#this is my friend I got to play the game lol

[thatbitchery]

Very few things in this world will do you more harm than living around radioactive material. Second on that list is being a pick me. For any group of people.

That face girls make when they realize being a feminist doesn't mean being a girls girl to me and I am NOT. *YouRe NoT a GirLs giRl* babygirl yes obviously. What I look like playing with you just because we have similar anatomy lol. I am a me girl. I'm loyal to my goals and my paycheck. I'm not a ride or die I'm a ride and the second this stops being good for me Imma kick you out of the car lol. My loyalty is to my goals and paycheck. I put the self in selfish.

Nice girls finish last. Pick me's don't even finish at all. They lose the game at the starting point. They lose even before participating in the game. We alll know how it goes down for girls that cater to the patriarchy and misogyny in the hopes that they will be spared and protected from it (hehe). Let's talk being a pick me for the girls. The other day I told you to stop being a pick me to your *roots* because your own people will turn on you for clout, like Jlo did with the Bronx and remember what India did to Priyanka Chopra when she was trying so hard to be liked by them and accepted and then she moved to Hollywood and decided fuck all that and now she's *ouR bRown QuEeN rEpResEntiNg Us So cLasSy*. See how they didn't try that crap with Aishwarya Rai? See how they don't do that with Lupita Nyongo but see how they drag Tyla? She's trying to stay true to her roots and her roots are going on talk shows to call her an industry plant. Pick Me ism never works. When you leave, leave. They already hate you for leaving you won't win them back. And being a pick me for the girls is not different at all.

This girl I know is really inspirational. She made it out of the ghetto on her own, and not like me that got some scholarship and naturally just grew into it- clawed her way out of the mud. Beaten things that would probably kill me. I look up to this lady like I'd look up to a god if I believed in one. She's everything you'd want in a business woman. Class. Beauty. Sophistication. The bank, all hers. The problem with her, is growing up without female support and therefore craving female validation to the point of sabotaging her own self. Pickmeism for the girls. So if she wants to do something but the girls don't approve she won't. I've been shopping with her once and she was eyeing this set of lingerie that she OBVIOUSLY wanted but acted like she didn't and I know it's because her girls wouldn't approve. So the tea is this guy in this other group is obviously head over heels for her. She's obviously into him. They make a great match. Even a blind person can see this was orchestrated by God himself. He asks her out. They go out. A set of annoyingly perfect people. Annoyingly. Gorgeous, classy, successful, aligned. She is gashing about him . He is gashing about her. Mentally I'm preparing for the wedding because obviously it will happen. A few weeks later one of his friends want to know what he did to upset her because she blew him off. Huh. I'm baffled and obviously I'll ask.

One of her friends want him.

😂

I'll say that again. One of her girls is into this man so she can't break *girl code*

😂🚮.

Im like please be serious right now. You are a twenty seven year old woman I need you to act like it. The man on your dreams was dropped on your doorstep wrapped in glittery pink ribbons and came out with your name the only thing he can say and you're blowing it off because one your your friends want him?? 😂. Girl that's what they call a high value man pls all of us want him be for real right now 😂. Every single man that will be worth you we will all want pls 😂. You are the kind of woman that can only rightfully get with a man every other woman wants are you blind 😂. Girl he's a six foot unit of a simp with daddy's money and patek fillipe and had you in Ralph Lauren on your first date and Greek godliness and THAT IS YOUR TYPE . Be serious right now and call that man 🙏 😂 and have us in yachts next summer are you joking. Like if you don't call him I will. Your type is the most desirable type on earth every man you want we will want what are you on about 😭. Every man that ends up with you is immediately high value because being with you makes them high value we will want them too what 😭. What kind of fuckery is this call that man rn and get your dream family.

She can't. She's a girls girl 🚮. I'm like okay so will you marry the least desirable gay man on earth or? Because every man has some girl into him will you just drop them? If he hurt you I will be the first to make you leave. If he even sleeps and dreams that he has a dream where he is dreaming that he's dreaming of hurting one cell in your body I will personally excavate you from his space. He is not. He worships you. I have heard this man talk about you. I have seen the way he treats you. I have seen how much you like him. You have similar goals and similar values. You are who we pray to be. You are our vision board do you not get this.

She won't. She won't hurt her girl.

Well our brother in Christ is- like I said- annoyingly desirable so after asking and asking and trying to get with her he gets- get this- with one of her girls. Not even the one that *wanted him* lol. A rich girl heir that knows to play this hypergamy game and obviously people go where they were wanted- last night they got *engaged*. They are not friend groups that I'm really immersed in so I don't really care. My girl calls me crying because she was *betrayed* 😂. I hang up after she gets three sentences in because what fuckery is this? Oh no you swam and now there's water on your skin. If it isn't the consequences of my own actions. For some reason I always expect the people that have had the hardest lives to understand human nature the best and be the most street smart and I hate how often I get disappointed. As a business woman do you really not know your loss is someone's gain. Be for fucking real with me right now. You got played by some girl in the game that YOU chose to engage in and now you're shocked? It's a game someone has to win and you fumbled your chances, go home. So anyway *her girls* created a WhatsApp group to plan the wedding and didn't include her because she overreacted to the news and she should be happy for her bestie because she's a girls girl 😂. Not very girls girl of her to feel betrayed 😔✋.

The feminine is the most apex of predators. At some point you have to realize yes men are bad but women are just plain malicious. At some point you have to realize and accept that human beings are animals and females have a higher chance of survival despite being the weaker sex. Like one of these days you need to learn to connect the dots please. Getting played by a man I can accept it's a completely different game and just by existence we are two different types of players but ma please. Pleaseeee. Being played by men hurts because innately the playing field is not level but female to female I will be laughing at you, what's your excuse 😂.

The reason women like Hailey Bieber will always win in this happiness thing and Selena Gomez will always lose is the level of pickmeism. WhO iS tHe BiLLiOnAiRe who had a disease highly linked to stress. Who is always depressed. Who seems more pathetic. Who has the stronger name. Who, pray I ask, is always yapping about being in pain. EXACTLY. The end of Taylor Swift's pickmeism marked the beginning of Taylor Swift as a powerhouse and marked her *I'm the Music Industry* era. And she has never been a pick me for men has she? Naomi Campbell and Tyra Banks have never tried to be relatable so they go down queens of the runway how is that going for Kendall? Gigi Hadid is also a nepo baby but does she try to act relatable? Which one gets dragged more?

One of these days you have to understand being a pick me for women is still being a pick me and only works when you're an underdog. Once you make it they will tear you apart because women are more competitive than men are and naturally are worse predators than men ever will even dream of being. Men love each other , remember that one trend where they were being asked if they would rather snitch on their homeboys or cheat on their literal wives and they chose cheating on their wives? Because men needed to be in herds to hunt. Women can survive solo they don't rely on community that much so we can tear each other apart with zero to low consequences to ourselves. If men were non communal and selfish they would've been wiped out by the other predators, women will win a literal lion over by being motherly we literally don't need anybody to survive so we can tear each other apart with no consequences. Women are vicious, please. Seriously vicious, have you seen your MOTHER. The woman that BIRTHED you. How she treats you. Your own mother that you are not in competition with. If there's no random girl hating on you it's because you're ugly it's really that easy. You're ugly and you're not worth competing against so they can score humanity points by being kind to you. Bad bitches have opps. When you don't know who hates you and you're a bad bitch look out, they're snaking under the covers. You do it too it's not like you're holy. A woman's only competition is other women. Not men. We don't compete with men it's useless. We are our only worthy opponents so we tear each other apart for sport. Do you not know what an apex predator means?? Like , how long have you been alive? Is this your first interaction with other women?? The reason movements like feminism and 4B and the rest don't really take off en masse is women destroy each other for fun. Men do it for survival we do it for sport. That is why we have to biologically be nurturing, so we don't completely wipe out this species.

Wtf is a girls girl. Yes girls support girls between a girl and a man I don't care who is right I'm always on the girls side, but woman to woman pls. Woman to man? Idc right or wrong she is right he's wrong women are always right men are always wrong this is the law everyone that thinks otherwise should get shot in the head. Woman to woman though? No. I know you, because I know me. And I pick me always.

[jeonsblackgf-writes]

High times & Hellfire | Eddie Munson

summary: Eddie Muson wasn’t the ordinary drug dealer to you, he was something more…you just can’t quite put your finger on it yet.

warnings: smoking

word count: 5,233 (she’s a long one sorry)

pairing: eddie munson x black!reader

AN: im trying to get into writing in the second person. pls lmk how i did lol. this is my first time doing this.

—————————————————

It’s 1985, and Hawkins High is buzzing with the energy of senior year. Everyone’s excited for graduation, but no one more than you. You were popular, smart, and had a reputation for being both sweet and spicy—just like your personality. You weren’t a cheerleader, not by any means, but you had an effortless cool about you that made everyone want to be your friend. Or at least be around you. You had a way of making everyone feel like they were the most important person in the room, but it was all a balancing act—a way to keep yourself untouchable while still enjoying all the attention.

And there was Eddie Munson. He was your go-to guy for anything you needed, but mostly, you were there for the weed. Eddie was, without a doubt, the coolest kid at Hawkins. Hell, the guy practically ran the Hellfire Club, his own little universe where the outcasts ruled. But while the rest of the school might not have understood Eddie’s brand of chaotic charisma, you got him. You always had.

And Eddie, he liked you in a way that made your connection feel like it was more than just transactions. He knew you had a sharp mind, that you didn’t need him for the weed alone. He respected you for that—something most people couldn’t see past the smoke and mirrors. You two had a bond, and it was undeniable.

It was late on a Friday afternoon when you met him at the usual spot. The corner of the parking lot near the back door of the school—hidden away from prying eyes, a space where you could just… be. Eddie had a new stash for you, as usual, and you couldn’t wait to see what kind of goodies he had this time.

“Hey, beautiful,” Eddie greeted, a grin stretching across his face as you approached. He leaned against the wall, a cigarette dangling from his fingers.

“Hey yourself,” you replied, your voice smooth like honey, but with just enough edge to let him know you weren’t here to play games. You reached for your pack of cigarettes, matching his vibe, pulling out a long, thin one. You’d been smoking for a while now, and your preference had shifted to the slow, relaxing kind of high that came with marijuana. It was Eddie who had introduced you to it, and he’d been your supplier ever since.

“You know, I was just thinking,” you said, taking a drag of your cigarette. “I could just come to your Hellfire meetings and hang out, but… that’d be too easy, wouldn’t it?”

Eddie’s eyes lit up, amused by your comment. “Are you offering to join the ranks of the legendary Hellfire Club? We might just make an exception for you.”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself,” you laughed. “I’m just here for the goods today.”

Eddie smirked and fished around in his jacket pocket before pulling out a small baggie. “Got something special today. Gotta try it before you buy it, as always.”

You raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “What’s so special about it this time?”

Eddie leaned in closer, the familiar scent of musk and weed mixing with his cologne. “It’s a hybrid—half sativa, half indica. Thought it might be right up your alley. Something that’ll give you a good high, but still leave you with that clear head you like.”

You took the bag from him and examined it, the little nugs inside looking especially pristine. “You really know me, Eddie.”

He chuckled, “Of course I do. We’ve been doing this for what? A year now?”

It had been just about that long since Eddie had first made you one of his regulars, back when you’d stumbled into his world by accident. You remembered the first time you’d asked him for weed, how he’d given you a skeptical look but agreed, a little wary of selling to someone who wasn’t exactly his usual crowd. But you charmed him in your own way, and from that moment on, he’d always had something for you, a steady supplier who treated you like someone more than just a customer.

You smiled, tucking the bag into your jacket. “Alright, I’ll take your word for it. You wanna join me for a smoke? Or are you too busy making Hellfire plans?”

Eddie gave a dramatic sigh, looking at the time. “I suppose I could spare a few minutes. The dungeon calls, but I can always get back to my party planning later.”

You led the way, walking to the secluded spot behind the school where the two of you had smoked together countless times. The air was thick with the smell of cigarettes and weed as you both settled against the brick wall, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows across the parking lot.

As you lit up the joint, you couldn’t help but steal a glance at Eddie. His wild hair, his clothes, his whole chaotic energy… It was all so intoxicating. Not just his weed. Him, too.

“Tell me,” you said, as the smoke filled your lungs and drifted lazily upward, “what’s the deal with the Hellfire Club anyway? You guys just get together and play Dungeons & Dragons, or is there something more?”

Eddie chuckled, taking the joint from you, his fingers brushing against yours for just a moment too long. “It’s a little more complicated than that. We’re like… a family. All of us are outsiders in one way or another. We get together and forget about everything else. The world doesn’t always treat us right, but at least we have each other, you know?”

You nodded. “I get it. You guys are a good crew. And, hey, it’s not like the rest of Hawkins is exactly kind to you either. You make it work. That’s what matters.”

Eddie’s gaze softened, his usual devil-may-care expression giving way to something more genuine. “Yeah, well, it’s easier when you’ve got someone like you around.” He paused, almost as if he was waiting for your reaction. “You don’t exactly fit the mold of the rest of the people who hang around here.”

You exhaled a cloud of smoke and gave him a sideways glance. “I’m not like everyone else. Never have been.”

“And that’s why you’re here with me.” Eddie grinned, leaning back against the wall, looking almost mischievous. “You’re not the typical pretty, perfect cheerleader who can’t do anything but look cute. You’ve got brains. And attitude.”

“Is that a compliment, Munson?”

“Take it how you want,” Eddie smirked. “But yeah, it’s a compliment.”

The two of you sat there in comfortable silence, passing the joint back and forth, the world outside fading away. It was moments like these that made you feel like everything was right—like you could forget about the pressure of school, the looming future, and just exist in this small bubble with Eddie.

You could feel the warmth of the sun fading as evening approached, the chill setting in with the promise of a long night ahead. You were getting lost in the high, the connection you shared, and the way Eddie made you feel—like you were the only person who mattered in the whole damn town.

“So, what’s on the agenda for tonight, Eddie?” you asked, tapping the ash off your cigarette.

“Well,” Eddie began, “we’ve got our usual Hellfire session, but after that, I might just have something a little more… personal planned.”

You tilted your head, curious. “Oh really? And what’s that supposed to mean?”

He gave you a sly grin, his eyes flicking to yours, and for a moment, you both just stared at each other, the air thick with unspoken words. You knew he wasn’t just talking about the weed anymore.

“Maybe we’ll find out after the meeting,” Eddie said cryptically, his tone suggestive.

You smiled, feeling the heat rise to your cheeks. “I’m looking forward to it.”

As the smoke continued to swirl around the two of you, the last rays of the sun dipped below the horizon, and the air grew crisp. Eddie’s words lingered in the space between you, a little mystery in them that you couldn’t shake. There was something more, something beneath the surface of your usual banter, and you couldn’t help but be curious about where it might lead.

“You’re not planning on skipping the Hellfire meeting, are you?” Eddie asked, breaking the comfortable silence, his voice a little teasing. He took another drag of his cigarette, blowing out a perfect ring of smoke that drifted lazily into the cool evening air.

You shook your head. “No way. I’m not that heartless. Besides, I’m curious about what new adventures your D&D crew is going to get into.”

Eddie laughed, that deep, infectious chuckle that you always found so endearing. “It’s more than just an adventure. It’s a full-on journey,” he said with a mock-serious tone. “I’ve been planning a campaign for weeks. It’s gonna be epic.”

You rolled your eyes, smiling. “You and your Hellfire. You guys are like a secret society, plotting world domination through dice rolls.”

Eddie shot you a wink. “That’s the plan. One dungeon at a time.”

You finished your cigarette and flicked it to the ground, crushing it under your boot. You’d already smoked the joint he’d rolled for you, and now you were feeling that familiar wave of warmth and calm, a gentle high that made everything feel a little more… right. It was hard to explain, but whenever you were around Eddie, time seemed to slow down. You weren’t sure if it was the weed, the company, or a little bit of both, but you always felt at ease with him.

Eddie stood up, brushing off his jacket as he held out his hand to you. “Alright, enough of the smoke break. Let’s get this over with, and then we can really get to the fun part.”

You eyed his hand for a second before taking it, your fingers briefly brushing against his. The touch sent a small shock through you, something electric, and for a split second, you hesitated. But only for a second. You grabbed his hand and let him pull you up, feeling his warmth as he steadied you.

“You know,” you said, giving him a playful smile, “I think I could get used to this. Hanging around with you, I mean.”

Eddie grinned, his eyes lighting up with mischief. “I’m a hell of a lot more fun than most people around here, huh?”

“Yeah,” you admitted, glancing down at your shoes as you both started walking toward the school’s main building. “You definitely are.”

By the time you reached the Hellfire Club’s meeting spot, the large, old boiler room in the basement of Hawkins High, the rest of the group was already there. You’d been to a few meetings before, mostly just hanging out while Eddie and the others played their game, but tonight felt different. It was like you and Eddie were sharing something unspoken, and you weren’t sure if anyone else had noticed.

The air inside the basement was thick with the smell of pizza and soda, and the usual energy of the Hellfire Club filled the room. The usual cast of characters was present: Dustin, Mike, Lucas, and Will—all the guys who were usually inseparable from Eddie. You were the only one who didn’t quite fit the mold, but that didn’t bother you. If anything, it made you feel like you had an edge, a way of seeing things no one else did. Eddie made sure you were never an outsider.

“Hey, look who’s here,” Dustin said with a grin, looking up from the game board where his character was just about to face off against a monstrous dragon. “The queen of cool herself.”

You shot Dustin a playful look, sitting down on the old, mismatched couch in the corner, close enough to Eddie but not directly in his space. Not yet.

“Queen of cool?” you repeated with a raised eyebrow. “You better watch it, Henderson. I could teach you a thing or two about being cool.”

Eddie chuckled, sitting at the head of the table with a smug look on his face. He seemed to enjoy the banter that flowed so easily between you and the others. It was almost as if you were part of their world without needing to be directly involved in their game.

“So, what’s the plan tonight?” you asked, leaning back into the couch, taking another drag of your cigarette. “Are we saving the kingdom again or slaying more dragons?”

Eddie grinned widely, clearly excited. “Oh, we’re doing both, baby,” he said, gesturing to the map he’d spread out in front of him. “We’re heading into the depths of the Underdark tonight. Things are about to get real dark and twisted.”

“Sounds fun,” you said, eyes glinting. You were high enough now to enjoy the sound of their nerdy talk, even if you didn’t totally understand all the references. Hell, you didn’t need to. You were here for Eddie.

The session kicked off with all the usual enthusiasm, everyone getting involved in their characters’ quests and battling off the imaginary beasts Eddie had conjured up. You could see how deeply invested they all were, the way Eddie led them through the storyline with a mix of humor and intensity, his voice deepening as he described the dungeons and creatures that lurked within.

But as the game went on, your mind wandered back to Eddie. He was in his element, clearly, but there was something about the way he kept glancing over at you that you couldn’t ignore. It wasn’t just a look—it was a pull, a silent conversation that played out between you and him with no one else in the room aware.

You shifted on the couch, catching his gaze for just a moment. Eddie’s lips quirked into a knowing grin, and your stomach fluttered. You had the feeling this meeting wouldn’t just end with pizza and dice. No, there was something else in the air tonight. Something that had been building up for weeks now.

The game continued into the night, but you could feel the tension between you and Eddie growing with every passing minute. After a while, the guys started to lose interest, their focus drifting from the game to the usual late-night chatter and laughter. Eddie noticed it too, his eyes drifting back to you, and he suddenly stood up.

“Alright, that’s enough of that for tonight,” Eddie announced, standing up from the table. “I think we’ve battled enough monsters for one evening.”

The guys groaned in protest but didn’t push him on it. They were used to Eddie’s whims, especially when his focus shifted elsewhere. He turned to you with a mischievous smile.

“So, you ready to get out of here?” Eddie asked, the question almost too casual, though you could see the spark in his eyes.

You didn’t need to say a word. You just stood up, following him as he made his way toward the door, his hand brushing against yours again. This time, you didn’t hesitate. You grabbed his hand, holding on just a little longer than necessary.

When you stepped out into the cool night air, the world outside seemed quieter, more distant. It was just you and Eddie, two souls connected by more than just weed or friendship. Tonight, it felt like you were on the cusp of something new.

“You know,” you said, your voice low and teasing, “I never figured you for the type to wrap up a D&D session early.”

Eddie’s grin was all teeth. “Maybe I just have better things to do.”

“Better things, huh?” you repeated, raising an eyebrow. “What exactly did you have in mind?”

Eddie’s gaze flickered to yours, his tone dropping. “Let’s find out.”

You and Eddie walked in companionable silence, your footsteps echoing in the empty hallways of Hawkins High. The night air was cool, the stars above twinkling faintly as you made your way toward the parking lot. There was a strange, electric buzz in the air—something unspoken, something that had been simmering beneath the surface for weeks. The weed was still swirling in your mind, adding a dreamlike quality to everything around you, but it was more than that. It was Eddie.

He stopped just short of the parking lot, turning to face you, and for a moment, the world outside seemed to blur. The only thing that mattered was the way his eyes were locked on you, the way his lips twitched into a smile, like he was trying to figure out something about you—or maybe about himself.

“So,” Eddie started, his voice low, “we’re alone now. The game’s over. No more Hellfire. Just you and me.”

You tilted your head, feeling your heartbeat quicken. “Yeah, I noticed. I’m starting to get the feeling you’re trying to tell me something.”

Eddie took a step closer, closing the gap between you, and you felt that familiar heat rise in your chest. “Maybe I am,” he said, his voice low and deliberate. “But I don’t know if you’re ready to hear it.”

You raised an eyebrow, a teasing smile pulling at the corners of your lips. “Eddie, if you’re trying to be mysterious, it’s working.”

Eddie’s grin spread wider, but there was something different about it now. It wasn’t just playful—it was sincere, almost vulnerable in a way that you hadn’t seen before. His usual bravado was still there, but now it felt like he was letting down some of his walls, just a little.

He took another step toward you, and this time, you didn’t move away. You let him close the space between you, your body responding to his presence in a way that was almost instinctual. He was so close now that you could feel the heat radiating off of him, the scent of his cologne mingling with the faint musk of the weed still clinging to your clothes.

“I think,” Eddie said, his voice barely above a whisper, “I’ve been wanting to say this for a while now, but I didn’t know how.”

You looked up at him, your pulse racing. “What’s that?”

He met your gaze, his dark eyes full of something that made your stomach flip. “I don’t just want to be your weed guy, y’know? I’ve… I’ve been wanting more than that for a while.”

The words hung in the air, heavy and charged. For a moment, you just stared at him, your heart thumping in your chest. Was he really saying what you thought he was saying?

You took a deep breath, your voice steady but filled with curiosity. “More? Like what, Eddie?”

Eddie ran a hand through his messy hair, a nervous habit that you knew well. He was always a little unsure when it came to anything outside of his comfort zone, but you could see that he was trying. Trying to make himself vulnerable in a way he rarely did with anyone.

“I don’t know. I’m not great with words, okay? But I’ve been thinking about you a lot lately. Not just as… y’know, a friend who smokes with me, or a girl who comes to my Hellfire meetings. I think you know that, right?” His eyes were earnest now, and the usual sarcasm in his voice had faded.

You swallowed hard, trying to steady your nerves. This felt different than anything you’d expected when you first started hanging out with Eddie. The connection you shared had always been strong, but this? This was something new. Something uncharted.

“I… I had a feeling,” you admitted, your voice a little softer than usual.

Eddie stepped even closer now, until you were standing mere inches apart. You could feel the heat of his body radiating against yours, and the air between you crackled with anticipation. It felt like the world had narrowed to just the two of you in this moment.

“Yeah?” he asked, his voice barely a breath. “You think I’ve been wanting this too?”

Your eyes flickered to his lips for just a second, before locking with his gaze again. You nodded slowly. “I think you have.”

The smile that broke out on Eddie’s face was the most genuine you’d seen from him all night. His hands hovered at his sides, as if unsure whether to reach for you or not. But you didn’t need to wait for him to make the first move. You stepped forward, your hand resting gently on his chest, feeling the beat of his heart beneath your fingertips.

“Then why don’t you kiss me, Eddie?” you said, your voice barely above a whisper, but filled with something stronger than curiosity now. Something more like desire.

Eddie’s breath hitched at your words, and for a second, you thought he might freeze up. But instead, he leaned in, his lips brushing against yours just lightly at first, testing. The feeling of him so close to you, his warmth, his breath, the sweet taste of the cigarette smoke still lingering on his lips—it was everything you’d wanted and more.

The kiss deepened, slow and tentative at first, but then with more urgency, more passion, as if neither of you could hold back anymore. His hands slid to your waist, pulling you closer, the heat of his body against yours setting every nerve on fire. You could feel his heartbeat racing beneath your palms, matching your own. His lips were soft but demanding, a perfect mix of tenderness and hunger that had you leaning into him, wanting more. He let out a soft moan, the sound going straight to your core. As he was tilting his head as he continued to dig deeper in your mouth, Eddie’s hand slid up to your neck, pulling you closer as the kiss deepened. His lips were warm, urgent, as though he was trying to anchor himself to you in a world that seemed to be falling apart. You responded in kind, your hands tangled in his messy hair as the world outside faded away.

When you finally pulled away, breathless and a little dizzy, you both stood there for a moment, eyes locked. You didn’t need to say anything—everything was clear in the way he looked at you, the way you felt connected in this moment that was somehow both familiar and brand new.

Eddie’s voice was rough as he spoke, his hand still resting gently on your waist. “So… that’s what you were waiting for, huh?”

You couldn’t help but laugh softly, still feeling the lingering effects of the kiss on your lips. “Maybe,” you replied, voice teasing. “I’m not always the easiest to read, Munson. But I think you figured it out.”

He chuckled, pressing his forehead against yours, and for a moment, the world outside seemed so far away. It was just you and Eddie now, no longer just a supplier and a customer, no longer just friends. Something had shifted, and you both knew it.

“We should probably get out of here before the guys start wondering where we went,” Eddie said after a beat, his voice lighter now, but still laced with that underlying tension. He pulled away, but not too far. “You wanna head back to my place? We can watch a movie, or… whatever.”

You grinned, taking his hand as you both turned toward the parking lot. “I think I’m in the mood for whatever, Eddie.”

He looked at you, that familiar mischievous spark back in his eyes. “I’m glad you said that,” he said, and the two of you headed out into the night, the start of something new between you both unfolding with every step.

The drive to Eddie’s place was short, but the tension in the car felt palpable, the silence between you both almost electric. You had a feeling neither of you quite knew how to break it, but you also didn’t mind. There was something comforting in the quiet, the soft hum of the engine and the occasional rustle of the wind as you drove under the streetlights.

Eddie was focused on the road, but you could feel his eyes glancing over at you every now and then, like he was checking in, making sure you were still there, still with him. The air between you was different now, charged with something unspoken, a kind of anticipation that hummed in your veins.

When you finally reached his trailer, the small, worn-down place that had always been a refuge for Eddie, he killed the engine and turned to face you. His eyes were soft now, a little more serious than usual.

“So…” Eddie began, rubbing the back of his neck in that familiar, nervous gesture. “You wanna come inside, or…?”

You gave him a smile, the kind of smile that made your heart race a little. “Yeah, I think I’d like that.”

The two of you got out of the car, and as you walked toward the trailer, Eddie’s hand found yours again, lacing your fingers together. It felt so natural, like it was always meant to be this way. The gesture was simple, but the connection was undeniable. You didn’t need to say anything—there was no need for words right now. The pull between you two was strong enough on its own.

When you stepped inside Eddie’s trailer, the familiar warmth of the place enveloped you. The dim lighting, the cluttered shelves filled with band posters, books, and strange trinkets—it was quintessentially Eddie. It felt lived-in, comfortable, like the world outside didn’t exist here. You’d been in and out of his place a few times before, but tonight, everything felt different.

Eddie turned on a lamp, casting a soft glow across the room, and motioned for you to sit on the couch. He took a moment to grab a couple of beers from the fridge, handing one to you with a grin. “Cheers,” he said, clinking his bottle against yours before taking a long swig.

You watched him for a moment, the way his hair fell in loose waves around his face, the way he moved so effortlessly, like he was always in his element here. There was a sense of calm about him that you admired, something that had drawn you to him from the very beginning.

“So, uh…” Eddie said, his voice slightly hesitant but still light. “What now? We’re alone, and the night’s ours, so… what’s next?”

You tilted your head, leaning back into the couch and looking at him with a mischievous smile. “I don’t know. What did you have in mind?”

Eddie’s gaze flickered from your face to your lips, and for a second, you thought he might shy away, but he didn’t. Instead, he closed the distance between you, sitting down next to you on the couch, his knee brushing against yours. His eyes locked onto yours, and for a moment, neither of you spoke.

“I think I’ve waited long enough,” Eddie said softly, his voice almost a whisper. He didn’t give you a chance to respond before his lips were on yours again, this time more urgent, more insistent, like he was trying to convey everything he couldn’t put into words.

The kiss was different this time, more than just a playful tease. There was a depth to it, a connection that reached beyond the physical. His hands cupped your face gently, pulling you closer, and you melted into him, your body responding to the heat of his touch. Every kiss, every brush of his lips against yours, was like a promise—one you couldn’t quite understand but couldn’t deny either.

When you finally broke away, gasping for breath, you rested your forehead against his, the soft rhythm of your heartbeats syncing together.

“That,” you breathed, “was… exactly what I needed.”

Eddie chuckled softly, his fingers tracing small circles on your arm as he leaned back, but his eyes never left you. “I’m glad I could be of service,” he said, his voice low and teasing again. But there was something in the way he looked at you that made the teasing feel more like a genuine moment of affection.

You reached up, gently pushing a stray lock of hair out of his face, your fingers lingering for a moment longer than necessary. “You know,” you said with a playful smile, “I think I’m starting to get why people can’t stop talking about you.”

Eddie raised an eyebrow, his lips quirking up into a smirk. “Oh yeah? And what exactly are they saying?”

You shrugged casually, trying to hide the way your stomach fluttered at the thought of him. “You’ve got your own thing, Eddie. People like you because you’re different. You don’t try to fit in, and I respect that.”

He let out a soft laugh, clearly pleased by the compliment. “I’m not trying to fit in. Why would I want to be like everyone else?”

“You shouldn’t,” you agreed, giving him a smile that was equal parts affection and mischief. “Being yourself is way better than trying to be anyone else.”

Eddie’s expression softened, and for a moment, you saw the genuine Eddie, the one behind the jokes and the loud persona—the one who was unsure but never afraid to be authentic. He reached out and brushed his hand over yours, his touch gentle and almost shy.

“I like being around you,” he said, his voice quieter now, a hint of vulnerability in his words. “I always have.”

The sincerity of his words caught you off guard, and you couldn’t help but smile. “I like being around you, too.”

There was a beat of silence between you two, a moment where everything felt perfect, like you were both waiting for something to happen but not in a rush. Eddie’s eyes flickered down to your lips again, and you could feel that familiar tension building once more.

Without saying another word, he kissed you again, but this time, it was slower, more deliberate, like he was savoring the moment. The kiss deepened, and you responded in kind, your hands threading through his hair, pulling him closer.

And for a moment, everything outside of that trailer—outside of this room, outside of Hawkins—faded away. It was just the two of you, lost in each other, lost in a feeling you both had been searching for without knowing it.

When you finally broke away again, both of you breathless and with flushed cheeks, Eddie gave you a soft smile. His thumb brushed over your lip, the gesture tender, and it made your heart skip a beat.

“You know,” he said, his voice a little rough from the kiss, “this isn’t what I expected our night to turn into, but I think it’s exactly what I needed.”

You smiled back, your heart still racing from the intensity of the moment. “Same here.”

Eddie leaned back into the couch, pulling you with him so that your head rested on his shoulder. The two of you sat in silence for a while, the peaceful quiet of the trailer wrapping around you like a blanket. Outside, the sounds of Hawkins were distant, but here, in this moment, everything felt right.

“I think this is the start of something pretty great,” you murmured, your voice soft but full of promise.

Eddie didn’t say anything at first, but you felt his arm tighten around you in agreement. “Yeah,” he said finally, his voice filled with that same warmth. “I think it is.”

And just like that, you both drifted into a comfortable silence, your connection deepening in a way that neither of you had expected, but both of you knew was real.

——————————————-

AN: luv me some eddie, how i do ?

[beevean]

I understand the miscommunication now. However, there is a difference between saying "I never played the 2000s games that gave closure to ShTH, and I like how SXSG handled things" and

I think what I appreciate most about Shadow Generations is just that it gives Shadow ACTUAL, CANON closure for his struggle between good and evil.

If you missed out on the games, fair enough, it happens. Personally, I played Heroes and ShTH some years before Adventure 2, and it shaped my perception of Shadow. But if you put it in an objective way, as in, "Shadow never got proper closure before", then I would say "no, he did, multiple times, here's proof - you may not like the writing, but it still happened".

I didn't even talk about '06 itself because I am not going to think about its place in the canon timeline lol. But in a meta sense, it counts for my point: we players experienced Shadow's story and how it precisely exists to show us "look, he has moved on, he can no longer be swayed or manipulated, he knows who he is and what he's fighting for". Sure, the events with Mephiles didn't happen or he forgot, but that game still counted as closure to us after playing ShTH.

I really like that Shadow Gens doesn't emphasize his promise to Maria - he's not doing this out of obligation, but because he chooses to.

It's true that Shadow doesn't talk about his old promise, it's good and shows that he has grown. To be fair, though, another reason for this could be that the story is much more focused on Shadow's biology and ties to Black Doom than his relationship with the world (plus, it wouldn't make sense for him to tell Maria he had promised her to make people happy when she hasn't died yet lol). And, this is an issue I have with the part where Shadow briefly contemplates to stop Rouge and use Chaos Control to freeze Maria and Gerald in White Space: the fact that he has to be told to let them go is still, conceptually, Shadow needing Maria as moral guidance.

As for the mandate bit, I'm aware Boom isn't canon and Forces shows Shadow cares about his team (shout out to their banter in Team Sonic Racing for backing it up as well); I was more referring to the general 2010's vibe. Once you get past 2010, Shadow appears in Generations, where he just wants to "finish" Sonic… And then nothing until Forces, with everything extracurricular from Boom and IDW (while not being strictly canon) pointing to Sega and the writers… not treating his character well.

I disagree. I don't think it makes sense to talk about "general vibe", when the list of Shadow's appearances in the 2010s is so small they can be dissected one by one. Once you remove Boom, which again doesn't count at all as Boom Shadow is a different character from main Shadow (or you might as well argue that the 2010s as a whole turned Knuckles into an illiterate Kronk-like idiot or Eggman into a softie who is frenemies with Sonic), his portrayals in the games are generally decent, with perhaps the one exception of Free Riders where everyone was a dick for no reason lol. Speaking of Gens, sure Shadow challenges Sonic out of nowhere, but then he cheers for him to defeat the Eggmen and then even sticks around for his birthday, so he's not just "the Vegeta" as he has been described since then.

We can argue that Shadow was used very sparingly in the 2010s, which is true. The 2010s were a response to the backlash of the 2000s, and one of the complaints was precisely that Shadow stole the spotlight, along with all the "shitty friends", so they all took several seats back. The reason I insisted that Boom and IDW don't count is that they aren't canon, they shouldn't be used as proof to talk about the character, and they aren't proof of how SEGA sees the character - although they certainly didn't have an iron grip on the external writers except for some basic guidelines, and maybe they should have. I think we are still feeling the consequences of the series stumbling 10 years ago (that 2013-2017 gap was painful), and the fandom growing sour because of it.

I don't think SXSG is a bad game. I have a couple of complaints with Shadow's writing, but they mostly stem with how the story uses him, other than that I can see they tried to make him sound like he did in '06 and he works. My issue is wider: I would like these characters to move on and stop clinging onto games that are by now older than the average fan. We had Frontiers which mostly retreaded character arcs that we have seen in Sonic Adventure, way back in 1998; and now we got SXSG, which was a long, long way to tell us "hey remember ShTH? Now Shadow is tired of BD's shit. Here's a reminder of that game's twist regarding Shadow's biology, but he doesn't care. Also he still misses Maria." So I'm here like... the older games are there. Shadow's multi-game arc is there. Couldn't you have just re-released them? Couldn't you have announced a sale for SA2 on Steam? Or ported Heroes and ShTH, which would have been appreciated by a good chunk of the fandom? SXSG may be fun to play and a testament of ST learning lessons on level design and gameplay style, but the game itself was not the point of the experience, right? It's for newcomers attracted by the incoming movie to get an idea of who Shadow is. I understand and respect that I am not the target audience here. But that doesn't mean the older games are suddenly invalid or should be forgotten.

i guess tl;dr please port shth and battle and then let's write new scenarios for the cast

(Spoilers for Shadow Generations)

I think what I appreciate most about Shadow Generations is just that it gives Shadow ACTUAL, CANON closure for his struggle between good and evil.

By the end of Adventure 2, he remembered his promise to Maria and made his choice to save the world, but then he "dies".

When Heroes revives him, he doesn't remember any of that.

His namesake game (and I say this as gently as possible), as cool as the multiple endings were, feels so unsatisfying. We get to see Shadow's potential for good and evil, sure, but then the true canon ending comes, and it doesn't specify what he did (or even what exactly he remembered about his past) to get there, and then he just decides not to let his past control him. Which isn't a terrible direction on paper, but the symbolism of him literally throwing away a picture of his family just seems... Like the opposite of what made this character appealing in the first place?

And from there, the games kept giving mixed signals. Sonic '06 shows how deeply he and Team Dark come to care for each other, but then its events get literally removed from the timeline. Sega begins to pretend that Team Dark aren't even friends in their mandates for a while (despite the fact they clearly care for each others' wellbeing before anybody else's). Shadow becomes practically a popsicle stick puppet for "angry, serious, violent rival", and they never feel a need to explain his motivations or reactions beyond waving at that four word character description again.

Shadow's appeal (at least to me) was never that he was a character who didn't care about anything - it was that he cared very deeply, actually. (Someone who nearly lets the world be destroyed as revenge for losing his family is the exact opposite of someone who doesn't care!) He may not be cheerful, he may be quiet and stern, he may have a temper and be capable of terrible things if he isn't careful, but he isn't heartless.

And Shadow Generations FINALLY got it right, I feel.

There's now no doubt that he remembers his past, and that it did matter to him. It still does, in fact, and we're dropping the idea that he'll move on from it like it never happened. That's not how tragedy works.

But he will be able to move forward.

He has finally, WITHOUT GETTING AMNESIA, IN THE CANON TIMELINE, gotten to become the hero Maria wanted him to be.

That doesn't mean his story's over: I'm sure they can still find adventures to send him on. And that doesn't mean he needs any kind of complete personality overhaul, either. He can still be more aggressive than Team Sonic, and more stern, and maybe even more willing to resort to questionable methods to fight next week's bad guy.

But all of Team Dark has gotten to acknowledge that they do, in fact, care for each other, even if their attitudes aren't as chummy as Team Sonic.

Shadow has gotten to hear from his family that they are proud of him, weird alien DNA and all, and that even though he will have to go the rest of his long life without them, their love will always go with him, and give him the strength he needs to overcome any of his darker parts.

Shadow having a darker edge than Sonic and Shadow being a hero are things that can and SHOULD coexist, and I'm so glad we finally got to see it for him without it getting wiped from canon or his own memories again.

[smorkulon]

Lucanis romance route is so poorly written only thing carrying him through it is his looks lol

No you're so right. I love Lucanis so much, but he has so little content? Like genuinely, in my first completed play through I was begging my friends who'd already completed the game if they knew about more content or maybe a quest I missed or something, but there's nothing. And then there's barely any mention of his childhood, what it was like growing up as a Crow, unless you're a Crow Rook yourself in which he lets De Riva answer for him, which isn't much. Not to mention the fact that he tells Emmrich that this is his first relationship in banter. Banter I haven't seen in 100+ hours of game play and only saw it on Twitter. If I hadn't seen it, I would have never known that he's supposed to be a virgin and has never been in a relationship before. I really want to see that fleshed out instead of... The nothing we get. I understand he's tired, but as someone who's lived in conditions where I barely got any sleep for days on end and battling through depression and severe existential dread, I still made time to talk to my family and friends, I was still able to forge bonds and feel like I had crushes. Being tired isn't exactly an excuse because I don't want steamy sex, just talking with him would be enough. I also want to see more about how Spite is practically obsessive and in love with Rook himself, I'm not even joking! Lucanis has the set up for a lot, but there's practically nothing, it's not even a slow burn, it's just momentary sparks in a cold dark rain storm.

[hailtothepumpkinqueen]

Headcanons for the Shane Stardew Valley that lives in my Switch because I wanted to put them down somewhere lol 💙🐔

•He's 35 years old. When Farmer tells him that's not old he replies "Old for a gridball player" and shrugs. (basing this on mid-30's apparently being old for a lot of sports lol)

•Definitely not as "weak" as he thinks he is either. The man helps Marnie around the farm, including hucking around heavy bags of animal feed and hay. And probably hauling heavy boxes around JojaMart. So great upper body strength, just gets tired and out of breath more easily than he used to.

•Strong arms and soft tummy 👍

•5'7" but wishes he was at least 6'1". A little insecure about it, especially since Farmer is taller than him.(she's 5'10")

•Favorite color is blue 💙

•His last name is Cooper. (Purely because I find it funny for him to have "coop" in his name. Like chicken coop lmao)

•Ears are pierced. I imagine 10mm gauges and two other piercings. Doesn't wear them super often, but enough so the holes don't close up.

•I think he'd be a Taurus. Stubborn but also down to earth.

•Started showing signs of depression as a teenager, but got dismissed as being "moody" and "lazy".

•Both parents had issues with alcohol and were distant/absent. His dad physically distant, as he was gone a lot and often came home drunk. His mom emotionally distant due to untreated depression.

•Leaving Shane to care for himself a majority of the time. So lots of microwaved pizza rolls and frozen dinners.

•Started drinking before the legal age because there was always alcohol in the house.

•Has not spoken to either parent since he moved out.

•Gridball was initially a good distraction for all the shit going on in his life and a way to get out of the house. Discovered he had a genuine love for the game and was really good at it. Good enough to play for the varsity team in college.

•Definitely a bit of a hot shot in college. Pretty popular for his goofy and easygoing personality and had a lot of friends(including Jas's parents). A few flings and serious relationships too.

•Ended up tearing his ACL, which put an end to his dream of going pro with his gridball career.

•Which exacerbated his depression and worsened his dependency on alcohol as a coping mechanism...which lead to a pretty bad breakup with his partner at the time. (This literally came to me in a dream lol)

•Light sleeper, particularly sensitive to noise. On top of having trouble sleeping a lot of nights because his brain won't shut off. Hence why he'll have a beer or two before bed, it helps him sleep.

•When that doesn't work he goes on walks. Nighttime is a preferable time to walk anyway because less chance to run into someone and have to make annoying small talk.

•Has dark circles under his eyes pretty much all the time due to lack of good sleep.

•Runs hot, basically a walking space heater. Which is great in the winter but MISERABLE in the summer.

•Was the best man at Jas's parents' wedding.

•And one of the first people to hold Jas after she was born. He was afraid he'd drop her or something and in awe of how tiny she was.

•Loves that little girl SO much, but when her parents died...he was in no position to be taking care of her. Not with his worsening depression and even worse alcohol dependency. So he signed over custody of her to Marnie, who was more of a mother figure to him than his own mom ever was(In my head, Marnie is Shane's mom's older sister).

•Used to spend summers on Marnie's farm as a kid. It was a nice break from his home life and gave him things to do.

•Was living with Marnie and Jas for about 6 months when Farmer moved to Pelican Town.

•It was his idea to pay rent, because he'd rather eat his shoe than feel like more of a burden than he already does.

•Listens to predominantly rock, but secretly knows the words to a lot of pop songs thanks to Jas.

•Lets Jas paint his nails or put makeup on him. Will wear the nail polish until it flakes off, no matter the color or glitter content.

•Has an armband tattoo of fairy roses around his bicep. For Jas, obviously.

•Definitely friends with Emily (they swap bird facts and just vibe) and and considers Sam a work friend(absolutely talk shit about Morris when not talking about music). He just seems to attract bright, friendly people lol

•Not a people pleaser by any stretch of the imagination (there's a reason he stocks shelves instead of being behind the counter at JojaMart), but loves making the people he cares about happy.

•Him being standoffish and prickly is definitely a defense mechanism. Can't get hurt again by losing someone if you never get close to them in the first place, right?

•Can tell when it's gonna rain because his bad knee starts hurting. When Emily teasingly calls him clairvoyant, he goes into a spiel about the scientific evidence that the drop in barometric pressure affects joints and it's not magic. It's basically an inside joke between them.

•Swears like a sailor but tries to censor himself around the children. So "sugar" and "fudge" and "son of a biscuit". Lot of food words lol

•Walks quietly. Accidentally scares people all the time because he just "appears out of nowhere".

[tiredassmage]

veilguard thoughts!

rook + solas parallels edition

spoilery ofc because my head's not full of cotton balls today and i haven't stopped chewing on it all since i finished the game! so! this is a little endgame heavy; you've been warned for what's below the cut <3

the final first playthrough counter has come in just over 67 hours and i am all but physically holding myself back from launching right into another one with another rook because i had a blast. i'll concede it was a bit heavy on the exposition in the first several hours, but what followed has certainly won my heart, and i think the game is visually beautiful.

but i'm not even looking to do a full review here, but i think one of the most fascinating things this game did was set up rook and solas. so, two parts of preface then: one, i was a little determined to love this game and hoped it would at least perform decent. that's my spite about it, lol, but that's not the point, so we're not here about that. two, one of my admitted concerns when they had first announced this game having its own protagonist was... that i wasn't sure there was another person to finish solas's story other than the inquisitor, and this isn't a solavellan thing for me, though my beloved canon inquisitor is a lavellan. solas's friendship wasn't the biggest hitch in inquisition for me, but it was important to my inquisitor. he wanted to prove his friend wrong.

i don't believe hallaren had a plan at the time for how to achieve that. he wasn't sure it was actually possible to convince solas the dalish were not as lost a cause as he seemed to believe, but he had to try.

and when i started veilguard, i wouldn't say i'd have anticipated the parallels of solas and rook, nor how well they ended up working for me. i admit: they got me. i didn't see that twist coming. and the hindsight of losing varric from the beginning makes a lot hurt (i say that as a compliment). i think it's easy enough to explain why i didn't see it, why (my, at least) rook didn't puzzle it out, but i also readily admit i'm historically bad at seeing these kinds of things, so you're free to be amused on your own time, lol.

anyway. regret. not becoming what you hate, what you claim to fight against. not being beholden to what you were or what you've lost. the game hits these beats several times, and i think its a real beautiful repeating thing they've done if you hammer all the companion's stories with the main deal, and i did the memories of the dread wolf as well. rook and the inquisitor have a conversation about it that about touches on all of it way more eloquently than i could summarize.

and, of course, part of the reveal is solas did dabble with blood magic on the matter of varric's death, did set rook up for the level of regret and grief they must settle with to trap them in the fade - a prison fit for gods, a prison fit for a god's regrets.

and this is where i transition into blorbo-specific thoughts. because i think part of what fascinates and delights me so much about the rook and solas, potentially two sides of the same coin deal is how tyr's relationship with solas starts and then develops.

tyr does not trust solas from the outset. which i think is where a very interesting presentation of similar (at their roots) choices begins, as varric says: in a bar, as all good stories. one of the first story notifications we get is how rook chooses to handle the bar owner: charm your way out, or a more direct approach, and we're told varric takes note of this.

varric's own plan is an appeal to solas's nature. to talk his way out. as is varric's way.

normally, i'd call tyr the kind of character (having played with him as an oc in various medias for oh... going on 2 years, is it? maybe 3? time's fake, different post) to also prefer talking his way out. but he doesn't believe solas will listen. so he rebukes varric's plan of just waltzing up and charming him with his babygirl eyes.

then at d'meta's crossing, he spares the mayor. not because he doesn't hear the concern that the greedy bastard will fall to said greed again, and not out of an entirely conscious mandate for live with the consequences of your actions, but... in hindsight with other choices, i'd argue it's... from at least a little of that kind of place.

he tries and fails to reason with the first warden. several times. in the heat of weisshaupt, and with the recent conversation with solas about whatever it takes on his mind, he ends up decking the man. the stakes are too high for risking the first warden staying on his high horse again if another attempt at reason fails, is the driver of the decision.

i'd chewed for a while on how that would seem to make tyr's commitment to "talking things through" indicated by that first choice in the bar inconsistent. it all seems justifiable at the time, and he didn't get to the place with the first warden he was out of intentional malice, but he still wound up there.

much of that is natural by the circumstances he was presented. by making calls with the information and under the conditions that were present at the time, as anyone, not just rook, would have to do under such circumstances, if they traded places. sure, some of it is also by solas's engineering of his conversations with rook. by setting them up to be a leader asked to make those hard calls. maybe even for arguably goading them a bit into a situation where whatever it takes was their only feasible option. which neve has a great comment on:

this is, i think, most directly about varric's death, but also, personally, i have to say is applicable for solas's intervention during blood of arlathan.

so, back to blorbo for a moment. tyr begins from a place that mistrusts solas's motives. the I'm quoting you here, "lies, treachery, and rebellion" kind of mistrust. and then, as things progress, as the team unveils more about solas's past in the crossroads and through the murals, it circles back to what I think motivated much of his comment to varric that talking with solas wouldn't work: that even if solas has any regret for what's happened, he's too stubborn to concede, too trapped by the mistakes of that past to ever admit fault, to hear himself sound like the 'gods' he claims to despise. tyr continues to take solas's advice into consideration the whole time, true, because it's... hard to discount the only potentially close to the problem kind of advice and knowledge they don't... exactly otherwise have themselves. he's not sure what the other shoe dropping in that equation is going to look like, but he's more convinced it'll happen than he is entirely happy with the situation.

the murals create... a hunch. or develop it. that rather than just being too prideful about the harm he'll cause by tearing down the veil, that solas is trapped in this plan by his regrets and guilt for actions of the past. at that point, tyr... has a better understanding about how they got to this point, but it kind of only solidifies his reservations that solas might actually be reasoned with.

the one moment this is changed, then, is during blood of arlathan. because frankly i think that was one of the worst experiences tyr has in the entire game. elgar'nan's influence in their minds, and an incident where they're trapped with no conceivable way out and potentially facing down an archdemon again, not so long after weisshaupt that the losses have stopped aching.

whatever his reasons or motivations and whatever else happens, solas saves their lives. tyr can't find a way around that one, and he's not even certain he wants to. because it's one of the definitive moments where he didn't have a plan, and he was terrified the tables had finally turned against them, and they'd fail.

it's not... trust. but tyr's also spent all this time working with his team on this concept that change shouldn't exactly be beyond anyone if there's a little effort put in. and whatever his own feelings are, varric wanted to believe in his old friend, and so does the inquisitor - both people he respects greatly, and he's constantly calculating their desire for a better outcome into the rubix cube that is trying to figure out how to stop the gods.

the problem then, is that solas all but instantly takes advantage of this... lapse. this faint relaxation of tyr's guard against his manipulations. that whole little incident with the fade after ghilan'nain's fall is all but immediately after, and its a betrayal nearly thrice or so over in rapid succession: that varric's been dead this whole time, that solas has manipulated him and how he feels responsibility for the team and the regrets that arise out of having to make hard choices, especially in times like these, and then on the other side of the fade, that solas has gone to minrathous, solas is playing "hero" about it all in tyr's and the shadow dragons' backyard. and to add salt to the wound, in minrathous, it's been blood magic all along.

and, y'know. solas says sorry, says he won't tear down the veil by his own hand, but hands rook the weapon to do it for him. sets them up again. so maybe that's more like... four or five times, depending on your count and categorization of it all.

and rook has a choice about all of this to make, a certain level of peace they have to make with it all to even get out of the fade. and how much to follow varric's advice about don't become what you hate - what you were fighting all along, or trapped by what you lost.

here's tyr's opinion that solas has more than likely been beyond reason because he's too far gone on his own path to even see that he's done exactly that: that he talks like elgar'nan's control, he's just dressing it up in a different way. that he's trapped by what he's lost and sacrificed and admitting that will be too much.

and here's tyr's inescapable bitterness of having been betrayed, of having spent so long trying to be careful with the god of trickery only to have danced right to his tune the whole time. a fiery emotional response for a threat to his home, to minrathous that he's tried very hard to protect and leave a smidgen better than he found it in this whole fight.

by circumstance... and by a little of solas's own design then, rook and solas confront the same trouble of what sacrifice being a leader demands. what cost is too high? how much is too much?

i had the pieces at that point for the ending with mythal, but now i had tyr bitter and a bit more resentful about solas - in a kind of pain about betrayal that was still asking why? about it rather than worried about if regret was present or meaningful. which is where this came from in my head akdfnas;dfnsadf

you're both thinking it. and the endings directly focus on whether or not solas succeeds in tearing down the veil, but the thematic part of it, to me, was... do rook and solas recognize where they might be held back? does tyr act on the pain and resentment of betrayal and swing blindly at solas as repayment? or is it bigger than both of them? is it about posing the question to solas about regret? how much is it like what drove solas to this point to act on that resentment? is it just retaliation? or did either of them learn anything from that prison in the fade?

and that's what makes the parallel, and it's what sets them apart.

and that's how, still, in the end, i have tyr who is willing to choose trying to reason one last time. for the sake of the advice of an old friend. for the people that brought them this far, the ones who chose to believe against the odds. and maybe, even, a little bit for himself. a choice against letting regret and resentment rule.

for the sake of it and because i couldn't get this game out of my head, i checked out the other endings, just to see, and i... think i like sticking with convincing him the best for both of them.

the trick with the dagger swap i think is the only other fitting course of action tyr might've taken from that point, and i think some of its elements reflect similar beats here about... learning from the past, if you will.

the accusation of likeness to the gods is still there. the banter about wits. i am a fool who finally met his match. one might argue that's for underestimating rook, which... fair enough, but i think... it also falls in line with solas's regrets, the appeal to be made to his nature, the... want, in the end, to be proven wrong. to find a 'better' way, as once he suggested to the inquisitor, and as mythal's release from debt and rook and the inquisitor's forgiveness, if you will, finally allows.

and that is... very satisfying to have said between them, when it's been on tyr's mind the whole time. and... they can both be proven wrong this way: for tyr, that solas wasn't beyond listening, and for solas, that there was another way.

for both of them that they could move on from what these trials have made of them, what they have done, and what they endured.

and man... man that was good. and so, so satisfying. it worked, veilguard. you sold me on these two as parallels to each other.

and that's just... one of many things in this game that gave me a lot of emotions, but this has already been. a helluva ramble, so if you've made it this far, congratulations and i salute you, lol.

i'm sure i'll do it all over again and have even more thoughts about even more rooks to throw around and chew on with this and what it'll reflect about each of them and that's. MMM. that's delicious. i loved this game. if my brain and time cooperates, i'm sure i'll have more thoughts and maybe even some writings for it in the future, we'll see where the blorbos take me. xD

[leori-the-unlearned]

this is quite the task (also i had a draft of this post that got eaten lol) + it’s been a bit since i’ve been deep into classpects

as a quick blocking-in of my own perspectives;

Marco as a Mind player, likely a Mage of Mind - knowing of it, primarily for himself, but he does share & contribute enough of it to the group’s benefit that I can see him as a Seer. Not just because *he* thinks, but because he looks into how others think and strategize to exploit that.

Rachel fits best as a Rage player; not just for being angry, but for challenging expectations and refusing to settle. I’d place her as Prince of Rage. However - given that the combination of class and aspect can transform the individual parts - I could also see her as something like a Rogue of Doom, stealing/redistributing Doom to benefit her team; changing out who dies and who doesn’t by her own actions. Or something like that.

Tobias is very close to Breath already; freedoms, detaching from his old life, being mostly self-determined. I’m leaning towards Heir of Breath, since having this freedom uproots him and allows him to fill a very different role, but you could also argue Knight of Breath, or potentially Page of Breath at more of a stretch. (As ‘providing others freedom’, which he does for Ket and Jara, and could be said to have freed the other Animorphs from the decision to let the asteroid hit and kill the Mercora or head home.)

Cassie I wouldn’t place as Life, despite the face resemblance; I’d actually put her as Hope. She has strong ideals against killing or needless violence (while understanding predators and the need for their existence still), and has the optimistic belief that they can negotiate a peaceful end to the Yeerk War. I think both Maid of Hope and Knight of Hope could fit, potentially Sylph of Hope. I could also agree with Space, which another person in tags already suggested.

Jake I’m less sure of. Light, Doom, Time, Blood? Light as far as intuition and seeing what to focus on; Doom as far as orchestrating or pruning it more passively/through command, ie Bard of Doom; Time under the interpretation of the aspect as timing, or things coming together in their place; and Blood as far as being a uniting influence, plying the bonds between people, as he’s the only one of the group who definitively has a well-defined tie with each of the others, being Rachel’s cousin, mutual crush with Cassie, protecting Tobias, best friends with Marco, and considered Prince by Ax. Any of the others have loose connections to at least one of the group. Maybe like a Seer of Blood, or potentially even Heir or Page of Blood ??

Ax I’m less sure about. I’d actually put him as Blood before I would Jake; bonds aren’t all there is to Blood, and Ax doesn’t necessarily have to have deep bonds already for them to be important to him as a character. I’d also consider Rogue of Blood for him, as compromising/benefitting from his bonds or duty for the sake of others, but perhaps instead Knight of Blood…

As far as playing a proper SBURB session? In order to *win* the Game in one session, you’ve got to have a Space player to actually have frogs to breed, and likely a Knight to help with raising the Frogs. If you don’t have those conditions, you need a Time player in order to Scratch/‘reboot’ the Session for a chance to win with a different playerset. Space is easy if you give that to Cassie, and I think Knight best befits Ax, so there’s your Genesis Frog/new universe-breeding pair. Or, if Cassie is instead Hope, you could try to work Jake into being Time…

I know you didn't get into Homestuck but on the offchance your followers have opinions what would the Animorph's classpects be?

I will float this to the followers. People who know Animorphs and Homestuck - thoughts?

[saturdaysky]

you lose sight of it, somehow, when you consort with gods: how fragile mortals are, and how precious.

[gale of waterdeep & my pc, mayhew of nowhere in particular]

[syn0vial]

my gun-loving, car guy, "i'm the straightest man i know" brother who just finished baldur's gate 3 talking about astarion:

[luminous-orb]

doodle comic i made just before beating VLR. not to worry, I Know Now :)

[its-sunny-somewhere-else]

Short clip one of Error’s drawings is based here

Playing through Omori very, very slowly. I haven’t gotten around any actual fanart, but I made a couple doodles in my sketchbook I can share for now. I am currently in Sweetheart’s castle and about to fight her garden statue I believe.

This took place in the daylight world (that’s what I call it idk) after the bathroom scene with Basil. I panicked the second I exited into the hallway and he wouldn’t let me back in, genuinely thought he was gonna kill himself. Anyways, turns out he’s FINE (as fine he Basil can be) so I just pictured them sitting like this against the door, I think this would look nice if I digitilized it I just don’t have the drive rn.

Where are the knives.

Daddy long legs left an impression on the gang, Omori is the only one having a mental breakdown over it tho.

“Sure, I can do that!” -disassociates to a scary extend-

I ship kelbrey, I think they’re cute. I like the happy go lucky boy having a little one-sidedcrush on the stubborn girl who is constantly nitpicking and arguing with him, and being so oblivious about it. It’s so cheesy idk put me on the cross like Jesus Christ and kill me I just think they’re adorable.

[buglaur]

this is kit, please commission some art from them on social bunny 🙏

[askyofexplodingstars]

team snakemouth but a little more blursed than usual

[do-you-know-this-adhd-character]

Do you know this (noncanon) ADHD character?

Evidence below the cut!

can be pretty hyperactive, forgets things regularly (even important things, forgot he turned into a heartless in kh1), distractable, later on he seems to have some problems with emotional dysregulation. hes constantly called lazy by his friends but as soon as hes doing something he likes he has all the energy in the world, and also tends to dismiss his own intelligence despite actually being pretty smart, both of which are things that i think are decently common with undiagnosed adhd

[olivewormz]

soo... we got a tactics demo, huh

[which-qsmp-egg-would]

I kinda wanna ask which egg would get banned from playing Bulldog but I have no idea if Bulldog is too british of a game for most people to know anything about

Bulldog wiki page