#like it’s a mix of ‘I support women’s wrongs’ vibes

[bikiniarmorbattledamage]

Baldur's Gate 3 (Part 2 - Minthara)

Okay, I covered the stuff in Baldur's Gate 3 is mixed and complicated. Let's talk about an objectively well executed character and visually designed - Minthara.

From a general writing perspective, she's exactly what I mean when I say it's not enough to support, women's rights - we need to support their wrongs. She is complicated, ruthless and villainous in a way we rarely get to see female characters - and every aspect of her design supports and conveys it.

Spoilers below the cut.

We are first introduced to her in here scheming:

And then when you get to meet her in game, the vibes are immaculate. No notes.

The armor design here is genuinely AAA grade. Multiple layers of protection, intimidation through jagged designs without endangering the wearer. Decorative pauldrons to convey power, materials indicating her fantastic background.

But she has camp gear and even underwear that expresses additional elements of her character and personality.

Check out her majesty... then compare it to her camp clothes, and her underwear.

What I really like about this is the general trend that is consistent upon key character traits of Minthara's: she is pragmatic in the field, a dreamer in private and determined to live, love or die on her own terms.

Her camp attire is sexy, but in a way that conveys her domineering and confident attitude. Her underwear is sex, but not uncomfortable or or any sort of indicator of that she feels her gender also demands submissiveness.

And, without going into the details - the writing makes her a unicorn evil woman character who is uninterested in changing her ways, but as complicated and feeling as her more moral peers.

Now, all we need is for society to evolve to where she can also be the kind of buff muscle mommy you expect to rush into combat dual wielding maces with perfect confidence.

-wincenworks

(This still from Heart of Flames by Miracle of Sound with Karliene, footage created by Mispap1)

[new-tella-us]

So my opinions of the boys’ dynamic, at the beginning of the game, with each other have changed, so their chart will reflect that. New ranks were added too!

Let’s go through each one.

Besties- Exactly how it sounds. They’re as close as can be. They’re not just siblings, they’re best friends.

Good Sib Vibes- They think highly of their sibling and deeply respect something about them but they aren’t best friends.

Friend- The default sibling status.

Ehh…- Something’s a little off. They still like the person’s company but there’s some issues. That or they don’t hang out much.

If we weren’t brothers, I’d avoid you- Yeah… something’s really wrong. Maybe some deep-seated resentment or just general anger in the relationship. They are being held together by blood and shared daddy issues.

Father Figure- Their actual father was shit so they partially relied on their brother for the life lessons and emotional support that their father failed to give them.

If an arrow is half, their opinion is split. If it’s a color with hints of another, they mainly have one opinion but hints of another.

And why are they like this?

James still has a habit of looking down on his brothers though, it’s not nearly as self centered as it once was. He does still see himself as better but now he also thinks that they could all be so much better if they tried harder. Especially Matthew. He also still projects his insecurities onto Sam but has a small soft spot for him. He now also slightly projects his insecurities onto Erik as well! Specifically about the flirting as he has a deadly fear of lust taking over him and his becoming as hedonistic and misogynistic as his father so, to see Erik lean into the flirting bothers him. The one that tends to escape his judgement is Damien as he holds Damien to a lower standard plus, it’s hard to judge someone that doesn’t do or say much. He pities Damien more than anything.

Erik’s still on that Anti-James propaganda thanks to mummy dearest but by the time he gets to the mansion, he’s having some doubts. They probably have the most distant relationship. Being raised by two of the most emotionally neglectful women didn’t help (plus their psycho dad of course). He still doesn’t like Sam’s vulgarity so they can butt heads occasionally. They just never seem to agree on anything. He still doesn’t respect Matthew but they’re on friendly terms. And Damien is favorite brother as always.

Sam never liked the lavish lifestyle and luxury so he has always been off put by all his brothers (other than Damien) that almost seem to indulge in it. This goes double for Erik. Those two actually used to be closer when Erik was more willing to roughhouse and be more authentic but as his personality seemed to get more proper and faked, they started butting heads. James is in an odd spot as while Sam sees him mostly as just an older brother, he does relate to James on a personal level from them being to two most brute-leaning of the boys. He also just looks up to James even if he doesn’t always follow his advice. Oddly enough, I think James was one of the only people to actively praise Sam for something other than his brute strength. (Other than his mother) Mainly his resourcefulness. Matthew is an odd love-hate, they’ve got game weeks but also have some problems stemming from being raised on the opposite sides of the strength/magic spectrum and essentially wanting what the other has. Damien is still the brother Sam respects the most and aims to protect.

Matthew has mixed feelings about James. When he was younger, if his mother was busy, his default was to go to James for help and guidance. James did fill a father role but he wasn’t always great at it. Even when James helped Matthew, there was always some off comment that just had to be sprinkled in. Eventually Matthew grew jealous of James being considered the gold standard and the perfect child in their father’s eyes. He knew that he shouldn’t have to looking to his actual father for praise but every child wants to feel loved by their parent. Generally speaking, Matthew both wanted to impress and surpass James. It’s a similar feeling with Erik but without the fatherly affection to cushion it. Erik is just… ehhh… Sam is again, the frenemies relationship. And Damien is the only brother Matthew doesn’t have any negative thoughts about. He is still the baby of the brothers. The most “resentment” Matthew has about Damien is about him being taller even though he’s younger.

Damien always saw James as the dad role, even if he wasn’t aware of it. After all, James did go out of his way to be kind to Damien. That is Dad, that is father. However, it’s still James so condescension did happen every once in a while which soured Damien’s opinion ever so slightly. Plus Damien was just afraid that one day, James would become just like their actual father and start hating him. Erik was more of a best friend. A person Damien felt comfortable telling his secrets to. He was also kinda father as well; one that Damien never feared would hate him but rather he feared that Erik would leave or die somehow. (Blame the death of his mom and the Golden Rebellion when Erik nearly did die for that one) Soo…. Abandonment issues amirite? Sam was the figure Damien looked up to physically speaking. He wanted to be as strong as Sam. And Matthew used to make a bunch of toys for Damien before they got the hint that the toys wouldn’t last, plus he was the brother Damien could talk about his dreams of going to the human world without feeling like he would be pitied.

[malaierba]

Man I love sibling dynamics so much though.

Fully just projecting what I like to read, but it would be incredible if, inspired by the Touden, Toshiro arrived at his house with a newfound determination to improve his relationship with his siblings.

Which has, of course, mixed results.

(ended up blabbing about what I think their relationship is like and what it would be like if Toshiro came back with the crazy idea in his head of, hey, let's be actual brothers)

Basically I think Toshiyuki doesn't get it and fights it every step of the way. Can see him having some weird unsolved frustrations towards Toshiro? There's the one (1) silly comic we have on him, "how come my big brother gets a team of all sexy women he doesn't even enjoy it" (paraphrasing hard), which to me reads like... Okay so he can read Toshiro kind of well? But he doesn't understand him in the slightest.

Which is INCREDIBLE.

I think Toshiyuki is in a very particular position in his family. There's a 13 year age gap if I'm not wrong, kind of big, isn't it? I've seen it theorised that maybe the Nakamoto parents kept having babies die after birth, an idea supported by the fact that Toshiro was canonically a sickly child.

When I learned about his brothers and their ages though, and how dismissive Toshiro's dad is of them, how he calls all of them dull... How at age 26 Toshiro is still unmarried and isn't being pressured to marry (To be fair this could be a rare sympathetic decision from Toshitsugu. Maybe he wanted to marry Maizuru but couldn't, so instead he's giving his children the liberty of marrying who they want whenever they want).

To be honest? What I thought was: ah, so Toshitsugu married his actual wife over Maizuru likely because it was a marriage of convenience. Originally he only wanted a kid out of the union so he'd take over the household eventually, but then Toshiro turned out all sickly and soft and introverted, so eventually he was like, FINE, we need a backup inheritor.

Which, man, sucks for Toshiro AND Toshiyuki. I mean, Toshiro is 26!!!! You'd think it wouldn't be a contest! But they're literally making him prove himself against his siblings who are 13 and 11??? That sends a very clear message to me, and it's not one of trust.

Anyway. I think that'd make Toshiyuki a bit... Weird about his brother. Aware that he's messing up somehow, but also he's so strong and adult, literally has 13 years of experience on him. Like he's living on his shadow, but also is expected to step out of it.

Middle sibling complex? No way, something worse. Back up eldest sibling. Made especially evident by the fact that when Ryoko Kui introduces the relationship of the Nakamoto siblings she says there's "a weird distance between Toshiro and them".

I can see Toshiyuki having more experience being an older brother to Toshizane than Toshiro. Better? Not sure...? But, he probably was there for him more. Probably even trained with him

Which is FUNNY because I get THE SOFTEST OF VIBES FROM TOSHIZANE. I don't wanna say "Toshiro 2.0" but??

Look at his little face. Compare it to Toshiyuki, then to baby Toshiro.

Filial resentment my beloved. This would be one of the first actions that Toshiro takes without being ordered or promoted by someone else, which would both be meaningful and BIZARRE to Toshiyuki.

Oh, I hope they have an argument lol. Or at least that Toshiyuki gets to yell about how things are from his perspective.

Anyways, with that in mind, I think Toshiro would have an easier time bonding with Toshizane. Again, wistful thinking, but if he really has that same softness that Toshiro had... And if he's around someone like Toshiyuki, who probably can't relate and is probably being too Toshizane like how Hien was to Toshiro:

You know, "toughen up", well meaning advice, they ARE in the family's shady, shady business. But, it likely did cause a wedge between Toshiro and Hien eventually, him not knowing how to deal with her bluntness so instead he distances himself.

That, plus the fact that one of the main things that attracted him to Falin was realising that she was an adult that had managed to hold onto her childhood softness and oddity...

Yeah, I think that if he noticed history potentially repeating itself in Toshizane he'd think about intervening. And since this imagine is about Toshiro going back home, committing to being more proactive, then in this story he does reach out, tries to be the adult he would've liked to have in his life for his baby brother

Which of course! May annoy Toshiyuki! Why is Toshizane picking sides like that!? (He's not) Are you trying to steal him, Toshiro!!?!? (He's not!)

Anyway, fun fun fun.

[jaysficarchive]

Villain's Wife Support Group

Chapter 1: Initiation

Synopsis: The wives of some of the most infamous villains in the world meet every Wednesday to share stories, give updates, and talk about love on the wrong side of the law.

Relationship(s): Various

Warning(s): Mention of SA, mention of child murder

Tag list: @floof-ghostie @calciumcryptid @mayameanderings

"Hello, ladies, and thank you all for coming."

A group of women exchanged "Hello"s either taking or adjusting their seats. Most of them were older, a few young faces in the crowd. One could tell a bit of their personalities just from looking at the choices in decor.

People from all different parts of the country gathered in front of their computers for one purpose: a common type of spouse.

"Welcome, everyone," a small, round woman with dark brown skin and short black hair spoke. Dressed in a silky robe lined with fur, it was easily to tell she was relaxing after a long day at work. "My name is Christine. I'm the founder of this group."

Some of the others waved at her while others said hellos. The positive reception pleased Christine.

"This is initiation day where we basically introduce ourselves, talk about what we do for a living, maybe a little bit about ourselves then introduce costumed criminal we're married to."

A simple enough task. These people were just getting to know each other, after all. Making a good first impression was highly encouraged to most, critical to some.

"I'll go first. My name is Christine Chapel. I work as a cabaret performer under the name Belle Holiday, my favorite gemstones are amethysts and pearls, and my husband is the Music Meister."

Another woman with copper brown skin and the same jet black hair spoke next. "I'm Brandice Bivolo. I'm an elementary school teacher and my husband is the Rainbow Raider. A few of my hobbies are metalworking, playing instruments, and calligraphy."

Both her style and the background behind her could easily be described as bohemian, hipster. With all the crystal necklaces and bright, earthy colors of her clothes, it wasn't hard to see why someone like him fell for her.

The other members took turns introducing themselves. A notable face was Marina Lulit, a prominent Floridian socialite and wife of one K'an of Tenochtitlan. If what she said about him being the ruler of an underwater kingdom was true, she probably had lots of stories to tell.

Eve, an older Black woman from the Deep South, was the wife of Hollow, phantom of the railroads. Christine was a big fan of the ostrich feather lamp behind her; and of the overall vibes of her room in general. She must've had some truly wild stories--probably even moreso than her own with Music Meister.

Who could forget the ever gracious Mona Lisa Beauvais. It was for the better she be in this group since her fiance Riddler was still in Arkham. Her room was another's Christine admired--with its mix of old Hollywood and urban aesthetics.

Christine clapped her hands together. "Now that that's done, I'm gonna cut to the chase. This is a support group for all women and femmes who are either married or engaged to villains."

"Let's go over a few ground rules. First, when I say all women and femmes, I mean it. I will not tolerate any bullshit. Second, no child murderers or rapists. Made that very clear in the rules on Facebook. Lastly, be respectful about each other's tastes. We already deal with enough shaming from the media."

The other members nodded along in agreement, some even mumbling their support of Christine's ground rules.

"Anymore questions?" Christine looked around.

"When do we meet?" Brandice asked.

"We meet every Wednesday," Christine replied. "Make sure to let me know if you can't make it to a meeting ahead of time."

"What are we gonna do in this group?" Marina asked. "I mean, I know this ain't a club but we gotta do something fun every once in a while."

She's right, Christine said to herself. No one would want to spend the whole time moping and telling stories. "I do plan on having some events including a girls trip. Nothing concrete yet, of course."

After a few more questions and another run down of things, the members all exchanged goodbyes before going their separate ways.

Alone, Christine gently closed the computer. It was just her in a large, luxurious house. Sighing, she headed to the kitchen for a drink. Usually the house would be filled with the sounds of Music Meister playing his piano or singing to his favorite songs. Christine would join in, maybe even dance along to his voice.

Today, only silence. Just a few hours ago, Christine went through the worst moment of her life since the car accident--the trial of her husband. It wasn't being alone that distressed her; rather the amount of attention she got. In the span of a few hours, she went from a private citizen to having cameras and microphones in her face as she left the Gotham City Courthouse.

Heaven knows what they'd say about her and her relationship. All the wrongful insinuations, false narratives, invasive questions.

These were about to be the longest three years ever.

[gyrovagi]

i do think caden's homophobia is largely internalized and occasionally directed at owain. He would absolutely still microaggress you in the most perfectly plausibly deniable/maybe he meant well but just doesn't know way. not just homophobically but i digress. he is not a good person 👍 rambling got long so here's a cut

like due to the weird 'there is kind of light cultural homophobia but it's not really institutionalized in southern thedas' thing. it's a lot about his personal weird ideas about being a man that he absolutely has to adhere to. but if other men who aren't his brother don't live up to his standards, he won't idealize them to the point of obsession, but they can still hang out. he'll just make the very occasional joking(?) condescending remark or casually throw out some concerning piece of advice. like the thedosian equivalent of a guy who thinks you shouldn't eat soy.

bull kind of gets a pass because he's still this jacked macho guy who's also qunari that's totally different 🤷‍♂️ whereas caden doesn't really know what to make of dorian at all. weird mix of initial mistrust and personality mismatch with recognizing that he did leave his homeland and risk his life to help the inquisition despite any misgivings, and THEN you add in the defying his father to be openly gay thing. (hdb talking about the smoker on the balcony voice) there's something about him...

but i think actually it manifests as this combination of. caden being big picture supportive like fuck your dad and his blood magic let's go kill venatori together. maybe if there were more people like you in tevinter it wouldn't be so bad. but prickly on a personal level like every now and then he asks dorian kind of a personal question, gets an answer, goes quiet, and when dorian tries to coax out an actual response or god forbid ask caden a question in return caden shuts him down. caden doesn't necessarily dislike dorian, but he sees no logical reason to get close to him, they don't really have compatible personalities. at the same time he gets this weird impulse to know more about him that he's irritated at himself for giving into. over time i do think it evens out a little and unfortunately dorian might actually be maladjusted/lonely enough for him to still count caden as a friend.

generally his response to being confronted with gay people is this very flustered, stiff neutrality that, to other gay people, gives off closeted vibes. so it is very funny that i got dorian/bull to happen in his playthrough because he's absolutely overhearing all this with his face BRIGHT red like Can you do this back at skyhold so i don't have to hear or think about it. Please. it's like the only thing that can get him embarrassed and blushing

if another man made a pass at him... like any plausibly denial 'do you like men' feelers i think he'd just dodge and not react to. anything more direct would get shut down aggressively like I'm not. Like that. What made you think... Whatever it was you're wrong.

would bull or dorian have ever made a pass at him? by the time they get to skyhold it's pretty established that caden has kind of a 'charming prince who casually flirt-compliments women' thing going on and that he and cassandra are Close. i think bull knows better than to try an overt come-on (and probably wasn't interested in the first place) and i think dorian might have thrown out something half-joking/subtle that got ignored, and combined with other observations, realized that caden is repressed as fuck. dude has front row seats to caden and solas's conversations one floor down and he will not be touching that with a ten foot pole. whenever he asks caden how he and cassandra are doing these days caden always gets the disquieting sense there's a joke he's not in on

[thedeafprophet]

here's a bit of a random mix: "sodom & gomorrah" by dorian electra, "if you go down (i'm goin' down too)" by kelsea ballerini, "the labyrinth song" by asaf avidan!

"sodom & gomorrah" by dorian electra

couldn’t listen all the way through | not my thing | it’s okay | kinda catchy | ok i really like this | downloading immediately | already in my library

Scandal is increasing.... oh my XD got a great beat to it. this is probably going onto my spotify likes

"if you go down (i'm goin' down too)" by kelsea ballerini

couldn’t listen all the way through | not my thing | it’s okay | kinda catchy | ok i really like this | downloading immediately | already in my library

Oh this is kinda fun... has somewhat goodbye earl vibes lol. i support women's wrongs

"the labyrinth song" by asaf avidan

couldn’t listen all the way through | not my thing | it’s okay | kinda catchy | ok i really like this | downloading immediately | already in my library

Not bad, I just need a specific mood to like slower kinds of songs. love greek myth references always

Ask game from here!

[fadinglights]

💕

send 💕 and i will tell you some muses of ours i think could work as a ship / accepting!

yuna & hazel

maybe yuna and hazel are made to work on a heist project... 👀 they say it's wrong to mix business with pleasure and it definitely is when the one you're playing fire with is a con artist who makes a living off deception, but there's no denying the chemistry between them and the joint power they have as criminals <3333 oh i love women in crime. think expensive dresses and even more expensive wines, living it up in fancy hotels all over the world, trying to hide the tension from the team but everyone noticed....

cosimo & hana

the tried and true assassin x assassin plot... what if they're hired to kill the same person and get frustrated when they notice the other person on the job who's one step ahead of them? what if they're hired to kill each other and it turns into a fun little cat and mouse chase cause they're both too good at what they do? OR what if they're old flames but are hired to kill each other now.... what would they do.... 👀

asami & mei

give me childhood best friends with wholesome vibes... dance besties who root for each other's dreams and keep cheering each other. toddlers in their tutus who marvelled at each other and always telling everyone how great their bestie is. asami would always be on the front row and be the biggest supporter in every room. mei being just as vocal about asami's projects and does silly little dance challenges together 🥹 besties in love? besties who accidentally kiss on a drunken night and like it too much? besties who decide to fake date to piss off an ex but oops are these my actual feelings i've been wanting us to be together since forever???????

[nyaoi-warrior]

feel free to talk about your little guys!💖 but also about the fic part. I suck with words so I was always like., I have so many ideas but I can't write the fic that I want because that's just how it is. But after billion years I finally sat down and started one and yeah it's bad and it's frustrating that i cant put the vibes into appropriate words BUT!! It doesn't have to be good! I'm putting my little guy into situations! Don't let your dreams be dreams (or, ig nevermind all this if the reason is time constraints or something lmaoo) ((damn I also just realized that maybe you are a writer but are only experiencing writers block this is embarrassing um whatever take this as an encouragement in some other way anyway hjdfhkdfgk))

Calling myself a writer is a strong word haha but yeah it's more of writer's block situation. I have a guy and list of situations I need to put him in but he just doesn't want to go there. Very rude of him honestly.

Also do not worry this was very sweet and great encouragement. I adore it a lot and will be holding it to my heart.

Anyway guys from my brain time.

So I picked randomly who I feel like talking about and it just so happened to be Moira, because I support women's rights and wrongs.

(Please excuse my very bad picture, this is the only one I have on my phone)

So Moira's an incredibly powerful witch. Her mother made a deal with a demon that she will have a child with him in exchange for becoming the most powerful witch alive, so naturally Moira inherited most of that power. Her mother also left her pretty much as soon as she could, since she was not interested in being a mother. And hey, the kid's 5 now and she can read amd talk, she'll figure it out on her own. And somehow she did.

Moira's father was also not very present, on the account of being a demon. Who is sealed in another realm. But despite that he can use magic or sometimes dreams to communicate with his daughter. She can also summon him to talk. She doesn't, because she in fact does not like him.

Moira's kind of just there. She's very into magic from the young age. As it was kind of the only thing she could do, and it has always felt very natural to her. She's mostly into potion making though. Something about mixing ingredients in a big cauldron is just so much fun. She has especialy very high affinity for all kinds of poisons.

She had to learn it all herself though. And as result she has experimented a lot. Mostly on herself, with later in life finding the joy of just trying new thing on other people. Usually without their permision. As result of her self-experimentation and search for knowledge she has build up near perfect immunity to all known poisons, but also lost a leg, with stories how never quite seeming to match up.

Her pursuit for power is, however, just driven by natural curiousity and her own entertainement. She doesn't care about anyone but herself, but seems to be very good at prettending otherwise. She travels the world and offers her goods and services to those who ask. Never taking money, as she has no use for it, but instead trading for what she needs or making a deal for a simple favour in the future. She's got your best interest in mind, of course. She's your friend after all. You can trust her. Also everything you have been offered in the past 5 minutes has been poisoned. Good luck!

[wingsmadeofwaxx]

officially finished watching sherlock. i have been irreversibly changed as a person. what the fuck (affectionate)?

1: i cant even force myself to be mad about the queer-baiting cuz i'll just pretend they're canon anyway (guys, come on, episode 1 had so many cliché romantic tropes that i genuinely lost count, everyone around them assumed because their feelings were see-through, and their endgame is literally living together and raising a baby!)

2: the show is so clever that even when i predicted a few plot twists i still felt absurdly dumb throughout all of it. it was so humbling to see sherlock as the most intelligent human to ever exist and then he gets outsmarted by so many others and *sigh*. i must have a bit of a masochist streak after all because it was actually amazing, not despite the unreachable deductions but because of them.

3: sherlock growing as a person?? consider me devastated. i don't even mean "learning not to smile in front of grieving witnesses", i mean every single time he was extra gentle with molly knowing her feelings but not wanting to exploit them, every single time he was unafraid to vouch for john as family and (quite literally) go into fire for him if necessary to make it known how much he cares, every single time he promised mary and rosie are under his protection, every time he gets greg's name right, every time he worries for mrs hudson's well being more than his own, every time he looks after his siblings despite them all pretending to be above that, every time he's silly and smiles easily and carelessly because he is happy and he is allowed to be so because there are people who care about him just the way he is but that also inspire him to always he better. high-functioning sociopath my ass. empathy's a problem, sure, but he grows to care so much. he loves so deeply and unapologetically and possessively and it makes me wanna sob for hours to know they won't let him be lonely and self-destructive any longer.

4: the cases were so well-thought of and the writing and cinematography of the whole thing were just beautiful, i am proud to call it not just an entertainment media (although there's nothing wrong with that) but a real work of art.

5: how on earth did they manage to keep the chaotic dark academia vibe so well in a adaptation set on present day??? yknow how in mystery stories or fantasy quests you're just like "a phone would literally solve the problems in half the time"? they actually do! keep everyone updated! photograph every part of the puzzle! google clues! and it's great! refreshing to see, truly. not to mention all the women in strong positions and casual queer support. but at the same time, to set the vibe right, there's so many letters and cabs and newspapers and easy access to drugs and their clothes and vocabulary make it all so distant in time too! i wonder if england is just perpetually old fashioned or if they mixed elements on purpose. loved it though.

6: it is currently 04:21 in the morning and i am sleepy and no one cares about this rant so 5 reasons why i loved it are more than enough thank you

[laulink]

I have been in an Edelthea mood lately and I decided I just needed to LET IT OUT in the form of random thoughts and headcanons and make it everyone else’s problem, so don’t expect much of a structure there, but if you like fluff, I think you’ll appreciate this post nonetheless

- let’s start with the obvious : I just LOVE the “commoner x noble” thing between those two because 1) you can put angst in it BUT ALSO 2) Edelgard’s whole thing is to tear down the social barriers between nobles and commoners, so there isn’t actually a problem with her falling in love with Dorothea and vice-versa. Like, if you want to make them angst about their duties and how the other deserves better (because both of them would definitely think that, please someone give them therapy and better self-esteem) and therefore They Can Never Be Together Like That, go, be my guest, I love that stuff, but also, if you just want to see them being the most badass power couple ever and no one being able to say SHIT about it, that would also be canonically correct because under Edelgard’s new system Dorothea is textbook PERFECT to become Empress and anyone who tries to say otherwise is just gonna get slapped across the room and demoted.

- seriously though, I do like the destined lovers vibes you get with Edeleth (or against all odds soulmates, it’s a mix of those two tbh), but EDELTHEA ?! DARE tell me they’re not TEXTBOOK PERFECT for each other (in both destined and against all odds ways) ! Dorothea is a commoner who rose to fame through sheer talent (and luck) and used the connections she then made to open her own doors and give herself an opportunity to marry into money and therefore stability because she doesn’t wanna go back to being a street urchin and then enters THE FUCKING PRINCESS OF THE EMPIRE AND HEIR TO THE THRONE who values DETERMINATION and TALENT above anything else in others ! IT FUCKING WRITES ITSELF !

- I especially love that Edelgard never says anything negative about Dorothea’s goal to marry a noble. Considering her stance, it would have been sooooo easy to make their supports into a conflict about this, with Edelgard saying in their C support that, under her reign, Dorothea wouldn’t have to seduce her way into a marriage of interest (or something like that, you get the gist of it), Dorothea then getting offended and storming off, their B support being about Edelgard apologising for her poor wording and their A support being about Edelgard finally truly understanding how what she said was wrong and Dorothea hinting at maybe having found something more important than her initial goal *hint hint*. It wouldn’t even have been a bad chain of supports, since it would have helped Edelgard understand that not everyone thinks like her or has the same view of life as she does, the same way her supports with Linhardt, Caspar, Manuela and Bernadetta do. But she never needed that character development, she always respected Dorothea’s choices and desires for romance and, though I’m certain Edelgard would have appointed Dorothea as a Court Mage had this been what Dorothea wanted, she never made the proposal or implied that it would “free” Dorothea of her quest for marriage. Moreover, she gets worried when Dorothea starts showing disinterest in her suitors because she’s afraid it means something is wrong with Dorothea, instead of expressing relief or anything else. That girl has drowned in her “respect women” juice XD

- Edelgard is an extremely genuine person, not in the same way Caspar is because she does try to keep secrets and evaluate people and not always say everything that comes to her mind, but when she says something, it’s her genuine emotions that come through, and she’s both unafraid and unashamed to present her thoughts and beliefs to others. Dorothea has always had to contend with two-faced people who would treat her like garbage when she lived in the streets and gift her expensive items when she rose to fame ; Edelgard is one of the very few people who has never judged her one way or another based on her status, appearance or fame and her way of always saying only the things she believes in, no matter how outrageous they may sound to the rest of the world, as well as never seeing herself as more important or better than her comrades, no matter their status, is part of what drew Dorothea in and still makes her blush in their A support. They are MADE for each other, I swear

- we see in Edelgard’s supports with Linhardt and Bernadetta especially that she expresses her affection for the people around her by doing things for them, be it create a whole new job perfectly tailored to their needs or opening up, getting vulnerable or adjusting the way she expresses herself in order to make them more comfortable. Dorothea has had to act in similar ways for most of her life, but where Edelgard’s actions are motivated by affection, hers were motivated by survival instinct, and it’s very likely that no one ever did the same thing for her (going out of their way to change their manner of speak or create something just for her, I mean). That’s part of why, when Edelgard genuinely explains that no story about her would be complete without the character of Dorothea, Dorothea blushes and calls her something special : because it has always been expected of Dorothea to sing to make other people happy, to talk them up to make them feel important, etc, so this kind of thing doesn’t carry much love anymore when she does it, from her point of view at least, but when Edelgard talks her up and makes her feel important, it’s a brand new feeling and so it’s no wonder Dorothea gets so enamoured with it

- and it’s not just Dorothea falling in love with Edelgard which makes perfect sense character-wise, Edelgard falling for her does as well ! Because of her position and ambitions, it has been years since she last was able to take a real break, to have a day just for herself, so much that she tells Byleth it’s her dream to one day be able to just take a day off and gorge herself with tea and sweets. This girl’s life has been lacking levity for... Well, forever. Luckily for her, one specific songstress very likely knows how to destress and enjoy life for a little while instead of always training, competing, being a stick in the mud or working all day, something all those noble kids clearly don’t know the first thing about. Tbh, I’m pretty sure that if Edelgard ever does get a full day off, she’s going to freak out and anxiously bounce her leg all the time, wondering if she’s not forgetting something, if she shouldn’t be working of the new laws, meeting with someone, etc, and she’ll need Dorothea to help calm her down and take her mind off of her work.

- their supports also make me just laugh my ass off trying to imagine how a confession between those two might go because Dorothea has been enamoured with Edelgard since their B support and absolutely head over heels in love since their A support, while Edelgard... says a relationship with Dorothea would be an exciting thing to imagine, but clearly doesn’t realise she’s fallen in love with her friend/may not feel that way exactly yet and it’s just hilarious to see Dorothea “I’ll threaten you with opera lines if you keep looking into why I’m not into men anymore when it’s very clear I’ve fallen in love with you, you dense but absolutely adorable fool” Arnault trying to keep her feelings hidden in front of Edelgard “it’s weird that you’re not interested in romance anymore and I don’t understand how it’s related to me, we should get to the bottom of this” von Hresvelg XDDD So if that’s what it’s like before they confess, imagine the POSSIBILITIES to get to the confession and how it might go ! Could be anywhere between “Dorothea gets jealous of Edelgard’s suitors and confesses out of fear someone else will win Edelgard’s favour before she’s made the Emperor look at her that way” to “Edelgard FINALLY realises she’s in love with Dorothea and arranges for the most Disney-level romantic date for her to confess her love at the end of” with also the possibility of “those two idiots spend x amount of time pining for each other because they’re afraid their feelings won’t be returned/think the other deserves better and it takes some telenovela level of drama to get them to confess after basically killing all their friends of frustration with their stupid pining”. And all of it is HILARIOUS

- but once the confession has happened and they’re togehter ? SO. FUCKING. SAPPY. The “married couple” dynamics we know of in Three Houses are all delightfully varied and sweet in very different ways, but Edelgard and Dorothea ? They’d be the EPITOME of lovey-dovey. They’re already extremely silly and adorable in their supports, be it in Three Houses or Three Hopes (”Dearest Friend of the Emperor”, “Dearest Friend of the Songstress”, “Dearest Friend of the Dearest Friend of the Songstress”, seriously girls, you’re so adorkable, I love you), and they are both the kind to get very sweet with people they care about and want to protect (see Edelgard’s supports with Lysithea and Dorothea’s paralogue with Ingrid), so those two together romantically ? Edelgard would keep showing Dorothea her affection by giving her gifts and doing things for her, be it gifting her earrings she knows Dorothea would love just because she saw them in a shop and it made her think of her lover or planning a relaxing day for them both when she sees that Dorothea is tired (whereas other people would think the Emperor would just gift her lover the most expensive jewelry or bring her on the most extravagant dates, instead of focusing on what Dorothea would actually like most). Dorothea would show her love through physical touch and words of love, basically being perfectly unable to keep her hands off of Edelgard for more than a few minutes at a time and telling her everything she loves about her and how much she cares for her every chance she gets, both of those being things Edelgard isn’t used to due to being an only child for so long and the whole thing with her parents, so the physical touch would probably be a surprise at first, but I can easily imagine Edelgard getting addicted to it and seeking Dorothea’s touch as much as Dorothea is seeking hers (though I’m pretty sure Edelgard would still get flustered at all the compliments Dorothea showers her with even years down the line). SAPPINESS INCARNATE, I TELL YOU.

- and when they get married and rule Fodlan together ? Ooooh boy. Those two are absolute UNITS in their own way on the battlefield with different strengths and weaknesses (give me Edelgard pulling Dorothea close to protect her from a volley of arrows that would be deadly to the mage, but harmlessly bounce off her armour followed by Dorothea using her magic to protect them from a spell that would have burned Edelgard to a crisp, PLEASE, I BEG OF YOU), but even when it comes to political drama, they are THE greatest power couple Fodlan has ever known. Edelgard commands respect and will not be swayed by any amount of money or appeal for favours and will do whatever it takes to make her reforms a reality and change the world while Dorothea makes sure to use her connections, charm and silver tongue to keep the nobles in line while “keeping an ear to the ground”, in a way, and bringing her own views as someone who grew up a commoner and can still chat with commoners easily, almost equal to equal, to Edelgard’s plans and reforms, helping her make sure that no one gets screwed over by the law due to overlooks. Edelgard often gives Dorothea more credit than she does anyone else for how well the reforms are going, and with reason.

- and while them being together is already almost more saccharine and power fantasy than I can handle, now please picture them AS PARENTS. I’m the kind of fan who likes to give the characters kids of their own blood because it’s extremely funny to imagine what the child inherits from both parents physically and personality-wise, so I’ll be giving examples that would happen with a child conceived through magic, don’t be surprised. First headcanon : Dorothea is the one who will carry the baby. Second headcanon : Edelgard will absolutely LOSE HER MIND over the idea of a tiny human being growing up in her wife’s belly for those first nine months. She’ll constantly talk to the baby, sing to the baby, involve the baby in everyday conversations like they’re already born and able to form and communicate an opinion, like Edelgard will tell a 7 months pregnant Dorothea that she should rest and “don’t get up, I’ll get the glass of water for you, and also bring you one more pillow and a heating pad. - Edie, we’re in the middle of summer, I don’t need a heating pad. - A cooling pad then. - Come on, I can get my water my- oof, that was a strong one. - See ? The baby also tells you to rest” and interpret any punching and/or kicking of the baby as giving their opinion (”I should get back to work. - Ok, dear, but don’t overdo- Oh, the baby’s kicking again ! - ... Sounds like they don’t want me to go actually, I’ll just stay here.” This one rarely sways Hubert when he comes to collect his Emperor and bring her back to her stack of paperwork, and he goes so far as to forbid Dorothea to stay in Edelgard’s office or she would never get any work done).

- also yeah, Edelgard would go into “feral protective mode” over Dorothea when she’s pregnant, but in a pretty ridiculously exagerated way a lot of the time, like she won’t let Dorothea step on a stool to get a book on a high shelf because “what if you fall ?!?! No way” and will instead stack three stools on top of each other to get the book for her wife. Dorothea very quickly learns to simply go to Hubert when she needs something in a high place and, having witnessed Edelgard’s over the top silliness wherever her pregnant wife is concerned, he doesn’t so much as bat an eye anymore and just does whatever Dorothea asks of him to avoid seeing what kind of utter stupidity his Emperor would get up to if he doesn’t.

- Dorothea would honestly be a little mindblown at first when she realises she is pregnant with Edelgard’s child. Not only is she married to the love of her life, she is carrying their child, a tiny human being who will inherit traits from both of them, and she immediately falls in love with this little one and would be ready to protect them with her own life from day one. (Yeah, I imagine both Dorothea and Edelgard to just have SO MUCH LOVE for their child that it makes their hearts burst a little. Dorothea handles it better than Edelgard though) And once the baby is born ? She would marvel endlessly at all the little (and bigger) resemblances between them and Edelgard. The colour of their eyes, the little emphasis on some syllables when they speak, the way they push their hair back, the little chin tilt when they are pleased with something... It makes her heart swell every time, as though she hasn’t yet truly registered that this child is hers and Edelgard’s, born from their love against all odds, and she rediscovers it every time.

- Edelgard craziness isn’t dialed back when the baby is born, it just... changes. She was all over Dorothea during the pregnancy and rarely had both of her hands away from her wife’s belly when they were in the same room (Dorothea always loved using Edelgard’s shoulder as a pillow when they slept together, but during her pregnancy she indulged her wife’s desire to spoon her so she could more easily keep her hand on Dorothea’s belly). When the baby is born, Edelgard is still all over them and her wife, but more in a hovering kind of way and mostly keeps her hands to herself at first, until Dorothea realises that for all her proximity at every hour of every day, Edelgard practically never touches their child and forces the issue a little. Edelgard admits she’s scared of hurting the baby : they’re so fragile and she still sometimes lose a bit of her control over her own strength, what if she crushed them ? Or held them wrong and hurt them ? It takes a bit of time and a lot of encouragement and reassurances from Dorothea, but Edelgard gets over her fear in the end and feels a lot more comfortable with holding her child, though she still prefers to let Dorothea do the holding most of the time, simply because she just loves seeing her wife holding their baby.

.

I’ll stop there because it’s already super long, but just know that I still have even MORE thoughts and headcanons and might bring them to light as well one of these days

[butwhatifidothis]

TEATG isn't some obscure fanfic that only a few people actually read; it's being actively updated and is, by AO3 statistics, one of the most popular 3H fanfics. It even has its own page on TV Tropes (the only other big ones I can think of are "An Eagle Among Lions" and "Wear Your Colours"). It's big enough to be critiqued.

I think there are a few more 3H fics on TVTropes but yeah, there aren't that many of them to be sure.

And it's like, I'm not asking for the fic to be taken down or anything drastic like that. It's just that there are so many things that are genuinely just bad that have become a core of the fic's structure: victim blaming, racism, misandry, benevolent sexism towards women, infantilization, manipulation, hypocrisy, imperialism, so many things that are just a part of the casual reading experience of this fic, and it seems like Cap'n and his audience just... don't notice any of it.

Like, when Ficleth is going on about how much being a mix of human and Nabatean is rotting her soul because she, to quote, "doesn't belong anywhere" and (per Chapter 58) "has to choose"? When any man that steps even slightly out of a woman's line gets assaulted? When the genocide survivors are groveling at the feet of the people who'd just tried to kill them because they, the genocide survivors, didn't do enough to help their almost-killers? When a grown ass woman who's lived the first 20-21 years of her life as a hardened mercenary gets consistently likened to a child? When almost all of the women are just broken flowers that can only be fixed by love? When "let me conquer you and if you don't you're to blame for the suffering I cause" is an unironic, genuine message the fic's narrative legitimately stands by?

Yeah that doesn't pass the vibe check.

Not to mention all of the things it gets objectively wrong. No, Byleth does not become more expressive on CF; they become the least expressive, even has it pointed out by Edelgard herself in her A support with them. No, Edelgard does not see herself as an ugly monster unworthy of company; literally nothing in the game supports that. No, Rhea wasn't "sacrificing Byleth" in her mind during the Holy Tomb; she thought she was just getting Sothis back her memories, hence her seeing Byleth as their own person when Sothis doesn't return. No, Marianne never thought her Crest was cursed because of the Church's teachings; she says herself that it was her father that told her about being wary of her Crest. No, Petra doesn't stop seeing herself as a hostage on CF; it is specifically on CF where she will still feel like a hostage, as she says in her CF-specific A support with Byleth.

Plus all of the "translation errors" that Cap'n """"""""""fixes"""""""""" in his fic - and all of the genuine mistakes that he conveniently leaves in. Ionius getting rid of the consort system entirely - wrong, he just wanted to get rid of the power given to the consort kin. Dimitri is far ruder in the JPN version - wrong, Cap'n just doesn't understand how the Japanese language works on a cultural level. Edelgard setting out to destroy the Crest Stones - a mistake he left in, the JPN version makes it clear that she planned on using them for herself. The "Unless such acts are committed under the will of the goddess" (or something along those lines) tenet - arguably one of the backbones as to why Woobiegard thinks Church Bad, and it's based on a translation error (a more accurate reading is "for no good reason").

All of this misinformation and not the best messages all crammed into one of the most popular 3H fics to date and which is also passed around as "basically canon" and must-read material to understand Edelgard. Yeah, not really gonna feel that bad for critiquing it lol, though I will again reiterate that me critiquing this fic here is not grounds for anyone to go to the fic and leave any unsavory comments

[viscountessevie]

About the Cover Songs Track List

Okay so it dropped while I was sleeping and then I randomly woke up at 5am a few hours after it had dropped and read through the tag, everyone's reactions and saw the list. And I was way too tired to unpack and post abt it so I slept on it. This morning I had a DC watch party with some friends and put it in the back of my mind, but now I've had a few hours to sit with it to collect my thoughts and I just wanted to put this out there as a way to amplify my voice and similar opinions made by other Desi fans as a Desi/Indian fans of the show and also kinda explain why I feel this way about the track list.

Let me preface this by saying I actually adore it on a whole. At first, I was surprised we haven't gotten more covers of songs made in the last two years - my personal wish for the cover track list was to cover ivy by Taylor Swift (from her evermore album) and enough for you by Olivia Rodrigo (yall its SUCH a Kate song for her insecurities)

But ultimately listening to them; I do get dark and angsty Kathony vibes so no complaints about the songs here. However, I do have to say while the K3G (Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham) fits the vibes it does stick out like a sore thumb on the tracklist as being the only Indian song on it at the moment.

I also have just found out that this was only a partial track list dropped so I am hoping there will be more Desi songs and a personal fave Taylor Swift because there is a lot of TS songs that can be applied to Kathony imo.

But in case there are no other Indian songs in the tracklist when the full one comes out - I do have to comment on this tweet:

He clearly took every opportunity to weave TOO much of their heritage into this season because see: The Mess That Is The India Plot. Sometimes less is more Chris and now I feel like the track list is a half hearted attempt to weave in their music into the soundtrack if they are only using K3G. I'll curb my criticisms if they do have other Desi songs but I just wish they had looked into Kollywood/Tamil songs for the soundtrack because the Sharmas while their last name is North Indian and Punjabi, ethnically the actresses and by extension the characters are not! They are all Tamil women. That's my main comment on having K3G as the only Indian song on the tracklist at the moment. Of course, when the full soundtrack comes out, I'll happily eat my words if I'm wrong and we do get a good mix of English and Tamil/Hindi songs.

Also one last point, I do hope that Kris Bowers got help from Desi artists and composers for S2's original score because if they are really committed to showcasing the Sharma's Indian heritage, it should be reflected in the music because music is HUGE in our culture and it would just be nice to hear Indian influences in the S2 score. I dunno if it was even possible to happen but a wish of mine was for Kris to work with Siddhartha Khosla who does the score for the tv series This Is Us which is a pretty white show but even my mom loved his scores for the show because you can clearly tell he had roots with Indian classic music and it showed in his composition for This Is Us which was really cool! I really hope the hidden tracks are hopefully contributed by Desi artists because that would be a nice way to support us and our culture not just on screen but behind the scenes. (Because let's be real 3 make up artists and one writer being Indian on the whole team behind the camera is NOT it)

If yall read this far, thank you so much, I appreciate you listening to my POV on this topic :D And if yall want to hear other Desi POVs about this, you can check out this post and the replies on it. Shout out to @aspoonfuloffiction for starting the discussion and to @jeanvanjer @nanso and @mrskatebridgerton for making it a fruitful one with all of them making great points and voicing out what I was thinking too!

[grantiskeith]

Baby Wolf Cub (Davidxreader) Part 2

I don't know about anyone else, but this stopped being about ASMR a long time ago. Redacted's storytelling ability and world-building skills are fantastic. I would 100% read a book if he wrote one.

Here is part 2 of the first fic I have ever written.

Words: 1.8k

Warnings: dad vibes, blood, gunshot

"Hello?" I picked up my ringing phone "what! Who is this!" David picked his head off the floor, ears perking up. The little pup yawned and stretched against David's fur.

"Where? Tonight?" Click. 11:14 pm. David shifted back into his human self which prompted the sleeping cub into a sleeping baby with its butt in the air. "What's going on?"

I dialed another number without answering him."Milo, hey I need you to come over. It's an emergency. No, no one's hurt but we need your help. Yeah, thanks"

Click. "They followed me from Chicago, they want the kid back." I walked to the little one one and bent over to pick him up. David stuck his hand out in front of mine.

"Don't touch him, let him sleep. Shifting takes magic and doing it as often as he is would be exhausting for a full grown adult. He'll figure it out, but he needs sleep. Now what the hell are you talking about? Who called? Stop! don't put your jacket on"

"I don't know who, all I know is that there's a lead on the corner of South and Maple and I'm going to figure out what's going on." I did put my jacket down but only to grab a light blanket off the couch and draped it over the baby's legs.

"Angel, that's too dangerous, they could be vampires or murderers or..."

"They're most likely kidnappers, which is why we need to stop them"

"Listen to yourself! You're not Sherlock Holmes, you're not Batman"

Angel put his hands on my shoulders and looked into my eyes, "you're just a fragile human and you need to stay here and be safe."

"It's not your job to protect me"

"Actually it is. As soon as you became my mate you became part of the pack. As the Alpha and your mate it is my duty to take care of you" he backed up from me and rubbed his hands over his face. "I love you Angel! I would give my life for you without question"

"I would never ask you to!" I said that a little louder than I should and the baby turned over before it started crying. I went over to pick him up but David got to him first and subtly bounced him on his hip.

"Why are you putting something so special to me in harm's way? You are a fucking danger to yourself and the more you get involved in these messes the more likely you are to put me and my pack in the line of fucking fire. There are things about the magic world that you don't understand and there are more threats than you can see. Let's ignore that call and just take this trouble maker to the department."

I put my head down to the floor. It was late and I was tired. Almost a half tempting offer. But there was a mystery to be solved here and possibly a larger crime.

"Sitting in bed and watching tv does not help anyone," I told him. "I am the mate of one of the most influential wolf pack's alpha. You know I'm tough or else you know I wouldn't last long. I was made of something durable and built for being more than a fucking house wife!"

David put the baby on the couch and laid the blanket out next to him. Carefully, he wrapped the little one up into a burrito and scooped him up to cradle him.

"Before you go and get your life sucked out by a damn shade or something. Throw a cup of milk in the microwave for a few seconds" David said, sitting down on the couch.

"Uh sure" I said. "I am not a complete dumbass, I know I shouldn't go alone. If you won't come and back me up then I will ask Milo." I handed him a lukewarm glass. "How did you get so good with infants anyway?"

Silence from David. I hate it when he just shuts down. He propped the baby up against his chest and titled the cup up until the little one could drink.

"Instinct, basic life skills, common fucking sense. All things you don't possess, clearly" he put the cup down on the table. And took a deep breath. "My dad… he would make me help out new moms in the pack. He used to say I needed to spend time with women since my mom wasn't around. It was a way of helping the pack feel more like a family"

I sat down next to him. Coat on, shoes on, ready to jump out the door.

"Angel, I have lost so damn much. Just from life already being as fucking dangerous as it is. If something happened to you... I just... I don't know what I would do... I fucking..."

I cut him off, "I know. I love you too. Unmistakable fact of life. I love you."

A knock at the door, "hey guys it's me." I got up and opened it to Milo's anxious face, "What's wrong, that's the emer.. Holy shit! is that yours" Milo stared in disbelief.

"Yes, it is, in the 48 hours I was gone I went and had a werewolf baby and now you're the designated sitter so we can go make another one" I was monotone in my sarcasm. I stepped out the door, "you coming Davey?"

David carefully slipped the baby into Milo's arms, "support the head and neck here," I heard him say. "Yeah, remember when we used to do this with Ginny's baby a few years back?"

He grabbed his jacket off the back of a chair and followed me "of course I'm coming you dumbass." He yelled down the hall at me, "Oh Milo, if he starts whimpering just shift and lay with him, he's docile. There's warm milk on the table and more in the fridge if he's crying. He didn't mind the couch but feel free to lay him on the bed"

"Let's go!" I yelled to David down the hallway.

"What the fuck is going on" was the last thing I heard Milo say before David shut the door.

South and Maple was a quiet intersection, although most are at the ungodly hour of 2am. Surrounded by three or four story buildings with alleyways and parked cars. There was no shortage of places to hide or spy down on the intersection. David and I stepped onto an alley between two buildings to discuss a plan. Unfortunately we didn't get the time.

"Where is he?"

We both turned to a tall lanky woman at the end of the alley. She was dressed in a pantsuit, real realtor vibes. Two men ran around the corner and took their place behind her. David growled but I put my hand out in front of him, "hold back" I whispered.

"Who are you and what do you want? Where are the parents?" I yelled down the alley.

"Where? Honey probably at the bottom of the the lake considering the rocks tied to their ankles"

David started growling again but I told him again to wait. This conversation was not violent yet.

"You stole that baby!" I accused

"Baby?" She laughed, "that was not a baby, what you have hidden somewhere is a freak circus animal that many are willing to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for."

"You bitch!" I yelled

"I have bids lined up" the men besides her both shifted in werewolves which prompted David to do the same. The sudden magic and chaos of growling and barking filled the air. David was significantly larger than the other two but he was outnumbered. There was a mix of growling, barking, and biting. I was bewildered that I didn't even hear the shot. The lady whistled and both the other wolves ran to join her. They walked around the corner.

David shook himself off and ran to follow. Water fell down the side of my leg. Water? I looked up trying to find a leaking gutter or rain. No rain. I looked down and saw a red stain on the side of my shirt growing. I balled up a chunk of shirt and held it against my side.

"Davey'' my voice cracked. "Davey!" I couldn't get it to be as loud as I needed. My left ear started ringing loudly. My head was full of sawdust and my vision became the static of an old tv. I felt a hand over my own behind me. Fuck, Davey. Where did he come from?

"Can you ..." was all I heard before I felt my knees give out. David picked me up bridal style and ran to the end of the alleyway. I heard the car door open and the next thing I saw was the ceiling over the back seat. David climbed in the back with me and shut and locked the door.

"Just.. drive" fuck, talking hurt.

"Classic triage Angel, stabilize then transport." He tried to move my hand away from the wet spot I was holding.

"It doesn't hurt that bad! Just drive" I was using whatever I had left to keep him away.

"That's cause you're going into shock" he grabbed my denim jacket from the front seat, "hey, Angel look at me. I'm going to lift your hand up just for a second and put your jacket under it ok?"

I winced and nodded. It actually didn't hurt that bad. I couldn't feel anything and everything had a vague cold numbness. He drapped his leather jacket over my shoulders.

I took a deep and painful breath. I closed my eyes for a moment but then I felt David snapping his hand over my face. When did he get in the front seat? When did he start driving.

"Hey! Keep your eyes open"

"I'm fine, I'm ok. I just blinked"

"You're pale. Are you nauseous?" David put his eyes back on the road, "if we go back to the apartment they'll follow us and find the kid" he said, "but if we go to a human hospital they'll ask too many questions. So we're going to.. Hey Angel! Open your eyes and keep holding that jacket down. We're going to Milo's mother's place. She'll be ready for us. Angel! Are you listening to me? Asher and Milo have the baby. Christan is leading the pack to hunt down that woman."

I was barely making out the words. Davey was the alpha for a reason, that's the only thing I understood. Cool under pressure, rallying the troops, delegating orders. I nodded, at least I think I did. "I love you" were the words that I tried to get out of my mouth. I felt the engine of the car rev louder.

[khaleesiofalicante]

Tsc & Hogwarts Houses

If you really think about it, each tsc series is its own Hogwarts house.

TMI is without doubt Gryffindor. The gang is brave, bold and reckless. From the little girl stopping the big war, to the shadowhunter kissing the warlock in the accords hall, to the teenage vampire summoning Raziel - they are a bunch of fearless idiots. They literally have visited hell more than once and have been involved in every major war. You also cannot deny that they were a little arrogant and hotheaded too. The story itself focuses on fighting and facing danger valiantly. It talks about fighting your own demons and fight for what is good. Finally, TMI revolves around defeating Valentine, Sebastian and the Endarkened - who are all shadowhunters too.  As Dumbledore said, courage is not just about standing up to enemies, but to our friends as well. 

TID is Hufflepuff. While the gang definitely is quite intelligent, I feel like their defining traits are kindness, loyalty and hardwork. I have always felt that the TID gang has been more empathetic and understanding towards each other than the rest of them. From Charlotte who took care of the abandoned children to Sophie who is fiercely loyal to her friends and of course we have the Lightwood brothers who gave up their family to support what is just snd good. Every TID member is about fairness and goodness. Despite the early era, they all treated downworlders with respect and empathy. They treated women like equals and not inferiors. And don’t forget that TID has the most hufflepuffest-babe in tsc history - James Carstairs himself. It also has Herongraystairs who are epitome of sacrifice, understanding and kindness. The story also focuses on core Hufflepuff traits. It teaches us about being humble and accepting our flaws. Most importantly, it teaches about acceptance - that we are all people looking for love and comfort. 

TDA gives massive Slytherin vibes. And it ain’t just because of my son Julian Blackthorn. From the continuously mind blowing plot twists to the necromancy to the parabatai curse to the secrets in the seelie courts to the rise of the cohort, everything about TDA screams ambition. The story itself revolves around heavily motivated individuals who are all on their personal journeys to achieve certain goals - while straying between the line which separates which is right and wrong. We cannot also deny that the characters aren’t afraid to blindly destroy what is in their path to save what they love. It talks about doing whatever it takes to protect what is yours - whether we are talking about the cohort or the blackthorns. There is so much cunning, trickery and strategy involved - teaching us that these are not bad traits, especially if we use it for the right purpose.  The story of TDA ultimately teaches us about being smart and resourceful, about using the right strategy and making the right decisions.  

TLH so far is Ravenclaw. Every character is extremely intelligent in their own way. Whether we are talking about Lucie and her writing or Christopher and his chemistry or Charles and his politics or Cordelia and Cortana or Anna and her style or James and his books or Thomas and his languages or Alastair and his mundane knowledge, they are all individually talented and they very much know it. This gang is creative, original and very much cultured. They enjoy mixing with the mundane culture and learning from them. They are not afraid to step out of the status quo and be different, be bold, be unique.

[gdsplay]

I've been a BB fan since I think 2016, and rn I don't know if i can continue or not. Please help me rationalize this, but do you really think they didn't knew/support him? YB is obvious but GD's insta posts were pretty on the nose. There's also Daesung's building situation, and I know this is old but with the news of YG threatening to kill people to protect B.I., even his old accident seems shady to me... I don't know. I feel like they are some scummy men now, this really isn't an attack at you or any other VIPs I just don't get it. I wish to like them again, but with the situation rn I can't. So I wanna know how you view these situations.

I’m here to debunk some of these assumptions;

Starting with support, what support? They’ve been living in silence since military service. They barely even update their own social media. Ot5’s will over analyzes any kind of picture or post to create a deep meaning behind it in honor of Seungri. These fan’s recently just spammed TOPs Instagram over a Picasso bug picture he reposted from a professional artist/photographer. A deep meaning over a bug… you can think like ot5s and always try to interrupt to create a deep meaning, perhaps what if Seunghyun was calling him a bug? See what I mean it’s all in the head.

The five hands? Well I don’t feel anything bad about it. The members aren’t ignorant. Why should we have to forget BigBang and not value the memories? Daesung used a screenshot and blocked all five faces, he won’t just block only seungri’s. They’re not doing to be petty and repost edited photos let alone full face ot5 photos. GD is very sentimental, it’s not that he’s particularly showing a stance but more so keeping the spirit of BigBang in the lest problematic way which a hand picture from Made was a good choice, a more reassuring picture so fans know they’re not going to disband or retire as a group over Seungri with or without him. I’m pretty sure they’re not allowed to speak on any of this burning sun scandal for their own good. Even if it’s against Seungri it will cause chaos from all ends including media. I know it sounds like a good idea but you have to understand the culture over their in handling these situations is nearly similar to how us oversea people address issues. I know ot5 have been disgusting obnoxious about that post, so what? Let them, it can be their last crumb. BigBang are well aware they are now a four member group, they knew it was coming sooner or later just by all of their own quotes regarding it. Why should they announce they obvious? It’s not anyone’s fault that a group of these active fans can’t let go and move on. There’s nothing to explain to them or anyone. The popular attack of ‘contract fans’ thrown, it’s true though, bigbang would not of renewed their contracts as four members if the oath of 5-1=0. The guys would have disbanded or called quits on the band.

As far as that goes the members scolded Seungri for years about his behavior and choice of friend group or the way he treats women like objects. They’ve tried maturing him, even help him to lead him out of the off vibe of friends he befriend. His ‘hyungs’ always wondered where Seungri’s whereabouts are. He would stop hanging out with them, going out for birthdays or celebrations and even being the only member to not physically sit down and meet Taeyang’s girlfriend at the time, someone important who meant the world to Taeyang. He couldn’t even do that for his own brother, everything was business and business only. So they’ve spat that in his face multiple times and wonder why he became distant, wondering where he’s been.

They may of predicted the future but they had no idea about the secret business he was really up too and it’s very ashamed and disappointed to find that out publicly like everyone else. A stab in the back I will say.

BigBang, the hyungs, have always respected women, they’ve never expressed perverted or shady behavior with any of them. Most of GD’s personal friend group is full of women whom he is close with, many feel safe with him and trust him just like the other three. While Seungri on the other hand.. their has been some uncomfortable signs as of body language. He always always been in the running ‘jokes’ or caught too many times with his p0rn watching— more like unhealthy addiction where his personality is pervert-like.

Now don’t take my wording the wrong way I’m not trying to come off snarky at all; The problem is too many of people take what they hear and run with it. Daesungs building? Let’s talk about that, Daesung bought a building back in later 2017 was at? Somewhere around before he enlisted, he seemed to of not studied the building enough more so just a quit purchase. Since around 2005 before BigBang we’re even a thing, making Daesung a minor that building has been running secret sex services their or over a decade. Nobody knew about these acts happening. Daesung didn’t run the building or even work within this building, he was just the owner who at the time recently bought it. What I trust in Daesung is how well he handled the situation compared to Seungri. As soon as the news hit Daesung immediately reached out to the fans and expressed his shock and disappointment about the news accusing him. Right away he apologized making a statement hours after the news to reassure fans. Taking on the mature adult route, he said he will do everything he’s acquired to do to get to the bottom of this accusation. Daesung sadly got thrown under the bus and invoked since he was the owner, now he was doing his mandatory this whole time unaware as well as when he bought this building. He ha:d nothing to do with the tenants, again he onlt owned the building. That would be like an accident happening at your local store, let’s use as an example! Someone dealt with a very disrespectful employee, now is that the owner of the buildings fault or the employee that works there? What would the building owner have anything to do with that encounter, the building owner doesn’t hire the people to work in their building that’s all within management of the building who work their not the owner. Does that make better sense?

Daesung went through about a month of working with the police, Daesung was clear of all charges and he chose to not own the building anymore. At night time the tenants would run illegal activity in secret without anyone’s knowledge, it sure was bad timing but I’m glad he got cleared and quickly. It’s unfortunate he had to be dragged into the mix of that with just buying a building. Perhaps he will be more careful next timeZ. I feel he should of waited and not rush into something right before enlistment since he would be gone. These activities took place for around 14 years beforehand. There is a huge underground prostitution ring within Gangnam no one knows where all the secret hot spots are just the ones who are getting caught.

Unlike Seungri who ignored the news of burning sun first being talked about including himself, not only did he pretend that the news didn’t occur but his reply later in February at one of his solo concerts was ‘I don’t care, I like when people talk about me’ that was his bright and witty choice of phrasing to use regarding a serious scandal about to stir.. I knew then he wasn’t worth my time or support with such a gross and cocky attitude.

These assumptions many have regarding BigBang can be negative judging by what they hear and choose to believe. Which I understand if you don’t follow them you’re not going to know everything or keep up. Just like you I hope to educate and explain further deeper into these issues. This may help or not but I’m glad you came here wanting to know.

[moon-goddess-posts]

Hello everyone! This is my first fanfiction and I decided to write kaeya first because I just love him sm 😭😭😭😭 anyway hope you guys enjoy! Zhongli is up next. I'm also new to Tumblr so idk how this works LMFAO

Kaeya x Gn reader

Fluff, kaeya is weird but its ok cause he warms up to you, didn't proof read this cause it was 1am

You were walking around the streets of mondstadt, you always loved the night and decided to come out for some fresh air. Lost in thought, you were reflecting on your first moments here and how the handsome calvary captain gave you a tour of the city. You were an adventurer from Fontaine seeking to do research on all the 7 regions. Mondstadt was the first region on your list. You've heard most of it from stories on barbatos and how he saved mondstadt, but you'd love to meet the people and all the certain flowers that were around. You finally arrived at the front gate and the guards gave you a warm welcome. The city air was fresh and everything had a carefree warm feel to it. "This truly is the city of freedom" you thought to yourself and smiled. Having everything written down on your notebook, you decided to try out the foods that were common here. "What can I get for you today?" The women spoke as you came up to the counter. You took out your notebook and chose a dish. "I'll take one chicken mushroom skewer please, ah would I also ask for your name if you don't mind?" You gave a friendly smile. "My name is Sara, worker at Good Hunter! Your food will be right up. I see you arent around here." "Nice to meet you Sara, im actually traveling the 7 regions for my art pieces and mondstadt just happened to be my first one. I would love to know some tourist attractions around here, would you happen to know a guide?" It was nice to see a conversation going well especially since you were never really the best at conversations. But you wanted to hurry up because your social battery was draining fast. "Id love to be your guide" and unfamiliar voice came to the right and you shot your head to that direction. His appearance was definitely different from the rest of the citizens but looked really attractive either way. He was leaning against the booth almost giving off an intimidating nature underneath the layers of charming. "Really? That would be great, thank you so much! And uhm your name is...?" Depsite the oddness you got from him, you did your best to continue the conversation as normally as possible. "Kaeya, Knights of Favionus, happy to be your guide dear" his sudden pet name made you flitch but you pushed it off "So where are we going first dear calvary captain" you gave him a teasing remark as you smirked. He chuckled "well obviously I wouldn't be a good tour guide if I didn't show you the Barbatos statute first." "Ah of course haha" you gave him a nervous chuckle. "Is there any other reason you decided to come here other than to just "explore"" You thought he ease dropped on your conversation, and even so he still didn't find you that trust worthy. "Well I'm a pretty well known artist where I'm from, but besides just coming here to make art I also decided to write a few poems for each region. If you'd want I can show you my works" you smiled happily and his cold attitude started to fade just a bit. "You can show me once we get to the next place, feel free to draw me then too ♡" it wasn't the best first impression but at least he didn't feel as hostile anymore. You and Kaeya finally made it to the statue and it was more beautiful in person than your thoughts could ever imagine. Ideas started to flow through your brain on how to paint it. "Wow its so...." you were at a lost for words. "Breathtaking isn't it?" Kaeya finished your sentence and you flahsed him a small smile and nod. "Yeah it is, ill be sure to mark it down as the first place to paint. Maybe if you'd like, you can give it to the Acting Grandmaster as a token of my thanks for having me here" "Such a kind hearted soul arent you? I'll be sure to inform her." Kaeya patted your head and walked off, assuming he was leading you to the second destination, you started to follow him. "You should stop by the tavern Cats Tail sometime tonight, I can tell you more about this place and if you'd like, more about me," You saw this as an opportunity for more research on the area, and maybe get to know Kaeya a bit more, he truly was an interesting person, so you

accepted. "I'll be sure to make it around 18:00 or 19:00!" The next destination included a beautiful tree, lake, and another small statue of barbatos. You thought it was truly magnificent, especially how the sun hit the leaves all so perfectly giving it a warm glow. "This place is Windrise. Its often associated with love and is one of the most well know spot for dates." He winked at you and you looked away, not really sure what to do. "Is that so? I can see why. Its very beautiful." You did your best not to stutter from how flirty he was being. "This statue here is for offerings. You find anemoculous and you offer them to the statues. In return, you get a gift from the God." "Oh! We have on of those where I'm from as well, but its a different person." You weren't really sure why you wouldn't tell him where you were from, maybe it was because he was super analytical, or the whole predator with its prey vibe he got going on. "There are 7 types of statues that represent the 7 archons, would it be ok if you'd tell me where you're from? I'm just so interested in you." He gave a flirty smirk and you couldn't help but blush a little bit. "Uhm I'm from Fontaine, if you couldn't tell by the clothes. Its quite similar to Mondstadt, but I find it here to be more peaceful and calming than there." "Fontaine huh? I've heard people live the luxury over there. Very formal." He laughed a bit, part of him was right but it wasn't all that good as he was making it sound. "Hmm I guess you could say that, my parents were pretty well off but I can't say much about the rest." Your gaze drifted off to the forming sunset and you wondered if you should head back soon. "Ill head back, ill tell you more about the attractions tomorrow. Don't forget our date tonight deary..." He waved goodbye and walked off. "Deary.." you said to yourself, he flattered you very much but all of it seemed off in a way. You didn't think to much about it and decided to head back too. Your memories of your first interaction with Kaeya was over once you heard someone call your name. A familiar voice that was. "Y/n!" Kaeya called out. Automatically knowing who it was, you turned around to be greeted by a fine tall man dressed in blue tones "Hi Kaeya!" "I dont think its a good idea for a pretty lady like you to be walking out so late at night." He sounded amused but you were over it. "Oh cut it out captain, I know you were just swooning some girls a couple minutes ago." "Haha so what, you jealous?" "Dont flatter yourself, why would I be jealous anyway? Feelings like those are just a waste of time" you hated to admit that you were just a tiny bit jealous. You weren't sure how your crush on the calvary captain formed but it did and it didn't seem to be going away any time soon. Part of you thought maybe he already knew and he was just toying with you. Or maybe he was oblivious to it, thinking no one could love such a person like him. Either way, you still kept these feelings inside. "There's no shame in bearing emotion, love, its just our nature. And for a while I think you've been feeling pretty intense emotions about a certain someone..." His hand tilted your chin so you could face up to him. Shoot did he know? How was that possible? Was I that obvious? You thought to yourself, you weren't sure how you were going to get out of this situation. "I...I-its nothing that concerns of you" you broke eye contact but you knew kaeya wasn't letting up. "A lie to a lier is no stranger, but if you wish to keep your secrets then who am I to cross such a boundary." He back off from you and you started to breathe again. You wanted to tell him so bad. How much you loved and cared for him, how much you so desperately wanted to be there for him no matter what situation. You were willing to take risks for him if it meant that one day you would forever be together. But maybe you thought the image you had of him was wrong. You knew well enough his flirty nature was never sincere, and how he was hiding something much darker then you ever wanted to imagine. Even so, you still wanted your

thoughts of him to become right. So before he walked off again you mustered up the courage. "Kaeya wait! I, I do actually want to tell you something." He looked surprised now but intrigued. "Ever since we met, there was always something different about you. It always left me wanting to know more and over the years I did learn more about you. But then I started feeling these weird emotions and having thse weird thoughts like thinking maybe one day we could be together...or knowing the real you even. I know you say less than you lead on but I felt like I'd be willing to take extreme risks to know who you actually are. I feel so safe around you and I always smile at those good memories we have. I dont know if this is called love, I dont know fully what love is but you're special enough for me to be having these feelings." Thats it, you let everything out. Awaiting for rejection, you began to panic when the silence held for what seemed like an eternity, until you heard him walking toward you. He held your chin again and gave you a look you've never seen before. A mix of admiration, and happiness. He swiped his thumb over your bottom lip and you tensed up. "Kaeya...." Before you could say anything else, he pulled you into a kiss. A new feeling started to arise and your whole body began to feel hot. Euphoria was coursing through your veins and you felt like you were going to fall without Kaeyas support. He was so warm, so intoxicating. You couldn't even feel where you were or he was, it all just became a bundle of sensations and happiness. You couldn't tell how long you both had kissed for but you were the first one to pull away as your breath began to shorten. "As much as a flirt as I am, I dont do well communicating my actual emotions. So id prefer to show them through my actions. I cant say it right now, but I hope that helped you realize what my answer is." He pulled you into a hug and you buried his face into his fur jacket. Already knowing his answer, you breathed a sigh of relief