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storiesfromafan · 1 day

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Request #2 - Benny Cross

A/N: another request, as per this challenge of mine 😊

@strayrockette, this one is for you! I know I have kept you in the loop on this via messages. And I know you are excited for this!! I can not wait to hear what you think of it 😂

I feel this is a little comicial, some dominance and a trope or two 😅😅

Also, forgive any grammer or spelling mistakes haha.

~~~~~

Character: Benny Cross - The Bikeriders

Place: in the rain

Reason: confessing feelings

Summary: all Benny want's is his Duchess. I don't know why I nicknamed the reader Duchess 😅😅

Benny didn’t get it. He didn’t understand how you didn’t get the hints he, along with other Vandals, were dropping. It was like you were oblivious. Or you were purposely ignoring him and his feelings. Watching you sitting with a few other Vandal women, drinking a pop and laughing at something Kathy had just said. Benny was fixated on you.

“Come on man, just go up to her and tell her. Would ya!” Cal commented shaking his head, seeing his friend watching you with puppy dog eyes.

For being one of the good looking Vandals, Benny seemed to have the most difficulty putting himself and his intentions on the table. Usually Johnny and the Vandals would be the ones to help him out. And he had gotten their help, with no prevail. You either ignored them or declined any requests. It was starting to frustrate Benny, almost to the point of insanity. All he wanted was for you to be his, and no one else’s. It’s been like that since he first saw you in the bar a few weeks ago.

Benny grunted in disapproval. “I can’t” was his simple reply. The only words he could get out, though his head was swimming with them.

Once more Cal shook his head, clapping Benny on the back. “And that will be ya down fall. If ya worried of rejection man, it ain’t so bad. It will sting for a moment but ya get over it, by getting another pretty little thing under ya".

Turning his gaze from you, Benny shot the earing wearing man a dark look. “There ain’t no other pretty little thing but her" he stated, voice low and dangerous.

Cal held up his hands with a look of surprise on his face, “alright man. But ya gotta do somethin’ already".

Turning back to you, Benny knew he had to do something. Something to get your attention and finally make you his girl. But how? That was the problem. The Vandals had swarmed you to get you on his bike, but you were able to casually take off down the street on foot. When you and Kathy came over to the pool table, you showed interest in the game, so Benny offered to teach you and you politely declined. He sat at your table, all smiles and puppy dog eyes. But you barely noticed him or spoke to him.

He knew what the only thing left to do was, but it was something he feared doing. Rejection was one thing he didn’t like, besides from not riding his bike.

You had been enjoying yourself and the women’s company. The Vandal women loved to swap war stories of their men, and you lapped it up. You’d never laughed so much in your life. Kathy had just been telling the story of when she first came in, and how she was terrified of the men in the bar. And you understood, felling the same when you first entered the place. Not to mentioned the way many of them would slap your behind or ask you out. Funny thing was it only happened the first night, the following visit it was like they were on their best behaviour. Kathy told you it was because of Benny, which you didn’t believe.

“Havin' Benny come up to ya, and ya talked to him, all the other animals know not to come sniffin' ‘round" you recall her words the next day when you stopped at her house.

When you recall your first visit, you remember how a body had fallen into the free seat next to you. Kathy had looked to the new comer, before you turned your gaze to them. You were greeted to the sight of the most breathtaking man. Beautiful blue eyes staring right at you, a warm toothy smile on his gorgeous face. Sharp cheek bones, and strong jaw that was covered in stubble. Which matched the dirty blonde mop on his head, in an effortless mess.

“Hey...I’m Benny", his voice was deep and like music to your ears. Sending a delightful shiver down your spine.

You swallowed, trying to focus on Benny and what he had said. “H-hi, I’m...I’m...” you sputtered out, not recalling your own name. Which made Benny chuckle.

You faintly remember hearing Kathy speak, as you were centred on the male next to you. “Her names (Y/N)” Kathy stated with amusement, before laughing when you nodded.

“(Y/N), huh?” – again you nodded, liking how it sounded coming from Benny’s lips – “that’s a pretty name". And from there you were a goner.

At the end of that night, when you realised it was getting late, you headed out of the bar to hopefully make the last bus. Not long after you’d left, Benny came out. You couldn’t help watching how he crossed the road, the way he kind of dragged his boot clad feet. Not to mentioned how he lit a cigarette effortlessly, flicking his hand holding the lighter, shutting it with a click and extinguishing its flame before putting it back in his jacket breast pocket. Then the way he took a drag before his fingers drew it from those sinful lips. And when he exhaled, dear lord.

You were teetering on your feet, thankfully there was a street sign next to you. So you used it to keep yourself propped up. Or else you would have ended up on your face. Reaching his bike, Benny swung a leg over. Taking a moment to stand there with the bike between his legs, before putting up the kickstand and then bringing his foot down to start the bike. You jumped when the bike roared to life. Only then did Benny sit down on the seat, going back to smoking his cigarette. Yet you swear he looked back at you, though you couldn’t be certain.

You admired how he sat upon his bike. Eyes roaming over his jacket clad back, reading over his colours. His waist, thighs and legs, all so appealing. Not long after, the bar doors opened, and out poured various Vandals and their women. They were laughing and shouting. Even starting to cross the street. Your brain kicked back in then, and you began to move along the street. Yet they continued to follow, but you were a little quicker and a head of them. For you kept walking down the street and away from the bar, a little panicked and frazzled.

It didn’t take long for them to stop, just about a meter from Benny and his bike. A few – Corky and Wahoo – continued to called out to you. Only then did you slow down, turning around to look back. Most were heading back to the bar, still laughing and talking with each other. Looking to Benny, that was when you saw him looking at you. Even from your distance you could tell it was an intense look upon his face. His body sat there stiffly, like he was unhappy. Yet you didn’t linger on him for too long, yet tempted to go back and see if he was alright. But you had to get home, and that last bus was your only chance. So you turned around and left.

You recall that moment well, as you rode the bus home you let yourself think of Benny. The gorgeous Vandal, that seemed interest in you. And you let yourself hopelessly daydream about him. Before thinking back to the advice your mother had given you when it came to men. You can’t let them think they have you, you have to play hard to get. Be interested but not too interested. Flirt with them, but don’t make it obvious. You want them eating out of the palm of your hand.

So, you followed that advice. You showed interest in pool, when you and Kathy went over to that side of the bar. Right away Benny had offered to teach you. So you declined, that was being interested but not too interested. When he would sit with you, you would hardly notice him or talk to him. You played it aloof, though you wanted to just melt over him.

“Don’t look now, but Benny’s watchin' ya again" commented Gale with a small smirk. “How long do ya think it will be before he comes over?”

The women laughed, while you softly blushed. You knew she was right. He always watched you for so long before coming over and sitting with you. It was like a ritual with him. Yet he never made a move, well not to your knowledge anyways. Sometimes you think he’s interested, while other times you think otherwise. All you wanted to know for sure is if he wanted you or not.

You went back to drinking your pop while listening to the women go on. First a bit more teasing about Benny, before changing subjects when an argument broke out at the bar between a few other men. Kathy continued to call the Vandals animals, which made the other women laugh. That lead to more stories on different times there had been fights or arguments in the bar. You only half listened while off in la-la land.

Without noticing, both Gale and Betty left the table, just leaving Kathy and you. What brought you back to the present was a new bottle of pop being placed next to your empty one, the person taking the seat next to you. You blinked looking at the bottle, before turning to see a smiling Benny at your side. Then you looked to Kathy, who was trying to hold back a laugh. You turned back to Benny, who then smiled a brighter smile, baby blues shining with your attention on him.

“Take that as my cue to leave" Kathy mused, grabbing her drink and bag, then leaving her seat.

You wanted to protest, tell her to stay but you were held captive by Benny’s piercing gaze. Your tongue was like led, your brain a jumble of words with no way to sort them out to be spoken. So you both sat there, watching the other in silence. The bar lively around you both but neither noticing it.

Finally Benny broke the silence, licking his lips before speaking. “Thought ya’d want another drink".

You cast a glance down at the bottle, which sat with its empty brother. “Ah...t-thanks" you stuttered, before turning back to Benny.

The look that formed on Benny’s face at your thanks, was like a kid in a candy store. He felt happy to get such words from you. The one woman who seems to avoid him and his affections. Placing a hand on the back of your seat, Benny made himself comfortable as he continued to watch you.

Trying to remain calm, you took slow breathes. Over and over telling yourself this was fine, no big deal. Benny was just staring at you with those beautiful blue eyes, that looked a little more stormy blue when up close and in this light. As well as that smile on those tempting lips. Not to mention, wondering what the stubble on his face would feel like rubbing against your own skin.

“You alright Duchess?” Benny asked with that low drawl of his, face leaning closer to yours.

Again you took a calming breath. “Y-yes...” you managed to get out, though it was a tad squeaky.

Benny chuckled lowly, enjoying the reaction he got. It pushed him to want to do more. He wanted to hear all the sounds he could get from you, from innocent to the not so innocent. Not pulling his head back, Benny looked deeply into your eyes, searching for anything that meant for him to take it further. Because he so wanted to get closer, to put a hand on you. To feel your skin, your warmth. He was tired of being denied it. He wanted you close and in his arms, on the back of his bike.

You picked up the new bottle of pop, taking a sip while trying to not let Benny’s unwavering gaze get to you. Though it was becoming hard too. You cast your gaze around the room. Noting the Vandals and their women. Betty and Gale had joined Johnny and Brucie. All four looked to be comfortable and enjoying each others company. Kathy had taken to putting up with Corky and Wahoo, while Cal seemed to be amused by them all.

“Eyes on me Duchess" came Benny’s annoyed voice from beside you.

As if his hand had taken your chin and brought your eyes back to him, which they hadn’t. You were drawn back to the gorgeous man. You knew you shouldn’t have listened to him, kept your attention on anything but him. But with him being so close, his cologne and cigarette smell taking over, taking you hostage.

“Good, that’s better" he said lowly, eyes delighted in your compliance. “All ya gotta do is focus on me".

You swallowed. You couldn’t help it. This commanding side of Benny, though new, was so appealing. It made Benny more hotter. So you sit there, both looking at each other. Though Benny did make small talk, wanting to learn more about you. As you had denied him time and time again. But not this time. With every response you would stutter or squeak, only pleasing Benny more.

When a few drunk Vandals came up, asking him to play the next game of pool, was the spell you were under finally broken. You used this moment to excuse yourself, and visited the bathroom. Crossing the room, dodging various bodies, you entered the ladies. You stood before the mirror, taking a deep breath before releasing it. Slowly you relaxed, your mind clearing and processing what had gone on.

Not sure how long you stood there, you jumped when the door opened and in walked Kathy. She gave you an apologetic smile once seeing that you had jumped. You waited as she used the stall, before exiting to wash her hands.

“Havin' fun with Benny?” Kathy asked with a chuckle.

You rolled your eyes. “Not when I’m a stuttering mess".

Kathy laughed openly at that. “Really? Even after finally givin’ him the time of day – er, night?”

You sighed, leaning your lower back against the sink. “Yes...I must seem like a bumbling idiot to him".

Kathy smiled at you warmly. “If that was the case, Benny would have left ya alone ages ago. That man is over the moon with ya".

Now it was you who laughed. “Yeah right Kathy, I don’t know why".

She chuckled, “trust me. He is, hun".

With that you both exited the bathroom, you fixing your shirt and bag as you walked out. Coming back into the bar, you saw that Benny had joined the men for a pool game. You took a moment to admire him as he took a shot. The way he leant over the table, giving you a few wicked ideas. How he concentrated on the shot, before taking it. The man oozed sex appeal. So why would he go for you? You asked yourself moving to join Kathy, who was getting a drink from the bar.

While standing there, you were about to order another drink before seeing the clock on the wall. Comparing it to your wrist watch, you noticed how late it was getting. With a few words to Kathy, you apologized and said you had to get going, so you wouldn’t miss the last bus.

“Ya sure ya don’t want to stay and we could get a cab together?” Kathy offered.

You smiled warmly. “It’s alright, I should probably get home. I heard there could be rain tonight. Don’t want to get sick" you laughed.

She nodded, understanding that. Reluctantly Kathy let you go, though feeling she should have told you to see Benny before you left. But you moved too quickly for her to say anything. You crossed the bar, once more dodging body’s, before exiting. Once you were gone Kathy grabbed her drink and thought it best to give Benny the heads up, his Duchess had ran off again without his knowledge.

Once more the streets were dead, a car or two passing, as you made you way to the bus stop. Unfortunately the forecast had been right, for it began to spit rain while you walked. And to add insult to injury, it got heavier as you walked a stretch of the street that had no cover. So you had picked up the pace, moving fast to get to the nearest covered building. Upon stepping under the cover, you did a little shake, as if it would completely dry you. Thankfully you weren’t saturated but the cool evening air didn’t help. Your arms forming goose bumps from the chill you were feeling.

Looking further up the road there would be another stretch of open area, though not as long as you just walked, before more cover. And time was running out to make it for the bus. You weighed your options; make a run for it or take you time and possibly miss the bus. While contemplating your options the nearing sound of a roaring engine didn’t faze you, thinking it was a passing Vandal.

Making up your mind – and going with option one – you walked out into the rain and began to power walk on. When the engine you’d heard pulled up beside you, did you turn to find Benny. You stopped and stared at him, confusion written all over your face, while you felt the rain start to soak your clothes.

“W-what are ya doin’ here?” You managed to get out.

He grunted. “That’s what I was gonna ask you. Get on, I’m takin' ya home".

You slowly shook your head. “No, no. It’s fine. The bus stop is just a head" you replied, taking a few more steps in the direction you were going.

“It’s fine Duchess, get on" Benny repeated, leaving no room for argument.

“Really Benny, I’ll be fine" you said once more, taking to walking off on him.

You heard him sigh before turning off his bike, then the kick stand. Yet you kept walking, not sure what was up with him. It was when a rough hand grabbed your arm and stopped you, still in the rain I might add, did you turn around to find Benny. His hair was wet, drops falling from the curls at his forehead. His gaze drawn in on you, annoyance swimming in those blue pools. You couldn’t understand why he was annoy with you. Alright, you declined his offer of a ride. But that was so he could go back to the bar and carry on with the club.

“What is with ya and runnin' away from me?” Benny asked out loud. “All I’ve wanted to do is be near ya, get to know ya. Can’t ya see, Duchess?”

You blinked your eyes a few times, letting his words sink in. Confusion still written on your face. “S-see what...?”

Benny sighed in frustration. “That ya put a damn spell on me, that I want nothin' more then for ya to be mine!?” His voice was loud, annoyed but with a touch of fear.

Your heart skipped a beat hearing Benny's confession. And silly you didn’t believe yourself or Kathy or the other women. Benny Cross was into you, wanted you. You stood there shocked and silent, which didn’t help Benny one bit.

He released your arm, thinking you were rejecting him. “I guess...I guess ya don’t feel the same...” he muttered looking away from you.

That was the shock back to reality you needed. You took a step closer to him, trying to get the words out. But your heard was a jumble with everything you were thinking and feeling, which wasn’t registering with your mouth. So you did the only thing you could think to do right now. Grabbing onto Benny’s t-shirt, you brought him down as you stood on your tippy toes. And you placed your lips to his. It was a closed lipped kiss, your eyes looking into each others, as the rain and the word around you fell away.

After a few moments you pulled back, not releasing your hold on his shirt. “I-I...ah, I-I mean...” you sputtered, frazzled and mind lost to it all.

Benny looked into your eyes, searching for what you wanted to say. Seeing how you looked at him, softly and with endearment, that was all he needed. This time he grabbed your chin, tilting your head up before his lips captured yours again. Only his kiss was harder, a little dominating. He didn’t need to ask permission to your mouth, for you sighed as soon as his lips touched yours. Benny’s tongue didn’t waste time to enter your mouth, seeking out your own and lavishing it with attention, caressing it in a way that made your knees weak. His hand moving from your chin to the back of your head. He didn’t plan to let go yet, and wasn’t going to give you a chance to either.

Reluctantly Benny freed you from his kiss, but kept you close, resting his forehead against yours. Both of you need a moment to regain some air. And once your breathing returned, you cast your eyes to his. Noting how he looked at you with nothing but affection and want. Which mirrored in your own.

“Will you now let me take you home, Duchess? Because ya soaked" Benny said gruffly.

You smiled tenderly. “You’re soaked too, ya know" your voice soft, but not as timid.

He smirked at you. “Is that an invitation?”

And just like that, you blushed, hitting Benny's chest softly with your hand. Sputtering out no and saying you’re not like that. Benny could only laugh, for he knew his Duchess wouldn’t have him over the first night. But maybe the second night? None the less. Benny managed to got you to finally let him get you home, and loved having you on the back of his bike. There would be no more running away, no more avoiding him. Because you were his now.

#benny cross x reader #benny cross x y/n #benny cross x you #the bikeriders x reader #austin butler x reader #requests open #request

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sarasade · 2 days

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It's been pretty interesting to follow the

"Why Didn't Viren Get Redeemed vs Viren Got What Was Coming To Him"

discussion after The Dragon Prince's 6th season got released.

Hot Take

I think Viren got redeemed.

Because to me Viren humbling himself and acknowledging the hurt he has caused was redeeming. His conversation with Soren was the main event. His rather heroic death was only the cherry on top of the character development cake that has been baking since s4.

I think Viren dying wasn't as significant as what he did before that and how he tried to provide Soren with some kind of comfort and closure, you know, as a parent should, before going. Viren's redemption wasn't just him dying for Katolis but acknowledging his wrongdoings and trying to salvage what he could.

That was pretty redeeming for me at least. Viren did the right thing even when he knew there wouldn't be any reward for it. Even if he couldn't stop Aaravos from destroying Katolis or manipulating Claudia even after his death. Like, man, I kinda feel for the guy.

I think it has always pretty easy to feel sympathy for Viren. Viren wants to matter and wants to be important. However, his grandiosity, as psychologists would call it, keeps him from creating genuine connections with others. His friends, wife and children are only there to prop up his ego or get rejected if they fail to live up to his expectations. It's also pretty damn tragic that Viren opens up about his deep insecurities to Aaravos of all people. Someone who was the most likely person in the world to exploit these insecurities for his own gain.

Viren had to taste his own medicide but I don't think TDP says that's an objectively good thing per se or that we should enjoy this sort of revenge fantasy uncritically. Viren is still portrayed rather sympathetically and of course there is the part about his actions affecting others and the world in unpredictable ways. It's still a tragedy because Viren's actions and personal problems have caused so much collateral damage. The Why behind Aaravos exploiting Viren and Claudia is part of that tragedy, too. There are no winners here. In a way Viren is a victim of his own narcissistic tendencies, too.

This isn't just about the final episodes of Viren's arc. To me it's essential to ask What was Viren's biggest sin he should be redeemed or punished for? Depending on your answer you may have a relatively different reading of s6 story development compared to mine.

To me it's not a specific action he took but his whole worldview. Viren is a fictional character (duh!) so his story isn't exactly literal but metaphorical, a representation of certain values and morals real people and society holds. In s3 TDP draws a pretty straightforward, though brief, comparison between Viren and reactionary right-wing ideologues. It's not exactly subtle.

It's just one way TDP goes to show how toxic and abusive Viren's core values are. that gets reflected both in Viren's personal life aka how he treated Lissa, Soren and even Harrow and Claudia (last two more indirectly). Since he also had a ton of political power as a high mage and briefly as a king we see what he did with that power. It's a pretty clear take on people who dehumanise others, fetishise power and see all living things as something to exploit. TDP explores that both philosophically and psychologically through Viren. Dark magic encapsulates this philosophy well since using magical creatures like tools or objects is essential for it to work.

Also also- I don't really get why people see redemption or atonement as something black and white. It's not bad or anything but Redeeming Yourself For Your Sins is a very Christian concept and Christianity isn't the only way to understand villain story arcs. Like I wish there could be more discussion about WHY redemption is the main analytical framework we impose on villains when villainous characters have a ton of variety anyway.

I don't really have anything to complain about Viren's death itself and I'm not surprised that he ended up dying (for real this time). Aaravos seemed like someone who'd turn against Viren the moment he stopped being useful to him so Viren's life has been hanging by a thread since s4. Viren was the best part of TDP and every scene he's been in had been a delight, well expect the s5 dream sequence because it was too long-winded and obvious, anyway, I'm sorry to see him go and I look forward writing AU fix-it fics where he and Aaravos are married and run a hot brown morning potion shop with all their four totally not dead children. RIP Viren. You lived like a messy bitch and died like a messy bitch. Iconic.

#“well someone has been reading her Pete Walker lately” yes leave me alone lol #Viren and Aaravos are very similar in the way they exploit and victimise others (another Viravos win?)#that Viren's apology sequence was the most wish fulfilment filled part of TDP.#Like imagine a cis man over forty demonstrating that level of emotional intelligence.#the dragon prince #tdp meta #tdp viren #lord viren #sarasade text #I don't actually like coffee shop AUs lol but it's a good joke #tdp aaravos #aaravos #tdp s6 spoilers #tdp season 6 #tdp spoilers

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utilitycaster · 3 days

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I'm curious about your judgement of the success of the various format experimentations in Campaign 3. If you feel like saying a bit more, I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on which are the most and least successful, and why.

Sure! So as I said earlier today, I think a big problem is that the format experimentation and the moon plot are directly at odds. Pulling off the moon plot, with all the NPCs from past campaigns and payoff of various canonical setups requires a pretty firm hand on what the current canon is, and also really did require a firmer hand in the character creation than there was. On the other hand, the point of experimentation is to let other people play in the space and introduce their ideas. This comes together in what I have referred to in the past as "Not Now." Like, the Crown Keepers showing up just as the party was grappling with FCG's death? Not bad as a concept, but Not Now. Abubakar playing Corellon? Incredible performance, but the fact that he was given free rein in a plot that's already shedding viewers left and right for its lack of direction? Not Now.

On an individual level:

I think EXU Prime either needed to be fully standalone, or Matt needed to provide a slightly more rigid direction to Aabria and therefore really couldn't play Dariax. If it's going to get woven into the main plot of Campaign 3 it needs to set that up (including giving Liam and Ashley a heads up beforehand). My personal vote would be for the former, to allow Aabria to tell her own story without it having to serve like 20 different functions, but what's done is done. If I recall, Liam and Ashley had the option to play different characters for Campaign 3 and I do wonder what would happen if they had decided differently, because you could still have Dorian pop up as a guest but I wonder if the Crown Keepers would have shown up in the same way.

Similarly, as stated, the general concept of the Crown Keepers interlude during the campaign as a means to bring in Dorian? I'm not opposed, though I think this is by far the hardest thing to coordinate generally and for a plot as demanding as Campaign 3 probably not a great idea. But it's hard to judge because the timing was truly the worst timing possible given the events of episode 91, and even delaying by like an episode or two would have at least solved that to the point that I don't understand why they didn't just...do that. (and, just to head off this particularly stupid argument at the pass, this would not have in any way affected Sam's ability to take time off for cancer treatment; it would have just shifted things around, and a lot of this experimentation was planned WELL in advance). [sidebar: I haven't listened to the WBN interlude yet but I do have thoughts because I think interludes from different GMs can be done, but the premise of Campaign 3 is particularly hostile towards them unless the main GM has a very heavy hand in their creation or unless they are light on things relevant to the core plot and mostly for the purpose of worldbuilding a la Song of the Lorelei.]

Solstice split was excellent and I think it's because it was not actually anything you wouldn't see in how people frequently play D&D at home. You have a few players who won't be available for a few sessions in a row? Great, find a reason to split the party, bring some other guest players in, and run some side quests!

Downfall was great because it was diagetic. It was a story within a story that Bells Hells was seeing and responding to, and because it took place so long ago with such specific characters, while it may bleed into how Laura, Taliesin, or Ashley feel in game (impossible to prevent, people bring their own feelings to the table), Matt still has room to decide how the Raven Queen, Wildmother, or Everlight feel a thousand years later. I also feel this had the most direction from Matt, which the other things really needed.

As said, bringing in Abubakar to DM as Corellon is something that again, this plot simply doesn't handle well. It makes for a fantastic scene, but within the 107-and-counting episodes of this story, giving the reins to someone else after you finally have a clear plan and letting them throw another curveball is a terrible idea narratively. I think this again would be fine in a story with a looser plot.

Echoes of the Solstice and presumably the upcoming Vox Machina Malleus Key/Mighty Nein Weave Mind concept is again pretty good. This also fits into things that D&D home games have been doing forever - run a one shot or mini campaign following different characters but DM-ed by the same person that have an impact on the current plot but aren't too closely interwoven. Basically this is like the solstice split in concept.

Essentially: I think playing around with the format within a campaign but having the same GM is pretty easy to do. Once you introduce other GMs acting within the world concurrently (rather than as a story with a foregone conclusion a la Downfall, or for that matter Calamity) you need to be extremely careful if you are trying to tell a specific story with a lot of moving parts, as Matt is with Campaign 3. It's one thing to improvise based on things your players do or say; it's another to do so based on improv by a major NPC or someone doing extensive worldbuilding mid-game that you now need to incorporate. This wouldn't be an issue in a more sandbox-style game; Campaign 2 might have been able to withstand it more gracefully, though I'm still not sure. But Campaign 3 was the wrong place to do it. Again, it's trying to converge in some places and diverge in the others and as a result it's just kind of flopping around in place.

#answered #galileosballs #cr tag #long post

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tragicallyuncreative · 3 days

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Johnny looked at me quickly. "I didn't mean nothing. I meant, well, Soda kinda looks like your mother did, but he acts just exactly like your father. And Darry is the spittin' image of your father, but he ain't wild and laughing all the time like he was. He acts like your mother. And you don't act like either one." -The Outsiders, Chapter 5

It’s funny, because Darry emulates his late father in so many ways (not just in looks and a shared name), despite trying his best to create his own path and not live that lifestyle. Don’t get him wrong, his father was his hero and he admired him beyond words, but didn’t want to struggle the same way his father did. He didn’t want to be stuck in a town he hated, break his back in construction all day for 20+ years, only to barely keep his family afloat and above the poverty line, and to have people look down on him despite trying his best. He wanted to be more, to get a degree, a high-paying job, be able to live comfortably, and yet here he is, stuck working for the exact same construction company his father did his whole adult life to keep a roof over the boys’ heads, always worrying that it’ll never be enough, secretly ashamed of his social status.

Soda, on the other hand, mirrors his father not in looks, but in personality and strives to live just as he did. He recognized from a young age that, like his father, his brain didn’t work the way his brothers did. Nothing came easy to him academically, but he doesn’t see why that should hold him back. After all, his father dropped out in 6th grade, and led a life that Soda views as nothing but successful: a steady job he enjoyed, a beautiful family that despite not having the latest car or fanciest home, was full of love, and a carefree attitude that kept him young at heart. What Darrel Jr. saw as a hard, sad, dead-end life, Soda sees as everything he could hope for. So while his brothers mourn what they view as the only way for Soda to lead a successful life (education), Soda embraces the opportunity to do something he truly loves, work he takes pride in, despite others not understanding. Why should he spend time trying to be good at something he’s not? He can earn money and contribute to his community and build up his trade career. He’s happier at the DX than he ever would be in school, just like Darrel Sr. was working in the cornfields of his adopted parent’s farm all those years ago in that little one-road town in Texas that was ravaged by the Great Depression. And when the Vietnam War breaks out, Soda jumps at the opportunity to again mirror his father in what he sees as the bravest and most noble thing a man can do: serve his country. His brothers and friends beg him not to enlist but he does, full of pride as his hair is buzzed and dog tags are placed around his neck, joining his late father’s, the ones he hasn’t taken off since the day of his funeral. On the first day of boot camp, he stands straight-backed and determined, ready to serve, to defeat the enemy, just like Darrel Sr. defeated the Nazis in 1945.

Hi! I have so many headcannons for The Outsiders universe rattling around in my brain, and I can't always share them fully in my stories, so I figured it's about time I started to share them here. Stay tuned for the backstory of The Curtis Parents, Darry and Two-Bit's friendship, and The Mathews Family. Enjoy!

#the outsiders #the outsiders fanfiction #the outsiders musical #the outsiders headcanons #darry curtis #sodapop curtis #tragicallyuncreativewrites

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decepti-thots · 2 days

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☕️ wild card (whatever you wanna talk about!)

It really annoys me that a whole segment of fandom treats Roberts' take on OP as 'the real one' compared to everything else in IDW1. I don't inherently dislike that he would choose to look at the inconsistent and bad writing OP got in phase one and go. Hm. Well. Let's quietly ignore that. I do in fact think choosing to ignore whatever the fuck Costa thought he was doing when Costa himself did not give a shit about his own work, for example, is what any reasonable writer would find themselves inclined to do, lmao.

But at the end of the day, in phases two and three, Barber wrote the bulk of Optimus' story, and took the reins on the character basically 100% outside some prequel flashback stuff. And he did not do what Roberts did. He chose to try and work the prior stuff into a characterization that re-contextualised it into something more coherent and self-aware of what a dick OP came across as a lot of the time. People will look at the super conventionally Heroic And Corrrect take Roberts did in a couple of (pre-canon!) stories, assume Barber must ALSO be doing this, see Barber do something different, and insist this proves Barber is an idiot with no understanding that his Optimus is frequently in the wrong. It's incredibly annoying, lol.

ALSO, why do so few people seem to grasp that the cop backstory was introduced in Chaos by Roberts..?? That was not Furman, Costa or Barber, all of whom I see it attributed to for some reason. Whenever people are like 'UGH I hate coptimus' but then are like 'I guess he was OK when JRo wrote him though' I'm just. Throws my hands up! THAT WAS FROM CHAOS. HE DID THAT. I suspect admitting this would complicate people's 'MTMTE is universally the most socially progressive IDW1 thing, everything else sucks and never does even One Thing as well or better' dichotomy some people are stuck in, or something. (And frankly, MTMTE is very happy in Shadowplay to run with the Good Cops Fighting Corruption stock storyline, which Barber would later on complicate a lot in the OP ongoing.)

tl;dr Roberts wrote an Optimus that was more in line with people's concept of G1 Optimus, but that doesn't mean his is the sole real 'correct' one in IDW1, next to all the takes that... draw on prior IDW1 stuff. Stop getting mad Barber didn't run with the way Roberts wrote him in a couple flashbacks, it's disingenuous.

#i just realised i left this in drafts fhfjgk sorry it's late #ask meme

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sitp-recs · 18 hours

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i bet you've seen this one plenty of times before, but:

can you rec some drarry fics where jealousy is an important motif? it can be infidelity if they're an established couple, or just getting with someone else while the two of them are dancing around one another. would be great to see recs both where harry is jealous and where draco is jealous. i prefer a happy ending, but i'll be grateful either way.

since i'm here let me also say i admire what you do, your incredible ability to recall and sort through so many stories. this fandom is lucky to have you! <3

Hello friend! Thank you for the kind words, I really appreciate it ❤️ here are some fics centered on jealousy. I did a few other lists for this trope over the years, you can find them here, here and here.

Jealous Harry:

Hourglass Heart by @bixgirl1 (E, 5k)

It only happened once — depending on how Harry counted.

Utterly Yours by @lazywonderlvnd (E, 6.5k)

Draco gets back at Harry for his late nights as an Auror by flirting with the new Arithmancy professor. Harry's not usually the jealous type, but he has his moments.

on the divine agony of longing by @flimsi (E, 25k)

Speaking to Draco is like poking a beehive - and Harry is a glutton for punishment. In which Harry makes some serious blunders and then tries to fix it. Somehow.

Around You Moves by ignatiustrout (E, 29k)

Harry knew Draco was gay when he invited him to move in. He’s never had a problem with this. So why does he feel so weird about Draco bringing men home all of a sudden?

Two to Lie and One to Listen by @fluxweeed (E, 84k)

It’s weird when Hermione announces that she and Ron have broken up. It’s weirder when this is followed by the revelation that she’s already moved on—and the new object of her affections is Draco Malfoy.

Grounds for Divorce by Tepre (E, 122k)

Malfoy finds a coin. Harry finds a letter.

Jealous Draco:

Packing the Flat by marguerite_26 (E, 6k)

Months after their explosive break-up, Draco insists Harry return to their flat to remove his belongings.

Don't Stop It Before It Begins by mischieviolet (E, 19k)

“I don’t understand how this is of any concern to you, Malfoy,” Harry said, crossing his arms over his chest. Draco blinked at the use of his last name, something that Harry only used with him in jest these days. “I’m merely spending time with my Auror partner, who is from another country, and has no one here. I would do the same if it were you.” “It’s not me though, is it?” Draco all but shouted, unable to stop himself.

The Partner, The Rival and The Very Big Case by oceaxe (E, 24k)

When Harry and Nott are paired up to go undercover as fake boyfriends, Draco is disappointed not to get the assignment. It's just professional jealousy that's making him feel so upset. Obviously. He's engaged to be married to Astoria, after all.

(The Piece) I was Missing All Along by lauren3210 (E, 30k)

Draco and Harry have been flatmates and best friends for years, and Draco thinks life is just perfect that way. But when something comes along and threatens to take all that away, Draco has to decide what it is he really wants, and just how hard he's going to work to get it.

Make Me a Headline (I Want to Be That Bold) by @dictacontrion (E, 31k)

Draco never expected to see Harry doing that again. Especially with someone else, in a grainy photograph that's landed on his desk one Monday morning.

Nights With You by @the-sinking-ship (E, 58k)

Draco is mortified when moments prior to departing for the most anticipated destination wedding of the year, he is cruelly dumped. But when he learns that Harry Potter has, at long last, split with his horrible boyfriend, Draco is certain his luck has changed.

#asks #smehur #drarry reclist #jealousy

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elijasz · 3 days

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I just read an article in which someone complained about Hades 2 accessibility and how including Arachne, as a spider, makes the game less accessible because arachnophobic players exist. And I have to say something about that because it's representative of a certain online trend that is truely making real accessibility look ridiculous.

Creators, studios, artists etc are in no way obligated to cater to your specific needs.

If you complain that including certain things people might be afraid of makes something inaccessible, you are diluting the discussion on accessibility. Content, media in general, cannot be adapted to everyones needs. That's why there is a concept called a "target audience." There are people afraid of the dark and afraid of being alone with men etc. If you had to exclude darkness and male villains from horror games, that would ruin many of them. Don't like certain parts or themes of a game and don't want to play it because of that? You are not the target audience then.

To think that all media and content needs to be made for YOU specifically is self-centered and shows that you do not understand how the world works. And if you play a game based on greek mythology, you have to deal with the existence of a spider. Don't like that? Don't play the game.

The world isn't made just for you. We wouldn't kill all spiders and fuck up the ecosystem just so you could be less scared. Deal with your issues, your fears, and avoid media that scares you. You don't have a right to personalised art unless you pay the artists. Want a game to your taste? Fund it. Pay people to make something for you. But stop claiming bullshit like "Including spiders in Hades 2 is an accessibility issue!" It is not. You don't understand what accessibility is. And you're ruining the discussion about real accessibility.

I think this is an example of a trend that has been going on for a few years. People seem to be convinced that all content needs to be adapted to them. Video game culture and the constant accessibility of SO MUCH content are some of the concepts linked to this shift in my opinion. Additionally I would consider the whole generative AI debate another result of the manifestation of this mindset. It's entitlement to consumption. And it's directly linked to maximalism, capitalism and consumerism as I understand it. This is an opinion. I get someone might disagree. But I find it frankly offensive to complain about a detail in an amazing game that is honesty cheap as fuck for what you get. And its disrespectful towards generations upon generations of people who have carried on the story of Arachne.

#hades 2 #hades game #arachne #hades arachne

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fuck-customers · 2 days

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I love you I love you I love you I love you. I understand you are in constant pain. I understand recovery is not linear. I understand that some days you will not be as capable as others. and I am ok with that. I will never be upset because you are unable to help as much as before. there's no shame in that and I never want to make you feel bad about inhabiting your body. I know a body can be a difficult thing to have. but. if I come in to help. and you don't WARN ME about needing to put more effort into helping you move. it will actually physically hurt me. so I'm trained in how to help other bodies move, right. I could hypothetically get you into bed and/or into dry/clean clothes with you as dead-weight. I have done this before with people who are fully paralyzed (or heck I have given literal post-mortem care if you want to know what actual dead weight is like) but the way I hold MY WEIGHT and move my body CHANGES depending on how much weight I'm going to actually move. if I already know you. and I know that 90% of the time I can provide light support to help you roll to the wall so I can change your brief. I'm less likely to do things like: get the bed up to a height that lets me stand with my back straight (because it takes too long and there are literally 20 other people I have to help within the next 2 hours or I can be tried for neglect). and if I'm already bending down and expecting to just give you a push as you do most of the rolling, and then I realize (halfway through the roll) that you are not just not helping BUT ACTIVELY RESITING because you're in pain. it will ruin my back for the rest of the day if not the rest of the week. and there's no reason not to just tell me it's a day you need more help. That's a decent part of WHY I asked how your day was. yes, it's mostly because I'm polite and I genuinely care about how you feel, but ALSO it would be a great time for you to be like "Oh, actually my hip's really been bad, and everyone keeps making me roll on it". then I can change my approach, I can ask what exactly hurts and try to come up with a way to help avoid more pain. I'm not going to belittle or question or shame you for having an off day, I promise. I might even have a different technique that keeps you off your hip altogether. I want to help you. I'm not working this job because it's the easiest way to make money. I find genuine joy in being a part of your life and helping people in the way ive been trained. I enjoy your stories and insights. I consider you a "work" friend more than my actual co-workers. but this job is wearing on my body, and when you don't warn me about how much I'm going to need to use my body. I hurt myself AND I run the risk of hurting you more. please just let me know before, please.

Posted by admin Rodney

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vodika-vibes · 3 days

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Hey Vodika!

I hope you're feeling better. I don't know if you accept requests, but I'll leave this here. Could I ask for a story with Commander Neyo? The situation would be that Neyo is eavesdropping on her S/O's conversation with her friends. He hears her friends say that she should break up with Neyo because he is a harsh, cold, uncaring clone and that she will not be happy with him. Neyo hears this and is devastated. He knows he may not be the best when it comes to feelings, but he loves his S/O. His S/O finds him and learns that Neyo overheard the conversation. That's why she wants to do everything to prove to him that she loves him and wants to be with him no matter what. 💓

Take care of yourself!

People Who Matter

Summary: Neyo overhears a conversation between his cyare and her friends after returning home from a long deployment.

Pairing: Commander Neyo x F!Reader

Word Count: 1082

Warnings: Toxic friends

A/N: Hi there! I do take requests almost constantly, even if it might take a bit for me to get to your request! I hope you like this!

Click HERE to be added to my taglist!

Commander Neyo is an asshole.

He knows it. His men know it. His General knows it.

It’s a carefully cultivated persona that keeps his brothers from prying too much into his private life and keeps him from getting too close to men who probably won’t survive the year.

That might make him a cold person, but being raised to die in a war will do that to a man.

The one good thing in his life, the only good thing in his life, is his cyare.

So far as he’s concerned, she’s perfect in every way.

His cyare isn’t a Coruscant native. She’s from some small planet in the mid-rim and came to Coruscant for school. And, once she graduated, she just refused to return home.

He once asked why, late one evening, and she just laughed and told him that she was happy on Coruscant, happy with him, and she was not quite ready for the responsibility that came with returning home.

Neyo didn’t push at the time, and he still won’t push now, if she’s happy then that’s enough for him. Though a large part of him can’t quite understand why she’s so happy with someone like him.

But, right now, he’s not going to question it.

Because her love for him means that he’s allowed to decompress from the war in an actual apartment, with a proper bed and an even better shower. Not to mention home-cooked meals and as many kisses as he could ever want.

Silently, Neyo keys in the code to the apartment that he half lives in, and he pauses in the doorway, just before he calls out to his cyare. He hadn’t warned her that he was returning early, wanting to surprise her, though now he feels like he should have.

Since the shoes piled at the door suggest that she has company.

He steps into the laundry room, which is right next to the front door, and tugs his armor off, setting it on the shelf that she bought for that very purpose. Then he peels off his blacks and pulls on the casual clothes that she leaves in the laundry room for this very scenario.

It’s not much, a tee shirt and dark red lounge pants, but to him, they’re more comfortable than the softest shimmersilk.

Only then does he step back into the hallway and head towards the living room. However, he stops before he opens the door.

He stops because he hears his name.

“So, the reason we invited ourselves over,” Neyo scowls at the comment and the voice. That is Nalia, his cyare’s oldest friend on Coruscant, and, in his humble opinion, the worst person in the galaxy. “We wanted to talk to you about Neyo.”

There’s no reply for a moment, and then his cyare speaks, “You want to talk about Neyo?” Her accent is thicker than it normally is, and Neyo knows without having to ask that her “friends” have been bothering her about things again.

“We do.” Another woman says. That’s Linly, another one of his cyare’s friends, though she most often plays the role of Nalia’s flying monkey. “I know that you love him.” She almost sounds concerned. Almost.

“You need to break up with him.” Nalia interrupts.

“...I beg your pardon?”

“Listen, he’s cold and mean and uncaring and he’s only using you for your body—” Nalia lists.

“You don’t know him, at all.” His cyare counters flatly, “I’m not breaking up with him.”

“Look,” Linly interjects, “He is very handsome, but if it’s his looks you want, he has millions of identical brothers—”

“Enough.”

“He’s not good for you,” Linly continues, undaunted. “He doesn’t deserve you.”

Neyo winces. As much as he loathes these two women…they’re right. He doesn’t deserve his cyare. He never has. She deserves someone as amazing as she is, and that’s definitely not him.

He grimaces and rubs the back of his neck, he shouldn’t be listening to this. This conversation isn’t for his ears. And he’s about he walk away, when his cyare replies.

“You don’t get to decide if someone deserves me or not.” Her voice is flat and unimpressed, “The only person who gets to decide that is me, and I’ve decided that Neyo is perfect for me. And now I’d like you to leave.”

“Look,” Nalia says with a sigh, “We’re not leaving until you agree to break up with him.”

Oh.

Oh, absolutely not.

Neyo decides that he’s heard enough, and he slides the panel door open and steps into the living room. Immediately, he feels bad for not interjecting earlier.

His cyare is pressed into the corner of the couch, her hands curled into fists, while her “friends” loom over her.

“She said she wants you to leave.” Neyo says flatly, throwing every ounce of “unimpressed Commander” into his countenance as he can.

“Neyo!”

His gaze flickers over to his cyare as she pushes between her friends and hurries to his side, her arms sliding around his waist and burying her face against his shoulder. Neyo doesn’t bother to stop himself from lazily rubbing her back, pleased to have her against him again.

“You can leave,” Neyo says, his tone just on this side of polite, though the death glare he’s directing at them is enough to have them scurrying out of the apartment.

He doesn’t relax until the front door slides shut, and the lock automatically clicks into place. And then he’s wholly distracted by his cyare’s arms sliding around his neck.

“Welcome home,” Her smile is soft and small, and Neyo leans in to press his forehead against hers.

“Glad to be back,” He replies, his gaze scanning her face for any signs of distress, “You alright?”

“Yeah,” She shifts and lightly rubs her nose against his, “Just annoyed.” Her arms tighten around his neck, “They’re not right, you know?”

“About?”

“You not deserving me. You deserve everything and more.”

“I don’t want everything. I just want you.” Neyo counters with a small smile. “But you know, you could do better than me.”

“Never. Not in a million years.” She corrects, shifting once more to brush her lips against his.

Neyo doesn’t let her get away with that, pulling her closer so that he’s able to kiss her properly. “You need better friends, cyare.” He mumbles against her lips.

“A problem for later,” She replies as she tugs on the collar of his shirt, “I need to welcome you home now.”

@imabeautifulbutterfly

@n0vqni

@bad4amficideas

@justiceandwar98

@Mira-Loves-Star-Wars

@tiredbi-peach

@dukeoftheblackstar

@trixie2023

@kimiheartblade

@padawancat97

@falconfeather23435

@etod

@bb8-99

@kiss-anon

@continous-mistakes

@yoitsjay

@liz-stat

@cc--2224

@adriennelenoir

#star wars #tcw #commander neyo x reader #neyo x reader #star wars fanfiction #x reader fanfiction #f!reader fic #answered asks

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dr-spectre · 2 days

Text

RANT POST ABOUT CALLIE AHEAD!!!

I need to get some old and built up feelings out of my chest before i explode into a trillion pieces, if you do not wish to see a LONG rambling about me getting mad and rageful about this important character to me then by all means skip over and have a good rest of your day or night!

If you can handle me getting a bit pissed off and mean then keep on reading!!

This will also be a VERY LONG POST!!! Because I have a lot to rant about. Some of it i have talked about before many times but i need to talk about them... Again..

So anyways. If you wanna move on, that's okay, if you wanna stick around? That's all good as well!!! I highly HIGHLY encourage you to read all that I have to say. Okay? Thank you!

You know, as someone who has put in a lot of time and research into Hypno Callie and the others. What I've come to notice in media is that people tend to use the words mind control, brainwashing, hypnosis, influence, indoctrination, corruption, all interchangeably despite each word having vastly different meanings and connotations and effects.

Brainwashing has been used as an incorrect word to describe a lot of these kinds of plots in TV, movies, games, etc. and it really bugs me personally. Like, if you see something as clearly hypnosis, they explain that it is hypnosis and there is a hypnotic element at play here, you cannot just slap the word brainwashing onto it. It's like if I called a mango an apple you know? Or if I showed you a squid and you called it an octopus and you were REALLY adamant that it's an octopus.

Another example, if there's mind controlled zombies that are being controlled by aliens or something, slapping the word hypnotised or brainwashing onto that scenario is stupid because they clearly explained it in the story with evidence that it's straight up direct mind control and nothing else.

This doesn't just to apply to Splatoon btw, this annoyance goes for every other time a "mind control" plot has occurred in fiction.

I don't wanna sound rude here, I really don't! But guys, do you realise that we have this cool thing all across the world called a language? And languages have words in them!!!! And words have meanings in them that are brains understand and interpret!?

If I say the word "fluffy" what do you think of? "Fluff, fur, cute, huggable, adorable." You think of cute fluffy things, yeah?

If I say the word "hypnosis" what do you think of? A trance like state, a weird altered state of consciousness, maybe even a weird sleep/flow state?

If I say the word "brainwashed" what do you think of? Cults, militarily, experiments, evil, etc.

You guys see why I take issue? You guys see why I am extremely picky and laser focused on people's word choices when it comes to Callie and what happened? You guys see why I get really angry when people who do fuck tons of research into the events of Splatoon forget that languages exist and fail to see things past a fucking Wikipedia article?!? Is it seriously THAT hard for some people to say hypnotised?

I don't even necessarily blame most people for the words that they use, they don't know any better! And you know what? That's okay! I don't wanna get mad at SOME people since that word has been used incorrectly in media for a long ass time. And you wanna know another reason why i don't blame the casual fan or someone not in the know that much too? Because even the SPLATOON DEVELOPERS use brainwashing to describe Callie which is just... from my research and posts, incorrect.

I have yet to find a single person who can confidently explain to me that Callie was actually brainwashed and provide evidence to me to prove their points. Cause all I see is people just saying that "oh, a wiki and an artbook said so, so it must be true." Instead of looking at the actual game and looking at Hypno Callie's personality, behaviour, actions, etc. and comparing them to regular Callie.

Why do you think 99% of people call her Hypno Callie? Like there's a reason as to why her name is that in most circles... Have you ever talked to someone who calls her brainwashed Callie? Probably not...

God... I'm really sorry if i come off as some gatekeeping fan or elitist snob or some shit. I'm not trying to be and i don't wanna be like that. I wanna educate people, make people think of a different perspective and make people think a little more you know?

I'm just getting tired of it all... It affects how I see Hypno Callie and the events of Splatoon 2. I can't enjoy it when some people throw out these certain words, and it makes me feel so sad and terrible. And not in an engaging way, just a sadness that fucking stings my chest and I'm SO SICK OF IT!!!!!

I just despise this notion in the Splatoon community, Inkipedia, YouTube videos, social media and official sources that Callie was kidnapped out of the blue when she was alone and Octavio forced the shades onto her, brainwashing her and removing her memories. I hate it so much. It's something that truly fills me with great sadness and pain and pure anger. Callie is a comfort character of mine and to hear that scenario for her in official canon is just... no. I can't accept it. I refuse to accept such a vile and awful thing. It makes the Octarians more evil and way less sympathetic that way too, it makes DJ Octavio's eventual redemption make less sense because in one game he's this fucking monster and the next he's like "Hey guys imma help you out!" It makes his character incredibly inconsistent at that point.

it makes his appearance with Cuttlefish at the Grand Fest feel less satisfying because there this huge black spot on his character from Splatoon 2 where he apparently did something truly evil and unredeemable. Why would Cuttlefish be okay with standing next to a man who """kidnapped and brainwashed"""" his grand daughter?! I don't care about their history together, if i was Cuttlefish and I heard about that kind of event for my grand daughter, I WOULD NEVER FORGIVE OCTAVIO!!!

Hypnosis by nature is less evil and has more nuance and agency for Callie and the Octarians. Sure it's still fucking bad but not as extreme and dark as brainwashing is. The two terms are so vastly different and using either word willy-nilly is extremely annoying and frustrating to me.

Hypnosis ≠ brainwashing and you cannot prove to me otherwise. You literally cannot mind control someone with hypnosis, that's not how it works. They are so opposite of each other it's actually insane. I DON'T GET WHY PEOPLE USE THEM INTERCHANGEABLY ALL THE FUCKING TIME?!?! WHY?!?!!? Is it a lack of knowledge?!? Lack of caring?! Is it because of how hypnosis is portrayed?!?!

And the whole "Callie was kidnapped/abducted." My god... Do people understand what words are coming out of their fucking mouths?

Callie was more than willing to join the Octarians and she said to them "okay fine I'll hear you out." That is not KIDNAPPING!!!!!!!!!! THAT STATEMENT MADE BY CALLIE GOES AGAINST THE DEFINITION OF THE WORD!!!!

I don't know why they say this in some official sources either, i don't know why Inkipedia lists it on their pages. i don't know why fans keep wanting to push this idea that Callie was kidnapped, is it because an artbook said so and nothing in the game? I don't know why timeline explainers and people who do a fuck ton of research into Splatoon push it too. If Callie was kidnapped you figure she would mention it. But she doesn't!!!! Marie does and says she was brainwashed in the North American (NoA) localization, but of course she would think that and from her perspective she would figure that is the case from her limited knowledge of what happened to Callie.

God I just.... I hate it when people say Callie was brainwashed. I fucking despise it. It makes me so violently angry and upset and EVERYONE WHO HAS A LOUD VOICE IN THE COMMUNITY SAYS IT!!!

This doesn't even impact just Callie. It impacts the entirety of the Octarians as a species and DJ Octavio too. I LIKE DJ OCTAVIO!! I THINK HE WAS FUNNY IN SPLATOON 1! I like his role in Splatoon 3 and how he redeems himself and how he appeared in the Grand Festival with Cuttlefish. It ties back to before the Great Turf War when the Inklings and Octarians were on good terms and now finally that peace is back....

But this enjoyment... this appreciation of his character growth gets ruined because of the shit Nintendo did and what the fanbase did when Splatoon 2 rolled around... I can't enjoy Octavio as a character anymore because of the notion that Callie was brainwashed by him.

I can't look at his inkipedia page because IN THE FIRST PARAGRAPH THEY SAY HE BRAINWASHED HER!!!!

And don't you EVEN MENTION the line "I remixed Callie's brain!" My brother in Christ, that is not only a call back to a line he said in the final boss of Splatoon 1, but it's also because DJ Octavio is a.. idk... DJ!!!! A DISC JOCKEY!!!! In the NoA version of Splatoon, Octavio's personality is very loud and in your face, compared to his more sinister and intense personality in the European and original Japanese versions. This serious personality was only given to Octavio finally in the NOA version of Splatoon 3 ROTM where his personality actually matches his Japanese and European versions from Splatoon 1 and 2.

Octavio says puns and musical terms to describe shit in the NoA versions of Splatoon 1 and 2. Remixing by definition is taking a song and altering it to make something new. What is Hypno Callie? A REMIX OF CALLIE!!!! It's Callie but she's more aggressive, emotional and impulsive. And you know where we've seen this remix of Callie before? IN SPLATOON 1!!!! IN THE SPLATFEST DIALOGUE!!!!

Octavio didn't literally mean that he "remixed her brain." via actual brain, washing. He just means that he gave Callie a new twist, and Callie in her hypnotic state was like "okay fine I'll hear you out."

Octavio hypnotising Callie who wanted to help the Octarians anyways out of her own free will, planting suggestions into her head that SHE HERSELF ACCEPTED AS DURING HYPNOSIS, SUGGESTIONS GIVEN CANNOT GO AGAINST THE PERSON'S MORALS AND IDEOLOGIES!!! So that Callie would be more likely to stay in Octo Canyon and not decide to suddenly run off as Callie was under a lot of mental distress and emotion from her busy and lonely life, and allowing Callie to put her influence onto Octo Canyon to help his people and boost motivation, fits more in line with Splatoon as a series and Octavio as a character than the whole "he brainwashed Callie" bullshit that has plagued the internet for 7 years and continuing. Why do you think Callie is so chill to see DJ Octavio come back in Splatoon 3 huh? Why do you think she misses shaven Octarians in ROTM? Why do you think she calls Octarians cute? Hmm... I WONDER WHY?!?!?!

Is Octavio still bad? Yes! Did he use Callie to benefit his people? YES!!!! Was Octavio being manipulative and selfish? FUCK YES!!! HE'S THE ANTAGONIST!!!! I AM NOT RESOLVING THAT MAN OF BLAME!!!! DONT GET MY WORDS TWISTED!!! HE'S STILL BAD! just not unredeemable... because once you say he brainwashed someone and forcefully removed Callie's memories like a pure evil monster, then you have a character who is pretty much unredeemable at that point. You have made him cross a line that he can't turn back from. You implanted these disgusting and disturbingly sexual suggestions about Octavio and Callie and her outfit. Why the FUCK do you want that? Why?! Why do you wanna even suggest the idea that Callie was forced to wear skimpy clothing against her consent and knowledge? Do you know how fucking DISGUSTING AND EVIL THAT IS?!?!?! FOR A SERIES SUCH AS SPLATOON?!?!?! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA ON WHAT YOU ARE TRYING TO FUCKING IMPLY HERE?!?!?!

WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?!?!?! GOD!!!! WHY DO YOU WANT THESE AWFUL THINGS DONE TO CALLIE AGAINST HER KNOWLEDGE AND CONSENT IN THE MAIN TIMELINE!!??!?!?!?!! For AUs I get it, it's your right as a fan to make fanfiction and explore darker topics. I personally won't read it but I won't EVER stop someone from making a darker AU. It has its place in the community and I 100% respect it with all of my heart. I truly respect those who make dark AUs and darker takes on Splatoon because I'm sure it's fun and interesting for some people. To each their own! I actually like hearing my friends talk about Fuzzy AUs and stuff like that, given the time and place, darker toned AUs are something that i find really interesting but I'm not super duper in love with them.

But don't you DARE put these disgusting and sexual undertones about Callie and the Octarians in the main canon. Fuck off. Don't you even try and suggest that the Octarians are this purely evil race that forced Callie into a revealing outfit while she was completely unaware and it was against her consent. And that they just grabbed her... god... Jesus Christ man. Fuck. I hate thinking about that so much dude.

This type of scenario that people push did NOT happen.

THIS DID!

I'm so angry. I'm so sorry for this giant humongous rant. I care a lot about Callie. I only want the best for her. I only want a more engaging and more in-depth take on Splatoon 2. I want to enjoy Tidal Rush, I want to enjoy Spicy Calamari Inkantation, I want to enjoy Fresh Start, I want to enjoy the Bomb Rush Blush remix like how i enjoy Unconscience by Marina Agitando. I want to enjoy Hypno Callie in general, BUT SOMETIMES I JUST CANT AND I GET SO SAD AND MY CHEST HURTS!!!! This has been going on FOR SOOO LONGGG!!

I keep making all these posts about Callie because I still see that kind of bullshit being thrown around. Imagine having a perspective on a character you really love and you try and hold on to it. But everyone else around is pushing that perspective down and you feel so sad and stupid and ridiculous... And so your only option left is to scream and bark and yell....

I am literally gonna keep ranting until I can see the word "brainwashed" in media without having a fucking heart attack. I wanna just be able to enjoy Callie's arc and see it for what it truly is...

A story about two cousins drifting apart... Callie becoming so popular and famous... and lonely... that she became so mentally distraught and overthought everything. She did something incredibly irrational. She went to Octavio and the Octarians. Octavio knows that Callie can be a huge help to him after his loss and so he enlisted her help. And she just said, "okay, fine."

She was given hypnotic shades by Octavio in order to keep her more under control as she was ridden with mental illness and could leave Octo Canyon at any point with her overthinking. But he did NOT put her under total control and brainwash her, he needed Callie's influence for the Octarians, to decorate bases and add her touch into their music. The Octarians became happy and more motivated then ever. He didn't need a drone to help him. He needed, CALLIE.

However... Callie, in the canyon, lost herself, she gave into bitterness, hatred, sadness, anger... She knows who she is, but her memory is so cloudy and muffled by emotion and the shades... She needs help... Proper. Help. You can hear it in the songs found within the Octo Canyon, her reversed vocals sound so sad and deeply emotional...

When Marie arrives, Callie is mad at her, she wants nothing to do with her. But when Marie shoots the shades off of her, Callie is still dazed, upset, emotional, sick, she dances and continues to sing back against Marie's desperate words and pleas... Marie only wants to repair their broken relationship and lend out a hand to her cousin who needs to see the light....

But, when that heavenly melody echoed in that stadium, it was like a rushing tide of memories and feelings flooded into Callie. All of her and Marie's time performing, hosting news, celebrating Splatfests, and arriving to Inkopolis for the first time, came back to her and dispelled the darkness in her heart.

Callie heard the melody and went "wait... This isn't me! What am i doing!? YEAH! I REMEMBER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

And well... The rest is history, the pair healed their relationship over the course of a few years and are stronger than ever.

They fulfilled their fresh start, they helped redeem an angry vengeful man from the past, they inspired the present with Off the Hook, and they planted the seeds for the future in Deep Cut.

and they won the Grand Festival... TOGETHER!

Well... At least that's MY interpretation on things ;). And i want my interpretation to be held strong in my head... I'm tired of getting chest pains man... I'm tired of feeling this sadness and pain... I'm tired of going on Inkipedia and seeing that FUCKING word. I'm tired of being scared to watch YouTube videos focusing on lore and the story of Splatoon because deep down i KNOW they will say that word that has such fucking horrible connotations and meaning behind it...

Anyways. I think I'm done. I think I'm just in a huge ranting mode and I had to get it out, my autism was really acting up and i wanted to vomit this stuff out of me. I hope you guys feel what I'm feeling and if you have a character who you feel similar towards, let me know! Let the anger out. Okay?

Have a Callie for sticking around and actually reading. You're amazing.

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lazyjellyfish300 · 17 hours

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If you’re willing, for a dash of angst-tober

Miguel meets you, for obvious reasons you can’t resist him. He’s sexy, smart, charmingly catty and unfunny in a cute way. No shit you’re in love, you two go on a couple dates but he’s oddly distant and you don’t know why.

He clearly feels the same but he’s holding back. Soon when you get tired of waiting for him. So you start seeing other guys, but they aren’t him. You’re consumed by longing, no other man can compare (how could they).

Miguel finally calls you back after a week. He says he’s sorry for blowing you off, and he’s ready to commit. Saying,

“I love you Gwen Stacey”

…..and years later that decision will come to haunt him hahahahahha hahah HAHAHAHAHAH

Only if you’re a willing and not a coward

😈😈😈

Never back down never whaaaat!!! 😈 Lol anyways here ya go moot, this one's for you. 🖤🖤 All hail your amazing brain for this idea! So beautifully angsty. Happy Angstober! 🎃 @miguel-ohara-wifey

would've been you 🍂

CW: MINORS DNI, X FEM!READER, READER IS MIGUEL'S VERSION OF GWEN STACY(READER IS NOT GWEN, AND obviously NOT ATSV), CANON DIVERGENCE, ANGST, NO HAPPY ENDING, DEATH, BLOOD, BREAKUP, RELATIONSHIP DIFFICULTY, NON GRAPHIC SMUT.

WORDS: 1.7K

@1-900-venusluvs @thatone-writer

Crimson. Not red. Not scarlet. Not cherry, but crimson. Crimson in particular.

Crimson. Beautiful, deep crimson. Alluring, so calmly bewitching. Like the pleasant feeling that attacked every nerve in your body that rendered you with the consistency of a cloud after downing a glass of wine. Getting lost in the eyes of the lover who smiled from across the rim. The softest moan leaving your lips as you sat at the edge of his bed and felt the chill of the tension of the heated room spring goosebumps all over your naked body he was slowly undressing, laying you backwards on those silk sheets, thighs opening as his hands trailed fire and scored themselves to undying memory on the shadow of your skin.

His eyes...

You stare at Miguel from across you at a restaurant, your lingering gaze he senses without even needing to meet it with his own. He simply brings his hand above the table, giving yours a tender squeeze as you peruse the menu.

You realized then you might have been in love with him.

Your story was simple, transpiring like most any other couples who meet and wind up luckily in love. The outward beauty he possessed was increasingly obvious, but his deadpan demeanor and unserious quips were what endeared himself even more to you.

And he could only stand there in shocked disbelief. Almost like you were a stray cat that clung to an owner you selected by chance who originally thought himself incapable of returning such warmness.

The hell you saw in a sad old man like him? He didn't understand it, but he couldn't help but welcome it. Your cheesy grin, the playful banter you met with his sarcastic remarks.

"What are you making us for dinner?" You'd ask.

"God, I don't know babe..." Miguel's fingers comb through his tousled locks of dark brown as he looked at the pitiful items in your sparce pantry.

"Tomato reduction with melted mozzarella and cured meat, warmed in a flaky pastry?" You ask from the open freezer.

"The shock?" He looks at you, quickly overshadowed by unamusement, however he still holds back a chuckle. "Hot Pockets?"

"The highest level of cuisine!" You toss the box back onto the shelf, "The way they come out of the microwave like Satan's taint around the edges yet Antarctica in the middle reallyyy sets them apart."

"How else?" He smirks.

"Just the way I like it." You hum as you dial the number for your favorite takeout place, not noticing the ache in his chest as he looked back at you.

Even Miguel O'Hara wasn't immune to the temptation that came with breaking his own rules.

The daughter of a police chief.

Why, oh why, did it have to be you?

Rules he watched bitterly as his own colleagues suffered countless times before, seemingly unfazed by their agony, almost a little sadistic as they cried for their dead loved ones. It was all a part of the plan. The unpleasant truth.

You don't become Spider-Man by just putting on a suit.

Feelings must take a backseat when the security of the multiverse, the entire foundation of the very fabric of millions of innocent lives were at stake.

And how that foreign pain never quite made itself so painfully understood to him until it just so devastatingly involved the soul he fell so deeply and hopelessly in love with.

And so, like with many of his dealings before, he left you high and dry. Protective measures he took like muscle memory.

He would hurt you first before you could ever think about hurting him.

Even if the heartbreak was by grand design. The fabric of the multiverse knitted permanently with the inevitable tragedy of your demise that could not be undone.

"We can't.....we can't do this." He said simply before he left you like a ghost in the rain, turning away before you could see the tears that threatened to escape. Cursing his name.

Run away, numb himself, just bottle it up like he always does when he's confronted with matters of the heart that even toyed with the idea of showing his belly. His vulnerability. His weak spot. Calls unanswered. A number out of service.

He was never here and you never awakened the latent stirrings in his heart that just so ached for warm connection that you fulfilled at last.

You cried. You cried a lot. Sobbed for his presence that left you with a hole in your chest. Who would you gripe about work to? Who would hear your ugly laugh besides him and find every part of you that you thought wasn't worth writing home about, to be the endless rumination that haunted his mind?

Nobody but him. Nobody like him anywhere. And so you trudged forward with your weary and flayed heart, trying to act like the gaping hole he left in it didn't make your lungs feel like they were full of water every time you breathed.

Selfishly, spitefully trying to find a replacement in the arms of strangers. Hell, even some of them you knew. Ben Reilly. Peter B. Parker. His coworkers, his friends, even.

He ruined your life and trampled your heart so you'd smite him back where it really hurts. That's right. You'd go so low as fucking Ben Reilly and Peter Parker.

---

"Fuck, baby...did he ever fuck you like this?"

"No..." You moan loudly, knowing damn well every time you closed your eyes you only saw the persistent layer of the damned red of his eyes.

Peter's cock wasn't as girthy as Miguel's, but the length was close enough that if he fucked you deeply at just the right angle, it could spur vivid memories of all those nights, all those times Miguel O'Hara made love to you, fucked you senseless.

You moan and sigh, touching yourself, loving the way this new man below you was putty in your hands while you put on a show. His lustful gaze for a moment you mistake for the feeling of being desired, being loved. For now, you figure, it's enough.

But Peter couldn't fix it. Neither could Ben.

Fucking Ben.

That one really stabbed Miguel in the heart. Sinking so low that you'd give your body to a man who was nothing like him. Somebody he thought was below him. Somebody you knew damn well he disliked, and well, you gave over the most intimate parts of you he so foolishly thought you reserved for himself.

He felt sick when he overheard him talking about it. How you moaned his name, whined so sweetly for him. How he ate you out. How he bent you over in the very bed you and him shared just weeks prior.

A dull knife in his heart when he found out you even fell asleep together.

Did he make your toes curl like he could? Did he make you cum? Did gracing the peaks of ecstasy with Ben feel anything like how it felt when you were with Miguel?

Did those 7 goddamn months even fucking matter to you at all?

----

Miguel calls you black out drunk,

"Ben....fucking Ben...how COULD you?!"

The shade of bleeding red he saw put the intensity of the natural crimson of his eyes to shame.

You stayed silent. You got exactly what you wanted. The deadly blow had its intended effect. But it didn't feel as gratifying as you thought it would. It made you feel worse. Even as he was yelling over the phone.

"How was he then? Is he as good as me? Did you think about me while he was fucking you? Did you even have the heart to take down our pictures together before you invited his slimy ass over?"

Your chin trembles and Miguel stops when he finally hears you cry.

And despite everything, he would take you back in a heartbeat.

"Who's gonna be there to listen to me complain about work every day, huh?" Miguel sobs. "Who... who's gonna remind me to take out my contacts? H-How am I supposed to finish that fucking show we were watching together....?" He pauses, the anger tightening in his belly like a fist,

"What do you see in him?"

"Miguel?"

"Answer my fucking question. What do you see in him?!"

"Why do you keep talking about Ben?"

"Because Ben doesn't fucking love you the way I do!" He breaks down and your vision is completely clouded over in tears, hand shaking on the receiver as he finally admits what you so desperately wanted to hear.

"I love you. Do you still love me?"

"I n-never stopped loving you, Miggy..." You cry.

"You still think of me?"

"All the fucking time. I can't get you out of my head."

"You want me?" He whispers.

"More than I've ever wanted anyone."

"I'm coming over. Right now."

-----

And, just for a moment. Simply loving you made him forget about the inevitable dread of losing you.

It was a day just like any other day in the fall. When the dead leaves mixed with the rain and the ground was a soaked grey, reprieving the gloomy city from the consistent smog that covered the clouds. A remarkable chill in the air laced with nostalgia and petrichor that could be cured with a sweater, making the hot temperature of a warm beverage so inviting.

It was wonderful day, and all because you stayed in bed together five minutes longer than you should have. Your coffee mug next to his, eggs on buttered toast, nudging his hip as you ate by the stove. Quiet domesticity with the intimate element of routine that caused him to distinctly remember thinking:

"I can see this happening every day for the rest of my life."

And he left. Had he known, had he guessed. He wouldn't have let you leave at all, just stay there safely snuggled with you against his chest.

----

Crimson. Haunting, beautiful crimson.

The sea that left your battered body covering the street while Miguel shook with grief. The blood loss was such that it exceeded the time it would take for your spirit to depart your body. The disturbing fact that you were barely holding on was even more painful.

The devasting fact that you were probably suffering in your final moments and couldn't even see him or speak. He told you all of the things he was sorry for in final confession, but it only came out as the distant echoings of his fading voice as the slow, delayed compassion of death quietly led you by the hand.

"I love you....I'm not sorry for that..."He whispers, but the light in your eyes had already gone out.

---

#from my trees . ˚ 𖧷 ·𓇥 ° . ♡#miguel o'hara x reader #miguel x reader #spiderman 2099 x reader #miguel o'hara x you #miguel x you #miguel o'hara x fem!reader #miguel o'hara angst

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