a ride home. She didn't care that she was a bigot, that Gretchen was right about her and Karen being the weird ones. She didn't care that Jorts had definitely changed her in some way.

As soon as the brunette had scuttled down the stairs, the front door slamming on her way out, Regina slumped against her door. She didn't care. She did not care.

"So, is it just us, now?" Karen asked from her spot on the floor. Regina was pretty sure she hadn't moved an inch since she plopped down. "Is J gonna be our new friend?"

"I don't know, Karen." She buried her face in her hands. Fuck. She wasn't supposed to care. "I didn't know Gretchen was like that."

"Hmm." Karen hummed. "I didn't know you weren't like that."

Her head snapped up, looking at Karen. Her expression was unreadable, like a book with blank pages.

"I... I'm scared, Karen."

"Yeah. My brother's boyfriend is from Alabama and he's been beat up before 'cause he looks gay. And he is gay, but the earring gave it away, I think. And my uncle died of AIDS and my family don't really talk about him and we weren't allowed to see him. My aunt that's in New York's been living with her best friend of, like, thirty years for forever and I went to visit one time and they had only one bedroom."

That was perhaps the longest, most coherent sentence Karen had ever said. Too bad the subject was so grim.

"Wow, Karen. Sounds like your family's full of..." What could she call them? Her mind defaulted to nasty slurs. "People like that."

"I guess." She smiled faintly. "I hear them crying sometimes, in my brother's room, when they're home for the holidays. Mama says I shouldn't go up and snuggle them until they feel better. They're having a moment." Karen looked confused at that. "Are we having a moment?"

Regina slowly unfurled from her slump against the door. "Maybe."

"Oh. Okay." She accepted easily. The familiarity of the scenario had a smile creeping back to Regina. "My brother smiles the biggest when me and his boyfriend team up against him at board games. My mom cries when we visit my uncle's grave. She tells us stories about him and shows us pictures. My aunt has three cats with her bestie and they call them their children and they wear matching rings."

"That's really sweet, Karen." Regina, now smiling in earnest, shuffled closer.

"I don't really get it." She said in the same light tone she'd use when talking about schoolwork. "Like, my brother's boyfriend is really nice so I don't get why people beat him up for dating my brother. And I think it was really mean that my grandma didn't let mama see her brother when he was sick. And my aunt and her best friend already live together, have cat-kids, and kiss on the mouth, so why can't they get married for real?"

Regina stared ahead, more than a little floored. Gretchen, simultaneously surprisingly and unsurprisingly, was a homophobe. Regina knew the political climate and knew that being openly gay was social suicide, and sometimes literal suicide, but she hadn't expected someone so close to her to be like that. They hadn't talked about it much, to be fair. Besides, Regina wasn't much better. While she might've not been a real homophobe, as in actually subscribed to the ideology, she'd done plenty of homophobic acts.

Whether or not in the name of projection or denial didn't really matter. Janis 'Imi'ike had been the first girl she'd subjected to hate crimes and discrimination, but not the last. How many times had she shoved other girls under the bus so she could get off scot-free? How many times had she done it for a twisted sense of fun?

Too many, was the easy answer. Not enough, whispered the scared, hidden thing in the back rooms of her mind.

And Karen was an ally. A supporter of the cause. And unexpectedly well-spoken when she had something she liked to talk about.

"Karen, I like girls."

"Me too!"

Regina's heart beat like a drum. She was beginning to sweat.

"No- I mean, like, I'm... A lesbian. I guess."

"Okay!"

She snuck a glance at the other girl. She was peering mournfully into her empty mug.

"Like your aunt and her best friend." She took a deep breath. "I like girls in that way."

"Uhh, duh," Karen smiled at her, beamed, really. "J is your true love."

"I wouldn't go that far." Regina sighed but had to purse her lips to keep from smiling. At the same time, a knot tightened in her chest, like hiccups trying to escape. She threw her head back and puffed out a breath, blinking rapidly.

"Let's go get more hot chocolate and I'll tell you about my talent show performance." She wiped discreetly at her eyes and extended a hand to Karen.

"Hot cocoa!" The girl exclaimed as she pulled herself up with Regina's help. "Ouuuhh, what kinda performance?"

"A song." Regina guided them down the hallway. "For her."

Obviously, she had more than just a song planned. A proper apology, for one, was in the works. Karen didn't need to know about that, though. That was between her and J.

Notes: Boo I lied it's not the last one. I thought it would be! I was wrong! I did start rambling like I kind of predicted in the notes of the last chapter. Or, like, I felt the ending would be a little too abrupt without some downtime. So have some Regina POV!

Will no longer be making predictions about when the end is. I'll only be contradicting myself lol. But like, the arc is coming to a close, a natural end is coming. And then the epilogue things.

Praying to god the taglist will work. Trying a new method today, fingers crossed! Hand-typing every single fucking name, no commas in between names, the utmost technicalities. This is the night fellas, the night we've been waiting for.

Edit: it didn't work. in fact, it worked worse than the other times! fuck! put another version of the list, back with commas, and it seems to tag some people but not all. gonna have to do some scouring on the internets.

Taglist: @autorasexy, @wedfan2, @unadulterated-moron, @modernsapphicism , @9unknown0 , @sage-rose2000 , @massive-honkas , @nattys-swiftie , @likefirenrain , @luz-enjoyer , @dandelions4us , @natashamaximoff-69 , @alexkolax , @jareaul0ver , @here4theqts , @charleeeesworld , @natsbiggestfan1 , @brocoliisscared , @yellowwallflowers , @scarlettbitchx , @ayoungexwife , @cyberbonesworld , @syddie-reads , @screechcat , @theenglishswiftie , @gabby-duhh , @sweetmissnothing , @masterofpuppets-10 , @l1lass , @starved-mortal , @nothanksbye07 , @nenas19 , @jvuyii , @starry-night17 , @reneeswife24 , @glorioushamsterqueen , @krononan , @slug-on-bike , @rayisaknight , @chaseatlanticlover91 , @reginassweetheart , @mirage018

(if you want to be added to the taglist, comment so on this post! beware it seldom works. i try my best.)

[olderthannetfic]

Ever since JKR terfed out, I've seen a lot of people talking about alternatives to Harry Potter. And i respect it, because I do think most of those people have good intentions, not to mention there are obviously people out there who are genuinely uncomfortable with the series and can't divorce the art from the artist.

But idk...for a lot of people, they like Harry Potter because it's Harry Potter. While some might find comfort in picking up a different "magic boarding school", "chosen one", "found family", "kids as the heroes", etc story, or whatever it is that someone might enjoy about HP...for some people it goes beyond just tropes or settings or character dynamics and they just like HP. They like Hogwarts, they like Harry and his classmates and teachers, they like to read about the creatures in the specific way they exist in the Hp universe, they like to read about Quidditch, they like things and characters that are only a thing within the Wizarding World and the "read another book" thing just doesn't work. (The "read another book" MEME though, however, can be pretty funny depending on the context though, ngl.)

Anyway, like, I get it, I really do, I have a lot of sympathy for those who want to separate themselves from HP forever. I don't think they're all virtue signallers/performative activists/whatever else you might say. it's one thing to call HP irreedemable media and how you should DNI if you still like it, it's completely different to be like, "hey here's another magick school story that might fill the void for those who genuinely want to cut all JKR out due to their own comfort"!

But regardless of you twist it, there will always be people who just...still enjoy HP. And I'll admit I do sideeye those who *knowingly, being aware of her politics* monetarily support her who wrote the books, but I don't think that having your House in your bio, or writing/reading fanfiction, or buying unofficial merch, or using the HP things you've already bought...I don't think any of that is bad by default. It's wild to me that some people think that those are all inherently red flags. And for some people, letting go of a franchise entirely is really hard, especially for most of the demographic of the HP fandom that I know, those who grew up with it as a part of their childhood and as SUCH an iconic pop culture thing. I'm not gonna read some new up and coming series if you just market it to me as "best friends at a wizarding school, but with more diversity than HP!" You know where else I can find that? HP fanfiction.

--

[skywalkr-nberrie]

Should be clear that claiming Padmé and Anakin only got to be friends/married because her and OWK were good friends from way before is bizarre and absurd thinking. Padmé and OWK weren’t at any point ever friends before Anakin & her married, they were only allies with limited interactions that you can count on your 5 fingers. They only got to become real friends because of their shared connection to Anakin. Padmé met OWK when she was 14, and never saw him again till AOTC and mind you that she hardly interacted with him in TPM for him to be considered her good friend, their alliance was 100% mission oriented. Don’t just conveniently leave out the fact that Anakin and Padmé actually become friends upon first meeting in TPM and their bond has 0 to do with OWK.

Palaptine refers to OWK as an “old friend” of Padmé’s in AOTC, (and just to inform you that “old friend” doesn’t mean “close friend.”) but it’s clear that Palpatine only refers to him as such because he aided Padmé alongside Qui-Gon during the Naboo blockade, and because he’s now a Jedi Knight instead of a Padawan (mind you, knowing full well that Anakin was his Padawan at this point too) that Padmé has worked with in the past, it just seemed like the right choice to consider him to bodyguard her. (Obviously Palpatine may have indeed had his own ideas since he knew Anakin would be tagging along as well.) His words are not in any way insinuating that Padmé and OWK have been in touch all these years or that they’re even close - getting down to it: in these situations, “old friend” really just means “ally you can trust”, not a personal friend. And it gets even worse when Palaptine literally had to remind Padmé of who OWK was in the AOTC script:

“I realise all too well that additional security might be disruptive for you, but perhaps someone you are familiar with... an old friend like... Master Kenobi...”

“You must remember him, M'Lady… he watched over you during the blockade conflict.”

Indicating to us that the last time she had contact with him was during her planet crisis when she was 14, which makes sense why she says later on: “It has been far too long, Master Kenobi.” upon seeing him again. Also the fact that she calls him “Master Kenobi” with such formality that lacks the familiarity that close friends would typically have and on the contrary, Padmé unironically calls Anakin by his nickname: “Ani.” showcasing that level of familiarity that exists between “close friends” with herself and Anakin instead. The result of this is only because they met years ago and formed a strong connection that lasted for 10 years and that bond only enhanced when they reunited again, not because Padmé and OWK were friends and that’s why Anakin and Padmé got a chance to become so close. Don’t give credit where it’s not due, especially when the reality is the opposite to this claim.

Cards on the table, you can’t make something out of nothing. Padmé and OWK just aren’t what a lot of people want them to be.

If it weren’t for Padmé marrying Anakin, OWK and her would’ve reminded the distant allies that they were before Anakin came back into her life (which they still technically are even after she married him.) they’d hardly ever come into contact unless it’s convenient or necessary. As I said before, they were never friends, they were only allies. Anakin on the other hand, is the one who was always Padmé’s friend and the only reason why her and OWK are even associated to each other and get along beyond all the professionalism is because of their love for Anakin. Don’t get it twisted.

I’m fully aware that there’s a certain chunk of the fandom who prefers OWK above all with an obsession for wanting to completely erase Anakin from the narrative, and would’ve loved it if he just dropped dead first, so they can replace Padmé’s relationship to him with OWK, because they feel that would somehow make Padmé and OWK’s already independent characters more “independent” from Anakin, but that’s just not how the story is written. It’s not Lucas’ vision, it’s your preference. No matter how you spin it, Padmé and OWK’s major relationships are Anakin, and they don’t need to be separated from him for you feel like they’re finally independent characters. They’re not Anakin’s “accessories” as some people have said, they’re just not behaving the way you would like them too.

Maybe it’s about time to make peace with that. You can remove Anakin’s importance to Padmé and OWK’s characters in your headcanon, but don’t try to pass that off as reality or try to insinuate that if they were separated from Anakin, they’d be more independent characters. It’s all just prettier words because you can’t come right out and say that you just don’t like Anakin and how much these two characters love him.

[meiusoo-twistedtwst]

Yuu Slays the Jabberwocky (Grim)

I’ve always believed in the Grim is the Jabberwocky theory. Maybe I’m crazy, but I do spot the similarities between Grim, art depicting the Jabberwocky, and the Chimera beast fought at the beginning of the game (although it does contain parts resembling the overblotters more):

To elaborate, the Jabberwock is a fictional beast written by Lewis G. Carrol. It had first originated in a poem of the same name, and later also apart of Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland film adaptation.

Poem Found Here!

I also find it kinda funny that Ace and Deuce are marketed?/described as being Yuu’s bestest friends. Out of the entire main cast, out of all seven dorms—two idiotic, chaotic card soldiers are the main character’s best friends in the entirety of Twisted Wonderland. The fact that they are from Heartslabyul too, the dorm based on the origin of the Jabberwocky and home of the very concept of a Wonderland (+Twisted Wonderland)

Now, Riddle’s horse is named Vorpal, as shared in his ceremonial robes vignette. Vorpal is the only horse whose name is revealed (at least until Silver and Sebek get their equestrian club wear cards, I’m assuming)! Vorpal is a made-up word coined by Carrol; meaning sharp and deadly. This could be used to describe Riddle’s sharp personality and strong magical abilities, and also Vorpal’s deemed athletic strength as a horse.

But the word “vorpal” stems from the Vorpal Blade, which slays the Jabberwocky in the original poem, which is later visually depicted in Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland movie. Yknow, speaking of Tim Burton….

Remember our gentleman Skully? King of Halloween? Skully is based on Jack Skellington, an original Tim Burton character. And if you’ve seen all those theories that Skully might have actually been an old Ramshackle dorm member when it was still a proper dorm, then his ties to Yuu only supports my theory that Yuu would have to “slay” the Jabberwocky in Chapter 8, as both Skully and the Jabberwocky have some relation with Tim Burton and the Ramshackle dorm duo.

Speaking of Skully, can we assume that he attended NRC around the 1900s? If my math makes sense, then he wouldn’t be older than Malleus, that fae prince just grew up too slowly. The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland was published in real life in 1865, following the Jabberwocky poem published ten years earlier in 1855.

If the literal TWST game first came out back in 2020, and we assume the events that happen in-game take place in the TWST equivalent of the same year, then would it be reasonable to assume Malleus was born in 1842?

2020-178 (his age on his fandom wiki bio) = 1842

So, that would mean Malleus is so ancient, he was born before Carol’s works were even published in real life, and before Skully attended NRC (or even was born since he’s a human and Malleus ages much more slowly as a fae). In this case, I assume Skully attended NRC during the 1920s as his fandom wiki bio says he attended a 100 years ago.

2020-100 = 1920

In real life, Halloween becomes much more widespread internationally around the late 20th century due to American marketing (but in the TWST universe, it’s all thanks to Skully’s hard work!) By this time, I guess Malleus would be in his elementary to adolescent years by now? And Silver may still be a baby being raised by Lilia?

I wanted to tie Skully into this considering he’s probably the closest counterpart to Yuu personality-wise compared to other event-only characters, like Rollo or Fellow Honest and Gidel. Skully is likely Yuu’s most similar shadow— both are polite and helpful (not too cold and serious, nor too overly friendly and showy). Both have some sort of figure to look up to or respect (Jack Skelington and Crowley or even Crewel as he’s actually Yuu’s homeroom teacher). He also doesn’t harbor some deep-seated hatred for Malleus (*cough cough Rollo cough*) or bitterness towards magic in general (Fellow and Rollo both).

Slaying the Jabberwocky (Grim), is Yuu’s big hero/protagonist task/role because in all the other overblot battles, they never actually got the final blow or was the one to directly defeat the overbloter in both Malleus’s dream scapes, and in the game’s real life.

-Deuce beat Vil (if I remember correctly)

-Idia beat Malleus

-Ace beat Riddle? in the dreams

Also, the vorpal sword itself in Tim Burton’s movie is shown as gold with a green crystal handle. NRC’s main ascent color or whatever is gold, and Crowley adorns gold accessories himself. The green handle represents Diasomnia’s dorm color, which also ties in those theories that Crowley is Raverne, plus it also resembles Lilia’s old Magearm that he used during the war.

Silver also believes Yuu has an affinity with swords for some reason. It’s been mentioned years ago at the start of the game, but I dunno when and what exactly made him believe in it. But eitherway, it could have been slight foreshadow all along. Yuu will pick up that upgraded sword Idia gave to Silver to cut off Malleus’s horn in Chapter 7.

All in all, I theorize that Yuu will be the one to “slay” overblot Grim, who is really inspired by the Jabberwocky beast. They’ll come suddenly dashing into the mirror hall, riding upon Vorpal— Riddle’s esteemed horse— while brandishing the sword provided by Silver. This makes for the boy who uses the vorpal blade to kill the Jabberwock in the original poem. My only concern is if Yuu could even wield the Aletheia Blade considering Idia’s amazing mom said it requires huge amounts of magical consumption to use (but that may only be for the magical part of it, and not the literal sharp sword part that slices and dices).

But the question is, what exactly would make Grim overblot in the first place…?

[shellstormborn]

As I have been reading my way through the Fantasy genre, I have found my thoughts constantly returning to Daenerys, and how she fulfils the Chosen One Trope in ASOIAF, and how that compares to the Chosen One Trope in other fantasy books. The one I compare it to the most in my mind is Wheel of Time. Worth noting that the first few WoT books were released before AGOT. When I was reading WoT, and the Farseer Trilogy, I thought about how similar Jon Snow was to both Rand and Fitz. It could be seen as plagiarism im sure by many people. And it would be… if he was the chosen one. But that’s where George sets himself apart. Because Jon Snow isn’t the Chosen one, he is a red herring due to his similarities to these other characters (not knowing his true parentage being the big one). He seems to be set up to play that role in the story… then doesn’t.

I think George makes Danys fulfilment of the prophecy as clear as Rands fulfilment of the prophecy. She awakens the dragons from stone; beneath a bleeding star; amidst salt and smoke. She has her figurative rebirth. The fact this is so hotly debated in the ASOIAF fandom, whereas Rand being the Chosen One of his world, which I imagine isn’t a hot debate, is further evidence that any debate surrounding Dany=AA is mostly due to misogyny. This is something a lot of people in the fandom refuse to acknowledge. They can’t fathom that a girl who doesn’t wield a sword can be the hero of the story.

People state Dany = AA is “too obvious” (whilst simultaneously using that argument to state it isn’t her), that she isn’t a subversive enough choice. She IS the subversion. The Dragons are the subversion. It is not a secret, it is not a plot twist. When has the Chosen One prophecy ever been a secret throughout the majority of the series? How would that work? How could the author accomplish anything if it’s a mystery for the most part? Chosen One Tropes aren’t mysterious. It defeats the purpose of the trope. They are known. And frankly, Dany isn’t even recognised in the world in a widespread fashion as the chosen one. It’s the audience and a few characters that know.

With WoT, the mystery in relation to the Chosen One, is if he’ll succumb to the madness; stay with the Light or go to the dark, that was Jordan’s choice of subversion, in ASOIAF, George chooses to subvert with gender and no literal sword at play (however we do see a play on Exacalibur- pulling dragons from stone). The mystery is how in the FUCK do we get our Hero to Westeros whilst she is hellbent on ending an oppressive regime and having a hard time ending it. THAT is the struggle. That is the mystery.

I also do not believe that Jon is part of the AA/TPTWP prophecy, because if the subversion is that our hero is a little girl, then including him is a cop out and undoes that.

[snailsgoingdowntown]

Help, I Reincarnated as the Female Lead’s Sister-in-Law!

Story Masterlist

Chapter 14

‘Slight’ Yandere! Dion Agriche x Fem! Reader

Arranged marriage AU

Interact with this post to be on the tag list. Read DNI/BYF first.

NOTE: I think we can all agree that Dion deserves to suffer at least a bit <3  (Just a bit <3)

WARNINGS: toxic marriage/relationship, implied toxic family dynamics (both the Agriches and the Reader’s family in her past life),  general yandere themes, obsessive and possessive themes/behavior, jealousy, anxiety, implied/mentioned past child abuse/neglect, mention of murder, implied murder, slight blood, mention of drugs (sleeping pills), mention of past alcohol consumption, mention of alcohol poisoning, implied/mentioned past torture, implied depression (your past life) Please tell me if I missed any.

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT CONDONE ANY OF THE HARMFUL AND/OR DANGEROUS ACTIONS AND/OR BEHAVIORS THAT MAY TAKE PLACE IN THIS PIECE OF FICTION. THESE ACTIONS/BEHAVIORS SHOULD NOT BE NORMALIZED NOR ROMANIZED AS THEY ARE BOTH EXTREMELY TOXIC AND DANGEROUS.

MINORS/BLANK BLOGS/BLOGS THAT DO NOT INTERACT WITH OR REBLOG FANDOM RELATED THINGS (FICS, ART, ECT.) DNI. 

= = =

It’s been two days since Dion Agriche indirectly told you that you’re his and that nothing will ever change that fact. His behavior towards you has also changed - softer, more yearning-like and it does little to ease your worries. If anything, it makes your skin crawl as you question why he’s doing this, why he has changed.

Your anxiety only skyrockets around the red-eyed noble as his presence fills you with abhorrence. 

His proclamations only serve to make you feel like a possession. A pretty little songbird locked in a gilded cage, her ‘Master’ unwilling to set her free. And the reason? To hear her sing until her last breath, voice hoarse and throat bleeding.

His need for… this still doesn’t make sense, deep in the corners of his twisted mind that you’re unable to unravel. However, you’re still sure that, at least part of it is his need to watch your sanity dwindle for his own entertainment and curiosity.   

You grit your teeth before relaxing your jaw. It doesn’t matter if you like him or not - he was still your husband. He still took your virginity, made the marriage official - it would be difficult, no, impossible to get a peaceful divorce due to that alongside the fact he was an Agriche…

No. It would be impossible because it’s Dion Agriche.

… Roxana… would she… consider, at least…?

Sighing, you lean against the terrace railing, the light breeze flowing through your hair. The soft glow of the moonlight casts over the area, dark blue sky filled with twinkling stars that resemble sparkling jewels. Your eyes flutter close as you recall the view back at your parent’s estate.

The crickets chirp and the monster hutches are quiet.

It’s peaceful. 

Until the heavy smell of outside and iron fills your senses, a quick frown tugging at your lips before forcing it away. A headache forms.

“You’re still awake.” 

Well, it was peaceful until a certain sadistic and vile man draped a coat over your shoulders. You didn’t even hear the doors open, too lost in thought. Dion towers over you easily, and his presence is a nuisance. Unwanted.

He left for a mission earlier today yet he’s already back…

The warmth from the coat only makes you shiver, the blasted thing a ‘gift’ given to you by Maria on your wedding day. You frown when the man gathers your hair and brings it out from under the coat's collar, letting it float down over the material. You flinch from disgust, fear still deep in your chest and mind.

You grit your teeth - fear? Hatred? Resentment? You don’t know. However, you’re sure of one thing; 

His gentleness makes you sick.

“And you’re back,” you complain rather than state in a trembling whisper. You’ll never get used to this, to him. His gaze burns, and you’re unable to turn around to properly greet him. Not that you want to - everything about the man was repulsive - his face, his voice, his height, his name, even the color of his hair and eyes.

He makes you sick.

Another soft breeze as crickets chirp into the night. Your gaze travels to the ground - below you, two guards walk while on patrol, their hideous uniforms proudly worn. They look young - most likely in their early to mid twenties. One with dark brown hair and the other dark grey-ish. 

Your husband’s stare burns harsher the longer you look at the two young men. Even so, you don’t look away, even when he moves to stand to your right side, gloved fingers brushing against yours. Like a puppy asking for attention. Despite horror filling your entire being, you don’t tear your gaze away from the two men below you, nor do you stop yourself from moving your hand away from him.

Maybe it was a small act of defiance - aka, showing Dion that you would rather look at any man that wasn’t him. Of course, you’ll come to regret this in the morning, but right now, you crave to interrupt his peace as he had done to yours. Even as your legs begin to buck under your weight.

Ignoring the pressure building in your temples and silencing your gulps, you hope that Dion doesn’t see through you immediately. Annoyance and fear are on the same coin - it’s always flipping, always forced to land on something that breaks you down more and more.

Your mother would have a heart attack had she been here, witnessing her married daughter give more attention to nameless men and not her arranged husband. 

Perhaps feeling eyes on them, both men look up, surprised to see you smile oh so sweetly at them and wave. Ignoring the rapidly forming panic pulling at your heart strings, you watch as they blink before bowing, flustered as light pink spreads across the apples of their cheeks. 

Just two normal men. 

“Good evening, my lady!” They shout in unison. However, when they raise their heads, their cheeks go from pink to pale as their expressions twist into ones of pure terror. The reason is obvious, your husband wrapping an unwanted arm around your shoulders, gloved hand gripping the left one tighter than necessary. You can only imagine the look he’s giving them.

They scamper off immediately, knowing better than to stay longer than necessary, knowing that greeting the Young Master would only aggravate him more, as the guards would get to look at you, his pretty wife, his possession, for longer.  

Quietly, you wonder if he ever debated showcasing his… affection for you in front of others, considering his reputation around the manor. How ruthless he is said to be, detached and nothing more than a sadistic void - one that everyone avoids, a war machine that has no weakness. And yet, here he is - ‘fawning’ over a woman in broad daylight. 

Does he not realize his behavior would make him stick out like a sore thumb? Your thoughts are shooed away when his fingers dig into your shoulder before relaxing. It’s a reminder.

You feel bad now, forgetting for a moment that your husband is possessive.

The incident from yesterday only proved that fact further - your husband had threatened to gouge out the eyes of an unlucky new hire who mistook you for one of Lant’s children. Flowers that were immediately burned, the ‘incident’ was cleaned up quietly and behind the scenes. Without Lant’s knowledge, no less.

Dion brings you back to reality once more as he questions you.

“I’m right here yet you’d rather look at them?” His voice does a complete 180 -  voice once calm now filled with jealousy you can’t begin nor want to comprehend. You don’t respond. You look ahead of you, scared shitless once the reality of what you just had done hits you in full.

Am I trying to kill myself!?

The air feels colder, goosebumps forming on your skin. Despite the coat, you shiver. And while his stare burns hot, your blood runs cold. So close to curling into yourself, you blame the breeze for your trembling body.

It seems that cold sweats are a permanent thing for you now, biting the inside of your cheek as you break out into one. One hand gripping the coat’s labels to hold it tighter against you, your fingers twitch as his gloved hand moves from your shoulder to the nape of your neck, and then up to the base of your head, fingers tangling themselves in your tresses. 

Soft and gentle, it reminds you of the scene where he asked Roxana the location of Cassis’ hiding place.

The memory quickly fades into the background as Dion leans down just enough to whisper in your ear. He’s very fond of doing so, apparently. It’s starting to become a disturbing habit of his.

Your body is becoming accustomed to his hot breath, lying to itself, saying it feels good just so you won’t break out into another panic attack. However, you can start to hear the blood rush in your ears, a small built up tear catching in your lashes. Is this all you’re capable of doing? Crying?

“You never look or smile at me so sweetly.” 

There is some resentment in his voice, but his tone doesn’t drip with it. “But you smiled at two random men who aren’t your husband?” His next sentence almost sounds betrayed, and it’s funny seeing as how your husband had never done a thing to earn your sweetness. 

You can’t find your voice. 

You can’t force yourself to please him, either.

Nor can you turn away and walk into the room, throwing the coat to the floor. 

The only thing you can do is endure. 

And even then, you’re barely holding up.

“Even now you’re trying your best to ignore me.” He sounds tired - he should go to sleep. Go to sleep and leave you alone, like he should, but two days ago he imprinted himself fully onto you. In the most horribly way possible, nightmares slowly become reality as he refuses to set his eyes on another. 

“I never imagined that my wife could be so cruel,” he teases, lips grazing your ear. You fail to suppress the shudder from the physical pleasure it brought. You feel disgusting.

You blink once, twice, before leaning your head away, unable to stand his body heat for much longer. Unable to endure his ‘affection’ for a second longer, shrugging off his arm and the tall man lets you go. Not without an emotion you wouldn’t have been able to pinpoint as it flashes in his eyes before he blinks it away had you seen it.

Your mouth runs before thoughts could form.

“I never imagined that my husband would be so horrible,” you blurt out, wincing once your own words register in your brain after it’s too late. Your heart speeds up. Right hand forming a shaking fist, your nails break skin, the action not enough to distract you. 

Not even when the sore flesh wound threatens to open from beneath the bandages, red soaking through the white.

You made a horrible and dangerous mistake. But it’s too late to take it back, sweat running down your temples. 

There’s a sting in your thumb and a crave for flesh in your mouth. Your toes curl in your soft slippers. The seconds feel like hours, waiting for his response, be it physical or verbal.

“You’re right - not that it changes anything.” He doesn’t waste a breath in agreeing with you.

Without another word, your husband guides you back into the room. He’s behind you, and curiosity has always killed the cat, which is why despite your fear, your shivering figure, you look over your shoulder to catch a glimpse of Dion Agriche.

His scarlet eyes glow, the dark circles under them worse than they were two days ago, windblown inky black hair that small clunks of dirt cling to, and smeared crimson blood across his face. When your gaze travels down, there’s also dirt and small specks of blood on his cloak, the article of clothing wrinkled. His sword is still at his hip, sheathed and forgotten.

He didn’t even bother to wash up.

Like the first thing he wanted to do - no need to do was see you. 

The sentiment is lost and ignored as you turn back around. Husband or not, you refuse to see Dion Agriche as anything else but a threat. That’s the only thing you know him as.

Had you looked back, you would have noticed Dion reaching into his pocket only to pull it back out after a thought. He watches as you remove the coat from your shoulders and hang it back up in the closet - out of sight, out of mind.

He hums.

Pointer finger tapping against his pocket, he mulls over whether to give you the small jewelry piece in a little blue box he brought back, knowing it would look pretty on you, bringing out the color of your eyes. He decides not to in the end, knowing you wouldn’t accept it.

That’s usually how it starts.

- - -

“- it’s fine, really. No, no, it’s okay. I don’t mind looking after her for a few more days… Hm? Of course she behaves - (Name) is always a good girl.” 

Your grandmother’s sickly sweet voice travels from the living room into the kitchen where you’re doing your homework. Pencil in hand, you keep rereading the question, only to repeat the process as the printed words look blurred and jumbled together. The grandfather clock goes off, signaling that it’s midnight. 

You pay no mind to it - your grandmother doesn’t concern herself with your sleep schedule. After all, you’re fifthteen; you’re old enough to make your own decisions, to regret your mistakes. It never occurred to her that maybe you regret walking through her doors.

Your grandmother ends the call without asking if you wanted to speak to your dad. 

Not that it matters - he always texts you a ‘good morning,’ at seven-am on the dot. Never failing to do it once, it always brings a smile to your face.

As it should. 

Smiling has gotten harder as of late, however. 

Your grandmother doesn’t say anything as she heads up the stairs, leaving you to your own devices. And you do the same. A mutual agreement between grandmother and granddaughter. Love and affection were a curious and complicated subject. Even between mother and son.

Regardless, you stay in the kitchen, hearing dogs bark outside and beer bottles thrown to the ground, on an average ‘Saturday night’. You scribble something on the paper before erasing it only to repeat it again and again. It’s words you’ll never be able to say, words that you’ll forget once your eyes flutter close once the questions are finally answered.

Your ears perk up at the sound of your grandmother’s T.V turning on, the static disappearing after several seconds. The click of her remote is louder than words of affirmation. 

By the time you solve the third question out of ten, the sun has come up, Sunday morning greeting you.

- - -

“Thank you for inviting me, mother-in-law.”

Maria had invited you for tea in her room, far from any prying eyes. Hana is right at your side, ready to receive any orders that either you or your mother-in-law may give her. Her expression is stern, not an ounce of emotion in those eyes of hers. 

So unlike the Hana that helped you get ready for the dinner with Dion and Lant three days ago. The Hana who showed some level of concern for you, who scolded two other maids while keeping her head leveled and not punishing them, assuming she had the power to do so.

“Oh, it’s no problem - as in-laws, we should bond and spend time together.” Her smile is far too bright and sweet for that… eccentric personality of hers. She continues, “besides, I heard that you were sick after the dinner with Dion and his father. Was it food poisoning?” 

She genuinely looks concerned as she questions you, but it’s Maria; a snake that coils itself around its prey once the opportunity arises. And you’re already on that list, right behind Sierra in terms of ‘affection’ which your mother-in-law confuses for ‘mental torture.’ 

How aware the brunette is of this, you’re not sure. 

“O-oh… I just drank a little too much…,” your chuckle is awkward, eyes landing on your tea cup. Your smile feels strained.

 She startles you with a sharp gasp. Her chair scrapes against the floor as she jumps up from her seat.

“So it was alcohol poisoning? (Name), dear, are you alright?” She hurries to your side like a loving mother, her gloved hands grabbing your shoulders. She doesn’t squeeze them, unlike her son. She doesn’t look at you with a need to own your entire being, either.

“O-oh, I’m fine now, I promise, mother-in-law.” Despite your practiced smile, her uneasy expression doesn’t leave her pretty and soft facial features. Her reaction reminds you of your mother’s the one time you accidentally ate a poisonous plant… wait, no, her reaction was much worse than this. 

She didn’t leave your side for months.

“That Lant-!” You’re caught off guard when she curses her own husband, leaving her ‘unlovable’ son out of it. Like that dreadful sociopath wasn’t there at the scene of the crime.

You blink, unable to form words, watching as her expression morphe into one of frustration only to soften almost immediately when she locks eyes with you. Sweetly smiling at you, she threads her fingers through your hair. 

It feels like she’s trying to replace your mother.

Your stomach twists into a knot, feeling sick. Something akin to disgust settles in your chest.

It is baffling, how she would rather act like a mother towards you, a stranger, rather than her own son. A sour taste forms in your mouth.

“I’m sorry for acting out like that. Lant is usually careful with handing out alcohol - and while Dion can be…careless, he’s not used to drinking with others.” Pigs are flying in your old world, they have to be, because how and why is Maria standing up for the son she never wanted?

“It’s - it’s fine… it’s my fault for going past my limit.” You’re not lying, you really were careless about your intake of the bitter wine. You learned your lesson - you want to avoid waking up with a hangover again…

You want to avoid Dion ‘comforting’ and touching you.

“Still, he should have seen the tell-tell signs,” she sighs before turning to Hana. “What was your name again?” She questions your aide. Your heart drops.

Wait, didn’t she ask that same question to a maid she killed right after…?

“It’s Hana, my Lady.” She bows without a single change in her expression. No twitch of the eyebrow or lips. Completely stoic.

“Hana. What a pretty name. Now tell me, where were you when your Master got drunk?” Her voice is sweet but the question is threatening. Like the weakling you are, all you do is sit, hopelessly praying that Maria won’t lay a hand or harm Hana in any way or form.

“I was tidying up their room on Young Master’s Dion’s orders.” Her answer is direct, not once breaking eye contact with your extremely dangerous mother-in-law. 

So engrossed in their conversation, fear and worry eating you alive, you missed the very important word; 'their.’

“I see. Is Dion your Master?” 

“No, my Lady. I was put under Lady (Name) a bit after she arrived here.”

The interrogation goes on, and every second feels like an hour. The room must be hot since you’re almost drowning in sweat. You gulp as Maria continues.

“By who?”

“Young master Dion, my Lady.”

While her answer should confirm some things, you’re too focused on her safety to soak in the information. Too worried that her head will roll right off her shoulders.

“Dion? I see. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised that he carelessly gave my precious daughter-in-law such an incompetent maid.” 

SCREECHED!

“Mother-in-law, believe it or not, but Hana has been very helpful. It’s because of her that I’m adapting so well so quickly. You help too, of course.” 

You don’t remember getting up. You don’t remember gently grabbing Maria’s shoulders like a daughter showing affection to her mother. You don’t remember smiling so brightly that it looks genuine, enough so that your personal maid looks surprised, already knowing how much you loathe being here.

“She’s always at my beck and call - ready to serve me in the dead of the night, regardless if I dismissed her for the day. While one could say she would go against my orders in that scenario , personally, I see it as an act of loyalty.” Your words flow out smoothly, like you weren’t on the verge of breaking down sobbing.

You don’t know why you’re standing up for a maid who’s possibly spying on you for either Dion or Lant. A maid you barely know, much less considered as a ‘friend.’ A maid you have only known for a few weeks.

Most likely it’s because you don’t want to be introduced to a new one - it would be a waste of time, really. Hana already knows your habits with her keen eyes and senses. She knows what clothes and hairstyles look best on you. Her tea is delicious. Her excuses worked in your favor.

It would be a waste to replace her with a maid who might not even know what to do. 

That’s all it is.

“So please, don’t blame her - she thought she was doing the best for me, her Master.”

You don’t let go of her shoulders even when you’re scared shitless, worried you crossed a boundary even though she always crosses yours. You wait with baited breath for her response, hoping you didn’t fuck up big time.

“Well,” Maria turns around to face you, removing your hands from her person to hold them instead. “I suppose I can give her another chance. I only want the best for you.” 

After hearing her words, you can only think of and pity your husband. She cares more for a stranger than her own flesh and blood - a child she neglected and left in the hands of a monster who would mold him into a near perfect copy of himself. 

Pushing the thought away, your body relaxes a bit. “Thank you. I’m really grateful for you, mother-in-law.” It’s a lie but as she strokes your hair with tenderness you weren’t aware she could show to anyone aside from Sierra, you almost forget how crazy and brutal she is.

You almost forgot that this woman did not tend to her growing, lonely son as she should have.

“Anytime, (Name), anytime.” 

Your gut tells you that you only entangled yourself with this crazed woman more. 

- - -

“Hana, can you fetch me some sleeping pills? I think I’ll need them…” 

“Yes, my lady. I’ll be back in a moment.” The events that transpired an hour ago aren’t mentioned, both parties silently and mutually deciding that it wasn’t worth it. Which is why Hana didn’t question you once you left Maria’s room an hour later, despite her curious gaze. 

Honestly, you’re still not sure why or how you did it.

With a sigh you kick off your heels once you reach the bed, head low, finding that lifting it would take too much effort. Last night you had to deal with Dion - today, it was Maria. The worst part was that the day hadn't ended yet, but you know for a fact if you didn’t request sleeping pills now you wouldn’t remember until it’s late at night, already under the covers with your dreadful husband.

Landing on your stomach, your body lightly bounces on the comfortable bed. The scent of bergamot oranges soothes your nerves. Relieved, you nuzzle your head into your pillow, finally having a beautiful peaceful moment all to yourself in this fucking psychward.

 The sugary voice of Maria is gone, anxiety about accidentally catching sight of one of her ‘dolls’ is out of mind. Dread that you might run into another one of your in-laws faded away the moment Hana opened the bedroom doors. Also, the fact you didn’t see Lant at all lifts your mood.

Not to mention that your horrible, frightful, perverted, annoying husband was nowhere in sight -

“You seem to be in a good mood.” A boyish voice fills the silence. 

…huh…?

Lifting yourself into a sitting position, legs hanging off the bed, you look towards the doors. You think you’re dreaming, for one, this person just waltzed into the room like nothing, clearly sneaking in right after Hana. The other reason is because the boy with leaves and goo in his hair is -

“Jeremy?”

= = =

Tag list: @tiny-mimi @pix-stuff @umi-adxhira @queenofspades403 @darkumbreon92 @manitscold @puggyeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

I saw a few fans (okay mainly on Reddit..) Worry about a server shut down especially in the English servers because of the sudden quick updates and apparently Aniplex shutting down past games, they say Disney or Aniplex don't really care about Twisted Wonderland and I'm quite baffled?

Like, I just thought the fast updates were so they could catch up and stuff, or because of the anime.. I really doubt they'd shut down the servers unless I'm wrong? 😭 Twisted Wonderland makes a lot of money from what I know, and Disney LOVES money.

Idk, I just got a little baffled.. Twisted Wonderland has a good few years left at least right?

Are you referring to this post?

As many in the thread have already stated, the "they're rushing putting out content, EN is going to shut down soon" claims have always been around, even in the first month of Twst EN being around. It's exaggerated and overblown; EN has been around for 3.5 years now.

The past game(s) being shut down part is technically accurate. The majority of gacha games fail within the first year or two of operation and shut down. The gacha market is just oversaturated and super competitive; it's nearly impossible to predict how long a game may remain in service with new rivals cropping up every other day, all fighting for the time, attention spans, and wallets of a limited player base.

The particular gacha game that was frequently cited as an example of being unfairly shut down by Aniplex is Magia Records, which only lasted about a year and had a monthly revenue of a couple hundred thousand dollars a month (which I guess must not have been enough to cover the costs for advertisement, operations, etc.). It's NOT comparable to Twst in any way because the target demographics, core gameplay, etc. are all so different (not to mention Twst is currently earning several times more than Magia Records ever did). However, I'd like to point out that though Twst does earn more than Magia Records, we also DON'T know if Twst's operating + advertising costs are higher or not. This makes it difficult to "truly" compare the two. We also need to be aware that EN makes way less money than the JP side; the JP fandom will always be Twst's priority due to this. These are all factors that would be weighed by the higher ups, who are the ones that ultimately decide if it is or isn't "worth it" to keep up the EN server, or if it would be better to cut their losses and close it. We as the public with limited access to their data CANNOT accurately predict anything.

The part about Aniplex/Disney not caring about Twst (at least in the west) is somewhat true. There's scarcely any advertisement for the game here and there's barely any merch, especially compared to Japan. There are also frequent quality control issues with the EN version, with some notable ones in the recent update. This can only lead one to conclude that the localization team isn't getting the time, money, and/or resources to provide a quality product, even though companies as huge as Disney and Aniplex could surely afford to give more. I think this is where a lot of Twst fans' frustrations come from; like, we KNOW the localization can be way better than it actually is, and it's annoying that the companies involved aren't willing to put in the effort for something we love.

Again, we hear "EN is going to be hit with EoS (end of service!!!" every other month. Seems to me like the idea sticks around because some fans are just prone to worrying 😅 I understand wanting reassurance about this from a third party, but please keep in mind to 1) not believe everything you hear online and 2) I'm not meant to be here to act as that reassurance for folks (as this is a topic that has already been done many times; I feel it's pointless to rehash it).

I appreciate you valuing my opinion and wanting to hear my thoughts, but you're totally capable of piecing together the evidence and finding out what makes the most sense to you! Think rationally, not anxiously.