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thesweetnessofspring · 6 months ago

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Can you do a deep analysis of the last paragraph of MJ, before the epilogue? 😭 I can grasp the gist of it, but I feel like it's not all right

Bro you really want this? Deep dive analysis into possibly the most analyzed passage in the whole series? All right. Let's go. First, the whole passage:

Now let's break it up.

Peeta and I grow back together.

I think there are two ways to take this sentence, really they both apply. The first is "Peeta and I grow back together" as in, they become as they were before the hijacking, which was in sync and in love. The second is "Peeta and I grow back together" as in, they both heal from the horrors they've had to face and as they do this together, side by side, each one having the other's backs. There's a reason why Everlarkers are so obsessed with this line, it's spawned a whole subtype of fanfiction. Grow back together, like the meadow that grew back from the bombs of the Capitol.

There are still moments when he clutches the back of a chair and hangs on until the flashbacks are over. I wake screaming from nightmares of mutts and lost children.

Suzanne's father was a veteran of the Vietnam War. I could have sworn I read an interview where she mentioned her father having nightmares, though I can't find it now. However in her picture book The Year of the Jungle, Suzanne notes some PTSD symptoms her father had, including spacing out and being back in the jungle. Here we see Katniss and Peeta both have intrusive symptoms of PTSD, similar to what Suzanne's father had. These are struggles that they continue to deal with because of the way the world used and traumatized them.

But his arms are there to comfort me. And eventually his lips.

Following Katniss referencing her nightmares, we get this information, that Peeta first holds Katniss after these nightmares. At some point in time, he's welcomed back into her bed as he was during the Victory Tour and Quarter Quell. Then, at some point following this, his lips comfort her, implying that after nightmares he kisses her.

Katniss and Peeta are familiar with kissing one another, though all but one in canon up to this point has been in front of an audience. Yet we see the difference in how Katniss kissed Peeta in the first book, where it was more calculated for the camera, and how it is in Catching Fire where even in the Quell, they kiss each other without a second thought about it, how naturally it flows into their interactions. Here, Katniss implies that same ease and natural path from holding to kissing. Peeta's lips become a comfort to her after she sees her worst fears play out in her nightmares.

On the night I feel that thing again, the hunger that overtook me on the beach, I know this would have happened anyway.

There are two instances in canon that Katniss was able to fully immerse herself in kissing Peeta without worrying about the Games or Gale. The first is following Peeta getting the medicine in the first Games. Right before the kiss, Katniss says, "...the idea of actually losing Peeta hit me again and I realized how much I don't want him to die. And it's not about the sponsors. And it's not about what will happen back home. And it's not just that I don't want to be alone. It's him. I do not want to lose the boy with the bread." The second is, of course, the iconic beach scene, where she says, "I realize only one person will be damaged beyond repair if Peeta dies. Me. 'I do,' I say. 'I need you.'"

We don't know what led up to this particular night, but from the two instances before, it was likely a great emotional connection. Perhaps it was even Katniss realizing that even if she had the two suitors in front of her, it would have been Peeta she'd have chosen in the end. And this emotional connection is what prompts that "hunger that overtook [her] on the beach."

This is how Katniss describes that "hunger" in CF: "The sensation inside me grows warmer and spreads out from my chest, down through my body, out along my arms and legs, to the tips of my being. Instead of satisfying me, the kisses have the opposite effect, of making my need greater. I thought I was something of an expert on hunger, but this is an entirely new kind." This description is about Katniss's first canon experience with sexual attraction. The kissing only makes her "need greater" and the only comparable experience she has is "hunger." A hunger for "more." More what? They're already kissing and they become "wrapped up" in each other. It stands to reason, then, that her body is asking for further sexual stimulation. There is the emotional connection, with Katniss realizing the depth of her grief if Peeta dies and she lives, in connection to her sexual desire.

And here we also have another favorite of the Everlark community: "this would have happened anyway." Perhaps anticipating the response from "Team Gale" that Peeta won by forfeit, Collins and Katniss are clarifying that no, Katniss would have actively chosen Peeta. That "anyway" tells so much. It's not "if Gale had come back to District 12 but I still saw him responsible for my sister's death." It's anyway. No matter what condition or events, Katniss would have grown back together with Peeta, would have brought him back into her bed, would have felt aroused by him and chosen him as her life partner.

That what I need to survive is not Gale's fire, kindled with rage and hatred. I have plenty of fire myself.

Up to this point, Gale really only has two associations with fire: first when he and Katniss are at the lake and she's describing Snow's threats as he cooks them food. And last, the bombs that killed Prim. Here we see the dual nature of Gale's fire. One is homey and nurturing, the other destructive. Gale is both. There was a time when his fire helped keep Katniss's going, and she did to his. Katniss says it here, she has "plenty of fire" herself. Only Gale's fire is not limited to the hearth. When given the chance, the wind picks up his fire and flamed it outside of the hearth and into brush of "rage and hatred." He thought he was defending himself and other vulnerable people. But fire is difficult to control once it begins to burn and Gale lost control of his when he shared his plans with Beetee and Coin. And even in smaller instances, when Gale's fire fought Katniss's fire, they simply burned out. On a personal level, their similarities are what drew them apart from each other.

In comparison, Peeta is described as being a "whiz" at fires, even lighting up damp wood. Following Prim's death, Katniss says she has "no fire." Gale's fire burnt out hers. Yet we see here that Katniss says she "has plenty of fire" herself. Who stoked her fire back to life but the boy she grew back together with? The one who could rouse her from mental anguish and hopelessness, and also soothe her when her anger was roused up? Gale's fire puts her out. Peeta's hand steadies her flame.

What I need is a dandelion in the spring. The bright yellow that means rebirth instead of destruction. The promise that life can go on, no matter how bad our losses. That it can be good again.

Here I am going to go on a bit of a nerd-out on the dandelion here. In some variations of the Theseus and the Minotaur story (which THG is loosely inspired by), Hecate feeds Theseus dandelions for 30 days before his encounter with the Minotaur to give him strength. In others, he ate a dandelion salad after killing the Minotaur. The Minotaur is Crete's version of The Hunger Games, and Theseus ends it by killing the Minotaur.

Katniss first associates dandelions with Peeta after catching his eye the day following the evening when he threw bread to her and he had a bruised cheek. This dandelion gave her hope and is one she associates with Peeta from the beginning of the story. This dandelion gave Katniss strength to keep fighting and providing for her family, the first Minotaur the Capitol puts up against its people, their hunger and poverty. Then on the way to the 74th Games, Katniss has determined that Peeta's kindness is a play of his and she throws out his father's cookies to be rid of any kindness from the Mellarks, but they land "in a patch of dandelions by the track. I only see the image for a moment, because the train is off again, but it's enough. Enough to remind me of that other dandelion in the school yard years ago." This dandelion then reminds her of the ways she braved the wood alone at first, how she made trades, took what her father had taught her and applied it. And this reminder lingers with her on her journey for the ultimate fight of her life (so far), the Hunger Games. She is once again fed by the dandelions on her way to face her Minotaur.

Through the Games, Katniss loses her free will, her privacy, and any remaining peace she had left. This of course launches into the whole of the series where she's deafened, manipulated, publicized, flaunted, scarred, terrorized, sees others killed and kills other. By the end of Mockingjay, she's "a badly burned girl with no wings. With no fire. And no sister." Katniss has faced "destruction" on a personal, familial, and community level due to the wings staples on her and the fire others lit and she has little left at the end.

And yet, even when she so badly wants to die, when Peeta tells her he can't let go, she holds on. She holds on until "spring's in the air" and her dandelion in the spring, Peeta, returns. While the dandelions of his kindness fed her after her father's death and before the Hunger Games, here he is nourishing her again after the war. Reminding her of the goodness that there still is in life, "no matter how bad our losses." And for both Katniss and Peeta, they've had really, really bad losses.

And here it is: dandelions to Katniss are not just a pretty flower, or a symbol of wealth as the rose is to Snow. Dandelions are food. They are nourishment. Dandelions can even be medicine. They grow everywhere and can be found everywhere, bright little suns that can offer so much. Peeta is that to her as well. He nourishes her, strengthens her, is her medicine, and the only person she consummates a romantic and sexual relationship with and fulfills the "hunger" that is "an entirely new kind" to her. He gives her life in every way that is possible and gives her a rebirth, like a phoenix rising from the ashes.

So after, when he whispers, "You love me. Real or not real?" I tell him, "Real."

"So after" we can canonically take as whatever came after she felt hunger (aka sexual desire). It's difficult to interpret it other than that this is when they consummated their relationship, in the very least engaging in some sexual act beyond kissing. Because Katniss says that Peeta's arms and eventually his lips helped her through her nightmares, and this is more than that. It is enough to stand apart and prompt Peeta to clarify his greatest question in the series, about whether or not Katniss loves him.

"Real or not real" was a game Katniss and Peeta have been playing since the beginning. Was Peeta really that kind? Did Katniss actually have feelings for Peeta, even when both knew it had started as an act? What is their relationship if the Capitol is making them play at being a happy couple? Although the hijacking made Peeta question his entire life, even without the hijacking, this is surely something he would have had to ask anyway, and only more so after the hijacking.

Finally having taken time to grieve, to come back to life, to grow back with a partner she trusts, Katniss can confirm to him that yes, she loves him. The final word answering one of the earliest questions in the series: who does Katniss love romantically, if anyone? And the answer, that has been there since his name first appeared: Peeta Mellark.

#everlark #the hunger games #long post #thg meta #katniss everdeen #peeta mellark #real or not real #grow back together #so after #anon ask

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she-posts-nerdy-stuff · 11 months ago

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I’ve been thinking a lot recently about Jesper Fahey and religion.

Whilst we know that Matthias follows Djel, Inej follows the Saints, Nina was raised with the Saints but is atheist because of her understanding about Grisha, and that Kaz and Wylan adopted atheism based on their childhood experiences, we don’t get a lot of information about how Jesper feels about religion. We know he was raised with the Saints and that when he swears he says “Saints”, as does Nina, where Wylan says “Ghezen”. It’s notable to me that Matthias and Inej either rarely or never invoke a name in vain; I think Inej may say “Saints” in that context the odd time I can’t remember, but I’d argue in that case it’s probably because she isn’t specifically naming them to do so whereas Matthias would have to but I’m working off memory there so please feel free to correct me. But Jesper’s actual relationship with the Saints is arguably quite ambiguous, with no particular passages that point us in either direction. (Show!Jesper is highly implied to be atheistic in season 1 when Inej asks him what he thinks about Alina and he says he doesn’t care whether she’s real or not so long as they get paid, but there isn’t really anything like this in the books to my recollection) I think that might be because he has a far more complex and painful relationship with religion than we see on the surface level, and this has particular links to Nina’s belief that the Saints were possibly real people but were simply powerful Grisha not religious saviours/martyrs.

When Jesper was a child, his father would read him bedtime stories “from his Kaelish book of Saints”. At the same time, Colm was unintentionally damaging Jesper’s view of Grisha power and of himself by forcing him to hide it and telling him “that’s what killed your mother. That’s what took her away from us”. Alongside the self-hatred this cultivates in Jesper, seen mostly in Crooked Kingdom since he’s most open about it in the beautiful, heartbreaking chapter 24, I think it may have also impacted his relationship with religion. To be told as a child that these people are worshipped and valued for the things they could do, the same kind of things he saw his mother do and that he could be capable of, but that his power is a curse and a shameful secret that has to be hidden from the world is so damaging. It effectively raises the question: If it’s different for me than it is for them, what’s wrong with me? Why am I less worthy of love?

When Jesper already had these feelings growing inside him, feelings that went on to massively impact all the relationships in his life (most notably his relationships with Kaz and Wylan but I would also argue his relationship with Inej is affected by this as well) and actively endanger him when he began to try and fill the void he felt with gambling, to emphasise these emotions with something that could have been so beautiful and given him so much comfort by turning it into something that can be used against him by labelling him as less than others is so heartbreaking and honestly painful.

Obviously this is just an interpretation or a theory but this is how I feel about it when I reread, if anyone else has thought about this please feel free to add anything or contradict it with your own interpretation I’d love to read it.

#grishaverse #six of crows #crooked kingdom #leigh bardugo #inej ghafa #kaz brekker #jesper fahey #wylan van eck #nina zenik #matthias helvar #Wesper #jesper my beloved #soc jesper #jesper #six of crows jesper #jesper and inej #jesper and wylan #jesper x wylan

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anacdoce · 5 months ago

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I Wish Chapter 3 - Wedding with a glow of silver

Pairing: Astarion x you (f!reader, implied sorcerer)

Rating: T

Word count: 4.6k

Warnings: Basically there is fluffness everywhere. That’s it. That’s the warning.

Summary: “You can tell that little heart of yours, there’s no need to race because I am not going anywhere. You are stuck with me, my darling.”

And indeed you are because the big day has arrived: you and Astarion are getting married. A beautiful night to remember, between some other things.

a/n: I can't thank you enough, @bloodlessdarling, for bringing Astarion to life, with your screenshot, in this perfect and special day. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. This means a lot to me 🖤

And thank you to @galesdevoteewife for the inspiration to some... huh... special rings 😜

Lots of Love to all of you 🖤

Read on ao3

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Months have passed since Astarion proposed to you, and you have been the most blissful person alive ever since, dreaming with it. You wanted something simple, a ceremony in the woods not far from your house, in a clearing by the lake, surrounded by your closest friends. They all promised to come, and you couldn't be more thrilled.

As for Astarion… Well, he would have preferred a grand celebration, but he agreed with your wishes, making you promise to let him commission a passage in the Baldur’s Mouth Gazette announcing your union. So, a small wedding in the woods it is.

Together, you decided to have an ancient ceremony, but Astarion wanted to surprise you and offered you a wedding ring all the same. He found someone who was willing to forge the metal with blood and he requested two similar rings with some drops of your blood mixed together.

The rings couldn’t be more stunning. The silver, darkened by the blood, had hints of red that shimmered when caught by the light. Since that day, you wore them constantly. However the forger did warn Astarion that the blood might imbue the rings with some kind of power to them, even more because of your inherent magic present in it. But unpredictable as the blood is, he couldn’t really tell him what it would be. It was up to you to discover.

As for the rest of the details and preparations, Astarion didn’t let you take control of that. “My sweet little sorceress, there isn’t much to prepare, really. The date was settled, which was the most relevant matter. Just take care of our guests, invite whomever you want. I’ll be happy with your choices.”

“And who will take care of the ceremony? Can we talk to Shadowheart? I would like that very much.”

“Hrg… Really, Darling? She despises me! She’d keep you miles away from me if she could.” He grumbles.

“Don’t say that!”

“You know it’s true. You just won’t admit it.”

“She’s just difficult to please, my love. As you are, by a matter of fact.” You wink at him, and he turns away, ignoring your teasing. “But that doesn’t change the fact that she is a cleric, and so happens that she is my best friend too. I don’t think she could refuse my request.”

“Fine. She can do it.” You leap into his lap, aiming to kiss him, but he stops you, resting a finger on your lips. “She can do it, but you must do something for me in return.”

“What is it?” You look at him suspiciously.

“You will not use those rags that you love so much at our wedding. You will buy a beautiful dress, perfect for the occasion, and you will dazzle me with your choice.”

“Astarion! You know I don’t like those fancy dresses!” You protest.

“I know. And I don't like Shadowheart either.” He looks impassable, and you know he won’t be changing his mind.

“Gods! You are insufferable!” You sigh, and admitting your defeat on this matter, you agree to his request. “All right. Have it your way. But don’t complain afterward if I look ridiculous on it.”

“Good girl. And you won’t. You will look perfect.” He then kisses you, a victorious smile on his lips.

He will be my ruin. And I love him so much.

–

The day that you had longed for finally arrived, and you couldn’t be more nervous. Astarion, on the other hand, is all smiles and sighs, utterly calm. Gods! How can he be so relaxed? But seeing him like this, radiant, makes your heart swell with love.

In the invitation, you asked your friends to gather after sunset at your house, just to make a quick catch up with all of them before the wedding. And all of them came: Gale, Shadowheart, Karlach, Halsin, Wyll, Lae’zel, and Jaheira. You couldn’t be more joyous to see them again. It had been quite a while since the Withers party, and some of them you haven't had the chance to see since then.

Gale and Shadowheart are your closest friends, and even if you hadn’t seen them as often as you liked, you always stayed in touch. Wyll and Karlach managed to make an escape out of Avernus, to be with you on this important day. After defeating Vlaakith, Lae’zel was able to travel through the astral plane again, and your wedding was a perfect excuse to visit Baldur's Gate once more. Halsin was very pleased with your invitation and looked forward to seeing you again. As for Jaheira, whom you bumped into now and then in Baldur’s Gate, seemed glad for you when you invited her personally.

And Jaheira is the first to arrive. She brings with her a bottle of a refined wine, and gives it to Astarion.

“How thoughtful.” He says, pleased with her offering.

“You’re welcome, Astarion. I think you’ve earned it. I had it stored for some years now. Hope to cheer for your happiness later on.” And she walks to you and gives you a hug.

You hugged them all as they arrived, and you couldn’t contain your tears when you saw Karlach jump out with Wyll from a portal that suddenly appeared. You ran to her, and she hugged you, lifting you into the air, spinning you around. “Hey, Soldier! I can’t believe I’m here again! Attending your wedding!” She set you down gently. “Fangs did hook you up, didn’t he?” She says playfully.

“How could he not? I mean… look at him.” You both look at Astarion, mingling with your friends, avoiding close contact but seemingly delighted, in his own way, to see all of them again.

You both giggle at the sight of him, and Karlach hugs you again, this time more tenderly. “I missed you a lot. All of you. And I’m very happy for you. For you two… You deserve this.” She releases you and turns to the others. “Hey, Fangs!” she shouts, moving away from you.

And here they are, all gathered again, like old times.

You give yourself a few minutes to stay behind, appreciating the sight of your friends all together. The people you consider as your own family. You had been through a lot together, saving Faerun from the Absolute.

Yes, you are sure that you don’t need anyone else on this day with you. They are your family.

“What are you doing here, all by yourself, little pup?” Astarion’s silky voice purrs beside you, as he takes your hand.

“Oh… just wandering about our past adventures. I missed them a lot, you know? I’m glad they’re here.”

“I know, Darling. As much as it may not seem like me, I do miss them too.”

“Well, well, look at you!” You tickle his belly, teasing him while he laughs.

“Tease me all you want. Today, I grant you that.” He chuckles, placing a small peck on your nose. “Now, come. It’s almost time, my dear.”

You follow him back to the others, and as you approach, Shadowheart grabs your forearm and pulls you close to her. “Well, now that you’ve greeted everyone, it’s time to prepare you for the wedding, don’t you think? I will help, if you want.”

You nod at her in agreement, pleased with her help, and in that moment she pulls you out of everyone's grasp, into the house, closing the door behind her. “Finally, a moment alone with you!” She sighs, leading you to sit with her. “I have wanted to talk to you since the day I received your invitation. Don’t get me wrong, I am very happy for you and all I want is your well-being and happiness. But I have to ask: are you sure about this?”

“About what?”

“About marrying a vampire?! Are you sure you want to commit your life to him? I agreed to celebrate your vows, but I’m worried.”

“Shadowheart, we’ve talked about this a million times already…”

“I know, but you never mentioned a wedding to me. I always thought that, eventually, one of you would break things off.” She looks concerned.

“I am sorry to disappoint you… I love him. I’ve never loved anyone like I love him, and you know that!” You frowned your eyebrows, confused.

“Well, I wasn’t talking about you, to be honest. I know you love him. But are you sure he loves you the same way that you do?”

“Oh! I see… Tell me, why don’t you like him?”

A pause.

“I didn’t say I don’t like him. Well, I don’t quite like his style, that’s for sure.” She chuckles nervously. She’s stalling, but you keep looking at her, waiting for a sincere answer. “Fine. I don’t understand what you see in him! You could have had anyone! And yet you choose him, of all people. He is mean, annoying, cocky, vain. Not to mention all of his conditions, consequences of his undead state! “

You place a hand on her shoulder, giving her an understanding smile. “Thank you for telling me that, for being honest with me. I know nothing I say will change the way you see him, but let me try to appease your concerns.” As you talk, you rise from her side, and start to prepare for the wedding. “I understand your worries. And yes, to others, he may be all theatrics, full of charms and empty words, but he is so much more than that. And maybe, if you give him a chance, you might see that too. He is funny, committed, resilient, persistent, and when you gain his trust, he is the most loyal friend you can have.

It’s not easy to gain his trust though, but given his past, who can blame him?

I don’t know if you have noticed but, to me, he is nothing but tenderness and adoration. With me, he is himself. And in the middle of all this, his curse is just a detail.

So, to answer your earlier question, yes, Astarion loves me. Believe me. I feel his love when he looks at me, when he embraces me, when he cuddles me in bed, when we make love. Damn, I feel his love when he brings me a glass of water on a summer’s day. He shows me his love every day, at everything he does for me. And I don’t think that he wanted to marry me if he had any doubts.”

Shadowheart joins you, helping to unbox your dress for the day. She looks calmer, satisfied with your words, at least for now. “Your love for him is beautiful, you know? Everyone should be able to experience a love like yours. He is a very lucky bastard to have you. I just hope you’re right about him.”

“I am.”

“And by the way, the rings are stunning.”

“They are, aren’t they?!”

As you are about to start putting on your dress, after undressing the worn clothes of the day, a knock at the door interrupts the moment. “What a perfect timing. I'm going!” Shadowheart calls out, opening the door just enough to find a silver-haired man with some crimson eyes on the other side. “Oh… It’s you.”

“Yes, it is me. Now, can you step aside and let me take a look at my dear wife-to-be?” Astarion tries to peer inside, but Shadowheart was committed to block his view. “Sweetheart, please, take this creature out of the door. I just want to talk to you.” He pleads.

“Let me speak to him.” You approach the door, giggling, as Shadowheart moves away, exasperated. “Yes, my needy husband-to-be. What do you need?” You ask, peeking through the door, concealing your naked body behind it.

“Why hello, love!” He greets you with a smile. Then he frowns his eyebrows, trying to peek at the rest of you behind the door, as you fight to keep him outside laughing at your little game. “Why are you hiding from me?”

“I’m naked, Astarion!”

“Not a sight I haven't seen already.” He smirks.

“Well, you’ll have to wait to see it again. Now, what do you want?”

“Now? Now I want you.” He whispers, his voice dropping to a seductive tone. “I want to take you to our bed. I want to adore your beautiful body and feel your warm skin under my hands. I want to bite that pretty little neck of yours and I want to devour the rest of you.” Then he reaches your neck and nibbles it, letting his fangs graze your skin just enough to make your body shivers.

“I can hear that, you know?” Shadowheart shouts from inside.

“Is that a promise?” You tease him.

He gazes at you with a feral look, eyes full of lust. “Careful, Darling. I may bite you right now.”

“All right that’s enough!” Shadowheart approaches the door and pushes you away. “Is that all?”

Astarion clears his throat before speaking. “No. I just wanted to say that we are leaving for the clearing.”

“Okay, go then. We’ll join you when she’s ready.”

“Can I see her again before I go?”

Shadowheart grows impatient and takes a deep breath. “No, you can’t.”

“How bitter.” He frowns at her, offended. “My sweet, I will be waiting for you eagerly!” He shouts, trying once again to peek inside. You giggle as Shadowheart closes the door on his face, rolling her eyes.

“Oh you’re so mean! My poor love!”

“Please! You just left him minutes ago! Is he always like this?”

“Yes.” You chuckle. “He needs me around. And he feels even better if he can touch me all the time.”

“I don’t know how you put up with that… But enough talking. Let’s get you ready before he lurks by the door again!”

Amidst laughter, you finish dressing. A beautiful silver silky long dress, with a big cleavage on the back and some thin shoulder straps. It fits perfectly on you, enhancing your body curves. You look at the mirror, uncertain. “I’m not sure about this. Astarion asked me to impress him with my choice, but I think he’s expecting something more… elaborated. And for me, this is already too much.”

Shadowheart approaches from behind, looking at your reflection in the mirror. “My friend, I think he will love it. You are beautiful.” Then she smiles, and grabs your hair, starting to comb it. “Now, let me have the pleasure to help you with your hair.” After a while, you’re ready, with a beautiful hairstyle revealing your back cleavage. “Do you want me to conceal those bite marks for today?” She points to those two little bite marks on your neck, a gift from your vampire lover.

“No, please, let it be that way. They are already a part of me, and I don’t want to take that away from him.” And with no more delay, you head out with Shadowheart to meet the others who were eagerly waiting for you.

The evening is enchanting. A gentle summer breeze stirs the air, and the sky is clear, with a full moon casting a silvery glow on the path through the woods. The forest whispers softly, guiding you to a magical clearing.

The sight before you is breathtaking. Torches form a glowing circle around the clearing, their flickering light dancing on the serene surface of the lake. Opposite the lake, a grand table stands adorned with countless candles, casting a warm, romantic glow. It's laden with an array of delectable foods and drinks, crowned by a magnificent wedding cake topped with fresh summer fruits.

Surrounding the table are elegantly arranged wooden chairs, adorned with vibrant red flower arrangements, their petals glistening in the moonlight. The entire scene is framed by the gentle rustle of leaves and the soft hum of nocturnal creatures, creating a perfect, intimate atmosphere for your special evening. And you can hear some music too. Alfira is there! So thoughtful of him to remember her!

But your eyes only want to see one particular sight in this perfect, intimate setting. You search among your friends until you find what you were looking for at the far end of the clearing. There, beside an arch adorned with red flowers, the same type that decorate the chairs, and illuminated by the soft glow of fireflies, stands Astarion.

He is turned away from you, engaged in conversation with Karlach, but the elegance of his silhouette captivates you. He wears a refined black garment adorned with some silver and golden details. The sleeves are beautifully embroidered with silver waves that echo the curls in his own hair. All these choices contrast strikingly with his marble-like skin, making him appear almost ethereal under the moonlight. He spared no detail in his attire, and you wouldn’t expect anything less. After all, today is a very special day, and he couldn’t be more stunning.

He often tells you how fortunate he is to have found you, yet it is you who feels truly blessed to have him.

Lost in these thoughts, you notice that Shadowheart has quietly left your side. As she approaches the flower-adorned arch, the gathering turns to acknowledge your presence. At that moment, Astarion turns to face you. His eyes, filled with admiration, lock with yours, and a tender smile spreads across his lips.

“Go on, Fangs! Don’t just stand there staring! Go meet her already!” Karlach's playful shove breaks the moment, and Astarion begins to walk towards you. His steps are deliberate, and when he reaches you he offers you his hand, waiting for you to accept it. You hold it, craving for his touch, and he takes it, bringing it close to his chest.

“My love… I cannot tell you how beautiful you are.” He murmurs, his voice filled with emotion.

You kiss his lips gently and your heart starts racing, reacting to his touch and his bergamot and rosemary scent. How I miss him already! Maybe he is not the only one who needs me around all the time… “You are fine yourself.”

“Fine?! How dare you?” His voice high-pitched, faking offense.

“Silly! You are perfect, my handsome love.”

Then Astarion interlace your arm with his, bringing you to meet Shadowheart, who is already waiting. As he starts to walk you can see how he straightened himself, tightening your arm against his ribs, full of pride, walking with you by his side. “You can tell that little heart of yours, there’s no need to race because I am not going anywhere. You are stuck with me, my darling.” He mutters, leaning to your ear.

“Will do!” You say as you lay your head to the side, resting it on his arm.

When you finally reach Shadowheart, your friends gather around as she begins to speak, her voice filled with warmth and emotion. “My dear friends! Tonight, we are here together to celebrate a love that has shone brightly through the darkest of times, to celebrate a love that we watched grow, day by day, while we were facing the most difficult days of our lives. You found each other when life was at its most challenging, and you weren’t afraid to trust your lifes in the other's hands. In the middle of chaos and despair, you leaned on one another, finding strength and hope in each other’s presence.

Your love has endured countless trials and temptations, overcoming every obstacle in your path, and they weren’t few. All of us, who are here today, are witnesses to the incredible bond you share. I wish you all the happiness that the Gods can give you. You deserve nothing less than that.”

Shadowheart takes a white silk ribbon from her pocket and approaches Astarion, gently taking his left hand. She whispers to him: “I may not have always been fond of you, but I see the joy you bring her. You have my sincere blessing on this.”

“I…I appreciate that.” He whispers back, eyes wide open.

Shadowheart returns to the ritual, leading your left hand to his, and starts to interlace the ribbon on his hand as she speaks. “You will now repeat after me. I, Astarion Ancunin, accept to marry you, (Y/N), and with that, I accept to love and care for you in the good times and in the bad ones, until death takes us apart.”

“I, Astarion Ancunin, accept to marry you, (Y/N), and with that I accept to love and care for you in the good times and in the bad ones, until death takes us apart.” Astarion vows as he rubs your hand with his thumb, ever so gently.

“Now you, my friend.” Shadowheart turns to you, continuing to interlace the ribbon in your hand, binding yours to his. “I, (Y/N), accept to marry you, Astarion Ancunin, and with that I accept to love and care for you in the good times and in the bad ones, until death takes us apart.”

And you repeat after her. “I, (Y/N), accept to marry you, Astarion Ancunin, and with that I accept to love and care for you in the good times and in the bad ones, until death takes us apart.”

She places her hand above yours and continues. “You are now husband and wife. May Selune bless you!”

“And the Oak Father guides you!” Halsin intercedes with great joy.

Shadowheart turns once again to Astarion, offering him a rare tender smile as she releases your hands. “You may kiss her now.”

He takes a moment to enjoy your united hands, looking at them in amazement, and you know how much this symbolic act means to him. Then, he closes his body to yours. With his free hand he holds the back of your neck, and touches your lips with his, whispering: “Thank you for always believing in me.” Your heart stops, and for a moment, time freezes as he wraps you in a kiss full of emotion. His tongue searches yours desperately, and as soon as you open your mouth he entangles his tongue around yours, savoring your taste, but not with lust or desire, with love. And you can feel him telling you, with his kiss, how deeply he loves you, over and over again. Then, like a spell of yours that wears off, you return to reality, and your friends are cheering and clapping, starting to approach, hugging you both with happiness.

The music starts to play again and it is now time for the party. You gather around with your friends, dancing, eating, drinking and cheering throughout the evening.

Wyll made sure to toast to your happiness a dozen times, and a dozen of times he robbed you from Astarion's grasp to dance with you. Even Lae'zel is enjoying herself, although you could hear her Chk from time to time.

Everyone is elated, all for you and Astarion. Your heart is full, and you feel complete.

After a long while, Astarion grabs you to dance with him one more time, and you oblige happily. “Are you tired, my love?” Your feets, dragging on the floor.

“A bit. But I’m not complaining. Thank you for tonight. It was beautiful! All of it!”

“My sweet, I would have married you in a palace, but you insisted on it being here, so it was my job to make it a perfect night.” Then he makes you spin as he admires once again all of you. “And for someone who doesn't like fancy clothes, let me tell you how stunning the dress fits on you.”

“Do you like it? I wasn’t sure…”

“I love it, my dear! I will have to blackmail you more times in the future.” He taps your nose with his finger and adds, “And don’t you think I didn’t notice what you did there with your choice of color, Mrs. Ancunin.”

“Well… I thought it wouldn’t be fair if you were the only one glowing with the moonlight throughout the night! And let me tell you, I like that title very much! Mrs. Ancunin… yes, I can live with that for the rest of my life!” As both of you laugh, Gale approaches you, clearing his throat before speaking.

“I am very sorry to interrupt, but can I have a last dance with your lovely wife, Astarion, before I leave? It’s getting late, or early, depending on the point of view.”

Astarion side-eyed Gale, not very pleased with the request. “All right, I’ll have another glass of wine while you say your goodbyes. See you in a minute, my love.” He makes a subtle bow with his head, turns around, and leaves you alone with Gale.

“Are you returning to Waterdeep already?” You ask him.

“Yes. But I will come back to Baldur’s Gate in a few weeks, and that’s why I wanted to talk to you alone, without someone’s ears nearby, if you know what I mean.” You glance in the direction of Astarion and, as you expect, he is looking at you two, watchful.

“Why? What’s the matter?”

“I have gathered some knowledge about something that may be of interest to our mutual undead friend, and to you.”

“What? But I told you that he doesn’t care about myths anymore…”

“I know, that’s why I’m telling you this. Because this is not a myth. I did my research thoroughly before approaching you with this. I can assure you it's real. It can change your lives drastically. But tonight is not the night to talk about such things. We will have plenty of time to discuss this when I return to Baldur’s Gate. But please, don’t tell Astarion just yet. Hear me out first, will you?”

“But why? He would want to know, don't you think?”

“Yes, he would. But I think that he will not agree with this either. Sacrifices may be at stake, and I think he had his fair share of that already.” Astarion approaches you again with a suspicious look on his face. Gale smiles, used to his friend's behavior, returning your hands to him. “Well, thank you for this lovely evening. It was a pleasure to be a witness of your eternal vows. Now it is time for me to go, and I think you should consider leaving too. The sun is almost rising.” Gale points to the sky, which is now clearer than before. “I'll let you know when I get back to Baldur’s Gate. And you should consider paying me a visit at Waterdeep! Tara and I would be delighted to receive you both!”

You watch as Gale leaves, pondering his words.

“What did you two talk about?” Astarion interrupts your thoughts, looking at you curiously.

“Hum? Oh… nothing important really…”

“It does not seem like it, by the way you were far away, lost in your thoughts right now, my sweet.”

“Yes… right… He may have told me something, but I didn’t quite understand what, to be honest.” Astarion keeps staring at you, now more suspicious than before. You cup his face with your hand, brushing his cheek with your thumb. “Don’t you fret, my star. I’ll tell you as soon as I find out what it was myself. Now, the sun is indeed rising, we should go, Astarion.”

If you still had your tadpoles, Astarion would use it right now to peek into your mind, you are sure of it. Though he is not satisfied with your answer, he lets you drop the subject. “All right, my dear. Let’s say our farewells and get back to our home. I have a promise to fulfill.” He nibbles your earlobe, kissing your neck after.

You then whisper in his ear: “I can’t wait, my husband.”

He rolls his eyes to the sound of your words and purrs, “Hum…I do rather like that, you know?”

You smile at him, then hold his hand and head to your friends to say goodbye, all while thinking of Gale's intriguing words.

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the-s1lly-corner · 2 months ago

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How would follower!bishops react to a disciple!reader who's very giving and accommodating to them when they first join the cult? As in giving them care packages and showing them around, doing it out of their own free will. The reader knows who each of them are too maybe?

Follower!bishops x kind!disciple!reader

Anon you don't know what you've done because this is exactly how my main cotl OC is I'm about to get silly

Also I could NOT find a decent gif ignore Danny

Notes: reader is GN, you are a disciple of the lamb, you're one of the few people in the cult who knows who the bishops are (something something its been a very long time since theyve all been taken down, passage of time)-- implied that reader is either immortal via a gold skull necklace or other means OR they just keep up with history, follower bishops, more platonic than romantic, crushing if you squint

CWs: none

LESHY

if youre a bit of a pushover he might put some of his chores onto you- will grumble and mutter to himself if you put your foot down though... average youngest sibling activity who had a taste of godhood blah blah hes spoiled

genuinely doesnt know if he feels offended that youre putting so much time aside for him or loving that youre doing your best to make things as comfortable for him as possible- are you doing this for pity or for something else?

will get jealous if you apply the same energy to his siblings, youre his buddy!!

probably thinks hes swaying your faith before you just outright say youre doing all of this out of the kindness of your heart- still teases the lamb about it to stir some drama

HEKET

feels she doesnt need a caretaker or a friend, shes not going to let anyone think that shes gone soft after falling from grace- she takes the longest to warm up to your kindness

either lashes out at you or the lamb due to feeling that youve been assigned as a babysitter to make sure she doesnt do anything- sure, the lamb has no reason to trust her or her siblings to behave themselves in the cult BUT that doesnt make it any less humiliating!

she does get used to your company with time- youre stubborn... talking together is easy because youve taken the time to learn sign language and youre more than happy to teach her

you leave her baskets with various teas and medicines to help soothe her throat on days where it hurts more- due to strain or weather or its simply one of her worst days... shes thankful for your effort but she shows it through guiding you on what works for her and what she likes

KALLAMAR

torn between him expecting you to tend to his every need and him being too nervous to push things and risk punishment from you or the lamb- you are a disciple after all, you can do things other followers arent permitted to do - and... oh youre... spending time with him because you genuinely want to?

he doesnt know what to make of it, too scared to really try anything to risk you leaving him alone

i personally headcanon that hes hard of hearing, probably deaf in one of his ears... he can still hear just barely- he takes you up on any offers to teach him sign to help minimize problems down the line

loooooooves the little care packages you leave for him- treats, goodies, and generally stuff he can use to upkeep himself- its nice still receiving "offerings" after everything!

SHAMURA

you... actually come in handy in helping keep them on track as well as reminding them of things they need to do or things that have been said- things have gotten so much harder since theyve lost their crown so your help is appreciated

one of the things you leave for them is ink and journals so they can keep track of things on their own when youre not around as well as generally granting them a space to put down their own thoughts in a private setting

your kindness makes you easy to talk to, you both do a lot of that... well... actually its mostly you doing most of the talking. shamura does a lot of listening but they prompt you to keep going or tries to find a subject to fill the silence

even if you were sent by the lamb to keep an eye on them theyd understand- if they were in the lambs place and decided to spare them theyd have someone to keep an eye on them... not really that offended about it plus they get a companion!

#cotl x reader #cotl x you #cotl imagine #cult of the lamb x reader #cult of the lamb x you #cult of the lamb imagine #leshy x reader #cotl leshy x reader #heket x reader #cotl heket x reader #kallamar x reader #cotl kallamarx reader #shamura x reader #cotl shamura x reader #canon x reader #canon x you #x reader

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marvelstars · 4 months ago

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"I think," Obi-Wan said carefully, "that abstractions like peace don't mean much to him. He's loyal to people, not to principles. And he expects loyalty in return" Obi-Wan on Anakin Skywalker

Tbh while I really love a lot of passages from Stover ROTS novel this one in which Obi-Wan says that "Anakin doesn´t understand abstractions concepts like peace" is so wrong.

Anakin as a 9 year old child wanted to give "Freedom for all the slaves" if he didn´t understand freedom as an abstract concept he would have been ok with just him and his mother being free but no, he wanted to end slavery on Tatooine, even the outer rim, he just lacked the power to do it.

In the war he wasn´t fighting just to protect Padmé or Obi-Wan or Ahsoka or Rex or the Jedi Order or Palpatine, he was fighting for peace in the republic, the one thing he asked Palpatine after turning to the darkside was Will we have peace? to which Palpatine answered Yes.

As Vader he told Luke he wanted him to help him install "Order in the Galaxy" and "End this destructive conflict" which actually implies he obviously noticed the Empire had become a big part of the problem and the rebel alliance had reason for their fight, just like the republic and separatist were in his youth.

So my guess is that what Obi-Wan didn´t understand about Anakin was that Anakin was forced by the Jedi Order to compromise his real values as a member of the Order, he compromised his wish for justice and freedom for the slaves and his mother in order to learn to be a jedi, he compromised his love for Padmé and wish for a family in order to help the order fight in the clone wars, he compromised his wish for a free Tatooine in order to help Jabba´s Son, so he compromised a lot until he compromised his soul to learn how to save Padmé just like the Order keep compromising itself during the war by becoming the owners of the clone army and that was something that Anakin keep doing even as Vader.

In fact Lucas said about Windu and Palpatine duel in ROTS "Anakin´s thoughts when Windu tried to murder Palpatine was that everybody was corrupt in the end" he would not have cared much about corruption if he only was lead by his personal relationships.

I also think that despite Obi-Wan´s care for Anakin his identity of being a Jedi was always more important for him which is fine because they were his family but in the same way Anakin also had the right to defend and protect his family and not being forced to choose between them and the "good of the galaxy" or his "chosen one prohecy" the moment he no longer did this, the moment he defended his family and was congruent with his ideals, was the moment he was able to come back from the darkside and that´s not coincidence, that´s the conflict Luke talked about in ROTJ, a conflict that started the moment Anakin was forced to compromise his ideals and the safety and life or his loved ones in favor of supporting the Jedi Order.

Obi-Wan keep his alliance to the Jedi Order without compromising it for Anakin´s sake, he did his best to murder Anakin once he turned to the darkside, the only reason Anakin didn´t die was because of Palpatine and after discovering he was actually alive, he tried to make Anakin´s Son murder him so while I believe Obi-Wan cared for Anakin at some point, his turn to the darkside and his actions in Oder 66 made Obi-Wan lie to himself, telling himself Anakin was dead to be able to kill him, which made his actions to dehumanize and try to kill Anakin easier and justifiy to himself using Anakin´s own family to kill him.

This is my personal problem with Obi-Wan, he never gets in conflict like Anakin did because he believes he is always in the right, no matter who gets hurt in the middle and while that doesn´t make him a monster it did lead him to actions that can´t objetively be considered good even if they were done for a good end. he has that "Ends justifies the means mentality" the Order adopted in the late stage of the clone wars so it´s pretty ironic he believes it´s Anakin the one who has a problem with his values.

#obi-wan kenobi #anakin skywalker #darth vader #Not a fan of Obi-Wan trying to hide the fact Anakin compromised his wish for freedom for the slaves in order to serve the republic/Jedi #saying :he doesn´t understand abstract concepts lol

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saltiestgempearl · 1 year ago

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Today is the day! At long last, I can talk about my absolute favorite headcanon about Dr. Seward with you all.

I'm writing a new post about it instead of just reblogging my post from last year because that post is not spoiler free. That is, I posted October 22 of 2022, so it does mention things from entries that have not happened yet in the 2023 Dracula Daily.

That said, most of it is still fine now that the September 3 entry has arrived, so I have put together a slightly edited version that does not touch on anything that happens after the September 3 Dracula entry:

It starts out with this passage from today's entry:

How can he'—and he pointed at me with the same look and gesture as that with which once he pointed me out to his class, on, or rather after, a particular occasion which he never fails to remind me of—'know anything of a young ladies? He has his madmen to play with, and to bring them back to happiness, and to those that love them.

The thing is, that's not exactly the wording in the original book. In the original book, it says “He has his madams to play with, and to bring them back to happiness, and to those that love them.” Many people write this off as a typo to the point of changing it to “madmans” or “madmen” in some versions.

But what if it wasn’t a typo?

The word “madam” implies an older woman, like anywhere from middle-aged to elderly. And at the time, it was not at all uncommon for women in this age group to be sent to asylums to recuperate. Sometimes it was just a way to get female relatives you didn’t like out of the way, but sometimes it wasn’t.

You see, many Victorians (men and women alike) unironically bought into the “delicate woman” narrative. People really, genuinely thought women were just psychologically more predisposed to mental instability.

Anyway, the headcanon is that Seward actually started out as a relatively low-level psychologist at an asylum, primarily working with middle-aged to elderly women. And being the inquisitive man he is, he interacted with the patients in a less-than-conventional way, letting them talk about things that would normally be considered signs of imbalance by the contemporary medical community (e.g., “sometimes I wish I’d never had my children,” “sometimes I just want as little to do with my husband as possible,” “honestly those suffragettes make some good points,” etc.). This isn’t to say he was some feminist icon mind you; he didn’t even necessarily agree or legitimize these ideas. But he didn’t shoot them down either—he just listened. And by engaging with the women in this way, he was essentially exploring some of what we now call talk therapy, which was very much not a thing at this time. He may have also tried to be supportive of their hobbies, which while not unheard of (institutions like Bedlam set a precedent for this), was not the most common thing either.

So he did this for a while, and surprise surprise, it actually helped these women quite a bit. He quickly got a reputation for being someone who was unusually gifted in turning around cases of “nervous disorders” that were so common with these delicate womenfolk.

But then some higher-ups decided “oh, well if he’s good with this, he must be good with insane people too.” So despite being a 29-year-old budding psychologist in a very young field, he suddenly found himself the head of an asylum with a very different sort of population to treat.

Given why he was put in this position, Jack naturally continues using the methods that helped his former patients recover so spectacularly. The issue is, of course, that people who are dealing with psychosis or other more serious conditions generally need a different approach than neglected women with anxiety. Basic talk therapy isn’t going to cut it with someone like Renfield.

But again, this field is very young, so Seward is actually relatively limited on how much he can research this. So he continues with his talk therapy, but then adds things like straightjackets into the mix when his patients have meltdowns because that was also a relatively accepted solution at the time (though not universally so; even in Bram Stoker’s time, there were some professionals in the field who had figured out that this type of manual restraint was not helpful and honestly not humane.)

It’s also possible that Jack might have had some criticism early on for not being firm enough with his more “difficult” patients, so he might have overcompensated for that by using the straightjacket solution more often when things got out of hand.

And finally, Jack also has his mad scientist tendencies that he openly grapples with in his diary—you know, the sort that caused him to make wildly irresponsible decisions like “let’s let Renfield escape, but supervised, and see what happens.” And since Jack was the head of the hospital, no one shot down this obviously ridiclous idea because they probably didn’t have the authority to.

TL;DR: The headcanon is “maybe Van Helsing did mean ‘madams’ because Jack started off wildly successful in treating older women with anxiety, and as a result was catapulted into a much more powerful position he was neither properly trained for nor mentally ready for.”

#dracula daily #jack seward #john seward #headcanons

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starsurface · 10 months ago

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Your writings are very good, they make me happy! Would it be possible to write Shang Tsung from the 3d era taking care of an age regressed reader that uses diapers?

Awh, thank you!!! I'm so glad that they make you happy!! <3

I will admit, i know incredibly little about this character!!!! :D (I tried to do research, but do call me our or dm if I wrote some things wrong, I can totally redo or make a pt 2 or something!!)

Like, . . . I know he’s evil. And has an island. And works for Shao Kahn. And is one of the more first big boss fights?? And that 3d is like, Deception, and Armageddon, and Shaolin Monks (the cutscenes only version of that game is so funny, the storyline is so fast).

And not even zesty evil!!! But like, actually evil. :(

Small Warning (?): It just kinda feels like there are some darker undertones in these?? Not exactly yandere like, but mildly possessive, and little to no hesitation to hurt others for you. It’s not implied that he’d kill, but it is implied that he’d use them as experiments (which I can totally change if anyone gets uncomfortable with!!!)

<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

CG 3d era Shang Tsung w/ Regressor That Uses Diaper Hcs

🐛 I know I said he’s evil . . . but I think he adores you

🐛 Your his baby, how could he not love you!! He’s cruel and a villain, but your his Precious, he couldn’t just let you go <3

🐛 While a man of evil and Shao Kahn’s sorcerer, he would never make fun of you for using or needing padding

🐛 Babyspace regressor? You’re very tiny!! Of course you might need some help, and that’s okay!!

🐛 Toddler? Well, accidents happen all the time, and he’d rather be safe than sorry anyways

🐛 Big kid? Well he’d still classify you as a baby, but whatever you say <3

🐛 Middlespace regressor? Everyone can use diapers!! Whether for medicine or comfort, that’s your regression, and no one else’s

🐛 And if anyone were to magically tell you otherwise, well, they strangely disappear!! :O (and maybe end up in Shang Tsung’s lab)

🐛 Might get a bit grumpy if you wake him up at night, but almost any thoughts of anger or upset wash away when he sees how upset you are

🐛 . . . Although he’s also super tired and might put on your padding backwards

🐛 It is literally not his fault, it’s two am, and he has work tomorrow

🐛 Although he’d rather you wake him up than sit sobbing in bed, work or no work, you’re his first priority

🐛 He’ll also get some of those potty mattress protections, just in case you may or may not have an accident again (but only if your cool with it)

🐛 Magic show distractions!!!

🐛 He could give you something to fidget with during the process . . . Or he could use his super cool sorcerer powers and make a little light show to distract you

🐛 From what i’ve seen in almost every Shang Tsung, they have a way with words

🐛 So it’s not him buying your regression supplies, it’s Shao Kahn <3

🐛 Shang Tsung works for him, how could he not also supply for his precious baby that he gets very little time with because of how often he has to work and prepare for the tornoment?

🐛 ^ Lies, Shang Tsung can and will pause any type of working if you regress and come for him

🐛 Maybe unless he’s in the middle of an experiment, but he’s left his studies many times before

🐛 Your not really allowed to talk to Shao Kahn though :\ (Shang Tsung’s worried Shao will be mean or cruel to you in your headspace)

🐛 But you get much time with Dada!! :D

🐛 He’ll make a little regression area in his laboratory!! It’s Shang Tsung’s Island, who would tell him he couldn’t put a secret passage way into a small regression area just for you?

🐛 ^ No one, that’s who, so of course he does it!! (and Shao Kahn gets the bill for it >:3)

🐛 He does make sure to put it more where the potions or his study books are and not where his experiments are (he doesn’t like you seeing them in your headspace)

🐛 Don’t you dare ever try to touch his potions, he will get incredibly upset and you’ll get in trouble

🐛 They’re for big kids and big kids only, plus you could get seriously hurt and Dada might not be able to help you from some of them

🐛 Or you could just regress in Dada’s room, which is much comfier anyways

🐛 If you end up having any type of accidents, he’s very gentle about the process, gently shushing and comforting you, drawing you a nice bath and picking out some comfy clothes

🐛 His clothes to be exact, what could be better?

🐛 If you’re ever embarrassed about using padding, he’d call you silly

🐛 There’s no reason too!! Whether for comfort, or medical, or just because, if it works for you, then he’s more than happy to help with the process

🐛 Your his baby after all, and he’s going to make sure you have the world <3

<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

I like the Caterpillar emoji, it's cute. :3 (also they didn't have any potions :\)

#age regression #agere #sfw age regression #mortal kombat agere #sfw agere #age regression headcanons #mk agere #shang tsung x reader #mk shang tsung #shang tsung #cg shang tsung #caregiver shang tsung #mortal kobmat deception #mortal kombat armageddon #< Those two are 3d games #Right??

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n0phis · 2 years ago

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alright boys. big post incoming.

DISCLAIMER: it is 3am upon writing this all down and i am also not a writer

–

i’m gonna start with the more lore-based stuff and add the little physical details as they come! so let’s fuckin explain this, shall we

in the world of this design/my personal hc techno isn’t so much the blood god as he is his champion and/or successor of some sort! partially through birth but in a fated sort of way, where he was just inevitably going to achieve the things required of the champion within his lifetime and thus was blessed from a relatively young age without need for some monumental trial. the blood god’s mantle was granted– the cape he wears– and is of a beast that was essentially the manifested will of the blood god. now i do want to say that i’m unsure whether a lot of techno’s physical features also came from the blessing or if he was born with them; i’m leaning towards born with them to an extent, and imagine him as a similar/same species to that of schlatt and tubbo in my hc! nondescript, varying ungulate features with techno only being half blooded (and lacking the strange sclera & tusks initially, as those do fit with the blessing).

before i get into what the mantle does i’ll talk about the beast itself, because i absolutely fucking love it it’s my squinkly little mythic pig

tales of the boar describe it as a hulking, monstrous creature that could dwarf any hoglin and was covered head to toe in blood-red, serrated quills; suffice to say the mantle itself implies it was more likely to have simply been a mutated hoglin, a rare subspecies, or some sort of thick-furred, primal ancestor. the bushy mane of the mantle is very rough and sharp, but fades into a much softer coat further down the cloak– though it does have hints of red here and there, so perhaps not everything was an exaggeration.

the most pressing question is whether the entire thing is just folklore– if the mantle came from a real beast that existed at all or if it was just such a common tale told by the worshippers of the blood god that he himself heard and manifested the trophy into existence.

there really is no way to tell, unless you ask a certain old bird.

true or not, the boar’s story is that of an honourable plague. an animal that destroyed everything in its path and always, without fail, won. no matter how many of the world’s finest warriors sought it out, the beast never fell– never came close to falling. it lived a long and prosperous life, ruining others’, and the blood it spilt is said to have given the crimson forests their colour. it died old and happy as its tusks bore through and into its own skull, the crown on the mantle is representative of that– with the added flair of an article of holy clothing, that is. a crown of emerging tusks, not a trophy because of symbolism of some hero overcoming an impossible foe, but of a beast who lived life to the fullest. the unkillable imbuing its own virtue upon the wearer.

the mantle doesnt give so much as it exacerbates, though, granted only to those who, by their own merit, would inevitably live a life like the boar’s.

essentially while the blood god’s blessing doesn’t best the passage of time, it’ still kickass. and techno wasn’t given his chad nature by some god, he was just recognized for it.

the blessing– again, at a young age– also gave him his very striking eyes and tusks! the eyes are inspired by those of a bearded vulture, where their actual function is flushing blood into the sclera to intimidate other animals (which is just so incredibly perfect). it technically isn’t permanent, but is attached to such a minute increase in heartrate that unless he is incredibly bored his sclera is nearly always red. it’s a good way to tell if he’s sleeping, at least? that is if you can’t pick it up from the closed eyes, blanket, and snoring.

the tusks came in gradually as he aged, and on the topic of physical features his hair is dyed!

the voices (chat) were passed to him along with the mantle, which essentially functions as a selkie style half-pelt that fuses to him, grants him strength and heightened susceptibility to the aforementioned Chat (tm). he’s not a monster by any means when ‘fused’, but behaves slightly more like a big silly dog. or wolf, i guess, given the times he tends to use it. it’s actually the form he’s most comfortable in given how much more durable he is (hence boar guy in his reading glasses chilling up there) but over time without breaks from it the voices grate at him more and more. he kinda took a break from using it after doomsday.

he’s about 6’3 as a humanoid, but closer to 7’ fused with the mantle! it fuses from his chin, down his spine & shoulders to the tail, and finally down his legs.

his forearms, stomach (& most of his back) and neck are almost entirely unchanged minus the scale and build being a little altered! the cape/fabric part actually entirely disappears, and while the action of donning it is a very physical ‘putting it on’, taking it off is more of a mental thing— which poses a challenge when the voices have cause to be particularly loud and he just wants out but can’t focus.

the last few things i’ll touch on is the reception in canon to this, and the effects of the attempted execution.

so nobody but phil and maybe the rest of sbi truly know much about this, it’s actually generally assumed around the server that it’s just whatever strange sort of creature that techno is.

the stories– and the blood god himself– exist primarily in the nether, and techno rarely ever met with people without the mantle fully equipped and fused. it certainly contributed to his reputation, to the point of others being baffled upon seeing his ‘human form’ after assuming for so long that a bipedal, prickly hoglin was just this freakazoid’s default. he didn’t mind; the less vulnerable the better. and it allowed him to wreak havoc a hell of a lot easier, with a hell of a lot fewer voices telling him to tone it down as opposed to his beta male humanoid form. if the butcher army had known to make him take it off, things could have turned out quite differently. but they didn’t, so they can suck it.

lastly, slightly anticlimactically, and a wee bit differently to the art (which, again, was just the rough design after having these ideas marinating in my brain sauces for 7 months with no outlet), the effects of the totem! there arent veins running down him or the mantle’s face as cool as that would be, because, y’know, practicality, but all of his tusks (since he was fused at the time of near-death) have cracks in them that have been mended with gold! he also has a striking, golden lock of hair directly around the impact site on both forms, and fancy gold irises that compliment his freaky deaky sclera wonderfully.

and there’s my techno shit! i’m probably forgetting a lot, or i just havent thought about it yet and will come up with my answer to any questions immediately upon being asked and no sooner but YOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! if u read this far ily parasocially

#technoblade fanart #tagging that bc look it may be a repost of my fanart but #technoblade #dsmp technoblade #headcanons slash analysis #tham talks #tham talks so fucking much here oh my GOD

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reel-fear · 1 year ago

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Henry And Norman's Canonical [and unexplored] Friendship and why it needs more focus in canon and fanon

An essay by me~

So I've talked a lot either in tags or in other posts about Henry and Norman's implied friendship in the canon of Bendy, however implied isn't really the right word, unexplored is more accurate because despite the fact we've never seen them interact, Henry and Norman having been friends is entirely canon with a lot of proof for it!

Don't believe me? Well let me show you why I am obsessed with this duo~

So first we're starting with the games since they are the ones most barren for this implication. We only really have one line in BATIM to go off of in terms of this, but they are interesting and important ones. Specifically we have one line from alice and an achievement to look at. [EDIT: I forgot a note written by Henry! I have added it now below]

Just from Alice's line we know she was under the impression Henry and Norman were friends, which not only shows they were in fact friends but close enough that others knew they were friends. Combined with the theory that Alice created the projectionist [one that is slightly backed up by BATDR confirming she was the one who mutilated the butcher gang] her teasing tone here could be rubbing in the fact such a horrible fate fell on someone Henry was close to...

It's an idea I think fits really well with Joey having created the cycle specifically to torment Henry too, why not make his friend one of the most mindless and horrible monsters down there just to make him feel worse. So close yet so far from one of the friendliest friends he knew.

The other thing I want to draw attention to is the Norman's Fate achievement, this is the Only time the projectionist is referred to as Norman and it comes from Henry's POV. It's a bit of stretch but I think it could be Henry refusing to dehumanize Norman by calling him the projectionist instead calling him by his name. A detail I think is very cute and could show Henry's sympathy towards his friend's suffering... and fate.

EDIT:

However we have another great indicator on how Henry feels towards the projectionist in particular and that's this note left by him on level 14.

Level 14 is the Projectionist's level, one full of the corpses of his victims and where he hunts Henry relentlessly, but Henry still questions The Projectionist being nothing more than an enemy. Their friendship seems to have meant a lot to him, and it seems to be on his mind, even after seeing what Norman has been twisted into. This could also be because the Projectionist literally fights the ink demon too. Who is far more antagonistic to Henry. Either way, I find it very sad but also a nice way of subtly touching on what Henry and Norman's friendship means for how Henry thinks of the Projectionist.

This is also a bit of a stretch but when Norman/The Projectionist peeks into the miracle station Henry is hiding in, in chapter 4, he doesn't seem super threatening, just curious and it even somewhat emulates Sammy's motions when commenting on Henry's familar face. Was there a moment of clarity for Norman there? Seeing his old friend hiding in there? Maybe, it's a little too vague to really dwelve on here but it is something to think about...

But time for us to get into the meat of their relationship, with the books, the media that elaborates far more on Henry and Norman's characters and has the lines from Norman confirming their friendship.

I absolutely LOVE these passages they show off so much more about Norman's character and expand on the idea he and Henry were friends in such a nice way. Norman talks about Henry in a way so unusually positive for him Dot feels the need to point out how much of a compliment it is for him to say he's a decent fellow with a lot of talent. He also speaks with a lot of sympathy towards Henry's blight and the abuse Joey made him endure, doing this all with his feet on the table holding up a projector, a smile on his face and a mug in his hand. He speaks somewhat vaguely and with mystery not exactly with Sammy's theatrics but with his own ominious air.

He also recognizes Henry leaving wasn't personal and that Joey likely held a grudge over it, plus when Dot comments on how odd it is for Norman to speak of someone like this, he doesn't refute it, just agrees with a laugh.

These passages are one of the reasons I think the books are some of the best media to come out of the series and I hope soon others realize what untapped potentional the books hide.

But...

Sadly despite all these interesting implications there's not a lot of canon or fandom content showing Norman and Henry's relationship and even less that attempts to develop and explore it. But for me it's one of the most interesting relationship's we have in BATIM [a series that is rather lacking in implied friendships or relationships between its characters]

Hell Henry's wiki page even mentions their friendship but Norman's page does not, which is strange since he has the most to speak on their friendship in the books. At least it's strange to me

So why is this relationship so fascinating to me? Just because of the dynamic it presents to us and its potentional for fun interactions!

Norman is portrayed constantly as a strange mysterious and almost intimidating figure, he sees everything, he goes to investigate strange noises under his booth with nothing but a light to find out whats making a horrid noise at night, and when Buddy [a 17 year old delivery boy] shows up at the studio and asks where Joey is Norman tells him he's DEAD. Which Buddy can only pick up on as a joke when someone else comes in to tell him Norman's sense of humor is strange, all while Norman bursts into chuckles. He's also pretty easy going esp in comparision to Sammy's dramatic nature.

Henry however is such an every man, a soft spoken and hard working animator who just wanted to have a better relationship with his work and wife. He's always so calm and just a usual guy. How did he come to form a friendship with such a strange and bizzare guy? Did he enjoy Norman's strange sense of humor? What were their interactions like?

There's so many interesting things to do with such a dynamic and that's not even getting into the tragedy of the Projectionist and Norman's fate. I want to see Henry heartbroken by his close friend's fate and death, I want to see more stuff exploring interactions between the Projectionist and the artist.

Whether it's canon or fanon that does it, I want to see more content on Henry and Norman's relationship. Romantic or not, I just want to see more people talk about it! Because it's one of the most interesting relationships in a series that tends to lack a lot of character relationship drama, pushing for more content of these two might be the bridge towards getting more content from canon that generally shows us how these characters all feel about each other.

Something I don't think is an impossible idea too since Meatly straight up asked us what characters we wanted to see interact, showing interest in these two could be a big W for us I'm just sayin [yes that is me down there]

I know I am very biased as a big Norman and Normry/Moving Pictures/Heman fan but I hope this post could show just a few more people the potential of this duo and we get more content of them in the future. Esp since fans have done a lot more with pairings in this franchise with far less content or implications of friendship.

Fingers crossed for a Norman novel where we can see them interact!!

And more content of these two in general <3

#batim #bendy and the dark revival #bendy and the ink machine #bendy #batdr #norman polk #the projectionist #henry stein #normry #heman #moving pictures #like I said not purely shipping here #but i wouldnt mind if this fuels more shipping of them in the fandom >w>#either way hope people read this and hope people like this #I always love making little essays on my passions and this is a topic I absolutely love #these two live in my brain SO much #and now I hope they live in the brains of others too <3 #ramblez

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snailpastaenjoyer35 · 1 year ago

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Every snipbit of Soriel in Undertale/Deltarune (spoilers obviously)

This is just a collective post with every “soriel” moment, but I’d like to say first that soriel can just be them being platonic friends or romantically invovled, it’s really up to how you interpret their dynamic. Keep in mind that I could be missing some more obscure things that are outside of the games and such, but I did try to be as extensive as possible.

- Before anything else, I’d like to mention Toriel’s joke book in the RUINs, which has a joke passage cirlced of skeleton jokes and the game reads you this one:

“Why did the skeleton want a friend? Because she was feeling BONELY.”

- Next thing to talk about is Sans’ dinner story at MTT Diner, where he recalls how a lady answered his knock knock jokes at the RUINs door. Sans talks about how he’d go there all the time after that. Sans also mentions during his talk with Frisk that he gave a promise to Toriel that he’d protect them on their journey, even though he doesn’t really do promises.

Full scene:

youtube

- Some one-note remarks are throughout the game as well. For example, it can be implied that Toriel was giving Sans cooking advice to some degree because of 1) the “weird quiche” that Sans out-of-the-blue tried to make at home and 2) the snail pasta that Sans bought.

- There’s also the fact that Sans “hasn’t been around much” at Grillby’s, but this doesn’t necessarily mean it has to do with Toriel, but it could if Papyrus is anything to go by.

Now to the endings.

- Near the end of the true pacifist route, there’s Toriel and Sans’ apparent in-person meeting before Flowey comes in which you can watch below. They recognize each other’s voices and introduce themselves, Toriel says Sans told her a lot about Papyrus while at the door.

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- After the player beats the game on a true pacifist route, there’s a TON of dialouge with Sans and Toriel, so watch the video below to see all of it:

youtube

This video also has all of Toriel’s text messages in it, a lot of with are with Sans as well, some of which I’ll put here but there’s a lot more in the video (they start at 9:15)

- There’s also the neutral route with Toriel and Sans ending up living together, or the “Exiled Queen Ending.” To get this ending, you have to kill Papyrus and leave Undyne alive. In the phone call, Sans talks about how Undyne banished Toriel back to the RUINs after Toriel tried inacting a ‘no killing humans’ policy and Sans ended up going with her. Sans brings her books from the library and says she’s a “good roomie.” (Time stamp: 12:56)

- In the opposite of that, if you leave Papyrus alive and kill Undyne, Toriel stays ruler and Sans and Papyrus visit her in the castle. He talks about how they play games and read books together, and even convincing her to leave the castle a couple times. (Time stamp: 14:11)

- If you kill Toriel in a neutral route, Sans will talk about how he doesn’t get a response when he knocks on the RUINs door anymore and says the she might not be feeling well. If you also kill Papyrus in this route, he’ll say: “Or maybe she’s not feeling anything at all. . .? You’d better watch yourself, kid. . .”

Here’s a video where you can see all of this:

youtube

- In Deltraune chapter 1, when you talk to Sans about who he should be friends with and pick Toriel, he says: “Too late, I already befriended your mom last night. She’s great, came to the store to buy chocolate kisses. Said she’s gotta lock her door to stop you from eating ‘em.”

- In Deltarune chapter 2, there’s a scene where Toriel goes into Sans’ shop to get eggs she left on the counter and they share a lot of egg puns. Toriel leaves though when Asgore comes in with possibly the funniest joke ever. Also I love Asgore calling Sans bone man. I cannot do the scene justice, it’s one of my favorite things from Deltarune, you can watch it below.

youtube

- Moving on from games, Undertale had a cancelled alarm clock app that had a lot of dialouge from characters, but it can all be found on the undertale website. There’s a lot of moments with Sans and Toriel, but I’ll fit what I can. Here’s the website if you want to look for yourself: https://undertale.com/alarmclock/

- In the first winter Undertale newletter, there’s this:

- In the 5th Anniversy stream, they have a commerical for some Undertale merch and I just thought Toriel wearing Sans merch was pretty cool.

Well I hoped you enjoyed my rambling but that’s it for what I have. okay bye i hope you enjoyed my delusion

#undertale #sans #undertalesans #sansundertale #soriel #toriel #undertaletoriel #undertale toriel #idk #I just needed to do this for some reason #let me know if I forgot anything because Im sure I did

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earlgreytea68 · 1 year ago

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Do u have any twin skeletons thoughts/analyses?

SO MUCH. BUCKLE UP.

I looooove this song and I think it is the most raw and brutal song about the disintegration of the Pete/Patrick relationship in the entire discography, I really do.

Patrick jumbles his use of lyrics up time-wise, he plucks them from all over their chronology, but I don't think he would write this song today, and I don't think he would write the lyrics up in this song today. Like, the lyrics are brutal, but the song they're in are worst, the way he arranges them, the way he sings them.

BUT THEN HE ENDS IT IN HOPE. THIS SONG.

I feel like there is this vague trajectory to the lyrics that Pete writes and the way that Patrick arranges and sings them. When they're both young kids, the lyrics are more straightforwardly melodramatic and self-pitying, the way kids are, and Patrick sings them that way. Which isn't to say they're not still complex, but yeah. As they move toward the hiatus, I feel like the lyrics actually get less bitter and more longing but Patrick starts arranging them and singing them more viciously, so that lyrics that could have been love songs become angry songs instead. Post-hiatus, Pete's lyrics take a distinctive pining turn that he's never entirely left, although they're not always about relationships (they never were, really, which is what I love about him) but about the passage of time and the way everything is yearning ambivalence for things you can't even define as you get older. Patrick in the beginning of the hiatus still arranged these lyrics in songs that felt defiant but by now the lyrics get put into love songs and lose some of the irony in the way Patrick sings them.

That's kind of a tangent.

Anyway, I don't actually think they dealt, lyrically or musically, with a lot of the emotions of the hiatus until AB/AP. I think they wrote SRAR almost carefully. Some of the songs in it feel almost like Patrick designed them to try to be at a remove, they feel kind of impersonal, aiming for the kind of heterosexual drama that FOB rarely hits in their songs because Pete rarely writes lyrics like that. But I think about a song like The Mighty Fall or Death Valley or Just One Yesterday or Young Volcanoes -- and there is A LOT to all of those songs, too, of course, and I love them -- but they're easy to read as just, you know, typical radio play stuff. (The notable -- REALLY notable -- SRAR exception is Miss Missing You, of course, and maybe that was as much as anyone could deal with at the time lol.)

But AB/AP, to me, is FULL of working through the hiatus baggage. There's "The Kids Aren't Alright" and there's "Fourth of July" and there's "Favorite Record" and THEN THERE'S THIS SONG. To me, this song is all about a relationship -- a partnership -- that's supposed to be perfect breaking completely to pieces right in front of you, and the way it devolves into recriminations and accusations.

The chorus, revolving around this titular room where everything went down. I read “shares our fate and deserves our pity” to imply that this room has been somehow ruined, too (sharing our fate) and that’s such a huge pity, like, this isn’t how it should have happened. There’s deep regret in this chorus: I don’t want to remember it, and what they don’t want to remember is the things the promised. The promises you make to the people you love and when it all goes to hell and you end up not keeping those promises, you don’t want to think about them.

EVERYTHING about the description of the relationship in this is some of Pete’s most vivid lyrics. This is one of those songs where every single line is absolutely crystalline. When Taylor Swift said once that she wanted “Blank Space” to be like a Fall Out Boy song where every line is a zinger, this is the song I think of, because the way this relationship is described, the way it unfurls through the song, every single line carries an entire story within it, it’s all so vivid. And the thing is, this could be read to be about sex—dull the pain, strip down to skeleton, saint swimming our sins—sure, it’s all sexy, but I don’t think any of it is actually about sex. Stripped down to our skeletons, that’s not how you have sex, that is way more revealing, way more vulnerability being shown than just taking off your clothes. It has to be read in the context of the image on their Greatest Hits compilation, those twin skeletons, dedicated to each other even in death, like, it’s just not about sex. Sure, sex can be read as sinful, but there’s a multitude of sins out there in the world for them to be swimming in. And the line that really smacks me over the head: “’til we’re twins again.” You…don’t have sex with your twin. I mean, unless we’re getting into some really weird narcissistic thing going on in this song. The twin thing is so…Patrick-coded hahaha. Because who is Patrick? The person he has twin-speak with. This whole thing is in the vein of Pete’s pining language to be honest: I MISS YOU SO MUCH. I JUST NEED A LITTLE DOSE OF YOU. I MISS HOW WE USED TO BE. I MISS WHEN WE WERE SO OURSELVES WITH EACH OTHER THAT WE WERE BASICALLY SKELETONS, THERE WAS NOTHING TO HIDE BEHIND.

But the way Patrick sings these words, the melody he gives them: It doesn’t sound pining. It sounds biting and cruel. If he sang this song in one of his piano arrangements, I bet these words would kill you with how much longing is in them. But that’s not how he sings them.

And then we get to that jet black crow, droning on and on and on, up above their heads, droning on and on and on. The way that droning line repeats, the way Patrick sings the on and on and on so that it sounds like a drone, it’s cleverly done, and the jet black crow always feels like this bad omen to me, this thing hanging over them, that they can’t escape. I MISS YOU SO MUCH, PLEASE STAY HERE WITH ME, but there’s that droning of foreboding hanging over their heads. You’ve got to keep making trouble until you find what you love, he’s not done yet, he wants to keep going, he needs a partner in crime AND YOU SHRUG. I never can decide which of them is speaking there, who looked to the other for their partner and didn’t find him there, and maybe it was both of them, because they were mutual destruction, maybe that’s the point.

Then we get to the second verse, one era dying and the next being born, showing up just to fade away, calling an end to the whole thing – and hating it the whole time (“I wanna throw my hands in the air and scream”). “I can just die laughing on your spiral of shame”: the way Patrick sings that. That is another line that I’m not sure who it’s meant to be referencing, and it could just be both of them. Honestly, the cruel things you do to the people you love when there’s a jet black crow droning on and on over your heads. But you get through the wreck and you pull yourself together enough to survive, even though you’re barely holding yourself together with a string.

But. BUT. THIS BRUTAL, BRUTAL SONG that Patrick takes Pete’s lyrics and puts together here. The way he has the pining of the first verse devolve into the vicious backlash of the second verse in the wake of the indifferent and painful shrug is so good and then the narrative retreats into: Hold on. Hold on, hold on, hold on. At the end of the song he repeats “hold on” EIGHTEEN TIMES. That’s how much he wants Pete to “hold on.” This song about the complete disintegration of this relationship ends with Patrick begging, over and over again: Hold on. Hold on. It’ll be okay. Hold on. That jet black crow drones on and on and on twelve times. Patrick asks us to hold on many more times. And he never sends droning as he does it. He packs multiple notes into the ons. The jet black crow is gone by the end of the song. I made promises. Just hold on.

#long post #fall out boy #fob #peterick

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