#definitely one of my better pieces on here

[invoncible]

have you ever thought of writing for one of Marks variants? If so you should definitely do Mohawk Mark his cocky attitude is so ugh …. i love your work by the way!

— thank you nonnie hope you like this ! I LOVE MOHAWK MARK OMG

"you know, i feel like i've seen you before." mohawk mark had you by your wrists, preventing your escape as he pinned you to the ground. he studied your face like you were a toy in his hands.

fuck. your boss had sent you to your death yet again. when you signed with your news station, you didn't realize you'd be signing your life away chasing these heroes and their problems.

you thought this was invincible—everyone did until a few minutes ago. they had similar getups and abilities. it was a logical conclusion, right?

wrong. within minutes of pulling up to the penitentiary, the news van was tossed onto its side, a invincible sized hole cut clean through the back. the variant grabbed you and your cameraman by the clothes and dragged you onto the ground... and here you were.

"oh, yeah!" mark snapped his finger, a wicked grin spreading on his face. "you're that news reporter! i remember you... didn't kill you back home cuz you always got my good side." he leaned in, taking your chin in his fingers and guiding you to look up at him. "s'that what you're doing here? you like the view in this dimension too?"

his eyes flicker dangerously to your cameraman, who was shaking behind the heavy lens on his shoulder. he huffed a small laugh at the sight, like the fear he smelled off your partner really got him going.

"yes!" you quickly exclaim, forcing his attention back to you.

his eyes snapped back to you. blood rushed to your head, pulse thundering in your ears. you try your best to not flinch at the way his rough fingers dug into your skin.

"what can i say," you laughed weakly. "you're the hot topic right now, had to get a piece for... myself?"

he paused, his expression like stone as he peered between you and your cameraman, weighing the options in his head: do i kill them for fun, or let them entertain me for a little bit?

after a long pase, mark rose effortlessly to his feet, dragging you up with him by your wrists. he slung his arm around your shoulders like you were old friends in some twisted version of reality. he twirled you around in the ruins, the destruction stretching out in front of you like some sick display of power.

“you like what i’ve done with the place?” he asked, voice dripping with mock innocence as he took in the scattered bodies, the blood-slicked ground.

"oh..." your eyes trailed over the wreckage, the broken limbs and bodies sprinkled over the ground like confetti, and all the blood was the icing on the top. "impressive."

you weren't lying, exactly. it was an impressive show of power, as sick as it was. unease twisted in your gut.

"i knew i liked you." he chuckled. "hey, let's get rid of this." he grabbed the mic from your hand and crushed it, the circuitry sparking one last time before dying completely.

"i mean, sure, i could kill you. it'd be a waste of a pretty face, so i’m not gonna. we've got history, you and i."

your pulse quickened. your eyes darted to your cameraman, who had already taken off, running toward another van and driving off. you grit your teeth. fucking coward.

you felt the weight of mark’s gaze burning into your back as he clicked his tongue in disappointment.

"i'm not the same as your y/n." you reminded him quietly.

"yeah? come home with me 'nd find out."

"no." your eyebrows furrowed.

he smiled, your resistance rolling off his back like it meant nothing. "you're gonna. two y/ns are better than one, and besides you're gonna love my place—it's a palace. i'll get you a nice room and everything. all you'd have to do is stay by my side."

"mm..." you glared at him, trailing off but communicating your answer loud and clear. not that you thought he'd listen to you anyways. his grip on you was almost possessive. this guy was superpowered, for fuck's sake. you were dead for the second he decided he was done playing around with you.

"ohohoho," he chuckled, raising an amused eyebrow. "you're lucky you're cute. but you're coming with me." he shot up into the sky, already set on taking you to wherever he intended to stash you until he had a way back to his dimension.

you shrieked as you were vaulted into the air, anchored only by his arm around your waist.

"shhh," he grinned wildly, his hair fluttering in the wind. "you were the one that wanted a piece for yourself. you gonna refuse me when i'm accommodating you so nicely?"

against your better judgement, you clung to him and hoped that his nice mood lasted a long, long time.

© invoncible

[gdinthehouseee]

Fan Wars: KWON JI-YONG x READER

summary: after managing to keep your relationship with ji-yong private, fans catch wind of potential evidence and refuse to let it go, so he decides to give them something real to talk about...

word count: 1341

tags: smau; fluff, established relationship, sneaking around, making out in semi public

You had done everything right.

Separate exits. Baggy hoodies. Sunglasses even though the sun had long set. Taking the longest possible route back to the car. And yet, here you were, sitting on Ji-yong’s couch with your phone blowing up, as the internet lost its collective mind.

“Ohhh, they are going insane,” Ji-yong muttered, scrolling through Twitter with an amused smirk.

You buried your face in a pillow. “I don’t wanna know.”

“No, but you have to.” He turned his phone toward you. “They’re dissecting everything.”

You peeked over the pillow hesitantly… only to immediately regret it. 

User: I swear I just saw GD at this tiny restaurant… and he wasn’t alone 👀👀

User: Okay. So. Evidence thread 🧵⬇️

This blurry ass video from tonight? Yeah. That’s DEFINITELY G-Dragon.

The person next to him? I compared their walking pattern to Y/N’s past airport footage. IT MATCHES.

In the video, Ji-yong laughs. I ran it through software that compares audio frequencies. IT’S HIM.

The hoodie he’s wearing? He posted it on Insta a month ago. Y/N had a suspiciously similar background in her IG story the SAME DAY.

User: IT’S REAL!!

YGFamily_Updates: 🚨 Some fans are convinced G-Dragon is dating Y/N after being spotted together tonight. Others refuse to believe it. What do you think?

User: that should’ve been me </3

User: He could do waayyy better…

User (reply): you think you're better than y/n?? you should pursue comedy

User: am I the only one who thought he was gay??

User: SHE'S NOT WUH LUH WUH???? NOOOOO </33

User: Whatever makes her happy ig

User: she settled for HIM????

User (reply): ppl like you are why they kept it a secret

User: i can’t be the only one who thinks they’re rlly cute together :(

User: now they really are the parents of kpop

User (reply): i wish they were my parents

User: their kids would be so cute!! They’d have the best life fr

User: y'all are insane...

As much as you want to hide, you can’t seem to take your eyes off his phone. Not even when he continues scrolling through the battle of the fandoms to stumble across some diehard fans trying to piece together more of the timeline.

That one interview from three years ago where Ji-yong was asked about his ideal type, and he gave a vague answer that suddenly sounds a lot like you. A music award show from an entire decade ago where he held the mic for you and fans swore he was looking at you differently. One year ago – a rehearsal clip where you and Ji-yong were standing next to each other, not even talking, but somehow that was now evidence.

“They’ve gone too deep,” you groaned, finally managing to tear your eyes away.

Ji-yong chuckled, continuing to scroll, while he wraps his other arm around you, pulling you into his side. “They always do.”

“How are you so calm about this?” You turned to face him fully. “Half of your fanbase is ready to burn me at the stake, and the other half thinks I’m too good for you.”

He smirked. “Sounds balanced to me.”

You shoved him. “Ji-yong.”

He caught your wrist easily, pulling you closer until you were practically nose-to-nose. His voice softened. “Jagiya, it’s okay.”

Your lips pressed into a tight line. “What if this doesn’t blow over? What if they keep digging?”

He exhaled, brushing his fingers through your hair. “Then let them.” His tone was steady, unwavering. “We don’t owe anyone an explanation. They can talk all they want—we know what’s real.”

You searched his eyes, finding nothing but warmth and certainty. The tension in your chest loosened, just a little.

“…You’re really not worried?”

He smiled. “No.”

You hesitated. “You’re not gonna post anything cryptic and make it worse?”

Ji-yong laughed. “Tempting. Very tempting. But no.” He kissed your forehead, lingering there for a second. “I just want you to feel safe.”

Your heart melted. You sighed, relaxing into him. “You’re really annoying, you know that?”

“And yet,” he murmured, his lips grazing yours, “here you are.”

Outside, the internet burned. Inside, you were home.

That was, at least, until your next event. 

You knew from the moment you stepped onto that damn red carpet that tonight was going to be hell. The flashing cameras. The way certain interviewers perked up when they saw you. The way the entire internet had spent the past three weeks analyzing your every move, convinced that your so-called “secret relationship” with G-Dragon was either a definite reality or the greatest fan delusion of the decade. And now? Now you were both in the same room. At the same event. With hundreds of thousands of eyes watching.

You had never been more aware of your own facial expressions in your entire life. Every breath, every blink, every slight movement of your lips—someone was watching.

Across the room, Ji-yong sat with Seung-hyun, Youngbae, and Daesung. Not even they knew his real relationship status, while the man in question was completely unbothered, sipping his drink like he wasn’t currently the center of a full-blown fan war.

Seung-hyun tilted his glass toward him. “So… are you gonna acknowledge her tonight?”

Ji-yong smirked. “Who?”

Seung-hyun let out a slow breath. “God, you’re insufferable.”

Daesung, who had been watching you like a hawk for the past ten minutes, leaned in. “Okay, but why hasn’t she looked at you even once?”

Youngbae scoffed. “Because she knows people are watching.”

Seung-hyun nodded. “Which only makes it more suspicious.”

Ji-yong just swirled his drink, looking far too entertained. “You guys think too much,” he mused.

“And you think too little about how insane you make people.”

Ji-yong just smiled in response before pulling out his phone.

Slowly, carefully, you glance down.

A message. From Ji-yong.

You hesitate. You know cameras are on you right now. You know people will read into whatever expression you make. You know that someone will try to zoom in on your screen. But still…

You freeze. Before you can stop yourself, your eyes flicker across the room and meet his. It’s only for half a second. A single heartbeat. A blink. But it’s enough. Because he sees you and, to make it worse, he smirks.

After that split second of eye contact, Ji-yong tilts his head ever so slightly. A silent invitation.

You swallow. Pretending to check your phone, you slip out of your seat and disappear into the dimly lit hallway. As much as you really shouldn’t be doing this, you can’t help the way your heart’s pounding with excitement, fluttering at the thought of being sneaky like this. Then— A hand grabs your wrist. Ji-yong pulls you into a darkened corridor.

“I’m not sure this is a good idea,” you whisper, peeking up at him. 

“And yet, here you are.” Before you can retort, his fingers graze your wrist, trailing up your arm slowly, deliberately. His touch leaves a trail of fire in its wake. “You look too good tonight,” he murmurs, voice husky.

“Ji-yong—”

“I’ve been wanting to do this all night,” he interrupts.

He moves you backwards, pressing you against the wall behind you, and his mouth finds yours. It’s slow at first; teasing, testing your patience. But your hands instinctively reach up to grab his jacket, pulling him closer, and his own restraint is thrown out the window. He loses it. His own hands slide over your waist, gripping, exploring, pressing you firmly against him. His lips move against yours with urgency, hunger.

“Missed you,” he mutters between kisses, trailing down your jaw, your neck. His breath is hot, his hands possessive.

Your fingers tangle in his hair, and he groans.

“You’re gonna get us caught,” you whisper breathlessly.

Ji-yong laughs softly, kissing you again. “Let them.”

You shudder. Your hands clutch his blazer, pulling him back up, crashing your lips to his in another heated kiss. This time, he’s the one who shudders. His hands roam lower, tighter, needier. And just as he presses even closer—

A loud camera shutter clicks.

taglist: @thanosscrossmain @maskedcrawford @mirahyun @riddlerloveb0t @onyxmango @sherrayyyyy @seunghyunwifey @mattsturniolosbabymama @redhoodedtoad @bettelaboure @cinnamonbear22 @xxxicddbr88 @infinetlyforgotten @babygirlewis @loveesiren @tulentiy @petersasteria @allthoughtsmindfull

[fernwehreader]

I want to spend a minute pushing back on the idea that nothing supports Gwynriel in ACOSF or that certain online accounts influence the idea of it. I mean, I specifically can recall how significant it felt the first time I read when Gwyn and Azriel first see each other after the horrors at Sangravah. Through Cassian’s POV in ACOSF, it’s noted that “Gwyn had been distracted today – one eye on the other side of the ring. Cassian could only assume she was watching his brother, who had given Gwyn a small smile of greeting upon arrival. Gwyn hadn’t returned it.”

Basically, I instantly took notice of this first interaction and I think about it quite often. The specificity and perspective in which it's written is intentional. SJM didn’t have to include it or write it this way, so why is it there?

And further, by the time I reached the last page of ACOSF upon my first reading, I was certain that Gwyn was being set up as Azriel’s love interest and mate. The real kicker though is that I didn’t even know about an Azriel bonus chapter for almost two years after I first read ACOSF. I wasn’t online much then -- my mom was ill and passed away during that time, and I had stepped back from being online. So, I missed those early ACOSF conversations among the fandom until almost 2023. I definitely wasn’t influenced by any online opinions or accounts, and the bonus chapters just weren't on my radar until almost two years after ACOSF was released.

So the point is, the setup of Azriel and Gwyn was clear to me just within the context of the primary ACOSF text. When I eventually read Azriel's bonus chapter, the only thing I felt was validated in my initial opinion of what SJM was setting up with him and Gwyn. It was beyond clear. The language, symbolism, and structure of the bonus chapter were all so intentional and consistent with what we should already identify within SJM’s writing.

I’ve been reading SJM since 2012 when Throne of Glass was first published. I was a high school librarian then, and the students and myself were obsessed with her books in those early days of a fun, new fantasy series. I now teach junior/senior level high school literature courses, and I approach my critical reading of SJM the same way I do in the classroom. I teach patterns we encounter when it comes to an author’s voice, prose, rhetoric, and literary device use. So just like how I’d point out to students that Jane Austen utilizes social commentary and wit along with her free indirect discourse narration, and we can find those patterns throughout all of her novels – I can also identify how SJM utilizes specific language, characterization, symbolism, and plot devices when it comes to romantic pairings and the notion of mates in her novels. Thirteen years of reading SJM (and many more years of studying and teaching literature) makes those patterns shine like Gwyn when she sings with the priestesses.

This is getting too long and I’ll leave it here for now . . . but trust that I have MUCH more to elaborate on here with specifics and will consider posting more analysis in case anyone wants to read it (if anything, it just makes me feel better to get my thoughts out). But, yes, it should be clear from that first interaction in ACOSF that something specific was being introduced, and that the rest of the novel continues to arrange chess pieces for a pairing between Azriel and Gwyn. 🙂

[randomfoggytiger]

Collector's Edition: Mulder, Scully, and Season 8 Healing (Part 3)

The Big Question: did Mulder know the baby was his? These fics tackle that topic in their own unique ways. (Here you go, @elstabler.)

Loose chronological order below~

Spooky2u2's

Only Death Would Stop Me

Just then, the baby made his presence known. Mulder's eyes snapped downward to the place where he felt the unfamiliar movement.

"He definitely knows his father," she told him.

He sat spellbound, with his hand and full attention still on her stomach.

"Mulder..."

"Shhhh...." he hushed her softly.

AU-- Mulder is returned unresponsive... unless Scully is in danger.

Revelation

Mulder's eyes glanced sparingly at her swollen belly...much as he had done since he found out about her pregnancy. But he never seemed to want to talk about it. He just listened as she told him everything-- how the baby was healthy and how she had waited so long to share it with him.

Three Words Scully realizes that while Mulder is supportive, he hasn't put the puzzle pieces together.

Donna's

Waking

Whatever had happened, he felt like he had been out of it for a long time, too long. Scully was . . . she wasn't herself. He didn't feel up to asking the questions that he needed to ask, not yet. Whatever had happened all he really cared about right now was the feel of her against him.

Deadalive Mulder wakes.

Unspoken Words

He lay his arm over his eyes. He could do this. He could be happy for her and her baby. He could give her the support she needed, at least what she'd take from him. If the baby's father allowed it, he'd take the kid to Little League or soccer; maybe she'd even trust him to baby-sit. He could learn to change diapers. He'd be okay; he'd make this work and accept whatever she gave him. He didn't realize tears were running into his hair until he heard one hit the couch. No one would ever know he'd cried himself to sleep.

Three Words Mulder (politely) asks for space.

Fish Listen (Gossamer) and Fish Listen - Together

Her hand came up to her stomach. "Is that what's been bothering you?"

"I . . . how? I mean . . . You're carrying my baby?"

She drew back, staring at him as tears formed in her eyes and spilled over.

Scully and the fish are each other's listening ear.

@scullys-right-eyebrow-txf/ScullysRightEyebrow's

The Only Choice - Chapter 40

Just as a soft smile appeared on his face, Mulder recognized apprehension in her eyes. His brow furrowed in concern and then he took in her appearance. In that moment every thought in his mind melded into a mass of bewilderment and confusion. He didn’t understand. He didn’t understand anything and the fear brought about by his nightmare seemed to crash down on him. His heart rate increased and his hands shook. He had never had a panic attack, but he was beginning to feel like this must be one.

Post Deadalive Skinner spills the beans about the baby.

The Only Choice - Chapter 41

He knew that she could infer that some memories were returning and that they were troubling him, but how could he talk to her about such things? He couldn’t put her through that. He couldn’t even talk to her about the proverbial elephant in the room. (A phrase he best not use in front of her if he wished to walk out of this hospital of his own volition). There were so many questions he had, and he was a coward because he was afraid of the answers. He was afraid that the baby wasn’t his. He knew better than to believe that there was another man, but another try at IVF was always a possibility. They were going to look into adoption, but what if she decided to give it another shot on her own. What if she didn’t want him involved? Especially now with the state he was in.

Three Words Mulder and Scully are struggling with his return.

The Only Choice - Chapter 42

“You’re going to be okay, Dana. All three of you,” Maggie said, placing a comforting kiss to her daughter’s temple. “Do you want me to talk to him?” she asked with quirk to her eyebrow.

Scully chuckled and wiped away a rogue tear. “Oh no, I don’t think he’s ready for the mom lecture yet. I know you. You’ll go in all nice and sweet with the best intentions, but it will totally turn into a ‘how dare you treat my daughter like this’ conversation.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Maggie replied innocently.

Post Three Words Mulder and Scully want each other but are too afraid to reach out. 

Marguerite's (Ao3) Always Through the Changing

"He, who?" She pursed her lips for an instant, then gasped as she realized what he was saying. "Oh, Mulder! I'm sorry...I meant..." She felt the prickling of a full, scarlet blush across her face. "All the science in the world can't replace the real thing, Mulder." When she saw no inkling of comprehension on his face, she added: "And we had the real thing, on more than one occasion." "We...I...we..."

His eyes widened and his mouth turned up in a huge grin.

Post Deadalive Skinner corrals his haphazard agents.

I_cant_find_a_name's

Mad About You

He felt hollow inside. He knew how much she had wanted a child, how he had supported her through saving her ova, agreeing to be the sperm donor – agreeing to have a child with her, even though they hadn’t been together at that point. He remembered how shocked he had been when she had finally summed up the courage to ask him, how confused it had made him about their relationship, and yet how saying 'yes' was a no-brainer, even though he said he’d take some time to think it over. He had been worried about what the impact upon their relationship would be were they to have a child together at that point, but he couldn’t deny her when he loved her so much, and when he felt partly to blame for her infertility. Now here she was, pregnant, without him.

Post Deadalive-Empedocles Scully and Mulder work through withdrawal, resentment, and impending parenthood.

Falling Apart

“I don’t know, Scully, I was thinking maybe sticking around here a bit...”

“Really?” She raised an eyebrow, her hands on her hips with that exasperated but adoring face she did. “And what exactly are you going to do around here?”

“Well, you know, help out, build a cot...”

“Mulder...”

“Take you to birthing classes...”

“You don’t have to do that,” she smiled. “you know my mom has offered to.”

“...Cook you dinner”

“You can’t cook!” she exclaimed.

He moved towards her with a swagger and a cheeky smile. “No, but I order a great takeout.”

Pre-Vienen Mulder and Scully combat PTSD through pleasant chats and late-night phone calls.

theficisoutthere/penpaperaliens's

post-"deadalive"

She moved back into the chair and he threw his head back against his pillow. He twisted his neck to the side, looking at her with a sly smile that made her head drop in bashfulness. 

When she lifted it back up again, her eyes were more serious, the redness in her cheeks gone. She fixed her posture and folded her hands in her lap like the proper agent she was. 

“Mulder. We have to talk.” 

Pre-Three Words Mulder transitions from happy-to-be-back to angry-and-distant.

44. Puh-lease! ❤️ (Tumblr)

She had brought him home earlier that day and now they were eating take-out, the tension in the room at an all time high. He hadn’t said much the whole day, just paced through the house as she showered, put his things away, avoided his descending gaze. 

He didn’t even question her fidelity. As soon as he noticed her bump in the hospital room he softly smiled and said, “So, we’re going to have a baby.” and squeezed her hand when she nodded. He turned his gaze back to the TV above them and the subject was never brought up again. 

Scully bumped his knee playfully, “Mulder, I tried, I really did. Ironic, I couldn’t even keep a tiny fish alive, how am I supposed to care for a baby?”

Three Words Mulder and Scully are slowly adjusting (and yes: he knows the baby is his.)

@silhouetteofacedar/SilhouetteOfACedar

When We Drive - Chapter 10 (Tumblr)

“Where is home for me now?” Mulder asks softly, almost to himself.

“I… I kept your apartment,” Scully confesses.

He turns to look at her then, and she feels suddenly exposed....

“You told me to never give up on a miracle,” she explains simply, the words strung tightly around a bundle of unspoken things.

Three Words Scully thinks Mulder doesn't know the baby is his.

When We Drive - Chapter 11 (Tumblr)

That’s how he ended up sitting on the floor in a circle of eager couples, arms around Scully as she took deep inhalations. They gave him a handful of childbirth information pamphlets; the woman in bright purple silk pants leading the class referred to him as “Dad”.

He’s had worse afternoons.

Alone Mulder wants to be there.

@greekowl87's (Ao3) Fic: Right Where You Belong/Right Where You Belong

Unable to find her words, she took his hands and pressed it against her belly. It was now or never. He winced as if he had been burned and tried to pull away. Scully tightened her grasp around his wrists. He was clearly uncomfortable. “Definitely not a basketball.”

“No.” She took a deep breath. “Look at me, Mulder. Look at me.” Unsteady hazel eyes met her blue eyes and he felt himself become lost. Unconsciously, he found his breath slowing, matching hers. “Breathe. Just focus on me, okay? This is real. All this is real.”

Three Words Scully grounds Mulder.

MaybeAmanda/maybe_amanda’s (LJ, site)

Atlas (xffics)

But he cleared his throat and asked his tea softly, "So, what did you do while I was dead?"

She stared at him, wide-eyed, wide eyes wet. "What did I do?" She took his hand in hers, and laid it on her belly. The flesh was harder than he would have expected, and dangerous, too.

"What did I do? Mulder, I mourned."

Three Words Mulder is struggling with his sense of self.

Grave Goods (xffics)

Sprinkling flakes into the top of the tank, I found myself understanding my scaly companions in a whole new way. Scully would be by in an hour or so, stopping in on her lunch hour to tend me in much the same way I was tending them. After she saw to my needs she would scrutinize me for signs of disease, peering at me intently, attempting to assess my health and well-being. Give me a few extra flakes to show me she loved me. Tap good-bye on the glass and then walk away. Go back to her life with a teary, grateful smile.

Her life. Not our life.

Her baby. Not mine.

Post Three Words Mulder drives to his grave to find closure.

OnlyFoxMulder/FoxyFoxMulder's

It’s Yours

“I just, uh, I’m having a little trouble processing… everything.” 

It’s yours.

They were at a stalemate. Mulder continued to stare at the floor, chewing on the inside of his cheek, while she waged an inner battle with herself—unable to stand the silence but incapable of speech. The baby was kicking wildly, sensing her struggle. She fought the urge to rub her belly like she usually did to calm him. Knowing he wouldn’t be the one to make the first move, she found the strength to approach. 

Three Words Mulder is listless upon return.

Love Notes

“I love you, too… and it’s okay,” she started, her voice strong and assuring. “I’ve had… time. Time to think and I understand why you went—why I was powerless to stop you. I don’t resent you for being Fox Mulder.”

Post Empedocles Mulder and Scully reflect on his notes and her journal.

Slow Like Honey

“Time for bed, honey,” he whispered, coaxing her into a sitting position.

She smiled sleepily. “Mmm… honey. I missed that.”

He couldn’t hide his surprise. After everything that’s happened to them in the past year, she still wanted him to use the affectionate nickname he’d chosen. 

Post Alone Mulder enjoys using terms of endearment.

@scullybuck's (Ao3) Post "Three Words" missing scene

She rested her hand on his, and their eyes met for a moment. The look on his face was one of pain, and confusion, but also joy and fascination. She stroked his hand with her thumb. She had thought of this moment dozens of times. It had gone nothing like this, but she was just glad it was happening at all. Mulder was really here. He was feeling the tiny kicks of her unborn child, and he was really, really here. Alive. She wanted to hold onto him, to cry and tell him everything she had wished she had told him before he had gone missing. But he was already dealing with so much and trying to adjust, and she was trying to be empathetic and not dump all the weight she had been carrying for months on him all at one time. But with everything that had transpired coupled with her pregnancy hormones, she was afraid her emotions were going to get the better of her. So she thought it best to leave, let him rest, and there would be time for everything else later.

He pulled his hand away and took her hand, turning it palm-side up. He placed her keys in it, and the elevator doors opened.

Three Words Mulder is numb, but trying.

Jori's Unsettled

"I never thought I'd be paying for my own funeral," I say, going through the bills that were supposed to be covered by my life insurance. Since I'm not exactly dead, I now have to pay for them. I find one from a the cemetery for something else. Heavy equipment and labor fees. "Or my un-funeral."

"Aren't you still paying off that thing you rented in Antarctica?" Scully asks, leaning over my shoulder to look at what I'm doing. Something round and firm brushes against me and I jerk away. That doesn't escape her notice.

Three Words Mulder is prickly: a combination of PTSD and targetless resentment.

Vulpes_Velox's

Commitment - Chapter 9

There was something uniquely humiliating about a pregnant woman insisting on carrying your bags for you.

Three Words Mulder doesn't care who the father of the baby is: he has bigger problems.

Commitment - Chapter 10

‘The mess will still be there in the morning.’

‘Well I don’t like to see it in the morning,’ Scully said, slamming a drawer shut. ‘I like it to be tidy.’

‘Forget about pelvic rest, I think we need to put you in an induced coma for the next couple of months.’ Scully rolled her eyes, picking up Mulder’s jeans and hanging them over a chair before walking over to her side of the bed. The bed dipped more than Mulder was expecting and he rolled towards her, trying not to smile.

Post Empedocles Scully and Mulder navigate her recovery (and the needling Agent Doggett thorn.)

@agentwhalesong/sadandangstyagent's (Ao3)

Could It Be Any Harder? - Chapter 5

The understanding only comes when Langly points out the obvious. She can see his face change when he looks at her with questioning eyes. His eyes are saying, “Is Langly right? Am I the father?”. She answers back with her eyes that they will talk about this later, but she feels like shouting.

Three Words Scully is shocked at Mulder's heedless behavior.

One in Six Billion (Tumblr)

“Is it a boy or a girl?”

Scully looked at him as if surprised not only by the question, but also by him speaking to her out of the blue, in the middle of their heavy-silence section.

Post Three Words Scully and Mulder catch up.

black.wood/Blackwood's (tripod) The Long Way Home (tripod)

"What do you remember?" Her voice is gentle and he recognizes the cadence of her kindly-but-professional interrogation mode.

"Don't do that," he says in an abrupt, cool tone. He moves past her, getting halfway to the door before her voice hits the square of his back.

"Coward."

Three Words Mulder and Scully have it out in her kitchen.

soulgyrl's The Need To Know or Mulder's Dilemma

Byers slapped his mug down on the table a little more forcefully than he really intended.

“Look, you two, if he has something to say, or ask, I’m sure he’ll do so in his own good time. Right, Mulder?”

Mulder drained his teacup and then shook his head in way of response, and then he started chewing on his lower lip. Finally, he threw both hands up in the air.

Post Three Words Mulder drops by for some information.

@iconicscullyoutfits's (Ao3) if you could rewrite one episode of the x files which one would it be and what would you change?

He moved towards her then, holding her elbow as she lowered herself back down. She had been sleeping, he could tell by the flush in her cheeks. He stood over her, loomed over her. She had one hand behind his knee now, holding onto him, weighing him down too like they both feared for the same thing. 

“Sit with me, Mulder,” she said, but it came out as a whispered request.

Post Three Words Scully and Mulder talk it out.

@atths–twice’s (Ao3, Alt. Ao3, FFN)

Measure of Love

His face was scratchy, him too tired to shave, and her not caring if he did. She welcomed the feel of it, further tactile proof that he was there, scratchy face and all. 

Post Three Words Scully observes Mulder upon his return.

The Three Words We Should Have Heard

The baby rolled again and he looked up at her, his eyes wide. 

“Whoa…” He stepped closer and spread his fingers, encompassing a larger area, his eyes dropping down. She watched him, the smile pulling slowly at his lips, and her heart ached. 

“It’s yours,” she breathed and his eyes flew up to hers. She stared at him, searching his eyes, waiting for her words to reach his brain. 

Three Words Scully helps him dress, drives him home, and weathers four days before confronting Mulder.

THE CHANGE

The man standing in front of her apartment door looked drained. His body was limp, his eyes were red rimmed, and his face was pale with worry and sadness. He looked like a walking zombie.

"Hey," he said softly.

"Mulder, what are you doing here?"

"I need to talk to you." His voice was barely audible.

Post Three Words Mulder and Scully have The Talk.

Gina Rain's Every Night

Every night since I was released from the hospital, we play the same game.

Her bed or mine. It doesn't matter. We both dress for sleep and she positions herself carefully on the left side of the bed. She lies on her right side, pillow between her pajama-clad legs, facing me. I get in, mumble "sweet dreams," and turn in the opposite direction. Back to Scully. Back to Scully's baby.

In my more rational moments, I tell myself the child is mine.

Post Three Words Mulder wakes each night with swirling thoughts about the baby's father.

XSketch's (mulderscreek) Giving Everything They Have To Give (mulderscreek)

"Our child was the only thing helping me to hold on," she repeated.

There it was again. The frown deepened.

"Why do you keep saying 'our child'?" he suddenly asked, becoming frustrated.

Post Three Words Mulder thinks Scully's given up on him.

@gaycrouton/OnlyTheInevitable's Ray of Light (Tumblr)

His attention was drawn to the hand rubbing her stomach and that familiar knot of jealousy formed in his throat, threatening to choke him. Someone else had granted her the miracle he wanted to give her and there was nothing he could do about it. He didn't even know if it was his place to be upset about it or if he was overstepping. The first time she'd done IVF, when she'd asked him, he felt included — like no matter what, he'd be a part of her and the baby's life. But clearly, she did it again and it made him feel like he hadn't actually needed to be a part of the process. That his involvement wasn't expected or, even worse, truly wanted.

Post Three Words Mulder and Scully bond over their trauma.

@syntax6's (Gossamer, FFN, omniscribe) 20 Chapter 8: Eight

Time is running out when they sit together one night in her kitchen. He can't see her belly because it's tucked beneath the table. "I wish I could give you what you want," she says, not looking at him, and he thinks she can't possibly accomplish this because even he does not know himself. But she continues: "I wish I could give you back the time you lost."

He regards her with surprise, and she meets his gaze with a small, sad smile.

"I remember what it's like," she says softly, "to come back."

Post Three Words Mulder knows the baby is his, but can't help feeling left behind and angry.

@mldrgrl's (Ao3) Magic Fingers (Tumblr)

“I saw your chart when you were in the hospital.  You’re...38 weeks now.”

“Yes.”

“I’m not the best at math, but...when you felt sick, in Oregon, does that mean…?”

She swallowed hard and shifted her eyes to glance back at him.  “I found out the night you went missing.”

“Oh.”

There was an extended silence.  She counted the slide of Mulder’s hands up and down her back.  Fourteen passes and he said nothing more.

Post Empedocles Mulder, Scully, and his magic fingers.

Thanks for reading~

Enjoy!

[veliseraptor]

Top five translated texts/translations? Or alternatively top five tranlators?

oooh this is where I feel like I have to reveal that I haven't read all that many translated works. outside of, I guess, a whole bunch of greek and roman literature in undergrad, I did do that, and a number of cnovels, but I didn't want this whole list to be danmei/baihe.

The Iliad by Homer, trans. Emily Wilson. I just read this one after reading Wilson's translation of The Odyssey a few months ago; it was actually my first read ever of the full text of The Iliad, which seems weird and probably is. I'm deeply familiar with it but never actually read the text itself, and I think I actually like it slightly more than The Odyssey now, at least in some ways. Some of why Emily Wilson's translations speak to me might be down to the extensive notes and detailed introduction, which is what I want to know from a translator, but there's also just the clear and deliberate care taken with transmitting a text not just from another language but from a different culture context, and trying to preserve the poetry at the same time. Mad respect.

Our Share of Night by Mariana Enriquez, trans. Megan McDowell. I want to read more Mariana Enriquez (and I've been told I should do so) but I'm glad I started with this one. I think I'm missing some cultural context about Argentinian history that would've deepened it for me, but even as was it was a powerful piece of work. Definitely one of the best works of horror (and more interesting works of horror) that I've read in a long time.

Heaven Official's Blessing by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu, trans. Suika, Ryuu, and Lianyin. There are technically translations (of other novels) I like better than this one, though I'm not equipped to say they are better; I mostly decided to put this one down because it was the first danmei I really got hooked into by the book specifically (as opposed to coming to it by adaptation, i.e. MDZS). It remains one of my favorites, and whatever the shortcomings of the translation in terms of how it reads in English (I can't speak, again, to any possible shortcomings in how it's conveying meaning from the original), I only had access to it because of the translators' work.

The Glory of the Empire by Jean D'Ormesson, trans. Barbara Bray. This isn't actually, like, one of my favorite books but I find it so conceptually fascinating and am so glad that I got to read it thanks to the translation. If you're not familiar with it, the conceit is that it is written as a history for an empire that never existed.

Echo by Thomas Olde Heuvelt, trans. Moshe Gilula. For some reason I thought the author himself did this translation but apparently not! Another work of translated horror on here because apparently I just like translated horror better. It's wilderness horror, more or less, and there's some imagery in there that's stuck with me.

honorable mention to the new Metamorphoses translation by Stephanie McCarter.

[keyboardsmashess]

The Siren, or The Heart of the Matter

Chapter Twenty Four: The Lamp, or Making a Habit

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x OFC

Warnings: language, eventual smut, fluff, angst, canon-typical violence MINORS DNI. A/N: You guys - the feedback from yesterday's chapter made me big time emotional. I love y'all, for real. Bucky and Cleo's story is so much more than fluff and romance to me, and it means a lot to know that you're along for the ride as we dive into deeper, more emotional waters. Thank you <3 Now that I've said that, today's chapter is more of a fluffy diversion with some groundwork along the way to bigger stuff, but we all need that sometimes!

Summary: Cleo ponders the identity of The Philosopher, and Bucky finally gets a lamp.

Chapter Directory

I find myself back at Bucky’s threshold long after everyone else has gone to bed. I knock softly, hoping I’m correct in assuming he’s awake.

He answers the door a few moments later, wearing a pair of sweatpants and no shirt. I can feel the heat rise in my face as I take in the whole of his exposed torso - the mountains and valleys of his muscles, the breadth of his shoulders, and - perhaps the most achingly beautiful part - the gnarled skin where his metal arm connects to his shoulder.

He clears his throat. “See somethin’ you like?” 

His smirk has me blushing even more furiously, and I look down at the floor to escape his gaze. “No.” I cough. “Can I come in for a second?”

He steps back and opens the door wide for me, and I tuck a stray piece of hair behind my ear as I pass him. Blessedly, he finds a shirt hanging over one of his chairs and pulls it on as we sit at opposite ends of his couch.

“So… hi,” I start awkwardly.

He cocks his head to the side. “Hi?”

I shake my head, trying to snap back into reality - trying to chase the shirtless image of him from the corners of my mind where it’s trying to set up permanent residence. “Sorry. Did I wake you?”

Bucky’s crooked grin renews my blush, and I feel like I’m losing my mind. “Nah, you know me better than that. Are you here to show me another kid show with creepy lemur puppets?”

I narrow my eyes at him. “Okay, first of all, never speak ill of Zoboomafoo in my presence again.” He laughs and holds up his hands. “And second of all… no. I wanted to talk to you about something, actually.”

His eyebrows knit together and he reaches for his phone. “Should I call Steve?”

I shake my head. “I’m not really ready to take it to the team, yet. Can this stay between us for now?”

He looks a bit surprised, but spreads his fingers wide to give me the floor.

“Okay, so… The Philosopher. He seemed weirdly familiar at the library, but it was my first fight and everything was so crazy that I figured I must be seeing connections where there weren’t any. But after the party, I started thinking and… I think I know him.”

Bucky leans closer. “Who do you think he is?” And the way he asks it - no judgement, not asking me to justify myself, simply believing me - has me on the verge of tears.

I rub at my eyes and hope it doesn’t look like I’m about to cry. “I don’t know, that’s why I don’t want to bring it up to the team. The mask distorts his voice, so it’s hard to recognize, but there’s something in the cadence of his speech and the words he chooses that is just so goddamn familiar. It’s like there’s a memory there, right on the edge of my brain, and it’s driving me crazy.”

Bucky hums in thought, nodding. “I definitely know a thing or two about that.”

My smile is grim. “I thought you might.”

He exhales a puff of air. “Well, if I’ve learned anything, it’s that you can’t force yourself to remember. If there’s something that needs to come out, it won’t happen until the right time. So for now, all you can do is what you’re already doing.”

I eye him. “Which is what?”

“Training - staying sharp. And I guess working on your stupid plan.”

I lean back against the couch. “Okay, you’ve got to quit with this shit. You’re going to be demoted back down to a level one friend if you aren’t careful.”

Bucky glances at me from the corner of his eye. “I can’t help it, Cleo - if you keep running headfirst into dangerous situations, I’m gonna keep telling you how stupid you are.”

I roll my eyes. “Sure, because it’s not like anyone else on this team has ever done anything stupid before.”

His glare is quick and sharp. “You aren’t anyone else on this team.”

My conversation with Dr. Benally comes flooding back, and I wonder for a moment if I’m not the only one feeling things. “I’m not?”

His eyes widen, just a millimeter, as he seems to process what he’s just said. “N-no, you’re… you’re new and you’re green.” His words are clipped and decisive, and I try not to deflate where I sit when I hear them.

I run a hand through my hair. “Right. Well, the rest of the team doesn’t seem to be too worried about any of that,” I mumble, but he doesn’t respond. I sigh deeply and stand. “Okay, thanks a bunch for the advice and the condescension. Being your friend is turning out to be a real joy, Barnes.”

Bucky stands too, stopping me from making for the door. He exhales roughly, the sound like gravel in the back of his throat, and flicks his eyes at the ceiling. “Fuck, Cleo, you make everything so goddamn hard.” I glare at him and he shakes his head. “I’m - I’m sorry, okay? You’re right, you’re plenty capable. I’ll back off.”

The corner of my mouth ticks up in an unwilling smile, and I bite my lip to keep it from spreading. “Okay.”

His eyebrows furrow. “Okay?”

“Okay.” I shrug. “Apology accepted.”

He nods, looking warily at me like I might change my mind at any moment. “Okay.”

I gently move around him, heading for the door. “Get some sleep, James.”

He nods again, watching me go. “Okay.”

I chuckle softly. “Okay.”

******

My ‘stupid plan’ for luring The Philosopher to the Tower stalls out a little bit, but that doesn’t mean I stop thinking about the mystery man. And the more time I spend, the louder one particular idea in the back of my mind becomes. 

One morning, Steve has to skip our run for a mission, giving me the perfect opportunity to broach the subject with Bucky.

We run through the park in friendly silence for a bit before I can’t hold it in any longer. “Bucky?”

“Cleo?” He doesn’t look over at me, keeping his gaze on the path ahead. 

“What if… what if The Philosopher is Robert?”

That gets his attention, and he whips his gaze to me with a slight stutter to his pacing. “Your stepfather?”

I bite my lip nervously. “It probably sounds insane, but hear me out - he was at the party, and I looked for him in the crowd before we ran out to fight and didn’t see him anywhere. He showed up in my mom’s life out of the blue once my dad disappeared, and he always discouraged me from pursuing my Atlantis research. And, well… he’s a dick.”

Bucky hums in thought, taking in my words, and I’m struck by a wave of gratitude when he doesn’t immediately dismiss me. “I’m not gonna lie, Cleo, it seems like a reach.” I frown, but he continues. “But it isn’t impossible, and I think it’s good that you’re listening to your gut. How would you feel about bringing Natasha in on this?”

I consider it, nodding after a few moments of thought. “I don’t want to involve the whole team, but I don’t mind including Nat.”

“I think we should at least look into the idea - dig into his past a little bit. As much as I hate to admit it, she’s the best person for that job.”

I feel myself start to sweat slightly as a thought enters my mind. “When you say ‘dig into his past,’ what does that include?”

I can feel Bucky’s eyes on me, but I don’t meet them. “The usual stuff that would indicate someone might be secretly working for HYDRA… childhood, work history, political affiliations, that sort of thing.” He pauses. “Is that going to be alright?”

I nod. “Yeah, that makes sense. I just don’t want us wasting time looking at things involving me. Just because I was there, you know, and I can cover that stuff.”

His eyebrows furrow, but he doesn’t press the issue. “Sure, that makes sense.”

Nat agrees immediately when we get back to the Tower and request her help, no questions asked. She gives me a meaningful look, and I think back to the conversations we’ve had about my family in training - searching my memory for anything I may have unintentionally let slip. I can’t think of anything, so I have to believe that she’s just being a good friend who hates my stepdad on my behalf for all the usual reasons - the reasons I gave her. Trying to replace my dad, being a controlling jerk, monopolizing my mother, that sort of thing.

“Just focus on the stuff Bucky talked about - work history, childhood, any potentially alarming connections… You don’t need to dig into his time with my mom and I, because I have that covered.”

Nat looks like she wants to press this, but she relents, nodding her head. “Whatever you say.”

I glance at Bucky, then back to her. “And can we just keep this between the three of us for now? I don’t want to make it a whole thing with the team in case I end up being wrong.”

She grins. “I do love a good secret.” She pulls out her phone and taps through a few screens. “Give me a few days - it shouldn’t take me that long to dig something up if there’s anything worth finding.”

I smile and give her a quick hug. “Thanks, Nat. You’re the best.”

“I know,” she smirks, heading down the stairs. “See you in the gym in five,” she calls back over her shoulder.

“Yeah, yeah.” I turn to Bucky, who has his arms out and a smirk on his face. “What?” I ask him.

“Aren’t you going to hug me and tell me I’m the best, too?”

I roll my eyes, but before I think better of it, I step forward and loosely wrap my arms around him, dutifully ignoring the press of his muscles and his post-run smell of sweat and spice and pine. “You’re alright, I guess,” I mumble against his chest. 

He pulls me in tighter, and I can feel the shake of his laughter against me. I resist the urge to sigh contentedly, settling instead for closing my eyes and inhaling his smell. He pulls away quickly and turns to the fridge, acting for all the world like nothing significant just happened, and I blow out a huff of air and rub at my face when his back turns. Get it together, you idiot.

“I’m gonna go get my ass kicked. Later, Barnes.”

He nods but doesn’t turn to me, keeping his attention on the fridge. “Good luck with that.”

I sigh. I’m going to need some luck, alright.

******

I land a hard kick to Nat’s jaw, knocking her off her feet, and she motions for a time out. 

“Shit, sorry. That was more aggressive than intended.”

She stands and gives me an appraising look. “That was the fourth time today you’ve been ‘more aggressive than intended’ - what’s going on with you?”

I wipe the sweat off my brow. “I don’t know, something in the air? Ooh! Do you wanna hang out after this? We could go down to the accounting offices, maybe someone needs help working on something. Or hey - Larry mentioned his wife’s birthday is coming up, we could brainstorm gift ideas with him!”

“No, I have to - wait, who the hell is Larry?”

“He’s the janitor,” I say. “Duh.”

She narrows her eyes at me, and I’m twitchy under the sustained attention. After a moment of study, she nods. “Alright, you’re getting out of this Tower. Today. Before you lose your mind.”

I grin widely. “Great! Where are we going? We could go to a museum, or to the park. We could try bird watching! I’ve never done it, but I bet you’d be good at it - you’ve got the silent and still thing down perfectly.”

Nat shakes her head. “We aren’t going anywhere - I’m heading out on a mission with Steve and Clint in about -” she checks her watch. “Fifteen minutes. You need to go somewhere to get all of this weird energy out, before you hurt someone.” Her eyes glint. “Or make someone hurt you.”

“But I don’t wanna go alone,” I whine.

She rolls her eyes at my antics. “Find someone to go with you, then - just get out of here and sort out your shit before I’m forced to smother you while you sleep.”

Back in my room, I shower quickly, dressing in my usual sundress and cardigan, and then - before I can think twice about what I’m doing - I walk down the hall and knock on Bucky’s door.

He opens it and grins. “You’re starting to make this a habit.”

“Nat says if I don’t leave the Tower and work off some of my ‘weird energy,’ she’s going to smother me in my sleep.”

He just stands in his doorway, blinking at me. “Okayyyyy.”

I sigh. “So I need you to come with me, because she’s going on a mission with Steve and Clint, and Bruce is busy in the lab, and I am a healthier person when I limit the time I spend alone with Tony.”

He frowns. “I thought you didn’t need a babysitter anymore.”

I can feel heat rising on my cheeks. “I don’t really want to go alone, so even though I don’t need a babysitter, I… I could use a friend.”

An unreadable look passes over Bucky’s face, and he presses his lips together. “Let me get my jacket.”

****** 

We end up wandering the aisles of a nearby home goods store, mainly because I’m still feeling self-conscious about the state of my apartment.

Bucky side-eyes me as I examine a basket of throw blankets. “Are you sure you don’t want to just get JARVIS to have everything delivered to you?”

“I could, but then I wouldn’t have the pleasure of your delightful company. Plus, I’d still be at risk of getting smothered.”

He chuckles. “Well, we can’t have that, can we.”

I gasp loudly. Bucky rushes to my side, his hand at his hip, but he relaxes when I hold up a fuzzy throw blanket dotted with little cartoon Captain Americas. “Look - tiny Steves!” He rolls his eyes. “Should I get this for Tony?”

He laughs - loud and unrestrained - and I think it could become my favorite sound. “Honestly? I would love to watch you give that to Stark.”

I grin, but put it back on the shelf. “I know what he’s getting for Christmas this year,” I say. I decide none of the blankets are really doing it for me, so I move on to the frame aisle. I love the way Steve’s place is such an artful tribute to the different pieces of his life, so maybe I’ll put up a wall of framed photos. With that idea in mind, I select a handful and then pull out my phone.

“Take a selfie with me,” I say, stepping closer to Bucky.

His eyes go wide and the tips of his ears turn pink. “What?” he asks, voice higher than normal.

I gesture to the frames. “I’m going to hang some pictures in my apartment to make it feel more lived-in, and I want some of all my friends.”

His grin is crooked, tentative. “Is picture-taking a level two friendship activity?”

I roll my eyes, unable to stop my own smile from creeping in. “Ugh, fine. You’re promoted to level three.” And when he closes his eyes to laugh, I smile at the camera and snap the photo. “Perfect.”

I look down at my cart full of frames and sigh. “I think this is it for me - you ready to head out?”

He bites his lip, thinking about something, and I look at my phone so he doesn’t catch me staring at his lips like an absolute creep. “Actually,” he says. “Do you mind if I grab something real quick?”

I shrug. “Grab whatever you want, I’ve got nowhere to be.”

I follow him, pushing the cart, through the aisles of the store until we arrive at some of the larger pieces of decor and furniture. “Oh, I should get a bookshelf,” I say as he browses for something. I pick a simple one out, but before I can lift the box, Bucky grabs it with one hand and wedges it beneath the cart. “Showoff,” I mutter, fighting to hide the blush coloring my cheeks.

He just chuckles and continues to browse. “Whatcha looking for?” I ask.

Bucky looks at me with a level of seriousness that feels out of place for a shopping trip, but nevertheless has my knees feeling like jello. “I think it’s about time I get myself a lamp.”

I quirk an eyebrow. “Okayyyy. Weird thing to be so serious about, but go off, I guess. Let’s get you a lamp.”

Bucky actually chooses three lamps, and his lamp-related enthusiasm is so infectious that I buy one myself. Based on his barely-restrained delight when I choose one for myself, I get the feeling that this is about more than lamps to him, but I don’t press the issue. We all need a little extra light sometimes.

[daily-beast-wirt-brainrot]

[Day 19] Wirt and his fucked up dog

[egginfroggin]

Sassy bluebird girl

[chiropteracupola]

that time of year again — here's an art year-in-review!

and the previous three years' reviews as well:

[theroseyhues]

And day 2 is the lovely Xisuma!!

[cryptids-do-autism]

This was supposed to be a quick drawing that I had thumbnailed in my outing sketchbook! It did not stay that way…

I fudged or just didn’t draw a lot of the non visible bits of the drawing but yk here’s the background and sketches!

Here’s the top layer and full time!

[beanghostprincess]

*holds you by shoulders*

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE THING ABOUT 1082 I WAS SURE IT WAS SHIPPY THING AND NOW I NEED TO KNOW

*starts sobbing while slowly falling to my knees*

…….please

I SAW THIS YESTERDAY NIGHT WHEN I WAS ABOUT TO FALL ASLEEP AND I JUST WOKE UP EARLY TO REPLY BECAUSE I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR AGES FOR THIS QUESTION I AM GOING TO KISS YOU ANON-

I do love and adore the shippy part of 1082 because I am a very intense Shuggy shipper and I had been waiting to read their break-up for sooo long. But it's not exactly what made the chapter life-changing for me, tbh.

Buggy's speech is... Is incredibly beautiful and encouraging. It explains so much about his character, the dynamic he has with Cross Guild, and why he's so resentful toward Shanks. Throughout the manga, we've seen him in serious moments, yes, but usually, Buggy is pretty much used for comedy relief more than anything. This is one of the first times we've seen Buggy realize the position he has now and say "Fuck it. Already on the verge of dead for these two, might as well do something with this shitty situation because for once, I have the opportunity to be brave and be more than what people think of me". There's literally nothing stopping him right now, and he prefers to risk his life enraging Crocodile and Mihawk than letting this opportunity of showing who he truly is slide.

And tbh, we haven't seen them ever since (I am starving please-) but I am really hopeful his speech somehow makes Crocodile and Mihawk have a little tiny itty bitty of respect for him at least. Because out of the three? Buggy is the one who deserves the title of pirate more.

Mihawk and Crocodile don't have dreams or ambitions and see pirating as a business. Even when Crocodile did have ambitions (remember when the silly rubber guy destroyed all of his dreams that was a funny arc haha) his whole personality has always been more of a mafioso than anything. Mihawk is a simple man and is bored with life being at the top of the top, he clearly wants something interesting to happen but doesn't see any use in looking for it himself. They care about their commodities and wealth. But out of the three, Buggy is the one who had to give up on his dream and now he has the opportunity to fulfill it.

"How can you call yourselves pirates with schemes like that?! You're doing it all backwards!! [...] Way back when... What did you guys want to be?! [...] I wanna be king of the pirates!! Wealth? Power? Why stop there when we can have it all?!"

This is something a real pirate would say. He talks like Roger here, I am going to curl up and cry don't look at me-

What I like about One Piece is the constant use of themes like dreams and freedom etc, etc... That's something we all know. But you wouldn't expect it coming from Buggy, of all people. And I think I'm pretty fond of him being brave and finally acting upon what he truly wants to do. What makes it great is that you have this comedy relief character standing up for his dream in front of clearly two other antagonists that have control over him in, well, strength and everything. But Buggy has something they don't and it's so, so much ambition and a dream that could be considered childish but it's the representation of freedom and doing things because you want to follow your heart. This is kind of why I always say Luffy would be more fond of Buggy if he knew the whole story and would probably support him a lot--

What I like the most about this chapter is both Buggy's character development through a speech + flashback and Mihawk and Crocodile being completely stunned by it because they weren't expecting this to happen from Buggy of all people. I know I sound like a broken record but I really, really, want them to respect Buggy a little bit more after this. Also, Buggy doesn't do this only to announce he's going to follow his dream now that he's on equal footing with Shanks. He does it because the other two mention needing overwhelming power over the rest. Buggy isn't stupid and knows how manipulating people works. The thing that makes pirates work harder isn't money, it's a dream. And there's nothing a pirate desires more than the One Piece, so that's kind of why he announces it publicly. First, to establish power, and second, so that way Mihawk and Crocodile don't get rid of him because seriously, Buggy is a better boss than these two because their followers appreciate him and don't feel forced to follow him.

Not to mention that the whole thing also shows more of Buggy's relationship with Roger and how left out he felt because people thought highly of Shanks instead of him. But Buggy, even if he was jealous, was willing to follow Shanks despite his feelings because he accepted being less worthy of respect than him. Shanks shone brightly and Buggy decided that, even if he wanted to be seen like that too, he'd give up on his dream and support Shanks instead because at least they'd do this together, just the way they did everything back at the time.

But then Shanks hesitates, and I think that's Buggy's last straw because he sees giving up going for the One Piece as something disrespectful to their captain (dad) and thinks it's unfair that Shanks is so respected by everyone even though the one wanting to follow their captain's steps right away is him. It's honestly frustrating. And then you understand better why Buggy is angry at Shanks-- Yeah, he made him eat the devil fruit and lost the map because of him (not really but whatever), but the way I see it that's just a metaphor for the real reason why Buggy is so resentful. Shanks' existence, even if it was not on purpose, made Buggy feel so powerless he gave up on his dream. And eating a devil fruit means the sea hates you and you can't have any independence in the pirate world, and losing the map is kind of like losing the only thing that guides you. He left Buggy with nothing and let him carry the burden of a lost dream.

This is funny because Shanks did absolutely nothing wrong and everything is a product of jealousy and miscommunication, but I understand why Buggy blames Shanks and this chapter makes it clearer and explains it perfectly.

Basically, it's such an amazing chapter for Buggy's character and it's definitely my favorite for him specifically. Although the flashback does wonders for my Shuggy heart.

Also, adding more points for the revolutionary plot in the end and Sabo showing up because I adore him <3

[organised-disaster]

behold.

I've still got a lot of work to do on this drawing (obviously) but it's late and I wanted to post some of my high effort art (plus I've never officially called my wips "works in progress" yk so big step towards like. Idk accepting imperfection or smth)

@randosfandos

[inga-don-studio]

Since I pretty much tore the headcrab zombie mask down to just the base yesterday, I'm trying to figure out the best angle & pose for the new rigid forelimbs. I want them to look like they're jabbing into the host's chest while at rest and in an aggressive threat display when raised. I think I finally got it looking about how I want it, at least from the side profile-

[dicctor-blog]

Late Night Blues

[aeide-thea]

god i know that complaining abt fic which most of you haven't read, and which i won't, for politeness' sake, identify in this post, is a great way to come across as both dickish and boring—

but i've been rereading a very long, very satisfyingly plotty series that's a fandom darling and the thing is, when you read like 400k of an author's work at once it really starts to become painfully apparent what their priorities are, by which i mean two things:

holy shit they're obsessed with 'what if strong powerful men who could hurt you didn't (but did hurt Bad Guys) (and it was sexy of them),' which leads into

holy shit they do not appear to have thought through the implications of saying 'i will have my heroes take over the same power structures that have enabled abuse, make no real changes to those structures other than swapping out the leadership, and then claim that everything is wonderful now bc Good Men Are In Charge'??

like. i don't necessarily need every passing fantasy to present me with a coherent, revolutionary system of politics and ethics—sometimes things are just fun and sexy and not especially Examined and that's fine!—but by the time someone's written literally almost half a million words, and done a lot of worldbuilding while they were at it, i am going to start squinting if they seem to think a Good Man can e.g. become an emperor by killing off the leadership of multiple countries and installing puppet kings loyal to him and still remain a Good Man, even if the justification was that the original leadership was maltreating its citizens and deserved to be extrajudicially executed. like. this shit was a bad, autocratic move when the US did it in real life and it's still bad now that you're having our mutual blorbo do it in fiction! and that's not even getting into the whole thing where like. they've got servants who the Good Man and his friends ""treat well"" but who very much remain second-class citizens in terms of how the story actually frames them and their concerns. [this was also a huge issue i had with foz m*adows' most recent book—everyone wants to write about fantasy nobles but they also want to make them good people and it's like. honestly i think it might be better to get comfortable writing about flawed people, but also—if your aristos aren't treating their servants like equals and your text isn't either, you haven't actually cracked the Moral Aristo paradox, sorry!] like, there's nothing that says your story has to depict a fully Healed World, nor should there be! but it's troubling if you seem to be convinced you've written one (and have your wide-eyed love interests constantly marveling at it!) when you very patently haven't.