#sorry i wrote a whole essay lol this gets me HEATED

[shrinkthisviolet]

I will never understand people's obsession with hating on the "We are the Flash" scene. I mean, duh, Iris isn't saying "We all have superspeed and fight crime"! She's telling Barry that he doesn't have to be alone. That his loved ones and relationships make him stronger, and they make him who he is.

YEP same! It’s obviously a metaphor, and really, it’s representative of what a married couple IS. They share burdens, share the weight, share it all!! Sure, she can’t don a costume and go out with him (unless she’s a speedster, which has happened more than once), but she can still be there to catch him and support him through his problems, come up with solutions, just like she always does when he lets her in!

Barry in general has a communication problem, and Iris is right to call him out for that. She’s his WIFE, not just his best friend anymore, she deserves to be part of big decisions.

Not to mention…Barry has said this to Iris twice already:

“Without you, there wouldn’t be the Flash.” ~Season 1

“Whether you realize it or not, there is no Flash without Iris West.” ~Season 2

(Notably, he says the latter to reassure her that she’s not useless in STAR Labs—she’s needed, very much so. And he’s right!)

And HE is in fact the one who says “We are the Flash” verbatim after Iris says it, twice (both in season 4 iirc).

Exhibit A:

IRIS: You’re the Flash

BARRY: No. We are.

Exhibit B:

BARRY: Remember: We’re the Flash

IRIS: (smiling softly, clearly reassured) We’re the Flash

And mind you, the original quote Iris said is as follows:

“When I put this ring on my finger, it wasn’t about you or me anymore, it was about us. You are not the Flash, Barry. We are.”

It was a METAPHOR, it was telling him to be more open, it was a reminder of what marriage means! And most importantly, it was something Barry needed to hear!

They still have communication issues after this anyway, because the writers refuse to let Barry learn and grow from his mistakes, BUT this was something he needed to hear and, in my dream world, a lesson he took to heart and grew from.

[torawro]

HELLO AGAIN i am here now . in ur inbox. hoppin around

ASK AWAY abt the nana + codependency thing i literally just love the idea of it and its such a coinkydinky that it was my last post before i went mia. i wrote a fic about it actually with shg i think it was on my patreon but i also shut that down LOL i’ll put it up on tumblr one day

40C is absolutely ridiculous. and the thing is it was WET heat, like humidity because it rained every other day, which made it so muggy and thick and HUMID. i was dying. i stayed in my hotel room as much as i could hehu. by the fourth week i was pretty much done with all the sightseeing i could do there anyway

i hope you’re feeling a little bit better !!! i am always here for you if and when you need someone to chat with, be sad with, anything. i’m always here. kiss u. mwah

HEWWOO DARLING! i wish u could feel the excitement i am currently feeling because you came to visit me this time 😊😊😊 how are you today ( sorry for replying to this days later ) ?

the nana + codependency concept is really interesting and i just...want to know all ur thoughts on it ! if it's too much to type here plsss feel free to dm me ! bc i really really like nana it's a favorite of mine ( i had a whole nana phase last summer, but refuse to finish it because it's just too sad😀although i am aware of what happens at the end..................... sigh ) if we choose to get analytical abt this, there was def hints of codependency between nana + hachiko, hachi + takumi, hachiko + shoji, shin + reira.....etc etc and i think codependency and how it's displayed between characters is such an integral part of the plot and some of their character development-- well i don't wanna be typing a whole essay but u get it ! so i really wanna know ur thoughts basically KDJFDDFJ

also that kind of heat is the WORST ! bc here where i live, we've been feeling that specific kind of heat, it's just been a back and forth between it being unbearably hot and then thunderstorming really hard after and like isolated showers. i feel u on staying inside as much as possible. buttttt at least u did all your sightseeing !!! bc that's the most important thing cause i think japan is such a cool place with sm to do with so much culture (i've never been)

thank you so much for your support and kind words 🥺🥺 idk what's been goin on w me the last few weeks but i just been feeling so :( overall yk? if i have the urge to rant or whatever, i just hope u won't get annoyed w me dfkjdkfjdh. kisses u back passionately

[theverakeller]

Perhaps often joke they never imagined being with someone like each other. But it would not be this abusive horrible relationship. Do you have some other HC's to share? (4 of 4). I wrote an essay back so LOL.

Anon, YOUR headcanons are everything omg. I JUST HAVE TO AGREE YESSSS!!! WITH EVERYTHING YOU SAID. YES Web wouldn’t take Lieb’s shit and Lieb would be quick to apologize. And yes Lieb would struggle a lot with his PTSD and so many arguments start becomes of his anger because of that but Web would shut that down and he just would be SUCH a support system for Lieb and vice versa and they literally would just need each other so much and UGH.

But MY HC’s? omg okay so I don’t have many but literally my biggest one is that throughout the series, Lieb has a huge crush on Web and anytime he is around him he’s a super dork. LIKE COME ON. HE IS AND NO ONE CAN DENY THAT. So OBVIOUSLY when Lieb first saw Web he was like ‘holy shit this dude is super beautiful, way too pretty to be in the army what is he doing here whatever liebgott don’t get distracted’ but the thing is, is that Lieb CANNOT get Web out of his mind? He literally cannot look away when he’s near him his senses are just super heightened when Web’s around and so when he FINALLY says something to Web, he says something super stupid and is immediately ‘oh fuck you idiot he went to harvard he probably thinks you’re an idiot’ and then starts laughing it off and promptly insults Web for something dumb. As time goes on and they’re off in England and eventually further into Europe, the game that Lieb comes up with himself is to see how many times he can touch Web or make him laugh (so he says stupid shit) which is hard bc Web is always so solemn and writing in his damn journal and basically Lieb is just head over heels for this dude ok. When Web gets shot, Lieb heart almost jumps out of his chest when he finds out and so before Web gets shipped off to the hospital he makes sure that he goes and makes fun of him for getting shot or something but honestly he’s dying on the inside at the fact that Web got shot and is going away but is super glad that it wasn’t any worse AND MIND YOU THIS IS ALSO THE FIRST TIME THAT LIEB SHOWS WEB A LITTLE BIT OF SOFTNESS and not his usual dumb, sarcastic self that he usually is. Like after he makes fun of Web for getting shot, Lieb goes to leave but then turns back around and makes sure to softly put a hand on Web’s warm for a moment too long and tells him that he’s glad he didn’t get hurt too bad.

When Web comes back from the hospital Lieb is a different Lieb obvs, he is exhausted and SO ANGRY that Web wasn’t there in the Ardennes but at the same time he can’t stop the dumb fluttery feeling that pops up whenever Web comes around again and he’s just so happy that he’s back and seeks him out all the time and just touches him whenever he can. For example:

AND LIEB JUST PINES OKAY.  HE PINES!!! And he continues to be a dork in front of Web because WEB IS JUST EVERYTHING THAT LIEB IS NOT, HE WENT TO HARVARD! HE’S SMART! HE’S NOT A LOUDMOUTH! AND JUST EVERYTHING THAT LIEB NEVER KNEW HE WANTED BUT HE WANTS!!!! Lieb’s crush continues once Web comes back and there he is just being a dork and literally everyone in easy is like ‘bro?? what is your problem?? why are you such a loser when Web is around??” and so since this crush and pining just continues CAUSE IT COULD NEVER COME TO FRUITION BC LIEB THINKS WEB IS TOO GOOD FOR HIM. So the whole scene with the finding out that Web never finished school and Web freaks out on Lieb and then LIEB COMFORTS TO LET HIM KNOW THAT HE DOESN’T THINK ANY LESS OF HIM FOR NOT FINISHING and so when he asks him what he studied and Web is like ‘Lit’ and since Lieb is still in that trying to make Web feel better zone, his mind literally does a haywire when responding and without even thinking about it he’s like “I LOVE TO READ” and starts naming off comic books and then once he realizes what he’s done that’s when he puts the cigarette in his mouth bc ‘OMG JOSEPH LIEBGOTT, YOU ARE AN IDIOT, WEB ALREADY THINKS YOU’RE AN IDIOT AND YOU HAD TO GO STICK YOUR FOOT IN YOUR MOUTH’ and he’s just embarrassed and dying. MEANWHILE HE DOESN’T NOTICE THAT WEB HAS A BLUSH ON HIS FACE AFTER THIS CONVERSATION.

Meanwhile after finding the Landsburg camp, Lieb kind of curls in on himself and isn’t Lieb and Web is alarmed and notices and so he finds himself actively searching out Lieb to make sure he’s okay and to keep his mind off things and just wants to comfort him and all the time, even though he’s in his mind, Lieb is still like BUTTERFLIES IN TUMMY and it’s the cutest but since he’s not trying so hard he’s not being a loser and dumb and they just become closer and ugh it’s beautiful.

WHICH LEADS ME TO THE FACT THAT IDK HOW BUT THEIR FIRST KISS HAPPENS AFTER THE WAR IS OVER, IN FACT THEIR FIRST KISS HAPPENS V-E DAY NIGHT WHEN THEY’RE BOTH DRUNK OUT OF THEIR MINDS BUT THEN WHEN THEY REALIZE WHAT THEY DID BOTH OF THEM ,ESP LIEB AVOID EACH OTHER LIKE THE PLAGUE but they can’t do that forever bc reasons and so they have to talk about it eventually but that leads to more kisses and Lieb is like ‘wtf I thought you thought I was an idiot??’ and Web is just like ‘You are an idiot bc i’VE LITERALLY WANTED TO KISS YOU SINCE YOU SAW ME OFF WHEN I GOT SHOT’ and basically both have had feelings for each other since idk when and they didn’t know bc they’re both idiots.

ANYWAY MORAL OF THIS VERY LONG STORY IS THAT THEY ARE SUPER IN LOVE AND SUPER SOFT WITH ONE ANOTHER DESPITE THEIR VERY HEATED ARGUMENTS WHICH DO HAPPEN AT TIMES BUT THEY GO TOE TO TOE AND EVENTUALLY GIVE IN TO ONE ANOTHER BC THEY LOVE EACH OTHER TOO MUCH. AND LIEB DOES DUMB SHIT AND SAY STUPID STUFF WHEN WEB IS AROUND.

I’m sorry that was literally just one headcanon and I have other (not many) but there isn’t enough space and I already talked too much anyway lmao

[thisdiscontentedwinter]

Oh, disco. Your answer about Issac really fucks me up. So when I watched TW a couple years ago and I got so f-ing triggered by the storyline of Issac I had to skip those scenes. Ok, so I typed like a long ranting but decided it looked like a backstory for villains. I'm not planning to try to take over the whole planet so I deleted it. Anyway I got mixed feelings about the character of Isaac. As in I both liked and hated him at the same time? I don't know if it makes any sense. [1/4]

It was probably that his suffering got, that his abuser was a 24-karat asshole and he finally got rid of him without looking back. So I got a very loving mother who sacrificed a lot for me and never hit me. Well, maybe once or twice. I should really be grateful but I still got traumas from all the constant one-sided rage and screaming and throwing things around. The worst part is that she's a nice person and good parent. She raised me before and after the divorce. [2/?]

Sometimes I hope she's a terrible one and actually hit me, you know? Then my traumas would be valid. And it would be reasonable for me to hate her. Now that I'm a young adult myself, the best solution we have is to never talk about it. I tried a few times and she was all like, " I know I got anger issues but it could not be that bad lol". To this day I still wonder if I'm being dramatic about this whole thing. Oh, and I used to have a boyfriend and a girlfriend, (3/?)

well, not at the same time, no. It never worked. 'Cause they could never be the dominant/controlling partner that I was subconsciously looking for. It seems that I deleted one ranting then created another one. Now I feel like I'm dumping my garbage on your doorstep. Please don't let my villain-y backstory ruin your mood. I'm a grown up woman and coping quite well with my own bullshits! OMG it's raining outside.(4/?)

I love rainy days. Especially with our temperature nearing 40 degrees as well. The rain will cool it down a bit even just for a day. Have a good day, disco. Good luck with your professional writings. ooxx (END/?) I can't believe I wrote a small essay omg sooooo sorry.

               ***

DW: I think that anyone with a complicated relationship with a parent can see things in the Isaac/Mr Lahey relationship that reflect that. Because Isaac was Cleary terrified of his father, and hated him, but at the same time he also desperately craved his approval, and he probably loved him too. I actually really liked Isaac’s character because it showed a lot of the reality of a kid in that situation. You know, werewolves aside. It showed that kids like that, once they’re out of that situation, sometimes absolutely relish the chance to punch down, because they’ve never had that before in their lives. 

The reality is, that sometimes parents will fuck us up. Sometimes they don’t mean to, and sometimes they’re not as bad as other people’s parents--or their own parents--but it still fucks us up. After my father died, my aunt opened up a lot about the shit they went through as kids, and you know, I’d always understood that my grandfather was an abusive asshole, but I’d never really heard the specifics, and it was brutal. But also, that doesn’t mean that my own father always got it right, you know? Being not as bad as his father still doesn’t mean he didn’t have his own issues, and that those own issues didn’t affect me and my sister. 

My dad was a huge improvement on his dad--but he was definitely an alcoholic and he definitely had serious anger issues. He was rarely physically abusive, but rarely isn’t never, you know? And I think there’s a real sense of uncertainty when you live with a parent like that and you’re never sure if today is going to be a good day or a bad day, and that certainly impacts you when you’re growing up, and beyond. 

But also, I loved my dad. When he was awesome, he was awesome. But sometimes he wasn’t awesome, and sometimes we all walked around and pretended the next day that nothing had happened. It is what it is. 

So no, you don’t need your mother to have hit you so that your trauma is valid. Trauma is trauma, and emotional abuse is as valid as physical. It just fucks you up in a slightly different, and often invisible, way. And all abuse effects your adult relationships. It just then becomes a matter of sorting through it, and figuring out “is it now-me doing this, or am I letting then-me make this choice at the expense of now-me?” And sometimes you can figure it out yourself, and sometimes you need a therapist to help you get perspective. And there’s no shame in needing that outside perspective either, because sometimes we get trapped in our own thought-cycles inside our heads and can’t change them. 

So from one grown woman coping with her bullshit to another, I hope that you enjoy your rainy day and the respite fro the heat it gives you! 

[mikeshanlon]

goddd I cannot believe u have read iwwv u don't know me but for some reason we watch like.. the same shows and now books lol. anyway can I ask what were ur thoughts on the ending? like to me at least it was onvious Oliver had not done it and he wasn't gonna pull a unreliable narrator last minute (despite being an unreliable narrator) I'm talking abt the whole uhh James is a**** thing.. like what HAPPENS NEXT? is he w wren? also I feel so bad for meredith like girl love urself.. sry 4 the essay

omg yes taste!!!! Also no I’m dying to talk abt this novel so don’t apologize if anything im sorry bc I wrote way too much answering ur question LGRNLRGN

IF WE WERE VILLIANS SPOILERS UNDER THE CUT go read it if u haven’t it’s legendaric

Okay the ending!!!! AH!!!! Okay yeah so I think it’s clear Oliver did not do it, I think the ambiguity lies more whether or not James intentionally killed Richard or if it was an accident. Like, did he see Richard stumbling out in the woods hella intoxicated and think to himself that this was the perfect opportunity to get revenge for all the abuse and torture Richard had been terrorizing him with??? Did he lie to Oliver? Personally, I believe James that it was an accident… of sorts. I don’t think James set out with the intention to kill Richard at all. But Richard was goading him and fighting him and after the buildup of cruelty and tension between them over the past few months, Richard be a homophobic dick and calling James and Oliver qu*er and prodding at the most important relationship in James’ life struck a nerve. So when Richard wanted to keep fighting and hurt him again he was like fuck this and he hit Richard too hard with the hook and that in tandem with Richard being drunk caused Richard to fall and die. And, like the others, James felt awful but there was a sort of sick sense of relief.

(Also, I’m not exactly sure Oliver counts as an Unreliable Narrator. I mean he is certainly keeping some things from that detective guy but, and I was reading something from M.L. Rio about this, like he’s literally just oblivious and dumb as fuck sometimes LKGNLRGLKNRG. So idk how often he’s intentionally Unreliable but I also get what you mean)

Anyways I’m totally a believer that James is alive bc despite enjoying dark stories im like okay but I need a happy ending LGKNLKRGlkenlgneg. Like c’mon they never found the body……….. A metaphorical death and shedding of his past life bc he blames himself for Oliver taking the fall is like the MOST tragic hero Shakespearean shit ever like it just works so well!!!!!! The part where Oliver describes the last time James visited him in jail…

“Oliver I’m begging you,” he said. “I can’t do this anymore.” When I refused again, he pulled my hand across the table, kissed it, and turned to leave. I asked where he was going and he said, “Hell. Del Norte. Nowhere. I don’t know.” (343).

GODDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDd. God. Anyways I think that was very telling of his plans. Hell (for “committing suicide”, moreso for all of his wrong doings). Del Norte is the beach that him and Oliver slept on that one night and so I feel like that place holds a lot of significance for them, but it’s a place only those two know the significance of. So, I like to think he ran away there and started a new life. He wrote that letter with the disjointed Pericles monologue I think to hint to Oliver that he was at Del Norte, if he wanted to find him, because even though his “death” was a self-punishment for ruining Oliver’s life, he still cares for him a lot and doesn’t want to be without him. Like a whole monologue about the sea????????? The fact that he literally said the monologue to Oliver while they were at Del Norte?? “To give my tongue that heat to ask your help; / Which if you shall refuse, when I am dead, / For that I am a man, pray see me buried.” LIKE WHAAAAAAAAAAT god !!!! Also water is gay<3 and in my heart Oliver goes and finds him and they like work through shit and are together.

Anyways I don’t really think he’s with Wren. Their relationship during senior year was always sort of ambiguous to me…. Like they definitely got super close, they probably were romantically involved in some capacity (since other characters like Alexander who is much more perceptive were like Oliver how did it take you this long to notice LRGNRGNK) though idk if it was like the Encompassing Love Affair Oliver thought it to be bc he’s oblivious and jealous. And also like James was very much enamored with Oliver so idk. (EDIT i just remembered they slept together LMAO but i think my point still stands) In the epilogue Wren is in London and is a recluse and doesn’t reach out to any of the Villains which like. Good for her LRGNRLG even though I hated Richard I can’t imagine like how much of a toll that took on her to see her cousin die and all their friends be like uh yeah we should let him die and then have to keep up a lie like… even though she agreed Richard was awful that has to be so heart wrenching (badumtss) and life ruining. So I think she especially wouldn’t want to be with James seeing as he essentially led Richard to fall into the lake, though I’m not sure if she knows that or not.

And Meredith!!!! Like I’ll be real sometimes she frustrates me but I think she’s also SUCH an interesting and realistic character (which is something I love about this novel, all the characters are interesting to me and I like how the female characters are portrayed.... like i LOVE Fillipa she is such a bad ass bitch but again she’s not just like. Expected to always be strong and clever like she’s got feelings too. Anyways love her). As I said before I was perusing through the author’s tumblr a bit and ppl were like “omg why did Meredith go through all the male friends” like BYEEE literally feeding into the stereotypes that made her feel insecure and weak… (Also again, they’ve known each other for four years… so its not that insane lmao). I think Meredith’s relationship with her sexuality and beauty is very interesting and relatable for a lot of women (I mean I am not. Like a seductive femme fatale like she is but LGKNKRGN). On one hand she is definitely a multifaceted person who is more than her sexuality, on the other, she’s constantly Literally Cast by Gwendolyn in sexualized roles and seen as sexualized by her friends/bf (Richard) and constantly told her worth in and out of the theatre is her body. Like there is an interesting duality about the power she possesses with her sexuality but also the extreme insecurity that is bred by being constantly sexualized and this struggle of like knowing she has worth outside of her body but also sort of … not in the eyes of others. That scene where they’re doing those exercises of their strengths and weaknesses really Hit. Anyways yes Meredith love urself queen… get a hot respectful gf… become a powerful successful legend…..

Related-ish sidenote, obviously I like James and Oliver together the most though I will say Meredith and Oliver’s relationship was interesting though ultimately unhealthy…. Like one of the aspects I like about their relationship is Oliver respects Meredith and when he realizes he is falling into that idea that Meredith is this super sexualized person he’s like hold awn that’s shitty of me… But also I think the fact of the matter is that their relationship was catalyzed by shitty stuff,,, like lust and the need for revenge. Like I honestly don’t really think they would’ve gotten together if not for the extreme animosity with Richard and the adrenaline of like that whole show run and more particularly That Night…. It feels like they got together because they were drunk and they’re attractive, which like yeah fine valid, but also, subconsciously, to be like fuck you Richard. Like, guess what I’m with the guy who you’re constantly saying doesn’t matter. And also seeking comfort and validation when their most important people are not valuing them (Richard being literally fucking awful to Meredith, James sort of pushing Oliver away—again I think subconsciously was sort of a revenge jealousy type thing where Oliver is with the person that James doesn’t really like and makes not amazing comments about being promiscuous). And then their relationship I think keeps going because like. Wow grief is a bitch and they want some comfort. Meredith is drawn to Oliver because he’s one of the only people who values her for more than just a sexual object which like is What She Deserves but their relationship is like a mess of sex and guilt and Oliver is in love with James (the parts where Meredith drags Oliver for caring more about James… iconic as she should! Like when Oliver is like sorry James is visiting me I’m not coming or when she’s like are you more jealous of him or me when they kissed for that scene….. OOP!). Anyways idk if that makes sense but I find Oliver and Meredith’s relationship interesting bc it’s not like… the worst unhealthy relationship ever or anything and I think there is genuine care and love/attraction there between them but like Oliver is never going to totally Be What Meredith deserves especially because like… he loves James more. Also the part where Meredith slaps Oliver when he gets out of jail and he’s like yeah I deserve that is so GLKNRglkenrgnrg to me.

Anyways I probably have more thots but wow. This is long. Sorry LGRNLKRGNng