#i want him to harbinge my doom

[mxmollusca]

I am having an anaphylactic reaction to these photos of Rhys at the GLAAD Awards. He looks like Mothman.

Sexy, sexy Mothman.

[licorishh]

*FONTAINE SPOILERS*

Y'all laugh at the fact that Tartaglia randomly falling into the Abyss one day as a kid ended up being the catalyst for Fontaine's eventual predicted destruction but all this means is that from the start Tartaglia was intended to fall into the Abyss and become a Harbinger and thus has always been doomed by the narrative

[imminent-danger-came]

listened to monster from frozen the musical today and had so many mk thoughts. literally “is the thing they see, the thing i have to be.”

^me rn. like this is me a lot of the time but also rn

I'm making my world colder How long can it survive? Is everyone in danger as long as I'm alive? Was I a monster from the start? How did I end up with this frozen heart? Bringing destruction to the stage Caught in a war that I never meant to wage

[anantaru]

・✶ ｡ synopsis — fucking your enemy doesn't really sound like a good plan or wait, maybe it does! <3

warnings — enemies to lovers, fingering, playful childe, fem! reader

childe always approaches you with that damn smirk on his face, his gaze intense and unwavering, a sprinkle of confidence playing on his lips.

the harbinger had always been your enemy, the embodiment of danger and excitement, and despite the many battles the both of you had fought, you couldn't lie to yourself but admit that there was an undeniable pull between you— a connection you refused to acknowledge, even to yourself at times.

"ah, you fought well today," childe's was barely out of breath as he throws his hands up in the air to feign defeat, his voice low and husky, a dangerous edge to his tone, "but you're not as strong as you think you are, heh."

without batting your lashes, you glare back at him with your body tense of anger, every single nerve inside on edge, "—and you're still as arrogant as ever, childe."

fuck, how much he adored it whenever you showed him a little of your sweet temper, it's a little salty too but he doesn't mind that— in fact, it gets him going and arouses something deep below.

naturally his smirk widens the moment you say it, his eyes darkening with something far more primal that he'd originally let on, "me? arrogant? oh am i? or am i just confident?"

you roll your eyes and before you could even find a good enough response, he instantly closes the distance between you in a swift stride— without haste, folding your spirit in half with his presence becoming overwhelming.

in an attempt to turn around and leave his hand grabs towards your arm, gripping your wrist with a surprising gentleness that was never experienced before by you, yet with the strength you've known far too well, one that left no room for escape.

"you think you can hide it from me? i can see it in your eyes, you know," he murmurs underneath his heightened breathing, slanting towards your face closer and closer until you could feel his warm breath against your ear, "the way you look at me, you see? the way your body reacts when I'm near like that— ugh, you're so shy, but I know you've been dreaming about this, as have i, or haven’t you?"

your heart races at the absurdity in his sentence— or was there even a sprinkle of a lie inside of it? how long until you cannot run from the feelings you harbored for him anymore? or was it simply lust that kept the drive inside of yourself working.

a mixture of fear yet also excitement floods your senses— you really wanted to deny it, to push him away, but the truth was, his words struck a deep chord within you, you're doomed and yes, in fact, you had dreams about him— of feeling him inside you, feeling his cock twitch and thicken while he's grinding himself in you, fucking your tight cunt as the fantasies of surrendering to the raw, forbidden desire consumed you.

you knew he must be good in bed, amazing even, there was no chance in hell that he wasn't with that striking personality of his.

"cut the crap childe, i don't know what you're talking about," you stammer back, but my dear, don't you hear? your voice betrayed you just this second, right in front of his eyes as you began to tremble with the weight of your secret longing dying to be set free.

"oh? but i think you do," he whispers before saying your name so sensually that it felt like someone's set your body on fire.

the man continues as his lips brush against the sensitive skin of your neck;

"you've wanted this for so long, right? this—"

and before you could muster a response, his mouth claims yours in a searing kiss that made your brain rewire, the touch of his lips strong and ruthless as one hand slid up to cup the back of your head, holding you firmly in place.

you weren't surprised by how childe kissed you, in fact, you imagined how it felt like— granted, it was better than you originally fantasized.

the kiss was rough, as if he was looking for an answer, and it shattered the last bit of your very resistance as you kissed him back with equal fervor, your body igniting with a fire you had tried so hard to suppress— yet, was it actually bad that you went against your own beliefs? just this once?

of course, you both were on different sides, supporting different agendas but this— fuck, this, it felt so good, why was the darkness childe expelled so mesmerizing? like biting into a poised apple and still relishing in getting tainted?

the harbingers hands roamed over your body, exploring, claiming, as if he had every right to do this and his touch was electric, sending shivers down your spine before he pushed you against the cold stone wall, the contrast between the cool surface and his heated skin only heightening your needful senses.

although before going further, he abruptly stopped the kiss, at last lapping across your bottom lip and seeking your gaze, "tell me you want this, i need this," he growls against your lips, his hands gripping your hips with a bruising energy, "tell me you've dreamed of this moment too."

you close your eyes and take a deep breath, a shaky whimper escaping your lips as you felt the grip on you tighten. each one of his touch, his breath hitting your skin and his words played into your beating heart and you couldn't, you just weren't able to stop your body from liking this.

your back arches a little as to show him without words, without needing to admit it— right now, you weren't sure if you could ever say it out loud.

like snowfall, his touch was cold, but it felt oddly comforting.

but you let him move forward as one hand slips beneath your clothes, finding your wetness between your thighs, your folds messed up and puffy for him. "childe i— i... i want this too," you admit against your own volition, the words tumbling out before you could even stop them, "i’ve dreamed of you, childe, maybe..."

you got him now— or, does he have you wrapped around his finger instead? regardless, his eyes blaze with a glistening triumph hanging over his irises as he captures your lips again.

he begins slowly, his fingers working around your hole with expert precision, circling your entrance and collecting your slick with such precision which you originally only knew of his ways of fighting as he coaxes out every inch of your pleasure.

you're writhing and hiding your moans into his chest, the volume of your whimpers growing when he pokes one finger in.

with a growl, he rips your shirt aside to expose your breasts, the fabric tearing in his haste— and before you knew it, his own jacket followed as you helped discard them quickly.

"look at me," he commands, "feel how i touch you there," as his voice resembles a rough whisper.,"i want to see the look in your eyes when i touch and touch you,"

you obeyed, meeting his gaze, your breath hitching as he thrusts one finger into you with a single, powerful flick forward.

the sensation was immediately overwhelming, not due to the fact that he was beginning to stimulate your hole with fast thrusts of his digit fucking in and out of you but the sole thought of childe doing it was the final nail in the coffin.

your heart was beginning to hurt from riding his fingers, furiously rattling against your ribcage as you threw out the last amount of dignity you had inside your body, becoming one with the movements of his hand before starting to seek it.

his wet tongue drags from your neck towards your collar bones before reaching your nipples, immediately taking one in his mouth as the heel of his hand began to press into your clit painfully hard, the feeling only multiplying when you shoved yourself into it more, better and deeper, until your body flashes you with a heat you cannot escape.

one more finger, more, and each pump turned rougher and moredemanding with the pace of his hand being relentless, cruel as you almost climaxed by just looking at him— how his wet lips left a trail of saliva on your slicked chest and ugh, that delirious glimmer in his eyes. 

childe truly likes the feeling of you clenching around his knuckles, he might become addicted to it, and he believes he'd actually die a happy man if he'd be able to feel you squeeze around his thick cock like that.

but you have to do it just like that, with your pussy drooling over his desperately and touch depraved, so he could taste you right after, yeah? have you all around his tongue.

he's not sure if he can even fit inside, ah, how excited he gets when he imagines your eyes glow and turn all big and pretty when he lets you see him from below his clothes— he knows for a fact he will make it fit.

©2024 anantaru do not repost, copy, translate, modify

[skylarksof]

No offense but who is going to pine after me until I ask them to help me cheat on a test, which lands us in trouble and also leads to us becoming study buddies and striking up a bond, but somehow we end up accidentally killing the school bully when all we wanted to do was prank him and he comes back to haunt us as a vengeful ghost, so we have to summon chaotic eldritch gods who promise to get rid of him but only if I kill you, so I almost kill you but a nerdy prude fucks the ghostified bully so then I don’t have to, then we go to homecoming together and have a great time even though your two best friends and my dad are dead and the nerdy prude has become a harbinger of doom for the gods? Serious inquiries only

[thewertsearch]

ERIDAN: fight him ERIDAN: are you fuckin nuts ERIDAN: i slaughtered enough angels to knoww my limits and wwhere i stand against the lord of all angels they prophecized

If angels really do ‘usher in the end’, then the Lord Of All Angels would likely usher in a particularly dramatic ending.

Sounds like Perfect Jack to me. He literally has feathery wings, and he’s the harbinger of this session’s ultimate demise.

As a First Guardian, if he turned his attention to ending a game of Sburb, he wouldn’t just erase your save – he’d likely break your console. Maybe he's not just the harbinger, but the mechanism of the troll session's ultimate end - the reason it eventually turns to static.

ERIDAN: of course im not gonna fight him i stand no chance in hell against that guy ERIDAN: im goin to join him […] ERIDAN: and youre gonna join me in joinin him too fef come on lets go

Sigh.

Fine, I’ll bite. Eridan, what the fuck are you doing?

ERIDAN: as the prince of hope im uniquely qualified to recognize wwhen all hope is lost ERIDAN: and im tellin you there is no hope not evven a little bit ERIDAN: only thing left to do is servve him and hope he spares us

And, Mr Ampora, would you care to show the class your evidence that Jack 'spares' people?

I think, at this point, it's safe to say that Eridan's snapped.

The trolls have been stuck inside a rock for hours, hiding from an invincible threat that they don't really understand. They're all aware that they could die at any moment, and are surely living off adrenaline and cortisol at this point. Most of them can't even sleep, because the Furthest Ring just makes their headaches worse.

These kids have been pushed to breaking point. Vriska has already lost it, and now Eridan's following suit. He wants an end to this, especially even if it means betraying his stinky lowblood allies.

And this is not going to end well for him.

Frankly, I don’t even think he's going to make it off the meteor. He's made the mistake of trying to recruit Feferi – somehow he’s actually deluded enough to think she’d join him – and now that he's revealed his plan, he’s going to be up against the entire meteor, or at least the trolls savvy enough to realize he’s dooming them all.

I have a lot of questions about his Hope wand, but one thing’s for sure – it can’t beat everyone. At best, he'll be imprisoned, because Karkat wouldn't want him killed, but if he throws hands with, say, Vriska, he's going to be reduced to a purple smear on the wall.

[mukimokai]

okay no cuz why is every kinich ship valid smh

TW: LONG ASS RAMBLING BUT FUNNY SILLY CUTSIE I PROMISE

kinlani is kinlani. like omg have you seen them: sunshine social butterfly girlfriend and her introverted moon boyfriend that she loves unconditionally. And it's a new concept for her once abused boyfriend who thinks everything comes at a cost: who gets confused when Mualani just loves him without asking for anything in return and he just loves it so much it makes him weak for her; he'd do anything for her without asking for payment like he does with anyone else because she helped him heal and she's his darling little wife who he'd do anything for.

ajawnich (ajaw with the ability to go into human form because seriously. we NEED human ajaw in more ways than one) is your typical doomed mortal x immortal tragedy in which a dragon who is new to human emotions and thinks lowly of humans slowly starts to understand humanity over the years with his infuriating yet kind human companion. Both are emotionally constipated fools; Ajaw pining like a lovesick idiot because he's supposed to hate his companion and want him dead but when that day of death finally comes, Ajaw feels no joy or happiness: just empty as he looks himself in the mirror, touching his face, or, well, Kinich's face.

oronich (idk the ship name, but also it exists lol) is two characters who are seen somewhat as outsiders by their own tribes: Kinich, while loved by most of the children, has a negative reputation for his job while Ororon is seen as a problem child and cast out of society. The two ostracised characters coming together in a doomed "we're kinda similar, aren't we?" Eddie Munson and Chrissy Cunningham style (from stranger things, sorry chat) and forming an unexpected yet wholesome and definitely welcome bond with each other (they'd tend to their garden together).

lynich (a rarepair!! a popular rarepair is a miracle honestly) is two traumatized boys, the flirt and the flustered. One who speaks the truth outright, and one who's every word is a lie. One who thinks everything comes at a price, and one who thinks everything is a trick. When Lyney tells Kinich about his connections with the Fatui, Kinich isn't mad, surprised, but not mad. How could he be? When he knows why Lyney joined? He accepts him with open arms, Weighing the costs, befriending a member of the Fatui would most likely leave him out of their shadier affairs since Lyney would never harm him, right? Right. Even when Lyney succeeds Arlecchino, Even when he becomes a harbinger, even after everything: they're together, despite all the complications there are.

basically yeah. every kinich ship is valid rn. those are the popular ones at least-(ororon and kinich is not popular but it has more content than any others I've seen and ppl actually talked abt it at one point so it's being included)

citlali and kinich is being excluded bcz that's p3d0philia: fanbase, that was your lesson for shipping characters before we even know anything about them/before they're even released smh (/lh lololol)

-

to my unfortunate realization: kinlani is poppy and branch smh (singing killed his father and made his mother run away, okay). They're basically every cliche quiet boy and cliche loud girl duo ever in history and they have that absolutely based opposite aesthetic duo vibe going on and it's wonderful i love them to bits and pieces chat.

-

ajawnich is princess and the frog in which ajaw turns into a pixel dragon instead of a frog, or beauty and the beast in which ajaw's seal is the rose curse thingie, or both. or fluttercord, cant forget fluttercord. or billford, cant forget billford either. take your pick with them honestly.

-

oronich is chrissy and eddie, could also see it being christine and raoul from phantom of the opera in which ajaw is the phantom, kinich is christine, and ororon is raoul.

(wait that's genius, im a fucking genius chat. someone make that an AU and credit me right NEEEEOW.)

-

and lynich is kinda just there i dont really know anything else to compare it to but it's giving that one scene in tom and jerry where it's like: "I love you. *smothers in kisses* Why, you set my soul on fire. *smothers in kisses* It is not just a little spark. It is a flame; a big roaring flame. I can feel it now *smothers in kisses*" (the person doing the kissing and talking is lyney in case you couldn't tell LMAOOAO)

-

anyways yeah

basically kinich harem i guess

i love being a multishipper because i can collect ships like a bitch and fawn over so many a time whenever i want >:3

also i love the whiplash between some of these: like kinlani and oronich were so wholesome and then you have AUGHHGHG angst with lynich and ajawnich smh.

sorry for rambling lmao but yeah

[pachu09]

Spirits of Nature AU

"*He is Harbinger of Doom!.*"

Tobirama snarled in fury as he gestured to his River that was flooded with lava after the Goddamn Volcano erupted.

Hashirama frowns at him even as the Spirit of the Forest watches with dull eyes as his vast jungle was consume with flames.

Thousand of years of nourishing each other and their territories were gone in an instant because of an anomaly.

His river, Anija's Forest and Human's lives are lost...

Just because a Spirit of Volcano had been borne? settled down? between their territories.

Tobirama curled his lips in disgust as he glowered at the Spirit of the Volcano. The Spirit stared at him blankly.

" If you want so badly to remain friends with him then do so....I will never welcome that Spirit in my territory. The moment he step even a foot in my Rivers...I will make sure the Ocean will drown that fucking Volcano even if it kills me. "

Tobirama turns around to leave his Anija with that accursed Spirit. He mentally tried his connection with his Rivers to cool off the lava that was happily lapping away at his clean waters...he sneered in disgust.

He might have to call for the Human's aid to clean the filth out of his waters. The nearest towns would help happily...since they all benefitted from his River Waters.

They surely wouldn't be happy that after the Volcano killed most of their kins they are also threatened with its lava flowing freely onto his Waters....

Tobirama clicked his tongue and dove into his river as soon as his feet touches it. He glared hatefully at the bubbling lava happily covering at least half a portion of his River...

" Just you wait. Your filth will never taint my Rivers again. " he muttered in fury as he carefully avoided the lava and swam underneath the water towards the Human's settlement.

~●~●~

And true to Tobirama's self proclaim promise. He never let the other Spirit near his Rivers again. The Ocean at the end of the Continent they lived in always bubbled angrily ( reflecting Tobirama's anger ) whenever the Spirit of the Volcano skirted around Tobirama's territory. He is always on watch at that menacing Spirit. He never lets his guard down even if he had to also ignore his Brother. He had even stop stepping a foot inside his Anija's forest eversince the dangerous Spirit had befriended his Brother.

He had also branded the Spirit of the Volcano's Brother as a dangerous entity. The Spirit if Lightning is a menacing entity that makes Tobirama feel fear and loathing. It doesn't even help that the other Spirit always repeatedly pokes around his territory. As if by doing so he thinks Tobirama will let him in....

Tobirama had made a quiet vow that he'll never let an Uchiha Spirit pollute his territory ever again....

But that vow was unintentionally broken when Tobirama let a little Uchiha Spirit settle near one of his largest lake...

One day, Tobirama glowered darkly as Uchiha Madara stood outside his lake's boundary.

Uchiha Madara stared darkly back at him. Tobirama plans to again ignore the other Spirit...but the other entity's words made Tobirama instantly pops veins on his forehead.

" I was unfairly banished from your territory. But my littlest kin gets an instant welcome from you...that is hardly fair because there is no difference between us, Senju! "

Tobirama sneered in disgust. " There is a massive difference between the two of you. First of all, Kagami actually asked for a permission to settle in my territory. Second of all, he is just a little geyser....unlike you who looms threateningly all over my territories....and last and most importantly...Kagami is actually cute and a gentle child unlike you who looks like a Brute, acts like a Brute and thinks like a Brute. Go away Uchiha, you will never step foot in my territories ever again, you'll have to kill me first if you want to get in. "

The Spirit of River carefully maintained his disgusted expression while internally he is afraid that Madara will force his way in even with a barrier between them. He narrowed his eyes as Madara casually puts his hand on top of the barrier and spidercracks bloom beneath his palm that glows menacingly....

Tobirama swallowed his fear. He knew he wouldn't last even an hour if he fought the Spirit of the Volcano. But he'd rather be dead than let the other Spirit inside his beloved territories again.

As quick as a wind, Tobirama tensely watched as Madara took off his hand over the weakening barrier....but the other Spirit's smile made ice slide down Tobirama's spine. It is a smile that is threatening and full of unknown promises....

Within a blink, the Spirit of the Volcano disappeared without saying anything more. It baffled and terrified Tobirama for usually the other Spirit harasses him without a rest, usually by screaming his head off or threatening to bust down his barriers. This kind of silence is a new one that brought unknown shivers down his back. It felt like he would be hunted down and what?...Tobirama shakily inhale...no sense in overthinking things...he just needs to repair his barrier and he can hide in the center of territories again to avoid that Brute of a Spirit.

~●~●~

A week later Tobirama watches with terrified eyes as the Volcano erupted again....but this time its deadly ashes, black smoke, giant boulders and burning lava completely swallows his Rivers and lakes ( some of the Human settlements too if the terrified and anguished screams he can hear are actually real ) but surprisingly avoided to destroy any of his Brother's territory.

Tobirama had ignored Kagami's pleas to come with him to safety. He was rooted to his spot as the Spirit of the Volcano emerge from the burning lava that already covered half of one of his favorite lakes.

He stared with terrified eyes as the other Spirit's eerie red red eyes settled on him.

" Won't you let me in now, Senju? "

[ddarker-dreams]

i think Gojo & chrollo are the hardest to score. Gojo is waaay too popular so he has so many option while chrollo is... not mentally well...to say the least lmao

🕵️‍♂️ i've appreciated the input from my fellow terrible men enjoyers. since the poll is almost at its conclusion, i'll go ahead and give my thoughts, ranked from 'ez +1 husband obtained' to 'requires enough effort that i'm disrespecting myself as a woman with how hard i'd have to try.'

chrollo - listen. hear me out on this. is he a criminal? yes. a murderer? yes to that as well. overall terrible person with very little capacity for genuine emotion? absolutely. however! i'm cute. he'd start off by regarding me the same way one does a penguin who keeps tripping over its feet in the zoo. mild endearment and amusement. next, i regale him with my witticisms. they might not all land but the tripping penguin aura will keep him around anyway, if not just to see what nonsense will happen next. then he can hear my major and go :) heh. the rest is history. wedding bells but in minor key to symbolize the impending doom.

scaramouche - the main hurdle to overcome here is the looming threat of disintegration. i'm a very happy-go-lucky person so he'd probably want to strike me with lightning just to ruin my day. the trick here is to catch him when he can't expose his harbinger identity. that'll buy me enough time to win him over, although, whether or not this is a good idea is up for debate. this fella has a lot of insecurities to work through. my extroversion would endanger the local population (and ecosystem).

gojo - i'd probably end up in a similar camp as utahime at first. i'm easily mortified by people who just say whatever comes to mind, i'd find his lack of tact grating. more pressing than that, however, is that since i'm a girl, my chances of surviving in the jjk universe plummet exponentially. i'd get killed off in an unsatisfying way right when my character development started getting interesting. on the 5% chance i survive, we'd have pretty good chemistry because we're both annoying and cannot shut up.

blade - i hate to admit it, but i'm not sure i could pull this one off. my 20 stat in CHA would ricochet off him because there's no way he'd stick around long enough to fall for my charms. if by some miracle i could have a few interactions with him, i'd have to pass the hardest skill check. there's a 99% chance he'd ghost me because he thinks i deserve better than an 800 year old cursed man who is trying his best to die. is he wrong? not really. should i pass the skill check though, it'd be cute. we're complete opposites. i'm always smiling, wearing bright colors (especially pink), have light hair... then there's him. constantly glaring and dressed for a funeral. adorable vibes ngl.

[schraubd]

Resilient Fascism

I still haven't decided if I'm going to do my traditional liveblog of the election. It may just be too stressful. Plus, I have to teach an early-morning class tomorrow, and it would be bad if I stayed up all night tracking election returns (lol, like I have a choice). While we're waiting for results to come in, I want to briefly comment on news abroad -- namely, that Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu has fired his Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant. It is yet another incident of capricious chaos meant to appease Netanyahu's furthest-right base, and is being greeted with yet another round of mass protests throughout Israel. And I can't help but think it is a premonition of what America will be like if Trump wins another term. When I look at what's happening over there, what stands out to me is the resilience of the Israeli government -- and not in a good way. What's been striking about the current Israeli government is not just the blundering into crisis after crisis that has typified its time in office, but how it has managed to survive and endure them while barely budging. It has survived near-constant protests, brutally sagging popularity, a seemingly endless (now two-front!) war, complete abandonment of hostages, regular evidence of widespread corruption, and increasing international isolation, and has through all of it only deepened its commitment to the furthest-right fringes of its governing coalition.  It's not that it's been able to accomplish all its heart's desires (the judicial coup continues to tread water), but it has hunkered itself down and proven nearly impossible to dislodge. Why isn't widespread public rage and scandal enough to bring down the government? Simple: because the people in government know that the minute they dismount the tiger they've been riding, they'll get devoured. So they bound about from desperate move to desperate move, breaking this rule, smashing that norm, all in complete defiance of the popular will, hoping to find a magic bullet that will forestall the inevitable day of reckoning. Chaos, dysfunction, unpopularity, public rage -- even in extreme doses none of it has proven enough to dislodge the authoritarian nightmare once it took root. This isn't an Israel-only story -- I saw someone else making a similar observation about India -- but it is a grim harbinger of what will happen if Trump re-enters office. It was hard enough getting him out of office the first time. The second time around, he'll be even worse. It is beyond obvious he will take extreme, authoritarian measures to protect himself and to hurt his enemies, ones that will prove ruinously unpopular and will prompt widespread public protest. And it won't matter -- even leaving aside the myriad ways our "democratic" institutions do not reflect the democratic will, every incentive of Trump's ruling coalition will be to not respond to popular outrage, to not give an inch, to double-down at every moment. And the evidence from Israel suggests that this is a workable strategy -- when the fascists take power, their power is alarmingly resilient to public fury and terrifyingly immune to public outrage. The first results should start appearing momentarily. I've spent all day on a "doom and bloom" cycle, but at this point we can only watch. I'm praying that America makes the right call, that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth. via The Debate Link https://ift.tt/tx4jSyf

[thewintercorner]

can't remember if i've spread the grasshopper propaganda on tumblr yet but izzy and i talked about them again today and i must share them with the world (and also it is soooo frustrating to me that amidst the lifesteal yuri craze no one has mentioned the doomed yuri that's Right There)

so. squiddo and jumper. squishing them in my hands

the end of s5 means sooo much to me because like. they literally fight to the very end with basically just each other (ash isn't there for enough of it so he doesn't count to me. also the yuri demons ate him) and you want to tell me they're just normal about it?? squiddo obtained god powers and used them (despite being morally fairly neutral about the end of the server!!) to keep jumper alive as long as they possibly could, despite understanding that it probably wouldn't matter. jumper literally put her life in squiddo's hands. can anyone hear me

and from a wider view, they are such a match made in tragedy like. jumper has such strong morals, doesn't forgive particularly easily, doesn't shy away from condemning people and actions just because they're not what she wants/would have done -- and then there's squiddo. moral foggy at best, follows her own whims without any particular moral bent, but agonizingly loyal once she's pledged alliance to someone. jumper takes squiddo's loyalty to pb+j to mean that they're on the same page, that squiddo's doing this for the same reasons she is, and she's not exactly wrong but the full picture doesn't reveal itself until the end. jumper tried to save the server, did everything she did, because she felt it was her moral obligation to, because it would have been an act of monumental apathy to sit back and watch her world die. squiddo did it because they thought the server needed a hero, and they were equipped enough to fill that role. whenever squiddo's squishy morals showed through, it sucked all the air out of the room. there was never an ending where both of them were happy.

it's also such a clash of understanding and naivety. they lived through the same server and yet they see it so differently. jumper has really only ever been on the side of good, but squiddo's been the evil, the apathetic, the hero. squiddo sees the end of the world coming from a mile away and she knows her harbinger's name is wemmbu; she's seen destruction, seen his commitment to it. jumper understands none of it. her only true clash with "evil" was the abyss, and she was able to stop it! her efforts were so much of the reason why the foundation succeeded! so why should this be any different? that was an end of the world, same as this. what makes this so unstoppable? squiddo sees the headlights coming down the road, jumper walks in front of them believing they are not for her, and there is nothing either of them can do to stop death approaching.

yeah. ramble over i think. they were doomed from the start and fought to the end and i think about them every day

[dear--mars]

Bloodthirsty

── Synopsis: "The sun gave earth the most light but the earth is slowly destroying itself." Childe wasn't made for love and he knew this. So why does he keep trying? And why do you keep letting him try? Opening your arms for him to fall into even after everything, showing him such warmth that he thought he could only get from the sun.

── Character: Childe/Tartagliaa/Ajax

── CW: Toixc relationships, fighting, taking it too far.

── Notes: This is my 2nd and LAST birthday post. Enjoy the angst. [angst/slight comfort]

── Word count: 800+ words

Ever since he fell into the abyss, the euphoric feeling and the adrenaline that fighting gave him was one of a kind. As friendly as he seemed to outside people, he couldn’t care less about anyone other than his immediate family. 

He didn’t feel the need to connect with others, they would only get in the way. They don’t get him the way fighting does. Fighting doesn’t need to be logical, it didn’t have feelings he pretended to care about. In the world he was living in, he only needed himself and his own two fists. 

Being one of the Fatui harbingers didn’t help him either. If anything it made him worse. Childe became a slave to the adrenaline and the Tsaritsa took advantage of it, using him as a killing machine. 

But Childe never batted an eye, he knew that the Fatui was using him but it didn’t matter to him. He couldn’t be happier to be fighting and with his position as a harbinger, he gets paid an absurd amount of money for doing something he loves doing. Not to mention he’s able to support his family as an extra bonus.

He’s a family man but at his core, he's no better than a bloodthirsty dog. Someone like him is destined for violence, driven by anger, as he treats the world as if it’s only for conflict.

So what happens when he meets someone with the same kind of bite?

Your relationship with Childe was doomed to fail the moment it started. Both of you were too competitive, wanting to win everything, and treating everything like a competition. 

It was harmless at first. After a defeat, one of you would give a joking glare or side-eye before laughing it off and you’d be in each other’s arms at the end of the day, still madly in love. 

But as his work days get longer and your love fades, your competitions turns into more than just a lover’s quarrel or friendly banter. The two of you can't remember the last time you laughed together. Only screaming, yelling, and genuine arguing. But one day, he crossed a line he could never go back on.

“Well, at least, I didn’t try to kill myself over a minor inconvenience!” He yelled and the room stilled and Childe knew whatever happened after this day, your relationship would never go back to what it was before. 

You stayed silent, only able to hear the sound of your own voice. You bit your lip as anger took over you and you too, crossed the line. “At least I didn't run away from home because I was bored and fall into the abyss as a child and almost die!”

“You’re going there?!”

“Yeah, I am. What are you gonna do!?”

“Big talk coming from someone who almost got sexually assaulted and needed me to save them!”

“You bitch…. I don’t want to hear anything from the Tsaritsa’s lapdog!”

“I enjoy being in the Fatui!”

“I’m sure you do but your family doesn’t. I know you can see it. The way your parents and older siblings look at you, they're afraid of you. Because you're a monster. How are you going to feel when Tonia, Teucer, and Anthon find out who you really are?”

“Don’t spout any bullshit about family to me, when you killed yours with your own hands.”

“That wasn’t me! I was possessed!”

“It doesn’t matter, it was still your body, your hands that killed them. So who’s the real monster?”

“Still you! Can you even call yourself human with that foul legacy transformation of yours? You are the antithesis of what it means to be a human.”

“You know what? I’m with this!”

“Yeah, run away like you always do.”

“No, [Name] I'm serious I'm done with this.”

“So you’re breaking up with me?”

“For a fact, I am!”

“Then just leave!” was the last thing uttered before Childe slammed his hands on the table before storming out of the house. You sighed before running your hand through your hair. You knew he’d be back in a couple of days. This was a routine for you two but now you were doubting if you guys could go back and pretend that nothing happened.

It had been over 5 days and Childe still didn’t come home and you started to think that it was truly the end of your relationship. But you heard the door open, your head shot toward the sound of the door slamming shut. You saw Childe walk in, he looked a bit disheveled, there were clear eye bags and his hair was even more of a mess than it usually was.

We had eye contact and you bit back your usual questions, asking where he was and such. You saw Childe’s shoulder sag a bit before he walked up to you. Your eyes widened when he flopped onto the couch, his head in your lap. It was clear he wasn’t able to get much sleep. 

You let out a sigh before running your fingers through his hair, comforting him. You felt Childe melt at your touch, letting out a small groan as he nuzzled into your lap even further. 

That argument was never brought up ever again…

- Navigation -   - Prismarine -

[yellowymellon]

So threshold 4 cooked me good but on the bright side I got to hear Acheron's sped up skill more than I'd like to admit, she says : "everything will vanish some day"

And that sounds awfully like what a follower of finality would say. So it made me think (again) about Herta who wonders why nanook has to exist when finality already does....

we established that nanook is the youngest aeon but SIKE it's terminus. The logic is very simple, terminus speaks of the prophecy of the end, the doomed world of the future, while traversing the past. It's because nanook's ultimate destruction gave birth to terminus to begin with. I think it's further implied by elegy :

And now the question is, what is this importune slug trying to achieve by going to the past if they're not trying to change the future? I'm glad that even the follower's of finality understand how messy their aeon is and question their actions. But if we take in consideration that finality ascends in the future it answers some of elegy's questions, like "why bring the apocalypse if they want to salvage everything"

If you noticed, unlike other aeons, Finality has never even done anything in the "name" of finality. e.g fuli collecting memories, the propagation propagates, even Qlipoth is doing something no matter how stupid it looks. But time powers? HOW IS THAT FINALITY

Part of the reason I'm a terminus bully

I'm trying to say that terminus isn't the harbinger of the apocalypse, they're a byproduct themselves. So wanting to salvage everything is unrelated.

Elegy also says this :

We can interpret it as: amber to rupture (Qlipoth) immortality to wither (Yaoshi) music to mute (Xipe) light arrows to dim (Lan) Dark sun (IX) tavern (Aha) and lastly Nanook (ty user hereistori for ur help!)

I don't think nanook will single handedly kill every aeon, but this implies that finality will at the end. It's also the reason why the equilibrium won't stop nanook because it's an equal clash between them and finality who already knows what will happen.

Imo terminus isn't necessarily good, I think they just tell the future as a matter of fact and let you deal with it however you wish, in that sense they're even better than nous who has caLcULaTeD eVeRyThiNg (not a nous hater they bbg)

But then elegy says that terminus has TB joining them in their journey soon, which might imply terminus is on our side actually. And since we confirmed that SH follow terminus -even if the database didn't update it yet- I can confidently (and somewhat disappointedly) say that Elio is their emanator. Not only that but the favoritism is real, because terminus is close by his side. Elegy (once again) says the TB received their grace, hmmm, this paragraph points at one thing, remember Kafka's truth? An unknown aeon modified TB's body to host a stellaron. Srsly terminus does everything that isn't finality

You know what will be the craziest paradox tho? It's Elio being terminus pre ascension who went back to give human him the ability to see the future (plays 5D chess). This could also explain why elio is focused on killing nanook when he was basically forced into this role. It explains his motivation and his means + his grand plan of making TB in the likeness of nanook for some reason NO IM NOT CRAZY HEAR ME OU-

I mean it makes more sense than elio is akivili or nanook (those are legit ones, I don't agree with)

Anyway, elegy....says "what is the meaning of our existence if everything is bound to be reduced to nothingness in the end" (you can tell I like her and elio a lot lol *bats my eyes cutely*) which sounds awfully similar to Acheron's. Déjà vu? So how do we explain the connection between finality and nihility ? Idk- if you have any thoughts share them pls! I'm chronically obsessed with IX!!!

At least we know that IX existed before terminus did, and I was just saying that terminus will end nihility, so maybe Acheron's answer lies in finality like ppl speculated at first, interesting don't you think?

I've been thinking that some day PLS I BEG Elio would come in touch with Acheron, if she's able to sever paths, she'll definitely come in handy against nanook.

But I gotta say, terminus is a cruel existence to IX, an aeon that believes that the fate of the universe is nothingness, and is proven right.

Also, an emanator is like a mirror to an aeon, we may be fundamentally misunderstanding smth... finality isn't connected to nihility, but it looks like it because we don't have the full picture. Elio believes the book to end, but for the story to have a million ways to play out. He doesn't refuse finally, nor does he think it's worthless to try. Terminus must be the same, they may have nothing to do with nihility, but I know nihilism to be connected to Finality.

THANKS FOR READING! 💟

[pagesfromthevoid]

A Real Nightmare | a.a. | 3

Astarion x fem!tav

Word Count: 2.3k

Warnings: Brief mentions of sex. A little bit of angst. Mild trauma bonding.

Author's Note: I really did plan on them banging in this part but then I got in my feelings and then....this happened.

Talk to Me! | Series Masterlist | AO3

She jolted awake, the darkness of her surroundings swallowing her confusion. A hand gripped her shoulder, pulling her from the clutches of sleep. Her heart raced as she tried to make sense of it all. This wasn't the familiar touch of Asterion, nor the comforting confines of her camp. Panic clawed at her throat, threatening to choke her.

"You're awake, good," came a voice, gentle yet urgent. It felt like a lifeline in the sea of uncertainty that engulfed her. With trembling hands, she reached out to grasp at the reality slipping through her fingers.

As she struggled to focus, she noticed the figure before her, bathed in an otherworldly glow. His armor gleamed like starlight, and his eyes held a wisdom that seemed to stretch beyond time itself. He was graying around the edges, the only indication of his age. Recognition flickered within her, a memory just out of reach.

"I know your voice," she managed, her voice barely above a whisper. "I've heard it before."

He nodded, a somber acknowledgment passing between them. "We have met," he confirmed, his words carrying the weight of shared history. "More than once."

She tried to piece together the fragments of memory, but slipped through her fingers. Something about a shipwreck, a beach strewn with wreckage and the promise of salvation. His presence felt like a thread connecting her past to her present, weaving a tapestry of destiny.

"We have met," he repeated, drawing her attention back to the present. "But now, I am here to save you again, Tav."

Her name echoed in the caverns of her mind, a beacon in the darkness. She followed him, stepping into a realm that felt both alien and achingly familiar. Reality twisted and contorted around her, a surreal landscape painted with the brushstrokes of possibility.

"Don't worry, love," he reassured, his voice a lifeline in the storm. "You will not become a mind flayer, not while I'm around. I will protect you."

She hesitated, uncertainty gnawing at her resolve. But his hand extended towards her, offering solace amidst the chaos. With trembling fingers, she reached out, her touch igniting a spark of recognition deep within her soul.

"What do you want from me?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"There is a great potential within you," he explained, his words like a guiding light in the darkness. "But you must learn to wield it."

She struggled to comprehend the magnitude of his words, the weight of the future resting upon her shoulders. But before she could protest, he ushered her forward, unveiling a vision of turmoil and strife. Was he truly asking her to accept this parasite writhing in her mind? Promises were meaningless when he wouldn’t even tell her his name. Worthless when she couldn’t even trust her own mind.

"What you see is a fight for the very fate of Faerun," he explained, his voice grave with solemnity. "A fight we are losing—for now."

She watched in silence as spectral beings descended upon a ship, their presence a harbinger of doom. Fear clutched at her heart, threatening to consume her whole.

"You can change that, Tav," he implored, his eyes burning with determination. "But only if you embrace your potential."

She hesitated, the weight of his words settling like a cloak around her shoulders. But as she watched the chaos unfold before her, a fire ignited within her soul. 

"I don't understand," she murmured, her voice barely a whisper.

But before she could seek clarification, he was gone, leaving her alone in the void. Reality shattered around her, fragments of truth swirling like leaves in the wind.

And then, with a gasp, she awoke, the remnants of the vision fading like wisps of smoke. 

Sitting up in her bedroll, Tav took in her surroundings with a sense of disorientation. She wasn't outside by the fire where she fell asleep earlier in the night. Instead, she found herself within the confines of someone's tent. Looking around for a moment, trying to get her bearings straight, she realized it was Astarion's tent that she was occupying now.

Outside, a storm raged on, the sound of rain pounding against the canvas creating a backdrop to her thoughts. She pulled her knees to her chest, noting the scattered belongings and the subtle signs of occupation. Astarion must have brought her inside from the rain, she deduced, her gaze lingering on his wet clothes strewn across the floor. 

Then she noticed her own clothes were on the floor as well and for a moment, she panicked, looking over herself. However, she was dressed –sort of, at least. It was one of Asterion's night shirts –loose and a bit tattered on closer inspection –but dry against her otherwise rain slicked skin. While she wasn’t wearing anything beyond the shirt and her underwear, she wondered why Astarion, of all people, decided to bring her in from the storm.

"Well, well, well," he drawled, his voice dripping with amusement from where he stood perched at the flap of his tent. He wasn't looking at her –instead keeping his eyes out on the storm. Her eyes trailed over the markings on his back, exposed skin raised into scars that covered the entirety of his pale flesh. He had explained them previously, having gone on a bit of a personal tirade about Cazador and the torture forced on Astarion. Tav had listened intently that night –only for him to blow it off like it wasn’t clearly traumatizing for him.  "Someone’s finally awake –I hope whatever dream was keeping you so occupied was worth soaking everything you own.”

“I…yeah, I guess it was,” she managed to say, though she didn’t know how to explain what she had experienced in her dreams. She wondered, momentarily, if any of the others had a similar dream. “Have you tranced tonight, yet?”

Astarion shook his head, finally turning away from the storm to look down at her. “Too much is happening to properly rest, I’m afraid. Perhaps tomorrow. Besides –you are using my bedroll.”

Silence filled the space between them for a beat, with Tav still processing everything that had happened in her dream. His eyes were on her, piercing and analytical, even as he moved through his tent and collected a book from the stack beside her. 

“I didn’t mean to take over your space,” she finally sighed, running a hand through her wet hair. “Thank you for bringing me inside.”

Astarion snatched two of the larger cushions she had been laying on and tossed them to the side, sitting down on them himself. His legs stretched out in front of him, ankles crossed, and he opened the book in his hands, his attention no longer on her.

Then he shrugged nonchalantly, a smirk playing at the corner of his lips as his eyes scanned the pages of his book. "No harm done," he replied, waving one hand dismissively. "Consider it repayment of sorts…for the blood. And besides –I couldn’t bear the idea of drinking from someone ill, Tav. The sickly don’t taste nearly as good as the healthy.”

Stretching her bare legs in front of her once more, Tav raised a brow at him as she tried to read the title of his book. Noble Blood, Common Heart, a silly little romance novel that she had picked up from one of the villages they had traveled through. Most of the books she snagged she simply left in the camp for whoever wanted to read them. Something about Astarion choosing a romance novel was almost funny to her.

“Do you like it?” She asked, motioning to the book in his hands. “I haven’t had a chance to read it yet.”

He glanced over the top of the book, eyeing her closely for a moment before he closed it. “It fills the void.”

“The void of…what, exactly?” 

“Desire, boredom, lust –whatever fits the bill,” he explained simply, returning his attention to the book. Tav’s brows furrowed in thought, trying to understand what in the hells he meant by the comment. He must have sensed her confusion because he drawled out, “Sex, my dear. It fills the void of wanting to have sex.”

At that, she barked out a laugh and looked at him funny. “I can’t imagine any book filling the void of actual intimacy, but to each their own, I suppose.”

Astarion chuckled, a sound that held a hint of mischief. "Ah, but you underestimate the power of literature, my dear Tav," he retorted, a smirk playing at the corner of his lips. "Words have a way of stirring the imagination, igniting passions that transcend the physical realm."

Tav raised an eyebrow, skeptical yet intrigued by his words. "So, you're saying that reading about it is just as satisfying as the real thing?"

He shrugged, his expression unreadable. "Perhaps not quite as satisfying, but it certainly offers a...distraction," he replied cryptically, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

She shook her head, unable to suppress a smile at his audacity. "Well, I suppose everyone has their own way of coping with desire," she conceded, her tone laced with amusement. "Though I’m certain there’s better distractions out here than books.”

“Are there?” He questioned, setting the book down now to finally give his full attention back to her. “Unless you’re suggesting you may be a better distraction.”

“I –what? No, I was just –I meant –,”

“You’re too pretty when you blush, love,” he teased, resting his chin in his hand as he looked her over. “All hot and bothered and I’m not even doing anything to cause it.”

Tav bit her cheek, feeling the heat rushing to her up her chest and to her ears. Astarion was too good at getting her flustered –or hot and bothered as he put it –and he was right. He wasn’t even trying to. Which only frustrated Tav more.

“If you want to have sex with me, you only have to say so,” he continued to tease, brow raised in a way that could only be described as seductive. 

“I don’t want to —I mean, of course I want to, but I don’t want…I just —,” she couldn’t manage to get the words out, embarrassed by the shift in conversation. 

There wasn’t any reason to deny her desires for the spawn in front of her. And it wasn’t as if she was some inexperienced girl; what she lacked in friends in Otherus was made up for in bed mates when she felt inclined. But that didn’t make this conversation any less embarrassing. 

She did want to sleep with him; but she wanted more than that —at least, she thought she did. She liked Astarion for all his flaws, and while she wasn’t in love with him by any means, she could certainly see herself loving him. 

More importantly though, she knew that what he was offering —a tryst in his tent —was his way of repaying her for letting him feed off of her every night. As if he owed her anything for ensuring he was strong enough. And Tav couldn’t bear the thought that he might actually think so lowly of her that all she’d want was sex from him. 

“I do want to sleep with you, Astarion,” she finally admitted, covering her face with her hands for a moment. “What I don’t want is for you to feel like you have to.”

This must have caught the elf off guard, because his brows knitted together in confusion as he sat silently for a few seconds. But his smirk returned —though it wasn’t the same as before. It was timid, not all there. 

“I can assure you, darling, if I didn’t want to —I wouldn’t be offering.”

She eyed him cautiously before finally standing and making her way to his side of the tent. Even with all her caution, she could see his shoulders tensing up as she approached. 

“I don’t want you to want me because you think that’s all I want, Astarion,” she explained, sitting on her knees in front of him. Her hands rested in her lap. “I want you to want me because that’s what you truly want. Not repayment, not obligation —not some trick you think will work on me because I’m naive. Because it is something you want for yourself.”

Astarion opened his mouth to comment, but shut it just as quick. Slowly, he sat up, the facade of the charming rogue slipping just enough that she was able to see the confusion –the fear, really –behind his eyes. While it was easy to assume that everyone she had managed to bring together had some sort of trauma they needed to sort through, something about the way Astarion held himself in this moment said quite a bit.

“You have a choice,” she finally said as he rested on his knees in front of her. “You know what I want –but I can and I will take ‘no’ for an answer if you do not want the same as I do.”

“Why?”

She wasn’t sure he meant to ask that, because his brows knit together and he snapped his mouth shut immediately after asking. But she hesitantly reached out to take his hand. And when he didn’t pull away, she rested her other on top of his, holding it carefully.

“Because we all deserve a choice, Astarion,” she promised, a soft smile tugging at the corner of her lips. “I know what it’s like to lose my choice to say no, and I will never take that from someone else. Even if that someone happens to think he doesn’t have a choice.”

“I…,” Astarion trailed off, resting his free hand over hers now, their hands stacked on one another’s. “I don’t know what to say.”

“I do love when I leave you speechless,” she teased, mimicking his accent dramatically –easing out of the tension that had filled the tent.

Astarion laughed –an actual, proper laugh with a smile that she had never seen on him before –and Tav decided in that moment she would find more ways to bring him little bits of joy.

[p3ta]

gotta send Ryoji Mochizuki

Thanks for the ask! Hope your day's going well, fellow Ryoji enjoyer.

Spoilers below for P2, P3, P4, and P5R.

Send me one of these here!

First, I want to give some thoughts on his character as a whole. For the certain type of character he is (doomed, remorseful harbinger), Ryoji Mochizuki is perfect. I don't think there's a better Persona twist than his reveal as the the Appriser/Death, the thirteenth Arcana Shadow. Just because a twist is easy to see coming doesn't make it less impactful, and I particularly enjoy the way Persona 3 distills information to the player in allotments. Even knowing that, Ryoji managed to surprise me with how much more he was. And fittingly, a lot of Ryoji's characterization bounces back to the P3 Hero, and vice versa.

On top of that, Nyx Avatar is my favorite final boss in the entire Persona series and unsettled me out the first time. I'd still say that Nyx Avatar causes me more fear than the Reaper, who I'd comparatively describe as inciting panic rather than fear.

Ryoji is frequently compared to Kaworu from Neon Genesis Evangelion (NGE), and, well. Yeah. I believe I read that in a developer interview that the P3 dev team deliberately took inspiration from NGE but I'm unable to find a source at hand, so don't quote me on that. Between the two, I prefer Ryoji. He is the strongest out of the character type for me.

favorite thing about them

His layers! Ryoji is one of those late game characters who comes in and recontextualizes all the information you've learned thus far. It's why I love watching the Dictionary update throughout a playthrough. I understand why people are put off by the way he's introduced as a serial flirt, but Reload made it much more textually clear that this isn't his true personality, nor his intentions. Ryoji is proto-Teddie (Japanese Teddie, anyway); a fully formed individual who sprang into existence seeking connection. However, where Teddie's isolation and lack of identity are his defining characteristics, Ryoji's are moored in how connected he is with P3 Hero.

Ryoji ultimately only exists because of that connection, that little bit of humanity he's been given, but that's also what prevents him from being fully human. He's had a role to play since his inception, and he can't avoid that even with his newfound connections.

Ryoji's present throughout the entire story. You've got Pharos at the very beginning with the contract running errands for the Velvet Room (I like it more and more that I think about it. Picture Elizabeth or Igor having to explain to this terrifying child what he has to say. Or maybe he knew what to say all along! He has been waiting ten years), Thanatos tearing himself out of Orpheus (by far the best Persona awakening in the series and a textual highlight for what an alien force he is), and a crucial lynchpin event for Yukari's backstory, Mitsuru's backstory, as well as the crucial event for Aigis and P3 Hero.

There is no version of Persona 3 without Ryoji and I'm all the happier for it. Genuinely, if something's confusing with P3's story, there's 90% chance the answer is Ryoji or one of his many numerous forms. The remaining 10% is the Kirijo Group. That said, we don't get a lot of time with Ryoji. Ultimately, he's a part of P3 Hero and you're left to extrapolate exactly how much of each other you believe they've influenced.

Sogabe, the P3 & P4 mangaka, chose to highlight how similar Ryoji and P3 Hero look. I consider it an essential element of their relationship together.

least favorite thing about them

It'd be cheating to say nothing, wouldn't it? I'd say that his design is easy to mock and hard to get right in fanart. Between Ryoji's forehead and very Axel Kingdom Hearts approach towards long limbs – and legs in specific – the movies did not help with this. I've read reviews saying how the higher budget allowed for the characters to be more consistently on model, and thus look better, but I fervently disagree. That boy is mostly leg. Late 00s and early 10s anime art Looked Like That, though. I'd be lying if I said I didn't have a soft spot for some of it.

But I love how Ryoji looks and wouldn't change it for the world. Silly slick-backed hair boy. It is funny how whenever Persona wants a villain with sympathetic qualities, they slick back the protagonist's hair (Philemon and Maruki come to mind).

Reload fixed ("fixed") this anyway but making him much fluffier in his portraits and giving his skin some color! He's achingly soft in that game.

favorite line

There's many iconic ones I could pick but I'm going to go with a new one from Reload:

It's so small, it's so playful! I like that if you choose to start an exchange he finishes the bit. It says a lot about him in such a succinct way.

Even more so when you consider the reason he came here was for Junpei's sake. Being able to balance joking around while keeping a touch of concern endears me beyond belief. Thank you, Reload.

brOTP

Junpei & Ryoji. It's not even close. This was the one element I was hoping Reload would show more and I was not disappointed! The dynamic is good for a variety of reasons, but chief among them is that despite Junpei's Persona being Magician Arcana, he is not the P3 Hero's Magician Social Link. Junpei is not the male protagonist's best friend. He clearly wants to be, but his frustration is palpable. The P3 Hero is cool, charming, and everything that Junpei plays second fiddle to, but he won't even acknowledge him. But what if there were a more likeable version of the Hero?

Instant friendship. Those two are besties from day one, where Ryoji has all the qualities but none of the knowledge, and so their dynamic is a much more even one. To me, it indicates how well Junpei and the P3 Hero might have gotten along had he not carried Death inside him for ten years. It's a brief window into another world.

There's also the fact that Ryoji, Death, befriends Junpei so close to when Takaya shoots him and he perishes. His character arc is defined by change, this act being what radically transforms his soul, and what's one of the meanings of the Death Tarot? It's like universal foreshadowing. It's funny to me too that the Magician Arcana Shadow is the one Thanatos tore to pieces. Growth for Ryoji too.

As an aside, I miss the dynamic movements from the PS2 cutscenes. Junpei being so quick to drown Ryoji is nowhere comparable to him covering Ryoji's mouth.

OTP

Hmm. This might take a second. I wonder what pairing I might like with Ryoji. Here's an unrelated picture of Messiah:

You know, Messiah is one of those Personas that has only grown on me more as time passes. My favorite of the final protagonist ones, due in part to how you have to fuse him yourself. Orpheus, the starting Persona, combined with the power of Thanatos, the penultimate manifestation of the Death Arcana. They compliment each other beautifully, and regardless of if you the player create him, he is always the true final Persona, the final result of the Judgement Arcana.

They are inevitable.

Of course it's Ryoji and P3 Hero. How could it be anything else? These two make me sick with joy. Death has a clear favorite and in the end, gets to keep him forever.

nOTP

It's funny, because I can't think of any serious pairing with Ryoji that I wouldn't view as a crack ship? I can't see any version of Ryoji with anyone but the P3 Hero nor can I take that relationship seriously. The only other being Ryoji has an established relationship with is Aigis, and that ship comes across as black comedy. I mean, there's also Ryoji and the P3 Heroine, who he is undoubtedly head over heels for, but I see her as heavily preferring Aigis. Oops.

Wait, I did remember one! Ryoji and Junpei! I'll admit, maybe it's the sheer "dudebro" vibe of their relationship, but people pairing these two was not an outcome I expected from Reload. I've seen it enough to know those who like it aren't joking, either.

It's funny, because they're both soul-taken at the tail end of their friendship (Ryoji with P3 Hero and Junpei with Chidori) so I guess I wasn't looking for it? Then again I can't see Junpei Iori kissing a man in general. If there's a Ryoji pairing that isn't my thing, these two are the Most not my thing.

random headcanon

Ryoji memory backfill!

I've seen multiple interpretations for how Ryoji's sudden transfer, housing, and parental situations were never questioned. I like exploring this for myself, especially from Ryoji's perspective. Ryoji fully believes himself to be human until 12/2's Dark Hour. So, how does he reconcile his own situation?

This headcanon states that whenever Ryoji is prompted to answer on where he lives, what he likes, or where he went to school before, he'll often "backfill" what memories he think should be there. If it's something he should reasonably know, it'll be there.

In-game you can see a couple instances of Ryoji being stumped at simple questions, like where his class trip was going to be, but excelling at others, such as when he asks Mitsuru out to a restaurant date. According to the headcanon, he failed the class trip question because it wasn't something he anticipated, but he knew a date location because it was essential to his personality. Ryoji Mochizuki is a hearthrob, it wouldn't make sense if he didn't. So he does.

I like to think Reload Ryoji's phone is another example of this backfill, though this one spills over into material items. Ryoji thinks he should have a phone and knows he should ask for others' numbers, but when he reaches for it on his first day it isn't there.

His inconsistencies are fun.

Rapid fire small ones: his favorite color is blue, he likes sunrises but not sunsets, and he's good with children.

unpopular opinion

This may be the most unpopular opinion I have in general, but I don't believe Ryoji is bisexual. Or rather, I don't necessarily believe he must be bisexual. It's not like I'm trying to shirk representation, but I think there are so many fascinating ways that you can analyze orientation for a character. Same with gender.

Ryoji, through my interpretation, is someone who could only love the protagonist. And it doesn't have to be a sexual kind of love. There's an entire spectrum of identities in our culture that we've labeled for what Ryoji's experiences could be. It brings me joy to be able to think about how – even if Ryoji knew about these identities – he'd define himself. On top of that, would how he define himself be accurate? Would he have misunderstandings about his own identity?

There tends to be a large backlash when someone even suggests a different label for a character with one widely agreed upon, which means my gender and sexuality thoughts stay hidden away. I'm more than aware of those that insist any hint of same-sex attraction is obviously platonic and fans are reading too much into things. I'd never want to take away from an individual identifying with a character for what a fandom settles on calling them.

Though one note: it's interesting to me that from the collective opinion I've seen, people have latched onto bisexual as a label rather than pansexual despite them ostensibly meaning the same thing. Something something changing social climate. Anyway. Play around with character gender and sexuality. It's good for you.

song i associate with them

Auld Lang Syne.

For old acquaintance be forgot

And ne'er brought to mind

Should old acquaintance be forgot

In the days of auld lang syne?

For auld lang syne, my dear

For auld lang syne

We'll drink a cup of kindness yet

For the sake of auld lang syne

-

It's a traditional New Year's celebration song. Auld Lang Syne essentially means "for old time's sake". It originates from a precursor to Scottish, and exists as a fossil word inside this otherwise Standard English prose. I find it sweet how this little, historic piece gets to survive through something that redefines it.

favorite picture of them

Well, that was a lot. If you have a keen eye, you might've already noticed I've been dropping in pictures so I'll keep this part concise.

My favorite pictures of Ryoji are his portraits:

Sweet. Fluffy. Endlessly endeared by the way his hair flairs out. A much clearer heart shape for his face. Perfection. Special mention to his startled expression. His eyes get small and I get happy, simple as that.

Although, I'll never forgive Reload for dropping his Messiah pose:

There's an element to this portrait that's a little more unearthly, but earnest. Visually, his eyes are also a clearer parallel to Aigis's in this version.

Thank you for reading all the way through! And thank you again for the ask. I'm not sure if you were expecting an essay, but I think that about sums it up.

Have a picture of Ryoji nui + charm!

[it-happened-one-fic]

Play the Fool - Dottore (Part 2)

Author's Notes: And so the fic continues to progress far beyond what was planned. At this point I really don't know how many parts this fic will end up having, at least 4.... I do hope everyone can keep enjoying it though. Just like the previous part I listened to "Black Sea" by Natasha Blume while writing this. Reader is gender-neutral. I hope you enjoy!

Type: Mer-Dottore/ Merman AU/ gender-neutral reader/ I'm not gonna label this as fluff since that doesn't feel quite right, but know that it's NOT angst, yandere, or anything like that

Word Count: 1775

Trigger Warning: Discussion of past crimes including murder (Dottore), Fatui are generally shady

{Part 1}, {Part 2: You're Here!}, {Part 3}, {Part 4}, {Part 5}

EDIT: Entire series now available on AO3! (link deleted due to glitches)

Out. Out. Out. The word had rung through my mind in the most unforgiving fashion as Dottore’s red-eyed stare had held my own gaze.

A frown had creased my brows as I’d looked down at him, “Out. You want to get out of this tank or out of this building?”

“Both.” He’d been utterly confident that he could succeed. I could hear it in his voice and see it in his eyes. And that was what had told me something very simple, and that had determined the actions that had led me to this present moment. Musing about my very first interaction with the merman that currently swam through the tank.

“You have a plan,” I’d paused before continuing, crossing my arms in a small show of refusal to be totally overwhelmed by him. “One that involves me.” 

When I’d finished, a purely villainous smile had curved across his face. He’d known his plan would work, which meant he’d known even then that I would agree to take part in it.

That thought was enough to have me frowning yet again in the present. Especially when I recalled the shudder-inducing reply that had rolled off his tongue like the richest of honeys, “Precisely.”

If I’d ever doubted that Dottore was a dangerous man, I certainly didn’t now. Despite all my caution, I’d done exactly what he wanted, and he’d prepared for exactly that. Pointing out that it was a matter of time before the Fatui’s scientists came back to finish the job and kill him off. And where would that leave me?

Jobless, untrained, and knowing far too much about the Fatui’s inner workings to simply be released.

It was either help Dottore or wait until he and I both got killed. One path led to certain doom, and the other could be just as deadly if I didn’t watch my steps very carefully. Dottore was risky, but despite how much I hated it, he was my only chance just as much as I was his.

And so I waited for him to hatch his plot.

It was a simple plan, and I had a simple part to play. But everything hinged on Fatui being foolhardy enough to not catch on to what Dottore was doing.

But thus far, no one had noticed the merman carefully growing algae under the guise of conducting underwater experiments. But I watched. 

Watched as that sickly green slowly began to spread across the tank’s walls with unimpeded growth despite all of the scientists’ best efforts to engineer something to remove it.

It was almost impressive that Dottore was willing to create something that could so destroy his environment and potentially kill him if all didn’t go well, all in the name of getting ‘out.’

I stood as the head scientist, one of the ones who’d originally betrayed the finned harbinger, approached. A deep frown was on the man’s face as he eyed the now disgusting tank that was filled with brackish water and one scheming merman who was already growing sick from his environment.

“Sir, I’m going to have to physically clean the tank or he will die,” I bowed as I spoke. Keeping up the pretense that I knew the exact same amount of information as I’d been giving the day I’d been hired. 

Nothing.

Cold eyes darted to where I stood as the man seemed to register my presence for the first time. But the scientists never had noticed me unless I was intervening to keep another drowning from happening. And I hadn’t done that in quite some time. Not since I'd accepted the deal offered by the finned demon behind me.

“That would require removing him and draining the entire tank, and that is very risky,” There was a sneer to his words as he looked down his nose at me. Obviously not even considering my words, despite the fact he had no other options.

“At this point, it is our only option. Otherwise, we will simply have to leave him be and let Her Majesty, the Tsaritsa’s pet perish without even trying to save him or whatever it is that he may have to offer to the Fatui.” 

It was a leap of faith, but I’d long pondered why they’d kept Dottore around for so long. If they just wanted him dead, they could have killed him long before I’d been hired. The only excuse was if he had or knew something they needed, and that would also explain why so many scientists had so foolishly placed themselves at risk of drowning.

Maybe, just maybe, the merman held the key to something that these scientists and the Fatui as a whole needed.

Incensed by my assertion, the man’s nostrils flared. He was fixing to snap at me. I could see that from a mile away and braced myself for his tempestuous rage. But he didn’t get to say or do anything since someone else joined the conversation.

“Indeed, that wouldn’t do. What would you recommend, caretaker?” Faux politeness dripped from the ninth harbinger’s voice. 

This was the man who hired me in the first place. Regrator was his codename, but he was also called Pantalone. I hadn’t seen him since he’d brought me in and left me here after informing the group of scientists that I would be taking care of Dottore in their stead. To see him now was… Concerning. 

The first time I’d spoken without having been addressed and had asserted a view all my own, a harbinger had appeared. It added new weight to Dottore’s assertion that I would be killed the very moment that I wasn’t of any use. 

“If it pleases you, the tank can be drained so that I can clean it. During that time, a smaller tank that can be moved with more ease could be used to hold the merman.” I spoke carefully, clearly enough to be heard but not so loud that I’d seem outspoken. I needed to appear humble and unassuming if this plot would ever succeed.

“Why a tank that can be moved with ease?” The head scientist jumped on my words in a second, and I fought the urge to cast a glance back towards the mastermind, who’d left the difficult matter of convincing everyone entirely up to me.

“It is my understanding that all of the smaller tanks have easily removable lids…. I fear that having him in such a tank in the same area with so many people nearby could prove disastrous,” I lowered my head, making myself appear unsure even as I attempted to convince them of the plot without giving away anything.

“You fear he will kill some of the staff here?” Pantalone spoke up once more, clarifying my statement with a musing tone, and I looked up to see him gazing at me with a me thoughtful expression.

“Yes, my lord. I fear such a thing could occur should he be given the opportunity.” He nodded at my quiet confirmation, and I prayed he’d buy it. 

It was an airtight excuse, though. Dottore did not have the best record of sparing individuals who left themselves open to attack. In fact, so far as I knew, I was the only person who’d put themselves in such a risky position without ending up dead or being saved by me.

“A valid concern. Very well. We will proceed with the draining, and you will clean tonight, when there are fewer people here to lessen the risk. We will also put him in a smaller tank that you can wheel outside this room.” 

I could hardly believe my ears as Pantalone gave his orders. I couldn’t have asked for a better situation for a daring prison break if I’d been picking and choosing as I liked.

In fact, it almost seemed too good. But I couldn’t afford to be picky, not when I was dealing with the situation I was handling at the moment.

So I would play the fool once more and go along with yet another harbinger’s scheme, even though I knew of the potential risks. 

The head scientist himself seemed less than pleased with Pantalone’s words, but he didn’t protest as the harbinger strolled out. Leaving people to begin scurrying about to move the much-feared merman into a far smaller tank that was strangely ready for everything that was occurring. Almost like it had already been prepared.

I looked into the tank to see Dottore swimming about, his tail flicking in a sluggish manner that showed exactly how much his algae was already affecting him. 

He paused only briefly to look towards me before turning to swirl around in another area of brackish water as machinery descended from above to catch him in the net that would move him.

A hand landed on my shoulder, and I was roughly turned to face the head scientist, who was looking down at me with glaring eyes, “If something goes wrong, it will be on your head. And not even a harbinger can protect you if you displease the Tsaritsa.”

With only those words, a poorly concealed threat, he shoved me away from him and towards the tank that Dottore had just been dropped into. Almost like he was hoping the merman would drag me into the water and kill me for him.

A spray of water was sent into the air as water splashed out of the far smaller tank, and Dottore turned to press himself against the glass. Something akin to a hiss leaving his mouth as he looked towards the head scientist.

It was almost satisfying to see the man back away at the sound that came from the merman behind me. Dottore was certainly doing a good job of keeping up his act as a wild merman who could not be trusted and would kill the scientists the instant he was given the chance to. 

No one drew any closer as ever more machinery placed the lid on Dottore’s new, smaller tank and clicked the locks down in place.

People parted around Dottore’s tank, giving both me and the merman a wide berth as I pushed him out of the room to wait.

As soon as we were alone, my fingers tapped lightly on the thick glass, and his hand pressed against where I’d touched. “I’ll be back in a bit after I finish cleaning that tank of yours,” My voice was low as I spoke, and I briefly glanced down to see him looking at me. 

He didn’t nod his head, nor did his facial expression change. Instead, all he did was pull his hand away from where my fingers rested, in silent agreement.