#the advent of ruin

[sanguinerot]

The Advent of Ruin: The Leviathan

In the end, the Leviathan made certain to slay himself.

For a moment, the battlefield fell silent as high above on the clifftops the flash of purple light from the array dimmed and the outline of two figures could be seen. The air was still as the Leviathan staggered backwards, first half a step in shock as the lacerations from the array all opened in his flesh at once, and then a second, more sure step as the blood began to flow. It was quiet as he barked out a laugh that shook the heavens, and quiet as he flung his blade against the stones underfoot.

“Well.” His last words were almost irreverent, and echoed like thunder. “That was unexpected.”

He smiled, and staggered a few more steps back, leaving pools of blood behind him. “It’s been fun, Nara,” he said to his opponent, who happened to be the leader of the esteemed Lordhouse Xiour. Without any further ceremony, he then flung himself off of the edge of the cliff, and it was only when his body broke upon the rocks that the soldiers began to cheer, a cacophony so powerful that it drowned out the sea.

In the end, they said his ego was so great that he couldn’t bear the thought of anybody else slaying such a legendary foe. Some argued that he simply refused to allow credit for his death to go to Lordhouse Xiour. Rumors swirled that he had not truly died, and to quell the whispers the Great Lordhouses paraded his corpse through the nine cities one by one until all were satisfied. Temple priests tore apart his corpse and ground the bones to meal, then burnt the flesh to ash and separated it into urns that were then entrusted each to one of the nine Great Lordhouses, so that he may never return.

The Leviathan, Ruin made Flesh, had been slain, and not a soul was eager for his death to somehow be undone.

In Durendal county, over which the Lordhouse Xiour reigned, there sat a summerhouse that had been empty for years, attended to only by a lone servant that had served the incumbent seat of the house since he was a child. She dared not step inside save to dust and clean, for Lord Xiour got terribly upset if anything was out of order, even though the house had long since been almost entirely emptied. Save for the Lord himself, she was the only one privy to the location of the Xiour’s portion of the Leviathan’s remains. The urn within which his last bodily remains were bound sat nestled gently in the very back room of the home, resting upon a shrine alongside incense, candles, a stack of letters unopened and a bottle of Ludus wine with two glasses upon which the faintest impression of lips could still be seen.

Today, the servant stood obsequiously to the side as Lord Xiour sat before the shrine with his head bowed, knees folded beneath him. In his hands, he held a letter sealed with deep purple wax upon which a dove had been imprinted, and he very carefully placed it atop the stack of other letters just like it, taking care to set it just so. Once every season he came down to the summer home and offered his letters to the urn that would never write back, and he had done so for the last five years with unshakable diligence, through post war civil strife and governmental scandal and worse. She had never seen him fail, and to her credit had never questioned him, even as he poured himself a glass of wine and quietly drank it, gazing at the urn all the while.

The Lord Xiour and the Leviathan, after all, had once been very close. She recalled a time where they had slept in this very room together, whispering beneath their blankets and pretending to be asleep whenever she had come by to mind them. She recalled them as teenagers, rambunctiously dueling in the courtyard and going out to play with the hounds on the flimsy excuse of hunting. She recalled them sulking when the former Lord Xiour had caught them hastily attempting to reassemble an obviously broken heirloom. It was impossible to imagine what the current Lord Xiour recalled as he stared at the urn.

Once a season, every season. It played out like a favorite chapter in a children's story. She turned her head and looked away politely as Nara rose to his feet and set his glass down upon the shrine once more, the imprint of his lips once again fresh, and she pretended not to hear him as he spoke very quietly, using a name that had long since been forbidden by imperial decree.

“Until next time, Waylan.”

[rocketbirdie]

chocobo ranchin'

[devondraws]

Countdown to Christmas//Advent day 10! Roxy and Chica :]

Ill be doing 25 doodles this year! Feel free to request any fandom, even if i havent drawn and even seen the content before!

[katvara]

Why is this my first thought??

[orange-coloredsky]

im just known for finding immense joy in the worst parts of a series/franchise. fallout 4. final fantasy seven advent children. thats it everything else i like is really good actually

[gomacave]

Btw if anyone here wants me 2 tag fanart/rbs as spoilers lmk cuz i just met yuffie and im trying to avoid spoilers too so i understand :o]

[elainemorisi]

I love how genetic Obeying The Rules can be

[dontgodownfornoroses]

Advent Calendar Day 14:

[inbarfink]

Okay, so here’s the thing….

We are still at a very early point in the narrative of ‘Fionna and Cake’ and therefore at a very early point in Simon’s character arc. It’s pretty clear that “I need to become Ice King again” is not the end point by any meaning of the word. But I am wondering where we’re going to go with this, cause… The series has yet to really tackle how miserable Ice King himself was a lot of the time. And how often he hurt people. 

Like, yes, I was an advent advocates for 'trying to bring back Simon Petrikov was a really really Bad Idea on Betty's part, it was more healthy to focus on making sure Ice King was as happy and healthy and harmless as he could be', but I am also fully aware that he started the show being both extremely lonely and extremely sad and also a serial kidnapper who was very much a danger to those around him. And as much progress as he made during the show, getting Ice King to that point was a very serious struggle with a lot of backslidings and problems.

'Friends Forever' is, for example, an episode that stuck with me for a long time as a really heart-wrenching demonstration how even in that late stage, when he has buddies and people trying to seriously take care of him - Ice King was still very capable of seriously sabotaging his own relationships and hurting others and himself.

And it does make sense narratively that, like, characters like Astrid and Fionna and Cake, all of whom lack the full context of what Ice King's life was like (Fionna and Cake really just saw Simon at his worst and only got snippets of clips of Ice King and since Astrid was born after Humans came to Ooo that means she was also born after the events of ‘Come Along With Me’) all see Simon as a downgrade. Because they really don’t understand how bad Ice King was beforehand. 

And thus is does make sense that with Simon's current mental state, and how he is surrounded lately with these kinda people who never really knew Ice King and don’t really understand how terrible and miserable he could be, and now hearing that his ‘sanity’ just took away magic and whimsy from some else’s whole universe, and how it feels like the actual gods of the multiverse are telling him that he should be Ice King, that he's supposed to be Ice King....

It makes sense that he might start kinda... romanticizing that time in his life again. 

You know, the big thing about the outlook that Betty should’ve accepted Ice King as who he is rather than basically destroy herself to bring Simon back wasn't about whatever Ice King or Simon Petrikov were better or 'cooler' than the other. It was about, like, embracing change. Not obsessing about a past where things were ‘Better’ but seeing what is the best you can do with things as they are. Moving forwards.

And we all know how Simon feels about moving forwards right now…

And obviously that's a pretty bad mindset, even if it's understandable how he got there...

And honestly, if we do explicitly acknowledge that, hey! Ice King’s life was often just as much of a depressive spiral as Simon's is right now! There might be an element of… resignation in Simon’s decision. 

Because Simon's downward spiral since getting cured is not a demonstration that he was better off under the Ice Crown's curse.... But, to him, more a demonstration that he doesn't need the Crown to screw up his own life anymore.

‘Cause as both as Ice King and as good ol’ ‘sane’ Simon Petrikov he is just as capable of being lonely and depressed.

And just as capable of losing his own identity.

And just as capable of pushing his loved ones away and ruining his own life.

And just as capable of becoming a weirdo obsessive.

And just as capable of making little girls cry.

He even started kidnapping people again! That’s the Ice King Classic!

So on some level, maybe Simon is resigned to the fact he’s always going to be SOME sort of screwed up lonely sadman who hurts others. And if that is his fate, he might as well be the screwed up lonely sadman who is mostly oblivious to how sad he really is and can shoot ice from his fingertips. And his arc is going to be about realizing that, whether he is Ice King or Simon Petrikov, healing and change ARE always possible for him.

But we’re gonna have to see where it goes…

[machineheraldbabe]

arcane, populism, and why viktor is the odd one out (yet again)

as a piltover-anti, a silco criticizer, and a pacifist, i am very very interested in how arcane presents not just the political undertones of both topside and the undercity, but the characters/dialogue through which they communicate those undertones. allow me to use some political science bro lingo to air out some thoughts.

long, long post incoming.

there are 2 ideological struggles at war throughout s1 (and i can predict that the struggle will carry over into s2): neoliberalism and populism - in their broadest terms since we're talking ofc about a fictional show dealing with surface level political machinations. by neoliberalism, i mean a focus on the social, political, and cultural structures of a polity (piltover, for our purposes) refocused into a strictly economic vacuum. and by populism i mean a unifying belief that the existing political systems of a polity fail to adequately represent their constituents, so the masses choose to rally around a specific gripe or issue, i.e., class discrimination, xenophobia toward immigrants, etc. this, in turn, forms a populist party or movement. an applicable example i can think of would be Nasser's Egypt in the 1950s.

*i know these are weighty topics with very real world implications! i just want to separate the theory to apply to our favorite fictional world.

the political struggle in question is put forward immediately by piltover, who, though presented as a technocratic state, embodies crucial neoliberal ideals emphasized especially by up-and-coming counilor mel medarda, much like how fresh-eyed american economists blew up the economic scene in the 1980s with a revival of capitalist, free market enterprise. take how she seizes the advent of hextech, for example:

she quickly sees hextech's potential yet not from the solely intellectual standpoint that jayce and viktor do - for her, it is profitable, literally and in terms of international relations. her goal is for piltover to prosper, but she has no rose-colored glasses on; prosperity means capital gain, and she's willing to override piltover's political and social systems to achieve her goal. an important caveat is that she draws the line at ambessa medarda's progression into militant authoritarianism, which deserves a whole post of its own!

piltover's populism moment will come later. first, let's unpack silco, who is probably arcane's most blatantly political figure, and a masterclass in the merits and failures of left wing, class-based populism.

silco, having been spurned by the classism and xenophobia that piltover's elite proliferate, and assisted by his rampant shimmer operation, fills the vacuum that vander's pacifism opened up. though silco's methods are unilaterally cruel (argue with the wall), the undercity clearly invested faith in him at some point, especially as vander's credibility as a guiding figure wavered over the years. he was fighting alongside vander for zaun's right to exist as their own independent body. in other words, he was uniting the undercity toward a common cause because the existing political system failed their constituents. to quote councilor shoola: "they may not be our preferred constituents, but they're still our people."

the track record of populism in our real world frequently ends in the ruin that silco himself brought upon the undercity. the kingpin is too dedicated to self-preservation, sees himself as too central to the movement, which prevents both compromise and/or a necessary armed revolt (insert your own politics about self-determination here). see italy's right wing populism party, Lega Nord, as a real-time example of this phenomenon.

but arcane makes an interesting plot decision with jayce, a very unexpected and "unwilling" contributor to piltover's abrupt dip into right wing populism. the showrunners love foils!

in arcane lore, i think it's safe to say that jayce's moniker "the man of progress" is pretty tongue-in-cheek. both he and viktor have a bemused tone about it in the run-up to his speech, and jayce is taken aback by heimerdinger's insistence that he deliver said speech. but the glowing, savior-esque imagery can't be ignored, nor can jayce's quick switch into his councilor role, no matter how reluctantly he makes it.

jayce is confronted by 2 forces that he seeks to combat in his quick tenure as councilor: internal corruption and an ineffective governing body. the latter goal is inspired almost solely by viktor, playing into jayce's naivety as a fresh-faced political figure, but this will be especially important to note later on. the innocence he offers up to mel is quickly erased, transformed instead into an uncomfortable - and inexperienced - militancy:

important in the bridge scene to my analysis is the populist "out group," or the designation populists give to those whom they actively oppose, and this opposition serves as their basis for organization. in this case, it's the undercity (keep this in mind for viktor's role!!).

jayce's combined frustrations at the unrest in the undercity and the council's (namely heimerdinger's) refusal to act, to both save viktor and to deal with the undercity's looming violence, motivates him to act like silco for a short time. unsatisfied with the status quo, he unites a likeminded individual, vi, along with the enforcers, to undercut the political system he feels is unable to represent its constituents or act in an effective manner. however, UNLIKE silco, jayce's realizes the inevitable cost the method of violence has and refrains in the end. he returns to the council and capitulates to some of silco's demands in the name of a peace piltover and zaun always thought impossible.

jinx's complete undoing of this underscores the failures of populism, especially as an extended movement over time. she wasn't accounted for. it's common sentiment at this point that she didn't attack the council for political gain. she was not invested in zaun's independence. she did it out of her and silco's twisted parental bond, and thus undid piltover's brief instance of compromise and compassion.

so...where does viktor fit into all this? and what are his implications for neoliberalism vs. populism in season 2?

viktor is neither wholly within nor wholly outside the populist outgroup - though jayce unintentionally shoves him back there in the pivotal bridge scene. furthermore, viktor also makes use of piltover's technocracy. he seems to have had a "raise yourself up by your bootstraps" history in arcane, contrary to left wing populist insistence that neoliberal ideals make this impossible.

this compounds as a double alienation for viktor, who also is straddled with the complications of his disability. a lot of his story is searching for a fellow in arms, if you ask me, and he had that with jayce until the pendulum swung, hence his return to singed.

if we stop there, viktor represents the failing of these 2 very flawed political ideologies. he fits nowhere and arcane uses him adeptly as a symbol of the failings of binaristic ideologues and systems. but let's speculate some more!

i'm convinced that viktor, due to his ambiguous 3rd party role in the story so far, will be one of the central villains (if not THE villain, if you allow me to be admittedly hopeful/biased) in season 2. consult the innumerable very well written theory/meta posts about the subject for more details, but one piece of evidence i want to focus on is this inherent physical, cultural, and ideological separateness that is innate to his character.

can we see him allying ever again with piltover, knowing that there's a split incoming? even without outside knowledge of league lore, singed's damning prediction ("if you take this path, they will despise you") cannot go unheeded. alternatively, then, can we see viktor allying with the supposed jinx-as-revolutionary side? no. personally, i see him as becoming increasingly unwillingly to compromise his a) immediate survival; and b) his ideals, especially after being endlessly sidelined in his attempts to express them in acts 2 and 3. he's also just a loner, guys.

there's some controversy on this point, but i'm convinced that the finger-printed cultists/followers we saw in the s2 trailer are devoted to viktor. starting with the shimmer addict he touched in the teaser, he is accruing a following all his own. and since noxus is here, touting their authoritarian militancy to replace piltover's outdated liberal ideals, nothing that jinx's revolution OR viktor's following does can be apolitical. to organize and to fight is survival under s2's raised stakes.

there aren't any binary spectrums when it comes to political theory in my opinion, so i am prepared to witness viktor introduce an entirely separate totalitarian narrative into arcane. where it will surely lack in militancy, it will make up for in its domination of the arcane. my biggest speculation is that, as they always do, piltover will fold and compromise at the last minute, perhaps yield to noxus, and invest wholeheartedly in taking down viktor's BBEG cultist regime. and by isolating his narrative repeatedly in s1, the writers planned this out expertly.

even if i'm wrong about viktor as third party, i like to think my observations still stand about the specific and qualifiable political divisions between piltover and zaun. the biggest hole this leaves for me is the question: will arcane ever take a stand? they seem very averse to making a blatant political statement, but i think their pervasive anti-police thread makes it clear that we're not meant to sympathize with piltover yuppies or their seasoned, jaded councilmen. let me know your thoughts!

also, as a jayce fan and a fan of arcane's overall story, none of this is meant as a CRITIQUE of him, mel, or silco. as silco said, "we all have our parts to play." i believe arcane's very greatest strength is their archetypal storytelling, and these distinct character roles are crucial to the success and vibrancy of the story.

if you read all the way to this point - ily <3

[www-jungwon]

in which jay thinks slow dancing to christmas songs is cringe, but he'll do anything for you ୨୧

tw. mentions of kissing wc. 177

“please?”

“no.”

“please?”

“no.”

“i’ll kiss you,”

“you’ll kiss me anyway,” jay rolls his eyes, lazily walking up to you, his socks sliding over your wooden kitchen floor.

“so?”

his arms sling around your waist, his fingers sliding over your shirt.

“so, i don’t have to dance with you.”

“but i want you to.”

holiday music plays softly behind you from where your phone lays on the kitchen table.

“i know, but-” jay sighs, pushing his forehead against your’s. “fine.”

a grin breaks out onto your face. “yes!” you squeeze him into a hug and he interlaces his fingers in your hand, spinning you around underneath your arms.

“you’re giggling, it’s ruining the dance.”

“s-sorry,” you laugh, overcome with joy.

“why are you giggling so much?”

“i’m just happy.”

a slow smile spreads across his face, despite not understanding why you’re laughing.

you lean slowly to the music with him, tilting your whole weight into him.

“i love you.”

“hm?” he asks, eyebrows raising, and he looks so cute that you melt into him.

“nothing,” you breathe.

♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡

part of winters of us, an advent calendar : day 011 prev

comment or send an ask to be added to the taglist !

general @bucketofhiros @addictedtohobi @ariadores enhypen @cutesiepatootsie @sammm5225 @eupherbia

dw my spam posts are now over ! should be back to normal schedule now...maybe

[sourcherryandsprinkles]

The hot tub | Rafe Cameron x Reader

Advent calendar day three: Ski trip

Summary: Rafe invites you to spend the week with his family at their cabin in Aspen. Things may happen when you get in the hot tub after a long day going down the slopes

Warnings: 18+, unprotected p + v, slight choking, semi-public (outside), impact play (spanking once)

my taglists are here + you can send requests here at any time

—

As expected, the Cameron’s cabin in Aspen was breath-takingly beautiful. The walls of the living area were made of round wood, making it seem like you were living inside a tree…with a luxury decor. There were large windows, massive couches, cherry-wood tables, and a classic bear skin in front of the large fireplace. 

You felt like you were standing in a holiday Hallmark movie. 

‘’How many properties does your parents own?’’ You brushed your hand over the plush throw at the end of your and Rafe’s bed, smiling at how soft it felt. ‘’Don’t they have a house in the Bahamas?’’ 

‘’A lot,’’ Rafe replied while putting away some things in the closet. ‘’I lost count, honestly. My dad collects estates and Rose decorates them, it’s their thing,’’ he explained. ‘’I rent the ones we are not using...except the Bahamas house. We keep that one for family only.’’

You nodded, secretly wishing your parents were that rich. You could get used to vacationing in the mountains during winter break. It’s a weather contrast compared to South Carolina. 

‘’Do you come here often? Have you mastered a winter sports during your lavish vacations?’’ 

Rafe chuckled, closing the door of the large closet. ‘’I can’t ski, if that’s what you’re asking me. Or skate. Ice skating is Sarah’s thing.’’ He grabbed his toiletry bag from the suitcase and placed it in the en-suite bathroom next to yours. ‘’My dad forced me to take snowboarding lessons since I was a kid, but I was better at flirting with girls at the ski resort.’’

Shaking your head, you laughed quietly. ‘’What am I not surprised?’’ 

After everyone had unpacked, you bundled in your winter layers and headed down to the ski resort for some winter activities. You and Rafe rented equipment to go down the slopes while Sarah and Wheezie went to the skating rink. 

The afternoon was spent mostly falling on your ass and watching Rafe showing off. He was no professional, but you were impressed as you watched him do stunts — something you could never see yourself doing. 

When the sky started to go dark, you returned to the cabin to warm up and eat dinner. Rose’s cooking skills pleasantly took you by surprise, not expecting her to be much of a chef since she and Ward had a lot of money, but she made a mean baked mac’n cheese. 

‘’Are you sure?’’ you said when Rafe suggested you try the hot tub. 

You had never used a hot tub in the winter — with actual snow around. It sounded cold, but Rafe assured you the warm water would keep you warm…or else he would.

The sky was fully dark outside and snow was falling at a slow pace, creating a beautiful picture as you stepped out in your bra and underwear. When you packed for a trip to Aspen, you didn’t think you would need a bikini. Now you were regretting not bringing one. 

While the warm water sounded pleasant, you couldn’t help but think about how the chlorine of the hot tub will ruin your nice bra, so Rafe came up with a solution.

‘’Just take it off.’’ 

‘’I’m not gonna get naked in the hot tub,’’ you replied, shooting your boyfriend a glare as steam rose from the tub into the cool air. ‘’What if your family comes outside and wants to join?’’ 

‘’I’d rather they don’t. The sight of you in that bra and panties got me so hard,’’ Rafe said, his hand wandering up your thigh. 

You glanced down and through the bubbles of the underwater jets, catching the outline of his cock through his boxers, strained against the material. A light flush covered your cheeks, matching the color of your bra. 

‘’But if you’re that worried about anyone coming,’’ he continued, taking your hand and helping you step in. ‘’My dad strained his back when skiing so Rose is taking care of him. Sarah is probably trying to contact her boyfriend who was not invited on the trip, and as for Wheezie…I don’t know. She’s in her room, reading or watching a movie.’’

You sat on the edge and raised your gaze, eyeing the sliding doors. 

‘’No one is gonna come out here,’’ Rafe promised, reading your persistent worry. ‘’Except maybe a bear.’’

A new fear was unlocked. You turned to the other side and looked over the deck and into the dark forest. ‘’A bear?!’’ 

Rafe grinned, messing with you. ‘’I’m joking. There’s no bears here at this time of the year. They’re hibernating.’’ He hooked a finger underneath the delicate band of your panties, holding back from taking them off with his mouth. ‘’So…will it be with or without the panties?’’

Fuck it. 

You removed both items and let Rafe pull you in the water, the ripples from the jets causing sparks to tingle up your spine as they hit your bare cunt. It felt like using a nice shower head directly on your clit, but less strong. The pleasure was short-lived as Rafe settled you on his lap in a straddling way, a groan leaving his throat when your ass came in contact with his stiff cock. 

You bit back a giggle and loosely slid your arms around his neck. He was so beautiful.

‘’That wasn’t so difficult, wasn’t it?’’ Rafe asked, his hands sliding over your thighs and up your sides, making you feel a bit exposed. 

You rolled your eyes and rubbed your hands up and down his well-defined shoulders and chest, appreciating the time he had been spending with Topper and Kelce at the gym. They were always ruining your and Rafe’s plans, but those gym sessions gave him a body you wanted to bite into. 

You lowered your mouth to his, slowly kissing as the water moved around your bodies. The cold air had caused your nipples to peak, not yet submerged in the warm water. A shiver ran through you and, as if he had read your mind, Rafe’s hands moved to your breasts and began to toy with them. You sighed at the touch and ground your hips against his, relishing the feeling of his hard cock through his boxers as it rubbed against your clit just right. 

‘’I need you. Now,’’ you urged, breaking the kiss and reaching under the water to pull at Rafe's only piece of clothing, your earlier worries about someone catching you naked leaving your desire clouded mind.

Rafe nodded and pushed you off him, which left you confused. You opened your mouth to ask why he had pushed you off, but he motioned for you to turn around and grab the edge of the tub. A moan threatened to slip, realizing what he was doing. He was going to take you from behind. 

You heard the water swish as he moved behind you, and parted your legs so everything was exposed to his view. 

‘’That ass is so perfect,’’ Rafe groaned, giving it a hard smack, eliciting a pained squeak from you, before lining himself at your entrance, a mischievous smirk spreading on his face as he pushed the tip in — only the tip. ‘’Is that what you want, baby?’’ His tone was teasing, playing with you. ‘’No, that’s not enough, uh?’’ 

You whined, pushing back against him. ‘’Please, Rafe, don’t tease.’’ 

Giving in to your demand, he grabbed your hips and slowly pushed until he was all in, feeling your tight walls squeeze him. He moaned at the sensation, giving you a few seconds before starting to pull out until only his tip was inside you and slowly pushing himself into you again, doing this a few times. 

‘’Rafe,’’ you warned again, your core starting to ache, just wanting to be fucked senseless. 

Then, his thrusts were hard and fast as you gripped the edge of the hot tub, water splashing over the edge from the movements. You were holding back your cries, trying to be quiet, but the pleasure was too intense for you to remember. 

Rafe molded his front to your back as he kept pounding into you, kissing your shoulder as his hand was coming around your neck. ‘’You like this, baby? You like when I fuck your tight and pretty pussy?’’

You moaned louder, forgetting about the other Camerons inside the house. 

The next morning was going to be very awkward.

—

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[miumura]

( 📞 ) LOVERS’ TV — JUNGWON SHORT FIC

[ DAY ONE ] of the advent calendar !

( 📞 ) NOW CALLING . . . a christmas movie night with your lover was a great idea, until someone fell asleep before the movie could end…

( ꕤ ) NOW PAIRING . . . bf!jungwon x gn!reader

( 📞 ) NOW GENRES . . . fluff, established relationship

( ꕤ ) NOW WARNINGS . . . none i think ~~ WC 600+ !

( 📞 ) NOW HANGING UP . . . first fic for the winter mlist yay !! with jungwon being the first idol i ever made a fic about , i just had to make him the first day for this event 🫶 !!

You've long dreamt of having a movie night, especially the idea of binge-watching Christmas films with someone special. Jungwon holds that idea in mind—he never forgets what you want. Eager to be the best partner he can be, he’s all in for sharing the activities you've been wishing for, like this movie night.

The only problem was that he was on a trip, being far apart from you. What stung more was that he wouldn’t be around for the initial days of December; he was due to return mid-month. However, he's known for making efforts just for you.

So, how about an online movie date?

He was really excited about this idea because he was still able to bond with you overseas in a special way. And to his excitement, you thought it was also a great idea, having the movie night happen at 8 PM—well, in your timezone. Despite the huge time zone differences, Jungwon set the date night that could fit within your schedule.

And with that, the hours quickly flew by, and with Jungwon setting up his laptop. He stared at the time eagerly, watching it hit 8 PM, calling you at that exact time. You quickly answered, and he had the brightest smile on his face.

“Hi,” you said as you got yourself comfortable in your bed, setting your laptop onto your lap. “Hey love,” you heard that sweet tone in his voice, making you break into a smile. You looked at the screen, looking at your boyfriend in a gray hoodie, fiddling around with the strings of it. “What movie do you want to watch?”

"Hm…Oh! How about watching 'The Nightmares Before Christmas?'" you suggested enthusiastically, noticing your boyfriend's questionable expression. "I heard that movie was more on the scary side rather than Christmassy..."

"It can't be something you can't handle!" you assured him, which he eventually agreed to share his screen and stream the movie.

"I'll trust your word on it."

"Lying down was not a good idea," Jungwon admitted as he felt his eyelids growing heavy. No matter how many times he rubbed his eyes or blinked repeatedly, drowsiness weighed heavily on him. He let out a yawn, drawing your attention.

“Jungwon?” You interrupted his yawn, slightly surprising him as if you caught him doing something terrible.

“Yeah?”

“You tired?”

“Just getting myself comfortable, that’s all.”

“What time is it for you?”

"2:30 A.M," he glanced at the clock, instantly regretting revealing he was up at such a late hour. He might have gotten away with it if he'd said it was 10 PM, but no, he had to ruin his cover. Oh how ready he was for another scolding.

“Jungwon!” You stared at the screen, watching him awkwardly scratch the back of his head. “Why are you even up at this time?”

“Because you wanted to have a movie night, and I wanted to spend the first few days of December with you—and I picked a timezone suitable for you.” He confessed, and you just couldn’t help but have a smile. “It just didn’t work out on my end…I guess?”

“Won, I appreciate that, but shouldn’t you be asleep right now? I mean, we can always pause the movie and continue next time—you’ve got things to do tomorrow.” you suggested. However, he was set on finishing the movie that night. You knew Jungwon well enough to realize he was determined, and so you both continued watching.

But as anticipated, once Jungwon settled into a comfortable position, it was inevitable that he'd fall asleep. Within ten minutes, there was no longer any commentary about the movie.

“Won?” you whispered loud enough, noticing he didn’t move a single bit. Smiling at his peaceful appearance, you paused the movie and ended the call, already feeling his absence.

You opened the messaging app and began typing with a playful smirk,

Who said we had to finish the movie tonight?

You, but you feel asleep! It’s okay though, we can always watch together next time!

And maybe, you won’t doze off <3

You shut your laptop, rolling onto your side and tugging the blanket closer. Sleep was much needed, not only for rest but also to ensure you'd have extra time to see Jungwon in the morning, you figured.

ENHA PERM TAGLIST (1) — @flwoie @ixomiyu @haruavrse @shinsou-rii @bearseulgs @ilovewonyo @yenqa @dimplewonie @bubblytaetae @wtfhyuck @ineedaherosavemeenow @ml8dy @starikizs @wonioml @chirokookie @xiaoderrrr @neozon3nha @en-chantedtomeetyou @millksea @enhaz1 @eundiarys @hyeosi @ja4hyvn @judeduartewannabe @j-wyoung @thia-aep @vampcharxter @softpia @officiallyjaehyuns @itsactuallylina @hsheart @sweetjaemss @ahnneyong @hanienie @jwnghyuns @kpoplover718 @jiawji @rikizm @haknom @yeokii @wvnkoi @whoschr @teddywonss @shinunoga-iie-wa @isoobie @skzenhalove @misokei @s00buwu @ox1-lovesick @miercerise @litttlestars @enhapocketz

[txttletale]

i think something that gets really overlooked is like how much the shit that AI is most likely to replace is already automated and all the annoying effects of it already existed, AI just exacerbated it by making the turnaround way faster. like anyone who has ever worked in the buzzfeed-style listicle industrial complex can tell you that your job is basically to make the SEO number go up no matter whether what you're writing is good and even coherent. yeah, this is much more annoying with the advent of LLMs because they can produce even more useless search-engine ruining word slop much quicker than a human can but the fundamental method already existed

[megyulmi]

➠ Symbolism of Yuuji’s childhood memories in Chapter 265 and how it connects to his conversation with Sukuna:

I was rereading the latest chapter and ended up dwelling on how the order in which certain things appear along the path Yuuji and Sukuna are walking connects with the progression of their conversation and the outcome of it, so I want to point out a few of such details in case someone else finds it interesting.

First, I will start with Morning Glory (asagao, 朝顔, lit. morning face) Yuuji mistakes Ajisai for. Asagao was brought to Japan with the advent of Buddhism and came to represent Enlightenment. When one thinks of the flower, an old line often comes to mind: [Asagao blossoms and fades quickly to prepare for tomorrow’s glory]. It is the theme of one of the oldest songs on the morning glory, written by the Chinese priest at the temple of Obaku near Uji, who is said to have been the first person to introduce the flower to Japan. Since its arrival, it has been a frequent theme in Japanese Buddhist poetry, particularly when writing on the fleeting condition of human lives, as the poets found a congenial subject in the morning glory, for they considered no flower has a briefer life and beauty, and the buds of yesterday are flowers to-day, but only for a few short hours, and then nothing will be left but ruin and decay; though how quickly fresh buds will appear and fresh flowers open to be the tomorrow’s ‘morning glory’. Therefore, in Japanese culture, asagao is a symbol of new beginnings. The flowers open in the morning, representing the dawn of a new day, and close in the evening, symbolising the end of the day and the passing of time.

Next comes Ajisai (紫陽花), the Japanese hydrangea. The flower has both positive and negative connotations in Japanese tradition, symbolising both deep or heartfelt emotion and also a fickle or changeable heart. However, I mentioned in this post that the blue hydrangea (I am assuming blue, because Yuuji mistook it for asagao) can mean sincerity, forgiveness, remorse and spirituality. Ajisai are also an important part of the ceremony in celebration of Buddha’s birthday (Kambutsue), where his statue is washed with sweet hydrangea tea by the visitors of the temples. As such they are often found at shrines and temples.

After that, Yuuji and Sukuna catch Crayfish. Interestingly, Buddhist philosophy references the crayfish when speaking about the temporary nature of existence. All that seems solid and permanent, like the crayfish shell, eventually disappears. There is a famous painting of Priest Xianzi (Japanese: Kensu) by Unkoku Tōgan from the Momoyama period. It depicts a seated figure of a Buddhist monk who appears to be contemplating the large crayfish (or shrimp). Kensu or Xianzi is a semi-legendary eccentric priest of the Tang dynasty, who spent much of his time wandering along riverbanks, eating crayfish and clams. He allegedly achieved Enlightenment while catching a crayfish.

Later they come across Horses, which hold a special place in Buddhism, embodying spiritual virtues and the timeless quest for Enlightenment. The story of Siddharta Gautama Buddha’s renunciation and his separation from his beloved horse, Kanthaka, is a significant story in Buddhism. As Siddharta decided to leave behind his life of luxury and embark on a spiritual journey, he faced the task of saying goodbye to his beloved horse. The separation from Kanthaka symbolises the profound sacrifice he took when he renounced worldly attachments in the pursuit of Enlightenment. Additionally, in the Shamanistic tradition of East Asia and Central Asia, there is a concept of the Wind Horse, a flying horse that is the symbol of the human soul. In Tibetan Buddhism, it was included as the pivotal element in the centre of the four animals symbolising the cardinal directions.

After the horses, we see them engage in Archery. As a Buddhist symbol, the bow and arrow are found throughout the art, mythology and theology; held by gods, part of vivid legends, lauded in sacred texts and painted on the walls of the temple fortresses. They are symbols of the wisdom and compassion of the Buddha. Just as the arrow flies straight to its target, so too must the mind of the archer be focused and free from distractions.

And lastly, Snow. As a symbol of purity, it is taken as representative of naive innocence behind heroic undertakings. In this regard, it is also a subject of paintings in special combination with cherry blossoms as a symbol of what is ephemeral and transitional as is the life of the hero. However, snow is often associated in the Japanese short poetry with the Zen notion of Emptiness. This is because, to quote the poet Naitō Jōsō, snow covers and clears everything: [fields and mountains / all taken by snow / nothing remains]. From the lens of Buddhism, as the defilements—greed, hatred, and delusion—melt away like snow, the process of purification speeds up our relinquishment of impurity. To do this, one needs to be able to feel their humanity from within, where the invisible factors of mindfulness, clarity, faith, energy, concentration, and wisdom can dismantle and dissolve years of deluded ways of perception, of relating to life. Only then will the ground of awakening begin to appear.

I find Yuuji’s conversation with Sukuna to be rich in symbolism, each element along their path reflecting deeper themes of compassion and Enlightenment. Their journey begins with the morning glory, symbolising a new beginning and Yuuji’s offer of redemption to Sukuna. The hydrangeas, mistakenly identified as morning glories by him, signify Yuuji’s readiness and offer of remorse as he sincerely reminisces on his childhood with him. The appearance of the crayfish continues this theme, highlighting that this conversation is a chance for Sukuna to contemplate the temporary nature of existence and the path he wants to continue leading from there on. The horses, embodying spiritual virtues and the timeless quest for Enlightenment, appear as Yuuji’s way of asking him to renounce his old ways in pursuit of Enlightenment, followed by Archery right after, emphasising his readiness for compassion despite all Sukuna has done to him, mirroring the Buddhist ideal of a concentrated, undistracted mind. And lastly, comes snow as a symbol of purity and the potential for redemption, evoking the Zen notion of emptiness and the purification of defilements. Yuuji, by invoking these symbols, offers Sukuna the last chance at redemption and Enlightenment. He shows Sukuna the final act of compassion if Sukuna shows remorse, which Sukuna refuses.

In the end, Yuuji and Sukuna walk the same path, but their choices lead them in opposite directions. Yuuji embraces the symbols of Enlightenment, striving for a higher understanding and compassion, whereas Sukuna rejects these ideals, choosing instead to renounce the path to Enlightenment.

[holylulusworld]

After the dust settles

Summary: You and Ari got into a fight.

Pairing: Ari Levinson x fem!Reader

Warnings: angst, language, jealous reader, fluff

Written for: Winter Break Advent: Day 11 - Romantic fluff

Words: 1.1k+

After the dust settles you stare at yourself in the mirror. What happened? Why did you have to fight over stupid nonsense? Now it feels like everything you built over two years lies in ruins at your feet. – Just like the silver picture frame he gifted to you for Valentine’s Day.

He spent too much time with his friends, especially his lady friend, Rachel. You never liked the blonde. Maybe it was only your imagination, or your jealous streak telling you she’s after your man.

It’s not the first time you have tried to talk to Ari and make him see that Rachel is not interested in being only friends with your boyfriend. She always plays nice around Ari, but the looks she gives you tell a different story. Her smile is sugar-sweet, but her eyes give the truth away.

Rachel wants your man, and you are fairly sure you just drove Ari into her welcoming arms. His smile and soft kisses will be hers from now on, and you will be left outside alone once again.

You sniffle and kneel next to the broken picture frame. Your fingers tremble when you try to part the shards from the picture of you and Ari. The frame is broken in the middle, just like your heart.

Ari will turn his back on you due to a stupid fight. The waitress at the bar called Rachel and Ari a cute pair. You tried not to take it to heart that he danced with Rachel at the bar and paid for her drinks. But the waitress’s comment was too much.

You stormed out of the bar, walking away when Ari called your name. He followed you home and tried to talk to you but you started a fight. All the pent-up anger you held back for so long broke free.

The last thing you said was that if he wants Rachel, he should go to her and never come back. And he just did that. He looked at you for a moment, shook his head, and stormed out of your house.

That was around three hours ago and since then, you couldn’t move, or think. You just stared at the picture frame, feeling like you were frozen in time.

“I let her win,” you choke out a sob. “I let that bitch win!”

You get back up and step over the broken frame. If you lost Ari tonight, you need something to numb the pain. Anything…

“Ari,” you sniffle as you end up on voicemail once again. “Ari, I’m a little drunk. Baby, I’m sorry. I don’t want you to go to her. I want you here.”

You sigh deeply. “Ari?? Can you hear me?” You slur into the phone. “Baby? I’m all alone and I need you here. Please?”

You sigh deeply as you hang up the phone. With trembling fingers, you dial his number again.

“Ari…I’m mad at you for leaving me here. I hate drinking, you know that,” you scrunch up the nose. “It tastes like old socks. But not yours. I bet yours would taste good. Even your sweat tastes good.”

You hang up the phone only to dial his number again. “I forgot to tell you that I hate that woman. She always looks at me like she wants to kill me only because I love you. That’s it. I won’t call again.”

This time you turn off your phone and throw it onto your bed. You give up. Ari won’t answer your calls and you are sure, it’s because he’s with Rachel now.

Why not? No one is keeping him from being with the woman he wants. You gave him permission to be with Rachel. It’s your own fault.

If only you weren’t such a fool sometimes…

“Y/N? Peanut?” Ari stumbles into your house. He desperately calls your name, searching for you in every room. “BABY? I’m worried. Please make a noise. Y/N, are you alive?”

He jogs upstairs, almost tripping over his feet as he tries to check the rooms upstairs.

“Peanut? BABE!!” He looks inside the bathroom, huffing as your clothes lie splattered on the ground. Ari grins and snaps a picture before walking toward the bedroom. “Y/N?”

Ari sneaks inside the room, tiptoeing toward the bed only to find you curled up on his side of the bed. You’re cradling three of his shirts in your arms and snore lightly. “So, the lady doesn’t snore, huh?” He grins and gets out his phone to film you. “I’ll so tease you for this.”

“Ari…” you murmur in your sleep and hold the shirts even tighter. “Asshole.”

“Thank you for the compliment,” he grunts as he kicks off his shoes. “I’ll talk about your fecal language with your later, Y/N. You little stubborn peanut.”

While you mutter in your sleep, Ari joins you on the bed. He wraps his arms around you and kisses your hair. “Ari.”

“I’m sorry for leaving. I was mad at myself, not you. You were right all along. Rachel is not a good friend. When I came to her tonight to convince her to come with me and tell you that you don’t need to worry about her being into me she told me the truth.”

“Ari?” Your eyes snap open when you feel someone press himself against your back. “Please tell me it’s you.”

“Hey, Peanut?” He grins when you turn your head to look at him. “What did you drink? You called me fifteen times. I was already on my way back.”

“UH-I butt-called you,” you lie. The last thing you want is to let Ari get away with his behavior easily. “Maybe you have mistaken me with your lady friend.”

“Y/N, I don’t want to fight again. I’m sorry, okay. Please believe me that I only love you. Rachel was a friend to me, nothing else.”

“You danced with her, Ari! That waitress believed you were Rachel’s boyfriend, not mine,” you sniffle and angrily wipe your eyes. “I don’t want to fight but for you to see that I was hurt.”

“Baby…you’re right. I was wrong,” he gives you a cracked smile. “I told her that we cannot be friends if she wants to get in my pants. Then she tried to jump at me.”

“What? I’ll scratch her eyes out!” You square your jaw. “Let me kill her.”

“That’s my girl,” Ari grins proudly. “Don’t worry, Peanut. I told her to get lost and that I’m going to go home to my girl, kiss her, and tell her that I was a fool.”

“Good for your girl,” you relax in his arms. “I hope you know that I won’t forgive you so easily…”

Tags in reblog.