#she thinks they're childish and she wants to seem grown up

[joofie404]

grump

[propheticbride]

Lamb to Slaughter V

𐙚 Aemond's plans are laid bare, and so are you.

𐙚 Aemond x Reader (tw: manipulation, incest, suggestive)

(A/N- hi besties... im alive. also reader being strictly a Helaena defender and not an Alicent defender is so funny to me.. anyways enjoy)

“Behold! The traitor dragon Meleys!”

The surrounding small folk began to cheer.

“Slain at Rook’s Rest by your King!”

You gasp softly, hands finding Aemond’s arm and gripping it firmly. From the corner of your eye, you watch him slowly glance at you, then return his gaze back to the carriage carrying the dead dragon’s head.

Things had been…awkward. You barely graced either boy’s bed, slipping back into childish traditions and laying beside Helaena at night. Almost like she knew that you had stopped sleeping with Aegon, she had allowed you into her bed and had begun holding you.

She was no replacement for your mother, but things had been tense there too. Only sharing fleeting glances at one another when passing in halls.

“I thought dragons were gods.” you murmur to him.

“They are.” he nods.

You shake your head. “They're just meat.”

Aemond sighs.

“Where is Aegon?” you ask him. “He survived the battle did he not?”

“Why do you care so much for our brother? He is not your husband.”

“As I am not yours.” you bitterly reply.

“You could have been.” he assures.

“Wouldn't you rather marry that whore you visit so often? What was her name again? Aegon told me but it seems to be slipping my mind.” you shake your head.

“Don't.” it comes out as almost he’s begging.

“Don't.” you mock his voice. “Where is Aegon?”

Aemond grins, and points to the box that follows behind the horses. You gasp and turn to rush after him.

✮⋆˙

“Is he dead?” you ask Grand Maester Orwyle, hot tears streaming your face.

Alicent grabs for your hand, but you deny her. Only glancing at her for a moment before looking back at him, expecting an answer.

“His Grace remains with us for the moment Princess.” he assures you.

You begin to sob. “What has happened to him? Why won't anyone tell me!”

“He is burned Princess-”

“Maester I do not think it is wise to tell-”

“Shut up mother.” you hiss. “What benefit do you hold to be here at this moment?”

“You have grown to be-”

“To be what? Say it plainly, mother.” you glare at her.

“Aegon is burned throughout his body Princess. Half of his face, destroyed. Much of his body, destroyed.” Maester Orwyle explains. Something to cut the tension.

“Is my son going to die?” Alicent asks.

“I’m afraid I cannot say.” he shakes his head. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, Your Grace, these next hours are the most critical.”

“Of course.” Alicent nods and glances at you. “Would you join me for the council today?”

“You’ve never asked me to join you before.” you reply, taking her hand and allowing her to lead you from Aegon’s room.

“In truth, Aemond wants you there.” Alicent sighs. “For what I do not know.”

“Is Aegon going to die?” you ask.

“I do not know.” she replies bluntly. “Ser Criston.”

You glance up to the Knight, who stops at Alicent’s calling of him. “Your Grace. Princess.”

“What happened to Aegon?” you ask.

Alicent grips your hand, as a way to be nice or to not ask such things. You ignore it.

“Is it not your job to protect the King, Cole? What has happened?” your tone is condescending.

“You are to call him Ser, a title he has-”

“Earned? He should be stripped of it. Protector of the King, hand of the King…and yet my brother, our King, is in pieces.” you shake your head, “Some protector you are.”

“What happened?” Alicent asks.

“We took the castle.” Criston reports. “At the cost of some nine hundred men.”

“So I’ve heard.” Alicent nods. “The King, Ser Criston, what befell him.”

“His Grace fought valiantly.” Criston speaks in a hush, defeated tone.

“What was Aemond’s part in this?” you ask softly.

“I could not say.” Criston looks at you. He looks for a few seconds, studying your features. Criston had become the number one voyeur of the royal family for the past months, since he was attached to Alicent, and Aegon. He had seen your comings and goings from Aegon’s room. Even Aemond’s. He was aware you had dutifully bounced from one man to the other, and from the moans he had heard seeping from the chambers, you had served them well.

But recently, he had noticed almost a cold war had gone on between the three of you. Criston was made aware, mostly from Aegon’s companions, of what had happened in the brothel. And of course word had gotten back to you. Who had told you? Criston couldn't be sure. But it caused you to ice Aemond out of your bed, and lean towards Aegon. But even then, after a week you had iced Aegon out as well.

“So Aegon is wounded heavily?” you repeat. “Someone will have to rule in his stead.”

You shook your head and departed off, the guards opening the large counsel doors for you.

“My darling sister.” Aemond is sitting where Aegon usually sits. Where the King is meant to be sat. “I am glad you are attending.”

“Why was she called to attend?” Criston asks, sitting beside you at the table.

You roll your eyes at his comment. Alicent takes the other seat beside you, and once again, attempts to reach for you. You once again, deny her.

“The armor was Valyrian steel, but His Grace suffered grievous burns over much of his body. He has many broken bones.” Maester Orwyle joins, his words starting the meeting. “I fear there are more injuries within, injuries we cannot see.”

“Thank you for all you have done.” Alicent starts. “The Princess and I, are grateful for all you have done for him, as is the realm.”

“Has he woken?” you ask, pouting.

“No. I am not sure he will ever wake Princess. Our king’s fate lies with the gods now.” Maester Orwyle nods.

“He cannot rule from his sleep.” you say looking at Aemond, a small smile appears on his lips.

“I must agree with the Princess, the realm will have noticed his absence.” Lord Jasper cuts in.

“Let them hear of his great deeds at Rook’s Rest. But now we must name a regent to take his place until he recovers…or does not.” Alicent voices,

“And who do you think should be named regent, Your Grace? Helaena is a good candidate because she is currently Queen.” you add.

Laughter fills around you. The look of anger on Aemond’s face does not pass you.

“Laughing at a Princess of the crown should be a great offense, should it not?” Aemond cuts into their laughter, the room falling silent immediately. “She is of royal blood, mocking her could be considered treasonous.”

“I myself served in this role for my husband. I am well-prepared to do it again.” Alicent glares daggers at the men who laugh at you, reaching again for you, this time you allow her affection.

“You played your part admirably in a time of peace, Your Grace, but circumstances have changed.” Lord Jasper reminds her. “And as for the Queen…she is not fit to take a regency for the Kingdom.”

“Why not?” you sound disappointed, for everything you've done to Helaena, you're quick to defend her.

Maester Orwyle’s voice chimes in, “It is experience that offers the surest path to security. Queen Alicent ably shouldered the duties of the realm when her husband’s health failed him.”

“Experience is valuable, yes, but the dowager queen is a woman.” Lord Jasper sighs, almost as if what he was hearing was impossible to comprehend.

“I am no stranger to rule or to sitting at this council.” Alicent declares.

“The obvious choice is his immediate successor, Prince Aemond.” Lord Jasper tells you.

You and Aemond share a look.

“Agreed.” Tyland nods.

“Aemond is young. And his lack of restraint has already cost us dearly.” Alicent sounds disgusted.

“Mother, I think Aemond is a good choice if Helaena cannot stand in for regent. Aemond is a fearsome dragon rider, similar to our ancestors the conquerors. He paints a very picture of them. He is wise, and very well versed in the histories.” you find yourself defending Aemond. Despite all of your anger towards him and the utter betrayal you felt from him, you still loved him more than anything. And you weren't stupid, allying with Aemond would be the smartest choice in your current circumstances.

“I agree, Princess. It must be Prince Aemond. What would it say if, in response to Rhaenyra’s crowning, we raised up a woman of our own?” Lord Jasper shakes his head.

Alicent takes her hand from yours.

“But the Hand speaks for the king’s voice. Ser Criston, what say you?” Lord Jasper turns to the Knight.

Criston glances at Alicent, then at you. You give him a distant smile and nod. Aemond watches your every move. “Aemond is the next in line. It must be him.”

“I agree.” you say, looking at Aemond and giving him a smile.

His heart nearly beats from his chest.

“It’s agreed then. What is our standing in the Riverlands?” Aemond nods and asks, glancing around his table for answers.

“You wouldn't want me regent?” Alicent whispers to you as the counsel’s voices fade her out.

“I do think you should be regent, it is plain as my feelings towards you.” you give her a dull look.

Aemond’s voice raises up again, “We shall meet again at first light. Oh, and someone cut down the fucking ratcatchers.”

✮⋆˙

Your maids were quick to bathe you, and help you into your nightgown. It was a soft lavender, with lillies sewn in. A gift from Helaena as a sign that your relationship was bettering.

“My lamb?” Aemond’s voice calls from the doorway. “Do you think the Princess and I can have some alone time?”

The maids bow and are quick to exit the room, leaving you and Aemond alone.

“Do I call you, king now?” you ask, breaking the awkward silence.

“You defended me to be regent, and here I thought you hated me?” He sits himself on your bed.

“I am sorry if I have been cruel to you. I guess I was jealous and upset at…”

“My brothel adventures. You should've been told by me. Not Aegon.” Aemond leans back, and you rake in his full form.

You would be lying if you didn't think he was still attractive. Gorgeous frame and structured face like a god. He truly was the image of the conquerors.

“Did you miss me lamb?” he reaches a hand out to you.

And of course you take it, quickly finding yourself in his lap, your lips finding him.

“Please don't go to her again.” you beg.

“I only sought comfort in her because you ran to Aegon.” he lies through his teeth.

Your kisses are desperate, and messy. He can barely keep up. You slowly grind into his lap, himself bucking up into you.

God he missed you. God you missed him. Aegon was a good lover, but nothing could compare to the sheer devotion Aemond supplied you.

“What happened to Aegon?” you ask, breathless.

“The same thing that will happen to anyone else that gets in the way of us.” he assures you.

“Aemond?” your eyes grow wide. “What have you done?”

“I did it for you. Now I am regent, and Aegon will die. I will be King, you my Queen.” Aemond comforts you, or tries to.

“Aemond…”

“Shhhh.” he hushes, and begins removing your gown. “Nothing will stand in the way of us. Not mother, not Aegon”

“Nothing has stood in the way of us.” you murmur at his delusions. He could technically have you if he truly wanted, no one would stand in his way. Especially not now.

“You were so bewitched with Aegon. How could I be sure you wanted me?” He kisses you softly.

You pouted, “I’d be queen?”

“Yes.” he nods, and thrusts up again into you. This time, getting a moan out of you. “Oh you missed me, didn't you lamb? Aegon not please you?”

“Not like you did.” you shake your head.

Aemond smiles, he had Aegon’s throne and now he had you.

[teyamskxawng]

The Fight [I]

Neteyam Sully x Fem!Omatikaya!Reader

Next Part Here

The rundown: The beach fight scene but make it Reader vs Aonung and he gets his ass beat LMAO. Ft. jealous, possessive (and lowkey oblivious) Neteyam having a crisis over the reader.

Warnings: language, bullying, slight violence, brief mention of the reader's deceased parents, Aonung bashing (but only for the purposes of this fic!! i fr trust Aonung's character arc), characters are aged up

WC: 8.8k

A/N: Don't even ask lol, I just wanted reader to be a badass. Second half of the fic delves into Neteyam's feelings and such. I'll prob finish this in like 1 or 2 more parts, so stay tuned for that! :)

Kiri was sprawled out on her stomach in a shallow area of the beach, her face entirely submerged in the crisp, clear water. Intently, she observed a tiny hole dug into the sand, a hub of activity for little critters periodically scurrying in and out.

Meanwhile, you sat beside her, equally entranced by the little wonder of nature the two of you had chanced upon during your mid-afternoon beach excursion.

Just as you lifted your head out of the water to catch your breath and stretch your neck, you felt vibrations from approaching footsteps and hushed voices carried by the sea breeze. Recognizing the voices, you quickly realized that it was Aonung and his band of goons lurking by the shore.

One of the guys pointed a webbed finger at you and Kiri, making it blatantly obvious that you two were the center of their group's conversation.

With a sly smirk and an obnoxiously loud voice, the boy asked his friends, "What are they doing?"

A chorus of laughter erupted among the group, immediately setting off alarms in your mind. You staunchly stood by Kiri, prepared to defend your friend against any potential ridicule or harm.

Meanwhile, Kiri remained blissfully unaware of all that was transpiring above water. Her head still submerged beneath gentle waves, she continued to marvel at the underwater world without a clue about the brewing laughter above.

Aonung scratched his head in mock confusion before turning to his friends and sarcastically asking, "Is she some kind of…freak?"

This wisecrack immediately set you on edge.

You gently shook Kiri's shoulder, calling out her name in a bid to get her attention but not startle her. Dazed and still somewhat out of the loop, Kiri lifted her head out of the water. Blinking the sea from her eyes, she groggily replied, "Huh? What did you say?"

The guys around you couldn't contain their childish amusement, snickering as they watched the scenario unfold.

Kiri's puzzled gaze finally fell upon the boisterous crowd surrounding them. "Oh." She replied, her entire demeanor deflating.

One of the guys chimed in condescendingly as if addressing a toddler trying to understand a grown-up conversation. "He asked if you were a freak," he smirked.

You couldn't help but roll your eyes in disdain, doing your best to suppress the growing urge to smack that smug grin off the little cretin's face. He looked like he belonged in a cage.

"Kiri, let's get out of here. These fish fuckers actually think that they're funny." You threw a venomous glare at the boys, allowing your piercing stare to linger just a fraction longer on Aonung–the one you least expected this behavior from.

As the son of the Metkayina chief, you assumed he would be different, a sharper contrast to his counterparts. You couldn't help comparing Aonung unfavorably to Neteyam, whose father was the late Omatikayan chief.

Neteyam carried himself with poise and grace far removed from Aonung's immature antics. Further adding salt to Aonung's proverbial wound was how unlike his little sister Tsireya he seemed to be. Although she was young, Tsireya radiated kindness and welcomed you and the Sully kids with open arms from the first day you arrived.

Aonung shot you a smug, sly smirk, allowing his eyes to flit up and down your figure, causing an uneasy sensation to skitter across your skin like an unwanted insect.

With sudden haste, fueled by the desire to escape, your hand shot out and latched onto Kiri's arm–maybe gripping with a bit too much force–as you seized the opportunity to depart from the presence of the immature boys.

Dragging Kiri out of the water with determination, you guided her toward the safety and solitude of the shoreline. To your dismay, though, the boys were not so easily deterred.

They pursued you and Kiri with dogged persistence; their snickers echoed through the air like a pack of viperwolves as they threw snide remarks targeted at your departing backs, whispering just loud enough for you and Kiri to overhear.

"Look at their tails,"

"Aww, baby tail!"

You gritted your teeth, willing yourself to maintain control despite your growing anger. You had hoped that your unspoken plea for serenity would be granted—that you could slip away unnoticed and go about your day. But clearly, Eywa had other plans.

Your breaking point presented itself when Aonung couldn't resist taking his antics a step further, reaching out and brazenly yanking Kiri's tail—probably thinking he was the height of hilarity.

That was the final straw for you; any iota of self-control you'd managed to cling to all this while suddenly snapped like a fragile twig underfoot.

You swiftly tucked Kiri protectively behind your body, baring your fangs with ferocious intensity at Aonung. With a menacing hiss, you attempted to warn him off.

However, Aonung was unfazed by your display; instead, he only widened his smirk and put his hands up theatrically in a gesture of mock surrender. Chuckling derisively, his eyes darted toward his friends for approval.

His cronies wasted no time in offering their reaction, joining in on the laugh track and seemingly growing bolder by the second as they encircled you and Kiri with an unnerving persistence.

"Why so strung up, y/n? I know you're a forest girl and all, but there's no need to go full tribal warrior on us. You're not a freak like Kiri," Aonung teased as he approached you while confidently throwing aside any semblance of personal space or respect.

He reached out and boldly clasped one of your hands as if you were old friends catching up over lunch. Looming over your figure like an unwelcome raincloud, Aonung brandished your hand in front of everyone, showing off the distinct three fingers that set you apart from your friends Kiri and Lo'ak, both of whom inherited their father's four fingers.

"I gotta say," he said while flashing an exaggerated grin at you, "I really don't mind these little hands at all."

With each word, Aonung's grin grew further on his face, as if daring anyone to challenge him.

As he continued to violate your personal space and dignity, you could feel the bubbling cauldron of rage within you reaching its tipping point.

Aonung just stood there on the shore with an infuriating, cocky smirk plastered on his face. His eyes seemed to dig into you as if attempting to burrow inside your head. There was something spectral about his gaze, something that roused an uncontrollable rage within you.

In a quickly unfolding series of events, you yanked your hand away from Aonung's iron grip.

Your blood was boiling at that point, and you immediately raised your fists in a fighter's stance that you learned from Jake, barely containing the volcanic fury surging through your veins.

With admittedly impressive speed and precision, you unleashed a brutal punch that connected with Aonung's cheekbone.

Caught off guard, he stumbled back, visibly dazed from the sudden, forceful attack.

However, you weren't anywhere close to being done with him. The torrential outburst had clouded your perception of time; the seconds stretched and warped until you found yourself throwing not one but two more punches straight into Aonung's disoriented face.

Finally succumbing to the unanticipated onslaught, Aonung faltered under the weight of it all, stumbling and falling on his dumb blue ass with an unceremonious thud.

He looked utterly ridiculous, sprawled across the beach like a fish out of water, his eyes wider than saucers and his mouth agape in sheer bewilderment.

You were so caught up in your victory and the satisfying adrenaline rush that you didn't even register Kiri's voice from behind you, urgently shouting, "Come on, that's enough!"

You had somehow slipped into your own world, built upon cathartic violence, utterly oblivious to the outside stimuli.

Further down the shoreline, the figures of Lo'ak and Neteyam were barely visible as they sprinted toward the scene of the skirmish. But once again, you remained unaffected by their presence and continued to stand your ground, reveling in your well-deserved triumph over Aonung and his ugly arrogance.

With fury still surging through your body, you leaped onto Aonung, who remained rooted to the spot and utterly petrified by the suddenness of your attack.

In one swift motion, you seized hold of his queue with a forceful grip, the fingers of your other hand coiling into a fist as you readied yourself to pummel him once more. A sense of sadistic humor coursed through your veins as you imagined the damage you could inflict.

However, just as your fist was about to make contact, you felt a strong set of hands grabbing onto your arms.

With surprising ease, you were lifted up and away from Aonung's body, leaving you momentarily disoriented.

As your vision cleared, you came to the realization that it was none other than Neteyam who had thwarted your assault and, with his characteristic swiftness, managed to usher you back onto your feet.

However, as far as you were concerned, the fight was not over; if anything, being interrupted had only stoked the flames of your anger toward that insufferable little skxawng even further.

You struggled in Neteyam's unyielding grasp, unleashing a fierce snarl as you reached out helplessly toward Aonung again.

"Just ten more seconds," you thought to yourself.

That's how little time it would take for you to mete out the sweet vengeance you so desperately craved.

Amidst this struggle, a trickle of laughter began bubbling up within you. You couldn't quite pinpoint if it was due to the absurdity of the entire situation, suddenly bordering on comedic, or simply because you knew what would happen if you managed to break free from Neteyam's hold.

But alas, Neteyam showed little inclination to release his irritated captive as he attempted to prevent an all-out brawl.

"Mawey, y/n. Mawey," Neteyam pleaded softly in your ear, altering his grip from your flailing arms to around your waist, essentially hoisting you off your feet and dragging you away from the bruised and battered boy that you remained intent on hurting.

"I will kill him," you hissed menacingly.

Neteyam's grip instantly tightened–he seemed determined to restrain you and prevent any further chaos.

In a low, soothing voice into your ear, he retorted, "No, you won't."

Under normal circumstances, if you had not been quite so consumed by seething rage, you might've noticed the flutters of excitement in the pit of your stomach as Neteyam's velvety voice caressed your ear, sending the heat of his breath tingling down your neck. Alas, you were consumed by unbridled fury.

Meanwhile, back at the center of the conflict, Lo'ak was engaged in a heated exchange with one of Aonung's friends. With an aggressive shove to the chest, Lo'ak sent the kid stumbling backward.

Naturally, this act of provocation led to a retaliatory shove from the offending boy. The tension in the air thickened as another fight seemed imminent.

However, as though summoned by divine intervention (or just sheer nosiness), Jake and Tonowari burst onto the scene from where they had been residing further down the shore. They hastily made their way over to the contentious group–eager to discover what upheaval you all had gotten up to.

You muttered a curse under your breath, knowing that you really stepped in it this time.

Jake had explicitly instructed you and his children to steer clear of trouble, particularly any sort of mischief that might land them all in hot water.

Yet there you were, having done the complete opposite—you'd gone and beat the living daylight out of the chief's son.

Neteyam, well aware of your obvious distress, gently squeezed your waist in a reassuring manner. He looked at you with an air of confidence that somehow assured you everything would be okay. "I'll take care of it," he boldly declared.

As he finally released his reassuring grip on your middle, you couldn't deny how much you immediately missed the warmth and comfort it provided. The sudden void left by the absence of contact struck you like a bucket of cold water on a chilly morning. Shaking your head, you attempted to dismiss those inconvenient thoughts from your mind.

"No," you began with a sigh, exasperation creeping into your tone. "You didn't even do anything."

It was practically Neteyam's full-time job–swooping in like a hero to rescue anyone and everyone, whether it was his brother or his sisters or yourself.

It was as if he just couldn't help himself; he had to take the bullet every single time (yikes). It was both endearing and frustrating in equal measure.

His behavior had to stem from some kind of savior complex—you swore you could see through it all.

You knew the reason behind his rescue missions was simply the immense pressure his father put on him. Being the eldest child in the family, Neteyam bore the weight of his father's expectations on his shoulders every single day.

"It doesn't matter," Neteyam murmured dismissively, cutting off any further attempts at discussion. He slipped in front of you and made his way toward the unfolding scene with determination written all over his face.

Left behind, standing helplessly amidst dust motes that swirled where he once stood mere seconds ago, and your words still trapped halfway up your throat, you couldn't do anything but blink at his retreating back.

Upon returning to the Sully family's marui pod, you, Neteyam, and Lo'ak stood apprehensively as Jake began to furiously pace in front of you.

Lo'ak was clearly pissed off. He clutched his arm with a vice-like grip, attempting to appear wounded.

You nearly rolled your eyes at the sight. With a grin threatening to break across your face, you had to avert your gaze from the boy to avoid making an untimely scene.

You knew that he wasn't injured in the slightest. One of Aonung's friends had barely shoved him moments earlier.

You suspected he was just putting on a show to earn some sympathy from his father and possibly receive a lighter scolding.

In all honesty, Jake shouldn't have had to yell at anyone but you. If Jake were to hold anyone accountable for the recent chaos, it should have been you. After all, you were the one who threw the first punch, dishing out a humble thrashing to Aonung that would undoubtedly give him pause before stirring up trouble again.

Jake continued his relentless pacing back and forth like a caged animal. It was making you dizzy.

The atmosphere in the marui pod was thick with tension as each step echoed ominously throughout the room. Finally, Jake could contain his frustration no longer.

"What was the one thing I asked? The one thing?!" He stopped abruptly and turned to face the trio of teenagers, awaiting a response like a teacher expecting students to provide an answer to their query.

"Stay out of trouble," Lo'ak muttered with an air of resignation. He barely managed to finish uttering those words before Jake was upon you all again with all the vigor and authority of a seasoned marine.

"Stay out of trouble," he repeated mockingly. "Right."

Amidst the palpable tension in the room, Neteyam bravely took a step forward with his hands raised, eager to defuse the situation like the textbook definition of the golden child that he was.

Clearing his throat, he began, "It was my fault—" But Jake was unyielding. He was not having any of that bullshit.

Infuriated by the mere thought of Neteyam trying to shoulder the blame when it clearly wasn't his mess to carry, Jake cut him off with a fiery glare.

"Oh, I don't think so," Jake chided, pointing a finger at Neteyam.

The sudden shift in energy made Neteyam visibly gulp. He sucked in his cheeks and averted his gaze, quickly realizing that retreat was his best course of action.

"You gotta stop taking the heat for these knuckleheads!" Jake continued. With that said, he pointed his accusatory finger at you and Lo'ak.

Lo'ak's eyebrows shot up and furrowed, causing deep creases between them, as his mouth hung open in disbelief at being pigeonholed as the troublemaker.

He was fully aware that he hadn't been the one behind the afternoon's events–not this time around anyway, as surprising as it may have seemed.

You, too, were fully aware that Lo'ak didn't instigate the fight. You weren't about to let him take the heat for your own misbehavior.

You quickly extended a protective hand in front of Lo'ak, meeting his eye before turning back to face Jake.

"No, Lo'ak had nothing to do with this. It was my fault, seriously. I started it." You admitted.

Jake's eyes shut tight upon hearing your confession, and he expelled an exasperated sigh, heavy with frustration. Deep down, you knew that you were about to get it.

"y/n," he began, finally opening his eyes and turning his full attention towards you with an air of bewilderment. "You got some good hits in, I'll give you that," He paused momentarily before continuing with a mixture of astonishment and disappointment in his voice, "But the chief's son? Do you have any idea what Tonowari could've done to us? What the hell were you thinking, kid?"

You visibly winced as Jake's words hit you like a ton of bricks. He definitely had a valid point there.

The truth was that you hadn't been thinking—not one bit.

All you could recall was Aonung taunting Kiri without an ounce of remorse and then getting all up in your personal space like he had the right to. That was enough for you to see nothing but red.

In that heated moment, the thought of potential consequences flew right over your head. It was as though any semblance of logic had temporarily eluded you.

As you mentally retraced the earlier events that had unfolded before your eyes, you finally dwelled on the severity of the situation.

You didn't consider how your reckless actions could have jeopardized not only your own safety but also that of the Sullys, potentially resulting in their sudden eviction from their newfound home—a home they had fought so hard to earn a place in.

The full gravity of your reckless act hung heavily on your shoulders, like an enormous boulder strapped to your back.

"I'm really sorry, sir," you uttered with undeniable sincerity in your tone.

You tried to maintain eye contact with Jake, but the guilt in your stomach compelled you to anxiously dart your gaze away. The overwhelming shame gnawed at your conscience relentlessly.

Jake, sensing your unease, heaved a heavy sigh once again.

It wasn't lost on you that Jake was treating you far more gently than he would have treated either of his own sons had they been in this situation. This realization only doubled the weight on your shoulders.

At that moment, you felt like an unwanted appendix to their family unit—a burden they never should have taken in.

They didn't have to offer you a place in their home after your parents' deaths, nor did they have to take you with them while they sought uturu with the Metkayina. And yet, they did. And how did you repay their boundless generosity? With this…shitshow.

You found yourself longing for Jake's anger and reprimand instead of the current watered-down scolding he was dishing you. But Jake, obstinately persistent as ever, didn't indulge your desire for absolution through shouting.

As if trying to reach out into your thoughts, he leaned down in an attempt to align his gaze with your line of vision. His hope was to establish eye contact and facilitate a genuine conversation.

His attempts proved futile, though, as he failed to catch your darting eyes. Jake's face scrunched with genuine concern.

Delving further into the matter at hand, he gently inquired, "Why'd you hit him, y/n? Did he do something to you?" His brows knitted into a look of utmost concern, clearly desperate for an explanation that could offer a semblance of understanding as to why you went crazy on the chief's son.

The mere thought of the incident was enough to make your blood surge with fury again.

It occurred to you that you hadn't actually filled Neteyam or Lo'ak in on the details of what had transpired before your little scuffle. The three of you had been too busy being unceremoniously dragged back to the marui pod with your tails between your legs.

With clenched fists, you looked down to see your knuckles–red and battered–for the first time since the confrontation.

The visualized memory of your punches landing on Aonung's face brought you a mix of satisfaction and disgust.

"Aonung wouldn't leave Kiri alone," you spat out, a hint of bitter resentment in your tone. "He kept picking on her and called her a freak."

A brief pause allowed another wave of anger to wash over you.

"And then he started being all gross towards me," you continued. "He grabbed my hand, and I just…reflexed... I guess."

Despite the gravity of the situation, Lo'ak snickered at your choice of words, clearly amused by how casually you downplayed the severity with which you'd beat the actual shit out of Aonung.

Lo'ak's joy was short-lived due to the sudden and simultaneous glare from both Jake and Neteyam that pierced straight through his amusement like a sharp spear.

Jake slowly directed his attention back towards you, lowering his tall frame to match your height.

It was a comical sight as he contorted himself into a near-squatting pose. You hesitantly lifted your eyes to meet Jake's, and to your surprise, you found a warm, gentle smile gracing his stern features.

His eyes held pools of gratitude as he gently placed a reassuring hand on your shoulder, providing a solid anchor to steady your quivering soul.

"Thank you," Jake said softly, his voice laced with sincere gratitude.

You stared at him in confusion.

Why the hell was Jake thanking you when you almost got them all booted off the island like unwanted baggage?

Searching for an explanation, you let out an involuntary, bewildered "huh?" that accurately represented your current state of mind.

The sheer candidness of your reaction brought forth a chuckle that Jake tried hard to suppress. He seemed bemused by your baffled demeanor and swiftly decided to put an end to the suspense.

"For standing up for my daughter," Jake explained, his eyes twinkling with a hint of mischief. "And for putting that little rascal in his rightful place," he added with a smug expression.

Listening to Jake's heartfelt acknowledgment warmed your soul.

Your lips parted as they inched from ear to ear in sync with Jake's own radiant grin, happy that you had stood up for what mattered when it counted the most.

As his words washed over you like a soothing balm, an immaterial weight had seemingly lifted from your chest–one that you hadn't even known had been weighing down on you so heavily until that very moment.

Jake stretched to his full height, puffing out his chest as he authoritatively placed his hands on his hips. He fixed his gaze on his two sons, who exchanged wary glances with each other.

He took a deep breath before delivering his unexpected command.

"Go make peace with Aonung," he said to his boys, nodding firmly as if trying to convince himself of the wisdom of his decision.

Lo'ak's jaw dropped. "What?" he blurted out, his head lurching forward in disbelief.

Jake scowled at Lo'ak's unrestrained backtalk.

You shifted uncomfortably beside Lo'ak, feeling an inexplicable sense of camaraderie. Why should they go make peace with the enemy?

Exasperation danced across Jake's face as he ran a weary hand over it, trying to collect himself for the explanation that was unnecessarily demanded.

"Listen," he began, sounding more than a bit frustrated. "I don't care how you do it. Just go make sure y/n doesn't have to beat up any more of those guys."

Jake did a terrible job of disguising the wide grin that threatened to split his face in half as he glanced back toward you.

You could already tell that you would never live this down.

Neteyam, with a determined expression on his face, nodded firmly at his father's request. "Yes, sir," he replied dutifully.

Lo'ak, however, couldn't have been more displeased, and his disapproval was all too apparent. Neteyam took hold of Lo'ak's arm and practically had to drag him out of the pod.

Jake watched his eldest son in approval, grateful that at least one of his boys was on the same wavelength as him.

With a look of satisfaction, he turned back to you and jerked his head in the direction his two sons had disappeared. "You should go find Kiri," he suggested. "She's by the shore with Neytiri."

You nodded obediently and spun around to exit the pod yourself. But before you managed to get very far, Jake called out to you with a severity that betrayed how truly important he saw your errand.

His facial expression shifted into solemn seriousness. "I mean it, y/n," he insisted. "I appreciate you standing up for my baby girl."

A sad smile played across Jake's features as he added, "She's… she hasn't been having the easiest time adjusting to our new life here."

That fact was not lost on you.

You'd spent countless hours listening attentively to Kiri's impassioned rants about how much she despised their new reef home–a place that just made her feel even more alienated than she did back in the forest.

"Of course," you replied hesitantly, not entirely sure of what else to say in the situation.

It was obvious to anyone who knew you well that you'd risk your life for Kiri's sake in a heartbeat. After all, the minor danger you faced today was absolutely insignificant compared to what you'd do for your friend.

Jake's smile never wavered. He playfully ruffled your hair as if you were a little kid needing reassurance, causing you to let out an exasperated groan. He was such a dad.

"Alright, get outta here," Jake ordered as laughter danced within his voice, his demeanor that of a caring father.

You didn't need to be told twice. You hastily exited the pod while simultaneously trying your best to tame your tousled hair, which now resembled a bird's nest caught in a storm.

Immediately after stepping outside the pod, you noticed Neteyam and Lo'ak still lingering nearby, definitely not 'making peace' with Aonung.

Lo'ak was leaning against the marui pod, wearing an expression that screamed boredom, while Neteyam appeared quite preoccupied.

He practically had the entire side of his head glued to the pod as he clearly tried to eavesdrop on your conversation with Jake.

With a shake of your head, you faced the brothers directly, amusement twinkling in your eyes.

You cleared your throat and shot a sort of 'what the hell?' look at Neteyam, who was quick to whip his head toward you. He backed away from the pod, feigning ignorance.

You narrowed your eyes at him, demanding an explanation with a simple "Um?"

As if on cue, Lo'ak decided that this would be the perfect time to point out the painfully obvious.

"He was trying to listen in on your conversation," he declared as if the revelation would be of immense assistance.

The unwelcome input earned him a fierce glare from Neteyam, who was not at all pleased with his brother's willingness to rat him out.

You couldn't help but roll your eyes in exasperation as you regarded the two siblings.

"No shit, Lo'ak." you retorted bitingly, your voice dripping with sarcasm. "But why?" This time, your probing inquiry was directed squarely at Neteyam as you sought to get to the bottom of his mysterious behavior.

Despite his earlier nonchalance, Neteyam hesitantly stepped forward with newfound concern etched into his expression.

"You said that Aonung grabbed your hand?" He inquired, his eyes a concoction of fury and worry.

You stared at Neteyam because, yes, you had said that already, and he clearly heard you.

"Yes," you replied, your voice flat and unamused.

Neteyam narrowed his eyes and cautiously stepped closer, tilting his head down to lock gazes with you before forging ahead. "And you said he was being gross? Like… he was trying to come onto you?"

The mere memory of Aonung's behavior sent shivers down your spine.

It wasn't the first time that you had been on the receiving end of Aonung's unwelcome advances since arriving on the island, but you could cope with that. The real issue arose when Aonung decided to mess with someone dear to you—someone like Kiri.

A new wave of hatred washed over you at the memory of your encounter.

Despite the brewing storm within your soul, you attempted to shake off Neteyam's concern. You really didn't want to keep thinking about Aonung's sorry fish ass.

"Yes, Neteyam, that's what I said. But it's not a big deal. I was more concerned about Kiri. And I'm actually supposed to be checking on her right now, so…" You widened your eyes, shooting Neteyam a somewhat comical, unimpressed look before attempting to step around him and head off towards the shoreline.

Just as you were about to make your way past him, you felt a hand on your arm, halting your escape. You followed the blue-striped appendage upwards, your eyes finally meeting Neteyam's sheepish expression.

He appeared mortified by his own actions and quickly released his grip on your arm as though he had just touched a burning hot flame.

"S-Sorry," he stammered awkwardly. "I shouldn't have grabbed you like that after… he… agh!… Sorry."

He was quick to apologize, wincing at his misstep, and the regret in his voice was palpable. He stumbled over his words like someone trudging through the densest of forests.

You rolled your eyes at Neteyam's sudden hesitance to lay a finger on you—he was never weary about touching you.

It was evident that he was attempting to be considerate after you had just given Aonung a thorough beating for having the audacity to grab your hand. Nonetheless, in your perspective, there was a world of difference between Aonung's intrusive touch and Neteyam's gentle one.

Feeling the need to clarify the situation, you addressed Neteyam and reassured him with a lighthearted tone, "You're allowed to touch me, 'Teyam."

Observing his reaction, you grinned at the burst of relief that spread across his face. He let out a hasty exhale that almost sounded like a muted sigh, lively nodding along to your comforting words.

Beside him, Lo'ak, who had still been casually leaning against the side of the hut, let out a snort that echoed through the air.

"Gross," he scoffed with an exaggerated grimace on his face.

Pushing off the hut, he strode towards Neteyam, the mischievous glint in his eyes combined with his devilish grin betraying his intentions.

"You're allowed to touch me whenever you want, 'Teyam," Lo'ak teased in a ridiculous falsetto as he approached Neteyam from behind.

With an exaggerated flair, he reached out and squeezed his brother's arms in a sarcastic display of affection. His lips formed an overly dramatic pout as he pushed them in Neteyam's direction.

The moment barely lasted before Lo'ak folded over in a fit of laughter, clearly amused by his own antics. His cheeky grin spread from ear to ear as he struggled to catch his breath between guffaws.

Neteyam was not as amused.

With narrowed eyes and a sour expression, he tried not to relent to Lo'ak's antics. His patience wore thin until he finally let out an irritated hiss directly at Lo'ak, who was still bent over laughing.

In an attempt to regain some dignity and escape Lo'ak's relentless teasing, Neteyam shoved him away, sending him stumbling several feet back in the process.

As Neteyam struggled to compose himself after being put on display for your amusement due to the constant tormenting of his mischief mongerer of a brother, a deep shade of purple bloomed across his cheeks–evidence of his mixed feelings of embarrassment and annoyance.

It was obvious that he was trying hard not to lose his composure over the incident.

To avoid any further humiliation from the spectacle, Neteyam shook his head and directed his gaze away from you–seeking solace in staring intently at anything else but you.

A blush crept up your face, the hue coordinating with Neteyam's purpling cheeks.

You did not sound like that.

Desperate to distract yourself from the situation, you decided to change your focus to the little jokester, who was still laughing at his brother. You feigned an abrupt lunge toward him.

Lo'ak, completely caught off guard, flinched embarrassingly hard and muttered a terrified 'shit' under his breath.

You shook your head at his overreaction, pushing past the suddenly skittish Lo'ak, who swiftly hid behind his brother in fear.

Ignoring the commotion behind you, you focused on moving toward the shore to find Kiri.

As you made your way towards the water's edge, you called over your shoulder with a cunning grin, "Let me know if Aonung has one, or two black eyes." You teased with a smirk playing at your lips, the playful taunt drifting off into the air as you walked away.

Lo'ak shook his head incredulously at your retreating figure before turning back to Neteyam, who was still sporting a deep blush from ear to ear.

Lo'ak just couldn't help himself.

"Bro. Your girlfriend is scary as fuck." Lo'ak said with a shudder, nudging Neteyam in the ribs as if to underscore his point. Despite the teasing tone, there was a hint of genuine fright in his voice.

Neteyam started to form a reply, "She's not—," but he caught himself, letting out an exasperated groan instead.

Thoroughly annoyed by his brother's relentless poking into his… whatever it was he had with you, he decided it was time for a little distance. With a quick shove to get Lo'ak off him, Neteyam moved away with purpose, intent on finding Aonung and getting the whole thing over with.

Naturally, Lo'ak was not one to accept defeat so easily. Hastily regaining his balance, he broke into a light jog and quickly caught up to Neteyam's side.

The playful smirk on Lo'ak's face betrayed the fact that he wasn't quite ready to let the situation go.

"She's not what?" Lo'ak inquired, feigning innocence but definitely not done being a little shit. "Not your girlfriend, or not scary? 'Cause I'm pretty sure she's at least one of those."

The corners of Neteyam's mouth threatened to betray a grin at the absurdity of the conversation.

Instead of acknowledgment, though, he fixed a determined glare at Lo'ak, hoping that if he couldn't escape through physical distance, maybe stony silence would do the trick.

Despite his seemingly relaxed demeanor, Neteyam found himself battling an internal storm as he recalled the day's events.

Before his awkward fumble with you, he had been trying to decipher what had transpired between you and Aonung on the beach. He wanted to know what could have provoked you enough to attack Aonung the way you did.

As you recounted the events to him earlier, you confessed that Aonung had invaded your personal space, said gross things to you, and even gone as far as grabbing your hand unprovoked.

The mere thought of that skxawng purposefully making you uncomfortable boiled Neteyam's blood. He felt the rage surge within him.

On the outside looking in, it was plain as day that you and Neteyam shared a close bond–you were best friends through and through.

And yet, that knowledge did little to quell the overpowering sense of possessiveness that engulfed Neteyam at the thought of another guy trying to woo you.

Undoubtedly, you were remarkably beautiful; anyone with eyes could see that.

Neteyam was allowed to think of his best friend as beautiful.

It was more than just your physical allure, though. You were so passionate about everything you held dear. Your closest friends, the group of orphaned children that you looked after back in the forest–you cared for them all with burning intensity.

Your dedication to your warrior training was unmatched, even by Neteyam himself. You strived fiercely to master every skill and overcome each challenge in your path. Even your penchant for engaging in spirited conversations about the most random, mundane day-to-day things–you were an enigma that never ceased to captivate.

Coupled with a genuinely warm heart and a razor-sharp wit, you instantaneously charmed anyone in your presence. Your fiery temperament often erupted when things heated up, making it clear that you were never one to back down from a challenge–an attribute Neteyam secretly cherished.

If anything, you seemed too cool for someone like him. And yet, he couldn't help but find himself utterly enamored with every aspect of your character.

There wasn't a thing that he disliked about you.

However, all those emotions were normal because you and he were friends. It was only natural for him to appreciate the characteristics that made you who you were.

And, of course, others admired those same traits in you too, which was exactly why you had such a large circle of friends. Even other guy-friends.

Like his brother, for example.

It was okay that Neteyam felt a little more than just a twinge of jealousy when he’d notice Lo'ak being extra touchy with you. When he'd grab your wrist and go all mushy trying to convince you to re-braid his hair or re-shave the side of his head, knowing that you'd be gentler while doing so than Neytiri typically was.

Or when Lo'ak would virtually throw himself on top of you, insisting on sharing a hammock just because you managed to snatch the last vacant one.

And you would give in to him every single time, despite your feigned annoyance, because you were just that kind of person.

Though Neteyam gritted his teeth at you two in silent disapproval, he repeatedly convinced himself that it was entirely within the bounds of how two friends were allowed to act. You choosing to share a hammock with Lo'ak was just a good-natured deed from someone who looked out for the best interests of their friends. Nothing more than innocent camaraderie.

His blood boiled on another level when he heard that Aonung had laid a hand on you.

But surely, he thought, that feeling of burning rage encapsulating his heart was nothing more than the completely wholesome, totally platonic loyalty and devotion one naturally felt for their best friend.

That was what normal platonic friendships were all about, right?

With a sudden, fluid motion, Lo'ak interrupted Neteyam's mental meanderings by waving a hand in front of his face.

Lo'ak couldn't help but chuckle at the bizarre sight before him. It looked like Neteyam was trying to mentally communicate with an invisible force.

Addressing his brother with a bemused look, Lo'ak asked, "Bro, are you good? You looked like you were having a stroke or something."

Neteyam blinked a few times before the reality of the situation dawned on him.

In truth, Neteyam thought that no, he probably wasn't anywhere close to being okay. He was probably definitely teetering on the edge of an existential crisis centered around his best friend.

Due to the current turmoil raging in his mind, speech was an almost impossible feat for Neteyam to achieve; instead, a cascade of words just kind of tumbled out without any consultation from his overwhelmed brain.

"What do you…I mean, y/n? How do you see her?" stammered Neteyam, catching Lo'ak completely off guard.

Well, maybe not completely.

Lo'ak wasn't surprised to find that Neteyam was thinking about you. There was seemingly no waking moment where you weren't occupying some corner of his thoughts.

Despite this knowledge, it still struck Lo'ak as strange that Neteyam would suddenly ask him about you as if they regularly talked about stuff like girls together.

Lo'ak's eyebrow arched upward in an unmistakable display of confusion. "What do you mean, how do I see y/n?" He asked, genuinely baffled by the seemingly random question.

Neteyam, typically stoic and composed, responded with an unceremonious shrug.

It was an odd departure from his usual tall stance and confident posture–a constant reminder to all that he was the epitome of the perfect warrior son.

But this time, Neteyam couldn't quite meet Lo'ak's gaze directly. Instead of meeting Lo'ak with his usual steadfastness, Neteyam's eyes wandered down toward the ground between them as though the answer to his question was lying somewhere in the dusty sand.

Grumbling under his breath, Neteyam muttered, "I mean. Do you see her as a sister, or just a friend, or…. something more, I guess?" His words trailed off, uncertainty permeating every syllable.

Momentarily taken aback by the probing question, Lo'ak fell silent for a few seconds as he mulled over the implications of Neteyam's question.

Sure, Lo'ak thought you were cool–no dispute there–and you and he were definitely friends. Maybe not as tightly knit as you were with Neteyam or Kiri, but you and Lo'ak still shared a fair share of bonding moments.

You would often join Lo'ak and Spider on their daring expeditions into the heart of the forest–a pastime you all knew would've been strictly forbidden if Neteyam had ever found out.

There was no denying that Lo'ak definitely cared about you; maybe it wasn't the same affection one might have for a sister (he'd be lying to himself if he said that he didn't think y/n was attractive). Still, it wasn't exactly in the realm of romance either.

Lo'ak knew all too well that Neteyam would skin him alive if he even thought about liking you in that way.

The mental image of Neteyam's incensed reaction brought forth an involuntary snicker from Lo'ak.

Neteyam noticed his brother's amusement and responded with a furrowed brow, clearly unimpressed by whatever had caused Lo'ak to laugh. His expression was stern and moody, prompting Lo'ak to quickly alleviate any suspicions Neteyam might have formed.

"y/n is my friend. You already know that." He reassured his older brother, "She grew up with us."

Neteyam slowly nodded his head, not entirely convinced but willing to let the matter slide for now. However, his gaze seemed distant and preoccupied, as if there were thoughts weighing heavily on his mind.

His eyes glazed over ever so slightly as he retreated further into his own mind, leaving an eerie silence hanging between them.

After the silence stretched between them for a few tense seconds too long, it became apparent that Neteyam wouldn't divulge whatever was troubling him without some prodding on Lo'ak's part.

With an exaggerated sigh for dramatic effect and a hint of mischievous humor twinkling in his eyes, Lo'ak decided to press further.

"Alright then," he began nonchalantly, "since we're already on the subject… how do you see y/n?" He couldn't resist adding a teasing tone as he posed the question.

Upon hearing the question, Neteyam instantly stiffened, his head tilting downward in a reflexive motion that allowed his braids to form a protective curtain over his face.

That particular mannerism was all too familiar to Lo'ak, who had observed his brother resort to the same tactic countless times as a defensive response.

With a quick shrug, Neteyam muttered out a barely audible and very unconvincing, "I don't know."

Lo'ak narrowed his eyes at his brother's feeble attempt at nonchalance, not buying into the performance at all. He'd known for a while about the depth of Neteyam's feelings towards you–clearly way more than just friendly affection.

The truth grew glaringly obvious with each passing day; however, Lo'ak had been aware of the emotional connection for years.

"Yeah, that's bullshit," Lo'ak responded, shaking his head at his brother's clear dodge. "You wouldn't have asked me if you didn't know."

Neteyam released a frustrated sigh tinged with annoyance at how effortlessly his brother could read him.

Their mother often warned Neteyam that he wore his heart on his sleeve and couldn't mask his emotions if he tried. She knew this because Neteyam was like a carbon copy of herself. Those words had always frightened him—being exposed like that—but deep down, he knew she was right.

Neteyam had a conflicted look on his face as he hesitantly shared his thoughts with his brother.

"I think I see y/n differently," Neteyam confessed, his words shrouded in ambiguity.

Lo'ak, despite the vagueness of the statement, nodded slowly, urging his brother to elaborate.

Neteyam somehow found the courage to continue. "I probably think about her too much to say I see her as just a friend. Definitely not like a sister either," he added with a grimace, visibly repulsed by the thought as he shook his head.

Lo'ak laughed at Neteyam's reaction, provoking a playful, yet forceful shove from his brother.

Regaining his balance after the mild assault, Lo'ak clasped a hand onto Neteyam's shoulder with a lighthearted grin.

"You should really tell her, bro," he suggested earnestly.

Neteyam's eyes widened in alarm at the proposal, and he instinctively whirled his head in his brother's direction.

In doing so, his braids followed suit with their own whipping motion.

Lo'ak narrowly dodged the unexpected barrage of hair, squinting his eyes and leaning away just in time.

"Or not…" he mumbled, lowering his voice as he witnessed the sheer panic etched across Neteyam's face.

Neteyam shook his head vehemently, unable to understand how Lo'ak could actually propose such an insane idea.

"No way. Y/n doesn't think of me like that," he adamantly stated.

And really, how could you? The bond between you and Neteyam stretched back as far as either of you could remember—inseparable partners in mischief and life.

You grew up side by side, practically joined at the hip; you were a constant presence in his life. You'd seen each other through thick and thin, weathered all of life's storms together. You'd stood by him through every uneven haircut and awkward phase he went through, a true testament to your unwavering friendship.

He vividly remembered how when he was thirteen, you were the shoulder he leaned on after receiving a particularly harsh scolding from his father. You'd enfolded him in your arms, even as hot tears trailed down his cheeks and onto your hair. The sheer agony and embarrassment of it all seemed insurmountable at the time, but somehow your reassuring embrace made it bearable.

In recent times, you had borne witness to Neteyam's continual fumbles in your presence.

More often than not, they ended with him stumbling over his words around you, or being caught staring at you, or going all flustered when you'd make eye contact with him.

It was genuinely sad.

But above all else, Neteyam didn't even have the title of future olo'eyktan anymore since their move to the reef. Now he was just Neteyam.

Nothing more. Nothing special. With so many other potential suitors living on Pandora, all eager to win your favor and heart, why would you settle for him?

Lo'ak stared at his brother with a deadpan expression, evenly poised between amusement and annoyance. "I really can't tell if you're just trying to be humble or if you're actually that stupid," he said, his voice genuine.

He paused for a moment, taking in the affronted expression on Neteyam's face, before continuing. "I mean, come on! You're obviously in love with y/n, and y/n is obviously in love with you, so… what's the big issue here?"

Neteyam's eyes narrowed in disbelief as he prepared to assure Lo'ak that you were definitely not in love with him, but before he could get a word out of his dumbstruck mouth, the sound of rustling leaves and light footsteps interrupted their conversation.

Both brothers froze, ears perking up in attention as they caught the unmistakable chime of a familiar giggle.

Out from the protective confines of a low-hanging bunch of leaves came their little sister, a mischievous grin plastered on her tiny face.

"I knew it!" sang Tuk in a teasing melody as she skipped towards Neteyam and grasped his arm with a vice-like grip.

Jumping up and down with seemingly boundless energy, she reveled in her newly discovered knowledge.

Neteyam's heart dropped like a stone when he realized the situation he had gotten himself into. His little sister was about as adept at keeping secrets as he was. Which wasn't good at all. Which meant that Neteyam was screwed.

He frantically attempted to shake his head 'no,' engaging in a futile bid to persuade his already-convinced sister of his supposed indifference towards you.

Overwhelmed by desperation, Neteyam tried to stifle Tuk's excitement by shushing her vigorously. "No, no, no. It's not like that, Tuk," he pleaded.

Neteyam gently placed his hand on Tuk's head, trying to still her bounciness.

She reluctantly stopped bouncing but couldn't wipe the enormous grin off her face, as if she had just discovered the world's biggest secret.

"Lo'ak is right!" Tuk exclaimed with glee. "You need to tell y/n that you're in love with her! Then you both can become mated, just like mom and dad! And after that, you can have a whole bunch of little kids like they did with us! You can name one of them after me!"

Lo'ak, who was standing nearby, stifled a snort at how eagerly and confidently Tuk had outlined Neteyam's entire life trajectory in a matter of seconds. He smirked as he watched Neteyam's reaction to their sister's wild imagination.

In stark contrast to Tuk's excitement, Neteyam's face glowed in embarrassment, caught completely off guard by the talk about him mating and having kids with you.

Determined to regain control of the conversation, Neteyam firmly placed his other hand on Tuk's shoulder and bent down a little so that he could look directly into her eyes.

Addressing her in the most serious tone he could muster, he stated: "Tuk, listen closely—I never said I was in love with y/n."

However, Tuk was unfazed by his denial and abruptly interrupted him.

With all the assertiveness a tiny eight-year-old could muster, she poked her small finger firmly into Neteyam's chest. Her eyes gleaming with mischief and a cheeky smile plastered on her face, she said slowly and with complete certainty, "But you are in love with her."

Letting out a long, exasperated sigh, Neteyam found he lacked the energy to even dispute Tuk's assertion. He'd never been much of a convincing liar anyway.

Instead, he decided to go for a different tactic by gently placing both of his hands on her shoulders and adopting a serious expression.

"You are not going to tell anyone about any of what you think you heard."

He put particular emphasis on the word 'think,' giving his sister a significant nod as though that would somehow engrain the words into her stubborn little mind.

"And especially not y/n," he quickly added, feeling his heart beat just a little faster at the thought of you discovering the alleged secret in such an embarrassingly unfortunate way.

Tuk dramatically rolled her eyes, evidently disgruntled by the unfair reality that she'd be unable to freely broadcast each and every one of her thoughts to anyone within earshot.

Still, she begrudgingly muttered her acquiescence with an insincere "Fine."

Yet, it was clear that she was still unhappy with the deal when she pointedly avoided meeting Neteyam's gaze while uttering her reluctant agreement.

Neteyam refused to take any chances with his sister.

He recognized the profound influence he had on Tuk as a sort of second father figure, but this only seemed to take effect when he adopted a grave demeanor.

Looking into her eyes with an air of utmost sincerity, he raised a finger and pointed it to her chest. His voice took on a more commanding tone, though only marginally harsher.

"I mean it, Tuk. Do you swear?" he inquired, extending his smallest finger in their customary gesture signifying an unbreakable promise.

The ritual dated back to their childhood days and had been passed down by their father.

For siblings Neteyam and Tuk, it symbolized the sacred bond between them. Tuk knew all too well that once she linked fingers with her brother, backing down was out of the question.

Upon seeing Neteyam's extended digit, she furrowed her brow in consternation.

She couldn't shake the memory of her other brother's vivid warning: Lo'ak had once gravely warned her that hundreds of little bugs would crawl into her ears in her sleep if a pinky promise were ever broken.

Sighing with visible reluctance, she hooked her small finger around Neteyam's larger one and mumbled an almost inaudible "I swear."

Neteyam's face immediately broke into a beaming smile upon hearing those decisive words. Breathing a sigh of relief as if he'd just prevented an impending catastrophe, he affectionately patted his sister on the head before straightening up to his full height, standing tall like a proud winner.

Crisis averted, he thought, though his mind continually strayed back to thoughts of you.

Deep down, he knew that the situation he found himself in was anything but over.

Next Part Here

[applesaucesims]

Spring, 193–

Dear Diary, It's been a while since I last wrote to you. So much has happened and is still happening in my life, I simply do not get much time to journal anymore. But since quitting my daytime job, I have a lot more time, so I figured that this would be a great time to start recording my days again. And what turbulent few days I've had!

Our fourth child was born in the middle of the night, while all the other children were still asleep. Little Maurice is a healthy little boy, and I already love him just as much as my others! I adore having a baby to dode upon in the house again. If he did not need to sleep, I'd never put him down!

But, alas, he does need to go to bed just as much as any of us. I dearly hope he likes the room we've decorated for him. It's much smaller than the others, but it has its own kind of charm. Unfortunately, we could not fit a fireplace in the room, but we installed a few radiators to keep Maurice snug and warm. I've also decided on a calming blue floral theme to make up for the lack of a cosy fire.

In other news, the girls have grown so much, too! It feels like it was only yesterday that they were born, but now they have become their own little people! Louis is still doing so much as a big brother, I'm so proud. The puppet theatre proved to be a smart purchase, he still makes up stories for them all the time. I'd have thought that he'd grow out of it, but he doesn't mind doing more childish play for his sisters. Isn't it just so sweet?

As I'm writing this, Ruby and Dorothy are running around in the fields outside the house. I wish I could record the sound of their joyous shouts alongside my writing! It's easy to forget that Ruby is the older of the twins, with how much more outgoing her sister is. Whenever she's not with her sister, she prefers to spend time by herself, reading under the covers and such. But I find that, when the two of them are together, they bring out the best in each other, but the worst as well! I suppose that's just what friends are like, especially when they're your twin sister. Dorothy seems to have taken the energy of the fiery red clothes I like to buy for her to heart. In fact, I'm not sure she would ever run out of energy, if her sister were not there to keep her calm. But don't get me wrong, I encourage her big personality. I don't want my children to ever think they have to be anything but themselves.

[TRANSCRIPT]

Emma: "Well, hello, old friend."

(in Emma's handwriting) Dear Diary...

[thephantomcasebook]

Your posts about Olivia Cooke really opened my eyes, I went on a deep dive to see some stuff. and seeing her talk about alicent and everything it just seems like she's talking out of her ass. I read the other day about Sara Hess talking about a convo with her and Cooke speaking about how Olivia has her own "head canons" for alicent and rhaenrya.

Like just about how alicents mother found out that young alicent and rhaenrya were kissing and making out? That just rubbed me the wrong way. Like two girls kissing I don't give a shit? Love who you want but when your a grown woman, in your thirties talking about children making out? That's disgusting the way she plan out says that. I was wondering your other opinions on that whole mess she's got going on.

Look ...

I've said my piece about Olivia Cooke over the years. I think she's a really good actress. I just watched "The Secret of Crickley Hall" and I liked it quite a bit, and I got really attached to Nancy because Cooke was so good. I've liked her since "Bates Motel" and knew even before trying House of the Dragon Season 1 that I was probably going to like her as Alicent - though I was already predisposed because I already liked both Alicent and Criston as characters before the show. She has this uncanny ability to make you attached, strongly, to the characters she plays.

When she's on screen you can't help but love her.

In the end, my problem is not personal to Olivia Cooke, it to actors and Actresses in general, especially toward actors and actresses of a certain age group - mostly late millennial people. I think they're vapid, empty headed, morons, who say creepy and weird shit, cause, they're surrounded by creepy weird people and caught up in social bubbles that don't exist in reality.

Cooke is just one actress among many of our generation who lack empathy and believe less in inhabiting a character and their life and more stripping the character so that they can feel more comfortable in their skin by making them more like the actor/actress. It's naked narcissism, the easiest to spot from anyone who knows how to analyze personalities and performances. And while Olivia Cooke is very - VERY - good playing Alicent, she'll never get past herself, because, Cooke wants to play Alicent the way Cooke wants rather than how Alicent should be played as an established character.

Cooke's naked misandry and bullshit angry bimbo feminism got in the way of Alicent being played consistently.

Alicent should not be angry with the people around her, she should not be hitting and yelling at the people close to her. Criston Cole is her closest and most trusted friend, confidant, and partner in all things - more so than Rhaenyra ever was. When Criston Cole was named Hand of the King, Alicent should not be berating or trying to humiliate Criston cause he took her daddy's job. When Criston got named Hand of the King, it should've been played that Criston AND Alicent got named Hand of the King because they're partners and they do everything together. Criston was Alicent's in to regaining power because there's no one who knows Criston better and who Criston trusts more than Alicent. Any writer would've written with the actor's full support that Alicent would be living in Criston's lap, co-ruling and plotting with him. Not berating him and throwing childish temper tantrums.

It shouldn't have been Otto and Alicent trying to control Aegon and the Green Council. It should've been Otto versus Alicent and Criston in a power struggle as it was in the book. When Aemond and Criston were plotting in Aemon's apartments, Alicent should've been in the room with them. The Crownland Campaign should've been Aemond, Criston, and Alicent's brainchild together ... as it was in the book.

Now, you might say that this is a writing a problem. And it is to a large extant. But Olivia Cooke is not exempt from blame. The actors - because of the strike - had a lot more say in the development of the characters this season - which is big mistake. And while some actors had great instincts, such as Matt Smith and Tom Glynn-Carney. Olivia Cooke chose and championed to play the angry and embittered - Alicent hates all these warmongering men - angle. Several actors spoke up to fix their characters and pushed back against the writing to make their characters better - Tom Glynn-Carney being the golden example. But Olivia Cooke did not, in fact she made Alicent worse.

This is because Cooke relishes in Misandrists power fantasies in which she gets her rocks off belittling and dismissing men. She has made no secret about it, and has run her mouth more than once about it in interviews for not just House of the Dragon but other projects in the past.

There was even a scene that Sara Hess wrote about Alicent dismissing Criston before the dinner 1x08 with a cold and snotty attitude like he was a dog. And it was cut because GRRM and another producer felt that it was incredibly disrespectful to Criston's character and was completely out of character for Alicent to ever treat Criston Cole that way. But Cooke later came out and said that she was really annoyed they cut it and spoke candidly about enjoying treating men that way. She also spent a lot of time in Season 1 at premieres bashing men as a whole, to a nauseating, unfunny, degree.

With that context, and other examples of the like, the assassination of Alicent as a character in Season 2, really starts to take shape. Yes, a lot of it was Sara Hess with Condal's dumb ass never saying no. But a lot of the path leading to Alicent betraying Criston and her sons comes from Olivia Cooke's misandrist bimbo feminism.

Any actor, in their right mind, would immediately push back and argue how dumb and out of nowhere Alicent's betrayal comes from. Any actor would know their character and the source material enough to say "Yeah, there's no way Alicent would do that to her sons, her brother, and the man she's loved since she was 14-years-old". Other actors on this fucking show pushed back and fought to keep uncharacteristic writing from ruining their characters - Tom Glynn-Carney gate kept Aegon fiercely behind the scenes.

The reason that Cooke didn't push back or tried to maintain Alicent's character is because the idea of Alicent betraying her family to join Rhaenyra is something that Cooke wants and agrees with politically. She did it for the ops, not for the character. Cooke got a hard-on at the idea of betraying men to join team girl-boss, "cause Like Girl Power and shit!" and not once did she give a flying fuck about the integrity of the character she was playing. Because, fuck it, she's on team feminism!

Like I said, my issues with Olivia Cooke is not personal, she is a symptom of a narcissistic rot of the profession in general in which actresses no longer play a character but play out wish fulfillment and power fantasies, and if a character is "Problematic" than they change them to suit their personal preferences.

Cooke could and would play a flawless Alicent if she was kept in line by an iron fist of a competent and experienced showrunner and producer that would curb her selfish bad habits and demand a little more professionalism from her.

[hadescabin]

TW// GROOMING, MANIPULATION breaking down tigerheartstar and dovewing and why i think its awful ik I said that I dont really like warrior cats anymore but recently i've been thinking about some stuff regarding the series and its fandom and there's one thing that's been particularly bothering me. dovewing and tigerheart. it's just crazy to see the shift of support for tigerdove considering early 2010s warriors fandom seemed mixed on them. now there seems to be this equivocal support for them, probably because most of the fandom's exposure to the couple has been the recent books which frames them as man who loves his wife x burnt out prophecy kid who will do anything for her malewife. which theres nothing wrong with that dynamic, i think it's cute, but people really seem to forget about how tigerheart straight up groomed and treated dovewing awfully throughout oots and even in tigerheart's shadow. it seems to be a forgotten fact that tigerheart was a full grown warrior by the time he was pursuing dovepaw, who was a newly made apprentice. for perspective, this was a 6-7 moon teenager with someone almost the age of her mentor (a little younger). people try to use the excuse "oh but they're cats" and "the age gap isnt that bad" but even the recent books acknowledge with frostpaw and splashtail, that a warrior and apprentice dating is WEIRD. tbf oots was released in the early 2000s, but the fact that canonically speaking the age gap is seen as a teenager and adult relationship gives me the ick. it really puzzles me to see people get on ships like dustfern and bramblesquirrel (both of which i hate btw) for their age gaps but come up with every excuse in the books to defend tigerdove. its not even just the age gap too, again, their relationship has consisted of tigerheart manipulating and grooming dovepaw to do what he wants. in the first two books (esp the second book of oots) dovepaw is presented as someone who got attached to the cats from the journey and doesnt necessarily understand why they must act like they shouldnt exist anymore due to the borders. this is something that tigerheart LEARNS and actively takes advantage of when dovepaw questions why hes at their borders (tldr its dark forest stuff). he shifts the topic and then goes on about the journey and how he felt that they almost became friends, and that if they were in the same clan things would be easier. this may not seem like a big deal, but this goes on for the rest of their interactions whenever tiger needs to pressure her to do something she doesnt want (meeting up, trusting him, etc.) He realizes that the subject of different borders resonates with her and uses it to his advantage whenever he wants something out of her. This can especially be seen in the next book, “Night Whispers”, which kickstarted their relationship. Dovepaw accidentally ran into ShadowClan territory while hunting, and Tigerheart happens to find her there. Once again, he gives her a speech about borders being meaningless, before asking her to meet up with him before the ShadowClan patrol catches them. There’s also other examples in later books where he coerces her into meeting up or trusting him since “that’s what friends are for” or even later in that book, where he manipulates her into using Ivypaw as a captive for herbs. 

When you take this into account, plus him as a full grown warrior, starting a romantic relationship with a barely apprenticed Dovepaw who is shown as having a childish/ immature perception on romance/mates (such as her argument with Ivypaw and claiming that she should “find her own mate”), Tigerdove feels very much like grooming to me. According to the dictionary definition grooming is, “the action of attempting to form a relationship with a child or young person, with the intention of sexually assaulting them”. Of course, in this case, since it’s a young adult book, it’s to form a romantic relationship, which could also be another goal of grooming. Groomers tend to display manipulative behaviors towards the victims in order to coerce them into trusting them more. Whether that be through compliments, gifts, trying to resonate with them or make them feel special. They tend to try to get them to keep and “share” secrets, which is another tactic they utilize both to isolate the victim and to get them to feel more comfortable. 

A lot of behaviors that Tigerheart displays towards Dovepaw falls under this, including the examples I mentioned. There are a couple of other comments that he makes which come off as creepy such as Dovepaw “being his favorite sister”, which as I established, is something a groomer would say in order to make the victim feel as though they’re special and garner their trust. Which is especially the case when you note that he makes that comment in reference to Dovepaw asking about his ties to Ivypaw, which he actively lies about, and quickly reassures her that there’s nothing going on. 

This tactic of manipulation, where he either makes her feel special, or even love bombs and dissuade her from standing up for herself, doesn’t stop when she’s an apprentice. It continues when she’s a warrior, and is constantly used throughout OOTS and “Tigerheart’s Shadow”. At one point in the series, Dovewing and Tigerheart get into an argument about Dawnpelt wrongfully accusing Jayfeather of murder. When Tigerheart defends his sister, Dovewing stands up for Jayfeather, which prompts Tigerheart to try and manipulate her out of the conversation. He jumps straight to talking about how much he loved and missed her, and guilts her by asking why they had to argue like this, and why they couldn’t just “meet like before”. As for Tigerheart's Shadow, he actively goes against what she wants (to raise her kits outside the clan) and actively pressures and guilts her into coming back, before she finally relents. He doesn't care about what SHE wants, it's always about him. Whether it be secretly meeting up, or in The Last Hope, he tries to pressure her to date him again (which she FINALLY refuses and scolds him for thinking about his own needs when they're right before a final battle. as she should). It's especially upsetting in the newest book that tigerheart seems to be the only think at the center of her character. when she argues with ivypool, it's less about the two sister's interpersonal conflicts and more about her and tigerheart's relationship. which...feels like a lot of missed potential to me? i want them to argue, i want dovewing to stand up to herself against ivypool, but why does the entire conflict have to revolve around him? why can't dovewing have her own thoughts and feelings without it tying back to her awful husband?

[clotpolesonly]

did you miss the "don't infantilize Malia" part of my post?

Malia is, i repeat, a grown-ass woman. 32 years old, actually, if the movie is set 15 years after Allison's death when Malia was 17. even if you subtract her years as a coyote from her age entirely, which is already ludicrous, she would still have lived 24 fucking years as a human, which is more than enough for her to consent to having sex with whomever she damn well pleases.

when has she ever, even within canon as a recently-turned-back-to-human teenager, displayed any concrete sign that she was incapable of understanding the concepts of sex and consent? just because you feel like she should have displayed those signs and behaved/been treated like she was still 9 years old, there's a point at which you have to take what was given to us on screen for what it is and accept that she didn't. she was presented as a socially out-of-touch but otherwise intelligent and perceptive teenage girl who caught up with her peers very quickly and finished out high school on par with them by just about all developmental standards.

and now she has been living, as an adult fully integrated with human society, for 15 years. she has been human again for almost twice as long as she was a coyote in the first place. at what point does she earn back her right to be treated as a functional and independent person?

not to mention the entire concept of "mental age" is incredibly ableist, developed by eugenicists, used as a justification for stripping developmentally and intellectually disabled adults of their right to have agency in and control over their own lives and to restrict their right to have children (because, if a person is "mentally" a child themselves, then clearly it would be morally repugnant to allow them to have sex and breed). adults with mental disabilities can and do form adult relationships, have sex, and become parents on a regular basis, and no one else has absolutely any right to cast judgment on them or on their partners because of it.

there is no such thing as "mental age". there are only adults who may have limitations in their cognitive function and be in need of support in some areas. Malia is not and has never been "mentally still 9 years old". she was 17 years old in the show and she is 32 years old in this movie, and regardless of any lasting effect her time in the wild may have had on her (which, according to the evidence, is very little, none of which would reasonably interfere with her ability to consent to sex with another consenting adult), she will continue to be "mentally" a 32 year old adult woman. if you have a problem with a 32 year old woman having a relationship with a man also in his 30s, then you have drunk some serious puritan koolaid.

in summary, your argument is both ridiculous and offensive. find something else to be angry about.

another incorrect reason to hate the TW movie: Malia and Parrish's "age gap". y'all, they are both grown-ass adults, she is fucking 30 YEARS OLD by this point. he is not "taking advantage" of her because he is 37, they are both adults and long-time friends who are engaging in a consensual relationship. criticize them for being a bland and poorly formulated subplot if you want (i certainly do), but don't infantilize Malia and invent a power imbalance where there isn't one.

(also a 7 year age gap is an intensely hypocritical thing for Sterek shippers to condemn. just saying.)

[thethreeeyed-raven]

Oh Em Gee, your request are open 🫣😵‍💫🥵😫 You already know who I'm here who 🐦‍⬛👁👁👁

(Also if you have a taglist add me bbg)

Bran x Reader please!! Preferably fem reader but GN is fine! (I felt so embarrassed writing this req idek)

Anywho, maybe Bran had just married reader (right after returning to winterfell) . She had been with him and Meera on their journey to and from beyond the walls. So they've pretty much grown up with eachother.

Feel free to change whatever you want, but what if readers had a really bad day and all she wanted to do was hold Bran. So they're in bed and she's just holding him to her chest 😫. Cause he knows she needs the comfort more than her 🫣.

And she's worried for the future, so Bran is just telling her some moments that they will experience. Like together they visit a warmer kingdom for political reasons, but that they are both happy and safe.

IM SO SORRY IF THIS WAS WEIRD JUST IGNORE IF YOU DONT WANNA WRITE IT! Just do whatever you want to it, I'm good with anything fluff, smut, angst you name it. I just want a happy ending 🫣❤️❤️😘😘 TYSM

we shall have to wait and see

navigation | warnings : fem!reader, slightly suggestive, talks of children, pet names, reader might seem a bit childish ngl, reader is wearing a dress, a little dig at brans nose but i promise i fucking love his nose it’s so hot, um anyways- | a/n : if this ain’t what you wanted, i apologise BUT BRAN FLUFF IS LIFE | bran stark playlist | tags : @lost-in-fiction-like-ur-mom @knight-of-flowerss

Sometimes you hated being the Queen, but you loved Bran, and Bran was the King, so you did your duty as his queen.

It got lonely in the castle sometimes, so you liked to walk through the rebuilt gardens.

Of course, you attended meetings of the utmost importance, but sometimes you just didn't feel like it.

Since the war with the white walkers, you had constantly been paranoid of the future. Always worrying about every little thing.

As you entered your chambers, you took some of the uncomfortable jewelry you were wearing off, slipped off your shoes, and clambered into the silk sheets on your bed.

Podrick entered the room with Bran, wheeling him towards the bed then bowing his head in your direction.

"Your grace."

Once the door was shut, Bran lifted himself onto the bed, then positioned himself so he was laying down.

You swung your leg over him, positioning yourself on top.

"Eager are we?" Bran smirked as he placed his hands on your hips.

Your hand was cupping his cheek as you gently stroked it with your thumb, instantly he knew something was wrong.

"What's the matter sweetheart?" He grabbed your other hand, the one on his cheek still stroking the soft flesh.

"Do I worry too much?" Your glossy eyes travelled to his.

Bran wasn't going to deny it, you did worry too much, but you had a right to.

"Maybe a little too much, but so what?" His hand travelled under the skirt of your dress and he softly caressed the flesh of your thigh.

"I think the council finds it annoying." You paused for a moment, Bran tilted his head. "Can you tell me about our future?"

Bran already knew the majority of your future together, he may or may not have had a little peak.

"Well," He brought your head down to his chest, gently kneading your hair. "Together we shall visit Dorne, for political reasons of course, but we will meet lots of nice people, and they will welcome us warmly." Bran felt you smile against him, making him smile too.

"I've always wanted to go to Dorne." You gently whispered, toying with one of the sleeves of his shirt.

"Maybe we shall have children, I'm not sure of that one yet..."

"Children? Would they have your hair?" You peered up at him delightfully.

"Maybe." He whispered wistfully.

"And your eyes? Maybe they should have my nose though."

"Maybe my dear, we shall have to wait and see."

[pizzaboat]

Eda and Lilith have always sorts behaved childish as adults on screen, but I was thinking about the ep that had young Eda front and center

And the episode in S2 where Eda and Lilith were trying to learn glyphs

Basically, they were both really childish in that episode, and like, the fandom agreed Lilith was probably regressing (because she was acting like a little kid and chasing stickers and affirmations);

And I've seen it be largely agreed upon that Eda acts childish all the time, more than she should in general for her age, and it might be her responding to the stress and state of her life at that point

Because comparing teen Eda with current Eda may not soundly prove much, as it's just one episode (and Eda was immature in her own right there)

But it seemed like at 15 she'd grown out of antagonising her sister with childish dances and had a lot of respect for her time and feelings, for however she acted with everyone else

But S1 and S2 showed Eda and Lilith squabbling like little kids, and I obviously think when Eda was winding Lilith up it was because she was too overwhelmed by all that drama in her life and so she responded by managing her and Lilith's relationship like a child

I think Eda regresses too, she just does it in a less visually extreme way-shes not behave like a kid in kindergarten

She behaves more like she's a kid/teenager.

But the episode where Lilith is looking for Luz's approval and Eda is struggling in the school setting, got me thinking. Especially when Lilith makes a perfect ice sculpture and Eda makes an ice blob and she's like "I can do it too." And she points at the ice blob like "tell me I did a good job."

I think that episode Eda was regressed a long side Lilith (it's why she took all those impulsive risks with the glyphs dispite being a smart witch who probably knows you don't mix what you don't understand, with your son sitting beside you)

And I think Eda struggling and Lilith excelling in that psuedo environment was implying what they were like when they were little.

It works with my headcanon that Eda was a well meaning, but adhd kid at one point who was shown over and over that the school system didn't want a kid like her

And a time when all Lilith had to do to get attention and be cared about was follow all the rules and suck up to her teachers (and that's where her authority problems started)

Where both Eda and Lilith's authority problems started actually. When they were little kids

Idk, I just think that minor vulnerable moment that's hidden in a joke where they're both looking to be affirmed in their efforts is a tiny hint. Because they're BOTH regressing

Eda is just a mess all day long, so you think she's just like that, whereas Lilith 180s so much you're forced to pay attention to how she's acting regressed and not keeping it together

[micia-posts-stuff]

Hi. I saw both of your answers/post about how older Anya is usually written in a childish and unrealistic manner. And i couldn't agree more.

I actually believe Anya is more childlike than the rest of the cast because, in a way, they want to grow up fast. It's normal for kids to imagine it. Because they have a very vague idea of how it is. But this doesn't apply to Anya. Because she knows to some extent that adults' lifestyles are complicated and very messy. Thus, she is happy how she is.

Yeah I think I agree. Damian and Becky in particular have both been shown trying to act grown up. Damian gives up on playing and having fun to study, to receive his father praise. Whereas Becky thinks she's already grown up, in her flashback calls everyone brats and she even called Anya a brat the first time she met her, luckily she has Martha that looks after her. I like that we're given a reason why the two of them act like that. I imagine a lot kids at Eden probably behave similarly, having been told their whole life that they have to grow up to inherit their parents positions.

Although I think they still act like kids their age, kids that are trying to behave more maturely, but ultimately still kids. As you said Anya seems more childish in comparison simply because she doesn't try to act grown up like Damian and Becky (and also because she's probably a bit younger). It's kinda funny because Anya also had to deal with life threatening-threats several times (she had to stop bombs like three times by now?)

In general I like how Endo writes the kids, I think they're pretty realistic. He writes them being childish, but not stupid. Even Anya, wich often acts more childishly and silly than the others, is not stupid. She understand when something is wrong, like when she asked Loid if parents that come pick up their kids love them more and the whole Melinda mess (even though she doesn't understand it completely). On the other hand kids that usually act more maturely, like Becky and Damian can still act childishly, like Damian pretending to climb mountains in the playground with his friends and Becky running around playfully with Anya.

It's easy to write kids just being dumb, or on the other hand just write them like mini-adults, but I think Endo found a good balance, managing also to have different kids try to act more or less maturely according to their different reasons.

[ca-suffit]

Not surprising that sam-reid flat out ignored you. Idk what I expected but they let you down along with the whole fandom. I unfollowed her. They could have responded like an adult but judging from her blog there's a lot of childish attitude and hissyfits going on. Same as that maven post you made, maven seems like the type only doing YouTube videos for likes, which is why they like the comments praising them and sidesteps (ignore) the comments speaking about anything serious. I'm glad you made that post about maven and I hope the post circulates through enough of the fandom. Frilly white folks who only watch the show to make a name for themselves need to be called out. (Not speaking about sam-reid im not sure if she's white or not but it doesn't matter)

(maven post icymi) (twt version)

I'm not surprised either, but sam-reid has also here and there interacted with this blog more than most ppl, so I hope that maybe something is getting thru. having real awareness of urself is *hard* and tbh fandoms promote unhealthy behaviors that can be difficult to distance urself from, bcuz when u do, ur on *this* side then. like I've said in other posts, fandoms gather up lonely ppl and offer huge friend groups and benefits if u toe the line. I know why it's easy to ignore fandom racism and think ppl like me are just jealous assholes who like to bully ppl for "no reason."

I don't hate any of these ppl tho. they might think I do, but I don't. I'm disappointed and angry. all of us are here out of a love for something and there's no reason we need to be at odds like this. I came out being a huge bitch when I first got here bcuz of what was happening in the fandom when I made the account. I *did* just want to publicly hurt everyone for having sat here for years seeing them hurt so many ppl otherwise and not getting much pushback over it. I've tried to stop doing that now, bcuz this account has grown in ways I never thought could happen. I've never seen anon mssgs be used to discuss everything we discuss here. I've never seen anyone get support for doing this kind of thing, just hate. but nobody's ever dedicated an account to it before, so there was no blueprint. experiencing this now, I'm like....ok, we can shift the tone now.

a lot of ppl *are* only in this for themselves too and it's bcuz that's all anne rice told anyone to do. u can see it in the language used when ppl speak, how long they've been a fan, they're "experts." a lot of ppl need this to be their identity bcuz it always has been. it's prbly intensified now that she's dead too and ppl feel like they have to take her place.

I don't think the maven post is gonna do much tbh, but it's there anyway. I keep tabs on a lot of ppl and research a lot of shit all the time. ppl asked for maven receipts before S2. well, there's gonna be receipts for shit *now.*

[chikenkari]

Jacky's diary | Bugsnax

This has been laying in my drafts for some time. No beta read, may have a lot of mistakes.

---

Diary entry #1 (from Snaktooth Island)

I finally got here, not without any losses. My ship is broken which means that I have no way out. Not like I wanted to go. And still I feel uneasy. I found the expedition team or, at least, part of it. For now I only met three (all of the info is under 'Grumpuses' bookmark). From what I can count there's supposed to be four more. And yet I think that my assumptions are incorect. There're more houses... I wish I had more info on the residents of Snaxburg (clever name). I might ask Filbo about it. I looked around the Lizbert's house. It seems that she shared (shares?) it with someone else. From what I've gathered it's here partner Eggabel. I had no idea.

Diary entry #2

I met two more reasidents on the Simmering Springs. I've returned back only one... Two more Crumbs are in the Scorched Gorge. I'm working on it... I've grown more interested in bugsnax than I'm ready to admit. And even though I'm curious I can't make myself eat them. I don't know what really stops me. It's more psychological than physical. Perhaps they somehow activate my reaction to cuteness. In easy words: they're cute. I can't eat cute things. I've caught all sorts of things this far. I keep all of the info under the 'Bugsnax' bookmark. Gladly Filbo and others are willing to be my taste testers. Even though Gramble isn't willing to. I can't make him. I can't eat them too. I wonder what's up the mountain...

Diary entry #3

It's been a few days since I wrote. I can't help it but... I grow fond of theese Grumps. I'm almost the therapist around here. Yet even I can't deal with everything. There's more land up the mountain. Chandlo and Snorpy (not a full name possibly?) moved there after the insident. And still I have no idea what happened. Something just doesn't add up. I've returned them both back to Snaxburg. I kind of want to ask what's between them on their interviews... Would that be rude? I don't know. Might ask Filbo. I've noticed that I always mention Filbo but never write about him. We've been growing closer with him. He seems too cute to leave behind. I would never tell that to his face but... He's stupid but in a good way. Childish way maybe? Cute way. But he's not understanding. He sees what most Grumps don't see. Beffica keeps telling me that I have a crush. I don't think that's the case... is it?

Diary entry #4

Oh no Beffica was right. That deffinetly is a crush.

---

aaand it's not finished. idk if I will finish this but now I just want to clear my drafts

[daemonoferror]

A date to Build-a-Bear with your Scarlet Hollow SO

Includes: Stella, Avery, Kaneeka, Oscar, Reese, and Wayne

Note: idk, earlier this year I got sad I couldn't just. Go to build a bear. So I started writing these. Reader is hardly mentioned but I did write it in the spirit of you being there.

Stella

• No clue how you got her there, but hey, you did it.

• Gretchen's going with you by the way, that's a given but I think important to mention.

• Go around Halloween, hopefully someday they'll have the mothman bear we've all dreamed of.

• Stella has so many ideas for what to make, though.

• Get a Halloween themed bear- no wait, a dog- no wait, this one looks really fucking stupid it's perfect- no wait-

• You have to go multiple times so she gets every bear she can think of.

• If she can make one look like Gretchen or a cryptid that'd be perfect

• But she'd also love to make a really screwed up, funny looking bear. Like-

• "Oh yeah, I noticed this one's missing an eye so. I'm getting this one." "This shirt has a typo on it, that's so funny i love it" "do you think they'll let me mismatch the shoes??" "a HOOK HAND ACCESSORY?! Well obviously I need that"

• You would not be able to tell a grown woman made this bear.

• She'll DIY it clothes later, it has it's own little wardrobe of wacky outfits

• She'll buy accessories she thinks Gretchen could wear.

• Lets Gretchen lick the heart before it's put in the bear

• Might get a sound effect heart but worries it'll be too annoying.

• If she got a scentiment it'd probably be the pumpkin one or... pizza? Because that existed, apparently?

• Names it something silly- an old man name like Harlod. Or give it a cryptid name.

• Absolutely fucking loved the date, she's already planning the next trip there.

--

Avery

• They'll think the idea is very cute.

• Make sure to go around spring/saint Patrick's day.

• Wants a flower print or green bear. (The point of going near saint Patrick's day is too ensure there's a shamrock bear to meet these requirements)

• Chooses the lavender scentiment for their bear.

• Will do that thing where you record a message for eachother's bear. They'll do a simple "I love you *kiss noise*" and it makes you swoon. They are SO perfect.

• You make a plant pun for their's, they love it no matter how stupid it is.

• They somehow make doing the heart ritual look cool?

• Finds a plant shirt and the bear's fate is sealed: they're gonna match :o

• The bear will be just as stylish as them (maybe more, I keep imagining Avery giving it a monocle accessory)

• Either names it after a plant- Like Magnolia or Clover- or names it the same way they name their plants (assuming they name their plants bc... who doesn't?)

• Very happy with the date and their bear, will show it off to everyone. Maybe it has a place at the diner- if they can find a spot garunteed to not get maple syrup spilled on it, anyways.

--

Kaneeka

• She probably came up with the idea, but feels a little silly about it at first because it seems so childish.

• Go around Halloween to once again ensure the pick of a spooky lil bear

• She takes it very seriously- this is gonna be the best goddamn bear ever.

• There are 2 wolves fighting inside Kaneeka: The goth and the nerd.

• So she's having a difficult time choosing between whatever collab buildabear is doing at the time (superheroes, sonic, Mario, whatever) or making the coolest goth bear you've ever seen.

• Please just let her get both 🥺

• Thin mints cookie scentiment for one bear, coconut for the other.

• Will do a cute sound effect for her bear. She would suggest recording one for eachother, but she doesn't know what to say.

• She's not mismatching the collab bear, it's getting the accessories that was made for it.

• The goth bear will get the nicest outfit ever, in all blacks and dark colors.

• She'll also DIY it clothes to fit her aesthetic better

• Gives it a very pretty, elegant name, like Celeste or Audrey

• The other bear, she fills it out the exact way she would for the character, which just feels like extra work.

• "Why does Batman need a birth certificate? He's batman." Proceeds to do the right thing and names it Bruce Wayne and changes the birthday to the right birthday.

• Thinks it was the perfect date, and is really happy you went together.

--

Oscar

• You'll be forced to take Rosalina and her friends with you, so not really a date. He'll see it as more of an outing for the kids, but it's kinda fun to participate.

• Gets the classic bear with brown, curly fur.

• Won't get a scent or a sound effect.

• Is a bit embarrassed to do the heart ritual, but turns it around quickly, joking that a teddy bear's heart transplant is no laughing matter.

• Won't want to get accessories because those cost money, but if you insist because you're paying, he'll cave and give it a dapper little suit and glasses. Maybe a top hat. A mini book to read. It'll be so cute.

• Gives it a bear pun or a book reference that no one gets for a name.

• Is very tired at the end of the day from being dragged around the mall by a bunch of tweens, but he gets home and still thinks it was a good day. Probably falls asleep with the bear. Though that will sadly be the only time, he keeps it on a night stand or bookshelf so it won't fall off and roll under the bed. He'd have a heartattack if he lost it.

--

Reese

• He never went to build a bear as a kid so this is gonna be so great for him.

• Picks out a very soft, cute bear

• Maybe like, the patchwork one with the sewed on heart? Idk why, if just seems right.

• He feels a little out of place, he's not used to cute things. He just sorta picks whatever he vibes with, and it comes out pretty cute and simple.

• He holds it very gently, like it could tear or fall apart at any second.

• Might buy a black or white shirt he can paint later, or a sweater so it doesn't get cold 🥺

• Paint brush accessory

• Blueberry scentiment, doesn't need any sound effects (unless there's a construction noises one LMAO)

• Doing the heart ritual heals his inner child

• Understuffs his bear just a little bit so it's softer

• Names it something absolutely BADASS "Nightmare" "Knight of Dreams" something awesome and cool idfk he's the creative one not me

• Has so much fun, might get sentimental about it. You can pry that bear from his cold dead hands.

--

Wayne

• . . . Why?

• A goop monster walks into a kids store. Screaming and crying insues. And then you're alone in the store.

• The employees might even be out of there, they don't get paid even for this.

• He's just happy to be with you, does not give 2 shits about the teddy bear at first. He adores seeing you having fun, is happier that you're not doing something dangerous.

• DO NOT let him touch the damn bear until it has some washable clothes on!! He can POINT at what he wants!! >:(

• Gets a simple bear, either a very old fashion basic one or just gets the same as you.

• Snazzy little jacket to parallel his. He's fine with you picking out the accessories for him though.

• You make him do the heart ritual even with no employees around to force you to

• Which ends up getting pus and blood in the bear. . . Gross!

• Stuff his bear full of scentiments. No, the scent doesn't matter just- just put them all in. Yeah, it's just to rival the smell of rotting flesh.

• Wayne gives it a very specific name, one you get the feeling comes from someone he knew long ago...

• Since the employees left, please just. Leave some money on the counter. It's okay if you don't pay for the 15 scentiments stuffed inside Wayne's bear. Yeah, no, it's really fine, trust me.

• Wayne will cherish this bear forever, and is extremely careful with it, even though it inevitably gets dirty a few days later anyways.

[croctus]

how would you improve each datable NPC in Stardew Valley?

i was bewildered for a moment before i remembered i was talking shit about them on this blog previously haha! let me see. i think most of them i have issues with just act 10 years younger than they are- so there are a few ways this can be changed?

also keep in mind i adore stardew and really do like these characters even just as they are, im just a hater lol

judging hard-

Alex

i honestly think this guy could be GREATLY improved if he were actively taking care of his grandparents. maybe we see him out walking with them, on the roof doing repairs before a rainy day, running errands for them or cooking for them, etc. boy spends half his time staring at his dog in a household of two elderly disabled folks who could use him. even a teenager could take notice and offer to help.

Abigail

shes one of the most childish unfortunately lmao. i think one of the most glaring is she goes extremely hard in an easter egg hunt against two preschoolers- maybe if she instead tried to help one of them win but got a little competitive about it, thatd be cute? idk. additionally she could work part time at the store, or at the guild, or clint's, it'd fit her character.

Sam

i get the player interactivity elements but what kind of goober goes through all the work to put a band together but doesnt know what genre they wanna play, unless theyre just a teen interested in the aesthetic of a band. it comes across sorta inauthentic. boy rolls his eyes and grumbles when his mom asks him to help clean a fish, too. cmon man, youre grown.

Sebastian

both sam and seb suffer from the same 'gawwd stay out of my room MOOOM' sort of vibes- maybe if they had an apartment together but still regularly visited their parents for dinner theyd come across as a little more grown (not to say that like, living with parents is inherently childish but how they interact with their folks comes across that way). he also really shouldn't be taking his angst out on his opinion of his half sister, and maybe if he had a little more of a solid adult go-plan than 'im gonna run away to the city' hed seem more mature.

could b better-

Shane

i dont want to be harsh on this guy but he sort of backslides after marriage hardcore. depression isnt a singular uphill climb but at least he could show hes still working on it- the occasional mention of a talk with a therapist, or cleaning up a little after himself, etc. maybe trying to eat a little better when living on a farm lol.

Penny

shes fine, other than the scene w/ george: pushing his wheelchair without asking and then HE apologizes/the scene fames this action as a good thing and you lose points with her if you point out it's rude. sometimes in trying to help people, you dont always do the right thing for them - that would be a little more nuanced for her.

im just picky-

Elliott + Harvey

theyre fine? maybe itd be fun if elliott went on some book tours or somesuch in the winter regularly after marriage, and harvey joined a plane hobbyist group or smth. they have a lot of personality but an issue a lot of these characters have is they just sort of putter out after marriage

Leah + Haley

this game has a lot of redheads lol. leah is fine though, and haley is cute. like other npcs id just want them to find their own independent success with their artistic skills- maybe letters come in the mail occasionally to them congratulating them on photos/sculptures making it into magazines, etc, to show they still have their own things going on

Emily + Maru

they're fine, i just like older/fanmade versions of their sprites more lol

[idealistings]

𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙜𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙛 , 𝙞𝙛 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 ?

ALUNE LULU KIM has registered to be a guest speaker at new horizon's high ! we ask you to take this opportunity to ask this alumni about her pursuit of higher education , and rumour has it ... she even brought some free swag from the university of chicago !

death , car accidents , cancer , neglect tw !

basics:

name: alune kim nicknames: only responds to lulu age: 27 , 04/20/1997 pronouns: she/they sexuality: pansexual physicalities: at 5'0" with a slightly athletic build , lulu seems to not have grown much since high school . her hair flips between being brunette and blonde , and while her instagram has both , she's currently a brunette , with her hair looking healthy despite how many times it's been dyed . she has scars from the car accident as a teenager on her body , completely healed , but jagged edges and raised lines on her legs where they had been near crushed in the accident . face claim: lee ji eun personality : bright , intelligent lulu , falls victim to a bit of social awkwardness and validation from others --- always trying to make sure everyone is happy , even at her own expense . with a penchant for adrenaline rush , lulu found herself doing dares that often teetered the line of dangerous --- if only to herself . a bit childish and needy , lulu is a bit dense when it comes to other's emotions to her , and groups : science club ( president ) , track ( 100 & 200 m )

why is lulu back ?

lulu's been in therapy since what she's dubbed the 'chris incident' , and while she likes to think she's grown up since then , she still wants to believe that the people she loved and grew up with are innocent , and good people --- that no one could have done anything wrong . sure , they were hooligans , but they were all kids ! who wasn't a troublemaker at that age? she knows that if something happened , that it had to have been a mistake . a part of her returns to regain some kind of closure , some kind of insight as to what happened , because she knew her classmates , her friends . they were sometimes mean , sometimes jerks , but not … not that mean . not KILLERS . she wants to talk to the people in her class , try and see if they're willing to be a little more open than they were ten years ago , to see if maybe they can come to a conclusion --- maybe they can be friends again . & it's always been in her nature to try and give back to the people that helped her --- she couldn't have fell in love with astronomy and physics without her beloved science club , and she wouldn't have started pursuing her astrophysics pHD if it weren't for that silly little club and a lost boy who probably didn't even remember her name the last time they interacted .

background: death , neglect , cancer , car accident tw

alune was adopted by her parents at a young age ( from what she remembers her mother telling her , her college roommate had a kid she didn't want --- ) ; a wealthy couple that was struggling to have their own children , and despite this all , she found herself growing up in a very lonely , very empty house . her mother paid her very little mind and her father was out on business almost constantly , leaving her to her own devices quite often . they did love her , in their own way , she'll insist , and speak of the times where her parents took her to the carnival and different fairs that were held --- but she won't remember all the arguing and fighting they did while she was on the ride . her mother passed away in her freshman year of high school , and her father barely paid attention to her after that --- and so all the things she did in school was to try and get some kind of validation from him , to prove that she's not just some deadweight daughter . perfect gpa , perfect scores , perfect school --- but he barely blinked at her . at school , lulu was kind of a drifter . a wallflower , maybe girl next door type . kind to everyone , if not a bit naive and sensitive . she's often the girl people would go to if they needed help in class , or needed to copy down homework before class that day --- and she'd happily accept , if only after teasing them beforehand . she ran the science club , where she had most of her older friends that graduated and left the club to her --- and track . she didn't really have a solid friend group though , often described as a social blender --- good wherever you stick her , but not actual group of friends to call home . lulu , in her own spur of rebellion , often found herself going towns or cities over , enamored with the street racing scene --- admittedly , an upperclassmen from science club had introduced her to it in high school , and it became a heavy source of found family for her . with little to no attention at home , and not a solid friend group at school , the kids from other schools welcomed her ( and her family's money … ) , where she got dangerously addicted to the high of going fast and being one of the best as a newcomer . expensive cars , going fast , ruining her tires , a FAMILY … she couldn't ask for more . the one time lulu's dad paid her any mind was when she had ended in the hospital after one of the boy's she was riding with ended with their car wrapped around the pole , severely injuring lulu and the driver having died , one of her closest friends in the group . thinking that her father had come to see that she was alive and okay --- only to be met with a grounding and scolding for her to be "wasting her life away committing crimes" "this'll ruin any chance at ivy league schools" "you're ruining the family name" and she was angry . so angry that this one moment is the thing her dad decides to fixate on , not any of her achievements , not anything , just her one failure --- the one that caused her to lose her friend . she seemed to shrink back from everyone , becoming a little more quiet . "fuck your dad. do what you want," she remembers chris uttering over the waterbottle he waterfalled from --- having forgotten his after the meet . she watched her drink the last of her water , but didn't say anything . "you're way too smart to be held back by anyone, let alone your dad." and she took that to heart . although her and chris were nothing more than after school acquaintences, sharing some stories during track , talking about things and people the other party were never going to be friends with , venting and listening until practice was over. never really friends inside of school ; never sat together at lunch , but she'd make it a point to wave to him from her table , and he'd occasionally wave or smile back. it's always nice to know you have a friend on the otherside of the wall , you know ?

lulu dipped as soon as she could after graduation , attending uchicago's astrophysics program , where she's currently attending their pHD astrophysics program. her father passed away a few years ago when she was 24 , but she was able to air some grievances and speak with him . while they had a strained relationship , at the end of his battle with cancer , she was the one with him and signed his DNR . everything in terms of money had been left to her , leaving her to inherit the house as well as his money , as well as the house near her old school . a large hollow house she grew up hating, and yet she still struggles to sell it , even now . lulu still street races . god . she loves it . it's the one way to get her mind off of everything , even though her therapist will constantly tell her not to do it . it's not odd to see her hanging out with faces the class won't recognize --- kids from other schools she grew up with when street racing and finding family with them . while she doesn't really keep in contact with a lot of people from her class , she's been in contact with them over the years , coming back to visit them , and only them . she has a two published papers with a few others which is probably one of the reasons they reached out to her / requested her as a guest speaker . after all , everyone loves a child prodigy.

wanted plots:

anything . please dear god message me i'm such a weenie. jk ill update this more when i have an idea but >< ....... i have a wanted plot tag HERE , but if u have any ideas just slam them in2 my messages bc tbh .... im down for anything

[macethelaboratoryrat]

Finished Reading the Idiot

I'm not sure if I like it... but I also love it?? It's so interesting and complex, and I feel like even the stuff I dislike about it has a lot of meaning.

Below is a lot of rambling, so I feel like I need to put the cut here so that the post isn't too long. And since the cut is here, I can say: Spoilers for _The Idiot_ ahead!

First off: not enough Nastasya Fillipovna. It feels like she's described very frequently, by characters and the narrator in a way that demonstrates that she has a deep and interesting character. But her character choices after part one are repetitive and redundant, in a way that makes her character seem much more shallow than it was initially presented.

Secondly: Not enough Rogozhin. I love Rogozhin, he's my favorite character. He's so strange and interesting. I'm not sure I like how mysterious he is, like how he follows people around, but I think that's a personal opinion. (sidebar: everyone is taking the whole love question like it's life or death and I found that very silly *most of the time*) It seemed like he went to prison completely alone, which was really sad. There was something very lonesome about his sentence and him being sent off. There's something very lonesome about Rogozhin in general, despite his "band" of friends or whatever.

I suppose it was good for Dostoevsky to remind us that this whole time, Myshkin is not good nor morally righteous. I think him being "innocent", sickly and "cute" gave off the sense that he could do no wrong. And then he opened his mouth. First with the ranting about Catholics, which was hateful. And then he betrayed Aglaya. So it was a good reminder.

I'm so sad about the Aglaya thing. I didn't think I liked her as a character. Unlike Nastasya Fillipovna, who is presented with depth and proves to be somewhat shallow, Aglaya Ivanovna is presented as a shallow character (the pretty one, without any other virtues) and proceeds to be a very deep and complex character. The point being, I love Aglaya and I feel like she was mistreated, not only by Myshkin, but by her family as well. I don't think this is the Epanchins' fault, I think they were just trying to help and support her. I know Myshkin had better intentions, and he tried to make amends, but he was so committed to her, and he promised he was committed to her, and then essentially abandoned her at a critical moment. This was especially hard for Aglaya because she struggled with her feelings so much-- we can see that by how aloof she is, and how she constantly denies him. I don't necessarily think they should have gotten married, but the way she was treated wasn't fair. I think if Myshkin really was the pathetic little sick boy, who was unrelentingly submitted and in love with her as he presented, and as everyone thought he was, they could have been good together. I feel like we are made to believe, and the characters suggest, that prince Myshkin is shallow, hollow, and childish. In a sense, his character is merely babyish and cute, and his only weaknesses are his stupidity and his illness. But that isn't true. I don't think saying Myshkin has "a dark side" is an accurate description, but he definitely in a grown man, and a realistic human, who is flawed just as an adult man is.

Everyone seems to be running around screaming and then we have Varya and Ptitsyn. I love the normal couple who just decided they were fine being a normal couple. They're just regular people and I love that for them. Varya has such a level head with all this madness.

I thought the hedgehog bit was so funny. Of course Kolya showed up with a hedgehog, that's such a Kolya thing to do. And it wasn't even theirs. What happened to it after everything blew over? I don't know. A hedgehog.

I love Alexandra Ivanovna. She's so funny to me. She doesn't even want to get married. She's just chilling and she's so cute.

Ippolit attempted suicide and everybody said he faked it and did it for attention. That hurt my feelings.

The meaning of life... anyway

I was surprised by the murder, which seems silly in hindsight, given there's always murder. I was actually slightly disinterested through most of the main conflict, because the "who marries who?" didn't interest me. Anyway, that was sad too.

Rogozhin and Myshkin. Their interactions are so interesting. The tension between them is always so high. I love when they interact. I'm struggling to find words to describe it.

Back to Nastasya Fillipovna, I feel like they dropped a lot of her character development after part one. Even Totsky disappeared like it wasn't important.

Why does Lebedev insist that his infant child was born in lawful wedlock? No one asked him. Now it's suspicious.

I'm not sure I know what a "fancier of the female sex" is. Is that a womanizer? A male slut as it were? Because they ask Myshkin if he is one, and he says "no", and I was thinking "haha gay" or whatever. (I know that's not what he was referring to). Anyway, I just shrugged it off until the gathering at the Epanchin's where one of the guests was "a fancier of the female sex". Just wondering the difference between that and a typical heterosexual. I assume it refers to the extent... anyway, small detail, not particularly important.

Again, I wasn't necessarily invested in the tension over their romantic relationships. I haven't made it over to _The Idiot_ tumblr yet (I had tags filtered to prevent spoilers), so what I'm about to suggest is probably already there, and already well tread upon: Nastasya Fillipovna x Rogozhin x Myshkin. Yes, the three of them. I think it would be better if Aglaya stayed out of it. The three of them are a mess and I think they should be contained.

Wild how they made General Ivolgin a tragic character. That was interesting.

This one felt personal, I will say that. It definitely had things to say and... it said them. I think it reads as being very sensationalist, which makes sense because it's a commentary on sensationalism. *my interpretation. The idea of appearances, and not wanting to be "ordinary", but not wanting to be "eccentric" either. I did appreciate the "people will go out of their way to be 'not like other girls', even when they are like other girls. Case in point: Ganya" (inaccurate quote). It was also really a call-out.

I appreciate _The Idiot_, I definitely find it interesting. None of this is meant to read as "this book is bad" or "this character is bad", but more to share my opinion on reading the work and what I gleaned from it. I'll probably read it again. While I was reading it, I was having trouble concentrating, which has nothing to do with the novel itself, just that I may have missed something. I still like TBK and C&P better, because I find the topics more interesting. But yeah, still a good one.