#i don't even know how you can be able to be confronted with these problems

[bandzboy]

i've seen a lot of people say that the talk about companies being shitty makes them feel uncomfortable and i just want you to ask yourselves why that is. why do you feel that way? is it because you don't wanna face the reality of this industry? is it because you wanna enjoy the music while ignoring the fact that idols are suffering because of these companies?

i am not exactly saying it's the best feeling in the world to know this as a fan but there are people online that just wanna avoid this altogether and i feel that this is extremely disrespectful to the artists that you support. especially when so many of them have been open about the things they go through in this industry this year alone i just feel like trying to ignore this and saying it's "uncomfortable" is not gonna cut it and it just looks like you are dismissing the problem.

acknowledging and discussing these problems is how we can truly support these artists because they incredibly need it right now. as a kpop listener, you have to acknowledge how harsh this industry is. there's no other way around it. this is a pivotal time to talk about these things openly. if we want actual change to happen, we need to keep pushing it and make idols more comfortable to speak up about the mistreatment they go through

[cryinggirlnamedhelen]

the divorce was far messier than you would have ever expected it to be.

sae had been traveling for a match when you filed for a divorce, signing the papers with messy black ink and sleepless nights. sae didn't know about the divorce; not yet, at least. you could only hope that he responds as calmly to the situation as he usually does with any other scenario that he's ever gone through.

it was almost a shame. almost. you truly did love the itoshi last name, and you would miss having the short-tempered yet kind rin as your younger brother-in-law. but sae was not only almost never home, but when he was, he rarely ever spoke to you unless asking for a favor or question, though they were usually sentiments such as "is dinner ready?" or "i have a match in a few days."

those were the two sides of sae. completely uncaring or only caring about himself or his career. you knew that he had to love you to an extent if he was willing to stay with you for nearly six years and not divorce you or cheat on you a single time, though that was the bare minimum that one could do. you grew up with sae, and he wasn't the type to cheat on someone.

your darkly inked pen soon ran out of ink, and you sighed, staring down at the straining amount of documents you had signed. you wondered how the media would respond to this, respond to the famous itoshi sae's partner having divorced him, especially one that he's known since five years old. you were twenty-nine now. there would probably were even worse rumors about him, about how he treats others. you wanted to feel bad. you wanted to recycle each and every one of the papers you just signed.

fuck it. it's his problem for neglecting you.

it's not like you didn't even try confronting him about it. it's just that when you did, it's always the same plain excuse. "i'm busy." scribbling your name and sae's onto some more papers, you finally reached the final piece of white material. you had felt nothing this entire time, and yet suddenly, before you could even realize why or how, tears began to pool at your eyes.

disappointment is a funny thing. it's like a mix of anger, sadness, and even hints of grief. really just the recipe for disaster. and at that moment, you could feel nothing but the emptiness of disappointment and warm tears streaming down your now burning cheeks. people always used to joke that sae was both your first and last love, and you had always laughed along and eventually began to believe it when you got married. you don't think you'd ever be able to love anyone else after loving sae. you always believed this notion, this joke, to be true, but not in the bitter way that it turned out.

you had sent the documents to court the next day, and already the damage was done. you didn't want a particularly loud case; you despised media attention. but only a few hours after having sent the documents, a dreaded phone call had arrived. it was sae.

"if you think you're being funny, you're not."

you cringed at sae's voice. he was in an entirely different country, and they you could feel the shards of his icy voice slicing your heart open. "i'm not trying to be. i'm serious. we're getting a divorce, and that's final."

for a few moments, the other line was silent. before finally, sae's voice returned once more. "...why?"

and for a moment, you regretted divorcing sae. his voice itself didn't show too much emotion, but the pause from earlier and the slight crack of his voice in the beginning told you everything you needed to know. he didn't want this. he didn't want to divorce you.

"sae, you spend most of your time in another country. sometimes even in another continent. you don't even talk to me at home except for the smallest things that someone can talk to another person about. you earn hundreds of millions of yen every year for the both of us, and yet i don't feel rich."

you could practically hear sae tightening his grip on the phone. "fine. do what you want." he finally stammered, and he hung up.

it was almost as if a marble slid from your throat to your stomach, and it now lay there uncomfortably. the phone slid from your hands, and you felt tears at the brim of your lashes. no "i'm sorry"? no "i can change"? you knew that sae wasn't the type to say those sorts of things directly, but he would usually say a harsher variation of the words.

and suddenly, you remembered. you remembered that sae was the one that began to say "i'll be both your first and last love" to you. he only ever said it once, and that was from when you were kids.

he had kept that promise, but he had broken a million more.

i had "back to friends" by sombr playing on repeat while writing this lmao

[teambyler]

The most hypocritical anti Byler argument:

"Why can't two boys just be friends? Why do you have to make everything gay!?"

Whenever I hear this argument or some variation of it, I think back to my two cousins, one a girl and the other a boy. (He was from my dad's side of the family; she was from my mom's.) They were maybe six years old at the time, and they were innocently talking and playing and giving each other math and spelling-bee quizzes. ALL my family were giggling, saying they were going to be boyfriend and girlfriend.

I also think back to all the times I see young girls being judged on their physical beauty and told they're going to have a handsome boy when they grow up because they're so pretty.

From childhood, boys and girls have their sexuality assumed for them. Their SEXUALITY and romantic possibility are talked about openly in front of their face. They're made to look at themselves sexually before they even want to.

So when people yell at Byler fans saying "Why do you have to make everything gay?" I want to scream at them:

"Why do you have to make everything straight!?"

Why do you insist on sexualizing children to be heterosexual even before they're ready to start thinking of themselves in those terms?

Why do you have no problem with Mike kissing El in season 1 right after she asks him if he's like her "brother"?

Why do you idealize their relationship when they were children, while simultaneously trying to shame Byler fans for trying to "sexualize children" even though these are fictional characters and the actors who play Mike and Will are already adults?

Why do you shame any thought or possibility of homosexual romance, while imposing heterosexual norms on everyone?

It reminds me of people who say "You can be gay of course... just don't shove it in our faces (by holding forth that you're gay, kissing in public, etc.)." When no one bats an eye when straight people do the same thing. They might claim they're not homophobic, but actual equal treatment of LGBT+ people they don't accept.

It's Straight Privilege in action: the norms and standards that straight people enjoy quietly do not to apply to us.

This hypocrisy even distorts how Milkvans view Mike and El. We're told that if Mike and Will get together, that would mean Mike "used El" and El would never be able to forgive him.

Not only does this disregard that people can have amicable break-ups and still be close friends: it also shows that the idea of a platonic loving relationship between a Mike and El is beyond their comprehension. To them, the only loving relationships boys and girls can have with each other are romantic ones.

(Now, before anyone objects: sure many people accept Robin and Steve, but that's because Robin is canonically gay. We all know that before she came out many of us (me included!) were shipping those two as a couple!)

If someone ships Mike and El WITHOUT her confronting him about his poor treatment of her in early s4, without there being an honest conversation about that, this definitely raises an eyebrow from me. The "love confession" didn't address this: his fear of losing her did NOT explain his failing to comfort her or failing to say he loved her. Theoretically it's possible for these two to repair things. (And if Milkvan is endgame I hope that they do by addressing this!) But for some Milkvan shippers the need to address Mike's behavior doesn't even enter their minds because they're idealizing their relationship. In other words, THEY are imposing their idea of a relationship on these two, much in the same way my family was imposing their own ideas on my two cousins without regard to the people involved.

So if anyone asks "Why can't two boys just be friends? Why do you have to make everything gay?" it's purely hypocritical and dishonest. No, we just want THIS relationship between Mike and Will (which is clearly being built up as romantic) to be gay out of a sea of heterosexual relationships on TV.

No. THEY are the ones who rule out a boy and girl just being friends. THEY are the ones who insist on imposing romance on a boy and girl when they're not ready. THEY are the ones who insist on "everything" being one way.

-teambyler

[strwberri-milk]

can i request the boys thinking mc is cheating bc she’s been acting off and hanging with other people, then they confront her but learn later that it’s something else that’s been going on (like her wanting to keep a problem hidden from them) angsty or fluffy ending it’s up to you im just craving angst 😓

Zayne doesn't want to directly confront you. He's terrified that somehow, he'll mess everything up and that right now, not knowing is better than confirming his fear. He'll just continue observing you for a bit, trying to figure out if there's something that can definitively point towards you actually having an affair. Your behaviour is strange but he won't feel too concerned until you start actively pulling affection away from him. That's when he's going to really start panicking. He doesn't know what he's done or said to make you take such a drastic step in your relationship and this is absolutely going to devastate him.

He'll talk to you one evening after you come home late. He tries to open it up by telling you that if it's something he's said or done to you then he's sorry and he promises he'll do whatever it takes to fix things between the two of you. It's you, and it's always been you. He can't even fathom being with anybody that isn't you. He'll ramble a little for once, not really able to accurately use his words as he tries to express how much he loves you.

You realise very quickly where he's going with all of this, immediately shutting him down as you tell him that you aren't seeing somebody else. He listens with bated breath to try and comprehend everything you're telling him, praying that you aren't lying to him because if you were, it'd definitely break him.

You'd probably have to ruin the surprise if you wanted him to feel fully secure after this conversation, especially since you also were hanging off of people when you normally don't seem to. He might feel a little insecure about your relationship for a while before settling into the routine again with you, but as long as you're wholly honest with him it'll pass fairly quickly.

Xavier wants to follow you around but he also knows it'd piss you off if he did. He'll just start paying more attention to events when the two of you are together and even more attention to things if it seems you're purposefully not inviting him to something. He's trying to understand why and what for, not wanting to directly accuse you but his jealousy definitely ramps up.

You'd have to talk to him as he slowly starts to escalate, becoming more pissy if you have plans with friends or when he responds poorly to you taking calls in his presence. He doesn't really say too much but he does make it very clear just how displeased he is with the look on his face or the way he practically grabs you whenever you're doing things with him.

He gets a little rougher with you overall - not in a painful way, in a distracted, irritated way. He doesn't want to hurt you on purpose and typically you don't really respond to this difference in pressure because it's nothing crazy but you can tell that he's starting to really internalise everything that's happening around him. When you do talk to him he listens with a furrow in his brow, trying to figure out if you're telling him the truth, or this is some elaborate lie for you to throw him off your scent.

He believes you pretty quickly but he is also going to be really skeevy about letting you do things without him for a bit. He just wants to spend time with you after all and after all this emotional turmoil you owe him a few stress-free dates.

Rafayel is not pleased. He makes it clear the second he thinks something is wrong by being colder and less affectionate with you. He isn't wholly above following you and figuring out who you're hanging out with, trying to figure out if there really is a chance that you are trying to have an affair.

You'd get some emotional whiplash from how differently he's acting, how he's making it clear that you've wronged him somehow but he isn't going to talk to you about it. He's avoidant, waiting for you to admit the truth. He's also patient, which means you could be iced out for weeks if you decide not to talk to him about what's happening.

He might spoil the surprise for himself if he goes fully into surveillance after which he'd just tell you that he figured out what you were hiding from him. You'd be a little disappointed but also more concerned as to how he managed to figure it out without tipping you off. He won't tell you at all about how he got the information - just that he did.

If he decides not to stalk you a little you'd have to ask him why he's so mad at you. He'd tell you that he's just treating you the same way you've been treating him, and that as far as he's concerned, this is deserved. You'd have to tell him the truth and why you've been hiding all this information from him - after which he will brighten up significantly. He'll say something about how he's never doubted you, yadda yadda yadda but he's definitely more clingy now than before from his nerves finally starting to settle.

Sylus doesn't want to monitor you either and decides to give you the benefit of the doubt. He's fairly secure in your relationship and knows that he hasn't done anything to make you want to cheat but he does feel himself faltering if you're becoming prone to laughing at your phone or trying to hide it from him. He won't ask for it but you can see that he's starting to get suspicious.

He would leave it alone until you reveal to him your surprise. By then he's still feeling fairly anxious but when you reveal that your behaviour was all just a result of you trying to plan something for him then he'll relax a little, thanking you for the effort you went through. You can tell that he's very glad that you've finally come clean when he holds your hand tightly, practically clinging to you as he thanks you.

He'll plan some more elaborate dates for you after the reveal, making it clear that he's missed your attention being solely on him. You don't really mind though since he's basically throwing money at you, spoiling you silly and reminding you just how much he's willing to do for you.

[curioussubjects]

As a problem intellectualizer myself, I'm a big fan of the way Langdon's substance abuse was depicted and what that means for the landscape of his addiction. I've been talking to a friend about it, and here's what we've pieced out based on the scant info we get from the show:

Based on the way Langdon talks about the back injury with Robby (prefacing the whole thing with remember when) and Robby's reaction to the injury at the time (teasing), I'm guessing it can't be more than a year old. Far away enough for Robby to have forgotten about it without a reminder, but recent enough that Robby and Langdon have a more familiar relationship with an established rapport.

What's particularly interesting, though, is that Langdon isn't following standard protocol for treating opioid addiction (via prescribed drug), but he does seem to be withdrawing from the benzos he's taking to treat that addiction in the "proper" way. Also worth noting benzos aren't addictive drugs in the way opioids are and physical and psychological dependence on them while taking therapeutic doses (and not for recreation) isn't something you treat by going to rehab, as far as I can tell.

So, here's what I think might have happened:

Langdon took his painkillers as prescribed and developed an addiction, which, yeah, happens.

Because of shame, stigma, and fear that it would affect his career, he decides to treat his withdrawal symptoms alone. This is a terrible idea. It's unclear if Langdon did any opioid replacement or if he decided to go straight to treating withdrawal symptoms with benzos.

I don't know why he chose to treat his symptoms with lorazepam since withdrawing from short half-life benzos feels worse if you take them at significant doses for a long time. But I guess the man isn't in psych, so he fumbled that. He is, though, withdrawing properly from lorazepam in the sense that he's replacing them with Librium (medium half-life), and probably decreasing his dose until he can safely discontinue the medication. This is why he tells Robby he's done.

Thing is: I'm not sure he would find himself free of craving painkillers or even that he would be able to decrease his benzo dosage because the opioid addiction was never actually addressed.

But when Langdon says he's not high and that he hasn't been high at work, and Garcia says she's never seen him impaired...well, I actually believe them. He was probably not high at home either. That doesn't mean he's not addicted to the painkillers. Or that the dosage he's taking of benzos is enough to sedate him enough to cause impairment. At least, and this is the kicker, not yet.

I few weeks ago I remember reading a post noting that Langdon hadn't hit rock bottom, and I very much agree. In fact, he's really fucking lucky Santos caught on to his stealing because it's gonna force him to confront that he has a problem before everything got really out of control and he started trying to get his hands on opioids, or overdosed on benzos, or was impaired at work or home, etc etc.

The bonkers thing about intellectualizing your problems and being too smart for your own good is that you're successful a lot of the times, so you think you can always outsmart your struggles. Often on your own. Because that's what you do. Do you even know how to ask for help in the first place?

Then you one day find yourself in the eye of the storm and at least some of it is a storm of your own creation. Oops.

And never mind the cognitive dissonance of having it handled at the same time you're stealing drugs from the hospital you work at, and putting patients in danger by tampering with medication vials. I'm sure gluing vials shut will keep them sterile, or that variations in drug metabolism will mean that anyone administering lorazepam to a patient will know to go above the standard dose if the patient doesn't respond to it, or that it's ok to take pills from a patient who was never going to take them himself.

Langdon is not an addict, or a junkie because addicts and junkies can't practice medicine as well as he does. Or treat themselves for withdrawal. Or be sober at work. Except if he didn't have an addiction he wouldn't have had the need to treat his own opioid withdrawal symptoms with stolen benzos from his place of employment.

Plus now he owes Santos an edible arrangement at a minimum.

Something something intellectualizing isn't the same as processing or healing.

[rie-092]

CHILDHOOD FRIEND

✶﹒ yandere! kim raebin x childhood friend! reader

honestly, i can't see kim raebin getting close to a woman who is completely stranger to him. so, let's just say that you were the daughter of their neighbour who is also his childhood friend.

we all know how introverted kim raebin was, so you had a hard time on getting close with him. because he always avoids you, or if you ever found a perfect time to talk to him, he always hisses making you blink. because for someone who looks like a bunny, kim raebin sure acts like a cat around you.

but wanna know how the two of you got close to each other? it's simple. it's because kim raebin accidentally saw you playing a guitar at a school event back when the two of you were in third grade. and boy, he was overjoyed! because this was the first time that he saw someone interested in music just like him!

at first, kim raebin was really shy when the two of you played or rather spent time together while playing various music instruments or making songs. but expect that after that, he would be so clingy. clingy to the point that he would follow you around like a damn puppy. at first, you thought that it was cute— not until you knew that he started stalking you around when you didn't hangout with him for a few days because you were too busy with school works.

what did you do? of course, you confronted him. but look, even though kim raebin has a problem when it comes on socializing with other people. it wasn't the same with you, because this guy knew everything about you. from your likes and dislikes, your habits, hell, even your measurements! that was the main reason why he easily changed the flow of the argument. he easily made you think that you are the one who's imagining that he was stalking you just because you missed hanging out with him, damn this smart guy.

kim raebin is so damn good when it comes to manipulating you into thinking that you were always the wrong one. forcing you to hang out with him without you thinking that he is actually forcing you. but, don't worry because kim raebin will never hurt you, he swear.

that's why when you heard that he got scouted on a certain entertainment company. you were overjoyed about this. because raebin will finally be able to achieve his dream and of course, you will be able to escape his clutches.

but, boy! kim raebin is a smart guy. because a year after kim raebin became a trainee, you got scouted too, by the same company that scouted kim raebin. how did that happen? you have no fucking idea. the only thing that they said is that they liked the song that you sent to them when you didn't actually send them one of your pieces. but who in the hell did sent it to them? you couldn't helped but to wonder. of course, it was a certain black-haired bunny who was overjoyed when he saw you confusedly stepped onto the company. and kim raebin— along with cha eugene who pestered raebin to introduce him to you welcomed you with the usual excited expression of his.

fast forward, when raebin debuted on testar, you also debuted and became the main vocalist, main rapper and lead dancer of your group. raebin liked the fact that everyone shipped the two of you. when does it start again? when you and raebin got invited to a certain variety show where the two kpop artists got partnered with each other and do certain tasks to see how compatible they were with each other. and seeing how the two of you easily do those tasks without even getting shy with each other, the host couldn't help but to ask the reason behind it. and when the two of you said that you were childhood friends. the internet got into chaos, fuck, childhood friends? everyone loves that kind of trope!

and now, he can visit you anytime he wants. seeing you and him eating together? it's fine, you were childhood friends after all! but seeing you getting partnered with a kpop artist who is not raebin? expect that everyone will criticize that idol because of that.

and raebin was satisfied with what was happening. he loved the fact that he was able to tie you down with him without you realizing it. it's fine even if you get into a secret relationship with other famous people. because once that was discovered by the public. he just needs to act pitiful and his and your fans will do the work to force you break up with whoever that guy was.

look, he likes you. he respects your decisions and choices but seeing you with other people makes his skin crawl. so, can you stay with him and do him a favour just like the old days, will you? because if you do that, he will gladly remain still and take care of you and protect your career.

“ i'm doing you a favour, you're just too irrational to see that right now, (first name).”

[saturneras]

Private Eyes III

Pairing: Joel Miller x f!reader

Summary: There is a mutual understanding between Joel Miller and yourself that both of you will probably never mention again what was said when you were getting in his truck a few nights ago. He has been curt and professional at the station and so have you. He has made up his mind and so have you. So Tommy Miller's Fourth of July BBQ shouldn't be an issue, right? The lines have been clearly drawn and you're definitely not reckless enough to cross them - but is he?

Note: Just giving the people what they want.

Part 1 , Part 2

Silence. Seventeen minutes of nothing, but utter silence. That was what happened between the chief of police and you when he drove you home that night from the bar. He did not say a word to you the whole time as if he had been frightened by his own conviction. When he had stopped the truck in front of your parent's house and opened the car door for you, he didn't even glance at you. No eye contact whatsoever. You figured he was pissed that maybe he had let himself get carried away. Let you rile him up and loose a fraction of his stoic control. You knew he didn't like you very much and that you were making his job way harder than it needed to be. But being a pain in the ass was just too enjoyable to give it up anytime soon. You figured Joel Miller was the type of guy who wasn't usually confronted with someone questioning his decisions or ignoring his orders. You like to give a man a hard time as much as the next girl does. The duty to be as resistant as possible was something you took very seriously. So when he invited you to the Miller's Fourth of July BBQ, you couldn't help but feel a little taken aback. Okay, maybe that's a bit of a stretch. He invited the whole station, not you specifically. So maybe you had been the necessary evil?

"Quit acting like a troubled main-character and get the beer, will ya?" Your brother shouts from the hallway. "I told Tommy we would be there in 10."

You roll your eyes. "I was thinking, Casey. Maybe you should try it some time."

Your brother laughs and pushes his way through the front door. "And grab your bathing suit, Tommy said the pool is open for business."

"Will do," you shout, throw your bag over your shoulder and grab the two sixers standing on the counter.

You rush out and jump in the car. The sun has been beating down all day and humidity is at an all time high. The air feels thick and heavy, resting on your skin like a layer of sand. Casey is rambling on about his last baseball game and how this one kid always makes sure to get on his last nerve. He teaches little league on Sundays and hasn't won a game in weeks. It's driving him nuts, but he loves it.

"Listen," he starts and turns down the Eagles' song that's playing on the radio. "Can you at least try to be nice to Joel today?"

Your head whips to your side. "Sorry?"

Casey clears his throat. "You know, just make some normal conversation or tell him you like his shirt or whatever."

"For what?" You ask, confused.

"It just seems like you don't get along."

"And why would you think that?"

"Well," Casey mumbles. "He never answers when we ask him how ya'll are getting on and Tommy has been saying he's been a little on edge ever since you started working there."

"And you always look at each other like you're two seconds away from throwing punches," he adds. "Maybe he thinks you don't like him."

"Why would he think that?" You say. "I have been perfectly professional." Images of his eyes dragging over your face flash in your mind. His lips parted slightly, his smell making his way up your nose, unnervingly intoxicating. "Maybe he just needs to cool the control freak energy a little."

"You know how you get," he says. "He needs a little time to warm up. Help him out a little."

"He's a grown man, Casey," you reply. "He is able to communicate if he has a problem. And if he is not, maybe he shouldn't be the chief of police."

Casey lifts is hand and points at you. "That's exactly what I'm talking about, dude. Just be nice and not like.. this."

"Sure, brother," you say and grin. "I'll be nice and agreeable and won't embarrass you in front of your friends."

He rolls his eyes just as you pull up in front of a house. You both get out and your brother gets some grocery bags from the backseat. The front of the house is white, but the window panes are painted in a lovely washed out brown and the door is a deep dark wood that reminds you of trusting dark eyes. The front lawn is perfectly trimmed and there is an outdoor sofa on the porch that looks like the perfect place for a morning coffee. Everything looks extremely well taken care of. Music is resounding from the backyard.

"Tommy's house is beautiful," you remark and glance at your brother.

He laughs. "At least now you have something to compliment him on."

"As if that has been an issue with him before."

"I ain't talking about the youngster," Casey grins. "It's Joel's house."

You turn your head abruptly. "What?"

"Tommy is redoing his garden this year, so Joel offered to do the party at his place. They even got his pool all cleaned up and running, since he never uses it," Casey explains and walks up the driveway. "Tommy told me to just come 'round the back."

You follow your brother up the path and both of you turn around the corner, heading for the backyard. Tommy is the first one you spot, standing by the grill in swimming trunks with a bottle in his hand, talking to some friends you recognise from other gatherings. The party is in full bloom, people lounging on chairs, the grass and in the pool, laughing, drinking.

"Hey bud," Casey calls. "Where do you want this?"

Tommy points to the far side of the garden, where tables have been brought out. You walk over and put the beers on the wooden tables, taking in your surroundings. The backyard is a huge open space, with a terracotta pathway that leads to the crystal clear pool and a fire pit with chairs around it a couple of steps to the back. Hedges and huge hydrangeas line the outer edges of the grass and pots of tomatoes, herbs and other flowers are scattered around in various places. Jesus Christ. The cold hearted chief has a green thumb. There are some chairs and tables set up for eating and coolers filled with drinks.

Casey carries the rest of the bags inside the house and a couple moments later walks out in his trunks. "If I don't get into that pool right now I might melt from this heat."

A couple of the others laugh and most of them follow his lead to the swimming pool as Tommy walks over to you.

"Hey," he says. "I'm happy you could come!"

You smile. "Thanks for having me, this all looks amazing."

"Well," he says. "I do tend to pride myself on my abilities as a host."

"So I've heard."

"Might I suggest a dip in the pool before your brother decides to race everyone here," he jokes and points to the backdoor of the house. "If you want to change, just use the guest room."

"Thanks." You start to make your way toward the house before you realise you have never been here before. "Where is the guest room?"

Tommy turns. "Oh, right, up the stairs and to your left."

You nod and step inside the house. With all the sun outside, your eyes need a couple seconds to adjust to the low lighting in the kitchen. Making your way up the stairs, you look at the pictures hanging on the wall. You recognise Tommy and the chief, as well as other family members out on a beach, on fishing trips and in front of Christmas trees. A family man. Who would have thought?

In the guest room, you quickly undress and change into your bikini. Thankful to be stripping of your already sweaty summer dress, you stuff the clothes into your bag and make your way back to the hallway. Did Tommy say there was a bathroom up here? You don't remember, but take a right and make your way down the hallway. The first door on the right just leads to the utility closet, but the second one opens up to a bathroom. It is even warmer in here and the mirror you spot to the left is still a little foggy. Someone from the party probably showered before the pool.

You take a step inside and are about to close the door behind you, when a gasped "Fuck" resounds from your right and you quickly turn toward it, only to find yourself slipping on a little puddle of water. You have already accepted your fate of falling straight on your ass and are wondering why on earth you keep getting in these situations and if you should consider doing more squats, when a hand grabs your arm and yanks you back. You've seen that hand before. It has held a closet over your head, helped you into a truck and was splayed out on the back of the wall, right next to your head in the hallway of the bar. But the hand cannot stop the force of your fall, so your body pulls it back and as you're about to crash against the door, you feel your body being turned and slam into ... oh god.

Your eyes travel up from the throat to the face. His brows are furrowed. A stern expression on his face and you almost have to turn away from the piercing gaze of his eyes. He looks angry, leaning against the door, his body having shielded yours from the impact, only for it to be smashed into his and held in place by both his arms wrapped around you. Time doesn't exist for a solid minute, while you're both just staring at each other. The warmth of his arms against your exposed skin feels tauntingly familiar. You quickly suppress the urge to lean into him any further, to pressure the weight of your hips forward.

His palm is splayed out on your lower back and you can't help but feel the tip of his fingers dig in a little lower than they probably should. Your lips part in reflex and you think you must imagine the way his eyes soften for a second, holding on to your mouth. Your eyes trail down the hollow of his neck and find themselves on your hands, playing directly on his very broad and very naked chest. There is no way this is happening right now.

"Oh god, no," you say and shake your head.

"I don't think Jesus is gonna help you with this one, Darlin'," Joel Miller drawls. His voice is nothing more than a growl as he speaks to you.

His skin is hot and damp from showering, smelling like eucalyptus and a hint lemony. You feel the drops of water caught on his chest under your hands. This should definitely not be happening.

"I think you should move," he suggests.

"Is this the part where you tell me to 'get on my knees and crawl' or does that just happen at work?" Sometimes you wish your mind would take a second to rethink the things coming out of your mouth.

He grunts and in one quick motion, he bends his knees, lifts you up and pushes both of you off the door. You expect him to drop you immediately, but he takes two steps toward the sinks. Before you can even comprehend the feel of his hands on the back of your legs, he places you on top of the vanity.

The chief of police is standing right between your legs, wearing.. a towel wrapped around his hips. If you were wearing pearls, you probably would be clutching them now.

Just now, when he is standing fully before you are you able to take in the sight of him. His hair is a little ruffled and still dripping. He hasn't shaved and looks like he's about to say something, but stops himself in his tracks. As if he is now just realising who he has in front of him, his eyes run over your body, tentatively, widening by the second. Oh right, it's not that he is just wearing a towel - you are wearing a bikini. And not even one that covers more than what's basically decent. Christ.

You must have said that out loud, because his eyes immediately snap back up to yours, looking the slightest bit guilty.

"What are you doing here?" He snaps.

"I was trying to find a bathroom," you say and point to the room around you. "Success."

"Why did you come in here?"

"As I said, I was trying to find a bathroom," you repeat.

"Maybe you should have knocked before barging in here," he suggest.

"Maybe you should lock the goddamn door when you take a shower," you snap.

He lowers his head a bit. "This is my goddamn house and I wi-."

"Joel?" Tommy's voice resounds from the hallway. His steps are getting closer.

Joel's eyes widen and he shoots you a glare promising death upon disobedience. When you're about to say something, he lifts his hand and covers your mouth. The motion makes you both hold still. His eyes dart from yours to his palm on your lips and back. He exhales slowly. Without you noticing, he has moved closer to the sink, his body now almost aligned with yours. The pressure of his palm is firm but soft, his fingers warm and his thumb hooked under your chin slightly moving over your skin.

"Are you in here?" Tommy calls.

Joel snaps back into motion and turns his head toward the door. "I'll be out in a sec."

"Oh okay," Tommy says behind the door. "Can you maybe get a couple more towels when you get down?"

"Sure," Joel's voice comes out a little harsh, but you both hear Tommy's steps fading.

His hand is still resting on your mouth, when he turns his head back toward you. As if burned, he immediately pulls it away.

"Are you keeping me a secret, Mr. Miller?" You say and grin.

"That is not funny," he says. "I wouldn't even know how to explain that to Tommy."

"Do you trust him that little?"

"People jump to conclusions," he says.

"I've never cared about where other people jump," you say.

Joel's mouth twitches slightly. "I thought so."

You shrug. "People slip and get into accidents all the time. No big deal."

"So you regularly have these interactions with your superiors?" Joel asks mockingly.

"Will it make you happy if I tell you that you're the first, Mr. Miller?"

"Watch it, sweetheart," he growls. "I ain't up for that shit in my house."

He takes a quick glance down your body as if reminding himself of something and steps away from you. "And don't call me Mr. Miller when you're sitting on my bathroom sink barely dressed."

"If you prefer Chief, just say so." You put your palms on the counter and push yourself off, sliding down, until your feet hit the cold tile. "And the last time I checked, this was a pool party, so I will remind you that my attire is perfectly reasonable."

"If you think that thing is reasonable then you gotta watch a lot more than just your tone," he rumbles and crosses his arms. His chest flexes slightly and the image of him in his towel will probably be ingrained in your mind until you take your last breath.

"So you keep telling me," you say.

"Maybe you should start to listen," he replies.

"Maybe you should put on some pants before we're having that argument again," you suggest and mirror his movement, crossing your arms. "You know, to keep things professional."

"Maybe you should do the same," he retorts.

"What?" You say, looking down at your bikini. "You don't like red?"

He averts his eyes. "I really need you to put on your clothes."

You grab your bag. "This might be your house, Miller, but I'm not following orders on a holiday."

"Put on your goddamn clothes," he repeats in a threateningly low voice.

"No." You shake your head curtly. "And you can't make me."

His eyes lower themselves to yours and his mouth morphs into a wicked grin. "You'd be surprised at what I can make you do."

"Probably not." You shoot him the same grin back, make your way to the door and grab the handle. The door opens with a click and you catch his glance. "But I sure do like to see you try."

--------- 1 hour later ---------

Tommy has been busy at the grill, bringing out steaks and veggies to everyone. You're sitting at a table with Tommy's friends Dan and Ray as well as Casey and his friend Marie. Ray is big on musicals, so you're all still talking about the Wicked, when Joel steps out the backdoor of the house. His hair is dry and a little puffy. He is wearing a dark green button down, which seems way too warm for this kind of weather. His gaze rakes across the garden and surely directly lands on you. Without hesitation he begins to walk across the grass toward your table. He looks full of conviction. Let's see how long that will hold up.

"I told you it was Oscar worthy," Ray says to Casey, "She trained years to sing this way. Glinda has always been her dream role."

"Sure, sure," Casey agrees. "I just think she wouldn't have been as good without Cynthia. She basically carried the movie."

Until the last possible moment, you think Joel might walk past, but he takes a halt at the table, looks around it and pulls the empty chair, right next to yours to sit down. You look up at him, but he's watching Casey and Ray continue talking. His proximity makes you uneasy - as if you hadn't just had your hands on his chest moments ago. You can't get it out of your head. The way his body felt pressed to yours, the grip of his arms around your hips. You wish you had never felt it in the first place. Right?

"What do you think, Joel?" Ray turns to him and watches him expectantly.

"'bout what?" He asks.

"Do you think Ariana should have gotten the Oscar for her Glinda?" Ray explains and you frown at Joel. As if he had actually seen the movie.

"Don't know 'bout her," Joel shrugs. "But the green one definitely should have gotten one."

"Elphaba," Casey corrects and adds: "That's what I've been saying this whole time."

"You've seen Wicked?" You look at Joel in surprise.

He doesn't turn toward you, but Ray nods. "Oh yes, we do a movie night every first Friday of the month, when Joel doesn't have the night shift."

You can't help but grin, imagining Joel at the movies watching Wicked with a sobbing group of friends and your brother, who has always been easy to bring to tears ever since he was a kid.

"We love musicals," Ray says. "But my personal favourite is definitely Cabaret."

"What's your favourite?" You tease and finally Joel turns his head and lays his molten eyes on you.

He stills for a moment and then says: "The Sound of Music."

"Really?" You say.

He shrugs and without any hesitation, as if it were the most normal thing to do, lifts his arm and drapes it on the top of your chair, directly behind your back. "Maybe I just like women with an attitude and hate Nazis."

There's a rattle in your chest that makes you lean back a little into him. As if a skittish bird had just awaken from a clap in the distance. His arm at your back feels like a thousand matches scraping against a matchbox.

"Don't we all?" Ray claps his hands and gets into a conversation with the rest of the table about their plans for the rest of summer. Casey's eyes flick to Joel for a split second and his eyebrows narrow almost unnoticeable, but he just turns back to Ray.

"By the way," Dan says. "The garden looks lovely, Joel."

"Thanks," he says, a little hint of red appearing at the base of his neck. "I'm glad you like it."

He leans back into his chair and observes the conversation.

"The city has agreed to everything you suggested in your report," Joel suddenly mumbles and turns to you.

"I know," You nod. "Daniel told me."

"You know he didn't give you any credit, right?"

"Oh I knew that," you say. "I didn't do it because I wanted to get credit for it."

Joel's frown deepens. "Why did you do it then?"

You lower your eyes. "Because he said it was important to you."

Joel's head reels back slightly as if you had just said something offensive. He huffs out a breath and clears his throat.

After a few seconds of silence, he says: "How did you do that?"

"Do what?" You ask, meeting his gaze.

"Convince them," he says. "I've been trying to get them to sign off on these things for weeks."

"Well, it's sort of what I went to school for."

He shakes his head. "I've met a lot of lawyers and I don't think you can learn that shit in school."

"It's just about finding out what they need," you explain.

"Need? Like motivation?"

"No," you say. "It's not about what drives them. Ambition is too obvious and most people can easily see if you are just trying to appeal to that. It's more about what they desire when no one is watching."

"So like lust?" He mumbles only for you to hear. His eyes lazily graze over your mouth.

You shake your head slightly. "Not everything is about sexual desire. Most people don't actually care as much about that as one would think. It's much more about a specific feeling they crave that comes with receiving something you hadn't realised you needed in the first place."

"And how do you find out what that is?" His eyes are still stuck to your now parted lips. Dark. Waiting. Expecting.

"You look very closely and wait," you say. "People are too impatient. They don't see what's directly in front of them."

Joel furrows his brows but stays silent.

"You know like their incentive. That could be power, attention, acceptance?"

"Go on," he says.

"You create this idea in them that the thing you want them to do is actually going to satisfy that need. Almost as if you're not actually convincing them at all, they're doing it for you."

A slight breeze catches his hair and unlocks a strand that dances on his forehead.

"Everyone wants to do the right thing," you say. "You just need to assure them what the right thing actually ist."

"Do me," Joel mumbles, his voice is low.

Your eyebrows shoot up. "Sorry?"

"How would you manipulate me?" He asks, a glint of mocking in the corner of his eyes. "Or is my soul of stone to hard to read?"

"I've watched you, Mr. Miller," you say. "And a lack of emotion is not something you suffer from."

"You've been watching me?" The corner of his mouth twitches.

"Of course I have," you say. "It's my job to shadow you, is it not?"

You lean back and the hem of your dress slowly falls back, revealing a glimpse of your upper thigh. Joel's jaw ticks, as he takes in your bare skin. His fingers on your chair twitch and softly touch the back of your shoulder just to immediately clench into a fist.

"And what have you found out?"

"That you're no exception," you say. "You also just want to do the right thing. Like a good chief of police."

"And the right thing is doing what you want?"

"It's not about what I want," you say.

"What is it then?" He asks and leans in.

"Huh?" You reply and catch yourself raising your chin to meet his face. The conversation at the table has completely drowned out. You hear nothing but the sound of his breath on your face and feel only his arm pressing against your back. You wonder what it feels to be touched by him with intent, not just by accident. Would he move differently? Or do his hands find their way just as easily?

"What is it that you want?" Joel drawls.

"Are you trying to manipulate me?" You asks, wearily.

"I'm trying to understand you," He says.

"For what?"

"So I can figure out why your mouth seems to never match the story your eyes are telling."

And it's in that moment you realise that the chief of police might be capable of more than what you thought you'd bargained for.

[vonlycaonwife]

Can I request headcanons for Wise, Billy, Ben, Anton, and Lycaon reacting to his gn crush accidentally confessing to him please?

Omg this would be so me, so I gave some personal flair to these for how I would react to my own flub up (aka running the fuck away fhskdjfk)

Warnings: none

With Wise I can imagine you have a small chance of pretending it didn't happen. Though that's only if you did it while watching a documentary with him.

But afterwards I can imagine Fairy ratting you out to him as a way to tease him.

And while I feel like he would want to confront you the next time you see each other, I don't think he would. Mainly because he wouldn't know how to go about it without it being awkward.

But if he did hear you, then in that instance he would definitely be asking you to repeat it. He would be blushing up a storm as he did, let me tell you!!

If you ran away after that I can imagine he's a bit upset by it, mainly because he didn't get a chance to reciprocate the confession. 

Though don't think for a moment he won't corner you at some point to get it all out of you again. This time with his own in return.

I'm like 50/50 on whether you can brush it off with him.

In one instance he may not even be aware you said anything if you were watching Starlight Knight with him.

But on the other hand, I feel like his hearing could pick up on it even if you were muttering. Which would leave him to become extremely silent while his processors are well…processing what he heard.

Honestly, him just standing there still is the perfect opportunity for you to run away, which is exactly what you did. He wouldn't chase you because by the time he's finished processing you're already gone.

After that he most definitely would run to the other Hares to scream about what happened, and maybe also get some advice and help on how to proceed.

Good luck trying to avoid him to be honest, because as soon as any of the Hares see you they're already texting him your location. And then you got a six foot two android running after you.

But don't worry! That's mainly just him being excited to return your confession!

Oh boy, lord help everyone in this situation.

Since Ben is a thiren, who I'm certain have better hearing than humans (yes, even the ones without animal ears like Ellen), I'm like 100% certain he fully heard you and comprehended what you said.

Though you do have the grace of Ben being able to read you better then you can yourself. So he will know it was on accident.

The problem lies now, if you start avoiding him after that incident. He won't fight you on it. Yes he'll definitely be obviously upset, but he wants to give you the space you need.

Honestly I'm certain Koleda is gonna step in if it goes on for too long, and she will not mince her words. Ben is basically her second father and she'll be damned if she let's him continue to be passive over this!

So yes, Koleda will not hesitate to tell you that Ben reciprocates your feelings and essentially pushes you into talking to him again.

And once you do you'll be greeted with a nervous wreck of a man as he tries to confess (without knowing Koleda spilled the beans) and blushing so red under his fur you could almost see it.

Oh boy, lord help everyone in this situation. 

Look, I'm just gonna give it to you straight. He's not gonna realize, like at all.

Actually you have a high chance of him not even hearing it over his bro (the fucking jackhammer). But even if he did hear it, it'll fly over his head.

You could even say the most blatant “I love you” accidentally and he'll take it as a sign of friendship instead, giving a “Same here bro!” in return.

Though luckily by some miracle, when he's by himself at home it's like a light bulb lit up and he's a wreck over how he potentially screwed up your confession. He probably won't even realize it was an accidental one and just beat himself over it.

Which is why you don't even have a chance to run (thinking you're in the clear) because he's gonna casually call you over to a private area and then profusely apologize for unintentionally brushing over your confession.

And before you can even try to lie and say it wasn't that he's already giving the most heartfelt speech over how he feels the same way actually and explains how most of his gestures were actually romantic in nature. Said gestures being normal behaviors he shows to almost everyone (there's a subtle difference but only Anton knows and no one can guess).

So at least you can say you're with a total dumbass now.

Honestly with him there is no way you could take it back, because you can't try to lie about him mishearing you. With his ears there's no way he did. And your body language after the flub up would only confirm it.

Though I'm sure he would lie about hearing your accidental confession even if it was obvious. Just don't pay attention to the wagging tail behind him.

Actually, pay very much attention to it cause that's your sign about him returning your feelings. But if you missed it and ran away instead I don't blame you, I would do that too.

And like Ben, Lycaon would give you the space you need. Though it's not as obvious how sad he is at the avoidance compared to the bear.

Luckily for him though, he would take matters into his own hands. Though he will apologize later, he definitely will use some “underhanded” tactics to get you in the same room as him. Like having one of the girls invite you.

When you arrive, on guard but still hoping it wasn't a trick, you're gonna be greeted with a table set up like those super expensive fancy restaurants.

This man is wining and dining you and being very upfront about his mutual affection for you and asking you with the most lovestruck look on his face. Honestly if you started crying from how overwhelmingly sweet he's being I don't blame you!

[flamingpudding]

do you still take requests? if you do can you write your take on this idea https://www.tumblr.com/ilydana/746501696852819968/cloneclonedbatman?source=share

Thanks for the Ask! That's is an interesting one!

Also as long as I can write something to it I don't mind getting requests, if I can't I will let people know if I can. So no worries about that K?

Out of courtesy and because I believe its is the right thing to do here the Link and a Tag to the original writer @ilydana I hope you don't mind that I am taking inspiration from you for this.

Also I don't know Conners Timeline well and I like to base my writings on the Wayne Family Adventures settings so.... yea sorry if I got some facts wrong....

-------------------------------

Clone double Wamy

Thinks were never easy for the Waynes, Bruce realised that when he sat in the meeting room. Usually he would have confronted his best friend in a more private setting, like when it was just the two of them or only Diana with them. But his best friend had been grating on his nerves with this for a while now. Bruce had honestly believed Clark had gotten better with the whole Clone thing but apparently he hadn't.

"All I am saying is that Conner is a person and to stop referring to him as 'it'." Bruce wasn't sure what had this brought on but maybe it was also having listened to his own kids rants about the way Conner had been and sometimes still was treated by Clark. Usually when someone called his friend out on it he would laugh awkwardly and say it was a slip of the tongue. That he still wasn't completely used to the idea of having a clone.

It's been years and Bruce wasn't buying that excuse anymore.

Well his persistent nagging had now caused this petty fight in front of everyone. He knew his children present, Dick and Tim, would have his back as well as most of their friends. But he also knew that those that prefer to keep the peace would try to argue in Clarks favor to sweep this hole problem under the rug once more.

"You don't get what it is like to be cloned or how long it takes to get used to it!"

His eye twitched under his cowl, he could also feel his kids tense up, especially Tim. His entire family had expirence when it came to cloning. The number of labs from the LoA they had shut down and destroyed was a testament to it. But there was one thing his entire Family aside from Alfred didn't know either.

"I actually do."

He stated calmly watching Clarks reaction as he stared unwaveringly at his best friend. He could see the colour drain, the paling and the pure look of disbelief he was getting, while Nightwing and Red Robin stood up to stand behind him with crossed arms. They probably thought he was referencing the time they had to fight Damian's Clones that sadly couldn't be saved like Conner had been.

"What do you....?" His best friend started but wasn't able to finish his question as Bruce decided to rip the bandaid off.

"The original Bruce Wayne died before he even was one month old. My parents, unable to cope with the loss cloned the baby with the help of a pair of scientist from Illinois." If the situation was different he might have laughed into the faces the people around him were making, not very Batman like of him but it was kind of funny. Still he was thankful for the comforting hand his son, Dick, placed on his shoulder or the way his other son, Tim inched closer protectively like. These two while probably shocked still stood by his side.

"And i was not the only clone that resulted from my parents original grief."

He left it at that as he stood and left the meeting without any further explanation. Bruce had made his point clear, now the ball was in his friends court. He was thankful that his kids followed him out as he went straight to the Zeta-Tubes to return to the Batcave. He knew his kids had questions for him, but he was not willing to answer them in front of the other heroes and thankfully his kids knew that that. So they silently followed him until they were back to the cave.

"B?" Dick asked tentatively once they were back in the came.

"It is as simply as I stated. My parents grieved the loss of their original son and unable to cope they cloned their own child with the help of a pair of scientist." He reiterated his earlier statement not looking at the two at first. For a brief moment he was thankful his other kids were out and about busy with other things.

"A pair of scientists?" Tim propped further and Bruce sighed wondering how much he should tell or if he could keep some things secret.

"Family actually. Estranged but they were... are family." He nodded. "The Fentons. Jack Fenton was my fathers cousin. Because of his field of research he got estranged from the family, not fitting into the perfect image my great grandparents had in mind for the Waynes originally. My father contacted him for help regarding the cloning back then."

"You said you weren't the only one?" He gave Tim a small smile, it was just like him to catch on to the small details and focus his questions on that.

"I didn't know until many years later when my parents died." He smiled a little remembering back to his training with Lady Gotham and how she asked him if he had siblings and then proceeded to introduce him to his clone twin. Ever since then Danny had become quite the fixture in his life, a reconnected family member. Though they had needed a lot of help when it came to actually speaking with each other but that thankfully Danny's sister Jazz helped.

He couldn't help the laugh that escaped him when he noticed Dick's stare of realisation. "Uncle Danny!"

Bruce just smirked, chuckling lightly as he gave his eldest a slight nod. "Danny."

Dick was the most familiar with Danny having meet the other a couple of times when he was younger and just started out as Robin. Bruce wasn't ashamed to say that Danny and Alfred had been the two he had asked for advice the most when he had taken Dick in back then. Danny had already expirence in raising kids from an even younger age than Bruce had. That their two cousins Dan and Danielle were in a way clones too was however something he would not be telling his kids yet. Frankly it wasn't his place and honestly if Danny hadn't become as comfortable as he had with this fact over the year he wouldn't have outed his clone twin to his kids either.

"So...." Tim started, rubbing the back of his head nervously. "...what now? Not that it will change anything now but uh...."

"Nothing really? I mean if Clark still got a problem then well I guess we don't have a super uncle anymore? But hey maybe we could introduce Uncle Danny to Conner?" Dick shrugged turning to Tim.

"But that would mean we admit to Uncle Danny that B let us in in the secret and that could make things awkward and..."

"Tim you are overthinking! It will be fine!"

Bruce smiled as he watched his two sons start to argue wether or not to introduce Danny to Conner. Well even if they did Danny wouldn't mind it. In fact Bruce had kept his clone twin updated on a lot of things that happened with his work as Batman. One of the reasons was that Danny had started out in the hero business way sooner than Bruce had but also because Danny was his last resort contingency plan against everything.

His twin would probably laugh in their faces and ask why it took them so long to introduce them and then drag his own daughter to meet Conner so they could have some 'clone'-bonding time and knowing Danielle, she was going to drag Dan along and then Bruce himself too. Bruce chuckled at that thought, he also knew that if Clark doesn't clean up his act than Danny would most likely swoop in and adopt Conner right out of under Clarks nose.

Well all he had to say if it came to that was that his best friend wouldn't be able to blame anyone but himself then.

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

i feel like if ace's UM does end up just allowing him to copy other's UM, it would solve a potential problem which is malleus putting everyone into a state of sleep. like they told us that it would only be lifted if malleus either lifts it up on his own or if he dies and idt twst would kill off a major and VERY popular character. but if they give ace that ability as his UM it would solve that in a way?

but if they do give that to ace as his UM i hope that ace would struggle to copy people's abilities, or at least kinda go through the emotions the original spell caster felt when theyre using their UM or when they first awoken it. maybe like a price to pay to use other's abilities but thats just me HAHAHHA

Yeeeah, that's what I was thinking too. I can't imagine Ace's UM being anything but a UM borrowing/mimicry spell right now (due to his own propensity to easily learn new skills and do vocal impressions)... It would also just be really useful for the end of book 7, since the briar barrier can only be taken down with Malleus's death or with Malleus willingly removing his magic. Given Malleus's stubbornness and being in such an emotional state, I really doubt he'd be able to come to his senses even all these hundreds of parts later. I really doubt whether all of our powers combined can take him down either, given his track record of being so stupidly OP. And it for sure wouldn't be a good move on the Twst devs' part to kill off such a money maker and significant part of their marketing for their series. (I do want to point out, however, that Malleus's insane popularity is exclusive to the international/English-speaking part of the fandom; he is not a top contender in JP and I would say has more of a middling status.) Having someone else reproduce his UM could very easily resolve this issue, but I guess that's also highly dependent on if Ace can get a grip on his UM that fast, or if he can even feasibly iron out the kinks of controlling what is probably a very complex spell. Epel, who got his UM most recently in book 6, still seems to have only a 70-80% success rate with his, so it's possible that Ace doesn't fully master his UM even if he gets it as soon as his own dream. I definitely don't think Ace would be able to use his (theoretical) copying UM to its full extent ASAP, as then we could just cut the dreams short right then and there. I feel like it'd become more relevant during the actual OB Malleus showdown or something. In general, there'd have to be come kind of drawback or limitations to his UM even if he got used to casting it at some point (just for power balancing reasons). Maybe there's a cooldown period, or he can only use the UM as much as his imagination will allow, or maybe it requires that he be able to empathize with the feelings of the original mage.

... Oh, you know what??? That might actually tie book 7 up quite nicely! If Ace's UM allows him to copy the UMs of other mages but only with the stipulation that he must empathize or relate to how they were acting when the original mage used their UM... Wouldn't that mean that Ace has to understand Malleus's loneliness and the fear of being left behind by his loved ones??? ACE CAN ACTUALLY PERFECTLY RELATE TO THAT because he was in denial mode that Yuu would be going home earlier in book 7. On top of that, he's probably also harboring shame for making fun of Deuce so much, only to be the one who doesn't have his UM yet. Ace can totally relate to what Malleus is going through 👀 He'd be forced to confront his denial of his own emotional vulnerability because he sees Malleus displaying the very same behaviors.

Maybe Ace gets his UM early on but has no idea how to use it properly until it comes in clutch in the final battle because he realizes (at last) how Malleus is feeling. Then it’s Ace who becomes the trump card that lets us triumph…! And that brings us full-circle—the final boss being beaten by the first student that we met, our first friend… Ace Trappola 🫶

[goofycattycat]

HIIIII! I saw your post saying that your asks were open for some stuff! I’d simply like some headcanons (or a one-shot. It doesn’t matter to me) for a chuuya x reader who forgets to eat and sleep (as I do sometimes.. 💔) fluff and angst!

Sincerely,

⭐️ anon! (have a good morning/evening/night!)

Yayyie another req ^^ of course no problem

Chuuya w a reader that forgets to take care of themselves hc's

(sleeping, eating, etc)

Reader; gender neutral

Chuuya has always been a rather blunt man. Despite his caring nature, he has that it's just a task that needs to be done mindset. And while some self care aspects tire him too, he simply forces himself through, knowing he has to fulfil them. That being said, that's exactly how he approaches you at first; confronting and demanding. However, once it leads to a rather huge argument between you two, he realises this won't work for you as well as it does for him. He understands that everyone functions differently, he truly does, but your inability to focus can drive him nuts at times.

A bit hopeless and frustrated, but he accepts it. Unsure about what to do next, he decides to study the problem at its core and asks you more about why you struggle with that. He's not very pushy; it's not like he requires specifics. He simply wishes to know what he's working with.

What he does next honestly depends on your answer. If the reason why you don't do such things is just cause you forget, he simply reminds you to do so. He's still worried, and far from being able to relate to your issues, but he's glad it's simply a memory fog.

He leaves you sticky notes with reminders and silly sketches, occasionally wakes you up to an already made breakfast and cuddles you up to sleep whenever he can. Chuuya truly doesn't mind falling asleep with you, he's just glad he's finally able to rest with you in his arms. Nakahara's job at the port, mostly done when no light can be seen on dark nights, sends him away for quite a long time, so any quality time together is greatly appreciated. He'll tap your shoulder while you're working, reminding you to grab a snack, too.

However, if the problem is much deeper, more complex than just forgetfulness, that's when Chuuya becomes truly worried. He won't let it show much through. At least not through his body language nor words. However, it's pretty visible with his actions. Offering to listen more to your struggles, find a specialist which could help – or simply making you two your favourite drink before bed so you can relax together.

Whatever the case might be, he'll be there to make sure everything's going well. And while his short temper might get in the way sometimes, he's more than pleased to look after you.

[pshaven]

how would jay express his jealously when he noticed you with another guy?

jay needs more love on my blog so i'm here to deliver!! (mdni)

jay thinks he has such a good pokerface when he sees other guys and girls flirting with you. he imagines that he has such a stoic expression, only occasionally sparing you glances to make sure that the person isn't crossing any lines.

but he's the exact opposite.

his jaw is clenched, brows knitting together as his lips are pressed into a tight line. he's clearly angry to anyone in the room, and they know exactly why he is with the way his eyes are only focusing on you and the guy that's starting to get a little too touchy with you.

that's his last straw, pushing himself off the table that he's leaned against to go over to you, a hand placed firmly on your lower waist. he gives the guy an awkward chuckle, the jealousy starting to cloud his thoughts. he doesn't even properly introduce himself as your boyfriend, he just pinches the side of your hip and you yelp, meeting his cold-stoned, narrow eyes.

you think he's kinda cute like this. it's not like jay has any problem or issue expressing his emotion and love for you, but it's rare to see him get to worked up around you since you're often his safe place to relax. you grin and giggle at him, looking at the guy that was previously flirting with you.

you reach to cup jay's face, pulling him down for a heated kiss that clears up jay's cloudy and jealous mind, melting into your lips. the both of you open your eyes mid-kiss, looking at the guy and he scurries off awkwardly, shaking his head as he walks away.

safe to say that when the both of you get back home, you show him that you belong to him, and only him<3.

"mmph!" you moan into the pillow, arching your back further as jay slides into your slick cunt, a groan escaping his lips. he relishes in the warmth of your pussy sucking him in, his hips starting to move on their own.

"promise you won't entertain those guys anymore?" he hums tauntingly, his chest meeting the arch of your back and you nod into the pillow enthusiastically.

"yes! yes, i promise, promise, jay!" you squeal out as his hips begin to pick up its force and pace, his pelvic bone meeting the flesh of your ass.

but you both know that you'll do it again, if it meant you'd get a good fuck like this again.

or ...

close family childhood bestfriend jay who immediately stands up straighter when you come home and bring someone with you who he's never seen before. you introduce him as your boyfriend, but jay doesn't miss the way the guy next to you give you a weird look when you say that.

he confronts you when the two of you are alone, and you say that he's really just a boy you're talking to, no official labels but you said boyfriend to make things seem less complicated.

and jay doesn't like it one bit. how can someone not commit to you? you are a treasure to behold, and anyone would be blessed to be able to call themselves your partner.

you can already see the thoughts running through jay's head, knowing that he already disapprove of this guy. you sigh, placing a hand comfortingly on his knee, "don't worry about me."

how can he not worry about you? he doesn't want to see his favorite girl get heartbroken by some loser guy who doesn't deserve to make you cry in the long run.

he's immediately possessive of you, claiming the only seat next to you when it comes to dinner time. the boy you brought with you gives you a look, but jay smiles pridefully and engages in conversation with your mother, ignoring your so-called boyfriend.

the two of you get into a fight that same night in your room, your situationship saying that he felt left out of your family and that jay is obviously crushing on you. you both exchange shouts and accusations, and jay is on the other side in the hallway, listening in.

he hears your door click open, the guy walking out and spotting jay standing right in front. jay gives him another grin, waving a little goodbye before saying, "you didn't deserve her, anyway."

[itsmaferart]

Keep your hands off my woman!!

Leaving aside the most important part of the chapter, Yor must kiss her husband for world peace and the Twiyor nation to be happy.

I think it's a good message if we look deeper into how the stereotypical duality of women is portrayed to us, which I think is a message that can encompass anyone in general.

The most conventional romantic movies are usually about the man being - stereotypically - the strongest and the one who must protect the woman, who wins his sensitive heart and makes the hero bring out his sweetest feelings.

Becky being a little girl has in her heart the fantasy of a sweet romantic love just like the one in her novels and movies. But sometimes, people are not so conventional.

Both Anya and Yor, don't feel comfortable being pigeonholed into “girls waiting to be passively rescued”, because within themselves the love for the people around them is a drive to be strong, take action and save others.

I feel that one of Endo's best points, is her way of undertaking a concept of what femininity, or rather, “feminine energy”, represents. Feminine energy is a force that comes from feelings, it is fluctuating and unpredictable, sometimes like a gentle breeze and sometimes like a terrible hurricane.

Most of Endo's female characters are strong, independent women who do not need to be rescued. And they are very willing to put themselves in the face of danger to protect those they love. This is something we have seen, with characters like Yor, Sylvia, Martha, Fiona, and they have been able to save other men or take on subjects much larger and more muscular than them.

Even with girls like Anya who we know very well is a very brave girl and has been in the face of danger despite her age (maybe too much, our poor baby is only 4 to 5 years old, God), and has the strength to send a bully flying (and fall in love in the process) on the first day of school.

So …. if women are strong …. men are weak?

Absolutely not!

Everyone, regardless of gender, is strong. We know perfectly well that Twilight is someone capable of taking care of himself, is someone who is physically trained and has enormous intelligence. Even Yuri has survived so many dangers that we wonder how the hell he didn't die. Damian is a brave guy (when he doesn't see an insect lol).

The point is, even though women and men (or any gender in general) are strong. We all have our weaknesses, our sensitive sides.

You can do things on your own, but you don't have to do everything at once....

Clearly, although Yor is physically strong, she has problems with metal and verbal confrontations. Because her insecurities are so great that when they make her doubt herself and her own value, she tends to lose it and that is when Loid is there for her, not to take care of her because she is weak, but to remind her of her own value (because she doesn't seem to realize it herself) and to make her see that she is worthy of the understanding and love of others. In the same way that Yor reminds him that he too can be a little weak and take refuge in her.

Even if we feel weak and awkward, we can take initiative....

I think it is very important, the idea that Yor or anyone in general can have the “initiative” to seek on their own that “love” that you so desire.

Many times we feel that if we don't fit into the expected canon, or social archetype we are not worthy of love. (Feminine women who feel vulnerable and who depend on the guy to live are the ones who get love in the end). When nothing could be further from the truth….

Being weak and vulnerable is something totally natural and not exclusive to one gender or social role. We are all weak and strong at the core, and we need each other to complement each other and to be able to enjoy much more of our own love and the love we can give and receive from others.

Yor's desire to actively seek love (kissing her husband a lot) is not only a way to develop her bond with Loid, but a way to grow her self-esteem and challenge her insecurities. To stop seeing herself as a child in front of the world, but a woman who can get things because she wants them (and has her husband's consent, of course) (But, come on, we all know Loid needs kisses from Yor).

[t3ch-wizard]

something i just realized! (small analysis)

(PROLLY not the first one to figure this out, but here my thoughts goo!)

Soo, we all know about the Turbo flashback we were shown in the first movie. Growing envious and jealous of the spotlight being stolen by that new RoadBlasters rolling in, Turbo goes turbo with the mission to TAKE over the new game, yadda yadda, he fails and skids the HELL outta there. But my big brain noticed something.

1- In comparison to the scene where Ralph and the other villains from Bad-Anon rode the carts from Pac-Man to GCS, the speed Turbo seemingly travelled at is ridiculiously fast!

Considering we see him sitting in his red kart before, this can only mean one thing. Turbo RACED HIS WAY THERE, literally! Even the carts of respective games go faster than the speed he went at, and no normal character such as short stack can run that fast (no, not counting Sonic). Hot shot was desperate for attention that badly.

2- It bugged me how there wasn't the notion of anybody trying to stop Speedy in his tracks. What about the Turbo Twins, didn't they get wind of Turbo's plans and attempt to hinder him? What about the Surge Protector, or ANYONE else in that manner?! Then, moment of clarity hit me.

It was opening hours when the RoadBlasters Incident had occured. This means that AT THE TIME, the Game Central Station was near to empty, spare the Surge Protector roaming around. Now keep in mind the "opening hours" thought, I'll get to that in a bit.

Basically, when Turbo maneuvered his kart shooting out of TurboTime STRAIGHT into RoadBlasters, no one stood in his way and in this short span of time, the Surge Protector wouldn't have been able to block him.

Poor man probably saw something red and white whoosh past his vision and not comprehend what was about to happen. Whoopsie to him I guess.

3- How Turbo escaped honestly had me on a chokehold here. Since the movie showed us the following three scenes after each other directly, I assumed it happened in the same moment RoadBlasters got busted.

But wait, this was Felix explaining to Calhoun/the audience the important chunks of Turbo's story, which means he left out anything that wasn't necessary for us to know! And because two workers (who didn't seem to be employees of Litwak) were rolling out the two cabinets, some time had passed for them to get there, which further then implies that TurboTime and RoadBlasters had to be unplugged sometime later on the same DAY.

What we see in the real world VS. what we see in the game world of an arcade game varies drastically. Although the screen of RoadBlasters was displaying a glitchy killscreen, we don't see what happens to Turbo and the RB racer exactly. Seeing the chaos he had inflicted upon RoadBlasters and the main character of it, Turbo would've abandoned his vehicle behind and scrambled to the exit, realizing there were no means of fulfilling his plan anymore. All that mattered to him was getting to safety under the wire to seek shelter elsewhere. Staying in RoadBlasters would've resulted in him getting unplugged along with the game. Going BACK to TurboTime was a (death sentence) confrontation with the Turbo Twins, escaping to ANY other arcade game would've arisen suspicion both to players AND to game characters. Turbo didn't have that many options.

--

What happened in the meantime on the outside, you may ask? Here's where we tread a bit into theory territory:

Remember that RoadBlasters was a FAIRLY new game that just came into the arcade. Litwak wouldn't have tossed it out as quickly as we'd seen it!

I believe he took the time to get the game's systems checked by a professional, see if it was just a minor memory problem or a tweak to be done on the system and then get it back working. However, due to the fact that Turbo jumbled up the game's code altogether when colliding with the RoadBlaster racer, repair seemed beyond reach after tinkering on RoadBlasters for so long. You can only do so much after hope dies for your new game.

As for TurboTime, I can imagine it this way. The kids who were playing RoadBlasters definitely told Litwak about the odd Turbo sprite dashing across the horizon before RoadBlasters crashed into oblivion. The second arcade cabinet was most likely inspected as well for any "issues" and truth be told, that cocky racer with that golden trophy was just not showing up no matter how many fixes you did.

The Turbo Twins? Oh, they had to endure the consequences. Had to hear Litwak being reality-checked by the technician that for all the popularity TurboTime had garnered over the years, the game had to go into retirement. Merely forced to stand in the black background, well-aware of the fact that they'd go down with TurboTime, without seeing Turbo's face one last time ever AGAIN. Tragedy, I know.

--

Now now, I DID say to keep in mind the opening hours aspect just earlier. Here it comes into fruition!!

4- Now, while we have gotten some explanation of how Turbo stayed in hiding for nearly ten years, it's not really clear how he managed to do that during all this time when video game characters were crowding GCS left and right after the incident.

As established in the movie/in this post, all characters of their respective games normally head to their game portals when the arcade is about to open. No bit was strolling to hit the rounds, you see. Everyone was occupied with their own game.

Though, the RoadBlasters incident was surely not a day anybody would forget anytime soon. Neighboring cabinets would've witnessed the horrors of RB unfolding between their eyes, the fleeting voice lines of "Turbo-tastic!" ringing in their ears a second too long. But even then, even WHEN everybody saw Turbo's deeds, how could somebody stop him? How could ANYONE in that matter step out and do the right thing? What if somebody had noticed a character missing from their title screen too? What if something went wrong?

What (presumably at the time) was Turbo's DEATH was no demise any other character wanted to go through. So, they had to stick to their programming. Act as if they were blissfully unaware of the falls of two beloved games in the arcade. Keep up the facade that somehow, everything was fine.

And so, with nobody knowing that hot shot was on the run, Turbo took the run for it. Dashing past the unaware Surge Protector, staggering left and right, he escaped into the bowels of GCS where nobody would find him. At least, until he came up with a new plan. A SOLID plan. One that would make up for the loss of a failure he took part in.

By the time the Surge Protector had partially pieced together the events at closing hours, it was far too late. The criminal was already gone, no trace left behind. Alas, the term "going Turbo" was coined, the act of game-hopping to a foreign game to your own in order to jeopardize and take control over it.

Once the new and flashy racing game Sugar Rush was plugged in, this gave the hiding ex-racer a chance for a comeback, albeit under a different name. With the arcade about to open, Turbo made his way to the new game portal, determined to get he what he had wanted back all this time..

.

.

.

.

That is, BY A̸̤̥̓̿͌̾͋͐͠͝N̷̨̪͍̩̼͙̤͉̹͍̥͕̈́̅͛̅͊̂͋̆́̏̈́̊͜͜Y̵̮̘̠̯͍͒̇͒̔́̑̀̚͝ MEANS NECESSARY.

[volturiprincess]

could you do headcanons on the volturi having a mate who sings in the shower? like they don’t realize the vampires can hear them yk

Slow and steady wins the race right? I'm starting to work more on request, i know I been lacking but school really does keep me occupied. I hope this makes up for it. Enjoy💙

Singing In The Shower

Warnings: none that I am aware of

Felix:

The song choice “Toxic” by Britney Spears 

For some reason whenever you heard that song you just thought of him, so of course you added that to your playlist that you listen to when you shower 

So currently you find yourself belting this song with all your might without a single care in the world 

You don't even realize that everyone in the castle can hear you

Every. Single. Vampire. Can. Hear. You. 

Everyone was scattered around the castle but they stopped as you started singing this song

Everyone basically gravitated toward Felix

“Is that your mate?”

“Is she okay?”

“Why is she singing that song”

“Will someone stop that”

Felix loves to hear you sing, he thinks you sound like an angel but he does get slightly flustered when people bring up your singing 

When he does confront you, he’s a bit smug about it 

Clearly he knows that song is dedicated to him so he will respond with a “Well well, aren't we feeling scandalous today?”

When he tells you that the others can hear you singing, obviously you're embarrassed but at the end of the day when Demetri tells you that when you sing, Felix gets flustered

It's worth it without a doubt

You will keep singing and Felix won't stop you because he enjoys hearing you sing, even if your song choices get a bit….explicit (he’s into that anyways)

Demetri:

Song choice “Brooklyn Baby” by Lana Del Rey 

This vampire would join in if this was the case 

To the cheesiest of pop songs, to the most explicit rap song to a simple ballad that hits you in the soul, he will sing them with you (language is of no concern for him, he does after all know multiple languages)

He will tend to add songs into your “Shower playlist” that he would want to hear you sing or ones where you and him can duet 

He really does not care if others can hear you, he actually thinks of it as a mini concert in the bathroom. 

He even manage to add color changing bulbs to create that feeling of a rock concert 

Felix might tease you guys but those mini shower concerts are one of the many things you and Demetri bond over 

So yea the kings might have a talk with him about being able to hear “such vulgar” songs (mostly Caius thinking, Aro is intrigue while Marcus is whatever)

But that just makes him want to let you do you, he would never want to stop you in doing something you love 

What he likes the most about you singing in the shower is how you manage to outshine him during a rap song

He is shock how you manage to say all of the words without missing a beat

When you first found out the others can hear you (after many showers later), you were absolutely mortified at the realization

What do you mean they can hear me Demetri?” You guys have super hearing????

After many reassurance he tells you it's no problem  and that you singing in the shower is one of the highlights of his day (he likes that quirk of yours)

Alec:

“Espresso” by Sabrina Carpenter (before anyone comes out for me, I thought of this song for Alec because I was thinking about that one-shot I wrote for him called ‘Better than a Cup of Coffee’ plus this song wont leave my mind, i'm always ‘now he’s thinking bout me every night, isn't that sweet?’)

It started off as any other lovely day, you were getting ready to take your well needed shower, but couldn't start it until you got your music set 

As soon as the song above goes on you start grooving to it and singing it, not really thinking twice about it 

It was even your first time ever singing in the shower in the castle so again you didn't think twice 

But before you can even get to the last verse of the song, Alec appears on the other side of the shower door staring at you

(A little jump scare to be honest) while his face holds no emotion or reaction 

He informs you he could hear you all the way from the throne room

Instantly your heart drops and the color to your skin starts to loose its normal color at his words 

Your his shy, introverted, and calm mate yet here you are here acting the total opposite, everyone knows how you are so they don't try to push you out of your comfort zone but hearing you sing such a pump up song leaves them shook 

At that moment you want to want the earth to just swallow you from the pure embarrassment that you were facing

Alec being the darling he is, was comforting you and telling you “i thought you had such a sweet voice cara, i could get used to it”

His words touch your heart but you still feel worried of when you have to face the others

“I will be there for you, if they say something I'll use my gift, hmm?”

So much for thinking about coffee in the shower 

Jane:

“Mi Niña Traviesa” by Luis Coronel 

She’s the one mortified here 

Not that your singing is bad to her (sure your voice might of cracked slightly but she secretly thought it was cute) it's just the others started to tease her

She’s very protective of you, so hearing others making fun of you awakens her right away 

She won't hesitate to use her gift on others 

As for you side, your not even aware of what is happening to her or that others can hear you

For a while she does not confront you about your singing in the shower because she knows it would embarrass you 

Until two certain vamps who like to joke around and spend hours with you when Jane is away on a mission spilled the news 

They said it casually, they asked you what that song (from above) you were singing called

You felt your soul leave your body, they heard me!?

You sat there as you felt yourself slowly shutting down from embarrassment and while Felix and Demetri just kept on talking about it, unaware of your state 

You eventually left them and went off to your shared room 

You have never felt such embarrassment in your life

About to curl up a sharp yet soft voice stopped you

“Who made you cry?”

You didn’t even realize that you had small tears coming down until Jane pointed it out 

She was by your side immediately and it is when you tell her

She freezes for a moment thinking she might as well reveal the truth 

When you hear her say this you felt even worse but she mentioned you sounded like an angel

She didn't tell you because she knew you would stop 

With her saying she likes your singing you promised her you would sing for her sometimes if she joins you in the shower 

[britney-j-christ]

Oh man, Curly really had no good options, huh?

I see a lot of people jumping to "Curly should have shot Jimmy", which is fine to say because he still should get to shoot Jimmy, but not a compelling argument.

Unless this is even more dystopian of a universe than it seems (Ala the villain being capitalism, not The State Shooting You Without Trial In Space style) there's no legal grounds to do that. That's vigilante justice and while it would solve a part of the Safety Concern Jimmy causes, it leads to too many problems on earth.

Also, you cannot just casually shoot a coworker or 1/5th of the locals. Daisuke and Swansea would have *very reasonable concerns* if their captain just shot someone, even if it was explained. And I don't think either would be down to do a cover up about it. And if they did...

Daisuke would Crack in seconds under interrogation or scrutiny.

We're also talking about Captain Curly pre, uh... "character developement" as it were, being able to see Jimmy's abusive nature first hand now that he's under his control. There's a pattern for trying very, very hard to see the good in Jimmy and enabling him. He'd never be in this position as copilot if Curly hadn't been there, trying to pull Jimmy out of whatever trouble he was at back on Earth. Curly is a big picture guy who doesn't see the dead pixel; he sees Jimmy climbing up and out of the muck with him and he ignores the red flags or, possibly, even prior offenses?

Captain Curly can be seen *trying* to be a good Captain, not unlike the way Jimmy as Captain is also "trying" to be a good Captain(for selfish ego driven and guilt-avoidant reasons). It really is a goal they share. Both of them fail at it, but it is both their motivations in those roles. Even stressed and overworked, jumping to killing his best friend three months into a year long voyage isn't rational.

So how about we downgrade to more reasonable option; jailing. Except the places where one can be locked in are the hold full of valuable unknown cargo, so a non option if they want to get paid (they desperately do), and the medical bay, which is much more viable if they could a) get that set up in a way that didn't jeprodise the health of everyone and b) didn't have a huge human sized vent that might kill you if you go through it. I understand why neither were chosen.

So, how about the cryopods? Seems pretty viable. Much like murdering Jimmy, you'd have to get everyone on board for this. So, confronting Anya's rapist in front of Daisuke and Swansea and hope they can sway them both in favor of Lawful Detainment.

It's not impossible. I think, if they tried, it would have worked in terms of grouping up together- if they could do it without Jimmy getting wind of it and doing something drastic beforehand.

But then there's no copilot. This is such a major issue for an eight month voyage where we see that the ship will see a problem approximately like 2-3 minutes before it happens and requires corrections. Curly cannot do this job for that long. No one else is appropriately trained. Swansea is busy, Daisuke is not reliable enough to handle this, and Anya... could probably do it tbh I have complete faith in her but that's a lot to put on her shoulders to not get paid appropriately for, just for her to be *safe* from Jimmy.

I struggle to blame Curly for the choice he did go with. I don't see any good options, especially without knowing what's going to happen. It's already a huge jump to go from Best Friend to Rapist; expecting Jimmy to go down to Murderer is a big leap. It seems like he thought he had eight months to work with Anya, to figure out what to do. "Talking with Jimmy" could have been anything from Boys Club protection racketing to clinical setting of boundaries for likely the first time in their relationship to a full on confrontation. We don't know. We only get to see the death spiral that came out of it after.

It's pretty clear that Curly failed as a captain to protect everyone, but the scenario was hopeless to begin with. The choices he made before they got on the ship doomed them: trusting and supporting Jimmy was the mistake and it happened well before they got on the freighter.

And in every single scenario, I find it leads back to Pony Express being the ones at fault. Every bit of the ship they are trapped in exists to funnel more money into a dying beast of a company at the crews expense. I think Curly and maybe Anya both thought they had 8 months to figure out what would happen off the boat. A looming unavoidable threat of consequences. Everything to do with getting the company involved would likely drive Anya and or Curly broke; they say straight up they fine the crew for problems arising. That it's flat out the captains duty to handle it and then get charged by the company $$$ about it. They will double the amount of responsibility back onto the Captain and crew. Imagine working a year in isolated space and getting NOTHING for it? Imagine slashing thenrest of the crews wages.

Curly wasn't able to predict what Jimmy would have done. I think his plan was to handle things Off Board. Too late in multiple ways, but I do think he would have genuinely back up Anya in however they go forwards once they've landed.

The option he chose didn't deal with the real problem though. It feels like he tried to problem solve to deal with the consequences and not the issue at hand; the safety of Anya, his crewmember. It's how he failed as a captain.

I'm proud of him rushing headlong unto danger to try and save them all. God. What a vicious cruelty to deny Curly the one thing he does deserve credit for.

Anyways I'm redressing him like a mummy so he's nice and cozy for his 20 year sleep. Poor guy tried to intervene, badly, into something that needed to be prevented instead by the company and by foresight he didn't have about a dangerous, narcissistic best friend. Doomed from the beginning because of your character flaws and unwinnable scenarios. You're such a good little horror character; if feel like he's a good parable about putting safety first. Thanks for your follies bro I hope it has impacted my personal decision making for the better so I don't become you if I'm in your position.