#no i must stay optimistic for the morale!!

[thirrith]

i will be complaining about brexit regularly until i get my visa application appointment (lol if i can get one at all)

[licorice-tea]

Don’t Fall In Love With Me (Yet) Pt. 2

Pairing: Trafalgar Law x reader

Content: mentions of fights/canon typical violence and weapons, sooo much pining, can be read as a stand alone or as part of the mini series, allies to friends to lovers (soon!?), etc!

Word Count: 1.5k

A/N: hmmm where do i start? i changed the pov from third to second person, (the first part was third person) the writing style of this is a little different from what i usually do but i still like it so hopefully you do to! pls enjoy and ty for reading <333

edited 1/8/24

Part 1 | Part 3

Law finds y/n leaning on the starboard railing of the Thousand Sunny.

You feel Law’s steps on the wooden planks and look over your shoulder to see him approaching. you swear you can hear your own heartbeat, and only hope that he won’t be able to hear it, too. Your thoughts are interrupted by his presence to your left. Law leans over the railing, mug of coffee in hand. A moment of silence passes while he watches you watch the sea from the corner of his eye.

“Can you even see anything?” he questions, his words coming off much harsher than intended,

A bit caught off guard, you simply respond, “Mhm, everything.” you have good vision, so you’re sort of the natural choice for keeping watch if Zoro doesn’t feel like staying up.

You can feel Law’s gaze on your profile. You can also feel your cheeks heating up, but those two things are completely independent… It doesn’t even matter though, because the darkness of the night should be enough to hide that from him.

“Are you having a good time on board the Thousand Sunny?” 

“It’s alright. You guys are really loud.” He says in a near scoff.

“Oh… Sorry about that.” Did you really bother him so much?

Law mentally kicks himself and is quick to wave a hand in front of his face apologetically, “No, I just mean… you’re all very energetic. Not you specifically, either. You’re actually really, uh…”

You wait patiently, now peering up at him through your lashes. He meets your eyes with his own, much more frantic gaze.

“You’re… nice.” He finally averts his eyes with a turn of cheek.

“Oh… thank you.” You smile to yourself. “I think you’re really nice, too.”

Law releases another scoff, though it comes off as more surprised than mean. He struggles with accurately portraying his feelings for you, who remains equally oblivious to his feelings as he does to yours. “You must be thinking of someone else.”

“Why’s that?”

“I’m not known for being nice.”

“People must not really know you, then.”

“And you do?”

“Not as much as I’d like to, but well enough.”

“… What?” He finds that you make him feel dumb sometimes, be it through quick rebuttals or patient stares.

“I just mean, we could be friends. But I understand if you don’t-“

“I do.”

“… Ok.” You grin once more.

The pair stare out to sea, and Law takes another sip of his coffee.

“How come I never see you in fights with your crew?”

“I try to stay out of the way. Plus, I don’t really like fighting in the first place- that’s not why I joined my crew. It’s more of a last resort.”

“Interesting.”

“You think so?”

“That you would rather play support than have to get into a fight? Definitely. It’s not very pirate-like.” He nearly sneers- he has certain beliefs on what a pirate should be in order to be of use to their crew.

But, ever the optimist, you simply laugh, “So I’ve been told,” you start. “I guess I’m a little… strict about my morals. Just never really want to hurt someone, you know? Even if it makes people think I’m weak, because I know I’m not.”

“At least you’re self aware.” Law begins, but for some unknown reason feels compelled to continue. To give you some little piece of himself in return for what you’ve told him. However, after he tells you, “I don’t enjoy fighting much either, I just do it to protect my crew.” he feels like he’s talking too much.

You listen intently, “And do you have a family? If you don’t mind me asking.”

He shakes his head no, “Gone.”

You nod solemnly. “Well, I’m sure they’d be proud of you.”

“Have you… lost someone?” Law immediately regrets asking such a personal question.

But, you aren't offended. “No, I’ve been lucky in that way. Though we aren’t really… We don’t… Well, we’re not close.”

“Why’s that?” he mimics your earlier question, which you pick up on and smirk at.

So you sigh; “I guess the whole running-away-with-a-pirate crew thing kind of soiled their opinion of me.”

Your eyes meet again after your confession, and after a moment of silence, you both break out in laughter. Except, Law’s is more of just the shake of his shoulders, while you actually laugh.

“It’s not funny-” Law says through broken exhales.

“No, it’s really not!” you shake your head, still caught in a fit of giggles.

Eventually you both still yourselves, and Law concentrates on his half empty mug while you look up at the stars above head. Then you look at him from the corner of their eye, just for a split second, but find his eyes are already trained on you. So you offer a smile, like always, and go back to star gazing. Another moment passes, and your enjoyment of conversation gets the best of you.

“What’s it like living in a submarine?” Law raises a brow and gives a sidelong glance at your question. “Don’t you miss land and the sky when you’re down there?”

“Yeah. I miss land sometimes, I guess.”

You explore the answer to your question further by standing up on the ledge before you, and leaning over the railing to look down into the waves being split by the Thousand Sunny. It’s not a particularly dangerous stunt at all- there’s the floor, a 3 inch raised ledge, and the railing on top of it. When you stand on it, your height is barely altered; that’s how non perilous what you are doing is, for context. You simply want to lean over to see the waves.

But Law’s hand shoots out to grasp your shoulder, acting as a tether. You look at him with a concerned expression, which turns into a smirk. You could stay up there, maybe even turn and lift yourself slightly to sit on the railing itself, but you decide to come back down to the floor on your heels instead of giving the surgeon something else to stress over. Law then pulls his hand back rigidly and scratches the back of his neck with near painful awkwardness due to his sudden display of concern for your safety.

“I don’t think I could trip all the way over the railing unless I tried.” You tease.

“No, I- I know.” he coughs. Did he really just stutter?

“See? You are nice. You care.” you punctuate your statement with a smirk and the side to side tilt of their head. An occasional habit that, if someone were around you often enough to witness, they would know signified a feeling of triumph.

Law is at a loss for words at the moment, thoughts clouded by the growing warmth in his chest that seems to fluctuate up and down his neck and face, but never disappears completely when he’s around you.

“Sure.” he takes to mumbling again.

“You know, I really like having you here with us.”

“…You do?”

“Yeah. I love the other Straw Hats of course, but… I don’t know, you’re different.”

“You’re different from my crew, too.”

“Oh yeah? In a good way, I hope.”

Law shrugs, “Yeah.” He pauses, then mutters something under his breath. “In a good way.”

You’d blurt out your feelings here and now, if it were anyone else. But this is Law, and you kind of like him a lot, so you want to do things right. Besides, that would probably only scare him away- he seems like the kind of man who carefully works his way up to a relationship. With a friendly smile, you accept his statement. Because now that you know he considers you a friend at the very least, and more than likely shares your affections… you’re in no rush.

The night goes by quickly in his company, and soon enough you spot the golden rays of the sun peaking over the horizon.

“We should do this again sometime,” you tell him as the sun starts to climb higher into the sky (quicker than you’d like), “I had fun talking to you.”

Law nods, “Just let me know when you’re keeping watch,” he waves over his shoulder as he walks away, “I’ll be there.��

And when he makes it back to the privacy of his room, Law replays the night in his head. Over and over and over again, until he comes to a not-so-shocking conclusion. “Shit:”

“I’m falling for y/n.”

[white-shadow25]

Hi, can we have an scenario with Fem!Reader and True Noah Tyki form? Like the reader (also his lover) thought that he will hurt or kill her in this form, only to be forced to cuddle with him on floor, while purring in deep and loud voice 🤭

I am so, so sorry about how long it took me to get into writing ಥ‿ಥ Honestly, I was kind of sick when the requests started coming in, I think, I'm not sure of the exact dates but it must been pretty much close to it.

Moral of the story, don't have COVID and dengue altogether, you will suffer.

(Also I wanted to thank those who sent me nice words, I've been wanting to answer since I received them but I was too weak and have been thinking about it since then but just never answer.)

Now, in more optimistic news, I write something! I translated it with the help of ChatGPT, (I write in a pretty bad Span-English most of the time) it was far more quickly than it usually takes me to translate things, and with my very limited English knowledge, I would say is fine, if you notice something's off let me know so I'll never use it again  (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

Two days passed since the Ark incident. Two days in which Tyki hadn’t awakened. You stayed by his side the entire time, sitting in a chair next to his bed. You hardly slept; he didn't allow you to. Every now and then, you would hear him, and it broke your heart to see him writhing in pain in bed, his moans and groans keeping you alert.

In these two days, you hadn't been able to get rid of the oppression in your chest that’s been overwhelming you since Adam returned to the new Ark with Tyki slung over his shoulder. Your mouth had gone dry, and your stomach churned. You rushed to them, and the Earl told you what had happened in a more optimistic tone than you would have liked to hear at that moment. He left Tyki in your care, fully trusting that you could handle it alone, and then he left, leaving you with the unconscious Noah. Since then, you've stayed by his side, wiping the sweat from his face and managing to feed and give him water.

Road visited you, but you noticed something was off about her. Her movements seemed oddly calculated, her eyes lacked their usual sparkle, her voice was weak, and you were sure her hair color dulled occasionally. You deduced that she hadn't come out of the battle unscathed and was tired, whether much or little. You sent her to recover, and somewhat reluctantly, she obeyed, not without warning you to be careful, the man you were caring for so lovingly might not be your partner. After reminding you to call her or Sheryl in case of an emergency, she left.

A growl brought you back to reality. Tyki was trembling, curled up. You dampened a clean cloth in fresh water and tried to uncover his face, which he kept hidden under the blankets.

"Tyki?" you asked, leaning over him on the bed. "Love?"

The Noah's growls grew louder, and in a movement you didn't fully understand, you fell to the floor along with the chair you had been anchored to for the past two days. The blankets moved as if there were a fight underneath, and you knew what it was.

The tentacles were not new to you; you had seen them before, hours after the Earl returned with Tyki, to be exact. You had already learned not to get too close in those moments. The small cut on your right palm started to bother you—a mark that would stay as a reminder of the first incident, a visible and tangible sign of the lesson learned.

Without standing up, you slowly crawled away from the bed. You sat in the corner near the door in case you needed to leave, and with your eyes fixed on the movement of the sheets, you waited. The growls intensified, the sheets tore, and the tentacles waved, twisted, and abruptly stopped. You could see how the Noah's back slowly straightened. His hair, now long, cascaded from his shoulders, and you couldn't help but shiver. The cold silence of the room chilled your bones. Your trembling fingers tried to grip the wooden floor, scratching it. In a blink, the Noah's figure towering above you.

And you could see his golden eyes. Those eyes you had seen thousands of times before, the same eyes that not long ago looked at you with the love and tenderness of the most devoted lover, now stared at you coldly and expressionlessly. This wasn’t Tyki.

You automatically understood the situation. You scanned the room frantically with your gaze, looking for Lero, but he wasn't there. Your breath caught, your heart stopped, and you bit your lips to stifle the small sob that fear had left in your throat.

You slipped a hand under the skirt of your dress; you had some talismans hidden in your stockings for emergencies, thinking, you could stop Joyd long enough to find Lero and improvise from there.

With a rough shove, the Noah pulled you from the corner and dragged you to the carpet in the center of the room while you took out the talismans and hid them in your sleeve. Before you could even remember the spell to use them, Joyd straddled you, a predatory smile on his lips and a sadistic gleam in his eyes. He leaned closer, buried his face in the crook of your neck, and inhaled deeply. Suddenly, the atmosphere changed. You could see his posture relax, starting with the muscles in his shoulders followed by his back. He rested his forehead on your shoulder and slid his arms around your waist, hugging you tightly and nuzzling into your chest.

You waited for him to do something else, but that something never came.

"Tyki?" you asked again. Your shoulders tensed involuntarily when you heard him growl. "Joyd!" you corrected yourself immediately. "Joyd, Joyd," you repeated. "I'm sorry."

He nuzzled against you a bit more, and you couldn't help but giggle. Moved by tenderness, you hugged him back, and you could swear he started to purr.

It wasn't Tyki who controlled the body, but it was his body, and you remembered this when moved by instinct, you planted a soft kiss on his forehead before cuddling him to your chest. His body was so familiar that touching it felt easy, natural, right.

You stayed embraced for a while, the tik-tok of the clock and the loud growls of Joyd lured you to rest until he lifted his face slightly, just enough for your eyes to meet. And there it was. They were still the same golden eyes but now shone with an affection you knew by heart.

"Name?" Tyki asked in a husky voice. His eyes were half-closed, like someone who had just woken up.

"Yes?" you whispered, holding his gaze, your voice a fragile and warm murmur. A sound that felt comforting in the cold silence of the dark room.

He buried his face in your chest again. "Nothing," he sighed. He was too tired and in too much pain to think. The warmth and comfort of your embrace kept him sleepy and calm.

You slid a hand through his hair, lulling him, while the other traced circles on his back.

"I'm glad to hear you again."

[dreamingofthewild]

I don't have any skin in the game so I probably don't have the authority to comment on this. But I find it weird how some people in the fandom put Wyll, Karlach, and Halsin on a pedestal for having come out of their abusive situations with their morals and humanity intact.

If you prefer the perfect "good guys", there is nothing wrong with that. I also enjoy stories about hero's who despite everything they have been through never lose themselves. But you can't expect everyone to walk out of a traumatic situation with a smile on their face a love for humanity immediately.

What are we saying that, if bad things happen to someone that they must remain optimistic and kind? Astarion, Lae'zel and Shadowheart are still worth saving.

I mean, Astarion can show that he is capable of changing if your character can show him empathy and kindness. Afterall, not helping him heal is how you get the ending where he continuous the cycle of abuse. Often people are quick to discard 'difficult' people rather than attempting to help them, and so they fall back into bad habits. Then that is used as 'proof' that the person is a monster.

No one is born evil. Either like Lae'zel and Shadowheart the environment that someone grew up in can affect their behaviour, or like Astarion, having all their fundamental needs stripped away. I am not saying that this excuses their behaviour but is explains it. And in real life I get that people don't always change, but this instance, they can depending on the choices that you make.

I have also mentioned before how Gale is weirdly considered morally corruptible by some because he chooses to stay with the PC after killing the tieflings as opposed to not dying. He is not giving in to evil here or showing that he is weak willed. Considering the bomb he has in his chest is his bending of his morals so that he doesn't turn into a mindflayer and explode everyone really a an evil choice?

Not to mention how he is villainised for a mistake he made where he had good intentions. Gale is one of the "good guys". His desire to survive at all costs and his ambition do not make him a bad person. With the orb he made a mistake, but he does not deserve to be punished for his lack of wisdom and curiosity there.

There is nothing wrong with liking good characters who always make the right decision, who always do no wrong, and who always remain hopeful no matter what happens to them. But I am critical of how the complex, morally ambiguous and not perfect characters are sometimes treated in the fandom. A character is not bad because they are messy and human.

I am not saying that everyone has to help them, but it's just recognising that they are all abuse victims and they all react to that abuse differently. I'm not saying that the ones who don't change are boring but it's weird to put them on a pedestal and claim that they are better because they are 'nice' from the get go and continue to be always do the good thing no matter what happens.

I guess I also love stories of redemption and the complexity of human nature.

[bloodredfountainpen]

The Name

Sequel to ‘The Gift’

Masterlist

Contains/CW: pet whump, bbu adjacent, caretaker new master, morally dubious caretaker, fear of torture/punishment

G-22985 was trying to stay optimistic. Master was ignoring him, which was better than whatever punishment he was sure was waiting for him soon. Still, it was hard to ignore the pit in his empty stomach, and it was so hard not to imagine what types of punishments this Master would use on him. He hoped it would be something tame, like the simple beating Master Liam always favored, but Master didn’t seem like the brutish type, so G-22985 feared that it would be something much worse. If I were still with Master Liam, I’d surely be bleeding by now, he told himself silently, That’s something to be thankful for, right?

He stayed perfectly still as Master fiddled with his phone, savoring these painless minutes while Master ignored him. Being ignored was the best outcome, all things considered, he sure didn’t want Master’s attention, which only ever lead to pain.

His knees and ankles ached, but that pain was nothing compared to what he was in for, so he ignored the urge to change to a more comfortable position. Technically Master had said he was allowed, but he knew better than to trust anyone anymore. This was just another test, one which G-22985 refused to fail.

Mind over matter, he repeated for the millionth time in his life, I’ll hold this position as long as it keeps me safe. He didn’t know where that mantra came from, but it had gotten him through every torture that had been levied against him since he first woke up on that operating table. Every trial and test, every challenge, every ounce of pain. So long as his mind remained strong, he could endure.

———————————————————————

The doorbell rang, and Anthony met the delivery girl at the door. Thankfully for Anthony, he was able to angle the door to keep his new inconvenience hidden. It had taken the pizza a half hour to arrive, and in that time, the Pet hadn’t moved a single muscle insofar as Anthony could tell. However, when the pizza’s scent began to permeate the living room, he thought he caught the Pet’s posture perk up slightly.

Anthony carefully set the pizza down in front of the still motionless Pet, then toon his place across from him as he opened up the cardboard box. “Don’t pretend you aren’t hungry, I know you want some of this, and you’re welcome to it, but you have to actually sit up and take it,” he instructed. He didn’t want to starve the Pet by any means, but food was what motivated Anthony, so it was a safe bet that food would motivate the Pet to uncurl himself as well.

Sure enough, after a few moments, the Pet knelt up, shoulders still hunched and trying to seem small, with wide and uncertain eyes. He hesitantly took a slice, which was devoured almost instantly.

“Thank you, Master,” the Pet muttered, still refusing to make eye contact.

Before the Pet could return to his position, Anthony cut in, “Wait, stay up please. I know you’re not going to believe me, but I really don’t want to hurt you, I just want to talk.”

The Pet’s stomach loudly growled, and he further folded in on himself in shame. “You can have as many pieces as you want, you know?” Anthony asked, no longer surprised by the Pet’s unending disregard for himself.

———————————————————————

As many as I want? Did G-22985 hear that right? Surely not, he must have heard Master wrong. Another test? But, he seems annoyed with me, so maybe not. Only one way to find out, I guess.

He weighed the risk of failing yet another test against the risk of annoying Master, and both of those against his now wetted hunger. In the end, his hunger won out, and ever so carefully, he went to grab another slice of pizza. Master didn’t stop him, and he wolfed it down, gratitude filling his chest, before a jolt from his training brought him back to reality. Greedy, aren’t you ‘985? Be careful, no one wants a greedy Pet.

“So, Pet, do you have a name?” Master asked, and G-22985 had no idea what Master meant. A name? That was something people had, not Pets. Though, he recalled, sometimes Masters would call their Pets something other than their designation for convenience’s sake.

“My designation is G-22985, but I will respond and obey however you wish to refer to me,” he parroted, the response was the standard he’d been taught. He secretly hoped that he wouldn’t be given a designation too degrading, which of course he knew was a bad thought, but he’d been bad so many times already, one little thought in the privacy of his own head couldn’t make his situation any worse.

“Well, I’m not calling you a string of numbers. Pick something, anything, whatever you want to be called, I’ll use it,” Master commanded.

———————————————————————

The Pet got a panicked look on his face and took a quick look around, his gaze landing on the tree in his apartment complex’s courtyard.

“C-Cedar. Is Cedar alright with you, Master?” The Pet- Cedar now, he supposed- asked, still seeking reassurance, his voice taking on a familiar quiver as he, for the third time within a few minutes, curled in on himself in a futile attempt to look small.

“Yeah, Cedar’s fine. It’s good, actually. Cedar. Good choice.” Anthony tried to reassure Cedar because referring to this whole ass person as ‘the Pet’ had gotten a bit weird, and Anthony was grateful to have something at all to call his charge.

Now then, the next step would be the hardest, because the only place Anthony had for Cedar to sleep was the pullout couch, and he knew that convincing Cedar to sleep on it was going to be a headache and a half.

@maenr

[kingdubman]

I like how Low is described as hopeful, and he's basically the most experienced one, staying years in the Nowhere. You know how Six lost her innocence and morality after going through so much? We don't know how long she has been in the Nowhere, but Low has been there for YEARS and never lost hope. He's must have seen a lot and went through a lot, but he's still trusting of other's, seeing how he's best friends with Alone.

Plus, he shows childlike innocence in the clothes he wears. Do you know how most children think about being some type of superhero? Well, Low looks like he's trying to look like one, and I also think the braclet he wears on his leg is something to remind of him of his home, playing into the hopeful, optimistic personality.

Also, I've noticed how when Low and Alone come out of the mirror, Alone is the one to break it, and seeing how Low is the only one with powers, he doesn't care and still brings her along, knowing once they go through, they can never go back, really selling it as they're in it together.

The trailer music and the description of facing your childhood fears makes me feel like Low might be meant for something special, seeing how his powers are related to mirrors and mirrors seem to be raleted to the main antagonist, or character we haven't seen yet.

Low is definitely my favorite so far, and I hope he doesn't leave his friend behind to find an exit, but I also hope he doesn't sacrifice himself for his friend if it comes down to it, but knowing little nightmares, it could be something much worse. ( God, I hate repeated bad endings, it tugs on my heartstrings. Can't have shit in the Nowhere.)

[loveteruko]

my predictions (bingo?) for drdt, chapter 2 culprit and also everything beyond, because i'm hyped, and why not!!

the original version of this post was too long and i was yapping. it felt like i was saying everything there is to say, but also nothing of real importance, so i decided to throw everything here, without all my overcomplicated rambling (some stayed though), and hope for the best that this will satisfy the fixated monster in me that needs to get my thoughts out there. also it will be fun to see in the future what was right or wrong.

so, for all of these predictions, please assume that my reasoning is either:

theorists made such well put together points that i checked the evidence on my own while also overanalysing the heck out of it and now i'm convinced

there's not much concrete proof but i think it would make narrative sense, or it would be a great direction for some character's development from what we've already seen of them

i don't even know but sometimes we just vibe and sometimes things are real in our hearts

funny thing is that i find drdt so interesting with how it handles its themes, how it foreshadows, establishes, and resolves, that i'm not actually certain about any of these. my mind wants to analyse it like it's a standard danganronpa game, like it's easy to predict smaller plot points because of the obvious bigger picture, but the special thing about drdt is that i have no idea what the whole bigger picture really is. all i know is that we're focused on trust and distrust, and we will surely follow that path, but i actually have no idea what else is in store. and i'm rambling again but bear with me. point is: i like the writing for drdt and i know i'm not prepared for whatever will be happening later down the line.

so now, for my small predictions bingo:

as most of the community on tumblr thinks, eden and levi are culprit and possible accomplice. that's the part i'm almost sure of, one of them is getting executed. i, however, am not sure who played which role. i'd like to think levi is the one who came up with most of the plan to help eden win the trial, and he's the one with the secret of killing before the killing game (which arei got), but i can't tell why exactly eden would kill arei. eden is not secretly evil. logically there should be some trick here, or it was an accident, but the eden thing to do would be to immediately admit she did it. unless that's where levi comes into play, and he's the one who pulled even more strings, not only setting up the crime scene, but also getting eden to play along. which makes me think eden would still be the one qualified as the blackened, then levi gets to blame himself and gets sick development or whatever. and maybe he lives to try to kill or at least beat the shit out of ace but ace will not die. let's say i'm going with that. eden is the culprit

whit has some special role. he's either the mastermind, or traitor, or key to ending the game, or whatever you want to call it. there's something off about whit with how he seems to know too much

rose sleeps a lot so i think there must be a point in time where someone uses that to accuse or even frame her for murder. although i don't think she will ever get killed when sleeping. i think she's going to be a survivor

ace won't be a victim, and he doesn't seem like a culprit either, so by process of elimination he needs to survive the game

david is not evil or malicious at heart, it's his depression talking. we're dealing with someone burnt out from keeping up his optimistic persona. all this act is self-sabotage and self-deprecation. he cared for arei and now he's spiraling. he will get better though, trust

i know i already talked about chapter 2 culprit but quick hu mention: she is not the culprit simply because i have no idea what her character really is yet. all i know is she is morally grey and she will not die yet because she needs to interact with nico, david, and others some more

arturo is not going to make friends with anyone other than maybe veronica, because everyone hates him, BUT he will not die that soon. i can feel him surviving at least one more chapter just out of spite. if he dies, it's not earlier than chapter four

j will not kill and she will not survive to the end. she will be a victim. my guess is chapter 3, for no particular reason.

contrary to the two points above, there's an alternate scenario i have in mind, with arturo dying next chapter and j being accused, but still innocent. and she would still become a victim later in the game, probably chapter four

veronica is too much of a wild card but if i were to predict something regarding her role... IF she was a blackened (and i can't tell if she will be), she wouldn't be all that happy or excited about it. there would be some reflection on her part. some subtle commentary on how enjoyment of darker media doesn't, or shouldn't, equal supporting or resorting to real violence. also basically everyone in the fandom agrees her secret is the one about harming herself just to feel something. this ties to what i said, i think. maybe she would kill to test herself, but taking a life will not bring her contentment

teruko will trust less before she learns to trust more (especially if eden really will die), but if there's someone she will learn to trust first, it's going to be charles. if she gets a "pep talk" about trust, it's somehow going to be from david. one asshole to another type of conversation where he's trying to help because he does genuinely care for his classmates

nico will not try to kill anyone again, but they also won't survive

this is probably all, i don't know because i wrote this at night and fell asleep. if anyone other than me stayed to read this, thank you for coming to my ted talk

[mejomonster]

I like Captain Archer to be honest. I think his only truly awful moments are Very due to bad writing choices in certain episodes. (Just like say Picard is generally quite consistently a good captain in TNG except when due to Very bad writing choice in particular episodes).

I think he strikes a nice balance between Kirk and Picards traits of aspiring to be the Best kindest leader aspiring to help, and the ruthless pragmatic actions Sisko had to take due to the nature of his situation in a station and during war.

Like Picard, Archer is very optimistic and has really high hopes for Starfleet. He's a hopeful leader: he wants to help victims of abuse (and as there's no prime directive yet, he often Chooses to interfere because it's ultimately him deciding if the Enterprise crew can deal with the consequences of interfering and he wants to HELP if they can). He gives Andorians a chance, he wants to make allies for humans. He wants to aspire to fairness, even if it means calling out Vulcan allies if they do something like lie to another alien species. He wants to support T'Pol, even if Starfleet would prefer he doesn't. He wants to embody the kind of world he wants to help build: kind, tolerant, wanting to learn and grow, helpful, curious. He wants to offer to help the aliens they run into, offer them a meal and get to know them. And he's free to carry out these ideals more than Kirk or Picard necessarily could, because there Are not as many regulations or protocol yet, he's THE first captain out here deciding what example he's going to set as the kind of behavior he hopes humans (and Starfleet) will continue on. He wants to aspire to all this, to meet the universe as the best humanity has to offer and aspire to.

But he's also... the first captain doing this. The early episodes he tries SO valiantly to stick to a perfect ideal. Its not reasonable, not even totally for captains later like Kirk. Its not reasonable for Archer either. There ARE times the only safe way to get through a situation, is to lie. And lie he does! He recognizes sometimes he has to lie intensely, imply things which are false, bluff that he'll do something, manuevers Kirk took in emergencies but that Archer needs to do MORE often because... its just Enterprise out there. No help is coming, no friendly ally location to run to. It's more like Sisko in some ways... he cannot resolve the huge dilemas of trying to maintain peace, of trying to get through wars, by never lying or manipulating. We see Sisko in episode 1 of DS9 blackmail Quark to stay on the station so businesses stay, we see Sisko deal with a military fighting the provisional government and kidnap Kira! With a cardassian spy and random demands sent through Julian! We see constant pressure from Cardassia, Bajor, and the Federation to fulfill contradictory demands, Sisko can't sit on the moral high ground of pure honesty and nobility without risking severe consequences. Where Sisko is required to solve things flexibly because DS9 is in the middle of it all, Archer must solve things flexibly because he is out in the Unknown and there are no other humans out there to handle the problems that come up or their consequences. Sure yes, issues Kirk dealt with in new unknown parts of space. But Archer deals with it more, especially as they go into the Expanse and there's no longer even vulcans to reach out to.

I like how Archer is in some ways a balance between those, being both extremely idealistic in the kind of leader he wants to be (where even Picard or Kirk might be more pragmatic and look to protocol), and also completely ready to bend rules and lie and manipulate if its what the situation requires. (I also think thats why others tend to Fall for his lies more often: he's usually so noble intentioned that if you just met him, its a surprise that he would manipulate you instead, and a surprise that allows him to get the crew out of various situations when he tries the noble honest route and it goes to shit).

[your-divine-ribs]

Red Part 5

Words: 2.6k

No warnings for this part but maybe Red Van should come with his own warning ❤️

I’m excited to bring back the Halloween party again, loved writing the next few chapters xxx

Red Masterlist Main Masterlist

"I don't know what I did to deserve you Y/N. Must have been something pretty special."

"Oh, I don't know about that..."

You're applying a slick of glossy pink to your lips, appraising your reflection in the mirror whilst your boyfriend watches on from his position stretched out on the bed. His words reach you, causing your gut to clench, an involuntary reaction to his praise. You force a smile, aware that he can see your reflection but you don't turn around. Not even when he rises up from the bed and comes to stand behind you, his hands resting gently on your hips and his chin hovering over your shoulder. You just carry on looking at your joint reflection, the caring, devoted boyfriend and the conniving, sneaky girlfriend, the image wracking you through with guilt, so much so that you can't stand it, twisting out of his embrace and stepping to the side, mumbling that you have lots of things to do before the party guests arrive.

Larry lets you go.

If he's noticed the change in your behaviour the past few weeks then he hasn't said anything, he just goes about his daily life the way he always handles things, with a spring in his step and a smile on his lips, the eternal optimist who never lets things get him down. But then, why would he fret that he has anything to worry about with regards to your relationship? As far as he's concerned you're as much in love as you have been all these years, and why should he think any different? Why should he suspect that his sweet, loving girlfriend and his loyal childhood best friend would be playing such a dangerous game? And you do still love him, you really do, but, as you're beginning to realise, your moral compass is severely impaired, the thoughts of a clandestine, sleazy hook up with Van consuming your every waking moment, the temptation too strong to turn away from. But you have to try...

The downstairs of the house is decorated just right. Creepy cobwebs and tacky Halloween props adorn every available surface, the lighting dim and subdued, provided by the eerie flicker of the fake candles that you've purchased. You look around, satisfied with your handiwork, untwisting a bottle of vodka and pouring a large measure into the cauldron themed punch-bowl.

The guests are due to start arriving in around ten minutes and you're all set so you take the opportunity to pour yourself a glass of wine, taking a large gulp and leaning back against the kitchen counter. Your reflection in the glass door of the microwave looks back at you, the sparkling halo that's nestled in the soft waves piled up on your head glittering in the dim light. You're an angel, dressed in virginal white although not entirely purely in a figure-hugging dress which compliments your figure, the bodice shaped perfectly to show off your enviable curves and the skirt long and flowing but cut daringly right up to the thigh.

It was weeks before that you'd put together your outfit and it was probably more fitting back then. Now the notion that you could be anything close to angelic just seems absurd. But you could be. You can put things right. You've not gone far enough that you can’t backtrack and turn this whole situation around, put an end to this treacherous flirtation with Van and ask him to stay far away from you. No... not ask him. Tell him to stay away. In no uncertain terms.

You wonder what he'll come dressed as tonight. He's kept pretty tight-lipped about his outfit, but knowing him he'll make minimal effort for the occasion.

"How long d'ya reckon that halo's gonna stay intact for tonight then, Y/N?"

The presence in the doorway wrenches you out of your thoughts and you whip your head up just in time to see Van entering the kitchen and your eyes widen and your jaw drops agape.

You've got to be fucking kidding me...

You're right about the minimal effort, but that's just the thing with Van. He doesn't have to try very hard and yet he still somehow manages to shine. He's dressed in his signature skinny black jeans and a deep burgundy shirt which is unbuttoned down to mid-chest, his gold pendant catching the light. You wouldn't know he was attending a Halloween soirée if it wasn't for the set of shiny red devil's horns perched on top of his head, but they compliment his wicked smile perfectly, a sinful sparkle in his eye as he lets his gaze rake slowly down over your body and back up, taking his time, leaving you in no doubt of his unholy intentions.

You try to maintain a neutral expression, raising an eyebrow like you're not at all impressed even though the mere sight of him is enough to set your pulse racing.

"Well look who it is... the devil himself."

Van doesn't get chance to answer before Bondy pushes past him into the kitchen. In typical Bondy fashion he's really gone to town, skin daubed a ghastly green, ridiculous wig on his head, he's even painted his fingernails for the occasion you notice as he reaches into the fridge to retrieve a bottle of beer.

"Alright guys and ghouls!" He grins, looking between you and Van and then back to you again, shooting you a cheeky wink. "Looking good Y/N. I must say that halo really suits you. I never had you pegged as the angelic type!"

"Thanks John," you smile back, ignoring Van who's nearly spat a mouthful of beer across the kitchen trying to hide a snigger as a cough. "So what have you come as then?"

"Johnny Ramone... on loan from the pet cemetery... for one night only!"

"You look great... really good. And it's so good to see that some people have made an effort anyway. Not like Van's shit attempt!"

You look past Bondy, giving Van a pointed look and he shrugs.

"Think I look pretty good actually," he counters which earns him a sarcastic huff from you.

"Not very original though is it? In fact it's actually pretty crap. Zero imagination!"

"And what makes you think I give a shit about what you think huh?"

His tone is cold now as he scowls at you from across the top of his beer bottle and a warm glow of satisfaction sparks in you. He's so used to getting his ego massaged that he can't stand criticism.

"For fucks sake you two, I thought Larry said you'd made up?"

You've almost forgotten that Bondy's there even though he's standing right next to you. You're too busy glaring at Van, holding his steely gaze, trying to turn as much of the self-loathing that you currently feel for desiring him into hatred. But try as you might, you just can't ignore the fact that as much as he infuriates you, you still want to launch yourself at him and tear at his clothes.

"It's not like I'm not trying mate, but you see what I have to put up with, it's bloody constant!" Van complains, like he's the innocent party in all of this and that just grates on you even more.

"Fucking dickhead," you mumble under your breath, watching Bondy backing away, shaking his head in puzzlement at where your sudden scathing attack has come from.

"I'm outta here guys..."

You decide that it's probably a good time to retreat yourself, satisfied that you've wound Van up enough, your pulse quickening as you see the flash of anger in his eyes.

"What was that?"

He advances on you so you whirl around quickly, turning for the doorway that Bondy's just walked through but you stumble on your heels, sending you lurching over to the side. As first you think he's reaching for you to steady you, but it soon becomes clear that he's not. He uses the momentum you've picked up to drive you back against the wall, hard, your back crashing against it with enough force to make you gasp.

"What did you fucking say?"

He's looming over you now, eyes blazing whilst he stares you down, but you don't feel intimidated. Not in the slightest. You just feel hugely fucking turned on. It doesn't matter that you're in the kitchen of the house he shares with your boyfriend which is rapidly filling with party guests who could walk in at any moment. You just want to push him even further. You want to see what happens when you push him to breaking point. Tempt him to pin you up against the wall in anger and take his frustrations out on you whilst he rails you into oblivion.

"You heard me. I said... you're a… fucking… dickhead."

You draw out your words, finishing your statement with a smirk, intended to provoke and it works. Van's lips curl into a smile too, but there's no warmth in it, just anger with a large dose of smugness at his perceived upper hand. He quickly raises a hand to catch your chin just under the jaw, pressing your head back against the wall. The sexual tension radiating off him is almost palpable and you can feel it too, a steady throb pulsing between your thighs as he brings his face close to yours.

"You'd better watch that dirty mouth of yours angel, or it's gonna get you into trouble."

Fuck... you want so badly to grasp at his hips and push your body up against his. You can hear voices in the hallway, the sound of greetings being exchanged as guests start to arrive. You need to stop this now, but you just can't help yourself.

"Oh, really? What you gonna do huh? If you want me to shut up you're gonna have to make me!"

"Oh I fucking will..."

"Van mate! Where are ya? Sophie's just turned up!"

Larry's voice rings out and you realise that he's close, he's literally on the other side of the door, and you suck in a breath as Van releases you in a flash, stepping away and shooting you a warning glare before he reaches for the door handle, his angry demeanour instantly dissipating as if it was never there at all.

And then your ardour is cooled in the blink of an eye as Van draws open the door to reveal Sophie standing there looking pristine and perfect, her glossy brunette mane cascading from under a wide brimmed witches hat, her soft curves accentuated perfectly by the slinky black dress that she's barely wearing. Van's eyes nearly pop out of his head and you feel a sharp stab of jealously piercing your heart in a way which is totally unexpected. It leaves you stunned for a moment as you watch her reaching for him and pulling him into a hug, leaning back a moment later to reveal a cherry-red puckered lip-print on his cheek.

"Oops I've got lippy all over you!" She giggles, raising a hand up to wipe it off but Van catches her wrist to stop her, beaming at her in a way which just twists the dagger in your heart.

"Nah, leave it love, I reckon it just adds to my outfit." Then he turns to you, brazenly smug smile turned up to full wattage. "What d'ya reckon Y/N? Is it an improvement?" Then back to Sophie. "She said I looked shit!"

You bite back a savage remark and force your lips into a sweet smile with just a hint of bitterness that only Van will notice, practically gritting your teeth as you notice Sophie's arm curl around Van's waist as she nestles into his side.

"Really?" Her eyes are wide with disbelief as she looks between you and Van, her eyes lingering appreciatively on him. "Well I think you look great... as always. You always look gorgeous!"

You reach for your wine glass, swallowing the contents down with yet another snide remark which is desperate to burst forth, letting out a dramatic sigh instead. "Gods sake, don't inflate his ego, he won't be able to fit through the door at this rate!"

Sophie laughs loudly. "Well he might look good, but look at you! I absolutely love your dress! You look amazing... doesn't she Van?"

Van opens his mouth to speak but Sophie doesn't give him chance, she's gushing in a way which makes you think she's probably already indulged in a few drinks before the party's even started.

"In fact I need to get a photo... of the two of you. The angel and the devil. It's perfect! Come on... come on guys!"

She unwraps her arm from around Van as she speaks, pushing him towards you, waving her phone around in her other hand, conducting you both into place. You just stand there, furtively glancing at Van, cringing inside as Sophie babbles on excitedly about how good you both look together and how she wishes she'd chosen a similar outfit to yours.

She snaps a few shots of you both standing stiffly, shoulder to shoulder, glancing at her phone screen with a little frown on her face, before she's holding it up again. "Come on, it's a party! At least look like you're having fun! Come on, get a bit closer!" She waves a hand to demonstrate. "Put your arm around her Van. Smile Y/N!"

She's drunk... definitely drunk. In fact she seems plastered. She wobbles slightly in her heels, giggling again.

"Don't look so worried Y/N. He's got gonna corrupt a sweet little angel like you!"

You force out a giggle of your own at her comment, cringing as you feel Van's arm snake around your waist, fingers splayed wide as he holds you firmly, pulling you to him in a tight embrace.

"Ah shit!"

Sophie's squeal is loud and piercing as her phone slips from her fingers, clattering on to the kitchen tiles. You watch, amused, as she lurches forward to grab for it, miscalculating and managing to kick it even further across the floor with the toe of her stiletto.

"Oops!"

"Christ! How many you had?" Van exclaims.

He doesn't make a move to help her though, sighing deeply instead, muttering something unintelligible under his breath. You suppose you should really assist her, stumbling drunk as she is, but you don't. Instead you feel a wicked sense of glee at Van's obvious disapproval, enjoying the fact that his arm's still locked around you whilst his date is left helplessly floundering.

"Are ya pissed already love?"

Larry's entered the kitchen now with an empty beer bottle in hand, searching for a refill. More chivalrous than Van, he instantly stoops down to help Sophie retrieve her phone, their heads clashing as they both move forward in unison. Laughter erupts from both of them as they stagger backwards, completely distracted now from you and Van.

And you should be moving away, you really should. You've spent far too long lingering in the kitchen, stoking the fires of this dangerous attraction when you should be avoiding Van altogether. But there's something that excites you about the way he's holding you firmly, his fingers gently kneading at your hip. It's a subtle gesture but it's sending flurries of exhilaration through you. Maybe it's the fact that Sophie and Larry are right in front of you and completely oblivious, caught up in laughing at their silly mishap. Unmindful of the fact that Van's tilted his head to the side to whisper softly into your ear, his breath ticking your skin in a way that makes you shiver.

"Tonight Y/N. I gotta have you."

[beevean]

I'm interested in your views on Sonic as a character. Which games or other media stay true to his core character?

Sonic is cool :)

And I don't mean just cool in a "totally radical" way, or in a "look how awesome his feats are!" way. It's just... he's a friend. He's supportive and optimistic and a full believe in the Superpower of Teamwork™, cocky yet polite, helping others because that's just what he wants to do. Sonic has no moral code, he doesn't operate on hero logic: he does good because he wants to do good, it ain't that deep fam. This is why IDW's portrayal of his as someone who has strong principles about freedom is just OOC - it's not a principle! It's not something that holds him back! He will kick your ass and imprison you in a lamp for all eternity if you proved yourself to be unredeemable! But then you contrast this with how he rejects Tikal's plan of sealing Chaos in the Master Emerald again because that won't make its anger vanish. giving him a super lobotomy to calm it down worked, though

Secret Rings, Black Knight and Unleashed have probably my favorite portrayal of Sonic. The first one shows well his friendship with Shahra, how he put himself in harm's way for her as soon as he met her and got cursed on her behalf, how he could empathize with her and her ambiguous history with Erazor Djinn and didn't hold it against her for not being able to let go of him; the second one is nearly unanimously considered to be the best Sonic of all time, because it actually shows the freedom and strong will of his character, how he's willing to be "the bad guy" in a story if that means doing what he thinks is right, and his surprisingly poignant views on mortality; and as for the third one, his line "Do I need a reason to help out a friend?" is just him in a nutshell :)

Also, I'm still not fond of how they relegated him to wooden secondary character in '06, but I can't deny his relationship with Elise is cute for what little we see - he meets this girl who has been forced into the role of the reserved queen since she was 7 and he teaches her how to have fun and let go of her worries! And Elise is so inspired that at one point she jumps out of Eggman's Egg Mobile to get away from him! Sonic is just this strong positive influence on other people and it's just. ugh. he's so friend shaped <3

Of all adaptations, Sonic X is the one who got the closest to capture this - not surprising, since it's the only Japanese adaptation we have so far and it was the most closely supervised by Sonic Team. It's not perfect, it has its weird moments like Sonic manipulating his friends because he really wanted to get off a boat, but he's overall nice and supportive as he should be. Episode 14 is a must watch to get Sonic.

The OVA is nice too? A bit more dated, and Sonic is just a little more prickly, but other than that I have no issue with his character - the ending is a standout.

Anyway. Sonic is the character of all time. I love my boy so much, I've loved him since 2004. I will protect him against adaptations who think he has to be an arrogant jerkass or a funny little penis man to give him "depth" and "appeal".

[real-total-drama-takes]

People are talking about Trent again that means I must get involved

Yeah, canon Trent is kinda depressing in quite a few ways, mainly his backstory, the way he's treated on the show directly, and the underlying direction of his character.

So, let's talk about something that can be seen as optimistic for his future, that in true Trent fashion nobody ever really mentions.

Hey, has anyone else noticed that up until the Aftermath, he never really is shown with or uses his guitar in TDA? i.e. when he's more emotionally unstable?

Whilst he's clearly not in the greatest state of mind in the Aftermaths, he's in a noticably better state of mind. Also interestingly, he's actually using his guitar to express himself and his feelings, having two seperate songs spilling his emotions. Art therapy is still therapy.

And he continues to play instruments throughout the snippits we see of him in World Tour! A noticable portion of his background appearances are playing some instrument.

And through implication, you can theorise that it is having a positive effect. Trent spent a noticable amount of TDA fearing that Gwen and Duncan would get together, with everyone else telling him he was silly for doing so. And yeah, Gwen and Duncan do get together in World Tour, justifying all of Trent's fears.

The moral debate about this is irrelevant right now, my point is that in the world of Total Drama that is MORE than enough justification for him to go after them, Blaineley even sits him next to Gwen in the 3rd TDWT Aftermath intending to stir up drama,

yet despite this, he stays amicable. His relationship with Gwen after the fact is never really expanded upon, but if you look through WT ep24 (Aftermath IV), and the finale, they're frequently seen standing next to each other in backgrounds (a really funny small detail but I digress). Also thinking about how its a reality show, if there isn't shown to be any drama between them, then there probably just isn't any drama between them. Emotionally mature Trent, anyone?

So yeah, Trent takes a lot of shit during the show, but if we're going to look at all the little depressing tidbits, I think it's worth pointing out little tidbits that can be seen to imply him growing, starting to figure out his stuff, and maturing too.

-🏺🌆🐐non

.

[feamyngthesuperb]

I'm not usually one for doing these, but this idea from @marauderswolf22 is pretty cool and I want in on talking about the shit I like.

3 (or another number, but three is always good) songs that bring back fond memories or feelings, or that just make your day better (I will also be including my favorite lyric(s) from each):

1. Inkpot Gods by The Amazing Devil — My favorite song by them, and they have really good songs. The whole thing sounds defiant and bittersweet and hopeful. These aren't tears, just rain that wasn't brave enough to fall. That's not the dark, it's the gods upturning their inkpots because even they are afraid of what your existence means to them.

If I don't make it back from where I've gone

Just know I loved you all along.

2. Stars from Les Misérables — This is the song that explains the antagonist, Javert's, motivation and worldview more than any other (and he has just revealed that he was born in a jail. From the gutter, just like our protagonist Jean Valjean.). He addresses the stars, always standing in their rightful places in the sky and never faltering from their course and aim. He is on the side of justice and the law. Valjean is not. The morality is clear. And he will not stop until he has done what he must.

You know your place in the sky

You hold your course and your aim

And each, in your season,

Returns and returns

And is always the same.

And if you fall as Lucifer fell

You fall in flames!

3. I Wanna Be In The Cavalry / I Wanna Be In The Cavalry: Reprise

Two songs. The first reflects the hopeful, optimistic, excited nature of a young cavalry soldier as he sings of the striking image he'll leave, his shining saber, carbine, and Remington, and how he wants to have a good horse like his forefathers. The song ends with him acknowledging that he won't make it back.

The reprise is from a soldier far wiser and far more scarred. He sings of their initial faith in their orders despite being outgunned and not standing a chance. He sings of the horses that have died under him, of the excitement and celebration as he and his comrades left their hometown, only to have that hope fade as their uniforms wore through, frostbite set in, and disease spread. And of the hopes all lying dead and broken after what they had done and gone through.

With morale in doubt and our pride run out no honour did I see

All I seen were a thousand dreams piled dead in front of me.

4. The Summer of '46 by Robin Laing

The Battle of Culloden, on April 16th 1746, marked the end of the highland culture. As retaliation they faced a genocide of their culture, with tartan and kilts banned on pain of prison and transportation to a British colony for years. It was only in 1782, 26 years later, that this ended. Still, what had once been was dead.

The Summer of '46 tells the story of what happened following that battle on Drumossie Moor through the eyes of a man on the run with Bonnie Prince Charlie, the leader of the Jacobite Rising that had threatened the British, as they find themselves on the run in the Highlands.

Some men are most attracted to the cause that can't be won

Life has many flickering ghosts to make us hide and run.

5. Those You've Known from Spring Awakening

A beautiful song about staying alive and remembering the loved ones who have gone, sharing their stories.

Those you've known

And lost still walk behind you

All alone

They linger till they find you

Without them

The world grows dark around you

And nothing is the same

Until you know that they have found you.

If they're up to it, I'd love to see what others have for this. Don't feel obligated, though! @magiclynx @eyrie-of-synapses @emotional-support-werewolf

[mateoxcordova]

Welcome to Aurora Bay, [MATEO CORDOVA]! I couldn’t help but notice you look an awful lot like [OSCAR ISAAC]. You must be the [FORTY-ONE] year old [PRINCIPAL AT AURORA BAY ELEMENTARY]. Word is you’re [OPTIMISTIC] but can also be a bit [INDECISIVE] and your favorite song is [I’M LIKE A BIRD BY NELLY FURTADO]. I also heard you’ll be staying in [SEABROOK QUARTERS]. I’m sure you’ll love it! [kend, twenty-eight, est, she/her]

full name: mateo amoros cordova

age: forty-one

pronouns & gender: he/him, cismale

sexual orientation: bisexual

hometown: aurora bay, california

star sign: aquarius

occupation: principal at aurora bay elementary

(+) cheerful, patient, optimistic

(-) idealistic, immature, nosey

time in aurora bay: since childhood, save the last five years in arizona

neighborhood: seabrook quarters

tw: abuse, car accident, death, parental loss

history

hailing all the way from aurora bay, it's my golden boy's homecoming y'all !!!!

born to alegria mariposa cordova and manuel fidel morales, teo is the baby of the family with two older sisters to keep him in line and trust me when i say he needed it 🥲

very much a wild child, mateo was never short on friends and never short on entertainment !! he was always dubbed the 'easy one'— despite his inclination toward goofing off, teo liked school and he did well in it. and while he'd always had a knack for speaking out of turn, nine times out of ten he found he could talk himself back out of the situation just as quickly.

but the picturesque, jack-of-all-trades persona he'd perfected by the age of five served as a safeguard against the anxiety and fear his home-life produced

manuel morales had never wanted children, much less three, and by the time mateo was born his weariness had turned to bitterness that he barely masked in public. verbal blows were doled out equally amongst his wife and children, but mateo endured the worst of it and was the only one to ever take a physical blow (albeit most times in defense of his mother).

always a little too chatty, too sensitive, too loud, too much like his sisters.... there seemed to be nothing that mateo could do to please his father but god if he didn't try. each skill mastered in the hopes that it might impress him, every sport imaginable on the roster in the hopes that he'd come to a game but instead he came home at the age of 16 to find his father's truck gone and his side of the closet empty

which was for the best, as far as anyone else in his family is concerned, but does nothing to quell the perfectionist daddy complex teo's been harboring ever since

STILL without the ticking time-bomb things seemed to get better !!! his sisters both went off to college and, as the golden child, teo stayed home to take care of his mother but he'd never really minded !! he'd known from a young age he wanted to teach and the local college had an education program so once his degrees had been tucked into the manila folder his mother kept all important documents in (per her insistence) he took a position teaching third grade at the local elementary school

he'd cultivated a really solid group of friends around town that almost made up for the inherent anxiety and loneliness he was still masking. better yet, staying in aurora bay felt like it meant never growing up which had developed into a fear of his after seeing the way age and responsibility warped his father.

unfortunately he wasn't given much of a choice in the matter !! it's been five years since the accident that claimed two of his best friends, but mateo still has nightmares where he gets the call from the hospital. even worse, he can still see the image of their daughter, lilian, so small in the hospital bed with bruises and cuts from shattered glass covering her arms. teo was fairly sure of what his role would be in their absence: he was meant to bring levity. to be the relief that people turned to when reality was too much to bear. a role he anticipated he'd do fairly well in !!

what he did not anticipate was that his friends had imagined a different role for him: the role of father in their absence. with neither having much family to speak of, they had named mateo and another of their close friends as their daughter's guardian. and while the thought of adulthood and specifically fatherhood were points of contention for him, teo had known there was no way he could refuse

it became very apparent, though, that he was the only one who felt this way !!! while mateo was willing to sacrifice the life he'd imagined, the other guardian -- who he'd always considered a dear friend to both him and their departed friends -- refused. he spent weeks trying to get her to see reason, to see why they owed it to their friends to come through, but to no avail and eventually he was named lilian's sole guardian

which, of course, he smiled about !! how could he not when he'd always adored children and had always wanted children of his own... despite the gnawing anxiety and grief he refused to process, mateo genuinely greeted his new role of fatherhood with open arms. of course, with his mother's age and his lack of expertise in being an adult (at thirty-six no less) he thought it best to move closer to his sisters in arizona, knowing that he needed some support system, even if it weren't the one he'd thought he'd have in aurora bay.

but five years later he's BACK baby and with a fancy new title as principal to boot !!! as much as they had been thriving in arizona, teo couldn't shake the feeling that lilian deserved to be raised where her parents had been. there just felt like too much about them he couldn't explain to her without being where they had walked and talked and laughed together

more selfishly (though he'd never admit it) mateo's very much come to terms with how difficult parenting is, let alone solo. like most things, he's mastered it quite well but it's come at a price. the loneliness that had started to set in became unbearable, and he missed the carefree feeling being home had given him so it seemed like a win-win !!! but slotting back into his old life isn't quite as easy as he'd expected. not to mention being home is stirring up all sorts of memories and feelings.... good and bad.

potential connections

locals !!! teo was born and raised in the area and he's only been gone for the past five years so he's still pretty familiar with people around town so gimme all the reconnects for him !! whether they were casual friends or classmates or he used to frequent where they work i'm open for all of it

he does have a tighter-knit group of friends that's been together since college (some of them have probably known each other since birth but they didn't become a ~ crew ~ until their university days) -- probably like 5 or 6 other people i may or may not post a wanted connections for it !! remains 2 b seen

would also love for him to have someone who fills him in on all the local gossip/what happened while he was gone bc he r e f u s e s to be out of the loop on juicy intel !!!!

other parents !!!! now that he doesn't have his sisters to talk to about the woes of potty training or trying to get lily to eat vegetables (they're limiting him to one facetime call a week 😓) he's desperate for someone else to talk to or he's gonna lose it xnjfkl;ewja he's also the principal of the elementary school so parents of his students ofc will be familiar with his face too bc he stands outside the front of the school for every morning drop off and afternoon pickup

that said also teachers !!!!! teo's actually a little tougher of a boss than you'd think him to be (not THAT much tougher but like.... a little), but always in the name of making the teachers he's supervising b e t t e r. but he's definitely had teachers who don't like him so open to all kinds of connections here !!!

he was also v much in the dating scene (i mean look at him) so exes, former flings/fwb, one-night stands, maybe even a serious relationship from high school 👀

that said he hasn't dated since he got custody of lilian SO my man is rusty.... but he's ready to jump back in !! now that he's got a built in babysitter (thank u grandma xoxo) he's ready to get back into the swing of things so casual dates, blind dates, speed dates - he's there

as nice as he is, teo can also be.... a lot so enemies are more than welcome too !! and he's as loyal as they come so any enemy of his friends is an enemy to him too >(

would love to maybe have a rival that he had growing up bc my man is COMPETITIVE !!!

@aurorabayaesthetic

[guardianreadersofthegalaxy]

My ★★ review of The King on Letterboxd https://boxd.it/5TtAOJ

I had a surreal encounter with TC while he was filming this. About a week after first seeing him in ‘Call Me By Your Name’, my then-fiancée (@turnipsnowflake) and I were staying at a hotel in the Peak District. We were having a walk in the garden when we saw this young brooding loner having a fag. “Who’s this kid think he is, Timothee Chalamet?” I remember thinking. Anyway later we went down for dinner and I realised it was him, sat right next to us at a table with Joel Egerton and two members of the crew.

TC must have thought we were in the crew too cos he turned round and said “hey”, which baffled Cate who has total face-blindness and therefore didn’t recognise him. It was a weird experience because, other than the 6 of us, it was just old couples eating in silence so each table heard everything the other was saying. We’ve since come up with a code for when one of us sees a celebrity, so if you’re famous and hear a couple awkwardly start talking about ‘gingersnaps’, that’s us.

--

MINOR SPOILERS BELOW

It was a bit jarring going from reading ‘Unruly’, David Mitchell’s irreverent take on the kings and queens of England, to this po-faced dirge of a film. The fundamental problem is that the English lords are mainly presently as lovely down-to-earth guys and the French as child-murdering psychopaths. You can get away with that level of moral simplicity in something with a more optimistic tone, like ‘Braveheart’ or ‘300’ or ‘Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves’. But it’s shot and acted like an episode of ‘Game Of Thrones’ ie. the more cynical, ‘realistic’ take on history. And yes, the last 15 minutes make a valiant effort to muddy the moral waters (which is why that’s the best part of the film), but by that point it was too little too late for me. Also, I assumed the dull score was Ramin Djawadi but it was actually Nicholas Brittell, who I expect better from.

Also, this didn’t fit with the flow of the previous paragraph but I liked Falstaff’s characterisation. So one star for him, and another for the ending.

[rotationalsymmetry]

Part of my value system is that truth is more important than feeling good, that your understanding of the world absolutely must not be influenced by how you want to feel.

A lot of the posts I see about hope don't seem to share this value system. They seem to be based on the assumption that having a particular emotional state is good, and it's OK to shape your worldview based on how you want to feel.*And I don't like it.

(And a lot of the talk about environmental doomerism, although that's not the main thing I'm talking about here I'm mostly talking about general positivity, reads the same to me, that accurately understanding reality is less important than having the morally correct emotional state. I find that despicable and revolting. "But if people feel despair they won't do anything" well, if the situation is actually hopeless that's a reasonable response, and if the outcome is merely uncertain then believing that does not encourage despair, so it's still more important to be interpreting reality correctly, but also, quite a lot of us don't need this weird baseless certainty that things will come out OK in the end to sort out our recyclables, OK? I assume you're talking about stuff like that, if you mean getting people out to protests, hope isn't even the most useful emotional state for that. People who are overly optimistic stay home, because they figure the people in charge will sort things out.)

*in a way that seems very reminiscent of Christian fundamentalism, based on how I've heard people raised fundamentalist describe their experience

[justmoreocs-writing]

B A S I C S

Full name: Hermione Frannie McKenna.

Gender: Female.

Sexuality: Demisexual.

Pronouns: She/Her.

O T H E R S

Family: Younger sister Lyra; their parents died a few years prior to them joining the Waverider.

Birthplace: Aberdeen, Scotland.

Job: A museum tour guide.

Phobias: Clowns; dolls; something bad happening to Lyra.

Guilty pleasures: ABBA songs; science fiction novels - specifically those that blend history with science; hot doughnuts.

M O R A L S

Morality alignment?: Lawful good.

Sins - lust/greed/gluttony/sloth/pride/envy/wrath: Pride and envy.

Virtues - chastity/charity/diligence/humility/kindness/patience/justice: Charity and patience.

T H I S - O R - T H A T

Introvert/extrovert: Introvert - despite her job requiring Hermione to be a people person, she is very shy when not talking about facts.

Organised/disorganised: Organised - possibly a little excessively so.

Close minded/open-minded: Open-minded - though she is more in the middle of this, being with the Legends is helping her to open her mind a little more.

Calm/anxious: Anxious - Hermione is a worrier and it takes a lot to help her chill out a little.

Disagreeable/agreeable: Agreeable - mostly so as to avoid confrontation.

Cautious/reckless: Cautious - overly so a lot of the time.

Patient/impatient: Patient - she’s always been a patient person, but she has learnt to be even more so since becoming Lyra’s legal guardian.

Outspoken/reserved: Reserved - Hermione tends to keep her thoughts to herself about things; however, earning her true thoughts is usually a good sign of how must she trusts a person.

Leader/follower: Follower - Hermione much prefers it when someone else is making the decisions.

Empathetic/unemphatic: Empathetic - and sometimes this leads to her getting hurt.

Optimistic/pessimistic: Optimistic - despite some of the bad things in her life, Hermione still tries to see the best in things.

Traditional/modern: Modern - she loves all things historical, but she loves staying in the present and learning new things.

Hard-working/lazy: Hard-working - Hermione has always been hard-working, but this trait was only strengthened in her when she started looking after Lyra.

R E L A T I O N S H I P S

OTP: Hermione and Nate.

OT3: Hermione, Ray and Gary.

BROTP: Hermione and Lyra.

NOTP: Hermione and Mick.