#like. he gets it. he understands he perceives

[girl4music]

What I think is really neat is the reason why Glinda picks on Elphaba isn’t because of her skin colour being green at all, but because Madam Morrible chose her over her.

She makes a pretence about it being about her skin colour because she doesn’t want it to reflect on her perceived failure at being special to Shiz enough that the Wizard would take the time to notice her the way he does with Elphaba for her magic abilities - and then as soon as they’re best friends - Glinda immediately just gives up that whole rouse and is just like: “actually, she deserves it over me” because - in her own way - Glinda feels outcast too and she compensates for it by being the most popular. But through their friendship, she learns to accept herself just as much as she learns to accept Elphaba. She learns to accept being no one special. Un-extraordinary. But instead a real support system to someone that is what she will never ever be.

She’s humbled by her experiences with Elphaba.

And it makes her a very beautiful person too. That’s the reason why her magic grows beyond her capacity for it.

Her magic is in healing, in supporting - in loving. But in order for her to reach this potential, she had to look beyond and outside of herself. Outside of her bubble.

In a sense: she can do so much for “the little people”when she doesn’t see herself as being above them.

What makes Glinda the Good is not her popularity or her vanity - but her need to relate to others for other’s sake. When her unconditional love for them is as bright and blinding as her physical beauty. This is her power.

In that scene where she tells Elphaba that she is beautiful just as she is, she glows in reflection too.

It’s because for seemingly the first time - she’s put inner beauty above outer beauty. It’s very attractive.

Elphaba teaches Glinda - without realizing it I have to add - that beauty is not skin deep. Beauty is within.

Glinda only becomes such a powerful force for Good because she’s learned to accept in herself what she once believed was not just as much as she has others.

Putting herself on the same level propelled her higher. It’s not because she already had that high position in her society. Likewise it’s not because anyone else was below her. She had to earn the right to be that high up by understanding what it took for someone to fall down.

That’s the overall message of WICKED.

It’s not about being Good or Evil.

But what it takes to get there.

And what is lost from it.

That’s why I love that it’s not a success story. It’s not supposed to be. It’s supposed to be a representation and reflection of hardship and failure and weakness.

But within that - how the attempt is still very notable when things are sent to try us, defame us, oppress us.

Stories like that are hard to come by because success/victory is just far more appealing and entertaining than the opposite is. But I’ve never been interested in what was appealing or entertaining. Only in what educates.

thinking about how the best case scenario that elphaba can imagine in the wizard and i is that finally someone will come along who will be able to change everything about her. even in her wildest dreams, she views that as her best option.

and then.

along comes galinda. who - after spending an entire night attempting to give her a makeover - settles on: ‘actually, you’re perfect just the way you are. i wouldn’t change a thing. except maybe to tuck a little piece of myself in with you, just there.’

and i just think that’s neat.

[signanothername]

Hi Anó! Do you have any advice for writing characters like killer? How do you achive that nuance? I love your comics and would love to learn about your artistic process a bit!

Hi Gal!! A delight to see you in my inbox! <3

Omg thank you sm hcchhcchch (have you seen your own comics???? *shakes you* /pos)

Ok but I say this genuinely, I think your ideas and comics are such a beautiful and refreshing take on these blorbos, you’re doing such an amazing job both writing and art wise (your 2 Killers idea is so fucking good eeeeee) <3333

Ok to the question xgzggxzg

Killer is definitely.. complicated to write, I struggle with him sometimes ngl shshhdh

I honestly went and reread his entire comics, lore and answered asks to get a deeper look into him to be able to write him

But when it comes to writing him, I generally try to keep 6 things in mind at all times

1-trauma: how does the resets, working for Chara, having his code get manipulated and killing over and over again till what was new became something old affect him? (the whole idea of Killer killing people started as an offer of trying something new, so he kept killing till he got bored and killing became something stagnant)

This can easily be portrayed in Killer’s canon inability to till what’s real or not, as well as his hallucinations and the guilt he’s ridden with, always running from his past yet never outrunning it, as it always catches up to him

2- conditioning: his conditioning started from the days of Chara, then continued into his days with Nightmare, how does his conditioning affect him in his daily life?

How was he conditioned specifically? And how does that contribute to Killer’s perception of self, autonomy, self worth, and life in general? How does it change his body and mind?

Does it make him believe he’s just a machine meant to please others even when it hurts him, does it make Killer perceive vulnerability as a death sentence

How does he feel about his masters? Does he hate them down to every bone, or does he not care?

3-personality: Killer’s personality always change depending on the stage, but what are the main traits that you know Killer will always have regardless of the stage? Being quiet is one thing, he keeps to himself (as much as the fandom loves to portray him as extremely hyperactive, he’s not at all the loud, talkative, hyperactive skelle the fandom makes him out to be)

He’s also extremely secretive, seems to have knowledge that others don’t, and seems to always be up for a social interaction regardless of who’s with him

He’s also actually extremely patient (another thing the fandom stripped away from Killer’s character), and is very docile (isn’t aggressive unless pushed and never is an attack on sight kinda person) yet holds a grudge big time

He seems to see himself as superior over others, he’s extremely fucking intelligent it’s actually scary

These traits are something I try to keep consistent within my writing for Killer

4- relationships: what are his relationships with other characters like, and why?

Taking the 3 points before into consideration, how does Killer’s trauma, conditioning, and personality make him perceive others and others perceive him?

Are his relationships healthy? Toxic? Are they one sided or mutual? Does he care about the person in his vicinity or are they just another nobody? If he cares why? If he doesn’t what would he do to them?

Would he take advantage of his relationship with someone or is it a relationship he wishes for it to vanish?

5-stages: I think this is truly what makes Killer extremely complicated, cause see all of the 4 points above? how does each stage differ from each other?

How does stage 1 deal with his guilt/truama and conditioning? How does stage 2, 3, and 4 deal with them?

Depending on each stage Killer’s outward perception, personality, attitude, thoughts, and actions change

But how do they change exactly?

This is something that you need to understand each stage for to be able to integrate into writing

Stage 1 is the stage where he’s most sans like, yet never sans enough, stage 2 is when he’s apathetic to everyone and everything and perceives killing as “fun” because he’s painfully understimulated , stage 3 is when he’d attack whoever is in front of him, and stage 4 is when killer is no longer present mentally

How does each stage deal with his environment, with the people around him, how does he deal with the dissociation and how does he perceive himself in each stage?

6-environments: how does the environment Killer lives in affect him?

Killer starts in an environment of time loops, how does that affect his perception of time and reality? He then becomes Nightmare’s subordinate, a dangerous environment with constant threats to his life from every angle, how does Killer feel about it? How does he deal with it?

Will he get to try his luck and escape, or has he given up on himself and the idea of freedom? Does he even believe he has a chance for a better life in a safer environment? Will he go for a safer environment or will he cling to the comfort of what he knows?

When he does finally go to a safer environment, how would that affect him? Both positively and negatively? Would he feel like something is missing? Would his mind constantly tell him that this safe environment isn’t really safe?

Then of course, beyond these main 6 things, there’s the in between, what are Killer’s likes? His dislikes? How does he feel about sleep, food?

Generally when writing characters, it’s important to keep in mind interpersonal factors, intrapersonal factors and environmental factors that ends up affecting the character’s behavior, or in this specific situation, Killer’s behavior (god I’m realizing how much my uni major affects my writing of characters rn chchc)

But I say the biggest life saving advice I have that helps with writing characters in general (and especially complicated ones like Killer) is having the question “why” as your closest friend

When you make a statement about a character, in this instance Killer, always attach the question “why” at the end till you can’t attach it anymore, until you reach a point where asking “why” becomes unnecessary and annoying

For example:

“Killer loves golden flower tea”

Why?

It reminds him of the bed of golden flowers he passed out on

Why does that matter?

Because it was the point of no return from a change that will always dictate who he is

Why is it a point of no return?

Because his soul had deformed beyond recognition and it can never be brought back to how it used to be

Why would it dictate who he is? Why can’t he just choose to be someone else?

Because he was conditioned to be this killer by a higher power out of his control

At this point, there are no more “why”s that would make something as simple as a golden flower tea statement more nuanced than it already is, so when you ask why again, you find that you’re unable to continue giving an answer, that’s the point of where you stop

In fact, allow me to test you by giving you a quick question about your own interpretation of the characters, why does your Nightmare admire Error? What is in Error that Nightmare admires specifically?

Of course, you don’t really need to answer me, but I’m just giving you an example of how asking “why” can help you make so many simple things more nuanced

Ok but what if you know there should be an answer to a “why” but you don’t know it yet? Then you keep it in mind for later, you won’t always have the answers to everything on the get go, sometimes, you need a bit of time to figure things out and write characters the way you feel satisfy you, until then, you can work on other things about the characters

*Cough* anyway, this is honestly everything I can think of off the top of my head? Hopefully I didn’t miss anything ydfhgchchchc

Do let me know if you’d like any more help or need clarification on anything, I’d be happy to help where I can <33333

Now have a sketch of your 2 Killers cause I love them dearly, they have a special place in my heart (genuinely adore how you write Killer already btw)

[knottyforlegoshi]

legoshi as your boyfriend; 

— so awkward when it comes to the object of his affection. he’s a guy who spends most of the time in his head. whoever catches his eye is subject to a ton of brooding stares, conversations that trail into silence as legoshi overthinks the next thing he’ll say. he comes off as hot and cold without realizing it. he spends more time fretting about possibilities rather than taking chances. but once he gets comfortable around you, you’re surprised by how easy he is to get along with.

— he absolutely melts at physical affection. if you’re a herbivore, of course it comes with his own reservations; he can’t be too careful with his strength. even if you’re a carnivore, he’s tense and unused to physical affection. but once he’s comfortable enough, he craves every bit of it. he won’t demand it from you, but you will notice his tail wagging when you reach for his hand in public, or when you pat his head.

— dates are usually lowkey affairs. he considers any prolonged time spent around you as a “date,” even if it’s something as mundane as shopping for groceries together. he prefers doing things at night, like staying up in bed to talk about the mundane, watching shows together, or perching on the roof to watch the stars; even though he’s acclimated to daytime, the evening is when legoshi is  most energetic. he also prefers secluded, private dates since he gets angsty around large crowds--his protective instincts kick in.

— gives great hugs once he’s in the habit of them. definitely the type to give you awkward “dad hugs” or pats on the back when you first start dating. but once he knows how to handle his strength, he likes to drag you into his lap and curl his tail around you. 

— his love language is most definitely acts of service and quality time. he struggles with wanting to tell you all the sappy things he thinks about you, like how your smile makes him forget all his worries, or how whole he feels when the warmth of your fingers brushes against his own. these are things he keeps close to his heart. instead, he tries to show you what he can’t tell you. if you have trouble reaching the top shelf, he lowers everything down for you so you can grab things. if you don’t like spicy food and the restaurant serves you something hot, he’ll offer to switch plates with you. he also just... enjoys being around you. the two of you don’t even have to be doing anything special. he could be feeding his insects and you could be on your phone. he just feels more at ease when you’re in his presence.  

— he’s incredibly stubborn and loyal to a fault. legoshi will never break up with you first. even if you two are going through a rough patch, he’s more worried that you’ll break up with him. this makes it a bit hard to have open communication with him. he’ll shove everything bothering him down if he could. even if he didn’t, he has a problem with idealizing his significant others. nothing really bothers him, though; he’s patient and understanding to a fault. unless, of course, you make him jealous...

— he feels the sting of jealousy incredibly easily. part of it stems from his insecurity--he’s aware he’s a reticent person, not the most expressive, and constantly worries that he’s not enough. the other part is that wolves are highly possessive by nature. when you’ve been together for awhile, you notice legoshi rubbing his scent on you. it’s subconscious at first--you mention you’ll be around other men, and legoshi’s rubbing his muzzle into the side of your neck. to other canines, it’s a sign that you’re taken.

— because of his fervent attempts to stay together, he gets blindsided by breakups. he doesn’t realize how much fretting about your perceived dissatisfaction with him might become a self-fulfilling prophecy. 

not sfw

— praise kink. god, he is the definition of praise kink. tell him how much of a good boy he’s been, and he’ll lick at you even more enthusiastically. he doesn’t like to admit to it, but he enjoys being recognized for his efforts. he likes knowing he’s worthy of your praise. 

— pleasing you really gets him off. legoshi could—and has—cum untouched just from the feel of your thighs clamping around his head, your moans in his ears, as he licks at your most sensitive parts.

— he isn’t aware he’s big until the sight of you grimacing in pain to take him.  then his size becomes a point of embarrassment for him. legoshi will actually get so upset to see you struggling to take him that he goes soft; it takes him awhile to learn to be okay with his natural assets. and lots of lube or slick.

— sex for him is very much a mental and emotional endeavor. he can’t truly let go and ignore his anxieties until he knows you’re his. because of that, i don’t think legoshi is the kind of guy to do casual sex. he needs to be in a committed relationship before he truly can let his guard down and give in to his baser urges.

— goes absolutely crazy when you go down on him. because he’s so inexperienced, he’ll literally cum with five seconds flat of your tongue on his cock. he has to take breaks from oral, regulate his breathing, think about feeding his pet beetle, etc. luckily, his refractory period isn’t that long, and he’s able to get hard again in a few minutes. 

— when he’s in a rut, god, he’s feral. it’s so unlike him, to absolutely lose control, but he can’t help it, especially if he’s partnered during his ruts. he does his best to inform you beforehand, explain that he doesn’t want to force you to be around him and that he has trouble controlling his urges, but none of that really prepares you for the ferocity and carnality that accompanies his ruts. for the first few days, he prefers to keep you in bed so he can fuck you nonstop. it’s really just pump and go again, pump and go for another round. he’s got insane stamina for days. after seemingly endless rounds of fucking though, at some point legoshi becomes aware of how sore you are, how exhausted you look. he takes pity on you and makes sure to wash you, bathe you, hug you, etc. 

  — in his rut, loves using his cum as extra lube to keep fucking you. he’s just a whooole different animal when in his ruts. 

— one of his less obvious turn-ons is when you pull on his tail. for some reason, it gets him hard like nothing else. pulling your tail as well. 

— he does enjoy the soft, squisher parts of you. resting his head on your chest, or your tummy, or thighs. he finds his own body to be hard, muscled, and unappealing. he much prefers a softer partner. 

— he really dreams about that super intimate, face-buried-in-your-chest, slow fucking. he definitely prefers it to jerking off. legoshi finds masturbation kind of... empty in comparison to sex with you. he will however resort to it if he’s in “male mode” and you’re not in the mood. 

[genderqueerdykes]

i think this whole narrative of "transmen are men so if they say theyre affected by misogyny theyre misgendering themselves and they obviously can only benefit from the patriarchy is, IMO a way for certain usually white transwomen to distance themselves from their own benefit of the patriarchy and the way they also do misogyny. i dont think only men benefit from the patriarchy and only women experience misogyny, and it is common for people to over perform their AGAB in an attempt to fit in and an attempt to keep themselves safe. a cis man being abused for perceived femininity is still experiencing something whether you call it misogyny or not. i think if were going to be on this "hold transmen accountable for perpetuating misogyny" thing we also have to acknowledge the ways transwomen benefit from the patriarchy. like people always talk about those "after i transitioned people treated me worse at work" stuff but thats also hiding the other side of maybe you were also treated better because they assumed you were a cisman (especially if youre white). to be clear i do think the "gender socialized" stuff is bullshit, but i dont think it makes sense to group every transman as being able to pass perfectly and get all the benefits from the patriarchy and every transwomen as being affected by transmisogyny from birth because people can like, see into her trans soul or something, but cismen who get bullied are just whining over nothing because it wasnt really "directed" at them. most people understand that men get bullied for not performing masculinity correctly but the narrative has become "if that man is cis he needs to get over it because men arent oppressed, if shes a transwomen whos egg hasnt cracked yet it was transmisogyny all along"

i have nothing to add. thank you.

[starbylers]

How much of “El” was actually in Will’s van speech, why this scene does NOT point to him letting Mike go, and what we actually know about Will's arc/Byler because of it

I know everyone jokes about the Will crying in the van shot so we sometimes forget how serious of a moment that was but like…..he was devastated. It’s always bothered me when people act as though this scene was about El in any genuine way, and that the message to take away is that Will is accepting Mike and El love each other and starting to move on. Both of these things couldn’t be further from the truth, they’re just convenient interpretations to fit a certain narrative.

In reality, Will assumed what El feels because he loves Mike, and that’s how he feels. There was no conversation between him & El, nothing Will ever witnessed, for him to determine that Mike "makes her feel like she’s better for being different”, that that helps her "fight". It’s what El wanted to feel from Mike, but she clearly didn’t (“You think I’m a monster too”). We never see Mike uplift her for her differences throughout the entire time they're dating, and then in s4 El gets a plot about feeling like she doesn't fit in (“I am different”) and actively lies to Mike about it ??? So...when exactly does Mike make her feel like she's "not a mistake at all"? El doesn't even feel safe giving him the opportunity, in fact she actively refuses to repeatedly: lying in her letters, asking Angela to lie to Mike at the rink, in their fight when he tries to understand & she tells him he doesn't. (And then when he tries in the monologue to use the sentiment “I love you for exactly who you are” etc.…she loses.)

And aside from that, explaining the painting and its meaning was the most blatant lie we see Will tell, and that’s all him. El didn't say all these wonderful things she loves about Mike, didn't create a gift inspired by something personal to Mike (DnD) to emphasise that message. Those were Will’s thoughts and feelings, unquestionably. There is nothing to suggest that El perceives Mike in that way ("the heart", "guiding the party, inspiring us", "without [you] we'd all fall apart"), that she understands Mike and knows exactly what to say to make him feel important, special and needed, that she loves him the way Will loves him (which just coincidentally happens to encompass exactly what Mike needs to hear to soothe his insecurities (“I’m just some random nerd” etc.)). And frankly even if we pretend El thinks the exact same things, Will was the one who did the work to make Mike happy. The idea that El should be able to coast on the efforts of someone else because "well she obviously feels the same way" (where ???) is kind of disturbing. Mike deserves better, and it makes no sense that the writers would narratively reward a love interest who put no effort into showing how much Mike is valued vs one who went above and beyond to make him feel loved.

That speech only applied to El insofar as Will sprinkles in "these past months she's been lost without you", "she's so different from other people", "we'd all fall apart, even El, especially El" and "if she was mean to you/seemed like she was pushing you away". Not because El said any of this, but because it's plausible for Will to come to these conclusions on his own and think he's correct (and even be partially correct). He knows El was doing awful in Lenora because she is different, he knows she's part of the group and has experienced Mike's leadership, he knows she fought with Mike and then left him. All of these things also affect him - he missed Mike's friendship while they were separated, he's different because of his sexuality, he's part of the group too, he "sabotaged" the day in Mike's eyes after not reaching out much and we know he's scared of losing Mike due to his feelings.

But the rest? "Of course she needs you Mike, she'll always need you", "You make her feel like she's not a mistake, like she's better for being different and that gives her the courage to fight", "if she [...] was pushing you away, it's just because she's scared of losing you" (I do think that one's partially true but Will wouldn't know beyond a guess), “if she was gonna lose you I think she’d want to get it over with quick", "El needs you and she always will” (and of course "El commissioned it" and the compliments he gives after)...who is Will to make those claims? He doesn't know how El feels, he didn't even know El was lying to Mike, she clearly doesn't confide in Will about her relationship. No, these things are all Will guessing/outright lying and letting his own feelings slip through. And just in general outside of Will, El hasn’t done/said anything elsewhere in the show to confirm that she feels any of this (in fact it was de-confirmed, in the case of the “better for being different” stuff).

Essentially, it’s all just Will's assumptions about El, some of which are based in reality and some of which are Will projecting. But most importantly, the reassurance and comfort he gives (the painting stuff) in response to Mike talking disparagingly about himself are Will and no-one else, and part of the most blatant lie he tells (“she told me what to draw [...] your coat of arms, it's a heart [...] without heart we'd fall apart”) is specifically what is called back to to push Mike into confessing!

Now, the idea of Will "accepting the reality" of Mike loving El is so ridiculously irrelevant. Will was heartbroken after he did what he did, this boy was literally sobbing out the window, but the whole reason he does is because he fully 100% believes Mike loves El. He knows, people! He spends the entire season giving Mike advice and pushing him towards her. Why would Will need to "accept" something he's been actively supporting before and during this scene? In his mind it's fully unrequited and he's operating within that reality in the most selfless, helpful, unobstructive way! He's not in denial, he has no hope.

What they really mean is he needs to move on and that this scene is somehow an indication that he is, but again, no: "[I] need you, and [I] always will" is Will's final projection before he cries his eyes out, and then later on we see him miserably staring at them again. The fact is, Will has accepted his "reality", that just didn't lead to him getting over Mike. No, it led to him sacrificing something he poured his heart into to save Mike’s relationship because he thinks that what will make Mike happy is to be with El, so he's making that happen. He is a bigger M!leven shipper than anyone. He still loves Mike, shows no signs of letting go, but he's just that selfless. And it's perfect, because no amount of knowing Mike loves El seems to change how much Will loves Mike. Incredibly inconvenient for a "plot" that relies on the gay character’s silly feelings magically disappearing out of reverence for a het couple and their deep soulmate love……

But this is why some people try to invent an imaginary arc where Will was somehow trying to get in the way of M!leven/had hope Mike could feel the same way, because otherwise you just get: Will likes Mike, knows it's hopeless, and then it randomly fizzles out lmao. Everyone knows that's not an arc; there's no change, no development, nothing learned. Plus, if Will is already in full acceptance of M!leven endgame…what’s next seaon's alleged rejection going to do/change? Nothing, Will’s feelings aren’t dependent on Mike reciprocating as has been shown, so the only purpose would be rubbing salt in the wound. And again, you end up with not an arc but a flat, depressing line. Will likes Mike, knows it's hopeless, has it painfully reaffirmed that yes it is hopeless, and then fizzle. If you know stories you know this makes zero sense, and therefore is not happening 👍

[hurgablurg]

to be honest, hearing ludinus' backstory gives his motives a lot of sense now. innocent people getting killed in the crossfire of two powers making a big spectacle of their fight - it's how you get terrorists.

disprivileged nations don't just spontaneously generate extremists because they are evil and hate your way of life (only privileged nations produce terrorists of that kind), they are created out of violent trauma and a desire for revenge and prevention.

Colonial powers want something from a region, they go in and take it, killing anyone who gets in the way. The orphans and loved ones of those murdered then dedicate their lives to getting revenge and gaining power to ensure their remaining family are never hurt again, and strike back at the colonial powers in acts of terrorism and enact their own schemes to grab hold of power locally. This incenses the citizens of the colonial powers as it undermines their perceived invincibility and specialness at home, and their perceived authority abroad, and not understanding that they are the ones who started it (insulated by their privilege), they respond with even worse atrocities, which in turn kill and harm more innocents, who also dedicate their lives to revenge, keeping the cycle going when the onus is on the colonial power to admit responsibility and fault, repatriate, and then fuck off.

The gods, by not being actual gods and just being very powerful entities, cannot bring themselves to admit that they are not all-powerful and either cannot or do not want to answer every single prayer and solve every single problem, yet still desire the boons that come with being worshiped as all-powerful. The actions they take to fulfill their desires and objectives destroy lives and create trauma, and thus create terrorists like Ludinus and the entirety of the Ruby Vanguard. If the gods really weren't as contentious of an issue like everyone says, no one in-universe would have joined.

The only reason Exandria didn't break out the white phosphorus to tortuously annihilate the impetuous upstarts right away is because they managed to hack a big laser satellite and point it at the White House, threatening the invulnerability of the gods.

Some CR Fans like to insist, maybe because Matt wrote Ludinus as never shutting up and never taking responsibility himself, that the Ruby Vanguard doesn't have a point, or that they are hypocrites, or that they are sore losers or that the actions they take in the course of their goals are inexcusable. That they deserve to die for ruining so many lives, while the heroes kill them in a multitude of cruel and spectacular ways and are lauded for it. They've all gone through some shit themselves, even the worst of them, and there's hundreds of thousands of Vanguard who are nowhere close to worse. Hell, my mind goes to that one kid who exalted during their recon mission after watching them kill his teammates. Many such stories. Ludinus himself was a little soldier boy going off to a war he didn't want, once upon a time.

But maybe Some CR Fans here don't understand that a series borne of Pathfinder might have villains with motivations and reasons more complicated than the ones borne of an inflated dungeon crawling splatbook.

[vikkirosko]

Hello. Happy new year !

Can I request Mr crawling, Mr scarletella, Mr silvhair, Mr Hood and Mr chopped from Homicipher (all platonic) with a child female reader ?

Reader is 8 and was able to defeat Mr scarletella. Now that Mr scarletella is her servant (more of a friend/guardian for her) she decided to bring everyone to her world. Now they all live in a huge Japanese traditional house quite abandoned in the woods near the ghost appartements.

Reader must go to school, but instead of taking her normal umbrella, she took Mr scarletella's. Let's say that when she goes back, the other saw her with a very angry Mr scarletella (her scared kids who wanted to bully her)

Thanks!

Thank you, Happy New Year to you too!

Platonic headcanons Another world

🖤 Mr. Crawling x kid fem!Reader 🪮

The day you found yourself in another world, it was Mr. Crawling who was the first person you met. He was surprised that you were a child, but he wanted to protect you from the dangers that might come your way. Especially if Mr. Scarletella gets in your way. It took you a while to figure out the language spoken by the locals, but you were a smart kid and understood everything quickly. Mr. Crawling took care of you and made you laugh when you were scared. But when you finally met Mr. Scarletella, something happened that absolutely no one expected. You were able to defeat Mr. Scarletella. It was the most unexpected thing the residents of the ghost apartments had ever seen, and you were definitely proud of what you could do

Mr. Crawling continued to accompany you and took care of you like an older brother, whom you said you never had, but you were depressed by how gloomy the ghostly apartments were. You wanted your friends to see the world where you came from, and Mr. Scarletella helped you with that. Thanks to your joint efforts, you were able to find yourself in a place that you liked much more. It was a traditional Japanese style house, which was simply huge, otherwise all the inhabitants of the ghostly apartments simply would not have been able to live there. Crawling was not used to being in a new house, but he was glad that he could continue to spend time with you, especially since it was obviously safer for you in a new house than in an apartment. You promised him that you would tell him a lot of interesting things about the world where you were now, and he believed you

You went to school, because you were a kid after all, and Mr. Crawling was always waiting for you to come back. You always brought him small souvenirs, and even if they were small things, he still liked them. He liked listening to your stories about how you went to school, what you were taught, and what games you played with other children. Your stories were filled with happiness, and he liked it when you were happy. He couldn't keep you company in the city, but he could play some of the games you enjoyed playing with you. He found new ways to make you laugh, though not the same as before. You continued to be under his care and the fact that you were now living in a new house could not change anything for him

In your home world, you could continue to grow, but there were those around you who were willing to help you no matter what, and Mr. Crawling was at the top of that list. He took care of you as if you were part of his family. Maybe, in a way, he did perceive you that way, but you didn't mind. You were also attached to him and were glad that he agreed to leave the apartment with you and start a new stage of life in a house so different from his usual surroundings

💭 Mr. Hood x kid fem!Reader 🪓

When Mr. Hood first met you in the ghostly apartment, he felt uneasy. You were a defenseless child who could easily be harmed, you didn't understand their language and it wasn't clear how you ended up there in the first place. He offered to help you, and you agreed. Mr. Hood wasn't sure if you understood what he was talking about, but he decided for himself that he would gradually teach you their language so that you wouldn't have problems communicating with him and with other apartment residents. But because he doubted that you could protect yourself, he accompanied you, often carrying you in his arms so that you would not lag behind him, so that no one could grab you and so that you were in his field of vision

Mr. Scarletella has been bothering you, and Mr. Hood was protecting you. As long as you were under his care, nothing bad could happen to you. Gradually, you got used to the ghostly apartments and those who lived there. You learned their language, but the fact that Mr. Scarletella continued to appear and haunt you seriously worried those with whom you communicated and Mr. Hood in the first place. When you told him he shouldn't worry about it, he thought you were taking the threat too lightly. He was of that opinion until you defeated Mr. Scarletella. When he found out about this, he wasn't sure if you needed his protection anymore, but you hugged him and asked him to stay with you, because you felt lonely without him. Your request was not entirely clear to him, but he agreed, continuing to play the role of your protector and guardian

When you asked him if he would like to go to a new house with you, he agreed, because he still couldn't leave you alone. He did not expect that you would actually bring him and other apartment residents close to you to a new home. It was a huge house in a traditional Japanese style and you claimed that now it was your new home. It was safer there, so Mr. Hood could worry less about you being in danger or getting hurt. It would seem that your life has changed little. But there was something different from the past. You started going to school. It seemed logical to him. You were a child and you were learning new things. He checked with you what he could check and tried to help you as much as he could when you didn't understand any topics at school

Mr. Hood was more than just a protector for you. He was your friend, your teacher, someone you could trust and who would never hurt you. You were glad that you met him when you found yourself in a ghostly apartment and would not have exchanged your meeting for anything, which marked the beginning of your relationship, which you began to perceive as a parent-child relationship. For you, Mr. Hood was a parent and no one could replace him for you

💉 Mr. Silvair x kid fem!Reader 🪓

Your acquaintance with Mr. Silvair was due to Mr. Chopped, whom you helped to return to the room. You were a kind child who couldn't leave him alone. Mr. Silvair thanked you, but was surprised to hear a child's voice and your lack of understanding of their language. You were a child who found yourself in a ghostly apartment, as if by accident, and he wasn't sure if it was safe for you to travel there alone. Therefore, while you were in their room, he tried to teach you some words in their language, after which he invited you to stay with them. Perhaps Mr. Chopped couldn't do much to protect you, but Mr. Silvair was more confident that he could protect you from those who might want to harm you. Perhaps you didn't fully understand what exactly he was asking you, but you agreed, and there was a joyful smile in your voice

You spent a lot of time with him, and there didn't seem to be much that could really scare you. When Mr. Silvair went somewhere, you often went with him, curious about what you saw in the apartment. He continued to act as your teacher and taught you their language, but when you suddenly disappeared, he felt very worried. Usually, if you went somewhere, you warned him or took Mr. Chopped with you, but now you just left without saying a word to anyone. He planned to go looking for you, but you returned before he could get far from your room. You came back clearly pleased with something and told him that now the strange man with the umbrella would stop bothering you. Then he didn't immediately understand what you meant, but it came to him pretty quickly. You've defeated Mr. Scarletella

You haven't talked about what happened, but things have started to change in your life. You invited them to go to a new home with you, and if Mr. Chopped was interested in visiting a new place, then Mr. Silvair just intended to keep an eye on you. Your new home is a huge house in a traditional Japanese style. It wasn't just the three of you there, but also others you had become friends with, but you continued to spend most of your time with Mr. Silvair, mostly going to school. He always checked to see if you had done your homework, as much as he could check it, and he was like a parent pleased with his child's progress when you told him about how well your day at school had gone

Perhaps life in your world was more useful to you, and Mr. Silvair, as a caring guardian, chose for you what was best for you. Even if he had to leave his usual place for that. Even in this world, there were many dangers, but he wasn't going to let others hurt you. Perhaps when you get older, he will decide to teach you how to protect yourself, and while you continued to be a child, he intended to take over your protection and care for you

🧡 Mr. Chopped x kid fem!Reader 🪮

Mr. Chopped got lost and was trying to get back into the room when he met you. He had already met an apartment dweller who looked like a child and it wasn't the best meeting, but you didn't look like you were going to force him to play with you. You smiled at him with a kind smile. You asked him if he needed help, but you didn't speak the same language as him, so he concluded that you didn't know the language. So he couldn't just ask you to help him get home. Fortunately, his hand helped him explain to you, and soon you were carrying him where he needed to go. You were an innocent child who found it dangerous to walk alone, so he suggested to Mr. Silvair that you stay with them. It would be safer for you that way, and Mr. Chopped could walk with you where he normally couldn't get to without a lot of trouble

Mr. Silvair taught you their language, and Mr. Chopped helped him, although he usually urged you to go for a walk. You didn't feel any discomfort carrying his head in your arms while his hand was on your shoulder. You both enjoyed your little trips, but you had to be extra careful, because if you got into trouble, it would be difficult for you to avoid the dangers. One of these dangers was Mr. Scarletella, who, for some reason, was often seen near you. You used to hide, but one day when Mr. Chopped woke up, he didn't find you around and it bothered him. He wanted to ask Mr. Silvair about it, but you came back with a satisfied smile on your lips and told him that the strange man in red would no longer bother you. It was hard for him to believe that you could beat him, but you had no reason to lie

When you told him about your desire to go somewhere else, he was fired up by the idea. Pretty quickly, you, along with those with whom you managed to find a common language, moved to a new home. It was a huge house in a traditional Japanese style and it gave you and Mr. Chopped a huge place to explore. You wandered around the house, exploring every corner of it, and he was just delighted with it. You played there, you told him about the school you started going to again, and sometimes you thought it was a bad idea to take him to school with you. On the one hand, it could have turned into serious problems, but on the other hand, the opportunity to show him my school looked very interesting. He was bored when you left for school, but he knew it would only be a few hours before you returned home

The new life was unusual for him, but something remained unchanged. You were still with Mr. Chopped. It was like you were siblings who played together, explored new things together, and found adventures together. He was glad that you appeared in his life and he was sure that even after years you would still be loyal friends who go on adventures together, but perhaps already outside your home

❤️ Mr. Scarletella x kid fem!Reader ☂️

Mr. Scarletella felt you. He felt that you were somewhere in the apartment, which meant it was much easier for him to find you. You were another soul that he could get by adding to his collection, but when he finally found you, he was surprised to see a child in front of him, a girl who looked at him with curiosity, without a drop of fear. He didn't show his surprise, but you managed to take advantage of the moment and leave, not understanding why this strange man was looking at you. But that didn't mean Mr. Scarletella was going to leave you alone. He followed you, watched you make friends, even in a place that should have scared you. But every time you ran into him, you preferred to leave. Until at some point you get tired of it. Your new meeting has changed his life. You defeated him, which was unexpected, it would seem, for both of you

He became the one who accompanied you while you were walking around the apartment and who helped you learn their language. The others were afraid of him, but you convinced them that Mr. Scarletella would not harm anyone. He really became more patient with others and was surprisingly attentive to you. He became your friend and guardian, who wasn't going to let you get hurt. And only for your sake will he agree to start living in another house with you and the other residents of the apartment with whom you have managed to get along. Your new home is a huge house in a traditional Japanese style. You seemed genuinely happy to be able to introduce your friends to your world, and the only thing that sometimes prevented you from doing so was that you had to go to school

You always tried not to forget to take an umbrella with you when you went to school, because the weather could turn bad pretty quickly, but because you woke up later than planned, you didn't notice that you didn't take your umbrella, but the umbrella that belonged to Mr. Scarletella. It would seem that little has changed, but when you walked home in the rain after school, you completely did not notice the children who studied with you at the same school. They were a couple of years older than you and were known at school as bullies. They regarded you as a new victim, but when they just wanted to take a step in your direction, they stopped. The reason for this was Mr. Scarletella. He was walking next to you, holding his umbrella and hiding you both from the rain, but his gaze was turned towards them. He looked really scary and the children quickly remembered the horror stories they had told each other, including about him. They weren't even sure at what moment he appeared next to you, but fear got the better of them and they ran away, and you didn't even know that if your guardian wasn't with you, you could have become a victim of bullies

For you, Mr. Scarletella was a friend whom you didn't trust at first, but now you were attached to him. He was your protector and guardian, who did not allow anyone to even think of harming you. If someone had done it, it was unlikely that someone would have been able to escape from him and his anger. As long as you were under his protection, nothing and no one could harm you

[justjesse116]

Can I pester you for your thoughts on Dabi and Hawks' respective canon endings (if you haven't posted em somewhere already and I've just missed it)

Oh yeah, I did say I'd touch on that and sure never did huh. I got so fed up that I just ignored the ending and didn't feel like acknowledging it with a post anymore.

But I do have an answer for you. It's gonna be a long one, buckle up buttercup.

As for Dabi's 'end'.

Ah yes, fantastic message Horikoshi, if you're not a perfect victim and don't shrink away and make yourself small and hide away from your abuse/abuser - if you get mad and lash out then you should just fucking die. Your ABUSER gets a second chance, but you can just go fuck yourself.

(For a better understanding on how I feel about Dabi's story as a whole I got, what, 2 sentences in and had to pause because I'm sick as hell right now and a little fucked up on cold medicine, and I got so mad my hands started shaking and my heart tried to do it's best impression of a wildebeest stampede in my chest. (Emotional regulation who?))

Dabi is my ride or die, because I came from a home where my sperm donor terrorized me my whole life for the crime of being alive and having the gall to take after my mother. I have an unfortunately personal understanding of how he feels, at least in part, and his end in the story is what bothers me most, and will continue to do so.

Did he go about it the best way? No, I'm not a fan of the murder (arson I couldn't give 2 fucks about, destroy that government property babey) but I can't blame him for turning out the way he did. He went through literal hell and came out the other side torn apart physically and mentally. And I'd be lying if I said I didn't fantasize about killing my sperm donor for all the ways he fucked me up every once in a while, so I can't blame him for that either. I think it's a natural reaction to want to eliminate a perceived threat, especially one as traumatizing as one of the people who are supposed to be guaranteed to love you turning on you the way Endeavor did.

But anyway, I'm rambling at this point so in a nutshell; FUCK Horikoshi and his wishy washy writing and bitchass cop out. The end to Dabi's story is insulting at best and harmful at worst. It's very obvious that he was over My Hero, since he bulldozed over anything that would resemble a satisfying ending in regards to multiple parts of the story, but his handling of Dabi as a character is the most egregious in my opinion. I have well and truly had enough of this man (derogatory).

So now I shall move on to the man, the myth, the legend, the love of my life - you get it. Hawks. And if I'm being honest I'm not very keen on his ending either.

First of all, what ever happened to giving heroes more time to kill?

Ahem. Excuse me, getting a little heated.

Fucking give me that man, he needs to be sat down in a plush fucking armchair, with a mug of actual coffee, not that canned shit, bundled in the softest blanket money can buy, just relaxing and reading or watching a show. LET THAT MAN REST. HIS ASS HAS NO BUSINESS BEING THE PRESIDENT OF AN ORGANIZATION THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABOLISHED AT THE END. THAT'S WHAT IT FELT LIKE HORIKOSHI WAS HINTING TOWARDS THE WHOLE TIME. GET RID OF THE HERO SYSTEM. BUT NOOOOO.

To be a little more coherent (hopefully) about it. It's not to say I don't think he could do it, I just think it was one fuck of a leap. That was some Olympic level stretching, at least in my opinion. I just think that man deserves to rest. He belongs in a quiet little house in the countryside and he has a part time job at like, a local farm or something and in his spare time he volunteers all over town and preferably Dabi is there as well 🙄. Give him peace and quiet, let him rest.

I honestly don't know what would have satisfied me canon wise for his ending, but HPSC president just ain't it. Again, I feel like it was Horikoshi catching the cooties for his own work; he just wanted to be done with it so he slapped together what he thought was the most likely of scenarios and just left it at that. In a word; disappointing.

I see a lot of people saying he should have died, because out of everyone of the heroes his death would have made the most sense and had the most meaning or whatever, and I can agree with that, but I'm still glad he's not dead. It absolutely is fucked up how disproportionate the deaths were when it comes to heroes vs villains, no one can deny that. But dammit I need a win, I need a fave who ain't dead.

I think that about wraps up my thoughts without me writing a god damn dissertation. Thanks for the ask, it was a nice distraction.

[kiyomitakada]

@goldenbunniesxo thank you for asking!!!!! you've activated my trap card

the first part of this post, the parentheticals after "light," are uhh okay i didn't convey this very well but it's about how light is sort of the ideal of the somewhat mischievous but high-achieving japanese schoolboy ([raises hand] i too am an asian programmer light i get it) and is good at playing this role but does not seem entirely happy within it — "sense of wrongness in his own skin" i really should have elaborated on because yes it is a headcanon but also consider how he's drawn with his shadow separate from himself when he kills his second victim and is staring at his hands in horror; consider how he deliberately plays up his boyish charm™ around naomi and L (the tennis match) (notably he quit tennis ages ago because he didn't find it fulfilling, and is only coming back to it, a stereotypically masculine hobby, because he needs to find some pretense to be friends with L); consider how ryuk compliments him for being able to sew and light fires back by saying that all people really care about is his looks; consider how he says he'd like wings and immediately shuts down after ryuk thinks it's a joke; and you sort of see what i mean when i say he is good at inhabiting the schoolboy role but doesn't seem to like it, or at least hides away everything that doesn't conform to his perceived identity which is very much connected to his perceived gender

the second part of this post is about how he is the ideal of the japanese schoolboy and okay cards on the table i am taiwanese so i do not know the nuances of japanese culture and anyone with a better understanding than me please feel free to correct this but. i think it is significant that light has a lighter hair color than the rest of his family and that near's figurine of him is clearly white and that his name is light, in english, for god's sake. and in my experience of easian culture, if you're pale skinned there's always this Thing where people are like, wow look at you, you're so pale (this is presented as a good thing, a beauty-standards-fulfilled thing, an Exceptional thing due to colorism/racism). and since light is so pedestalized by everyone around him (his cram school teacher throws chalk at him and says that as nation-wide top student he has to pay attention, some of his college classmates are like "ugh light and ryuga act like they're too good to talk to the rest of us," etc) i can't Not see it as a factor. and i think it got to his head a little. the fact that he had to understand english to be able to read the death note rules in the first place (ryuk says it's the language that the most people on earth understand) means… something. why did he draw on western superstition for his one fake rule? like @durdurdurrrb pointed out in the replies, he's smart, and logically he should have stuck to the 4s theme. [insert unrelated tangent on whether light wanted to be caught but let's assume he didn't.] and even from a more zoomed-out level isn't it interesting that artificiality is being signified by whiteness here? i don't know! i haven't been able to draw any conclusions but there's Something There i hope i am conveying to you. on the opposite spectrum of course is the fact that light is loyal to his family, and that they are the image of the perfect nuclear family, and that soichiro in particular (who light looks up to) is like. he's like a samurai in everything but occupation. and that death note loooves its christian aesthetic but is drawing way more on shintoism and buddhism (which i know absolutely nothing about so i won't be getting into that but i know lots of other people have spoken about it before). do you see what i mean? there is a culture struggle here. it's like the death note versus light's preexisting moral code which he warps to fit the death note.

and so. the intersection of this. light yagami, who is trying so hard to look like a Regular Boy with Heterosexual Interests and Masculine Hobbies, getting whitewashed by unknown strangers who in the same breath wonder if kira is female, a question about his identity that as a matter of survival light has deliberately never thought about.

idk! would love to see light sputter in confused rage about it

light (top student) (hacker and programmer) (has always felt a sense of wrongness in his own skin) (is observed by ryuk to consistently use the concept of fate/destiny to manipulate women, a lie that he fell the hardest for himself) yagami (writes a 13-day fake rule to play on western superstition instead of sticking with the death note's theme of fours) (was definitely complimented for being "white-passing" by his teachers) (name is spelled "moon" but pronounced like the english word "light") (hollow) (hollow) (hollow) probably has very complicated feelings about the westerners assuming kira is a woman because it's a female name in english

[beatsheetromanroy]

[lokh]

also i think if roleswap laios and canon laios met theyd immediately start fighting.

[silvashapeshifter]

yes !!!! this !!!

👆‼️‼️

this is so true. i have the exact same thing with a friend, like maybe i would not buy a house or live with them H24 when i'll have the age to (well if it's to help him to get out the extremely toxic environment his family is setting for him since he's little, in that case i would be glad to host him, as long as he wants and need !!!) i meant like maybe i wouldn't live my whole life or marry or things like how romantic and also some people into a queer platonic relationship usually do. as he's a (cis) guy and i'm afab ((i don't exactly identify as a girl but i do present femininely and i'm perceived as a girl)) being close friends, and teens, people at high school ((mainly last year)) were heavily and annoyingly teasing us, saying we were a couple, and even made jokes about or said to him that he should have or had sex with me ???? like wtf??? a girl genuinely asked me if we were a couple, i calmly answered we were not and she said "okay". like yes !! ((even my parents got it faster that we were friends. how does it come that people who have been immersed in crush culture and the glorification of teenage love for much longer than we teenagers understand much more quickly than people my age that friendship between a guy and a "girl" is possible, and no, neither of us two wants to get into a relationship with the other ?))

and Anó you're so real for that. like how is love at first sight a thing ?? i personally don't get it. whenever i imagine or wanna write romance it always start with a platonic bond, because to me without friendship love just can't exist. that's my point of view and i'm not saying that's it doesn't exist, just that .... i don't get how ??

anyway i don't if it was obvious but i'm questioning myself if i'm arospec in some way, because i've never had romantic crushes (aka being romantically obsessed on someone you sometimes don't even know ??) and it's not really alloromantic from me. which is. funny. because he's ace. so at us two ((my friend and me)) we're basically the sunset flag 🧡💛🤍🩵💙 ((also we both love dragons so it may have been a sign from the start 💫🐉))

NORMALIZE PLATONIC RELATIONSHIP, BETWEEN EVERY AND ANY GENDER, FOR FUCK'S SAKE !!

🌲💚🤍🩶🖤

I do agree with it being a genuine issue that people can't fathom relationships that aren't romantic or sexual but as equally devoted to each as those ones.

It's an issue in fandom and also in real life.

I'm very very close with my best friend and I have the same level of devotion towards them as one would a romantic partner. I'd buy a house with them or raise a kid, stuff like that. But we aren't romantically/sexually involved with each other and don't ever want to be.

Also because we are physically affectionate with each other people are always asking if we are having sex or if we are dating or when are we going to date.

It's aggravating because somehow our commitment for each other is viewed as lesser because we aren't doing all that.

I do think it's how we are socialized as we are growing up that makes this an issue.

(Excuse me while I stand on my soap box about platonic physical affection) People like to forget that we are a species that not only craves physical affection but we also Need it to some degree to be healthy, like human babies will straight up perish if they aren't held enough. We don't exactly grow out of that.

(This is, of course, excluding people who don't want to be touched and such. Works the same way as a healthy food, tho it's good for you not everyone is gonna like that food or eat it.)

OH ABSOLUTELY

Unfortunately, the social norm is that romance/sex is superior by default (which is absolute bullshit), all sorts of love are of the same importance, whether romantic or platonic

I think it also comes with the lack of understanding that we have different social needs, for example, I personally can’t even understand the concept of crushes at all, (like wait, people getting romantic feelings for someone they don’t know is real?????? Love at first sight isn’t a bullshit movie thing and people actually fall in love at first sight?????)

My understanding doesn’t matter as much as my behavior does, just because I don’t understand how someone can fall in love with another person who they don’t know doesn’t mean I’ll go and tell someone with a crush that their love is invalid just because I don’t understand it personally

People on the other hand, are very comfortable telling people who aren’t romantically involved to “get on with it” or to ask invasive questions such as “when are you going to date” cause they lack the understanding that people can be just as devoted platonically as people who are devoted romantically

The difference was never the devotion, it’s just the type of love you share, and how you share it

As for physical affection, you’re absolutely right, we are social species by default but with different social needs, some people need physical affection to function, others don’t, some only need it at certain times in certain circumstances and so on

These differences between us is what makes us human, but alas, the majority think that their norm must be the norm for everyone else

Anyway, it’s so sweet to know you have your best friend, hope you guys live long happy lives, take care of yourselves, your love is just as valid and true <333333

[deathsweetblossoms]

“I think Jane Austen would like Bukowski”

I’m obsessed with this analysis of Jess’s thought process when he said this.

[daily-hanamura]

[awbjects]

Ice Cube & Book Have Always Had An Unhealthy Friendship (it's just more obvious in BFB)

Both Ice Cube and Book are put in interesting spots in BFDIA. Ice Cube is pretty much just out of his friendship with Leafy (which was obviously a whole mess) and Book, later on with FreeSmart, grows to be a total pushover, something which he later goes on to regret. It's, like, obvious that their relationship is messed up, but most of that is shown explicitly later on in BFB, and that's where a lot of people see a "regression" in their relationship; there was a change between their relationship in BFDIA and BFB that caused them to fall apart. I don't necessarily disagree with that, but I believe their relationship has always been unhealthy. BFB just pushed it to the extreme by pushing Book to his extreme. Their personalities are fundamentally incompatible, but, with Book so "toned down" by FreeSmart, he wasn't at the point where Ice Cube felt he was going too far and had to cut him off, and he couldn't really get to it and exert that much "power" because of trying to maintain Pencil's approval.

Book's a complicated character because of how much he changes for the sake of others. As this analysis focuses on BFDIA, I'll focus a lot on how he acts in regard to FreeSmart.

We only get to see his personality pre-FreeSmart very briefly, so there's not much of a concrete characterization for him, but it's still clear that FreeSmart had an impact on him and the way he acts. The most important trait of his that stays consistent throughout BFDIA and BFB is how he wants to stand up for others when they can't do it themselves. He stands up for Teardrop when Coiny tries to get her to switch to W.O.A.H. Bunch, even when he didn't know her at all, and he tries to get Fries to agree with him that what Coiny did to Teardrop was wrong. Within FreeSmart, it's also relevant that Book still wants to do what's right and help other people out, even when it would be actively hurting him and his team because the people he's helping are on other teams; he's helping out his "enemies". Something that sticks out to me is how he grows to focus more heavily on defending others, rather than defending himself, as time goes on. The best example of this is his entire deal with Ice Cube in BFB. Even as BLEH pushes him away and puts him down for his attitude towards Taco, he continues to try and "protect" Ice Cube because he prioritizes Ice Cube more than himself. From BFDIA to BFB, his focus singles in completely on Ice Cube, so much so that he's willing to hurt his reputation and turn his allies against him for Ice Cube's sake. He cares far too much for someone who doesn't feel the same about him because he's so convinced he's doing the right thing; Ice Cube and Book do not view their relationship in the same way, and that lack of understanding between the two of them plays a huge part in why they don't work out. They don't communicate with each other well enough to create proper boundaries, which is why Book keeps pushing Ice Cube until he eventually snaps in BFB 13 and feels like Book's trying to "control him" and whatnot. That's the core problem between the two of them: they don't communicate with each other because of Book's ignorance towards any of the problems between them, and Ice Cube's generally passive nature, and the fact that he doesn't see the relationship how Book does. sorry this was supposed to be a bfdia analysis

For something that's very relevant in BFDIA: Book is a pushover. BFB shows clearly that he wants to be someone who can stand up against those who are wronging his friends, and it's stated directly that this is because of FreeSmart. While there is missing context from BFDIA to BFB with IDFB only having one episode, there's enough in BFDIA to show the problems that Book faces within FreeSmart, and especially with Pencil. His status as an alternate, someone "below" the official FreeSmart members, allows him to be a pushover becuase he feels like he should be listening to the "leader" of the alliance, Pencil, because she's the one with all the power. The status as an alternate is meant to put him (and Ice Cube) down to allow Pencil to maintain her power in the alliance. Book never tries to go against Pencil's leadership, other than to defend Ice Cube when Pencil tries to make him go in the death machine (or whatever it was you know what I'm referring to.) Once again: the only thing giving him the confidence to speak up and challenge Pencil's power is his dedication to Ice Cube, and how he wants justice for him even if he won't speak up himself. Book speaking out to defend Ice Cube happens several times in BFDIA, showing a similar side to him as the one we see in BFB, the one who is so focused on protecting Ice Cube. In BFDIA 6, Book is the only one to point out the change in Ice Cube's headphones. In fact, Ruby actually brushes his observation off. It's minor, but it shows that he's still thinking about Ice Cube, even when Pencil tries to distance him from the team for her own convenience. Later, when he's confronting W.O.A.H. Bunch with the rest of FreeSmart, he specifically points on them putting the headphones onto Ice Cube. He also hugs him; physical affection is a big thing in their friendship. Book always wants to have Ice Cube close to him, both as a friend and in the literal sense. This is much more frequent in BFB (BFB 2, BFB 3, and BFB 13) but also happens in BFDIA, as I just mentioned. Book has been attached to Ice Cube, the same way he shows in BFB, throughout BFDIA; their relationship never had some major change between the two seasons. Why they were able to work out in BFDIA, and not BFB, is related heavily to how Book changed as a character by leaving FreeSmart. Leaving FreeSmart was (considering the name, ironically) incredibly freeing for him and allowed him to feel like his voice is being heard in a team for once. No comment on how true that was in BLEH (spoiler alert they ignored his ass LMAOOO that's not relevant for this but it's just funny to me). That newfound freedom, however, brought a new sense of power to him; not wanting to allow his teammates, particularly Ice Cube, to get hurt again because of his own lack of action, he tries to control as much as he can to keep everyone safe. FreeSmart, what brought Ice Cube and Book together, is ironically also what ends up tearing their relationship apart.

peep my gif

[ccbatman]

actually so evil how much of hal's internal world gets obliterated with the rewriting of his relationships with jessica and martin.