#for context this is literally only like a PAGE into this chapter

[no27-autonation-honda]

Rhona J. Berenstein, "'It Will Thrill You, It May Shock You, It May Even Horrify You': Gender, Reception, and Classic Horror Cinema" in The Dread of Difference: Gender and the Horror Film edited by Barry Keith Grant

can y'all fucking believe the can of fucking worms this dumb ass "f1 is a horror movie, actually" project has opened into my life i'm never knowing peace again

[possamble]

Needlessly close reading and long commentary on chapter 57 and how the audience actually has an extremely limited view on what Marcille has been like over the course of her life.

I am once again thinking about how pre-dungeon Marcille is so quiet and stoic that she seems like a completely different person. How jarring chapter 57 is for the audience. Like you have Marcille, who has been just the most blindingly expressive person with resting baby face

And then the chapter drops a title page of Marcille hearing from Falin for the first time in four years and it's like.

Who is that. Genuinely. Would you even realize that's Marcille without the context clues?

And then the chapter just keeps coming in with the sucker punches.

We have SEEN Marcille meet strangers. It was never with this understated of a smile.

literally who the hell is this. the few times the audience gets to see some Signature Marcille Faces that they're used to is when she finally gets to see Falin again

when she's testing out her new spells

(and when Laios and Falin are fantasizing about her being their damsel in distress, funnily enough)

And then finally. Finally you get to a fully recognizable Marcille when she fucking DIES and comes back to life to geek out about necromancy.

We know she loves magic. We know she loves Falin. So it's not so surprising that she wouldn't be able to keep a mask up when thinking or talking about the things she loves. But why the mask in the first place? Where does it come from? It's tempting to think that, maybe, Falin's departure just hurt her so much that it turned her into a quiet person.

But that's only half true. If you go back, the first instance you see of this incredibly mild personality is actually introduced much earlier, in chapter 17.

What if she was always like that. What if her default after her father died was to hold people at arm's length, to never really emote past being polite and friendly. What if Falin was the first person who was able to bring her out of her shell, and when she left, Marcille just went back to how she was.

And when comparing her detached demeanour with someone else...

It's not exact, but wouldn't you say there's a resemblance? Wouldn't you think she might be trying her best to imitate what she saw of her own mother working as an accomplished mage?

It would certainly explain why she's hiding behind her portrait in her nightmare, at least.

We aren't told that Marcille has been distancing herself from everyone around her using a mature and dignified personality she modelled off her mother. But we sure as hell are shown it, I think.

[snalsupremacy]

Why this is my favorite panel in hgsn

Hgsn has some incredible art and page composition, but out of the entire manga so far, to me this is the best panel of them all. Hell, this might be my favorite panel of any manga ever. (Note: Due to respecting the scanlator's wishes, I blanked out the dialogue and replaced all necessary dialogue with the official English source)

1- Build-up

Before I get to the panel itself, lets first talk about the pages before: For context, this is in chapter 2. Yoshiki has just found out about "Hikaru", and its trying to adjust to this new reality. As they walk from school to Yoshiki's house, Yoshiki asks him if he killed Hikaru. This is how the previous two pages look like:

Notice how the half shading effect is done in hatch marks. This is the first sign the all-black shading is a stylistic choice used to convey something.

Look at the balance the two pages form when you put them together: half white, half black, half black, half white. They compliment each other, both in color balance and in panel shape.

We have to turn the page to hear Hikaru's answer to Yoshiki's question. This gives the control of the narrative back to the viewer. This creates tension and build-up to it, it is a common tactic famously employed by Junji Ito in his famous "page-turner" moments where the viewer has to turn the page to see the monster. Except in this instance we are not revealing monsters, or are we?

2- The page

I'm not gonna get into too much detail on the page itself, I just want to point out the juxtaposition between the page composition of this page and the previous two. The last two were balanced and had all the panels closed while this one is much more liberal, bringing a feeling of unbalance, like something just shifted. I'd say the black and white balance is still there, with the Hikaru on white and Yoshiki on black panel side by side and all, which actually brings me to my next point:

3- Black and White

Honestly this could be an entire analysis post of itself, where do I even start?! Let's go from the very beginning. This is the very first time we learn of "Hikaru" :

Notice how the panel is colored black. In fact, throughout the story, we see black panels being spoken by "Hikaru", usually right before he does something unnatural:

And here are the only two instances we see of the Brain-snatcher's true form:

• He's literally a black blob, just like the text bubbles! And now combine that with Hikaru's white hair, and the fact his name means to be bright, and what's the brightest color but white, and there is a clear color symbolism going on:

Hikaru=White

"Hikaru"=Black

4-The Panel

And now we're back to the original panel! Taking all the other points in mind, we can analyze the panel itself

First, his expression. My G-d, his expression! His raised eyebrows and his squinted eyes, making his pupils way larger, make the expression seem almost childish and pitiful. But the half black-out face turns this pity look to an ominous one. Not being able to see the face or having your face obstructed is easy path into the uncanny valley, which I think is the case for this scene. Immediately 180 from "aww the poor guy" to "what is he hiding?"

The white panel says "I like you" while the black panel says "I'm crazy for you". HOWEVER, The white bubble is by the black side of his face and the black bubble is by the white side of his face. So which Hikaru is saying that? Is "Hikaru" crazy for Yoshiki, while Hikaru just liked him, or the other way around? Did the original Hikaru ever love Yoshiki, or is that the monster's feelings? Well we don't know! That's the premise of the whole manga! In one panel!

And that's why it's my favorite :)

[chrisrin]

hi so i got diagnosed with adhd like 6 months ago after continuously insistently denying i had it to everyone who swore up and down that i did have it. then a psychiatrist was "yeah you have it bro" and i've been re-evaluating everything in my life. anyways. that's context, and with that re-evaluating i've realized something about my hyperfixations and i want to know if:

a) people with adhd relate to it. b) how do you. deal with this. because i think it's somewhat ruining how i interact with media.

anyways, under the read more ->

i've come to realize a pattern with media i consume that i get fixated on. typically this happens with longer media. so stuff like homestuck, and currently with one piece. stuff that i cant binge in an evening or two. (i am on chapter 170 of one piece at the moment of writing this, i read 40 chapters yesterday)

i obviously can't be consuming the new piece of media i'm into every second of my day, in fact, that sounds exhausting.

i have other things i need to get done and, in fact, i NEED to be doing other things because even with something i'm hyperfixated on, my brain will get bored and needs to bounce off other types content. however what this does mean is that every thought i have IS still hyperfixated on the piece of media which means i will still seek out that content even if it's not me reading the original source material.

what this MEANS is that i have all these video essays recommended to me about one piece because youtube has caught on that i am liking and enjoying ONE PIECE (same with twitter. my entire twitter for you page is completely consumed by one piece. i dont know who 2/3rds of these people are please im still in alabasta what is happening) and i Want to Watch them all but i'm in the stage rn where Everything Is A Spoiler so i CANT watch the video essays so ill instead watch them RIGHT UP UNTIL im in the danger zone of being spoiled (sometimes actually risking/getting spoiled) or watching random out of context one piece clips and my one piece friends are all telling me i am just like icarus and flying too close to the sun but i also feel like i can't help the compulsion in some ways? it also means i cannot help but talk about it in every conversation i have with everyone but that seems like, minorly connected to all this.

it's crazy because in my head this is the Worst Stage of the hyperfixation, where i can Only consume the media itself and not all the fan stuff around it. but that's Insane because this should be the best time because i'm literally experiencing the cool media i like for the first time. i feel insane. does anyone else relate to this. how do you deal with it?

[dykesynthezoid]

I say this with 100% awareness that sometimes fandom likes to run with things based off of minimal subtext but I rlly truly don’t get. The majority of the arguments for why we wouldn’t get devil’s minion in the past? Lmao

Like the one (1) reason I can actually see us not getting it is just there not being enough screentime to go around. That’s not unthinkable to me at all; there’s a lot to potentially cover next season. But like, I literally can’t think of any other good reason for them to not do it.

And I think it’s worth saying that I wouldn’t be doing this kind of theorizing with any other show. It’s specifically bc this show likes to drop easter eggs and clues, likes to sew in little details, and also is not afraid of going all out, that I feel like I can take the things I pick up on seriously. Cause yeah, if this were another show, it might genuinely mean nothing, bc a lot of other shows just aren’t written with that enthusiasm or attention to detail or courage to Go Places.

And I also think it should be noted that like. While the show is certainly plenty different from the book(s), their modus operandi when it comes to adaptation is much more to add than to take away. They added old Daniel, added Loumand still being together, added a shit ton of extra small bits to Claudia’s arc. Their method of adaptation is not one of subtraction. They’re not taking away whole character beats and plot events. They’re adding, adding new situations, new settings, new contexts.

And that “adding” extends to character relationships as well. They built that danlou best friends/sexual tension out of the almost-nothing in the source material. Armand and Santiago (apparently) slept together. They’re not taking away interesting side dynamics that existed in the books, they’re literally adding more.

Like why wouldn’t they add past devils minion?? It only makes Armand and Daniel’s present relationship that much more complicated and insane, which is the exact thing this show loves to do.

Not to mention DM is only one chapter, by which I mean; if the argument against past devils minion is just screentime, like I personally think it is, we should also remember that. It’s only one chapter. It’s not that much additional material. And about a fourth of it is Daniel’s turning and the lead up to that, which we know would instead be in the modern day, not in flashback; and another several pages are Armand keeping Daniel trapped in a cellar, which 2x05 has already done. So like. It’s not that much material they’d have to cover to do past devils minion. Like, half an episode altogether at most, frankly, and they could easily spread that all out as they pleased. And this is after season 2 spent an entire episode just on the events during and immediately post 1973 interview. Which they did not have to do. It was a choice to add that material.

Idk sometimes ppl act like it’s soooo crazy for people to be theorizing DM happened in the past and I’m like I literally don’t think it is? And trust me I get that sometimes people get shipping goggles on, and it’s annoying when people make everything about a ship, etc, (but also that’s literally just how fandom is in general? idk what you expect), but. Idk man it doesn’t seem that wild to me in comparison to some of the places the show has been willing to go? And meanwhile like half of you keep insisting Raglan James is Marius. Some of you even thought Sam might be Santino. Theorizing about past DM does not seem that weird to me. Like I am literally just watching the show and Noticing Details and coming up with a possible outcome. It’s whatever

[dekusleftsock]

HMMNGGGSHSHHSHD IM SO LATE TO THIS BUT THERES SO MANY THINGS IVE WANTED TO SAY FOR SO LONG AND IVE JUST BEEN TOO DEPRESSED OR BUSY TO DO IT

I did just re-read the chapter, hazbin/helluva hyperfixation is gone y’all I’m back and ready for more.

Okay so, a couple of things I noticed. Let’s start there.

Throughout this chapter, it really is heartbreaking to see how Izuku regards one for all as Allmight’s power, and therefore a disrespect to him to give that away. Which is quite frankly insane given the nature of what the power is, but regardless it still shows me just how deeply he still cares for and admires allmight.

It also makes the transfer Izuku makes to Katsuki in the heroes rising movie all the more intimate; izuku wouldn’t just give the power to anyone, if not for himself (which is also clearly due to that fact since he still sees ofa as the thing that makes him a hero, not his characteristics), then simply out of respect for allmight and his legacy.

It’s just the anger you can see, feel in those words as he demands to know why. I’ve personally been in the boat of “Izuku dislikes Kudou immensely bc he hasn’t proven to be heroic and amazing like Katsuki has, and also he insults him a lot why would he like him”, since Izuku does genuinely have self respect (a common mischaracterization imo), he’s just also more forgiving and faithful to those he admires or loves (or both).

SPEAKING OF SELF RESPECT AND MISCHARACTERIZATION!

I want to highlight the words “But even so, this boy refuses to throw in the towel”, bc it’s such an important part of Izuku and his character.

He isn’t overly self sacrificial, he isn’t a masochist, he isn’t even a martyr—especially not a martyr.

Izuku is stubborn. That is not the same thing as wanting to constantly die for others; izuku is like Katsuki, he wants to fight for others. Giving up just simply isn’t in his morality.

And if “giving up” also includes letting someone die or failing to save someone out of his own negligence, that’s not because he wants to die.

I can’t explain how much the interpretation that Izuku wanting to die, even for others, is so fucking out of character. Izuku is stubborn, he’s stubborn in the way that he won’t just fall over and let the ground take him. Given the circumstances, Izuku would fight for his life just as he would fight for another.

THIS HAS BEEN THE CASE SINCE, I DONT KNOW, CHAPTER FUCKING ONE?

“Idiot! If I’d really jumped, you’d be charged with bullying me into suicide!! Think before you speak!!”

“Idiot…”

Like he’s so unaffected by the awful comment outside of being angry at the DISRESPECT of said comment. This is why all those damn suicidal Izuku fics have always felt so ooc. Izuku isnt a moody, brooding ball of depression, he’s a stubborn, courageous, and angry ball of depression. There is a difference.

Even before this, he literally attempts to say something or fight back to Katsuki, honestly it looks like he’s about to punch him here.

The only reason he DOESNT is bc HE DOESNT WANT TO GET HIS ASS BEAT

Btw for anyone who has or ever will be in Izuku’s position, punch him. I love Katsuki But hit him in the fucking gut. If you get your ass beat at least you can say you can took it like a champ.

Speaking from someone who regrets not punching three girls who were trying to gang up on me in middle school🫶🫶🫶

Anyway, I’d argue that Izuku not taking Katsuki in a fight was made out of self preservation, something he very much has.

And last but not least, we get to this lovely fucking page.

First of all…

Hm, ain’t that strange?

I’m not saying it’s fully a parallel, I’m just saying it’s something to consider.

Especially with the context that I don’t think Izuku feels shameful here.

He’s been a hero who didn’t look like one once before, I’m sure a snide comment through Shigaraki is nothing in comparison to the literal hundreds of civilians afraid of him.

Or, even more interestingly, what if he’s shameful of it, and okay with that? Now THATS some control over your emotions. This is demonstrating the very thing Banjo told him in the first place; using his emotions to fuel him. Let himself live with them, breath with them. They exist, and they hurt, and that’s fucking okay.

But it begs the question…. Why bring attention to it?

Clearly horikoshi WANTS you to see that Izuku is the one who looks like the monster now. He even looks devil like, blackwhip coming out of his back the way it is just feels like wings.

But maybe… maybe this is how he stops sweeping problems under the rug. Maybe this is him, Izuku, at his most animalistic form. Him. At his core. This is the Izuku he doesn’t want people to know.

The faceless, long clawed, oozing black monster.

He’s a kid who can take a fucking beating. He’s not Deku the useless doll, nor is he Deku the hero. He’s simply Izuku.

And you know what’s even more likely?

The black pit of anger that Shigaraki has formed, fueling his uncontrolled emotions and anger and despair, with the light tear showing something underneath…

What if, this was Izuku’s black ball of anger and shame, except this one is escaping his body, pouring out and showing all of that for what it truly is. Pent up rage, uncontrolled emotion, anxiety and shame, all mixed into one hell hole of a person—but a ball that can be molded, controlled, torn apart from the inside out.

See, the same way Kudou tears at Shigaraki’s mental breaking to see what’s underneath, so have the ofa users for Izuku. Slowly, but surely, the people in Izuku’s life have, while created that ball in the first place, also worked to destroy it. The final piece of the puzzle is for Izuku to choose to let it happen, and he is.

Learning to sit in one’s fear, doubt, hatred, anger, sadness, grief, happiness—without that emotion having to be something, simply something that flows through you, that you can choose to act on or not; this is where Izuku’s arc is coming to its tipping point. We are nearing the climax, I can feel it.

[carmasi]

More on the High lord Mask and double standards

My friend yet again called me to complain about this and I had to go and find it. My friend said to me. Feyre knew of Tamlins state of mins, knew he was just as traumatize as she was or worse. So i asked my friend what chapter are we reading, she said 23 an d 24 ACOMF I wanted to send this as an ask to @acourtofthought but is too long spoused sorry I highlighted some things. Chapter 23

Here Feye speak with Nesta about her "high lord" Tamlin. Feyre acknowledged that Tamlin was Broken and knew he was consumed by the need to protect her, his court, and his people. Now let get this straight when she said he wanted to cage her. He kept her on the manor, but there is multiple instances where she actually goes outside of the manor on Lucien's request. where she goes hunting and freezes, and when she goes to look at the villages at the beginning of ACOMF. Even Nesta is like that, but he let you come back that one time; Tamlins only "cage" her when they have their last argument, when Feyre explodes and burns the ring. After spending time with Rhysand on night court who has the time to give her what she needs, she realizes that whatever is on spring court is not for her. this is the time when he technically "cages" her.

And through out al these we're made to think he's being delulu, and even Feyre here acknowledges that he was trying to protect her. Moving on. Chapter 24

When Cassian and the others visit the Archeron, we're introduced to how much Tamlin has done for them. Even Feyre says he had tried, but not really, which is in a way Hypocritical to say when literally a page before you're talking about just how broken he was. and still provided this much to your family (pardon my nails) Now on to Feyre Double Standards and Hypocrisy Chapter 29- 30

here she tell Rhys. you could just order things to be done, you're the high lord you do what you want. To which Rhys said, there is something Even I cannot do. (uhm let me thing like tradition and the Illyrians among other things?) And she lets it go. In a way yes Rhys was more eloquent at explaining why he couldn't do thing than Tamlin was. When she asked for the Tide to be removed. but let's see this scene, in here She is sharing a conversation with Rhysand. there is no undermining and not subject to see him falter, and yes is in a different context here because we speak about Velaris, but even when he speaks about Illyria and the clipping, is a conversation where he said he can't do much about tradition, whereas Tamlin is put in a position where his authority as High lord would be undermined, was undermined, in front of his subject when he's trying to re build this court. (i have to go back on this conversation to scan it btw). Feyre then Hates Tamlin for this, and yet. Forgives Rhysand. Which bring us to more high lord mask

Rhysand speaking to Feyre about his own court. how he LET EVERYONE see the court of nightmare and the worst of him. The thing a lot of people choose to ignore. and is that Rhysand outside of Velaris, isn't charming, isn't eloquent, he isn't kind or dreamy, he is a harsh Ruler, and bloodthirsty tyrant, and that is what everyone outside his circle sees. That is what Tamlin Sees, What Lucien Sees. Lucien himself tells Feyre " tell me what dungeon he has her in what horrors she is experiencing" when asking about elain In ACOWAR Now my last point I promise, because they don't collaborate they just thought

Many complain about Tamlin, locking Feyre up. and how he said what he said on the high lord meeting and how he didn't communicate. Now here. Rhysan. put her through so much., had her almost killed multiple times. and here even he is surprised. even Rhysand asked her " after all that?" he is surprised after everything he put her through she is still grateful. because he sends music to her cell. While Lucien went every time to heal here, but couldn't one the one time he was being lashed. Feyre of course, forgive Rhysand and shrugs it off as a joke. you FORGIVE this man for putting you in danger, almost getting you killed, all because he sent music? Of course, we know he did more, like take her out and teach her how to read and have a good time. But you won't forgive a man who "kept you licked up" to keep you safe because his own court was a mess, because he tried to keep you safe and was broken, your words were not mine. and don't come at me with the " he turned her sisters" By now e know that was Ianthe, Feyre has her that ammunition. Even after all this, you decided to turn on this man and ruin his court in the next book.

and yet, Tamlin move on, even if it hurts him, he loves you so much he gave a piece of him to bring your mate back. where he could've pulled a Rhys and tricked you into a bargain. but he didn't. And you keep forgiving Rhysand quite literally playing with your life. Okay, end of my rant. oh analysis. I can't tell at this point. (I am going to write this man POV one day cause omg)

[violetasteracademic]

Context Clues: Elriel (and removal of the BC)

Happy Elriel month! This is my first one (I think most of you know that I am only about two months old in the online fandom) and I am still REELING from the fact that apparently not everyone needed to douse themselves in cold water after Elain and Azriel's interaction in the bonus chapter (and that Az is apparently both an incel AND a fuckboy, although those are mutually exclusive and non interchangeable traits. And Elain is secretly obsessed with Lucien and just toying with Az. But I digress.)

While I personally thought the bonus chapter confirmed Elriel, and of course others felt the complete opposite, I wanted to spend some time focusing on solely the books and seeing what we have. As we know, the bonuses are just *bonuses* available in a limited number of editions, in limited countries, and limited languages. I personally read all bonus chapters, but many don't. So excluding the BC from the conversation, where did A Court of Silver Flames leave us?

Here is the final on page interaction between Azriel and Elain in ACOSF:

A charged glance that takes Elain's breath away.

Here is the final on page interaction between Elain and Lucien in ACOSF:

Elain shrinks into herself after opening a present from her mate.

Here are the previous interactions between Azriel and Elain in ACOSF:

Elain acting all shy around Azriel.

Azriel's shadows ready to throw hands over Elain's hurt feelings.

Here are the previous on page interactions between Elain and Lucien:

There are none.

However, there are references, and they are as follows:

Lucien choosing to live in the human lands despite his mate living in Velaris.

Lucien dripping with discomfort over his presence only being expected because of Elain.

Meanwhile, here is Azriel referencing Elain when she is not there:

Azriel's shadows swarming and being unable to calm down at the mere thought of something happening to Elain.

Azriel stiffening at the mention of Elain's capture, and reminding Cassian he helped rescue her.

Nesta only agreeing to scrying because she trusts Azriel with Elain, the only person who could understand other than her or Feyre.

I have always, and will always reiterate that I am personally Lucien and Gwyn positive. Maybe that's because I'm so new, and haven't been whittled down from all the rudeness yet. (literally as I was working on this post, I got an unprompted comment from an E/ucien on one of my tiktoks that they can't wait to laugh at me when she chooses Lucien. It's annoying. And it sucks. But I know all sides do it.)

I joined the space because I was so overwhelmed by the negative Elain content. By the erasure of her thoughts and feelings and experiences. Bonus content aside, I also feel for Lucien, and my shipping him with Vassa is because he blushes and laughs and relaxes around her. Because she is fiery like Jesminda, the only other female he has ever loved. I don't personally have a ship for Gwyn yet because my reading experience hasn't taken me there in the story yet!

Look, I'm still out here shipping Klaroline and TVD and The Originals went their separate ways almost a decade ago. Ships should be fun. They don't always have to be canon. I'm simply sharing that the reason I make this content for you guys is to provide some comfort to people like me, who felt overwhelmed and gaslit by all the hatred for Elain- dissertations and powerpoints dedicated to erasing her and her value and feelings- as someone who read the books and loved her, as well as her dynamic with Azriel.

I will continue to refrain from discussing the bonus chapter (in this post) no matter how SEXY it was, and how in line it is with everything already happening in the books, but I'm just trying to showcase what the experience is for book readers only, which is the vast majority globally.

Stay kind out there, and manifesting a book announcement soon! Happy Elriel month, all!

[makeste]

BnHA Chapter 408: Orphaned Cryptid to Billionaire Supervillain

Previously on BnHA: HE WAS BORN AN ARROGANT BABY.

Today on BnHA: Horikoshi decides he’s going to cover the rest of the AFO/OFA saga in the span of just seven pages, the majority of which are mostly just filled with lovingly detailed closeups of AFO and Kudou’s eyes. Back in the present day, Kid For One takes a couple of seconds to trample the last of the “Kacchan is OFA II or is related to OFA II” theories into the dust, and is then all “fuck it, I’ll just take him out with one last spectacularly grotesque supermove.” Kacchan is all “lol you fucking dipshit”, and he says it with such confidence that it truly makes me believe he can defeat AFO’s “ALL THE QUIRKS EVER!!” attack with his piddly little exploding bloodsweat quirk. AND IT WILL BE A SIGHT TO SEE.

interesting!

Yoichi’s name btw is written with the kanji 与 which means “bestow” or “give”, and 一 which means “one.” so basically “one who gives”, which is fitting as the creator of OFA, but also fits in with this new context of being the first “possession” bestowed upon AFO

oh yes and also AFO I guess has just torn his brother to shreds or something too. idk. I’m going to be honest with you guys, this panel has such a surreal vibe that I just sat here blinking stupidly at it and wasn’t even shocked or anything. like what. is he dreaming this?? or did he really just make a “STOP! IN THE NAAAAME OF LOVE” gesture and in doing so remove half of his brother’s jaw

ewww

idk what’s wrong with me today guys. AFO just disintegrated Yoichi, and Kudou and and OFA Tres (who apparently still doesn’t have a name???? freaking Kudou got named before you??) are literally RIGHT THERE and presumably horrified, and all I can think about is how fucking gross it is that they’re all hanging out in a fucking sewer

oh shit y’all it’s about to go down

he can’t kill Kudou right off the bat can he? does Kudou even know he has OFA yet? are we going to see him transfer it to OFA III? I’m so fucking excited omg

LOL WHAT

“weirdly matte” omg. so apparently he’s like All Might, where the “he’s just drawn differently” thing is something people actually acknowledge in-story. “yeah he actually has no pupils. that’s a real thing. technically that should mean he can’t see since pupils are what let light into your eyes, but don’t worry about that part. just know that his eyes canonically look weird to the story people as well, and everyone is creeped out by it, not just you”

yeah he’s actually blind

so he literally can’t see outside himself. way to lay those metaphors on thick, Horikoshi

(ETA: this is my “just in case my impeccably dry wit doesn’t translate well across the internet” ETA to assure everyone I know he’s not actually blind lol.)

now we’re cutting to some random city where AFO is broodingly staring at Yoichi’s severed hand because he’s perfected the art of always doing incredibly unsettling things

I cannot believe the fucking hands thing has an actual origin story. of course it does. this man has never done a single hinged thing in his life. it’s all unhinged or bust. am I talking about AFO or Horikoshi? YOU DECIDE

he’s sitting at a table with a bottle of wine holding his dead brother’s embalmed severed limb and thinking about fucking quirk shit

so your transformation from Orphaned Cryptid to Billionaire Supervillain happened almost completely offscreen huh. I’m kinda disappointed, ngl. I could have read a few more chapters about that. maybe a spinoff miniseries

WAIT WHAT

are you serious. we finally get a panel that’s INCREDIBLY RELEVANT to pretty much ALL OF MY BNHA THEORIES, only for that same panel to contradict itself ONE SPEECH BUBBLE LATER?? so what is the truth???

omg omg omg

so many fucking questions, omg. what the hell does “through research” even mean. how did he confirm Yoichi’s quirklessness, and why did he later change his mind? how the fuck can Yoichi have a quirk factor and yet not have an actual quirk. “it was just so weak it didn’t count or something I guess” okay??? how much of this is unreliable narrator vs. the word of god? how is it we’re getting so many answers and yet all I have is more fucking questions you guys

BRUE?CE?CEE??!

bruce

Kudou is so goddamned hot. I hope you washed the hell out of that arm wound after getting it all covered in sewage you stupid sexy man

I can’t get over Three’s name. “idk if anyone noticed, but it’s kind of a subtle homage to another very famous superhero” Horikoshi your nap wasn’t long enough, please go home

also love how Bruce is talking shit about OFA being a puny loser quirk for wimps. how the fuck do they even know what’s going on, anyway? was there a tutorial???

oh you just had a feeling huh??? that it was “something like this”, huh??? how is it that I, who knows all about OFA because I’m from the future and have read 408 chapters of this nonsense, am somehow still less in the know than this handsome clown who doesn’t know shit but just “had a feeling”

(ETA: while editing this post I noted that Bruce is sitting in front of a computer in what seems to be some sort of medical lab, so maybe they ran some tests or something? except that only makes me more confused, because it implies they didn’t actually figure out OFA’s workings via convenient plot instincts. so then how the fuck did they figure out the transfer process?? questions)

meanwhile AFO is sitting in the panel next to him whining about how someone stole Yoichi’s quirk. excuse you. he did not steal it. it was in fact a gift

these flashbacks are all jumbled up and it’s unexpectedly fun to read, but also really chaotic

I guess he’s talking to Kudou on the right and AFO on the left

so many intense closeups of eyes in this chapter oh my goodness

Horikoshi even drew the individual goddamn eyelashes. this looks like the margins of someone’s notebook from when they were really bored in middle school

oh my god the information overload!!!

so much for AFO actually feeling emotions lol. or is he just lying to himself about why he cried. that delicious ambiguity

so we don’t even get a flashback explaining how the transfer actually happened?? to either Kudou OR my beloved Bruce?? goddamn you Horikoshi. omg I would seriously kill for more of this. make a movie about it. I want the OFA origin story prequel movie damn it

I like how AFO just sits there on a throne holding court with a single tiki torch beside him for aesthetic reasons

I can’t quite figure out how he killed Banjou and I’m not sure I really want to know. it looks very violent

friendly reminder that Shinomori is Sir Not Appearing In This Flashback because he’s the only OFA user who died of natural causes! good for you Shinomori. En probably wishes he was more like you

poor En

was Nana just taking a stroll or something one day and stumbled across this epic fight with the evilest man on the planet vs some kid in a trenchcoat, and then the poor kid got bisected and he looked at her and he was all “please eat my hair” and she was just like “ok”?

OH WOW

what a transition omg

LOLLLLLLLL

you know, part of me always wondered how All Might was so certain he’d killed AFO that he apparently never bothered to confirm it. but looking at this panel now, I can understand

fjjfdzjgf

he’s sweating so much. like “okay yeah he punched the top of his face off, this is pretty bad but I’LL DO MY BEST”

BACK TO THE PRESENT DAY AWW SHUCKS

so let’s recap. over on Kacchan’s side we have “GOTTA USE THE PAIN TO WIN!!!” haha ouch. and then over here on KFO’s side we have. whatever the fuck we just experienced over these past two chapters. so basically it’s a battle between the two most deranged characters in the entire series. glorious sweet chaos

DSFJKSLDKGJL he’s now trying to figure out how the fuck they look so much alike and whether they’re actually related

“no, that can’t be it. so then maybe... this kid grows up and then somehow travels back in time...?!” HE’S JUST LIKE US FR

so now he’s saying it’s because Kacchan didn’t have character development yet the last time, but now that he does his eyes are all Full Of Determination just like Kudou’s and so we’ve basically come full circle!

transcended WHAT? :O :D :D omg I’m kidding you guys please don’t hurt me

lol

actually the more we learn about Kudou the less I personally see the resemblance now lol. because Kudou seems so calm and collected, but Kacchan is just... [gestures to literally everything about Kacchan]

so AFO’s trying to strategize, but he can’t warp Kacchan away because the only available targets are too close and he’s still got that SUPERSPEED, BOYO so it wouldn’t make a difference. lol but if you kept doing it repeatedly it might be kind of funny though

and he can’t keep fighting him either because he’s getting his ass whooped and it’s speeding up his de-aging or whatever. well you could just give up then I guess. your call, AFO

oh was that your plan?

spoiler alert for me lol. but it’s not exactly shocking or anything since he’s dying, guess he wants to abandon ship

(ETA: just FYI for anyone reading this who’s not familiar with my dumbassery, I have currently only read chapters 1 through 374 at this point in time, before skipping ahead to 403 because Kacchan came back and I lost all willpower. I am working on catching up with the rest!)

oh so now you did come up with a strategy?

lmao what the FUCK

how much of this is going to be clearer to me once I finish the chapters that I missed, and how much of it is just plain old “nope this is all brand new zero-context BnHA bullshit” lol. this looks like every single quirk AFO ever absorbed combined into one gigantic horrifying blob that forced Horikoshi to take an extra week just to draw it

oh my god!?

Kacchan hovering there bravely facing all this is giving me Gandalf “you shall not pass” vibes and I’m LIVING FOR IT

so either AFO is going to kill Kacchan for the second time right here and now, or he’s going to fail and turn back into a squishy evil baby fdslfjkls

love how All Might is all “DODGE IT YOUNG BAKUGOU!” thanks for the warning, champ. doing his part

more exploding bloodsweat closeups. are these just going to be a mainstay of Kacchan fights from now on

“are you stupid?”, when faced with [gestures to the entirety of the previous page], is possibly the best line ever uttered by anyone in the series. even better than the polite “coming through” uttered only seconds before it

ah man. you love to see it. he literally doesn’t even care. HE ALREADY DIED ONCE TODAY, AND IT CLUED HIM IN TO THE FACT THAT HE’S A MAIN CHARACTER AND ACTUALLY IMMUNE TO DEATH. sorry AFO it’s curtains for you. CURTAINS

[sugar-grigri]

Just wanted to point out my little grain of rice about your response to lottimiqo's analysis, don't really have to post my ask btw but since I can't comment on the og post I'm just gonna point it out here.

About Denji being the one who who started the kiss... I just can't see it that way.

Simply because Denji never, but NEVER touches the women who have touched him back. Not even for a rush of hormones.

Unless he haves complete and explicit permission to do so, he goes for it. Case we have only seen with (rip<"3) Power.

(sorry the pages aren't in order.)

The other times Denji haves "made" contact with those women, he just never touched or tried anything back.

Makima #1

Immediately backs off after she guides his hand on him.

Himeno #2

Again, he may accepts but he just doesn't start anything back. Doesn't even take his own clothes off, Himeno does. (I didn't download the page of her taking his shirt off.)

Fumiko #3

Once again, taking this one as the closest case to him and Yoru on #167. In terms of situation mostly,,,

He keeps his hands for himself.

He accepts, he asks if they should do it now. But does he jump into action?

The fact that Denji is looking at "Asa" in that moment just makes me doubt more he would start anything. He likes Asa, that's why I just don't think he would dare to kiss without "her" stating it explicitly. But "she" doesn't. Yoru just leans in again after, from my perspective, he backs off.

Anyways sorry if I'm not that clear or didn't explain it well but I hope the examples give a view of my point. 😿

Love your posts loulou! 🫶🏼

You're right to point all this out, it's very relevant and makes chapter 167 all the more coherent. But there's also something important to ask: why? Why does Denji never seem to take the initiative?

I think it's because he was subconsciously afraid. But not afraid just to take a step with a girl. Fear of disappointment (and trauma)

You were right to mention Power at the very beginning, because it actually starts a vicious circle. There's always the moment when Denji wonders if he's finally going to get what he wants, and it turns out in the worst possible way.

Denji experiences his first disappointment with Power, realizing in the same way that touching breasts doesn't produce the effect he'd so dreamed of. Questioning his way to happiness. Makima takes over, subtly picking up on this search for happiness in getting close to a girl, to manipulate him. In the long term. In a more insidious way that prevents Denji from realizing that things aren't going his way.

Himeno is a transmitter of trauma. She's drunkenly kissed all the new recruits - it's like a rite of passage. Trauma is the vomit it literally regurgitates down the throats of new generations. Denji lost his "innocence" too at this point, unconsciously realizing that he was the object of consolation from failing adults.

Reze kissed Denji, cutting off his tongue. In fact, she had no particular reason to do so. In fact, by cutting out his tongue, she is expressing her desire to silence Denji. For it is through their discussions that they realize their similarities, and therefore the risk of empathizing with him. Cutting out his tongue allows her to make him suffer as her mission requires.

I've talked a lot here about Fumiko. Fumiko is the symbol of all this unconscious sexual trauma for Denji, openly manipulative, adapting to Denji's reactions, giving him the impression that he's the great hero in control, promising to do him good, to protect him, while dreaming of making him a collector's item.

In short, if Denji didn't react, it was also because he had unconsciously understood from a purely physical point of view that these were not the right circumstances, the right context. The accumulation of all these experiences has also pushed him to withdraw into himself, while continuing to hope. Because Denji hasn't yet really experienced what he's been longing for, the bits and pieces of experience have given him a bitter taste for sex. But since it's his only hope, he clings to it.

That's why I think we'll know when we're in the right circumstances when Denji reacts with his hands. Embracing another is a sign of trust. It's always the others who have done it, never him, on his own.

[rayan12sworld]

💙🧡Wish I could forget the taste of your skin and the feel of your hands pinning me down

By:KizuKatana

Summary:

Wei Wuxian would like to think that - if he had known that Lan Wangji would walk out of his life immediately after they hooked up- he wouldn’t have given into his ridiculous attraction for the man. He wished he were better at lying to himself.

Guest-starring Lan Wangji’s canonically poor communication choices after romantic cave encounters

Chapter:10/10

Words:63,215

Status:completed

“I don’t work with major sects. Especially not the Lan.”

~~

He had to see Wei Ying, to make sure he was okay. He hadn’t been allowed to see Wei Ying six years ago, and the man had nearly died. Would have died if Wen Qing hadn't randomly happened to be interviewing at Gusu hospital that same day. It was unacceptable that a sheer coincidence was the only reason Wei Ying was still alive. The company Lan Wangji’s family owned had put Wei Ying at risk, then abandoned him. Someone in his family’s company had made the decision to fire Wei Ying without notice, which violated company policy. Someone in his family’s company had further made the decision to pull medical support over a policy that was clearly not meant to be used in this way. Lan Wangji was going to find this ‘ someone .’ And when he did… Lan Wangji cut himself off at the shocking violent images that flickered through his normally peaceful mind. There was precedent for such punishments. Though much of his ancestor’s history had been burned, enough survived to make it clear that Lan discipline had always been harsh. In the modern context, he knew such measures would be viewed as archaic… even barbaric. But cultivators were given leeway by the authorities and society at large to handle their own business. Lan Wangji felt a primal sort of anger and thirst for vengeance that - for the first time in his life - made him fiercely glad that there would be no boundaries to stay his hand if he found the one responsible for Wei Ying’s treatment.

~~

“You never told me that you and Hanguang-Jun had been romantically involved.” Wei Wuxian choked on his in-drawn breath, which sent him into a coughing fit that lasted almost a minute. “What?!” He wheezed, when he could finally form words again. “Why would you think… it was only… we weren’t romantically involved. Fuck, who says shit like that?” Wen Qing eyed him skeptically. “If you’re trying to play this off cool, you are failing spectacularly. Though that’s nothing new.”

~~

Lan Xichen shot him a sideways glance, and continued to scroll. “Wangji…,” Lan Xichen said after several more pages of scrolling. “Did you have time to do anything other than follow Wei Wuxian around and document his actions?” Lan Wangji felt his ears heat as report after report with his signature flashed across the screen. He had, perhaps, not realized that there were so many reports he had written about Wei Ying. “I was the Compliance officer,” Lan Wangji replied tersely. “Mn,” Lan Xichen said, an unforgivable smirk appearing on his face. “You wrote him up for wearing too few layers on a night hunt after being covered in Yao viscera and changing into civilian attire?” Lan Wangji clenched his jaw. Wei Ying had been wearing only shorts and a tee-shirt. It had been a professional trip. It had been… distracting. “You know that most people don’t flirt by giving citations of minor rule violations to the person they are interested in, right?” Lan Xichen persisted, openly laughing at him, even if it was only with his eyes. “ Ge ,” Lan Wangji said repressively, which only served to amuse Lan Xichen more.

~~

He also really wanted to run his sword through Su She, metaphorically. And also literally. His hand flexed around the cool, smooth hilt of Bichen. He trusted his brother, but Lan Xichen was kind. Su She did not deserve kindness. “Please trust me, Wangji,” Lan Xichen pleaded, as if reading his brother’s thoughts. “Su She must face discipline. According to the sect rules, not civilian laws,” Lan Wangji stated. He would not bend on this.

[deafsignifcantother]

if music be the food of love, chapter 7

♥ here you go lovies, it’s series time | chapter one, chapter two, chapter three, chapter four, chapter five, chapter six, chapter eight ♥ summary: some crazy shit happens and she loses her mind and goes to people for advice who say drastically different things so she has to decide for herself what to feel. ♥ relationships: aroace Alastor x deaf female reader (queerplatonic to romance) ♥ word count: 3.3k ♥ pinterest board ♥ notes: she's on artfight, "compassion literally means “to suffer together.”", Alastor is only in this for one scene ♥ no tag list rn :3

Alastor leans against the kitchen's countertop, his ankles crossed, his hand covering his lips in thought. He's staring down at a notebook, his hand-made cookbook, seeming to be flipping through the pages and searching through it, looking for something in particular. You don't know why he wants you to sit with him through it.

He scans the pages for a moment before his smile grows.

You wave to get his attention. “What are you making now? Something new?”

You don’t try to glance at his cookbook for the answer, but he still moves the cookbook further away before responding.

"Yes, I suppose it is something new."

Which doesn't fulfill your attempts at conversation.

"Were you a cook and a radio host, or is it just a passion?"

He chuckles, looking away from the cookbook to spare a glance. He keeps an elbow on the pages to prop it open. From that angle, you can't see the blank pages.

“Oh, well, it certainly wasn’t my job back when I was alive. It's a passion, and it has been for a long time.” He closes the cookbook and sits it down on the countertop.

“Believe you need any help?”

You pray he'd say no.

"You'd like to help me, darling? Well, feel free to, if you'd like."

If you'd like. If you'd like. If you'd like.

It's not a yes or a no.

But he adds on. "You've always had people cook for you, haven't you, love?"

When you were alive, you had servants to do that for you, and the amount of food would take up an entire table, even if it went uneaten. Having a home-styled meal for two was beyond your comprehension before you met Alastor.

“The more the decades go by the more embarrassing that gets.”

"Oh, trust me, darling, I find it quite endearing."

“What does that mean?” The tension in your face surprises you. You are scowling; you haven't scowled at Alastor before. He doesn't seem to mind. You're not ready to let Zestial's advice go. You wanted to keep the words to yourself. If an expert like Alastor caught on to the fact that you both were talking about him, in a desperate way as well, he'd chase for the context in a heartbeat.

All he does is stare at you with untroubled eyes and open the drawer next to you, revealing herbs and spices you couldn't even name. "It means you've probably never seen anything like these before?"

“A drawer?” You sign. The smile on his face humbles you; his eyes are so gentle when he looks at you, even when he's looking down at you. “You really keep spices in a drawer?”

"I'm afraid most people do."

You reach and open the drawer on the other side of you. Cutlery all lined up. After the initial surprise that the ladles and whisks are not held in a vase, you smile a bit. You look up at him. “Are you the one keeping these organized?”

"You caught me."

"How long have you been cooking here?"

He tilts his head upwards. You notice his stillness. He still needs to move to start cooking or even face the stove. He's standing, his body facing you, giving you his full attention. "Only once. Just the other day, if I remember correctly. Cooking you breakfast was the first time I stepped in here."

He turns to the side, just staring at himself in the refrigerator's reflection while straightening his bowtie. You think about the time he's done it in a high-stress situation, where he's found himself a reflective surface to stare at himself in. His fingers will find somewhere to go, usually his outfit, finding a way to distract himself and remove himself from whatever confrontation he finds himself in. It gives you time to think of a response.

His eyes reach you before he turns his head.

“Fascinating.” You lean back with a smile. “I must be quite special then.”

"Oh, you cheeky girl. Do you really think that you're that special?”

The way he rests his hip on the counter, his shoulders relaxed, and his benign smile twists your head into a fantasy.

"I certainly do. Wouldn't you agree?"

His eyes look over you closely and intently before lifting his hands. "Oh, darling, you're quite special to me, I can say that much, at least. You know why, love?"

“Why?” You muse, placing your hands on your knees, trying not to have your playful smile grow into a flirtatious one.

He chuckles softly again at your response, your eyes endearing, the music from your heart making his beat faster. You're giving him the most childish smile he's seen from any overlord on this side of the pentagram. You're so precious that he just wants to put his hands on either side of your head and squish it until it implodes. He'd give anything to have the chance to tear you open and crawl inside you forever.

"Oh, darling, the answer is quite simple really. You're special to me because I happen to love you quite a lot."

Your breath stops in your throat; you're sure it makes an audible sound. Your body is still. You always thought that in a moment like this, your hands would clench my dress, your jaw would tighten, and your eyes would widen. But none of that happened. Your body is still, too motionless to reply. This must be a test. Are you supposed to laugh it off?

This reaction is enough to amuse him. Would any cover-up even work?

After a few beats of silence, your stiff hands lift. “That’s quite delightful to hear from somebody like you.”

He hums in approval, his smirk only widening as he looks at every detail of your face. He catches the way that your pupils seem to stop and freeze completely, like a statue, until you release the breath you were holding and lighten up. He saw how those words seemed to catch you off-guard, how they shocked you.

He watches you intently for a few beats, no response coming from him.

Silence.

Are you supposed to break it? It reminds you of those old interrogation tactics, and damn do they work. Your fingers twitch, but I quickly decide against saying anything, wanting a witty response from him to end the tension.

It is delightful for him to see you struggling like this.

He enjoys how easily he can fluster you and how you melt at his every ounce of affection. Hare help but smile a bit in amusement as he watched the uncertainty on your face.

“Focus on your cooking.” You sign, smiling wide, trying to control your face to stop your eyes from watering. “You haven't even started.”

He glances behind him, only with his neck, while his body refuses to move away from you. "Oh, really? I suppose you're right!"

“I can just leave if it’ll make the meal finish quicker,” you say without moving to stand. A wave of nausea reaches you, one that makes your stomach turn and your skull ache. You want to pull at your hair from the strands and scream.

"Well, if you think it'll help the cooking process go by quicker, then by all means, leave."

That's all you need to see. Alaster's eyes barely graze yours, but his smile remains as wide as ever. With a curtsey, you say a goodbye, “It better be the best meal I’ve ever had.”

The walk from the kitchen to the bar lasts for miles. In that (actually very short) time, your vulnerability formed into anger. How dare he mess with you like that. Who does he think he is, bringing you here just to disorder your life? He's been gone for an eternity, and now he trots back to give you a second death.

“Husk.” He's never seen you walk faster. It's almost a jog. What scares him most is how you addressed him using your voice.

You go back to signing. “Alastor is fucking with me and I’m on the verge of strangling him alive.”

He raises an eyebrow, a little concerned at the look in your eyes but also amused at how irked you look. He chuckles a little and pours some whiskey into a glass, taking his time before putting it down and signing.

"I didn't think I'd see the day you'd actually threaten him- what did he do?" For a second, his fingers linger on the word 'now,' but there isn't a moment in his memory where Alastor has done you wrong.

He glances behind you, and you see nothing when you follow his gaze. You even do a double-take just to make sure.

“He told me he loved me.” You slam your hand on the counter for emphasis, eyebrows raised and smile crooked. “Can you believe that?”

He takes a long sip of his drink and looks at you. Then, he laughs. It's a short one that only bounces his shoulders for a few seconds.

"Don't worry, I seriously doubt he really means it. That guy is about as loving as a cactus. It's all just part of his obnoxious theatre routine."

“Exactly, he’s just trying to see my reaction and I gave him what he wanted by freezing up. This is so embarrassing.” Your hands dig into your hair before you tug on it, trying to pull the headache from your skull.

"Relax, birdy. You're not the first person Alastor's done this to. Just ignore him and he'll eventually get bored and move on to something else."

I want everything but that.

This is the worst advice you've ever received. Husk sees only the worst in Alastor and knows him only for his lies and brutalities. But there's one thing the two of you have in common.

"You know he'd never leave me alone."

"Like a fucking limpet."

"A what?"

He stares down at his own hand, the suckling motion he was doing. He waves it off. "Nothing."

“Husk, be real please, I don’t know what to do.” Opening up to the bartender is something he's used to people doing. This is the first time he's seen an overlord crumble before him.

"Why the fuck you asking me?"

"I don't have anyone else who knows sign language!"

With the frizziness of your hair and the screeches of your music, his ears begin to droop.

You just continue, your eyes too focused on scanning behind you to notice the changes in Husk's body language. “Zestial said he’s playing me. Do you think that’s true?”

He growls at you and then covers his mouth. You press a hand to your speaker. Thump,thump,thump. It beats in fast dances.

Your hand forms a fist. "I'm sorry."

"How the fuck do you know Zestial?"

"Nevermind, forget it." The red dress drags behind you when you rush to the door.

People scratch out their ears. They attack each other, claws and teeth ripping through flesh down to their organs. Cars crash into buildings, lighting fires and igniting anybody close enough. You stomp down the street, dress flowing behind you like the goddess Hathor. The noise pierces Vox's cameras, all turning off one by one when you walk by. Carmilla holds her daughter's hands and goes behind closed doors when she hears the noise getting louder and louder. Zestial continues sipping his tea, holding a book in his hand, waiting for you; he has since you left. Alaster hasn't let you out alone since he dragged you here, but now you've found yourself plodding through Pentagram City. Your eyes remain locked ahead, uncaring rather than avoiding.

You even scowl when you ride up the elevator. You face the wall, arms crossed and shoulders high. Zestial's quarters in this building are tucked away; the moment the door is opened, one is greeted with a pitch-black tone. You were only hoping he was sitting in here, and you were right. As if he was waiting for you. A long table sits in the middle of his room, and he sits on one side, a book in his hand. The chair across from him is tucked in neatly.

You put your hand on the back of that chair, yank it out, and sit down, scooting in urgently. He doesn't look up at you until he sees you lift your hands. “Zestial, curse you for bringing negative thoughts into my head. I believe you were right.”

He looks up from his book, and a smile quickly forms on his face as he recognizes your frustrated expression. He closes the novel and places it to the side.

"Ah, little one, what a pleasant surprise. I take it thou has encountered some sort of dilemma since we last spoke? Hast the demon done something indelible?"

“Terribly accurate, I’m afraid. I’ve left the hotel in a haste after the dilemma. Do you want to guess what Alastor said to me?” You lean forward, eyes wide with indignation towards the name. “Guess what he said.”

He leans back in his seat. His ample amount of eyes all focus on your face, grasping at each curve, logging into his memory your emotional distress. "Thou art angered by whatever Alastor said. Allow me to hazard a guess... Mayhaps he said something to tease thee, or made a clever remark that thou did not appreciate?"

“He told me he loved me. He said that word, that specific word.” A wave of static howls from your speaker so loud that he has to clench his fists to withhold a noticeable flinch. You hardly notice.

But then he holds out his hand, palm facing you, a slight motion telling you to calm down. It's not a command; it's something gentle. Your eyes stay on his hand; he doesn't move it for as long as you need. Your pupils trail over the sharp points on his long fingers; they even sway a bit, capturing your attention further.

You sigh, put two fingers on your neck, and feel your pulse without the rhythm of your music. You nod to yourself. “I must get out of that hotel. Though forged with isolation, I’ve found my personal chambers much more appealing recently.”

"I see his confession has not brought the reaction he'd hoped for. It seems to have pushed thee further away."

“He was using it to tease me.” But the stagger of your hands gets shaky, sounding unsure. “He had to have been.”

Confession?

With the perceived uncertainty, Zestial leans forward in his seat, interested in unraveling you. "So thou believe that Alastor was merely teasing and playing with thy emotions? Using the words "I love you" as a jest rather than a sincere expression of affection?"

“He wouldn’t say it for any other reason. I thought you’d agree.”

"May I challenge that belief for a moment?"

You're on the verge of slamming your face into the table. “Say your piece. I’ll listen.”

Zestial grins at your response, at your reluctant acceptance. His expression becomes severely thoughtful, and all of his eyes slowly shrink with deconstruction. "Ah, how gracious of thou to humor me. Now, allow me to present a counter-argument."

He pauses for a moment, collecting his thoughts. "What if Alastor's use of the phrase "I love you" was not merely a jest, but a sincere expression of his feelings? What if, beneath his playful exterior, he has indeed developed genuine affection for thee?"

“Then all I did was run away..."

Your head spins. Zestial had told you there is more than one way to love. That comment had brushed over you, but now you think you understand. You think.

He recognizes the denial and resistance etched on your face and the hint of understanding in your eyes. "Little one, do not beat yourself up for thy reaction. It is normal to be skeptical and even fearful when confronted with the revelation of another’s affections. I see the need in thine heart, and I shall try to provide some clarity. Now tell me, do thou believe that Alastor is capable of love? Not just any kind of love, but the genuine, affectionate love that one person has for another."

“No.” Your hand fights against you.

You want to add to the comment that you've never considered it or entertained the thought. And though true, all of those things seem fruitless now. “I don’t.”

"Ah, I see... But tell me, why dost thou not believe that Alastor is capable of such love? Is it because of his past actions? His demeanor? Or perhaps something else entirely?"

“With how close we are,” you squeeze your eyes closed. “I believe he would have told me if he’s loved somebody before. I know he’s never had a girlfriend or a wife. I know that he’s not interested in those things.”

Explaining things to him as if he's on the outside of things makes your thoughts settle into better places. You're not acting outraged; this is entirely reasonable.

"Thou base thy belief on the fact that Alastor has not spoken of past loves or relationships. And that he has not shown interest in romantic companionship. Is that correct?"

“Yes.” You meet his eyes, your brows low, and your eyes filled to the brim with confidence. “I know that for a fact. That’s where all of this comes from.”

"But let me pose another question to thou, my dear. Just because Alastor has not spoken of past loves or relationships, or lack thereof, does that mean that he is not capable of loving? Or that he cannot feel affection for someone in the present, or even in the future?"

“I suppose not. Albeit, that’s wishful thinking.” Your head drops, and your cheeks start to warm. “Zestial, are you only saying these things to make me feel better?”

"Ah, my dearest, I do not say these words simply to soothe thy troubled mind. I say them because I sense that thou has shut thyself off from the possibility of love." He leans forward to get you staring into his eyes again. "Thou has dismissed Alastor's words as a jest, purely because thou cannot fathom the idea of him being capable of such emotions."

“Do I apologize to him?” And even smaller, your fingers barely brush out the words: “Does he not like me anymore?”

"Alastor values thy friendship immensely, and I doubt a single incident would sway his affections so easily."

"You told me earlier that you believe he's reeled me in for a plan of his." You sit back. "Zestial, my dear friend, tell me what you think he has planned for me."

"I do not know exactly what his plan is. All I can be sure of is that he has... taken a liking to thee, in some such capacity," his shoulders drop with a sigh, "I would also agree with thou that this... confession, if't be true we are to name it such, is most unfair to thou, in the way he delivered it unto thee. The Radio Demon plays for keeps, and no one knows exactly what he truly wants until he has it."

"You're confusing me."

His impossibly long arm reaches across the table and holds the side of your head, his pointed fingers putting strands astray. With his other one, he coos at you as if you're a child. "Calm yourself, little one. If thou were to return to thy status, remind yourself that Alastor would lay beneath thee."

Don't word it like that.

"If you let him know that then he'd kill me."

He pulls his hand away. "The true meaning of compassion will guide nature's course."

His cape is stiff as he stands, hardly moving with the motion. "Come now, my dear melody, I believe it is time for thou to return."

[bloopitynoot]

Reading SVSSS: Chapter 6

For those who don't know, I am reading SVSSS for the first time and sharing my thoughts!

If you have not read it, there will be spoilers! Consider this a warning.

Also- if you want to follow along, I am aiming to post updates daily. You can find all the posts in the tag bloopitynoot reads SVSSS. You can also check out the intro post for context on my read.

Here we are on book 2!

I took a couple days off because my body was perishing (read: my uterus was being a little bitch) but I am back :D

Today's tea is an apple crumble with milk and sugar and my little reading buddy (Charlie) has returned for this chapter Extra Needy and sporting his new necktie.

Let's get into this long chapter:

And we start three years later! I was wondering if there was going to be a time jump and there is! :) p9

Why is everyone so thirsty in this world RE: Ning YingYing p10

Oh dang. I really want to know what's making people melt into skeletons p13

Shen Qingqiu is such a vibe" I know I am physically useless, but i'm also a walking encyclopedia so I bring that to the party" p14 honestly same

So many corpses in the water!! p18

Oh shit, what the heck Wu Chen's legs? p22

RE: Wu Chen I did lol at "Great Master, you call this a bit uncomfortable?!" p 22

this totally feels more like a curse than a standard plague p24

why am I laughing so hard at "fuck me, with this speed, they wouldn't lose to a runner doing the 100-metre hurdles! 'Old Lady'? Yeah right! I must be blind!"p26

oooo! Gongyi Xiao is back! p28

Baby is back too!! Luo Binghe! pp29-31

omg and now there is a height difference! Shen qinqgiu being the smol one p32

Re: on the subject of thinking it was a curse like 15 pages ago, it is not a curse. I don't know why I thought it would be literally anything other than demons LOL this is the plot of the entire fictional universe of this book p37

Luo Binghe still only has eyes for Shen Qingqiu- even after being tossed into hell p38

I truly love the inner monologue of Shen Qingqiu's thoughts vs what people just kind of assume he's feeling. SQQ: Luo Binghe has brainwashed these disciples, he is definitely coming for me, I am fucked. Everyone else: this poor man misses his student so much, he is so hurt that Luo Binghe didn't go back to him.

LOL at Luo Binghe's hatefire at seeing SQQ and Gongyi Xiao bonding together p42

I can't XD SQQ: I have a huge announcement guys, Luo Binghe is back!!!! Everyone else: who tf is that? RIP p44

no shit that demonic activity increasing in frequency is 100% indeed a bad omen. p47

I'm crying SQQ thinks Luo BInghe is about to kill him p48

not the magpie bridge reference p50

This man is just crushing his windpipe for funsies -> why do I feel like this is their dynamic? p50

SQQ is actually an idiot. This fool is continuously operating under the assumption that nothing in the story has changed and the original story is guaranteed. If he heard these words and responded appropriately he'd probably be fine RE: "Then why did you tell me not to put too much weight on race and that no one is intolerable to the heavens" p55

Goddamn is Luo Binghe just going to keep beating the shit out of SQQ?? pp57-59

He really made him drink his blood (side note: when this is all said and done, I need to read some vampire aus) What even is that blood going to do to him?? (do not actually tell me, I assume I will find out soonish) p59

I am once again here to talk about how utterly Fucked SQQ is. He still has 0 idea that Luo Binghe has absolutely claimed him p65

Oh dang. Still, even after all this, SQQ has not shaken his original fate of being hated p69

Bro should have let Qi Qingyi finish that sentence. Re: out of his mind with grief" also probably would have changed some things (even if he was embarrassed as hell) p71

omg so much happening in this scene rn AND then Shen Qingqiu's ex shows up out of no where?!?!?!?!??!!? p73

this man truly cannot catch a break p75

holy shit not even his ex- his wife??????? p75

oop, we have SQQ backstory reveal p77

But also with this reveal: it's a little weird for her though. Like her family takes in this kid from the street, makes him a servant. He continues to serve them, his "family" starts to view him a sibling, AND THEN they get betrothed (not married). Like what. This is wild poor guy- weird because sibling dynamics, also he was their servant. I think she is the weird one honestly. p77

okay, well, he did kill her brother LOL p78

the water prison does not sound good. p81

he really wants to try and last a month there??? best of luck buddy, he cant even handle riding in a carriage without a snack p85

Bonus picture with no notes!

I'm actually so excited for the water prison- it sounds vile, but I need to know how he get's out/how his relationship with Luo Binghe progresses.

[theladyofshalott1989]

On Representation (in Fandom Spaces)

I finished reading an incredible novel last week (Wellness by Nathan Hill) and there's a passage fairly early on that hit me hard. So much so that it made me cry. At the time, I didn't quite understand why it affected me so much, but it finally dawned on me this morning. My analysis will be after the cut. Here's the passage (from pages 208-209): "It's a lecture Jack gives to his Intro to Art class, during the chapter on American landscapes, how painters educated in the European tradition saw the endless tallgrass prairie of the Midwest and literally did not know what to do with it. They had no training that might have prepared them to depict something so monolithic. They were accustomed to scenes with easy scope and dimension: trees in the middle distance for perspective, rivers and valleys that made for convenient vanishing points, mountains on the horizon as an anchoring weight, all of it evocatively defined in light and shadow. But what do you do with a tallgrass prairie, where the middle distance and the far distance and the near distance are all flat and featureless and identical? What these artists did, mostly, was ignore it. They kept traveling west until they reached the Rockies and were rewarded with landscapes that matched their schooling, which is why, in the canon of American landscape art, the prairie is so underrepresented. It's not because the prairie wasn't beautiful—most of the painters acknowledged, in letters and diaries, that it was very pretty indeed—but rather that the prairie did not accord with the traditional standards of what was specifically beautiful in landscape art. These painters came looking for the things they knew how to depict—forests and mountains and beaches—and when they found none of these, they declared the landscape 'empty.' They did not see what was there. Instead, they saw what wasn't.

Jack means it to be a lesson on the difference between reality and the representation of reality. Beauty, he tells his students, is a constructed, not intrinsic, condition. The things we think are beautiful are only the things that have been depicted beautifully. And if it's not depicted, it's not seen. It never enters the imagination. It becomes a nothing.

Which is why the west got Yellowstone, and the prairie got destroyed."

I like to remain a positive space in this fandom for everyone, but I am human and I have my down days. Today is one of those days, so I thought I would (respectfully) wax on about this passage in the context of LGBTQIA+ representation in fandom spaces like Hogwarts: Legacy.

Despite a growing number of creators depicting diverse, queer narratives, there is often a noticeable lack of engagement with these works on platforms like AO3. I sometimes come across comments from users—which I don't think are made with ill intent—about only reading works by popular creators. While I understand this to some extent, as both a writer and a dedicated reader in this fandom, when I come across this sentiment in the wild, it's like a punch to the gut. I know and support many beautiful works that, if you were to sort by hits, kudos, or bookmarks, wouldn’t be considered “popular,” but are spectacularly written with wonderfully fleshed-out characters, and these stories deserve just as much recognition.

Suffice it to say, these stories—more often than not—do not center on heterosexual relationships or cisgender perspectives.

When queer stories are not engaged with, they risk being rendered "invisible" in fandom culture. This doesn’t mean they lack value or beauty, but simply that they fall outside the established norms, just as the prairie did in the eyes of the artists in the shared passage. This lack of visibility isn’t due to an absence of effort or talent but reflects a broader issue where what is unfamiliar or different struggles to be recognized and celebrated.

In this context, it's disheartening to see the potential for LGBTQIA+ stories to expand the landscape of fandom, only for them to often be overlooked. We deserve to see a fandom where all perspectives—like all landscapes—are equally appreciated and supported.

To those of you who do write LGBTQIA+ stories, you are seen and appreciated. Please do not stop writing. I know it can be very difficult to seemingly write into the void. Don't give up. You are doing the world a service. To those of you who are willing to expand your worldview, go out there and read outside of your comfort zone. You may find a new appreciation for an underrated pairing or genre.

Ultimately, I know this uncomfy feeling of mine will pass. It always does. But if you made it all the way to the end of this, thank you, and perhaps do me a favor. Think of a pairing (or even a story that doesn't have a pairing!) that you haven't explored yet in this fandom. Don't sort by hits, kudos, or bookmarks, as it's likely there aren't many stories yet to shuffle through. Browse the summaries. Does one stand out to you? Give it a try! If you enjoy it, give that author a kudo, maybe even a comment. You'll make their month, I guarantee it.

I suppose that's all besides I love y'all. Yes, all of y'all. <3

[steddieunderdogfics]

This week’s writer spotlight feature is:  Pricklywhicket/@messessentialist ! Prickleywhicket has four fics published to AO3 -- All in the Steddie tag!

Our anonymous nominator recommends the following works by pricklywhicket:

so let's sneak in from the cheap seats, honey

it's supposed to be fun (turning twenty-one)

start by pulling him out of the fire

"Sadie is so super talented in the way she describes literally everything. She is so good at writing and it's a shame that she's flown under the radar because she's not the quickest at putting things out there." -- Anonymous

Below the cut, Pricklywhicket answered some questions about their writing process and some of their recommended work!

Why do you write Steddie?

Why do any of us write anything? Because we want the story to exist in the world, and it doesn’t yet, so we gotta hike up our pants and do it ourselves!

What’s your favorite trope to READ?

Hurt/Comfort. I’m always a sucker for the blorbos taking care of one another, in whatever form that takes. This has always been true, across a truly astronomical number of fandoms I’ve found myself dabbling in over the years.

What’s your favorite trope to WRITE?

…actually, probably hurt/comfort! I just need to get those little dudes some validation and unconditional positive regard, okay?

What’s your favorite Steddie fic?

I’m sure I won’t be the first one to say this, but: I HAVE TO PICK ONE????? Okay, alright. I can do this. I’m gonna say…Sanctuary by SpicedSage.

Is there a trope you’re excited to explore in a future work but haven’t yet?

I’ve only written canon or canon-adjacent fic so far, so I’m eager to work on something that’s completely AU. I think there’s a unique challenge to keeping characters recognizable as themselves in a world that might not have all the same contexts that made them into that person.

What is your writing process like?

I would love to say it’s super organized and well-planned, but the truth is it’s mostly about routine and responsibility. I set aside time to do it every day, even if I can only tap out a few sentences. I’m not very strict about writing in a straight line - I can stop a scene if it’s giving me trouble, write a note about what I think happens in some [brackets], and move on to something that I have more fully fleshed-out ideas for. Sometimes writing the next scene helps you know more about what needs to happen in the current one. 

Do you have any writing quirks?

I'm sure my betas would say yes 🙃 I tend to write a lot of dialogue - a lot of my revision process is going back through and realizing I have two pages of a conversation with no indication of what’s physically happening in the world around the speakers.

Do you prefer posting when you’ve finished writing or on a schedule?

Definitely when I’m finished. Prior to my ‘23 bang fic, I had never written anything chaptered. I knew going in that I could NOT start posting if it wasn’t finished, because I’ve been burned too many times by abandoned works. I didn’t want to do that to people reading my fic, and the best way to avoid it is to finish before you post.

Which fic are you most proud of?

Easily start by pulling him out of the fire. The biggest, most ambitious thing I’ve ever attempted - I still kind of can’t believe I wrote 85k.

How did you get the idea for start by pulling him out of the fire?

Like most terrible ideas, it was spawned in a fandom discord chat. We were discussing the tendency of Steddie fics to centralize the party at Steve’s house, because his parents are never there anyway. And then someone mentioned what if the parents came home and found their house occupied, and someone else mentioned Wayne being there, and it just sort of…spiraled out from there.

When writing start by pulling him out of the fire, what was something you didn’t expect?

I had no idea, going in, that I was going to write a comprehensive history of the Wayne and Eddie Munson relationship. I started writing it where I did to give some background on Wayne’s existing distaste for the elder Harrington, and then I just…kept writing. Over the course of a month or two I wrote 20k of WayneAndEddie that I had no idea was in me - it just kept coming.

What inspired it's supposed to be fun (turning twenty-one)?

@wynnyfryd. It was a gift for her birthday. We were talking about our mutual love of Letterkenny, and she mentioned that the episode was her favorite and wouldn’t it be funny if someone wrote… and the rest is history.

What was your favorite part to write from it's supposed to be fun (turning twenty-one)?

I had an unreasonable amount of fun with that one in general. But I think my favorite part was Eddie polling the party about what Steve means to them all. It was fun to sort of put myself in each character’s shoes and think about how they would answer. Plus y’know, any excuse to unironically love on Steve Harrington.

How do/did you feel writing so let's sneak in from the cheap seats, honey?

I believe my exact words upon deciding to write it were “jingles miserably to a blank google doc.” This was a classic case of saying “god I wish there was a fic where—” and having friends tell me that it was now my responsibility to write it. I’m glad I did, though. I love that story, and it proved to me that I could write sex and publish it and not burst into flames. I also just really, really love summer storms. And Wayne’s use of the singular ‘herpe.’

What was the most difficult part of writing so let's sneak in from the cheap seats honey?

Getting over the fear of publishing something E-rated. It was just something I hadn’t done, and I had a lot of anxiety that people were not going to respond well to it. I made three people individually review the sex scenes before I even asked anyone to beta the full fic. Of course I was worried for nothing, the reception for that fic was super lovely and gave me the confidence boost I needed to attempt start by pulling him out of the fire!

Do you have a favorite scene and/or line from any of your fics?

This is like asking me to pick a favorite child. I’ll say this: most of my favorite lines in start by pulling him out of the fire were taken directly from conversations @wormdebut and I had about the fic. She’s my number one cheerleader and sounding board, and sometimes she’s so goddamn funny that I just have to include it. You have her to thank, for instance, for Steve quite literally dropping his croissant when he first sees Eddie in glasses.

Do you have any upcoming projects or fics you’d like to share/promote?

I have a couple of irons in the fire, but nothing I’m ready to share just yet! I’ve been taking a breather from writing (blame baldur’s gate 3, okay) but my WIPs are still very much IP. Stay tuned!

Outside of these questions, Is there anything YOU would like to add?

Not that I can think of!

Thank you to our author, Pricklywhicket, and our anonymous nominator! See more of pricklywhicket's works featured on our page throughout the day!

Writer’s Spotlight is every Wednesday! Want to nominate an author? You can nominate them here!

[privateolives]

Maybe I missed it, but there's a bit of foreshadowing in Laios' nightmare that I don't see mentioned often. Namely, on these two pages:

I was reading this again, and I noticed that this monster has got to be Laios' "perfect monster" that he would later transform into, sans the wolf head that he adds later.

What struck me about this moment is a) he uses this made-up monster to literally squash the haunting memories of his dissappointed parents and all the negative human interactions that came before them in this moment. It's an early hint at the infamous moment later in the story, where the winged lion reads him like a book:

That insight completely reframed what he's doing in the dream. He's using his interests and fantasies to quite literally crush his negative feelings about humans and the terrible ways they've made him feel.

Not only that, but the moment he's dispelled it, Laios immediately rips his own human appearance to shreds, becoming a different form. Reading it for the first time, I assumed that he used his knowledge in order to think up a convenient way to change scenes and track down who he was looking for; using his insight in a utalitarian way inside the dream world.

However, what about now, that we know that Laios really wants to become a monster himself?

With the later context, it reads far more like he takes this route because within the dreamscape, he can shed the form he hates to become something more comfortable in order to do what he needs to.

It also made me think though, the fact he became the canine, instead of the monster... what does it mean? It could be utility sure, but it makes me think of something else, first.

Laios famously does an amazing impression of a dog, and demonstrates this at one point in order to scare a shapeshiter. It is convincing enough to scare the monster and have both Chilchuck and Senshi clock what he's impersonating immediately. Notably, he mentions that they "taught him how to hunt" which is kind of unusual for a dog to do. However, knowing Laios' intersts, it makes sense for him to have extensively studied their behaviors.

Perhaps the canine form is chosen in the dream because behaving like a dog is something he is simply so comfortable with doing it comes natural to him to take the shape. And perhaps it is so, because long before he chased down the monsters in the dungeon, he found a safe haven away from the humanity he hated with the dogs, and longed to be like them, much like he wants to be a monster now. But that's just my speculation.

Either way, I think that's a cool little moment foreshadowing some of Laios' true feelings about humanity at large and how he's coped by being mistreated by other people from a young age.

Possible disproval of this theory of course, with Laios reaction to Marcille's retelling of the dream at the end of the chapter:

Though, the objection he gives on the page is that he was a white WOLF, not a dog, rather than objecting to not being seen as a person during the chase in the dream.