#he's red bc out of everyone he needs the most control of himself

[lostgirlmuseum]

Who the Hell is Daryl?

Summary: Bucky is in love with you, and finally finds the courage to tell you. But what happens when it sounds like someone else is already in the picture? (Miscommunication!)

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x f!Avenger!Reader

Words: 2k

Warnings: Miscommunication trope! Only one small mention of “Y/N”, teensy bit of yelling, let me know if I missed anything.

A/N: Wrote this a couple days ago and put it in drafts, spontaneously posted bc I'm procrastinating on an essay. Okay I'll get back to hw now :(

Dividers: @firefly-graphics

He was going to do it. He was really going to do it. 

He was finally going to ask you out.

-----

To the surprise of everyone on the team, you and Bucky had become fast pals after you joined six months ago. Something about the two of you clicked. ‘Opposites attract’ and all that, but Bucky always felt it went deeper than that.

The two of you had never argued, something he felt very proud of, considering he argued with most people. But not you. Never you.

The moment he decided that he needed to man up and ask you out wasn’t anything fancy. You were sparring with Wanda across the gym, and he was simply watching you work in tandem. He watched the entire 15 minute session, and didn’t take his eyes off you, even as you approached him. 

“Buck, I’m out of water, can I take a sip of yours?”

He nodded, “Sure, Doll,” and tossed you his bottle. 

You shot him a charming smile and opened the cap, and not-so-gracefully chugged half the bottle. You wiped your upper lip and handed it back to him. 

“Thanks, Jamie,” you breathily said, and jogged back to the arena. 

His head was completely empty except for a single thought, tumbling through his desert mind like a tumbleweed.

I’m going to marry her someday.

He shocked himself with the thought, he wasn’t sure where it had come from. But he couldn’t help the grin that snuck its way onto his lips as he realized he didn’t disagree with the thought.

Of course before marriage is dating. One step at a time Buck. 

After his realization, he had spent the next three days planning the perfect way to ask you out. He went through an entire list of ideas, but none of them seemed good enough for you. He wanted it to be perfect. But as the clock ticked on and he started running out of paper, he realized it was best to just be honest about his feelings. 

You had just gotten back from a solo mission, and Bucky was hanging out in your room as you showered.

He was blushing like an idiot and fidgeting like crazy on your bed as he waited for you to hurry up. It was surprising he had so much self control as to not blurt it out while you were showering.

“Oh, Bucky,” you called from the bathroom, the sound of the water pausing.

“What’s up?”

“Could you set an alarm on my phone for 7:30 A.M. tomorrow before I forget? I think I left it on the side table.”

“You got it, Doll.”

“You’re the best! I’m almost done, I’ll be out in like two minutes,” you called, and soon after the sound of rushing water resumed.

Bucky grabbed your phone and typed in the passcode, his heart fluttering a little as he thought about how you trusted him enough to know it.

But the flutter stopped almost as quickly as it started, the moment your phone turned on and resumed on your text string with someone. He would’ve ignored it, but a red heart at the top of the screen caught his eye.

Who the hell is “Daryl,” and why does he have a heart emoji next to his name?

Bucky couldn’t help himself as his eyes flitted over your last texts.

Daryl ❤️ I’m back in town, lemme know when you’re around 

You About to leave for a quick mission, but I’ll be back tmw evening. I miss you sm :( how about we meet up Monday morning at 8 at Bernie’s cafe?

Daryl ❤️ Lets do it. And I miss you too, can’t wait to see your beautiful face!! I love you, be careful

You Love you too, and Im always careful 😘

Bucky felt sick to his stomach. You had never mentioned a brother named Daryl, or any other kind of family member. And you’d told him about all your closest friends, and none of them were named Daryl. How did Bucky not know you had a boyfriend?

Bucky fought the urge to scroll up, and quickly tapped out of the app, and set the alarm you asked him to set. 

So you were meeting this “Daryl” tomorrow morning?

Bucky heard the water stop, and the sound of the shower curtain shuffling.

Shit. You were getting out. Fuck, he wasn’t ready to face you.

You’d never mentioned you were in a relationship before. He would remember. How long have you been dating? And more importantly, why did you keep this from him? Did you feel like you couldn’t trust him? Maybe you weren’t as close friends as he’d thought.

“Which movie did you want to watch tonight?” You asked, peeking out of the door with a turquoise towel wrapped around you.

“Um, I’m actually really tired, suddenly. I think I’m going to go to bed.” Bucky stuttered, avoiding your gaze as he quickly stood up.

“Oh, okay,” you responded, disappointment and concern lacing your voice. “Everything okay?”

“Everything is fine. Glad you got back safe. Good night.”

With that, Bucky ducked out of your room and practically ran back to his.

Bucky tossed and turned, and once he got over his embarrassment, he settled into a familiar depressive feeling. Of course you didn’t like him back. What the fuck was he thinking? He’s—well, he’s Bucky. Broken, only destined to ever be your friend. How could he be foolish enough to think you would love him like he loves you. At about hour 4, the heartbreak started turning into betrayal. Betrayal that you kept this from him. And soon enough, that betrayal festered into a kind of resentment, something he’d never felt for you before.

He didn’t get much sleep that night.

Bucky checked the clock for the 20th time in the past 5 minutes. 7:45 A.M. You were probably about to leave. Bucky felt his heart clench. He was usually up by 7, and eating breakfast in the common area by 7:30. He sat at the barstool, dragging his spoon around his now soggy Coco Puffs, waiting for you to appear. Why he felt the need to torture himself, he didn’t know.

Finally, he heard your steps coming down the hall. 

And there you appeared, wearing the most beautiful sundress he had ever seen. It was lavender, and had small white flowers adorning the skirt, and it fell just above your knees. 

Bucky took you in, and his momentary adoration turned back to his heartbreak. You were dressed up as if you were going on a date. There was no chance this wasn’t your boyfriend.

“Good morning Bucky, did you sleep okay last night?” 

“Yes.” He lied. Maybe you would tell him the truth if he asked. Yes it would hurt hearing the truth from your mouth, but he wanted to give you a chance to tell him your secret. “Where are you headed?”

“To meet a friend,” you nodded smoothly. 

Maybe Bucky was crazy. Maybe he was overthinking all of this. Maybe Daryl really was just a friend.

“Which friend?”

“Penny.”

So you were just flat out lying to him now. Bucky nodded and waited for you to leave before moping back to his room. He wanted to cry. And he did for a minute, or two, but his tears turned from sad to angry when he remembered you were now lying. You never lied to Bucky, and Bucky never lied to you. At least, he thought that was how it was. He clenched his fists, mad at you for betraying him, but more mad at himself for believing he could ever have you.

He didn’t move from his bed.

“Bucky?” Your voice emerged after three knocks to his door.

He couldn’t get himself to respond. 

The door slowly creaked open, a stream of light flooding his dark room.

“Hey Buck. You okay? You seemed a little off this morning.”

“Fine.” He mumbled, not turning over in bed to face you.

A pause. 

“Jamie, what’s wrong?” You asked, closing the door behind you and flicking on the light. 

“Don’t call me that.”

“What?” You asked, slightly taken aback. You thought he loved your affectionate nickname for him.

“I don’t want you to call me ‘Jamie’ anymore.”

“Okay…”

He felt the bed dip as you sat next to him. 

“Bucky,” you whispered, “please talk to me.”

He sat up and gave you a pointed look. Was he being immature? Yes. But what could he do, he just discovered that his best friend has been lying to him, and doesn’t love him.

“Where were you?” He asked.

You furrowed your brows a moment, trying to piece together where he was going with this. 

“I was at Bernie’s with Penny.”

“Don’t lie to me.” He sneered.

Your eyes widened at his bite.

“I’m not lying? Bucky, what is going on?”

“What’s going on is that you’ve been keeping the fact that you have a boyfriend from me. Why don’t you want to tell me?”

“A boyfriend?” You blinked. “I don’t have a boyfriend,”

“Why won’t you be honest with me?” He yelled, and you scooted back.

“I am!”

“Then who is Daryl?”

“What?”

“I saw your texts last night, when you asked me to set your alarm.” Bucky looked down at his lap, ashamed.

“Bucky,” you sighed, and a look of understanding crossed your face. A moment later you held out your phone to him.

“What?” He asked, dumbly looking at your outstretched hand. The screen was on your text string with Daryl.

“Call the number.” You simply said.

“What?” He repeated.

“Take my phone, and call the number.”

Confused and suspicious, Bucky grabbed your phone and hesitated over the call icon. 

“Go ahead,” you urged.

He pressed the button. 

Ring.

Ring.

Ri—

“Hey!” A familiar feminine voice rang through the speaker. “What’s up hon?”

“Hello?” Bucky said, looking from the phone to you to the phone.

“Uh, hi? Is that Bucky?”

“P—Penny?” He sputtered.

“Hey Bucky! What’s up, is everything okay? I thought Y/N was calling.”

“Hey Pen,” you interjected, “Everything’s fine, I’ll call you back in a bit, kay’?”

“Sure thing, bye, love ya,” Penny added, and hung up.

Bucky stared at the now blank phone, baffled.

“I don’t understand.”

“Bucky,” you sighed, and tilted his chin to look at you. “I don’t have a boyfriend. Penny is in my contacts as “Daryl” because it’s my funny little nickname for her. My Dad has had a best friend since grade school named Daryl, and they don’t see each other often, but when they do it’s like nothing has changed. They get along like no time has passed. I call Penny “my Daryl” because I know that even if we don’t talk for years, we are so close that I know we would be the exact same.”

Bucky sat quietly for a moment, simply taking in your story. He felt really stupid.

“I’m sorry,” he started, “I shouldn’t have yelled at you. I’m sorry I called you a liar.” He struggled to meet your gaze, ashamed of what he did.

“Jamie—can I call you Jamie now?”

He nodded sheepishly.

“Jamie, I forgive you. But I wish you had just talked to me about it, and asked me. We are usually so good about being open with each other. What happened?” You asked, wide eyes looking into his.

“I know, I’m sorry. I flipped out, I guess I was just shocked, because I was going to—” he licked his lips, “well, I was…”

“You can tell me, Bucky. Honesty, remember?” You soothed, placing your hand on his leg.

He gulped.

“I was going to ask you to be with me.”

You tilted your head, not quite understanding.

“Like, I was gonna ask if you’d let me be your boyfriend.” He mumbled. “So when I saw that you were texting and saying ‘I love you’ to some guy, I guess I was just blindsided.”

“James,” you smiled, moving yourself to sit on his lap. You brought your forehead against his. “You silly, jealous man.” You gently stroked his cheek with your right hand. “You want to be my boyfriend?"

"It sounds so juvenile, I don't know, I just want you to be mine, and for you to call me 'yours,'" he mumbled.

"I accept," you giggled, and watched his glittering eyes shoot to yours.

He had started to say something, but he stopped when you brought your soft lips to his.

“I'm so happy,” he whispered between kisses.

Suffice it to say, Bucky completed step one of the path to marrying you.

A/N: Tysm for reading! If you liked it, please feel free to let me know!

Also I'm sorry if the ending sucks, I wrote this in a couple hours and Idk why I'm so bad at endings gahh

Here's my Masterlist if you'd like to read more!

[hex800020]

Fic Rec (GEN):

Most of these are Jason or Tim-centric (bc I play favorites), and almost all (if not all) are tagged angst/comf and happy end.

The ones with a 🩷 are my faves.

Series:

Displacement — GEN • Ongoing series (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) “Highly recommend reading this in order.”

How Jason makes his way back to the family and, later on, how Damian joins.

Shutterbug — GEN • Series (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

Tim makes a living “selling” intel and crucial clues to Batman—until one day, he gets caught in the middle when his parents’ criminal activities come to light.

Jason & Dick:

how lonely to be something that nothing wants to kill — GEN • 1 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

Jason passively tried to off himself, but Dick got there in time.

🩷The guilt never left, you know — GEN • 1 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

While patrolling Crime Alley, Nightwing finds Red Hood being tortured. He saves him and takes him to one of his safe houses, but the newspapers pinned to the walls stir up some old wounds.

Sickening Succession — GEN • 2 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) “If they just said what they were thinking, 80% of their problems would disappear.”

Two scenes:

• Dick is down bad, and Jason!Robin helps him

• RH!Jason is down bad, and Dick helps him (fever, hallucinations, the works)

Reciprocation — GEN • 1 (⭐️⭐️⭐️)

Dick calls Jason because he got food poisoning and needs help. (From the Displacement series.)

citrusy sweetness — GEN • 1 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

Dick peels oranges for Jason because Jason sucks at it.

Under The Shadows — GEN • 8 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) “Loved the drama and the resolution, but some parts were kinda meh.”

Jason is going feral through Gotham looking for revenge, but he doesn’t want to hurt Tim. Fear toxin gets involved. Dick attempts a self-killing

Two Years Dead — GEN • 1 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

Grave Pretender but from Dick’s POV.

Two Robins in the Hand — GEN • 1 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

Dick and Jason turn back into their younger Robin selves.

I’d give you my lungs (so you could breathe) — GEN • 1 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) “God, I just want world peace and for everyone to be happy.”

Dick randomly shows up at Jason’s place one day, and Jason realizes there’s a lot of stuff he doesn’t remember from his past—like how they once went skiing together.

Glue the wound, my suture’s split — GEN • 1 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

Dick finds out Red Hood is Jason.

Jason & Tim:

🩷 Red Hood’s Guide to Adoption — GEN • 46 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) “I’m gonna vomit hearts.”

Red Hood tries to kill Tim for being “corrupt” (Tim is a fresh “orphan teenage CEO”) but ends up getting attached and starts looking after him like a little brother. (Later, he makes up with Dick and B)

And I Will Be Your Safety — GEN • 1 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) “Who hasn’t kidnapped their sibling at least once?”

Tim is overworking himself (CEO life) and straight-up asks Jason to kidnap him.

🩷 Robin is Magic — GEN • 3 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) “I cried like 100 times.”

RH meets civilian Tim (photographer mode), then later attacks the Tower and realizes that Tim (the photographer) is actually Robin/Timothy Drake.

The Moment After — GEN • 1 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) “It’s the ending.”

Part 2 of Robin is Magic

A Meditation on Railroads — GEN • 5 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) “It’s good, has some slow parts, but the last two chapters are gold.”

Tim’s dad leaves him in Atlanta, 800 miles away from Gotham, so he just starts walking because he thinks no one wants him… Jason finds out and tags along.

Middle Children Must Unionize — GEN • 1 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) “I wish it had another chapter.”

Jason realizes no one gives a damn about Tim, so he fixes the problem himself.

Do Not, Under Any Circumstances, Wake Him Up — GEN • 1 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

Robin!Tim falls asleep, and RH won’t let anyone wake him up (they’re in a warehouse where RH is planning some raids).

Finding the Line — GEN • 36 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) “Some plot moments are amazing, but it gets kinda heavy at times.”

Jason (learning to control the Pit) notices Tim has bruises (post-Tower, post-recently deciding not to kill).

Tbh, there are like four different arcs—at one point, Tim has selective mutism.

Green-Eyed Monster — GEN • 1 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)“It’s good, but we go from pure hatred to eternal love in like five seconds.”

RH finds his replacement (Robin!Tim) in Crime Alley after he got hit with Scarecrow’s fear gas… friend or foe? (Part 2 of An Excuse.)

Displacement — GEN • 5 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

Tim almost kills a man, but Jason makes sure he is the one to do it so Tim doesn’t have to carry the guilt. (From the Displacement series.)

Aftershock — GEN • 1 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) “I love how Tim is even more messed up than me.”

Tim is deep in PTSD mode after shooting someone and ruining the “no killing” truce between Jason and Bruce. (From the Displacement series.)

Tourniquet — GEN • 5 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) “I love how Tim is even more messed up than me x2.”

Tim realizes Jason, Dick, and Bruce are getting along well enough that he isn’t really needed anymore. (From the Displacement series.)

🩷 Combustion — GEN • 5 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)“10000/10, I’d read this forever.”

Jason gets hit with fear toxin and ends up trapped underground in a vault with Tim… no signal, no one knows where they are. (From the Displacement series.)

Battered But Loved — GEN • 1 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

Tim tells Jason he’s happy he’s alive—because literally no one else has said it since he came back.

Buttercup — GEN • 1 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

Tim gets buried alive, and only Jason hears his calls for help.

Bruce Trying to Be a Good Dad:

Don’t Look Back, Them Days Are Gone — GEN • 1 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

Jason returns to the manor with Damian, and Talia tries to kill him for kidnapping her baby bird.

A Grave Filled With Books — GEN • 1 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) “Oh, I’m gonna cry.”

Batman is late to patrol with Red Hood because Bruce was at a parent-teacher meeting… Jason realizes Bruce has changed.

Collar Bones Begin to Crack — GEN • 1 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

Batman and Robin!Damian return to the Cave just as Jason is working on a case… brings back some memories.

🩷 Fallback — GEN • 4 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) “Dick yelling at a sick, childish Jason is peak comedy and comfort.”

Jason has an absolute nightmare of a night—on the verge of hypothermia, multiple injuries… and Batman finds him. (From the Displacement series.)

An Excuse — GEN • 1 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) “It’s so cute.”

Tim gets hit with fear gas and takes the chance to ask for affection without seeming weird or childish.

Aces High and Cigarettes — GEN • 2 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) “It’s so sweet… and concerning.”

Jason hires people to kidnap and bury him alive… sort of a shock therapy thing.

Bury Me Face Down — GEN • 7 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

Every time Jason dies, he wakes up in his grave (as his 15-year-old self) and tries to do things differently.

🩷 Five Stages of Immeasurable Anguish — GEN • 1 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) “I have to recommend this, it’s a gem.”

Jason wakes up buried alive (again), but this time he has comms with the Batfam. ‘Who’s panicking more?’ the one-shot

Grave Pretender — GEN • 1 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) “LMAO, this is amazing, they’re all dramatic as hell.” “It’s Under the shadows , but a comedy.”

Jason, full theater kid mode, pretends to be his just-crawled-out-of-the-grave self to haunt his family

Other Recs:

A Bespoke Tuxedo His Only Armor — GEN • 1 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) “It’s angsty but cute.”

Tim gets shot by Damian while they’re both in civilian mode and is lowkey on his last breath.

Tim Drake Spoiled Brat. (I’m sorry dad) — GEN • 16/? (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) “Bro, is therapy illegal in Gotham??”

Tim dies at 17 and reincarnates into his younger self. This time, he tries to save the Bats from most of their trauma so they can actually be a family… but he is screwed because he thinks everything is his fault or some shit

🩷 Burning Ashes - The Rise of a Phoenix – GEN • 10/20 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) “Only downside? It’s not finished.”

Jason reincarnates (as what seems to be Dick’s bastard kid with some random lady), and at five years old, he kills the Joker. Batman catches him and takes him in… but Jason remembers everything, is pissed about it, and also super traumatized (bc, y’know, he has the psyche of a five-year-old)

Cards on the table – GEN • 30 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) “This is hilarious.”

Tim’s parents faked their deaths and just ditched him, so, in his totally mature 16-year-old wisdom, he starts scamming Gotham’s elite by pretending to be a “psychic” (he just stalks people and makes probability guesses based on the profiles he built on them).

The Waynes hire him, and dude just keeps digging himself deeper (he knows their identities)

“When Tim went out to do what he liked to call research, but what was probably legally classified as stalking, he had to be careful” (Ch. 4)

[emswritingsstuff]

Idk if you’d feel like writing this(I’d probably end up short if you did bc I can’t brainstorm much of what would happen but I still love the idea)

when Daryl punched Negan, instead of killing Glenn(rip man) he killed US instead, Daryl’s lover 🤭 I love him sm and he’s been through so much pain, but he needs to suffer more 🫶 fem or gn reader, idm :)

The Lineup (Daryl Dixon x Reader)

warnings/notes: pretty self-explanatory. HEAVY angst, reader death, gorey violence. also the "he needs to suffer more" is CRAZY. this has been living in my drafts since august so i'm excited (ig?) to finally post this.

WC: 1.2k

--

The air was cold, but tensions were hot. Everyone's breaths were obvious in the dark, but also brightly lit area they found themselves in. 

Knees on the ground, everyone frozen but somehow shaking. Daryl was in rougher shape than most but not wanting to admit it himself. Opting to play up the tough face he always seemed to have. More so now than usual. He could see the way you were trembling in the corner of his eyes, quivering like a tiny dog. 

There’s been moments he’s seen you terrified, but this wasn’t like any other. When a psycho with a barbed wire bat was making you pay for your wrongs, it was hard to remain calm. Nothing the man, Negan, had said had really processed in Daryl’s brain, just silent rage and fear brewing inside of him. 

The sick game Negan played fell on deaf ears. Everyone silently watched as the bat made its way around. As Daryl watched the bat cycle through the group, he felt himself tense involuntarily every time it landed near you. He didn’t care what happened to him, but if a single scratch landed on you, Negan would be a dead man. No doubt. 

Once the bat eventually landed on Abraham, a sense of relief washed over him, but only for a moment. 

But every calm feeling he had in his body soon escaped as he saw the bat swing down. 

The events before him had become a blur. A red messy blur. Not only from the blood splattered all around the ground but also from the rage Daryl was feeling. Your heavy breaths could be heard in one ear, Rosita and Sasha’s sobs in the other. With all of it accompanied by wet cracking noises as Negan’s bat kept swinging down. 

As Abraham's now mutilated body laid twitching, Daryl was attempting to think of a solution to get out of this. To get you, and everyone out. 

As the cries got louder, Negan terrorized the group more. More specifically Rosita. As he brought the bat up to her face and flung Abraham's blood on her, Daryl felt something in him snap. 

Like he was controlling himself outside of his body. All the pain he had previously felt fading away into adrenaline coursing through his veins. 

He sprung at Negan and tried to take him down. Only to be quickly pulled off him and pinned down by his men, Daryl’s own crossbow being pointed to his head by Dwight. 

“No! Oh no. That? Oh my, that…is a no-no. The whole bit, not one bit of that shit flies here,” Negan’s act paused for a minute as he spoke, only for him to lock back into it. His bat was pointed at Daryl, looking like he was ready to end him right there. Daryl caught a glimpse of you, a terrified expression with glistening cheeks. 

Daryl felt the crossbow move closer to his head, Dwight getting ready to pull the trigger. “Want me to do it? Right here.” Dwight’s tone sounded eager, which Daryl sees makes you tense up even more. 

Even with your obvious fear, Daryl found himself not caring if he lived or died. Only thing he cared about was doing his best to protect you, and the family he had grown fond of all these years. If he was to get an arrow to the head right there, he wouldn’t mind. He would die knowing he had you, and that was okay with him. 

As if saved by the bell, Negan scoffed with a slight laugh. “No, you don’t get to kill them, not until you try a little.” Negan ordered the men to put Daryl back in the lineup, much to Dwight’s disappointment. Daryl could sense you relax, content with himself that he managed to get out of that situation even if he didn’t fight his way through. He was too focused on you though, only to be brought back to reality once Negan opened his mouth. 

“And anyway, that’s not how it works…” Negan paced around after he spoke. A long silence piercing the air. All until Negan started to speak again. 

“So,” he pauses for a beat, “back to it.” As he spoke, he subtly readied his bat. Enough to where no one saw his next move coming. 

In a blur of a motion, Negan lifted his bat and swung it down. Right onto your head. 

A cracking sound caused Daryl to look over, horrified with the sight before him. Your body laid limp on the ground, unlike Abraham, the blow had knocked you down instantly. Red blood shined and sunk into the ground. It wasn’t a lot, not yet at least. 

Daryl was frozen, unmoving. He felt his stomach churn. This was his fault. If he had just stayed in line, this mess would’ve blown over. You’d be safe. 

You’d be alive. 

As the bat swung down again, Daryl felt himself jump. The wet whacking sound made him feel even more nauseous. He was attempting to think of things to make the moment go by quicker, just wanting the Hell he was stuck in to end. But it was really never going to end. 

His mind flashed back to when everything had first started, when everything was still so uncertain. Back when he had lost Merle, you’d stuck by his side. 

He was scared to let you go, even if his stubborn personality would never make him admit it. The constant pushing away and cold hearted facade he had never seemed to phase you. Never once had you given up on him, even at his weakest moments. 

Having you around always gave him hope. A sort of hope that everything could be normal, hope that he would never have to suffer alone again. 

A simple “I’ll never leave you,” you had once spoken to him rang in his head. Of course you held true to that, how could you not? Nothing he could’ve said or have done could have made you go. 

And he’d never forgotten that. 

A third whack brought him out of these thoughts. Glancing over, all he managed to see was Negan’s silhouette and the bat. Blood dripped from the wire, as well as soaked the wood. Daryl tried to convince himself that what he was seeing was some sort of hallucination. Something that he had conjured up in his head due to all the blood he had lost. 

But Negan whipped his bat in Daryl’s direction, causing the blood that coated the wire to splatter on his face. Confirming it was real, too real. 

Looking at everyone’s trembling figures, his face softened up but only for a moment, “I am sorry, I truly am. But I did say, no exceptions!” He again brought the bat down onto your mangled, driving home the fact that there was no saving you. 

Whack after whack Daryl disassociated more and more, begging and even pleaded to be freed from the Hell he brought upon himself. But once again Negan's voice brought him back to the harsh reality. 

“You all are a bunch of pussies, I’m just getting started,” he stated as he paused for a moment, quickly returning to beating your body senselessly. All Daryl could feel was the now cold blood on his face and arms. He couldn’t take it.

You were gone because of him. That was all his fault, and he had to live with that. Forever. 

And for him, that’s a fate worse than death.

[cringefail-clown]

Jakehal is very fun. But why dirkkri? I dont understand what's appealing about it :? confused

theres a lot of things i like about dirkri and honestly i dont even know where to start lmfao

first of all, and its mostly a funny reason - davekat on crack. like some traces of davekat are still there - the arguing about shit, stoic facade vs emotional mess, all the good stuff, but its also so much more exaggerated it makes it this much more ridiculous. gets even better when you consider them under the lense of swap aus like alphaswitch or tbau, where they land on the meteor together. theyre most likely hunting each other for sports by the year two

second of all, the funney. theyd be so fucking funny together. their smallest arguments would take like twenty pages of non-stop flow of red-orange text to resolve, and not because they came to a consensus but because some third party physically dragged them away from their electronics. it doesnt do any good, since it only gives them both time to think over new arguments to use, and theyre back at it as soon as they get their phones back. like if we had a tournament about which ship would do the most collateral damage to the overall group, i think these two would be Up There. karkat would gauge his eyes out from frustration, because now not only does he have to deal with his piece of shit, know-it-all other self, but now theres also Fucking Dirk thrown into the mix. their home life is absolute insanity, a small jab about the other forgetting to buy sugar once again devolves into a screaming match about the merits and flaws of communism or some other inane shit. and theyre doing it for fun, they enjoy debating with each other, because often times they have vastly different opinions, and comparing their beliefs challenges them intelectually and morally. from the outside perspective theyre one of the most dysfunctional pair in the paradox space, when in fact thats simply how they want their relationship to be, and it makes them better people overall.

third reason is that theyre thematically delicious. dirk is a control freak, micromanaging his and his friends constantly. hes terrified of losing control, but hes also desperate for someone to just tell him what the fuck he should do. dirk doesnt think he should be in control of others, because he believes hes a naturally evil person capable of horrible acts, at the same time he doesnt trust anyone else to get things done but himself. hes a whole collection of contradictions.

kankri desperately needs to be in control as well. hes constantly injecting himself into conversations he has no business being in, trying to find someone thatd listen to what he has to say. hes wants to guide others, but his efforts are flawed, because he doesnt listen to other perspectives - hes got tunnel vision, as he thinks hes the one in the right while everyone else is wrong or ignorant (cringefail seer literally). he doesnt trust anyone else to make decisions for him, and becomes defensive when he thinks others are attempting to coddle him. his ass was definitely culled on beforus.

theyre also both so fucking lonely. dirk conciously tries to put difference between himself and his friends, worrying hell "corrupt" them. kankri tries to connect to his friends, but his behavior alienates him from them to the point of no one except maybe porrim want to have anything to do with him.

my point is, kankri wants to guide people but has to learn to listen to others and reflect on his own flawed opinions. dirk has to learn to trust that people closest to him can get shit done on their own and loosen up, as well as realise hes not evil at the core. them helping each other out - dirk teaching kankri about different perspectives, kankri teaching dirk about letting others do their thing - is something i think about a lot.

also i like to think theyd spar for fun a lot as well. its not really a reason and wholly my own personal headcanon but i wanna mention it as well bc its so funny to me. i like the idea of kankris behaviour being a complete reverse of karkat - where karkat is all bark no bite and doesnt like fighting or violence, kankri puts up a front of the beacon of love and peace and tolerance, but in his free time he gets his rifle and goes shooting at the fucking squirrels or some shit. i think he wouldnt have the same qualms about strifing as karkat. like dirk would try to jokingly jab his finger at kankris side and he would just fucking flip him over his shoulder and onto the table breaking it in half, because he doesnt like being touched unexpectedly and by gods dirk when will you fucking learn. he goes from 0 to 100 real fast. its such a hysterical concept for me.

[kitskiis]

I think the saddest part about secret life Joel is just how futile all of his actions are in that season. On a surface level i mean stuff like all of his more careful gameplay being cancelled out by a singular failed tnt trap but on a deeper level i specifically mean how that character contrasts with last life Joel. Joel is undoubtedly at his lowest point in the life series in Last Life. He goes down to red in session 2 and spends the majority of the rest of the season alone (and when he does have allies it’s only bc of a shared bloodlust). The red bloodlust completely takes over and this festers for nearly *8 sessions*. Not only that but the one time he is given a chance to restart and go back to yellow his old alliance member goes to red, leaving him alone again, and he is made boogeyman the next session. This, overall, has lasting consequences (he actually wanted to be fairly friendly at the beginning of LL, a stark contrast to how bloodthirsty he was at the beginning of DL or Lim L), and gained him a reputation that has never fully gone away. This is especially bad bc most people agree that LL was the most violent season (despite the lower kill counts in comparison to LimL) and was generally the worst and most traumatizing experience in the games for most people involved. Compare this to secret life, which everyone agrees was definitely the happiest season for Joel (or at least the most normal. His life is a tragedy no matter the season.) he has allies that (for the most part rip mumbo) stick with him until the end, he is friendlier with a larger group of people, and when he initially has to deal with the loss of some of them he has people who can ground him (bc as much as I adore the bad boys, grian was not qualified to do that). He was so hopeful that season, and was generally in a much healthier place mentally. And yet, despite how much he seemed to have grown, those 2 seasons ended so similarly for him it was almost comical. Joel engaged in a fight at the end, watched his ally get killed by scott, and is then forced into a 2v1 against Scott and another player that results in Scott taking his final life and him finishing 5th overall. I was describing both of those seasons here. After everything he did to grow, after all the improvements he had made, everything ended *exactly the same*

Making this about the bad boys for a second (because I’m me) they kinda suffer similar fates. Grian learned in the most tragic way possible that his allies were doomed to fail as long as he was with them no matter what, that this was not something that he could control by simply avoiding killing them himself. Even when he actively tries to save them (“let Tim do it he needs the time” “Joel you can kill me!”) he’ll still lose them in the end. I think this realization is also what made him stop trying to fight it, which resulted in him killing or almost killing his allies from previous seasons immediately afterwards (stabbing scar in the back and that one scene where grian kinda ominously jumps with a sword like he was about to crit and kill bigb after finding out he had 50 seconds left on his timer). It’s sorta like a way of telling the universe “fine. You win”

Similarly Jimmy. Well. I don’t think I need to explain that one. Even when he was given hope that things could be different, that he could break the curse, he died only a few minutes later. I still hold on to the narrative that the watchers only allowed that to happen to give Jimmy false hope that things can be different only to rip the rug out from under him and drive home the point that he is in a losing battle because by the time of secret life Jimmy was one of the only few people who genuinely still believed he had a chance. Obviously this is not something that can fully be a reality until he goes out first next season so if he doesn’t that’s a little awkward but just work with me here

TLDR; here is reason number 672 on why I believe the bad boys are the most doomed motherfuckers on this server and their alliance is a modern tragedy

[derww]

since it doesnt really seem like id post my actual lore post any time soon, my technically headcanons (more like +- canon-compliant lore au) about devils trio (mapicc-poafa-jepexx) and demons in general.

- devils trio are from the hellish dimension where war is a consistent part of reality

- everyone is taught to kill. mapicc is good in it, poafa succeeds in more protective measures and traps, jepexx... is jepexx.

- demons are the kind that was raised in battles as the apotheosis of surviving, they are able to convert almost anything that contains energy in one form or another into their source of food.

- the main type of energy consumed by a demon determines their visual features and colors.

- different demons eat different things, it depends on the homeland, position, upbringing and personal choice, but basic one is netherrack/lava, so most of the demons are either dark pinkish or orange or kinda gray (like s1 poafa whose been eating netherrack back then).

- its not required, but some demons do cook their energy sources in one way or another.

- since everyone is a fighter, having your energy source being anything battle-related seen as unworthy and barbaric as most or demons are very arrogant and proud.

- normal food also can be an energy source, but its an unpopular option since the need to constantly seek it out for the sake of survival seems surreal and irrational. survival is important, and netherrack and lava are everywhere, so it's just a much safer and smarter option.

- 90% energy sourses used are nether related. because their world is, generally, the nether.

- one day, poafa decided that he was tired of hell and that he wants to photosynthesize. some of his relatives (not mapicc or jepexx) said that he would die. he cut off contact with them completely and survived out of spite.

- one day mapicc just stumbled onto a fucking massive fresh battlefield with enormous amounts of dead bodies and came into contact with energy surrounding him. he overdosed, went berserk for a week, probably killed a couple of demons from the neighborhood, and then turned red. he quickly learned to control himself and doesn't really care what other think about battle-related energy types because they're just dumb. he beats up especially annoying one.

- devils trio are blood brothers who once decided to play gods and created lifesteal smp for fun. they had no idea what theyve started.

- its really fucking hard to die being a demon (they can regenerate their bodies almost fully while having their energy source) so violence is very normarized.

- devil trio totally were cheating on the exams by pretending to be each other.

- nobody fucking knows that jepexx eats. poafa thinks its carrots. mapicc rolls his eyes up and says that jepexx feeds on everyone else's spanish shame. they just know that its probably not lava.

- demons really rarely actually speak about their energy type bc it is their achilles' heel, lifesteal included. only to the closest teammates and not that often. mapicc is an exception, he doesnt really cares, but still dont speak about it often. devils observe an unspoken rule never to use this knowledge against each other.

- in the demonic community, however, the shades of the most common, as well as some other sources, are known and sometimes are used against.

- im not totally sure, but rn devils trio are the only demons on the lifesteal.

[leejenowrld]

"Karina orders something bold..."

Once again, I had to stop bc it's awesome that you drew associations to the characters' respective personalities and state of mind by describing their drinks. So I have a couple of questions:

the whole reason I stopped reading to ask: if the core five + river court gang (really whoever you'd like to write for) were assigned a signature drink, what would each character's be, based on personality, color association, general vibe, etc? (can be an already-existing drink or something original that's never seen the neon light of a bar sign up until this ask)

are these their usual drinks of choice?

are there other poisons they pick over another?

are there any concoctions they steer clear of bc they dislike the taste or maybe it being tied to a memory they'd rather forget?

follow up to that last portion, what's their best experience of drinking? their worst?

what's their tolerance?

another follow up to the previous question, what interesting combo of drinking buddies/designated drivers + experiences do we get out of these characters?

and as always, the most important question of all, are the arbiters of taste, Chenle and Ningning, impressed?

Sending you all the love and support <333

signature drinks

nabi – whiskey sour (bold but balanced, a little sharp, a little smooth. something that stings at first but mellows into something almost too easy to drink. she orders it like second nature, like she doesn’t even have to think about it.)

jeno – black russian (simple, strong, no unnecessary frills. vodka and coffee liqueur, nothing sweet, nothing weak. he drinks it slow, lets the ice melt into it a little, doesn’t need anything else.)

mark – gin & tonic (classic, refreshing, something reliable that he always returns to. it’s clean, no bullshit, but if he’s feeling a little reckless, he’ll swap the gin for tequila and regret it halfway through the night.)

areum – red wine sangria (dark, rich, layered. a drink that’s meant to be enjoyed slowly, something that lingers on your lips, leaves a taste behind.)

karina – espresso martini (she likes her drinks like she likes her control: sharp, precise, with just enough kick to keep her ahead of everyone else. never too much, never too little. just enough to feel it.)

chenle – negroni (bitter, complex, something you have to know how to appreciate. he drinks it because he actually enjoys it, not because it looks impressive—but the fact that it does? he won’t complain.)

ningning – french 75 (champagne, gin, a little sugar and lemon. delicate but potent, bright and lethal. the kind of drink that sneaks up on you before you realize how strong it actually is.)

yangyang – long island iced tea (because he’s insane. because he doesn’t believe in pacing himself. because he likes watching people’s faces when he orders it.)

shotaro – midori sour (sweet, easy to drink, dangerously smooth. he claims he drinks it because it’s fun and tastes good, but in reality, he just loves watching people underestimate him for it.)

donghyuck – dark & stormy (rum, ginger beer, lime. something bold, something that leaves an impression. it suits him—the way it burns a little going down, the way it lingers, the way it always makes its presence known.)

drinking habits, preferences, and avoidances

nabi drinks like she does everything else—with a purpose. she doesn’t drink just to drink. she drinks because she wants to, because she’s in control of it, because it’s a choice. she won’t touch anything too sweet, anything that feels like it’s masking what it actually is. her drink has to be real, has to be exactly what it says it is.

jeno drinks slow, steady. he doesn’t get reckless, doesn’t get messy, doesn’t like losing control. but when he drinks, really drinks, it’s intentional. he avoids anything that tastes artificial, anything too complicated. once took a sip of a bright blue cocktail yangyang handed him and immediately regretted it.

mark doesn’t drink much. he’ll nurse a couple of drinks, but he’s hyper-aware of his limits, doesn’t like losing himself in it. tequila reminds him of a night he doesn’t like to talk about.

areum drinks wine more than anything else. red, usually. she likes the weight of it, the ritual of it. avoids vodka sodas because they remind her of being younger, of trying too hard to keep up with people who didn’t care about her.

karina doesn’t drink to get drunk—she drinks because she enjoys the experience of it, the control. she stops before she ever crosses the line into anything she can’t handle. avoids whiskey because of a memory she buried a long time ago.

chenle has refined tastes and thinks most people don’t know what the fuck they’re doing when they order drinks.

ningning loves cocktails that look as good as they taste, but she can take a shot better than most of them.

yangyang will drink anything once. will drink it twice if it fucks him up in the right way.

shotaro likes drinks that don’t taste like drinks. will get dangerously wasted if someone doesn’t stop him.

donghyuck likes drinks that make a statement. if it doesn’t hit the back of his throat with at least a little burn, he doesn’t want it.

best & worst drinking experiences

nabi’s best? a night she spent alone with jeno, passing a bottle of whiskey between them, talking about things that weren’t supposed to leave that room. worst? a night she can’t remember, but the aftermath of it made sure she never let herself get that careless again.

jeno’s best? he doesn’t have a single moment—just the quiet ones, the ones where drinking isn’t the focus, just something that lingers in the background. worst? one where his father was involved.

mark’s worst? that one tequila night. enough said.

areum’s best? a night with karina, dancing in a city neither of them knew, wearing heels that made her feet ache but feeling like the world belonged to them. worst? the first time she got drunk alone.

karina’s best? a party she threw, where everything went exactly how she wanted it to. worst? the one night she slipped. the one night she let herself lose control.

chenle & ningning? every time they drink together is a best experience.

yangyang has no regrets, even when he should.

shotaro’s worst was when he trusted yangyang with his drinks. never again.

donghyuck? every drinking experience is the best or the worst. there is no in-between.

tolerance levels & drinking dynamics

nabi has a decent tolerance, but she doesn’t push it.

jeno can handle his alcohol better than most, rarely drinks to excess.

mark taps out early. always.

areum paces herself, knows when to stop.

karina holds her liquor better than people expect.

chenle can drink a lot without showing it.

ningning can outdrink chenle. she’s terrifying.

yangyang doesn’t know what moderation is.

shotaro doesn’t have the tolerance for how much he thinks he can drink.

donghyuck drinks like he has something to prove, but he knows when to pull back.

who drinks together?

chenle & ningning are the snobbiest drinking partners, but they’re always right.

jeno & nabi drink in quiet, private spaces, away from the noise.

areum & karina sip cocktails like they run the world.

yangyang & shotaro are a fucking disaster together.

mark is always the designated driver, even when he wasn’t planning to be.

donghyuck is either instigating or being the responsible one—there is no in-between.

and most importantly— chenle and ningning? are they impressed? … maybe.

[introducingmiggymackerel]

Episode 3 thoughts dump before I go hang out with my feelings for a while (I’m good that was just A Lot)

(Preface to this post: I trust y’all to know when I’m talking about irl!Ranboo and gl!Ranboo. Also all of my questions are theoretical - you don’t need to answer them lol)

That was damn scary dude

I knew pretty quickly that it was still the show. Everything seemed to convenient and linear. It was too easy was it that he just happened to stumble upon a shop full of weapons and gear when he and Charlie were looking for a place to hide.

We all were sus of Hetch but I didn’t clock that he was in control necessarily, I theorized that maybe he was an ex-employee out for revenge, but not once did I think he was still working for Showfall

I didn’t participate in any (either?) of the votes in this ep bc it like. Didn’t feel right. Bc at this point voting only showed Showfall that making Ranboo suffer was entertaining, so they’d do it as long as we watched. I honestly didn’t think they’d go with the vote no matter if we picked live or die anyway. It seemed like he was too useful to them for them to just let him go like that. But also if they have the means to keep people like Charlie alive, do we know if Ranboo is truly dead?

Ohhhh but then do we know if they would have killed him either way?

(Tbh I would have loved to see Ranboo scream at us for choosing “live”. Why would we do that to him? Do we like watching him suffer? You’re all freaks! This is real!)

That’s a fuck ton of people in those credits huh!!!!!

Ranboo must sure be proud of himself (in the ironic way and in the genuine way)

That was fantastic. Unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Mans is 19 years old and said I’m gonna do the most ambitious and compelling shit anyone has ever done with live entertainment and then he DID

Charlie is absolutely still alive

Hetch didn’t say a single true thing up until those last few minutes. He just said whatever he thought would make Ranboo want to keep going

Fascinated that instead of blaming Showfall for everyone’s deaths, Ranboo blamed himself for not doing more. From a writing perspective, it could have been so easy for “real” Ranboo to be flat and generic if he has no memories of his past and therefore no experiences to draw from, but he absolutely had a fully fleshed-out personality

Ranboo “breaking out” of the control very briefly during the other eps was all part of the plan. Holy shit

How much did Sneeg know? Was that scripted?

I know the character is (maybe?) dead but we can’t rely on the lights on the mask anymore. That whole sequence where he stabbed the drone and then took the bow? He was under control from the moment Hetch gave him that map

“Your world” send tweet

Bucket of red slime.

Was Ranboo putting in the wrong code scripted? Would any of them have been correct? And was Hetch’s anger at Ranboo not following the audience choice genuine?

Tl;dr Squiggles my abhorred

[the-gentleman-pining]

Episode 2: Red Flags

Yes I'm gonna put these in one long post so I can keep it aaaallll together. I'm a disaster but I'm an ✨organised disaster✨

Damn it looks comfy on the Red Flag, this crew doesn't seem to be treated too bad at all! Not knowing anything about Zheng Yi Sao I have no idea how realistic that is 😅

Stede hon you need to sleeeep 🥺

THE MUSIC. This is gonna be the one for me I think.

THE SOOT ON WEDDING CAKE TOPPER STEDE WHERE ED IS HOLDING IT TO HIS FACE IM GONNA BREAK SOMETHING

I know it's old news but Bride!Ed is still just. Heartwrenching.

Moving them closer but not touching,, even when he's mourning the life he could have had,, my babygirl got burned so bad I'm actually gonna cry again if I think about any of this too much

Toppling them off the window and the sad deadness in Ed's eyes as he looks at himself and just... pushes. God this season is heavy stuff and I'm so here for it.

YES QUEEN 💪💪💪

What is this little sea witch subplot ahaha I'm so here for it being played straight

Zheng Yi Sao are you taking prospective job applications...

ONE OTHER MAN ON BOARD YOU SAY??? 👀👀👀

🐀

what's new queen 💅

fr I'm so glad he's back already like I'd have been ok with a reveal later on but I actually love Lucius and !!he's here he's here he's already here!! I get to enjoy the boy!!!

Black Pete's scrunched up little eyebrows in the hug aaaaaaa I love these two

🙄 men are so fucking emotional YES AND WE LOVE IT HAH

"I love all of it!" and Lucius looking beyond relieved and overwhelmed by love I'm??? Nathan you're going to make me ill.

Roach why tf you interrupting mind your business

Lucius you're not a good liar I know the "my mum thought I was straight for years thing" but the way you are BEHAVING babygirl it's suspicious as fuck I'm sorry

"you have impeccable balance babe" is said so casually yet it's so specific I'm horribly invested in these two,, yess Pete call him out in the loveliest way imaginable I'm obsessed

Wee John guyliner is such a vibe and bless his excitement about tailoring I'll never forget how Stede helped these guys unlock being unafraid to be themselves ❤️

Towels is about your speed, Stede I'm not gonna lie, you're more qualified for towels than captaincy for sure!

Hot! and Cheerful!Ed jumpscare! Most beautiful wig ever constructed jumpscare! I'm not immune to the middle aged wanted poster pirate.

On a serious note this portrayal of suicidal ideation and the illusion of improvement when they've made their choice is so masterfully done. It's haunting.

Ed knows Frenchie didn't kill Izzy, of course. He's not stupid. He's self sabotaging, not stupid. He enjoys the control of making everyone squirm.

Frenchie honey you're so bad at this 😭

Pasty dying sweaty screaming Izzy you're a bit of a mess sweetie but don't panic your found family is here to incompetently help ❤️ Like I know you've got nothing left because you've lost Ed and he's all you cared about but consider this: friends!

Adding "Ohhh he's a gusher!" to my long list of reasons I'm obsessed with Archie

Lucius I owe you my firstborn for actually telling Stede he's being a cunt.

"Ed pushed you?" said with the incredulity of a man who forgot all his friends got marooned..

NATHAN YOU'RE ACTING YOUR HEART OUT but also "oh yeah, now you care" in that low voice like what are you trying to do to us,, why is broken Lucius hottttt 😭

Sea witch subplot my beloved,, please understand I want animorphs Buttons so bad (not carnally, just to witness him, don't get any weird ideas)

Oh Frenchie you're right that you weren't qualified for this babe you're like a lamb to the slaughter

KNOW THE SMELL??? Izzy and Ed are fucked up beyond belief this is unhinged.

Jim why are you playing with the leg

Also Jim you're such a romantic now I'm weak for it (and so is Archie it seems!)

Saw some people saying this kiss/relationship is too rushed bc it took Olu so long to get past Jim's was but that's the point!!! Look how different Jim is!! They're so much more emotionally available to everyone!! Because of Olu and the rest of the crew showing them that family doesn't have to be by blood!

But I will say that kissing while cloth is coming that far out your nose is deranged behaviour like that's gonna accidentally get in the way ewww

Buzzkill cockblock first mate where have I seen that before... 🤔 Just let Zheng Yi Sao have her fuckin meal she's EATING!!!

Olu is so lovely I just don't think he should ever be in trouble ever

"Yeah. I fucked that up." 😔

How is this pirate queen this awkward I love her so much I want the world for her.

Roachtatouille

Edgy smokerboi Lucius is so funny I know it's not funny but it's so funny I don't make the rules

Stede shut up or I'll riot challenge

Honestly "my spicy little ratboy" was such a relatable blunder to try and defuse the tension, Black Pete I see you bestie

Pointing the finger Pete made at him in anger Lucius NO

"The hell is going on in towels?"

Ed and Izzy I love to watch you like bugs but you're scary and upsetting, fellas

Con is just in another league of acting this season it feels like. I'm absolutely convinced by him. It's riveting.

Devastating that both of these idiots hate each other and love each other so much that it makes them deranged. They can't kill each other but they want to. Fucking hell. The cold read from Izzy that Ed is too scared to kill himself followed by immediately doing it (or attempting to) to himself. CHRIST.

"I loved you... best I could." no idea if Ed is just lying to himself but in what way did he ever love Izzy? /gen

NO DON'T GIVE ED THE WHEEL GODDD well here we go.

Stede using his failures to stop Lucius from self sabotage at the expense of his own sanity, good on you man. Best thing you've done for anyone else so far this season. Shame he cut him off.

"He was just a very small man!" Nathan lmao was that you

God, Ed is just begging for someone to end it. He's so far gone. Provoking and trying to act out enough that someone (or something) will do what he's unable to do himself. But desperately wanting someone to prove to him that there's an alternative - that self destructive urge to simultaneously prove your fears and the deeper craving to have them disproved. He's a ruin of a man.

Stede looking out for Lucius and Black Pete like this feels reminiscent of earlier S1 Stede, helping the crew heal, it's really nice. I miss that.

Stede admitting he's part of the reason Ed became so unwell! Growth! That's it king, you can face your mistakes ❤️

Yessss matchmaker Lucius back at it again dropping the truths that people need to hear!!

Vico Ortiz I'm on my knees!! Season 2 Jim is WONDERFUL.

Izzy Hands killing the part of himself that was rotting away shooting Ed unhhh the symbolism. I adore this character he's despicable but he's RIVETING.

Izzy leaning on Fang ❤️❤️❤️

Yeah there it is. "Finally".

FRENCHIE'S SMILE AS JIM DOES IT HHHH

These fellas have been brutalised so bad, Jim's scream is so raw. This fucking season, man.

Decided to rewatch OFMD S2 eps 1-3 and actually jot down my thoughts as I go! Oh what fun! Ngl this is mostly for me babes but if you enjoy it that's neat ❤️

Episode 1: Impossible Birds

Stede bearded in his dream could just be playing to swashbuckling archetypes for funsies, but is it some lingering wish that he was more masculine?

Con O'Neil truly graceful about it with the sword huh

"WHERE IS HE. WHERE'S ED?" Stede seeing Izzy as the thing that is keeping Ed from him when he's the one that left lol ok

His idealised version of Ed doesn't hold him accountable either. My mans doesn't want to face what he did at all!!

His first words to Ed in his letter are reassuring him that the crew are safe, as if he doesn't remember that Ed marooned them and left them for dead on purpose??

I know it's meant to be funny but Jackie was a bit of a sex pest toward Swede at first and the power dynamic was a bit 🫤 Glad he was into it in the end!

WHY DOES WEE JOHN SLAM THE HEAD OF THE ONE WHO GOT STABBED INTO THE TABLE INSTEAD OF THE ONE WHO STABBED THEM?? 😂

Stede truly is unphased by people being assholes to him and I just,,, respect it.

Ricky your vibes are strange and unsettling

Who in their right mind would have an ocean wedding in the golden age of piracy?? I know they probs didn't know it was the golden age of piracy while they were in it but STILL

Ed looks so dead behind the eyes 😭 Just going through the motions eh buddy?

Dressed up like the book Blackbeard I see. God he's trying so hard to inhabit this character.

I would die for Archie. Truly the himbo we need in these depressing angst riddled times.

Jim asking someone else how they're bottling things up?? Hello?? Who are you and what have you done with Jim?? Aren't you the bottling up Master? Olu bewitched you too good and now you've unlocked Feelings 😔

"He's actually a good guy" Stede babygirl did we actually forget the marooning???

I have so much I could say about how Izzy and Blackbeard's relationship has deteriorated hhhhh,,,, Izzy is a problem child but I'm so glad the story is crashing towards his character actually growing and changing. In season 1 he at least got the crumbs Ed would throw him like "I need you here", now he's only getting abuse and maybe he's throwing himself at it because he recognises he had a part to play in reaching this point and believes he deserves it.

Fang's delivery on "how you doing Izzy" will keep me warm and fed all winter. Masterclass in approaching someone, truly tender and genuine but not too pressuring. God.

That second "unhand me" hhh the panic of realising you're going to start crying if the situation continues

Con is gonna rip my heart out and eat it this season if I'm not careful

Labour exploitation Jackie what a girlboss x

Why does "you'll be having a lot of breakfastseses together" sound so ominous though 😭 Smeagol Jackie my worstie...

Stede doing Blackbeard Voice is adorable but damn he really doesn't believe that he made Ed's life better. Like how??? Why doesn't Stede equate happiness with better? Ed was explicitly happier around you ya dingus!

Swede deserves his married bliss so much. The crew can be so mean to him!!

"What am I to you" and "I have... love for you" are said so softly I'm gonna be sick,, Izzy you fucked it by wrestling this man into this particular coping mechanism and your tenderness is coming wayyyy too late. Heartbreaking tbh cause the guy didn't know how else to help Ed and now he's realising it could have been different. Sick and twisted little dynamic I'm eating it like good soup.

Definitely supposed to be taken that Izzy didn't realise "talk it through" was a Stedeism as he said it but godddd you idiot dude

Once again god bless you Archie I'd die for you

Fang I want to rescue you hhhhhh my hot topic fashionista must be so dehydrated from all these tears!!!

No way in hell Ed expected anything else out of Izzy's mouth than something about Stede, but god I wish the guy had just payed attention to Frenchie shaking his head. The catharsis of saying the quiet part out loud wasn't worth your leg, man.

"Start by cleaning up that mess"... yeah we def see Ed is killing people himself again but outsourcing the Big Job on Izzy makes sense. He's also exactly the kind of self sabotager atm that would know Frenchie won't do it, and he's looking for reasons to Be Worse.

Indigo heist my beloved. Fuck those hammies up!! I love how loud Black Pete was omg 😂

Oh fuck off Ricky I know you're a S1 Stede mirror but you're doing it detestably

Roach why is your instinct to immediately put the blue dirt on your face darling

Zheng Yi Sao completely unphased by Jackie is giving me so much delight

Sexy Dutchman 😭😂 Jackie never change

I love that Zheng Yi Sao is taking the whole crew on just to have her lil Olu moment, get it girl

TENDER JIM IM SO HAPPY FOR THEM THEY'VE COME SO FAR. I LOVE THEIR BIG SMILE 😭 (also Archie is so wholesome what is she DOING here???)

Ed oh my god you're not alright at ALL

Frenchie's quiet "sounds like a plan" is just so... painful. The acting this season is off the charts.

When Roach asked if they were in soup now I thought he was referring to the ocean as soup I'm an idiot 😭

[stealingyourbones]

Your asks are back! Im prolly gonna send a few tomorrow bc its late and i have many idea but an idea that Wont Let Me Go:

Danny gets caught by his parents. They dissect him and jazz is the one to free him, but he has to go. Now. But where does he go?

Gotham. The drs fenton went there once and caused enough chaos to be banned from the city or else risk arkham. Its the one place they might not find him.

Danielle goes with him. Maybe shed hunkered down in gotham for a bit, maybe shes passing by amity when sht hits the fan. Either way, its her and danny. They figure it wont be too hard to get by. Break into an empty apartment and hide out there until they get caught, couldnt be too hard, right?

Too bad the building they go for is the one jason stays in, as a civillian, and hes got every apartment on his floor so that the risk of a neighbor seeing him as hood is minimal. Jason has to figure out how these kids got into the apartment and who is making them spy on red hood.

He does this by giving them the one thing kids in need cant afford to turn down- free meals. He invites them over to cook and teaches them how, both to see what hes dealing with and give them those skills once theyre out of whatever situation theyre in.

This goes on for a while before jason had the horrifying realization.

Hes turing into Bruce. Two kids in need with black hair and blue eyes who tense up when vigilantes are brought up? Hes never going to live this down. Probably frantically texts dick(?) About how hes turing into bruce and then doesnt elaborate

Unbeknowst to him, theyve secretly been "treating" him by acting as filters/replacing some of his extoplasm so he can be sure of his control over his feelings. This doesnt necessarily make him 100% calm all of the time, he still gets angry pretty easily, but. Jason gets control of himself back.

As they get closer they start being significantly more domestic. Somehow nobody has crashed jasons apartment while theyre there (they dip invisibly) and jasons relationship with bruce has improved as he no longer has to worry about pit rage taking over. Hes trying to figure out how to break the news to bruce that hes a grandfather even though he hasnt officially adopted them yet.

Dani, on the other side of town, is gossiping with a cool girl at the library named barbara about how shes been trying to figure out how to tell her neighbor that Hes Her Dad Now.

(Danny doesnt call him dad. He cant, anymore. But theyre still family)

Jason decides to introduce the topic of them meeting bruce (because 1. even though its still rocky their relationship has improved and 2. He wants it to be on his terms) and dani bursts out with the "I have a GRANDPA???????" and from there on commits to calling jason her dad and bruce (unmet) her grandpa.

Bruce meets them first and is just. In awe. He has grandchildren. His emotional constipation vs his absolute adoration of the fact hes a GRANDPARENT fight fight fight.

When danny and dani eventually meet everyone theyre all like oh sick bruce picked up a duo this time nice to meet you. And they absolutely cannot comprehend it when bruce and jason walk in and dani goes to jason first. Nobody expected jason to take on bruces adoption tendencies but they should have.

(Also fun hc i couldnt work in naturally but i do fully stand by- the ectoplasm in dannys body does affect his injuries somewhat, meaning he heals naturally very quickly from most ghost fights. Why?

It heales based on emotional healing.

He doesnt really care all too much about the average cut from one of his rogues and they heal within the day, but a hit from valerie takes a few weeks.

The first injury his parents ever gave him still hurts.

He can barely move and cant talk for the first few weeks with jason. Only once he starts feeling safe with him do the cuts start coming back together.)

The casualness of “hi so glad your asks came back” [drops at least 1k worth of fucking stellar content that’s basically a fic] is just making me truly awestruck. God I’ve missed seeing y’all’s neat ideas.

I dont have any words that I can say that could describe just how wonderful this is so I’ll write a lil addition to it instead because I am in love with this sm.

Jason’s point of view when he’s slowly getting better and isnt afraid to meet his family because of the pit rage, has he explained that’s the reason he distanced himself? Do the bats just think that this is simply Jason finally getting the courage to reach out? Do they know that the Pit rage is stopping Jason and do they try to help him by using alternative means of communication? How much do they help and understand.

When Jason experiences his first injury. How much does it hurt? Valerie shoots him with an ectogun. How much is this man in pain for and does he have to fight pit rage inside him to not lash out and attack her after being injured?

And how does his core react to his new kids. This I NEED to know

[themessedupsonata]

Lay All Your Love On Me

Sirius Black x Fem!Reader

Summary: Sirius has always been your friend, but he falls in love with you and decides to confess his feelings at the sound of ABBA at a party.

Word Count: 2.2k

Warnings: Alcohol, shitty family and mentions of mental health.

A/N: Technically, this is not historically accurate bc this story happens at the sixth year (1976) and ''Lay all Your Love on me'' was first released at 1980, so just use your imagination.

Sirius Orion Black never thought he would one day find love. He never received love from his own family, and even the love he felt for Reg was difficult because Regulus was the shy little boy. Sirius was the rebel, which meant Regulus had to hear that Sirius was a bad influence all along and, unfortunately, when everyone says you shouldn't be in someone's company, it becomes tough to maintain a good, normal relationship with that someone.

But everything changed when Sirius arrived at Hogwarts.

He thought the rest of his life would be miserable because he went to Gryffindor and not Slytherin like his whole family. But he became friends with James, then with Remus and then with Peter. He has finally found his true family.

In the second year, he met you. You, his future best friend and partner in crime, his biggest confidant; who would give him a comforting hug, so he could cry because he had no words to say how broken he was, and you wouldn't insist on talking because you always understood him, even without words. You were his great love, his world, his everything.

Obviously, you didn't know that.

He would rather die than lose you because he was sure you would never feel the same. You were perfection itself; you were all the good the world had to offer, for Merlin's sake.

Besides, you were his best friend.

God, he hated that word so much.

It brings us to this exact point where Gryffindor won the Quidditch Cup and a party is going on in their common room, and you obviously were here because you've always loved supporting James and Sirius, and you could have fun with Remus, Lily, Marlene and Dorcas. Sirius has been watching you throughout the party because you looked stunning. You were wearing a simple black dress, and you didn't do anything different with your hair, but you could have fought a family of dragons alone, and you'd still be the most beautiful girl in the world in Sirius' opinion.

Sirius saw a guy flirting with you at the start of the party, and he instantly sulked. He knew he had no right to be jealous, but he couldn't help but feel a pang in his chest as that random guy made you throw your head back while you laughed. So Padfoot decided to try to distract himself from his grief by drinking Firewhiskey. He drank a lot, but he was so used to alcohol that he needed more than just a few sips to lose control of his own mind. So, at the moment, he was simply tipsy.

The eldest child of the Black family was dancing, talking loudly to James and having a good time, managing by some miracle not to think about you for a while, when the first notes of “Lay All Your Love On Me” started playing on the record player that some muggle-born brought to the party. ABBA was your favourite musical group, and Sirius just couldn't stand you singing one of their songs every thirty minutes. He loved you as much as a man could love a woman, but you definitely knew how to get out of tune sometimes.

Before he could stop himself, Padfoot's eyes met his and, just like any other occasion when this happened, his heart raced and he felt his cheeks start to turn red. But at that exact moment, he realized something: he was tired of loving you from afar. He loved being his friend, but he needed to know if you'd be able to do him the honour of tasting the lips he's fantasized about for years. If you would give him your permission to hold you in his arms to make you feel loved and safe. If you'd be as happy as he would be if the two of you held hands as you walked to Hogsmeade in front of everyone, showing that you belonged together. Being her friend was no longer enough. He would respect you if you didn't want to be his girl, but if there were a minimum chance to you to accept his heart, he definitely wouldn't waste it.

Taking advantage of the fact that one of your favourite songs was playing, he decided to tell you how he felt about you. He climbed on the table and started singing the song that translated exactly how he felt about you.

I wasn't jealous before we met,

Now every woman I see is a potential threat

He had absolutely no pride in feeling like punching any boy in the face who flirted with you because, as much as he hated to admit it, he was so insecure. Throughout his childhood, he was told that he was replaceable and an embarrassment to the family and, except for Andromeda and Regulus, he never felt that anyone truly loved him. His self-esteem undoubtedly improved after he made friends and discovered who he really was, but the feeling that he was unlovable and alone never went away. If you were his girlfriend, he would respect and trust you completely, but he always felt that any boy in the world would be much better for you than he is. And it just tore him apart.

And I'm possessive, it isn't nice

You've heard me saying that smoking was my only vice

Remembering that brought a smile to his face. You always hated your smoking habits. Every time you saw him lighting a cigarette, you would look at him with daggers in his eyes or launch into an extremely long rant about how nicotine would "ruin your lungs." Every time you did that, he rolled his eyes and had to stop himself from shutting you up with his lips.

But now it isn't true

Now everything is new

And all I've learned has overturned

I beg of you

One thing he never told you is that he has a collection of…well, you. Since he was 12, he kept all the things you gave him and all the little things that remind him of you in a white box under his bed. Everything. All the little drawings you made in the middle of potions class in the corner of the parchment. All the coloured pebbles you gave him in third grade when you had that iconic hippie phase. The Queen concert tickets you gave him for his birthday, the pressed flower that he always forgets the name of but reminds him of you. He looks at these things every night before he falls asleep.

Remus, James and Peter found out about the box (and consequently his love for you) two years ago and ever since then, it's been a nightmare because every time they saw you talking to Padfoot, and they were pretty sure you wouldn't. Noticing them, the three marauders would make kissing sounds, hands hearts and all that embarrassing shit you do to embarrass and annoy your friends when they have a crush right behind you, so only Sirius would see them.

Even with his friends irritating him, Sirius was very grateful to have them to help him deal with his feelings. He has never been in love and he never thought he would because all the members of the Black family had arranged marriages, so now that he loves someone he has no idea what to do. He just wanted you to love and care for him as much as he loves and cares for you. Not only that, he wanted you. You to be his and the privilege to belong to you.

Don't go wasting your emotion

Lay all your Love on Me

Sirius' family and life are completely messed up, he knew that. But even with his relapses, he was fine. Not many people can say that, but he was fine. Yes, he has a lot of problems, and sometimes he feels sad, but he, (Sirius realized as he sang in front of all the people at the party) was genuinely happy. He no longer feels the emptiness in his chest that he used to feel when he was younger. He had the best friends he could ask for, he had you, and his mental health is stable.

So yes, he has relatively heavy baggage, but who doesn't? You have many flaws. You have your traumas and your past, but Sirius was willing to overcome them because he loved you. He would never ignore them, make them seem less important, or treat her like a china doll because of it. He would just accept that they exist and he would love you unconditionally because he wanted everything from you. Sirius wanted the fights and the disagreements and the arguments, as ugly and terrible as they were because they would be with you; and everything is better with you.

He would try to be the best man in the world for you because that's what you deserve. He would respect your time and your limits and care much more for you than he does for himself. Sirius wouldn't be perfect, but he would try his best because it would make you happy and as long as you were happy, so would he.

It was like shooting a sitting duck

A little small talk, a smile and baby I was stuck

I still don't know what you've done with me

A grown-up woman should never fall so easily

He still remembers the exact moment he realized he was in love with you. Sirius and you had just started the fifth year and you both were under the tree beside the dark lake. It was an autumn afternoon and it was very windy, so there was no one around the two of you. You were telling Sirius about your family and how unforgettable your vacation was. You and your cousins ​​went to your aunt's beach house and since you and your mom were the only witches in the family, you and your parents had a lot of funny moments when your whole family went to the beach and you had contact with a lot of families Muggles and their powers sometimes got out of control. He was crying with laughter because you sneezed next to a couple and you and your cousins had to find a way to make the woman's beach bag stop floating without them realising that something was really wrong with you.

You and he were just being two stupid teenagers, but at that moment Sirius realized that you were his favourite person. And he would die a happy man if he spent the rest of his days listening to the sound of your voice because it always made him feel warm inside. He never realized that you had the most beautiful eyes in the world, or how much he wanted to kiss you. He wanted to spend the rest of the day with you and he wanted to see you old and grey. Sirius was 100% sure that you would look beautiful.

The moment he realized that he froze in shock. You got worried and suggested a glass of water and he was so stunned he just nodded. After a few sips, he said he was fine but needed sleep. He spent the rest of the day lying in bed and looking at the roof, wondering what he would do now.

I feel a kind of fear

When I don't have you near

Unsatisfied, I skip my pride

I beg you dear

The song ended and it took him a few seconds to realize it. Everyone in the common room was cheering enthusiastically, but the only person Sirius cared about at the moment was you. He got off the table and walked over to you, who was still looking at him with confusion and amusement in your eyes. He took your hand and practically dragged you to his dorm. Once there, he made you sit on his bed and closed the door.

"I'm in love with you Y/n," He said, staring at the door, not being able to meet your eyes.

“I meant every word I sang. I've loved you for two years and the war is coming and I can't let anything happen to either of us without telling you that my heart will always belong to you, Y/n/n." He took a deep breath and looked at you, who still was sitting on his bed.

You were extremely surprised. How would you not? Your best friend was confessing his love for you, and you definitely didn't expect that. You were so afraid of hurting him or ruining your friendship, but...

"I love you too," you said. Being unable to stop smiling.

You caught a glimpse of Sirius immediately turning to you and walking towards you until there were only inches keeping you two apart.

"A-are you serious?" He looked so shocked and you felt your heart break for him. Sirius clearly didn't think he was worthy of his love, but you would spend the rest of your days showing him how wonderful he was and how much you adored him.

You stood on tiptoe and kissed him, and Sirius felt himself melt. It took him a few seconds to kiss you back, but when he finally realized what was happening, he cupped your cheek with his left hand and put his right arm around your waist.

Neither of you has ever felt as complete as you do right now, in each other's arms. And you both wanted it to be this way until the end of the times

[miziubai]

ok so, wanna hear something funny? I did not have a solid ref for Nari, for like, this entire time. While i made two for Lamb and considered making one for Ratau (who i don't really draw often)

So I made some changes for his follower design! This is from fresh out of godhood and into the cult. His post-canon/aftermath AU doesn't differ much from this, just remove the bandages and add the orange loose cloth under the first layer and that's it . rip the drawing i made not too long ago but not a big deal.

a pinch more of info on my Nari under cut bc i'm really invested in him

Narinder!! has!! HMD!! (hyperthropic muscle distrophy!) It does cause exercise and eating harder for him but most issues aren't really present for reasons Below.

Because he didn't have a Corporeal Body TM for like a thousand years, his limbs were kinda... numb. Very numb. Which led to him tripping on his own two feet and crashing into things often. He knew what the issue was but didn't tell Lamb, so Lamb figured this out by themself. Which led to them holding Nari by the scruff to put bandages on him (so he could feel his own limbs) and the golden chains so he could have some sense of weight on them. It really helped, but because he's a stubborn prick, he didn't thank them until weeks later.

He doesn't actually have *two* tails. It's a single tail that divided into two. This one also felt numb for a while but got better without needing help.

And yes- this means that as a god, both arms, legs and the tails had the rotten boney look. (i might draw this actually)

His face STILL opens. Its mostly involuntary however, and happens when he can't control his emotions (getting angry, for example), when sneezing, or whenever he hisses/spits really loudly.

He does have remnants of his power. Its mostly being strong physically (despite his condition and the only reason why his body isn't really weak), retains some control on fire, and can feel whenever a person is about to get sick or die. If he's near the Lamb (or just the Red Crown) he can see spirits.

He's actually really good at tailoring and sculpting! He had to do SOMETHING while he was trapped for such a long time in the afterlife, so to pass time, he learned how to knit and sew, sculpt and anything in between. He did make Aym and Baal's clothes, and whenever Lamb wants to make a statue, they just bring a huge rock, hands him a chisel and lets him go wild with it after some instructions.

Nari can't actually regulate his own body temperature too well. Lamb gave him thicker clothes and eventually handed him their wool so he could make his clothes to keep himself warm.

A lot of the things Lamb did for Narinder early on (the first 3-4 months or so) were in an attempt to make him simmer down and get accustomed to the cult. It did kind of work, but for the longest time he was still a bit of a shut-in and refused to speak to most other cultists or even make friends. Everyone eventually found out who he was, but still didn't approach despite being another cultist because he was so intimidating and temperamental. The entire proccess was basically like socializing a feral cat.

that's it

[funnywormz]

my red dwarf opinion of all time is I full heartedly believe Rimmer could be 200% worse. like yeah he’s a sopping wet loser already but man he could be so so much worse (something something it’s because his drive for power and control isn’t born of any legit malicious intent, but instead an internalized need to be, at minimum, perceived in general and, at maximum, be loved for himself [even if that ‘self’ is a carefully constructed persona and lacks any of his rimmer-ism] something something)

oh yeah anon you're 100% correct! i often dunk on rimmer for being an asshole, and he absolutely IS an asshole, but i don't think he rlly has bad intentions or actively wants to hurt ppl. i agree that his desire for power is more about being loved than anything else. i don't think he'd even know what to do if he WAS put in charge of something important lol. i suspect he would probably just panic a bit once he realised he had to actually advise and care for ppl tbh. i think initially he'd enjoy lording it over ppl but once ppl started criticising him or he had to make important decisions i'd imagine he'd have a breakdown lmao

i mean in siliconia it's revealed that he actively enjoys being a "mindless" servant bc he doesn't have to worry abt disappointing ppl anymore........ i think that any kind of pressure would make him crumble. it's clear that it isn't rlly power that he wants, it's adoration that he wants, just like you said. i mean, lister even calls him out on it in the better than life book lol.

rimmer hasn't received any honest unconditional love from... anyone ever, as far as i can remember (unless you count nirvannah maybe???). his parents seemed to show some kind of affection, or at least favouritism, to his brothers, specifically bc they were mentally and physically talented. i think he took the lesson from this that ppl/his parents would only ever love him if he could be the person his parents had wanted him to be.

the irony of this is that it's the sheer stubbornness he had abt achieving the goals his parents set for him (like attaining officerhood) that make him so unlikeable and insufferable to the ppl around him. he's uptight and hyperfocused on achievement and avoids hobbies, socialising and relaxing bc he doesn't want anything to get in the way of his goals, and that makes him completely unpalatable. any creativity or sentimentality or gentleness he has was either squashed out of him by his parents or suppressed by himself.

he lives inside this construction of what he thinks a man should be like. but it's not him, and everyone else can tell that, even though he can't. it's the lack of sincerity that makes him unlikeable, when it's a habit he took on BECAUSE he wanted to be loved.

i think it's all subconscious, like if you asked him abt this he'd either be confused or vehemently deny it. but i do believe that at the root of his character there's just... a desire to be loved. he does confess to it himself in "thanks for the memory". it's very clear in ace as well, a man who is clearly generating a persona for himself in the hopes that it'll make ppl love him. like most aspects of red dwarf, rimmer is funny on the surface but deeply painfully tragic if you think abt him for too long.

ANYWAYS SORRY this is basically just a more verbose annoying version of what you said lmao. the point is that i completely agree anon. he's so awful but so pitiful and sad it's hard NOT to love him despite the fact that he frustrates me so much sometimes i wanna pull my hair out lol

[erithel]

Klancers who hate canon lance are so weird and I don’t know why they’re even here. I feel like they just saw allurance, hated it, and projected all their hatred onto him. I saw a klancer say they hate him bc he’s canonly an unempathetic and self centered jerk. Unempathetic?? Lance who stuck up for the Blade of Mamora in canon, the one who everyone looked to give Keith the feelings talk, stuck by Pidge about her dad, and the only character to call out Lotor for not freeing the planets he colonized? That lacking empathy character? And self centered when he was willingly to give up Red and Blue to Allura and Keith? Ready to give up his desire to pilot black to encourage keith to take the role? That self centered selfish asshole?

Canon and fanon Lance gets treated badly by the very fandom who ships hims with keith sometimes and we need to talk about this.

Is...is that a thing? Why would someone like a ship that included a character they hated? I’m actually asking, here, because I’ve never come across someone who ships klance who dislikes either one of them. It’s always the opposite in my experience, where they really enjoy finding good and bad qualities in both characters to make them more relatable and human.

I know that people can ship whoever they want, for whatever reasons they want, but I just feel that if someone actively dislikes Lance then maaaaaybe they should find a ship that they actually enjoy?

But okay... if we wanna talk about how empathetic Lance is...he is. 

The impression I got of him is that he is very aware and sensitive to how others are feeling around him (aka empathetic).  Honestly the only character he is unwarrantedly, legitimately mean to is himself.

And okay, it’s been a while since I dug deep on a post, so here we go.

Lance was the youngest of his siblings (I believe that is actually canon in the paladin handbooks?). Being the youngest, he would have wanted to stand out, which is the most likely reason why he is loud and abrasive, and butts into conversations in an antagonistic way at times. This doesn’t make him self-centered, it just means he has learned that in order to be heard, he has to make himself heard.

The most relatable thing about Lance in my opinion, is how basically all of his behavior can be explained by how others have lead him to believe he is stupid. (This honestly hits on a very personal note for me so it’s something I noticed in Lance quickly.)

He notices everyone around him, and he wants to stand out from the bunch - but he believes he can’t do it with his own intelligence so he finds other ways to stand out. He makes sure others know he is there, even if it means he is the butt of the joke.

It’s easier for him to cope with feeling stupid if he is in control of the narrative.

This, again, doesn’t make him a self centered jerk, it just makes him desperate for a place among his peers, while battling the feeling that he doesn’t deserve that place.

Because emotions are complicated.

The instance where he stood up for the Blade of Marmora is possibly the best example of empathy and lack of self-centeredness.

Lance noticed the scene playing out. He noticed the disdainful looks the Galra were getting and he put himself in their shoes, because he knows what it feels like to be looked down on and he doesn’t want that for anyone else when they don’t deserve it. So the minute something even remotely negative was said toward the Blade, he jumped in and made sure everyone knew that he, a paladin of Voltron, was recognizing and acknowledging the Blade members for their assistance. 

If he had been a self-centered person, he would have taken all the praise for himself and not thought twice about it. If he had been an unempathetic person, he wouldn’t have even noticed the way others were treating the Blade members.

In my opinion, Lance is the most selfless and empathetic character of all of them.

And one of my favorite tropes with klance is having Keith recognize this; having Keith understand how much Lance contributed to the team just by being himself and being there for others. 

That’s the kind of potential that makes klance a good ship to me, and if people are ignoring those traits in Lance then what’s the point of shipping them?

[kzmeru]

5 + HiMERU? <3 Take your time and have a Merry Christmas, Ei!

avoid it at all cost!

5 + HiMERU / avoiding the mistletoe

— NOTE(S) ; reader is in denial LMFAO, mentions of alcoholic beverages

author’s note ; ouuuu ouureuuuu 😢 I HOPE YOU HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS AS WELL, NONNIE! i love christmas sm its bc i get cash from my relatives :3 i think merumeru avoiding the mistletoe is so funny LMAO i can imagine him running away from it when he gets caught with someone he doesnt wanna make out with rinne

"God, please, no." You glared at the redhead the moment you entered the place where the Christmas party was partaking at. "You’re kidding, right…"

Rinne flashed a proud smirk, patting you on the shoulder. "Come on, [Name]. You can’t avoid the mistletoe forever! Besides, it was Niki’s idea. You wouldn’t wanna disappoint your darling friend, right?" You almost wanted to smash his face against the wall.

You greeted everyone in the room, warily looking up and refusing to get close to a specific someone— HiMERU to be exact. It wasn’t like you disliked him or anything.

You simply did not want to get caught under the mistletoe with him.

"[Name]! Could ya’ get me another drink? ‘M too tired." Rinne groaned, reaching out his cup towards you, with a pout on his stupid face.

Your friends were not about to let that slide. They are determined. Everyone and their mothers know about you and HiMERU's silly little crushes on each other. The only ones who doesn't know… are the both of you.

Grumpily snatching Amagi's cup out of his hands, you stuck out your tongue and walked away to the table, where all the drinks and food were.

They're planning on my downfall! You thought.

"Oh. HiMERU didn’t notice you come in, [Name]." The blue-haired man greeted with a small smile on his face. Currently, he was standing alone in the corner of the room.

You greeted back with a small wave, and remained your distance.

HiMERU continued to watch your every move, as if he was plotting something. From watching you refill Rinne’s cup with alcohol and handing it back to him, and to HiMERU noticing that you were blatantly avoiding him.

It’s Christmas. The most wonderful time of the year. But, is it really if HiMERU doesn’t end the night confessing his feelings to the person he had been awkwardly pining on since he met them?

"[Name]," He slowly approached your figure, and you were just in the middle of conversing with Niki when you noticed how stiff and nervous HiMERU looked. That’s a first. You thought.

HiMERU is a confident man, no doubt. Though, when it comes to [Name], he felt himself go weak over the thought of spending a lifetime with you. Niki sent a subtle wink towards his unitmate and left to get more food, you assumed.

"HiMERU, hi. Did you need something?" You asked with a smile. "It’s a fun party we’re having, right? I—"

"I’m in love with you."

"Huh—?" You deadpanned.

"I want to kiss you, [Name]." HiMERU almost yelled out, but the loud music coming from the speakers made it that only you were able to hear what he was saying.

"I don’t care if we don't have a mistletoe ontop of your heads. Right now, I just want to kiss you."

You were burning at this point. No, no— control yourself, [Name]! Did you feel the same way? Yes. Were you holding yourself back? Also a yes. Well, you know what they all say… denial is a river in Egypt.

Without any thought, you harshly pushed him against the wall, catching the man off guard and grabbedchim by the collar. Face flushed red, and your emotions were all over the place. HiMERU gulped, his hand travelling towards your cheek and gently caressing it.

"Meru… no one’s watching us right now." You said, your noses touching. HiMERU, with both hands resting on your hips, finally closed the gap between, leaving no room and space for you to separate.

Looks like you didn't need to do all that work to avoid the mistletoe. In the end, you still ended up with the person you were avoiding.

[stellawolfearts]

My turn, bestie~ 🦾💤!! Any character(s) of your choice >:3

*TACKLE HUGS YOU* HI BESTIE!!!!!

JOKES ON YOU IM TALKING ABOUT EVERYONE NOW MWAHAHAHA

🦾 A disability headcanon

Hmm, i dont know much about physical disabilities like i do mental, so i dont write them often in case i say or do something wrong with the subject.

cause Red, Nezha and SWK are autistic in my mind. Macaque has depression, Mk is Audhd and Mei is Adhd. Tang is also Autism. Swk is also Dyslexic.

hmmm, the other disabilities i have in mind for these characters would probably be Nezha's Magic limitations, where he has so much of it that if he lets it overflow his body will litterally shatter and revert to a lotus till he can reform. I sometimes like to think that when Erlang stabbed his spear through Swk's shoulders swk still has chronic pain from that bc it was left there for hours to keep him from fighting and drag him to heaven.

Nezha gets aches in his chest sometimes from...well yeah. that whole situation. Macaque gets cold sometimes, at least back when he still had lbd's magic in him. he'd get really really cold whenever he's upset, cold enough he needs a blanket. and its mostly bc of her magic reaction to negative emotions.

dats all i got tho

💤 A headcanon about their sleep

O.....oh ari >:)

you know im gonna go hard on this one.

Macaque, Nezha, Swk, Mk, Red and Mei all suffer from nightmares.

Macaque has nightmares about swk hunting him down to "send him back to the land of the dead" or about the day h was killed. and in Tangled star's case. He gets nightmares about Swk taking away Xiaohua.

Nezha has nightmares about his childhood, about being back in that house. About thunderstorms and dragons. roaring waters filled with the blood of his innocent friends. of the dragon e slayed coming back to swallow him whole and he's powerless to do anything about it. theres also the nightmare he has about his secret being revealed to all of heaven but that dream doesnt startle him awake screaming.

Swk has nightmares about all the bloodshed that happened on ffm, the burning, the war, then being tortured in heaven, the journey...the circlet....

he has nightmares about losing everything he has right now, even if its not much. Losing mk to the fire or some other demon. losing nezha, losing the new friends he's made . whether it be in a fight or to time.

Mk has nightmares about everything thats happened in the past, the villians winning and he failed to protect his friends. the samadhi fire...lbd. and recently he's had nightmares about being the villian...

Mei also has nightmares about lbd sometimes but she mostly dreams about losing control of the samadhi fire. whether its still possible or not. nightmares about losing Mk or any of her friends because she couldnt save them. she tured her back for one second and suddenly thier all gone.....

to fix this just grab em and let them pile on top of each other and suddenly nightmares are gone. cuddles are the most efficient to stop the nightmares. Mk and mei often have sleepovers and only sometimes play around. is mostly so they can hold each other and fall asleep.

Nezha will sometimes join them, he thinks he can handle the nightmares alone but the more time he spends with mk and mei the more time he finds himself inbetween his sibings.

he sometimes goes to swk too, swk is more used to dealing with the nightmares alone so when mk and mei realise he has nightmares too they break into his house with nezha carryign pillows and blankets and then all of them crash on top of him.

macaque. he's the one that struggles with them the most. he doesnt believe he has anyone to go to for these nightmares so even if he desperatly wants help he doesnt have anyone to go to. even as he sobs and holds himself on his bed and begs silently for help no one will come.

Then mk and mei find out about the nightmares and kidnap him.

they drag him to ffm where nezha and swk are already set up, they seperate swk and mac bc of the subject of macs nightmares and then plop on top of him. Lil Nezha stays with swk.

fluffy monkey makes good matress. and he's nice and cold so thats a plus.

macaque hasn't slept this well in AGES.

Swk is wondering how mk managed to move so much in his sleep his head is on Macs chest and his legs are on swk's chest.

swk and mac laugh at mk and mei takes a picture.

Thier healing, its slow and hard but their healing....

FUCKING HELL ARI IM WRITING A ONESHOT FOR THIS AFTER HOEMWORK JESUS CHRIST THIS IS GOOD.