#he will become my tenacity and determination

[pink-november]

slay the princess swap aus are precious things to me cuz it's where i get blessed to see how the long quiet will be able to hold his voices and say his thoughts on them with the same tenderness and care the shifting mound shows to her vessels in game

[lovelyyandereaddictionpoint]

Yandere Elite Serial Killer (2)

Part 1

Like frightened deer you scatter

In your opinion, you get pretty far

At one point climbing up high to see where the lights of the small town were

You were making great time 

“(Y/n)! Down here!”

The sun was rising and while you were hesitant you did go to meet ‘Piggie’

She seems high-spirited for such a horrible situation

But she shares the berries she’s found that weren’t poisonous

And clues you in on some helpful camping knowledge

So you’re none the wiser when you feel a sharp pain in the back of your head 

 Waking bleary-eyed to the tight hold of a bloody rope around you 

The sun has long since set and all you can gather is that you're tied to a tree 

You hesitate to call for the girl only for somebody’s nails to dig into your scalp

It's her and she looks deranged covered in dirt and blood (it doesn’t look like it's hers)

Being sure to throw rocks and kick at you for emphasis she explains how she already knows the major twist of this hunt

They own the town 

No help would have been given if you had arrived there

Or even to the airport 

So she says she’s going to stand her ground to entrap them the second they come for the bait

And the bait just so happens to be you

When you ask her why it’s because she hates your pity

“At least when they kick me in the dirt they have the decency to know I belong there!”

She sounds demented 

But determined

So much so you’re sure if this was a movie she’d be the 'final girl'

But you’re here so that’s not happening

Hearing sticks snap and bushes shake you’re sure they’re on the way

So you shut your eyes in fear

Saying your final prayers as you feel the heat of another person stalking up to you

“How disappointing I expected you to get farther.”

It sounds like something he’d say before lobbing off your head

So you prepare for the oncoming blow 

Only to hear a shotgun fire off 

‘Piggie’ screams

So you look up to see Wille grinning madly in that direction before turning back to you 

He holds your face gently but firmly

Turning your head as he examines you 

“She really did a number on you.” 

He sighs snapping his fingers 

An unknown masked person cuts through the ropes 

Holding you on their back and securing the back of your knees

“Take them back to my room and patch them up I’ll gladly delight in my prize once I’ve finished.”

Wille takes off in a giddy sprint as he watches another masked servant drive off in a quad bike with you on the back

Now that the only real stake in this hunt is out he can really let loose

He’s been doing this for a long while

Enticing the masses at whatever new college or preparatory school he could 

Providing a plentiful harvest for his family 

And it’s great for a while but unfortunately, he just hasn’t found what’s missing 

His mother and father have each other and their pets respectively

His brother does as well

And then his sister…well she enjoys just hunting

But he was never like her

He took care of his appearance more, grew his hair long, and wasn’t pretending to be an apathetic prick

Though he could see how easy it was to become that way

He hates how forward people are when they want something from him or his family

He does admire the tenacity of the poor

But among the fellow rich? 

Absolutely unforgivable

He can only imagine the terrified faces he stalks being that of those hated elites

And of course, in the midst of a mission to harvest is when he becomes aware of you

It’s not really any one thing you do 

You just happen to exist close enough to his latest harvest grounds

It’s not your college but something of a rival school

And all it takes is one mutual and he’s whipped

Suddenly he’s decided that you're the perfect one for him

The prize  that’s greater than anything he could buy

To be Continued

[luminnara]

Ganondorf x Hylian!reader

Just a little blurb I had to get out of my brain. Requests for Ganondorf/other Zelda characters are open!

He couldn’t help but marvel at you.

For as much as he hated hylians, even he must admit that some of them possessed admirable qualities—tenacity, an indomitable ability to survive anything, and a fiery courage that sometimes bordered on foolishness. You were an excellent example of a Hylian in this sense.

Now, as he watched you sitting near the crystal clear waters of the oasis, he could recall how you had glared up at him when he had first met you. Your teeth had been bared, your hands balled into fists at your sides as you had no doubt prepared yourself to fight to the death. But any intentions he had had of killing you quickly dissipated when he saw that bright fire in your eyes, and he could remember laying his sword down at your feet and kneeling before you…though even while kneeling he was far larger than you, a mountain in comparison.

You had been confused. You had considered running, preserving your life and keeping your head attached to your shoulders. You had even thought about wrapping both hands around the sword’s grip and doing your best to haul the massive weapon up into the air to protect yourself with. But when you had seen the way the Gerudo king had lowered himself, you had begun to consider him in a new, less threatening light, and you had taken a step back while the tension in the air shifted to something different.

From that moment on, he wanted only to be near you. And now, after many months of careful, determined courtship, he finally felt that you were his.

When he shifted his weight and leaned towards you, he was pleased to find that you mirrored him. Your shoulder brushed against his chest as you relaxed with a hydromelon slice clutched in your hand, the juice running down your wrist in a way that made him wrinkle his nose. He had always hated the sticky feeling of food on his skin. As you tilted your head up and saw the look of disgust on his face, you simply laughed and offered him the hydromelon, licking the juice off yourself when he took it.

“Oh, mighty king of the Gerudo…” you teased. “So bothered by the smallest things.”

“You are quite small, and you don’t bother me in the least.” He quipped, taking a large bite.

You could feel warmth in your cheeks as you blushed. “That’s good, then. I wouldn’t want to interrupt your day, by any means.”

“On the contrary…” he tossed the melon rind towards the sand seals relaxing nearby and put both hands on your hips, hoisting you into his lap. “You are a most welcome and constant distraction.”

He was so big and so warm, his hands seeming to engulf you as he held you there. How you ended up with the king of the Gerudo remained a mystery to you, but being with Ganondorf felt as natural as breathing, and the thought of being away from his hot skin and deep voice for even a day was troubling to you now. It had been months since you had last seen your homeland of Hyrule, and while at times you missed the lush, green fields, this endless desert had become your home, as had the man who lorded over it.

“You’re thinking of it again,” he remarked almost bitterly.

“Hmm?” You zoned back in to find him studying your face, golden eyes watching you intently.

“Hyrule.”

You laid a palm flat against his chest and looked down at it. “It’s hard not to think of it, at times.”

He was silent for a long moment, and at first, you were afraid you had upset him. But when your eyes drifted back up to his, you saw that they were serious and bright, practically sparkling with what you knew was passion.

“One day, we will both go there.” He said.

“I would like that,” you smiled.

“One day…Hyrule will be yours.”

[cannedpickledpeaches]

Insert Your Name (7)

Mafia!Jade Leech x Mafia!Reader

Link to series masterlist!

Notes and TW: Jade doesn't care much about the hierarchy of the mafia when it comes to you. This series will have mentions of blood, violence, crime (kidnapping, attempted assassination, extortion), and harassment, as one might expect from a mafia AU. Please enjoy!

Tags: @guava-writes @itszzmoon @twstsandturns @myteacupisempty @rou-luxe @chikitasmol

It’s a common song and dance. Small organizations sometimes come to the Leech Mafia in hopes of garnering support for their coups. Walrus asked Jade to “lend” you to her. You’re more surprised at her audacity than her motivations.

“You’re trying to replace the Carpenter?” You occasionally see the leader of the Carpenter Mafia at formal functions. A tall, thin man with a disproportionately large head and wheedling voice. Friendly and charismatic on the surface, but known for his underhanded methods of luring people in, stranding them, and devouring them. An insatiable man who takes as much as he can get his hands on.

“Yes, so I humbly came to ask for help.” She places a hand on her chest and furrows her brows. “The Carpenter is a money-obsessed, greedy man who exploits all those who fall into his trap. I can’t watch him go on anymore. Call me a hopeful idiot, but I think with enough determination, even seven maids with seven mops could clear all the sand on a beach in half a year.”

If you were someone else entirely, maybe you would have fallen for her act. That pained look on her face and her poetic description of her tenacity could move a heart made of stone. However, you’ve spent a major portion of your life knowing Jade. You could recognize that duplicitous sorrow anywhere.

“What kind of mafia doesn’t have any suffering?” You won’t pretend the Leech Mafia is a good organization, either. There are monetary benefits, but mafias are built on cruelty, discipline, and fear of the pecking order. For example, if you dislike the way something was done, you have the authority to make sure the offending soldier who carried out the task disappears by sunset.

Walrus smiles. “I strive to create an organization where we can depend on each other.”

“And you want me to help you, huh. Is that why you told your men to attack me? It was a test to see if I meet your expectations.”

“You’re so cute, you know that? You ask questions when you already know the answer. I hope I didn’t upset you.”

No wonder why Jade looks so displeased. He likes to play pranks of that nature on you as well, but he becomes defensive when anyone else tries. What a hypocrite.

“I’m not upset.” As two-faced as Walrus is, you find that you don’t hate it. In the underbelly of society, this is what it takes to not only survive, but to claw your way to the top. In her own way, she is admirable. “Well, tell us what you want and what you’ll give us. This is a negotiation, right?”

“I’m just asking for the basics. Soldiers and weapons, that’s all. Can you spare me a hundred men?” She asks this nonchalantly, but surely she must know the weight of her question. One hundred men on land when the Leech Mafia operates mainly in the Coral Sea is a tall order. Such a number would impact your own operations in the Queendom of Roses. Again, this is expected. When you have more to lose in a negotiation, it is standard to ask for more than what you hope for.

“What a daring question. You are also quite the greedy person, Walrus.” Jade folds his hands on his desk. “Surely you have prepared something of equal value.”

“Of course.” Walrus pulls out a twisting gold wand inlaid with a red jewel. With a flick of her wrist, an image of a man appears in the air. “This is the man who cursed your parents, Jade Leech.”

A shadow passes over his face. This must be a bluff. How are you supposed to believe her when she declared such a thing without proof? To your surprise, Jade does not challenge her claim.

“That matches my findings.” Jade lowers his chin, his sharp gaze scrutinizing her. “What of it?”

“He’s dead. Carpenter personally got rid of him. No use for someone who managed to screw up an assassination, right?” She taps her wand to the image. It becomes a map with a glowing red dot south of the Coral Sea. “One of my friends has a Signature Spell that can analyze dead bodies. If we get his corpse, she should be able to figure out exactly what curse was cast on your parents. His body was dumped around here in the ocean, so you’ll need to retrieve it.”

Jade’s shoulders tense. You glance at the rigid line of his jaw. Softly, you place your hand on his shoulder blade. Calm down. A beat passes. He takes a breath and relaxes his muscles.

“Your proposal is hypothetical. There is no guarantee your friend will be able to deduce what spell was used. In the scenario which she does, there still remains the question of whether or not it can be cured.”

“It’s better than knowing nothing, right? I’ve been working for you for a month. I know there’s been no progress with your parents’ condition.” Her eyes glint. “Honestly, you should be happy to get any kind of lead.”

She has a way with words. At this rate, she will gain the upper hand of the negotiation. You stand still and believe in Jade and his silver tongue. He is not the type of person who will walk away from a discussion having lost more than he gained.

“You knew about the attempt on my parents’ lives, and yet you did nothing while under our employment.” Jade leans forward in his seat and stares her down. “Why didn’t you tell us you knew something about it? Withholding information from us until you can use it as a bargaining chip . . . I’m hurt, Walrus. It will be difficult for us to form a relationship of good faith anymore. If you had told us before it happened, we could have prevented such a tragedy in the first place. From that angle, is it not your fault that my parents were saddled with such an unfortunate ailment?”

Twisting her words and the situation until it benefits him is child’s play for Jade. No matter how contrived that reasoning may seem, at the end of the day, Walrus is the one who desperately needs resources from the Leech Mafia. As long as he does not forget who has the upper hand, he will certainly get his way.

“Of course,” Jade continues, offering her a way out, “I believe in second chances. If you take responsibility and pitch in to find a way to undo the curse, I will have no qualms in lending you my support in your upcoming coup.”

In the end, Walrus has no choice but to concede. There are other groups she could turn to, but creating good relations with the Leech Mafia can only help her if she wishes to gain influence. A weak, unstable group after an internal struggle is easy prey for older, already established syndicates to absorb. She needs their support to avoid a short-lived victory.

Walrus leaves with a promise of seventy men and enough weapons to supply them. As soon as she’s out the door, your mind drifts to the manuscript again. It briefly mentions that the Leech Mafia’s influence spreads after their parents wake up. Maybe this inner turmoil in the Carpenter Mafia causes that expansion. No details were ever given in the manuscript. When you read it over, you had the impression that the author did not have the slightest inkling towards the politics and inner workings of a mafia.

You find yourself stepping back towards the wall as you think. Your body yearns to curl up in the window seat in the attic. Part of you wants to hide up there right now and digest this information. There is so much to think about now. The division of resources, the men you’re going to lend to Walrus, the compensation for the lack of manpower in some of the Leech territory on land . . . .

A hand rests on your waist and reels you in towards the side of Jade’s chair. The perpetrator gives you an imploring look.

“If you need a space to sit, would my lap suffice?”

A few moments ago, you thought Walrus had audacity. Jade outmatches her.

“No, I’ll go up to the attic instead.”

“May I come with you?”

“Seven, you’re so persistent.” You heave a sigh and motion for him to shift so that you can sit comfortably on his lap. His smile grows unbelievably smug as you take a seat, purposely putting your full weight on him. He doesn’t show the slightest hint of discomfort.

It becomes easier to think when you have something pressed against your back. His arms surround you, providing a small space for you to retreat in your mind without any worries. Sturdy and secure like the face of a cliff or the trunk of a tree, safe despite the threat you know he is capable of being. No matter. You were the one who said you would trust him. And now that you’ve let your guard down, you find that you feel rather cozy.

“You’re being weirdly clingy today.” You notice he still hasn’t let go of your waist. “When Walrus asked for my help, you were so adamant on refusing. I could’ve gone, you know. We would’ve had a reason to lend her less soldiers.”

He huffs. “I have told you before. Have you already forgotten? There is no need for you to dirty your hands with filth.”

It takes you a moment to recall when he last said those words: outside Azul’s home while Floyd beat the living daylights out of Barry Moore. You should never have to lift a finger. Just keep making others do your dirty work.

“What’s your problem with me fighting every so often? I’m not against it.”

Jade rests his head on your shoulder. He’s been getting bolder ever since you promised him your trust.

“If you want to, I would not stop you. But I can tell you prefer to stay holed up somewhere and wrack your brain instead of using your fists. In situations where violence is necessary, you often order someone else to do it unless you are the only one around. Regardless, I would support you to the best of my ability whether you wish to scheme or massacre.” He sighs into your shirt. “I was already quite upset that I did not manage to stop Walrus’s men from ambushing you. It put our negotiations at risk.”

“You were going to refuse her terms just because of that?” It’s not like Jade to make such an illogical decision for something that doesn’t even bring him entertainment. In fact . . . “I would’ve thought that watching me struggle in a fight would be interesting to you.”

“Of course it is.” His chest rumbles against your back. Your eyebrow twitches. Laughter? The nerve! “But I would rather you struggle in a situation that I’ve created, which I can stop whenever I wish.”

“So you only like my suffering when you’re in control of everything about it?”

“Let’s not call it suffering. Challenging obstacles, if you will. But yes.” His eyelashes flutter against your cheek. “If it is ever necessary to truly put your life at risk, it means that I have failed in some capacity.”

You should be grateful to hear those words. But some part of you sours. Why is he so bent on protecting you? You aren’t weak. Your Signature Spell’s primary function is to shield you from physical injuries. Fighting comes naturally to you. In fact, when you met the twins, you were the one who fought for Jade. Sort of. You even extorted him afterwards. And in the Leech Mafia, it is your job to protect him.

“I don’t need to be protected.”

“You are correct.” He nuzzles his face into your neck. “You have survived for this long in the mafia. I don’t try to keep you from harm because you are incompetent—far from it, actually. I do so because you are too competent. You take on more and more difficult work, increasing your chances of getting hurt, but you do not stop and consider how seeing you injured may throw me into disarray—”

He suddenly pauses. You think you get the gist of it. His parents still lie unconscious in hospital beds. Perhaps a small part of him blames himself for not being careful enough. Even you sometimes lie awake wondering if there was anything you could have done to prevent it. If only you took that manuscript seriously sooner. If only you had been more vigilant. If only, if only, if only. Do you dare to assume he’s worried about you as well?

Jade’s fingers tighten on your waist. “I want to make sure you are safe and comfortable. If you will allow me, I will do anything in my power to ensure it happens. Scheme and plot, stew in your thoughts, give orders like a tyrant. I will be your hands and feet so that you never have to endanger yourself. It is only a selfish desire of mine that you will never be harmed.”

“So, if I’m understanding correctly, you’re saying you care about me?”

He chuckles. “Is it something that needs to be said?”

Answering a question with a question. Typical.

“Tell me properly.”

“Relentless as always.” He relaxes his grip. “I care about you. More than you think.”

“You said you wouldn’t lie to me anymore.” There’s enough sincerity in his voice that you don’t have to confirm. A part of you just wants to hear him say it.

“I was not lying, then or now.” Jade’s arms wind around your torso and hold you close. “I have always been truthful on this subject, and this is no lie, either.”

[brucewaynehater101]

"If it's closer to fanon Tim, he would feel guilty for Jason. Closer to canon Tim would either be indifferent to Jason's troubles or he'd feel glad (maybe even a little spiteful) that Jason is facing the consequences of his actions. He would, however, feel guilty for how the revelation affects the street kids."

I have to say I disagree with this. Firstly; with the whole post you're framing this as though Jason beat up a child... which like, true, but also Jason is hardly two years older than Tim. I know comics make him seem aged up, but its simply not the case. (dont @ me if u know this cuz u probably do know this already)

Secondly, Canon Tim.... doesn't hate Jason?? Like, really not at all. If there is any dislike, I'd see it as when Jason is acting particularly villainous, he treats him like any other rogue. Though they don't necessarily interact a lot when Jason is in his villain moments. It's other bats who take care of that, so there's really no beef there.

When Jason isn't having an evil moment, honestly a good word for what Tim feels for him is either pity at worst, admiration at best. With the admiration, I'm not talking about Tim liking him as Robin 'cause that's honestly pretty fanon, I'm talking about how Tim admires his tenacity and determination to keep going even when he feels like everyone is against him. And Tim wants to support him! He sees Jason struggling a lot and wishes Jason would accept help- hence the pity.

I sincerely doubt that Tim would ever feel glad or spiteful towards Jason. He's gotten him back for the whole 'beating the shit out of him' thing. Which really, wasn't really about Tim? Plus its far in the past at this point.

Not to mention Tim is one hell of a badass, he doesn't wallow in self-pity, and I don't think he'd want to interfere with RH's stuff and would probably stop the information leak himself, or even deny the rumors with something like "Oh that? It was just a disagreement/misunderstanding lol the rumors got out of hand,"

Sorry if this was too much, I like ur blog and the things u say, this one just felt really misinformed.

Thank you for letting me know. Reading the post back, I can see how I worded it wrong. I appreciate you giving me the chance to correct that and clarify.

Yes, Jason and Tim are close in age. However, Jason's age (as far as I'm aware) isn't known to civilians. Because of his helmet and bulkiness, a kid would view Jason as an Adult. If they knew his age and then the fight with Robin, that would probably be an acceptable level of violence for them. That's just two kids beating each other up, then. From their perspective, though, Robin is a Kid and Jason is an Adult. A possible solution to gain back their trust could be to disclose how old they were at the time (they might not even need to disclose any details or reasoning with that).

Later in canon, Jason and Tim start getting along. If the reveal happened at that point, Tim would not feel gleeful and spiteful. He'd feel bad for Jason. That is entirely my bad for not making that distinction.

Tim is, undeniably, an asshole at times. He wants to do good, tries to help people, and overall is kind. He's badass and I love him, but he can be an asshole (particularly to Steph). He, especially his inner dialog, sometimes makes asshole comments. This includes Jason. To add on, when Jason was beating him up and demanding Tim to answer if he thought he was good (skill wise), Tim answered yes twice. To me, this seems like a petty/spiteful response. That or Tim is just being honest af about his feelings, not giving a shit he's taking a beating.

However, Tim would not hold this grudge against Jason. One of his better qualities is to not hold grudges against most people (even those that he arguably should). It's why some villains/rogues/enemies become his allies or end up becoming fond of him.

Tim may feel glad that Jason is experiencing the consequences of his actions, but not for himself. This would be during his time as Robin exclusively. Red Robin would not feel this way.

Spiteful, though, was the wrong word to use. Tim, as the loveable asshole that he can sometimes be, might be sort of happy that Jason, in his villain era, is being shown the effects of his actions and possible wrongs in his ways. Happy also seems to not match, but the emotions wheel isn't really giving me an alternative.

Tim would, despite his feelings, hate the effect of this on everyone. The street kids, Jason, and the batfam would be negatively impacted by this, and Tim would try everything he could to stop or mitigate the outcomes. He would never release this information willingly nor stand aside to let it happen. Robin may internally say some shit about Jason and the situation if it blew up in their faces, but you're right that he wouldn't purposefully make shit worse. He would actively work to fix the entire mess.

I really am thankful that you helped me articulate this.

It's 100% my bad that I dropped the ball so hard. If y'all see me fuck up like that again, feel free to let me know. As long as you're not mean about it, I appreciate constructive criticism.

Imma edit the previous post this is about and link it to this one so that I fix the mischaracterization

[iluvsturn]

my dearest y/n-c.s

warning:sad

a/n:i cried writing that..

"my dearest y/n,

As I sit here, engulfed in the waves of grief that crash relentlessly against the shores of my soul, I am compelled to pour out my heart to you, my beloved. The mere thought of you fills my being with an ache so profound, it seems to stretch across the vast expanse of eternity itself. How can mere words encapsulate the depth of my love for you, or the magnitude of the loss I feel in your absence?

From the moment our paths intertwined, my life was forever changed by the brilliance of your presence. You were a force of nature, a whirlwind of laughter, love, and boundless energy that swept me off my feet and carried me to heights I had never dared to dream of. Your laughter was like music to my ears, a symphony of joy that reverberated through the chambers of my heart, filling me with an inexplicable warmth and happiness.

In your arms, I found sanctuary, a safe haven where I could lay down my burdens and be truly and wholly myself. You accepted me, flaws and all, with a grace and kindness that knew no bounds, and in your eyes, I saw reflected the love and acceptance I had been searching for all my life. You were my rock, my anchor, my guiding light in a world fraught with uncertainty and darkness.

And then, as if by some cruel twist of fate, cancer reared its ugly head, threatening to tear us apart and shatter the fragile bonds we had forged with such care and tenderness. But you, my brave warrior, refused to be defeated, facing each day with a courage and resilience that left me in awe. You fought with every fiber of your being, clinging to life with a tenacity and determination that defied all logic and reason.

Together, we embarked on a journey fraught with pain, fear, and uncertainty, navigating the treacherous waters of illness with a steadfast determination to emerge victorious on the other side. We laughed in the face of adversity, finding solace in the simple pleasures of everyday life and drawing strength from the unbreakable bond that held us together.

But as the days turned into weeks, and the weeks into months, it became increasingly clear that our time together was slipping away, slipping through our fingers like grains of sand in an hourglass. And though I clung to hope with all my might, praying for a miracle that would defy the odds and grant us more time together, deep down, I knew that our days were numbered, that the inevitable was drawing near.

And so, my love, as I sit here, penning these words through tear-stained eyes, I am overwhelmed by a profound sense of gratitude for the time we shared, for the love we nurtured, and for the memories we created together. You were my everything, my reason for being, and though you may no longer walk beside me, your spirit lives on in every beat of my heart, in every breath I take.

Until we meet again, my love, know that you will always hold the most sacred place in my heart. You were my soulmate, my confidante, my partner-in-crime, and I will carry the memory of our love with me for all eternity.

With all my love and devotion,

Chris."

chris closes the letter, tears streaming down his cheeks in front of the grave of his beloved. God how he’d like to hold her in his arms, to be able to tell her how much he loves her, to be able to kiss her one last time times before leaving.

matt and nick are behind their brother.Crying too, y/n had become like the little sister they never had. By dint of coming every day they decide that she could move in with them. Chris and y/n got even closer and the same with matt and nick. A group of inseparable friends, a couple they thought were indestructible, but even if she can't be with them, they don't know that y/n look at them, her too crying from paradise, wishing them all the happiness in the world.

-🩷

[cloudshuffle]

Ok so, I think I have accidentally send my request alredy umm... This is awkward

Anyway, may I pretty please ask for a yandere Aether headconons with a darling on hunger strike? Ty for reading my request!

STOP YOU ARE SO CUTE

Aether thinks you're being silly. Really, he does - he's traversed universes, worlds beyond your imagination, and you think that a thing as small as refusing to eat is going to stop him? Certainly not.

He lets you wallow in your self-pity for a couple of days - not teasing you by buying delicacies and eating in front of you, but not coddling you either. He leaves you food as he usually would and lets you decide when to end this tantrum by yourself.

He's so indifferent, almost uncaring towards your strike, that you even hesitate the first few days, wondering if he's even noticed. Of course he has. It's just such a miniscule problem to him, even less significant than his commissions from the Guild, that he doesn't deem it necessary to bat an eyelid.

He's impressed by your tenacity this time round, however. You've been holding out surprisingly well, as determined as an otter on a hunt for clams. But even tantrums have to end eventually, and you're mistaken if you think he'll just let you go like this.

When you become so weak that you get out of bed, sway, and promptly collapse back onto the mattress, that's when Aether sighs like a patient parent and forces you to eat. You struggle weakly, but really, what can you do against someone who grappled with Dvalin and won? At least you make much less of a fuss from day to day while you're recovering.

[hymnserendipity]

Break up Geto

Angst, mention of death, no gender mention

Geto has been colder lately, ever since the girl in his custody died he has become very thoughtful and unfriendly despite all your efforts to make him smile. You moved in with him to be close to him and never leave him alone with his thoughts because that's the only thing you can do.

One morning as you woke up alone in bed you reach the living room, seeing him sitting on the couch, not bothering to look at you. “We should end this” Geto says, gazing at the clouds lazily drifting by the window. You’re sitting beside him now, wearing his shirt, shocked. “There’s no reason to delay the inevitable.”

Because any relationship he’s in isn’t meant to last. Not in his line of work. You may as well be dating a dead man walking. He’s clung to you for so long in search for any sense of normalcy. "W-what? Why?" Geto takes a long drag of his cigarette before replying. "You really need me to tell you why?" He knows you're not that naive. That you don't actually need him to spell it out for you. "Yes. Yes, i do." He puts the cigarette out in the nearby ashtray, exhaling a long breath. "You already know why" he says, his voice taking on a tired edge. And you knew you did. "Because I'm a sorcerer. Because I can't offer you anything permanent. Because I can't give you the life you want. You know all this." "I want you. I don't want anything less and anything more." He laughs, harsh and biting. "You're being naive." His gaze flicks over to you, eyes narrowing. "You can't tell me you're perfectly fine with me coming home with bloody clothes. That you feel comfortable with the fact that any given day could be my last."

He exhales, looking away again. "Hell, do you even understand what you're saying? You're really okay with the thought of spending every waking moment in fear about a future you can't control? Being constantly, painfully reminded of how temporary I am?"

"I will never stop thinking of you anyway. I'll make you live every moment, every day, every week. I'll be by your side because you choose to be a sorcerer and i choosed to be with you."

"You-" Geto cuts himself off as he processes your words, stunned by your determination. He knew you'd be stubborn about it, but this was not what he had expected. "Are you hearing what you're saying? Do you have any idea what it even means to date a sorcerer?"

"I love you, Suguru. And i know that you feel the same. I can cross the street and risk it anyway. So what, we shouldnt go other roads just because something can happen?" He growls, frustrated by your tenacity. "It's not the same." He can't believe he even has to explain this. "When you cross the street, it's a calculated risk. You weigh the odds, you assess your surroundings, and you make a choice. But with me? With us?"

He leans in, his eyes intense. "The odds are always stacked against us. It's a matter of when, not if something bad happens. Can you live with that?"

"Yes. And you?"

"You're being foolish" Geto mutters, shaking his head. But he's already wavering in his resolve. He can feel it in the way his heart beats faster in his chest, the way his throat feels tight. He's weak to you, and he can't stand how much you'll mean his downfall.

He closes his eyes. "We'll never have a normal life" he tells you, his voice a ragged whisper. "We'll never have a future. Can you accept that?"

"If we will get married or have kids and one day it will be finished then we will figure it out. But for now i don't want you to tell me to broke up. I want to hear from you if you love me or not. Geto opens his eyes, his gaze fierce. "Of course I love you" he says, his voice rough with emotion. "I've loved you for a long time now. But-"

He sighs, frustrated and conflicted. "You need to understand what you're signing up for. This won't be some fairytale romance. It'll be hard, and it'll be painful, and it'll be dangerous. Can you really handle that?" " I don't want you to face everything alone. I'll be here with you no matter what." Geto tenses as you move to sit on his lap, his instincts telling him to push you away. But he knows that would be pointless. You're here to stay, and he can't find the willpower to make you leave.

"You're a damn fool" he mutters, not quite able to look you in the eye. "You're going to get yourself hurt." "I'll not let you suffer alone." Geto can't help the bitter laugh that escapes him when he hears your words. "You can't protect me" he says, resigned to your stubbornness. "I can take care of myself. That's not the issue here. The issue is you, putting yourself in harm's way for my sake."

He tilts your chin up, forcing you to look at him. "I don't want you to get hurt. I can't let you get hurt." "I'll not end up hurt, i do a normal job" "It doesn't matter" He insists, growing more frustrated by the second. "You're underestimating the danger you'd be in just by being with me. The things I've seen, the things I've done- you have no idea the kind of people I've tangled with. They wouldn't hesitate to use you against me. Can you honestly say you're prepared to face something like that?" "I Won't let you leave me and face everything by yourself, got It?" Geto lets out an exasperated breath, his hand still holding your chin in place. He wants to shake you, to make you understand the implications of your choice. But he knows it's futile. You're as stubborn as he is, and just as determined.

He brings his forehead down to meet yours, his eyes squeezed shut. "You're impossible" he mutters, the last remnants of his resolve crumbling. "How can I possibly resist you when you're this damn stubborn?" He lifts his head back up, staring into your eyes. "You understand what you're signing up for, then? You know this won't be easy. You're prepared to face danger, pain, heartbreak?"

He waits for your answer. He knows what it will be, but he needs to hear it from you. He needs to know that you're not taking this lightly. "Yes, yes, absolutely yes. I want to be by your side." Geto searches your eyes for a long moment, looking for any hint of doubt. But all he finds is certainty. Damned it.

"Fine" he grumbles, pulling you close. "Don't blame me when you eventually regret this."

[spideyhexx]

I've been pondering this all day

Snow hates the thought and feeling of vulnerability especially when it comes to love, friendship, and even his family despite the sacrifices made for his wellbeing and advancement. Excuse the run on sentences

This leaves him the inability to have a normal relationship especially romance and family. Not to mention his entitlement, sense of pride, classism, and overall Capitol mindset as a whole. This is why he "loves" as well as hate DC!reader she doesn't have the those same vulnerabilities that stun her perception and growth. She can see Snow for who and what is Snow and most likely who he'll becom. Not to mention Capitol assumptions that most has about Snow. One would expect it was easier for Snow to manipulate her. Seeing that she's district and at a social disadvantage. She's more than likely will always been seen as district. Just like in my like post/ask just because you got money doesn't mean you'll be readily accepted in the Capitol. Most of this classmates probably lived on the lima bean diet while the Civil War was going on. Yet they still look down upon the districts as if their lives weren't almost the same up till that point. In fact most if not all see this act as terrorism, anarchy, and a direct insult to the Capitol. Like they take offense to the uprising like someone mistreated them rather than the other way around. This speaks volumes to their entitlement as well as nativity. Like of course they don't see the districts as people with rights. I bet that seeing reader and Sejanus prancing around the Capitol just like them irks some nerves. Especially with the older generation because Tigris and Snow were kids during the Dark Days. All this and more plays into the development of Snow's mind and psyche. Don't get me started on Grandma'am and her influence. There's no doubt in my mind that she fed into Snow becoming who he is.

Especially with his early years during the first rebellion. I believe she think Coriolanus could do not wrong and that DC! reader should be more than happy that he's interested in her. Like the only one who doesn't think like this is Tigris

Sorry this turned into less about Coriolanus.

Ps. There is more. I just had to get this out before I forget it. Lucy Gray is up next. All this plays into everything.

Just to add on to last thing. The Capitol is not the Capitol because of money. The money comes to them because of their power in mistreating, degrading the districts. Another thing is I believe the Capitol mindset as a whole has blinded most of the occupants especially Snow. If he realizes that as a person you need more than money and status to make a relationship work then he may or may not do the work to actually improve himself not to just get reader. Like this guy is so cut off from any sense of emotional intelligence.

Am gonna assume this was you <3

Vulnerability is the worst thing for Coriolanus. If it seeps through and someone sees it, he'd probably have a meltdown. I agree with all you said!!! I think his "love" for you is also somewhat of an admiration in the sense that he wishes he observed life the way he sees you do so. And the mere fact that you're able to get under his skin and come to realize his true intentions or his innermost understandings of the world at play, it's frightening to him.

It gives you this unspoken power over him. And yes, your other classmates and even their parents would be looking down upon you as you make your stance in the Capitol, but something that Coriolanus would be attracted to is your determination and defiance against this. You kept trying despite this and he has that same tenacity, so it makes sense he'd commend you for it (while still thinking less of you). It's like he considers himself different from his classmates and their elite parents because he at least acknowledges the fact you have skill and intelligence, but he's not really different at all as he still thinks less of you.

Oh yes. Sejanus and you would be rather carefree. I think he's more likely to be conscious of stares and gossip about the two of you, but your own determination overrides it and you two try to just enjoy your relationship no matter what anyone says or thinks.

Grandma'am of course had a part in Coriolanus' views. She'd be coddling him about his expressed sadness that you won't let him into your life and she would go on about how you should be lucky he's even looking in your direction.

Everything you said about the Capitol is very true. I don't have much to add to that, but it does deeply influence Coriolanus and I think he has a twisted sense of emotional intelligence which just contributes to him being contradictory to himself all the time.

let's chat here :)

[logansargeantsbabymom]

Helloa, i saw you do write for f2 drivers. Can i request 'somethimg to remember' by Matt Hansen with Dennis hauger?

Something To Remember

Dennis Hauger x Fem!Reader

Follow my instagram account (THATS STRICTLY FOR THIS BLOG) for updates on when i post and fun stuff like that!

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The sun hung low in the sky, casting a golden hue over the Silverstone Circuit. I stood by the paddock, my heart racing as I watched Dennis prepare for another race. The roar of engines filled the air, a symphony I had grown to love since the day I met Dennis. But today, something felt different. The weight of our last argument lingered, and Matt Hansen’s song "Something To Remember" echoed in my mind.

*"The memories come but they don't go,"* I thought, feeling the ache in my chest as I recalled our happier times. *"I hear the echoes pounding in my head."* Life with Dennis had its challenges, especially with his demanding schedule and the constant pressure to perform. But through it all, there was an undeniable love that kept us together.

Dennis climbed into his car, and I could see the determination in his eyes. He looked over at me and gave me a reassuring smile, which I returned with a wave, my heart swelling with pride and anxiety. The green flag waved, and the cars took off, speeding down the track with a ferocity that never failed to take my breath away.

*"As long as I keep my eyes closed, you're lying right back in my arms again,"* I reflected, watching Dennis maneuver through the tight corners with precision and skill. His determination and passion for racing were part of what made me fall in love with him, but they also made every race a nerve-wracking experience.

I thought back to our last argument, the one where we both shouted things we didn't mean. Racing took so much of his time and energy, leaving me feeling lonely and sometimes neglected. I knew it wasn’t his fault; he was chasing his dreams, and I admired him for that. But it was hard to always be supportive when I missed him so much.

*"I moved out but I never moved on, so tell me now, where did we go so wrong?"* I mused, feeling the weight of our relationship's ups and downs. I knew we had to cherish the good moments, hold onto them tightly, to help us through the tougher times.

The race progressed, and Dennis fought hard for every position. I could see the focus etched on his face, every muscle in his body taut with concentration. I held my breath as he made daring overtakes, my heart pounding in sync with the rhythm of the engines.

*"I was your something once, the picture on your dresser. When did I become your something to remember?"* I reminded myself, gripping the edge of the barrier in front of me. The support from the other drivers' partners and the fans around me was comforting, but nothing could quell the anxiety that bubbled within me.

As the final laps approached, Dennis was in third place, pushing hard to close the gap between him and the leader. The tension was palpable, every second feeling like an eternity. I could barely breathe as he made his move, overtaking the second-place car with a skillful maneuver.

*"All of my friends were wrong, they said that I'll forget him. But he's the kinda song you could play forever,"* I thought, watching him navigate the track with a blend of caution and aggression that took my breath away. It was a reminder of why I fell in love with him in the first place—his tenacity, his passion, his never-give-up attitude.

The checkered flag waved, and Dennis crossed the finish line in second place. The crowd erupted into cheers, and I found myself jumping up and down with excitement. Tears of joy streamed down my face as I watched him pull into the pit lane, the team surrounding him in celebration.

“Ohh-oh-oh, I thought we had it all. I was your something once, now you found something better. How did I become just something to remember?" I whispered to myself, feeling a rush of relief and pride. Dennis climbed out of the car and immediately looked for me. Our eyes met, and I ran to him, throwing my arms around his neck as he lifted me off the ground.

"You did it, Dennis!" I exclaimed, my voice filled with emotion. "I'm so proud of you."

He kissed me deeply, his hands holding me tightly. "I couldn’t have done it without you, Y/N. You're my rock, my everything."

“Do you think of me at all? Or have I never crossed your mind again?" I thought, feeling the truth of those words in every fiber of my being. No matter the challenges we faced, our love was the anchor that kept us grounded.

As we walked back to the team, hand in hand, I knew that whatever the future held, we would face it together. Dennis squeezed my hand, pulling me closer as we weaved through the celebrating crowd.

Later that evening, as the festivities wound down and the garage grew quiet, we found a moment alone. Dennis had changed out of his race suit and into something more comfortable, but he still carried the aura of a champion. He sat beside me, our fingers intertwined.

"Do you ever think about the future?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. "About what comes after racing?"

Dennis looked at me, his expression softening. "All the time," he admitted. "I think about you, us, what we could build together."

I felt a lump form in my throat. "It's hard, Dennis. The distance, the uncertainty. Sometimes I wonder if we’re strong enough to make it through."

He turned to face me fully, his eyes intense. "We are strong enough, Y/N. We've already come so far. Remember what Matt Hansen sings? 'We’ve come so far, don’t let it slip away.' We’ve got to hold on tight, and fight another day."

His words, borrowed from the song that had been a silent companion to our relationship, brought tears to my eyes. "I love you, Dennis. More than anything. And I want this, us, to work."

He pulled me into his arms, holding me tightly. "It will work, Y/N. Because we’ll make it work. No matter how tough things get, I’ll always be here for you."

As we sat there, wrapped in each other’s embrace, I knew that our journey wouldn’t always be easy. There would be more races, more nights apart, more arguments. But there would also be love, laughter, and moments like this, where we remembered why we fought so hard to stay together.

"Something to remember, something to hold on to, it’s the love we share, that’s gonna get us through,"* I repeated to myself, feeling the truth of those words wrap around my heart like a warm blanket. No matter what challenges lay ahead, I knew we would face them together, and that was something truly worth remembering.

[satoruni]

Hi! Here's a vindland saga fic request. Thank you for writing VS!

This has been on my mind for months now. Hear me out. Askeladd's daughter who worked excessively hard to become a warrior because she wanted to be useful to askeladd so she can finally gain even a bit of his attention. She joins the vikings and meets thorfinn. Even when he finds out who she is, he is unable to hate her when she is kind and friendly to him even when he is rude and dismissive towards her. How come the child of a cruel man is so kind?Slowly, he finds himself going out of his way to protect her on the battlefield and naturally the two spend more time together- hunting, sleeping, eating. They become...friends? And thorfinn is too much of an idiot to realize he cares for her more than he thinks. And one day she finally tells him the reason why she joined the vikings.

It will make me very happy if you write for my idea. Thank you. (Excuse my bad english!)

Thank you so much for this lovely request! I hope you enjoy ♡

You were born in a small village in Jutland. You were the result of a passionate yet fleeting affair between a notorious mercenary, Askeladd and one of his many adorers in the village. Tragically, your mother's life slipped away during childbirth, leaving you with a father who was ill-prepared for parenthood. Instead Askeladd had you raised under the care of his uncle, Gorm. You were clothed and well-fed but Gorm was affectionless and saw you as nothing more than a burden on his expenses. He also made sure you knew it too.

Yearning for your father back, you had waited with bated breath as Askeladd's ships returned, heavy from the spoils of adventure. Your father lived a life of adventure, much different from your monotonous one and the boys in your village always begged to come with him for the next one. Each time Askeladd's ships returned laden with treasure, you hoped for a glimpse of your father's eyes finally resting upon you by standing in front of the crowd. But time and time again, he walked past you with indifference, oblivious to your longing. The cruel jests of his men only deepened your sorrow, causing tears to well up in your eyes.

As the years passed, you felt tired of her father's callousness. Determined to prove yourself as a worthy warrior, you dedicated yourself to a strict training regimen. With unwavering resolve, you trained tirelessly, honing your swordsmanship and combat skills.

When news of Askeladd's next voyage reached Astrid's ears, you saw it as your final chance. In a bold move, you sneaked onto one of the ships, concealing yourself among the crew. Bjorn, a seasoned warrior and one of your father's most trusted men, discovered your presence. With a bemused smile, he returned you to a grumbling Askeladd. It was too late to turn back, and your determination only grew stronger, refusing to let your father's annoyance get to you.

Though Askeladd remained irritated by your presence, you refused to let his dismissive attitude dampen your spirit. You trained diligently, seeking guidance from the experienced warriors aboard the ship. Their acknowledgement and encouragement fueled your determination, pushing you to excel beyond your limitations.

You also met Thorfinn, a boy her own age much to your excitement. However the boy merely ignored you, seeming irritated by your presence much to your embarrassment. He stayed to himself, refusing to speak to anyone. However you could see the hatred he had your father much to your confusion. It was then you learned that his father was killed by your own father, causing you to feel conflicted.

Through trials and tribulations, you began to find your place among the crew. Your skills as a warrior blossomed, and your tenacity on the battlefield earned respect from fellow Vikings. Your presence no longer elicited jeers but admiration, and you relished in the knowledge that you had finally earned their recognition. However, your father barely cared, much to your sadness.

Unbeknownst to you, your transformation had not gone unnoticed by Thorfinn. Initially distant and brooding, he found himself inexplicably drawn to your determination and the kindness that emanated from you which was so rare. However, Thorfinn was still dismissive and cold to you, not wanting to get close to any of Askeladd's brood. This still didn't stop his heart from unknowingly clenching when hurt was etched on your face after another one of your futile attempts to become closer to him.

Despite his coldness to you, Thorfinn couldn't stop his body from moving in front of you in battle or looking at you at the corner of his eye, to make sure you were safe. He gave you a harsh glare whenever you looked at him with gratefulness. Much to his embarrassment, Askeladd's men found great amusement in him protecting you, jeering at Askeladd to keep his daughter safe. Askeladd, despite how he treats, felt somewhat irked and so would shoot Thorfinn an annoyed glare.

Somehow, you two became closer, without Thorfinn even noticing. Eventually he found himself spending more time with you, even outside of battle. One of your favorite activities was hunting. With your weapons in hand and a shared sense of purpose, you would venture into the wilderness, each step in sync with the other. The forest became your sanctuary, where you honed your skills and relied on each other's instincts.

Thorfinn's prowess as a hunter was unmatched, and he willingly shared his knowledge with you. Together, you would track and stalk your prey, communicating through unspoken cues and gestures.

As the fire crackled and the scent of roasted meat filled the air, you would sit side by side, sharing a meal that bore the fruits of your labor. Thorfinn's protectiveness naturally extended to ensuring your well-being during meals, as he would silently ensure you had a fair share of food, his eyes briefly meeting yours with unspoken care.

You and Thorfinn find yourselves alone one evening, sitting by the campfire. The rest of the crew has turned in for the night, and the crackling of the flames is the only sound between you. You take a deep breath, gathering your courage to confide in him.

"I... I wanted my father's attention," you admitted, your voice tinged with both longing and sadness. "I know it sounds foolish, but deep down, I've always yearned for his acknowledgment, his love. I thought that if I became a skilled warrior, he would finally see me, notice me."

You looked at with such sad eyes, so different from your normally cheerful ones. Thorfinn's hatred for Askeladd went even more deeper, despising for making someone like you feel so inadequate. His eyes softened at you, holding onto your delicate hands, stroking the skin and revelling in the warmth of it.

"I don't think you need your father's approval to be a great warrior. You're already skilled and strong on your own." he replied, with a blush on his face and refusing to meet his eyes.

As you hug Thorfinn, tears of happiness stream down your face. You feel overwhelmed with emotions and gratefulness for having someone like him in your life. Thorfinn's face turns red as he feels your embrace and realizes how close the two of you are. He begins to feel flustered and unsure of what to do. However, he tries to compose himself and holds you back, wanting to comfort you and let you know that he's there for you.

[sad-endings-suck]

Blue Eye Samurai: regarding Mizu’s “plot armour” or her “ridiculously over-powered” abilities.

“Mizu is way too overpowered, it doesn’t make sense.”

I feel like a lot of people don’t realize just how much the mind over matter mentality plays a roll in Mizu’s “abilities”. Mizu isn’t the best because she’s physically the strongest, or had the best training, or the most experience, or whatever. Mizu is the best because she has single-minded focus and immense tenacity that borders on psychotic due to how intensely dedicated to revenge she has been for almost all of her life. All the years she spent training, all the time she spends taking out enemies, she is being driven by single minded focus and iron willed determination that never wavers. She has been sharpening and honing not just her body, but her mind, for exactly this. She has dedicated her entire life to her quest for vengeance, and in her own words, there is no room in it for anything else.

People also seem to be making a lot of assumptions about what kind of training and how much training Mizu has or has not had. As the audience, we’ve only been shown bits and pieces of Mizu’s past, which includes her experience learning martial arts. Asking shit like “how is she so good with a sword if she’s only self taught?” is like asking “how can she read and write if Master Eiji is blind?”. The answer is that Mizu has obviously learnt these things from more than one source, but documenting her entire education in detail doesn’t exactly serve a purpose to the narrative. We are explicitly shown in one of Mizu’s flashbacks that she’s been practicing with a wooden sparring sword since she was very young. It’s actually her child self that we see in that brief particular flashback. Not her teen/tween self, her child self. She’s also following the movements and instructions of an older man that is clearly a skilled samurai or warrior of some kind based on context (which y’all love to ignore). Besides, who else would want/need a sword from a master sword-maker besides an expert swordsman? How many skilled fighters from all over Japan have come to Master Eiji’s forge hoping for a blade, and wait with nothing better to do but train while their blade is being made? How many of them have divulged information about certain fighting styles (like Shindo-Ryu, which Mizu was familiar with despite never having been to the dojo before). Or practiced around her and with her? We are clearly shown through Mizu’s flashbacks that receiving training from a visiting client has not been unusual for her throughout her apprenticeship with Master Eiji, and her little spar with Blood Soaked Chiaki was no one time event. Yet Mizu is never given the benefit of the doubt by the audience, despite context clues indicating that she should be.

“Taigen has way more training in an actual dojo, so why is Mizu better?”

Whereas Taigen, while he was determined to become more than just a fisherman’s son and was driven to rise through the ranks of the Dojo and become a skilled samurai, did not have that same desire or determination to hone every part of himself to be the most deadly weapon he could possibly be, like Mizu did. Taigen believes in the samurai code of honor and upholds it in his own way (preventing him from learning how to “fight dirty” so to speak) and he also had a life outside of his training (he had a social life, he drank, he partied, he snuck around a lot to see Akemi presumably, etc). In fact, we actually never see Taigen practice, train, learn, hone his skills, or anything (to my recollection) throughout the whole season, until he’s bested by Mizu in combat. I’m assuming Taigen had to work quite hard for several years to become as good as he is, but I get the sense that ever since he has been regarded as a prodigy he has allowed himself to get cocky and maybe a bit too comfortable. He has always been the best and always thought himself to be the best, so he never needed to give 150% effort when he fought. In fact, as he got older and more practiced, and it became more and more apparent how much better he was than everyone else, he probably stopped giving his 110% and allowed himself to get a bit comfortable putting in 100% effort, and then eventually 80% effort (which is part of the reason why I think he’s so pissed he lost to Mizu in their first fight, because he knows he could have done better: been less cocky, been more tactical, more driven, etc).

We also never see Taigen meditate or mentally or physically prepare himself the way we do with Mizu. Mizu will pray before a major upcoming battle, not because she’s religious, but because she’s mentally, emotionally, and spiritually preparing herself. We even see Mizu submerge herself in very cold ocean water (during the winter mind you) as a ritual/practice of sorts that serves to center herself and prepare mentally and physically for what’s ahead when she feels herself getting “too emotional” or too stressed or unfocused or even just slightly off kilter. Mizu sacrifices every part of her life, so that she can be the deadliest version of herself possible. She has no social life. She has no friends, or significant others (Mikio aside). She has no other activities to participate in, because she’s been completely alienated and thus being anything but the best is not an option in her mind because she has no options. She tried married life. She had the best possible life that she could have had as a biracial woman in Edo era Japan. She did as she was told by her “mother”. She showed her true self to Mikio, just as he desired. Yet the blood and vengeance still caught up with her. She has no other options anymore. Pursuing revenge is the only thing she knows how to do, because every other avenue in life has been cut off from her. So she has to be single-mindedly focused on her vengeance, which means being as skilled and as dangerous as she can possibly be. She has no hobbies or jobs or responsibilities beyond sword-making (which allows her to become as familiar with the blade as possible) and training herself. If she has extra time, she uses it to practice, to train, to improve, to simply maintain peak performance. Such as when she was hacking through those trees in episode 2. Afterwards, we see Taigen attempt to replicate her training (by cutting down trees with his sword). Though even then, it was more about curiosity and trying to suss out Mizu so he could gauge her skill level, then it was about actually honing his own abilities (until episode 3 when he practices with Chiaki’s broken blade). Which does count as training in its own way (assessing your enemy), but my point still stands. Taigen does not have the same unwavering focus and force of will that Mizu does (partially because he does not actually want to kill Mizu, as we do see Taigen go cold blooded with focus when he kills Heiji Shindo, but those are whole other discussions).

“Mizu just has ridiculous plot armour, that’s the real reason she survives every encounter.”

I feel like people that think Mizu has ridiculous plot armour are just not at all familiar with the Samurai or Western/Cowboy sub-genres at all, or even action as an overarching genre on its own. I don’t believe I have ever engaged in a single piece of action media in which the protagonist didn’t have “plot armour” in some way. Basically half of all male protagonists from any and all modern western action movies ever, have been way too over-powered and been able to take a ridiculous amount of damage that should have killed them multiple times over. These action heroes (who in western media are almost always cis-het white men) have ridiculous plot armour in the most classic sense. Yet no one complains when it’s a white man. Only when it’s a queer-coded biracial woman of colour. Shocking.

In fact, you could argue that every main character in every fictional story ever told has plot armour to a certain degree, because having an entire narrative revolve around one character is inherently “unrealistic” and therefore the main character has plot armour, yes? No? Yeah, that’s what I thought. Oh, and on the topic of the samurai genre specifically (and many martial arts based action media) there are certain genre specific tropes that are nearly integral to the genre. One of the most prominent being the samurai/ronin/warrior/martial arts master that is “ridiculously over powered”. It’s literally part of the genre. In fact, the western/cowboy genre is quite similar to the classic samurai genre. Now, how many westerns have you watched in which Clint Eastwood or John Wayne shoot 5+ guys with one pistol before any of the guys they shoot even get a shot off? A lot I bet. Is that not the definition of “over-powered” and “unrealistic”? Or is it just a genre trope, or even perhaps, a genre staple? No one thinks Arthur Morgan (Red Dead Redemption 2) is over-powered. No one thinks that Joel (The Last of Us) is over-powered. In fact, when the TLOU show came out, people actually complained that Joel, the fifty-something year old man that has been living in a post apocalyptic wasteland for 20 years, was not badass or strong enough (he kills dozens of humans and super zombies and he’s legally a senior). So, who is the “judge” of what is and is not realistic in action media that borders on sci-fi/fantasy based on how “over-powered” the protagonists “realistically” are?

“It’s just weird that Mizu is so powerful when other characters within the story are not. It makes Mizu such a Mary Sue.”

Okay… so, with all that in mind, let’s circle back to where I started when referring to Mizu as someone driven by unwavering determination, and how that affects her “abilities”. That facet of her personality and motivation is nothing new when it comes to the action genre, especially for protagonists of revenge storylines. Think of Kill Bill or John Wick. Why does John or the Bride keep going and keep winning even when they are constantly getting injured and always fighting. Is it because they are simply that much better than everyone else? Yes and no. No, because they are not superheroes (technically), but also yes. Because their single minded determination and need for revenge drives them to push that much harder than anyone else on their skill level. They are the best, but they win against everyone else that is also “the best” because they want it more. They need it more. Mind over matter. They are willing to endure what others are not through sheer will and pure cold rage. Mizu, Beatrice Kiddo, John Wick, and so many more similar protagonists in action-revenge narratives don’t keep winning and keep getting back up no matter how inured they get because they are just “that much stronger and more talented than everyone else”. Yes, they are extremely skilled and would probably be one of the strongest and most deadly combatants/killers in their respective universes regardless… but their refined skill and raw talent and power are not the only reason they win. Their unwavering force of will, extreme determination, ice cold fury, and single-minded focus on revenge is what drive them to be that much tougher. Their tenacity is their superpower. They want to win more than their opponent does. They need to win, because this is their one and only goal in life as of now. Mizu (Blue Eye Samurai) Beatrice (Kill Bill), John (John Wick), they all share a philosophy in life when it comes to their revenge, which basically boils down to “Either I kill you, or I die trying. There is no middle ground, there is no negotiating, no other choice, no path of least resistance, no other goal or motivation. You will die, because I ain’t fucking dying until you do.”

Mizu doesn’t have plot armour and she’s not over-powered. She is an archetypical protagonist of the action-revenge narrative and the samurai/western genre as well. She arguably even has better reason to be completing the feats that she does than John Wick or The Bride, because the medium of Blue Eye Samurai is animation and not live action, and the genre borders on magical realism far more than Kill Bill or John Wick. Now, how many anime protagonists (probably almost all male) can you think of that are “ridiculously over-powered” especially compared to any live action counterparts, but no one complains about it? Why does no one complain about it (aside from misogyny)? Because the medium of animation inherently has different “rules”, expectations, and set standards for suspension of disbelief, than the medium of live action film or television. For example, is it ridiculous and unrealistic when you’re watching a Looney Tunes cartoon and Bugs Bunny’s legs pinwheel in super-speed for 3 seconds straight before he starts running, or when he runs off a ledge and gravity just lets him hang there for a sec so he can look straight at the camera before he falls? No, it’s not “unrealistic” or emersion breaking, not even a little, but why? Is it because any of those things seem even remotely probable or “realistic”? Of course not! It’s perfectly acceptable because the medium, genre, target audience, atmosphere, art/animation style, narrative choice, storytelling style, and more, have all established that Bugs Bunny defying physics is normal in Looney Tunes, and therefore not a “plot-hole” or “unrealistic”. In fact, if Bugs Bunny or Tom and Jerry didn’t defy physics in ridiculous ways all the time, then it feels far stranger and off-beat than if they did. Same goes for pretty much all action anime. If the characters in those stories were strictly limited to what is 100% humanly possible in real life, most of those animes wouldn’t even have storylines anymore. They’d be turned into completely different content that may be unrecognizable from the original source material. Or wouldn’t even have any material anymore because all the characters would be dead after their first fight scene. So why is Blue Eye Samurai being held to a different standard?

Now, do y’all get it yet?

[stardust-falling]

Thanks for answering my ask. If you don't mind me asking (again), can I ask something from SVSSS? What do you think are Shen Yuan and Luo Binghe’s greatest personality strengths and weaknesses? Why? What do you love about their dynamic? Sorry if you've answered these questions before.....

P.s

If you want to answer the questions above with Shang Qinghua and Mobei Jun's dynamics, too, I don't mind....

I love reading your posts. Thanks for sharing your analysis metas.....

It's a little difficult for me to nail down clear strengths and weaknesses in personality, because many things which are strengths can also be weaknesses, and weaknesses can also be strengths-- I think some of the best written characters are ones which subvert things like that. Coincidentally, both SY!QQ and LBH exhibit this which makes me enjoy the characters even more.

Long again, so under the cut:

For Shen Yuan, he's clever and adaptable, while he does freak out upon discovering his character role, the transmigration itself hardly fazes him, and throughout the whole story he goes from one mess to another and is almost always able to adjust. Of course, part of this is because he knows the plot of PIDW, and it all feeds into one of his biggest strengths-- self-confidence. I don't often see in fic SY!QQ being written as confidently as he actually is. Aside from when his death is imminent, this man is basically 100% sure of himself in his actions-- he makes a plan and takes it without hesitation and is only rarely seen doubting himself. Typically it works out well for him, actually-- it's this confidence in himself, his abilities, his knowledge, as well as his objectivity, that makes him able to take on this new role, outwit the system where possible, and plan ahead for the future without getting too bogged down in self-doubt and criticism. There are a lot of characters that carry a lot of self-hatred in this story (SQH being a major one... which naturally contributes to everyone else) but Shen Yuan is not one of those. And it's not just him thinking he's the best either-- rather, he's perfectly able to be objective, he understands his own mediocrity, his own strengths and weaknesses. Aside from the sexuality issue, SY!QQ is pretty comfortable with himself.

Where that becomes a weakness, though, is when he is over-confident-- when he thinks that the way he views the world is universal, or that he knows perfectly the way the story ends. If he's adaptable in circumstance, he's rigid in mindset, and it's not until something is directly thrown into his face (or rather, kisses his face) that he even considers that he might have had the wrong idea about a situation. He's a logical person, to a fault-- once something makes sense in his mind, it's hard to change it.

As for Luo Binghe, the boy is determined and devoted-- one of his greatest qualities, which also gives rise to character flaws, would be his tenacity. He isn't someone who will give up, and he will stop at nothing to get what he wants-- and this is something that is true for both Bingge and Bingmei, it's only that Bingmei actually does know what he wants and focuses on that one thing, while Bingge isn't entirely sure, and so focuses on controlling and taking everything.

His determination first manifests, of course, as a determination to survive at all costs, and is an intrinsic part of his "white lotus" character archetype-- meaning, a character that appears sweet and naive but is actually cunning and manipulative beneath that. LBH learned to be manipulative from a young age, but it wasn't because he was evil or anything-- that was just what he had to do to stay alive. Later on, he continued to carry that same desperate tenacity toward something more than just survival-- Luo Binghe wanted to be loved and valued, and no matter what, he would get that. Both versions, actually were the same way, just with a specific target in Bingmei's case vs a non-specific target in Bingge's. Determination and tenacity are usually seen as inherently positive qualities-- in fact, I would say that this quality is basically what makes a protagonist, as the character that is going out and getting what they want despite the difficulties. Overcoming difficulties is how one makes a satisfying story, after all.

The interesting thing with LBH is that despite all of this tenacity, his manipulative traits, etc, he's still a kind and thoughtful person. Again, part of what makes a protagonist a protagonist in many cases-- a character like Luo Binghe, in many stories especially when told from the protagonist's perspective, is meant to be liked by the readers. Luo Binghe, of course, subverts that in some cases by being a darkened protagonist from the start, but also, as much as you can see his tenderness, his concern, his acts of service as a love language, you can also see it as a survival tactic, which begs the question-- how much of LBH's kindness toward SQQ is out of love, and how much out of fear? How much is still carried over from his desperation to be loved by the Shizun who hated him? How much is because he's afraid of losing what he has?

Honestly it's hard to answer-- and that's how it is with trauma. In the end though, I don't think it makes him ingenuine. Most people can't imagine what it would be like to go through Luo Binghe's upbringing, but I'd like everyone critical of the character to take a moment to think about it, to try to empathize with what that history of abandonment and neglect, of being targeted by both peers and superiors no matter how hard you tried, of hoping that things would get better only to have that hope shattered again and again every time, try to think about what that sort of thing would end up doing to your mind-- especially as a developing child. That's the only thing you know-- that's the way the world is to you. LBH's choices, the way he responds to things, it makes a lot more sense when you realize that from his perspective, he finally did something that managed to get SQQ to like him, and finally started opening up, maybe even daring to hope that things would be okay now-- and then the conference happened, and Shizun threw him away again. From his perspective, that's all he knows-- and that's still all he knows as of post-canon too. Obviously, LBH has plenty of issues, and the way he behaves can't be considered good, but it's still understandable.

Anyway, that was a bit of a long rant, but that's a lot of how I see characters, where I'm not usually thinking of them as "good" or "bad" people but as a series of cause and effects, and what makes a good character to me is if the cause and effects in their lives are portrayed well-- that's why I think that so many characters in SVSSS are very good characters, and why I'm so fond of them.

As for Bingqiu's dynamic, my favorite thing has to be how they are simultaneously very unhealthy while also somehow being healthy too? Specifically, they cater to one another's specific fucked up tastes in a way that what would be a red flag for anyone else is a bonus for them-- for example, LBH likes SQQ specifically because of SQQ being his shizun, rather than despite it, while SQQ finds LBH's tendency toward brutality rather charming and would prefer to cheer for his victory, so long as it doesn't come with the total destruction of the world, and doesn't involve he himself having his limbs removed. They've both got very... interesting perspectives and it really shouldn't work between them, neither of them know how to have a healthy relationship with healthy boundaries, and yet somehow in the end it... it does work, and they do establish boundaries-- boundaries that SQQ likes to have pushed, and LBH likes to push, but boundaries nonetheless-- and aside from the first time at Maigu Ridge (which LBH doesn't even want to acknowledge), no matter what they're doing, they always do it with consent.

I love to see the growth in their relationship from the absolute hot mess it is in the main novel, then improving and balancing out through the extras. It's just... so very interesting to see a relationship that starts out extremely unhealthy becoming less so, and ultimately becoming one where it seems both partners are quite happy... honestly, despite the weirdness of it, endgame Bingqiu really isn't very bad at all. Because guess what, sometimes relationships don't start out healthy. That doesn't mean there's nothing to save from them. Sometimes partners can hurt one another and still turn out to be good for one another in the end. People change, relationships change, and sometimes it really is for the better-- and I'm speaking from personal, IRL experience with this. It's not for everyone, but for me, I find the storyline of going from something very toxic and unhealthy to something stable, where Bingqiu are happily living out their cottagecore dreams despite SQQ's still-occasionally-cynical narration, extremely cathartic and somewhat unique. It's not just a bad relationship that miraculously turned good or was retconned into being good. It's a bad relationship where the partners put in the work to turn it into a good one, and I really wish that people would look at it with more nuance-- because if even fictional characters and relationships need nuance, real life people and relationships definitely need it too.

Anyway, I would do Moshang too, but this already got super, super long, so I'll go ahead and save the Moshang meta for another day.

[blakeswritingimagines]

Love Stinks

Summary: Daemon coming across you training wasn't done on purpose at least not until he took you under his wing, working closely together can cause feelings to rise good or bad.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the House of The Dragon/Fire & Blood characters nor do I claim to own them. I do not own any of the images used nor do I claim to own them.

Word count: 5.2k

You had been learning how to fight the best you could since you were young even when you practiced with other people wanting to learn as much as possible so you might one day be the best, keeping the dream of being the best swordsman in all of Westeros no matter how tired or sore your body became you were always up early and practicing as if nothing else mattered in your world. Daemon raised his brow at your intense training, he'd caught wind of your skill but seeing it first hand was even more impressive. "Good, keep it up and no man can defeat you." He said with a smile, it was always a good thing to see a young person take pride in their learning and skill. "How did I hear tell of your skill as a swordsman?" He chuckled, his own skills were nothing to scoff at.

You were softly panting as you stopped and looked over your shoulder at the voice only to be shocked as you met eye with the rouge prince, smiling brightly at his words as you stood up straight and nodded your head feeling hopeful that he was right. Biting down on your lower lip as you looked down at the ground at his next choice of words and slightly shrugged but couldn't contain your wide grin as you glanced back up at him "I've taken on many men much larger then myself....and won." Daemon could hardly hold back a proud smile, there stood before him was one to watch as you grew older. You had the tenacity a great fighter would have and the discipline to match. "Excellent," His tone was soft, he spoke as if he were a mentor giving his young student the praise they deserved. "What's your name little one?"

Letting out a breath as you took in the small bit of praise he gave you and enjoyed it, since you were often met with rude judging people who didn't think you could pull it off and actually become a swordwoman like you dreamed of. Giving him a respectful bow before meeting his eye once more as you stood tall and proudly after putting your sword away then spoke without realizing how much was going to change for you "Y/n your grace." "Y/n it is then." Daemon chuckled, he had not expected such a pleasant surprise today. He wondered just how far you would go if these were just your early days. You had an infectious energy about you that made it hard not to like, perhaps he needed to find you a mentor so you could truly hone the skill he had found so promising. "You have great potential, do you wish to become the best there is?".

You smiled having thought it would be daunting if you ever had to speak with one of the royals but found talking to him to be quite easy, letting your jaw drop slightly at his words as if your breath got caught in your throat before you smiled brightly and quickly nodded your head not knowing just how hard he would push you "Yes of course it's my dream to become the best." He smirked at your ambition, you looked so much like a younger version of Daemon himself right now. The determination and fire in your eyes would push you forward no matter what obstacles found their way in front of you. He wondered what his brother would say if he asked him about taking you as a ward.

Daemon's smile brightened, he could not help but be warmed by your attitude. "I believe I may have someone that could help you on that journey if you're willing." He offered with a nod. "Although," He added as a caution as you both laughed. "He's certainly not going to hold your hand." There was an implied fondness within the words however, Daemon enjoyed those who were so determined to reach their goals. You felt excited that he knew of someone who could help you even though you didn't know the person he was talking about was himself, smiling at him as you listened closely only to shake your head as you was filled with hope and determination "That's fine nobody has since learning I've wanted this, I can take it I know it."

"Perfect then." Daemon nodded with satisfaction, he hadn't met many others like you, your determination and resolve to be the best made sure of that. "There is one other thing though." Daemon added with his hands clasped together in front of him. "If I am ever to teach you, you must drop the title when speaking with me." He smiled as though he were sharing an inside joke, there was no need for royal titles when you both were alone.

Smiling happily that he would show you more than you could ever dream of learning from anyone not even just the rouge prince, nodding your head in understanding as you looked up at him tilting your head slightly before grinning as you nodded once more "You got it...Daemon." Daemon nodded in response, he wasn't used to being called by his first name. But with you he was able to let his guard down a little, you may have the talent to become the best swordsman in the realm. "Perfect." Daemon smiled, he was looking forward to teaching you. He would certainly teach you the fighting style he himself had developed too. You were too promising to teach the standard way of fighting.

After a few days passed by of learning whatever Daemon passed on you took to everything as quickly as you could, not quite still fully understanding just how hard he was going to be pushing even as he had you do exercises or sparring with him until you couldn't breath or feel your body anymore. But you couldn't stop yourself from enjoying how nice it was talking with him outside of practice as well as learning what he was like as a person and a fighter himself. As some of your lessons passed Daemon couldn't help but be impressed by your skills. To see such improvement so quickly was something to be respected. "You're catching on quickly." He gave you praise as you both finished off your latest session of training, he was glad to have you as his student. You certainly were not the usual student, his lessons were often brutal and unforgiving. He almost felt bad doing the same to you. Almost. "How's the training treating you?" Daemon inquired with that ever present soft demeanor.

You were panting heavily as you tried to catch your breath before allowing your body to drop onto the training grounds with a small huff, closing your eyes as your chest rose and dropped quickly even as you heard his question as you peeked an eye open looking at him ready to answer only to sit up slightly as you threw up before lowering your head again and spoke hoarsely as you used your sleeve to wipe your mouth "Everything I've ever dreamed of." Daemon's eyes widened at your sudden sickness, his concern was quickly replaced by slight amusement. "You weren't expecting quite the push as you've had so far it seems." He couldn't help but be amused by the look on your face, clearly you weren't able to handle his training, yet. "Give yourself a moment to catch your breath, and we'll continue when you are done." Daemon offered, although he still couldn't help but chuckle to himself over the sight.

Taking a few more moments for yourself as you listened to him as you quickly shook your head but still happy you were learning all you could, slowly standing back up as you grabbed your sword not giving yourself a moment to fully relax as you nodded your head toward him not wanting to lose your momentum as you slowly swung your sword looking up at him "Now." Daemon smiled as he saw your eagerness to continue, despite throwing up you were more than willing to get back to work. "Very well then." He didn't waste time as he took up his own blade. "We'll start with a few basics, let me see what you've picked up in the last few days." Daemon raised his blade, his expression was hard to read. "Come on now, give me your best." Daemon's tone was still soft, although it carried an intensity to it.

You tightened your grip on the sword in your hand as your breathing was still slowing down, nodding your head at his words knowing you would push yourself as much as you possibly could before watching him closely as you nodded your head once he gave the okay to start practicing again which you did as you started slow before you started picking up your pace. Daemon's soft smile grew as you began swinging your sword with ever more confidence. Your speed was impressive as it picked up, there was a fluidity to the way your sword moved that impressed him. "Good." He nodded in approval, you had a lot of potential that he would make sure was realized. "That's the attitude you need when we fight." Daemon swung his blade in response, going for your unprotected flank.

You had a soft smile at the small bit of praise before bending over once his blade hit your side roughly, taking a quick deep breath as you knew it would darken into a harsh bruise much like all the other times before you started swinging again as you did your best to focus having slowly been learning how to fight against him. Daemon was impressed by your courage as he watched you continue on despite the bruise you were sure to gain. You were certainly getting the hang of it as your fighting became more fluent, you even started to predict how he would come after you next and manage to avoid the worst of his blows. "Very good." Daemon smiled as he took a step back, the fight had become more of a dance rather than a match of strength, which meant he had taught you well. "You may have a little break if you wish." He offered, your wounds were starting to slow you down.

You kept moving regardless of how your lungs felt like they were on fire or the pain that was starting to heavily throb, as if screaming for you to stop even if for another moment before you took a few more deep breaths and shook your head not wanting to stop yet "Again, I want to keep going." Daemon raised an eyebrow, it was unusual behavior for someone who had been pushed so far already. But he wasn't opposed to training you longer, the choice was yours after all. "Then we train until you decide otherwise." He smiled, his blade slowly moved in a circle as he prepared for another strike. It was clear you had an endless amount of energy to pour into these training drills, he appreciated it greatly.

After what felt like the longest few weeks of your life of training, pushing yourself harder then ever and getting to know the blonde-haired male you couldn't place why he wasn't coming around anymore or training you, still pushing yourself almost as hard as he was thinking he was just busy with his whole princely duties but when you couldn't find him or go out of his way to talk to you until you finally couldn't handle it anymore as you went to find him and ask about it. As you looked for Daemon you had quickly found him in his chambers, his expression was stern as he sat around acting like you being there didn't matter much. You could read his expression like an open book, you had already started to learn much about the rogue prince and how he carried himself. "I see you found me." Daemon spoke softly, his tone held a weight to it. "I'm going to be training you no longer." He stated simply, it was not a question, nor did it invite discussion.

Crossing your arms over your chest not caring how it looked as you went into the rouge prince's private chambers having grown annoyed with him, narrowing your eyes at him when you heard his words even as shocked as you were that he seemed done wanting to help you even after seeing how into he was getting. Throwing your arms to the side in a wide way not understanding why or what this was about but wasn't ready to give up but also wasn't ready for the harshness he was showing you "Why? you've been dodging this for a fortnight now without so much as a word, what happened?".

Daemon raised a brow in surprise as you asked the question so bluntly, it would have been an insult to anyone else. Unfortunately he could not deny you what you were demanding. "I have no interest in wasting my time." Daemon's statement was cold, his expression held only disdain in it. It was clear the prince was done with you as a student, he was never one to let a conversation go on for long not seeing the point in explaining why he was suddenly done being around you. He had other things that demanded his attention he willingly chose to ignore how the shift in heart toward you.

Daemon's eyes were hard as he stared back at you, he knew he had been avoiding you for a while now. "I told you there would be no hand holding." Daemon stated simply, although he was now wondering if he had been too harsh during his lessons. "I had to test your resolve." Daemon's tone was even as he explained his 'reasoning', he was a harsh mentor and didn't hold back when it came to his lessons. "And now I understand as to why nobody believed in you." Daemon chuckled softly. "I don't believe you can actually do it, I've seen all I needed to see." He said bluntly, it was cruel to tell you such a thing given how much enjoyment you had from your lessons. Yet it was something he deemed necessary.

Feeling your jaw dropped in shock at his words feeling like every other hit he had given you before didn't matter anymore until now due to the words he spoke feeling like it broke you from the inside out, shaking your head not knowing how to feel or that he actually came to understand he had feelings for you but let out a sigh as you closed your eyes taking a moment before you looked at him speaking harshly before you left his private chambers only now seeing the person everyone talked about "Your truly are a bastard."

His words cut you deeply more than any wound you had gotten from fighting, that was not what Daemon had intended. He was never a particularly sensitive person, he wasn't exactly the type to share emotional connections with people or so he always thought. That being said he couldn't help but feel some regret in his words as you stormed away hurt by his words. Daemon stayed still in his chambers, your harsh words lingering in his ears. He was unsure how to feel, he simply sighed and turned around to stare out the window Daemon let out a tired sigh. He had been the one to end your lessons, yet at the same time he regretted doing so. Maybe it was because of your potential, or perhaps he was just lonely he tried to force himself into thinking of many other reasons, despite there being women who would happily sleep with him. He hated to disappoint you with his response. "Y/n…" Daemon started but stopped, your response hurt him more than he realized. Yet he couldn't exactly disagree with your statement.

Feeling anger coursing through your veins even as you heard him attempting to call you back but still couldn't believe anything since he had seemed so different around you, shaking your head no longer caring in that moment as you slammed his door shut before making your way through the long hallways as your hands shook with rage but soon found yourself in the training yard alone as everyone had gone off to bed. Grabbing a sword as you took heavy deep breaths trying to calm down even as your thoughts became louder 'What’s the point of trying if it just proves that I’ll never be good enough?' and 'How much pain do you have to go through before giving up is okay?' but started roughly practicing as if all you could see was red as you kept swinging thinking of his words. Daemon looked through his chamber window, he could see your figure from afar practicing with your blade with such rapid succession you almost looked like a beautiful storm. He had been harsh with his words, perhaps he should have been softer, perhaps he should go back, explain everything. But he didn't, he turned away from the window and left you alone to your thoughts and your blade.

During the next so many weeks you had been practicing more and more without Daemon's guidance even going as far to ignore him like he had done to you, no longer caring how much you got hurt or what the weather was like you continued going outside. You were training your sword skill, slashing your blade on targets with great intensity that your hair was tossed around and your body drenched with sweat. However at some point when you got tired and your feet felt numb, you stopped and leaned on your sword breathing heavily but not yet stopping. Your face was filled with emotions. You weren’t sure how to react to Daemon’s words. You continued to train with the sword tightly in hand, the movements of your blade becoming more aggressive and wild without Daemon’s watchful gaze from the window.

A cold wind swept through the castle that night. Daemon was awake in his chambers unable to sleep, the memory of your anger replaying in his mind. He was so sure you held affection for him, the words you had spoken had shattered these thoughts. Was he that blind surely not, he had known love before, but this felt different. He needed to know. The prince rose from his bed, taking a dark cloak as he left his chambers, to find you. Continuing swinging your sword roughly even as it became more and more difficult to see, going to move only to slip as a harsh gasp slipped past your lips as you roughly fell down onto the ground hitting your head causing your vision to blackout not to long after as you now laid on the muddy and wet ground.

Daemon was conflicted in the choice he had made. He enjoyed seeing you train, you were an impressive sight to say the least. But on the other hand he regretted every word he said to you. So here he was, a silent observer of your practice without much clue of what it was he should say to you. You wouldn't respond nicely to more praise after all. No, he would need to win you over again if he was to continue being close to you. Daemon rushed outside looking for you until he went by the training grounds only to see you laying on the ground not moving, his cloak forgotten as he came across your unconscious body laying on the cold and wet ground. "No no no…" Daemon muttered as he ran to your side. You hit your head, that wasn't good, not at all. He cradled you gently in his arms, you were his responsibility, no one else's. "Y/n." Daemon whispered to you as he cradled your body in his arms, he couldn't risk letting anything happen to you. Different maesters looked after you after hearing order from the tall blonde prince, going over what treatment might work best before sighing as one went up to the rouge prince who had been pacing around like a cat knowing he wouldn't like hearing what's been happening "Y/n will be fine just a small fever and some weight loss but with enough rest and some good hearty meals she'll be just fine."

Daemon's expression was one of relief, despite the maester's reassurance that your condition was fine, he wouldn't be satisfied until he knew for sure. "Let me see." Daemon demanded, he knew the maester's weren't entirely trust worthy. If there was any chance of danger to you he wanted to know first. "Now." The prince's tone was firm and cold, he wasn't going to ask again. The maester let out a nervous chuckle but nodded to the prince's word as he started leading the way to where you laid still unconscious, standing on the side as the maester took only a few more notes due to the all bruising your body had before looking over at the blonde prince "I'm unsure when she'll awaken but in the meantime, it's best that you also get some rest and if anything happens you'll be the first to know."

Daemon nodded at the maester's words, but that wasn't enough for him. He followed the maester into the room where you laid in a bed of blankets. When he saw you were still unconscious he let out a sigh, he still wanted to see you even if you were sleeping. "If anything changes… tell me immediately." The rogue prince said coldly. He refused to leave your side until you woke, until he could talk to you again. He was so stubborn. After a few long days you slowly opened your eyes feeling groggy as you looked around wondering where you were, taking your time to sit up as you let out a soft groan at the harsh thumping in your head but saw nobody around knowing you were alone which caused you to make way out of the bed and left the room curious as to how you got there or how long you were even out for as you made way back to the training grounds.

Daemon heard from servants that there had been movement outside of the med bay, it almost sounded as if you were on your way to the training grounds. The rogue prince's brow furrowed at the sound, you were meant to be resting or at least that's what him and the maester's wanted. He followed word and started making his way hoping to see you, not saying a word as he observed what you were doing. He was in the shadows, so you were unaware of his presence. You sighed softly once you stepped foot on the training grounds before slowly picking up a sword, feeling your body was stiff and sore from not moving around in the last few days but rolled your shoulders a little as you started practicing again even if it was much slower due to the pain even as the thumping in your head became to be too much.

Daemon watched you intently from the shadows of the training grounds. His eyes were filled with a strange mix of curiosity and affection as he saw your struggle through your movements. He couldn't let you push yourself like this while you recovered. The prince approached you, his footsteps unheard even as he walked out of the darkness. Daemon's gaze continued to follow you, it was clear his care had grown since being there for you even if it meant being your teacher. Daemon decided it was probably better for him to talk to you now before you hurt yourself, you clearly had a lot of willpower and determination. "I had a feeling you'd be here." The prince emerged from the shadows, his tone held a small amount of amusement. "I'm almost impressed that you still wish to continue your training despite not being in the best of health." Daemon's expression grew serious as he spoke, though a small smile formed. "What of your injuries?"

You sighed softly to yourself by hearing his voice but didn't turn around to face him as you kept swinging, shaking your head as you started to feel angry with him all over again by his words as you recalled him saying otherwise even if you still didn't understand. Shrugging your shoulders as you let out a heavy breath but lowered the sword as you glanced over at him with a raised brow "What about them? why are you here?". The prince could see you were clearly agitated by his presence, there was some tension within you. "You should get some rest, not swing a blade like an idiot." Daemon's tone held no hint of annoyance as he spoke, even if he called you an idiot it was done with an air of respect. "I'm here to train you, not tend your wounds." Daemon spoke as if nothing had happened as he let out a frustrated groan, he had no desire to keep arguing with you. Although he couldn't help but be fascinated by your stubbornness.

Finally turning around to face Daemon as your grip tightened only to roughly throw the sword down onto the ground, narrowing your eyes up at him as you crossed your arms before letting out a scoff at his words and shook your head "You made it clear how you felt about training me don't bother, especially if you can't even give a reason other then being a bastard I don't want to hear it." You spoke not knowing about the feelings he had caught for you. Daemon's face was that of frustration and annoyance, for some reason that he couldn't understand you refused to move on from the previous conversation. At a certain point he considered just leaving but that small curiosity within him wouldn't let him. "Look, I don't know what else you want me to say." Daemon admitted, his words were honest but it felt like that wasn't good enough for you. "I just know I would regret not continuing to train you, that's all." Daemon spoke softly, his gaze was fixed on you.

You glared at him as you became more and more heated before no longer caring if he was a prince or not, walking up closer to him as you continued to speak harshly while making eye contact before you shoved him as much as you could while still weak and injured as you got your emotions out "Then why are you here? why are you pretending to care anymore? what do you want from me?". Daemon stumbled backwards, he hadn't been expecting you to shove him like that. If you were in the best condition there was a good chance you would have thrown him off balance. He looked up at you in surprise before responding. "I don't want anything from you." Daemon's tone held only honesty as he spoke, he was done with keeping his feelings secret. "I care about you." Daemon let out a frustrated groan, he didn't want to shout his words. "Is that so hard for you to believe?" He asked softly.

You stared into his eyes as you listened closely to what he was telling you trying to find a way to see if he were lying or not to you, moving your hands down to your sides as your hands tightened into fists saying nothing while his words slowly processed in your mind before you spoke again with an annoyed tone rather then anger "Prove it." His brows rose up, surprised by the request. "How exactly am I meant to do that?" Daemon's expression grew tense, you wanted him to prove his affection for you. There was no possible way for him to do that surely? But then he thought back to when you first started training and held his sword, the way your eyes met and the sudden flutter of his heart… He felt that moment of fondness again in his heart, it made his decision for him. He could trust you with his feelings. "Take my sword." Daemon said softly.

Shrugging your shoulders but watched him closely as if waiting to see if he actually cared or not like he said he did "I'm sure you'll figure it out", Crossing your arms again as you waited nearly turning around and walking away feeling like he was just lying once more before you gave him a look of confusion before slowly reaching out to his hand that held his sword he's used in battles enough times. Letting your hand and fingers graze his larger one as you took Dark Sister out of his hand but kept looking at him as if waiting for more. Daemon's expression lightened, he had hoped you wouldn't have refused him. Your hands were like ice against his own, yet your grip was strong despite what your body went through. He felt his face grow warm for a moment as they touched. "I'm not lying to you." Daemon's voice was soft, he couldn't bring himself to do that. "I promise." He had to be careful, he couldn't just confess to you then and there. "If you'll trust me." Daemon added “I pushed you away because you deserve better.”

You looked up at him not able to believe he just handed Dark Sister over to you and slowly nodded your head before clicking your tongue "But you lied before?", Only now noticing how close you both were almost as if pressed against one another before you quietly spoke while looking into his violet eyes “It sucks. Because I want to hate you, but I can’t.” Daemon could see the curiosity shining in your eyes, you were still trying to figure him out. "I lied to myself, I thought I could handle not seeing you, not being near you…" Daemon trailed, his voice was quiet as he confessed. "Let us be honest with each other, Y/n." Daemon spoke softly, his eyes were fixed intently on your own. Daemon could feel your proximity to one another, and he couldn't deny that it felt a little pleasant. He tried to ignore it as he focused on what you were saying. He gave a quick nod in response. "You have every right to hate me. I have done… bad things in the past." It almost felt good to admit that, he didn't like to speak openly about the dark things he had done but he felt compelled to be honest with you. "But I don't want you to hate me." Daemon whispered.

He had the opportunity to kiss you in that moment, and his heart desired for him to take it. His heart had made its decision, he just needed to give into what he felt. Daemon's eyes flickered with hesitation before he slowly moved towards you, his face close to yours like a storm waiting to strike. He couldn't help but be curious, would it feel the way he expected? He would never know if he didn't try. “You’re right: I’m a liar. But you can believe me, just this one time.” He softly brushed his lips against hers.

[the-ninja-legacy-whip]

If all the Ninja's elements represent a core aspect of life, Earth being Stability, Lightning being Creativity, Fire being Persistence and Ice being... idk Power or sum I forgot, Does that make Lloyd Hope? I've always headcanoned that the Golden Weapons sort of tie into the world in a metaphysical sense. Like in one of my stories that I'm writing, the Golden Weapons being separated from Ninjago takes a toll on the world, people lose their creativity and persistence. What I'm asking is would Lloyd being possessed by Morro affect the world in metaphysical way? (Also dear lord does Lloyd still have his Golden essence by that point? Because Morro with that kind of power is horrifying)

this ask took like four different turns snksnksn where do i start

Okay, so in the case of each element representing a different aspect of Life (true), that specific definition, like the definition of life itself, depends on the eye of the individual, and it takes different forms/shapes/meaning depending on circumstance. For example, this is Wu's take on the Core Four:

"Jay is the Blue Ninja, for he is the new Master of Lightning." Jay takes it like he's being knighted; Kai rolls his eyes. "Your element is energetic yet precise, invoking the spark to make miracles happen when we least expect them to. Yours is an element of ingenuity, reflecting a sudden burst of inspiration when we otherwise feel directionless and lost in a storm. After all, thunder cannot roar until the lightning strikes." "Black Ninja is Cole, and the new Master of Earth!" Wu carries on before Jay can get carried away. Cole sighs in relief, head bowed as the staff rests upon him. "Inherited from your mother's family, your element is steady yet malleable, invoking the resistance needed to endure crumbling hardships, yet also the tenacity to use change as a means to overcome. Solid as rock, Earth serves as the foundation for the other elements to build themselves upon. " "White Ninja is Zane, new Master of Ice! Inherited from your grandfather's family, your element is frigid yet pure. Ice can be cold, sharp, and off-putting when we first come into contact with it...but regardless, it invokes a sense of curiosity, and a sense of clarity once we come to better understand. Ice may be ephemeral, just like life, but that is what makes it so beautiful to behold." "Kai…you, Red Ninja, are the new Master of Fire." Wu sets the tip of his staff upon his shoulder. It gives Kai goosebumps. "Inherited from your father, your element is vibrant yet vigilant, and invokes the power to persist despite the circumstances. It fuels the very passion that keeps us all fighting to maintain our lives, and able to provide a beacon of warmth in otherwise dark times."

...and this is Lloyd's:

"If Cole is the foundation, Jay is the inspiration, and Zane is the protection…then you're the spirit. You're the preservation." Lloyd becomes insistent now, smiling as his own eyes begin to gleam. "And that's what you do. You find a way to beat out the odds. You find a way to overcome your problems. And even when you can't, you never stop trying! And that's…more important than anything else. Because that’s what makes everything else matter. You not only determine your own worth…but you help others find theirs too."

(Lloyd also interprets Fire as "Creating Hope")

But Lloyd's element itself, already being so abstract, definitely does not have a set meaning at all. It can be Hope, or it can Suffering. It can be beautiful or ugly, it can be long or short, it can be fulfilling or empty...but it always encompasses every extreme at any time, and once more falls to the beholding individual. Life is what you make of it, after all, and with enough energy, you can do anything~

In my interpretation, the Golden Weapons, while powerful artifacts in the way that they are able to harness the elements, may have shaped Ninjago as we previously knew it, but otherwise wouldn't have a direct physical bearing on the world itself if something were to happen to them (especially since they've been out of play for longer than they HAVE been in-play during the show. World would've ended or humanity would've crashed a loooong time ago)

Now, making an abrupt left-turn into Morro Land, Lloyd being possessed wouldn't have an effect on the world, either. The biggest battle he'd have to fight in that scenario is the one within him (literally).

Also...as far as I can remember, Morro doesn't even use any of Lloyd's power while he's in his body. He strictly sticks to his Wind (which...opens a whole other can of words, but eh). And the main reasons he possessed Lloyd in the first place was because he needed a Spinjitzu Master specifically, not Lloyd's powers (but then, he could've taken ANY of the Ninja's bodies in that case), but he really only picked Lloyd specifically out of spite for him becoming the Green Ninja. So I'd say due to the fact that his soul is still in possession of the Element of Wind, that automatically blocks him from being able to use anyone else's power ignoring DR rules and esp including Lloyd's (as those powers are tied to Lloyd's own soul, and a soul can't really possess another soul, only a body)

And yes, Lloyd does still have the Gold Essence at that point (after several attempts to try and rip it out of him, heyo), but again, Morro's not able to tap into that, either.

[accio-victuuri]

"Zanghai Zhuan" first concept poster ; Xiao Zhan determines the world and pursues truth and justice

The drama tells the story of Zhinu, the son of Zheng Kuaiduo, the Imperial Supervisor of the Great Yong Kingdom, who was burdened with a blood feud and later returned to the capital under the pseudonym Zanghai. With integrity, wisdom, tenacity, hard work, and the acquired construction skills and stratagem techniques, he became wise and intelligent along the way. Traitors and sycophants will be punished. This is a legendary costume masterpiece rich in revenge and conspiracy elements.

This official concept poster cleverly borrows elements from the shadow play in the story. The male protagonist stands in front of the curtain. The dragon and tiger behind the curtain not only metaphorize the treacherous waves and clouds above the court, but also imply the power and harm of the enemy. insidious.

There seems to be a huge disparity in strength between the two sides, but the calm expression of the male protagonist reveals that he is by no means as weak and easy to defeat as he seems. Can he control his own destiny and succeed in revenge, or is he being manipulated by the chess player? The poster vaguely reveals the unpredictable content settings of the play, and the plot development is full of suspense.

In the drama, the male protagonist Zanghai is played by young actor Xiao Zhan. He is loved by the audience for his outstanding acting skills and unique charm. He has appeared in popular works such as "Where Dreams Begin", "Sunshine By My Side" and "Yuguyao". There are wonderful performances in the series. This time he plays the role of Zang Hai, who has been carefully planned. His appearance is very suitable for the image of a fresh and handsome young man. How he will interpret Zang Hai's multi-faceted charm full of strategies and hidden edge is worth looking forward to.

The creators behind the scenes lay the foundation for quality. The plot is both exciting and deep

"Zanghai Zhuan" has received widespread attention from both the industry and outside the industry since its preparation period. In addition to the popular and capable cast, the show has also assembled a number of domestic gold medal creators, laying a solid foundation for content quality. Chief director Zheng Xiaolong has directed many well-received hits such as "Golden Wedding", "The Legend of Zhen Huan", "Red Sorghum" and "The Legend of Mi Yue". He is a national director in the hearts of countless audiences. Director Cao Yiwen graduated from the Film School of the University of Southern California in the United States. He has unique insights and innovations in character creation and story description. He has directed TV series such as "First Encounter, Last Separation" and so on. We look forward to this new industry director creating a unique experience for the audience. This is a legendary work of ancient costume that has both a youthful perspective and profound expressions. Young screenwriter Zhao Liuyi is good at describing delicate emotions and weaving stories with strong plots. His representative film and television works include "Sand Sea" and "Restart: Thunder in the Extreme Sea". Under the overall control of director Zheng Xiaolong, the gold medal team has joined forces to strive to achieve greater success and produce a high-quality masterpiece that is popular and well-known.

It is worth mentioning that the drama has innovative expressions that coexist with pleasure and depth at the content level. In terms of the story, the protagonist Zanghai becomes an official in order to avenge his hatred, and goes around the court to find the truth and pursue justice. In the thrilling and step-by-step game of wits, the story progresses layer by layer. In terms of core setting, the play integrates the responsibility and thinking about the righteousness of the family and the country into the protagonist's personal growth. In the process of uncovering the truth, the pattern of life is gradually opened up, from blindly seeking revenge to caring about the world, and completing the transformation and growth.

Today, the show has officially started shooting, and we look forward to meeting the audience soon!

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