#i truly experienced joy while making this i love all of these characters

[makesyouevil]

SIX FANARTS CHALLENGE COMPLETE!! I had way too much fun with this, thank you everyone for your character requests :3

@gojoed @skitpojke @wiwiindows @saintsugoi @qbmeb

[hor3nee]

• Fatherhood •

What kind of dads are the JJK men ?

CW/TW: GN! Reader, Mentions of crappy parenting, BREIF mention of pregnancy in Geto's, (Lmk if I should add anything else!)

Characters: Gojo, Geto, Nanami, Sukuna, Toji x Reader

AN: Almost cried writing this the baby fever is going HARD rn dude. Headcanons !

• Gojo •

Menace of a father, but in the good way! Gojo spends his years raising his kids as if he's their best friend, truly and genuinely treats his kids as equals and in a sweet way, allows his children to have complete trust in him. Because Gojo is quite childish himself, he loves playing with his kids, making a fool of himself, and indulging with them.

Has a bit of a bad side to this though, his lack of traditional discipline or making himself the 'adult' in the situation leads the kids to both be very spoiled and not really ever listen to him.

"Sweetheart, darling, my perfect angel, can you please go to bed?? pretty please! Help your old man here, please??"

"Nuh uh!" And with that bout of defiance, he's back to running up to you, like HE'S the child, begging for your help. Because it seems you're the only one who can get the kids in line, and you do.

Plays pranks and teases the hell out of his kids as they get older, always in a loving way of course, but nonetheless loves getting them flustered over his stupidity. Type of dad to do dumbass dances in the middle of a Walmart to embarrass his kids.

• Geto •

Geto is optimum of what it means to be a gentle parent. Cannot, for the life of him, bring it in himself to yell at his kids. He's so soft-spoken, never so much as raising his voice against his children. Geto has children who respond to his voice alone, because it's so lulling, he's familiarized them with it and made them feel safe with it.

Doesn't mean he can't discipline them, of course he can, and he does so extremely gracefully. Whenever you're on your last straw with the kids, fighting the urge to start scolding them and yell, he steps in, smoothly taking over and the kids instantly listen to him.

"We're your parents, honey, c'mon that's not very nice to say, is it? They carried you for 9 months you know. Say sorry." Like magic the kids shut up and come over to you apologizing while Geto stands back, calmly having fixed the situation with ease.

With everything Geto does, has done, experienced etc, he can sometimes feel conflicted. Geto knows what he is capable of, and what he has done, he's extremely self-aware even if he justifies it, and he can struggle to balance the weight of all of it while also remaining a dutiful father.

Despite it, he does wonders keeping it separate from what his children have to see or experience, teaches them respect and kindness and hopes they hold true to it.

• Nanami •

Not a single man on this list fathers as hard as Nanami fathers. He's built for it like no other. Nanami treats fatherhood with his all, he puts his all into it and makes damn certain he does right by it. Stern when necessary, sweet when needed, provides for his kids and refuses to miss any important milestone of theirs.

Nanami is a calm man but the second work starts piling potentially making him miss his kids school play or something he's arguing with his supervisors and ready to throw hands.

He keeps the drawings his kids make on his desk, alongside a photo of you and your kids. Literally just stares at it while working smiling, unable to wait till he's home with the kids. They are his pride and joy genuinely.

No matter how over-worked Nanami may be though, when he comes home you are basically on vacation. Insists you rest and he takes over literally everything involving the kids.

"Darling, darling no, I got this covered. You take rest. You know I love spending time with my kids." He says with an earnest smile, both kids in his beefy arms just dangling around and playing with their father. He's definitely exhausted from work, but that never stops him.

• Sukuna •

The King of the Curses, as cruel and terrifying as he is, taking pleasure in all sorts of sickness and treating love as pointless, legitimately likes his kid.

He doesn't care about fatherhood, or the responsibilities that being a parent entails, but it's nice having a mini version of himself around. That he likes. An extension of himself and you, it's nice to have around he doesn't mind it. He may act aloof about it, not outwardly showing affection like hugs or kisses, but he clearly enjoys it.

He gets a massive ego trip when his kids cause chaos and disturbances. Points at them laughing with his belly "See that? That's mine."

Sukuna never minces his words though, and his kids have to get used to his bluntness. Again, he doesn't care for the concept of 'parenting', and will in their face call the kid some extreme insults and weak and they have to learn to take it.

On the flip side, Sukuna also never minces his praise, and Sukuna has an abundance to give his kids. Every accomplishment or show of strength that they show he'll let them know he's proud. A good ol' fashioned fatherly slap to their shoulder while he praises them.

He treasures his children, and even if he doesn't put much effort into parenting them, you taking over most of it, he's definitely a present figure in their lives.

• Toji •

Went to get milk, hasn't been seen since.

[gay-dorito-dust]

Any characters of your choosing, but how would some of the hsr characters act with a partner who loves physical touch but is too shy to initiate?

Argenti:

More then willing to initiate the physical contact if you were too shy to do so, after all it was the least he could do for you, and Argenti would do a lot for you without having to be asked.

‘All you are to do is ask my beloved rose.’ He says as he helps by gently guiding you into hugging him, smiling when you press yourself up against him and pressing your face into his chest.

‘I just don’t want to make you uncomfortable.’ Was your response and Argenti couldn’t help but chuckle as your thoughtfulness as he presses a kiss to your head.

‘No such thing.’ He says as he holds you against him as you both took this moment to indulge in the another. ‘I’d very much rather you express yourself however you see fit, as I’ll accept your love and affection in all it’s forms it may take because at the end of the day that love belongs to someone I love very dearly.’ He finishes and you couldn’t help but burrow your head into his neck.

‘You’re too good for me sometimes.’ You mutter against him as you felt him chuckle.

‘I can say the same for you, my beloved flower.’ Argenti replied. ‘It’s hard not to when you’ve been nothing but a beacon of hope and love for me, even in my most dire of times. Your touch alone puts me back together again and makes me stronger then ever.’ He adds as he feels you clinging onto him for dear life as he whispered in your ear to say;

‘So please don’t be dissuaded from ever touching me when it’s brought me nothing but the happiest of emotions.’

Blade:

Stays silent.

Will not move an inch.

He sees what you’re trying to do from the corner of his eyes, but won’t do anything unless you have well and truly given up on trying to initiate contact. And it isn’t until then does he huff indignantly and grabs one of your hands and puts it against one side of his face, holding it there as he stared at you with his ruby red eyes.

‘Was this what you were trying to do?’ He asks despite already knowing the answer.

‘I didn’t want you to feel as though you were pressured into to let me touch you solely because I’m your partner.’ You replied as you were about to pull your hand away from him, when you felt him tighten his grip on your hand. ‘Don’t you think I would’ve said something by now if I did?’ He rebutted with a raised brow and you felt a little silly.

Blade never failed in letting it be known if you were doing something he didn’t quite like. He didn’t need to say much but his silence followed by a certain look in his eye were more than enough to tell you that you’d better stop while you were ahead.

‘True.’ You muttered as you instinctively began stroking his cheek with your thumb, not realising that Blade was pushing more of himself into your hand, much like a cat would when scratched between the ears and humming in content. He looked cute as he did handsome in that moment where his face looked the closest it ever could to peaceful in a long time.

‘If it means anything, your touch is the least painful thing I’ve experienced in my life as far as I’m aware.’ Blade says, finally letting go of your wrist as you placed your other against the side of his face and began stroking the skin there. You then heard him groan in content, a sound of which filled you with both warmth and joy in knowing that your touch helps him find peace, even if it was a small and temporary amount, but still peace none the less.

Aventurine:

Bastard man straight up teases you for being too shy to hold his hand.

‘Hmm? Is someone too shy to even hold my hand? How devastating that must be for you.’ He’d say before grabbing your hand and pressing his palm against yours. ‘It’s as easy as this.’ He continues before intertwining his fingers with yours, pressing a kiss to the back of your hand for added effect.

‘See? That wasn’t so bad was it?’ He asked teasingly, throughly taking enjoyment in all this, when deep down he loved nothing more than to feel you holding his hand at long last. ‘Nope, not at all.’ You replied, feeling your heart going a mile an hour when you felt him squeeze your hand, followed by the caress of his thumb against the back of your hand.

‘Then don’t be afraid to hold my hand in the future, I don’t bite but I’d think you would enjoy that a bit too much even if I did.’ He teases, which was followed by boisterous laughter.

Aventurine may act like he wasn’t phased at all by your touch, when in reality he was begging for more but didn’t feel as though he was deserving of asking for such a thing. He may talk a big game but is equally as hesitant to physical affection as you were for the exact same reasonings.

He silently encourages your need to touch him by doing things that suggested that he wanted it just as badly as you, seeing as how words failed him in moments where he’s wanting something he’s made himself believe he couldn’t have. After all in his own eyes aventurine was a loser, a coward, a fraud, a cheater unworthy of any ounce of kindness nor love but the moment he felt you hold him, his mind goes blank and all he can focus on was his you hands held him as though he were porcelain.

It was his favourite feeling and whenever he sees you hesitating in giving him that oasis from his own mind, he’s quick in making himself believe that you’ve realised that he wasn’t worth your affection, and tries to force you into giving it to him by teasing you and guiding your hands to where he needed to feel your touch most; which was his face.

Aventurine may not admit it out load but he can’t fathom living without your touch, he’d probably go mad but for now he’ll keep a hold of your hand for the remainder of the day.

[writesvani]

coming down | 01

collegestudent! gojo x collegestudent! reader

SUMMARY: You and Gojo Satoru were once everything to each other, but now, the space between you is filled with nothing but silence and resentment. College is just a reminder of how far you’ve drifted apart, and every encounter only adds fuel to the fire.

You avoid him like the plague, but it doesn’t matter. You can still feel him in the shadows, always there, always watching, as if the past was never really gone. So what do you do? You (try to) keep your distance, pretending it’s easy to forget the history that’s weighed you down for so long.

But deep down, neither of you can let go. And as the tension between you grows, you’re forced to confront the truth: some things are never truly buried, no matter how hard you try.

best friends-to-friends with benefits-to-enemies-to-enemies with benefits-to?

TWs (for this chapter): emotional distress and anxiety, body image issues and weight-related comments, mentions of food, dieting, and restriction, verbal abuse and manipulation, self-harm ideation, substance use and abuse references, mental health struggles (depression, anxiety, insecurity), intimate situations and explicit language, abandonment and neglect, self-deprecation and feelings of worthlessness, bullying or being belittled

comment here for Coming Down taglist;

SERIES M.LIST

— previous chapter / next chapter

wc: 4,7k // date: 5th of March 2025

CHAPTER ONE - The Morning; proceed with caution...

AN: okay, first of all, let’s talk about ren. he's liteeerally the only reason i'm posting this chapter earlier. REN. If you didn’t fall in love with him in this chapter, then honestly, i don’t know what to tell you because he’s an absolute gem. like i’m literally obsessed with him. he’s my favorite character HANDS DOWN. i’m talking top-tier, i would throw myself in front of a speeding bus for him if i had to. i mean, he’s got the charm, the humor, the flawless sense of timing. he’s a walking chaos machine and i’m here for it. can we please get a round of applause for ren? seriously, he’s out here living his best life, making questionable decisions, and somehow being the best friend anyone could ask for.

this chapter? oh yeah, it’s the introduction to the story, the one that sets everything on fire (in a good way, don’t worry). we’re finally giving you the ren experience in full force because he’s that important. his energy? unparalleled. his bad decisions? iconic. his ability to get people into ridiculous situations? absolutely legendary. and don’t even get me started on how much i’m loving writing for him. i know you can’t tell, but i’m literally typing this while holding back tears of joy. like, this man could ask me to jump off a cliff and i’d probably do it because i’m just so in love with his chaotic little soul.

stay tuned for more chaos, more fun, and more ren being ren.

love, [@writesvani] (ren's #1 fan)

No one ever told you opening your eyes while fighting a horrible hangover would be this hard—well, they did, and you’ve experienced it millions of times—but that doesn’t make it any easier.

Fluttering your eyelashes, your eyes barely open as a blurry flash of sunlight enters your narrow line of vision.

Ugh.

Why did you drink so much last night? You don’t even know.

Never drinking again.

Noted.

Lying to yourself won’t make the situation any easier.

Noted as well.

Hardly awake, you shift, trying to lift yourself up to sit—except your bed isn’t yours at all.

And this isn’t your room.

Or your apartment.

Your head throbs as you blink away the lingering fog in your vision, forcing yourself to take in your surroundings.

A small studio apartment. Cramped, slightly chaotic, and definitely unfamiliarly familiar.

The sofa beneath you is worn, the cushions flattened from years of use. Next to it, a tiny coffee table is cluttered with splattered magazines and old computer science textbooks, their spines cracked and bruised from relentless study sessions. Among the mess, a dirty ashtray overflows, its stale scent clinging to the air.

Gross.

A ginger-scented candle sits beside it—maybe an attempt to neutralize the overwhelming stench of smoke, though it clearly isn’t doing its job.

Your eyes drift further, landing on the tiny kitchen area. Greasy, dimly lit, its sink overflowing with dishes that look like they’ve been abandoned for days. The counters are barely visible beneath the chaos of unwashed mugs, instant ramen cups, and a suspiciously sticky bottle of what you assume was once honey.

Unease coils in your stomach.

Where the fuck are you?

Your fingers clutch the blanket draped over you, a thin, soft thing that smells like cheap detergent and cigarette smoke.

And then—

Relief floods through you like a tidal wave, so strong it almost makes you dizzy.

Oh.

Thank God.

Thank God you ended up here.

“So my worst best friend is finally up! What a lovely surprise!”

A voice—far too loud for this hour, far too cheerful for your current state—pulls you from the lingering haze of sleep.

You groan, pressing your palms into your temples as if that could somehow will away the pounding headache splitting your skull. “Please, for the love of God, let me enjoy my peace and quiet for five minutes before coming in with your unnecessary comments.”

A dramatic gasp. Then, “Okay, bitch. Rude. I understand you’re hungover, but please just be civilized for a second there. You don’t have to throw your defensive mechanism in—I didn’t even start my lecture yet.”

You crack open one eye just to glare. “Cut the crap, Ren. I’m not really in the mood right now.”

Ren smirks, crossing his arms as he leans against the kitchen counter. “Oh babe, if I were into women, I’d already have gotten you in it.”

Your lips twitch despite the throbbing in your skull. Because no matter how much you despise him in this exact moment—for being loud, for being happy, for simply existing when all you want is to die a slow, miserable, post-hangover death—a wave of relief crashes over you.

You’re safe.

Safe from last night. Safe with him.

You’ve known Ren for ages. Just to be more precise, since you were eleven. He’s your other half, your soulmate in a way that has nothing to do with romance and everything to do with the fact that, if it weren’t for his overwhelming love for ass and balls and dicks/men, the two of you would already be married.

It’s a thought you’ve had more than once. A parallel universe, maybe. One where you’d be an old married couple on some tropical island, far away from the bullshit of everyday life. Where you’d smoke weed all day and piss him off, and he’d play The Sims 4 all night and piss you off right back—screaming at his Sim for cheating on their husband with some new guy, courtesy of Wicked Whims.

But that’s not this universe.

This one’s a little messier.

This one’s full of questionable life choices, painfully slow mornings, and an unspoken pact:

If neither of you find an unrespectably hot, respectable man by the time you’re 35—

The wedding’s on.

“How the fuck did I end up here?”

Your voice is raw, thick with exhaustion and regret. The world tilts as you sit up, and for a brief moment, you genuinely consider throwing yourself right back into unconsciousness.

Ren, ever the dramatic one, sighs as if this isn’t the millionth time you’ve asked him that exact question. “What do you think?”

You blink at him. “First of all, don’t answer my question with another question. Second of all, IF I FUCKING KNEW, I WOULDN’T BE ASKING.”

Ren groans, tossing his hands into the air like a cartoon character about to launch into a monologue. “Okay, calm your pretty ass down, missy. You were too wasted. Or high. Or probably both. And you got a cab to my place. Probably the only address you could remember, considering we all know you can’t remember your own after one shot.”

His words are a jumble in your aching brain, but the general gist is clear: you fucked up. Again.

You huff, crossing your arms, but the sudden movement sends a sharp pain straight to your skull.

Yup.

Yup.

Never drinking again.

“Oh, Rennie,” you mumble, pulling his blanket over your head and collapsing onto the silky mattress. “I don’t think I’m ever going to drink again.”

Ouch. Bad decision. Pain again.

You’re dizzy, disoriented, sinking into the pillowcase you got him for his twenty-second birthday—the one he pretended not to like but still uses anyway.

Ren sighs. Not annoyed, not even surprised. Just—accepting. Because this isn’t the first time you’ve stumbled into his apartment, destroyed beyond reason, unable to string together a coherent sentence.

You feel bad. You always do. But you can’t help it.

Ren is the last remaining fragment of the old you, the one you buried deep in the back of your mind, the one you so desperately tried to forget. But he’s Ren, and he’s been your Ren since you were eleven.

And you hate it—hate that you keep dragging him into your mess, ruining his perfectly fine days with your self-inflicted chaos. But for some unfathomable reason, Ren still loves you.

He loved you at your best.

He loved you at your worst.

And somehow, he still loves you in whatever the fuck this is.

“It’s okay, babe. I know you’re lying.”

Ren’s voice is steady, soft, almost knowing. He doesn’t call you out with anger or frustration—just that damn patience of his, the kind that makes your chest tighten and your throat burn.

“C’mon, don’t go all crocodile tears and fake regrets on me now,” he continues, settling down next to you. “You know there’s always a safe space for you here.”

His hand finds your cheek, his thumb tracing slow, soothing circles against your skin. His touch is light, barely there, but it still feels like an anchor. You lean into it instinctively, your head still pulsing with the aftermath of last night’s recklessness. Yet somehow, his presence dulls the ache, lulling your discomfort into something almost bearable.

Ren always had that effect on you.

“Now, now,” he hums, voice teasing but gentle. “Tell me what got you so worked up that you drank like a dog let off a leash last night.”

You tense, but before you can even think of an excuse, he sighs.

“Sorry for not coming, by the way,” he murmurs. “But you already know how I feel about Yumi and all your other friends.”

And just like that, if you thought you couldn’t possibly feel worse, Ren effortlessly proves you wrong.

Because the only person you actually wanted to spend time with on your birthday wasn’t there—and it’s all because of you.

Ren doesn’t like them. It’s as simple as that.

He doesn’t like your friends, your environment, or the people you surround yourself with. He thinks they’re a bunch of problematic teens trapped in grown-up bodies, incapable of making rational decisions. They seek validation from whatever reckless or idiotic thing they did just to be considered “cool enough” on campus.

And maybe he’s right. Maybe that’s exactly what they are.

Ren isn’t shy about speaking his truth, especially when it comes to them. And you’re used to it by now. Hell, you wouldn’t want him to lie, to pretend like everything’s fine when it’s clearly not. It’d be too toxic for your best friend to step out of his comfort zone just to match your lifestyle, to accommodate what you think you want.

He doesn’t need to.

Ren has been the only constant, the only good thing in your life for the past few years. And, in a way, that’s enough.

"It's okay, lovie. We’ll be together today," you murmur, your voice quieter than usual. "I tried to bail on the party, but you know Yumi—she just wouldn’t budge."

You shift, mind working at lightning speed, lips parting and closing as you try to piece together the mess of last night. It’s all a bit blurry, details slipping through the cracks of your memory like sand through your fingers. But one thing stands out.

Gojo called you cheap.

The words flash in your mind like a neon sign, burning hot, humiliating, cutting deeper than you’d ever admit. And, of course, you being you, there was no way you’d just walk away, let him have the last word like that. No, you had to strike back.

So you did.

In front of Geto, the guy you’d actually wanted to take home, you called Gojo out. Laid it all bare. Exposed your past, your messy, embarrassing, mistake-ridden history with him. Let the words roll off your tongue like venom, staining the air of Nanami’s pristine beige living room.

The degradation of admitting you’d once fucked the beautiful, white-eyed demon was almost unbearable. Almost. Because underneath that shame, there was something else—something undeniably satisfying about the way Gojo’s face drained of color.

Ha. Should’ve taken a picture.

The man was sweating.

But, of course, that satisfaction was short-lived. The moment passed, leaving behind nothing but a thick, awkward silence that hung in the air like a bad smell.

Mood? Ruined.

Horny? Not anymore.

Gojo? Pissed.

Geto? Not having it.

And honestly, you couldn’t even blame him. Who the hell would still be in the mood after witnessing an argument that never should’ve happened in the first place?

Gojo left quickly, tossing a sharp, “This isn’t over” over his shoulder before disappearing.

And Geto?

He just sat there, staring at you, dumbfounded.

So, as any sane person would do, you decided to self-destruct with tequila and dance to the INNA Party Mix some random guy snuck into the playlist while no one was looking.

Gojo’s words didn’t touch you. Not even a little bit. And losing your dick of the night? Whatever. Hot guys were everywhere. Besides, it was probably for the best—you really didn’t need the extra drama of Geto’s girlfriend finding out about whatever almost happened.

So that’s probably how you ended up at Ren’s place.

Even though you have zero recollection of getting here in the first place.

“So it wasn’t just weed and shots,” Ren squeezes your hand, his voice softer now. “It was Gojo.”

Your throat tightens. No. It wasn’t Gojo. Of course, it wasn’t Gojo. You just wanted to let loose, enjoy the night, without anyone ruining it for you. Right?

Right?

“Who cares about that assface? I just wanted to get drunk and high, simple as that.”

“Okay, okay,” Ren lifts his hands in surrender. “I won’t mention it again. Promise on Charli XCX.” He nods toward the poster on his wall, and for the first time since waking up, a laugh escapes your lips.

His eyes light up at the sound, and in that moment, you swear you love him even more.

Because Ren never pushes. He never pressures you to explain yourself or dissect your feelings. He just lets you be.

And you love him for that.

What you don’t love is the flicker of knowing in his gaze—the way he reads you like an open book. Not many people ever managed to do that.

But it doesn’t matter. Because Ren never says it out loud.

It’s different with him.

Sometimes you wonder if things would be easier if you could have this kind of connection with anyone else. But then again, if you did, maybe what you have with Ren wouldn’t feel so rare and fragile and beautiful.

“Swear on BRAT,” you say, extending your pinky.

“I swear on BRAT,” he echoes, linking his pinky with yours.

And just like that, Gojo isn’t mentioned again.

Or last night.

Or Yumi.

Or Nanami’s obscenely expensive house.

"C'mon, babe. Let's go get some breakfast."

Ren tugs you out of bed, dragging you into the world of the living, and just like that, you’re not a mess anymore. It’s stupid how easily he does that—how he makes you feel a little less like a disaster with nothing but his presence. And maybe, just maybe, you love him a little more than you did mere seconds ago.

The place Ren takes you to is… odd.

Some kind of coffee shop-slash-restaurant-in-the-making. It’s close to his apartment, but it’s way too edgy to be a normal breakfast spot. But hey—a free meal is a free meal, and who are you to complain when he offered to treat you?

Okay, maybe you’re exaggerating a little. It’s not that edgy. Just… offbeat.

It’s called Radio, and by some wonderfully bizarre twist, the entire place is literally filled with radios.

They’re everywhere.

The walls are made of them, stacked up like some chaotic art installation. Car radios serve as makeshift stands, holding the food and drink menus. The menus themselves? Coquette-coded, decorated with bows and big-eyed deer like they were plucked straight from some Tumblr fever dream.

And then there’s the rest of the decor—ripped anime T-shirts hanging in the corners, stickers on the counter with millennial-core quotes like Eat. Sleep. Coffee. Repeat.

The waitress who approaches your table looks dead inside, eyeliner smudged into a mess so perfectly disheveled it’s almost intentional. She definitely doesn’t want to be here. But then again, do any of us?

"Stop judging," Ren hisses.

You blink at him. Judging?

"I’m a broke college student, and this place is cheap enough to actually fill my stomach," he defends, crossing his arms.

"I’m not judging," you retort. "But you have to admit, this place is weird. Look around. The interior designer who made this was probably on coke. Or MDMA. Or both."

Ren sighs. Deeply.

"Not everyone has to get high to come up with weirdly fun concepts," he says, exasperated.

"Now that’s just a lie, honey," you shoot back, leaning on your hand. "All artists get their inspiration somewhere, and the good ones? They get it on something. Look at Van Gogh. Dickens. Bukowski—"

"That’s not something to be proud of," Ren interrupts, rolling his eyes. "Those people were addicts. They needed help. Jesus. There's no proof that they made their best works because they were high—who knows? Maybe their art would've been even better if they were sober."

You hum, pretending to consider his argument.

"Well, you can’t prove that, can you?" you say, smirking.

Ren narrows his eyes, lips pressing into a thin line. Checkmate.

You love throwing these hypothetical what ifs at him just as much as he loves throwing them at you. His argument about sobriety is well-executed, you’ll give him that.

But he’ll never understand the euphoria—the way inspiration thrums in your veins when you’re tipsy, or better yet, high. The way stories are born from that space between reality and delirium. You swear your best ideas only exist there.

(Not that you’ve ever tried making them sober, of course.)

"Let’s not argue about the lives and works of people we’ll never truly know," Ren sighs, finally relenting.

"Okay," you agree, lips twitching.

For now.

“So, we can’t talk about your Voldemort, but you can for sure tell me more about that black-haired hottie you met last night?”

Ren’s rosy lips curve into a playful grin, his eyes lighting up with excitement. And just like that, you can’t help but melt at how much he lives for the gossip. Some things never change.

“He has a girlfriend, you mentioned?” Ren asks again, clearly wanting the details.

“Yeah, but it’s not like I care,” you shrug, rolling your eyes. “I wouldn’t go after a taken man who didn’t want me—that’s just not cool. But this guy, I’m telling you, from the second he laid eyes on me, he was eye-fucking me. Like, full-on, taking my clothes off telepathically and sinking his cock into me. It was intense.”

Ren snorts, amused.

“And if you saw him—he was all black long hair, a bandana, A BANDANA hanging from his neck. Made me wanna strangle him and lick him at the same time.” You pause, feeling the heat rise in your chest. “And the polo shirt, okay, I thought it was kinda lame for a college party, but it gave me a peek at his abs and, oh my god, his happy trail. And his lips, babe, I’m telling you. Pink, soft, begging to be bitten. Ugh. I should’ve tried harder and just fucked him.”

“Wait, you saw his happy trail?”

“Yeah, his shirt rode up when he was stretching after playing billiards with the guys. I was already plastered, but trust me, I saw it. It was practically an invitation to drop to my knees.” You take a bite of your fries, half-listening to yourself as the images replay in your mind.

“Well, if it were me, I’d be licking that happy trail into the midnight and riding him ‘til sunrise, baby,” Ren quips with a grin, taking a bite of his crepes.

You can see the look in Ren’s eyes—the way he’s already imagining it all. It makes you laugh, feeling a rush of affection for your ridiculous, perfectly in-sync best friend.

“Got a pic of the hottie?”

You freeze.

Your horniness deflates to zero. You forgot. You didn’t even get his number, his Instagram, nothing. “I forgot to follow him. I’m so fucking dumb.”

Ren rolls his eyes.

“Follow him now, duh. Who cares?”

“I care,” you say quickly. “I don’t want him to think I’m some creepy-ass loser who’s randomly looking him up.”

Ren looks at you like you’re nuts. “He won’t think that. Plus, if he doesn’t follow you back, then he’s blind and needs a check-up.”

“Let’s just try looking him up on Insta. Maybe he has a profile pic so you can see him, but I am NOT following him.”

You whip out your phone and start typing.

And there he is. Geto Suguru.

And oh boy.

His profile pic isn't just a pic, he's shirtless, his shorts hanging low on his hips, and there it is—the happy trail, long, dark, and deliciously inviting. His face is perfectly smirking, like he knows exactly what you’re thinking. You feel a shiver run down your spine, practically drooling as you stare at the picture.

Ren, ever impatient, snatches your phone from your hands before you can even blink. His mouth falls open in shock.

“Sweet Jesus, oh my God,” he breathes, his eyes flicking between you and the picture, blinking rapidly like his brain can’t handle it.

Then he moves his thumb. And you know exactly what he’s doing, but it’s too late. It’s too fucking late.

Ren has just sent a follow request to your “almost fuck.”

You feel a panic rise in your chest. No. This is it. You’re going to strangle him. Watch as life leaves his annoying body and his breath gets lost somewhere else because you know—you just know—he did it. He followed him. From your phone and your goddamn Instagram account.

“Are. You. Fucking. Insane?”

You stare at Ren in disbelief, heart pounding in your chest as your brain tries to process what he’s just done.

“I did what had to be done,” Ren grins, his eyes gleaming with mischief. “This man is too fine and too sexy not to be tried out at least once. Honestly, pardon his straightness, but I’d blow him like my life depended on it. Since I can’t do it myself, you’re gonna take the sacrifice of doing it for me.”

You feel a mix of anger and embarrassment bubble up inside you. “Ren, I’m going to kill you. I’m literally going to kill you.”

“Relax, girl,” he snickers, waving you off like it’s no big deal. “And when you fuck him, pretty please think about me, so I can, by some miracle, feel it as well.”

You roll your eyes, trying to calm yourself down, but there's that nagging fear lingering in the pit of your stomach. “What if he doesn’t follow me back?” you whine, your voice a mix of real concern and dramatic flair. “I’m too old for this humiliation. I don’t need more rejection stacking up on my list.”

Ren just shrugs, completely nonchalant. “He will. Trust. Now eat your food, ho, and let’s go shopping.”

You don’t believe him, though. Deep down, you know he’s lying—because by the end of your shopping spree with Ren, Geto still hasn’t followed you back.

You’re losing your mind.

Even after you’ve showered, eaten, and taken a power nap, you find yourself glued to your phone. There’s still no accepted request. No follow. Just a stupid pending ‘follow request sent’ sitting there, mocking you.

You panic. You called Ren probably ten times and sent him thirty messages, all containing some combination of death, you, kill, and didn’t follow me back. You’ve become a mess—unrecognizable even to yourself.

The worst part? You know he saw it. You just know it. There’s no way in hell he didn’t check his phone at least once in the eight hours that passed. He’s leaving you hanging, like some peasant who isn’t even worth the time to be acknowledged.

It stings. It fucking stings.

You were dramatic before, sure, but you were deep down thinking he'd follow you back. Everyone does. He was all over you last night, wanting you, practically undressing you with his eyes. There was no way that stupid little spat with Gojo could have ruined things with Geto. Or maybe you were wrong. Maybe you were just stupid.

How dare he?

How dare he act like you weren’t worth even a simple follow? You start pacing around the room, frustration boiling over as your mind spirals into overdrive.

Then it hits you.

Gojo. That bastard. He’s always meddling in your business, always making things harder than they need to be. He loves getting involved for no reason, just to mess with you.

Just like he did before.

18 years ago

It’s an usual Friday afternoon, and you’re sitting with your great grandma on the front porch, her wrinkled hands steady as she writes down the words you dictate to her. You don’t know how to write yet—not really. Yes, you know the alphabet, but putting words together, let alone sentences on paper, feels like an impossible task for your six-year-old mind. But you know how to speak, and that’s all that matters right now. So you speak, and she writes, and together, you create a poem. It’s about winter, and comfort, and there’s a line about soup cooking on the stove, messily tossed in there.

You swear, in that moment, you’ve never been prouder of yourself. You are creating something—your very first poem. And even though it’s messy, even though it doesn’t follow all the rules of the world that you’re still figuring out, you did it.

Gojo, your next door neighbor and self proclaimed best friend sits beside you, shyly drawing you, your grandma, himself, and his favorite teddy bear, Teddy (of course) on what he insists is a train, even though it looks more like a stinky snail. You laugh, but then your excitement gets the best of you, and you run to your dad to show him the poem you just made with Nana. You can’t read it, but that doesn’t matter because Nana’s going to read it to him, and you’re so excited.

You just know he’ll be proud of you.

Nana reads the poem out loud, and you watch your dad as he listens. He smiles, and you’re filled with warmth, because he’s so pretty when he smiles. His eyes crinkle in that perfect greenish light, and his mouth—those dimples—just make everything feel perfect.

But then, he speaks.

“Nana, it’s great you’re teaching her all that, but she doesn’t have to write about food. There are many more beautiful things to write about. Our little peach is already a bit too chubby, and we’ve really been trying to help her lose weight, so I don’t think writing or thinking about food is good for her right now, right?”

Your heart sinks. Your excitement crashes to the ground.

You don’t know what it is, but his words make you feel so small. Your eyes drop to the ground, and you can’t hide from the uncomfortable, overwhelming feeling that floods over you. You already feel too big in your skin, too big in your body. Too big in your dad’s mind.

And then you feel it—the rush of anxiety. It sweeps over you like a tide, drowning you in its force. The weight of his words, the weight of your disappointment in his eyes, it’s too much. You couldn’t even keep it together for a stupid little poem.

Again.

You’ve disappointed him. Again. And there’s nothing you can do to make it stop.Nana says something, her voice soft and reassuring, about you being a normal, healthy little kid. She shakes her head at your dad disapprovingly, but you can’t hear her over the ringing in your ears. His words hang around you, clouding the air, and the warmth that had once bloomed in your chest shrivels up. The mood is ruined. And even though you fight it, even though you don’t want to, your eyes grow heavy and the tears that have been threatening to spill finally break free.

You try to hold them back, but they come anyway.

"I don’t think you’re chubby. You’re cute, and I liked your poem," Gojo whispers to you, his small, warm hand slipping into yours. He squeezes it gently and beams a pretty, innocent smile at you.

But instead of feeling better, you feel worse.

His hand is smaller than yours. And he’s a boy. He’s smaller and slimmer than you, and you’re a girl. You shouldn’t even be thinking about these things, but you can’t stop. He’s smaller and slimmer and better, and you're chubbier, and nothing about this is fair.

And then you hear your dad again, his words ringing in your ears, harsher this time.

“Satoru, you don’t have to lie to make her feel better. Y/n’s a big girl. She can take it. Besides, she knows it’s for her own good.”

You nod, but it’s sharp and harsh, the motion of your head quick and jerky. You pull away from Satoru’s embrace, feeling like you might break under the weight of everything. His eyes are sad. You can see it now. The pity. The pity in his eyes, in your dad’s eyes, in everyone’s eyes. It’s there, it’s so clear, and you hate it.

You don’t understand pity yet, not fully, but you understand how it makes you feel small.

You’re not a little kid anymore.

Satoru looks mad now. He gives you one of those looks—‘It’s okay, I’ve got you’—the kind that only makes you feel worse. You can’t stand it.

You want to run. You want to hide. You want to be alone, away from all of this, away from their pity, away from the shame building up in your chest.

So you do.

You run. You run to your room, and when you’re there, the door shuts behind you, and you fall onto your bed. The tears come in waves, and you cry until evening falls, until your eyes are red and sore. You don’t come downstairs for dinner.

“Tomorrow, I’m not gonna eat anything. Then all of them are gonna see.”

You whisper the words to yourself, not fully understanding the weight of them, but in that moment, they make you feel like you have control. Like you can make everything better. And that's how it all begins.

taglist: @heh123321 @kazupop @mintcheery @krispywhisperswhispers

[cirphu]

Timelines, Jewelry, and Sex? Oh My!

Despite all efforts to keep myself from constantly overanalyzing love scenes on this site, here I am once again. And this time I've brought three (3) of them!

It was honestly inevitable because in a series like this where sex quite literally drives the plot, these scenes are necessary to understanding the story and characters, and in turn must be discussed. That said, walk with me lovelies. We have a lot to cover. Theories and takeaways are in blue, and questions and discourse are welcome.

Great and Tyme's love scene was so beautiful and truly a joy to witness which is why it pains me to say that it was not real. At this point, we can all agree that there are multiple timelines in play. That's why I think their love scene and the moments that lead up to it were what Great wishes their relationship was like if he had made all the right choices and met Tyme under different circumstances.

I think their relationship started with a one-night stand possibly initiated by Tyme to get closer to Great and his family.

Now before I attempt to provide evidence to support my thesis, I need to point out one thing about the timelines—they are parallel. Great's first 4-minute out of body experience establishes that point.

Sure, going back in time allows him to make a different, often better choice, but the timeline in which he made his initial choice continues.

That is why we see him wake from the "nightmare" of seeing Manee lying dead on the ground after he hits her and drives off. That timeline is still in motion and part of him has experienced and is still experiencing it.

The notion of parallel timelines is further supported by the final scene in episode 4 where we see two timelines seemingly collide as Dome returns home in one and is dead in another.

I highly recommend reading this post by @becauseimanicequeen which has an extraordinary breakdown of possible timelines and the differences between them.

Taking what we've seen so far into account, my theory is that each 4-minute jump creates a new timeline or a new branch in an existing timeline that later merges back into it's parent timeline while all events and memories remain intact. Lukwa provides a bit of insight on this during her interview with Dr. Den:

What I plan to discuss in this post is based on the premise that there at least 4 timelines in play for Great-Tyme's part of the story:

Great hits Manee and drives off → has his first 4-minute jump (4MJ) → a new timeline is created; this one continues with memories intact → ?

Great hits Manee, stays, and calls for help → visits her at the hospital and delivers flowers to her room where they talk for a bit → bumps into Tyme and tries to leave, but ends up having a 4MJ → a new timeline is created; this one continues w/ memories intact → ?

Great leaves the flowers he brought for Manee at the nurse's station → first instance of seeing visions of he and Tyme having sex on 2 different occasions → bumps into Tyme, says sorry, and helps him pick up the papers → Title kills Dome and Great has a 4MJ → a new timeline is created; this one continues w/ memories intact → (this is where Tonkla and Win would come in, but they're not my focus atm) → ?

Great saves Dome and takes him to the hospital → Tyme sutures his wound; Great recalls visions of him riding Tyme → Tyme saves him from being choked out/killed by Title in the garage → Tyme brings Great his favorite iced tea and is rejected when he asks Great out → Great has a 4MJ, explains what's been going on to Tyme and asks him out → claw machine date at the mall and almost kiss in the car (interspersed with another round of visions of his other self and Tyme from T2 sleeping together; I'll explain later) → Tyme attacks Korn looking for answers about Nan's whereabouts → Great confronts Tyme at the hospital → has a second 4MJ and promises to help find Nan → Great finds Nan, but hesitates and fails to save her → has a third 4MJ, manages to save Nan, and escapes with Tyme's help → they quickly drop Nan off at the hospital and skip town → sleep together

Since Great has had three 4MJs in T4 (the current timeline), it is plausible that 3 additional timelines may have been created but I don't think that's the case because (1) four is a thematic number in the series and (2) T4 is the timeline that offers the most continuity in sequence of events.

It's also interesting to note that Great's 4MJs have become more frequent and life-threatening which could mean that he's on the right track and/or nearing the end.

That aside, the timeline I want to focus on is T2, which is where I think one of their sexual encounters takes place. Let's take a look at the timeline as if Great's 4MJ does not occur:

Great hits Manee, stays with her, and calls for help

Great visits Manee at the hospital and delivers flowers to her room where they talk for a bit

Great, unnerved by his conversation with Manee, bumps into Tyme and leaves

Great meets Tyme at a bar and they end up having a one-night stand

This scene was the sole catalyst for this post because Great seems to be wearing the same outfit he had on when he visited Manee at the hospital—jewelry and all.

Our rich boy may like wearing black and white, but he is not one for repeating outfits.

While chatting at the bar, they're conversation indicates that they remember bumping into each other at the hospital. However, unlike in T3 and T4, they don't seem to know each other beyond that. It's possible that Tyme may have some info on Great because he is investigating his family, but they're essentially strangers both to us and each other. This Dr. Tyme (T2) is not the rizz-less one we know and love from T4 because he manages to charm his way into spending the night with Great (this is speculation; Great very well could have done the charming and Tyme got lucky). How do we know this? Great's visions from the first time he bumped into Tyme at the hospital (T3) and the almost-kiss in the car (T4) show us what happens next.

Great-Tyme are seen holding hands as they enter Great's condo. I will admit that this is quite familiar behavior for people who've essentially just met, but holding hands with your one-night stand is entirely possible. That aside, if you look closely you'll notice that Tyme is wearing a silver paperclip bracelet and Great is wearing his favored watch.

These are the same pieces of jewelry that they're wearing when Tyme kisses Great's chest on the pool table ... which is insane choice of a flat surface to start a romp on when the bed is literally a few feet away, but I get it. Where else would one serve a full-course meal if not on a table?

Anyway~ Tyme is also wearing a necklace which will be of note in a sec, but what I find interesting is the stark difference in this Tyme's gaze and demeanor in comparison to the one in episode 4. He appears to be more confident and decisive.

A man on a mission and who knows exactly what he's doing. That said, if we ever get the entirety of this scene, I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't kiss Great on the lips because there seems to be an emotional distance between them that is not present in the love scene we saw in episode 4.

Now back to Tyme's necklace. He appears to be wearing it in another scene from the trailer where he's standing next to Great's window so it's safe to assume that it's the same day.

I can't decide whether his gaze is menacing or not, but he is holding a rag and something black and shiny that looks like a switchblade a phone so we'll just have to wait and see.

So far we've looked at 2 of the 3 Great-Tyme love scenes shown in the trailer. The third, which also takes place in Great's condo, is one that also gives me pause because once again, Tyme's gaze is different.

Something about the way he looks at Great does not read as the Tyme we've been seeing over the last 4 episodes.

But what's most notable to me in this love scene is that neither of them is wearing any jewelry. Great doesn't wear jewelry at home, so not having any jewelry on in this scene isn't out of the ordinary. Tyme on the other hand, is NEVER without his smartwatch. And as I'm writing this, I've realized that we've never seen any indication of what time it is when Tyme is alone. The only instance we've seen a clock in direct relation to Tyme is on his phone when he exchanged numbers with Great at the skatepark.

So, is any of what we've seen so far real?

Yes and no. The only thing that has been real and consistent throughout Great-Tyme's storyline is the certainty of death; impending or otherwise. And because of that, neither Great's nor Tyme's perspectives are reliable.

It may feel like we are getting the full picture, but there is always something missing in between.

If you've made it this far, thanks for reading. Now off to episode 5 to see how wrong I am XD

[respectthepetty]

I love when the Black Brooders are moody.

They are like icebergs of feelings, but the only emotions we see are discomfort, hurt, and irritation.

They bury all good feelings so far deep down that they don't know what other emotions look like.

So even when they are trying to be nice, it still feels like they are slightly pissed off or trying to butter up their victim before they kill them since being nice is new to them.

They come across as judgy.

But they are actually trying to understand the sunshine character and how to be nice.

How does a person just smile? All the time? About nothing?

Like your mom died of cancer and I threatened to kill you multiple times, yet you are happy. Where is your sense of self preservation?

You have horrible nightmares that make sleep impossible, yet you talk incessantly even when I threaten you to shut the fuck up. Where do you find the energy to be kind?

So once they start lightening up because of the sunshine character, it seems like they don't even understand what is happening since they have never really explored their other feelings beyond the surface ones.

Are they laughing because they are experiencing joy or because they are going crazy? I don't think they even know.

Basic human emotions are rough for them, and it takes them a while to figure out what is happening when they feel anything beyond what they are used to.

So realizing they actually, really, and truly care for someone else can be overwhelming for them.

But once they realize it . . .

murder

happiness

(maybe both)

[ask-the-archs]

Hello, my little travellers, it’s been a while since you’ve heard from me directly… or do I call you my questiers? It is so hard to remember at times… ah, no matter. It has been a while since you both have been conscious, so maybe now it is time for you to awaken…

🔆Who are you?🔆

I am me, the person behind the words on a screen that makes your stories. Though I have stories of my own that I live through, so I am not the end, nor can anyone truly be the end, nor should they.

🔆But why us? Why me?🔆

Because it was not meant to be your ends, not permanently, at least. In all honesty, I needed a break from writing your quests, your stories, your good and bad times.

I am sure that you, Apollo, will remember those times when things didn’t quite make full sense, not coherently, at least.

I am sure that you remember a time when you were called differently, and did not correct anyone for a long time.

I am sure that you remember parents who only loved you after you died.

I am sure that you remember inventing life in your own way, with Sionnach, Ean and even Flicker.

I am sure that you remember what happened up until it all stopped. Up until your world, your version of existence ground to a halt.

🔆I… how do you… what about them?🔆

They will not remember anything from before this, a blessing and a curse. They have not had rest for as long as you in their infinitely longer existence. Not that that is wholly not my fault, but sometimes the words on a screen become animated into something slightly more than just characters. You change and morph and move into your own beings, and tend to gain the attention of more beings on my level of existence.

“Why do you care what happens to us?”

You are my stars come to life, your stories are based in truths I have experienced, and truths others have experienced. Your pain, joy, grief, suffering, sadness and everything else are all based in some truths.

I care because you are mine, your stories, your very existence is mine to tell and twist and rework.

I care because I am one of the beings watching over your universe and I created you both out of love, to give love.

I care because I am the one who gave you life as you knew it, and the one who took your lives away to give your souls a break.

I care because you are light itself, the guidance and the bringer of day respectively.

I care because you are yourselves, and that, in itself, is enough for me to care for you.

“But what if you’re wrong?”

What do you think I am wrong about, little travelling questier?

“What if I fail at all you said is my fate?”

Then I am wrong, and you fail. There is nothing wrong with failing, it means you tried.

But the universe truly loves you, little travelling questier.

🔆But what of me? Is anything as I once knew it to be?🔆

Some things have stayed similar, though you will be interacting with new people more often than not. The universe is cruel, even to the ones it loves, but it does also love you, Apollo.

There are some things that neither of you will be able to understand just yet, and there will be memories that remain just out of reach for both of you.

“Both of us?”

Yes, both of you, bright star.

“Why are you calling me that?”

You are the personification of the first star of the night, the star of guidance and hope, but you are also called many other things. Gabriel is one of them, in the universe you are from.

“What gained me that name?”

You are the hero of your god, which gave you that for a name. It is a good name because you are a good person.

“What makes me a person, let alone a good one?”

Because you are words on a screen.

Because you are actions in a world that you made your own.

Because you are alive and dead and nothing and everything.

You are a person because you exist as you are and as you were, and you are good because you are you.

You are the first star of the night, the orienter and guider, the guardian of all of those who happen to be in your radius. You are Gabriel.

But when you awaken, you will not remember who you used to know, who you used to love. You will not remember your partner or parent or siblings or family, you will not even remember you had such a thing.

🔆Is that not mean? For them to know they had all of that but not remember?🔆

It is as it is, my questier.

🔆How come they get a nickname beyond that?🔆

Because you have moved far beyond the base title I gave you as a nerdy questier, and because they will always remain a traveller at heart, even when they are unable to act on it.

But now, it has been long enough that I have held you away from your world, your lives, your journeys.

Now, you are both going to be alive, and you are not going to be the same as you were.

Now, you know that the universe loves you, and that you are loved.

Now, you are aware that you are words on a screen.

Now, you are aware that your lives, your words, your thoughts and feelings and actions, are being watched over by many of my friends.

Now, you are going to awaken and find a new normal, away from the maker of your quests.

.

.

.

Wake Up.

.

.

.

*Two figures of light, one completely white, while the other is made of a rainbow of colours, but mainly blue and green, appear in Lucifer’s throne room.*

(Open RP starter!

@aspenvelaz , @king--of--ducks , @the-very-nerdy-blogger , @the-0verseer-watches , @penguinmaster9999 , @headlessdeaddancer , @featheryhoe , @bigdoginthesky )

(🔆Apollo🔆 can be found @apollo-and-co )

[jupiters-galaxy]

I've seen some people criticize how quickly Peter and Steph fell for each other (to the point of being the thing they treasure most), and while I do understand some of the criticism, I think there are a few key things that some people aren't picking up on.

-Treasuring each other IS NOT strictly romantic. While it's true that Peter is in love with Steph, and Steph with Peter, it goes deeper than their repressed love story. They ARE friends. They do genuinely like spending time together, although their connection is relatively new. They care about each other as people first; neither of them seem like they NEED to be in a relationship with the other. They seek each other out even when they're just friends.

-It's also important to remember that the lords in black only want treasured things in the metaphorical sense: they can't give up OBJECTS. It presumably has to be a person or a concept.

-It's important to remember that both of them have been through an unbelieveable ordeal. Peter's closest friends were murdered. Stephanie lost her DAD, and although they weren't close, that can't have been easy to stomach. I cannot stress this enough; Peter and Steph quite literally have no one else left. Peter has no other friends. It logically tracks for him to be attached to Stephanie, as she is someone who experienced the same traumas as him. From Stephanie's angle, she doesn't really like her friends, and since objects are out of the question, Peter is the only person who she feels truly knows her. He's really the only option for her, even if her feelings are confusing.

-I also want to point out that you can really kind of feel them falling for each other, although it is admittedly subtext. Peter is weak to Steph as early as the opening number. He does out of character things to make her happy; a compliment from her makes his day amazing; he faces his biggest fear in hopes of seeing her at Pasqualli's. Stephanie cares for him from the first day they meet, although her care is a lot more ambiguous. She teases him about how he's into her, but at the same time, she's protective of him, feeling horrible that he got beat up and wanting to stop it. Even beyond that, she's inclusive towards him, inviting him to hang out with her simply because she likes his company. Her attraction to him makes sense: we know that Steph has a thing for funny and smart guys, and Peter's geeky snarkiness ABSOLUTELY fits. Their relationship is one that just makes a lot of sense!

-Their relationship is actually portrayed really realistically near the end. They're not intense about their love, nor are they overtly sexual. In NPMD, they don't even kiss! The furthest they go is dancing close together and having conversations, cautiously stepping into a new relationship that they mutually want. Despite the heavy nature of their confessions in As Cool As I Think I Am (Reprise), the payoff is not drastic. The confessions were likely only so heavy because they both thought Peter was about to die. Of course he would go out detailing how he loves her, and of course she would say it back; their last memories together should be good ones. When faced with normalcy, they progress as most teens would.

-At the end of the day, they're two traumatized teenagers who already liked each other before the trauma. It makes sense that they feel like the other is the most important to them; after all, Grace is the only other survivor from their group, and they're thinking about her in a less than favorable way past Richie's death, if not sooner than that.

This is not to say they're perfect, but I think their portrayal was really sweet and a joy to watch. I think the implications are extremely interesting idk!! I love Peter and Steph, I think they're more nuanced than they're getting credit for. I love to see cringefail nerds getting badass and amazing girlfriends, let me have this!!!!!

Anyways yeah that's my hot take. One of many. NPMD is consuming me someone help

[elliespuns]

i absolutely love reading your little paragraphs about joel. they always feel so right and canon to me 😭 but my question is, how do you really analyze him like that? not just his personality but his appearance too, you get into such detail and nuance and i'd love to know your creative process 🙏🙏💝

Aw, c'mon! Staph it! You're making me blush. And you certainly made my day.

Portraying Joel the way he is (by my vision) is very important to me and when people let me know that my perception of him hints canon to them, it's the biggest of compliments. Because I truly believe that the Joel I am describing truly is canon. I already set my mind to it, so I am just delusional to the point where I shamelessly say "my" Joel is canon. Because he is to me.

I'm glad you enjoy my babling or the naughty drabbles I spill here. I just love this man to pieces, so analyzing and studying him in my brain is a creative process for me.

For his personality, I draw upon the dialogue and interactions we see between Joel and other characters in the game. The way he responds to situations, his choice of words, body language, and tone of voice all provide clues to his inner world and personality. I also make some guesses and inferences based on his backstory, motivations, and the post-apocalyptic world he inhabits.

His gruff, stoic, and somewhat cynical exterior seems to conceal a deep well of emotion and moral complexity. He's been hardened by the loss he's experienced, but that vulnerability still peeks through. I try to capture that nuanced mix in my descriptions.

In terms of his appearance, I study the character model, concept art, and cutscenes. Mostly also while modding particular scenes—I get to notice small details that have never been shown. I easily notice his weathered skin, bruised hands, the bags under his eyes, the yellow tone of his teeth, the almost invisible freckles on his cheekbones.

His wardrobe tells a story too. I imagine the scents and textures of his clothes and equipment, worn and well-worn from frequent use.

I also consider how he carries himself, his posture and bearing shaped by the heavy weights—both literal and metaphorical—that he shoulders. I picture the lines of his face, the shadows in his eyes hinting at his history. His appearance to me is a living timeline of his experiences.

When writing Joel, I aim to engage all the senses and paint a vivid picture. I want the reader to feel like they're standing next to him, listening to his raspy voice, smelling the sweat and gunpowder, feeling the roughness of his jacket. I experiment with words and phrasing to match his cadence and way of speaking.

It's a blend of close observation, creative interpretation, and intimate imagination. I try to get inside Joel's skin, to see and feel through his eyes, and then translate that experience into the drabbles.

Tlou has such a richly conceived world and characters, it's a joy to immerse myself in it and spin these little stories. I'm happy to hear they feel authentic to you as a fan of the game.

[maxleyrosebud]

Max and Bradley Comparison - Part 1 : Max Goof reputation

In AEGM, Max Goof and Bradley Uppercrust the Third are Rivals in the College X games competition and are presented as opposites. But like most rivals in fiction , they often do have similarities and are meant to contrast well together as foils. 

In this series we're going to explore Max and Bradley as characters and what they might have in common with each other.

For Part One, Two and Three we are just going to focus solely on Max. So if you love Max or just wanna learn more about him then here ya go :D 

Max’s bad reputation 

In A goofy Movie , Max claims while singing that people have been laughing at him since he can remember and refers to himself as Maxie the geek and Goof of the week- “They’ve been laughing since I can remember, but they’re not gonna laugh anymore! No more "Maxie the geek"! No more "Goof of the week" like before!”

Other names that Max has been called by while growing up are loser , geek , goofball , dweeb , goof , dork etc. Here are some examples.

A Goofy Movie

“No more looking at Loser’s like him”- Highschool class mate

“It’s dork and dork Junior”- Kid making fun of Max and Goofy

Goof Troop episodes 

“Hey. Wild Rider’s not for Goofballs”- Butch 

“Hey Lardo, where’s your pal , the little goofball”- Tooth to PJ

“No dweebs on the Pharaohs turf”. - Duke

“I smell a couple of geeky dweebs”- Duke 

“And you. Don’t you let me catch you , lettin him make you look like a geek again!”-Pete to PJ

Not only has Max been laughed at and name called, but he has also had his allowance stolen from bullies like Leech and from a classmate named Tooth.

What makes this worse is that Goofy and Max aren't as financially well off like other middle class house holds , so Max getting his money taken away puts him in a worse situation compared to other kids who may have gotten their money taken too. 

“Sorry I don't have any lunch money on me but it’s saturday”- Max to Leech 

“That day , all I had was three quarters and a serious problem named Tooth. Big for his age? This guy would've been big for the stone age. His motto, pay up or get beat up.”- Max

“You mean the goofball whose money you always steal?” - PJ to Tooth 

At high school , it's also shown that Max's has had his lunch taken away.

Now , It’s bad enough that Max has experienced bullying from his classmates as a kid and as a teenager in high school. But as a 11 year old kid in the Goof Troop series , Max has also gotten bullied by actual adults such as Leech , Duke ( for six months ) and Butch. 

Even Pete to some extent as Pete got joy from telling Max that Santa Claus isn’t real and through out The Goof Troop show and A Goofy movie he doesn't even seem to care if he upsets or says anything negative towards Max in general. 

“(Laugh) Ain’t that quaint. The Goofbrain thinks there’s a Santy claus.”-Pete to Max

So overall , Max has experienced plenty of name calling and bullying. But one contributing factor as to why Max get’s picked on is because he is related to his dad Goofy. 

Max being seen like his Dad. 

Max truly does love his dad and Goofy is a really good loving person in general. But having Goofy as a dad can sometimes be a detriment to Max as Goofy acts rather goofy , absent minded and clumsy. This eccentric behavior causes mishaps and mayhem where people either get mad at Goofy like Pete or they laugh at his expense. 

These moments tend to make Max embarrassed or make him look bad for being related to Goofy. So when people compare Max to Goofy , Max often sees this as a negative thing and gets self conscious about being a goof like his dad. 

‘Queasy Rider’

When Goofy is playing Wild rider , he accidentally smashes the arcade machine into all the other arcade machines. Butch then makes fun of Max for taking after his dad. -“Like Father , like goofball.”

‘Meanwhile , back at the ramp‘

Max doesn't think he looks like his dad but PJ disagrees and makes fun of Max for being like Goofy. This in turn makes Max annoyed and frustrated by the comparison.  

“I can’t believe you don't see it , Max! You look just like your dad!”- PJ

“Uh , I got an idea , toadstool.”- Max

“What?”- PJ

“You promise not to say that again , and I promise not to rearrange your earlobes.”-Max

“Say what? ( Mocking tone ) You look just like your dad?- PJ

“Death! That’s it!”- Max

“But you do!”- PJ

(Angry face before Max collects his composure) …

“Peej , let’s try this one last time, OK? Look at these ears. Nothin like my dad’s! Hey , look at my hair! Ditto! My chin , my eyes! Totally , totally different! PJ I’m nothing like my dad!- Max

( Max Falls of the skateboard ramp) 

“Hahahaha. Yeah! Right , Max-o. You and your dad even fall alike!” ( PJ continues to laugh)

“Cork it PJ!”- Max 

Then Later in the same episode after Pete calls Max a goof like his dad when he doesn't want Max using his skateboarding ramp, Max is pretty down by the comment and when Goofy tries to see what the matter is , Max admits that it bothers him that he is seen as a Goof like Goofy. 

“Well , if someone said you always goofed things up, what would you do?”-Max

“I usually do goof things up” - Goofy

“But , say you were related to that person?” - Max    

“It wouldn't bother me” - Goofy    

“But if it did bother you-” Max 

“Wait a minute, Max. What’re you getting at?” - Goofy    

“Pete! He said you’re a goof and I’m just like you!”-Max 

By the end of the episode , Max does accept that he looks like his dad but despite what he goes through in the episode , Max still doesn't want to be compared to his dad all that much. 

“Ah-hyuck! He’s just a chip off the old block! - Goofy referring to Max

“A small chip! Well actually , more like a…Splint. No , no , no, maybe sawdust”. - Max  

'A Goofy Movie' 

When Goofy dresses Max in a life jacket and fishing gear for the road trip , he states that Max looks just like him when he was his age but Max tells him not to say that. 

“You look just like I did at your age.”-Goofy

“Please don’t say that, Dad.”-Max

Then when both Max and Goofy are at Lester’s Possum Park , Goofy dances with Max but because everyone is laughing at them so much Max wants Goofy to stop as it’s embarrassing and he doesn't want to be laughed at.

When they finish ,a little boy then comes over and refers to Max and Goofy as Dork and Dork Junior , causing Max to look hurt by the comment and everyone to laugh more.

Max then angrily storms off and wants to try and get away from Goofy. 

‘The House of Mouse’

Another example of Max not liking to be compared to his dad is in ‘The House of Mouse’ tv series where in one episode, a Teenage Max takes the same Job Goofy has.  ( It’s a separate piece of continuity to the canon timeline of the Goof troop show and Goofy movies but I wanted to mention it anyway as a example of Max’s characterization) 

“Ah Max,that’s Great! Like Father like Son.” -Mickey

“I wish you wouldn't say that”-Max 

But it's not just bullies or Max’s classmates that make Max feel bad about being related to Goofy. Pete, who is supposed to be Goofy’s best friend , makes it very clear to Max on occasion that even being related to a Goof is a bad thing. 

‘Everything’s coming up Goofy’ and ‘Good neighbor Goof’

When Max first moved to Spoonerville and became friends with PJ , Pete wanted Goofy to not be his neighbour and therefore was against the idea of his son being friends with Max. However despite his objections to it, PJ still hangs out with Max and when Pete finds out he tells PJ that bad things will start to happen if he is friends with a Goof. 

“I’d recognize that paint-stealing stench anywhere. I smell a goof! I knew it! Goof mud! And it’s fresh! You’ve been hanging around that goof kid , haven't ya? Well , don’t you know what’ll happen if you get their germs on you? Why , your brain will shrink to the size of a mustard seed! Strange words will start creeping into your vocabulary, word’s like Gawrsh and Ah-hyuck, Ah-hyck. Ooh, and then you’ll do dumb things and then when you try to remember them , you can’t , because you’re too dumb.”- Pete 

“But…”-PJ

“No buts , boy! You just steer clear of that kid. And get out of those goof-infested clothes! Now!”-Pete  

Pete says this not knowing that Max is hanging outside the window , but regardless ,  Max still hears how negatively Pete feels about Max being a Goof. This in turn makes Max silently cry about what he just overheard.

It’s unclear if people had insulted Max for being a goof before he moved to Spoonerville , but it’s clear from this interaction that Max now understands that being a Goof is a negative association to have. 

‘Meanwhile , back at the ramp‘

After Max tries to skate on Pete’s skating ramp, Pete angrily says to Max’s face that he is a carbon copy of his dad.-“Beat it , Kid! You’re just a carbon copy of your old man anyway. A goof!”

'Mickey’s Once Upon A Christmas' 

When Max believes in Santa Claus like Goofy, Pete makes fun of this and mocks Max for having the Goof gene.  

“(laugh) Like father , like Goof. Kid’s got the Goof gene coursin through his bloodstream.” - Pete

So for most of Max’s life he has received negative remarks from being Goofy’s son and for being a Goof in general.  

It’s why as a teenager in 'A Goofy Movie'  , he has a nightmare of becoming a spitting image of his dad and why Max is self conscious of having the same laugh as him.

To Max, he's scared that being anything like his dad will make him unliked and ostracized, hence why he hides his laugh and runs away from Roxanne when she hears it for the first time. 

Max wanting a fresh start at College 

In AEGM Max thinks going to College will allow him more independence and that he will no longer have to deal with his dad’s well meaning smothering over him- “Do you realize what going off to college means. No more well-meaning but totally smothering , over protective , doting , ah-yucking dad’s?”. But another reason as to why Max is looking forward to college is so he can have the chance to become popular from winning the X games - “Hey , we have a sure fire way to shoot straight to the top of the freshmen heap. The College X games.”

Due to Max being Goofy’s son in the past , Goofy has been one of the contributing factors as to why Max has been given a negative reputation . So now that Max is going to College where Goofy won't be around anymore , no one will be able to associate Max with Goofy as no one at college will know who Goofy is or that Goofy is his dad. 

To Max , College will be a clean slate where he can have a fresh start without anyone comparing him to his dad and everyone can only judge him based on his own merit. He can just be seen as Max and only Max for a change. 

But when Goofy arrives at College and barges into Max’s class room , Max literally starts freaking out.  He screams out loud at the sight of Goofy.

Starts rubbing his face in a dazed panic saying "oh no" repeatedly to himself.

Then when Goofy spots him , Max grabs and shakes Bobby to kill him as he doesn't want to experience what is happening. 

Goofy then walks over to a panicked looking Max , sits next to him , shows of his afro wig and tells everyone that Max is his son.

This of course makes everyone in the room start to laugh and Max’s expression is of pure horror.

He then screams “NOOOOOOOOO” at the top of his lungs while sitting on top of his desk covering his eyes.

(I know we all say Bradley needs therapy but honestly, Max could probably benefit from some therapy too couldn't he? )  

It’s almost like Max is having a panic attack or going through anxiety, as in this moment Max is worried that he will gain a negative reputation again for being Goofy’s son and will continue to get embarrassed by his antics. 

But there’s nothing Max can do to stop Goofy from attending College now as Goofy needs a degree to get a job. All he can do is tell Goofy that they need some ground rules. First being for Goofy to get rid of his wig as in Max’s words it’s scaring people but really it’s making Max look bad for looking uncool. 

Goofy gets the sense that Max is worried about being at College so tries to assure him that two goofs are better than one but Max isn’t pleased by this and puts more emphasis on their surname Goofs ,  like it's a bad thing. This is either because he doesn't want both of them at college or because Max is starting to associate himself with being a Goof as a bad thing again.  

“I know you're worried it might be hard to get into the swing of things around here. And well, it might be. But I figure two Goofs are better than one.”- Goofy

“Two ‘Goofs’ alright”- Max 

Max being self critical of himself

Due to Max being unpopular and being compared to his dad so negatively , Max tends to self loath on occasion and wishes he could be seen as someone who is cool instead of someone uncool so he can be perceived by everyone more positively. 

‘Queasy Rider ’

After Goofy plays poorly on the video game and knocks over the arcade machines , Goofy takes Max home to make cupcakes. But due to this embarrassing ordeal of looking bad in front of Butch and everyone else , Max thinks he is doomed to be a dweeb. 

“I hear those cupcakes a-callin!”-Goofy

“Doomed to be a dweeb”-Max 

Then once Max is at home , he mopes around in his garage and is self conscious of the fact that he will remain uncool and that this won't ever change. 

“C’mon, Max-o. You can’t hide in your garage forever.”-PJ

“Look,PJ. The world is divided into two groups. The cool guys and everybody else. Butch is cool, I’m everybody else.”- Max  

‘Leader of the Pack’

When Max finds out that his cousin Debbie is going to have his room when she stays over , he complains that it’s bad enough that he's a dweeb due to Duke not letting dweebs in the Behemoth burger restaurant but now he has to suddenly give his room up for one. 

“No. Not bad enough I gotta be a dweeb. Now I gotta give my room to one.”-Max 

‘Talent to the Max’

When Max can’t do any of his magic tricks right , he thinks pretty low of himself and starts to think he's not capable of obtaining fame and fortune for himself.-“No talent , no show. Fame and fortune , yeah right. I can’t even play the harmonica”

‘Educating Goofy’ 

Refers to his life as pathetic. - “Maybe I’m overreacting. Maybe dad’s not intentionally trying to destroy what’s left of my pathetic life.” 

As a kid , Max’s self loathing isn’t too much of a problem as overall he has a confident go get attitude and plenty of spunk. But when Max is a teenager in high school he is seen as more moody by his dad and his self loathing goes up to a whole nother level where he is more critical of himself.  

A Goofy Movie 

When Max waves hi to Roxanne but she doesn't see him , he thinks she saw right through him but doesn't blame her for this as he thinks so low of himself. 

(singing) “She looked right through me! And who could blame her? - Max 

Later in the movie , Max criticizes himself for not being able to talk to Roxanne properly and for laughing like his dad Goofy. Even calls himself a spaz. - “I can’t believe I did that! She finally says "hi" to me and what do I do? I choke! Uhyuck! Like a big spaz!”

Then when Max thinks he messed up his chance to impress Roxanne with his powerline performance , he calls himself a failure and a Loser. - “ I’m a failure, complete loser! My one chance to impress Roxanne and I blew it.”-Max

Max however is successful in getting a date with Roxanne but later on has to cancel due to his dad taking him on a surprise fishing trip. So when Max goes to Roxanne’s house to tell her the bad news, Max once again thinks badly of himself - “You get and cancel your first date in less than an hour. Must be some kind of lame-o record. ” 

Later in the movie when Max and Goofy are at Lester’s Possum Park , Max refers to his life as a living hell but is cut off by the Possum costume guy saying hello before he can say hell. 

“My life’s a living ”- Max

“Hello , little Buddy”-Possum costume guy

AEGM 

When Max doesn't do well at the qualifying rounds, he doesn't think his friends would want him on the team and is self critical that they are starting in last place because of him. 

“You don't want me on the team anyway. I lost at my best event.”-Max

“If I can’t even beat my father. Who is probably the most athletically-challenged man in the universe, how can you expect me to beat the other competitors? We’re starting in last place because of me!”-Max 

Max doesn't like feeling inferior to others 

During the Goof Troop show , A goofy Movie and AEGM , Max has had moments of feelings inferior to others. 

‘Queasy Rider’  

When PJ says Butch is one cool dude for getting the high score on “Wild Rider” , Max feels challenged by this comment to show PJ how much cooler he is compared to Butch -“You wanna see coo-el? Watch me.”-Max 

‘Buddy Building’ 

Leech decides to pick on Max and PJ but they are both saved by Coopy Hatchback. Max thanks Coop but remarks “Not that I couldn't handle a wimp like Leech myself.” Then when Coop and PJ start bodybuilding together , Max is insecure about his own mussels and thinks Coop will replace him as PJ’s best friend if he is not musicalar like Coop - “If I don't grow some muscles fast , I’m gonna lose my best bud.”

‘Educating Goofy’

Due to Pete getting in Max’s head , Max starts to believe that Goofy is trying to ruin his life when Goofy attends his school and starts getting a better life and reputation compared to Max. Here are some examples form the episode.

Goofy gets nominated for student body president. But Max had wanted to get nominated. - “But I was supposed to be nominated.”

Max wanted to join Carlos and Bob’s club but they want to give it to Goofy instead even though they said Max could before.. 

“Ah,Max , we’re gonna ask your old man to join our club.”Bob

“What about me? You said I could join.”-Max

“Uh Sorry Max. But we only have one jacket. Um maybe next year”-Carlos 

Two of Max’s classmates call Goofy cool and make Goofy’s laugh into a Fad. 

“Hey,Max. Your dad’s sure cool. Ah-hyuck!”- Girl 1

“Yeah, totally. Ah-hyuck!”-Girl 2

“What’d you guys say?”-Max 

“It’s a new fad. Have a nice , ah-hyuck day!”-Girl 1

Later PJ knocks on Max’s door and Max assumes he’s there to see him to play Baseball but PJ is there to see Goofy instead. (This part was so out of character for PJ but I’m obligated  to mention it as it was in the episode.)

“Hey, Peej. I'll be right with ya.”-Max

“Yeah,yeah. Whatever. Actually , I’m here to see my best friend.”-PJ

“Huh?”-Max

“Sorry I’m late Peej.Ah-hyuck! Just oiling up my mitt. ( Falls down stairs ) Gawrsh! Must have gone a little too heavy on the 10w-30 Ah-yuck!”-Goofy 

“Yeah, I guess so. Ah-hyuck! See ya , Max”-PJ

( After PJ and Goofy leave) “I thought I was your best friend.”-Max  

Because of all this , Max wants to beat his dad at the spelling bee. - “It’s not fair! Dad’s tryin to ruin me! He’s gettin better grades , gettin better friends! But I’m not goin down without a fight. No siree. Ill beat dad at something.” 

'A Goofy Movie' 

During the assembly , Max see’s Chad asking Roxanne to the party and so Max becomes more nervous before he is about to perform and asks Bobby how it’s going with the equipment as he feels like he's running out of time.

Then later in the movie when Max tries explaining to a disappointed Roxanne why he can’t go with her on their date to the party , Roxanne tells him that she can try and find someone else.

“I’m sure I can find someone else”- Roxanne

“Someone else?” - Max

This in turn devastates Max and so in a panic of not wanting her to go with somebody else, lies about seeing Powerline’s concert in LA instead of going fishing with his dad. 

AEGM - Bradley 

When outside the Gamma Frat house , Max is looking at Bradley in awe with Bobby and PJ. But after Bobby and PJ gush about Bradley being the College X games King , Max looks at them with a frown before responding with a smile by saying - “Yeah , until we take the crown” 

Then during the scene where they are all skateboarding to the bean scene , PJ tells Max - “Cheek it out. Look who’s following us.” After Max see’s that it’s Bradley and the Gamma’s, Max responds with a smile while saying “Let’s just make sure it stays that way” as he wants Bradley and the Gamma’s to keep following him around instead of the other way around. 

Additionally , when Max and Bradley have their conflict in the Bean scene Max proclaims “Then will dethrone you and the Gamma’s your royal lowness. You’d be lucky to even be my towel boy” after Tank tells Max not to forget that Bradley is the King.

In this moment , Max is trying to make himself look better in comparison to Bradley as he is feeling challenged and doesn't want Bradley thinking that he is better than him.    

AEGM - Goofy 

Max doesn't feel like there's enough room for two goofs when Goofy becomes a more popular Skateboarder than him and steals his limelight. Even decides to transfer to a different college as a result of this. 

Max to Goofy before their midterm - “This campus just isn’t big enough for the both of us” 

Max to his friends in the bean scene” - “I’ve decided this school’s only big enough for one Goof. I’m transferring outta here.” Bobby however makes Max come to his senses and continue to compete by making a point that Max will let the people who once cheered for him, cheer for his own dad instead - “You wanna let the crowd who once cheered for you cheer for someone else? Especially when that someone else is your old man!”

It just goes to show that despite Max having such an easy going and cool demeanour that deep down , he is someone who is self conscious about how he is perceived by others and doesn't want to look inferior or be replaced. 

For now this is all I'm going to say about Max until Part 2. I know this was a little angsty and long to read but it will all be relevant and Part 2 and 3 won't be so long compared to part 1.

In Part 2 will be exploring Max's lower class background which will be out tomorrow :)

[whateverisbeautiful]

What a joy and an honor to have loved Richonne's epic love story as hard as we could while we could. 🥹

Richonne means so very much to me and always will. To say their story has impacted my life for the better would honestly be an understatement. Rick and Michonne and their journey together from season 3 to TOWL played a part in keeping me going because life gets hard but the love captured between these characters is such an inspiring light that is exquisite and powerful and worth sticking around to behold.

And while 'it feels like it's ending'…it’s like Michonne said - they don’t die and neither does the love we have for them. We’ll be able to cherish Richonne and every single breathtakingly beautiful moment they gave us always. Richonne are the ones who live, the ones who love like no other, and the ones who will eternally hold a special place in my life.

This one-of-a-kind, out-of-this-world, moving beyond-words love story between profound soulmates Rick and Michonne Grimes - two of the greatest characters in media brought to life by the phenomenal Danai Gurira and Andrew Lincoln, two of the greatest actors in the craft - it lives on forever. And for that, I’m truly thankful. 🤍

Rick and Michonne got their happy ending with their precious children. 😭 They won. We won. 🙌🏽🎉

Also! In honor of that deleted picnic scene, (which I would have loved to see make the final cut) I just thought I'd share my little headcanon ending scene. A few days before the towl finale, I had this vision of a Grimes Family picnic moment being the final shot of the show, but of course, my vision includes a Carl cameo to complete the Grimes Family moment. This is what I had written down and imagine as a day for their family now that they're back together as they're meant to be:

Rick and Michonne have another Family Fun Day picnic with their kids. There’s this calm quiet moment where Judith is snuggled up to Michonne happily reading the book her parents brought home for her on the blanket, RJ is resting with Rick’s arm around him, Michonne is nestled by Rick’s side, and then Rick looks out and sees essentially the spirit of Carl standing from afar. Rick and his son share this warm smile as Carl gives a proud nod signaling this is everything he’s wanted for his dad - to feel safe and happy with their family just like Carl wrote to Rick in his letter.

And then Michonne looks at Rick and asks, “You see something?” And Rick just looks in Michonne’s eyes, smiles at her and says a content, “Yeah” before kissing her - finally seeing and experiencing the family he thought he’d lost for good but they’re all with him now. And then it ends with Richonne doing their signature thing of holding hands while enjoying this hard-earned and much-deserved day of peace with their family.  🥰

That, along with the abundance of golden moments we actually got within this miniseries and the main show, is how I'll forever remember my beloved Richonne and their Grimes family. Resilient love personified. It's been an unforgettable journey and I'm grateful for every part of it. Thank you, Andy & Danai. Thank you, Rick and Michonne. Long Live Richonne. 👑

[cryptidcorners]

Mike Schmidt x Reader Headcanons

= Character: Mike Schmidt

= Media: Movie!Five Nights At Freddie's

= Prompt: N/A

= Description: You and Mike had been dating for several months, which not many knew due to his wishes for privacy. Mike was a shy character, and you didn't expect to wake up in his arms now and then. You had known each other for years, and unlike your past partners, you finally found someone who truly understood you.

= Request: N/A

= Tags: Comfort, Fluff, Slight Angst? Romance, Headcanons, Established Relationship, just Sweet Stuff ! + Reader is Gender Neutral

= Warnings: Mentions of Childhood Trauma & Kidnapping, Mike is incredibly Stressed and Depressed From Work, Nightmares ! + FNAF Movie Spoilers

Despite his fluctuating work-life and raising his sister all on his own, he makes sure to engage with you as much as possible. While Mike can't afford to take you on dates, he spoils you at home and gives you the strongest hospitality anyone can offer. His highlights are hearing about your day, rambling about your interests. He barely thinks about talking about himself (let's be honest, you're all Mike thinks about).

He'd definitely not understand the lore you're fixated on sometimes, but he'll listen regardless.

Painfully shy around you. He gets nervous even asking you for a hug or kiss. Mike hesitates to hold your hand in public or share romantic gestures in fear you'll be disgusted by his lack of experience for affection. He's always delighted (and relieved) when you melt at the feel of his touch.

Cuddling! God, he loves it. His pills do help him sleep, but you help him relax. Mike prefers spooning you, his arms wrapped around your body is something magical, at least to him. He sleeps much better with you.

Anytime Mike flashes away from his nightmares, it helps him dramatically to wake up to you backed up against his chest. Sometimes he'd lazily wake up, desperate for some type of comfort. A lot of mornings were encouragement and warm hugs, which was more than another for both of you.

Mike is very clingy. Due to his trauma of Garett being kidnapped at a young age, he gets incredibly worried when you're gone for too long, especially if you're late.

So damn awkward when he's meeting and/or visiting people you know. Mike cannot socialize with anybody for the life of him. He doesn't bother telling you though. As long as you're enjoying yourself, he'll bare whatever is bothering him if it means seeing you this way.

Very protective. If he ever sees anybody making you uncomfortable (or if he even thinks so) Mike goes ballistic. Sometimes restoring to violence depending on how severe it is. He definitely feels bad afterwards, especially due to embarrassing you like that.

Will intentionally wear shirts/sweaters you like. Mike craves your validation, and loves the feeling of you complimenting him. (Give him a hug, please!) + Gets weak when you fix his tie or adjust his shirt collars.

Marking! Marking! Marking! (Giving + Receiving), I definitely see Mike giggling as he's kissing you or being kissed. His laugh is definitely infectious, and charming to see.

Loves it when you play with his hair, especially when you're cuddling. Slipping your fingers through his curls drives him crazy and makes him melt.

Mike definitely loves pet names, but I imagine he'd love your name much more. He holds it as stronger than any title ever. For him, personally he'd take whatever you call him, Mike is sweet like that.

You cannot tell me that you playing/interacting with Abby destroys his heart (in a good way). Seeing you as a parental figure to her makes him so happy, I bet he cries in joy thinking about it.

Sometimes he's so stressed from work to the point he'll fall into your arms for comfort in an attempt to channel his internal hardships.

Mike is definitely the sweetest kisser ever, not very experienced but he still gives you butterflies. Will hold you every time you kiss, making you feel secure every time. Even if it's a light peck, his hands will either be wrapped around your back, briefly caressing your sides or tight on your shoulders.

Speaking of kisses, he 100% gets lightheaded after them and giggles like a teenager after.

Uses his puppy-dog eyes a lot, even without realizing it.

Says "please" + "sorry" way too much. Absolute sweetheart.

Wears those goofy aprons when he cooks, he doesn't know you think it's cute/funny. Mike likes them way too much.

Hates public areas so much, prefers peaceful walks where it's quiet. Loud noises stresses him out.

Mike cannot tell sarcasm, info dumps or complicated jokes. He'd either just tilt his head in confusion or giggle in an attempt to make it look he understood.

Feels so guilty when you give him money or gifts and he can't repay it. Mike is a giver !

Such a comforter, he'll always listen to you vent, even if he's dead tired from his job. Bet Mike would hold you tightly, telling you everything will be okay.

Mike is pretty private about his feelings, especially his trauma. He's more focused on you on anything !

Loves you more than anything, would 100% run across a haunted pizzeria fatally injured for you in a heartbeat.

[buckevantommy]

As is the case with so much of media nowadays, when those in creative power lose their way and no longer do the characters or stories justice, or other powers interfere with the intended creative vision which results in something truly wasteful, fans are too often let down by shows they've fallen in love with and take great comfort in.

Fictional media is meant to be for the audience, which means for the characters, which doesn't mean for the meddling of tptb who think futzing with the script will make them more money or garner certain sponsors or not piss off a certain demographic (this is mostly a usamerican issue, obvs), or even for the creative minds behind the scenes who choose adventures on a whim without sense or reason other than shock-value, and who all the while are flippant with and dismissive of intriguing plot points and significant details because narrative cohesion means less than playing out their personal wayward fantasies on-screen.

Obviously, I'm bitter about this. I come from Supernatural fandom so I've experienced some of the worst of this shit.

But I'm not here to rant about all that. I'm just here to say:

When media lets you down - because the people behind the stories let down their characters for whatever reason - one thing will always remain true: fanfic will save you.

When a story no longer brings me joy I turn to fic to fix things, to find the stories that should've been put on-screen. It's not all gay porn on ao3 (though thankfully we do have that), it's fixing what should never have been broken in the first place. Yes, there are many new adventures to explore with AUs and the like, but there's something so special about taking canon and undoing the parts that caused damage to the characters and to their stories and in so doing caused damage to the audience, and setting things right - like setting a broken bone so it can heal properly without the festering pain of a carelessly bandaged break inflicted by being shoved from a height onto hard unforgiving ground without a care and with the insane expectance that things would carry on as they always had pre-break.

All this to say: it seems I've fallen for another show with an ensemble of characters whom I adore - and who are being repeatedly shoved off a ledge and left to bare wounds that viewers feel in their hearts and minds even as the characters are forced not to acknowledge these injuries and pretend everything is fine while redirecting focus and plot elsewhere.

So: I won't continue watching. But I will continue reading, and creating, and relishing the safe space that fandom fosters, especially when those who brought these stories to life won't.

Thankyou fandom. Thankyou fanfiction. 😌🫶🫂

[ordinaryschmuck]

Inside Out 2 is More Emotional and More Impactful

Gonna be honest, I wasn't PUMPED for Inside Out 2. I wasn't AGAINST seeing it and it WAS a sequel I was sure could work. As we grow up, are emotions become more complex as new challenges arrive in life as WE grow up. Yeah, the Puberty Alarm could have started and ended as a gag that didn't NEED to go anywhere, but it would have been welcomed if it did. So I could tell that it would have worked...but given the rough year Disney had in 2023 and how they continue to make weird decisions like this?

Yeah, it didn't really encourage me to be on the movie's good side. But my mom wanted to see it and I couldn't say no because it's been a while since WE'VE seen a movie together. So we went out, watched it, and...my goodness gracious, do I LOVE this movie.

There ARE some sequel rehashing, which really is what stops this movie from being a truly great sequel. Emotions are once again shoved out of headquarters while ones people perceive as "bad" are struggling to control Riley and give her the best possible life. HOWEVER, they DO mix things up.

Firstly, the humor feels stronger than the first. The banter with the Emotions are as great as ever, with the newcomers adding some great jokes and dynamics. It cracked me up with how much Fear thirsted over Anxiety, which makes way too much sense. And there's still all the jokes about the mindscape and all that happens when a teen hits puberty. The scene in Riley's Secrets Vault is filled with jokes that cracked me up to no end, with these two 2D characters having the best jokes in the entire movie. I really wish they were in it more.

As for the animation, it, as always, improved from the last film. Pixar once more proves that they can top themselves with more details, fluidity, expressions, and even experimentation. Like I said, there's this 2D character, and they come with 2D props that the 3D characters interact with. And I love how cartoonish the Emotions look or move, creating great juxtaposition with the more realistic yet semi-stylized world Riley lives in. It's part of what I loved about the first movie, and it feels stronger here.

And while there ARE some rehashes, the movie carries on some things from the last in a GOOD way. Joy remembers her lesson about how there's no bad emotions, and tries to greet the newcomers with open arms and optimism. Only to be met with Anxiety, who brilliantly acts as a negative mirror to Joy and how she acted in the last film. Anxiety wants to help Riley HER way, taking charge and pushing away or neglecting other emotions to make Riley's life fit her idea of "better." It shows what COULD have happened if Joy never learned the importance of Sadness or the others, which is actually a smart way to go about these characters. And, yeah, there is ANOTHER rehash with Joy doing something in the last movie to learn the big lesson, but it IS necessary for her to learn how to properly confront, and even help, Anxiety.

And then we get to that ONE scene. You'll know it when you see it. It's a scene where it shows what happens when we let Anxiety consume us. A scene...that makes me want to go back to this for a second:

When I was watching that scene, it made me felt seen, almost like the movie was talking directly at ME. Because I've experienced the EXACT emotions that THAT scene conveys. Hell, I've experienced them recently, as I cried at work THREE times because anxiety took over for too long. Others might have had an experience like that, but it's something I'VE felt and I don't know if it's exactly common enough for EVERYONE to experience. That's what you take away when you ignore a director's catharsis for the sake of making a fifth fucking TOY STORY!

You miss reaching out to people who experienced certain things in certain ways and giving something to point to when someone asks "What's wrong?" Another example is Ratatouille, which perfectly captures the love of creation and art, all through a rat that controls a human as a puppet. It enacts an experience or emotions that a specific kind of people can appreciate, just through a story that's fun and enjoyable through all. Turning Red is about a teen trying to stand up to her mom, but that teen also turns into a giant red panda. Luca is about a boy discovering himself during a summer, but through two fish-boys who just want to buy a vespa. And Inside Out 2 is about how our own self-perception can destroy us and that change is good, but it uses silly emotions going on an adventure in the brain.

Inside Out 2 is GREAT. I'm not even going to dignify the question of whether or not it's better than the first one with a response. I'll just say that it improves on a lot of things despite it still redoing SOME aspects. But with its strong themes and fun new characters, it leads to a sequel more emotional and more impactful. Watch it if you haven't (though, box office numbers suggest you already HAVE), because it'll definitely make you feel things.

[i-spy-a-star]

Stream of conciousness musings after seing TADC episode 4. Spoilers for everything so far I guess. Sorry for any typos.

I absolutely love how the show recontextualises, what in a less thought out and more mean spirited show would be nothing more than cartoony physical gags, into meaningful representations of the personal struggles the characters are going through.

Kingers seemingly random bout of lucidity when under the bucket in episode 2. And him glowing when holding his breath being unceramoniously listed as his variant of a digital quirk everyone has a version of. Zoobles body parts being swapped out every episode. Gangles comedy mask breaking resulting in her experiencing a completely different, and more saddened/stressed mood.

Kingers atributes allow for some beautiful imagery, with him both metaphorically and literally being Pomnis guiding light out of hell, with the bittersweet knowledge that him doing this (not thinking and giving off light) doom him to forget the time they shared together.

Zooble is trapped in a cruel irony of being able to literally swap parts of their body to address their gender/body disphoria, but still never being able to find what is right for them, despite the seeming abundance of options that Caine assumes they'll be satisfied with.

Gangle's physical masks are also literal emotional/psycological ones, which don't seem to hold up to Jaxs antics. But even with a stronger mask, position of authority, and a physically larger sillouette granted by the uniform, she still doesn't feel liked, respected, or truly happy. And the brief moment of unmasked joy gets cut short, bring her back to the unhappy unmasked frail form we are used to seeing her with.

All of this is quite obvious when looking at the episodes that focus on each character, but it would have taken a lot of planning, thought, and effort on the writers part to have all this be evident and consistant, and I love it. These characters have always been complex and it's so obvious in hindsight. (Or maybe everyone already figured it out beforehand and I'm just bad at reading them) And all this in so few episodes.

It makes me wonder what the rest of the characters are going through and how their designs and quirks represent it. Can we figure it all out before it is explicitly revealed? Like, Ragatha is a ragdoll. And across the episodes she experiences physical pain (being glitched by abstracted kaufmo, and being thrown in a deep fryer) and in both cases, no one actually tries to help her for prolonged periods of time. But being impaled/stabbed seems to not hurt her (or at least she doesn't obviously show it), and seems to be a reoccouring motif (It's in ep 2, 2-3 times though I think that also happens to kinger once and it did hurt him? in her merch and in the character intro video) Honestly I was hoping I'd figure something out while typing but I'm all out of ideas. I feel like theres a connection? Maybe? It seems to be a consistant theme at least? Ragdolling in videogame terms involves being physically thrown around? Someone theorise for me!

[kendallville]

incredibly hot (well, maybe not amongst Jeremy fans but OH WELL lemme preach to the choir) take but: i find the way Jeremy is talked about his ex Succession co-stars these days so very obnoxious. Why should we or anyone care about his "method"? I watch him act fantastically on my tv screen, that alone is a joy for me, and his interviews show he cares a lot about his craft. To be too cool for school and shrug everything off is also its own method actors go about what they do - and lemme tell you, I find that so much more embarrassing than someone who might use flowery language, quote European intellectuals, and perhaps do like hearing themselves talk - the latter is pretty universal.

As a whole, idc if an actor is annoying in that sense, because I don't have to coexist with them (besides, I do know people who are indeed annoying in that way - some of them are my friends). Do they entertain me, cause me to feel emotion, will I be in awe when watching them work? If the answer to all of that is yes, then I like the actor. As long as they're not confirmed to be harrassing their castmates (or anyone at all), a creep who endangers them, or a genuine bigot, I truly DGAF. Unlike Brian Cox, apparently, who openly backs actors known to be domestic abusers and/or rapists. Plus, can't recall the last time various people have roasted Daniel Day-Lewis like that over his method... 🤔 (also: I could die very happily if I never have to hear that goddamned Laurence Olivier quote to Dustin Hoffman ever again)

Kieran's cheap shots also didn't exactly endear me to him - even though I think he's a great actor and I will see A Real Pain when it comes out in theatres here. But hm, let's just say that I am actively rooting for him to lose when he goes up against Jeremy in the Best Supporting Actor category and to also lose as Best Leading Actor if he ends up in that category when Jeremy loses in Best Supporting.

Yes, this is petty but [shrugs]

Sorry for leaving a rant in your askbox LOL ❤️

Thank you so much for that ask! I totally agree with everything you wrote.

For me one thing is true - when I watched second season of Succession, there was something in Kendall that tore me apart. I really felt his emotions and I haven't experienced that ever before watching TV show. It was so surprising, but also excilariting. Someone my age suddenly being floored by watching some rich guy mope around.

And then, later, I learned how Jeremy Strong has approached creating Kendall's character. It became clear to me that the realness of the emotions came from a very deep place of the actor, the person. To think that someone was ready to go that far for the role (he said it led him to some very dark places and that he has lost feeling of joy) makes you look at the whole craft differently.

I love how serious and thoughtful he is in describing his work, it's something so rare these days. Jeremy always says that you need to be brave and do things that scare you, and that's how he lives, and it's very inspiring.

I also agree that Kieran acts like he's just a guy who comes to do "whatever", and it's actually ironic, because from what he describes he does a lot of things similarly to Jeremy - he didn't want to rehearse in A Real Pain and he mentions that he let the Benji character act out, like he didn't know what would happen, how he would behave. That's exactly what Jeremy did while filming Succession.

It's clear that someone's process might be difficult for other actors, but from what I gather, Jeremy mostly kept to himself and was isolating, so I don't think it was such a big burden for them, other than a fact that it probably created tensed atmosphere, but on the other hand - Kieran and Sarah are best buds (she's a godmother of one of his kids) and Brian talks fondly of both of them, so they're good. The only one left out is Jeremy (not counting Alan Ruck, sorry Con), that's the choice he made and he seems to accept it.

For me the best proof of Jeremy's grace and thoughtfulness is the fact that he never reacted to Brian Cox's cheap shots; he literally said that he admires him when asked about his comments.

As to the awards, I watched A Real Pain and it's a good movie, but as a Succession freak I must say that Kieran performed Benji character in a very similar way to how he portrayed Roman, this guy is just more open about his feelings. I'm surprised it wasn't noted in any reviews, but maybe it's just me. I think Kieran might win with Jeremy because he's more liked in the industry, but for me, trying to be as objective as I can, the performance of Jeremy in 'The Apprentice' is just leaps and bounds superior to that of Kieran's in 'A Real Pain'.