#idealistic just dance 2

[thornycanary]

idealistic but she doesnt block the cubes that keep getting thrown at her

[twilightcitysky]

Everything Is Meant (long S2 analysis, part 1)

I cannot figure out for the life of me how to make gifs so this will have to be a gif-less essay. If anyone more tech savvy than me wants to reblog with relevant media, please do!

I've seen a lot of people saying how Aziraphale's actions in the final ten minutes come out of left field and are OOC, and when I first watched the episode I felt the same, but now I think I couldn't have been more wrong. And I don't think Aziraphale is being controlled... I think the entire season showed us exactly what was going to happen.

On first watch, what struck me was the number of plot points that seemed disconnected. I couldn't figure out how Job related to the present, or the Victorian era, or the Nazi zombies (still at sea on the zombies part tbh). I didn't know where the Maggie/ Nina subplot was going, or why we were bothering with it. Then I put my "psych hat" on and it was like seeing one of those 3D pictures come into focus. It's a psychological networking rather than a plot-driven one, which is what Neil told us to expect.

Detailed analysis under the cut, with spoilers:

I went back through the season in my head and started asking myself: why is this element there? What does it contribute?

1. Start with scene one. Why include it? Does it matter for the climax that Az knew Crowley as an angel? YES. It's actually huge. Angel Crowley was joyful, he was bursting with delight at creation, he was idealistic. He wanted to be a part of everything rather than run away from it, and that's still how Aziraphale feels. He loves being a part of things. He's a joiner. He's a landlord. He dances at clubs and he makes human friends and he learns magic. Crowley the demon doesn't seem to want any of that, and I think that's hard for Az. He wants Crowley to be free of the cynicism he thinks prevents him from enjoying life now. At some level, I think he senses that Crowley is depressed (empathy's not his strong suit but I'm sure he's aware that Crowley's in a "what's the point of it all" kind of mood; see the eccles cakes scene). He wants to fix it. Aziraphale is a fixer. Metatron offers him a chance to do that.

Another thing is that Aziraphale knows Crowley ended up Falling just for asking questions that seemed innocent. That's not okay with him. He thinks that with the two of them in charge they can actually MAKE the changes that Crowley wanted to see way back at the beginning, starting with a suggestion box.

2. Okay, now Jim. Obviously Gabriel/ Jim is the central mystery, but why does he matter? First and foremost: he's there to show Aziraphale that angels can CHANGE. Gabriel terrorized and threatened Aziraphale. Az has been terrified of him. He ordered Aziraphale's execution. And now here he is, drinking hot chocolate, doing noble self-sacrificing things, with morals that suddenly align with Aziraphale's. What an absolute game-changer that must have been! He thought Heaven was unfixable, but here's Gabriel in his shop for weeks, slowly convincing him otherwise.

Then two other things happen. First, they find out that this all happened to Gabriel essentially because he fell in love. He was fired and his memories were stolen and the only reason he recovered was because Beelzebub happened to give him the one thing that could save him. That must have seemed like incredible luck. Now, how does Aziraphale feel about memories? He lives in a bookshop that is stuffed to bursting with the records of all of human history, essentially. His memories of his time with Crowley are incredibly precious. He sees, there at the end, that everything he is can be taken from him as a punishment for falling in love. Aziraphale doesn't have a magic fly container. He'd be forever robbed of Crowley, his life, himself. It's a very real threat in his mind when Metatron intervenes.

Which brings us to the second thing. Metatron saves Gabriel. Not only that, he prevents him from being punished for loving Beelzebub and lets them both go. What better way to win currency with Aziraphale? HE doesn't want to go off to Alpha Centauri, he never has, but suddenly he sees that Metatron might protect his relationship. And he's probably the only entity with the power to do so.

So we come to two conclusions: Aziraphale, when he goes off to talk with Metatron, is feeling like maybe it's not intrinsically bad to be an angel. He believed all the angels sucked, and only God was good... but now he sees that even Gabriel can change. He met Muriel, and he likes them. (He also had a huge crush on angel Crowley, which is neither here nor there but he loves Crowley in all his forms.) So if Crowley became an angel again, would that really be so bad? In his mind, it wouldn't change who Crowley is. It would just make them both safer and allow them to be together. (He's wrong! And Crowley doesn't see it that way! But this is a key miscommunication. Aziraphale doesn't really believe that becoming a demon changed Crowley. Back to the first scene, which Aziraphale references during the Job minisode. In his eyes, Crowley is the same person (just more cynical because of what's happened to him)-- so why would it matter if he's an angel again? I truly don't think he was trying to save Crowley, or saying that Crowley would be Better as an angel. To him, it doesn't matter what Crowley is. Which is reductive and harmful, but not the same as thinking Crowley needs rescuing from himself.)

Second conclusion: he sees that an angel and demon can be in love, but they have to run away to be together. Gabe and Beelz couldn't go home again. Earth is Aziraphale's home, but after the attack on the bookshop he learned that without Heaven's protection he can't really keep them safe there. Metatron says: "Come with me, do this thing, and you can have guaranteed safety AND be with the love of your life". Poor Aziraphale wants this with every fiber of his being. All he's ever wanted was for Crowley to be safe. He's never been able to offer it. Over the past four years, he thought they were safe, but he's just learned that he was wrong.

This is getting long. Continued in Part Two!

[otterspaceastrology]

Pick a Card Reading + MoodBoard

What will Halloween be like with your Future Spouse?

Disclaimers

Readings are for entertainment purposes, so please take with a grain of salt and enjoy!

When I talk about masculine and feminine, I am talking about energy so that can apply to any gender or identity.

When picking a pile, use your intuition, close your eyes, relax and think of the question and then open your eyes and let it be drawn naturally to a pile, repeat as many times as you need to know it’s your pile. Of course you can do it any way you want that’s just my preferred method!

Now on to the readings!

Pile 1

Planned out and Emotional

6 of Pentacles, 9 of Swords, The Tower, Justice

Moon, 12th House, Aquarius

Charming, Experimental, Planner ,Energetic

Horror Movies, Halloween Family Movies, Decorating, Take Out Food

Pile One Your Future Spouse is going to have your Halloween night all planned out with decorating for the holiday then cuddling up with all your favorite Halloween movies and take out food from your favorite place or from somewhere you’ve been dying to try! I definitely see this being a night the strengthens your emotional connection and might break down some barriers or even be a milestone in the relationship, for example the first time one of you says “I Love You”! It will definitely be a cozy Halloween night in together!

Pile 2

After Party for Two

3 of Wands, Knight of Wands, King of Wands

11th House, Pluto, Scorpio

Assertive, Logical, Warm, Introverted, Explorer

Drive in Movie, Decorating, Halloween Party, Take Out Food

Pile Two Your Future Spouse seems like someone with a social battery that is quite strong but needs charging after a while. They are the life of the party or at least a big part of it! I even see that you might be hosting a Halloween party together! You will have a night exploring and partying while still having moments of peace and quality time together! Definitely wants to have special alone time with you after everything if you know what I mean, they are not going to be able to stop thinking about how attractive you are all day!

Pile 3

Little Bit of Everything

The Emperor, King of Pentacles, King of Wands

Taurus,12th House, Neptune

Experimental, Logical, Bold, Idealist, Curious

Trick or Treating, Drive in Movie, Haunted House, Karaoke/Dancing

Pile Three Your Halloween with your Future Spouse will be like straight out of a day dream! They will sweep you right of your feet and take you on an adventure! They are so assertive and in there masculine energy that you will feel safe to be fully in your feminine energy! I can see you getting scared and them just holding you with a confident and bold energy that just melts away all of your fear! I also see you two having lots of adorable moments throughout the night like singing a funny duet or sharing a sentimental dance!

Thank you so much for reading my pick a card I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did making it!🥰✨

Collages are made by me on Pinterest, but I own none of the photos.

[sad-trekkie-life]

Random Star Trek TOS analysis: Spock & male gender expectations and stereotypes

I was recently discussing with my best friend his experiences growing up in the very binary “right-wing” society. He expressed that he often felt ashamed of the fact, that he’s very emotional, soft person, with big interest in fashion and other things which stereotypically associated with female experiences (manicure, makeup, emotionally-driven literature, “girly” cartoons & shows, etc). He also shared that his male friends would rarely discuss emotions, feelings, and allow themselves to just feel, as it is not seen as “masculine” in the society we both grew up in, so he relates more to female experiences.

And we ended up talking about TOS and Spock. Because I am trekked in the head I guess, and he would also relate to Spock in this particular situation.

I’ve noticed, that despite the stereotype that men are not emotionally and physically gentle with each other, it does not coincide with what straight male writers and creators love to portray in male friendship driven media, which is often considered as an ideal. For example, Lord of The Rings comes to mind. It was written in the 30s-40s, and male characters are very gentle with each other and are open about their feelings with each other. They hold hands, kiss each other, cry. It is not portrayed as romantic or weak, at least, romantic possibility part is not portrayed so intentionally, and those tender relationship we can also observe in the film adaptations of the books.

Also, I’ve read a book by USSR sci-fi writers Strugatsky brothers, Prisoners of Power. USSR’s ideal of a man is seen as pretty stereotypical, BUT, it is actually far more normal for men to be physically affectionate in the Eastern European society. If you watch USSR 50s-60s films you’d probably be surprised to see men randomly kissing each other in the lips because, for example, they are happy… And also holding hands and dancing with each other if there’s no female partners is considered normal still. BUT still I was surprised by the fact that in the USSR book, male character Guy calls the novel’s also male protagonist Max “beloved” multiple times, and it literally says that “Max made him fell in love with him”. Of course, it could be intentionally romantic, as Strugatsky brothers were very progressive and critical about USSR, but the fact that censors said zero things about this very open tenderness between two male characters, in my opinion, says a lot. That at least it wasn’t seen as gay, and even if it WAS written as gay, which is obviously a huge possibility, this amount of love between two males was seen as normal or at least idealistic.

Watching Star Trek I realized that Kirk and Spock’s relationship do remind me of Max and Guy from this obscure Soviet book. If we go away from the romantic interpretation of the relationship, we can’t ignore that

1) Spock and Kirk’s relationship is often the focus of the show and a primal focus of the Star Trek films

2) Spock and Kirk are canonically soulmates and in The Search for Spock it is told literally multiple times.

Spock’s popularity as the character also proves his relatability to the audience, regardless of their gender and identity.

Roddenberry himself said the following of Kirk and Spock relationship:

“I definitely designed it as a love relationship. And I hope that for men…who have been afraid of such relationships…that they (Spock and Kirk) would encourage them to be able to feel love and affection, true affection…love, friendship and deep respect”.

You can also read this exact quote on Wikipedia. Star Trek is a highly idealistic show, as it portrays the perfect society, and in that society it is completely normal for men being emotional, open, and being open about their affection to each other.

But what does it all have to do with Spock and my friend’s experience?

I’ve concluded, that Vulcan society aligns with what society typically expects from men, or what many men feel it expects. In the beging of the show Spock experiences shame for the fact that he feels friendship for Kirk. Spock grew up in the society where emotions are seen as weak, despite the fact that Vulcans do feel emotions. A lot of emotions.

But the fact is, Spock is a VERY emotional and emphatic individual. He is half human, so he’s an outsider in his society. He cries mostly in the show, and actually he is very tactile with his friends despite that Vulcans like to keep their personal space.

Kirk, on the contrary, while being an officer, for whom it’s important to be collected and calm, and the situation often forces him and the whole crew actually to not let their emotions take control (otherwise they’d be screwed up) is pretty open about his tender side. With him Spock learns to accept himself. And he only becomes the closest to being happy, when he fully accepts his emotional side. Kirk is a pretty happy person although he has been through a lot, because he’s not ashamed of being a romantic, idealist and the person who can say to you quite easily “you make me believe in miracles”.

So, you can interpret Vulcan as a reflection of gender stereotypes that are imposed upon men, and the whole message of Spock finding the balance, is that to be happy is allowing yourself, as the man, to let those standards go. That being open about your emotions and tender side is noble, heroic, and masculine.

This interpretation is quite possible, as science fiction is created to analyze society and human flaws by allegories and hyperbole.

We, as society, still need to learn and we need to have such examples of healthy masculinity as Kirk, Spock, Bones (also Doctor of Doctor Who, Frodo, Sam, Aragorn from LOTR) and such characters’ popularity proves, that many men do experience the pressure, and do want to be open, they like it, it is healthy, and it’s their ideal. And Prisoners of Power I mentioned earlier is a very popular book in the USSR and in post-USSR as well, and is considered a science fiction classic.

It doesn’t matter if you read those relationships as homoerotic or not. The intention is, no matter what kind of relationship it is, it is healthy, manly and great.

Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk.

[jovialmoonprincess]

AU: Journey to Redemption (Part 1)

Coriolanus Snow x Fem!reader 

Summary: Y/N, a young idealist in Panem, dreams of making a difference in a post-war society. As the winner of the prestigious Plinth Prize is about to be announced, a mysterious woman unveils a grim fate for Coriolanus Snow, Y/N's nemesis. Offered a chance to alter destiny, Y/N must navigate her conflicting emotions and intervene in pivotal moments to prevent Snow's descent into darkness. The story unfolds against the backdrop of complex relationships, past connections, and the challenges of a changing world, as Y/N grapples with the responsibility of shaping an unexpected destiny and challenging the very fabric of fate.

Word Count: 992

Warning(s): None, enemy to lovers, back in time, destiny, Snow being in love, Snow being Snow, possible grammar and spelling mistakes

A/N: First Fic EVER, dont be mean pls. Also Im not a english native speaker, sorry for any spelling errors. Just saw Songbirds and Snakes and Tom Blyth as President Snow is living rent free in my head! Feedback is appreciated! Follow or like (or both) for part 2!

A month still remained until the announcement of the Plinth Award winner. While Y/N was still somewhat sleepy, in the midst of summer, a brief and subtle snowfall danced outside her window. Believing she was still dreaming, the student got up, opened the window, extended her arm, and touched the flakes to make sure. It was undoubtedly one of the most beautiful things she had ever seen; it seemed like magic. She felt the urge to run out and celebrate the arrival of snow, as she did when she was a child. Maybe the Capitol had created a new technology and was testing it in the middle of the night. It seemed like a plausible theory. Y/N closed the window and sat at the edge of the bed, still feeling the coldness of the ice on her fingers. It didn't feel like a dream; Y/N wasn't a girl who dreamed often either. The last time she dreamt, she was in a park in the Capitol, with her mother gently pushing her on the swing. The games were over, people lived happily again, all in one place, there was peace, and no one would go hungry. As a kid, Y/N had suffered through the war, something she wouldn't overcome. And even now, in a place without hunger, with clean clothes and in the best school in the country, she still wasn't completely happy. How could she be happy while people were dying outside? Y/N quietly prayed to herself that a good person would become president, and her dream could come true. For now, she could only study to become someone who could make a difference in Panem. Even if she didn't know where to start.

Y/N looked out the window, and as the snow fell, she returned to her slumber. She couldn't help but think of another Snow, one that still brought her fond memories. Y/N was an idealistic young woman, driven by the memories of war and the fervent desire to make a difference in Panem. Her father, a respected peacekeeper, had left a controversial legacy, but she strove to follow a path of kindness and justice. Her father died after a while from an illness that was never properly explained; Y/N was sure that the reason for his death was remorse—his hands had innocent blood, and he knew it. He withered away gradually, and on his deathbed, he declared his hatred for war and those who supported it. He died cursing the Capitol and its architects.

Y/N wanted to be a better person; she had this opportunity, had hope to change the world around her. Every day, while donning the Academy uniform, she mentally prepared herself to enter the snake pit that was that place. She couldn't pick fights with anyone, even though she wanted to desperately. She remembered how many fights she had tried to avoid only to end up completely ignored and still punished for her good intentions.

The snow falling outside brought back memories of a simpler time, before the fights and rivalries that marked her life at the Academy.

Y/N was beloved by everyone in school, even though she couldn't care less about those spoiled and corrupt rich kids. She couldn't stand them, but there was someone she detested even more: Coriolanus Snow. He wasn't like the others; his past was different, more similar to hers. And yet, he seemed to forget that. He only cared about his grades and not the people around him. They had fought several times since Y/N entered the academy. It was impossible for them to be in the same room without disagreeing about something. She still remembered their first fight when she asked her brother for help to finish a project of a class they were doing together, and they both ended up with the same grade. Snow, not content with just his top grade, found out and did everything to get the teacher to lower Y/N's grade. Insufferably arrogant. As beautiful as he was, he was despicable. After that, it got worse; he always reminded her that she was the second-best student in the class and that he was better, blah, blah, blah. He never even wondered if you cared about your grades. Apart from this obsession, he was nice outside the academy. You were good friends with Tigris; you loved her, and it wasn't because of Corio that you would stop seeing your friend.

Before all of this, Corio had been a nice guy a few times (most of them when he wasn't all pompous around his rich friends). You invited him to the winter ball before the first fight, close to your first anniversary in the Capitol. You danced all night, and he gave you your first kiss. It was quick, and you never talked about it again. Even that scene still gave you chills to this day. It was only after your grades increased and you began to stand out in class that he started treating you with a certain indifference. It was childish, and you felt a weight on your chest for not continuing with what you had, even if it was little. What was once little became nothing. You still saw Tigris from time to time, but Corio rarely left his room, where he had been locked studying for the last few months. You wished you hadn't left him hanging after the kiss, but you were so shocked and didn't understand your feelings. You couldn't distinguish the attraction you felt for him from the fear of losing a friend. Well, you ended up losing him in the same way.

The twist in her routine came when a mysterious woman, dressed in vibrant colors, approached Y/N on an empty street. Her words, filled with urgency, revealed a dark fate for Coriolanus Snow. Y/N, initially skeptical, saw her disbelief fade away when the woman offered an object that provided disturbing glimpses of the future. It was something like two watches joined by a golden chain. As soon as she touched it, she saw everything. It wasn't possible to hear anything, but it wasn't necessary.

The projected scenes showed an unrecognizable Snow: kissing a girl through a cell, then with buzz cut hair shooting birds in a forest, and finally, with his blond hair combed back, looking at the rector's corpse with hatred. She wanted to vomit. She didn't want to believe. Y/N didn't doubt Snow's ability to be a jerk; it had happened several times with her already. But it usually involved some petty ego fight. He didn't seem like a murderer. Y/N felt a mixture of disgust and disbelief. The arrogant antagonist of her school life now seemed destined for a path of destruction.

"Y/N, I know you're a good girl; they told me you'll be of great help at the moment, and even if you doubt me, you'll try to help everyone. The next years will be dark, you wanted your opportunity, and I'm offering it. In a month, important things will start happening in the timeline, and at certain moments, your participation will be decisive. When those moments come, you must intervene and use your intellectual and emotional intelligence to prevent the country's destruction." When the woman finally paused, it seemed like her brain still hadn't grasped the words. Y/N didn't feel fear from her; it was more like affection and compassion.

"Don't give up on him, Y/N. You know him. Even if he seems cold on the outside, I'm telling you there's still hope in something inside him."

Everything happened so quickly; in the blink of an eye, you were sitting in the cafeteria before class started with your snack in front of you, and your friends were completely unaware of your tumultuous mental journey.

"What's happening to me? Am I feverish, hallucinating for the past few hours? Everything feels like a horrible dream." She wondered, trying to distinguish the line between reality and the nightmare she had just witnessed. Her breathing was hurried; she must have looked like a lunatic. The crazy scenes still played in her mind. She wished to know what would happen, and especially who the girl passionately kissing Snow was. It wasn't the most shocking scene she had seen, but it was the one that bothered her the most for some reason.

The responsibility to prevent Coriolanus Snow's dark fate now rested on Y/N's shoulders. She found herself torn between disbelief and the conviction that something needed to be done to avoid an impending tragedy. The challenge was daunting, and the idea of helping someone she despised caused a deep emotional turmoil.

While facing this dilemma, Y/N knew she couldn't ignore the call of destiny. The month leading up to the Plinth Award became a period of anguish, both mentally and emotionally, for the mission she was destined to fulfill. The game of enemies would transform into a complex dance of redemption and understanding, and Y/N was about to embark on a journey that would challenge not only her convictions but also the limits of destiny itself.

---------

Thanks for diving into this story with me! Hope you enjoy the ride as much as I enjoyed creating it. Stay for more twists and turns! Cheers! 📖✨

[thr0wnawayy]

Table of Contents

Due to the startling amount of reposts on my end, I have decided to make this Menu.

Essential, I've managed to figure out how to pin posts. So this will serve as a hub for my account. This way you all don't need to dig through my account just to find my projects or my continuation.

The links below should take you to whatever post you select. These will be categorized in order from top to bottom, top being the beginning of a series and the bottom being the most recent.*

Side stories will be placed in their own personal section with a bracket stating the series they're assigned to. EX: [Nowhere]

(Recent is subject to change)

Crownless Monarchy (MHA's Continuation)

Kota: The Idealist

Hime and Ikkaku (Side Story

Fimbulwinter

?

Incident Report

Deku: The Doll Part 1 and 2

Nowhere (Timeline Derailment)

First Draft ( Contains drafts for chapters 1-2, things are subject to change)

How Corrupt is Hero Society? (Critical Analysis and Theories)

Part 1: Hawks

Part 2: Endeavor and Nomu a cause for Concern

Part 3: The Jaku Raid

Other Stuffs

No Words

Chapter 429 is my personal Dabi's Dance

A Thought, A Theory (predecessor to the below post, some information is dated.)

Midoriya's Delusion (an extended and improved version of the above post. Can also work for the Crownless Monarchy continuation)

Response to @mikeellee's ask

Midoriya's reason for not being able to see his classmates doesn't add up

AU Concepts and Idea's (Feel free to use, just heed the requests)

Achilles Heel

Midoriya's hero name sucks, also tonight: more info on MHA's future problems. This time? Medical

The Jaku Disaster if it actually mattered

Nothing Rei went through was consensual

Further Elaboration on the Aftermath of a realistic Jaku

Hori and Character Bloat

Was AFO ever a proper villain?

Ask: Was Midoriya's popularity suppressed by the Commission?

Who knew of Enji's atrocities?

Rei-Demoption: Writing a proper arc

Side Stories

For CM:

Hime and Ikkaku

Where Are They At: A look into MHA's future

Explaining Mic's absence

Character Profile: Deku

For Nowhere:

X

Side Projects:

Gilded Cage (warning: format is not mobile friendly)

MHA Rework: Redeeming The Licensing Exam [Why Inasa sucks]

X

[a-d-nox]

can you please make more synastry observations and asteroid ones too pleaseee? i miss you they were soo entertaining to read

working well together in synastry and composite

i'm going to work off of what i already have posted (no asteroids discussed after this post will be included or added after the fact). finally, i would like to state that NO TWO CHARTS ARE THE SAME. what i am about to list out does not mean you will for sure need these exact things (or all of these things) to be shy, nervous, and/or anxious around one another. if you don't understand my thought process, feel free to dm me with questions!

libra (7°, 19°) or aquarius (11°, 23°) venus/mars and/or 7h libra (7°, 19°) or aquarius (11°, 23°)

these two can be partners in crime and great colleagues; very little gets in the way of them accomplishing a task. they have a sort of dance they do when working together - they don't need to communicate to get the work done.

7h venus

this is great if you guys work together long term - it is like having a co-ownership at a business or partnership at the same firm. venus person loves 7h person and 7h person looks at venus person as if they are their true equal.

11h libra (7°, 19°) or aquarius (11°, 23°)

this is just very easy alliance and partnership. these two cooperate well with one another.

11h venus

these are allies - it is a ride-or-die connection that these two have it is very rare that either person will turn against each other. venus person will treat 11h person as their only friend, while 11h person will be extremely loyal and wishes to help the venus person to be the best version of themselves possible.

11h neptune

this is one of those unlikely alliances that just end up working well together. neptune person sees 11h person's vision and wants to help them come true, while 11h person sees the beauty in idealist and optimistic neptune person.

11h uranus

these people are unstoppable; they will do whatever it takes to make it happen. 11h person see eye to eye with innovative uranus person. uranus person likes that 11h person is great at having the connections it takes to move their projects forward.

armstrong (asteroid 6469) positively aspecting aldrin (asteroid 6470)

these two can go where no one has before - they are willing to do what people have never attempted before. armstrong person relies on aldrin person to be the brains of the operation, while aldrin person relies on the armstrong person to do the heavily lifting. together they are comfortable trying new and improbable things.

donar (2176) / thora (299) positively aspecting loke (4862)

these two will attempt to fool the world around them. donor/thora person is often talked into something silly/foolish by loke person. loke person is the mastermind of the project, while donor/thora person is the muscle power to make it happen.

prometheus (1809) positively aspecting athene (881) / pallas (2)

together these two can create something amazing. prometheus person creates the bare bones of their project, while athene/pallas person breaths life into it and gives it character.

vergilius (asteroid 2798) positively aspecting dante (asteroid 2999)

vergilius person will protect dante person at all costs. vergilius person is a sort of guide, confidant, and sage for dante person. dante person looks up to and greatly appreciates vergilius person. together they can traverse even the most difficult terrains.

like what you read? leave a tip and state what post it is for! please use my "suggest a post topic" button if you want to see a specific post or mythical asteroid next!

click here for the masterlist

click here for more composite & synastry observations regarding the luminary and planetary

want a personal reading? click here to check out my reading options and prices!

© a-d-nox 2024 all rights reserved

[oolhan]

Too Many Beds (Part 3)

wow, okay so I had been inactive for awhile (by inactive, I mean just scrolling through and reblogging all sort of everlark stuff). But surprise! We're now on part 3 of this reversed-trope au. Another surprise: I'm adding another chapter because I couldn't wait too long to share the first part of part 3. You can read part 1 and part 2. Without further ado, first scene of part 3:

Travel journals that have to-do lists prior to the travel itself tends to be on the idealistic side, like cruising for 7 days in a Mediterranean island or bumping into a famous celebrity. Katniss knows this for sure, so when she made a bucket list to check off for their European trip, she notes the most mundane things she wants to do. Realistic things that can easily be checked off.

Wishing longevity in front of Sagrada Familia (With Peeta)

See a street flamenco dance (With Peeta)

Collect post cards and stamps (Send to Prim’s apt)

She wrote the list with Peeta two days before they depart for Madrid, and looking at her journal now, she’s pissed off how every to-do had ‘with Peeta’ beside it. She’s also pissed off at how she can’t enjoy tasting an authentic Italian pizza in front of her because written on her journal is: True Italian pizza with Peeta.

And she’s barely eating it with Peeta.

He’s sat at the right end of the long table conversing with Madge across him while she’s beside Johanna on the left end, not obviously far from him.

Finnick and Annie decided to have a small dinner party at a fancier restaurant near the bridge where they were engaged and though Katniss can barely keep it together, she knows she must appear happy and excited and tries very hard not to give away a signature scowl. After almost ruining Peeta’s moment in capturing the proposal photo, she decided not to talk to him for the night and tag along with the others.

She glued herself to Johanna to signal him she doesn’t want to talk about it. For now.

So Peeta talks with Madge.

The pizza is really good, actually. It’s worth the price and all, yet it feels sand on her tongue as she thinks about the loaded question he shot her with before Finnick knelt on one knee.

Is it really about them sleeping? Is that why she feels miserable since yesterday? But they just slept together again last night, so…

She thinks it is the sleeping, but she can never admit that.

But why can’t she just admit it?

She lets an exasperated sigh and downs her beer even though she prefers champagne right now, or maybe something with vodka. She just doesn’t like to upset the accommodating old local waiter who insists on serving the pizza with beer.

“Okay brainless, after dinner you really have to spit it out,” Jo whispers beside her after calling for another beer.

“Spit what out?”

“I heard you arguing with Peeta a while ago and you suddenly made me your favorite person in the world to cling to. I bet Gale’s ass cheeks it’s something to do with Madge,” Jo’s smirk is taunting, and Katniss starts to cringe at how someone actually overheard them.

Not like they’re yelling.

“Well, we sorta bet. I bet 20 it’s something about you two sleeping,” Gale interrupts, leaning over Johanna’s shoulder and swinging a glass.

“You’re ridiculous. I don’t want to talk about this right now,” She thanks the waiter and quickly downs her second bottle for the night. She really wants something stronger than shitty Italian beer. She’s in Italy for god’s sake, why isn’t she devouring wine right now?

“Okay, just tell me if it’s Frenchie or cuddling,”

“you’re both sick.” Katniss spat.

They suddenly turned their heads as Finnick clears his throat and gather everyone’s attention. He was at the head of the table, left hand clinging to Annie’s.

“So, uh,” he turns to Annie for confirmation. “So, you whole lot luck out, I guess. We-uhm, wow, okay I’ll leave it to Annie.” He chuckles nervously.

Annie laughs, “Well, since most of our best friends are present here at this very table, Finnick and I decided to have an intimate wedding in Greece.”

There are surprise gasps and girly shrieks. Congratulations and questions thrown. Despite Katniss’ mood, she smiles at her friends’ sudden news.

“Since we’re in this trip together and Greece is our next stop, then why not make it official in front of you guys?” Finnick’s smile will tear his face in half.

“Yes, and gramma Mags also lives in Lindos right now, so we’re sending her a message to prepare,” Annie confirms, nodding to Finnick and the rest of the group.

Delly and Madge can’t contain their excitement and babble on about wedding matters of what to wear and what colors match the Greek Isles and what food to eat.

“Oh! Oh! Let’s go shopping for dresses before we leave,”

“Cinna has a designer friend here in Venice, I think—”

“Ladies! I think we should all toast first before diving into details,” Johanna stands up, beer in hand ready for toasting.

“To Finnick and Annie, may you always pleasure yourselves quietly through all your nights, because I’m one more Annie’s moan away from putting a gun in my mouth,” Johanna teases and gets exasperated sighs from everybody. Katniss tried not to snort.

“Jesus, Jo,” Finnick chuckles through.

“She’s not allowed to toast at our wedding,” Annie playfully spats.

Gale stands helping Jo out. “What she meant to say was, to Finnick and Annie, whose knots are tied even before time began and lives crossed. We all knew this day would come, so just be in love forever and,” Gale can’t help it and glances at Katniss, whom he knows every scowl by heart. He knows what’s been going on.  “Here’s to a lifetime of open hearts and honest confessions! Cheers!”

Katniss gulps from the implication and glares at them both.

“Hear, hear,” says Thom, the sound of clinking glasses resonates merrily through the table.

“To honest confessions,” she hears Peeta repeats at the end of his table which made her slide her eyes to him, only to find he’s staring right through her.

She pulls her eyes away from the tension and downs her beer.

Still shitty.

anddd read the rest of it here on ao3. See you for part 4😉

[thebluemallet]

Pairing Every Bridgerton Couple with a Taylor Swift Song

Netflix finally made the official announcement! We're getting the third season of Bridgerton... but not until Spring 2024. A lot of projects got delayed due to the strikes, so I'm not that surprised. And since I'm bored and it's been a while since we've had any Bridgerton content, here is every major Bridgerton couple paired with a Taylor Swift song.

can't wait for all the comments telling me why all the songs i picked were wrong.

Kate and Anthony- Lavender Haze

I honestly don't have a good reason for choosing this specific song for them beyond "vibes" and "purple was a big color for them in their season." Other songs that could fit them seemed a little too melancholy compared to their happy ending at the end of season 2, so I'm sticking with Lavender Haze.

Benedict and Sophie- Enchanted (Taylor's Version)

The obvious choice for them would be Enchanted since their love story is basically a Cinderella story and the song has some major Cinderella vibes. There are two runner-ups since book!Benedict is a bit of a fuckboy: White Horse (Taylor's Version) and All Too Well (10 Minute Version). Since show!Benedict is more charming and less of a fuckboy compared to the book, the other choices should become irrelevant in his season. (God, I hope they're irrelevant in his season).

Colin and Penelope- Love Story (Taylor's Version)

This one's easy: Love Story. They've known each other since they were young. They're both writers of stories. Penelope has built up this idealistic version of Colin for years now and this song definitely sounds like it was written by someone younger with a more idealistic look on love and romance. The runner-up for these two is You Belong With Me (Taylor's Version).

Daphne and Simon- Wildest Dreams (Taylor's Version)

Is it cheating to pick the one that was used in the show? No? Then Daphne and Simon are Wildest Dreams. A good runner-up for them would be Say Don't Go (Taylor's Version). Specifically in the show when Simon tries to distance himself from Daphne in episode 3.

Eloise and Phillip- Lover (First Dance Remix)

I wasn't expecting to have as much trouble as I did trying to pick out a song for these two. I finally landed on Lover (First Dance Remix). In the books, Eloise puts off getting married for a while because she wants a love story as romantic as Benedict's. And this remix of Lover has some added strings that made me think of the string covers in the show and they added a more wistful feel to the song that you don't get with the original.

Bonus Couple- Francesca and John- Timeless (Taylor's Version)(From the Vault)

She's the only Bridgerton sibling to be married twice and yet I feel like John is easily forgotten. But not on this list!

John and Francesca's love story is cut tragically short, leaving Francesca a young widow. And she mourns him for years before she decides to try to find a husband again. She probably spent those years thinking over what could have been had John lived. So the nostalgia of Timeless (TV) (FTV) seems fitting for the two of them.

Francesca and Michael - This Love (Taylor's Version)

The line "Currents swept you out again" immediately had me thinking of Michael sailing away from England for years right after John's death and how that affected Francesca. Then he finally returns just when Francesca has decided she's ready to get married again. "This love came back to me."

Gregory and Lucy- Speak Now (Taylor's Version)

I don't think it gets any more Gregory/Lucy than making a scene at a wedding. Your honor, I rest my case.

Hyacinth and Gareth- Paper Rings

Paper Rings for the simple fact that Gareth, when he first meets Hyacinth, has nothing to offer in terms of wealth and riches. And, correct me if I'm wrong, but she's the only Bridgerton sibling/in-law that got an actual proposal in the books, right? The rest of them just kind of got compromised into marriage. So she gets this song.

(I almost picked this song for Colin and Penelope while Hyacinth and Gareth nearly got Love Story.)

[vandalyssm]

Theory: Merlin's Recent Publicity and its Correlation to a Possible Sequel/Revival/Reboot (+Eoin Macken's Pseudo Merlin Project)

'Ello. Fancied sharing my thoughts on recent developments regarding BBC's Merlin.

Fair, firm warning: I'm only sharing speculations and my personal opinions on the matter, and I do not advertise them as fact whatsoever. Consider them musings (or delusions, your choice). You can use this to further fuel your hope of the slim chance that this beloved show will see the light of day once again or maybe make theories of your own. Dispelling it is also an option, as I cannot assure my arguments would be free from flaws.

Right. Without further ado...

Revival of the Official Merlin Twitter Account

Let's put this into scenario.

Imagine a dated piece of media, previously well-known worldwide and had its own golden age for a time. This media launched the last of its contents over a decade ago, yet it gained a loyal, devoted following that persisted to grow and continued the legacy of the franchise over the years. Though there were highs and lows, the community remained alive for an impressive amount of time, steadily producing art, fiction, and creations dedicated to the media, despite not having anything new to work with. This devotion is acknowledged by those from an outsider's perspective, including the creators of this media (cast, staff, and distributors alike).

To put into context, the community was left unsatisfied with how the media ended, and many wished for the media to return. Articles were written, petitions were signed, comments left on the cast' social media accounts, and even questions were asked directly to them. Although different in wording, the inquired notion remained the same: Will there be a possibility of a sequel/revival/return/reboot? The answers range from a neutral, vague reply to a more resounding no.

This cycle persisted, but the people were immovable; they were visionaries and their dream lived on in their hearts. And this did not go unnoticed.

So it continued... until one of the media's social accounts made a sudden return. Out of nowhere, without a warning. They're back for good, the account announced. It sent the community into a frenzy. But if you took a step back from the excitement, you'd notice that it's strange. Why would a media ended over a decade ago suddenly be promoted again?

Now, I'm going to explore two possibilities; pragmatic and idealistic. The previous hypothetical scenario lays the general principal of Merlin's relevance (duh).

I'll make the pragmatic perspective brief. FremantleMedia saw the opportunity to make some bucks from Merlin because of the loyal fanbase, using a no-cost yet effective method to keep us tuned in; hoping. OMG, what does this mean? Does this mean they're going make a sequel?! Holy shit, they're teasing us, aren't they? I can't believe this is happening, it's a dream come true! And so on and so forth. Evidently, it works and numbers are growing. The official Merlin twitter account is racking up more followers and likes with each post. In this possibility, there's no such thing as a sequel/whatever it is the fanbase hopes for; just a reanimated corpse doing the same silly tap dance while we holler at it, dumbly hoping that they bust out new moves.

Now, the fun part. The idealistic version!

I'm going to use a real life example for my theory: the upcoming release of Dragon's Dogma 2. With a quick Google search, you can learn that Dragon's Dogma 2 is the highly awaited sequel for its well-liked predecessor, Dragon's Dogma.

For some time, Dragon's Dogma was on sale on Steam (with a decent cut too). This was done to gain the attention of...

1. those who haven't previously dived into the franchise. It's to make them think 'Wow! This game's so good. Oh, there's a sequel of it that's gonna be released soon? With even better graphics and gameplay? Sign me the fuck up!'. You liked Blueberry Cheesecake, so it'd make sense that you'd be more open to buying Double Blueberry Cheesecake, Premium Ingredients Addition, with 2 additional paid toppings.

2. Veterans and nostalgic fans. 'They're promoting the game I liked years ago... Oh, well, it won't hurt to play it again, just for the nostalgia. It never really left my mind anyway."

In other words: hype! hype! hype!

If using this principle, then the possibility of a sequel/revival/reboot/new content exists. It's either being processed (wishful thinking, not as likely) or being considered (more likely). If it's the latter, then they're testing the waters to see how much people still care/how much money they'll make. The more attention and hype it gets, the higher the likelihood.

Simplified:

P (old media pushed for publicity) -> Q (hype built)

Q (hype built) -> R (new content)

Eoin Macken's Pseudo Merlin Project

If I recall correctly, Eoin Macken first announced a pseudo Merlin project in late 2020. It's first teased to be released in 2021, but nothing came out of it so far (at the time of writing this) except if you count the small handful of times Macken hinted it over the ongoing four year period.

Now, I understand his position. First and foremost, he needs the legal rights to actually produce anything and it's no easy feat when you're dealing with a massive company. Then there's the issue of costumes, props, sets, and equipment. A lot to consider. To put it simply, he must offer the company something worth more than the show itself or contribute in their favor in some way. Macken seems like a charming and capable guy, so he can make it work. Probably.

I lean towards the spin-off theory because a cast reunion would not take four years. As far as I know, Macken is close with the knights and they could get together at any convenient time. If the project was a zoom call or a recorded get-together, it would've been released already. To compare, by using the average of 385,000 babies born each day during the last three years, we have 421,575,000 newborns before the Pseudo Merlin Project.

I want to tie this in with the previous theory, but eh. It can connect, but not really. I don't have any further explanation or evidence since Macken hasn't given any news.

---

Anyways. That's enough of this. I hope it made sense, at least it did to me. I'm entering my third year in the fandom, so I'm relatively new and still hopeful. (Though I try hard to keep my feet on the ground while I stare up at the clouds.)

To end this post, I'd like to say: keep hoping. Hope is such a stupidly beautiful thing, and it should be nurtured. Turn that feeling into art, into efforts.

There are franchises revived 2-3 decades after, and Merlin is no exception.

[savagewildnerness]

I’ve done separate piano & violin improvisations for Nicolas’ unfulfillable yearning. This one is more for me, so I’ll add the Nicolas book reference to the violin one.

I really relate to Nicolas in some ways. When I first read TVL, I was a 12-year-old. I’d played violin for 4 years, but only from free lessons in school. I’d also *just* begun piano lessons. I’d adored music since I remember (I danced from age 2 & felt the music - it conjured images within me, like a magic), but I knew I was too old when I started playing instruments. Nobody was musical in my family. I only had short, free violin lessons. 12 is very old to just begin on piano and 8 is quite old on violin. I’d never be great at either. I knew. And for me, great had to be perfection as a child - the utter best. I relate to a certain despair & yearning in Nicolas. And I do not have Lestat’s charisma, drive or enduring personality.

But I see the world entire more like Lestat. Aesthetically, I see the world Lestat’s way. Art is my love. I feel the savage beauty of the world. I believe in the goodness of art. I never believed in religion in any way. I also try to put positivity into the world & actually I relate to Lestat in that I think he too has a lot of internal darkness that maybe Nicki doesn’t know & I imagine Lestat feels seen when he feels Nicki’s art - Nicki who can turn his darkness into art for others to feel from. Whereas Lestat can only make others happy with his art! And yet, he would have been hugely successful as an actor, I know, had he remained mortal.

I cannot relate to Nicki’s feelings around religion, nor to his envy and cynicism. I find it sad he doesn’t think on Lestat’s struggles - Lestat, still illiterate now, as an adult. And a tragedy Lestat sees Nicolas through rose-tinted love & doesn’t understand the depth of despair & desperation within Nicki & the chasm of pain at his core that could never be resolved. Lestat thinks “if only Nicolas could understand what I mean when I say art is goodness!” - it’s a beautifully naive and simply idealistic hope - a hope that Nicolas could never feel. Yet both Nicki and Lestat are sensitive & artistic and there is a sense on which their differences create something - they create the space in which their conversation can take place. Nicki sees Lestat in ways he has never been seen before. Had Lestat never met Nicki, I think he may have lacked some internal sense of his self worth. But Nicki turns his torment into art, whereas Lestat shows the world his radiant light. And sadly, Nicki is right that he could never fully reach the greatness he would wish. I mean, I knew I'd never be a great violinist having begun to play aged 8. The idea Nicki could be (sorry Anne Rice!) is frankly, ridiculous! Even if Mozart did teach him! As if Mozart would teach a beginner anyway though!!

I think even had Lestat remained mortal Nicki and Lestat would have ended in tragedy. But that’s not to say there wasn’t love. Lestat absolutely loved Nicolas & I think Nicolas truly loved Lestat too. It’s just his own self hatred was so all-consuming it nearly took Lestat as well as himself.

I’m reminded of a man who once told me: play your music with your friends! Get their input! Create together! With (apparently) zero understanding how isolated my entire life is & always was.

Oh, I might not understand Nicolas fully because in some ways he is too close to me & in other ways he is too different. But Nicki’s pain & yearning with regards to his art, and his existence - the impossibility that always was and ever will be for him... that, I understand.

[thornycanary]

ok

[linkysmommy]

Well here it is. My Bloodbound review/reactions/essay/idk what.

For some reason, now that it's done most of what I have are critiques 😂 I guess because there were so many amazing things about this book, such great characters and themes, that certain things ended up leaving me... disappointed. But before I get into all that, let me start with what I really, really liked. (adding a cut because I feel like this is going to end up really long lol. also, spoilers ahead. obviously)

THE POSITIVES:

Overall, the vibes, the characters, the themes, and the lore were immaculate. The writers put a lot of thought into the world that they created and the themes they wanted to explore through that world, and I really respect that.

I thought that the vampire council and the clans in NYC was a really cool concept and was a little bummed that we didn't get to do more with vampire politics. Despite hating most everyone on the council, I also loved them. I found them all interesting and unique, and loved seeing the backstories that involved them, such as the scene at the fair or the scene when they all teamed up to take down Gaius. I was actually sad when the Baron and Lester died lol, while it did make for a cool scene, I felt that their deaths left a hole in the story. (oops sorry I did not mean to turn this positives into a half-negatives thing lol)

I swear that the toxic, messed up relationship between Gaius, Kamilah, and Adrian has me by the throat. The concept of a cruel, thousands year old vampire gaining the love and devotion of these two people not through the use of mind control *cough Rheya cough* but through sheer charisma, magnetism, and leadership skills... and then shaping them into tools to be used in his hands. Making them into his queen and his soldier and then forcing them into a cycle of violence while still inspiring them to follow, using them while still loving them... it's one of the greatest pleasures of having read this series to have gotten a taste for this relationship. And now that I've gotten a taste I'm just hungry for more, so this will be rotating in my head for a while yet.

Adrian Raines. My darling. My BABY. There is just something so fascinating, so alluring, about a creature born and shaped for violence, whose heart manages to remain pure. I especially loved how this was explored in Bloodbound 2. You see the heartless, emotionless cruelty that Adrian was capable of at the end of book 1, and then throughout book 2 he struggles with these two sides of himself: the heartless soldier, the angel of death, versus the kind, idealistic, sweet man who's fascinated by the simple things the world has to offer like open fields and sunlight, and the incredible ingenuity and good that the human race is capable of creating. Throughout book 2, this dance of Adrian being the foil to Gaius is clear as day and oh so powerful. Gaius was Rheya's soldier, who was shaped into a killing machine at her side, who was driven to extremes by seeing the way his own people were hunted and killed. Adrian was Gaius's soldier, who was shaped into a killing machine at his side, who had to fight the anger and hatred that tried to pull him to cruelty and snuff out his goodness. Like I said in a previous post, the juxtaposition of this inner warmth and kindness against the person Gaius tried to make him will never not be fascinating.

Kamilah and Adrian siblings bond!! PLEASE they're so cute! I adored how over and over again, we saw them exchange looks and have full on worldless conversations by just their facial expressions. The way they know each other so well, inside and out, and have complete respect for one another, and the way they would die for one another, it just warms my heart and I adore them.

Also, just Kamilah. She's a badass ancient warrior queen, and I really loved seeing how no-nonsense and serious she was. Like she's been doing this for thousands of years, she's seen so much, she's killed so much, I feel that she doesn't think she truly deserves redemption or is as pure as Adrian, but she fights to protect the people under her care. Those who cannot fight for themselves the way she can fight for them.

Gaius Augustine, what a villain you were. I loved how the game never shied away from the nuances in his character. They never painted him in cartoonishly villainous colors with no remorse for his actions. You can see why he became the way he was, and while you can understand that doesn't mean you have to excuse it; it does, however, make him more of an interesting villain. The fact that love and a desire to protect his people is what drove him to extremes makes him a fascinating villain, because his actions, while inarguably evil, are rooted in something that most everyone can understand: love. Although Gaius never knew how to truly love, it doesn't mean that he didn't. He hurt Kamilah and Adrian over centuries, but he never truly wanted to kill them. I appreciated that the various times where Gaius killed someone or almost killed someone with whom he had history (such as Takeshi or when he almost killed Kamilah), he expressed remorse. It wasn't enough to make him stop, because he is a bad man, but the fact that there was remorse in the first place adds more depth and emotion to both his character and the event itself.

I enjoyed the way that MC defeated Rheya. I thought that the twist that Rheya had murdered her own daughter after having given into her anger about the fact that she thought her daughter was murdered was really great. I enjoyed that MC didn't have to physically overpower Rheya; she just had to go back to where the cycles of violence began and show to Rheya herself that was the monster in her own story. I loved that.

It would be remiss of me to not mention Lily Spencer. From start to finish, she was a delight, and I loved how MC was honestly just as geeky as Lily sometimes, she just reigned it in a little bit more. Lily's enthusiasm for life was refreshing for a vampire story, where usually becoming a vampire is compared with death, and yet Lily's take on it was that she had a whole new life to live, new experiences to try out. I really enjoyed her humor, and thought her friendship with MC was both touching and relatable. So have some Lily moments that made me laugh out loud:

Also, the scene where MC died, and then she was Turned, and you woke up in a coffin, and you almost killed that girl in the park... peak cinema. Absolutely delicious, you'd better believe I ate that shit up. I also loved seeing the flashback where you saw how the other vampires reacted to your death. Yes, I enjoyed seeing Adrian in pain, yes, I am an angst fiend and sadist ig.

Sorry I feel like there's more to say but I've been working on this forever so I'm gonna leave the positives at that 😭

THE CRITIQUES:

Let me first preface this by saying that I truly enjoyed Bloodbound. It latched onto my brain, and I enjoyed the journey, and it managed to make me more invested in a Choices book than I have been since I read It Lives. That being said, after finishing it, I couldn't help but feel that many things could have been done better, and a little bit let-down that many of the things that I connected to were not fully explored or expanded upon like I felt like they could have been. So this massive critique going forward is done with love. That's all. ❤️

This one isn't a huge deal, but I was disappointed by the lack of variation that your choices had in the final battle. You had the choice to kill Rheya's vampire guards or leave them, then you had the choice to kill Dracula or leave him. The first time I played I was doing a supervillain route so I was intentionally trying to choose the darker choices and was delighted to see how people were reacting:

I thought that their dialogues were based on the fact I was going on a murderous, merciless rampage, but then when I came back and played and didn't kill everyone, their reactions were all the same. So that was disappointing.

The Jax/Lily death was,,, a choice. I get what they were trying to do. I do. Rheya lost her family, Gaius lost Rheya, Kamilah lost her brother, Adrian lost his family. There were cycles of loss that bred extreme behavior among our cast, and they wanted MC to experience that, too. They wanted to make her a reflection of Rheya, for the moment of losing Jax/Lily to be the trigger that makes her able to lose her humanity and become the very thing she swore to destroy. However, there were a few problems with how it played out! First of all, it's obviously suspect that the two sidelined Black or Asian LIs are the only ones who can die, while Adrian and Kamilah's plot armor protects them. Second of all, they wanted to make this big sacrifice to make MC snap but then they didn't even commit to it. If anything it would've made more sense for the LI to be the one who dies, seeing the impact that it had on MC. Because while my MC cares about Jax, he's probably the person in the crew that she's the least connected to so it felt a little odd for her in particular to lose it while the others were okay. I think that honestly, she would've reacted more like them. Sad, and angry, but without such an extreme reaction. But, the writers simultaneously tried to play it safe by ensuring that your LI doesn't die, while being "brave" and killing off part of the crew, so it just came across feeling odd to me and didn't quite hit the mark of what they were trying to do.

The romantic development was underwhelming. The romance quality skyrocketed in books 2 and 3, but unfortunately by then, the characters were already in relationships and while I enjoyed those scenes, I felt disappointed that we missed a quality relationship arc where we saw the characters fall for each other. I romanced Adrian, and I don't see what was so incredible about mc in the beginning to make him fall for her. She's just some human, and he's a powerful CEO, 300 year old clan leader and vampire council member. That's not say that I don't think he could've fallen for her - in fact, I think it's poetic and makes perfect sense that the man who's so embroiled in his vampire world and vampire politics yet adores humanity would fall for an average human - but the development simply wasn't there. The scene where you first let him drink your blood after breaking him out of jail was underwhelming and there was no emotional weight in the writing of that scene. In book one, it just really felt like the fact that something happened was supposed to be enough for us to believe that it was meaningful, instead of the writing and development showing us how it happened.

The actual plot events were in general... underwhelming. Both books 2 and 3 set up this fascinating potential for scenes and narrative arcs, with Gaius destroying NYC, and then Rheya taking over the city, and both times we just flew away to chase down artifacts and have diamond scenes in pretty places in various countries. I think it was an unfortunate choice to trade the potential of vampire politics for artifact-hunting.

The Order and Xenocrates in particular were woefully under-utilized. The tapestry paintings shed light on a fascinating dynamic between Gaius and Xenocrates, and we see that this anger and hatred has spanned millennia! Xenocrates is the reason that vampires are hated and hunted, he is the reason why Gaius is driven to extremes and decides that his plan to eradicate humans apart from keeping a blood supply for vampires is the only way to protect his people. And then... he just dies in a building collapse, and the Order is destroyed, and this thousands-year-old conflict is snuffed out pretty much immediately. It was disappointing, because there was so much potential in the lore that was created here, it just wasn't taken advantage of in the present storyline.

This one is small, but. Where the heck did MC's mom go 😭 we see one memory of her and then never hear about her again. Did she die? If she's not dead, why is MC not concerned about her while Gaius and Rheya are trying to destroy/take over the world.

This one is also small but worth mentioning - I was so annoyed that MC was forced to speak up and voice her opinion all the time in situations that really didn't involve her. It was just odd to me that Adrian's assistant thought it would be a good idea to speak up in a vampire council meeting after only having known about vampires for like. A few days lol. There were many times where I cringed at having to choose something to say because I, frankly, would have just remained silent because it wasn't my place to speak.

Maybe this is just me but... I definitely felt like Jax was done dirty by the writers. Not just in that he was sidelined and had fewer scenes and plot relevance apart from "being part of the crew", but I think his development as a character was weaker than the others. By book 3, I do feel like he came more into himself, and it was nice to see him have a character arc regarding his relationship with Takeshi, but for books 1 and 2, I personally felt like the writers didn't really know him. He was sort of just... bland, left vaguely blank aside from the "rebel vampire leader" for a while. The writers themselves said that he was the hardest character to write, which makes sense because I could tell that it took them a while to figure out who he really was.

Now for my biggest critiques, mostly centering around the handling of Gaius's character and missed potential.

First, Gaius's character development and thing with Rheya. I... was not a fan at all of the brainwashing plot point. I found that it made Gaius's character far less interesting and seemed to be almost incompatible with previous portrayals of his character and who they had been creating. For example, Rheya supposedly severed his compassion for humans, yet we see a direct contradiction of that when he had empathy for Kano, a dying child who'd lost his parents, and decided to Turn him in order to save his life and give him a chance to avenge his family. What made him so fascinating to me originally was the fact that DEVOTION was what ultimately turned him into a monster: first, devotion to Rheya, and second, devotion to his own people. By book 3, he was reduced from a terrifying vampire leader who would put his life on the line to protect his own people (as seen in crypt scene where he risks his life to save other vampires instead of running to safety) to a mindless zealot of Rheya whose only purpose seemed to be "Obey the goddess!" While the devotion to her is fine, it saddened me that his role as a leader who let fanaticism guide him as he sought to protect vampires was overshadowed by this interpersonal conflict between two individuals. I think there was a hugely missed opportunity to pit his two devotions against each other when he learns that Rheya doesn't actually care about him OR the vampires as a whole, and would happily take their lives if it meant gaining more power for herself. To watch him wrestle between his devotion to Rheya, his beloved goddess, and his devotion to his vampire progeny... now that is a character arc I'd love to dive into. Imagine if, in addition to being angry that Rheya used him like a tool, he was also angry that she wanted to hurt vampires. Just imagine something like this: "While you were asleep I was building a kingdom for our people, while you were gone I was the one who stepped up to protect them! And now you think you can come back, and use them, and kill them, and that I'll support you?" The vibes... immaculate.

Going along with the topic of Gaius being responsible for his own actions vs the concept of brainwashing, if Gaius hadn't been brainwashed and simply turned against Rheya because he realized she didn't care about the well-being of vampires and saw them as tools in her quest for power, I feel as though it would've made the alliance between Gaius and MC's crew all that much more interesting. A fragile alliance between people with a common enemy, but Gaius is still not an ally because he still disdains humanity, and once Gaius helps you get Rheya out of the way, you know that you'll have to deal with him next... mmm delicious.

As an add on, learning that it was all the result of brainwashing opens up a whole can of worms of "okay this man still committed war crimes but how much is he actually responsible for?" that I frankly don't feel was necessary, because Gaius was fully fascinating all on his own without needing to add the element of brainwashing to it. I just felt like it had the result of turning a fascinating, layered, nuanced character into "black-and-white" to make his redemption easier for lay readers to stomach.

Even after having bought every single tapestry diamond scene and plenty of diamond scenes with various characters, I was still left with lingering confusion about what happened in the past, namely: what did Gaius's empire look like and how did it work, what exactly were Kamilah and Adrian doing to spread his empire and enforce his rule, and what about him made them choose to swear fealty in the first place? They talk so much about all the people they killed and yet we really only saw them kill people who weren't exactly innocent? Iirc we only saw Adrian kill confederate soldiers, a British soldier who tried to kill him first, and a rogue vampire that had just drained a man of blood. And yeah, there was some sketchiness about it because the confederate soldiers weren't attacking him, and there was a young kid with them, but at the end of the day they were enemy soldiers fighting to maintain slavery and this is war - hardly the same thing as ruthlessly murdering strangers. Anyway the point is that I would've liked a clearer picture of what they did, to truly see them at their lowest points. And then, to see what was the catalyst that started pushing them back up again. I would've liked to know who they were sent to kill, and why, instead of vaguely "I've killed so many people." Give me the details!!

Like Part 1, I am Tired now and I feel like I've said most of what I want to say. So I am finished with my critiques section.

If you made it this far, you are the best and I appreciate you being interested enough in my thoughts to read this long, rambling review ❤️

[did-somebody-say-pizza-rolls]

apologies if someone has already said this but I only finished it last night so here’s my two cents about good omens season 2

Nina and Maggie are a parallel to Crowley and Aziraphale but not in the way you’d expect.

You’d expect Nina and Crowley to be paired together. They’re both the grumpy, glass half empty, albeit more “realistic” half of their duos. They wear dark colored clothes and have more similar, sarcastic, personalities. The grumpy to their partner’s sunshine.

Maggie and Aziraphale are the same. They’re cheery, idealistic, glass half full people. Their clothes are lighter and brighter and they’re always smiling and looking on the bright side of life. Sunshine people.

BUT

Thinking back on the last scene between Maggie, Nina, and Crowley, I can’t help but feel like the dynamic is Nina/Aziraphale and Maggie/Crowley.

Here’s why:

All throughout, we see Nina in an emotionally abusive relationship with her girlfriend. She’s constantly getting texts telling her she’s awful and she doesn’t care and eventually, threats that her partners leaving and won’t return. The same can be said about Aziraphale’s relationship with Heaven. They’re both aware the relationship is bad, but they’re so far in they feel a duty to uphold it and make things work, despite the clear imbalance (they care for their abusers more than their abusers care about them). Like Crowley said, Heaven, Hell, they’re all toxic—but Aziraphale still values that relationship because it’s all he’s been conditioned to know. Until or course, Crowley came along and showed him the truths of the world, challenged him to think for himself and showed him it’s ok to walk your own path—which is exactly what Maggie offers to Nina. A clean slate, a chance to rediscover her individuality, and time to figure that all out.

Likewise, Maggie’s been shown throughout the entirety of season 2 to be happy and self-sufficient with her independence. She runs her own shop, connects with people through the shop keepers monthly meetings, and dedicated her time to a passion and shop that other people may not value but SHE does and that’s enough. What’s more Crowley-coded than that? Marching to the beat of his own drum, caring for the Bentley more than he does people, forming his own eccentricities around ducks, music, wine, etc. BUT like Crowley, Maggie is shown to be missing one thing, wanting one thing: love. She has a crush on Nina across the street and has been silently pining after her for a while now (close proximity slow burn sound familiar anyone?) and much like Crowley, she’s the one to admit her feelings to a very hesitant Nina.

But the scene with the three of them at the end is very inspiring for the future of Aziraphale and Crowley, in my opinion. Nina and Maggie sit Crowley down and tell him they’re people and they can’t be toyed with for the sake of celestial matters. Nina even goes as far to say she’s not ready for a new relationship (because her previous one was so awful) but hopes if Maggie sticks around, they can make it work—which Maggie is almost immediate in reassuring she will be there. It’s played for laughs here, but looking back with the knowledge of what happens with Crowley and Aziraphale just after this, I’m looking back on the line with a quiet hope that it’s a sign of what’s to come for our ineffable duo. Because really, in what universe can anyone see Crowley NOT wait for Aziraphale?

What I think this means for next season (God, PLEASE give us a third season) is Aziraphale will finally start to cut off ties with Heaven (or maybe they’ll cut off ties with him, a la Lindsay), especially after realizing a relationship with Crowley is possible (shoutout Gabriel and Beelzebub). But whatever happens, I’m positive Crowley will be there, as always, to welcome him back. And Aziraphale will perform one hundred I-was-wrong dances and they’ll drive the Bentley off into the sunset (to their new cottage in the South Downs).

Or maybe I’m just delusional and coping ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

tldr: Nina is Aziraphale, Lindsay/Heaven are their abusives exes, and Maggie/Crowley are the people who actually love them and will wait for them to come around.

[jeannereames]

You already wrote it like twice lol so I apologize for bringing it up again… but if you were to rewrite the final scene of Rise once more but from Philippos’s POV… what would you envision his final thoughts to have been when he’s killed? Or, I'm not sure if he would have even been capable of having any by that point, but, for imagination's sake really :)

Below are my thoughts about Philippos’s mindset at the time.

Before I get to that, for anyone wondering what the asker is talking about, my website for Dancing with the Lion has several “out-takes” (scenes cut from the novels), plus a few scenes (and one short story) that take place in the c. 10 months between book 1 and book 2.

Among these is a rewrite of Rise's last scene, originally done in Alexandros’s head, seen from Hephaistion’s POV. (Click image)

(Fair warning, and it probably goes without saying, but while the first set can be read after finishing Becoming, the second set should wait until you’ve finished Rise, as they naturally contain spoilers.)

So, first, at the parade’s start, Philippos would still be irked with Alexandros after their quarrel over (ironically) Pausanias. He said they’d continue the discussion later, after telling Alexandros his choices were about managing difficult personalities, especially when they’re about to be away from Macedon for some years.

Ergo, at the start of the parade, he would’ve been thinking about how to get through to his idealistic child that sometimes full justice must take a back seat to avoiding interminable blood feuds. He’d probably also have been hoping he’d live until Alexandros was more mature. He’d not be thinking assassination, of course. They’re about to embark on a serious military campaign to Persia, and Macedonian kings often died with their boots on. He’s in his mid/late 40s, his leg is lame and he’s not as fast as he used to be. He could fall in battle.

This isn’t overly morbid. These are pretty normal thoughts (ime) for parents of teens, and Alexandros is still, effectively, a teen, even if he just turned 20. You just hope the inevitable blunders of adolescence are none so bad they die before the neurons in their frontal cortexes finish fusing. Not that the Greeks understood adolescent neurology, but they certainly understood teenaged hotheadedness. And Alexandros (and the real Alexander) were more hotheaded than most. After all, how many times did his own bravery almost get him killed?

So that would’ve been on Philippos’s mind in the immediate aftermath of their quarrel, but it wouldn’t be the first time—I’m sure it was a well-worn grove of worry—so he’d have kicked it off once the parade started. After that, right up until the moment he was stabbed, he was having a great morning. It was truly his triumph. That’s the irony of his death … and why Pausanias picked that event.

Historically speaking, it seems he was stabbed in the back, or perhaps from the side, so I doubt he saw it coming—or who stabbed him. Now, we get into a bit of speculation and back to my fictional take. I wrote it so that he died almost immediately. Pausanias was a soldier, and even with a cloak in the way, he could find the heart fairly accurately, I think. (Whether this was true in history, we don’t actually know. The historical Philip may have taken a few minutes to die if Pausanias was off target by an inch or two.)

In any case, the heart is delicate. A direct wound by arrow, sword, spear, knife, bullet is almost always fatal without immediate medical intervention, due to extreme bleeding into the chest cavity. Ergo, shock takes over in under half a minute, more like 15-20 seconds.

In the novel, in those, let’s say, 20 seconds, Philippos was able to call his son’s name, and would have seen Alexandros turn and call him Pappa, reaching for him. The surprise on his son’s face would tell Philippos he wasn’t involved. Philippos would know he was a dead man, so I think it would matter to him that Alexandros wasn’t behind it.

I don’t say in the novel, but Pausanias could have whispered something in his ear at the end. I describe him as right behind the king, one hand on his elbow. Alexandros thinks he’s helping to hold his father up (not realizing the other hand had the knife). And, again, as a soldier, Pausanias would have twisted that knife, once it went in, to be sure, even if he’d hit off center, that it would do maximum damage. Then, of course, he’s off like a shot, shoving Philippos at Alexandros.

Philippos was probably still conscious enough to feel his son grab him and hear him shout, “Get him!” But after that, shock would’ve kicked in and he’d have lost consciousness. He’d look dead to Alexandros (and be as good as).

In reality, the brain still survives for a few minutes even after the heart stops. He’d no doubt have had the “life flashes before your eyes” experience. He might have felt fury at Pausanias, but largely, I think, for interrupting his plans. I suspect his main concern would be the safety of his son and of his kingdom. At the approach of death, things pare down to the most basic and most important. I doubt that included Pausanias except peripherally (probably to Pausanias’s dismay, if he knew).

So that’s my take on what Philippos probably thought at the end.

[jovialmoonprincess]

AU: Journey to Redemption (Part 2)

First Part. / The Winter Ball

Coriolanus Snow x Fem!reader 

Summary: Y/N, a young idealist in Panem, dreams of making a difference in a post-war society. As the winner of the prestigious Plinth Prize is about to be announced, a mysterious woman unveils a grim fate for Coriolanus Snow, Y/N's nemesis. Offered a chance to alter destiny, Y/N must navigate her conflicting emotions and intervene in pivotal moments to prevent Snow's descent into darkness. The story unfolds against the backdrop of complex relationships, past connections, and the challenges of a changing world, as Y/N grapples with the responsibility of shaping an unexpected destiny and challenging the very fabric of fate.

Word Count: 2k.

Warning(s): None, 15 yo Corio!! FLUFF FLUFF THE KIISS READ IT FOR THE KISS

A/N: First Fic EVER, dont be mean pls. Also Im not a english native speaker, sorry for any spelling errors. Just saw Songbirds and Snakes and Tom Blyth as President Snow is living rent free in my head! Feedback is appreciated! Comment to be tag in the next part" And REQUESTS ARE OPEN!!!

Y/N was nervous. Attending parties wasn't something she was used to, especially in the Capitol. Her father always reminded her not to trust anyone, and distrust had become second nature to her. Tigris, her friend, had borrowed her a dress, even though her father could now afford to buy as many as she wanted. Tigris insisted she needed something special, something she had that would be perfect. When Y/N asked if Tigris was going to wear it, the answer was no; the dress wasn't hers and wouldn't fit, but it would look gorgeous on Y/N. Tigris, with her generous heart, always tried to cheer up Y/N when she cried out of fear and missed her friends from the districts. And surprisingly, Tigris never judged her, perhaps because she shared her own fears and people to care about.

Tigris understood when Y/N called suggesting a girls' night. It was a code for "my father is unbearable, only talks about war, and I want to stay away from him at least tonight." Tigris simply made a list of activities for them, from plucking eyebrows to watching romance movies on TV.

Y/N's dress was stunning, in a bright navy blue shade. And it was the first time she wore heels. Tigris also borrowed her the jewelry. Y/N walked with cautious steps, afraid that someone would look at her and discover she was an imposter. Even though she was part of the Capitol now, she didn't know how people would react.

After almost an hour of pretending to be invisible and enjoying the chocolate dessert on the table, people started leaving the dance floor. They got tired of dancing and were heading for the food, the only activity they seemed to practice. Y/N left the table to get some air; so many people were starting to tire her, even without talking to them yet. Outside, the scenery was beautiful, with a flower-filled garden, water mirrors, and something like an illuminated gazebo. She walked there; it was already night, and she wanted some fresh air. Looking at the night sky was comforting, something shared by everyone, regardless of their districts.

"Hey, this dress looks beautiful on you." She almost had a heart attack; it wasn't for anyone to notice her. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you." It was Corio, Tigris's cousin, always kind when he saw her.

"Thank you, it was Tigris…" She couldn't finish the sentence.

"It was my mother's; my grandmother gave it to Tigris, but it suits you much better. Tigris likes things less… simple." A compliment, perhaps?

"Thank you, it's a really beautiful dress." She replied with a smile. Almost too beautiful that it doesn't suit me. She felt guilty for undoing the memory of the boy's mother.

"What are you doing here?" He asked. Y/N couldn't stop looking into his blue eyes; how could someone be so beautiful? It was almost painful.

"I came out to get some air; it was too hot inside." She replied.

"Just when I was about to invite you to dance?" He smiled; my God, he looked even more beautiful smiling. Y/N! What's happening to you?? He's from the Capitol. You shouldn't be getting involved with these people, at least not sincerely.

"Oh, I don't know how to dance." She lied; what if he leaves and forgets that she's wearing his mother's dress. Maybe that's why he's here; he must have confused his feelings. After all, why else would he approach her? Oh, maybe he just wants to be friends with his cousin's friend. Could be, right?

"I can teach you." He was already so close to her; she could feel her heart beating in her throat. "If you want…" He extended his hand to her, and Y/N took it. What harm could it do, after all?

The touch of their skins was electrifying. He placed a hand on her waist, and she breathed; it was as if there wasn't enough air between them. She didn't even realize she was holding her breath. The music could be heard clearly from there, as well as the sound of their feet on the wooden floor.

"Tigris talks a lot about you. I think you're the only friend she really likes. She feels at home with you." There was sincerity in his words.

"We have very similar stories; I also went hungry during the first rebellion." Corio was an intriguing character; Y/N didn't know what his real intentions were. He seemed like a good guy, even if he was closed off.

"I heard your father is sick, is it true?" He seemed slightly concerned. Y/N met Trigis first, because of their parents. They became good friends despite the age difference.

"Oh, yes, it seems that sometimes winning a battle doesn't mean winning the war. The battle ends, but life goes on, and problems still arise." She spoke with a sad and thoughtful voice.

"It's kind of unfair, isn't it?" He asked as they continued to dance slowly.

"What?"

"Having to worry about hunger while there are people inside who claim to be hungry all the time, even without knowing the real meaning." She didn't expect to hear that, at least not from him. Corio seemed quite comfortable among his friends.

"Yes, it's unfair." She replied seriously. "I wish I could change all of this."

"You know, people like you, me, and Tigris. We deserve more; we have to strive to reach the top." Corio was ambitious; anyone could see that.

"I think we're already at the top." Whether she liked it or not, feeling hungry in the Capitol was different from living in the outer districts. At least here, they had a chance to be heard if they spoke at the right time.

"This isn't the top, Y/N." She didn't know how much she needed to hear him say her name until he said it for the first time. "We're in the Capitol, but we're still not at the top."

"What would be the top for you, Corio?"

"Being president. It's the highest position; I'm sure that when I get there, I can really do something." The way he spoke was as if he wanted to improve the country's situation. To be a fair and democratic leader.

"Sorry about the dress; I didn't know it was your mother's." Y/N didn't want to ruin the moment by talking about politics. They would have better opportunities for that.

Tigris probably said something about Corio's mother, but Y/N's memory was terrible.

"It's been a while since she died, in my sister's birth." She could see a glimpse of pain in his eyes.

"I'm sorry."

"The dress looks beautiful on you; I'm glad my grandmother kept it." Y/N's heart skipped a beat.

"Thank you."

All was silent. All was still. But as they looked at each other's eyes, they heard the unmistakable clamor of their own hearts. Corio was getting closer to her, his lips so close to hers. It was like one of the movies she watched with Tigris.

When their lips touched, something ignited inside Y/N; it was as if nothing else existed. It was a feeling that, if cultivated, promised to become addictive, a sweet dependence that she wouldn't be in a hurry to overcome. His lips were soft, an irresistible invitation, and his touch was like a gentle caress, unhurried, as if he wanted to savor every moment of that unique moment. One of Corio's hands held Y/N's waist with care, while the other stroked her face gently and firmly, as if sealing a silent pact between them. The kiss was like a hot summer day in the middle of winter, a comforting surprise that transported her to a place where there was only the softness of Corio's lips and the delicate and firm touch of his hands.

It was a kiss that transcended time and space, a promise of something deeper and more intense that awaited on the horizon. Breaking the kiss, the gaze they exchanged contained the promise of a future that, at that moment, seemed full of exciting possibilities. The world around them may have continued in silence, but within them, the melody of that kiss would echo for a long time.

The first kiss was a revelation, a sublime experience that transcended circumstances. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to attribute part of this enchantment to the beauty of the setting, but above all to the even more dazzling figure of Coriolanus. At that moment, for the first time, Y/N felt truly beautiful, removed from the ruthless clutches of war. It was as if, for a brief moment, she found the calm before the storm.

Although she wanted to prolong the kiss, Y/N interrupted it, yielding to the inevitable need for a pause. Their gazes intertwined in silence, a communication deeper than any words could express. Coriolanus's eyes, an ocean of blue fascination, were irresistible, and Y/N felt submerged in the intensity of that gaze. Withdrawing gently, she sought refuge on a nearby bench, and Corio, in silence, took a seat beside her. Hesitation hung between them, neither daring to initiate the next exchange of words.

"Did you enjoy the chocolate dessert, didn't you?" Corio's soft voice broke the silence, eliciting a sincere laugh from Y/N. Had he noticed the taste of chocolate on her lips, or had he just watched her during the dance in the hall? The question lingered in the air, hovering between them, lacking the courage to be asked.

"I loved it," confessed Y/N, although she couldn't determine if she was talking about the dance, the dessert, or the kiss. Perhaps all the options were correct.

"You lied to me," accused the young Snow.

"What?" Y/N laughed again.

"You said you didn't know how to dance." The accusation came with a smile from Corio.

"Maybe," she replied, smiling.

Hours unfolded in deep conversations, a natural harmony between Y/N and Corio. Words flowed, laughter echoed, and the kiss, a magical moment that both chose to ignore, was never mentioned again. Corio, a dreamer aligned with Y/N's aspirations, revealed remarkable ambition and unwavering confidence. Meanwhile, Y/N still struggled with uncertainties about her destiny, eager to capture some of the determination radiating from Corio.

It was the ultimate moment when Y/N felt truly connected to Corio. At that moment, she sincerely believed that he was destined for an extraordinary future as a student in the Capitol. With the passage of time, that memory became nostalgic, a pearl of an irrecoverable past.

In present times, in the Capitol (4 years later)

Y/N, immersed in reverie, contemplated a photo taken with Tigris during the ball. After this glimpse of the past, resentment towards Corio increased. How could he get so close so quickly and distance himself just as fast? They could have continued. However, after that winter break that year, Snow didn't spend more than 5 seconds near her. Their interactions were limited to fights, but even so, Y/N couldn't ignore the boy's beauty.

A last dance preceded the Plinth Prize weekend. It would be an opportunity to meet Corio again, four years after that memorable kiss, in drastically altered circumstances. Y/N awaited eagerly, sometimes questioning her sanity, pondering if everything that woman had said would come true. Corio would graduate, go to university, meet someone, and find happiness. He wouldn't become a murderer, let alone a dictator.

Y/N couldn't help but notice that something had changed in Corio since that first kiss. The boy who was once dreamy and affable now exhibited a more closed-off side, as if a shadow had settled in his soul. Every word was measured, and his smiles were scarce, replaced by a serious and concerned expression.

Corio had become more abrupt, and the lightness that characterized his personality seemed to have been replaced by intense seriousness. Y/N noticed that he closed himself off, keeping a distance that didn't exist before. That touch of softness and charm, present in the boy who taught her to dance and gave her an unforgettable kiss, had turned into an aura of tension.

Y/N remembered one of their first fights.

In a classroom full of tension and academic expectations, the teacher announced with a firm voice, "For the next assignment, we'll have randomly assigned pairs." The students' gazes met, a mixture of anxiety and curiosity. Among them were Y/N and Corio, both already known for their rivalries and fierce competitions.

The draw took place, and fate decided that Y/N and Corio would be partners in the next academic endeavor. A wave of murmurs ran through the room, accompanied by intrigued looks directed at the two protagonists.

On a cold study afternoon in the library, Y/N was immersed in her books, tracing meticulous notes and underlining important passages. Corio, on the other hand, flipped through pages with a serious expression, focused on absorbing all available knowledge.

As the hours passed, tension grew. Each had their own approach to the task, and soon the differences became apparent. Y/N preferred to explore ideas and theories more broadly, while Corio delved into specific details, prioritizing accuracy.

"You need to focus, Y/N. These assignments will shape our academic future," said Corio, his tone a mixture of concern and impatience.

Y/N lifted her eyes from the books, facing Corio with a resistant expression. "I'm not disregarding the importance, Corio. I just believe that there are more ways to learn than simply burying yourself in books all the time."

Y/N's words hit Corio like a challenge, and his response came with an unexpected intensity. "Do you think you can afford not to dedicate yourself entirely to studies? The competition here is fierce, Y/N, and only the best succeed." The discussion unfolded, and sharp words flew between them like arrows. Y/N advocated the idea that university life should be more than just grades and rankings, while Corio insisted that the path to success was paved with tireless effort and dedication.

The tension reached its peak when Y/N, driven by frustration, accused Corio of having lost the ability to dream and live beyond academic expectations. Corio, in turn, responded with the accusation that Y/N was being naive and reckless about her future.

The argument, fueled by intense emotions and fundamental differences, echoed through the silent library, drawing curious glances from other students trying to focus on their own studies. As the inflamed words dissipated, Y/N and Corio stared at each other, aware that they had crossed a line separating their views, revealing the depth of the differences that now threatened the stability of their relationship. The ensuing silence was laden with resentment and the bitter feeling that something significant, beyond grades and books, was shattering between them.

----------

Just wanted to drop a quick note to say a massive thank you for all the love, likes, comments, and follows on my story. <3

Big virtual hugs and high-fives to each and every one of you. See you on Part III.

Taglist: @shari-berri @h-l-vlovesvintage @tea-bobba @daenerysqueenofhearts

Again: REQUESTS ARE OPEN!!!!!