#if these retcons have since been retconned someone please tell me so I'm not just talking out of my butt

[sbd-laytall]

[sanguineterrain]

the teeth you know | dick grayson

Summary: The war between the humans and the vampires has lasted for a year now. When you fled Gotham, you thought that would be the last time you'd see the Vampire King and the love of your life, Dick Grayson. You were wrong.

Pairing: vampire king!Dick Grayson x fem!reader. based on the dc vs vampires comics

Word count: 1.9k

Warnings/tags: smut!!! 18+ only. oral fem receiving, manipulation, romantic dick, me retconning whatever smarmy little bastard they wrote in dc vs vampires bc that is NOT my dick. dick is literally so gone for you, vampire king or not. themes of death, war, vampires killing humans. if i missed any warnings lmk!

happy almost halloween! follow your dreams and fuck that superhero turned vampire. it'll definitely fix them this time.

the divider

If you like this fic and want to see more, please let me know through reblogs ♡

Tonight, you dream. 

You don't usually have good dreams. Not since this whole war began. Your dreams are filled with red. Always red, always terrifying. 

Except when he's in them.

The first few times it happened, you yelled at him for intruding on your subconscious. For warping your emotions and making you miss him. He'd laughed at that. 

You should look at yourself a little harder before blaming me. I just appear. You do all the dirty work of missing me, my love.

You're in Gotham in tonight's dream. The old Gotham, of course. Before any bastard undead creatures could suck the life out of your city. Before Dick Grayson haunted your dreams. 

You're on a rooftop ledge, legs dangling. You stare at the harbor. The city's wet from the rain and alive. So alive. You start to cry. 

"Oh, honey," he says, and you cry harder because he sounds exactly like the Dick you knew. 

He keeps his distance, sitting a few feet away. You refuse to look at him, because this is exactly how he gets you to miss him. Dick makes a soft noise when you scrub at your face.

"Have you been eating enough?" he asks, and he almost sounds tender. But you know better. "I'll track down a produce shipment, tell my men to intercept the boat for you."

"Fuck you," you say. "I don't take food out of people's mouths."

Dick edges closer. He feels big in your dreams, looming over you. 

"You wouldn't take food out of anyone's mouth. There's no longer a faction on the planet that requires all that food." 

Because the vampires have all but wiped humans out. You snarl. 

"Why can't you leave me alone?" you snap. "I know you're cruel, but the least you could do is let me dream in peace."

"Have I been cruel to you? I don't mean to be, sweetheart. I visit to check on you."

"Bullshit, Dick." Saying his name makes you shake. "You visit to manipulate me. I'm not going to give up my location, I'm not going to turn against my team, and I'm definitely never going to be your queen."

Dick is next to you on the roof ledge, now. He leans in and you stiffen at his eyes. You still aren't used to the absence of blue.

"Of course not. I wouldn't make you do anything you don't want to," he says, hand slipping across your jaw. You immediately slap him away. He makes a displeased sound. 

"Why don't you find someone else to manipulate? I'm sure you've got countless minions who'd leap at the chance to be with you for eternity." 

"I don't want anyone else," he murmurs. "I've thought of nothing but you since we parted. I wish you hadn't run, my love. Things would be better if we were together, you’d see.”

"Hah. You used to be so much better at compartmentalizing, Grayson. Guess vampires aren't so good at controlling their own desires."

He laughs, tosses his head back. His fangs glint. Dick's smile is deceiving; underneath the charm, there's unimaginable power. Vampirism has treated him well: he's always filled out, lean with muscle, carrying an easy strength everywhere he goes. 

You, on the other hand, suffer from poor nutrition. You didn't sleep well before this mess; now, it's nearly impossible. 

(Except when Dick visits, you feel rested the next morning. You'd never admit such a thing to anybody, but it's the truth.) 

"Oh, sweetheart, but why would I bother controlling my desires now? There's no one stopping me from having what I want."

You stew in silence, turning away from him. Dick sighs. 

"What do you want, hm? Tell me. I'll give you anything." 

"I want you to free every human you're holding captive," you say. "And I want you and your people to stop this war."

"Such a golden heart," Dick says. "That's what I love about you. Always so good."

"You used to be good too," you shoot back bitterly. 

"No, I used to be obedient. There's a difference. I used to be Bruce's little, golden cow."

“He treated you well.”

“When I fell in line,” he says.

You fall quiet again. Dick scoots closer. You scoot away. 

"You know I've already let a few of the humans go. For you, honey. As a sign of goodwill. I'm not totally heartless, you know."

You roll your eyes. 

"Right. Well, us cattle don't find it merciful when we're sent out on our own to die, so you'll have to excuse me if I don't thank Your Highness on my knees."

"You are not cattle," Dick says fiercely. "Don't talk about yourself that way."

"My life is no less human and no more important than theirs," you say, temper flaring. "So, yes, I am."

"That's—"

You fall off the roof before he can say any more. Your stomach swoops similarly to how it would if you were awake. But then the stars bleed into the skyline, and there's a flash of golden light. 

And now you're in a bedroom. It's not one you recognize, richly decorated with golden accents and silk sheets and curtains. You'd almost mistake it for a room at Wayne Manor. 

"Now this is much better, don't you think? You're wearing my favorite color."

You look down and see that your pajamas have been swapped for a long, blood red, chiffon nightgown. It hugs every curve and dip of your body, the sleeves and collar trimmed in soft fur. The neckline is somewhat modest, but the fabric is totally see-through past your thighs. 

It's something a queen would wear. 

"Beautiful," Dick murmurs, voice rough. "Fuck, honey. This is the sort of thing you should wear all the time."

"Change me back," you demand. "I am not a doll for you to dress up, Dick."

"No, of course you're not. This is just a taste of how you'd live if you were with me, my love."

"I will never live with you. I'd rather die."

Dick hums, then draws closer. You back up until your legs hit the edge of the bed. He prowls further, eyes sharp like he's hunting prey. Your pulse quickens and you have to remind yourself that this is just a dream. 

"What happened to us?" he asks softly. "I know that, at one point, you loved me."

"Yeah, that was before you turned into a monster. I loved a man." 

"I'm no more monster than any of the men you've known," Dick says. 

You scoff. "God, where'd you get that one? Jason?"

Dick smiles, and it almost looks human. "No, that was a Grayson original. And it's true. Man has never been good. You don't like me because now I drink a little blood?"

"I don't like you because you used to be good, and now you're not."

He hums. "I'm not all bad, my love. I can be subdued, tamed. You want me to be tame? I can be good for you. I can give you anything your heart desires. Our wants are the same.”

Dick eases you backwards onto the bed. You shouldn’t let him. Shouldn’t like the cold press of undead flesh against your heat. Shouldn’t like how he holds you, how convincing he sounds. You know your wants aren’t the same, that Dick is playing you, and you’re being easy.

But… but it's not like you'll ever see him for real again. No one will know. 

And God, it's been so long since anyone touched you. You pined for this, what seems like forever ago. Dick Grayson wanting you had felt impossible, until it wasn't… but by then, he'd become the very thing you'd sworn to hate. 

"This–” You swallow. “This isn’t right.” 

But your legs part for him to kneel between. 

"Tell me to stop and I will. I serve you first."

Dick hovers over you, hands planted on either side of your head. You're getting wet. You ache in more ways than one. 

"This is cruel," you whine.

"I don’t mean to be cruel,” he says gently. “Do you want me to stop, my love? My beautiful queen, who hasn’t been touched in so long. You’ve needed me, haven’t you?”

“Not–not your queen,” you say, panting, but you let him in, let him settle above you. 

“If you say so, my love," he says, nuzzling your neck. You tense even though he can't actually bite you. 

His fingers thread with yours. The position is unbearably intimate. You’d forgotten how romantic Dick was. How loving. Briefly, you wonder if he kept that through the shift.

It’s impossible, you insist as he kisses your jaw.

"You're a dream in red," he purrs. "I might prefer it to you in blue, but it's a close call."

"Your ego is ridiculous," you say, and Dick unlinks one hand to pet the apex of your thighs with two fingers. You're still clothed, and you're still dreaming, but the heat and pressure and slick feel so real. 

"The sounds you're making certainly don’t keep my ego in check," Dick says with a proud grin, fangs on display. 

Then he rips your underwear off, ducks between your legs, and licks you until you cry. 

You arch off the bed, and even in the dream, his strength is easy, one hand keeping you pressed to the bed. Dick pushes one of your legs up to get a deeper angle, moaning into your cunt. Your leg goes up easily even though in real life, it would pinch. You’re not as flexible as he is.

"Dickie," you cry, tears slipping down your cheeks because it's so good, it feels real, you wish this was real, wish you had him back. 

He nips your thighs, groans into your sex. Dick ruts the mattress, the first loss of control he's shown. It makes you wetter, knowing that he's so gone for you. It's sick to like such a thing, but you never stopped loving him, not really. You can't seem to reckon the man from the monster. 

You come hard on his tongue, and he keeps licking until you push him away. 

"You haven't been touched in ages, I bet," he says, lips shiny with your arousal. His eyes are a brighter red. His chest heaves. He looks hungrier than before he started.

"Been a bit busy,” you say when your brain comes back online. “End of humanity and all that."

His eyes go soft. You hate that he can still make that look. 

"Why are you so stubborn? Why won't you let me take care of you? You belong at my side."

You scowl. "I don't belong anywhere, Dick. Certainly nowhere near you."

His eyes glitter and he grabs you by your hips and kisses you. You let him, because you're absolutely pathetic and because you haven't been touched in ages.

Dick laughs against your mouth and peppers kisses on your throat before pulling away. 

"I'll send your team food. They won't even know it's me," he says, half-lidded. "My beloved queen. You'll never starve. I didn't know it was so bad."

"I am not your queen and I don't need your charity. In fact, you know what? I'm waking up. Right now."

Dick smiles, and kisses your hand. Then he gets off of the bed, and fixes his collar. He must be aching in his slacks, dream or not, but he straightens up like he has all the time in the world to fuck you. Like he knows you’ll be back.

"Of course, my love. Whatever you want. Till next time."

The dream fades from a golden bedroom to your dark, tiny hole of a room you've camped in for a few months. 

You turn your head and look at the clock. It's still late. 

Your thighs ache. Your mouth tingles where he kissed you. 

You swore to never pledge yourself to the Vampire King. But you never made any such promises about Dick Grayson.

[gaarasfiance]

Cardigan

Pairing: Jason Todd x Fem Reader (version of jason isn’t mentioned but i wrote it with his original storyline death from Batman: A Death In The Family, not a later, retconned version)

Warnings: angst but also fluff, reader is a famous singer, use of Y/N, pet names (baby, sweetheart, princess, lmk if i missed any), swearing, makes references to other songs (Lover by Taylor Swift, Lucky People by Waterparks, and Favorite Record by Fall Out Boy), i reread this like 8 times but i couldve missed things so don't flame me if theres any fuck ups in there lmao

Word Count: 4,175

A/N: (yes i know cardigan is part of the teenage love triangle songs, yes i made it into somewhat fluff because i fucking wanted to, whats it to you? I was just listening to cardigan (by taylor swift if you were unaware) in the shower and had this beautiful idea of like what if rather than it being about getting cheated on, i make it about the reader experiencing Jason’s death (and resurrection)? also i color coded the dialogue which is something i normally don't do soooo fun little touch i guess.) (originally posted may 22, 2023 on an alternate account)

IMPORTANT NOTE: Italics mean it’s a flashback, bold and bigger means it's a song lyric, regular text means it's happening in real time. (with very obvious exceptions) Cool? Cool. also, real quick, THE FLASHBACKS ARE NOT IN PERFECT CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER!!!!

“HELLO GOTHAM CITY!” The crowd roared in excitement. Y/N was excited too, it was her first show in Gotham in a long time. This was her first tour in a long time. Of course, she let the public think that it was just because she was a teenager focusing on school, not because when she was 16 her first love the love of her life had been brutally murdered…

“It’s really nice to be playing a hometown show, and since this is my first one in forever, how about I play you something brand new?” Screams erupted in the audience, people pulling out their phones to get the first recording of a brand new song. 

“This one means a lot to me, it’s about someone very special to me, and how he came back to me when I needed him most. This is a quieter one so I'm gonna need you all to listen, and please don’t judge me if I cry during this. Alright, this one’s called ‘cardigan’ everybody!” 

Rows and rows of people buzzed with excitement as the music began to play.

~

Vintage tee, brand new phone

Y/N and Jason walked in, strutting about as if they were models in the new vintage tees Y/N had bought for them at the thrift store just days before. They strolled about the mall, eventually making the stop to get Jason a new phone, he had dropped his from a rooftop on patrol the night before. Oops. 

“Jay, baby, you can’t just use Bruce’s credit card without asking all the time” Y/N smiled, knowing Jason wasn’t going to listen to her 

“Says who? Besides, I told him I was taking it. If he didn’t want to pay for me to get a new phone, he should’ve given me a secure pocket in the suit for it like I asked.” Jason shrugged. He wasn’t atrociously rebellious at all times, but he knew Bruce had more than enough money for him to get a new phone, and to treat his girlfriend, and best friend, when he wanted to. “Plus, if I didn’t take his card, I wouldn’t be able to spoil you, would I?” He wrapped an arm around her waist, pressing a kiss to her temple as they walked out of the store.

High heels on cobblestone

Y/N’s heels clicked loudly against the cobblestone walkway as she made her way to the entrance of the Wayne gala, arm linked with Jason’s. 

“Are you sure I look alright? I’ve never worn a dress this fancy Jason. Should I even be at a Wayne gala I mean–” Jason cut her off.

“Sweetheart you look perfect. And if anyone tells you otherwise I will personally ask Bruce to kick them out.”

“Jay, you can’t do that.”

“According to who? I have adopted Wayne privilege and you’re the one who’s Bruce’s favorite”

“I am not Bruce’s favorite!”

“Yes you are, princess.”

He dragged her into the gala, excited to spend a night with her, and after that, her first Wayne gala was nothing but history, as she attended every single one at her lover’s side.

When you are young they assume you know nothing

“That boy is a delinquent Y/N! I doubt you even know anything about him, has he even told you how he came to meet Mr Wayne?” Y/N’s father shouted. He’d never liked Jason, despite him being Y/N’s best friend for years before things ever became romantic. She used to be able to avoid it, but when her mom moved out of state for work and Y/N wanted to stay in Gotham… well this was her only option.

“Yes dad, I know how he met Bruce! You realize I knew him long before he was adopted by Bruce Wayne right? That I didn’t just go for him because he was rich? You assume because I’m young that I know nothing!”

“Clearly you don’t know anything if you would choose to be with a boy who is a thief! He tried to steal Mr. Wayne’s tires!”

“He was trying to steal them because he was living on the streets and needed money to fucking eat, Dad! Clearly you’re the one who knows nothing here!”

She stormed out of the house, furiously texting Jason and trying to will away the angry tears. 

Sequined smile, black lipstick

Y/N grinned at Jason, her black lipstick fresh as they prepared to go to a party. Bruce had cleared Jason of Robin duty for the weekend and they’d decided to take time to enjoy being normal teenagers. 

“What do you think?” She asked, still smiling

“I think… I’m really tempted to kiss that lipstick right off of you”

“Come do it then.”

Sensual politics

“Do you ever think about sensual politics?” Y/N looked up at Jason, her head in his lap as he read a book.

“What the fuck do you mean ‘sensual politics’?”

“Like the politics of being flirtatious or like building a relationship with someone, but like also kind of a play on sexual politics and people’s perception of the difference’s between men and women and the politics of it, you know? Like they’re both very different things but you can name them the same thing”

“And you’re calling that sensual politics?”

“Yes, what about it?”

“I wish I could understand what’s going on in that brain of yours. You’re such a nerd, princess”

When you are young they assume you know nothing

“Jaybird, if you hurt her, I hope you know I’ll have to break your legs” Dick shrugged as if this was common knowledge.

“I won’t hurt her, Dickwad. She’s the best thing to happen to me.”

“Okay, but you’re young and stupid, anything could happen.”

“Just because you knew nothing when you were young doesn’t mean I’m stupid.”

But I knew you

Years ago, Y/n was 11 and Jason was 10. Y/N was on her way home from the school when she saw someone she recognized. 

“Hey! You’re the boy from the library! You showed me my favorite book!”

Jason flushed, unaware that she’d remember him, or that she’d take the recommendation he’d once given her seriously

“Yeah uh, hi. My names Jason, Jason Todd.” He stuck his hand out to shake.

She placed her hand in his and shook. "Y/N."

Dancin' in your Levi's

Y/N and Jason slow danced in her room, her record player spinning some old collection she’d snagged from Wayne manor.

“I was unaware that Levi’s were ballroom attire, Monsieur.”

“And I was unaware your bedroom counted as a ballroom, Mademoiselle”

Drunk under a streetlight, I

“Jason you’re drunk.”

“No I’m notttt. Please Y/N pleeeeaaassseee be my girlfriend.”

“You’re drunk Jay, if you weren’t then you’d remember I already am.” She laughed, watching her lover shoot up in excitement

“Really? That’s so cool!”

I knew you

"Y/N what do you think? Do you think he'd like this for his birthday?"

"Why are you asking me? You're his brother!"

"Yeah but you know him better than anyone else"

Hand under my sweatshirt

"Jason Peter Todd get your cold ass hands out from under my sweatshirt!"

"What do you mean princess?" He dragged his freezing cold hands further up her back

"Eek!"

Baby, kiss it better, I

Y/N carefully finished wrapping the bandages around Jason's waist.

"I can't believe you got stabbed!"

"Kiss it better?"

"Dork." She pressed a kiss to his bandages, before making her way up to his lips.

And when I felt like I was an old cardigan

Under someone's bed

You put me on and said I was your favorite

“What’s got you down princess?” Jason quirked an eyebrow, the moment Y/N entered the manor there was an unhappy energy on her, like she was faking her smile. He knew her all too well. “Come here”. He opened his arms to her, gesturing that she should come lay with him on the excessively large couch (rich people bro) and she happily obliged, latching onto his side like a koala with her head on his chest.

“It’s just… I don’t know, sometimes I feel like an old cardigan, under someone’s bed. Just… forgotten.”

“I could never forget you. Sometimes people lose things that are important to them. If you’re an old cardigan then I’m finding you and putting you on because the whole time you were my favorite.” He pressed a kiss to her hair.

“How poetic” She could feel his chest shake as he laughed.

“What can I say? I’m a man of literature. Speaking of which! Do you want to watch Pride and Prejudice?”

“Again?”

“Yes, AgAiN”

Y/N looked up at her boyfriend, beaming. “Always.”

A friend to all is a friend to none

“You can’t keep acting like nothing is going on Jason. You love her, so why are you friends with someone like the asshole who ruined her reputation?”

“Dammit Dick, I didn’t even know that he was the one who did that until a like week ago!”

“And you’ve hung out with him twice since then! A friend to all is a friend to none, Jaybird.”

Chase two girls, lose the one

Surely all of Gotham had heard them arguing from their favorite spot on the roof of the library.

“Jason I understand that you want to go meet your birth mother, but why does that mean you have to not be in touch for an undetermined amount of time? I don’t understand why finding her means leaving me!” Y/N hadn’t meant to shout. She wasn’t actually mad at him. She understood why he wanted to go, but that didn’t make him leaving hurt any less. Why should she have to lose contact with him, let him run off to another continent without any knowledge of if he was okay?

“Sweetheart I’m not leaving you, I’m just trying to find my mom…”

“Yeah, at the expense of me! Jay I will never prevent you from doing something this important to you but that will not change the fact that this hurts me. That I’ll be lying awake at night not knowing if you’re okay or if you’re even going to want me when you come home! Not even being able to ask Bruce if you’re okay because you plan on doing this without his knowledge! For fucks sake Jason do you realize how that would feel?”

“God dammit Y/N why can’t you just be happy for me?”

“Because you’re LEAVING ME. You know what, go ahead and go Jason. You’re choosing to chase two girls and you’ve lost this one.” She made her way down, trying not to let her hands shake from all the emotional turmoil, at least not until she was on the ground again. There was no way she would know how much she’d regret saying that to him.

When you are young, they assume you know nothing

“It’s your first heartbreak Y/N, you’ll get over it. It was teenage puppy love, something was bound to happen.” Her father had no clue. It had been days and she hadn’t heard from Jason. Last she checked with Alfred, Bruce had followed him out to the middle east somewhere. 

“This was, this is so much more than that. You’re doing it again, assuming that because I’m young I must know nothing.”

“Clearly you don’t know anything.”

But I knew you

“When were you gonna tell me that you being a literature nerd was knowledge Dick wasn’t supposed to get his hands on?” Y/N gave him a look. The look that says ‘i didn't know this was a secret so you can't be upset i spilled’

“Shit, princess, please don’t tell me you told him… he’ll never let me live it down!”

“Oops?” She shrugged. He started to say something else but she kissed him before the words could escape. “It’s alright Jay, it makes you a romantic. And it means I know you better than him.”

Jason smiled. “I guess you’re right…”

Playing hide-and-seek and

“Do you wanna play hide and seek?”

“Sweetheart, aren’t we too old for that?”

“Who said that? Come onnn"

“Y/N.”

“Hm?”

“You know I can’t say no to you.”

Giving me your weekends, I

“You know we don’t have to spend every weekend together right? You can hang out with your friends or your family if you want.”

“Why would I do that when I could give you all my weekends?”

I knew you

"How did you know to tell Bruce I wanted adjustments on the Robin bike?"

"Because I'm just cool like that. And i know you. Now come on, let's take it for a spin!"

Your heartbeat on the High Line

Y/N pressed the side of her head to Jason's chest as a stranger took their photo on the High Line. The trip to New York had been spontaneous, something they'd decided to do for spring break.

After taking her phone back from the kind stranger and thanking them, Y/N turned to her dear boyfriend.

"I could hear your heartbeat you know."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, you'd think it was our first date or something." Y/n grinned.

"Because you make me feel... I don't know, like Pip if Estella was actually good for him?"

"Did you just reference Great Expectations at me as a way of expressing your feelings?"

"Maybe?"

"Kiss me."

Once in twenty lifetimes, I

Y/N often thought of how her mother had once told her that true teenage love like the one she had with Jason only came once in 20 lifetimes. Although, in retrospect maybe it's twice in two lifetimes, or once in one, for the partner who didn't die.

And when I felt like I was an old cardigan

Under someone's bed

You put me on and said I was your favorite

"Would I still be your favorite person if I was a worm?"

"Well no cause you wouldn't be a person anymore, but you'd be my favorite worm-"

"You know what? I'll take it."

"You'll always be my favorite."

To kiss in cars

"Jason Todd, you are a menace to society."

"What? How?"

"You brought me out to Bruce's Rolls-Royce to make out."

"So?"

and downtown bars

"Who would've thought the boy wonder had a fake ID?"

"Maybe his girlfriend who's cousin made it for him"

"What? Which one?"

Jason smirked at her, knowing it was going to eat her alive not knowing yes im projecting how nosy i am onto the y/n "Sorry princess, that stays a secret"

Was all we needed

You drew stars around my scars

"Jason, it's just an old scar from scraping my knee a little too deep, it's no big deal!"

He continued drawing small stars around any scars he found on her, gently dragging the red marker along her skin. "I didn't say it was!"

But now I'm bleedin'

When Jason hadn’t come back, Y/N had done one of the only things she promised him she would never do: taking up vigilantism. She told Bruce it was only temporary. She told herself it was only temporary. But the longer she was in the game the more attached to it she became.

"FUCK!" Y/N yelped as she sat on her bathroom counter, pressing a damp rag to her wound, carefully wiping it off. "God dammit, I used to be patching up Jason's stab wounds, not getting stabbed..." She picked up her phone, dialing the only number she cared to call anymore.

"Yeah, Dick? Can you come over real quick? Need you to make sure this stab wound doesn't kill me..."

The audible "WHAT" echoed throughout the bathroom, despite the phone not being on speaker.

'Cause I knew you

"How'd you know I'd be here?"

Y/N found Jason at their spot on the roof of the library after Dick informed her that he'd had a particularly rough argument with Bruce.

"Because I know you better than anyone else."

Steppin' on the last train

Jason dragged Y/N towards the last train of the night, what they never knew would be their final date before everything went astray.

"Come on! The last train is the best one!"

Marked me like a bloodstain, I

The image of Jason, dead, being carried away by Bruce was forever marked in Y/N's head. He was dead. There was nothing else to say.

I knew you

Speaking at Jason's small memorial was never something Y/N saw herself doing.

"I uh- I really don't know what to say. You all always said I knew him better than anyone else, and I just wish I could've known the way to prevent this."

Tried to change the ending

Y/N tried so hard to change the ending of her story. Make it so she wasn't just the girl who lost herself in grief. But until unless she saw Jason again, nothing was going to happen.

Peter losing Wendy, I

As she sat there writing 'Cardigan' it occurred to her that Peter losing Wendy was a choice, and her losing Jason never was, but it fit. Their love was a magic only to be found in Neverland.

I knew you

"Hey Red, do I know you from somewhere in civilian life? You seem familiar..."

"No way, too new in town, sorry."

She knew she knew him. She just couldn't place why...

Leavin' like a father

Even though she'd told him just to go, Jason still stopped by Y/N's house before he left to find his mother.

"Please don't leave me, Jay." She cupped his cheeks, pressing his forehead to hers as tears streamed down her face

"Don't cry, baby, I'll be back before you know it."

Running like water, I

Of course, Y/N hadn't known the identity of the Red Hood the first time she'd spotted him. All she had time to think was wondering why such a large man, with guns nonetheless, ran from her like she was out to get him.

And when you are young, they assume you know nothing

"Why do people love to assume that because I'm young I must know nothing about love or heartbreak?" Y/N had asked one day. No one answered. No one knew. They only knew that they were all too aware of just how much she truly knew about both of those things.

But I knew you'd linger like a tattoo kiss

"I want a blue jay on my forearm. Full color. Can you do that?"

Y/N had walked into the tattoo parlor like she owned the place. She needed a way to let him permanently linger. The kiss of a needle in her skin the only way to physically represent him.

I knew you'd haunt all of my what-ifs

"What if I had made him stay?!"

"Y/N there's nothing you could've done that would change things."

"But what if—"

"There was nothing any of us could do."

The smell of smoke would hang around this long

"Thought you told me that you quit smoking years ago Red."

"Yeah, well, old habits die hard."

"Rough day huh?"

"Yeah. Girlfriend from before all this almost saw me in the library today. She doesn't know about me."

"About you being a vigilante?"

"She thinks I'm dead."

"You know, maybe I'll do this and be totally mistaken and realize i'm delusional, but I swear to whatever fucking god is listening if i tear off that domino mask and Jason Todd is under there I will be pushing you off this rooftop."

"If I've been hanging out with Y/N this whole time I'm throwing myself off."

'Cause I knew everything when I was young

Y/N was playing a show in Los Angeles, touring at age 15 was insane, but then again, she never thought anyone would listen to her music.

"Alright everyone, I may be young, but I also consider myself to be quite versed in romance, who knows, maybe it's my lovely boyfriend, or the fact that I'm a hopeless romantic, but either way, this one's called Favorite Record!"

Even at a young age, she'd known everything she needed to about love, because it encased her every moment she spent with her favorite person.

I knew I'd curse you for the longest time

She sat at Jason's grave in the Wayne family plot for more hours than she could count, swearing at his headstone

"God dammit! Why didn't you come home? Why didn't you come back to me?" Sobs wracked her body. "I was waiting for you to come home."

Chasin' shadows in the grocery line

Every once in a while Y/N would see someone and think someone was him. Maybe it was her brain's sick way of coping. She reached towards the stranger in front of her.

"Excuse me-"

But when he turned around Jason was gone. It was just another high school boy who had vaguely reminiscent hair.

I knew you'd miss me once the thrill expired

A knock came on Y/N's bedroom window. She opened it warily before the Red Hood came clinking in.

"Thrill of letting me think you were dead over?"

"Y/N please-"

"Did you sit and watch as I grieved? Stand by while I lost my mind because I thought I'd lost you?"

"Sweetheart, just let me explain–"

"Don't fucking 'sweetheart' me. Get out. Get out of my fucking room."

And you'd be standin' in my front porch light

"Get off my damn porch Jason." He was standing in civilian clothes, shuffling his feet nervously as if he was a little kid again.

"Not until you let me explain!"

"Fine. You get to come in for five minutes. See if you can explain to me how there is any way you can justify this."

And I knew you'd come back to me

Y/N sat with her jaw slack in shock after hearing Jason's story. How saying he died wasn't even a lie, how he'd been brought back, the madness he'd experienced, the resentment for nobody killing the Joker. (she flat out told him she would've if she thought she could do it without getting herself killed in the process)

"i'm such a fucking asshole."

"No you aren't"

"No you went through this whole traumatic experience and I've just been a dick to you!"

"And it's been totally justified! You should've been the first person to find out I was back. Honestly I'm surprised Dick or Bruce didn't tell you..."

"I'm going to ignore the urge to castrate both of them and just be happy you came back to me."

You'd come back to me

"I'll always come back to you."

And you'd come back to me

"Make sure you come back in one piece?" They were on the same mission, much to Jason's dismay, but they had to be split up.

"When have I ever not come back to you?"

"...."

"Don't answer that."

And you'd come back

They'd made it out of that atrocious mission. It all worked out in the end but it certainly had taken longer than they planned.

"hey, you came back in one piece, just like I asked."

"I always do, just for you."

And when I felt like I was an old cardigan

Under someone's bed

You put me on and said I was your favorite

Y/N heard Jason coming in. His duffel bag clunked loudly against their closet floor, and she assumed he changed out of his gear at a safehouse before returning to their apartment. She flipped over the edge of the blanket, making room for him to crawl in bed with her. Once sufficiently comfortable behind her, arms wrapped tightly around her waist, Jason spoke.

"Hey Y/N?"

She turned around in his arms so she could face him. "Uh oh, you didn't call me any kind of pet name, just my name, whats up?"

"Nothing I just... I just wanted to let you know you're still my favorite."

~

The tears were flowing freely by then. The audience screamed, cheering at the sweet song. “My favorite person didn’t get to be around for a while, but… he came back to me, and that’s all that matters. Now that's enough crying, I’ve got some much more fun songs, ARE YOU READY GOTHAM CITY!?” And with that, the show went on.

Hours later, Y/N made her way backstage, where she was immediately enveloped by the arms of a mystery man. She wasn’t scared though, she knew who it was. Her arms wrapped around his neck as he spun her around. 

He sat her down gently, beaming. “You wrote a song about me?” “Jay… baby a lot of my songs are about you.” 

“What?”

“I’m going to ignore the fact that you managed to not know that even though I’ve told you before.”

“I just assumed you weren’t serious!”

“... You really think that Lover or Lucky People or Favorite Record, could have possibly been about anyone else?”

“And if I just like hearing you say it?”

“Then I’ll tell you forever.” When their lips met, it was a promise, one that this, this feeling in this moment, was real, and that it wouldn’t ever go away, because they knew everything when they were young. 

[immaturityofthomasastruc]

IOTA Reviews: Adoration

You know, between Sabrina and Zoe, it's hard to tell who gets screwed over more in this episode.

Let's get into the seventeenth episode of Miraculous Ladybug's fifth season: Adoration

We start off with Zoe talking with Andre about a movie he made when he was younger. Apparently, he made it to declare his love for Audrey. The fact that he thought making a movie to please someone as abusive as her either means Andre is a real idiot, or Audrey is an absolute goddess in bed.

We then cut to school the next day, where Marinette and Zoe are put in charge of organizing it. The two met up at Marinette's room, where Zoe comments on how beautiful it looks... even though she was already there at the end of “Gabriel Agreste”.

Okay, in all seriousness, this is a minor error compared to the other retcons this show has made, and I can see the writers forgetting that scene since Zoe didn't say anything in it anyway, but this does have a purpose. While thinking about where to hold the dance, Marinette settles on the Eiffel Tower, and asks Zoe if she can talk to Andre about it.

The two go to Zoe's place, and surprise, surprise, Chloe throws a hissy fit about Marinette stepping on one of “her” stairs. Okay, writers, just admit you're running out of ideas for Chloe to antagonize Marinette. Zoe stands up to Chloe, who then goes to Audrey, but she's so apathetic, she doesn't even intervene, so Zoe calls it a win.

Marinette: What happened to the scared Zoe who moved here from New York a few months ago?

Zoe: It's all thanks to you, Marinette. You're the one who helped me change!

Uh... how? Outside of “Sole Crusher” and “Queen Banana”, the two have never really had any meaningful interactions. It's almost like Zoe has had absolutely no development since her introduction last season, and the writers are trying to convince us that they actually gave her character development.

Andre decides to approve holding the school dance under the Eiffel Tower, he tells Marinette and Zoe not to tell Chloe. Chloe overhears this, and gets angry for... some reason. Seriously, what did they even do? All Marinette and Zoe did was ask to hold a dance, Chloe overheard it, and the very next scene, she's talking with Lila and Sabrina about how to get revenge. She doesn't even make it about the dance, she just gets angry Zoe is talking with her father. Again, after five seasons, it really seems like the writers are running out of ways for Chloe to incite conflict, because this is just lazy.

At the Agreste Mansion, Adrien talks to Gabriel about asking Marinette to the dance, but Gabriel forbids him from doing so. Nathalie convinces him to concede, but then he calls Lila. The next scene has Chloe talking with Sabrina about a plan she has.

Chloe: Do you want to be demoted from underling to punching bag? You want to join the baker girl and the half-of-a-sister?

Sabrina: (gasps) No! I'm your friend!

Chloe: (shakes her head) My underling. You are my underling. If you're not willing to do anything for me, then get lost!

This can't seriously be the script the writers stuck with, right? Now Chloe's just saying things you'd hear from a dark lord from an RPG. Granted, it's hard to tell how honest Chloe is since her chewing out Sabrina is revealed to be a plan by Lila, but given how Chloe has been this episode, it's hard to really believe she was exaggerating anything. Either way, Sabrina is upset enough for Monarch to send an Akuma her way, akumatizing her into Vanisher again through a whistle.

Vanisher's design is pretty lazy, even back when it first appeared in Season 1. It's just Sabrina with a purple filter when she isn't using her powers to turn invisible. I guess it kind of makes sense given she's not meant to be flashy, but this just screams “cutting corners”. The Miraculous power shown this time is the Dog Miraculous' Fetch, allowing Vanisher to steal as many things as she wants.

Vanisher comes back into the room, and we actually get a funny joke where Chloe asks Lila if she's a witch, even if a funny joke in this kind of show only gets a reaction along the lines of...

Anyway, Marinette and Zoe plan out the dance some more, where Marinette talks about how hard it is to tell Adrien she loves him, to which Zoe agrees, revealing she has her own crush on someone. As the two talk, Vanisher sneaks in and we get a montage of her tagging things with her whistle. During the montage, Marinette assumes that Zoe has a crush on Adrien, which will be more important towards the end.

Once things with the dance are set up, Vanisher uses Fetch to teleport all the things she touched into Marinette's bag. Chloe accuses Marinette of being a thief, and even though Lila isn't in the rest of the episode, everyone's about as gullible as they normally are in a Lila episode, so they decide to believe Chloe. Mr. Damocles prepares to expel Marinette, but Zoe takes the blame for it, allowing Marinette transform into Ladybug.

Ladybug figures out that Vanisher is behind this because Chloe threw some paper flowers that accidentally fell onto her, so she summons her Lucky Charm, a pinata. While Ladybug fights Vanisher, Adrien gets to a safe place to transform into Cat Noir. Ladybug hands Cat Noir a bottle of some kind of spray-on glue and just as Ladybug breaks the pinata above Vanisher, Cat Noir sprays her with it, covering her in confetti. Ladybug ties up Vanisher while Cat Noir Cataclysms the whistle, freeing the Akuma.

Ladybug de-evilizes the Akuma, uses Miraculous Ladybug to fix the damage, Chloe yells at Sabrina for failing, and even though this blows her cover, somehow isn't punished for it, Sabrina gets a useless Magical Charm from Ladybug and because I've already seen the rest of the season, I already know that Sabrina is still going to work with Chloe for some reason.

Anyway, Marinette and Zoe talk about the latter supposedly having feelings for Adrien.

Marinette: I know... you're in love with Adrien. Don't sacrifice your feelings for him because of me. He has the right to hear your declaration.

Zoe: Adrien? But you're the one he loves.

Marinette: Even if he loves me, he'd be flattered to know that you love him too. Let him know how you feel about him. Zoe, you're an amazing person. One can only feel honored to be loved by you.

Zoe: Are you sure?

Marinette: Of course! You can't keep it to yourself! Zoe: But... Adrien’s not the one I’m in love with.

Marinette: Oh? Who is it, then? (Zoe simply looks at Marinette and smiles) Oh... Oh! Oh. I am truly, very honored. I mean it, Zoe.

Zoe: Thanks, Marinette.

Oh my God... I can't believe Zoe has feelings for Alya.

Okay, in all seriousness, let's discuss this scene. While I'm glad that we have confirmation that Zoe has feelings for Marinette, which is a big deal after the show danced around the idea with Juleka and Rose, and the reveal itself is done very well with Zoe and Marinette's facial expressions doing all the work, my problems with this scene stem from a different issue, and it ties back to my earlier point about Zoe.

Zoe as a character has always been criminally underdeveloped. Other than the fact that she's nice and is different from Chloe, very little is done to establish who she is as a person. With every focus episode she gets, the writers just slap on some kind of trait or idea to try and get viewers invested in her. In “Sole Crusher”, she had her vague backstory about being bullied, in “Queen Banana”, she became Vesperia, in “The Kwamis' Choice”, she temporarily replaced Cat Noir as Kitty Noire, and in this episode, we have her feelings for Marinette. None of these are really bad things, but the show just expects us to connect with Zoe for all of these things that happen to her with little buildup or character development. Like I said earlier, the show tries to act like there's been character development with Zoe, but it doesn't work because she's barely gotten to do anything that isn't the writers trying to shove her into the main cast.

As for the reveal that Zoe has feelings for Marinette, it sort of falls flat because again, the two have barely spent any time together since “Sole Crusher” and “Queen Banana”. Yeah, Zoe was present in other episodes like “Gabriel Agreste” and “Crocoduel”, but she was only part of the group and didn't really interact with Marinette on her own. It's hard to really see this reveal as impactful because not only did we not get a lot of hints that Zoe was into girls, but we didn't even get a lot of hints that Zoe had developed feelings for Marinette in the first place. That's not to say this couldn't work. In The Owl House, there weren't any hints that either Luz or Amity were into girls, but the difference there was that their growing feelings for each other became an ongoing story. Here, there's nothing that really comes of Zoe having feelings for Marinette other than so the show can say they have an LGBT character. If there was an episode about Zoe struggling to deal with her unrequited feelings for Marinette, or an episode where she tries to ask another girl out, this could have worked, but nothing really comes from this.

And finally, there's the reason behind this reveal. The episode goes out of its way to establish that Zoe has feelings for Marinette not to really expand on Zoe's character, but rather, to expand on Marinette's. Zoe's coming out story is less of a big reveal about her sexual identity, and more of a cautionary tale about not being able to confess your feelings to someone you care about until it's too late. The reveal that Zoe has feelings for Marinette isn't about Zoe taking a risk that could jeopardize her friendship with Marinette, it's about giving Marinette the confidence she needs to tell Adrien she loves him, and even then, that moment is undercut because the very next scene, Gabriel uses his influence to order Adrien to go home when he's about to kiss Marinette. The episode basically ends with Marinette trying to reassure herself that progress was actually made when we know Gabriel screwed that up.

So basically, THIS EPISODE WAS A GIANT WASTE OF TIME! Oh my God, this was bad, and it's hard to really explain. I'm not really as angry as I was towards episodes like “Kuro Neko”, “Penalteam”, or “Illusion”, but this episode just had so many little things that got to me that all piled up by the end. The attempt to give Zoe character development didn't really work, Gabriel and Chloe had no reason to incite the conflict other than because they felt like it, Lila had no real purpose being here (yet she gets to be in the end card instead of Chloe), the Akuma was underwhelming, Sabrina still hasn't gotten any major character development herself, and the ending just felt like a cheap excuse to keep the story going. This is still one of the worst episodes of the season, but I still think “Derision” and “Illusion” are worse.

THE BIGGEST IDIOT OF THE EPISODE IS... ANDRE (THE OTHER ONE)

While Gabriel came close to getting his third Biggest Idiot Award in a row, I ultimately gave it to Andre because the episode tried to make him out to be a good father even though he's scared of his own child. He made an entire movie to show how much he loved someone as terrible as Audrey, wanted to keep organizing a school dance a secret from Chloe, kept enabling her even when she framed a classmate, and didn't even punish her afterwards when it was obvious she framed Marinette with the help of an Akuma.

[fountainpenguin]

Riddle watches New Wish - Post #12

Stanky Danky

Me: Huh, Mark's extended family must have stopped dropping by to eat the pollution. Mr. Guzman: There's even trash in space! Me: oh no

I like how Hazel consistently wears her hair covering at night. The first time I heard this show would have a black girl for a protagonist (like a year+ ago), I was really nervous about whether it would be handled well- I'd braced myself for "trying too hard to score diversity points."

I have to say, I've liked the hair style variety within her own family, and I feel like there have been more black background characters than I remember from the OG show (though I didn't go practically frame by frame in the OG like I'm doing for this liveblog).

I didn't say it in "Trial or Hair-or," but I enjoyed how Hazel formed a stronger bond with and love for her hair, as I feel like that would be important to her personal identity. I like how she always wears this hair covering to bed. Little details like that make me feel so much more at ease about something I was really nervous about for what feels like 15 months.

SLKDJFSLDKJF Cosmo and Wanda are still sleeping in separate beds. I mean, that's standard Fairy culture in my 'fics, so it works for me.

Trash monster is nice! Didn't see that coming.

Hazel: I wish he could speak at least a few words? /wish granted and he can speak only a few words

I knew it, Kennueth IS on a cliff in that poster. I'm surprised Hazel had to wish for him to breathe air last episode.

Uh-oh, it's Dimmadome time- WHAT DO YOU MEAN "one-time use helicopter??" Sir, you can't bring that to an event about polluting less and saving the earth! ... Is Dale in there? I have to assume so. I've been missing him.

Me: Aww, Dale looks just like his old self! Awesome, and easier to recognize when he's not panning across the- OH MY GOSH!!! Dale: When I was your age, I spent my Saturdays working in a factory underneath a lemonade stand >:/ (Pulls out photo of him from "Nectar of the Odds"

Sir. SIR!! Do not repeat the abuse cycle with your son!

-> I hate that he just carries this around. Dale, you need to let it go. And maybe sue Vicky, idk.

I'm CRYING, I love how they gave him false teeth. That's hilarious.

The boots... That's a Dimmadome, all right.

Like, on some level I'm glad Doug spoiled him after he was rescued from Vicky's lemonade horror show, but I'm gettin' a bad feeling...

I can only assume this family tells horror stories about Vicky. This is the funniest anti-hero backstory ever. I was also going to treat Dale's torment 100% seriously in 'fic, but this is way more fun.

They are not cutting any corners. They didn't even change his backstory; he literally got tormented underneath a lemonade stand for 7 years. That's the one piece of canon he was given in the OG show and by golly, are they sticking to it.

Did Vicky take over the lemon torture pit from someone else?? Did she start this gig when she was 9? Is she gettin' retconned? Hm.

They definitely do not drink lemonade in the Dimmadome house. Please let me see Hazel offering Dev his first taste. If we don't get that as an episode someday, I'm writing a 'fic.

Dev trying to get out of pollution clean-up day: But... is our company even earth-conscious?

Too funny.

Okay, I've been thinking about it ever since Episode 1, but why didn't Dale get a fairy? I was waving it off under the assumption he'd only been underground for a couple days max, but... with 7 years, now I have questions.

-> Did Vicky move her lemonade kids around? The stand wasn't always on Timmy's front lawn, but... Surely Cosmo or Wanda would've detected him if he WAS under Timmy's lawn for 7 years.

WELP, trash monster's upset there's not gonna be more trash to eat if they clean it all up. I can see the problem. Uh-oh...

Why do I get the feeling that Dale has said "Come to Daddy," to the trash monster more than he's said it to his own son?

Hazel's parents didn't come to the trash clean-up?

sldkfjsdklfj he's still got the boots... I hate him /affectionate.

There is something severely funny to me about how they've made it clear they took inspiration from Dale's canon design, but his adult design lost his fluff and cowlick and has sleeker, professional hair. Something about this feels very correct for this art style because I feel like a lot of the adults have shiny hair without little tufts and decorations. I might redo my adult designs.

Oh, Hazel doesn't even know that's Dev's dad because she didn't see his mental pictures in Episode 1. This keeps getting better. I love how she also said "That guy with the ridiculous boots" after I pointed out the boots. Yes, Hazel, we've been over this... He's a Dimmadome.

Cosmo and Wanda in their apartment again! Just chillin'.

I don't know why I didn't expect Dev's drones to be called Dimmadrones.

Dale to the trash monster: You're like a son to me! Dev in the background:

The moon is still a waxing crescent when you're in space? ... I mean, I guess.

Peace of Pizza

Ya know, I'm surprised we haven't seen the Ya Boix drinks come up more than the fact that Kev sponsors them (mentioned in 2 episodes). I guess it's nice that they were depth for a side character, but that surprises me since they're the first thing you see in the theme song.

Ooh, Dev's in the title card! Where's this going?

I like how Hazel was using Cosmo pencil to stab Wanda eraser. She may have fairies, but she's still a bored schoolkid.

I... I was going to cheer that we had a list of names for classmates, but uh...

The Kindness Chart isn't in alphabetical order. I feel like putting Dev at the bottom was a targeted move.

Or it's reverse alphabetical since she's Hazel Wells and he's Dev Dimmadome.

It's still a waning crescent?

Maybe I'm old-school, but "pea pod aliens" is setting off all my alarm bells.

... Aliens are insisting everyone loves pizza, but what if someone's lactose intolerant?

Okay, since we're just coming off the episode where Dale reminded Dev he was locked underground making lemonade for 7 years, I feel like I don't blame Dev for not trusting anyone?

Like, I get the feeling his dad is emotionally absent, but this might not entirely be his dad's doing. I'm not sure I'd trust people either if my dad got yoinked for 7 years when he was my age.

Especially since Vicky's whole thing is that she's nice until she starts bullying. Yeah... don't trust.

sdfklj, Dev slam-dunking his stuff in the trash can and backflipping away. That's so unnecessarily extra.

Does the news never have anything important to report? ... I'm glad Winn brought up the thought of getting their own pizza, since I was wondering about that myself.

SLKDFJSDF...

Hazel: Dev, I have someone here who wants to talk to you! Dev: What's she doing? The Closer: She's trying to use someone close to you to appeal to your emotions. Dev: ... ?? No one's close to me. wtf. /scene change where Cosmo is dressed as Dev's dad.

Oh, this is gonna go great.

Dev, instantly switching gears after hearing "his father"'s voice through the door: ... Dad? You took off work for this?

Ruh-roh.

-> Wanda can read him like a dog-eared book.

So... She- she's gonna report this to Jorgen, right? I feel like she's supposed to do that. She's gonna tell him this kid is ticking multiple misery boxes, right? She's not just gonna ignore this... Wanda, please.

Not sure how I feel about the running gag that so many adults look like Timmy's adult self from "The Big Problem." Throws me off every time and I wasn't a fan of that design anyway, so it feels weird.

HE'S LACTOSE INTOLERANT, I KNEW IT! ... Well, not really him specifically, but I was on the right track.

Oh, this is terrible. Am I mistaken, or aren't lactose intolerant pills like, $10? Does he know? Does he know.

Dev: I thought lactose-free pizza was just a myth?

Dale, you're a terrible father.

Also, I like how a lot of effort was put into converting their designs to 2D, right down to Dev's yellow zipper stripe:

Okay, that's enough for this post... On to "A New Dev-elopment"!

[aihoshiino]

Man onk is getting so messy and out of place. Movie arc really dissapointed me because it was suppose to be about Ai and I am not even sure if they potrayed the real Ai or not. After Nino-Ai thing it feels as if Ruby doesn't understand Ai. I want more chapters like 137 where we are shown about Ai. It is not only about Ai but other characters too. Also can we please have some Aqua in limelight again?

I'm sorry that this took so long for me to reply but the me from the future hopes you enjoyed OnK 150 very much <3 Aqua, we missed you…!!!

I definitely feel the same way vis-a-vis the Movie Arc, though. It's frustrating, because the bits we did get of Ai were absolutely fantastic - anyone who was just, like, in my general vicinity in the weeks surrounding 131, 136 and 137 knows how completely feral I went for those chapters and how great it was to see the way I'd been reading Ai be validated by the text in such explicit and undeniable terms. But since then, it just kind of… flopped. I can understand zooming us past the parts of the story we already saw in the prologue arc but like… hello??? The rest of the HKAI relationship?? The breakup??? Ai telling Saitou she was pregnant???? AI REALIZING SHE WAS PREGNANT???? There's sooooo much potential in showing us these parts of her story but it starts turning into the Kamiki movie so hard and then wasting time on shit that doesn't matter (melt i love you but you did Not need a whole chapter that went nowhere to yourself) that it's hard not to feel like she got majorly shafted.

I think I said this in one of my recent chapter reviews, but it really feels like Ai is being treated as narratively 'resolved', so to speak, since 137 - like her posthumous character arc is done and doesn't need any further elaboration.This also comes in tandem with weird shit like Ai's role in the twins' lives being massively downplayed/retconned in favor of centering the GRSR dynamic and as someone who honestly probably would not still be reading this series if I didn't care about Ai so deeply, it really bums me out.

[nalyra-dreaming]

the more I think about it, the more I think fuck it, survival arc for half the Théâtre des Vampires characters!!!! Honestly AR, you can't create the EPIC concept of a troupe of immortal theatre kids and then.... just..... sacrifice them all!? I know it's horror, some death count, sure, but not all. PLEASE, moderation. The later Vampire Chronicles feel a bit like the disturbing last episodes of Llamas with Hats where Charlie has killed the entire world and nobody is left except Charlie(/Lestat*.) *but where's the relation to Lestat? I'll tell you how I see it, and you're free to disagree but even so, I'm still going to want my survival arcs for the vampire thespians (in fanfiction, not the series. I don't make unrealistic demands of series.). :3 How I see it is that Anne Rice wrote all the Chronicles with essentially only Lestat in mind. Even when she wrote whole books for the other characters, it was very often with the ultimate goal of showing how their existence affected Lestat. She deviated a bit with Pandora and Marius, but Lestat was her utimate hyperfocus. This caused her to neglect some of her -in my opinion- more interesting concepts, such as Devil's Minion -imagine a whole BOOK!?- and the Théâtre des Vampires. In the book, Louis and Claudia spend like a week at the theatre before they kill Claudia and in turn Louis kills them all. That's certainly an author's choice. Come ON, a century old undead theatre troupe and you just ....kill them? Don't even explore them (like the series did, at least) instead of taking them on the hero's journey into the modern age? The story potential! THE WASTE! Yes, to be FAIR, when she wrote IWTV she maybe wasn't planning on a sequel. But it's not like she never retconned a death, either. It seems that she liked the idea of Lestat being the lone star of the show, the showpony of the 80s, while Armand losing his community in a roundabout way serves as karma for being mean to Lestat. On top of that, the author has Akasha come along and kill even more vampires, until it ultimately feels like Lestat and Louis are living in an Ark with a few survivors because the story left barely any other vampires alive. Lestat's an actor, he needs not only an audience but also an ensemble to lift him! So, yeah. Fanfiction authors are powerful. That's all <3

:) They are.

And I wished that she had made more of certain aspects of the tale, like you said, DM, or the theater. I have a feeling the show might ... keep some threads alive. I mean, in the books Eleni and Allessandra survive, too!! So I have hopes that the show will fill in the gaps the book left, tbh. I mean, they obviously do fill in so many gaps already... and they had someone survive... :)

BUT :))))

Anne actually recognized that Lestat needed that and wanted that recognition, and the ensemble!! It is literally how the last book ends, the full arc of him being pulled off and being alienated... and then coming to be with his "tribe" (as Benji calls them iirc).

Here is the end of "Blood Communion" - and every time I read the books/parts of the books I am grateful that Anne gave them (and thereby us) a certain closure through it. That certainly wasn't something I expected after ... Memnoch back then.

Under the cut, in case someone does not want to read the actual ending :)

Blood Communion

I sat back and closed my eyes, and the realization I’d been avoiding since that night, that night that I’d brought Rhoshamandes’s remains back, the realization that I’d avoided as impossible, that realization fully took hold of me. Visibility, significance, recognition! All that I’d ever wanted when I took to the rock music stage, all that I’d ever wanted as a boy heading to Paris with a head full of dreams, all I’d ever wanted I now had right here with my brothers and sisters! I had all that I had ever hoped for, and I had it here and now in this place and amongst my own people. The old human story simply did not matter. I had this, I had this moment, I had this recognition, and this visibility and this significance. And how could I ask for anything more? How could I look from right to left, at immortals who had witnessed all the epochs of recorded history, and want more than this? How could I gaze at immortals who’d been drawn to this very spot by something more immense than they’d ever witnessed, and long for more than the recognition they were now giving me? The victory of our own tribe to embrace one another, and let go of the hatred that had divided us for centuries, was my victory. “To the Blood Communion,” I said in my heart. And I felt the cold numbing shell of alienation and despair which had imprisoned me all of my life among the Undead—I felt that shell cracked, broken, and dissolved utterly into infinitesimal fragments. What had been taken from me by Magnus had been repaid a thousandfold. And what had been snatched away that night in San Francisco when Akasha visited death and horror on our rock music spectacle had been given back a thousandfold. And I knew now that I could be the monarch that my people wanted. Because they were indeed my people, my tribe, my family. And whatever happened hereafter wouldn’t be just my story. No, it would be the story of us all.

So yes - go fanfiction writers! There is so much left to be done :)) But thankfully she closed that arc - at least.

[bionicle-ramblings]

This is based off of conversations I've had with @chancetimespace about the cat au posts I did a while back. Just want to first say thanks for putting up with the nonsense that is the Cat AU in the first place because my goodness is it fun to imagine the faves as cats

TW for animal endangerment, toxic family relationships

Also canon characters will either be represented as humans or animals, and not just limited to house cats, you'll see what I mean

I'm saying it now, please bear with me because this is a bit of a crack AU that started from free serotionin posts that spiraled into something fun with, again, thanks to @chancetimespace so please bear with me in this😅🙏

There will also be some retconning from this point on

With all that said, ONWARD!!!

So narratively speaking, and, as previously mentioned, retconning previous posts for the sake of a cohesive story, you, the reader, are in a moderately sized family with a fair number of cousins, some aunts, and some uncles, all of whom are present for the reading of a will, as an older relative has passed away. Where everyone gets a sum of money and maybe an heirloom, you get something that surprises everyone: the house the relative was living in. A few cousins ask to read the will themselves, thinking there was a mistake, but no. You get the house, the land it's on, and the 'assets' connected to the house. Your older cousin, wealthy, totally not shady cousin Teridax, explains that the assets are actually seven cats, specifically 6 house cats and a puma. Many of the family members try talking you out of taking the deal, as you can barely afford to take care of yourself, but when they're asked, the dead relative's children refuse to talk you out of it. Two are unable to, as they want to honor their parent, and the third(We'll call them Three for simplicity's sake) needs an extra set of hands to help care for the 7 cats and does agree to stop by to help you out and keep you company

So, yeah. That house and the seven cats in it are yours and you move in, and Teridax joins in helping, but also reminds you that this isn't house-sitting. You own the house and SEVEN cats now. Three tells him to budge off and you are just happy to have a house to own and not a place to rent every month

You walk in and are greeted by Three's friend and the relative's neighbor, who had heard a lot about you and is a surprising ball of energy fire someone rumored to have six dogs and the kittens

Also greeting you, the real stars of the show, are four of the seven cats(Listing they're madness and breeds so you can imagine them better. Some are switched around from the original posts): Nokama, who is a Russian blue with a heavy emphasis on blue thanks to a color mutation(play along), Matau, a genet that's steadily losing the green dye job a previous owner gave him before he wound up with your relative, Vakama, an Abyssinian with a nice red coat(that's what my sources say), and Lhikan, who, as mentioned previously, is a puma and was the relative's service animal before they died

As you walk in and the four greet you, Vakama watches you and stays close, as does Lhikan. When you ask, the neighor admits that Vakama tends to "act strange" after he has moments where he starts panting and has to lay down or just stands on his hind legs. They call it his seeing the future, but you have admittedly never been the superstitious type.

As you move in, with help from the neighbor, Three, and Teridax, you see the cats don't trust Teridax, most of all Lhikan, but you also see old momentos from your relative and the other three cats: Whenua, a black cat that keeps trying to open your boxes and see what's inside since it's been a while since he's seen you, Onewa, a Siamese cat that kinda wants nothing to do with you, and Nuju, a short haired Persian that's happy to supervise your move in and greet you from a distance.

After a bit of a long day, and some chill time, Teridax passive-aggressively threatens you because you got the house when it was meant to go to him, but Three reminds him that he is wealthy beyond reason and is very doesn't need the house, and Three can very easily ensure he isn't allowed anywhere near the house if he tries something, as he has tried poisoning Lhikan before. Teridax apologizes for what he sees as his own act of mercy to an animal, but ultimately leaves, wishing you all

Once he's gone, the cats kinda swarm you because you love her now and you're eating some ramen that smells really good. Matau is ESPECIALLY a nightmare because he's playing it cute and whips out the show stopper: Imitating a car alarm

Later that night, Whenua's looking through the contents of cabinets your relative had and looking through what you have, taking inventory and 'asking' you what's what. It's kind of a long night, but you eventually go to bed, as Lhikan won't let you stay up any later than you already have

As you settle in, you see him essentially gather the other cats to lay in bed with you, even watch out for any that decide to sleep close to your head

There is a packet explaining how to care for the cats, and you're more than thankful for it because you essentially konk out from a long day of moving. You were planning on sleeping on the couch, but Lhikan "encouraged" you to go sleep properly on a bed. You sleep surrounded and covered by cats, though you still see Vakama watching you woke you nod off and ultimately fall asleep

[todomitoukei]

I don't usually dislike endings to things. I am very easy to please. Usually when I see a movie it's my favorite movie immediately until I watch another movie.

But like. It really hurts to see that every character I related to has been screwed over or killed in some way. I understand that it's my fault for being a villain fan, for relating to Dabi's and Tomura's and Himiko's backstories despite them having killed people and thinking that the series would extend them a modicum of kindness that it had been saying it could, that I am now hurt like this. I understand not all series are like DBZ in which they spare most of their villains like Vegeta or 18 or Majin Buu. Not every protagonist is Goku, not every antagonist is Frieza. I get it.

It'd be fine if there were just us villain fans complaining into the void. Even if I were the only one upset, it'd be fine. I've had unpopular opinions before, I just wrote AU fanfiction for it then. I'm familiar with death to canon, I am in the FNAF and Danny Phantom fandoms, my favorite characters are William Afton and freaking Pariah Dark. What hurts most is the posts claiming that there's something wrong with my reading comprehension for not liking how things ended. That I should've known it was coming and agreed with them being killed off like that and that I'm stupid for expecting otherwise, that it was the only realistic option. Realistic, when there are characters who survived far worse, such as Nagant who exploded twice and Toshinori who had his intestines ripped out. Realistic when there's a boy who can literally explode his own sweat and a girl who is a frog.

Why do we immediately jump to question someone's reading comprehension and intelligence when they have a different opinion? And why is it my fault if I misunderstood a work, and not the author's for making things unclear? Isn't the point of reading to make your own understanding and discuss it with others, isn't that what's supposed to be fun about this? I'm hesitant to really talk about my opinions on MHA because of this, that's why I am sending this on anon and with a pseudonym. I don't like being called stupid, even if someone doesn't say it to my face. It makes me want to leave the fandom and go watch something else.

I hope I'm not just reading antagonism into people's posts, my family says I tend to read antagonism into people's actions where there isn't any. But it really feels like they are upset with us when I see it over and over again and see people saying "LOV stans DNI" and stuff.

Sorry for the huge wall of text, I guess I'm more upset about the fandom than the ending itself. I tried to format this in a way that is understandable, but it is very hard to type on mobile.

I hope you have a good day and thank you for your time. I appreciate the chance to vent anonymously. It's been eating at me since Shigaraki's end.

Feel free to delete this if you change your mind about hosting the vents, and if you start feeling badly do please take care of yourself. Don't forget to drink a water and eat a food.

- Doppio

First of all, no worries, your feelings are absolutely valid so don't let anyone tell you otherwise!

It's interesting people say us being upset about the villains' endings is due to a lack of reading comprehension when, like you said, it's inconsistent when taking into account the fact that the hero characters simply all get better off, surviving the craziest things while the villains die if someone just looks at them funny.

If I could be bothered and had the time or energy I could dissect the entire trainwreck that is this story and talk about how bad the writing is. This is not me being subjective, it's simply objectively not a well-written story. It's fine if people enjoy it and even like the ending, but objectively speaking, it is full of inconsistency, retconning and even if we take the technicalities out of it, the messages the story sends in the end are just awful.

The fact the story starts and ends by verbally telling us it's about reaching out to and helping people, only for anyone that is part of an oppressed group (queer people, physically and mentally disabled people, abuse victims etc) and is somehow different cannot and will not be saved, while the perpetrators, those in privileged positions of power, will continue to live life without any actual consequences is rather questionable.

If the story had always had that black and white tone, if it had always suggested to us that people that suffer and stand up for themselves will be left behind and rot in jail or die, fine. But the story suggested on multiple occasions that they could be saved and that they also had a point.

So don't let anyone tell you that you're wrong or don't have reading comprehension when the opposite is true. We have every right to feel frustrated when the ending doesn't line up with the messages it used to send and replaced them with the worst messages a hero story (or any story for that matter) could send.

Also, anyone that feels seen and represented by the lov, please know that you're valid and that you do deserve the best and that it's never too late for anyone to be saved and get better.

I wish the story and fandom understood that fiction is never completely separate from reality and that when we talk about certain topics or people we also indirectly talk about real people that relate to these topics or people (which is why removing Touya's scars in fanart or edits for example or making fun of his or Tenko's skin is highly problematic).

I hope you have a good day too despite everything!

[jedi-enthusiast]

My Thoughts on Episode 2

I have now moved into my dorm and gotten more used to college life, so here is the post about Ahsoka episode 2 as promised---keep in mind, though, just like episode one these are just my thoughts upon first watching it. They may change or I may go into further detail on them in the future.

----------

Once again, the scenes just feel...so utterly hollow and flat.

There's no emotion exchanged when Sabine and Ahsoka talk---neither Ahsoka nor Sabine ever actually seem worried- (whether it's about Sabine or the map) -nor do they ever seem stubborn, defensive, irritated/angry, or anything else that you would expect.

Again, it's all just hollow.

----------

I'm gonna be honest, the villains are the singular interesting part of this show for me right now.

----------

LOTH CAT!!!

----------

So, even though other people have literally died by getting a lightsaber to the gut, Sabine is perfectly fine to be sitting up and working on a droid and moving around like...a day or so afterwards?

The fuck?

Even if her surviving is possible- (since other people have pointed out that it is, when taking other things into account) -she shouldn’t be all fine and dandy and moving around! That shit should hurt!

----------

Also, I've seen so many people point to Ahsoka telling Sabine- "no, you've done enough." -when Sabine says she can help as this badass line and saying- "yes, let Ahsoka be angry!" -but, ignoring the fact that there was no emotion whatsoever when she said that...

...how is it badass or "sticking it to Sabine" when she literally goes back to Sabine for the help she offered like an hour later?

----------

Again, Sabine should not be moving like that after getting stabbed with a lightsaber.

----------

"Yes, let's put this whole hospital full of people in danger because we can't be bothered to relocate, because of a timeline that we have not been very clear about---a timeline that may or may not have consequences, because we also haven't been very clear about why the timeline is the way it is or what will happen if it's not followed."

Wow, this show is just...really trying to make me not like or root for these characters at all.

I'm just...wow.

----------

I've said it once and I'll say it again, the villains are the only interesting part of this show right now.

Also, I fucking loved Baylan mentioning Jedi younglings and that little snippet of Jedi culture---the fairytales they were taught.

Although I do think it's fucking nuts that the Darksider, the villains, are giving us more insight into Jedi culture than the actual fucking "Jedi" of the show.

----------

CHOPPER!!!

----------

Someone else explained it better in another post- (I'll reblog and add it here once I actually find it again) -but the guy that's playing the "businessman who's only loyal to his investors- (aka he does things for greed)" -is an actor, who I think is Jewish if I'm remembering correctly, who is known for playing pretty much only Jewish characters...

...I don't think I need to explain how making his character one who does things only for greed is antisemitic.

----------

Again with the Sabine as a Jedi thing???

Non-Force-sensitives can't become Jedi---being a Jedi is being apart of a culture that is specifically centered around Force sensitivity!!!

And Sabine already has a culture, she's Mandalorian for fuck's sake!

Just-

I'm sorry, this whole fucking thing pisses me off---she better turn out to be Force-sensitive and Dave is just retconning that, because otherwise I'm going to lose my goddamn mind.

----------

"I heard your repairs were complete."

Except they shouldn't be because she literally got stabbed with a fucking lightsaber, it should take longer than just about a day to heal---with or without a bacta tank.

----------

I swear to fucking god-

Not this bullshit again.

Please, please, I'm begging, just retcon Sabine to be a little bit Force-sensitive and don't pull some "non-Force-sensitive Jedi can be a thing" bullshit. Please-

----------

"I'm a general, nothing's classified to me."

That's not how that works.

----------

CHOPPER AGAIN!!!

----------

I love Chopper so much istg, I'm at least glad my favorite homicidal droid is back in action <3

----------

LOTH CAT AGAIN!!!

----------

Ok, this scene is reminding me of it specifically, but why hasn't Sabine been wearing her armor? We literally never see her without it in Rebels and being Mandalorian is a huge facet of her identity, why has she not been wearing it?

Once again, I assume this'll be explained later, so I'm trying to hold back my judgement, but if it's not explained later then...honestly it's just confusing.

----------

Wow, so not only was the Jewish actor cast to play someone whose motivation is greed, but they also made him a bad guy...just...wow.

----------

*long sigh at Ahsoka calling Sabine "padawan"*

----------

Oh hey, the big evil bad guy station kinda fucks ngl

----------

I'm gonna be honest, Baylan---again, the bad guy---honestly shows more emotion at there being "so few Jedi left" than Ahsoka---who's supposed to be the good guy, and who's apparently just decided to take up the Jedi mantle again---does.

Also, isn't this show set before the Sequels?

So how are there "so few Jedi left" if Luke is building a new Order that's apparently successful enough to have Order 66 2.0 in the Sequels?

[lonelier-version-of-you]

Okay, I still haven't properly watched the Casualty trailer (I'm very tired and don't have it in me to process it all rn), but I thought I should throw in my two cents on the Dylan autism thing:

1: The show is finally saying the word "autistic" about Dylan! They didn't need to IMO, since it's already been referred to and made clear in enough other ways for me, but I've always thought it would be very nice if they did so yay.

If we're naming characters' neurodivergencies onscreen now, btw, can the show admit Jacob has PTSD please?

2: I just hope this isn't leading to a "Dylan discovers he's autistic" retcon. If the show wanted a "discovering you're autistic" storyline - which I think is a very worthwhile story to tell and I desperately wanted it for Henrik on Holby - there was just recently plenty of time and opportunity to do it with Sah. Dylan knows he's autistic. He has plenty of behaviours and subtext that really only make sense in that context.

It's as important to Dylan's narrative that he knows he's autistic as it is to Henrik's that he doesn't. There are some characters - Eli or Chantelle from Holby come to mind, Sah for a Casualty example - where I could believe it either way that they do or don't know, but for those two I think their circumstances are quite set in stone.

What I'm hoping this is, my ideal way for this ep to go, is something like: Patrick brings up Dylan's autism as a reason he thinks Dylan shouldn't be working at Holby, Dylan avoids admitting it outright because he knows it would make Patrick feel even more that he's correct, Dylan later opens up to someone - not sure who it could be tbh, I'd say Donna but she left so yeah - about it and confirms he is autistic, but that he didn't want to tell Patrick/doesn't tell people at work in general because of stigma and fearing they'd think he shouldn't be there; the latter could even lead to a poignant line like "and it happened anyway".

3: Okay, I suppose this is technically my three cents now, lol! But I'd be okay with this being an autism diagnosis storyline for Dylan, just so long as it's clear he already figured it out, he just never properly got diagnosed.

[murfpersonalblog]

You definitely did your job right, Rolin, cuz wtf. Yes, 2x5 was a tour de force of acting & writing, bravo bravo. But 2x7 keeps me up at night, istg. 👌 That Trial pisses me right off, and I'm disgusted by how accurate 2x2 was about the audience being COMPLICIT, cuz this rancid fandom's been proving Santiago right every dang day.

And some of that IMO is the writing's fault, where things aren't messy for the sake of drama & good tv, but are messy as part of the strike's fallout. I truly hope they've been taking fans' feedback & critiques to heart, cuz people are running around with all kinds of conclusions & assumptions about 2x7 and 2x8 that y'all need to address in S3.

I'm glad he's aware that some of the writing makes no effing sense.

I never liked using memory is the monster as a crutch for plot holes & retcons, but I commend Rolin for the clever things he did do despite the strikes & budget/production issues, to still stick the landing in S2. We'll have to see where S3 takes it, but i do have faith that if anyone can pull it off, Rolin can.

"Everybody in the [writer's] room relives their worst fight with someone they shouldn’t have been in love with but wanted to be." I love this. Cuz people wanna act like this show isn't a deliberately literal mirror of IRL relationships, and the monsters within us that make us say "ugly words." That's GOTHIC literature 101. It's not subtle at all. The absence of metaphor is so striking.

You pissed off EVERYONE--me included--and I love you for it, RJ. Is this the best vampire show I've ever seen? Not quite--Bram Stoker's Dracula is near & dear to my heart; and Castlevania S1 was a revelation. But this is HANDS DOWN the best fantasy book adaption I've seen since Lord of the Rings. IWTV's way better than Game of Thrones (I hear House of the Dragon is mid AF, which I expected). This is "harder to swallow" cuz it puts the onus on lazy AF viewers to not turn their brains off & put in actual legwork to look things up themselves. (Plus there's Bipoc leads, which also grates racists. I guarantee that S3 will have a very different reception since Lestat's the lead.)

Yaaaas~! SUFFER!

AMC should 100% release the full footage of the plays on their website or on Youtube or SOMETHING, wtf!? I thought the plays were so cool! WEIRD, ofc, but so cool!

STFU, Rolin--you should ABSOLUTELY do Forrest Gump, LOL. XD Y'all had Sartre eavesdropping on Loumand, and Lestat ghostwriting for Jelly Roll Martin, and Tom Anderson thirsting after Louis--PLEASE keep going, you sicko, yaaas~!

It's so sad that Rolin keeps repeating this, that he thought AMC would cancel them. WTF is going on over there? Y'all spent all this money buying AR's estate--RJ also often talks about their budget issues--just to cancel it? WHY? And why TF has it taken y'all so long to get on other streaming platforms like Netflix? The business moves & marketing has been dog trash since Day One, and it boggles my mind. But thank god AMC's going forward with it--they'd be dumb AF to let this diamond slip through their fingers, just cuz it's not doing HotD numbers.

This makes me feel most insane of all. ROBBED, I tell you!

[scozthewoz]

Hey scozzymcwozzy, do you have any tips on how to make MY OWN silly tf2 oc?

yessarino i do, my good bitch! this ain't just regular oc advice you can look up, no no no! this is how to make a good and proper TF2 OC like a MAN.

(disclaimer: i'm not an expert. i didn't go to school for this shit, oc creation has just been something i've had a hyperfixation with since childhood. also this is kinda long.)

i always like to start with a purpose. you know, give them their occupation title and brainstorm their unique mechanics/functions, what they would bring to the table in the group. if they're meant to be a merc, that is. you can really find inspiration anywhere! you have a little more freedom to play around with non-merc characters, take a look at the diversity of the side characters in the comics! there's plenty of lore you can retcon a little guy into.

then, i like picking out a unique nationality to go with the theme of all the mercs being from different places and having their own accents and dialects and stuff. i think that's really fun. that's when i start to flesh out the actual character! their personality should usually be closely tied to their occupation. think about how engineer is depicted as sweet since his role is in support and providing things, or how sniper is seen as quiet and and introverted due to having a solitary playstyle.

their personality could also be a play on nationality stereotypes! you would expect a medic to be kind and giving, but instead he's got a classic crazy german scientist theme going on! and demo is a classic drunken scotsman.

for character design, you wanna go with outfits that fit the vibe of the purpose you're giving them. you wanna be able to at least sort of tell what they're all about just by character design. you also want to make them seem semi-suited for battle if they're someone who engages in that, so i would avoid things like overly devorative accessories or, like, high heels and stuff that would be an active hindrance for their specific line of work, but i'm not gonna stop you. sometimes the design comes more easily than other times, but it's perfectly okay to squish your little guy around like a dough ball. sometimes you even bake the bread, then realise you don't like the shape or something about the flavour. guess what! you can do it again! as many times as you want!!! i marinate mine in my brain for quite a while before i actually put them on paper. like a fetus in the womb :)

if you DO end up making a silly little oc, whether you followed my advice or not, for the love of god please show me. i love other people's ocs like my own nonexistent children.

tschuss!

[spongebobafettywap]

Marvel is backing the fans who call anyone who doesn't like the X-Men blue origins retcon "transphobic" by making Mystique non binary just because she's a shapeshifter (and I guess transexual too? They're throwing words around at this point). We had 40 years of her being a woman, considering herself a woman and never having doubts about her identity and gender identity as a woman. We got her appearance when depowered (she is a woman) and Claremont himself describing her as a she and female in her base form. We got all that Vs what ? The current era version of herself who doesn't like men... Because. And the retcon which breaks four decades of stories (did everyone forget Mystique's first X-Men story is Days of Future Past? The dystopian future she helped create that nearly eradicated all mutants ? Where Nightcrawler is one of the first mutants to die right after Kelly gets shot?? Without anyone preventing that ??? And somehow he was meant for greater things by Mystique and Destiny ? Sorry but gotta call bs on that) and some more since apparently Nightcrawler being part of the X-Men wasn't important for him or intended ?

I'm gonna stick to pre-2015 X-Men canon cuz at least it doesn't make everything that came before it a plothole on a basic re-read or pretend like it never happened

See this is the thing I don't like about Marvel retconning some characters to having different identities, and notice how they do it as retcons instead of having these characters come to this new realisation of how they identify. You know like how people actually do?

And they always love to do it with marginalised identities so that if you say "I think this was poorly written" they and their overzealous fans can use the "You're a bigot" defense when its like no you're just terrible at writing this stuff and you don't even consider anything other than like the first marginalised identity to come to mind when you want to retcon. I do find it odd that after they revealed Morph as Non Binary they seem to think all shapeshifters need to be the same, which kind of seems to be making a comment that they probably didn't intend but hey if they want praise for doing the bare minimum and barely thinking it through they can get criticism for the same.

But you're right, while at times she has been implied to be many things she's always identified as a woman and Claremont said she was a woman, its interesting how Marvel and fans pick and choose what they want from Claremont when it comes to his 2nd origin idea thats apparently ironclad truth but his first origin idea and Mystique's gender what? you think some former X-Men writer knows anything about X-men?

Like at least be consistent, I don't care much for Claremont's ideas for a lot of the X-men but I'm not out here using him as some infalliable source for something I like then going back on it when he says something else.

Actually Nightcrawler dying in Dystopian futures always bugged me for reasons beyond personal bias, because please tell me how exactly does a mutant who can teleport at will die frequently in these timelines but then someone like Colossus, a slow moving metal target easy to detect survives?? And for that matter apparently Quicksilver dies in these dystopian future timelines a lot too. Is it because a Teleporter and a Speedster make things too easy in future?

[yourwakingnightmares]

Hey you know what's really funny? I've had this exact same conversation with like, twenty people lately! All of whom insist that Jason isn't angry! That as Robin he was smol lovable adorable bean.

Because again, 'angry' and 'violent' have become so conflated, that y'all can't see the difference. Any mention of 'anger' and I get Jason fans swooping out of the woodwork to tell me that I just don't understand the character, that during his Robin run of the 80s, he was smol adorable boy.

Firstly... Sure, let's just chuck the whole Felipe thing right out the window. Because he can't be angry about that; anger is just bad, right? So he wasn't angry when he went there that night, no, no, no, he was going to sing Kumbaya while asking Felipe to very nicely turn himself in.

Just like Bruce does! Because Bruce also isn't angry. He dresses up as a giant bat to nicely ask people to please respect the law, because he's a kind loving guy like that, right?

Again... You have missed the entirety of the damn point here. You, and fans like you, have this really incredibly asinine idea that 'anger' equals 'violence'. That people can't be angry about things, without being violent. So by me saying, Jason was absolutely angry, that he'd been put into a situation where he had to basically act like an adult, where he was responsible for his own well-being, while trying to survive homeless on the streets of one of the most dangerous cities in DC's universe, means that I think he was violent, and just got his little jollies off by beating people up, and yelling at Bruce.

Curiosity here... Are you also one of those people who goes in for lovable octopus Dick Grayson who's never angry or mad either? That Dick is also an adorable ray of sunshine who has never been angry in his life?

Bruce is angry. Dick is angry. Damian's angry. Not overly familiar with Tim in the comics, but I'm gonna take a gander and say he's probably got some anger too. Just. Like. Jason.

That's the entirety of the point you folks insist on missing. Saying Jason was angry doesn't mean he was needlessly, sociopathically violent. Anymore than it means Dick, Tim, or Damian are violent little sociopaths. Anymore than it makes Bruce a violent sociopath.

Why do you think Jason became Robin? What do you think it meant to him? As a kid, homeless, helpless for a large part of his childhood years? Why wouldn't he just sit back and enjoy the good life of being Bruce Wayne's son?

Or to put it another way: when you see a homeless kid on the street, when you see a kid getting bullied, when you see someone being mistreated... How does that make you feel? You want to do something, you want to help. You want to fix a system that allows this bullshit to happen. Because it's not right, and these things shouldn't happen.

Gonna let you in on a little secret there, fam... That's not sads. That's not happiness. That's anger. Something is wrong and it needs to be fixed. People who get the sads about something don't go running off to fix things. Moral indignation is just a real fancy way of saying, angry because it shouldn't be like that.

Which is what y'all insist on missing, and why y'all continue to insist on just washing any hint of anger away from this character. Because you see anger and think bad violent mean.

Do you think Bruce Wayne was sad and that's why he became Batman? Why he went on a lifelong crusade as a vigilante?

Do you think Dick Grayson was happiness personified when he tried to take out the man who'd killed his parents? Why he became Robin?

And as a super special bonus... If you're going to insist on just ignoring canon that you don't like... Well, we can do two things with that.

Since you're so fond of the 80s run, of Jason's Robin run... Well, half of ADITF is retconned or just flat out changed in UtRH, and changed more in RHATO. So we'll just chuck all that out. Grats. Jason's still dead now, but at least we don't have to accept icky canon.

But wait! Let's go back a step further! Because you all love to espouse 'in the original!' like it has some deeper meaning other than 'what I like', so! In the original, Jason Todd was nothing more than a blond-haired Dick Grayson. Quite literally, a blond little boy who was the child of circus acrobats who are killed by Killer Croc. So! No more discussion of homeless Jason, of Willis and Catherine; nope, we'll just get rid of all of it. Since you're so intent on 'original', right?

Which means no death from the Joker. There. Everything's all fixed now. He's just a cardboard cut out of Dick Grayson where somebody messed up the color printer. But at least he wasn't angry.

Jason Todd: Origins, Background, and Childhood

Hi there, yes it's me, crawling out of the woodworks to rant again. Hi.

So, lately I've seen a huge group of people insisting that Jason Todd is...

A) Not Angry Ever

B) Grew up happy and normal, and really, it's classist to assume otherwise.

Now, we're gonna start with this 'classist' bullshit and get it right out of the way. Because it's infuriating, tbh. I spent most of my childhood growing up in a trailer that rarely had running water or electricity because my mother would spend any money she got her grubby hands on, on cigarettes, booze, and drugs.

And I'm not unique, or a special case. According to one Harvard study (1), the highest use of opioid abuse happens "...concentrated in more economically disadvantaged zip codes, indicated by higher rates of poverty and unemployment as well as lower education..."

According to another study by National Bureau of Economic Research, (2) "... Poverty is concentrated in inner-city neighborhoods that are also characterized by high rates of drug use."

This doesn't mean, of course, that every person who is poor, or grows up in generational poverty, is going to use drugs, and abuse their spouse or children, obviously. Many people grow up poor, or even as victims of domestic violence themselves, and don't go on to be abusive, alcoholics, or drug addicts. But denying that there is a huge correlation between poverty and drug use, and domestic violence, is burying our heads in the sand. (Side note: yeah, this is kind of my soap box too for we really need to start doing something about the children growing up in poverty, but I promise, we're getting to Jason Todd.)

Now, as has been established conclusively in canon, Jason Todd grew up in Park Row, also commonly referred to as 'Crime Alley'. This is undeniably, and widely accepted, as the poorest neighborhood in Gotham, with the highest amounts of crime, drug use, homelessness, and prostitution. Essentially, not matter which continuity you're talking about, Crime Alley is a cesspit. This is where Jason Todd grew up, first with his parents, and then with just his mom, then by himself, as a homeless child.

Now, several people I've... ahem... discussed things with lately, have insisted that Willis Todd was really a lovely, lovely person, and that we have no evidence or proof that he was abusive, or an alcoholic. Let me introduce you to a series of comic panels that pretty clearly make the case otherwise.

Or this one...

Or this one, where it says, Willis probably loved his son:

Even a quick google search of Willis Todd will show that the panel above? The one where it says he probably loved his son? That's about the best Jason had. Sure, pre-crisis, Willis was probably great; of course, pre-crisis, Willis and Catherine were also circus acrobats, and Jason was just a blond-haired version of Dick. So I think we can safely say that saying, "Well, PRE-CRISIS..." is kinda pointless and redundant here.

Now, further on, we have Catherine's drug use. While this was made clear in more recent comics...

We also have hints and heavily implied drug use from the 80s comics as well, including this one:

So after growing up with this lovely bunch of dysfunctionality, parentification, poverty, emotional/mental abuse, and most likely physical abuse (or, in a best case, neglect), Willis goes to jail, and Catherine eventually dies of an overdose. Now, canon does get a little hard to follow here, as several sources state she was self-medicating with heroin to deal with her 'illness' (which is usually described as cancer), with others just stating that she used heroin, without giving a reason as to why. But regardless of the 'why' of her drug use... she overdoses, and leaves Jason alone, homeless, in the most violent, crime infested streets of Gotham.

So we've clearly established that, in most continuities, Jason grew up with at best, neglectful parents, at worst, abusive parents (and yes, parentifying your child into having to take care of you is abuse, do not do), and was then homeless for (depending on the continuity) anywhere from 1-3 years (some variations have Bruce picking him up at 11, some at 13, and it's listed as Catherine dying variously when he was 9, 10, and 12).

Now, I want you to imagine all of that. Just for a moment. I want you to try and put yourself into a young Jason's shoes.

When your father is around, he's violent, he yells, he beats your mother, and sometimes he beats you. But when he's around, he brings in enough money to keep food on the table. You have a roof over your head, you have food... At the cost of your physical safety, sure, but you know... He's there, and things are somewhat better.

But he goes to jail, and your mother spirals out of control. You're taking care of her, and really... Either you're stealing to pay for her drug habit, or she's selling herself to pay for her drug habit, and either way, that's gonna traumatize you, while you're trying to take care of her, because she's barely functional, barely even a person anymore.

But then she dies. And now you're all alone. You are -at best -a twelve year old boy, with no skills, no family, and no legal way of making money. You've got limited options, stealing, begging, or selling yourself (and we'll discuss that more in another post).

You survive this, as a child, for anywhere from a year, to three years. Meaning anywhere from an eighth to a quarter of your life, you spend scrambling to find a meal, scrambling to find some place to sleep, trying desperately to survive just one more day, so you can wake up and do it all over again tomorrow.

Now, most of us know at least one small child, or we've seen them in the store. The average ten year old male is about 50 inches tall. That's 4'2". For context, that's about the height of a hockey net. The height of an adult bike. Slightly shorter than the length of an average park bench. Take a moment, and think about a ten year old in your life. Or look at a picture of yourself at ten.

Think about being that little, that small, and having to take care of yourself while living on the streets. Of surviving a New Jersey winter. Imagine what you have to do, on a daily basis, just to survive. Imagine knowing that one bad day could literally mean you starve to death, or freeze to death, or get beaten by someone you have no hope of stopping. Again, in a best case scenario... this is your life for a single year. If we split for the average, you survive two years of this.

What would it take to survive that? What would it do to a young mind, still developing, still learning and growing, not even a teenager yet?

Guess what? Growing up like this? It doesn't create smol cute adorable beans who are happiness and sunshine personified. It doesn't create kids who never get angry, who are just perpetually happy.

Jason Todd was angry, long before he died, probably long before he became Robin. Anger isn't violent. These two things are not mutually exclusive. I can be angry about people starving, I can be angry about people abusing or neglecting their children, I can be angry about a lot of things, without being violent.

I've noticed a disturbing trend of Red Hood fans, who conflate 'Anger' to 'Violence', and can't seem to separate the two. These are the fans who insist that Jason isn't angry, he was only angry after the Lazarus Pit. (In a probably unrelated note, I've noticed these are the same people who insist that Jason's library is full of nothing but classical era feminist literature).

By saying that Jason's not angry, these people are erasing a big part of his characterization, and his early development. They are, in their own way, just as bad as the people who insist that Jason's just a violent little sociopath who kills just because he can. Neither of these extremes take into account Jason's early home life, growing up with domestic violence, then spending a significant part of his formulative years homeless, struggling to survive, and what that would do to a young mind.

[rahleeyah]

Leah, this ask is going to be bit controversial (and long sorry) but please hear me out. Devil's advocate here.

Everything Barba said to Liv in the season finale was right!

How? Liv told Amanda that she and Kathy became really close friends. Based on seasons 1-12 , that was hardly true. Liv cared for Elliot's family as a whole. She wasn't chumming around with Kathy. Liv said she's known Elliot's kids since they were in diapers. This is not close to being true. All of Elliot's kids were of school age when they met. BUT if we accept this as canon, Barba telling her to get herself together makes complete sense.

"This dead woman was your close friend. You've known her kids since they were babies. Now you have feelings for her husband? And you're putting your career on the line for him. Pull yourself together!"

If I had just started watching SVU at the beginning of season 22. Based on how this was written, (including the Burton situation), I would think there was something seriously wrong with Olivia. And wonder why Elliot is even a part of her life.

We are aware that this is Warren being shady but it is out there. It's canon. If the new show runner chooses to start from where he left off, it's not looking to good for her and Elliot until she "works on herself".

Warren has done this from the beginning. And just as this whole fandom automatically accepts as canon Elliot being a POS who ghosted Liv despite the fact that it was WAY OOC. It could have easily been written that she talked to him off camera. Nick and Fin were talking to Munch off camera all the time. But we all agree before they get together, Elliot needs to explain doing something that he would have never done to her in 1.0. Then shouldn't we just accept season 22 and 23 Olivia Benson as canon, understand that season 13 to present Elliot may not be the best choice for her and make way for Barson or someone else?

Remember, Devil's advocate so please don't chew me out. LOL

so, to start off with, the framing of your ask feels incredibly manipulative. you've come to me claiming that you're just playing devil's advocate; first of all, no one asked you to, and second, your arguments come across pretty plainly as your personal point of view, not a position you've taken up just for the fun of debate.

a debate which, remember, i did not sign up for. you came into my house, you started a fight, and then you told me how you expected me to behave based on the rules of engagement you laid down. i'm not allowed to chew you out bc you said the magic words? i didn't sign a treaty, and i'm not gonna abide by someone else's rules after they purposefully, unprompted, stirred the hornets nest.

i don't tag my posts, so they don't fill up the general tags. i don't go on other people's posts, or into their inboxes, picking fights. i stay squarely in my lane. you came to me.

but let's get into it, yeah? let's do it. i'll take it line by line.

Based on seasons 1-12 , that was hardly true

olivia didn't say "we were really close friends." she just said "we were really close". which, given that olivia saved kathy's life, helped deliver her child, convinced her to stay with her husband, given that kathy calls her liv after all this, and given the show's penchant for randomly referring to things that happened off camera well after the fact - like for example the retconning they did with murphy and rollins - is it really such a stretch to think that they were "close"? olivia shows up at the queens house and convinces kathy not to leave and you think kathy listened bc she isn't close to olivia, doesn't care what olivia has to say, doesn't trust her? why can't it be true that they were close? why don't you believe what olivia says? bc we didn't see it? we didn't see a lot of things that are still true.

Liv said she's known Elliot's kids since they were in diapers.

you're right, that the first four kids were older when liv first met them; maureen was probably a teenager, or close to it. the twins are younger, but probably not younger enough that they were in diapers at that time - although liv & el had been working together for like a year, or thereabouts, before s1, what if it was more than just one year? what if the twins were in the process of being potty trained? that would shift it to two kids in diapers and two not. and eli certainly qualifies, since olivia literally assisted in his birth. so is this a generalization, made in the heat of the moment, an exaggeration she makes while trying to emphasize how long she's known this man? is that out of the question? if it is out of the question, then it's worth remembering that this was written in 2.0, by a team of people who disdain 1.0, and don't spend a lot of time trying to be faithful to it, and so i think we can hardly hold that against her.

"This dead woman was your close friend. You've known her kids since they were babies. Now you have feelings for her husband? And you're putting your career on the line for him. Pull yourself together!"

Do you think that barba was telling her not to be with elliot? do you think that the purpose of that conversation was him saying she needed to choose her romantic partners more wisely? or are you not talking about the finale, are you talking about christmas, and the problem with being an empath conversation? (which, interestingly, barba tells her he thinks she's being a doormat after she's stood up for herself; she doesn't need him to tell her to do that. she's done that already. he has no idea) the thing about barba's last appearance was that it was him arguing that she ought to forgive him - really ought to say that he hadn't done anything wrong at all, since he doesn't think he did - and him being hurt that she continues to support her own position, and elliot, over him. he is hurt, and he excuses liv's behavior as her simply being in love with a man barba doesn't like, instead of acknowledging that the root of olivia's anger is that he didn't listen to her. she tells him she didn't ask him to protect her, and he says no, i guess you didn't, but it is dripping with regret, as if he thinks she should have. he's still not hearing her.

now you have feelings for her husband and you're putting your career on the line for him.

literally she has always had feelings for him, and she has always put her career on the line for him. that is what liv does. we already had an ask last week (or possibly the week before, what is time?) where i discussed this, that it is plain throughout 1.0 that olivia has feelings for him. this is not new.

it is new for barba; are you arguing that from his perspective he's right, or are you arguing, as you state, that he simply is right?

it has been my position, all along, that barba is acting based on the information he has, but that because he does not have the full picture he is not in the right. and bc he does not listen to liv, he continues to be in the wrong.

If I had just started watching SVU at the beginning of season 22. Based on how this was written, (including the Burton situation), I would think there was something seriously wrong with Olivia. And wonder why Elliot is even a part of her life.

frankly, if you had only watched from s22 of svu your opinion wouldn't count for very much. you can't look at one tiny sliver of canon - particularly, crucially, a sliver that doesn't show us any of liv's prior relationship with elliot - and make reasoned judgments about it. your imaginary viewer's perspective is severely limited, and i shouldn't have to sit here and argue with this strawman you've set up when they don't know what they're talking about.

but since you put them in front of me! let's knock 'em down, shall we?

if you had only watched from s22 of svu, you'd see someone who mattered to liv come back. you'd see her be shaken by him. you'd see her defend him to people that don't seem to trust him. and instead of asking yourself why does olivia care about this man, instead of thinking olivia is the strong, empathetic, compassionate beating heart of this show, if she cares about this man, if she is defending him, maybe there's something there worth defending, you would decide there's something wrong with her. ok that says a lot about you, tbh. but even if that's where you started, you'd see him being sweet to her at the wedding. you'd see her continuing to seek him out. you'd see her feeling possessive of him. you'd see how well they work together. if you're only watching svu, and not oc, you're not getting the full picture - which is again your strawman's fault for not engaging with the full story - but the pieces are there.

you'd wonder why he was a part of her life; is the fact that she wants him to be not enough? why don't you trust her judgment? why don't you want to?

If the new show runner chooses to start from where he left off, it's not looking to good for her and Elliot until she "works on herself".

this is literally the point of the scene with lindstrom and i don't understand why your tone makes it seem like a bad thing. the scene with lindstrom says that liv has been struggling, that she's been holding elliot at arm's length, that until she is willing to try with him she can't move on. isn't that a good thing? isn't olivia taking the time to work through her issues, olivia trusting that maybe happiness is possible for her, a good thing? she didn't think happiness was possible for her and lindstrom tells her to try with elliot, to try for happiness, and rollins tells her to just fuck the man already; isn't it encouraging, to think that in the future she might consider taking some risks, and see her bravery rewarded with care? that's a compelling storyline, and one i'm looking forward to.

And just as this whole fandom automatically accepts as canon Elliot being a POS who ghosted Liv despite the fact that it was WAY OOC

let's be careful, always, with assuming that the whole fandom accepts anything. everybody has different perspectives. and let's consider for a moment, as i have discussed many, many times before, that it is NOT that out of character for elliot to have made a sharp break. that is another post entirely, but i'm sorry, him ghosting her doesn't automatically make him a piece of shit, and isn't even automatically the wrong thing to have done in that situation.

It could have easily been written that she talked to him off camera. Nick and Fin were talking to Munch off camera all the time

this would have been a little awkward and anticlimactic, imo. it makes for better, more compelling drama, if there is a solid break, one that hurts, one that liv has to work through.

But we all agree before they get together, Elliot needs to explain doing something that he would have never done to her in 1.0

we don't all agree. i think elliot has explained. olivia doesn't need him to hold her hand and walk her through every step of his decision making process. she understands what it means that he killed a teenager - something too many people overlook - what it means that his pension was on the line, what it means that IAB was gonna make him jump thru hoops. she says it herself in s13 that he'd tell 'em to go to hell. she understands why he left. and now he's told her why he didn't answer. bc she was the only force on earth that could have brought him back, and he couldn't come back. why is that not enough? i'd argue she understands why he couldn't, because she understands him. that is one of the most important parts of their relationship, the extent to which they understand one another, their hearts and their motives.

Then shouldn't we just accept season 22 and 23 Olivia Benson as canon, understand that season 13 to present Elliot may not be the best choice for her and make way for Barson or someone else?

so i don't accept any of the points you've made, really. s22-23 olivia benson is canon, but she exists within a broader framework. we can't throw out s1-s21. hell, even s22-23 liv is still choosing elliot, and we can't disregard her choice. s23 ended with olivia being told to reach for him, with her reaching for him being tied up with her future happiness. why should she cast him aside? why should she throw away someone she cares for, someone who played such a huge role in her life, someone who hurt her but is back and is trying to be good for her? someone who heard her tell him to be better, and made a concerted effort to be better?

and honestly, narratively, why should we want to? god, isn't it satisfying to think that after all this time she can find a soft place to land with someone who meant so much to her for so long? that those old wounds can be healed, that they can find happiness together? isn't that better than just some random "someone else"?

why should it be barba, who apart from getting jealous when he finds out she's with someone else - the way he reacted with tucker springs to mind, there is precedent for his jealousy - hasn't exactly been around for her either? barba who defended a man who not only was responsible for killing kathy, but also crashed olivia's car on purpose and hurt her? defended him by casting aspersions on olivia and elliot's credibility, defended him despite olivia asking him not to, ignoring her wishes in the process? how is that better than elliot? at least elliot listens to her.