#or does it have to be more impactful first?

[rafesangelita]

rafe + predator/prey with bambi?

warnings: dark!rafe (he’s nice at first), bratty behavior, dom/sub themes, slight arguing, shouting, manhandling, fear play, rafe chases you around tanneyhill, hide and seek, oral (m. receiving), face fucking, dacryphilia, unprotected sex, rough sex, hair pulling, choking, overstimulation, slapping, impact play (?), asphyxiation, lots of dirty talk, squirting, size kink, breeding kink, baby trapping threats, degradation

link: read more of bambi!reader here <3

w/c: 2.2k

rafe knew the second you slammed the door shut in his face that you had forgotten your place. all the soft, sappy sex you two had been indulging in had officially altered your brain chemistry into thinking you could lock him out of his room in his own house. “open this door, y/n.” rafe hadn’t raised his voice at you in a long time, and while he didn’t want to, it wasn’t long before he felt his patience running thin as you continued to ignore him and give him the silent treatment. you stood on the other side of the door, a pout gracing your lips as you crossed your arms over your chest.

“i’m trying to sort this out with you, baby, but you’re making that really hard for me right now..” rafe spoke gently, his fists balling up at his sides. “you know.. the last thing i wanna come home to when i’ve had a rough day is an attitude and a temper tantrum.” he attempted to twist the door knob, your heart beating in your ears when it started rattling against the hardwood. “i’ve been so good with you, i think you’ve forgotten just how fast things can change, bambi.” his words sending a shiver down your spine.

of course you didn’t want to be on his bad side, but something about the way his voice dropped a few octaves as if he was giving you a warning made you step closer to the door. “open it or i’ll do it myself.” for a moment there, you almost did as he said, your hand reaching down for the door knob before you heard him whisper something underneath his breath. “fuckin’ brat.” you froze just as your fingers grazed the cold metal. he wasn’t going to like what you did next. taking a step back, you shuddered as you watched the shadow of his feet. “n-no.” you whimpered, your heart beating in your chest.

rafe laughed, his jaw ticking as he felt anger boiling underneath his skin. “what was that? what did you say?” surely he wasn’t hearing right. “i said no, rafe!” you yelled back, running to the corner of his room that was furthest from the door. that did it. rafe said goodbye to any kind of restraint he had left, deciding you were going to learn your lesson about saying that little two-lettered word to him. rolling up the sleeves of his shirt, rafe let out a breath before backing away. “are you near the door?” your eyebrows knitted in confusion at his question. “no—”

before you could say anything else, rafe barged in, knocking the hardwood off of its hinges as your hands shot up to cover your ears. you stared at him doe eyed and terrified, his eyes finding yours as he rolled his shoulders back. “i didn’t want to do that..” he stalked over to you, wrapping a hand around your throat before pressing you against the wall, “why do you have to make me be the bad guy, huh?” you gasped, clasping a palm around his wrist. “please— i’m sorry!” rafe stared you down, his eyes nothing but two black holes as his grip around your throat tightened.

“are you? it seemed like you just wanted to piss me off back there,” he dragged you towards his bed, throwing you down before pinning your elbows to the mattress and slotting himself between your thighs, “that goddamn silent treatment, you know i can’t stand that shit.” his face was centimeters away, his breath fanning your cheek as tears welled in your eyes. “you know what i have to do now, right?” you shook your head, fear bubbling in your chest as you remembered the last time he had to ‘punish’ you. “please! i’ll be good, rafe! ‘don’t want to make you mad anymore..”

closing the distance between you two, rafe kissed you softly, wiping away the stray tear that managed to roll down your cheek. “i’m gonna give you a ten second head start to run, and if you decide to hide instead, you better make sure i don’t fuckin’ find you,” he whispered against your lips, “now, get the fuck outta here.” rafe moved aside, your chest rising and falling as you slipped out of the room, your feet skittering across the floor as you started running away from him. you swore your heart was beating a million times per second, the fear of being caught making your blood run cold.

you had barely made it to the bottom of the stairs before you looked up and saw rafe making his way out of the room. he was far too fast for you to outrun him, panic setting in as you started scouring through the halls of tanneyhill. coincidentally, all of the rooms were locked. rafe must’ve did that when you first mouthed off to him, having known how this night would end. “please, please, please!” you struggled trying to open the door to each room only to fall short when the knobs didn’t even budge. “come on..” you whined, rounding the corner of the hallway.

“you look so pretty when you’re scared.” you spun around on your heels, a half scream leaving your lips as rafe started jogging down the long hallway. running across the kitchen, and into the living room, rafe’s laughter echoed throughout the house as he chased you around the couch. “you’re gonna fuckin’ get it.” as a last resort attempt to throw him off, you grabbed one of the pillows from the sofa and threw it at him so you could run up the stairs. just as he caught it, he tripped over his own feet before you made your way into his study, crawling underneath his desk.

clamping a hand over your mouth, you panted softly through your nose as rafe’s footsteps sounded up the staircase. “so you decided to hide after all, huh?” your heart was slamming against your ribcage as he got closer. “i was really hoping you didn’t do that.” he almost sounded apologetic as he stepped into the room next door. you removed your hand from your mouth, fiddling with the ‘R’ pendant on your necklace. “if i get my hands on you.. god, you might just hate me.” just as it sounded like he walked past the room you were in, your heart dropped to your stomach when the door suddenly opened.

rafe walked around, stopping right in front the desk. “one of my favorite things about you is your perfume. it’s so sweet, it’s almost like you leave a trail behind you everywhere you go..” you didn’t even get to react before he was pulling you out by your feet, your screams echoing in his ears. “you make it so easy, baby, it’s like you wanted to be caught.” he pulled you up by your arms, dragging you out of the study and back to his bedroom. he forced you down on your knees, grabbing ahold of your chin as he fumbled with his belt.

“wanna talk back when i’m being nice to you? fine. i’ll just put your mouth to better use.” he said through gritted teeth. clasping your hands behind your back, you gazed up at him through your eyelashes. “listen to me when i say this, yeah?” he slipped his thumb between your lips, “right now you’re not my pretty little girlfriend, alright? you’re a slut.” your skirt rode up your thighs as you spread your legs, sitting back on your heels while you waited for rafe to stuff your throat full. upon his cock springing out of his pants, you whimpered pathetically at the butterflies fluttering in your tummy.

he stroked himself, a groan leaving his lips as he tapped his hardened cock against your tongue. “open that mouth, baby, you know how i like it.” you licked the tip, wrapping your lips around the throbbing head as he threaded his fingers in your hair. “i work all day, deal with my dad’s shit, fuck— all just to come home to that bratty behavior of yours..” he cursed under his breath as you took him deeper into your mouth. “ungrateful sluts like you deserve to be used like this.” you moaned around his length, your eyes widening when he hit the back of your throat.

“oh, my god,” rafe’s jaw went slack, his head tilting to the side as he watched you take him in and out of those pretty lips of yours. “look at me, give me those eyes.” you pulled away for a moment, gasping for air as you flashed your teary orbs at him. rafe didn’t know the logic behind it, but seeing you cry, so drunk off of his cock, he swore it was the hottest thing he’s ever seen. “holy, fuck!” he smiled down at you, his hips stuttering as you took him inch by glorious inch. “my greedy little cock whore, ‘doing so good for me.” you batted your eyes innocently, the action making him hiss.

“i wish you were good all the time, now i have to hurt you, bambi.” he pulled you up, lifting you off of the ground before slamming you down on the bed. you gasped at the impact, your boyfriend sliding your bottoms off before giving you a light smack across your cheek. “you’re so wet down here, baby. shit, you’re just glistening.” rafe tore your thighs apart, unbuttoning his shirt and slipping it off as you ran a foot down his toned stomach. he pinned your thighs to your chest, his hands resting on the back of your knees. “you want this?” he ran his cock between your folds.

your eyes fluttered shut, his tip grazing your needy clit. “please give it to me. ‘wanna be good for you again!” you cried, a sob ripping itself from your throat as he thrusted into you without warning. “fuck!” rafe covered your mouth, ripping your top off so he could watch your tits bounce underneath him. the slick sound of your cunt filled the space of rafe’s room, your cheeks heating as you listened to yourself make a mess on his cock. “so fuckin’ tight, you’re pulling me back in,” he groaned, “i might just fill you up, ‘trap you with my baby..” you moaned, unintentionally clenching around him.

“you’d like that, wouldn’t you?” he pulled your hair, forcing you to look down at where you two were connected. you moaned, your lips parting as you watched him pull out and slowly slide back in. “this cock looks like it’s splitting you wide open,” he brought a hand down and started rubbing hard circles on your clit, “my pretty little thing.” you cried out, your back arching off of the mattress when you felt the familiar tension building in your core. his hand was damn near the size of your head, your eyes rolling back as his cock kissed your cervix with every thrust. “gonna.. oh, my god!”

rafe groaned when your orgasm hit you, a piercing scream leaving your lips as a stream of wetness soaked his lower abdomen. you laid there shaking, your nails raking down rafe’s chest as you sucked him in impossibly tighter. taking his bottom lip between his teeth, rafe didn’t slow down the work on your sensitive bundle of nerves, overstimulation setting in when you started taking the pleasure with the pain. “no more!” you gasped, your thighs closing around his waist as you attempted to squirm away from his touch. he slapped you across your cheek, forcing you to keep your eyes open.

“you’re gonna fuckin’ take it. this is what you wanted when you decided to act the way you were acting earlier, huh? shut the fuck up and take this cock.” he shoved your head into the pillows, the entirety of his palm covering your face as he chased his own high, ignoring your screams and cries. rafe watched the tears flow down your cheeks, his fingers becoming wet as he groaned at the sight. “keep crying for me and i’m gonna breed this fuckin’ cunt— ah fuckkk!” rafe leaned down, pressing wet kisses to your neck before his hips stuttered, his mouth falling open in a silent moan.

“fuckin’ hell!” he uncovered your face, admiring the pretty curve of your lips while he came, those gorgeous eyes just twinkling up at him while he filled you to the brim with his seed. rafe nestled himself deep inside of you, stilling his movements as you two reveled in the feeling of his cum painting the softness of your walls. looking into his eyes, you could see the exact moment he switched into being your boyfriend again, his gaze softening as he cupped your face, his cock still twitching inside of you. pulling out with a curse, rafe was quick to pull you against his chest.

“you okay, bambi?” he pecked your cheek, rubbing a hand against your side as you blinked, still unable to form thoughts as your body occasionally jolted with the aftershocks of your orgasm. you didn’t answer, instead you snuggled into his skin, your eyes shutting as sleep pulled at your lids. you were going to be so sore tomorrow, your muscles already aching as rafe pulled the comforter over the two of you.

[endless-ineffabilities]

✨️jealous modern Aemond who's your fwb✨️ (18+)

for context: they're in law school. the setting is Aemond's room. fwb was Aemond's idea, but he's also the one who breaks the rules and falls first.

✍️ more Aem

You lie on your side on Aemond's bed, absentmindedly thumbing through the pages of your textbook. It's for one of the classes you share with his sister Helaena, who will certainly kill the both of you if she ever finds out about your arrangement.

He has been acting aloof ever since he found out that you hooked up with his friend Robb after last week's party.

And you, bless your oblivious little heart, have no clue as to why. You didn't even make the correlation. You just suspect that maybe he's grown bored of hooking up with you, and soon, you'll no longer be burdened with this secret.

Then he speaks up. "Do you like him?"

"What? Who?" You twist your neck to look at him. He sits near the foot of the bed, attempting to appear busy on his phone. You think he's texting, but he's debating whether to change his home screen to a photo of you two together. He's wondering if you would even care.

"Robb." He can't help but grit his teeth at the name. You're confused as to why he sounds so agitated. They've always been good buddies. They even went to damn prep school together.

In fact, Aemond was the one who introduced you to Robb.

"Well, I hope so. I wouldn't have fucked him if I didn't like him," you remark crassly, thinking it would cause him to smile or smirk or hell, even offer words of solidarity like, I get that.

Instead, he takes it to another direction.

"Is he better than me?"

"I don't know," you shrug the question off, turning back your book. "Never gave it much thought, really."

"Think about it then."

"You're being weird, Aem."

"How 'bout I help you reach your conclusion."

Your bare ass is suddenly exposed to the cool air when he pulls your shorts down. He gives the flesh a good smack, his fingers squeezing the fat on impact.

Before you can ask what the hell's gotten into him, Aemond crawls up behind you, spooning your body.

You feel his digit graze your folds, rubbing at the moisture that starts to pool from your core and spreading it around. His lodges his hardening cock between your legs, and it slides easily due to your precum. He rubs himself against you, shamelessly getting off while his hand creeps up your—his—sweatshirt to fondle your breast.

His mouth is by the shell of your ears, his deep and lustful grunts echoing.

"Fuck me, what's—aghhhh—what's gotten into you, Aem?" you ask, not that you're complaining. It's a more than welcome distraction from criminal law 101.

"Shhh, just... wanna make you feel good, baby. Just take it. Let me—" He finally enters you, and it's as perfect as all the times before. He tilts your jaw toward him with a tight grip so he can steal a kiss, his tongue swiping at your lips, your cheek, and whatever else of you it collides with.

"Yeah, that feels—oh fuck—" You reach back and thread your fingers through his white-blonde hair, tugging slightly the way he likes it.

"Yeah?" He picks up the pace, the schlicking sounds from where your bodies are joined reaching your ears.

"Yeah. Your cock always feels fucking good."

"Just good?"

"Whaddaya want me to say?" you manage, in between all the panting.

"Was he good too?" He sounds needy. Pathetic. It's never a good look for anyone, but for some reason, it's so fucking hot when he does it.

"Aemond—"

"You're mine, baby. Mine." He buries himself to the hilt, before pausing, waiting for your go-ahead.

"Shit, okay."

"Say it." Because it's not enough for him. He doesn't move, keeping you wanting until he gets what he wants. Always been selfish that way.

"I'm yours then. All yours, babe."

It's as if you just uttered the magic words, because he jackrabbits to an extreme, his pelvis snapping against your ass with unrelenting force. His fingers dig into your hips, guiding you right onto his cock. It doesn't take long before he's filling your pussy with his cum. He bites down hard on the crook of your neck, his body giving a euphoric shudder behind you. When he's finished, every drop of pleasure squeezed inside you, he relaxes. He anchors his jaw on your shoulder, resting his head against yours, taking deep breaths to get down from such a high.

His moment of calm is shattered when you rise from the bed and disappear into his bathroom to clean his spend, before it dries into a sticky mess as it drips down your inner thighs.

"I have to go," you tell Aemond nonchalantly. As if he did not just fuck your brains out. Well, if no-strings-attached is what he wants, that's what he'll get. "I have civil procedure in 15 minutes."

"Okay..." He's resigned, until he remembers. "Isn't Robb taking that as well?"

"Uhm, yes, but—"

"I'll come with you," he blurts out, making you regard him as if he released precious brain cells when he ejaculated.

"What? You're not even in this class, Aem."

"I'll sit in. Don't have much to do today, anyway."

"Okay? So go out then. Call Alys up, take her to lunch. Why would you waste your time—"

But he's already at the door. "What are you waiting for? We're going to be late."

He trails you out, pleased that you put your hair up. Robb should see the marks he left blooming on your neck and know not to mess with what's his.

[kalicocal]

Let's talk about that CaitVi Scene

For me, what made this scene impactful has to do more with the fact that the prison cell is the physical representation of Vi's mind more than the fact that it's where they first met. (Although the latter does add merit to Fortiche's capacity for telling circular narratives.)

We know this because we see Fortiche use this same motif in S108, where we see half of Vi behind bars and the other half unobstructed, which signifies how Vi is torn between going back to help her sister and helping Caitlyn take the gemstone back.

In this context, though, Vi is shackled by the mantra, “Whatever happens, it’s on you,” and we know this because Vi admits it herself, “I choose wrong every time. And because of it, I’ve lost everyone.” 

And the implication of Caitlyn unlocking this cell and entering this space—this space filled with emotional and physical scars, this space haunted by phantom pains and memories with teeth—was just like an “I got you” moment, the perfect affirmation that finally releases Vi from the shackles of this inherited responsibility. 

Caitlyn not only predicted it, but she actively took measures that enabled Vi to free Jinx safely. By doing this, Caitlyn implicitly confirmed that Vi didn't choose wrong this time and that she wasn't alone in the decision to offer Jinx a second chance.

I know some people have their own opinions about them doing it in a jail cell without explicitly talking about what happened between them in Act 1, but as much as I appreciate the idea of open communication, romance, and making love in a bed, I understand why they saved the talking for later. After all, facing imminent doom and Armageddon can influence people to rush into things. 

All jokes aside, there is one thing about this scene that makes my heart ache with joy: that Vi finally has one memory that outshines all that was made in the prison cell. And that memory is of warmth, a gentle touch, and soft eyes—the only memory that matters.

And for me, that's enough.

[hoonjayke]

Ni-ki — Late Night

CHARACTERS: — Ni-ki x Reader (f)

SUMMARY: — Your nights have never been the same since Riki, a mysterious boy, started visiting you daily at your part-time job at the local convenience store.

GENRE: fluff — part-timer reader x flirty ni-ki

WARNINGS: none, just pure fluff.

WC: 1,3k — masterlist

— Author Note: Just a small fluff scenario that came to mind. It's been a while since I wrote something, so I hope you guys like it <3 If there are any errors please lmk.

The night was quiet as a random program played on the convenience TV. You often looked at the clock wondering if Riki would come today too. Anxiety was at its peak as you stared at the door with no sign of the boy.

Ever since you met Riki, your nights at the convenience have never been the same. What was once a simple part-time job became one of your favorite parts of your day because of the small interactions with the boy.

At first, he didn't say much, he just bought some candy or something to drink while looking at you for a few seconds. His gaze was so penetrating that you became aware of his presence after a few days.

The glances evolved into small smiles and polite greetings. He didn't want to disturb your work, but he couldn't help but notice the way you seemed to be nervous by his presence and how cute it was.

“It’s cold today, isn’t it?” It was the first time he spoke and you felt your heart skip a beat at his deep voice. "Yes." Was all you could say before his chuckle cut through the air. “Be careful, so you don't get sick,” He looked at the tag on your uniform to know your name “y/n.” The way he said your name seemed so delicate that you felt it in your bones.

The fact that he knew your name but you didn't know his was a mystery you wanted to solve.

The other day you were determined to ask his name, but you were surprised when he introduced himself. “The usual?” You asked and he smiled showing you a different energy drink “Today I wanted something different.” You reached for the drink when you felt his fingers lightly brush yours. “I’m Riki, by the way.” You felt butterflies in your stomach when you saw his deep gaze and the smile forming on his lips.

“Nice to meet you, Riki.” You gave him a sweet smile “Good to know the name of our best client.” His laugh warmed your heart. You really had developed a crush on the boy who showed up every day at the convenience store "Nice to meet you too." He responded while you both maintained visual contact before he went out after paying.

Since then you had been waiting for Riki even if the conversations only lasted a few minutes. Deep down you felt pathetic at how quickly you developed a crush on Riki, but he had such a natural charm that it was inevitable.

You wished you had the courage to ask for his number, but you knew you probably wouldn't be able to.

"Goodnight." Your thoughts were interrupted by the familiar voice of Riki entering the convenience smiling as always.

"Goodnight." You said as you watched how he looked even more handsome today. His parted hair and the black jacket were the perfect ensemble for you to feel your heart stop.

'He looks so good' You thought while he focused on the drinks session. You ran your palms over your vest trying to remove any trace of sweat. It was shocking how his presence could make such an impact.

“Oh, it ran out of that energy drink... I'll get that one.” He muttered to himself as he grabbed a different drink and your eyes met when he decided to walk to the register. “If you want, I can see the storage room if there's another one.” You commented and he shook his head. “It’s okay, I don’t want to give you trouble.” He put the drink beside the register and with his hands in his pocket he looked at you as if he wanted to say something.

“What time does your shift end?” Your eyes opened in surprise at the boy's mischievous question. Your heart was beating so hard you were afraid he could hear “Approximately in 1 hour.” He approached the counter and leaned in, his hands grabbing the edges. “Wanna go to somewhere nice?” You almost couldn’t believe you were hearing Riki ask you out.

“And where would it be?” You asked, your eyes shining with curiosity and he bit his lip trying to contain his smile at your cuteness. “There's a new food truck near the park, and I wanted to try it out... with you.” You immediately smiled and nodded “Sure, I’d love to.”

Riki smirked and paid for the drink before touching your fingers. “I’ll wait here.” He sat in a chair near the window so he could see you straight on. "Okay." Your cheeks heated up as he looked calm watching you in silence.

As more customers arrived, he waited patiently to pass the time, while you mentally cursed yourself for choosing such a normal outfit today. If you were going out on a date with Riki you should be more dressed up.

Your shift flew by with the small talks with Riki and the service in general. Before the employee arrived to take your shift, he was already outside leaning against the wall with his hands in his pockets. You left the convenience and ran your hand on your skirt trying to remove any wrinkles.

He looked you up and down, giving you a small smile, noticing how worried you looked. He approached slowly, standing in front of you ── was he that tall? “Don’t worry, you look beautiful.” Your cheeks flushed when you heard the compliment, “Thank you.”

Riki lightly touched your cheek with his thumb, stroking the spot before tucking a strand of your hair behind your ear “Do you like spicy food?” He asked and you felt your insides churn at the action.

"A little bit." You responded, trying to maintain eye contact and failing miserably. Riki smiled, scratching his nape “Good, I guess you’ll like the food there then.” You smiled as you decided to walk to the location that was close to convenience.

On the way you talked and you felt an inexplicable joy because you were finally able to have a decent conversation with Riki. It wouldn't be a few seconds or minutes, but finally a long and nice talk.

••••

During the entire date, you discovered that he was Japanese and that he loves dancing. He also finally got to know more about you, like your hobbies and how you worked at night to earn extra money. The weather was great, and the food was good, everything seemed to work together for your first date to be perfect.

“One question," You started a new topic "why did it take so long for you to talk to me?” You questioned him after feeling more comfortable after the meal. He gave an embarrassed laugh as he poured more drink into his glass. “I didn’t want to look like a weirdo or get in the way of your work, you know?” He gave you a quick look “What about you? You always seemed excited whenever I went there, but you didn’t say anything.”

You were surprised by Riki's response and laughed shifting your attention away. “It’s just... not that simple for me to initiate small talk, even though I'm excited.” He chuckled seeing your cheeks turn pink after your response. “Was it that obvious?” Riki nodded with a smirk. “Yeah, it’s cute.”

Riki definitely knew how to press the right buttons to speed up your heartbeat.

Time flew by after the long conversation and you felt like you two automatically clicked. The walk to your building wasn't long, making you a bit sad having to say goodbye to him.

When you saw the facade of the building you looked at Riki “Thank you for today, it was really nice.” He smiled and asked for your phone to save his number. “See you tomorrow?” He asked anxiously as he bit his lip looking into your eyes expectantly. “Of course.” You smiled, saving your number in his phone too.

“Sleep well.” Riki held your hand and kissed it there, caressing the spot with his thumb with such a tenderness that melted your heart “You too.” He smiled and waited for you to enter before leaving.

After this date, you knew that your story with this mysterious boy was just beginning.

[beforetimes]

feel like this gets overshadowed by the fact that ekko saved jinx at her very lowest, but i think that their relationship 100% works both ways when it comes to helping the other. and the way jinx helps ekko would be in helping him to loosen up / free him of this massive sense of guilt and responsibility he carries himself with.

we see this thematically in s2ep7 and s2ep9 mostly. when ekko goes to the alternate timeline we get the line that it was his tip that lead to vi's death. which i've mentioned in a previous post as something that i think the og ekko would carry as a source of guilt that guided him to throwing himself into helping the people of zaun, a way to work through his remorse.

and in that deleted scene where ekko goes after powder only for her to say she doesn't want to be saved and that she's jinx now, i feel ekko would have blamed himself for that and internalized it both by using it to fuel his guilt complex but also by painting her as someone past saving. in essence he thinks he killed powder and created jinx. someone who only hurts the undercity by working as silco.

but after his dive into the alternate timeline where he sees and connects with powder and realizes all the potential she has when she grows up, i think he realizes that there is still someone to save back in his original world. that jinx couldn't possibly erase everything that made alternate timeline powder who she is because powder reminds him of their childhood and things left unsaid and how things could be different if they both chose forgiveness (sort of elaborated on here).

anyway, i think jinx's role in accepting ekko's proposal to help out with the war on piltover/zaun would be to show ekko a) that he didn't kill powder completely and that jinx was never truly 100% metamorphosized by this job that he sent them on that indirectly 'killed' her and b) shows that she (in his minds eye) chooses to forgive him, relieving a large part of his guilt, and build something better. which is what ekko has been all about. not necessarily forgiving, but building something better. its what he does with the firelights and their commune.

now, how is freeing him communicated in the show?

i think that they show the way jinx's character allows him to be more free in expressing himself through the change in wardrobe. it is more visually vibrant in comparison to his large jackets in the first season when we see him, but there's also less smoke-screening and secrecy. no more masks, no more gloves, no more large jackets that hide the form. everything is on display now! abdomen and face, skin exposed. and jinx's impact on this change from the first season is visually marked by the x on his shirt. she is directly involved in his evolution into this freer, unburdened self.

i felt in this, the artists were showing how jinx's refusal to stay within the lines would affect ekko in making him freer as well. not just physically revealing himself but also maybe through the way her acceptance of his offer to save her again (after the failed deleted scene mentioned) frees him of the guilt of failing the first time + guilt over what led to him thinking he killed powder.

so while timebomb does feel skewed in showcasing ekko primarly as her saviour and jinx as someone who needed saving, i think that there is a reciprocal nature to the type of healing they can offer each other. ekko through his belief that jinx can be good without needing her to be the way she was before and jinx through her relieving ekko of guilt that has ruled his life since he was a child.

[cerastes]

I want to see the Skadi and Ulpipi interactions a lot, what we saw in Stultifera, for how brief it was (they were kind of in the middle of something very important and time sensitive), immediately told you a lot about them, but something that stuck out to me, subtle midst all the happenings, is that Skadi addresses Gladiia as "Gladiia" early on, and Gladiia corrects her by having her address her as "Captain Gladiia". Skadi does so from there on -- not super happy about it; Skadi in general has shown to be pretty unreceptive of leadership in general, not really caring much for Kal'tsit as well, nor following protocol as we've seen a number of times, and it's explicit in her Files that she's incredibly difficult to work with because she doesn't care to work with others and thus most other Operators don't like her much, that's without even getting into her reputation as the "Walking Catastrophe" -- and all's fine until they do find Ulpianus in the Stultifera, and from there on, Skadi goes back to referring to Gladiia without the 'captain' part. Seeing that Ulpianus was alive, Skadi didn't have to call Gladiia 'captain' anymore, because her actual captain, and the only authority figure we've seen Skadi actually acknowledge with the possible exception of Doctor (who is less a superior and more someone she really likes), was still alive and presumably back.

That alone, alongside Skadi's often forgotten actual personality -- stoic, melancholic, reserved, uncooperative, responsible, stubborn, assertive, brutish, caring -- tells you a lot about their relationship, even if it was brief. Skadi makes absolutely no effort to hide her opinions, what you see is, in a lot of ways, what you get, and she was very happy to see Ulpianus alive. The first thing he says to Skadi is "can you stop gawking already, we're in a battlefield, pay attention, fool" and Skadi basically goes "HELL YEAH, FUCKIN' A BABY" like, for the undeniable elegance she holds in certain ways, it's great to see her character is consistent even with her very first appearance in the very first event of the game, in which she was the star alongside Grani and Big Bob: She is rough, she is no-nonsense, she likes foregoing the flowery speech and going straight to the point, and if things can be said curtly and bluntly, then why go through the social ritual of cordiality? That's what Skadi is, and that's what Ulpianus showed to be in that brief interaction. Brash and blunt as he was, Skadi likes that. That's her Captain.

Which is super cool! Because in Laurentina, you can see a lot of Gladiia as well, you can very much see the impact Gladiia has had in Laurentina as a person, with Gladiia's emphasis in the arts and carrying oneself with a certain degree of elegance if not outright arrogance, something both Gladiia and Laurentina show far more pointedly than Skadi. Likewise, just from that small scene, you can see exactly how important her captain is to Skadi, because you can see how similar they are and how comfortable, how glad she is, even, to see him again, and even if he basically barked at her frame one, Skadi knows it's who he is, and how he acts, and that's what she likes. Blunt objects made into people, the two of them, I couldn't be happier.

[cocodotgreen]

Simynthos - (almost) cc-free

With all testing done I am happy to share with you the (almost) cc-free version of Simynthos today! I was actually surprised by how quickly it could be transformed, and I have to say I'm very happy with how it turned out!

For this version I removed all decorative cc. The only cc you now need for full functionality are the rabbit hole rugs. The lots are so small, there wouldn't have been nearly enough room for the in game rabbit holes. The rabbit hole rugs can be downloaded here.

I still recommend using the performance mods from the original post here, just to make things a little more smooth and enjoyable during gameplay. But they are not strictly necessary. You could also go completely vanilla (more on that below).

There are a couple of things to note:

Some of the double beds are placed against a wall and therefore only one sim can sleep in them now. You can replace them with the one sided beds for two sims, the ones I used in the original version, if you like. The mattresses by sketchbook pixels can be found here, and some nice custom bed frames from @aroundthesims can be found here.

I did make use of @omedapixel's S3DT (Sims 3 Decorator Tool) in two or three places, just to place decorative items on surfaces where they cannot be placed in a vanilla game. You do NOT need the mod for these items to stay in place, as long as you don't move them when redecorating. Then they may slip back into normal mode and you will only be able to place them back with the mod. But it's only in a couple of places, so even if that happens, it will not have a significant impact on your game.

Replacing some of the cc did result in some interactive items not being usable at first, but I hope I caught all of those cases during the (quite extensively 😉) play-testing. So now all interactive items should be usable. If you find any place where an item can't be reached by the sims, please notify me and I will update the world.

How does it run?

I have tested this version of Simynthos in two scenarios: With the routing optimization mods I recommended for the original version (that's the save all the screenshots are from 😉), but also in a completely vanilla game, playing just a small family with one child, and it actually ran pretty well on my gaming laptop, even without any routing improvement mods (my game is optimized though)! If you're going completely vanilla, it may get a bit annoying in some places though, with sims not being able to pass each other, and toddlers not being able to be put down on the ground due to lack of space. But if you do not want to use any mods at all, it would probably still be playable with a small household that doesn't host huge parties 😉

Thanks again to the creators who have made this world possible:

Thanks to @nilxis, the creator of „Sa Pineda“, for the beautiful base to this world. The island on which Simynthos was build is entirely their creation. I did not change the island itself or the terrain painting outside the lots (except for some places where I placed the walkways/paths). All credit for that goes to them! You can find the original version here. Also make sure to check out their other worlds, while you‘ re at it. They are some of my favorite worlds!

Thanks to @nornities for their extremely helpful CAW guide here. Unfortunately I only found this guide when Simynthos was almost finished. I could have avoided some of the mistakes I made, had I found it sooner!

Some of you may know, that I am not the first to make a Greek version of Sa Pineda. Back in 2016 Vendela created Simtorini. This super cute world has the typical blue and white houses another Greek island, Santorini, is famous for. Go check it out here.

Download Simynthos (almost) cc-free

Link to original post for Simynthos (version with cc)

[sgtpeppers]

just finished the new beatles doc and yeah, it's nothing we haven't heard before etc etc, but it does such a wonderful job at showing the impact of the beatles, and listening to fans talk about how much they love them will ALWAYS be one of my favourite things.

the fact those four silly boys from liverpool created this thing that has touched so many people, who made music that gets described as 'a light coming on', who made girls scream because there weren't words to describe how they were feeling, and who have inspired so many people to make their own music and write and create is pure magic.

and it's so joyous that these documentaries are still getting made, and people are still falling in love with them for the first time. like, they're huge, everyone knows them, they are fundamental in the development of pop culture and yet they still feel so intensely personal, and finding other fans makes you feel like you're in on a secret together.

more than anything else, it's left me grateful for the friends I've made here, and how much I love reading other people's thoughts on the history or the music, the gorgeous art that gets posted and fics that get written, of being able to go into record shops and the beatles being an easy conversation topic with the owner, and for me and my boss who don't have much in common at all, being able to argue over our beatles opinions on a weekly basis.

long live beatlemania, never be embarrassed to be a fan.

[ckret2]

My first ask not about the goldie fic but I want your opinion: do you think Bill had a crush on the pharaoh? Because he really hypes up how he was obsessed with him, while the evidence shows Amenemhat was one of the least interested humans he partnered with, and he still doesn't seem to harbor much ill will by Bill standards. He also kinda overtly says he tried to flirt with him and that he was thirsty (for friendship). I feel like their relationship was different from most of the others, and is focused on the least.

Also do you think he was into the shaman. Because their non-portal-realated relationship is elaborated on the most and he seems to hold the biggest grudge, but it could've also just been a particular rare respect.

I think Bill has two kinds of crushes.

Bill gets 🩷crushes💕 on people that, like, have traits he generally finds attractive, whatever those are. Amenemhat III wore a big hat and built three pyramids, maybe Bill's into that, idk. We don't know much about their dynamic. If things don't work out with these crushes he's like, whatever, he moves on. These crushes are like a game to him.

On the other hand, Bill gets 🔥CRUSHES🔥 on people that make him go "they just like me fr." And here I'm using the word "crushes" to also cover platonic relationships—it doesn't necessarily mean he wants to make out with them, just that somehow he's forged an iron-hard emotional chain with them that he craves to be reciprocated. (the other crushes could also be platonic, but I think they tend to tilt more toward romantic by default.)

Bill strikes me as the kind of guy who goes through life thinking Nobody Could Possibly Get Him so when he runs into the rare person that he does think gets him, he latches onto them like a crocodile onto a baby hippo—and it's just as likely to end either with the prey dead or with the predator getting a few teeth knocked out.

And these are the ones Bill gets bitter and resentful over when things fall apart.

But look at what we know about the shaman: when Bill offered him a way out of his world to explore the secrets of the universe, he jumped at the opportunity; they got intoxicated together; they stargazed together; the shaman taught Bill something he didn't know, which has gotta be rare at a trillion years old.

Ford, obviously, is one of these people to Bill, and the shaman sounds like he's got a lot in common with Ford—curious knowledge-seeker, "the wisest of his tribe." Shaman also sounds like he's got a lot in common with Bill, partying with aliens, enthralled with the stars. I think Bill thought the shaman got him, and that he was not just furious but devastated when that fell apart—and we only don't see the full impact of that because Bill's had nearabout 4000 years to cauterize those wounds.

The shaman was a 🔥CRUSH🔥; the pharaoh was a 🩷crush💕.

[gunnrblze]

Hesh and Elias-a loving father-son duo-except what if Hesh was angry at his father for so so so many things instead.

Perhaps it’s a little selfish, he thinks, or perhaps it’s long overdue for Hesh to bring up his father’s parenting methods.

To say he cares about and loves Logan is an understatement, that’s not to be questioned, but why he was gifted the daunting task of looking after his little brother for the majority of his life, when he himself was trying to grow up makes him angry.

He has so much anger and he struggles to pinpoint its origin. Maybe he was born with his fists shaking and nostrils flared.

He snaps at Elias one day on base after the man gets stern with him. Maybe after Logan gets hurt on a mission or somethings fucked over their plans to find Rorke. Hesh seethes because he tried. He tried and he continues to try and help Logan whenever possible. They’re a pair, a duo, brothers.

But Hesh isn’t a god, as much as he sometimes wishes he could be. He can only do so much, he can only reach so far. Why does it never feel good enough? Why does he feel a gnawing sense of guilt when Logan gets hurt, as if the kid didn’t sign up for the job right alongside him? He might as well have hurt his brother himself with the way he feels to blame.

He accuses Elias, of favoritism. Of something just short of neglecting Hesh emotionally growing up. He remembers it all too well.

Logan cried, he was soothed. Logan got in trouble, he was given a talking to and nothing more. Logan was acting out after mom died and Elias had so much grace for him, but Hesh wasn’t allowed to be a brat when life got hard.

He had to be a good older brother, a good son who kept himself and his little duckling in line because Elias was gone far too much to do it himself.

Elias is a little startled. Not by his son’s irritation, the pain he could see in his eyes, no. He’d unfortunately had to see it before, had to try and sleep at night knowing he couldn’t take it all away from him. Did he make the right decision persuading his boys to join the army in the first place? The thought made him sick sometimes.

No, he’s startled by the accusations. That he favored Logan, that he ignored Hesh’s feelings after he got to a certain age. He couldn’t deny that he wasn’t present at home sometimes, but he wanted to find an excuse. Wanted to crawl out of the hole he’d dug his family into, whether he had much choice or not.

Like birds of a feather, Elias was getting irritated at his son now. Their mirroring emotions made Hesh do a double take, as if he saw his very future in front of him now. Clear as day.

Elias was defensive, like most in his position usually were. He couldn’t understand where it was coming from. Why Hesh seemed to be so upset all a sudden. As if overnight his eldest son decided to get mad. As if the last couple decades didn’t have any impact.

Hesh could feel the heat scorch his cheeks, teeth grinding and threatening to be crushed under the force of his clenched jaw. He’d always had to hold it together. He was tired of holding himself together. Tired of feeling like an observer in his own family rather than an active participant.

Exhausted, after having been molded into a soldier by the Lieutenant in front of him, long before he ever enlisted.

Elias wasn’t sure he’d ever seen David behave like this. Yelling until his voice went hoarse, spitting accusations and what he couldn’t believe were insults in his face. His son, unraveling before him.

He let it happen.

Elias Walker wasn’t a passive man but he stood there and let his son scream at him. Not like the petulant child he used to be, no. Like the man he is.

The room was silent after Hesh finished, save for his heavy breathing and whatever sound he was making whilst trying to hold back a sniffle. He wouldn’t dare let the tears in his eyes fall, afraid his dignity would dissolve with it.

Hesh’s head felt foggy. Clouded by rage, upset, and something that felt similar to grief. That feeling he could never identify, searing a hole through his heart and not bothering to patch itself back up.

He looked his father in the eyes. Really looked at the man in front of him. Confused by his silence. For once, the image was unrecognizable. It felt foreign, as if he were shielded behind a pane of glass.

Time felt frozen, until Logan swung the door open. He too, stilled. As if no one knew what to do, Logan could tell by the red of his brother’s cheek and the set of his father’s jaw, that there probably wasn’t anything to do.

Hesh stared down his little brother though, eyes practically begging him to say something in his defense. To open his fucking mouth for once and speak.

His father merely dismissing them both made his gut sink. Knowing all too well, that this hadn’t solved it. If anything, it’d only drive the little wedge further between them.

David swore he could feel it splintering his skin as he walked away, not bothering to even look at his younger brother at the moment.

Too afraid he’d start resenting him, too.

[vidavalor]

<<What if part of the manipulation is to prove to Aziraphale that Crowley would be better off without him (like an inverse of IaWL)?>>

I think this would be fun but it might be unlikely with the short amount of time we have left to go. It seems to me more like allusions to aspects of It's A Wonderful Life might be in play more than the full conceit of the movie. Thematically, the alt world of Pottersville where George was never born is in there already just with the anxiety over the (fake) threat of The Book of Life and, for Aziraphale, in how he is "in the basement, stocktaking" his life for much of S2.

There's also the theme of recognition and the frequent trips to doors in It's A Wonderful Life that is similar to Good Omens. Unlike Scrooge's trips with the ghosts in A Christmas Carol, for instance, George can interact with the alt universe. (A Christmas Carol is also an inspiration for It's A Wonderful Life so the two stories are a bit interconnected.) He suffers through seeing the people he knows and loves not be able to recognize him and, in most cases, be far worse off because George was never born.

The story in Good Omens has already made the case that, without Aziraphale, the people around him would be living total horror movie lives. Maggie and Elspeth, penniless and despairing, both would have ended up dead. Nina would have never found love. Mrs. Sandwich and her girls would be less safe. Everyone on Whickber Street wouldn't have fair rent and support in building their lives. Beez would be stuck in Hell for eternity, miserable, because Gabriel? Without Aziraphale and that wonderful ol' Building and Loan that is the bookshop, Gabriel would be dead.

In the Pottersville part of the It's a Wonderful Life story, George's brother, Harry, dies as a child because, since George was never born, he was never there to dive into the icy pond after his brother and save his life. The tragedy has an enormous ripple effect because not only does it have an obvious impact on George's parents and uncle but it actually kills other people as a result, because it was Harry, during WW2, that thwarted an attack and saved other soldiers in his unit and civilians in the area. The attack is also one of particular importance to the war-- meaning that it helped to ensure Allied victory. Harry was only there to help save the world because, first, George was there to save Harry.

It's very Good Omens in theme because the big, Earth-destroying Armageddon can only be stopped by individual people overcoming their own personal Armageddons and those stories are really what it's all about. That being why an eleven year old kid's view of himself by way of choosing to say he is the son of a good man who was there for him and not his, uh, literally Satan of a bio-dad who was not, is how Armageddon: Round One was stopped:

In Good Omens, there is something of a swap here-- Aziraphale is the George to Gabriel's Harry but Aziraphale isn't envious for Gabriel's life. If anything, Gabriel wishes he'd be able live a life like Aziraphale and Crowley have had. In It's A Wonderful Life, though, George has a tendency to frame the narrative of his life around the fact that Harry has seemed to George to fall easily into things of which George has always dreamed of having. George sees Harry as the more good-looking, sociable, heroic, successful one-- the guy he wanted to be. He fails to see that Harry had better luck in some ways, yeah, but George has had a much richer life in so many other ways. In his depression, George forgets that Harry adores him and has modeled his life off of trying to find and have for himself the warm life and loving marriage that George has with Mary.

Harry is braver and faster-moving when it comes to plunging into life but George is the one who taught him what life is supposed to be like in the first place. That is very Gabriel and Aziraphale in S2.

The recurring bit in the story about George's "trick ear," too... when George saved Harry from drowning in the lake when they were kids, he had gotten sick from the cold water and became partially deaf in one ear as a result.

Saving Harry is an action that shows the best of George-- that he's brave, caring, noble, protective-- but, as the effects of it follow him throughout his life, it also comes to represent George's excessive self-sacrificing that has led to and compounded his depression. It exemplifies that he thinks only to serve others and struggles with many, if not all, of his own wants and needs going unfulfilled as a person, leading to his breakdown.

Funny how S2 cannot stop referencing ears, hearing, and listening, right? Just like for George Bailey, doing a brave and good thing-- saving his dying brother-- triggers Aziraphale's ongoing struggle with excessive self-sacrificing and it gets bad.

George is deaf in one ear but he refers to it in the film as him having a "trick ear". A trick ear is also one that is sold in magic stores, like the ones Glozier was pretending to look at before he lost his actual ear, back in 1941. It was George's deafness that kept him out of WW2 in It's A Wonderful Life, when practically every other man in town got to go do their part to fight fascism, be seen as a hero, and see Europe. Now's probably a good time to mention how all of the story we're watching in 1941 is happening because of Aziraphale being on the outside of the fight and wanting to do his bit help the Allied Forces.

I think that The Finale could have some aspects of It's A Wonderful Life in how it concludes its story, too. You can see George's momentary temptation by Mr. Potter as somewhat akin to Aziraphale and "The Metatron" and, in both stories, it's this discussion that pushes the main character over the edge. In It's A Wonderful Life, it's this scene that causes George to begin to believe that that the best way to provide for his family is to kill himself so they'll have the insurance money. He sees himself as worth more dead than alive and his suicide ideation is then Clarence and the Pottersville part of the film. In Good Omens, Aziraphale has plenty of money but he's trapped by his other George Bailey-like tendencies and, just like George with Mary, Aziraphale feels like, with the very notable exception of the universe giving him Crowley, he's been walked on and has seen everyone around him be able to make the kind of life that he wants to live. What Aziraphale really needs is to acknowledge in himself that he can do this, have others acknowledge it, too, and to feel appreciated.

The end of It's a Wonderful Life sees all of the characters in the film whose life George has touched come together to bail him out of the debt of Bailey Building & Loan, keep him out of prison, and start to see out his own dreams. They all invest in George, basically, and, in doing so, see and recognize him the way he saw them. When Harry arrives for what was supposed to be his heroic welcoming party, he turns it into one for George, without whom he never would have been able to have the life he has.

I wouldn't be surprised if there is a Good Omens-esque version of something like this going to be how Aziraphale gets out of his current jam. The show left S2 in a place where this could happen. Uriel, in her refusal to kill Maggie & Nina and her standing up for Gabriel in the group scenes, is the next angel to turn against Heaven. She's been shown to like and trust Gabriel and I predict she'll see what goes down with Aziraphale in Heaven after he gets off the elevator and go to Gabriel and Beez to tell them that Aziraphale fell. By the end of all of this, all our main supporting characters are going to each have done a little bit to help save Aziraphale and overthrow Heaven/Hell in the process. They're going to keep Bedford Falls from becoming Pottersville. (Gin joints, strip clubs, and cinemas showing more than The Bells of St. Mary's are totally fine to stay, though. 😂) In doing so, they all help Aziraphale feel seen and appreciated for who he is.

Especially since Our Villain was playing on those things in his manipulation of Aziraphale in The Final 15, telling him the things Aziraphale wants to hear from Heaven-- the angel who knows how things are done on Earth stuff-- only to then reveal that it's all bullshit by showing how the plan is to destroy Earth and they actually have no need for Aziraphale.

A Good Omens version of this scene below near the end of The Finale, please, with Gabriel, maybe at The Resurrectionist, and something like "the best angel in Heaven":

<<We know that the Book of Life can (or at least angels believe it can) remove an angel from existence.>>

We know that Michael believes it can. We don't know about all the angels. I have a feeling that Aziraphale knows it's balderdash, as he didn't seem especially concerned about it during The Final 15. Michael is very impressionable and not as smart as they think they are. I think it's very unlikely that this thing works the way that some of the character think it does, if it exists at all. We already know that demons all have the same powers as they did when they were angels, barring things like holy water immunity. The Metatron can't even take their powers so how could he erase them? He can't. He's a fraud.

Even presuming that he could, right? Why would he? There are much easier, less impactful ways to destroy an angel or a demon that we already know exist in the story. To erase a being would create a butterfly effect that would make doing so dangerous enough to collapse the universe-- including Heaven. The Metatron looks like he's got enough problems trying to hang onto his power in this universe. I doubt he'd be wild about dealing with multiple ones.

We also know that Crowley has an anxiety disorder and self-trust issues, that he and Beez are the smartest of the demons and were among the smartest of the angels. We know that they were friends before the fall and both are prone to some sarcastic teasing that masks their own anxieties. Crowley was correct in 2.01-- he and Beez made up The Book of Life to tease some of the other angels. The one person we can trust who could answer this question definitively is probably Gabriel and seems he's the one character whose story was written in such a very precise way as to keep him from knowing anyone was worried about The Book of Life for all of S2-- including after he got his memories back.

The show has to answer The Book of Life question it set up for us in some way in The Finale. We'll have to see how it does but I think that since Gabriel is the one who can do that but he doesn't yet know that anyone is worried about The Book of Life, that he'll have to find out that someone is, in order to answer that question, right?

To me, Crowley thinks the threat is The Book of Life in The Final 15 so when he can no longer feel Aziraphale after Aziraphale falls, he won't think Aziraphale fell. He'll think Aziraphale was erased. Gabriel will know before Crowley because he'll have gotten that information from Uriel. So, when Gabriel shows up to Crowley and Crowley is going on about The Book of Life? Gabriel will tell him that The Book of Life isn't a thing and that's when Crowley will realize his own trick ear was a problem in S2 because he made a plan for a threat that doesn't exist. It's the anxiety talking.

The Book of Life is akin to War, Famine & Pollution-- aka conflict/a lack of peace from a lack of healthy communication (War); a lack of nourishment of all needed kinds, not just food (Famine); unmanaged trauma and mental heath struggles (Pollution). I'm pretty sure that The Book of Life, in the way Crowley and Beez were talking about it, is only as real as any of the characters believe it to be.

In light of the recent Christmas jumpers worn by Rob Wilkins, I thought of the clues the story in S2 left for us that yes, S3 might take place during Christmas.

If anyone else hasn't listed this one yet, the Metatron says "wrap things up" near the end of S2.

I remembered way back to my post about Crowley being summoned to Hell by Beelzebub.

I remarked:

There's an "It's a Wonderful Life" reference here, I realize...With this concept of erasing someone from the Book of Life, I'm inclined to think that a person wiped from existence cannot learn "a lesson" because they don't exist anymore! But wait. That is what happened in the movie "It's a Wonderful Life". The angel Clarence showed the human George Bailey a reality where he, George Bailey, no longer existed because he had never been born. George learned "a lesson" about the value of his own life.

I did acknowledge it might be foreshadowing and didn't think it would be particularly interesting, but "It's a Wonderful Life" is a well-known Christmas movie, so this prospect has become at least a little more likely in my eyes.

We might (briefly?) see a reality without Crowley, Aziraphale, or both, with their roles in Eden.

[biinaberry]

I have so many question about the QJP disciple in hiding AU-- Has SY been identified as an insurgent/someone speaking against the emperor? Does LBH recognize SY as his ex-shixiong? Does LBH know his kids are running off or does he not pay any attention? Is LBH familiar with SY's femme persona/ is he trying to woo her?

[original post] Shen Yuan still has remaining trauma from the abuse SQQ has put him through over 70 years ago. He chooses to isolate himself as to prevent himself from lashing out at others or causing a paranoia episode. After the burning of cang qiong he actually has the idea to rebuild the forests on the burned mountain peaks after all the demons and cultivators left. He plants bamboo and shrubs in the area and finds himself making peace with what has happened to him through this process. Thankfully LBH never returned to the peak as there's no reason to now, there is no more revenge that can be performed. No one knows he exists and SY wants it to stay that way

Shen Yuan was already a full adult by the time LBH joined qing jing peak. When LBH joined at 14 sy was already 27 and long since left the sect (at 17). There's a chance they crossed paths when LBH was a disciple but,

To me Luo Bingge screams being ace. Yes, the stallion protagonist known for the large amounts of sex he has, is ace. The first time Binghe had sex he was basically pressured into it by Qin Wanyue and I feel that drastically impacted his relationship with sex. The fact that his body is a form of medicine leads him with internal battle where he doesn't want to confront the fact he doesn't really Enjoy sex and is instead going through the motions.

Do you want to be the one responsible for someone dying just because you didn't want to bang?There's a lot of social pressure. The constant pattern of women falling for his body and charm speaks to me that they aren't actually there for him they're there for his body. And this is further pushed by him taking on these multiple wives but soon dropping them after having sex with them, he marries them bc its the one form of moral code he stands with. If he has sex with them, then he must marry them for proprietary sake.

So when he eventually has his first child, Tian Feng he has to come to terms with the fact he doesn't actually want kids either. But does it to please the wives which he forced himself to have.

He cares for them but doesn't really love them. He let the wives have kids bc it is expected that he has tons of heirs. He knows the heavenly demon blood will prevent them from being killed. He only notices after one of the wives comes up to him saying their children have been missing for a week so he goes searching for them.

And has he flirted with SY while he was in his femsona?

Absolutely. SY has to strain in order to not punch LBH in the face. But gets him to backoff after saying hes happily married already and isn't looking for a second husband

[afterthelambs]

Same anon as before! Can you please elaborate on why 306 is where you think MHA started failing? I'm so curious because I've never seen anyone say that before.

No problem! To keep is as short as possible, there are two main reasons why 306 (when Deku leaves UA, start of vigilante arc) marks the decline of MHA's quality for me: loss of structure and loss of intimacy

Loss of structure

My Hero Academia's early quality can be found in the name: academia. The school setting provided Horikoshi with a structure for the story that helped keep it in focus. Every major arc since the beginning has been centered on a school activity, whether it's a sports festival or an exam or a summer camp. It ensures that everyone will have something to do, a tangible goal for the arc. But 306 ends that. The first war was still a school activity, it was an extension of their hero internships. But after that, the school setting ceases to exist. UA is still relevant, but only as a refugee shelter.

There is no longer a strong framework for Hori to work with, so characters start feeling like theyre meandering. The goals became vague 'defeat the villains' and 'save the country' when they used to be personal, like saving a friend or improving on a skill to pass a test.

Basically loss of structure damaged the plot.

2. Loss of intimacy

If I asked you what is the most iconic or impactful fight in MHA to you, what would be the first thing in your mind? Most people would say things like the Deku v Shoto sports festival, or All Might vs AFO, or Deku vs Kacchan (both of them), or even Iida-Shoto-Deku vs Stain. What do these all have in common? These fights are limited to a handful of people. They're intimate.

Horikoshi has always been more comfortable writing small battles. During the first ever big fight between class A and the nomus, what does he do? He separates all of them in groups of 2 or 3. During the summer camp, is it class A vs the entire LOV? No, he has them fight villains in pairs. It's Bakugou and Shoto vs Moonfish, or Kendo and Tetsutetsu vs Gas Mask kid (i forgot his name), or Uraraka and Tsuyu vs Toga. These smaller fights allow the characters to be intimate with each other and fully interact/ develop unique interpersonal dynamics.

chapter 306 shifted the focus into large battles with too many people and factors involved, and because of that characters don't feel like they're actually connecting on a personal level.

The best example i can think of is comparing Deku vs Shoto fight with the Shoto vs Dabi fight. These fights are identical in concept. Deku is trying to reach out to Shoto, who is consumed by anger at Endeavor and is destroying himself because of it. Shoto is trying to reach out to Dabi, who is consumed by anger at Endeavor and is destroying himself because of it. This is the most clear-cut parallelism you can get. And yet the execution of the fights are so different. Deku and Shoto are only focused on each other, they're having a personal conversation, we see them change over the course of the fight because of the other's actions. A genuine bond was formed.

But Shoto and Dabi were not just focused on each other. Iida was there (bc hori has to give him something to do), Dabi keeps trying to leave to kill people, Shoto isn't allowed to converse with him because the rest of the battle keeps interrupting, and the rest of the Todofam get involved. Despite being set up as a fight between brothers where Shoto could apply the lessons he learned from Deku a long time ago to save his older brother, it ends up losing focus. I don't feel like Shoto or Dabi feel differently about each other by the end of the fight at all. Dabi is given a moment where he realizes his family cares about him, but what about Shoto? We don't get to see how it changes him. The intimacy was lost, so their relationship falls flat and their development is underexplored.

If loss of structure damages the plot, then loss of intimacy damages the characters and relationships.

Thats longer than I thought it would be, so sorry about that. But yeah I feel like these shifts in the way the story was written answer why MHA has so many issues down the line. There is also the issue of the awful decisions made (killing the villains, abandoning All Might and Bakugou and the hopeful tone, etc.) which can't be fixed by pacing or smaller fights. But I do think those decisions reflect how the focus was more on 'ending the war' rather than giving characters satisfying relationships and conclusions. Ever since 306 came out, I could tell Horikoshi's priorities and writing style had shifted so I kinda figured the ending was not gonna go well. But yeah I never predicted just how bad it was gonna be😭 I wish he just stuck with the Heroes Rising ending, it would've been perfect (intimate battles limited to class 1A only and well-structured within a school work activity! thats perfection right there).

im really sorry the MHA fandom is having a bad time with the ending though. Let's just all cope through fanworks together, who even needs canon. MHA fans are some of the brightest and most brilliant ive ever seen. The fanart is god-tier and the fanfics are so fun and even life-changingly good. Like Horikoshi could never match edema-ruh's TWYUTD, that fanfic is actual literature. Thanks for the character designs sir, but we'll take it from here.

[lesabear]

Thoughts on Veilguard

TLDR: If empty calories were a video game it would be Dragon Age: The Veilguard. The game is a pleasant enough - if generic and unremarkable - action RPG that basically abandons the themes and feel of the previous games, resulting in a bland story that largely avoids dealing with anything that might remotely cause conflict in the party or force the player to consider anything other than surface level good-bad morality.

If this is the direction they're taking DA, then I think I'm done with the franchise. If I wanted a generic, thematically uninteresting, action RPG there are so many other games to play.

Spoilers in my detailed thoughts below

The good:

It looks very nice - I wish I could have spent even more time exploring the world areas.

Very few bugs or technical issues unlike Andromeda (or most new games in general). I had a few minor issues near the end but overall was very impressed.

Manfred and Assan are great secondary companions. If anyone knows where to find a skeleton and/or griffon friend please let me know.

I quite like Emmerich, Davrin and Bellara and romanced the latter two and (Generally) really liked both. Disclaimer: I tend to have different tastes than the majority of DA fandom when it comes to romances. I expected to have mixed feelings on Bellara because of my issues with Bioware and their cutesy awkward naive/inexperienced female characters but I thought they (mostly) got her right.

Some interesting lore stuff, though I quibble with how it was delivered at times. Still was fun to get a lot more info on the Evanuris, Solas, Mythal, the Titans, etc. And there's also some fun lore stuff in the codices, although again I question whether that's the best way to deliver them.

The final mission is a lot of fun and the clear standout quest other than Weisshaupt maybe. Both are a lot of fun and combine multiple story elements with good gameplay for a satisfying experience.

Combat is engaging although it does get repetitive once you "solve" it. I did a lot of grinding to complete content though so that might be my fault.

Solas is very Solas-y in the game and the highlight of the antagonists by far. I wish there had been more of him and I say that as someone who finds the Solas fandom somewhat exhausting at times. He was far more interesting and compelling than the "even-worse" gods and the fact he's a fuck up who keeps making things worse because he's an egotistical fuck-up who thinks he's the only one that can fix things was is both tragic and fun.

Neve-Lucanis and Taash-Harding are both very cute. I actually think they might be my favorite companion romances off the top of my head (Tali-Garrus does absolutely nothing for me, and I don't even romance either character with my Shepard).

The not good

Why is the Inquisitor wearing pajamas.

Bioware can fuck off for making me pop about a zillion blight pimples. It's really not that much fun after the first 1000

Extremely disappointed with how sanitized the narrative is. There's little attention paid to major facets of the DA universe that are directly relevant to the plot (religion, Tevinter slavery, racism toward elves etc.) and you also get stuff like the Crows now being far lighter of an organization than they were previously.

Just as an example - both Davrin and Bellara touch on what it means to have their gods be the villains but they're just topics for conversation and there's no meaningful impact (especially as the bad guys rely on Antaam and Venatori forces - oh and generic mercenaries). The Dalish are just there (or victims of the bad guys) for the most part. I've read comments from Bioware that confirm this but it seemed obvious Bioware wrote themselves into a corner with making Elven gods be the main antagonists, as you then run into the issue of having the elves not only already be a persecuted minority but also be worshipping evil gods - but instead of writing around it they just avoided dealing with it and acted like it's just the Dalish getting a big win by not joining them.

Speaking of enemies, lots of bland dialogue from the non-Solas big bads. And the Venatori/Antaam/mercenaries gave off major "Cerberus in ME3" vibes - nameless, faceless goons thrown at you in waves that got very boring very quickly.

The way a companion gets hardened because of a choice early in the game is mostly meaningless unless you wanted to romance them. People getting mad about that happening are being ridiculous - if anything the game is too afraid (as usual) to have it actual matter beyond them briefly being upset before moving on.

One of the big choices is to decide whether to protect Treviso or Minrathous when both are attacked by dragons, but it happens so early you might lock yourself out of quests without realizing it. Worse, the ensuing mission is incredibly short and boring (basically a couple of packs of generic enemies and then a very brief dragon fight)

Why is the Inqusitor wearing pajamas.

Why can't I be a mean/"bad" Rook? Even the jokey responses feel super tame compared to previous DAs (let alone the borderline assholish purple hawke). Basically you're only allowed to be slightly different variations of a heroic figure.

While the companions are all nice they all top out at "I like them", with none matching the story or emotional peaks of previous Bioware games. Emmerich comes closest (especially if you account for Manfred) but there's just enough meat to him.

Disappointing romances compared to previous Bioware games(especially but not limited to Lucanis.). Not a ton of depth dialogue wise and at times it feels like they put more time into the companion romance than the Rook version (this time I am definitely talking about Lucanis).

Speaking of which, Lucanis was the biggest disappointment of the companions. I didn't want a Zevran clone but you have a hardened assassin possessed by a demon who (if you choose not to save Treviso, which cuts off a lot of his content) just drinks coffee and likes Neve and uh....

Completely forgettable soundtrack which is a major bummer after previous installments. Also, while I didn't have many technical issues, the music not always playing was one of them (although maybe it doesn't really matter given the lack of quality!)

Bad to horrendous incorporation of previous DA story which was also incongruous with the general tone, especially with the handling of the Inquisitor and the treatment of southern Thedas (especially if you get the Emmerich and Harding picnic conversation at an awkward time like I did.)

Lots of disappointing cameos but especially from my Pirate Queen/Wife from DA2. Isabela's hat is indeed very nice but what is that outfit? And I get they didn't want to deal with too complex a world state but man was it a bummer to see her basically reset after everything her and Hawke went through in my main DA2 playthrough.

Why is the Inquisitor wearing pajamas.

What did they do with Harding? Why did she basically get Dagna's story, even if Titan lore is interesting? She's such a nothing character in this game which is such a weird choice given that she's clearly there because they know fans like her.

The "Actually Varric was dead all along" did nothing for me. He barely shows up in game anyway and the weird framing of every appearance and the fact no one other than Rook ever interacts with him gave it away (at least partially)

[missoneminute]

you may have spoken about this before but is there anything that surprised you about p+c when you met them for the first time? :)

Hello! Yes! For sure. I’ve said before but I’m happy to say it all again any time.

The main thing is that Peter is TALL. You know he’s tall but you’re never prepared for how tall. Whatever you imagine - he’s bigger. He’s a giant. His hands are like soft bear paws, his head is a planet, his huge, beautiful eyes should be on a large deer. He’s just absolutely towering in every way. Which is always surprising somehow because he has such a soft aura. He’s very softly spoken, very gentle, so there’s a certain disconnect. He’s also very much on his own planet. I’ve met him both at some of the darker points of his addiction and well into recovery, and it’s safe to say he’s just a space cadet by nature. You never know if what you said went in or not - if it did, he will suddenly snap to attention like he’s come hurtling back to earth and engage you with a really childlike sense of wonder. If it did not, he will stare at you blankly and just… wander off. I’ve twice had him do things like just say “well bye!” And wander off after a long, awkward pause haha. Which I’m fine with - I love that he’s a law unto himself, and it makes the times you connect with him all the more special. He also has no filter. If you give him a gift he doesn’t love, he will fucking tell you about it lol. But same goes that when he loves it, he’s so sweet and complimentary. I’ve been giving him antique silk cigarette cards - which he collects - for six years now and he really loves them. For instance last time in Manchester he told me they’re “better than heroin”. Like. He will just… say things haha. There’s also no middle ground - he will either give you the sweetest hug where he collects you and squeezes you or he will give you a side hug like you’re infectious. It’s literally utterly dependent on his mood haha. But ya know he’s his own country, you can’t take anything he does personally because Peter will do whatever Peter does and the world outside him has little impact on that. He’s very charming and charismatic of course, very funny too, and just so naturally eccentric. He has that vibe, you know… that vibe people have who are just blessed by something bigger, something fated. Now Carl… the thing that surprised me about Carl is that he’s so WARM. Like he may be the warmest person I’ve ever met. He’s so, so attentive, so so kind, so utterly sweet and just so deeply affectionate. He’s like that every time and with everyone. He hugs like no one else on earth. When that man embraces you it’s so fucking real. Like I don’t want to sound ridiculous but he just hugs people with such immense love. He HOLDS you man. It’s crazy how he never turns that off and how he can be that way so constantly. He always knows what to say, he fills every weird silence, and he works very hard to make people comfortable. I’ve never met anyone who radiates so much pure and endless warmth. It’s truly so beautiful and while I think a lot of fans know he’s like that now, I feel like because of all the dark stuff that went on back in the day some people saw him as aloof and unkind and nothing could be further from the truth. I get why people get obsessed with him, I really do. He radiates such gorgeous energy that you want to be around it and you want those magical hugs. Plus he’s an incredible conversationalist - so fast, so funny, so witty and so full of random ridiculous facts. Eccentric too of course. Like I get it Peter, I get it Carl girls. He’s extremely charming and charismatic, much more in person than he comes across on screen. He has a special energy too, something mesmerising. And yeah being real he’s one of the best looking people I’ve seen in person. He’s shiny. Very shiny - beautiful hair, flawless skin, put together so well, and he has that way of moving that beautiful people always do where they sort of just… leave a glittery trail. One thing I haven’t gotten to see is the two of them interacting much - I’ve seen them in the same space chatting to fans and calling across to each other here and there but never full pelt. I think my entire mind would melt. X

[elinty]

Shattered Promises

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Pairing: Tom Riddle x Reader

Short summary: You love him more than anything but does he even care a bit about you?

Warnings: This piece contains themes of emotional manipulation, toxic relationships, and unanswered love

A/N: hello! this is my first post and i wish to post many more. Hope you like it!

wordcount: 501

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I shouldn’t have followed him, you thought to yourself.

I shouldn't have followed Tom riddle.

Like the icy air of a winter night that tingles your skin, the warning had been written into the very air surrounding him. Tom Riddle was a dark, relentless storm, and I had chosen to follow its path.

It was intoxicating at first. His personality was attractive and he was brilliant. you thought you could have an impact on him—not as a puppet in his constant desire for authority, but as something more.

What an idiot you were to fall so shamelessly in love with someone like him.

Someone who could twist your heart with just a glance and crush it with a single word. He had a way of drawing you in, making you feel seen, only to leave you questioning your worth.

Suddenly, he stopped walking ,his footsteps echoing in the cold, empty corridor. Without warning, he turned back, his dark eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that froze me in place.

For a moment, I thought he might not say nothing, that he’d simply let his glare do the talking. But then, in a voice sharper than a knife, he said, "You really are weak huh ?"

The words felt like a blow to the chest, and I instinctively took a step back, as if the distance could shield me from the sting of his judgment. He stepped forward instead, closing the gap.

"You let your feelings control you," he continued, his tone laced with disdain. "It’s pathetic really."

I opened my mouth to respond, to defend myself, but nothing came out. The intensity in his eyes pinned me down, making me feel small, insignificant.

You spoke in a low voice , "Our feelings make us human, Tom," but your voice broke. "You don't have to destroy everything good in life to prove you're powerful."

Something sparked in his eyes for a brief second , anger,pain, or maybe something left over of the person he used to be. But it disappeared before I got hold of it, hiding beneath the cold face he wore with so much ease.

"Love is a weakness," he said and took a step forward. The air became oppressively heavy. "You think your love can change me?"

The lump in my throat seemed to choke me as I swallowed rapidly. "I don't like the person you've turned into Tom . I love the parts of you that stay—"

His voice was low and toxic as he interrupted, "Still what?" "Are you still holding onto the pathetic ideas of kindness and faith? I've lost those parts of myself. You should have let them die.

I refused to back down even though his remarks were like a curse. Not now.

"Tom, I can't let them die.Because I will lose you completely if I do."

That something broke inside me, not between us. I came to understand that I had already lost the fight. He had no wish to be saved. I wasn't what he wanted.

His tone was colder than ever as he said, "You're a fool." "And fools don’t matter in my world"

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A/N: Here’s the story you guys my first one! Hoped you guys liked the story. I currently only write angst and fluff and but in the future I might write smut. You can request any type of story you want and I will try my best to write it!!