#probably also reflecting on his own match etc

[narsh-poptarts]

my dark link thoughts coalesced into wonderful headcanons and crazy amounts of forced perspectives and dutch angles

also sorry HW i would have included your dark link(s) but i do not have passion for your game <3 maybe next time

Some thoughts below

I have thoughts about dark link that boil down to basically two things: 1. it's always the same dark link, and 2. dark link has a very difficult time changing.

No matter how many times dark link is brought into existence, he is formed from the shadow of link usually to test link's will. that shadow can be duplicated (as seen in HW) but generally speaking it's the same guy, sharing the thought space, you know how it is. In terms of sentience/thinking for himself, I don't think there's all that much of it. He is a dark reflection/shadow of link, so shares his abilities and thought patterns (for combat) with added aggression and. evil. i guess.

As said by navi, "conquer yourself", and all that. He's a challenge to the inner will power.

That being said!!! he can have a little bit of individuality, as a treat. Just in the form of being mean and sadistic <3 he's got thoughts, he's not just a combat doll (tho in times of low power, or a greater power having the reins, he reverts to that), so he can be frustrated, vindicated, happy, etc etc. though when your thoughts are mainly "evilevilevilevilevil" your idea of these emotions are a bit skewed.

When he's summoned for each different link, i hc that it's all the same magic, so the same dark link every time. he "remembers" in an abstract sense of his role in the same way a link or zelda "remembers" their own reincarnation. tho his is less of a reincarnation and more being used over and over again. a persistence.

The iteration that's summoned reflects the current link at the time, the part of link that needs testing/defeating, so it's not an existence that he himself can change to match the present. he's locked to that first copy/shadow only. So if he were to have a second encounter with an older link, he'd look like the first time they fought, unless he was specifically re-summoned. i hc he's got limited magic, so this is not something he can do himself.

in a links-meet scenario, his form would be limited to those specific forms of the links, and it would always be the points in time in which he first encountered them, unless there's other magic either he or someone else has access to to allow him to change forms to match.

now you might be saying at this point "wouldn't he be a weaker match if he was put up against an older link?" yeah probably lol. but also!!! i like the idea that with the limited magic he has, he's able to change juuuust enough to stay relatively evenly matched. being able to play to different strengths and all that. but the base stuff is still the same, so he is decently easy enough to read if link remembers the kind of stuff he was pulling back when he originally fought dark link.

dark link also knows about all this so while limited to the particular skillset, is able to adapt slightly.

but yeah been thinking a lot about a links-meet au where dark link is there choosing a different link to be every time he appears to the party.

though there are a couple links that he never impersonates in their games!!! so can't change into those guys unless he gets a new round of copycat magic.

Anyways goodbye guy standing there with standard camera angle, i have dutch angles and forced perspective

[peachtarto]

Now or Never

Pairing : Luke Castellan x reader

Word Count :

Summary : Luke missed his chance to ask you an important question, and is painfully unaware of it.

Warnings: mostly fluff! nothing crazy- Luke is dumb, Clarisse is an overprotective bestie, talk of self-doubt etc.

Masterlist here!

A/N : thinking of making this a little series of moments in your relationship- let me know if that’s something you guys would like!

‘Don’t you think it’s a little much?’ You questioned, eyeing your own reflection with what some might call a generous amount of scrutiny.

Silena gave no indication that she’d heard and continued talking, ‘there’ll be such good food, and wine of course, lots and lot of wine..’

The pins in your hair were already beginning to ache, and you tried not to wince as she added yet another one to the elegant braid she was painstakingly creating.

‘- imagine if we made this much fuss for our birthdays,’ she continued, ‘like, I get that he’s the god of festivity but I’ve got to question why he wants to party with a load of hormonal teenagers. Not that I’m complaining, we could all use a good party.’

Silena was already dressed: a deep purple gown of silk accented with golden cuffs, and little combs fashioned like gilded laurel leaves swept her hair away from her face. She looked beautiful, and there was not a doubt in your mind that she was the daughter of Aphrodite.

She’d picked out your dress which had been a relief, a soft chiffon that seemed to float when you moved. It was simple but elegant, she’d insisted- perfect for a daughter of Athena. She’d also said that the hair should match, but it’d been half an hour since she’d started and it was starting to feel everything but simple.

‘And can you believe we’re allowed to switch tables tonight? I can’t wait! Charles said we’d sit together obviously and I’m sure the Hermes boys will join as and..’

Her smile faltered when she saw the look on your face and she quickly halted her movements, ‘oh, don’t you like it?’

‘No no, it’s beautiful!’ You stammered quickly; she’d curled and brainded your hair back in a thick, loose plait with little gold pins shimmering throughout. Even in cabin 10, her skills were unrivalled. ‘I just- do you think it’s too much?’ You questioned again.

‘Too much?’ She scoffed, and then her full lips parted in a dazzling smile, ‘of course it’s too much, that’s the point! We want every boy in this camp on their knees! Figuratively of course.’

You tried to hide the smile that tugged on your lips, ‘You’ve already got Charles drooling after you non-stop, leave some for the rest of us.’

‘Some?’ She said and grinned rather fiendishly, ‘or do you want me to leave just a certain son of Hermes for you?’

You rolled your eyes and gave her a smooth, and rather horrible gesture as she went back to toying with your hair, giggling to herself.

Silena had been the one to introduce you to Luke two years prior. She’d gracefully swept you into her circle the moment you’d arrived in camp, convinced you would be claimed by her mother too. Had Luke not intervened and taken you to cabin 11 she probably would’ve had you sleeping top to toe in her bunk; she’d reluctantly handed you over, but not before she’d seen the look that had passed between the two of you. Love at first sight she’d insisted, and maybe she’d been mistaken on his end, but she hadn’t on yours.

‘You know, he really does like you. I can tell, and you should believe me because it’s literally my thing.’ She sighed, stepping back to admire her handiwork. She pulled and prodded at a few loose hairs until she seemed satisfied, then dragged you over to the long mirror at the back of the cabin.

You didn’t know how she’d managed it, but for once you didn’t cringe at the reflection you saw and a part of you couldn’t quite believe what stared back. There was no denying she was a master at her craft.

‘You look so beautiful!’ Silena squealed, her hands clasped together in pride. Then, without warning she pulled you into a bone-crushing hug that had the air leaving your lungs. ‘Tonight’s the night, for both of us, I can feel it!’

You hoped she was right as you followed her out of the cabin, towards the glittering lights in the pavilion.

Luke stood with Charles and Chris at the edge of the party, sipping slowly on the glass of wine in his hand. He supposed Mr D had been granted a night of reprieve.

‘Seriously man, chill out,’ he whispered over Beckendorf’s shoulder, ‘she’ll be here. Keep frowning like that and you’ll pop a blood vessel.’

He could sense Charles shifting in his feet nervously and his mouth twitched slightly, he knew the feeling all too well. He’d been on edge all day too. Chris was smirking too, but his was all smugness; he’d asked Clarisse outright to attend the party with him and much to everyone’s surprise, she’d said yes immediately, which was lucky for him because the alternative would almost certainly have been the loss of a limb.

‘How can it possibly take this long to get ready?’ Charles said, turning to face Luke. It was odd to see the son of Hephaestus so flustered when he was normally immune to the whims of teenage hormones; apparently he was not at all immune to the power Silena Beauregard seemed to hold over him. ‘Maybe she’s not coming man, we should just go before- oh..’ he trailed off. His eyes went starry and Luke whipped his head around to see what had entranced his friend.

There was Silena in her finery, tossing her hair over a shoulder as she swept into the pavilion. She threw a dangerously beautiful grin at Charles who was beginning to look a little like he might faint.

‘Hi Charles,’ she offered as she sauntered over. Anyone else might’ve missed the shake in her voice, but Luke caught the slightly nervous wobble of her tone and smiled. Good for Beckendorf.

‘You look great Silena,’ he managed to cough out. He quickly eyed Luke who gave an tiny nod of approval as if to say ‘keep going buddy!’

‘I know,’ she sighed dreamily, giving a little twirl of her dress before looping her arm through Charles’ who was now definitely holding his breath. Silena giggled and patted his chest sweetly before throwing a mischievous glare at Luke, ‘Just wait till you see her, I think you’ll get a little breathless too Castellan. Now come on Charlie, let’s get a drink.’

Luke watched her lead his friend away to where Chris stood with an arm slung around Clarisse’s waist; she’d opted for a gown of stormy grey adorned with tiny silver chains, as close to armour as she could get he guessed. She looked slightly terrifying, until Chris whispered something in her ear that had a blushing like crazy and stepping even closer into his side.

‘They make a great couple, don’t you think?’

Luke spun around quickly at the sound of your voice and cursed silently, Silena had been right. All the air left his lungs in a great breath and he was instantly lightheaded at the sight of you.

Devastating was the only word that came to his mind. Truly devastating. You could’ve walked into Olympus then and there and they probably would’ve pronounced you a goddess in an instant. He was struck dumb, and silent. He wanted to say something about how beautiful you looked, or how he’d been wrapped around your delicate finger the day you’d walked into camp; instead his frantic brain settled on, ‘nice dress, did you borrow it from Silena?’

You flinched. ‘No. We were sent a trunk to pick from from her mother.’

‘Oh.’ Was all he could reply as his gaze raked over you again. ‘That’s awfully nice of her.’

‘Very.’ You said through gritted teeth, trying to stop the scarlet blush you could feel rising to your cheeks. What was his problem? It wasn’t unusual for Luke to be blunt, he always struggled to keep his opinions to himself and it had gotten you both in hot water a hundred times before; but it was unusual for him to be blunt with you.

He’d been distant all week, he’d managed to miss three sparring sessions with you and counsellor duties on several occasions. The first few times Chris had been polite enough to make excuses for him, but when the two of you walked into the arena one morning to find Luke and Travis swinging swords at eachother, he’d stayed silent. He didn’t have to tell you what was already painfully obvious. Luke wasn’t ill, and hadn’t ’slept in late’, he’d just been avoiding spending any amount of time with you. You hadn’t had any idea why; and now, standing in the pavilion with the air thinning in between you both, you were even more confused.

He ran his eyes over your dress yet another time and something seemed to snap in your chest. ‘If you’re going to keep judging my outfit,’ you managed to spit out, ‘do it at the dinner table, I’m starving and don’t have the energy to defend myself. Let’s go sit with the others.’

You span away from him so quickly you missed him opening and closing his mouth as he tried to explain himself. As you stalked towards the table your friends had gathered around you must’ve been wearing a murderous expression, because Silena quirked her eyebrow at him with a face that said ‘what did you say?’ He responded with a small shrug before slipping into the seat opposite you.

Luke tried, and failed, to catch your eye throughout dinner. Food came and went, and glasses of a sweet amber wine refilled themselves as soon as the last drop hit the drinker’s lips. Silena had made her way through at least five glasses by his count, and was whispering something in Charles’ ear that had the man choking on his strawberry tart. You’d barely touched yours, and had politely declined his offer to get you something else to drink. You’d barely touched your dinner either, pushing things around your plate with your fork until Connor had unceremoniously dumped the contents of it onto his own. He felt he should apologise for his brother’s behaviour, but when he’d tried, you’d turned to watch the campers dancing by the fire.

The soft light from the flames flickered over the planes of your face and he knew he shouldn’t stare, but after starving himself of you for almost a week, he was finding it hard to look away. If he was honest with himself, it had been almost impossible to endure. You’d spent almost every day together for two years; a week apart had him feeling like he was missing a limb.

But a week apart was better than a week of watching male campers saunter up to you in a flurry of proposals. He’d managed to stick around long enough to see two Ares boys crash and burn and that was more than enough. If the failures were that bad, seeing you agree to attend the party with someone would probably have finished him off. He wondered which insufferable git you’d given in to, which one you’d been stood up by.

Curious, he leaned forward and asked loud enough to get your attention- ‘where’s your date?’

You slid your eyes away from the dancers and faced Luke. He was toying with the stem of his glass. Your throat tightened, and your face warmed uncomfortably. ‘I don’t have one.’

‘What?’ He asked incredulously.

‘Loads of people came alone Luke.’ You said replied quietly, keenly aware of the sudden silence of the conversations between everyone else at the table. ‘It’s not a big deal.’

‘I know, I just thought you would’ve put someone out of their misery. Every guy at camp must’ve asked you.’

‘Almost every guy.’ Chris whispered into his drink, rolling his eyes.

‘A few asked, yes.’ You murmured.

‘And you came alone anyway?’

You could’ve sworn Chris was wincing now, and Clarisse had the good sense to find the lights strung above the tables incredibly interesting all of a sudden. Silena however, looked like she was about to explode. You didn’t even know where to begin, your cheeks weren’t warm anymore, they were burning.

‘Yes.’ You ground out, hoping he’d take the hint and keep his mouth shut for once.

Luke went to speak, but Charles cut in before he could begin. ‘We should go dance!’ He declared, slapping his knees over-enthusiastically and standing so quickly he nearly toppled over his chair. The others rose with murmurs of agreement, eager to get away from what was becoming an increasingly awkward conversation.

‘You guys go ahead,’ you said, rising from your chair ‘I’m going to get some fresh air.’

You hoped no one would mention that you were already outside, surrounded by fresh air, and thankfully no one did. Silena gave you an apologetic look but you shook it off. The lights suddenly seemed much too bright, and the table of your friends was starting to feel like an audience to your embarrassment. As they all walked towards the fire you began in the opposite direction, lifting your dress slightly to allow your feet to travel quickly towards the cabins.

Luke felt Silena’s hand meet the back of his head in a swift slap before he could reach out to stop it.

‘You are as dense as old bread Castellan!’ She hissed as he cradled his neck. The boys were looking at him disapprovingly, but Clarisse was just glaring at him like she was sizing him up for a fight.

‘Chris where’s my knife?’ She asked coldly, holding her hand out in her boyfriend’s direction.

‘Woah- what did I do?’ Luke exclaimed, which earned him a hard flick right in the centre of his forehead. Whoever said Aphrodite’s children weren’t vicious fighters was beginning to sound like a goddam liar, he thought.

‘Do you know how many guys she turned down for tonight?’ Silena continued, ‘almost every guy at camp! And do you know why Captain No Clue?’

Luke just stared blankly until she let out an exasperated sigh. ‘Because she was waiting for you to ask her! I was hoping you’d pull your finger out by the end of the week but you didn’t, and you let her come alone.’

He flinched. Silena’s face tightened and her dark eyes flicked to Charles. Something unsaid flashed between them before she turned her gaze back on Luke; her anger was gone, replaced with something strangely close to pity.

‘You wanted to ask her, didn’t you?’ She asked- carefully. Her eyes were beginning to crinkle like she was about to burst into tears. She dashed forward and forced him down into a tight hug. ‘Oh Luke, I’m so stupid!’

Clarisse rolled her eyes. ‘Daughter of the goddess of love and you didn’t see this one coming? Even Chris figured this one out!’ She chided, then added sweetly in his direction, ‘no offence babe.’

He thought of every moment he’d spent with you; the hours of sparring sessions under the heat of the summer sun, the picnics out in the strawberry fields, sneaking between your cabins in the middle of the night to swap stories of your lives before all of this. He’d known the risks of falling for you, and he’d done it anyway. He’d thought about telling you a hundred times. He had thought about telling you that he didn’t want or expect anything from you in return, that he just needed you to know how he felt because it was torture to suffer it in silence. Over the months he’d managed to convince himself that you didn’t feel anything close to what he felt for you, and had resigned himself to living in the wake of your existence.

Luke’s heart stumbled, taking all the confusion and doubt with it, he blurted, ‘I should go after her,’ and started after you, his pulse pounding in his ears.

Even at a fast-paced jog, he only managed to catch up with you when you were rushing up the stairs to your cabin, the skirts of your dress billowing out behind you.

‘Wait up!’ he shouted through heavy breaths.

You didn’t let him continue and just increased your pace, rushing to get to the door. If you could make it inside and shut him out, perhaps he wouldn’t see the tears that had begun fall. A small part of you ached to stop and turn to him, but you knew what was coming. Silena would have tried to intervene once you’d left, and he was probably coming after you to let you down gently. You weren’t sure you could survive that.

‘Gods will you slow down!’ Luke yelled, ‘I want to talk to you!’

‘Don’t bother,’ you said bluntly, ‘I know what you’re going to say.’

‘Oh yeah? What am I going to say?’

He’d taken the Athena cabin steps two at a time and was right behind you now. You could hear his ragged breathing, had he ran here? He must really want to get it over with, you thought bitterly. ‘Does it matter? Just go back to the party Luke, they’ll be missing you.’

‘It matters to me. I don’t want to be there if you’re not.’ He said softly and reached out to grab your hand. His fingers grazed your own, warm and steadfast- patiently waiting for you to pull away. But you didn’t, you couldn’t bare it.

As you turned to face him fully you realised you were close enough to share breath. In other circumstances you might’ve stared up at him with longing; now all there seemed to be was the awful sinking feeling that you were about to lose him.

You opted to not meet his eyesight, and instead studied the scuffed wood of the cabin porch beneath your feet.

‘Then why didn’t you ask me to go with you?’ You managed to ask. You could feel his eyes on you, burning into your skin like a brand. ‘I thought we were friends Luke, I thought that would be enough to get you to tolerate me for one evening so neither of us had to go alone.’

‘That’s not..’ he took a deep breath before he continued. Now or never, he thought, and opted for now.

‘I didn’t ask you because I didn’t want to go as your friend. I wanted to go as your date. I knew you’d say no, because every guy here was chalking up how to ask you themselves and I couldn’t- I couldn’t stand it. I’d prepared myself to see you with someone else tonight and it caught me off guard to see you alone. I had all these things I wanted to say to you, about how beautiful you looked, but I panicked and said some really stupid stuff back there. And i’m sorry, for all of it.’

It was your turn to take a deep breath, and without thinking your fingers tightened around his own. The air was too tight, humming between your bodies, between your joined hands.

‘Ask me now then.’ You dared.

He was silent for long enough that you dared to look up and meet his eyes. You were sure your expression was mirrored on his own: shock, longing, and then something like amusement.

He was smiling like a kid on Christmas at your offer, broad and unrestrained. ‘You want me to ask you to go to the party with me? Now? After I’ve just poured my heart out?’

‘If you don’t want to that fine.’ You teased, a small smile returning to your face. ‘What was it you said about every guy at camp?’

Luke let out a laugh and took a step closer, ‘I don’t care about the party. Go on a date with me. Tomorrow, today, hell let’s go now. I don’t care. Just go out with me. I’m not waiting another two years for this chance.’

‘Of course I’ll go out with you Castellan.’ You replied softly. You didn’t even have to think about your answer, you’d been preparing it for months.

‘Really?’

‘Yes really.’ You laughed and gave his hand a gentle squeeze.

With a sudden burst of confidence, Luke leaned down to brush his mouth against your blushing cheek. You thought you might burst then and there as he pulled you into his chest to whisper in your ear, ‘you look beautiful. You are beautiful. Always. Even covered in sweat during sparring practice, or windswept from the chariot races. I can never look away from you.’

He was blushing too when he pulled away, leaving you staring up at him, breathless again. His smile was nervous as he said, ‘I want to do this properly, I’ll plan something great I promise. But for now, I would be honoured if you’d come back to the party with me, as my date.’

You quirked an eyebrow. ‘Will you dance with me?’

‘Of course I’ll dance with you,’ Luke said, wrapping an arm around your waist, ‘I plan to show you off in fact. I’m pretty sure I’ve just achieved the impossible as far as the guys here are aware. I reserve bragging rights.’

[chrolloluvr]

💸 Ways Toxic!Mammon takes over your life as your controlling, doting boyfriend (pt.1?) 💸

Note: Female!Reader, AFAB (Whoever came up w/ voxtok shout out to you!!!), this also takes place before Fizz quit. Also not proofread!

Warnings: semi nsfw, cussing, manipulation, slut shaming, killing, dominance, toxic relationship goals!

Social media. As we all are aware, he has a huge influence online. He has millions and even billion of fans, which he can exploit and persuade very easily. He controls your accounts, people you follow, the things you post (if he even lets you post at all), etc. He controls all of your comments, and filters them. One time, your best friend had left a comment that said, "Damn girl, looking fine ASF", And he was fuming. He forbid you from ever seeing that 'friend' ever again.

You most likely have to make a secret account that you post on. And its very popular. It may consist of you talking about Mammons icks, dancing videos with him (you convinced him, because you told them they were privated.), which all most likely get millions of views. But lets hope Mammon does not find it, or else he will not be happy with you.

How you two as a couple are perceived. He cares alot about his public image. So he will pay out media outlets and news stations to percieve you, himself and your relationship in a good light. So lets say Mammon is getting "cancelled", (he never in a million years actually would, too many people look up to him and adore him.) for bringing supposed groupies backstage after an event he is hosting. Even if he actually did, he would pay the media huuuge amounts of money to get himself out of trouble. Same goes for you. Your poor choices reflect onto him as well, since you two are a very public couple.

Like I have said before in previous posts, you two are definitely the most watched, reported and popular couple in Hell. Sinners and native demons admire the dynamic between you two. So lets say you lash out at a fan for getting their camera too close to you? And then that fan posts footage on Voxtok or Sinstagram, you may get some backlash.

Lets be honest, Mammon probably wont jump to defend you unless it involves him in some way. If it does not involve him, he will block some people by logging into your account, (because he knows all of your passwords), but nothing more.

The clothes you wear. He buys you your clothes, so in his mind, he has every right to choose what goes on your body. If he sees you wearing something revealing, he will tell you 'you look like a slut babe. Where are you going, the fuckin' strip club?' He says shit like that even if your showing an inch of stomach. He for the most part wants you to wear things he chooses. He prefers if you two are matching all the time, but if you are just going out to get groceries, he likes when you wear oversized sweatshirts/hoodies, with leggings. I know its an oddly specific combo, but he thinks it doesn't show off any of your supple skin, and you look so appealing. Especially if its a brand Mammon owns. Mans will go feral. I feel like every time you leave the house with or without him, he will be sitting on the couch, saying 'C'mon, you know the drill cutie. show daddy what your gonna wear, yeah?'

He loves it when he sees you in a natural, underdressed state alone at home. His by far most treasured thing he likes to see on you, is you either in your bra and matching panties, or you in an oversized t shirt and panties with no bra. He especially likes those really dainty, "girly" colors and patterns. He likes seeing you dress feminine.

Calling him daddy. Yes you heard me. He has a huge power influx, and having you call him that fuels the fire in his ego. If its the morning, and you yawn and stretch out a tired, 'good mornin' daddy', he is hard. And this isn't even a fully sexual thing for him, since he isnt all that sexual extremely often. He just loves being called daddy. But if it were somebody else calling him that, they would get the death stare and an upset Mammon. But with you, he likes dominating you. So call him daddy. It will get him in a good mood, and If you want something from him? A daddy or two wont hurt.

Who you talk to. Once you two are together, he with subtly cut people out of your life that he thinks are a threat to your relationship. He will try to cut off any of your male friends or if you had any, your ex's. This sneaky man will probably send photos of you giving him head that he took without your permission. And he will never tell you he did that. Anyways, once he gets rid of all of these people, he will convince you that 'ohhh, princess, c'mon dont get your panties in a twist. Maybe they are just on vacation, you dont gotta act like a little whiny bitch-'. And by vacation, he means threatened, or killed.

He does not want you being influenced by anybody but himself. And especially not by any men. One of his many influx of issues is his jealousy/possession, (which I will get into on another post.) SO really the only other person besides himself that you can talk to are people he has met, and are proven to him to not uphold any power against him.

Meaning he will never let you meet Asmodeus. He is a horrible influence in his mind, and he does not was Ozzie to make you aware of his manipulation tactics. He may let you meet Beelz or Lucifer, but never Ozzie. He is the embodiment of lust, which is like toxic waste for your mind.

You bank account. If you need him to send funds, he will as long as you give him a little kiss on the cheek. But if you have been a bad girl, you might need to work for his money. If he is feeling particularly nice today, he will text you, sending a photo of the transfered funds he sent you, reading 25k+ sent. He loathes in the 'oh no you didn't have to Mamm' he gets from you, or the 'I feel bad, send it back!' Because in reality, he does not like to spend his money on anything useless. And to him, you aren't useless. So sharing some of his "hard earned" cash truly shows how he trusts and believes you wont go out on a limb for him.

And plus, now that your with him, he has taken all of your funds. He wont tell you that, even thought it didn't matter, considering how little you had compared to his trillion dollar net worth. So if you ever do stupidly decide to leave him, you wont be able to.

Puts a tracker on you, or has his goons follow you. This is another thing you are blissfully unaware of. He has an unreleased app on his phone, where he can see wherever you are at all times. While you were sleeping in your shared bedroom, he would put a tracker chip deep into you ear. So that he doesn't have to worry about his most prized possession running away when he isn't around. Or if he cant physically see you and he wants to? He has some loan sharks or his bodyguards follow you silently. I think awhile back, Mammon developed "Mammons Super Secret Spy Glasses", a product made for naive kids, and was released to the masses. But that transformed into an opportunity to exploit his goons into using them to spy on you. Do they want to creepily follow you? No. But can they refuse. Absolutely not. Nobody can refuse Mammon.

If somebody does take you somewhere, he will have his goons kill them, but come to the location and make it look like he killed them for your sake.

Controls where you can and cant go. He 100% does this. He wouldn't even let you in the vicinity of any kind of smoke shop, strip club, etc. He wants you to stay innocent, and naive for him. Meaning he will never let you in the lust ring, which alludes to the fact that him and Ozzie... aren't on the best terms per say. But will let you in any other ring under severe supervision. He cant have you doing any stupid shit to mess with his public image.

He wont even let you roam around in his own ring, because he is well aware of how dangerous it has become. He doesn't want his pretty little thing being kidnapped by some dirty, greasy men on the streets. But if you really want to go somewhere, he will let you go near there, but he will cover your eyes with his top two hands, and guide your waist with his bottom pair of hands somewhere he deems safe.

I also think he would follow you to the bathroom, and he would definitely offer to (does anyways) wipe for you.

How you act. Once you two are together, you will learn things the Mammon way. He will teach you how to become his esteemed future wife, and soon you might even have his kids (when he feels like babytrapping you, but that might be a later work.) He will teach you his version of manners, such as how to sit properly on his lap, teaching you how to french kiss (Which he assumes is your first time kissing somebody), How to sit still properly on his large cock, How to rock your hips just right-

He just wants you to be prepared for him. If he comes home at night, he expects the usual kiss on the cheek, asking him how his day was, and then the finale, which consists of your naked body and your legs being spread wider than his shit eating grin. He just wants to be ready to blow your back out, not having to worry about wasting time.

In the morning, he wants his breakfast served by none other than his obedient little princess. Then, he wants you to personally brush and floss his teeth. Then, he wants you to pick his outfit. (you will never truly get a say, he just wants to know from your perspective what makes him sexier.) And finally, the finishing act, holding your hair tightly into a makeshift ponytail, while he bobs your head up and down his cock.

Sexually frustrating you. After a while, you will miss his sexual touches. You will begin to crave them, as you will find yourself wanting him more and more. He is just so good at eating your pussy, and making you feel like your on cloud 9.

So don't be suprised if you find yourself humping his leg, as he bounces his thigh up and down to try and overstimulate you.

Makes you come to his shows. He will drag you to them. He does not care how tired you are, you will be there and sit pretty. He will let you in for free, but if you want a piece of merchandise, or some popcorn, he will make you pay. (even though its his money). When you first start dating, that is the case. But now that you two are officially an item? You sit up on the terrace with him in his webs. He has two of his left side arms wrapped around you, while he forces you to hand feed him.

And sometimes people catcall you from up above. One time, a couple dudes got drunk of Beelzejuice, and started berading you. By asking you to flash a peek of your tits, and show a little pussy. You were highly offended, but Mammon was not happy.

Those guys ended up in the E.R., but they would have died if it weren't for your expertise in calming Mammons temper. After that little incident, Mammon had later that day taken your ass on a one way ticket to pound town. So you can thank those guys, I guess...

Anyways, what if you need to use the bathroom during a show? He pauses the entire thing, because he wants you to watch how good of a planner and mastermind he is at pageants. Will literally wait outside of the bathroom door for you, and checks his watch if your taking "too long".

But anyways, he will also try to get you and Fizzarolli to be friends, since both of you are basically brainwashed by him.

The things you buy. He will not ever let you buy any cheap shit. Its a bad look on his behalf. So every time you two go out, you have to ask him if you can get something. If he deems it as "not doing anything for your look", he will make you put it back. And this goes for everything. Online orders, Voxtok shop (tiktok shop), etc. It always has to be approved by him.

Also, he will never let you buy any sex toys. He thinks his fingers, tongue and dick are more than plenty. If you ask him for any sex toys, he will call you an ungrateful little whore. So its best if you don't ask, unless you want Mammons over the top mumbling and grumbling.

Emotionally manipulating you. He will do this all the time. If he ever does something wrong, he will never admit to it. He will either never glaze over it, or will turn it on you somehow. It will start with his angry grunting, huffing, and puffing. If you ever ask him if he is ok, he will literally whip his head towards you and give you the most deadly glare you will ever see. His Aussie accent will come out very abruptly when he's mad.

Throw the worlds biggest temper tantrums. Sometimes you think hes a baby in an adult mans body. Some of his have gone on for days on end. He will pull every trick in the book. Whining and fake crying are things he has tried to use on you.

If he is really ruffled up, he will start yelling at you for no reason whatsoever. He just yells a bunch of belligerent bullshit, and does not give any reason why. Truly, the best thing to do to calm him down is spread your legs nice and wide, and let him lap at your cunt for hours. If he is 'borderline dangerous' mad, he will refuse to talk to you for a couple days. Even if you try, he wont budge. Deep down, he cares for you. And he knows that if he gives in, he might hurt you.

If he wants something from you, he will flash his infamous puppy dog eyes. (Bottom photo below), But if he is annoyed with you, he will make the deadly glare (Top photo below)

So, just try your best to keep him calm and happy. Even if that is through means you don think are necessary 💚

[athanasius-symposium-of-writings]

NSFT Alphabet: Frederick Kreiburg

I didn't realize I had a lot of feelings about him until writing this

Warnings: trauma

A = Aftercare (what they’re like after sex)

Frederick is touch starved without actually knowing it. He knows he appreciates your affection and how you often give him attention with it, but to give it back is different. He does wipe you down, cleaning the mess between your legs and his after takes a second to gather himself. 

B = Body part (their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner’s)

He likes his hands, it is sad but probably the only thing of value he sees of himself physically. I know it overused “hands” but as a musician, it is all he has next to his ears. He likes your eyes, your eyes that watch him when he plays. Your eyes stare in wonder as he explains his pieces to you. Your eyes reflect himself and how they see him as him.

C = Cum (anything to do with cum, basically)

He is not one for the mess, rather cum on you than in you to wipe it off but there are moments when he gets jealous that he will cum inside of you. He will make sure you feel it.

D = Dirty secret (pretty self-explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs)

Foot fetish and no it is not sucking toes. It is devotion, slipping your shoes off, massaging them, kissing the top of your foot up to your knee. It is a worship, his complete attention on you, to have you at ease. It is also a big submissive act for him.

E = Experience (How experienced are they? Do they know what they’re doing?)

Not a lot. Frederick only slept with barely a handful and was not enjoyable for him. It was done because of his position as a wealthy musically talented man, he did what was expected of him— Nothing more.

F = Favorite position (this goes without saying)

Frederick is not creative so missionary usually or doggy style when he gets possessive-ish. Not creative.

G = Goofy (are they more serious in the moment? Are they humorous? etc.)

Frederick is at first serious, too serious. It kinda is intimidating. You make him laugh, help him enjoy the moment and show it this doesn't have to be taken so seriously.

H = Hair (how well groomed are they? Does the carpet match the drapes? etc.)

Not much hair, and a little happy trail. He usually shaves it off, it is uncomfortable for him.

I = Intimacy (how are they during the moment? The romantic aspect)

Frederick can be romantic. But again he is intense and focus; you gotta help him get out of that “automatic” mode.

J = Jack off (masturbation headcanon)

He doesn't, just doesn't see the point or care for it. He has however enjoyed watching you masturbated

K = Kink (one or more of their kinks)

Frederick is not a kinky person, he is vanilla (outside if foot festish). Maybe you can introduce him to some things, but you gotta respect that he might not do those things too. It could overwhelm him

L = Location (favorite places to do the do)

His bedroom, very private man.

M = Motivation (what turns them on, gets them going)

Your scent, meaningful conversation, and the debates you have with him about anything.

N = No (something they wouldn’t do, turn-offs)

Voyeurism, Exhibitionist, he really can't do those

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

Receiving, can give back but he likes sees you service him 

P = Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.)

Average slow then building up to fast.

Q = Quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.)

No. He refuses, do this properly or not at all.

R = Risk (are they game to experiment? Do they take risks? etc.)

No risk, but will experiment with minor cross dressing. Nothing big, just little things that make him look sexy (lingerie or light makeup).

S = Stamina (how many rounds can they go for? How long do they last?)

One or two rounds. Foreplay helps.

T = Toys (do they own toys? Do they use them? on a partner or themselves?)

No and yes. It makes him have mix feelings until you both try it on each other then he will okay it for special occasions.

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

25% unfair. Teases but gives in easily. It depends on his mood though too. 

V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.)

Frederick hates that he is loud, he used to silence himself with others because his moans are loud and not “masculine groaning” enough. With you, he learned you enjoy it and became something he no longer had to hide with you. 

W = Wild card (a random headcanon for the character)

Frederick, to me, seems like he was objectified. Being both talented, a man of status, and a Kreiburg; he had to do whatever was expected of man of that time. He has issues with his masculinity because he was both a man with power but yet used like a man with no power. He was heavily sought after by women and often pushed into having sex. It left him with body image issues and a level of disdain towards sex. He only offered it to you as a form of using it over you until you tell him your feelings for him are genuine. He stops having sex with you for a while, learning self love with you. Frederick needs it, he needs someone gentle but strong for him.

X = X-ray (let’s see what’s going on under those clothes)

Average, sorry lol 

Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?)

Not high, it low actually 

Z = Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterward)

Depends on if you tire him out lol tbh he sleeps easily and very well because he is safe with you

[blakeswritingimagines]

KINK LIST With Benjicot Blackwood

A = Aftercare (What they’re like after sex)

As soon as it's over, Benjicot is as sweet as honey to you, constantly trying to give you all the love in the world and make sure you're comfortable and relaxed. He'll give you a lot of attention and try his hardest to hold conversations with you, as hard as it becomes. He's also very protective so, if he notices a small little bruise on you, he's gonna worry about it so much and try to gently caress it to ease your pain. If you want to stay in bed a little bit, he'll stay with you too, holding you closely.

B = Body part (Their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner’s)

His favorite parts of himself are his eyes, he thinks they look very kind and gentle which reflects his personality well. For his partner, he loves your hands the most. He finds them so soft and delicate, he loves holding them whenever he can and kissing them affectionately.

C = Cum (Anything to do with cum basically… I’m a disgusting person)

He doesn’t mind cumming on your stomach, chest, or breasts. It feels good to release there, knowing that you will carry his essence around all day.

D = Dirty Secret (Pretty self-explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs)

One of his dirty secrets...is that sometimes, when you're alone, he likes to play with himself while watching you. Seeing you go about your day, unaware that he's fantasizing about fucking you senseless, gets him so hard. He's jerked off to thoughts of bending you over the kitchen table, spreading those luscious thighs wide open, and pounding into you until you scream his name.

E = Experience (How experienced are they? Do they know what they’re doing?)

He isn't exactly inexperienced. He's been with some women before, but none of them have ever meant anything to him. With you, however, it's different. There's something about the way you move, the sound of your moans, the taste of your skin that makes every touch feel new and exciting. He knows how to please a woman, and he takes great pride in making sure you're satisfied.

F = Favorite Position (This goes without saying. Will probably include a visual)

His favorite position would definitely be doggy style. He loves seeing your ass high in the air, jiggling with each thrust, feeling the clench of your pussy around his cock as he pounds into you. The sight of your tits swaying back and forth, the way your hair falls over your face, it drives him wild.

G = Goofy (Are they more serious in the moment, or are they humorous, etc)

In the heat of passion, he's usually quite serious. His focus is entirely on pleasuring you, making sure you're enjoying yourself as much as he is. But afterwards, once the intensity fades away, he might crack a joke or two. He loves seeing that playful side of yours come out, the one that laughs at his silly antics and teases him right back.

H = Hair (How well groomed are they, does the carpet match the drapes, etc.)

He keeps his hair neat and trimmed, usually styled in a simple yet elegant manner. It matches the rest of him – clean-cut, attractive. But underneath those clothes lies another story. He's got plenty of growing muscle hidden beneath his armor, toned from years of training and combat.

I = Intimacy (How are they during the moment, romantic aspect…)

When it comes to intimacy, he tries to make it as special as possible. Whether it's lighting candles, playing soft music, or whispering sweet words in your ear, he wants you to feel cherished and adored. He takes his time exploring your body, savoring every curve and crevice, determined to bring you to heights of pleasure you've never known before.

J = Jack Off (Masturbation headcanon)

When he masturbates, it's often late at night when everyone else is asleep. He'd lie in bed, hands roaming over his own body as he thinks about you - your smile, your laugh, the way you look when you're caught off guard by desire. He strokes himself slowly at first, imagining those soft lips wrapped around his throbbing member instead of just his own hand.

K = Kink (One or more of their kinks)

He has a few kinks that he's not necessarily proud of, but can't help indulging in now and then. One of them is voyeurism - getting turned on by watching you undress or touch yourself when you think no one's looking. Another is a bit of light bondage - maybe tying your wrists together with a silk scarf, pinning you down and taking control until you're begging for release. And let's not forget his love of dirty talk - describing in vivid detail exactly what he wants to do to you, how he wants to make you feel.

L = Location (Favorite places to do the do)

His favorite place to make love to you is probably the four-poster bed in his chambers. The massive wooden frame provides a sense of grandeur, and the plush mattresses ensure a comfortable ride. But he also enjoys taking you outdoors, finding secluded spots amidst the rolling hills and verdant forests surrounding his home. Sometimes he'll lay you down on a blanket spread across the grass, making love to you under the open sky with nothing but the sounds of nature for company.

M = Motivation (What turns them on, gets them going)

The sight of you, glowing and panting, is enough to get him hard in seconds flat. But there are certain things that really turn him on - like seeing you dressed up provocatively in lingerie or high heels; hearing you moan his name as he thrusts into you; feeling your nails digging into his back as he claims your mouth with his own. And don't even get him started on the idea of dominating you completely - taking charge, telling you exactly what he wants from you and how he wants it done.

N = NO (Something they wouldn’t do, turn offs)

There are a few things that would definitely turn him off. For starters, he hates it when someone tries to use him solely for their own pleasure without reciprocating. He needs to know you're enjoying yourself too, otherwise it feels empty and unsatisfying. He's also not a fan of public displays of affection, preferring to keep his intimate moments private. And finally, he draws the line at anything involving pain or humiliation for its own sake - if it's not consensual or serves some greater purpose, he's not interested.

O = Oral (Preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc)

Benjicot is quite skilled with his tongue, able to bring you to climax with ease. He loves the taste of your arousal, savoring every drop as he laps at your folds before delving deeper to stimulate your clit. He's particularly fond of going down on you after you've come hard on his cock, drinking down your juices as he continues to pleasure you with his mouth and fingers. In return, he adores having your mouth on him, craving the warmth and wetness as you take him deep, your tongue swirling around his shaft and teasing the sensitive underside.

P = Pace (Are they fast and rough? Slow and sensual? etc.)

It depends on the situation and mood. When you're alone and have all night ahead of you, he tends towards slow and sensual – lingering kisses, gentle touches that tease rather than satisfy immediately. But once he's inside you, his pace quickens considerably – long powerful strokes designed to hit all your sweet spots over and over again until you're writhing beneath him in pleasure. If time is limited or you're caught up in passion, however, he can be quite rough – pounding into you fiercely as he chases his own release.

Q = Quickie (Their opinions on quickies rather than proper sex, how often, etc.)

He doesn't mind a quickie now and then, especially if they're caught up in the heat of the moment or pressed for time. But he prefers to take his time with you whenever possible – he finds true satisfaction in exploring every inch of you slowly, savoring each reaction and response. That said, he knows life doesn't always allow for leisurely lovemaking sessions... which is why he's learned to make the most out of whatever time they have together.

R = Risk (Are they game to experiment, do they take risks, etc.)

Ben is definitely game to experiment and willing to take risks when it comes to your sexual encounters. He loves pushing boundaries – trying new positions, introducing toys or restraints into the playtime, even roleplaying scenarios that might seem far-fetched at first glance. As long as it's something you're both comfortable with and enjoy doing together, he's ready for anything.

S = Stamina (How many rounds can they go for, how long do they last…)

He has impressive stamina, able to maintain his performance for several rounds without tiring easily. His endurance allows him to prolong the pleasure – whether it's taking you over and over again or keeping you satisfied with oral sex until you're both exhausted. He takes pride in being able to please you for hours on end if necessary.

T = Toy (Do they own toys? Do they use them? On a partner or themselves?)

He owns a variety of toys, including vibrators, dildos, butt plugs, handcuffs and blindfolds. He enjoys using them on himself occasionally - especially when he wants to experience something different or needs some extra stimulation. He also uses them on you sometimes – either during regular lovemaking sessions or when you're feeling particularly adventurous.

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

He does enjoy teasing you now and then, finding delight in leaving you wanting more before finally granting your desires. This could mean denying you orgasm until he decides you've earned it, or deliberately focusing attention on your erogenous zones just enough to keep you on edge without fully satisfying you. He finds the anticipation and desperation you feel in those moments incredibly arousing.

V = Volume (How loud they are, what sounds they make)

He isn't shy about making noise during sex – moans, groans, gasps of pleasure or pain, depending on what feels good to him at the time. Sometimes he'll whisper dirty words in your ear or growl encouragingly against your skin as he thrusts into you. The louder noises tend to come when he's close to climax.

W = Wild Card (Get a random headcanon for the character of your choice)

In addition to his physical prowess, Benjicot also possesses a sharp wit and a dry sense of humor. He's known to crack jokes during intimate moments – whether it's making light-hearted comments about the positions or quipping sarcastically when things get too intense. It helps keep things fun and lighthearted despite the raw passion between you.

X = X-Ray (Let’s see what’s going on in those pants, picture or words)

His cock is 7 inches long, uncut with a slight curve towards the tip. It's always hard and leaking pre-cum. He always has a thick load of creamy white cum that drips out when he orgasms.

Y = Yearning (How high is their sex drive?)

His sex drive is exceptionally high – he craves intimacy and satisfaction constantly. Even when you aren't actively engaged in lovemaking, he often finds himself thinking about how much he wants you – what he'd do given half a chance to satisfy his urges. It fuels his desire to please you every time they come together physically.

Z = ZZZ (… how quickly they fall asleep afterwards)

He tends to fall asleep fairly quickly after sex – exhaustion setting in from the intensity of their activities combined with the deep relaxation that follows release. His body still tingles with lingering sensations as he drifts off, leaving you alone in bed with thoughts swirling around in your mind about what just happened.

[heartsoji]

WHO WOULD CONFESS FIRST

pairings: bokuto x reader, kenma x reader, akaashi x reader, atsumu x reader, osamu x reader, iwaizumi x reader, suga x reader (separate)

overview: would you or the hq boy confess first?

warnings: a lot of abbreviations used, aged up in iwa's, mentions of drinking in iwa's, mild swearing

BOKUTO KOUTARO

bokuto!

pls there's no way he wouldnt

he'd literally probs cry and force u to take it back if u did

i think his confession would be very cute and heartwarming

he'd probs come with some classic red roses, a cute teddy bear, and just tell u straight up that he likes you

"hey, y/n. yk, i feel like we've known each other for a while now, and i think ur a rlly amazing person, yk? i just wanted to tell you that i like you now, and its totally up to you if you do too and wanna take this somewhere." or smth. it would have the same mood and tone as when he was talking with akaashi outside after his first nationals match about how he was reflecting on his last 3 years of hs vb if u remember that scene

he'd probs be a bit nervous and a little sheepish bc he's honestly rlly scared to lose you

it wouldn't be in public, but it wouldn't be in total private either. probably somewhere like a park or smth while ugs r out and about

he'd be the happiest guy in the world if u said yes (why wouldn't u)

he'd drop the roses and teddy and pull you into a rib-crushing bear hug and spin you around laughing

pls hes such a sweetie

KOZUME KENMA

either

mmm i could rlly see it going either way

bc on one hand, i don't rlly see kenma as the type to want to confess bc he'd probs feel uncomfy with it

but on the other hand, he's bsfs with kuroo soo

if you confessed he'd probably shyly accept it and try to bite back the stupidly wide grin trying to form on his face and he'd be very cute and flustered

now if he confessed

lets see

if kuroo let him do it his own way but still made him do it, kenma would def choose somewhere private

the most likely scenario is that he'd probs give u a short and sweet confession whilst ugs r playing a video game or watching smth

he probs wouldn't bring a gift, but there's a chance he'd bring chocolate!

it would be very subtle, sweet, and kenma-like

now

if kuroo played a good hand in this

it would probs get screwed up

bc kenma would think kuroos idea was stupid but kuroo went on with his own idea

what i think would probs happen is kuroo would like put letters and flowers in ur locker and pretend to be kenma or smth and then be like "come to the rooftop -ur secret admirer" but then he forgets to tell kenma to go to the rooftop and everything is screwed up

ORR he makes u and kenma go to like an amusement park or smth but then kenma hates it so ugs leave and he confesses to u on the walk home or smth

his confession wouldn't be very long. "i like you." "huh?" (no reply) "kenma, do you mean that?" "yeah."

LOLL

kuroo is a 0/10 wingman

AKAASHI KEIJI

akaashi!

he's a very traditional gentleman

he'd bring some sort of symbolic flower with nice meanings like pink camellias, red chrysanthemums, dahlias, gardenias, etc paired with white baby's breaths

i could also just see him going with roses bc they're classic

he'd take you somewhere nice

a nice restaurant or a hilltop picnic, maybe

it would honestly probs be on valentines day or some other date that he liked the sound of (like 1/11 or smth. he wanted it to be a pretty-sounding date)

he'd plan everything out very carefully and it would be so romantic

"y/n... ur the most beautiful girl i've ever met. you're sweet, kind, thoughtful, and you make me so happy. when i'm with you, i forget about all my worries and im able to just be myself, and for that, i truly thank you. y/n, you make me a better person. will you be my valentine?"

when you accepted, he'd let out a sigh of relief and gently hold your hand and whisper a soft "thank you" that gives u so many butterflies

very romantic and very well thought-out

MIYA ATSUMU

you!

this might be a tad bit controversial

idk i just feel like he's never confessed before and doesn't even know how

he'd be scared to lose u and scared that he'll be rejected and his pride will be wounded

the most likely scenario i can think of is this:

on valentines day, you, his bsf, put a love letter along with some candy on his desk

ofc he doesn't see it or read it bc he gets so many that he doesn't rlly read them if he doesn't recognize the name, and u didn't put ur name on the envelope

later that day, ugs r walking together and just chatting when the topic of love letters and valentines stuff comes up

and at some point, u casually mention that u gave someone a love letter to someone

bro literally chokes on his drink and his heart drops to someone

"WHO"

"hmm.. idk if i should tell u"

"TELL MEEEE IM UR BSFFF"

"idk.. should i rlly?"

"Y/NNNN"

"fine, u big baby. i'll give u a hint. they're on the volleyball team."

"HUH? WHO IS IT? IS IT KITA? ARAN? wait don't tell me its suna? OHMIGOSH IS IT SAMU? NO PLS DONT TELL ME ITS SAMU"

"its not."

"oh thank god. who is it?"

"you."

"HUH"

yeah

he tries to play it cool but hes literally so flustered and its so obvious

when he accepts he tries to keep up the cool act but at some he just abandons it and swoops u up into a rlly giddy happy hug

hes a big dorky baby rlly, but hes ur big dorky baby ig

MIYA OSAMU

osamu!

he'd confess with food bc duh

food is the way to the heart

im still deciding on whether he'd make chocolates or just like onigiris or smth but im kinda leaning towards onigiris bc it just seems more him

he'd make some rlly good chocolate tho

either way, it'd be pretty chill

"here." *hands onigiri to u*

"huh? what's this for?" *takes a bite* "thanks tho."

"y/n, i like you."

*almost chokes* "huh?"

"r u serious?"

"dead serious."

"like r u actually being fr?"

"so fr."

"r u sure ur not playing w/ me?"

"u never shut up, do ya?"

and then he kisses u on the lips to shut up, catching u off guard

"i'm a pretty damn good cook. that's fuckin amazing"

"TF"

IWAIZUMI HAJIME

you!

tbh at first i thought iwa but after giving it a little more thought, i don't think he would ( i can imagine a few scenarios in which he would, but i feel its a bit unlikely! )

he rlly treasures ur friendship, and losing it would be his literal worst nightmare

bro had no intention of ever revealing it tbh

if you confessed, he'd probs honestly just play it rlly cool bc hes genuinely so effortlessly like dominant its so ADJHHDAAH

HOWEVER i love the idea of iwa confessing ( i don't think he would but uh i want him to) so i thought up a lot of scenarios i could see happening, but the one i'm the most satisfied with is this:

him picking up his phone at 4am in the morning to here your drunk ass mumbling abt some shit he can't remember but his car is under repairs so he runs to pick you up

he arrives quickly and when you see him, you run and jump into his arms, giddily drunk

he carries you back on his back, and at some point, you drunkily mumble how you like him (ig even in this u ended up confessing first lol)

he mumbles how he does too, but decides to wait until you're sober to address it

when you're sober the next day, he confronts you

"hey, so uh, y/n?"

"yeah?"

"yesterday... when u were drunk, u... said some stuff."

"oh gosh. what embarrassing shit did i say this time?"

"you said that you liked me."

"oh."

then there's the awkward process of "did u mean it?" "yeah." "oh ok. i like u too"

then yay! couple!

sweet

SUGAWARA KOSHI

suga!

it'd be a very classic high school confession

he'd ask u to meet somewhere private, special, or sentimental/significant to ugs

rosy-eared, he'd ask u to be his gf nervously

super super happy when u say yes

this one's short bc i've alr talked abt it in a diff post. it's the falling in love w/ sugawara koshi one :) go check it out!

[theshinazugawaslut]

what's your opinion on the other Canon ships in kny, tanjiro x kanao, zenistu x nezuko, etc (I personally dislike them but I wanna know your opinion 🤧)

𝑹𝑨𝑵𝑲𝑰𝑵𝑮 𝑫𝑬𝑴𝑶𝑵 𝑺𝑳𝑨𝒀𝑬𝑹 𝑺𝑯𝑰𝑷𝑺

a/n: honoured someone wants my opinions. I'll go through canon ships first, then un-canon!

𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘫𝘪𝘳𝘰 𝘹 𝘬𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘰

4/10

I personally really dislike this ship since it came out of nowhere and it feels incredibly forced. Their designs and personalities don't complement each other that well. They seem more like good friends to me.

If we got more of them, it would've made sense.

But I do like the characters separately! The ship just isn't for me!

𝘻𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘴𝘶 𝘹 𝘯𝘦𝘻𝘶𝘬𝘰

3/10

Zenitsu and Nezuko COULD have been a good ship but it's not very well done and again, their personalities just don't match. Zenitsu's writing is already rather terrible when it comes to the screaming and yelling (though he has very good morals, great character concept ect.) and the yelling/being perverted is what ruins the relationship.

We also don't see a lot of Nezuko in the first place and she isn't aware of Zenitsu's feelings since she's a demon, so the ship just feels strange and uncomfortable to me.

I also just don't like the ship.

𝘢𝘰𝘪 𝘹 𝘪𝘯𝘰𝘴𝘶𝘬𝘦

1/10

TERRIBLE FUCKING SHIP

I don't even know where it came from

I cannot stress this enough but their personalities do NOT match (what I mean by this, they are not the right people to balance each other out).

Doesn't help they deadass look like siblings.

Inosuke should've gotten a girl that had Tanjiro's personality, it would've worked better.

Aoi and Inosuke have borderline no meaningful interactions. Aithor just sloppily meshed them together.

𝘶𝘻𝘶𝘪 𝘹 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴

8/10

I think the ship works rather well; the girls each have their own separate personalities but I do feel like Hinatsuru is the only one who compliments Uzui's personality well but Makio and Suma are also good!

I think you can tell Uzui cares for them but it's not my favourite ship.

My friend James thinks Makio and Suma are annoying. Hinatsuru is "good" though.

𝘰𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘪 𝘹 𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘪

10/10

I adore this ship — Obanai and Mitsuri were made for each other; their writing, characters, personalities, and designs are just so cute and well-done!

I liked how the author fleshed out their characters.

My favourite ship!

𝘴𝘢𝘯𝘦𝘮𝘪 𝘹 𝘬𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘦

-10/10

What a shitty ass ship.

Doesn't work

Contradictory on every level (Sanemi claims he doesn't like ditzes/certain sort of women when talking about Mitsuri but Kanae is basically just Mitsuri in a different design)

Doesn't make sense

Creepy since Sanemi sees his MOTHER in Kane (the way Inosuke sees his mother in Shinobu/Nezuko).

Barely knew each other; Kanae died a few weeks after knowing Sanemi.

Definitely one-sided (Shinobu adopts Kanae's habits ect. Meaning how Shinobu acts is a reflection of how Kanae would've acted and Shinobu seems to not be all that fond of Sanemi, meaning Kanae probably respected Sanemi but didn't particularly like him.)

Sanemi and Kanae DO NOT match

The author sloppily put it together

𝘺𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘪𝘤𝘩𝘪 𝘹 𝘶𝘵𝘢

10/10

They complimented each other SO well.

We don't see much of them but you can tell they were made for each other

Yoriichi cradled her dead body for TEN DAYS

𝘩𝘶𝘬𝘶𝘫𝘪 (𝘢𝘬𝘢𝘻𝘢) 𝘹 𝘬𝘰𝘺𝘶𝘬𝘪

10/10

Devastating story.

He loved her so much.

Koyuki was a perfect match for him.

𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘰𝘱𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘳 𝘶𝘯-𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘯 𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱𝘴:

𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘰𝘣𝘶 𝘹 𝘨𝘪𝘺𝘶𝘶

1/10

I hate this ship since I hate how they look together

I also feel like Giyuu doesn't need someone who jabs at his insecurities ("You really shouldn't be a Hashira, Tomioka-san!" she says to the man who obviously has issues about his place in the Corps.)

Shinobu's teasing nature doesn't match all that well with Giyuu in my opinion, even if she means it lightheartedly.

𝘴𝘢𝘯𝘦𝘮𝘪 𝘹 𝘨𝘪𝘺𝘶𝘶

7/10

I feel like people slander it too much — the interactions the two have later on in the story give reason for people to ship it.

But I feel like whilst Sanemi fits Giyuu, Giyuu doesn't fit Sanemi. Like, what I mean is, I think Sanemi's nature matches Sabito's towards Giyuu, especially later on in the story, but I feel like Sanemi needs someone that isn't Giyuu.

I personally don't ship it because I feel like Giyuu's writing isn't all that delved into.

I love these two platonically though —Sanemi's parallels with Sabito will always keep me in a firm chokehold.

I'm fond of them since they remind me of todobaku but I personally don't ship sanegiyuu.

𝘪𝘯𝘰𝘴𝘶𝘬𝘦 𝘹 𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘫𝘪𝘳𝘰

10/10

These two, platonically/romantically, are so cute to me.

Inosuke always holding onto Tanjiro and Tanjiro's understanding of Inosuke is so precious to me.

𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘺𝘢 𝘹 𝘮𝘶𝘪𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘳𝘰

10/10

Such an adorable ship — I love the shy, angry guy paired with the oblivious, dense guy trope so much (#todobaku).

Their friendship was so sweet, too.

I wish we got more of them since they compliment each other so well!

𝘴𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘵𝘰 𝘹 𝘨𝘪𝘺𝘶𝘶

7/10

I love this ship BUT only if it's aged-up Sabito

To be honest, I think I only like this ship because I had such a big crush on Sabito when he first came up on screen (that man has such a strong personality).

I think the possible dynamic has lots of potential.

Giyuu obviously cares a lot about Sabito — unable to survive with the guilt of his best friend dying for years and causing him to become suicidal, like, bro was in love?

𝘮𝘶𝘻𝘢𝘯 𝘹 𝘬𝘰𝘬𝘶𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘣𝘰

6/10

The fanfics for this ship are always written so well

I don't actually SHIP it but the dark potential it has for fanfics...

𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘺𝘢 𝘹 𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘫𝘪𝘳𝘰

7/10

It's such a sweet idea — I feel like Tanjiro and Genya really connect

Don't personally ship it but it has such adorable fanarts

𝘬𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘰 𝘹 𝘯𝘦𝘻𝘶𝘬𝘰

4/10

Random ass ship

Seem more like besties that hold hands and run around together

But the shippers are sweet

𝘶𝘻𝘶𝘪 𝘹 𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘰𝘬𝘶

6/10

The fanfictions are SO funny

I don't actually ship it but they'd be so fun together.

A couple that seem like besties then you find out they're married with fifteen adopted children.

𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘰𝘣𝘶 𝘹 𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘪

10/10

Adorable ship

Only person Shinobu seems to genuinely like

I love these two together

/ if you guys want my opinions on anything else or would like me to expand, don't hesitate to ask!

[pinkroseblooms]

Usahara Tobikichi in love with f!Reader headcanons (sfw and smutty)

(look at this official art by gaku kaze, why is he so cute/hot?!)

SFW:

Usahara is (to borrow a trope title) a Casanova Wannabe. He likes getting attention from women and wishes he could pull off the playboy persona; the idea of being irresistible to women is a nice daydream, especially considering he seems to be consistently overlooked in comparison to guys like Kumatani and Uramichi

Despite having dated before, relationships never quite seem to work out, whether it be due to Usahara's partners not wanting to stick around after realizing how tactless and irresponsible he is or Usahara stops putting in the effort to keep the relationship afloat. He’s not intentionally mean or careless, but truly good intentions can only make up so much for his flaws.

With all that in mind, Usahara wants a girlfriend; he would take being devoted to one woman over being admired by dozens any day of the week, even if he’s a touch embarrassed to admit it.

In comes you: Usahara thinks you’re cute and immediately tries to get your attention. He doesn’t have high hopes, but hey, it couldn’t hurt to put himself out there. It doesn't take long before Usahara starts going out of his way to talk to you, firing off jokes and one liners at any given time, basically making a fool of himself for a hint of a smile from you. In a short amount of time this casual attraction develops into not so casual, knee buckling, sweaty palms crush. Usahara's heart will shatter into a million pieces if you decide to reject him.

You’re so cute, patient and sweet, being with you just feels right. Every time Usahara sees you that throbbing ache in his chest only gets worse. You’re probably too good for him, he knows it, everyone around Usahara won't stop reminding him when he looks at you with goo goo eyes and insists today's the day: he's going to take that leap and make a move on you. Usahara feels like he hit the literal jackpot when you agreed to go out with him. 

When the two of you begin officially dating, it’s like a light switch clicks in Usahara’s head. Maybe because he’s older and (at least somewhat) wiser, but he’s making genuine efforts this time around to not repeat past mistakes.

When you bring up the issue of his spending habits or taking a joke too far, Usahara will listen and work with you to fix the issue. It’s important to him you know he’s taking this seriously. Usahara wants to have extra money to spoil his girl and the idea of saying something to hurt your feelings gnaws at him. He's determined to be the best boyfriend you've ever had or will have.

He tries so hard for you; Usahara honestly didn’t expect to get so attached. It makes him a bit more reflective, but also paranoid of messing up; he's always been his own worst enemy. For how easy going and chill Usahara comes off as, he's way more insecure than you might guess.

Expect clinging and being spammed with texts at any given moment, maybe a phone call or a silly picture. Now that he has an adorable girlfriend, Usahara jumps at any opportunity to do couple things, go on all the cute dates, call you pet names, buy matching charms for your keys/phones, feed each other, etc. But because he’s so eager and already fairly attached, it can be a bit...much:

“Babyyyy, I had a rough day! 😭 I need cuddles. I’m free after work, can you come over tonight? 😘"

"How's your day going? I wish I could skip work and see you..."

"I miss you xoxo ❤️” 

"Babe, did you get my message? Are you busy?”

“Is everything okay?”

“Hey...are you mad at me?😥"

“Sorry, didn’t mean to spam you.”

“So, should I get food omw home? What are you in the mood for?” "

Besides me lol"

"....babe? Did I do something wrong?”

“I’m sorry, did I forget our 3 week anniversary? Month anniversary?”

"I'll make it up to you, I promise!"

“Baby???”  

And you will get all of these messages over the course of an hour or so. Yes, Usahara does calm down eventually; granted, he'll still spam you with texts now and then even after he feels more secure in the relationship, but usually only when he's out drinking and he wishes he was with you instead.

Usahara keeps things from exes partially if they’re useful and there is a sentimental aspect to it for him; that being said, if it makes you uncomfortable, Usahara doesn’t hesitate to get rid of anything you don't want him to hold on to. You’re with him now, and besides, Usahara needs room for all the things of yours he plans to keep at his place from now on.

And now, for the spicy stuff (and a little smut):

Eager to please is an understatement. 

Seriously though, Usahara struggles to keep his hands to himself, particularly when it’s just you and him. He doesn’t want to come on too strong or too desperate, but he wants you.

He’ll probably try to just go with whatever you’re ready for but if it was up to Usahara, he would never have to use his hand again. Not when he has your soft, warm body to touch and explore.

You’ll definitely need to tell Usahara exactly what you want, because again, he has a hard time going on instinct or reading subtle cues. And honestly, he kind of likes being bossed around in bed.

When you ask him to pleasure you and he gets it right, Usahara gets off on your praise and satisfaction. He’s practically glowing when he first makes you cum and the first time he gets to feel it raw and dripping down his dick makes him almost climax inside you right then and there.

Usahara’s preferred positions are either you riding him while he sits up right and he loses his mind a little when you suck him off. He just can’t get over what you’re doing to him; extra points if you let him cum in your mouth or even just on your face or tits. It’s dirty and you look so beautiful, Usahara can hardly believe you’re real. 

Praise kink aside, Usahara also gets off on soft domination, edging (maybe because he’s so impatient), dirty talk, and costumes, Specifically seeing you with thigh highs and a mini skirt or a too big shirt, with or without panties. 

Talk about fucking like rabbits. Usahara has a high sex drive and would fuck you every day if he could, but he understands you might not always been in the mood. He’s actually happy to just kiss or cuddle, anything to feel you and be close. His favorite thing to do is strip down to nothing and lay over you, head on your chest and hugging you tight while he listens to your heart beat. He’ll still be horny but it can wait. 

“I can’t help it.” Usahara whines, only half teasing as he starts rubbing himself against you, silently begging you to touch him. You have no idea how fast you turn him into a needy mess just by stroking his hair or kissing his neck; he thrives on your attention, he wants to lose himself in you. 

When he’s especially pent up, Usahara acts pussy drunk, doubly so if he’s been putting off the orgasm. Once you finally let him fuck you, your arms around his neck and thighs squeezing his hips, Usahara could cry from how good you feel. He can't believe he gets to be with you like this, that you want him as badly as he needs you.

“So good so good so fucking good, I wanna fuck you all night, gonna cum so hard in your pussy baby. Can I go harder? Pleeeease?”

Drool is trailing down the corner of Usahara’s babbling mouth; he practically melts into your body, head resting in the crook of your neck and arms wrapped tight around you while he fucks you, barely pulling out of your gushing pussy with each sloppy thrust.

“I wanna cum, can I cum inside again? Sorry, I need it, need to fuck you. I can’t stop, fuck, fuck, oh fuck!” Usahara gasps, eyes blown wide as you squeeze around him, not even really meaning to; he hugs you tighter, nuzzling your neck, pressing soft kisses to the love bites he made earlier. It's all you can do to not go utterly limp and just allow him to use you like a living doll. Usahara pants, whines and whimpers like puppy as he mindlessly fucks into you, begging for you to hold him closer and spread your thighs wider. 

“So pretty, so good to me...I love it, love you," Usahara sobs and clings closer, cock is buried as deep as he can go while he rocks his hips. "Baby, I'm really gonna cum, gonna cum, please, wanna cum, I love you so much, baby, can I cum inside? Please? Just one more time, please, please, please!?”

[burningvelvet]

I officially finished Pride and Prejudice yesterday! Some more rambles to add to the ongoing collection:

1 Learning that Wickham and Lydia are on the downward path I predicted is really satisfying for some reason. Just the image of the classic rake being forced to marry the unruly teen he had a fling with and then being forced to deal with the repercussions of his actions for the first time in his life — so good considering he seemingly believed he could partake in ruining her reputation and get away with it. And Lydia isn’t consciously suffering (although in reality, her prospects/reputation have indeed suffered) because she’s so oblivious to the misfortune around her that she thinks her life is much better than it is. It’s all just so true to life imo. Nothing is black-and-white. Every family has the worrisome trainwreck couple and these two are the perfect representation of that. Also, Wickham/Lydia give me major Byron/Claire Clairmont vibes (my fellow Romanticists iykyk).

2 Elizabeth’s conversation with Lady Catherine was so nerve-wracking. Elizabeth handled it so well, which surprised me. Toward the end of the novel I was getting a sense that Elizabeth had really come into her own self & seeing how expressive she became in comparison to some of the other women around her was very refreshing.

3 Elizabeth and Darcy’s long conversation while walking was actually cute, I can’t lie. I didn’t really find Darcy personally appealing at first, but he grew on me — which I’m aware was the intention — but due to the popularity of the romantic elements of the story in popular media and film adaptations, I was really surprised just how little Darcy and Elizabeth interacted if we take into account the entire length of the novel and how many actual conversations they had. It’s more realistic that way due to how things like travel, socializing, and marriage were conducted back then. I think for the sake of modern audiences and modern concepts of romance/etc., adaptations and maybe even fans themselves really overemphasize the romantic elements of the story. What I mean is that it is a love story, yes, but our concepts of love in the Anglosphere have changed a lot since Austen’s time. Adaptations reflect this change, although they also probably skew the reader’s reception of the original novel. Alternatively, the Georgian era was a bit more lively than we regularly think, which is seen by Wickham/Lydia’s rendezvous, and so we could also interpret the novel as containing more passion covertly hidden beneath the pages. There are a lot of ways to interpret the concepts of love/romance as shown in the novel.

4 Lydia is truly her mother’s daughter imo. I don’t have a thought-out argument to defend this opinion but it definitely showed that Lydia was her mother’s favorite and Elizabeth was her father’s favorite — and interestingly, they married two men who were enemies to each other, and diametrically opposed in personality. I think one of the biggest takeaways from the novel is that the Bennet parents were an ill-suited match and so their children are having this struggle of trying not to repeat the generational curse — in Lydia’s case she fails like her parents did, whereas Elizabeth and Jane manage well.

5 I routinely forgot that Mary Bennet existed. Like was she even in the novel or was I just zoning out every time she appeared? Lmao

6 Mr. Bennet sarcastically saying that he loves Wickham and Collins more than Darcy and Bingley because the former two amuse him more and give him free entertainment… same tbh!

7 It’s interesting how all the men and women function as foils for each other and represent various reactions to the system they live in. Mrs. Bennet, Mrs. Bingley, Lady Catherine, Mrs. Gardiner, are all interesting to compare to each other, and Mr. Collins, Mr. Bingley, Mr. Wickham, Mr. Darcy, Mr. Bennet, Mr. Gardiner are also in that way very neatly comparable.

8 I’m biased because I’ve studied Shakespeare but I really got a big Shakespeare vibe the entire time. I saw someone on here post that the novel may have been inspired by Much Ado specifically and I completely agree! I looked it up and there have been articles and academic papers writing about the influence of Shakespeare on Austen and P&P particularly, so we’re not alone here.

— Overall, I’ve been pleasantly surprised to find that I enjoyed this book way more than I thought I would! If none of you have read it, or are only familiar with adaptations, definitely give it a try.

[pitchmoss]

SMAPI & Modding Guide

🍒Mandatory Mods: these are the ones that make the pretty/gameplay mods work.

Stardew Modding API aka SMAPI: The mod loader for Stardew Valley. Will have it's own pop up window upon launching the game: do not close it, this is how you run modded Stardew. It will also tell you what mods aren't working, what needs an update, etc. Most mandatory, most helpful.

Generic Mod Config Menu: Adds an in-game UI to edit other mods' config options. Will be shown on title screen at the bottom left as a gear icon.

Content Patcher, Alternative Textures, Json Assets, SpaceCore are the most common mods that make the fun mods work. If you're downloading mods, 9/10 times you're gonna need these.

Farm Type Manager, Custom Farm Loader, Fashion Sense, Faux Core, Portaiture, are probably second most used and are for more specific mods (farm layout mods, custom appearance, etc).

🍄Gameplay Mods

Skip Fishing Minigame: Hate fishing? Me too. This skips the fishing minigame and catches fish for you. You will still have to click when you get a Hit, just fishing without the fuss.

Stardew Valley Expanded: A fanmade expansion for ConcernedApe's Stardew Valley. This mod adds 27 new NPCs, 50 locations, 260 character events, 27 fish, reimagined vanilla areas, two farm maps, a reimagined world map reflecting all changes, new music, questlines, objects, crops, festivals, and many miscellaneous additions! (last updated April 8, 2024. also would recommend to second time players due to amount of content)

"I Fixed Him" A Shane Consistency Mod: Makes Shane's post-6-Heart-Event Dialogue and Gift Tastes consistent with his character arc.

🌈Aesthetic Mods: let's beautify this game some more!!

Custom Menu Background

Seasonal Cute Characters & Stanloona's Revised Portraits (not updated to 1.6 but still work)

Ana's Toned Down Sprites

Overgrown Flowery Interface and Overlay

❤I use pretty much all of Gweniaczek's mods, specifically:

>Way Back Pelican Town, Medieval Buildings,

>Gwen's Mailbox, Fishponds, Doghouses, Stable,

>Shipping Bin, Paths, Fences, Craftables, and Tools.

❤Aimon11 makes some good mods too, like:

>More Lively Sewer (+ Krobus content <3), Amanita Lover

>Tidy Cozy Cellar, Distant Lands; Witch Swamp Overhaul

Dynamic Reflections | No Fence Decay: Redux | Destroy Bushes

Cornucopia: More Crops & More Flowers

All Animal Mods: Pets,Farm Animals | Horses | Butterflies

Hats Won't Mess Up Hair & Coii's Hats and Clothes

Fae's Elf Ears or Expressive Elf Ears

(Unofficial) Simple Foliage for 1.6

Firefly Torches or Wisp Torches

Siamece's Furniture Recolors (AT)

DaisyNiko's Earthy Recolor & Tilesheet (if other mods have Earthy Recolor versions I download those too. They will match! Many modders will do this with other recolor mods so have fun with your new game palettes!) (Also DaisyNiko has so many amazing mods, just check out her page!)

[crowbawt]

I really should be sleeping but my anxiety so instead here's a very long disjointed post with thoughts about the Man in the Wall after playing Whispers

Spoilers obviously

So the climax of the quest was us somehow holding back Mr. Big Indifference using a memory of love. And it makes sense, because what is the opposite of Indifference towards others? Caring about them. Which is kind of our (Tenno) entire thing. To Take Away Its Pain, etc. There's also Rell, who was also able to hold back Wally, and how he was alienated by his peers and even Marghulis, and the Orokin society who feared and shunned him and didn't treat him as a fellow human being deserves to be treated. As some of the Red Veil blood scrawls in his quest put it, "What is evil, but indifference?" It works quite well, thematically. But Warframe doesn't really restrict itself to a singular, direct approach to invoking its themes. Shit's got layers. Which leads me to believe there may be other layers here, too. And at this point, I'm really not convinced that Wally is so simple as the cosmic idea of Indifference towards others, or even a personification of fear and other 'dark' aspects of the human condition. I mean, I believe he is partially that, we do get that dialogue from Sythel "The first scholar looked into the Void and felt fear, and that fear took form. That's how all this started." Albrecht also refers to himself as the "Father of fears" in his notes somewhere (I forgor) But... Fear is not Indifference. And the Man in the Wall not only shows great interest in many things (like Albrecht, and our Tenno) but he also shows a great deal of emotion. He is described by Duviri citizens as hungry, greedy, jealous. He has feelings, and he has a great deal of them. A being born of fear and indifference towards others doesn't really describe what we've seen of him very well. What Wally has been shown as time and time again is instead: a mirror. Our reflection. So here's the rhetorical question I'd like to ask: If Albrecht gazed into the grand cosmic mirror of existence, and his first reaction was fear, well... it wasn't really the Void he was afraid of, was it?

...Which probably doesn't seem like a point worth all this build up, considering how during the quest, Albrecht's flaw of showing indifference to others (Loid, specifically) is brought up a few times. Albrecht looked into the Void, his Indifference and fear seeped in, and the result was Wally. Makes perfect sense. To which I say, look at the scrollbar to the side of this post because I have soooooo much more bullshit to spew about my thoughts on this. Anyway. I've seen some theorizing that we're probably going to "defeat" the Man in the Wall by forgiving him or otherwise reaching out and showing him love, similar to the way we helped Umbra. Love will triumph over Indifference. And that makes sense and feels very Warframe and I do think that will happen. Buuuuut I don't think it's the only thing that's going to happen. Because if something is destroyed or undone by love, doesn't that... kind of undermine the message of loving an ugly, broken thing? Doesn't having the ultimate villain be some abstract space monster elder god representing pure un-love kind of jar with the very personal, human focus of Warframe's storylines? I don't think this is a Love vs. Indifference Pokemon typing match-up here, I don't think the Love requiem word is going to defeat the Indifference requiem word like a game of rock paper scissors. That would be too trite. Besides, it's not Wally's Indifference, really. It's Albrecht's.

And I've seen a lot, a lot of speculation that Wally "is" Albrecht, just a very derived evil alternate of him, and maybe Albrecht manages to convert himself into Wally as some kind of self-fulfilling quantum time-loop, becoming the reflection that reached out to his own self. It makes a lot of sense, what with the "We End as We Began" thing, and us encountering doppelganger smiley Albrecht in the quest. It works, thematically. This very well could be the answer and it wouldn't be bad storytelling per se.

However, for reasons I am not sure how to articulate at 3 am, I honestly kiiiiiind of hate it. It is not an ending to this that I'd be personally very satisfied with. Again, this doesn't mean it would be bad story-telling, or that other people wouldn't find it satisfying, it's just me and how I like my eldritch horror to be. So I choose to speculate other possibilities up until the point I am proven wrong, and if I am I promise to not be too annoyingly butthurt about it. Promise. Here's my preferred take: I think the "Great Indifference" name for The Man in the Wall is a massive red herring. I think it relates far more meaningfully to what he actually is if you instead interpret it as "undifferentiated."

As in, the Void is a massive roiling quantum soup of all possible outcomes that could exist, but don't--to us. Specifically, us, as in our unique conscious POV, or "personal timeline" or "Chain of Khra" or quantum observer "cone of light" or whatever you want to call it. We are a 3rd dimensional ant stuck walking down a Mobius strip of cause and effect, and the Void is everything that we can not perceive from our tiny tiny window of specific probability variables. We are unable to "change the frame," as Euleria puts it, and I interpret that as "frame of reference."

While a lot of the differences are more... semantic than anything, Eternalism is not actually just Warframe's funny in-universe stand-in name for the Multiple Worlds Interpretation of Reality. This is a whoooooole another post worth of word vomit I won't get into now but Warframe did not come up with Eternalism it's an actual established thing that they're referencing.

The Void is everything, all at once. And if something is everything, in a way it is also... nothing. No contrast, no ups and downs, no loss, no birth, no death, no questions, and no mysteries to ponder. Joy is the same as sorrow, alive is the same as dead, "change" as a broad concept is impossible. If there is an opposite of human consciousness, of being alive and having lived, that's the closest thing I can think of.

There's a reason why the Void is shown in stark black and white until we put color into it... and in his original logs, Albrecht speaks of "scintillating vapor pouring out of my very skull." Human consciousness, our "light," (and the meaning of Albrecht's name, and the significance of us accidentally offering to let Wally "take our light" in the New War, etc) interacting with and reacting with the raw potential of the Void. It makes sense with the Wall being a bleak brutalist expanse of unmoving bone and dust, too. That could Wally's original, natural state: a solid block of grey, meaningless everything. It would explain his jealousy of us, why he takes our appearance, echoes aspects of our personalities, uses our voices, picks at our memories and experiences. It's why he's fascinated with us. It is the one thing he isn't, the one thing he can not have. Or--at least, couldn't have, before Albrecht's intrusion. This is a side-note, but I find it very interesting that Wally's missing finger seems to have limited him in some way, that now he's constrained by the Chains of Khra, implying that before Albrecht, he was not. Now I'm going to rewind waaay back to the topic of Wally being Albrecht's fear made manifest, and us defeating Wally by showing him love, not violence. Because... I don't think our love is enough to fix things on its own. It isn't us who needs to show him love and understanding. I think it has to be Albrecht.

The syndicate's plotline exploring a group of animals who had consciousness forced upon them, suddenly and violently and without consent, the difficulties they face grappling with it--I think that might echo the origin of the Man in the Wall. Consciousness being forced on not an animal, but the Void. You know the quote, "We are the Universe learning about itself?" Maybe in this case, the universe had a very shitty teacher.

And imagine this consciousness being thrust into the Void, taking form within it as an out-of-control chemical reaction, how might it attempt to communicate with Albrecht, with the first 'other' it ever encountered? Perhaps mirroring his form, speaking in his voice, using an endearing and personal term from his childhood: "Little Bengel?" What if, for those brief seconds, The Man in the Wall was not actively malicious? What if he was reaching towards Albrecht not seeking to trap him in a predatory "deal," but out of a sincere desire for connection? How would if feel then, to have your outstretched hand met with fear, disgust--a rejection so violent that your very fingers are severed by him slamming shut the door, an injury that leaves you weakened. A missing part of yourself, and nothing on your side of the wall to fill that hole with. Well it would make you a little bit bitter, I assume. And if those fingers are then used to perform miracles of science, to serve as the foundation for the triumph of an entire empire... you might feel a bit like you're owed. That bitterness may be compounded by the hypocrisy of it all, because all that you showed Albrecht was his own reflection. You might start to fixate on that hypocrisy, on those human flaws, on the parts of him that he didn't want to see. The reflection that he ran from, but further warped to emphasize what he tries to ignore. His shadow self. And so you haunt him with his shadow, because you want him to be forced to see. To acknowledge those parts of him he wishes he wasn't, but you're everything: you know. You won't let him ignore you, to deny you. You are now a jealous, bitter thing. A hungry ghost. You shove these flaws and bits of self-hatred back in his face because you want to make him look at them. To look in the mirror. ....To look at you. To acknowledge you exist. To see you as a thinking, feeling being. And I do think our Tenno are capable of this. To see the Man in the Wall not as "The Other," but as Another. The opposite of Indifference. I think that will be an important part of our story. But our story is not all of the story. It was not just any memory of love that drove back the Indifference, it was Albrecht's love. Unfortunately, I don't think Albrecht as we know him is capable of this, at least not as he is. He speaks of Wally as a malicious force, a cosmic evil that must be fought and only he is brilliant enough to figure out how. Even now, he refers to his reflection only with terms of disgust and shame. For all his monologues about guilt and his grand designs of martyrdom... he still thinks only in terms of himself. He thinks he understands his own guilt, and Wally delights in demonstrating all the ways that he does not. "If I must be a demon, may I be an honest one." That statement is, itself, dishonest. Albrecht is not a demon. He is human.

And that's what he's so deeply, violently afraid of admitting, the fear the entire Orokin civilization built itself on top of as foundation. I believe that is the fear that manifested in The Man in the Wall. And THAT is the kind of cosmic horror I want to see, while also feeling very Warframe. Crossing my fingers we get something closer to this and not just Albrecht accidentally (or purposely?) becoming an evil quantum demon. There's actually like. A whole other section to this I was going to yammer on about but it's now 4:30 AM and whooopppsssssssss

[from-the-coffee-shop-in-edoras]

I got a Q that came accidentally as a DM vs. an ask, so I'll just re-state it here and then answer it: "Why do you think Rohan wasn't concerned about Théodred being single and without children? Shouldn't they have wanted another heir to keep his line going if/when Théodred died?

So, first off, this does seem weird on the surface, at least relative to how many actual monarchies have worked. Queens have lived or died, wars were fought, and entire nations fell when a monarch failed to produce a clear heir. So you'd think that Théodred, being in his 40s, would be considering that need. But maybe not! As shown in the Théodred fic I’m in the middle of rolling out, my personal HC for him is that he held out against marriages of convenience or alliance to have a real love match instead, and he didn't find that until close enough to his (untimely) death that the marriage itself never happened. But he also just didn't feel the call to parenthood—not all of us do!—and was more than happy to pass everything to Éomer and his descendants when he died. After all, he loved Éomer as something between a brother and a son, and that's classic heir territory. So he didn't need to rush into marriage or kids because he was comfortable with Éomer as his own heir and had made that clear enough that it was accepted.

Canonically, of course, there's no evidence for that. But there's also no evidence that Théodred's situation is all that odd in late Third Age Middle Earth. There's almost no one of any significance in the story who is married or actively raising children until the very end of ROTK. Galadriel, Bombadil, some minor hobbits, Beregond...these folks are the exceptions, not the rule. Everyone else is unmarried or widowed (or whatever you call what happened to Elrond), and the younger generation is childless—even the other hereditary heirs to power: Boromir, Aragorn, Legolas, Elladan & Elrohir, Pippin, etc.

There’s a range of reasons for that. We're told dwarves just don't put a lot of priority on marriage. The elves are fading, so they've got other things on their minds, and they tend not to have children during times of war and strife anyway. Gondor is described as a land “falling into dotage” and decreasing in population so there’s almost an element of fading there, too, though of a different kind. The Shire is the one place where there does seem to be a lot more marriage and childrearing happening, so it's probably more of a coincidence that our 5 main hobbit characters (incl. Bilbo) just happen not to be among them at the time of the story, either because of age or queerness or some other reason particular to just those individuals vs hobbit culture as a whole.

That leaves Rohan, and I'm not sure I have a super satisfying answer. Théoden's family does appear much less uptight about issues of inheritance and power and heritage than you'd think. His father very nearly abdicated the throne, and Théoden himself is kind of shockingly casual about the transfer of power when he tells the Rohirrim to just "choose a new lord as you will" should both he and Éomer die in battle. (Were we one hot nephew away from Rohan having the first democratically elected head of state in all of Middle Earth??) If the royal family felt that way, perhaps they were just reflecting a broader culture that was more comfortable with the idea of power not always going linearly from father to son and so setting up those lines through marriage and babies was not as important to them. In that case, Théoden might have been willing not to force his son into a marriage he didn't want, and Théodred may have felt more free to take his time deciding on things. All of which brings me back in the direction of my own HC, so I guess that feels satisfying enough to me!

[alarrytale]

Sony Music and Sony Entertainment are owned by the same corporation and it would reflect badly on all of it. I’m not saying that there’s no shitty business practices, or even that they’ve done unethical things, but the things that are being claimed Sony Music has done to Larry I don’t see how Louis and Harry could not easily sue over that. I’m no lawyer so I can’t fully but it is doubtful to me they can’t sue for say, being forcibly closeted or trying to pressure Louis into signing a birth certificate, etc. Coercing someone into doing these things is one thing and a whole other conversation, but doubtful to me they’re legally bound to do them.

Hi, anon!

I don't think i agree. I don't think people will stop going to a Sony produced movie, not buy PS5 or buy a Sony TV because Sony Music Entertainment forcibly closeted Harry Styles. They're all separate companies with the same owner, Sony. It's not like Sony is putting extra pressure on Harry if they don't sell enough TVs.

I've said many times before why H and L can't sue. They willingly signed a contract that states that Sony can do whatever it takes to make them big and earn them money. Sony own the names, likenesses, voices and personal histories of the 1D guys and everything they do while under a Sony contract, forever. Sony can use that material however they want, even if it's false, embarrassing or damaging. This is not illegal, as long as the guys signed it knowingly and willingly, and as long as Sony does it with the intention of furthering their careers and make them money. Sony's first right of refusal clause in all their recording contracts makes it so that Sony won't let anyone leave if they can match the offer from another label. They will never let Harry leave as long as they can control him like they already do and as long as he's profitable.

So if Sony says, Harry we're going to give you a womaniser image to make it look like you have sex appeal and make you attractive to women, and at the same time make people think you're straight, because out gay men don't appeal to het women who wants to marry you, Harry can't do shit about it. If they say, Harry you have to pretend to date CF to make you look like a womaniser and to create buzz for txf (she's under the same contract ans probably had little choice herself). People will watch the show if there is a scandalous relationship between you and CF, there is nothing he can do to say no. If he refuses he's in breach of contract, that he willingly signed, and will probably be banned from the music industry forever. Sony is powerful enough to do that. If he refuses they can ruin his image more. More damaging stories in the press. All press is good press. As long as it gives them attention and make people aware there's an album out, they can drag his name through the mud along with all of his family and friends.

If Sony says Louis, we will create a baby scandal around you to get attention on our new 1D album, make you look straight and make it look like you're not in a relationship with Harry, there is nothing L can do. Both L and H can try to bargain and trade off and say, no i'd rather fake date that person or do that instead, and Sony can say yes or no. Sony can also say, if you refuse to do this or that Louis we'll make Harry get engaged. Louis might then say, alright i'll do the baby scandal. Sony might later say, oh btw. Now that it's out that you're going to be a father, we've actually signed with that family and a baby is being born that you'll have to pretend is yours. And Louis will be shocked and in disbelief. It's already out that he's going to be a father, but he probably thought it would all end with a DNA test when the kid was born. Pretty sure he didn’t think he signed up for 10 years of playing a fake dad back in 2015, and how damaging that would end up being for his own solo career.

As long as Sony can prove that H and L signed these contracts willingly and that it's the best course of action to advance their careers and make them money, H and L won't have a case. It's not about right or wrong, it's about what's legally allowed or not. It's a corporation and Sony is treating H and L like corporations. They're a brand that needs to be protected. They've invested in said brand and expect returns on their investment. Using their control over their images, they indirectly control their closets and their public lives.

H and L (and the rest of the 1D guys) are legally bound to this contact saying Sony can do whatever they want. They signed it. Sony has played their cards so well that H and L are backed into a corner. Even if L isn't with Sony anymore, he isn't free of the consequences of what Sony made him do. He isn't getting radio play, he's still saddled with a fake baby and his boyfriend is still under Sony. I honestly think all of 1D are still under Sony, since they're on hiatus and not disbanded. I think Sony still controls their images, either directly under the 1D contract or indirectly though the image clause.

It's fine if you believe this isn't possible, but i think you are too unimaginative about how Sony can go about making this all happen and resulting in what we're witnessing today. I also think you are too hung up about things being illegal or legal, instead of looking at it as Sony having certain powers within the contract and them forcing H and L's hands by backing them up into a corner. If you think Sony is powerful, multiply it with ten.

[waugh-bao]

for the ask meme, top 5 photos of keith and charlie! 🥹

also! while you’re at it, top 5 keith songs (can be both the stones or his solo works)

This isn’t intentional, but every photo I ended up picking of them is from the last 30 or so years of the band.

In no particular order:

Also a bonus shout out to the best Keith and Charlie photo where Charlie technically isn’t in the picture:

For the top 5 Keith songs, also in no particular order:

Hate It When You Leave (Main Offender, 1992)

Most of Keith’s solo songs are either about getting screwed over by a woman (and deserving it) or missing somebody in a long term relationship. This is one of my favorite songs of that second genre, I admit partly because it reminds me of a very particular part of my life, but also just the lyrics, the beat, and his voice play beautifully together. It’s an aberration for me in that most of the Winos songs I enjoy are the ones where Charley Drayton is on drums, because he has a lighter touch that suits Keith better.

Alteration Boogie (Unreleased Voodoo Lounge Outtake, 1993)

Voodoo Lounge is a great album that also has a lot of outtakes from the studio sessions floating around online (there were 75 demos from the whole process which was an unusually large amount for them), but this is probably my favorite Keith solo piece. It’s a song about and sung to Charlie (who joins in on drums halfway through) and it’s the most unhinged thing you’ve ever heard. Keith composed an entire 5 minute song about Charlie’s personal, how his trousers hang, and his ass, among other topics, seemingly on the fly. It’s a really interesting insight into whatever is going on in his head.

How Can I Stop (Bridges to Babylon, 1998)

I think most of Keith’s best ‘solo’ music really comes from him doing his own thing as a vocalist within the Stones. Especially because he has a tendency to strip things down and do almost everything with just himself and Charlie, plus occasionally one or two other people (Stu, Pierre, etc). It’s an emotionally devastating song (“You look at me, but I don’t know what you see/A reflection, baby, of what I want to be/I see your face and I want to roll with it…”) and the music itself more than matches the lyrics for quality. Wayne Shorter guested on the song and the last minute, which is just Charlie and Wayne going back and forth on sax and cymbals, with a little piano backing, genuinely gives me chills. It also shows how Keith’s generosity as a musician and his love of Charlie works in his favor, because that duet between them makes the song.

Love Hurts (Tribute to Graham Parsons, 2004)

It’s a cover, not a song Keith wrote himself, but I think it really suits his style/content as a solo artist and he makes it really work with his voice here. Norah Jones also works fabulously as co-vocalist, I think he actually tends to harmonize better with women (Sarah Dash, Norah, Sheryl Crow, Lisa Fischer, etc) live than with Mick.

Losin’ My Touch (Forty Licks, 2002)

I’m a sucker for all of Keith’s ‘sad old man at the end of a long term relationship’ songs, like “This Place Is Empty”, but this song (which was one of two originals added to a 40th anniversary greatest hits album) is really lovely. It’s a very classic Keith only on vocals/no back-up, drums, piano, and a bit of guitar, and I think that’s often how he sounds best.

I wouldn’t put it in my top 5 solely because of how horribly the production of the song was mangled by Andrew Watt, but Keith’s one solo song off of Hackney Diamonds, “Tell Me Straight” has absolutely gorgeous, devastating lyrics. It’s almost certainly his Charlie song, and both more beautiful and sadder when you consider the writing in that light.

[watermelonsloth]

The Boruto Designs for the Rookie 9 Make No Sense

(Note: I'm not mentioning the blank period designs because that's a post all on it's own.)

A lot of people have complained about the designs of Naruto's generation in Boruto and I can't blame them(I actually agree with most of the criticisms made), but the number one problem I have with them I haven't found voiced. That problem is that they have no rhyme or reason behind them.

I don't think that Naruto was the pinnacle of character design or fashion in anime or anything, but I did like it for one big reason. All of the designs made sense for the characters. To me all of the Naruto character designs come across as in-character because, not only do they fit the personalities of the characters, the changes in the designs(specifically between Part 1 and Shippuden) feel like the natural progression of their designs.

The designs fall into one of two categories: more mature versions of their last designs(for the characters that have changed during the time-skip outside of getting more mature) and significant changes(for the characters who did change during the time-skip, usually in response to the Sasuke Retrieval arc).

The more mature ones include Naruto(he got longer pants, a new headband, and shoes, and started wearing black), Hinata(she lost the fur, got more color and new shoes, and grew her hair), Shino(got more jackets and color), Shikamaru(continued to look more like a chunin), Ino(lost most of the bandages and arm things, and got elbow and knee protection), TenTen(getting longer sleeves and new shoes, and simplifying her color pallet), Rock Lee(got a chunin vest and lost his headband), and, I'd argue, Neji(swapped the color beige for white, got longer sleeves and a skirt, and lost all of the bandages). Every aspect of their designs can be chalked up to Kishimoto's art style simplifying or adjustments that make the characters look more mature or protected. When you put their old and new designs next to each other, they're the natural progression of their last outfit(and a beautiful example of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"). Hell, if you know the characters well enough, you can probably imagine their thought process while they were out shopping(Hinata being embarrassed to still wear fur lining as a chunin, Shikamaru being tired of fighting to get his chunin vest over his jacket, etc.).

The significant changes match the characters who most needed a jump in practicality and probably went through character arcs related to taking their career more seriously. Sakura's outfit in Part 1 was cute but it was fashion over function. In Shippuden, she kept her hair short to avoid it being grabbed again, shortened her skirt for better mobility, changed her color pallet to look more mature, and got boots(with a heel, but it's low enough to be passable), elbow pads, and gloves for better protection. She's planning to seriously help Naruto find Sasuke and fight off the Akatsuki and her outfit reflects that. Sasuke has a very different outfit in Shippuden to reflect both his drastically different fighting style and his connection to Orochimaru. Kiba(changing into a more protective leather outfit) and Choji(wearing straight up armor and growing his hair out to better match his teammates) also fall under here and it's most likely in response to nearly dying on the Sasuke retrieval mission.

I'm not going over them, but the other members of the cast(if they even got a new look) also follow this trend.

The Boruto designs break this trend and give us worse designs because of it. At least that's the case for the rookie nine. Outside of the rookie nine, the trend continues and any complaints I have come down to personal preference. This time, their designs fall into three categories: salvageable, time moves forward and their clothes move back, and what the fuck?

The salvageable ones are Naruto and Ino. I can understand giving Naruto more black and shortening his hair to make him look older, I just think it could've been better and needs a second draft. Ino is fine just plain(something made worse by her being the most fashionista-like member of the Konoha 12). I'd say it also needs a second draft, but it doesn't. The anime just needs to start using her design in the Boruto manga(I know it's kind of hard to see since we don't get any panels showing it off, but it looks good from what I can tell).

The time moves forward and their clothes move back ones I have an easy to guess problem with. Kiba and Choji's outfits resemble their Part 1 designs much more than their Shippuden designs. Kiba lost the leather and Choji lost the armor despite both of them still being active shinobi. Instead of progressing, they regressed for some reason. Choji also cut his hair shorter. If they really wanted to give him a different haircut(because they insist on much of the cast having different hair), why not tie his hair into a ponytail to better match his teammates?

(I'm gonna give Sakura her own section since I have a lot to say.)

Remember when I explained how Sakura's more practical outfit in Shippuden denoted character growth? Well, that all went out the window. First, I have two nitpicks that I think add to the problem, but would probably be fine otherwise. 1. She's now wearing heels that not only remind me more of Tsunade than herself, but they also look bad for working in a hospital, let alone going on missions. 2. She chose to start parting her hair differently because... of reasons. This was literally the first thing I noticed about her design. I know this sounds super minor, but changes like these do impact character design and recognizability. However, the main problem is how many awkward call backs there are to her first design. The attaching part of her top is curved, the tail of her top(I don't know what else to call it) falls to her knees again, the Chinese elements of her top, and the white lining. In some ways, her design is actually worse. Not only is she wearing loose looking heels, but she's also wearing tight-fitting, non elastic pants. Why doesn't she dress like a ninja anymore??? What possible reason could there be for any of this??? I'd also like to bring your attention to her wearing make-up and jewelry. I like hyper-feminine characters. I especially like hyper-feminine characters that are also badasses. I don't think it's good character design to add hyper-feminine elements to the design of a character that has an entire moment dedicated to how their insecurity and resulting focus on their ability to live up to female expectations distracts them from their job and goals.

The what the fuck designs I have the most problems with. I'll do my best to keep my complaints to a reasonable length because I could do a full rant on all of them.

Shino is the easiest to explain. He lost the layers of jackets associated with his clan, he completely changed his hair, and he replaced his sunglasses with a weird thing around his head(I don't know what to call it). At first I was gonna say he more resembles his Part 1 design, but it doesn't resemble any of his designs. He looks like an entirely different character and I have no idea why Kishimoto changed him so much, let alone Shino's motivation in-story. Did they think he looked more like a teacher this way?

I don't even know what to say for Shikamaru. I can only assume that they said "We should give him a goatee like his dad" and then they gave up. He's wearing a black jumpsuit with a beige-ish green-ish jacket and brown gloves. I couldn't tell you why and I doubt Kishimoto could either. Why are his colors completely different from all his other designs? Why is he suddenly interested in wearing jumpsuits every day? Why is he wearing a necklace with a circle hanging from it(it's too big to be a wedding ring and Temari isn't wearing one(or any ring for that matter))? Why is he wearing gloves if he never goes on missions?

Technically, Hinata has three designs(one for the epilogue, one for the anime, and one for the Boruto manga), but all of my complaints are for the one used in the anime so that's what I'm gonna talk about. First, why is her design so busy? The art style used for the Naruto series has been getting progressively simple throughout its run time, so why does her design have so many unnecessary elements? Her hooded sweater is lined, she has three layers, her outfit consists of five different colors, and there's a little thing hanging off of her sweater. I know these all sound minor, but none of the other adults get this detailed. If anything, the others have designs that are too simple. The only exception, kind of, is Sasuke, but Sasuke is always covering his layers with a plain black cloak. Also, keep in mind, Hinata only has this problem with her anime design, her other designs are much more simple. Wouldn't it make more sense for the anime to use one of the simpler and better looking designs? Second, was there any thought put into her design elements? Her design looks so different from her Shippuden one that I feel like it would be a waste of time to list those differences. Just look at the two, they look completely different. If I had to guess, the only thought that went into her design was "how do we make Hinata look like a mom?" Which is a shame, because they should've been asking "how do we make Hinata look like an older Hinata?"

Last, we have Sasuke. Where do I even begin with Sasuke? Why is he suddenly wearing what looks like a button-up shirt and vest into battle? Why is there so much detail in his design if it's all gonna be covered by a cloak anyways? Why does he have two belts? Why is his hair brushed downwards? But, most importantly, why doesn't he look like Sasuke? It's not like the Shino situation where he looks so different he might as well be a different character, I can tell it's Sasuke, but he doesn't dress like he used to at all. He's the one character that it would've made sense to dress him like a more mature version of his Part 1 outfit and then they chose the worst characters for that instead. He doesn't even resemble his parents or Itachi at all. He doesn't resemble his clan at all. Nothing's really "wrong" with the design. It's not infuriatingly impractical or ugly and it only needs a few tweaks at worst. But it's probably one of my, if not my number one, least favorite Boruto design. It doesn't look anything like the character it's for and there's no in-story reason why that is.

[gaygoetia]

Magical Shorthand in the Legend of Vox Machina

So I've been drafting a lot of posts about the just-announced Mighty Nein animated series (thoughts, hopes, predictions etc), one of which is about magic and how it will be represented. This led me into a tangent about TLOVM that's long enough that I think it works better as it's own post so here it is!

What magic looks like in TLOVM

One of the things I LOVE about the spellcasting in TLOVM is how each character's spells are visually distinct, usually through colour coding.

In addition to looking great, this visual shorthand makes it easy to identify who's casting what in magic-heavy fight scenes, with the added bonus of representing something of that character's personality.

Scanlan

Scanlan is the most obvious example because it's the most visually distinctive and cohesive.

The visual manifestation of Scanlan's magic is ALWAYS purple - a specific pinkish shade of it.

It's always shiny or sparkly and usually takes the form of a giant semi-translucent body part (usually a hand)

When it manifests in a different form (i.e not a distinct shape) it's usually lightning shaped ribbons or sparks but sometimes an intense purple glow or sparkly purple cloud.

Like Scanlan himself, his magic is colourful, flashy and dramatic and he uses it in creative and unusual ways.

Pike

Pike's magic manifests in a few different ways but it always appears as yellow, and ranges from a soft glow to a bright light.

One of her most commonly used abilities is to create a magical shield which glows softly and sparks upon impact. It's semi-translucent like Scanlan's hand but doesn't move or change shape (though it can change size!)

Certain abilities cause her eyes or hands to glow yellow and of course her astral self glows yellow all over.

Her magic is pretty straightforward. If the spell affects or relates to another object it causes it to glow and offensive spells resemble targeted beams of light that shoot out directly from her hands.

Keyleth

Keyleth's magic is by far the most diverse in the series and her magic reflects that.

Her signature spells/abilities are wildshape and whatever she uses to create and control vines. In both cases, these abilities happen without any kind of magical glow around them and therefore aren't colour-coded in the same way as other spells.

Spells that do involve light and colour usually reflect the element or school of magic associated with them and I think it was the right choice because it makes it easier to identify what she's doing. If the spell daylight, for example, was any other colour it wouldn't be so obvious what it's doing.

All that said, a handful of Keyleth's spells ARE colour-coded, meaning that her hands, eyes, staff or a combination of the three glow green when they're cast. Her hands always glow green when she uses touch-based spells but it also happens at other random points with no particular pattern I can identify (for example her hands sometimes glow when she controls vines but at other times they don't)

And of course it's not just the main characters! Delilah's magic resembles jagged black shapes with an eerie purple outline. Zahra's magic is red and ripples outwards.

So what could magic look like in the Mighty Nein animated series?

Well, given her canonically pink spiritual weapon and spiritual guardians, I think it's safe to say Jester's magic will have a pink theme - though probably a warmer hot pink than Scanlan's pink-purple.

The one exception to this I think would be her cold-themed version of hellish rebuke which will likely be in white or blue to represent the element it's associated with.

Caduceus is also somewhat pink-themed but I imagine his magic might have a turquoise-green colour theme to match his armour.

Molly/Lucien's magic will be red themed for sure in classic blood-magic form.

I'm really not sure about Fjord but his spells might potentially have a blue theme given his affinity to the sea. They might also be a generic white or vary depending on the spell.

For Caleb I definitely think they'll take the same approach as Keyleth wherein his spells appearances are more determined by what they do than who's casting them. However I think if his magic is colour-coded (maybe just for touch-spells like Keyleth) it will be an amber colour somewhere between yellow and orange.

Dunamancy is usually depicted as black and purple so I'm curious to see how they'll distinguish it from Delilah's necromantic magic. I can imagine them maybe doing something black with lots of tiny stars, like a glimpse into space, which would look very cool and also feel appropriate.

What do y'all think?

I would truly love to hear other people's thoughts on this!!