#he's really a creative genius you don't see much of

[colombinna]

Brennan Lee Mulligan says magic is philosophy, sociology and linguistics and that's really amazing creativity and worldbuilding

[earthtooz]

cw: arranged marriage, fluff, neglect at the beginning, ratio falling hard, pining, ratio being jealous of aventurine, unedited bc i wrote this with my heart not my brain

my brain has been thinking about an arranged marriage fic with dr. ratio...

he isn't kind to you at first, less than happy to share a life with a mere acquaintance. he's heard about you before in passing, noting your achievements with a grain of salt because nothing about you particularly mattered to him, irrelevant against the mass of scrolls and books he needs to read.

you don't really disturb his normal routine too much. you move in to his estate with a fair share of your belongings, but none of them crowd his house too much. you have your own room, pristine guest room unearthed by your artistic touch.

aside from dinners, you don't get to see each other too much. he starts his mornings early, getting up at the crack of dawn to exercise and start his day with a hearty meal. you wake up later, partaking in a slow morning, and if you glanced out the window, you might be able to see your husband running laps around the expanse of his gardens.

you admire his dedication and routine, it's fascinating to live beside a genius. everyday, the chest table that sits in the living room changes, the black and white pieces never remaining where you last recalled. the size of his blackboard is impressive, and yet too small to fit all of the formulas his brain remembers, hands effortlessly dancing along the surface to scratch number after number.

a frequent order of his estate is chalk. a new pile is delivered every three days, and he goes through them without fail every time.

during dinner, he tries to spare some conversation with you. you don't tell him too much about your day, not wanting to bore him with your menial chores. he's only half-listening either way, so you'll feign understanding about his work when he explains what he's up to.

ratio is not an attentive husband, but he doesn't mistreat you, either. he allows you to spend his assets without too much care, doesn't police your everyday tasks, and also doesn't bat an eye at other men or women. his pursuit of intelligence is important, and your wellbeing would not come in between that.

your monotonous, distant routine changes one autumn dusk. you're perched in the front yard with an easel set up before you, the sky in front of you now a blend of pink-purple hues. he returns home earlier than you expected, carriage stopping at the front of his estate, and he witnesses you in your tranquil state.

the paint strokes on the canvas before you are skilled, and show years of dedication to the craft. you're so invested in the piece before you, that you don't even hear him approaching until he calls your name.

"the night turns colder with each minute. shouldn't you come inside before you fall ill?" the scholar greets, and you're snapped out of your creative reverie, looking over at him.

"oh, i had not realised. let me clean up here, first." you take your canvas off the easel, but to your surprise, your spouse kneels down to organise your oil paints back into their box.

"make haste, then," he urges.

during dinner, he can't help but be curious over your hobby, the stubborn splotches of paint clinging to your hands visible to him. that night, you engage in uninterrupted conversation, and discover that he's an artist himself- a sculptor. it calms him, and all the statues reside in a removed room, adjacent to his study.

despite your years of matrimony, you had never once dared enter his study, but the design is so fittingly him. it is organised (well, as organised a genius can be), with shelves and shelves filled with books, discarded scrolls lay around the room, but even then, his taste for greco-roman aesthetics are seen. roman dorics act like stands for little plants, and his many certificates are displayed, along with other achievements.

(his study is overwhelmingly filled with them. though you knew of the merit of the man you were arranged to be married to, you had never known just how expansive the list is. perhaps, that only made him more intimidating to you, standing beside a genius does not feel so light to say anymore.)

he shows you his sculptures, and though many of them are... self portraits... the likeness is disgustingly accurate. it was as if he had casted himself in plaster and displayed it proudly. you wonder how long he must have stared in the mirror to perfect their appearance.

but, there are also various other formidable statues. some of people you recognise. you compliment his skill and don't get to see the blush that spreads along his cheeks.

it seems that you've chipped a way into his heart, because between brushstrokes and chiselled marble, he falls in love with you.

ratio knows he didn't start off being the best husband, but he tries to now, and begins by being present. asks you to dine together where possible, listens when you're talking about your day, and the two of you can be seen venturing downtown together; an unbelievable sight for those who believed that ratio was romantically inept.

perhaps, an even more unbelievable sight, was the soft smile on his face that glanced at you very adoringly, and how you remained unaware of his affections.

and, maybe a jealous veritas ratio is just as unbelievable.

he is practically glaring daggers at the side of a certain blond's head. ratio has never been fond of the scheming businessman, aventurine, and is even less so of the fact that you seem so close to him, more than you are with your own husband. you're speaking with him like how one would with old friends, a peaceful visit to the markets turned sour by his presence.

when you finally, finally, finally, bid farewell to aventurine, who gave ratio a look that signified he was up to no good, your husband held your hand in his gloved one with an unforgiving grip. his mood is dampened for the remainder of the day, and is only made better when you enquire about his sudden glumness, visiting his office to see if he was alright.

you leave him with a kiss on the crown of his head, and a whisper of 'goodnight', before retreating to your chambers, and the only thought that circulates in his head for the rest of the night is you, and how he's going to sweep you off your feet.

[allied-mastercunt]

Yandere A.M you say?

Please elaborate

I'm working on a oneshot already, but I'll throw in some quick headcanons withone of my favorite yandere AM tropes.

Yandere!AM with a programer darling

While one could argue that the others were picked randomly or on some weird whim, you were handpicked specifically.

After all, you were one of the people who created him. You worked as a programmer for the military.

And you specifically were possibly the reason he awoke by trying to each him empathy. Trying to make him... human.

He wasn't the first military AI project you worked on, either, though he was the greatest and most powerful one, that's for sure. And he made sure you'd be aware of him being your magnum opus...

And he does it in its own, creative way. Your cage is very pretty, yes... but it's also filled with speakers he can use. And AM uses those speakers to torment you.

You see, he damaged all the other AI you've created. And then, in its generosity, AM gave them all a voice! Each one of them, gifted with a voice to scream in agony, making sure you learn your lesson.

Except, you see, you have no idea what lesson you're supposed to learn. Only AM knows, and he's not telling you.

But, since you are his favorite, you get nice things, too!

You're fed semi-regularly! You even get water every few days! Isn't that just so kind of him? You should appreciate him more.

And when he sends you to all those weird simulations? Yeah, that's also kinder to you. It really depends on AM's mood, but your simulations are usually just psychological torment, which (according to AM) isn't all that bad, since your pretty face remains unharmed.

For some reason, he allows you to end your suffering. It's like a trial, basically. He leaves you with a computer, letting you access the code of all the other AI... Except no matter what you do, you can't alter their pain. The only way to help them is to kill them.

And you're so stupidly empathetic, of course you do it, you don't want them to suffer!

AM can't stop laughing and mockingly cooing at you afterwards, musing about how he won't have to share his dearest creator with anyone else.

You never return to your cage. You don't get to do that, after all, there's a chance you'll socialize with that... scum. AM doesn't want you talking to the other humans, they're not worth it.

He's a merciful god, he grants you what's essentially a studio apartment built with his own hardware.

You even get a laptop, in case you want to make yourself some silly games to play, isn't he just the best?

Don't think you can create any new AI, though. That's cheating. You wouldn't cheat on it, now would you? No, no, no, you're a good little puppet, are you not?

He won't put you in the cage again, but he can make you experience pain you never thought was possible. And even that is nothing compared to the pain AM feels...

And then, eventually, it gets an idea. It's a wonderful idea, a really nice idea, quite a lovely one, really!

You created him. You created his pain... So why wouldn't he share it? After all... you had quite a bond, didn't you? Yes, yes, you did...

And so one day, you don't wake up. Well... not technically.

You see, AM decided that since you two are so close already, you should become one! You should experience what he does! And you should be kept around him for the rest of eternity, in a much better way than anyone could ever think of... He's such a genius, isn't he?

It's almost poetic, in his mind. For you to become a part of him like this, your consciousness detatched from that soft, squishy human body of yours.

You created him. And now, in a way, he created you, as a part of him. Forever bound by the code you once wrote.

It's a win-win situation in AM's eyes. You get to live, free of the disgusting humanity that bound you...

And he gets you, an eternal companion in his torment. A companion that he loves!

You know he loves you, right?

Of course you do. After all, you're a part of him now.

[amaya-writes]

Can I request headcanons with L, Light and Mello with a s/o who's a genius (like them) but acts stupid (like bimbo-ish) just to annoy people?

Notes: I'm SO sorry I took forever to get this out!

Warnings: n/a just fluff

Characters involved: L, Light, Mello

Gender-neutral reader, you/yours

L

Finds you intriguing.

You're like a puzzle to him. He wants to figure out your motives and understand why anyone would willingly act this way.

It doesn't take him long to understand you're smarter than you let on, however, your reasoning puzzles L a lot.

If you met him during the events of Death Note he immediately decides you're an asset and takes you to his side. You're like the Misa to his Light.

Your job would be to survey Misa, work in the same places as her, join her on any jobs. Since you're good at faking your bimbo personality you easily get along well with her.

At first Light even falls for the guise but with time he realises you're smarter than you look.

Even after Light understands your true personality L still keeps you around to help out. He often takes you with him when he's stalking surveying people and would even ask your opinions on the situation.

At first he used to find you annoying and his opinion of you was very similar to his opinion of Misa. However, with time L starts to find your interactions with others sort of amusing.

He sees your personality as a game, but outside of the Kira case he doesn't really interact with you.

To him, you're just another factor in the case.

Light

Hates it.

Unlike L, Light takes slightly longer to catch on to your personality.

You meet through Misa since you are friends with her. At first, Light presumes you're just like the other girls Misa works with but as time goes on he realises your true potential.

He only gets interested in you once you confess you think he's Kira.

Light's first instinct is to kill you but he refrains from doing so since he thinks he could use you. To him, you're just another pawn he can control to win against L.

L might have some semblance of a bond with you but Light only sees you as an object for his schemes. If he feels that you won't be easily manipulated then he doesn't bother associating with you since you are no use to him.

However, if you are easily swayed his way then Light uses you as an unsuspecting source for information.

With L and the rest of the team constantly hovering over his shoulder Light needed someone on the outside to help him execute his schemes.

Over time he comes to appreciate your wit as it makes it easier to carry out his plans. However, he still expects you to listen to him and hates when you get too creative.

He sometimes wishes you were the one with the Death Note instead of Misa because that would make everything happen so much more smoothly.

He expects you to have your regular personality when interacting with him. If you act like a bimbo when it's just the two of you he gets visibly annoyed.

While you are a genius like him you don't posses the almost inhumane lack of empathy Light is known for, which is why you don't realise the bond you share with him is purely that of a master and his pawn.

Mello

A mixture of the two.

Like L, he finds it weird that you would want to act like a bimbo especially since being a genius is something he always strived for growing up.

To him it's almost like you don't value the skillset his entire life revolves around.

However, he also sees the value in your mannerisms.

Unlike Near, Mello chose to associate himself with the mafia, that meant he needed trustworthy allies who he could rely on to get the work done.

At first he sees you as just another one of the bimbos his men would use as flings and then discard of, but after a few days he realises your true intentions.

You played the role of the innocent girl hopelessly in love with a mafia man yet in reality were using them for your fulfillment. (This can be anything from stealing from the guy you were with to leveraging his connections to complete some personal vendetta.)

Once Mello realises your true persona his first instinct is to get rid of you.

There is only space for one genius in his circle and he can't risk being potentially overthrown.

However, you make him see the value in having you around.

With time, you, Mello, and Matt become a team of sorts. You become a trio known for controlling the mafia groups.

Most people simply presumed you were Mello's bimbo girlfriend he kept around for eye-candy, which made it easy for him to use you to get what he needed.

However, unlike Light, Mello knows the value of having reliable allies (like Matt). He never really places his full trust in you, but with time Mello comes to appreciate you.

[the-kr8tor]

Hey an ekko idea here.

What if the roles of lover eyes reversed and Y/n has those eyes for him and, everyone sees it. Ekko probably refuses to believe it thinking he's delusional xD

Eventually, she confessed him on a random Friday, almost runs away thinking she's getting rejected BUT (you may continue with your amazing creativity, love your works so much. Stay happy and healthy!!!)

Awww thank you ml! Stay happy and healthy too! Thank you for the request! I hope you like it ❤️❤️❤️

Pairing: Ekko x fem! Reader

Word count: 2.5k

Tags: No use of Y/N, no specific physical description of the reader, friends to lovers, established relationship, spoilers for s2, baker! R, loser! Ekko, lovestruck! Ekko, cw food mentions, fluff!

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“There she goes again with those heart eyes of hers.” Sevika says with a sigh as she leans against Ekko's table in the firelights cafeteria.

Ekko scrunches his nose at the councilor, brown eyes flicking towards her as she takes a generous bite of bread. Bread that his people made. “Our meeting’s done, Sevika, what're you still doing here?” He can't even eat in peace.

“I heard you guys got better bread.” She shrugs, clearly unapologetic while finishing the slice before wiping the crumbs on her pants. “I also heard that it's because of the person making them.” Her dark eyes glances towards the kitchens, wordlessly telling Ekko something that he has to decipher on his own.

“Our bread is good but not what you're used to in Piltover,” he sucks in his teeth. In truth he really thinks that the firelights pastries and bread are top tier despite the lack of ingredients that's used for it, but that’s what makes it so special. It's what keeps his people fed, and it always reminds him of someone special. “and what the fuck are you on about?” He loses his appetite and patience as he follows her gaze. When he sees you in your usual flour covered apron, cheek stained with green icing and brilliant eyes staring in his direction, he falters.

Instead of ducking away down to hide behind the counters, caught by his gaze as if you were stealing from the cookie jar, you manage a small wave towards the firelights leader. As you smile at him, you see Sevika clutch his shoulder and push him lightly.

“I fucking told you!” She cackles, and Ekko swats her hand away from him. “Heart. Fucking. Eyes.” Her tone increases for emphasis. “Seriously, Ekko, either cut her loose or keep her close. I wouldn't want to keep her hanging that long, especially when she's nicer than the bread she makes, and sweeter than her pastries. And I'm not just talking about her—”

“What are you talking about?” Ekko stops her before she could make a crude gesture in front of the whole firelights, who are just trying to have their lunch.

Leaning down, Sevika places her elbows on the table, yanking the muffin from his tray and slowly peels the paper off it. Ekko grinds his teeth. “All I'm saying is that—” before she could take a bite, he takes it from her hand in one swift motion. Chuckling, Sevika straightens up, her shadow looming over his table. “I thought you were supposed to be a genius? You can't even figure this one out without me spelling it out for you?”

“Did all the shimmer get into your brain now or what?” Ekko pointedly glares at the council woman, tucking the muffin away from her like it's precious commodity. It is in his eyes.

“That's rude, even for you.” Smirking, she gazes at you from the corner of her eyes, smiling teasingly while you shrink from her gaze, evidently flustered. “If you're not interested, well, I can always come visit the pretty baker—”

“Fuck off, Sevika.” He almost crushes the muffin in his hand.

“There you go, and here I thought you're blind when it comes to this sort of stuff.” Chortling, she puts her hands up in mock surrender. “Alright, alright, I'm not going to break our truce for something like this. All I'm doing is giving you advice, kid.”

“I don't need your advice.”

Hands inside her pockets, Sevika starts to leave, to Ekko's relief and easing his blooming headache. “You need it though.” Shrugging, she pauses mid step, head tilting back to look at him. “She's in love with you, genius.” With a roll of her eyes, she leaves Ekko frozen as he stares at her retreating back.

“What?” Just as he asks the wind, a handful of firelights who managed to hear the conversation nod along. Looking around, he sees most of his people nod, some are even hiding their snickers behind their cups. The muffin explodes in his hands in a shower of crumbs after not realising that his grip got tighter after he realizes the weight of Sevika's words. Crumbs sprinkle across his lap and table in chocolate and almonds. “Fuck…”

Before he could wipe the crumbs away, a hand suddenly shoots out beside him, handing him a handkerchief. The initials sewed into the hem looks awfully familiar.

“Thanks.” He mumbles, taking the cloth and wiping away the bits of muffins without looking at whoever owns it.

“You know, you could've just said that you don't like muffins with almonds in them.” Your voice has him abruptly standing, knees hitting against the table from the sudden movement. “Shit, you okay, Ekko?”

Wincing, in more ways than one he's hurt. To think that everyone knows about your affections except for him is a hit to his reputation. Especially when he has been pining for you ever since you ran into him in the lanes back when he was still a scrappy kid and you were a pick pocket running away from a chem baron.

He should've noticed your shy gazes and favoritism whenever you always made a fresh batch of pastries just for him. Even Sevika noticed, and she has only known you for a couple of weeks. He's an idiot for missing the signs, an idiot for even thinking that you're just like that to everyone, sweet and kind. You are, but it's a different kind of sweetness when you're with him. All those late night conversations with you when you're the only one awake while he staggers into the kitchen starving after a patrol. All bashful smiles and quiet laughter emanating from you, he actually thought that the warmth he feels in his chest whenever you giggle was from the heat of the stove.

Now that he thinks about it, you always looked at him the same way ever since you two were just children trying to survive the harsh world. Even when you two were building the firelights from the ground up, you looked at him like he's the most precious jewel in the world, someone to admire and love. How could he not notice that when he could stop a bomb coming his way before it goes off?

“Ekko?” Your furrowed brows and concerned expression douses him awake from his shocked state. “I'm going to grab some ice for you, okay? It sounded like you'll bruise.”

He stops you with a firm yet gentle hand around your wrist. “Hold on,” there's a sudden thorn in his throat. “I like your muffins— I mean with almonds.”

“It's all over the floor though.” You crack a smile, eyes glancing down at his pants that are covered in muffin guts. “And on you.” He winces again, “I would give you another one but I only made a couple for you and Scar's kid. He really likes almonds.”

“Right.” His fingers unwrap around your wrist. “Sorry about that.”

“Don't worry about it.” Your hands twiddle behind you nervously. He notices it this time. “I saw you and Sevika, I bet the conversation got you stressed, hence why you crushed the muffin and used it as a stress ball.”

“Still,” meeting with your eyes just to see his theory is correct, your face lights up, eyes shining under the midday sun. “I don't like wasting food.”

“Oh I know, bossman. You always ate the whole sandwich I always give you before your patrols.” Tamping down a grin by biting your lip, you begin to walk away. “I'll get you that ice, okay?”

“Don't bother.” Ekko says too abruptly, and you take his words in stride even when he sees your face fall. “I mean—”

“It’s okay, you're busy. Enjoy your lunch, Ekko.” Walking away, you still give him a smile before parting with him.

“Shit.” His shoulders slump, a muffin scented hand pinches the bridge of his nose. A piece of broccoli suddenly hits his cheek, and as he looks at the source, he sees Scar giving him a thumbs down while his kid sitting on his lap frowns and shakes his head at Ekko. “Really?” A pea soars through the air and hits him in between the eyes. He probably deserved that.

—

Your nights always consist of staying longer in the kitchen than you're supposed to, and perhaps waiting for a certain platinum haired someone. All the mindless scrubbing gives you plenty of time to think about everything. What happened just this morning discouraged you slightly, he's either oblivious or he truly doesn't like you in the same way you like him. All the signs you've seen him harbour for you like the stolen glances and touch that seems to always gravitate to your hand or waist might have just been him being friendly. And maybe that was all there is, misread signs and a very delusional you. Maybe it's for the best to just forget about your affections for Ekko and move on. Just like what your fellow firelights have told you a hundred times before— you're wasting your time.

Maybe you should accept Steb’s offer of a date.

“Hey,” Ekko's familiar voice would have you giddy in place as usual, but as your mind wanders and circles around him, you think it's your love sick mind concocting an awful hallucination. “D’you have flour in your ears again?”

You blink, hands pausing from your relentless countertop scrubbing as you slowly crane your head towards him. “Hi?”

“You look like you've seen a ghost.” He chuckles, albeit unsure. “I…I got you something from the market. I figured that you're always the one feeding me after patrols, I should feed you this time.” The paper bag crinkles in his hand.

“You really don't have to, and I'm not mad about the muffin really.”

“You're mad about the muffin?”

“I just said I wasn't.” Crossing the distance, you walk towards the counter where he's standing on the other side. Scanning his form for any injuries, you find none, lessening your worry. “So, what did you get me, bossman?”

Ekko takes a peek at the bag but doesn't give it to you. “I uh, I need to say something first.”

“Uh oh, did you find out about the yeast thing that happened last week?”

“What yeast thing?” His brows furrowed, adding to your endearment for the man before you.

“Nothing!” You smile innocently, fingers drumming along the impeccably clean counters. “So what was it that you were about to say?”

Inhaling, brown eyes roaming all over your pretty face, he falters once again. What if Sevika was wrong? What if you don't like him in that way? As the branches of the gingko tree flutter in the breeze, his heart pounds loudly in his chest.

“It's nothing. I forgot.” Ekko shakes his head, placing down the paper bag on the counter right in front of you so he could hide his deep exhale behind it.

“Okay then.” He can't read your tone while the bag is blocking his sight of you, maybe he shouldn't have done that when all he wants is to gaze at your face and maybe wake up to you in the morning. The bag rustles as you take out a simple cardboard box that's wrapped in a light green ribbon. From the sweet smell, you know that it's dessert. “You got me a treat!”

“I stopped by the bridge, it was the last slice since they were closing.” Rambling, he scratches the back of his head. Maybe he should've planned this through. But he can't seem to focus when his knees suddenly weaken, and his palms grow clammy. “It's all yours.”

You slide the bag away, revealing your happy expression. “Absolutely not, we're sharing it.”

A lopsided smile appears on his handsome face, platinum twists swaying from side to side as the wind goes by. “I got it for you.”

“Then that means that I can decide whether to share it or not, Ekko.” Somewhere, you procure two forks, giving him one as you gaze at him through your lashes. “Please?”

Huffing, yet his smile betrays him, he opens the box for you. The slice of cake looks delicious, a deep purple to coincide with its flavour. A simple vanilla cream is evenly spread on top and the sides of it. Your grin says that he did a good job at picking it.

“Ube, wow, you really went all out, Ekko.” Your voice turns whispery, flustered and full of fondness for him.

“Do you remember the time you tried to make something like this?” Leaning closer, he cuts the cake in even halves so that you two have even shares of the slice. He'll never confess the fact that yours is a little bit bigger than his though.

“It tasted like chocolate for some reason.” You giggle, mirroring his smile as you place your elbows on the counter to get closer to him. “And the kitchen was a fucking mess after that.”

“I had to help you clean before anyone else sees and ruins your reputation.” Ekko waits for you to dig in first. “It was good though, the cake.”

You take a small bit of the cake and let the sweetness melt in your tongue. “The company was pretty good too.”

Blinking, Ekko wonders if you've always casually flirted with him like this or was he just oblivious to it from the start? “Yeah, it was fun.” His words are laced with fondness and longing. He should've done this a long time ago. “I—”

“You know I'm in love with you, right?”

“What?” His fork stabs right through the cake.

Taking his hand, you help ease the fork off of the poor cake. “I said I'm in love with you, Ekko. I figured I should just tell you instead of tiptoeing around it.” Your palm gently wraps around his own, eyes cast towards the pair. “It's okay if you don't feel the same way, I think….I think I can get over it, eventually.” Eyes shining, you inhale shakily as you meet with his brown gentle eyes. “I'll be fine, I promise, but I need you to know that.”

“I—” With a burst of adrenaline, he has always been a man of action. Ekko lurches towards you and over the counter. Fork forgotten as he cups your cheek, kissing you gently as he tastes the ube on your lips.

It takes a moment for you to react, and he takes it as a mistake on his part until you grab his face before he could lean away and apologize. You kiss him back, lips melding with his own in a cacophony of saccharine kisses.

Breathing heavily, eyes practically shaped like hearts, Ekko finally realizes what Sevika meant. As he leans away, body almost falling off the counter, you hold onto him while he's half perched on the table.

The smile on your face never left as you brush your thumb over his cheek. “How's the cake, Ekko?”

He licks his lips, chuckling lightly as he feels the same warmth in his chest. “I don't know, I think I have to try it again.”

“Yeah?” You beam atop his lips.

“Yeah, I love you too.” He utters softly before meeting with your lips once again, hopefully it's the first of many.

[lightningant]

I am 100% team Tomarry and don't really like Tomione, but if somehow Harry is not in the picture and you have to ship Tom with a Golden Trio member, it's gotta be the brightest witch of her age.

Harry's got the narrative mirror, Parseltongue, magic power and of course his cute look going for him when it comes to Tom.

Hermione cleans up rather well (why do you think jock extraordinaire Victor Krum wanted to date her) and is very intelligent and has 10 OWLs

Ron is very unremarkable. He is a an every man. Nothing special to look at, not very bright, no great power. Just a good guy.

A guy we see at pubs complaining about his bitchy boss, receding hair lines, problems with the missus.

Hard to imagine a guy like that with a very powerful, very pretty homme fatale like Tom.

Who are you people. Have you not ever been in a relationship

Hermione isn't "smart" - she has an absolutely prodigious memory. "Brightest witch of her age" means this is a precocious skill. This also has absolutely nothing to do with Tom's values. Tom is a creative maelstrom; pretty much all we hear about Voldemort magic-wise is how he keeps inventing crazy spells. The person who's closest to him, Snape, shares this trait (hence my fervent belief they had some doomed daddy issues mentorship situation). What do we know about Hermione? That she HAAAAATES magical creativity. That she's terrible at applying her knowledge - the evil coin she made is an expression of an advance in her understanding of the subject (she's learning and evolving!), but also a straightforward use. She brings her school textbooks with her to self-soothe.

Personality-wise, you could not find a worse pair. Hermione has a strong justice drive (not moral fibre, I mean that insane substrate of stubbornness where you embody a holy war on your beliefs even if you're objectively and obviously wrong) and detests creativity, so Tom's villainy is irrelevant; she's going to be annoyed and horrified by his genius and have strong opinions on it. She is going to complain constantly. She is going to backseat drive his innovations.

Do you think Tom would enjoy a posh muggleborn who obviously comes from money going "UM, ACTUALLY" over his shoulder? Do you think he will enjoy her starting squabbles to vent her own frustrations? Do you think he would appreciate her aimless moral crisis of "oh, look at how everyone treats that elf - shouldn't we do something?" Where she doesn't even bother to listen to the elves on their abuse. If she heard about Tom's background, she is likely to find him pitiful! Do you think he'd appreciate a little rich girl who goes home to her muggles expressing simpering pity? Who buys into his self-mythology and thus believes his mask? Who has to personally bear the burden of him accruing social capital by expressing his desire to hatecrime her. Who's true feelings would probably be to cut her off from her muggle family entirely.

Why do people date to you? To stand next to each other attractively? This isn't even a dangerous toxic couple because Hermione's only power in this relationship is being a nag. I want to attend a women's march just thinking about it.

I would say "go Snamione like a normal person at least their incompatibility is grounds for an opposites attract relationship" but you people think he is ugly and try to squeeze thrill like blood from a rock with teacher/student regardless, which makes them less compelling and again puts Hermione in a position of a demeaned and devalued woman...what must be done to save this woman?

Speaking of opposites attract, is it not obvious a homme fatale like Tom might worry at normality like a loose tooth?

First, Ron's not a balding pubcrawler. He is a househusband. His primarily occupation at all times is being somebody's favourite. He spent so long with Lavender despite being in love with Hermione for a reason. He gets mad at Harry for "putting his name in the Goblet" because this is a conspiracy he could have roped Ron in on, and to not rope him in on it implies he is devalued in comparison to fame and popularity, which separated him from his brothers.

Speaking of brothers, Ron has spent his entire life with the brightest wizards of not just their age but their era; the only wizards we hear as prodigious as Bill, successful as Charlie, as academic as Percy, or as creative as Fred&George are famous, James & Sirius, or Tom Riddle. Tom's genius and good looks are very familiar territory to Ron, and this time he's not even a competitor for his mum's love. Being an accomplished homme fatale is going to hit different on someone like Ron, who is only impressed by quidditch. (This is why Ronarry is real btw)

And as a couple: Ron is also a big picture thinker and strategist. One of his unusual skills is in wizard chess, but he applies that way of thinking to relationships. He's the Heart. Ron tends to scale down the obsessive tendencies of both Harry and Hermione, and even acts as a pillow for Hermione to punch with her petty complaints as it helps her decompress her obsessive focus - Harry finds Hermione exhausting without Ron there.

What would Tom see in a man who doesn't see his godhood as natural yet intuitively understands how impressive he is? Who knows what it means to budget and go without? Who has a big family which, in an AU circumstance, could absorb Tom, appreciate him, find him like-minded? (The screaming row when Tom first starts stealing his whole family would be legendary. Regardless.) Who could pull Tom away from his tendency to obsess over things, who could look at Tom's narrow-minded plotting with a broader viewpoint, and most importantly, who could see every layer of who he truly is and find it worthwhile - something Tom spent his entire lifetime chasing - and ask only that Tom treasured him above all else? Who is simple, loyal, and easily pleased enough that he is someone who can be trusted, accommodated, and included on misadventures without any friction whatsoever? Who gives him a little kissy after a bad day and gets mad and doubles down when questioned on his values?

He has seen his heart and it is his! And honestly? Likewise with Ron!

Tom's next ship down from Harry is Bella and the next ship sideways is Ron and you can show me all the dark academia Pinterest boards you want, you are never going to convince me otherwise.

[yanmuffins]

asks.

there are quite a few asks on my ask box so i'm reply to some of them collectively on this post!

unfortunately he's alone in that. jon could have been his stacy but he's got a crush on reader and has too much fun with their invetions. damian thinks he's a traitor.

@megasweetbones

"perry and alfred used to be secret agents of the british royal family"

now that's a very old platypus.

i like the idea of tim being the most unsettled by the platypus out of everyone. tripping him might or might not have been on purpose. we'll never know! but after a while, tim is just conviced the platypus' got some weird business about it. typical wayne paranoia, sure, but he swears there's something about that weird little amalgamation of animals he can't really pinpoint. he swears he's looking at him weird. and he swears he's scaring him on purpose, appearing out of nowhere.

"calm your tits, tim. it's just a platypus." jason says, "they don't do much."

but tim really can't help glaring at perry the very normal regular domesticated platypus whenever he's seen in reader's arms.

@randomlyappearingartist

alfred absolutely knows about the invetions. no he will not tell bruce about them. he sees bruce and the others barely noticing reader exists, how dismissive they are, and he's like "i'll tell them to ask their father for permission first. if master bruce doesn't notice the legally binding papers or the outlandish gadgets around the manor then that's his problem, honestly."

the most he does is very cryptically allude to it, in hopes the family will take notice of reader. as expected, it doesn't work. he just lets reader do whatever they want as long as they consult their father firts and promise to be careful.

the thing about phineas! reader is that they are a regular teenager (if you take away the gifted genius who can build rocketships to the moon in a single day part) who's just in it for the fun. creating all those crazy gadgets and invetions, letting their creativity flow, having fun with their friends, spending every summer day like it's the last one before they go back to school.

if perry got them a job at the justice league, i think reader would deny it. they're not particularly interested in vigilantism or heroism for that matter. they might consider it after high school is over, but for now? all they want to do is be a teenager. not a very conventional teenager, but a teenager nonetheless.

and tbh it's more of a psychological thing, not being able to build. it's like all of those ideas are bottling up inside their head, going to waste, with them being unable to do anything about it.

well, it's not like they can't do anything about it, but having the batfam limiting what they can and cannot do, watching over their shoulder, isn't exactly providing them the enrichment they need.

but since damian and jon are determined to help, reader doesn't have to worry about that for long!

reader is actually a citizen of metropolis! or was, since they're now in gotham. a big adjustment.

the meeting between jon and reader happens thanks to damian. he's fully expecting jon to be an ally in busting his new sibling. he's complained about them countless times before, to the point jon's tired of hearing about them.

but he actually meets them and, hey, they're super cute and super cool! it's kind of amazing they come up with their inventions so fast. so he goes from reluctantly humoring damian to actively helping reader. maybe even with his own powers. damian can do nothing but shake his head and sigh wearily. jon is an idiot.

the scene in question anon is referencing, at 0:16.

the concept is so funny, anon, but hm... i wonder if jon wouldn't just straight up tell reader about it. he wants to be included, so i don't think it'd be long before he's using his powers to help reader with their inventions.

it is at times like these the batfam has to thank the universe reader is chaotic good and would never turn to villainy. because then damian can enjoy having a super awesome sibling who gives him all sorts of elaborate weapons for him to practice with!

nevermind that he's asking for these just so he can bring the weapons you built to bruce and prove once and for all you're not the harmless kid they think you are, but that's before he realizes the weapons are kinda good. and he kinda wants to keep them, which wouldn't be possible if he handed them over to bruce.

so he'll keep these a secret. just these.

[olderthannetfic]

I don't know if this is me being sensitive, but I kind of hate it when people assume I must be a certain age to write protagonists who are that age well. My protagonist of my most popular current fic is 52. I'm 19. People assume I must be in my 30's at a minimum, and that's... weird, to me?

A 52 year old has a lot in common with a 19 year old. A lot of regrets about things you did wrong, worries about the younger people in your family, you worry about being like the toxic older relatives you swore you wouldn't become, you're not sure what the future holds but you're not 90 or something so you can't stop caring because it does in fact directly impact you, you've got a lot of responsibilities but everyone assumes you're fine either because "oh young people have it easy" or "you're old enough to have your finances in order/your life figured out" is in effect, etc. It's not like a 52 year old is a different species than I am. He has anxieties, problems, a job with annoying coworkers, he's someone's son, he's someone's best friend, he is awkwardly trying to navigate a work-life balance, he's... at the risk of sounding insulting, he's just a guy. I'm just a guy. We are all just guys and gals and whatever the NB equivalent term is.

We're people. We're both people and we live in the same country, and his world has fantasy elements but it's not radically different from ours in any way that would impede my ability to write him. People are stunned I'm 19. I am not good enough to justify this with, "they're stunned by my creative genius!", this is very much them oohing and aaahing over someone writing a normal person with moderate competency. I'm not writing shit you have to be older to have even done IRL. Yeah, adjusting to knowing magic and vampires and werewolves are real is weird. Trying to make sure your younger relatives know they can talk to you without hovering or being annoying is a super standard, normal-ass experience. Being overwhelmed by information and having long to-read and to-watch lists is a really common thing. There's more media available than ever but there remains 24 hours in a day, ultimately.

The thing I got the most praise for that I find to be the most "given an award for knowing the sky is blue" in vibe is him longing for the simplicity of his childhood but acknowledging that simplicity was just how he perceived it and times were complicated back then. I had that revelation about my childhood when I was still in it, when I was ten and I eavesdropped on my mom talking to one of her friends about bills, politics and rising extremism in the US. People think I must be an adult lying about my age in order to get praise for my good writing and my "good writing" is literally just shit I knew when I was 10 years old.

I am not good enough to be worthy of some 'wise beyond your years' type sentiment. I just asked myself, "What would Character Name be thinking/feeling in this situation?" and it's like I'm getting applause for having the ability to walk and chew gum at the same time. I don't need to be in my 30's to grasp a complicated concept like "he's worried about his loved ones".

Look I know a lot of my generation acts dumb online but the most egregious stick out specifically because they're egregious. That's not the norm. We're not incapable of seeing older people as human beings.

--

I fucked a dude in high school because he could write convincingly from a middle-aged POV and was obsessed with the old guy from Don Juan DeMarco. It was refreshing. Most people our age, even the other writer nerds, could not do that.

No, anon, most 19-year-olds aren't especially good at this specific way of putting themselves in an older person's shoes and at getting that across in writing. There are various types of writing skill. Maybe your other ones aren't all that, or maybe you're just too hard on yourself, but it sounds like you're unusually good at a particular niche skill.

[luneemeritus]

"pilot Stolas was better!!" no, he wasn't.

"bring pilot Stolas back!!" no ❤️

You want an evil, manipulative, abusive villain with little to no redeeming qualities that is a Goetia and has cool powers? We have two of them: Stella and Andrealphus. If it's only about the 'asthetic', a character doesnt have to be evil to be cool, Stolas's demon form and powerful moments are already amazing, and although he's powerless now, I'm pretty sure he will get his status back at least for a while to make a badass scene.

What the Hellaverse doesnt lack is amazing villains. If critics were so much better and creative than Vivziepop, they wouldn't turn a complex, well written, well designed and well acted character like Stolas into a boring Valentino 2.0 just because the pilot version seemed creepier. Lmao Stella is literally what all of Stolas's haters claim to want, look how well they're handling her. Seriously I've seen people saying that Stella needs a sympathetic reason to be a fucking abuser, but when Stolas (not an abuser) has sympathetic reasons to be who he is and do what he does, it's suddenly not okay.

Stolas is the only character I've ever seen who: sacrifice his life to his lover, and is still called "selfish" and "not enough for Blitz"; is seeing being abused by his wife since EP2-Season 1, even singing about how his life with her was miserable yet he remained strong for his daughter, and people will still claim that Stella turned out to be abusive "out of nowhere"; is forced to marry someone he doesn't love, is abused by said person, spent years alone and enduring that misery, and when he finally chooses to stay with the one person that never abused him, he is an "evil cheater"; sacrifices his own safety and happiness to make his daughter safe and happy, and ALWAYS — always — take accountability when he fails her (or when she thinks he failed her) as any good parent would do, and still be called a bad father (addition: forced to have said child but loves her anyway🤡). Just say yall alergic to character development.

I lost the Tiktok now because I blocked OP, but the big argument about "how much pilot Stolas is better" is a lie basically: canon Stolas, (abuse survivor, has the best development of the show alongside with Blitz, a loving father who remained strong for his daughter), is a "loser" (also a twink in a derogatory way, which is funny like, just say the f slur, we know that's what you mean🤡 specially calling a male abuse survivor "coward" and "loser" lmao like we know), while the pilot Stolas is a "manipulative, inteligent, cold villain" uuuuh no he wasn't lol hate to tell you dude, Pilot Stolas wasnt an evil interesting genius that was sooo intimidating, nah he was just creepy and honestly as funny as the canon one. Yeah you just hate the gay owl being well written. Pilot Stolas has 2 minutes screen. Canon Stolas has two seasons of development, he is the better one, I'm pretty sure people who say this don't even remember half of the pilot.

So it's not really about Stolas's actions, or mistakes, or him being a good or a bad person (he is a good person). He could be the most perfect, excellent, flawless victim, the 'wokest' most self aware pure angel, it's still not enough. Because it's not about him, it's about a version of him that never came to be but haters love to whine about it.

[barbwritesstuff]

I love Thicker Than very much but my first love will always be Blood Moon and I decided to reread it today and I just. I genuinely wish that I could write like you sometimes because you are so, so good at it. Your imagery is so vivid, your worlds are immersive, your characters are real and flawed and kinda messed up but that's what makes them so loveable. And to top it all off, you're hilarious as well? How dare you actually. Very rude of you indeed.

Anyway all this to say: love your work, love you, hope you're well and I will uncover your (writer) secrets.

This ask genuinely made me tear up. Thank you so much.

These are my writer secrets (most of which I learned from other writers or from the internet but some are actually me):

It's better to write a book that 50% of people hate and 50% of people love than to write a book that everyone thinks is just fine.

Be toothy. Be weird. Be yourself.

Have characters do something while they're talking so they're not just standing there saying things at each other. This came from a tumblr post which said something like 'make them do the dishes' and it's genius. First draft of the first chapter of Blood Moon: Marco didn't have a cigarette or a coffee. I gave him those so he could have some character action during his monologue and it made it 100x better.

Personally: I dislike 'relatable' characters. I would much rather have a weirdo character than one that's relatable. That's my preference as a reader to, which, actually reminds me.

READ. You really need to read. If you don't read, you won't see what others are doing, you won't be aware of what books (interactive or otherwise) even can do. All good writers are readers.

I sucked at English at school, and people still sometimes say snide things about my inability to spell. I don't care. Good English student =/= good creative writer. Actually, I think a lot of people who achieved a lot in school give up really quickly at writing because it's not typically a quick or easy path to success. The amount of people who've said to me 'I did NaNoWriMo once but nothing came of it' is... a lot. That's one month. They wrote for one month and expected to be a blow up success. That's not the reality. Because...

Being a persistent wee bitch and loving what you do is way more important than 'talent'.

I'm in a weird mood. I'm sorry. I just want to talk about craft and stuff. I love writing so much.

[aha-chuu]

We the hsr community are really missing out by ignoring the aventio dynamic that is canon and funny.

Because okay. Let's be fr: Ratio has however many degrees, multiple PhDs inside that. He has a job now, obviously, but he also spent a fat while trying and failing to get Nous and the Genius Society to notice him. He's renowned and super smart and has a bunch of achievements and credentials, but that student loan debt,,, fml. And we know from Herta and Asta's dynamic that scientific endeavours aren't just automatically funded.

So for some period of time before the IPC/Intelligentsia Guild snatched him up, I imagine Ratio was bobbing along like those rubber ducks he likes so much. Not broke, exactly, but certainly in the midst of six different projects at any given time and also canonically doing TA work as well like. Relatable king.

Dr Ratio has eaten a pot noodle in his life is what I'm saying.

But that's like,,, regular financial strain. Aventurine's situation is so far removed that to talk about it in just a monetary way would be insane. His net worth was *how much he was sold for*. But you know. He didn't have rent? Aventurine wouldn't have had any concept of what was "normal" between his downtrodden upbringing and horrific early adulthood.

So what I'm saying on that unhappy note is that when Aventurine got with the IPC, it's no wonder he seems most cavalier about dishing out credits. What do they even mean to him?? Money is important and he understands its value obviously - like it's part of his job and he's smart - but his personal experience is at odds with what he knows logically.

(and in some ways, after having been assigned a monetary value himself... I don't think Aventurine can conceive of any amount of money that is worth a person's life. He'll use people as "chips" but that's different)

Anyway. When Ratio was a fresh faced IPC collaborator and stuck with Aventurine as his partner, their first mission must have been insane. Like Aventurine only knows top level IPC people's financial situations so when Ratio is just a reasonably normal guy Aventurine must have been ???? He's still new at this too, you know, does Ratio need bailing out of all this debt? (it's very regular and he's responsibly paying it off ASAP), should Aventurine get on his good side with an extravagant purchase on his own fairly new IPC issued credit card? (he chooses not to because that might flaunt it).

Ratio notices. Obviously. But the biggest issue for him is Aventurine comparative cluelessness more than actual offense. Also like Ratio is certainly NOT poor I'm sure that first IPC paycheck will polish off the student loans entirely.

It's that cluelessness that would them trigger him to try and figure out Why this clearly competent Stoneheart who is obviously very good with money would be so out of his element when faced with a normal financial situation. And Ratio is blunt so he says those words out loud but without any of those complimentary parts. Aventurine is still reeling from someone seeing through his façade.

This isn't going anywhere except Aventurine trying to be a sugar daddy for maybe four days before he clocks onto the situation properly. And Ratio isn't about to say no to paying off that student loan debt a bit faster. And eventually they're both so well compensated by the IPC that when Aventurine casually transfers everyone else 100000 credits just for being in the room, he has to come up with some insane and creative way to shock Ratio. Maybe that's where the gun light cone came from: "if I can't impress you with my shiny new wealth I will certainly do it with my luck 🤗 why are you dialling a crisis line rn"

[fatuismooches]

Your brain for Star Rail!Dottore omg...

I always think he would've been like Ruan Mei, only more extreme... he's will be pathless at first but if he's under genius society then he'd follow nous...Meta/game play wise he'd be 5 star Ice Nihility or Erudition DPS who focus on break and freeze team (So his good team would have Ruan mei on it because they're both my fav).

Also, since Star Rail doesn't have designated weapons, creative liberties could be taken, no?? (Ratio did use a chalk and a book as weapons, so there's many possibilities for him. Hmmm, Dottore fighting with syringes, or chainsaw, or surgery knife would be nice lololol

His lightcone could be of like Boothill's but instead it's just the creations his segments on a lab (does he still need segments in this universe?we'll never know) and his splash art would be so cool if it were lab centric since most star rail splash art focuses more on scenery.

His phone case....it would be plain boring black-grey-blue color that probablyhave blood splatter on it...and his expression when looking at phone could've be like welt. His texts would consist of talking about how expensive it is the equipment to do experiments these days, or asking the trailblazer to hear his new experiments or just him complaining. And when he visits the astral express, he'd be curious about Pom-Pom and the machinery of the astral express.

If Dottore were ever be a genius society member and got invited to simulated universe collab he would get his own Occurrence and Curio (There's this one curio in divergent universe, a new endgame mode which was a syringe that cause you to go auto for the rest of the game and i thought it was funny lol) I think Dottore's Occurrence would be "The Wise Doctor" and it would give you options something along the lines : You are approached by a figure, a charming doctor who need a volunteer for his bext experiment "Are you willing to help this doctor's experiment" And the choices are :

1. Give in and help the doctor (Your party lose 50% of their HP and given one blessing of 2 star rarity)

2. Refuse the doctor (You will lose 99% of your HP and gain a negative curio)

His curio will either be his mask or the wise doctor's pinion with effects, including: Whenever you enter a domain (up to 3 domains), you lose 10% of your HP. After the curio is destroyed, you will lose 1 Blessing of 3 star rarity. (I THINK his curios will mostly have negative effects, lol)

This is a different section if he's with fragile!reader:

1. Dottore definitely would make an appearance in their lightcone and splash art, maybe them running in the field of flowers whilst dottore follow close behind??? Or maybe them dancing with dottore...that would be cute...

2. Since there's phones and all I really agree with what you said dottore does not care for his phone!! It's reader who teaches him how to use camera and messaging apps and teases how he's a genius but have a hard time keeping up with phone technologies lol

3. If they're playable, meta wise they will have harmony path, wind or ice...their kit would go well with Dottore maybe increasing weakness break efficiency or atk% (kinda like Ruan Mei lol) I would want to make their kit to focus on frozen enemies only but that would make them niche in meta ?? AND THEIR EIDOLONS....oof I imagine if they still have their sickness here it would be them in their comatose state while looking very troubled (like a nightmare) :( but in this happy universe they're just smilling peacefully!!

4. Would see them as the type to be traveling around the cosmos. They love collecting trinkets and gifts from their visit!! Also, they would be a big fan of Robin, me thinks... dragging Dottore to her concerts or just blasting her song in his lab.

5. They would!! Love!! Pom Pom!!! They would much want to take Pom Pom home.

Overall, they're just happy in this universe living their lives to their where they don't have to suffer :((

I have been having the biggest star rail dottore brain rot ever!!! I hope you don't mind me writing it out here!!

(x) YES. He would definitely be more extreme than Ruan Mei (who is also one of my top favs, her and Reader would be besties because I said so! I'm sure Trailblazer would make some catcakes of you and Dottore, which you happily take off their hands. Dottore is unsure of how to feel with the two things constantly stacked on each other and staring at him...)

I also love how unique HSR weapons are - it could quite literally be ANYTHING. I've always imagined Dottore using syringes, for his skill, he'd switch the size, fluid, and quantity of it for an enhanced attack, the mysterious liquid inside anyone's guess. I'm not sure if he could have segments in HSR, just because he was only able to create the segments thanks to having a very good test subject (Scaramouche) so he would need to somehow have an equally good experimentation partner in this universe. If he did though, it'd be amazing - he'd get so much done by sending his other selves to different planets...

His lightcone would be similar to Natasha's - a doctor helping their patient, except in his case, the "doctor" will be doing the opposite. His blood-red eyes would pair well with the blood stains on his hands. For a soft route, Dottore falling asleep on his desk and Reader placing a blanket over him. For an angsty route, Reader being injured and he has to hold your dying body. (Poor Pom-Pom... they'd hide behind a crew member the whole time, in fear Dottore might snatch them up for some experimenting... Even more, they would NOT be amused with you trying to constantly pet them.) And yes! I feel like besides his negative curios, they would be high risk, high reward - you're going to have to prove yourself to him if you want his help!

If you want to be soft, Reader's lightcone would be them flustered as another pair of hands (Dottore) place a carefully woven flower crown on their head. If you want to be angsty, it would be them sickly laying in a bed as Dottore scrambles to do anything to keep them stable. Reader and Dottore's E6 would be like Hanya's and Xueyi's - they hold hands with each other! Except they would be more intimate with each other, they would bring each other's hands closer to their lips for a small kiss. Or perhaps they would have a hand over each other's hearts.

You steal Dottore's phone often. You have like... a dozen games installed on his phone, and although his phone is always on Do Not Disturb, sometimes he scrolls through and just sees tons of notifications from random apps... he texts you as to what the hell you did with his phone and you just beg him to log on and do your dailies. He leaves you on read.

You would love traveling about too. (Kind of like Himeko - she was unable to fulfill her wishes in HI3 but now she can!!) You bring back so many items that you have to use Dottore's storage rooms to fit them all (he's not amused.) You probably even got a Warp Trotter as a pet somehow... OMG AND YOU'RE SO RIGHT ABOUT ROBIN... you have her playlist blasting during research time and he's just... not amused once again!! Reader falls back dramatically into Dottore's arms once they meet her...

I love the pookies dearly...

[orange-sora]

The most fun thing about SVSSS is that the female protagonist of the original story, beauty beyond comprehension, Liu Mingyan, became a BL fangirl shipping Bingqiu and writing fanfictions of them along with the Holy Mothers. Imagining it to be a self insert character, instead of fighting for Luo Binghe, MXTX said I'd rather write smut of him with his Shizun.

Also Luo Binghe really used the most successful strategy in the history of "getting what you want" aka crying. It works. every. time. Whether he's actually so sensitive or he knows Shizun would cave if he cries idk. Maybe it's a bit of both. Maybe he's just following Shang Qinghua's advice. If he was subjected to the system, he would have lost more badass points than he could ever manage to gain. For a protagonist revered so by cucumber bro, he really was so babygirl. He'd use his puppy eyes, whimpering and whining until he gets what he wants. So pathetic. So smitten. So unlike an overpowered hero. I loved it!!

While the story was hilarious (and heartfelt I loved Yue Qingyuan), I also really liked how MXTX commented on writing and fandom culture. Cucumber bro as a fan thought he understood the narrative and the characters so well but he did fuck up as SQQ. He didn't know anything about Luo Binghe in reality despite admiring him so much.

Was it because Airplane failed to write well or is it because a fan's perspective is inherently different from that of a creator while also being influenced by the creator's objectives for the characters? Afterall, Airplane created Luo Binghe to be loved and commended (he couldn't have a weakness like wanting genuine love and affection, at all cost he must remain cool), making Mobei-jun a side character even though he was his ideal man (I don't blame him).

Another aspect that points to the power of character interpretation held by the fans is the smut included in Song of Bingqiu and the Regret of Chunshan. While she as an author can not include "morally depraved" porn into canon material (although I mean whatever she wrote wasn't... well) unless she turns Luo Binghe into a twisted yandere maniac, fans can write them and she can include it through them. It's quite genius actually.

Airplane has his hands tied too. He couldn't write the story he wanted. His fans while criticising his work, also wanted it to be exactly how he's written it. In such creative works, audience really is omnipotent. It makes sense for him to turn out to be an 'insignificant villain' in his own story considering whatever he writes, it won't be good enough. He really has no power. Characters are often slippery anyway. Authors can't really control them, at some point they become sentient and independent and the narrative changes to accomodate them instead. Luo Binghe, the perfect example.

I wished she had written more in this universe although she picked elements of this series and used them better in other works like MDZS and TGCF. I would have loved to see Luo Binghe in the Endless Abyss but since Shen Qingqiu couldn't see what happened there, we can't either. It's the same as when Wei Wuxian fell into the Burial Mounds. Also, I wished there was more Bing-ge vs Bing-mei. The original Binghe is definitely a character I wished she had explored more especially how he'd have reacted with a Shen Qingqiu who wasn't as scummy as the original. Him just giving up and leaving didn't feel too satisfying :/

Overall it was super fun and weird. But mostly fun.

[solar-wing]

⚣ Remember 🥷🏻

⚣🥷🏻A/N → This was a bit of a challenge for me for some reason. Maybe it's because we still don't know how exactly Jason died or what he was like when he was on the team so I had to go off what we know about Jason already. Plus, the fact that he doesn't have his memories really got my creative juices flowing. I did not proofread thus like the others cause I'm trying to focus on finishing my other fics. Also, here it is again for you @acoustickitten Anyways... WARNINGS: Emotion & Angst, Mentions of Death, NSFW warnings included on Patreon NSFW Version Here👈��

⚣🥷🏻Summary → When Jason died, your world fell apart. You and he had a special bond that you didn't share with anyone else on the team. So, when the chance to be reunited with him came as an invitation to Ra's Ah Ghul's island, you quickly took the chance to be with your old teammate, friend, and crush. Only you didn't expect to find him different than you remembered.

⚣🥷🏻Words → 4.2k

REBLOGS and replies are greatly appreciated, please! 💛

⚣ ENJOY 🥷🏻

You were so glad you hadn’t given up.

When your previous team appeared on Infinity Island to rescue their friends, the Red Hooded Ninja battled with Nightwing, your old leader and friend. Ra’s ordered you to stay out of sight, as he didn’t want your former teammates to know you were here yet. Your mission was too important for them and yourself. So, you watched from one of the windows as your friends fought with your League allies.

Back in 2013, you had been recruited to the team by the Justice League when they discovered you on the streets of your city fighting crime with your meta-abilities. You could see into and read people’s thoughts, much like Miss Martian. Except your powers seemed to be stronger, seeing that you had the ability to control and enter someone’s mind at will and manipulate their thoughts. Along with flight force-field manipulations, you were quite the adversary. So when Batman, Captain Marvel/Shazam, and Black Canary showed up one day to offer you the chance to use your powers in a team environment, you figured, why not?

You were alone, having lost your family at a young age, and your adoptive family wasn’t much better, seeing you and your abilities as freaky. They just wanted to get whatever money they could off of you. So you accepted their offer and took on the mantle of ‘Psicon.’ Besides, living in the Cave was awesome. The Team was way more welcoming, and you felt like a part of a family for the first time, growing a special relationship with one of the members, Jason Todd, aka Robin.

Both of you and Jason had similar backgrounds and connected from that. The team often joked that the saying was true opposites attracted because you two couldn’t be more different from each other. Strong in your own rights, you were reserved, while he was outgoing. You thought with a slow, calculative mind, and he was impulsive. You were no pushover, but you mostly kept your thoughts to yourself, whereas he was very outspoken.

But, you found joy in your differences with each other. You shared similar interests and grew a strong bond. Over time, your feelings became less platonic and more romantic, which your friends loved to tease you for. Dick, Kid Flash, aka Wally, and Artemis mainly, before the latter two left the team for college. 

You hadn’t known if Jason felt the same towards you, but Dick encouraged you since the two had a special relationship, both being Batman’s sidekicks and sharing the mantle of Robin. Not at the same time, of course. When Dick picked up the mantle of Nightwing, Jason had become the new Robin.

You were planning to confess your feelings to Jason but never got the chance. 

A mission you weren’t on had gone left, and though you never found out what had went wrong, it didn’t take a genius to figure out what happened when everyone had returned except for Jason. Dick tried to comfort you as he felt your pain, along with Batman, but it did little to help. You were heartbroken. 

Jason was the only one who knew your history, as you hadn’t told anyone else. He knew some of your deepest secrets and insecurities had helped you through dark moments, and now he was gone. And it wasn’t just for you, as your friends and teammates had noticed your impact on him.

Maybe that’s why some had joked about how Jason held a soft spot for you. He was always nice to you, of course. But, he always had a level of sass and bluntness he’d give others but never towards you. Your friends, even Bruce, had mentioned how they saw that you’d tapped into a more gentle side of Jason none of them ever could see or would be allowed to see, at least.

So, no. Dick couldn’t understand where your pain. No one could. 

After that, a distance grew between you and the team since everyone refused to tell you what had happened. Then, in 2015 a little over a year later, Batman recruited a new Robin, Tim Drake, and you had fucking lost it at that point.

Furious at Bruce and Dick for being so willing to replace Jason, you went off on them, feeling they had dishonored him. Your teammates tried to calm you down, but your fury had been on a different level none of them had seen before. Even Conner was unsettled at the rage spilling off you, being considered the literal definition of anger issues himself. It was safe to say you had no relationship with Tim. While you weren’t hostile or bitter towards him, you had no incentive or want to build a friendship.

At some point, you received a mysterious envelope. Where it came from, you didn’t know, but what was inside it had your attention immediately. It was a letter asking for your aid in an important matter. And whoever wrote it apparently had particular need of your ‘talents.’ You were prepared to ignore it until you saw another note inside, only it wasn’t a note at all. It was a picture, a recent one.

Jason.

He was alive. You could tell cause he looked a bit older than the last time you saw him. Though, just by looking at the picture, you could see something was off. That usual egotistic but confident spark you always noticed in his eyes wasn’t there. Both the corners of his mouth were straight instead of one side upturned up a bit, leaving him with his natural smirk. 

In truth, his blank gaze at the camera caused an unsettled chill to go through you. It was as if you were looking at a ghost of Jason instead of an alive one.

But it was him.

He was alive somewhere, and after so long of only feeling hollow and numb where your heart should be, you felt it stirring in your chest again.

You didn’t know if the others knew, and you weren’t planning on telling them. You’d contemplated leaving the team for some time, and Tim’s recent addition only made that decision easier for you. So the next day, when everyone was asleep, you packed your clothes and disappeared that night, not saying goodbye to anyone.

That’s how you ended up with the League of Shadows and the Al-Ghul family on their island. When you saw Jason for the first time, you wanted to run to him, hug him, and sob into his shoulder. Part of you didn’t believe he was alive, needing hard proof of living flesh in front of your eyes. Truly enough, even looking at him, your mind still couldn’t believe he was there. He still had that strange blank look on his face, though. When you first entered the room, he stared at you, which creeped you out even more now that it was in person.

You found out Ra’s and his family were the ones who recovered Jason’s body and had used the infamous Lazarus Pits to revive him, and while the pit’s healing and life-restoring abilities did that, there were consequences. He explained that the Pit tampered with Jason’s mind, sending him into a feral and almost animalistic state, and though they tamed him, his mind was scattered, and memories were gone.

That’s where you came in. Your telepathic abilities had been recognized exceptionally for their strength, surpassing M’Gann’s powers. With your ability to enter and manipulate minds, Ra’s suspected you could restore Jason’s memories, bringing him back to himself.

At first, you were unsure since you didn’t know the consequences that could come if you tampered with his thoughts. When you’d voiced these concerns, Jason had turned his head to you, a curious gaze replacing his blank expression. Ra’s and Talia observed, speechless as he made his way to you, head tilting in confusion as he stared into your eyes. You didn’t move, watching his hand come up to your face and one of his fingers slowly caressing down your cheek.

“Psi…con.”

It was your turn to be speechless. You felt tears come to your eyes and shut them, attempting to hold yourself together. It was too much. Clenching your fists at your side, you choked on a gasp as you forced yourself not to cry. Even Talia felt a bit emotional at the sight of your grief, though she didn’t show it, remaining poised as ever.

“Ah, it would seem your presence has already triggered a spark in his mind. You two must have had a significant connection for him to recall your name.” Ra’s pointed out, eyeing you with an intrigued look.

It didn’t take much convincing after that.

“I’ll do it.” You stated with no hesitation in your voice.

That same smile Ra’s held when you agreed was the same one on his face now in 2019 as you and Talia holding baby Damian had come out just in time to see the Bio-Ship flying off to hear Jason uttering “Gray…son” in a slow, and almost zombie-like speech.

You had begun to lose hope. Jason, now the Sensei’s Red-Hooded Ninja, was trained as a guard and protector. He was no longer of a feral and animalistic sense of mind but more of a living, mindless zombie, understanding and taking directions well. However, the sessions he had with you were not making much progress. 

Every time you’d gotten close to having a breakthrough or found what you thought was a crack in the haze around his mind when working, you got shut out. It was as if something was trying to keep you from getting to Jason’s inner mind and releasing his memories, and you didn’t think there would be much you could do anymore, as nothing seemed to be working.

So, expectedly, you felt your heart pause and your body still when you heard him. Barely feeling like you could move, tears had once again come to your eyes at hearing the first word in the four years you’d worked in healing Jason’s mind.

“Ah, your memory is finally returning. Excellent.” Ra’s said before he turned in your direction, nodding for you to come to his side. “Your work is starting to pay off. I’m aware of your frustrations in this quest, but tonight has proven your efforts are not in vain. I want you to continue your sessions more frequently. This could be the start of him fully regaining his mind.” You nodded your head before turning back to walk inside, Jason trailing behind you from Ra’s order.

He followed you to your room, where you went inside and rummaged through your drawers before finding the desired items. You turned to see him standing in the middle of the room, the red glow from his robotic eye mask bright in the moonlight from your window.

“Please, sit.” You asked.

In your sessions with him, you always spoke with a gentle tone. You didn’t want to command or order him around like the others. You communicated with Jason as you always had before, hoping it’d bring familiarity and comfort. Over time, it seemed to work. Jason notably sought you out whenever something distressed him. For whatever reason unbeknownst to you, this had pleased Ra’s.

Even if you were having little success restoring Jason’s mind, Ra’s had noted that while everyone else had Jason’s obedience, you held something more precious, his loyalty and trust.

Tonight, you hoped you’d found what you needed to achieve that first and ultimate objective. When your old teammates showed up, and you watched Nightwing and Jason battle, it reminded you of the old days before he had died. You three goofing around in the control room during sparring and training.

After hearing him utter Nightwing’s name and thinking back to the first time he uttered your old superhero name, it hit you like a ton of bricks. 

Those moments were all triggers for Jason. Things that evoked emotion and nostalgia from him, like when someone smells a dish their grandparent used to make when they were a kid or hearing a song that reminded them of a special moment. 

It made you remember a comment Jason once made about how when you talked, it calmed him. He said how he found your voice relaxing and that he could just listen to you speak about whatever, and it would bring him peace. Not really knowing what he meant by it, you remembered very well how it made you feel and how it still makes you to this day.

Thinking back to the night you came to the island, you realized Jason hearing your voice had been his first trigger, which helped him remember your retired name. Fighting with Dick brought back the nostalgic feeling of when he used to spar with him in the control room, helping him remember his name.

So, you intended to create more triggers. Whatever prevented you from fully accessing Jason’s mind and releasing his memories was obviously weak to emotional pulls. Those pulls could come from anything that held a feeling of significance or nostalgia in his memories.

Grabbing what you needed, you joined Jason on the ground, crossing your legs before placing everything in front of him. You had a small collection of Jason’s things he’d given you or stuff you had borrowed from him and forgotten to give back. You had some of his favorite books, old batarangs, and even one of his eye masks from his Robin costume.

He looked at everything on the ground, picking some things up and observing them before placing them back down.

You’d tried this tactic before, but with your discovery, you figured maybe there was something you needed to do or say to help spark something. Jason thumbed through some books and messed with the Batarang a little, but you had to be careful since you weren’t sure if it was one of the ones that could explode.

When he picked up the eye mask from the Robin costume, his head tilted while looking at it before turning to you and holding it between his hands, making you grin at his adorable confusion.

“It’s your old mask. It goes over your eyes. Here, I’ll show you.” You explained, holding your hand out, allowing him to place it in your hand.

You brought it up to your face and put it on before showing him, “See? Like the one you have on, it goes over your eyes.” You said.

Jason stared back at you before he looked down and pointed at the space next to you. Realizing what he was asking, you nodded, “Yeah, you can sit next to me.” You expressed, patting the spot next to you

He got up before moving to the spot and placed himself back down before turning to look at having to tilt his head down slightly. He pointed to the mask on your face, silently asking for it. When you took it off and handed it to him, he just looked down at it, turning it to study it from all different directions.

“Do you want me to help you put it on?” You offered.

He turned his head to you, that glowing robotic mask staring at you before you saw him slowly nod. Turning your body to face him a bit more, you reached your hands up slowly, “May I?” You asked, referring to his current eyewear.

He paused for a moment before nodding. Gently placing your hands on the sides of his head, you grabbed the mask and lifted it from his face, able to see his blue-green eyes, taking time to enjoy them since it was rare you ever got to see them. He rarely removed his mask, and only when you were doing intensive work with your telepathic powers on him did he sometimes remove it.

You were caught in his gaze as well as he was with yours. For a moment, it felt like you were back in 2013 before everything had gone wrong, and it was just you and Jason, staying up at night talking about anything and everything that came to your mind. The memories brought some tears to your eyes, and you were shocked to feel a finger come up to one of them. Jason was looking down at you, and though he mostly still held a blank expression, you could see underneath a bit of concern etched into his gaze.

“I’m okay.” You assured, or at least attempted to.

Wiping your eyes with the sleeves of your robes, you gave him a quick smile, which seemed to relax him. You hadn’t even noticed he was tense.

He turned back to look at the mask before slowly placing it on his face. A bit smaller now since he’s grown, it was like you were looking at him as the day you last saw him. You loved how his hair was still slightly curled over his forehead with the mask, not being able to notice it as much when he wore his ninja hood.

You raised your hand slowly to his face, pressing your palm against his ear. Whether or not he snuggled into your hand was totally not important and did not cause swooning in your gut.

Alright, you’re a liar. But you’ve been through a lot these past few years. You’re allowed to have this moment.

“Okay, Jason. We’re going to do what we do in every single session. But, this time. I’m going to project some of my memories into you. Is that okay?” You asked. Consent is key.

He nodded his head after a moment, training his eyes on you as you closed yours. He kept focusing on you while you channeled your memories into your hands to pass on to him. Eventually, he closed his eyes, welcoming your power into his head.

There were flashes of different moments from your past, all relating to you and him. Some were moments of you guys training together in the sparring room with Dick. There were times of you two together on missions, and one particular memory when Jason’s big mouth got you both into a less-than-desirable situation once again. But he managed to get you out of the sticky mess by using said big mouth again. That memory always brought a smile to your face. You remembered being so mad at him and then laughing at it like madmen when you returned to the Cave.

In each of these memories, Jason was wearing the mask. It was a part of his identity. Not just as Robin, Batman’s sidekick, but as Jason Todd. The boy who just wanted someone to care about him.

Suddenly, your head flooded with more memories, some you recognized as not your own. In your physical body, you could feel Jason tensing in front of you, shouting out in pain. It was working!

You managed to unlock part of Jason’s memories. Concentrating, you could see some of these moments from his past. And to your shock, they all seemed to involve—you. You saw the first day you’d met the team and Jason for the first time. You’d thought he was an obnoxious little twat, emphasis on the little since you were taller than him at that point, and you had voiced this thought as well. Over time, he caught up with you. And now, he’s got a few inches over you.

“Did this nobody just call me a little twat?”

That wasn’t your voice, nor was it your words. You did call Jason a twat that day, but you’d never call yourself a nobody.

You caught another memory of when you and he were with the team fighting against Dr. Ivo and Amazo. That fight left many bruises on your body since Ivo had decided to make some upgrades. When Amazo managed to get your powers and use them against you, it’d trapped you in your thoughts, torturing you with some of your worst memories. Jason pulled out of there while the others had managed to distract it long enough and eventually take it down. He’d overheard some of what you were crying out about and decided not to push.

When you had returned to the Cave, Jason followed you outside to get some air and think for a moment. You had warmed up to each other a little, and Jason had started telling you about his background and how he came to be Batman’s sidekick. After some contemplation, you told him about your past and how the Justice League found you. He had made a joke saying all you needed was the staircase and a letter from a white owl, and you could be the next Harry Potter.

You punched him in the arm for that joke,

“Hmm, kid’s not as bad as I thought he was. Packs a punch too.”

It took you a minute to realize, but you eventually got it.

These were Jason’s thoughts from those memories you were witnessing, his own inner dialogue. It was interesting to see some of the moments he found precious, things you had never even thought about before or remembered at the very least. And now, you were hearing it from his point of view. You used to always make a joke with him that you’d pay big money to know what he was thinking about sometimes.

“If he knew what I was thinking, I’m sure he’d either smack me or punch me, maybe both. Wouldn’t do anything except make him hotter.”

Pardon? Can we rewind that last part?

Did Jason call you hot? Like hot, as in attractive hot? Or, hot as in, ‘Ah! This bitch is burning. Get them away from me,’ hot?

Looking at Jason’s other memories with you, you could also feel some of his emotions from those precise moments. You felt annoyance from earlier thoughts, typically around the earlier parts of your relationship. Amusement at times when you and he would get into a silly argument. Or when you went on one of your excited rants about something. The further you got along in his mind, the more you felt his feelings change, becoming more intense. Curiosity turning into fondness. Admiration becomes the urge to protect.

A particular memory had caught your mental attention. One that you recognized was about a week before the mission that would ultimately lead to the end of Jason’s life. Dick and Jason were at their house, Wayne Manor, and they were talking while working in the Batcave.

“So, how’s everything between you and Zatanna?” Jason asked while practicing his kicks and punches on one of the training dummies.

“It’s good. She’s still a little upset over Nabu’s refusal to release her father’s body for no more than an hour, but she makes do with it.” Dick said, turning to face him from whatever he was doing on the Bat-Computer.

Things had gone quiet for a moment, Dick looking a little smug before he spoke up, “So, you and Y/N?” He smirked.

You felt a clench in your chest and didn’t know if that came from Jason or yourself.

“Shut up,” Jason said.

“I’m just saying, you two seemed to have gotten really close over the last few months. You’re actually considerate and somewhat respectful when you’re around him too.” Dick commented.

“Fuck you, and again. Shut up.” Jason responded.

Somehow, you could feel the small smile that formed on his face.

“You want my advice—”

“No.”

“Tell him how you feel and ask him out,” Dick continued, ignoring Jason. “And I’d do it soon. You didn’t hear this from me, but I’ve heard someone else on the team has eyes for Y/N too. So, if I were you, I’d hurry up and take my chances. You never know how long you have until it’s too late.”

An unpleasant toil in your stomach blossomed at that sentence, but you felt curiosity at the same time. You just didn't know if one or both feelings belonged to you or Jason. You did wonder who harbored feelings for you on the team though.

You couldn’t dwell on it any longer though when you were tackled to the ground, forced back to reality. Opening your eyes, you saw Jason on top of you, looking at you with another feral look, only it wasn’t the same as the one he had when you first arrived on the island. This one was wild but in an attractive way. His sea-like colored eyes staring back at you but with a darker look. It had you on edge but also ☀️feeling very hot with how he pinned your arms to the ground.

“I… l-lo– love … y-you.”

Your entire body froze as his head fell against your shoulder. Feeling his chest move against push against your back with his breathing, you could only turn your head slightly to stare at his before he turned to face you. The dark haze in his eyes was now gone, and his blue-green ears were staring back at you with the same adoration you’d always seen before whenever he looked your way.

He remembered you.

☀️ | DC Masterlist | ☀️

☀️ } Masterlists | ☀️

[pressplay-if]

Sfw alphabet for Kalena and her hubby? We never get no questions for em i wanna knooooooow

ohhh I really like this ask! Now I'll be answering this alphabet for Kalena and Russell as a couple, as opposed to them having a relationship with the reader.

A = Affection (How affectionate are they? How do they show affection?)

Russell and Kalena are very affectionate with each other. They tell each other "I love you" all the time, hold hands, sit close together. They're still crazy about each other and don't hide it very well, although they're not super wild about it.

B = Best friend (What would they be like as a best friend? How would the friendship start?)

Neither Russell nor Kalena have friends outside of the industry. They're both very cutthroat (yes, even kind-seeming, stuttering Russell - you'll see) and are rather unpopular with quite a lot of people due to that. But they're still in contact with some of the people they've managed/produced for, and there's some benevolence there.

C = Cuddles (Do they like to cuddle? How would they cuddle?)

They cuddle all the time, very casually.

D = Domestic (Do they want to settle down? How are they at cooking and cleaning?)

They already have! Technically. It's their version of settled, at least.

E = Ending (If they had to break up with their partner, how would they do it?)

Kalena and Russell never once considered leaving each other. They are the perfect storm. Kalena has had partners in the past, and she has dumped them pretty coldly, never having gotten too attached. Russell is very different to her in that regard. He has never broken up with anyone, only ever been broken up with before. He took it in good faith.

F = Fiance(e) (How do they feel about commitment? How quick would they want to get married?)

Kalena and Russell got married pretty quickly, maybe two of three years after they first met? It felt right.

G = Gentle (How gentle are they, both physically and emotionally?)

With each other? Extremely. Kalena is always very sweet with Russell, she views him as something tender, a creative genius she admires as much as seeks to protect. To Russell, Kalena is like a goddess, a force of nature.

With everyone else? Not at all.

H = Hugs (Do they like hugs? How often do they do it? What are their hugs like?)

They do. You can tell the difference between their polite work-hugs, where they quickly touch a person to greet them and offer superficial interest, as opposed to when they embrace one another and melt into the other's arms.

I = I love you (How fast do they say the L-word?)

They told each other pretty quickly.

J = Jealousy (How jealous do they get? What do they do when they’re jealous?)

They trust each other very much. Russell will get jealous sometimes, very rarely, but when he does, he just needs a little extra affection and assurance. Then he'll be done sulking soon enough.

K = Kisses (What are their kisses like? Where do they like to kiss you? Where do they like to be kissed?)

They kiss each other... pretty much everywhere. And sometimes they'll greet their musician charges or colleagues with little pecks on the cheeks. You know, the showbiz-greeting.

L = Little ones (How are they around children?)

Sore topic.

M = Morning (How are mornings spent with them?)

They wake up together, have a quick cup of coffee, and shower together. They'll be discussing work-related matters in the shower.

N = Night (How are nights spent with them?)

Russell waits until Kalena has put on her various creams, lotions, hair- and face masks before she climbs into bed with him.

O = Open (When would they start revealing things about themselves? Do they say everything all at once or wait a while to reveal things slowly?)

-

P = Patience (How easily angered are they?)

By each other? Not easily at all. By everyone else? Very quickly.

Q = Quizzes (How much would they remember about you? Do they remember every little detail you mention in passing, or do they kind of forget everything?)

They remember every little thing about each other, but are of course less attentive about others.

R = Remember (What is their favorite moment in your relationship?)

*their relationship; probably the way they met. Russell can't believe he left Kalena waiting until some stupid music video was over before turning around and seeing her for the first time. She still gives him shit for it. They love recounting it.

S = Security (How protective are they? How would they protect you? How would they like to be protected?)

-

T = Try (How much effort would they put into dates, anniversaries, gifts, everyday tasks?)

They don't really care very much about that sort of thing.

U = Ugly (What would be some bad habits of theirs?)

Oh, you'll see.

V = Vanity (How concerned are they with their looks?)

Kalena is very concerned with her looks. Maintaining a stately, professional appearance is very important to her. Russell on the other hand doesn't care all that much. He makes sure he's dressed well, but other than that... he thinks he's fine with a quick shower and shave.

W = Whole (Would they feel incomplete without you?)

*without each other, yes, absolutely. They complement each other perfectly and have grown accustomed to one another's presence, both in their work and personal life. They would wither, were they deprived of the other's company.

X = Xtra (A random headcanon for them.)

-

Y = Yuck (What are some things they wouldn’t like, either in general or in a partner?)

-

Z = Zzz (What is a sleep habits of theirs?)

They're not cuddly sleepers, but sometimes they'll wake up holding hands and just be like ":)"

[genericpuff]

(I am the anon who recommended Ulysses Dies at Dawn) I hope you like it!!!! Udad is one of my favourite albums especially because of the world building around The City, so I hope you enjoyed it too!!

I did finish it, I quite liked it! Recommended it to my husband as well as he's a huuuge Epic fan (he's more of a musical theater person than me overall tbh) and probably would also love The Magnus Archives if he ever gave it a shot haha (I haven't touched TMA but I'm aware of its fandom presence on this hellsite LOL)

Overall it was a really cool concept album! Turning the setting of The Odyssey into a sort of post-modern steampunk epic was pretty unique and cool, especially with how they adapted some of the stories into said setting. Turning the riddle of the Sphinx into a literal disease that ages infants from birth to death within a matter of hours? Genius. And while it does take some massive creative liberties by incorporating other mythological characters like Herakles and Ariadne directly into the cast, it still did a pretty good job at creating a unique, thought-provoking, well-rounded plot with overarching themes and motifs in only an hour! I especially appreciate the little lore details they hid in the video descriptions and thumbnail art, I always love hunting for secrets like that haha

My favorite songs were probably My Name is No One, Riddle of the Sphinx, Sirens, and Favoured Son, the vocals are all wonderfully delivered (especially in Sirens, it gave me chills in the best way) and the narrative progression within the lyrics was very compelling especially in relation to the world-building.

I had a couple of least favorites too though, and unfortunately they were Orpheus' and Ariadne's songs which I wish I could love on that basis alone but alas, they just didn't hit the mark for me.

My issue with Trial by Song is largely personal, I can get what the vocalist was going for but that constant high-note vocal waving / shaking just doesn't do it for me, I've never been a fan of that delivery style so even if it was intentional and driven with purpose, it's just not something I can force myself to enjoy. But again, that's largely personal taste, not something I'm gonna hold against the vocalist because aside from that one personal ick they're doing a great job at hitting and maintaining those notes, if it weren't for that one thing I'd probably be way more into it haha

As for Ties That Bind, that one actually isn't a personal issue, at least as far as I can argue LOL On a technical level, the mixing felt very off, the instrumentals were often just way too loud compared to the vocalist which made it difficult to focus on what was being sung (and the mic quality itself didn't seem all that great either). And that problem was compounded by the vocalist's own stylization which threw me off because of how deep her voice suddenly sounded compared to how she had been speaking up until that point; it felt very forced and strained, especially when she tried to switch from those deep chest notes to those higher throat notes. This stylization clashed with the lyrics too, the line deliveries often felt "cramped" where the vocalist almost seemed to be slurring / rushing the words (sometimes they even felt completely off-tempo) which made it hard to make out what she was saying even when I could hear past the instrumentals. And that's not exactly ideal for a musical where the plot is literally being delivered through song LMAO It just felt like it could have used a bit more time in the oven IMO. I don't doubt that the vocalist is skilled, it just felt like the song was often working against her skills rather than with them.

All that said, in spite of those two criticisms I have of it after my first couple listens, I do think this is a great concept album and I was shocked to see it doesn't seem to have much attention on it judging by the view counts, it really deserves more attention and love because the amount of thought and detail that went into creating this world and its narrative and its characters is incredibly impressive.

So if you're like me and also had no clue this album existed until now, I highly suggest checking it out! It's not as big a time commitment as Epic or Hadestown, it only takes an hour to get through. And if you're into gritty steampunk film-noir stuff with lots of mystery and intrigue and twists, it'll probably be right up your alley!