#it's trippy in the best kind of sense

[apfelhalm]

A Trip to Infinity (2022)

[seilon]

just had a simultaneously horrifying and relieving thought. thank god jonghyun was not a western artist. because you just know that if he was, there would be a shitty distasteful melodramatic hollywood biopic about him in about five years, give or take

[crazylittlejester]

how are you?

I hope your doing good :3

do you perhapsedaly have any Sky headcannons?????

-anon silly

(we are going to pretend that I’m NOT answering this 18 days late, i’m so sorry anon 😭)

BUT YES!!! I DO!!! (sorry for any spelling mistakes)

- After his parents died he was kinda bounced around a bit before he was enrolled in the academy and just stayed there, and even then on breaks he’d go home with a friend. The first family he stayed with was Groose (they were six) and they became incredibly good friends, it wasn’t until they were nine that Groose started bullying him. But Groose was the first friend Sky remembers having and it made him really upset to lose that for eight years (they’re best friends again now after Sky’s journey)

- Going from Skyloft down to the surface is a Bit of an adjustment for him and until his body adjusts to the altitude and temperature difference he just has an absolutely miserable time and struggles to breathe for a bit because it just feels wrong

- I hc he has epilepsy, which brings with it a lot of chronic fatigue, especially because his meds he has to take can make him feel a bit tired. School was a bit of a struggle for him between that and then absence seizures, especially because people didn’t realize at first what EXACTLY was happening and he would get in trouble for not paying attention before they all figured it out. ofc now since Skyloft is such a small, tight knit community and everyone knows they’ve all got his back, but that period of time where they were trying to figure out what was happening was a little rough

- On more than one occasion he has been walking with his gf and the sun just caught her in just the right way and he got so distracted he walked straight off of fucking Skyloft. Groose will NEVER let him live this shit down

- Sometimes he’ll just go sit down in Faron Woods and just stare at that one structure right before the entrance to the deep woods and think about everything. He’s not REALLY used to forests, the sky islands had trees, sure, but thick wooded forests that cover that much GROUND were kinda new to him and it was the first place he really explored so he’ll sit there a lot

- Riding horses for him is like. The equivalent of going to a different country where they drive on the opposite side of the road and then renting a car. Like yes mechanically everything is the same and he knows what he’s SUPPOSED to do but it’s trippy as fuck and sometimes he gets a little confused

- I hc the knights of skyloft are like first responders (which… honestly idk if thats a hc or if thats literally just what they ARE) and that Sky is similar to like the fantasy equivalent of an EMT so he and wars are both like the first two people the chain go to if theres an issue they CANNOT fix and a healing potion just isnt gonna cut it

- He really likes to be included in little things, like it doesn’t matter if Zelda or Groose is just going to the store, he wants to come with

- Music is very important to him, and he can’t play ALL the time but sometimes if he’s stressed or anxious and can’t play he’ll quietly hum to himself because it reminds him of home

- When the chain first met him, the ones who are more attuned to magic were a bit unnerved by him because his presence feels so Ancient and they can FEEL the power just radiating off of him. He’s a very sweet and gentle person (because he chooses every day to be kind instead of giving in to the anger, tho it absolutely slips out a bit when you SERIOUSLY piss him off), but the chain isnt stupid and at first they were wary of him because without actually knowing it, they could just sense this was the man who forged the Master Sword and slayed the demon king. Like they couldn’t just look at him and learn that INFORMATION, but it came as absolutely no shock to them when they DID learn it because “yeah that tracks” (Sky is not the only one who has such a strong presence, Time and Wild felt weird to physically be near at first as well, tho for very different reasons and in different ways, and also Legend sometimes feels a little Odd but not in the way the other three do and they can’t tell if hes just weird in a Normal kinda weird way or if there’s somethin up with that)

[peachybeom]

Valentine Blues

Taehyun x reader

ex-best friends to lovers

Please reblog if you like this!

You were currently experiencing the worst day ever and were about one more tragedy away from having a breakdown.

Huffing violently you stood in the middle of an alleyway, watching your home route bus disappear with the main traffic.

Your phone beeped at the same time and you reached for it while taking rest on a wall nearby.

[10:51pm] Roomate.

Hey Y/n,

I just wanna thank you again for staying out tonight!! Because of you me and Josh can FINALLY enter the home base tonite and get extra juicy iykwim ;)))

Happy Valentines day babes!

Okay yeah now you can feel the breakdown coming.

You were so engrossed in storming all the libraries in town, looking for a specific book for your asshole Professor, to get him to reward you some extra credit, that you had conveniently forgot the stupid promise you had made to your roommate.

As much as you wanted to crash on the soft mattress of your bed and mute the world for rest of the weekend, you weren't desperate enough to walk into your roommate having sex with her co worker while roleplaying as a nurse.

In your peripheral vision, you could see couples huddled together, walking hand in hand. Some sharing an ice cream, others practically devouring each other with their intense stares.

Love was definitely in the air, and it made you nauseous. It wasn't that you were anti love or something, in the past you actually looked forward to this cliche holiday.

But recently you had managed to convince yourself that after several bitter breakups and unrequited crushes, being in a loving, healthy relationship seemed just impossible for you at this point.

Shaking your head, you pushed aside all the pointless worries and tried to focus on your current problem which was being homeless for the night.

You racked your brain to think which one of your crackhead friend would be available to offer you a lodging.

Kai? No. You knew he had plans with his girlfriend in her dorm to watch some random Disney movie and cry like a baby while she consoled him.

Soobin? Doubtful. His still had problems prioritising his girlfriend over odi, so that was a territory you didn't want to enter.

Beomgyu and Jeongin? Never. Those two would definitely be somewhere wasted in a club while they humped their way through another round of beer pong. They had actually tried to convince you for an entire week to join them at the club tonight and form a 'Singles Union', An association which helped each other to get laid. No way you were walking into that trap again.

That left you with Yeonjun- ehhhh. You actually had no idea what he was upto. Last time you heard from him, he was 'Single like a Pringle and definitely ready to Mingle'- his words not yours.

Sighing, you crossed your fingers as you dialled his number on your phone. Hopefully he could be your saving grace.

After a few rings he picked up the phone.

"Hey Junnie, I know it's kind of late and well.....Valentine's day but I really really need a favor from you," You said rushing your words. The cold weather was definitely peeking under your raging emotions.

"Oh hi Y/n, yeah sure what's up," Yeonjun replied, in a whisper.

"Yeah so I actually- I hear a woman's voice. Are you on a date?," You asked, cutting off your own words.

"Yes I am, but I can help you. What's the problem?" He answered.

To this you stifled a laugh. Choi Yeonjun on a date? The no strings attached Choi Yeonjun taking some lady out to have a nice dinner? This day was getting more trippy minute by minute.

"It's a speed dating thing. Now tell me what do you want, I don't have much time." Yeonjun said in an annoyed tone, taking the silence as a way of you teasing him.

Ah that makes so much more sense.

You almost felt bad for interrupting Yeonjun on his 'date' but you knew he was the only one who could save you right now.

So you told him about your problem.

"Hmmm you are aware that you can just crash at my place right? You already know where the key is kept, I won't be home for the night anyways" Yeonjun stated matter of factly.

Your ears perked up at his suggestion and you almost cursed yourself for not thinking about it earlier until a face flashed up in your mind.

"And what about Kang Taehyun?" You questioned grimly.

"Beggars can't be choosers Y/n. Besides it's not like he's the spawn of Satan." Your friends responded.

"But Yeonjun-,"

"Listen I have to go but consider this. It's not like you have any other option. Byee happy love day!" And then Yeonjun abruptly ended the call.

You groaned loudly and stomped your feet like a baby, earning glances from a few pedestrians. But you couldn't care less about them.

You started to weigh your options.

Spending a night at a run in shady motel full with horny couples or with your friend's roommate, the annoying, son of a gun- who also happened to be your ex bestfriend, Kang Taehyun.

After giving both of them intense thought. You decided to swallow your pride and take up Yeonjun's offer. Atleast his bed would be free of mysterious bodily fluids unlike the motel's.

After almost walking for half an hour- a consequence of missing the bus earlier, you finally reached Yeonjun's apartment.

Your feet were giving up on you and your teeth began to clatter lightly due to the cold February weather.

You could hear faint music from the other side of the door.

Great. Taehyun was home.

You weren't surprised though.

Even though you despised Taehyun, you decided to knock on the door instead of unlocking it out of common courtesy.

Nothing happened for a few moments and you knocked again. Still nothing.

Growing impatient you reached for the key and was about to use it when Taehyun opened it.

Correction: A very shirtless dripping wet Taehyun, with a towel around his waist opened the door.

"Lover boy isn't home tonight," Taehyun started with a stern tone. Oblivious to the fact that he was basically half nude standing in front of you.

"I-uh," You gulped, trying to compose yourself.

Taehyun is annoying and irritating and an asshole. His chiseled abs could not facade his shitty personality.

"Yeonjun said I could stay here tonight, Now move." You continued before making your way inside the apartment.

You did feel a bit intrusive and rude but your day had already been a mess and dealing with Kang Taehyun was icing on the cake.

Ignoring and engaging in minimum conversation with him was your goal.

Reminiscing the comfy feeling of a bed, you made a beeline for Yeonjun's room and turned the knob to open the door.

"What the fuck," A string of curse words left your mouth as you saw the room before you.

It was completely trashed and the stench of freshly applied paint almost made you dizzy.

"Yeonjun's room is being renovated, didn't he tell you that?" A voice mocked you from behind.

Taehyun was now leaning against the door frame -now fully dressed- and drying his hair with a hand towel.

You wanted to cry. You knew that this proposition was too good to be true. Breaking down over a trashed room was childish but anyone in your place would feel the same way. Everything was getting on your nerves.

There was no way you could sleep in the living room too, your fingers were already numb and your throat felt scratchy.

"I'm gonna kill him," You muttered under your breath before taking your bag and making your way to the exit only to be stopped by Taehyun midway.

"Hey I can't let you leave. Yeonjun would kill me, also not to forget you are sort of homeless aren't you?" He said raising a hand.

Your eyes widened. So he knew, great.

The last thing you wanted to be infront of him was vulnerable and embarrassed, but here you were.

As much as you hated to admit it, he was right you didn't have any other choice.

"So where will I sleep?" You asked raising an eyebrow, refusing to admit defeat.

"In there," Taehyun replied pointing to his bedroom.

"No way I'm sharing a bed with you. You pervert, " You answered him in disbelief.

But the thing was even though you hated Taehyun, you knew that he won't make a move on you without consent.

Deep down you still trusted him.

You, Yeonjun and Taehyun went way back. They were the first two people you ran into on your first day of college, when you were a naive, insecure friendless student. They were the ones who took you in and made you feel welcomed.

"Oh no, You'll take the floor," Taehyun answered bringing you back to reality.

What?

You stared at him blankly as he broke out in a fit of laughter.

"God it feels so good to have the upper hand," He continued.

Suddenly the thought of walking home alone and witnessing your roommate doing the dirty didn't phase you anymore.

So once more you picked your stuff and started walking towards the door when you felt Taehyun grab you wrist.

You'd had enough. Fuck avoiding him.

"What the hell do you want Taehyun. I've already had a crappy day as it is, spent my entire day searching a useless manuscript for that Professor dimwit, ran two fucking stations only to miss my bus home and walked here in this freezing weather with people sucking off each other's face all around me. So No, I don't have the energy to deal with your petty humiliations. Let go." You turned around lashing at him.

Your fists were bawled and your lips quivered. Taehyun always worked you up, he made you feel weak and vulnerable and you hated him for that.

Something changed in Taehyun's expression and his eyes softened. He loosened his hold on your wrist as you pulled it away from him.

"You can take the room. I didn't plan on sleeping there anyways, got some assignments to finish," Taehyun finally spoke up, his voice soft and laced with guilt.

You stared at him for a minute too long and then without saying another word you made your way to the room and shut it behind you.

You sunk down on the floor, once inside.

Grabbing a fistful of your hair you let out a shaky breath.

This wasn't fair. While the rest of the world was busy celebrating love and happiness with their significant others, you were left here moping in the bedroom of the boy, one you managed to successfully detach and despise in your mind for almost a year now.

The reason you were so hostile towards Taehyun wasn't because he was sort of pretentious or his face was too annoyingly perfect, it wasn't because he was so calm in situations where one shouldn't be.

The true reason was that Taehyun made you feel things that you would never allow yourself to feel.

Everything thing he used to do drove you wild. Made your heartbeat like crazy whenever he was around you, the touch of his hands, the small comforting smiles which adorned his face when your eyes met.

You were always rational with your love life, never reaching for places you couldn't but Taehyun was an exception.

He led you on, starred in all your hopeful fantasies and dreams but then left one day only to leave them shattered on the ground.

"Y/n I think you've got it wrong. It's best for us to remain friends don't you think? Best friends can't hurt each other,"

Except Taehyun was wrong. Best friends can hurt each other, they can leave scars which can take ages to heal. Those words still haunted you to this day.

He had rejected you that day.

But it wasn't the response that upset you the most, it was the shitty excuse he gave you, because the promise to remain friends was just as difficult. You could never look at him the same way again, the pain eventually grew into hatred and here you were now.

Holding back tears, you finally looked around the room. Nothing had changed since the last time you've been here, Taehyun had always been a pretty minimalistic person. Everything felt the same except for two photo frames which were placed on his bedside table.

You went up and examined the two pictures closely. One was of the day when Yeonjun, Taehyun and you decided to take a spontaneous road trip to your home town. A smile spread across your lips as you recalled the happy memories.

However it was the second picture which earned a gasp from you. In it, you were shoving a handful of Chocolates into Taehyun's mouth laughing while he looked at the camera with mischievous eyes, hands wrapped around your arms.

You couldn't understand why Taehyun would still keep this picture with him, nevertheless framed and on his bed side table.

Before you could think about anything else, you felt a knock on the door. Startled you dropped the frame on the bed and went ahead to open it.

Taehyun stood there in front of you, holding a jumper in his hands.

"I have to grab some books and here, I figured you would be cold," His expression still apologetic.

His hair was messy and a hint of sleepiness evident in his eyes.

You took the sweater from him and moved to the side to let him in.

Your heart skipped a beat when you brought the jumper closer to your face. It smelled like him.

"I'm sorry Y/n. I acted like an asshole earlier," Taehyun said minutes after, eyes still settled on his giant bookshelf.

For a moment you didn't know how to respond but then you spoke,

"I'm sorry too for lashing out on you, it's just today's been a pain in the ass for me,"

As you were speaking you realised, how much time it had been since the two of you spoke without bickering, let alone apologize to each other.

"I thought you'd probably be out tonight celebrating," He continued now looking at you.

You scoffed at this.

"My love life has been in shambles since forever," you replied letting out a pathetic laugh.

Since you.

"Same for me, if that makes anything better,"

Even though the three of you did not hang out together anymore. Yeonjun always used to give you updates on Taehyun's life even though you pretended not to care.

You had no idea where this conservation was leading. At any moment you could ask him to leave, but there was piece of you that wanted him to stay just like it did a year ago.

"Actually I- uh got something to give you, just a second," Taehyun said abruptly before leaving the room.

He exited the room in such a hurry that you didn't even have time to process what he said.

Something for you? What could it be? The thumping of your heart making it hard to concentrate on anything.

The door opened again and this time Taehyun returned with a mug in his hand.

He stood beside you next to the bed and placed the mug in your hands.

"What's this?" You asked him, puzzled.

"I know the circumstances aren't the best but I couldn't break the promise," Taehyun replied, his expression soft and a little embarrassed.

You still couldn't get it.

"I can't cook or bake to save my life so here's some hot chocolate instead....Happy Valentines Day Y/n."

That's when it hit you. A few years ago you and Taehyun had made a made a pact with each other, for every valentine's if either of you were single or sulky the other person's job would be to look out for them and cook them a 'comfort' food of their choice.

Taehyun remembered. Of course he did, that explains that picture he kept on his nightstand.

You were overwhelmed to say the least.

"Hopefully this makes everything just a bit better," Taehyun finished off.

That's when you heard your own sniffs and felt a tear running down your cheek.

Taehyun looked at you with a panicked expression as he sat beside you and opened his mouth to say something but you cut him off.

"I can't do this anymore Taehyun, it's too unbearable. I did everything to get over this Despised you, avoided you but I'm just so weak. I'm pathetic," Even though your vision was blurry, you could still clearly see Taehyun's sculpted face in front of you.

It was pathetic really. The facade you managed to pull off for so long came undone the moment he confronted you.

Beomgyu and Jeongin would probably laugh their heads off and label you a loser if they ever got to know about this.

But Taehyun pulled you into a hug, his warm embrace enveloping the whole of you.

"Don't say that, I hurt you and it's my fault. I was a coward Y/n, I didn't want to ruin or complicate things but it only caused pain for both of us,"

He pulled back to face you.

"I know I can't ever make up for the things I said that day, but- fuck it I miss you. There are so many things I want to say that I couldn't back then but most importantly Y/n I- I love you."

Although your mind was an emotional mess. Hearing those three words from Taehyun made the butterflies in your stomach wild. The school girl crush, the giddy feeling you felt everytime Taehyun was near you returned.

"Same," you blurted out meekly not trusting yourself to form coherent sentences.

This earned a wide grin from Taehyun, giving a perfect view of his pearly white teeth and adorable eye whiskers.

He placed a hand on your cheek, wiping the tears and then leaned in dangerously close.

"May I?" He whispered against you lips and without thinking twice you smashed your them against his. This exact moment, you dreamt of it countless time. Being in Taehyun's arms was something you thought you could only see in your dreams. Actually you still weren't sure if this all was real or you were just lost in another dreamland. .

"I've missed you so much y/n oh my god" Taehyun breathed against your lips.

What eventually started soft and slow turned hot and steamy in a matter of seconds. Hands roaming all over and your entire body melting into his.

When Taehyun slipped his hands under your jumper to take it off you suddenly pulled away from him, breaking the kiss.

"What happened, did I do something wrong?" Taehyun asked with a worried look.

You shook your head quickly and pointed to the mug now placed on the nightstand.

"The hot chocolate will get cold," You replied.

Hearing this, Taehyun visibly relaxed and entwined his fingers with yours.

"I can make you a thousand cups of hot chocolate later but right now let's focus on us," He said in a deep voice, laying you down further on the bed.

"Am I really going to get laid with Kang Taehyun on fucking Valentine's day? Past us would be cringing so hard," You teased him further.

Taehyun replied by burying his face in your neck.

"Happy Valentines Day baby. Lets believe in love again."

The next day when you woke up to a naked Taehyun sleeping peacefully beside you. You had to pinch yourself to convince yourself that this wasn't a dream.

Never in a million years you thought such a disastrous day could have such a perfect ending.

Taking a sip of the cold chocolate milk from the night before, you started down at his beautiful face.

He gently stirred beside you, eyes opening slowly.

"Good morning, you're real" He speaks in a hoarse voice, eyelids still heavy with sleep.

"Yes Tyun, I am" You smiled at his cute state.

Taehyun pulled you closer to his side and whispered in your hair, "Did I tell you, you make all my problems go away"

"Speaking of problems-" You started but were cut off by the loud bang of a door opening.

"Hey Taehyun, Did Y/n come here- WHAT THE FUCK MY POOR EYES. DO YOU TWO NOT KNOW THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE LIVING IN THIS HOUSE" Yeonjun screamed covering his eyes.

You giggled at Yeonjun's mortifying reaction and slipped yourself deeper into the sheets.

"You're the one walking in without knocking, get the fuck out yeonjun" Taehyun screamed back, throwing a pillow at his direction.

[hyog-blog]

Fangs of Fortune (ep. 01 + ep. 02)

Okay, I managed to successfully not spoil any of the show's details (apart from it being stunningly beautiful), so I'm going in fully unprepared :D Already sensing a lot of drama brewing - the plot is twisting from the very beginning of the show! Even before we were properly introduced to all the main characters.

But first things first - why is everything so pretty? The people, the scenes, the visual effects, the rain falling down, the floating clothes, the makeup, those huge tears running down Zhuo Yichen's pretty face, the shots, the angles, the backgrounds, the music playing in the back.

It's just wow, the aesthetics is off-charts, delivering in each and every scene. I'm digging the desaturated bluish color palette with cyan/teal shadows, it's so moody and kind of hints at a not-so-happy story with torment and whatnot (I probably won't be able to prepare myself for what's about to come, so I won't even try XD)

Also, the visuals have a dream-like quality to them (and I'm guessing that's a thing? That's definitely a thing). All the details are crispy-clear until they aren't, and there's a very pleasant trippy feeling in the movement of the shots/camera/special fx, etc. It's very peculiar and incredibly immersive at the same time. As a viewer, you get a feeling that you're inside the show, the sets, and whatever demonic witchery is going on in the scene.

Next, Hou Minghou delivers his role like he was born for it. Regal, demonic, deceptive, sensual, sexual, humorous, cunning, gentle, caring, hurting, vicious... This man has had each and every type of emotion in the course of just 2 episodes and we still have no idea where's the real him (it's like you want to believe he's doing what he's doing out of the kindness of his demonic heart, but the history is telling otherwise). And I can already sense that the promise our boy Zhuo Yichen made to him will come and bite everyone in their pretty asses somewhere along the line (it's, like, already palpable).

Everyone has gotten deliciously stabby with our dashing demon Zhao Yuanzhou right from the first episode. Is this the show's love language? XD Because I'm sensing it is)) I have to admit it's kind of kinky. Even more than just a little. And if that's the M/M/F love triangle we're going for, then I'm all up for it :D

Oh, and all those funny moments? Going from dark to darkly humorous is just adding to the trippiness. I'm loving all of it so far - it's mysterious, incredibly intriguing, and all the characters are so delicious that I had to pause the scenes many times to grab those screenshots because of how amazing everything looks. And a lot of things are kind of... suggestive.

The show is so moody and visually stunning that I don't even have the words to describe it yet. Will need to watch more episodes to form some kind of opinion apart from 'wooooow' XD Also, it's hotter than heat itself and there are all kinds of delicious vibes going on. Other than that - so, so pretty! And fantasy-like in the best possible, albeit a little nightmarish way.

[tokiwarcube]

Pickles fluff alphabet? 💐😸pwease!

Strap in babe, this one's a doozy!

A ctivities - What do they like to do with their s/o? How do they spend their free time with them?

It’s honestly pretty varied! Whether you’re taking over the biggest nightclub in the country together; gaming; watching some trippy TV show while blasted out of your minds; or going for a late night drive… it’s something new every day! Especially if you have the free time to match. Although I will admit… he’s rather partial to just lazing around Mordhaus with you.

B eauty - What do they admire about their s/o? What do they think is beautiful about them?

Your patience, kindness, and resolve. I talk about this a lot in later letters, but your steady presence in his life is unlike anything he’s ever seen, much less had. On a more physical level though… thighs, calves, and hips. Lord God, he is insatiable.

C omfort - How would they help their s/o when they feel down/have a panic attack etc.?

I talked a bit about this in his relationship headcanon post, but he is actually surprisingly good at comforting his partner despite never having received it much himself.

If you’re okay with being held in moments like these, he’ll sit you down and pull you towards him to place his lips to your temple. He murmurs the kindest words against the skin there, letting his hands soothe the stress of the moment. Although most often one ends up threaded through your hair, shielding you from the world as his thumb traces gentle patterns. You’re going to be okay. Everything always works out, I promise.

Alternatively, if you want to talk about it, he’s a great listener. You are more than welcome to pace around his room and rant for as long as you want. He might not offer solutions, but man, he makes you feel heard.

“Yeah babe, that’s fucking bullshit! Fuck that guy!”

He’s got a damn-good sense of humor that he rarely hesitates to invoke.

D reams - How do they picture their future with their s/o?

Honestly? After decades of drug-induced fogginess, dating you has finally taught him how to appreciate the moments as they come. The whole concept of “future” is one that he struggles to really attach himself to, since he just really loves what he has now. He just knows that no matter where life takes the two of you, you’ll be there together.

E qual - Are they the dominant one in the relationship, or rather passive?

I feel very wishy-washy giving this answer, but genuinely, it depends. On most things, he’s pretty passive! He’s content to let you take the lead on quite a bit, especially if it’s not something he feels super strongly about. But he can stand firm, make decisions, and lead when need be — especially if it concerns your health or well-being.

F ight - Would they be easy to forgive their s/o? How are they fighting?

Fights, while rare, tend to revolve around one of two things. Either A.) His lifestyle choices, or B.) Family. Listen — he’s made progress with his family, but there’s still a piece of him that feels like he has to show up when they call (however rare that might be.) And when he does, he tends to be… touchier, afterwards. More likely to snap, and say shit that he doesn’t mean. He’s got a temper, and his family really brings out the worst in him. Especially if you press on it, even with the best of intentions.

Give him a bit of time — he always apologizes sincerely, and fights like these genuinely don’t happen often.

As for lifestyle… he’ll try to cut back on the drugs and alcohol if you ask, but it’s unfortunately become a keystone of his life. So any attacks on that feel like an attack on him.

But beyond that, Pickles is very easy to forgive after arguments — he really does value communication, and a sincere apology and a conversation is enough to bring him around again.

G ratitude - How grateful are they in general? Are they aware of what their s/o is doing for them?

He is immeasurably grateful for your presence in his life, both as a friend and as a lover. I don’t want to harp on it too much since I elaborate on it in some of the other letters, but for right now, just know that you are a key part of his life.

H onesty - Do they have secrets they hide from their s/o? Or do they share everything?

Nah, not really. There’s nothing really worth keeping secret, you know? He’s not doing anything that would really warrant that, and even the embarrassing shit is fun to share if it can get a laugh out of you. The most he really keeps “secret” is the extent of his insecurity, and even then, it’s a bit... obvious.

I nspiration - Did their s/o change them somehow, or the other way around? Like trying out new things or helped them overcome personal problems?

Both! You’ve definitely helped him grow as a person, in the sense that he’s not as horrifically anxious. He has his moments of course, but the love and security you bring to the relationship has helped him so, so much. Not to mention your help with regards to his family life — he cannot thank you enough for standing by his side when things get rough in that department, and just by sticking with him, you’ve shown him that he doesn’t need to tear himself apart to be loved. You’ve also shown him how to appreciate life as it comes — not just to enjoy the reprieve of thoughtlessness when the high of his drug of choice kicks in.

J ealousy - Do they get jealous easily? How do they deal with it?

Yes and no. Maybe not so much with “regular dildos,” — under most conditions, he’s content to just tell them to fuck off. Even does it with a little smirk, the smug prick. But once they start actually hitting on you? All bets are off, and he’s liable to start swinging if they aren’t taking no for an answer.

He trusts you, he just doesn’t trust other people. It takes a little bit of conversation to get him to understand that if he really trusts you, then he’ll believe you when you say you’re not gonna get swept off your feet by some regular jackoff.

Seth is a separate deal entirely, though — it doesn’t take much to set him off when Seth is in the room, nevermind near you. Again, this man has taken everything from him, in his eyes. You can’t blame him too much for having a shorter fuse.

K iss - Are they a good kisser? What was the first kiss like?

Oh, absolutely he’s a good kisser. Kissing Pickles is like a moment of peace in a world that never seems to shut up. Lazy, but sweet. Your first kiss was much of the same, his own lips upturning as you met in the middle.

L ove Confession - How would they confess to their s/o?

It takes quite a while for him to work up the courage, honestly. He’s a complete dumbass in the crush phase, but once he remembers that you’re you and he knows you… it’s easy to fall into a relationship with him, but he needs the confirmation eventually.

Hell, you might have been under the impression that you were dating for months! But a night will come where you’re hanging out, just the two of you, and he’ll just… ask if you want to go out this weekend. It’s clear that this holds a whole hell of a lot more weight than your usual outings though, if his reddening ears and rapidly darting eyes are any clue.

M arriage - Do they want to get married? How do they propose? What would the marriage be like?

The whole thought of marriage stresses Pickles the fuck out, honestly. It’s been built up as this really big thing that he just doesn’t know how to handle. Churches, family, classy photos… he has this very stiff view of marriage that makes him queasy. In his mind, it’s everything he’s been trying to run from since he was 16.

It’s only once you two talk about it and he realizes he doesn’t have to conform to those rigid ideas that he really starts to think about it. You mean you can actually have fun with these things? And that getting married doesn’t automatically place him in some dead-end job in the suburbs? And that you can just do it because you love each other? Well, now you’ve got him thinking.

There does come a time when he realizes that he really, really wants to marry you. And sure, you’ve talked about it ad nauseam — you’ve said a million times that you’d marry him if he wanted to. Logically, there’s no reason for you to reject him… and yet the little box feels like a lead ball in his pocket, staying there for months before he finally works up the courage on a quiet night in.

As for the ceremony… it depends on how far he is with separating himself from his family, honestly. There’s a good chance that he might invite them (probably at the last second, weighed down with the guilt of “what-if”), which does nothing but give him the world’s longest anxiety attack for the bulk of the ceremony.

But you know, it’s fun anyways. He was adamant about wearing his nicest suit (the one you had absolutely fallen in love with a few years prior while out on one of your rarer, fancier date nights — he never forgot how you flustered, how your eyes dilated, how you were so quick to get out of prying eyes to get your hands on him… He knows it’s your favorite, and damn if that doesn’t give him a bit of a confidence boost,) but that’s just about where the formality ends.

The initial procession it’s its own form of magic, with harp versions of all your most meaningful songs ringing through the open air (their brutality masked by the serenity of the instrument, much to your shared amusement as his family exchange shocked glances with one another). His vows are sweet, and so undeniably him. He had considered rewriting them to be more “acceptable,” after inviting his parents, but after planning the wedding a bit more with you, he remembered — this is about the two of you. And sure, they scowled when he spoke, but your grin made everything feel right. This is where he’s meant to be. Fuck them.

And the kiss, oh the kiss. He can’t help but smile in the moment, hands cupping your face — he never thought he’d be here, nevermind with someone as incredible as you.

And once all is said and done? Controlled chaos as the festivities begin — like I said, it’s a fun wedding! It’s metal as fuck! And through it all, he never once leaves your side.

N icknames - What do they call their s/o?

He’s a “babe” kind of guy, plain and simple. When he’s tired, or just feeling a little whiny, he tends to drag out the “a” — the accent makes it more endearing than it should be. “Dude” is also completely fair game, sorry.

O n Cloud Nine - What are they like when they are in love? Is it obvious for others? How do they express their feelings?

It’s painfully obvious, to everyone around him. Before you’re dating he gets all clammy and awkward, and does really stupid shit to try and impress you. Everyone knows, because the moment you walk in the room he becomes a bumbling idiot who can’t seem to keep his mouth shut… but hey, he pulls it together. Eventually. Once you’re dating and stable, it’s still pretty damn obvious that he’s completely whipped.

P DA - Are they upfront about their relationship? Do they brag with their s/o in front of others? Or are they rather shy to kiss etc. when others are watching?

He has no shame about PDA. He’s not obscene in public with you (unlike some people), but in front of the guys? He has absolutely no qualms about it. Might even be a bit insufferable with it, if the boys have been getting on his nerves. He loves bragging about you too — you’ve gotta muzzle him if you want to keep your name out of the tabloids.

Q uirk - Some random ability they have that's beneficial in a relationship.

He always knows when you’re gonna have a nightmare — some weird, preternatural sense that he chalks up to one too many bad trips and nightmares of his own.

R omance - How romantic are they? What would they do to make their s/o happy? Cliché or rather creative?

He’s not romantic in the traditional sense — candlelit dinner dates are way too stuffy for him, and he’s never really seen the point of big bouquets. But he has his own little romantic quirks — dragging you out of too-noisy bars to gaze at the stars when he notices you getting antsy… innocent little touches that make your brain go fuzzy… murmured words of adoration when the lights are low… He’s not a romantic in the traditional sense, but damn if he doesn’t make your heart flutter anyways.

And he’d do damn-near anything to make you happy, you know. He’s pretty creative with actual date ideas! Even if his “favorites” are more casual, he’s damn creative when he actually wants to go out. I’ll say it a million times and then a million more, but it’s one of the many benefits of being 1/5th of the 7th most powerful economic force.

S upport - Are they helping their s/o achieve their goals? Do they believe in them?

Fuck yes, absolutely. If you’ve got a dream, he’s doing as much as he can to make it a reality.

T hrill - Do they need to try out new things to spice out your relationship? Or do they prefer a certain routine?

He’s a definite thrill seeker — again, it comes with the fame (and money.) He’s got the world at his disposal, and he wants to do everything he can with you. But he has his little subsections of routine that he clings to — you’ll be in partying in Berlin one night and in Dubai the next, but the mornings still belong to your well-crafted songs and dances.

It’s less about spicing up the relationship though, and more about wanting to live life to the fullest with you. The two of you could be getting blasted on the couch, or even just watching some god-awful old movie, and he would be just as happy. And oftentimes, that’s exactly what you’re doing.

U nderstanding - How good do they know their partner? Are they empathetic?

He thinks he knows you pretty well, and honestly? He does! It surprises you sometimes, just how observant he is. Hell, sometimes he knows what you’re feeling before you even realize it yourself!

(Do you want me to tell him to shut up? You’re doing that thing, the thing with your eyebro— No, yeah, you do. Babe. You know what I can just—)

V alue - How important is the relationship to them? What is it’s worth in comparison to other things in their life?

You’re just as much a part of his family as the rest of Dethklok — you’re such a cornerstone of his life, and honestly, he’s not sure what he would do without you. Your love and stability is unlike anything he’s ever experienced before — and sure, he loves the guys (don’t tell anyone he said that), but they don’t know how to get over themselves enough to just fucking talk sometimes. Things are natural with you. Safe.

W ild Card - A random Fluff Headcanon.

I mentioned this in the tags of his relationship headcanons, but I decided I need this to be known.

This man is pretty shit at taking care of himself. Always forgets his inhaler at home, never remembers to eat, etc. And you’ve noticed this over the time you’ve shared together, and have started preparing for those little things. Especially because he gets so damn cranky when his blood sugar is low.

You’ve been caught passing him so many Werther’s Originals in public that he now has an unwilling sponsorship with them. He hates it so fucking much, and because you think its hilarious, it’s the only candy you bring.

X OXO - Are they very affectionate? Do they love to kiss and cuddle?

I’m just saying, his animal form is very fitting. That man would happily spend the rest of his days blasted out of his mind and cuddling with you.

Y earning - How will they cope when they're missing their partner?

He’s so unbelievably whiny, it’s unreal. If the two of you are in a situation where you can’t call, he’s the type to send little voice notes about his day, just so he can hear your response when you’re free. He gets a bit clingier with the rest of the band in the meantime… and drinks. Sorry.

Z eal - Are they willing to go to great lengths for the relationship? If so, what kind of?

To the Doomstar and back again.

[arcane-ish]

Arcane season 2 - Act 2 Review

through most of the act my feeling was that the pacing was off.

I just hate all the spacy, trippy stuff and it really ruins my enjoyment of the episodes.

Not really enjoying design for Warwick much, I want my fluffy furry Warwick. I also think the spooky horror stuff could be way spookier and more effective.

Ambessa isn't bad but she just isn't that interesting and effective. I think she just doesn't do enough interesting evil stuff compared to Silco.

However, enough meaningful emotional stuff happened in episode 6 to tide over a lot.

I don't buy that Warwick is dead. His whole point is that he has healing factor.

Caitlyn and Vi work really well together. After act 1 I was thinking about posting how the main thing that is missing for me between Vi and Caitlyn as a couple (at least compared to their League counterparts) is a sense of fun and raport. They got that back in episode 6.

Vi versus Ambessa was really fun.

I'm sorry Jayce and Viktor fans, I just like Jayce too little to be at all invested in this storyline. Good for Skye getting screentime I guess. Seriously, I would have gladly deleted that entire storyline fro the show. Just have Jayce, Viktor and Mel survive the explosion and then go off on a spa vaaction all season (sorry Mel fans). I would have gladly swapped all of that for Ekko and Heimer screentime.

Vikto and Singed got the most meaningful discussion on opposing philosophies.

It amuses me that they gave Caitlyn a dedicated training montage with Ambessa just to explain how Caitlyn could hold her own against Vi even though she's generally ranged.

I like Zaun going collectively "I am Spartacus" over Jinx.

I think Isha impersonating Jinx and doing an attack thing is kind of stupid. She is cute enough that she doesn't feel too excessively like a self insert and the way Jinx and Sevika react to her is gold. However, she still feels super contrived.

I'm kind of surprised by the relative friendliness of Singed vis a vis Vander and I was almost relieved when they went to him wanting to sacrifice Vander again in the Viktor camp. Ah, that's my unscupulous evil scientist, just the way I like him.

The Mylo and Claggor ereasure is really sad and I'm not even one of the people who particularly cares about them.

So... Vander and Silco flashbacks. One of the main things I wanted out of season 2. Am I satisfied.

1.) I'm glad that despite what is being said it didn't feel like a cheesy love triangle to me (my nightmare was that they would do Vander x Grayson).

2.) That said, my best case scenario, my biggest wish was actually for the fallout between Vander and Silco to actually be about politics and for us to get to actually let them voice their politics disagreements in an argument. (again more like the discussion between Singed and Viktor).

I like that it didn't violate my headcanons of them too much, however it didn't trigger my meaty thinky thoughts particularly about the political stuff either.

The thing that triggers my brain the most is actually their secret hideout, and it's about half !!!!!!!(/)§/$IHIUAHSIU!!!????"!! and half I'm not sure this makes sense.

How is that thing still preserved so pristinely? How come Silco never went there? I have to many questions!!!! And escaped Warwick went to that place and scratched on the door :( :( :( :(

I feel like I want to point out that Vander thought of Silco even before thinking of the girls (right after the monkey that was their undoing).

I wish we would have gotten to see the number on Silco's miner's badge just to see if his number is right after Vander's number to indicate that they joined at the same time if they are apart.

Can we get Ekko to do that particular time rewind that Jinx is talking about?

[katyawriteswhump]

the power of love, part 12 (steddie, steve whump, stobin fic)

Alternate ending S4: Steve has a habit of surviving near death experiences then getting sick for no reason. And Eddie and those fatal bat bites? After an impossible feat of mouth-to-mouth resuscitation from Steve, he’s mysteriously fixed. So, Eddie’s back to being banished, this time with Steve and Robin in tow. Eddie’s healing, but Steve isn’t… and life gets even more confusing, when Eddie develops feelings for Steve, which aren’t entirely unrequited.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 13

(also on AO3 here and as part of my steve whump fic series)

Eddie POV

To Eddie, there’s something way too police-like about the way Hopper escorts Steve to the Humvee. He even raises a hand to check Steve doesn’t knock his head, while climbing in the rear seat. Eleven gets in the far side of Steve, and Robin piles in on the near side. 

Robin shoots Eddie such a mean look and slams the armoured door. Left standing in the mud, Eddie gets it—subtle as a monster punch in his gut. Stay away from Steve.

“Let’s move.” Hopper motions urgently, and Eddie trudges over and gets in.

“You sure you want me riding shotgun? What with me being… Oh, I dunno, verified spawn of Satan?�� 

Hopper drops his voice to a barely audible rumble: “Whatever game you two were playing last night, I don’t wanna know.” He doesn’t sound chummy. Not actively hostile either. “I promised your uncle I’d look out for you, if I could.”

Eddie inhales sharply: “You’ve seen him? He’s okay?”

“He salvaged your six-string after the quake. He wanted me to tell you.”

Eddie snorted; cannot deny it’d played on his mind. God, Wayne knows him too damn well.

Hopper fiddles with the switches on the spartan dashboard. “Not gonna say he’s okay, because nobody in Hawkins is. Our best hope is that the military pull out when they can’t find Eleven. We still have allies, acquaintances of Owens, though their numbers are thinning fast.”

“That who we’re running to?”

Hopper has some kind of plan, which he explains as he grinds into gear. They’re heading for a remote road, where these remaining ‘allies’ have arranged further transport. “Luckily,” says Hopper, “you guys were pretty much on route.”

“We can’t stay away long,” says Eleven. “I have to go back. I can beat One, with help from friends, and…”

Eddie peeps over his shoulder, sees her staring hopefully at Steve. Who is staring glassily ahead.

“Steve?” prompts Robin. “Anything you feel like sharing.”

“Will you gimme a break? Look, I got an idea about what’s behind all this. I don’t know how much sense it’s gonna make, so…”

Nothing could’ve prepared Eddie for what Steve discloses next. “I know how nuts this must sound,” Steve says. Eddie, like the others, is temporarily stunned speechless. “That I should be… That I should’ve drowned in that lake, when I was a kid.”

“The only thing nuts,” says Robin, who’s literally cuddling him from the side, “is that you didn’t tell us this sooner.”

Steve squirms. “Honestly? It only came together in my head in the past day or so. It was like a really annoying jigsaw puzzle, and jigsaws are basically my least favorite thing ever.”

“We need to figure this out,” says Hopper. “There was no gate open to the Upside Down in 1978. Doesn’t mean Steve’s powers, if that’s what you got, aren’t linked to the Upside Down, or the experiments at Hawkins Lab. If they are, doesn’t mean they’re all bad news. Look at El.”

“I guess.” The Humvee rocks and rolls over a particularly cavernous pothole, and Steve flinches hard. “In my dreams and shit, I see this trippy… I don’t know how to describe them. They’re like a ghost or something; also, not quite a ghost. Whatever, I got this hunch they’re behind it.”

“Could be some kind of water spirit,” says Robin. “Or even a goddess. Oooh, so the Romans worshipped this water goddess, Minerva, and the ancient Celts had Sulis—"

“Be serious,” says Steve.

“I am serious. In Native American religions, water can represent a link between life and death. I wish I knew more.”

“Not sure I wanna know any of this.” Steve peeps down at El, who’s not quit staring at him. “If this is your crazy-pants frenemy after all, now would be a really good time to tell me.”

She shakes her head. “No. If I sense anything, it’s good… soft… like Mama should’ve been.”

“Oh,” says Steve. “Can you, like, see them too?”

“No.”

“Son-of-a-bitch!” bellows Hopper. The Humvee’s wheels churn uselessly in the sludgy ground. “Everyone out, apart from you.” He points at Steve. “You okay to take the wheel?”

Steve revs for about ten seconds. Eleven uses her powers to unstick the armoured vehicle, and nobody needs to shove. Trouble is, they get stuck again about ten minutes later. And again, five minutes after that. Soon after they next get going, there’s a loud metallic clunk. The Humvee chokes, splutters, and dies completely.

They all tumble out yet again, apart from Steve, who stays put, and nobody argues. Hopper props up the hood. “Munson, you any good with cars?” 

“Uh, hello?” says Robin. “My moms jumpstarts her Chevette every single day.”

That distracts Steve’s guard-dog. Eddie suffers a moment of agonising indecision then pops his head in the rear seat.

“How you doing?” Eddie knows it’s a stupid question. 

Steve shoots him a withering look, fluffs his messy hair. Eddie slides in beside then totally freezes up. He feels horrible about Steve’s arm in the sling, and as for the rest of it… 

HE DIED! On the other hand, I died too.

Yeah, how exactly does Eddie Munson fit into this beyond-freaky legend? He hardly gives a shit— he’s not the one seeing ‘ghosts’ and, worse, starting to resemble a ghost.

“Eddie,” whispers Steve. “I might need to get away.”

“Get away?” mouths Eddie. “What do you mean? From Hopper?”

Steve’s silence is answer enough.

“Granted, the dude’s packing heat,” says Eddie. And driving a freakin’ tank. "He’s not holding you hostage.”

“I know that. God, I’m so confused.” Steve’s stopped being grouchy or fighty. Which is pretty un-Steve, and scary in itself. He curls a hand over his eyes. “I feel like I’m being… I dunno, pulled in the wrong direction.”

A power chord of fear twangs across Eddie’s every fibre. “You want us to go back to Hawkins?” 

“Us?” Steve emerges from behind his fingers. “No. Hop’s right. You’d be arrested and I’d be… Ugh, I’m so goddamn sick of this. I want this all to be over, so we can… you know, fool around together.”

He reaches out, hooks a strand of Eddie’s now-totally-mad hair behind his ear, and sorta smiles. For a single damn fine moment, that smile sparks in his eyes; Eddie loses himself there, and their world is perfect.

Then Steve’s fingers drift away. Eddie wants to catch them, kiss them, promise he’ll do anything Steve needs. He’ll take down the whole damn US army, slay Vecna in a blaze of glory, even if he dies AGAIN trying, and yet… 

… Holy shit, he’s terrified of Steve! Scared that, if he touches him, he’s gonna crumble into dust, or…

“Earth to Eddie?” Steve waves in front of Eddie’s nose. “Have I added invisibility to my list of useless powers?”

“No. It’s just… I want this over too, so we can do, uh, yeeeaah, stuff.” Wow. Call yourself a lyricist, Munson? He’s rescued by a roar from the Hummer’s engine. That sleepwalker’s glaze returns to Steve’s eyes, and it feels way too much like another door swinging closed in Eddie’s face.

Although the dinged motor is fixed, the mud continues to be literally a pain in the butt. Nobody enjoys the bruisingly rough ride on the rock-hard, upholstery-free seats. 

“At this rate, we’re gonna have to ditch this piece of garbage and walk,” says Hopper.

“Jesus Christ, just ditch me already,” mutters Steve, who’s turned a disturbing shade of gray-green. Hopper doesn’t argue, which makes Eddie think he isn’t taking all that Steve says seriously. Which makes Eddie feel kinda sick, too.

What should they do? He wishes he could talk to Steve alone again, this time be less of a tongue-tied dipshit. That said, how can Steve go back to Hawkins? Right now, he can’t hardly walk.

They’re halfway across a patch of open land when they get stuck yet again. Eleven’s nearly as washed out as Steve, her nose bleeding. Hopper suggests they get the Humvee moving the traditional way.

“Shame about all that rain,” says Robin, as she, Hopper and Eddie pile out to push.

“Is that a dig?” snaps Steve, from the driver’s seat.

“Wasn’t supposed to be. Sorry. Sorry.”

They’ve barely put their backs into it, when Hopper squints into the air and curses louder than ever. A distant juddering noise reaches Eddie’s hearing.

“Oh my God,” cries Robin. “Is that—”

“Sikorsky search-and-rescue Hawks,” shouts Hopper. Yup, Eddie counts a battle-wave of ten or more. “Into the trees. Go, go, go!”

“What about our tank?” Eddie jumps on instinct to help Steve, who’s clambering out, seeming kinda dazed. Robin blocks Eddie’s path. It’s all a moot point, because Hopper’s already got to Steve.

“If they see it,” says Hopper, hustling Steve ahead of him, “chances are they’ll take a potshot.”

“I can crash them,” gasps Eleven. “Done it before.”

“Not a great idea, kiddo,” says Hopper. “They’ll know for sure it’s us, and throw everything they got into this part of the country. We’ll never make our meet.”

Eddie is scratched from head to foot by outdoor crap, before Hopper says, wheezing hard, “This’ll do.” They all get down in a bunker-like dip. Steve kneels beside Eddie, Hopper behind them. Robin shuffles around to crouch beside Steve.

“Do you hear that?” murmurs Steve to Eddie.

“Uh, yeah,” replies Eddie. “Evil empire TIE fighters, straight outta the Death Star.”

“Not them. A river or something. Loud. Like a waterfall.”

“Could be a giant bear taking a slash?” says Eddie, because life is currently so unfunny, he really might as well. And no, he can’t hear any water. Only the crescendoing approach of that airborne death squad.

“Bears have gotten so far down my ‘worry about’ list,” says Robin, “that that’s scary itself.” She picks a cobweb out of Steve’s hair. Steve, meanwhile, closes his eyes. He starts to tremble. “Uh, Steve,” says Robin, “what are you—”

“What d’you think I’m doing?” Bitchy Steve has returned, which Eddie chooses to find reassuring. “They’ll see the Hummer for sure. If I can actually do what you say I did—”

“It makes you sick,” hisses Eddie.

Robin bristles. “Since when did you care?”

“Will you both zip it?” says Steve.

Robin rubs his back. Eddie considers squeezing his knee, then decides against it. Hopper stops scrutinising the skies, brow furrowing: “What’s he doing?”

“Nothing!” Robin’s overwrought smile is stupidly guilty.

“Stevie?” prompts Eddie. “Is there anything we—”

“No, no. I remember this insane crackling. If I can get that going… Gnnng!”

“Anger helps,” whispers Eleven, from the far side of Robin. “What makes you angry?”

“A ton of shit! I can’t… Jesus, it feels like my head’s gonna explode.”

There’s a blinding flash, and a deafening thunderclap. Steve crumples forward, and Hopper grabs him by the scruff of his sweater before he hits the dirt. Eddie shrinks back, his own heart beating like it’s gonna bust outta his chest.

Steve’s now basically hyperventilating. “Ssssh, you did great.” Hopper gently braces an arm around him. “You gotta calm down. Breathe slower, nice and steady, huh?”

Eddie glances up at a bank of wispy grey clouds that hadn’t been there before. A few tense moments pass, the air palpably crackling with an electric tension. Then the noise from the choppers begins to fade.

“They’re turning around,” says Hopper. “Hawks can’t fly with lightning around.”

Robin’s shoulders sink with a relief Eddie shares. Steve, however, groans miserably. Hopper is still keeping Steve upright and asks, “You gonna puke?”

Steve scrunches his face and nods. 

“Stop goggling and get lost,” says Hopper to the others. Nobody disobeys. They’ve not gone a dozen yards, before Robin trips and falls on her face. As Eddie stoops to help her, she springs back up without aid. Far more shockingly, she throws her arms around Eddie’s neck:

“Oh my God, oh my God, I know the powers are awesome but he’s sick and I’m so scared he’s dying. What do we do? How can we help him? WHAT DO WE DO?”

All Eddie can do is press his cheek to her hair, and answer with an honesty that jack-knifes through his guts. “I don’t know, Robin. I haven’t a goddamn clue.”

Part 13

...

PS--In case anybody's worried... while there is plenty of trauma ahead, I only do happy endings ;)

tags: @estrellami-1 @kal-ology @finntheehumaneater (thank you, thank you, thank you!) If anybody else would like to be tagged on this fic or any of my writing, please let me know :) Reblogs, comments and likes also very much appreciated :) Thank you for reading so far :)

(also part of my steve whump fic series on AO3)

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 13

[lurkingshan]

Gay OK Bangkok

Well, holy shit. I had been planning to watch this ahead of Only Friends because @shortpplfedup named it as one of the Jojo shows that would serve as a good primer for the types of themes we could expect. I didn’t know much about it except it was an Aof/Jojo collab and had openly queer cast members. I expected something like a short Thai Queer as Folk. 

And it kind of is like QaF, in the sense that it’s very much a show about a group of queer friends and their romantic (mis)adventures that features frank discussion of gay sex and sexual health practices, but it’s not really like it at all in terms of its tone. Where QaF is known for its explicit sex, trippy drug sequences, and heavy doses of camp, GOBK is much less smutty and has a thread of deep melancholy running through it (oh hi Aof), and it is primarily interested in doing some serious character work alongside delivering its messages about safe sex. And these characters got their hooks in me much more than I expected.  

I think what I appreciate most about this show is how real the characters feel. They’re wonderfully flawed, fully realized human beings—beautiful and ugly in equal measure, wrong as often as they’re right, and just doing their best to balance their needs and desires with how they want to show up for the people they love. Even the characters I didn’t like much, I still understood and felt some empathy for, and I think that’s a credit to the compassion and care with which this series is written (not a surprise given Aof and Jojo are the ones who wrote it). Everyone gets the benefit of nuance and grace, including the side characters. And to be clear, I wouldn’t consider this a bl. I’d call it a queer slice of life drama that includes romance, but is not about romance—there is no primary romantic relationship that acts as the plot driver and it’s not at all interested in happily ever afters or even firm endings for its relationships.

My only real complaint about this show is I wanted (a lot) more of it. But still, for a show that only had eight hours total runtime over two seasons, it managed to do a lot with it. I am going to avoid getting into spoilers because as usual, I want y’all to watch this! But I really loved seeing a few years in the life of Arm, Pom, Aof, Big, Sathang, and their various friends, family, and lovers. And, crucially, it’s all so very queer. There is so much to unpack here about the nature of loneliness and desire and the guilt and shame that often comes along with them. The show is interested in exploring lots of ways to be in love and in relationship with each other, and it lets the characters fight, fuck up, break up, make up, and express their own confusion and discomfort and dissonance along the way. The only thing it’s interested in being preachy about are safe sex practices; everything else is presented in shades of gray. And it doesn’t limit itself to romance; we see the characters at work and with their families and out living their daily lives in a society that is often actively hostile to them. This show sits squarely at the center of @wen-kexing-apologist’s by/for/about Venn diagram (can’t wait for you to watch this, friend).

I highly recommend this show to anyone who plans to watch Only Friends (which, by my count, is just about everyone I know on here)—homework is of course not required before enjoying a new drama, but I do think familiarity with this work will enhance your experience, and it’s such a quick watch! If you’re interested, the show is available on YouTube here and here. It also has a great and surprising soundtrack which has also been compiled into two playlists. 

Tagging friends @neuroticbookworm, @waitmyturtles, @chickenstrangers, and @lurkingteapot who are all in the midst of their own watches or planning to start soon, and @bengiyo, @so-much-yet-to-learn, and @imminentinertia who saw this awhile back and shared some interesting reflections about it during my watch. 

[pinkpogiclub]

if you're up for it i would LOVE to hear a full account of your day yesterday, your videos were so great !!

Hi!! <3

I’m always really happy to yap about cycling so this isn’t a hardship at all! I hope you don’t mind me using your ask as a way to do just that! Thank you @tourmalet ❤️‍🩹🫶🏻

First of all! Let me preface this by saying that im really really lucky because my family has always been very into cycling (my grandpa used to cycle back in the forties and the fifties when Coppi and Bartali were racing and he passed his passion onto my dad, his son): they’re the literal best and the reason why im the way I am right now.

That being said, we never managed to be spectators for the Tour because it wasn’t as easy to reach as the Giro, always too far away: which is why we decided to go as soon as we learnt that the first stage of the tour would be starting here, it really was a no-brainer.

So we made a plan and yesterday morning we packed our backpacks and took my uncle’s car to one the final climbs of the stage, operating on stress levels that could have powered a jet engine. Anyways. Now, I’ve been to numerous Giros, but BOY was the atmosphere different yesterday: SO SO many people from different countries (a couple near us came all the way from the Czech Republic just to cheer on Jan Hirt, which he probably needed after what happened yesterday) and generally you could just tell something big was happening. We also spoke a bit with Alfio Vandi (now 69 years old) who was, back in 1976, the first rider to ever wear the white jersey during the Giro d’Italia: definitely trippy to think about him riding alongside Merckx, I’ll admit I was kind of starstruck lmao!

We then hiked a bit (like a couple of km’s, nothing major luckily) to get to the spot my father had in mind, the same one he always passes by whenever he rides that climb like every Sunday (love u dad). We waited there from 11am to 4:30pm-ish and, while the company was great (group of 70 year olds watching motogp and formula one on their phones, very loudly bitching and moaning about ferrari) the weather was just shit from start to finish. SO humid it felt like breathing in mist and also very very warm: just this fact alone made me genuinely wonder how the HELL the riders could bear it for more than 100 kms while I was almost dying just staying still and laying around 😭

And THEN. When riders started coming it was as if everyone there suddenly reverted back to their kids selves: people cheering and clapping and laughing, literal seventy year olds jumping up and down at the sight of jonas and tadej passing by them!!!!!! SO CUTE!!!!!!! I had promised myself not to be TOO biased but I started screaming WOUT!!!! as soon as I saw him (he kind of made a face at me? I think? Idk im choosing to believe he did) which also means I didn’t even see G, Remco, Egan and basically every other GC contender until I watched my videos back. Lmao, talk about tunnel vision. This also goes for Mathieu, who probably saw me cheering like a little kid, waving and all. Sorry pal💀

Jasper arrived later, almost alone, and I was the only one cheering for him for some reason? Beloved war criminal in criminal team ❤️ And how was I repaid for my love and affection? This bitch spat on my backpack!!!! DISMANTLE ALPECIN RN!!!!!!!!

While we were waiting for Mark (Cavendish) to get there the silence was SURREAL; there weren’t that many people there and so the only noises you could really hear were the bikes and some of the scattered riders talking amongst themselves. It was kind of insane, in the sense that I’ve always associated the tour with loud cheering and large crowds, but right then it was a very tangible and human experience, I don’t even know how to explain it. Very real, very raw.

Eventually Mark (and Fabio!) arrived and you could tell they were both exhausted beyond reason but were still, somehow, pushing on through. Mark used to be my absolute fave when I was a child so BET I cheered him on like there was no tomorrow. FORZA MARK FOREVER!!!!!!! (he also has a really cool bike and I was kind of giggling at him sporting a big ass 300k sponsor watch while clawing his way up that climb. Suffering in style I guess, slay)

Overall, the day was extremely tiring but SO worth it: I would do it again another hundred times and I genuinely think everyone should experience the tour at least once in their lifetime. I feel like it’s one of the very few instances where you can actually realise how INSANELY talented the pros are compared to “regular” people (just to put it into perspective: my father is by no means a pro cyclist, but they rode the same climb as him in a THIRD of the time. CRAZY). They withstand scorching heat, gruelling climbs and every sort of injury for three weeks straight, experiencing a level of fatigue i don’t think I could even imagine lmao (the way jonas and pogi were climbing was actually scary: literally riding like they were on a Sunday outing with their friends. Managed to shock my dad. 10/10).

So yeah, all of this to say: I had a lot of fun and I absolutely love this sport to bits. I really wish all of y’all moots could have been there with me, truly😮‍💨❤️‍🩹

NOW. I’m wrapping all of this up with a few bonuses:

- a guy from total energies, whose name I can’t figure out for the life of me, giving me his bottle for no apparent reason other than the fact that I was yelling at him to push cause the hardest part was done (love you king)

- gifted polka dot jersey tee thrown by sponsor bus

- a sunburn from hell I will probably feel for a week

- American woman sporting a GC Kuss shirt: QUEEN

- a beer and food truck near the summit: you wouldn’t believe the amount of people day-drinking themselves silly in 30+ degrees heat

- VAI PACEJ (which I guess is a combination of Pogačar and Tadej?)

- BINI!!!!!!!

- the view from where I was <3

Thank you all for listening, if you managed to stay up until here im giving you a big kiss on the forehead🫶🏻

[vivantesopales]

for mari 🌼

a soft-sad rainy night remix of 10 gorgeously written fics (including tomarry, harry & tom°), recced in parallel with lines from the poem ‘Into the Breach’ by ocean vuong

To the Hilt | M, 36k | @duplicitywrites

It’s simple: I just don’t know / how to love a man / gently.

Featuring an epic, human-AI romance between gamer Tom and garden bot Harry, To the Hilt is mind-blowing, deliciously sci-fi, and has a distinct, grim palette that feels almost dystopian. The story offers a fresh take on the android trope that diverts its plot-line from the traditional cautionary narrative, and the bittersweet ending gives me the worst, the best, you know what I mean, hangover. So please, do proceed with caution.

Lost in London° | T, 7k | @take-the-unknow-road-now

Tenderness / a thing to be beaten / into. Fireflies strung / through sapphired air.

It's impossible not to adore a tiny feral Tom who runs around in the streets of London and sets litter bins on fire. His friendship with Harry in this fic is so pure, so so pure. I still get ridiculously emotional thinking about them, and their chaotic little day trip feels a bit like a childhood memory I hold very close to my heart, now, after my third reread.

Dead Leaves on a Wet October Day | T, 29k | @trelloreads

You’re so quiet you’re almost / tomorrow.

In the beginning, Trello's writing vividly portrays Tom as an evil ghost that kills and wreaks havoc for funsies. He’s grumpy, he's dramatic, he’s hilarious. But you know the kind of fics that'd have you giggling out loud, just generally embarrassing yourself in public until they rip your heart out without a warning so that you'd have to go lie down for a while to recover?

Friendly advice: tissues at the ready....

Kings of Flowers and Skulls | T, 20k | @merrinpippy

The body was made soft / to keep us / from loneliness.

A soft, soft fic in which our two boys – two kings, in this instance, Harry of the eternally sleeping and Tom of the dead – find themselves gravitating towards one another after their first, curious encounter. Intimately written in a melancholic, fairytale-esque tone, there's just the right amount of fluff and comfort to counterbalance the pervasive loneliness in their daily lives.

In Dreams We Speak | T, 6.9k | @a-sentimental-man

You said that / as if the car were filling / with river water. / Don’t worry. / There’s no water. / Only your eyes / closing.

Philosophical at times and wonderfully trippy, this fic is an entire experience. It's a Sandman crossover – the first and only one I've read, actually. There's just something so eye-opening about the prose, and the casting certainly promises tension: Tom as Lord Dream and Harry the Master of Death. Whilst the cherry-of-top – Death herself as a supporting character – is what gives the story an unique, elegant aftertaste.

Alive Really Isn’t Your Color | T, 5.5k | merrivale

I never wanted / the flesh. / How it never fails / to fail / so accurately.

A deep dive into Harry’s post-war state of mind. Merrivale's writing captures depression in its raw, simplest manifestations, where living as the Master of Death (not really alive but unable to just die either) seems more and more like a curse Harry can't shake off. An understated, heartbreaking character study, this fic also closes with a scene that never fails to fuck me up (in a powerfully emo way).

The Care and Keeping of Tom Riddle’s Diary | T, 7.9k | @wynnefic

But what if I broke through / the skin’s thin page / anyway / & found the heart

With several unexpected turns along the way, this fic hits me right in my soft spot. It's so heartbreaking to see Diary Tom bonding with Harry over a sense of loneliness. Both shaped by chronic isolation, their protectiveness towards one another feels integral to their dynamic.

Jump right in – if you don't mind being turned into a puddle of goo by Harry, an adorable little bean who should be protected at all costs, and his adorable interactions with Tom.

Made of Clay° | E, 100k | @phantomato

To love another / man—is to leave / no one behind / to forgive me. / I want to leave / no one behind.

When Thoros Nott inserts himself and his son Theo into the lovely domestic equation of the Riddle household, the past is bound to catch up with Tom – retired Dark Lord, father of one – and impact his life with his 'adopted' son, Harry Riddle (oh yes the subtlety, I love that silly silly man) (Thoros: *coughs* abducted *cough*).

Phantomato’s handling of complex dynamics between complex characters is nuanced, graceful, as always. If you ever find yourself craving a good comfort fic or stories with the found family trope ... or if you think you might enjoy Tom being a suburban dilf for 100k – and no, this is absolutely not a logic trap😉 – here it is!

The Eyes in the Bramblebush | T, 12k | @relic--crown

To keep / & be kept. / The way a field turns / its secrets / into peonies.

Brought before readers by rich imagery and well-crafted moods, the high school setting in Bramblebush imparts a nostalgic note to the story. The dark vulnerability in Tom's character makes him an intriguing study in contrast, especially when Harry gets to be the one to dislocate him from his perfect, preppy, First Violin persona (which, don't get me wrong, is a 10/10 in its own right).

But You Promised?° | Not Rated, 1.2k | @whotooklortan

The way light / keeps its shadow / by swallowing it.

Cast against the backdrop of WW2 and the Blitz, the bond between Tom and his guardian seems especially precious as he grows from a bitter, disenchanted child to someone secure enough to trust, to rely on Harry. The slow disintegration of his mental barriers, however, only foregrounds the angst when it all to leads to one crushingly realistic twist at the end.

-

dear @onbeinganangel, happy birthday. i hope this little weave could, maybe, at some point in the future, give you the hug and/or the good cry you need – the same way these fics have comforted me in the past few difficult months; and of course, the same way your company and your writing have always sustained me emotionally. 😌💛

[bisluthq]

https://www.tumblr.com/bisluthq/757147935962251264/joes-nextcurrent-gf-may-not-be-a-swiftie-but?source=share

I think it depends if they end on bad terms and why. His previous exes didn't seem to hate his guts and never really tried to ride the wave to shit on him. I haven't seen any shade even when he and Taylor broke up. In reality wasn't there an ex io his, that actually started to follow him again even? Idk y'all 😂

SLL isn’t really a song that necessitates hating his guts though. It’s a commentary on the most challenging aspects of his personality (or at least his personality with Taylor) and it actually wishes him all the best. She doesn’t say “fuck you I hope you’re miserable forever you fucking cunt” - she says “you’ll find someone, I’m not the one” and I actually relistened to it just before I answered this to make sure I’m not getting anything wrong but it’s the one song since Back To December where she takes a modicum of responsibility/accountability because she says “and you say I abandoned the ship” so she kind of acknowledges that he thinks it’s more her fault than his - which makes sense because of the Matty thing lol and proves he isn’t a total idiot lmao - but then she insists she did her best as I’m sure she feels she did.

FOTS would necessitate at least kinda disliking him tho lol.

and yea as far as I can recall an ex (I think it was Serena) refollowed him after the breakup. Obviously no bad blood there and maybe she figured she’d slide into his DMs again lol. Maybe she even has 😂 It’d be funny if that worked lmao with Taylor trying it again with Matty and all like it’d be funny if he tried or is trying with an ex too.

also not breakup related but how weird would All of The Girls be for his CURRENT/FUTURE girlfriends lmaoooo? I just thought about that. I really, really like that song and have that on my very embarrassing playlist about my bf because I do feel that way about his exes (except maybe his ex wife because I think she probably made him worse not better like overall) and I just think it’s such a positive and cute concept for a song like it’s invisible string (Slut Version) for me. But it’d break my brain if that song was literally written about my bf lol especially given like given how serious he was with Taylor and how deep it was like definitely she is one of the girls who’ll have made him the one the new she’s/she’ll have fallen for lol. So you’ll have a song about your exact situation written by a woman who very much made him the way you found him lmao. Must be trippy af.

[brakish-tea]

Fears as dreams I have had:

End: I dreamed my best friend faded away and died before my eyes

Desolation: I was in a burning restaurant trying to frantically find my way out

Slaughter: I was running through an oddly wide and empty version of museum adjacent London when I saw a child who looked like my secondary school bully. I went up to him and he asked in a child's voice "Are you here to kill me?"

Hunt: I spent the last two years going between Canada and London on the run from a scrawny man with a rifle. I was with my mom. We would close the blinds and live in hiding and we weren't scared because it felt normal to us. One day, my mom gave me a hunting rifle to defend myself. On that same day, my mom was having too long a conversation with one of the neighbors and had left the door open and I was silently gesturing for her to come inside and when we did go to the door it was closed and unlocked. We both knew he was inside and so we both scattered before I heard the gunshots of my rifle echo out across the street and the scrawny man's face was angry. I ran all the way down the near by highway and the air was cool. It all felt normal. He was behind me.

Flesh: My skin texture was melty and strange. Very bad.

Corruption: A recurring dream where I had a very contagious orange coloured terminal infection. I laughed and joked for people not to come near me to make it seem like I wasn't scared to die while making it so that others wouldn't get infected.

Stranger: I was not!them and I was running through a Russian community center (I have never been to Russia in my life). The walls were white plaster and bare save for a pink ballet advert flyer I couldn't read. Jonathan Sims was chasing my with a metal pipe as I was about half way into climbing into the skin of some blonde guy before he hit me. I remember being indignant that the hit meant I made the my torso the wrong height. A similar feeling to when someone jogs your hand while you're drawing.

Buried: I was a young child at the pool with my mom when I fell into a small thin rectangular pool that seemed to go down forever. I was drowning and I couldn't swim back up. I couldn't breathe. When I woke up, it turned out I had choked on my tongue while I slept and that was why I had that dream.

Web: In this dream, I was quite literally The Web. There was a plan over many years where 10 people were sent anonymous paypal money over imessage which would, 5 years later, lead to the death and coverup of a 19 girl hiking in the woods. This would eventually lead to strings based rapture into the skies. When I woke up and felt like a person with an identity again and not an overarching force/concept I was confused and felt like some kind of cosmic horror protagonist which was cool.

Eye: Honestly don't think I have ever had an Eye dream which is odd given my track record.

Spiral: I was in a really fucked up trippy hotel maze thing with blacklights and ladders and messages that didn't make sense and Ryker 8:11 was there and then I climbed out of a trap door and I was on the ground at night in the rain in Brighton.

Lonely: I snuck onto an Antarctic research team base under a fake name after faking my own death. I stood at the outskirts of our little town looking at the warmth and the lights contrasting the tundra and it struck me that this was the only place anyone even knew I existed.

Vast: A childhood memory of a storm came back to me in a dream when I talked to a friend from that world. I still remember it clearly. I must have been 7 or so and I was going with my friends to the park. We stood on the side of the hill and saw a storm. It was so low and small as if it were my storm. As if it were there to strike me. But it was so tall and impossibly vast and dark and roiling and crashing I could not understand it. When the flashback finished, the girl in my dream asked if I had been struck by lightning but I explained I would have a lichtenburg scar if I had.

Dark: I was a priest like figure in a cult that worshiped dark and stars. I remember I was lying in my bed. It was accommodation provided by the cult themselves. The bed was cool and the room was dark, but cast into a deep blue black by the faint light of the stars outside. I felt fulfilled and in tune with the world in a way I have never done so to any meaningful extent.

Extinction: I was standing in the rain and my friend said that the rain drops were too small. I looked at them. They were cloudy and feeble and polluted and tasted unnervingly sweet.

[lucero-is-here]

Dances into the room

Headcanon time…No i do not care it’s 11:33 am where I am at now. FIONA FLANAGAN-

Requested by:

Okay let’s go.

- nice hands. She has nice hands don’t ask why I think that she just seems like she has nice hands.

- warm hands. She’s always warm, and her hands are nice to hold when it’s cold. When it’s hot that may as well be a different story.

- her teeth are yellowish. I mean she smokes, her teeth are gonna be yellowish it is inevitable -_-

- a lot of earrings. Besides studs, she also has hoops, or those earrings with more intricate designs.

- soft spot for kids. She won’t admit it, but she really likes and cares for kids. (Finley is the same, he also likes kids but this ain’t about him)

- when she and Finley were younger, she was hanging out with friends and showing them her new earrings and they told her Finley was getting chased by a dog in the background (which he was), Fiona just said: “This ain’t about him”

- pretty good relationship with Finley until he killed her. They were really close and everything- and they were kind of the only people they had to rely on, so they were close.

- Fiona’s hair gets tangled a lot- she has a hard time brushing it out in the morning or basically any time.

- SHE LIKES SWEETS CHANGE MY MIND- SHE ESPECIALLY LIKES COTTON CANDY

- Pushed Finley off a swing when they were younger and laughed at him while he cried. Finley took his revenge by hitting her in the face with a pillow

- she can shoot a sparrow with a bow and arrow. She’s just that skilled.

- she likes the story Alice in Wonderland- she finds it so trippy and loves it.

- she reads Finley horror stories when they go to sleep. Or she reads them the original tales of those classical fairytales.

- boots over heels. She hates heels so much- someone gave her heels once and she proceeded to throw them into a fire.

- she has good spice tolerance

- she wants to look good…Even while being the Scarlet Slayer. She spends a while on her outfit and hair, makes sure she looks wonderful, then goes about her day.

- she’s gay or half gay (bisexual)

- she can dance. She can dance really well too- she looks really pretty while dancing too. Finley has a tape recording of her dancing when she was younger, and it’s a fond memory for the siblings. Cause Finley always says it’s nice remembering how sweet his sister used to be before she became who she was and before he killed her

- Fiona was this really sweet person (she’s still really nice and all- despite being a serial killer), and she cares a lot for people. However her views on justice and morals are extremely different, and she views death as the ultimate escape and freedom for everything.

- Fiona’s extremely messed up sense of morals and justice was because when she was younger, she and Finley were taught about it that way. For Finley, he kind of only “liberated” someone if he thought they’re suffering had gone on too long. Whereas for Fiona, if she sees anyone she remotely thinks is suffering and “liberates” them.

- (angst) she really does love and care for Finley even if it isn’r obvious. I like to think in her final moment, when Finley killed Fiona, both of them were crying. Fiona was asking her brother not to kill her, but he still did. Fiona realised he was going to kill her eitherways, so she told him she loved him and he was the best brother ever only to get cut off cause she died- and Finley said it too, but he said it too late and Fiona never heard it. (Ah I love angst)

That’s all I can think of for her now- if I think of more part 2 is possible.

[yurisorcerer]

A friend said yesterday that I seem like I have a complicated relationship with Ishura. This is untrue, I think Ishura sucks but has a few bright spots; that's not complicated. If there's a show I have a complicated relationship with this season it's Metallic Fucking Rouge. What, like, IS this show? Actually? When you strip away all the minutiae and all attempts at allegory, political or otherwise, what is this story *about*? Like, at its core?

With three episodes left on the clock (assuming this isn't a secret two-cour show, but I'd be very surprised if that we the case) I'm still not sure I could tell you.

Metallic Rouge has all these big-brain classic sci-fi influences that it very clearly wants to integrate into its sense of storytelling. That's why there are two competing factions of aliens who we don't really see much of until this episode, that's why there's this whole human oppressor / humanoid robot oppressed class dynamic that the show doesn't quite know what to do with, that's probably a good chunk of why it hops between planets at all. At the same time, this is also a 12-episode anime that needs to deliver solid fundamentals to actually keep people invested. Most people are not me, and will not watch an entire 12-episode series just to figure out what the fuck it's trying to do. I think a lot of people, given how willfully opaque Metallic Rouge is, would / will / have just found it frustrating. The action sequences have been good at staving that off, and I think this episode's was maybe the best yet, but I'm not sure it's enough.

That aside, yeah, this is a series that's worn a lot of hats. It's been a toku-inspired action series, a story about the aftermath of war and the mechanics of oppression, a trippy dream sequence, a whodunnit, etc. Now, in its last leg, it's become like....I don't even know, one of those 90s sci fi movies with CGI aliens? It's been better at some of those than others and I actually think this new turn fits it surprisingly well, but I am left with a frustration and I kind of wish the show would just stick to something.

That said; I can see the counterargument, right? You know, compared to most bad anime that have aired or will air this year, Rouge's problem is not that it has NO ideas, it's that it has TOO MANY, and doesn't execute them well enough. In my head, I've kind of been comparing the series to Lycoris Recoil, but they actually have opposite problems; LycoReco couldn't find enough solid ground to stretch for a full 12 episode cour, and ended up showing its ass when its underlying politics turned out to be embarrassingly basic. Metallic Rouge by comparison is hyperactive and unable to follow through on any of its ideas. I wouldn't be surprised if, rather than turning out to have *basic* politics as I've previously wondered, it just turns out to have none. Who needs themes when you have giant spaceships and can reveal your main character is an alien?

Or is it, right? That's the obvious thing, there are still three more episodes. Maybe, somehow, someway, it will find a way to tie all of these disparate elements together in its final quarter and I'll look like a fucking idiot for having ever doubted it. I would honestly love that, I can count on my hands the number of times a show I was frustrated with turned out BETTER than I thought it would, but it's always a really lovely and cathartic thing. But I'm pretty skeptical, I don't know, the fact that the series used so much charged imagery early on and has largely just chosen to discard it makes the entire thing feel poorly thought-out. I am still, in spite of myself, mostly enjoying the show for what it is; I love the action sequences, the incredibly strange bits of hyper-expressive and overfluid animation (seriously, look at this)

and I even kind of love how up its own ass it is, but I think there's a distinction to be drawn there between something being *entertaining* and being *good.* Metallic Rouge is very entertaining, but it's also hugely frustrating and at this point I would be VERY surprised if my main takeaway from it once it's over isn't just that it had a lot of potential it didn't live up to.

I guess we'll see! Who knows.

EDIT: Oh yeah, I saw someone else mention this in the tag but credit to this show for being fairly normal about a plural system. I hope they survive the rest of the show, Alice/Aes are honestly some of my favorite characters.

[monpalace]

Hey

Imma fangirl over you real quick, cause ye

IM SO SURPRISED THAT YOU FOLLOW ME!?!? You’re literally so cool, not only because of your blog but also because of eho you are as a person???

Art? PHENOMENAL!! Writing? FANTASTIC!! Shit posts/random blurts? MAKES ME LAUGH EVERY TIME!!!

I literally giggle like a little kid whenever you answer my asks cause ‘OMG MAJ JUST ANSWERED MY ASK ajdgjsvdhdbx’ and i get all excited to see what you say cause i genuinely love hearing your thoughts and opinions on things!?!?!

Your so cool and sometimes i forget you’re only a year older than me, cause you just seem like…so adult?? But in a good way??

LIKE your so much cooler than a normal 17 that it makes more sense for you to be an adult??? Idk, i dont mean this in a bad way!!

Anyways!

Thats it 😌, have a good day my fanfic devil (affectionate)

STOP?? FANFIC (solar) SYSTEM YOU ARE LITERALLY SUCH A SWEETHEART???? I'M GONNA CRY,?????

writing in a new fandom is def super intimidating-- especially when there are already (who you assume to be) really popular people with large followings, and i thought (and still do) with my whole heart that you were one of them-- and then when you followed me i got so scared 😭😭 i thought it was a misclick to be totally honest

i know i say it all the time, but i literally love whenever i see your thoughts (whether it be about linked universe, your aus, your dnd oc/s, your other passions, etc) whenever you post or come in my askbox! whenever i see something from you i literally have to take a moment and collect myself because i get so excited 🫶🏽

i'm literally holding your thoughts captive in my drafts because i absolutely adore your writing style! idk how to word it, but i am so so so glad that you put out everything that you do and i just know that you're going to go places (whether in your actual life or online) with your writing and i'm so excited to see what you do if you choose to share it

i'm definitely able to tell you've come to hone whatever crafts you pick up and i am so glad you put it out for the world to see! it's for sure something that you deserve to show off with pride

i'm gonna skip past the part where you basically called me a senior citizen (/j) and say that i still can't get over the fact that you're younger than me even if it's only by a year. you're literally so much cooler than me when i was sixteen and you're definitely gonna be cooler than me when you're seventeen, i can just tell lmao

tysm for the kind words trippy 🫶🏽 i hope the best for you a thousand times over