#i wish we could have a better relationship

[f1cflcfic]

The Prophecy (SMAU ft. Lando Norris) Part IV

pairing: lando norris x singer!reader (fem!y/n)

summary: what happens after the break-up that noone saw coming? as Y/N L/N gears up to release her next album, each song reveals a little bit of the past, present and future of her relationship with Lando Norris. Inspired by a curated playlist built around "The Prophecy".

note: this is RPF and is obviously in no way, shape, or form reflective of real persons.

genre: social media au, angst, exes to lovers, happy ending

[A/N: woops, turns out that it works better to split the final bit of the story over two parts, so this means you've still got one part coming after this one! Also, please note that we spend some time in Las Vegas in this part, so there's vague mention of alcohol and drunk shenanigans]

part i part ii part iii

♥･*:.｡ ｡.:*･ﾟ♡･*:.｡ ｡.:*･ﾟ♥

November 15th, 2026

November 17th, 2026

November 18th, 2026

[Daily Mail excerpt]

Y/N L/N, Louis Tomlinson and more arrive for Las Vegas GP Opening Ceremony

Alle eyes are on Las Vegas this week, as the city plays host to one of the most exciting Grand Prix circuits this year. Vegas never fails to deliver an adrenalin rush, and this race promises to be one for the history books. Not just for what happens on track, but also outside of it. Tonight, many F1 fans and other entertainment lovers will head to the iconic the Sphere for the Opening Ceremony concert. With names like Kygo, Chappell Roan, and Y/N L/N headlining, it’ll surely be a treat.

Of course, many will be paying particular attention to Y/N L/N, who arrived this morning with fellow singer Louis Tomlinson in tow at the stadium. The two have been friends for a long time, and are frequently seen spending time together. However, L/N’s breakup with F1 driver Lando Norris has caused some fans to wonder if there’s perhaps more than meets the eye between the two. The rumours have only been fuelled by reports of the two leaving parties together earlier this month, as they were both said to have attended Travis Kelce’s birthday in October. Representatives for L/N refused to comment.

Her latest album The Prophecy is said to have been inspired largely by the downfall of her relationship with Norris – who has steered clear of commenting so far. Critics have described the decision to have L/N perform at a GP as “aggressive”, and “potentially damaging” for the sport’s credibility. “It casts a huge shadow over what could be a decisive race for points in both the Driver’s and Constructor’s championship,” one F1 fan remarked online. Another refuted such claims, stating that it’s “F1 who invited her there in the first place, and it’s literally just a concert before the actual racing begins – calm down”.

Whether or not the singers are expected to make an appearance in any of the paddocks later this week remains to be seen.

November 19th, 2026

November 20th, 2026

[Excerpt of Y/N's interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live!]

“So your new album has been out for about a week now, and it’s projected to be at #1 – there’s a bunch of people in the audience who have literally been about here for days, trying to get tickets to this taping," Jimmy motions to a couple of fans who immediately stand up and wave at Y/N. She gasps and blows a kiss to them, “days?! Oh my gosh, thank you!" Y/N turns to Jimmy, "is it okay if I ..." she trails off before just jumping out of her seat to hug the two fans.

When she returns, Jimmy motions for her to continue speaking. "I mean it’s absolutely amazing, especially knowing that it was such a personal project and to see that reach so many people is mindblowing. I wish I could spend more time with everyone, but it’s been super hectic as well, promoting this record.”

“How is that for your family – how are they handling all the fame and attention? They must not see you very much,” he asks.

“It can be difficult for sure. They’ve always been really supportive of me chasing my dreams, and whenever it’s possible I try to fly them out or go see them. But yeah, sometimes that’s just not an option, or I’m honestly too tired to be social. I was in the UK last week, flew in to LA yesterday evening from Vegas, New York before that, and then I’m on a red-eye tonight again out of here as well. I think now that I’ve been doing this for so long, I’ve realised that sometimes you just need to let life in and hit pause. You can’t just give and give and give to everything, all at once.”

Jimmy nods emphatically. “That’s very well said – I have a really hard time picturing you not working, to be honest. What does that even look like?”

“Ha, I really love to read. I usually am carrying at least two or three books with me, and then I’ll leave them behind somewhere in a second hand shop, or those little book nooks?”

“So someone somewhere could be holding a book that you’ve read in their hands, and they wouldn’t even know it?”

“Oh 100% that’s the case.”

“If you'd only doodled in them, they'd be worth thousands of dollars, probably." He turns back to the people in the crowd. "Would you buy a book that's been read by Y/N?" They nod, and he grins. "See?"

"Now do you also use those books for inspiration when you write, or is it all just your own experiences?”

“Yeah I’ve surely gotten inspired by other artforms in the past – I think probably subconsciously even for this record. That’s where the idea of a song around a prophecy came from, fantasy novels.”

He feigns contemplation, regarding Y/N carefully. “Have you been able to change it, that prophecy? I just want you to be happy, and you didn’t seem that happy on this record.”

Y/N lets out an awkward smile and shuffles in her seat. “I think that I’ll always have difficulty letting go of this need for control, but I’d say I’m definitely in a much better place than when I wrote it. I’m happy, I’ve got great people around me who love me, so can’t complain.”

November 21st, 2026

[The Independent excerpt]

BREAKING: LANDO NORRIS WINS LAS VEGAS GRAND PRIX!

The British driver was pictured celebrating with the McLaren team immediately after the race. Fellow papaya teammate Oscar Piastri had a disastrous start to the race, but managed phenomenal overtakes that eventually handed him P3. The double McLaren podium was completed by Lewis Hamilton, who edged out Max Verstappen with a crucial undercut earlier on in the race.

Speaking on the race, Norris said that he tried to treat it as any other and not think too much about defending his lead. “I’ve got my routines, that I’m trying to stick to as much as possible. Of course there’s some extra pressure, but we’ve got a strong car and I was feeling good about our lap times all week,” he shrugs. “Las Vegas is a great, but challenging track. I’m really pleased that we got the performance up enough to cash in on the pole position this time.”

Norris has now increased his lead in the WDC, which gives him a comfortable position moving into the final races of the season.

Many celebrities were stateside to attend the Grand Prix, but perhaps most contentious was the appearance of Y/N L/N, Norris’ ex-girlfriend. After opening the GP earlier this week on Wednesday, she had seemingly left Las Vegas to promote her album across the world. However, it seems watching her ex take the win was high enough a priority to fly straight back to Vegas on Saturday. The high profile singer used to be a frequent presence in F1, but stopped attending races as their relationship deteriorated.

Norris has been dodging questions about L/N all month, as her latest album is rumoured to have been inspired by their relationship. When asked whether or not it had affected his focus on the race after qualifying, Norris was quick to shut the reporter down. “It’s completely irrelevant to talk about that when I’m sitting in pole. If I decide to meet up with an old friend that happens to be in town, then that’s what I’ll do. Might even turn out to be a good luck charm, if anything.”

It seems to indicate the two have since reconciled, as they were spotted celebrating Norris’ win together with friends.

November 23, 2026

♥･*:.｡ ｡.:*･ﾟ♡･*:.｡ ｡.:*･ﾟ♥

You can read the previous parts by going here, part V will be out sometime next week (depends on work!)

♥ likes, comments, reblogs are always very much appreciated ♥

taglist (open) : @charlesgirl16, @linnygirl09, @hoeforsirius, @motorsportloverf1, @sarx164, @idkimbadwithusernamesandstuff, @formulaal, @tvdtw4ever @sadiemack9 @seonghwaexile

[loveyouprongs]

winter mornings

sirius black x fem!reader

upcoming content: fluff!!! literally just fluff!!!! mention of smut at the end, but only a little.

authors note: :] been a hot minute since i wrote something but i hope you all like it! please please please reblog or comment if you enjoyed! it gives me sm motivation❄️

word count: 1.2k

masterlist

the staccato clicks of sirius’ back as he twisted his spine in the sheets served as your alarm for the past week. he let out a soft groan as he ran his hand down his face, then through his hair- which even after two years of being his girlfriend were you mystified at his ability to have his dark locks always fall perfectly into place. “it’s so not fair,” you muttered and you could see a grin spread across sirius’ face before he fully turned back to face you.

sirius darted his stare across your form, your warm body wrapped up in blankets and an image of the stuffed bear he treasured as a child flashed in his mind, only doubling the love inflating him. even with half your face smushed in the pillows and sleep in the corner of your eyes, to him, you��re a siren. he immediately flopped back onto the bed, pressing his body as close to yours as possible, letting his fingers dance across your waste and you shivered from the cold he let in when he lifted the blankets.

“what’s not fair, my love?”

“you.”

“me?” sirius’ eyebrow quirked up, the giddy smile on his face only growing.

“yes, you. your immune to bedhead. it isn’t fair.” you pouted.

sirius let out a giggle that, if he wasn’t lying right in front of you, you’d believe would have come from a child. you remembered when you first met sirius, you couldn’t even look him in the eye, he was that intimidating (and attractive) to you, but now you’re the one who makes him grow bashful from a little compliment slipped into his mornings.

“what can i say, doll, some of us are blessed by the hair-gods.”

you hummed agreeably, twisting his strands through your fingers and sirius basked in the warmth of your skin touching his. god he was pathetic and god was he happy. “and some of us are blessed by them being our boyfriends.”

sirius giggled again, he’s been doing that a lot lately, “c’mere silly,” he whispered, the last syllable already affected by his lips pressing to yours. with a sharp inhale, he branded his hand to the small of your back, bringing you impossibly closer to him as his lips parted and he tilted your head for better access.

the way sirius kissed was addicting. he held you to him tightly, greedily, eating up all the love and affection he never believed he’d ever be on the receiving end of. the way he warmed you from your head to your toes, mouth working yours with passion and care that made you believe he wanted to sometimes eat you up whole, have your body meld into his until you became some “two headed, one body, blob” (his own words)

sirius recalled this to you during a late night makeout session earlier into your relationship, sirius’ eyes rimmed red from the high he was riding, and he pulled back to tell you his wishes.

“siri… that’s so gross!”

“it’s not gross! it’s lovely, we’d be one big person made out of love! but with two heads so we could still chat.”

your body shook as you laughed at the memory. “oi, wha’s s’funny?” he muttered against your lips, “not exactly good to make your girl laugh while your kissing ‘er.”

you let out another bark of laughter, falling back onto the pillow and sirius fell helpless to the magnetic pull you had on him as he rested his head on your chest. the snow was roaring away outside, making it impossible for either of you to leave the flat. not that you wanted to anyway. he couldn’t believe how lucky he was, how lucky he is. a pang of something dark struck in his ribs as he thought of how young he was when he came to terms with being forever alone. how whoever he could pull at some bar or club would be enough to satisfy him. he never thought he’d memorize the rhythm of someones footsteps, come home to two tea-stained mugs in the sink of the flat he shared. never thought someone would be able to split his chest in two and reach in to hold his heart in their soft, soft hands. never thought he wouldn’t find that enough. he wanted to give himself to you entirely.

“what’re y’thinking about?” you asked softly, lightly scratching his scalp and sirius practically purred as he bonked his head against your hand.

sirius propped his chin on your collarbone, faces merely millimeters away from each other. his sparkling silver eyes traced your face in a way that would have made you intimidated in the early days of your relationship, but now you allowed yourself to bask in his gaze.

“you,” he said simply.

“sirius black is thinking about me? wow, dreams do come true!” you gasped, a beaming smile splitting your face.

sirius rolled his eyes at your surprise and snuggled up closer to your warmth, his face fitting into the crook of your neck.

“for your information doll, sirius black is always thinking about you,” he rasped in your ear.

it couldn’t be said any other way, your heart felt like it was going to explode. every now and then sirius would say something so lovely it stopped you in your tracks, made your brain short circuit. and he knew it.

“siriusssss,” you whined, trying to hide your face with no luck as sirius gripped your shoulders.

he chuckled, his stomach rustling the thin sheets. “it’s true,” he crooned.

the two of you laid like that as the minutes of the morning ticked on, both staring at the snow falling down outside the window.

“there is no chance we can go out in that.”

sirius snorted incredulously, “did you have any plans today?”

you turned in his arms, facing him, “well no, but siri, we’ve been inside all week. we’ve become hermits!”

sirius rolled his eyes exaggeratedly, “that’s what winter is about!”

“spending all day lazing about?”

“yes! spending all day under the covers, drinking hot chocolate-“

“that you spike with irish liquor”

“drinking hot chocolate! watch that sass, little lady, or you won’t get to know what the third thing is, and if i know you,” he laughed hautily, “and i think i do, you’ll be sorely disappointed.”

you could feel the once warm energy around you both crackling with electricity, “oh i will be, will i?”

“mm-hmm”

“well, we can’t have that. siri,” you began, blinking your eyes at him as sweetly as you could. the way sirius’ smug grin fell for a second revealing his soft, enamored smile proved to you that it worked. “please tell me what else winter days are for? i would hate to be ‘sorely disappointed.’”

“ah, for you, doll? anything.”

sirius pressed his lips to your ear, shivers ran down your spine.

“winter days are for sleeping, drinking hot chocolate, and eating your girl for lunch.”

the snow was halfway up your window by now and sirius’ hand running up and down your leg further made you feel like the two of you were the only people on earth.

sirius pressed hot kisses to your cheek, trailing downwards your body. “thank god for winter days then.”

[frosting-surfeit]

Rebecca sugars foreword in the art of invader zim book for reference

She gets me and best fangirl of all time tbh

When I get a chance to meet fans of my cartoon Steven Universe, there's usually a lot of crying and hugging involved. I'm often asked if I'm surprised by the intensity of the fanbase. But I'm not surprised at all. It's something I truly understand, because of Invader Zim.

The nineties weren't the best time to be a queer kid. I entered middle school cautiously optimistic, and came out the other side sure that I was unlovable garbage. Worst of all, unlike most of my classmates, I didn't stop liking cartoons, so I was also a nerd, which at the time was not at all cool. But then, suddenly, like fate, there was Invader Zim. Its particularly misanthropic point of view hit me at exactly the right time. There was something about Dib especially his ability to see the obvious and incredible truth while all the other kids went along obliviously with their lives really struck a chord with me. It reminded me of my own obsession with cartoons, which began to pool entirely into Zim.

It felt like an incredible secret, a tether that was grounding me, a source of power. No one could sway me from loving this show, or from loving cartoons. If they couldn't see what I saw in it, they were all wrong and I was definitely right. If they missed what made it special, then that was their loss.

Zim became a massive part of my high school experience. I found other fans at school to gush about the show with. I followed fan artists online, and read and wrote fan fiction. I doodled the characters all over my schoolwork. I drew a comic imagining what it might be like to meet Jhonen, and how I would definitely faint. I couldn't understand that he was human. Or maybe I couldn't understand that I was human. I saw humans doing human things all around me but I felt empowered to be different, even if it meant suffering. I suppose I hadn't seen that before: a story about how being different meant being punished constantly.

It felt true, unlike the feel-good pap about how great it is to be unique. Zim made me feel like I could cut through that noise. Zim made me ambitious, Zim made me friends, and Zim gave me some sort of ground to stand on in my own mind. Zim gave me permission to be angry at the kids who made fun of me. Zim let me laugh about how miserable I was!

I feel that Invader Zim will be forever woven into the fabric of my life. I can't separate it from my most formative experiences, even the painful ones. (Especially the painful ones.) But it is because of this that I understand the immense power of an animated TV show, especially when it's encapsulating a distinct and deeply personal point of view. As much as I burn with embarrassment to write about all this, my parasocial relationship with Jhonen gave me such strength and direction that I honestly don't know who I would have been without it. Since getting to know Jhonen, and

myself, a whole lot better, I can say with certainty that we are both humans... and I find myself looking cautiously but fondly at obsession and embarrassment as deeply human things to feel, even when they're evoked by a cartoon. (Especially when they're evoked by a cartoon.)

I wonder as you pick up this book what your relationship is to this show and these characters and this art. I wish I could know what this show meant to you, when you discovered it, and why it resonated with you. In addition to what this show meant to you personally, I hope you can also love these drawings as lines on paper, and love these artists as human beings.

-RS

Thinking about the implications of somebody on the She-Ra team being a ZADR shipper. That makes at least three animated shows helmed by women with explicitly queer characters and themes of redemption, overcoming trauma, and finding love with a connection to Invader Zim. Like, there’s already been so many books published in the last few years that are explicitly inspired by Reylo, but how many more creators have spent the last twenty years reworking their ZADR/ZADF/Zim redemption fics into original concepts to get the closure they always wanted for the characters?

People were calling Catadora lesbian Reylo but maybe it was really lesbian ZADR all along.

[multifictional]

Following there's a kind of plot and a blurb for the acotar story I mentioned. The idea has been in mind for so long and I finally wanted to give it a try!

In the long run it will have anti-feysand hints, and it’s an Eris and Lucien centred fic, so be aware. I am still debating if making the reader an oc.

Here we go..

[Y/N] Archeron always felt the pull of autumn, even as a human. The fallen leaves, the warm colours, the spicy sweets, even her birthday. For Elain, her sister, it was the sun and the way of feeding her gardens and flowers with its light.

Together in the Night Court after being thrown into the Cauldron, they both feel out of place. But while Elain has her growing bond with Lucien, [y/n] remains an outsider. With her powers still silents even after years, she feels a longing in herself she can’t quite place.

A mating bond with Eris, heir of the Autumn Court, is the last thing she expects at this point and also what she needed the most without even realising.

This is Prythian though and, even without a new villain after their heads, nothing is never easy as it seems. Especially not in a life where court rivalries seem to have their way of creating complications.

Yes, it will focused on both relationship (Eris with the reader and Elain with Lucien). It would also be set after ACOWAR with some elements of ACOSF implied (just Nesta giving up her powers to save Feyre’s family and accepting the mating bond).

As the plot says, there’s no new villain. I suck at writing all fantasy war storylines so I leave this to people who actually can write them better than me. This doesn’t mean this story won’t have plot twists or… other things. The focus will be mostly on relationships between characters, their inner turmoils and courts rivalry.

And a lot of spice, sorry not sorry. Not right away though, especially for Eris and the reader.

Keep reading if you are curious about the blurb!

Eris looked at the food you placed in front of him with a strange look on his face. It seemed as if you just slapped him, a mixture of confusion and wariness. It was as if the heir of the Autumn Court was surprised for once.

But then his mask came back.

You looked at him expectantly, heart beating fast. This was the moment of the truth, the moment where your wish could become a reality: that your new life as a Fae wasn't completely worth nothing. That, after all, you had finally found your ground. Your place in a world that was so foreign and so meant for you at the same time.

But then your expectation fell on you like a lighting strike, sending your heart from the top of your throat to the bottom of your feet. He pushed the plate towards you, refusing your offering.

“I can’t accept the bond,” he said calmly, with a coldness that was opposite to the fire running inside his veins. He was used to that. “I won’t.”

The hurt you felt in that moment was new for you. You felt the bond tugging at you in a painful way, a string threatening to broke. He felt it too, but he masked that feeling instantly, burying the need for you and cursing the timing in his mind. You blinked, refusing to let him see a single tear coming from you.

“W-what? W-why?” you stuttered. You had thought that someone like Eris wouldn’t wait a second too much to claim what was rightfully his, and yet, here you were, in front of his rejection. “I thought…”

“You thought wrong,” he bit out. “I can’t accept the food, not right now. Not until the throne is mine.”

So that was the problem? Becoming High Lord? You couldn’t quite believe that.

Eris saw the uncertainty and doubt in your eyes. Despite all his instincts were screaming at him to calm you down, he didn't do any of that. His cool demeanour usually wouldn't have fooled you so easily, but you were too taken aback to see the truth masked beneath his actions.

It was better this way.

Quite voices reached both of you. You turned to see Lucien and Elain approaching from the nearly forest, talking quietly. Eris, though, didn’t stop watching you.

He saw the flickering of longing as you watched his half-brother with your sister. That look almost crushed his usually so composed self control. So, with a single thought, he winnowed away, leaving behind the wind of autumn that always called out for you.

“Was Eris here?” Lucien asked, meeting your eyes. Elain approached you, already sensing something was off.

You were far too quick to put on a mask of your own, offering them a hint of smile. “Why would he? He’s too busy planning his head out to his next move to pass by.”

The bitterness in your tone was unmistakable.

“Want to train your power?” Lucien offered, thankfully changing subject.

You looked at you hands with a scowl then looked back at him. The thought of your power was unwelcome in your mind, especially after what happened.

“Another time,” without another word, you walked away, not giving them a second glance.

Lucien and Elain gave each other a knowing look, but didn’t press further. You heard their soft whispering, and even if envy was’t an emotion you ever allowed yourself to feel, with the sting of your mate’s rejection still clear in your soul, you couldn’t help but long for what they had.

With all of that being said, would anyone be interested in it? Should I continue??

[mandarinmoons]

Hi! I’ve been following you for a little while now and I just adore your writing! And I’m feeling brave to finally request a thing ☺️ could I please request an angst/ hurt comfort thing where the unsub kidnaps/ tortures reader. Maybe he and reader are in a secret relationship? And I don’t know I just have this image of Spencer getting frustrated that he can’t find reader and he’s all “BECAUSE I LOVE HER” I don’t know I’m kinda babbling and you can do whatever you want with the request bc your writing is amazing!!

“Spencer! Spencer, help me!”

Those were the last words Spencer heard before you were pushed to the back of a van and taken off into the night.

Spencer was frozen for a moment before the adrenaline kicked in and he ran after you, but he was too late. The car drove off so fast that he never stood a chance. His heart broke when reality set in, where were you being taken? Were you going to be okay? Was he ever going to see you again?

Those were the questions that played over again in his mind as he paced in an office at The BAU. After being treated for some cuts and bruises, Spencer was quick to get back to the line of duty to try and find you. Hotch, however, stopped Spencer from taking another step out the door.

“You need to rest. It’ll do you no good to be out there right now.”

Spencer wanted to fight, he knew you better than anyone else on the team, but with his leg aching he knew he wouldn’t be able to keep up with the search, so he had to stay back.

He felt the taste of blood in his mouth as he was biting his chapped lips so hard they started to bleed. He remembered how you always reminded him to try and quit the habit, a light chuckle left his lips at the memory and he stopped the gnawing so you wouldn’t be too stern with him once you were back.

Or if you were back. No, you had to come back, you just had to, he couldn’t lose you. His anxiety spiked again and he started pacing through the room again, this time with his breathing more irregular.

Penelope noticed Spencer’s actions and quickly moved to try and calm her friend down. She walked to the room and tried to take a hold of Spencer’s arm to try and get him to stop pacing, her fingers caressing his forearms as she tried to get him to take deep breaths.

“Spence, it's okay, we will find her.”

“How? I can’t do anything from here and it’s driving me insane.”

“We’ve found her before and we will do it again just like all the other times.”

“This isn’t like the other times.”

“How?”

“Because I love her!”

Penelope blinked a few times and took in the words Spencer had said. She had her suspicions, which now turned out to be true, but she wished this would’ve been revealed during different circumstances.

You and Spencer had been dating for the past 4 months. With both of you being pretty private individuals you decided to keep the relationship under wraps for the time being, keeping it professional at work and would only attend to more intimate things behind closed doors of each other’s homes.

It was hard at times. There were days when a case was so stressful that both of you needed a break to hold each other, sometimes you’d maybe catch a break when you were in an office by yourselves and you’d press a quick kiss to each other’s lips. It was hard to hide the blush on your cheeks afterwards though and it would’ve been revealed soon enough, namely by Penelope who had gossiped with JJ about her hunch and they were betting to see how long it would take for the secret love birds to announce their feelings.

Apologizing at his outburst, Penelope paid no mind to Spencer’s reaction and pulled him in for a hug, letting him know that she was here for him, the whole team was, and that you would be returned home one way or another.

Hours later, Spencer managed to calm down enough to close his eyes to rest a bit, the only thing keeping him calm was holding onto your sweater. Your scent filled his nose and brought tears to his eyes, when would he be able to hold you again? It was already agony enough that he wasn’t able to have you in his arms during work hours, but now not knowing where you were made his brain work overtime.

His eyes fluttered open when he heard voices coming from outside the office, ecstatic ones it seemed.

Hoping for a miracle, Spencer scrambled to his feet and rushed out the door, his eyes searching for the reason he heard all of the glee. And then he saw it, you.

“Y/N,��� Spencer practically ran to you, his arms scooping you into his embrace and holding onto you so tight so he knew he wasn’t hallucinating and that you were really here safe and sound.

“I’m okay Spence.”

Taking your face into his hands, Spencer’s thumbs brushed over the light cuts and bruises on your skin, trying his best not to exacerbate the pain.

“Thank God you’re okay.”

“I thought about you the entire time. You kept me going.”

With teary eyes and a chuckle leaving his lips, Spencer pressed his lips to your forehead in the most gentle way he could. Your arms wrapped around him as you tried to fight off the shaking, resting your head on his shoulder and taking in the warmth of his embrace.

You were safe again, in the arms of the man that meant to you the most.

You can find my masterlist here!

Let me know your thoughts in the comments and like & reblog to support <3

[mardthorn]

Defending Blackstairs online is not enough, I need a gun

I must say that, now that I'm 22 years old and I think I think like a more functional adult, I still don't understand how there are people who hate Emma and Julian's relationship.

Let's go in parts, I read that many readers do not like their relationship because they consider them "toxic", "codependent" and "intense", but we must be honest, we read the entire beginning of their romantic relationship when they are teenagers and are in an impossible situation to face, surrounded by other problems as serious as the Parabatai curse. And we must keep in mind that these two have known each other their WHOLE LIFE, they never lived without each other and I think that one of the conclusions we can draw from TDA is that they should never have been Parabatai to begin with, but circumstances led them to make a very serious decision that did not correspond to 12 years old.

Now, since I'm re-reading the books, I realize that the unhealthy aspects of their relationship are mainly due to the Parabatai curse, since it is designed to intensify their behaviors and thoughts towards each other, and yet they were able to avoid the most impulsive decisions that the curse directed them to make. (until Emma is mortally wounded, so they give in to the curse)

I think we haven't seen much of their relationship yet without being affected by the Parabatai curse, so I think in TWP we could see a different dynamic between them than it was in TDA (without the curse and without threats hanging over their heads). I hope CC can give us a glimpse of their more mature relationship in Better in Black.

The only thing these children did not want was to be separated from each other and unfortunately they realized very late that they loved each other not only as friends. Plus, they love each other in such a fierce and honest way that it makes you wish you had a bond similar to theirs, I hope CC gives them the happy ending they deserve.

(Also, I like to defend love stories)

[lazy-active-me]

I wanted to discover the world with you, that was my dream. I wanted to one day have a tiny cute house at the beach with you, that was the other goal. I wanted to grow with you. Support you and stay young with you. I wanted to be intimate with you, in the sense of being vulnerable together and face things together. Not in the sense of I just want to fuck your brains out. I would have been fine without that, even though I would be tempted. I love your creative soul and joyful nature, but I do understand the pain and misery aswell and love that you can feel that way. I love your friendly nature and your openness to many things and your ability to learn. And I know that some things are simply in your nature. I thought in some ways I am a bit of what you lacked. Just as you were that for me. I guess that is why we worked so well during the first few years. But I guess you felt like you could not trust me anymore or were not able to deal with your feelings. I wish I could have been the one who is there with you. I was actually… well all in all… You triggered in me my old feelings over time and instead of growing together. You grew towards another direction, one where I was not a part anymore. I know you will grow strong… My last wish for you, will be that you are able to communicate those feelings better in your coming relationships with friends and loved ones. So that things don’t repeat themselves. For you know… You know I love you, truly. And that I chose you always, but I know I can not make you love me back. I can not make you choose me. I would fight for you, any day. But I won’t fight for being chosen, or the one that you choose. Dream well.

" Vermilion Lakes " //© Jude Allen

[satangcrush]

ghost

mammon x g!n reader, sfw, not beta-read

summary: Picking up money and accidentally getting married to a ghost, uhhh belphie and satan makes an appearance here cw: mc is a ghost and mammon is a dumbass an: this is based on a chinese tradition that i dug out from the depth of my mind so it may not be very accurate

“That demon said that the grocery store should be ahead.” 

The blond-haired demon scowled harshly at his device, a frown marring his handsome face. His jacket flutters in the wind, pale mist surrounding the group of demons. Another one tails behind, feet dragging sluggishly as he yawns.

“Who has the list?”

The Avatar of Greed was a step behind, pausing to kick every rock spotted on the walkway. He didn’t understand why he was assigned to go grocery shopping.

He had better things to do, especially with his precious time! He could be hitting up a casino or maybe even raiding a bank right now.

Regardless, he could still be using his time to do better things.

“Are you actually pouting?” Belphegor snorted, half-lidded eyes opening wide when the rock hit his leg. He winces once, bending down to rub at his ankle. “Are you five or something?”

The last-born picks up the offending object, throwing and catching it menacingly. “Rub that stupid expression off your face and say sorry.”

He was not pouting. 

“Stop arguing.” The one at the front sighs, closing his eyes with a shake of his head. Looking weary and far beyond his years, he strides over to grab the rock from Belphegor’s palm.

“Hey–”

“–Thank you, I’ll confiscate this now.” He interrupts, leaving no room for negotiation. Grabbing onto the youngest’s arm, he drags him back to the front, leaving only the second-born behind.

Mammon hears a shushed scolding. “You don’t have to stoop to his level.”

“Hey! Ya’ know I can hear you right?!” He shouts back, voice bordering on a growl. Satan whips his head around to give him an incredulous look.

“That’s the point.”

“Hey!”

He slinks back to the back again, decidedly not wearing a pout.

Satan finally lets out a sigh of relief, continuing with his navigation after keeping his brothers in check. “I know you didn’t want to come along but we have to do this to maintain the relationship between the worlds.”

“Got it.” He groaned loudly, knuckles rubbing at the corners of his eyes hard. His vision goes dark momentarily and he fumbles forward, tripping over his steps. “You sound like Lucifer right now.”

“What’s next? Are ya’ going to tell me that Lord Diavolo is going to be disappointed, yada yada.” He straightens up, pretending to tighten his tie and lowering his tone. He wags a finger and arches an eyebrow, channeling the energy of a tired old man.

Much to his dismay, he hadn’t realised that a cloud of dark unease had surrounded his younger brother.

“I didn’t know you had a death wish,” Belphegor remarks casually, watching in amusement as the blond-haired demon stalks towards his prey.

“Eek!”

No matter how often he had seen his younger brother in this state, it still sent a chill down his spine.

“You have three seconds to run.”

Mammon didn’t even stay to hear the end of the sentence before taking off, putting on the tiniest bit of boost to ensure that he stayed out of his brother’s reach.

He slithered in and out of alleyways, doing his best to evade capture.

The flicker of gold in the middle of the street catches his eye. He hesitates mid-action before deciding to abandon his course, skidding to a stop and grabbing it before anyone could catch him.

“This is my lucky day.” He mutters under his breath, shoving the mysterious item into his pocket. He would just need to lose the mad harpy that was on his heel and thereafter, locate a safe space to break into his present.

.

One way or another, he manages to lose him.

The Avatar of Greed pants hard, hands on his knees, before he slumps to the ground. He makes sure to stay hidden, under the cover of a slide.

His heart beats fast as he slides out what he picked up earlier.

The vermilion envelope glimmers, reflecting the warmth of the afternoon sun back at his confused face. He turns it around, fingers tracing over the velvety smooth surface as he stares in awe at the gold lining.

“Gold…” He breathes out, shaking in barely controlled excitement. He has absolutely no idea why it was lying on the street but it must be Mother Luck shining down at him.

He could strike it rich with this! He just needs to cash it in and make sure to bet it on a sure-win. This would definitely be his breakout chance.

Now, all he had to do was to open it.

He trembles, fingers carefully and meticulously removing the seal on the envelope. It was strange how the seal fell apart easily but he couldn’t be bothered to overthink. He dismisses his concerns, excitedly unfurling his reward after his long patience.

A strange mist curls out, wrapping around his upper body and dimming his vision.

“Mammon.”

 He heard the tell-tale growl of an angry demon but he wasn’t able to see him. Instead, he was frozen stiff, unable to make out where the mist was coming from.

“Mammon!” A second cry comes just as something cold creeps around his chest. He starts to laugh nervously before it trails off.

“It’s nice to meet you, husband.” 

A whisper of his name and a cool exhale of his name near his ears makes him shudder. He turns his head slowly but he can only see the ghost of painted bright red lips before he lets out a scream.

“You—” He recognises that voice, growly with just the barest hint of baritone. Turning in desperation, he tries to locate him. Weirdly enough, there seemed to be a barrier around him as if to keep him in. 

The mist clears enough for him to peek through. A flash of blond hair catches his attention and he clings to the sight, whipping his head to meet the frantic eyes of his brother.

A burst of cool air sends the fourth-born flying back, slamming into the Avatar of Sloth who was a couple of steps away.

“Satan!” He shrieks, clawing at the wall of energy around him. He had to go and check on his brothers now, to see if they were okay. 

The barrier does not respond to his desperation. 

Instead, the apparition appears again, flickering in and out of focus.

“Husband, please hold on as I get rid of them.” The brightly painted lips curve up, stretching into a wide smile. It’s imprinted on the back of his eyelids when he blinks. 

Suddenly, your figure wasn’t there when he opened his eyes again.

A sense of dread fills his veins.

No, no. He can’t let this happen again.

“Wait!”

The taste of bile fills his throat as his eyes feverishly search the area for your silhouette, locating you in front of Satan. A gust of wind throws his brothers down again, and he pounds at the barrier, fear gripping him by the throat.

He has to do something.

“HEY!” He couldn’t tell if the roar in the air was the sound of the wind or his own voice but continued, scratching at the barrier, doing everything he possibly could to catch their attention.

“If I’m your husband, you can’t—”

He chokes on his words, barely registering the taste of blood in his mouth. The Avatar of Greed frantically scrambles for words, spitting out whatever that popped up in his mind.

“—Bully your brothers-in-law!”

The apparition freezes. All he could hear was the ghastly sound of wind blowing past him, and the horrifying realisation of the situation dawned on him. You turn slowly, ignoring the groans of his brothers still slumped on the ground.

This time, he sees you clearly. 

You’re wispy at the edge but he can make out the soft slope of your shoulder, the slight frown on your face. His eyes are magnetized to yours, sparkling and far too bright for what should be a ghost.

“Brothers-in-law?” You state slowly with a tilt of your head. 

He swallows, hands shaking as he brings them to his side. You glide over to where Satan lies, fading in and out of focus.

He nods when you turn to look at him for confirmation.

“We don’t look alike but we’re family.” He clarifies again, wiping at his mouth. He hadn’t even realised he had bitten his tongue, the pain only coursing through him now.

You stay silent, squatting down to survey Satan’s features closer. The blond-haired demon bares his teeth, pushing Belphegor behind him. Thankfully, it seemed that both demons hadn’t suffered any major injuries.

“Husband, you’re not lying to me?” A puff of cloud forms when you speak, blowing into Satan’s face. The fourth-born shudders, turning his head away from the sight.

“No.”

You stand up, tall and proud. For some reason, your silhouette was starting to become more distinct. He can feel that you’re fuelled by magic — it’s a gut feeling. You glow dimly, translucent in the light.

He thinks you’re ethereal and otherworldly.

“Uh, can you take this down?” With a gulp, he calls out while vaguely pointing at the space in front of him.

A whoosh of wind flew past him and the barrier was dismantled in the blink of an eye. You don’t give him an opening, moving to block his path of escape.

Gently, you move to peer closer at his face.

With your face this close, he can only focus on the flecks of gold found in your eyes and he gulps loudly again.

“Husband, you’re bound to me now.” Your laughter tinkles like wind chimes in the air. He can’t tell if he’s imagining it but you seem to grow even brighter at every pound of his heart. 

“Your magic is the one fuelling me.”

Shit.

Lucifer is going to murder him.

[suguwu]

do you think your llo universe would work with the roles reversed? i think it's much better with sae being the one who disappeared and rin picking up the pieces but do you think rin could have been chasing sae and their dream and not realized he has a child? sae being the one to pick up the pieces would be an insane change of pace and would still be very very heartbreaking i feel.

hi anon!

honestly, i think you make make almost anything work in fic if you try hard enough! i do think it makes more sense to have sae being the one who disappeared because of the way the relationships play out and how they connect with each other (specifically rin's somewhat implied confusion about whether he likes llo!reader for her or if it started out as wanting what his brother had). BUT! it could definitely work in reverse!

i think the thing i would have the hardest time explaining is sae's decision not to tell rin. in llo, rin's animosity towards sae helps him overcome that particular moral qualm, whereas sae doesn't have that drive regarding his brother. and let's be real, sae isn't exactly the type to do what he's told just because he's told to do it. keeping your secret would be an inconvenience to him, and i could see that altering the fic.

BUT AGAIN! WE CAN MAKE IT WORK! maybe sae never really saw what rin saw in you. until he comes across you carrying a child with rin's eyes on your hip. you turn on your heel and try to disappear down the little alley draped in vines, moss climbing its way up the bent traffic sign at the very end of it.

sae follows without thinking about it.

you whirl around. your eyes are blazing; you cup the child to you protectively. you bare your teeth. "what do you want, itoshi?"

sae watches you for a moment. your fingers tighten in the powder-blue fabric of your child's shirt, crinkling the pressed material. the baby shifts in your grip, babbling and batting at your earring.

"does rin know?"

"don't ask questions you know the answer to."

he blinks.

you're fiercer than he remembers, your fangs whetted sharp. you'd always been polite, deferential. distant in a soft way, the way the horizon melts between earth and sky.

something in him stirs.

"goodbye, itoshi."

"wait."

you glance back over your shoulder; he can just see the baby's eyes, too, the color of the tropical sea, a burning turquoise. so like his brother's.

"give me your phone number."

"no."

"i can ask rin for it, if you'd prefer."

frost creeps over you, a cobweb of winter. sae watches it harden you; how it dims the flame in your eyes.

still, you bare your teeth as you give it to him.

"i'll call you."

"i wish you wouldn't," you say, your voice a crack of thunder. "i don't need an itoshi in my life."

he glances at the baby. "i think you already have one."

your lips flatten into a thin line. "goodbye, itoshi."

you disappear into the settling night quickly. sae watches you go.

he doesn't have a lot of time in japan, this trip, but he thinks he knows exactly what he'll do with it.

[oh-no-its-bird]

*wiggles seductively* hi birb, what are ur thoughts on the tailed beasts + jinchuriki

Woah Oni how did u get in my asks box

UMMM TAILED BEASTS AND THEIR JINCHIRUKI OK LETS SEE

I've had (and posted about) a few scattered thoughts ab both the tailed beast and their jinchuriki before, so let's see what I remember off the top of my head

I think Utakata is contender for my favorite Jinchiruki— we don't see much of him but what we do intrigues me. I'm a sucker for a man in slutty, slutty robes and his bubble ability is both interesting and cute to me. I wish there was more content for him

Other than him tho, Gaara is ofc, fucking amazing as a character. I think his entire situation is a great example of the lengths people will go for power, and how willing some parents are to destroy their own children in the hopes of power.

Its a theme that fits in very interestingly specifically in the earlier chapters of naruto, when we are seeing the shinobi world from the shiny eyes of children, who think the whole thing is "cool" and treat the many tiny tragedies and traumas of the adults around them as much more lighthearted than they could be read as. Idk, it's fun to think about

I know we all joke about how "oh its stupid of people to have mistreated the jinchuriki, they're literally walking nukes just be nice to them omg ur signing ur own death warrant rn" but it's easy to see in text why people are so scared of them— especially civilians

They're walking nukes! They have demons in them! The propoganda machine works overtime to make people fear jinchuriki, both on purpose (other villages fear mongering) and just due to natural cultural beliefs (literal demons in rural Japan. The fear writes itself.)

I do think there's an interesting middleground there of like. A jinchuriki being treated with kindness literally only out of fear. Which is still better than blatant abuse, but also still fun to think of the ramifications of being raised like that

I think it's also interesting to see the difference of how many jinchuriki were treated in their villages— some for sure got it worse than others, even if there was a solid through line between all of them of different degrees of "people are scared of me and no one fucking likes me"

I do wish we'd gotten more of the jinchuriki's all together, I love fics where they get to come interact together as some sort of messy family.

Similarly, I love the biiju as just. The world's most dysfunctional family. They are so fun as characters, most of them just want to be left the fuck alone but have no issues with flattening humans if they come too close and I love this for them

I think the relationship between biiju and their jinchuriki are so fun, they are both victims here, they are both justified in hating eachother. But if they are able to overcome that hate and get along— its just really interesting to see. That takes some real strength, on both their parts.

A human trusting a demon, a demon trusting a human. Its desperation that got them there. Desperation and exhaustion and a wish to be free.

The tragedy really writes itself

I've read several fics that take an angle of "since the biiju were sealed, the natural balances of the world have been thrown out of wack" where they'll have things like nature getting more violent or common yokai having dissapeared in the years following the biiju's sealing

I think that's super, super fun and I personally like to use the hc of "yeah no, yokai were super common like ~60 years ago but then Hashirama sealed the Biiju and they all just kinda of dissapeared in the following years. Almost like they sensed the absence of the big spirits and went into hiding in response"

Super fun! Instantly adds several fascinating implications about the naruto world and how it works and how the biiju interact with it by just existing

I also love, love, LOVE to think about the initial reactions to the biiju being sealed back in early konoha. Bc like. Ok so you have this culture, this Japanese culture, that largely revolves around the spirits and respecting them in the hopes that they will leave you be. Generations of people raised with the rules of "leave yokai the fuck alone"

And then you go and have your leader seal one of THE biggest yokai inside of his wife.

The bad karma is off the fucking charts. I refuse to believe everyone just nodded and went "wow what a great idea! Nothing bad could possibly come from this!"

No, no, there were for sure different camps of people who were different levels of horrified / disgusted / terrified / etc.

I think maybe the younger, less superstitious, more ambitious and power trippy people might have been some flavor of pleased, while the older more superstitious people just. "Oh god what have you DONE what have you LET INTO OUR HOMES!!??!"

I imagine that in the following year, Hashirama had to work overtime in appeasing people for fear as whispers of "this village was a bad idea, look now we've gone and angered the kyuubi. He will break free and kill us all and we'll deserve it for being such fools as to try and keep him sealed" grew louder

I remember someone told me that in the manga, we got a couple panels of where it looked like the uchiha had made a shrine to the fox after Kurama was sealed? Which just. Fascinates me. Because it shows that there was some sort of effort made to presumably appease him, which, again, oh man the implications

And then ofc Hashirama goes and gives all the other villages the keys to getting their own Biiju. And people start to fucking hunt them.

And then all the yokai are dissapearing and the bad omens are only getting worse and—

Well, you get the picture.

Anyways, yeah. Early Konoha and general shinobi world reactions to the biiju being sealed fascinate and delight me in equal measure. There's so much room there for practically anything ur gay little heart desires

Oh on that topic, I think it's also interesting to think ab like. Maybe at first, the jinchuriki were genuinley revered. Again, like, culturally, most people are gonna see (especially big) spirits and start trying to appease it so it leaves them the fuck alone, right?

So just. Thinking ab how at first, the jinchuriki were treated with largely (terrified) respect. Especially when they were no doubt first put into already respected and powerful people.

And then, yk, time passes.

People get more used to the idea of jinchuriki as more "honored demon containers" and more "demons themselves."

Jinchuriki are placed into children. Jinchuriki are used in the war effort. They're given names. Faces to fear. People who have killed loved ones— put into bingo books besides other shinobi, just another man to fear.

Theyre... human.

(Theyre hated.)

Nost yokai aren't around anymore, and while many still give their respects at shrines and crossroads, its not with the same urgency and genuine belief as before. Many of the new generation pay no respects at all, and the lack of consequence from the still gone yokai does nothing to convince them to start

It becomes easier and easier to let the "terror" to win over "reverence."

Anyways just. The changing of attitude towards jinchuriki as they become more normalized as just another person over the years. Also something that's fun to think about

Anyways that's what I got, thanks for stopping by my ask box Oni, love u

[melestasflight]

@tobermoriansass this is the best analysis of the Nargothrond debacle I've seen to date. Thank you for that.

I’d like to add a few things which I think are in line with what you’re discussing:

We must remember that Maedhros and Fingon are warlords. In such a political and societal structure diplomacy doesn’t quite work like we understand it in the modern sense. To a war lord the highest quality in a potential ally is military strength, above all.

This is particularly important in the context of the post-Bragollach state of affairs: the continent is burned, relationships are tight, communication probably extremely limited, refugees are fleeing, and battle never stops. People tend to portray the Bragollach as a one and done ordeal, but the burning lasts for a full season (in some drafts a full year) and then conflict never stops, namely: Sauron takes over Tol Sirion, Barad Eithel is under siege 7 years later, the Orcs make it all the way into the plains upon Hithlum, Morgoth causes a plague that eliminates a lot of Fingon’s mortal allies. On the Marches of Medhros the picture is not much better - Himring is an isolated point of defense. There’s constant pressure to survive on both ends, and when defense is clearly not feasible (given all of the above), the only logical strategy to a war lord would be to muster the strength and attack rather than wait and die out slowly. You could claim there are other options, but again, space is limited in Beleriand, allies are few, and the Noldor have already established societies where the strongest hand leads.

If military strength is the most desired characteristic in an ally, then Fingon and Maedhros would have little interest in negotiating with Thingol who has never expressed interest in changing his isolationist policy, not to mention his involvement with the Feanorian Oath and the added weight of the first kinslaying.

Likewise, Orodreth seems set on an isolationist policy after Curufin and Celegorm manage to petrify the people of Nargothrond: 

And after Celegorm Curufin spoke, more softly but with no less power, conjuring in the minds of the Elves a vision of war and the ruin of Nargothrond. So great a fear did he set in their hearts that never after until the time of Túrin would any Elf of that realm go into open battle; but with stealth and ambush, with wizardry and venomed dart, they pursued all strangers, forgetting the bonds of kinship. Thus they fell from the valour and freedom of the Elves of old, and their land was darkened.

Orodreth's refusal to join the Nirnaeth later, is explicitly stated as his refusal to join the sons of Feanor.

On the other hand, Celegorm and Curufin do provide military strength, as is later seen during the Nirnaeth. In the context of warfare, and the stirring of the oath with the theft of the Silmarils, they are the more logical ally, as brutal as that sounds.

What is more, as tober summarized quite nicely, many of the Feanorian followers would see Finrod’s involvement with the quest for the Silmaril as a betrayal of the Noldorin identity. I would bet that many at Himring would be up in arms were Curufin and Celegorm to be prosecuted (unfairly in their mind). In times of crisis, the last thing you want is civil strife among the few people you do have. A war lord will prioritize military unity.

Lastly, it is questionable how much authority the High Kingship has over other realms. It certainly is not a supreme authority (e.g. when Fingolfin wanted to fight, no one other than Aegnor and Angrod would back him up, and he could not command other realms to do as he wished.) The authority of the High Kingship likely diminishes even further under Fingon, who inherits a complete disaster of a realm to rule be it from an environmental, economic, political or civic aspect. So I wonder how much authority he had to judge and prosecute even if he tried.

Maedhros and Fingon take a gamble. They choose as a war lord would: the maintenance of military unity for the sake of survival in times of active war. And they screw up, big time. 

Although, in the grand scheme of things, it would have mattered little. The narrative is pretty clear that without the aid of the Valar, there’s no defeating Morgoth: 

This counsel was wise according to the measure of [Fingolfin's] knowledge; for the Noldor did not yet comprehend the fullness of the power of Morgoth, nor understand that their unaided war upon him was without final hope, whether they hasted or delayed.

The way I read it, Fingon and Maedhros’ biggest mistake is not realizing that there is no way into Angband via the way of battle. The only ones to succeed ever were Luthien, and once Fingon, with a song, not a sword.

i'm starting to wonder if maedhros either a). didn't know about celegorm and curufin's assault of luthien, or b). never actually sent communication to doriath demanding the silmaril, with celegorm and curufin being the main ones behind it instead. yes fandom has soured me toward the character, but i don't think he's meant to be taken as enough of a sheer moron to expect cooperation from a kingdom after his brothers tried to rape their princess. nor do i think he's written unsympathetically enough for tolkien's intent to have been to make him a rape enabler/apologist who genuinely doesn't care about celegorm and curufin assaulting a woman -- so either c&c lied about what they did and he took whatever version they told him at face value, or he never actually gave his approval for whatever letter was sent to doriath. and the silm does say "maedhros and his brothers had before sent to thingol" and that "maedhros made no answer" after thingol refused the feanorians' demands, which to me is as good as confirmation that maedhros was involved in the exchange. so maybe celegorm and curufin really did keep the true story from him. ...or maybe fandom's fixation on maedhros being some long suffering goodie two shoes is still skewing my perception of him without my realizing and he actually is the kind of person to brush off celegorm and curufin's rape attempt

[prettyprettyswan]

It is sometimes sad when I think about how my sister and I used to be so close with each other when we were younger, and now every time we are near each other one of us will just start fighting with  one another. I miss the old days so much sometimes.

[gunstellations]

In the world I love

_

In a different world

[primus-why]

I Feel TFOne Could've Handled This Better...

Hot take but I feel like folks have been really generous with the take that OP was unable to find ~the perfect words~ in the heat of the moment (and thus should be given some grace) when he told D to stand down and "not be like Sentinel"... namely cuz I don't feel that the narrative supports this?

Like-- after all is said and done, OP doesn't reflect on that part of their split. He doesn't have a moment where he seeks validation or voices his regrets over the choice of his words, it's actually cut-and-dry. The narrative (as it stands) supports that OP saw D-16 acting up, so he called him out and stood on business, down to the last scenes where he's basically like "yeah it's a shame but y'all knew I had to do it to 'em."

It didn't have to be much! I'm not saying to absolve Megs, just show OP looking at things from a different perspective/contemplating a bit on that tough choice and the morality of the moment. Some examples of what I wish we had:

B-127 straight up blurting the obvious by later chatting with Orion like, "Wait so you told your best friend that he was acting just as bad as the guy who enslaved us for our entire lives and was torturing him like an hour ago? Oof. Seems kinda harsh." Then have some of OP's regret show on his face.

OP asking Elita-1 after Megs is banished if he did the right thing. Have Elita back his choice up, saying, "You should have seen what he did after you were... gone. It was terrifying. I know it was tough, but you made the right call." OP is grateful for the support, but a conflicted look still flashes across his face before he steels himself to look out towards the horizon... and the future.

Have OP walk past other mechs/former miners who didn't go with the High Guard saying stuff like, "Wish I could've given Sentinel a piece of my mind!" "Yeah, but I'm glad he's gone for good." "Ugh I miss everything." "Oh, it was crazy! Megatron picked him up and then he rrrrriiipped-- oops, hey there, Mr. Optimus... Prime... sir?" And have OP wave hello, looking a bit sick when they leave.

Post-credits scene with Starscream going on and on, asking Megs when they'll be back to teach the upstart Prime a lesson. Megs grabs his face to shut him up. "Patience, Starscream. The Prime thinks I'm no better than Sentinel... but I'll show him. He wants Iacon? He can have it. In the meantime we'll take the rest of the planet! Then I'll come back, crush Prime under my heel, and we'll take Iacon too. Sentinel's reign will barely be a footnote, because I'm about to become Optimus Prime's worst nightmare." The vocal performance would really need to sell this-- like picture Megs saying something like that from a place of anger and hurt, not so much a place of genuine evil or malice.

Basically instead of Orion's assertion being backed up as black and white/good vs bad, I wish we had some different opinions/reactions from the characters sprinkled in there. Like you can't tell me out of allllll the miners who weren't strong enough/willing to go with the High Guard and ended up sticking around that NONE of them were like "eyyo honestly?? Kiiiiinda glad Sentinel is dead. Wish I could have helped, tbh." like come onnnnn...

And you can't even argue that he's not an active threat-- I don't think everyone would see things that way! It's not just about the threat he physically has, but the threat he represents and is very likely to act upon if given the opportunity! He has a proven track record of not only being sneaky and conniving, but also capable of dealing some serious damage/killing people bigger and stronger than him, plus he has the backing of the Quints. All he'd need to do is wriggle his way out of jail and run off to his sponsors, then he'd probably be back to hurt more people! (If the Quints didn't just kill him out of incompetence lmao). There's a lot of "ifs" here, but I think it's a valid argument that not everyone would agree on what is the right or wrong way to handle Sentinel once he was down long enough to, like, do something about him.

I feel the situation needed a bit of nuance. In some way I wish they had kicked the can and had D and Orion bicker while Sentinel escaped, then have D get frustrated enough by the loss of Sentinel to point fingers (and his fusion canon) at Orion, who then falls and becomes OP. (Megs could still show some of thar emotion/remorse right after he does it too.) Not only would this open the door for a sequel, but tbh the Quint might have just killed Sentinel anyways and sought to deal with the miners uprising themselves lol. (Maybe that could have been an after credits scenes too instead of the B-127 bit??)

Would love to see a moment in a sequel where they have a calmer moment after arguing for a bit. Have OP mention how Megs was out of line, that it hurt and even scared him to see him act that way, and Megs can quietly point out "you said I was as bad as Sentinel... is that really how you see me? After everything we went through?"

Then OP can fumble the bag again lmao like "D, I... I'm sorry, that didn't come out right... but you still took things way too far..."

"Why am I not surprised-- your opinion is what matters the most! Maybe that's why you became a Prime, since you're so good at acting like the world revolves around you--!"

*gets interrupted by someone else before another yelling match ensues*

[andreal831]

I feel guilty: In some ways, I feel Hayley and the Mikaelsons set up Hope to fail. Now, with canon included, I think Hope did find her way - but ironically feel like her story should have been "Klaus, Hayley, and Elijah are what the remaining family tied to Hope but with the three dead - Hope is on her own, and having to navigate a world where she loves her dad but everyone is just as entitled to hate him and come into conflict with that". (Sorry, that's a long one). Basically because of how morally dubious the TVD gang (+ Dorian) could be - it makes sense that they know to separate Klaus's actions from Hope - but what about those who did not have that luxury and only remember a monster that was Klaus? I would use Tyler's story, but in a vague gesture: Hope needs to earn someone's trust after her father (or other relatives) brutalized them and has no way to defend or justify it. Essentially getting someone's trust for her as "Only Hope" and not the surname she's connected to. Or the more common arc, Hope realizing just because she loves her family doesn't mean she can overwrite the centuries of cruel history they left behind.

I'm not saying the Mikaelsons didn't love Hope, but Hope is unique (not just as a tribrid but the only living blood relative who hasn't been alive for a millennia) and had pressure on her that shouldn't be there. Hayley loved her, but should have warned her that living in a town that still had - living - people her dad fought with and hurt should have taken precedence over keeping a torch lit for their relationship. Klaus had his chance to be someone in this world, now Hope has to live in it and make something of herself - in his name or by herself.

(Sorry if this comes off anti. While I have anti thoughts and do like Hope, I think she could have stood to have a better characterized arc.)

I'll start by prefacing this and say that I haven't seen much of Legacies, I only know a lot of the show from edits.

But I agree that the show did a pretty terrible job with really diving into the cycle of trauma and pressures that were put on Hope since before she was even born. They were so focused on making Klaus redeemable and centering Hope around Klaus that they didn't allow for her character to have the development she needed.

I really like what I know about Hope's character and I even look past the wild hoops the writers had to jump through to make her existence possible. But for a show that centered around a magical, miracle baby, they sidelined her character a lot. The writers were so focused on setting up Legacies that they forgot to give the characters the development that was necessary for it to get there.

People love to say that Klaus broke the cycle of abuse with Hope, but he didn't. It just manifested in a different way. He never physically harmed her, but he neglected, abandoned, and emotionally harmed her repeatedly. This trauma is something that Hope doesn't even get to work through.

Hope at 7 years old seems more or less well adjusted. I think Hayley did a good job protecting her from everything. She missed her family in an abstract way because she didn't truly understand what she was missing. She had Hayley and Mary. Klaus allowing himself to be captured and held prisoner was the best thing he ever did for Hope. She was able to live for seven years safe and loved. I may get hate for it, but Hope was better off living as a Marshall away from the Mikaelsons.

I don't necessarily think Hayley was wrong for letting Hope grow up believing the best in her family. At that point, Hope was very isolated. She deserved to have a childhood without it being taken away by the Mikaelsons. But I do think Hayley should have had more conversations with her as she got older, especially if she was going to a school where it was likely to come up.

As soon as she is back with the Mikaelsons, her life once again revolved around what she can do for Klaus. I'm not saying they all didn't love Hope, but she was never allowed to just exist. The fact that she used to keep points when she was "good" or "bad" shows just how much she felt it. She had to be perfect because if she wasn't, she wouldn't be worth their sacrifice or Klaus might slip back into a terrible person.

I've talked about it before, but sending Hope to the Salvatore School made no sense to me. She was safer in New Orleans. She had her mother's pack, he vampires would protect her for Josh and Marcel, Vincent wouldn't let anything happen to her, and she had her mother. Hayley sending her daughter away to boarding school for most of the year made zero sense. I watched the first few episodes of Legacies before TO and I genuinely thought they all died when she was a child because of how she acted with Alaric and the twins. She desperately wanted a family, something Hayley had done a great job providing in the past, but sending her away to school made Hope feel neglected. She was already being neglected by Klaus, she didn't need to feel abandoned by both parents.

And, as you said, she is sent to a school that is run by a man who hates her father, in a town full of people who hate her whole family. She had to listen to people talking about how awful they were, and it was all warranted, which makes it worse for her. She didn't get to attempt to process that on her own. She had to do it while constantly being compared to her family. Alaric was always using it as a way to punish her. The adults clearly were not mature enough to separate Hope from what her family did and they had no business being in charge of her.

The entire terrible legacy of the Mikaelsons was put on Hope's shoulder and the show just ignored that trauma because if they didn't, they would have to admit that Klaus wasn't redeemed, everyone just moved on. So then the people who didn't just move on look like the bad guys. Alaric had every right to hate Klaus, Tyler would have every right to hate both of Hayley and Klaus. They don't owe the Mikaelsons anything, but it is also not fair that Hope has to take the brunt of their anger because Klaus died and got away with literal murder. Hope was a child and shouldn't have had to work to prove herself. She deserved love and support and understanding, like every other child. She deserved to have the space and support to sort out her feelings toward her family, the good and the bad. She deserved to yell at Klaus for abandoning her, to be angry at Elijah for putting that pressure on her, to be angry at her aunts and uncles for abandoning her after her parents died. She deserved to figure out who she was outside of the legacy of pain and torment her family left behind, but as far as I can tell, she is never given that time. All of this would have given her character more depth. Coming to the realization that her family were terrible people but she still loved them is a hard pill to swallow, but it was something she needed to come to terms with. Glorifying Klaus and erasing Hayley, did very little for her development except to play on Klaus' popularity for views.

I love the Mikaelsons but each and every one of them were terrible at being family and terrible people. Hope suffered because of this.

Thanks for the ask! Sorry if I just went on a tangent and didn't fully answer your question.

[pinalamanca]

Tuco x Nacho Head canon:

"I was good to him! I was good!"

"it's going to be like a lesson to myself! You never, never trust the people that you love!"

What if Ignacio Varga met Tuco when they were teenagers, becoming friends following a fight or something? But in a secret, rebellious act against his uncle, Tuco slowly becomes partners with Nacho. In more ways than one.

And what if there was actually a point in time back then, before Tuco Salamanca got into Crank and Meth, that Nacho returned these feelings? Nacho slowly watches his friend turn into pretty much a monster, with little help or concern from the man's family and Abuelita.

When Mike asks Nacho about the hit in 'Gloves Off', Ignacio Varga seems very conflicted but already resigned to the fact to take Tuco out. However he can. This is why he is so ready to switch over to the plan about putting Tuco in prison. In their business, Nacho believed up until that point that that was the only solution?

Nacho spent years working with Tuco, maybe even a near decade. He is the shoulder for the Salamanca to come to when things get tough. The one who Tuco can trust with the matters of his life.

And for Nacho to see a man who is maybe his first, crumble to addiction and to Hector Salamancas plans and circumstances. Family pressures. While Tuco grows crueler himself as he becomes sicker. Unable to truly be honest about a part of himself. Maybe this is why partly Nacho shows such disdain for the rest of the Salamancas later? They left Tuco and him to rot. No one to handle things.

What if in the first quote, Tuco is also referring to Nacho, other than Gonzo?

How he had given him everything? And had still been stabbed in the back by the man? The man that Tuco loves?

Maybe this is why he shows such contempt for Jesse, he is taking his pent up feelings about Nacho out on him. Jesse, who is a handsome younger man about Nacho and Tuco's age when theyd started. Somewhat childish, a joker. Possibly like how Nacho could have been? But Jesse is also grating to Tuco's comparison of Nacho, whom had been molded into who we see in Better Call Saul over years.

And in Better Call Saul, as Nacho's days approach the uncertain end of Tuco's jail time. Nacho heard through Hector that he'd gotten a lighter sentence for Mike. As well as Tuco's eventual release. Nacho grows uncomfortable and solemn. Depressed. His plans are not going the way he thought. Nacho knows it isnt going to last, his freedom and what there is left of it. Sooner or later, Tuco will get out and be on the lookout for who put him in. Nacho knows this very well. The clock is ticking. So, he decides to seize the day. Planning to escape to possibly Manitoba l? (At one point in the series, we see Nacho's picture on a Manitoba Drivers license.)