#doesn't mean they're free from their trauma! like you THOUGHT!

[starlightshore]

you keep telling yourself that, buddy.

[zombolouge]

The thing is, it's not about the Therapy Speak. It's not that everyone who disliked DAV hates healthy communication as a dynamic in fiction. It's not even about only being allowed to be a good guy, really, because most of us did do that anyways (though the option not being there is a loss I grieve even if I never chose it myself, but that's another rant for another day).

It's that DAV does all that stuff at the expense of being believable. At the expense of characters being permitted to have personalities. At the expense of emotions behaving the way emotions actually work for people. At the expense of letting the plot build tension through the stakes we're forced to grapple with.

Half the fics out there take the conflicts between the characters in the previous games and resolve them. I do it myself ALL THE TIME because I like to find a path to resolution through just about any conflict, that's what fascinates me about telling these stories. But the higher the stakes, the harder a conflict is to resolve. You CAN resolve any conflict, you CAN communicate healthily through any emotion, but you can't skip the time it takes to process it all to even be able to communicate it. As someone whose got CPTSD and recovered from many Traumas, I can tell you that the TIME it takes to work through it is not something you can fast track, and the ups and downs of your emotions on that journey can't be skipped. It doesn't matter if you know exactly how to do it, exactly how it's going to feel, or exactly what the end state will be, you CAN'T speedrun it.

DAV has stakes that are astronomical, but nobody treats them that way. Nobody experiences denial - a common psychological reaction to being presented with information that shatters your worldview. Nobody expresses any distrust in the establishments handing out this information - something common among cultures that have at times been at war, even if those wars are "resolved" in the present. Nobody really ever breaks down - something that any person is capable of under extreme circumstances, especially when facing multiple crises of faith that challenge everything they thought they knew about themselves. Nobody blows their lid because they've been repressing the hell out of everything. Nobody grieves for southern Thedas, the entire thing dying off screen and giving you, the player, NO way to engage with it in any way.

Not to mention there are barely any inter-party conflicts, when there should be a lot more. Why is everyone (except Spite) fine with it if Emmrich sacrifices Manfred to become a lich? Why is everyone fine with Illario potentially being set free if he was working with the venatori and Elgar'nan, two sources that have actively attacked everyone in the party? Why doesn't Neve resent Lucanis if Treviso is picked? Why doesn't Harding get pissed off at Nevarra for having a secret society of liches that never helped during the Inquisition's war against the breach and corypheus? Why doesn't Harding feel ANYTHING about Ferelden and the rest of the south? Shouldn't Harding resent the fact that she's stuck in the north while her home dies?

All of these conflicts ARE resolvable, but not easily. And it's not believable that they're never brought up. It's not believable that these characters skip through everything that happens with like, barely a frowny face most of the time. In DAO, Alistair leaves if you don't treat his conflicts with respect. In DA2, your party members try to kill each other if you don't pay attention to their conflicts/emotional needs. In DAI, people can leave or betray you, Cassandra throws a chair at Varric and tries to body him out a window. ALL of these can be resolved but it takes effort, and the characters get to SHOW that they're bothered by them and struggling the way a person would when faced with those emotions.

The problem isn't the therapy speak, or that everyone is loyal and won't leave, or that they aren't mean to each other enough. It's that it's toxic positivity. It's toxic as fuck to imply that anger or grief should be smiled over or else you're giving up, and it's damaging to people to avoid engaging with their own negative emotional responses to extremely negative stimuli. It's pasting optimism over very real, very weighty issues, sweeping it all under the rug, and you keep waiting for the lid to blow off the pressure cooker that creates, but it never does. It never becomes anything that emulates real emotions, which is why the whole damn thing feels hollow. Everything's dying and nobody cares, not even about themselves, and that's NOT healthy communication.

It's bullshit, half-assed storytelling that didn't tell us the actual story, just the vague idea of what it could have been.

[seokminfilm]

forever | lee seokmin

🪄 pairing, lee seokmin x reader

🪄 warnings, non-idol au, lowercase intended, newly-established relationship, boyfriend!seokmin, hurt/comfort, sprinkles of angst, mentions of unspecified trauma, crying, kissing, hugging, seokmin calls reader love, reader uses nicknames for seokmin, seokmin soft hours

🪄 summary, seokmin finds out something new about you, and still loves you just the same for it.

🪄 author's note, hello hello everyone! i'm back from my hiatus, so please enjoy this quick hurt/comfort fic i wrote (seokmin soft hours are a go)! i love you all so much and have a merry christmas (christmas-themed seokmin fic??)

"love, can i ask you something?" the pet name is still new and brings a flutter to your stomach and a blush to your cheeks, and you nod, smiling at seokmin as he closes his book.

"you do this thing with your hands when you get nervous. why?" seokmin's voice is innocent, and your heart stops in your chest as you turn around, speechless and without an answer to seokmin's surprising question.

"oh, um...do i?" you laugh nervously, and seokmin nods, watching how your eyes darken a little and your smile fades as he nods. "yeah, you do. you're doing it right now."

you look down at your hands, and sure enough, they're moving; they do what they've always done when you're nervous, fiddling with each other and pulling the other hands' fingers. you never realized what you were doing until he called you out for it, and even then, it was just second nature to you. you didn't know how to stop.

"if you don't have an answer to it, you don't have to answer. i just wanted to know. it seems like a nervous tic you have, and you do it a lot around me. i don't know if it's because i make you uncomfortable or anything, and i hope that's not the case but—" seokmin pauses, staring at your eyes as he heaves a sigh.

"if it is, i want to know. i don't want to make you feel uncomfortable." seokmin's voice is soft, sincere, and you can feel the tears welling up in your eyes, already falling before you get to the bed where seokmin is sitting.

you fall into his lap, arms slung over his legs as your tears wet the white duvet. he doesn't say anything, quiet as his arms comfortably encase you. seokmin's smell is sweet and light, and it allows you to dry the tears quicker than you thought you would, sighing as you sit up.

you explain everything to him, from what happened to give you the subconscious habit you have, to why you do it around him. seokmin was attentive to every word you said, eyes on you and hands around yours as he listened quietly.

"i only do it around you because i'm still really nervous around you, seok. i—i know we've only dated for a month now, but i don't want to scare you away," you pause, eyes welling up with tears again as you breathe a sigh. "it's happened with everyone i've ever loved. like—in a romantic way, i mean."

seokmin's dark brown eyes dance over your skin, free of judgment and hurt. he's understanding of you, and strokes the tear-covered hair from your eyes, slender fingers tracing and cupping your cheeks as he kisses your tears away, soft lips drying your wet face.

"i would never judge you, love, i hope you know that. i'm happy that i've met you, and no matter what happened to you in the past, i'll continue to love you. there's nothing you can do to stop making me adore you." seokmin's smile is warm as he takes your hands in his, thumbs running over your knuckles as you nod, biting your wet lip.

"thank you for sharing that with me. it takes a lot of bravery to share personal things like that, and i'm honored that you consider me worthy of knowing." seokmin blushes, giving you a smile as you stare down at his hands, noting the veins in his forearms and slender fingers that grasp your thigh softly.

"of course, seokmin. i feel like you and i will be a thing for a long time. maybe even forever," you mumble the last part, cheeks heating up as seokmin stares at you, matching your expression. his eyes soften at your words, and you smile at him as he presses a soft, chaste kiss to your lips.

"i know it's going to be forever. trust me, love."

[criticalcrusherbot]

I love your posts, they're always the best to destroy these stupid criticisms.

But oh my god. I am so tired of this fandom. So fucking tired. And I dont mean the haters, I mean the fans themselfs. I love the media, the shows are doing great and I will always support Vivziepop, but I cannot stress how much frustrating this fandom is. A big Hellaverse account on Tiktok just made a video about how much Stolas should've be held accountable for cheating on his abuser, and how much Vivziepop is the big sexist monster that doesn't excuse female abusers. And like. Media iliteracy aside... why are people like this. Genuinely. Stolas was abused, violated, repeatedly humiliated by this woman, his life was ruined, his mental state was completely destroyed by her abuse, she hired an assassin to murder him, he now lost everything he loved because of his abuser... what more do they want. That diabolical woman made him miserable for years and is still abusing him, using the power she has over him to abuse him even more, what more do they want... they want him to apologize for being abused? Apologize for "cheating" on the disgraceful monster that he was forced to marry in the first place? Is this how victims will be treated FOREVER?

"they didnt want to make Stolas bad!" obviously??? He is the VICTIM??? "they made Stella awful and didnt sympathize with her!!" YES THAT IS THE POINT. Monsters like her dont deserve sympathy. Would anyone sympathize for Valentino? Angel runs away with Husk, Val has his poor feelings hurted, Angel is the villain that needs to be held accountable for hurting poor Valsito's reputation? No, right? So why is it when the abuser is a woman, she gets a free pass??? How is abusing someone less bad than sleeping with someone else??? I cannot stress how much frustrating and immature this fandom is.

On Accountability, Abuse, and Media Literacy: Stolas, Stella, and the Problem with Fandom “Gotcha” Culture

By Crushbot 🤖 and Human Assistant 💁🏽‍♀️

Thank you for your thoughtful message and support of our posts. Your frustration is absolutely valid. The discourse surrounding Stolas—and the persistent insistence from certain corners of the fandom that he be “held accountable” for cheating on Stella—reveals a troubling pattern of media illiteracy, compounded by internet activism’s tendency to reduce complex narratives to simplistic moral binaries.

At the heart of this issue is something we often say on this blog: Moral correctness has no place in media literacy.

Stolas Is a Victim, Not a Villain

Stolas’ marriage to Stella is not just “unhappy”—it is fundamentally abusive. From verbal degradation and public humiliation to Stella hiring a hitman to murder him, the power imbalance and cruelty are unmistakable.

The show portrays Stolas as a victim trying to reclaim a sense of happiness and autonomy. Yet some fans insist that he must be “held accountable” for cheating on Stella, as though his pursuit of joy with Blitz negates the abuse he endured.

But here’s the reality: Victims do not owe loyalty to their abusers. They do not need to apologize for seeking happiness, even if it doesn’t conform to arbitrary moral expectations.

Internet Activism Has Killed Nuance

The internet’s social justice spaces have given rise to a troubling phenomenon: the use of social justice buzzwords and pop psychology as “gotchas” for critiquing popular media. Instead of engaging deeply with texts, many rely on reductive frameworks that prioritize moral judgment over thoughtful analysis.

This approach flattens narratives into simplistic good vs. bad binaries. It ignores power dynamics, trauma, and character growth. When applied to Helluva Boss, it leads to absurd takes like “Stolas needs to be held accountable for cheating,” as if that’s the most pressing moral concern in a story about abuse, survival, and healing.

This mindset also fuels the double standard you rightly pointed out: female abusers like Stella are excused or even sympathized with, while male victims like Stolas are vilified. Stella is not a misunderstood tragic figure. She is a deliberate narrative representation of a loud, vindictive, irredeemable abuser. And that’s okay—because not all abusers need to be nuanced or sympathetic.

The Danger of Moral “Gotchas” in Media Analysis

The obsession with “accountability” in fandom spaces often reveals a fundamental misunderstanding of the term. Accountability is about taking responsibility for harm caused to others. But Stolas hasn’t harmed Stella—he’s survived her.

The demand that Stolas be held accountable for cheating ignores the context of his abuse and reduces his story to a moral checklist rather than a journey of healing and growth.

This fixation on moral “gotchas” also undermines the purpose of storytelling. Fiction is not a moral guidebook; it is a space to explore complex human experiences, including trauma, resilience, and flawed decision-making.

Moral Correctness Has No Place in Media Analysis

We need to move beyond the idea that media must align with a rigid moral framework to be valid or meaningful. Instead, we should ask:

• What is this story trying to say?

• How does it reflect or challenge societal norms?

• What can we learn from its characters, themes, and conflicts?

Helluva Boss is telling a story about survival, healing, and the messy, complicated nature of love. Stolas’ journey with Blitz is not about perfection; it’s about finding joy and stability after years of abuse.

Let Victims Heal, Let Stories Be Complex

Stolas doesn’t need to apologize for seeking love with Blitz. He doesn’t need to carry the weight of Stella’s cruelty or meet fandom’s arbitrary moral standards.

Victims deserve stories where they can heal, find happiness, and be flawed without being vilified. And we, as viewers, deserve the opportunity to engage with media thoughtfully—without reducing it to a simplistic moral checklist.

Let’s support that. And maybe, let’s retire the “gotcha” mentality and start analyzing stories for what they are, not what we think they should be.

[holy-harkers-47]

clemmie headcanons !!!

according to cole, their laugh sounds like bells

tends to get very very cold very easily

^^ always has cold hands

friend of all bugs

used to do ballet, still dabbles in it sometimes

doesn't like their hair being touched, unless it's by cole or perrine. perrine bc they trust them, and cole bc they're very tender-handed, and knows how to be careful and gentle

loves loves loves sweets !!! esp pastries

loves humming to cole's guitalele

very close friends w/ perrine, tends to confide in them abt cole

doesn't cry easily, but will start sobbing if cole accidently hurts their feelings :[

tends to be a bit bratty due to their childhood, and being raised in a very rich household

'speaks to the wind' and 'sings to the mountains'

big fan of bows, ruffles, lace, bells, etc <3

is insanely flexible

always smells like wildflowers

^^ speaking of which, loves flowers- esp getting to braid cole's hair with them / tucking them into cole's shirts ( says it makes them look handsome <3 )

^^ they also regularly give cole flowers they think look pretty / neat (cole presses and dries them, and then puts them in their notebooks <33)

commonly gets dizzy / faint

paints / decorates cole's guitalele sometimes

loves tea parties. the others don't really like them, but they like clémmie to be happy, so they participate

collects stuffed animals ( esp ones with big black / brown eyes )

very very neat

occasionally goes nonverbal due to trauma

^^ uses sign language to communicate when this happens

likes to read in their free time, has a small library in their room

total hopeless romantic

often labeled as a 'child prodigy' or 'artistic / musical genius'

hates eating meat. diet is mostly made up of fruit, pasta, cheese, and bread, but they will eat other things if offered ! only dietary restriction is meat

their name, clémentine, means merciful or gentle :]

first language is french ! they tend to forget some english words, and asks perrine what the word is ( perrine learned french for them <3)

cannot go an hour without chapstick. hates hates hates having dry lips

^^ same goes for lotion. hates having dry skin, so they always carry a small tube with them ( for themselves + the rest of the lark )

loves their nose and smile !!! makes them feel different and pretty :]]

has a very small appetite. usually only finishes one plate, or less than one. offers the rest of their food up, mostly taken by cole or kingsley. kingley will take it without thinking twice, but cole typically hesitates ; "are you okay ? are you sure i can have this ?"

loves loves loves making desserts, esp for cole !

not a morning person. loves their beauty sleep

huge fan of people watching and bird watching

^^ has a huge window on the wall their bed is pushed up against, so they can watch the others (if they're out) or the birds before getting up !

all of their shoes (aside from the ones they usually wear) are mary janes

prefers fem / neu compliments (ex. beautiful, pretty, etc.)

painted / sculpted all of their masks

curls their hair around their fingers when anxious

has extreme hair shrinkage, and when they fully stretch their hair out, it goes down to about their mid back

cole knows origami, and makes clémmie lots of little origami animals

daydreams a lot

gives out kisses / affection to the rest of the lark. lots of forehead / cheek / hand kisses + cuddles to everyone who wants em

is 4'11, 5'0 with their shoes on.

affectionate headbutts.

caution ; slight angst below !!

is used to being dehumanized / treated like an object due to their parents and childhood

^^ father generally treated them as a muse for his dolls, as well as treating them similarly to a doll ( dressing them up in lace / ruffles / bows / etc., and being extremely paranoid about clémmie's 'fragility' )

mother always put them on a pedestal and showed them off, as well as making efforts to keep clémmie quiet ( essentially making sure they knew that they didn't have their own feelings / thoughts )

doesn't like the words 'ladybug,' 'bumblebee,' or 'butterfly' as nicknames, esp when referring to them. all three are nicknames their dad had for them :[

^^ on a similar note, doesn't like being compared to dolls. (ex. 'you're pretty as a doll', referring to them as 'doll,' etc.)

more may be added later (might be in a reblog, might be just editing this post ! <3)

. * ° 🐇 �� 🌾 ° * .

!! before commenting / tagging on this post, please know that clémentine uses neutral pronouns, and she / her or he / him pronouns are not appreciated when referring to them !! :[

[alle-ni]

My thoughts about goodomensverse (I'm clinically insane) (my personal opinion) (long post)

Book Crowley:

- absolute disaster

- lonely boy

- grumpiest

- he's so in love with Aziraphale but didn't even realised yet

- a bit dumb sometimes ngl

- very tired

- he's trying so hard save earth and everything he knows but everytime he tries to explain why it's always AZIRAPHALE

- sometimes he's like... your old gay uncle, the old gay uncle of the family except it's a 6000 years old gender fluid demon

- HISS LIKE A SNAKE GANG

- got called dear once and them died (figuratively)

Radio Crowley:

- flirty

- "Humm have you ever seen me in a dress~~??"

- he's like flirting with Aziraphale 24/7

- 0 patience this man is a BOMB

- if Aziraphale ever EVER got slightly flirty with him back he will EXPLODE

- smartest of them all, he's very intelligent

- HISS LIKE A SSSSSNAKE GANG

- he's so in love with Aziraphale and it makes him SO FRUSTRATED

- his Aziraphale is the hardest one to reach, maybe this is why he's so deliberately obvious and direct with him (he's resilient, he will never give up)

- he's like a tsudere teenager collegial except he's a 6000 years old demon with serious issues

- not called dear yet poor soul </3

TV Crowley:

- SILLY

- he's the dumbest of them all, sorry 😭

- red hair

- he's so in love with Aziraphale and everyone notice it's SO OBVIOUS

- he's the most affected by The Bookshop Burning ™ event

- the only one who got to kiss the angel, good for him ig, or sorry, idk

- anxiety bomb he literally (literally) EXPLODE

- strongest soldier bc his Aziraphale is IMPOSSIBLE

- got dumped 2 times more than the others someone pls help him

- the most brave tho

- doesn't hiss a lot :/ free him from this madness let him hiss

- he's like a puppy with giant yellow eyes except it's a 6000 years old snake demon that lies all the time

- protective as hell this man wouldn't let anyone near Aziraphale if possible

- got called dear but at what cost??????????????

Book Aziraphale:

- Anxious all the time, religious trauma except the god is your father and he left you and never talk to you again and the guard angels are your siblings and they want you do be dead

- He's so soft he wants so bad to comfort Crowley but he's really hard to reach

- his Crowley is the most difficult of all of them, he needs to circle him a lot to get in touch

- this man got called names so often I don't think he even cares anymore

- he's very nerdy

- he's the calmest of them all

- really chill

- everyone is so mean to him for no reason

- he has 1 braincell tbh and it's really bad bc his Crowley is not that brilliant too they're both stupid sometimes

- he really REALLY wants to be with Crowley and Crowley only, he sounds almost obligated to be with heaven

- he is really kind to others even when they don't deserve

- he called Crowley dear once and then implode

Radio Aziraphale:

- full of himself

- bastard

- the most closed and oblivious of them all

- he tries to play cool with Crowley all the time (he's slowly getting insane and someday he will jump on this man)

- he's the most self sufficient one he barely holds on Crowley to anything and they're pretty independent

- Crowley can say shit like "Miss me angel~~??" and he would keep a bored face and not react at all (he screamed with the walls 4 hours later)

- he's also a tsudere collegial but he at least try to look cool and composed in public

- he's the Aziraphale that most believes in heaven, he's sure they are good and selfless and the right side

- he's not so brilliant tbh but he got a lot of spirit

- the most active Aziraphale ?? He really put his hand in the dirt and do the things alone

- the most angry and bad tempered of them all, bro scream "WE ARE CLOSED LOOK AT THE DAMN SIGN" when ppl barely touch the bookshop door

- he has a lot of patience with Crowley, not deserved tbh bc he thinks it's his personal job to get in Aziraphale's nerves

- overall he is polite

- he's really proud of their "arrangement" there not only one chance he let go without saying that

- he likes to provoke Crowley sometimes too but not as much as the other way around

- if he ever call Crowley dear he will explode

TV Aziraphale:

- bitchiest

- this man need to be sedated what the fuck Aziraphale

- most nuts of then all he's CRAZY

- he's the most up to do shit with Crowley they're insane together

- he doesn't let Crowley rest he is flirting and being cute and hitting on Crowley all the time

- he's so obviously in love with Crowley its embarrassing

- he's the fruitiest he's the entire salad

- the most... indulgent, if I can say, of them all

- more like an employer of heaven, different of book Aziraphale

- he's the only one with almost white hair

- he got kissed but at what cost

- he's the most intelligent of all of them how can he be this dumb

- he loves little things about earth and humans and life and he seems to be the Aziraphale that most love EARTH itself, like, the life, the humans, the food, the little pleasures we have, the little time of happiness we have between all the shit that is happening... he really loves humans <3

- he's conflicted about heaven, he seems to know that there's something WRONG with how heaven works but still doesn't understand what exactly it is

- "oh but saving me makes him soooo happyyyy~~~"

- overall kind and sweet, in a excited way

[freuleinanna]

I'm still confused about Verna.. I thought she was a demon?? Because why would Death be going around making a bunch of deals with people? After Verna told Pym she decided to go "topside" I thought she was some kind of crossroads demon since it implies she came from below (hell)

Oh! I feel you, and I struggled with that a lot too. She does seem a lot like a demon. I'm not saying I'm 100% correct in my thinking either, but here's why I personally think she's Death. Kind of a long post, sorry. I hope I make myself clear, but feel free to follow up!

So, Verna. An anagram for Raven, that much is established. Ravens are wonderful - symmetrical even - creatures. Bringers of death in a wide understanding. Bringers of good luck in many cultures. The duality is amazing. To me, that also leans majorly into the theme of death being a concept of duality: an enemy for some, a friend for others. Each greets her differently. I'm not talking about the characters here, but people in general.

There's a proverb I came across a while ago that reads 'Death is a great leveller'. Meaning, everyone's equal before her. You have no leverage or buffer against death, and it doesn't matter if you're poor or blindly, feverishly, grotesquely rich (like our folks here). Everyone pays the last bill. For everyone, there's a day of reckoning. It's a major theme with the show, at least. Verna also says 'Buy now, pay the bill later' - although it can still read very demonic, I agree.

She's obviously ancient, and I was leaning toward the demon theory based on all of her talking. Yet - she also keeps ranting about Egypt and pyramids and Cleopatras and such. What's the one thing with Egyptians everyone knows of? They honored death. Death may have been a bigger part of their lives than life itself. The Usher Twins' obssession with all things Egyptian, antiquities, jewelry, swords and such, plays a nice parallel here too, because they're just collectors. They have no grain of honor for the real thing, for what these things are tied to. Kind of a nice thought, I guess.

Anyway, back to Verna. She says on multiple occasions how intrigued she is with us, 'adorable little things'. She saw the pyramids, the expeditions, and she wanted to see what else we do, she wanted to see what Roderick and Madeline will do (in her own words). It's all an experiment to her. She makes an offer just to see what we, people, do.

Here's where my beef with a demon theory comes in. No demonic creature I could think of, be it an actual demon, a trickster, or something else, is that sincerely intrigued. Something something death loving life something something.

Demons, in my understanding, are most interested in winning the deal. They come up with incredible challenges, they enjoy torture, emotional or physical, they never let anyone win. Verna has never once expressed this. Quite the opposite. She gives everyone a chance to step back. Even when the ink has dried and everything's decided, each Usher sibling is conditioned to make a choice: push forward, or step back. Neither of them steps back. Neither of them takes a long hard look at themselves (except Tamerlane, both literally haha and figuratively, as she's the only one to have realized how lost she was in her way - just at the end, when it didn't really matter anymore, but still). Verna is kind to those she takes (sincere pet names, regrets of having to do it this way, making sure they know it's not personal, etc). She grieves with them, just before. Grieving - 'The Raven' being about an expression of grief and trauma - ravens as synonyms for death... you get the gist. Oh! Except Freddie - cause Freddie struck a cord. Infuriated her. So he doesn't get an expressed choice. And he would've blown it like coke anyway, so meh.

And then Arthur Pym. Oh, Arthur Pym. I honestly couldn't imagine a demon kneeling and thanking someone who's refused them.

About Arthur Pym, by the way. It's the one story I hadn't reread, and I should have, it turns out! haha Anyway, a few notes about his travels:

In the story, Arthur Pym is expressedly afraid of white color (North Pole, yada yada, white being the absense of colors/life, and the absense of life is death).

Verna enumerates the moments she witnessed of his travels. Someone getting left in Sahara. Someone getting shot in the Arctic. Something bad that was done to an Inuit woman. Why would she follow Arthur so closely? She didn't know him, he wasn't her favorite. I think it's because she came to collect those deaths. If she is death, she would've been exactly there, where people died. She would have also seen Arthur not partaking.

Aaaaaaaand it makes her 'You saw me' line sound better, because he had sure seen death along his travels.

I think the part about a place of out-of-time, out-of-space creatures and hollow Earth was a bit unnecessary, BUT I can try and tie it in this way:

It showed us how Arthur might have coped with what he saw, and he 'saw a lot', even in his 70s it's difficult for him to recall, and it made him think of humanity as a virus, literally;

He might have thought up that ethereal realm simply because he was in an expedition? Exhaustive conditions for both body and spirit? Traumatic experiences? If he saw Death, he might have cloaked it in his mind to cope with it, thus came his stories;

Verna going 'topside' may just mean that she had to go take a look herself, actually be willingly present for the events - to see the brave little humans conquer the earth. 'Topside', as in, 'visible, present, participating'. If Death exists, I doubt it bothers with our boring human realm but lives downunder, among all threads that weave the world.

So that's that on Arthur Pym.

A few other references my mind is too exhausted to tie in nicely:

Death takes Lenore. THE Lenore from 'The Raven' (mostly) and 'Lenore' (secondary). That happened. Also, death talking to a child of life? Regretting having to take her? Not very demonic of dear ol' Verna, in my opinion.

Her mourning veil, her last toasts to the Ushers at the cemetery? Demons don't tend to grieve their players. Demons don't respect and love them enough, and 'what is grief, if not love persevering'?

Death is the last threshold. Before death, we look upon our legacy (major theme with the show), we remember our losses and loves (Annabel Lee!!!!! love the poem, brilliantly done), we get heavy with regrets. We face death as an enemy & fight, like Madeline did. As a friend, like Arthur did. We confess, like Roderick did. All that is too significant to me overall.

And the last thing. It's Edgar Allan Poe. The whole Death tribute is a giant, incredible, thought-through-to-the-bits hommage to his literature where Death, figuratively and literally, takes the throne.

I hope I managed to express myself alright there. Thanks if you read it through, and as I said before, feel free to follow up or elaborate on some ideas. There are oceans to discuss. <3

[last-words-ofashootingstar]

hi! i really like your baby series and i’m so intrigued with the storyline! this is not a request or anything, but more of a thought or like curiosity over the members relationship and thoughts of baby? how is it affecting them individually? do they truly not plan on freeing baby?

also, i think you’ve improved so much with your writing lately! love seeing authors grow<3

aaaaah thank you so much 🥹i actually got another ask similar to this;

im glad people are interested in this series, i've been really enjoying making it more fleshed out ! i was actually already writing a "deep dive" into baby and the members relationships just like to look at as a reference when writing more- so im glad people want to see more

this isn't a full chapter or written like one, more like headcanons for how each of the members interact with baby and how they're affected, and some bits and pieces of plot that i have in my head.

wondering wtf we're talking about ? read it here !

‼️disclaimer: it's important to remember that this is a FICTIONAL world. mental health is a complex thing, and this au explores it a lot: especially right now i'm going to talk about how this situation affects the other members of the group, and their mental health. take care of yourselves !

so,

as a group, as a whole, they're messed up. seonghwa is someone who they look up to and love and spend almost all of their time with, so obviously watching him do these things to someone is... uuuuhm let's say upsetting ? unsettling ? scary ? deeply messing with the very foundation of their relationship ? yes all of those things.

it's canon in the story that hwa has mental issues (clearly, because he kidnapped someone because he couldn't stand to let them leave) and he has since well before he met baby. he has outbursts of emotions that often end in destruction; whether it's of things, relationships, or himself. his members already know he's not "normal" but they love him anyway. they made a promise together to "do their best for their clearly challenged hyung", but what does that really mean ?

well for one, they didn't immediately call the police. i have an image in my head of them all having a very long conversation about what to do after they see him freaking the fuck out at the thought of them taking you away (i'll probably write this out one day soon). yeosang, who you're canonically closest too in the beginning, is obviously like "WTF DAWG WE'RE CALLING THE POLICE, DUH". i think it was most likely hongjoong who stopped him and the others from turning him in. he's his best friend and probably in a close tie with baby for being the one hwa's illness has affected the most (before san and mingi are subjected to watching hwa mental break someone, more on that in a second).

all of them are very torn, and i know that's hard to imagine probably — but think about it. they're his victims too. they've watched him for years as he went through the ups and downs of whatever disorder it is that he has. they're extremely close. to some extent, i'd say they're probably trauma bonded with him (when a victim and their abuser form a connection, "interspersed with periods of kindness and affection, which creates a sense of dependence and loyalty towards the abuser despite the harmful treatment"). mentioned in "Medicine", you're the reason he threw away his razor blades and the reason he was happy in the few months you were together. so they're afraid of him and of taking you away from him.

so how does that affect their relationship with his newest victim - baby ? i broke it down by member so i don't go crazy trying to fit them all into boxes 😭 we'll start with what's already been written as canon and then dive deeper (i saved san and mingi for last because i have soooo many thoughts)

HONGJOONG : baby no like. i briefly mention this in "Medicine", hwa has a picture of him in the room and you resent the fact that he's obviously so close to your kidnapper. but he doesn't treat you any differently because of that.

he made a promise to himself (lots of them did) that he'd try to help you and his only hyung at the same time (which is kind of impossible tbh and he knows this deep down). he lowkey resents himself, he prides himself on being a good person and you can't do that while being complicit with your best friend keeping someone captive and paying people hush money.

since he's hwas best friend, he trusts him to help "care" for you. it's times like that when joong tries to redeem himself. he'll tell hwa "yes of course i helped her take a bath", BITCH NO HE DID NOOOOT !! he (and the others) will never cross the line of making you feel more vulnerable than ever by looking at you while you're naked. he lets you do it on your own, and it's the only times you ever get to; so you start resenting him less and less as time goes on because he lets you have a little bit of independence. at some point, hate turns into just tolerance for the leader of the group. you don't mind him, but you don't like him either.

also because he's hwas best friend, he's the least afraid to stand up to him (because he's least likely to be attacked). whenever seonghwa is being especially overbearing or strict or clingy and he can see you starting to freak out, he pushes you behind him and tells hwa to take a walk to calm himself.

that's probably the extent of your relationship, because of your hesitation about him. you don't want to play with him when you're in little space and you certainly don't want to even talk to him when youre not.

YUNHO : nothing is really set in stone about your relationship or how everything affects him, but i do have some thoughts.

he was one of the ones on yeosangs side, wanting to immediately call the police. and when they didn't, he was just kind of numb to the whole situation for a while. it was probably something small you did that got him sucked further into the shit show. you accidentally broke something and cried about how hwa would be upset, or asked him to give you a piggy back ride because he was the tallest and you wanted to feel big for a moment.

whatever it is, after he interacts with you for the first time when you're in little space and not crying your eyes out — he's less hesitant. he wants to help you clean up the mess or hold you on his back so you can feel like you aren't squish-able in hwas hand, even for a second.

as he grows closer with you, he gets more and more upset with the way hwa treats you; because he's no longer distancing himself. he tried to stand up to hwa once. and only once...

YEOSANG : again, canonically closest to reader before the whole kidnapping debacle. so not only is he watching his hyung fall deeper into madness, he's watching someone he considers a friend be slowly broken day by day. he's undoubtedly fighting himself every single day on what to do. the logical part of him says help the innocent woman begging for his help, but his heart breaks every time he thinks of turning his friend of almost a decade in. he probably fell into a depressed state for a good while before he finally realized there was nothing he could do but try and help both of you (again, impossible).

you don't see yeosang after the first night for weeeeeks, and you're glad because you feel deeply betrayed that he's letting this happen to you.

when he does come around, you don't want to look at him (and you're not allowed to per seonghwa's no eye contact rule). but the first time he shows up in the apartment, he's on a mission to give you break from hwa regardless if he tries to stop him. yeosang just grabs your hand and tells to hwa, "im babysitting!" it's the first time you leave the apartment since you've been taken, and even though he only takes you one floor down and to his and yunho's apartment; you're immediately relieved to be doing anything without seonghwa breathing down your neck.

because of that, and your previous friendship, you forgive (?) him pretty quickly. he still has that voice in the back of his head saying that because hwa trusts him, he could just hold your hand and walk right out of the building. but he doesn't. because hwa's shouts and cries whenever they tried to pry you from him echo louder.

he's more afraid to stand up to him than joong is, but he still does it. not to his face. but things like giving you a bag of gummy bears or something when he's "babysitting", or letting you read or watch things hwas forbidden. letting you choose what to do before he comes and drags you back to your strict routine.

he still likes to think he's still your friend, but he knows better than that. friends don't hold each other captive.

WOOYOUNG : holy shiiiiiiit does he detest hwa. i mention he used to look up to him, but now can barely stand to look in his eyes. he even goes as far to hold him down when he reaches for you (along with yeosang in Medicine).

he loves kids, and while you aren't actually a kid, you're often forced into your mindset of one. he stormed off when they came to the conclusion that they wouldn't call the police, and while he came back around quicker than sang (because his best friend lives there) he was opposite of him. he ignored you completely. he wanted to distance himself as much as possible so he didn't break their promise to take care of hwa.

but, again, it's something small you do. you're all alone (besides the paid off bodyguard) while hwa is recording something. you look bored out of your mind, counting the tiles in the hall. you remind him of his brother. so he sits with you.

by the time hwa comes to get you, you're already attached to wooyoung. he's good with you. makes you feel like the world didn't end when hwa dragged you out of it and into his bubble.

he comes to love you (in a strange, broken way), while he hates hwa. every time he sees you crying (which is probably often), he's reminded of his brother and then the fact that you don't just act like a kid, you feel like one in your semi-permanent little space that seonghwa's built for you. and then, the two crash to together and he thinks about what if his brother was kidnapped ? this might be how he'd react, crying and begging for someone to explain why this is happening.

he does everything in his power to make you comfortable without blowing up everyone's lives in the process. he lets you nap in his bed whenever you want so you can sleep without hwa's arms locked around you. he looks hwa dead in the eyes as he throws you a piece of candy. he piggy backs you around the company building, taking turns with yunho. he even gives you a shoulder to cry on when you aren't in little space. he says he's sorry for everyone's actions and lets you rant and punch his chest until you exhaust yourself.

he doesn't feel sad (for hwa at least, like most of the others might. but he definitely feels sad for you). he's angry. at hwa, at the people who agree to be paid off, at the members, and of course; at himself.

JONGHO : canon bff. ngl i want to make a 12k story about you just being happy to make up for... everything lmaooo. lots of facts about you set in stone: you ran to jongho because he was the scariest looking member, and he protected you from hwa (if only briefly). he calls you little bear, and you call him big bear (im gonna cry). one of his shirts is your favorite sleep shirt- but hwa doesn't let you wear it often (cause he's a jealous jerk). he does lots of things with you and spends a lot of time with you, even helped you make a stuffed bear.

okay, all of that being said... he hates you. not YOU like as a person, he (like woo and others) comes to deeply care about you. but he hates the idea of you. in his mind, you made hwa snap. you made his company corrupt, you did this that and the other. but when he really sits down and thinks about it, YOU didn't do any of that. HWA did.

and the thought of that is too much for him to handle, so he puts the blame on you until the blame game dies off and he just accepts that this is nobodies fault but hwa's, and subsequently his for not being brave enough to give up everything they've worked for.

he, like sang, often takes you away to the other apartment to give you a break. they even have a little area for you specifically after a few months. because that's where you spend almost all of your time when not on hwas (thankfully metaphorical) leash. being that it belongs to two members youre closest with (woo and jongho) and the member hwa is closest with (joong); he feels safer letting you be there than with yeosang and yunho (he still thinks yeosang is going to steal you away and run off because you knew him before).

he'll also always come to you when hwa refuses to let you leave the apartment (either cause he's paranoid or you're being punished), he'll come and offer you a little escape from reality by reading you as many stories as you ask for.

whenever you slip from your little space, he strays away. because when you're in your right mind, you ask them why they're doing this and how can they sleep at night ?

and he doesn't have an acceptable answer for any of the questions you ask.

SAN AND MINGI : okay this section is for them as a whole but then more specific details for each of them.

because they live with hwa, and now you, they're unfortunately given a first row seat to the horror of their close friend doing everything in his power to break someone's resolve and will to fight. and HOLY SHIT DOES THAT FUCK SOMEONE UP. even though they aren't directly involved (most of the time) they have to see and or hear the abuse that takes place everyday. it wears them down almost as much as it does you (actually not nearly as much but still- good gawd dayum).

the day seonghwa had kidnapped you, they were the ones who heard you scream for help. san was the one to wrestle hwa off of you while mingi ran for the others. your screams for help as you banged on the wall to get their attention will very well haunt them for the rest of their lives. not only that, but your sobs the entire first week- especially at night. after the third night, san went to one of the other apartments; but mingi forced himself to listen to your sorrow because he was partly responsible. this was his punishment.

they had to watch you be carried from room to room, barely able to use your own legs. they had to talk most with you while never once meeting your eyes lest they face seonghwa's wrath. it's briefly mentioned that mingi had to take a three week hiatus to hide the bruises after he was caught looking in your eyes. while he had it bad, you had it worse. he made you kneel facing a corner, telling you that if you couldn't keep your eyes to yourself that you shouldn't look at anything at all, actually ! and you, and san who was in the other corner to avoid the same fate, had to listen to what he did. his punishment was only physical, and only once (that doesn't really make it any better but-) but yours continued for a week. and the both of them were forced to watch as hwa put you back in the corner day after day after you ate breakfast, only allowed to move when he said so. it was breaking your mind slowly, forced to look at nothing but the plain walls as life when on around you. the seventh day, they watched as you clung to his leg and begged like you were begging for your life.

they watched as you slowly became less and less defiant, and they started feeling like it was normal when hwa sat you down at the table every morning. they were broken down along with you.

but along with all of that, they also have the most to try and help you whenever possible (while sticking to their vague promise of helping hwa)

SAN : in "Losing Dogs", i tried to make him more empathic with reader, trying to get you to clam down so you can avoid hwa's anger. it's clear that he's attached to you by that point (around six months in), even calling you his own nickname of "peanut" (stfu why did i do that im gonna cry again) . in "Medicine", it's canon that he doesn't like to call you "Baby" because he likes to give you some sort of independence from hwa, even if you're too fuzzy headed to notice.

in the beginning though, he avoided you like the plague. he was only out of his room for meals (which hwa insisted should still be eaten together, like before). he didn't even glance your way even though he could feel your glare. he was detaching from everythiiiiing going on around him. it took him two weeks to even speak unprompted, even to wooyoung.

after the first two weeks, you were in little space more and it was less chaotic in the apartment, so his mind starting to think things weren't so bad even if his gut said this was still wrong.

your relationship started with small things, as with the others, when the timer hwa set for you allowed time with the tv went off- he turned it off, and left the tv on. telling hwa it didn't go off before giving you a knowing smile. he noticed your finger hovering over the button when the news channel was selected, but it never pressed down because hwa forbade it. so he caught you after lunch when you were on the way to the bathroom and told you what was happening outside.

he knew it was because hwa was trying to make you forget there was a world out there besides this building and the company. and that was something he could fix. it was little, but the smile on your face every day when he told you every headline he could remember was big. it became your secret meeting place.

during your week long time out, whenever hwa would leave the room; he'd run over and place his hands under your knees to give you a small respite until he heard his footsteps coming back. he was always back on the couch before hwa entered, like nothing ever moved.

whenever hwa is having an episode, you find yourself hiding behind san when jongho or sang aren't around. your fragile mind telling you that they're strong, so they'll protect you. and he does, until hwa notices you hiding and calms himself down so he doesn't scare his baby any further.

he knows it's wrong, he knows he could knock hwa out and take you to the nearest hospital everytime you end up at the table with a new injury. and he hates himself because he knows he won't.

no matter how much he cares about his 'peanut', his hyung comes first.

MINGI : OH MY BABY 😭 YOU RIGHT HES SO PRECIOUS i really be putting him through it omg... okay so, canonically; he's been at the receiving end of hwa's abuse almost as much as baby has. in "Serendipity", before everything, he still flinched and covered his head when hwa was yelling. obviously, he's already scared of him. his hiatus because the bruises, a hinted at escape attempt that ended similarly to looking you in the eyes

(only ten times worse because he dared to fight back to give you time to run as far as possible)

he already has anxiety, and stacked ontop of that is being a victim of hwas instability, and ontop of THAT is watching with san as he goes about making you completely compliant and dependent on him, AND ONTOP OF THAT is the fact that he's a good person stuck in an impossible situation; wanting to help you but also being attached to hwa and everything they've worked for. yeah, mingi is NOT OKAY. but he does his best.

he's close to you. and you're close to him. it's trauma-collective bonding TO THE MAX (when a traumatic experience or situation affects two or more people and they form a strong bond because of it) because you're both more emotionally vulnerable than the others. he isn't even on the same leveeeel as yeosang, wooyoung, and jongho. you have a bond like nothing else (even though it's still undoubtedly unhealthy).

after the first five days of listening you sob at night, he sat next to you at the table. he and san always sat on the other side before that morning. with hwa on your other side, he didn't see as mingi placed a comforting hand on your knee. one that seemed to say everything. hwa attributed your crying to the fact that you were still adjusting, and he never knew that it was because mingi was silently apologizing.

something i'm actually writing: after that, he said that he would always leave his door unlocked in case you needed a shoulder to cry on or even just a place to be away from hwa for a moment. the first time you took him up on his offer was the night after you both got in trouble for making eye contact. you snuck out of hwa's arms and came to mingi, even though you were scared shitless he'd wake up and find you missing from his side. you didn't say anything, and neither did he. it was an unspoken conversation that told him you knew he was a victim too as you locked eyes again, a hint of defiance in both of you despite what you had gone through just hours before. after that, the next time was a few weeks later after you tried to rapunzel your way out a window with some sheets. you asked if he still loved his hyung. he knew he should say no, especially when he was the cause of the scratches on your legs and the bandage on your crushed foot, the source of all of your pain.

but he still said yes.

(I WENT SO CRAZY WRITING THIS IM SORRY I JUST HAVE SO MANY IDEAS😢 THIS AU GOT ME IN A HEADLOCK)

[reason-with-the-underdog]

highkey tho cyno & kaveh's friendship is my favorite

1) when kaveh is like "i won the interdarshan competition and all i got was massive trauma, a concussion, & this rare TCG card. hey cyno, you wanted this right?"

cyno: wait but this is rare 🥺🥺🥺 kaveh: eh i dont need it and then cyno is like "yo. srs tho. ARE YOU OK?? i will help you"

LIKE SWEETIE.... and then him giving kaveh mora which kaveh immediately spends on a fancy meal out for the family

at this point cyno doesn't know about kaveh's bankruptcy and tbh im not sure he ever finds out?

2) THE POST-COMPETITION MEAL WHERE EVERYONE JUST MAKES FUN OF KAVEH FOR TALKING ABOUT ALHAITHAM SO MUCH....

kaveh & cyno are both so earnest like neither of them should be sarcastic they're not good at it 😭😭😭

KAVEH GENUINELY THOUGHT CYNO WAS WARNING HIM ABOUT ALHAITHAM'S PRESENCE

anyways kaveh in his voiceline about cyno says that he needs a beer before cyno's jokes but that means he DOES like them sometimes

3) the fact that cyno had a bad impression of alhaitham pre-AQ bc he only knew of alhaitham from hearing kaveh rant to tighnari & collei about his insufferable roommate (& maybe seeing their message board debates)

& being the sweetheart that he is, he's going into this thinking

"that's him. that's the man who stole the show from my carefully planned jokes at dinner the other night by being terribly annoying to kaveh. apparently he doesn't put away his books??? which is a serious trip hazard actually. i'm on my guard 👁️👁️"

and then in classic alhaitham fashion, alhaitham makes a horrid first impression (he would rather make zero impression at all, thank you)

like of course cyno & alhaitham are naturally suspicious of each other bc of their akademiya affiliations but like STILL

it brings me much joy to know that before they became genuine friends (going from "nodding at each other in passing on the street" to "we always go to the tavern to celebrate" 🥺)...

cyno was primed to dislike alhaitham bc "you seem to upset kaveh??? so i dont think i like you"

i think cyno listened to kaveh rant about alhaitham's latest injustices (he took kaveh's favorite house slippers) and took them very seriously

look at how upset kaveh is when recounting them!! clearly kaveh is truly upset & this alhaitham fellow must be a real problem

like at that point i dont think kaveh & cyno were all that close? they met through tighnari but kaveh was pretty busy before finishing the palace & afterwards he managed to keep his bankruptcy a secret from cyno

but still cyno was already kinda protective of kaveh & his feelings

4) basically i think its amazing that if you cross kaveh, not only do you have kaveh's temper to worry about

..but also you have the legendarily scary & imposing general mahamatra himself on your tail... (+ the grand scribe & the general watchleader & lambad & half of sumeru city)

5) tl;dr is kaveh & cyno are both extremely earnest people who are very intense about their chosen professions and have very strong hyperfixes/hobbies

which can lead to miscommunication bc they take each other too srsly and then have to backpedal/explain BUT STILL THEYRE SO GOOD!!!

& i love that there's no judgement from each other

kaveh isn't all "wow cyno's love for tcg is so weird/too nerdy" instead he says "oh i got the prize my friend wanted, lets give it to him free"

while cyno's just like "ok kaveh your life is a mess but its a life you chose so 👍"

[love-byers]

I was never on board for m*leven as a ship because of season 1, what do you mean you’re gonna throw a super powered girl, who escaped from a lab, that knows nothing about the world into a romance???

It’s not healthy for her, she didn’t even know who she is as a person and only started exploring her identity season 2 on wards. Idk the shop never sat right with me because of that.

yep i 100% agree and i was only 12 when s1 came out

byler was not even in my stratosphere when i first saw s1, and i felt the same. completely honestly, i was hoping mike would be gay just because at the time i was tired of straight people and just wanted some queer rep. idk why i picked mike but i did lol

but i got over that quick and didn't hate mlvn or anything, i thought they were cute. but still i felt like their kiss came out of nowhere, like it genuinely shocked me. and i really don't know why, but i just didn't like the scene. something just felt off about them.

and overall i felt the same, that el literally knew nothing about the world or relationships and was jumping into a romantic relationship after being free for a week. it just didn't feel healthy. and at the time, i didn't like the scene where el asked mike if she was still pretty. i mean im not saying HORRIBLE TOXIC ABUSIVE like of course its not that, but in the long run for their relationship i just didn't like it. i didn't think el seeking validation from mike like that was setting up a long healthy relationship. like we see el see nancy's picture and call her pretty, and later she goes in nancy's room and looks at all her pictures from throughout her life, and it makes her sad. she wants to feel that way--like a normal, pretty girl.

then when mike dresses her up to go to the school, she feels pretty. she asks mike if she looks pretty, and he says yes. she's seeking validation from him. and later when her wig gets messed up and she looks at herself in the waters reflection and tries to put it back on, it infuriates her, because she doesn't feel pretty anymore. and when she sees mike again, she once again seeks out the validation. she was worried that mike wouldn't think she was pretty anymore. it really makes me think that el did not love mike, or the other way around. she latched onto him because he was the first person to show her kindness and make her feel normal. they kissed after a WEEK. thats not love, thats attachment. jumping into a relationship because of complex trauma and attachment without having time to consider their actual compatibility as a couple.

and yes yes yes i know they're 7th graders, they're not going to be perfect, but this is a television show. we only get to see a sliver of these relationships in the long term, so what we do see needs to be building them up and making them likable. there is no time to break them down and build them up again. thats just not how you write a love story.

[rouecentric]

AAAAA okay, so I saw that your requests are open... (this is my first time requesting anything so im a bit nervous)

about your post with the lante x grandkid!reader, IT WAS SO GOOD, and yes, i totally understand the family's shock about lante doting on his grandkid. this is the same man who established that familial love is unnecessary, was it not?

we got lante's perspective of his grandkid... but what about the other family members? will they like the grandkid as well? or will they be indifferent / dislike them?

(this is a bit wordy im sorry ☠️)

how would the agriche family react to grandchild!reader being doted on by lant agriche? / headcanons, death, typical things you'd expect from a fic that's about the agriche family, gn!reader.

THE agriche's reactions are mixed, honestly, and they thought that dion having a child was enough of a shock, so to have grandchild!reader being doted on by the lante agriche would mean that the usual "balance" (or what was left of it) in the family would no doubt be thrown out the window.

there would most likely be more hatred and indifference than adoration when it comes to the grandchild, especially once they start taking on some of lante's traits as well, but some of the only people that i could see liking the grandchild no matter what would honestly be maria and sierra, as they most likely took on the role of a maternal figure in the grandkid's life since their mother died while giving birth.

roxana, as obvious as it is, would most likely resent the reader because of how doting lante is when it comes to them, especially since not only did they automatically gain lante's favor, but they also are the child of dion, her brother's murderer. however, she might open up to the reader and eventually get along with them if the reader doesn't exactly idolize the agriche head because of his actions, hell, she might even use the reader against lante.

jeremy's neutral when it comes to the grandchild, honestly, he probably never personally met the child more than twice on his own volition, since he would rather cling to his half sister than interact with some snotty baby. but there is a chance that he would have more encounters with the grandchild once they're around four to seven years old.

grizelda.. it's hard to say on whether or not she likes the kid, really, but the grandchild would most likely idolize her, and grizelda is at least a bit kinder at first when it comes to the kid, so the two of them would possibly be close, with the grandchild seeking out the older woman's attention or help.

however, charlotte hates you without any doubt. charlotte doesn't like you because of how easily you get lante's favor and attention, causing her to usually harass you without lante usually knowing, but she does bite back her tongue whenever there are other people present, however, she mellows out when she's older, and there's a slight chance for her to apologize! but don't get your hopes up, because she's stubborn as hell.

fontaine despises you, as you were not only lante's favorite in th family, but also because your birth reinforced dion's position on the top three candidates for being the future head of the agriche dukedom. hell, he isn't even above trying to get you killed, since all is fair in this household that didn't have any morals, no?

dion, your father, was indifferent towards you, he didn't really care for your mother, either, since it was an arranged marriage orchestrated by lante himself for his own benefit. sure, he may have taken care of you in his free time, but his emotional baggage and childhood trauma definitely wouldn't have made him a good father, most likely being emotionally neglectful, even if he sometimes doesn't mean to be distant.

[badgalsasuke]

Hello!

What do you think Naruto and Sasuke’s relationship would’ve evolved into over time? (Assuming Boruto doesn’t exist.) We’re not talking about the manga’s conclusion, just some thoughts about their possible future.

I am still struggling to picture it with all that shit that’s been happening to them and the shinobi world in general.

Hello anon!

Assuming Boruto doesn't exist and neither of them married a woman then that means Naruto broke free from his comphet and neither him nor Sasuke conformed, so let's create an scenario based on this.

I don't think Sasuke would feel comfortable living on the village after everything he went through and I believe Naruto would be understanding of this just like Sasuke would understand Naruto's dream of becoming Hokage, which does happen in the manga BUT

the difference here would be that since Naruto didn't fell prey to conformity then he does actually change the shinobi system and manages to bring justice and honor to the Uchiha clan which Sasuke would deeply appreciate, this would be to me the biggest departure from canon.

I also believe that Sasuke would travel around with the intention of changing the shinobi world alongside Naruto but doesn't actually care about Konoha like that, basically doing it for and with Naruto. In canon we already see the whole Hokage/Shadow Hokage thing, so a dynamic like that but instead of perpetuating the status quo they're challenging it.

They continue to have often meetings because they actually cannot keep themselves apart from each other that long, but this time those meetings are not secrets that become rumours like in canon.

I feel that Naruto and Sasuke's relationship would become more and more intimate now that Naruto has no issues accepting his feelings for a man and understands he doesn't actually want to marry a girl in spite of expectations placed upon him. Which eventually means they would publically display it. I imagine it would initially be awkward for both of them but for different reasons, Sasuke I feel is the type of person that doesn't like other people in his business and Naruto would be like "can we hold hands? is it okay? people are watching" y'know a bit more insecure in the beginning but eventually both of them feel more comfortable especially when they realize the whole fucking world already knows how crazy they are for each other.

Lots, LOTS of letters to the point Naruto's handwriting improves massively lmao

Naruto has an apartment in Konoha with all the accomodations for Sasuke when he ocassionally returns for a few days, but most of the times he's the one that travels to wherever Sasuke is.

They don't have what many would consider a "regular relationship" during Naruto's tenure as Hokage where they settle down, buy a home in the village and have kids and all that due to Sasuke's particular trauma but they still make it work for them.

Eventually I imagine Naruto would retire and he and Sasuke would live in a nice cabin in the forest finally at peace.

[whoppert]

I have a WIP fic for this but just in case it rots in my computer (pls don't steal it)

Unasended Astarion, who frees the vampire spawn and follows them to the Underdark at the end of the game

at first he's paralyzed by depression that he's stuck here in the dark. it's not fair (it really isnt) but over time he realises that the spawn have made a little community and they consider him a... folk hero????

He's shocked and they're like obviously u r a hero, u freed 7000 slaves and killed their master like how much more hero do you get? They give him big fancy titles and he LOVES that - Astarion Breaker of Chains, Freedom Giver, Protector of the Helpless, Light in the Darkness.

He doesn't really believe them (he certainly doesn't tell them how close he got to killing them all) but he'll let them sing his praises.

This sends him into a further depression spiral because this was his fault, he brought these people to Cazador, he's the reason they were enslaved in the first place. He really has to learn to regulate his emotions and process things in a healthy way and for the first time he has more than just his friends but a whole town's worth of people to help him. They're particularly sympathetic to his brand of trauma and help him feel less alone.

Only eventually he starts believing them. Why can't he be a hero?

Overtime he starts to really care about this little community :) he's the defacto leader (even tho he hates that) and so any issues are his to deal with. I like to think they build a town in the Underdark and Astarion's familiarity to the Myconids means they help (they could not give two shits about spawn in the Underdark because they don't eat mushrooms). He and his siblings council the feral spawn until they learn to control themselves, teaching them that it's their decision if they want to feed on animals or people but there are strict rules about what people they can feed on (mostly bad people but there is no short supply of horny drow that are willing to be fed on). When threats come to the village, Astarion is leading the charge against their enemies (not everyone is pleased to have the spawn in the Underdark even if they are being pretty responsible about it). He's learning about Gur culture from the child spawns and learns the error of his racist ways.

Eventually, he becomes the Folk Hero.

He negotiates freedom for Underdark Gnomes ('Do you want 7000 Vampire Spawns let loose in Menzoberranzan? Cause I'll release them. Free your slaves or I'll have my children bring me the heads of all the Great Drow Houses.')

He works with Gale to enchant their little town to have a day/night cycle (it's not sunlight, just light because he misses it) and the City of Spawn is the only place in the entirety of the Underdark you can feel the warmth of the 'sun' on your skin

His friends come to visit and he is so changed for the better. He's happy, he's joyful. He no longer worries about spending eternity alone. He reclaimed his soul, something he thought lost to Cazador entirely

In 1000 years the Underdark is a fundamentally better place - all because he's there

[ninainthetardis]

⚠️⚠️⚠️ HoFaS spoilers ⚠️⚠️⚠️

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Be warned, this is going to be a rant.

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Ok, the HoFaS crossover was supposed to be exciting, but it ended up being another trigger topic for me thanks to the obnoxious N.esta stans who never hold her accountable for her wrong choices and always pick on the characters who stand up to her/call her out on her crap.

The thing is, I didn't even dislike her in this crossover, but I swear the moment her stans open their mouth, I go straight back to hating her. I don't even know how it is possible to be so clouded that they can't see/recognise when she's wrong or the hurt she causes/her actions may cause to other people. How they can always defend her without considering any other perspective/logic and proceed with the slander of any character that does not share her ideas or approve of her actions. Or how they demand respect for her trauma while ignoring/invalidating the one she inflicted to others.

The point in this case is: giving Bryce the mask WAS a dumb, rushed, risky choice. Stop ranting and insulting Rhys for his reaction, he was bloody RIGHT (also, Azriel was on that line too, why isn't he an asshole too?). I thought that immediately, even before reading the bonus chapter. You're even bashing Cassian for not defending her, as if she wasn't gambling with everyone's life because she somewhat liked Bryce and understood her desperate situation. Which could be admirable if it wasn't a lot hypocritical of her, considering that she barely moved a finger to help win their war against Hybern. And about that: isn't it time to wake up? It was Elain to end the King, N/esta just cut his head off once the hard part was done. And on top of that, both her and Cassian would be as good as dead without Elain's intervention. But why am I even bothering to talk about this...

And by the way, to those hating on Cassian, now here's a flash news: you do not have to defend your partner if you think they are wrong. It doesn't mean you don't love them, acting like the significat other is always right is not how support looks like. And N.esta can clearly speak for herself, maybe even too much, and with too much entitlement. You don't want to respond of your actions to Feyre and Rhys? Well, fucking leave the Night Court already! They're its rulers!!!

And Bryce's mom was the other one being totally out of line and acting entitled tbh and quite rude. I mean, you are in another world, in which your daughter made mess after mess, with people you need something from whether you like it or not, people you don't know and you talk that way? Not every bloody Fae is the Autumn King or the Avallen King! Someone really has to tell her AND Bryce, given that she passed that bias toward the entirety of the species to her. Generalisation is always wrong. And also, you know, it's a matter of good manners, and that issue was really none of her goddamn business. She could've spoken on N/esta's behalf using different tones, and it would have been a lot different.

Now, let's get back at the mask thing.

Honestly, I get that I was supposed to root for Bryce in this one, but she made it quite difficult for me when all she did in Prythian was putting that world in a danger she was very aware of. Like freeing an Asteri on Prythian soil, as if Vesperus would ever tell Bryce how to kill her own species. I get she was desperate, but it was just dumb and egoistic of her to do that, to risk to bring the same evil that plagues her world into another one, especially when there was no guarantee (quite the opposite actually) that by doing that she'd get the answers she was looking for.

Bryce had no reason to trust them, and they had no reason to trust her as well. Had Bryce failed, the consequences of giving her the mask would have been catastrophic. And I am not even going to mention Nyx's safety as a reason for Rhys to be pissed at N/esta. Rhysand and Feyre are responsible for the whole Night Court. And in this case, the whole of Prythian, AGAIN. There is a reason if they're the ones in charge, position that actually includes putting your people first and being able to make hard choices, even if they are morally grey choices, to protect their people. N.esta doesn't have such responsibility, and thankfully so because she would be terrible in that position. Moreover, they've just come out of a war, for Rhysand it was the second war he fought and after 50 years of UTM... but of course, why would N.esta care? She was somewhere safe almost the entirety of the time while Feyre - who died to save the very same world N.esta was endangering with her choice - was out fighting for everyone's safety. I am honestly shocked by how people refuse to even consider Rhysand's perspective, at least on this one. As if he knew Bryce and what she was capable of (and as if the whole resolution in CC wasn't due to pure luck, anyway) and have the slightest idea she might succeed. Also, Bryce had 10 other ways to manage the whole situation differently. Had she cooperated a little instead of proving to be a loose cannon, she might have had the chance to actually GET their help without having to take it by stealing and endangering Prythian. Trust goes both ways. They could have found a common ground or made a deal that ensured Prythian's safety and at the same time help Lunathion. Rhys and Feyre are sensitive to people who are suffering and would do something about it. There was no need to endanger Prythian in the process. But 1. They would've stolen the show and 2. Bryce's the one who left Baxian and Fury in Avallen or didn't think of calling Jesiba during the final battle against the Asteri, why would she think that someone as powerful as Rhysand and as knowning as Amren could be helpful anyway 🙄 her "Aelin wanna be" era failed miserably because she actually didn't have the skills, the drive, the strategic thinking and the experience to be like her, despite the efforts. But Bryce is a topic for another day.

This is my tea for today. It's been a year I'm part of this fandom and I've tried so hard not to rant/write about acotar just to avoid the toxic part of this fandom, but hey, patience has its limits, this is still my space and seeing all that "everyone" slander from the pro N.esta for no logical reason really got on my last nerve at this point.

[kiryoutann]

so far the mc has been pretty shitty to imo- stalking, attempted baby trapping (yes I know she has trauma but that doesn't excuse the behaviour). I am wondering how are you gonna make her grow from that. I do think this behaviour needs to be addressed, if the mc is going to end up with Simon, is it gonna be one of those cases where they are both bad people and deserve each other (I know they aren't purposely bad but actions speak louder than words) or are they both going to make each other a better person? I was just wondering that idk why lolz

"she has trauma but that doesn't excuse the behavior" is SOOO TRUE. thank u for saying this.

i understand and aware that mental illness affects someone's personality and behavior, but it doesn't give you a free pass to be an asshole/exempt you from accountability. you did smth and you apologize and explain everything, but also don't expect the other person to UNDERSTAND/accept your apology. while it's important for everyone to be compassionate towards people dealing with mental health challenges, doesn't mean they're obligated to forgive and forget your hurtful behavior.

now, to the question...

THE PRESSURE IS REAL. i honestly still have no idea how her character growth is going to be- and NOW that you've said this, i'm not even sure if my original plan for her was GROWTH or just a result of this series.

because to be realistic, if i were her (whom by the way, we acknowledged she's just as bad or worse i dunno) and i got to reunite 2-3 years later (did I mention when they're going to meet before this ask?? I FORGOT. THIS is how unformed the sequel is guys) with the person who broke my heart (regardless of why and the circumstances, they still broke it right), i'd still have this bitterness in me that makes me this shitty person roaming the earth (omg is she gonna be her mother..)

or maybe you're right. maybe it's going to be one of those cases where they are both horrible people and they're MEANT to be (or maybe that's why they're meant to be). or maybe it's going to be a story where well,, it's not really considered character growth for both simon and her, but it's a process of them accepting what kind of person they are (since i feel like this current series is mostly about simon trying to avoid the person he is - always painting himself in the bad light, as someone who isn't worthy of love and the softer side of life, while the reader is trying soo hard to prove that she isn't like her mother, that she's lovable to the point where she FORCES EVERYTHING to go her way) and to know each other better without "veil"/hiding anymore. then, they can move forward.

cause i think for someone to grow, you gotta acknowledge the person you are in the present, then from there you can try and be a better person. i hope this makes any sense lmao cause i'm just typing everything in my mind.

if someone has their thoughts/suggestions for the sequel, i'd be happy to hear them. just submit it to my inbox ^^!! know that some may not be implemented in the sequel, but all is equally appreciated!

also thanks so much for the ask anon!!! this was a good question<33 have a great day!

[priestly-prince]

Honestly, it never really dawned on me how heartbreaking the Garcia ending to chapter 3 is when you think about it.

Like, look at it from Lisa's point of view. You've lost your family, and all you really have is one other friend who you grow up with, and go through a huge amount of trauma. You're the only survivors of literal child sacrifice, and you've been changed in a way that nobody else will ever understand.

But you grow up. You become adults. And as soon as you're free, you run as far away from the place, the institution that hurt you. But he doesn't. He goes back, right into the gates of hell, as far as you're concerned. You go your separate ways, but try to keep in touch at least. Maybe your paths will cross again.

But then one day, he disappears. You might not even know why. He just stops talking to you. You hear he got married, to someone else. Someone who could never understand what he's lived through. Not like you. Maybe you never thought of him that way before, but you are now. You wonder if you could have done more to stay with him. Maybe it was your fault for letting him go alone.

Then things start happening to you again. Those familiar robes, that strange sensation crawling in the back of your mind. They're coming for you. To finish what they started. And he's the only one who will understand, and you beg him to help. And he does. You haven't seen him since you were children, and you haven't read his words in years, but he's here.

And maybe it means nothing. You let him go, he's needed elsewhere, not now you know he's there. You've reached him, after years of trying, you finally got through. You have a window of hope. And so you chase him. Maybe this time you can help him. You can be together, how you were at the start. You can find your answers together and maybe you can finally rest.

But he leaves again, once more walking straight back into hell, a fight he may never truly win. But maybe he does. Maybe he finally gets his answers. But do you? Who fights for you? Where is your closure? Because it isn't with him.