#tags done rejoice everyone

[thecranewivesrpf]

is this anything

[lonestardust]

.

[welcometothejianghu]

Welcome to another round of W2 Tells You What You Should See, where W2 (me) tries to sell you (you) on something you should be watching. Today's choice: 少年歌行/The Blood of Youth

The Blood of Youth is a 2022 live-action adaptation of the tale of a deposed, disabled, and incredibly cunty prince who's on his way back to settle the score with his asshole father, and the rag-tag band of weirdos he accumulates along the way, including Spear Girl, Bad Monk, and Fire Puppy (pictured above).

I hope you like shounen anime, because this is the most shounen anime something is allowed to be without actually being based on something running weekly in Shounen Jump. What if Nirvana in Fire were also Naruto? It would be the Blood of Youth.

This show is an underrated gem of action-packed fun that not nearly enough people in English-speaking fandom have seen. In an attempt to correct that -- and ahead of an announced second season and prequel in progress -- I'm here with five reasons you should try it out.

1. Zero thoughts head empty

You do not have to pay an enormous amount of attention to this show to understand what's going on. The show itself does not always know what's going on. It got distracted by a shiny object over there, and now we're all gearing up to go punch the shiny object. We'll get back to the main plot when we're done with the punching.

It has a million billion plot threads going on at any given moment. Bad guys roll in from sects you've never heard of before, using superpowers with stupid names, only to get kicked into next week. There's approximately eleventy thousand characters -- so many, in fact, that I ran into problems several times while making this rec post, because there aren't readily available photos of everyone I want to talk about. Just look at the DramaWiki cast list. See how it goes on for like fifty screens? That's a little what the show feels like.

Except I'm not saying that like it's a bad thing, because the show knows it's doing this, and it acts accordingly. It telegraphs pretty well who's important and who isn't (and then it goes out of its way to color-code the latter, which is handy). What you're left with is absolutely a manga-style plot, complete with training arcs and semi-relevant sidequests, all working up to the final boss match.

It is an extremely self-aware show. On multiple occasions, something would happen, I would crack a joke about it, and then a beat later the show itself would make the exact same joke. I wouldn't call it an outright comedy, but it's still very funny, and on purpose. It has no illusions about being some kind of profound, meaningful epic. Mostly it's just here for a good time.

Yet this lightheartedness is what makes the powerful emotional parts really powerful by contrast. The show is not stupid; it's just goofing around most of the time. When it knuckles down, it can be devastating. And you know what? It does wind up being profound and meaningful about some stuff. How about that.

So yeah, if you're up for something that bops merrily right along and only occasionally rips your heart out, here you go!

2. Putting the poly in polycule

Bisexuals, rejoice! It's representin' time!

Here you go, I made a relationship chart of about 40% of the show's potential and canonical ships. I could have included so many more, but I only had so much space on the image, so I had to leave out some amazing ones, like the sword hedgehog who's real into this one cougar who could easily wipe the floor with him, or the rich nerd who thinks he has a chance with the aforementioned hot butch, or the fancy MILF who cheated on the emperor with a dreamy jianghu man and is trying not to cheat on him again with a different, slightly less dreamy jianghu man. See? There's just so much.

I would also say these are not exclusive ships. They are extremely inclusive ships. I am a fan of most (though admittedly not all) of the pairings listed here, and in fact of many of the three-and-more-somes indicated by these lines. They're such a cuddle puddle of shared intense feelings that it's hard to imagine anyone getting more than mildly jealous. Moreover, the potential for romance does not get in the way of hetero friendships; a boy and a girl who are each dating other people can go do adventures together, and (mostly) nobody gets weird about it, which is nice. If anything, what makes the overall dynamic so polycule-like is how equally friends and love interests get treated, meaning that it's not difficult to see a lot of crossover potential between those two categories.

If you're like me, you're hesitant about canonical romance, especially when it's straight, mostly because so many straight love stories wind up being tiresome, gross, and/or skull-poundingly boring. You will then be pleasantly surprised by how the canon pairings with members of the main cast are not like this at all!

Xiao Se and Sikong Qianluo are the main textual romance, and golly gee, they're just cute as heck. As the chart above indicates, I like interpreting them as two Kinsey 6's who have found their single exceptions, Mulder-and-Scully-style. Maybe one of the best things about their relationship is that it gets sidelined all the time for the plot. They're not so busy being in love that they forget to get shit done. Then they get a bit of downtime and get to go on a date, and you're like, aww, those sweet gay disaster babies are gonna do a little bit of heterosexuality. Just precious.

Tang Lian and Fairy Rui are right up there with the cuteness. She's a sex-positive dancing beauty who wants to ride that pretty boy like she stole him, and he's a shy sword boy so tightly bottled up that he'll explode if he sees a bare ankle. Avoiding spoilers, I will simply say that this is a pairing of two relatively soft people, until a bad thing happens to one of them and the other hardens up about it. If that's your jam, they're here for you.

Lei Wujie and Ye Ruoye are probably the most magical and the most practical of the bunch. They have a beautiful, super-dreamy, really horny sword-dance meet-cute, complete with its own pop song ... and then that's it, they're basically just together. She likes him, he likes her, good for them. In-laws aside, it's a refreshingly low-drama situation. Besides, I always love it when the hypercompetent woman gets the sweet, devoted himbo who'd do anything for her. Ruoye's had a hard life, and she deserves someone who can dick her down good at night and make her a nourishing breakfast the next morning.

And then there is, of course, The Ship:

Xiao Se and Wuxin are canonical, textual soulmates. The show treats their dynamic as more important than any other. It's so important, in fact, that the show has to sideline Wuxin for huge parts of the drama, lest everything get too damn gay. They each get a boyfriend catch on the other. They both do fairly reckless things when the other is in trouble. They are the secret hidden happy ending to the series. They share the kind of ride-or-die relationship built on mutually being the hugest bitches in any given room. Whether or not you think this is romance, it is extremely romantic, and the series agrees as much as it can, all things considered.

And if none of those flavors of love float your boat? Well, have you considered ... eunuchs?

3. She likes e4e

So I'm on record as being real into eunuch characters, right? Well, if you're with me on that, you are in for a treat here, because these are some absolutely buck-wild eunuchs.

There's five main ones, and I can't even begin to scratch the surface of what's going there. Like, really, I don't even think I understood all of what was happening with them. They're kind of the bad guys, but then they're kind of the good guys, but then some of them are the bad guys, but then they're just working for the bad guys, but then they screw over the bad guys, and ... it's just a lot, okay? It's a lot, and it's all happening with this bunch of catty bitches.

Also, you would not believe the difficult time I had finding any images for this section. I guess for some reason, fandom isn't way into a bunch of canonically dickless color-coordinated middle-aged men in weird hats? Whatever, man, they are missing out. If, however, you have the good sense to be into the intense and complicated (semi-romantic??) relationships among colleagues who also professionally just happen to be missing their external genitalia, buddy, strap in (and maybe strap on, depending).

Don't let me oversell how much these guys are in the show. They're not. They're vaguely important at points throughout, and they become incredibly important near the end, but they're hardly main characters. They're mostly back at the palace, doing their various schemes and looking absolutely fantastic.

So if they're such a minor part of the story, why do they get their own selling point? Well, I think their presence is a good example of two specific things about the show:

Specific thing the first: It's so queer -- not gay, but queer. Thinking back to my last selling point, you will notice how many of those straight pairings may look normie on the outside, but once you get down to it are not playing by cishet rules. (For instance, I've seen a lot of people read Tang Lian's resistance to sexual advances as asexuality, which, sure!) Likewise, there are lots of incredibly important, intimate relationships that don't conform to standard romantic pair dynamics. Add to that a lot of bodies with unusual characteristics and conditions, and you've got the makings of plenty of delightful non-normative love stories.

Specific thing the second: There are so many things going on with so many side characters that there's a kink here for everyone. Don't care for eunuchs? How about slinky villains with mind-control powers? Devoted servants who would do anything for their masters? Former bad guys who owe life-debts to the good guys who saved them? Bonded pairs traipsing around the jianghu together? Sons nursing legitimate grudges against the men who killed their fathers? Alcoholic widowers with incredibly slutty necklines? Mysterious cross-dressers with unconvincing moustaches? Vengeful brides? Martial siblings? Murderous royals? Guilt-ridden half-siblings? Boring star-crossed lovers? All these and more! It's a smorgasbord of rarepair fuel!

Also, I just love these toxic drama queens. It's like if RuPaul's Drag Race had the authority to have you executed.

4. The most intriguing outfits I've ever seen in anything (and yes, I'm including Winter Begonia)

Time for a fashion show!

The asymmetrical fits, the detailed embroidery on everything, the brilliant colors -- everybody just looks so good. And yet everything still looks ... eh, I don't know if "practical" is the word I want, but at least wearable. Nobody's dragging ten-foot trains of fabric behind them or wrapped in eighty floofy layers of gauze (except Rui, but she's special). Their outfits are strange and elaborate, but they don't defy physics.

What's truly stunning is how often they get new outfits. Xiao Se alone changes clothes about once every other episode, and more if he's getting a flashback. He is the fashion plate of the whole series, and every look he serves is pitch-perfect.

They're not outright color-coded, but the main characters do have certain colors associated with them -- which is extra-fun when you watch those colors bleeding into their friends' clothes as their relationships get stronger. I also think -- and I'm willing to be proven wrong on this point, but I think I'm right -- that they recycle some characters' outfits into parts of other characters' outfits. On more than one occasion, I'd swear that Lei Wujie shows up wearing the left half of something Xiao Se was wearing a few episodes back (tailored to fit him, of course, because that dumb ponytail boy is tall).

Where I think the costume design gets massive points, though, is that the costumes are themselves adaptations.

Before the live-action series, there was a 2018 3D animated donghua. I have never watched the latter, but apparently the drama is intensely faithful to the animated visuals, to the point where some fights are shot-for-shot remakes.

Of course, you can do a lot more with unreal clothing and bodies in animation -- and you can show a lot more skin, at least according to Chinese content laws. The live-action costumers chose to preserve about as many of the appearance beats from the donghua as they could manage, while still accepting the limitations of real-life bodies and materials. You can see some side-by-side comparisons here. The live-action outfits manage to be instantly recognizable without being slavishly devoted recreating to their inspirations.

So if you're sick and tired of dreary, ill-lit shows with bland palettes, this vibrant, colorful drama may be just the thing for you. It's a rainbow from start to finish.

5. Actually a good central plot?

Despite all the wacky delightful shounen nonsense that this show has -- and it has a lot -- the core of the whole narrative, which is Xiao Se's story, is surprisingly great and cohesive.

The short version is this: Xiao Se used to be Xiao Chuhe, sixth prince and somewhat heir apparent. Then he and his jerk-ass dad had a falling-out that resulted in the prince's having his martial arts abilities all but taken from him. He's been living the life of a very well-dressed innkeeper for several years, trying to avoid all of that palace garbage. But now his jerk-ass dad is dying, which means that a lot of horrible decisions are finally having unfortunate consequences for everyone, and Xiao Se's got to get back in there to make sure everything does not go to shit and land someone terrible on the throne -- even if it has to mean taking it himself.

His central conflict is between what he used to be and what he's become. Does he miss being Xiao Chuhe, high-ranked martial artist and future emperor? Or is he happier being Xiao Se, long-suffering nobody who can barely run a business, much less hold his own in a fight? What would he be willing to do to get back what he's lost? What are his obligations to himself versus his obligations to everyone else? How much is he responsible for his father's bullshit? And why has he wound up having to babysit this stupid Fire Puppy?

It's okay, they're best friends now. Lei Wujie decided.

No spoilers, but I liked Xiao Se's ending a lot. I feel it's very true to the character and shows a real understanding of who he is and what he values. And really, at the end of the day, sometimes all you need for a happy ending is your girlfriend, your girlfriend's girlfriend, your girlfriend's girlfriend's boyfriend who's also your boyfriend, your other boyfriend, his girlfriend, and your long-distance for-real soulmate.

Feel like giving the youths a try?

You can find them on YouTube or on Viki. But be absolutely sure that no matter where you watch it, you make sure to go watch the epilogue as well. (And if you get real into the story, well, here's a link to information about all the other adaptations.)

You are also welcome for how I did not spend this post going off for five hundred years on how much I love Wuxin and his funky relationship to Buddhism. I figured that's way too niche of a selling point for most people, and might indeed have even been counterproductive. But know that I could have.

Also, I'm very happy about the announcement of a second season, because that's going to mean Liu Xueyi has to shave his head again, and he looks unbearably good with a shaved head.

Oh yeah, did I forget to mention the whole motorcycle photoshoot?

In case you hadn't noticed, the whole cast is stupidly hot. Hachi machi.

[alrightbuckaroo]

Happy Wednesday, everyone! Thanks for all the tags recently - basically everything from the latest chapter of something to give each other was entirely unsafe for work and I didn't feel like dealing with tumblr's flagging system so I decided to just keep it all a surprise. This time, I bring you a snippet of an AU in which Carlos is a bounty hunter and TK isn't TK.

He places the groceries on the counter. Apricots, figs, and Italian plums spill from the tote bag, causing a cacophony of muted thuds.

He casually switches the kitchen fan into ‘on’ as he opens the fridge, rejoicing in the chill that wafts over him. While taking a sip of sparkling water, the stuff truly has grown on him, he notices the fan in the refection of the toaster.

It’s spinning counter-clockwise.

He’s not alone.

“You know I hate it when I have to cut my vacation short,” He admonishes as he begins picking up the errant fruit and placing them in their aptly-named bowl.

“Capri,” Carlos calls from the living room, not once looking up from tourist magazine that’s done nothing but collect dust for the last two weeks. Pictures of the island cover the pages, his eyes lingering on all of the colors. Vibrant yellow lemons, lush green vines, and crystalline blue waters; in short, paradise.

“You know I should thank you,” Carlos finally looks up, head turning toward the open window. Capri’s summer sun is casting its shine across the horizon, the sound of life sprinkled in between the pauses of crashing waves. God, he wishes he could get used to this. “I’ve always wanted to go.”

In the kitchen, the man rolls his eyes before biting into the tender flesh of an Italian plum. A drop of juice drips down from corner of his mouth, he lets it. “I assume asking you to let me go would be asking for too much of a thanks?”

“That’s sweet,” Carlos’ head turns back to the life happening in this small, intimate abode. He rises as he goes to join the other man in the kitchen. His gun latched onto his waist like an uninvited dinner guest. “Three years of this cat and mouse game and you still try to read me like a book.”

“You’ve always been my favorite to check out,” He answers without missing a beat.

Carlos would remark on the pun, but he can't. Not when the other man's pink tongue makes an appearance as finally laps at the juice that's settled on his lips. He bites the bottom one, just slightly, making a show of it.

An lecherous heat starts to coil in Carlos' groin.

Thanks for the tags:

@honeybee-taskforce, @whatsintheboxmh, @paperstorm, @heartstringsduet, @lemonlyman-dotcom

@bonheur-cafe, @reyesstrand, @orchidscript, and @carlos-in-glasses!

No pressure tagging:

@herefortarlos, @never-blooms, @strandnreyes, @lightningboltreader, @literateowl

@basilsunrise, @carlos-tk, @captain-gillian, @nancys-braids, @actual-sleeping-beauty

@sheholdsthemoon, @freneticfloetry, @fifthrideroftheapocalypse, @welcometololaland, @rmd-writes

@theghostofashton, @thisbuildinghasfeelings, @your-catfish-friend, and @cold-blooded-jelly-doughnut :)

[theink-stainedfolk]

Writer Questionnaire Tag

Thank you @drchenquill @the-golden-comet and @paeliae-occasionally for the tag

how long have you had your writing tumblr/writeblr? a fast and loose estimate is fine!

It's been at least 6 months or more I believe.

what led you to create it?

I actually had it from before but i never really posted anything. The thought that there might be people willing to read my works more than my own family and friends led me to create it. I was done shying away.

what's your favourite thing about the writeblr community?

I absolutely adore the supportive and inclusive nature of the writeblr community! It's a space where writers from diverse backgrounds and genres come together to share their passion for storytelling. I love how everyone encourages and uplifts each other, offering constructive feedback and celebrating each other's successes. The community's enthusiasm is infectious, and it motivates me to keep writing and improving my craft. I also appreciate the wealth of resources and knowledge shared within the community, from writing tips and prompts to editing advice and publishing insights. It's amazing to see how writers willingly share their expertise and experiences to help others grow. Most of all, I cherish the sense of belonging and connection that comes with being part of this community. Writeblr feels like a virtual writing group, where we can discuss our projects, share our struggles, and rejoice in our triumphs together

what's one thing you'd like your mutuals to know about you?

That i really love talking about my WIPs and OCs aand everything related to my story. I feel happy, seen and appreciated. If you like anything i woorte, please don't hesitate to ask or just tell me how you feel.

is there anything you'd like to see more of on your dash?

Uh..memes? More aisan drama related things? More HSR stuff everything about my interests etc.

which wips or writing projects are you noodling about, lately?

Very wrong question lol. I've been going back and forth between my WIPs. But the most recent one I've done, or am thinking about is The Masque of Murder .

how long have you been working on them?

Hahaha.... Since months, years and i still haven't even written a chapter for some of them. I hate myself for that. But since The Masque of Murder is recent, it's been a week or so.

do you remember what inspired them/ what got you started?

Yeah i remember reading a manhwa which had this crazy but mad genius doctor as a minor villan. It got me thinking that it was a waste of his abilities and damn good looks and he would have been surely protected by the plot armour had he been the main character instead. This forced me into making it lol.

how much time, in your best estimation, do you spend thinking about them?

🎵Every hour, every minute, every second. And night after night, I'll thinking 'bout you right, 7 days a week.🎶

name any characters you created. side characters, protagonists, antagonists, characters who've never been written, the first original abomination you ever pulled from your ass; whomever you'd like!

Uh... every single one of them? I created everyone, if that's what you're asking haha.. I'm not sure if i understand it correctly but i created everyone on my own. I'll mention the one that comes to my mind first then.

Side character- Emrys from In The Silence, Strength

Protagonist- Dr. Phineas Abel Thorncroft from The Masque Of Murder

Antagonist- Dante from Beyond The Pages (but he is also the protagonist)

And i can't really remember the last two.

when someone asks the dreaded, "what do you write about," question, what do you usually say?

Yknow, fantasy stuff with magic and murder mystery with actual murder and blood and stuff and all that hahah none of the stuffs that you like or understand or are interested in right? Hahah it totally doesn't have queer peoples. Just fictional stuff you don't wanna know hahaha.

Deadass.

who's the most unhinged?

Dr. Phineas Abel Thorncroft (from The Masque Of Murder), Acheron (from Legacy of Creation), Dante (from Beyond The Pages) and Eitenne Lumiere( from Wicked Games, Wicked Fates) from what i remember .

who comes the most naturally for you to write?

Vesperine, Cleo, Pareen

do you ever cringe at them?

Hahaha... sometimes..

how much control do you feel you have over your characters? do they ever "write themselves," refuse to cooperate, or do things you didn't expect? to what degree? are some less cooperative than others?

I feel like i have 70% control and 30% is something they do it themselves because i give them the freedom to do so. Because that is the story of my character and not of me, even if I am the one who wrote it. Sometimes the decision i make for them is not what they'd do.

do you enjoy people asking questions about your characters? and do you have a preferred means of receiving said questions? for example, as asks, as replies, as reblogs, as tag notes, as comments on ao3, etc.

Yes i absolutely love it please ask. Doesn't matter how just ask♡♡♡

what makes you want to follow another writeblr account? do you follow 'em as you see 'em, or take time scoping out the blog to make sure you align with its content? do you follow based on wips, or vibes?

I take time scoping out the blog to make sure i align with it's content. And i follow based on both, wips and vibes but mostly vibes.

what makes you decide against following?

If i don't align with the content or i don't fond the story interesting, i don't follow.

do you interact with non-mutual often?

Not often but i do.

do your mutuals' characters occupy space in your noodle?

There are so so many characters of my mutuals that i love love loveee but my memory rn isn't functioning at its best so i will just write whom i can remember rn.

The Madness, the lady and that guy from Foliè written by @drchenquill, my friend. Whose writing always leaves me with surprises and cliffhangers. She supports me so much i almost feel guilty 💕💕💕💕 i love you so much💖💖💖

@paeliae-occasionally Xanren, Marsh and Paeliae. I love their stories it captivated me. I hope you can tag me on their journey 👍, @cssnder, my first mutual whom i talked with so much courage that i almost didn't open tumblr the next day due to embarrassment and nervousness. Her works are like renaissance paintings, truly mesmerizing and beautiful. Thus Saith The Lord is truly a work of art and i hope i get to read it soon.😭 And also, @roarintheheavens , my new friend, I'm so happy. Vron Carson, he is very interesting and i can't wait to know more about him. And of course, @the-golden-comet, I'd very much like to read more about peter hart.

Just because i didn't mention everyone doesn't mean i don't appreciate your works, it's just that i haven't read them yet. I hope you all can send it to me. I'll definitely read it.

I'll tag @finickyfelix @willtheweaver @ascotwriting @agirlandherquill @leahnardo-da-veggie @illarian-rambling @winglesswriter @graveyardshift111

[dead8bit]

─ Virtual Angel !

Aventurine x GN!Reader

Inspired by 'Virtual Angel' by ARTMS!

Tags: Obsessed Aventurine, Religious Imagery, Religious Symbolism, God, Angels, S*icide, Parasocial relationship (?), Aventurine hates himself, Self-hatred, Hurt No Comfort, Angst.

Word Count: 1.6k

Aventurine stood at the edge of the building. His vision is a split screen between his feet and the back alley. The sky was beautiful, bright blue with a few white clouds dotted along the view. They were so fluffy and clean. Just like Them. Their white wings were far more superior than the fake ones he wore on his back. Everyone wore them, everyone in The Gathering. It was like a show of faith. Although it was never as permanent as the tattoo that bled into his skin. A black cross. Slightly downturned arms. It paired awfully well with his neck brand.

His pupils shook as he peered down. Why? He had done this over and over again, yet he was still frightened. Not of death, no. In fact, he craved it, he wanted to die. But They scared him, every time he did this, yet he couldn’t stop.

They wouldn’t be happy, quite devastated if he jumped and died. Every other time he’d do it, They would scold him.

‘Please clean me. Please help me.’

He felt sick and twisted.

His left hand held a small white wand. A shiny Aventurine attached to the top of it. They always encouraged him to clean it often. They told him that Aventurine is beautiful and should be taken care of.

That was probably the 20th replacement They had been forgiving enough to give him after it shattered next to his lifeless body.

Here we go again, let’s die. I’m going to die because… I hate myself. I’m disgusting. No one loves me. They don’t love me. Why? Why don’t They love me? I dedicate my life to Them because I need faith. I need faith to continue. I hate my life. I hate my past. Please kill me.

Please kill him.

A glowing figure appeared in front of him, hovering in the air. Their spotless wings outstretched. White clothing adored their body, decorated with pure gold. Their eyes investigate him, a smile on Their face. Their lips opened, their voice drowning out every other sound of this world.

It was you. The one who Aventurine truly needed.

“Why is light given to him who is in misery, and life to the bitter of soul, who long for death, but it does not come, and search for it more than hidden treasures; Who rejoice exceedingly, and are glad when they can find the grave? Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, and whom God has hedged in?”

You could only deliver these sacred words to him every time he rejected life. Your heart ached. It really did hurt you. He was too insecure to believe you loved him.

Aventurine sighed and choked out a few tears.

“Why?”

“I know you are angry with God,” the words fall off your tongue. Every syllable, every pronunciation, every vowel and consonant were heavenly to his ears, ���But I know you do not curse God.”

He stretched his left hand out, sending the wand to its own death. Your eyes followed it down, seeing the Aventurine shatter into bits. You look back at him. Blank face.

“Is my forgiveness not sufficient? Is my giving not feeding you? Do I not unlock my heart enough?”

The tears started flowing down his cheeks at your words. He’s only cried in front of you. No one else at The Gatherings had ever seen him truly.

“I don’t believe it.”

Your hands ghost over your chest, shutting your eyes and no longer smiling, “Yet you still pray to me, pray to God every day.”

You’re right. He still has faith; he can’t even go back home anymore. He spends nights sleeping where he sees you, where he prays for you. He only eats fruit. He feels like he shouldn’t be allowed to consume anything else.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”

He must do everything to make you and your God pleased. Everything besides his frequent suicides. He was addicted. He can’t stop that, no he couldn’t!

And so, he did.

…

His fingers are shaking. His breath is fast. His heart was pumping, and he had tears down his face. The weight of the headset on his head was heavy, blocking his vision. His hands pressed against the machine and pulled it off his head, messing up his already messy hair.

His body was snug in a beanbag, covered in pillows and blankets. Gently dropping the headset beside him to not wake any of the other members of The Gathering who also slept on beanbags with the same headsets on their heads.

The pink and white plushies stared lifelessly into his eyes. They surrounded the room. The white walls painted over with the pink lighting from the neon lights hung up around the room. A few neon signs were eyes. Eyes everywhere watching them, watching him. The large light was an exact replica of the tattoo in his skin. Pointed cross, downturned arms.

The box TVs placed at the front of the room played blue static. The sound of white noise and breathing echoed in his ears.

Aventurine’s hands felt around in his lap and recognised the familiar object that had recently been placed in his hands. The wand, the same Aventurine attached to the top of it. It glowed softly as your whisper echoed from the gem.

“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.”

Your words repeated the same words over and over again until the glow died down.

“Sleep. Rest your temple of God.”

Aventurine’s eyes fluttered open to the same room.

Everyone was gone with their headsets carefully placed on their beanbags.

The TVs stirred and the blue static distorted into a video of you. Your voice poured out of the speakers in a heavenly tone.

I’ll be there for you when your wings break.

Letting go of you that’s a heartbreak.

His pupils dilated at the sight of you and your voice. He slowly got up and crawled to the TV. Pulling his face to the screen, he could see every pixel of you. You took up his entire vision and his mind was foggy.

His fingers caressed the screen. The false wings on his back shifted from left to right and he moved impossibly close to the screen.

My feelings are complete when the moon rises.

His breath graced the screen as tears welled up in his eyes again.

Please, please, please.

O Lord.

His eyes close and lips sweetly kiss yours through the screen.

He whispers to you through the screen, “When I open my eyes at last… Please save me saviour.”

Your eyes meet his as he opens them, breaking the fourth wall. You smile at him, with a lingering feeling of sadness.

“I’m just your Virtual Angel.”

[fudgesoup]

Between the Pages and Blueprints

Chapter 1: A Flower Blooms

Robin realizes her true emotions when it comes to a goofball cyborg.

Rated: Mature - 2.5k - Nico Robin x Franky

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Tags: 

One Piece, Wano, Frobin, Nico Robin x Franky, Alternate Universe, AU, Fluff, Falling In Love, Secret Relationship, Mutual Pining, Eventual Smut, Implied Relationships, Jealousy, Jealous!Roronoa Zoro, Jealous!Franky, Unrequited Love, Misunderstandings, Inner Dialogue, Funny, Trauma, One Piece Universe, Nico Robin Needs a Hug, UsoNa, Usopp x Nami

After a struggle that seemed as if it would last a lifetime, the battle for Wano was won… Luffy and his crew, along with the samurai alliance, prevailed in their fight against Kaido and Orochi's army. With Wano free, Momonosuke rose to power and restored the Kozuki clan's honor, along with his country's hopes and dreams. Tonight, it seemed like the festivities would continue until everyone had their fill, free to do as they pleased.

What had been planned as a single-day fire festival soon expanded into a multi-day celebration, a joyous commemoration of Wano’s liberation from the tyrannical grip of suffering. The people of the island rejoiced in the streets, their laughter echoing through the air, lanterns glowing against the night sky like stars brought down to earth. The scent of grilled food, sweet sake, and burning incense permeated the air as Momonosuke, alongside the Straw Hat crew and his retainers, indulged in the freedom they had fought so hard to secure. It was a festival for the ages, meant to honor the fallen and the living, where the “heroes” of Wano could join in once their battered bodies allowed them to.

But while the island celebrated, reveling in their newfound freedom, there was one person who couldn’t quite join in, one whose chest still clenched tightly with lingering pain, her mind weighed down by memories that had not yet loosened their grip. Nico Robin had done her best to maintain her composure throughout the day, smiling when needed, offering polite conversations when approached. Yet, beneath the surface, the emotions she had bottled up were threatening to overflow.

As the merriment reached an all time high in the main dining area, Robin felt herself growing more and more detached from the festive atmosphere around her. The lively chatter and the constant movement became too much. Her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, each one more oppressive than the last, and her chest tightened with an invisible weight she could no longer ignore.

She needed to get away.

In a moment of quiet resolve, she slipped from her seat, unnoticed by the others who were too engrossed in the party to see her go. Robin moved gracefully through the main dining hall area, her expression calm despite the inner turmoil she was trying so desperately to conceal. The clinking of cups, the hearty laughter, and the occasional bursts of music became distant as she retreated further and further from the crowd. The vibrant glow of lanterns faded as she made her way through the dim corridors of the hall, seeking refuge in the quieter corners of the building.

Finally, she found a small room tucked away from the celebrations. The door creaked softly as she pushed it open, stepping into the cool, shadowed space. It was dimly lit by a single paper lantern, its soft glow casting flickering shadows across the room’s sparse furnishings: a low table, a few cushions, and a screen door that led out to a quiet garden. The room had an air of serenity about it, a peaceful solitude that sharply contrasted the lively atmosphere just outside. But for Robin, it was a haven, a place where she could finally breathe.

She closed the door behind her, the muffled sounds of the festival in the distance. The silence of the room wrapped around her like a comforting blanket, but it also brought with it the thoughts she had been trying to escape. Her heart, which had been pounding all day with the weight of unprocessed fear and grief, now thudded heavily in her chest.

Robin moved slowly toward the center of the room, her knees feeling weak as she knelt on the floor. She placed a hand over her chest, as if trying to physically calm the storm of emotions swirling inside her. The flickering lantern light reflected in her dark eyes as she stared at the floor, her thoughts once again drifting to Kaido’s burning castle, the suffocating heat of the flames, and the chilling moment when CP-0 had appeared from the smoke.

She was defenseless after her battle with Black Maria, her stamina drained to the very edge. And then they had come for her, the agents, faceless and merciless, determined to capture her. It had all happened so fast, her limbs heavy with exhaustion, her mind screaming at her to run, to fight, but her body had been paralyzed by fatigue. She would have been taken, dragged away into the clutches of the World Government, had it not been for Brook. He had protected her, his calm presence a lifeline amidst the chaos, guiding her to safety even as the castle crumbled around them.

But even now, safe from danger, the old wounds resurfaced. The terror of being hunted, the memories of CP-9, the despair she had felt during the Water 7/ Enies Lobby incident, and the haunting fear of losing everything and everyone all over again. Those scars were fresh, bleeding beneath the surface of her calm exterior. Her body trembled slightly as she knelt there, the room’s quiet stillness contrasting the storm brewing inside her.

Her breath came in shallow, uneven gasps, and she wrapped her arms tightly around herself, as if she could hold herself together through sheer willpower. She bent forward, her forehead nearly touching the floor as her sobs, so carefully suppressed, finally broke free. Her mind was a blur of memories, each one sharper than the last: her mother’s final words, Saul’s laughter before he was silenced forever, the cold, hollow feeling of losing everything.

But then, through the darkness of her thoughts, a voice echoed in her mind. A voice she had not expected to hear at such a moment.

"No matter how dangerous you may be, just being alive, being who you are, is never wrong!"

She clung to those words like a lifeline.

Franky's voice suddenly cutting through the haze of her distress. It was strange—his voice wasn’t actually in the room with her, yet it had settled at the very center of her thoughts, clear and reassuring.

Franky…

The mere thought of him brought a wave of warmth that dulled the sharp edges of her panic. Slowly, her mind shifted away from the pain and toward him. His vibrant blue hair—so unique, so utterly Franky—flashed in her memory, and she found herself smiling, despite everything. Then came the image of his physique, a striking mix of power and sleek engineering, and with it, the bold, larger-than-life personality that made him stand out in a world full of extraordinary people.

As she thought about him, the tightness in her chest began to ease. Her heart, which had been racing with anxiety moments ago, now pounded with something else entirely: excitement. It amazed her how just thinking about him could chase away the shadows, and could lift the crushing weight off her chest. Franky had always been different, a person who managed to make her feel grounded, even amidst the chaos.

While the entire crew had fought to save her, there was something about Franky that had carved out a special place in her heart. She remembered how he’d put himself on the line for her, taking bullets without a second thought, shielding her with his body as though it was the most natural thing in the world. His concern for her had been so genuine, so selfless, and though they hadn’t known each other long, she felt a connection to him that went deeper than she could explain. There was also his morality that stood out to her, back in Dressrosa he swore to fight alongside the Tontattas in their revolution against the Donquixote family no matter what. 

From that moment on, Franky stood out in ways she hadn’t fully acknowledged until now. She recalled the first time they brought him aboard the crew. She’d strong-armed him—literally—when the opportunity arose, grabbing him by the balls to force him to join. At the time, she hadn’t known why she felt so compelled to keep him close, but now it seemed obvious. Something inside her had known even then that she didn’t want him far from her.

As these thoughts caressed her, Robin could almost feel his presence beside her. She replayed the way his eyes had met hers in the past, the steady reassurance in his gaze before he snapped into his larger-than-life self. Her heart fluttered again, and she realized her hands were trembling slightly. What was this feeling? She couldn’t quite place it, but whatever it was, she didn’t want it to end.

Franky was rough around the edges, yes, but there was a warmth beneath the bravado that Robin had always sensed. His laughter was full-bodied, like he put his entire soul into it. He had a passion for everything he did, a reckless joy for life that she found intoxicating. Deep down, she had always cared for him, though she had never allowed herself to explore those feelings beyond the bounds of friendship. He was her crewmate, her friend. And yet, the way she felt about him was beginning to feel like so much more.

But that terrified her.

Robin had lost too much already: her mother, Saul, the island of Ohara. The fear of attachment had kept her guarded, she was a one point distant even from her crewmates. She had worn an air of aloofness, presenting herself as the mysterious scholar, the composed archaeologist. Inside however, she was anything but. The thought of getting too close to someone, of letting herself care—it filled her with a crippling anxiety. What if she lost him? What if Franky became another person she loved only to see ripped away? 

She had told herself for so long that it was better to keep her distance, to protect her heart from that kind of pain. But here she was, sitting in the dimly lit room, feeling her heart race not from fear, but from the rush of emotions she could no longer deny. She trusted her crewmates with all her being, every single one of them, she had for a while now, and just as she went running to help Sanji in need, she was going to have to do the same for herself: and trust in her feelings.

Robin slowly sat up, her body no longer hunched over in despair. She adjusted her position, crossing her legs and resting her hands in her lap. Her breathing was still a little shaky, her heart still thudding heavily in her chest, but it was no longer the suffocating panic from before. Her spirit felt lighter than air now as she finally let go of the small portion of fear she had been holding on to. 

Franky… What is it about you that makes me feel so strange?

Robin's thoughts swirled, trying to pin down exactly what it was about him that stirred this unfamiliar sensation inside her. Was it the way he carried himself, so confident? Or was it his genius, his knack for innovating everything around him? Or maybe it was that strange, boyish sense of wonder he seemed to carry, mixed with his occasional bursts of immaturity. She chuckled softly, her lips curling into a smirk as she fondly recalled the ridiculous moment when Franky had flown away using nothing but farts powered by cola. He could be so absurd—and yet, somehow, that only made him more endearing.

Memories began to flood her mind all at once, the small moments they had shared over time. The meals together, the way he’d playfully carry her like a queen without a second thought, the countless times he had shielded her from danger, guiding her to safety. A wave of warmth spread through her, washing away the last remnants of her earlier panic. In this quiet moment, she realized something that made her chest flutter—she wanted more. She wanted to be held by him again, to share more meals, more laughter, to be adored by him the way he always seemed to adore her.

"WOAH! Now who is that gorgeous lady!" His booming voice echoed in her head, filling her with a burst of joy. He had always seen her as beautiful, always accepted her for who she was. It wasn’t just the admiration in his words but the genuine warmth behind them. Franky wasn’t someone who said things lightly. When he called her beautiful, he meant it with his whole heart. And now, in this moment of clarity, Robin allowed herself to give in, to let her thoughts run wild with the possibilities.

For so long, she had carried the weight of her past, of loss and heartache. But now, as she let her mind linger on Franky, the pain of those old memories began to fade, replaced by a gentle, glowing hope.

She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, savoring the cool air as it filled her lungs. As she let it out, a sense of release washed over her. The tension she had been holding on to for so long finally began to melt away. And in that quiet moment, she came face-to-face with a truth she had been denying for far too long.

“I love him.”

The realization struck her like a tidal wave, overwhelming at first. She sat there for a moment, stunned, as the weight of it settled in. But as the words sank deeper, a smile crept across her face: wide, bright, and uncontainable. She tried to cover her mouth with her hand, but her joy bubbled up inside her, spilling out in soft giggles that soon grew louder.

"I... I’m in love with Franky," she whispered, her voice tinged with disbelief.

The sheer abruptness of the realization left her speechless for a moment. Her usually fair complexion flushed with a deep rose tint, spreading quickly across her cheeks. She had never, in her wildest dreams, imagined falling in love. Love wasn’t something she had ever thought possible for her—not with her history, not with the walls she had built around herself. It had always felt like something distant, something meant for other people. But now, the undeniable truth of her feelings was staring her in the face, impossible to ignore.

Can we truly be together? she wondered, the question lingering in her mind like a half-formed dream. Could someone like her, with so much darkness in her past, really be with someone as bright and open as Franky?

Slowly, Robin rose from the cold floor, her movements deliberate and measured. The room around her felt smaller now, as if the space itself was shrinking beneath the weight of her new realization. She couldn’t stay hidden away any longer, not with this truth hanging in the air.

With a newfound resolve, she stepped toward the door, her heart pounding in her chest. The next move was hers to make. If she was going to let Franky into her life, into her heart, she needed to know more, needed to see how he felt, if there was a real future for them.

Robin stepped out of the secluded room, leaving behind the shadows of her past. She would find him, talk to him, because if anyone could help her navigate this new, strange feeling, it was the man with the bright blue hair and the even brighter heart.

Notes:

Thank you for reading chapter 1!! I plan for this fic to be a good length, I’m refining chapter 2, so it will be up soon!

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[silver-wield]

Ffxvi ending spoilers

I'll tag this too, but this is your warning, I'm about to rant about the ending.

Because I didn't like it.

Lemme preface by saying I loved the game! Love Clive, Jill and everyone else in the cast, except Annabel, she's a bitch and deserves to die. Main story is great, sidequests great, combat is fun and it's great. Except the ending.

It's one thing to pepper hints throughout the story when you have a hero who maybe hasn't done as much to earn the definitive ending you, as a player, expect, and wind up with some ambiguity as to their fate.

It's totally okay to have secondary characters' fates left up in the air and wondering what became of them because they are not your primary hero.

It is not fucking okay to throw out not one, not two, but four ambiguous ending hooks when a hero such as Clive has literally done everything humanly possible to earn the kind of ending you see in ffix, with our hero returning home to his loved ones.

Onto the actual ending. Last chance to dip.

No pics except at the end, but I will be describing what happened.

Last chance fr

Can't say I didn't warn yall.

After Clive defeats Ultima and destroys the crystal, we pull back to see it crumble. Now, if you were going for an ambiguous ending, at this point you would leave Clive there and not return. It's a stupidly high drop and it would leave his fate literally up in the air.

Nope. We see he survives the thousands of feet fall into the ocean and makes it to shore.

We rejoice, believing he'll be okay and keep his promise to Jill to return and actually save himself along with everyone else like she's been begging him this whole time.

Haha, you thought.

Clive attempts to use magic, only for his hand to petrify. He smiles, knowing he's succeeded for definite. And then come some last words as he stares at the star he recalls Jill making a wish on, and his hand falls to the sand in the typical symbolism for death, which we've seen multiple times not only in this game but across FF.

Cut to Jill, staring at the star, which winks out of existence. She bursts into tears and runs to the deck, fearful it means Clive's dead. Torgal howls, mourning his master, and that should be clue enough that Clive is dead because Torgal never gave up looking for Clive all the years they were apart.

Then, comes the pathetic trope of the "light of hope" as the sun rises, and we see Jill's tears stop as she looks at the horizon.

I saw someone say they spent a stupid amount of time looking for a boat and claiming Clive is rowing back to her, but you have to look reaaaaaaally hard to see it. That's because there is no boat. There is no boat.

Jill is recalling her own words and hoping Clive will return to her just like the sun rises, and that's what we're supposed to cling to. Her words, along with all the other "hints" left along the way about Clive saving himself, how he should hang up his sword and pick up a quill (and I'll get to that in a second) and all the plans he makes for a life once things are over are meant to make us hopeful he's alive, despite the previous scene of deathly symbolism.

Then come the credits. No, we didn't see anybody else at the Hideaway besides a short moment with Gav, Mid and Edda, so literally everyone's fate across the realm is left open ended, which is so fucking unsatisfying. As unsatisfying as the ending to ffxv when we see empty landscapes because most of the fucking population across the planet is dead bar a few pathetic survivors huddled in Lestalum, who we don't even see enjoying the "new light of hope" because apparently a view of a barren landscape is meant to be good enough (and then came the dlc with one alt ending and a novel with a "definitive" ending that erases the original canon one because they fucked up so much they couldn't even work out how to end the damn game. Showing a mostly dead world with a "hopeful sunrise" ain't it. Nobody's alive to enjoy the fucking hope!)

Anyway, this is not a ffxv rant, so moving on. After the credits is a short scene of a beautiful cottage surrounded by greenery and flowers with two boys and a smol dog. The elder boy has Clive's dark hair and the younger has Joshua's hair colour. They're doing chores without magic and lamenting that magic and eikons are fairytales and Clive's favourite play makes a reference as well.

We end on a book written by Joshua Rosfield that depicts the war of eikons that the boys are pretending to play out in the garden.

And that's our fourth "did he live?" moment, using Harpocrates words about picking up a quill, and taking on his dead brother's name so it might always be remembered the way he took Cid's name on, Clive writes about his people's deeds. But did he? Or was it one of the Undying who penned it and listed Joshua, their lord, as the author?

But you know what? I don't give a fuck about some distant future where Clive's efforts pay off and the world is free and safe. It was a fucking given that would work out.

What I cared about and wanted to see was the characters I cared about being free and safe.

Throwing some NPC children with Clive and Joshua's hair colours at us as some consolation prize while Clive finished either dead or unconscious alone on a beach and Jill is sobbing is not the ending any of us laboured for. We have no attachment to these children, and the weird fucking hint about reincarnation or whatever that was, is fucking stupid and undermines everything about them living and dying on their own terms. The idea that Clive and Joshua, having been imbued with the power of the phoenix will rise again in some distant and free land, undermines everything they did in destroying magic and eikons and crystals. It's not a good enough ending when it comes off the back of the absolute fuck all that came before the credits and reincarnations were never introduced as a concept in the entire game.

Maybe if they showed Clive alive and reunited with his loved ones it would be a further heartwarming moment to see his and Joshua's souls together in another life. Their bond is such a huge part of what makes the story so damn good, but as it is, it feels cheap and flatter than a pancake to end like this.

It's clear the devs teams eyes are on future dlc to pick up where this "ending" left off and hopefully provide the fulfillment we expected, but to have the canon ending at this point of their next gen mainline FF game be so disappointing and low note just isn't good enough.

And people can say there's hints all over and we just need to look, but after everything Clive went through, we deserved a little more certainty of his survival.

All we needed was a boat on the horizon.

[couldntbedamned]

Back to Where You've Never Been - Chapter 14

Summary: In an alternate reality, Peter Parker is living out his dream of being Spider-Man and working as an intern for Stark Industries (and the Avengers!) under his hero, Tony Stark, before heading off to college. For the most part, it's incredible. Okay, the Avengers treat him like he's still a child, and Mr. Stark's not exactly the friendliest mentor. But still, it's good.

Except that recently, Mr. Stark's been in the worst mood and Peter finds himself the unwitting focus of the man's ire. He tries to keep his spirits up and tell himself that it's not personal, that anyone in the lab would be a target, but when Mr. Stark kicks him out, Peter knows he's done.

Then he finds himself falling for what feels like an eternity before returning to New York. Only it's not his New York City and the Iron Man he ends up fighting alongside is definitely not his Iron Man. Anthony Stark is kind of perfect. The Other Avengers are kind of perfect. Everyone here seems to love him. And when he and Anthony are tapped by Dr. Strange to help seal the rift between realities, Peter finds himself wondering if he was supposed to be in the reality with Anthony all along.

Warnings (or AO3 tags):  Peter Parker needs a Hug, Tony Stark has Issues, Peter Parker Whump, Tony Stark is a Dick, Alternate Tony Stark is Perfect, Alternate Avengers are Perfect, Peter Parker is of Legal Age, Pain. Lots of Pain.

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Chapter 14 - 6:02 AM EST

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New York City rejoices when they realize that their hero - Spider-Man - has returned.

A few news sources question the change in his suit - apparently the red and blue is missed. But the silver, blue - Anthony's blue - and black aren't going anywhere. This suit is his last tie to the life - and man - he'd loved.

He doesn't patrol nearly as often as he used to before that fateful day in Mr. Stark's lab. It's an ordeal again, getting to a secure place, suiting up, and then slinging up and away. It's a pain in the ass to make his web-fluid in the kitchen he shares with May. And most of all, he resents the need for secrecy.

He remembers how wonderful it had been to just be Peter Starr, aka Spider-Man and not have to worry about the people he loved being in danger. He remembers what Steve said with such conviction.

"We don't hide behind masks."

He'd been free, in a way.

He thinks about actually doing it, about revealing his identity to the world and taking his chances. Then guilt roils in him until he's sick in the stomach. He can't risk his Aunt May like that, or MJ or Ned. It's so selfish to even think about it!

It was simpler, Over There, he thinks.

Life was better Over There.

He finds that he's resenting being stuck Over Here. Everything he's once loved now feels tainted somehow. He doesn't like it at all and he especially doesn't like how he's starting to feel apathetic.

"We need a plan."

If it was like before, when Peter was still with them - with him - where he belongs, Anthony would tease Steve for how serious he's being.

But this is no time to tease. The stakes are far too high.

"Agreed," he says. He looks at America. "How does this magical girl star power thing of yours work?"

America considers. "I concentrate really heard about where I want to go. Then I just sort of, you know, punch a hole in reality and step through. Once I'm through it closes."

"And you haven't noticed any deterioration of the realities?" Strange asks.

"No," she says emphatically. "No, and I spent a lot of time studying up on it during all of my travels."

"How do we make sure we're hitting the right reality?" Hope asks. "I don't want to risk inter-dimensional war."

"I think if I had something of Peter's, from before, it would help me focus." America looks at Anthony. "Did he have anything on him when he fell through?"

"Just his suit and web shooters."

"Do you still have them? The web shooters?"

Anthony nods in answer to Sam's question. "Yeah. I couldn't bring myself to throw them out." The web shooters and suit are in a little box in the back of his closet. They were his last tie to the man he'd loved.

"Okay. We make it Over There. What then?" Steve asks.

"We need to make sure we're not risking civilians," Sharon says. "And we need to be careful. They're still Avengers and from everything Peter said, they're considered heroes there like we are here. The public probably won't take a group attacking them too well."

Anthony scowls. He doesn't like the idea of those people being considered heroes. Not when they were so terrible to Peter.

They talk through the plan, poking holes in it where they can and refining until they have something solid.

Then Bucky speaks for the first time.

"We can't just steal him back."

"I'm sorry, what?" Anthony bites out. "You've been in on this planning session with the rest of us and you're just now offering your thoughts?"

"Look, we know he didn't want to go back, but if we just show up and forcibly take him, are we any better than they are?"

"He's happy here," Wanda argues.

"I know that!" Bucky exclaims. "And I want him back just as much as you all do. I'm just saying that he deserves to be able to choose to come back." He looks at them all. "You know I'm right."

Anthony runs a hand over his face. "Yeah, we know." Then he sighs. "He'll probably say no."

"You don't know that," Bruce says.

"It's who he is," Anthony argues. "His whole thing is ignoring anything he wants if he thinks it will make others happy, because... because..."

"Because he doesn't think he deserves to be happy," Nat finishes.

"We can least offer him the choice," Pietro says. "We can give him that, which is more than they ever have."

"And we can kick their asses," Ava adds fiercely. "They have it coming."

"They certainly do," Steve agrees, shocking them all. "What?" He adds defensively at the incredulous looks. "I never said they don't suck!"

"I need you to know that I'm so proud of you, Spangles. So proud," Anthony tells him. "One day you'll learn to swear properly."

Bucky snorts. "Remind me to share some stories from the Commando days."

"I don't think that will be necessary," Steve says with a sheepish look.

"We should all get some rest," Strange advises. "This trip is going to take a lot out of us."

"Do you know how this turns out?" Anthony asks him after the others have filtered out and it's just the two of them.

Strange's face is blank. "I can't answer that," he says. "I know it's not what you want to hear but it's all I can say."

"Your job sucks," Anthony says after a few moments.

"It's not without its difficulties and frustrations," Strange admits.

"Any sightings?" Tony asks.

There have been no sightings of Spider-Man since last week, Sir.

Tony sighs and rubs his face. It used to be that the kid couldn't get enough of his patrolling. He was always chomping at the bit to be free of his classes so he could suit up and sling around the city helping anyone he could. Peter isn't even coming to the Tower so he can make his web fluid. For all that Tony had wanted Peter out of the line of heavy fire, he almost wishes the kid was fighting bad guys on the regular like he'd been so determined to do.

"Keep your eyes open, J."

Of course, Sir.

"Tony?"

He turns to see Pepper leaning against the doorway to his lab. He searches his mind and frowns when it comes up blank. "Did I forget a board meeting or otherwise important shindig?"

"No," she says softly. "But you have been forgetting to sleep."

"I'm not sure I know how," he says. "Pep, I messed up, so much worse than I could have imagined and I don't know how to fix it. He won't talk to any of us and he's hardly going out as Spider-Man, either."

"He's not the boy you knew," she says, moving over to him and cupping his face while he looks up at her with saddened eyes. "He did an awful lot of growing up while he was gone and he's never going to be the Peter he was before."

"I was just trying to keep him safe and away from all of this, you know, before. I know I'm an unbearable ass when you go on vacation and I'm left in charge of everything but knowing that I hurt him the way I did kills me. And realizing just how unfair we've been to him? We were terrible and I was the worst of us. And it doesn't even matter how much I apologize, because he's not going to accept. I can't even blame him for that, either."

"All you can do is give him time. And maybe give him that data stick that he had on him when you all pulled him back."

He rolls his chair back and stands up. "I never have been the patient type," he admits. "But since I can't just build him a new suit, I suppose I should make sure he gets this data stick. I'm not sure I see the point; if he's homesick for that place, it might just make it worse."

"Tony."

He sighs. "Yeah, you're right as usual, Ms. Potts."

He calls for one of the Iron Legion and sends the Mark 47 to the kid's apartment, data stick in hand with a message: You had this on you when you came over, must have fallen out of your pocket during all of the hustle and bustle.

Pepper leaves after securing his promise that he'll catch a few hours on the lab futon. He actually means it, too.

He looks around, wishing he'd been in a state to properly appreciate the last time Peter came bouncing through the doors to the lab, cheerful and ready to work.

He'll probably never get that again.

'You really are the worst, Tony," he mutters to himself.

Peter looks at the data stick the Mark 47 had given him.

He's so glad to have it back; he'd promised Anthony he'd take care of it and he'd lost it! Hell, he'd forgotten all about it!

"Hey Gwen, can you interface with this?"

The nanites in one of Peter's web shooters reform to accept the data stick and plugging it in, he pulls on his mask and lays down on his bed.

“Hey, Pete. If you’re viewing this, then I guess you made your choice, and it was to go back.”

"I didn't!" he wants to scream at Holo-Anthony. "I didn't chose to come back here! I wasn't going to leave!"

But Holo-Anthony can't hear him, of course.

His heart breaks over and over again as he watches the message Anthony had prepared for him, just in case.

“Maybe this whole recording thing is a no-starter - miracles happen - and you’ve chosen to stay. But either way, Peter, there’s two things I need you to know. One is that I love you, more than I thought I’d ever be able to love anyone. And the second is that you, Peter Starr, are the very best of any of us. Okay.” Holo-Anthony nods with tears brimming in his eyes. “I’m done.”

Before he can scream or cry, video starts playing.

“J, give Peter here the same access and rights as me, outside of the Core files."

Very well. Mr. Parker, I am at your disposal.

“Say something to him,” Anthony prompts. “Ask him anything.”

“What do you like to do for fun, JARVIS?” Peter asks.

There are several hackers within SHIELD that I enjoy shutting down on an almost-daily basis. I also spend time interfacing with my brothers.

“The bots Anthony built?”

Yes.

“That’s really nice,” Peter tells JARVIS. He looks at Anthony, delighted.

“You’re just full of surprises, aren’t you Peter Parker?” Anthony grins. “I don’t think anyone living here has ever asked J that before, have they, J?”

They have not, Sir. Including yourself.

Anthony rolls his eyes. “Oh please, J, you know I love you.”

Peter tells Gwen to pause the video and clenches his eyes shut. That had been his first night Over There and officially one of the best nights of his entire life. He'd been warm and safe and without the consistent pangs of hunger that had plagued him for years. He'd met Anthony. Seeing it again just makes the pain of being trapped Over Here worse.

He lays in bed, miserable. He half wishes that Mr. Stark had just kept the damned data stick.

Hopefully Mr. Stark hadn't seen anything on it; that would be too humiliating. What would Mr. Stark even think of him, falling in love with Anthony the way he did? And the dietary needs? Mr. Stark and the others would probably just think he's some helpless little charity case.

Maybe he should look for a real job. He can make money that way and since he's not patrolling and has no interest in attending NYU, he'll have plenty of free time. He hasn't really had so much free time since he started working on the...

He sits up suddenly.

“...First and foremost is your whole healing the reality barriers deal, since one, it’s brilliant and two, I can’t imagine you not carrying on back Over There."

The barriers! How could he have forgotten?

"Way to get self-absorbed, Peter," he mutters to himself. "You really are the worst." He suits up and climbs out the window. He has a sorcerer to see.

They're quiet as they congregate in the lab where Peter had been taken. Hank and Janet are present, both eager to observe America's powers at work.

"We shouldn't be too long," Anthony assures them.

He's waved off. "We were in the superhero game before you were even in school," Janet tells him. "We still have some tricks up our sleeve if anyone decides to cause trouble while you're gone."

Hank nods. "Don't underestimate the ants."

Well, that is a terrifying thought, Anthony thinks, looking around. There's a restlessness in the air despite the early hour.

Sharon checks her powered garrotes and Natasha fiddles with her Widow's Bites. Clint is rearranging the arrows in his quiver while Bucky flips one of his knives. The others are similarly nervous.

Anthony is regretting the third cup of coffee he drank after waking up; he has visions of vibrating out of the suit mid-reality jump and somehow dying. He shakes his head. America has assured them it's safe and she's the expert.

"Is this everyone?" Strange asks as he portals in.

"We're just waiting on our friendly ghost," Anthony says. "JARVIS said she's on a slight delay.. She'll be here in a few minutes."

"Is she up for this?" Steve asks Sam. "I know she's been struggling."

"Oh, she's more than ready," Sam insists. "She's probably just drinking that stabilizing tonic Janet created for her to make sure there are no mishaps."

Ava enters the lab suited up and ready to go.

"We good?" Anthony asks.

She nods, a hard glint in her eyes. "We're good."

"Remember the plan," Steve says as they gather in a circle. "We've probably only got one shot at this, so let's stay focused and show them just how hard we're willing to fight for Peter." He looks at America. "Whenever you're ready."

America pulls the web shooter out of her pocket. She holds it tightly, closes her eyes, and takes several deep breaths. When her eyes open, they're glowing white. She steps out of the circle, turns, and with the hand holding the web shooter punches forward into the empty air.

The air splits into the shape of a giant star and through it they can see the different reality's Central Park. She steps through the star and pauses. She looks at the web shooter and then out at the park, searching for something only she can see. Then she turns around to face them.

"This is it. Come on through."

They jump through in two's and three's until the last one through is Strange, who does one of his sparkling circle things and makes the star disappear.

"It's in the mirror dimension. That way no one can accidentally wander through."

"Smart," Nat says.

"Alright. Let's do this," Anthony says.

Tony startles awake when the alarms go off in the Tower. He glances over at the clock.

6:02 AM EST.

"J, give me the scoop," he mumbles.

There appears to be a temporal distortion near Central Park. I've attempted to surveil the area but all camera feeds are currently non-functional.

Tony groans. "Well, better go see what AIM is up to this time. I assume the others are on their way to the location?"

They are indeed.

"I'll be there in a few," he said, calling his suit up and flying through one of the access hatches.

There's nothing there, when they all arrive. Sure, it feels weird, the place, but it's as empty as Central Park can be just after six in the morning.

"There's nothing here," Nat says. "Something is off, but nothing's here."

"Let's fan out," Steve suggests. "Stay on the comms, though."

The energy signatures have them moving around through the park, not nearly as spread out as Steve was hoping for. But the way they moved here, then there, then forward, to the side...

They were being herded.

Doctor Strange isn't at the Sanctum.

At least, that's what Wong tells him.

"When will he be back?" Peter asks.

Wong looks torn.

"Oh, just let him in!" come the good doctor's voice.

"You're supposed to be sleeping," Wong scolds, turning back to where Strange is coming down the stairs in a robe that's far shorter than Peter ever wanted to see the man wear.

"Please. I'm used to thirty hour days," Strange says. "I'm good for another ten hours at least." He motions for Peter to come inside. "How can the Sorcerer Supreme be of assistance?"

"When I was Over There, I was helping Anth- I was helping Mr. Stark and the others with stabilizing the barriers between reality so that that Dr. Strange and other Dr. Stranges could work on fixing them. And I know I've been selfish and having the world's biggest pity party since this Mr. Stark and these Avengers pulled me back here, but I was hoping I might be able to help you with it, too. I'm just sorry it's taken so long to reach out."

"Taking time to grieve isn't selfish, Mr. Parker," Strange says. "And if you want to share your strategy for stabilizing the barriers, I'd be happy to hear it." He pauses. "But it's not your job, just so you know."

Peter frowns. "But it was, Over There. Why would Over Here be any different?"

"I can't answer that," Strange says cryptically. "Just know that the situation will be handled."

He doesn't understand, not at all. Why was the other Doctor Strange so insistent while this one is so unconcerned?

"Can I offer you some tea?" Strange asks.

It's early in the morning, just after six.

"Actually, that would be nice. Over There spoiled me for coffee so hot tea is about all I can stand, caffeine-wise."

"You speak of that reality fondly," Strange says once they're seated, each with a cup of tea and saucer.

"I was going to stay," Peter admits. "I didn't choose to come back."

"I'm sorry for how things worked out," Strange tells him. "And for my part in assisting them in their endeavor."

Peter shrugs. "I could have been stuck in a hell dimension for all you guys knew."

"I was fairly certain that wasn't the case," Strange says. "They were very insistent that they needed to save you and make things right."

That has Peter rolling his eyes. "They can't make it right," he says. "I didn't deserve to be treated the way they treated me and I don't think I can forgive them for any of it."

"I was so happy," Peter says after a few minutes. "I was in love. For the first time in my life I felt like I belonged and coming back here has been a nightmare. One they caused."

"You don't have to justify your feelings to me." Strange refills Peter's cup with more of the steaming tea. "And you're well within your rights to forgive or not forgive any of us."

Peter thinks about that. "I'll probably forgive everyone eventually," he admits. "I'm not built for grudges. I always feel bad for keeping them, even if letting them go feels like losing."

Strange chuckles. "You have such a kind heart, Mr. Parker. That's something to cherish."

The area they all end up in is deserted at the early hour, even though New York City almost never slept.

"I don't like this," Sam says. "Something ain't right."

"Agreed, but this is where the energy signatures stopped and we ne-"

There's the sound of a repulsor and Tony goes flying back into the side of one of the brick buildings.

A blue suit appears - an Iron Man! - and the face plate lifts to show another Tony Stark - Peter's Anthony. The Other Avengers plus a teenage girl and another Doctor Strange surround them, crackling into the reality from that damned mirror dimension that apparently all Doctor Stranges love so much.

"What the hell was that for?" Tony asks, pulling himself up to face his hovering counterpart.

"You took something that doesn't belong to you," Anthony says with narrowed eyes. "We've come to bring him back."

-------

[bereft-of-frogs]

there is not a 'what am I reading/watching/etc' list because May was chaotic and also you all already know. I'm being so annoying about it. I've probably turned into a sea of 'this post contains filtered tag...' squares for you. I have done...nothing else. I have no shame. I am having SUCH a great time. I can't remember the last time I've finished a whole book in a single day before. Anyways, The High Republic marathon continues unchecked, you're welcome to filter it out, it seems like it will not be slowing down for a bit...

but a to do list!

rejoice! it is a three day weekend

I have a big 'editing day' adventure tomorrow. I'm going to go to the library. I’m going to pack snacks. It’s going to be great. Goals are to finish the major edits on 'the station' so I can move on to the next item on the agenda (finally finishing 'omens and all kinds of signs'), and just do spelling & grammar passes when I post each chapter. But that does involve two pretty major chapter rewrites, one of which is quite long, so this might be a **bit** of an ambitious goal but I am keeping the faith that if I take myself out of the house (and don't connect to the wifi at the library) I will get it together.

...also rewrite this oneshot to post on Sunday. Yup in between unhinged marathon I also snuck in a (thus far) 2.5k sad oneshot please clap 🙃

memorial day bbq sunday!

said bbq is also at my parents' house so you know what that means. Yup: laundry!

End of list have a good weekend everyone! ☀️

[xmimiteh]

10 favorite characters

Tagged by: @fair-fae​ - Thanks for tagging me! And yes, that was nearly three years ago and you probably cannot even remember tagging me anymore. So, sorry. But I finally did it!

Tagging: It has been some time since this went around. So, maybe some of you have already done it and want to redo it. @zhauric, @kich-rp @avwalya​ @punchelf @lady-lissette @ysandrethedreamer @candlelethe​ @ink-dreams-ffxiv @limitsbroke @captainkurosolaire​ @miqojak @starforger @miqoquest @gatheredfates @arbiterofthedead @archaiclumina @reconditerune @airis-ray @ahlis-xiv @luck-and-larceny @uldahstreetrat @blackbirdffxiv @riftdancing @cactusxwren @little-birdseeker @azure-seadragon @thorstyr @arasnealashandr @angelinecarax @miqomonkly @shavri-ffxiv and, of course, everyone who has not been tagged and wants to do it! Do it and tag me, so I can read it. I would love to see your favorite characters.

I picked the list of my favorite characters according to one simple idea: Everytime they are on screen I rejoice. There are so many more characters I enjoy, but the following are probably my favorite. Yet, it was really hard, so a bit further down below I have to add some "honorable mentions".

Also, I'll spare you the explanations, because then this post would be too lengthy, if I am going to gush about those characters and why I love them. And it is in no ranking order as I would not know how to rank them. I would fail big time at that, because each has a special place in my heart.

Buffy Summers (Buffy: The Vampire Slayer)

Taiga Aisaka (Toradora!)

Captain Picard (Star Trek: The Next Generation)

Spider-Man (Spider-Man)

Patrick Jane (The Mentalist)

Maron Kusakabe (Kamikaze Kaito Jeanne)

Hera Syndulla (Rebels)

Pacey Whitter (Dawson’s Creek)

G’kar (Babylon 5)

Hershel Greene (The Walking Dead)

So this is it. I think there is a strong parallel in all of these characters. They are not what they appear to be at first. They are complex, they have so much depth which is often overlooked and they are bad-ass in their own way. All of them are idealists and fighters in their sometimes own way. I like that kind of characters, the stories around them and the moral dilemmas they have to face oftentimes.

Also under the cut you are going to find my “honorable mentions”, because … there were quite some and I had to reduce the list of characters somehow. But the following are still important to me:

Haruhi Suzumiya (The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya)

Balthier (Final Fantasy 12)

Astrid Hofferson (How to Tame Your Dragon)

Nathan Drake (Uncharted)

Tyrion Lannister (Game of Thrones)

Han Solo (Star Wars)

Sherlock Holmes (Sherlock)

John Locke (Lost)

[trashcanwithsprinkles]

hhghgnm i am back. again. for a different thing. i hope you don't mind, i feel like i've talked a lot lately and yet here i am again :'] this will be a bit of a ramble, if i need to apologise at all, then i am doing so now (if not, thanks for your continued patience?? i know my tendency to ramble probably too much too often)

so. you've awakened the dormant single braincell dedicated purely to pokemon stuff. specifically with that one art for childe and zhongli (no surprises there). congration you done it. i thought it might be more considerate to collect my rambles into an ask here rather than leave a hefty tag ramble on a reblog so here i am, because i desperately need to talk to you about it- or at least ask,, no really i would love to talk about it more but that's very up to you

before anything else i want to let you know how much i internally screamed and cried that you gave childe a lantern. tears of joy. no jokes there. you're absolutely right it's perfect for him. also, it's been ages since i read pokespe especially gen 3 and 6 (if gen 6 is relevant? bc gen 3 remakes? my memory is too hazy so i have to include it just in case,, and beyond that i may not be caught up at all, as i haven't had the opportunity to play the games beyond gen 6 and so kinda fell out of stuff since then except for clinging to the stuff i already knew,,) so i need to reread those, but at least personality-wise the thought that struck me was... childe has some gold vibes?? is that. is that just me or. their general attitudes- i can't unsee it,, anyway, i also love the attention to detail with the pokeballs and alternate colour gigalith. thank you. if you apologised for pokemon nerd shining through, this pokemon nerd is rejoicing in what it sees. however dormant it may've been, pokemon was basically the thing that dominated my childhood interests so hahah,,, it's quite strong. also with the titles aside ace trainer and gentleman so true, so true indeed.

so uh.... here's the thing where i ask.... you gave them 5 each, but.... 6 is a full team, so.... :) :) :) any thoughts on, if they had a 6th, who/what it'd be (this question of full 6 pokemon teams also extends to the twins and xiao, not just childe and zhongli. should i be sorry?? i am sorry?? i would hate to think of such things mostly bc i would have a hard time because of overthinking it but i don't know what it's like for you for things like that-)? and eheheh,, can i ask permission to try teambuilding the teams for real. do you know of/use pokemon showdown? i semi-casually use it (with a hint of seriousness, but like. nothing compared to some people) every now and then mostly because testing teams is much easier there,, not that i have anything to stop me from making a team in one of the actual games, it's just. slower. and more of a process. but i really want to try it for them,, if you wouldn't mind, of course. the only thing that would annoy me in such an endeavour would be that shiny gigalith isn't actually amber-coloured. sigh. i don't even have to include not knowing gen 7+ things on that note because it's nothing a lil research and experimenting wouldn't fix, but alternate colours? sad that i can't do much about that one. ah, while I'm at it, not to be super finicky with details or anything,, haha, but hypothetically, for teambuilding, just as a question in general, what would their battle format preferences be...? just the usual singles, or...? if there would be any different preference, i am curious about

hopefully i didn't miss anything but then again, this is probably long enough as it is,,,, whoops

my dear we're on the EXACT same boat holy fuck.

i'm going to put the rest below a read more to spare everyone else's dash, bc you kinda enabled my pokemon floodgates lmao

i too followed pokespe up till the start of gen5 and then kinda lost track of it, but since i'm a hoenn sucker i went back to read the oras chapters (for steven. it was all for steven). if you're wondering- i remember the story being quite decent? take it as an extra chapter for the rse arc, that's basically what it is. sadly nothing will ever top everything surrounding the first 3 regions + dpp (they get extra points for the giratina ordeal), but it was aight.

and you're absolutely right, childe has gold vibes. not an exact 1:1 but there's some things that are just too similar to overlook. alternatively, he's like an unholy mix of red and gold.

i honestly can't remember why i only gave them 5 each- i think in my mind 6 has always been far too many creatures, but 4 too little, so i always fall somewhere in the middle;; as for showdown,

that's where i planned the teams. that's literally where i went to sort thru all pokemon and pick and choose the ones that better fit. i'm a bit of a random team match enjoyer, never been one for building functional competitive teams but i do like playing so random has always been the go-to option.

if i had to give them a sixth slot, it'd probably be: for childe either a pawmot, luxray, or gengar. i feel like his team needs a bit more electric to honor his delusion beyond lanturn, or alternatively some poison or ghost to represent the Abyss. i'd also lowkey give him a nidoqueen, he seems like the kinda guy who'd have one. for zhongli it'd be either rhydon, tyrantrum, aggron, or maybe bastiodon? steel types would fit as steel comes from the earth, ultimately. claydol i could also sorta see, like some sort of living relic. if i allowed myself to pick from the starters, torterra (bc azhdaha). as a joke i'd give him drampa. i feel like almost no dragon types would fit and it lowkey frustrates me lmao for xiao i feel like another flying type would be overkill, so maybe something like an umbreon or a mightyena? he has an absol already, he'd absolutely have a mightyena. if not, then maybe a crobat? if childe has gold vibes then xiao most definitely has silver vibes, although i don't think he'd really mistreat his pokemon at all. i could also see him having an ariados or shedinja ngl for aether and lumine i gave them five bc eevee was like their childhood shared pokemon and then they sort of got matching duos, so they kind of share all five? but strictly speaking they're two different trainers. idk. if i had to give them like another shared pokemon, it'd be castform. or maybe something like a kecleon, sawsbuck, or togekiss. if we count them as separate trainers then i'd give them a pair of indeedee, to follow tradition with the meowstics and ralts line. that'd make it seven mons but it'd still be possible. i honestly don't have the brain rn for six for each tho lmao plus since they kinda share them i think they'd stop at seven. like three each to make six + eevee. if not then i lean towards castform. aether would dress it up like those images where the cloud bumps are boobs and lumine would hate him for it.

as for their battle performances, the twins would absolutely fight doubles. like you could catch them one on one but most of the time it'd be either both or neither. xiao and zhongli would be used to fighting doubles as team partners, but it wouldn't be like their main mode. i think both would've kinda gone their own ways and now fought singles, but wouldn't be against doubles on their own. childe would be singles all the way, OR triples, if only for the chaos. also childe would lowkey go into contests. i mean he has milotic, he kinda has to have been there at some point. maybe tonia wanted to see it so he agreed for his princess. or like- tonia was being bullied by mean girls for it and he decided he'd curbstomp them with a feebas.

anyway aaaaaa,, i went on a ramble again, this is really just my pokemon nerd speaking. i hope that was useful! it's nice to know i'm not the only one on this bandwagon hahah;;

[shesacrified]

There was a part of her that felt as though she had failed her team. She was their healer and she should have been able to find a way to save Obito. Even before that she knew that if she had never been taken by Taiseki perhaps their team would still be whole. Knowing that her return would mean the destruction of her village and being the reason behind the deaths of those she loved, not again. That’s why she had decided that the only resolve was to die, thus breaking the  Forbidden Individual Curse Tag that had been placed on her. When she saw Kakashi she had been relieved and yet panicked over the thought that he would bring her home no matter what — that’s why she had intercepted his chidori. When she woke, it should have been in the afterlife, but she found herself in the land of the living with memories of what she had done and guilt beginning to eat away at her. She had placed her comrade into an impossible situation and she knew that her death would hang heavily over him just as Obito’s had.

Truth be told, there was part of her that was disappointed that she wasn’t able to reunite with Obito in the afterlife. She wanted to see him again and watch over Kakashi in the years to come. However, she would take this as a sign that her time was not meant to be up. With her wounds healed enough to move she made the trek back to the village anxiously. She was worried that some how the curse would activate again though she did not hear the voice of Isobu so she took it as a good sign. Worry filled her heart as she couldn’t help but to wonder how her reappearance would be received, especially by Kakashi. She wouldn't blame him if he were angry and if he never wanted to see her again and though it would pain her she would accept it.

It felt like an eternity before she was back at the village, hesitantly walking through the familiar gates of her home. There was only one person she wanted to seek out, one person above all others that she needed to see. After a while she found him by the memorial stone, her brow furrowing slightly with the weight of her own grief and guilt. ❝ Kakashi — ❞ His name was called out just barely a whisper. Hesitant steps moved her closer to the other before finally she found the courage to run to him, wanting nothing more than to embrace him in a hug. She wanted to ensure that they both knew that this wasn’t a dream or some type of genjutsu. She was alive by some miracle she was alive and she needed him to know that he shouldn’t blame himself for what she had chosen to do. 

❝ I’m so sorry. ❞ She stated, tears welling up in the corners of her eyes and threatening to spill over. ❝ I  — I am sorry I did that to you but I couldn’t go back to the village and be the reason everyone died. ❞ She whispered, her voice trembling with the weight of far too many emotions. She wasn’t sure how to deal him the everything in her soul nor how to truly tell him that she was sorry and that he had done nothing wrong. She knew what his jutsu would do and that there was no way for him to stop it. In a sense, she felt as though she had used him to do the one thing that she wasn’t able to bring herself to do on her own. Even though he never showed it, she knew that he cared deeply for not only her but Obito too and how his team being ripped apart would surely cause him to shut out the world more than he already had. 

A hand was soon drawn to her chest as though it would provide her comfort. ❝ I just, I just didn’t want anyone to get hurt. But look at the sadness in your eyes. ❞ She stated after a moment, wanting her words to reach him and want to ensure that with each word she wouldn’t wake up from this dream. Despite longing to see Obito again there was part of her that wasn’t ready to leave Kakashi quite yet. She wanted to be by both their sides, growing up to see Obito become the Hokage and Kakashi becoming a strong ninja that the village would one day rejoice. That was her dream. 

@chidoried​

[rahirah]

I had to scroll through your tags and I have to say you are one of the most insufferable spuffy shippers on this site. Fuck you cunt I hope you die. You probably hate angel too since you spuffy tarda are all the same.

OMG, I got anonymous hate mail! Thank you, anon hater! WOOHOO I'M STILL RELEVANT!!!! And rejoice! You will get your wish, because everyone dies eventually, and I'm probably several decades older than you are! I mean, if I'm the first person in history to escape this fate, awesome, but I'm not holding my breath (see what I did there?)

Actually, no, I don't hate Angel. Most of the time I kinda like the big lug. He annoys the crap out of me sometimes, but the same can be said for every character on the show(s). I hate some of the things the writers have =done= with Angel (seriously, the entire Twilight thing in the comics is character assassination for both Angel and Buffy) but again, the same can be said for all the characters.

So anyway, there's an anti-Spuffy person whom I know was poking through my old posts recently. I'm not gonna name names because I obviously don't know for sure; you could just be a random troll. But the coincidence seems suspicious. Honestly, Non, if you are them, I'm sorry, because they seem like a deeply angry and unhappy person. Whether you're them or not, whatever goes on in your life that you're displacing it into anonymous vitriol at people who ship different characters than you do, I hope it gets better.

[byneddiedingo]

Sam Bottoms, Eileen Brennan, and Timothy Bottoms in The Last Picture Show (Peter Bogdanovich, 1971) Cast: Timothy Bottoms, Jeff Bridges, Cybill Shepherd, Ben Johnson, Cloris Leachman, Ellen Burstyn, Eileen Brennan, Clu Gulager, Sam Bottoms, Sharon Ullrick, Randy Quaid, Joe Heathcock, Bill Thurman, Barc Doyle. Screenplay: Larry McMurtry, Peter Bogdanovich, based on a novel by McMurtry. Cinematography: Robert Surtees. Production design: Polly Platt. Film editing: Donn Cambern Ben Johnson and Cloris Leachman won Oscars for The Last Picture Show, Jeff Bridges and Ellen Burstyn were nominees, and Cybill Shepherd and even Randy Quaid went on to more prominent careers, but the protagonist of the film is Sonny Crawford, played by Timothy Bottoms. His quiet, shyly withdrawn character is the one that carries the movie from beginning to end. The role could have been played by Bridges, but I think director Peter Bogdanovich made the right decision: Bridges is too up-front an actor for the role of Sonny. Bottoms's ability to fade handsomely into the background makes him a perfect actor for a character who needs to be quietly passive. He shouldn't outshine the rest of the ensemble, but instead bring home the film's message about the damage that can be done in a dying community like Anarene, Texas -- an antithesis to the sentimentalized small towns that for so long dominated American movies. What emerges from the starved lives of the citizens of Anarene is not a sense of community, a willingness to love and help one's neighbor, but a kind of deep meanness, a self-righteous self-centeredness. For me, the scene that best captures this emotional and moral stuntedness is the one in which the town goes out in hysterical pursuit of Joe Bob Blanton (Barc Doyle), the preacher's son whom we see being bullied and mocked throughout the movie. In our times, I suspect, Joe Bob's revenge would have involved shooting up the local high school, but instead he picks up a little girl and drives off into the country with her, setting off a frenzy. But when he's found and carted off to jail, everyone seems to forget about the little girl: We see her tagging along, virtually unnoticed, after the mob that's rejoicing in its victory. We remember how surprised and disgusted people were when Sam the Lion (Ben Johnson) left Joe Bob a thousand dollars in his will -- probably to tell the boy to get the hell out of Anarene before it's too late. Unfortunately, it seems to be too late for everyone else. Duane goes off to Korea, but he promises to return if he doesn't get shot. Jacy, we hear, is in Dallas, but she'll maintain the carapace of vanity and manipulativeness she evolved in Anarene wherever she goes. At the end, we're left with Sonny and Ruth (Leachman), reunited in lonely hopelessness.

[tierra-paldeana]

Echoes of the past!

Send "Echoes of the past" for your muse to experience one of my muses memories in a vision/dream.

☠🌏– Rika was sleeping under a tree during a particularly lukewarm Summer afternoon, just a few meters away from the pond, after having swum with the pups for a while. Her clothes were dry in no time flat, and the grass felt like a cloud under her. Her sleep was light, and as soon as she heard the Wooper running about and giggling, she stirred awake and stretched, letting out a big yawn as they hopped in her direction.

Rika, Rika! The Fire-heads want to play with us!

''The... Fire-heads?''

That was the first time she heard of whatever these creatures were. She rubbed the sleep off her eyes.

They sometimes come to the pond to drink! They're black and have fire on their heads. Do you wanna come?

''Nahah, ya betcha!''

She sprung into action, standing on her feet and following the small group of Wooper beyond the boundaries of the pond. That's when she realized they were referring to an equally small group of Litleo.

Leet?

They seemed rather confused at first, as was Rika, but after some reassurance from the pups and an exchange she could only understand half of, the head of the Litleo group gave Rika's leg a gentle headbutt, prompting her to join in the fun before running off.

Leo!~

''Oh yea? Neheh, c'mere you!''

Everyone scattered about, and Rika began to give chase as they engaged in a game of tag that lasted a while. They'd alternate between chasing each other or hiding behind rocks and bushes, Rika included when it was her turn to be 'it'. At some point they started playing stalk and pounce, and all in all a lot of laughs and fun were had.

It wasn't often that Rika played with small Pokémon outside of the pups, so this was rather refreshing even if she wasn't as familiar with them. At some point, while she held a Litleo in her arms and tickled his sides, she watched as the Wooper suddenly walked off, mantaining a distance. When Rika lifted her head... her eyes met with a Pyroar's.

Rika! Rika! A Sun-head!

Run, run!

The female Pyroar looked at the child in the eyes, and although her body language wasn't threatening, her gaze was rather intense. Due to not having expected this much proximity right off the bat, it was fair to say the girl got a little nervous.

''A- Ah, so sorry! I was just playin' with yer baby, I wasn't goin' to hurt- woah!''

As she was explaining herself, the cub jumped out of her arms and into his mom's direction. He looked at Rika, then spoke something in his tongue with what appeared to be excitement. Maybe he was telling her she was a friend...?

...Roar.

The lioness suddenly sat down and used one of her powerful arms to bring the child close, before laying down and using her other paw to pull her in. Done this... she just started to lick her hair with her large sandpaper tongue. The Wooper and Litleo rejoiced that mama Pyroar had accepted her, while Rika's hair seemed to stand on end due to the weird sensation.

''Ahaahagaha, t- that's good! That's enough- Blegh...!''

That was a tremendously wet lick to her face just now. Looks like she was going to be in this position for a while... With how messy her hair was, maybe this could sort it out, huh?