#it's just so much fun to have them on completely different ends of the spectrum on this one

[hopes-memorial]

She chuckles. "I wouldn't worry too much about them. this is what they're best at, after all. Their father was the one that actually taught them everything they know about it, you know..." That was the real reason that she supported their work in the culinary arts. If it wasn't for Ryomu's tutelage, she wouldn't have ever let them pursue it, but she couldn't deny her husband his legacy.

Sitting down across from him on the couch, she was eager to learn more about the person that her child had chosen. There was something about him that had her suspect... this man was going to break her baby's heart. Would that drive them back to her, she wondered, though it was too soon to really say.

Listening carefully to him, she hums a bit as she nods. "I see, a historian is an interesting line of work for someone your age, how did you get into it?" The mention of a little sister annoyed her. Was Amai technically a parent or a guardian to this kid? Yumemi would have no way of knowing, and if there was anything that she didn't like, it was not knowing something about Amai.

He tilts his head before nodding. “Oh it has been..? I always lose track of time..oh well. You’re right..they are extremely busy with all of this..I just hope they don’t get too stressed with it all.” He muses being able to understand..for once. It was a bit much from what he had seen.

He was a bit hesitant to let her in, but just makes a note to keep a close eye out. He notices her surprise and quietly wonders how it looked before..but doesn’t see a need to ask her.

The choice of words makes him raise an eyebrow, but he nods. A part of him hoped it was just a concerned parent..but from what he knew about their partner he knew logically that was unlikely. “Uh..well alright..I’m Naoko..I work as a historian..provide emotional support for Amai..and watch over my little sister. That’s about it..” all he was comfortable sharing at least.

[saintzweig]

I neeeed patrick with a girl who matches his freak completely, like im talking exact same personality exact same sex drive everything, however, she’s like. extremely short. like im talking teeny tiny barely 5’0 and she looks totally normal but you get a sip of alcohol into that girl and you’d think patrick zweig got a boob job bc holy shit she’ll fuck anyone that moves but also she’s like.. scary smart and honestly kinda reserved in daily life but the second the sun goes down she’s like a gremlin

also. I’m imagining tashi here being the reasonable one and having to deal with both of them being bratty drunk assholes most of the time (arts just, watching & giggling bc he’s such a sweetie pie and would never be this much of a trashy mess) - 🎾

reader and patrick being infamous in their friend group for being messy at parties, they can't help that they're the life of the party!!! all four of you became close friends during your first year of college despite looking like you have different personalities– tashi's the high achiever, art's the soft hearted tennis player, patrick is the cocky man whore obviously and you're a model student, a teacher's pet. but behind closed doors, the four of you have a lot of fun– especially you and patrick. you look like the two opposite ends of the college student spectrum, he likes to make fun of you too for your personality and your height so fights happen often. but with a little bit of alcohol or weed, you're immediately all over each other.

tashi desperately wants to put the both of you in a leash because the second you walk into a party, you're gone. probably in someone's bedroom with a bottle of tequila and your clothes on the floor.

the two of you fighting for dominance, too prideful to submit to the other. it's absolutely messy– saliva and sweat everywhere and honestly, it looks painful the way you're pushing each other up against everything and clawing at each other's skin but all you care about is pleasure and fun. that's what you two give each other.

you've tried every position imaginable, every single way to pleasure someone but as soon as you're sober, you act like patrick has never touched or been inside you at all. like you two were just perfectly platonic, normal friends.

fine line between genius and insanity, 🎾 anon you are a freak!!!!! i love it!!!!

[acealopinions]

Ways to use Alastor for NSFW content from the perspective of a sex-repulsed Asexual.

Asexuality is a spectrum that doesn’t just cover a complete repulsion to all forms of sexual interaction. 

For example: I am repulsed by IRL sex or intimacy of any kind. I don’t wish to engage in it and I don’t want people to associate me with it. However, I can completely enjoy NSFW content of fictional characters so long as their bodies do not line up too much with my own and it doesn’t involve anything that isn't drawn or written. My own self is completely detached from it, the enjoyment just comes from thinking it’s fun to happen between fictional characters.

First and foremost: Asexuality does not automatically mean Aromantic and Aromantic does not automatically mean Asexual. I need to make it very clear for the people in the back that an Asexual person CAN IN FACT want a relationship. There are many Asexuals of all types currently in happy relationships.

Stop spreading the misinformation that all Asexuals cannot have and don’t want relationships, thank you.

Everything listed are suggestions not things you are required to do.

Some details I want to cover on how you can use Alastor for NSFW content are the following (I'm going to put person for ease of writings sake, but this does also cover Poly relationships with Al):

His partner is his first time: It can be a good idea to not give him a sexual history or prior desires for it unless it’s plot relevant to how you’re portraying him. But any kind of first time enjoyment is best to be drawn/written with the person he’s being shipped with. It’s alright to make him good at it for his first time given he has been in hell for a long time and well… It’s hard to miss how exactly it’s done.

It’s for the domination factor: Sex can be a way to feel in control of another person and Alastor likes his control! All the satisfaction can come from being in control with no sexual gratification involved.

Just satisfaction from seeing his partner enjoying it: Enjoyment without sexual gratification can be gained from seeing the way their partners react and making them feel good as their sole source of enjoyment. His complete focus would be on what he can do to them and what they want to do for their pleasure.

Having sexual gratification from the above reasons: If you want him to have sexual gratification it needs to take into account the different reasons an Asexual might like it, possibly with the examples I listed. I'm going to say this repeatedly, but it should not be sex for sex's sake.

Some other ways to involve Alastor’s Asexuality into the idea of sex:

The idea of other people having sex still disgusts him. Only him and his partner are appealing. Everyone else can stop now.

He wants to immediately shower after and is uncomfortable with being dirty after.

Swallowing fluid is something he won’t do. Perhaps he can still do oral, but he won’t swallow. 

Won’t accept certain positions due to his preferences on why he's engaging in sex in the first place.

I always like the idea of him telling his partner that he’s never had any interest in that kind of thing, but is willing to perform certain acts because he is attracted to them in some ways. Then, there’s something about the act/seeing them in some way that makes him want to indulge in his own specific ways. 

Completely repulsed/disinterested and/or Aro Alastor always matters. If that’s how someone headcaons him that way respect it. But anyone who headcanons him that way also be respectful to the people who want to involve him in NSFW as long as it respects his Asexuality.

People who make him Allosexual… I just have no respect for you.

Other Asexuals give your opinions on this, but be polite please. I am not the end all be all of the subject of Alastor’s Asexuality. I just don’t think we need to automatically jump to the conclusion that he is repulsed/disinterested.

Allosexuals, please respect that he is canonly Asexual and the opinions of Asexuals does matter. Take into consideration how you use him and don’t just jump to him liking sex for sex’s sake.

[plurapony]

I know we've all seen the posts that claim to know when strangers online are faking DID. They're wrong of course! but we all know that and frankly I'm tired of discussing the same points. So instead I wanna get inside their heads and see WHY they think that they can tell if someone is faking!!! Fun!!!

1. Internalized Ableism

There's a lot of shame that comes with a diagnosis of DID. Some people are utterly terrified of being seen as weird or different by society, and for some that can translate into projecting their shame onto those who are comfortable with their disorder. It's a simple philosophy, if you think someone is cringe and you share a diagnosis with them then that means you're cringe too, so if you convince yourself that they are actually faking their diagnosis - you're off the hook and you're not cringe!

DID is very much a spectrum and some people are going to have more obvious symptoms than others. There are some people that have a complete inability to mask their symptoms too. It's like someone with high-functioning autism looking down on someone else who has low-functioning autism. Still ableism even if you share the disorder!

2. Lack of Research & Highly Populated Misinformation.

DID is an extremely under researched disorder, this is something we all know about. This means that a lot of therapists (even trauma informed specialists) aren't experts on DID, and as individuals we are constantly getting things wrong. When it comes to things like commorbid disorders it's basically uncharted territory! I have OCPD and believe me with the DID combo I have NO IDEA about what is going on in my brain 90% of the time.

Which means that misinformation gets spread a TONNE because if there isn't an available study to debunk it, how can we know if it's not true? For example there was an article that went round that gave an average amount of alters. That's great but for an average to be accurate they need to have the appropriate sample size (commborid disorders, different types of trauma, split tolerances, ages etc you get the point) This study didn't have all of that but it got spread anyways. There have also been claims that DID cannot be diagnosed until over the age of 18 which is entirely false. It's a disorder formed in childhood and if the child is in the right kind of treatment it can potentially be spotted MUCH earlier. ALL THE TIME I see people on Tumblr attributing systems with large amounts of introjects to faking DID. Which is just... introjects aren't a rare phenomenon! It's just not that big of a deal and it's definitely not worth fakeclaiming someone over.

3. Gold Star DID & Difference in Presentation

There are people in this community who have been diagnosed with DID and receive regular therapy treatment. Happy for them! But some of them take it too far and use it as an opportunity to become pretentious towards other systems. They know themselves and their own symptoms, so they think that they know everyone else's symptoms as well.

The truth is that there is no such thing as Gold Star DID and everyone is going to have different experiences with DID. Yes, everyone still needs the DSM criteria of course but we are human and as individuals we are all incredibly different - that's going to translate into our disorders!

So to end this, you cannot tell when someone is faking but these are all reasons people THINK they might know if someone is faking!

[nabi-unveiled]

Nabi Notices (April 22 23, 2025)

It was so much fun getting to play the emoji tag game this week. I actually have a notebook where I've played/wrote down my guesses on these types of games when I was lurking in the past so it was a lot of fun getting to actually participate. I joked that it felt like I had talked to people all day when I had only said 10 words in real life. I mean that literally. I counted them.

But I now have very few brain cells left. 😂

This is further evidenced by the fact that I went to sleep before midnight yesterday. That almost NEVER happens. I have to do most of my "serious" show watching at night so I burn a lot of midnight oil.

I'm very grateful to @soypim for this epic exercise in distraction and work procrastination.

The Things I Noticed This Week:

People have strong feelings about Heesu in Class 2. I've been reading a lot of the commentary on Heesu since I find the discussions and different interpretations/reactions interesting. I always find it intriguing when people have such strong but opposite reactions to the same thing.

(The answer to that question is yes btw.)

I've only watched through episode four as I've prioritized Love for Love's Sake over Heesu since both shows are long form posts. I now wonder where I'll end up on this spectrum of reactions when I do get around to watching it. It's hard to tell.

In things I did watch...it was a lot. I was initially shocked by how many shows I made it through at least one episode of this week (13+). Especially as it still felt like I slept, and I actually engaged in multiple social activities. But then I remembered that I didn't write as many posts this past week, and that probably is correlated.

The "winners" for the week:

Fabulous Fit

This V-neck sweater in Love for Love's Sake won my fit for the week.

My brain just keeps wondering how it would feel. I've thought about this sweater way too many times in the past week. Would it be fuzzy? Would it be itchy? Is it as soft as it looks? Or would the texture give it a rougher feel? It looks like a heavier material. How weighted would it be? For the record, weight is often a good thing for clothing in my book. However, I hate the wall color. I haven't mentioned it in my posts about LFLS. It could be symbolic. But I hate that wall color SO VERY MUCH that any interpretation would be biased.

Honorable mentions to Jin Hwan from Business as Usual and Ji Hoon from Something's Not Right. I enjoyed a lot of Jin Hwan's looks, and I would love to add this white jacket to my closet.

Fascinating Find

Thanks to the emoji game, I now have a new show (Triage) to add to my "everyone else seems to have seen it" list. I now just have to decide which show to indulge in next as one of my backlist watches.

I also identified two shows that I know I started and watched in part but must have dipped out on when life got busy. Because the likelihood that I completely forgot about a character fervently praying in I Saw You in My Dream or the olive oil in I Feel You Linger in the Air....not high. Not high at all.

Maybe I should start a spreadsheet like so many of you all seem to do. I've just mostly kept records in my brain, but it's obviously not an accurate way to keep track.

Fantastic Frame

I can't even pretend my fantastic frame this week was due to symbolic purposes or even strong use of cinematography. I actually struggled to decide exactly WHICH frame from the scene I wanted to include. But thanks Fight For You.

We're vertical. There's pinning. There's a mirror. Need I say more?

Fun Fluorish

The sticky note intros in My Stubborn was such a fun touch. I wish I could read them without using a translation app, but I loved it as a way to introduce the characters. We got a lot of information quickly.

That said - I need this woman on my screen more. 👀

Favorite Fragment

When I first watched Business as Usual this past week, I thought this line would be my fragment of the week.

That line hit me HARD. I felt it in the core of my being. I've SAID a variation of that line before in a conversation with my husband. We've been together twenty years, but we have very different memories about certain events. We're both very introverted people who keep a lot of thoughts in our heads so that's no surprise. We've had to learn how to TALK and get the words out of our heads. Honestly, we're still working on it. It's why, as painful and scary as those conversations can be, Jin Hwan and Min Joon are both going to NEED to use their words.

But as hard as that line hit me, it's not the line I've dwelled on as the week progressed. It's this one:

Accompanied by a set of dialogue from this week's episode of When Live Gives You Tangerines.

I'm older than both of these characters, but I understand these thoughts so well. I struggle with it now probably more than I did in my early 20s. Back then, I thought I knew the answers. But as life becomes increasingly complicated, as I've learned so much more about the world around me, as I've embraced my own sexuality and deconstructed religiously, and as I now have to navigate explaining those things to my children -> I don't know anything.

My 10 year old asked me a really important question just this week that I had to say "I don't know the answer to that." His response "How am I supposed to figure it out if the adults don't know?" My thought - I wish I knew kid. But I told him, "We'll just have to keep working on it together." It's the best I had at the moment.

I will also say that this line in Tangerines cracked me up a bit too. My daughter recently conducted a survey to see how people would describe me in three adjectives. It was a wild experience. Not a single word was repeated. My husband describes me as "wife, mother, writer". Not one adjective in the bunch. 🤣

At this point, this section probably should've been it's own post. Moving on.

Feral Fan

This was a special category I created for the week, but I felt it was important to include. This category probably won't be a weekly occurrence. It will be reserved for a moment that I had a strong emotional reaction to while watching.

As in - I might have been LOUDLY yelling at the screen during Top Form. I just really really really wanted Jun to squeeze harder and choke the bastard. There is no redemption possible here. I will throw things.

My Queue for the Coming Week:

As always, I'll watch other things. I just don't know what.

Something's Not Right (Ep 3/4)

Business as Usual (Ep 4)

Top Form (Ep 7)

Love for Love's Sake (Finish Ep 4/Ep 5)

When Life Gives You Tangerines (Ep 6)

Cooking Crush (remaining episodes)

[nathandrakeisabottom]

HELLO, I found ur blog while lurking thru old uncharted content on here... I just wanted to say ur take on nate x elena and on the opposite side of the spectrum, nate x chloe is so refreshing to see. I felt like I was being gaslit seeing so many people call nate and elena soulmates.

their dynamic has always felt so weird to me for a lot of the reasons you've voiced and also because Nate almost never initiates any kind of ?? anything with her that we see on screen unless it's bordering on almost platonic. she's always the one touching and kissing all over him while he's just....sitting there, even in pictures. I don't know if that's intended to be a way of showing his issues with relationships and intimacy due to his upbringing or if it has something to do with the games rating ORRR what but like you said it feels very mother-son-esque at times

ALSO FEEL FREE TO IGNORE THIS if it no longer aligns w ur views or if u think elena fans will jump you for it, I just wanted to let u know I see & hear u and ur valid 🙏

Oh, anon. Oooooh, anon. You’re in for a treat, my friend.

I love you and am very politely and extremely elegantly kissing you on the mouth right now. You are in my arms and I am cradling your beautiful little head like a fresh baby. The world has stopped for us.

You want refreshing? Lemme pour you a tall glass of 2016-Relevant-Hot-Take-Lemonade.

So, on that note, why don’t we just J U M P right into it.

★ The “Why I Don’t Ship Nate and Elena” Essay ★

(I need you to know I legit CHEERED outloud when I got your message. I have lots of feelings on this topic, so let’s boogie on down.)

To my dearly departed Uncharted fandom, here is the obligatory “ship and let ship” section. Here is the essential “there is a huge difference between a healthy real life love and a dynamic that makes for an actually interesting and fulfilling story”. Here is “all ships are valid and all in good fun and never in a million years would this post be a ‘you shouldn’t ship this extremely popular and completely canon ship that has been beloved for over a decade now’”. Because… of course, and I won’t continue my rant before setting those standards in place.

However, if you’re still here and aren’t throwing tomatoes, here is why I don’t care for Nate and Elena as a couple, and why it’s (at times) tainted my overall love for Uncharted. 

To begin with, I’ve never been of the enemies to lovers variety, and disagree if you’d like, but they seem to be the epitome of this sort of classic, gendered trope. Elena is only present for half of each game, and 70-90% of each of those segments is them actively in conflict. As I see it— and absolutely correct me if I’m wrong!— not an opinion. That’s just the canon script and story of all 4 games. Them playfully bickering at the very end (UC4 with a few extra scenes as the exception) and then fading to black has never been enough to convince me that all their conflict was worth the struggle in the end, but that very much seems to be what the game is telling us. It’s worth it to talk about clowns with a man whose most romantic moment is joking about how he didn’t really mind much when you almost died. 

This ‘wearing and annoying them down until they give in with an eye roll and a smirk’ has never been my personal cup of tea, but it is a classic, well-used dynamic. This is why it honestly often confuses me when folks act like they’re this super unique, one-of-a-kind love story, which I’ve fought to understand and just… can’t. Han and Leia. Doppler and Amelia. Allie and Noah. I’m not sure if it’s a statement on the breadth of external media mainstream Uncharted fans consume or a statement on the state of romance in video games, but it’s certainly always been a bit of a shock for me.

However, it’s a well-loved, classically used trope, so I can understand why it’s a shipping home base for a lot of folks. And the fighting/conflict to get to the resolution makes for a satisfying fictional story. I won’t argue there.

On the topic of “soulmates”… I personally don’t understand it at all. The centerpiece of Nathan and Elena’s dynamic is and always has been “will Nathan choose his passion (the adventure) over Elena?”. Even seasoned fans will have to admit, the first game throws a confusing wrench into the whole affair. The very beginning, we see NATE to be the one to throw in the towel on his treasure hunt, and ELENA to be the one to inspire him to push on. I think that’s a cute, classic set-up, and I genuinely do believe that Elena’s initial character has a lot of fun parts and places to explore. She was allowed to be her own person with her own motivation, her own wants apart from Nathan, and, most importantly, FLAWS. You can even hear it in Emily Rose’s performance. Elena was allowed to have spunk and energy, because she was allowed to want things outside of Nathan, even if they got her into more-than-sticky situations. Unfortunately, as I see it, they were extremely quick to throw the majority of this away in favor of—

Games 2 and 3, where all of a sudden, we have NATE being the one to fight to continue and ELENA being the one to tell him to give it up. Elena gets a complete character remodel. Here we see what segments of the fandom refer to as “naggy wife Elena”, and while I feel that’s a cruel way to phrase it, it’s certainly the creation and cementing of “speakerphone Elena”. In that, Elena is hereby the page of the game’s theme. Whatever she says is what the game wants us to think is the morally right thing to do, without exception. And this, in my opinion, completely flatlined and failed her as a character. Her role in the story was to morally (and often forcibly) course-correct Nathan, and her motivations regarding journalism were sidelined, and would be for the remainder of the series. Her purpose was to show Nathan, and the players, what was right. And what was right turned out to be quitting adventuring, Nathan’s greatest passion, by the end of Uncharted 3.

That is until: Uncharted 4, where again Elena is propped up, now more than ever, as the moral compass who points Nathan towards the right course of action. Journalism? External motivations other than husband? Huh? Baking Powder? However, what makes this interesting, and that much odder, is that we now have ELENA again pushing NATHAN to go on an adventure, with Nathan being the one who needs to be encouraged to do so (this time by a guilt-tripping, countdowning Sam). Still today the fandom argues Nathan’s initial reason for turning down the reasonably safe Malaysia job. However, after taking into account all previous games, (hottest take of all time incoming) I honestly DON’T blame Nate for thinking lying to Elena was the only option, considering how frequently and often at random her approval of his passion for adventuring swayed, and how intrinsically tied to his own morality and value as a person her romantic approval was (by the writers, the characters, the fans, and the game itself). 

Listen. This poor girl doesn’t know what she wants. And frankly, neither does Nate. In my opinion, it really is as simple as the writers had an ending and a lesson in mind, and these characters were merely a megaphone to whichever lesson they wanted to push that game. It’s an unfortunate reality and really the only thing to explain how borderline comedically wishy-washy both characters were if we look at the series as a whole. But to act like Nathan and Elena were always on the same page to the point of “soulmates” feels like little else but wishful thinking.

In the end of Uncharted 4, they ultimately chose… both both and neither. Which makes sense. What fun is a video game that tells you the video game part is the bad part you’re too tired and old for and should feel guilty for playing? (PS: Elena, girl, you’re 31. THIRTY-ONE. Settle down? You should be at the CLUB. Watcha doing with a manchild 8 years older than you when you were 24? UC4 was heteronormative as fuck and felt like it was written in the Reagan ‘80s, eat my ass.) They ultimately return to the UC3 ending of Nathan throwing in the towel of his dangerous escapades with Sully & The Gang™, but meet in the middle for a safe and legal scavenging company. A cute and reasonable compromise, even I’ll admit. A long way to come just to return to scene one of game one, but… fine. 

At the end of the day, though, I can’t find it in me to fully blame or villainize Nate. If it felt like love was the reward for giving up the thing you loved doing most, why wouldn’t you feel completely torn in two?

Nathan IS Adventuring. Him and his love for history, and his endless pursuit of its honor, to be apart of it, are one and the same. That has ALWAYS been the case. And (HOTTEST TAKE EVER COMING THROUGH) why THAT Uncharted 4 scene will never be as romantic to me as it seems to be to every other Uncharted fan.

“I’m sorry.” “It’s okay.” 

Nathan shouldn’t have to apologize for his greatest passion to the person who’s supposed to understand and accept him more than anyone else— let alone after a 7-year-long on-off relationship. This should not be a surprise, let alone a persisting relationship-breaking problem, at this point. Because it should not be something that needs to be forgiven. And it is absolutely heartbreaking to see a man exactly in the midst of the thing he loves most, spouting passionately about what excites him like a settled life with Elena never could, and his first impulse is to apologize. (We all know he’s not just apologizing about lying. We know this. It’s far, far more than that. We KNOW this. Let’s not bad faith criticism on this particular point.)

It’s not something he should have to apologize for, because in any other context, with any other person in the entire series, they would understand just to what degree this means to him. And while Elena says point blank “I missed the adventure” in the second to last scene of the series, I personally felt this was an extremely tell-not-show moment, and very little of the previous games runtime actually shows Elena being just as passionate about it as Nathan is. Had they allowed Elena to still have that self-drive and love for journalism persisting over from the first game, I think this moment might’ve actually stuck the landing for me. Instead, I often find myself saying “You don’t NEED to be sorry” when I watch this scene. Because nothing feels worse than having to feel guilt for the thing you love most.

(Justice for Chloe. She understood.)

I find that a lot of Elena’s arguing against adventuring falls flat under the genre conventions of Uncharted. It is tonally light, it is fun, it is playful, and even at the brink of death, characters are cracking jokes. All of which is generally fine. However, when the greatest argument against the protagonist’s passion is “if you had been killed, I wouldn’t have even known about it” (which is fully legitimate and heartbreaking in any other context)… and yet not a single character dies, it ends up feeling like an empty threat. Elena almost dies, but is saved by her friends, cracks jokes and fades to black. Charlie breaks his leg, we never see him again, cut to Nathan cracking jokes, fade to black. If Uncharted had always had the concrete consequence of a series like Last of Us, this argument could’ve absolutely worked. Instead, we (and Nathan) feel guilted for a consequence we know will never happen, and instead wonder why the blonde lady keeps showing up to tell us to stop playing the fun running, shooting video game when the fun running, shooting video game is fun and LOOK— everyone is fine and happy at the end! Why WOULDN’T we want to do it again? It ends up ringing exceptionally hollow, and instead like a mom scolding her son for playing too close to the street. Except the street is in a suburb and all the cars are made of styrofoam.

Based on the second flashback scene in UC4, the game’s argument seems to be: If you continue the adventure and stay in your hubby hole with your treasures, you’ll push away everyone you love and end up in a big house alone with nothing but your sarcophaguses for company. HOWEVER, that was NEVER Nathan’s story. Because Nathan ALWAYS chose his friends over the treasure, EVEN WITHOUT ELENA. He and Chloe rescue Elena. He tries to save Marlowe. He goes back and fights Rafe to save Sam. But the writers didn’t trust Nathan to come to any character arc on his own, and thus Elena was fitted as the plot device to get him there, to the detriment of both characters. 

The only remaining problem factor I can think of, again looking at that second UC4 flashback scene, is children. And I’m so sorry to be the bearer of bad news Naughty Dog… but not every couple needs to have children to have fulfilling lives. Personally, I would’ve loved to have seen them be legal-adventuring childless, or hell, *adopting* a child (which would’ve been such a beautiful full-circle moment. Hell, specifically an older kid if we wanna pull a “saving a future Sam” moment. But, alas… the a g e n d a.)

Now, let’s move from facts and canon and all that nerdy shit— and move onto my favorite (and a far more nebulous) topic: CHEMISTRY.

Let’s get one thing out of the way. As an actor myself, I’m the LAST person who’s going to say real life and movies are the same and acting isn’t real and if something is happening offstage it’s happening on and vice versa. I think that’s all a load of crap. 

HOWEVER, I do believe chemistry exists and is a very real thing, and exists both platonically and romantically. I don’t think it’s something that can always be created. A lot of times, it’s either there or it isn’t. Just like in real relationships. It’s what makes Nate and Sully so great. And in my opinion, actor chemistry is 100% what makes Uncharted special. It’s why it’s stood the test of time. It’s why nobody liked that terrible movie adaptation. It was moving exactly what made Uncharted Uncharted. 

Now, I do think Nate and Elena can have their moments. Ironically enough, I think their best chemistry is in the scene in Uncharted 3 where they are actively discussing their recent divorce. There is a tension, a playfulness, and— a rare point in these games— it feels entirely equal and mutual. (I’m of the same opinion as you, anon, that most romantic moments between them are pretty one-sided, with either Elena throwing herself over a snarky, dismissive Drake, or a groveling Nathan with a reasonably-bitter Elena.) And personally, their dynamic is a worthy addition, I just never felt like it had that natural… ease and affection that allowed for a compelling romance. 

For those not in the know, fun fact, but Claudia Black (voice of Chloe in 2, 3, and Lost Legacy) was initially cast as Elena, but had to drop due to scheduling conflicts. Personally, this explains so much of why Nate and Chloe’s chemistry is so much more effective for me (they were the OGs!), and I will always wonder what the series would’ve been like with Claudia and Nolan’s dynamic as the driving force behind the series instead. A drive, an energy, a mutuality, and a chemistry I just don’t think Nolan and Emily ever had. Maybe it’s an age gap thing, maybe it’s an acting experience thing, maybe it’s purely coincidence.

And take it all with a very small, petite grain of salt, but even in interviews, I honestly get that previously-mentioned dynamic with Nathan and Elena both in-game and off. 

This video especially reflected how I see them in game:

https://youtu.be/4EIUuGp16F4?si=MBSsCcKIR_fyQzic. (Particularly 1:27)

Of course, it’s all extremely funny and teasing and played for laughs, but I do think there is something to Emily Rose needing to get Nolan to say what Nate likes about Elena, and the whole “which one’s Elena?” bit. Also, the way Emily explicitly says they’re only able to really function when it’s chaotic, and in my opinion, none of the games ever really served to reject that statement. Uncharted 4 would’ve been the perfect time to prove this wrong (I would LOVE to see Amy Hennig’s version of this. Who knows, maybe I wouldn’t be writing this at all if we had seen her version!), but alas, it seems even Druckmann and Straley couldn’t figure out a way to include Elena for more than a third of the runtime, let alone 100% amicable with Nate the whole way through, in a way that worked. 

However, the thesis of the Uncharted series as a whole still seems to be that this romantic partnership is worth it. It’s worth removing Charlie and Chloe altogether. It’s worth rejecting Chloe. It’s worth ignoring Sam. It’s worth letting your mother’s legacy go. It’s worth spending the majority of the series finale in a constant guilt trip. 

And not to throw my terribly personal, terribly human viewpoints into the mix, but as someone who has personally witnessed far too many relationships where the playful, upbeat woman fights for the snappy, sarcastic man’s affection and loses everything that makes her her in the process, where the passionate student/artist lets their life’s passion go because they’re “too old” and “it’s time to settle down and let it go”, where (shockingly) two people already got divorced once for a reason— 

It may be cute in a fictional story, but holy shit, is it the ugliest thing I’ve ever seen in reality.

★★★

P.S. For my third and final piping hot take… I wouldn’t doubt it if the Lost Legacy writing team were also of the “it should’ve been Chloe” mindset. I am STILL completely and utterly floored that not a single person I can think of in this entire fandom, not in any Youtube comment section or reddit post, in my own personal experience over 4 years of fandom has mentioned the weight of Chloe’s “I’m tired of walking away” line near the end of Lost Legacy as a clear parallel to her “It’s my turn to walk away” when she tells Nate to pursue Elena instead of her at the end of Uncharted 2. The Legacy of Thieves Collection cover art. Nolan’s delivery on “Another lifetime, Chloe…” in the attic scene of Uncharted 4. 

Chloe had the staying power, the external non-romantic-interest-fueled motivations, the goddamn flaws that any complex, multi-dimensional character should have. It should’ve been her. And I will always mourn that fact.

I could not be more happy that our homegirl got to go out with a bang, (And had the best casting and was the best part of the movie adaptation. PERIOD.)

[itsdeniini]

Could you do a reading for katseye group dynamic? thank youu

PART II ABOUT HYBE'S NEW GLOBAL GG KATSEYE: GROUP MEMBERS DYNAMIC + their personalities

a tarot reading જ⁀➴

PART I : About their concept and success in the US

First of all, all the members are so cool! 😭 The energy those girls are exuding is just so bright, and all around the place, they are the definition of spreading positivity to the masses. They know how to have a bit of fun and connect not only with the public but also between each other, as the debut lineup found a common spell instantly, as if they were meant to be in one group. Now we'll talk more about the members personalities, and later I'll say a bit about their in-group dynamics.

MANON

The Queen of Cups, The Strength, The Star 𖹭

Manon is such a sincere person with a beautiful soul. Her heart is genuinely very good, and she's getting unappreciated for that. At the end of the day, there aren't a lot of people quite like her. I feel like she's also struggling with her own emotions, but she's keeping this ocean of emotions to herself because she thinks that nobody would appreciate her vulnerability. She's so strong for fighting through the difficulties and the circumstances she was put in, as this was something completely new for her, and she wasn't 100% sure she made the right decision to even join the group after being announced. But I think she made the right decision and remained. She has strong star potential, and with more improvement, she'll be able to reach high peaks. She was also the final piece of the puzzle that the group needed—the connection point. Although she has a fragile heart and can get overwhelmed by her own emotions, she knows how to keep her own image and continue to fulfill her obligations.

SOPHIA

The Empress, The High Priestess, 2 of Pentacles 𖹭

Oh, that's queenie! 👸 She has a personality with leaderlike qualities and a lot of compassion for what other people have been through in their lives. Her energy is giving "girl power,"  like she'll gladly carry after her the people who may struggle. Sometimes she may appear unrealistically gentle and soft to the public that is not that familiar with her, to the point where everybody appears oblivious to her strong spirit and rich inner world. She's also holding herself to a high standard in everything, not wanting to appear lesser than anybody else. She can stand by her idea in order to protect her heart from being damaged. Also, her emotional palette is very diverse; she can experience a full spectrum of them, and that's cool, she has duality, something that will most probably help her in her artistic career.

DANIELA

The Fool, The Page of Cups, 7 of Cups 𖹭

She's a bit crazy in a good sense! Her energy is very different from that of the other members. While the other girls are advocating for team building and are good team players, she's more of an independent type. She would make a good solo artist, but starting a group is not a bad decision for her either; she'll gather a lot of experience. The same as Sophia, she has a vast and cosmic inner world. She's so imaginative, sometimes floating in her own fantasies. She most probably had people in her life that told her that she's hard to figure out or that she has a lot of everchanging interests and hobbies, and words like, "Girl, stick to something! You change your attitude/personality/vibe way too much every time." They are just not grasping that she's naturally a chaotic person, and that's not a bad thing. The other way around, that shows she can and will be embodying anything that she will consider her aesthetic, like a chameleon, and thanks to that, she will stand out a lot as time passes.

LARA

The Tower, The Queen of Wands, The Sun 𖹭

The universe has blessed this girl with so much originality! To the point where all that originality can be compared to a bomb that is tick-tack... about to EXPLODE 💥 In a nutshell, Lara is so cool! She likes to keep things real with everybody, and her personality can serve as a blueprint for many other people because she has those special qualities that make her unique. She has a strong backbone to herself, and at first you might think she's so serious, but nah! Lara is sparkly and so funny! She will truly shine as a performer, and with the constant development of her own skills, she will thrive! Everybody should keep an eye on her; she's full of surprises.

MEGAN

The Page of Swords, The Moon, 8 of Pentacles 𖹭

She's on her own wavelength! It's looking like she's in the chapter of her life where she's discovering her own personality, and that's okay; she's the second youngest member after all. I feel like, thanks to this experience, she will discover a lot of new things about herself and will show impressive improvement. Until that time, her light will start to shine brightly to the point where it's dazzling, she will be somewhere in the second roles, as if she will be underappreciated and underrated! People will be sleeping on her for some time, and VERY BAD for them! If there's a member whose potential is still leashed, then that's Megan. In the future, she'll show more versatility and all the other sides of her that she's still oblivious to, discovering everything step by step. She has a great future ahead of her; she should keep it up, and the stars will align for her.

YOONCHAE

The Chariot, The Magician, The World 𖹭

I know a Sagittarius in 5th House girly when I see one! Her personality is so fascinating~ I can compare it to a magnetic field, you know? You can get so easily drawn to her natural charm, and that's the right reason. She's so young but has a clear vision about what she's meant to do in this lifetime, and that's all thanks to her determination and confidence. It's like she found a key to a door in the world of loving yourself to the fullest so early in her life; isn't that fate that she achieved what she was dreaming about for a long time, hm? That's what we mean when we talk about empowerment, and she will display it more and more in the future! If she plays her cards right, then she'll achieve massive success in a short period of time. All she has to do is be 💃smarta🕺baby💃smarta🕺.. c:

☆Their compatibility/ group dynamic☆ ˆ𐃷ˆ

Katseye's members vibe is on point; they're totally in sync ahead of their debut! Each girl brings something exclusive, and together, they're so good. Their energy is infectious, and they know how to hype each other up. They're not afraid to keep it real between themselves, which makes their bond even stronger. They are just at the start of their path and yet to discover more about each other, but if they continue to share a genuine friendship, then they'll get even closer to their common goal of achieving success not only in US but also globally! <(˶˃ ᵕ ˂˶)>

Their current synergy: 3 of Cups, The Sun, The Empress, The World, The Fool

That was it, hehe! I wish Katseye a successful debut (𖹭)

[killcodesashes]

[QUICK RANT ABOUT QUEER REPRESENTATION IN TSAMS/TSBS SHOWS]

[As a genderfluid aroace person myself.]

TSAMS

Uh. I don't like it. Aroace Moon? Cool. Absolutely valid, we love him for that. Wasn't adressed much except in a few episodes which are pretty good, I liked the one where he rejects Foxy a lot!

But recently- g e e z. I understand wanting to bait people in with ships people want! Specifically KidsCove. Same in tmgafs! But the problem is that they do it not just to tease/mess around with the viewers in good fun, they genuinely seem to hate the shippers and actually want to make fun of them? Not just with kidscove but with any other ship that isn't canon. They don't even want to confirm Sun's sexuality, just constantly making it a gag that he has a bisexual flag in his room. Which as a queer person? It's just annoying. Just really annoying ? Please all we want is a confirmation or something? We want queer characters we can actually relate to. And we don't really get that :( Then New Moon came along and said it was possible he wasn't aroace. . . And then they never mentioned it again. So why mention it in the first place ? I don't think I would've minded it if he had just changed how much attraction he felt but was STILL aroace/on the aroace spectrum. As long as it was actually clarified. But they seemed eager to rush to his evil era so they didn't bother to close to any lose ends before hand, though I guess being aroace might've just not been as relevant.

On a bit of a side note- Ruin feels very gay coded. Very gay. There is no way he's straight T.T he's a villain but he's a zesty man and we absolutely adore him for that!!

That was probably an accident, though. Every theatre kid seems gay! /lhj

Just overall upsets me that the VAs seem to act offended by the mere idea of shipping characters? As if that's not a common/vital part of every fandom.

[OTHER SHOWS UNDER THE CUT]

TMGAFS

Upsets me that they can't clarify Puppets identity or pronouns? [Or maybe they have recently but I genuinely doubt it]

Because who are they meant to actually represent ?? It's probably just me but I wish it was more clear or something. I appreciate the VA for trying I do though, absolutely love that guy[Foxy’s VA, genuinely seems to just be a chill guy. And I think it's really cool that he actually does roles that could come off very cringe, voicing most of the cringe dimension characters +struggling with Puppets voice for the longest time.] I just wanna know if Puppet is a trans fem queen or trans masc slay or just trans ? But nothing seems to be clarified.

Again with KidsCove? Genuinely just annoying how they blatantly just do it to make fun of the people who ship them and get views from them.

Foxy seemed to have been gay before his memory loss. Or was at the very least interested in men to an extent. But since he began to be the main character of a show he suddenly only likes women?? S u s. They really keep insisting he's extremely straight and genuinely just annoys me that they erased him being interested in men [Proved he liked men in the episode he asked Moon out.]

. . .now. . . M o n t y. As a genderfluid person? I hate them and literally feel more represented and seen by cis characters from other shows. For the longest time Monty being genderfluid wasn't even adressed and was usually just brought up for plot reasons or something? And it pissed me of that every time they correct a character on Monty's pronouns.. they immediately go back to using he/him pronouns. I think the new fem body is pretty neat! Though I think it would've been more interesting for Monty to stay masc but ACTUALLY get their right pronouns used and their identity getting genuinely respected DESPITE of their appearance. But the body? It's genuinely completely fine! /gen I used to hate my body too and understand that the writers might've thought it might be easier for people if they just used a different body completely! But it annoys me that my gender representation comes in the form of M o n t y. The annoying character known for constantly hating on others and partially destroying their lives. Anyone can be genderfluid, yes. But when the representation is so little? I just wish it was at least a bit better or with a less hateable character.

TLAES

Lunar! Uh. Again can we just get clarification on his sexuality? Is he polyamorous? Bisexual? Omnisexual? Just any clarification please?

Gemini! I wish they were canon nonbinary. They're literally stars. Why did they have to be gendereddd. Also curious about their 'sexuality'? Will also likely never get clarification on it :/

OTHER SHOWS/SIDE NOTES

Roxanne is canon lesbian and so is Glamrock Chica! I'm so sorry but I forgot his name T~T I think it was Tiger Rock[??] Is also canonically gay! Glam Chica has a girlfriend! And I do think their relationship is pretty cute [from what I've seen] and overall wish I would finally get to watching the show a bit more! Funtime Foxy feels very queer to me? Not just because his design is pink but his overall characterization! He does have a girlfriend! But he seems to be comfortable in his own identity and presentation from what I've seen? At least, it seems to be more comfortable than some o t h e r characters. I feel more represented by Funtime Foxy and Lolbit than I ever felt represented by Monty. But that is a personal opinion!

I overall have just lost interest in all of the shows. I'm tired of being constantly disappointed and lead on. But I do wish I could watch more of the other shows since they seem to show more love and care towards their characters :)

CLOSING THOUGHTS!

It's just shows. Does any of this really matter? I think it matters when the shows are claiming to have good representation when they really don't. And they're allowing people who aren't queer/a part of the LGBTQIA+ community to feel like they have the right to shut real queer people down. I've seen so much acephobia and overall homophobia even in this community. A l o t in this community. I wish the writers would listen to ACTUAL QUEER PEOPLE!! I wish the VIEWERS listened to ACTUAL QUEER PEOPLE.

That's what I really want. I just want to be heard and represented.

I don't claim this community. I CAN'T claim a community who is constantly against us.

LISTEN TO QUEER VOICES.

[hulknussen]

So I feel like you are really good at understanding and analyzing relationships, and I wanted to get your take on Nico and Kevin's relationships with their different teammates and how they interacted.

I know it's maybe too much to ask and a big question, but it was mostly because I stumbled upon this old video with Nico and Carlos. And the way Nico acts here with Carlos is just very different to me than what we have seen with Kevin.

I know it's old and all of them were younger and acted differently. But the way he talks to Carlos here seem to me like someone who is very aware of their age difference. Maybe I'm reaching. But as far as I know Carlos is only 2 years younger than Kevin. But I couldn't imagine Nico calling Kevin a sweetie pie like that... Am I talking nonsense?

Also can we talk about Jolyon, who was teammates with both of them. I've heard him talk a lot about Kevin, but I don't remember hearing him talk about being teammates with Nico.

Sorry for the ramble 🧡

definitely don't feel like you have to apologize, I am more than happy to talk about this topic

you're completely right that nico calling kevin sweetie pie (esp the way he did in that video you linked to... damn, nico) would seem quite odd. and I don't think just now, when they're both 30+, fathers, married, etc; it would have also seemed odd if they were teammates in 2018. which, fun fact, is something that was actually on the table for a while, if I recall correctly. which was also the second time a nico/kevin partnership was being considered by a team before haas did it, the time before being by force india.

many a (ni)carlos fan will be quick to point out that their one year and then some tenure as teammates was carlos' only time as the younger driver of a pairing in his entire career. it was also the closest thing nico ever got to having a rookie teammate, and at least from media and pr appearances, both of them seemed to embrace that dynamic quite thoroughly.

on top of that, I think it's important to consider that carlos really wasn't a threat to nico. at all. he'd just gotten let go from toro rosso, leaving him high and dry outside of red bull's revolving door system without getting a shot at the top team, and nico spends almost the entire 2018 season comfortably outscoring carlos. even by the halfway point of the season, when this was filmed, it was evident that nico was the stronger of the two drivers (at least when he didn't retire the race--but then, you could say him still outscoring despite having had four retirements to carlos' single retirement only brought the point home further) within the context of the renault team in its 2018 state.

so, nicarlos overall seemed happy to have nico calling carlos a sweetie pie, be that as a term of endearment, or also as a way of humiliation (to a degree) and establishing dominance. LISTEN: I just think, do not put it past nico inherently. especially not 2018 nico.

context also matters, and in this clip, he is calling carlos a "sweetie pie" for quote: "having feelings for his mechanics", which I will take as a "I like them and would consider having dinner with them" lol. he's also since gone on the record to say that he considers carlos quite the romantic, and that it's (again quote, though not verbatim) "that spanish blood of his" which to me is a clear indication that nico thinks of carlos as more emotional and that therefore a cutiefying--for lack of better word--term like that may be more intuitive to fall back on. something something macho metrosexual masculinity of a high-adrenaline sport.

on the complete opposite end of the spectrum, kevin and nico were pretty much inherently built on conflict and respect. kevin's first season immediately put him into the midfield as a true contender for it, and while the years after that he was often in the weaker car and delegated to finish a little bit further down the order than nico, I still think that by 2018 they were at least established as a real threat to each other in each other's minds. then, paired with a by-then somewhat established reputation of someone who isn't opposed to roughousing, I do not think nico would have taken to calling kevin something like that as easily. it also simply would not have been fitting; kevin is far more closed off, and while not an unemotional man by any means, he also has yet to get described as "lightly brushed by melancholy" by a sports journalist, lol. that is to say, the inclination to even use such a term for kevin, would be far less present, if at all, just based on who kevin is as a person.

as for jolyon, he did a podcast episode talking about nico about four months ago at the time of writing, where he describes nico as a "career killer" of his teammates. I do think it was cope from his end to a degree, because their time as teammates was. well, it sure was something! I don't remember too much, but I do remember that content they did together was horribly awkward in its undertones. jolyon really did not seem to be having a good time, while nico was closer to being a bully than anything else. he was always quick to point out that he was the better driver of the two, often using backhanded compliments or subtly jiving against jolyon even in his presence. boy, did 2017 nico know how to have catfights. I want to say: something something macho metrosexual masculinity of a high-adrenaline sport again, but that's kind of inherent to any analysis of nico's dynamics at this point. also, nico really didn't "end" (as much as another driver even can, but that's a different topic--just always good to consider nuance when talking about this) that many of his teammates' careers. really just jolyon's in my opinion

hopefully this was something! thank you for the ask. I will say though that I haven't given jolyon and nico much thought beyond when that episode aired back in september

[alice-after-dark]

One Day I'll Do a Proper Ship Meme But for Now Here Have My Vox Agenda

Thoughts/headcanons/rambles under cut

TW for abusive StaticMoth and Vox having been a bitch to Sir Pentious.

Alastor/Vox - Do I really need to explain this one? Are you new here? I'll just direct you to search "radiostatic" on my blog. I̸͎̝͛́ ̷͙̲̊̄͐l̴̮̲̭̍͌͆ȏ̶̜v̵̞́̑͒̆e̷̡̡͉̰̍̽́ ̷̇͝ͅt̶̡̛̬̖͓̆h̴̠͎̞͕̑e̵͕̼̜̘͆̈́̃̔m̷̤̜̒

Valentino/Vox - Again, unless you're new here, you'll pretty much know my thoughts on them. Check out my "staticmoth" tag and you'll understand.

Charlie - I see so many parallels between these two and I desperately want them to officially interact in season 2. They're on completely opposite ends of the spectrum and aaaahhhhh I just want to see Vox's cynicism clashing with Charlie's idealism and it could be so good you guys. So good. I do also really like the idea of Charlie being the catalyst to Vox realizing just how much he's changed since arriving in Hell (like he used to enjoy the TV scene for the pure creativity of it and now that's all been replaced by the cold corporate greed).

Vaggie - Honestly, I just think it would be interesting. Also I really hope Vaggie doesn't have a carbon-copy reaction to him like she did Alastor. As I mentioned in a previous post, while yes, she might be cautious, she has less of a reason to be so hostile towards him. Plus their mutual dislike of Alastor would be a bonding moment, but also presents an opportunity for Vaggie to find out more about Alastor (albeit from a biased party).

Angel - I've brought up inklings of these two before, but I think them having a very complicated relationship due to their mutual connection and experiences with Valentino would be interesting, especially in regards to how they both handle it in similar yet different ways. They both bury their pain, Angel by leaning into the sexuality, drugs, and alcohol to forget how much he hates it and Vox by refusing to even acknowledge that he's in pain at all. And Vox's refusal to acknowledge it also makes him complicit in Angel's pain as well. He could do something, could try to stop it, but he doesn't to protect himself. I think seeing the two of them try to heal side by side, both from their issues with Valentino and the issues between each other, would be fascinating.

Husk - Knew each other from back when Vox and Alastor were still friends. Husk calls him "kid" (Vox was in his 30s when he died in the 1950s while Husk was in his 60s when he died in the 1970s) which annoys Vox as he doesn't think he's that much younger than Husk to warrant being called a kid. Vox knew him as an Overlord and was very shocked and kind of sad when he found out about Husk losing his soul to Alastor some time after their falling out (just one more thing to embitter him towards the Radio Demon).

Niffty - Anyone who has been on my blog when I started posting about Hazbin Hotel knows it started with these two. I think a dynamic between them would be fun and interesting to explore. Like Husk, she knew him from back when he was friends with Alastor. I like to think that Vox was literally there when Alastor brought her home with him ("What is that?" / "I'm calling her Niffty! Isn't she precious?" / "She is actively biting your arm." / "What a darling little thing!"). He was a little weirded out by her at first, but has since grown to care for her as much as Alastor does. Despite her size and lack of power, Vox fully trusts in her ability to take care of herself...he's seen things that can't be unseen.

Rosie - Vox definitely respects her for her ability to keep such tight control of a horde of bloodthirsty cannibals and actually turn them into a polite society. Despite not being very physically strong, her charisma and drive keep her on top and well respected. I like the idea that he met her through Alastor when they were still friends and though he hasn't really engaged with her too much since the fallout, he does still hold respect for her and frankly won't tolerate anyone disrespecting her. She is the only one outside of the Vees who knows about Vox practicing using his electrokinesis to heal.

Mimzy - They're not exactly friends, but she will not hesitate to approach him if she sees him. It's Mimzy so she absolutely expects special treatment. She's way more up front with him about wanting something than she is with Alastor simply because she knows Vox operates differently than the deer demon. If she wants something, she's gotta be prepared to pay up in some capacity, but Vox is usually willing to be flexible in terms of payment because she has her uses.

Sir Pentious - Okay, so I know this one is a bit awkward cause it would involve Vox actually apologizing to Sir Pentious for the cruel things he said and telling him to unalive himself, but I really think they'd be interesting. They're both innovators and creators and the two of them combining their skills would be both awesome and terrifying. I do think that Sir Pentious, while he does think all the Vees are incredible, idolizes Vox specifically for these exact reasons.

Velvette - They're both bitches, but they love the other for it. Can snark at each other for hours. They're the two who get shit done, even if Velvette can sometimes take her bitchsona a bit too far and Vox has to reign her in. Politics aren't her strong suit, but he can always count on her to take care of the business side of things.

Zestial - Based on my recent post about them, I like the idea that Vox has a respect for Zestial that he doesn't give to most other Overlords (Rosie being the other exception). Sure, he'll play nice and professional with them, but he doesn't truly respect them like he does Zestial and Rosie. I honestly see them having a mutual respect for each other (though Zestial wouldn't say he approves of Vox's choice in colleagues) and we do see in that Zestial can be a little sassy so I 100% believe if Vox had been present during the Overlord meeting in episode 3, Zestial literally would have ignored Velvette entirely to speak to Vox about the angel's death instead (and we all know how much Velvette would have just loved that).

[smallpwbbles]

Sorry if this is outta nowhere but since we're talking about the movies, it got me thinking and I just wanna mention this to someone. Feel free to ignore this hfjwhdjs

I had been a Sonic fan when I was a kid, probably around 8-10 - but I ended up dropping it bc I was bullied for liking it too much (unsurprising side note there is a non-zero chance I'm on the spectrum so take that for what you will). For a long time in my teen years I also mocked the franchise for being cringe because in my young mind, it was Sonic's fault I got made fun of when I was younger.

Thankfully, I've grown past that, and the recent Sonic movies managed to fully reawaken my childhood love for the franchise. I'm now 25 and wear Shadow the Hedgehog t-shirts and will gush about these fictional hedgehogs to anyone who will listen. I know the movies have their flaws but if it wasn't for them and their own unique charm I probably wouldn't have been able to come back and enjoy the franchise without the shame of being bullied or called cringe. So, yeah, basically these movies really mean a lot to me, and it's nice to see you talk positively about them :]

Yooo I’m so sorry you were bullied for that! It always hurts to hear people be ridiculed for things they liked, but I’m so glad to hear how things are completely different for you and how enjoying Sonic media is for you now

Also dw I love hearing you guys stories! They can be super validating

[twistedminutia]

for the ask game you should do Vil since i loooveeee how u write him☺️☺️

Okay, okay, I think everyone knows this already, I assume you know this if you've read my writing or have been on my blog for a bit, but I really love Vil! I love the fact that he's strict, but not so strict that he doesn't care for those under him, I love that he's one of the more mature characters on campus, I love that he's a celebrity who manages to be down-to-earth and that he's written as kind of bitchy without pushing him all the way into mean girl territory. I love that he's able to have goofy and undignified moments while still holding onto an air of refinement. I love that he genuinely seems to really love what he does instead of doing it for attention. I love that he's the first overblotter to actually apologize and he gives a really good apology, too. I love that he's completely willing to be feminine and completely bucks gender roles in terms of presentation. I think he's a really fascinating character and he hits on a lot of things I personally like in characters, too.

I don't have a ton of romantic ships for Vil. Gonna be really basic here and say I like VilRook. I think Vil deserves to have a hype man who's as ride or die as Rook, and I think it's good to have someone who isn't intimidated by him and is completely willing to critique Vil, if needed. (Though Rook could stand to be more delicate in some scenarios...) And I also ship Gray with Vil, too, but she's technically an OC so I don't know if this counts.

Non romantic OTPs... JackVil is fun, I think they work as friends. I like the idea that Jack becomes a personal trainer after NRC and Vil works with him and gives him regular shoutouts on Magicam so Jack gets a ton of rich, fancy clientele. I like Epel and Vil having a kind of mentor/brotherly relationship even after they leave NRC and Vil will still advertise for Harveston on his Magicam account some of the time. And I think Vil and Try being friends after school is also kind of funny to me. I'm not sure if this counts as a nonromantic OTP, but I do have a headcanon that Leona and Vil meet at a fancy party sometime after NRC, hook up, and never speak of it again afterward. It wasn't a great time for either of them.

Unpopular opinion... I don't know if this one is super unpopular, but I feel like people don't really pay much attention to the fact that Vil has been a literal CHILD STAR for most of his life? Like, the guy has been shoved into a system that really screws people up. It's kind of impressive that he's as put together as he is.

A more standard unpopular opinion on this character might just be that I really don't like him and Leona together. I know they're popular for 'bickering like an old married couple' and I do think there's attraction, but I can't see them getting together unless one or both of them underwent massive personality shifts. They're just too different in the way they approach the world.

In terms of what I want to have happened, I think it's a little frustrating that we never got what I would consider to be a proper resolution to him and Epel's storyline? Like, it kind of ends with Epel agreeing to follow Vil, but I would have liked there to be more acknowledgement on Vil's end that his teaching methods for Epel weren't necessarily super effective and Epel should be allowed to pursue his own ideals of beauty. I think it fell too far on the spectrum of 'Vil was the Correct person in this dynamic and should have been listened to.' Don't get me wrong, I think Epel was being misogynistic and should have been corrected, but I still feel so bad that Vil's kind of pushing ideals on him that Epel is uncomfortable with... They don't even make sense... Vil, why are you insisting that Epel like macarons, at least let him say he likes filet mignon or something, that's a fancy meal. Why is this such a big deal for you. Let it go.

[shinx-stardust]

Pacifica Northwest is transmasc and you can't change my mind

Okay. That sounds insane. I am aware. It sounds insane to me. But fuck it - I already did the trans Dipper rant essay and so I'll do the same with trans Pacifica.

So Pacifica grows up rich with very oppressive parents. She's clearly a child of abuse who likely has no sense of identity. She's forced to fit a strict mold of The Perfect Daughter. Someone who is perfect and demure and pristine and womanly and who has to wear the right color dress and can't just wear something close enough because otherwise she gets something implied to be very bad.

Put another way: A kid is forced to be exactly perfect and the definition of whatever their gender is. They are not allowed to deviate from that definition in the least otherwise Bad Things happen. They're scared to even be slightly different.

Sound familiar? Because a lot of trans kids go through the same thing. A lot of trans femme people have to play with the Boy Toys because otherwise they're a flower boy and that's bad (which in itself is bad because flower boy is old slang for gay/derogatory as well as gender expression and identity being different but it also hurts trans people). A lot of transmasc people have to play dress up because if they don't there's Something Wrong with them.

I am more than 90% certain that it wasn't intentional, but looking at Pacifica through the lens of someone who tried to do a Boy Thing once and was forced to be hyperfemme for the rest of their life is just so good to me.

Pacifica embodies a lot of toxic girl tropes. You've heard of toxic masculinity, now get ready for toxic femininity - she's petty and superficial and puts too much stock in appearances. Which, granted, is a thing that happens in girl friend groups - I've seen it happen many times - but it reads as different to me. This isn't malice, Pacifica has been shown to be a good person (The Golf War, Northwest Mansion Mystery). She cares for those around her and often only acts the way she does because she has to. Any time she tries to speak up, she gets ruthlessly shut down. She has to be what her parents want, when they want, how they want. If she doesn't, she gets punished.

Yes, Pacifica shows up to every event dressed femme. But who drove her to those events? Who has their claws in every aspect of the town? Who would hear about anything that happens in Gravity Falls? Who buys her clothes? Her parents. And if her parents - who, again, are likely abusive - want her to be and dress like their perfect little girl, their hyperfemme daughter, then she will. She has to be.

From a writing perspective, Pacifica is made to be the opposite of Mabel. One loves fun and color and chaos, is nice no matter what. The other is sitting outside this room and named Pacifica Northwest. But looking at it like that, why wouldn't Pacifica be trans? Especially if Mabel is transfemme - which is a fun reading of her and one that I love to see. It's not canon but think about it. If Mabel is transfemme then Pacifica - her inverse - would be transmasc. The other end of the spectrum.

But now I need real evidence, right? My transmasc Dipper essay was built on much more than "this is behavior seen in a lot of trans people just generally". I pointed out specific scenes in specific episodes - though I forgot Carpet Diem, which is fascinating and which I could so make an essay on by itself. Can I do that for Pacifica?

Well, the short answer is no. The best evidence I have is a general hand-wave at her behavior and environment and "this just reads as transmasc to me". Which, to be completely fair, is how headcanons work. They don't necessarily need any degree of proof. It's nice and it can help people to agree with you, but in the end, it doesn't matter. I can say I headcanon anything, and because it's a headcanon, you can't do shit about it. If I say Pacifica is transmasc beyond a shadow of a doubt, then you can challenge me.

To be fair, I did say that. The title of this is literally "Pacifica is transmasc and you can't change my mind", I will take that I was making claims. But also I immediately followed that up with "it sounds insane to me" so I should hope we all know that I'm going into headcanons-based-on-the-text territory.

And I'm never going to attack someone over a headcanon that makes someone feel seen, and I'd hope that holds true for everyone. I like Pacifica as transmasc and forcing herself into the box of cis female when it's wrong because I did the same. I love transmasc Pacifica. I love the idea of Pacifica and Dipper hanging out and him telling her that he's trans and Pacifica just kinda goes "you can do that? But then why doesn't everyone? Being a girl kinda sucks - there's girl drama and dresses and girl puberty and all that stuff. Everyone would be a guy if they could" and Dipper gives her The Look and says "Pacifica Northwest, that is the most trans thing I have ever heard".

In conclusion, I headcanon trans masculine Pacifica Northwest. Still workshopping a chosen name for him but I do, and I love him. It's all silly fun headcanoning a children's cartoon character as trans and it hurts no one. And it doesn't even affect a lot of the things I'll do. I have one fic that will hint at it and one that will treat it as the main center of the story planned. (It will be a part of my AU but not a major part and I'm also playing with the thought of gender-fluid Pacifica for Divine Falls. It's entirely ignorable and will not affect anything related to the main AU's plot.)

Yes I referred to Pacifica as she/her for most of this essay but it was referring to a pre-realization Pacifica who isn't out yet and thus would convince herself that she was uncomfortable with he/him pronouns and therefore calling them he/him would be wrong until he came out.

[thorinstrust]

Being Thorin's One and having autism/ASD:

A/N: Hi! I wrote this fanfiction as a comfort story for myself and wanted to post it so someone out there can maybe find comfort like I do in this story/headcanon.

I am writing this from my own experience, I have autism spectrum disorder (formerly named Asperger syndrome). Everyone has their own symptoms and they are different for each person. So I hope some people can feel comfort because I have noticed that not many people write about characters having ASD. Please be respectful and have fun reading this.

First meeting:

The first time when you and Thorin met it was at Bag End. You were transported to Middle Earth a year prior and became good friends with Gandalf. So naturally Gandalf took you along to the quest.

At first no one knows about your ASD, they just think that you are quiet and easily scared. Gandalf decided to keep it as his information until you were ready to tell it to the others.

After you encounter the trolls you have a serous mental breakdown and panic attack. All the dwarves are shocked how completely you break, they always saw you as a independent and hard working person.

After your first panic attack Thorin starts to fell really bad for his harsh words and starts observing you closely.

When he starts to look more closely into your behavior he notices some other "unusual" things about you.

He notices how you have to keep everything in some kind of order, you can't leave tasks unfinished, you keep fidgeting with anything you hold, you massage your throat looking like you feel nauseous, you isolate yourself/avoid social situations, you always ask what is the plan like you want to know everything beforehand and you do not part from your things.

Talking about it:

On one night you decide to tell Thorin, you are anxious that your problems, or as you think of them, could risk the quest.

At first Thorin doesn't know what to think about your confession. After all in Middle Earth there isn't something like ASD.

You have to explain to him what the whole thing means and how it affects specially you.

After talking from the evening to the late night when the others are already sleeping Thorin finally starts to understand you better.

After your explanation Thorin realizes how strong you really are, you live with a constant anxious feeling, with a feeling in your throat that feels nauseating and how you constantly feel like you aren't sure if you did enough or right.

"Is there anything I can do, Karkith?" Thorin asks immediately. "The only thing that you can do right now is to inform me if you plan to do something that can be known."

As those words leave your lips he understands how smart and considering you are, you don't ask anything that would be too much and still thinking about others and knowing that not everything is possible.

"If you ever feel overwhelmed or like everything is too much come to me or go to Gandalf. I will be always here, I will learn how to live with you." he promises.

Thorin vows to stand by you trough everything, even when you are so stressed or your emotions are too build up and you start snapping and losing your temper, to the good days.

The only thing Thorin doesn't say out loud it the thing he realized while talking to you. You are his One, his other half that Mahla made especially for him.

Thorin understanding it:

After talking to Thorin you tell to the rest of the company and their reactions are as good as Thorin's .

Slowly you start to come out of your shell and start being yourself around them. Thorin starts to fall for all the little details that you reveal each day, he didn't realize how silly and carefree you can be.

If you have a meltdown Thorin doesn’t get annoyed. Rather he asks what triggered the meltdown.

He will assure that something little, like spilling water, that caused the meltdown wasn’t wrong or something someone would get mad about.

He will make you do something that you enjoy if the meltdown isn’t too bad. If it is too bad he will help you find a quiet spot to calm down.

Thorin tries to make sure you rest to avoid unnecessary meltdowns.

Because the journey is hectic and full of situations that cause stress and anxiety Thorin tries to find time for you to relax or if that isn’t possible he always tries to talk to you.

He tries to use language and directions that are easily understood. Even when you don’t have too many difficulties with understanding you need literal directions. Some phrases, especially new ones, are hard for you to understand so Thorin tries to use phrases that you understand.

If you have problems with the texture of food or some other artifact he tries to make sure you don’t have to eat it or touch it.

Sometimes he trades some ingredients in the food with you to make sure you eat enough.

You have your hyper fixations and tendencies to get excited about weird things. Since you are from a different world the dwarves don’t always understand what you are talking about.

Even when Thorin doesn’t understand what you are talking about he listens and asks more questions about different things.

If you distance yourself or get really quiet he knows that you want to be more alone but makes sure you are still included.

Thorin really makes sure you feel as comfortable as possible on a quest like this.

In Rivendell he makes sure you don’t have to socialise with too many people and if you do he helps you through it. Either by staying on your side or helping you through the conversation.

If there are things that Thorin doesn’t understand or things that have not come up already about autism, you talk through it. Thorin is understanding when you have problems while trying to explain anxiety or something that has to be exactly in a certain way.

Thorin confessing his feelings and romantic life:

You have always struggled with romantic feelings, you don’t feel them the same way most people do.

You can feel attraction but you don’t really have the desire to be physically vulnerable. Sometimes you enjoy hugs or holding hands but most of the time even those things make you feel too vulnerable.

When you notice that you have started to have feelings for Thorin you panic. Yes, you have had a few crushes before but this is something else.

You don’t know how to act with your feelings, especially when you sometimes have trouble expressing even the basic feelings.

Thorin notices this change in your behavior, you distance yourself more and get more anxious around him. He doesn’t understand what is going on and he is constantly wondering if he did something wrong.

At some point on the journey Thorin realized that he had fallen for you and bit later that you are his One.

Being his one makes sense to him because your autism balances his personality traits. Also taking care of your needs comes naturally to him.

He knows that you don’t always enjoy physical touch if you are not the one to initiate it. That still doesn’t stop him from dreaming.

Thorin isn’t known for being good with words and because of that he usually shows love and caring through physical touch and acts of service.

But he would do anything to make you feel more comfortable, even learn to express his emotions with words.

One day he decides just to confess because he can’t stay silent any longer with the distance and all the dangers.

Thorin takes you to a quiet place where you will be alone and undisturbed.

You are confused why Thorin would want to talk to you. You feel nervous and a bit anxious because you don’t if you have done something incorrectly.

“Thorin?” You ask not knowing what is happening. He looks nervous and uncharastically worried.

“I have something I must say. I know you don’t feel everything the same way as others but I just need to say this. Your problems and quirks never bothered me, they make you who you are. You don’t have to say anything back. I love you my Karkith. I love you so much, you are the person who is meant to be my other half. I will never force you to be with me but if you would do me the honor and accept my courtship I will make sure you will feel safe and comfortable as long as this world stands.”

His works render you speechless and you just stare at him not knowing what to say. You can’t believe he loves you despite all your problems and differences.

“Thorin…I… How?” You stutter.

“It wasn’t hard at all. Falling in love with you was easy. I always saw you as an amazon person who just had an unique personality. Your special needs and traits just make you who you are, they make you stand out to me.”

You blush and stare at the dwarf that accepts, understands and loves you with your autism.

After a while of silence you say “I think what I feel for you too is love but I can’t be sure. Are you sure you are okay with courting someone like me, you know I am not sure if I am ever able to-”

Thorin interrupts you before you can finish. “Why wouldn’t I be alright with courting you. I was the one who asked. And I don’t care what everyone expects us to do or act, I don’t feel any need for anything that makes you uncomfortable. I would live happily only with occasional hugs.”

Those words change the way you think about being in a relationship while having autism. If someone wants to be with you they don’t want to change you, they will accept you the way you are and love you for it.

From that day you two start courting. With all the stress from the journey it isn’t always easy or smooth on the way but you make it work.

You take care of each other and learn about each other. Thorin always makes sure that you know beforehand anything that there is to know about courting.

He knows you don’t enjoy all surprises. If he wants to surprise you he will do it with gifts or a special part in an already planned day.

You show your feelings to him with small gifts and helping him with everything you can or just spending time with him.

Your first kiss happens only after reclaiming the mountain and surviving the Battle of the Five Armies.

The two of you are in his chambers just enjoying each other's company. “Can I kiss you, Karkith? If it feels uncomfortable we don’t have to do it again”.

You have been wondering how it would feel to feel to be kissed by him. After a short talk about everything you thought about, you decide to try it.

When Thorin kisses you it’s gentle and full of love and passion while still giving you the feeling of being able to pull away any time you feel like it. To your surprise the kiss doesn’t feel as uncomfortable as you thought. Before you know you melted into the kiss.

You both know that nothing more isn’t possible aunty time soon but after that you have some gentle and some more passionate kisses.

You especially enjoy kissing his neck, it has become your way of saying “I love you2 without the words.

Thorin loves to kiss you lips, neck and fingers. Whenever you are anxious and play with your fingers he kisses them effectively distracting you from everything else.

After getting used to the life inside the Lonely Mountain you start to feel less anxious and happier than you have been in a long time.

You have a supportive found family and a lover who loves all sides of you and knows how to act around you.

Thorin is in no means a soft or overly sappy partner, he is grumpy and stubborn but he has a soft spot only for you.

After you get married and become a queen Thorin makes sure your task won’t overwhelm you and you are always informed thoroughly and as soon as the dwarves working under you can.

Not all days are easy, you have many panic attacks in the beginning.

But when the other dwarves learn to know you they accept you and welcome you as their queen just like the company did.

Thorin is the best husband and he never gets bored when you find something new about Middle Earth’s history in the vast libraries.

If he could, he would listen to his Karkith talk about her passions forever.

Karkith = little Raven

A/N: I hope you enjoyed this. I finished high school and did my final exams. Next fall I am going to start university. This didn’t turn out the way I first thought but I still like it. ~R.

[idontmindifuforgetme]

Hi!! You mentioned in a post with a summary of what you’ve achieved in 2023 that you expanded your friend circle by making more friends. How did you do that? 🥲 I’m working and although my colleagues are nice, I keep them at arm’s length and most of my friends from school and college are in different parts of the country. I’ve always been introverted with a small circle of friends so loneliness hits me hard sometimes

thank you!!

Speaking as someone who was on both extremes of the spectrum (having no friends and lots of friends)—it’s genuinely about putting yourself out there. The moment I stopped thinking it was hard to make friends, making friends became so much easier to do. Aside from my uni friends, I’ve made friends in so many other places. Once I was studying at the library and a girl approached me. We exchanged numbers and are getting coffee soon. Made friends w the barista at my favorite boba place. Made friends w the girl who does my eyebrows (she’s my age and is also a stem major). I’ve made friends through other friends. It really is that easy if you’re okay w the possibility of rejection, and don’t allow your ego to stop you from approaching people in the appropriate context.

There will be bad eggs. That is completely natural. We move on. There is an infinite number of opportunities to make other friends. Internalizing this has saved me so much unnecessary stress.

Join a book club. Volunteer for a cause you’re passionate about. Join a class at your gym. These are all such easy ways to make friends, bc you already know you have at least one interest in common w the people present. Better yet!! You also get something from it, bc even if you don’t socialize that well, at least you’re working out or volunteering or engaging in an activity you’re passionate about. It’s a win-win. Just don’t operate from a place of “I NEED to make friends here or else it’s a failure,” bc you’ll end up taking things too seriously and not enjoying yourself. Enjoying yourself is the whole point. There are 8 billion people on this planet. Rest easy knowing friends are guaranteed if you’re willing to look for them, however long it may take.

Also!! An important thing I learned is it’s okay to compartmentalize friends. I have friends I pretty much exclusively party w, friends I only work out w, friends I only go on study dates w… and then I also have a core unit of close friends who go beyond just being friends for enjoyment. It’s fine if you don’t immediately make friends who are essentially your friends for life. That’s extremely rare, so just be patient. Don’t write off people you don’t have this cerebral connection with. Maybe I’m going against the grain here, but I think casual friendships serve a purpose in our lives too. Don’t force connection trying to break past the superficial stages of a friendship—deep bonds like this only form organically. Just relax, put yourself out there, and have fun doing it <3

[eryiss]

Fraxus Week 2024 - Day 5: Solace

Description: Taking over the guild was always going to be a struggle. But maybe he had underestimated just how tough it would be. But having a husband who could bend the rules of time helped. Quite a lot, actually.

Notes: Day five, still hosted by @fuckyeahfraxus. Overpowered Freed and overworked Laxus. Fluff and comfort abound.

Link: Ao3

To Live In The Moment

Laxus was not a man to back down from a challenge. He wasn't the type to take on something he had no hope of completing. He wasn't the type to let things get on top of him and to crumble under the stress. But being the guild master of Fairy Tail was proving to be a much greater test than he had thought it would, and he was starting to crack.

He expected a lot of crap. He wasn't stupid.

Natsu and his team of idiots were inevitably going to destroy a well-loved building, and Laxus was going to have to sort it out. The pandemonium around Loke changing his hair and wearing a suit with a different cut was going to bring crowds to the guildhall, and Laxus would end up having to apologise to the local council for the mess that was made. Someone with a vendetta against the guild would rear their head and attack the city with frankly preposterous levels of power to assuage their vendetta, and it would be up to Laxus to rally the town and the guild to rebuild it all.

He was fine with that. Hell, with the last one, he probably owed the city. Him, his husband, and his husband's team had held the entire city hostage with frankly preposterous levels of power in an attempt to assuage a vendetta, after all.

But he hadn't realised it would be so much so regularly.

And there were so many meetings. Why hadn't the old man told him how many meetings there would be before running off to retirement?

Case in point, the Grand Magic Games were happening again, and the core Guilds of the country had all been called to meet. Given that the games were a hotbed of corruption in the past and had been used by dark guilds to legitimise themselves in the public eye only to reveal their true hands when they'd gathered enough members, masters and representatives had been called. They needed to figure out a way to make the games safe, and fun. A task which, at the five-hour mark, seemed unattainable.

Ideas were thrown out from everyone, but there was always a complaint ready. One idea was too restrictive and spat in the face of the Games core values. Another was too unsafe and left people open to attack. Every idea had a criticism aimed at it, and it had taken Laxus around thirty minutes to conclude that they wouldn't come up with anything workable.

Five hours in, he had yet to be disavowed of the notion.

Also, Freed, who Laxus had brought with him as both moral support and as a smart guy who had good ideas, had left about half an hour ago and had yet to return. So, Laxus was left with nobody in his corner, watching as the two spectrums of guild master fought one another, with no idea how to stop them.

That was until they all just stopped.

Not stopped in that they calmed down and stopped talking. Stopped as in they froze. As in no movement whatsoever, sudden total silence that made Laxus very aware of his heartbeat. A blob of spittle was even suspended in the middle of the air. Laxus lurched up, which was made difficult as his chair was unmoving as if bolted to the ground, and allowed lightning to crackle around him, ready to attack whoever had caused this.

A figure slid through the partially opened door, and Laxus turned to face them, only to see Freed walking in with a hand raised placatingly. "It's me. It's fine. I'm doing this."

Laxus let his posture slip, but he was still on edge. "Why?"

"Because frankly, this meeting is the most longwinded, irritating onslaught of nonsense that I've ever had to endure, and if I had to stick in there for another moment, I would shove my sword into my neck," Freed shrugged. It was definitely him them. "I thought you might be feeling the same way and wanted to give you a break."

"Oh," Laxus looked over the table of arguing idiots. "Thanks. Little question, not important, but when the hell did you become able to stop time?"

"I've been able to do it for a few weeks, though it's a work in progress," he turned to the door and kicked it as if to prove his point. The door didn't move an inch. "I can make it so time stops, and I stop it affecting certain people, but I can't move structures that I don't have direct contact with. I can make small areas of exception, but nothing big enough for practicality yet."

"Still impressive."

"I suppose. I just have a few kinks to iron out. But that'll come in time."

Laxus wrapped an arm around Freed's shoulders. "Keep a couple of your kinks. I like 'em."

"As has been made abundantly clear," Freed grinned. "Come on. I've got you some food."

Freed slid through the half open door again, and Laxus did the same with a bit of difficulty. They walked down a spiral staircase, having to avoid a couple of frozen people as they did so. It was weird, seeing people frozen in time. Their expressions were so unguarded, so unprepared. It was surreal, but the quiet and the stillness was serene.

Following Freed, Laxus managed to leave the council building through a series of corridors, passages and the occasional open window. He didn't know how Freed had mapped out such a route, and didn't care to ask. He rolled out his shoulders; glad to be out of the stuffy, angry room.

Once they were out on the street, Freed guided him to a small bench. Fast food from one of Laxus' favourite places was there, and Freed picked them up easily. He handed Laxus a small tub containing a burger, some chicken wings and a pile of fries. There was also a milkshake waiting on the bench. Apparently, they were sharing, because Freed took to holding the milkshake and reached into the tub to get some fries for himself.

"Exclusion zone, right?" Laxus asked as he hefted the food. It was mainly an invitation for Freed to talk about his magic. Laxus loved listening to Freed when he did that. He cared so much; it was obvious.

"Yes. It was either that or strip naked and cover myself in meat and salt."

Laxus also liked hearing Freed talk about himself naked. "That'd be hot as fuck."

"Depending on how quickly I did it after cooking, it might be scalding."

"Nah, you'd have the milkshake all over ya to help," Laxus grinned. "You'd look good covered in a milkshake."

Freed gave him a look. "I'm very glad you're comfortable speaking your mind with me Laxus, but I do sometimes wonder what goes on in there."

"Last year, you told me all you wanted for your birthday was for me to dress up in a wrestling singlet, work out intense like for two hours, then screw you before I could have a shower," Laxus grinned a little at the memory. It felt like a gift for him as well as for Freed. "If you're allowed to like me all sweaty, then I'm allowed to like you covered in milkshake."

"Bit of a false equivalency, I think, but I'll let it slide," Freed laughed. "I don't suppose you managed to reach an agreement after I left the meeting."

"Not even close," Laxus groaned. "I swear they're just arguing because they enjoy it."

"I wouldn't be surprised."

They chatted idly as they walked down the frozen streets of the capital, Laxus very quickly becoming accustomed to the near silence of a bustling city, and the frozen statues that were going about their days. The food was good, and Laxus would take a walk with his husband over being in the middle of a crowded town any day. They didn't focus on the meeting for too long, and Laxus happily sat back and listened as his husband talked him through the intricacies of his time stopping spell.

As Freed was explaining how it's not as difficult as it might seen, and any rune mage with a high level of proficiency could cast it, they came across a small decorative lake. Laxus halted, looking at the lake. Freed noticed a moment later and stopped.

"How does it work with water?" Laxus asked. "Is that solid too, or would we still get wet."

"Entirely solid," Freed said as he walked towards it. Laxus trailed after him. "It's a little disconcerting to see moving water so still, and it took me a few tests to work up the gumption to actually walk on a body of water, but it's as solid as the ground. Just takes a little time to get used to it."

Laxus looked down at the unmoving water, then nudged a raised ripple with the toe of his boot. It was like nudging stone. He slowly placed a foot onto it, then another, testing the weight for a moment as if expecting the spell to break. Freed had no such reservation and started to walk across the water's surface with ease. Laxus copied him, though his hesitance remained.

"And I still can't convince you to join the GMG team this year," Laxus as they walked across the water. "I think the guy powerful enough to stop time might be a pretty good asset."

"As I said, I'm not a show pony to be trotted out," Freed laughed, turning to face Laxus and grinning at him. "We're not all you, dear."

Freed leant in to peck a kiss on Laxus' lips. Laxus bit Freed's bottom lip as a little revenge for the jibe. He stayed there, his hands on Freed's waist in the middle of a lake frozen by time, surrounded by a city, or perhaps a world, that stopped moving. All because his husband knew he was getting stressed in a meeting, and a little walk and something to eat would sort his mind out.

"You're amazing, you know that?"

"Oh don't," Freed chastised. He was never one for taking genuine praise well.

"I mean it."

"Hush."

"Fine," Laxus conceded. "Seriously, though, you got any idea how good this spell is gonna be the next time we have to fight someone trying to kill everyone. Takes away pretty much any ticking clock we have to deal with, gives us the chance to regroup and strategies in the middle of a fight, and basically lets anyone you like teleport. It's amazing. How many people can you give exceptions to, d'you know?"

"Well, you're the first person I've actually done it with. My working theory is around twenty. I think any more, the magical drain would be too great, and the spell would crash without my say so," Freed looked considering. "Although, having one person as an exception isn't as draining as I thought, so perhaps I might sustain more."

"Or maybe you just like my company so much you don't notice?" Laxus suggested with a smirk.

"You know all it would take would be the click of my fingers and I'll start time up again and dunk you completely in this very cold water."

"You'd dunk yourself too," Laxus cooed. "And what's so wrong with you admitting you like talking to me? You married me."

"Nothing at all. I just like seeing you wet." Freed leant in a little closer.

"And I like seeing you covered in milkshake." Laxus leant in closer too.

"You've never seen that." Closer.

"My birthday's coming up." Closer.

"Maybe if you're good." Closer.

"And if I'm bad." Closer.

"Oh, I think we've well established how I punish you, Laxus." Closer.

"If it happens so often, maybe it's not working." Closer.

Freed just laughed, then pulled his husband into a slow, languishing, luxurious kiss. Laxus tangled his hand up in Freed's soft hair and pushed his body against Freed's just enough to feel tingles running down him.

Damn he'd needed this. Needed the break form the work and the time to indulge with the man he loved more than anyone else. He loved his guild, but he loved his husband more. Sometimes he thought that the world stopped when it was just him and Freed together – that nothing else was important when he had his husband in his mind – but to have that come to reality was a magic unlike anything Laxus had ever known.

Maybe that's why Freed had done it. Laxus had confessed those feelings once, and now Freed had a spell to make it happen. He could ask but knew Freed would deny it. He was a proud man, and if he didn't offer you his feelings, then it was best not to pry and try to get them out of him.

"We should probably get back," Laxus said regrettably as he pulled away. "If we stay out any longer, I'll end up asking you to take us both home. Probably wouldn't be good for inter-guild unity if we did that."

"Probably not," Freed said, taking Laxus' hand absently as they walked to the shore of the lake. "We can take the scenic route, though."

"Obviously."

The walk back was a slow and indulgent thing, even if the ending was marred by the peculiar route back into the meeting room. Laxus struggled to make his way through the half open door, and took his seat again, raising an eyebrow at Freed, who didn't move. "Aren't they gonna be weirded out that you're just suddenly in the room?"

"They look occupied," Freed shrugged. "It's possible that they might not notice."

Laxus looked at the frozen argument that was taking place before him and sighed. He leant back and ran a hand over his face in tired exasperation. He needed to remember that the guild needed a leader, and that he was the best person for it. The days like this would come and go, but the good would outweigh the bad. Even if the bad was so very very annoying.

"Thanks for doing this for me," he said as he sat up straight again. "I do appreciate it."

"Anytime," Freed waved off the thanks. "You ready?"

"As I'll ever be."

Freed clicked his finger, time fell back into place, and the moment was over.