#it was supposed to be like. a show of No Vulnerability

[laviefantasie]

[ Illicit Gazes ]

Pairings: Teacher! Gojo Satoru x Student! Reader

Summary: You wanted to scream that you weren’t a kid, that you knew what you were doing and feeling. But he never gave you the chance. Nothing even started, yet everything had already ended.

[ WARING TAGS: hurt/comfort, angst, heartbreak, underage, age gap, teacher-student ]

Thinking about making more of this ones, let me know what you think.



You never meant for it to happen.

It started with small, innocent things. Offering him snacks after a long day. Bringing him his favorite milk tea when you noticed he hadn’t had time to eat. It was just... kindness. You didn’t think anything of it at first. It wasn’t like you were trying to get his attention. He was your teacher and you were his student. It was supposed to be simple.

But somewhere along the way, it stopped being simple.

You started noticing things. How his smile never quite reached his eyes when he was being playful, how the laughter he forced sounded just a little too strained. How, when everyone else was around, he would throw himself into his persona as the untouchable, invincible teacher, but the moment the door closed behind them, there was a crack—a tiny chink in his armor.

And that's when you started falling. Slowly. Imperceptibly.

The way he’d thank you for the snacks, his voice a little softer than usual. The way he you would feel him look at you under that blindfold when you handed him a cup of bubble tea, feeing his gaze lingering on you a beat too long. At first, you brushed it off. It was just how he was, right? Charismatic. Unbothered. Unaffected.

But the more you cared for him, the more you noticed how you were changing.

You found yourself looking forward to those small moments: when you’d bring him dinner after a long day and he’d act like it was the best thing that happened all week, or when you’d sit beside him in silence, just being there, and yet it felt more than enough.

And when you found yourself daydreaming, imagining what it would be like if he’d just look at you like he did everyone else... as if you weren’t just his student. As if you were something more.

The first time you realized you had a crush on him, you were sitting in front of his desk, watching him work late into the night. He was hunched over, looking at something on his phone, tapping away with a focused intensity. The moonlight spilled through the window behind him, casting soft shadows across his face. For a fleeting moment, you allowed yourself to truly look at him. The way his white hair fell messily around his face. How his sharp, almost cruel eyes softened when he wasn’t trying to be a teacher or the strongest. It was like seeing him for the first time.

You watched him for longer than you should have, and when he caught you staring, there was no teasing smile or sarcastic comment. He just stared at you with an unreadable expression, his eyes covered under his usual blindfold lingering on you for just a second too long. You couldn’t breathe. You couldn’t move. His covered gaze held you in place, a silent understanding passing between the two of you, and for the briefest of moments, it felt like the world outside didn’t exist.

But then he smiled—genuinely this time—and your heart skipped in a way it never had before.

“What? You’re looking at me like I’m some kind of snack. Don’t tell me you’re already craving my sweet treats, (Y/N)”

You’d laughed, nervously, but deep inside, you knew. You knew that it wasn’t just admiration anymore. It was something else. Something dangerous.

And from that moment on, it was harder and harder to ignore the way your heart fluttered when he smiled, when he teased you, or when you saw that flicker of something deeper behind his smile. He didn’t always show it, but you could sense the vulnerability beneath the surface.

But you also knew this wasn’t normal. This wasn’t just a crush—it was something more. Something you shouldn’t feel. Something you could never act on.

And yet, despite your better judgment, every interaction, every word, only made it worse. You were falling deeper, faster, with each passing day.

He didn’t want to fall for you.

He couldn’t.

Gojo Satoru was many things—powerful, untouchable, the strongest—but he wasn’t immune to the temptations that came with being around someone as human as you. You, with your kindness, your gentle words, and the way you never treated him like some god. You always saw him. Truly saw him. Not as a teacher, not as the person who was expected to fix everything. But as a man. A broken one, sure, but still a man.

But Gojo knew better than to let himself get too close to you. It was the same reason he never let himself form real attachments, never let anyone get too close: after all, love was the worst curse of all.

He had seen it, time and time again. The people who cared about him, the ones he cared about—none of them ended up the way they wanted. Whether it was the weight of responsibility, the loss, or simply the pain of caring too much, he had watched it all unravel in the worst possible ways. The ones he loved, the ones who loved him, always ended up broken, lost, or worse. Love only created vulnerability, and vulnerability always led to destruction.

Just like he had.

And you? He couldn’t let you be a part of that. He couldn’t let you be the one he fell for. Because if he let you in, it would be like every other time, every other person. The same pain. The same destruction.

So he kept his distance. Played it off with jokes and light teasing. Kept you at arm’s length, even when it hurt to see you wanting to come closer. You were too pure for that. Too pure to fall for someone like him.

But God, it was getting harder. Every smile you gave him, every little act of care, every time you offered him something as simple as homemade mochi—it broke through his defenses. And that terrified him.

The way you looked at him... the way you worried about him, as if he were anything but a weapon, anything but someone who had been molded by a life of expectations and heartbreak—it tore him apart in ways he couldn’t explain.

It was late one evening when the shift happened—the moment where everything changed but nothing was said. You had been working late again, sitting on the windowsill of his office, idly tracing the edge of a notebook with your fingers as Gojo poured over mission reports.

It was quiet, too quiet. And the silence between the two of you felt too heavy, too thick. You could feel the tension in the air, the space between you expanding with every passing second. You couldn’t stand it anymore.

“You know, you don’t always have to act like you’re invincible”, you said it softly, trying to sound casual.

But your words were laced with more emotion than you intended.

Gojo paused, glancing up from the papers in front of him. He turned to you, taking a second to really look at you, and for a moment, you saw something flicker in his face. It was like he was trying to decide whether to shut you down or admit the truth.

“I don’t have a choice, (Y/N). Not really”

His voice dropped, and you saw something raw in his expression. Something you weren’t supposed to see. He wasn’t just the teacher now. He was a man, broken and tired, someone who had been carrying too much for far too long.

“You don’t have to carry it all alone”

You didn’t realize how much you meant it until the words were already out, the softness in your voice betraying the feelings you had buried so deeply.

Gojo looked at you, and this time, there was no teasing smile. No playful comment. His gaze was intense, even under the blindfold, almost painful to hold. His lips parted as if he were about to say something, but he stopped himself.

“(Y/N), I—”

He paused again, struggling to find the right words, the right excuse to pull back. To keep his distance.

But you couldn’t let him.

“I want to be here for you. I want to help”

There it was. You couldn’t keep pretending anymore. You couldn’t ignore it. You cared about him. More than just a crush. More than just admiration. It was everything, all-consuming, and you were terrified of it.

And Gojo, well, he felt it too. For a brief moment, you saw it—the truth behind his usual mask. He wanted to say something, to make it clear that he couldn’t let this happen. That it couldn’t happen.

But he didn’t.

Instead, his face softened, just slightly. And then he turned away, his voice barely above a whisper.

“You don’t know what you’re asking for”

But you did.

The next day, Gojo made his decision. It wasn’t dramatic. He didn’t yell, didn’t make a scene. He just... pushed you away. Subtly. Quietly.

You tried to close the distance, to let him know that you were still there, but every time you tried, he was just a little farther out of reach.

And it hurt. But you understood.

This was his curse. The curse of loving and being loved. It was the same reason he’d always kept his distance from others—because love was dangerous. It always led to pain.

And maybe, just maybe, he was trying to protect you from that.

The understanding didn’t make it hurt less.

[doodler16]

“Loser, Baby” should’ve been a heart to heart conversation between Husk and Angel Dust instead of a song. I understand both sides regarding fans and critics. The song is supposed to inspire Angel dust to open up, that he is not alone, and embracing his qualities in a healthy manner. Which is fine, the problem is the execution.

Husk starts off “Loser, Baby” by being honest and stating the obvious: how things are hopeless and how Angel’s life is wrecked, not sugar coating things like Charlie would throughout most of the show. But things take a turn when Husk surprises Angel Dust and getting his attention when Husk is like, “yeah you are correct, not only does your life suck but you are a loser.”

Things go immediately downhill when Husk continues to call him a fucked up little whiny bitch, a loser again, screws loose boozer, an only one star reviews-er (reference to Angel Dust showing his porn film earlier in the same episode that won him a sex award), and power bottom at rock bottom. Near the end of that sequence, Husk mentions to Angel that he has company.

All the things Husk said, that I listed sounds like something Valentino would say to Angel Dust to demean, mock, and emotionally abuse him. Imagine Valentino saying all this exactly how Husk is doing right now. It changes everything. Understandably, Angel Dust is annoyed and even questions how this is supposed to make him feel better.

Husk continues the song and we, the audience see a more vulnerable side of him. Husk mentions how he thought no one could relate and how damaged he is. Husk says that you should let walls down and how Angel Dust is not the only one who is suffering.

There are other positive messages in the song like: “it time to lose your self-loathing excuse yourself, let hope in.” “Play your card, be who you are.” Which is great! The problem is the positive words featured aren’t the complete main focus and felt they added near the end, it’s mainly negative words like how Husk and Angel are both losers, Angel calling himself a coked up dick sucking’ ho, a schmoozer, and a dummy. Both demeaning themselves in the process.

If all those small positive words sprinkled in the song got completely removed, would anyone still think it’s empowering? So, I don’t blame anyone for thinking Husk was/is victim-blaming Angel Dust when most of the song featured negative words. And, I’m not surprised that it got lost in translation and many are still fighting about this song till this day.

Also Husk’s wording in specific parts of the song makes him sound dismissive. For example: when Angel says how sold his soul to Val’s weirdo ass. Husk says, “Haha, and you think that makes you unique?” I get what Vivziepop and the writers were going for but his wording was so awful.

[intheticklecloset]

A Much Sweeter Deal (Blue Lock)

Summary: Chigiri, Kunigami, and Nagi have a playful competition to find out who is the most ticklish!

A/N: HAPPY BIRTHDAY SQUIGGILY!! (@giggly-squiggily) I hope your day is filled with joy and happiness and all the fluffy things! May this humble fic offering make it that much sweeter! Thank you so much for being such a great friend to me. Tumblr - and life in general - wouldn't be the same without you in it! HAPPY BIRTHDAAAAY!! 🥳🎂🎉🎉🎉

Word Count: 1832

~~~

Chigiri had been duped. Hoodwinked. Blindsided. Bamboozled. The sheer audacity of what was happening to him—

“Wahahahahahait, no!” he squealed uselessly as he felt the soft cushion of his beanbag chair against his back, his attackers moving in on either side of him. “Wait! Two agahahahahahainst one isn’t fahahahahahahair! Guys!”

Kunigami – his dearest, his beloved – had the nerve to look smug. “What’s the matter, princess? Don’t think you can take it?”

And Nagi – his love, his heart and soul – pressed a quick kiss to his cheek. “I’m sure he can. He just wasn’t ready for us to gang up on him. Right, Chichi?”

He was going to kill them both – right after he was done laughing himself silly, of course.

“I hahahahahahahate you!” he shrieked, squirming against their strong holds as Kuni dug his fingers into his hip and Nagi squeezed his knee. “You suhuhuhuhuhuhuck! I wahahahahahasn’t reheheheheheady!”

“Told you,” the white-haired boy said to Kuni with a smirk. “Well, you know we’re coming now. I’m sure you’ll get used to it~”

Chigiri had each of his arms pinned – one by each of his boyfriends – and they each loomed in close as they tickled him all over, knowing it would drive him crazy to have them in his personal space during such a vulnerable moment. Still, the redhead couldn’t hide his elation at being ganged up on this way, though he protested and struggled and generally tried to pretend he wanted out.

His partners knew him better than that.

“Where are you going, princess?” Kuni teased as he reached up into his armpit, making Chigiri squeal and lean further to Nagi’s side to escape. “You’re not trying to escape from your prince charmings, are you?”

“I’m nohohohohohohohot – gahahak Nahahahahahahagi!” the redhead cackled when the other boy drilled into his ribs, leaving him shimmying from side to side as he attempted to escape all of the tickly sensations coming for him at once.

Nagi smirked. “If anything it sounds like he’s imploring us to keep going.”

“Thihihihihihihis isn’t fahahahahahair!” Chigiri reiterated, unable to curb his laughter at all even as he whined, “You guhuhuhuhuhuys always tihihihihihihickle mehehehehehe!”

“Because you’re just so ticklish, Chichi,” Nagi cooed into his ear.

Chigiri flushed bright pink as he challenged, “You’re juhuhuhuhuhuhust as tihihihihihicklish! Bohohohohohoth of you!”

Kunigami hummed, a wicked smirk playing at his lips. “Oh, yeah? Then why don’t we have a little contest to see who’s the most ticklish, hmm?”

“I’m ihihihihihihihin!”

“Great! Nagi?”

“On it.”

Suddenly his two boyfriends were going for his knees, squeezing and scribbling at the undersides, and Chigiri spasmed in his chair as he screeched, “NO FAHAHAHAHAHAIR NO FAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAIR!! GUHUHUHUHUHUHUYS!!”

“Whaaaaat? How are we supposed to know who’s most ticklish if we don’t go for a bad spot?” Kunigami teased.

It was all for show and the three of them knew it. Chigiri’s knees were absurdly ticklish, as were his hips – it didn’t take much of the two of them alternating between the spots for the redhead to lose stamina, pleading for them to let up within just a minute.

“Who should we go for next, if this is a competition?” Nagi asked, genuinely curious. But the instant Chigiri cackled “KUHUHUHUHUHUNI!!” he abandoned his position and tackled the blonde, forcing him off of the redhead and grabbing onto his ribs at the same time.

“Gahk! Nahahahahahagi, you jeheheheheherk! I thohohohohought we wehehehehere on the sahahahahahame teheheheheheheam!”

“We are,” Nagi replied with a grin as Chigiri quickly recovered and dove in to help him. “But I’m also on Chichi’s team. That’s how relationships work.”

Kunigami was in a less comfortable position on the floor, but it made no difference in his reactions whatsoever. He halfheartedly fought back, knowing he could take them both out with one swipe if he really wanted to, but where would the fun be in that? He’d suggested this competition; the least he could do was contribute to it.

Still…

“Nahahahahahahaha not my lehehehehehegs, prihihihihihincess!” he squealed, trying to pull his thigh away from the redhead while Nagi struggled to pin his arms and go for his armpits.

“Hmm, did you stop when I said the same thing? Nope!” Chigiri happily planted himself on Kuni’s knees to better access his thighs while protecting himself from further kicking. “So I’m not gonna let up either, hero! Tickle, tickle!”

“Gahahahahahahaha nohohohohoho! Chigiri – Nahahahahahahagi plehehehehehehehease!”

Nagi looked far too happy with himself, having finally pinned one of Kuni’s arms with his body while digging freely into his upper ribs, pulling shrieking laugh after snorting chortle from the blonde that was bigger than both of them. “You said it yourself – we gotta go for bad spots for this to be a real test, big guy.”

“Mehehehehehehe and my bihihihihihihig mohohohohohouth!” Kuni wailed helplessly, making both of his partners laugh along with him. But it wasn’t until Chigiri abandoned his thighs and scooted up to straddle his hips and drill into his abs that the blonde truly lost it.

“Whoa!” he yelped as he was nearly thrown from his seat, his bigger boyfriend having tossed his head back with hysterical laughter at the change in location.

“NOHOHOHOHOHOHO NOT THEHEHEHEHEHEHEHERE!! PLEHEHEHEHEHEASE, IT’S SO BAHAHAHAHAHAHAD!!”

Chigiri shot a knowing smirk at Nagi, who grinned right back. Revenge is sweet, the redhead thought as the two of them took up positions on either side of Kuni’s torso and vibrated into his abs and stomach like they were giving him electric shocks.

Kunigami lasted about the same amount of time as Chigiri before waving his arms frantically and pleading, “NAHAHAHAHAHAGI NEXT!! NAHAHAHAHAHAHAGI!!”

Nagi had already forgotten that he was due up, so caught up in the fun of tickling each of his partners the way he was. He blinked at Kuni’s words, then let out a soft “oh” of realization before he was pulled off of the blonde by Chigiri, who quickly got to work pulling his arms up and pinning them down to prevent an escape attempt.

For a moment, there was a lighthearted silence as Kuni caught his breath and sidled up next to Nagi on the ground, Chigiri wiggled his fingers teasingly, and Nagi whimpered and tried, “W-Wait, we don’t really need to test me, right? I’m not as bad as either of you—”

“We’ll see about that,” Kunigami declared, beginning the new round of tickling by scribbling over the smaller boy’s sides.

Chigiri also got started, tracing circles in his underarms to get him warmed up. They both knew he didn’t do well with immediately being sent into harder laughter – Nagi handled being tickled better when he had a chance to get used to softer sensations first, and despite their urges to do otherwise, both Chigiri and Kunigami made sure to never go for his bad spots right off the bat.

The payoff was worth it, too, because after just a minute of light tickles, Nagi was prepared to take rougher ones, and he voiced it by giggling, “Juhuhuhuhuhuhust get on wihihihihihihith it alreheheheheady!”

Kuni’s eager grin was back in full force as he snuck his hands under Nagi’s hoodie to get at his bare skin, making the white-haired boy shriek and arch his back in the spare moments he had before Chigiri went up to his neck and ears, making him snicker and squirm and blush like a strawberry.

“Ehehehehehehehe! No fahahahahahahair! We dihihihihihihidn’t go skihihihihin to skin for either of yohohohohohohou!”

“No one was stopping you,” Chigiri teased.

Kuni chuckled. “Besides, we know it works much better on you than either of us. Just look how much you’re laughing now! Got a ticklish tummy, Nagi?~”

“We dihihihihihihihihidn’t tehehehehehehease either!”

“Sounds like a missed opportunity.”

“Would you rather we didn’t tease?” Chigiri asked.

“Yehehehehehehes!”

“All right. Hero?”

Kunigami glanced up at him. “Go for the feet?”

“Nohohohohohohoho!”

“Go for the feet.”

Nagi protested and kicked as the blonde made his way to the next spot, but it was useless. Within seconds Kunigami had his ankles in a headlock, fingers scribbling over his bare soles as Chigiri released his arms and scooted down to tickle his upper ribs.

“Nohohohohohohohooooo!” Nagi whined, gripping the redhead’s shoulders as soon as his arms were free. “You’re so mehehehehehehehehean!”

“You can really only expect so much from us, cutie,” Chigiri replied, leaning down to kiss him briefly before skittering wildly all over his torso.

Nagi squealed and giggled and squirmed, protesting the entire time, but thanks to his boyfriends’ positioning, he wasn’t going anywhere fast.

After another minute or so, Kunigami finally let up on his feet and turned back around, prying Nagi’s legs apart and slotting between them with a suggestive smirk, and Nagi blushed furiously even as his struggling intensified.

“Nonononono not thehehehehehehere! Dohohohohohon’t you dare – KUHUHUHUNIGAMI!! CHIHIHIHIHIHICHIHIHIHIHI, NOHOHOHOHOHOHO!!”

This time it was Nagi’s turn to scream his laughter into the air as they each attacked a thigh, focusing on the inner parts that were more ticklish and barely dodging flailing arms along the way. The poor boy had no chance of lasting as long as either of the others had.

“I GIHIHIHIHIHIVE!! I GIVE, I GIVE – PLEHEHEHEHEHEASE NO MOHOHOHOHORE!!”

At last the competition was over, and each of the boys fell back to catch their breaths and let out leftover giggles, the space between them light and fluffy as a cloud. Chigiri recovered first, having been the furthest from his own tickle attack, and he asked teasingly, “So, do we have a winner?”

“Of who’s the most ticklish?” Nagi questioned, having curled up in the fetal position to protect his legs from further attack.

Kunigami chuckled. “I think it’s pretty obvious. Don’t you, princess?”

Chigiri was going to take a moment to think about it, because in his mind, there wasn’t a clear winner. But apparently his boyfriends were on a different page than him, because suddenly it was like the contest never happened, and he was right back where he’d been at the start, pinned to his beanbag chair with a loving boyfriend on either side of him, ready to make him laugh to his heart’s content.

“Waitwaitwait – whohohoho says I’m the most tihihicklish?!” he protested, unable to help the few anticipatory giggles that slipped out of him.

“We do,” they both replied at the same time, then each grabbed a side and leaned in to kiss his neck, making the redhead squeal with both ticklishness and delight at the affectionate contact.

“Guhuhuhuhuhuys! This wahahahahahasn’t the deheheheheheheal!”

“Too bad~” Nagi teased in his ear before kissing his jaw, his hand sneaking down to his hip and making Chigiri spasm.

“Besides,” Kunigami added, kissing his forehead before settling in to scribble ruthlessly into his armpit, “this is a much sweeter deal anyway~”

Chigiri had been tricked again! It was all a roundabout way for their tickle attack to be ‘fair’ – and it wasn’t fair! But…he decided he really didn’t mind. He loved being on the receiving end of their combined affection – and it was obvious they loved giving it to him, too.

[caplanbuckybarnes]

Batty Sympathy (Bruce Wayne)

Summary: You can't hold the sadness in anymore. Bruce comforts you after the gala the pair of you attended together.

Warnings: sad reader

WC: 740ish

A/N: channeling my shitty mood into writing sad fics, sue me.

Read on Ao3!

--

You'd spent the day bottling everything up, keeping a smile on your face as you interacted with everyone, pretending you were fine. But now, sitting alone in the dimly lit room at Wayne Manor, it all felt too heavy to keep hidden. You hugged your knees to your chest and let the tears fall, releasing everything you had been trying so hard to keep inside.

It wasn’t supposed to be this way. You had come to Wayne Manor for the evening, seeking comfort and distraction. You had known Bruce for a while now, long enough that you felt like you could relax around him—yet still not quite long enough to want to reveal your vulnerabilities. But tonight, there was no hiding it. The weight of your emotions was too much to bear.

The soft sound of footsteps made you stiffen slightly, and you quickly tried to wipe away your tears. Bruce had a way of moving quietly, yet something told you that this time, he wanted you to know he was there. He stopped just a few steps away, standing in the doorway, observing you with a calm yet concerned expression.

"Y/N," he said softly, his voice carrying a warmth that you didn’t often hear. "Are you… all right?"

You looked up, knowing that trying to hide your emotions would be pointless. The sincerity in his gaze broke down any remaining walls you’d been trying to keep up. With a shaky breath, you let out a weak laugh, looking away.

"No… not really," you admitted, your voice barely above a whisper.

Without another word, Bruce moved closer, taking a seat beside you on the couch. He didn’t press for an explanation, didn’t ask any questions. Instead, he reached out and gently placed a hand on your shoulder, the simple touch radiating a warmth that was both comforting and grounding.

For a few moments, the two of you sat in silence, the quiet sounds of the Manor providing a backdrop for your shared solitude. You took a few deep breaths, letting his presence steady you. The silence between you was not uncomfortable; it was filled with an unspoken understanding, a gentle reassurance that you weren’t alone.

Finally, Bruce spoke, his voice low and soothing. "You don’t have to say anything if you don’t want to," he said, glancing at you with a soft gaze. "But I’m here if you need someone to listen."

The way he said it—so genuine and unguarded—made your heart ache. You knew Bruce had his own burdens, that he wasn’t one to open up easily, yet here he was, offering you a safe space to release your own pain. Swallowing the lump in your throat, you nodded, gathering the courage to let him in, even if only a little.

"It's just… it feels like everything's falling apart," you began, your voice barely audible. "I’ve been trying so hard to keep it together, to stay strong, but… it’s just too much. And I don’t know how to handle it anymore."

Bruce nodded, his expression thoughtful and understanding. "I know that feeling," he replied softly, his gaze distant for a moment as if recalling his own struggles. "Sometimes it feels like you have to keep carrying the weight, even when you’re not sure you can. But you don’t have to go through it alone."

Hearing those words from him—Bruce Wayne, a man who carried so much himself—felt strangely reassuring. You hadn’t realized how much you needed to hear that. You offered a small, grateful smile, feeling a glimmer of relief in his words.

He leaned back slightly, his hand still resting on your shoulder, his gaze warm and steady. "Sometimes we forget that it’s okay to let others help us," he continued. "Even if it’s just to sit with us in the dark for a while."

The honesty in his tone resonated with you deeply. You’d known Bruce had experienced his own losses, his own battles, yet he rarely showed vulnerability. But now, he was sharing a piece of himself with you, creating a connection that felt stronger than words.

You took a deep breath, allowing yourself to relax in his presence. "Thank you, Bruce," you whispered. "I didn’t realize how much I needed this."

He gave you a faint smile, a softness in his expression that made you feel safe. "Sometimes, just being there for each other is enough," he replied. "You don’t have to face this alone."

The silence that followed was comforting, filled with a shared understanding. You leaned your head against his shoulder, finding solace in his quiet strength. Bruce wrapped his arm around you, a protective gesture that made you feel grounded, even as your emotions swirled.

For the first time in what felt like ages, you felt a sense of peace.

[ariiadnes]

╭ ㅤ⿻ ･ HOLY IS THE LOVE THAT SAVED ME ( part v. )

HOW DELICATE LOVE IS , THIS EBB & FLOW OF SERENITY.

ଓ.° ・ alhaitham ･ kaveh ･ dehya. genshin impact. title cr : juniper vale. repost. ・ ・ ・ part i. part ii. part iii. part iv.

❀ ﾟ. ༄ alhaitham

& LOVE IS A DISASTER, EXISTING IN BOTH MIRACLE AND CURSE INTERTWINED. how she embeds herself in the depths of the heart, spreads with each beat as reminder that you are alive and you are in love. in the days that pass, the blood in your veins burns with the fervor of longing ; the confessions remain stagnant, words of affection lodged in your throat yet dancing on the tip of your tongue. they taste bittersweet, taste like dreams of peace and quiet serenity, taste like something that leaves you desiring more yet can never be satiated.

yes, love is a disaster : inescapable, undeniable, and it is what brings you to this moment, your weight on alhaitham's desk, his hands planted firmly by your sides as he maintains a nearly nonexistent distance between your bodies.

it almost feels like you are suffocating, this feeling here and now, and you wonder if love is supposed to feel this way. you hold your breath, feel the way your lungs burn in protest. something in you wishes to break free, release from this hold, but you resist, succumb to your fear of what could be.

"stop looking at me like that."

his lips twitch-- a subtle smirk you don't quite catch, followed by something all too knowing in his sharp gaze.

"like what? i'm only making an observation."

"it's past your work hours and you don't like making small talk. what do you want?"

"your honesty, firstly."

with your normal banter, he expects you to call him infuriating, irritating-- something along those lines. but there is a reluctance that paints a vulnerability on your countenance, a quelled fear, and so he shifts slightly, rests his hand on yours in a rare act of encouragement and patience. it is a strange weakness that binds you together in this time -- the still air, the understanding in each others eyes-- and your body moves on instinct in the way it draws closer to him-- closer, closer, and closer until your lips press against his in desire. you do not know how long this time lasts, overwhelmed with the knowing of his touch and the feeling of his hand against the small of your back as he holds you tighter.

yes, love is a disaster : inescapable, undeniable, and it is what brings you to this moment, confessions told and yet unspoken, and when you are both ready to confess the words of love, you will.

but for now, alhaitham thinks, chuckling at the way he feels you smile against his lips, this is sufficient enough.

❀ ﾟ. ༄ kaveh

& BEAUTY IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER, BUT LOVE IS IN THE HEART OF THE DIVINE, and so there is a worshipping in the way another's existence is a blessing. you know this love to be true in the way it flows through your veins, becomes one with the blood that keeps you alive.

the hand that rests in yours is calloused, worn with craft and devotion to the creation of art. you hum a gentle lullaby, absentminded, a blithe smile on your lips as you watch kaveh blink slowly, unable to fight the heaviness that falls upon his eyes. how exhausted he has been, surviving on so little sleep in the past few weeks.

deadline upon deadline, the pushing of one's strength and stamina during the late hours, and the shedding of tears in frustration in self-doubt and seldom potential in oneself. there is not much you can do for your lover in those times ; try as you may, your wisdom is unmatched to his when it comes to his profession. the only thing you can do is hold him in the nights he manages to find his way to your bedroom, and even then, you do not feel that it is enough. it never is, you think, but he is quick to tell you otherwise, even if his smile is worn the next morning you rise together.

no, there is not much you can do during those times, but it is after that you show him what he is worth, show him what he reflects in the divinity he places in his art.

your fingers trace the lines of his palm, delicate, slow. you note the few scars that adorn his skin, intrigue piqued in the nature of their origins. you do not ask, though, the silence between two lovers too heavy, deafening yet so heard and understood.

when you gaze upon kaveh, the sight that greets you is truly nothing uncommon, yet you find adoration in it nonetheless : the lack of words, the red hues in his cheeks nearly akin to the color of his brilliant eyes. you pull his hand, gently coax him towards you as your arms wrap around his neck. you press a kiss against his nose, rest your forehead against his, and he surely hopes you cannot hear the beating of his heart. it races so, pounds so violently with a love that cannot be contained.

"you worked so hard." you whisper, and it is then that his tears fall, wiped away by your touch. "i'm proud of you, kaveh."

❀ ﾟ. ༄ dehya

& THE WALLS HAVE COME CRASHING DOWN, FALSE PRETENSES OF LOYALTIES RENDERED ASUNDER. a mercenary professes patronage to those who pay high coin, knows the allure of the risks worth taking. she does not follow as blindly as she makes it out to be, the purifying flame, and in the ashes left from the fire, there is only benevolence.

the wounds are nothing new, but she is not numb to the pain. they decorate her body, scattered haphazardly. your blood runs cold at the thought of loss, at the thought of all she has endured, but she has always broken you from such heaviness, rescued you before you fell down the rabbit hole.

you wrap the bandages around her arms, movements slow when you notice her wince from the painful sensations that hit harder than they should. she should be used to this by now, really. a mere hit should not be enough to hurt her this much, but when she looks into your eyes, she does not know if it is truly the physical pain of the steel that has found home in her flesh or if it is the pain you fail to keep at bay.

time after time, home away from home, you sometimes feel that you can never win. what a selfish thought it is ; you have given yourself grief over it so many times before, but you are only human, and what is humanity if not for the longing of it all?

there is a heartache when she comes back to you and a heartache when she is away from you. it is not a suffering, no -- you will not deem it as such, but you wish you could go with her, experience high tales of adventures yourself. but you cannot, so you wait, hope that your lover will return to your arms in the safest way possible.

because you are her sanctuary and she is yours, and you both know this so very much.

"always patching me up." dehya murmurs halfheartedly, and when you catch sight of that wistful gaze, her visage twists into something else, almost unreadable for a moment before she smiles at you. "not a pleasant welcome home gift, is it?"

"i don't mind it."

"liar." she pinches your cheek, laughs at your words of protest. "i know how sad it makes you, seeing me hurt like this." her tone turns somber, the smile dejected, and she places her hands over yours. "i'm sorry."

"don't apologize. you can't help it." there is a lump in your throat and the words threaten to choke you, but you speak nonetheless. you grab her hand, press a kiss against it before you rest it on your cheek. "as long as you come home to me, that's all i need."

[maul-of-shame]

I think a lot of people are forgetting that Elrond and Galadriel didn't read LOTR and aren't aware they're going to be in laws. They don't have the 4th wall powers that we, the audience do. As far as either of them are concerned, Cborn is dead and given that Galadriel placed a higher priority on hunting Sauron than returning to him (assuming she believes that he's in Valinor), Elrond is takes the role Cborn would have had. I hope we see more Elrond and Galadriel moments in season 3 😊

They've both been through the same shit, they GET each other, and there's no 'expectation' attached to their relationship, and that is liberating when it comes to healing each other's trauma.

Absolutely, this point is spot-on!

Elrond and Galadriel's connection exists on an entirely unique plane where no one, especially not us as the audience, can dictate how their bond should look or evolve.

These two are free from the expectations or constraints of what’s “supposed” to happen based on outside knowledge. They certainly don’t see their future relationship as in-laws as a given, so their relationship is genuinely theirs to explore.

Their chemistry feels so deep and genuine precisely because it isn’t bound by any traditional family role or societal expectation.

Both Elrond and Galadriel have lived through millennia of war, loss, and hard choices, and they’ve developed a bond built on shared experiences, genuine understanding, and respect. Elrond gets Galadriel’s drive, her sacrifices, and the toll they take, while Galadriel recognizes his wisdom, patience, and loyalty. It’s rare to see characters who don’t need to explain their trauma because the other person just knows—they’ve been through the same fires.

And what makes this relationship even more intriguing is the lack of obligation or label tied to it.

There’s a liberating effect here: both of them are healing and supporting each other in ways that go beyond friendship or family ties. When they come together, it’s like two souls unburdened by destiny but bound by choice. Each moment between them is open to interpretation and possibility, and that freedom feels refreshing and real.

For Elrond, his connection with Galadriel feels like the home he never really had in the ways that matter most. Through his life, he's often been in roles of service and loyalty—to his family, to Gil-galad, to his people—but with Galadriel, he doesn’t need to be the wise, steady counselor or the responsible guardian. He can let his own vulnerabilities show, unafraid of being judged or misunderstood. In Galadriel, he sees a person who recognizes his struggles and his sacrifices without him having to speak a word, and who knows the gravity of loss in the way only someone who’s carried that burden for centuries can.

And for Galadriel, Elrond is a refuge she never expected but always needed. As much as she’s a warrior, a leader, and a force of nature, she’s also a person with deep wounds. With Elrond, she’s able to lay down her armor, put down her sword and shield, trusting him with the side of herself that’s tired, uncertain, and still healing. There’s a comfort in being with someone who doesn't require her to be constantly unbreakable. Instead of being another soldier in her battle, Elrond stands beside her as a partner, a friend, and a kindred soul.

They share this understanding, a bond that’s impossible to reduce to labels or roles. Each look, every moment between them, is layered with the kind of depth that goes beyond words—They're two people who simply get each other. Their relationship isn’t defined by duty or shaped by societal roles; it’s something they’ve chosen to build together. And perhaps that’s what makes it so liberating: their connection is entirely theirs, shaped only by the mutual respect, trust, love, and affection they’ve cultivated over time.

In a world where they both carry the heavy weight of their respective roles, this bond is like a breath of fresh air, a reminder that they don’t have to be alone in their struggles.

They’re not defined by destiny or forced together by obligation; they’re here because they choose each other.

Over and over again.

It’s a love and connection that doesn’t need words to define it or titles to legitimize it. It’s simply there, in every glance, every shared silence, and every act of unwavering support. And in a life full of responsibilities and ancient sorrows, that freedom is the truest form of peace.

[oceanqueenmusical]

*Busts down the door* NOBODY EXPECTS THE SPANISH INQUISITION!

Ha, sorry! I just saw this post and felt compelled to add my own two cents since Macaque’s characterization and reception by fandom is something I feel pretty strongly about. Also bear in mind I mean none of this hatefully, I’m just participating in a debate.

While again, you're correct and valid in a lot of your points, I just can't agree with the statement that Macaque is just a bad person.

That’s great! Because Time didn’t say Macaque was ‘just’ a bad person. They actually acknowledge several times that he’s complex and multi-faceted. But being complex doesn’t mean you can’t also be an asshole to almost every other person you interact with. He repeatedly hurts several characters, and in the first two seasons he does so with zero provocation other than his hatred for Sun Wukong. He’s complex, yes, but still a dick.

I get what you're saying, but season 3 is entirely about dissecting the characters (namely Wukong and Macaque) while they're at their most vulnerable. And while this show isn't really known for consistent writing at times, the season is also spent getting to know Macaque and what his true intentions are.

I get what you’re saying here, but that’s… debatable? Monkie Kid has 11 minute episodes, and a lot of them are crammed with details that aren’t expanded on. Wukong is consistently benched every season and special, even if it’s done differently each time. He literally spends half of s3 meditating, and in the special he’s possessed. We don’t really see him at his ‘most vulnerable’ unless you count him being yelled at by Mei and then possessed by LBD, and even then that’s not really emotional vulnerability — which I assume is what you’re referring to.

Similarly, Macaque isn’t really emotionally vulnerable either. He’s tossed around by LBD, and sure, he’s ‘vulnerable’, but he spends all those scenes being terrified or snarky. We don’t really see inside his head at all. And— what ‘true intentions’? He’s literally hunting down the Monkie Kids to deliver them to LBD because she’s threatening him into compliance. Those aren’t true intentions, that’s just forced compliance.

M.K literally goes "deep, deep down, you're not [a bad] guy", and Macaque takes that as his incentive to join the group and help them save the world, which he continues to do for the next two seasons.

Uh, yeah… so, I did not like that speech at all and I think it was done very poorly and was unwarranted, but that is only my opinion. However, Macaque didn’t really help in s4. He just showed MK a video game to motivate him into fighting Azure and nominally helps Mei beat Peng. Not a lot happens, and he’s certainly not remorseful or apologetic towards anyone for how’s he’s treated them in the past. It’s just kinda brushed over. In s5 he’s a LOT more helpful of his own will though, I’ll give you that.

He also only was present for 1 episode in season 1, and I think 2 in season 2, so it surely wasn't "two full seasons". These seasons we don't know almost anything about him. We're supposed to take his actions purely at face value up until Season 3, where it's all spent letting us know that he does all of it because he was terribly hurt and betrayed (at least to him) by his closest and only friend (regardless of the nuances of that situation as well) and feels now more than ever that he can only rely on himself (something he also literally says). It's why he tries to save himself over the world (along with his well-hidden but clearly there) hope and belief that MK and his friends were capable enough to handle the rest in Season 3.

Okay, you may be right that we didn’t see a lot of Macaque in the first two seasons… but what we did see from him was not good AT ALL. Sure, he may have only had two episodes, but he spent those episodes being a dick and torturing MK and his friends for funsies. You can’t just say ‘oh, we haven’t seen their full character yet!’ Just because he only had two episodes in the first two seasons. Even if he had little screen time, he spent all of it being a manipulative asshole.

And as for s3 — again, even if he’s traumatized and has hope for the Mobile Kids, he’s acting on it in the most dickish way possible. He didn’t HAVE to separate the van into two copies and torture Mei and Sandy, but he did. He could’ve just isolated MK, taken him to LBD, and finished the job. He chose to keep Mei and Sandy around to get to MK.

Him "having fun while doing it" is, again, why we're meant to take his actions at face value. He acts like he doesn't care how he makes people feel, acts like he just hurts people for the fun of it, when there are clear reasons (justifiable or not) why he does those things.

… This is just headcanon territory. I’m sorry, but the only time Macaque shows a SMIDGEN of regret for what he’s doing is in s3 ep10 when he is actively being consumed by LBD’s curse, and even then he sounds more in pain than anything.

This is shown all throughout season three. He didn’t have to torture the Monkie Kids, level Ao Guang’s palace, hold Mei hostage, beat the shit out of Tang and degrade him, or choose to mock MK when he could’ve just gotten the job done with. He CHOSE to do those things, and he smiled the whole time. If you interpret him as remorseful that’s totally fine, but that is a headcanon. If he was genuinely sorry, he would have said something or showed even ONE SECOND of remorse on his face when he was alone.

His debut episode, he only does anything he does to get back at Wukong because he's upset for a valid reason. Was it okay for him to hurt MK the way he did? Of course not. But he didn't do it just because he's evil and likes hurting people, he did it because he hides away his good nature to keep people away and avoid being hurt (something he actually unveils that very episode in his lessons to MK. Macaque indirectly lets us know how he thinks with his learned ruthlessness).

Yeah, uh, I don’t know how to say this, but your buddy killing you 500 years ago doesn’t justify you trying to kill his mentee. Is the reason he’s upset valid? Yeah. Not valid enough to manipulate and try to murder MK, though.

Also… we have no proof he ‘hides his good away’. That was an assessment made by MK. You know, the guy who generally tries to see the good in people. Maybe Macaque was teaching MK with methods he genuinely believed in, but you can literally see throughout the episode how Macaque is manipulating MK and making him more and more angry and prone to lashing out so he can steal his powers. Using MK to get back at Wukong was Macaque’s first and foremost priority that episode.

In Shadow Play, he outright refers to MK as his student, and they have a conversation at the end that really should've explained everything. He says he's "a good kid with a terrible mentor".

Macaque calls himself MK’s mentor to fuck with him. That’s it. He says it in a mocking tone, and is pleased when MK snaps back. I agree that he was definitely growing somewhat fond of MK by the end, but that doesn’t change the fact that ‘student’ was a word used by Macaque to mock MK, and MK visibly reacts with anger and frustration when he’s called that by Macaque. Not exactly a moniker used with fondness in that episode.

This episode isn't him mentally tormenting MK just for the sillies.

… Yes. It literally is. The entire episode he mocks MK and makes assumptions about MK’s character that he based on (his biased and untrustworthy view of) Sun Wukong. Macaque literally drags MK through the mud while peppering his friends around, laughing at him for relating to the warrior. Why? Because Macaque assumes MK and Sun Wukong are the same people when they’re NOT.

Also… even if Macaque was trying to teach MK a lesson, he didn’t have to strip away the free will of three people to do it. He had so many other options. He chose to hurt people.

It's him, in the harsh and brash nature I mentioned before that we actually see best in perspective post-redemption with the game he has MK play in Season 4, teaching MK to never forget where he came from and to not allow his newfound power and glory to cause him to forget about the people who care about him and who helped him get there. He tells the story about him and Wukong as a way of saying "don't let you and your friends become like us, don't ruin the good thing you have". This is an inherently good lesson done in a way that would disallow MK to actually see that Macaque is trying to help.

I agree that the lesson is good, but it’s still based on Macaque’s biased perspective of Wukong and MK. MK’s issue that episode wasn’t him becoming a glory-hound and forgetting his roots, he was having a breakdown over losing his mentor and discovering that he’s a magical monkey. However, I will agree on this point that Macaque was genuinely trying to help here.

His holding Mei hostage was obviously not okay (and I'm pretty sure he was bluffing, because he literally said before that that he didn't want to have to hurt anyone and that he was only there for the rings but that isn't the conversation, and either way holding people hostage is inherently bad),

Headcanon. We have no proof he was bluffing. Not wanting to hurt someone is very different from hurting someone anyways, and as we’ve seen Macaque is VERY capable of killing someone. In fact, I’d argue he had more motivation to do something drastic here considering he was literally being consumed by LBD’s curse! And again— he chose to hold Mei hostage and threaten Tang to complete the ritual. He could’ve waited it out or tried to talk but he did not. He chose the violent route. Sure, maybe he did because of his trauma, but that was still a choice he made.

but again, we know why. You can hear it in his voice and his dialogue that he's become desperate. Testimonies from both Wukong and Peng let us know that Macaque has never been the fearless type. In fact, his self preservation bleeds into a lot of his moments, where we never see him go in swinging. He plays mind games, he turns his fights psychological to give himself the upper-hand. So we know that Macaque is both, literally not himself, and clearly behaving in ways he never would. When he breaks free, he tries to run away. He doesn't keep pursuing MK and the gang, he tries to save himself and again, leave the rest to them.

Yeah, and he also gives himself the upper hand because he likes to be in control and psychologically fuck with his opponents. And actually? Aside from how desperate he sounds, nothing Macaque did in that episode was out of character. Being consumed by LBD’s curse didn’t change his brain chemistry all of a sudden, Macaque was capable of holding Mei hostage WAY before even coming into contact with LBD.

Also, yeah, he does run away. He runs away from the consequences of his actions after torturing Mei and forcing Tang to complete the ritual, leaving everyone else to deal with the mess he made.

And his regret and remorse are shown in the way he sticks around and keeps helping them when he has no reason to. He doesn't need to help out with LBD in s3 after he's free, cheer up MK with his speech, or help Wukong break out of the Scroll of Memory, or be there for the fight against the Brotherhood all in s4, or have that talk with Wukong at the beginning of s5, especially, again, given everything we know about him and his constant feeling of needing to flee, but he does all of it anyways.

You do realize that in the s3 special and the latter half of s4 the world is about to end, right? Macaque helps because it’s in his own self-interest. I will give you season 5, but the earlier seasons? He’s helping because he’s not a dumbass and knows that the world is close to ending and that he should probably stop it if he doesn’t want to DIE.

Also if someone showed their ‘regret’ by sticking around to do the bare minimum with no apologies I’d yell at them to leave. He doesn’t even show remorse— he never apologies or looks regretful. He’s the same as always; cocky, snarky, and arrogant with a hatred for Wukong. Sure, it may have dimmed as the series progresses, but he’s mostly the same except he’s a ‘good guy’ now. No apologies to Tang, Mei, Sandy, MK, Wukong, anyone. He never shows any kind of regret in any way. Claiming that sticking around is how he shows regret is headcanon territory.

Should he have an apology? Of course he should, and it sucks that we don't get one, but we know that Macaque shows his feelings through action, and, in moments of vulnerability, isn't very good with words. It's why MK thinks Macaque is just being a dick when he initially tries to give him advice in s4.

Headcanon (I’m noticing a theme here). Sure, Macaque isn’t a very open book with his emotions, but you can’t say that he shows regret through actions when those actions have been bare-minimum saving the world. He never tries to show kindness to anyone he’s hurt. He dips in, saves the day with snarky commentary, and dips out.

Yes, Macaque isn’t good with words, but he also doesn’t seem to try. When he shows up as MK’s having a breakdown in season 4 he doesn’t try to comfort the kid, he literally announces himself by degrading Wukong. Which— do you think that would make MK feel better? Sorry, that was mean, but seriously.

MK thought Macaque was being a dick because Macaque showed up acting like one.

He didn't try to murder MK, he used him as bait to satiate a long-standing grudge. A bad thing, but not done unprompted.

… Yes. Yes, he did. He would’ve crushed MK to a pulp in s1 ep9 had Wukong not shown up. Macaque had no idea that Wukong would’ve shown up at that exact moment. For all he knew MK was about to die by his hand and he was CHILL with it. More than chill, actually!

Also— what do you mean ‘not done unprompted’?! Trying to kill a kid because you have beef with his mentor seems pretty unprompted to me! MK had no issues with Macaque until Macaque showed up to manipulate and kill him. Just because Wukong wronged Macaque once doesn’t make Macaque trying to kill his mentee prompted, I would say doing something like that is very much unprompted!

He didn't brutalize MK. He used harsh means to teach MK a valuable lesson. It was bad to use MK's friends the way that he did, it was bad to go at MK's safety and headspace to get his point across. But it was done with the intent of a good outcome.

What point?! What outcome?! I just rewatched the episode and all Macaque says is that MK’s a good kid with a bad teacher (which is an opinion, by the way), and Macaque could’ve just said that. And he says that AFTER he leaves the theatre and MK had to hunt him down. The ‘point’ Macaque was trying to get across was that MK and Wukong were selfish assholes who didn’t care about their friends— which is a biased and factually incorrect narrative that he made up because he couldn’t see Wukong and MK as two different entities.

I’m sorry, but no lesson is worth violating the autonomy of three people and traumatizing another. Tell me; if Wukong did anything similar to that to teach MK a lesson, would you still be cool with it?

He fought Tang for the Ring of Samadhi (I'm pretty sure he barely even hit him, so I wouldn't say "violently beat on", but an attack is still an attack so I won't tell you you're wrong)

Macaque kicks Tang in the face and throws him to the floor. He tries to punch him in the face and the ONLY reason he didn’t get to kick the shit out of Tang more was because Tang managed to unlock his cicada powers. Macaque didn’t beat on Tang more because of lack of opportunity, not lack of malice.

and, again, was just playing mind games as we see him do constantly no matter the enemy--a defense mechanism, a legit fighting strategy.

It’s also known as projection. Macaque does it a lot, especially to MK. Macaque brings up Wukong during their fight despite the fact that Tang was benched by MK and has barely interacted with Wukong that season. Also— Tang is (if we’re going off of Word of God) around 40. What threat does he pose to Macaque to necessitate a defense mechanism? Even when Tang gets powers it’s just making a shield. THAT is a defense mechanism.

But he was under the iron fist of LBD, and wouldn't have even bothered with Tang otherwise (I really could keep going about his actions in s3 and how well masked his encouragement of their team actually is). He was given his warning before this moment, and literally almost was killed then and there before he told her about their plan. LBD wouldn't have even known about it and thus wouldn't have had the time to prepare until his life was on the line.

This is true, but again, he goes about things in the most violent manner possible. Also— the only visible encouragement I see is at the end of ‘The Winning Side’, and that’s mostly to himself. Sure, maybe he’s not as violent as he could be, but that’s still not better.

His siege of the Dragon Palace of the East Sea was also only done because the LBD was practically dangling his right to live in front of him and as a means of self-preservation. This is a bad thing he does, but one that hardly counts, because again, he never would've bothered otherwise.

I’m gonna let you in on a little secret: the siege of Ao Guang’s palace? Yeah, that was before the ice curse that threatened to encase Macaque’s body. Sure, he was being coerced by LBD before then, but he still chose to attack the palace. He acknowledges that Ao Guang was only sent to slow him down— he could’ve left and pursued the team instead! But he instead chose to siege the palace and assault Ao Guang and he does so smiling and laughing.

Also— my god, ‘one that hardly counts’?! Just because you’re being coerced into an action doesn’t mean that everything you do during that suddenly doesn’t count! Oh, it doesn’t count to Macaque’s character? Well, guess what! It counts to the destroyed palace, the probably injured people who lived in that city, and the definitely injured Ao Guang.

You can’t write off everything Macaque does in s3 and use LBD as a scapegoat. She is an instigator for his actions, yes, but she wasn’t whispering in his ear to attack the palace. And if she was— he sure seemed to have a hell of a time doing it either way.

You're right, trauma doesn't exempt someone from responsibility, but the point isn't that Macaque isn't responsible for his bad actions, because in most cases, he is. But there's a lot of detail and understanding of his character that's missed when you take all of his actions before his redemption (and even after for some reason) and write him off as a "bad person".

Holding someone accountable ≠ missing nuance and detail. Macaque does bad things repeatedly, many times of his own free will, and even when they aren’t he takes them a lot farther than necessary.

And I gotta ask— when was Macaque’s redemption for you? Was it when he said sorry or showed remorse to somebody? Because I hate to break it to you, but that NEVER happens. Never. Not once. He leaves, shows up to nominally help, then leaves. There is zero present remorse there. Saving the world one time after all your other options are exhausted and getting a little speech about how deep down you’re actually a good person doesn’t ‘redeem’ you.

I thought we all agreed that redemption is taking accountability for your actions and making steps to be better. Macaque never does either of those things. The most he does is save the world and help out the team. That’s it. He doesn’t say sorry. He’s not kind — physically or with words — to anyone. He sticks to the shadows and doesn’t say anything until there’s an opportunity to be snarky and bag on Wukong. That is it.

Also, like I said at the start, Time never writes Macaque off. They acknowledge several times his complexity, and how he is a very nuanced character with multiple facets. But being a complex dick is still being a dick.

That’s all! If you’ve read this far thank you, and again, I don’t mean this as an insult, just a debate. Have a good day!

For fun how about rating Wukong ship from lmk and give your opinion why?

SWK Ship Ratings

(Scores rank from -10 at the lowest, and 10 at the highest)

Shadowpeach

Name Rating: 5/10. Basic, but rolls off the tongue. Started the trend of Sun Wukong having extremely basic ship names- more on that below.

Canon Rating: 0/10. Whatever they had in the past, Macaque simply treats Wukong far too awfully to really justify the two of them ever getting together. Even the attempts at reconciliation feel more like extremely forced ship baiting, given how it goes from one of the two being marginally kinder to the other than usual, then immediately dropping it for more sniping. (Past!Shadowpeach receives 5/10.)

Fanon Rating: -10/10. I’ve spoken at length about this, but fans love to distort Wukong into a drooling abuser so stupid he can’t breath through his nose, usually while turning Macaque into a Possession Sue who only serves to be the author’s simpering self-insert who is the most perfect little baby of all time who has never ever done anything wrong at all even once. If there is an attempt to be “nuanced” or “unbiased” it manifest as “Sun Wukong “killed” (re: defended himself against) Macaque so he’s worse.” It’s an awful, extremely pervasive dynamic that rots any fandom enjoyment I could have had for this couple.

Personal Enjoyment: 6/10. Getting to write Macaque as the legitimately awful person that he is takes off the edge of seeing constant “uwu sadboi” Macaque content. Still, I don’t touch anyone else’s Shadowpeach content because of this.

Peachlotus

Name Rating: 2/10. As you’ll see, most ship names involving Sun Wukong are, uh… extremely lazy. Just one of the other character’s traits with “peach” slapped before/after it. Fandom really dropped the ball with most of these. This one is especially clunky, at least on my tongue.

(See, Macaque gets stuff like Lunartides, Inkypages, Shadowpeach, etc- all very cool.. We need to diversify the nouns is what I’m saying. Coulda been something like “GingerRoot” cause orange fur + plant boy. “FlowerBuds” for the platonic name for peaches + lotuses. Do you guys see what I’m saying. It can’t just be raw peaches all the way down.)

Canon Rating: 2/10. Ne Zha also doesn’t treat Wukong too kindly, interacting with him mostly through insults and physical attacks. He does seem to have some understanding of the king, though, which gives him a slight boost over Macaque.

Fanon Rating: 1/10. It barely exists, and what little does exist is essentially just “Ne Zha is mad at Wukong over what the fuck ever, so they’re fighting” and little more. There’s a lot of potential for bonding over immortality and awful pasts or being commandeered by domineering authority figures, which I wish was used more often.

Personal Enjoyment: 2/10. I don’t see the dynamic, personally. Again, Ne Zha’s only interactions with him are only ever vitriolic or exasperated in nature, which doesn’t leave stable footing for a relationship to stand. Maybe I’ll make a chatbot for them one day and see if I come around to it.

“Freepeaches”

Name Rating: -5/10. This shit is exactly what I’m talking about with the lazily slapping “peach” onto whatever and going on. “Free” has no meaning between Wukong and Tang- it’s just a holdover from a more popular ship. Tang only mooches food from Pigsy. That’s one of the biggest elements of their dynamic. Sure, Tang likes free stuff (food, rides, physical labor), but when does he ever get that from Wukong? It just makes no sense.

AND IF IT HAD TO HAVE THE FRUIT, TANGYPEACHES WAS RIGHT THERE

Canon Rating: 6/10. Tang literally drew himself and the Monkey King together inside a heart. He adores Wukong, thought maybe not for who he truly is- and the two don’t any interaction in terms of Tang realizing his autistic parasocial special interest idol is a lonely old sage who misses his friends, which cripples what was a pretty cute dynamic. I think Tang coming down from his hero worship and being just a genuine friend to SWK would be cute, definitely.

Fanon Rating: 9/10. Pretty enjoyable! Freepeaches is one of the few dynamics where Sun Wukong isn’t constantly turned into a punching bag/villain to be beaten around for the amusement of the audience, and the two are often portrayed as legitimately healthy together- I especially enjoy how Tang is portrayed as needing to move past his hero worship for the two to have a healthy relationship. It’s cute.

Personal Enjoyment: 6/10. Never addressing the resemblance to Sanzang or having them interact in regards to this while the circlet is back on Wukong’s head feels like a massively missed opportunity, honestly. I think Sun Wukong’s personal feelings have been left to the wayside for far too long in canon, and getting to a point where almost every fucking character represses their feelings is lazy and boring.

Peachbuns

Name Rating: 4/10. Again. Just “peach” slapped onto an adjective or noun. It’s frustratingly boring. This one sounds delicious and both components are related to food at least, which fits Pigsy’s background… but it also sounds like something a horny dude would ask for pics of in your DMs.

Canon Rating: 1/10. Pigsy isn’t willing to take any of Wukong’s shit, so he serves as a pretty great “bullshit barrier” that provides a legitimately strict opposing force to Wukong, but there’s little else to even their relationship out. He’s never kind or supportive or worried- if the two interact, it’s always through the lens of “Pigsy is mad/suspicious”. There’s never any real bonding or growth between them at all.

Fanon Rating: 4/10. This ship barely exists, and when it does it’s Sun Wukong being lectured through life by a big strong man- not a dynamic I’m a fan of. However, it is surprisingly kind to Wukong in terms of empathizing with his struggles. Again, I wish there was less of “Pigsy teaches Wukong basic life skills” because it falls right back into the revolting fanon that is “SWK is a big dumb fuck who can’t read or cook or take care of himself without a husband to wipe his ass.”

Personal Enjoyment: 2/10. I just don’t click with it. Pigsy doesn’t like Wukong, doesn’t trust him, and doesn’t interact with him outside of that.

Moonstone

Name Rating: 10/10. This is what I like! Moonstone is not only a very real (and very beautiful) mineral, but it ties to both of them equally! You don’t see Wukong’s status as a stone-born demon be referenced often, so this is a refreshing change of pace from the constant “peach” names.

Canon Rating: 7/10. Chang’e is a lovely woman who is simultaneously not be willing put up with Sun Wukong’s bullshit while still legitimately respecting and admiring him. It makes for a nice duality in their relationship that most of his dynamics don’t provide.

Fanon Rating: 10/10. The working dynamic is so fucking good to start with that I’ve never once seen fanon drop the ball. Never. This ship is always so fucking sweet and honest with Chang’e calling out Wukong for his bullshit while never pushing it to the “Shit on Sun Wukong Show” levels that the fandom loves so much- she takes no shit, but does no harm. She’s supportive and acknowledges his traumas and fears. Wukong does his best for her. Moonstone shippers get an A+ and extra recess time.

Personal Enjoyment: 7/10. I just… I really like this one, dammit. There’s not a lot to go off of, but seeing fanworks that do not primarily treat SWK like living trash/baby the hell out of him is nice.

Lionpeach

Name Rating: 3/10. Again. Very boring and generic. I’ve seen Fuzzypeach which is a little cuter, at least. Still, it’s all the same “peach”+noun format.

Canon Rating: 3/10. The devotion Azure bears to Sun Wukong seems like it would bear a higher marking, but it’s shallow and flimsy. Azure never understood Wukong, never wanted what was best for him, never cared about his safety or happiness. Azure projects his beliefs and wants onto the people around him, blinding the big fella to shortcomings on their parts, and is delusional enough to never look inwards. Still, I can legitimately see

Fanon Rating: 0/10. It’s just smut. That’s it. When it isn’t it’s just “Ooooh! Azure is jealous of Macaque! Tee-hee, sorry Azure!” and that’s it. I’ve never actually seen any non-sexual, Azure-focused Lionpeach.

Personal Enjoyment: 5/10. It’s a fun enough dynamic to explore, especially with how unhealthy it is. I’ll probably make a bot of this too one day. Maybe a “yandere dads” type. Or a mutual Primal Moon bot.

Celestialchaos

Name Rating: 10/10. Another not peach-based name is a win in my book!

Canon Rating: 6/10. Xiangliu is civil enough to Wukong (about as much as everyone else), but the mention of them having once been friends is what got my attention. Shrouded past + + potential reincarnation shenanigans + decently civil behavior = a very happy writer. It’s so little but it makes my brain itch.

Fanon Rating: 0/10. It doesn’t even exist babes ;( I’m scrounging for water in the lonely plains of a desert y’all. I’m a lonely little cactus and Celestialchaos is my annual three-inch rain.

Personal Enjoyment: 10/10. C’mon now. You all were expecting this. I love this ship. I’ve already made four chatbots. I love Xiangliu as a wild little freak who desperately tries to push Wukong away from other people and sad lonely Wukong finding refuge in a freaky toxic snake. Especially I like the idea of Xiangliu pitting himself against Macaque and going after Sun Wukong just to cause a little trouble, only to actually catch feelings and start pursuing him in earnest. I like “I want you at your worst so I can prove that I still love you even then” Xiangliu and “You love me at all?” Wukong.

I really like this ship.

End Result

(Scores ranging from -40 to +40)

Shadowpeach= 1/40

(Past!Shadowpeach would around 20)

Lotuspeach= 7/40

Freepeaches= 16/40

Peachbuns= 11/40

Moonstone= 34/40

Lionpeach= 11/40

Celestialchaos= 26/40

[laudofthedeep]

it’s been like ten years since i read it and im still not over the book i read that was like “he had never been completely naked in the last thirty years, not even for sex” like my guy that didn’t even break the top twenty questions i had

[eikichi-supremacy]

and they were singin', bye-bye Miss American Pie // american oldie i think kuwabara unironically listens to

(low effort lyric edit im queueing here in May cos im probably gonna forget it exists otherwise)

[vulcanautus]

slough

[frogsinflannel]

(I’d posted a reply but decided to reblog. Idk tumblr etiquette but this felt more correct ??? Sorry lol)

Ooh obsessed with this. Yes. What is a meaningful relationship? If that’s what Tommy was aiming for, what he wanted with Buck, then from what the show gave us we can assume it means to him showing up for your partner, fitting into their life, but maybe not necessarily letting them into yours. Is he doing that because he thinks he has to earn someone’s love or because he is too afraid to be vulnerable? (Both?) I agree with anon that he needs to have a realization that Buck might be “the man, who in disposition and talents, would most suit [him].” You can just fit. It can be comfortable. Maybe he thinks of love as something you have to give instead of something you’re supposed to share. Though like with all Tommy meta this is kind of textually dubious since the show gave us NOTHING !!! (Oh pardon me. An accountant cousin who gets hives. Truly rounding out the character there.)

there's something about the bucktommy breakup which reminds me of fleabag s2. where the hot priest is like 'i don't know if this is love or god' and then an episode later fleabag asks the priest 'so is it love or god?' and it's clearly god and so the priest leaves her. and i can imagine something similar going through tommy's head when buck asks him to move in, being afraid that what buck is feeling for tommy isn't love of tommy's person but some glorious and abstract feeling of liberation and self-discovery. it's different bc in fleabag the priest realizes himself that it's "god" not love for her, and here tommy is concluding for buck that buck is feeling ""god"" (an abstracted feeling) not love.

anyway, i think tommy's problem is that his idea of romance is too informed by love actually and is insufficiently literary. he needs to come to the practical conclusion that a) buck will never be able to disconnect tommy from his liberating self-discovery and b) that doesn't make how buck feels about tommy not true love. tommy has love actually disease but what he needs, more than he needs someone to run through an airport for him, is a pragmatic austen-esque epilogue, about circumstances and personalities lining up and the natural and rational prevarication about the fact that falling in love is very like god and that's genuinely not a bad foundation for a committed relationship.

buck likewise needs to stop running through airports or proposing in a language he barely knows to people he barely knows. a walk in a park where he just talks to his boyfriend is enough.

ok sharing this because it’s very profound and i need to read it more closely to be able to properly respond but i am also VERY much thinking about the rom-com of it all — what does tommy think love is, what does he expect from a relationship if he’s never actually had a meaningful one? what is the bar?

[charlesemersonwinchesteriii]

Sorry if someone's already made this poll I am just DYING to know if anyone else finds it hard to believe, as the show seems to expect us to do, that he entirely failed to notice both these things.

Speaking for myself, I can accept the possibility that Julian was clever enough to hide his enhancements from even a trained spy, especially given his decades of practice at it. But personally I just cannot believe Garak didn't at least suspect something was off when Julian got replaced.

[hanzajesthanza]

i do actually headcanon that angoulême had some friends spread throughout beauclair & throughout the sansretour valley. but they weren’t good friends. just… “i know a guy” type of deals. very golan drosdeck type of random association like. you’re nineteen. how do you know all of these people. idk. it’s a small criminal underworld after all. but like drosdeck she would have debts with all of them and none of them would be willing to help her and some still are looking to scam her. and despite her… ‘worldliness’, she is still quite naïve

[mad-hunts]

[therewithinthestars]

i'm watching vnc and im so goddamn confused help

[bhaalsdeepbat]

Astarion refers to the other spawn he intends to create as his children and I personally HC it more like his consort spawn eventually plays the role of brood mother to whoever the favored "children" are for eternity. like they recreate a fucked up family unit. romanced player and the children have to compete for scraps while he spoils whoever his romance partner is. and the cruelty of it is that Astarion's consort has all the gifts to be in the sun, but Astarion now wants an eternal night for all of the children he intends to make (and force to live in the shadows).