#izzy talks destiny

[crimson-and-clover-1717]

Can we talk about Taika’s acting here?

The reaction to Izzy’s line… The slight move backwards in an instinctive act of self-preservation; the eyebrows raised in shock and confusion, then lowered into a furrow; Ed registering the full weight and implication of the words. Eyes wide; mouth going from relaxed to taut, the top lip rising ever-so slightly by the emotional jolt; shoulders rising slightly also at the small intake of breath.

Taika shows Ed processing myriad things in this moment. That he’s not safe to be the soft person he’s always hidden away. That a white man believes he has ownership over his life and death. That agency is an illusion. That he has no locus of control around his destiny. That everything’s gone full circle. Stede’s gone, and he’s back to being who he had to be in 103 and before to survive. Trapped in a phantasmagorical nightmare in which his self and identity is distorted, manipulated and controlled by another.

And Taika conveys all this with a backwards-lean and a few muscles in his face. It’s god-tier.

[fallenrocket]

#PirateOmens Watch Party - Season 1, Episode 6

(crossposted from my twitter)

Aziraphale: "Crowley, he's got a gun. He's pointing it. Do something!"

Crowley: "I am having a moment here!!!"

They couldn't be more married if they tried.

***

Aziraphale: "Crowley, I am the nice one. You can't expect me to do the dirty work!"

That's definitely a difference between Aziraphale and Gentlebeard. Stede doesn't have those sort of hangups delineating their roles in the relationship.

***

"You can't just refuse to be who you are! Your birth, your destiny, your part of the Great Plan!"

This resonates well with OFMD. I think of Chauncey saying Stede is from *his* world, not Ed's, or Izzy trying to box Ed into staying Blackbeard. Choosing to be different is so OFMD.

***

"Think of something, or-or I'll never talk to you again"

Find you somebody who'll stop time for you!

***

I love rewatching the whole "choose your faces wisely" section of the finale, the acting choices are *chef's kiss* all around.

***

How is it that both these shows have an iconic scene featuring one of the protagonists clothed in a bathtub?

[c4rl4-k1nn13]

Okay i wanna talk about my huxleys on here more soooooo!!!! I have 4 Huxley OCs that I've only ever talks about on discord, some people on tumblr here will know them and stuff but yeah!!

Lonngggg rant ahead

1st - Ivory (Ivy) Huxley

Stereotypical model mean girl, if she had a colour it'd be brat green. Shes very big on social media and has loads of fans. Shes 19 years old and her relationship to the twins is really distant. She avoids them quite often and chooses to only speak to them when she deems necessary, plus shes never at home... like ever. A month out of the whole year max shes at home <3 and like everyone, Ivy has her little secrets!! Like how shes a lesbian and has awful mental health, dont we all? 3 picrews and a moodboard for her too;

Her song - Teen Idle by Marina

2nd - Isabella (Izzy) Huxley

Shes a very loud and wild child to say the least, her whole thing is that shes very tomboy-like and always leans towards doing more masculine and boy-like things. She hates wearing dresses and always otps for the overalls and shorts options, as well as being obsessed with skating and loving being outside. Shes 6 years old and she likes to talk to Ted to try and convince him to play outside with her, meanwhile with Felix shes very distant and ignores him because they are total opposites to say the least.

Her song - Tomboy by Destiny Rogers

3rd - Violet Huxley

Shes similar Ivy, in the sense that shes very brat-like and does anything to get her way. But unlike Ivy, she can be a tad angry and often lashes out whenever she wants. She likes to pull pranks on her siblings and make fun of whatever they do and does view herself to be better and more deserving of certain things than others. Shes 7 and her relationship with Ted is that she thinks hes annoying and pathetic, and then with Felix its more of a jealousy. (Moodboard by me, art by @ketchupandpickles )

Her song - Candle Queen

Then theres wine aunt danielle. God shes a bitch

(Not really a kg oc but Ivy also has a girlfriend so coolio)

its very obvious who my fav is, and anyone who knows me beyond tumblr knows who my fav is <3 I will post shit posts about my little gremlins so i wanted to make them known <3

Their lore goes so hard tbh

Playlists;

And to finish it off, Ivy core things !!

[thatasnow]

The Call of the Stars - Prologue

Summary: Isabella, or Izzy, has her life turned upside down when, within days, an unexpected visitor summons her to return to her true home, Prythian. As long-buried secrets emerge and reality distorts around her, Izzy finds herself forced to confront a forgotten past and a destiny she never imagined. With the weight of a shocking revelation and a new journey unfolding, she must discover what it truly means to “go home” and what is at stake for her and the world she has been forced to leave behind.

Pairing: Azriel x OC (Eventually)

Warning: This prologue may contain elements of mystery, drama, and a healthy dose of emotion. Prepare for a journey with unexpected twists and turns and perhaps a little star magic. For those sensitive to themes of trauma and psychological issues, please read with caution. Enjoy reading and keep your senses sharp!

The rights to the ACOTAR universe and characters go to the author, Sarah J. Maas.

Prologue

I vaguely remember that when I was a child I was terrified of waking up alone at home, blame my parents for deciding to choose “Home Alone” in one of our movie sessions. As the years went by I calmed down and my fear disappeared as if I had never felt it, I felt completely sure that I would never be abandoned, but reality made itself present in my adolescence and I can't say that it was kind to me.

My first abandonment was when I was around thirteen years old and the second (the worst in my opinion…) was after my long-awaited 15th birthday party. Since that year I have changed abruptly, which is something to be expected after something like that, right? Well, I don't think everyone thinks the same way as me.

Can you understand what I mean? - I just nod halfheartedly, which makes the woman in front of me sigh nervously - You need to get more involved with the other students, Miss Wilson, you were so much more talkative when you arrived, I'm sure you miss more human interactions..- the frustration in her shrill voice was noticeable.

I'll talk to Tom now - I counter with a shrug, which annoys her even more with my carefree air and not at all open to the older woman's advice.

One friend is not enough, you have to be more sociable, what are you going to do when you go out into the adult world like this? - I huff indignantly at Mrs. McCarthy's same old talk.

This doesn't affect me in any way, I'm here talking to you, aren't I? I don't need to make friends with everyone I talk to - I retort, crossing my arms under my chest, while I raise one of my eyebrows in question.

Go back to your dorm, you have a visitor - I frown, confused - you are free from your obligations for today - it was noticeable that she remained bitter from our super "productive" conversation.

It's not my fault that she doesn't understand my reasons, I won't change just because of a warning from someone who doesn't even really know me. Only Tom could do that, he's the only one who really knows me, the only one who tried to get to know me for real and in his own way, he managed to do it. Without saying anything else, I stand up and without looking back I leave, with the news still being processed by my brain.

Finally! - My friend exclaims loudly next to me, which takes me out of my train of thought - I thought I would have to go in and intervene before we missed the first class! - He continues as he starts walking down the wide gray hallway.

You know you don't have to wait for me - I complain, starting to walk beside him - besides, I'm not going to go to classes today, Tom.. - with that he stops walking which makes me do the same.

Don't tell me you're feeling sick - he says, his eyes shining with concern.

No.. I'll be receiving a visitor.. - I smile slightly at his concern, but it soon disappears, my mind bubbling with possibilities, none of which seem good to me.

I don't have any really close relatives, or friends outside of this boarding school. It's been years since it's been just me and Tom, my only friend and family. Not that I disregard my parents or anything, but I haven't had them in my life for several years and, apart from my moments with them as a child, I had nothing else in my life that reminded me of them other than the titles acquired when I was born.

Do you know who you are?… - he begins the question carefully, gently taking me out of my thoughts. My eyes, in their unusual shades of violet, turn to his brown ones, finding his face frowning in confusion, just as I had a few minutes ago when I learned of this “visit”. But somehow, that confused but equally worried expression on his soft features, for the first time, resonated differently, making my heart flutter in my chest. I always appreciated my friend’s care and concern for this, but my body had never reacted so intensely before.

I have no idea who it is..- I answer honestly, crossing my arms restlessly, hopping from one foot to the other. - And to be honest… it terrifies me… what if they found out what happened that night, Tom? - I murmur the question softly, leaning forward slightly so that he wouldn’t have trouble hearing me. The anguish in my voice was palpable and my worried gaze scanning the empty hallway around us was visible.

There's no way they can find out anything… especially since nothing happened… - He assures me softly, placing his thin but strong hands on my forearms, drawing circles on my skin to calm me down. Which works at first, after I take a deep breath, focusing my eyes on his again that attract me with how captivating they are.

You know I'm not so sure about that, Tom… - I argue weakly, trying to truly believe my friend's words, but they seem so far from reality in the morning light, no longer like a messy fever dream. I knew it had happened, even in the face of a hideous and simply senseless unreality, I feel it deep down.

I lift my head and take a deep breath, trying to compose myself, which I fragilely manage, I'm just not so sure how much I'll be able to hold it in this way.

Well… - I begin calmly, forging a facade of neutrality that belies my inner conflict. But despite feigning my composure, there would always be a vulnerability in me when it comes to Tom, it's undeniable and instinctive. - I have to go back to my dorm to meet this mysterious person… wish me luck! - I add with an incredibly convincing forced smile, but I know I'm not convincing him anymore.

Remember to take a deep breath… everything will be okay… don’t worry, Izzy… - he answers gently, leaning in to kiss my forehead tenderly, making my facade falter for a second as I close my eyes, enjoying the comfort he brings me.

With one last gentle look in my direction, Tom is gone, walking quickly down the huge, empty hallway with white walls and gray marble floors in order to avoid being even later for class, it makes me feel slightly guilty for being the cause again. My gaze moves to the opposite side of the hallway from where Tom went, my shoulders squaring up as if I were going into battle, which emotionally I might be.

It was a purposely slow walk, I knew something wasn’t right, I could feel it in my bones and I may be paranoid and cowardly, I know that, but I couldn’t help it. When I reached the door to my dorm, my breathing hitched as I slowly opened the door, only for it to go out in a single breath when I saw who was waiting for me. My eyes couldn't believe what they were seeing.

She hadn't changed at all, her face soft but strong and chiseled in the jaw and cheeks, her gaze sharpened by time but equally warm and impossibly violet, just like mine. My mother.

She looked like the same woman as before, the same one who read to my little me every night while my father worked until the next morning. But that should be impossible, really impossible… My mother had been in prison for over 10 years, so how could she not change? Not a single wrinkle had appeared in that time, nothing… not even a new scar to tell the story of her time in prison.

How long, my beautiful little star…- my mother's melodic voice wakes me from my stupor, and with small tears on my face I run to her and hug her fiercely, burying my face in the crook of her neck, as if I was afraid she would disappear. I feel myself trembling in her arms, as she calms me with soft caresses on my scalp, her other arm wrapping around my back protectively. My tremors only calm down when she starts humming one of my favorite songs, one she loved to sing to me when she was younger, and even though I couldn't listen to it at boarding school because I could never find it on the internet, it seemed vivid in my memory.

But something makes me stiffen and open my eyes abruptly… the melody… my mother's voice was in my head… just like I had done last night…

Not in the same way and not with the same intensity… she was being much softer than I had been with Rick. I pull away from her, pacing the room in a panic, trying to calm myself and telling myself that this was just my mind playing tricks on me with the irrational fear in my head. It didn't make any sense!

But to my complete horror, my mother's voice returns to my mind, soft and comforting - We have to go back to our home, my little star… we have to go back to Prythian… - this does not calm me at all, it only makes me more confused and horrified. How was this possible? Where is this Pryhian? Or better yet, what is Prythian?

Next

[awrestlinggirlwholoves80sbands]

Hey, i am the one who requested the slaxl story: yea I meant axl telling Izzy about slash, sorry if that was unclear😅 I respond you this way cause I'm sure how I can comment under your post😭 (new on Tumblr)

Okay so a year has passed since this ask (ops) and I am so sorry, but between uni and anything I've never got the chance to finish it until now. I hope you'll enjoy it :)

Izzy's POV

The clock read 3 a.m when a loud bang on the door woke Izzy up. The guitarist almost wanted to laugh, considering that he decided to go to sleep earlier for once but destiny had other plans for him. He settled on ignoring the noise however it just kept going.

“Go away!” He yelled, hoping that the fucker would give up.

“Izzy, pleaseeee open up!” Axl's voice pleaded.

“Go harass Duff, he’s probably still awake.”

He might have been Axl’s childhood best friend but it didn’t mean he had to deal with his shit, especially when he just wanted to sleep and nothing would change that not even the grip forming in his heart due the guilt.

“Please Izzy, I need your help.”

Izzy wanted to say no and go back to sleep or pretend to until Axl would have left him alone, but something inside him urged him to listen to his friend. More than once he found himself calming the redhead back to sleep or allowing him to let his emotions out, especially for Axl and the whole band’s sake.

Reluctantly he stood up, his hands curled up in fists for a second and promising himself that he would make sure to let the other man know he owned him. When he opened the door, he was relieved to see Axl's face still intact however his glossy eyes had some red in them that couldn’t only be because of the alcohol.

“What do you want, shithead?” He asked unceremoniously.

“I need your help, Izzy.”

“Yeah, you kind of said that already. So are you going to repeat that all night or are you giving a good enough reason why you’re knocking on my door at 3 a.m.?”

“Okay, so do you know Slash?” Axl sounded completely serious which made Izzy almost let out a hysterical laugh. He couldn't help but arch his eyebrows at how Axl was tiptoeing around the subject, even if he was more surprised about how he still hadn't pushed him out of his room. His stomach lurched at the thought he was becoming soft.

“You mean Slash, our guitarist, the one we have known for a year now?” His sarcasm was bitter but it didn’t seem to faze Axl.

“Yeah.. me and Slash did something…”

Izzy rolled his eyes. As much as he wanted to strangle Axl to make him spill the beans, a part of him didn’t want to know what those idiots did because it meant getting involved and he wasn't ready to bail Slash out of jail again, even if deep down he loved them. Before saying anything he sighed, letting out all the anger from his voice because he had learned long ago that it was pointless.

“Something illegal?”

“No, well maybe it’s immoral for some people. My step dad would have found it such but technically it’s not illegal.”

The guitarist forgot that if Axl normally would talk for hours, while drunk he would do that even more while making zero sense. Something so wonderful when he just wanted to sleep.

“Axl, please just tell me what the hell you two have done!”

“Me and Slash went on a date, okay?!”

Izzy’s eyes widened in surprise. The sexual tension between Axl and Slash was obvious, the two were constantly hugging and teasing each other, however he didn’t think they would actually act on those feelings. Probably his tiredness didn't only close his eyes but his brain too, because he felt genuinely happy for them, even if the redhead’s tone told him the date didn’t go as planned.

“On a date? Damn, did you bite the bullet and ask him?”

“Well it wasn’t officially a date but we both knew it was.” Axl said, sounding just like a teenager.

Izzy's head started pulsing in anticipation of the cheesy story that was about to unfold, he would rather eat sand than having to listen to that but he doubted that pretending to faint could get away with not hearing the story. However, making his eyebrows arch was the reason Axl decided to come to him, usually Duff was the love advisor. Was it because he trusted him more? Or was it karma deciding to kick his ass by not making him able to get a good night of sleep?

“What’s wrong with the date?”

“Everything was cool and then he kissed me!” The singer spat those words almost like they were poison.

“You weren’t okay with that?” Izzy 's heart started to beat faster as rage slowly crept close to the surface. He was well aware of Axl’s past and how he didn’t take lightly people forcing on him, so it was only expected for him to go into his protective mode. Hell, if he discovered Slash had done something to Axl, he would have killed himself with his hands.

“No no, I wanted to but then I freak out because it made everything real! Because I really like him but we agreed to be friends with benefits and I don’t know what to do.” The redhead sniffled, hiding his face with his hair.

The guitarist's brain just shut down, unable to process a correct answer to give, he knew he needed to be honest but not too harsh, sympathetic yet realist. He just stayed silent for what seemed the longest time, Axl's eyes fixed on him like he had the answer to every problem of the universe, while Izzy was just digging through his brain for possible outcomes.

“Well isn’t it pointless to not be together if he likes you?”

"Well, you are already having sex. What's the problem?"

“Don’t worry about it, true love always wins.”

“Fucking hell Axl, it’s 3 in the morning and I just want to sleep.”

“Why don’t you talk with him tomorrow? When you are sober and not a crying mess. Just tell him you want to take things slow and time will tell.” He decided to set on, hoping it would work.

Axl tilted his head, pondering what Izzy said like a big truth about the secrets of the universe, and eventually he nodded in agreement. The other man's shoulder relaxed, maybe the universe was really rooting his way and spared him more Axl's tears and possible screams.

“You’re right. I just gotta wait and I’ll tell him and if doesn’t accept him, well fuck him!”

“Great, now why don’t you go back to your room and just sleep on all of this?” The black haired man suggested, almost taking his arm to direct him to the door. However a knock to the door made him groan in frustration, every ounce of diplomacy leaving his body at the prospect of having to deal with another of his bandmates.

“Whoever you are, you better get lost in the next five seconds or I will murder you.”

“Izzyyyy, I need your help.” Slash’s intoxicated voice replied.

Another drunk friend, as dealing with Axl wasn’t enough for him. The redhead’s eyes widened were a big tell that he was about to freak out and the guitarist didn’t know if he could handle him. Pinching his nose, he decided to take matters into his own hands before he had to bash his head against the wall, after all his hotel room wasn't a therapist's office.

“Slash, go to Duff. It isn’t really a good moment.” He yelled sternly.

“But I need you!”

“I’m going out of here.” Axl said, moving towards the window and prompting Izzy to throw his arm to block him.

“Fuck no! You will stay here and I’ll try to keep him out.” Izzy squeezed his shoulders in a calming way.

He opened the door just enough to see his band mate: clearly intoxicated, his eyes weren't red but they were darting all around and his fingers were playing with one of the bracelets he always wore. It was another prime example of a band mate in crisis, but to make everything worse, he didn't know Slash as much as he knew Axl.

"Slash, why don't you go to Duff?" He crossed his arms, hoping to scare him enough to discourage him from staying there.

"Because he can't understand... you know him better." Slash's curls automatically covered his face, but that didn't fool Izzy and only made his heart drop in defeat.

"Know who better?" He sounded as vague as possible, as if he couldn't hear Axl crawling on the floor and hiding in the bathroom.

"Axl. Look, I'm afraid that I freaked him out. I'm scared too, I get it but I need to gain his trust back."

Izzy rubbed his temples, the headache slapping him with such a force that he wished he could make him pass out, giving him a way out of this mess. He had another choice to make: should he tell Slash that Axl was there, and let them solve their problems? Or should he protect his friend and keep his mouth shut?

He tasted his pockets for cigarettes, probably they could have cleared his mind and corrupted Slash, making him gain some time. All of a sudden a loud noise made his hand fall against his side and a small curse came out his mouth, even Slash in his drunken stupor was attracted by the unusual sound.

"What's that noise?" A look of puzzlement crossed Slash's face.

"I was busy before you interrupted me." Izzy gestured vaguely, hopefully the other man was too drunk to question his lie.

"You never bring a girl into your room."

"Now what? Do you think you know what I do in my free time?" His face contorted in an annoyed expression.

It took all his self control to not ran outside the room and leave the two idiots with themselves, all this diplomacy was making him sick to his stomach. Slash's glossy eyes stared at him for a second, but he was too out of it to argue back, however right when he thought the situation was diffused, he heard the bathroom door opening.

Axl seemed to have sober up a bit, his face was clean of any sign of tears however his eyes quickly went down as soon as he caught a glimpse of Slash. On the other hand Slash seemed awkward, his mouth opened in slight surprise as Izzy could clearly see the gears in the other man's brain trying to come up with something but only resorting to silence.

"Hi Slash." The redhead said shyly.

"Were you hiding in the bathroom?"

Axl's face scrunched up for a moment and Izzy saw a familiar fire in his eyes that made him ready to step in if needed, but apparently the redhead's rational side seemed to win so he just took a deep breath and did not break Slash's nose to the delight of Izzy.

"I guess we need to talk."

Izzy's eyes bolted to both men as the tension was filling the air: Axl's confidence was gone as he kept looking around the room while Slash just stood still as he was waiting for the Earth to swallow him alive. Izzy wanted to leave the room but a look from childhood best friend's told him to stay.

"Look Axl, if you didn't like the kiss it's fine. I know we said to keep things casual-" Slash started but he was quickly interrupted.

"No, I liked the kiss. It's just a bit more complicated than that." Axl started to play with his bracelets, trying to find the right words.

"Oh..."

Izzy's hands hitched to butt the heads of his friends together, maybe that could help them be less oblivious. A sense of discomfort took over as he realized that he was just standing here, watching two people talking about their deepest feelings in front of a bandmate. He needed to do something so he headed towards the only window in his room to lit up a cigarette.

"I... I like you Slash, okay? But this shit ain't easy! I've never had feelings for a guy, I've been taught it was a sin."

"You like me?" Slash asked, with such a surprised tone that Izzy had to turn around to watch both of them.

"Yeah. I know I said "no feelings involved" but it happened."

Izzy watched Slash stumbling towards Axl and gently kissing him. For a moment Izzy's heartbeat got faster but Axl quickly reciprocated the kiss, making shame invade the guitarist's body.

"I'll be outside... try to not use my bed for "fun times" " He said but the other two man were too busy eating their faces to acknowledge him in any way.

Axl POV

Axl barely heard the door closing, he was too focused on how Slash's lip tasted like a whole bottle of Jack and a pack of cigarettes or how his hands were buried in the other man's curls, making Slash purring in his mouth. Quickly their lips weren't gently touching anymore but smashing against each other, the air uncomfortably getting trapped in his lungs and his cheeks turning red.

"I'm taking this forward, okay? Tell me to stop whenever you don't feel up to it anymore." Slash said and Axl nodded, his face relaxing at the thought of having a choice.

Slash's hand traveled to Axl's shirt, his finger played with the hems without actually lifting it while their feet were subconsciously leading them towards the bed. The same bed Izzy forbidden them to touch. Axl tugged Slash's shirt, hating his moment of clarity because he wanted nothing more than to keep kissing, but the other man didn't budge.

"Slash?"

"Mh?" He said, interrupting the kiss.

"Izzy would kill us if we touched his bed." Slash sighed and stepped away from Axl. "But maybe we can continue in your room." The redhead added.

Slash's lips immediately turned into a smirk but he hesitated for a minute.

"So we are officially more than fuck buddies? Because I can't deal with another run like the one we had before, I thought you were going to take a plane or kill me!"

"Yes, we are. I might take some time but I promise."

Axl felt Slash's hand on his, squeezing it reassuringly and the cold metal of his ring gave him a weird sense of comfort, he couldn't explain it but it just felt like Slash. He let him guide him to the door as fear slowly left his body.

Izzy's POV

He sat against the door, his head pounding and his eyes tired which was so fucking stupid because everything was solved, there was no need for his body to be so dramatic. He pondered about resting,not sleeping, just to see if it eased the pain of his head.

"Izzy?" The voice was far away but he just ignored it. He was so close to drift away when the voice came back again and louder.

"Izzy!" It sounded familiar but his brain was too exhausted to match any face to the voice.

"I'm sleeping, leave me alone." He replied.

The sound of steps only lasted a couple of seconds before he felt someone sitting next to him, all his reflexes were apparently dull because he didn't react at all. A strong smell of cigarettes and a very specific cologne hit his nostrils and revealed the mysterious man.

"Duff, what are you doing here?" He said, giving up and opening his eyes.

Duff's shoulder dropped in relief, his red eyes holding all the remaining anxiety running through his body. Izzy had no idea if he was about to laugh or cry because having to babysit him sounded like a nightmare.

"Oh thank God you're alive. I was smoking outside the bar and then I noticed Slash running towards the hotel, I thought he was in trouble until I watched him get inside your room."

"Yeah, he is okay. He was just very drunk and he and Axl had to sort something out."

"Is Axl going to kill him? What's going on?"

Izzy's hands started to play with the pack of matches in his hands, he looked Duff right into his eyes with a blank expression while his mind was traveling as fast as light. He didn't want to harm Axl or Slash in any way, even if he always had a good amount of trust in Duff's open mind.

"No. I'm about to say something and it has to stay between us, okay? Axl and Slash are dating.

Duff started laughing and then it turned into wheezing, so much that he had to hold his stomach from it and his eyes started to water with tears. Rage shot through Izzy's body, making his face twist into the scariest impassible expression he was capable of, the one that usually meant he was about to throw hands.

" God, I thought Slash upset Axl or something. I mean, are we even surprised? Those two are behaving like a married couple all the time, fucking finally!"

Izzy didn't even realize he clutched his hands until he relaxed them, Duff's supportive nature came handy once again and he found it hard to suppress the smallest hint of a smile. As much as the bassist was a piece of work, but Izzy couldn't really say anything since he was one too, moments like this reminded him of the weird bond they had about making sure the rest of the band was okay.

Suddenly the door next to him opened, revealing a certain drummer with blonde hair staring at Duff and Izzy with the widest smile.

"Axl and Slash are together?" Steven squealed with excitement.

"Steven, what the hell? You scared me!" Duff said, holding a hand over his heart.

The drummer ignored him to instead close his door and sat across Izzy, eyes full of joy and his body vibrating with energy.

"It's almost 4am why are you awake?" Izzy hoped to distract him.

"I couldn't sleep. So, are Axl and Slash together? How did that happen?"

The guitarist sighed, he pondered if he should have ignored Steven all together but the angel on his shoulder seemed to win, his face softened as he looked at the other man. He went over the story again, his calm voice in total contrast with Steven's continuous face expression even if in a way it made him feel validated in having to deal with those two idiots.

"Wow, I've never knew they were fuck buddies. I mean, one time I saw Slash and a redhead in bed but I thought it was a chick!" Steven said, making Duff laugh again.

Before he could stop it, Izzy felt a small laughter escaping his body as the image of a very naked and dramatic Axl screaming plagued his head. His head moved closer to the door but he couldn't hear much so Izzy returned to focus on Duff and Steven and their very important argument about pizza toppings, but soon their voice became only a background noise and his eyes dropped.

Maybe he was finally able to get some sleep...

The door slammed open, making Izzy's eyes immediately snap open, he turned his body around and he saw Slash's guilty eyes shooting an apology, quickly followed by Axl's confused face. Irritated wasn't even enough to describe the pure heat radiating through his body, but he would have lied if he said that he wasn't relieved by their two friends holding hands.

" What are Duff and Steven doing here?" Axl tilted his head quizzically.

"Duff thought you would kill Slash and Steven wanted a sleepover." Izzy explained and that seemed enough for Slash, who tugged Axl towards their room before the redhead could say anything.

The doorknob almost lured Izzy like a siren as his tired body screamed for some rest, he barely realized his feet moving towards his room before he was distracted by Steven's cheerful voice.

"Wanna join me and Duff in our sleepover?"

"No." He said, closing the door right in his friends' face and falling flat on his bed.

[cosmignon]

ALTERNATIVELY and/or FOLLOWUP: pick a random oc of yours and do that

Teehee hoohoo I put a few of them in a list and rolled a d12 so today we are talking aboooouuttt... Alex! One of my oldest OCS, here's a pic for reference:

How I feel about this character

Alex has a lot of potential as a character, I just need to figure out how she'll grow... atm she's a gloomy 14 year old who doesn't much like anything about her current life situation but wants to believe there's something better out there. Fairy magic isn't exactly what she's hoping for but it'll be what she gets, so I think the next step in whatever her story is would be just figuring out well, what DOES she like and how is that similar or different to falling into a magical realm

All the people I ship romantically with this character

Izzy, up above, her very new friend and fairy guide through the magical realm (Biobene). Sapphic romances are what I lean toward and so that's what I gotta do when I follow my heart.

My non-romantic OTP for this character

I don't have many characters for Alex to bounce off of atm! I should fix that

My unpopular opinion about this character

I keep tweaking her design over the years bc I'm never quite happy with it

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon.

kiss your fairy girlfriend... you gotta girl it's your destiny

[charmanderxerneas]

thinking about how i hated the ending of last kizuna

which sucks because i love the idea of “digimon adventure series but theyre older grown up now!”, and i liked literally everything EXCEPT for how they handled the main theme/plot.

(rant below, disclaimer: i watch the dub, dunno how different the plot is from the original/sub. also its been a hot sec since i watched it but it pissed me off so much i remember the main details dw. spoilers btw)

the theme in last kizuna fucking sucks. It’s all about like. letting things go as you grow up, which is fine, but they do it in the stupidest, most untrue way possible.

theyre trying to say that like. the digimon “die” (or at the very least disappear forever) as a digidestined grows up and “loses all their potential” because kids have more potential than adults

but that is just. straight up untrue? True, theres a whole idea about how kids have the potential to grow up to do anything. but its not like all your choices in life end when you hit 22 (i say this because thats around how old they are in the movie, early 20s 💀). You have the potential to: Learn new things/take college classes, get new jobs/pursue new careers, hell even smaller things like getting new hobbies or just. There’s so much potential in life for you to do things that make you happy. and I’d argue adults have more potential than kids, as they have more freedom and more of the ability to actively work towards change and work towards whatever potential they have (kids cant exactly pursue new careers or something like that)

And whats even stupider than the bad message is: they chose the two kids with THE MOST potential to kill of their digimon because of this stupid explanation. Think about it: Mimi has started a start up business, Izzy is already the president of a tech company, Joe is a doctor: most of the kids have careers now. But then they chose MATT AND TAI (Matt is in school still. Tai literally spends the whole movie not knowing what he wants to do with his life, he’s struggling in school and finding a meaningful career/what he wants to do with his life). And they say “oh those two have lost their potential so their digimon are disappearing” WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? THEY HAVE ALL THE POTENTIAL IN THE WORLD TAI LITERALLY DOESNT EVEN KNOW WHAT HE WANTS TO DO WITH HIS LIFE 😭😭

My personal theory is that the villain was wrong. She lost her digimon when she was like, a little kid still, and it was after a great achievement in her life. So she goes “oh, it must be because I lost all my potential :( “ and thats the explanation they go with for the entire movie. But it is like. Likely that shes wrong purely because that doesnt make any fucking sense 💀

I don’t know exactly what the true explanation is, but heres me taking a shot in the dark with a guess (which could be wrong): I think that its a metaphorical “destiny” death. Digimon never really die for real, we know this since theyre originally just a tamagotchi (which resets when it dies), and even though in the movie they say that theyre gone forever, the ending implies theyre not (and if the 02 ending is canon: then we KNOW theyre not since they were way older in that and still have their digimon). But I do think that like: its the death of their destiny duties. The whole god damn series these kids havent had a break from constantly having to save the world with digidestined madness. But its getting to a point where theres enough new digidestined to where: the older ones might not be needed to save the world anymore.

its a “death” from having to deal with the responsibility of the digital world and all the destiny shit that comes with it. And I think that if they seek out their digimon (who are implied to still be around based on the ending, also the villain definitely tried seeking out her digimon. while we don’t know fully what happened, its clear menoa lost sight of herself, perhaps her digimon got corrupted/dark digivolved into the eosmon we see throughout the film, since eosmon is DEFINITELY the evolution of morphomon.) If they do seek out their digimon without losing sight of themselves, i believe could still have a happy life together (as we see at the end of 02). Just without any of the holds to destiny they once had. Theyve lost their old responsibilities, and have new ones in their own, adult lives.

[disneymbti]

Hi...again! Can you do the MBTI/Enneagram for Alex Karev and Izzie Stevens?

Hi there, sweetie! I really hope you like this a lot!

Alexander "Alex" Karev's MBTI Type, Big Three and Enneagram Type

MBTI Type: ISTP [The Virtuoso]

Virtuosos are generally more reserved and prefer being alone. They are self-sufficient, independent thinkers.

They are very observant and focus on the details of a situation, trusting facts and making decisions based on the here-and-now.

ISTP types favor logic and reason over emotional influences. They base their decisions on what makes sense.

They are also spontaneous and prefer keeping their options open. Virtuosos are often more adaptable and less aware of time.

Big Three: Capricorn Sun, Aries Moon and Scorpio Rising

Capricorn Sun: Capricorn is ruled by authoritative Saturn, which is why they tend to work hard toward advancing themselves in earthly matters. 

Aries Moon: Lunar Aries are known to be emotionally responsive and impulsive at times, as they lead with fiery passions over than logic or reason.

Scorpio Rising: Prone to turning heads, Scorpio ascendents ooze with magnetism and dynamism. They're not known to back away from a challenge. 

Enneagram Type: 8w9 [The Diplomat]

Basic Fear: Eights with a nine wing fear being hurt by others. They avoid situations in which they have less control, generally preferring to be in positions of leadership.

Basic Desire: Their basic desire is to guard themselves against threats and control their own destiny. They may express this by asserting independence at a young age.

Diplomats defend themselves by building emotional walls and denying vulnerability. They seek to appear strong, subconsciously believing that being too emotional will make them seem weak.

Isobel "Izzie" Stevens' MBTI Type, Big Three and Enneagram Type

MBTI Type: ESFJ [The Consul]

As extroverts, Consuls are talkative, energetic, and thrive around people. They prefer not to spend too much time alone.

Highly observant, their focus lies more on the details than on how everything connects together. They trust facts over theories—and they make decisions based on what they can see right now.

ESFJs are feelers who prioritize emotion rather than logic in their decision-making.  Empathetic and diplomatic, they do what feels right rather than what makes sense.

They’re structured and organized, preferring to plan ahead so they know what’s going to happen. They like rules, processes and schedules.

Big Three: Sagittarius Sun, Pisces Moon and Cancer Rising

Sagittarius Sun: Sagittarius is governed by the expansive planet Jupiter, and is known for a free-spirited, globe-trotting, philosophical mindset — and wild streak.

Pisces Moon: Pisces Moons are hyper-attuned to the needs and emotions of others. They're likely to predict what's on your mind before you even say it.

Cancer Rising: Cancer ascendants tend to wear their hearts on their sleeves and take care of those they love.

Enneagram Type: 2w1 [The Companion]

Basic Fear: Enneagram type two-wing-ones fear being unwanted by those they love. They tend to take on a caretaker role to serve others and avoid feelings of insecurity.

Basic Desire: They desire love and acceptance above all else. They are service-oriented and humble, seeking to help better the lives of those in their community.

Companions tend to stifle and repress their negative emotions and personal desires. They may feel internally conflicted as they work to meet everyone else’s needs but their own.

[dispatches-from-the-lorecord]

Auguste is a good kid, kleptomania notwithstanding

[January 14-15, 2023]

{Haji:}

So getting through the Cyrus fight and... These two [Cyrus and Auguste] really have a weird relationship

See, since we always played Platinum, the hosts usually run into Cyrus more frequently and with rising hostility. You know from his intro at the lake that he's up to something. It's great build up for a villain.

But in DP, the pair are... Curious about each other. Auguste didn't meet Cyrus until Mt. Coronet and even then the guy was just telling about the mountain, some of the legends even. Auguste may think he's a weirdo but not much different from anyone else he'd met by that point.

And since there's no fight in Celestic Town, it's funny that Auguste chased off the goon and Cyrus came over all like "What happened here?"

"Ah. This guy was causing trouble at the shrine here and..."

"I see. I sense a meaningless struggle happened here. Such things wouldn't happen if everyone could step back and look at the universe from a bigger perspective. Incidentally, have we met before?"

So while in Platinum reaching his office is like Hecks yeah! It's go time! With Cyrus taunting the protag and dragging his own lackeys through the mud, here Auguste has been running the maze and kicking tail and unlocks the door like he's done several times and then... Oh. It's Cyrus. Hello?

Like I'm sure the kid has figured out somewhere along the way Cyrus is with Galactic, but there's been little to tell him Cyrus is the one running the dang thing (then again, he's not the brightest host we've had).

And in turn, Cyrus looks at this little runt he's become acquainted with on the road and going "you? You're the one I keep hearing about???"

I mean, he doesn't lose his cool until the end of his pre-battle speech, but in this dialogue he makes it sound like he feels almost betrayed by the kid since it's like "I didn't expect it would be a child. My commanders have had a hard time with you... [Coldly] You're here for the Spirits, aren't you? Why? They have nothing to do with you." Like why should you care, sir? For uh... Someone who claims he doesn't care

And then after the battle, he shows the way to the warp panel in all cases but here he's like "You can take this panel to reach the Lake Pokemon, I'm going to Mt Coronet. Yes, the same place you and I first met. I will ascend the mountain and end everything. No, a new beginning for everything" and looking at the line in Platinum he's just like "I will climb the mountain where destiny awaits. I will create my new world" which just feels less poetic. XD

Also I'm not sure if we ever faced him at the Battle Tower in post game, but I find it funny on the quotes page he's all like "Hello again. It seems our fates have intertwined. But here I will break that bond!" Just admit something in you actually likes the kid XD

{Newbie:}

considering we only unlocked the battle tower in the BD revisit, probably not

{Haji:}

Makes sense. So it wouldn't come up, just kind of funny to me

I think the other thing that makes their dynamic fascinating is Cyrus has probably never met someone like Auguste. Everyone he's met has either been like-minded or annoying in their differences from what he might think is ideal. In my head this often extends to the hosts too since he thinks he can reason with those like Izzy and Karma, in their focused and serious nature, heck initially he probably saw a lot of his younger self in Napoleon, and then there's Pepe at the opposite end of the spectrum who is SO different it's infuriating how this anxious, faith-driven, sentimental sap has caused them so much trouble when everything from the way he talks to the way he depends on those around him says he should be weak. He's exactly the kind of person Cyrus can't reason with and can't understand and can't seem to squash.

And then there's Auguste who Cyrus can't relate to, but is still intrigued by.

And I'm still not sure why myself, but I'm kiiinda curious to analyze it more now that I've had this scene come up in game. I've never played DP so I didn't know how different things were between versions

But part of me wants to say Cyrus is curious because of just how free Auguste seems to be. He's not burdened by his family, he's very much against society, he goes where he wants when he wants (despite the calls for urgency),  and despite how much he clearly loves to help people, he also doesn't seem toooo miffed when others get hurt. He's someone who doesn't suppress his emotions, he's very much in control of them which allows him to keep some distance when things go bad. He's upset but about things that have happened but he never became jaded about it. Take some time to recover, then get back to business. And sure, as he gets older some of that may fade but right now he's this equally weird kid who would honestly listen to Cyrus for a while and be like "I don't know about that but..." and not judge him just have them be equally confused and fascinated how the other functions. 😂

At least that's the current thought

(this doesn't help the ongoing joke in my head as he gets older that Auguste?? You're not a bad guy, why do you keep hanging out with "villains"?)

{Popia140:}

Ooh, I think the idea of Auguste being in complete control of his emotions around other people sorta meshes with my headcanon of him having fallen into a depression in the past, but now, since he has control of his life, he REALLY means it with his emotions- yes, he does have negative thoughts towards himself, but he can be totally calm around others and things that are not in his control 

{Haji:}

Exactly. He has his regrets, but few would know it if they didn't already know what he's been through. But he's not stoic about either. He'll either change the subject or if it's something he's okay with, he'll retell the tale with excitement and flourish how it's just one of his many adventures. Or he might shrug it off. Depends on which incident they heard about

{Popia140:}

Auguste, I feel, is one of the most mentally strong of the group, imo

{Haji:}

Probably. Which is also kind of impressive because of how young he is in my head.

{Popia140:}

Honestly, I didn’t really know what was the big thing that made him depressed in the past (probably because I didn’t know what to put, lol)

I headcanon him as like, 17-18

{Haji:}

I have him around 11-14 somewhere in that range 😂

He's a little pickpocket working on up the ladder to conartist :LUL: they grow up so fast

{Popia140:}

But I guess one of the big events [that made him depressed] would be a public failure- I imagined him to be some sort of performer, and his mom put a lot of pressure on him for winning the big prize and being the best performer, but massively screwed up during the big finishing move that involved bird Pokémon, and broke his ankle in the process- not the greatest way to go out and quit Pokémon Contests :BibleThump:

{Haji:}

Awww

{Popia140:}

Which could explain his hesitance for bird Pokémon and Pokémon contests

{Haji:}

Yeah

{Popia140:}

And one of the most saddest parts was that while he was performing that big move, he actually felt some happiness in the spotlight instead of sneaking around as usual like he does

{Haji:}

My hc is he's got some mother issues. He and "Mom" (I don't think she got a name in DP?) don’t get along very much, and part of that is because of her first love being the spotlight, second on wistful memories of her time in it, and maybe him in third. She does care, but seeing how he's a troubled middle school dropout who gets his thrills from getting "free" stuff, she doesn't really talk about him much to her friends. She worries about him, they've had talks before, but she's kind of embarrassed by him

Worst trouble is, he knows it. He'd like to make her proud of him one of these days, but that's just not... Him? He could try to be what she wants and be miserable about it, or he can just do what he's good at, and let her have her spotlight without him. Part of the reason he even got into the business was to avoid going home. He still comes home though when he needs a place but Barry legit didn't know that often times when Auguste crashes at his place or they meet up at the lake and stuff, it's because he's not been home in like a week.

It's alright though. Odds are, mom isn't home anyway

I would say he cleans up eventually but PFFFFFFHAHAHA adult hcs aren't much better

{Popia140:}

It’s the “being a Pokémon trainer” business, right?

{Haji:}

.... .... .... Sure. :Pika:

{Popia140:}

I honestly don’t know :BibleThump:

oh wait its gotta be the thieving biz

{Haji:}

Yeah. XD

Which started in day 1 because DP differences had him steal a Pokemon from Rowan to defend himself and chat just ran with it throughout the rest of the run.

Including this even this late in the game made me laugh it's still going

[Screenshot of chat in which Twitch user Abstrection says ‘go pick pocket that guy’] 

{Popia140:}

:LUL:

{Haji:}

We got to our first door and found out we didn't have the key, so Chat was teasing about going to nearest Grunt we dodged earlier

{Popia140:}

The Voices: being a bad influence

Auguste: okay with it, but only for stealing

{Haji:}

Only bad people, right?

Voices: ... Riiiighht. [Teaches Thief to Pika]

And yeah, Auguste is actually a good kid. I'd say he has ways of getting what he wants, but he's not manipulative or anything. Just a bit of a liar with sticky fingers.

{captwaddledoo:}

gina aceattorney...

{Haji:}

I'm not familiar with the name

{captwaddledoo:}

she's from the great ace attorney games. she's also a pickpocket

{Haji:}

Ah okay XD

But yeah, Rowan at first took the kid under his wing since he can see Auguste was in need of some guidance. Besides, school wasn't for him, maybe he's more of a hands-on learner. Put him to work in the fields and he may be able to turn his life around. :Burrito1:

But then game events happened

And it's not like Rowan has given up on him, quite the opposite I like to think Auguste does look up to him as a parental figure and has come to his and Dawn's rescue on more than one occasion. It's just Rowan that as things with Team Galactic has played out, poor Rowan doesn't want to encourage this, but they can all agree they may need to utilize Auguste's "skill set".

He still face palms at his student's shenanigans as Auguste gets older. He's not claiming him. Nope. Totally not calling on him for help with Kanto stuff pre- Gauntlet. Deeeefinitely didn't help this kid secure a place in Kalos. :Kappa:

[angelthecat153]

Dylan x reader camp crush part 2

a/note: i will be doing the entire game and it will still be Dylan x reader and i will replace some of the voice lines by the characters for the reader so that the reader doesn't get left out and also the reader is a female in this now there's 4 girls and 4 boys i hope you enjoy part 2 peace out

Abi's POV

i was currently sitting on steps drawing Emma in my sketchbook and i was interuppted by footsteps walking over to me and i looked up to see it was Emma "hey there party bear" she greeted me in a sing song voice "status report" i asked her "we are officially empty nesters high five up top" she said raising her hand for a high five and i gladly accepted the high five and then she smirked "oh boy you're about to get your back aren't you" i asked her "let's go and collect our bags and away from this mosquito infested backwards dump" she complained like one of those girls that complained about everything and i rolled my eyes at her response "doors locked bags inside" i told her as she tried to open it "fuck me" she said when she realized she couldn't open it "yep" was all i could reply "well it's obvious what we have to do here" i looked at her and replied "find someone with a key" she looked at me "shape our destiny" she said i was confused by what she meant she noticed this and said "then by shape our destiny i mean shape our way through this crappy lock and grab our bags" she said making a lot more sense so i decided to think about if we should break in or not and i decided to break in "ok let's do this but we better not get in trouble" i told her "why are you 2 breaking in to a bunker a voice was heard and it was my other best friend y/n "what are you doing here" i asked them

y/n's POV

when Abi asked me that i replied "looking for you what are you doing" i shouted at them "apparently we're breaking into a cabin want to join us y/n" Emma yelled "hell yeah i do" i yelled giving Emma a thumbs up so i walked up the steps and joined them "i won't tell if you won't tell" Emma said talking to me and Abi "Mr hackett's gonna find out" i said to both girls "so what he'll just think it was a bear or something" Emma said to me "have you ever seen a bear in these woods" Abi asked while rolling her eyes "no but that doesn't mean they're not out there" Emma responded back to Abi "fair point" me and Abi gave in to agreeing with her "alright let's do this" Emma said impatiently trying to break into the cabin "1 2 3" Emma counted and all 3 of us fell hard on the floor into the cabin as soon as the door was opened and we all groaned when we hit the floor "all about the power of positive thinking" Emma said out of breath as she stood up while me and Abi just stood up with no help "why do i ever listen to you" Abi said to Emma annoyed "because i'm always right" literally sometimes she's wrong

Emma's POV

i noticed the look on y/ns face about what i said and she face palmed "are you sure they're gonna think it was a bear" she asked "oh my god relax y/n it's not like we killed someone" i told y/n and she just rolled her eyes as i walked out

Abi's POV that girl is dramatic sometimes "all right well we're just gonna take another look around make sure we didn't miss anything" i said to my other best friend as she nodded "what was it like coming to Hackett's quarry summer camp y/n" i asked her "it overwhelming at first and it took me some time to get used to other people" i smiled at that and then y/n just found a toy rabbit "aw this was little izzy's" y/n said picking it up

y/n's POV

"i'm gonna play a game" the toy rabbit said making me and Abi smile "let's get you back to izzy" Abi said putting the toy in her backpack when i gave it to her and shewalked to drawers a found a newspaper "why would this place be on the news" Abi asked me and i just shrugged then she put it back on the floor "i can't believe i'n actually gonna miss all those lumpy loose springs" i heard Abi say and then we went out of the cabin and walked going to find Emma "so Abi did you enjoy camp" i asked her "it was pretty fun though" i agreed with her "i remember when the kids would do that sitting in a tree when ever they saw you stare at Dylan" i smiled at the thought of the memory as we were walking we saw a cassette laying around and Abi picked it up "dylan is not gonna be happy that the campers are leaving this around" she told me and we laughed "we'll tell Chris about it when we see him" i said to Abi and she nodded at me and then she put the cassette back down and we continued walking

Abi's POV

we walked over to a tree and found something Jacob + Emma on it = summer "ouch let's hope Jacob doesn't see this" me and y/n said at the same time and y/n reached up and pulled something out and sniffed it "uh eugh what is that is it dylan's eugh" y/n asked me with a disgusted look on her face and i just shrugged and when we found Emma she was waiting for us

Emma's POV

finally those 2 came "ready to roll you 2" i asked "let's do it" they said happily "finally" i said and we hopped in the veichle with me and Abi at the front and y/n in the back "time to let loose and vamoose this caboose" i told the 2 girls "how are you so-" "dramatic" i said interrupting y/n "annoying" i rolled at my eyes at what y/n just said "confident" Abi said "it's just acting it's what the people want" i told them "so you're faking it" the 2 girls asked "i mean faking it is just being yourself but louder...you 2 should try it sometime" i said to them and smiled "you never know who you might impress" i smiled and nudged Abi "it's too late now anyway" Abi said "what you and Nick you'll never know unless you put yourself out there" i told her there was a hole in the road and Abi drove around it "woah nice steerin tex" y/n said from the back "jinkies" Abi said and y/n giggled and we came kept drinving "ok so hypothetically if i were to put myself out there what if he ends up being a dud kinda like you and Jacob" Abi asked "he's actually really sweet" i told her "then why'd you quit" y/n asked from the back "summer fling we're going to school like 4 states away he gets it" i said and answered y/n's question "yeah sure" Abi said "but that's us you and Nick y/n and Dylan could be diiferent what do you guys handle hit Dylan and Nick up you 2" i told them "i already have his email it was already in the package on the first day" Abi said me and y/n had the same look on our faces "e-mail are you 93" y/n said said from the back with a bored expression on her face "what's wrong with e-mail" Abi asked "i'm really gonna miss you Abi and y/n" i said with a sad look on my face

Y/n's POV

i guess i'll miss Emma even though she's dramatic sometimes "oh hold up" Emma said and Abi stopped the veichle "oh but the lodge is that way" i said confused "go right here" Emma said "i'm getting off and heading back to camp" i told them and they smiled and i went off back to camp

[our-flag-means-death-ao3feed]

destiny caught in a storm

by stargazingblockhead

Izzy felt the weight of his predicament as he sat on the deck. Would Jack tell Ed and Stede that he’d fucked Izzy while he betrayed them? It was probable, seeing how big Jack’s mouth was. Would Ed and Stede then get mad at Izzy for letting Jack fuck him but not them? Would they take offense and say they don’t love him anymore? It made Izzy’s head ache and spin as he contemplated the situation he had put himself in.

After Izzy joins Ed and Stede's relationship, almost all of his problems seem to disappear. There's still one thing that makes him anxious, though; he isn't ready to have sex with his partners. Which is fine, of course; Ed and Stede are happy to wait. When Calico Jack makes a surprise visit to the Revenge, however, Izzy is put in a predicament where his past could ruin the future he's looking forward to.

Although this work takes place following your words are a phantom, it can standalone.

Words: 4153, Chapters: 1/3, Language: English

Series: Part 6 of it's rotten work

Fandoms: Our Flag Means Death (TV)

Rating: Mature

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: M/M, Multi

Characters: Israel Hands, Stede Bonnet, Blackbeard | Edward Teach, "Calico" Jack Rackham, Crew of the Revenge (Our Flag Means Death)

Relationships: Blackbeard | Edward Teach/Stede Bonnet/Israel Hands, Blackbeard | Edward Teach/Israel Hands, Stede Bonnet/Israel Hands, Blackbeard | Edward Teach/Stede Bonnet

Additional Tags: Past Israel Hands/"Calico" Jack Rackham, Established Relationship, Domestic Boyfriends, Angst, past dubious consent, Israel Hands Needs a Hug, Misunderstandings, POV Israel Hands, Israel Hands-centric, Sexual Tension, Canon-typical swearing, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Talking It Through As a Crew (Our Flag Means Death), Hair Braiding, Sex Talk, Anxiety, post S1

source https://archiveofourown.org/works/48567313

[izzyovercoffee]

I have some a lot of thoughts about Cayde-6 and Ikora Rey, but since everyone loves and has talked forever about Cayde, I’ll just stick to Ikora. This is going under a cut because it’s long and kind of rambling. It’s a combination of meta and headcanons, because character interpretations can get kind of nebulous.

Also I wish I recorded this line lmao, but:

"---IKORA, NO! YOU ARE NOT BAILING ON ME AGAIN ... best spicy noodles in the entire city, guaranteed ... That's what I thought."

---overheard radio chatter on the tower, Cayde-6 to Ikora Rey [presumably]

Can I just say their friendship kills me? All of it is fairly subtle subtext, but Cayde knows Ikora well, and Ikora clearly knows Cayde well. They’ve known each other for more than a century (Ikora’s 25-win streak in the Crucible is approx. 125 (126?) years before the events of Destiny 2, and Cayde makes references to her Crucible days often).

When no one in the galaxy, as implied by the dialogue, knew where Ikora was, Cayde didn’t even have to consider. Because he knows her. Zavala, who's worked with Ikora for (I’m assuming) longer than Cayde has, did not have any idea where Ikora could be. Yet Cayde didn't hesitate, at all. He went from all-jokes to immediately somber/sober when he said it. “Io. She’s on Io.” 

No doubt, no hesitation. Certainty, and something like ... sadness, I guess, in his voice. At the very least it was jarring in comparison to the lines immediately before it. We don’t even get a segue from the jokes into the answer.

And it’s bugged me that people apparently still believe that Cayde and Ikora are not close, or are not friends---even after that line. I mean, there’s more to it than that, but just that line speaks to more than just knowing someone. There’s an intimacy there that’s required to have that kind of absolute certainty.

Cayde knows Ikora so well he knows exactly where she’d go on a journey to rediscover her sense of self and purpose when the galaxy has gone to hell, and when the world’s fallen to pieces around them. In the face of complete and total disaster and destruction, in the wake of soul-shattering defeat, Cayde knows Ikora well enough to know where she would go to re-center herself---and Io is an extremely personal place for Ikora. It is, essentially, a sacred place that she holds close to the chest, as Ikora is a private person and what Io means to Ikora is deeply personal, and deeply private.

There’s really no way Cayde would know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that Ikora would embark on an impromptu pilgrimage to Io without telling anyone ... unless he knew Ikora on a personal level, beyond casual work acquaintance, even beyond casual friendship---and they do have a foundation that implies a friendship there.

It’s a little frustrating to see people treat Cayde as if he’s forever alone, as if he has almost no friends or is close to next to no one aside from Amanda, and maybe Shiro---when, even as far back as Destiny 1, there was subtext to suggest that Ikora and Cayde were, at the very least, friendly, if not friends, if not, even, good friends. 

I think, the biggest issue in misreading Ikora’s interactions with Cayde is just an overall lack of familiarity with Ikora in general. People tend to take understatement at face value, people take very dry, wry, humor at face value, and then miss everything subtly nuanced about her character.

Ikora Rey is clearly a private person. We know next to nothing about her history. We don’t know much about her as a person, which ... honestly, seems right for her character, who keeps private matters, and personal matters, private as a matter of course. But that also makes Ikora hard to read.

Her character doesn't really express herself to the extremes that Cayde, or even Zavala, do---but that doesn’t mean she is expressionless, or emotionless (which I’ve actually seen suggested on this site ... which, yikes lmao, but anyway). She’s a professional---but she also has the capacity for extreme emotions, extreme violence (as we see in Homecoming). If anything, I’d suggest that she works, tirelessly, to keep a cap on her emotions---she talks often of keeping centered, of maintaining balance, and her idle dialogue circles around hearing voices or feeling things, being drawn to far reaches where the Light cannot be found, of being drawn to temptation of darker things.

And what Cayde offers to Ikora is a personality that balances hers.

Cayde is, sometimes, the far opposite to her in personality. Where Ikora seeks to maintain a calm center, Cayde is a wildcard and acts just like it. Where Ikora maintains a somewhat distant professional air, Cayde is casual and overly friendly. Where Ikora is focused inward and is arguably an introvert, Cayde is clearly comfortable socializing and be surrounded by noise, like an extrovert.

They have what’s implied a shared history beyond the Vanguard (the Crucible, which Ikora competed in before she became a Vanguard), and similar backgrounds (preferring the wilderness to people, preferring isolation to the city), and even similar temperament (’"You stand for something immutable and transcendent. Act like it." --- reprimand to a younger Ikora Rey’, though Cayde hasn’t quite grown out of his wisecracking habits while Ikora has, by now).

Ikora “tolerates” Cayde’s jokes, though I would suggest she actually appreciates them---for one, she doesn’t strike me as a person to not comment on something she doesn’t like, and for two, the implication in the linked transcript is “That’s why you’re here, instead of Eris” in Cayde’s response to Ikora. The casual reference to Ikora in the Crucible later in that same strike, and then Ikora rounding off the transcript by suggesting Cayde interact with Eris (who is ... very, very cross and hostile towards Cayde, and Ikora is clearly saying it to get a rise out of him, which is exactly what happens), suggests, to me, an actual friendship between them.

Cayde makes light, but Ikora doesn’t tell him to stop---she subtly reminds him that if she were someone else, she might. He counters that she isn’t, and he’s right. 

Here’s another thing: he jokes about how scary she is, all the time, and Ikora’s idle commentary in D2 indicates that this is a thing people don’t joke about, that this is a common barrier towards her (”I’m not that intimidating”). And with the way Ikora actually laughs about being seen as intimidating, as if it’s genuinely funny that she scares people simply by existing, seems to be a running joke that is no longer supported or perpetuated by just Cayde.

Generally, Cayde is presented as a character who might just joke about anything, but these jokes always come from a personal place or point of reference ... and friends joke like this, all the time---especially if this friend of their’s is terrifying to others. Ikora’s certainly self aware enough to know it’s “a thing,” and Cayde’s never been one to miss an opportunity to poke fun at something that everyone else decidedly thinks shouldn’t be poked.

Cayde often makes oblique remarks towards, regarding, or with Ikora, usually joking in some way or lamenting Warlocks “in general” (which we can assume is in reference to how scary Ikora is in combat/was in the Crucible). Cayde references Ikora enough times that I at least noticed a pattern, at least during the main story and idle commentary, and the things he says suggests a familiarity that I've seen most people kinda … either outright disregard or write off as Cayde “just being Cayde.”

But even if Ikora was a superstar that everyone knew about in the Crucible, the way Cayde references those days very casually and all the goddamn time, as if they were yesterday and not in actuality more than a century ago, indicates that, at the very least, he followed her Crucible career very closely (much like how people follow certain MMA fighters, for example). Even more likely, he was either competing with her in the Crucible, or was on the receiving end of her ... very hard won focus. Or maybe both. Maybe he followed her career, and he fought alongside her and against her---and despite the passage of time, she left such an impression on him that he will always slip a comment in, because how can’t he?

But anyway. Her telling him to go talk to Eris is her subtly teasing him (she, genuinely, sounds like she’s trying hard not to laugh when she says: “You should tell her.” There’s so much sheer amusement folded into that one simple line), riffing him like he’s done her, and Cayde responds with the same seriousness Ikora gave him at the start. It’s a nice kind of full-circle moment.

Ikora does, actually, crack jokes from time to time---but it’s in the way she says things, in her tone and the delivery of what she says, that can often send the joke flying over our head. Like she’s laughing, deep down, but for the sake of professionalism she will not actually laugh, but we can hear it in her voice if we would only listen carefully.

She jokes in a few of the Io adventures---cracking an easy-to-miss pun (or play on words?) during a somewhat serious situation with the Taken that has Asher Mir angrily groaning. And I would have missed it, easily, if I wasn’t listening to how she said it.

So then, when she talks to Cayde, as compared to missions on Io with Asher, or in serious cinematic scenes, there’s often subtle string of amusement. She will tease him, if the opportunity presents itself. She will show concern, if she notices something is amiss (”What happened to you on Nessus?” comes to mind---as Ikora doesn’t ask things if she doesn’t want to know, but we’re not privy to that conversation if they have it). 

Other things of note: Cayde’s longing for leaving the tower and returning to the wilderness is very likely echoed by Ikora. 

Sure, Ikora, now, as a more mature person with responsibilities she takes very seriously, never actually complains out loud---but she spent most of her life alone, in the wilds, exploring the system, and getting into adventures trouble. She chose to spend more of her younger years alone in the wilds, pursuing adventure and exploration, and she’s been very clearly reprimanded in the past for immaturity of some kind. For her to give up that freedom, to be sequestered to the Tower for her duty ... has to feel restricting, or had to have felt that way in the early days after she was assigned the Warlock Vanguard position. She should, and likely does, relate to Cayde in having that itch, or that need, to just go, to leave---but she’s just not the type to complain.

But that’s such a major part of who she is, her history shaped who she’s become, and it’s something of a huge shared quality between her and Cayde. 

And tbh it’s unfortunate that this commonality they share is either not known or is completely ignored, simply because she doesn’t complain about it while Cayde is so, so vocal. This is something major that they have in common between them. It takes a certain kind of person to consistently choose the wilderness and to travel alone, and both Cayde and Ikora choose isolation and the wilderness when given the chance.

Add onto that, that both Ikora and Cayde lost someone close to them when they took up the Vanguard position---and in that same moment, also had to give up their freedom of coming and going as they please, the freedom of being able to choose isolation, and the wilds, over people and the city.

And then there’s the idle dialogue I quoted at the start.

They go out to eat together, to the ramen shop---and Cayde convinces her not to back out, not with his agitated disappointment, but by telling her they have the best spicy noodles. He knows what to say to convince her to go out when she maybe doesn’t really want to, he knows she will be persuaded by spicy noodles.

Overheard radio chatter indicates Cayde is very, very familiar with Ikora’s tea habits, and that she will never stop drinking tea.

These are small, small details, but they’re the kind of details one picks up not just when working closely with someone---but when one wants to spend actual, personal time with them, outside of work. The implication is that this isn’t the first time they’ve gone to get ramen together. The implication is that Cayde is so familiar with Ikora’s very specific tea-drinking habits that he’s probably found it annoying, even grating, then maybe endearing, only to probably circle back and find it annoying again. The implication is that Ikora knows how to push Cayde’s buttons and does it only when the perfect opportunity arises. The implication is that they have conversations and often, and when Cayde is trapped in a perpetual Vex loop of total disaster and that might just be the end of Cayde as we know it ... Cayde is thinking about Ikora, and wishing he’d listened closer, and likely wishing he could speak to her again. The implication is that Ikora appreciates the levity Cayde brings to the table, because it is needed.

The implication is that these two balance each other out in ways they both need---Ikora, without Cayde, is too serious. Cayde, without Ikora, is not serious enough. Ikora, without Cayde, doesn’t have enough excuses to go out and relax. Cayde, without Ikora, has a hard time keeping his feet on the ground, has a hard time staying grounded.

And, you know, in all the strikes they oversee together, they work together really well, and they work off each other well.

Plus I suspect Ikora always knows Cayde is up to something, and Cayde knows she knows, and Ikora knows he knows she knows ... but Ikora won’t move to stop him because he usually does, actually, have good plans. Maybe, you know, not the best plans, but they’re the best when no one else has even one. And, anyway, I’m sure those “hypothetically speaking, let’s say if---” conversations between the two of them outside of Zavala’s earshot must be endlessly entertaining. Or, at the very least, interesting. 

[pulchrousati-a-blog]

various au tags ;;

☆ it’s impossible to go through life without causing some kind of pain  ➵ zombie apocalypse (feat. familiaanteomnia) 

☆ a heart worth loving is one you understand even in silence  ➵ magnus & izzy (feat. runedwhip)

☆ the love i have for you is a love that knows no bounds  ➵ post show

☆ thank you for loving my boy  ➵ post show alt. 

☆ all right then. get me a bit of her hair and i’ll make her teeth fall out.   ➵ chilling adventures of sabrina

☆ your choices will shape our destiny  ➵ detroit: become human   

☆ you don’t forget the face of the person who was your last hope.  ➵ the hunger games

☆ what are you talking about? i’m me! no one else!  ➵ kingdom hearts

☆ there is no strength left in the world of men ➵ lord of the rings  

☆ vengeance is like an open wound  ➵ pacific rim

☆  no matter how perfect the day is it always has to end  ➵twilight  

☆ out here you survive or you surrender  ➵ wind river

☆ i’ve never been so happy to hear your stupid bossy voice  ➵ wynonna earp

☆ don’t feel bad i’m usually about to die.  ➵ percy jackson 

☆ i shall never relinquish my sword for a ring.  ➵ pride and prejudice and zombies  

[svedupelle]

Also ngl I'm applauding the alpha lupi quote in your blog description ✨

omg thank u so much its one of my favorite quotes!!!!

the Traveler's philosophy of not speaking, staying silent and essentially counting on people to be good of their own volition and choice is something i really like me being an optimist lol and i find it interesting how it mirrors christianity's faith (destiny draws inspiration from christianity for its lore, what else is new lmao)

but i think my favorite part of it is the perseverance, the "again and again. Forever."

[erinthesails]

Ed, Jim, and The Beard as Metaphor

i cant stop thinking about my own ed/jim parallels post and the way that their stories and gender experience actually soooo closely mirror each other, and how the beard is such a critical locus to understanding both these parallels and their trajectories as characters

like, to articulate in actual words what i was thinking in that original post, i think of "beard" in this show, and certainly with these two characters, as being metaphorical for responsibility, outside expectations, and, as jim puts it, a prison of one's own making

because in both cases, that's exactly what it is. despite the social pressures and familial expectations that drove them there, both "Blackbeard" as an identity and the disguise of he/him, capital M "Man" that Jim takes on as part of their path to revenge are things that they build and choose for themselves. Ed built the legend of Blackbeard to escape the dangers of home, and to fulfill the things they needed to be to survive. Jim built their masculine persona to do the same thing: get revenge and survive the fallout of getting it. The beard is, in many ways a prison, which both Jim and Ed articulate in various ways: Jim commenting directly on the physical discomfort of the fake beard, and Ed mirroring this by talking about the emotional discomfort of outside perceptions of them as Blackbeard

one of the most critical moments in the whole show to me, honestly, is when Lucius explicitly brings in queerness to our understanding of what "beard" actually means in the logic of the story. "not all beards are actual beards" both cements "beard" as a metaphor, AND acknowledges "beard" in the gay sense as part of that. a beard as a concession to what the world thinks you should be, to your own need for safety, to your fear that the people you care about won't accept you as you are. A beard is explicitly a signifier of hiding your queerness, as much as it is a signifier of Responsibility to other kinds of social expectations. This is textually true for Jim in both senses: the beard hides their nonbinary identity AND keeps them locked into their hunt for revenge

When we meet Ed, it's immediately clear that Ed is being crushed by the latter in the same way Jim was--the responsibility and expectations of being Blackbeard are boring, wearying, so oppressive in some ways that Ed would rather die than keep bearing them--with the queer implications of the term left, at first, unspoken. I think it's also important that the show textually (both literally and through the ol' "run me through" scene) tells us that Ed has sex with men, and that they're comfortable doing so. so, if the metaphorical beard of queerness isn't about sexual orientation, the way it is for Lucius, maybe, like Jim, it's more about an expression of gender that feels right and true...

as i laid out in my original post, over the course of the show (though at different moments) both Ed and Jim shed some of the traditional expectations of manhood for something more nuanced. They ditch their beards, take on new (old) names that better fit who they are now, experience love at the hands of their new family--and finally rejection at the hands of the old. Nana and Izzy function in much the same way here: making Jim/Ed's newfound acceptance of who they are seem like a bad thing. a dangerous thing. the loss of their "beards" as something shameful.

what's interesting here is that in the text of the show so far, Jim's experience of "beard" has been more explicitly aligned with gender expectations and Ed's has been more explicitly aligned with responsibility and other social expectations. but in these moments of rejection by family, they're reversed.

Nana doesn't have much of a problem using Jim's new name and pronouns--it's their rejection of their responsibility, their destiny, the expectations she has for them that drives the rejection. With Izzy and Ed, what has previously only been a subtextual conversation about gender and presentation becomes very nearly explicitly gendered. Ed insists "I'm still Blackbeard," as an assertion of their capability, their ongoing acceptance of responsibility to crew. But it's Ed's PRESENTATION that Izzy takes issue with. It's Ed's new name, Ed's softer way of being, their acceptance of a life without the "beard," both literal and metaphorical, that Izzy can't stand.

It's a textbook transphobic rejection, and it makes it difficult to read what follows as anything other than a detransition: changing back into old clothes, taking back the old name of Blackbeard/the Kraken, LITERALLY drawing back on a beard, wearing a facade of that old identity and the responsibilities of it that Ed has found so oppressive for so long.

lots of people have read this as a detransition (and lots of people have read it otherwise, which is fine), but what i haven't seen talked about almost at all is that jim has their own detransition era! we just don't tend to think about it that way because a) it's so brief, and b) they aren't transitioning back to the gender they grew up with, but the one that's synonymous with disguise and pretense

after their journey recognizing that they don't have to be a man or a woman, they don't have to wear the literal or metaphorical beard to be loved and accepted, they can take on a name that suits them as they are, not as they once were--after all this, they dress up as a man again as part of their taking back on the burden of responsibility and expectations. when they go back to Jackie's, they dress up as a priest to get close to Geraldo. it's only for one scene, but they're taking back on that male persona to fulfill their nana's expectations, rejecting their newfound comfort being nonbinary

both Ed and Jim literally dress up as men, take back up their "beards," as a response to rejection from the people who have been in their lives the longest. the difference is that, for Jim, they found someone who would speak to them frankly about what the "beard" means. about what they'd be giving up to wear it. and critically, they have the possibility of distance from the person who would force them to keep wearing it. Jackie acts as a kind of grounding force for Jim, an equal who has seen her own share of revenge and lived with her own kinds of metaphorical beards, who shows Jim that when they're being forced to choose between A and B....they can just choose C instead.

as part of Ed's healing next season, i think it's going to take a similar kind of acceptance from an equal, and almost certainly some distance from Izzy to stick. Maybe Jim could even be that person for Ed, closing the loop of their parallels, allowing Ed the space to be who they want to be, to ditch the beard in both the literal and metaphorical sense. or even to open up a Plan C, where Ed doesn't get rid of the beard entirely in either sense, but finds a happier, healthier relationship to it!

i just cant get over the fact that they had the line "not all beards are actual beards." literally spoken out loud in this show. EXPLICITLY referring to queer gender identity. and then a character named BLACKBEARD......expresses dissatisfaction with the way they're perceived and they way they're expected to move through the world.........there's so much happening here with the way gender and presentation and expectation and responsibility intersect with experiences of masculinity, and i both hope and fully believe Ed will get space to explore it next season the way Jim has gotten to in this season

[cassiefisherdrake]

OH YEAH, you’re totally correct, I should have been more specific when I said “hunt the light.” I was using ‘hunt’ more as a flavour word, but the flavour wasn’t quite right. It’s less “seek and destroy” as ‘hunt’ and more “destroy when seen.” The Vex are ‘happy’ to do their own thing until a Light (or Dark!)- aligned entity (or, really, any non-Vex entity) interferes and then their Fuck You mode activates.

And yes, junction rather than deletion is absolutely part of “erasure through assimilation!” The Vex don’t really care what you do once you’re Vex - or, at least, we don’t see fighting between Vex collectives with very different goals from the rest of the Vex such as the Sol Divisive - so long as you’re still part of the destination: being Vex. It doesn’t matter to the Vex that Asher and Kabr are still doing the stuff they did when they were non-Vex, just that they’re Vex now and therefore furthering their goals.

(Now if Asher and/or Kabr work more and more with the Light… that may change. Unless maybe there’s an internal part of the Vex that resists Vex vs. Vex in-fighting, which could lend to reason why the rest of the Vex aren’t fighting the Sol Divisive for worshipping the Darkness despite the others being unable to stand the Darkness?! Options, options!)

All of this is ALSO why I think the Vex will be a huge part of the Final Shape!!! Great minds think alike ~

I just love the Vex and the exos and all of their associated lore ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!

@svedupelle making a post as a reply because the quote is long, but oh! The lore is Collective Obligation (ty for prompting me to finally read it, by the way), and the last two paragraphs go like this:

"You see, total eradication may be efficient, but the goal is not to be the last one standing. Rather, it is to remove the obstacles that encumber you and those who remain from reaching your destination.

"Annihilation of your kind was never the goal. But filling you with the right kind of ideological purpose, the kind that serves the finality of shape—well, that's the point of corrupting a beating heart, is it not?"

And I am Thonking.

Does “removing the obstacles that encumber you and those who remain from reaching your destination” is some twisted way of ‘it’s about the journey, not the destination’?? Or is it more convoluted—“those who remain” being Disciples, the Witness’ in crowd, the only ones deserving to see finality? Possibly the final shapes of their respective races/kinds? What IS the destination, then, if not “to be the last one standing”?

I love how he alludes to having corrupted the Hive with sword logic, and even *more* I love the choice of waging a proxy war instead of an actual one w/ the Gardener—let’s corrupt her creation from the inside so that it turns on her on its own!

I guess the question is—as always—whether the Witness is the Winnower / their physical emanation, or is it itself a player in the game and has its own goals, the Disciples being yet one more level of a pyramid scheme to get the Witness to be on top. I am not sure about this, though.

Also “death OR finality” is something I need to crack but haven’t just yet, especially wrt the Hive and how they, in turn, see death.