#i LOVE when dynamics like these just fit perfectly without me realizing at first | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

signanothername · 1 year ago

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Exploring character dynamics: Blades

Blades and Heatwave: Very Older Brother, little brother dynamic. They would die for each other and brag about it later. They would also definitely roughhouse if Blades didn’t any know better. Also Blades trying so hard to imitate HW in part 2 of double villainy. He wanted to be a good leader too

Blades and Chase: Autisim vs ADHD if robots. They balance each other out perfectly. Just put them together and I’m already smiling cause I know I’ll have a good time. “What’s sooner than immediately?” “I have no idea”

Blades and Boulder: ADHD vs AuADHD. These two are a menace. They always do the craziest things together. I’m honestly surprised the writers didn’t exploit that more. These idiots kidnapped a lion. I love them. I’m also pretty sure that Boulder learned a lot about first aid from Blades since more often than not he’s the one acting doctor.

Blades and Graham: Their episode together makes me so soft 😭 They’re their both the “weakest” members of their active teams and can sometimes overlook how essential they are “At least they found you… that’s important”

Blades and Kade: Imma be 100% honest, I don’t think Blades could take much of Kade, him considering Mr. Pettypaws a better partner says it all. He wouldn’t get angry, just more and more annoyed and sassy.

Blades and Cody: Watching the show, I noticed that Heatwave and Boulder are closer to Cody, while Blades and Chase dare closer to their partners. Still though, this bot was fresh on earth, dealing with the fact that he would have to fly despite his fears and still said “For Cody”.

Blades and Chief: Dad and son. He was so exited to be paired up with the chief, adorable.

Blades and Dani: HSKEBSKA THESE TWO HOLY SHIT!!! Sassy as all can be. Big sister - little brother, man you can feel the love in this relationship. Dare I say it’s the most develop? Like, it doesn’t grow the same way Heatwave and Kade do, but you can feel this closeness. Blades is extremely protective of Dani and Dani is so encouraging of Blades, even when she considers something his doing as silly she’s there for him 🥹 ARGH, when she left for her space mission and he had to transform and didn’t get to say a proper goodbye, that shot of him as a helicopter just there, when she cried the moment she heard his voice 😭😭. How they’re very verbal about their affection and bring the better out of each other (Dani becomes kinder and Blades is always developing his skills) I love them so much. They’re gonna be great leaders in China and I WISH WE GOT TO SEE THAT.

AAAAA THANK YOU FOR THIS ANON THIS IS BEAUTIFUL 😭❤️❤️❤️🌷✨

Allow me to share my thoughts as well :D

Blades and Heatwave: I agreeeeeee!!!! I feel like Blades looks up to Heatwave and admires his skills, and i wholeheartedly believe he tries his best to make Heatwave proud, something he doesn’t actually need to do, cause Heatwave is already proud of him, HW just never says it outright, but you see it in how protective HW is of Blades and how he’d actually do the things Blades ask him to

Heatwave is protective of all his team, but he’s even extra protective of Blades, their relationship reminds me of the lil bro who gets bullied but keeps it a secert only for the older bro to find out and go beat the shit outta the bullies, getting hurt in the process

You know for a fact HW has been in so many fights just to protect Blades, he probably fought people just for looking Blades the wrong way <3333

Blades definitely imitates HW sometimes, probably without actually realizing it chchhc, that one episode of him trying to act hardcore and slaming his fist on his palm only to go “ow” is so adorable and i wholeheartedly believe he’s trying to act how Heatwave does

The leader role kinda doesn’t fit Blades, cause he doesn’t know how to act when pressured which the leader role is full of, it’s a role with so much responsibility tied to it, not to mention Blades is more of a free spirit, putting him under a restrictive role can inhibit his outta the box thinking and creativity, and that’s why in part i believe he tried to imitate HW, cause HW is an amazing leader and Blades doesn’t exactly know how to lead, so he goes for the next best option, imitating his own great leader <3

That obviously doesn’t mean Blades can’t lead, in fact I wholeheartedly believe he can and would be really great at it, he only needs a bit of time to find his own footing, to find himself in the role and to adapt to it, he’d definitely be a lot more carefree as a leader, a leader who makes his team always feel safe to approach him with any problems they may have and it’s heartwarming to think about :D

I think the fact Blades can adapt to so many things no matter what life throws at him is his greatest strength, so you can imagine my joy when Blades is assigned leader to his own rescue team in China <333

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Blades and Chase: YOU GET ITTTTTT!!!!!!! Their characters balance so well for a variety of reasons cause you have Blades, who’s always anxious and thinks of the worst scenarios that could happen with Chase who’s always calm and thinks logically, which means Chase is the best candidate when it comes to helping Blades deal with his anxiety

Meanwhile you have Blades who understands social situations and innuendos and is very invested in pop culture and you have Chase who literally could never grasp social situations and innuendos for the life of him, and isn’t very good at learning the culture he is in at all, so you have Blades sometimes filling that gap

Their personalities contrast so much and that contrast is what i love the most about their relationship!

Also can I talk about how much I adore how they always take care of each other??? There’s a reason I like to believe these two are Amica Endura!!!! They look out for each other and you can tell they’re really close, they always help each other out and it’s always so damn heartwarming <3333

✨Adhd and Autism solidarity✨

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Blades and Boulder: NO LITERALLY WISH THE SHOW EXPLORED THEIR DYNAMIC MORE!!

They have a lot in common both are artists, one who loves to paint the other loves to make signs and decorations, both love to explore the world, one through learning about the culture and nature, the other through pioneering, and both are very chaotic, these two probably love to go on adventures together sometimes

And as you said, the fact Boulder knows first aid?? He probably got Blades to teach him, i feel like Blades actually tries to let Boulder teach him about engineering too, kinda like listening to each other interests, but the boredom is infinite and his adhd brain can never allow it gugujgvjvj, it probably goes with Boulder talking for hours only for Blades to admit he didn’t get any of it, Boulder completely understands and is happy Blades gives him a chance to ramble regardless <3333

Hope you don’t mind but- *snatches the AuADHD Boulder headcanon* it’s mine now :)

Also can I talk about the fact Blades is good at dancing and Boulder loves dancing but his size doesn’t help? I like to think these two have dancing sessions sometimes!!

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Blades and Graham: AAAH SO REAL!!!! Y’know I love how they have that in common, it makes a great connection point for the two

Blades and Graham aren’t physically strong, but that’s not where their worth or importance lies, Graham’s strength is his brain and his knowledge in engineering, he literally saved the lives of the entire island multiple times due to his input, whether by stopping his family from doing something that could potentially be a disaster or finding the source of what is causing problems to begin with (like finding the source of the earthquakes that were happening because of the speaker in “shake up”

Blades is agile and fast, really light on his feet and while all that’s good this is not what makes him important, what truly counts is his quick thinking and his amazing sense of the situation, he’s creative and that’s important in a rescue team where rescues always take an unexpected turn, his loyalty to the team is boundless and he always does what’s needed of him even when it’s completely outta his expertise, and this might seem strange to say, but his anxiety is actually a good thing, cause he sometimes does bring up really good points, his anxiety make him think of how a scenario can go wrong in so many directions that the team wouldn’t usually think about and asks them out loud, making the team stop and think, and that’s also really important

So when Graham and Blades don’t really realize how their existence is so damn important it hurts my heart, cause their perception of themselves isn’t the best, they think they aren’t as important which isn’t true at all

They both think low of themselves when they fail and it hurts to see cause everyone fails from time to time and that’s ok

I adore these two ughhh 😭❤️🌷✨

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Blades and Kade: TELL ME ABOUT IT CHICCJJV

Like the mere idea of being partners with Kade was completely outta the question for Blades

HW’s and Kade’s personalities clash head on and that’s actually why their dynamic works, an unstoppable force meeting an immovable object, therefore canceling each other

And it’s honestly kinda funny considering how similar HW and Kade are, they obviously differ in some things, but overall their similarities exceed their differences

Yet we see that Blades is very comfortable dealing with HW, but wouldn’t be comfortable dealing with Kade, and i like to believe it’s in part cause Blades can’t handle really intense people like HW and Kade, but can adapt to them if given time, which Blades did have a really long time to adapt to HW but not so much time to adapt to Kade, so dealing with Kade seems like a nightmare, but we see he does consider it when Kade gives a really good idea only for HW to tell him to “think again”

Overall, I think it would’ve been amazing had we gotten an episode in which Blades and Kade worked together, it would’ve probably been a fave hcchchch

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Blades and cody: oooh that’s a nice note, I didn’t really notice that!! Tho i’d say Blades definitely loves Cody and loves to spend time with him, “Virtual disaster” is definitely one of my favorite episodes, and I ADORE Blades’ and Cody’s dynamic in that episode

I feel like Cody and Blades get along so well, and Blades definitely acts like an older bro to Cody

Not to mention Cody seems the best at calming Blades when he’s upset, get his mind off the thing that upset him, like when Dani leaves for her pilot testing and Cody tells him “come on, let’s find enough paint for your sign” and we see how that immediately makes Blades feel a bit better :D

Cody seems to understand that Blades is driven by his emotions and that’s what he focuses on when interacting with Blades, and tbh that’s something I feel like Cody and Blades have in common, they both got really big emotions that require someone to acknowledge, and that’s why Cody always acknowledges Blades’ feelings and vice versa

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Blades and Charlie: I don’t have much to add to what you already said cause that’s literally it hcchchchvjcj

But i’d love to talk about how Charlie seems to entertain Blades’ desires and child like wonder, gives him a chance to explore his world in his own way and helps him live the role <33

Charlie is an amazing dad, both to his biological and Cybertronian kids <333

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Blades and Dani: OH MY FUCKING GOD THEYRE MY FAVORITE PAIR OF PARTNERS!!! And i agree! I think they’re the most developed!

I think Blades’s and Dani’s relationship is the most complex, Dani loves flying, Blades doesn’t, Dani is a risk taker, Blades has saftey as a priority

Their personalities are quite the opposite of each other, but that’s why they work! Blades teaches Dani patience and kindness and Dani teaches Blades to open up more and accept the danger that comes with his work

Their love for each other is literally radiating through space and time zhhxhdh

You can tell Blades becomes really attached to Dani, the episode where Dani goes to space is proof of it, Blades becoming upset at the idea of her leaving is so damn heartbreaking him going “I hate when she leaves” literally tore my heart in two

But what truly gets to me is that by the end of the episode when they have the talk Dani promised? He says “I hope you get it” he’s so supportive of her no matter how much it hurts him or how much he hates the idea of separating

AND I AGREEEE I WISH WE GOT TO SEE THEIR JOURNEY 😭❤️🌷✨

Goddammit I really wanna say more but know when you love something to the point it’s genuinely hard to put into words??? That’s me with Blades’ and Dani’s relationship they’re SO DAMN ADORABLE AND ID DIE FOR THEM

And since words betrayed me here’s one of my favorite scene of them just HSHSHSJHZHSJSJSJSHHSKAKS

———

Damn this got way longer than what I meant for it, hope you enjoyed regardless dhhdhd

#thanks for coming to my ted talk #anothers ask #ano saves asks #rescue bots

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autistichalsin · 7 months ago

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Hello there!

I finally finished reading the new chapter of the fanfic and damn, this is exactly what I needed! I don't know how you did it, but you described that scene perfectly where the Dark Urge wants to kill his lover. Just as I imagined it! Thank you!

Larian, this is how it should be done!

I pray to all the gods that the 7th patch finally adds these scenes.

The dynamic between Kiaran and Halsin is fantastic. Especially the moment when Halsin realizes how well his lover understands and accepts him. Even without words.

Please tell me, did Tanielle and Oliver have some kind of fear when they first met Kiaran? As spirits, I'm sure they have a sense of Bhaal's presence. I am curious about their interactions.

P.S. Good luck with your Master's Degree! You can do it!

Sorry for the late reply!! I am so glad you enjoyed what i wrote (and I do have a prequel in the works where you'll get to see it in full. The delay is mostly because I also include my Astarionmancer Tav, Taviana, in the same universe, and I need to flesh out her character more before i start anything.)

I highly doubt we'll ever get those scenes in canon, sadly. :( I would love it too, but I wouldn't get my hopes up.

I am so glad you love their dynamics! I love writing them SO much. They really need and deserve each other.

Thaniel is a bit frightened of Kiaran at first, until Halsin explains what Kiaran did to save him. Then he gets closer, but he always feels much more a connection to Halsin.

Oliver, though... he and Kiaran understand each other perfectly. They're both 'wrong', both 'unwanted', both have dark parts of them they can't control that others judge them for (sometimes deservedly, sometimes not). They can't fit in properly with others, and the trauma and isolation causes them to lash out at times. When Oliver talks about feeling like no one wants him, only Thaniel, even Halsin has to admit that on some level, he himself was guilty of it- but Kiaran understands, better than anyone, what it's like to feel like your entire existence is a mistake, or even a blight. Oliver gets along with Kiaran even better than Halsin.

#halsin #halsin silverbough #dark urge #the dark urge #thaniel #thaniel and oliver #bg3 #baldur's gate 3 #durgesin

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13eyond13 · 9 months ago

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L and Light for 2 + 3?

L + 2. Favourite canon thing about this character?

Aside from how good he is at pushing Light's buttons (which I mentioned in another ask), I love how extreme his attention to detail is and how he literally never goes easy on Light — I think it's pretty fun both for their dynamic and for the writing that L is almost always putting Light into an ultimate nightmare scenario and not letting even the most microscopic little details slide by unnoticed or unmentioned. Perfect antagonist behaviour, and immensely fun to read

L + 3. Least favourite canon thing about this character?

Aside from the silly "L has an orphanage full of mini Ls in training!" successor arc twist, which I mentioned previously, I think maybe I dislike those rare moments where he contradicts himself in a way that makes me think Ohba just changed his mind about letting something happen, because maybe he wrote himself into a bit of a corner and didn't know what else to do for the plot (it only happens very rarely, but an example I can think of right now is when L told Light it would be nonsense to lock up a suspect who ASKS to be locked up, and then just goes ahead and agrees to it the second time Light asks). Since so much of the appeal of his character is how stubborn and usually correct he is, it just takes away a little of the gravitas of his decisions to show him going back on his word without a good reason that way

LIGHT + 2. Favourite canon thing about this character?

I LOVE the setup for how and why he starts using the notebook in the first place in the manga! Picking it up and thinking it's a silly fake prank, yet using it of his own free will with nobody tempting/coaxing/tricking him into it... testing it out on people he was raised to see as an inherently lesser and expendable category of human being... then being horrified by the realization that he now fits that category of people he sees as so worthless and despicable himself, so he finds a way to twist it into something heroic instead... then finding that this notebook is the perfect enrichment for his enclosure he's been craving, and helping solve some of the boredom and loneliness he's felt by drawing people of a similar intelligence and mindset to him... then being brought onto the investigation team of trying to solve his own case with his dad, the one person on the planet he probably looks up to and fears disappointing the most... It's so perfectly orchestrated to be this absolute snare of circumstances and possible motives that makes it nearly impossible to reduce to only one or the other reason for doing what he does

LIGHT + 3. Least favourite canon thing about this character?

There aren't too many things I'd change about him or about his writing as a character, actually? Hahaha idk like I know he's a bastard, but he's a pretty excellently written bastard to me!

[character ask meme]

#light yagami #l lawliet #ask #anon #p #thx!#death note

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not-too-many-eyes · 2 months ago

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ezra theodore for the character ask game!

Thank you Very Much :)

favorite thing about them

I love it every time Ezra is being an insensitive autistic boy white knighting too close to the sun, and when he shows his rigid beliefs and kinda conservative values lol. I love how he just- fucking calls Dessert Flannel Hysterical because "arcanists are more prone to hysteria and delusion"

And his stubbornness when Spathodea is understandably upset at him for making plans to "renovate" an IMPORTANT SPIRITUAL, CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL place for arcanists without asking her first. Like, it's so funny. He thinks he's being so reasonable and then you look and he's being stubborn about it in his room cause "he was just helping why didn't she understand :(" he needs to be beaten with hammers.

I also just like his justice sensitivity a lot. That one post that goes "justice sensitivity isn't an immediately a good thing" guy is out here scaling a mountain for a flower that'll be a symbol of hope because he read it in a book when he was younger cause he's depressed about the state of the world. Before turning around and saying that he "fits human stereotypes" because he doesn't understand humor. No Self Awareness. I love him.

least favorite thing about them

It's when they try to play up his "He's a sweet angel who just wants to help" without any of the spice that makes him fun to watch lol. I liked his character story because it's just full of Ezra being incredibly funny but I dislike how much it leaned into the idea he's a sweet angle who can do no wrong.

favorite line

Oh that's hard hm...tie between this

Because it's really funny to me that this implies Ezra thinks he's one of the most stereotypical human human to ever exist...while he's climbing a dangerous mountain on his own. Like he's out here being like "I'm the most stereotypical normal human" and then three scenes later he's taking experimental possibly deadly drugs to get a flower. Like. Boy- His greetings line is also really funny:

Please be careful. I'm collecting the spores on the mushroom canopy. Even the slightest breath will blow them all over the place … The last thing I want to see is mushrooms growing all over the neat suitcase. I mean, I love mushrooms, but … we have to keep it moderate.

Cause we know for a Fact he's not keeping it moderate. Spathodea Bond: Night:

Hey, hey! Wake up, Vertin, wake up! I was sleeping in my room and started to sneeze like crazy, and then I saw something pop into the window… It's mushrooms! From Ezra's room! They have filled up his room already and are still multiplying! We gotta do something, or the suitcase will become a mushroom garden!

This also implies that the mushrooms in Ezra's room are growing uncontrolled and unfettered. This kid's room is a biohazard. It's really funny to me.

brOTP

This would be Contamination OCD exposure therapy. My friend has to listen to me infodump about this every 2 weeks without stop. I'm hoping for more crumbs of them because I cannot get their dynamic out of my head. I keep on wanting to Draw Mesmer Jr-Ezra Mezmerizer with Ezra as Miku and Mesmer Jr as Teto. I think this says everything about how I perceive them.

OTP

nOTP

random headcanon

Technically him having autism is a hc so that I guess that- for a more fun elaboration on that. I think he's undiagonised and he's going to remain undiagionised until he starts to realize that most humans don't actually function like he does. Otherwise he's just going to "But I'm a perfectly normal human?" It.

unpopular opinion

...Does he have enough fans that unpopular opinions can form? Idk, I don't find the Medpoc-Ezra Dynamic too fun ig but that might be because I've been too focused on him and Mesmer lol.

song i associate with them

Hm...haven't been able to think of one (I have tried though) Maybe Heat Abnormal cause he seems like a Heat Abnormal kid but that doesn't feel quite right.

favorite picture of them

Without spoiling Patch 2.1 because my actual favorite is from there cause he looks so silly it's his Insight 2:

I just really like how he looks here.

#asks #ask game #reverseblogging

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hijinks-n-lowjinks · 2 months ago

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Idk if you’ve already made a list or whatnot but do you have like a top 10 fav ships? From any media or anything, like all time

I'm always happy to blabber about former/current hyperfixations so this question is perfect. This is in no particular order except for the first one, they will always be my #1:

kyoru (Kyo Sohma/Tohru Honda) from Fruits Basket: The 👏🏻 ship 👏🏻 ever 👏🏻 They invented love, their relationship has the perfect development and resolution, they truly love and understand each other and have such amazing character arcs both individually and together. Kyo's realization that he loves Tohru is my favorite episode in the entire show and it's constantly on repeat in the back of my mind: "She didn't erase all my pain or offer to solve all my problems. She didn't fix what was broken, but that's not what I needed anyway. What mattered most was that she stayed."

hualian (Hua Cheng/Xie Lian) from TGCF: Another couple that invented love. I sprinted through these books while season 2 was being animated and the absolute faith and trust those two have in each other is unparalleled. "What matters is you, not the state of you" has been imprinted on my brain. I cried so many times while reading these books, they were amazing, definitely one of my favorite stories ever.

mikayuu (Mika/Yuu Hyakuya) from Seraph of the End: These boys... I'm still actively reading the chapters from this manga despite having no fuckin clue what's going on with the plot all because I'm so invested in these boys. Devoted to each other since they were kids, the epitome of "I'd burn down the world to save you". Everything they do is for each other, they are always each other's first choice in everything. And we got a canon confession which is insane to me. I'll never be over them.

satosugu (Gojo Satoru/Geto Suguru) from JJK: Probably the ship that makes me the most emotional in the worst way. I'm a sucker for a good tragedy and those two fit the mold perfectly. The absolute love they have for each other even after they've split makes me so emotional. If you don't see their relationship as romantic idk what to tell you, you're just blind. Jjk 0 and the Gojo being sealed are two scenes that fuck me up each time without fail. I could rave about them for hours.

itafushi (Itadori Yuuji/Fushiguro Megumi) from JJK: The boys I'm best known for. Now, I enjoyed them as a ship from the beginning but it wasn't a true "they're everything to me" until the Itadori Extermination Arc. Yuuji's "you'll only be hurt if you're with me" and Megumi's "start by saving me" had me GAGGED. That's when I really started to pay attention and went back and became extremely invested instead of a casual enjoyer. They've always done their best to watch each other's backs and stick together. 216 fucked me up SO BAD, and everything Yuuji has done since them is to try and get Megumi back. They love each other so much, they are the parallel to stsg that will make it. I don't know how anyone can read the manga and not see how much they love each other.

bellarke (Bellamy Blake/Clarke Griffin) from The 100: This was my SHIP back in high school. I was obsessed with The 100 back in the day and these two were everything to me. Enemies to friends to lovers is my favorite dynamic, and these two fit that bill perfectly. Everything about their relationship was so perfectly set up for them to be endgame and yet the writing for the last few seasons was SO FUCKING BAD that I couldn't even watch the last season. From what I hear, they totally switched up Bellamy's character and he switched up on Clarke so quickly when he's always been her #1 supporter after they became friends. Their friendship was my favorite thing about the show, they truly were each other's right-hand man and constantly looked out for each other. Still pissed about what we could have had.

akiangel (Aki Haykawa/Angel Devil) from Chainsaw Man: Another tragic ship. I cannot wait to see these two animated together. I binge read all of Chainsaw Man (which was like 98 chapters at the time?) in two days and it rewired my brain. The staunch hatred/dislike of each other's kind out of principle to slowly realizing that they actually do care about each other was so good. They have such a subtle chemistry and relationship, it was one of my favorites in the series. Aki reaching out a hand to save Angel and them holding onto each other during the Bomb Girl Arc is probably my favorite scene in the entire manga, I can't wait for them to get their flowers once it's animated.

tododeku (Shouto Todoroki/Izuku Midoriya) from MHA: Narrative foils. What more can I say. These two have so many parallels in their arcs and have such a great relationship. Idk how this ship isn't more popular with how healthy their relationship is and how it started off with such strife. Deku also means so much to Todoroki and you can see that throughout the entire series that their friendship means the world to him. They give each other such a good support system, I adore them.

bokuaka (Bokuto Koutarou/Akaashi Keiji) from Haikyuu: Simp behavior, the both of them. You don't really see it initially, but these two are obsessed with each other. The Fukurodani v Mujinazaka game was so incredible for diving into their characters and relationship more! Finding out that Akaashi only came to Fukurodani because he saw a cute jock play ONE game was so funny because you don't expect him to be a love at first sight character in the slightest. He and Bokuto work so well together, they balance each other out and understand each other on such a deep level, you can't convince me they aren't in love. They bring out the best in each other and know how to get the other out of their head.

zelink (Princess Zelda/Link) from Legend of Zelda: This is specifically going to be focused on botw/totk zelink because those are the games where their relationship is explored the most, but MY GOD. Those two make me weak. Link is just this autistic/selectively mute dude who's just trying to do his job and Zelda is so jealous of his freedom and ease of being able to do his assigned role without trouble that seeing the development of their friendship/relationship through the memories was my favorite part of the game. Their bond is so strong, they truly become each other's biggest link in the chain of their support system. Totk in particular made me cry multiple times because of the tragedy of realizing what happened to Zelda that imagining what Link must be feeling upon the discovery fucks me up. They never stop fighting to protect each other and never lose faith in each other.

#wayyyyyy more information than you asked for but I love yapping on about things I love so here you go #thank you for the ask!!!! this was sooooo fun!!!!#jinx answers #jinx talks

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noodleblade · 1 year ago

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Tfp arcee for the character ask thingy????

lets goooooo! I think this has to be like my 8th tfp one lol

First impression: cool robot woman??? COOL ROBOT WOMAN??????? um hi ;----;

Impression now: kind of wish tfp gave her a little more emotional closure. maybe my memory is really truly awful (despite rewatching it currently) but I feel like she deserved a more concise, deeper ending to her dealing with her grief and anger. I'm obsessed with the choice to make her so bitter and angry. I feel like we don't often see angry women without them being trivialized and made to get over it within like the first couple of episodes. I just wish her arc carried more weight by the end but I think I feel that with every tfp character at this point.

Favorite moment: her dressing down Smokescreen. it was so fitting for her character and I love any time the autobots show a shred of dysfunction and not perfectly melding. I think it just really worked for both of them:3

Idea for a story: ;-----; i remember a while ago reading a fic that had her and Knock Out teaming up to go kill Airachnid. I loved it sm much I would want something similar to that. Her teaming up with an unlikely ally to go and deal with her grief but finding companionship on the way. I'd also love a fic where she takes Miko under her wing for a little one-off:3

Unpopular opinion: idk if this is an unpopular opinion but i really didn't care for her being an allegory or secondary mom for Jack. Maybe because she was one of the few women in the show? but i instantly get a little put out when women's roles in media are delegated to their relationship with men (romantic/familial/platonic). js.

Favorite relationship: Her scenes with Airachnid always had me going o-oh! O--O! I loved the dynamic and their fights and ughhhhh ;----;. also ngl, I loved her scenes with Starscream too:) Her easy friendship with Bulkhead was also very nice to see ;---;

Favorite headcanon: Despite losing her partners and deciding to wall herself in emotionally, I love the idea of her still craving companionship and seeking it out without really realizing it. Shooting the shit with Bulkhead, taking long winding drives with Bee, debating nonsense with Ratchet, sparring with Smokescreen, watching over Jack. Idk she walls her self off emotionally but it seeps out of her because at the end of the day, she does love her friends and family and she needs them.

#arcee #tfp #transformers #anonymous #character ask game #the inbox has been CLEARED

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greenhikingboots · 1 year ago

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Ship Game. Answer with a GIF. No repeats. 1. First Ship I thought long and hard about it, and I think my first ship must have been Mulan and Li from Disney’s Mulan. The movie came out when I was just old enough to start thinking critically about movies, noticing what I liked and didn’t like. And I realized I really, really liked Mulan and Li as individual characters, but I didn’t like that we didn’t get to see them fall in love — just the spark of something starting at the end of the movie. I think it was the first time I daydreamed about different scenarios that could have played out between them, which is basically the foundation of fanfiction, right? So…. count it!

2. First OTP This has to be Draco and Hermione (Dramione) from Harry Potter. This is the ship that got me into reading fanfiction and actually engaging in fandom spaces. Unfinished fics still haunt my Google Docs, and I hope one day I’m going to come back to this ship and finish them. Basically, I love thinking about Draco’s possible redemption arc and I love that a relationship with Hermione helps explore and enhance it. Oh, and the angst!

3. Current Favorite Sydney and Carmen from The Bear. It took until the end of the most recent season for the appeal to sink in, and I’d like to see more positive moments between them before romantic feelings solidify. But I think they’ve got a great foundation. Plenty of conflict, sure, but relationship experts say the frequency of conflicts and the subject matter of conflicts aren’t what indicate success in relationships. It’s all about how conflicts are repaired. And I LOVE the way they do repairs together. So vulnerable. So willing to accept responsibility and try to change. Looking forward to their development in future seasons.

4. Shipped From the First Minute Josh and Donna from The West Wing. I watched this show way after it ended and found myself just wanting more and more of them. Like, they could have been the main characters instead of having an ensemble cast and I would have been perfectly content. Playful banter right off the bat. She keeps him in line. He’d be lost without her. They’re both smitten but dammit they work at the White House and that means they have to keep things professional. The pining! Do yourself a favor and go watch YouTube videos of just them. You won’t regret it.

5. Wish They’d Been Endgame I’m putting Jon and Sansa (Jonsa) here so that I have a sensible spot left for other ships. I do believe they’ll be endgame in the books, if we ever get them, so this answer is for Game of Thrones specifically. We’ve all read, reblogged, and probably written a few of our own posts about how many different ways the show went sideways. I have nothing new to say here and to recap previous thoughts would take way too many paragraphs. Jon, Sansa, and the Stark legacy all deserved so much better. That’s the short of it.

6. Wish They’d Been Canon As some other answers hint at, I typically empathize with writers’ choices even if they don’t fit my personal preference. So it was hard to think of a couple that wasn’t canon but I truly thought should have been from a cohesive narrative perspective. Maybe Caleb and Maeve from Westworld? This show went more and more off the rails with each season, so a lot more than ship dynamics would have to change to redeem it in my opinion. And I definitely wouldn’t want Caleb to have been unfaithful to his wife. But they showed us such a stronger bond between him and his daughter and between him and Maeve compared to him and his wife that, like…. maybe his wife shouldn’t have even been a character? Write her out completely, as early as possible? And then that strong partnership between Caleb and Maeve could have been something even more? Yep, that would have been better.

7. You Like But Most of Fandom Hates Do people *hate* Jacob and Bella (Jella) from Twilight? I don’t know, but I like it 100 times more than Bella and Edward, and I think that’s probably pretty uncommon. Actually, in my college public speaking class, we had an assignment where we had to have a partner and write persuasive speeches from opposing views. And I was like, “Who wants to be my partner and have fun with this by debating Twilight ships?” I compared Jella against serious research about successful relationships and ACED IT. My instructor liked my speech so much she asked me to give it a second time to another class she taught while she recorded it. I would pay money to be able to track down a copy of that. A+ work.

8. Don’t Even Watch But Ship Them Anyway Eddie and Chrissy (HellCheer) from Stranger Things. Opposites attract? Grumpy sunshine appearing but maybe not really? Outcast boy and popular girl? A ship name that isn’t about their names? DOOMED BY THE NARRATIVE? What’s not to love, you know? Plus, this ship’s fans make amazing art! And if I remember correctly, it loosely inspired a Jonsa AU fic I really enjoyed, lounge act.

9. Wish They’d Had a Different Storyline Stefan and Caroline (Steroline) from the Vampire Diaries. I’ve only dabbled in this fandom, but it seems like Klaus and Caroline (Klaroline) is a much more popular ship. They had great chemistry, so I get the appeal. But the surface-level unrequited crush to reluctant mentor/mentee to genuine friends to platonic soulmates to lovers slow burn of Steroline is just chef's kiss. But then — spoiler alert — right after they get married, Stefan sacrifices himself so his brother and ex-girlfriend can be together? From a writer’s perspective, I get that ending. Full circle, brotherly love, blah blah blah. But I liked Stefan and Caroline so much more than Damon and Elena and would have rather seen the former couple get the happy ending.

10. Favorite that was Endgame Coach Eric Taylor and his wife Tami Taylor from Friday Night Lights. Do they count? They were together the entire series and had few serious marital conflicts. So there was never any threat of being something other than endgame. But I’m picking them anyway. I love their classic bickering like an old married couple and the way they still lust for each other after so many years. And I love, love, love that the series finale ended with them making a move that was more for her career than his. Relationship goals.

#ship game #dramione #jonsa #jella #carmen x sydney #josh x donna #coach x tami #maeve x caleb #steroline #mulan #hellcheer

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whiskyblu · 10 months ago

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Ok the fuckboy allegations agains Jae eon are making more sense.

Ep 2 starts with Na Bi and Jae On about to kiss under a tree, then he gets a call, and has to leave.

Enter Best Girl Bit Na trying to explain to Na Bi

“Flowers don’t bloom for just one butterfly….he’s like a flower, a symbol of seductive beauty that withers once its plucked…and you don’t know how to keep things casual.”

And now that Na Bis been warned, Best Girl Bit Na proceeds to support and enable Na Bi to have as many orgasms as possible before she gets her heart broken.

And thats when I realized, I’m the fuckboi here. Like I’m pretty sure most of the people calling JaeOn a fuckboy would say the same about me because, while I’m not Song Kang Hot (bc really who tf is?) or as calculated about it as Jae On, that’s pretty much how I relationship. Like a neighborhood cat that wanders from house to house, no one knows who it technically belongs to, but everyone lets it in their house, feeds it, loves it, and lets it back out when its ready. If this dynamic does not spark joy in you, I’m probably not a good fit lol

Bit Na gets demoted from best girl to fuck girl for a bullshit speech about how men and women can’t be friends. -.-

Ok here’s where I get annoyed with jae eon, dude takes Na bi to a club, and she clearly hates it and has her ears covered and wants to leave. And he just acts cute and gently manipulates her into dancing with him and ‘having fun in spite of herself” cuz she’s so into him. Both cheesy and obnoxious. If it’s not fuck yea, it’s no my dude. In everything else as in sex.

Ok this part is dumb, too.

Nabi walks out of the club to meet Jae eon, who’s smoking outside. A girl gets to JE before Nabi does and clearly knows him, asks if he wants to come hang out with them, asks if he’s with anyone. A perfectly reasonable friendly interaction.

Nabi gets all sad and insecure, and Jae Eon…he reacts the way an insecure mono person would want him too, but it’s rude and stupid. He like. Looks at NaBi, looks kind of annoyed and nervous, and then puts an arm around NaBi and is all “i’m with her you can hang out without.” Girl suggests they can all hang out together, NaBi is like “no I can leave its fine!” -.-

Like. The appropriate way to handle that interaction is to be friendly, introduce everyone “i’m here with this person to night, we’re gonna hang out on our own. See you next time!” and everyone fucks off their separate ways.

But no. it’s all…tense and dumb.

Ok so I left a thing out. Theres this butterfly theme in the show. NaBi, I think, means butterfly, or sounds like butterfly in korean. JE has a Thing for butterflies. Like a cat lady, but butterflies. And the first time NaBi and Jae Eon met, he beat her at darts, and “the winner grants the loser a wish.” His wish was to draw a butterfly on her forearm in marker. Very cute, she didn’t wash it off, blah blah.

When he saw her again, he was like “oh its still there, it’s water based marker it should be gone by now.”

So, enter Random Club Girl, she’s got the same butterfly on her arm and its fresh. So, you know. More insecurity for NaBi

NaBi asks about the butterfly and he’s like “she did that on her own, she must’ve wanted to see how I’d react…she was a little obsessed with me and delusional.”

Squints ok yellow flag. That could be true. Or bullshit. Or “she wanted to date and I didn’t and then she wouldn’t leave me alone.” All plausible, but kinda shady. So, point in the fuckboy column.

The green flag, tho. Is that dude communicates. Addresses the situation head on, checks in. Asks here ‘hey why’d you try to ditch me?” and then proceeds to be reassuring and. You know. Normal about it. MonoNabi is unconvinced, and I am annoyed.

UGH fucking ji wan again. “Sol! Your so pretty! Even your eyebrows!” *pets eyebrows* “so what are we doing for lunch?”

Being closeted sucks. Oblivious straight girls suck, even when they are less straight than pre-gay.

Sidebar. Deeply fucking annoying thing in both kdrama and us stuff: character has some completely insignificant owie, and the other person fusses like they’ve broken an ankle. Bitch it’s a papercut, calm down.

Anyway, like that, and PJ being overly concerned is the thing that makes her think “yeah, no, I gotta nip this in the bud”

-.- Maybe I’m just too old for tv that doesn’t have monsters in it.

*a bunch of unnecessary angst about completely normal dating behavior*

…and then it gets gross. He messages her a lot and she ignores him, and angsts, and has a sex dream about him. Which. I mean. Fair.

Then she’s in class with him, and she has a Period disaster, so she starts acting uncomfortable and tries to escape, he goes to check on her-and notices she's trying to cover up her butt. So he just wraps a shirt around her waist.

Yeah, total fuck boy *eyeroll*

And then later when GoodFriend BitNa is trying to talk NaBi down from getting her heart broken she’s like:

“The things that make you feel special probably mean nothing to him. He’s nice to everyone without exception.”

DUDE.

He’s perfect. Why? Whis is this a problem? I’m so confused. The only ML with zero red flags and HE’S a fuckboy in a toxic situationship?

MAKE IT MAKE SENSE.

There’s another drunk college kids party, and it gets a little. People hang out at Na bis house, everyone scatters for a minute (cue some cute shit) and Na Bi seek Jae eon kissing one of the other girls

Ok, this part is gross. As soon as he sees NaBi, and tells the other girl “go back inside, I gotta make a phone call” and makes a very sincere-seeming, direct bid to be kissing NaBi instead instead…and she wipes the other girls lipstick off of him and kisses him.

Now I’ve got some fuckin feelings.

Like. He says something dumb like “oh, nbd, the girl just wanted to try kissing, I’d rather be kissing you.”

So like. Man is either a supervillain, ho edition, and is trying to see how far he can push her, or…idek.

Like. He’s obviously trying to persuade her to become part of the rotation, which is valid. But this just seems fuckin disrespectful to both of them.

Except if I was flirting with someone at a party, and saw him kissing someone else, it wouldn’t bother me. I mean, ok yes, I’m a human person who gets jealous but…not angry or disapproving. More like “ooh i wanna be smooching them too, get it, girl” you know? Like it wouldn’t bother me to be one of a few people making out with him in one night.

I miiight even feel weird to watch him ditch her to come make out with me?

Im also established enm, and very open about it so…different dynamics.

This is me being genuinely annoyed at our boy for the first time

#nevertheless #nevertheless ep2 #review #rewatch #spoilers #ohgodi'mafuckboi #the reason i get all offended on his behalf #is that he relationships just like me #recap

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ofskellingtcns · 1 year ago

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𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐭 — favorite characters I play / played ; play

so i did the math and over the course of ten years here at walt I've played 26 characters. not including mickey, scar or next gen babies ( because if I had to count my kids from beyond the grave we'd be here forever ) THATS A LOT. now I have ten ( nine active ) and I'm like wow !! how do I pinpoint a favorite !! i love all my characters. asking me to pick my favorite character is like asking me to pick my favorite kid. I won't do it for the present gen but for next gen I say with my whole chest it's josh. this is my current favorite roster of characters I play. whether it's because of their story, connections or because they hold a special place in my heart these are my top four. it would have been top three but the PSD I used had 8 slots so top four for present and next gen let's goooo.

jasper skellington

jasper is the most complex character i have ever written and created. for that I'm very protective of him because, like jack skellington as a whole, he can easily be misunderstood. i can't continue talking about him without thanking bee for creating a character with such love and depth and bea for taking orion and pushing my creativity because her idea for what orion framed jasper for was the catalyst to a lot of jasper's development. listen, I love my bone man. he's one of the more stressful characters I play but writing him often pushes me out of my comfort zone and forces me to use my creative muscles. i noticed long ago that I had a habit of picking up characters who were human and didn't have powers or if they did, I didn't mention it often. jasper is the first non-human character I've played. and let me tell you I've ran with it. creating what a skeleton monster is has been great. I've had a lot of fun developing lore for hallow falls, the skellington lore, what being a skeleton monster means for jasper and what being a skellington means for him. you know, his story is the story of what happens to a good person when they're finally pushed too far. exploring the fine line between revenge and redemption has been interesting. if I had to pick one piece of media that perfectly encompasses him it would be taylor swift's album reputation. the entire album. like there's not a song from it that doesn't fit him in some way. on her rep tour, one quote was "and in the death of her reputation she truly felt alive" and that's jasper. he had to kill his old self to survive and the loss of what he was to the town has allowed him freedom. i mean not really with orion's shenanigans but eventually when it's all said and done jasper will get the peace he's sought after. again, I love the complex dynamics between him and other characters, the development that he will go through during the amulet plot and just jasper as a whole. I'm very thankful that one day I decided I wanted to play him. it'll be a year soon that I've had him and I haven't known peace since.

leonardo hamato

listen i don't remember what life was like before I had leo. suddenly one day I had him and now he's just part of me. realizing I was indeed the blue turtle was a wild discovery but one I am very happy for. leo is now what wally was once to me. he is the muse I pour most of myself into. where I begin and he ends is a very thin line. like jasper, I have enjoyed world-building with leo. Much love, care and time have been put into the hamato-verse. i am thankful every day to have tori, mike and bee with me as my red, orange and purple. we do indeed share one brain-cell. I've gone above and beyond with leo as a character. from his mutations and what would be left behind from it, researching red ear sliders, what traits he would take on from his turtle DNA ( the amount of research and analysis videos I've watched is silly. i didn't do this much research in school for fun ), and how that would affect him in the long run, the hamato ninpo and what that means for him and his powers and trying to mesh all these turtle media together to bring to life a character that is reminiscent of the past leo's we've seen but also making him my own. i enjoy the journey he goes on from an insecure leader thrust into a position he didn't ask for to the wise sensei we all know. ( and yes he is a snitch in the future. he doesn't care he's 44. he's too damn old for his brothers to be acting a fool. he's letting splinty know the buffoonery that happens. ). i definitely have put a lot of love and time into him in the short amount of time I've had him. like sometimes I just talk about him and I just cry because I love him so much. again, he's a character that has pushed me out of my comfort with writing. i have made myself cry many times with his replies because I just don't know when to shut up with all this inner dialogue. i love leo, I love the hamato brothers, i love the future hamatos, I love the extended hamato family and i just love turtles.

reagan cymbeline

my angel ! my baby ! my sunshine ! we know what tangled and rapunzel means to me. the fact it took me until 2019 to take her up. FOUL. CRIMINAL. i love reagan so much. to have the opportunity to play a character that means so much to me I can't put into words how that feels. I'm lucky to have such an amazing flynn rider ( literally when I tell you I could have not asked for a better eugene. like tiff is a god sent. an angel. the better half of new dream ) to bounce off of and bring blondie to life with. like leo, reagan is another facet of me. rapunzel is a character that I hold near and dear to me. she is the character I see myself most in. literally people see tangled things and tell me they thought of me. that's how intertwined we are. so to bring her to life has been so much fun and like LOWKEY cathartic. her story had taken twists and turns ( hi benny ) but I am very excited to delve more into tangled lore, play out big plot points and have her reach her life after happily ever after.

wally axiom

i played wally from when i was 15 to 25. that is many seasons of life. that's a long ass time to play one character consecutively. my brain fully developed while I played them. there is a frontal lobe now. for ten years they were the character that meant everything to me. they were the character that I pour so much of my soul into. they were the character everyone knew me by. wally and I we've been through it together. we've seen some things, we've experienced some things. some were great. others things... not so much. i am very proud of the journey they have gone on. an ending I wish to have myself one day of happiness, growth, and fulfilled dreams. i know they're happy somewhere in retirement with their lovely boyfriend and wonderful kids. AND YOU KNOW WHAT IT'S WHAT THEY DESERVE.

joshua axiom-hawkins

i already said josh was my favorite child and i stand by that. he was my first next-gen baby. the first baby to be born in the present gen. MY first baby to be born in present gen. he's gonna be nine in September. jim and wally have a whole nine-year-old. that's crazy. like the fact, I know when he's born is foolery. ( it's September 12, 2014 ). I've enjoyed exploring him through his adolescence and adulthood. i love that he now has fight club to be part of, I've love expanding on that and his life with dante. and also he has like a great dad. give it up for great dads. jim hawkins you will always be famous. i love josh so much. like that's my baby fr.

wesley skellington

my favorite child of next-gen that's not josh title bounces around with each next gen. for some time now wes has held that title. i get emotional every time I think about wes is the part of jasper that died that gets to live on. jasper gets to protect his younger self in a way that he wasn't and have his son grow up in love. he's gone through many changes in these last few months. he is not the wes you all saw last next gen. I'm very excited to reintroduce him to you when the time comes. i love his thirst for knowledge and to dismantle the skellignton patriarchy, his devotion to his family and though he is a genius, dare he say ( and emphasis on he ) the smartest in his family man does some headass shit and I love him. he is indeed my favorite menace to society. wes & harry u own my heart.

caspian mcqueen

my favorite scallywag. i love caspian. idk what else to say. like he held that second favorite title for so long before wes was born. he's the first character I had to really have powers when we decided to add a magical element to walt. I've enjoyed curating what it means to have these ghost abilities and how he fits into his giant family with them. caspian is the odd one out because of his powers and it's an interesting dynamic to explore, especially because he has a big family. so there are many moving parts. then you add on extended family and PHEW. that and having a famous race car driver for a dad and a pirate turned adventurer for a mother it's all fun to explore. he might live in a world with powers and magic but he was made to feel like a freak because his powers were paranormal and supernatural so having to deal with that truth has been fun for me. i love his silly band, I love his relationship with hallie ( they're happy somewhere on their ship hehe ), I love his bromance with davu and he's really grown up a lot in the four years I've had him. so like I'm proud of him fr.

fox jones

i don't play many villains or mean characters most of the time. in my roster, there are three and fox is one of them. i gave him a tragic ass backstory because I was left to my own devices. now I have this feral bastard. playing out his story of overcoming your circumstances and not letting them taint you forever has been one I've enjoyed. he's not a villain he's just a boy. a boy who needed love and he found it in his family and in stefan. when jean and I were talking about sereddy's future and their kids her saying that serena knew that their kids were meant for them really fucking got me. so to play with that idea and for fox to begin in a place with such hostility to now be raised in love, it makes me weepy because serena and freddy had it HARD growing up ( part of the my dad sucks club you know ) so their kids know nothing but love. it's a hard adjustment for him but you know it's called growth baby. he's getting there. he's pretty, he's feisty and I love coming up with dumb comebacks for him. he's had some iconic one-liners over the years.

#watask

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argentoheart · 1 year ago

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i just watched the mlb movie and i have THINGS to say. this is gonna be veeery rambly so pardon in advance.

Also be warned, this contains spoilers (not to much in the first part, but at the bottom) (long post so i'm cutting it)

First things first!! I absolutely loved the animation, it's really good and the backgrounds and settings felt so real and alive! (and there are actual people walking the streets of Paris A WIN!) Plus the characters felt, again, so alive and realistic! They're all pretty, and I love the expressions they make, they're not overly exaggerated like in the series and I think it just fits better with the story and visuals in this case. I HAVE to mention Chloè, my girl was looking so pretty and gorgeous, like i'm sorry that's my child i will love her forever and i don't care they discarded her redemption arc, she has one IN MY HEART you cannot change my mind!! and i appreciated Sabrina a lot more, that too, she's kinda nice.

Marinette was actually just awkward and clumsy without being borderline a stalker and i love her so much, i really really like this Marinette, she's nice and sweet and has actual development and growth that feels realistic.

Adrien was even more different than his show counterpart but honestly? he's such a lovable boy here too! it felt like they were trying to incorporate more of his chatnoir-esque sides into the og Adrien, and i think it balances perfectly.

I really ADORED how they managed the dynamic between Ladybug and Chatnoir, it was cute, fun and full of tension, I wish we could've seen more of them being kind of frenemies in the show, it really builds up their relationship better and who doesn't love rivals to lovers?

The Adrienette dynamic was cute too, i feel like Marinette being less "crazy" was the best choice to push their relationship forward without making it look forced or rushed. Very very nice!!!

As for Plagg and Tikki i don't really know how I feel about them? Like Plagg was barely in the movie and he didn't do much other than eating, farting and complaining he was hungry (seriously, movie?). I don't want to say he's completely different from show Plagg, but I feel like they didn't do him justice. Tikki, well, I liked her. Definitely less sensible than show Tikki, but I still think it makes sense for her to be a little reckless, she's literally the kwami of creation, she probably thinks she can fix anything if it goes wrong (and that would also be kinda right, sooo).

I actually also liked Gabriel for a change, too. It reminded my of early seasons Gabriel, with all his humanity and just wanting his wife back, and not just the villain who's evil just for the sake of evilness. They brought him back as a three-dimensional with a purpose and regrets. I truly believe this is what Gabriel should've always been.

I am very confused about Emilie's body being there, i thought the movie was a one-shot, but it feels like this is a tie for a sequel maybe?

Also i was wondering why Marinette never used her lucky charm in the beginning only to realize she doesn't have that power here LMAO

NOW TO THE JUICY PART

THE LOVE SQUARE WAS RESOLVED

I couldn't believe my eyes, I was in SHOCK when i realized Marinette saw Chatnoir without his mask and heard him call Gabriel dad and I literally thought nothing was gonna come out of it because it felt impossible BUT THEN she goes and calls his Chatnoir during the ball and reveals herself and I really didn't think we were gonna make it this far tbh adskdsdfh i was squealing and just rejoycing.

Then they still robbed me of the kiss. WHY MUST I ALWAYS SUFFER AT THE HAND OF THIS SHOW WHY

Overall I LOVED the movie, the only thing i didn't really like was the songs. Don't get me wrong, they're good songs and i actually really like some of them, but it just felt like there were way too many and interrupted the flow of the show in awkward places. So it's a meh, I think the movie could've done with less songs, but it still was very enjoyable, and as I said I very much liked it.

#i ramble #miraculous #miraculous: ladybug & cat noir the movie #ladybug & cat noir the movies spoilers #miraculous movie spoilers #mlb movie spoilers

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zepskies · 7 months ago

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Aww I'm so glad to hear that, because I love every time I get to come back to the BMD-verse! 💓💓 Very excited to dive into your thoughts here.~

I've said it before but I love what you've created with the BMD verse and especially how you've captured Ben as a nuanced character.

Thank you so much. 🥹🥹 I try my best to give Ben a new angle of growth and dimension every time I write a new chapter of the BMD world, but also for the reader as well! Neither of them are perfect, which you so aptly pointed out here.

Ben should not be dictating (or in this case implying) what the reader should be doing with regards to her job.

Neither of them are completely right in this argument, but neither are they completely wrong (my favorite kinds of arguments and conflicts to create between these two, or of any conflict I try to write). Thank you for seeing both sides of it. While you understand Ben's POV of wanting to do what he can to protect his family, he's not entirely going about it the right way. Because damn right, his wife is a badass, and he should know very well by now.

But, his later points that "just being near him is dangerous" to her will especially call back to Wake Me Up, when that mini series comes out in May lol.

At the same time, it's not right for the reader to assume he's "stuck in the past," because she knows damn well that he's grown a lot since she first met him. In her defensiveness, she's not properly "hearing" him.

I thought it was very interesting you included how Lila got scared of Ben shouting during their argument. I think a lot of us that grew up in a two parent household can remember when we heard our dads got loud when we were little and we all had similar reactions of I don't like this loud noise.

Yeah, this aspect of the story came from my own experience, unfortunately. Not when I was that young, but there was a lot of verbal conflict and arguments in my house growing up.

And the whole idea that sparked Calculated Risks was trying to think of a situation in which the more unsavory parts of Ben's personality (in this case his temper) got the best of him, and sparked fear in his own daughter. How would he deal with that? And how would he have to self-reflect on his behavior? That growth will benefit him later on when he has a son. Hopefully by then, he won't be so quick to say "just toughen up, kid. Don't be a crybaby."

(Ha! He really is wrapped around Lila's finger. 😂)

I love how with the bad guy escaping, fighting the reader and grabbing Lila kind of proved Ben's point of it not being safe BUT he never explicitly states that despite all that, the reader should stay home from then on. He let's HER make that decision for herself and despite it being what Ben may have ultimately wanted, I really like that she got there on her own without him pushing her in the end.

That's exactly it!!! That's what I was going for with the whole Slingshot episode. It proved his point about her working for the S.A., but still, he knew he wasn't going to be able to make the decision for her. And she ultimately realized where he was coming from in order to find a solution they could both live with in order to protect their family.

The characters were all on point and I thought the fight scenes were fun and perfectly in line with what we'd expect from The Boys. I love Frank too and that he's kinda fit in with their life and is clearly someone both the reader and Ben trust.

Hahaa thank you so much!! I try to make it feel like The Boys as much as possible. And the return of Frank, yes!!! (And Loco, though he didn't get any lines this time.)

Frank has a special place in my heart, and he's now ingratiated in their family dynamic while getting to restore his life as a member of society, rather than being a criminal (not unlike Ben).

Thank you very much for sharing your thoughts with me on this one! I always love and appreciate it. 💕💕

Calculated Risks

Pairing: Soldier Boy/Ben x F. Reader

Summary: You and Ben argue about your commitment to being a working mom. When a rogue supe gets loose at Supe Affairs, mayhem ensues, putting not only your life at risk, but your daughter’s as well.

AN: Welcome back to the BMD-verse, friends! Did you miss these two as much as I did? Plus, get ready for a heavy dose of fan-favorite Frank. (And Lila, of course!)

Word Count: 7K

Tags/Warnings: Familiar bickering, a mission gone awry, angst, hurt/comfort, fluff.

Catch up on the BMD-verse. ⤵️

💚 Break Me Down Masterlist

In four years of marriage, one thing that had never changed between you and Ben was this.

“All right, you’re being a little too much right now,” you said in irritation. “Of course I’m not sitting this one out. I’m the one who found us the damn lead in the first place.”

The man was following you from the adjoining bathroom and back into your shared bedroom, where you began getting dressed for work in the blouse and pencil skirt you’d laid out for yourself.

Your husband had already donned his supe suit, sans helmet. He stood just behind you with his arms crossed, a familiar surly frown on his face. When you turned around, he hadn’t moved an inch.

“I’m being too much? You’re the one who’s not being fucking reasonable,” he said.

You rolled your eyes and moved past him to find your shoes. For this skirt, you really needed heels. Your most comfortable black pumps would do. You grabbed the closet doorknob for balance as you slipped them on, giving him a look of exasperation.

Ben held firm on his stance, but inside, he had a feeling you’d chosen this outfit on purpose. You knew he liked this whole sexcretary look on you, with your hair let down around your shoulders. The skirt and heels just brought his eyes to the delectable curve of your ass.

But again, he was holding firm.

He’d been called in on this case partly because Annie was on maternity leave. She was due in just a few weeks. Which meant “Soldier Boy” was definitely needed to help out Butcher and his merry band of assholes. By now, Ben had gotten used to them.

“Look,” you said, “Slingshot has been causing a lot of havoc, and the police haven’t been able to catch him. You heard Grace. This is an ‘all hands on deck’ situation.”

“She always says that shit. Doesn’t make it true,” Ben retorted.

“This time it is,” you said. “I’ve already put in tons of man hours on surveillance for this guy. I want to get him off the street.”

Ben held you by your arms. “That’s exactly my point. You’ve been putting in way too many hours.”

You shook your head. He just didn’t get it.

“If I hadn’t, we wouldn’t have this opening now,” you said. You gave him a smile to try and lighten him. “Now he’s all teed up for you and the guys. This should be in and out. Practically a milk run for you.”

“Yeah, but not for you,” he pointed out. “And not for Lila. You’re stretching yourself too damn thin. It’s not like we need the money.”

Ahh, now we get to it, you thought. Yet again, he was bringing this up. In his mind, you should’ve cut your hours at Supe Affairs after Lila was born.

You did take an extended maternity leave of an entire year and a half, which was much more than women usually got from their jobs. However, because of your relationship with Grace and the entire team, you’d been allowed to come back whenever you felt ready.

Ben had often felt it necessary to point out that with his money, you didn’t have to work at all.

He knew very well that for you, this work was more than a job.

“I’m not the first working mom in existence, Ben,” you said, pushing out of his hold. “And I’ll remind you that Supe Affairs has a great daycare program. Lila’s very happy there.”

Plus, she was almost three and a half years old. In less than a year, Lila would be off to preschool.

“And look, it’s not about the money,” you added. “I told you before Lila was born. I am a mother, and I’m your wife. But I’m still me.”

Ben processed that for a moment, meeting your gaze.

“The situation’s changed,” he replied. He grasped your hips this time. His thumb gently brushed over your belly, which had a small bump under your high-waisted skirt.

You were finally pregnant again. Three months, in fact, and you were having a boy. You knew that Ben had several reasons to be more protective than usual…but still. You thought you were already taking every precaution to keep you and your children safe, even with the occasionally extensive hours of your job.

“These cases can be long and difficult, not to mention dangerous,” said Ben. His green eyes met yours as he looked down at you through furrowed brows. “You’re putting yourself at risk.”

You blew out a breath and tried to placate him, soothing a hand over his chest.

“I’ve stopped doing field missions,” you pointed out. “And Supe Affairs is the most secure building in the city. Do you think I would bring Lila there if it wasn’t?”

The security team at the S.A. was bar none, not only because Loco was a part of that team. Frank was also your personal bodyguard; Ben hired him back when you found out you were pregnant with Lila.

In fact, Frank was coming to the house in a few minutes to pick you all up.

Ben frowned. “I think you’re being stubborn just to be fucking stubborn.”

That sparked at your temper. Again, you withdrew from his arms and crossed yours.

“I think you need to face the fact that I’m protected as well as I can be,” you said. “I also think that you’re trying to use this as a way to shoehorn me into some antiquated idea of what you still think a wife should be. I’m gonna tell you right now. That’s not me! It’s never been me. And you know that.”

He opened his mouth to give an angry retort, but you beat him to it.

“It’s like you don’t even care about what I want,” you snapped. “Just what you think is right—for me to be here waiting for you to come home, quite literally barefoot and pregnant, ready to rub your balls!”

Cliché as it might’ve been to say, if the shoe fit, then you were certainly not going to be the one to wear it.

“You know what, you can accuse me of being stuck in the fucking past all you want,” Ben said, raising a finger, as well as his voice. “But the problem here isn’t me. It’s that what you want is goddamn idiotic!”

Your mouth fell agape. “Excuse me?! I can’t even believe you right now!”

Ben fairly loomed above you when he shouted back.

“Well, that makes fucking two of us!”

His voice was loud enough to reverberate on the walls. You even flinched, but you held your ground with a glare…

Until you heard a whimper.

You and Ben paused, and turned to find Lila. The three-year-old was cowering a bit in the doorway to your bedroom. Her eyes welled up with tears, and she began to cry.

Your heart broke.

“Oh, honey,” you breathed. You were both apologetic and mortified as you quickly went to her.

Ben was close behind you, but while Lila was quick to melt into your arms when you picked her up, she shied away from his attempt to reach out to her. What would’ve been a placating hand on her head, turned into him pausing in surprise when she ducked.

“Lila?” he prodded.

He tried to mask how put out he was by his daughter hiding her face from him, burrowing into your neck instead. She was usually a daddy’s girl, through and through.

You shot him a knowing frown, while rubbing her back in comfort.

“It’s okay, baby,” you told her. “Your dad and I were just…talking. He didn’t mean to shout.”

When Lila only whimpered in response, Ben’s gaze dimmed in understanding. His lips pursed.

You saw that look on his face, and you wanted to sigh. Part of you felt bad for him, at the way Lila had flinched away from her father. In a way though, maybe it was a lesson he needed to learn.

Frank arrived a few minutes later in a black SUV, like he did every weekday morning to bring you all to work. Ben was quiet and taciturn climbing into the backseat on one side, and you clipped Lila into her car seat from the other side. He still made sure that she was strapped in correctly, and even tried to earn his daughter’s gaze.

She snuck a glance at him a couple of times, but quickly lowered it to play with one of her favorite stuffed animal toys (a little German shepherd that he had gotten for her).

Ben let out a long breath through his nose. He gave Frank a nod through the rearview mirror, and the other man peeled away from the house.

The four of you rode in silence away from your house in Scarsdale, towards New York City.

Ben’s mood remained grim, even when you all got to Supe Affairs. Frank held back while you and Ben stopped in the hallway with Lila. You were carrying her, and she was holding onto you and her stuffed animal like a lifeline instead of looking anywhere else—namely at Ben.

You sighed and tried to pull her back enough to see her face.

“Daddy’s gotta go to work now. Want to say goodbye?” you encouraged.

All Lila could manage was a shy look in his direction. Ben laid a gentle hand on her head, over her dark hair.

“Bye, sweetheart,” he said.

Lila didn’t answer him. She just bit her lip and stayed withdrawn.

You and Ben shared a glance. He was hiding it well behind his usual stoicism, but this was hurting him. There wasn’t much either of you could do about it now, however. You both had work to do, and the mission would have to come first.

“I’ll be online in a bit,” you told him.

First, you needed to take Lila up to daycare before Frank accompanied you to your office. There you’d be able to join the mission from your computer and put your headset on. Aside from surveillance, you were their virtual eyes on missions.

So Ben tacitly agreed, and the two of you parted ways.

You went up to the second floor to drop Lila off at daycare, where you set her onto her feet. You could see that she was quiet and almost sad, not as bright and talkative as usual. And she was clinging to your hand. You bent down the best you could in your skirt, so you could meet her eyes.

“Are you still upset with your dad?” you asked.

After a moment, Lila replied, “Daddy’s loud.”

You couldn’t help a rueful smile.

“Yeah, he can be,” you nodded. “But he’s gonna work on that, okay? He loves you very much.”

She finally smiled a little when you pressed a few sweet kisses to her cheeks. You felt a little better about leaving her with Sarah, the woman who ran the daycare center. She was kind, but well-organized, and good at her job of wrangling fifteen or so toddlers on a daily basis.

And she was hovering off to the side with a smile, waiting to shepherd Lila over to where the rest of the group were starting at the arts and crafts table.

“Okay, baby. I love you. I’m just downstairs if you need me,” you said, caressing Lila’s cheeks, brushing her hair away from her face.

She nodded and waved goodbye. Sarah then stepped in and guided the girl over to the crafts table. The other kids were already drawing and coloring with crayons and markers.

With a sigh, you knew you had to get to work. You joined Frank out in the hall.

“Did something happen this morning?” he asked. You gave him a weary look.

“Something always happens. I’ll fill you in when we hit the elevator,” you said.

“Kids are resilient. She’ll bounce back,” said Frank, when you two got off the elevator down to the basement, under the first floor. This was where the “heavy stuff” happened at the S.A.

“That’s not the point, Frank. He hasn’t snapped at me like that in a long time, and he really scared her. That’s not fucking okay,” you said. “He needs to learn to control his goddamn temper.”

He sent you a knowing glance. You rolled your eyes.

“Okay, I know I don’t always help. But in this case, I was justified,” you said. “Ben was being an ass.”

“Right,” Frank nodded. “It’s not at all that he’s worried about you.”

You narrowed your eyes at him. “Whose side are you on?”

The man remained silent, but his stoic face wasn’t fooling you. He’d been your friend for much too long, and he knew Ben just as well…which was why you found yourself reconsidering what happened this morning.

“You really think he has a point?” you asked. “Am I working too much?”

Frank shook his head and opened the door for you into the Surveillance Department. The two of you ventured to your office, where your quadruple monitor setup was waiting for you. He also had a desk for himself, since he often spent the long hours of your day with you.

“When you were pregnant with Lila, you were on maternity leave by now,” he pointed out.

“Because we had no idea what was going to happen,” you countered. You went to your desk and started up your computer. “I had to meet with Tonya once a week, ultrasounds and blood tests all the time, making sure Lila was healthy, that I was healthy. This time around, we have a better idea of what to expect.”

For example, you were experiencing bouts of super strength once again, but it was still intermittent. Although, you pretty much never needed coffee. Maybe the supe genes coursing through your system, thanks to your unborn son, was part of the reason why you’d been able to go such long hours for these cases.

He's already brightening up my life, you thought with a little smile, holding a hand over your lower belly.

“It’s your choice,” Frank said at last. “But it is possible that Ben cares about more than just making you a suburban housewife.”

At that, you sighed. There was nothing wrong with being a housewife, you knew. It just wasn’t…you.

Once your computer and monitors were booted up, you connected to the right channels and put on your headset.

Already you could hear M.M. bitching about keeping the weapons trunk organized, not just tossing things in haphazardly.

“It’s a simple fucking system, Frenchie. You can at least abide by it,” M.M. said. “We don’t have time to be scratching our asses while you try to find a—”

“Hey, Bert and Ernie. Would you shut the fuck up already?” Ben groused.

Your mouth twitched at his grumpiness.

“A little testy this morning, ey guv?” Butcher remarked.

“Gargle my ball sack,” Ben replied, with an even grouchier deadpan than usual.

“Do you kiss your child with that mouth?” Frenchie teased.

“Nah, just your mother’s French hole,” Ben slung back. You rolled your eyes.

“All right, all right. Put the measuring tapes away,” you interrupted. “I’m online, locked on your GPS.”

“Well, if it ain’t Mrs. America herself,” Butcher drawled. “Got a lock on Slingshot’s location for us?”

“You know it,” you replied. “Sending to the group chat now. Slingshot’s been spotted entering a strip club in Chinatown.”

“Jeez. A little early for tits and booze. It’s 10:00 a.m. on a Tuesday,” said Hughie.

You heard Ben huff in amusement. “It’s never too early.”

You snorted at that.

“Right. I’ll remember that next time you fall asleep watching Family Feud,” you clipped back.

You heard the other guys trying not to laugh as they got into Butcher’s van. Part of you felt bad for teasing Ben, knowing he was already in a bad mood, but you were feeling a bit petty about what happened this morning.

You had to bite your lip against a smile, as you could picture the ill-tempered face your man was likely sporting.

And we’re off.

Lila wasn’t having a good day.

She didn’t feel like coloring, and the toys just weren’t fun today.

She just didn’t want to be here. The other kids smelled like old Cheetos and feet (especially the boys).

She missed you. And though she hadn’t wanted to admit it to you, she missed Daddy too.

Lila wanted to go home…she wanted her mom.

“I’m just downstairs if you need me,” you’d said.

Lila had a kind of plan percolating in her mind, all through the morning, and even through lunch time. She didn’t want to get in trouble, but when she’d asked Miss Sarah if she could go see you, she’d said you were at work and couldn’t come get Lila until later.

But that’s not what Mommy said, Lila thought.

After lunch, she laid on the napping mat with her pillow and blanket, even though she was wide awake. She didn’t want to nap with the other kids, even though Miss Sarah told her it was time to sleep.

Again, Lila didn’t want to be bad. She didn’t want to get in trouble either, but she really, really just wanted to see you.

And you’d said it was okay to go downstairs if she needed you, right?

Lila closed her eyes while Miss Sarah was looking, but she waited until the teacher went into her office to answer a call. Then, Lila carefully put Charlie, her stuffed dog, against her pillow, tucking the blanket up to his neck.

She crawled off her mat and snuck over to the door while Miss Sarah was distracted on her phone. Lila reached up and was just tall enough to twist the doorknob. It led her out of the room, and out into the empty hall. She then looked both ways for a clue on where to go.

She heard a ding, and looked over at a nearby pair of elevators.

The mission went more or less according to plan. Slingshot’s abilities allowed him to stretch every part of his body like elastic. It not only made him hard to catch, but even harder to maim without collateral damage.

A whole block in Chinatown was wrecked in the takedown, but your idea of ripping the cables from a nearby utility pole to electrocute him let Ben finally subdue the elastic supe. Kimiko knocked him out, and Butcher slapped some tight-ass cuffs on him and dragged him into the van. They returned with the rogue supe in custody.

You were mentally exhausted from helping them track down routes to pin down Slingshot, but you were relieved to be done. You were also satisfied that another danger to society was neutralized, for now.

You took pride in your work, and you didn’t think Ben saw that, or thought it was important. You supposed that was what upset you the most about that fight with him.

Sometimes, you wondered if he would ever truly change.

You grabbed your purse and made sure to slip in your gun and taser. You left your office and greeted Frank, who had just finished making his rounds in the building with Loco’s team. Frank joined you on the way to the elevator.

“I meant to ask you, how’s Alana doing?” you asked. Alana was his daughter, who was now in college.

“She’s changed her major yet again,” he said wryly. “This time to philosophy.”

“Philosophy? That’s interesting. What does she want to do with that?” you asked.

“No fucking clue,” he replied, hitting the button for the first floor. “I just hope she gets bored and picks something practical. Like…teaching, or dentistry.”

You shot him a bemused look. “Dentistry?”

“As much money as I put into that girl’s braces, it’d be good for her to pay it forward,” Frank said, in a surly tone that reminded you of Ben. You had to laugh.

You and Frank exited the elevator and started down the hall.

You planned to touch base with Grace Mallory on the safety measures of Slingshot’s containment before he was put into custody. The idea was to house him in a prison cell that could actually hold him until he went through the legal process.

But you’d only gotten halfway down the hall before the supe in question literally stretched past you on unnaturally long legs—in a blur of his white and blue supe suit. Your eyes widened on a gasp as you watched him head toward the elevator you’d just come off of.

“Fuckin’ hell, we’ve got a runner!” Butcher shouted from down the hall. He along with Ben, M.M., Frenchie, Hughie, and Kimiko were rushing your way.

It all happened so fast.

You registered Frank shooting out a protective arm in front of you. You turned back to see the elevator doors had opened back up, and Slingshot rushed inside. He made eye contact with you.

Then his arms shot out like rubber bands. One of them knocked Frank into the far wall. You gasped and froze on reflex.

Ben shouted your name; he was running towards you, getting closer. You were able to meet his wide eyes for a brief moment. He reached out for you, but those stretching arms closed around you first. You gasped when they slung you backwards.

You cried out in shock when your back met a surprisingly solid chest.

Meanwhile, Ben barreled the rest of the way down the hall as the elevators closed just short of his angrily furrowed face.

The stretched arms holding you were tight around your torso, making your grit your teeth as you tried to pull away. They twisted you around so you could face your captor. Or so he could see you.

His natural height was around Butcher’s—dark hair, blue eyes, angular features. He gave you what was probably meant to be a suave smile as those baby blues dragged down your body.

“Hey, baby. Nice heels,” he said. You rolled your eyes.

“So that’s why they call you Slingshot,” you said, still a bit breathless. The elevator started to move. He’d chosen the top floor. “Where do you think you’re gonna go?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” he snarked. “Anywhere but here. And you’re gonna help me.”

“How? Being a human shield?”

“For a start,” he smirked down at you. He backed up a step just to take another proper look at you, and he whistled lowly. He took your chin between his sweaty fingers, making you grimace when he stroked your cheek.

“Down boy,” you said warily. “Trust me, you really don’t want to do this.”

This jackass hadn’t even realized you had a small, but noticeable baby bump.

“Why not, babe?” he grinned. “You’ve got the whole sexy librarian thing going on.”

You heard a loud creaking sound outside the elevator doors. The compartment itself came to an abrupt stop, making the lights flicker.

“What the fuck?” Slingshot muttered. His hold around you loosened.

You had an idea of what just happened, with grim satisfaction. You also took advantage of his distraction and managed to slip a hand into your purse.

You pulled out your taser. Slingshot noticed and tried to grab you again, but the elevator somehow started to move in reverse, about a foot a time. It made both of you lose your balance and utter sounds of surprise.

As soon as you regained your footing, you aimed the taser at the most sensitive place you could think of—the supe’s dick and balls.

His howls of pain were loud enough to reach Ben, Frank, and the rest of the team on the third floor. Ben’s face became edged with a smirk.

He kept pulling the elevator cables down until the compartment’s doors were in reach. There he grabbed the doors and pulled them open with his bare hands, crunching metal under his fingers. The moment he saw you, the relief in your eyes, he grabbed your hand and pulled you out, into his arms.

Slingshot was angry, though he managed to recover, rip off the taser’s metal prongs and wires, and evade Kimiko, M.M., and even Butcher when he slithered his way out of the elevator and around their guns. The bullets ricocheted off the walls, and off his body as they followed him down the hall.

Ben focused on you. He brushed his half-gloved hands over your shoulders and sides while he quickly looked you over. There was worry in his eyes, disguised as anger. You caught your breath and held a protective hand over your lower belly out of reflex.

“You okay?” he said, but you were already nodding before he asked.

“I’m fine,” you replied. “Just get him. I’ll get Lila.”

Ben nodded. He shot one last firm look at Frank, who was back at your side. Frank laid a hand on your shoulder as Ben took off down the hall to find Slingshot.

“The stairs are safer at this point,” Frank said.

“I would have to agree,” you said, steeling yourself with a breath.

While you and Frank went downstairs to the second floor, you didn’t see the second elevator ding, its doors opening to your daughter, who ambled out alone. She looked one way down the hall, but hearing her father’s voice carrying down the opposite way, she started venturing in that direction.

If she couldn’t find you, then she’d find her dad.

“What the hell do you mean you lost her?” you shouted at Sarah, the woman who was supposed to be looking after your daughter. “How do you lose a three-year-old at nap time? What kind of incompetent fuck are you?”

Yes, Ben had unfortunately rubbed off on you.

Sarah was in tears by the time you were not even halfway done, but Frank calmed you down with another touch to your shoulder. You had tears of panic stinging in your eyes when you met his gaze, your mouth trembling.

“I just radioed in and put Loco and the rest of the security team on looking for Lila. She can’t have gotten far,” he said.

“Come on! Keep up with me, old man,” Slingshot taunted at Ben. His super flexibility allowed him to keep several steps ahead, dodging any attempts to grab him and any weapons fired with easy dips and playful deflection.

“When I get my hands on you, you flaccid fuck, you won’t know your ass from your ball sack,” Ben growled.

But he crashed into the wall when he took a corner too hard trying to tackle the other supe. He picked himself up from the debris of crumbled wall and plaster, ignoring Kimiko’s offer of a helping hand.

“Big fucking talk from the walking AARP commercial,” Slingshot snorted. He turned around and once again prepared to run. “Try not to shatter a hip, asshole!”

He took off down another bend in the hallway. Meanwhile, Ben shook himself off and joined the others in running after this cocksucker. Ben looked over at Butcher.

“What’s your fucking plan?” he grated out.

Butcher seemed to have an idea growing in his mind. “What’d she do to him in that elevator?”

“Tased his dick, by the sound of it,” Ben replied. He knew what weapons you kept in your purse, and that you'd know better than to fire a gun in an enclosed elevator. Butcher snapped his fingers.

“Electricity. Bloody brilliant,” he said. He pointed at Hughie and grabbed Frenchie by the collar. “You, with me. I’ve got an idea. The rest of ya, get him pinned down.”

“Easier said than done, motherfucker,” M.M. grumbled. But he followed Ben and Kimiko to find their errant supe.

Slingshot played a cocky game, but inside, there was fear.

They’d caught him once, and now, this building was crawling with security, let alone the assholes chasing him.

He was panting for breath when he nearly ran straight into…a kid?

She was wandering around, trying to open a locked door. He skidded to a stop in front of her, and she looked up at him wide-eyed. He tilted his head. She was a cute little thing with brown hair and green eyes. She wore a blouse with cartoon ducks on it over her jeans and sunshine-yellow shoes.

“Hey, cutie. Where you going?” asked Slingshot. “Are you lost?”

“Looking for my mom,” she answered, a bit timidly. The supe gave her an easy smile; inside, he knew he’d just found his collateral, and his ticket out of here.

“Okay. What’s your name?” he asked.

“L…Lila,” she said.

“Pretty name for a pretty girl,” he said, with all due charm. He struck a pose, with his fists held up to his waist. “I can help you, Lila. I’m a superhero.”

Her eyes widened. “Really? Like Daddy?”

“Oh, yeah. Your dad and I are friends.” Never mind that he had no fucking clue who her daddy was. He offered her his hand.

Now, Lila knew not to talk to strangers, but if he knew her dad…

After a moment of reluctant indecision, she took his hand. Slingshot tapered a smirk into a more friendly smile.

“Let’s go find him.”

Ben was ahead of the pack, but he soon came to an abrupt stop with wider eyes. He finally found Slingshot, except he had Ben’s daughter by the hand. Slingshot wore a cocky grin as he took the child up into his arms.

“Hey, guys. Who’s this little peanut belong to?” he asked. “Said she was looking for her daddy.”

Ben’s breath turned to lead in his lungs. Lila’s eyes lit up with recognition when she saw him.

“Daddy!”

Ben’s softer gaze shifted from her, hardening once it reached the other supe.

“Let her go,” he growled lowly.

Slingshot’s grin deepened incredulously as he laughed.

“Oh shit, she’s yours?” he exclaimed. “This’s just too fucking perfect.”

“Lila!” your shout came from behind Ben, and you stepped around M.M. and Kimiko.

Ben held out a hand to keep you at bay. He kept his eyes on Slingshot, but Ben heard your gasp. His stomach dipped, knowing your worry had to be reaching new heights as you took in the situation.

“Ben,” you uttered.

“I’ve got this,” he said to you.

“You don’t got shit, old man,” Slingshot snapped. He shot you a smirk next. “She’s your bitch? Figures.”

“Just let her go,” you implored. You had tears brimming in your eyes. “We can negotiate your release if you promise to be more responsible.”

Ben shot you a glance then. He didn’t intend for this fucker to live, let alone walk the streets of New York again. But he supposed any bluff was worth it at this point.

Meanwhile, seeing the distress on her parents’ faces made Lila begin to break down into tears. She whined, pushing against the supe holding her, wanting to be let go.

“It’s okay, sweetie,” Slingshot cooed. “You’re just gonna take a little trip with me.”

“No!” a ragged shout tore from your throat when he took a few backward steps down the hall.

Ben held you back from following him, all while he tensed with rage. M.M. and Kimiko were also poised to try and stop the supe. But Slingshot tightened his hold on Lila in warning.

“Back the fuck off,” he demanded. “Once I get to JFK and get my ass on a plane, maybe, maybe you see your daughter aga—”

He had to stop short, as he sensed something just outside of his peripheral vision.

It was Butcher, coming at him to swing a baseball bat at the supe’s head.

You screamed in protest, but Butcher was relying on the supe’s reflexes to dodge the bat. He wasn’t disappointed. Slingshot dodged. Though in his distraction, it gave Ben the opening he needed to step into his orbit and land a solid punch across Slingshot’s face.

It not only cracked his jaw, but also caught him off guard enough for his grip on the child to loosen. Ben grabbed his daughter and turned her away in a protective embrace.

Then Frenchie brought Slingshot down with the prongs of a massive taser clipping onto his nipples. He jolted and screamed—and went down hard on the tile floor.

While Hughie and M.M. ushered in the rest of the security team to swarm in and take the supe into custody, you raced forward to Ben and Lila in tears.

Lila was also crying and clinging to Ben’s neck, shaking like a leaf.

“It’s okay, sweetheart. I’ve got you,” he said quietly, so only she could hear. Lila whimpered and burrowed tighter against his neck.

Tears streamed down your face, but you tried to breathe through it. You rubbed her back and checked her over, making sure she wasn’t hurt.

For Ben, the force of his relief was pounding in his ears. He briefly closed his eyes as he held his daughter closer.

When he opened them again, he met your gaze. You couldn’t speak. All you could do was grab onto his wrist for support. He gave that to you, wrapping his free arm around your waist and pulling you into his side.

“Frank,” he said. His voice was a sharp command. The other man was ready to carry out whatever Ben asked. He also looked relieved to see that Lila was all right.

“Pull the car around,” said Ben. Frank nodded, and went to do just that.

Ben turned to watch in satisfaction when Frenchie and M.M. hauled up a still twitching Slingshot. Butcher slapped a pair of electroshock handcuffs on him that would keep him better contained this time—courtesy of the S.A. armory. He nodded over at Ben, and the latter returned the gesture.

You missed it all, as you were preoccupied with comforting your daughter.

“It’s okay, honey. We’re going home,” you gently whispered to Lila, who was still hiding her face in Ben’s neck. You shared a look with him, and he gave you a short nod. His hand moved to the small of your back, both protective and possessive as the three of you moved towards the garage exit.

There Frank waited with the car that would take your family home.

You watched Ben with the beginning of tears brimming in your eyes. You managed to hold them at bay while he set Lila down in her bed. You’d just finished giving her a bath and helping her get into her pajamas after a quiet, somewhat tense dinner.

Lila still seemed upset in her unusually quiet mood, which you knew was understandable. Ben sat at her bedside and soothed a hand over her head, brushing her cheek with his thumb.

“You’ve had a crazy friggin’ day, huh?” he asked. Lila didn’t want to look at him, but he encouraged it with gentle fingers brushing her chin, teasing the tip of her nose. She hinted at a smile and finally met his eyes. He smiled back at her, if more reserved. But his expression turned serious again.

“What’s wrong?” he asked. He could see it. She had been more or less fine throughout dinner, but now she’d turned quiet and withdrawn again. She only got like that when she was upset about something.

Lila toyed with the ear of her stuffed animal, Charlie. Frank had retrieved it for her from the daycare.

“Sorry I talked to strangers,” Lila mumbled.

You had to bite the inside of your lip so you wouldn’t cry. You came over to sit on the other side of her bed. You sniffed and shook your head, but Ben beat you to what you wanted to say.

“You’re not in trouble, all right? We’re not mad,” he said.

Lila’s lower lip wobbled. Ben sighed and picked her up, plopping her down in his lap. She hugged him as tight as she could and he held her back, warm and secure.

“You know I’m always gonna be there to keep you safe. You never have to worry or be afraid,” he said.

You carded your fingers through Lila’s hair so she knew you were there too. Usually, the roles were reversed, where you were doing the comforting and Ben was the solid support. Right now though, you just didn’t have the words. Not when guilt was eating you from the inside out.

Fortunately, your husband did have the words, after he heaved a sigh.

“I might raise my voice, sometimes, but uh…you never have to be afraid of me either. Okay?” he said.

"Mhmm," Lila agreed.

You laid hand on Ben's arm, gently squeezing. He met your gaze, and knew what you were prodding with just that look in your eyes.

Briefly, he hesitated before he looked back down at his daughter.

"I'm sorry I scared you," he said.

Lila nodded against his chest. “It's okay.”

“Good,” he said, laying a kiss on her forehead. “All right, you ready to go to bed?”

She clung to him and made a sound of refusal.

You were finally able to crack a smile. You leaned down by her ear.

“You want Daddy to read you a story first?” you asked.

Ben shot you a look at the way you volunteered him for that. He was tired and drained.

But one hopeful, shiny look from his daughter, and he folded like a deck of cards.

Later, when Lila was asleep, you tucked her in one last time and Ben turned out the light. He kept the door cracked open, just in case she called for either one of you tonight.

Then, somehow, you and Ben ended up in the kitchen instead of the bedroom. As exhausted as both of you were, you needed this moment to decompress, with one of your old favorite pastimes…

He broke out the whiskey while you found an appropriate midnight snack, and then a seat with him at the breakfast bar. The two of you shared a companionable silence, as well as a large bag of sea salt and vinegar chips.

That was sort of how you felt inside.

“Today can’t happen again,” Ben said, breaking the silence.

You looked over at him, but he was looking beyond you. Maybe so he didn’t have to show you how deeply he’d been rattled. You knew him far too well for that.

“Of course not,” you replied. And you released a sigh. “So here’s what I’m thinking. From now on I’ll work from home, so I can watch Lila until she goes to preschool.”

Ben got ready to argue, but you held up a hand. The other went to rest over your belly. You had scheduled an ultrasound with Dr. Tonya Baker tomorrow, just to make sure all was well after this ordeal.

“I already plan to take my maternity leave when this guy rolls into town,” you said with a smile. “Then, when I’m ready, and if it’s feasible, I can continue to work from home until all the kids are in school.”

Ben’s lips twitched humorlessly. He should’ve known you’d continue making this a negotiation. He set down his glass, and he reached out to slide a hand over yours, across your belly. He took in a deep breath. But when he let it go, you sensed you still hadn’t convinced him.

“Listen, I know you don’t want me to work—” you began.

“It’s not that,” he said. He made sure you looked him in the eyes when he said it. “It’s not.”

Despite yourself, you read the sincerity in his words. It had you pausing, waiting for him to continue.

“You know damn well…that just being around me is dangerous,” he said. “To you, and to Lila. But you being connected with Supe Affairs, working these missions, even from behind a desk, it’s a fucking risk. It’ll always be a risk.”

You considered that with new understanding. You took his hand with both of yours.

“Ben, this life, this work…it’s the same for me as it is for you. It’s all I know how to do. It’s what I’m wired for. So that’s why it’s hard for me to turn down that dial,” you explained. “But look, I understand what you’re saying. Believe me, I do. And today…today was…”

Your breath hitched as tears stung in your eyes. Ben shook his head and tugged you closer.

“Come ‘ere,” he said.

You left your chair to go to him. You stood between his long legs while he pulled you into a warm embrace. Logically, you knew that what happened today wasn’t your fault. However, part of you still felt like a failure of a mother for underestimating the risks of having your daughter at the S.A.

You should’ve known better, you berated yourself. And yet, it was Ben’s words that stopped your train of thought.

“Today wasn't on you,” he said. "Get that thought outta your head."

He knew you well too, and this was one of those times. You wept harder against him, pressing your face into the crook of his neck. He held you, comforted you until you began to calm down.

“Take your maternity leave early,” he said. His deep voice was a rumble. “You’re going to have your hands full with Lila when I’m not here. Unless we hire someone to help you.”

It was an idea you could consider, but who could you trust? That was the question.

Maybe your mother? you thought. You knew she was thinking of retiring from her job in a couple of years anyway.

You sighed and slipped your fingers through Ben’s hair. Your hand came to rest on the back of his neck as you leaned against him.

When Lila came into your lives, you had been so excited to start a family that you hadn’t considered the non-physical side effects. Namely, the sacrifices you would have to make in order to keep your family safe.

Before you met Ben, your job was your life. But today reminded you that your daughter…and your unborn son, were more important to you than your job. No matter how important that job might be for the rest of the world.

“Let’s talk about this more tomorrow,” you said, shaking your head. “I can’t think anymore.”

After a beat of hesitation, he agreed with a nod. Like so many battles before, whatever compromise you and Ben finally reached would be hard won. His hand found your cheek and caressed your skin.

“You still try my fucking patience, you know that?” he muttered.

You smiled tiredly. “Did you really expect that to change?”

He scoffed. Even so, he guided you off his shoulder so that he could claim your lips. His kiss tasted like the burn of whiskey. You met his demanding lips in kind, though you were the first one to part from him slowly.

“I love you,” you whispered a reminder.

Ben nodded and pressed a kiss to your forehead. He lingered there for a moment, as if he could pause the world for a while.

He eventually let out a breath through his nose and allowed himself to be honest.

“I love you too,” he said.

With that shared understanding, he stood from his seat. He drained the last of his glass before he bent to gather you up into his arms. You yelped in surprise, clinging to his shoulders.

“Time for some rest,” Ben said. There was a certain smile on his face, gentler than usual.

He forged a path towards the bedroom. You sighed and laid your head against his chest.

For once, you didn’t argue with him.

AN: I've been wanting to put this one out for a while now. 💚💚 I so hope you enjoyed this chapter of the BMD verse! Do you like how their little family is evolving? 😘

Ko-Fi Me ☕

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