#i still cannot capture the life that is in his art

[thus-wrote-mrs-zeppeli]

“Something cute” won the poll for what I should do for my 100 followers special, so I tried to come up with something pretty dang cute~

Various jjba characters x reader in: Artsy Date

Drawing each other sounded like a great date idea at the time.

Content: nothing really beyond a bit suggestive

Characters: Joseph Joestar (Part 2), Caesar Anthonio Zeppeli, DIO, Rohan Kishibe, Jotaro Kujo (part 4), Yoshikage Kira, Guido Mista, Bruno Bucciarati, Leone Abbacchio, Diavolo, Jolyne Cujoh, Johnny Joestar, Gyro Zeppeli, Diego Brando

Joseph Joestar: Oh he was QUITE confident in his ability to capture your essence on paper. And no matter how you insisted this was only for fun, not a competition, he was determined to be better at this than you. And he even tries to sabotage you, just a bit, by doing a hard pose to draw when it’s your turn to sketch him.

He IS fun to model for though, flirting with you while he directed you on how to pose for him. For a moment you almost feel like an actual professional model with the way he plays it up. He even makes a camera click noise with his mouth when he’s finally happy with your pose.

He works pretty quickly, talking out loud to himself as he goes, occasionally holding up his handiwork so he can compare it to you.

“Tell me how much you love it.”

He says it SO confidently given how…unimpressive his art skills are…

I mean…you can definitely tell it’s you. Because the character he drew has your outfit. But it’s a bit exaggerated proportion wise and he REALLY cannot draw faces to save his life wow-

“Is that my…nose?”

He’s a bit offended. “NO, that’s your mouth. This is your nose.”

You squint when he points to a spot on the drawing but you don’t really know what he’s pointing to.

But you’ll treasure it forever, you had so much fun being his model and doodling each other. And he quite enjoyed modeling for you, too, very happy to have a sketch of himself drawn by you. You drew him winking with a smug smirk on his face while in that stupidly complicated pose he decided to do despite your protests.

It’s unmistakably Joseph Joestar.

Caesar Anthonio Zeppeli: He loves this idea, but takes it SUPER seriously. He has you very carefully posed, and really takes his time illustrating you to the best of his ability. He even uses watercolors to add to your “inherent elegance” as he calls it.

When you finally get to see it…

It’s a bit amateurish, but still quite impressive, though he totally exaggerated your grace and poise. Your clothes flow in the wind as you pose delicately by a fountain…he definitely took some artistic liberties because there wasn’t any wind when you posed for him, and your outfit wasn’t THAT pristine, but it’s a lovely portrait, and you can’t help but smile learning Caesar really sees you as such a graceful and lovely person.

You feel yours isn’t nearly as grand in comparison, as you drew him much more casually, resting with his chin on his hand, looking quiet and contemplative. He adores every gift you give him, but something this personal is especially wonderful to him.

But you’re a bit embarrassed to see he went through the trouble of framing your drawing of him…sheesh Caesar…he’s so extra sometimes…

DIO: He could maybe make some free time for you in his evenings to indulge in the fine arts. You’re not sure if you’re surprised or unsurprised he actually takes a bit of interest in such things. You want to draw him? He’s happy to indulge you.

You’re off to a strong start because you have to hastily tell him he doesn’t have to take off all his clothes, you’re not making THAT kind of drawing-this was supposed to be cute!! Just pose nicely!

He can’t help himself and goes with something pretty provocative, but whatever. At least your drawing is gonna reflect his personality well.

He’s not opposed to drawing you in turn but he’s bossy just for the sake of it. He wants you to pose a certain way and if you move at all he swore he was going to stop immediately. And he was a man of empty promises, but not empty threats, so you held as still as you could manage, a bit embarrassed at the pose he demanded of you. He chides you a bit for acting surprised that his sketch of you actually looks really good.

You, posed with your arm on your own shoulder, and your head tilted so your neck is very exposed and you are surrounded by darkness. It’s a beautiful sketch, done quickly, and he has signed his name in big letters right on the drawing of you. Such a Dio thing to do. You understand even clearer how he feels about you.

He thinks you should consider it a generous gift that he deigned to waste his time illustrating you, so you’d better treasure that half-hearted sketch he’s made for you.

He has no interest in taking great care of your sketch of him though. It will be tucked away in a book somewhere and promptly forgotten about, but if you were to suggest another drawing session while he was in a pleasant mood he might not refuse.

Rohan Kishibe: Only AFTER suggesting it did you realize perhaps it was not such a good idea.

Rohan was a Very Fast artist. As soon as you suggested it he had an amazing illustration of you done in five seconds flat. You tried to explain it completely defeated the point to go so fast, and that you were supposed to pose for him at least while he drew you!

Well…he doesn’t really see the point in that. But it’s not like he’s swamped with work so…he will try to indulge you if it would make you happy.

You ask him what pose you should do and he says you can do whatever you want because he could replicate it accurately.

Once again defeating the point but whatever.

You try to do a cute pose in the hopes you can convey your romantic intent with this activity. All he does is quirk an eyebrow at you and mutter that your pose looks a bit uncomfortable to hold, but that he’ll be quick so it’ll be fine.

You sigh. He was so unromantic. You were posing SO cutely and he STILL wasn’t getting it.

His illustration of you is professional, even inked and colored with markers, and it only took him a few seconds. You’re posed draped across the couch, with your arms spread and your legs bent to give the appearance of stretching charmingly.

He narrows his eyes in confusion when you proclaim it is his turn now. Apparently he wasn’t listening very closely to how this was supposed to work.

He doesn’t want to pose so you can draw him! That’s boring. He could be doing something else. This really isn’t supposed to be an argument, so you suggest he reads a book or something so he’s not entirely “wasting his time” while you draw him.

He’s grumpy about it, but relents. As long as you promise to be quick.

He just quietly reads in his chair while you doodle him. It’s awkward and not nearly as romantic as you were hoping for, but you’re pretty happy with how your sketch of him turned out.

He doesn’t have much to say on your drawing, quick to excuse himself so he can finally go back to doing whatever he was doing before you interrupted him with this date idea of yours.

But he loves it very much, and keeps it safe in his studio, but he’ll be a bit of a brat about it if you ask because he’s embarrassed to admit it makes him feel good.

Jotaro Kujo: He’s decent at drawing, but only animals, not so much people. But if you’re both not busy one evening then fine, might as well.

He tells you to keep your expectations low, but you’re just glad to finally be spending some quality time with him. He’s not the easiest man to schedule time with, always busy with something.

His drawing of you is simplistic but recognizable, since he knew he’d struggle with detail and it’d just end up bad if he tried.

You love it! It’s rare for him to do anything like this for you, so the drawing is very dear for you, regardless of how he insists it’s not anything to be so excited about. He doesn’t really say anything, but he’s glad it makes you happy, even though he doesn’t feel like he did much.

You accidentally draw his hat too big when it’s your turn to draw him, but otherwise you think it looks pretty cool. You tried to capture the coolness of his white jacket blowing in the wind. You can’t really tell if he likes it, but he ends up folding your sketch nicely and keeping it safe somewhere, so you like to think he enjoyed this little bonding activity.

Yoshikage Kira: UGH, you’re not sure what you were expecting. The drawing he makes of you is…interesting. You’re recognizable, slightly above stick figure status…but he put a Very noticeable emphasis on your hands, putting much more effort into them than anything else in the drawing. The more you look at it the more you realize it’s just a really low-quality imitation of the Mona Lisa. Now you understand the purpose of the pose he suggested. But he seemed to moderately enjoy himself, so…Success, you suppose.

He’ll cooperate and pose for you as long as it doesn’t take too long.

You go for something casual, his pointer finger against his cheek, his other fingers against his chin. Relaxed, but stylish.

He thanks you for the drawing and tucks it away somewhere. It’s safe, but out of mind.

He doesn’t really care if you keep ahold of his drawing of you though. You’re free to do whatever you want with it, he’s not an artist so he understands if you don’t want to keep it, it didn’t take that much effort to draw anyways.

You keep it for a bit but eventually lose track of it. It’s pretty funny when you accidentally stumble across it after it disappeared for a long time. Oh yeah. That weird drawing Yoshikage did of you where he only tried when he was sketching your hands. You had forgotten about that. For good reason.

Guido Mista: He’s definitely not an artist but if you don’t care about how it turns out and just wanna spend time with him through this activity then he’s totally down.

The bullets end up wanting to draw you too so…you end up with a lot of poorly drawn portraits of yourself. Honestly you couldn’t pick out Mista’s drawing from the bullets’. How do they all draw the same way…

All the drawings of you are pretty much just stick figures with very large heads. He said he wanted to capture your facial features accurately so he had to make your head bigger. More room for the eyes. Yeah he’s definitely not taking this too seriously but you expected as much from him. So to counter him, you draw him poorly as well, and then all of the bullets large and in as much detail as you can manage.

He pretends to be offended by it. “Why’d you draw my eyes so big?!” he asks. Because beyond his sense of fashion his deep dark eyes are his most notable feature! Duh.

He ends up losing the drawing on accident within a week but! The important part was how fun it was! The finished products weren’t that important-

Please don’t be mad at him-

Bruno Bucciarati: He thinks it’s a lovely way to spend some time together, so he does what he can to clear his afternoon so he can spend it with you. He starts by saying he’s not an artist so don’t expect too much from him, but his brow furrows in concentration once you’ve assumed a pose you thought he’d like. You go for something cute but

stylish, sitting with one leg up and your other outstretched along the couch elegantly.

His drawing of you is cute. Soft lines and very simple, mostly just capturing your pose than any other details, with dots for eyes because he claims he cannot draw eyes for the life of him. It’s sweet, surprisingly adorable for the serious capo. He tells you not to show his gang though, or he’ll never hear the end of it.

You embarrass yourself a bit when it’s your turn, because you spent a very long time concentrated on his chest trying to get his tattoo accurate. And he’s not helping with his flirty little remark where he suggests you could probably see a little better if you sat closer to him. And then pat his own lap.

It totally breaks your concentration, so you decide your drawing of him is now finished, handing it over to him before he can fluster you any further.

He thinks it’s lovely, and he promises to take care of it, and make even more of an effort to carve out some free time to spend with you, even if it’s just half an hour or so.

He’s already planning a date he can surprise you with next time.

Leone Abbacchio: He’s not one for sweet romantic gestures, so he pushes back a bit, but if you nag him he’ll give in pretty quickly. It’s not like you’re asking him to do something he really hates doing, and he has a particular weakness for you…so fine. But just this once.

He’ll hold still so you can sketch him, but only for ten minutes, and he gets to choose the pose.

At least the pose he chooses looks nice. Despite his jaded personality, he’s a pretty and elegant looking man. You draw a side profile of him, his expression that usual impassive frown, but his features have a sort of rugged grace.

When you slide your masterpiece over to him, he exhales through his nose so he can maintain that grouchy persona, but he’s gentle when he actually takes the drawing from you.

When it’s his turn to draw you, he works quickly and silently, not even looking at you, which leads you to think he’s still unhappy about being asked to do this.

He won’t admit it but he didn’t look at you because he didn’t have to. He’s replayed memories of you through Moody Blues enough times to have your face memorized.

You weren’t expecting much when he casually slid the piece of paper over to you.

But when you look, you can’t help the way your jaw drops. A side profile of you that mirrors the one you drew of him. Drawn amazingly well. It’s accurate, elegant, surprisingly soft…he’s even sketched a few flowers alongside you to make the piece more aesthetically pleasing.

The way you stare makes him embarrassed, and he ends up biting out that if you didn’t like it you should just throw it away.

You respond by clutching it protectively against your chest. It just makes him more embarrassed to know you’re going to be clinging to that thing for a while. There’s really no winning with him-

WHATEVER.

You can do whatever you want with it, but do NOT show that off to Mista, Narancia and ESPECIALLY NOT Giorno (not that Giorno would tease him, but the mortifying idea of that blond knowing ANYTHING about him makes Leone feel ill).

Once enough time has passed, you can start convincing him to make a few quick sketches for you, since they make you happy for whatever reason, and unfortunately for him he loves making you happy even if that means dropping the apathetic gangster disposition for a moment.

Ghiaccio: You thought that you had finally found something that was relaxing for both of you and wouldn’t completely frustrate him and result in him losing his temper. Again.

Turns out you were incorrect. Again.

Firstly he’s not a fan of sitting still. He’ll sit in one spot for you, but he’s tapping his foot the whole time and fiddling with his phone. So you try to go as fast as you can before he gets too impatient with just sitting there waiting for his turn to draw you.

It turns out a little bit rushed, but you feel like you captured his look pretty well, even adding some red to his glasses and shoes for a splash of color.

But when it’s his turn to draw you…he starts getting frustrated fast. He keeps erasing and starting over, the poor paper getting smudged and wrinkled into oblivion, and eventually he gets mad enough to stop when he accidentally rips through the paper with his pencil.

He shouts a slew of Italian curse words before saying he’s done with this stupid date, slamming the sketchbook onto the table in front of you and storming off in a huff of embarrassment at how poorly the drawing turned out.

Well that went great.

His drawing is honestly pretty cute, the condition of the paper and the eraser smudges and rips tell quite a story…

Because of how crumpled the paper turned out it kinda looks like the hastily drawn version of you got hit by a frying pan or electrocuted by a lightning bolt, but you still like it. It was nice of him to at least entertain your idea, even though it ended up frustrating him.

Diavolo: Draw him? NO.

Not a CHANCE in HELL.

Remove that idea from your mind immediately and never bring it up again. He will not allow even one vague sketch of him to be made, and if you do it anyways he will not forgive you.

Really you should’ve expected that reaction. What were you thinking with that one…?

But if you irritate him enough about it, he’ll Eventually get fed up and tell you to sit down and hold still. If all he has to do to get you to stop whining was sketch you, then FINE. He’ll sketch you.

Stop squirming in your seat and squealing with excitement…you’re giving him a headache.

You try to hold still for him.

He radiates irritation at having to do this, his gaze intense and the strokes of his pencil harsh and deliberate.

“There.”

He tosses the sketchbook over to you and promptly gets up and leaves before he has to hear your feedback.

It’s pretty good actually. A little rough since he drew it while in a particularly foul mood, but if he actually tried he could really make something nice.

If you tell him you love what he drew for you he’ll dismiss your compliment immediately. He doesn’t care about his art skills, he has much bigger things to concern himself with than sitting around sketching his partner whenever they begged him for that kind of attention.

Jolyne Cujoh: At first she thinks it’s a super cute and romantic date idea, so she’s eager to try it with you.

She does a cool pose for you, elegant but powerful, and she tries to hold it for you but it ended up not being the easiest pose to hold so you have to work fast. She ends up having to stretch after that painful pose, and even though you feel a bit bad listening to her complain about how she pulled a muscle doing that, it’s hard not to enjoy how she rolls her shoulders to loosen them.

She says it was totally worth it because she loves your sketch of her. You better believe she’s going to take good care of it, even if you say it’s not good because you had to rush it. Too late. She’s not giving it back. You’ll have to fight her for it, and you know from experience you’re not winning if you try playfully roughhousing with her.

When it’s her turn to draw you, she pretends to be highly concentrated and serious, but she ends up feeling a bit embarrassed when she actually finishes her sketch of you.

It’s not bad at all, very cute, and she gave you sparkly anime eyes since they’re the only type of eye she knows how to draw. The proportions aren’t perfect, your head looks kinda big compared to your body, and it’s pretty simple, but in a way where you could claim it was a stylistic choice and not on accident.

If you really insist you love it she’ll be slightly less embarrassed, but don’t go showing that around to everyone! It’s for your eyes only!

She signs it for you with a playful green lipstick stain.

But seriously. Don’t show it around.

Johnny Joestar: Usually you’re both too tired by the time you’re setting up camp when it starts getting dark during the SBR to think about doing anything cute with each other.

But one evening you have an extra burst of energy, and there’s juuust enough light by the fire to do a sketch of Johnny.

Well, if you want to. He’s not ready to fall asleep yet so you might as well.

You really wanna capture his intense eyes. So you don’t make him do anything in particular except look at you on occasion so you can make sure you’re getting his face right.

It turns out okay. At least you got the eyes right. He doesn’t really know how to react beyond just thanking you and tucking the drawing away. The two of you can only hope nothing happens to it, but it can’t be helped with all the action during this race if your drawing ended up destroyed.

When it’s his turn to draw you, he’s quiet and concentrated, occasionally glancing up at you for accuracy’s sake but otherwise he seems to know what he’s doing, to your surprise.

“I think it turned out alright,” he comments, handing it over to you after signing it with a little star with two J’s in it.

It’s a bit of an understatement, even in the darkness with only the light of the fire to see, he captured an amazing amount of detail. You, sitting contemplatively by the fire, shadows dancing across your face with the flickering of the flames…and he got the scenery really accurate.

“Do you like drawing landscapes, Johnny?”

His sketch of your surroundings was done remarkably skillfully.

He shrugs, but then thinks about it for a moment before saying yeah, landscapes were more enjoyable to draw for him. You have to slow down a bit to capture the details of your surroundings accurately in a drawing so…perhaps he likes the change of pace every once in a while.

Gyro Zeppeli: He acts sooo confident despite knowing full well that he cannot draw people. And he’s a bit of a menace to you, since you said this was only for fun and nothing to take too seriously, then surely you don’t mind him constantly moving around and striking different poses and making weird jokes. If he was going to be ridiculous then FINE, you would draw him ridiculous.

You confidently declare your drawing is quite flattering and then spin your paper around to show him a half-hearted attempt at a sketch of him lying on his side with a rose between his teeth, surrounded by hearts. You’ve purposefully given him a tiny head so it looks silly.

He takes it as a personal challenge, declaring it was his turn so you’d better be ready. While he’s drawing you, you pretend to fall asleep like he was boring you.

You were expecting his drawing to be unprofessional but at least recognizable. When he confidently hands you back what he’s drawn you genuinely aren’t sure what you’re looking at.

“This is me?”

“YES, see this is your hair, and these are your arms…” he explains the drawing to you but can’t help the occasional laugh that escapes. So he WAS messing with you with this incomprehensible scribble he presented you with.

“You really captured my essence,” you say, holding the picture up next to your face to compare them.

“Like you have a twin,” he declares, accompanied by his signature laugh.

He’s such a TEASE sometimes-

Diego Brando: He’s really struggling to grasp the idea that this is just for fun and isn’t supposed to be super serious, because as soon as he’s done posing for you he’s hovering over your shoulder while you draw and backseat sketching for you. He’s like ‘oh my hair should be a little longer, you got my nose shape wrong, that’s not how my eyes look, etc.’

Ok Diego why don’t you draw yourself if you know so much about art, sheesh-

Even if you say that as a joke he might actually end up plucking the sketchbook and pencil from you and finishing it himself so it’s to his likeness. You find it a bit irritating that he’s actually pretty good at art and his additions to your drawing of him really make the piece come together. So annoying. How dare he be innately talented at drawing?

AND just to show off he makes you do a complex pose when it’s his turn to draw you. He ends up capturing it and your appearance on paper wonderfully.

You look great sketched by him, due to the pose he chose it almost looks like you’re in the middle of a dance, a sense of movement that made you look graceful and powerful. Just the type of thing Diego liked in his partners.

You’ve been a bit idealized in his drawing, not to your surprise, but you’re quite fond of it anyways. You make a point of not laying on the praise too thick though. Otherwise it would go to his head, and the last thing he needs is an even bigger ego.

-

Which Jojo character would you want to draw you? Personally I’d love a Rohan original but. I actually think DIO’s art style would be aesthetically pleasing to me-

[seithennyn]

[salpho]

Doodles of Wildcard's expressions and some pixel art !! (EXPAND FIRST IMAGE FOR THE FULL SHEET)

[levshany]

Tandem, this is an AU in which the Collector possesses Philip, and there are a lot of things happening afterwards. but now we’ll just retell how it basically started

@angstyhikka drew a couple of arts and helped me with coloring

This is an alternative development of events after the ending of the fanfic “At The Dawn of The Light” (it's not finished yet, but there is already an AU from the ending, yes). The idea belongs to @lasymit, and I (Lev) picked it up :3

Before King's Tide, all events take place according to canon. And then the following changes occur: the witches capture Philip and lock him in a cave in the Titan's skull. The draining spell is stopped without the help of the Collector, but he himself is not found. His mirror remains lying at the bottom of the pit.

For 10 years, Philip was under a sleeping spell. Everything would be fine, but when the Hexside squad wakes up Philip to make him help them with one super important problem, not only does he become mischievous but he also has problems in his head now. Luz and the team think that Philip is manipulating them (you can't blame them for this, Philip is Philip, even with a leaky memory and a leaking roof, he manages to be such an asshole), and therefore they torture him to force him to cooperate with them.

While Philip was sleeping, a cozy corner appeared in his head, in which there was nothing but a green hill, a small house and an apple tree. There, Philip, in his child form, lives with Caleb, who is a figment of his sick mind. During his 10 years in this mindscape, Philip convinced himself that this was reality. And the Boiling Isles, the cave and the witches who torture him are an endless nightmare. Because, on the Boiling Isles, he sometimes remembers that he killed his brother. But this simply cannot be reality.

At some point, Luz and Hunter realize that Philip is not pretending that he is seriously ill and no matter how much he denies it, he needs help, and they soften towards him somewhat. Although both have rather mixed feelings towards their dementia grandpa.

Even in the moments when Philip remembers himself fully enough, his attitude towards the Boiling Isles, Luz, Hunter and even his own mission has changed greatly in any case. He no longer cares about the destruction of witches and revenge for his brother. Philip is tired. Deadly tired. All he wants to do is sleep. He slept for ten years, and this was perhaps the first time in decades of his life that he felt peace and happiness.

While he is in this state, it happens that he encounter the Collector. This is a difficult meeting for both of them, but it all ends with the forgiveness of all grievances. They both don't want to lose each other now. The collector is still locked in the disk, but Philip has the opportunity to let his friend into his subconscious. Seeing the deplorable state of Philip's mind, he decides that he must help - after all, Philip is still his only friend. Collie asks Philip not to go to "sleep" forever, but Philip replies that he has no joy in waking up here. All he dreams of is never returning to the world of the Boiling Islands. The collector, frightened that his only friend is about to leave him, possesses Philip and promises him that he will get them both out of this nightmare.

This is how Tandem's story begins

a huge amount of detail has been omitted to avoid spoilers for "The Dawn". if you wanna learn more go check the fanfic *wink wink*

[cherryskyies]

Sebastian & Undertaker w an insecure s/o

trying desperately to make creative brain juice flow guys. sometimes my wording feels off but it's been a hot minute since I've been writing on a regular basis.

Masterlist || Navigation || ao3

Sebastian

Sebastian is well aware of your insecurities regarding your body before you tell him. He sees it in the way you suck your stomach in when his hand brushes against it, body stiffening when he chooses to keep it there.

He is not an idiot, but he cannot help but be confused as to why you see yourself in such a negative light; you're pure and soft, untainted by the evil surrounding you. Perfection in his eyes.

When the topic arises, his hand still against your flesh, you feel embarrassed. "Can I keep my shirt on?"

Sebastian pauses for a moment, "what if I blow the candles out?" he suggests, desperate to feel all of you, not needing the dim light to guide him.

You comply, still hesitant to know you'll be laid bare beneath him, but Sebastian is quick to toss your anxiety out the door with his skilled tongue.

He will fuck every ounce of doubt and insecurity out of you. Praise follows each thrust.

Undertaker

He has seen a lot of bodies in his life given his field of work and yours isn't anything he hasn't seen before, so why are you ashamed?

In his eyes, every bit of you is a work of art. He paints you in his free time but nothing he does fully captures your beauty.

"I've seen a lot in my life, doll," he starts, slender fingers tucking a strand of hair behind your ear, "but I have not seen a girl as alluring as you."

If he could explain you in simple terms he'd say heaven on earth, his very own angel.

Undertaker does his very best to make you comfortable, knowing your insecurities and determined to prove he adores every inch of your mind and body.

His slow hands glide over every curve and so-called "imperfection", leaving kisses followed by praise in areas you tense up.

It is his goal for you to see yourself in the same light he does and he will succeed; don't give him a challenge you don't want him to win.

[xxgothchatonxx]

I cannot believe just how perfect Assad's performance was in that art gallery scene.

I feel like this was to Armand what the confession scene was to Louis. As a viewer, this was the moment where I thought "this is The Vampire Armand". I mean, I've been loving Assad's performance from the start, but I feel like this was the make-or-break moment for the writing of Armand in this show. Because yes Armand is manipulative, yes he does truly horrific things, but he is also broken. He's been hurt so much in his life but what's both so horrifying yet also heartbreaking is how he views that hurt. His devotion to his maker, even after he did so many horrific things to his "beloved Amadeo" (god I felt my stomach drop when he said that...) is so tragic.

And I think Assad captured that tragic devotion perfectly. Because we as the audience know just how fucked up this story is, and I'm guessing the show-only viewers have now got a very strong impression of just how much of a gross asshole Marius is. But Assad delivered those lines like he's telling a fairytale. It's so eerily peaceful and almost romantic, which creates a vivid contrast against what he's actually saying.

From an adaptation standpoint, I think it was a brilliant choice to place this backstory here. Because it provides a logical reasoning for why Armand is the way he is, and why he acts the way he acts (and will act). How he views love, why he's so obsessed with maintaining tradition and order. And I think it's smart from a show perspective to reveal it here and now rather than wait a few seasons. The horror of Armand is still there, but he isn't Armand without the tragedy.

Assad and the writers absolutely nailed this scene. It's such a crucial part of Armand's character and I thought it was both incredibly disturbing but also tastefully done.

[cornerdreams-txt]

quick headcanons about the new characters in the bo6 crew :)

black ops 6 was phenomenal, btw. i loved it. please come talk to me about it. please. please. please. please. please. pl

★ william "case" calderon

— known to dissociate or space out frequently, but is easily pulled out of it. it's on his record, but it's never caused enough problems for command to really get concerned about it.

— fidgets with his holsters when he's on edge. it's too quiet, or he's waiting for something to happen, he'll rub his fingers against the leather of the straps, or catch his nail on the metal of the buckles, over and over again. even if the weapon inside, blade or gun, is already drawn.

— seems uneasy around smoke or fog, shifty eyes and a pinched brow, but whenever its brought up, he's confused. seems like he has no idea that air that's... thicker, maybe, is a good descriptor, seems to put him on edge.

— unbothered by bugs, snakes, and any kind of creepy-crawly. seems to enjoy them, if anything - helped handle spiders and other insects or pests that found their way into the safehouse. biting insects seem to love him, though - mosquitoes especially. probably a blood type thing, right?

— avid horror enjoyer. seems uneasy about human experimentation, though. him and woods both seem to dislike that kind of trope.

★ troy marshall

— art is a coping skill, and hobby, of sorts. he keeps a pocket sketchbook and a handful of pens in his pockets whenever he can so he can pull it out when the inspiration arises.

— the longer the group stayed in the safehouse, the more that sketchbook filled up with portraits and still life sketches. people, interactions, architecture, sunrises, scenery. memories, ones troy couldn't help but want to capture.

— definitely a motorcyclist. did you see how he handled that bike with case on the back of it? that was NOT this man's first rodeo. 110% has a motorbike of his own. his biker jackets cycle in and out of his daily wardrobe at seemingly random.

— terrible cook. cannot make complex dishes to save his life. can follow instructions, sure, and makes a damn good sandwhich, but do not trust him to make soup or anything of the sort from scratch.

— ...isn't terrible at cooking meat, though. says he learned how to grill from his parents, but didn't really give the team many chances to see for themselves.

— seems to almost act as an older brother figure to the team instinctively. based on how he responds to jokes about him being a mother hen, it doesn't seem like he realizes he does it. (it is welcome, though. the compassion is nice, in such a harsh field)

★ sevati dumas

— very task oriented. you give her a goal and the right motivation, and she'll do it. very very headstrong, though. doesn't like taking orders unless compensated properly.

— food motivated. loves a good savory dish. enjoys exploring other cultures through that. but, no, she will not accept food as payment. nice try.

— good at acting lax and unbothered, but does, in fact, care very deeply. she's empathetic, but forces herself not to show it. she's had that be taken advantage of once, and she refuses to let that happen again.

— very reluctant to get attached or form connections to others, see her admitting she's only with the team until she gets paid. but she still hangs around felix, and she still tries to talk to troy when harrow's fellowship with the pantheon was unveiled. seems like she's not perfect when it comes to avoiding getting attached, is she?

— vibes only but like. i feel like she wants a little sibling. she wants someone she can take care of. she wants to be a good family member to someone, but having a child... no. she refuses to be a mother. she doesn't want to be a wife. she wants to be her own person. (she'd make a great godmother. or aunt. if she had the chance, and if she tried)

★ felix neumann

— if this man isn't autistic i am going to swallow a leather jacket whole like a snake. by the way. just sayin.

— the gloves were a paranoia result. they're metaphorical, sure, a reminder to himself not to harm anyone else, no taking another human life, but also a horrible, creeping paranoia eased in, of "what if they find your fingerprints," "what if you get blood on your hands again," "what if what if what if" until he could only ease it by wearing gloves. worked nicely, in the end. taking them off was... cathartic. to say the least.

— probably an anarchist? the vibes are there. hates society. hates government. wants to dismantle it all and start from scratch. that's the vibe.

— you... my special little man, get the nature autism. this guy can go on for hours and hours about the critters case finds around the safehouse, and case listens attentively and happily. also fantastic at foraging, has dozens of safe-to-eat and unsafe-to-eat plants stored away in his brain, and can rattle off the facts at a moment's notice.

— not the best hunter, but is, amusingly, better with a bow when it comes to hunting than he is with a gun.

— would code simple video games (think similar vibes to the chrome dinosaur game) to play for fun if he got bored enough. good thing he's excellent at finding things to distract himself with, no?

★ jane harrow

— photography lover. not fantastic about herself, but she'll sit and analyze photos taken by others for minutes on end, noting all the little details captured by a camera lense freezing the moment in time.

— does the same with drawn art. paint, sketch, whatever, she'll sit and analyze every little detail she can and point it all out. she loves noticing the details. calling attention to them. letting the artist know, if she can, that she sees all the effort they put into their work.

— her guilty pleasure? window shopping for stuffed animals. always writes it off as being for her niece, or a friend's child, but she wants to collect them. there's something soft, precious, genuine and uncomplicated about plush toys. but she's an adult. she can't afford to be so childish.

— ...alongside the drawing troy made of her, she still also keeps the little teddy bear he insisted on buying for her as a thank you gift, once. but that one isn't in her office. she hides it, away from prying eyes.

— mildly claustrophobic. she can push through it, and she will, when it comes to what her job demands of her, but she likes to avoid enclosed spaces when she can get away with it. it's... easier. feels less like being cornered. (she dances around the real reason she hates it. she never wants to be stuck hiding in a closet, or tucked under a little girl's bed ever, ever again.)

[felixora]

"Anders as Spirit of Freedom" DA concept

Original idea

A DISCLAIMER

Every one of you who'll bear with me and read this till the end — I love you, you're precious to me, thank you.

And this is NOT canon, simply my fan work.

(Also there's more new art in this post)

Now back to the topic

This idea was born from:

a question "If a spirit can become mortal, can a mortal become a spirit?"

and another concept that "connection to the Fade is like a bridge with a door that everyone has, but only mages can open" Ordinary people cannot open the door. Mages can open said door and enter the Fade. Ordinary tranquility puts a wall instead of a door (which can be reversed) And tranquility from Red Templars breaks the fcking bridge all together.

We all know that Anders escapes Kirkwall (if he's alive) and for some time travels with mages before leaving them due to animosity. Well, in this concept he goes on the run, hiding from the Seekers, templars, anyone who wants him dead.

This goes for a couple of years. The Breach happens, Ancient Magister comes and falls, Inquisition triumphs. And Anders is still on the run. Until one day his luck runs off. He was hiding in a small mountain village, when a squad of Red Templars came by, trying to force villagers to work in lyrium mines.

Some men tried to fight back and chaos ensued, during which Anders considered running away once again. But, as he was stealthily leaving the village, Anders noticed a group of villagers trying to run away, while being pursued by Templars.

Impulsively, Anders made an effort to divert attention from the running villagers, but as a result, he was captured himself. A few of the Templars were from Kirkwall, and they recognized Anders from that fateful day in the city.

Instead of killing the mage they decided to punish him in a different way – by making him tranquil and leaving him by their side in servitude. And neither Anders nor Justice could do anything against it at the time. And so, Anders was completely cut off from the emotional side of the world and Justice became trapped inside him.

While all of that was going on – someone was also looking for Anders.

An ancient elven being, Libera, the last Spirit of Freedom (though bound to mortality and broken by Ghilan'nain) woke up from her slumber thanks to a happy coincidence that was the Kirkwall appraising — Anders' scream for liberation.

And she searched for the one who screamed in this new world, on her travels recruiting mage students to pass on her teachings and involve them in her goals of freeing her own people. Until a long year after Anders was captured, she finally found him.

After dealing with all the Red Templars, she and her students approached the few Tranquil mages, and Libera knew it was Anders when she saw him. She called out to Justice, who were woke up to her presence, and asked if they want to make things right for Anders – to do him justice

And the spirit agreed. Libera took the spirit from Anders and broke it into pure energy that she then used to rebuild Anders’ connection to the Fade. And just as that, Anders returned to himself and Justice was no more.

However, nothing was well and done. When Anders came to his senses in the camp of his saviours, he was distraught by the loss of his friend, especially when he learned that it was to save his life.

Memories of yearlong torment by Templars were flowing into his head, making him relive it now with full understanding of what had happened. Not to mention the overwhelming guilt over events in Kirkwall and mage uprising that he now felt full force without Justice.

And through it all, Libera was by his side, helping him to slowly get back on his feet and fight the pain of the past years.

She had her own motives, of course. Now Anders carried spiritual energy, making him part spirit with a possibility of more. A perfect vessel to be moulded into a Spirit of Freedom. But for that, the mage needed to let go of the pain and willingly step on this spiritual path.

So, Libera took Anders in as her student, helping him to deal with his trauma and guilt, while teaching him and others magic. She showed him how to reverse tranquility with his affinity to spirit magic, how to traverse the Fade as a spirit and inspire desire for freedom in others

While Libera helped Anders to make him a full-fledged spirit, others (like Varrick, Fenris, other students in Libera’s circle) helped him find purpose and will to live as a mortal. To make him remember all the good he brought in the lives of so many, not just pain and suffering.

.

.

. Anyone who will call me out on putting Anders through more trauma and literal hell — is absolutely right, and I have no objections. Still love him though.

[saintvainglorious]

TEMERAIRE FIC RECS

I read no fic at all in May, as I was too busy devouring all nine Temeraire novels in a single month - and then spent a very happy June reading a fairly absurd amount of Temeraire fics. In honor of a Pride month well spent, here's a fic rec list!

(Divided up into categories - Laurence/Tharkay, Laurence/Napoleon, other ships, and gen)

WILLIAM LAURENCE/TENZING THARKAY

ley lines by malfaisant/@stanleyraymondkowalski (T, 14k, 2015) Amnesia era!Laurence sees Tharkay and it doesn't cure his amnesia; a renewed friendship tinged with loss follows

Tharkay makes it to Peking intact with the news of Napoleon’s imminent invasion of Russia. Which would be all well and good, except that Laurence isn’t very intact himself.

which is like everything by sere (This_is_Sere) (G, 3k, 2024) Post-canon Laurence accidentally breaks Tharkay's heart a little, and put it back together in the sweetest way possible

A chance remark from Granby provokes an excess of feeling in Tharkay.

The Reward of Service by yunitsa/@pamphilia (T, 4k, 2016) A lovely post-canon get-together fic, where Granby puts his foot in it a little and realizations are had

‘It is no good asking me,’ Laurence said at last, pushing the pattern-book away over breakfast, ‘I am not the one–’ Not the one who would be living with the result, he had been about to say. But they had hardly accepted Tharkay’s invitation as casual houseguests.

A Soft Dawn by corvile (G, 2k, 2015) A soft and sweet Tongues of Serpents-era fic, featuring accidental spooning, self-introspection, and maybe the most romantic hand-holding known to man

Upon thinking on this feeling of jealousy, Tharkay has done some rather clever intuitive leaps involving situations both real and imagined, and he's come to a rather curious conclusion: he's a little in love with William Laurence.

all flowers in time by lastwingedthing (E, 7k, 2017) A splendid post-canon get-together where it's Laurence who pines after an oblivious Tharkay, rather than the other way around. Also, sex!

The consolations of possession.

Ship's Gossip by Spatz/@cactusspatz (M, 6k, 2019) AU where Laurence takes up Tharkay's offer to become a privateer and Tharkay joins Laurence on the ship; Laurence learns some things about Tharkay, and then about himself

Laurence is beginning to enjoy life as a privateer - though he cannot figure out why Tharkay should still be sailing out with them - when Temeraire decides to ask him about sodomy.

WILLIAM LAURENCE/NAPOLEON BONAPARTE

Dearest William by WerewolvesAreReal/@werewolves-are-real (T, 23k, 2016) Laurence and Napoleon are pen pals! Riotously funny, until it's heartbreaking

Napoleon sends a letter to the upstart sea-captain who stole his dragon, Laurence sends one back, and a correspondence begins under the uneasy eye of the admiralty. When Laurence had admitted the matter to Granby his lieutenant exclaimed, “God, does Boney want you drawn and quartered as a traitor?” which seems perfectly possible.

i sing of arms and the man by Jack_R (M, 21k, 2020) Ancient Rome AU (and really good dragon-related worldbuilding)! Laurence longs for the days of the Roman Republic, but Rome's new emperor is rather adept at persuasion

‘You think me a far worthier man than I am,’ he says, then. ‘No,’ Napoleone says, softly, ‘I don’t think I do at all.’

L'envoyé céleste triomphant de la Maladie. Antoine-Jean Gros (1813) by VerdetCadet/@verdet-cadet (G, 3k, 2023) A League of Dragons captured-by-Napoleon fic involving a rather appalling painting and Tharkay and Granby being the world's funniest wingmen (ha)

"Given what he has done with the barest civility on my part, I cannot think what he would do with the least encouragement." “Oh, no?” said Granby innocently, a sentiment that provoked a raised eyebrow from Tharkay over his glass, and in Laurence, a strangeness in the pit of his stomach. Or: Napoleon is an enthusiastic patron of the arts. Laurence's best friends lovingly suss out his willingness to bone Napoleon for political gain and strategic expediency.

Ordinance of Fate by by WerewolvesAreReal/@werewolves-are-real (T, 13k (WIP), 2022) *slamming hand on table rythmically* soulmate AU soulmate AU soulmate AU soulmate AU

The name comes when he is 15, and Laurence hides it immediately. Then at the age of 22 Laurence reads a letter from an old shipmate who writes that “the troops in Italy were routed by some new General of theirs, Napoleon Bonaparte-"

Doctrine on Worship by Kangoo/@youngster-monster (G, 6k, 2021) AU where Laurence becomes a priest instead of joining the Navy, and meets Temeraire anyway - but Temeraire's captain takes an interest in his dragon's new friend

“You do not strike me as a man well versed in selfishness. Perhaps you ought to try it; you might find it easier to understand my presence then." In which Laurence made a different choice, a long time ago, which changes very little in the long run.

OTHER SHIPS

Tender Like a Bruise by VerdetCadet/@verdet-cadet (T, 5k, 2024) Granby/Little - Granby struggles with the shame and trauma of losing his arm; Augustine Little is there for him

It is not a good time to be short an arm, if there ever was such a thing. Granby has always prided himself on his competence and his easy good cheer. Now, at a stroke, he finds himself lacking in both.

revelry by WerewolvesAreReal/@werewolves-are-real (E, 2k, 2018) Tharkay/Laurence/Granby/Little - Post-canon Tharkay & Laurence invite Granby & Little over to visit, delightful and unabashedly voyueristic sexytimes ensue

Little suddenly turns away and throws himself down on the couch where Laurence previously sat, drunkenness making him stumble a little. He leans heavily against Tharkay, who doesn't mind, and tosses Granby a jaunty salute. “Now you must kiss him, John. I know how long you have wanted to; you will always regret it if you do not."

What comfort I can by VerdetCadet/@verdet-cadet (M, 5k, 2023) Laurence/Granby - Amnesiac!Laurence has suspicions about the nature of his relationship with Granby. Second in a two-part series, part one is also splendid! I just have a fatal weakness for the amnesia era ok

The truth of Laurence's treason comes out while Laurence is still aboard the Potentate. Laurence's half formed memories are just there enough for dangerous conjecture. Granby is there to offer what comfort he can.

That Dare Not Speak Its Name by WerewolvesAreReal/@werewolves-are-real (E, 11k (WIP), 2024) Laurence/Granby - Laurence covers for Little and Granby and discoveries are made. The dialogue and introspection are so very delicious I'm SO INVESTED AUGH

After an incriminating letter is discovered, Granby is caught out as an invert – and everyone knows his lover is another captain. Since the companion of a common Yellow Reaper would not be spared the noose, Laurence declares that it's him. Over time, he starts to wish it really were.

Uncharted by novembersmith/@novembersmith (E, 5k, 2009) Laurence/Granby/Tharkay - Laurence and Granby are together and Tharkay is mortified, until he's given quite good reason not to be

Tharkay had had the dubious pleasure of watching Laurence and Granby being blissfully in love for several weeks now.

Foibles by VerdetCadet/@verdet-cadet (M, 3k, 2023) Laurence/Tharkay and Laurence/Napoleon, sort of - Tharkay likes roleplaying and Laurence is not displeased by the role Tharkay takes on this time

Tharkay, faced with an inconvenience he was forced to endure or a problem his mind could not set aside, found his ease by simply Not Being Tharkay for a time.

An Alchemy of Character by PepperHoney (G, 7k, 2023) Tharkay/Granby - Tharkay and Granby compete for Laurence's affections, until they find a more fulfilling use of their time

Granby and Tharkay have been watching each other court Laurence to no avail for years now. It's something of a game between them, truly, one whose success they don't really believe in anymore. It takes a long journey aboard the Allegiance for them to realise--perhaps, if Laurence can't be reached, someone else can.

GEN

Smooth Water All Our Days by 20thcenturyvole (T, 37k, 2021) Technically Laurence/Tharkay (and they're lovely here) but much more gen-focused. Post-canon, Laurence, with his family's help, gets Temeraire's political career off the ground; meanwhile, Tharkay investigates a conspiracy. Also, parties!

Laurence desires nothing more than to retire to Tharkay's estate and help Temeraire get to Parliament, for what more could he want than a place in Britain with space enough for a dragon, and the company of a dear friend? But wars rarely end so neatly. Bellicose lords, Bourbon princes, errant heirs and shadowy forces threaten to undermine the very peace that Laurence and Temeraire fought to obtain, and ruin the happiness that Laurence was just beginning to glimpse.

remember (you deserve this) by WerewolvesAreReal/@werewolves-are-real (T, 10k, 2018) Laurence finds a different way to punish himself for the treason. Superb angst (mind the tags), and the last line of this fic d e s t r o y e d me

Laurence is pardoned for Temeraire's sake, but he manages to punish himself anyway.

Animal Husbandry by WerewolvesAreReal/@werewolves-are-real (G, 11k, 2017) Laurence is told that Temeraire accepted Dayes as his captain, but Laurence cannot forget the dragon he's lost.

Weeks after finding a dragon egg in the Amitie’s hold William Laurence reluctantly turns away and lets the Corps take Temeraire - but he doesn’t return to the Navy. He’s not an aviator, but somehow Laurence still ends up going down in history as the instigator behind the Great Dragon Rebellion of ‘06.

Captains by StrangerWithMyFace/@agentem (G, 2k, 2010) Perscitia (my beloved!!!) has a rough day; Wellington, in his roundabout way, is there to cheer her up. I am weak for Perscitia and Wellington bonding weak i say

Perscitia encounters two men at the London covert, and one of them is her captain.

Forays Into Human Sexuality (or whatever Laurence is doing) by WerewolvesAreReal/@werewolves-are-real (G, 1k, 2024) Laurence finds out that no, actually, not every man is secretly a repressed bisexual

Laurence says, “It is wholly natural, anyway, with no women around.”

[popcornforone]

The Fight…

Day twenty of the Seasons of Life Drabble challenge

A Javier Peña Fic

MASTERLIST

If you’ve been here for a while you know me & Peña for reasons don’t have a good relationship, so I wanted to try something different. So with today’s prompt of Heavenly I decided to write a poem. I know not what you were expecting at all but here you go.

Synopsis:- Javier gets out his frustrations at the gym.

Word count:- 310

No real warnings just an angry, angst filled Peña working it all out.

Well cheers for indulging me. I liked doing something different… cheers @fanfictionoverload @berryispunk @lady-bess for this…

Hang on what’s this… click me after 5:30pm…

In the dim-lit gym, where shadows play,

A lone figure works the tension away.

Javier Peña, the lion of the chase,

Burns with a fire no foe can erase.

The bag swings heavy, absorbing his rage,

A quiet fury unleashed on the stage.

Each punch, a testament, fierce & true,

To battles fought, to scars he knew.

The leather groans beneath his might,

Knuckles blazing in the pale gym light.

His sweat carved brow tells tales untold,

Of a soul forged in a brutal cold.

He dances between the lines of war,

A matador’s grace, but his fight is raw.

The rhythm he finds is hypnotic, divine,

An offering laid at some unseen shrine.

He strikes with power, precision, care,

As though he’s exorcising despair.

A soldier, a sinner, a man of regret,

Chasing redemption he hasn’t met.

Yet watching him, there’s a sacred art,

A beating drum that captures the heart.

Each movement speaks of his resolve,

A cipher of pain he’ll never dissolve.

The gym grows quiet; the air is still,

Save for the sound of his iron will.

His eyes, fierce embers, glow in the haze,

As if to challenge life’s dangerous maze.

You imagine the burdens his shoulders bear,

The weight of justice, the cross of care.

Yet here, in this moment, he sheds it all,

Letting the punches rise & fall.

There’s something heavenly in the fight,

In his defiance against the night.

Not a god, but a man who dares,

To confront the darkness, to show he cares.

& when he stops, his breath a storm,

The silence feels both cold & warm.

For in those punches, raw & pure,

Lives a spirit time cannot obscure.

Javier Peña, a warrior, flawed yet whole,

A man of justice, a tempest soul.

& as he stands, his mission clear,

You know his fight for justice, will always persevere.

[starry-iris]

I had such a cool dream about Michael tonight. I've been up for 2 hours or something trying to recreate how he looked like in my dream. The drawings are at the end of the post, please read the dream before looking at them, because my art skills don't match what I saw in the dream.

In it, I first saw everything from the first point of view. I woke up on the street, under a pizzeria on the main street of my city. It was dark outside, the sky was completely black and I barely could see anything. It was so late that even the street lights were turned off. I saw a man closing the last shop that was located inside an avenue nearby. He was switching off the last bit of light.

I had no possessions on me, they were all left behind In a pizzeria (maybe I fell asleep there, and was kicked out when it was closing, I'm not entirely sure). It was cold outside as if it was early autumn. I had no coat, and I might have had no shoes on me.

I walked to my bus stop and looked at the tabloid that announced bus times. My bus was due, and it arrived almost immediately. It was a big coach, the one that only goes outside of the city. It was almost full, and it seemed like there were no free seats left.

I stumbled inside, I felt very weak in my legs. The bus started to move, and I said to the driver, while still on the stairs "Sorry, I have no money, I cannot pay you, but I really need to get home". Other passengers looked at me with judgment, but the bus driver was quiet for a second and then gestured for me to sit beside him, on the last unoccupied seat.

Then my point of view switched, and I was watching Michael talking to a bus driver from my seat. Possibly I was Michael all along.

He was dressed in a light blue button-up shirt, not exactly the one you would see on a blue-collar worker, but something softer and more casual looking. He was dressed too lightly for such a late and cold night. He looked as if he was from a well-drawn cartoon. His hair was as usual, golden and wavy, one of his eyes blue. His right eye looked blind, with a red pupil, and the iris was much lighter than his seeing eye.

He looked all lost and confused. He claimed he had a very bad memory, and that he just got unlucky, falling asleep and ending up in the town that late.

But once the bus moved outside of the city, he changed. He started to smile, and tell the bus driver everything he knew would get him to listen, and everything to get under his skin. That facade of a poor lost soul was gone. He made sure that the bus driver would want to go to seek help in the Institute, and he spoke as if John was already listening to him. He said "I know what you are looking for" to the Archivist.

Some time had gone by, and the bus arrived at Michael's stop. It was a tiny village, with barely any houses. He smiled, and looked at the bus driver, with a sticker of a smiley face covering his seeing eye. He stared at him for a moment, until the dream abruptly ended.

Here's the attempts to recreate the last scene and more "innocent" version of him.

I also want to put some examples that capture the art style better. Also, if anyone who can draw better than me wants to draw this, PLEASE DO IT, I'M GOING CRAZY OVER NOT BEING ABLE TO DRAW HIM LIKE HE WAS IN THE DREAM, I NEED THIS ART TO EXIST IN REAL LIFE

Art by @thoriffix

It captures how cartoons the style was

And this art by @marshallmigraine

And this one captures the proportions and generally how he looked like.

Note: he had no distortions besides that smiley face on his eye in the end. And the smiley face looked like it was plastered on top in photoshop

[batsplat]

your tags electorate please please please https://www.tumblr.com/batsplat/765272327445446656/the-rossi-posse-uccios-still-ready-to-fight-for

(link) a gif from 2015 of... actually, I think it's probably fine to include the gif as long as it's linked to the original? full credit to the-rossi-posse obviously, much appreciated

and here's the tags:

and, well, this is clearly correct. there's plenty of toxicity in motogp, but 'toxic yuri' is its own specific thing with its own specific set of tropes and themes attached. which are very obviously on full display here. first off, the valentino and uccio dynamic is toxic yuri staple. a childhood friendship that becomes a lifelong bond that at its core is fantastically codependent. valentino is not the most trusting soul but he trusts uccio completely and without restraint. uccio would quite literally burn the world for valentino. valentino relies on uccio to keep him grounded, keep him sane and tethered to what he came from - someone who actually knew him as a person before he became valentino the character. a character the whole world thinks belongs to them... how easy it could be to lose yourself in that. and uccio would follow valentino anywhere - his entire life is centred around valentino, to the point where he has subsumed his identity entirely in this role of 'valentino's friend', 'valentino's confidante', 'valentino's assistant', 'valentino's lackey'. toxic yuri is all about intense codependent dynamics, a pair who cannot bear to be separated, who rely completely on each other not just in practical matters but also in their sense of identity, their sense of meaning... it's capturing the intensity of the prototypical female friendship, right, and ramping it up to the max - and the devotion is such that at least one half of the pair would be willing to do quite literally anything for the other. see also: uccio and valentino not talking for a month when they were 16 because valentino romantically pursued someone uccio was interested in, during which time uccio deliberately knocked valentino off his bike and injured him? almost feels cliche. dramatic friendship breakups due to romantic competition that lead to somewhat excessive acts of vengeance are... look. they're toxic yuri

and then there's the sete/valentino rivalry, which also just happens to be the valentino feud that is the most toxic yuri-coded. their first recorded interaction is them spending a week together at kr sr's training ranch in 1998, sete teaching valentino the art of rear wheel steering and all that... and then a year later, it's the older, well-educated and well-spoken sete reaching out to valentino and offering him some advice about how to ride the 500cc bikes at valentino's first test. this is the moment where valentino essentially steps up into the adult world - and sete's counsel is part of that introduction (enough so for the episode to warrant a rare sete mention in valentino's autobiography). valentino is still so young and cocky and rough around the edges that he ignores sete's advice and gets a bunch of nasty crashes for his troubles... sete is mature, gives off the vibe of someone who feels he is somewhat above the primal nastiness of his peers, wryly amused at whatever dramatics he is watching unfold. he is also clearly amused by lively young valentino and his antics, enough for them to have struck up a friendship at some point between 2000 and 2003. partying in ibiza together during the summer break with one of your competitors? extremely toxic yuri-coded. again, it's this fondness, this sense of taking this wild kid under your wing... it's not an intense friendship per se but it is an intense friendship when they make the transition from competitors to rivals. sete's the one who inflicts on valentino his first... actually, come to think of it, only string of wheel to wheel defeats in proper duels valentino's had in his premier class career. he's the one who's initially getting under valentino's skin, not vice versa. and while valentino is still in relative command of the championship... there's still this feeling he's been taught a lesson. and it's not a nice feeling! the time between sachsenring 2003, valentino's most painful 1vs1 loss that left him feeling like an idiot, and brno 2003, where he reverses that loss... in that summer break, he's once again with sete on ibiza, he's getting his hair dyed red, he's reinventing himself after this painful defeat... idk man. getting some toxic yuri set-up vibes here

sete's amusement at valentino's prisoner celebrations at brno 2003? more of the same. I can't actually remember another example of a fellow competitor engaging so much with one of valentino's pre-planned celebrations. sete is clearly interested in the convict's garb and actually like... kicks the ball valentino is carrying around with him when they're standing on the podium. without delving into any other possible subtext of valentino putting himself in chains, it's just notable that you have this like... playful engagement. not mocking, not condescending, but certainly a rider who believes himself to be sophisticated and composed enough to be gently amused by these antics rather than actually being affected by them. sete's not like biaggi, you see - he'd never let himself get annoyed to the point of distraction by valentino's antics, he'd never let a rivalry get so uncivilised, he knows how to handle this kid. the judas kiss sete gives valentino when he seals the 2003 title? judas kisses, in the least blasphemous way possible, are low key kind of toxic yuri-coded. and gradually, this relationship is being transformed by an unexpected competitive edge... the innocence of the initial friendship, where neither of them would realistically have expected to be fighting for titles, is gradually being eaten away at. we've introduced a note of envy into proceedings, wherein valentino takes note of how sete complains about how parts are allocated within honda and assesses just how much he's going to interpret this as a personal attack. valentino is told by friends that sete watched him laughing on tv and said valentino wouldn't be laughing so much next year, valentino detects glee in sete when he informs sete that he will be departing honda. suddenly, the playful dynamic is inflected with a wrinkle of condescension after all - of sete thinking valentino is overestimating himself, is in over his head, will get the joy knocked out of him soon enough. valentino knowing that sete covets what he has... that for all the pretence of a friendly, respectful, sophisticated rivalry, in truth this rivalry is just as hateful as all the rest of them

and now we can finally get to the toxic bit (always my favourite). the thing about toxic yuri is that it takes a lot of potentially negative things that are generally coded feminine and essentially takes them to their natural conclusions - lets us actually have some fun with the whole thing. sete and valentino are both deeply preoccupied with image, sete in particular is seen as vain and self-obsessed (cf the comic described by the assen 2004 commentary joking that valentino could beat sete by attaching a mirror to the back of his bike)... obviously an unpleasantly gendered element to all this.... but, well, let's have some fun with it - the point is that sete is clinging onto an image that is increasingly far from the reality of their situation. sete thinks this is a respectful friendly rivalry right until the second that it isn't, all the while unwittingly planting the seeds of his own downfall. he makes snide comments about how the italians must have done a rain dance to hand valentino the victory at mugello, he reacts with a cold blankness to valentino almost knocking him off on the last lap of assen... not willing to openly state his grievances, either to valentino directly or in the press conference with valentino sitting next to him, only able to openly state later that he is angry when valentino has already offered his explanation for the incident. it's all very indirect, aloof - sete thinks he's too good for angry outbursts, wants to be more sophisticated than that, but in doing so carries himself in a manner that increasingly reads as dishonest to valentino. they do not party together at ibiza that summer, for the friendship is beginning to fray... but neither of them will openly acknowledge it. tags under the mugello post:

the 'stunt' in question, incidentally, was valentino playing doctor on his yamaha at catalunya, declaring his bike fully fit after beating sete in another dramatic duel in front of sete's home crowd. 2004 is about putting on a show! 'what a spectacle', right, it's about image and performance and hidden truths. about appearances and reality and the tension between the two, etc etc. and then when it comes to a head at qatar, the whole thing is extremely smoke and mirrors - a game of who said what about the clandestine manipulation of the starting grid under the cover of night, who exactly reported what and for what reason and who formally made the complaint and so on... accusations flying everywhere, from every side. valentino's weekend goes up in flames, he coldly smiles in interviews as he talks about the treachery of sete and his crew chief - and then to cap it all off, he puts a curse on sete. curses. you will find. are extremely toxic yuri. valentino practised witchcraft to torment and ruin his rival because he felt betrayed. that's toxic yuri, baby

everything about sepang 2004 is obviously also toxic yuri. we have a press conference that very much doubles as a friendship breakup, and it's the specific vibe of the friendship that tips it into toxic yuri territory. valentino ignoring sete as he enters the room!! sete publicly insisting that the relationship between them is fine, until it becomes extremely obvious that it is not fine!! "in qatar you say you were searching for an excuse to not talk any more with sete" is quite frankly quite possibly the most toxic yuri-coded question anyone has ever been asked in a press conference. just two girls being a little bit dramatic about whether they're still on speaking terms or not and making it everyone's business, while also fighting for a world title. this valentino expression while sete is calling him a 'good guy' -

- and this sete expression when valentino essentially confirms that he has not, in fact, moved on -

- again. I think this is about as close as anyone can get to toxic yuri within the constraints of motogp. they really went as far as it is possible to go here. I cannot explain this to you with actual facts and logic BUT there is something supremely toxic yuri about valentino's post-race celebrations at sepang... how he literally ignores sete attempting to shake his hand on the cooldown lap and then goes all in with the humiliation of the grid sweeping celebrations? idk it's just so mean girl-y, like why are you using the seven days between races to come up with custom shirts in order to mock your ex-friend. who does that. focus on fixing your finger. the phillip island duel is the natural continuation of that, valentino taking risks it is unreasonable to take at this stage of the championship because he has to stop sete from winning again, followed by his 'che spettacolo' helmet. like, the glory of this whole stretch of races is this intermarriage of the joy and the cruelty, where these aren't just two separate sides of valentino but they are instead the same side, inextricably linked. it's a show, he's having fun, look at how thrilled he is... sete's there somewhere too btw, thoroughly tormented

downright angelic while at his most malicious? that's what we in the business call toxic yuri

the commentariat at jerez 2005 thinking sete should have punched valentino in parc fermé, or at the very least threatened him, whereas sete instead goes for this sort of dignified silence as he clutches at his arm in pain... valentino breaking the fourth wall to gesture at sete and grin at the camera as they walk to the podium... it's mean - and again, it's all so PERFORMATIVE. playing to the spectators, always!! how indirect it all is - compare that to the most infamous podium staircase interaction between valentino and biaggi, where valentino just straight up punched biaggi. see how sete still can't quite allow himself to stoop to valentino's level, and how he pays the price. how valentino leverages sete's attachment to image against him. and all against the backdrop of bitterness and hurt and this old bond between them twisted into something uglier and ultimately irreparable... the commentators at mugello 2006 chatting about how valentino and sete couldn't even be IN THE SAME ROOM to do press, "because they didn’t feel comfortable around each other"!! a friendship breakup so toxic it has become literally everyone else's problem. joyful nights spent together on ibiza now turned into this mutual unbridled hatred and contempt. valentino's vicious desire for vengeance unravelling sete's whole career. it's how FAR valentino goes, like toxic yuri needs to be over-the-top and destructive for someone and... well, it sure was for sete. valentino ruined him!! take that for consequences. their earlier dynamic, where sete could still be aloof and amused, is unravelled - now, instead, he is being ritually humiliated, no hope of pretending to remain detached from what is being done to him. sete did not know valentino was capable of doing something like this, certainly did not think valentino would do that to him... but when pushed, valentino transformed in front of sete's very own eyes and gleefully trapped sete in a living nightmare. sete saw a new side of valentino at the precise moment when it was already too late

which is how we get to the gif. this is now years later, of course, after sete and valentino's supposed detente in 2009. in truth, neither of them had moved on from what happened. they still haven't moved on... neither of them will ever truly forgive or forget. like, this is 2015 catalunya, right - just for reference, it is a mere three races after valentino refers to sete's 'dirty games' in a press conference. the intricacies of their post-rivalry relationship is a topic for another day, but there still is an element of... well, show. of performance. of both of them playing at having moved on from what happened... they have somewhat different motivations here, go about it in slightly different ways - but for all intents and purposes, they are in alignment here. they both don't have any real interest in publicly reawakening the feud, both of them want to paper over their continued bitterness towards each other. always attached to image, always paying attention to how they are being perceived... which makes it so fitting that valentino punishes sete by essentially erasing him from the story altogether, obviously most noticeably in his autobiography. if anything, the indirectness makes the whole thing even nastier. there is something more dignified about being openly, honestly despised

so here, then, we have the meeting between these two grand toxic yuri narratives... sete chatting to valentino in the yamaha garage before uccio shows up and seems to slightly push back sete - away from valentino - in essence inserting themselves between them. valentino continues talking while it's happening, though his gaze tracks the motion. at the end of the gif, both sete and valentino go in for a hug. and still, next to them, there is uccio... who was of course by valentino's side for this entire story, from the time valentino initially befriended sete to the moment when valentino pledged to destroy him - quite literally, given valentino made his promise to uccio (and davide brivio) that sete would not win another race. uccio's there organising the shirts and helping come up with the sweeping celebrations and all of it. he's the one who is always wariest of valentino getting too close to his rivals... which, well, this is inescapably a very toxic yuri-coded pattern of behaviour. it's the immediate urge to defend valentino from his old enemy, the desire to keep the pair of old friends apart - valentino noticing it but not reacting in any way. the possessiveness of the gesture!! literally one of THE defining toxic yuri tropes. uccio is the one guarding valentino from threats, always, protecting valentino while simultaneously keeping valentino for himself. and if valentino ever even considered forgiving sete, uccio certainly would not - because any injury inflicted upon valentino is treated as more grievous than if it had befallen uccio himself. uccio, barely able to tolerate the proximity between the two of them. valentino, who has come to implicitly and completely trust uccio to have his back. sete, whose gaze also follows uccio's hand - who is chatting with a polite smile to the man who repeatedly humiliated him. the pair of them, valentino and uccio, operating in perfect harmony as they form a united front in all of their schemes and machinations. and sete the interloper - who was once valentino's friend and thought he would be spared the sort of behaviour valentino levied at biaggi, only to be treated to worse. the threat posed by sete has long passed, but uccio for one is never going to forget it. rivals may come and go, but uccio remains

in conclusion. this gif. is toxic yuri. obviously, there is more than one way to do toxic yuri. terrible relationships between women can take many forms #feminism. but the term in its conventional usage does bring with it a particular vibe... codependency, possessiveness, a certain level of obsession. guarding what is yours. making each other WORSE. the absolute blind faith of knowing the other will always look out for you. alternatively, when it's toxic yuri in an adversarial relationship... well, the toxicity still comes from the intimacy - at one point, there was genuine friendship, even if it has now been ruined beyond repair. emotions intense enough that affection can easily become hatred... until all that is left is a desire for revenge. in all cases, these are relationships with disastrous consequences for someone. and if you arrange things correctly and get yourself a triangle, you can unlock bonus levels of toxicity. congrats to these three! also, and I cannot stress this enough, there's a CURSE. curses are toxic yuri. I rest my case

[muxshwriting]

forbidden is just a word (part iv)

Benedict Bridgerton x male!reader

summary: a confession shared is a confession halved… or doubled in this case || warnings: internalised homophobia, slight homophobia, gay, angsty confessions, angst, happy ending || word count: 807 || masterlist

part one || part two || part three || part four

As soon as the words exit your lips, Benedict steps back. They were breathed so delicately but Benedict was mere inches away that he heard every word.

“Wh- Don’t say that.” He tries to laugh it off but there’s pain in his eyes. “Why would you say that?”

In a split second you're regretting everything you've ever said to him, ever advance you made, every joke you told and every glance you shared. "It's the truth... I'm telling the truth. Am I not allowed to tell the truth? I'm speaking my truth, it's mine. I can shout it from the rooftops and the whole of Mayfair can be aware. I love you!”

“No, don't-“ His voice trails off and the breath leaves his a little faster. But he still said no. What little hope you had left just died. “I- It's dangerous. You shouldn't- We shouldn't-“

“I don't care.” You protest. “I don't care if it's dangerous, I care that you know. Because I can live with myself knowing that I like men, that I love them. But I cannot live knowing that I didn't tell you the truth. And now I have so I can go about my life and we never have to talk again if you wish-“

“What?” It’s a shouted retort that almost makes you jump. “No!”

“I will withdraw from Mayfair, return to my estate. You or your brother will never hear from me again. Is that what you want?” You explain.

You're met with silence.

“Is that what you want?” Your voice breaks slightly as you repeat the question, taking his silence for an answer. The silence is agonizing, the air suffocating as you wipe your eyes and begin to turn away. “I’m sorry I ever said anything. I’ll see myself out.”

”Wait-“

Benedict's voice makes you pause, your heart rate slowly rising. In your childish ignorance, you let yourself hope again, feeling that flutter in your chest and the buzzing feeling sink back into your soul. You let yourself be open to the possibility of being loved.

He steps closer until he's barely inches from your face, then takes it in his hands ever so tenderly. You don't realise you've been holding your breath until there's a pounding behind your eyes begging you to breathe. You do, a sharp intake of breath that stabs at your lungs until it's cut off by Benedict surging forward and capturing your lips with his. It's exhilarating, everything you've ever wanted and more. You'd never felt true love until this kiss, until Benedict pressed his body against yours with passion and a fire. Your lungs were on fire when you finally pulled back to breathe and simply adore him.

”I want that,” Benedict whispered. “I want that with you… please.”

“A quiet life, in the country?”

“With art and poetry and love.” His words are said with such conviction that you forget his doubt from before.

Benedict is ready to dive into the future without a second glance and without care of how far the fall might be. It only makes you love him more. You take a step back, his hands still entwined with yours.

“I need you to be sure,” You tell him. “Are you sure you want this? It could mean throwing away everything…”

Benedict nodded without hesitation. “Anthony will understand, as will the rest of family. There is no doubt in my mind that I would ever want to spend an eternity with someone that isn’t you. I haven’t got the words to describe how much your affection means to me and I’m not sure I ever will-“

“-Benedict!”

“But I love you and I always will. I’m beginning to think I always have.”

“Ben,” Your heart couldn’t take all his love like this, feeling as though it could explode out of your chest at any moment.

“Now,” He began again. “I would like nothing more than to kiss you once more. Will you grant me that pleasure Lord Waters?”

“Of course Mr Bridgerton.”

His lips meet yours once more and the world vanishes into dust. There is nothing else. Forbidden romance isn’t as forbidden as it seems if you only have to courage to reach out and grasp it for your own.

Forbidden is just a word.

BONUS:

“Turner!” You shouted out as you walked through the front door, Benedict trailing behind. “Pack my things, we’re moving back to the country.”

Turner came hurrying out of a nearby study, a flustered look in his eye. It was quickly overtaken by a knowing glance as he spotted you and Ben’s entwined hands. “Are we moving everything sir?”

You grinned at him, unable to hide your joy. “Yes please. And thank you.”

“No problem Sir.” Turner met Benedict’s gaze and he simply nodded. “I suppose we’re expecting guests.”

“Just the one.”

part one || part two || part three || part four

Thank you for all the love on this series. It’s something I really enjoyed writing and I’m glad some people found joy in it too.

[thebadgerclan]

Pining

Pairing: Benedict Bridgerton x reader

Requested by Anonymous

Summary: Benedict is happy to pine from afar, until...

Benedict had never held such affections for a woman, not before he met you.  It had been an ordinary night that Benedict had decided to spend at Granvil’s place downtown.  Said place happened to be a brothel, but he never partook in the more carnal activities.  Instead, he spoke to like minded individuals about the art world, the pieces they were working on, or busied himself painting whatever model was posing that evening.

Then, he’d met you, and the world tipped on its axis.  You were singularly beautiful, but Benedict’s attraction went far beyond that.  You were well-read, witty, sharp, and talented.  Your still lifes rivaled those of William Blake, and you managed to capture your subject in such a way they appeared they could leap off of the canvas.  He’d approached, and the pair of you hit it off instantly.

You also hailed from a large family, though you were the eldest while Benedict was the second eldest.  “Though I am a daughter, so I do not know if it counts.”  Benedict had merely laughed.  “Do not sell yourself short, Y/N.  You are most certainly a credit to your family.”  Before he knew it, Benedict was spending nearly every evening at the brothel, though he brought no artwork home to show for it.  Instead, his nights consisted of conversing with you, learning every little thing about you, and, as Benedict soon realized, falling in love with you.

He would have been content to pine from afar had it not been for a newcomer: Mister Alexander Smithwell.  He was fresh off a tour of the Continent, and was boasting the masterpieces he had seen.  You, it seemed, had struck a friendship with Mr. Smithwell, but the so-called gentleman quickly became far too close to you for Benedict’s liking.  He stood too close, touched too casually, things that lit the flames of rage in Benedict.

You were a lady, for heaven’s sake, you deserved to be treated like one.  Such was the case now.  You were speaking to Mr. Smithwell about the museums in Rome, laughing at some joke he told, while Benedict sat on a nearby chair, clutching his glass of whiskey so hard, he feared it might shatter.  You looked over Smithwell’s shoulder at him, your face crinkling into a soft smile when you saw him, something that eased the tension in Benedict’s chest.  “Excuse me,” you said, ducking out of the conversation and making your way over to Benedict.

“You ought to get that looked at,” you said, and Benedict frowned.  “Whatever are you talking about?”  “That scowl,” you responded.  “Surely it is not healthy for one to scowl so much for so long.  What has you so verklempt, Benedict?”  You had forgone formalities, at least here, as your friendship was strong enough.  “He is too bold,” Benedict answered.  “Too casual with you.  Smithwell forgets himself.”

“No more than you,” you said, and Benedict whirled to look at you.  “You cannot be in earnest,” he said, brows raised.  “He speaks to you as he would a shop maid I speak to you as–”  “As what?”  “As an equal, as one I respect.”  You saw it then, the way his jaw clenched when he looked at Smithwell, the way he was quick to defend you.  “Wait a minute,” you said.  “You’re jealous.”  “I am not,” Benedict replied, all too quickly, and you laughed.  “You are!  Benedict Bridgerton, you are jealous!”

He flushed scarlet, and you laughed again.  “Perhaps I am,” he hedged, and you smiled.  “My word, I do not think I have ever had a gentleman be jealous over me.”  “Haven’t you?  I find that quite hard to believe.”  You cocked your head.  “How so?”  “Well,” Benedict answered.  “You are quite beautiful, and your intellect rivals that of many gentlemen I have spoken to.  I would think men would be throwing themselves at you.”

You shook your head.  “They aren’t.  None I care for, anyway…”  A heavy silence descended between you, and Benedict picked up on the slightest hint.  “Would you…mind if I called upon you, Y/N?”  You sighed, a smile on your face.  “I was wondering how long it would take you to ask, Benedict.  I would be delighted.”  To his shock, you pressed a fleeting kiss to his cheek before you rose and departed, leaving Benedict stunned.  He brought a hand to his cheek, swearing he could still feel the impression your lips left there.  Tomorrow morning, then, he would call on you.  And hopefully, soon after, he could call you his.

[brandytusk]

The following thoughts, or maybe confession, contain Arcane spoilers. Please keep that in mind should you continue. It's a long story, I apologize in advance.

Now I will say, I am no LoL player, thus unfamiliar with its lore with the exception of what I search for, or what education I get from others. I had a passing interest in Arcane due to my best friend's insistence, rambling on about its beautiful art style, symbolism, and compelling writing. It was one of those things I did in fact, try and make a habit of to sit and watch at dinner, see what all the rising hubbub was about. I'll admit, I don't know where I stopped in season one, but I didn't finish it. As I recall, the plot felt too grim. To me, it felt like it was a show getting praise for being artistically depressing. When season one's ending was spoiled for me, I was glad I hadn't got as invested as other people I knew. To have developed characters so sincerely in a season's time, just to end it the way it was done…I disapproved, and I shook my head. Forgot it all at the time.

I'm a millennial who has lived through recession, through pandemic, and I am not middle class. I'm anxious, and there are days that feel hopeless and painfully long. I want to escape into the media I consume, let characters take me on a journey with them, far away from the oppressive, hanging air of everyday life in late stage capitalism. I don't want a tragic story, no matter how much it is praised for its art direction. Moving forward every morning can be bleak enough. Maybe others like these kinds of harsh stories for its relatability, and that's fine! I am happy for those that can appreciate it in that way, but I cannot. I'm tired, and perhaps not just as a struggling individual, but as an LGBT+ person with a husband.

Mainstream, popular shows (that get shown to American audiences, at least) don't often get obvious queer representation, or when it does, the show is often cut short. I felt baited in what I did see of season one, and rolled my eyes that fanfiction writers were fed enough to work their magic and fill the holes, as per usual.

Then, the next season of Arcane releases, and my social media feeds became flooded with screenshots and spoilers. I didn't block said spoilers and told myself I was no longer invested in Arcane -- only to see the most alarming screen captures I'd ever seen.

I especially liked what I'd seen of Viktor and Jayce in the past. I enjoyed seeing two intelligent, determined male creatives share screentime and share their story of a growing, deepening friendship. As far as I was aware, Jayce and Viktor were well bonded colleagues, if not each other's 'ride or die', once mutually and deeply invested in a greater outcome to benefit the whole. Compared to the rest of what I'd seen of Arcane's first season, it still hadn't gripped me enough to stick around as I wanted to save myself from heartache. Long story short, season two's spoilers revealed to me Jayce making a frantic, truly desperate effort to revive his fallen, disabled partner Viktor after the explosion. While he's successful, this fuses Viktor with tech Jayce once swore to destroy. Jayce draws close and is just relieved Viktor, in his birthday suit at this moment mind you, is alive, while Viktor is disappointed Jayce didn't keep his promise. They go separate ways, and the scene felt like an intimate argument, a break up. Well, at this point with that much revealed to me, I was relieved to see the two of them alive after the first season's ending. I was curious again, so I continued to look at screen captures and gifsets.

Viktor develops magic skills to heal others, and in his new body things, seem to fall into place for him. He is appreciated, and maybe it's suggested he gets a following. While its unclear how 'good' the arcane is, what he's doing with it seems right for the character. It looks like a victory…until Jayce comes along and puts a hole in Viktor's chest, keeping his promise. Viktor only meant to talk to him. Jayce, who had fought so hard to revive this man, kills him, as far as I'd seen it. It felt like petty shock value. Not knowing there was more episodes to come, I thought that was it. More tragedy, more pain.

My husband knows me well. I very rarely get affected by the shows I watch, and when I do, I am reserved about it. Instead, I sobbed, the kind where you can't see passed the tears and the snot. I felt so betrayed by my curiosity, by my hopeful feelings. I spent days ranting to my friends and my husband, offended and angry. How dare these writers throw around this disabled character and give him no relief, and what was more, develop two men in such a way as to suggest one simply cannot exist without the other only to shoot down one of them, by the hand of their partner? I had let myself be baited again, and I was feeling it. It burned, it hurt, I raged. I gave up.

A day or two ago, my best friend chimed in again: I should check in on Arcane. There had been more episodes, the season had finished. Trusting they knew how sensitive I was about all of it, I did. Again, I was moved to tears, but for different, much better reasons.

What was this?

Fortiche and its writing team had bothered to weave together and tell a story of two men ultimately destined for each other through every timeline, the kind of trope reserved for romantic movies and literature? They held hands, kept each other close, were honest with each other in the starry nothing. Hand to nape, forehead to forehead, and colorfully blinked out of that current existence, together? Such intimacy didn't need a kiss or a sex scene to feel real, there was love there. Their fated, interwoven existence, their deep and complex relationship, saved the world. In the end, there was hope.

You can tell yourself that it wasn't romantic if it makes you feel better, but in all its passionate details it very much was. To this stressed, exhausted LGBT+ person in these real uncertain times, I needed to see it. I felt deep relief, satisfaction, and most of all a need to pursue the Arcane fandom, a desire to enter. To at the very least, gush about my impression of it all, and what it means to me to see two men tenderly portrayed in ways they typically aren't. Fortiche, well done. You did give the Caitvi shippers something to blatantly feast upon, you also gave lesbian characters depth and variation, but this isn't about that.

You let two male characters show dedication, affection, and softness. Thank you. Jayvik folks, I am with you. Arcane, let's start over at the first episode, I can't wait to watch all of you now.

[istharoth]

Wither [Rui Mizuki & Fem!Reader] [Inspired by this art] wc 650> can be interpreted as romantic or platonic. (Actual minor angst, trust me!!) | Not proofread

Gardening is fun. Watching the flowers bloom and fruits grow feels good. He, despite being cursed by death itself, could create life. That in itself is delightful. 

Sometimes, more often than not, Lyca brings along seeds he received from Haku. He never knew Haku had some vague interest in gardening but then again, there's not much he knows about Haku. Pruning the withered flowers, he lets a smile slip out. Once a flower dies, it'll bloom again, the process of life and death will continue. 

Until he causes the death of a plant. It took ages to understand his curse, it took longer to understand the basics of gardening. He cannot touch them the way people usually do. It feels strange, even. Why would he, someone who can only kill, enjoy the life of others? Why did he make Obscuary full of life when the people of it are anything but?

He doesn't understand. But he'll figure that out as he goes. Now, he just wants to enjoy his time with the Honor Student busy removing weeds from the garden. "Need any help, Y/N-Chan?" He asks and she grumbles something incomprehensible, waving him away. And he's rejected again! 

Oh well, he can keep trying. 

While she's busy dealing with the weeds, he could get some household chores done. He needs to get Edward and Lyca's laundry done. If only they could've done it by themselves, he would've had an easier time. In any case, he's not going to let them get anywhere near the laundry room. Edward mixes white colored shirts with brightly colored ones and Lyca overflowed the entire room. 

By the time he comes back to check on her, he finds her weaving together a flower crown, the weeds unforgotten. Looks like he'll have to get to them sometime later. "Y/N-Chan, what do you want for dinner?" She jumps at his sudden voice, hurriedly hiding the flower crown behind her. 

"I swear I was working!" She exclaims only for him to blink in surprise, then giggle. "C'mon Y/N-Chan, I know you weren't slacking off." He'll play along, he doesn't want her to get angry, or worse want her to hate him. 

She stares at him in silence, and he's hyperactive of the rustling wind. He should have her go inside, it'll get cold soon. Maybe he can convince her to stay the night too. He needs to convince her to stay, at least today. 

She stands up, dusting her back, one hand still hidden. She glances at him and he tilts his head in curiosity. "Bend down," Ah- she sounds like Jin Kamurai. Why him of all people? Clicking her tongue, she hid her face in embarrassment while Rui was busy trying to stop his giggles. 

"Should I bend down?" He tilts his head, bending down slightly while maintaining a reasonable distance between them. She takes a step forward and he backwards. He shouldn't touch her, she shouldn't either. He feels something on his head, looking down at her hands, he sees a petal of the weeds he was supposed to get rid of. 

They make good flower crowns, they, despite being weeds were still pretty. 

"It'll wither away, you know." He smiles, his voice cracking as ashes fall to the ground. They're withering, turning to ashes before her very eyes yet she doesn't deter. He doesn't understand her, really, he can never understand her. 

"It's fine." She whispers, capturing the moment with her eyes. There's no need for exquisite words, no need to take a picture. There's no need to be scared. "You look pretty." He gasps, shivering as the cool breeze hits them. A tear falls down his cheek, the flowers fall, and he silently weeps.

The cycle of life and death comes to a close with him.