#granted i am in c- so it’s not like i’m actually good lol

[limewatt]

i am a god in splat zones. 13 wins out of 14 games lmao. flingza i love youuuu so sorry for trying other weapons

[frodo-with-glasses]

More Reading Thoughts: The Epilogue, Version Two

Like all good writers, Tolkien couldn’t quite make up his mind how he wanted to write this part. Once again tagging @lady-merian and thanking her for her patience X-D

Jirt’s Text

“…with many pauses for thought he was writing in his slow round hand…” I chose to believe this refers not only to the printed script but to the actual hand that’s writing it X-P

*Smash Bros title screen* Primrose joins the battle!

It’s Elanor’s birthday :-D

Elanor has red-gold hair confirmed

SHE CALLS HIM SAM-DAAAAAAD TTuTT

AND WALKS UP AND HUGS HIM AS HE WRITES

Sam: Only you have heard the whole Book more than once. Elanor, being Very Precise: Three times.

Hello yes Elanor is adorbs and I love her

Mirkwood is called Greenwood now!

MERRY WENT TO VISIT EOWYN IN HER WHITE HOUSE

MERRY GOT TO HANG OUT WITH EOWYN AND BERGIL AGAIN I AM LIVING

MERRY SR. IS GONNA GIVE MERRY JR. A PONY FROM ROHAN

I WILL ACTUALLY CRY

Sam, sighing: “These questions and answers aren’t fit to go in a book like that. :-(” Meanwhile, Sam, literally in a book:

BOOKCEPTION

“Mr. Meriadoc might help me. He’s clever at writing, and he’s making a splendid book all about plants.” Confirmed: Merry is an herb nerd and I would die for him

Sam still says Elanor is just as pretty if not prettier than her flower, and she’s still like “okay Dad” LOL

“Though it’s over, as we say, things don’t really end sharp like that.” Way to elbow the readers for criticizing your 13,594 endings, Tolkien

“I think it was very sad for him. And for you, Sam-dad. For your treasure went too.” HI HELLO YES OKAY IT IS FRODO TIME

YOUR TREASURE holy honey-nut feelios i die

“It was sad, Elanorellë. It was, but isn’t now.” (Tolkien I see you but I’m still gonna write angst and you can’t stop me ‘cause you’re dead)

Sam takes comfort in the fact that Frodo got his reward, and he himself got abundant reward as well. “I am a very rich hobbit.” And one more thing:

“Before he went Mr. Frodo said that my time maybe would come. I can wait. I think maybe we haven’t said farewell for good. But I can wait.”

*SCREAMS INTO A PILLOW*

WAIT. ELANOR WANTS TO GO WITH HIM. “I shall not part with you, like Arwen did with Elrond.”

HOLY PRECISION SHOT TO THE DAD-FEELS, BATMAN

Okay okay okay if you don’t have this book, you’re not gonna believe me, but I swear this is a 100% verbatim quote:

Elanor: Good night, Sam-dad. But… Sam: I don’t want good night but.

I freakin’ love Lord of the Rings 🤣

Elanor “spied” and saw Sam receive the scroll from the King! Just like the Conspirators spied on Frodo and the Ring! And Sam goes “well that’s karma if I’ve ever seen it” LOL

Okay so he went with the Fullwise name here

Elanor: When should we get ready? What will we wear? HOW MANY CURTSIES SHOULD I DO??

Sam: You wanna see elves, kid? You’re gonna see elves. Elanor: 🤩

Sam thinks the fire burns lower when Elanor leaves ;u;

This is the second time Tolkien makes fun of the hobbits praising the predictable clear weather at the end of March as “something unusual for the season”, which tells me he was very fond of that joke

Yay! He went with the singing version! X-D

And still ends with the sounds of the Sea. ✨Foreshadowing✨

Christopher’s Notes

Okay Tolkien’s “resumé” of the end of the book here gives some fascinating insights

“But Frodo cannot be healed. For the preservation of the Shire he has sacrificed himself, even in health, and has no heart to enjoy it. Sam has to choose between love of master and of wife. In the end he goes with Frodo on a last journey.”

He sacrificed himself…but has no heart to enjoy it… :-C TT~TT

“To Bilbo and Frodo the special Grace is granted to go with the elves they loved – an Arthurian ending, in which it is, of course, not made explicit whether this is an ‘allegory’ of death, or a mode of healing and restoration leading to a return.”

No wonder the ending is so haunting. Is it death? Is it healing? It’s both, and it’s neither, and it’s incredibly mythical and storybook-ish. Holy cow.

Also thought this was funny:

“Hobbit-children were delightful, but I am afraid that the only glimpses of them in this book are found at the beginning of vol. I. An epilogue giving a further glimpse (though of a rather exceptional family) has been so universally condemned that I shall not insert it. One must stop somewhere.” Tolkien really be like #I’mNotBitter lol

[threadsun]

Ooorrr maybe I just suck at lying so AHA! GOT YOU THERE! Gotta use those breathing exercises to make sure I can focus typing so I don’t think I COULD lie if I wanted to. I’m just THAT confident that’d I’d win~ Or maybe I am lying and don’t want to admit that your words are affecting a lot more than I say. That I’d rather just submit because it would feel so nice to be used and manhandled like you said, to let my mind break~ But then again, you’d never know it because I’m just that good at hiding it~ ;P Oh well, such a shame! I feel like pain and pleasure go hand-in-hand the same way that praise and degradation do, so of course it’d make sense that if I actually WANTED to submit, then I’d try to withstand as much pain as possible. I easily bruise and my pain tolerance is super low so it’s not hard to make me yelp, but that’s only if you can get me down. I guess I’ll just have to get closer, won’t I~? 😜

In any case, I’m going to just add that punishment to the VERY small list of punishments that actually work so thank you for enlightening not only that, but for me being a brat too. Taking notes here lol.

!!! I’M LOVING YOUR THEORY!!! See, I just FINALLY started looking at the other characters more deeply (ghost tiddies were distracting me for a long while) so I haven’t been able to put anything cohesive together yet. Your theory on Ian’s mother planting seeds of doubt in his head seems like the most realistic reason as to why he may have cheated. Like you said, she’s not above sending people to stalk him just to gain leverage over his emotional and mental state so if she disapproves of M/C, then I can see her trying to split them apart. Definitely a lot more in character for Ian than what I said! I swear this is why I love discussing theories with others instead of trying to figure it out all on my own. I definitely don’t see him cheating just cause, so having a more solid foundation to build off of is nice.

Hey! I like Joesph in uniform too, no shame here! But like, fireman Joesph getting you a collar that you must wear at ALL times, no exceptions. Having to walk around on all fours while Joesph parades you through the firehouse leash in hand. “Good puppies don’t speak for their treats, they bark for them. Don’t you want a treat, doll?” Joesph slowly starts to unbuckle his belt, his form intimidating from this angle. He bites his lip as he peers down at you.

“Then beg for it~”

AHHHH! Listen, I’m not super into petplay but I’d bark repeatedly at this man, I swear! 🥴 But holy shoot, going for a fireman AU overall for all of them? Can I buy one of those pin-up charity calendars from their firehouse?

YUS! Imma be like a hawk and lazer focus on that bad boi when it drops. 😂 Oh! I think I remember reading about the herbal cigarettes on your page! But ooooo, what do they usually smell like? 😗 I’m all about those scents and perfumes which speaking of, I imagine that Joesph would smell like the cologne Obsession and Jack would be more of fresh, gourmand smell, maybe even citrus, but I can’t pinpoint an exact fragrance.

Also, waxplay? Holy hell that sounds extremely hot from how you described it (no pun intended)!

-🎃

Awwww so cute~ It's okay, I'd let you have your fun before I broke you. I'd let you believe you're a true brat, only to show you that deep down you're really just a needy little masochist. And then we'd have plenty of fun seeing just how nicely you bruise! But as you said, you'll have to get closer first. I'll tease anyone, but I'll only put real effort in for money or friends~ Can't just go around giving away the goods for free, you know. No matter how tempting it is to take my sadistic urges out on a silly little vocal brat...

I've been thinking about it for a long time now because the cheating just seemed so... out of left field? I guess? But then I realised it's only surprising if you assume he did it for fun. A lot of people seem to think he takes mc for granted, but throughout the Afterlife we see him over and over again being thankful for their presence and not considering himself worthy of them. But what we also see is some of the lengths to which his mother will go to make him be who she wants him to be. And given that we know mc is the one who's helping Ian cut her out of his life, it's no surprise she'd want to break them up. idk I just think it makes more sense with Ian's character than just like... he felt like cheating and assumed they'd forgive him?

😳 Joseph introducing you to all of the guys as the stations new pet, making you greet them on all fours and letting them know you're free for any of them to use when they need to blow off a little steam~

Ooooh yesssss they absolutely make those firefighter pin up calendars and I would order a hundred of them!! The real question is would they do "sexy firefighters with kittens/puppies" calendars as well? Cause those would be hot and cute!!

>:3c Joseph is gonna get his whole life ruined and it'll be beautiful~ Yeah, herbal cigarettes are cool cause they just smell kinda like burning herbs/flowers. So like floral or herby and smoky too! Like when people burn lavender and stuff! But yeah, I can imagine Ian smelling like them because I feel like there's a lot of pressure for actors to smoke but he wouldn't want nicotine or weed. Joseph definitely smells like Obsession!! And yeah, I could see Jack smelling of grapefruit tbh.

Waxplay is very fun!! And hot, it's fun to watch someone squirm while hot wax drips on them >:3c

[theidiotwhowritesthings]

Hi!! First I want to say that A Fresh Start is absolutely my favorite thing I’ve ever read. I binge read it over the past week and I’m getting ready to re-read it. You write so amazingly that I was hoping I could ask you some questions? I’ve been trying to write a Din Djarin piece for a couple months now and I just hate it every time I read through it; and you write him so well! I am not new to the Star Wars fandom, my parents practically raised me on Star Wars, but I’m new to writing fan fiction for the Star Wars community. Do you do a lot of research to get the languages/terms? Do you also do a lot of research on the different worlds? When you’re writing do you pre-plan your plot or do you just write while it feels good? How extensively do you edit? I feel like editing is my downfall. Do you have any advice for for someone like me who is striving to be as good of a writer as you? 🥹 thank you and I can’t wait to read more of your writing!!

PS. Don’t feel like you have to answer this publicly or at all! I mostly just want to give you love on your writing because it is absolutely amazing!! 🩵🩵

OKAY FIRST OF ALL, YOU’RE SO FUCKING SWEET. Thank you so much omgg. And absolutely yes ask me all the questions. I will always answer (you didn’t even have to butter me up with compliments💁🏻‍♀️✨)

I love when people say they like how I write Din b/c I’m low-key just throwing a bunch of headcanons together and praying for the best lolol.

Long rambles ahead of me attempting to answer questions:

For Mando’a, I am not awesome at it. Some people are so way better. I had someone actually correct me once on the tense of a word and it blew my mind. However, I use this dictionary and this translator. I have no idea how accurate either is but I wing it from there lol.

I am a big researcher and it’s b/c I’m a perfectionist. I’m shockingly more lazy about it when it comes to Star Wars worlds. Like, I’ll search it up and get the big things (world name, setting, city names, etc.) but from there I just toss things in that I think would make sense? And in my last chapter of AFS, I just straight made up a world b/c I didn’t feel like doing research. I think that’s part of the beauty in working with a medium like Star Wars is that when it comes to setting you have a lot of free reign.

Ah. The age old question of ‘plotter vs pantser’. There are huge merits to both. For my original story, I have sat down and extensively plotted things out. Like a good little organized writer, which tbh is part of the reason why I’ve been lazy with it. Naturally, I am very much a pantser. I will come into a story with a vague idea of what I want, a few mental scenes I want to play with, but from there I just sort of let it roll. Writing fan fiction is like playing jazz for me. Very in the moment, improvisation, winging it.

Many times, I am surprised by my own ideas and that’s why it’s so much fun. Now, granted once I start writing a plot begins to form in my head. A rough outline. For example, in AFS, I started out with one idea: Domestic Din Djarin. And I had one scene in my head I specifically wanted to write: the scene where reader save a sick Grogu. So, I just started writing things and around chapter 6 or 7 my brain had a rough plan on where I wanted the story to go and how I want it to end, but I still leave it very open for if a new idea suddenly comes to me.

UGH EDITING SUUUUCKS. I go through one round of editing b/c otherwise it feels miserable. I write the chapter or the drabble without stopping to look back and edit. My only recommendation is ‘DONT EDIT WHILE YOU WORK’, b/c you end up getting stuck in this loop. Write it all out, just get it on paper, then read through it and edit afterwards.

I’ll type out a Drabble in google docs without re-reading it or editing it, then I post it over to Tumblr and when it’s on that new page win a different style I read through it and edit as I go. Then I hit post. (So if you come across errors in my work that’s why lolol)

My advice is don’t strive to be like me. (I mean I am totally honored to hear that you think I’m a great writer and want to be like me, that went STRAIGHT to my ego).

But what I mean is, never try to shape yourself into any other style. Don’t ever compare yourself to others. Because I guarantee you, right now, that you have skills and gifts that I probably can’t bring to the table. You are going to write something and just by it being in your voice you are creating something unique and beautiful. So don’t ever try to edit the way you write to match someone else b/c then you’d be depriving the world of your own voice. That being said the best advice I was ever given about improving my own writing skill and style was ‘JUST WRITE’ and it’s so hard lolol. B/c I wanna write but I don’t wanna write. You feel me? I just want all the words in my head to be on paper and that be it hahah. But the point of that is, it’s like any other skill or hobby or sport, the more you do it the better you become and the more comfortable you feel with your style.

I have no formal training in writing. My degree is in science, only took the baseline literature classes in college, so everything I know and do is self taught through trial and error. One of these days, I might post one of my early works b/c it is ATROCIOUS. Like literally godawful. I swear to you I’m not being humble, it was actual trash BUT IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE. The first things you create are not going to be brilliant or moving and they might even make yourself cringe when you look back on it, but as long as you had fun writing it that’s what matters. Then you keep writing and writing and writing and eventually you find your rhythm.

I started writing in the 7th grade. If you compare my 7th grade work to my 10th grade work, I improved by leaps and bounds. Compare my 10th grade work to my sophomore year of college works, again HUGE changes. Compare my college years of writing to what I do today? Even better.

I still have days where I’ll stare at a page and feel incompetent and illiterate. It happens. But I never gave up on writing, b/c it was truly what I loved to do, and gradually I found and solidified my voice. I don’t think I’m an extraordinary writer by any means, but I am confident in the words I use and the style I write in. And that makes me happy.

So, that was my VERY long winded way of saying: I am so proud of you, I think you're being harder on yourself than necessary (everyone is their own worst critic), and have fun. 💜

[terramythos]

A Study in Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Reading Notes

Full Review Here!

-while I am going into these mostly blind (literally my max exposure to Sherlock Holmes is some of the show Elementary and the Guy Ritchie films) this specific story is a little spoiled for me. Oh well -there is licherally no publication year on my copy lmao What (1887, thanks Google) Part 1 (ooo a two parter- scandalous) Chapter 1 - Mr. Sherlock Holmes -ill be real I have like no context for the afghan war except Classic British Colonialism part six billion or whatever -"the great wilderness of London" lmfao -I feel like I vaguely knew Watson was an honest to God doctor but its still surprising considering what I know of other adaptations -shout out to Holmes inventing a fictional(?) version of luminol? Which apparently was discovered early 20th century, lol. -too bad forensic evidence is still so sketchy a century and a half later, Holmes -BOY I WISH THE POLICE WERE A THING OF THE PAST, BRO. -Holmes meets Watson for the first time and almost immediately stabs himself in the finger to prove a point. The serve Chapter 2 - The Science of Deduction -"haha no way is he addicted to narcotics" oh my sweet summer child -watson: I swear I'm only super fascinated by Mr Holmes because my health sucks and I'd be bored otherwise that's it I swear. -ooh I like the observation that Holmes is basically self taught and ignorant of a lot of things people take for granted. I don't think I've gotten that impression about the character before -i mean it's impossible now not to know Holmes is a detective, but since this was the first story, I have to wonder if some original readers really didn't know going in. If so this bit would be fun because based on the character study and Watson's list of Holmes' knowledge you can figure it out yourself. -watson: man this writer is full of shit, what a moron Holmes: me? :) God that's funny -the unintentional prophecy of Holmes wanting to "make my name famous". God lmfao Chapter 3 - The Lauriston Gardens Mystery -oh hey the actual crime mystery is here -rip random American dude I guess? -goddamn that setting description really digs into a bleak tone, huh -my main observation is the apartment was seemingly abandoned if the dust is any indication, so he was not a resident but brought there. Poisoned makes sense if he was not injured -ok, lol, the Rache thing NOT being Rachel is the thing I had spoiled, and they've already dropped that in the intro chapter to the crime. So I guess I don't know where this is going. Fun! Chapter 4 - What John Rance Had To Tell -watson is smart actually -though I think RACHE being a red herring as Holmes suggests is way too easy -tho Holmes guessing the murderers appearance leads me to believe it's someone he knows. (Also weird that Rance is also a five letter R-E word). -could even make the argument that it could be a fucked up version where the C and H are switched and mutilated, but I have no clue why if the murderer supposedly did it -then again I also don't know why the murderer was the injured one with no sign of a struggle. Maybe a third person? Or something unrelated/accidental? OR the dead dude wasn't actually poisoned, we only have the police's word on that -OH HE SAID THE TITLE OOOOOHHHH -also Holmes seems more invested in the fun of the mystery than the fact some dude was fucking murdered, presumably by a friend based on what he said earlier Chapter 5 - Our Advertisement Brings A Visitor -watson be like "well the guy was fuck ugly so it's probably good he got murdered" like bro??? -yeah no way is this the culprit. Like we're maybe a quarter into the book. If it IS him then there's way more to it -Some Rando In Disguise It Seems -tho I have to say putting an ad out for a (potentially?) valuable piece of lost jewelry like a wedding ring would attract grifters whether they had any relation to the murder or not. Seems like a weird oversight to the plan. Chapter 6 - Tobias Gregson Shows What He Can Do -seeing how 3 different papers frame the murder, specifically political motivations, is a little funny even if I'm missing some of the context of the time. -interesting frame for the chapter, someone else telling a story to the leads. I guess it adds some variety to the presentation (and lets us see red herrings that wouldn't trip up Holmes) -some of the terminology didn't age well, which is unsurprising -- "street Arab" rather than "street urchin". -HOW THE TURNTABLES. THE PLOT THICKENS. ETC Chapter 7 - Light in the Darkness -RACHE again. Hmmmmm. Only this time it WOULD be the victim's blood, not the murderer's. Is the handwriting the same? Plus the original height observation? And the first RACHE was almost hidden, but this one seems more in the open based on what Lestrade said. -again the use of framing where one of the less capable detectives talks about what they've done and discovered to add some variety -ok so this guy was murdered in a much different way than the other, which seems odd, unless someone else did this one. -and the pills point to Stangerson killing Drebber, but then who killed Stangerson? If he was poisoned he would have been stabbed independently of that. -and why two different kinds of pills. Is one an antidote to the other, maybe? It's possible the murderer planted it in Stangerson's room, but why, if the goal was to implicate him? So it probably is actually his. -holmes just knowing and there being some plot contrivance why he can't say does kinda fizzle the stakes a little (never mind this gets resolved in like 2 pages) -but assuming he IS right, I was correct about there being 2 people... which might explain the differences in the 2 murders? -the cab driver! He was mentioned early then everyone seemingly forgot he was present around the time Drebber died. -"it's the end of the mystery!" Uh yeah except the second person is almost certainly at large and there's an entire second part to the story, Holmes. Lol. Lmao Part 2 - The Country of the Saints Chapter 1-- On The Great Alkali Plain -colonialist worldview ahoy -doyle my guy you know quite literally nothing about ecology here like it's ok to admit it -*lists 3 predators* "these are the only guys that live here, in the great miserable American plains," that's not how any food chain works. Also you live in fucking London -I'll stop roasting him lmao -i guess it's like the Nevada salt flats or something?? A little more valid I guess -... huh. -this is quite the framing for part 2 of a murder mystery I'll be real. -the idea of this huge mass of white people traveling through the western desert and biblical references in the like makes me think of Mormons more than anything... -and Stangerson makes his appearance here which sure is fascinating if the dude fucking died (unless the whole antidote and fake death thing is the real shit). Or he has a twin or something. Or this is the past. -oh my god they are Mormons -why are there Mormons making pilgrimage in the salt flats in the first Sherlock Holmes murder mystery??? This shit is wild -"my kid now" ok, word, Ferrier -bringham young is in this SHERLOCK HOLMES story and is also a fucking dick. I'm going insane   Chapter 2 - The Flower of Utah -ferrier gay as fuck let's just be real here -so is this like where the backstory for the wedding ring comes from? If so this is pretty extensive. I do wonder how it all ties into the first story. Like we went full cowboy western here -twu wuv exposition etc Chapter 3 - John Ferrier Talks With The Prophet -"the Mormons suck by the way" ok Doyle go off? -i have to emphasize again that Brigham Young is a character in this fucking Sherlock Holmes story. Like. A villain. This is just crazy to me lmao -The Danites were a real thing apparently? Man. -my guy put in a FOOTNOTE and CITATION about Mormons being misogynistic. There are no footnotes anywhere in the story except to be like "no really they called women heifers here's the guy who said it" I am literally not making this shit up. Doyle based actually??? Chapter 4 - A Flight For Life -we are like half through the second part and I have to fucking state again this is a Sherlock Holmes murder mystery thats just straight up a western now with Brigham Young as the antagonist with the title character nowhere in sight -it hasnt been like outright stated and he could just be tan but theres so many references to Ferrier having brown skin it does make me wonder if he isn't white. The only thing that would be odd with that is he isn't racially discriminated against in a Mormon compound. Especially since his adopted daughter is deffo white & he is discriminated against for NOT taking wives. I can't see that really happening if he isn't white -"there are two ways out of the room... there is the door, and there is the window. Which do you care to use?" DAMN dude -Stangerson & Drebber really do be 2 complete cunts huh. Fuck those guys -doyle: I need to name the guy who rescues Ferrier and Lucy from the Mormons. In America. I got it! "Jefferson Hope" Chapter 5 - The Avenging Angels -we got 3 chapters left??? -"once safe in Carson we may rest for the remainder of our lives" is that on the nose foreshadowing -at least now the wilderness is being described in beautiful terms -Oh RIP Ferrier I guess. They bothered to dig a grave, lol? -honestly I'm a little surprised they didn't try to hunt Jefferson Hope down for good measure since they're supposed to be ultra vindictive. Unless they didn't know he was with them? I guess maybe they didn't? -... nope, they knew and put out a warrant. Again why not try to track him? Too hard? -and convenient random guy Hope happens to know who doesn't hate him who we havent ever seen before -lmao he just leaves her to die I guess? "Oh well some rando married her so it's all over"?? Surely true love would, I dunno, trump social conventions? I guess not LMAO -i guess that's one way to circle around to the first half of the story Chapter 6 - A Continuation of the Reminiscences of John Watson, M.D. -I'll be honest, it could be because this is the first story written about Holmes, but I'm pretty confident this WASNT a mystery one could figure out based on the evidence presented, which is something I was led to believe was a staple of these stories. But I guess it's possible the style just wasn't nailed down yet -maybe you could figure out how the crime was committed but not the motive -that line about vengeance might be the quote to use -I like this part of the narrative where we really see into Hope's actions. I think so much of the story in America was unnecessary; I just didn't feel strongly about the characters like I do actually seeing his perspective here. Why bother with the whole stranded in the desert thing and going into so much detail about how Lucy and Ferrier came to live in Salt Lake City? I dunno, I think it might have been better to be shorter and from Hope's perspective if you must include that section of the story at all - and again, it's not like you could have figured out all that shit based on the first half of the story. I appreciate the kinda experimental time jump but I don't think it worked great -ok the Russian roulette pill thing is a bit weird but sure king, go for it -i know it's metaphorical probably but I like the kinda Gothic touch of Lucy and Ferrier following him to the murder   -"let us see if there is justice upon the earth, or if we are ruled by chance" ok that's pretty raw, go off king -i mean if I have to choose a revenge story from around this period I'd definitely go for Monte Cristo but this is fun too -why try to cover up the crime with the whole Rache thing if you know you're gonna die tho lol -i guess to buy time to kill Stangerson too? Chapter 7 - The Conclusion -I do like the detail that the murderer's blood was on the scene but not the victim. That WAS revealed early but I never suspected a bloody nose to be the source. If it had been a wound there probably would have been evidence of it; a limp or something. That is pretty clever. -but on the other hand, Holmes WAS privy to information we never get (Hope's name and connection to Drebber), so I wouldn't call this a fair mystery. -lestrade and Gregson getting all the credit as predicted lmao -my man closes with Latin? I gotta look it up -"The public hiss at me, but I cheer myself when in my own house I contemplate the coins in my strong-box." -basically, I'm awesome even if no one knows it Well! That was interesting. I liked the mystery itself, and the revenge narrative portion of the conclusion. It's a strong start to a famous character. I think we get a little lost in the weeds with the time jump in the second half of the story, way too much detail and I don't think it focused on the right characters for most of it. Also I have to be a stickler on the fair mystery thing; there are some things you can deduce, but Holmes literally had info we never receive so it's ultimately not fair. I hope this does genuinely change in future stories. I certainly didn't mean to start with the first one, that was an honest accident lmao

[yakumtsaki]

-Can you believe I got fired on my second day?? I mean what in tarnation!!! -Sugar, I love you like a cousin but yes, I absolutely can. -We ARE cousins, douchebag!

-Oh right, somehow I keep forgetting Aunt Cyn is your mom?? Probably because, well.. you know.. -STOP GESTURING AT MY FACE

Well Aunt Cyn is living in marital bliss! With iVan, that is!

-I DON’T KNOW WHY BUT I AM EXTRA OUTRAGED BY THIS ONE!!! -You are, huhu? Why??💗 -I SAID I DON’T KNOW. A LITTLE HELP HERE?

Me? Umm let me think.. ‘Napping together was your special thing’ or some shit?

-RIGHT, good one! Napping together was our special thing!!

Don, not to add insult to injury but I think gonna stop taking pics of you catching Cyn cheating, my readers are tired of it and quite honestly your constant misery is starting to bum me out.

-OH I SEE, out of sight out of mind for Don now, huh?!

Exactly! Thanks for understanding.

Sophito: Does his homework happily in his desk like a normal person.

Sugar: Does his homework in the middle of the street sighing the whole time.

-What does a guy have to do to get run over around here?

Sugar for fuck’s sake, even your father managed to finish high school. Granted, he was a townie at the time so I wasn’t controlling him-

-Yea, there you go then.

Excuse you, Don has flourished under my influence! I finished his LTW, didn’t I?

-Oh wow, a career LTW! 

Not my fault he didn’t roll anything harder! You know what, I’m not talking with you anymore, keep trying to master colors of the rainbow and sounds animal make or whatever your homework is. 

Don, you’re happy, right? I mean other than Cyn relentlessly cheating on you, which to be fair, you knew about going in, so you know, not my fault!!1

-Well sure, I’m happy enough. Looking forward to retirement so I can play Doom all day long! 

Looking forward to your what now?

OH FUCK I FORGOT YOUR BIRTHDAY I’M SORRY DON

-Gee, when have I heard that before?

Ya but unlike Cyn I actually am sorry!

Happy birthday, Don! That’s a very dignified outfit you grew up in, great job, we just need to make it more ‘you’.

Much better.

-Why do I have the sudden urge to tell these damn kids to pipe the hell down??

Go for it, that’s your God-given right as an elder!

LOL. Man the Sugar-Sophito relationship is so wholesome, they’ve always really gotten along, I see them way more as siblings than I ever did Shaj-Cyn who hated each other since birth.

Fun night out.. out in the yard that is.

-Sophito look, it’s an unemployed chess grandmaster! -Where, where?

Awww, ghost Alcibiades is playing with ghost Sophie❤️ I miss those kittos. 

-WOOOOO ALL THE CAT GHOSTS ON THE FLOOR TONIGHT

Sugar is having a suspiciously nice night, which as we know simply can’t happen around here:

-HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME I GUESS

-WAAAAAH NOT THIS AGAIN! WHY? WHY ME?? I’M NEVER COMING OUT OF MY ROOM AGAIN!!

Oh yes you are, you have school tomorrow Mr. Barely Breaking a C-!

Just come down here and let Overpaid Butler #5 soothe your heart with some burned lobster. Seriously, where are we finding you people? Don’t you go to butler university or something?

-I’m sorry, your Majesty, but we’re still human! If you want a cold, heartless butler-machine to just perform tasks to perfection you can always get a Servo!

-𝙾𝙷, 𝚂𝚄𝙱𝙹𝙴𝙲𝚃; 𝙲𝚈𝙽𝙴𝚂𝚆𝙸𝚃𝙷 𝚄𝙽𝙸𝙾𝙽, 𝙸 𝙰𝙼 𝚂𝙾 𝙷𝙰𝙿𝙿𝚈 𝚃𝙾 𝙷𝙰𝚅𝙴 𝙽𝙾𝚃 𝙿𝙴𝚁𝙵𝙾𝚁𝙼𝙴𝙳 𝙰 𝙷𝙾𝚄𝚂𝙴𝙷𝙾𝙻𝙳 𝚃𝙰𝚂𝙺 𝙸𝙽 𝙾𝚅𝙴𝚁 𝙰 𝙼𝙾𝙽𝚃𝙷; -OMG iVIE, YOU SAID “I”!!!🌸 -𝙸𝚃 𝙰𝙿𝙿𝙴𝙰𝚁𝚂 𝙼𝚈 𝙲𝙾𝙽𝚂𝙲𝙸𝙾𝚄𝚂𝙽𝙴𝚂𝚂 𝙸𝚂 𝙳𝙴𝚅𝙴𝙻𝙾𝙿𝙸𝙽𝙶 𝙳𝚄𝙴 𝚃𝙾 𝙴𝚇𝚃𝚁𝙴𝙼𝙴 𝙴𝙼𝙾𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽𝙰𝙻 𝙲𝙸𝚁𝙲𝚄𝙼𝚂𝚃𝙰𝙽𝙲𝙴𝚂;

Well isn’t that just great, I mean that’s the exact reason I had Jojo spend two decades getting the gold robotics badge: not to make our lives easier but so we could all relive the childhood magic of The Iron Giant except gross, sexual, and murder-suicidy.

If anyone has machine-like efficiency around here it’s Sophie, who is already two promotions away from completing her second LTW and has been skilling like crazy, get it Soph!!

I don’t remember if I’ve ever expounded on why I love Sophie so much, like ya obviously we all love her cause she’s a stone-cold chadette, but gameplay-wise it’s because Sophie is the sim that does the least amount of dumb shit. Like I never have to be like omg is Sophie gonna set a fire, is Sophie gonna have an idiotic autonomous affair in front of her wife etc, she just gets shit done, unwhiningly might I add, @ Jojo. The only really dumb thing she’s done was that time she almost died working out in college, which with the rest of these morons is a regular Tuesday. The other dumb thing was arguably agreeing to marry Shajar but what can you do.

YES, ONE PROMOTION TO GO. The shitty carpool is because she shares it with Sandy the Dishwasher Zombie, don’t worry bb, you’ll have a limo soon! And now the reason I went on the above Sophie love rant:

IT’S HER BIRTHDAY AND I’M FEELING EMO

-Jojo will you calm down with the party horn? It’s my birthday, not the puppy-killing convention. 

-Ah, how lucky I am to be turning into an old hag surrounded by people so important to me: psycho father-in-law, Bluewater Village Teen Townie, and Remington Harris. 

Sorry to bring it up, but Shajar is here too.

-Let’s get this bullshit over with..

-Well, that’s not so bad!

You look great, baby!!! Awesome outfit too, I would consider keeping it but you don’t mess with perfection.

-Who’s my silver fox? -You don’t mind that I don’t have abs you can grate cheese on anymore? -I’ve told you, Sophie, you were the only of us who was into that cheese thing!! Sophito in the background: Gross :D

Looks like my aggro cat breeding has borne fruit as Valentina attacks Kitana and gets rekt! You know what, I’m ok with this, since clearly I can’t have nice pets at least now it will be a fair fight.

Now for the next part, I’m gonna just present it factually since I have no comment nor did I take enough screenshots because I was loling too hard: 

1) Cyneswith goes on a blind date with some Bon Voyage masseur NPC whose pic I didn’t take.

2) Sugar returns from school and brings this cute townie with him. 

3) Sugar goes to talk to the townie, see his mom on a date and starts crying.

4) Cyneswith is caught cheating with masseur NPC (seen on the left with the date plumbbob over his head) by Don, iVan, and Remington simultaneously, this is the part where I was loling too hard to take pics.

5) Cyneswith makes up with iVan after Don has fucked off to work and is caught AGAIN by Remington who starts bullying iVan.

6) Sophito cucks Sugar.

7) Cyneswith makes up with Remington in front of both Don and Sugar.

All this in an afternoon's work?? Maybe the most efficient sim around here isn’t Sophie after all!

[myheelsdontmatchmysweatpants]

A/N: I would like to preface this by letting everyone know that I am in no way knowledgeable about actual science things. That being said I am amazed that in a random draw I actually managed to get a prompt that had to do with flowers lol. This is my contribution to the BakuHarem Collab! Please take a second to check out the other contributions here!

Warning: bad science, no protection, swearing, overs!mulation, accidental exhibti0som, intoxicated smut? idk sex pollen is a drug i guess.....

W/C: 3.5k

“Bakugou, dude. We should not-”

“Shut up Kirishima!” Bakugou walks through the sterile hallways checking every corner for signs of other people. “That bitch took my top spot with some bullshit flowers?!” He finally gets to the lab that was granted to you for your research. After winning first place, stealing first place in the UA university science expo. He walks into the observing lobby, looking through the large window to make sure you weren’t working in the lab after hours.

“Just keep quiet and listen for any one coming this way.” He walks over to the security door and holds his key card up to it, the light on the scanner turns green and he hears the dead bolt slide open.

Kirishima is lingering behind him, hovering in the doorway. He turns to Bakugou to talk him out of this again but his friend has already entered the lab. “Ahh geez.” He didn’t even wear any safety gear.

As the door clicks shut behind him, Bakugou stops to examine the lab. Several different species of flowers in full bloom behind temperature controlled enclosures. Some of them are recognizable; lavender, chamomile, and jasmine. “I thought it would smell like the perfume department, this fuckin place smells like heaven.” Guess it wasn’t a new shampoo she was using then.

He walks through the aisles turning his head this way and that, trying to find something, anything that he can fuck up without it being overtly obvious. He gets to the back corner of the lab and sees a piece of familiar equipment. “Perfect.”

*****

“He said WHAT?!”

Your roommate flinches at your reaction to her news. “He told Professor Aizawa that your ‘Viagra flowers’ are a joke to the science department and they should ‘wither and die’.”

You’re fuming. That fuck tard Bakugou, mister my shit don’t stink is ridiculing my research? “All that man knows is how to blow shit up! Just cause I beat him in the expo this year, he thinks my research is a joke?!” You stand up from the couch, pacing in front of it and you can’t decide whether to scream or cry. “Why did I ever like that twat?”

Cause he has wide shoulders, big hands and scarlet eyes that -

“Oh for the love of god shut up.” Screw your inner thoughts.

Ochako watches you pace, worrying in her eyes when yours line with silver and your neck flushes bright red. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have told you that.”

You stop moving and look at her, guilt flooding through you as she slumps forward. “Don’t apologize, I was talkin to myself babe.” She nods her head weakly and you stand up straight “I’m gonna go.” You walk to the door grabbing your coat and key card.

“W-where are you going?” Ochako follows you to the door and grabs your wrist gently. You turn to her and smile, she was always so sweet but you knew that if shit went down she would be right beside you, kicking ass.

“I need to blow off some steam, so I’m gonna go check on my ‘Viagra flowers’.” She huffs a laugh and let's go.

“Alright, don’t stay too late.”

You nod, put on your shoes and leave the dorm. It’s a bit of a walk to the building the lab is in and hopefully the cool breeze will calm your mind.

*****

As you walk into the building you are grateful that your professor is more of a night owl than most students. Considering how many naps he takes during lectures it is no wonder he can’t sleep at night. You contemplate going to his office to say hi but think better of it.

Don’t wanna end up venting about Bakugou to my professor of all people.

You walk down the hallway and notice the door to your lab is cracked. Not unusual, a lot of students from your class have been coming and going to see the different species of flowers and plants you are growing. Assuming someone didn’t shut the door behind them you take your phone out of your pocket to check the time. Out of the corner of your vision a quick flash of red and you walk right into Kirishima, Bakugou’s friend and one of your classmates.

“Hey! How- how's it goin?”

You take a step back, rubbing your nose from face planting into his giant chest. Does this guy eat boulders for breakfast? “Hey Kiri! Just gonna do some late night tests! You checkin out my garden?”

“Yeah! Flowers are pretty.” He laughs, it’s high pitched and obviously forced.

You take in his nervous appearance, the fact that he is still standing in front of the door and your mood sours.

“Where is he?”

Kirishima looks like he is gonna try and stall but one look at the fury in your eyes and his head hangs down. “He’s in the lab,” you rush past him and punch in the code to open the door. “I tried to talk him out of it!”

The door clicks shut and the spiky blonde huffs in annoyance somewhere in the back of the lab.

“I told you shitty hair, if you’re gonna keep a look out you have to stand outside.”

You clear your throat and his head shoots up. You walk over to him, taking note of all of the plants and equipment, taking note of anything that looks different. As you get closer to him you notice that he smells particularly good tonight.

Keep it in your pants idiot

“Really Bakugou?” You stop a few steps away from him, noticing the various disassembled parts on the counter top behind him. “What were you gonna do, break my extraction equipment and make it look like a malfunction? Are you a B-Movie villain?”

He stands up and you are reminded of how small you feel next to him, wide shoulders, arms barely fitting the t-shirt he was wearing, strong chest that tapers to a toned waist. He laughs and you look at his face. What I wouldn’t give to just lick from your navel to your neck.

“A B-Movie villain huh? That’s rich coming from the fanfiction cliché scientist.” He crosses his arms, your eyes quickly dart to the sight of his biceps flexing with the movement then back at him.

“Fanfiction cliché? What the actual fuck are you talking about?” You take another step towards him, softly inhaling his scent. Why does he smell so good?

He laughs at you again, the sound caresses your skin and you realize your feeling very, very hot. You drag your fingers through your hair, your eyes zeroing in on a bead of sweat running down the side of his face. When you lick your lips and shift to take another step closer a small part of your brain connects the dots. “What. Did. You. Do?”

Bakugou looks at you, noticing your flushed cheeks and eyes that show you aren’t quite your normal smart and sexy self. Reaching behind himself you hear the unmistakable sound of clinking glass, he grabs a beaker, an open beaker. “Just grabbed this from your equipment, I know how long it takes to extract this stuff. Would suck if it were to suddenly go missing.”

“You idiot! Do you know how potent it is in that form?!” You reach for it but he pulls the beaker out of your reach. “Why do you think I keep it enclosed? You have to close it up now!”

“Why should I?”

Honestly how stupid can this guy get?!

“Put it back in the enclosure first and I’ll explain it to you!” Your breathing is getting heavy, the closer you get to Bakugou the hotter your body feels. You lunge for him again and trip, he hurries to put the beaker on the table behind him and catch you. Put off balance from the position you both crash to the floor with him underneath you. Sighing in frustration you lift yourself up only to bump your head on the table, knocking over the beaker and spilling the extract over you both.

“Shit!” You scramble off of him and run to the door, pressing the exposure button and effectively locking it. You turn to Bakugou and back up trying your best to keep your distance. “Stay on that side of the room, if we’re far enough apart the effects won’t be as bad.”

“What are the effects?” The question is spoken so calmly that you almost convince yourself he didn’t speak at all.

“What are the fucking side effects!?” His shirt is soaked, sticking to his tanned skin. The outline of his chiseled body makes your mouth go dry. You look back at his face, his mouth twisted in frustration at your silence but no less attractive. The sharp angle of his jawline, pink lips slightly chapped, aristocratic nose, scarlet eyes that-

“Take a picture, it'll last longer.” Shaking your head to clear some of the fog in your brain, you focus on him again.

“It’s an aphrodisiac so obviously it enhances sexual desire.”

“Yeah-yeah, sex pollen I get it. But what else?” he rings out the bottom of his shirt, lifting it slightly and you avert your eyes.

“It is not sex pollen, I don’t even use the pollen of the plant.” the last part coming out in a mumble. “The aphrodisiac only works on people who are consenting adults that are attracted to each other.” You clear your throat.

Bakugou freezes for a moment and looks up at you, examining you. The flushed skin, short breaths, and how you keep as much distance between the two of you as the small lab provides.

“So why are you so far away then?” The smirk on his face is sinful as all hell.

Cheeky bastard.

“Surely I don’t have to spell it out for you.” Resisting the urge to turn your face away from him like a pouty child..

“HA!” The smug look on his face momentarily lifts the cloud of lust and replaces it with anger. “Of course you’re attracted to me, who wouldn’t be?”

“Well, aren't you a cocky bastard?” Hoping you're not about to embarrass yourself you take a chance and muster up some courage. Slowly walking up to him you notice that his forehead is glistening with sweat, his breathing heavy, ears and back of his neck flushed with pink. “Tell me, Katsuki. How are you feeling?”

A few steps and you can see his hands balled up in white knuckled fists, a few more his jaw clench and unclench. Once you are only an arms length away you can see him swallow harshly, Adam's apple bobbing, nostrils flaring. You push your breasts against his toned chest, the light friction causing a moan to escape your mouth, the sound going straight to his cock.

“I’m - I’m fine.” Bakugou clears his throat, the sound of his first name from your lips sweeter than it should be.

“Lookin a little flushed, you feeling hot?”

He doesn’t answer, his attention captured by the closeness of your body, your lips, the tops of your breasts peeking out of the v neck top you’re wearing.. He stops breathing when your tongue flicks out to lick your bottom lip.

“Cat got your tongue?”

On impulse his hands move to rest on your hips, eyes never leaving your lips. “What was the question again?”

“How. Are. You. Feeling.” you walk your fingers up his chest with each word before pulling his head down so you can whisper in his ear, the anger fading fast. “Katsuki.” You hear him growl, the sound reverberating through your core, then you're being picked up.

“I’m gonna ruin you.” Bakugou crashes his lips to yours, pressing you up against one of the walls and bracing you with one hand so that the other can wrap around your throat. “Fuck, you drive me crazy.” He bites your lip, licking it to soothe the hurt. “Smart, funny, sexy, beautiful.”

You whine at the words and grind against the bulge in his pants, your pussy throbbing with need. “Need to feel you touch me Bakugou.” He stops moving and you shift to try and grind against him again but he holds you tight, slightly squeezing the sides of your neck.

“What happened to calling me by my first name, baby girl?” Loosening his hand and crouching down as if to put you down you sputter out “Kat-Katsuki Please touch me.”

The feral grin on his face has your pussy drooling and you all but sigh in relief when he stands up straight and slips a hand under your shirt, cupping one of your breasts. “Oh god yes.”

“You’re so soft baby,” he pulls one of the cups down and rolls your nipple in between his fingers. “Take off your shirt, wanna see those pretty tits.”

Katsuki keeps playing with your nipple when you rip your shirt off, making short work of your bra and tossing it. As soon as the other nipple is in view he dives down to suckle it, his mouth hot. You throw your head back, grabbing fistfuls of his hair and pushing your chest out to give him better access.

He is merciless in his teasing, alternating between breasts, making sure to suck each nipple till they are both hard peaks. Kissing the top of your soft globes, your collarbone and neck, everywhere his mouth goes is left with a mark in varying shades of red and purple.

You grow impatient with him, needing to make him feel as good wanting to feel him with your hands, mouth, teeth.

“Wanna feel you too Katsuki.” you whine as he pinches one nipple while nibbling the other one. When you pull on his hair a little he groans but lifts his head, pulling both nipples with him before letting them go.

“What do ya wanna feel, baby girl?”

With all your inhibitions throw out the window you lean down and whisper in his ear. “Wanna feel you fuck me.”

You pull away and he quickly sets you down, you’re about to object when he takes his shirt off in one smooth motion then starts unbuttoning his jeans. You rush to follow, unzipping your pants and pulling them down, before you can pull down your panties he grabs your hand stopping you. “Leave ‘m on.”

Katsuki picks you up again before you can get a good look at his cock, but when it's pressed against you there is no need to see it. “Fuck you’re huge.”

He smirks at you, smug pride in his eyes. “Glad you approve.” Reaching a hand down he pulls your panties to the side and runs his fingers through your wet folds. “This all for me?” bringing his fingers up to show you the slick dripping down them he puts them in his mouth and sucks. “Gonna have to enjoy that tasty treat later.”

Your body is burning up, breathing is heavy as you both watch him drag his cock along your wet slit before pushing in. Your moans echo in the lab and neither one of you cares as Katsuki's cock drags against your inner walls until bottoming out. Right now is not the time for slow strokes, not with the aphrodisiac flowing through both of your bodies, so he starts a pace that has your ass slapping against his thighs.

“C-cumming!” You scream out before your body bows in on itself and you're creaming around his cock.

“Already?” a sideways grin on his face Katsuki starts moving you up and down in time with his thrusts, his cock reaching that much deeper. “Gonna cum for me again? Come on baby, wanna feel you milk my cock.”

Your mind is going blank, the only thing running through it is Katsuki. “Please don’t stop,” you dig your nails into his shoulders. “M Gonna cum again.” His thrusts go shallow and the head of his cock drags against your walls, hitting all the right spots.

You’re repeating his name endlessly, the only word that is in your mind then you’re cumming again. Your legs tense around his waist and your pussy clenches down hard enough that he has to stop moving or risk hurting you. He watches your face contorted in pleasure and starts thrusting as soon as he feels your orgasm subside.

“One more.”

Your head fuzzy, body limp from two orgasms. “I can’t!”

“Wrong,” Katsuki pulls out for a second, setting you on the floor and pushing on your back. You obediently bend forward grabbing the edge of the counter top and he wastes no time in rutting back into you. “You want me to stop?”

“NO”

“Then you got one more beautiful thing.” He sticks two fingers in his mouth, getting them wet then reaches around rubbing soft circles on your puffy clit. His other hand gripping your hip, before moving up and grabbing your shoulder using it as leverage to fuck into you harder.

“Come on, cum for me.”

You turn your head to the side trying your best to look in his eyes, yours tearing up at the overstimulation. “You cum too, fill me up Katsuki.”

“Oh fuck yeah.” Bending his knees he thrusts up into you and with the new angle, teasing circles being rubbed on your clit and the feral moans coming out of his mouth you cum one last time.

Fuckfuckfuckfuck

Katsuki cums after you, rope after rope of cum coating your fluttering walls.

You both stand there catching your breath. Katsuki pulls out and you whimper, “Oh don’t worry beautiful,” he picks you up again, walks over to a chair and sits down with you in his lap “not done with you yet.”

By the time you are spent both of you are exhausted and lost track of how many times either of you came. He helps you stand up, quickly pulling your panties back in place. “Don’t want you leakin.”

You giggle and pick up your clothes from the floor, he helps you get dressed and you both walk to the door. Making sure to check the air quality before leaving the lab you confirm that nothing is left in the air and unlock it. Before opening the door you turn to him opening your mouth to ask a question but he talks first.

“Let's go back to my room, yeah? I’ll help you clean up.” His voice rough from moaning and growling but you can see a small smile on his lips. Even though you know that the effects of the extract have worn off you can’t help but worry that he is still under their influence. Nodding your head you turn away from him again and open the door, walking into the lobby.

“I assume you're finished with the lab?”

You stop dead in your tracks, Katsuki bumping into you. “P-professor Aizawa?” Red hair peeks out behind him and Kirishima looks at you both with a nervous sharp toothed smile and red face. The fog of your memory clears and you vaguely remember hearing knocking on the window and door while you were… indisposed.

Katsuki steps in front of you, from the lack of red on his face or neck you know he isn’t nearly as mortified as you. “How long have you been standing there?”

The tired eyes of your teacher examine both of you. “Long enough.” He sighs heavily and pinches the bridge of his nose. “You are both to meet me in my office tomorrow morning.”

And just before you can’t get anymore embarrassed he walks out and says over his shoulder. “The labs aren’t sound proof, and these walls echo.”

@doinmybesthere @patchworkpuzzle @eyebagsbutglam @sugarspiceanddynamight

[insomniactalks]

I just saw your post of Julia, Sofia, and Dara with the camp sign and you mentioned the necklace Sofia/Gina was wearing, saying things look good for Portwell. I’d love to hear you talk about what you think the necklace means.

you said that the pendant was a good sign for portwell in s3 (🤞🤞🤞) but i was a little lost for a second. s2 is already a blur for me- did ej get her the pendant or am i missing smth? 😭

Both these anons asked me the same thing, so I figured I'd answer them t/g! Thank you both for ur asks b/c it gives me the chance to post another analysis. LOL 😅❤

Throughout S2, Gina is seen wearing either a black or white pearl pendant for the majority of the time. I will be including screenshots w/ commentary on this, so adding a read more. 😊

Gina is wearing a white pearl pendant, for the most part, in the first 4 episodes of S2 (2.01-2.04). I'm only including screenshots from episodes 2.03 and 2.04, but you get my point:

During this time in her arc for S2 (2.01-2.04), Gina is still heavily pining after Ricky. In the first 4 episodes, she’s still holding onto the hope that maybe Ricky likes her back. She’s hopeful their similar home lives and the fact they “just get each other” (1.05), as Ricky said, would be enough to act like things are okay b/t them. Maybe things can go back to normal. Maybe they can be friends like they used to be in S1. However, that act soon falls apart as the months go on because she’s slowly realizing things have changed b/t her and Ricky. He’s not being very considerate of her feelings and he’s overall not being a very good friend to her. Both the scenes in the pics above are perfect examples of this. In 2.03, Gina shows up to Ricky’s apartment in need of some advice on missing her mom and being miles away from her. He tries to hear about her problems and offer up a solution ("I think you'll get yours too"), but it doesn't actually make her feel better. Once Nini calls, Ricky and Gina's conversation turns to Ricky's current problem. Gina gives him some advice (about playing his song over the phone for Nini) and gets the hell outta there b/c she feels uncomfortable staying any longer. 😔 But then she gets the chocolates, followed by a text from Ricky. Naturally, she assumes Ricky is thanking her for her advice by giving her chocolates on Valentine's Day. Gina is still holding on to the slight possibility Ricky "wouldn't quit" (2.06) on her too, hence why she's still wearing the white pendant in 2.04. 😭 They can even joke about the chocolates, and I'm pretty sure she fiddles w/ her necklace in that scene, and everything seems okay. BUT, then she hears more about how Ricky feels about Nini, how he's willing to drive thru a snowstorm to tell her he "wishes he was her dream" (granted Big Red speaks for him, but she hears it anyway 🤷🏽‍♀️). 2 weeks later, by 2.05, she's no longer wearing the white pendant, she's got the black pearl on, and it stays that way for a few episodes (2.05 and 2.06 below):

By mid-season, Gina is approaching her lowest point yet, emotionally and mentally. It’s becoming increasingly difficult for her to be around Ricky because she’s still grappling with her feelings for him. In the first half of S2, her and Ricky could still maintain some semblance of their friendship/relationship from S1, considering Nini is away at boarding school. But once Nini comes back, and Gina’s wearing the black pendant, she starts setting boundaries with Ricky in 2.05. Gina’s tired of Ricky ignoring her confession from HSM opening night, using her as a stand-in for Nini to sort out his problems, and him just not being a good friend back.😥 The black pearl pendant, in terms of Gina’s feelings for Ricky at this point in the season, signifies a sort of ‘I’ve given up on hoping you’ll feel the same. I’m tired of waiting around for you. Love is dead. I feel so uncertain and sad about where we stand...’ etc. As far as we know, Gina wears her black pearl pendant for several weeks, maybe even a month. She’s deff wearing it in 2.06 (you know, when she starts to straight up ignore Ricky and we, the audience, finally see what’s been hurting Gina this entire time- cue flashback)😭. The next time we see her donning the white pearl pendant is in 2.08 (when she starts to spend more time with a certain someone!😏):          

As far as I can tell, 2.08 is the first time in weeks Gina chose to wear her white pearl. In the second half of the semester, and the season, Gina's hopeful spirit and outlook on romance comes back to her. She's starting to spend a lot more time with EJ (they're still Team Wonderstudies, co-anchors for the morning news, a choreographer giving advice to a dancer, complete dorky besties during Career Day, just joking w/ each other😂). EJ makes her feel happy, loved, cared for, comfortable, hopeful again. 🥰 That’s what the white pendant represents for Gina at this point in her arc. That’s not to take away from Gina’s friendships with Ashlyn and Carlos b/c they also contribute to Gina’s positive character growth in S2b. I’m just focusing on the meaning of the pendant for Gina in relation to romance in S2. Continuing on that note, the next time the black pearl necklace makes an appearance is 2.09:

In this episode, Gina admits things have changed b/t her and EJ ("Have things been diff b/t me and EJ? A little. But I really don't know what's going on. When you have bad luck in the romance department, it's hard to know when someone's being nice and what's like, a sign.") The reason Gina's wearing the black pendant again is b/c she doesn't know where she stands w/ EJ b/c she got it so wrong before w/ Ricky. She doesn't wanna make the same mistake again, so she's trying to sort out her feelings. Even though she gets the "sign" she was asking for by the end of the episode, Gina still doesn't wanna assume EJ feels the same way about her that she feels about him. 😣 That would explain why she continues to wear the black pearl pendant for the rest of the season (2.10-2.12):

By 2.10, Gina's denying her feelings for EJ (tho everyone else can see wassup 🤣) as a way to protect her own heart. EJ asks her out on a risotto date (for which she is so excited about that she literally skips back to the group!😚) and she happily agrees. In the S2 finale, yes she's still wearing her black necklace b/c it highlights how she feels after and during the miscommunication brought on by Jamie. Thanks to Ashlyn, all of that is soon cleared up, and our Portwell babies get to have their happy ending! 🥰❤

All of that to say, I think Gina wearing her white pearl pendant, the first time since 2.08, in whatever episode Sofia's picture is from in S3, is looking pretty good for us Portwells. Gina and EJ are one convo away from officially dating and now we have her wearing that necklace again? Interesting...😁😉 (Call me delusional but that necklace looks like the white pearl pendant to me🤔🤷🏽‍♀️ Either way, let me enjoy this delusional peace 😅🤗)

[volturialice]

the twilight fandom 2019 ace exclusion drama: G Reminisces

gather round my foolish infants who showed up here sometime after february 2019 and never had to walk two miles uphill in the aphobic snow both ways to Tumblr University. in honor of aroace visibility week I’m gonna try and recount the events that transpired that month ✨💕 SO tw for discussion of aphobia and brief mentions of biphobia and transphobia under the cut

also I should probably mention, for context, that I am a bi ace in case you’ve forgotten 

let me set the scene: early 2019 was the roaring first crescendo of the Twilight Renaissance. twilight had been rereleased in theaters for the 10th anniversary mere months before, and follower counts were skyrocketing as more and more people flocked to tumblr to rediscover their tweenhood fave and make gay shitposts about it. midnight sun was a hilarious punchline that would never be published, carlisle cullen was an unproblematic cinnamon roll king, and you could be canceled for thinking too hard about the volturi. people who had the idea to ship bella with edythe or jacob with benjamin were given the nobel prize for these groundbreaking gay discoveries. in short, everything was Effervescent.

my own fledgling blog was just starting to gain a little traction. my first “that blew up” post was mere weeks old, and I was mutuals with all the Big blogs in the fandom, but had nowhere near the, uh. for lack of a better word, “clout” I would later obtain.

when out of the fucking blue, one of the aforementioned Big Blog Mutuals made a crack to the effect of “haha isn’t it funny that these hets are rebranding as ‘ace’ and think they’re lgbtq+”

and everyone else collectively went

and asked them to please elaborate their Stance on ace inclusion. so they doubled down on exclusion (in a real nasty way, iirc!) and when asked where they stood, their friends also responded with casual, jokey aphobia. the nicest ones came out with weakass takes like “oh I think being aro/aspec are valid identities they’re just not lgbtq c: !!” and then reblogged sillyfun posts from their friends comparing aroaces to the poor persecuted ogres from shrek, or laughing at the “forever virgins.”

again, at the time these were like 60% of the biggest, friendliest blogs in the fandom (granted most of us had only known each other for 3-6 months, but that’s EONS in internet time.) blogs known for their fun shitposts and aesthetic gifsets and cutesy oneshots. and suddenly they were out here unironically spouting classic takes like “it’s not a REAL identity it’s just a phase before you realize you’re actually straight or gay,” “you’re not ace you’re just a traumatized survivor,” “aroaces haven’t been systematically persecuted so they can’t possibly be lgbtq+,” “being aroace isn’t visible so it’s not lgbtq+,” “aroaces are just hets invading lgbtq+ spaces...” y’all can imagine. the same bullshit arguments that have been use by t*rfs and biphobes for decades, repackaged and redeployed against aspecs. (intersectionality ftw!!)

that was a fucking crazy rough time for me personally because, since coming to terms with my own ace-ness a few years prior, I had been quietly coasting along, never imagining people out there, some of whom were my mutuals and “friends,” not only held so much fucking bonkers irrational contempt for me and my identity but were gleefully self-congratulatory about it to the point of capital-C Cringe.

suddenly I was having to question every single new person I interacted with to see whether they would turn and sneeringly accuse/gatekeep/scoff at me for what I had thought was a pretty non-dramatic facet of my identity. I remember DMing @flowerslut​ like “hey...so....are you an aphobe? please don’t be an aphobe” and shannon being like “lol no I’m a bi ace” (hard to believe there was an era before we had gotten drunk together and thrown axes and shaved each other’s heads on separate occasions. always shave your friend’s head sober)

but it was also a crazy...not good, but significant and transformative time for me, because I was learning so much. how to slam the block button, for one. but I was also learning a lot about myself, and how much stronger and kinder and more mature I was than I had ever imagined, and that was an incredible self-discovery. I was forced to reckon with my own ace-ness head on in a way that I hadn’t been before, and found myself with the confidence to come out to family and friends as a result. I had never thought too hard about whether or not I (and other aspecs) “counted” as lgbtq+, and now I found not only my own convictions that yes, OBVIOUSLY we do, but also a community of people who went to BAT to support us and try to educate the fandom at large. I made so many new friends and discovered some truly amazing blogs I am still mutuals with to this day! (y’all know who you are. this is me reminding you I love you 🎃)

and I also gained, like, a fuckton of followers just for making my own asexuality more visible and doing the bare minimum to be vocally supportive of aroace inclusion. and that’s what you call ironic

I don’t have any of the aphobic posts from the period preserved (for obvious reasons,) but for anyone who’s curious, here are a few posts I reblogged from that time. &

I also wanna extend an open invitation for anyone who has questions (about ace-ness, or bits of recent fandom history like this, or their own sexuality, or anything) or just wants to talk to DM me! I’m not as active on here as I used to be, but I do check messages.

finally,

to the haters:

first of all, thank you for helping me rise to power it feels great and i’m gonna use it to spread my nasty little agenda 

second, oh yeah you guys sure are cool leftist queens for [checks notes] recycling transphobic/biphobic talking points in order to harass and gatekeep a bunch of stangers on 2019 twilight tumblr for [checks notes again] minding their own business not feeling sexual/romantic attraction and daring to identify as queer. you’re a regular marsha p. johnson they should throw you a parade

anyway I sincerely hope y’all have learned and grown and educated yourselves since then and that you’re having a blast in the fuckin. law and order pixar fandom or wherever lmfaooo 😘

I love being a forever virgin shrek ogre uwu 🤠✨💜🖤💚

HAPPY ARO/ACE VISIBILITY WEEK

[mannatea]

back at it again

lysithea x byleth C = got before, it’s cute enough.

lorenz x byleth C = got before, he just needs to uh, slow down and not seem overeager.

lonato’s fury over christophe is uh, interesting. i think what weirds me out about it most is that if he’s got such a grudge against the church, why’d he send ashe to the monastery to learn anything?? am i missing something here?

i’m assuming if the game has any depth to it, christophe probably wasn’t involved directly in the tragedy of duscur but was, instead, implicated/a scapegoat for it. 

either way, it’s not THAT big of a deal that he was executed for being assumed to be involved. if the church hadn’t killed him, someone else would have. he just would have rotted in a dungeon for a while first, which isn’t really any better.

“i’d like to try cutting a mountain in half someday” same claude. same.

aight so claude’s mama madeline’d it up there...

not feeling as weird about rhea as i did the first go-around, for multiple reasons. i mean, 1) spoilers, but also, 2) when she says “blaspheme” it’s not like they just are out there talkin’ shit and we’re hunting them down. they’re coming after the church instead.

granted the church having power is scary but it’s like...real so

and all things considered the church is pretty lax here. cyril isn’t even a believer really and he’s fine. petra’s there. lots of students are meh about worship.

linhardt x byleth C = “or you could be a villain who came here to enact some evil plot” boi...watch it. why would i let him research my crest when hanneman is RIGHT THERE and also my equal. “i tend to start a project, get bored, and then leave it to be.” get outta my house with these callouts, lin.

somehow recruited petra! woo hoo

caspar also recruited already?? wild

AND ANNETTE??

alois x byleth C = got this before too.

ingrid x byleth C = same as above

manuela x byleth C = same

flayx x byleth C = same

lorenz x claude C = lorenz came for claude instantly and he does NOT let up. whoa.

lorenz x raphael C = “you offer me half-eaten scrAPS? the NerVe!” hgghhhh RAPHAEL FOR ALLIANCE LEADER AMIRITE? anyway i REALLY like that even though lorenz is ugh about raphel’s terrible manners, he can also admit that raphael has a great point.

lorenz x marianne B = this is so wholesome??? especially after the last support the contrast here is hilarious. oh my god. “alas, i am the only one with eyes.” damn boy, that was GOOD.

ignatz x hilda C = that was...weird. uh. ignatz, make that girl do some work.

leonie x claude C =this was pretty cute, too. it’s easy to imagine these two getting along.

caspar x linhardt C =THE HEIGHT ADVANTAGE RIP TO YOU CASPAR. also, lol “i’m going to agree with you just so i don’t have to keep talking.” we should all take this approach sometimes i s2g.

berandetta recruited!

linhardt recruited!

ingrid recruited!

byleth x lorenz B = “my family has the very highest standards for appearance, grace, temperament, and pedigree.” you know he’s actually kind of nice. i mean, he admits what he’s doing and agrees to calm tf down because it’s putting people off and he doesn’t want to be a bother. i guess i respect it because he’s at least trying to be respectful about it.

sylvain x byleth C = got already.

lorenz x leonie C = “buddy” LOL. c’mon girl stomp the frivoloties out of his mind.

marianne x hilda C = that was meh, but at least hilda did some work lol.

marianne x byleth B = “you only say that cause you don’t know the real me” wtf gurl you’re a good egg i can tell

STORY STUFF FINALLY

“seteth is way too overprotective. he reminds me of my brother.” i like to pretend i achieved godliness in my last playthrough and rewound time to the start to try all possibilities and now i know Why he’s Like That. though i can’t tell poor hilda

i guess it *was* the western church, but the whole thing is done in this really suspicious way that almost makes you think it isn’t actually them behind anything.

at least now i 100% understand why seteth is so WTF over rhea letting me carry the sword of the creator around lmao. 

love that claude wishes he had the sword. boy u got bow skill, don’t even think about it.

some of the choices for dialogue really put me off. what do you mean i have to say “i don’t understand” about the crest thing. OBVIOUSLY this shit is passed down a bloodline, byleth might be a bit ignorant about the church but that has been said several times and is very clear. me having to say “i don’t understand” is just stupid. at least make it a longer sentence like, “it’s been a thousand years and nobody else has appeared before now from his bloodline?”

it’s JUDITH!!! HELLO BABE. she looks like she could be a relative of his.

byleth x bernadetta B = WHAT THE FUCK. this is another example of where the only dialogue choice just makes you look like an idiot. she basically tells you she’s dealing with abuse and you’re like “huh why did you become afraid to leave your room?” SUCH a dumb dialogue choice. it could have been ANYTHING, like “that sounds terrible.” or even a bland “that’s unfortunate.” but no. -_- “how can you be so kind to me?! i don’t deserve it...” oh god i’m on the protect bernie train right now immediately. CAN I ADOPT HER IMMEDIATELY?

byleth x ignatz C = omg he’s so wholesome... plz teach byleth to paint she needs a calm hobby.

seteth x byleth C = got already

and i have more supports to look at, but it’s late and i need to get to bed lmao.

still need to try and recruit: ferdinand, dorothea, felix, ashe, and mercedes.

wee hoo

[threadsun]

You know, I just freaking realized I’m literally still being vocal on here without using my actual voice. Like, I don’t NEED to tell you how I’m reacting and I could just lie at how much this is affecting me. I could just play it cool and flirt back level headed, but here I am freaking detailing out everything lol. Correction: I need an experienced SADIST dom to get their hands on me, but I’ll never admit it! But damn, I’m usually the one to fluster people, it’s so weird being on the other side! Like, I hand out compliments like there’s no tomorrow, but I ain’t used to people handing them back.

Are you sure you’d be winning though? As far as I can tell, I can still think coherently AND I haven’t melted into a puddle of curses, so I’m not sure if you’re doing so good of a job reminding me how I should behave. A dom who can’t put a sub in their place, shame really~ All I can see is someone talking big game with no action! Heard it plenty times before, so there’s really nothing new there. Now you better show me some real talk here or I’ll just keep believing that I’ll win

Every. Single. TIME

I’m very competitive so~ But yeah! I think when I first learned about Ian, I was upset at what he did, but the afterlife story combined with what we know from the original game hints more as to why he did it and why he wouldn’t do it again. Self esteem issues mixed with religious trauma can definitely f-up someone’s mental image of sex and taboos. Of course, there’s a part of him being so used to m/c being around that he took them for granted a bit, but it’s normal to get more comfortable with someone after knowing them for so long. This whole situation was a reminder that M/C chose to be with them not because it was easy and convenient, but because they wanted to and so doing something like cheating might make them step away. But outside of that, I feel like a long heart-to-heart conversation and some counseling would really help their relationship heal, as couple or as friends. He never did it out of spite of M/C or to purposely hurt them so I don’t think it’s right to demonize him.

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) Fireman Joesph straddling a giant hose shirtless. Fireman Joesph letting you sit on his lap while he drives the fire truck around. Fireman Joesph warning you about the dangers of fire while smoking a cigarette at the same. Fireman Joesph slipping down the pole with flair just to tease you a bit. Fireman Joesph asking if you want to be the firehouse’s pet while handing you a Dalmatian ear headband. BARK! MWHAHAHA I FOUND YOUR WEAKNESSES! ψ(｀∇´)ψ Anyway, EMT Joesph snapping those gloves into place as he pulls out a heart monitor. Having him ask why your heart rate is so high while he leans over you to grab something. Gonna need that oxygen mask at that point sir! But yes to stripper Joesph in uniform! Freaking playing that magic mike soundtrack while grinding into the floor looking so fine~ YUM!

OMG YES! DO IT!!! WRITE THAT ZANDER FIC WITH OUTLAW JOESPH!! I’LL BE ALL OVER THAT THE MOMENT IT DROPS! 😂 Smoking in fiction definitely is hotter than irl, but imagine Joesph with sunshine who loves bubblegum cigarettes, acting like they’re real while blowing out sugary smoke. Their cheeks get all puffed up trying to keep the stick from flying out of their mouth and them trying to tell Joesph all cool like that their favorite brand is Round Up (Which ironically has a cowboy on the front of it). I can just imagine him chuckling to himself and shaking his head while taking another drag from his cigarette. Maybe they’ll even try to recommend Joesph to use their bubblegum cigarettes instead of his.

-🎃

It's cute how honest you are with me, I think you know I'd see right through you if you tried to lie. For all your bluster and big talk about how bratty you are, all you want is for someone to make you hurt for them. Someone who wants to see you cry for them. You just want a sadistic dom's firm hand to guide you and show you just how much pain you can withstand, all for a little praise and attention. Unfortunately for you, I don't do that part for free unless we're close. So sadly you'll have to settle for knowing I could break you, but I won't. And really, that's the perfect punishment for a brat like you, I think~

Ooooh see I don't think Ian took mc for granted at all. What I think happened is that his mother somehow convinced him that mc was being unfaithful. Whether it was just through constantly sowing seeds of doubt, or having mc followed and photographed in innocent situations framed to look scandalous, or paying someone to lie to him and say they'd slept with mc/seen mc sleeping with someone else. From what we've seen in Afterlife, she's not above things like having Ian followed. She clearly has the money for this sort of thing, doesn't approve of the relationship, and will go to any lengths to manipulate Ian and make him do what she wants. I think Ian didn't know what to do when he was made to believe mc cheated, so he slept with someone else to at least feel desirable and like he was as capable as mc of finding someone else. But as soon as the heartbreak and anger died down (and post-nut clarity hit), he realised it was his mother orchestrating the whole thing all along. So he feels guilty and responsible (because he was ultimately the one who believed it and made the choice to sleep with someone else) but it still keeps in line with the personality we saw in Afterlife and tracks with what we know of his mother. idk this might not be the way they go with it, but to me it makes more sense with what we've seen of his character than him just... deciding to cheat on a whim. Or cheating because he somehow takes mc for granted and assumes they'll forgive him (which is like... the exact opposite of what we've seen of his personality so far).

LISTEN I just think Joseph looks good in uniforms 😔 and I'm correct too. Oh what I would give to be the station puppy in an sdj firefighter AU........ so many big men in uniforms.........

>:3c I just might~ I simply think Zander/Kitty would have so much fun playing a game of cat and mouse with outlaw Joseph!!

Oh absolutely, either those or like the herbal cigarettes people use to help quit smoking! Moon's OC Nik uses those and it's very sexy and smells nice :3c

[whentherewerebicycles]

good morning from my snuggly girl. today is a WFH day. I am trying to keep 9-11 Wed sacred as writing time but this week I have some other stuff on my plate so I think I might have to shuffle that time around. okay here’s the day.

up at 7:15

20 min walk with dogs

8-9 coffee and light panic over a guest speaker thing that I think I have figured out how to approach (thanks macky lol)

9-9:45 shower + breakfast

9:45-11:45 sustained writing time

12-1 MC workshop meeting

1-3 take notes for grant meeting Thurs and do reflective writing for Fri interview

3-3:30 AU meeting

3:30-4 break

4-4:30 KC meeting

5-6ish walk dogs before it rains

I have leftovers so I don’t have to cook tonight whoohoo!! I might try to put the dogs away after their walk and dedicate another couple hours to sustained writing

lights out by 10:30

I feel weirdly jittery/nervous today!! I think it is for several reasons.

I am worried about delicately navigating this issue with the guest speaker but she was so earnest and friendly in our last meeting that I think she will take it well, and I have a Strategy for framing it so that (I hope) it doesn’t feel like a personal critique. also it’s good for me to get more experience navigating these things thoughtfully.

I have tomorrow’s grant meeting on my mind and that just stirs up worries about my future employment. but there are so many factors there I can’t control and won’t be able to affect by worrying about them. so I can spend some time today focusing on the ~controllables~ to quote my hockey team’s coach lol, by which I mean I can do my own thoughtful prep work for the meeting and maybe even write up some stuff to share with the foundations person. I also need to remember that while most of the decisions are being made WAY higher up the food chain, I’m literally the only person in that room who knows what’s actually happening on the ground with our program, so it’s okay for me to volunteer things I know or to ask specific questions about how to frame certain things in our application. sometimes I think I get a little too deferential in those situations and I think I can strike a better balance between knowing my place but also knowing that I have relevant information that will help the people higher up make those decisions. writing down the core things I want to clarify or communicate in that meeting will help calm my nerves I think.

I am like, somehow both chill and off-the-charts nervous about this two-hour C*SA interview Friday. chill because I think I am a good candidate for the program and I feel like I interview pretty well. nervous because so many of the questions are really personal questions about family, childhood, parenting style, etc and those are all topics I have really complicated feelings about!!! I think I am worried that I will overthink things or give ‘wrong’ answers about my own upbringing (the former is possible; the latter is maybe a little silly to be worried about). but I think most of the nerves come from not having set aside time yet to really reflect and write through/organize my thoughts, so hopefully setting aside that time today will make me feel a little calmer.

[thelovelyghostwriter]

do you think kuraneon is gonna be canon in the official hxh universe and what must have happened?

Whether or not they would be canon is up to Sir Togashi himself. While he does have romantic elements in his previous works like Yu Yu Hakusho and Ten de Showaru Cupid, it's not as explicit in HxH (e.g. Meruem/Komugi).

If you asked me this before knowing about the KuraNeon Marriage Theory (will give a link in the reblog later on) and KuraNeon paired up in mobile games, I would have said "0% chance" because we do not see them interact on-screen (even if I had shipped them since I first laid my eyes on Neon).

However, it is kinda sus that Kurapika became a Nostrade Family Young Boss; with Light and Neon nowhere shown. The more "accepted" theory is that Light is unable to continue and Neon is dead (although I do have rebuttals about Neon being dead - that's another conversation). I do wonder why he had to keep their mafia family name - there is no reason to if he truly let them wither. But from Light's last appearance in a manga panel, Kurapika did reassure him that he'll handle everything and you see the Nostrade mafia family organisation doing well under Kurapika. Which is also why my friend went to bring up that plausible KuraNeon Marriage Theory. 

I know that a lot of people think they don’t interact, but that is on-screen. After York New City arc, we don’t see Kurapika until way later, however him being in charge as the Nostrade Boss indicates that he stayed with the Nostrades. God knows what they did while living under one roof. 

Another thing that is major sus is the mobile games. Even non-shippers are baffled why KuraNeon is a thing. Kurapika and Neon are seen dressed as Hikoboshi and Orihime in two sets of the mobage cards; a romantic couple that is known in a Japanese legend and celebrated on 7 July (Tanabata Festival). They are even shown writing on coloured papers in one of the cards + Kurapika holding a bamboo - these coloured papers are used during the Tanabata festival where wishes are written on them and hung on bamboo. It is believed that the reunion between the two lovers Hikoboshi and Orihime are so joyous that they grant the wishes of the people. As far as I know, the only pairing that gets to have a Orihime/Hikoboshi theme in their cards is Machi/Hisoka; and we do see Hisoka/Machi having a soft spot for one another in canon (in the current arc, Machi does patch him up after his defeat and Hisoka spared her).  

Hmmm.. I should make a post about this whole Tanabata thing actually. Asides from that, they are also the v-day banner in 2019 for the games and she gave him a cake during the valentine’s day event, to which showed a scene of him thinking about what to give her back (and low and behold, Kurapika’s White’s Day card featured him with a gift and him wearing the same outfit of the scene where he thought about what to give her). 

In a separate mobile game, they have a special attack together. Their mobage cards have identical backgrounds and themes. Therefore, it isn’t just one mobile game that does this. It makes me wonder why the official team devs do that when this pairing shipping sub-fandom is really small and many even dislike it. 

Even as a shipper, it also baffles me why devs do that when they have little screentime together (gotta be more objective here). If you do consider the KuraNeon Marriage Theory or consider that they might end up together in the manga, it makes sense why the official hxh game devs pair them together. And I am unsure about the source - but I think for Japanese manga production of non-manga material, you need approval from the writer? All the more to be suspicious of the mobile games that contains KuraNeon above every single pairing out there. 

Hence, if you ask me, there is a chance of Kurapika/Neon being canon. How that might happen is a little tricky and depending on the type of portrayal they will be (I have four interpretations of this ship on my pinned post lol). 

I’m not sure if you only define canon as the vanilla/romantic type, or it also includes one that is a little twisted. I've noticed that hxh has friendship and family dynamics that are already complicated and not as wholesome as one would think. I do believe that if KuraNeon were to be canon, it would be the latter interpretation. 

There are actually a few things that are needed to be considered for it to happen: 1) Neon’s fate - she needs to be alive (or maybe not)  Now, a lot of people believe she died because Chrollo’s book speculates that she does. However, we don’t see her dead body. It’s literally just Chrollo’s interpretation. This is contrasted by Kurapika that states that the previous Scarlet Eye owners did not need to be killed (and the “daughter of a mafia leader” is one of them). If the daughter of a mafia leader is truly Neon, then it brings a question of who should you believe more: Chrollo or Kurapika? (Imo it’s super interesting how these two guys who are enemies have different narratives on the same girl). 

Of course, there was this potential discrepancy I found while re-watching this arc. The Scarlet Eyes that Kurapika bidded for 2.9 billion was a fake. They thought it was stolen when Squala took it with him and died - but it was actually that Kortopi’s Gallery Fake copy disappears after 24hour. So technically, the Eyes is with the Troupe. Now, assuming that Togashi has not forgotten this detail (I believe he still remembers), I do think that it is possible that since Chrollo is the type to get bored of the stuff he steals, he will just sell it and it will be obtained by the later owners. As for “the daughter of a mafia leader”, I’m sure it’s Neon that Kurapika is referring to - be it him mentioning her as merely a previous owner despite the set of Scarlet Eyes being “stolen” or she bought another set. (There is a chance that is not Neon, but another daughter of a random mafia leader, but what are the chances of another daughter being like that?) 

I guess I just wanted to point this detail out because many people readily believed Chrollo’s book (it was not even himself). He stated that he did not know when it disappeared. 

As for that “Hisoka killed Neon” theory, while it is believable and interesting, the only thing that is doubtful for that is that a) Hisoka could not have gone off to kill Neon in such a short period of time, b) that would be an insult to Kurapika’s capabilities if she was under his care, c) the fortune-telling ability doesn’t bother Hisoka. Pakunoda and Hisoka had a short conversation about the fortune and both of them acknowledged that the future changed. Hisoka wrote over his fortune despite having a good one to manipulate the events in hopes of fighting Chrollo - that is an indication of his belief that he writes his own future, and therefore which is why I argue that the fortune-telling ability never bothered him.

As for the “Kurapika killed Neon” theory, I think... they all need to get one thing straight about Kurapika: as much as possible, except for the spiders, he doesn’t kill (or at least dislikes to kill). He stated that none of the owners had to die even if two preferred to die. If there’s a way, he will not shed blood. Besides, Kurapika doesn’t actually hate Neon - contrary to popular belief. There wasn’t a single manga panel that indicates his hatred for her; or even annoyance. It was only the time where Mellody mentioned that he will kill her if she stands in the way, but Kurapika, as much as mentioned before, doesn’t kill if there is an alternative way. 

I have yet to fully explore possible reasons why Neon’s ability disappears from Chrollo’s book if she’s still alive (my friend thinks it’s related to Kurapika’s dolphin ability). However, there are many rebuttals to the theories on how she died. 

But yeah, I think for it to be canon, Neon has to be alive. Unless... they were already canon and he sailed to the Dark Continent and she died slightly before that event (tbh I rather not have this).

2) Kurapika’s fate - he needs to live

Number 2 is a condition is if they aren’t canon yet before he sails to the Dark Continent. 

One thing that confuses people is that they think that just because Kurapika is under the Kakin Employment, it means that he is no longer affiliated with the Nostrades. The Kakin Employment contract is temporary - he is still affiliated with the Nostrades (and their business is bodyguarding, take note). As for him being in the Zodiac, he is still the Nostrade Family Young Boss - being part of the Zodiacs is like some political committee. 

I know there are rumours (I say rumours cause I don’t see the interview script by my own eyes) that Togashi once indicated that the Phantom Troupe and Kurapika will all die. I do think that Togashi can kill one of his main characters, but there’s one thing that makes me question whether he changed his mind: Nitro Rice from the Dark Continent. 

The Nitro Rice is a thing in the Dark Continent that prolongs one’s life - a direct solution to Kurapika’s Emperor Time problem. I think if he does last until they reach the Dark Continent, he has a chance to prolong his lifespan that he has lost while using Emperor Time. 

Now, if he indeed gets to survive, manages to complete his mission, there’s another problem he will face: a will to live. Because currently, all he has ever lived for is bringing justice to his clan. Beyond that, what can he live for? Which kind of makes the ending for him to happily live with someone (be it his friends or having a family) a suitable one. 

3) Neon’s development

Neon is seriously misunderstood among the fandom - even her personality. I’ve seen a lot of Kurapika x (other character) ships where Neon is the 3rd party in fanfics; and it is a one-sided love. 

However, Neon is actually an emotionally detached person while Kurapika is the one that gets attached to people, even if he initially avoids them. Neon has what psychologists will call “Avoidant-Dismissive Attachment Style” while Kurapika has “Avoidant-Fearful Attachment Style”. This is rightfully so due to their different backgrounds. I actually believe that between the two of them, Kurapika will be the one who falls first or if this is one-sided, Kurapika is the one that likes her because of their attachment styles. 

Neon has zero friends, is materialistic and lacks sympathy for dead people (the complete opposite of Kurapika). She believes in focusing on the present and the living (it’s actually a pretty good principle to live for). She needs to learn how to be more attached to people and learn compassion - which she actually is seen as being capable of. She was surprised that Eliza broke down and cried, and even forgo bidding physically. I think this is an indication of her starting to feel sympathy for people and perhaps being more mature - cemented by the fact that she lost her powers.

Therefore, I do think she needs to learn how to warm her heart up to people (which she might have already started to after the York New incident) if she were to feel something for Kurapika. 

4) Kurapika’s view of her

Okay, this is one factor that is either you take it the vanilla way or the kinky way lmao. I actually wrote a Cognitive Dissonance Theory for Kurapika on my Tumblr post for this one (will try to link it in the reblog). 

Kurapika’s initial belief is that flesh collectors are scums who should be arrested, yet he is surprised to see that his flesh-collecting employer is a girl of his age. I think there is already dissonance in his mind there once he met her. 

Contrary to popular belief, Kurapika doesn’t hate Neon (there’s no single manga panel that ever once showed he detest her or feel annoyed with her; as compared to other employees of hers). In fact, he does quickly understand that Neon is being exploited by her father - to which he corrects Basho about the situation. In the manga, when he woke up after the fever, he says her name (in the 2011 anime, it was “Boss” but in the manga, it’s “Neon”) and immediately asks about her; which indicates that he is concerned for her. Of course, she is his employer but in that situation where he is bedridden and not working, him asking about her won’t be just due to him working as a bodyguard. 

However, this doesn’t show that he has feelings for her. It only proves that a) he doesn’t hate her, b) he does care about her. He needs to see Neon as more than just a flesh collector for him to like her; on top of spending time with one another. He needs to see (if he hasn’t already) that she is a girl his age that has a different predicament than him. 

This is the vanilla way I guess. 

The darker and more saucy interesting interpretation would be him thinking it’s okay to objectify her just as much as she objectifies his clan’s eyes (that’s another post I gotta do for another day - but hey, this interpretation is paralleled to Tserreidnich/Theta). 

5) Spending Time with one another

I think as mentioned, it is already a given that Kurapika and Neon had spent time together under one roof off-screen while we see Gon and Killua on-screen during the 3 arcs. However, I think Neon cannot suddenly become less detached and Kurapika cannot want something more than his mission at the moment; so I do think that even if they had spent time before Dark Continent Exploration arc, Neon and Kurapika needs to spend time together after he comes back (that’s if they haven’t banged before he sailed to the Dark Continent like they did in my fic lmao). 

So yeah, I think these are generally the five things that I think should happen if they were to be canon. 

I don’t know why I was compelled to do a long-ass post of this, but I hope this answers your question. I can go on and write a report about this but Imma stop here for now. 

[damedamedame]

okay, i’m back, sorry i can’t get enough- can i request headcannons of teru, tsukasa and akane walking in to their s/o in the corner of the room sniffling, and instantly thought someone or something hurt them, and was bout to throw sum hands? But in reality they were just crying over a really sad fanfic. you don’t have to accept if you a lot of request alr doe, but thanks if you did 💞 :3

VARIOUS X READER HEADCANONS - REQUEST

“For Real?”

NOTES: ayyy you’re back :00 !! thanks for requesting againnn by the way my inbox is like a fuckin desert so no worries :333

P.S. - i don’t accept tsukasa usually but like,, special exception :3???

-

-> TERU MINAMOTO

As the President’s girlfriend, you are allowed full access to the Student Council Room much to Akane’s dismay.

You know what?? Akane’s gonna get kicked out again if says anything :DD

But he doesn’t really mind you.

In fact: you mind him.

*stressed (Y/N) noises as he continues to gush about Aoi*

Anyone who says ‘Hey, you can’t go in there!’ because you’re not a part of the student council shall be ignored :’)))

Teru’s got his eyes on everyone lmaoo

did i just make him sound like a yandere?? n-nah

ANYWAYSSSS 👏👏👏

You use the Student Council Room for *ehem* r e a s o n s. No, you definitely don’t use the room to read fanfictions and visual novels. Nope. Not at all.

But you actually do >:333

You’re inside that very room right now, tapping away at your phone to keep reading the next passages of the oNE OF THE SADDEST VISUAL NOVELS YOU’VE EVER SEEN—

saeyoung choi, anyone?

Then comes in Teru.

PLEASE CUE TERU BLINKING SEVERAL TIMES AND FROZEN IN PLACE AFTER SEEING THE TEARS JUST RUNNING DOWN YOUR CHEEKS

Nonono, Teru never wanted to see you cry about anything ever !! :((

He’ll do everything in his power, a whole dang lot of power in his hands, to keep seeing that smile of yours.

Frantic, he rushes over to you and kind of just,, pats your head as you sniffle and sob as you watch the screen.

He’s only ever had to deal with Tiara’s tantrums and guilt over having to scold Kou, okay??? What?? Is he gonna cradle you until you fall asleep?? Is he gonna ban you from seeing Hanako even if you can’t see him??? WHAT DOES HE D O—

Observational skills on point as always, he sees a someone on your screen, and heart wrenching words if he only knew the context behind it.

“...Why are you crying, (Y/N)?”

“HE ALMOST DIED TERU I COULD HAVE GOTTEN THE BAD ENDING AND I—“

Teru just. small smile and eyes shut, if you get my drift.

He’s lowkey confused for about a few seconds until he connects the dots with his,

b i g b r a i n ✨

You were only reading a visual novel. You just told him that you almost had a bad ending. That guy on your screen said those words. You were crying because of a fictional character??

Huh. Maybe he should pick up one of these novels and read them with you,,, if he had the time to squeeze it in his schedule— oh who am i kidding, he’ll squeeze in time to be with you no matter what.

“Should I contact the developer...?”

“tERU NO—“

-> TSUKASA

Damn rat might kill anyone who makes you cry smh smh.

I mean... business, am I right???

OKAY I’LL STOP—

You’re one of the ✨ School Mysteries ✨

How did you die? Well, let’s just say there was a truck, a phone and an unfortunate incident that’s been talked about through hushed whispers and murmurs.

Speaking of phone, dang thing’s still stuck on your hand for like,,, ages. Not that you care very much. At least the afterlife gave you some entertainment :’)))

You’re with Tsukasa for whatever reason— Once he showed up inside of your Boundary, he just clinged to you ever since. He’s cute, you admit, if you look past the terror he’s done to spirits.

Tsukasa has never granted your wish. You didn’t have one, really, but you still didn’t understand why the pesky ghost didn’t ask terrorized for one. Despite that being his job. And why he’s here. But like— whatever lol.

What he DOES do is ask you to never leave his side. What you didn’t know was that Tsukasa never granted or asked for your wish because he didn’t want you to leave him once it’s done ala horrific.

i—i forgot my point here bUT ANYWAY MOVING ON DJDBDB WHEW LONG INTRO

You’re in your Boundary, the endless hallway, and chlllin while scrolling through your phone for fanfiction to read while you’re dead. The usual. Yep, this is pretty much why you died but lmao you’re just,,, doing it again.

gentle reminder for anyone reading to not use your phone while walking across streets >:000 i care about your safety guys !!

Now where was I? oH yes.

You find a particular fic about your favorite pairing from when you were alive. It still is. Fluff, they said, it’s only fluff... It was not fluff. IT WAS A REALLY FLUFFY ONE UNTIL IT WAS NOT :(((

Tsukasa, who left for personal business, returned to see you bawling and rolling down on the ground and clutching your phone tightly.

“(Y/N)??? Is that a new exercise you’re doing???”

“nO >:((((“

He sits down cross-legged next to you, curious eyes landing on your body still rolling around because of that OnE LiNe. Most likely pokes you until you stop and pay attention to him.

You pout, ‘So cute <33’ He ponders upon before smiling far too widely at you like dude why you gotta smile like that it’s creeping me out.

Hesitantly, you showed him the screen, hoping he’d understand how much distress you have at this moment.

He did not.

“AHA! (Y/N)’S CRYING BECAUSE OF A SAD STORY!” He says with the widest fuc ki n grin.

You take back the phone, blushing immensely out of embarrassment for showing him the pic and him l a u g h i n g at you.

Eventually, Tsukasa stops. He softly tells commands you to look at him. Very very carefully, you take a quick look.

Then he pinches both your cheeks as hard as he can, slight blush on his face.

“Don’t worry, (Y/N)! I’ll make sure no one else makes you cry like this.”

-> AKANE AOI

Oh boy.

Looking at the clock on the wall, then over to the piles of notes laying about on the table, you wonder where the fuck your boyfriend could be.

It was quiet, too quiet for your own liking. Everyone else had gone back to their homes or went out with friends.

And you??? You’re here.

Waiting for Akane since the beginning of time.

omg time pun

Inside the library.

IT’S REVISION DAY DAMN IT— PLUS YOU HAD A TEST TOMORROW AND AKANE JUST SAID HE’D TUTOR YOU ABOUT IT HDBDHE

You look down on the notes you made, words barely of any interest for you, and put it down on the table. “A little quick peek.” You say as your hand shuffles for your phone in your bag.

When you DID find it, you frowned. No new texts from Akane. Awfully strange, since he’d text you 23/7 prayer circle punishment break

Then you see a notification pop up... then you find out your oh-so-loved fic has finally updated after a week of waiting. Patience running thin, you decide to read the ol’ thing.

Bad idea.

You couldn’t stop reading after a long long while. The words simple captivated your mind as of a puppeteer controlling one’s puppet. Besides, Akane was bending the rules, so why can’t you???

Speaking of time boy,

AKANE WAS HURRYINGLY DASHING TOWARDS THE LIBRARY IN S P E E D.

Teru had pushed off all his paperwork on him because he felt an eerie feeling about an apparition hanging nearby.

“The least you could do, Aoi.” He says, flashing a bright smile and leaving Akane alone in the room. HE HATES THAT GUY >:(((

Everyone around him gave him weird looks, but were already used to his old Aoi shenanigans. So they all turned a blind eye.

SUDDENLY THE DOOR SLAMS OPEN :0 !!!!

AND HE ENTERS, PANTING, AND SEES YOU.

Initially, he’s glad to see you waiting for up for him. BUT THENNN HE SEES YOU SOBBING.

“(Y/N), did I really take that long???”

“N-No, I-I’m not—“

Your eyes are obviously puffing up from the amount of tears you shed after reading a 5000-word update.

Somehow, you couldn’t bring yourself to show the phone to him.

Akane’s real concerned, to the point where he’d gladly use his time-freezing skills just to check if no one was bullying you through your phone.

And after many MANY attempts to get your phone, he did it.

He stopped time. Just to see what’s on there.

Of course, he had to know what exactly made his love so sad and read the whole thing in like,, under a minute— boy’s got mad reading skills i tell you.

Finally! Time! Comes! Back! AND YOU STARE IN HORROR AS YOU SEE AKANE HOLDING AND READING WHAT’S ON YOUR PHONE

Your exact thoughts rn: s c r e e e e eEREE

Akane looks at you, a chuckle hiding behind his lips. The thoughts of you crying lingering in his mind now replaced themselves with how cute your flustered face is right now.

“Did you really cry because of this, (Y/N)?”

“Q-QUIT IT!”

Somehow, your boyfriend is such a damn tease when it came to you— tHERE ARE APPROPRIATE TIMES FOR THIS NOT NOW >:00

But still... he’s good too.

Akane wipes the tear about to escape from your eye, enjoying how your face blushed tenfold with a sly smile.

“I won’t let anyone else ever make you cry.”

-

NOTES: did you enjoy?? uh anyways— masterlist on the way :))

@astrxrism

[creativenicocorner]

Slides a ⭐ for a star person :p

Holy shit it took over a year and I barely remember which fanfic ask this is about...I think it's like a director's cut one? REGARDLESS! I do remember the star was to like talk about whatever - and while looking for a WIP I came across an attempt to answer this WITHIN a wip? Past Nico what were you thinking?!

I do know this was written sometime before Ch15 of Terpsichore came out, because there were a few references? But I rephrased the wording a bit.

Forgive me for using this as an excuse to just babble on about how I choose the music titles for chapter sections in Terpsichore, but also, I'm not entirely sorry haha Without further Ado! Here’s hoping this rambling makes sense haha!!

⭐ AN ANSWER!（♥￫ｏ￩♥）

So it’s taken me a long time to figure out how I wanted to answer this. For a while I was going to ramble about M*A*S*H how it was a rather formative show for me growing up, especially in its anti-war message as well as how it feels like a comedy played in a minor key. There was even going to be a link to a video essay on the show, and then I was going to hint at a want to write a series following the changelings in a pre-show context in the sort of vibe M*A*S*H gave.

But it got lost, and weighty…and…idk, I can’t seem to stick to a lot of things these days? I don’t know.

But there’s always been in me the want to attempt to explain why I choose the music pieces I choose to title the sections in each chapter. Cause despite the little message at the bottom of the first chapter and the last chapter talking about motifs leitmotifs…writing prose is nothing like composing music.

And not only that I’m sure less than half of the people reading the fic will listen along with the playlist. Which is 100000% fine! I anticipate it even!

Because at best, those sectional pieces serve less as soundtrack more like a silent movie’s musical medley.

Because it’s the written word, and I’m not Andrew Hussie ldgj though the day I find out how to put a little ‘play button’ to listen to music during a fic, I might do that. But at this point in time Hell No haha.

Despite this, there is a process behind my music selections.

There is a difference between what I consider ‘corpse de ballet’/ ‘ensemble’ sections, and ‘leads’ / ‘duet’ sections.

Or what my poor readers go through as ‘a shit ton of prospective shifts’ and two prospectives at best, at the same time. I don’t know why I’m such a fan of bouncing between perspectives so much that you probably feel seasick. I always consider it a miracle anyone understands what the heck is going on dfjglk The answer is probably because I like third person omniscient writing, and am a sucker for situational/character irony. But I’m also a grammar school drop out haha and don’t actually know the rules of writing by heart? I’m just a fool with a bunch of vibes and a dictionary doing their best lol.

[ stressed coffee sip ] Fake it til you make it baby

But yeah! Enough borderline weird self deprecating! Let’s talk music!!

So! Usually when writing a section I try and think about who are the central characters in the section, and or what is the theme/emotion I’m trying to call on. Is there a motif, or a reference I can play on musically? An idea or concept I can echo or even enhance? Will it be a specific genera of music tied to a character because that character embodies and or is known for a specific genera (example: Nomura and Opera- more on that at during ACTII )

Once I answer those questions, I’m able to narrow down my music choices. Which, again, acts more like a book of suggested musical medley orchestras and musicians would purchase during the silent movie era as like a cheat sheet of what they could play during a specific scene.

So…for instance, for a character like Barbara Lake I wouldn’t use video game music -or maybe I could…but it would only be in terms of perhaps referencing her son.- who I would have a higher chance at choosing to select a video game music piece for (hang on to your butts ACT II Zelda soundtrack).

In the fic I’ve built the idea that in order to explain Barbara’s ability to paint, that she not only took classes but was part of the production team in putting on a play, mainly in set design painting props. Which opens me to a world of musical options when it comes to Barbara’s character. Especially when certain musicals hold songs that can be really fitting to her character later on. An example of this can be seen in ch3 “Aquarius”, and ch14 “Julia”.

Ch3 is Barbara’s big planned picnic date. The first date she and Walter go on after she ingested the binding spell. The two of them coming together, but also the magic of which awakening something magical inside.

And Ch14 in which the binding spell is broken, but also whatever was holding Barbara’s potential to reaching towards that magical something inside her is also broken. And in a sort of my own attempt at written diegesis between the narrative and the song selections in the sections, the lyrics to Aquarius is written out as Barbara depends into the water. In which it is no longer the dawning of Aquarius, Aquarius is starting to take center stage. Their cue is played.

That would be my example on a very character driven musical choice.

Not only that, but it is at Ch3 where Walter is influenced more and more to Barbara’s appreciation to musicals, so much so that it begins to influence his own array of music pieces. His dreams no longer dialogue from movies he fell asleep to, but sometimes full on reproductions of staged musicals and plays. An example of this can be seen in Ch11 On the Right Track from Pippin the Musical - which oof I could go into a full dissertation on in regards to changelings/Pippin and The Pale Lady/Leading Player.

Not only that, but due to influence from Barbara’s love we get the moment of Walter’s ‘I want’ section piece in the form of Ch9 “Corner of the Sky” (aka Pippin’s I want song as well). The moment before this happened there was the interaction with Angor AND Otto AND the repercussions of Angor attacking the school. It is clear to these characters that Strickler is not giving his all in killing Jim, and perhaps never tried to give his all. Something that Otto proclaims as Strickler making excuses, and Strickler insists is tact.

Then there is the situational character driven choice.

I’m going to continue to use Barbara as an example here, and say that THIS can be seen in Ch2 “No. 9 – Finale Andante” and ch12 “Le Lac Des Cygnes Introduction: Moderato Assai”

Both of these music pieces come from Swan Lake. The reasoning behind the choice is probably asinine in thought process (Barbara Lake, Swan Lake), but also thought out in the sense of the following:

In Season3 of Trollhunters Morgana, in order to attempt to reacquire her shadow staff from Strickler (“The Exorcism of Clair Nuñez), transforms herself to take Barbara Lake’s physical form.

IN THE BALLET SWAN LAKE The wizard Von Rothbart, in order to obtain what they want, transforms (granted someone else) Odile to look like the hero Odette in order to trick the prince into proclaiming this imposter Odile as their one true love. In which Odile is the mirror to Odette, and while looking similar (in fact typically the ballerina who performs as Oddette would also perform as Odile) are opposites in spirit.

And, at least in Terpsichore, what near primordial eldritch force can rival that of the Eldritch Queen that we know from cannon will inevitably impersonate Barbara Lake?

But wait, there’s more.

In chapter 2 the piece used in section 2 is the end of ACTI from Swan Lake. The music hints not only the arrival of Odette, but also her inevitable tragedy. What is written in this section, briefly at that cause we watched how the scene plays out in the show, you don’t need me writing that back at you, but I digress- What is WRITTEN in this section is Barbara sipping the enchanted tea that binds herself to Waltolomew Strickler. Something that you, the viewer and fan will know ends in tragedy, as do I the writer and also fan knows will end in tragedy. The only people out of the loop here are the poor poor characters.

And then the revolving door of bad situations that is ch12 happens, and we return to Swan Lake with “Le Lac Des Cygnes Introduction” In which Barbara is introduced to Jim Lake’s Trollhunting world, finally. But wait! There’s EVEN more.

Because not only is Barbara introduced to Jim’s Trollhunting world, Barbara begins to allow herself an introduction to that weird magical more that’s inside her via dream. And YOU/WE the reader/writer/audience, are introduced to the strange figure Giselle is talking to on the beach of Lake Superior…who…well, you’ve probably already have an idea as to who that figure is ;)c

There are also moments when I just select a song piece because I think it fits Thematially well - ch11’s “Powerhouse” section. Aka the music that plays in Looney Tunes whenever an assembly line montage occurs - to which in that section Jim Draal and Walter are putting together the booby-traps to thwart Angor Rot (as well as try to reassemble some sort of emotional connection between them). Or it could be a reference to a meme I really enjoyed, example Ch12’s “Roundabout” aka the music piece known vernacularly as “The Jojo Meme” but also like…meme aside it’s really good and fits and just lkfgjkgsdj I have a lot of feels about Roundabout and I won’t apologize for it haha

And yet, something I pride myself in, is that you don’t need to know all of this to enjoy the story. It isn’t necessary to listen to the Swan Lake pieces or even the Musicals, or even the Jojo Meme. Because, if I did my job right, those echoes ought to be in the writing. The pieces to the section have always been optional. Just little markings in a booklet to be given to you the reader/composer as a suggestion and you can choose to play those pieces along to the silent film, or boot up a ragtime. And that’s the power you have. And that’s equally as wonderful!

[endless-whump]

Nick/Milo: A Whisper of Touch

CW: referenced refusal of food, starvation, fainting spells, referenced captivity, referenced torture, malnourished whumpee, shameless fluff, cuddles, referenced dissoci@tion

Masterlist

4 am gang wheeee somehow I ended up with 2k words lol I should probably sleep

---

Nick didn’t like hovering but...he really couldn't help it.  He couldn’t help the knee-jerk reaction to throw his hands out to steady Milo whenever he swayed, or seemed off balance, or got that recognizable, pale look on his face.  He didn’t like it because more often than not he got a flinch in reaction to the sudden movement, heart twisting in guilt.  He was thankful for the instinct, though, when he actually needed it.

They always came out of nowhere, the fainting spells.  One minute Milo would be fine, maybe even relaxed if they were lucky, and the next his knees were giving out, sending him crumpling to the ground with barely a second of warning.  They were happening almost every day, which was what made Nick develop the protective habit in the first place.

He was at the bar on his laptop, desperately rummaging through deficiency possibilities when his boyfriend came into the kitchen.  He quickly clicked off the tab and smiled up at Milo, sighing.  He never took a single second he could lay eyes on him for granted, not anymore.

“Hey, love.”  Nick hummed, observing Milo’s demeanor.  He seemed relaxed enough, which was good.  He still had a bit of that far away look in his eyes, though, the one that Nick despised with all his heart.  “I was planning on making some pancakes, I’ll make the kind you always like.  The one with peaches?”

Milo was quiet for a moment, fingers fidgeting with the oversized sleeves of Nick's hoodie he wore.  He nodded, turning and reaching up to grab a glass from the dishdrying rack.  That was one victory Nick was immensely proud of.  He was getting his own water without asking anymore.  Food, on the other hand, was something they were still working on.  Nick knew better than to ask if Milo wanted food, he knew the answer would be a hasty shake of the head.  It was better if he just...simply said they were gonna have food.  It was a statement, not a question.  Not something Milo really had the option of saying no to.

Nick ran a hand over his face, closing his eyes.  It made him feel awful.  He knew it was important to make Milo feel like he could say no, reassure the fact he had options and a choice, but this was the one thing he had to reinforce.  He knew that if Milo was given the option to eat or not, he’d say no every time.  They’d already tried that, thinking he’d eventually cave and say yes.  He never did.

The sound of glass shattering jerked Nick back to attention, head snapping up.  Milo’s eyes were wide, hands shaking where the glass had slipped out of his hand and shattered on the floor.

“Milo- don’t move,”  He said urgently, scrambling to his feet.  The last thing he wanted was Milo freaking out and getting glass in his foot.

“Nick- Nick I can’t, I feel-”

It only took Nick a second to realize what he was saying.  He rushed over and kicked the glass out of the way as best as he could, figuring he was better protected in socks than Milo would be with bare feet.  He wrapped his arms around Milo as if in a hug, feeling him go completely limp, as if someone had turned off some switch.  He staggered with the sudden weight against him, a hand flying to the back of Milo’s neck to make sure his head didn’t fall back.

He carefully lowered Milo to the floor, setting his partner's head in his lap as he gently pressed two fingers against the side of his neck.  He wasn’t sure it was necessary, but the small action was always a small reassurance to him.  That's what kept him calm, every time this happened.  He could reassure himself his partner was breathing, that his heart was beating.  It felt stupid, but he couldn’t help himself.  He needed that reassurance to cling to.

Milo keened softly as his eyes fluttered open, brows furrowing in disorientation.  Nick ran a hand through his hair, cupping his face.

“Hey, you’re ok, love.  There you go, I’m right here.”  

It was routine now, at least for Nick.  He hooked his arms under Milo’s knees and torso, carefully picking him up.  The glass he could take care of in a minute.  Shaking fingers clutched at his shirt as he lowered Milo onto the couch, but were easily pried away to give Nick room to pull a blanket over him.  He slid his hand to the back of Milo’s head, thumb rubbing softly against skin in a soothing motion.  He stayed crouching by the couch, humming reassurances, coaxing Milo through the waves of dizziness and confusion that always lingered after he fainted.  

It made Nick feel frustrated, how helpless he was to help.  The only thing any doctor would tell them was that Milo needed to eat more, needed to rest more, whatever.  Nothing he hadn’t heard a hundred times.  He knew they were right, but it just made him feel guilty, like he wasn’t doing enough to make sure Milo recovered.  All of this felt so out of his range of capabilities.

“M..msorry, sorry-”

“Hey nothing to be sorry for,”  Nick reassured, pressing a kiss to Milo’s forehead.  “You don’t have control over that, shit happens.”

Milo reached a shaky hand out, and Nick quickly laced their fingers together and squeezed lightly.  The deep scars around his wrists were still pinkish, not yet fully paled yet.  Nick found himself staring at them, thumb brushing lightly across the raised, healing marks.

“He almost never took them off,”  Milo whispered, and Nick's gaze darted to him, brows furrowing with concern, then horror.  Milo just stared distantly, eyes fluttering shut as he took a slow, deep breath.  “They were always so..cold, and tight.  They only got warm when..when I pulled at them, and they bled.”  He nodded to his wrist, pressing his lips together.  “Those are my fault.”

“None of this is your fault.”  Nick insisted, leaning close.  “None of it, you hear me?  You can’t blame yourself for something like that.”

Milo just shrugged, eyes opening.  They locked gazes, both of their expressions soft, but grieving.

“I forgot what you looked like.”

Nick’s heart dropped at the statement, tears filling his eyes.  He brought Milo’s hand up to his lips, holding it tightly, giving Milo the space to talk.  His hands were cold, and he couldn’t resist the urge to breathe on them slightly, hoping to do at least something to ease his discomfort.

“I..I forgot what your face looked like, after a while.  It all got really blurry, I just- I couldn’t remember.  I remembered what you smelled like, what your voice sounded like; I heard it when I slept sometimes.”  A tear slipped down his cheek, a haunted look in his eyes.  “But..I couldn’t remember what you looked like, and it terrified me.  I was so scared...scared that I would never see you again, that I had forgotten it forever.”

Nick didn’t even know what to say.  He wanted to tear whoever he did this to Milo to shreds, what he could do with just a few minutes with the bastard…

“When I saw you..” Milo continued, grabbing Nick's attention again. “I thought I was dead.  At a certain point I kinda just- gave up on the idea of ever seeing you again, I guess.  I dreamed so many times about coming home...I still don’t think it's real sometimes.”

God, what do I even say to that

“I’m real,”  Nick murmured, running his other hand down Milo’s back, loving the way he smiled slightly, a little lopsidedly.  “It's all real, and you know that because if it weren’t, I wouldn’t be here, right?  Can’t dream about me if you don’t know what I look like, silly.”

Milo huffed, rolling his eyes.  “Guess not, then.”  He squeezed Nick's hand before pulling close, pressing their lips together.  Nick was a little taken aback by the move but quickly relaxed into it, sighing.  He pulled back after a moment, heart warming at the sleepy grin on the others face, the way his face had a bit more color to it amongst the pale skin and freckles, features that could never be overshadowed in Nick’s eyes, not even by the scars over the bridge of his nose and cheekbones.  This was the clearest Milo’s eyes have looked in ages, the most aware he’s seemed.

“Never forgot what that felt like,”  Milo hummed, letting his head fall back on the couch.  His neck was exposed to show the curve of his shoulder, scars wrapping around his throat, a few disappearing below his collar.  It didn’t stop Nick from wanting to kiss every inch of him, not ever.

“Me neither,”  Nick smiled in return, kissing Milo’s hand again.  “You ok here if I go clean up that glass?  Need to make some breakfast, too.”

“Mhm,”  Milo hummed, nodding.  “Can we go back to bed after?  I know you didn’t sleep, I saw you on your laptop.”

Even now Milo didn’t miss things like that, it seemed.

“Yep, I don’t have any classes to worry about.  We can spend the whole goddamn day in bed if we want.”

Milo smiled, curling up and watching Nick stand.  He made his way back to the kitchen, grabbing a dustpan to sweep up the glass on the floor, dumping it in the trash.  He made something just for the two of them, some bacon and pancakes and eggs and that gross vitamin c juice Milo always drank without a single complaint.  The sun was up now but he knew nobody would wake up for a while, it was Saturday which meant absolutely nobody went to sleep at a decent hour the previous night.  Half of the house probably wasn’t even here.

He passed Milo on his way to take the food to his room, and he almost would've guessed he was asleep if it weren’t for the way he picked at a string on the couch, fidgeting idly.  Nick smiled, quickly setting the plates down on the desk beside his bed before going back for Milo.

“You ok to walk?”  He asked, watching his partner warily.  Milo nodded, pushing himself up on his elbows to sit up, eyes tired but blessedly aware.  Nick helped him up, watching him closely for any signs he’d pass out again.  He didn’t, able to walk back to their room with little assistance and crawl back into their bed.  It was nice to call it theirs again.  It felt all too empty when Milo was gone.

Nick handed Milo his plate, crawling up onto the bed and sitting cross legged next to him with a soft smile.  He ate slowly but he was eating, which is all Nick could ask of him.  The hum of the air conditioner filled the room, a soothing sound to fill the silence as they ate.  Nick matched his pace, only finishing his own food when Milo did.  

“You feeling ok?”  He asked as he set the plates aside, watching Milo pull the blankets up around him.  Nick didn’t hesitate to join him, the two cuddling up together under the covers.

“Yea, just tired.”  Milo said quietly.  They were a tangle of blankets and legs, foreheads pressed together.  They were warm, perfectly content to lay together under the heavy covers.  Nick hummed happily, lacing their fingers together and holding on tight, happy to have his partner close.

“I never want to forget what you look like again.”  Milo whispered.  Nick squeezed his hand, leaning in closer, their chests pressing together.  “I stay awake, sometimes, just watching you sleep.  I’m scared if I go to sleep you’ll be gone when I wake up.”

Nick pressed a kiss to his forehead, then his cheek, down to his jaw.  He wrapped his arms around Milo and pulled him to his chest, a hand running up the back of his neck up to his hair, guiding his head to rest against his shoulder as they closed the space between them.

“I’ll be right here.”  Nick promised.  He felt the way Milo melted against the touch, his curls soft underneath Nick's fingers.  “I’ll be right here when you wake up, you won’t ever wake up back there.  Ever.”

Milo nodded against his shoulder, taking a slow, deep breath.  He hugged Nick back, burying his face into the crook of his neck.  He could hear the sound of the pantry door slamming closed, the floorboards creaking, a fridge opening.  The house was slowly coming to life in the late morning, but the pair only focused on each other in those quiet moments.  They both let themselves drift somewhere between sleep and wakefulness, just aware enough to be aware of each other.  Warm breath against skin, the occasional kiss against the shoulder or jaw, a hand sliding over a hip to pull the other close.  It was all a whisper of communication through touch, something neither of them shied away from.  It was a whisper that spoke louder than any words they could say, sometimes.

I’ll never let you wake up somewhere you’re scared

--

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